Final Mission

Ok first of all I don't own the Naruto series, manga or any other things that has to do with it. I just love the storyline so damn much because it's different from all the other anime. I hope you enjoy the following story as I enjoyed writing it.

The cool gentle northerly breeze carried with it the scent of flowers and bark which filled his nose. The young man once a carefree boy was the blight of his small village, everywhere he went he would get shunned looks from everyone, the kids, the old, the travelers … everyone. Now he was a young man, he had redeemed himself from the people he once knew, doing several missions and tasks to help the Leaf Village grow and prosper. His name was Naruto, the Nine-Tail as they had called him in legends and myths. He lay there on the soft patch of grass overlooking the ocean and stared up into the sky. It was warm, most of the stars were twinkling, and the orange tinge over the horizon was almost gone. He saw the new moon, a crescent shaped smile in the sky and smiled at the fact that nobody had ever bothered to look up at the wonder that was. He could hear crickets chirruping in the distance and fireflies roaming through the various flowers. He sat up and stretched his arms as far as they could along with a loud yawn, the boy was now sixteen and nothing had changed, save for the change of clothes and longer cat like whiskers on his cheeks.

'Beautiful isn't it,' said a familiar voice from behind him.

He turned to look around only to notice that familiar girl with pink hair and cherry blossom clothes matching her name, Sakura. She had longer hair than Naruto had last remembered which covered her forehead, maybe because her nick name when she was young was "billboard brow".

He smiled back. 'Never thought I'd see you here,' he said through his now deeper but melancholic voice. He was no longer a loud mouth as he had been in his "heydays" as Jiraya would have put it. No he now knew the meaning of everything sacred, and the people he loved.

'I just brought you something to eat,' she said putting several small tins next to him, 'before it goes cold.'

'How is everyone?'

There had been a celebration at the village which Naruto did not attend. It was the anniversary of the day the Fourth Hokage had defeated the Nine Tailed Fox, a terrible beast which threatened the very existence of the people. He did not attend because even though he would be heralded as a hero and a savior, there would still be those who think him an outcast in their minds.

'Fine,' she said opening a tin filled with ramen with extra soup. 'Just how you like it.'

'Thanks Sakura,' he replied, taking a giant swig of soup.

'You may have changed,' she smiled, 'but your eating habits are still the same.'

'That's how you know I have a healthy appetite,' he smiled back.

Five years ago she wouldn't have given him the time of day, what with his childish nonsense and no holds barred talking he realized now how embarrassing it must have been for the group.

The orange tinge was now a twilight in the distance. A small line of light separating from the earth and the heavens until that finally disappeared. All was quiet save for the waves crashing in the distance. He savored it the crisp air the cool winds the soft chirruping it was soothing.

Sakura stood up. 'You want to come back to the village with me?'

'You go on ahead, I wanna savor this while it lasts.'

'Ok, but be home before dark okay?'

He waved his hand. 'Yeah sure.'

Back on the other side of the world another young man was savoring the night air. His long dark hair and three distinct tomoe in his blood colored eyes.

'I will avenge you all,' he said to himself quietly. 'Mother, Father, everyone even you Itachi, the leaf village will pay for their sins.'

The fireworks erupted in colors of blue, green, violet, indigo and several other different colors. One was meant to resemble a fox with nine tails, and the other a masked man creating handsigns. The fox roared as the crowd booed and hissed, it exploded with a euphoria of colours, the hooded man disappeared also leaving behind a familiar spiral symbol. The crowd burst out and applauded at this marvel. Sakura looked around for the man responsible for creating the spectacular show, finding an old man who appeared familiar to her.

'Iruka sensei!' she burst out embracing him in a tight hug. 'This is beautiful. How-'

'What?' he smiled. 'You think jutsu is only used for attacks and war?'

'This is Jutsu?' she said stunned.

'Justsu is not only for death and decay; it can be used for more beautiful things.'

'NARUTO, NARUTO, NARUTO!!' the crowd cheered heralding their savior.

'I don't believe this,' she said. 'Ten years ago they despised him, hated him.'

