DISCLAIMER: This story is solely written for fanservicing. All known characters and plot lines belong to Masashi Kishimoto and the publishers of the Naruto series. I am merely a fan who wishes to write her alternate story to the Naruto manga. The title "In The Name of Life" is taken from Joe Hisaishi's soundtrack of the film 'Spirited Away', by Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli. This fanfic is not intended for lucrative purposes.

In The Name of Life

Chapter IX

"When you love someone, you love the person as they are, and not as you'd like them to be." ~Leo Tolstoy

"Naruto-kun, let's go this way," Hinata said.

They were hopping from tree branch to tree branch, travelling as fast as they could. Naruto looked back at his companion with his Sage Mode activated. Hinata's Byakugan was also activated, but her eyes were looking ahead. They've left the Medical Division a few hours ago, and they haven't been found yet. He was glad that they both possessed acute tracking abilities. They could sense whoever came their way and find another route that could keep them away from meeting with anyone from the Alliance.

Naruto redirected his gaze at what came ahead. They were nearing the end of the forest, the sound of water and seagulls signalling them that they were reaching another point in their journey. The sea welcomed them with subtle waves and a calm breeze. Once they reached the beach, Naruto settled in the sand, spreading his legs and arms. He let out a long exhale, finally relaxing his thigh muscles from all the travelling. His Sage Mode was still on while he caught his breath. They've been travelling with no breaks for quite some time, and he needed to replenish his energy. It was necessary in order to reach the Madara's hideout as fast as they could. Nonetheless, their journey proved to be longer than expected since they had to hide from the Alliance's shinobi.

Hinata knelt by his side, taking off her uniform flak jacket. Naruto could make out the outline of her facial features with the light of the sun. It looked like the light was beaming from her skin, like she was the star itself. He felt his cheeks redden, but it was probably because they were, after all, under the sun. It was meant to make the temperature rise. But he'd never paid that much attention to the sun before.

She roamed through her jacket's pockets, taking out a small paper and a pencil.

It was a map, which she laid out in the sand. With the pencil, Hinata made a cross on their destination spot, and then another one near the sea, "We are here," she pointed at the second cross she drew.

"We will make it to the Mountain's Graveyard in no time," Naruto settled so that he could look at the map as well, "You're pretty quick, so we shouldn't take that long getting there." With a hand propped up to his knee, he grinned at Hinata with optimism.

He was still getting used to Hinata's sudden urge to help him. She had changed a lot on these last few days; it was like the war had taken most of her innocence away. She looked serious while she studied the map, as if this was a very important mission. A strand of hair slipped from behind her shoulder, and Naruto, before he realized his action, unconsciously put it back in place. It made her flinch in surprise, and she directed her eyes towards him. Her face was taking that deep red shade again.

"S-sorry, I thought it was bothering you!" nervously, Naruto put both of his hands under his legs. He never knew what other strange thing they might do without his brain's permission. This was a really... weird situation.

"It's o-okay," she stammered and redirected her eyes to the map.

Naruto was hoping that she wouldn't faint. It wasn't a good idea to suddenly plop in the middle of a beach while they were on the run. Nope, it didn't sound like a good idea at all.

He remembered the first time he ever touched her hair. It was before he was sent over to see the Great Toad Sage, before he told Sasuke that they were going to die together and be rid of the burden that came with their names. Before the war had taken the life they used to know. A part of him wished to stay alive just to see Hinata grow into an adult, but he knew that that wasn't his destiny.

"Um... so we need to make our way here," trying to break the awkward silence, Naruto pointed at the first cross that Hinata drew, "How did you get this map anyway?"

"It came with our uniform, along with the new hitai-ate, a pouch with weapons and other supplies."

Hinata rummaged through her jacket again, pulling out a standard sized forehead protector that had the symbol for 'shinobi.' Naruto took it and examined it, noticing that it didn't have any scratches. He kind of wished to own one, just to fit in with the rest of the Shinobi Alliance. If he was meant to represent their side, he ought to wear the same thing as his comrades.

"I don't wear it, b-but you can keep it," Hinata put her hand over his as a way of letting him know that it was his hitai-ate now. She pushed it gently towards him, sending an electric current through his fingers.

