Author Note: Hey guys, I hope everyone's holiday season is going well! Some quick updates, health-wise I'm doing well. It seems my issues were caused by a mixture of stress and the nerve damage I suffered from the car accident I mentioned in the past. It's not a great cause for concern, mostly just a mild inconvenience. (At least that's the impression the cardiologist gave me.) The good news is, he says my heart is as healthy as a teenager's, w00t! (Literally "Young at Heart", lol)

Additional Updates… Over 145k+ views?! Thank you so much for your continued support! I know my story isn't everyone's cup-o-tea, so thank you sincerely from the bottom of my heart for appreciating all the hard work put into this project.

A special note for Anon [Yo love this fr]: Thank you very much for all the heartfelt reviews. If you ever decide to make or review with an account, I could offer a more personalized and in-depth 1-on-1 discussion. Your reviews were a delight to read and I look forward to more.

"Disembodied voices of higher beings."

"External Dialogue of Lesser Mortals."

'Structured Thoughts'

摂理

Setsuri

Chapter Twenty

"A sudden inexpressible feeling of inner understanding or enlightenment."

At daybreak, the Konoha-Nin could be found near the outskirts of town. Naruto stifled a yawn, watching with bleary eyes the slowly assembling caravan that they would protect for the next week or so. As more wagons and carts joined the line, it started to become clear to him precisely why Kurenai had requested Kakashi's team for assistance.

'Did the Daimyo buy the whole country's supply of tea or something?' He mused cheekily, turning his attention toward the other genin who stood on either side of him.

Shino and Sasuke looked as stoic as ever, but Naruto could sense that they were actually somewhat excited. Sakura seemed just as tired as Naruto felt, he assumed that like himself she probably wasn't much of a morning person. Hinata appeared nervous, but determined. While Kiba and Akamaru were eager, barely containing their clearly visible enthusiasm. When a shadow cast over him, Naruto snapped his gaze forward once again to see his sensei smiling mischievously down at him.

"We're going to be heading out soon. Shino, Sakura, Naruto, and Hinata, follow me." Kakashi ordered, before turning around to walk. The four apprentices wordlessly obeyed, though Naruto did manage to catch Sakura sending Sasuke a brief and almost wistful look.

Stopping near the center of the caravan's long line, Kakashi turned back to the quartet. "Naruto, Sakura, this will be your assigned position for the duration of the assignment."

"WHAT?!" Both preteens yelled in horrified unison before turning their attention toward one another. Sakura was glaring at Naruto, a deep scowl marring her features. Naruto returned her gaze with an apprehensive grimace before casting Kakashi a deeply wounded look, clearly feeling betrayed.

"But, Kakashi-Sensei! W-wouldn't I have better teamwork with Hinata-chan, dattebayo?" Naruto reasoned, hoping to play into Kakashi's feelings on the subject.

"Nice try, Naruto." Kakashi praised sardonically, smiling from beneath his mask when the preteen started to pout. "It's common practice for teammates to be switched around based on the needs of the mission." He went on to explain, only for Naruto to give him a rebellious frown.

"With your current skills, you and Hinata thrive best in scouting or close-range combat situations. For an escort mission of this magnitude, you should be paired with support types that can offer aid and balance your unique weaknesses." Kakashi elaborated further as he continued.

"Shino can offer Hinata aid with offensive mid-to-long-range ninjutsu, in addition to certain abilities to weaken a stronger enemy. Sakura on the other hand can support you with crowd-control measures, as well as create openings for you to engage prominent threats." He added in a low voice as he leaned forward and ruffled Naruto's hair.

"I trust there won't be any issues?" Kakashi pressed, looking from Naruto to Sakura and back again. "After all, you two have a very important job to do."

"What do you mean, Kakashi-Sensei?" Naruto asked curiously, a hint of excitement surfacing in his features.

'And you still got it.' Kakashi thought as he smirked to himself.

"Well Naruto, as mid-guard, you and Sakura will be expected to provide backup to the other teams, depending on if we're hit with a frontal or rear assault during our journey. Not to mention, it's common knowledge that only the most valuable cargo is usually placed in the middle of a caravan's formation. You and Sakura have your work cut out for you. Can I count on you to be up to the task?" he elaborated imploringly, putting his hand on Naruto's shoulder and watching the boy's earlier misgivings melt away into fierce determination.

"We'll do it! We won't let you down, Sensei -ttebayo! I promise!" Naruto swore with such sincerity that Kakashi almost felt guilty for manipulating him, almost.

Sakura gave Naruto an incredulous look, shaking her head and muttering under her breath. The vibrantly-haired duo watched as Kakashi left with their teammates before they once again turned their attention to the other. Jade-green met cornflower-blue, carefully appraising one another. Naruto stood a bit straighter, refusing to look away.

"I meant it, Sakura, and I will never go back on my word." He affirmed in such a serious tone that Sakura was taken aback. Naruto meant so many things with that simple and short message and he hoped she understood.

"W-Whatever! Let's just assess and familiarize ourselves with the three wagons we're going to be guarding." She suggested, quickly turning to walk away.

Naruto sighed, rubbing the back of his head as he watched Sakura walk off. He could feel the uncertainty, guilt, and embarrassment she was trying to hide. In times like this, his ability to sense others' emotions and intent made things very awkward. Sometimes Naruto wondered if his life would've been better off if he had been more ignorant and dense when it came to others. At least, with all the training he'd been enduring, the auras weren't as distracting or overwhelming as before.

It wasn't much later that the caravan departed from town. Sakura and Naruto kept a respectful distance from each other but made sure to be near enough to assist if necessary. It was a painful silence, not something Naruto could suffer through for long. After what felt like an hour, he struck up a conversation with the central wagon's driver, ensuring to keep Sakura within his sights at all times as they continued their leisurely pace down the road.

