Naruto:

Naruto:

A Hurting Heart and

A Strange Wind

Opening

"You gotta be kidding me!" Naruto screamed at the Hokage. "A simple policing mission?! No way. I ain't doin' it."

Naruto stood between Sakura and Hinata in the Hokage's main chamber. Both of the girls stood silently. Sakura inwardly was begging for Naruto to shut up while all Hinata could think of was being next to him.

"I don't want to hear in, Naruto!" she screamed back. "You three are probably the only ninja available right now, so you three are going." When it looked like he would fight back again, she added, "That's final!"

"So what are we to do on this police mission?" Sakura asked.

"You will travel to a village just outside of the Land of Fire's east border. There's supposedly a lot of activity going on there and we need to see what's going on. If it's nothing too big, then you are to handle it. If you feel the danger is too high, then return and we will send in more experience Chunin."

"Yeah, as if there's anything that I can't handle."

"Zip it, Uzumaki! Or so help me, I'll banish you from every ramen shop in all of Konoha!"

Naruto got very scared and finally stood straight. "Yes, ma'am."

"Good. There won't be a team leader for this mission. Leave as soon as you're ready."

Hinata ran back to the Hyuga district to grab her mission bag. "Just think. I'll be on another mission with Naruto. Oh, why can't I just come out and tell him? I'll never be able to do that. I'm much too shy." She grabbed the bag and headed off for the village entrance. "Oh well. As long as we're close, I'm happy."

Naruto stood in front of his room's mirror. "Just think! A mission alone with Sakura! Maybe now she'll see how much stronger I've gotten."

He started to daydream. Sakura was on her knees looking up at him. "Oh, Naruto, you're so strong."

"Yes, I am."

Then the image of Sakura reached out and clobbered him over the head, sending him into the mirror. Sigh. "Oh well. No. Can't give up. I'll win her heart for sure!"

"Just think! A whole mission stuck with that idiot Naruto!" she screamed as she stuffed a handful of shuriken into her pouch. "This is going to be the worst mission ever. Oh well. Might as well get it over with."

The trio met up at the village entrance. They immediately set off with barely a word. The sun was high, about 11 o'clock, which meant they had plenty of daylight to travel. With good speed it would take them till the next morning to reach the village.

Naruto, hands behind his head, looked at Sakura who was walking next to him. "So, Sakura, how's your training coming?"

"Good, but hard. Lady Tsunade works you to the bone and then some."

"Hm. I wish I could say the same about the pervy sage. He's always gone, so I don't get any training."

"You must be doing something?"

"Nope. I haven't gotten any special training since that day with Guy and Lee."

"I can't believe you still don't realize that those two weren't Guy and Lee! You're such an idiot, Naruto."

"Oh, come on. Only Guy and Lee are crazy enough to wear those outfits. Either way, I got some training from them and that's all that mattered." He turned back to Hinata, who was a few paces back. "What about you, Hinata? How's your training going?"

"Oh. O…ok, I guess," she answered with a blush.

"You should see her new jutsu," he said back to Sakura. "It's totally awesome!"

Hinata blushed an even deeper red.

"I've been getting pretty good at healing techniques lately. I probably shouldn't say this, but this mission will be a nice chance to try them."

"Don't worry. I'm sure anything at this village will be nothing that the three of us couldn't handle." Naruto gave a punch to the air. "Come on! We won't get there at all at this rate!" Naruto pushed off with his chakra and leapt through the trees.

"Get back here, Naruto! You'll only wear yourself down!" Sakura screamed, giving chase.

Hinata stood for a moment before following. "Oh, Naruto. You're always so confident and ready to go. I wish I had that type of attitude."

A/N: I'm a strange guy. Please Read and Review, but feel free to flame if you feel it is necessary. Criticisms help me improve, so kick the tires and light the fires! See you next week.