Chapter 2: The Mission
The concept of human nature is one that has illuded the minds of mortal men since time immemorial, the idea that we do indeed have a purpose seems universal yet what that purpose is has never been agreed too.
Learned scholars may preach about a divine purpose for each soul to carry out as their part in a grand plan concocted by the heavens. Wise monks believe that we simply exist to spread kindness and virtue to one another therefore spread positivity through each generation. The more scientific minded say that like all living organisms are lives are harsh in order to ensure that when we pass on our genes only the strongest and greatest do so necessitating a stronger and greater generation.
Yet no what matter the purpose of life may be why then do we humans give so much sentiment to the dead. How can a slab of stone engraved with marks and words hold any account to the lives and deeds of those since passed. How can some pretty flowers and one sided conversations give any ease or pleasure to people who have long since left the living.
We humans are indeed odd when you think about it.
The Konoha cemetery was a quiet place with many people coming and going day by day to pay respects to their loved ones.
On this particular day one could find a young women wearing a sleeveless red dress with white trimmings and a white circular design and had the standard black shinobi sandals. She had bright pink hair and held a large bouquet of flowers as she walked past the graves of Konoha's fallen.
The woman's name was Sakura Haruno, a medic nin of Konoha and the apprentice of Tsunade the Godaime Hokage.
Walking through the assortment of names the pinkeye came across the stone slab that for some subjective reason meant so much to her.
And it read Naruto Uzumaki
Unlike others there was no body found beneath the stone plaque as they never found one. Only blood stained clothes and a dead end trail have the clue to her teammates fate
She knelt in front of the stone and placed her bouquet on the grass.
"Hey Naruto" Sakura said quietly. She paused for a moment as she gazed at his name.
"I've been promoted again to head of the village hospital, Tsunade-sama said it was time…. Kakashi-sensei not long returned from his mission to the land of water, he's still the same as always" she said with a smile. "Other than that nothing's changed"
"Tsunade-sama still keeps your picture on her desk… she really misses you, I heard her talking to herself yesterday saying that you should be doing all the paperwork and not her." She chuckled to herself as she twisted her legs and sat down in the grass.
"I miss you too, I wish you were here with us as everyone grows up. Inos been dating a few guys but never settles to long, Choji and Kiba have been going out trying to get girls, well Kiba does Choji just goes for food, at least they seem real happy…" she picked up a blade of grass and fiddled with it, thinking of what else she could tell him.
"Everyone's growing and maturing, I just wish you were here" she lowered her head, her hair shadowing her face.
"No word of Sasuke… at least no yet… I still keep thinking of what I would do if I saw him again, I want him to come back but..." She placed her hand on the stone
"You know as kids I was such a little brat, I wish I had the sense to see how hard life was for you, or notice how everyone glared at you… how did you cope with it… living so lonely, I wish I could've been there for you like you were for me... even if you were in a Henge." Her voice was noticeably quieter and a stray tear fell from her eye, she thought she was done crying over this.
Images flashed in her mid as she remembered their time in team 7, she remembered when they took their true genin test and how Naruto was tied upside down to a post, she remembered when they fought Zabuza and Haku and how afraid she was, she remembered the time when her and her teammates tried all day to see what was underneath Kakashi's mask and she remembered all the times the blonde had asked her out only for her to blatantly refuse and hit him over the head.
"I wish it didn't take you both leaving and never coming back for me to realise how important you were to me…" the words were caught in her throat as tears fought to burst from her eyes.
"I wish I could tell you how much you still mean to me, how much I miss you… and…. I wish I could tell you …that I love…" her voice failed her as she began to sob to herself, guilt and sorrow getting the best of her.
Moments past as the pink haired teen struggled to contain her emotions. When she had regained her composure Sakura wished the former comrade goodbye and began to walk home.
Despite how things had turned out she was thankful for what she had, she was lucky that none of her friends had died as well, maybe the gods had taken pity or an author didn't know how to write a story without his favourite characters.
She was at least thankful for the memories no matter how painful there are now, it at least gave her an important lesson that tomorrow isn't certain and that you must take everyday for what it is.
Who could have known that team 7 would become so fucked up, and who could know what was to come in the near future.
"Chidori!"
"Aaaaah!"
"Katon: Grand Fireball Jutsu!"
"No please I give up! NOOO-*slash*"
"I beg of you plea-*slash*"
The arena was carnage, bodies strewn across the arena bearing stab marks, burn and the weblike singes of eclectic wounds
"You think you can take me on boy?" A bearded giant wearing black overalls asked.
His opponent, a black haired teen wearing the open white shirt, black pants and purple rope bent of his master, simply stared him down with the red eyes of his clan.
"Chidori Eiso"
And with that the tall man fell, blood leaking from the wound to his heart.
