Author Notes

To clarify from last chapter, I'm making Gaara an Uzumaki in this story. I hope you guys don't think it's too much of a reach since he has red hair, I thought it's a nice and unique direction of the story. Oh and remember there's two Naruto, one is a blood clone in the village and the other one is free traversing the nations keep that in mind. This chapter is a set up for next so enjoy!

Chapter 5 : New Beginnings

Catacombs

Deep within the secret chambers of Root bases, Danzo sat alone thinking about previous events. He felt, things were moving into the right direction, at least for him. With that old fool finally dead he can rise up as Konoha's savior.

For Village in the short term however, at this rate, it was a trajectory leading toward their fall. And the blame was solely on Hiruzen's hands. The naïve fool was truly no longer fit to be Hokage. He should have retired long ago. But he still held on. Danzo couldn't tolerate anymore of Hiruzen's teachings infesting the village to core. Hopefully with him gone leaves from the great tree bloom stronger.

When Itachi appeared in the office, Danzo wasn't even the least surprised. He had figured the man would meet him after such events. What if it was a trap? He scoffs but of course, if it was he had measures for anything. Though he wasn't going to show hostility.

"Itachi what brings you here, I can assure you that my end of the deal is being kept…" Danzo said, leaning against the chair. He soon realized he's a mere clone.

"Danzo... it seems you have been busy"

"Someone had to become comfortable to make the proper steps to steer the village into the right path. We've been placed in a hole and I am trying to get us out."

"Are you sure you had nothing to with it?" Itachi interrogated stoically

Danzo narrowed his eyes. "Are you accusing me of something?"

"Am I? I'm sure I merely asked a question." Itachi replied with no emotion. "You would do anything to get power. Even if it meant working with Orochimaru..."

Danzo just stayed quiet not confirming nor denying anything.

Itachi shook his head, he didn't want to think about the flames of war Danzo fanning. He was angry about it, but he could only sit in there and try to put them out as quickly as he could before they became raging wildfires.

"You've done well to make enemies but I have come to discuss something different. It involves the Nine Tails Host"

The room became tensed as Danzo gripped the table. "Speak, explain yourself"

"I have Intel that the boy may be in leagues with Orochimaru, but there's no concrete evidence, I need you to keep a eye on him so I can stir the Akatsuki away from the Village. Do your job." Itachi said, disappearing in a murder of crows.

The man sat in silence, Danzo was seething. This is Hiruzen fault. It was truly difficult that to imagine that they were trained by the same man. Tobirama was not this weak minded and naïve.

He looked at the ceiling and broke the silence.

"At first the old fool was allowing his guilt to get the better of him. The Nine Tails belongs to Konoha, to let things continue as it is simply because it is hosted by Minato's child is naïve," Danzo said in a flat tone.

He continues, "I will take action. He's made many mistakes in his tenure but no more, I will send a message to the Feudal Lord to prepare for war against the Sound. We cannot permit his existence anymore.. and Naruto will stay loyal to the leaf willingly or not!" He said firmly.

He stood up and walked away disappearing in the darkness

Village Hidden in Stone

Onoki, the Third Tsuchikage of the Hidden Stone Village, was known for his stern demeanor and unwavering commitment to his village. He had a personal Anbu guard who were his eyes and ears, and one fateful day, they delivered news that shook him to his core. Iwagakure's safety was always more important than even his legs or eyes. If he had to give them away to protect his village, Onoki wouldn't blink, even if he had to savor the moment, it would be the last time he blinks.

His Anbu operative approached him in the dimly lit chamber of the Tsuchikage's office. The look on the operative's face revealed the gravity of the situation. "Tsuchikage-sama, we have a situation," they began, their voice low and urgent.

Onoki, his aged eyes narrowed, demanded, "What is it? Speak."

The Anbu operative cleared their throat, "One of your Chūnin team members has gone missing, Tsuchikage-sama. We've traced a trail leading to the Wave Country."

Onoki's eyes flared with anger, and his fists clenched. "What? Missing? Incompetence!" He muttered to himself, and the tremor in his voice was unmistakable.

