Lucky Charm

Selfless

Naruto smiled and breathed a deep breath of fresh air as he casually walked through the forest back to Konoha, "Ahh this is nice just walking like this ... I'm early so I could relax a little before meeting Granny." He stepped over a large root and sat on the grass next to a stream. After eating he laid back and relaxed in the warm sun. Soon his eyes slowly fluttered closed.

The next time his eyes opened the sun had moved a good distance across the sky, "Oops! I fell asleep ... I better get going! Naruto blinked as he heard a clink and turned to see his mission scroll rolling down the hill along the edge of the stream.

"No! Come back here! Got you!" Naruto jumped and landed right in the scroll's path effectively cutting off the scroll's journey right at the edge of a cliff where the stream became a waterfall, but when he bent down to get the scroll a disturbing sound was heard ...

*creak*crumble*

"Huh? ... oh crap!" The part of the cliff collapsed beneath his feet and he fell down the cliff side, but he managed to catch himself on a solid ledge about half way down, "Phew! I'm safe ... huh? What's that?" He could see something in the trees at the bottom of the cliff. It looked like a person. "Hello! Is someone there?" He called down, but received no answer ...

His eyes widened, "Maybe they're hurt." With the thought of someone potentially in danger in his mind he climbed down the cliff and jumped through the trees as fast as he could. "Hello! I'm here to help! If you can hear me call out! ... " He paused for only a brief second to listen and he did hear something in the distance! "Hold on! I'm coming!" He yelled and raced through the trees towards the sound ...

Only a few moments passed before he came to a small clearing, but when he landed on the ground he didn't find someone. Naruto waited quietly to see if he would hear something again and he did. After looking around the area he found the source of the sound. It was the wind blowing through a stone ocarina sticking out of the ground. The blonde ninja digs the instrument out of the ground and examines it.

"Where did this come from?" Naruto wondered as he handled the ocarina with the upmost care. Now curiosity set in and he decided to look further in the thick forest.

Under the trees, vines and branches he found something in the darkness of the dense forest. A beautiful statue of a young woman wearing a short elegant kimono with long sleeves. She had long flowing hair that cascaded down her back and pooled around her bare feet with flowers scattered throughout her hair. The woman was carved out of white stone in a pose that that made her look like she was in mid dance and her hands looked like they were supposed to be holding something to her lips. Like an ocarina!

Naruto looked on in awe at the statue and smiled feeling drawn to it, "So you called me." He frowned as he looked closer at the grimy statue, "You can't play your ocarina like this." The ninja concluded as he looked at the state of the statue. The stone stand the woman was standing on was being tilted by the large roots of the surrounding trees and she was covered in dirt, moss, vines and debris. The vines wrapped around her were about to snap the statue's neck or hands off and the sinking ground beneath the statue wasn't helping.

"If I don't move you soon you'll fall over ... I'll find a safer spot for you and one in the light." Naruto held the ocarina carefully as he created several clones. One clone left to find the perfect spot, while Naruto and his other clones proceeded to figure out he best way to move the large statue come her precarious position ...

Eventually it was decided that they would dig the woman out and disconnect the vines as they slowly move her to the clearing wear the ocarina was found. With that decision made the slow careful process began. The vines were cut away with a kunai and the clones carefully dug around her exposing the entire base of the statue that was under some dead branches. Naruto held the ocarina carefully as he watched his clones try to maneuver her out of a rut, but his clones clearly needed help when the ground sank a little trapping the statue in the roots.

"One of you go up into the trees and make sure she doesn't hit her head as she's moved." One clone nodded and jumped into the branches. Naruto sealed the ocarina away in a scroll and helped his clones inch her out of her dangerous spot in the tree roots. The clone in the trees trimmed away the branches as she was moved.

*pop*thwack*

Naruto yelped in pain as a rock from under the statue popped loose collided with his head. As he rubbed his head he swore he heard something and looked up at the statue with a grin, "I'm fine, I have a hard head." He chuckled and continued helping to move the statue. It was tedious, but they finally made to the clearing. The blonde smiled as he felt the clone he sent to search for a better place dispel. "I have the perfect place. You'll love it. Let's move."

All the clones got ready and the blondes moved the statue through the forest. It took several minutes and Naruto needed to create 20 more clones because some were dispelled when the ground gave way, but they finally made it. The statue's final stop was on top of a hill that had a view of the waterfall, forest and a valley. Naruto and his clones cleaned the grime off the statue and ocarina to the point where it looked brand new, but what was weird about the statue is that there was no plaque telling people who it was or why it was there in the first place.

The ninja smiled and placed the ocarina in the woman's hands, "Yes this is a better spot for you. You know I saw you from that cliff along side the waterfall and on top of the cliff are cherry trees so you'll see lots of cherry blossoms ... looks like you have a beautiful view of the sunset too ... SUNSET?! I'M LATE! Granny is going to kill me, I just know it!" He took off running for the village, but then paused at the base of the hill as an enchanting sound hit his ears. His eyes fluttered closed and he listened to the sound. It was probably just the wind flowing through the ocarina, but that didn't make it any less amazing ...

"You're welcome." Naruto whispered as he took one last look at the statue before leaving ...

XXXXXXXXXX

Tsunade tapped her fingers on her desk in time with the tick mark pulsing on her forehead as she watched the blonde she just healed cower under her gaze, "So ... why are you so late, brat?"

"I got a little sidetracked, Granny." Naruto said as he scratched the back of his head sheepishly, (It was worth it! Even if she kills me I don't regret it!) He thought happily, but that thought didn't stop him from gulping in fear and breaking into a nervous sweat as a calm smile stretched across Tsunade's lips ...

"Oh, is that all." She said in a deceitfully calm manner that scared Naruto. "Keep in mind there is a reason you need to get back on time. No one can suspect what missions you're actually on so ... DON'T DO IT AGAIN! GOT IT, BRAT! GET OUT AND DON'T CALL ME GRANNY!" She snapped.

"I'm going! I'm going! If you don't calm down you'll get more wrinkles-" Naruto shut his mouth and paled as Tsunade lifted her desk over her head, "Oh shit!" The blonde made a mad dash for the exit.

*boom* Naruto just barely got out of the office and missed getting crushed by the flying desk. He kept running until he was out of the hokage tower before he finally stopped to breathe. "I ... think ... I'm ... safe." Naruto panted as he tried to catch his breath.

"Naruto?" The blonde looked up and saw Neji. "Are you hurt?" Neji asked as he quickly moved towards the blonde's side.

Naruto blinked as Neji inspected the dried blood in his hair, "A small rock hit me, that's all. Granny healed it ... before throwing a desk at me." He muttered.

"As long as you're ok. I'm glad you're back. I was so worried when you were late since it was just a C rank. I was about to go meet you." Neji said as he seemed to zone out while playing with the golden locks of hair.

"You were worried?" Naruto raised an eyebrow at the odd comment as he leaned over and looked the Hyuga straight in his pale pupiless eyes.

Neji blushed, "I-I umm I just ... I'm going to go!" The blonde just stood there as the Hyuga ran off.

"That was a little weird." Naruto muttered before shrugging it off and heading home ...