Naruto asked various questions that ranged over several topics to the middle-aged gentleman who was driving the ox-drawn vehicle. The man didn't seem to mind. It was a nice way to pass the time. Sakura would even add input every now and again with a statement or question of her own. Though, she never spoke directly to Naruto, almost using the driver as a proxy in a way.

As the group traveled, every so often, either Kurenai or Kakashi would walk by and check on them as they rotated between monitoring the front and rear of the caravan. The pace was unbelievably slow. To the point that by noon Naruto had made a game of maneuvering between the three wagons, he and Sakura were charged with, sometimes catching sight of Hinata and flashing her a smile before returning to his patrol.

By early evening, it became apparent to Naruto just why their mission had been projected to take nearly triple the time necessary. In one day, they'd traveled less than half the distance he could usually accomplish alone, and Naruto's speed was considered average compared to his peers.

'This is going to be a long mission.' Naruto mentally bemoaned, his only reply an amused chuckle from the deep recesses of his mind. Gathering his resolve, Naruto was quick to offer eager assistance with setting up camp for the night.

摂理

This routine continued for a few days, and with each day, Naruto found it harder to focus entirely on any assigned tasks. As the team ascended into a mountainous region, the ever-impatient preteen noticed, much to his chagrin, that their pace had slowed even further. The rookies tried to assist where they could to keep the caravan going at a steady pace, but there was only so much they could do. They didn't want to overstress the livestock or risk damaging the heavy-laden transport vehicles.

Naruto tried his best to think of the positives. The main roads were well maintained, and since it was summer, they were hard and dry. So far, their mission has been going smoothly with little to no incidents. He'd even been able to show off his usefulness once when he helped hold up a heavily laden cart as his clients worked to replace a broken axle.

Hearing a yawn, Naruto couldn't help but smile. Glancing up, he saw Sakura trying her best not to doze off from where she was perched on the middlemost wagon. She'd eased up somewhat over the past few days. Naruto figured it was just too exhausting to continue being hostile. He was relieved that she kept her word about remaining professional and not allowing her personal feelings to get in the way of the mission. It gave him time to think and observe her in a less juvenile light.

Kakashi had stated that Sakura wasn't a frontline fighter, so Naruto wondered what her skills were. He noticed that whenever their group came across other travelers on the road, she always tried to keep a high vantage point. It was during those instances that Naruto picked up on the rosette's feelings, it seemed like anxiety and nervousness. He could tell and draw similarities to his own embarrassing experiences during his first C-rank mission. For some reason it made Naruto feel a little bit better. Maybe he wasn't the only one who was still getting accustomed to being in the field.

Listening to Sakura speak with their charges every so often, Naruto realized that she was actually rather intelligent. Some of the things mentioned during their conversations would completely go over his head, but not Sakura's. She even offered the merchants some advice on occasion about things that Naruto couldn't begin to understand.

When the group stopped for the evening once more, the rookies went about chores that had become routine since the escort officially started. The carts and wagons were assembled in a circular formation before the oxen and donkeys were released from their burdens. Then the shinobi split into three teams. The first guarded their clients' property, while another watched the livestock along with the animal handlers. This could be a bit challenging as the animals were allowed to graze and rest in a large area. However, they instinctively knew not to stray too far from the herd and humans. The last team assisted with setting up camp for the night with a few of their clients. This part of the mission had a lot of moving components that split the teams' focus and had them running around and staying busy. It could sometimes feel chaotic and Naruto felt glad he wasn't the one in charge.

As dinner came to a close, Naruto couldn't help but grin in barely contained excitement watching as his fellow shinobi went off to bed. Tonight, he and Hinata volunteered for the first watch. For the past few days, they hadn't been able to freely speak with one another due to their various duties. Naruto found himself missing their usual evening banter. He'd grown accustomed to it throughout Kakashi's supplementary assignment, with it becoming almost like a stress reliever.

"Hey, Hinata-chan," Naruto remarked happily, hopping up to where the kunoichi sat overlooking the camp. They had opted to perch themselves atop one of the various wagons for a better vantage point. From here they could keep track of the animals, property, and people with ease.

"Yes, Naruto-kun?" Hinata replied kindly, flashing the perky blond a soft smile while she watched him settle down next to her.

"So, what do you think of the mission so far? Personally, I think it's kinda boring in all honesty." Naruto admitted with a laugh while rubbing the back of his head. He couldn't help but fidget, Hinata's warm aura always made him feel a bit giddy. It was like a burst of warm sunshine compared to Sakura's more stormy and muddled emotions.

"I suppose," Hinata agreed with a hum, blushing in embarrassment as she twiddled her fingers. "I-I mean, it isn't such a bad thing… is it?" she asked hesitantly, dropping her gaze.

Naruto gave her a bewildered look as he thought about her question and the hidden meaning behind it. After a pause, he let himself fall onto his back and set his gaze toward the stars. "No, I guess not." He conceded in a low tone, remembering their last C-rank.

"Anyway, what's it like working with Shino?" Naruto opted to inquire, swinging his legs playfully from where they hung off the side of his vantage point.

Hinata hummed quietly some more, considering Naruto's question before looking up into the night sky as well. "Shino-kun is…nice. He's been very considerate and polite, but serious about his duties." She explained earning a snicker from her companion. From there the pair's conversation drifted into their thoughts and feelings involving the mission and their temporary teammates.

As their shift progressed, the temperature began to drop, and the wind started to pick up. Usually, Naruto wouldn't have cared much since the cold never really bothered him, but seeing Hinata try to repress a shiver caused him to frown. Studying her more closely, Naruto noticed how she seemed to be trying to hide her hands under her sleeves and bury her face further into the depths of her coat.