The Third Tsuchikage had led many shinobi throughout his life, and he held a deep sense of responsibility for their well-being. The thought of one of his own vanishing was a blow to his pride and his dedication to the village.

In an uncharacteristic display of frustration, he slammed his hand on the table. "Prepare a team immediately! I want answers, and I want them now. Send Joūnin Han, and the fastest we have to investigate. This matter will not go unanswered."

The Anbu operative nodded, understanding the urgency. Onoki's anger was palpable, and his resolve unshakable. The missing Chūnin had inadvertently awakened the ire of the Third Tsuchikage, and the hidden mysteries in the Wave Country were about to be uncovered by the unyielding might of the Hidden Stone Village.

Village Hidden in Leaves

In the aftermath of the Third Hokage's tragic death during the Chunin Exams at the hands of Orochimaru, the Hidden Leaf Village found itself in a state of mourning and uncertainty. The council had convened to discuss the succession of the Hokage position, and the potential candidates, Jiraiya and Tsunade, were at the forefront of their deliberations. However, an additional concern had arisen, casting a shadow of suspicion over the proceedings.

The council chamber was somber, and the members gathered around a large wooden table. Jiraiya sat at one end, his solemn expression reflecting the gravity of the situation. He spoke, "I appreciate your consideration, but I believe that Tsunade would be a better choice for the next Hokage."

The council members exchanged puzzled glances. One of them, Homura Mitokado, spoke up, "Jiraiya, you have the experience and strength to lead the village. Why are you declining the position?"

Jiraiya's eyes held a mixture of sorrow and determination as he replied, "It's not about my abilities. Tsunade is a medical ninja of unparalleled skill, and her healing abilities can save countless lives. With the village still reeling from Orochimaru's attack, her expertise is invaluable."

Koharu Utatane, another council member, chimed in, "But she has been absent for years, Jiraiya. Are you sure she would even accept the role?"

Jiraiya nodded, "I've spoken to her, and she's willing to come back. She's changed, and her love for this village remains as strong as ever. She may not be the traditional choice, but she's the one who can truly heal our wounds, both physical and emotional."

Danzo Shimura, a senior council member, remained stoic. "Despite her gambling habits and not knowing if we can trust her with the village's finances. Let's steer this conversation to something more problematic."

Jiraiya's tone turned more resolute. "Tsunade has overcome her vices. I have faith in her, and I believe you should too." He then look towards the old War Hawk, "And what that might be, Danzo?" He slightly, narrowed his eyes this man is known for his treachery, honestly he doesn't know why his sensei didn't put a leash on this dog.

Danzo eyes sharpened as he stared into the Toad Sage eyes, "I've received reports about Naruto's behavior during the Chunin Exams. Apparently, he has been seen having a conversation with Orochimaru. Even his teammates were concerned with his abnormal behavior. These reports are deeply concerning. We can't ignore the possibility that Naruto may be swayed by Orochimaru's influence."

Jiraiya nodded then sighed tiredly. "Ever since he was sealed in Wave, I was always afraid this might come back to haunt us. Danzo, what do you suggest?"

Danzo's single eye focused intently on Jiraiya. "I believe we should appoint Tsunade as the Fifth Hokage. She's known for her strong will and could provide the guidance Naruto needs. Especially since Kakashi is missing both an eye and arm. But we should also keep a close surveillance on him. I've already dispatched agents to observe his actions." Even though he wanted supreme rule, he realized that keeping the Nine Tailed Fox loyal to the leaf takes precedence.

Jiraiya considered this proposal, recognizing the wisdom in it. "Very well. I agree with your assessment. Tsunade is an excellent choice for Hokage, and I'll make sure to keep a close eye on Naruto."

The council members, now feeling more assured that Naruto's actions were being monitored, agreed to appoint Tsunade as the Fifth Hokage. With this decision, they hoped ensure the village's safety and stability during these tumultuous times..

