Kiss Me Goodnight

Chapter 16: Field Trip Contest

Hiking.

After travelling for another few days, and just having settled down, he wanted to go hiking. Or rather climbing. In the mountains. They had just gotten to Moon Country for kami's sake! The day after her last fit, their little group had run through the trees and meadows until they reached the port, where the ferry to Moon Country was waiting. This time there fortunately was no storm during their crossing, though it became officially known that Uchiha Sasuke got easily seasick these days. A day later they arrived at Moon Country's harbour, where they were greeted by the royal family of the tiny kingdom, and the circus they had met during their first encounter with Michiru and Hikaru. The king had made plans for them to accommodate them in the most luxorious chambers of his own palace. Everyone had been very happy at the idea of an own room and a comfy bed, but alas it wasn't to be. They hadn't even put their packs down on their respective beds properly, when their team leader summoned them outside already.

To go hiking.

Looking slightly uncomfortable, and showing it by scratching the back of his head, Kakashi was currently waiting for them to say something. Not that it was necessary. The five pair of eyes glaring daggers at him was more than enough of an answer, but he wasn't about to budge. He never did, so no sense in starting now. He had his mind set, and it would go his way, no doubt about it. That didn't mean his team would just say "yes and amen" to his idea.

"We'll split up in groups of two, and climb the mountain from three different sides till the top. No chakra to walk on the walls, only sweat and backache-" another set of glares from his comrades- "Who get's there first, wins a prize."

"Oh! Oh! What prize? Something really cool, ne?!" Naruto shouted, excitedly.

"That's a surprise," Kakashi answered.

"Oho, that's so cool!" the No.1 hyperactive Ninja shouted again, fist pounding thin air once.

Everyone sweatdropped.

"So, who'll team up with who?" Kakashi cleared his throat.

"You'll come with me, teme, ne?"

"Hn."

"COO- Ouch! That hurt Sakura-chan."

"Keep the volume down, Naruto," the pink-haired medic growled.

The blonde pouted, but his puppy-dog-eyes didn't work on her anymore. With all the times, he'd used those on her, trying to get her to buy him Ramen, she was immune by now. Like everyone else out of their group of friends for that matter. Except maybe Hinata. So no longer infatuated with the Kyuubi container, she still held a soft spot for him, and- not to mention- was too nice for her own good!

"Anyway, me and teme are gonna win! No matter who we are up against."

Yamato and Sai exchanged a look, and nodded to each other.

"That leaves Sakura and me. Very well, now choose your side of the mountain, and proceed to climb. It's about a day's travel up until the top. Oh, by the way, Sakura and I will take the north slope."

Everyone stared at Kakashi's announcement with their mouths wide open- even Sakura. The north inclination was the most diffcult to climb. And the most dangerous. Even for experts in the department- which you could probably say they were, seeing as they were all elite shinobi, but still... Without the usage of their chakra it was twice as crazy to try and climb it. Yamato, the never-tiring voice of reason, was about to argue, but Kakashi had already grabbed the kunoichi's wrist, and disappeared into a cloud of smoke, before he could even utter a word. The remaining members of Team Kakashi looked at their temporary captain in mirrowed expressions of concern, but the brown-haired ANBU with the 'scary face' simply shrugged, as if to assure them everything would be allright. Nothing to worry about. Especially not for Sakura.