Chap 10

He rubbed his eyes over and over again tiredly, he absolutely hated sudden missions and now it was some mission with a random person rather than his team, this couldn't get any worse in his opinion. Naruto zipped up his jacket and quickly smoothed out his hair since he didn't have the luxury to brush it let alone prepare himself for the mission in the morrning, adjusting his pack he mentally listed out the things he brought, hoping he wasn't forgetting anything. But when he stumbled for probably the twelfth time he decided that now was probably a good time to fix his sandals since they were each on the wrong foot. So setting down his instant ramen beside him he bent down and fixed his shoes all the while looking up from time to time a the gate "Hope I'm not late".

Hinata almost tripped as a blush covered her face at seeing the orange clad ninja at the entrance of the gate using her byakugan 'Is he my partner?' she felt a smile coming on but soon was replaced with a frown 'Actually I hope not. All I'll succeed in doing is embarrass myself'

'Don't talk like that Hina-chan, this is the perfect time to show him what you're capable of'

'I know but... I don't think I can' her pace slowed as she dreaded the mission to come and all Hikari could do was sigh 'It's so hard to get through to you sometimes but soon you'll see what I mean' Hinata smiled, 'I hope you're right' soon Yamato and her finally arrived.

"Well this is my stop Hinata-san, I wish you luck on your mission and don't worry your teammate will be here soon", Yamato ruffled her hair giving her an encouraging smile before giving the blond haired boy beside her a glare before he left in a gust of wind, 'I don't know who the hell you think you are disguising yourself but if you hurt this child I will see to it that you be taken off the council by Tsunade-sama herself' phasing himself into a tree not too far or close by Yamato kept a close eye on the two...

'What do you think Yamato-san meant about my teammate being her soon, isn't Naruto-kun my teammate?'

'I don't know either Hinata-chan but be alert, who knows'

"Hinata-chan" Naruto gave her a grin and willing herself not to faint she offered him one of her own. "You're late but wow isn't it great that we have solo mission together?" he placed an arm over her shoulders and pulled her closer making her go dizzy but she smiled weakly "I-I couldn't believe it either b-but I'm gla-" 'Hinata get away from him immediately!' Hinata grew worried 'What do you mean Hikari-chan? This is Naruto-kun'

'No it isn't, they may have the same scent but there is another one interfering with it as well' taking Hikari's word for it, Hinata wrenched herself from the boy's grip and activated her kekkei genkai, "W-who are you and why are you m-making yourself out to be Naruto?" Hikari standing beside her bared her sharp canines to the stranger.

Yamato sighed from where he was watching, relieved that the two had found out what was wrong but unfortunately wasn't able to react fast enough at what happened next.

The fake Naruto sneered at them before slapping Hinata and kicking away the fox, "About time you showed your true colors demon child and look you brought that fox out with you too, you jinchuuriki never think of any one else but yourselves don't you? Endangering the village just by being born!"

She fell to the ground surprised as he revealed his true form to her, it was one of the council members and they was wearing Naruto's jacket 'So that's why he smelled like Naruto-kun' taking off the tattered orange jacket he threw it aside "How repulsive, it's no surprise that filth such as your kind just leave your garbage lying around, fooled your nose though didn't it?"

He laughed and she glared at him fiercely but the tears rolling down her cheeks deceiving her look of hatred but he continued not once sparing her or Hikari a look "Monsters are monsters, you think you can fool the people around you but you're nothing but freaks who we are forced to put up with, nothing but filth..." he spat out and she had to stop herself from covering her ears at his words, 'I will be stronger, your words mean nothing to me! They aren't true...'

'How dare you speak to Hina-chan that way!'

Hikari barked and lunged forward only to be swatted to the side, she felt her eyes grow heavy but looking at the girl a few feet from her, on her knees and crying Hikari forced herself to stay awake.

"That's enough. Leave now before I do something I won't regret" came an unfamiliar voice.

Hinata felt a gust of wind and wiped at her tears 'Yamato-san?'

'Another one?' Hikari thought surprised as she weakly got up from her spot on the ground and looked at the newcomer.