With Naruto

Getting through the thick of the woods was the only hard part of the journey Naruto had to endure. When the pair finally hit the road, it was pretty much smooth sailing from there, with the brilliant blue sky, the bright sun, and clean white clouds drifting overhead, set the perfect backdrop for a long and arduous journey. The sights and smells were simply a calming joy.

It was a sign, which told Naruto that he would make it on this journey, and that trouble was far behind him.

Still, it could have been worse.

At least he had company, in the form of a former enemy.

A former enemy who; if she cursed anymore then she already was, a swear-word would occupy almost every second word or syllable. Furthermore, unlike any of his other friends, she was someone who had a very confronting personality, and yet, could also be kind and friendly when the situation was appropriate.

It was a 'comforting' fact.

But now that both of them no longer rallied to a flag or symbol, they really had no reason to quarrel or start tearing at each others' throats. Instead, they settled for the silence that hung in the air, and enjoyed each other's company, rather then loath it.

During the period in which they met each other as enemies, there was that sense of opposition and unrelenting killing intent directed towards the other. However, when all those factors were removed, they surprisingly got along.

With Naruto no longer thirsty for blood and Tayuya no longer answering to a cold, soulless master, they could act and speak their minds freely, as well as shake off the chains of restraint to their character. This sense of freedom made them feel as though tons of weight have been lifted off of their shoulders. It was fantastic.

As Naruto walked along a winding road, with lush green valleys and forests illuminating their path on both sides, the red head couldn't help but stare curiously up at the boy, as he blindly followed the track leading them to the East.

Although she hated taking kindness from strangers, in this rare case, she was willing to accept it for once. To her, this boy didn't seem to have any bad intentions, nor was he a hard-ass guy to begin with. At first, when she met him in battle, he was a scary, strong , murderous bastard. But now that they were no longer clashing kunai, when she took her time to look him over, he seemed like an incredibly descent, quiet and cool guy.

However, she didn't show this outwardly.

She just looked up at him as he carried her, a constant, emotionless expression drawn on his face, a face filled with focus and thought. He seemed more aloof then usual, close to exhausted, yet managed to keep his strength and attention to the road ahead. This fact revealed itself when he detected a pair of eyes on him, and glanced down at her.

"What?"

"Nothing," Tayuya quickly looked away, trying to look uninterested in what she saw in him. However, instead of letting it lie, he persisted with his question.

"You were staring at me. What? Is it something on my face?" he asked, shifting his head around a bit and wiggling his nose, trying to find out what was bothering the girl. "Is it my whiskers?"

"N-No…" The red head looked back up at him, blinking when she did.

Okay, now that he mentioned it, she was a tad bit curious about the whiskers.

"I mean… it's kind of strange. What normal person has fucking whiskers on their face?"

He chuckled lightly, "I don't know," Naruto murmured, looking back up towards the road, watching out so he didn't trip over anything as he strolled along with his added baggage in his arms. "I've always had them. Maybe I was born with them…"

"Are they real?" She backed up this question by lifting her hand up to try and grab them. As it turned out, they were imprinted into his face, and she traced along them with her fingertips. This earned a heavy sigh and a light groan from the boy, who shifted away from her sharply in an uncomfortable way.

"Oh… s-sorry…"

"No, no… it's fine," Naruto replied, looking back at her with his unchanging expression. "It's just… I don't like people touching them. W-Well… not unless I want them to…"

"O-Okay," Tayuya looked away again, lowering her hand back down to rest on her stomach.

A minute of awkward silence dawned since the 'whiskers' incident. The only thing that occurred between then and the next conversation was a couple of chirping birds that flew by, followed by a wandering butterfly. When the occasional sighting of natural fauna managed to cover up the previous subject, Tayuya spoke up again.

"Who the hell are you, anyway?" the red head asked, looking up at him. "You're too fucking nice to be a shinobi… and though compared to what I know you're capable of, it's like night and day."

"I'm just someone trying to find his way through the chaotic world, trying not to get lost on the road of life," Naruto replied, a small, smile etching onto his lips when he said that. In the Leaf Village a certain silver hair Jounin sneezed. Naruto chuckled once again, "My old sensei used to always say that, he always use to called me Konoha's loudest, most unpredictable, knuckleheaded ninja the village ever had…"

Tayuya snorted. "Unpredictable is a fucking understatement"

"No shit," Naruto smirked back.

