Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Flowers in the Sand ❯ Chapter 2

Chapter 2

 

Kiba shook his head. “I don't like leaving my wife and daughter here alone, Naruto, but if you need us to go with you, we will. Right, Akamaru?”

 

The large white dog barked his agreement, wagging his tail slightly. Naruto could see that the dog was well into his prime now, at the peak of his life. He smiled as he remembered the little white puppy that sat on Kiba's head all the time. “Sakura invited Hinata and Teiru to come stay with her while we're gone, if that makes you feel any better,” he told his old friend.

 

“Might as well ask her yourself,” Kiba replied, looking over his shoulder. “They're coming here as we speak.”

 

Sure enough, Hinata Inuzuka, lovely as ever with those strange, white eyes of the Hyuuga clan, walked into the room, holding the hand of an adorable brown-haired, white-eyed girl, bearing the same red streaks on her cheeks that her father's clan had. A perfect blend of both the Hyuuga traits and the Inuzuka capabilities, Teiru had the potential to be a very talented ninja when she grew up.

 

Hinata smiled shyly when she saw Naruto and he was once again reminded of her crush on him so long ago. If he hadn't been so in love with Sakura, he might've seen her as more than a friend, but then Kiba wouldn't have found his heart's desire. “Hello, Naruto,” she whispered. “It's good to see you again.”

 

He nodded once. “You look well, Hinata.” He knelt down and looked at Teiru, who moved to hide behind her mother, peeking around to look at him with familiar white eyes. “And can this sweet angel really be Teiru? You've really grown!”

 

The three-year old blinked shyly. “Tank yoo, `Kage.”

 

“You can call me Naruto if you want, Teiru,” he reminded the little girl.

 

“'Ruto `Kage,” she repeated.

 

Kiba grinned. “She's getting there,” he said proudly. “She was a little behind with her speech, but she'll be fine.”

 

“Of course,” Naruto agreed. “And she's just as beautiful as her mother,” he added with a wink at Hinata, who blushed.

 

“Naruto! Stop flirting with my wife,” Kiba grumped.

 

Opting for mercy for both Hinata's madly blushing cheeks and Kiba's possessive temper, Naruto ceased his teasing. “I need to borrow your husband for a mission,” he explained in all seriousness. “Sakura has invited you and Teiru to stay with her at our place until we return, if you want.”

 

“Kiba?” Hinata turned to her husband. “You… you will be careful, won't you?”

 

“Of course!” the brown-haired Jounin boasted, puffing out his chest. “With Akamaru with us, we'll be fine- and back before you know it.” The white dog barked once before licking Hinata's hand and then sitting protectively by Teiru. The little girl wrapped her arms around the massive dog's neck in an adorable squeeze, which Akamaru seemed to enjoy thoroughly.

 

“Puppy!” Teiru giggled, planting a kiss on Akamaru's nose. “Daddy's puppy!”

 

Kiba snorted, although it sounded like he was smothering a laugh. “Akamaru hasn't been a puppy in a long time,” he muttered, fighting a smile.

 

Naruto smiled. Soon his son or daughter would be born and he'd know the joys of parenthood firsthand, instead of watching all his friends with their families. He turned to Kiba with a familiar “I'm-ready-to-go” smirk on his face. “How long until you're equipped?”

 

“I'll meet you at the gates in ten minutes,” he replied.

 

Seeing the look on his friend's face, Naruto understood. Saying goodbye to Hinata and Teiru, he left the family to say their farewells. He didn't like taking a father away from his family, but in all truth, his friends were his most trusted ninjas and he worked well with them, both on missions and here in Konoha.

 

As he began walking away, a soft clearing of throat had him turning around. He blinked in surprise at Hinata, who had followed him. “Hinata? Is something wrong?”

 

She smiled gently, looking somewhat less nervous than she would've years ago. “I just wanted to ask a favor,” she murmured.

 

“Oh?” Naruto raised an eyebrow. “What's up?”

