Operation: Bring home Naruto
IX. Ramen reward
If only this was the way things really were, Hinata thought as she swallowed her last strawberry. Just a pleasant picnic in the woods, Naruto and me—sorry but minus Kaori—with nothing more worrisome on our minds than ants, mosquitoes or who would eat the last strawberry. Hinata gave a small breathy sigh before facing reality once more.
"What?" Naruto had sensed rather than heard her faint sigh. He seemed to be more attuned to her than he'd ever been to any of his teammates. It was a strange, but somewhat satisfying feeling. When he had the time to think about it, he'd figure out what exactly it meant.
She shook her head unwilling to reveal her thoughts.
"Don't you wish this was a real picnic?" he asked idly.
Startled that his thought had matched hers even partially, she blurted out, "That's just what I was thinking."
He grinned. "Really? Great minds think alike, I guess."
She smiled shyly back, "I guess," she said, and blushed as he continued to look right into her with those deep blue eyes of his. She looked away and changed the subject. "Naruto, where did the path lead you?" she asked shifting Kaori onto her lap while Naruto jumped up beginning to clean up their scraps, putting the leftover cucumbers into the backpack.
"I didn't follow it all the way. I found the strawberries then cucumbers so I decided to gather those, and head back here. I thought Kaori would get too hungry if I took too long," he explained.
She eyed him thoughtfully. He seemed very restrained for Naruto. "Do you want to follow the path to see where it goes?"
He shrugged. "This is your mission, Hinata. It's your decision where we go next. Aren't we on some kind of timetable?"
"We are, but you do want to follow the path, don't you?" she persisted. Their original timetable was already blown, and they couldn't desert Kaori. If her plan had been successful so far, she could cheat the schedule a little.
"I wouldn't mind finding out who put Kaori out here all by herself. That path just might lead us somewhere enlightening."
She stood up and set Kaori down. "Okay," she answered decisively. "Let's follow the path of enlightenment."
He laughed at her play on his words, but asked seriously, "You're not doing this just for me, are you?"
"Naruto, this entire mission is just for you in a way," she told him earnestly. "I want to get you home safely, but I can't just ignore this situation. I want to find out who took Kaori from her mama, too."
He grinned at her, pleased that she'd chosen the way he would have chosen. "Then let's do it. You take the backpack and pillow—they're lighter. I'll take Kaori on my back wrapped in her blanket. How does that sound?"
"If Kaori likes that idea, I'm all for it," she bent down to the little girl watching them solemnly. "Kaori, would you like to go piggy-back?"
The child nodded, sucking her thumb and holding tightly onto her blanket.
"You'll like riding with Naruto. He's a lot of fun," Hinata told her placing her on Naruto's back.
"Do you really think I'm a lot of fun, Hinata?" He looked at her over his shoulder while she adjusted Kaori and her blanket.
"You always keep me smiling," she said doing just that.
He frowned. "I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. I don't like being laughed at."
"I've never laughed at you, Naruto. You make me laugh because you're funny."
"Funny ha-ha or funny weird?"
"I never thought you were weird, either," she assured him. It was easy telling him what she didn't think of him, but would she ever have the confidence to tell him what she really did think of him?
"And you don't think I'm a loser or a failure?" he asked seriously wanting to know that she didn't think the worst of him. He'd been called both things on many occasions. He'd never taken them seriously, but he wondered if others had.
She shook her head vehemently. "Never. Who would dare call you such horrible things?"
"Well, there was your cousin, Neji. He's called me a failure." He thought of Sasuke. He still remembered how angry he'd felt when he could never get Sasuke's respect. "Loser came from someone who used to be a winner. It's not important." He shook off his unpleasant thoughts. "Come on. Let's go. We need to find Kaori's mama."
The path seemed to meander, but it actually saved them time. It led them the way the crow flies across fields and through woods not even glimpsing the road most of the journey. Hinata was amazed to find that the time they'd lost with Kaori and breakfast was saved by following this unlikely path.
