"Alright, same plan, but with more caution getting close to the target" Nobue announced through the communication system, his voice carrying the authority of someone who had learned from their initial failure. "Hana, spread your pack out in a wide search pattern. Use the comm to report any scent trails you find."
"Got it," Hana's voice crackled through their earpieces as she directed the Haimaru brothers with hand signals. "Boys, fan out—we're gonna find that sneaky cat!"
Hikaru positioned himself at the center of their formation, extending his sensor abilities to their maximum range. "I'll monitor for any chakra signatures within a hundred meters. If he moves, I should be able to track the general direction."
"And I'll coordinate from elevated position," Nobue said, moving toward a nearby rooftop. "My Byakugan can cover our entire search area from up there."
All those months of training were finally paying off. Instead of running after the cat blindly, they were coordinating like a real team.
"I've got a fresh scent trail heading toward the residential district," Hana reported through the comm after five minutes of searching. "It's definitely Mochi—the scent matches the toy perfectly."
Hikaru closed his eyes and extended his sensor abilities in that direction. "I can sense him too—about sixty meters northeast. There's a small chakra signature that feels scared and exhausted. That has to be our target."
"Confirmed visual," Nobue's voice came through their earpieces from his rooftop position. "I can see him now—orange tabby with white facial markings, moving between houses about forty meters north of Hana's position. He's staying close to building foundations, probably looking for somewhere safe to hide."
There was a brief pause before Nobue's voice came through again.
"Remember the Kōzaru exercises," he continued through the communication system. "We don't try to catch him directly. We create a situation where he chooses to go where we want him to go."
"Like herding," Hana's voice agreed through the earpiece. "The boys can position themselves to block certain paths while leaving others open."
"These comm devices are amazing," she added with enthusiasm. "Remember all those times during training when we couldn't coordinate because we were too far apart?"
The team moved into position with the same fluid coordination their training had developed, but now enhanced by their ability to communicate instantly.
"Hana, move your pack to block off the main street route," Nobue directed from his elevated position. "Not close enough to spook him, but visible enough that he'll avoid going that way."
"Moving into position now," Hana responded. Through their earpieces, they could hear her whistling signals to the Haimaru brothers as they spread out to control Mochi's movement options.
"Hikaru, I need you to position yourself near the dead-end alley behind the bakery," Nobue continued. "If we can guide him in that direction, you'll be able to block his exit once he's inside."
"On my way," Hikaru replied, moving quickly but quietly toward the designated position. "I'm in place. Ready to provide assistance if needed."
The coordination felt natural now, their communication flowing smoothly as they adapted to the changing situation. Months of formation exercises and tactical training were finally being put to practical use.
"Target is moving," Nobue reported through the comm. "He's heading toward the residential area, but he's staying close to cover. Hana, can you guide him more toward Hikaru's position?"
"Already on it," Hana's voice responded. "I've got the boys spread out on the east side. Mochi can see them but they're not getting too close—he should move west to avoid them."
Hikaru watched from his concealed position as Mochi emerged from behind a fence, moving cautiously but steadily in his direction. The cat was clearly trying to avoid the areas where he sensed the nin-ken presence, naturally following the path the team had left open.
"He's coming my way," Hikaru whispered into his communicator. "About twenty meters out and moving slowly."
"Good," Nobue's voice crackled through their earpieces. "Everyone hold position. Let him enter the alley on his own—don't pressure him or he'll run again."
From his position, Hikaru could hear the confidence in Nobue's voice as he directed their movements. The Hyūga's commands were precise but not bossy—he was actually listening to their input and adapting the plan. Maybe having real responsibility was bringing out Nobue's better qualities as a leader.
Mochi slipped nervously into the alley, looking around cautiously before settling behind some empty boxes near the back wall. He seemed to believe he had found a safe hiding spot.
"Target is in the containment area," Hikaru reported quietly through his earpiece. "He's settled in and doesn't seem to notice the exit is controlled."
"Excellent," Nobue responded through the comm. "Hana, bring the carrier and approach slowly from the alley entrance. Hikaru, be ready to stop him if he tries to run, but don't hurt him."
"Moving in now," Hana's voice came through their communication gear as she approached with lady Tano's cat carrier held low and non-threateningly.
The approach required the same careful coordination they'd practiced during their stealth exercises. Through their earpieces, they maintained constant awareness of each other's positions and the target's behavior.
"Easy, Mochi," Hana said softly, her voice barely audible through the communication system as she entered the alley. "We're here to take you home. Your mama is very worried about you."
