Naruto No Kitsune

Chapter 11 - Sarutobi's Secret

Chapter 11 – Sarutobi’s Secret

Sakura waited broadly at the gates for over an hour.  ‘I swear when I see Kakashi-sensei I’m gonna flatten him-CHA!’

“U-umm, Sakura-san?”

She glanced up at the voice and saw Hinata in front of her index fingers pointing together.

“Hello Hinata?  Is there something you need?” Sakura asked curiously.

The girl bit her lip then bowed profusely.  “I-I would l-like to join you o-on your m-mission!” she said in the loudest whisper she’d ever dared.  Sakura had a little sweat drop on the side of her head.

“No need to be so formal Hinata.  But can I ask why you would want to go with us?” she rubbed her head confusedly.  This was an S Class mission, how had Hinata found out and for what reason did she want to go?  She didn’t have a previous relationship with Sasuke-no female had!

“The Hokage summoned m-my cousin N-Neji last minute, b-but he is already gone o-on a m-mission.  I’m willing to t-take his place if the team w-will have me!” she bowed again and then looked up through her half length long hair hopefully.  She’d been letting it grow out since the disappearance of Naruto.  When Sakura was still looking at her funny she added.  “I-I remember N-N-Naruto-kun had a special relationship-ship with Sasuke… I w-was hoping t-that if h-he came back-there w-would be more p-people to l-look for h-him...” She hadn’t been this red since seeing her blond crush in person and was on the verge of fainting when Sakura spoke again.

“So that’s it?” the pink haired girl looked at the Hyuuga Heiress with a smile of understanding.  “You like Naruto a lot don’t you?”

Hinata would have turned another shade of red if it were possible.  “H-hai, he-he always w-was nice a-and b-believe in h-himself, h-he even b-believed i-in me a-at the Chu-Chuunin E-exams.”

Sakura nodded, “I wonder, how do you figure Sasuke and Naruto have a close relationship.  They hardily showed it at all.”

“I-I saw him a-a year a-ago b-before he d-disappeared… N-Naruto was e-eating r-ramen a-and g-got m-mad at s-some n-ninja.  He-he called S-Sasuke h-his b-brother.”

Sakura’s face fell remembering the incident before Naruto’s fox mind had fully taken over, or so it seemed to her.  “Yeah, I didn’t even know he felt that way until that day.” She said.

“I-I want t-to br-bring him h-home.” Hinata was looking at her feet shuffling them.  “I-I want t-to show h-him how s-strong I a-am, how s-strong I-I’m g-going to b-be.”

Sakura smiled again, some how she understood exactly what the girl meant.  She cared for Naruto like Sakura did for Sasuke.  It may not have been the love that she wanted-or even understood at this point in her life, but it was a love all the same.  “I see you’ve already packed for the trip, it’s going to be a bit of a journey.”  She said motioning to the small pack on Hinata’s back with her eyes.  Hinata blushed again then smiled.

“T-thank you Sakura-san.”

***

“Sakura-Sakura!” some one was shaking her shoulder.  The team had camped out under the stars only a few miles from the Valley of the End.  Sakura blinked, “Huh, what’s wrong Hinata?  Is it my turn to take watch?”

The dark violet haired girl shook her head quickly.  “It’s Sai-I activated my Byukugan while he thought I was asleep and I saw him heading for the valley!”  This made Sakura bolt up right.  That pale dirty mouth idiot!  Did he want to endanger the mission?