Mission Taken - Cleanie Cleanie:

"Tomoe if you don't wake up you'll be late lazy bones!" Tomoe heard her mother's voice call through the door that separated her mother from her bedroom: her mother's voice wasn't stern or angry, but rather amused and joking. Tomoe opened her eyes with a soft sigh. She hadn't been asleep, in fact, she hadn't sleep much at all that night - not exactly something that was unusual for her. She had simply been enjoying the peace and quiet of the house while she could before what was likely going to be a busy but otherwise boring day began. Given Tomoe's lack of response her mother opened the door, flipped on the light switch which cast the room in its dull yellow glow, and then placed her hands on her hips. "Oh, you are awake. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Sorry, mom. I was lost in thought is all.", Tomoe responded as she sat up and shifted her body sideways so that her legs were dangling over the side of her bed.

Her mother chuckled at her response and simply shook her head. "Just like your father, always lost in your own head." Again, her words weren't cruel or chiding, but simply amused. With another chuckle Tomoe's mother turned and wandered back toward the kitchen, calling over her shoulder as she went "Hurry up and get your buns out here, dear. Your breakfast will be cold and ruined if you don't eat it soon. I want to make sure you've got some food in you before you go to work."

Tomoe knew better than to try and argue with her mother and so instead she stood up and stretched skyward until she was standing on the tips of her toes as a groan escaped her. She held the pose for several seconds before following her mother into the kitchen and sitting down at the table. Her plate consisted of three of her favorite things: scrambled eggs with cheese and small bits of ham added in, several crispy strips of bacon, and toast with a decent layer of peanut butter spread on it. Tomoe dug in, eating quickly but without making a mess: her parents had raised her to be respectful and lady-like, even when in a hurry, after all. Once she was finished she rinsed her plate clean before placing it in the sink and gave her mother a kiss on the cheek before heading out the door: she had been ready for the day over two hours ago, and fully strapped with her weapons - though given the assignment she had been given she doubted she would need them.

No, all she had to do today was some cleaning: the streets to be precise. She was to be at the rendezvous location at eight in the morning sharp where she would be given her assigned area and the supplies she would need - she had fifteen minutes to spare and it would only take five at the most to get there - and that was at a slow pace. It was a boring job in the long run, but everyone had to start somewhere and she was only a Genin. Besides, at least she was getting paid for it.

Tomoe arrived with about twelve minutes to spare and found that she was the first to arrive. "Oh good, you're here. Tomoe right?" Tomoe nodded politely in response to his question while waiting for him to continue on. "I need you to take this broom and dustpan here, as well as this garbage can - it has wheels, see? - and go through this area." He finished speaking and unrolled a map to show her the route she was to take. Tomoe looked at it and knew it to be fairly flat and even: her job would be easier, so once again Tomoe nodded in understanding.

"Alright, consider it done.", Tomoe responded.

"Good, good. When you're finished come back here and I'll take the supplies and the garbage can off of your hands. If you find yourself filling the can back up earlier just come back here with it and we'll change out the bags." Tomoe nodded once more, grabbed her supplies - the garbage cans having neat hooks for everything to hang off of while it was being moved - and headed to the location she was given. Things weren't as bad as she thought, but there was litter and garbage everywhere. Tomoe opened the garbage can lid, allowing it to hang down from the hinges, and then grabbed the broom and dustpan on a stick and got to work sweeping everything up. All kinds of garbage and debris were swept up and deposited into the garbage can.

It was slow work, but eventually Tomoe fell into a comfortable rhythm. Sweep here, sweep there, and once the dustpan was full it was emptied out. She would do a small area and then move the garbage can to a new one so that it was always close by and she never had to go far from it.

The entire time she worked she followed the route she was given; several block area that had the garbage can almost full as she finished depositing the last of the dustpan's garbage into it. With her route complete Tomoe closed the lid and latched it securely so that nothing fell or blew out as she moved, and then hooked her dustpan and broom onto it. Sure that everything was hooked in place Tomoe wheeled the garbage can back to the starting point and handed it over to the man in charge. "I've completed my task, my route is completely clean. I even checked the bushes and shrubbery to make sure there was nothing caught or hidden while I went."

The man took her supplies and the can - empty the thing and filling it with a new bag so he could hand it off to someone else who was waiting - and then nodded to her. "Good job. Here is your payment."

Tomoe took her pay with a small smile. "Thank you." Tomoe then moved off and back toward home with her payment: she wanted to make sure she took a nice and long shower before doing anything else - garbage stunk after all, and she didn't want to risk going around smelling like it.


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