Naruto and the Triforce of Courage
By bluejx23More Info / Reviews
Chapter 1: Chapter One
Author's Note: Considering the community, some of you may be unfamiliar with the Japanese language. I will cover any references to the language at the end of the chapter so please be patient. If I miss any words, I would appreciate someone notifying me in a comment or private message. Thank you.
Disclaimer: I own neither Naruto nor Zelda. I do, however, take credit for this fanfiction.
--------------------------
"I overheard this… They say that Princess Zelda's nanny is actually one of the Sheikah, who many thought had died out."
- Gossip Stone
'Stars are nice, but I prefer clouds.'
Such thoughts could come from none other than the fifteen year old jounin, Nara Shikamaru. A brilliant ninja whose potential could easily reach the stars that currently occupied his gaze. Unfortunately he'd rather stare at the sky than perform his 'troublesome' tasks such as night watch. If he was paying any attention to his present responsibility, he would've noticed a strange phenomenon occurring almost directly in front of him.
A glitter-like substance seemed to be concentrating on a specific spot a few meters away from the genius. It was falling slowly to the ground in a wide array of colors that Shikamaru would have probably described as 'girly'. Shortly after the phenomenon began, wind chimes dancing on a gentle breeze could be heard, yet there were no such instruments in sight. Only once Shikamaru heard the lulling sound did he bother to take a look at what was happening in front of him.
Strange enough, where the 'glitter' once was, stood a young woman, around the same age as the prodigy in front of her. She was elegantly dressed in what could easily be fit for a princess of some powerful country. Her dress was mostly a soft pink and purple with a symbol, in a few choice spots, that consisted of three triangles connecting at the tips to form one. Because of the inefficient light, Shikamaru couldn't tell what the dress was made of, but of course, he didn't care.
'She's obviously not a ninja, but she was somehow able to sneak up on me without my noticing. And with that dress she's wearing, I should have been able to hear her a long way off. This woman may be a bit troublesome.'
The princess, the genius assumed, began walking in his direction with a grace and maturity unlike others her age. As she got closer, the Nara was able to discern her facial features: blue eyes laced with curiosity, delicately shaped chin, pointy ears, and long blonde hair that reached a couple inches below her shoulders. She wasn't very tall, probably could reach Shikamaru's chin with her eyes, but there was no doubting her development as a woman.
She gave the ninja a calculated once over, as if she was judging him. He stood lazily, hands in pockets, observing her carefully for any threatening movements. He wore the traditional jounin's jacket and his hitai-ite was tied securely around his left arm, as always. Despite being caught off guard, his dark eyes were lax, as if he could care less.
"State your name and business." Shikamaru decided to break the silence and get his duty over with.
"My name is Zelda Harkinian, princess of Hyrule, and I wish to speak with Konoha's leader." The woman replied with dignity and purpose.
"You're gonna hafta do better than that, Princess." Without a hint of respect toward her position, the Nara pressed for details. "What is it that you wish to speak with Hokage-sama about?"
"I wish to hire ninja from this village to assist in the capture of a bounty head in Hyrule."
With no reason to turn her away, Shikamaru obliged, "Right this way, Princess." He wasn't too happy that he would have to postpone his stargazing.
They walked through Konohagakure toward the Hokage Tower, where they would probably find a sleeping Tsunade neglecting her paperwork.
"Is Tsunade-sama here?" The pair had reached the Hokage Tower and Tsunade's assistant and apprentice, Shizune, was sitting at the receptionist's desk.
"Yes, she should be in her office." Shizune automatically replied.
Shikamaru led Zelda down a hallway to a door that read "Leave me alone - Fifth Hokage". He ignored the sign and opened the door to discover an alert and very much awake Tsunade.
'That's strange…' Noted Shikamaru. 'Tsunade-sama shouldn't be up. Unless…'
"Are you Princess Zelda?" The Fifth Hokage inquired.
"Yes, I am Princess Zelda Harkinian of Hyrule. We have a problem that we believe would best be handled by ninjas, preferably ninjas from Konoha." Zelda's response was swift and brief, but lacked detail.
"I understood as much, but what exactly is the problem? Why travel halfway across the globe just to get us?"
"Our sources have discovered that our problem was originally from Konohagakure. The threat that he is posing is too high to take any chances. So we assumed it would be best to counter an outside threat with outside assistance. In addition, it is my belief that he is your problem as well."
"He?"
"Uchiha Sasuke."
--------------------
Upon hearing the name of the target, Konoha's Hokage had immediately agreed. She gave Zelda permission to stay the night in Konoha, so that Tsunade could prepare a team the next day. After sending Shikamaru to lead Zelda to a decent hotel, Tsunade contemplated on her thoughts… but she was interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Come in."
Tsunade was met with brief surprise as she watched Shikamaru enter her office.
"Why are you not escorting Zelda? That was a direct order, Shikamaru."
"Gomen nasai, Tsunade-sama. Demo… there was something that was bothering me, so I had Shizune take my place."
"Oh? It must be important. What is it?"
"Why was I not informed of Zelda's arrival? You wouldn't have been awake unless there was an emergency, you were drinking, or you were expecting a visitor. And you knew Zelda's name without her telling you. Shouldn't I have been informed?"
"(grumble) Perceptive as always. (grumble) I'm sorry for the inconvenience, Shikamaru, but a couple of minutes is hardly enough time to prepare, let alone send a message to the gatekeeper jounins."
"Minutes?"
"Yes, Zelda arrived via teleportation, and I received her message through telepathy while I was asleep. That princess seems to have some uncanny powers and abilities; you will need to be careful."
"As I suspected, you're sending me on this mission, how troublesome. Anyway, why would I need to be wary of our employer?"
"Actually, I'm glad you came by. This is the perfect time to fill you in…"
--------------------
(Knock, knock) Tsunade was awake, but she had no desire to perform any of her Hokage duties just yet. The sun had risen only an hour ago anyway. (Knock, knock) Whoever was at her door obviously couldn't read, and she wasn't about to lose sleep over an illiterate. A muffled "Kuso" was all Tsunade heard before her door was slammed open and the persistent bugger made themselves known.