"It's kinda chilly tonight, nē?" He mused before standing up and stretching. "I'll be right back. I shouldn't be gone long. Try to bear with it for just a little longer, Hina-Hime." Naruto encouraged, taking a moment to swiftly pull Hinata's hood over her head before he hopped down off the wagon and headed back to the tent where their teammates were resting.

Hinata was surprised by the action and didn't know what to say. She felt Naruto's behavior as of late was taking a strange turn. He'd always been so kind and protective, but his attentiveness lately seemed to be reaching new heights. Blushing, Hinata brushed her fingers against where she'd felt his hand touch her head.

These past few months had felt like a dream. Even with the team's numerous ups and downs, Hinata felt blessed. Despite all his strange mannerisms and quirks, Kakashi was a patient and fair sensei. He never berated or tore Hinata down when she made a mistake. He only asked what she could do while pushing her forward. The lumps, bumps, and bruises were not a sign of weakness; each was a badge of honor.

Sasuke was also a decent teammate, even if he didn't always get along with Naruto. As a training partner, he pushed Hinata to break through her hesitancy and strike decisively. On missions, he'd offer subtle help and assistance when he thought others weren't paying attention. Hinata had come to realize that behind his tough exterior Sasuke could also be quite kind, in his own way.

As for Naruto, he'd always been Hinata's shining light for as long as she could remember. He was a constant source of encouragement that nurtured her steadily building confidence. When he was around, Hinata felt she could achieve anything. On the other hand, being around him also made her feel nervous and self-conscious. It was befuddling to have such conflicting feelings.

Naruto allowed her to feel safe being herself while compelling Hinata to improve and strive for more. She wanted to be someone Naruto could acknowledge as an equal. Someone he would be proud of and rely on with confidence. However, he was too quick to shield her from any adversity if it was within his power. It was admirable, and yet at the same time frustrating.

Hinata was abruptly brought out of her thoughts as something warm touched her face. Startled, she turned to see Naruto squatting next to her with a grin while holding two steaming cups in his hands and a blanket tucked under his arm. He was giving her a mischievous smile that caused her heart to flutter. When did her best friend start to become so handsome? He still possessed a childlike cuteness, but now a subtle boyish charm was starting to emerge and Hinata didn't know exactly how to handle it.

"I thought you might enjoy some tea," Naruto explained, offering Hinata the warm beverage that she gladly accepted.

As Hinata sipped the tepid liquid, she couldn't help letting out a contented sigh, feeling her painfully chilled fingers beginning to thaw. So content was she, that Hinata didn't think anything of it when something comforting and warm pressed against her body. At least until she was pulled even tighter into the embrace. Looking over, Hinata saw Naruto staring away from her, nonchalantly sipping his own tea. Wrapped around both of them was the blanket he'd procured, while the boy's free arm was slung over her shoulder. It was boldly intimate, and Hinata wasn't sure what to think. Shyly, she snuggled closer, savoring the heat radiating off of his body.

Naruto smiled into his drink, gently tightening his hold on Hinata and the other corner of the blanket. Having her pressed up against him was nice, and caused his heart to swell. He liked having her close. Hinata smelled nice, and her movements hinted that she also enjoyed being near him. It was a comforting feeling. Everything in that moment made the dark pit of loneliness in Naruto's soul a little smaller and easier to forget.

For the rest of their shift, the two rookies sat in comfortable silence. No words needed to be expressed as they cherished what remained of their mutual contentment. When Kakashi came to relieve them for the night, he was amused to see Hinata had fallen asleep. Normally, this would be frowned upon, but he opted to let it slide, given all the hard work she'd been putting forth recently.

Carefully bundling her up, Naruto carried her back to bed with ease. Tenderly, he tucked her in for the night, before cuddling her close. His rationale was to keep her warm as the cold winds kept sweeping over the campsite. He knew Hinata didn't really mind the affection but wished everyone else would stop teasing them about it.

摂理

Two more days came and went before the caravan started slowly descending the mountain on a somewhat perilous path. On one side stood the mountain face that had been cut through to make room for the road. On the other, the ground shifted into a sharp incline that may as well be considered a steep cliff as far as Naruto was concerned. The narrow pathway didn't leave much allowance for the wagons to maneuver. At least Naruto knew he wasn't the only one feeling nervous if the tense quiet was anything to go by.

In hopes of preventing an incident, and giving themselves some freedom of movement in case of an emergency, the shinobi walked alongside the outer edge of the road. Though it made Naruto nervous, he could understand the logic behind the call. It was better than being crushed up against the rocky wall if a nervous draft animal decided to get temperamental. Though, the silence and anxiety that hung in the air were stifling. He couldn't wait for this part of the journey to be over.

At this time the caravan unexpectedly came to a halt, causing Naruto to almost bump into Sakura. The pair tensed, wary of the unplanned stop. Casting each other a nervous glance, they nodded in muted agreement before hopping up onto the nearest wagon in hopes of getting a better view. Looking ahead, it seemed they weren't the only ones with this idea, as Hinata and Shino had done the same thing.

Hinata watched with apprehension as Kakashi approached a group of travelers that were blocking their convoy's path. She shared a look with Shino before they both hopped forward to perch on the foremost wagon. From here the pair could hear the ongoing discussion better. It seemed the opposing group was also trying to use the road and Kakashi was persuading them to give the caravan priority over the narrow pass. After a few awkward minutes of banter, the leader of the newcomers relented and started to signal for his procession to back up.

Once the caravan was given access to the more open section of the roadway, Hinata let out a sigh of relief and jumped down to the ground, shortly followed by her compatriot. They stepped out of the way, allowing the lead vehicle to proceed. However, as they let the second wagon pass, Hinata caught sight of the other band's leader flashing a malicious smirk that set off alarm bells for the young kunoichi.

