My Father's Wings

Today was the beginning of a new day, a new era all across the leaf village. As one class graduated to begin their career as ninja others were just starting school.

Sarada Uzumaki daughter of the Hokage certainly had a lot of expectations and knew even greater would be expected of her. But her Mother and Father had done it before her and now she was doing it.

"Sarada!" called her mother's voice from the hallway." You ready?" The girl ran to the door grabbing her backpack from off the shelf and ran to meet her.

"Coming!" she yelled. Outside in the hall she met her mother.

"Alright." Sakura smiled." Let's get going."

"Where's Dad?" Sarada asked confused. It wasn't that late in the morning, she assumed he would still have been here.

"He already went into work pumpkin. But don't worry he'll be home by the time you get back."

"Okay." She smiled. So Sakura pushed opened the door and together mother and daughter left the house.

"Are you nervous?" Sakura asked as they walked down the road.

"No." Sarada shook her head.

"Really? Not nervous, not even a little?"

"Well I…maybe a little." She admitted.

"Don't be." Sakura said. "It'll be fine. You already know a lot of your classmates. Chocho, Shikadai and Bolt. What's that cute little nickname he has for you?"

"Salad." She grumbled." And I hate it."

"Touchy, Touchy." Sakura said with her hands up and a snicker at her daughter's expense. They came to it at last the first stop on their journey, the school. Sarada looked up at it wide-eyed.

It was the place her parents and grandparents had gone to in order to become ninjas. And now she was doing it. Deep inside her stomach she was trembling with excitement and fear as she gaze at the big brown doors that led inside.

"Go ahead dear." Sakura said. Sarada smiled and began walking.

"Goodbye mom!" she waved turning back to her.

"Goodbye Sarada." Sakura waved to her." Have a fun day.

But Sarada wasn't the only one with a big day ahead of her. And not unlike Sarada this girl also had a lot to live up too.

Mirai Sarutobi was the daughter of the late Asuma Sarutobi and Kurenai Yhui. She'd graduated the academy a few months back and already had a few missions under her belt. She was part of one of the best teams of her class and had already distinguished herself amongst them.

The morning started out like any other. After breakfast she would go to the training grounds, hone her skills and become an even greater ninja. She couldn't be late thought. Her training partner Inojin Nara hates her time being wasted. She was a classmate and fellow genin as well as the sister Mirai never had. But there was something else on her agenda for today.

"Mom!" she called as she headed for the door." I'm going out!"

"Alright!" Her mother replied. "Be safe." Mirai grabbed the doorknob and pulled it open. But instead of stepping out into the fresh morning air she stepped right into a big, squishy wall. Looking up she was the red cheeks of Choji Akimichi.

"Hey there kiddo!" he smiled at her.

"Sensei!" she jolted. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you." He replied." C'mon, we have work to do."

"Work? What kind of work?"

And then there she was as she had been many times before standing before the Hokage. But every time she was in there she always felt a sense of awe at him. The Hokage of the Leaf Village, one of the Five Kages, the pinnacle of achievement for any ninja. But she wasn't alone.

On her left was her Sensei Choji Akimichi. And to her right were her two teammates. One a member of the Senju Clan and the other a member of the Hoki clan.

"I have a mission for you Team One." He said.

"A great honor, Lord Hokage." Choji said with a nod. Mirai was too excited, she wondered what it could be.

"The Sand Village has some sensitive information." The Hokage said as he leaned forward in his chair to rest his elbows on his desk.

"How sensitive?" Choji asked.

"Very sensitive." The Hokage nodded. The mission was clear already, go to the Sand Village and collect whatever information this was. And it must be important or it would have been sent by bird rather than collected by ninja." Your mission is to go to the Sand Village and bring it back here and to me."

Choji nodded his head.

"Consider it done." He said." C'mon Team!" He said moving towards the door. Mirai followed after her team and headed out the door.

Luckily for Mirai she already had her things packed and was all ready to get out on the road. And by noon that day Team One was ready to head out and onto their mission.

But on the way out of the Village she saw none other than her Uncle Shikamaru.

"Uncle!" she cheered upon seeing him. She ran away from her team to jump up and hug him. But Shikamaru was never a touchy-feely guy but smiled all the same.

"Hey, Hey kiddo." He said once she let go.

