They say love only blooms in tender care, but what if it blooms not out of both sides in love? I question that with everything that creates me. Because the love I hide, has been my winters rose, I doubt spring will suffice its needed warmth. The lessons you've embedded into me Naruto, which scars the fabrics of my existence. You've been burned as my hearts tattoo, and my lifes my goal. Naruto, I love you.
Letting the blossom float on in an enternal dance I tilted my head to glance at the full moon. "Promises were ment to be kept, weren't they?" Swaying my foot back and forth, I wondered if there were always flaws in promises. Sitting in one of the few last trees of the villiage, I looked on as if the tall buildings that once stood, were still there.
"You save the village, you've become a sage, but you still don't see what I've burried into my core."
Tucking a lose strand behind my ear, I thought back to childhood fantasies and one memory I could almost taste on my tongue. "Naruto-sama.."
"Naruto, why do you try so hard, to be approved by the ones that don't even look at you?"
"Because Hinata, I want to prove my existence."
"prove my existence..." Only able to look at him, I watched his ocean blue eyes look up to the diamond sky.
"I want so much to feel alive, I feel nothing but chains that lash out from there eyes. The village is just a cage, I want to be out of this cage."
"Where do you want to go Naruto?"
"I don't want to run away from here, I want to rise up and be respected."
Turning away from him, I looked up into the diamond lit sky, "respected..."
"Theres so much the world doesn't understand, I want to show them. Like gaara, like you, and like me. We are the shadows the eyes don't look upon, but I want to make a difference."
"What difference is that Naruto?" Tilting my head I didnt quite grasp what he spoke of.
"Don't you ever see Hinata, the way they look at gaara?"
"The way the treat you?" Hissing the word you under his lips, I felt the anger seep out of his body. Tilting my head down, I looked to the ground from the tree, we sat on.
"It's..It's not so bad nar.. Cutting me off, he tossed out my burdens, and flaws.
"Don't you see what your father does to you, don't you see you what neji does to you Hinata?"
"Have you ever actually opened your eyes?" exsaperating his words with rage, I watched in a split moment pieces of bark spew forward, as his fist dug into the tree.
"Naruto.."
Jumping down from the tree he looked up to me, those eyes piercing my flesh like ice rain.
"I will not be in the shadows forever, nor should you be." Turning around, I felt as if I was drowned in icy water, washing over my skin, leaving goose bumps, and a bad taste on my tongue.
"shadows..."
"Em I still a shadow now Naruto?" Pulling my body into itself, I place my chin onto my knees.
"I don't want to be your shadow either Naruto, to just stand behind you, I want to be beside you."
Feeling the wind whip around me, my mind raced with thoughts enduced by hatred and raw emotions. "They say the world rejects what is weak only to return to its original form of dirt and worthless value. I want to be that rose held high, and retained in a formality of love."
"I'll show you otherwise, Naruto-sama."
Slipping down from the tree I made my way across the moon lit field, over to where my bags rested.
Taking but one look behind, I was leaving this place, to search for my own being, and my own reason.
"I will show you I will be more then just a shadow Naruto." Slinging my bag over my shoulder, planning on what town to move to next.
"The Shingo village will suffice, I'll obtain some knowledge of Sasuke-kun."
"Narutos goals is to bring back Sasuke-kun, Then I'll become stronger and bring him back, showing Naruto I'm more then just a shadow."
Looking east again, I saw the sky collide with the emerging color hues of pink, to a violent orange, against the dark blue sky.
"I voe to be beside you Naruto, remember the name Hinata Hyuga."
Pushing against my feet, I made my way towards Shingo.
Zaira
Taking in another chug, my fresh painted nails gleamed against the pale florecent lights of the saka bar.
"Make it one more, and I'll beat my record of 33." Swaying In my chair, the sight of him became easier on my eye set.
"Isn't shinobi's suppose to be out protecting, not lounging in here, beating pointless records?" Scouping up my cup he swipped it with a towel, before I herd the usually pop of the cork, and the trickle of saka pouring into my cup.
"I can handle both, my fine dear." Chugging down another gulp, I finished it in one sitting before my head was swimming.
"I really doubt that, take your trashed ass home." Shooing me like an animal, my anger started to flicker like a smoldered fire.
"Becareful, or I'll make you look more pretty, with a mutilated face." Winking at him I chuckled, flicking my white hair back.
"Your on cloud nine." Mumbling the words under his breath, I licked my soft glossed lips.
"I enjoy it ever so much." Leaning back in the stool, I glanced around the half empty bar.
"Place not doing so well eh?" Cocking a white brow back, I had spoken to soon.
"Turning my head to the north, I herd the swing of a door, as a pale beauty surfaced into the dim light bar.
"This shall be interesting." Watching her movements, I could tell she was trained in the Leaf village, 5'8 149lbs, 16 years old. Mumbling the words on my breath, I watched her shift from table to table, only getting the hushed murmurs of the converstaion.
"How do you know shes 16?" Cleaning my glass of he pulled the cup away from me, not turning my head I shift my eyes at him, and then flickered it back to her.
"Because I'm stronger then you, smarter, and a shinobi." Waving my hand towards him, my focal point became this stranger.
"From the oufit and symbol on her back shes a Huga,"
Sniffing the air, I took in her chakra scent.
"Not strong, but not weak, shes raw material."
As she turned to face me I saw the all to familer, murky milk colored eyes.
Slicing a grin across my lips, could something so simple fall into my lap?
"Hey child, come here."
Just as a puppet on que, her head turned to me but did not speak.
