~You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here~
Third POV
The mission was a failure, and all of the returning genin were injured in some way. Shikamaru and Kouta were the least injured, having gotten back-up before getting severely wounded in their fights.
There had been five enemies in total. Well, technically six, as two guys shared one body. Choji and Asami teamed up to take down the first person, Jirobo. Then Neji and Aoi managed to beat the guy named Kidomaru. The Sand Siblings appeared at that point, and helped the remaining genin defeat the other three members.
But it was all for naught, as in the end Naruto was unable to bring Sasuke back. They had a huge fight in the Valley of the End, and even with the power of the Nine-Tails on his side, Naruto just wasn't able to defeat Sasuke, who's curse mark reached the second stage.
Naruto was in the hospital resting from his battle, as were most of the other genin. Akamaru and Shiki were both being treated by Kiba's older sister Hana.
Time was passing, and things were changing in the Hidden Leaf. Sakura had decided to train under Lady Tsunade to become a medical ninja, and Jiraiya had taken Naruto under his wing for training. All in all, Team Seven was growing up.
The day Naruto was planning to leave the village was the day that he realized he hadn't seen Kiyomi in a while. After the whole fiasco that took place before the Sasuke retrieval mission, nobody really cared about where the purple-eyed girl had gotten to. They just figured she'd show up eventually, and everyone would go on with their lives.
Actually, the only one who really asked about Kiyomi was surprisingly Gaara, who asked where Kiyomi was before the Sand Siblings were planning on heading back to their home. He'd wanted to see the girl, and apologize for what had taken place before the Chunin Exams.
But when Gaara heard that nobody knew where Kiyomi was, he grew a bit concerned. The red-head pushed it aside, however, and decided to return home nonetheless. Apologizing could wait til later.
Right before Naruto left, as he was saying his goodbyes to Kakashi and Sakura, that's when the blond noticed his missing teammate. He mentioned her lack of presence to Kakashi, who only sighed and told Naruto to talk to the Hokage about it.
When Naruto did so, the blond really didn't know how to react to the news that Kiyomi had left. Jiraiya shrugged it off and told Naruto that they may see her sometime during their travels. Naruto left the Hokage's office with a very strange expression on his face. A combination of guilt, anger, confusion, and sadness, all concealed under a look of indifference.
======
A shadowy, slightly misty cave. Ten figures, all wearing similar outfits. Black cloak. Red clouds.
One figure chuckled creepily. "It's been quite a while since all ten of us have been gathered together. Seven years.... last time was when Orochimaru left this organization."
"Orochimaru... that man has gained the Sharingan. Itachi's younger brother." Aforementioned man was silent, his red eyes showing no emotion at the news that his little brother was with the snake.
Another one of the figures spoke up. "That man is moving, but so will we. We have little over three years. In order for our goal to be realized..."
"Our ambition... the Tailed Beasts are a start. With them, and the remaining five... everything shall be in our hands!" A man whose purple-ringed eyes glinted dangerously exclaimed. The cave was silent, and then, as if a silent signal had been given, every person there dispersed into thin air.
Leaving behind an abandoned cave, with only a faint chakra trace remaining.
======
A girl climbed over the last rock that lay between her and her destination, a small cave with a flickering fire lit within. A dusty scent covered the area, evidence of a person who didn't move around much. The purple-eyed girl walked towards the cave, and when she entered she was met with a familiar sight.
A man with long, red-orange hair was laying peacefully on a mat, his arms crossed over his chest. The faint scaling around his closed eyes was enough indication that this was the person Kiyomi had been searching for.
Kiyomi sighed, and walked into the connecting chamber of the cave. It was mainly the bathing area, but the girl had placed her bed there when she left the first time. Right now it was time to drag it back out again.
She'd be there when Ryuuko awakens.
======
A single, solitary mountain rose over a vast plain, covered in light green grass that blew in the faint wind. This was a land beyond the lands, a place few humans dared venture. The perfect place for a being to hide, a creature who didn't wish to be found by anyone.
Over the plain, dark gray storm-clouds gathered, slowly covering the sun that lit the vast field. Thunder rumbled faintly, and a faint flash of light could be seen in the distance.
The clouds finally covered the sun completely, and animals all over the plain scurried to their burrows or holes in search of shelter. Light rain started to fall from the sky, and the darkness increased with every second. Soon the only light in the area was given when lightning flashed across the sky.
It was during one of the lightning flashes that the one remaining creature on the plain was visible. It was a great equine, a horse the same color as the night sky. It's mane and tail flickered as a lightning bolt struck close by, but the horse didn't seem bothered.
In fact, it almost seemed happy. This time, the next lightning bolt struck the horse dead on, and it's mane lit up a brilliant blue, flickering just like the lightning in the sky.
The horse remained in place, seemingly basking in the glory of the storm. But once it seemed like the storm was clearing, the horse reared onto it's hind legs, then bolted off into the distance. The only things remaining were a scorched trail of grass in it's wake, and the faint scent of ozone lingering on the ground and in the air.
======
Deep in the water off the coast of the Land of Fire, close to where the Land of Whirlpools once was, a creature was stirring on the floor of the sea. The thing uncurled it's lithe body from where it had lain in the belly of a shipwrecked cargo ship, and the nearby fish all congested upon the spot.
Raising it's white-crested head, the serpentine figure looked on with calm eyes as the various ocean denizens vied for it's attention. Finally having enough of the clamor, the creature pushed off the ship's hull with a powerful tail thrust, making the ship creak under the pressure. The snake jetted through the water rapidly, it's long body streaming behind it as it headed for the surface.
The creature burst into the air at the ocean's surface, sending a great plume of water all around it's area. It floated in the air briefly, water droplets giving it a magnificent, shimmering visage. Then it dropped, and the snake was back in the water.
But unlike normal, this time the snake began to swim towards the far-off shore, weaving it's body through the waves easily. It had a destination, a purpose. There was something off about the world of the land, something spoken of in whispers by the creatures of the sea that were connected to the land. And it was this snake's job to find out what.
======
"Oi," a young man, about fifteen or so sighed. "Why exactly do ya want me here?" There was nobody else in the area, but still the boy spoke aloud. Speaking to something others couldn't see.
'My brethren have sensed it, as do I,' a deep voice rumbled in the boy's head. 'Something is happening in this world. And we are here so I may teach you things you do not yet know. You must be ready.'
"Gotcha," the boy replied confidently. "Teach me what you will, Bren."
Inside the boy's head, the great orange-and-black tiger chuckled. 'And so I will.'
======
Rain pounded outside the tall tower as a young boy stood in front of two taller figures. The boy clutched a ragged stuffed animal that once was probably a bird of some sort. It had tattered gray feathers with a hint of brown still remaining on their tips.
Both of the two people in front of the boy wore black cloaks with red clouds. One had striking orange hair and ringed purple eyes, and the other short-ish blue hair and amber eyes. The orange-haired man was staring out one of the tower windows, while the woman was watching the small child carefully.
"Zeru... you know your job," the purple-eyed man stated in monotone, still observing the rainy village below.
The child nodded, clutching his stuffed bird tighter. "I do," he whispered quietly, his voice almost so tiny that the orange-haired man couldn't hear him. "I will perform my task... Otou-san."
~Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end~
And that's the official end of Another Take. Well, excluding the bonus chapters that I'm going to write. So this book will appear as completed, but I'm gonna add those bonus chapters that don't really affect the story.
Thanks for reading this book, and I hope you stick around for the sequel!