Quickly, Hinata sped through the hand seals she was still painfully reliant on to activate her Byakugan. Once active, she put her focus on the suspicious party. Hinata realized with growing alarm that the other group was hiding even more members within their covered wagons and they all possessed weapons of war, some even possessing chakra pools on par with trained shinobi. No sooner had Hinata moved to call out to Kakashi, than a loud bang sounded followed by a high-pitched whistle that caught everyone's attention before all hell broke loose.

"What the…?" Naruto uttered with confusion, looking skyward in time to see a firework shoot off above the tree-line. Turning back, he was going to ask Sakura about it but stopped when the ground started to tremble under his feet. At first, he thought that was the end, but then the ground began to crack. Followed by a faint roar that hit his sensitive ears, followed by chunks of falling rock.

"Hurry, Kozō! You need to move! Now!" The Kyūbi barked.

'...Move? Where – Why?' Naruto asked, caught off-guard by the urgent tone of the fox. The roar was getting louder, to the point that Sakura now took notice.

"There's no time. Get as close to the rock face as you can, or you'll be crushed!" The Kyūbi snarled.

Naruto looked up and started seeing a wall of debris quickly barreling his way. He realized with despair that his group was essentially trapped. They couldn't press forward, or retreat fast enough to avoid the oncoming disaster. But he didn't panic or didn't freak out, instead, Naruto started rapidly formulating a plan. As if a switch had been flipped, he found it easier to think clearly and decisively, shoving down his personal emotions as he went to task.

"Sakura, grab the clients from the back wagon. There's no time to evacuate safely." Naruto explained calmly but expressed urgency. With determination, he ran to the front of the central wagon. Taking a kunai from his holster, he deftly separated the vehicle from its panicking animal before grabbing the driver and dropping him near the stone wall.

"Stay here, Oji-san." Naruto ordered, before running back to the cliff-side of the wagon. With more room to maneuver, he quickly summoned a small squadron of Kage Bunshin to assist in the endeavor.

Frantically, with the help of the clones, Naruto started to toss things out of the wagon while some of his doppelgängers hurried to grab civilians from the nearby vehicles. Once the wagon was clear of its cargo, Naruto and his copies started to lift and tip the heavy construct. It was a difficult feat that required some finesse, but thankfully Naruto's many months of training were paying off. With a desperate shout of determination, he was finally able to flip the wagon and wedge it snuggly against the stone wall.

"Hurry everyone!" He called directing the frightened merchants and their families to pile as tightly as they could under their makeshift shelter. It was chaos as Naruto tried to count heads and make sure everyone was accounted for.

'Wait, where's Sakura?' he thought with panic, looking around and not seeing her. The rumble of the oncoming disaster was only seconds away.

"Naruto!" Turning to the sound of Sakura's voice, Naruto felt his heart sink. She was carrying a small child and dragging a civilian woman behind her. Understanding, Naruto leaped down from his position and picked up the woman before he and Sakura ran. Unceremoniously shoving mother and child into the awaiting hands of the others.

A shadow loomed overhead, and Naruto realized they were out of time. Even worse, there was no more room in the shelter he'd constructed. Out of ideas, Naruto acted on impulse tackling Sakura and tightly holding onto her as he tried to shield her as best as he could with his body before they were slammed mercilessly by the earth, rocks, broken trees, and other such debris.

"You hopeless idiot…"

Naruto wasn't sure if he wanted to laugh or cry when he heard the fox muttering a string of obscenities - some were completely new. He was vaguely aware as his consciousness started to slip, but he refused to let go of his charge. The roar of the landslide and Sakura's screams were starting to sound so far away, and the last thing Naruto remembered before darkness overtook him was a flash of illustrious gold and warmth surrounding his body.

"NARUTO-KUN!" Hinata shrieked, becoming momentarily distracted in her ongoing fight. Luckily Kakashi deftly took out her opponent while the horror-stricken girl became overwhelmed with a wave of grief and disbelief. She'd seen it, a chakra-infused landslide had just washed Naruto and Sakura away down the mountainside.

"Hinata, I need you to focus." Kakashi sternly urged while keeping his visible eye on the swarming enemies. These weren't regular bandits, some seemed to be academy drop-outs, no-name half-baked shinobi, and possibly ronin. On their own, Kakashi wouldn't consider them much of a threat, but they held impressive numbers.

"B-But Sensei, N-Naruto-kun is…is..." Hinata couldn't bring herself to say her worst fear out loud, but her distress was apparent.

"Have faith, Hinata. That's all we can do until we take care of the current threat and regroup." Kakashi explained stiffly before he went back to work.

Hinata watched her mentor viciously run through a group of opponents with some sort of lightning ability. She ducked under a katana and thrust her palm into the enemy's gut, sending the ragged-looking man stumbling backward and coughing up blood. Gaining a moment of reprieve, Hinata buried her emotions, trying her best to focus on the task at hand. There were people now trapped under the wreckage caused by the jutsu-induced landslide and Hinata didn't know if the rearguard had been ambushed as well.

Time was of the essence, and their first priority was to eliminate the threat to the caravan before they could do anything else. So, with the grace of an angry tigress, Hinata spun and danced through her enemies, striking without mercy. She didn't waste time thinking if her attacks were lethal or not, the only thing that mattered was reducing the enemies' numbers as quickly as possible.

Everything became a blur from there, and before Hinata knew it, the battle was over. At some point, Kakashi disappeared, leaving behind a single Kage Bunshin to oversee Shino and Hinata's efforts. Hinata felt numb as they tied up the surviving bandits, doing her best to ignore the lingering bodies of the less-fortunate enemies. She was still struggling to accept what had taken place. It was too much, too fast.

In the aftermath of the battle, Kakashi and Kurenai's teams were able to successfully regroup and assess the damage. Hinata was able to catch bits and pieces of their mentors' discussion while helping to dig out the trapped civilians from their earthly prison. It seemed that the landslide had been a joint effort caused by a pair of high-chūnin level nukenin that Kakashi had personally dispatched.

