Part 1- Death Chapter 12: Guardians of the Moon Part 1

Team Kakashi stood before the Godaime Hokage as they were formally introduced to their new clients.

Michiru-Ōji was a large overweight man as tall as Kakashi. His dark, jaw-length hair was kept back by a red hat. His eyes were a dull brown shade, yet his jewelry made up for it by sparkling rather obnoxiously. His "royal" attire consisted of a blue sleeveless robe and white pants, complimented by a scarf with a white, yellow and blue triangular pattern.

He had a smile on his face as Tsunade presented him to the team captain.

His young son, Hikaru, was a miniature, slim version of the Prince. His round glasses seemed to compete with his father's jewelry in what caught the light better. His outfit was white with blue, triangular trimmings held closed by a simple sash, white pats and a pair of brown boots.

He acted as if no one else existed, and had his face glued to his video game.

Michiru-Ōji shook hands with Kakashi and eyed the young Genin curiously.

"Michiru-Ōji, may I present to you the members of Team Kakashi. Rock Lee: a Genin specializing in Taijustu under the tutelage of Might Guy. Uzumaki Naruto: a Genin with a reputation of being the most unpredictable ninja, and the disciple of Jiraiya, the Toad Sannin. And Haruno Sakura: a Genin specializing in Medical Ninjutsu, and my disciple."

The Prince eyed Sakura in interest, and he stepped towards her and leant down to her level. "You're a very beautiful girl. Seems like you're a real ninja, despite your cute looks. It's a pleasure to know you, little lady." He held a large hand out.

Not wanting to be rude, Sakura gripped his hand with her own smaller, delicate one. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Michiru-Ōji."

Immediately, the Prince placed his other hand on top of his and began caressing it as he looked at her with a reddened face.

On either side of her, Naruto and Lee stared at the scene with scandalous looks.

Naruto appeared to want to say something, but Kakashi pinched his shoulder.

Both boys settled with glaring at the large man.

Sakura, meanwhile, regarded their overprotectiveness in amusement. She closed her eyes and offered a calm smile.

Immediately, she channeled a fraction of her strength into the handshake, and the Prince felt the difference.

His face turned blue and his eyes widened comically as he tried to free his hand from her unforgiving grip.

Satisfied that she made her point, Sakura released the man's hand to his relief as he held it against his chest protectively.

The Genin boys smirked at him in glee. Kakashi's lone visible eye crinkled in amusement.

Tsunade was smirking in pride. "As you can see, Michiru-Ōji, Sakura is strong for her age. She's even stronger than most adults."

The Prince glanced at the Hokage in disbelief before he looked back at the still smiling rosette.

He placed his slightly bruised hand down. "I can see that."

His son glanced up from his video game at sneered at the rosette. "There's no way this girl is strong. This isn't a profession for women."

Sakura tried to keep the glare off her face, whereas Tsunade stared at the boy with a cocked eyebrow.

Naruto couldn't keep his mouth shut any longer. "Hey, you little punk! You better treat Sakura-chan with respect! Tsunade-baa-chan trained her, and even Ero-Sennin is scared of her!"

Sakura smiled gratefully at the blond, and Tsunade nodded at him in approval.

The Prince's son looked at him in confusion. "What are you talking about? I don't even know those people."

His father slapped him on the back of his head. "Watch your manners, boy! We're in the presence of Tsunade-Hime, the Hokage. These people are going to protect us during our travel. Your behavior reflects on my ability to raise you."

The boy scoffed and aimed a toy arrow at Naruto's forehead.

"What the… what was that for, you punk?!"

Sakura and Lee had to physically restrain him from strangling the arrogant Prince. His father snapped his video game out of his grasp and placed it within his breast pocket.

"Father! Why'd you do that?"

The Prince's disapproval was obvious as he silently willed his son into submission.

The boy glanced down and crossed his arms angrily.

Tsunade spoke. "You and your son are in excellent hands. You'll return home safely."

The Prince addressed the woman. "We thank you, Hokage-sama. As promised, I have the fee for the village." He took out a cheque from his breast pocket and presented it to the Slug Sannin, who accepted it gracefully.

"Konoha thanks you for trusting us with our services."

Shivers went down Sakura's back as she saw the sum. That's the 500,000 dollars that Tsunade-sama mentioned.

