(Welcome back friends. Hope you're excited for another installment. Enjoy away.)

One afternoon, Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke were jumping from tree branch to tree branch through a forest with Naruto in front.

"Come on, guys. Can't be too much farther." Naruto began.

"This mission to take out a mob of thieves that've been looting from a nearby town. Shouldn't be too hard." Sasuke admitted.

"Especially for the Avatar, an Earthbender, and an Uchiha." Naruto smirked.

"Doesn't it feel kind of weird with us on a mission without sensei?" Sakura asked her teammates.

"It kinda does." Naruto admitted.

"But it can't be helped," Sasuke replied, "Ever since the invasion we've been low on man power. That's why our current shinobi are working overtime, and why some of us younger shinobi are taking up more high ranking missions."

"Don't worry about it," Naruto spoke up, "Now that I'm Chunin, I'm trusted enough to lead you guys out on missions. But just because I'm a Chunin I don't consider myself any better than you guys as a shinobi. Well, unless you count the whole Avatar thing."

Sasuke looked ahead and spoke, "Wait!" they stopped, as Sakura spoke.

"Do you see something?"

"Yeah, look at that." Sasuke answered.

The other two looked and saw a group of thieves carrying loads of stolen goods, "There's our targets." Naruto whispered, as the three hid in the tree.

"If we follow them they'll lead us back to their hideout." Sakura whispered.

"Right." Sasuke confirmed.

"So let's shadow them from a distance." Naruto ordered, as they followed the bandits while making sure to not give away their location.

They followed the bandits trail all the way to a cave which one used earth jutsu to plug up the opening. The three went up to it, as Sasuke spoke, "Great. We need to find a way to get inside."

"Why not use your Chidori, Sasuke?" Sakura asked.

Naruto replied, "Too dangerous, if we blow a hole in and they hear it they'll try to escape."

"Exactly," Sasuke confirmed, "This calls for a sneak attack. They won't know what's coming."

"And how?" Sakura inquired.

"By going below." Naruto answered, as he motioned to the ground.

Sakura looking at the ground caught on, and smiled, "Perfect."

Naruto nodded, as he and Sakura stood on opposite ends and used Earthbending to open a hole in the ground and created a tunnel.

"Come on." Naruto said, as he jumped into the hole followed by Sasuke and Sakura.

Inside the cave a small hole opened up, and Squad Seven crawled up from it and hid behind a pile of stolen goods. They peeked out from around it seeing the whole bandit gang. They were kicking back and laughing like idiots while gorging on food and sipping sake from the bottle.

"Here's to another successful loot, boys." The lead began, as he raised a bottle.

"Here-here!" they agreed and raised their own bottles or saucers.

Squad seven frowned at the bandits, as Sakura spoke, "Look at them, they're disgusting slobs."

"What's the plan?" Sasuke asked.

"You know, punch, kick, slam." Naruto answered.

"Simple enough." Sasuke smirked.

"But first, let's get their attention." Naruto grinned.

As the thieves were having their laugh, they were suddenly met with a huge gust of wind, "What's going on?!" one cried, as he held onto something.

"It's a twister!" another screamed.

"No, it's a kid!" the lead called, as they saw Naruto standing before them with Sakura and Sasuke at his side.

"Sorry to barge in." Sasuke began.

One of the crooks noticed their headbands, "Konoha shinobi?"

"How did you get in here?" another wondered.

"We tunneled in from below." Naruto answered.

"You're going to return all these stolen goods and turn yourselves in!" Sakura ordered.

The criminals laughed at her claim, "You three little brats think you can take us on?" the lead asked.

"We don't think. We know." Sasuke answered, as he activated his Sharingan.

"Take 'em!" Naruto called, as the three split up.

Sasuke was dodging all the attacks the bandits threw at him, and retaliated with his own Taijutsu skill. He then formed hand signs and used his phoenix flower jutsu against some more, while the fire balls had shuriken inside them and nailed the few thieves.

Sasuke smirked, until he heard another come up behind him, "You're dead!"

The Uchiha spun around and delivered an upward kick to the man's jaw sending him up into the air. Sasuke followed up with the Leaf Shadow Dance, before finishing with his Lion's barrage move.