The rookies worked together in tense silence. They all wanted to track down their missing teammates, but the safety of their clients took priority. Once they were able to set up camp for the evening, then a full-scale search and rescue operation could commence. However, in the meantime, Kakashi had sent off a team of ninken to track down Naruto and Sakura's whereabouts and conditions. The primary concern was that if Naruto and Sakura had managed to survive the attack and the fall then they would have likely sustained severe injuries and would be in urgent need of medical care.

'Naruto-kun, please be alright.' Hinata silently prayed, wiping away a few stray tears as she tried to stay focused on her task.

摂理

'...If he had his way, I'd never find love or happiness. He ruins everything, and enjoys tormenting me! Naruto doesn't understand me at all!'

'...I know what you're going through now. I know it all too well…'

Naruto felt like he was floating, or more precisely like he was drifting through tranquil waters. He could hear various voices echoing around him. The voices seemed somewhat familiar, but he couldn't place where he'd heard them before. It was hard to form thoughts and he didn't seem to even have the strength to open his eyes. Warmth and tranquility washed over him in waves, leaving him in blissful apathy. He couldn't remember what he'd been doing or how he'd come to be where he was, but he didn't want to leave.

"...Protect her…"

"...What?" Naruto lazily mumbled in confusion.

"She's a precious comrade, family…"

"...Who?" He inquired, struggling to open his eyes, but only managing to squint. Everything was bright and blurry, but felt really nice, almost like a hug.

"...Sakura-chan."

With the stranger's last words, Naruto found himself unexpectedly dragged beneath the water's surface. It was an odd sensation, was he being pulled down, or simply falling? His incoherent contemplations were cut short as glowing orbs started to bubble up from below to surround him. Each illuminated sphere seemed to showcase a different side of Sakura on a loop. It was weird but cool, Naruto decided as he watched the images shift and dance.

"Protect…"

Hearing the mysterious voice's plea, Naruto bore witness to Sakura's many triumphs and failures that seemed pulled from the past, present, and future. When daring to touch these mysterious spheres, Naruto felt himself sharing in the girl's many joys and sorrows. Even without knowing the cause for such strong emotions, the blithe boy realized with growing clarity that he was starting to understand the hidden potential Sakura possessed and felt like he understood her heart a little better.

Just as he was coming to this realization, Naruto once again was thrust into darkness and before he knew it the dreamy feeling started to dissolve, leaving him stiff and sore as the waking world took hold. Blearily, he stirred, becoming more aware of his surroundings. The first thing Naruto noticed was the shaky breaths and soft whimpers of someone crying quietly nearby. Next, the disorientated preteen realized he was resting on a cold, hard, and rocky surface of some sort. Finally, Naruto cracked open his eyes.

'...It's dark. Is it night already?'

Allowing his eyes to roam, Naruto came to realize he was in what looked to be a small cave. Craning his neck to locate the source of the hushed sniffling, he saw a figure huddled near the mouth of the cave and could confirm that it was indeed nightfall. He tried to wrack his brain to remember recent events, but his thoughts were still a jumble.

'What happened?' He thought to himself before attempting to sit up. However, as he did, fiery pain flashed through his body causing him to hiss and wince. 'Ugh…I feel like a mountain fell on me.'

"That's basically what happened, Ahogaki." Huffed the Kyūbi, somewhat irritably. Even the fox seemed to sound tired from where he rested in the confines of Naruto's mind.

"...Naruto?" asked a subdued yet hopeful voice. This was shortly followed by hurried footsteps. Then, before he knew it, Naruto was watching Sakura stare down at him in shock and relief before she burst into tears again. Looking over her, even in the dim light, it was noticeable that she was worse for wear. Her hair was a mess, as were her clothes. The darkness of the cavern was only illuminated slightly by the moonlight outside. Naruto couldn't see the fine details, but he could tell they'd been through a lot.

"...Sa–" Naruto tried to speak but found himself coughing instead, which only sent more unforgiving jolts of pain through his body. The confused boy groaned, hugging his side tenderly.

"You're pretty banged up, Kozō. So, get comfortable. Unless your team finds you, you'll be in no condition to move much until morning. I've been healing your injuries for the past few hours." The Kyūbi uttered in a frustrated tone.

'...That bad?'

"That bad."

"Oh! H-how thoughtless of me. Let me get you some water and medicine." Sakura exclaimed before hurrying to dig through her pack that was set nearby.

Naruto didn't know what to think about her sudden personality change, but his thoughts were quickly dismissed when she tried to help him sit up. The movement sent a rather unforgiving wave of pain through his body, eliciting a gasp from the young shinobi. Something was seriously wrong, it hurt more than simple bruising. In response, Sakura seemed even more distressed and clumsily tried her best to make Naruto comfortable.

"Sorry! Are you alright? Where does it hurt?" Sakura fussed nervously while Naruto shakily gulped down the pain relievers and water.

Parching his thirst, Naruto let out a grateful but delicate sigh before turning his attention to his anxious companion. "My ribs and leg hurt the most," he admitted in a carefully controlled voice to not expand his diaphragm too much while gesturing to the injury locations.

"Are you having trouble breathing?" Sakura prodded with growing concern.

"Not really, it just hurts if I breathe too deeply, or move too much," Naruto answered, looking over the state of his companion now that his eyes had adjusted to the low light. Sakura was dirty and disheveled, much like himself, but otherwise appeared fine, if a little shaken.

"What happened? My memory's a bit fuzzy. The last thing I remember was getting hit by that weird landslide," He pondered aloud, rubbing his forehead and realizing his hitai-ate was missing, much to his dismay.

'Great…' Naruto thought sourly, hoping that he had time to find it later.