 

“Take Neji.”

 

He blinked in surprise. “Neji? Why? I thought he was dealing with being the new leader of the Hyuuga clan.”

 

Hinata lowered her eyes. “He has been brooding lately. I believe it has to do with the fact that he is now responsible for continuing the Hyuuga bloodline and has yet to marry. I think that, perhaps, if he were to go on a mission with you and Kiba, it might get his mind off that pressure.”

 

Naruto thought about it. Neji was an extremely talented jounin and a genius to boot. He would be invaluable if complications arose before reaching Suna and asking Gaara and Shikamaru to join him. “I'll ask him. If he refuses, though, I won't make him go.”

 

Hinata smiled brightly. “That's just like you, Naruto. Never forcing your friends to put themselves in danger if they don't want to.”

 

Naruto hugged the black-haired woman gently. “Take care, Hinata.”

 

“You too, Hokage.”

 

-------------------------

 

“Neji! You home, man?”

 

A white-eyed man with waist-length brown hair slid open the door to the Hyuuga clan home where he now resided as head of the family. He blinked in surprise at the grinning blonde man standing in front of him with his hands folded behind his head. “Naruto? What are you doing here?”

 

“Wondering if you'd like to join me and Kiba on a mission to find that Five-tails girl in the Land of Grass.”

 

Neji's eyes went wide. “Yumiko? You're going after her?”

 

Naruto regarded his friend. “You know her name?”

 

“Of course. Kakashi sent me and Hinata to check her out. She has two chakras, just like you. But we can't tell if the second source, the Five-tails, is dormant or active within her. We merely observed her and we never saw her in battle.”

 

Naruto nodded. “Kakashi claims she seems to have no ninja training whatsoever. That just makes her an easy target for the Akatsuki.”

 

Neji thought about it for a moment. “I see. You are determined to save another person that has a monster sealed within them. Much like you did for Gaara, correct?”

 

The blonde Hokage became quite serious. “You said yourself she's been alone all this time. Kakashi even remarked that she's been living alone by her wits alone for years. Gaara and I both know how agonizingly painful loneliness can be. That's why we're heading to Suna first and asking him if he wants to join us in our hunt for this girl. You don't need to come if you don't want to.”

 

Silence for a few moments. Then- “I'll go. I'll be your best chance of finding her before those bastards of Akatsuki do.”

 

“Great!” Naruto beamed. “Gather what you'll need and meet me and Kiba at the front gate in five minutes. We need to head to Suna as soon as possible.”

 

“Agreed.”

 

-------------------------

 

Naruto looked around at his comrades. “Ready, guys?”

 

Kiba nodded, grinning. Akamaru barked. Neji merely crossed his arms.

 

Hinata and Teiru waved goodbye as the three men and the large white dog took off for the trees, heading for Suna. Teiru stepped forward as her father and “uncle” leapt out of sight. “Bye-bye, Daddy! I wuv yoo!”

 

Kiba turned slightly, his keen hearing having heard his daughter's goodbye. “I love you too, Teiru. Be safe with your Mama, okay?” he whispered, knowing that at the speed with which they were running she'd never hear him even if he called back to her.

 

Neji glanced at his cousin-in-law. “She is beautiful,” he murmured, referring to Teiru.

 

Kiba grinned with pride. “That she is, my friend. A credit to both our clans, yeah?”

 

Neji looked back at their path as they ran. “Yes. Hope for the future.” Kiba noticed that his white-eyed companion looked a little more depressed and serious than usual, which was startling in itself. He had become a much happier, cheerful, hopeful person over the years, but now he was starting to look and act like his old serious self from their early Genin years.

 

Hinata was right- the pressure to continue the Hyuuga bloodline weighs heavily on him. Moreso, with every year that passes.

 

----------------------

 

Two figures watched the trio as they left Konoha, their bodies hidden well in shadow.

 

“Interesting. The Sixth has left on a mission,” one murmured to the other.

