Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Leaf and Dream ❯ Chapter 2
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Zarlune 
Dream Country's ninjas finally get the chance to explore the world.
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Action | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 12.17.2005 | Updated On: 12.24.2005 | Pages: 1 | Words: 1.4K | Visits: 210 | Status: Work In Progress
Dream Country's ninjas finally get the chance to explore the world.
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Action | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 12.17.2005 | Updated On: 12.24.2005 | Pages: 1 | Words: 1.4K | Visits: 210 | Status: Work In Progress
Disclaimer: I don’t own Naruto or any of it’s characters.
Arianna waited just within Dream Country’s borders. She was curled up in a tree, high enough to have a good view of her surroundings. Today she wasn’t an ANBU ninja, today she was just relaxing and enjoying the sound and feel of the breeze through the trees. Closing her deep blue eyes, she allowed the tension to fade away from her limbs. This was where she spent most of her free times, had spent it since she had helped that Leaf ninja escape. Hakate Kakashi... Leaf’s Copy Ninja.
She had found him lifetime’s ago. He was unconscious, wounded, and being chased by three ninjas from the village of Stone. She had killed the other ninjas and nursed Kakashi back to health, believing that he was another renegade from the outside and that he was seeking sanctuary. That turned out not to be the case, but by the time she realized the truth, it didn’t matter. They had plotted his escape, their escape really, but when the time came she had to let him go alone. Yumekage had found out about their plans and sent all of the country’s ANBU after them. She had used every trick in her arsenal, as well as some of them that Kakashi had taught her in order to keep them occupied enough for Kakashi to escape.
Running her hand absently over one of the scars on her collarbone, Ari tried to pull her mind away from the thoughts of the past, unable to repress the vivid memories once they were called up. She had been taken, alive, by Yumekage’s orders, and paraded down the street, stripped of her ninja gear and honor. Pelted by rotten vegetables and called a traitor and worse, she had stood trial and was sentenced to death. Only, instead of dying the next sunset, she was let free. There was a coup d’etat and the woman who had controlled the country by preying on the people’s fear of the outside world was finally laid to rest. Shina, one of the wisest women that Ari knew had taken over the country and had restored her good name. It was Shina who had decided that it was finally time for the Country of Dream to stop hiding, and she was the one to send the letter to the Hokage, stating the intent of the young ninjas of the two Hidden Villages to join those others in the tests to become a Chuunin. Closing her eyes, the woman leaned back against the tree, falling into a light doze.
“I should have known I would have found you here.” Came a familiar voice from below.
Startled, Ari fought to keep her balance on the tree branch, looking down at the old woman who stood at the base of the tree. “Yumekage.” she said, “You scared me.”
Shina pretended not to hear her, “This is where you found that young man, isn’t it? The one from Leaf Village? It’s too bad that he couldn’t stay, but he wasn’t happy here. He was a nice young man, wasn’t he?”
Ari smiled, “Okay Shina, you can stop with the act.” The older woman had been friends with the ANBU ninja for years, and she tended to let others think of her as a doddering old woman. It allowed them to underestimate her, a dangerous mistake.
The Yumekage smiled up at Ari, who slithered down to the ground, “We have a reply to our letter. Hokage sends her regards and says she looks forwards to our appearance.”
“And of Hakate Kakashi...?”
“He sends his regards as well.”
Ari let out the breath she was holding. “I was afraid that he forgot about us.”
“Might have been better if he had.” Shina was staring out through the forest, her eyes dark.
“Why do you say that?” Ari turned her gaze towards the Yumekage. Shina was getting old, they all knew it. And they knew that she was preparing Ari to take her place as leader of the Country of Dreams. “Shina, what do you see?”
The Yumekage was once known as a soothsayer. She predicted many of the events that had come upon them, and it was because of this soothsaying ability that she had to flee with the others who had worked hard to create the refuge. She was one of the original ninjas entrusted with the job of changing the maps and hiding the country from the rest of the world. “There’s a dark cloud coming. An end to an age.”