"I'm back, Tsunade-baa-chan!" Needless to say, the fifth Hokage knocked the living ramen out of the long absent Uzumaki Naruto. "Ouch! What was that for Baa-chan! I thought you'd be happy to see me!"
"Actually, seeing you gives me a headache, you woke me up too early, and after all these years you still refer to me as 'old lady'. If anything, I'm more of a big sister."
Once she was done with her explanation she hugged Naruto with all the strength her old age would allow without the chakra. Naruto, now thoroughly confused, pulled out of the hug so he could breathe and began scratching the back of his neck out of habit.
The sight that stood before the proud Hokage would prove only to add to her building pride. Naruto had gotten tall, so tall, in fact, that he was looking down on Tsunade. His orange and black outfit reflected growth in maturity, and at the same time, it showed how little Naruto changed. The evidence was in his shocking blue eyes. He was still the same loud, overconfident, head-first, future Hokage he was before he left Konoha for his training. This would prove to be fun.
"Heh heh, so how've you been Baa-chan? I trust you've kept Konoha in good condition. I don't want to have to pick up after your mess when I become Hokage, ya know."
"I don't think you should be worrying about that until after you've become Hokage. And I should be the one asking the questions here. How has your training been? You haven't picked up any of Jiraiya's habits have you? Where is the sick bastard?"
"Ero-Sannin? I think he said he was going to go 'information gathering'. There's no way I picked up any of his perverted habits. I was always either too busy training or saving his tail from all the trouble he gets in with his 'hobbies'. Oh, that's right, my training! You should see how strong I've gotten! I can't wait to show you my stuff."
"Great, I'll give you a chance right away. How would you like to go on an A-class mission with old friends?" Not exactly what Naruto expected, not to mention what came next. "What's with the shock? You should be thankful Naruto-kun; your teammates happen to be two attractive kunoichis that have both missed you very much."
"Really!? Who?"
"Oh just Sakura and Hina- hey! I thought you said you didn't pick up any of Jiraiya's habits!?" Tsunade's killer intent could have altered the Hokage monument. "Watch what you say next, baka, it could very well determine your manhood."
Unexpectedly, Naruto's expression couldn't have been further from fear. In fact, he appeared more… irritated. "Hey don't get me wrong, ya old hag! I just wanted to kn-"
Now, Tsunade did not appear her age. As such, she was very sensitive to the issue. Up until now, she was extremely tolerant of Naruto's calling her 'old lady', but 'old hag' was just too far. It probably didn't help that she was sober, either. It was easier to focus her chakra into the strangle hold she had around Naruto's neck.
Just before he ran completely out of breath, there was a lifesaving knock at the door. On the other side of that door stood a pink-haired, teenage girl holding several medical files to her chest. As she allowed herself into the office, she was reading a file that she had apparent interest in. However, when she stole a glance around the office, she lost her grip and her files fell to the floor in a neat heap. Naruto registered the shock in her emerald eyes and a smile lit his face.
"Ohayo, Sakura-chan! You just saved m-oof!"
To the blonde-haired ninja's complete and utter shock, he was met with an overpowered fist rather than the loving hug he expected from his old teammate. Anyone outside the situation would have been able to laugh heartedly at the irony of a nurse forcing injury upon another.
'Whyyyyyyyy!? I didn't even do anything that time!'
"It was probably your face. Sometimes I want to break out of this seal, JUST to smack that stupid look off your face." Naruto's nine-tailed biju, the Kyubi, decided it was the right time to give his input.
"Aaaaahhhh! That felt good! I haven't been able to do that in YEARS!" Sakura exclaimed while stretching and cracking her knuckles. Tsunade was just laughing.
"Che, forget this! I'm gonna go look for someone who won't knock me out as soon as I show up!" Naruto announced as he picked himself up off the floor.
"Good luck." Sakura and Tsunade replied in unison.
Naruto headed to one of the windows and threw something outside.
"I'm pretty sure Hinata-chan won't hit me. I'll go bring her here. See ya later!"
"Make sure you're back before noon. I'll introduce our client then." The Hokage said before Naruto hurried off.
"Sure thing… Onee-chan." With that, he leapt out the window and in a yellow flash, he was gone.
"Wow…" Sakura whispered.
"What?" Tsunade questioned her apprentice.
"It's just that… Naruto's grown a lot."
"He sure has… for the record, we're both talking about his height, right?"
"Yep."
--------------------
Naruto had visited the Hyuuga compound only to find that Hinata was not home. As one who hates the silence, Naruto started talking to himself, only to be interrupted…
"Heh heh, I bet Sakura-chan and Tsunade-baa-chan were really surprised! I must've looked so cool, back there!"
"Nope."
'Shut it! No one asked you!' "Now where could Hinata-chan be? I guess I could use Kage Bunshin and search Konoha." 'What do you think, Kitsune no Baka?'
"Waste of chakra."
"Which doesn't matter to me. Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Several copies of Naruto started popping into place and they spread out across Konoha in search of his soon-to-be teammate.
The real Naruto, being slightly hungry, went to hang out at Ichiraku's Ramen to fill up. As luck would have it, that's exactly where he found Hinata. Calling off his shadow clones, he sat next to her, trying to surprise her. She was staring absent-mindedly into her ramen bowl, idly playing with its contents, not caring to actually eat it. He took this time to study her.
She was wearing a bigger jacket that was able to cover her hands had she not folded the sleeves back. Her hair had grown longer, reaching down her back and curtaining her face, reflecting her mood. Since he could see her face he wasn't entirely sure, but her slouched form gave away that she was… 'Depressed?' Naruto thought.
Usually she was quiet and red in the face, so this new emotion threw the loudmouth off a bit. He was always uncomfortable when others were depressed; he tended to make tough promises just to cheer them up. That doesn't mean that they were empty promises, they just put Naruto through a bit of extra strain.