Applause could be heard from high above in the patio overlooking the arena floor. Snake eyes looked on in arrogant joy as the teen sheathed his Chokuto.
"Ahh Sasuke-kun, my my how you have grown, none of my underlings can hold a feather to your might." The voice dripped with a grotesque undertone as it sounded from the creatures snake like teeth.
"Orochimaru, I'm bored of fighting your failed subjects, give me a challenge" the black haired Uchiha demanded, his voice was calm yet assertive, arrogant yet almost civil.
"Mmmm all in good time, meanwhile keep up the good work, I'll have something for you to do soon just keep training" and with that the snake man walked out of the arena, only limping when out of sight from the eyes he so coveted.
'Soon my dear Sasuke-kun, I'll have those precious eyes of yours, just be ready for when it happens, I haven't trained you these years for no reason kukukuku' the foul thoughts of a foul man whom had shed his humanity long ago.
In the village of Konohagakure, on the top floor of a tall red tower in the Hokage's office do we find a women with brown eyes, blonde hair and a purple diamond in the middle of her forehead. She wore her signature green haori with the kanji for "gamble" (賭, kake) written on the back. This women was Tsunade, one of the legendary sannin and the Fifth Hokage.
Tsunade was currently doing what she did almost everyday, something she hated, something she tried everything to avoid and yet something she still couldn't hide from. Paperwork.
Everything from mission statements to public accounts to personal records and bank cheques, everything of importance required the assent of the Hokage and while this kept Tsunade in control of her village it also kept her constantly signing away at im seemingly infinite documents.
Upon her desk among the many scrolls, files and stacks of papers were four framed photographs of the people she had deemed the most important people in her life. One was of her brother, Nawaki, a young boy who died in the second shinobi war far too young. Next to it was a photo of Dan, her lover, a man in his twenties who also died in the same war as her brother right in front of Tsunade as she tried to save him.
Then there was a photo of Jiraiya, her teammate and best friend, he was still alive and continued to serve the village yet rarely set foot inside, being a spy master required much travel and so the hermit was hard to track down.
The last photograph, placed in the centre of her desk, was of a young blond boy with whisker marks, the same boy who had changed her life and her entire view of the world. Naruto Uzumaki.
Tsunade breathed a large sigh as she took a break from the multiplying paperwork and stared at the pictures of her loved ones. It was perhaps the only thing she could do to take her mind off the affairs of the village and to relax a bit, besides drinking of course.
As her gaze found it's way to the picture of Naruto Tsunade a mind wandered to the war, to the search for the blond Jinchuuriki… or at least his remains. She had beaten herself countless times for sending her on that mission yet she knew that he would have gone anyway
As Ill thoughts passed her mind Tsunade turned her chair around to face the village.
The bustle of a city yet the worth of a family, that was something her grandfather had told her. As no matter how far apart the walls may grow the village hidden in the leave shall always be as it has always been, a family.
Yet she knew more then anyone the cost to protect that family.
A knock on the door brought Tsunade out of her thoughts as she turned her chair back. "Enter" she spoke with a firm voice, slipping into her Hokage mode.
A tall man with white spiky hair and a red coat walked inside, his high wooden sandals knocking on the timber floor.
"Wow you actually used the door this time" Tsunade said in honest amusement
"Well Shizune saw me and made me bring these in" the man replied, drawing her attention to the large stack of papers he was carrying.
Tsunade face could be called the physical definition of depression, a true representation of the everpresent anguish and sorrow that her life carried.
Placing the stack on the desk the man chuckled to himself illiciting a foul glare from his lifelong friend.
"Oh now don't blame me for all this" he said raising his hands in defence.
"Well if you haven't got anything worthwhile to say then get out I have...a lot more… work to to" she eyed the many documents in front of her almost wishing the to just do themselves.
"Come now hime cheer up, it's not everyday the gallant Jiraiya comes home" he made a mock pose as if announcing a great event, if it could be called that anyway.
"What do you want Jiraiya" if looks could kill he would be six feet under.
"How about a drink first" if looks could grant wishes he'd be in the clouds surrounded by naked blonde hokages.
Some time later
"Kempai!" The two Sannin said in unison as they each downed a saucer of sake.
Then as they had done many times before, they each poured another saucer and handed it to each other as was the custom.
"Aaah now what brings you back?" Tsunade said after drinking the warm liquid quickly
"Wow straight to the point hime, never been one for subtly I see" she simply rolled her eyes
Chuckling a bit Jiraiyas face grew serious as did Tsunades, the bartender noticing the change in atmosphere left the two seasoned Shinobi to tend to other customers.
"No word on Orochimaru, no one has heard or seen him for a year, my guess is that he's buckled down to make the change and it looks as though the last Uchiha is in the firing line"
"Not surprised, he wouldn't want anything to spoil his precious body" the women's voice was low and serious, oh how she resented not being able to kill the snake for his sins.
