Define Chapter 1: Secrecy, a naruto fanfic

Chapter One:

Secrecy

The state or condition of being secret, hidden, or concealed

Something was different at this very moment. I could not put my finger on what it was. Was it that the air was thicker, humid and sticky against my face, hard to inhale as it tickled at my lungs, scratched against my throat, burned my nose like fire, and brought tears to my eyes? Alternatively, was it the difference of my setting? The rows and rows of towering Oak and Maple trees replaced with shriveling, dying Pine against gray industrial cylindrical buildings, the once saturated blue cloudless sky taken over by the gray overcast of fog and mist usual in Kiri. Maybe it was the fact that the streets were empty excluding the scattering stray black cats, and the walkways were clear but full of puddles, despite it being the time of noon, a time when the streets and pathways of my home would be at their busiest.

The awkward, mind-blowing, odd feeling running through my veins could've been caused by my house not being around; it's tanned, rocky glory not present. The keys in my pocket, metal and unexpectedly cold against my skin, suddenly meant nothing. They filled no purpose for the remainder of the twenty-four tortuous months I was to be here in the nothingness of rain, humidity, overcast, mud, fog and superfluous violence. I would have no friends here, no one to talk with, laugh with, commiserate with, or give comfort to. I would be alone; my only mission to teach others who wanted to learn how to heal but didn't have enough money or time to teach themselves. Some, honestly, I knew didn't even have enough raw talent to learn correctly. I was to be their barrel of knowledge—the person they used to improve themselves without showing their gratitude.

I felt a cynical grimace tug at the corners of my plump, naturally pink lips as I rounded a corner, expecting yet another vacant road, but, instead, I reached a taller, wider building, an enormous crowd of people standing and milling at the base of the colossal mass. I almost ran into one of the pale-skinned natives of Kiri, not paying much attention to my surroundings but to my thoughts, all circling around one secret mission—one only my teacher and I knew of. The man I bumped into scowled; his face ugly enough without the extra help. He slurred, "No cuts, Pinky. Wes alls wants ta see Sama-san, okays?" He gestured to the mob of people loitering with intent, then glowered at me, showing a jagged canine tooth, "Sos backs offs." It took me a short while until I understood him, seeing as whenever he said the letter 'S' it ran liquidly, like water, similar to everything in this place, and he happened to say that letter often. After a maximum of two seconds, I nodded dryly, taking a couple sidesteps to the right, away from his small but slightly intimidating form, though he was only scary to me because his sword happened to be sharper and larger than my axe was.

I tried to keep my mind calm and clear, to help my nerves, but, eventually, my thoughts started spiraling, and it wasn't the smell of the heavy smoke from all of the industrial buildings that caused my sudden intuition.

Kiri hasn't had a leader since the Mizukage was killed, and that was five years ago, when I was seventeen. Now, even with me being twenty-two, they were still leaderless, running around like an uncontrollable mass of banshees with nothing better to do but kill. However, they were calm, seemingly waiting for something to happen; something world changing and new, yet interesting to occur. My mind started traveling toward who this person could be; who this person was now, the one who had so much control and power to calm the craziness, and enough to cause the seemingly authoritative man in front of me to call him 'Sama-san'? Deductions and rationalizations started going through my mind naturally, without my having to try too hard.

The people wouldn't pronounce some person who was weak or stick-like physically as their leader, but, alternatively, they wouldn't elect one who was pathetic mentally. They were a village of mostly missing-nins, yes, but they weren't idiots. They should be smart enough to choose someone who wouldn't throw the majority of them in jail. Perhaps, this person was one of them— a nunekin.