"Yes you, the only 16 year old in here, becareful the men can be bruts."
Glancing around, I noticed the eyes shifting to the young bait, pervs...
"What is it?"
"Thats what I liked to ask you, name kid?"
"Hinata, you?"
"Zaira." Putting my cheeking into the my cupped palm, I patted the seat beside me.
Once again on que, she plopped down beside me.
"So what brings you to the Shingo village, its low class for a Konoha village shinobi.
"Because this is where the information is most leaked into."
"Smart kid."
"What are you searching for?"
"Sasuke Uchiha."
"To, perfect."
"Looking for a partner kid?"
"Wasn't inquiring one, what's your objective." Eyeing me, I watched her eye movements.
"I have a personal vendeta against the akatsuki members, they killed my brother."
"Revenge?"
"Indeed, Hinata." nodding my head I looked at her, studying her.
Watching eyes shift towards us, I could tell we would become the hotspot for gossip.
Whispering to her for only her soft pale ears to hear, "They have a high price upon there head kid, not safe in here." Flickering my eyes back and forth I watched the coversations die, and
the focus point of everyones attention rested upon us.
"We can talk more else where, follow me?" Standing up I made my way out side of the bar. Trailing behind me, we made our way out to the sunset deserted road.
Looking up I felt her eyes on me.
"The skies so peaceful, why is the earth so violent?" Whispering the words, my mind poundered on the thought.
"Because there's a balance, the skies were gifted the cure of bliss and lull, the earth was rotted with hate and blood."
"I see, your a smart kid." Looking back at her, I saw iratation written like a banner across her face.
"Call me Hinata." huffing the words out, she stuffed her hands into her pockets.
"Right and call me Zaira."
"How about I call you old, since you keep calling me kid?"
Tiwtching an eye brow I slurged the words I'm...25...
"I'm not old Ki...Hinata."
Right, so what is it to discuss?"
"The subject of partnership." Grinning I held my hand out to her.
"Partners with a stranger."
"You have what I need, and I have the knowlege you require."
"So its balanced in the end?"
"Would it be any other way?" Looking at her I stood only a 5 inches taller then her.
"No I suppose it wouldn't be." The wind started to pick up a bit drifting the silent sounds of the deads whisper.
"Rule of shinobi's, ones that go alone die in the end, you wouldnt want to die in vain no?" Tossing my hand around, I rolled my eyes a bit to get the point across.
"No I wouldn't want that, I need to make myself stand, will you help me?"
"If the thought of the word no was against my tongue, would I even be standing here?"
Grasping my hand, her grip was soft and frail, but held a firm ground.
"What village are you from? Looking at me, I could tell she wanted truth, no fascade.
"Sand village."
"Explains the dark skin."
"Its just carmel color, not ghostly white like you." Moving my gold eyes up and down, I looked at her ghostly color.
"Come with me, I'm staying at Ruko's house." Wavering my hand, I began to walk forward.
As we slipped into the door way, the room was poorly lit, and rather dim.
"Interesting place." Looking around with her, I took in what she did.
wooded floor to wooded walls, a few windows, an empty fire place, round table, and an un made bed.
"You make due with what you can obtain Hinata." Grabbing my bomer-rang I slipped the 4foot 200lb object onto my back, making me feel more complete. Cuffing my shorts I laced my boots up.
Finishing the last knot on my shoe, I felt the usually claws brush up on my shoulder.
"Hey kiko."
Having the body mass of only 2 pounds, and fitting into the palm of my hands, his ears were twice as long. Half lemur, half bat with extendo ears. "probably could hear for miles with those radar ears."
"What is that?" Hinata poked him out of curiosity, I herd a soft growl come from his plum size body.
"Kiko.." Mumbling it, I started onto the other boot.
"It's odd looking." Poking him again, this time I herd a hiss.
"He's a sand village bat, there bodies are more round, cause they store water. I use him to track streams, and food while I'm out. Plus he stuck around with me."
Patting his head, I pulled out a moon berry, and stuffed it into his mouth.
"Aren't those poisonous?"
"Not to him, his body has more acid then in a human body, He can break down the nuro toxins, and use it as engery."
"Intersting little fellow."
"Don't be fooled by his big eyes, and fat little body."
"Why?" Looking at me, I suppose the shinobi's in Konoha weren't taught animals.
"He has his own type of poision, one bite of his fangs your dead in 3 minutes.
Retracting her finger, she didn't touch him again.
Placing a map down on a rounded oak table, I staked the areas which were already marked.
"I gained word of them, up north in the northeren village hidden in the snow."
"Is there a demon tailed up north?" Hinata traced her finger along the map, as she spoke.
"No, there doing trade, I was told with a supplies men, but I herd there going in a group of three."
"Sasuke alone is strong, yet not even surfacing of the two others." Whispering the words I understood the terms of what she was saying.
"One wields zabuza's shadow sword."
"So he's a water based jutsu."
"Not to mention the ocular vision of Sasuke, Hinata." Shifting my shoulder I felt kiko move to my left.
"So we need another, to group this party together."
"Not grouping, to balance out are odds." Looking at her, I knew what she was thinking.
She looked up at me, and the words were plain on her face.
"Whos is the next person going to be?"
I grinned at the thought.
"An old friend in the rain village, will stop there, before going up to the snow village."
Taking my finger I showed her the route, we'll take.
"At dawn tomorrow we'll leave then."
As I spoke to her, I watched her eyes drift towards the window.
The sky had become a rich blue and the diamons lit up the skies again. The moon had shifted towards the left, rearing its end of its cycle.
"dawn."