Sakura stayed quiet for a moment and Naruto wasn't sure if she was going to answer him at first until she finally spoke. "...We were swept into the ravine. By all rights, we should've died." She paused a moment, seeming to remember the events. "That landslide wasn't natural. It was a mudflow, but there hasn't been any rain since we left Konoha. It also didn't follow the path of the river." She explained in a hushed voice, allowing the gravity of the insinuation to sync in.

As the realization hit, Naruto's eyes widened. "...We were attacked." It wasn't a question; it was a fact. Sakura nodded in confirmation. Naruto felt his stomach twist as he thought about their teammates and the civilians they were charged with protecting. The fox said he'd been out for a few hours now. That meant if there had been any fighting, it would most likely have concluded a while ago.

'Everyone, please be alright.' He silently prayed before turning his attention back to the rosette sitting beside him. As his gaze lingered, Naruto remembered the weird dream he had.

"What about you? Are you hurt?" He inquired gently.

"Nothing besides a few scrapes and bruises," Sakura answered, before wiping away a new stream of tears. "N-Naruto, thank you. If…If you hadn't protected me, I probably would've…would've…"

"Hey, it's okay. It was nothing. We're comrades after all." Naruto cooed softly, trying to comfort the distraught girl.

"B-But you're hurt! You could have died, and…and…" She choked between sniffles, causing the boy to feel very awkward.

"We survived, and I'll heal." He countered before opting for a different tactic. "Besides, this gives me a chance to apologize to you."

"W…What do you mean? Apologize for what?" Sakura asked, caught off guard.

"Well, for a lot of things actually. First, for being so rude at the start of our mission. I was being immature and stupid." He admitted.

"It's okay…I wasn't acting very mature either," she replied, looking away as guilt crossed her features.

Naruto smiled knowingly before continuing. "Secondly, I want you to know that I never targeted you on purpose for pranks when we were in the academy. I would usually go after the teachers, Sasuke, or any jerk that tried to mess with me or my friends, dattebayo." He clarified earnestly.

There was a pregnant pause - neither knew what to say until Naruto continued. "Sakura, I want to sincerely apologize for making you feel like I targeted you maliciously. It was never my intention or interest to hurt or embarrass you." Naruto finished, hoping that Sakura would accept his apology this time around.

To his relief, Sakura nodded before turning to face him again, "I… I'm sorry too, for my behavior during this mission. I was wrong and unfair to you." She professed, causing Naruto to shyly nod in acceptance.

The pair sat in silence for a while after that before Sakura decided to speak up once more, "So why did you always harass Sasuke-kun?"

"Well, someone had to make sure his ego didn't grow too big." Naruto snorted, "Everyone always saw this cool, talented…" He paused to give her a look "...and an attractive prodigy. They didn't see the lonely, sad, and angry kid that had to return to an empty home every day."

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked in confusion, which caused Naruto to sigh.

"Sasuke… lost his whole clan in one night. I remember right after it happened. I used to see him hanging out at the riverside docks every day, just spacing out. He stopped talking, was withdrawing from everything and everyone… Even as a kid I understood something needed to change." Naruto elaborated, frowning as he remembered the painful memories.

He faltered briefly, taking a few sips of the canteen before continuing. "Going home to an unfamiliar place, and only being met by silence and solitude every night? It was probably unbearably painful for him. So, I thought if he was too busy being mad and annoyed at me, he wouldn't have as much time to feel so depressed." The cheeky boy concluded with a snicker.

The more precise details were far more disturbing. However, it was clear Sakura didn't know anything about what Naruto was talking about and certainly couldn't relate to many aspects. "Unfamiliar place?" She echoed in confusion, leaving Naruto stunned.

"Sakura, you are aware that after the massacre the Uchiha Clan's compound was burned to the ground, right? The only part that still stands is the Naka Shrine." He divulged while carefully gauging her reactions. After all, Naruto thought it had been common knowledge.

"Then where did he live? The orphanage on the outskirts of the village?" Sakura asked innocently, only to receive a subdued chuckle from Naruto who found her naive innocence enjoyable. After all, usually, it was him in her situation.

"No. After the massacre, Sasuke lived alone. Still does, in fact. He's too important to be dumped off at the orphanage."

"Why?" Sakura questioned in disbelief.

Naruto considered her inquiry for a minute, thinking about the discussions he'd had with the various adults in his life and his own situation. "Well, for starters, I don't think he'd willingly want to be adopted by anyone. From what I understand, if you get adopted, you have to take the name of the family that adopts you. That means Sasuke would've had to give up the last ties he had with his family. Something I doubt he'd ever do willingly."

He paused, remembering how Sasuke spoke about his ambitions and hopes of reviving his clan. Granted, that goal was completely sidelined by his more forefront drive of killing a specific person. Most likely the guy who slaughtered Sasuke's family now that Naruto thought about it.

"For another, the Uchiha were important big-shots in the village at one point, right? So maybe they didn't want the clan's name to die out?" Naruto suggested, flashing a wry smile as he played with the bamboo canteen in his hands. "I'm honestly not too sure about the exact details. All I know is that Sasuke ended up like me, with an empty home, no family, and just a clan name to cling to."

"You're a part of a clan?" Sakura asked, surprise evident in her voice. This caused Naruto to laugh, which was cut short as he grunted in pain and cursed under his breath.

"...Yeah, kind of. Hokage-Jii-Chan said they're pretty much all wiped out, I'm the only Uzumaki living in Konoha ever since my parents died." Naruto professed with bitter amusement.

Their conversation died off after that. Naruto became lost in his thoughts, remembering what he'd learned about his mother and the clan's hidden temple. He made a note to check up on the property once they returned to Konoha. Sakura, on the other hand, seemed rather awkward and uncomfortable. Her aura permeated with guilt, shame, anxiety, and some other muddled emotions that Naruto couldn't decipher.

"So…" Naruto started, hoping to disperse the stifling silence and move on to lighter topics. "I noticed you cut your hair." He prompted weakly.

