Ascending Love

The Art of the Shadow Clone

Welcome to the chapter number 5 of "Ascending Love".

"Talking"

'Thoughts'

"Demonic Voice"

"Flashback"

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Finding this whole mission to be unbelievable; Sarada walked toward the entrance to the Hidden Leaf. She was supposed to meet the Hokage in a matter of minutes. She had meant to get there earlier, but she burnt her breakfast, and started over. By the time she realized what time it was, she had ended up eating and walking. Sarada looked around to see if the Hokage had made it over or not. A small smile crossed her face as she remembered that he was always late. She sighed and stepped just outside the village.

She could not even imagine what to expect on this mission. It was considered a mission, and therefore Sarada knew she was representing the Leaf. She tucked her hands in her pockets and kicked a rock on the ground. She thought about the idea of a wedding, and what it would feel like to be a bride. Sarada never gave it much thought about weddings. She might have thought about boys and dating... but marrying them? The thought seemed scary to her.

"Oh. Phew!" Naruto appeared looking and sounding relieved.

"Hokage." She smiled at him and their eyes met. She felt her heart beating in her ears.

"Come here." Naruto looked over his shoulder to make sure there wasn't unwanted attention. He started walking toward the trees off the road. Sarada pulled her hands from her pockets and followed him. He was wearing his Hokage cloak; and he didn't want people noticing? She thought to herself. They walked passed a couple trees, and Naruto turned to her with a smile. Sarada stopped just feet from him and waited for him to speak.

"I hate doing this to you..." Naruto brought his fingers up to his chest and started to form a Jutsu. Sarada watched his fingers and knew right away that it was the famous Shadow clone Jutsu. She watched as he spoke the words, and an exact copy of him appeared right beside him. It smiled automatically.

"A clone?" Sarada wasn't sure about what was going on.

"Yes. He will accompany you throughout the mission. I am Hokage, y'know." He winked.

"But... uh..." Sarada looked at the clone, and then at the Hokage. She didn't want to question him, but she was not sure what the point was. "Why?"

"Sarada," Naruto let out a chuckle. He filled in the couple feet between them and looked in to her eyes. Sarada felt her body fighting to stay still. Her body wanted to be closer to him, touching him. "I can't leave a clone here. Shikamaru would kill me."

"You never said anything about a clone when we discussed the mission." Sarada just stared at him. She put her hands in her pockets and wrinkled her brow at him. The clone watched and waited.

"I promise next time we can find time alone It won't be a clone." He felt discouraged by the look on her face. He felt as though there was a mistrust in her eyes. He had tried so hard to be there for her in understanding her father. He had wanted her trust this whole time, and they developed something they could only share through trust.

Sarada looked passed the Hokage at the clone, and then back at the Hokage. Naruto lifted his hand behind his head and scratched nervously.

Sarada took her hands from her pocket and walked to the clone.

"Well... let's go." She kept her back to the Hokage and waited on the clone.

"You got it." The clone smiled pleased that Sarada walked over to him.