'Why do I keep coming here? Oh, right. This place smells like him.' She sighed. 'Konoha just isn't as bright. Why did he have to leave again? Must have been training. Figures, everyone's getting stronger and all I can do is sit and mope.' Hinata's thoughts seemed to always focus on a certain someone as of late. Matter of fact, nearly her whole life as a ninja, her thoughts would always drift to the same blonde, blue-eyed loudmouth.
"Ten orders of ramen, please!"
'He used to order that much. If he were here right now, he'd know how to cheer me up. Actually, just him being here would cheer me up.'
"Wha-?" Ichiraku's owner was caught off gaurd with an order of that size. It had been nearly three years since anyone ordered that much. To his delight, he saw that his number one customer, Uzumaki Naruto, was back. "What'll it be Uzumaki!"
'Great, I'm even starting to hear things.' Hinata though, falling further into her depressive state.
Naruto thought a moment before he replied, "Surprise me."
"Sure thing, Uzumaki!" Hinata was sure she heard his name this time.
She tore her eyes away from her ramen and her tiny jaw dropped when she saw who she was sitting next to. There just wasn't anyone else that those shocking blue eyes, that wide feral grin, or those adorable whisker birthmarks could have belonged to. She was staring at Naruto with obvious shock, and when he turned to face her, he was finally able to register her facial features. She aged a little, but she still looked irresistibly adorable and innocent. Her gaping mouth and saucer-wide, snowflake eyes only added to her cuteness.
"Haha! You should see the look on your face, Hinata!"
Upon hearing his voice she snapped back to reality and a smile broke out on her face.
"Naruto's back!"
For an instant, she forgot to stutter. She tackled the boy off his seat and hugged him for all she was worth. Reassuring herself that this was not a dream and that her crush had truly returned.
Now it was Naruto's turn to look surprised, of all the people he expected to tackle him in a hug, the only one that did was the shy and timid Hinata.
'So much for not knocking me out.' Naruto thought with a laugh.
Realizing what she had just done, the Hyuuga Heiress stood up so quickly blood rushed to her head. Normally, her shy nature wouldn't have allowed her to do anything like that, but she was just too overjoyed that her Naruto-kun was back. She started apologizing profusely all the while stuttering and trying to help Naruto up.
"It's okay, Hinata-chan. You were just happy to see me, right?"
"Yes, o-of course, Naruto-kun." She blushed slightly at the title he had given her, noting a bit of improvement in his etiquette, but her new suffix wasn't anywhere near as embarrassing as the tackle-hug she just gave him.
"It's a good thing I found you here, you're needed on a mission. You should head to the Hokage Tower so Tsunade-baa-chan can fill you in." After stating this, Naruto noticed a sudden drop in Hinata's attitude, 'she was just happy a minute ago, what now!' "What's wrong, Hinata-chan?"
"Oh, it's n-nothing, N-Naruto-kun." She hadn't even tried to put on a smile.
"Nothing my ass! Hey, if you don't tell me what's wrong, I'm gonna…" He glanced around, not really knowing what to threaten Hinata with. "…. I'm gonna eat your ramen!" Brilliant.
Hinata giggled, feeling a bit better at Naruto's concern she tried to be open with him, "Ano, it's just… y-you just got back, and n-now… I'm gonna l-leave on a mission."
"Heh heh, don't worry Hinata-chan. You'll be seeing so much of me, you'll get sick of it!" Naruto reassured her with his famous grin and that confident look in his eyes that charmed her the first time she met him. Though, she still didn't understand what Naruto was trying to say until, "Tsunade-baa-chan made sure I'm going on the mission too, isn't that great!"
Expecting to get another hug from the Hyuuga, Naruto was caught off guard when she fainted, falling into his arms. He just shrugged, asked Ichiraku to put his and her bowls in carry-out cups, and paid for them before carrying Hinata to the Hokage Tower.
--------------------
Naruto entered Tsunade's office to see Shikamaru and an oddly dressed girl in an intense game of chess, while Sakura and Tsunade were giggling and whispering like the girls back in the Academy used to. Naruto just shrugged it off as a Student/Teacher thing, and walked over to one of the chairs in the office to lay Hinata in.
When they noticed Naruto, Sakura and Tsunade both grew a knowing smile on their face as they looked at each other with conspiratorial glances in unison. Naruto looked up in time to see the glance and could easily tell something was up. Unfortunately for him, he could not figure out what that something was.
--------------------
When Zelda and Shikamaru first arrived, Tsunade started losing her cool.
"I even told him our client would be waiting!"
"Please don't rush on my account, Hokage-sama. I still need a little more time to rest so your ninja's tardiness is rather convenient." Zelda was as respectful as ever, but Tsunade didn't want Naruto to ruin Konoha's reputation.
"Tsunade-sensei, it'll be alright!" Sakura saw that her teacher wasn't going to calm down any time soon and decided to explain her reasoning, "He's with Hinata, so I'm sure they'll be here soon. And besides, it wouldn't hurt to let him spend a little time with her…"
"Oh yeah, that's right. (sigh) Knowing Naruto, it won't matter how much time we give him."
"Well, I don't think that he'll realize the way Hinata-chan feels just yet, but it's a step in the right direction."
"Not just Hinata's feelings, but his own as well. This morning, when I mentioned who his teammates would be, I told him it would be you and Hinata."
"So that's why he spontaneously decided to go get her. Wait, I'm going on a mission?"
"Just to keep an eye on Naruto, I'll explain later. The point was I never mentioned Hinata's entire name. I just said 'Hina'."
"Hmm, I don't know, maybe you're reading into this too much, sensei."
"Or maybe we should give him a little push, reinforced with Tsunade-size strength to ensure its success!"
"I'm not entirely sure about Naruto's feelings, but I'm all for playing matchmaking! You've got something in mind, Tsunade-sensei?"
