A "C-Rank" Mission goes Awry

"Hey, yeah, it's like that, wow. Kohana, you're really taking to medical ninjutsu." Rin said the next week as she supervised her genin, who were all currently trying to work on their chakra control in an attempt to revive their fish. All three having scrolls in front of team, who were standing in a medical room.

"Ahh!! Hey is it suppose to do that?!" Katsuo yelled as he jumped back, his

fish lighting on fire. Rin looked over, helping him put out the fire, the third one today. Katsuo… unfortunately, did not have a talent for medical ninjutsu. Kohana was able to bring it halfway back, before the fish died again. Kanae's fish was dead… dead dead… though she did get the tail to twitch a few times. But they'd been at this for three hours with little progress.

"What's the point of this again?" Kanae asked,

"In learning a little bit of medical ninjutsu, this will help in combat as well as hone your control of your chakra." Rin answered

"You really think we could use medical ninjutsu? Rin sensei?" Kohana asked and Rin looked over

"No idea. But that's why we're doing this, to see where all three of you are

at with your chakra control." Rin said and the three looked over, before looking back at their fish,

"I don't like the smell of fish" Katsuo said, complaining,

"Scared I'll get this down before you?" Kanae asked and Katsuo looked over

"No way! Ya know!" Katsuo said

"I'm gonna get this before either of you." Kohana said,

"What?! No way Kohana! Ya know!" Katsuo yelled

"Yeah! Ya know, I will." Kanae said the three continuing to go back and forth before restarting their training, continuing for another four hours, Kohana successfully reviving the fish, Kanae close behind, her fish reviving for a few moments before dying again. Katsuo's fish doing the same thing.

"Dammmmn! How did you do it Kohana?" Kanae said as her fish returned to the land of the not living. Kohana looked over, shrugging, before humming a moment,

"You remember last month before we graduated when we painted the stone faces?" Kohana asked and the two looked over,

"I imagined the paintbrush, sort of, ya know, like, how light it was, and stuff. Kinda like that." Kohana said and Rin looked over 'that is an interesting way to think of medical ninjutsu… huh' she thought, 'they kinda remind me a little of Kushina and Minato-sensei,' she thought

"Ohh! I got it! Thanks Kohana!" Katsuo said before jumping up from their break, and jumping back over to his fish, afterwards, Kanae and Katsuo both revived their fish.

"Alright. We've got a Crank mission. A merchant has requested aid in traveling back to his village in the land of waves. Guarding a merchant from bandits." Rin said the next day as the team met.

"Yes! I am so ready!" Katsuo said jumping around

"If he's from the land of waves, isn't that in Mist territory? Why travel to the land of fire to get leaf ninja." Kohana asked and Rin looked over

"No, no technically the land of waves is not part of the Mist's territory. You're thinking of the land Water." Rin said and Kohana hummed

"It is kinda weird though, but a mission's a mission. The more we can do, the better, so we can show off and hone our skills even more. That way we can take the chunin exams this year, and prove to everyone why we're the best team." Kanae said and Kohana nodded, while Katsuo cheered,

"Hey old man, we're your escorts ya know." Katsuo said jumping around as he had a backpack ready

"Oh great. A jokester. I feel so protected. Who are you" Tazuna said sarcastically

"He's the future Hokage. We're the Uzumaki triplets. I'm Kanae, our sister Kohana." Kanae said

"And I'm Katsuo Uzumaki! Don't forget our names ya know! We're gonna be important ninja one day! Believe it!" Katsuo said looking at the guy, who looked to be mid to late 40s early 50s,

"Well you don't look like much, but whatever let's go." He said Kohana having not spoken a word, instead taking to observing the man as they started down the dirt path, heading towards the man's small town, where he was to build a bridge but needed protection from bandits.

"So, the bandits, you've had to deal with many of them? I mean you went through the trouble of requesting ninja to escort and guard so you must have" Kohana said with her hands behind her head, the walked in a semi line with Kanae and Katsuo standing up ahead, Kohana's voice was softer than her sisters, and quieter than Katsuos.

