Naruto huffed and puffed as he jogged down the cracked sidewalk, his arms pumping at his sides and his yellow hair slicked to his forehead with sweat. The sunlight came streaming over the horizon as he ran through the dirty neighborhoods, filled with ramshackle houses all crammed together with just a little stretch of unkempt yard between them. Even though it was still early in the morning, the slums of Konoha City were beginning to buzz with activity, as the early morning commuters piled into their beat-up cars and climbed onto their bikes to make the journey to their jobs in the local drug stores and rinky-dink restaurants, or, if they were lucky, the polished portion of the city. As the sunlight hit the unwashed houses and the weedy yards, Naruto smiled brightly and slowed to a stop to appreciate it.
Home, he thought jovially, tugging at his tank top to cool himself off. The sunlight shone down on him, making him glisten slightly as the sheen of sweat on his skin gleamed. If he hadn't been warm from the run already, he was now; grinning and suddenly energized, he raised his fists to the sky.
"I'm gonna be the best boxer in the world! Believe it!" he crowed excitedly. Even if I am from the slums, I can show that I can become something big!
Meanwhile, on the other end of the city, Yume sat in her window as she strummed her guitar thoughtfully. She lived in an apartment on the edge of the business district, where the sprawling mass of the ramshackle houses stretched across the street. She had always found it strangely comforting, a welcome change from the coldness and pristineness of the city. She had always hated the city; it was too clean, too perfect, too ordered. Out there, just across the street, it was chaotic and free. She smiled lightly and began absentmindedly playing a song on the guitar, swaying slightly to the tune.
"I'm going to be free one day," she murmured to no one. "I'm going to hit it big, and tour the whole world spreading my music…" And no one will make me do anything. I'll be all on my own, making my own decisions…
Two people, two pasts, one destiny. The wheels of fate begin to turn, and bring Yume and Naruto together in a passionate journey, where each fights desperately for their dreams…
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters from Naruto. These rights belong exclusively to Masashi Kishimoto.