In that moment, Naruto realized how many people were dying in order to protect him, and in how much trouble they've gotten into by escaping. He felt like telling Hinata that they should go back and fight with the rest. His Shadow Clones have all vanished, but at the same time he wanted to rescue his best friend. Sakura was the only sane remnant of Team Kakashi. As her best friend, it was Naruto's duty to save her. Hinata must have known that Sakura's life mattered the most to him, hence her impromptu plan in getting him out of the Alliance's sight. It was a dangerous mission, but Naruto would go to any length for his precious people. He was glad that Hinata understood his intentions.

"Thank you," he smiled, and then he took off his current forehead protector and replaced it with the Alliance's.

It was true. If he was supposed to be the face of the united villages, it was time that he started demonstrating it. He saved his old hitai-ate in his pocket, and then continued looking at the map with Hinata. He noticed that she was constantly blinking, as if her eyes were bothering her. She covered them with one of her hands, showing that they were really bothering her.

She walked over to the sea until it covered her ankles, and then cupped some water and splashed it on her eyes. Naruto took a chance in contemplating her figure; she was a little shorter than him, around the same height as Sakura. Sakura seemed taller, though. She was more confident. Hinata, on the other hand, kept her shoulders a little hunched. It showed the world how insecure she was. Although Naruto knew that it wasn't fair to compare the two girls, he could not avoid it. Sakura was his closest female friend, so it was obvious that he was going to compare every other girl with her. Nevertheless, they meant two different things to Naruto; Sakura was like a sister to him, someone indispensible in his life, whereas Hinata... he still needed to solve his feelings about her. He liked her, that was for sure, but the question was how much he liked her.

"You can deactivate your Byuakugan if it's bothering you, I still have enough chakra," he offered, finally noticing that her kekkei genkai tired her like the Sharingan did to an Uchiha.

"I'm fine, thank you for worrying but—"

"No, thank you, Hinata," Naruto stood up and walked over to her side. His ankles felt the freezing water coming and going, but he ignored their complaints for the warm sand. He slung an arm around her shoulders reassuringly, "I really appreciate everything you've done for me."

Her blush could not get any brighter. For the first time, Naruto thought that she looked cute with rosy cheeks. How could he make a person feel like that? Perhaps that was how his mother felt like after his father had rescued her. Naruto sent Hinata one of his signature smiles while squinting his eyes and making a thumb up. A part of him felt re-energized. He was ready to keep traveling.

"We b-better get going," Hinata came loose from his arm, turning around and going back to the sand.

He guessed that she was feeling self-conscious with his actions. In reality, Naruto didn't know how to act around people who had confessed to him. This was the first time it had ever happened before. When Kushina said she loved him, Naruto knew that it was a different type of love. He still had to figure this whole thing out, and it was getting rather tedious. His brain wasn't adapted to this type of situation!

He gathered her map and shoved it in the same pocket as his old hitai-ate. They both entered into the forest once again, not waiting another minute. Their shadows became blurry as they decided to run on the ground. Naruto could sense every chakra that surrounded them. There were barely any animals in this forest, and he guessed that it would be the same until they reached the Mountain's Graveyard. It seemed like the fauna was gradually declining as they traveled from country to country. Hinata was able to keep up with him, and the determined expression had returned to her face.

The path to their destination did not come with any obstacles until Naruto sensed that they were nearing another Division. Hinata seemed to sense the camp as well, as she abruptly stopped a few steps behind him. They looked at each other before finding a hiding place. She took out the map and made it visible for the two of them.

"I didn't realize that they were going to place a Division so close to the enemy."

"It's a good thing we stopped here then. They won't be able to sense us."

"Not unless they have a sensor nin among them," Hinata swallowed nervously, "and if they have a Hyūga..."

Naruto had to grab her hand when he noticed how preoccupied she was, "Hey, don't worry! You're with me, right? No one's going to take you from my side."

He sensed the double meaning of his words after they'd left his mouth. What was he supposed to say, anyway? He didn't want Hinata to leave his side, so it was logical that he would voice his opinion. Hinata looked at him for a few moments, caught off guard, before nodding. She concentrated on the map once again, as if she was trying to ignore all of the moves that Naruto was making on her.

