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I DO NOT OWN NARUTO OR AVATAR THE LAST AIRBENDER OR THEIR SUCCESSORS IN ANY SHAPE OR CAPACITY. I ONLY OWN MY FICTITIOUS OC'S.

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Upload Schedule: Sundays and Thursdays

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Glossary: Scene breaks will be denoted by a line of X's

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

"Demonic or summons speech"

'Demonic or summons thoughts'

Jutsus shall be rendered in Japanese or English depending on which they are. For example, I will not be saying Almighty Push, I will be saying Shinra Tensei, or Rasengan instead of Spiraling Sphere. However instead of Raiton: Gian I will be saying Lightning Style: False Darkness, I am now starting to consider going only Japanese or English with the jutsu. Please let me know which you would rather.

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"You know, once something freezes, it's solid. That's the key to the arctic - they didn't fear the cold, they made use of it." - Wade Davis

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As of writing this AN I have only had one vote on the poll, I will extend the time to Sunday for those of you who wish to vote. I still stand by my words from the Update chapter. Sunday I will announce the results of the poll with the release of the next Flaming Leaves chapter. That will also give me time, if the poll is in favor, to write out and plan more of "Silence Left Behind" plot.

This chapter begins the first chapter of the Lands of Spring Arc. I a having to refamiliarize myself with the movie, and I find myself disappointed at how little backstory the villains, outside of Doto, are given. Nadare seems like one with an interesting history due to his familiarization with Kakashi. I would enjoy seeing where that came from. Well, that is all for now,

~Ardent Chronicler

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Naruto sighed, he really wasn't looking forward to this mission. It was a simple enough escort mission, but his track record with things like "simple enough" or "escort missions" were really showing a bad sign. Naruto coughed into his hands the chill in the air turning the breath into a mist. Naruto wrapped his arm around the shoulder of Ty who had been walking him towards the gate. Technically she is not supposed to see him or his team off, but if Kakashi had no problem with it, he wouldn't have a problem with it either. She had to be cold, more than she showed. Naruto pulled her closer to his side trying to share his warmth but her body still shivered.

"It's ok Naru, I have a cold."

"You shouldn't be out here if you have a cold Ty."

"I just wanted to see you off."

"I know, but you need to worry about your health more than seeing me off."

Ty sighed her breath visible in the air. Truth be told she was a tad bit dizzy, her eyes and chest burned. The one thing she loved about Winter besides the snow was the crunch the snow made when you walk on it. She smiled and was about to say something to Naruto when she was pulled to the side, Naruto pulling her to his chest as a horse with a woman rode by. She was covered in a colorful Kimono, mostly blue and yellow. Ty sighed, she never got to spend some quality time with Naru outside of the house. As she was about to step back another set of horses ran past, twelve armored men on their backs. She saw that look in Narutos eye and sighed.

"Naru."

"Hm?"

"Can you beat those guys up for ruining our walk?"

"I'll get to doing that." Naruto sighed, he stepped back and looked towards the direction the horsemen had taken off to. He made a motion and vanished from his spot a swirl of snow being the only thing left to show he had been there.

"Well, that was a bit dramatic."

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Naruto leapt across another rooftop, and suddenly Sakura appeared beside him in her Chunin uniform.

"You saw them too?"

"I did, they ruined my morning."

"Sakura, I'll provide the distraction."

"Plan A?"

"No, go to Plan C." Naruto leapt forward, summoning his Chakra the water Shuriken formed flying towards the horsemen. Naruto heard the grunt from the impacts but no one fell. He leapt from the rooftop till he was in front of the horsemen, quickly shooting off a Suijenheki the Horses slid to a stop several of them men being flung from their beasts. Three of the horsemen managed to stay on their horses and immediately took off down the alleyway to the right. Naruto cursed and formed the Snake hand sign.

"Water Style: Water Bullet Jutsu."

Sakura took that as her signal for Plan C, she quickly reached into her back bringing out a few Kunai. She met Narutos eye and smirked, just as planned. She threw the four Kunai in a box around the nine ninja and as soon as they hit the ground Naruto slammed his hands to the ground a barrier formed to contain the armored men. Now you might think that this was to keep them contained but it wasn't. You see Plan A was simple, Naruto and Sakura move to fight and defend, Plan B is similar but it is straight defense. Plan C, was the Sakura Cage. You see, most of the plans Team 7 had were in sets, Set 1 for Naruto and Sasuke, Set 2 was Sakura and Sasuke, Set 3 was Sakura and Naruto. Out of all the plans and sets Plan C was a universal plan. Sakura leapt down into the barrier it allowing her inside of it while keeping the men inside. Sakura pulled her sheathed Katana from her back and smirked letting her killing intent flood the barrier.

Naruto leapt to the rooftops chasing after the three other men. They werent that hard to find if he was being honest. Leaping from a rooftop he landed on the back end of the horse, snapping a roundhouse kick sending the man on the horses back falling to the ground. Naruto grabbed the reins of the horse and began to chase the other two. Naruto sucked in a breath and channeled his chakra sending three Water Shots towards the two men. Three thuds sounded off and the two men slipped from their horses. Naruto stood on the back of the horse crouching low and leapt forward to the womans horse. He slipped in behind her and jerked the reigns causing the horse to slide to a stop throwing the woman from the back of the horse. Naruto leapt from the horses back and tried to help the woman to her feet but she jerked her arm from his hands.

"Get off me."

Sakura leapt to the ground and adjusted the strap holding her katana to her back. The woman was about to run when another horseman cam around the corner. Sakura leapt into action, quite literally and snapped a straight kick into the mans chest sending him flying off of the horse. Sakura landed in a crouch and eyed the man who was struggling to sit up. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looking behind her her eyes widened.

