Chapter 25: And Off They Go

At the village gates, the group Tsunade assigned to go to the Hidden Cloud was circled around, ready to leave. However, one person had yet to arrive.

"This always happens," Sakura leaned to her right side as she looked at her team captains, who all faced her from the outside of the opened gates, "He's always late..."

"Heeey!" A cheery voice caught the attention of the group, they all turned around to see a smiling Naruto approaching them.

When he caught up, he tightened the straps of his book bag, "Who's ready to goooo? I sure am!"

"Is he drunk or something?" Tenten whispered into Neji's ear.

"I don't know... and frankly, don't care either." The byakugan user replied.

Naruto eagerly looked for Nia and when he spotted her, he enthusiastically said, "Hey, Curly Brow! I can't wait to get you back to your village!"

All those around the genin gave him disapproving looks.

"Eh?" Naruto noticed the expressions, "What's wrong?"

The next thing he knew, he was put into a headlock by no other than Sakura.

"Gwaaa!" The male wailed his arms around, "What did I do, Sakura?! I didn't do anything!"

"You knucklehead!" She yelled as she tugged at his head, "Nia doesn't even know why we're all the ones to escort her to the Hidden Cloud instead of the ANBU! She doesn't know what you plan to do there, you idiot!"

Suddenly, Naruto didn't feel the pain of Sakura's hold. He calmed down and saw the gloomy expression on Nia's face; he couldn't see her eyes underneath her bang.

"Hey uh Nia," He sweatdropped and gestured his hand apologetically, "I didn't mean what I said in a bad way or anything like that."

The girl responded by turning her back towards him. Naruto slumped his shoulders and head.

'She hates me...' He sighed dramatically .

"See what you've done?!"

Again Sakura tugged on Naruto's head but even harder this time.

"Guaah! I'm sorry! I'm super sorry, I swear!"

"Shut it!"

"That's enough, Sakura." Captain Yamato spoked up, "Let Naruto go."

"But Captain Yamato-"

"Just do as he said, Sakura." Kakashi ordered.

"Okay..." Sakura dropped her grasp on Naruto, who then took in numerous amounts of breaths.

"Guah! I thought I was done for." He panted hard before returning to normal.

As he situated himself, Iruka, who was also part of the mission, faced toward the outside and said, "No more fooling around! Let's get going."

"Right!" Everyone but Nia and him said at once.

****

Hours passed since their departure. Nia was kept watch over by Guy, Kakashi, and Iruka. They couldn't risk having her pull a fast one and stayed near her at all times. At times, Naruto would try to speak to her but the girl would only mute him out.

'Is it cause of what I said at the village gates?' The genin wondered as he kicked off a branch.

"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto called the chunin who was slightly ahead of him, "Come here for a sec. I need to ask you something!"

Iruka slowed his pace and steadied it with Naruto's, "What is it?"

Naruto took a moment to hop onto another branch, then kicked off it.

"How's Nia? She holding up okay?"

"Not really. She hasn't spoken since we left." Iruka answered.

"That's a shame." Naruto frowned, "She really doesn't like that place at all."

Iruka looked at his friend and decided to ask, "Tell me Naruto, how did you even come across her in the first place?"

"It was actually by a strange coincidence. You see, she fell on me after falling from a tree." Naruto chuckled.

Iruka sweatdropped, "Okay funny guy, now how about you tell me what really happened."

"Ehhh? What do you mean? She slammed me into the ground and that's how we met."

"So it happened just like that?"

"Yep!"

....Silence...

Naruto glanced at his former instructor only to be met with suspicious eyes.

"What's with that look you're giving me, Sensei?"

"You haven't pulled any moves yet, have you Naruto?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You know what I mean!" Iruka responded, "Did you try anything to steal my cousin's affection??"

"Whaaaa?! Where's this coming from? I didn't do anything!"

"Oh? Then what's with the talk about you embracing Nia?! Jiraiya told me that you gave her a tender hug! What was that all about?"

Naruto's cheeks slightly flushed as the memory of that event came back to him.

T-That's right... I totally forgot about that... Pervy Sage really needs to quit the teasing...!

Tenten and Sai, who was next to the other two men, overheard what was said.

"So, there's something going on between you and that girl...?" Sai nonchalantly responded.

"No, you got the wrong idea... That was only a one time thing!" Naruto told the truth.

"One time?!" Iruka clenched his fist.

"Come on, Iruka! Don't be mad! It was nothing but a friendly hug." Naruto tried to justify himself.

"You call a minute long hug a friendly one?!"

