Categories > Anime/Manga > Naruto > Just Not His Week
“Have I angered you in some way?”
Kakashi was standing in the Godaime’s office for the fifth time that week, arms crossed and looking petulant. His visible eye blinked sleepily at the blond woman behind the desk.
The Fifth was ignoring him. She was the only other person in the village, besides Gai, who was unfazed by Kakashi’s cranky mood.
“I have another mission for you.”
“Get someone else to do it.”
She stared at him. “You’re the only one.”
“Gai looked pretty free earlier when he was challenging me to another test of my masculinity. Why don’t you ask him?” Kakashi realized that he was sounding like a certain blond genin, but frankly didn’t care.
“They specifically requested you.” The blond woman had stopped looking at him and was now examining a file in front of her.
Kakashi’s eye narrowed in suspicion. “Why?”
Tsunade shrugged.
“Okay…what is it?”
“You’re going to escort a councilwoman’s daughter to the Country of Rice.”
Kakashi took deep breath and placed his hands on her desk, leaning in towards her, right eye blazing and voice threatening.
“Listen, I understand that you’re a little understaffed, but I haven’t slept in five days. I haven’t eaten anything but field rations since Sunday. And if your damn bird doesn’t leave me alone it’s going to end up as a wall ornament.”
Sensing its imminent demise, the dove that had soared in through the window didn’t even bother to land on its perch but whipped around and flew straight back outside.
Kakashi was glaring at the Hokage. She sighed.
“I promise this is the last one. It’ll be painless. Two days and you’ll be back.”
Kakashi closed his visible eye and let his head drop, not wanting to think about two more days in the field. The Hokage took the lack of a response as an acceptance of the mission and stood up from her chair. Coming around from behind her large desk she said, “You can meet her now. She and her mother are waiting in the next room.”
Kakashi sighed and thrust his hands into his pockets, feeling too exhausted to argue any more. Tsunade pushed back a sliding door and entered the brightly lit room, where a young girl of about twelve and her nicely dressed mother were sitting in comfortable chairs. They immediately stood when the Hokage entered the room, but their eyes didn’t stay on the imposing woman for long.
The older woman was staring openly at Kakashi, who was squinting in the sunlight that was pouring in through an open window. He blinked and looked at her. She smiled and her eyes took on the sparkle that he had seen when Sakura was looking lovingly at Sasuke. He had a sudden inkling as to why she had requested him.
The woman placed a hand on her daughter’s shoulder.
“I’m sure you will take good care of my Koei. Her father is waiting for her in the city.”
He eyed the girl. She looked back at him moodily. He sighed again and scratched the back of his head. The woman kept talking.
“You don’t have to worry about luggage: she packed light. Her father is expecting her tomorrow afternoon.”
Kakashi looked at the bag lying next to the couch, then at the girl. She was dressed for a long journey. The mother had an expectant look on her face. He cleared his throat.
“So you’ll want to leave immediately, then.”
The mother smiled brightly, “The sooner you leave the sooner she can get there. I know how excited she is to visit the city.”
From the look on the daughter’s face, he highly doubted that she was looking forward to this expedition. If anything the teen’s frown had deepened since he first saw her and he thought he could detect a trembling in her lower lip. He glanced at the Hokage, who seemed oblivious to the girl’s apparent misery and instead patted the grey-haired man on the shoulder.
“Have a safe journey. I’ll expect a report on my desk when you get back, although I don’t expect that you’ll have any trouble. The councilwoman is well-liked.”
She gave the mother a wide smile and excused herself from the room, heading back into her office. Kakashi, the councilwoman, and her daughter stood apart in silence, staring at one another. The mother was the first to move. She turned her daughter towards her, took her face in her hands, and planted a kiss on her forehead.
“Have a safe trip, my dear. I know you will have so much fun!” She turned the girl back towards Kakashi and gave her a slight nudge before following Tsunade back into the main office.
The twelve-year old and the jounin stared at each other. It was bordering on the most awkward situation Kakashi had ever been in. He suddenly recalled why he hated working with young girls: they were unreadable and therefore incredibly frightening. He decided to take charge.
“Well, grab your bag. Let’s head out.”
The girl followed the orders almost noiselessly. The only sound that escaped her was a sigh. Kakashi’s was more audible. He had a feeling this was going to be a long trip.
