Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. If I did, I'd be rolling in cash.

Chapter 6: Dawn Of A Miserable Day

Hiruzen was many things, but blind wasn't one of them. Despite Naruto just being a baby, Hiruzen had already detected the hostility from the villagers regarding the boy. He placed an ANBU to guard Naruto and make sure no one tried anything.

The orphanage patrons were always stoic when handling Naruto, never paying him more attention than was absolutely necessary. Never touching him unless he needed to be changed, or fed, or cleaned. It made Hiruzen sick. For people to treat a baby, not even a month old, in that way.

It came as a suprise when the ANBU gaurd came to him and reported that someone new started taking care of his pseudo grandson. Someone who was not cold or distant. It'd been even more of a suprise when he'd been told that it was a girl no older than five. For a moment, he'd been angry. The patrons had left an infant in the hands of a child.

But his ANBU had reported that the girl was only kind with Naruto and handled him better than any of the caretakers.

Hiruzen had immediately fished out out all he could about her.

Suzuki Natsu was born in Konoha, as were her parents who had been both hardworking citizens. They had both been killed in the Kyuubi attack, and she'd been found in the wreckage of her house.

And now she was taking care of the Kyuubi jinchuriki. Life did love it's irony.

After the first report from the ANBU gaurd had come in, Hiruzen would often check in on Naruto with his crystal ball. He payed extra attention to Natsu, and how she was gentle when handling Naruto, how she often talked to him, sang to him, and read him books.

And as time went by, it was clear that Naruto was very taken with her. And then Natsu had joined the academy. He hadn't been all that suprised. By then, Hiruzen had known that Natsu was smart, bordering genius level. When an academy teacher had come to him and told him about her, he was half expecting it and had approved for her to be moved up.

He'd been very curious when she came in for their brief first meeting. He'd just seen how she had befriended Fugaku's stoic firstborn. Hiruzen had watched her carefully during their meeting, and by the end of it, he had been very pleased with her. She had seemed very determined to be a shinobi, and Hiruzen could admit to becoming fond of her

How good she seemed to be with Naruto was a big factor, he had to admit. She had even used the meager allowence orphans recieved to buy the boy a toy.

Even after graduating, she still pointedly made time to spend it with Naruto. After she had asked him for an apprenticeship, he had tasked Hayama with her and he was pleased by her improvement under the Jonin's care as he stated in his reports.

Now she stood in front of him with her sensei, waiting to receive her first C-Rank. Time sure went by fast.

0o0o0o0o1o0o0o0o0o

I stood next to Hayama-sensei in front of the mission desk, a little nervous about getting a C-rank. The Hokage was smiling pleasantly at me, which I returned.

"Your mission is to take this," a scroll was placed on the desk in front of us," and deliver it to one of the outposts." The Chunnin next to the Sandaime gave Hayama-sensei the proper coordinates and after bowing briefly, we left.

"Meet me at the gates in half an hour," Hayama-sensei said once we were outside. The mission was simple enough, and we were leaving so soon because information was incredibly important to deliver with haste. We weren't delivering something super top secret, it was a C-rank, but information was information and in this world, that was as good as gold.

"Hai!"

I bid him goodbye and hurried home to get my mission pack. Sensei had told me yesterday that we were going to be needing a mission lack today so I had packed two, a long term one and a short term one. We weren't going to be gone long, four days at most, so I grabbed the short term pack.

Itachi was out on a mission, he was due back tomorrow so I scribbled down a note and left it on the table just in case he came by looking for me. I had also left food to be heated up, which I had prepared last night and I left the instructions on the note. Seriously, Itachi needed to eat better, which is why I hoped he ate what I made him.

There was some separate food, and that was for Naruto. The orphanage tended to underfeed the poor baby and I was sure that if I wasn't around, he'd be malnourished. It made me want to destroy that stupid building, they had no right to treat him that way. But I pushed those thoughts out of my head and hurried over to said stupid building. I had a bit of time left, so I wanted to tell Naruto goodbye.

I ran quickly and reached the orphanage in almost no time at all. Making sure no one saw me, I scaled the wall and towards the window that I knew to be Naruto's room. He had his own because none of the other kids wanted to stay with him and none of the patrons would have allowed it even if any had wanted to.

I peered into the room through the window, and my eyes landed on Naruto, who was sitting dejectedly on his bed. I frowned. Had something happened? I wanted to find out, but I didn't really have any time. I plastered a smile on my face and knocked on the window, resolving to find out what was wrong as soon as I got back.

