Disclaimer: Naruto is the respective property of Masashi Kishimoto. This is a work of fiction, no profit is generated in any from and all Ideas, places, names, and themes from "Naruto" are not the property of the author. This is for entertainment purposes only.
A/N: Well, time for chapter 4! Before it begins let me answer some of the questions and comments that have come up in the reviews for this story.
I've been getting lot's of comments about Sakura's perverted transforming. Yeah, I never intended to add that, but one of the more recent Manga chapters containing a Yaoi sexy no jutsu made me put it in, since it showed Sakura's perverted side.
In reference to Japanese language usage. I really only like using Jutsu names and titles. Other than that, I don't like randomly putting Japanese words.
I want to give a special reply to Xanahomy. Why? Because your review sounded just like my first ever Naruto fic, which I hate. I read it and laughed so hard, and It also made me feel like I really have improved my writing style. For that, I thank you. Also don't worry, this relationship, while having a few key points of major development, will be taken slowly.
Yeah, lots of fluff. It's supposed to be that way, I mean come on, It's NaruHina!
Just to clarify, NaruHina is my religion! I. LOVE. IT. Period. Best pairing ever, IMO.
There is no six, I just wanted to end on a joke.
Now that that's done, on to the chapter!
Chapter 4: The Trap apon the Road
"Nothing again?"
"No, nothing in any direction."
"That's good right?"
"Y-Yes."
"Hey, I'm not good with a map, are we going the right way?"
"Um...no, we took a wrong turn here."
"So we should be on this path?"
"Y-Yes."
"Don't worry about it, they meet again up ahead, kind of stupid to split them if you ask me..."
"..."
"So let's see, the sun is about half way...we should have another 3-4 hours before having to set up camp..."
"..."
"Hey, you want some food?"
"W-What?"
Naruto turned to the shy girl beside him, holding out the loaf of bread he was about to eat, a smile on his face.
"Well you were being so quiet, I figured you needed something to eat!"
Hinata blushed and looked away.
"N-No I'm fine...besides, w-weren't you going to e-eat it Naruto-kun?"
Naruto ripped the loaf in half, placing it on Hinata's head. It started to fall immediately, and Hinata dived to catch it, only barely getting it before she fell over. Naruto laughed wildly.
"Hehe, nice save Hinata! Though you're not very good at head balancing."
Hinata bit into the bread timidly, her gaze cast downward.
"S-Sorry...Naruto-kun."
Naruto laughed again, putting his loaf on his own head, balancing it as they went.
"Don't worry about it! It's my fault any way...you apologize to much Hinata."
Hinata's eyes widened, and she looked up quickly and then down again.
"S-Sorry..."
"See? There you go again! Ha ha ha!!"
Naruto walked up, putting his arm on Hinata's shoulder.
"You may apologize a lot, but it doesn't matter. Since we've left, I've laughed more times than I can count! You're really funny Hinata."
Hinata looked up, her face crimson.
"R-Really?"
Naruto flashed a thumbs up.
"Yep!"
As the pair continued to walk, the sun continued to fall into the horizon line. At about an hour before dark, Naruto suddenly stopped, holding up a hand as to signal Hinata to stop as well.
"N-Naruto? What is it?"
Naruto's eyes were serious, fixed on the road ahead.
"My recon clone just got destroyed. The memories I got back from it say it was attacked. Can you check? About a quarter mile ahead."
Hinata nodded, giving a grunt. The veins that led to her eyes suddenly increased in volume, pushing up her facial skin. The veins pulsed, and her eyes became a void of an even more intense white than before. Hinata cast her gaze forward, looking through the trees.
"Yes...there. Up ahead, hidden behind some trees are four men. They have no Ninja gear or signs, they look more like bandits."
Naruto nodded, casting his gaze upward in thought.
"So I think...Flush, Circle and Snare?"
Hinata gave a nod, and Naruto grinned, forming his most cherished hand sign.
"Kage Bushin no Jutsu!"
twenty five Naruto clones appeared before him, all looking straight at him.
"Flush, Circle, Snare guys, you know what to do!
The clones nodded, and five ran off ahead of the others, while the remaining twenty spread out and moved ahead. Naruto turned to Hinata, a grin once again in place on his face, but his eyes were still hardened by the thought of battle.
"I guess we should get into position too eh?"
Hinata nodded, and just like that the two of them where gone.
XxXxX
A Bushin fell to the ground, vanishing in a cloud of smoke as soon as it contacted the brush below. Above it, three figures stood, one bent over, inspecting where to clone once lay.
"These the guys you think?"
The tallest one, leaning his back against a tree, nodded down.
"I reckon. Our worm said there were two of em' comin', And that's a Shinobi art. Even so, I didn't expect our opponent to know something as advanced as Kage Bushin..."