"It looks like the kidnappers came from the village," Naruto said softly as they entered the small village from the alleyway between two buildings.
She nodded. "That would be my guess, too."
Passing into the street, they found themselves near an inn, a grocery, and a ramen eatery. Naruto's eyes lit up, and he looked at Hinata tilting his head towards the ramen eatery.
She smiled at him, "Why not? We have to ask about Kaori somewhere. Why not have ramen while doing it?"
This was really a girl after his own heart, he thought, in more ways than one.
They entered the shop and approached the counter. Naruto sat Kaori on a stool between himself and Hinata. When the waiter came over to them, he was just ready to place an order when the man exclaimed, "That's Kaori Yamamoto! She was kidnapped last night. You're the kidnappers!" His voice rose to a yell with his last word. Customers stood up and surrounded them. Staff from the kitchen in the back came forward to complete the wall of people encircling them.
"No! Wait!" Naruto ordered loudly. "We found her sleeping in the woods some ways from here. We were heading this way so we brought her with us."
"She couldn't tell us where she lived. We were going to leave her here with someone in authority," Hinata added hurriedly when Naruto stopped talking.
"A likely story," the original man told them. "You're the kidnappers!"
"Right, like we'd kidnap her than come boldly into the village carrying her with us," Naruto said in disgust.
"Why not? We've never seen you before," the original man said before the others began giving their opinions.
Naruto was seething at that guy's stupid logic. He was getting ready to burst out with something insulting that would probably start a real fight when Hinata reached out and put her hand over his fist pressed against the counter. He glanced at her with his mouth just opening to speak, but when he saw the plea in her eyes he closed his mouth with a snap choking on his harsh words. He sat preternaturally still allowing the crowd to have their say and not immediately defending himself and Hinata. Her hand remained covering his periodically giving it a gentle squeeze which kept his temper and tongue in check.
"That guy makes a lot of sense. It would be stupid to bring her here if they were the kidnappers."
"Nobody ever said the kidnappers were smart."
"What were they doing in the woods anyway?"
"Who cares if they're not the kidnappers?"
"What if they're just really clever kidnappers?"
"What's so clever about bringing Kaori back to the village right away? I don't think Hiromi's paid the ransom yet."
"Maybe they had to. Maybe she's sick."
"Maybe she cried too much."
"What was she doing in the woods? Wouldn't the kidnapper have stashed her somewhere safe?"
"Yeah, that sounds suspicious right there."
"Hey, wait a minute, look at that headband the guy's wearing. What does that mean?"
"Yeah, I recognize that symbol. They're from the Hidden Leaf Village."
"You mean the village that trains shinobi?"
"That's right. They must be shinobi."
"Would shinobi kidnap our children?"
"If they were paid enough, they might."
"Just 'cause you're still bitter about what they wanted to charge you for a mission, doesn't mean they're that mercenary."
"Maybe someone hired them to kidnap our kids?"
The talk was degenerating into argument and insults when a distraught man forced his way through the growing crowd. "Kaori!" he cried reaching for her.
Naruto made a move to block him, but stopped when he heard Kaori's cry of "Papa!" She held out her arms to the man and he picked her up holding her tightly and rocking her in his arms.
When their emotional reunion was completed, the man turned and bowed to Naruto, "I want to thank you for returning my daughter safely to me. My name is Hiromi Yamamoto."
Naruto returned the bow. "We found her crying for her mama in the woods. We had nothing to do with her kidnapping." The crowds had stopped their loud arguments to watch, but there were still an undercurrent of murmurings.
"She was kidnapped last night. We found a note this morning telling us to leave the ransom beside the big rock at Hana Springs just outside the village by noon. I was just on my way when someone told me she was here. I know you couldn't be the kidnappers. But why was my daughter left alone? They said she would come to no harm if I paid the ransom," he asked earnestly.