That's the equivalent of 53,876,750 ryō. Her Inner voice replied.

I still have no idea how I'm going to spend our earnings. I've never seen such a large amount in my life!

Ehehe… I'm sure we'll think of something.

"You have your orders, Team Kakashi. Dismissed."

"Hai!" The Shinobi confirmed.

With that, Team Kakashi escorted the two Princes out of the Hokage Tower and made their way to the village entrance.

Several horse-driven carts that were too numerous to count awaited them outside of the village gates.

A middle-aged man in beige colored robes bowed as the group arrived. "Michiru-Ōji."

The Prince patted the closest cart. "Is this everything."

"Yes, Michiru-Ōji. All of your purchases and belongings have been carefully packed."

"Excellent. I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of Fire Country's market. Let's get going."

Kakashi addressed the Genin. "While we're on the road, we'll be adapting the Diamond Formation. I'll stay at the rear to defend from ambushes. Sakura, you'll take the right side. Naruto, the left. Lee, you'll lead the way." He gave Naruto a pointed look. "Try not to get into fights."

The Genin voiced their understanding, though Naruto grumbled "why does everyone always blame me?" and assumed their positions.

The village gates soon disappeared from their sight as the large group made their way to the southern border of Fire Country.

By the time the sun had reached its full peak, the musty scent of sweat permeated the air.

Sakura was grateful for her current attire.

She deemed it as the "summer" version of her usual dress, with the top half proudly bearing her family symbol on both sides. It ended in a midriff cut and gave way to a double-slit skirt that thankfully didn't impair her maneuverability. She worn mid-thigh latex shorts underneath. She traded her usual ninja sandals for a darker version that was slightly heeled and allowed her to hide senbon in it.

Naruto and Lee also wear summer-like attire in the form of t-shirts and shorts in their signature colors, and thinner sandals. Even Kakashi wore a light blue t-shirt underneath his Jonin vest, though he opted to wear mid-leg capris.

The walk was long and excessively slow, yet Sakura took advantage of it to focus on summoning water out of the air. Within the first three hours, she had successfully managed to form a palm-sized body of water.

If we can master summoning water from the environment, we'd certainly save up chakra when performing Water-style Ninjutsu.

You're familiar with the technique in manipulating chakra already inside of water. It's just a matter of getting used to the volume of water you're manipulating. Sakura's Inner voice replied.

After the brief lunch break, the group set off again. This time, Sakura conversed with Hikaru's Governess, Akiara.

She was a pleasant woman to be around, and she patiently answered the Genin's questions about the Land of the Moon.

"If you don't mind me asking, Akiara-san. How does your country achieve such wealth?"

The middle-aged woman smiled. "The Land of the Moon is blessed to be located in the Southern Seas, exactly on top of an ancient volcanic bed. As such, our ocean floor is full of several hydrothermal vents, where hundreds of species of marine life lay their eggs. The fishing industry is one of our greatest contributions to our economy. Our main factor, however, is our vast supply of ore. From iron, to gold, even the special metal made to create your chakra blades. We're the only suppliers in the world. The Shinobi Nations pay a handsome price for it."

Sakura was impressed. "That's amazing. I was shocked when I found out how much we'd receive as commission."

Amusement shined in Akiara's brown eyes. "Stay tuned. If Michiru-Ōji finds something that he wants, he'll buy it."

The rosette shook her head. "I don't even know how to spend the money I'll be receiving."

The Governess hummed in thought. "Forgive my straightforwardness, but there are several manners in investing your money. The immediate thing to do would be to pay off any debt that you have. Next, buying valuable properties such as fertile lands would also be of benefit to you. By leasing out the land to a farmer, you'd be guaranteed in always having a source of income. Buying antique furniture and art, jewelry and gold is also wise. As my father used to say: 'Gold is the currency of the Gods.'" The woman stared at Sakura's weapon pouch. "This may sound bold of me, but as a Kunoichi, I'm certain you'd want a safe house to stock up on supplies in case another war breaks out."

The rosette was left staring at her in stunned silence. "…That's a lot to take in."

The middle-aged woman chuckled. "I felt the same way when my father first introduced me to finances and economics when I was a child."

Sakura hummed thoughtfully as her respect for the woman grew. "What's your country like?"

