A Thousand Years

The Plan

Nina stared at the strange man with poisonous eyes, she hadn't heard that name in a while.

"Who are you?" She demanded.

"I'm not sure I can tell you that." The pitchy voice said. "But I bet you're wondering how I know Madara-sama!" He taunted in a singsong voice. "Well, he never did tell you and I'm sure he wouldn't like me spoiling the story. Don't worry though! I'll make sure to tell him about our encounter, Madara-sama be glad to hear about his old friend..." And with that, he disappeared into the ground.

By now, Nina had neither the energy nor the will to chase him. She sighed, he must have known that the ritual would leave her weaker than usual.

She simply turned around and began walking back to the village.

Reaching her home on the outskirts of the village, Nina pushed open the door and sat down on the bed. It must have been around two in the morning by then, the moon still hung high in the night sky, radiating its deep red color. She assumed the village's festivities had concluded already as the village was completely silent, only the spots of light from the lanterns marked that anything had happened that day.

"You're getting much better." The rare compliment came abruptly one day when Naruto was practicing walking on water. It had been a few months since he started training under Nina.

"Really?" He asked, a smile now plastered on his face. "Thanks, sensei!" He turned his attention back to the task at hand: getting to the other side of the river. After he made it, he turned around and made his way back to the side he started on.

"I must talk with you about something." She said.

He skipped over and sat in front of her.

"What is it?" He grinned.

"You have not yet told your mother."

He frowned.

Yes, Kushina still didn't know he was training to be a shinobi, but why bring that up now?

"I wish to bring you on a short trip out of Konoha in two weeks' time, I doubt any excuse will be able to convince her of your absence for four days." She continued.

Naruto thought for a moment and, sure enough, he was unable to think of anything.

"I guess I have to tell her, huh?" He sighed.

"Think of it as your first mission from me. I expect to hear good news." She said, standing up. "Our time is just about up, I'll see you tomorrow." She nodded a goodbye and disappeared, leaving the boy to dread getting home and having to face his mother.

"Hey, Mom... can I talk to you?" Naruto asked slowly, peeking his head into the room where Kushina sat.

"Of course dear." She patted the spot next to her.

Naruto dragged himself over and sat down, eyes glued on the floor.

"Uh... you know how I really want to be a ninja? And how I've been going out every day?"

Kushina nodded, eyeing him with concern.

He took a deep breath and braced himself for her reaction.

"Well, I haven't been with my friends like I told you. I found a sensei to train me." He said quietly, hands gripped tightly.

He only heard silence coming from his mother.

"Naruto, you're not serious, are you?" She tried to laugh but it came out more like a cough.

He said nothing.