AN: I was a little surprised by the reviews. I went from getting about thirty...to eight. But the hit count was about the same. Thats...depressing really. Whatever. Anyways i thought i would add a new twist to this story. It was originally going to be another story but i think i can tie the two together. Especially since another story would take me freaking forever to get to. Hope you all enjoy it.
And btw, i dont own naruto.
An amazing feat happens in the fire country. It's a truly miraculous sight that can be found no where else in the entire shinobi lands. Many have come to get just a glimpse of this anomaly, but few have succeeded in that task. Why you may ask? Because the same thing that makes this so unique is also what keeps it so well hidden.
Only in the Country of Fire, does lightning appear to strike on a truly cloudless day.
But this was lightning unlike any other. This was lightning that could indeed strike the same place twice. This was lightning that always killed its intended target. This was lightning that didn't distinguish between high and low grounds. Most importantly, this was lightning that didn't leave any thunderous boom upon its arrival.
For this lightning, was caused by none other than the infamous golden flash of Konoha, as he performed his Hiraishin no jutsu.
A brash young man at the old ninja age of twenty, the golden flash had long outlived many of his comrades. Despite needing to practice the art of stealth and melding with the shadows, he was known as a loudmouth and a fun loving prankster by those who knew him long enough. His enemies however, never got a second look.
Though suddenly his life took a troublesome turn for the worse. It was a tragedy of tragedies for a "super-jounin" as he had dubbed himself. Imagine, him of all people, student of one of the legendary sannin, almost a living legend in his own time at such a young age, was handed a B rank mission.
The 3rd Hokage had never had someone so openly berate him upon delivering an assignment. He could only hope his pupil's pupil would be the last to ever show him such disrespect.
Then again how was the golden flash to know the true secret behind his B rank mission? Despite his experience, he had already made the mistake of not looking underneath the underneath. It would become a concept he would be sure to instill into his students.
Konoha's golden flash sighed as he stood upon a large tree and scouted the clearing ahead of him. No matter how hard he tried he just couldn't convince himself to put forth the enthusiasm necessary to complete this mission. Yet the pay was unquestionably good, and on that fact alone had he relented to the Hokage's demands.
A sudden wind picked up and caused the jounin's coat to flap around slight in the wind. His golden hair for which he was named too whipped around in carefree fashion, unwilling to be tamed by anything. With bored eyes he found no threats for miles around him and felt it safe enough to continue.
It was hardly worth using his enhanced speed to reach his destination. He was already significantly ahead of time. Maybe he could find something fun to do in the village he was visiting. That was highly unlikely. Most of those villages looked and felt so outdated that it was ridiculous. Who knew people could still happily live that way in this day and age?
Besides, it wouldn't be professional for him to make his presence in that village too noticeable. He was supposed to be a ninja after all.
Containing his chakra signature even further, the golden flash continued on his journey without much event. When traveling in his home country, it was hardly worth constantly looking for enemies, but that certainly didn't mean he would make his presence known to all those around him. These were times of war after all.
The tiny village appeared before the young ninja soon enough as he halted his advance a mile south of his intended target. It was time to play the role of a lone traveler, looking for a place to stop for a few hours as he journeys in search of…something.
Damn it. He had forgotten his alias again. He would need to think of something and fast. Oh well, his slow and leisurely pace into town would provide him plenty of time to make a decision on that.
But as luck would have it, he wouldn't have to walk the entire way. A traveling merchant with a horse and buggy had been traveling down the same road and offered to give the young man a lift into the village. Strange..people sure were trusting in this part of the fire country.
It was then he realized that these areas had been little affected by the shinobi war currently under way. Konoha however, was a different story altogether. The realities of war had sunk into the lifestyle of the general populace as waves of enemy ninjas threatened to onslaught them at any time. No worries though, relief would come soon enough.
