Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine! Don't sue me…
A/N: Hello! This is my first Naruto fic, so I hope you'll like it…
Enjoy!
Chapter One
"Try that one on me again and you're dead!" Akarei leered at the unconscious ninja before dusting off her clothes. She felt her teammate smirk as he observed her opponent.
"You're too nice." Her teammate commented. "I'm surprised that you didn't break his neck or something…"
Akarei can see the frown forming on her teammate's face. "Never mind that. It's because we're on a hurry."
"Hurry?" he asked sarcastically. "We can both reach Konoha in an hour."
Akarei rolled her eyes. "Whatever." She leaped on a tree branch near her teammate. "Let's go."
The other ninja shrugged. "Sure, if you say so."
The two ninjas headed for Konoha. They jumped from branch to branch, not wasting any second. They have to be there in an hour or two or else they will be in trouble…
They arrived in Konoha an hour later. The town was pretty quiet and a little too dark, according to Akarei. Akarei took a deep breath and looked up. The moon was full and there were a lot of stars. She felt the breeze play with her soft black hair. She smiled.
"It's nice huh?" her companion broke her fantasy.
"Yeah…" she answered, still not looking at her companion.
"You'll have time to stargaze later."
"I know…" she looked at him. "I'm sorry for the delay." She smiled at him apologetically.
"That's all right." He smiled back. "Come on, she's waiting…"
"You're a little early…" Tsunade commented as she entered the room. "Haru and Akarei."
"It's a whole lot better than being late." Akarei answered.
Tsunade sat on the couch opposite the two. "Congratulations on the mission." She smiled at them. "I never thought you'd make it."
Haru placed down the book he was reading and looked at Tsunade. "You didn't think we'd make it? That's ridiculous."
"Well, you two are a bit too young for it."
Akarei snorted. "Too young?" she narrowed her eyes on Tsunade. "Who was that little girl that was part of the legendary Sannin?" she asked.
Tsunade glared at her. "That was a different case."
The two tried to out-glare each other. Haru sighed. It always happens whenever they meet.
"So, why are we here again?" Haru's voice broke the tension between the two.
Tsunade cleared her throat. "Thank you for reminding me…" She glanced at Haru. Haru smirked at her. "…you two are suspended for the meantime." She finished.
Akarei's jaw dropped. She looked at Tsunade in disbelief.
"What!" Haru demanded. "Suspended? Why?"
"You two did nothing wrong-" Tsunade explained.
"Then why!" Akarei cut her off. She was starting to say something when she caught Haru glaring at her. She closed her mouth and decided to keep quiet.
Well, until Tsunade finishes explaining, that is.
"You encountered Akatsuki on your way back here, correct?" she looked at them for confirmation.
The two nodded.
"Apparently, you interrupted something and someone informed me that they are planning to kill you two." Tsunade bent her head down to examine her fingernails.
"And?" was Akarei's sharp reply.
Tsunade looked up. "Don't you get it? They will kill you two!" Tsunade's voice increased an octave. "You must lay low for sometime…"
"Come on," Haru looked at her. "They know we're from Konoha. They'll find out eventually that we're here-"
"And if they attack Konoha, you'll place a lot of lives in danger!" Akarei finished.
"Do you think I'm an idiot?" Tsunade demanded.
"No…" Haru answered. "Well…sometimes…"
Tsunade can feel her blood boil. She glared at Haru and was about to give him a great amount of verbal assault when Akarei spoke up.
"I get your point."
Tsunade looked at her. "You do?"
"Yes." Akarei smiled at her sweetly. "It's all right. I accept your decision."
Tsunade heaved a sigh of relief. She looked at Haru sharply. "And how about you?"
Haru scratched the back of his head. "Oh well…Okay. I accept it."
"That's good."
"If you're done, we'll go home." Akarei told her.
"Stay here." Tsunade commanded her. She smiled. "It's a bit late…"
"Huh?" Akarei asked. "You serious?"
Tsunade nodded. "I still have some things to discuss with you two in the morning." She stood up. "Follow me. I'll how you your room."
The two obeyed without a word. They walked out the room.
Akarei folded her arms on her head as she walked along the long corridor. The walls were plain. There were no portraits, no paintings. They were all so bland. She sighed.
Just like my ancestral home…
Akarei unconsciously shuddered. The scene she tried so hard to forget suddenly flashed inside her mind.
...There she was, running across the fiery hall. She called out to her mother, her brother and her grandfather but no one answered…
Tsunade reached the end of the hall. She stopped in front of a big, wooden door.
…She reached the end of the hall. She opened the huge metallic doors. She screamed at the sight that greeted her. The once magnificent temple was in ruins, and seated in the middle of the ruins was her grandfather…
Haru glanced at Akarei. He frowned when he saw the expression in Akarei's face. There were beads of sweat trailing down her cheek and her usually bright eyes somehow reflect…fear.
…She fell down on her knees. This can't be happening. Everyone's gone. They left her in the ruins.
She's alone.
"Akarei?" Haru's worried voice echoed in her mind.
Akarei blinked and then looked at him. God, she must have been staring at nothing again. "Yeah?"
"Are you okay?" Haru asked worriedly.
"Yeah. I just remembered something." She said with a smile. "Don't worry."
Haru gazed at her. Even though Akarei claims she's not a little girl anymore, he still worries about her.
"Are you done talking?" Tsunade asked. "Here's your room."
"Thanks." Haru answered.
"Sleep well. We have a lot to talk about in the morning." She told them.
They nodded.
They entered the room. Akarei took the bed near the window and Haru took the one near the door.
"Good night." Tsunade said as she closed the door.
"Good night…" Akarei whispered.
A/N: So how was that? If you think it sucks, then please do tell me…I'm not yet done thinking of the whole story so suggestions are welcome! And if you don't like it, you can forget about the whole thing, okay?
Till next time! RnR!