"I'm sorry, but we saw no one except Kaori. It looked like she'd been sleeping under the trees. She had a pillow and blanket with her that was damp from the morning dew," Naruto explained.
"I don't understand this," Mr. Yamamoto shook his head in bewilderment. "What will the kidnappers do when they don't find the ransom? Will they try to take my Kaori again?"
The crowd growing restless began their comments again.
"That's right. We don't know how dangerous these kidnappers are."
"They haven't hurt anyone yet, but that could change."
"Yeah, especially when they don't get their ransom."
"Hey, since you're shinobi, can you help us? This is the second time a child has been kidnapped for ransom in the last month. We need to stop this." This statement was met with loud agreement from the crowd.
"We'd like to help, but we're already on a vital mission we must complete," Naruto told them. "If you apply to the Hidden Leaf Village, I'm sure they'll send someone to help you out."
"Yeah, but what will that cost?"
"I've heard you shinobi charge outrageous fees for your services."
"Yeah. We can't afford ransom and help."
"It's not fair too charge so much to help people."
"Missions are our livelihood. It's a job just like baker, blacksmith or shopkeeper. There must be a charge for services rendered," Hinata explained in a louder voice than she usually used. She could feel Naruto tense beside her ready to rise to heated argument. She needed to stop the angry accusations of the villagers, before he responded in his own angry way. "Charges depend upon the danger, difficulty and number of shinobi required. I assure you, the Hokage is fair in her assessment of a mission."
"I never thought of it as a service before."
"Yeah, I guess that makes sense."
"I suppose we could try and find out what would be charged."
"We've got to try something. What if more children are kidnapped?"
The crowd's murmurings quieted again.
"I want to pay you for finding my daughter," Mr. Yamamoto told them when he could be heard again. "Will you accept the ransom I was to pay for her return?"
"Oh no! We couldn't. We really didn't do anything, but bring her with us. We were stopping here any way," Hinata demurred.
"Then please allow me to pay for your meal."
"Okay, we'll accept that as payment," Naruto agreed before Hinata could say no. He was starting to feel hungry. Strawberries and cucumbers just weren't as filling as ramen noodles.
"I want to offer a payment, too," said a woman who suddenly appeared through the crowd.
"Mama!" Kaori cried and immediately let her papa go to grab her mama. The woman was calmer than her husband, but she still held Kaori just as tightly.
"No, no, the meal is quite enough," Hinata assured her. "We really didn't do anything that anyone else wouldn't have done."
"Please, you must accept. I insist. I want to offer you a reading in payment for your kindness to my daughter."
"A reading?"
"My wife is a fortune-teller. She's the best fortune-teller in the village," Mr. Yamamoto said proudly with his arm around his wife's shoulders.
"I don't know," Hinata looked uneasily at Naruto. She didn't know how to turn this offer down, but she wasn't certain she wanted to hear anything about the future. It could lead to embarrassment if the woman was really a good fortune-teller.
"Cool," he said enthusiastically. "I've never had my fortune told before."
"We haven't much time. We really must eat and run," Hinata tried to get out of it once more.
"I can offer you a short reading while you're eating," Mrs. Yamamoto assured her.
"Well--," Hinata began reluctantly.
"Do not fear my reading," she interrupted. "I do not believe in dire readings. I believe the negative can always be overcome. Nor do I not take away your free will. My readings are merely a guide or advise for the future, I will never give you precise details. That would make your future stagnant, and futures are always fluid and capable of change. Nor will my reading have a definite time line—it is a future that may be immediate or months from now. The future reveals itself in its own way," Mrs. Yamamoto assured her. "Here take three sticks one at a time from this jar." She pulled a jar from the long pocket of her jacket and held it out to Hinata. It was filled with long, slim, flat sticks. "On each stick is written a word. These words will have importance to your future."