"It's an island nation in the shape of a crescent moon, hence the namesake of our country and kingdom. The Crescent Moon Kingdom, ruled by Kakeru-Ōsama, is the only developed city located on the south-eastern part of the island. The rest is rural area and vast jungles."

"Oh, you don't have a Daimyo? What's having a King like?"

"Hmm, from what I understand, a King is just like a Daimyo, except without a Hidden Village in their country. Don't quote me on that. As for what Kakeru-Ōsama is like, he's a benevolent man whose selflessness and generosity among his people, even the poor, has earned him our love and a special place in our hearts. Just before we left, he was planning on redirecting our country's funds and reducing taxes to help the less fortunate."

Sakura smiled. "He sounds like a wonderful leader."

Akiara shared her smile. "He certainly is. Not at all like the Daimyo I've heard about."

Sakura felt uncomfortable. "I honestly can't give my opinion on that."

The older woman laughed. "No worries, Kunoichi-san. I understand that you're bound by duty to think well of your Daimyo, even give your life for him if need be."

Gee, lucky us, Sakura's Inner voice thought sarcastically.

The rosette decided to change the topic. "Have you ever been to Degarashi Port? I've never travelled that far south."

"This is actually the first time I've ever left the Land of the Moon. I kept on pestering my husband to speak with Michiru-Ōji to allow me to travel with them and continue educating his son. Michiru-Ōji was pleased. His son, not so much."

Sakura smiled in amusement. "I can imagine."

"To answer your question, Kunoichi-san, I have no idea what Degarashi Port is like. When we've travelled to the main continent, we went through Water Country."

Sakura's eyes widened in surprise. "I'm surprised your group chose that route. Up until a few years ago, Water Country was dangerous. We've even had a ban on entering the country due to the risk of execution by Mist Shinobi."

"That's correct, Kunoichi-san. However, we've received a warm welcome by both their Daimyo and the Mizukage. The Daimyo was more than happy to receive our entourage and trade with Michiru-Ōji. The Mizukage is a remarkable woman, and from what I can tell, the politics of her village has changed dramatically since she came into power."

"I've heard about Terumi-sama, although, we don't have much information about her."

"She has a lot to clean up due to her predecessor's choices. She aims for peace, although from what village gossip leads one to believe, she has many enemies within her own council who deem to bring back the violence. Terumi-san has her work cut out for her. She's not ready to address international relations just yet."

"I now understand why Mist Shinobi didn't participate in the last Chunin exams." Sakura replied.

Akiara glanced at her. "You're the Hokage's apprentice. You're a bright girl, but you still have much to learn. If you can, go out and explore the world, not as a Kunoichi, but as a traveler to see things through a new perspective. I've spent my entire life in Moon Country. I've felt like I've learned so much more during these past three months of travel than in all my fifty-three years alive in this world."

"And what have you learned, Akiara-san?"

"That human beings are all the same anywhere, even Shinobi. We all have hopes and dreams for the future, and only want the best for ourselves and our loved ones. If we'd only let down our shields and have a heart-to-heart with each other, then we'd truly understand one another."

Sakura looked down. "I wish I could believe in your philosophy, but I can't."

"Of course, you can't. You're a Kunoichi. If you think like me in the current ways of the world, you'd be dead."

The rosette shot her a wry look. "That won't be happening any time soon."

The woman laughed heartedly. "I dare say it won't, Kunoichi-san."

By the time the sun had reached the horizon, the large group had finally arrived at Fire Country's capital city, Keishi.

Even from the distance, the brilliant roofing of the buildings sparkled proudly under the setting sun.

It took them all day to reach just this far when Shinobi could have made the trip in under four hours.

As the rosette looked around and saw the relieved expressions on the civilians' faces, she had to fight the urge to pinch her nose. This is going to be a long trip, indeed.

The long caravan steadily made their way down the hill towards the vast plain where the city rested. In the middle, a long river flowed within the city and continued out of the way as it'd eventually reached the Hanguri Gulf to the south.

To Sakura's surprise, Michiru-Ōji ordered the caravan to set up camp in view of the city gates, yet still under the protection of the forest.

To her further shock, the Prince expressed his desire to dine with the Fire Daimyo and to spend the night in one of the Capital's luxurious hotels.

This man is something else, Sakura thought.

He's a Prince. He was raised with the world at his fingertips. Her Inner voice replied.