Shikamaru took the master and apprentices' distraction as a chance to get to know his client better... by challenging her to a game of Chess. To be honest, Konoha's little genius was having a very troublesome game. He's never lost, but this foreigner was proving to be difficult. He was starting to understand just how troublesome this mission was going to be.
Zelda was having just as much trouble on her end, but she didn't show it. She just kept a smirk plastered across her face, attempting to faze Shikamaru into making a move that he would regret. Unfortunately for her, that was not the case.
"I'm not going to lose, Shikamaru."
"I won't let a girl beat me."
"One of us is lying."
"Lies are troublesome."
Their game continued even as Naruto came in carrying Hinata. Tsunade and Sakura looked up and took their glance before Tsunade called Naruto over.
"You're late." She took on a serious face that showed no hint of her earlier conversation.
"Sorry, but I couldn't get here any faster. If I tried to run people might have-"
"Did I ask for an excuse? Regardless of your reason, Konoha's reputation is suffering."
"That's not fair!"
"As punishment, you will not be allowed to take ramen on this mission… and they don't sell ramen in Hyrule." Tsunade hoped Naruto wouldn't see past her feint, because she honestly did not know if ramen was sold in Hyrule.
"NO RAMEN!? That's cruel, unusual, unfair, and just plain f***ED UP!" Check.
"Would you rather take an alternative punishment, that's even worse?" The setup.
"YES! Anything! Nothing could be worse than no ramen on a mission! NOTHING!" Checkmate.
"Alright, for the period of this mission, you will not be allowed to bring any sleeping supplies, or anything else that might help you sleep comfortably outdoors."
"Alright, no problem! You're the best Baa-chan!"
"You'll thank me again when you get back."
Sakura thought through Tsunade's logic, 'With my help, her plan just might work. All I have to do is ensure that Naruto's only option for a comfortable sleep is in Hinata's tent! I should even be able to get Shikamaru to agree, as I doubt he would like to take the chance of a tired shinobi under his command.'
"Alright, wake Hinata-chan. With Naruto-kun's punishment settled, the mission briefing can begin. Shikamaru-kun… Shikamaru-kun… Shikamaru-kun!" Tsunade tried to get Shikamaru's attention, but to no avail. He and Zelda were too involved in their match to pay much attention to anything else. "Never mind, I'll do it myself…
--------------------
"Stalemate!" Zelda yelled angrily.
Shikamaru just stared at the two lonely king pieces on the board with an annoyed expression, "Troublesome."
"Well, maybe neither of us lied." Zelda grudgingly admitted.
"Whatev-" It took them a while, but Zelda and Shikamaru finally noticed the tense atmosphere within the Hokage's office.
Sakura was crying silent tears, Hinata was deep in thought, Tsunade had a look of regret, and Naruto… well, Naruto, you couldn't even see his eyes with his head tilted down like that.
'Naruto-kun…' Thought a very conscious Hinata.
"Sakura-chan, stop crying."
A stifled whimper was the only sign that Sakura had even heard Naruto.
"Sakura… I said stop!"
At Naruto's outburst, everyone turned their attention toward the blonde ninja, expecting the worst.
"There's no need for you to cry. I made a promise, and I intend to keep it. So stop crying, Sakura," Naruto finally lifted his head to reveal determined, shock-blue eyes, "because I'll make us a family again."
'Those eyes! How familiar. They remind me of him… before he lost hope.' Zelda thought as she curiously observed her employee.
'Naruto-kun…'
At Naruto's statement, Sakura quickly embraced him. Obediently, she ceased her crying and whispered promise into his ear, "You're not alone. We'll bring Sasuke back together."
'Touching, but you know it's a lie, right? As long as no one knows about me, you are always alone, unless you count little old me.'
'Shutup. Not now.'
--------------------
Dear Diary-chan,
I know it's early, but I'm going on a mission tonight. Zelda-sama, our client, said that we were to leave when the sun is down and that we need as much rest as we can get before then. And I always write out my thoughts of the day so I don't have bad dreams, so here I am! Oh and guess who's on my team… Naruto-kun!
Naruto-kun's back! I was so surprised when I first saw him that I tackled him off his seat at Ichiraku's! How embarrassing that was! Then, to find out I was going on a mission with him, I couldn't help but faint. It was okay, though, because he carried me to the Hokage's Tower! Today was such a good day! I wish it would've lasted longer, though.
When Hokage-sama gave us our mission briefing, she revealed that Sasuke-san was the target. It didn't take long for the mood to get tense. Naruto saved the day, though. His determined words brought back memories. They also brought Sakura-chan into his arms… It's alright! I'm happy for Naruto-kun; he's had his eye on Sakura-chan since before I can remember. Besides, I'm sure he'll be able to tell her his secret. Oh no, I better go to bed now. Oyasumi… or rather konichiwa?
---------------
AN: Yosh! I'm done! Alright, let's get straight to business…
Quote Note: The keyword in this quote is 'Sheikah'. This is a hint that I do not intend to further explain, probably because I might have made it a little obvious.
Just for clarification, bold text will be reserved for the Kyubi which no one can hear, but Naruto himself.
English definitions:
jounin - high-rank ninja
hitai-ite - forehead protector
Hokage - highest ranking ninja in a village
-sama - suffix that shows respect
gomen nasai - "I am sorry"
demo - "but"
baa-chan - "old lady" (can be used as a suffix as well)
-chan - suffix used for cute girls or girls you are on fairly close terms with
chakra - energy ninjas use to perform their techniques (basically 'magic')
ero-sannin - perverted hermit
kunoichi - female ninja
shinobi - male ninja
baka - idiot
ohayo - good morning
oyasumi - good night
konichiwa - good afternon
onee-chan - big sister
kage bunshin - shadow clone
jutsu - technique
kitsune - demon fox
sensei - teacher
Disclaimer: I own neither Naruto nor Zelda. I do, however, take credit for this fanfiction.
