Secrets Of A Hidden Village-
The new story! This is the Sequel to Starting over!
Sakura sat on one of the various hospital beds, she silently gazed out the window looking for an answer she obviously wouldn't find just by sitting there. She hadn't been going on as many missions as she would have liked, she for some reason had been stuck in Konoha. The only thing she could think of why the Hokage would keep her here is so she doesn't stumble upon Naruto. It had been two exact years now since he'd left, and no one had been able to figure out where the blonde had gone to. It was as if he'd disappeared off the face of the earth. Jiraiya had been asking about him when he had been gathering information on Akatsuki but it seems that no one had seen a blonde wandering around.
Naruto was probably still wearing non ninja clothes for the past two year, it wouldn't surprise her. That was probably his plan, it was a sure fire way to not get tracked. Dress like a normal person and act that way, and show no indication that you ever belonged to a village. She had also figured that's why he left his head protector here.
Sakura had been seeing Sasuke ever two weeks, it always went the same way, asking how he was and what his improvements were, and how he thought of Konoha. But it always made her depressed every time she'd go to see him, every time she'd go there the first question would be. Where's Naruto nothing more and nothing less, that would be all he'd ever ask or speak at times. It pained her to see him looking depressed not getting any answers from no one, that's the way it goes though. He was a special case though, there wasn't anything they could really do. Normally ninja who betray there home village would get tracked down and killed. But Naruto had made the Hokage promise to keep him locked away till they thought it was fit, and she only agreed to that on one condition if he were to live he wasn't allowed any information about the out side world.
Naruto had disagreed to that to his fullest telling the Hokage it would make him go almost insane not to be able to know anything at all. To be left in the dark, such as he was when he was a child how everyone ignored him. But he finally gave in and agreed, but he told the Hokage he wanted to be the one to tell Sasuke everything that has happened to leaf when he'd gone with Orochimaru and when he was locked away, and she agreed but now it seemed that he may not get that honour if he didn't return.
Sakura then gave a low sigh and got up from her day dreaming and slowly started out of the very white room, today would be the day she'd get a mission the first one in 6 months. As she walked down the streets she looked all around at the villagers they seemed as happy as ever, it sickened her to see them so happy when most if not all the ninja were either worried, or depressed such as her. She wore a bit different style of clothing then she did when she was 15, the top looked much like the one she wore when she was 12, except it cut off a little past her hips and then she wore a black pair of shorts that ended at her mid thighs. her hair had grown much longer it was now as long as it had been when she was 12 years old. She no longer wore those long black boots either, Onime had given her a pair of high heels that she said were actually comfy. They were uncomfortable at first, but then got used to them. She couldn't understand why the 'cat girl' as Naruto called her could possibly wear stiletto heals. She also wore white cloth that was around her elbows to protect them and he hair was mainly up now a days, even though short hair was easier to deal with, she liked her long hair. But this time she didn't grow it for Sasuke, she grew it for herself.
As she entered the tower she silently knocked on the door, she was now almost 19 years old. She was an adult now and a Junnin, she could easily start to train Genin. But she didn't want to do that just yet, right now she was just trying to figure out her life. As she walked then the doors of the Hokages room she noticed a 16 year old standing in the middle of the room with his arms crossed and there stood leaning against the wall the last person she'd ever except to see, Sasuke Uchiha. Her mouth slightly gapped open till the brown haired boy turned around and gave her the nastiest look she'd ever seen. But for some odd reason she'd seen him somewhere before, but she had a hard time thinking where she'd seen him. He was actually quite good looking, well he would be if he wasn't glaring at her. Then her attention turned to the Uchiha who as also looking at her with an amused look upon his face. She hadn't been able to see him for the last month or two because of the ANBU guards were doing something special to the Uchiha. He wore black sort of baggy pants, a long black sleeved shirt that was slightly opened with his families crest on the back, and a sword slung around his hips along with other pouches. He'd become a junnin just by luck actually he wanted to become a ANBU but they refused till he did some low class missions and a few high class ones. Now he was forced to do these pathetic C and D ranked ones till he could prove himself.
"Uhhhh...why is Sasuke-" But before she could finish the Hokage interrupted her.
"Uchiha Sasuke can fill you in later, for now I will tell you your mission."
"Hai!" Said Sakura as she looked at the Hokage.
"Your mission will be a simple C ranked mission to deliver Inari back home to the land Of Waves"
"But lord Hokage a C ranked? I am a junnin..." Started Sakura.
