A/N: I present my first ever attempt at writing. It is not canon compliant and will be AU since I will be manipulating the timeline as i wish. English is not my first language. Constructive criticism is welcomed but don't be rude. I am writing for fun and hope you enjoy as well.

I don't own Naruto and never will.

"Emphasis"

'Characters thinking'

a simple narration

"Characters speaking"

If you have any confusion, feel free to ask.

Let's start, shall we?

CHAPTER 23: PURPOSE

A fourteen year old ninja sporting dark indigo hair panted deeply as he scurried into the abandoned cave. His teacher right behind him as both of them shook out of their coats and the shorter male turned towards the entrance of the cave with a sword in hand.

"Are they...are they still following us Sensei?" He asked the older male with a large sword on his back.

"No. But better be cautious as they may have allies hidden somewhere else." The teacher says "Anyway, we have a meeting with the Mizukage tomorrow, so we will stay here for the night and will head out tomorrow at sunrise" The student nods after receiving his instructions.

The teacher sighs and sits down pulling his sword from his back and moving it by his side. 'Hah almost got caught. That damn Iwa spy knew nothing about stealth and now i am left unpaid. Do they think that it is easy to leak such sensitive information to such untrained ninjas. Damn that Tsuchikage.' He tugs at his orange hair in anger.

"Sensei is something wrong?" The voice of his apprentice reach his ears and he takes a moment to reel his anger so that it does not affect the tone of his voice.

"I think the ninjas that were following us think we are spies" The teacher informs his apprentice having already come up with the scenario of such questions being asked by his loyal apprentice.

"What?" The shorter male seemed offended (he knew how his student would react) at such assumption of him and his teacher when they serve their village honestly and are ready to die for it.

"But you were only helping out a fellow Kiri (the village hidden in the mist) citizen" The pupil continued.

"Yes but I was henged (looking like someone else) and that aroused suspicion." The teacher countered with half truths.

"Oh" the student did not think that far ahead and easily believed his trustworthy Sensei's explanation.

There was a moment of silence where both the ninjas were contemplating what to do next when...

"You forgot to mention to your apprentice that the person you were helping out was suspected of being an Iwa spy (hidden stone village) and the kiri ninja were after you because they thought the spy had another ally, what is interesting is that you chose to run and hide instead of revealing yourself, which could have gotten you off the hook...which begs the question of why do that? hmm?"

At the first sound both Kiri ninjas had taken a defensive stance to defend and attack whomever had managed to sneak on them.

Neither of them expected to see two golden slits like pupils observing them with an unflinching aura of a lazing predator.

There was a reigning silence for a while, the calm before the storm as both Kirigakure Ninja sized up their opponent and the likelihood of their chance of winning given their chakra levels when-

- Unless..." And comprehension dawned on both of them. What the meaning behind those words implied and soon there was a sound of a Kunai stopping a humongous sword.

(Unless you are also hiding something or betraying your own village by allying yourself with the Spy) this was the implication of those words which the Sensei couldn't have allowed their uninvited guest to speak in front of his apprentice.

"Orochimaru of the Sanin" Sensei said in his growling voice increasing the pressure with his sword on the Kunai that Orochimaru used to block him with.

"Fuguki Suikazan, member of the seven swordsmen of the mist, wielder of Samehada" Orochimaru hissed (or more like purred in delight because the information he got from this mission was just that delicious)

"Well I am glad to know that my association is known by you, however, what I am not glad about is what's a Konoha scum doing here?"

"Oh nothing you need to care about right now, I am sure." Orochimaru plainly replied, nerves showing on his arm from the strain of holding a gigantic sword with a kunai.

"It's my job to apprehend and present a foreign ninja invading our territory to the Mizukage, so I do care Snake-face" The orange haired sensei said.

Orochimaru cocked his head to the side and thought - Should I play or should I not, should I dangle a bait or should I anger him more, hah choices, choices, what to do? Well according to the brat she has to meet the jinchuriki Mizukage anyway...hmm, lets approach politely as usual, no use in expending energy I guess

"Oh I would really appreciate that and now would you mind keeping your sword away?" when no one moved Orochimaru sighed.

"Look, I am not here to cause you harm... really... " Orochimaru rolled his eyes when he realized that the elder ninja despite being a traitor needed one more push, (well then lets speak the language that Kiri ninjas speak then) "You know..." Orochimaru drawled -

"I could have killed you the moment you stepped in the cave but I didn't, so Fuguki just do it while I am asking nicely or... " The cave flooded with killing intent and Fuguki narrowed his eyes at the Sanin (certainly impressive, should I confront? torture? instant kill?-) he suddenly felt his apprentice stiffening and the decision was taken out of his hands, because Kisame was a precious pawn in his grand schemes and he cannot afford to fight a Sanin while protecting his apprentice at the same time.

"One step out of line and I will feed your remains to your snakes" Fuguki sighs after coming to a conclusion and removes Samehada from the threatening position to a defensive one and looks at his apprentice-

"Kisame go and start a fire and dry your clothes"

Kisame Hoshigaki, the most loyal person anyone can ask for and apprentice to the holder of Samehada was jolted from his internal thoughts (That killing intent was on power with a Kage, I have only felt that from afar when lord Mizukage had killed one of the traitors, impressive...but how come sensei does not deny his words, am I wrong in thinking that this Orochimaru guy was implying some sort of betrayal? but...No, no that is not possible...Sensei is working directly under the Mizukage and why would he harm his own village when he is always helping her citizens? Ugh, they are just trying to sow leaf scums certainly know how to manipulate and lie to get their way, huh?)

Kisame Hoshigaki did as he was told while keeping an eye on the other ninja and not letting his guard down.

The small figure stood firmly on top of the First Hokage's head, and looked down at the village below; vigilant and tall, as if standing guard over it.

Hiruzen did not know why but at that moment he could guess the child's expression from his place on the Second Hokage's memorial, he was also able to feel the melancholy surrounding the seemingly powerful frame, and he found himself eerily reminded of Hashirama-sama and Tobirama-Sensei. He had seen his own Sensei standing at the window of the Hokage tower doing the exact same thing more than once... as if the village was both a painful and a happy memory. (He more than understands them now...because he himself does that).

The child suddenly swivels her head in his direction and for a moment he thinks he has been found, when a second child of the same height emerges from the bushes and comes close to the first one. (and just like that the illusion is shattered and he is left blinking at Orochimaru's apprentice and the Uchiha prodigy)

Hiruzen liked coming at his Sensei's monument. It makes Hiruzen feel close to him. He even leaves his Anbu behind to just observes his home, silently. So, that is why he was surprised to find a child at daybreak looking over the village with eyes radiating the burden of being a leader.

Hiruzen reaffirms what he had first thought when he looked at the unusual child. (oh he has seen his share of unusual but this child falls totally under a different category) He already knew that but watching her personally and going by his instincts, (after what he gleaned from her posture today and the silence, the melancholy, the longing, the pain, the regret and most of all that burden) he can certainly say that she's not a spy but has a purpose, and a will strong enough to rival that of previous Hokages.

(A will strong enough to rock the elemental Nations to the core.)

TBC

I fulfilled my promise and posted this chapter a little early. Feel free to comment or ask any question if you have doubt.

Naruto will be back in the next chapter, don't worry!

Take care and see you later! Ja ne!

Signing out

Yuki Race