Disclaimer:
I do not own Naruto or the characters I just made a fanfiction with them
Sorry it has been so long life has been crazy I promise the next chapter will not take as long
It's been about two and a half years since that dreadful fight on the stormy night. The night that ended with one ninja badly injured, the other leaving the village. Unlike that day today was sunny, bright and cheery. A ninja with an orange and black outfit walked back into the village after being away for about 2 and a half years for training. He was doing that to get stronger so he could bring his friend back. He promised to bring him back and he never backed down on his word. If only… If only he could have brought him back that day, but if only is just wishful thinking for people and those two words were painful words to think about.
Naruto Uzumaki walked into the village thrilled to be back home. He looked around by the village entrance. "It's still the same as it was when I left. How I've missed this place," He said with a smile.
"Naruto?" Came a voice from behind Naruto as he was walking through the village.
Naruto turned around to see a pink haired ninja named Sakura standing in front of him. "Hey Sakura! How have you been?" He asked with a grin.
"I've been good these past years. How about you?" Sakura said with a smile. "I see you're finally taller than me," She added noticing how much he had grown in the past few years.
"I've been training with Ero-Sannin. I learned some awesome new jutsus too," Naruto's grin got wider. "How has everyone else been doing since I was away?" Naruto asked.
"They seem too be doing well," Sakura said noticing someone walking in there direction. "Hey Shikamaru!" Sakura shouted at Shikamaru who was walking with someone else. "Look whose back," She said pointing at Naruto.
Shikamaru took a few more steps then stopped "Naruto?" Shikamaru replied unsure if it was Naruto or not.
"Been a while hasn't it Shikamaru," Naruto said with a large grin. "What's she doing here?" Naruto asked looking at the girl standing next to Shikamaru.
"She's here to watch the chunin exams." Shikamaru responded then remembered something, "Naruto are you going to take the chunin exams? You're the only one in our age group who hasn't become a chunin yet."
"The… only… one?" Naruto said thinking. "Sakura you… and everyone are all chunins now?!" He added looking at Sakura with wide eyes.
Sakura smiled "Yes, a few of us are Jounins even."
"Who?" Naruto eagerly replied.
"Well… Temari here is a Jounin, so is Kankurou, and Neji," Sakura replied with a smile.
"So Shikamaru you haven't advanced to Jounin yet," Naruto turned at looked a Shikamaru.
"Nah, it's too much of a bother. I'll just stay a Chunin for the moment." Shikamaru replied with a sigh.
"Oh!" Naruto exclaimed suddenly remembering something. "What about Gaara?" Naruto asked turning to look at Temari. "How has he been?" He couldn't believe he forgot to ask about Gaara. Gaara and him were similar, they both new the pain of being alone.
"He's been doing fine back in our home town as the new Kazekage…" Temari was cut off by Naruto's surprised and exited voice.
"The Kazekage?!?! Garra's the… That's awesome! Guess He's made the biggest jump out of all of us." Naruto said with enthusiasm at the beginning then his tone returned to normal. Sakura opened her mouth to say something but before she could Naruto cut her off. "Now I'm definitely going to become the Hokage!" Naruto said the same fire he always had in his eyes when he was determined, in fact this fire seemed even stronger.
"Naruto Nii-san" A young genin with a long scarf trailing behind him shouted as he ran to greet his long gone friend.
"Hey Konohamaru!" Naruto shouted back waving his hand high above his head and a huge smile on his face.
"Welcome back," Konohamaru said as he stopped in front of Naruto and smiled. "It's been a while."
"Yes it has been quite a while," Naruto responded.
"So did you learn any cool new moves?" Konohamaru asked eagerly.
"Yes actually I did," Naruto said with a slight smile. "But I'm not going to show you right now," Naruto said trying to look serious. Naruto leaned closer to Konohamaru and whispered, "It's a secret for now. Maybe I'll show you later."
"Aww, come on Naruto please," Konohamaru begged Naruto while behind him a teammate of his headed in his direction.
"Hey Konohamaru," Moegi said walking down the road. "I hope you… Is that Naruto?" Moegi asked looking at who she thought was Naruto
"Sure is. He's back from training," Konohamaru replied with a smile turning to Moegi.
"Well then Welcome back Naruto," She said with a smile before turning to Konohamaru with a serious expression. "As I was saying before I saw Naruto. I hope you're just about ready Konohamaru. We need to leave for our mission soon."
"I was just going to greet Naruto and then finish getting ready," Konohamaru responded still looking at Moegi. Konohamaru turned back to Naruto, "Well Naruto I'd love to stay and talk but like she said we have a mission to do so I should be going. Bye." Konohamaru waved to the before heading off to pack.