Sakura blinked, reaching her hand back to run her fingers through the vibrant locks, "Yeah… Kurenai-Sensei said that at my current skill level it'd be a bad idea to keep my hair as long as it was. It would become a liability in a fight." she explained in a sad and resigned tone. It didn't seem she had been keen on the idea of chopping her hair off, but nonetheless accepted her mentor's advice.

"It…suits you." Naruto complimented hesitantly.

"You think so?" Sakura didn't seem so sure. She fidgeted for a moment before looking up at Naruto shyly. "But… I heard that Sasuke-kun prefers girls with long hair," she mumbled dishearteningly.

Naruto raised a brow at this remark, girls worried about the strangest things. "You know, I'm not Sasuke, but if I was, I think I'd prefer a girl who stays true to herself rather than someone trying to be someone she's not." He advised, leaning his head back to rest against the cave wall.

"I mean, you seem like you're pretty serious about being a kunoichi. You were willing to cut your hair just so you don't become a liability in a fight. Something I bet took a lot of time and effort to grow." Naruto pointed out, before continuing.

"When we were paired together for this mission, you remained professional and put aside your personal feelings even though you had to work with someone you hated. I think that's super mature, dattebayo." He commended with a grin.

"I don't really know what kind of girl Sasuke likes, but I think he could use more friends. Under that angry and broody exterior, he seems pretty sad and lonely." Naruto elucidated with a sigh.

"Naruto…Could you, maybe, tell me about the Sasuke-kun that you know?" Sakura implored as she settled into a more comfortable position while they continued their conversation.

"Hm…Well, He likes to train a lot. Seriously, I'm starting to think that's his preferred hobby…" Naruto went on to tell Sakura more about Sasuke while remaining respectful of his teammate's privacy.

The pair spent the next few hours talking about their respective teammates and mentors before moving on to other topics such as personal interests, training, and funny stories they had from previous missions. Naruto learned that at first Sakura was intimidated by Kiba and Shino's capabilities since they came from two prestigious clans and possessed formidable techniques as a result. On the other hand, Sakura had nothing, she didn't belong to a clan or possess a unique jutsu belonging to her family. It wasn't until Kurenai started training her that Sakura started to feel more confident in her place within the group.

Naruto told her more about himself, his dreams, his current hobbies, and his relationships with his teammates and other friends. Sakura started to act weird when he spoke about Hinata, but not as obnoxiously as Kiba. Before the pair knew it, it was already daybreak, and Naruto was finding it much easier to breathe, though he was still stiff, and his leg still hurt a bit.

Their conversation came to a halt when they heard a disturbance near the front of the cave, causing the pair to tense as they drew weapons and were put on alert. Though sensing a familiar chakra signature, Naruto instantly relaxed and let out a sigh of relief. The hell they went through was over, they were safe.

"Sakura, did you put a genjutsu on the front of the cave?" Naruto asked, drawing the girl's attention.

"Of course. I knew we'd been attacked by ninja, and with you unconscious and injured I couldn't take on anyone by myself. Why?" She hisses back, still anxious.

"Drop the illusion, trust me." Naruto encouraged. Sakura opened her mouth to argue before shaking her head.

"A-alright…" She murmured before releasing the technique.

"Sensei! We're over here!" Naruto bellowed once he was sure the technique had been dispelled. The reverb caused Sakura to glare at him while she clasped her hands over her ears.

Moments later, a pair of canines barreled into the cave, the first was Kiba's pup Akamaru, and the second was an apricot-colored pug with a dark face who bore the same navy coat with a scarecrow's face embroidered on the back as the canine Kakashi had summoned the other day. That meant this was one of Kakashi's summons. Akamaru wasted no time running up to Sakura and showering her with affection while barking enthusiastically. The pug, in contrast, strolled leisurely up to Naruto, inspecting him purposefully before sitting and giving the boy a deadpan stare.

Just as quickly, the dog turned around and left. While he waited, Naruto looked over at Sakura. Seeing her teammate's partner caused the girl to relax, and now Naruto became aware of just how tired she really was. In the early morning sunrays, he could see how filthy she had become, and inspecting her hands he saw dried blood smeared around her fingertips.

'Did she dig me out barehanded?' Naruto wondered in awe, before looking back up to the cave entrance when he heard his name called. It was Kakashi, Shino, and Kiba. While Kiba and Shino inspected and comforted Sakura, Kakashi knelt down next to Naruto.

"I believe this is yours," Kakashi announced in bemusement, offering Naruto his hitai-ate.

Naruto was speechless at first, as he accepted his treasure with care. He was deeply moved by the gesture and had difficulty swallowing a lump that seemed to develop in his throat. "Thank you, Kakashi-Sensei," he murmured with heartfelt appreciation before flashing his trademark grin.

"Heh, don't thank me yet. I was told you were injured?" Kakashi asked in concern, though his eye held a level of mirth as relief and protective instinct rolled off of him in waves.

"Er…Yeah," Naruto sighed, looking down a bit guiltily. "I was knocked out for a couple of hours. When I came to, my ribs hurt a lot and made it hard to breathe." Noticing Kakashi's more focused look, Naruto was quick to continue. "It feels a lot better now, but my leg still hurts," he explained, gesturing to the best of his ability to the general area of the injuries.

"Here, bear with me for a bit while I examine the injuries. If it's serious enough, we'll need to alert a patrol team and have someone else come in to finish the mission." Kakashi explained before he helped Naruto remove his jacket, laying the injured genin down on his back and cautiously pulling up his under-armor and shirt.

Naruto grunted uncomfortably when Kakashi felt his ribs, the pain still prevalent, but dulled. The jōnin muttered quietly under his breath before allowing Naruto to pull his top back down while he moved to slip off the boy's footwear and gingerly rolled up his pant legs to inspect the lower part of Naruto's legs, ankles, and feet. As Kakashi manipulated his lower extremities, Naruto let out a hiss that turned into a muffled groan. Whatever Kakashi did, it hurt, and it hurt badly.