His smile eventually fell, yet left Tayuya with a whole bunch of other questions.

"What did your friends think of you?"

"Hmm. Well, on a lot of occasions, they openly and quite frequently said that I was annoying. Shikamaru said hanging around me was a real drag," Naruto attempted to imitate his friend's voice, but failed miserably. Still, he got a smile from the red head. "I guess the only people who genuinely enjoyed my company were Choji, Shikamaru… surprisingly enough, and Sasuke." He then softly looked up towards the heavens.

"I even looked at him as a brother at some point." He said softly. Noticing the red head was staring he continued,

"Looking back a bit more, a girl named Hinata was also happy to have me around, and supported me during the Chunin Exams. But she was very shy for some odd reason… kind of weird."

"How weird?"

"I don't know just… weird," Naruto tried to explain. "She was very pleasant, quiet… and she always turned bright red in the face whenever I walked passed or stood near her."

"Oh…"

"What?" He rose a single eyebrow

"No nothing. It's just… Anyway… umm… You sure know some interesting characters?" Tayuya mused. "Useless bums, arrogant pricks and alike…"

"If you're putting it that way, yeah," Naruto replied, shrugging.

"Don't take my words the wrong way. Really. Because my teammates were no different," Tayuya stated, earning a curious glance from the blonde.

"What were they like?" Naruto asked. "Your companions. Those other four weirdoes…"

"Well, for starters, Kimimaro was the biggest tool of all time," the red head informed, a-matter-of-factly. "Though, I did hear from several sources around Otogakure several months ago that he was a pretty good kid when he was younger. Back then, he was very outspoken, quiet and kind… before he became all cold and unwelcoming."

"Sakon was stronger then me, and had a bit of a nasty streak. Actually, he wasn't just a person; he was two people in one; Sakon and Ukon. Those brothers had this strange ability that allowed them to fuse with other people, which was why Orochi-Bitch desired them so much. Not to mention they were physically powerful to boot and extremely compatible in combat," Tayuya explained, earning a nod from Naruto as he listened on. "He was a strange fellow, a lot like my old boss with the tongue-licking, the sadistic personality and the cross-dressing."

"What about that freak with the arms," Naruto visibly scoffed at the memory.

"shit," Tayuya chuckled. "Kidomaru; he was a snide fuck, incredibly smart… smarter then me, and despite his strengths and weaknesses, he didn't have a shred of human decency or morality whatsoever. Of course, whenever his little quirks took him one step too far, I was always there to whoop his ass whenever he got ahead of himself." She sounded pretty proud by this statement, and grinned up at the blonde. "Man… that was tons of fun."

Naruto smirk arrogantly, "Just goes to show how awesome I am. Even when that snake gave me that seal I still got up kicking ass."

"Shit, yeah you're one piece of work," Tayuya grinned, thoroughly amused at the conversation they were sharing. "No matter how many times somebody knocks you down, whether it is from physical punishment or fucking verbal abuse; you just get back up."

"I've had years of practice," Naruto replied, his smile faltering somewhat. "A lot… of practice…"

"Really?"

"I'd rather not get too into it," the blonde replied, and found that he meant it. However, this did not deter him from further chat. Wanting the friendly dialogue to continue, he decided to act on one of the questions he had stored, and with a curious expression in play, let it fly. "What about you, ff you don't mind me asking? Why with all the swearing?"

"It's my way of coping with the fucking world," Tayuya stated, looking away with a furrowed brow, taking some irk from his question. "A lot of things can really piss you off. There's no such thing as a clean-mouthed shinobi, after all."

"Yeah but you…" Naruto gestured down at her with a raised eyebrow. "You take swearing to a whole new level. Even when you're happy and nothing is bugging you, you just have to cop one of the forbidden fruits."

"Well, maybe this shit-pile of a world's dug in so deep into my skin that it's fucking natural to me," Tayuya snapped back. "It's a reflex… something I do unconsciously… I can't help it."