 

“Strange,” came the reply. “His wife carries their child and yet he still leaves. What mission could be so important that he would leave her at this time?”

 

“Does it matter? This leaves Konoha weak- we can gather our forces and take over while the Sixth is gone.”

 

“Imbecile!” the second one growled. “Just because the Hokage is gone does not mean that Konoha is weak! Their strength still outranks ours!”

 

“Still,” remarked the first one. “We should get back to Kabuto. He will want to know of these developments.”

 

“Indeed.” With that agreement, the two figures vanished, leaving only the barest rustling of leaves as proof of their departure.

 

-----------------------------

 

“So,” Naruto began casually, “what does this Yumiko look like? Any idea of what kind of monster the Five-tails is?”

 

Neji smothered a smile. Those three years Naruto had spent with Jiraya had taken their toll- and Naruto was nearly as bad a pervert as the old Sennin. “I swear to you, Naruto, if you repeat this to anyone, I'll kill you.”

 

Kiba and Naruto both looked at him curiously. Neji merely looked straight ahead. “She's stunning. Absolutely gorgeous. Long brown hair, with gold streaks in it that catch the sunlight and make it shine. I couldn't see the color of her eyes, but her face was beautiful beyond compare.”

 

The other two males whistled in amazement. It was odd for Neji to give compliments, and for him to admit that this woman was lovely was rare indeed. “And the Five-tails?” Kiba prompted.

 

Neji shrugged. “Unsure. Hinata and I were speculating, but we are very much uncertain. We will just have to wait and see for ourselves.”

 

Naruto nodded. “Let's hurry then and get to Suna quickly. We're going to need Shikamaru's brain for this one.”

 

“If we needed brains,” Kiba snorted, “then we definitely shouldn't have brought you.”

 

“Oi!” Naruto hollered as Akamaru and Neji snickered. “I'm not as dumb as I used to be!”

 

“That remains to be proven,” Neji replied, racing ahead, with Kiba on Akamaru's back right behind him.

 

Naruto glared. Why is it that everyone still says that? he grumped mentally.

 

------------------------

 

Sakura smiled warmly across the table at Sasuke. “I'm really sorry Naruto couldn't make it, Sasuke. An important mission came up just as we were getting ready to come visit you. He had no choice in the matter, but he wanted me to tell you he's thinking of you and wants you to join him for ramen when he gets back.”

 

Sasuke nodded slowly. “I understand. He's Hokage now. Konoha needs him.”

 

Ino glanced up at the weary-looking man. “He knows you need him too,” she reminded him. “This was a very special case.”

 

Sakura nodded. “Kakashi told us that the Five-tails has been found.”

 

Sasuke's tired black eyes snapped wide open. “The Five-tails?”

 

“Yes,” the pink-haired woman replied. “And apparently it has a host- a young woman. Kakashi speculates she's been alone for a very long time, and you know how Naruto gets on that subject.”

 

“Yeah,” he mumbled, looking at the floor, his black hair falling over his eyes. “I know.”

 

Sakura exchanged a glance with Ino. Turning back to Sasuke, she smiled hesitantly. “Don't worry about him, okay? He went with Kiba and Keji to Suna to recruit Gaara and Shikamaru. The five of them can handle anything.”

 

“Still,” he murmured, his black eyes distant, “I wish I weren't so useless. Since my powers were burnt out after Orochimaru's defeat… I'm nowhere near the ninja that the others are right now.”

 

“That's not true!” Sakura exclaimed. “You're just as good as the others! Everything isn't about power, you know!”

 

Sasuke finally raised his head and looked at his long-time friend, still marveling at the changes in her. A flicker of self-confidence and hope shone in his dark eyes. “You're right,” he said quietly, apologetically. “It's hard to change how I've been.”

 

“It's okay,” she sighed, leaning back against wall. “I know it's tough. That's why you have your friends here to help you.”

 

This time he gave the two girls a genuine smile. “Thanks.”

 

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

 

A/N: Yumiko- “beauty” (I think)