Hinata reached into the jar and withdrew one stick. The word Courage was written at the base of the stick.
Mrs. Yamamoto studied her. "Courage. You know this word well. You have had dealings in the past. You have been afraid, but you have faced your fears. Trust in yourself. Courage builds upon courage. It will be there for you when you need it. Draw another one."
The next stick read Strength.
"Strength. You are stronger than you know, but your greatest strength is spiritual not physical. Again you must trust in yourself. You have resources within yourself that have never been tapped. The greatest of those are courage and strength—they are a formidable combination. They will serve you well."
The third stick read Delight.
"Ah, what a wonderful third choice. There are so many facets to that word, all of them with wonderful promise. You are in for a treat at the end of your trials. Delight will come after your need for courage and strength has been met. It may not be immediate, but you will recognize the moment when it comes. You are a very fortunate young woman."
Hinata blushed. She knew what would make her future seem delightful, and wondered if that could really be what was meant. Now she wished Mrs. Yamamoto was a more traditional fortune-teller. Didn't they always give you a romantic future?
"My turn," Naruto announced eagerly. He didn't really get this fortune-telling stuff, but Hinata's had sounded pretty good. He wouldn't mind having something like courage and strength in his future. Those were good shinobi words.
Hinata's choices were put back into the jar and Mrs. Yamamoto mixed up the contents. When she was satisfied, she held out the jar to Naruto and he drew out his first stick which read Clarity.
"This means that something you didn't understand in the past is now made clear to you. You will have a greater understanding of something, someone or many things. It could reflect an entirely new way of looking at something or someone."
"Ah, what does that mean?" Naruto frowned.
"I'm sorry. I can not be more explicit," she apologized. "This understanding must come from your own awareness. Only you can do it."
The second stick read Adventure.
"As a shinobi your entire life must be full of adventure, but this signifies a special type of adventure that you could not have anticipated. It means that you will experience something that you've never experienced before."
Again, Naruto found this confusing. Why couldn't she just come out and say what she meant? "What kind of adventure? Can't you give me a little hint? Am I on that adventure now?" This mission was different from any he'd been on before. Was that what she meant?
She shook her head. "No. This adventure is in your future. You may not even think of it as an adventure in the classic sense, but it will have its share of risks and dangers. You must face them as ably has you have every other adventure in your life. Do not fear the unknown."
The third stick read Joy.
Mrs. Yamamoto smiled. "How glad I am to be able to offer such good fortunes to the rescuers of my daughter. I had the feeling the two of you would allow me good readings. You are another fortunate person, young man. Once you have seen things clearly and taken a on this new adventure, joy will be your final outcome. Joy is another of those words that can mean many different things, but all are extremely favorable. It is very similar to the young lady's outcome. You both will have great happiness in your futures."
"Thank you for the reading," Hinata told her. "It was very interesting."
"Thank you for bringing my child safely back to me. Good luck on your mission."
"Yeah, thanks," said Naruto. He wasn't sure it had been very helpful. Hinata had had the better reading. He could understand words like courage and strength. Clarity and adventure that wasn't a real adventure mystified him. Oh, well, he could use a little joy in his life. That he could appreciate.
The Yamamotos finally left them to finish their ramen noodles. The other customers had gone back to their meals or left by now. No one shared whether they would be sending an emissary to the Hidden Leaf Village or not. Neither Hinata nor Naruto wanted to ask. They especially didn't want to start another debate. When they were finished eating, they left with no fanfare. The other villagers had already forgotten them.
"What do you suppose those fortunes meant, anyway?" Naruto asked Hinata as they walked down the main street and out of the village. "Don't fortunes usually give you more information? Like whether you'll be rich or famous or something like that?"
"Charlatans will usually tell you exactly what you want to hear. I think Mrs. Yamamoto might actually be genuine."
"Why do you say that?"