My mind went into overload as my results came nearer and options from the Bingo Book grew smaller. The only village that provided an academy education adequate for a person to be as cunning and brilliant to find a way to avoid the written law was Konoha. The only village that provided that and training that provided the world with all three of their original Sanin was Konoha. The only village that raised a nunekin with those credentials and that remains alive and unmarked in the Bingo Book to this day was Konoha. That singular ninja lingering was…

My emerald eyes widened when a figure appeared on a jumbo screen, tall, muscular, walking with such grace only accomplishable by those born with it. His face was royal, feline-like eyes perfectly angled according to his picturesque, model-worthy cheekbones, aristocratic nose neither too pointed or rounded, flowing fluidly to his lips, too perfect to describe with mere words. My eyes continued to trail the familiar form's path, over to his broad, strong shoulders, and to the black linen cloak that he was wearing, similar to that of what Naruto wears when he is playing Hokage.

When the person stopped at the podium and knocked on the microphone a few times, trying to quiet the crowd so he could start his speech, I felt nothing around me but myself and him, the heavy mist wasn't surrounding me anymore, the large crowd was nonexistent, and the world was hushed. He opened his mouth, and I fully expected heavenly words to flow out, but it was as if he were mute, dark eyes zooming their way through the crowd and zeroing in on my equally shocked gaze. A few illogical sputters came out of his mouth, until he decided to stop, mouth left wide open for a quick amount of time, slowly shifting into a reminiscent scowl. Like a train hitting a stupid deer, my heart stopped, my breath caught, and my eyes grew wider until their corners ached.

This was Sasuke Uchiha, newest leader of Kiri, and I was subject to kill him.

Without my knowledge, I whispered, just loud enough for myself to hear, "I can't…" As soon as the words left my mouth, my throat ached, like its own walls were crashing in on each other.

I couldn't, but I had to.

I was trying to sleep.

Beep

I was trying to sleep, get lost in dreamland, lost in old great memories, reliving them to my taste, in bright, goofy colors and twisted realities.

Bleep!

I was trying to sleep, see my self running around with my hair long, flowing with the wind behind me, playing tag with Ino and TenTen like we were kids, without a care in the world, with our own children. It was obvious who their children's fathers were. Ino's child had her fair, creamy skin and bright, sky blue eyes, but her Dad's dark black hair, but in two adorable pigtails. TenTen's little boy was an exact copy of Neji, except for the difference in skin tone; he favored his mother in that category, having a tan hue to his skin, contrary to the almost white of most Hyuugas.

My child, at first, had dark hair and hazy green eyes, but before I could decide if it was a boy or not—though I thought it was—his physical being changed, and he was blonde and much more energetic, loud and rambunctious, with bright turquoise eyes. Then, finally, the point where I am now, there were two children, one favoring Sasuke, the other Naruto, and they were both standing, staring at me expectantly. Were they expecting me to choose which one I wanted?

I couldn't do that. I loved them both equally right now and choosing would rip me emotionally in too many directions. It would stress me too much, there would be those omnipresent questions of 'Did I pick the right one' and 'Would I have been happier if…' present in my mind. I didn't want to deal with that.

I started to walk closer to that one of which I guessed was I and Naruto's, we've been dating for a while in this dream so it didn't seem too unlikely, but as I walked closer, a mirror of Hinata showed up, her sad and crying, thin and small, so sickly. I took a step back, and the reflection of the Hyuuga priestess was smiling, happy and healthy. Would this be the result of me choosing Naruto over…I glanced toward the small smile on the other little boy waving at me. I took a deep breath and took a step forward in his direction, but a memory from the past haunted me. Sasuke would leave me again just as easily as he's done before.

I wanted to know before my alarm clock buzzed me awake. Which one would I choose? Which would be safer? Should I be haunted of the past or be reminded of the future and its terrible outcomes? I knew these questions could only be answered if I took the risk, but I wanted to know: which risk would be less risky? Which choice would be more beneficial in the end?

BEEEPP!