To the side, she saw Kakashi address Naruto. "Please be on your best behavior, Naruto. We'll be receiving an audience with the Daimyo, and I don't need to stress the importance of maintaining a professional appearance."

The boy huffed and crossed his arms. "I'm not the one who starts problems. No need to worry about me, Sensei."

With the caravan settling down, Team Kakashi escorted the two Princes towards the Royal Palace.

The livelihood was just like Konoha's, although there were far more variety of merchandise and with a bigger population. The traditional buildings seen from the distance were even more majestic in person. Sakura looked at them in marvel.

The small group passed through the grand marketplace until they entered a more secluded street that eventually led them to the main gates of the Royal Palace.

Royal Guards with long spears addressed them as they've arrived at the main gates.

"I'm Michiru-Ōji from the Crescent Moon Kingdom, and this is my son, Hikaru. We're here to meet with Daimyo-sama."

The Guards nodded and allowed the small group to pass.

Inside was a lovely garden with numerous bushes with blooming narcissus and moutan peony flowers. They added a dash of color to an otherwise green and beige environment.

More guards were posted in various positions within the gardens, and Sakura could see some of them patrolling up on the balconies.

The small group finally entered the palace itself, and Sakura was taken aback by the sheer elegance. She suddenly felt out of place with her current attire.

She glanced at her teammates and found equally amazed looks on the boys. Kakashi, as always, was aloof.

Almost immediately, a middle-aged man wearing a black hakama approached the group. He bowed respectfully. "Welcome to the Capital, Michiru-Ōji. My name is Reiji. I shall escort you to the dining hall."

The Prince nodded. "My Shinobi escort are to remain with me at all times."

The man regarded Team Kakashi silently and nodded. "Very well. Right this way."

He led the small group up the staircase of the main hall. They've continued down the corridor that run through the entire length of the palace until they've arrived at a large pair of golden doors.

Upon their arrival, the Royal Guards stationed there opened the door.

Their guide stepped inside first. "Presenting Michiru-Ōji and his son, Hikaru-Ōji, from the Crescent Moon Kingdom!"

The small group entered the dining room.

It wasn't as big as Sakura expected it to be, with the Chabudai able to host only ten guests. She assumed that this was for private dinners.

To the side, a roaring fire added warmth and a gentle orange glow to the small room. Behind the dining party was a large bamboo screen.

Currently, the Daimyo was dining with his wife.

Oh Kami-sama, Sakura's Inner voice started. It's her.

The Daimyo's wife, Madam Shijimi, was the owner of the bane of Team 7's career: Tora, the cat. She still appeared as entitled as ever as she regarded the new company with a barely disguised sneer.

The Fire Daimyo glanced up from his bowl of rice and rose to greet his honored guests. "Welcome to my Capital, Michiru-Ōji, Hikaru-Ōji." He bowed.

The Prince bowed back. "It's an honor to be here, Daimyo-sama. Thank you for inviting my son and I to dinner."

He pinched his son's shoulder discreetly, forcing the boy to bow low in order to hide his flinch.

The Daimyo glanced at the Shinobi behind the two princes. "Ah, you've acquired the services of our formidable Shinobi. You're in excellent hands, I can guarantee that!"

"Absolutely, especially with the Shinobi you're currently with. They've had the honor of rescuing my poor Tora from attempted kidnappings many times!" Her nose scuffed up as she stared at Lee. "It seems like you've had a change in members."

"Ah ha ha, Lee-san has agreed to accompany my team on this mission since our other member is currently withdrawn from Shinobi services." Kakashi replied diplomatically.

"I see." Madam Shijimi replied. "Do give him my best regards."

"I'm sure he'll appreciate it, Madam Shijimi."

"Come! Come join us and tell us all about your ventures in the world. Even you, Shinobi-san. I'm certain you and your team must be famished from the long journey." The Daimyo stated.

Kakashi bowed, and the Genin mimicked him immediately. "We thank you for the honor, Daimyo-sama."

And so, Sakura found herself sitting down and being presented with numerous selections of food, some of which she hasn't ever seen before.

To her left, her fellow Genin also appeared at a loss of what to eat, though apparently Naruto's stomach seemed to have encouraged him, and he settled for a bowl of rice with some meat on it. To his credit, he ate without making a mess.

Lee settled for the same meal. Sakura decided to follow in suit.