"Okay… that's fine," Naruto looked away again. "I was just curious… it's… I've got nothing against it. It's just that I've never met a person like you before. I get curious."

"Ditto," Tayuya's anger dropped, and she decidedly gave Naruto a friendlier gaze accompanied by a smile. "I've never met a guy quite like you either. Apparently, in Kami's eyes, we're both unordinary people…"

"Yeah…"

Silence fell for a few seconds, cushioning the end of the discussion that they had just shared. When time came to pass, and the sun had just moved another inch across the sky, they both decided to reengage each other in another short chat.

After all, things were getting interesting.

"You have blonde hair…"

"Heh, yea I get it from my dad side. Is that a problem?"

"No. It's just…there have been very few people I've seen, let alone met, who've had blonde hair," Tayuya pointed out, but then furrowed her brow as she contemplated her words. "Fuck, now that I think about it, I haven't met anybody with blonde hair."

"What? Is it that uncommon?"

"You're apparently the only fucker in the entire Land of Fire that has blonde hair," the girl stated.

"Well… speaking about that I have a theory about your hair, want to know?" Naruto looked at her, analyzing his passenger from head to toe. "You've got red hair that's just as appealing as mine. your hair is bright red… like… really bright."

"So?"

"It's just… well… it's…" Naruto tried to form a reply, but looking at the girl's untamed, flowing head of hair, he was unable to make any form of smart-ass response. He was just too captivated by the color of her locks to even care. So, instead of responding in his typical manner, he simply turned away with an emotionless expression in play as he spoke up once again. "It's… lovely. Your hair is bright and beautiful…"

"Huh?" Tayuya blinked as she slowly registered to his reply. She didn't expect him to compliment her on her hair, let alone use such affectionate words. It was unnatural for her, and didn't seem to appeal to his personality at all.

It wasn't until her mind bypassed his sudden flattering remark that she bristled up a reply of her own. "Oh no!"

"Huh?"

"No! No. Please say you didn't just comment on my hair. Are you fucking trying to make a pass at me?"

"W-What?"

"You'd better not be trying anything funny with me, bastard. Because I swear, I may not be able to kick your ass right now, but I sure as hell can give you a pounding from where I lie!"

"I didn't mean it that way…" he tried to explain

"Seriously. Why did you…"

"I think we're from the same clan and just think your hair is nice!" Naruto raised his voice, shutting the girl up at his sudden volume increase. He looked away from the red head, and focused more on the path ahead of him. So much time had passed them that he didn't even realize they had already crossed the valley and were descending a hillside surrounded by evergreen trees.

"The Uzumaki clan is known for their vibrant red hair and It's just common courtesy to recognize nice things about people…"

Tayuya blinked incredulously as she looked up at him. Eventually, when memory of her presumptuous responses came back to her, she averted her gaze in shame. It was kind of unreasonable of her to have reacted in such a manner, as she felt she may have upset him with her snap.

"Honestly I don't know my parents so it's always been like but I think… you've got pretty cool hair, too…" she whispered, in an effort to rekindle her relationship with her savior.

Naruto smiled slightly at her words.

"Thanks…"

"It suits you," Tayuya gave him a more overlooking gaze, intent on breaking him down some more, so that they could get to know each other a little better. "You're unpredictable, you're ruthless… but still kind hearted. I'll also admit you're… never mind…" She blushed and looked away, shutting her eyes and covering up her embarrassment with stubbornness, thinking he's cute. "Overall, it's a pass." She said mockingly

Naruto appreciated her watered down comment on him, and smiled back at her. "Well…You swear a lot, but you're also clean-mouthed at times, and you're brutally honest, as well as hot-headed. But that's a good trait in my books." He shrugged and looked up from the glaring girl, who had been more or less expecting a better review on her performance.

As she was considering punching him for his downgraded comments, he surprised her once again with a better, hard-copy of his summary on her.

"You're also really smart, as well as strong. From my point of view, you're… exceptional… rare… unique," Naruto grinned. "I'm glad you're coming with me."