Chakra flushed down into my arm as I swung my fist at my cube-shaped alarm clock, immediately crushing it on contact. Only when I felt the gears and springs shred into nothing but metal scraps did I sit up and dust off my hand, watching the silver fall to my carpet floor. When I finished I groaned loudly, my body deflating like the tired balloon it was. I still had so much work to do—I glanced at the piles of papers and books scattered on my desk—but I still hadn't finished even a quarter of it. I couldn't bring myself to look at the pathetic two papers in my 'DONE' pile.

I groaned again, realizing how late it had to be once looking at the window. The maximum time would have to be eleven-thirty, but I wouldn't really know seeing as I just broke the only operating clock in my house, and I needed to be at Tsunade's office in the hospital at six—, which was roughly five hours ago.

I really hate my anger issues sometimes.

Tsunade wanted me in her office for a mission proposal to Kiri. I would've complained if it weren't for my die-hard will and want toward becoming better. Supposedly, I was to do another secret part that none of the other medics coming with me were to know of. Whatever this part was, it had to be dangerous, difficult, and technical, because she chose me. She usually picks TenTen or me for missions like those, because we are some of the few kunoichi who think before acting, and some of the even fewer ninjas who can do it quickly and powerfully. I knew, subconsciously, that if Naruto weren't such a dumbass he would've been first-pick, because however long it takes him to find the enemy, he can kill them, if necessary, in half the time and he's currently under training to become Hokage (finally).

After about ten minutes, I'd managed to take a shower and pick out my normal outfit consisting of a wine red camisole, tan shawl, jacket…whatever, with my clan symbol on the back, and some matching tan khaki pants. I don't know, or even remember, why I wore skirts and shorts so much when I was younger. They give leeway to enemies, and allow them to attack your legs easier and more efficiently than when you wear pants. Maybe it was because during those years, my main underlying goal was to get a man, but that's not a problem now, seeing as I already have a fantastic boyfriend.

Right on cue, which happened to be the second after I spit out my toothpaste for the last time and the three-minute mark after I ate my ham and cheese sandwich and drank my juice, my doorbell rang, and I skipped over to the door pulling it open with a wide smile. I greeted my guest with a quick hug, "Naruto-kun!" He looked extremely tired, but he cheered up after the hug and I kissed on the lips three fast times, the fourth time giving him a longer, passionate kiss, until he stopped suddenly. He chuckled shyly, a blush on his face, "Um…that was random…."

My face grew as red as a tomato, I could feel the blood rushing to my neck, ears, and most embarrassingly my cheeks, and my eyes grew wide. This wasn't my dream; and this wasn't dream Naruto—my boyfriend Naruto. He probably thought I was some hormonal freak of nature now. I almost let my head fall and hang in an 'EPIC FAIL' pose, but, like heaven sending down the much-needed help, my telephone rang. I excused myself quickly, skirting over to my wall-phone and leaving the door wide open for my guest.

I didn't wait to see him walk in, but answered the phone with a, "Yo," something I've taken as habit from Kakashi. I kicked myself mentally for picking that up so easily, but contented myself with listening to my caller respond.

"Hey, Sakura-chan, I don't feel too good." Tsunade's voice on the opposite side of the receiver sounded broken and congested, scratchy and scraggly. I could tell that she looked much worse, and that she was probably in her bed, surrounded by used tissues and a half-empty bottle of Nyquil on her nightstand.

I squeezed my phone in between my shoulder and cheek upon noticing Naruto searching my refrigerator naturally and without a problem as if he were living with me. I glared daggers at his blonde head until he stopped, and I murmured into my phone, just loud enough for her to hear and Naruto to wonder what I was talking about, "You sound terrible, Tsunade-chan."

She sneezed. "I know. I look it too."

I couldn't help but laugh at her utter honesty and the strangled attempt of a chuckle that came form her throat as I handed Naruto the package of bacon he was looking for. He's so helpless; it was literally right in front of his face. I kicked my refrigerator door closed, "So, what'd you call for? Is the mission so important that you can't wait until you're a little better tomorrow?"

"Yah."

