[center][b][i]Team 8 on the move again! The first official mission, Towards the Hotspring country! Part I[/center][/b][/i] [center]Summary : The start of the first official mission of Team 8. They are set on going to the Hotspring countries for both to learn something as well to complete a mission. It is shown how the team set[/center] [hider=The start!] Aiko checked the four backpacks. They were each filled with the required tools and provision that they would need. Today they would really head out for a true mission and not like last time for a training one. Being sure that each backpack was filled like she had planned for, Aiko sat down on the ground. It was around the time that her students should show up. Judging by the position of the sun, it was almost noon. The time that they should come. At least, Aiko was sure that she had delivered the notes to the addresses. Deciding to wait instead of worrying over it, Aiko started to hum a familiar tone. Yukara ran, her mother would not let her leave the house until she had done her share of some work no matter how much Yukara begged to be given the day off from her chores. But then when it looked like she would get her way, her father took her mothers side and she ended up doing more than her share of the work. So now she was running late, sprinting down the paths and finally arriving at the leaf Village, she tore down the roads, bumping into people left and right. [b]"SORRY!"[/b] Yukara yelled over her shoulder to some man who started yelling after she nearly caused him to fall on his butt. Finally she saw Aiko-Sensei, with a grin she ran over to Aiko, panting and taking in huge gulps of air. [b]"I... am... sorry... if .... I am.... late,"[/b] Yukara said, taking more air in as she talked. He had checked his gear twice. It wasn't because he was so unsure of himself, but how the last training mission went. In his own eyes it wasn't really a failure, but it wasn't a success either. That was bothering Koike a bit, but he decided to keep focusing on the present with a mission now ahead of them. Heading out to the meeting point, Koike was not hurrying up, cause it wasn't that far and neither was he too late if he would head out now. Arriving at the field, he saw that both Aiko and Yukara were already present. Heading towards the two, he speak up. [b]''Present.''[/b] Katsu was in the library, having decided that it would be best to train and read up a bit before the meet up. Sadly, he had the same idea last night. The boy was sitting, his head dug into the pages of a book. Sweet unconsciousness had taken him. Under his palm was trapped a crumpled piece of paper with a set date on it. A smile tugged on Aiko's lips as she saw Yukara. Raising her hands in front of her, Aiko tried to make it clear that Yukara shouldn't worry. [b]''You're not too late. Take it easy.''[/b] Not long after Yukara had came, Koike appeared. [b]''Good to see you too. Now, it is only Katsu and then we can leave.''[/b] Aiko stated as she looked around. Where was Katsu? Not that he was too late for the meeting, but it was a bit strange to not see him arrive yet. Pondering on what she should decide, Aiko would wait for a few minutes. Upon seeing Koike, she tried to give him what she hoped would pass for a smile but probably looked more like a grimace, with a sigh. [b]"Hi Koike, how are you?"[/b] Yukara asked, it seemed a little rehearsed but at least it was not hositle. She watched him, trying to gague his reaction to her question and the shocking new attitude towards him, for now at least. She promised she would try, and not everyone could pull it off. [b]"What is the mission gonna be? And Katsu better have a good reason for not being here by now!"[/b] she said, brushing little bits of dirt off her shirt. Turning his head to look sideways at first towards Yukara, Koike found it indeed surprising. But he had no dislike for Yukara, as it would mean he held some care for her to feel anything. So ignoring her would be against his attitude. Facing her, Koike responded back in a calm manner. [b]''I am doing well. You?''[/b] He asked back, though he seemed to be cautious. He hadn't forgotten about the last time. Katsu ran out of the library, the librarian shouting after him. He stopped and turned. Hesitantly running back in, he picked up the books he'd taken and put them back in their places. After he put one wrong and was scolded, he fixed it once more. He didn't bother picking up the crumpled piece of paper and started running to try and find his team. Finally spotting them, he sprinted towards them. [b]"Sorry I'm late, sensei! Good morning Yukara. Good morning Koike,"[/b] he greeted them rashly, ignorant of the time. There he was. Now that they were all here, Aiko pushed herself from the ground. Brushing the bit of grass and dirt from her pants, she flashed a smile towards Katsu. [b]''It is already noon, Katsu. But I am glad that you are present now.''[/b] Aiko replied back, on which she then pointed to the backpacks. She would then answer Yukara's question. [b]''We are going on an official mission now. No surprises or tricks from me. We are sent to travel towards the capital of the Hotspring country. I need to deliver a package there.''[/b] Aiko explained. Waiting till they all had a backpack, Aiko would ask them something. [b]''Any questions?''[/b] [b]"I am fine, thank you,"[/b] Yukara said, although she still sounded rehearsed. Shrugging it off, she smiled brightly as she saw Katsu and went to greet him with a hug, before elbowing him. [b]"You are late,"[/b] Yukara said, but then grinned as she patted his shoulder. Truth be told, she did not mind that he was late and therefore she could joke about it. Then she heard about going to the Hotspring Country and spun to face Aiko-Sensei, with a grin. Getting her pack, she was now bouncing on the balls of her feet as she asked [b]"does this mean we get to soak in the hotsprings? What is in the package? Is it top secret?"