When Kakushi Arashi showed up at the Konoha mail center, the sun had broke the horizon just a few hours before. Kakushi suppressed a yawn rather ineffectually as he knocked on the door. Why did all missions have to start so early? His knock was answered by a young kunoichi wearing a chuunin vest. She held a mail bag in one hand and three letters in the other.

"Kakushi Arashi," Kakushi said, snapping off a lazy and rather sarcastic salute, "Reporting for duty."

"Excellent," the chuunin said, not reacting to the genin's attempt at humor, "Just the genin I was looking for." She held out the mailbag and letters, which Kakushi took.

"The recipients of the letters are on the envelopes," the chuunin said, "Deliver them quickly and don't open them. Report back to me when you're done." With that, the kunoichi went back inside, closing the door behind her. Kakushi was left standing outside on the rather empty street, just beginning to fill with early morning market-goers.

"We'll," he said, "She seemed friendly." With that, Kakushi put the letters in his bag and began his route.

WC: 187

After a few minutes walking and a few awkward questions, Kakushi arrived in front of the house of the person known as "Lee". The house was slummy, with curling paint, a squeaky gate, and rundown yard. Kakushi curled his nose a little bit as he walked up to the front door. Having grown up in the mansion of the Arashi clan, Kakushi had a natural dislike for the poorer sections of the village. Still, he had been given this mission, and he had to follow through. So, he walked up onto the rickety porch and knocked on the door. The door opened, and revealed a tall, skinny man with heavily lidded eyes, holding a bottle of sake.

"Good afternoon sir..." Kakushi said. Before he could say anymore the man held a hand up.

"Save it," the man said, "Just do whatever it is you came for, shinobi, and get the heck out of here." Kakushi frowned, but did as he was told, reaching in and handing the letter to the man. The man snatched it out of his hand and slammed the door. Kakushi stood there, a little stunned, before turning stiffly away and walking back down the path to the gate. He was just reaching the rickety fence when suddenly he heard a whoop of delight from the direction of the house. He turned to see the door bang open and the drunk man hurtling down the path towards him. Kakushi instantly backed into a defensive crouch, and nearly pulled his tanto when the man showed no signs of stopping him. Instead of attacking him, however, the man crushed him in a bear hug so strong it knocked the wind from Kakushi's lungs.

"She's coming back!" the man said, "She's coming back!" Kakushi had no idea what the man was talking about; he was more worried about the sudden cut-off of air to his vital organs.

"Can't...breathe..." he gasped.

"Oh, sorry," the man said, releasing the genin who gulped in the very welcome fresh air.

"Who's coming back?" Kakushi asked.

"My wife!" the man said, "She left me months ago to "find herself" and I've been in a state of dpepresion ever since! But now she's coming back!" The man skipped back to his house, repeating the phrase "she's coming back!" over and over again. Kakushi watched him go, then turned once more to leave.

"Well," he said to himself, "That was interesting."

WC: 591

The last two houses Kakushi had to visit were those of Kei and Yen. Luckily, they were right next to each other. Kakushi was pleased, right up until he turned the corner and saw the two recipients. One was a middle-aged man, the other a middle-aged woman, and they were shouting at each other over their shared fence.

"The money's coming for me I tell you!" the man shouted, "Father promised me!"

"Then he lied!" the woman yelled back, "Because there is no way he would give it to an idiot like you!" The two people, obviously siblings, shouted at each other for a few more minutes, before finally noticing the young genin on the street, who looked remarkably like a deer in a spotlight. They were in his face so fast they may have teleported.

"Give it to me!" the woman said, holding out her hand, "Give me the letter! It's addressed to me I'm sure!" The man shouldered the woman out of the way, holding out his own hand.

"Forget her!" he said, "The letter is for me I assure you!" Kakushi stood motionless for a few moments, eyes wide, before reaching into his bag. He pulled out the two letters, never taking his eyes off the very scary people in front of him. He placed a letter in each hand, and nearly had both arms ripped off as Yen and Kei ripped the envelopes from his grasp.

"What!?" the two siblings simultaneously yelled as they ripped open and read the letters. They looked up with eyes ablaze, but the young delivery ninja had vanished. Back at the mail center, the kunoichi who had given Kakushi the letters opened her door to find her young charge out of breath on the step, holding out his mail bag.

"How'd it go?" she asked.

"Good," Kakushi said, "But you may have to send police to the YEn and Kei residences."

"Why?" the mailwoman asked.

"You'll find out," Kakushi said, turning away and heading for his apartment.

[Exit]

Final WC: 927
Mission Completion Requirement: 600
Total Usable WC: 327
Training: Reaction Time and Strength to E-2: 300
Total Leftover WC: 27