"Nee-chan!" His head had turned so fast, it was a wonder that he didn't give himself whiplash. The blond kid scrambled off of his bed and ran to window, throwing it open. As soon as it was open, I leapt in, landing nimbly on the floor. Almost immediately, I had an armful of excitable little boy.

"Easy there, Naruto," I said, chuckling. I pried the kid off of me, and he stepped back a bit, looking up at me with his cute blue eyes. "I have a mission today, so I'll be gone for a little while."

"A mission!?" I swear there were hearts in his eyes. I laughed at his enthusiasm. It was very cute. As expected, Naruto thought ninjas were the coolest thing,and the fact that his Nee-chan was one probably only made them cooler in his opinion. I hadn't heard him say that being Hokage was his dream yet, but I was sure it would happen soon.

I told him when I was supposed to be back but it was time for me to go. I gave him a hug, which he readily returned. Naruto was as big a cuddle bug as I was, though that could just be because he was a toddler still. I wasn't complaining.

Somewhat reluctantly, I pulled out of the hug. Naruto pouted but I ruffled his hair, grinning at his protest. It softened into a smile as I pulled my hand away from his head.

"Be good," I told him as I started to climb out the window. From it, I jumped to the next building's roof and started my way to the gate.

After my talk with Naruto, I met with Hayama-sensei at the front gates. I gave him a smile in greeting and firmly pushed my worries for Naruto out of my mind for now. I'd deal with it when I got back, and I wasn't going to be gone too long. Even if this was only a C-rank, it deserved my focus.

Hayama cracked a small smile when he saw my excitement.

"Excited to go out of the village?" He asked as we passed through the gates.

"Definitely," I told him. We immediately took to the tree branches. I knew sensei could run much faster than the pace we set, but he was slowing down for me. "It's my first time."

I was genuinely interested in this world, especially since all I'd known for the last few years was the village. Going out of that comfort zone felt surreal but in a good way.

Hayama-sensei and I ran for hours. I was sure he could have made it to the outpost in a day by himself, but by the time he called for a break, I was close to doubling over and hibernating for the rest of my life.

I focused on getting my breathing back to normal as I slumped against the base of a tree. Sensei seemed a bit amused, but he took pity on me and passed me some water. With a small muttered thanks, I drank gratefully.

I was glad for all that hard training I'd been doing. Otherwise, I never would have kept up like I did. Sure my hand-to-hand was shabby, but Sensei was quickly fixing that, and my stamina was pretty good.

We rested for a good hour before continuing on our way. Sensei told me he was somewhat impressed by my persistence. At the pace we were going, we'd reach the outpost in two days instead of three. It made me happy, hearing his praise. My legs were probably going to be sore by the time we made it, and while the thought made me want to groan, I hardened my will and told myself to just think of this as more training.

0o0o0o0o2o0o0o0o0o

Much of the mission went the same. We ran, rested for a small amount of time, then off we were again. I had asked Sensei about it, and he had said that encountering enemies would not be very likely.

"However the risk of that will increase the closer we are to our destination," he had said.

It had made me a bit anxious, as much sense as his words had made. If there were enemy ninja around with orders to intercept information, they'd try to ambush us before we were too close to the outpost, but also not too far away so as to make sure that reinforcements couldn't come from our front or back.

We didn't really talk as we ran, him because there wasn't anything to discuss, and me because most of my concentration went into not slipping and accidentally crashing myself against a tree.

That was my mistake.

I inhaled sharply as a weight pressed against me, and I blinked, suddenly realizing I was lying on the forest floor, with Sensei above me, and his hand on my head. My eyes followed his line of sight and I saw a kunai imbedded in the tree I had been about to jump to.

My heart accelerated. I hadn't even seen that! Sensei's eyes were searching the area and he pulled back his hand, so I sat up, tense and with my guard up.

"Sensei?" I questioned quietly. I made sure to keep my voice incredibly low, but I was sure he heard me.

"Three enemies," he relayed to me in an equally soft voice. "All Chunnin."

I resisted the urge to gulp. I was almost hit by that kunai. I could have died without Sensei's interference and so easily too. I don't know how I managed to keep my voice steady when I spoke to Sensei, because on the inside I was shaken. I had told myself that I was prepared to face the dangers of a Shinobi life, but I had been an idiot. The real thing was something very different.

That kunai had driven that statement home.

"I will draw them away. Remain hidden."

And with those parting words, Sensei was gone in a blur, sword drawn.

I love cliffhangers, guys.

But don't worry, the next chapter is halfway done anyways, so there won't such a long wait as for this one. Poor Natsu's nerves are a wreck right now. Can't blame the girl though.

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