~Hidden~
~Passion~
By: Tyler R. DeBoard
Chapter 1:
Training
"Na-naruto, I have something I want to t-tell you" Hinata stuttered, barely able to look the blonde-haired, blue eyed ninja in the eyes.
"Yes, Hinata. What is it?" Naruto bluntly asked.
"I-I lo-" Hinata breathed out before being interrupted by a loud, tempered voice.
"Naruto! Pay attention! This isn't a game. This is your training! There is no way you will become hokage if you don't take this training seriously!" Jiraiya scolded, snapping Naruto out of his daydream.
Jiraiya, noticing the smile on Naruto's face assumed he had been thinking about a certain raven-haired beauty he had left back in Konoha. It had been two long and eventful years since Naruto set out on his expedition with Jiraiya-Sensei. Although he had learned many new jutsu and had become an overall better ninja, Naruto missed his friends and comrades back home. Jiraiya, not being able to help himself, decided to confront his pupil about the feelings he has for Hinata.
"Naruto. About that Hyuga girl back in Konoha, don't you think she-"Jiraiya inquired before being interrupted by the Hyper-active pupil.
Although Naruto may not be the brightest student in Konoha, even he knows the "pervy sage" is going to start asking him questions about Hinata. In an attempt to change subject, Naruto scolds Jiraiya for trying to distract him from his training.
"Pervy sage! This is my training, I will never become Hokage if we don't quit with the gossip." Naruto nagged in a mocking manner.
Hoping he won't persist in asking him those questions, Naruto takes a few steps then makes a single leap into a tree near by.
"Humph, I guess even he is bashful at times." mumbled Jiraiya.
Understanding that it was too soon for Naruto to openly share his feelings for her, he decided to let that matter be for the time being.
"Naruto! Get back down here! Just because you can't focus doesn't mean you get to stop training," Jiraiya lectured.
"But, I'm starving! Can we get some ramen first?" whined Naruto.
"Ha, sure thing Naruto," Jiraiya snickered. "Let's say we make this part of your training as well Naruto." he suggested.
"What do you mean?" Naruto questioned with his head slightly cocked to the side.
"Since you seem so confident in your strength lets test how strong you really are. I know a quaint little ramen shop about 10 miles up the road. You must sustain your Rasengan the entire way! If you fail we will go back half a mile for every time you fail. Do we have a deal?"
After thinking about it for a couple minutes, the thought of a hot bowl of ramen got the best of him.
"You bet we got a deal!" Naruto Shouted with as much enthusiasm as he could muster up.
Naruto got four miles before he lost focus and the Rasengan disappeared.
"Not so easy is it, Naruto?" Jiraiya mocked.
"Shut it pervy sage! I'm not giving up!" Naruto proclaimed.
It was another two miles before the Rasengan failed again.
"I can't let myself quit. If I do I will never become strong enough to be the hokage!" Naruto yelled at himself.
Naruto then thought back to the last time he had talked with the Hyuga girl back in Konoha.
"Naruto-kun t-thank you. Its b-because of you that I have t-the will to become s-stronger. You n-never give up even when everyone else has because that's your nindo; your ninja way."
After thinking about what Hinata had said about him Naruto suddenly erased all doubt that had entered his mind. There was no way he would give up now and let Hinata and himself down.
"Believe it!" Naruto shouted lunging forward as if to plow away anything that stood in his way.
With a Rasengan in his right hand Naruto ran the entire six miles to the shop. Standing at the entrance to the ramen house, naruto waved for his sensei to pick up the pace so he may eat.
"Ugh!" Naruto grunted in pain.
The unnatural exertion of chakra had completely drained naruto of all his strength. Collapsing from exhaustion naruto was caught by Jiraiya just before hitting the ground.
"I think you deserve that ramen now, my treat." Jiraiya said with a mentoring tone.