Scroll 1: The Lost Half

Reunited

~unedited~

The rising sun spread only a couple rays of light upon the night sky. It was still very early dawn. The young Genin were taking the dirt road that lead to their next mission. The songs of the birds were not heard. The whole continent was happily asleep. 

Naomi wishes to be happily asleep as well instead of standing far away from Neji. Daiza stood next her, not questioning her reasons or what had happened. She only wishes to forget what happened yesterday and move on. 

In her bag Naomi brought medication and many tissues subscribed to her by Lady Tsunade herself. She wanted to be extra careful that the events that occurred yesterday do not repeat once again. Especially since questions would be asked. 

"How far away is this place, do you know?" Naomi sighs as she adjusts her backpack. "I'm already tired."

"Didn't you read the file?"

"No. Neji kept it with him. Did you?"

"No." Daiza pauses after he confesses. "Besides, it has only been an hour and we took that 5 minute rest. You should not be tired."

Naomi pouts at his reasoning and continues to walk forward. Although, she was not lying when she said she was tired. Her breathing had become slightly more labored, but not enough to notice. Her cheeks are a shade of very light pink and a thin layer of sweat covered her face. She had put her long locks into a messy bun on her head to keep herself from overheating like a boiling pot. 

"Well, why don't you ask Neji-kun for the file? We need to know where were going ya know!"

"Why don't you ask him?"

"Cuz... I don't want to."

"'I don't want to', great answer."

Naomi rolls her sky orbs. "Please Daiza. For me?"

Daiza frowns as he stares her down, but her pleading eyes convince him. The white hair boy approaches Neji and asks for the file, and when he does, he feels a thick tension. He receives the files and trots backwards back to the tomato. 

"Here's the file."

"Thank you." She says with her sweetest voice so he doesn't hate her.

 The redhead opens the beige folder and reads the content inside out loud. What is inside is what gets Naomi all worked up. 

"So it says here we are going to the Land of Iron, and the client pays us to protect him from, a monster? How ridiculous is that!"

Daiza snatches the paper from her grasp and reads it as well, in shock. "At least the village is getting paid." He continues to read down the paper and stops at the name of this client. "This dude is named Hata Akio."

Naomi stops fanning herself from the heat and stops in her tracks with surprise plastered all over her red face. She runs over immediately to the paper and a giant smile creeps onto her lips. 

"Did you say, Hata, Akio?!"

Naomi leaps around overjoyed. She looks like a bean that had to much caffeine. Daiza gets dizzy trying to follow Naomi's every movement, and his head begins to hurt with all her "Whoopies" and "Yahoo's" 

Neji notices Naomi's ruckus and turns around to stop her. "Stop it, Naomi-chan. You are being a nuisance. You are acting just like Rock Lee."

"Yeah." Daiza says rubbing his temples. "Why are you so excited? You really like that name, don't you."

"No, no, well I mean, yes. But I know him!"

"You do?" Neji asks.

She gives him a strange look, but continues. "When I was staying in the Hidden Mist Village, I met him. He was a very dear friend of mine who accepted me when everyone else turned their backs." Her cheeks begin to stir thinking about the memories. "He, another boy, Akagi Mitsuo, and I were great friends until I had to... move. Also, he was my first crush, even though he is a year and a half older than me."

Neji's eyes widen. Daiza scrunches his face, and continues to read through the papers. But this time, his face goes into shock and slams the file close. 

Daiza's eyes tear up and his mouth puckers. "But... but... IN THE LAND OF IRON IT SNOWS WITH NO END!"

"Yes, and?" Neji replies. 

"I didn't pack any warm clothes."

Naomi stops bouncing around to here what Daiza had just declared, just to be in the same predicament as he. "I-I didn't bring any warm clothes either."

"I sent you two the files yesterday and I left them in your mail slot. So do not blame this on me."

As they continue walking, Daiza and Naomi begin to silently bawl behind Neji for being so unprepared. Of course Neji notices, and makes a deal to pass by a store and buy warm clothing if they promised to get their act together.

And they did. 

___________

After the ninjas visited a local store and bought warm coats, scarves, and gloves, they were moments away from crossing the border to the Land of Iron. The air had turned colder and colder with every step they take. 

The tip of their noses turn a faint pink. And as they talk, small puffs of clouds escape their mouths. 

The smile that Naomi wore hours before arriving still lingers on her lips, but her cheeks ache. A tint of red covers her cheeks every time she thinks of reuniting with her friend. 

Daiza and Neji notice once in a while Naomi rejoicing and it had grown annoying after a while. 

"Stop Naomi! Your fangirling has gotten annoying." Daiza complains. 

"Yes, very annoying."

She puffs her cheeks out and turns the other way, after sticking her tongue. Immediately she noticed a cold sensation on the tip of her tongue and looks to the sky. Small flakes from heaven float down and into the Genins' hair. This reminds of the time on the Great Naruto Bridge. With Haku.

She smiles warmly at the thought, but is reminded that her cheeks are sore.

"It looks as if we have made it."

The three continue trotting through the snow in search for the location. Their toes freezing from being bare and their lungs reaching for oxygen. 

Soon enough they see a little hut on top of a small hill, secluded from the small village they crossed through. Naomi can feel her heartbeat increasing as they get closer and closer to the small hut, but a sense of anxiety and stress also overcome her. Seeing the small hut makes her head fill with wonder. Why is Akio living in a small hut, and in the Land of  Iron?!"

And they arrive. 

"Well this is the place." Daiza states, fixing the pack on his back. "Go ahead, knock Naomi. This is your 'BFF' you haven't seen in years."

"Thanks."

Naomi approaches the wooden door of the house. The exterior walls are wooden with an off white coat of painted, but very chipped. The roof is composed of wood and straw, but not a very sturdy construction. 

She knocks on the door, looking back at the two boys behind her. They stare at her blankly, also waiting to see who this Akio is.  

The door knock begins to turn, and it cracks open slowly. A brown orb is revealed, then slowly the rest of the person.

"Naomi?"

Her face softens at the sound of his voice after many years.

"Akio."

~·~·~·~·~·~·~·~·~·~

Alright, since you guys are so cute and pretty sure none of y'all wanted to hurt my feelings, and.....

There will be a sequel! So few more chapters until that.

Tysm :)