“Of course there’s an end to an age.” Ari stretched and began walking back towards the village. “We’re ending an age of fear and insecurity. We’re ending an age of poverty and hopefully we’ll get enough contracts to get a good hospital, and maybe we’ll be able to barter with the Hokage to get her to train some of our ninjas into medic nin. We’re turning this place into what the First wanted it to be. A safe haven.”
The two of them walked back to the village in a comfortable silence. There were preparations to make in anticipation of the journey to the Leaf Village.
* * *
The next morning the six Genin of the Country of Dreams, along with their Jounin team leaders, the Yumekage, and six ANBU started out on the journey to the Leaf Village. This was the first time that any of them had been further than three hours away from the village, with exception of the Yumekage, and the excitement was infectious.
Ari tried to keep an eye on all of the ninja, but soon gave up when she realized it was a hopeless cause. Trying to look dignified, she kept pace with the Yumekage, who walked happily on the forest floor. A flash of white was seen overhead and Ari watched as first one ANBU and then another jumped over the overgrown path, moving in their various patterns to make sure that no one was around. It was going to be a long trip.
* * *
The trip took a week, and by the end of it, even the most enthusiastic of the Genin were ready to finally make it to a comfortable bed. Ari was slightly embarrassed by their loud proclamations to that effect, but Shina reminded her that they were not used to actually being on the road and away from the villages. But this was one of those things that their coming to Konoha was going to change. Before long they would have ninjas all over the place, she would see to it.
Arianna stood silent, looking at the gate of the Leaf Village for the first time in her life, even though she dreamt about it almost nightly since he’d left. Yumekage pulled down her cone shaped hat, letting the darkness under it shadow her face. At her command, all the ANBU pulled their masks over their face. This was the first time that anyone had seen Dream Ninjas outside of their village and there was no second impression.
Pulling her dragon mask over her face, she looked at the others. For the first time since they set out, all of the ninja were silent. The Jounin had their Genin teams behind them, the young faces peering out at the impressive gates. Yumekage smiled at her ninja “No matter what happens from here. I am proud of all of you. By setting out, far from the home that is all that you know, you have proved yourself strong and Dream Country benefits merely from your presence. Now come, we will prove to all that Dream Country is not to be dismissed.” The Yumekage nodded to Ari who moved to take up the front of the precession, a gryphen masked ANBU at her side. With the Yumekage following, Ari walked proudly to the Leaf Village’s gate, her heart beating quickly in her chest. At last. I’m home.
Arianna waited just within Dream Country’s borders. She was curled up in a tree, high enough to have a good view of her surroundings. Today she wasn’t an ANBU ninja, today she was just relaxing and enjoying the sound and feel of the breeze through the trees. Closing her deep blue eyes, she allowed the tension to fade away from her limbs. This was where she spent most of her free times, had spent it since she had helped that Leaf ninja escape. Hakate Kakashi... Leaf’s Copy Ninja.
She had found him lifetime’s ago. He was unconscious, wounded, and being chased by three ninjas from the village of Stone. She had killed the other ninjas and nursed Kakashi back to health, believing that he was another renegade from the outside and that he was seeking sanctuary. That turned out not to be the case, but by the time she realized the truth, it didn’t matter. They had plotted his escape, their escape really, but when the time came she had to let him go alone. Yumekage had found out about their plans and sent all of the country’s ANBU after them. She had used every trick in her arsenal, as well as some of them that Kakashi had taught her in order to keep them occupied enough for Kakashi to escape.
Running her hand absently over one of the scars on her collarbone, Ari tried to pull her mind away from the thoughts of the past, unable to repress the vivid memories once they were called up. She had been taken, alive, by Yumekage’s orders, and paraded down the street, stripped of her ninja gear and honor. Pelted by rotten vegetables and called a traitor and worse, she had stood trial and was sentenced to death. Only, instead of dying the next sunset, she was let free. There was a coup d’etat and the woman who had controlled the country by preying on the people’s fear of the outside world was finally laid to rest. Shina, one of the wisest women that Ari knew had taken over the country and had restored her good name. It was Shina who had decided that it was finally time for the Country of Dream to stop hiding, and she was the one to send the letter to the Hokage, stating the intent of the young ninjas of the two Hidden Villages to join those others in the tests to become a Chuunin. Closing her eyes, the woman leaned back against the tree, falling into a light doze.