--------------------------
"I overheard this… They say that Princess Zelda's nanny is actually one of the Sheikah, who many thought had died out."
- Gossip Stone
Chapter1: Enter: Triforce of Energy!
'Stars are nice, but I prefer clouds.'
Such thoughts could come from none other than the fifteen year old jounin, Nara Shikamaru. A brilliant ninja whose potential could easily reach the stars that currently occupied his gaze. Unfortunately he'd rather stare at the sky than perform his 'troublesome' tasks such as night watch. If he was paying any attention to his present responsibility, he would've noticed a strange phenomenon occurring almost directly in front of him.
A glitter-like substance seemed to be concentrating on a specific spot a few meters away from the genius. It was falling slowly to the ground in a wide array of colors that Shikamaru would have probably described as 'girly'. Shortly after the phenomenon began, wind chimes dancing on a gentle breeze could be heard, yet there were no such instruments in sight. Only once Shikamaru heard the lulling sound did he bother to take a look at what was happening in front of him.
Strange enough, where the 'glitter' once was, stood a young woman, around the same age as the prodigy in front of her. She was elegantly dressed in what could easily be fit for a princess of some powerful country. Her dress was mostly a soft pink and purple with a symbol, in a few choice spots, that consisted of three triangles connecting at the tips to form one. Because of the inefficient light, Shikamaru couldn't tell what the dress was made of, but of course, he didn't care.
'She's obviously not a ninja, but she was somehow able to sneak up on me without my noticing. And with that dress she's wearing, I should have been able to hear her a long way off. This woman may be a bit troublesome.'
The princess, the genius assumed, began walking in his direction with a grace and maturity unlike others her age. As she got closer, the Nara was able to discern her facial features: blue eyes laced with curiosity, delicately shaped chin, pointy ears, and long blonde hair that reached a couple inches below her shoulders. She wasn't very tall, probably could reach Shikamaru's chin with her eyes, but there was no doubting her development as a woman.
She gave the ninja a calculated once over, as if she was judging him. He stood lazily, hands in pockets, observing her carefully for any threatening movements. He wore the traditional jounin's jacket and his hitai-ite was tied securely around his left arm, as always. Despite being caught off guard, his dark eyes were lax, as if he could care less.
"State your name and business." Shikamaru decided to break the silence and get his duty over with.
"My name is Zelda Harkinian, princess of Hyrule, and I wish to speak with Konoha's leader." The woman replied with dignity and purpose.
"You're gonna hafta do better than that, Princess." Without a hint of respect toward her position, the Nara pressed for details. "What is it that you wish to speak with Hokage-sama about?"
"I wish to hire ninja from this village to assist in the capture of a bounty head in Hyrule."
With no reason to turn her away, Shikamaru obliged, "Right this way, Princess." He wasn't too happy that he would have to postpone his stargazing.
They walked through Konohagakure toward the Hokage Tower, where they would probably find a sleeping Tsunade neglecting her paperwork.
"Is Tsunade-sama here?" The pair had reached the Hokage Tower and Tsunade's assistant and apprentice, Shizune, was sitting at the receptionist's desk.
"Yes, she should be in her office." Shizune automatically replied.
Shikamaru led Zelda down a hallway to a door that read "Leave me alone - Fifth Hokage". He ignored the sign and opened the door to discover an alert and very much awake Tsunade.
'That's strange…' Noted Shikamaru. 'Tsunade-sama shouldn't be up. Unless…'
"Are you Princess Zelda?" The Fifth Hokage inquired.
"Yes, I am Princess Zelda Harkinian of Hyrule. We have a problem that we believe would best be handled by ninjas, preferably ninjas from Konoha." Zelda's response was swift and brief, but lacked detail.
"I understood as much, but what exactly is the problem? Why travel halfway across the globe just to get us?"
"Our sources have discovered that our problem was originally from Konohagakure. The threat that he is posing is too high to take any chances. So we assumed it would be best to counter an outside threat with outside assistance. In addition, it is my belief that he is your problem as well."
"He?"
"Uchiha Sasuke."
--------------------
Upon hearing the name of the target, Konoha's Hokage had immediately agreed. She gave Zelda permission to stay the night in Konoha, so that Tsunade could prepare a team the next day. After sending Shikamaru to lead Zelda to a decent hotel, Tsunade contemplated on her thoughts… but she was interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Come in."
Tsunade was met with brief surprise as she watched Shikamaru enter her office.
"Why are you not escorting Zelda? That was a direct order, Shikamaru."
"Gomen nasai, Tsunade-sama. Demo… there was something that was bothering me, so I had Shizune take my place."
"Oh? It must be important. What is it?"
"Why was I not informed of Zelda's arrival? You wouldn't have been awake unless there was an emergency, you were drinking, or you were expecting a visitor. And you knew Zelda's name without her telling you. Shouldn't I have been informed?"
"(grumble) Perceptive as always. (grumble) I'm sorry for the inconvenience, Shikamaru, but a couple of minutes is hardly enough time to prepare, let alone send a message to the gatekeeper jounins."
"Minutes?"
"Yes, Zelda arrived via teleportation, and I received her message through telepathy while I was asleep. That princess seems to have some uncanny powers and abilities; you will need to be careful."
"As I suspected, you're sending me on this mission, how troublesome. Anyway, why would I need to be wary of our employer?"
"Actually, I'm glad you came by. This is the perfect time to fill you in…"
--------------------
(Knock, knock) Tsunade was awake, but she had no desire to perform any of her Hokage duties just yet. The sun had risen only an hour ago anyway. (Knock, knock) Whoever was at her door obviously couldn't read, and she wasn't about to lose sleep over an illiterate. A muffled "Kuso" was all Tsunade heard before her door was slammed open and the persistent bugger made themselves known.
"I'm back, Tsunade-baa-chan!" Needless to say, the fifth Hokage knocked the living ramen out of the long absent Uzumaki Naruto. "Ouch! What was that for Baa-chan! I thought you'd be happy to see me!"
