Hello everyone. This is my first Naruto fanfiction. I love Naruto and have watched most of the series and do have the general gist. If things have changed in this story, or the Japanese is off, let it go its fiction and serves my own amusement.

I don't own Naruto, or I wouldn't be here.

Chapter 1

It had been years since she had returned to the village.

The sun was just starting to rise and the air was a little more thick and industrial than she had remembered it being in Konoha. She knew that as Naruto progressed closer to taking over, there would be major technological changes, before the great war that was all he ever talked about. Nevertheless, she still breathed in deeply. This was her home, even if at times her mind would not allow her to be necessarily happy about that fact. It was late September, the leaves were beginning to fall and the few people that had begun to open shops had on light jackets and scarves.

She didn't know why she had returned. The world was a vast place, wider than she could have ever imagined when she had resided in the Hyunga compound. Shouldering her bag she made her way in that direction. Contrary to popular belief the compound did not just hold the main house and the branch houses, it also held several apartment buildings scattered off to the side that many branch members resided in. This is where she had been staying prior to her vacating the leaf.

It seemed like a lifetime ago that she was a shriveled up mess, tormented by the death of her beloved cousin. While she still mourned his death, she realized long ago how much she dishonored Neiji's sacrifice by acting the way she had. Her actions and the mistreatment of herself had ultimately resulted in her being stripped of her title and cast out of the main house. She knew her father still loved her, and thus had given her a place to live and even offered her a stipend after she had been excused from being a ninja. On top of all that, he had demanded that the council not place the caged bird seal on her in hopes that she may one day grow the Hyunga line and influence, in a new land. Had she been in a right mind to accept her father's kindness she would have, however Hinata had disappeared. While it turned out to be the best decision she had never made in her life, she hoped others would not judge her too harshly for it.

Unsoldering the pack she carried on her travels, she she was doing so she happened to catch a glimpse of herself in a decorative full length mirror that housed about an inch and a half of dust. In the five years she had been gone the amount of time she had taken to study her reflection could be counted on one hand. She was taller, standing at least 5'7 her muscles were lean and the baby fat she had held in her face once had disappeared and been replaced with the same aristocratic jawline her mother had held. Her bangs grew wild in the front and framed her face, while the rest of her hair was tightly braided and descended down her back and lay softly against her backside. The only thing that hadn't changed about her since the leaf had last seen her was her bloodline trait which still held the same dense lavender stare as before.

She had never taken off her leaf headband so it still rested firmly on her neck. She preferred neutral tones and darker purples or greys. So her shinobi gear consisted of black form fitting pants, form fitting tank top arm compressors that went from her biceps to her wrist and held additional weapons.

Deciding she had spent enough time being vain, she realized she should be thinking of her next move. What was she going to be doing now that she was back in the leaf? However, all she really wanted was a shower. Her last stop had been to the village hidden in the sand. Her skin was dry and begged for the moisture only tender love and care could provide, but she was still a citizen of the leaf and an ex ninja and thus duty bound to appear to her Hokage.

Leaving out the door once more she made her way through town. Now that she actually took the time to look she was fascinated. There were ads for movies and electrical signs. More people had come out and were actively participating in trade and shopping. The most noticeable thing was that the village no longer held the tenseness it once did. The leaf had always been in the middle of conflict, therefore there was always an air of alertness that didn't really allow one to afford leisure. However, the mood was relaxed, children played with toys in the middle of the street as their mothers picked vegetables.

This brought a smile to her face, if only for a moment.

The Hokage's offices had always been in the very middle of the village. The last time she had been here she had been stripped of her shinobi rank, yet another thing taken from her. She squared her shoulders and proceeded forward. To this moment no one had recognized her. As she stepped into the building however, few heads did not turn. With acute ears she could hear the whispering, wondering if this was the forsaken Hyugga heir that had disappeared all those years ago.

The answer was no, no she wasn't. Changing herself had not happened over night. It was a long process that involved years of training, meditation, self reflection and down right rage. She refused to let all of that go to waste. Squaring her shoulders she moved forward to where the Hokage office was stationed.

The doors were open indicating that the Hokage was receiving guests at this time. When she walked in, all she could see was a mountain of white hair peeking through about five stacks of papers.

The masked man looked utterly defeated as his head lay on one stack as his hand moved absent mindedly scanning and approving another. Hinata pitied him.

"Lord Hokage, you requested to see me," she said firmly.

Kakashi's head swung up startled. She raised her eyebrows at the fact that she had managed to startle a kage level ninja so abruptly.

"Hinata?"

She nodded in the affirmative. She bristled at his utter shock, but cut him some slack because it had been five years.

"You seem to be doing better."

"I am." She stated truthfully. The narcissistic side of her was ecstatic that her achievements were noticeable.

"I've received many letters regarding your travels from my colleagues. You've made a lot of strides in the last 5 years I hear."

She nodded again. Kakashi was testing her. Seeing if she healed any of her old weaknesses like blushing or fainting. He would find she did not.

"I was so impressed in fact, from what I heard, that I have a mission for you..."

Hinata tilted her head. "I thought I was no longer considered ninja." She asked, a little shocked at the direction the conversation had taken.

"I am the Hokage Hinata." Kakashi sated. Hinata had the sneaking suspicion that he still had issues believing that. "There's little in this village that my words can't undo."

Fair point. Hinata nodded her head. The former Hyuga heiress had thought it would take a lot more to gain her place back as shinobi. Neiji would want her to try, would want her to serve and die for this village as he had.

"What are your orders Lord Hokage?"

"This is the prerequisite Hinata, if you can complete this task I'm prepared to offer you a spot on my ANBU."

Hinata's eyes widen.

ANBU wasn't just something that one was given. Those must have been some flattering letters, and this must be one hell of a mission.

"What are your orders Hokage-sama?" Hinata repeated with a little more steel in her tone.

Kakashi paused for a moment. Though his infamous mask covered the lower half of his face Hinata could see the amused smirk that befell his lips.

Hinata waited for the order. Most likely it would be killing, to which she had no issue doing as her village was not as morally corrupt as many she had visited. Or would the mission be more diplomatic to insure the peace of her village.

"Bring me Sasuke Uchiha."

Hope you like it, if not I mean I'll still sleep. Review and all that jazz.