Wait, was he really making a move on Hinata? Sometimes, he couldn't understand women, including her. She told him that she loved him and almost died, had taken him from the protection of the Shinobi Alliance, and now didn't want to respond to him! Naruto's mind was going on a whirlwind. Maybe, deep down, she was still scared of the Kyūbi's evil power. It seemed like the Bijū was meant to keep him away from happiness, regardless of how many chances he had on getting it. With that thought, Naruto felt like his stomach was ten pounds heavier than before.

"W-we better travel around the camp. We can head to the west, and then north," with her index, Hinata circled around the Division and towards their final destination, "We can find a resting place somewhere over here."

"Alright," he said, a little too sharp.

Without waiting for Hinata, he stood up and started running towards the direction she'd pointed at. She caught up to up shortly keeping silent. Normally, Naruto would constantly talk about anything. He hated silence, but it was an exception with Hinata. Sometimes he didn't want to say something stupid in front of her, but now he wanted to think about the strange relationship that had developed between them. They were still friends, despite his indecipherable feelings. But then again, she said she loved him. He couldn't respond to her feelings, knowing the danger of having the Kyūbi could put her in. If anyone found out that he liked Hinata, then she would become a target to Madara.

Did he really, really like her, though?

Naruto had to think about Sakura in order to clear his mind from his feeling. She had been gone for a few days and he had been informed just a few hours ago. He wondered if they were keeping the information away from him in order to prevent the Kyūbi from controlling his body. In the end, it still happened. Naruto could not control his vulnerability at learning that his best friend had been kidnapped by the enemy. The Kyūbi had taken advantage of his weak state and decided to try and take back the chakra that Naruto had gained during his training with Killer Bee. Heh, silly beast, thinking it could go against Konoha's future Hokage!

It still amused Naruto how much chakra was stored inside the Kyūbi, albeit taking half of it. He had to be more careful with the beast, especially knowing that Hinata would not be able to control the Kyūbi if it were to overpower Naruto. He didn't want to harm her with its hatred.

He wondered how Sakura was handling her imprisonment. Perhaps they were torturing her for information since she was close to the Hokage. Naruto had to halt his imagination; he didn't want to think about Sakura getting severely punished –or worse, killed—while he was searching for her. He wouldn't allow anyone to take away her life. She was too precious for him. Shit, he just thought about that and almost went on a panic attack. He had to be more careful of what went through his mind from now on. He didn't want Hinata to get hurt with his explosive attitude. If Sakura was at the Mountain's Graveyard, chances were that she encountered him.

Sasuke.

Naruto knew that his next encounter with him would mark the countdown of his life. If it meant fighting Sasuke in order to save Sakura and keep Hinata away from Akatsuki's reach, he would take him on immediately. Naruto felt prepared; he'd recently acquired his Tailed Beast mode, which made him feel ten times more empowering. Sasuke didn't know what he had in store, that teme.

"Let's turn here," he heard Hinata speak. She directed him towards the left, and with the Sage Mode on, he could sense that they were drifting away for the Alliance's Division and into the west side of their trail.

Naruto noticed that the sky was turning orange; the day was almost over. They had to decide whether to sit down and rest for the night or continue their search. He couldn't lie; the Sage Mode was tiring him faster than before. Perhaps it was due to his emotional instability since he wasn't sure of Sakura's well being. The thought of his best friend being on the verge of death sent a wave of anxiety over his chest. He didn't want any of his precious people to get hurt, dammit!

"We will continue travelling until midnight," he announced to his companion, determined to continue running even though his body demanded rest.

"Are you sure?" Hinata asked, hesitating.

"Yeah, let's see how far we can get!"

Hinata agreed silently and sped up her pace. She was about to pass Naruto when he decided to do the same. He was still faster than her, but the girl was able to keep up with his almost inhuman speed with no problem. It probably came with all those years training with Neji, who demanded excellence and perfection in every blow she sent. Naruto remembered seeing Hinata train with determination. She was really gentle with all of her movements, but they could be deadly to the opponent.

"C'mon, Hinata, you're strong!" Naruto encouraged before picking up his pace.

They were in the middle of a war. Getting some training that could benefit their escapade was a pretty good idea. Naruto would have tapped himself in the shoulder for coming up with it.

They were nearing a rather dry place as the sky darkened. The trees were scarcer, and the soil did not feel as soft. It was more rigid and rockier. They were once again trespassing into another country. Naruto could feel the energy radiating from the ocean, showing that they were near the water for a second time that day. After sprinting towards the coastline, Naruto slowed down and came to a full halt once he felt the moist sand under his feet. It was a colder atmosphere than the beach in the Land of Frost. What an irony, nothing could get chillier than Frost-ier!