Kakashi was standing in the Godaime’s office for the fifth time that week, arms crossed and looking petulant. His visible eye blinked sleepily at the blond woman behind the desk.
The Fifth was ignoring him. She was the only other person in the village, besides Gai, who was unfazed by Kakashi’s cranky mood.
“I have another mission for you.”
“Get someone else to do it.”
She stared at him. “You’re the only one.”
“Gai looked pretty free earlier when he was challenging me to another test of my masculinity. Why don’t you ask him?” Kakashi realized that he was sounding like a certain blond genin, but frankly didn’t care.
“They specifically requested you.” The blond woman had stopped looking at him and was now examining a file in front of her.
Kakashi’s eye narrowed in suspicion. “Why?”
Tsunade shrugged.
“Okay…what is it?”
“You’re going to escort a councilwoman’s daughter to the Country of Rice.”
Kakashi took deep breath and placed his hands on her desk, leaning in towards her, right eye blazing and voice threatening.
“Listen, I understand that you’re a little understaffed, but I haven’t slept in five days. I haven’t eaten anything but field rations since Sunday. And if your damn bird doesn’t leave me alone it’s going to end up as a wall ornament.”
Sensing its imminent demise, the dove that had soared in through the window didn’t even bother to land on its perch but whipped around and flew straight back outside.
Kakashi was glaring at the Hokage. She sighed.
“I promise this is the last one. It’ll be painless. Two days and you’ll be back.”
Kakashi closed his visible eye and let his head drop, not wanting to think about two more days in the field. The Hokage took the lack of a response as an acceptance of the mission and stood up from her chair. Coming around from behind her large desk she said, “You can meet her now. She and her mother are waiting in the next room.”
Kakashi sighed and thrust his hands into his pockets, feeling too exhausted to argue any more. Tsunade pushed back a sliding door and entered the brightly lit room, where a young girl of about twelve and her nicely dressed mother were sitting in comfortable chairs. They immediately stood when the Hokage entered the room, but their eyes didn’t stay on the imposing woman for long.
The older woman was staring openly at Kakashi, who was squinting in the sunlight that was pouring in through an open window. He blinked and looked at her. She smiled and her eyes took on the sparkle that he had seen when Sakura was looking lovingly at Sasuke. He had a sudden inkling as to why she had requested him.
The woman placed a hand on her daughter’s shoulder.
“I’m sure you will take good care of my Koei. Her father is waiting for her in the city.”
He eyed the girl. She looked back at him moodily. He sighed again and scratched the back of his head. The woman kept talking.
“You don’t have to worry about luggage: she packed light. Her father is expecting her tomorrow afternoon.”
Kakashi looked at the bag lying next to the couch, then at the girl. She was dressed for a long journey. The mother had an expectant look on her face. He cleared his throat.
“So you’ll want to leave immediately, then.”
The mother smiled brightly, “The sooner you leave the sooner she can get there. I know how excited she is to visit the city.”
From the look on the daughter’s face, he highly doubted that she was looking forward to this expedition. If anything the teen’s frown had deepened since he first saw her and he thought he could detect a trembling in her lower lip. He glanced at the Hokage, who seemed oblivious to the girl’s apparent misery and instead patted the grey-haired man on the shoulder.
“Have a safe journey. I’ll expect a report on my desk when you get back, although I don’t expect that you’ll have any trouble. The councilwoman is well-liked.”
She gave the mother a wide smile and excused herself from the room, heading back into her office. Kakashi, the councilwoman, and her daughter stood apart in silence, staring at one another. The mother was the first to move. She turned her daughter towards her, took her face in her hands, and planted a kiss on her forehead.
“Have a safe trip, my dear. I know you will have so much fun!” She turned the girl back towards Kakashi and gave her a slight nudge before following Tsunade back into the main office.
The twelve-year old and the jounin stared at each other. It was bordering on the most awkward situation Kakashi had ever been in. He suddenly recalled why he hated working with young girls: they were unreadable and therefore incredibly frightening. He decided to take charge.
“Well, grab your bag. Let’s head out.”
The girl followed the orders almost noiselessly. The only sound that escaped her was a sigh. Kakashi’s was more audible. He had a feeling this was going to be a long trip.
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