Wow, that was fast…

"Um, okay…," I hummed, becoming alarmed at her sudden brusqueness and sureness. "Go ahead and tell me what's up."

It took a second for her to come back to the conversation—I had to guess if she was blowing her nose or something of the sort. After a second she began with a sick and groggy voice, "I want you to go to Kiri. They have a new leader, and he wants medics to teach everyone there. He seems sneaky, if you ask me, in all honesty." I nodded my head, my pink, layered elbow-length haircut swinging up and down with it. "Okay…I got that part. You told me this, like, last week."

She coughed, managing only to wheeze a short: "Excuse me."

I reached over and started my coffee machine, "No problem." I know it may seem like I'm ignoring Tsunade now, going about my daily businesses while she's trying to explain this mission to me, but…well, I am, excluding the ignoring bit. I'm just using selective hearing, only paying attention to the parts of her speech that are of interest to me. Seeing as over half the time she's either wheezing or sneezing, that's a productive method. I don't know who in the world would actually listen intently while anyone was having something two-steps away from an Asthma attack.

After her hurricane of rough battles with her throat, she sighed, "You know, I'm sorry about my cold—it's because of stress. And, of course you know…"

I almost groaned. I was upset I had to repeat this phrase again though I'd memorized it at the ripe old age of thirteen. I recited meticulously, "Stress is the one and only symptom of sickness that is fully incurable by means of another's chakra. The only who can cure stress is the one inhabiting it. To cure sicknesses caused by stress, a long and tiring process must be followed, though it will be completely useless, because the stress will still be in existence and another ailment is bound to occur if left to grow."

She laughed, "Correct. Anyway, I received another document, and he just wanted you. I…," She sneezed, "I don't trust him; it's odd for anyone to want to work in the Bloody Mist, and even more so try to seize control under it. Besides, they've been nice on their own, creating their own havoc inside their own village and leaving us and other villages alone. I don't see why anyone would want to attempt to calm a hurricane that's destroying itself." I started to reach over for my coffee pot, ringing and dinging telling me my cappuccino was done, but Tsunade started again.

"I'm sending Kakashi with you on the way there, for its exceedingly dangerous for any ninja to try and cross the ocean to Kiri, but even more so for a beautiful kunoichi like you. The men there are like hungry sharks—they feed off you, but their harsh methods end up killing the poor little Sakura fish. I can't stand to see or hear about that."

I nodded, "I fully understand. Can we back-track for a moment, though?"

"Of—" She sneezed, "—course."

Pouring my coffee while carefully balancing the phone on my shoulder, I asked, "Okay, um…you said that the new leader wanted just me, but did you get any more information as to why? Like, why me, or why the reason is, or why the sudden change of mind toward having all of your students to one?"

"He wants a large amount of new medics and soon, since there are so many injured, and you're the best. You know how Kiri ninja enjoy playing King of the Hill 'til death. I'm presuming he wants to build the village up from nothing, but one could never know. He could have a hidden motive."

I took a sip of my drink after I added all of my necessary sugars and flavorings, and then concurred with a proud smirk, "And this brings you to my secret, underlying mission, am I right?"

She laughed, "You were the one who passed with flying colors in analysis at the Academy, weren't you? Ha-ha, but, yes; I've made a few changes to your mission now because of the changes presented in the newest document brought to me. You have a pen and paper?" I snapped toward Naruto, who had started watching my television after he found out this was a personal ninja call, and once I caught his attention, I pointed toward a pile of papers and a spare pen on my coffee table. He was dazed for a second—as always—but eventually understood and placed the items in my hand. I mouthed a 'thank-you', walking back to the kitchen so I could write the changes down on a hard surface—my countertop.

I sighed, "Alright. Lay 'em on me."