His comments earned him a blush from the girl, who tried to hide it as best as she could. In response, she jabbed him in the arm, but only lightly to earn a bit of a wince from the blonde.

"Unique?"

"Yup," Naruto gave her a small smile. "And I don't say that to just anyone."

They shared small smiles, as they continued to march along through the shadows and lights of the thicket of forest now encompassing them. At this point in time, the two of them have come to grounds on certain aspects about the other person, and found their company tolerable, as well as intriguing and enjoyable. It was from knowing just that little bit more about what the other individual was like, made the pair think inwardly about the possibility of actually tagging along with the other in the foreseeable future.

After all, no one really wants to be alone.

A few minutes of walking in silence, and both of them couldn't help, but voice their final opinions of the other.

"You know what… I like you," Naruto smiled a bit, but didn't look down at her.

"Same," Tayuya grinned. "You're a nice, interesting guy…"

They shared respective grins.

But before their conversation could carry on, a blank look suddenly flashed across the red-head's face.

"O-Oh…"

"What?"

Tayuya looked extremely nervous when she glanced up at him.

"I need to go to the bathroom…"

Somewhere in the middle of the forest, Naruto and Tayuya sat on opposite sides of the same tree, and with good reason.

For one, Naruto was out of sight. Though he had a good idea of and respect for privacy, he still needed to be close by, just in case the red head needed any assistance. Speaking of which, he had already been a big help when he aided her in situation her in the proper position, in order for her to do her number one, while not falling over at the same time.

In spite of this, it was still embarrassing and unbearable for the both of them, which reflected in their intense expressions.

However, it at least helped that both parties couldn't see each other.

"Are you done yet?" Naruto asked.

"No!"

Naruto sighed when her snarl of a response came back at him.

"How am I going to…?" She muttered

"Just let me know when you're finished."

"Would you shut-up! I'm trying to concentrate on keeping my balance!"

"Right, sorry…"

A blink from him occurred when he suddenly spotted something over the apex of the hill in front of him. Through the forest of evergreens, his sharp gaze caught onto the small silhouette of something hiding out of plain sight. Thanks to the downward wind, keen ears and sharpened observation skills, he was able to pinpoint the subject in question.

Focusing more attentively on the area in front of him, he saw the distinct snout and fur pattern of a small fox, hiding away in the bushes, watching him. The swish of a tail from the other side of the tree let him in on the fact that it was that animal, for sure.

Naruto watched as it poked its head out little by little, observing him from afar, to determine whether or not he was a threat. When its head and eyes protruded out completely, the blonde smiled and waved at it. It ducked away when it saw the movement, but then moved its head out a few inches more to stare at the blonde.

The fox and the boy continued to stare at each other, till Naruto heard Tayuya behind him finish up, and knock on the tree trunk to get his attention. He glanced over his shoulder to see her hanging onto the lower branch of the tree for support, literally suspending herself above the ground where her legs couldn't, and was glaring at him with a flustered expression.

Truthfully, she wasn't flustered at having to do this by herself. She was more or less embarrassed by the fact that she had to go pee right next to him.

Any man would have felt her wrath at this point, but since she was crippled and because he was her ride, she couldn't bring herself to scold him.

Instead, she approached him in her usual, defiant manner.

"Is that a fox?" she asked, spotting the creature in front of them, which hid away at the sight of her.

"Yeah…" Naruto replied, ducking under the overhanging branch and taking her weight over his shoulders when she wrapped an arm around him. He moved them back under the tree, and headed up the hill where the path was.

Picking her up and carrying her the same way he has been for the past several miles, they hit the road, and began to walk once again.

As they made their way down hill into the lowlands, Tayuya took her time to enjoy the sight of the sun breaking through the trees, and the various types of flora and fauna around her. While at the same time, she became curious, as well as suspicious, of the fox Naruto had spotted behind them.

It was quickly brought to her attention that the creature was following them.

Tayuya observed as the critter scurried after them from hiding place to hiding place. She looked more attentively over Naruto's shoulder to see it dash across the dirt road and hide away in the bushes, before poking its head out to watch them more closely.