"Ma, Sakura, why did you attack our client?"

"What?"

Kakashi sighed and shook his head. Walking over to the man he helped him to stand and looked behind him. There she was, Koyuki, it might have been ten years, but he could recognize her anywhere.

"You!"

Kakashi quickly raised his headband and gazed into her eye with the Sharingan. Without any hand seals he slipped her into a Genjutsu. He moved in a blur catching her before she could fall.

"Good team work you two, but next time, make sure you aren't late."

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She felt sick, like she was going to puke. Sitting up in the bed she looked around, it was familiar, kind of like her room back at the studio house. She stood from the bed her legs giving out from beneath her sending her crashing to the ground. So the weakness wasn't just a feeling, she had no strength right now. Fighting with her limbs she managed to bring herself to the edge of the bed. Flexing her legs she started to feel the strength return but she was still queasy. She heard it then, the sounds of waves breaking against the side of the boat. The rocking sensation made sense now, she was on a fucking boat.

"Goddamnit." Yukie stood from the bed the numbness finally leaving her legs and she ran from the room.

Sasuke stretched his arms above his head while yawning. He was brought from his yawn by the opening of a door and a scream from a woman. He turned behind him and there was Yukie Fujikaze in the flesh, almost a little too much flesh.

"How crass." Zuko shook his head, the woman forgot her gown obviously.

Yukie looked down and quickly put an arm over her chest, in her hurry to leave the room she had not realized she was in her underwear, and only her underwear. She stormed off back towards her room as Team 7 plus Kakashi and Zuko all sighed.

"That was a pleasant view." Kakashi chuckled.

"Kakashi, don't talk like that." Sasuke sighed shaking his head.

"Well, it wasn't NOT pleasant." This earned Sakura a few strange looks.

"What?"

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Kakashi sighs, rubbing his hands together to try and build up some more heat.

"It's too cold out here, maybe we should head in boys?"

"It is a little cold, but i don't care. With Fire Chakra I can keep myself warm by circulating it underneath my skin." Sasuke shrugged.

"Not all of us are miracle Uchiha."

"And some of us look like a matchstick, but you didn't hear it from me."

"I just did."

"Did what?"

"Exactly."

Kakashi chuckled at the two boys. He leaned back over the railing.

"Excuse me, Jonin Hatake?"

"Oh, Lord Zuko, what seems to be the problem?"

"If I can ask, why am I here? I'm not a Shinobi, nor do I really have a place being here."

"Ah, I thought you had a hard question. You see, you are the heir to the Fire Nations throne and that means one day all of her allies and enemies will also be yours. So Lord Ozai believed it would be in your best interest to gain political standing with the Daimyo here in the Land of Snow."

Zuko nodded.

"You're his right hand on this mission Zuko." Naruto kicks off f the wall and walks over to his friend patting him on the back.

"Kakashi is his left, meant to deal out the pain and punishment, while you honeypot the Daimyo."

"I see, thank you both for telling me this but it still doesn't answer my question. Why is a non-combatant here on a Shinobi mission?"

"Oh, that's simple. You have a stalker." Kakashi waved towards the mast of the ship they were on and a gloved hand flipped him the bird. Kakashi chuckled and waved back to him.

"So I am here, because I am being protected?"

"Not exactly, you are able to be here because you're being protected. IF you weren't you wouldn't be here."

"I think I am just going to go back to my room." Zuko backed away more confused than anything and left the three males to their business.

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Sakura sighed loudly, she tries not to be too girly her mom nearly beat that out of her. She just was unlucky enough to not be a Fire element like Sasuke was. She wrapped her arms around herself rubbing her arms trying to warm her blood. Looking over the moving sea was entrancing at this hour. It might have only been ten o'clock, but the reflection of the moons glow on the water was almost ethereal. Sakura had to be honest with herself, even if it was just for one night, she'd relax and be girly if it meant being warmer.

"Chunin Gekkou!"

"Ah, mister Sandayou, what's up?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to come in and eat something wam. We are in a cold climate after all."

"Ah, I would love something warm to eat." Sakura smiled jogging back into the ship, she followed the man down a set of stairs, along a long hallway, and through a bulk door. Sakura smelled it, shrimp curry, well looks like she wont be getting anything after all.

"That's shrimp right?"

"Oh, yes, do you like shrimp?"

"I am allergic to shrimp."

The awkward silence was deafening to the two people but a snort from Yukie who was seated at the back of the room brought them to look at her.

"A ninja who could be killed by a prawn."

"There have been ninja with worse than I."

"Oh?"

"Tobirama, our second Hokage, he was an albino, his skin was very delicate to the sun."

"That's stupid."

"Health isn't stupid Miss Fujikaze."

"Just seems like youre weak if you cant even handle a food."

"Like you being a coward for not wanting to go to the Land of Snow?"

"You have no right to say that!"

"Aww, is the big bad pussy cat scared of a little snow."

Yukie was turning red and she stormed from the room slamming the door behind her.

"Chunin Gekkou, that was uncalled for."

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. I have a betting pool to win anyway."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, just a friendly competition amongst a few of my colleagues."

"Well, I do need to tell you why she reacted like that. You see, when she was a child her uncle led a bunch of ninja to destroy her home. Her father was butchered and she herself almost died during the clash. Her home was here in the Land of Snow, so returning here is reopening old wounds."

"Just cause you're hurting doesn't mean ya can be a bitch, just saying."

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I really do apologize for the short chapter, but due to health reasons I am taking some medicine that makes it hard to focus. I will return Sunday with the results of the poll and we will move forward from there.

~ Ardent Chronicler