"Actually, seeing you gives me a headache, you woke me up too early, and after all these years you still refer to me as 'old lady'. If anything, I'm more of a big sister."
Once she was done with her explanation she hugged Naruto with all the strength her old age would allow without the chakra. Naruto, now thoroughly confused, pulled out of the hug so he could breathe and began scratching the back of his neck out of habit.
The sight that stood before the proud Hokage would prove only to add to her building pride. Naruto had gotten tall, so tall, in fact, that he was looking down on Tsunade. His orange and black outfit reflected growth in maturity, and at the same time, it showed how little Naruto changed. The evidence was in his shocking blue eyes. He was still the same loud, overconfident, head-first, future Hokage he was before he left Konoha for his training. This would prove to be fun.
"Heh heh, so how've you been Baa-chan? I trust you've kept Konoha in good condition. I don't want to have to pick up after your mess when I become Hokage, ya know."
"I don't think you should be worrying about that until after you've become Hokage. And I should be the one asking the questions here. How has your training been? You haven't picked up any of Jiraiya's habits have you? Where is the sick bastard?"
"Ero-Sannin? I think he said he was going to go 'information gathering'. There's no way I picked up any of his perverted habits. I was always either too busy training or saving his tail from all the trouble he gets in with his 'hobbies'. Oh, that's right, my training! You should see how strong I've gotten! I can't wait to show you my stuff."
"Great, I'll give you a chance right away. How would you like to go on an A-class mission with old friends?" Not exactly what Naruto expected, not to mention what came next. "What's with the shock? You should be thankful Naruto-kun; your teammates happen to be two attractive kunoichis that have both missed you very much."
"Really!? Who?"
"Oh just Sakura and Hina- hey! I thought you said you didn't pick up any of Jiraiya's habits!?" Tsunade's killer intent could have altered the Hokage monument. "Watch what you say next, baka, it could very well determine your manhood."
Unexpectedly, Naruto's expression couldn't have been further from fear. In fact, he appeared more… irritated. "Hey don't get me wrong, ya old hag! I just wanted to kn-"
Now, Tsunade did not appear her age. As such, she was very sensitive to the issue. Up until now, she was extremely tolerant of Naruto's calling her 'old lady', but 'old hag' was just too far. It probably didn't help that she was sober, either. It was easier to focus her chakra into the strangle hold she had around Naruto's neck.
Just before he ran completely out of breath, there was a lifesaving knock at the door. On the other side of that door stood a pink-haired, teenage girl holding several medical files to her chest. As she allowed herself into the office, she was reading a file that she had apparent interest in. However, when she stole a glance around the office, she lost her grip and her files fell to the floor in a neat heap. Naruto registered the shock in her emerald eyes and a smile lit his face.
"Ohayo, Sakura-chan! You just saved m-oof!"
To the blonde-haired ninja's complete and utter shock, he was met with an overpowered fist rather than the loving hug he expected from his old teammate. Anyone outside the situation would have been able to laugh heartedly at the irony of a nurse forcing injury upon another.
'Whyyyyyyyy!? I didn't even do anything that time!'
"It was probably your face. Sometimes I want to break out of this seal, JUST to smack that stupid look off your face." Naruto's nine-tailed biju, the Kyubi, decided it was the right time to give his input.
"Aaaaahhhh! That felt good! I haven't been able to do that in YEARS!" Sakura exclaimed while stretching and cracking her knuckles. Tsunade was just laughing.
"Che, forget this! I'm gonna go look for someone who won't knock me out as soon as I show up!" Naruto announced as he picked himself up off the floor.
"Good luck." Sakura and Tsunade replied in unison.
Naruto headed to one of the windows and threw something outside.
"I'm pretty sure Hinata-chan won't hit me. I'll go bring her here. See ya later!"
"Make sure you're back before noon. I'll introduce our client then." The Hokage said before Naruto hurried off.
"Sure thing… Onee-chan." With that, he leapt out the window and in a yellow flash, he was gone.
"Wow…" Sakura whispered.
"What?" Tsunade questioned her apprentice.
"It's just that… Naruto's grown a lot."
"He sure has… for the record, we're both talking about his height, right?"
"Yep."
--------------------
Naruto had visited the Hyuuga compound only to find that Hinata was not home. As one who hates the silence, Naruto started talking to himself, only to be interrupted…
"Heh heh, I bet Sakura-chan and Tsunade-baa-chan were really surprised! I must've looked so cool, back there!"
"Nope."
'Shut it! No one asked you!' "Now where could Hinata-chan be? I guess I could use Kage Bunshin and search Konoha." 'What do you think, Kitsune no Baka?'
"Waste of chakra."
"Which doesn't matter to me. Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Several copies of Naruto started popping into place and they spread out across Konoha in search of his soon-to-be teammate.
The real Naruto, being slightly hungry, went to hang out at Ichiraku's Ramen to fill up. As luck would have it, that's exactly where he found Hinata. Calling off his shadow clones, he sat next to her, trying to surprise her. She was staring absent-mindedly into her ramen bowl, idly playing with its contents, not caring to actually eat it. He took this time to study her.
She was wearing a bigger jacket that was able to cover her hands had she not folded the sleeves back. Her hair had grown longer, reaching down her back and curtaining her face, reflecting her mood. Since he could see her face he wasn't entirely sure, but her slouched form gave away that she was… 'Depressed?' Naruto thought.
Usually she was quiet and red in the face, so this new emotion threw the loudmouth off a bit. He was always uncomfortable when others were depressed; he tended to make tough promises just to cheer them up. That doesn't mean that they were empty promises, they just put Naruto through a bit of extra strain.
'Why do I keep coming here? Oh, right. This place smells like him.' She sighed. 'Konoha just isn't as bright. Why did he have to leave again? Must have been training. Figures, everyone's getting stronger and all I can do is sit and mope.' Hinata's thoughts seemed to always focus on a certain someone as of late. Matter of fact, nearly her whole life as a ninja, her thoughts would always drift to the same blonde, blue-eyed loudmouth.
