"I'm late, I'M LATE! For a very important date. No time to say hello, GOODBYE! I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!" said the little white dog as it ran past a young and very confused lady. She had been sitting in a grove of trees, attending to her lessons, when suddenly the little dog ran by.
'I've heard that before...' she mused, giving the dog a bewildered look. She closed her book and started running after this little dog, the face on it's jacket mocking her. 'Wait a minute...that's Hiragana!' and it was indeed a little face made out of the various characters of Hiragana.
"Hey...wait up!" she yelled at the mutt, not exactly understanding this impluse to chase down and question, but then again it wasn't every lifetime you met a talking dog.
"No time! No time!" he barked at her before darting down a small dark hole. She came upon him just as he jumped down into the vast darkness. She thought for a moment, before making the very impetuous decision to jump in after it.
♥ ♥ ♥
Now might be a good time to go back and explain the situation.
Her name was Alice, and coincidences asides she was a freshman in college majoring in child care and psychology. Her parents gave her the stability of money, but not of love. She was raised by a single nanny, who was a very sweet woman, but the love of hired help and the love of a mother could not compare. So while Alice had grown up into a kind person she had a lack of attachment to her world and those people around her. She was one easily engaged in a fantasy or a dream, and her teachers constantly despaired at her lack of concentration. She had been at her parent's summer retreat, since they rarely used it and knew she would not be disturbed there. It was tucked away in a beautiful forest, the smell of pine on everything. Not that her parents bought it for the serene beauty, but rather for the value of the real estate. Land was land, and this happened to very valuable land. It was suited for Alice's purposes anyway, which was to study Japanese. Though almost fluent, she was hard at work, learning the more refined points of grammar and etiquette. The etiquette drove her mad, a thousand ridiculous ways in which a person could be slighted. The men could be ignorant pigs, but if they were in a position of power and they thought you had not shown proper respect, they could and would make you pay. Alice hated men like that.
♥ ♥ ♥
As she fell down she realized that the dog had been speaking in Japanese, and wondered why she hadn't noticed before. Then she began to wonder if this dark hole would ever end. She could hear the pants of the little white dog below her, yet it was not enough to totally reassure her. Suddenly a light could be seen, and she quickly fell through it. She saw a burst of color, but then that too fell into darkness.
♥ ♥ ♥
When she had awoken, she realized that she was again in a forest and began to think it had been a dream. Then she realized that this was not the same forest. Its colors were too bright and something...
She then looked down at her hands, and realized that there had been a very large change. Her hands, though the same size and shape as before, had lost details. She then felt her face, and felt the major change there. Her eyes, though always large, were now enormous. The little dog was nowhere to be seen, and she started panicking, thinking she had been turned into some sort of creature. She dived into her red embroidered bag for the lion compact that she kept. She looked at herself, and then realized what had happened.
She had been turned into a cartoon character.
Considering that she had just fainted, she struggled with the bad idea of fainting once more and instead used a tree branch to pull herself to her feet. She could still smell pine all around her, and it soothed her enough for her to start walking. She had seen the imprint of paws in a small patch of mud, clearly showing which way the dog had gone. She felt that wherever the dog was going was her best chance at civilization and understanding exactly what had happened to her. She considered the possibilities as she walked in the direction that the imprints had pointed. 'I...fell through a hole that was dug through the earth...to Japan?' Of course that didn't take into consideration that there was a boiling mass of lava at the center of the earth, or the dimensions that the world around her had taken on.
'...Maybe it was something I ate?'
♥ ♥ ♥
Kakashi had been wondering what Shirokun had been yipping on about as he ran to complete his errand. Now he knew, as he saw this young girl standing outside the entranceway to Konohana, looking astounded and awed by the sight before her. She was definitely not from around here and...
"Oy! You're not from around her, are you?"
She looked at him, blue-eyed and innocent, and nodded. This place was familiar and this person even more so. He ran to her, standing a good half foot taller when he stood before her. She looked up at him; his name was...his name was...
"What are yo-"
"You're Hatake Kakashi, aren't you?"
He looked at this girl, obviously not a ninja of any kind whatsoever, and wondered how she knew his name.
"How did you kn-"
"I just knew." She wasn't lying.
"I think...I'd better take you to the Hokage." And he motioned her to follow. What he didn't know was that in her world, there was a certain book called Naruto and that reading it was going to help her very much indeed.
♥ ♥ ♥
"Before we go in...what's your name?" Kakashi asked, hand on the doorknob.
"Alice."
"Ali-su?" Kakashi asked, his accent affecting his pronunciation. Alice shook her head, but did not correct him. He would either get it, or he wouldn't. He knocked on the door, and then opened it after he got the affirmative. He went in the quiet dark room, and stepped aside so that Alice could be seen. She bowed, remembering she had seen others do this here, and wondered how close the traditions of these people were to the Japanese of her world. They certainly didn't look anything like the Japanese of her world did. She then saw the little white dog that had led her here in the first place. It was talking enthusiastically to the old man.
"...that's how she got here, when I went to that place where Pakkun told me to...to get those mushrooms you like so much Hokage-sama. She just followed me and..." The Hokage laughed, a kind laugh and Alice relaxed a little. This was clearly not a cruel man.
