"That's a big cart you're carrying with you? I thought it was just supposed to be an artifact, like you would hold it in your arms, I dunno?" Ikebashi was the first to speak after about 20 minutes of traveling in silence. Kassi was fully ready to sarcastically respond when Amika suddenly squeezed her hand, making her glance at the taller girl and notice her shaking her head making her sigh.

"Actually the artifact is hidden in that cart, it's easier to carry like this along with the rest of my things, and it's much more discrete." Kaleku chuckled while Ikebashi only looked more confused, but he looked back at Kimo when he coughed.

"We have no business asking questions like that Ikebashi, we aren't to know anything about the artifact, do you understand?" Kimo's voice got deadly serious and the younger boy quickly nodded looking a bit afraid making Kassi laugh. He, of course, glared at her making her laugh a bit more until she was pulled into her older sister's side.

"Stop laughing at him, he's turning red." She mumbled into her ear making Kassi pout.

"But that makes it even better." She slightly whined and Amika smiled and let her go except for the hand she was already holding.

"You're lucky you're cute." She said and at that moment, the shorter girl looked back at the slightly older boy to see him even redder in the face, except out of anger this time.

'He makes it so easy.' And right after thinking that Kassi practically latched onto Amika's arm. The taller girl didn't even question it, she just started to lightly rub her head as they walked. It was taking all of Ikebashi's willpower to not attack her and Kassi very obviously knew because she then slightly turned to stick her tongue out. The two adults that were watching the little scene play out both couldn't help but chuckle.

After that, it was silent for a little bit longer until they reached the bottom of the first mountain they had to climb over to get to their destination.

"Do we really have to climb that?" Kassi asked turning to her sensei who gave her a sad look but still nodded.

"Believe me, I don't wanna do this as much as you don't want to." He mumbled but everyone heard and his students all looked annoyed but Kaleku just laughed making Kassi turn to him. 'He sure laughs a lot.'

"Anyway this the point where you guys need to be serious, don't get distracted by anything. Mind you this mission is only C-rank so it's not gonna be really dangerous, but there are bandits and thieves that we have to look out for, got it?" Kimo asked while looking at his Squad of genin.

"Right sensei!" They all yelled together, and despite their differences, each of them had a bright grin of excitement that even made Kimo smile despite his prior seriousness.

"You guys look like you're going to save the world." Kaleku quipped from beside them and Amika just shook her head.

"We just want to prove ourselves that's all." She smiled and he nodded in understanding.

"Let's get going."
------------

"This is so boring, we've been over 2 mountains, there's only 1 left and nothing has happened!" Ikebashi groaned for the millionth time and Kaleku was pretty sure that each one of his teammates was ready to kill him by the way they were glaring.

"You're a really energetic kid, you know that?" He said only for the smaller boy to freeze and glare at him making him lift his hands.

"I mean a really energetic ninja?"

"Yeah and your life is in my hands, remember that!"

That seemed to be the last straw because before she could be stopped Kassi quickly punched him in the head, quickly knocking him out.

"Kassi! Why'd you hit him so hard!" Amika quickly lifted the now unconscious boy's body and then put him onto the same cart with the artifact that was being pulled in.

"Cause I was tired of him, so I don't care." Kassi folded her arms as her older sister walked back over to her. The shorter girl reached for her hand only for Amika to pull away.

"You can't go hitting people like that, and as your big sister I have to punish you!"

"Wait, what?"

Kimo glared at his two still conscious students. He specifically told them not to play around at this time. Right before Amika could name Kassi's punishment he stopped them.

"Okay, I guess we should take a break. It's getting late and-" He started but Amika cut him off.

"But Kimo-sensei, we could probably make it to mister Kaleku's village before nightfall. Why should we stop when we're so close?" She asked and Kimo sighed.