"Well Naruto we should head off too," Shikamaru sighed, waved goodbye, and started heading for the exam arena as Temari followed.
Off in the distance Naruto saw someone walk onto the road riding a large white animal. As the both of them got closer to them the person and the creature became clearer. 'What is that animal and who is that?' Naruto thought. 'It looks like a… a … dog?!' Naruto thought puzzled. He thought about who he knew that had a dog, a dog that was that big. After a moment of thought it clicked, "Kiba and Akamaru!" Naruto exclaimed not realizing he had said that out loud.
"Akamaru sure has gotten big hasn't he?" Sakura said with a smile looking at Naruto.
"Yeah, he really has gotten big. Last time I saw him he rode on Kiba's head," Naruto said. He smiled, "He looks a little big for that now. I can't believe he's gotten so big that Kiba can ride him now." Naruto's smiled bigger and placed a cupped hand by his mouth and waved the other above his head as he shouted, "Hey Kiba!"
Kiba squinted his eyes and leaned forward on Akamaru to see if the person waving to him was who he thought it was. "Naruto? Is that you?" Kiba asked.
"It sure is. I'm back," Naruto said as the two approached them.
"Wow," Kiba said getting off Akamaru and walking around the two ninja's observing Naruto. "You've changed quite a bit since the last time I saw you.
"Not as much as Akamaru has I bet," Naruto said with a smile looking at Akamaru.
Kiba raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"
"He's gotten so big," Naruto put his hands a few inches apart then stretched his arms apart.
"Really you think so? I don't think he's changed that much. Guess I'm around him so much that I haven't noticed," Kiba said looking back at Akamaru scratching his head.
"How can you not notice, when I left he rode in you jacket or on your head!" Naruto exclaimed looking at Kiba while pointing at Akamaru. "Your head! I don't think you want him riding on you anymore when he's so big you can ride him. How can you not notice that?"
"I don't know how I didn't notice that big of a change. I guess I have never thought about it," Kiba said walking back over to Akamaru.
"So how have you and your team been doing?" Naurto asked
"I've been doing fine. As for my team why don't you ask them they should be around here somewhere," Kiba responded looking around until he saw Shino, who was looking at something probably a bug. He looked around for Hinata but she was nowhere in sight. Kiba turned back to Shino, "Hey Shino."
"Yes?" He responded not moving a muscle as he watched what was thought to be a bug.
""Look who's finally returned," Kiba said pointing to Naruto.
Shino came into Naruto's vision from behind Akamaru. "Greeting Naruto. How have you been?"
"Shino is that really you?" Naruto asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Don't you remember me?"
"It's not that you just look so different I can't really recognize you," Naruto responded with a nervous smile.
"Hey Shino, have you seen Hinata? I thought that she was behind us," Kiba asked after looking around.
"She was. I don't know where she is now though Kiba," Shino replied glancing around.
"I would have thought that she would've wanted to welcome you back after you've been gone for so long," Kiba said glancing around once more briefly. He was right she did want to but due to her shy nature she couldn't find the courage.
'N…Naruto is back?!?' Hinata thought, her face bright red as she was hiding behind a wall. 'I want to greet him…' Hinata turned and looked around the corner briefly then immediately snapped herself back to the wall as she shook her head furiously, her face even redder than before. '…But I can't. I wish I-'
"Hey Hinata," Ino waived stopping Hinata in the middle of her thought causing her to jump slightly.
"Oh, H-Hello Ino," Hinata said startled.
"Why are you up against the wall?" Ino asked with a raised eyebrow. "Are you hiding from someone?"
"N-Naruto's back. Have you h-heard?" Hinata said trying to get off that subject, her blush slowly fading.
"Really?!" Ino exclaimed. "It's been a while."
Hinata nodded. "H-he's over there," She motioned to where everyone was gathering on the street.
Kiba looked at Sakura, "Wouldn't you agree?"
"Yes, I would. Maybe she is nervous since it's been so long. She is a relatively shy girl," Sakura replied closing her eyes as she shrugged.
"That's true. Maybe that's all it is," Kiba turned to look at Shino. "What do you
think Shino?"
"That's probably it," Shino responded. They were right that was part of it not all of it though.
"Have you greeted him yet?" Ino asked in reply.
Hinata shook her head. "No… not yet," she replied meekly.
"Well then what are you waiting for? Lets go and greet him!" Ino said grabbing Hinata's arm and tugged it briefly in the direction of the opening to the street where the others where as she headed there herself. She stopped by the opening and motioned for Hinata to follow her, which she did after a brief hesitation. Ino walked toward the group of people gathered in the street. Ino first saw Kiba and his dog, Akamaru. Then Shino and the others came in view after she got around Akamaru. "Hey Naruto! How does it feel to be back home?" Ino asked with a smile.
