Change

The sound of heavy boots could be heard, clear evidence of someone stomping their way through the forest, unaware or uncaring of their surroundings and the possible dangers all around them. Blood pumped adrenaline into their veins, forcing them onward, pushing the limitations that would usually force the body to grow tired. Exhaustion had no place in their heart now; it was a matter of survival, and pure animal prowess that kept them racing through the trees, smashing through branches with arms raised to shield the face of a criminal.

Whilst the sound of their boots scared away most living creatures in the area, it also drew some nearer; it had become a plea for death. Surely no one who truly wished to live and not be found wouldn’t be making such a disturbance in the forest of Konoha. It was simply a general rule not to break the peace when you were being hunted, for it would surely lead to demise.

True to the natural way of things, the hunter approaches, his agile footfalls a contrast to the pounding of his prey’s. The only sound he hears is the blood rushing through his victim’s body, pulsating irregularly as he realizes he’s so very close to death. He can smell the fear of his quarry, the undeniable scent of sweat and adrenaline mixing in a final attempt at survival. It would be futile of course, the man has let desperation take over any form of sense.

Knowing there was no sense in continuing such a chase, the hunter raised a tanned hand, a black kunai with golden engravings in it resting between his fingers, and made a swift forward motion, landing silently on a tree branch to watch the downfall of his prey. It had been quick; for he was not one to torture someone without just cause, and all this man had been guilty of was petty theft. Nonetheless, it had been his job as a ninja to go by what the mission stated; it just so happened that this mission demanded death.

He jumped down from the tree limb, gracefully landing beside the fallen body. He removed the kunai from the corpse, and closed his crimson eyes for a moment, as the sounds of nature soon returned. No longer did the thumping heart of his victim torment him, now he could once again bask in the serenity of the forest. He could now feel the wind blowing his golden bangs across his striped cheeks, the light from the sun overhead occasionally breaking through the thick trees, giving his tanned skin an unnatural hue.

When he opened his eyes again, he knew it was time to bring the body back. He had been gone long enough, wasting time on a senseless chase that was rather uncharacteristic of him. He had no idea what was wrong with him, but he was sure that it had something to do with the fox.

Crouching down, he grabbed the body of the man with one hand, and formed a hand seal with another, disappearing in a burst of flames, reappearing outside a huge building built of sand. No open windows were visible, most of them covered with banners that sported the symbol of Suna. It wasn’t a real sign of support or love for the sand village, the banners were really only there to keep out sand and the sun.

When he had first come to Suna four years previously, he couldn’t stand the heat, often passing out from sun stroke. It had taken him almost a year to fully adjust in order to train for more than an hour at a time, much faster than most ninja who couldn’t train that much even when they were born in Suna. The heat was extreme, never ceasing, even in the shadiest of places you could still see the heat waves rising off the sand.

Though the sandstorms were without a doubt the worst part of Suna, as they came on quickly and usually without warning. During a mild sandstorm there could be up to three deaths, usually people that got caught out in the open and couldn’t find their way to shelter. Three deaths was truly a great improvement from the dozens that used to go missing before the new Kazekage took over.

A soft smile formed on his face when he recalled the current Kazekage, who also happened to be his best friend. Gaara Sabaku (spelling?) the master of sand, and a fellow demon host, he was the best ruler Suna had ever seen, and though no one would openly admit it, everyone knew it deep down. Gaara had changed a lot over the years, he was no longer the monster everyone had considered him to be. After the epic battle in Konoha he had been forced to see things differently, from a more human perspective. Ever since then, the concerns and needs of his village came before all else.

He walked slowly up the stairs and into the building, the dead man now slung over his shoulder. He glanced at the guards, both of them familiar, they nodded at him and knocked on a large stone door, before opening it and stepping back, bowing their heads slightly. He walked into the room, grinning at the sight of the red haired ruler sitting at a desk, with huge piles of papers all around him. “Having fun I assume?” he dropped the body on the ground, it landing with a thud.

“You have no sense of cleanliness, do you? That man could have diseases or something.” Gaara waved his pale hand dismissingly. “And as if I need to state it, no, I am not having fun.” He signed a paper, putting it down in one of the numerous piles, before fully looking up at Naruto with his emerald eyes, the black outlines not as profound as they used to be. “I take it the mission was a success? No injuries or problems?”

“No, there were no problems. He was with a small group of rogues, but I quickly took care of them. No one will ever know they’re missing. And as you can see, he is here with minimal injuries, it can be played off as a natural death or accident.” He had become professional again as he explained the mission. A sense of discipline had finally taken over him not long after he came to Suna, he had become mature, though certain people still got to see the old him underneath it all. “I suppose you want the body to be handed over to your guards so they can deal with it?”

Gaara nodded slightly, pushing a button on his desk and waiting for the doors to open. “Take away the body, dispose of it. Should anyone ask, the man died in the sandstorm last week, and his body was only recently discovered.” He turned back to his golden haired friend, allowing a sad smile to grace his lips. “I’m afraid I have one more mission for you, one that I regretfully must impose upon you merely because you are the only one I can trust.” He looked at his desk, picking up a black folder and handing it to his best friend.

Picking it up, his crimson eyes became a shade darker after reading the first paragraph. “Escort you to Konoha?” he looked up at Gaara. “I really don’t think that’s a good idea Gaara, I mean, can’t you have Kankuro or Temari take you?”

“Absolutely not. You are the man for the job, and besides, its time you faced the past. You can’t avoid it forever, it’ll only be for a few weeks anyways, not that big of a deal.” Gaara rolled his eyes. “I’m not exactly thrilled to have to leave the comfort of my home either you know.”

Golden hair covered his eyes now. “I don’t want to go Gaara, you know what it’ll be like facing him again.”

“You have no choice. I’m afraid you’re required. As a transfer ninja from Suna, I command you, Uzumaki Naruto, to escort the Kazekage to Konoha.” Gaara’s voice had become stern, leaving no room for questions. He knew how difficult it would be, but it was something Naruto would have to face eventually, the sooner the better. “We leave tomorrow morning, be here at dawn.” He turned back to his paperwork, letting only his eyes trail upwards for a moment. “And Naruto, please forgive me.”

Naruto looked at Gaara, a soft smile playing on his lips. “How could I not? You’re my best friend, and I know you’ll be there for me whenever I need you. Just promise you’ll stand by me when it all comes crashing down Gaara.” Naruto turned and walked out of the room. He wouldn’t abandon Gaara, he knew he couldn’t, so he would spend the night packing and resting before the trip tomorrow.

Naruto Uzumaki would soon be returning to the place he had avoided for four years, he was going home. He was going to Konoha.