Though that was the true reason Jiraiya's pupil had been so annoyed with his current mission. He knew, that once he was back on the frontlines, he had the power to end the conflict. His technique was nearly perfect. All he desired was the time to practice a little bit more and Konoha's forces would be unstoppable. The golden flash learned how to become a true army of one.
But instead, here he was on his way to complete a trivial B rank mission. The more he thought about it, the more he regretted ever accepting it. But the money being offered was good and Konoha could certainly benefit the share it would subtract from his pay.
As his mind slowly strolled through all these thoughts, the merchant managed his way into town and 'woke' the young one from his daydreams while muttering something about kids these days.
The golden flash offered the salesman a hasty thanks and a few coins for his troubles which were quickly accepted. He then made his way into town looking for his target. He may as well get this mission over with. The sooner he put up with his troublesome objective, the sooner he'd return home to his friends and sensei.
This part of the mission would surely be the worst. No prearranged meeting place was established by the clients. He was just supposed to use his peerless abilities and make the whole mission come together.
It was times like this that the young blond truly hated the Hokage for accepting such lame proposals.
He stretched his arms behind his head and leisurely walked forth in search of his clients. What was the point in trying too hard? He could always say he was unable to locate his client despite making a good faith effort, but that would hardly go over well.
It was when he walked past an unremarkable alleyway however, that would cause his entire life to change.
He felt a hand grasp at his coat from behind and quickly pull him into the shadows of the alley as a loan figure held a knife to his throat. The voice alone was full of malice and distrust as a warning was spoken. "Move an inch and I take your life. Pathetic. I thought Konoha's ninja were stronger than that."
"Ahem!" The startled attacker froze as they heard a voice from behind them. It was then that they noticed that while the coat was real, the person wearing it was not. A simple substitution technique replaced Konoha's legendary ninja with a simple dummy. Yes…the attacker was apparently that weak.
The person quickly regrouped and faced the shinobi with knife still in hand though now poised to strike. They wore a simple black cloak that disguised their entire form and kept their face hidden from view, but still allowed them enough sight to allow them to spot the shinobi in front of them.
At least he was in front. Suddenly the attacker felt a cold blade against their throat. The golden flash had restrained this person from behind and used this leverage to pull down the hood of his would be assailant.
In his arms he found the body of strikingly beautiful young brunette woman with fiery blue eyes that had nearly frozen in shock. Suddenly a B ranked mission didn't seem so bad after all.
Slowly he brought his lips painstakingly close to her ear while her body was still unable to react to being caught from behind. All that was needed now was one last test, and one hell of a tease to pull it off.
"The winds of change are blowing in Konoha"
"But the Sakura blossoms still bloom" Her voice was silky smooth and lacked the aggressive nature she heard earlier. Thank god.
At least she remembered the code word. He'd have to kill her otherwise and frankly…it would be messy cleaning up the mess. Sounds strict? War time rules. There was too much risk of a client being replaced by an undercover shinobi from an enemy village. It was a necessary evil until a lasting peace could be brought back to the lands.
He let the woman and watched as she nearly stumbled down to her feat. But she wouldn't let herself fall. Not in front of this ….this man who had insulted her integrity so. How dare he show her up like that!
Then again, what was the point in hiring a ninja that you yourself could capture?
She scowled at the blond one and shot him a look so maliciously evil that only a woman could produce it. That's right…"the look".
"You're late" …actually…no..he wasn't
"I'm several hours early."
"It was still too slow." Insolent jerk of a man!
"Still faster than you." He stuck out his tongue in a playful manner. What was he, a child???
"Pfft. How dare you stick your tongue out at me you dirty vagabond!" Now she simply looked disgusted.
"Dirty!? I'm not dirty. What the hell are you talking about?' He looked down on his clothes and only then noticed all the dust and stains found on his coat. Hey…it wasn't like there was time to do laundry. There was a war to fight you know.
"And geeze, when was the last time you bathed?" Ok…so he had been camping out for a few days and neglected a few more hygienic procedures. It wasn't exactly uncommon when you had to constantly watch your back. Rivers and lakes tended to become natural ambushes.