[/b] The Hotspring country? Koike tried to think why kind of package they would need to send to that place. Taking a pack, he shook his head to make it clear that he had no questions regarding the mission. Nodding towards Katsu, as a greeting, Koike decided to just focus on what they would need to do. Though he was wondering on how the Hotspring country looked like. Maybe it wasn't too much different from Konohagakure? The thought made him curious. Katsu was taken by surprise when Yukara threw her arms around him. He looked over at Aiko and Koike with a panicked face. When she backed away he sighed, putting a smile on his face. He looked over at Koike once more, seeing him return the greeting with a gesture. The smile became genuine though the difference was hardly noticable. The boy walked over to the backpacks and picked one up, slinging it over his shoulder. [b]"Oof... I think we're all ready, sensei,"[/b] he announced. Beckoning that they should follow her, Aiko would speak up to answer Yukara's question. [b]''It is just a package we need to deliver. Orders or something at least from the higher ups. Though nothing too important. The mission is just classified as a D ranked one.''[/b] Aiko explained. Walking for now, she would speak again. [b]''Though I want each of you to be wary and pay attention to almost everything. Though the country is a member of the Fire Union, I want you three on your best. We can be seen as representatives of Konohagakure.''[/b] Hoping her words would have some effect, Aiko wouldn't say anything about localized Konohagakure forces. And she hoped Koike wouldn't be too suspicious of the way how the others treat him. [b]"Awww so no top secret package of utmost importance then,"[/b] Yukara said, pouting a bit as she kept pace with Aiko-Sensei. Although, she really did wish their mission was more important than just delivering a simple package. [b]"Right, best behavior. No fooling around and all that, right Koike?"[/b] Yukara asked like she was joking around. She gave a thumbs up to Katsu, before she looked to Aiko with a smile. Taking a place behind the group, Koike paid attention to what was being told. However he was a bit disappointed with hearing it was a D ranked mission. Not that he figured it would be different with being a genin. Only then Yukara surprised him, again. [b]''I suppose not.''[/b] He replied, still looking with a neutral gaze towards the Cho as he answered her. Putting his hands in the pockets of his jacket, Koike returned to his thoughts of the Hotspring country. Why had the state such a name? Katsu heaved a sigh as Yukara turned away. He slowed down and then picked up his pace once more just as he got next to Koike, though he didn't look in his teammates direction or talk to him. He kept his gaze locked forward and his visage serious. By the time they got back, he planned to have Koike call him "friend". There was a clear change in the team's dynamic. At least, Aiko thought so. Maybe it had helped after all? She was glad with that her talk had some effect. Leaving Konohagakure's main gates, she picked up the pace as she kept leading her team. The pace was just to push her genins, an extra kind of training and to see how their stamina was doing. But for now, Aiko had a pretty good feeling about the mission. --- [center][b]Many hours later,[/b][/center] The sky was getting darker. Meaning that they should soon pick a place to camp. They had taken several breaks, cause it wouldn't possible to travel the distance in one go. Slowing down the pace, Aiko looked over her shoulder. They had been traveling in a squar formation. [b]''Time we set up camp and take a rest.''[/b] Landing on a branch, she would turn around and scan the area. Seeing a forest clearing up ahead, Aiko only pointed towards it. [b]''We will make camp there. But I will also teach you something. Each of you is needed to scan the perimeter. I will stay here until I have heard from one of you that the place is safe to set our camp.''[/b] Aiko explained. Placing her hands on her hip, she would wait to see how the genins would tackle this. [b]"OK! Will do!"[/b] Yukara said, looking to Katsu and Koike. [b]"We obviously to do the perimeter in thirds because there are three of us,"[/b] she added. Looking to Katsu and Koike, then she grinned because she had an idea of sorts. [b]"Koike can get the first third, Katsu can get the second and I the last, sound good? Ok, lets do this,"[/b] Yukara said, bouncing on the balls of her feet again as she looked to her team mates, eagerly. Less enthusiastic than Yukara, Koike however would do as she suggested. Nodding, Koike would look around first. If he had to scout a third, he would want to do it as quick as possible. Heading to the clearing, he raised his right thumb to his mouth. Biting on the finger, Koike would head to what would be likely a direction of a third. After weaving the required hand signals, he placed his right hand at the ground. Summoning his dog, Miso, Koike signalled silently to the left. Cautiously, Koike started to scan the part he had to, in order to see if there was no danger. [b]''Nothing here. All clear.''[/b] Speaking through his communicator, Koike would head back to the clearing. Katsu nodded. [b]"Good idea,"[/b] he said. He quickly created a clone and ran to one side of the area he was responsible of and the clone ran to the other. Scanning the area carefully and quietly, from time to time, Katsu glanced at some areas he'd already passed by. Once they had finished surveying, Katsu's clone spoke into the communicator. [b]"Here as well,"[/b] he said. The original made his way back towards the centre as the clone started to run around the edge of the perimeter to check one last time. It was really different from last time. At last, some teamwork. Keeping watch over her genins, Aiko would listen through the earphone communicator to hear what they told each other. Dropping herself from the branch, where she had watched over the area, Aiko would head towards the center of the clearing. Though Yukara had to report if her perimeter was clear as well, Aiko was sure that nothing or nobody that was a threat was nearby. It was more that she wanted to make sure that this would become a routine for the team. Discipline and routine actions like these would improve the security and teamwork of the team. [/hider]