"That's right. My village is surrounded completely by water, and we can't get in or out of the village without boats. But having a bridge? A bridge would change everything for us. Which is why it's important. But these… bandits, keep attacking and dwindling any progress we can make or have made on the bridge." he said and Kohana hummed, as they passed a puddle of water, 'aren't we in the middle of a dry spell? There hasn't been rain in weeks, at least, not that I'm aware of…' she thought, Rin thinking something similar 'This isn't the Crank this man said it was. He's hiding something, dangerously so.' Rin thought as they continued on their path,

"You three are nothing but runts. I'm supposed to put my faith in you, ha!" Tazuna said scoffing, Kanae putting a hand on the back of Katsuo's backpack strap, stopping him from retaliating,

"Remember why we're doing this. We need to show we're the best. We cannot kill our clientele." Kanae whispered to Katsuo

"Why aren't there ninja in the land of waves, Rin sensei?" Kohana asked and Rin hummed,

"Well, Ninja villages are only really used for strength and protection, and

with the natural protection of the sea for the small island that is the land of waves, a ninja village would be unnecessary, right." Rin said with a grin, she'd gone over the different countries and how ninja villages worked with her team on their 10th mission, just before theyu took on this mission, their 12th one. And the first one outside the village.

"So not even a small ninja village, like the hidden star village, or waterfall village." Kohana asked and Rin shook her head, they got a few steps past the puddle when two enemy ninja from the land of mist jumped from the hidden mist village,

"What the?" She was able to say before the enemy ninja wrapped her tightly in chains,

"Rin sensei!" Kanae said shocked, Katsuo doing the same, the three kids looked at their sensei who was at the moment bound, before being pulled apart. Logs dropping unnoticed behind the group,

"R..Rin sensei!" Katsuo said shocked,

"Kanae guard the old man." Kohana said

"Right." she said the two ninja moving to right behind Katsuo, aiming their chains for him, Kohana moving two shuriken from her pouch, sending them forwards and trapping the men's weapons to the tree bark, using a kunai to push the shuriken further into the treebark, the rain ninja pulled the chains but had no luck getting them loose, Kohana jumping on the two ninja shoulders, grabbing their arms she kicked out with both her legs and sent the two flying towards the ground, with their weapons still stuck to the tree. Before they released their chains, instead running for a pincher attack at Katsuo who froze in fear for a moment before bringing his Kunai up to defend himself. The other going after the bridge builder, Tazuna's and Kanae's eyes widened, Kanae holding a kunai in front of her, prepared to attack.

"Don't move old man." Kanae said as she slid in front, Rin stopping the guy, grabbing him by the neck as he came closer, grabbing his associate as well,

"Rin Sensei!" Katsuo said Rin standing in between the four people, Kohana and Katsuo on one side with Kanae and Tazuna on the other, the two enemy ninja secured in her arms.

"Hey kid, sorry I didn't reveal myself sooner. You three were very proficient, considering this was only supposed to be a C-rank. Well done." Rin said with a grin, 'So… they saved me after all.' Tazuna thought looking towards the ground, as Rin walked over to a tree, tying the ninja too it.

"Thank you very much Sensei." Kohana said,

"Katsuo. Let me see your hand" Rin said kneeling in front of the boy, who held his hand out in confusion,

"There are poison laced in these ninja's claws, don't even try hiding it from me cause I saw you get hurt. Just a little bit of… and there you go, good as new." Rin said using medical ninjutsu to extract the poison before wrapping Katsuo's hand

"Woah Sensei, how'd you do that?" Kanae said

"Medical ninjutsu, like with what we've been working on, though this is on a much smaller scale," She answered back before looking at the bridge builder who startled a moment

"What is it?" He said

"We're going to talk." Rin said simply, not giving the man a choice, outlining the difference between the C-rank mission he'd requested and the A-rank mission this'd become. Being Genin Kanae, Kohana, and Katsuo being genin, newly promoted genin at that, were unqualified to take on such a mission.

"Rin-Sensei, we're already out here, I say let's do it." Kanae said

"Yeah! Ya know! We can't turn back now, we're gonna be the best ninja team ever, ya know!" Katsuo said and Rin sighed,

"These chunin went straight for you old man Tazuna, and you didn't seem

surprised at all. So. you knew that there was a possibility of ninja

attacks, and said nothing. If you had this mission would have gone to jonin and experienced chunin, not a freshly promoted genin team. We could have died due to you willfully misinforming the hokage and us." Kohana said and Tazuna looked down, he seemed to be ashamed for a moment

"She's right. If we'd been informed of this you would have been charged according to the B-rank or higher, not C-rank. You know this, don't you. Tazuna. We're beyond the scope of the mission we were assigned," Rin said looking at the man,

"You have your reasons but a Brank is beyond our skills right now." Kohana said,

"No way! We aren't turning our tail and running! We took on this mission we

should see it through!" Katsuo said glaring,

"They do make good points Kohana. But, we are already out here, and we've accepted the mission. Tell you what, Tazuna, you're going to explain exactly what this mission is actually going to entail, and I'll tell you whether we can complete it or not." Rin said looking at the bridge builder. Who explained about the gang attacking their village, trying to stop any advancement with the bridge, the gang had moved into the village and completely taken over the place, killed off anyone who didn't follow their way of life and terrorized the village, he'd asked for a C-rank because it's what he could afford. He couldn't afford a Brank, and needed to complete the bridge.