The cat looked up at her approach, his ears flattening slightly with uncertainty. But instead of immediately bolting as he had before, he seemed to recognize that this human wasn't behaving aggressively.
"He's not running," Hikaru observed through his earpiece, relief evident in his voice. "I think the controlled environment is helping him feel less trapped."
"Good," Nobue's voice responded through the comm. "Hana, keep moving slowly. If he starts to panic, back off and we'll try a different approach."
The next few minutes were tense but successful. Hana continued her patient approach while maintaining gentle communication through her earpiece. The Haimaru brothers remained in their positions but relaxed their body language to appear less threatening.
"Almost there," Hana whispered into her communicator as she knelt down several feet from Mochi, holding the carrier door open invitingly.
To everyone's surprise, the exhausted and hungry cat seemed to recognize the familiar scent of home on the carrier. After several moments of careful consideration, he walked forward and entered the carrier willingly.
"Mission accomplished," Hana announced through the communication system, carefully securing the carrier door. "We've got him."
"Good work, everyone," Nobue's voice came through their earpieces with satisfaction.
They regrouped at the alley entrance, where Hideaki appeared using the Body Flicker Technique, a pleased expression on his face.
"Impressive teamwork," he said, observing their successful coordination. "You adapted your strategy, used your communication gear effectively, and completed the objective without scaring Mochi."
They returned to lady Tano's house, where the elderly woman's relief and gratitude were overwhelming. "Oh, Mochi!" she cried, opening the carrier to embrace her returned pet. "I was so worried about you!"
"Thank you so much," she said to the team, pressing an additional tip into Hideaki's hands despite his protests. "You've brought my family back together. I don't know how to repay you."
"Just taking good care of Mochi is payment enough," Hikaru replied with a smile.
At the Mission Assignment Desk, they completed the required paperwork documenting successful mission completion. The clerk stamped their report with official approval and handed the 10,000 ryō payment to Hideaki.
"Remove your communication gear and return it to the equipment desk," Hideaki instructed as they finished the paperwork. "Standard procedure after mission completion."
The three genin carefully removed their earpieces and handed them to the equipment clerk, who checked each device before storing them in a secure case.
Hideaki pocketed the mission payment with a thoughtful expression. "Typically, the jōnin takes half and the genin split the rest equally. So that would be 5,000 ryō for me, and about 1,650 ryō each for you three." He pulled out the money and distributed it accordingly.
"Wait, sensei," Hana said, stepping forward with her hands on her hips. "We did all the work! You just watched from a distance while we chased the cat around."
"Yeah," Nobue added, frowning. "You didn't even help with the actual tracking. Why do you get half?"
"And we're the ones who had to coordinate the whole operation," Hikaru pointed out, though he was smiling slightly.
Hideaki chuckled and started backing toward the exit. "Hey, who do you think spent two months training you enough to handle a mission in the first place? My expertise doesn't come cheap!"
Before any of them could respond, he used the Body Flicker Technique and disappeared, leaving only his amused voice echoing behind: "See you tomorrow for more training!"
The three genin stood there for a moment, looking at the empty space where their sensei had been.
"Did he just run away?" Hana asked with a mix of annoyance and admiration.
"Typical," Nobue muttered, though there was a hint of a smile on his face.
"At least we know we can work together on our own now," Hikaru said, pocketing his share of the mission payment. "That coordination felt natural."
"The communication gear made all the difference," Hana agreed. "We could coordinate even when we couldn't see each other."
"The formation training worked," Nobue said simply.
As they walked home together, the conversation turned to practical matters.
"What should we do with our mission payment?" Hana asked, examining the money in her hand.
"Save it for equipment upgrades," Nobue suggested practically. "Better tools make missions more efficient."
"I'm putting mine toward family expenses," Hikaru said. "But it feels good to actually earn money as a ninja."
"Same here," Hana agreed. "The Haimaru brothers deserve some special treats after today's work."
They reached the point where their paths diverged toward their respective homes, each heading in a different direction through the village streets.
"Good work today, everyone," Nobue said formally, though his tone was warmer than usual.
"See you tomorrow for more training," Hana called out cheerfully.
"Tomorrow," Hikaru agreed, waving as they separated.
Walking the final distance to his house alone, Hikaru reflected on how smoothly their first mission had gone once they'd adapted their strategy. The communication gear had been crucial, but more importantly, their ability to coordinate and trust each other had made the difference.
Two months of training, he thought, adjusting his equipment bag on his shoulder. It wasn't easy at all.