"What are you doing here?" she asked." Come to see us off."

"Hmh." He nodded running his hand through his small goatee. His eyes turned from the girl to her Jounin." Choji." He put out his hand and the two shook. But there was a gleam shared in both their eyes upon eye contact.

"Uh guys." Choji said turning to see genin." Go get a head start I'll be with you in a second." None of them disobeyed and began walking away. Mirai flashed Shikamaru a smile before walking away.

Choji couldn't have been that long talking to Shikamaru in fact it was only a few words. Mirai looked over her shoulder to see the two close together, almost whispering to each other. And she thought she could make out the movements of her Uncle's lips.

"Take care of her." Shikamaru said. And he finished with a wink. Choji returned the gesture, turned and began walking towards his group.

"Alright team!" He called swinging his hand around." Let's move out!" And the team left the Village and headed out on their mission.

Kurenai Yuhi had not since her daughter since she left. He had assumed she'd gone out to the training fields as she usually did every morning. So she preoccupied herself by cleaning out their home. But then a knock on the door distracted her, so she went to answer it. And lo and behold there was none other than Shikamaru Nara standing there.

"Shikamaru." She said slightly shocked." What are you doing here?"

"Stopping by." He said with his hands in his pocket." Just wondering if you knew?"

"Knew what?"

"That Mirai went out on a mission earlier today."

"What?!" Shikamaru just nodded his head.

"I thought you'd like to know." He said in a 'know-it-all' kind of sense. He had the feeling in all the excitement neither Choji or Mirai decided to mention it.

"Where did they go? How long will they be? What kind of mission is it?"

"Calm down, Calm down." Shikamaru said putting his hands on her shoulders." It's just a simple collect mission. Their just transporting a document from the Sand Village back here." But that didn't seem to ease Kurenai's mind.

"But what road are they taking? What if they take a wrong turn? What-" Shikamaru tightened his grip and gave her a little shake.

"Easy, Easy." He said in a soft voice comforting her." She'll be alright. She'll be alright. She has Choji to protect her. He'll protect her." And like Shikamaru, Choji had the same obligation to his Sensei's daughter.

And at that moment Choji was at the head of his four man group. Mirai was behind him and the boys behind her.

It was a mission would overall take six days. Three days to get there and three days to get back. All the time Mirai was wondering what important information could be in this document that it required an armed team to carry it.

Maybe it was top-secret military info regarding a new weapon. Maybe it was about the movements of a combined enemy of the Leaf and Sand. Or maybe it was just an updated treaty. But all the above made Mirai think that this was more of a job for a team of twenty jounin and chunin not green genin. But maybe she was just being paranoid so she decided to think about something else. Like if there were any cute boys in the Sand Village, boy would Inojin be jealous.

But the tension of the mission did not bother Choji. He had prepared himself for a lengthy trip out in the wilderness. And in his bag Choji had plenty of goodies from home. His favorite bag of chips, chocolate cookies, and a few 'family' pictures all courtesy of his wife. Once when Choji thought he was alone in the woods he tried to look at the picture. But then suddenly there was shrieking in his ear.

"Hey Sensei!" Mirai yelled in his ear. Startled and embarrassed Choji tore the picture in half and crushed it in his hands.

"What? What?! WHAT?!" He yelled back at her, covering up.

That night Choji and his team decided to make camp for the night and rest along the border of the Leaf and Sand Village. It was a long walk from checkpoint to checkpoint and Choji wanted to make sure they covered enough ground during the day.

The boys were already asleep and Mirai prepared her sleeping bag. Choji prepared himself. He laid back on the ground and pushed his head-band down and over his eyes. But juts as he prepared to drift into sleep someone got his attention.

"Uh Sensei Akimichi?" Choji lifted the band off his eyes to see Mirai kneeling before him.

"You don't have to call me 'Sensei' when no one else is around." He said. She nodded and instead gotten more familiar.

"Uncle." She said." Can I ask you something?"

"Hmh." He nodded.

"What was it Uncle Shika said to you at the Village gates?" Choji's face squinted as he tried to remember. Naturally he did though he wouldn't express it's content.

"Just an inside joke." He said with a chuckle. She opened her mouth probably to ask 'What Joke?' but he beat her to it." An adult joke."