"He calls himself Gato, he employs rogue ninja that likes to throw his weight around through the ninja." Tazuna said

"Who?" Kohana said

"What?" Katsuo said

"Huh?" Kanae said

"Gato as in the CEO of Gato travel? He's a business leader, he's after you and the village?" Rin asked and Tazuna looked over,

"He's indeed a business man known by many, however, he employs the same ruthless methods to take over businesses and nations. He first made an appearance last year, he killed off any who disagreed and dared to show it. He controls the transport and shipping, owns the sea, so by building the bridge, we're taking back that power from him." Tazuna said

"I can respect it. Don't like how you lied about the mission, but gotta give you props man, this dude sounds like he's bad news, I mean, anyone named Gato has gotta be shady at least. And your purposefully going against him. Respect." Kanae said nodding her head over,

"So the guys from the forest were on Gato's payroll." Kohana said with a hand on her chin looking towards Katsuo,

"We'll continue the mission. We've already come this far. But, Tazuna." Rin said looking over with her light brown eyes,

"Yes, what is it." he asked

"If you withhold any more information pertaining to the bridge that can cost us our lives, and it won't be the enemy ninja you have to worry about." Rin said Tazuna nodding, taking her words for the threat they were

"Y-yes ma'am. I understand. I apologize." Tazuna said 'man, Rin sensei can be kinda scary…' Katsuo thought as he felt sweat drop behind his head.

The ninja and Tazuna arrived at the shore, stepping onto the wooden dock, the boat operator leaving a moment later. Tazuna thanking him for the risk he took, just guiding them there. The group starting off towards Tazuna's home. Katsuo sending Shuriken to the left as they walked, saying something about sensing something in the woods, though, when they moved the underbrush,

"That's odd… a snow rabbit, you poor thing." Kohana said

"Great job, Katsuo, you saved us from a bunny." Kanae said laughing Katsuo grabbing the terrified rodent, hugging it close gently as he apologized over and over, having not meant to scare it.

"Snow rabbits fur only goes white in the winter to help them blend in, and because there's little options for sunlight. Rin sensei, what's it mean, this snow-rabbits fur is all white but there's plenty of sun." Kohana said

"A replacement technique, I'll teach you how to do them after this, but for now, be on your guards." Rin said back looking around with her brown eyes, 'no wonder those two failed. Rin Nohara of the leaf is a strong jonin indeed.' Zabuza thought as he looked at the jonin from his treebranch, grabbing his sword, the Kubikiribocho. Before he launched an attack at the group,

"Watch it!" Rin said all of them ducking to the ground, as a metal sword spun overhead, before landing in a tree. Zabuza landing overtop the handle.

"Zabuza Momoshi, a rogue ninja from the hidden mist village, I didn't think we'd get to meet." Rin said as she looked at him, before putting a hand out to stop Katsuo from running forwards, telling him of the danger and ordering the three genin to guard Tazuna.

"We've got this Rin Sensei." Kanae said, standing to the left of Tazuna, with Kohana on the right, with Katsuo in front.

"Hand over the old man, Rin Nohara." Zabuza said glancing back, his voice was deep and grainy, he wore bandages over his face, covering his mouth and nose similar to Kakashi's mask, his mist headband tied over his black hair diagonally so. His back and chest bare of clothing.

"Right so this also required fine chakra control. Move the chakra to the bottoms of your feet… and…" Rin said before walking up the tree, sitting upside down on on of the branches, her brown hair acting as a backdrop for her hair. Looking at the genin.

"Woah! So cool!" Katsuo said ready to give it a go, Rin explained some of the finer points, Kohana trying the jutsu alongside Kanae, and Katsuo, Kohana getting halfway up the tree before slipping, marking the tree as theyd been instructed and flipping as to not injure herself. Landing back on the ground, Kanae making it three steps up the tree before slipping, with Katsuo making it five. Kohana gave them small pointers for climbing the trees but overall, it was up to them. Kanae and Katsuo going all night with training. Kohana walking to town with Tazuna, confused by the hardships the citizens faced. 'It reminds me of how Kanae, Katsuo, and I are treated back home, except everyone is scared of Gato, that isn't right, it has to change' Kohana thought as she looked around the town.

"The bridge is finally built and Gato is no more. I think I'll name this bridge… triple K." Tazuna said,

"After the three genin who risked their lives to prove us wrong and taught us to stand up for ourselves." He said the village agreed. Liking the name 'Triple K' for their bridge that now connected them from their small nation to the mainland.