Damn it, Killer Bee's rhymes were infecting him!

"We're at the northernmost point of the Land of Hot Water," said Hinata, stepping over the stones that led to a quiet beach. She took out a small flashlight from her pants pocket and directed it at the water.

"It seems like they don't get any of the southern warmth in here," Naruto once again reached out for the map of the Shinobi countries and outlined the path they have taken with his finger while Hinata pointed her flashlight at the paper, "We have travelled a lot today. Look, the Medical Division is here," he pointed at a spot on the southern part of the Lightning country, and then dragged his finger along the northern coast of the Land of Frost and the Land of Hot Water, finally placing it at the spot they were currently in.

The next country they were going to pass by was Sound. Naruto stared at the symbol of the country, remembering the failed mission Team Kakashi carried in there. Overall, it was one of his least favourite countries, if not the least favourite, because of all the bad memories it brought. Sound was where Sasuke had departed when they were thirteen, and where Orochimaru experimented with his subjects. The Sannin may be dead now, but his sadistic legacy still lingered on Naruto's mind, and it lived within Kabuto's deformed body. Kabuto looked really gross now, Naruto remembered.

"We could try getting to the Mountian's Graveyard by water," Hinata suggested, noticing his uneasiness, "It's not too far. We would take time making a boat, though."

Going by water sounded like a better option, but Naruto knew that they would ultimately spend more time trying to build a sturdy boat than traveling. He thought about running on water, that could be a good option. His stomach was letting out a loud growl and distracted his train of thought. He needed to eat something, otherwise the Sage Mode would deactivate.

"We will camp here and continue tomorrow by land, is that all right?" he stood up, going towards the trees in order to gather some wood. She accompanied him, and they both picked up enough tree branches to last for the whole night. It was quite difficult to find the good branches, but Naruto did not worry about venturing in to the forest. He didn't sense anyone near them. They were completely alone, detached from contact with other humans.

They brought the wood back to the beach and set up a small camp fire near the water. Hinata also carried a lighter among the package that was given to all the Alliance's soldiers, so they did not have to waste chakra on creating a fire. She sat down with her knees wrapped around her arms and stared at the fire. Naruto, on the other hand, walked over to the water to gather some fish. Once he brought it back and they cooked it, they were able to enjoy their first meal in silence. Naruto hadn't realized how much his stomach was growling, asking for food. He munched on the fish, even though his taste buds wished for pork ramen.

Silence.

It was rather awkward for Naruto, who was so used to conversing with Sakura during their missions. He didn't like silence. It reminded him how alone he was in this world. He looked at Hinata, who was quietly enjoying her fish. She had two personalities on each side of the spectrum, Naruto concluded. She could be brave and heroic, but at the same time quiet and reserved. Right now, she was taking the role of the shy girl he met when they were kids.

He rocked back and forth, feeling restless with the silence, "Neji's probably back in the battlefield," he commented, trying to make a small talk.

Shit, that wasn't the best thing to talk about. In fact, he should have kept his mouth shut. He quickly remembered Hinata's desperation when they'd found Neji after he was attacked by White Zetsu's clones.

Hinata turned to look at his direction, but only nodded slowly.

Awkward silence.

She stayed quiet for another moment before speaking, "Na-Naruto-kun, do you think this was a good idea?"

"I do," he answered with no hesitation, "I've already thought about it, and I'm glad for your help. We can protect each other and then save Sakura-chan!"

It sounded like false hope, but it was better than nothing. Better than being out here with no company. After much thinking and pondering, Naruto concluded that he would have gone looking for his best friend regardless of the situation. He really appreciated Hinata for taking the initiative. He kind of liked it when she had those bold outbursts of courage.

"My father's going to kill me..." she sulked into her arms, hiding her face with shame.

Wait, don't go back to being insecure!

He tried to come up with something reassuring to say, but found his mouth empty of words. He never knew what having a father felt like. Naruto concluded that no matter how brave Hinata got, she was still going to fear her clan. Another awkward silence followed her words. Naruto retorted to scratching the back of his head, thinking of catching more fish so that he could avoid seeing Hinata looking so vulnerable.

