Here I am
One year ago
"Naruto-san!" called a voice from far behind the blonde shinobi. However Naruto was violently into his fifth bowl of ramen and by that time had zoned everything else out, All his focus was on the delicious food in front of him.
Slrrrrrrpppp. The noise made while he was eating filled up the entire ramen shop, even the old man had ear plugs ready for when Naruto came by.
"Naruto… Are you listening to me?" Ask the young boy placing an envelope on the table.
Naruto slammed down his bowl yelling out more before a smack came across the back of his head, automatically changing his attention towards the impatient artist.
"Sai, do you have to hit me? Kami!" spurted out Naruto, wiping the juice from the ramen from his chin with the sleeve of his jumper.
"Tsunade-sama wants to see you… Now…"
As soon as those words left the other boys mouth Naruto's face dropped, he must be in trouble, why else would the hokage want to see him?
"Ahhh… Really? Do you know why?" asked Naruto in a worried tone, "Im not in trouble again am i? Fuucckk"
"Why would she inform me? It's your business not mine…Just go see her Naruto"
The Kyuubi-vessel sighed loudly and got a bowl of ramen to go, for the trip to see Tsunade. He muttered goodbye to the old man and left some money on the table, picking the envelope up before he left the shop.
The envelope was a plain white casing with two gold strips horizontally about 5 centimetres from the top and bottom of the page. Where the envelope's lid met the body sat a red thick stamp with the leaf village's symbol. The Symbol has a special jutsu placed on it so that only the person that the seal maker is thinking about can open it so as Naruto reached for the seal is disappeared into the paper leaving the top open for him to see the top of the white paper that lied inside with his prominent end…(At least that's what Naruto was under the impression it would be)
In big bold red letters at the top of the page sat 'Confidential', By this point Naruto began to get excited at the possibility on a new mission out of the village. He loved the Village but he had been trapped inside for quite a while due to Akatsuki wanting to steal his Bijuu and everything… He didn't really see how that would stop them but he went with it to make Granny happy.
He skimmed over the paper picking out key words and there was two words that he noticed the most, it came under the heading, "Missions Estimated Time"
What? Does Granny Hate me now?
His pace quickened and in a matter on minutes he reached the tower and opened the large red doors to begin the traumatizing journey up the stairs, which to be honest Naruto thought should be a mission in themselves, Yeah, she should pay us to walk these fricking stairs.
A dark haired girl with a small pig awaited Naruto at the top of the stairs, she stood behind her desk and was staring intently at the paperwork in her hands.
"Shizune-chan!" Naruto yelled in excitement, "What is this about Granny sending me-" His words were cut short with a punch to the face, sending him vigorously into the wall behind him, he finished his last word as he slid down, a slight trickle of blood running from his nose, "away…"
"Naruto! You are not supposed to talk about the mission outside of my office, Baka! That's why its confidential."
"Ahh Baa-chan, no need to be so violent, why does everyone seem to want to hit me today? First Sakura when I went over to her house this morning and then Sai at the ramen stand, I am not a fucking punching bag" Naruto rubbed his head in pain and limped into Tsunade's office.
"Just sit down Naruto" commanded the big breasted hokage.
As soon as the doors behind Naruto clicked shut he instantly turned to Tsunade slamming his hands down on the desk. "What is this shit? Your sending me away for a year and a half? Why?"
"Naruto, you being here is a danger to all of the people in the village, we don't need Akatsuki ripping apart Konoha searching for you!"
Naruto slid back into a chair giving into the old ladies logic… "I suppose your right, Ahhh… Who am I going with? Please, PLEASE, tell me you're not sending some creepy pervert with me?"
"Yo!" sounded a voice from the window.
"Just in time Kakashi" Tsunade pointed to the window at the end of her sentence, "Sorry to disappoint you Naruto, but we need to send you with some fine ninja in case something happens and Akatsuki manage to track you down.
"Don't be so upset Naruto, I am your sensei, you are meant to be excited about spending time with me, im sure excited to spend a couple of weeks with you…" Kakashi had absolutely no excitement in his voice as he just continued to read the orange book in his hands.
A cough was heard from Tsunade as she spoke under it. "Cough, Year and a half, Cough"
"Sorry what was that Hokage-sama?"
"Did you even read the file Kakashi-sensei?"
Kakashi looked from left to right and then down at Naruto, "I looked… over it" he rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment and Naruto mentally face palmed himself. "What?" questioned the pervert.
"Kakashi, the mission goes for a year and a half…"
Naruto heard a thud from the window. As Tsunade had started her sentence Kakashi was about to hop into the room to take a seat, but after hearing the news his foot slipped on the window ledge and he went face first into the floor below him.
"A… A year and a half? Where are we going?" Questioned the mask wearing shinobi.
"A small town about 6 days travel from here called the Riverside, Its peaceful, not much population and no one will hopefully search for you there. You leave 2 days from now so please prepare yourself diligently and prepare for the long journey, I have already organised somewhere for you to live" Instructed Tsunade.
"A small town! What the fuck are we supposed to do there for a year and half!" Exclaimed Naruto impatiently, "This is bullshit"
Tsunades face grew serious, "Naruto, the sake of the villagers is at stake here, the town will be a nice change from this village, no one will know who you are and you can live freely for a while, You will be coming back stop bitching and whining"
Naruto folded his arms and scoffed as he pushed back into the seat.
"Plus, it is the perfect place for you to train, I have made sure the place you are staying has plenty of room for you to attempt to learn new justu's and spar. On the positive side, Its called Riverside so maybe you can get better at fundamentals of chakra control, you are still using more then you need to" debated the Hokage, "Now go get ready, I have things to do"
Naruto got up from his chair in a brisk movement and stomped his way out of the room and towards the stairs.
"Naruto-san, How are you-"Shizune was cut off as Naruto seemed to focus on nothing but storming out of the Tower.
He quickly made his way back to his dingy apartment and began to pack his items into scrolls for easier convenience. A long trip huh? I better take most of my clothes. He pulled his draws out aggressively, pulled the clothes out threw them onto the scroll in a bundle of mess and banged the draw shut, causing a photo that sat on top of it to fall to the ground. A shatter was heard as it made contact.
He looked down and reached out for the upside down photo, staring at its back. When he turned it over in his hands he recognized the very familiar photo. It was the one of team 7 back when they were genins, before Sasuke left. A small smile braced Naruto's face and he looks at the face the Uchiha was making. That was a good day…
Naruto slowly took the glass off the frame and placed the picture into his scroll to take with him.
On the other side of town another Ninja began packing for a very similar mission, Hinata Hyuuga was being sent out to the middle of nowhere so she could train and improve herself before the test to see if she is worthy of being heir to the Hyuuga clan.
More then a year away from everyone… How horrible, I already have minimal social contact, atleast it won't be too much of a shock being alone in the middle of nowhere.
She looked down at her neatly folded clothes and sealed her final scroll before placing it with the rest of her items. The Hyuuga heir stepped towards her bed and got into her sheets, not wanting to fall asleep. The sooner she slept, the sooner she only had one last day in Konoha with her team. I have to see Naruto tomorrow…Atleast say goodbye.
The End.
Criticism is welcome, to an extent. (Aka no saying your shit etc)