"You're not taking this seriously. One of our members is knocked out, and you and Kassi are probably hungry and a bit tired, and what if we're attacked by a group of bandits, they'll have the advantage of being prepared and knowing the area. It's not a risk we can afford taking." The face he was making really looked upset which confused both girls. Maybe it was a dumb question to him but they weren't thinking about it that way.

"Okay sensei," Amika mumbled back and Kimo walked over to Kaleku and started to mumble something so the other 2 couldn't hear it.

"I know that we were supposed to get you there as soon as possible, but the kids are obviously getting a bit restless and I think it would be best to-"

"You speak as if you aren't still a child yourself." Kaleku chuckled before continuing, "It's fine, I have no problem with us resting for tonight." He then waved Kimo off and headed towards the cart.

"There's a cave a little bit more ahead, let's set up there," Kimo spoke to the girls and they nodded.
-------

By the time everyone was finished setting up Ikebashi finally woke up, confused, and in pain.

"My head is pounding..." He groaned, making Kimo look over.

"Oh! You're finally up, we're actually about to eat so come on."

"Cool." That was enough to get him to forget Kassi even hit him as he got up and joined his teammates to eat.
---------

"Why don't you kids tell me about yourselves? I'm really curious." To no one's surprise, Ikebashi volunteered to go first.

"My name is Ikebashi Ryumei... and I'm from the Ryumei Clan, I've been training for almost all my life according to my dad and since I've started I've put my entire being into becoming one of the greatest ninjas there ever was!" He stood up and proudly puffed out his chest making Amika giggle. He then turned to face her with a goofy looking smile on his face making Kassi strangely upset. She immediately pulled her big sister close like before, but to her surprise, she was gently pushed away.

"Amy?"

"I still need to punish you for hitting Ikebashi like that." That was when he actually remembered why he was asleep in the first place.

"You-" He pointed his finger at her only for Amika to shake her head.

"I got this, she's my little sister." She said and he nodded slowly before sitting back down but still listening.

"So what's this really about? You can't expect me to believe that you're upset with me for hitting him do you?" Kassi asked but Amika looked at her seriously which confused her.

"Yes, I do expect you to believe it. He's our teammate and even though you guys normally argue and joke around, we're on a mission and you knocked him out."

"So if we weren't on a mission-"

"No, I'd still get upset because he's still our teammate." Amika could tell Kassi was getting more and more frustrated by the second with the way she kept blinking and how her hands kept opening and closing around the air. She also knew that she was only doing that because she was used to holding her hand whenever she got upset.

Amika sighed at her own weakness before taking her sister's hand again which seemed to relax the shorter girl's expressions a bit, but she still looked confused.

"Okay, so what's my punishment?"

"Well for starters, you have to apologize to Ikebashi." Just at that sentence Kassi visibly cringed and looked away but Amika turned her chin back to face her. "Then when we finished this mission I was gonna take you and Naruto out to get some food, but now the only way that's gonna happen is if you stay on your absolute best behavior for the rest of this mission. No yelling at Ikebashi, no glaring at him, no sarcastic comments, and no hitting him, at all."

"That kinda just sounds like you giving him full permission to tease me..." Kassi said while pulling away from her sister who then shook her head.

"Ike, could you not tease her about this at all? I know you probably want to but it wouldn't be fair." Amika asked innocently and the slightly older boy's face turned bright red at the nickname. He then nodded slowly again and turned his head to try and calm down his blush.

"Okay, now that all that's settled, I think it's time we all go to sleep." Kimo clapped his hands and everyone nodded and then started to separate into their own sleeping bags.
---------------

About an hour after everyone had gotten to sleep Amika felt nudges from the side of her sleeping bag. She slowly opened her eyes and once they were clear she saw Kassi leaning her own sleeping bag against her.

"You know we can share right?"

"Go back to sleep and leave me alone." She mumbled and Amika giggled.

"You're the one who woke me up." She responded and Kassi groaned before she finally looked satisfied with the place her sleeping bag was positioned and she got in.

"I'm fine like this, now goodnight." She mumbled and her older sister just smiled and easily dozed back off.