'Yes,' replied Iruka, 'but ten years ago they did not think that he would become such a great man.'

Sakura remembered to the first time she had met Naruto, loudmouthed, foul, and had no regard for anyone else, but she also remembered his most famous line. "To be Hokage, that is my dream!"

'You're well on your way there,' she thought, a smile lighting her face.

'Um, Sakura?' said a small quiet voice which made her turn around.

There stood a girl with long indigo hair, a small woolen jacket and eyes as white as the moon which gave her the impression of a blind woman.

'Oh, hey Hinata,' she raised her hand as a greeting gesture. 'What's up?'

'Well,' there was a silence between them. Hinata had always been a quiet one when it came to talking. She would usually shy away from everyone else and rarely opened her mouth to speak. 'I was wondering …'

'Yes?'

'I was wondering if you'd seen Naruto?'

'Yeah, he was near the Cliffside, I just took him some food. Why is something wrong?'

Hinata quickly raised her eyebrows and hiccoughed. 'I uh, no, I was just. I just wanted to talk to him that's all.'

'Oh well he's by the Cliffside.'

'Oh okay,' she said quietly her cheeks turning rosy. 'Well I uh, I guess I'll go see him there then.'

'It's a long way, are you sure you'll be okay by yourself at this time of night?'

'Yeah, I'll be okay,' she smiled and gave a small bow, about faced and began to walk.

'Wow poor girl.'

'Huh?'

It was Tenten, another member of the village and former member of Team Guy.

'Why what's wrong,' asked Sakura.

'She's head over heels for him, if only Naruto could see that?'

'She is?'

'It's not that hard to tell really. She's had a crush on him since childhood, but Naruto still hasn't figured it out,' she sighed.

'Wow I didn't know that,' said Sakura suddenly remembering all the times Hinata was close to Naruto, either she fainted or ran away. 'I see it now.'

'Yep, poor Hinata, to think that she would already tell him how she felt, but I don't think she even knows now.'

'Naruto you clutz,' she thought, 'and here I thought you had gotten smarter.'

'Men,' said Tenten as if reading her mind. ''Can't understand a single one of them.'

The fields of Konoha stretched for miles on end, as Hinata quietly walked through the thick knee high grass she could hear everything, just ahead was the Cliffside where she was told Naruto was, just a few more steps and she could reveal to him how she really felt about him. She felt butterflies in the pit of her stomach, felt weightless and her eyes darkened.

'No!' she told herself. 'I will tell him how I feel.'

'Tell who how you feel?' said a strange voice from among the brush.

She stopped dead in her tracks, not moving or running.

'Well?'

A small man emerged from the brush not far from her. He had short hair which hid under his hood and red face paint. He walked closer to Hinata, who now realized who it was.

'Oh, Kiba, I … nothing.'

'Ohh, okay. Then I guess it's nothin' for me to worry about. Akamaru, here boy!'

A big dog emerged from the brush also; it was knee high, a lot bigger than when she remembered. Back when Akamaru could easily fit in Kibas jacket.

'Mind if we walk together?'

'But what about the celebration,' she said, not wanting to sound annoyed, 'shouldn't you be getting back to it?'

'I could say the same thing for you,' he replied which made her blush. 'Besides, you've seen one celebration you've seen 'em all, right Akamaru?'

The great dog let out an agreeable yelp.

'But the celebration's about Naruto.'

'Well not really, it's about how the Fourth Hokage defeated the Nine Tailed Demon.'

She felt rather annoyed at the fact that Kiba hadn't taken then hint that she didn't want him with her, but as shy as she was she couldn't say no.

'Where is Naruto anyway?' he said breaking the long quiet walk.

'Oh, I haven't seen him all day,' she replied not wanting to know where she was really going.

'Its night time and you're out here walking late. Naruto's missing and the celebration is about to end.'

Akamaru gave a low growl which warned Kiba ahead.

He put his hand in front of Hinata. 'Wait, something's not right.'

Fear and adrenaline filled them both. Akamaru kept his low growl. Kiba reached into his back pocket-bag and pulled out a small kunai.