"Well, there are many types of fortune-telling. Some read cards, some read your palms, or the bumps in your head. Some read tea leafs, where the planets were aligned at your birth, or the meaning of your name. I've had my palms read once. It was a little more detailed than the reading we just experienced, but I don't remember if any of it was true or very useful."
"So?"
"So, I know many people have their fortunes told daily and won't make decisions without reading their fortune first. I'd usually rather just let my future happen than follow a script every day, but I don't feel that way about Mrs. Yamamoto's reading. I think I'll remember my three words even if I don't know when they'll be useful or needed." What she didn't confess was that she had sought a fortune-teller once years ago about her relationship or rather lack of relationship with Naruto. It had been a foolish, wasted expense. She'd been told that they had a future together only to have him immediately leave on a three year mission. Since then she'd mostly lost her faith in fortune-tellers.
"Clarity, Adventure, Joy. I guess that's a good fortune, but I think I like yours better, Hinata. Courage, Strength and Delight sound more useful to me."
"It all sounds good—too good. Like she said at first, she wouldn't tell us anything negative, but I bet there are bad things surrounding those fortunes," she hinted darkly.
"Why do you say that?"
"Well—why should I need courage and strength except for something bad? And your adventure may not be a good one just because it's different."
He laughed. "Hey, you make those fortunes sound a lot more interesting and a little dangerous. Not that I want bad stuff to happen, but I'd rather have excitement in my future not dull and predicable stuff."
"I guess that's the real secret of fortunes—if you want excitement and surprise—don't get your fortune told."
"I'll still be surprised after that fortune. I haven't got a clue what it means."
She giggled. "Maybe that's where the clarity comes in. You'll figure it out eventually—and it'll all be clear."
"Very funny, Miss Courageous Strength. If you figure it out give me a clue—okay?"
"Okay," she agreed only because she didn't have the heart to tell him only he could figure it out. It sounded too personal for an outsider to understand.
They left the village and turned into the woods where Hinata remembered they should from the map she'd studied with the Hokage. They'd stay in these woods for almost the rest of their journey. By early afternoon tomorrow, they would be clear of them and meet the road that would lead them into the Hidden leaf Village—if nothing else occurred to hold them up.
"Naruto, do you think the kidnapper will go after Kaori again?" That thought had been worrying her since they'd grown quiet.
He shrugged. "I don't know. I hope not." He wasn't good at predicating people's behavior.
"Should we have told them that we think the kidnappers live in the village?"
"We aren't really sure about that just because the path led there."
"Do you think the village with apply to the Hokage?"
"That's what they should do."
"Maybe we should have helped them."
"Do you want to go back?" He looked back over his shoulder at her. He'd taken the lead in their walk. It was easier making a path through the brush single file—and he'd wanted to protect her from any unexpected hazards along the way. It didn't matter that this was her mission and the mission was protecting him. He couldn't allow a woman to be his shield. He especially wouldn't allow Hinata to it. He'd never be able to handle it if something happened to her on his account.
She stopped. "I—no, we can't. I've got to get you back to our village." She started walking again.
"You know, Hinata, the Hokage probably wouldn't like us taking on a mission without her permission anyway. She can be real bitchy when things aren't done her way."
"Naruto!" Hinata couldn't help smiling even as she admonished him for his disrespect. Only Naruto could say such things and right to the Hokage's face without a qualm—and get away with it.
They'd walked into the woods only a mile when Hinata heard a sudden hiss go past her ear. In horror, she watched as Naruto only a little ahead of her, fell to the ground as an arrow forcefully slammed into the pack on his back knocking him to the ground.
"What--?" he said as he threw up his arms and fell flat on his face.
"Naruto!" Hinata cried and dropped to her knees beside him. She watched despairingly as something wet spread quickly darkening the backpack. "Naruto!" Her voice was only a croak as her throat tightened and tears filled her eyes.
Suddenly a voice shouted out from somewhere behind and above them, "Halt! Stay where you are!"