"Sunas back on its feet, the young kazekages proven himself quite capable, their Daimyo has even begun issue more and more mission as of late"
"About time, the case has been desperate since the crush but at least they've proven trustworthy allies" even though they helped in the effort to kill her predecessor none could fault the sand for none could anticipate the true cunning of Orochimaru not the lengths he would go to achieve his goals.
"Akatsuki's made their move" suddenly Tsunade was at a loss for words, not out of shock but simply the fact of the gravity of his words.
"The two tails has gone missing and jumps kicked a big stink, the whole country is on alert and the eight tails has gone into hiding"
"It's been a while since they've made any progress to, although why this long?"
"I don't know…" he said running his hand threw his hair "... although the could be anticipating the kyuubi's reappearance"
Tsunade looked sadly at her friend, that area of conversation was spoken lightly near the man and for good reason, the last person to speak of Naruto was nearly eaten by a toad.
Tsunade could only imagine Jiraiyas anguish, he had outlived all his pupils and could do nothing to save them. He had twice tried to pass down his skills and secrets and twice had it only ended in heartache for the fifty something year old sage.
Jiraiya had planned to take Naruto around the world, to give him a life away from the village and be there for the boy when he could. He had already skipped out on his reponsability and he had wish to make up for it. He never got the chance.
When naruto's name faded from the toad summoning contract it had cemented in everyone's mind that he had left the mortal realm. It had also cemented in Jiraiyas mind that anyone he had passed the contract into ended up dying. A studentless teacher, a lonely master.
She held her hand on his shoulder in sympathy and they each shared a quiet moment before giving a quiet toast to the blonde knucklehead who had meant so much to each of them.
"One last thing…" Jiraiya said as Tsunade emptied the bottle "...a noble from the Daimyos court sent word, he wants some wondering monk for hire to be brought to justice, apparently the monk appeared in town to preach, the lord welcome him into his home and ended up sleeping with the lords daughter and stealing from the lord coughers."
Tsunade couldn't help but giggle slightly "some monk he was" she said laughing.
Jiraiya couldn't help but smile as well "according to the lord and his household he isn't dangerous but the amount he stole warrants a high grade mission and a full team."
"Mmmm… I guess I can send Kakashi, his name alone should show we actually give a crap about the nobles purse..." the sarcasm was none to descreet "... I'll send Sakura as well, she's been itching for action and this kind of mission is a good break for her, Inazuka Kiba seems a good enough tracker and Hyuuga Hinata seems is a great scout".
"Just make sure that the boy keeps in line around the nobility, the client is a notorious snob"
Tsunade nodded in agreement as the two left the bar and headed their separate ways. Tsunade to her office and Jiraiya to the hot springs both of which were their respective work places.
All the while a young man sneezed before being blessed by a beautiful young girl.
Blue eyes opened as the light of the mid morning sun shined on his bear sun tanned skin, on his chiseled chest a feminine figure lay on his chest with her womenhood pressed against him, he smiled.
Yesterday was indeed a good day, he had an easy contract, completed it an a day, got payed an exorbitant amount plus the generous offerings by the nearby villages he had saved and to top it all off he stumbled across a beautiful barmaid whom was the most generous host he had ever met.
Yes he was happy and now was time to get the hell outta here.
Silently he substituted himself with a pillow which his lover simply ignored as she turned over. In a well rehearsed manner Naruto gathered his long black pants and longer white coat before exiting the cheap hotel room he had no intention of paying for.
A quick sprint here, body flicker there and now he was out of the village and into the trees.
Relaxing his posture and releasing his henge blue eyes made way to purple, whisker marks returned and his blonde hair fell down to his lower back. The best part of being on the road was not having to cover up his identity 24/7.
'Forgetting something?' A familiar voice said
'Oh yeah whoops' mental rubbing his head Naruto half his has together before holding his right hand beside himself.
"Kuchiyose no jutsu" he said before a puff of smoke appeared and a small bird appeared
Touching the animals head for a moment the creatures eyes appeared the same as his own for a fraction of a second before the small flyer ascended into the sky heading north.
In the world of missing non everyone had their own way of contacting potential clients, and every so often those clients became so impressed that word would spread and eventually regular customers came about. The best thing for Naruto is that he never had to meet any of them in person, unless they double crossed him of course although they never lived to tell the tale.
Yes the life of a wandering sage was indeed free, he could do whatever he wanted and as shown by this morning's events whoever he wanted.
Bringing out his pipe from inside his coat Naruto clicked his fingers and lit the leaves with a small spark. Heading south to the land of grass he noted that the next contract would probably bring him quite close to the border of the land of fire. He shook it off, he had done plenty of jobs inside of the country to negate his worry yet he still felt a little uneasy.
If only he knew, if only.
Chapter end