"Ten orders of ramen, please!"
'He used to order that much. If he were here right now, he'd know how to cheer me up. Actually, just him being here would cheer me up.'
"Wha-?" Ichiraku's owner was caught off gaurd with an order of that size. It had been nearly three years since anyone ordered that much. To his delight, he saw that his number one customer, Uzumaki Naruto, was back. "What'll it be Uzumaki!"
'Great, I'm even starting to hear things.' Hinata though, falling further into her depressive state.
Naruto thought a moment before he replied, "Surprise me."
"Sure thing, Uzumaki!" Hinata was sure she heard his name this time.
She tore her eyes away from her ramen and her tiny jaw dropped when she saw who she was sitting next to. There just wasn't anyone else that those shocking blue eyes, that wide feral grin, or those adorable whisker birthmarks could have belonged to. She was staring at Naruto with obvious shock, and when he turned to face her, he was finally able to register her facial features. She aged a little, but she still looked irresistibly adorable and innocent. Her gaping mouth and saucer-wide, snowflake eyes only added to her cuteness.
"Haha! You should see the look on your face, Hinata!"
Upon hearing his voice she snapped back to reality and a smile broke out on her face.
"Naruto's back!"
For an instant, she forgot to stutter. She tackled the boy off his seat and hugged him for all she was worth. Reassuring herself that this was not a dream and that her crush had truly returned.
Now it was Naruto's turn to look surprised, of all the people he expected to tackle him in a hug, the only one that did was the shy and timid Hinata.
'So much for not knocking me out.' Naruto thought with a laugh.
Realizing what she had just done, the Hyuuga Heiress stood up so quickly blood rushed to her head. Normally, her shy nature wouldn't have allowed her to do anything like that, but she was just too overjoyed that her Naruto-kun was back. She started apologizing profusely all the while stuttering and trying to help Naruto up.
"It's okay, Hinata-chan. You were just happy to see me, right?"
"Yes, o-of course, Naruto-kun." She blushed slightly at the title he had given her, noting a bit of improvement in his etiquette, but her new suffix wasn't anywhere near as embarrassing as the tackle-hug she just gave him.
"It's a good thing I found you here, you're needed on a mission. You should head to the Hokage Tower so Tsunade-baa-chan can fill you in." After stating this, Naruto noticed a sudden drop in Hinata's attitude, 'she was just happy a minute ago, what now!' "What's wrong, Hinata-chan?"
"Oh, it's n-nothing, N-Naruto-kun." She hadn't even tried to put on a smile.
"Nothing my ass! Hey, if you don't tell me what's wrong, I'm gonna…" He glanced around, not really knowing what to threaten Hinata with. "…. I'm gonna eat your ramen!" Brilliant.
Hinata giggled, feeling a bit better at Naruto's concern she tried to be open with him, "Ano, it's just… y-you just got back, and n-now… I'm gonna l-leave on a mission."
"Heh heh, don't worry Hinata-chan. You'll be seeing so much of me, you'll get sick of it!" Naruto reassured her with his famous grin and that confident look in his eyes that charmed her the first time she met him. Though, she still didn't understand what Naruto was trying to say until, "Tsunade-baa-chan made sure I'm going on the mission too, isn't that great!"
Expecting to get another hug from the Hyuuga, Naruto was caught off guard when she fainted, falling into his arms. He just shrugged, asked Ichiraku to put his and her bowls in carry-out cups, and paid for them before carrying Hinata to the Hokage Tower.
--------------------
Naruto entered Tsunade's office to see Shikamaru and an oddly dressed girl in an intense game of chess, while Sakura and Tsunade were giggling and whispering like the girls back in the Academy used to. Naruto just shrugged it off as a Student/Teacher thing, and walked over to one of the chairs in the office to lay Hinata in.
When they noticed Naruto, Sakura and Tsunade both grew a knowing smile on their face as they looked at each other with conspiratorial glances in unison. Naruto looked up in time to see the glance and could easily tell something was up. Unfortunately for him, he could not figure out what that something was.
--------------------
When Zelda and Shikamaru first arrived, Tsunade started losing her cool.
"I even told him our client would be waiting!"
"Please don't rush on my account, Hokage-sama. I still need a little more time to rest so your ninja's tardiness is rather convenient." Zelda was as respectful as ever, but Tsunade didn't want Naruto to ruin Konoha's reputation.
"Tsunade-sensei, it'll be alright!" Sakura saw that her teacher wasn't going to calm down any time soon and decided to explain her reasoning, "He's with Hinata, so I'm sure they'll be here soon. And besides, it wouldn't hurt to let him spend a little time with her…"
"Oh yeah, that's right. (sigh) Knowing Naruto, it won't matter how much time we give him."
"Well, I don't think that he'll realize the way Hinata-chan feels just yet, but it's a step in the right direction."
"Not just Hinata's feelings, but his own as well. This morning, when I mentioned who his teammates would be, I told him it would be you and Hinata."
"So that's why he spontaneously decided to go get her. Wait, I'm going on a mission?"
"Just to keep an eye on Naruto, I'll explain later. The point was I never mentioned Hinata's entire name. I just said 'Hina'."
"Hmm, I don't know, maybe you're reading into this too much, sensei."
"Or maybe we should give him a little push, reinforced with Tsunade-size strength to ensure its success!"
"I'm not entirely sure about Naruto's feelings, but I'm all for playing matchmaking! You've got something in mind, Tsunade-sensei?"
Shikamaru took the master and apprentices' distraction as a chance to get to know his client better... by challenging her to a game of Chess. To be honest, Konoha's little genius was having a very troublesome game. He's never lost, but this foreigner was proving to be difficult. He was starting to understand just how troublesome this mission was going to be.
