Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ A Path Beyond the Sea ❯ A New Mission Accepted! ( Chapter 1 )

A Path Beyond the Sea
A Naruto Fan Fiction Story
*Disclaimer* I do not, nor ever will own Naruto, this is merely a story of my imagination, based on these characters….that being said…please enjoy my story*

Chapter 1: A new mission accepted!

The sun shone brightly through the crystal clear sky, peace had once again been restored and life was back to normal. 10 years had passed since the day Konoha fought Pain, the Akatsuki, and Sasuke. The children ninja, as prodigal as they were had grown into elite ninja of the leaf village.

The 5th Hokage, Tsunade, looked out from the window of her office. Not a single day passed that she didn’t think of all the events that almost shattered this village beyond repair. Naruto had saved the village, probably the world even. He was truly a ninja to respect, who would follow in the footsteps of his father, even if he didn’t know that. When He had returned from the battle with Sasuke, he reported his death, and that he had to use his forbidden technique, the Rasen-shuriken, and that all remains had been destroyed. She could admit that he came back from that fight as not the boy he was, but a man who had made a tough choice. Never once, though, did she truly believe that Naruto killed his best friend, his “brother” that he had spent 4 years chasing. No, Sasuke was alive, somewhere, but she knew that he had probably banished him away from his home, which was just as hard. In the villager’s eyes, he was dead and it was better off, Peace was restored to them, hopefully forever from that particular threat. A knock on the door signaled that her meeting was soon to start. Another debriefing before another ninja assignment. She sighed, it was just as always, and she wouldn’t want it any other way.

The bells chimed, signaling the end of her work shift. Sakura gathered her things and removed her medical ninja white coat. She hadn’t gone on any ranking missions in years, so she spent most of her time working in the Konoha Hospital and training under Tsunade. Should anything ever happen again, she would be ready to stand next to the many ninja that make this village proud. Walking out into the bright sunlight she removed her glasses and put them in her purse. In all these years she still kept her bubble gum pink hair short. It was much easier, plus ever day she reminded herself that she overcame that winey girl who chased after Sasuke. She smiled, he was gone from her life, forever, she knew that, just as she knew that the ninja who had become one of her best friends, no matter how obnoxious he was at times, had killed him. She would be lying if she said that some part of her hadn’t resented him, because for several years she did. Her first love was dead. That was it, she had to move on, but a part of her never really did. Somehow, against all reality she imagined that one day he would walk through the gates of Konoha, as if nothing had ever changed. It was just an illusion, she knew, but she couldn’t force herself to imagine him dead, to imagine his blood staining Naruto’s kind hands. No that was just not something she would believe. The day was quiet and her walk home was like any other. Upon reaching her door she noticed a red tag hanging from the knob. A mission. She turned and headed for Tsunade’s office. ‘I haven’t been on a mission in a while.’ She thought as she walked the streets of Konoha.

When she entered Tsunade’s office she saw Naruto, how nostalgic, to be teamed with her former teammate. Next to him she imagined Sasuke looking sullen and Kakashi reading his perverted novels that Jiraiya wrote. Her heart hurt a bit, but she didn’t let it stop her. “Hello Naruto. So Tsunade, what is out mission?” She asked. “I will tell you as soon as the rest of your team arrives Sakura.”

After a while Ino, her long time friend and rival entered the room, as well as Kiba and Shino. “Now that you are all here, I will debrief you on your new assignment.” Tsunade turned to the 5 jounin. As you can see by the level of your teammates, this is a high guarded Rank A Mission, as requested by our client. The small village of Akakaze has requested an escort mission for a priestess of theirs. You are to arrive in Akakaze and escort the priestess to Water temple on the East side of the water country. It is a long journey, so please prepare accordingly.”

“Oba-chan..What reason did they request 5 high rank ninja’s for an escort mission. Do you have more information?”
“I wish I did Naruto, but they didn’t have much to tell me, other than the priestess has some spiritual power that many villages would love to control. I suppose they are only fearful of something happening to her. You will leave tomorrow at sun rise. Dismissed.”
“Hai.” They all said in unison as they left the room.

“Sakura-chaaan, how about grabbing some dinner?”
“Not tonight, Naruto. I have a lot of paper work to file if I will be gone for an extended time. I am a vital medical ninja.” Some things never change she thought as she headed the other way.

Naruto looked after his old crush. “I guess she never will forgive me. He was right.” Naruto never spoke Sasuke’s name after the battle that day, but Sasuke would always haunt him, and Sakura would always blame him for the failure. He broke his word, and failed in his way of the ninja by not saving him. With a sigh he turned and headed to his small apartment, he too had much to do that night to prepare. Maybe a long mission away from the village would be good for him. He entered his room and sat at his table, looking at the stacks of papers. Many were requests for him to join ANBU, but he would deny them all. ANBU wasn’t his thing, he knew that, he was too loud and brass for such a secretive organization. Moving those to an already growing stack of ANBU request forms he looked at the small note that had awaited him in the mailbox.

“Naruto, please meet me at Ichi-Ramen tonight.
-H”
He stretched as he headed back out the door, “I suppose I will eat out tonight after all.”
He stepped inside the curtain of Ichi-Ramen to see Hinata sitting on the stool by the wall. “Naruto-kun.” She waved softly at him as he took a seat next to her. “What's this about Hinata?” He looked at his ex-girlfriend in wonder. “Well,” she motioned for him to sit down. “I heard that you were heading out on a long mission, and…um…,” even now the white eyed girl had trouble speaking to Naruto, her first love, “I also have a long mission….maybe longer than yours.”
“What? What about the Hyuuga clan?”
“Neji is now going to be the head of the clan. I have given him the thing he has always wanted. Which is better for me, that was never my dream.” She looked at the blue eyed man and closed her eyes. “Naruto-kun, I know that we had 2 good years together, and I…well…I will always love you,…but…..”“Yes Hinata?” He had learned to be patient with her stuttering over the years.

“I want you to have this.” She handed him a necklace that had the Hyuuga Clan crest on it. “I know that we didn’t work, but I still love you, I…I…still want to be close, and my assignment will take me away for several years, maybe permanently. I don’t know, but I want you to always remember the time we had together.”

“Hinata-chan” he said caringly as he leaned over and kissed her lightly on the forehead. She was the one girl who, without his realizing, that had always acknowledged him, and she would always have a place in his heart. They two hadn’t worked out romantically, they’re differences being too great and all, but they would always be close, he hoped. “Wherever your missions take you, you will always be close to me.” He reached inside his pocket and pulled out a crystal necklace. He had bought it the night Hinata broke up with him. He meant for it to be a special gift, but that night wasn’t a night to give it to her. “Here” he handed her the delicate crystal that had “Uzumaki” carved into the crystal.
She smiled as she put it around her neck. “Now, let’s enjoy a bowl of ramen, ne?” she smiled at him as he nodded in agreement.

That night all the ninja gathered they’re packs and readied for the long journey to Akakaze village.

*~Next time on PBTS~*
Sakura: Ino-pig, it’s been a while
Ino-Well billboard brow, guess I have two work with you.
Naruto:Ladies, don’t argue
*SMACK*Kiba: Sigh, lets get going
Chapter 2: Village of the Red wind!
Don’t miss it!