She on the other hand…simply smelled heavenly. That or the golden flash had simply expected her to. It was hard to imagine a beautiful girl with a…stench.
"Are you going to insult me all day or are we going to get on our way? I don't have all day to play with weak little girls." Oh he had touched a nerve there. All of a sudden the bone chilling look she had given him earlier had turned into a near-castrating glare.
"What….did you say….!?" She raised her fists in anger as if she were threatening him with physical harm.
"Weak….little…UGLY ….Girl!" It was funny how he shouted out this insult. Weren't they supposed to be talking in secret and avoiding attention?
"You little sorry excuse of a ninja, why I outta-" The person she was arguing with was again no longer in front of her. Instead her speech was stopped as she felt a hand covering her mouth. The brunette was then forcibly dragged away as she saw the world around her disappear, only to find herself now face in a different location altogether. They were behind a different set of buildings located in another part of town. But how had she…
"Stop being so loud." He felt odd saying that, often being the one told to keep it down.
"Don't touch me!" she shrieked. Why oh why had she requested Konoha for help!? Weren't their ninja supposed to be more responsible and mature than this? Hadn't she asked for the best they had? Isn't that what she paid for? Why couldn't the famous Jiraiya have shown up instead? He surely would have known how to act maturely around a beautiful young woman.
"Fine" He tossed her a bag she hadn't realized he took from her. "Then you carry your own stuff." He started walking away towards their next destination. He was sure enough she would follow without him having to coax her further.
And sure enough she did follow, with the will and spirit of the fire country burning brightly within her. "Oh no you don't. I paid for a ninja's services and I will get a ninja's service. You carry my stuff."'
"Sorry….hag…but me being your butler wasn't in the mission statement. You take your own stuff. Whatever you can't take, you leave behind." That was discord to her ears…she had soo much she needed to bring with her. She had hoped he would offer some kind of aid. The truth was the golden flash would need his arms free in case something did happen. As fast as he was….any lag time could become the difference between life and death.
"But…but…" Wait a minute…had he called her a hag. "You moron! How dare you insult me!!!!"
Again the golden flash just stuck out his tongue towards her in mild defiance to her attitude. He changed his mind again. No pretty woman was worth this much trouble. Not even for the money he was getting paid.
With that gesture he turned around and continued walking ahead leaving the flabbergasted brunette in shock. No one ever treated her that way…no one!
But the further he got away from her, the more she realized she didn't have much choice in the matter. She had required his assistance after all. She needed a bodyguard to take her safely from his village and back towards her home. It was crucial that she be allowed to reach without being intercepted by any potential enemies. The fate of the fire country rested upon it.
This verbal match was her loss. This time. She had a feeling there would be others.
However until then, she quickly dumped out some of her less necessary items to lighten her load and hurried toward the fleeting ninja all the while plotting her revenge. She eventually caught up and matched his pace, making sure to stay few feet behind his gaze.
She didn't want to have to look at his handsome face any longer. His piggish attitude hardly made up for his rebellious nature.
But this lead to an interesting problem. What do you do with your hired ninja bodyguard? Are you expected to make some kind of polite conversation while the two of you are in progress of completing a mission? Or did ninja's prefer the quite so they could be in tune with the environment around them. It didn't take much thought for the young woman to realize this one certainly liked to talk. He was loud enough for it and seemed to like the sound of his own voice. It was strangely…rugged.
She supposed she might as well establish some kind of peace with him now. She wouldn't want him to abandon the mission or give anything less than 100 to this mission. Sometimes swallowing ones ego was the safe bet.
"So….what do I call you? Ninja boy or something?" The boy was meant to injure his pride just a little. Sure enough and to her satisfaction, it did. There was nothing worse than a grown woman calling you a boy. Though the blond ninja felt he had already gotten away with too much today. It was best to just let it drop…for the moment that is.