Zelda was having just as much trouble on her end, but she didn't show it. She just kept a smirk plastered across her face, attempting to faze Shikamaru into making a move that he would regret. Unfortunately for her, that was not the case.
"I'm not going to lose, Shikamaru."
"I won't let a girl beat me."
"One of us is lying."
"Lies are troublesome."
Their game continued even as Naruto came in carrying Hinata. Tsunade and Sakura looked up and took their glance before Tsunade called Naruto over.
"You're late." She took on a serious face that showed no hint of her earlier conversation.
"Sorry, but I couldn't get here any faster. If I tried to run people might have-"
"Did I ask for an excuse? Regardless of your reason, Konoha's reputation is suffering."
"That's not fair!"
"As punishment, you will not be allowed to take ramen on this mission… and they don't sell ramen in Hyrule." Tsunade hoped Naruto wouldn't see past her feint, because she honestly did not know if ramen was sold in Hyrule.
"NO RAMEN!? That's cruel, unusual, unfair, and just plain f***ED UP!" Check.
"Would you rather take an alternative punishment, that's even worse?" The setup.
"YES! Anything! Nothing could be worse than no ramen on a mission! NOTHING!" Checkmate.
"Alright, for the period of this mission, you will not be allowed to bring any sleeping supplies, or anything else that might help you sleep comfortably outdoors."
"Alright, no problem! You're the best Baa-chan!"
"You'll thank me again when you get back."
Sakura thought through Tsunade's logic, 'With my help, her plan just might work. All I have to do is ensure that Naruto's only option for a comfortable sleep is in Hinata's tent! I should even be able to get Shikamaru to agree, as I doubt he would like to take the chance of a tired shinobi under his command.'
"Alright, wake Hinata-chan. With Naruto-kun's punishment settled, the mission briefing can begin. Shikamaru-kun… Shikamaru-kun… Shikamaru-kun!" Tsunade tried to get Shikamaru's attention, but to no avail. He and Zelda were too involved in their match to pay much attention to anything else. "Never mind, I'll do it myself…
--------------------
"Stalemate!" Zelda yelled angrily.
Shikamaru just stared at the two lonely king pieces on the board with an annoyed expression, "Troublesome."
"Well, maybe neither of us lied." Zelda grudgingly admitted.
"Whatev-" It took them a while, but Zelda and Shikamaru finally noticed the tense atmosphere within the Hokage's office.
Sakura was crying silent tears, Hinata was deep in thought, Tsunade had a look of regret, and Naruto… well, Naruto, you couldn't even see his eyes with his head tilted down like that.
'Naruto-kun…' Thought a very conscious Hinata.
"Sakura-chan, stop crying."
A stifled whimper was the only sign that Sakura had even heard Naruto.
"Sakura… I said stop!"
At Naruto's outburst, everyone turned their attention toward the blonde ninja, expecting the worst.
"There's no need for you to cry. I made a promise, and I intend to keep it. So stop crying, Sakura," Naruto finally lifted his head to reveal determined, shock-blue eyes, "because I'll make us a family again."
'Those eyes! How familiar. They remind me of him… before he lost hope.' Zelda thought as she curiously observed her employee.
'Naruto-kun…'
At Naruto's statement, Sakura quickly embraced him. Obediently, she ceased her crying and whispered promise into his ear, "You're not alone. We'll bring Sasuke back together."
'Touching, but you know it's a lie, right? As long as no one knows about me, you are always alone, unless you count little old me.'
'Shutup. Not now.'
--------------------
Dear Diary-chan,
I know it's early, but I'm going on a mission tonight. Zelda-sama, our client, said that we were to leave when the sun is down and that we need as much rest as we can get before then. And I always write out my thoughts of the day so I don't have bad dreams, so here I am! Oh and guess who's on my team… Naruto-kun!
Naruto-kun's back! I was so surprised when I first saw him that I tackled him off his seat at Ichiraku's! How embarrassing that was! Then, to find out I was going on a mission with him, I couldn't help but faint. It was okay, though, because he carried me to the Hokage's Tower! Today was such a good day! I wish it would've lasted longer, though.
When Hokage-sama gave us our mission briefing, she revealed that Sasuke-san was the target. It didn't take long for the mood to get tense. Naruto saved the day, though. His determined words brought back memories. They also brought Sakura-chan into his arms… It's alright! I'm happy for Naruto-kun; he's had his eye on Sakura-chan since before I can remember. Besides, I'm sure he'll be able to tell her his secret. Oh no, I better go to bed now. Oyasumi… or rather konichiwa?
Chapter1: Enter: Triforce of Energy!
---------------
AN: Yosh! I'm done! Alright, let's get straight to business…
Quote Note: The keyword in this quote is 'Sheikah'. This is a hint that I do not intend to further explain, probably because I might have made it a little obvious.
Just for clarification, bold text will be reserved for the Kyubi which no one can hear, but Naruto himself.
English definitions:
jounin - high-rank ninja
hitai-ite - forehead protector
Hokage - highest ranking ninja in a village
-sama - suffix that shows respect
gomen nasai - "I am sorry"
demo - "but"
baa-chan - "old lady" (can be used as a suffix as well)
-chan - suffix used for cute girls or girls you are on fairly close terms with
chakra - energy ninjas use to perform their techniques (basically 'magic')
ero-sannin - perverted hermit
kunoichi - female ninja
shinobi - male ninja
baka - idiot
ohayo - good morning
oyasumi - good night
konichiwa - good afternon
onee-chan - big sister
kage bunshin - shadow clone
jutsu - technique
kitsune - demon fox
sensei - teacher
Previous Chapter | Next Chapter
- Chapter 1: Chapter One
Subscribe to RSS
Comments on this chapter
Png_pyro says:
The fierce Deity says:
bluejx23 says:
On another note, I'll be updating this little sucker fairly soon. If anyone is bugged out by the Japanese, I apologize. Please bear with me. Thanks for the comments!
Link_Rules_All says:
linksdaughter says:
Vaati_Lover says: