Naruto

Kakashi and his team were on a routine mission delivering goods to a nearby village when Naruto heard a woman scream for help. He bolted in the direction of the distress call only to find the source; a young girl who appeared to be held captive by a thick vine riddled with poisonous thorns high in the tree tops. She was struggling to free herself as Naruto tried to think of a way to save her. He looked around and noticed there were a few branches he could use to climb up and free her.

"How did you get all tangled up like that?!" He yelled high up to the girl.

"This isn't really a good time to ask I'd really appreciate some help..." she replied.

He quickly sprang into action and climbed up to the girl, her hair dangled in her face; scarlet red it was pulled into a ponytail and at first glance her headband appeared to be a hidden leaf symbol. Funny, haven't seen her around the village… He took no mind and took out his shuriken knife out of his side pocket and began to cut her down when he noticed the vines seemed to wince with each cut until he finally got her down. It's almost as if they're alive... she wrapped her arms around his neck burying her face for safety while he carried her down the tree to the ground where he sat her down on a nearby rock to get a better look at her. She looked up as her hair parted back revealing her cat-like golden eyes and soft pouty lips lightly tinted pink with a just bitten look against her ivory skin "Thank you for saving me." she said in a soft sweet voice.

"N...no problem." Naruto stammered awe struck I kinda feel like I know her from somewhere... He began to reach for her head band noticing something was off about it but before he could reach it she grabbed him around the neck and kissed him on the cheek as she pulled away she asked "How can I ever make it up to you?"

Something about this is a bit off...

Kakashi cleared his throat "Naruto, sorry I took so long to catch up..."

Sasuke looked the girl over "Wow Naruto, well done." he smirked.

Sakura scoffed "Naruto always gets to save people!"

The girl continued to sit with Naruto smiling with admiration and exchanging a few words with him until Pein; the leader of the Akatsuki stepped out of the shadows and let out a whistle similar to what you would use on a dog. "That's enough Kazumi, off now." he ordered the girl with Naruto

"Yes father..." she muttered obediently walking to Pein's side sulking.

"What?! You're Pein's daughter?" Naruto stammered as everyone's jaw dropped

Pein chuckled " Let's hope you didn't hurt Zetzu too much." he said as Zetzu jumped down from the tree tops with scratches over his arms.

Naruto thought to himself those scars, was he the vines? Why would that girl trick me like that?! He looked over at Kazumi her face was flushed and as she looked down tears welled up in her eyes. They seemed dull and lifeless, not as vibrant as the pair that had practically stopped his heart. He didn't fully understand why but he found himself thinking about her and he felt a sense of sadness she was so sweet, so soft... she smelled so beautiful, so angelic... He shook his head "Pull yourself together Naruto." he said to himself.

"Our little actress here was quite the performer don't you think?" Pein said chuckling putting his arm around the girl. "Oh Naruto how can I ever repay you?" Pein said mockingly she seemed to wince remembering her words. "No matter, as we speak the rest of my team is collecting the cargo you left unguarded rushing to my Kazumi's side. I just dropped by to pick up my daughter, let's go." he turned away grabbing her kimono by the collar forcibly and began to walk away until Kazumi broke free rushing to Naruto, tears in her eyes she embraced him and whispered something in his ear before kissing his cheek and rushing back to Pein who walked a bit farther before stopping and turning around looking directly at Naruto "Oh and Naruto, don't let me catch you anywhere near my daughter ever again.

"What was that all about? All we were carrying was some grains right?" Sakura asked

Kakashi sighed "I'm not sure..." He said trailing off before turning the attention back to Naruto "So Naruto what did she tell you?" he said turning to the boy, still standing in place with a vague look on his face.

"She said I'm sorry..." He said in a faint whisper he turned to Kakashi and the team "Guys we need to go after her she doesn't deserve to live with a father like that."

"You heard Pein he said that you aren't allowed anywhere near Kazumi." Sakura said matter-of-factly

"Why should we risk our lives for a stupid girl?" Sasuke scoffed

"Because." Naruto said clenching his fist. "I can't explain it but I think I know her from somewhere." He said firmly. "C'mon you guys we have to help him."

"Fine." Sasuke sighed

"We should probably get our supplies back anyways and I guess if we have time we can get Kazumi while we're there but, you are the one responsible for getting her past her father, he hates your guts." Kakashi sighed.

Sakura cheered "Yay we get to do a rescue mission! Although I always pictured my rescue mission to be a dashing young ninja rescuing me from my attackers." she said as she drifted off into her own delirious fantasies.

"Well Sakura's not going to be very useful." Naruto groaned. "So, any ideas on how we're going to find the Akatsuki's hide out?"

Sakura snapped out of her delusions and scoffed "Naruto you idiot! Someone as cunning as the Akatsuki would never take the stuff to their actual hideout I mean that'd be stupid! Pein obviously said that as a challenge towards you and going to their actual hideout would blow their cover.

Naruto sighed "Fine, then how do you suggest we find them miss space cadet?

"We could just follow the wagon's tracks" Sasuke said pointing to the indentations in the soft forest floor. Naruto nodded and hopped into the trees to be concealed as he followed the trail for what seemed like hours with the rest of the team until finally they came to a little abandoned shack in a clearing overgrown with weeds and ivy climbing up what was left of the walls.

"The trail ends here, this must be it." Naruto said scanning the area until he spotted Kazumi looking out of a bedroom window. He scanned closer and noticed there were two henchmen guarding her. Now how to get past those two… I know! Naruto created a duplicate and had it do the ninja centerfold "Good, now go distract the guards." The duplicate nodded taking its leave.

"Oh boys over here." The duplicate cooed as the henchmen turned to see who called when their jaws dropped.

The actual Naruto snuck past the distracted guards and into the bedroom where he quickly dove under the bed in case anybody were to come in. Kazumi began to feel like someone was watching her "Who's there?" she asked reluctant of the reply she searched around and lifted the covers peering under the bed "Naruto?! What the hell are you doing here? Father gonna kill you if he catches you sneaking in here!

He emerged from under the bed "I'm sorry Kazumi but I just had to see you one last time." He smiled weakly as the girl began to tear up his face became worrisome "No please don't cry I'll leave you alone if you want me to."

Kazumi hugged him tightly around the neck bawling her eyes out smiling "No you idiot they're tears of joy. You came back for me." He shook himself out of the shock of an embracement and hugged her back smiling a relieved smile. "You're the only one who's ever cared enough to come back." The pair stayed like that for a while until they heard a knock on the door.

"Naruto, It's me Kakashi I got the cart back let's go."

Naruto pulled away smiling "Kazumi, run away with us I can take you away from this place back to the village where you'll be safe." Naruto said holding both her hands. "You and I both know you don't belong here, this life's not for you."

Kazumi looked down pondering the idea "I don't know Naruto It's my father he's the only family I've ever had..." she said reluctantly.

Naruto exhaled "Well it's your choice but if you say so... There's just one thing I need to tell you and if I don't do it I will regret it for the rest of my life."

"What is it?" she asked

Naruto looked down blushing deeply "I can't explain it but from the moment I met you I knew there was just something about you and I think I'm in love with you."

"Yes." she said tearing up.

Naruto looked up puzzled "Huh?'

"Yes. I'll run away with you." she said smiling brightly.

He smiled brightly "That's great let's go." he said as he began to lead the girl by hand to the cart before he was forcibly yanked back by Kazumi who tenderly kissed him.

"I love you too." she said as she pulled back

He smiled a bit still in shock as he continued to head to the cart.

"C'mon Naruto let's go before the guards catch us." Kakashi said at the front of the cart. Naruto helped Kazumi into the cart followed by him. Sasuke and Sakura were already in the cart waiting. Kakashi cracked his whip and they began on the way to the village.

"So Naruto what's gonna happen to that duplicate of yours?" Kazumi asked

"Oh after a while it'll disappear." Naruto replied as he wrapped his arm around her.

She giggled blushing "Naruto you're so smart." Sakura mimicked a gagging action as Sasuke rolled his eyes at her childlike behavior.

Kakashi piped up "You know this won't be Kazumi's first time in the village."

Everyone looked up and waited for Kakashi to continue on what they thought would be a long story

Chapter 2 "It all started years ago before you were all even in ninja school…." The scene began to fade to a local park

Naruto was playing in the mud while Sasuke read a book and Sakura sat next to him jabbering on trying to get Sasuke's attention "Naruto watch what you're doing! You're getting dirt everywhere!" Sakura whined. Sasuke rolled his eyes and looked over to a small clearing where a small child with short red hair pulled into a tuft of a ponytail. Must be a new boy… Sasuke thought. He seems shy, I should talk to him.

He got up to go introduce himself, as he did Sakura got up to join him.

He walked over to the boy "Hello my name is Sasuke" he said holding out his hand.

The young boy shook it. "I'm Kazu…" he began until Sakura hugged him.

"Kazu-Kun! We'll be best friends!" she chimed.

Kazu-Kun? But… I'm a girl. The mistaken boy thought. My name is Kazumi. But if I correct them they may not like me anymore… She smiled weakly as the girl let go.

Naruto looked up to see the boy as he ran towards him "I'm Naruto." He chimed.

"I'm Kazu-Kun." He smiled well this one's at least a bit calmer…

"Nice to meet ya Kazu-Kun what's that short for anyways?"

"Umm Kazuki." He replied quickly that's a lie Kazuki's my twin…

"Ah Kazuki huh, so you're a tree?"

"Um I'm pretty sure I'm a person…"

"You sure?" He asked head cocked dead serious.

He laughed nervously "Pretty sure unless you can talk to trees."

"Can I?" He walked over to a tree "Hello? Hello?!"

"No Naru-Kun you can't talk to trees!" He ran over with a pained expression on his face as he tried prying the boy away from the tree.

"Why won't you answer tree?!" He was screaming at the tree until Kazu had calmed him down.

"That tree's just a jerk Naruto I should know since I am a tree and all." He smiled nervous hoping the boy would buy into his lie.

"I knew it!" He laughed. The scene faded back to the group riding along in the cart with Kakashi finishing the story.

"The next day the boy was never heard from again it was assumed he was homeless and had simply starved."

"But wait what about the actual Kazuki? What happened to him?" Naruto asked intrigued

"Well Kazuki started going by Kazumi; partly because everyone assumed he was dead and partly because he really likes being a girl, he makes a really pretty one though." Kakashi turned around to Sasuke and gave what we could only assume as a smirk under his mask "But you know all about him don't you Sasuke?"

Sasuke blushed deep still keeping a straight face it seemed to satisfy the ninja who once again turned his attention to the road.

"Wait what?! Sasuke and Kazumi, I mean Kazuki…" Sakura stammered awe struck.

"Yup. But I think that's a story for some other day, don't you Sasuke?" He said turning towards Sasuke who nodded blushing

"He sure was sweet though…" Sasuke said trailing off.

"What?! We're just gonna end it just like that?!" Sakura screamed on the verge of a panic attack.

"This is gonna be a long ride." Naruto sighed

"It sure is." Kazumi smiled leaning in to kiss Naruto who kissed back as they rode off down the long dirt road.

The End.

Next book Kazu-Kun?!