"Oh okay." She said. Maybe it wasn't what she thought. Maybe she was just being paranoid." Uh Uncle?"

"Hmh." He replied.

"Can you tell me about my Dad?" Choji turned in his place and turned around to face her. Her big brown eyes full of wonder and hope, wondering for the father she never knew.

"Sure." He nodded. He sat up to look at her better." I can tell you a few things."

Meanwhile back in the Leaf Village.

Kurenai was in her home looking at one of the few pictures she actually had of Asuma. One of the few pictures they had together.

He had his arm around her. A smile on his lips to match her's. A cigarette in his teeth. That was Asuma all right. That was her daughter's father.

His history for the most part was the standard of most ninja and had all the parts Mirai had heard from her mother and Shikamaru. He attended the academy, met her mother, and eventually became a Jounin pretty standard stuff.

"He was very powerful." Choji told." Probably one of the best of his time, I'd say." Mirai didn't know if he was being overly nice or genuine. She leaned in more, waiting on what came next." So good there was a 34 million bounty on him."

"34 Million?!" Choji nodded." How'd he get that?"

"When he was a member of the Twelve Guardian Ninja." Mirai jolted.

"My Father was one of the Twelve Guardian Ninja?!" Choji smiled and nodded, happy that he was able to tell her something she didn't already know." Why did he go do that?" The smile on Choji's face shortened and he looked to the ground." Uncle?" Mirai said leaning closer to him.

"He had a slight disagreement with his Father."

"His Father? The Third Hokage?" Choji nodded his head again." About what?" This time Choji shook his head.

"I do not know." He admitted. But he could remember the way his sensei looked at his father's face in the mountain. And no doubt the father had some issues about his son. "Fathers and Sons sometimes have reservations about each other." Mirai went silent, nervously tugging at her pants.

" Do you think he would have had some with me?" Choji looked up at her. Her fingers trembling, her brown eyes ready to run like a river. Choji put on a big smile and reached out to put his hand on her face.

"No my dear." He said." I don't think either of them would be." And just as he wanted Mirai put a big smile on her face." You'll do them both proud." He took his hand away from him." Now get some sleep." Mirai smiled and nodded her head. Then she turned and went back to her sleeping bag.

On the second day they crossed the border between the Leaf and Sand. Naturally the biggest problem one encountered on their way to the Hidden Sand Village was a dessert. And of this team only Choji had ever travelled this route before, and that had only been during his own Chunnin exams many years ago.

The group was bundled up, faces covered to protect them from flying sand. But it didn't help them against the burning sun. And it always seemed at its highest point in the sky with relentless heat. As they walked along Choji opened his canteen, splashing water onto his face and chest.

Glancing over his shoulder he could see his team struggling behind him. Dripping with sweat, panting for air. Choji turned and passed his canteen off to Mirai.

"Hydrate." He said to her. Her throat was too dry to say 'Thank you' and when she tried only a deep inhale exited her mouth. She accepted it and quickly began drinking. Overflowing water from her mouth, splashing onto her shirt and the ground. But when the first drop hit the ground Chouji noticed something strange. It suddenly began to rumble and shake beneath them.

"MOVE!" He commanded. He reached out and grabbed Mirai by her shoulder, pulling her out of the way. The boys of his team jumped back as the sand began to rise beneath them. And then they all looked up to see a giant, black scorpion between them.

The giant arachnid moved forward clipping it's giant pincher at the Jounin. But Choji easily put his hands up and caught the giant pinchers and then pushed him back, moving it back several feet.

The Senju teammate jumped in now with his wood release, shooting giant wooden pillars from the ground. But the Scorpion easily turned and snapped the wood in half with a swing of it's giant pincher. The Senju jumped back and then Mirai jumped in.

Luckily Mirai just had a drink of water or this would have hurt her throat much more. She brought her hands up and made a hand sign.

"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!" And then she swung her head forward and spat fire from her mouth in the form of a dragon. The fire was hot and it burned the beast but that was it, blackening it's claws even more. Now it's attention was fully on her and advanced on her, it's stinger hovering up over it's head. She prepared herself, making another hand sign for another jutsu. But she wouldn't get the chance since Choji appeared between her and it.

The Scorpion came swinging down with it's stinger and without a word Choji expanded his arms and caught it. Then he turned, lifting it up and over his head and slamming it on the ground behind him.