Kakashi sat on the right side of Sakura and was actively conversing with the royalty.

I don't envy him that task, Sakura thought to herself.

Opposite them sat the two princes and Madam Shijimi.

"Kakashi of the Sharingan. You have built up quite a reputation since the last war. I've heard you even have a 'flee on sight' order in almost every country's Bingo book."

Kakashi appeared sheepish. "Well, most countries' Shinobi seem to make it their mission to complicate my life. I merely retaliated to defend myself."

The Daimyo laughed. "Well said, Kakashi-san. It's exactly the message I deem to convey to the other Elemental Daimyos." His expression darkened. "Wind's Daimyo learned that the hard way after the near destruction of Konohagakure."

"With all due respect, Daimyo-sama, but the Wind Daimyo wasn't responsible for the Konoha Crush."

The Daimyo raised a dismissive hand. "No matter. His popularity among his own people is at an all-time low. I daresay he'll be forced to abdicate if he wants to keep his head on his neck."

An uncomfortable atmosphere settled over the group, and for a time the only sound was the occasional clinking of chopsticks against the rice bowls.

It was Michiru-Ōji who broke the silence. "I must offer you my sincere congratulations to the prosperity and success of your country." He said to the Daimyo.

His comment did the trick to lighten the mood, and the Fire Daimyo smiled at him. "I thank you, Michiru-Ōji. A comment like that from you is quite the honor. I've heard that you've also spent some time in The Land of Water. What's your opinion of it?"

"I understand that the Land of Water had suffered great internal conflict, especially within their Hidden Village. Their infrastructure is nowhere near as modernized as in Fire Country, and foreigners are still treated with suspicion. I suspect that I was merely tolerated because of my title."

Madam Shijimi snorted quietly. "The Land of Water is a country based on barbaric customs and governed by illiterates."

Michiru-Ōji glanced at her. "That may have been so in the past, but the Water Daimyo and the Mizukage seemed eager to bring their country to the future."

It was the Daimyo's turn to snort. "The Water Daimyo is an indecisive man who doesn't even trust his own Shinobi, though for good reason."

"He certainly isn't as confident as you are, Daimyo-sama, though he expressed great interest in organizing trade between his country and mine."

"Well, I wish him the best of luck. He'll need it."

"We, for one, have excellent Shinobi, and we owe it all to Hashirama-sama." Madame Shijimi commented egotistically.

Her husband nodded. "Yes, indeed. His granddaughter, Tsunade-hime, has done a fine job of running the village, especially after its near destruction."

Moon Country's prince switched his gaze to Sakura. "We should be honored to be accompanied by her disciple."

"Tsunade-sama's disciple is here?" The Daimyo asked.

Kakashi glanced at the quiet rosette. "It's my honor to introduce my student and now disciple of the Godaime Hokage, Haruno Sakura."

Sakura had to will herself to not shuffled her clothing when every eye in the room landed on her. She inwardly counted down to calm her breathing as she remembered her mentor's words.

x

"Wear it with pride, Sakura. This'll be your first mission since I've taken you under my wing. Needless to say, your actions will also be representing my reputation."

x

Sakura bowed her head. "It's an honor to be in your presence, Daimyo-sama."

Madam Shijimi scrutinized the girl. "This is Tsunade-hime's student? I had imagined she'd choose a boy."

Hikaru quietly snorted. "So did I."

Lee and Naruto glared at him, and the boy's father gave him another disapproving stare.

Hikaru turned his attention to his meal.

Sakura, for her part, kept her cool. "I'm not Tsunade-sama's only student. Shizune-san was her first student, and also a figure I look up to. I'm dedicating my time to specializing in Medical Ninjutsu in the pursuit to become a more productive member of my team."

"Now now, my dear." The Daimyo addressed his wife. "As a woman, Tsunade-hime is an exceptional Shinobi. I imagine that she'll shape her student towards the same path."

"That's my intention as well, Daimyo-sama." The rosette replied.

The plump woman hummed to herself. "Good luck to you, Sakura-san. Now Fire Country's nobility will also be interested in your progress."

No pressure, Sakura's Inner voice replied sarcastically.

Outwardly, Sakura tilted her head towards the woman. "I look forward to bringing honor to our country."

Satisfied, the woman nodded at her, and returned to her meal.

Kakashi discreetly placed his hand over her own and squeezed it encouragingly.