"It Feels great to be back," Naruto responded with a brief smile then looking at the girl pointing her index fingers together beside Ino. "Hinata?" He said squinting.
"H-Hello N-Naruto," Hinata stuttered quietly looking at the dirt ground.
"So do you three have a mission you are heading off to do is that why you are all together?" Naruto asked the three tracker ninjas.
"Nah, not right now we just thought we'd get in some extra training right guys," Kiba said with a smile glancing at his friends and teammates. Akamaru gave a loud bark in response to Kiba's question and a nod from Hinata as well as Shino. I'd love to chat some more but we really should head off. See ya around Naruto," Kiba waved as the three headed off.
"So Naruto how did training go?" Ino asked with a smile.
"Well it was pretty hard but I learned some awesome new jutsu," Naruto said with a huge grin on his face.
Ino smiled then suddenly her smile faded as she remembered what she was here for. "Hey Have either of you seen Choji any where?"
"No we haven't why?" Naruto asked slightly confused.
"Azuma had something that he wanted the two of us to do while Shikamaru is busy with the chunin exams coming up. Well thanks anyway see you around," Ino shouted running off to find Choji.
Naruto's stomach rumbled reminding him that he hadn't eaten all day. Naruto glanced at his stomach then his gaze drifted to Sakura, "Hay Sakura lets go get a bite to eat."
"As long at you're going to buy it," Sakura said heading off in the direction of Ichiraku.
Naruto looked at his wallet then back to Sakura and mumbled a few curses and trudged off to Ichiraku's. After a few seconds Naruto resumed his normal walk happy to be eating his favorite food, ramen. As the two were walking a white haired ninja with his nose in a book was heading in the opposite direction and heading towards them. Naruto and Sakura looked at each other knowing exactly who that was then returned their gaze back to the man. "Hey Kakashi sensei," Both Naruto and Sakura shouted waving to Kakashi.
Kakashi Looked up from his book to see his two pupils in front of him and retuned the greeting, "Hey guys. I have some news for the both of you."
"Really? Wow I just get back and already there is news for me," Naruto smiles.
"Lady Tsunade heard of your return and…" Kakashi was cut off by a loud growl from Naruto's stomach.
"Can you tell us while we eat. I haven't eaten all day," Naruto replied looking at his empty belly.
"Kakashi sensei you can eat too Naruto's treat," Sakura added with a smile.
"Dammit Sakura," Naruto mumbled to himself.
"No that's all right I'm not hungry," Kakashi replied making Naruto give a sigh of relief.
"Come on Kakashi sensei Naruto doesn't mind one extra person," Sakura teased.
"Thanks but no thanks, I'll just tell you while you eat," Kakashi responded.
"Alright then lets eat," Naruto shouted while entering. All three of them sat down and Naruto and Sakura started to eat while Kakashi started to explain what this news was.
"It seems that Lady Tsunade has been searching for a new team member for us and she has found one and wants us to meet her tomorrow morning," Kakashi explained.
"Her?!" Naruto and Sakura exclaimed.
'Another girl I can't wait to meet her,' Sakura's inner self exclaimed punching the air. "What is she like?" Sakura replied joyfully.
"Yeah what is she like?" Naruto said nodding.
"I don't know nobody really knows much about her. The only thing I know it that she complements our team well," Kakashi replied with a sigh standing up. "I'm heading off meet by the bridge in to morning and don't be late." Kakashi headed off with a sight wave then vanished in a puff of smoke.
"He's going to be late isn't he," Naruto said hunched over glancing at Sakura.
"Yup, some things never change," Sakura responded standing up. "See ya in the morning Naruto," Sakura added with a warm smile then heading back to Tsunade's place.
Naruto put the money down and left happy to have a new teammate he couldn't wait to meet her. He started to imagine what she looked like he was so lost in thought that he didn't see the person he was about to run into until, "Ooof," Naruto ran into someone. "I'm sorry I-"
"Watch where you're going you idiot!" The girl that Naruto ran into making her fall on the ground shouted.
"I didn't mean to knock you over I'm sorry," Naruto responded slightly irritated. "Who exactly are you?" Naruto asked extending a hand out to help her up.
"Why does it matter," The girl snapped standing up and storming off her black hair swaying in the slight breeze.
'Jeeze who does she think she is trying to act all cool. I'm glad my team members aren't like that. I don't know what I'd do if they were,' Naruto thought as he headed home