“I should have known I would have found you here.” Came a familiar voice from below.
Startled, Ari fought to keep her balance on the tree branch, looking down at the old woman who stood at the base of the tree. “Yumekage.” she said, “You scared me.”
Shina pretended not to hear her, “This is where you found that young man, isn’t it? The one from Leaf Village? It’s too bad that he couldn’t stay, but he wasn’t happy here. He was a nice young man, wasn’t he?”
Ari smiled, “Okay Shina, you can stop with the act.” The older woman had been friends with the ANBU ninja for years, and she tended to let others think of her as a doddering old woman. It allowed them to underestimate her, a dangerous mistake.
The Yumekage smiled up at Ari, who slithered down to the ground, “We have a reply to our letter. Hokage sends her regards and says she looks forwards to our appearance.”
“And of Hakate Kakashi...?”
“He sends his regards as well.”
Ari let out the breath she was holding. “I was afraid that he forgot about us.”
“Might have been better if he had.” Shina was staring out through the forest, her eyes dark.
“Why do you say that?” Ari turned her gaze towards the Yumekage. Shina was getting old, they all knew it. And they knew that she was preparing Ari to take her place as leader of the Country of Dreams. “Shina, what do you see?”
The Yumekage was once known as a soothsayer. She predicted many of the events that had come upon them, and it was because of this soothsaying ability that she had to flee with the others who had worked hard to create the refuge. She was one of the original ninjas entrusted with the job of changing the maps and hiding the country from the rest of the world. “There’s a dark cloud coming. An end to an age.”
“Of course there’s an end to an age.” Ari stretched and began walking back towards the village. “We’re ending an age of fear and insecurity. We’re ending an age of poverty and hopefully we’ll get enough contracts to get a good hospital, and maybe we’ll be able to barter with the Hokage to get her to train some of our ninjas into medic nin. We’re turning this place into what the First wanted it to be. A safe haven.”
The two of them walked back to the village in a comfortable silence. There were preparations to make in anticipation of the journey to the Leaf Village.
* * *
The next morning the six Genin of the Country of Dreams, along with their Jounin team leaders, the Yumekage, and six ANBU started out on the journey to the Leaf Village. This was the first time that any of them had been further than three hours away from the village, with exception of the Yumekage, and the excitement was infectious.
Ari tried to keep an eye on all of the ninja, but soon gave up when she realized it was a hopeless cause. Trying to look dignified, she kept pace with the Yumekage, who walked happily on the forest floor. A flash of white was seen overhead and Ari watched as first one ANBU and then another jumped over the overgrown path, moving in their various patterns to make sure that no one was around. It was going to be a long trip.
* * *
The trip took a week, and by the end of it, even the most enthusiastic of the Genin were ready to finally make it to a comfortable bed. Ari was slightly embarrassed by their loud proclamations to that effect, but Shina reminded her that they were not used to actually being on the road and away from the villages. But this was one of those things that their coming to Konoha was going to change. Before long they would have ninjas all over the place, she would see to it.
Arianna stood silent, looking at the gate of the Leaf Village for the first time in her life, even though she dreamt about it almost nightly since he’d left. Yumekage pulled down her cone shaped hat, letting the darkness under it shadow her face. At her command, all the ANBU pulled their masks over their face. This was the first time that anyone had seen Dream Ninjas outside of their village and there was no second impression.
Pulling her dragon mask over her face, she looked at the others. For the first time since they set out, all of the ninja were silent. The Jounin had their Genin teams behind them, the young faces peering out at the impressive gates. Yumekage smiled at her ninja “No matter what happens from here. I am proud of all of you. By setting out, far from the home that is all that you know, you have proved yourself strong and Dream Country benefits merely from your presence. Now come, we will prove to all that Dream Country is not to be dismissed.” The Yumekage nodded to Ari who moved to take up the front of the precession, a gryphen masked ANBU at her side. With the Yumekage following, Ari walked proudly to the Leaf Village’s gate, her heart beating quickly in her chest. At last. I’m home.