"Change number one; you're all on your lonesome in Kiri once Kakashi drops you off. Be sure not to keep your Leaf headband in clear sight. They happen to hate loyal ninjas, yet despise those who aren't loyal to theirs. Number two; you're going to be teaching much larger groups as yourself. No disguises—it makes you look sneakier than necessary. Number three; get as close as possible to the new leader; find out everything that he's planning, what he's up to. There has to be some secreted motive toward what he's doing. Nobody wants to fix Kiri just for the heck of it; no one is that wholesome inside….Change four; you'll be there for two years."

Stopping my scribbling, I whined, "Seriously? That's almost ridiculous. Why would it be necessary for me to stay that long if all I need to do is gather information as a spy from the new leader and teach for my mission's time being?"

The bluntness in Tsunade's voice made me shake. "Change five; kill the leader."

It was quiet for a while, I staring in disbelief outside my window as the afternoon sun shined brightly into my living room, rays bouncing off mirrors and glass. Tsunade knew that I didn't kill if it wasn't necessary, and this cause seemed obvious to me that it was unnecessary. The man was clearly just trying to fix a broken village. I understand how wildly out-of-proportion his goal is, but some people aim high, right? Even so, one shouldn't kill a leader just because he looks a little suspicious. All of America's presidents looked suspicious at one point, but you don't see all 44 of them dead by some paranoid citizen's hands.

I guessed Tsunade felt my distress when she clarified with a sigh, "If necessary—I want you to be a spy, Sakura. You know what they do. They snoop for information, search it for threats or any other oddities, and if they find any, they approach the root of the problem, which is usually the leader."

I groaned, "I know I'm strong but I'm not Kage level, Tsunade-sama. Even you know and can admit that. I think that—"

"Sakura. You're. Making. It. Difficult." I rolled my eyes; she was treating me like a child again, just because I believe in giving the benefit of the doubt. "For all we know, he could be a little baby Orochimaru in the making. You have to kill the weed before it kills the plants. I know you don't…prefer killing, and I would've honestly chosen Neji or someone, but the document clearly stated that he wanted you and you only."

"Tsunade-sama, are you sure you can't send someone else with me?" I didn't want to have to kill this guy. What if he was perfectly innocent? The theory was a little weak, seeing as he was trying to take over Kiri, but some people in the Ninja World do have hearts, right? Isn't that why we have medics? To save those weak and crumbling hearts?

"Yes. If you haven't noticed, it's easy to tell Konoha-nin from Kiri-nin. They'll get edgy if too many of us show up out of nowhere, don't you agree? Moreover, I'm sure if the leader said your name seventeen times that he really wants you 'Haruno Sakura of the Village Hidden in the Leaf' to come to Kiri. No ifs ands or buts about it, and definitely none about you taking the extra step and protecting other villages while you're at it."

I wrote that last change on my paper angrily, and complained tiredly, "I just think it's a little unfair to the people of Kiri. They've had their leaders killed left and right. I can't do that to them—"

"You will and you are. I'll see you Friday when you are discharged."

Saying my goodbyes with a little more attitude than intended, I slammed my telephone back on its receiver and glared evilly into the light brown of the cappuccino in my blue mug. I don't believe I have to do that. FML. Actually going into the infamous 'EPIC FAIL' mood, I slammed my head on my counter and left it there. My head hurt so badly, not because of my harming myself, but because all of the thoughts running through my brain. I didn't like Kiri or anything, I just feel sorry for them, is all, and I don't want to make their lives any worse than they already are.

After about ten more seconds of my sulking, Naruto had come over and shook my shoulder comfortingly, "You okay? Did Tsunade give you some jank mission or something?"

I groaned, "No. I love it. I'm going to Kiri to teach for two years. Yay."

Thankfully, he let it end at that, seeing my already depressed form, mad for waking up late, mad for having to kill off someone, mad for having to leave my home for two years, mad for being mad. He didn't even ask if I was lying, because he knew that was all I could tell him and that the rest was a secret. Somehow, deep down in my gut I knew that that was what my life was now. A short time period that went on for two small years, all wrapped up in secrecy and sneakiness.