The one standing between the other two looked at the one leaning against the tree.
"Your orders?"
"We wait for em' to come down the road, and we jump em'. Simple, clean, and we get paid all the quicker."
The one squatting down nodded, standing up.
"Yeah, I'm sick of this bandit outfit, I can't show off my hair..."
"Pffft, like anybody would want to see that..."
"What did you-!"
"Shut up!"
The other two turned to the leader, now crouching low, looking around.
"I heard something. It might be them."
The others looked around, and soon enough they saw them. Coming in through the forest were five more clones, all trying (and failing) to stay concealed. The leader smiled.
"Heh, we're dealing with an amateur here! What a simple diversion tactic. Don't move men, we'll wait for the real one to grow impatient, then we-!"
A shuriken flew past the leader, cutting off his sentence and a piece of hair in the process. The clone that had thrown it charged forward, as did the other four.
"W-What! It's not a diversion, it's an attack! Get them all!"
The three men set to work, delivering some well aimed punches and kicks so that the clones could not fight back. What the didn't notice however, was that the clones were leading them slowly towards the open road. When the last clone fell, the three men were standing dead in the open. Instantly, twenty more clones surrounded them, smiling broadly.
"We've got you trapped!" They all shouted in unison.
The leader smiled, then laughed, loud and shrill.
"You have us!? You have us!? Oh really! Get em' boys!"
The three men jumped up all attacking the clones. Quite quickly the circle was almost gone. Then suddenly, the clones disappeared of their own will, and three more clones arose. These were different however, they had white eyes, and dark blue hair. The clones wasted no time running up and, with a series of jabs and pokes, closed of the tenketsu of their opponent's legs. The three men fell and, in shock, watched as the real boy and girl both flew down from two different tree tops, one smashing a ball of chakra into his opponent, the other delivering a powerful palm thrust to the heart of her's. They both stood up, turning now to the handicapped leader.
XxXxX
Naruto grinned down at their work. The tactic he and Hinata had thought up was quite good, it's work spoke for itself.
"So, who are you guys?"
The leader looked up, his face grim.
"Simple bandits, and unlucky at that..."
Naruto raised an eyebrow.
"No, you aren't. Even my clones mop the floor with common bandits. Now tell the truth, or my partner can just slowly close off all your chakra until you spill the beans."
The man glared up, but finally succumbed.
"Fine...we are Earth Ninja, Chunin level. We got a mission to enter Konoha and kill two Shinobi heading this way."
"Who requested the mission?"
"Some bandit group near the border."
Naruto looked at Hinata, who nodded.
"Look, please don't kill me. I was just doing my job, like you guys. I've told you all I know ok?"
Naruto looked back, his eyes soft once more.
"Oh I won't kill you. Not at all, however..."
He nodded to Hinata, who walked up, jabbing him quite hard in the chest.
"I'll just knock you out for a few days. See ya."
The man fell silent apon the ground. Naruto turned, a huge grin on his face.
"Man, did you see that Hinata!? We rocked! If we keep up teamwork like this, no way can we fail!"
Hinata gave a small nod, with which Naruto was not content with. He placed both hands on her shoulders, flashing a big smile.
"You see!? This is why I believe in you Hinata! You're way strong, and you just proved it!"
Hinata continued to look down, but her voice grew, as did her eyes.
"R-Really?"
"Naruto recognizes people with resolve, those who are confident and do amazing things...kind of like him. Haven't you noticed how much he pays attention to you when you're doing something amazing?"
"Yep! So cheer up!"
Hinata smiled, not a small one, but a big smile.
"When the opportunity arises, do something amazing, or show your confidence and spirit. Once you've opened his eyes to that, maybe...maybe he'll see you in a different light."
Hinata looked up, here eyes gleaming as much as her smile.
"Yes! Thank you Naruto-kun!"
Naruto gave her a thumbs up, and then looked up into the sky.
"Ah dammit, I forgot how late it was! We need to set up camp. Is there a river any place near?"
Hinata nodded.
"Yes, A few hundred yards that way."
Hinata pointed to their left, and the two leaped over to the rocky bank of the river.
"Perfect, could you go get some water? I'll set up camp.
"Hinata nodded, walking over to the river and pulling out a scroll labeled with a drop of water. Hinata opened it and said a word, and suddenly two giant buckets appeared before her. As Hinata filled up the second bucket, her smile widened.
"So many good things happened today. I hope I can continue to impress Naruto-kun...I'd be so happy if he really did take notice of me..."