"I know, but for now to get Sasuke back into the way of our village he will start at the bottom and work his way up like everyone else even though he as well is a junnin he will do the same things as Genin till I decide to let him go on higher class missions" Said The Hokage.
"Inari you say? haven't I heard that before..." Started Sakura as she went in front of the teen and looked him square in the eyes as if trying to read a book looking for something that she possibly couldn't see. All he could do was slightly blush at Sakura's semi little opened shirt. She was showing a bit of cleavage.
"He's that brat from Land of Waves that we stayed with"
"Hmm...oh now I see it...wow you've grown into a cutie!" Said Sakura with a little bit of a squeal as she pinched his cheek and watched him blush.
"Sakura" Started the Hokage.
"Oh! Sorry" Smiled Sakura as she stepped away and looked at Sasuke for a little while.
"I don't want to go with them" Stated Inari.
"What?!" Said an alarmed Hokage.
"You can't refuse who you want to go with." Said Sakura with a bit of amusement in her voice.
"..." Sasuke stayed silent but somewhat agreed.
"What's the problem with these two? They were the two that guided your grandfather back home, but for the exception of Kakashi but he is away" Said the Hokage.
"I want Naruto" He said sternly. And with this brief sentence Sakura's eyes lowered and she gave a low sigh, she always tried to avoid these conversations. Even Sasuke was a bit surprised about the sudden remark. He still had no idea where Naruto was every one was either to scared to tell him or refused. He even played Shogi with Shikamaru to find out where Naruto was, but he refused and beat Sasuke badly. Sakura then walked over to him, they were about the same height with her heals on.
"Naruto isn't here, he's on a mission at the moment. and we don't know for sure when he will return. So it would be easier just to let us take you" Said Sakura as she averted her gaze from the boy. He knew right away she was telling the truth but also lying all at once.
"Where is he...you told me that you all travel in three man cells...why is Naruto alone?" Asked Inari as he looked at Sakura.
"Uh...actually that's our villages secret, so I am not allowed to speak of it" Said Sakura as she gave him this look at said. I'll tell you later.
"...Fine"
"Good! now hurry up and go" Smiled the Hokage.
The next day around 6 in the morning they had left to leave to the land of waves it was now 2 in the afternoon. No one had really spoken a word except for a sigh or a breath saying time for a brake. So as they walked silently Inari was the first to speak.
"Where's Naruto?" He questioned as he looked at Sasuke for some type of answer, not knowing the past between the two leaf ninjas.
"Ask Sakura" He said as she continued to walk giving the pink haired girl a side glare.
"No, I asked you...you two are friends right? I remember you two pushing each other every day when you were in our village...you two are good if not best friends right? So I want you to tell me" Said Inari
"I can't" said Sasuke as he glared at nothing.
"What do you mean you can't?"
"What he means is...he doesn't know where Naruto is"
"Why..."
"Sasuke left our village for four years...and was brought back only 2-3 years ago...and in that time period Naruto had left. And Sasuke wasn't allowed to hear anything from the outside the walls of his home till this year."
"So where's Naruto...Sakura...why did he leave? was it because of Sasuke?" Said Inari after a short yet long pause and getting a death glare from the Uchiha.
"At the current moment...I don't know. He left out village two years ago and I haven't gotten a word about him. No one has. And yes he partly left because of Sasuke" said Sakura as she looked away from the Uchiha.
"But why did he leave?"
"..." Sakura stayed silent.
"Tell him" Said Sasuke as he looked at her.
"...Sasuke?"
"I want to know why he left, I've been in the dark for this long I deserve to know why he
left" Stated the Uchiha.
"No you don't..." Said Sakura as she glared at him.
"..." He looked at her with a semi shocked/surprised expression across his face.
"Why did..." Inari started.
"Fine, I'll tell you..." Said an annoyed Sakura as she glared at the boy before her.
"..."
"..."
"After we had brought Sasuke back, Naruto was rushed to hospital along with Sasuke. But he stayed in the ANBU special unit area, while Naruto was rushed to the hospital. And he was almost dead when he had gotten there, it took the Hokage most of the night to close his wounds and try to heal what he ruined."
"Ruined?" Started the teenager
"Yes, you see there is a technique the Fourth Hokage had created but never finished due to the sealing of the Nine tailed fox inside one of the children of Konoha. So our teacher decided to teach or 'half' teach Naruto that very technique."
"What does the Jutsu do?