Once done, Kakashi assisted Naruto back into a sitting position and held a finger in front of his face, "Follow my finger, only with your eyes, don't move your head." Again, Naruto did as he was told, but felt a little nauseous and had to close his eyes for a minute to recenter himself.

"Alright, now I want you to keep your eyes on my finger while slowly moving your head from side to side." Naruto continued with Kakashi's instructions and found himself feeling very dizzy.

The exercises continued, making Naruto aware that there was more amiss than just the pain he'd been feeling through the night. His hand-eye coordination was off, and if he suddenly moved his eyes or head too fast, it threw off his equilibrium. Now he understood when the Kyūbi stated that his injuries were bad.

The realization started to hit when Kakashi sat back with a look of resignation and pity. Naruto could tell from his sensei's feelings and attitude what he was about to say. "No…No, Kakashi-Sensei! Please!"

"Naruto…"

"Please, Sensei! I can still finish the mission, I promise! I…I won't hold everyone back. I can still pull my weight. Don't send me home, please!" Naruto begged, trying to keep his pleas out of earshot of his present peers.

"Naruto, you have a concussion, bruising around your ribs, and a sprained ankle. The latter two of which I'm suspicious of may have been hairline fractures at some point in the night. You're in no condition to fight, let alone walk, right now." Kakashi tried to explain delicately.

"Come on, Sensei. Please! I heal pretty fast -ttebayo, just give me a chance!" Naruto continued to assert, eliciting a beleaguered sigh from his mentor.

"Alright, I'll give you the rest of the day to recover. If you're not in passable condition by nightfall we're going to make arrangements to escort you home. No arguments, deal?" Kakashi negotiated.

Naruto grunted in agreement, fastening his hitai-ate back onto his forehead to show his resolve to continue the mission. Kakashi shook his head before pulling some supplies out of the compartments on his vest to tend to the stubborn blond's injuries. Once done, Kakashi went over to attend to Sakura as well.

"Sakura, what's your condition? I was only told that Naruto was injured." he inquired, carefully watching her for any signs of pain or injury.

"I-I'm fine, besides a few scrapes and bruises I'm just a little tired." She explained, standing with the assistance of her teammates.

Relieved, Kakashi went back to the most injured member of the group. He slipped off his pack, switching it to sling across his chest before he knelt and offered the boy his back. After Naruto was situated, Kakashi walked back over to the other rookies. "Well, we have a long hike back to camp. So…Kiba, carry Sakura. When you start to get tired, switch with Shino." He instructed before heading towards the cave mouth.

"...Oh, and Sakura?"

"H-hai?" she asked nervously as Kiba allowed her to climb onto his back.

"Good job on setting up the perimeter with traps and masking your location with genjutsu. If not for Shino's insects and finding Naruto's hitai-ate, it would've been much more difficult to find your two." He commended her before departing.

摂理

Hinata wasn't happy and neither was her remaining teammate. She and Sasuke were left under Kurenai's command while Kakashi, Kiba, and Shino left to track down Naruto and Sakura's whereabouts. After the fighting had concluded, Hinata's group had been tasked with guarding their clients and setting up camp. Biting her lip, Hinata remembered how she wanted to scream when Kakashi's ninken had returned with Naruto's hitai-ate the previous evening.

All through the night, sleep eluded her. Hinata spent her time worrying and when she did manage to nod off, she'd only find nightmares awaiting her. She'd imagine horrible scenarios of Naruto plummeting to his death, or being horrifically injured and dying from his wounds. Even if he and Sakura did manage to survive the fall, who's to say there weren't enemies lying in wait?

It wasn't until mid-morning that the rescue party returned. As soon as Hinata noticed their approach she quickly activated her Byakugan and felt a tug at her heartstrings. Without saying a word, she got up to run toward the shimmering flame that danced within her vision. As Hinata neared, she could hear Naruto and Kiba bantering lightheartedly. Just before she could reach them, Hinata lost her footing and fell, throwing herself face-first into the unforgiving gravel of the mountain path.

"H-Hinata-chan?! Kuso! Are you alright?" Naruto called out in concern when he saw his friend fall, only to wince and squirm in pain as he felt a familiar stab through his side once again.

"Naruto…" Kakashi sighed, turning his head back to give his charge an annoyed look, "Remember what we discussed. Don't aggravate your injuries more than necessary." he whispered. Naruto frowned but nodded obediently before turning his attention back to Hinata who was sitting up and looking at them as they approached.

"I-I'm fine, Naruto-kun," Hinata answered, dusting herself off as she stood before looking up at him with a mixture of relief and worry. "What about you?"

"Eh, could be better," Naruto muttered with a shrug. He didn't want Hinata to worry too much. After all, he'd be back in fighting shape by dinner at the latest.

"Naruto-baka! Drop the tough-guy act, you're not fooling anyone." Sakura barked in a huff as she and Shino caught up.

"B-but, Sakura-chan!" Naruto whined in protest, missing the look of shock on Hinata's face as he turned his attention to the rosette who had started to berate him.

'S-Sakura….chan?' Hinata silently echoed as her mind started to shut down. Slowly she followed behind, watching the banter between the newly returned genin as they were carried back to camp. 'W-What's… going on?'

摂理

Author Note: I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. It was a bit faster-paced than usual and I realized glaringly in this that I have zero confidence in writing combat-orientated scenes. However, even with these speed bumps, it was a fun chapter to write. As always, many thanks to Jerniman for continually helping me with my projects.

On another note, I wanted to remind everyone that my poll for future arcs of this story is still up on my profile page! The feedback is greatly appreciated!

Keywords:

None that I saw.