But then the light switched in his brain.

"Hinata, wanna hear how my parents met?"

It was an intimate subject for him as he had never told the story to anyone else. Those who knew were him and the Kyūbi, but they could be counted as one. Maybe Kakashi-sensei also knew about his parents, seeing how he was Minato's student. The comical image of a small Kakashi-sensei listening to his dad telling a love story made Naruto's insides chuckle. A warm smile was placed on his lips as he remembered his only meeting with Uzumaki Kushina, and all the wonderful things she told him. It marked one of the happiest moments in his life.

Hinata's face reappeared from her arms and she looked at him, puzzled by the offer. Nonetheless, she crossed her legs and sat facing Naruto, giving him her full attention, "I would like to hear that story."

Naruto scratched the back of his head with a side grin, liking how she was interested in his story, "Well, before my dad was the Fourth Hokage, he was—"

"Y-your dad was Namikaze Minato?" she interrupted with a shocked expression.

Oops, that might have been a detail that he let out a little too early. He hadn't even told Sakura about his parents, so he didn't know how else to start the story. In any case, Naruto knew he wasn't the best story-teller in the world. His version of the story wouldn't compare to Kushina's anyway.

"Oh, sorry, I might have said that a little too soon. Anyway, yeah, he and my mom met in the Academy. She came from another village. At first, a lot of people called her tomato because she had bright red hair." Naruto brought his hands to his head and then lied down on the sand, looking up at the stars. "My dad had blond hair, so that's where I get my hair colour from. Anyway, mom was really pretty. She liked to keep her hair long because my dad complimented her on it."

Hinata remained quiet while he was telling his story, giving him a soft smile. Her pale skin contrasted with the shadows created by the flames of their campsite. She looked really pretty, Naruto thought.

"I like pretty hair too," the words escaped his mouth before he could think.

Naruto remembered that time when he and Hinata took a walk, before the war started, when she'd accepted to eat ramen with him. He complimented her hair back then.

Shit!

Don'tfaintdon'tfaintdon'tfaint, he begged in his mind. Hinata fainting in the middle of the beach when they were on the run wasn't such a good idea. Nope, it didn't sound like one.

"I mean, well, I like it short and long, or long and short, and–" He failed at saving face.

"She must have been lovely," Hinata commented, looking away with a timid expression.

How was he supposed to know how to act around her if he didn't even know how to give out good compliments? Nevertheless, he was happy that Hinata hadn't fainted.

"Yeah, she was Konoha's Red-Blood Habanero, can you imagine? Dad was Konoha's Yellow-Flash. You know what that makes me?"

It was the first time he and Hinata had a normal conversation, he realized. Despite the circumstances, they could talk like good friends.

"Something orange?"

Naruto was surprised by her response. He wondered how much he'd missed in his life, of how long it took him to finally notice someone like Hinata. And of how far Hinata had gone in order to protect him, to make him happy.

Despite the preoccupations that lingered on his shoulders, Naruto felt a little warmer on the inside.

"The Orange Hokage," he let out a light chuckled, "'Cause, you know, red and yellow mix and make orange. So it's like how I'm a mix of my mom and my dad."

A part of him felt fonder after telling a close friend about his origins. He was glad that Hinata was the first one to listen. Although he had to leave some details behind, like the way his parents died, he'd created a new bond with Hinata.

It was a strange bond, though. Naruto knew he liked Hinata; she was a strong, selfless, sincere friend. Someone indispensable, like every member of Team Kakashi. Like his parents' love. But something about Hinata was different. He didn't know what and if he thought about it for too long his head would start to hurt. The Hyūga girl still sat cross-legged, giving him her full attention. Naruto liked to know that she was so focused on him. It was like all the attention he wanted to get as a child, but ten times better.

"My dad was so fast. Man, if I were to ever have a racing competition with him he'd be a good opponent! He was also Kakashi-sensei's teacher and Ero-sennin –I mean, Jiraiya-sensei's– student. So it's like a weird link of teachers and students."

She was so quiet. Naruto found that he didn't mind her silent presence. It was... soothing. Like it complimented his chatterbox attitude. Although Hinata made small comments here and there while he continued with his story, she just listened. She never interrupted, but smiled softly, no longer worrying about the war that was happening around them. It reassured Naruto that, no matter how twisted this world was, there were still people who found the light in every situation.