"It's designed somewhat like a thousand knives...that's how I would explain it. Its a wind technique...when used it cuts off all Chakra threads in ones body...from every cell, and its highly affective. He took out an Akatsuki member with it...and also tried to take out Sasuke..."
"Tried? what happened? why did he leave... I want to know"
"Hold on...im trying to tell you."
"..."
"He didn't use it to his fullest against Sasuke, because if he had, Sasuke wouldn't be able to use his chakra right now. And the one problem with a Jutsu that big is..."
"Is?????"
"It inflicts almost 20 percent of the same type of damage upon the user...Naruto had once used it three times, and broke his arm in a few places and lost some of his chakra cells while doing so. So when he used it against Sasuke he only let Sasuke get the 20 percent if that and inflicted the 70-80 percent of damage upon himself in order so Sasuke could stay as a leaf ninja"
"So why did he leave?"
"Naruto left because there was nothing we could do for him"
"What do you mean?"
"Once the battle was over, almost if not all charka cells were cut off in his body, in other words Naruto cannot use his chakra anymore...which means he could never become a ninja again. Sure he has taijutsu...but it still involves some chakra, and once Naruto found that out he tried to get the Hokage to find a way to help him out but even she couldn't do anything and she's the best medical ninja in the country"
"..." Sasuke looked at the ground taking in all the information he was pissed off at the blonde for going easy on him but also pissed off at himself for letting it all happen. Naruto gave up his life long dream to save him, it actually showed how much Naruto valued there friendship.
"Why couldn't Naruto just be a normal common person?" And with that said, Sakura started to laugh, and laugh, and laugh till her eyes somewhat watered and Sasuke and Inari were giving her the weirdest look ever.
"Could you imagine Naruto living a normal slow life like normal people? it just isn't him...Naruto would go insane if he were to stay that way. It just isn't his nature he was born to be a ninja and he was born to die a ninja that's the way he wanted to live no matter what. So he's gone out to search the world if he must, to go look for someone to help him out" Said Sakura.
"So if Naruto doesn't get better...then?"
"He will never return home..." Said Sakura as she looked at the ground depression written across her face.
"Never?"
"No...that's his way of the ninja...as he told me once. He never goes back on his word, isn't that right Sasuke" Said Sakura a little harshly getting no reply from the Uchiha.
"..."
"I believe in Naruto...he'll become Hokage...even if its for a short while, I believe he will become a great Hokage...one that will change things for the good" Smiled the brunette as he marched ahead of them.
"We all do..." Smiled Sakura.
"HEY!" Said the kid instantly, causing the two 18-19 years olds to slightly jump and glare at him for suddenly yelling.
"What" said Sasuke as he glared at the kid.
"Don't have to be so mean..." Said Inari
"Hn"
"What's with the large sword your caring, you had one yesterday? what's with that one" Said Inari as he pointed to Zabuza's sword.
"Do you remember the man named Zabuza? and a boy named Haku?" Asked Sakura.
"Yeah..."
"Well that's his sword and were returning it" Smiled Sakura.
"How did it get lost?"
"Someone had taken it...so where bring it back"
"Why would someone take it?"
"You ask to many questions" Said Sasuke as he looked at the 16 year old.
"Do not!...fine...Sakura..."
"Yes?"
"What does Naruto look like?"
"What????"
"What does he look like"
"Last time I saw him...was the day he left Konoha. Konohamaru and I were the very last people to see him. And last I saw of him was that he was wearing all black, and wore a necklace with three stones. And had his same bright blonde hair. He looks the exact same really except he looked a bit older."
"Same smile?!" Said the teen.
"..."
"Sakura"
"I really don't know anymore" She said as she looked into the sky thinking of Naruto, and all the times he'd make her mad with his smile, and that's when she realized she hoped it was still the same. Or it truly wouldn't be Naruto just some guy who looked like him, without the smile it just wouldn't be Naruto.
It was a days travel to the bridge where they had to cross in order to get to the village. As they approached it the two males continued to walk until they both noticed that Sakura wasn't following anymore she was looking behind them at something walking in the woods towards them.
"Sakura" Said Sasuke.
"Huh? oh...uhh, did you two see something?" She said as she looked at the trees.
"No" Said the two males as they looked at her.
"I didn't sense anything, come on" said Sasuke as he continued to walk.
"Right...then lets get...what in the" Said Sakura all of a sudden as she turned around to see the bridge finally built and the name was the thing that instantly struck her with confusion.