The bell on the bucket rang, and Hinata snapped back to reality, picking up the now full bucket and replacing it on the scrolls. With a word, the two filled buckets were gone into the scroll, and Hinata set back towards camp. In the short time she had been gone, Naruto had already pitched the tent, set up the inside, and was now in the process of lighting a fire.
"Ah, you got the water! You go ahead and finish the fire, I'll get us some fish!"
Hinata nodded, and started to blow on the fire softly. After a few minutes it fully ignited, and Hinata sat back. A thought struck her, and Hinata reached into her bag.
She looked around a few times and then, when she was sure nobody was looking, pulled out a little black book from her bag. This was her journal, and Hinata had had it since she was old enough to write. It was, in essence, the only thing in the world that told the tale of Hinata's heart. She never told anybody her feelings about her past, her relatives, her first love, her life. She admitted things to this journal she would not even admit to herself, and so it was her most sacred treasure, given to her by the most unlikely of people. She had named it "My Heart," a perfect name.
Hinata stole one last glance around, and then cracked open the book, writing in the bottom half of the latest page.
To My Heart,
I hope I can write everyday, but I don't know if I'll be able to find the time or privacy. I'm very busy, and on top of that I don't want anybody to see you. If Naruto-kun saw...I don't know what I would do! I'd be so scared...but maybe a little happy? I mean, it would be a quick way for him to learn about...
No, I will tell him when the time is right. Until then, My Heart will remain hidden, just as it always is...
But enough about that, today was great! Naruto-kun...he thinks I'm funny! He said it himself! Today...we had to fight some Chunin from Earth..but we beat them! And better yet, Naruto said I had proven how strong I am! Am I strong? I just feel so...conflicted. Naruto-kun and the others say I'm strong, yet all the years of my Uncle and Neji telling me I'm weak...I just don't know who to believe any more.
Oh! Naruto-kun is about to come back! Wait till tomorrow, I'm sure I'll have lots more to tell!
,Hinata
XxXxX
A splash, the scattering of water droplets, a flick of red among the white, and then gray slicing into the red. Naruto emerged from the water, satisfied. He had caught ten fish.
Naruto walked up onto the shore collecting the fish from the tree.
"Alright! That's five for each of us! Man I hope Hinata like Salmon!"
Naruto collected the fish, walking up the bank towards the camp.
"Man, this is going to be a great mission! I haven't had a chance to train for awhile, and now me and Hinata both have the perfect chance! I haven't dueled a Hyuga in years...well, I'm sure Hinata's a better person to be around than Neji the the emotionless block..."
Naruto walked up, spotting Hinata hunched over, writing in a little black book. Naruto recognized the type of book right off, he had often seen Sakura writing in a same little book, only it was pink. She had called it a diary, and had hit him rather hard when he once looked to see what she was writing.
"Hey Hinata!!"
Hinata looked up, then down, writing what looked a last line. She then closed the book, putting it in her bag and turning to the fire, throwing some more branches on.
"Hey Hinata! I got us some fish, do you like salmon?"
Hinata nodded.
"Y-Yes Naruto-kun."
Naruto smiled wide.
"Great! Then let's get these babies roasting! I've been starved since we beat those guys senseless!"
Before, during and even after dinner, Hinata and Naruto sat together around the fire. Naruto of course, talked the most, but even Hinata had a few experiences to share, and one or two jokes to tell. Both of them talked and laughed until their fire was almost gone, when Naruto finally extinguished the last of the flames and walked into the tent. He threw off his shirt, letting it fall next to his bedroll. Naruto lay down, hands behind his head, staring up at the tent roof. Hinata walked into the tent a bit later, laying down on her bedroll and blushing a bit. Naruto wasn't wearing a shirt.
"Hey Hinata...you know what?"
Hinata looked over to Naruto, her face showing her curiosity.
"What?"
Naruto smiled at her.
"You're really fun to hang out with. I mean, when we were around the fire, man I've never had such a good time on a mission ever! I think this is going to be nice Hinata, just the two of us. After all, you're a great friend!"
It was times like this that Hinata was very, VERY thankful Sakura had taught her to keep her fainting in check. However, as Naruto continued to speak, her face had grown more and more red, to the point that her blood vessels might burst.
"Y-Y-Yes N-Naruto-kun. I-I think I-It will be n-nice a-as w-well!"
Naruto nodded, before leaning over, blowing out the candle between them. As the tent grew dark, Naruto turned over.
"Night Hinata..."
Hinata sighed, covering herself with her sheet and whispering just loud enough for him to hear.
"Good night Naruto-kun..."
And that folks, is the end of chapter 4! I really wanted to start to delve into Hinata's past, and how her feelings will affect this story in a big way. Also, more fluff, more relationship development! You know you want it. Also, bad ass fight scene! Hells yeah! Review my friends, and soon chapter 5 will be apon us!