The Hidden Girl And The Caged Prodigy

Uzu Temple, Octopi reunion. Training

It took us roughly 30 minutes to get to the fork in the path for us to split up. "Remember to be careful please Naru. We will be back to the village soon enough." Neji said softly. "I will be fine. You be careful and we should meet back up with you before you make the village gates. Be safe" I said softly hugging him quickly. Neji wrapped his arms around me while we were at the back of the group and kissed my forehead quickly before everyone saw us.

Letting go of his hand I joined Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura. Looping arms with Sakura was not the same, my hand felt cold. She was smirking at me as I flexed my fingers a couple times. Nudging her softly I shook my head and smiled at Neji.

"Okay we will meet back up together before the village gates if we split up now. Let's move out my cute little genin." Kakashi said eye smiling at us. Hugging Hinata and Shika quickly we fell into formation and left hoping in the trees headed to the temple. Me and Sakura were in the front leading the way as Kakashi and Mito were in the back and the boys were in the middle going on and on about weapons of all things again.

"Okay we are going to go faster than we were with them because we need to work on Sakura's chakra reserves so augment your jumps with chakra to go faster and we can help build up your reserves. They are bigger than they were when you first started but I would like them to be bigger than a new chunin. You have come a long way Sakura." Mito said firmly. Nodding we all began to channel chakra into our legs and Mito and Kakashi took lead, so we knew exactly where to go. The four of us fell into formation and I wasn't sensing anyone around us in the direction we were going. The next two hours we traveled and by tree only stopping for breathers twice. Sakura had sweat drenching her back and soaking her top. She had ditched the red dress for the fighting kimono I had given her the day we had gotten dunked into the lake thanks to Hinata. She wore the red dress in town, so no one took her seriously. Our friends knew better, and she wore the newer outfit outside the village.

The temple was definitely abandoned and looked like it hadn't been touched in many years. "Hmm I wonder why my mom didn't come here." I said softly. "I think she believed that all the temples outside the one inside the leaf had been destroyed and or raided. She didn't want to continue to feel the lose and heart break all over again." Mito whispered softly. The roof of the temple was red like my mothers' hair, the walls were teal, ocean blue and sky blue mixed. The paint was peeling and faded from the sun exposure. Grand pillars of red marble with clan symbols etched in black lined the front of the temple; the trimming on the entire temple was black. It looked like the mask temple back home that I secretly took care of. Vines and green weeds were climbing up the pillars and temple walls. There was a gate and wooden fence surrounding the place that perked up and restored itself as we walked through the open gates.

The closer we got to the temple the more I could feel the kyubi within my mind today. "Kashi if I do this, they will have to know. This is as much his temple as it is mine. My ancestors made a temple for them here." I said softly falling back as Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura walked up the big double doors with foxes for door handles. They were solid gold with orange gemstone eyes. Taking a deep breath I felt the kyubi's shock. "Only an Uzumaki could have found this place. It's in the seals." Naruto stated looking back at me. The clan crest engraved on the pillars stood out, there were all the clans from the Leaf village, a few from each of the other major villages that I recognized including the ice users from the mist village. Threaded through the clan symbols was the 9 siblings made of smoke as the Kyubi had described them.

"It's got more wear and tear on it than I remember. But it's the same place my dad brought me." Sakura said softly looking back at me.

"Your father came from Uzu. Where do you think the pink hair came from Sakura." Mito replied smiling at the girl. Sakura smiled back and the two of them walked closer to the doors, the doors were red with black smoke like shadows dancing across them. "It will be your story to tell Naru. They won't leave you." Kashi said squeezing my hands in his. "If they don't agree or freak out, I can send word and have Inoichi meet us." He added on softly. I nodded, agreeing with him. Walking up the pillars that stood at the top of the stairs I could feel the seals on the right one. Running my hands along the faded red pillar, I smiled softly and looked at my teammates.