The elderly council member smirked as he brushed the blood from the small cut on his face and looked long and hard at the arrival of the sand ninja. "I will leave now but" the old man chuckled "you were just lucky to have him here and the anbu watching from afar, for I fear I might have done something much worse to you than that small blemish on your face" Hinata flinched and looked away as he glared at her.

"This is your last warning" the voice growled.

Looking back at the red head he sneered at him before turning his gaze back to the female jinchuuriki "Till we meet again Hinata-sama" with a plume of smoke he was gone.

Hinata shivered at how he said her name with such hate but felt her eyes water once again from remembering the icy stare he gave her with his byakugan blazing, "So this is what father meant by the council"

She whimpered and made to wipe her eyes when she was suddenly offered a hand, taking it they pulled her up and she gave him a weak smile "T-thank you for being there for m-me Gaara-san" Looking at her tear stained face, Gaara only nodded acknowledging her gratitude before taking his hand back and taking a few steps back from her.

Still looking at him she couldn't help but wonder at why he was in Konoha but only smiled grateful that he had been there. But shaking her head and ridding herself of her thoughts she ran to Hikari's side and opened a container of her healing balm and started to apply it to the fox's wounds.

'You shouldn't worry too much about me Hina-chan, these will heal soon... I am a demon afterall' Hinata frowned at the fox's detached voice 'You may be a demon but you are not a monster!' The fox licked her hand thanking her and Hinata smiled back only to be taken aback at the cold hand that placed itself on her sore cheek, looking up she was met with an anbu mask "Is that better?" she nodded at him as she leaned into his hand, the cool feeling relieving her from the small pain she felt. "I'm sorry for not coming sooner Hinata-san" she nodded at him "I-it's okay it's just a small m-mark and Gaara-san was h-here"

Hearing this the redhead only looked away but noticed something "Someone is coming this way"

Looking to where the redhead was they also noticed the small spot that seemed to be getting closer and closer...

Naruto stopped, his feet skidding a few inches when he stopped in front of the small group, "Hinata-chan sorry I'm late, I accidentally went to the wrong gate" said girl giggled all the while blushing "T-that's okay Naruto-kun, there's n-no hurry and we would've w-waited for you anyway" he gave her a big smile "Gee thanks Hinata-chan but wow can you believe we actually have a solo mission together?" her eyes widened as his words reminding her of what the fake Naruto had said before but pulling herself together she smiled "Y-yes it's great, I... I look forward t-to working a-alongside you"

'You're doing great so far Hina-chan' the fox smiled inwardly.

"So Hinata-chan should we get going soon?"

"Um Y-yes we should, did you b-bring the scroll?" she asked curious since she wasn't given anything or any information on the mission, only that she was to be escorted to the gate where they would meet and then leave for the mission.

"The message, I thought you had it?" he blushed embarrassed and also worried, maybe he had left something at home afterall and had just forgetten? He was nervous, his first solo mission and he had already messed it up...

"Oh yeah sorry about that you guys. I guess I forgot to inform you of your mission huh?" The anbu captain blushed from behind his mask before taking out a scroll and handing it to them "Okay so basically you guys are going to the water country and are to deliver the message to the mizukage, simple right?" Naruto pumped his fist into the air "You bet, this'll be a piece of cake" Yamato laughed "Well now you guys know the jist of it I'll be going now but be careful out there cause although this is all they told me about the mission, I'm sure it's still as dangerous as any other B rank mission"

He made to leave before he was suddenly pulled back by two pale hands causing him to shout in pain as they grabbed his broken arm, "I-I'm sorry but wait I want to give you something" she slowly untied the sling on his arm careful not to bump into anything, she then focused chakra into her hands engulfing them in white chakra, her hands hovered over his arm before she placed her hands on it and smiled "I just wanted to g-give you your arm b-back since I... I was the one who broke it in the first place" stepping back Hinata watched as the anbu flexed his arm in awe.

'That girl broke that Anbu's arm?' quickly glancing at the girl, Gaara only shook his head in disbelief 'As expected from Konoha, even their Anbu is weak...'

