Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Sleeping Sun ❯ Chapter One ( Chapter 1 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Author's Note: hehe, well Yue-digikitty is my twin, and some of you may have seen her story Bless the Child. Well, this story takes place in the same universe (I.E. her Village of Time is my Village of Time). This story, however, takes place a few years prior to her's.

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Thunder rolled in the distance as storm clouds drifted in over the village of Konoha, turning the sky a dark grey. Standng on near a bridge, three young teens watched as the storm moved in, looking around for cover in case it started to rain. One of the teans, a spikey haired blonde dressed in orange let out a bored sigh, folding his hands behind his head.

"Kakashi-sensei is late again," complained a pink haired girl, the only female in the trio. She crossed her arms, her face taking on an angered look. "You would think he'd show up on time at least once. Especially with a bad storm coming in!"

"Sasuke! Sakura! Naruto!" called a masculine voice from above the group. Crouching on one of the tall bridge posts was a man with silver hair. One of his eyes was covered by his forhead protector, but the other one gleamed with silent laughter. "Sorry I'm late. I got lost-"

"Liar!" Naruto and Sakura shouted at the same time, pointing angrily at their teacher.

Kakashi coughed slightly into his hand and jumped down from the post, looking at the trio. "Well, in any case, we have a mission-"

"A mission?!" Naruto asked excitedly, his blue-green eyes lighting up. "What kind of mission?"

"We're accompanying a small party to the Country of Spring," Kakashi answered. "Its an A-class mission."

"A-class?" Sakura blinked. "Kakashi-sensei, who are we guarding?"

"A small group from the Village of Time."

"Village of Time?" Sasuke asked.

"Its a Hidden Village that's very far south," Sakura explained to the dark haired boy, giving him a shy smile. "In fact, up until recently, it was only rumored to exist."

"That's right," Kakashi confirmed. "Up until now no one from the Village of Time has come this far north, and to entrust their people to our village, whom they don't have a formal treaty with, is a big leap of faith, both on our side and their's."

"Kakashi-sensei, what exactly are they going to the Country of Spring for if they don't even stray as far north as Konoha?" Sasuke asked.

"That information hasn't been given to me yet," Kakashi replied. "I expect we'll find out when we leave tomorrow, but until then I want everyone to get ready and get rest. We leave at dawn tomorrow." And with that the silver haired jounin disappeared, leaving the three teens to mull over the information.

"Why would they stray so far north," Sasuke wondered to himself.

"Maybe the Village of Time is looking to make a treaty with the Country of Spring," Sakura suggested. "Though, that doesn't really make sense, unless they were making treaties with the other villages, but Kakashi said that Konoha doesn't have a treaty with them, so..."

Naruto just stood apart from his teammates, a grin on his face as his mind worked around some other issue. "Alright!" he exclaimed out of the blue.

Sakura's eyebrow twitched and Sasuke just stared at the blonde like he was insane. "What are you all excited about?" the pink haired girl asked.

"If we're going to the Country of Spring, then maybe we'll get to see Koyuki-hime!" Naruto answered happily.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and turned to leave. "Idiot."

******

The weather hadn't improved any - the clouds blocked the rising sun and lightning flashed in the distance. However, it hadn't rained yet. Even so, as team 7 met up, each one of them was prepared for the worst weather, everyone wearing rain cloaks.

"Morning," Naruto yawned to his teammates, rubbing his eyes as they all met up outside the village gates.

Neither Sasuke nor Sakura replied though. Both were too busy staring at a wagon that carried both their light supplies and the oddest thing they'd ever seen. Four men sat around a gilded litter, and each of those men were wearing brightly dyed robes embroidered with eye-widening geometrical designs. More startling was the colour of their skin, coal black with an almost blue sheen to it. All four had hair that was so short, it looked more like fuzz than hair. The litter they sat beside was even more statling. Carved of a pale wood, it was gilded with gold leaf at the corners and inlaid with ivory. Bright silk drapes hung over the sides, ornamented with glittering semi-precious stones, protecting whatever was inside.

The jaws of all three genin dropped, and they turned to their teacher, who gave them a slight wave.

"Kakshi-sensei, what's with the box?" Sakura blurted out.

"That's something that will attract attention real fast," Sasuke agreed.

Even Naruto gave his teacher a funny look. "If they wanted protection, wouldn't they have gone for something that didn't glitter so much?"

A soft giggle from inside the litter drew everyone's attention as one of the men drew back the silk drapes. The soft irridescent glow of a chakra shield was the only thing that seperated the frailest looking girl the three genin had ever seen from the outside world. She would have had dark brown skin, if she had ever seen the sun, and as it was, her skin looked more ash-coloured then brown. Her hair was short and curly, which did nothing to help her face, which was thin and sharp featured.

"S-she looks like she should be in a hospital, not going on a long trip," Sakura whispered.

The girl looked at the three ninjas and smiled. "I like you," she announced, then leaned back against a pillow and the drape was dropped back into place. Without a second word the wagon lurched forward; the mission had begun.