Authors Note: I am so so so so so so so SORRY! I have not updated this story in so long but I have been so busy with life and college and kids so my time was very limited. But I had time today and decided I did not want to leave this story like this so hopefully I will be able to update more in the future.
Disclaimer: I sadly do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does.
Chapter 7: Don't Look Behind
Birds flew from the roofs of houses, the soft sound of feathered wings pushing against the wind and the chirps leaving their beaks from the sudden movement. A young man covered in orange and black furiously jumped over the approaching houses with a force in every step.
Indeed If one had been looking closely to this young man they could see something or someone quite smaller hanging onto the young man's neck. Clearly in distress, but the little one was determined not to fall to his death. The young man arrived at his destination in front of his apartment with a huff, slamming the door open to the meager one bedroom apartment.
Naruto's mind was swimming in insecurities and doubts as he put Mina down, his hands were shaking from the anger that coursed through him.
Mina could only look at his father, hoping the man would calm down. Naruto moved slowly toward his bed and stopped abruptly in front of team 7's only picture. He slowly picked it up and his hands stopped shaking as something in him was finally resolved.
"Papa?"
Naruto breathed in slowly and then breathed out, he suddenly pulled some clothes out of his drawer and putting it in a backpack he normally uses for missions.
" Mina, go inside the closet and get some clothes that you think can fit you alright?"
Mina stared at the young man who was still packing, then at the photo with his beautiful mother; his lips trembled slightly.
"Ok Papa"
Mina walked to the closet and opened it to reveal a very small amount of clothes that had been worn for a very long time. He found a small shirt with the Uzumaki logo on the front and some small dark shorts. Mina took the clothes and handed them to Naruto, The blonde looked at them with a melancholy stare and put them inside the backpack. He finished packing everything that was needed for what was going to happen next.
It was only because Naruto had observed the village for so long that he was able to leave the village he loved so much. It was no fun playing by yourself as the parents scolded their kids if they even went to near him. So he would look at the different people coming and going from the village, it was by this that he knew exactly what time the merchants would leave the village and which ones were friendly.
Naruto disguised him and mina to look like a father and daughter with regular brown hair and eyes. Naruto pleaded with one of the merchants to take them as his 'wife' was in another village but he lost his papers so he could not leave legally. The kind merchant accepted and hid them in his caravan, the shinobi at the gate luckily had not been the regular jounin but a pair of chunin who could not sense the two hiding.
The check was successful and the Merchant moved the large carriage waving his goodbyes at the ninja's. It wasn't until an hour later where Naruto felt it was clear that he and Mina removed themselves from their hiding spot.
The Merchant stopped the transport.
" Hey! Its nice to see your faces again. Are you going to continue with me?"
Naruto politely declined.
" Im sorry but my daughter and I are going another way. Thank you again for covering for us, please accept my thanks datt-(cough)."
Naruto handed a small bag of coins to the merchant, hoping he would take it.
" No! I can't, I just wanted to do this so you could get to your wife. Im happy just seeing you and your cute daughter off, I have one of my own and I miss her dearly. Take care of her."
Naruto looked shocked but relaxed and shook the mans hand. They left with a smile on their faces.
1 Day Later
They were almost out of the Land of fire, a couple hours away from the hidden hidden waterfalls village, but Naruto was not going there as he knew by the little history that came from his brain that there were too many conflicts in that village right now. He wanted to get closer to sound, maybe even get lucky and find Sasuke.
What he did find was a small town near the edge of the Land of Fire, thankfully finding a inn to sleep and shower. Mina had fallen asleep halfway on the journey so Naruto had been carrying him, after having paid for the room Naruto walked to assigned space and laid Mina on the double bed. Naruto took a quick shower and laid on the bed next to mina, the bags under his eyes heavy and dark until he fell asleep listening to nothing but the pain in his heart.
It was morning when he and Mina woke up, the sun alerting them of the new day.
" P-Papa? Where are we?"
" We are in a town near the place I want to get to, but we need to eat before that dattebayo."
Coincidentally both their stomachs growled in hunger at the same time. Mina giggled cutely finding it funny. Naruto and Mina walked grabbed their belongings and walked out of the inn thanking the owner, Mina was holding onto Naruto's hand so he wouldn't get lost. They were both still disguised as Naruto did not know if there any ninja's roaming around so he wanted to play it safe.
They both walked to a ramen stand(but of course), Naruto hearing about it from the owners mistress.
" Well Hello! What would my customers like to eat?"
Naruto smiled.
" Can I get three Miso's please?"
"Yea sure It will be right up!"
The kind old man started to cook the order as Naruto started to think of his plan. Hoping he would not get himself or Mina injured. Some time passed and the food was done.
" Here you go Son! And for you too little missy!"
Mina giggled but thanked the man and gobbled the food up. Naruto just the same as he was starving from the long trip and rations were not exactly pleasing to the taste buds.
Naruto could only hope that they would find Sasuke easily and not the snake.
Konoha
The Fifth Hokage sat in her office, her eyes burning with determination and regret.
" Hokage-sama what did you call all of us here for?"
The group murmuring in agreement and slight confusion.
" As Hokage I order Team 8 and Team 10 to bring back Uzumaki Naruto and Mina Uzi! They have been missing from the village for two days from the last reported sighting of the two. This is an S-rank mission, you have to come back with both, do you understand!"
The faces of the group looked in shock and even more confusion, Shikamaru spoke for both teams.
" We understand Hokage-sama!"
The eye's of a young man hardened by life, determination sat heavy in all their hearts.