Naruto's face turned blue while his eyes turned into small black dots. He slowed his pace drastically and hid in the back with Lee, Sakura, and Neji.

'Pervy Sage said that too...? Is he trying to have me killed or something...?!'

"I'm watching you, Uzumaki!" Iruka said before speeding up to his original position.

Naruto felt a shiver run down his spine.

Scary...

Tenten giggled.

How cute! He hugged her for a minute? I'd never thought of him to be such a romantic. What a surprise.

"I admire your ability to find love in as little as a couple months, Naruto!" Lee stuck his thumb, grinned, and winked, "I hope all works out for you too!"

"Are you trying to get on my nerves?! I already said there's nothing romantic going on between us! We both like other people!" Naruto responded with an annoyed expression.

"Calm down, Naruto. Lee's just messing around with you." Neji talked.

"Actually Neji, I was dead serious." Lee confirmed.

"..."

"You're not gonna respond to that?!" Naruto got furious with Neji.

"It was none of my business to begin with so I don't care."

"What don't you not care about?"

"Ugh, you guys are making my ears deaf! I'm going on ahead." Sakura said before picking up her speed to where Tenten and Sai were.

"Sakuraaa nooo!" Lee reached his hand out. When the kunoichi didn't return, he blamed Naruto.

"You're to blame too y'know, Bushy Brow!"

"And so what if I am? At least I didn't tell a sad girl that I couldn't wait to see her leave forever after building a bond with her."

"Gyaaaa...." A stormy dark cloud appeared over Naruto's head as he once more slowed his pace and was now behind everyone else.

Don't remind me...

He then shook his head and furrowed his brows,

That's it! Enough of this! I'm gonna go try talking to Curly Brow again! She can't ignore me forever.

"Nia!" The genin jumped faster and faster off each branch to get closer to his sibling student, "Nia!"

Guy, who could hear the young male, said to the young girl next to him, "I think Naruto wants to say something to you."

Nia looked back and saw the blonde also as she leaped off a branch. However as she made contact with the next branch, a paper bomb was activated and seconds later, it ignited. The group was split up because of it and since Nia's hands were tied behind her, she couldn't use them to balance herself like the others did and fell at a quick speed.

Below her was a pond full of acid. The trees were quickly dissolving and the adults who were in charge of her had too little time to rescue her.

"Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

An army of Naruto clones grabbed one another's feet and practically built a human rope. However, he underestimated how many clones it would take to rescue the girl and a couple clones had to risk their lives jumping onto the pond, catch Nia, then throw her high enough to where the other clones could grab her.

Though they both used chakra to stand on the surface of the pond, the acid passed through and burned their sandals to the souls of their feet. The two clones vanished right after.

Naruto's remaining copies swung themselves and gently placed Nia onto safer ground. The original then released the jutsu and rushed to her side.

"You alright, Curly Brow?"

"Yeah..." She nodded, "Thanks... for saving me."

"No problem," The genin male softly smiled, "I'm glad you're okay."

Finally... She said something to me...

"Narutooo!" Kakashi called his comrade from a distance, "You guys alriiight?"

"Yeaaaah!" Naruto answered back.

In the shadows of the thick forest, a person accompanied by three others, watched as Naruto helped Nia to her feet.

"So that guy is Naruto Uzumaki, ay?" A guy with white hair, purple eyes, and shark-like teeth said as he looked to the ninja next to him who didn't respond.

A girl with rose-colored hair and eyes, gawked at the two teens and pushed up her brown glasses, "That girl... looks familiar."

"What was that, Karin? You know that chick?" Suigetsu, the white-haired guy, pointed at the girl next to Naruto.

Karin still had her finger on the bridge of her glasses as she squinted her eyes to get a better look.

"Well?"

"Shut up, Suigetsu! I'm trying to remember."

Karin bit her thumb; She thought of a book Orichimaru kept in the hideout she was in charge of. In there, it had pictures of people that he secretly found out had a very rare and unique ability. Something that would be of use to him. Karin even saw herself in it but it was her as a child.

The red-head studied Nia's face. Nothing about her really stood out.

'Wait!' Karin recognized something anyone else would.

Her eyebrow... Nia's slightly curled upward left eyebrow was very memorable. Karin thought hard about what the page described the abilities the girl could or does possess.

What was it?!

"Karin." A voice said.

"What is it, Sasuke?" The girl snapped out of her thoughts.

Sasuke didn't look at his team member, "Who cares about that girl; Our goal is to find Itachi."

"Oh... right."

While Naruto made sure the others were all right, Sasuke stood up and declared, "We're leaving."