The rosette smiled up at him and continued her meal.

The rest of the dinner went by with small talk between the royal members, and the Shinobi were happy to be excused from having to participate in the conversation.

As Sakura sipped her tea, she locked eyes with Naruto who smiled at her.

She returned the gesture and squeezed his hand under the Chabudai.

"Daimyo-sama, what hotel would you recommend our party to spend the night?" Michiru-Ōji asked.

The older man looked at him in confusion. "What are you talking about? You're Fire Country's esteemed guest. You and your Shinobi escorts shall be accommodated at the visitor's quarters of the Royal Palace."

The Prince bowed his head. "We thank you for your hospitality, Daimyo-sama."

The Shinobi bowed their heads as well.

"Reiji-san shall escort you to your quarters. Fire Country thanks you for your visit and interest."

Michiru-Ōji nodded. "On behalf of the Land of the Moon, my son and I thank you for our continued partnership and friendship. Have a pleasant evening, Daimyo-sama. Madame Shijimi."

The royal couple bowed in farewell, and the small group was led out of the dining hall.

They travelled down the exact same path they took to arrive to the dining, and they even went back down the grand staircase.

Their guide steered them to the west hall of the palace, until they've reached a golden door.

Reiji turned to face the group. "This is where their excellencies, Michiru-Ōji and Hikaru- Ōji will be staying."

The Prince addressed Kakashi. "I thank you for your services thus far. We'll continue as planned in the morning."

The Copycat Ninja nodded. "Have a good evening, Michiru-Ōji. We'll leave just after dawn."

With that, the two princes went into their assigned quarters.

Reiji continued to lead the Shinobi further down the hall.

Lee addressed Kakashi. "Kakashi-san, shouldn't at least one of us stay with our clients?"

The grey-haired man shook his head. "No need to, Lee. The Royal Palace is one of the most heavily protected posts in the country. Even an S-class Shinobi would think twice about attacking here."

The boy seemed doubtful but quieted his objections.

The Shinobi soon arrived at their quarters, where Reiji bid them a good night and left.

Kakashi opened the door and ushered his Genin inside.

They entered the genkan shut off from the rest of the quarters by a large bamboo sliding door.

Immediately, the Shinobi removed their sandals and placed them on the getabako, before Kakashi slide open the bamboo door.

Sakura felt her jaw drop at the sight.

They were met with the sight of a large entrance hall with half a dozen couches and chairs for them to pick and choose to relax in. Finely treated tatami mats decorated the floors, and the ceilings and window frames with made with elegant cherry wood.

In the middle of the room hung a tokonoma where a kōro incense burner released the calming scent of lavender.

On the far side of the entrance hall was a door-shaped open space that led into the gardens where the sound of running water came from. Numerous branches from the trees and their flowers served as a decoration to the elegant simplicity of the room.

The sun had already set, yet numerous lamps both inside and within the garden lit up the room.

On the right side was a beige fusuma sliding door that Sakura assumed led to the sleeping room.

"Geesh, I feel like I'd break something just by breathing on it." Naruto commented.

Lee nodded. "I agree with that sentiment. I've never stayed in such an elegant lodging."

Kakashi hummed. "We have our clients to thank for that. For once in Team 7's history, we have clients that spoil us and aren't attracting danger."

Sakura snorted quietly. "We've just started this mission. There's still time for things to go wrong."

"Being pessimistic is my job, Sakura." Kakashi joked.

"Bah, whatever comes our way, we can handle it!" Naruto stated enthusiastically and raised his right arm.

Standing beside him, Sakura could smell the sweat coming off him.

She waved a hand in front of her nose. "Whatever enemy we'll face will turn and flee just from smelling your body odor."

Naruto lowered his arm and stuck his tongue out. "As if you don't stink, Sakura-chan."

"You all stink," Kakashi interjected. "By the sound of running water, I'm assuming the bathing unit is outside. Go clean yourselves up and get some rest. Tomorrow's another long day."

The Genin grumbled but did as they were told.

They exited through the door-sized opening and walked on-top of stone steps that cut a path through the dense vegetation. The sound of running water got louder, until they've arrived at their destination.

Hearts appeared in Sakura's eyes. "It's an onsen!"

Naruto cheered. "Alright. We'll get cleaned up and get to relax in the awesome hot water. Let's get going!"

