CHAPTER RATING: T
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Episode 12: A Vision Come True
The newly formed Team 7 arrived at Konoha's main gate. Hinata and Sakura led the way as Kakashi dragged a still sluggish and exhausted Naruto by his side. Behind the team was a massive caravan, consisting of architects, security forces, and artisans, looking to sell their exotic wares in a distant nation.
"Okay, we're here. The first thing we should probably do is report to Hokage-sama." Kakashi insisted. "We'll head that way, and then, we'll have our long awaited break to look forward to." Kakashi said with a smile. "You've all earned it."
They walked towards the Hokage's office, and opened the door to be greeted by Tsunade herself.
"How did the mission go?" Tsunade asked bluntly.
"Ugh, well. We had a few issues along the way, but everything turned out alright in the end. Isn't that right, everyone?" Kakashi asked aloud. The three members of Team 7 nodded simultaneously.
"Nothing unusual happened?" Tsunade insisted. The team offered her mixed responses with their facial expressions.
"Well…not exactly." Naruto interjected. Tsunade nodded, as if she knew something had to have gone wrong.
"What happened?" she asked again.
"Well, To start off…" Naruto replied. "Something…" he spoke as if he didn't know what it was. "Something…caused me to collapse, and then I found myself before the Mizukage."
He glanced over at Hinata. Looking at her, he silently mouthed:
Do you forgive me?
Hinata looked at him with a smile and nodded slightly. Naruto took a deep breath and continued:
"…I found myself before the Mizukage…and she offered to me one condition."
"What was that?"
"I…I had to spend a night with her." Naruto gulped. Tsunade's eyes twitched with these turn of events.
"She WHAT?! That slut!" She shouted while pounding her desk into the ground.
"T-That's how it went." Naruto finished
"And…?" Tsunade questioned again
"And…I didn't do it…I couldn't bring myself to do it." He said while smiling at Hinata again.
"And then what happened? If that was the one condition, and you didn't do it, how did you complete the mission?" Tsunade asked again.
"We determined the treaty with a battle." Hinata silently spoke up. "I battled The Mizukage's personal bodyguard, a man named Ao, and defeated him." Tsunade smiled at the news.
"That is something that is quite impressive. Your family should be proud." She complimented Hinata. "Is that how it was settled?"
"Not exactly." Sakura answered back. "The Mizukage decided that the one factor that determined her stance on the treaty was the fact that our team was so loyal to one another." She looked over at Naruto. "Naruto's reluctance to give-in to her demands was one of the dominant factors that determined her judgement on the treaty."
"She said that if the entire Land of Fire can raise peoples' spirits to be as loyal as this shinobi who stands before you, she would gladly help us rebuild our village." Kakashi added with a smile.
"Good. I'm very proud of you all, you've done Konoha a great service. Congratulations, here's your pay."
She handed each of them a stack of paper bills, gently wrapped in another sleeve of paper.
"Enjoy your time off." They bowed to her and turned to exit the building.
"Wait, Sakura!" Tsunade called out. "I need to speak with you, stay here." Sakura nodded and stepped into the office as the rest of the team exited the building.
…
"Well…Enjoy yourselves." Kakashi said to Naruto and Hinata as he strolled calmly into Konoha's busy streets, leaving the two alone, together.
"So…Hinata." Naruto said nervously. "How do you feel about…a date? It's on me." He asked with a shivering voice.
"I'd love to, Naruto-kun. But I have to report to my father. Maybe another time." Hinata replied with a smile.
"Alright, I'll save it for another day." Naruto replied with a soft expression. "I'll see you around."
He walked home, his mind still filled with the unbelievable turn of events that had occurred within the last few weeks. His mind wandered over all of the strange occurrences.
That old lady was ridiculous! I can't believe she'd offer that up to me, trying to back me into a corner like that!...I-I wouldn't have done that, would I?
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A/N: No, Naruto, thanks to the awesome audience that reads this, you'd never do that. I love you guys!(and girls!)
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He walked home, fell on his bed, and closed his eyes.
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"Hinata-sama!" Neji cried out as he saw her walking towards the Hyuuga residence. Hinata waved as she saw Neji walking up towards her. "You've returned? How was your mission?" he kindly asked.
"It went fine. Nothing that our new team couldn't handle." She answered back with what seemed like an uncommon air of confidence. "Where is my father?"
"He's in here." Neji explained while motioning with his hands.
"Thank you, Neji-niisan. I'd like to speak with him in private please."
Neji bowed and stepped away as Hinata walked up to the door and slid it open.
"Hinata, you've returned." Hiashi said in a low, almost uncaring tone.
"Y-Yes, Father. I'm back, and I have some news for you."
"What is it?"
"When I arrived in the Land of Water, I was challenged by a man named Ao."
"Ao? One of the Mizukage's own personal guards?"
"Yes."
"And? How did you do? I assume that you defeated him?"
"Yes, I did, Father."
Hiashi stood and slowly walked his way towards Hinata, who began to shiver with anxiety as he approached.
She was surprised to feel his arms wrap around her, and his chest against her head.
"Well done, my daughter." His voice cracked with every syllable. "You have done something great. I am sorry that I had ever doubted you."
He pulled Hinata closer and embraced her tighter.
"Can you ever forgive me for being so hard on you all these years?" He gently asked her.
"Father, I just wanted you to accept me all this time." She said quietly
"I was wrong in my beliefs that you were weak." He said as he began to pull away from her. Hiashi bent down, placed his hands on Hinata's shoulders and looked into her diamond eyes with his own.
"You have proven me wrong, and that has made me the proudest father to have ever existed. You are a blessing to this family, a blessing to me."
Hinata's eyes began to tear up as she heard her father's words. She wrapped her arms around him and returned his embrace.
"I'm sorry if I've never had the courage to tell you this, but I love you, Hinata. And I always will."
"I love you too, Father."
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A/N: Please, leave out any incest comments; you know I don't mean it that way. Thanks. Stay classy.
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Naruto awoke in the middle of the night to a knock on his door.
Who could that be? This late at night?
He rose from his bed, turned on the light, and opened the door. The light around the figure that stood in front of him was blinding as his night vision began to recede, and his eyes began to refocus.
He was surprised at what he saw when his eyes came into focus.
"S-Sakura-chan? What are you doing here?" He blankly asked.
"N-Naruto, do you have a few minutes? I need to talk to you about something." Naruto shook his head and rubbed his eyes.
"Y-Yeah, sure! Come in." he insisted while turning and leading her over to his couch.
He sat down, resting his elbows on his knees and leaned on them. Sakura sat down next to him, he turned his head to give her his undivided attention.
"So, what is it?" Naruto asked.
Sakura moved closer to him.
"Naruto…I know this is going to be weird. But we've been through a lot together, we have a lot of history between us."
Naruto nodded.
"I regret having you make that promise to me. I really want to apologize for what I did to you…I'm sorry, can you forgive me?"
She moved closer to him as he moved back.
"D-Don't worry about it, Sakura-chan. It's okay."
"There's one more thing, Naruto."
"What's that?" he asked nervously.
"It's been a long, nine years…I've lied to you all this time…Please forgive me for everything that I've done to deceive you."
"…But I mean it this time…"
"…I…I love you."
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Thanks for reading!