To both parties, it was a peculiar and intriguing sight.

"Don't look now, but it's following us," Tayuya whispered, furrowing her brow at the darting, orange fur ball with the fluffy tail trailing behind it.

"I know," Naruto said.

"Why is she following us?"

"Oh… it's a girl?" the blonde looked behind him as he sauntered on, to see the fox standing in the middle of the road. He had just a split second to notice its build and smaller frame, as well as its shorter snout and ears, before it dashed back into the bushes on the side of the path. "Hmph, you're right."

"Woman's intuition," Tayuya stated. "But… why?"

"She might smell something coming off of one of us, or she's just curious," Naruto shrugged.

"Mmm…"

The pair walked on.

For some time after that, the odd pair continued their march across the valleys, forests, and fields. It didn't escape their notice that some of the fields were being tended to by farmers, and that there were also small villages established down separate forks in the road. However, they stayed true to the road they were following and did not become discouraged from it.

Throughout the time that passed them by, the pair continued to talk, mostly in regards to their former teammates, companions, and people they knew, as well as commenting further on each others' personalities and notable characteristics. Naruto asked her about her flute and musical abilities, while she also asked him about his incredible stamina and unrestrained endurance capabilities.

During their friendly discussions and their trek across the countryside, they were continually shadowed by the small fox that spotted them in the woods. The little animal apparently had nothing else to do or a home to return to, and yet didn't pester them beyond simply hiding under the cover of bushes and watching them.

Unfortunately, this didn't sit too well with ninjas, who always had their senses in tuned with their surroundings for pairs of eyes watching them.

Tayuya even suggested Naruto to kill the fox so they could eat it. The blonde Genin however, voted against that idea, and instead responded by saying that he would catch them some fish for later.

However, fishing would have to be adjourned for another day, as Naruto arrived at the top of a hill overlooking the East Coast, and almost immediately, spotted the huge bridge leading into Wave Country far below. It was about ten miles away, so that meant there was a bit more walking till he and the girl in his arms were home free.

They were still in the Land of Fire after all; anything could happen.

Tayuya marveled at the view as they stood at the peak of the hill. She shaded her eyes with her hand as she looked from horizon to horizon.

"Damn. That's one big-ass bridge," the red head whistled.

"You've never been to the Land of Waves?" Naruto queried inquisitively, catching on to her impressed tone of voice. "I expected you or your team to have been down here a couple of times… you know… on missions and stuff."

"Nah. It's not that we didn't want to, it was because we couldn't. Since a lot of the racket coming out of that land had absolutely no value whatsoever to Lord Orochi-cocker, we stayed well away from it on his orders. I had no idea they had something like that sitting between them and this country," Tayuya exclaimed, still awed by the stretch of bridge. The blonde holding her smiled slightly and nodded his head.

"Yeah… well… it was a lot of work for them… for all of them. That bridge right there, is a testament to the entire country's hard work and courage; something I'm sure they're all proud of," Naruto stated. Despite his tired exterior, Tayuya could tell he was pleased from the positive influxes in his voice.

"I remember, you mentioned earlier that you and your team helped the people down there out of a real pickle about a year ago," the flute player said, earning a glance from the boy. "What happened, exactly?"

"I'll tell you more about it when we get there," Naruto answered. "I'm exhausted, and I need to crash somewhere comfortable before I collapse on my own. Although… if you're really curious, I can say this. I had plans on coming down here for some time to visit, and to soak in the culture once the country was back on its feet. I promised some friends that I would."

"Uh-huh," Tayuya murmured, relaxing back into his grip as he began traipsing down the hillside. She was a little disappointed that he was holding back a supposedly tasty tale from her, but she was sure to get a real kick out of it when they reached their destination. So she settled to silence until then.

However, something continued to bug her as he walked down the hill at a staggered pace.

It was sitting right in front of her, but she couldn't quite make it out. Looking up at the blonde stranger carrying her, she couldn't help but feel that something was… misplaced.