"All right, man. Whatever you say." Suigetsu also stood.

Jugo, who didn't say a word the entire time, simply nodded and followed the two ahead of him. Karin stared more at Nia before Sasuke called her name; She too then went along.

I'll find out what her abilities are. If it was in Orochimaru's book for unusual techniques, that only means she may be a threat to us if we come across her path. That's if her abilities are for battle that is.

Soon, Team Taka left.

Naruto felt something in his heart. Something very peculiar. He looked around but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

"What is it, Naruto?" Sakura asked as they stood on a branch, "Why do you keep looking around?"

Naruto calmed himself, "Oh, it's nothing."

I think...

The Konoha ninjas all resumed on their journey, making sure that there were no other traps lying around while they did. One asked about the pond of acid and the paper bomb but the jonin dismissed it as a trap that was probably set up a while ago but was never used. No enemy had attacked them when it happened anyway.

"Listen everyone, it's going to be getting dark soon. We need to find a resting place and travel back out in the morning." Captain Yamato said as the group kicked off their own branch.

The group agreed.

About several minutes later, they spotted a large enough area for Yamato to make a building out of wood. It was like the size of a small mansion with multiple rooms. The gang set their bags down and rested up.

Naruto looked for Nia, who was standing near the jonin with her hands tied behind her back once more. He frowned and approached the older men.

"Does she really have to be restrained like that?" He asked.

"Of course!" Guy answered, "She's a rogue ninja! We don't wanna risk making a mistake while returning her to her village."

"Yeah but-"

"It is how it is, Naruto." Kakashi interrupted, "You're just gonna have to accept it for now."

Naruto sighed.

Meanwhile, Lee was walking on his hands. He wanted to put some training in just before he would go to sleep. He had already walked through all the rooms and was prepared to start a new round.

"Lee, look at you using your time so efficiently!" Guy praised his student.

"Yes, Guy-sensei! I am working very hard so I can be a better ninja than before." Lee replied.

"That's my boy!" Guy gave Lee a thumbs up.

He then stood on his hands too with his legs in the air, "I'll train with ya, Lee!"

"All right, Guy-sensei! If that is what you desire, then so be it!"

When the two began to move, Lee had incidentally kicked Naruto in the back, causing him to fall forward and smack into Nia. When he did however, she vanished into smoke.

"What?!" Yamato exclaimed, "A clone?!"

"This isn't good." Kakashi responded to the event.

Iruka gritted his teeth, "I can't believe this! I thought she was here the entire time."

"Me too..." Naruto rubbed his head in a calmed manner.

"Naruto, this is a serious situation. How can you be so calm?" Iruka barked.

"Well, after being around her for some time, I can practically predict where she might be headed."

"..."

"Well...? Where is she?" Iruka asked.

Naruto faced the front door, "Follow me; I'll lead the way."

Iruka along with Kakashi, followed Naruto into the forest.

****

'Damn...!' Nia dragged her feet across the ground as she held her bleeding arm.

Near her, the ANBU who were at first way ahead of the Leaf group, we're now knocked out against trees or boulders. All were unconscious while Nia struggled to even stand. She fell onto a knee and panted.

H-How are they... s-so strong...?!

The girl then pushed herself back up and walked in a random direction. She had no clue where she was going. All she really cared about was making sure she would never live the day where she would show back up at the Hidden Cloud.

She left a trail of blood on the ground as she went. Her objective was so heavily on her mind that she didn't notice the evidence left behind.

In the fight between her and Sai, when Nia saw Jiraiya distracted with freeing Naruto from the ink of lions, she kicked Sai into a twirl and quickly made a clone as his back was turned. When that happened, she let that copy fight her battle and she made a run for it .

Nia had anticipated that she would soon be captured, so instinctively, she made a run for it. Ever since then, she's been traveling alone. However, to her dismay, a attack was made on her. These were the ANBU from her village. After hearing Tsunade's message, they decided to head back to the Cloud ahead of the Lead ninja's late at night. A few hours later, they spotted Nia and they all fought till morning. In the end, though with extreme difficulty and stubbornness, Nia came out as the victor. Her opponents were unconscious.

The girl's vision made her see trees intercepting one another. Almost as if they passed through eachother.

'My god...' She took a weak step forward, 'I can't... I can't go further...'

Immediately, her legs gave out from exhaustion and Nia fell to the ground. She was in the same state as the ones she fought.

****

"If you ask me, I think sloth is the worst deadly sin!"

"If I had to choose, it'd be pride."

"What? No way, Neji. Although I understand why you would think so, sloth is the deadliest sin since you don't work hard for success. It's an abomination."