"Well, well, I had no idea what Pakkun went through every time I requested these. He was very kind to send you in his place for me Shirokun. Thank you that will be all." The little dog bowed and disappeared in a cloud of smoke. The Hokage looked directly at her. "Well my dear, what do you have to say for yourself?"
"Excuse me, sir?"
"You have chased a special summoned ninja dog into another dimension. I have no idea how to return you, or even how the dogs have managed to learn this particular trick. Shirokun himself is a bit confused, he thought that the hole he had made would have disappeared before you were able to reach him, and he tells me there is no way he knows of to take you back. I feel partially responsible...after all, I was I that requested these particular mushrooms. But I have no idea what to do with you. What is your name, child?"
" Alice..."
"Ali-su? That is all? Perhaps...well, never mind. Now Ali-su..."
Kakashi interrupted quickly, "Excuse me sir? This girl has an unusual power."
"Power...? Kakashi, this girl has no chakra. I know..."
"Yes sir, but she knew my name without being told. If what you say is true, there is no way she would have known it from before."
"Oh...?" The Hokage looked interested. "Is this true?"
Alice nodded, and spoke up. "Sir, I think I can be of service to you. In more ways than one. I know much of what will happen to this place. I know of the true danger that is to come."
"This is a rare talent indeed." The Hokage nodded solemnly. "If you can do such things for a nation, it would certainly be no trouble to keep you here and provide for your living. But you spoke of some other way which you could be of service...?"
"Is there a boy in this town...by the name of Uzumaki Naruto?" The names were drifting back to her, one by one, along with their stories.
"There is, a child of about three years."
"Well sir, I know of the demon fox within him, and his lack of parents. I...I would like to become his caretaker."
The Hokage nodded once more, but looked intensely at this young woman. "Impressive. You have both proven the extent of your knowledge of this world, and offered to take a position which no one else would. But why would I let you do this? Why would you even want to?"
Alice took a deep breathe and steadied herself. "In my world, sir I was trained to take care of and help children." A lie, but a small one. She was technically training. "Uzumaki Naruto is a boy all alone in a village that hates and fears him. In fact, I would like to become caretaker to all those children here without parents."
"Unfortunately or fortunately, Uzumaki Naruto is the only orphan at this time. But in a ninja village, things like that can quickly change. Very well. You have provided this village with an invaluable service. You will be given a small residence in the forest, so that you may expand as needed. You will be provided with an allowance that corresponds with the number of children you take care of. I thank you, and can only apologize that you have lost the life you once had, and hope you will be happy here. I ask that you come after Naruto-kun is settled to tell me the full extent of your knowledge at this time. After that, feel free to report when you...hm, 'discover' anything else."
Alice bowed and thanked him, and was led out of the room quickly by a female attendant, who immediately started to assure the girl and tell her that she would provide her with everything that she needed. Alice looked briefly back at the boy who had led her here, and the sweet leader that had treated her with such fairness and kindness.
♥ ♥ ♥
"You did well, Kakashi, to tell me of this. It is amazing, is it not?"
"What sir?" Kakashi looked at his superior curiously.
"Well, this girl! She was here only about an hour, and she has come up with a plan to ensure her survival. She has accepted her fate, and made the best possible situation out of it. But what makes me most curious is..."
"Her ability to predict the future?"
"No...she does not have that power. Rather, she simply is reciting these things from memory. I wonder how she came upon this knowledge in another dimension."
Kakashi wondered how the Hokage knew there was nothing special about her, but after all...he wasn't leader of the Village Hidden in the Leaves for nothing.
♥ ♥ ♥
"Here you go dear...these are my extra futons, you can keep them until the village gives you your own."
"Oh that's too kind of you! Are you..."
"Don't worry! You're a lovely young girl; it breaks my heart to see you all alone!"
"Well, I'll be sure to wash them before I return them."
"What a good girl! Just do me the favor of insisting that they let you pick out everything. If you let them choose, those people will just give the first ones they lay their hands on!"
"Thank you for your advice...and everything else."
"My pleasure! I would help you clean, but I must go home myself and clean before my husband returns from his mission. Goodbye!" said the kindly ninja as she bustled off to home, waving at Alice as she left.