Eventually, that nagging and prodding behind her brain, suddenly turned into a painful pinch when she realized what was out of place. She nearly slapped herself. How could she be so stupid?

"Fuck. We've been talking for hours, and I don't even know your name!" Tayuya looked up at the boy with a very surprised expression.

That fact that had been hovering outside of Naruto's thoughts also came round at the same time the red head he was carrying stumbled upon that revelation.

He literally stopped in the middle of the road and looked down at her in bewilderment.

"Damn. You're right…"

"W-Well…" Tayuya cleared her throat and shrugged her shoulders. "H-How… how do we do this?"

"What? Introducing each other?"

"Yeah. I mean… it's weird. We've been… 'bonding' and talking about random shit all this time, and we don't even know that one important aspect about the other person."

"I can agree with you there."

Deciding that formalities should be settled once and for all, Naruto braced himself, and held his left hand out to the girl, while managing to hold her up and stable at the same.

"I'm Naruto Uzumaki…"

Tayuya eyed his extended hand for a moment, before smiling and taking it in hers. They shared a firm, very friendly handshake, while giving the other their most appealing grin.

"I'm Tayuya… just… Tayuya…" the red head exclaimed. "It's nice to meet you, Naruto…"

"It's nice to meet you too, Tayuya."

Another half an hour passed, and by the time Naruto reached the road leading up to the bridge, the day was already pulling into a sunset. The orange sky illuminated the area in a magnificent glow, and Naruto couldn't help but marvel at its beauty. Tayuya became more entranced in the sky as well, and along with her savior, also began searching the skies for more of its brilliance.

At the same time, she continually kept glancing back to see if the fox was still following them. Much to half a feeling of disappointment and half a feeling of delight, the mammal was nowhere to be seen.

When they reached the bridge, Naruto paused momentarily to look up at the gate entrance, and the name of the length of steel and concrete crossing the channel before him, engraved on the plaque. He blinked in astonishment when he saw the name.

"No way…"

Tayuya caught on to his whisper of disbelief, and quickly looked in the direction he was. Her expression mirrored his when she saw the title of the bridge, the very structure laid out before her, plastered right above her head.

"The Great Naruto Bridge- are you fucking serious?" Tayuya pointed at the sign, then back at him. She looked between the blonde and the sign several times, her incredulous expression unchanging, before she unexpectedly burst out laughing. Naruto glared at her as she bawled away, slapping him on the shoulder and clutching her chest as she struggled to breathe through her extreme display of amusement.

"Kami! This is fucking too good to be true! A bridge is named after you! I can't believe this!" Tayuya wheezed through chuckles. She wiped a tear away from her eye before grinning up at the sign. "Man, what were they smoking?"

"Are you done?" Naruto asked, a little bit peeved.

"Yup… for the next few seconds," Tayuya snickered.

The blonde shook his head at her, and continued on, with her continuing to laugh out right at his own expense. So he decided to put the issue behind him.

The moment his feet touched the surface of the bridge, Naruto instantly felt a surge of nostalgia cross his mind. His memories took him back to his first real battle with an enemy shinobi outside of Konohagakure. Zabuza and Haku, two powerful combatants, whom he held in high regard, and respected beyond any other foe he had ever fought.

Tayuya spotted the small grin, and matched it with her own, snide one. "What? Did the name catch on?"

"No… I'm just… thinking," Naruto replied smoothly.

"You know… if this bridge was named after you, really… all I can say is that… you are some piece of work, shithead," Tayuya exclaimed.

"Thanks," the blonde shook his head, yet kept smiling. "That makes me feel loads better."

Returning to the place where it all began…

This strengthened Naruto resolve after everything is over with to start anew…

Author Note

Thats all for now.

A more light hearted chapter, can't be action in every chapter. Also I'm sorry if it's a bit cringe I'm not good writing romance. Chapter 6 is coming soon, I hope you guys enjoy.

If you have any questions or suggestions to make the story better just leave review. Oh and what pairing do you guys want to see? Just let me know! Once more, I appreciate everyone for contributing with this story. So please… the more reviews the better.

See ya.