"Well, that was just in my opinion, Lee."

Nia heard voices close to her. Two people sharing their thoughts on a debatable topic. At the same time, her body felt light and could feel it moving though her legs didn't touch the ground.

She fluttered her eyes open and saw multiple people in front of her.

W-Wha?

Her body was pressed up against someone tall. Taking a closer look, she realized someone was carrying her on their back. Nia instinctively pushed away from that person.

"Dammit! Not you people!" She frowned as soon as she recognized the Leaf ninja.

"Golly, you didn't have to push yourself off so roughly." Guy rubbed his back.

"Are you okay, Guy-sensei?!" Lee asked.

"I'm fine. Thanks, Lee."

"Yeah."

Nia placed her hand on the pouched tied to her thigh but felt nothing in there.

"Looking for these?" Kakashi held a few kunai and shuriken with his finger through the top of the handle of each weapon.

"Why can't you just leave me alone! I'm not going back!" Nia grunted.

"You're going back whether you like it or not." Neji replied with a harsh tone.

Quickly, Nia prepared to use her paralysis jutsu but before she could, Kakashi appeared beside her in a swift motion and grabbed her hand.

"I don't think so." He said.

The kunoichi aimed her fist toward Kakashi but it ended up being caught by none other than Guy.

"Trying to pull a fast one, eh?" He lowered the girls fist, "I could tell by the way your fist connected to my palm that you're pretty good with taijutsu."

"Is that true, Guy-sensei?" Lee questioned.

"Positive. That punch could've sent an average taijutsu user flying if it landed a hit."

"Just let go of me!" Nia demanded.

Guy did so yet when he did, Yamato clasped his hands in a seal position but Naruto stopped him from summoning his wood.

"There's no need to cage her, Captain Yamato." He spoked.

Yamato replied, "What do you mean? If I don't, she'll try to find another means of escape."

"I'll do all the watching."

"You're not good at that, Naruto." Sakura walked to her teammate then pointed at him, "Just wait, you'll lose sight of her in no more than an hour."

"That's not true, Sakura! I can totally keep an eye on-"

"Hey! She's getting away!" Neji suddenly exclaimed.

"WHAA?! Already?!" Naruto freaked out as he looked to Guy, Yamato and Kakashi, who had all been distracted by him and Sakura bickering.

The spot where Nia stood was vacant. She was jumping from branch to branch in the opposite direction of where the group was headed.

Quickly, Naruto spawned two clones and they all chased after the girl. Unfortunately for Nia, she was still drained from her fight with the ANBU and landed awkwardly on a branch then lost her balance and fell. Naruto's clone caught her and placed her gently on the grass.

"Didn't I tell ya you were gonna lose sight of her!" Sakura ran to the weakened kunoichi.

"Just heal her!" The original Naruto yelled as the group reached up to the kunoichi.

"I'm on it!" Sakura replied.

Naruto released his jutsu as Sakura placed her hands over Nia's body. A green light surrounded her stretched hands as she did so. Everyone intently watched while Nia breathed heavily.

Seconds later, Sakura stopped her action and said, "She's not hurt, only tired."

"That I am glad to hear." Lee responded.

"No kidding." Tenten agreed.

"Sakura, are you sure she's alright? Maybe you should check again, y'know?" Naruto spoked.

"There's no need to. I'm a thousand percent sure she'll be fine if she takes it easy for now." Sakura answered with confidence.

Yamato placed his hand on Naruto's shoulder, "We'll travel several more miles then shelter ourselves for when night falls. As we all know, Sai has taken those ANBU folks to the Hidden Leaf with his birds to have Tsunade patch their wounds since it took most of Sakura's chakra to heal Nia fully and the others only to a certain degree."

"Who's gonna carry Curly Brow?" Naruto asked.

"You!" Sakura stood up.

"What? Why me?"

"Because you said you'd keep an eye on her yet she left just seconds after you made that announcement!"

Naruto sweatdropped, "S-Sorry..."

He then took his backpack off and gave it to the pink-haired girl, "Since I'm carrying her, you gotta hold onto this then."

"Alright fine." Sakura took Naruto's bag, "Let's just get going."

"I agree." Neji crossed his arms, "We fooled around for too long. At the pace we're going now, it would take a month to get to our destination."

"I hear you, I hear you." Naruto said as he carefully placed Nia on his back then stood up and adjusted her to a more comforting position.

Nia was awake but didn't respond to Naruto carrying her.

The group began scurrying off and during that time, Nia stared at the profile of Naruto's face.