Secret

A classification assigned to information, a document, etc., considered less vital to security than top-secret but more vital than confidential, and limiting its use to persons who have been cleared, as by various government agencies, as trustworthy to handle such material.

This is my "other" story that keeps my creative juices flowing while my others are on hiatus, seeing as I really can't find a way out of the ditch I dug for myself or I'm just brain dead on what to do next. My others, namely One Year (id: 5571557), I seriously plan to finish, and if I don't (which I won't), I'll seriously go into some sort of depression or something! Its ridiculous how I get to the best part of my stories then its like 'How do I write what I'm thinking?' you know?

It upsets me.

Anyway, clearing some things up that I found confusing myself as I read this chapter:

- All of Team Seven are around 22. Sakura just turned 22, so that means Sasuke is still 21, because of his birthday, and that Naruto has been 22 for a while. I'm guessing that means all of the other teams—excluding Team Gai—are in that general age category, and that all of the Rookie 12 are no younger than 20 but no older than 25. I hope that gives you a general period.

- Sakura does have an axe—a very large axe. LOL; I just haven't been able to erase her with that weapon after I saw a picture on Deviant ART of her with one. I think the artist was verauko, and you can just search her name, or even find her gallery and go under the subsection 'SASUSAKU' and there should be a picture called 'Teardrop' where Sakura has an axe. It's pretty fawsome.

- Okay, Kiri is that small little island in the middle of nowhere, and its where all seven of the swordsmen are from. You know, like, Zabuza, Kisame, and them. Oh, come on! Don't act like you don't remember the Great Naruto Bridge episode; and it's okay if you forgot the one where they were actually on the island, helping this guy win a race, because I mostly did, too. If you really want to know where it is located, though, all you have to do is Google Search 'Naruto Map' and you'll see it.

- Sakura does not date Naruto! She was still caught up in her dream from earlier. Now, as her liking Naruto…I might throw that in to make things interesting. Hm…

- I got all my definitions from Dictionary dot com I don't use real dictionaries anymore; they give me paper cuts.

- The second half of the story will almost always be what happened in the past, if you didn't catch that you have to be pretty slow.

- Tsunade is still Hokage, though she is retiring or whatever soon, since Naruto is training officially now. I honestly think it is going to take him a lot more time to become Hokage than it seemed two to three years ago, before Shippuden got a good foundation. He has to learn so much, how to control the Nine Tails, how to use Sage Mode for longer time periods, perfect his wind chakra, find out new techniques besides his clones, and get faster. Naruto is a slow fighter when compared to others; seriously, if it weren't for his clones and stuff he'd be in trouble.

- Kiri was lead by Mizukage, but I killed her off. XP; you know, for the sake of the story. As of now, I don't think she's dead, lol. Sasuke is, yes, the new Mizukage, but I don't like to call him that just because Mizukage sounds really girly, if you ask me. However, I was doing some research before my story and it is believed that Madara used to be the leader of Kiri, though what number is unsure. Kisame said so. IF you believe that, then it makes sense that Sasuke chose Kiri over Oto or something, seeing as he is more of Madara's puppet now than Orochimaru's play toy.

Um, any other questions you have, feel free to ask, and I'll definitely answer them, unless they're going to be answered in the next chapter or the one after. If you have any plot suggestions, too, I'll gladly take them, its fun knowing what others think should happen, you know.

In other news, I'll try to update this story every week, as in every Monday, unless you're otherwise notified. I'm busy trying to find a way to end and/or continue my others, and I have a life, too. LOL, I'm in school (8th grade), and this year in my dance classes we have a huge recital in June, I'm graduating this year, I should make the track team in March, and I might start back to swimming, but I doubt that one. It's too much trying to fix my hair every night.

I can't think of anything else, so, review please! If I get a large enough number, I might consider trying to update sooner. : D

~NaruBaby2496

See you next week and I hope you enjoyed the first chapter!