The great Naruto bridge
"That's what we decided to name the bridge, once you guys left"
"If only Naruto could see this now...he'd be beaming. This would probably bring the biggest smile ever to his face" Said Sakura as she looked at it.
So they continued to walk down the bridge till they got into the main part of town and went to Inaris house to stay the night and then leave in the morning.
It was about 4 in the morning and Inari was out side on the bride looking out into the ocean. Every morning he would normally get up at six, and go to work. But today the two leaf ninjas were leaving around 6 so he wanted to see them off. So he decided to kill some time by walking around, and he found himself wander to the bridge. His mother had always scolded him on going there so early in the morning since there was always such a think layer of fog in the morning and anyone could attack him. But he never took that into thought till that morning when he walked to the start of the bridge that lead into the village when he saw someone or something standing looking up at the sign. He was a bit scared he could admit that because instead of moving backwards to the village he instead walked to the stranger full of fear but someone thing told him to move forward.
So as he walked towards the stranger, he/she didn't even move. They had noticed Inaris presence but didn't care. So as Inari was directly 5-7 feet away from the man from what he could tell his fear was suddenly gone because there in front of him stood a blonde taller then him, with blue eyes. A smile like none other was there, He had a small pony tail coming down from the base of his neck as well as some hairs on his face. As Inari looked at the man he was about to speak when the blonde looked directly at him for a few moments till he smiled.
"Hey"
"Hi..." said Inari a bit nervous.
"I like the name" Smiled the blonde.
"T-Thanks...my grandfather came up with it"
"Heh, no surprise there..."
"You going into the village?"
"No, I just came out, what I was looking for wasn't there" Smiled the blonde.
"Oh..." Said Inari kind of depressed.
"Don't look so sad, doesn't suit you" Smiled the blonde.
"Heh...can you keep a secret?"
"Yes"
"If you see leaf ninja, don't tell them what way I am going. Its easier to walk around without having to worry about some leaf ninja following you" Smiled the blonde as he turned to leave.
"But aren't you a ninja?"
"No" Said the blonde looking into the sky as it started to clear and started on his way.
And at that moment Inari noticed a necklace catch the suns light, and the family crest upon his arm. And instantly he knew who it was he had been talking to.
"NARUTO!" Yelled Inari. The blonde stopped of a moment before turning to look at the teen.
"What's wrong with getting help from a fellow ninja? there your team mates...they'd do anything to help you. So why is it that..."
"I travel alone? This is my burden to carry no one else's...I was the cause of a man to die twice...I learned a technique that is forbidden. I used it over nine times in my life...its because of the fourth Hokage I travel alone"
"Because of the fourth????"
"Yeah...I need to find out what I want in my life time, and I cant do that with other people tagging along. Because I wouldn't want to ruin ones life on something that might not even exist." Said Naruto sounding a lot like Sasuke at the moment.
"So your going to ruin yours? that's stupid"
"Heh...its all in how you look at it. Tell them I said Hello, and im ok...will you Inari" Said
Naruto as he continued to walk away slowly getting in golfed by trees.
About an hour later Sasuke and Sakura came walking down the bridge, both not talking and both not fully awake after having a little bit of sleep due to the fact they heard there was a blonde who suited Naruto's description wandering around town. As they neared the end of the bridge they noticed Inari looking in one specific spot, as they came closer he suddenly turned around and looked at the two. They stayed quite of a few moments till he spoke.
"He does smile" Said the teen.
"What?" Said Sakura suddenly confused.
"Naruto, he does smile..."
"How would you know what? Asked Sakura.
"He says Hello, and that he's ok" Smiled Inari.
"What way did he go?" Asked Sasuke determined to bring the idiot back.
"Secret"
"What!" Said Sakura.
"..." -Sasuke
"Im not allowed to tell, but he's doing ok, and he doesn't want you to be sad Sakura. He
does smile, even wider then ever when he saw the sign. As he was leaving"
"Leaving..." Said Sakura kind of disappointed.
"What time did he leave?" Asked Sasuke.
"Around 4 or 4:30 this morning."
"He wouldn't have gotten far" Said Sakura.
"He doesn't want you to go after him"
"But..."
"That loser..."
"And even if I knew where he was going I wouldn't tell you" Smiled the brunette as he
walked away.
"...Naruto" Said Sakura looking into the sky.
Canadian-Girl
What did all of you think? Hoping you all liked it! Anyways Sorry of the story name is kinda lame but hey! I tried! Please review if you want a chapter two!