"So, no matter what, don't let yourself be caged in self-pity just because others gave you a bad and unfair hand in life."

"All you need is courage and perseverance! Without those two qualities, life will always be a burden to you. You've got to learn how to carve your own destiny, Curly Brow... You've got to learn how to do it on your own."

"I'll show you how it's done until you finally catch on yourself!"

Nia's eyes felt heavy. She stared at the ground and thought of what Naruto told her clone back in the prison cells.

Did he really say that to my clone... to me...?

Again she gazed at the blonde.

What kind of guy is he...? I don't get it. Why is he so nice and... encouraging...? I just don't understand! He shouldn't be that way! He's a guy! A young guy! He's not supposed to be nice to me! I'm not a gorgeous girl!

The kunoichi looked ahead of her and saw Sakura walking several feet ahead. She thought of the way her clone gave her the information that she spat rice on the female's face.

'That makes me feel like a bad person...' She sweatdropped.

Nia then remembered that Sakura was the girl Naruto liked. She stared at the back of the girl's head and sighed.

She's so pretty and fit... Way better looking than me...

"Naruto...?" The girl decided to talk.

"Hm? You alright now, Curly Brow?" Naruto looked over his shoulder.

"Yeah." Nia answered before lowering her chin on Naruto, "I wanted to ask you something..."

"What?"

"Umm..."

"?"

"Mmm...." Nia felt out of place to say what she wanted.

"..." Naruto waited.

And waited.

And waited.

And waited some more.

Finally...

"Are you gonna ask something or not? I don't wanna wait all day, y'know!" He finally lost patience.

"Okay! Okay!" Nia quickly stammered, "Do you... you know like... like um..."

"Do I, what?"

"Like umm..."

"..."

"Liiiike...?" Naruto repeated to let Nia know that he was listening.

"Do you like Sakura still or something?!" Nia quickly spilled her question out.

Naruto looked at her surprised with flushed cheeks, "That's what you wanted to ask?!"

"..."

The genin calmed himself and looked ahead of him to his green-eyed crush.

"Yeah... I do..." He answered.

"Oh..." Nia said almost as if she was disappointed.

Naruto made eye contact with her, "It may be nearly impossible right now but... One day, I think I might be able to get her to fall for me, y'know?"

"..." Nia didn't say anything.

Hearing Naruto's words, Lee, who was running behind the Uzumaki, decided to speak up.

"Though that may be so cause you two are on the same team.... I still won't lose Sakura and her affections to you, Naruto!"

"Oh yeah, Bushy Brows?! You don't have the slightest-"

As Naruto continued his sentence, Lee raced ahead of him and next to Sakura.

"Sakura! May I ask you something?!"

"HEY!" Naruto yelled and picked up his speed.

"I just wanted to ask if you would want to go on a date with me sometime?" Lee smiled.

Naruto gritted his teeth.

BUSHY BROOOWS!

Nia saw the intensity in Naruto's expression and sighed heavily.

"Sorry Lee, but I'm not interested." Sakura politely rejected the ninja's advances.

Immediately, Lee turned to stone and flowed with the wind. The two became one.

"Tough luck, Bushy Brows!" Naruto hopped over the frozen older male in order to get to Sakura.

Nia looked behind her to see Lee still frozen.

Geez, he takes rejection hard.

The next thing she knew, Naruto fell onto his face and she banged her forehead to the back of Naruto's head.

"What the hell?!" Nia groaned as she realized what just occurred.

"Oh brother..." Tenten appeared in front of her and Naruto, "Honestly, you and Lee are hopeless, Naruto."

"..."

"You two really need to get moving or  else!" Neji shouted as he ran passed the four others who weren't moving at all.

"Just a sec!" Tenten replied to her teammate.

"Naruto, why are you on the ground?" Nia asked her friend who said nothing in return.

Tenten giggled and answered, "He tried asking Sakura out for ramen when the opportunity showed itself but she ended up saying no flat out."

Nia sweatdropped.

...She really mustn't like him then... Poor guy...

"Come on Naruto and Lee. Everyone is way ahead of us now." Tenten urged.

Lee recovered from his dramatic frozen state, "You're right, Tenten. I am sorry. However! Naruto, I challenge you! Whoever can catch up to the group first, can be the man to have Sakura. On your mark! Get set... GO!"

Like a rocket, Lee was gone. Naruto hopped to his feet and set off like a jet like nothing happened.

"You're not gonna show me up!" He grunted.

Tenten sighed and took off behind her friends.

Those two are a serious handful...

----

A/N- Please vote and comment :) have a great day