Sakura was dodging the attacks of some of the criminals before smirking, "You messed with me on the one terrain where I have the advantage. And that's earth." She stomped on the earth causing boulders to rise up from the ground and hurled them at the bandits that tried to attack her.

When two more tried to attack her, she bended two earth pillars from the ground that gave the two uppercuts at their jaws. Sakura smiled and playfully stuck her tongue out at them.

Naruto was propelling himself around the hideout using airbending, "Hold still, brat!" one of the goons ordered, as he tried to strike him with a sword.

"How can I hold still when I'm on fire!" Naruto called, before firebending fireballs onto the goons.

"Boss!" one called to the leader, "These aren't ordinary children! They're devils!"

"Actually, we're just better than you." Naruto replied, as he summoned a dozen shadow clones that proceeded to beat the living shit out of the remaining thieves.

Naruto and Sasuke piled all the thieves on top of each other, before Sakura used earthbending to trap them all in a big stone cage.

"There. That'll hold them." Sakura said.

"Well, that takes care of this." Naruto noted.

"We just got to turn these crooks over to the authorities and have all these goods returned to the people in town." Sasuke added.

"Simple as that." Naruto stretched his arms up.

"So any plans for when we get back to the village?" Sakura asked the boys.

"Probably just go and train a bit more," Sasuke answered, "I want to see how far I can expand upon the Chidori."

"And you, Naruto?" Sakura inquired.

"Actually, I got a date with Hinata tonight."

"Oh, a date?"

"Yeah. Hinata also said she wanted to show me something as well."

"What?" Sasuke asked.

"I don't know. But I will tonight." Naruto replied, wondering what to be in for.

After all was taken care of, squad seven returned to Konoha to collect their, pay and when nighttime came, Naruto went off on his date.

Later on, Naruto and Hinata were walking through Konoha's forest area enjoying the beautiful night sky. They walked close together, as Hinata spoke, "It's lovely at night, isn't it, Naruto?"

"Sure is, and a walk on a beautiful night after dinner is the perfect touch." Naruto smiled.

They walked some more, until they happened upon a pond, "Well, Naruto this is it."

"What is?" he asked curiously.

"This is where I wanted to show you my little secret." Hinata said, as she stepped out of her footwear and walked on top of the water in bare feet.

Naruto watched with curiosity, as Hinata began spinning around and dancing on top of the water like she was performing ballet. What shocked him the most was the way the water from the pond was moving with her. It encircled her as she danced as if she was moving the water with her.

Naruto's eyes were wide and in shock at what she was doing, "No way!" he gasped. Hinata finished and the water fell back into the pond. The Hyuga walked back onto the shore and smiled seeing Naruto appeared speechless.

"Hinata, are you?"

"Yes, Naruto. I am a Waterbender."

"Wha-how, when did you?"

"While you and Jiraiya-sama were out looking for Tsunade-sama, I decided to spend the time training. One day I was out here training on the water perfecting my family's art. But as I was concentrating I realized I was moving the water with my movements. Upon realizing I could bend water like you I knew this had to involve something in my genetics. So I went to talk to my father about this."

"And what did you find out?" Naruto wondered.

"Well, as it turns out my mother came from a line of Waterbenders that originated from the South Pole. Some of her family even knew Chief Sokka and Master Katara. Some even knew Korra and her family."

"Wow. That is amazing." Naruto said in awe.

"I know. And since then father's shows me some of my mother's waterbending scrolls to help me improve on this ability."

Naruto smiled, "With your family bloodline and waterbending, you'll definitely become a stronger shinobi than you already are."

"You think so?"

"I know so. And I'll even help you with that. I'll even call in Ming to assist me."

Hinata smiled, "Thank you, Naruto. I'm truly lucky to have you for a friend."

"I feel the same way." he replied.

Naruto was suddenly taken aback, as Hinata threw her arms around Naruto and planted a wet one right onto his lips. When they parted, Naruto was surprised and yet enjoyed it.

Hinata looked at Naruto with her big beautiful eyes, "I love you, Naruto. More than anything."

Naruto smiled in response, "Well, I love you too, Hinata." he held her close, as Hinata held him close as well.

The two danced a little as fireflies turned their lights on and lit up the forest area surrounding the two young shinobi/benders.

(And there you have it. After a simple mission, Naruto finds out Hinata like Sakura is special. Don't miss next time, my friends.)