"Wow thanks Hinata-san and wait, here let me give you something too" he took a small sack from the compartment on his leg and handed it to her who only stared questioningly at the bag "They're some food pills the medical team only gives to us anbu and the jounin, it'll give you the strength to fight for weeks until they wear out, so use them carefully" he patted her on the head "You'll make a great kuniochi one day, just you wait" and with that he was gone.

"Thank you Yamato-san", Hinata whispered looking down at both the scroll and the sack and smiled confidently and in no way ready to let the ones who believed in her down, looking to Naruto she blushed but gave him a smile "W-we should r-really go now, we don't want to k-keep the mizukage waiting now do we?"

Naruto nodded dumbfounded at what had happened, 'I have never witnessed someone actually unbreak someone's bones, amazing' he didn't have enough time to continue pondering though as he yelped at the sudden pain on his right hand and noticed a white fox latched on to his hand before he shook from it's grip 'Wake up boy, my Hina-chan is talking to you!' "Ack where the heck did this fox come from?!" he was about to kick it away lightly before Hinata quickly picked the animal up, his foot connecting with her hand instead. "Naruto-kun please don't hurt her, I'm sure she's just teething" she smiled nervously and Naruto couldn't help but notice her lack of stuttering, figuring that she was just really worried about the well being of her fox.

'Hikari-chan, why did you do that?'

'He was the one who started it!'

Smiling apologetically at the blond ninja she said, "I-I should've mentioned sooner b-but she will be assisting me in my missions from now on, I h-hope you don't mind" he scratched the back of his head, guilty at what he had done or was about to do "Sorry Hinata but I just have bad experiences with foxes is all but honestly I think it'd be awesome if you brought her along" he grinned.

---

"W-well I'm sure we all have everything we need, so are you r-ready to go Naruto-kun?" she asked as she brushed Hikari's soft white fur before placing her in her jacket, liking the feeling and now knowing how it must've felt for Kiba as she zipped up her jacket just high enough for them to be comfortable.

"Yeah I'm set but hey Hinata-chan can I see the scroll real fast?" she tossed it to him curious as to what he was planning to do with it but when she realized he was going to read it her eyes widened before she got up to quickly snatch it from his hands "Naruto-kun I-I don't think we're supposed to r-read the contents of the scroll!" he only laughed untying the string around it "Don't worry Hinata-chan, it's not like anyone is watching" she powered more chakra into her feet seeing that he wasn't listening, hoping to get to the scroll before it was too late "Oh my Kami it's a-" she quickly took the scroll before he could finish, holding it close to her but then unraveling it on accident when she hit the ground causing her to close her eyes to preserve its secrecy, only to open her eyes to Naruto taking the scroll from her, she turned to him "N-Naruto-k" only to stop as her eyes took in the contents of the scroll as Naruto held it in front of her face to see, "I-it's just a map?" she said dumbfounded "See Hinata-chan, told you it wasn't anything to worry about!" he grinned mischievously at her shocked expression.

It was at this time that Gaara decided to interrupt the two from their pondering and revealed himself from the spot under the gate, Naruto seeing this grinned at seeing his fellow jinchuuriki and made to hug him only for Gaara to side step from the kind gesture causing the blond boy to miss completely and fall on his face. This caused the heiress to giggle only to blush as Naruto pouted at the cold redhead but getting up he turned his attention back to Gaara "Not that I'm glad you're here or anything but what are you doing here anyway?"

Gaara only smirked in reply "I trust that the both of you will escort me to Mizu no kuni safely... Or at least alive?"

Cruddy chapter I know but anyways I'm sorry I haven't updated since its almost been two years since I have, you guys must hate me which I understand but erm hopefully you guys can find it in your hearts to forgive me?(yeah right)... Besides my story is nothing to be upset over, I'm pretty sure there are other stories you guys like way better over mine so lol one update can't mean much but anyways for those of you who've kept to this story since the beginning, thanks so much(I love you guys, thank you for all the support)! Hope you like the update, And I promise I'll try to update sooner or at least not a year from now...