"Min--" No stupid! ALIAS A-L-I-A-S!!. You are a freaking ninja. How could you possibly forget. Quick…think of something random! "Kazama. Arashi Kazama. "
"Arashi Kazama?" It sounded real enough. Though she wondered if a ninja would reveal their true identity to a client.
"Yeah and you would be…?" It was very weird to be given a mission where the client's identity was undisclosed. Something suspicious was going on here.
"Kus-..err Kaori." For the fist time since they met…she had a smile upon her face.
Naruto woke up from the intense dream he had just had. It was like he was envisioning the life events of another person though he seemed to see the world in the 3rd person. The sweat perspired down his forehead as he needed to come to grips with its intensity.
There would be little point in trying to go back to sleep. The sun would be up again in just a few hours and he didn't want to miss a single sunrise. Everything about that even seemed particularly surreal. The way the light can spread up and dissipate total darkness. It was amazing that few people seemed to share his appreciation of such events. No matter, it was there loss, even though he would have liked to have shared it with some friends.
He removed himself from his bed and made his way to the kitchen to get some water to drink. It was at that moment he heard someone barge through his door as if they didn't care that it was his apartment. Naruto watched as a groggy pink haired girl nearly stumbled her way about the apartment.
"Naruto!? What's wrong? Why are you up so early?" She was still using the back of her hand to rub her eyes and awaken her body to the ungodly hour.
"Sakura-chan? What are you doing here? Aren't you usually asleep now?" Naruto had learned the hard way not to mess with Sakura and her sleep. The last time he asked for her company at 4 in the morning, he had spent a good part of the day healing his wounds.
"I felt your chakra spike incredibly high. I thought you were hurt or something." She was charged with his care wasn't she? Naturally she would be worried if suddenly an insane amount of chakra was spouting from him, however brief a time. Truth be told the entire building should have been woken up by such a sharp rise and fall of power. It was almost bone chilling how much energy could come from him without his even breaking a sweat. Just what was the source of his inhuman abilities!?
"Sorry Sakura-chan. I just had a dream. It felt so real and weird that I just…..I dunno.." He lacked the words to describe the emotions he was feeling. It was the result of a terrible disease he had. Manhood.
"Do you want to talk about it?" She yawned a little after hearing his explanation. Normally she would rather wait before hearing about anyone's dreams, but in this case it might just have something to do with Naruto's lost memories.
"Nah, not right now Sakura-chan." He had a goofy smile on his face…which only alerted Sakura-chan that mischief of the worse kind was upon her. The Naruto kind.
"Naruto…what are you planning…?" She found her hand quickly grabbed as she was lead through Naruto's apartment….into his bedroom….right towards his bed…..and then past it out the window. He launched himself from the ledge with Sakura just trailing behind, too tired to try and put up much resistance.
The two didn't go very far, just to the roof of one of the taller buildings. There Naruto sat down and waited patiently as he stared out to the east with a look of concentration on his face.
"Naruto…what are we doing up here!?" Sakura looked more than a little flustered. She was still wearing her pajamas and being up top made her feel more than a little exposed despite the fact the overwhelming majority of the village was fast asleep.
"The sunrise! The sunrise will be up in a few hours. I always wanted you to see it with me." It was cute how he was still taking the little things in life and treating them as if each one was a miracle. Though she supposed in some regards…everything could be seen as a miracle the longer you think about it…but that's a topic for another time.
"Naruto..the sun wont rise for a few more hours and I'm tired and…."
Sakura was quickly interrupted with a puppy-dog faced Naruto standing mere inches away from her. "Please Sakura-chan? Pretty please?"
She had no choice but to relent to his demands. At least he would be waiting quietly up here for the sunrise instead of bouncing around his apartment and waking up the whole building. "Alright Naruto. I will wait here with you."
Because some things are just worth waiting for.
liked it, loved it, hated it, or just want to comment in some way, provide a responce if you care to. i'll keep updating to me hearts content either way but some encouragement is always nice. Anyways, thanks for the support so far guys. Until next time, take care. :-)