Then with the stinger still in his hands he used it to propel himself up and into the air over the beast. Then without another word he expanded his whole body to twice that of the Scorpions. And with all his weight he came crashing down and crushed the creature.

From his new-found height he looked down at his genin below him all looking up at him.

"Come." His loud voice boomed." Sit in my shade." He pointed to the shadow he'd made. None argued and did as they were told. He knew this fight had to be over quickly. The kids were tired and thirsty, they didn't need a prolonged fight. But they acted quickly, assessed the situation and acted accordingly. And that was good.

Meanwhile back in the Leaf Village.

Shikamaru stood cigarette in hand looking out the kitchen window into the distance. From here he could look past the Village gates, the tree tops and mountains beyond.

"What are you doing?" Ino said as she walked into the room and appeared behind him." Put that out I don't like you smoking in the house." Shikamaru silently did as he was told, ashing the cigarette before dropping it in the nearby sink." Hey!" she shrieked walking over, pushing him out of the way and retrieving the still burning cigarette. She ran it under the water and turned to him." What do you wanna do start a fire?!" But when she looked at him she could tell he wasn't all there. And she knew why." Don't worry." She said putting her hand on his chest. He lowered his head and looked at her." She'll be alright. You have nothing to worry about." Shikamaru let out a deep breath and nodded his head.

"Mom!" Inojin yelled from deeper in the house." Shikdai's bothering me!"

"Shikadai!" Ino yelled." Leave your sister alone!" Shikamaru rolled his eyes as he heard his wife stomp into the back room with his son's terrified shrieks following.

In the afternoon of the Third Day Mirai saw for the first time the Village Hidden in the Sand, the Greatest ally of the Hidden Leaf Village. The team were quickly welcomed into the Village and brought before it's leader. It was the first time Mirai had even seen another Kage. Naturally Choji did the talking.

"Lord Kazekage." He began." We've come here from the hidden Leaf under orders from our Hokage to receive a document from you." Gaara only nodded. His hand disappeared under his desk and when it reappeared there was a small scroll in it. Choji moved forward to accept it.

"It's very important." Gaara said in his soft voice." That this reaches your Hokage as soon as possible." Choji nodded his understanding.

"I understand." He said and the scroll was placed in his hand. And he quickly tucked the item away in his pouch. Then he turned back to his team." Alright let's move it out!" but that wasn't exactly what they expected to here.

"What already?" They complained." But we just got off the road."

"Gotta get this back ASAP." And that was the final word on the subject. Sure Choji didn't want to head out as much as they did but they had a duty. And also the sooner they started out, the sooner they'd get home.

Lucky for them the journey back was a lot smoother than the initial journey, namely in the desert portion. And Mirai never knew how much she loved the Village gates until she saw them again. The Sand Village's walls seemed hard and mean but in the Leaf Village they were cozy and comfortable.

Then when they arrived Mirai found herself back in the Hokage's office between her teammates.

"Here it is." Choji said handing the document off to the Hokage.

"Well done Team One." Naruto said accepting it and placing it on his desk." I knew you could do it. Any special instances?" Choji stepped back and put his fingers in his belt as he observed his team.

"My team acted wonderfully." He said." They acted quickly under pressure and I felt confident they could have handled themselves without me." His eyes landed on Mirai and he sent a wink her way. Naruto nodded his understanding.

"You know." The Hokage said." The Chunin exams are coming up. Would you say your group is ready for it?"

"Without a doubt." Choji smiled. Mirai's eyes shined as she looked between the two.

"And would they represent in a positive way? Be a shining example of what our village is capable of?"

"They'd give the other Villages something to fear." Choji chuckled. Naruto chuckled with him.

"I look forward to it." The trio beamed proudly. Their Jounin had spoken highly of them and now the Hokage, the highest authority in the land. Not only that but he expected nay, knew great things were coming from them." Your dismissed Team One."

"Alright!" Choji said with a clap of his hands." C'mon Team, Lunch is on me!" And the three genin followed after their Jounin. Now would be a good time to relax, they deserved it. Because soon it was right back to work and the next stage of their journey as ninja.

Naruto turned his attention back to his work. Papers, papers, papers. It was going to be another long day at the Office.