"I wish that I could meet them again. They were... they were wonderful people, Hinata, and they gave their lives to save mine. My dad entrusted me with the responsibility of bringing peace to this world. I cannot let them down. It would make their deaths unworthy. My mom was a strong kunoichi, you would've liked her," he grinned at his partner, noticing how red her cheeks were getting.

"Did she go on missions with your dad?" Hinata asked. The fire was gradually turning down, showing them that they had to go to sleep soon.

"Actually, I'm not sure. I guess so," he responded, realizing that there was still a lot to know about his parents. To him, they were the most interesting people in the world. "Hinata, do you wanna know a secret?"

Another pause. This one wasn't awkward, Naruto noticed. She just took her time in nodding her head.

"You're the first person I tell this to," he confessed, taking in her surprised reaction. This was his way of compensating for every action she had taken for him. Or maybe he just really wanted to tell his parents' story to Hinata because, well, he didn't really know why.

"Thanks for everything again, Hinata. We won't give up, promise?"

In that moment, Naruto realized that there was no return in rescuing Sakura. He either saved his best friend or died trying. Similarly, he realized that there was no going back in how he felt about Hinata. He didn't just like her as a friend, or had a slight crush on her. It was more than that.

Naruto woke up to the sounds of soft waves and the smell of food. His stomach growled. It was time for breakfast, he thought.

He opened his eyes and found himself in the same beach as last night. There wasn't a lot of difference between its scenery at night and in the morning. It was still a gloomy looking beach, but at least there was no mist in the atmosphere. He took notice of the clouded sky, reminding him that the next country to cross was the Land of Sound. He kind of dreaded it, but the thought of getting closer to Sasuke and Sakura made him want to pack up all of his belongings and leave immediately.

But something caught his sight. Or rather, someone.

It was Hinata. She was sitting in the water, not moving. Her back was facing him, but Naruto realized that her legs were crossed, and her hands rested on her lap. She was meditating.

Naruto wasn't familiar with the Hyūga clan's methods, but it seemed like meditating was an important part of their every day life. Hinata looked so calm and composed, like she belonged in the water. It was like when he was meditating back at Mount Myoboku, training for his Sage mode. He'd forgotten how important it was to meditate in order to keep his Sage mode working.

Orange pigments appeared around Naruto's eyes, enhancing his ability to perceive natural chakra. He could feel everything around him, from the fish that swam in the ocean to the insects that crawled among the leaves. It was a new day, one where they would travel for much longer than yesterday. He needed to replenish his natural energy too.

Without saying a word –which was a total triumph–, he walked over the water until he reached Hinata's side. She had her Byakugan on, with her eyes closed. Just like he'd guessed, her hands rested over her lap in a meditating stance. She probably felt his presence, but didn't flinch as he took a seat beside her. Naruto felt the water swift back and forth beneath his crossed legs. He embraced the stability it gave to his chakra flow.

"We should do this more often," he commented, finding the connection they felt by meditating together.

Only that, once again, he failed at being a smooth talker.

Hinata had lost her concentration for a moment, and her legs sank in the water. She quickly regained her balance with her face just as red as a habanero. Naruto had to hide his feeling of regret at saying that comment, wishing to smack himself in the head for being so talkative.

Yep, he still had a lot to learn in life.

They're so cute together. Omfg, let me go fangirl in a corner.

So, you folks have a choice. Next chapter could be about Sakura, or a continuation of Naruto and Hinata's journey. They're both already written and I honestly cannot wait to show you what I have planned for both plots! There have been a lot of requests for more SasuSaku time and all I can say is that it will come with time. Don't worry, I'm not gonna move the plot at such a slow pace, but there are a lot of things that need to happen beforehand.

Whichever chapter gets more votes will be the next one. This is a democracy!

I hope I wasn't too OOC with them in here (if I was, TELL MEEEE). I tried adding some humour because Naruto is the king of being oblivious and spontaneous. A lot of you wanted to see his point of view on his feelings, and he's a liiiiiiittle too confused. The poor boy.

By the way, would you like weekly updates?

Anyway, have a lovely week, dear readers! It's amazing to talk to you through ffnet. I never expected to find so much love in the Naruto fandom.

Sincerely,

MSM