The boy dragged Lee with him as they entered through the male's entrance.

Sakura shook her head at her brother's enthusiasm and entered the female's entrance.

She stripped and sat down at a bathing station. She patiently scrubbed the grime and sweat off her somewhat tanned skin and decided to wash her hair as well.

Once she rinsed off all traces of soap and shampoo, Sakura grabbed a clean towel and laid it beside the tube. She entered the hot water and groaned in pleasure.

The temperature did wonders at relaxing her tense muscles, and combined the with scent of incense lavender, Sakura felt ready to fall asleep right there.

She was also impressed by the elegance of this private onsen. Perfectly carved stone were used as the "tub", which received water from a mini water fountain-like apparatus that was hidden within the foliage of the trees that offered privacy.

Numerous candle-lit lamps lined along the tub and glowing rocks added light from underneath the water, yet Sakura had her eyes on the stars.

It's so beautiful here. I wouldn't mind coming back here to visit.

You never know. Madame Shijimi did say that Fire Country's nobility would be keeping an eye on you. Sakura's Inner voice replied.

No need to remind me of that. Sakura thought in mild annoyance.

If they'd allow you to stay in this quarters, we'd be able to bear the company of snobby nobles.

Sakura was interrupted from her thoughts by the sound of Naruto's loud laughter. Low murmuring, she assumed was Kakashi speaking, followed by Naruto's loud, yet muffled reply.

The rosette shook her head. Looks like the boys are having fun.

None of us will be having fun in the coming days. They'd better enjoy this night as much as they can.

Sakura spent another hour in the onsen, before she decided that she had stayed long enough.

She dried herself off with the towel and returned to the changing room.

She found a clean yukata on top of one of the stools and put it on.

She sighed in contentment at soft feeling of the material and made her way back to their shared quarters.

She found Kakashi sitting down on one of the couches, reading his book.

He glanced up upon her arrival. "You should get some rest. Take advantage of the silence while you can; Naruto is a loud snorer."

Sakura giggled. "Good night, Sensei."

The man nodded at her, and the rosette opened the fusama sliding door, and entered the room.

She closed the door behind her and picked the futon furthest from the door.

Sleep, thankfully, welcomed her quickly within its comforting embrace.

x

As promised, Team Kakashi was up and about at dawn.

The team leader knocked on the door of the Princes' quarters.

To Sakura's surprise, the royal members were already dressed and appeared ready to leave.

Michiru greeted them, and the group made their way out of the palace onto the quiet streets of the Capitol.

Only a few early-bird vendors were about as they began to organize their stalls. As such, Team Kakashi plus their clients left the perimeters of the city without delay.

They've met up with the Princes' caravan and left the city behind them.

After three days, they've finally crossed the border with Tea Country. Against their odds, Team Kakashi managed to avoid hostile Shinobi encounters.

It took another two days to reach Degarashi Port, and Sakura was glad to finally have a break from sleeping on hard ground.

The port city was slightly smaller than Fire Country's Capital, yet its extravagance wasn't inferior by any means.

Sakura and Naruto had been to Tea Country before, back when they were assigned the mission to guard Morino Idate during the race of the Wasabi and Wagarashi families, yet they've never ventured this far south.

Ravines ran through the city and eventually bled out into the Kanashii Ocean. People seemed to prefer to travel in canoes along the ravines rather than walk along the paved roads.

Large, traditional buildings stood proud as they overlooked the large body of water ahead of them. An ocean that Team Kakashi and their clients were scheduled to sail across the following morning.

As they walked down the busy streets, Michiru became animated as he saw signs of a local circus performing that night.

Twenty minutes later, Team Kakashi found themselves standing guard as Michiru and his son enjoyed the circus. In fact, Michiru even purchased it, to Sakura's amazement. That included the saber-toothed tiger and the monkey Hikaru decided to name, Chamu and Kiki.

The owner was more than happy to accept the large-summed check.

The rosette said her Sensei look at the new additions under their protection with a resigned eye.

Michiru was generous enough to pay a room for the Shinobi at one of the finer hotels that overlooked the harbor.

His caravan and newly bought circus were directed to settle in at the old circus grounds.

Team Kakashi quickly settled in their hotel room, and took turns bathing, before they immediately went to sleep as the exhaustion from the past near-week overcame them.