The Hidden Heart of the Nausicaa Forest
This is a 2017 version of the original 2006 version. Grammar has been improved and corrected as best could. I would be completing this story after a decade hiatus.
I do not own Naruto. This is a complete work of fiction. Enjoy.
Chapter 3 – Reminiscence
Naruto sighed. He glanced around the campsite. Ino was busy building the campfire, Sakura was reading a scroll that provided some detail on the forest, Hinata was unpacking the essentials, Neji and Rock Lee had gone to check the perimeter while Sasuke was assigned for post.
Naruto opened his bag and took out one of the instant Ramen in a cup.
"Hey, does anyone have a bottle of water on them?" Hinata heard the blonde boy and was quick to respond.
" I still have some water left if you want some" She swiftly found the bottle of water and turned to give it to Naruto. Unfortunately for her, he hadn't heard.
Since he thought no one had answered, the Kyuubi boy stood up to leave.
"Anyone? Oh well, I guess I'll look for a pond or something" Naruto left the campsite.
Hinata sighed with disappointment. I almost did it. If only I had been a bit louder.
Neji and Rock Lee had returned. Ino stole a quick glance at Neji. She didn't know why she had suddenly reminiscing the past between them.
Nobody knew, Ino wanted to keep it that way.
"Okay, we need to come up with a concrete strategy and…" Sakura looked up from the scroll to see that Naruto was missing. She didn't even acknowledge the boy when he left to get water.
"Hey, Where's Naruto?" Everyone eyed one another. "He went into the forest to search for water." Everyone turned to the Hyuuga girl. She offered them a nervous smile.
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Where's a stupid pond when you need it.Naruto put his hands behind his head, while he searched for any source of water. Wow, these trees are the biggest trees I had ever seen. It's even bigger than the ones in the Forest of Death. I can't even see the sky.
Naruto wasn't paying attention to where he was going. Eventually he walked into something. " Ow, what the..." Naruto directed his gaze to what he had crashed into.
Unfortunately, It wasn't what he expected. What lay before him has a huge blue-ish shell.
He gaped in awe not wanting to look away. " What in the world is that?"
"Naruto! You idiot! What do you think you're..." Sakura stopped as soon as she saw the shell.
Her jaws drop in amazement. Everyone else joined her and Naruto.
" What do you think it is, exactly?" Rock Lee asked.
"I don't know but I read something about these colossal shells left behind from giant demons. They discard their shell in the outer parts of the forest, closer to the forest's edge. That's why we've run into them. The demons are known to lie deeper into the forest, though."
Sakura touched the shell examining it. Naruto shivered after hearing what Sakura said. But he masked it instead of showing his fears.
"Well, I don't know about you guys but I'm definitely not afraid of any demon! I can take on any demon no matter what size or shape!" Everyone sweat dropped, not believing a single word.
"You hear that demons! Naruto Uzumaki is here and I'm not leaving without a fight! Believe it!"
"Oh, I believe you alright," said Ino.
Sasuke glared at Naruto's back and shook his head. That Naruto is going to get us killed. Believe it.
"We should rest," Rock Lee briefly told them after they got back. "If they are such demons, then we should rest up. We are going to have a hard time from this point on."
Everyone finished their meals and headed to sleep. Ino, however, couldn't sleep. An hour had passed as she laid awake. She tried to peer through the dim light of the campfire. She sighed with defeat and closed her eyes.
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-flashback-
Ino sat next to a lake, a waterfall connected it to a small river up ahead. It was night time and many fireflies hovered around the waterfall.
She dipped her hands in the water and scooped it up. She stared into her reflection until a voice startled her. The water dropped from her hands.
"Isn't late to be out all by yourself?" Ino her quickly turned her head to see it was Neji.
He sat next to her. Both watched the fireflies dance around over the pond to the waterfall.
"Isn't it beautiful?" Neji gazed at her.
"Yes, you are." He smiled and she let out a giggle.
"I didn't know an ice statue could say such sweet things." Neji frowned.
"Are you comparing me to an ice statue?"
"No. I'm saying you are one." She stood up and pulled Neji with her.
"That is...until I came along." Neji smiled and wrapped his arm around her waist.
Their foreheads touched for a while and then they kissed. They broke the kiss and gazed into each other's eyes. Blue, White. Ino then slowly put her head on Neji's chest while he stroked her blonde hair.
Suddenly, without warning, Ino grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the waterfall.
This confused him but he followed along. It was then that he realized there was cave behind it.
" What-" She put a finger on his lips. " Shhh, don't say another word." She gave him an innocent smile.