"See you later!" Alice breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn't had two seconds of normal thought process since coming to the Village Hidden in the Leaves. She hadn't any time to actually review the emotional consequences of her actions. 'Well, I certainly am lucky. I have no one. Nurse died last year...I'm glad this happened to me. Someone else would have been devastated.'. She was too young to have a significant other, and in all truth had found most boys around her rather boring. She didn't even own a pet, it was the one rule her parents had ever given. They didn't wish for the flawless white interior of their home to be mused in any way. She didn't have anything at home that she would have missed materially, only her lovely bag, which she had brought with her. She had been wearing a skirt and top but here they looked extravagant, the top being covered in lace, ribbons and little satin berries. The bubble skirt she wore was made of silk, and she had worn nothing on her feet. She sighed, knowing she would put this outfit away soon and find something that matched the villager's attire. She would be sure to request that when the woman returned tomorrow as she promised she would. She looked at the house around her, liking its simplicity. It was a traditional Japanese home, made of wood. The floors were laid with tatami and the windows were made of paper. She saw an antique washing room, and despaired to even look at the kitchen. She would have to lug water from the small stream nearby to take a bath. She then realized that she didn't even have a bucket to do this and fumed a little. What was this place? She knew this village had electricity, despite people's traditional clothing. She had seen young boys watching a television, and when she had asked to use the restroom, she had been led to a modern convenience. She would have to request an update of the building from the Hokage himself. But in the meantime, she was tired and knew she would have to start planning how to get ready for her new life, and especially...Naruto. She had requested that he not be told until she had everything ready, in order to make it the smoothest transition as possible. So she was going to take a bath in the stream, cold or not, as the woman had been kind enough to also lend her some shampoo.
♥ ♥ ♥
The next morning, feeling pleased that she had not gotten the nice woman's fresh sheets dirty, and that she had come up with a systematic plan to get everything done as quickly as possible. The woman showed up early at her door, bringing a small basket with her and another small covered box in her hand. "Good morning! I've brought you some breakfast!"
Alice looked up from her hair maintenance, "Oh you...!"
"Yes I did. How else were you going to get food?" The woman smiled at her. "Tell me while you eat what you need from me today..." Alice was inspecting the food happily; it was identical to modern Japanese food. "Well, my clothes first I would think...then I would like to go to the Hokage to ask him to have someone install plumbing. I can't very well clean with no hot water..."
"Oh my! I forgot!" said the woman, looking apologetic. "I forgot, I'm sorry! This was an old family's summer home! They left it to the village when they died! Perhaps we should go to the Hokage's first. Almost no one comes to see him early in the morning."
Alice nodded, finishing the last of her breakfast, and thanking the woman profusely.
♥ ♥ ♥
The Hokage starting laughing as he heard Alice explain the state that the house was in. He rubbed his eye a bit as he said, "...the only one for that kind of job is Gai, you can get him to do virtually anything for a girl, Yuu-san..." The woman who had brought her here snapped to attention. "Bring Gai here immediately..."
"Yes, sir!" and she bounded away.
"Fast..." said Alice.
"That's what ninjas are my dear! Now, while we're waiting I'll tell you the news. Our hospital wishes to test you and I have given them my permission."
"Ehh, Hokage-sama..."
"Do not worry. Anything you object to will not be done. These tests are actually the morbid curiosity of the medical ninjas. They simply seek to discover if you are even human." Alice pondered this, wondering if she was, in fact, the same kind of human as the people here. She certainly hoped she was, or she may not live very long. Just then, the doors burst open and the oddest man Alice had ever seen stood posing before her.
"Lady of faraway lands! I have been summoned here to fulfill your every whim! Please command me as you wish..." And Alice breathed in to speak. "...As long as it doesn't mess up my hair." She let out that air out.
"Gai-san, you must not be so picky! You have been chosen for a most special task! You will...install the plumbing and all necessary electrical appliances in this young lady's house! Consider it an honor, as I just had Kakashi here...begging me to let do it." said the honorable Hokage.
Gai's ears pricked at that. "You say...Kakashi?" Alice nodded, hoping that her affirmative would convince him.
"THEN BY THE POWER OF YOUTH I WILL DO IT!" And he sped off.
"Good, now that that's settled, please continue on your business. As this hospital matter is not urgent, please drop by there when you have some free time."
"Thank you Hokage-sama. Did Kakashi-san really offer to do such a thing?"
"Well, he did come by and ask if you needed help with anything. But he never would have begged to install appliances. But Gai-san thinks that Kakashi is his rival, and would do anything to show him up."
"So clever of you Hokage-sama!" said the sweet Yuu from behind Alice.
♥ ♥ ♥
That day went by in a blur. She was rushed over to the clothing store, where she selected two pairs of the same knee length black cargo pants and white cami that had a large bow becomingly tied in the back. She switched her current clothes in the shop, and her new friend and caretaker offered to take them home and wash them for her, seeing as she probably wouldn't have a washing machine tonight. "...but you know, that Gai-san is pretty amazing when he puts his mind to it. You never know, you may have a working household by the end of the day." Next they went to the cleaning store, and then the grocery store. Yuu asked if she would like to go and get furnishing and sheets, but Yuu declined, even though her store of money that the Hokage had given her remained plentiful.
"I need at least two days to clean the house...if you would allow me the use of your sheets a little longer..."
"Oh don't worry about that! But you're right, that's the only way to do things."
♥ ♥ ♥
After waving goodbye and promising to come for her in two days, Alice started to troop back to her new home. She heard the sounds of crashing up ahead, and was not surprised at the source. Gai-san really had been working hard, and virtually installed everything but a few minor items. When she came upon him, she waved politely so as to alert him to her presence. "My, my, everything looks so wonderful! I don't know how I will ever thank you! Please, stop and come in for some dinner. These other items I can perhaps install myself, and..."
"NEVER LOTUS OF BEAUTY! I will accept your kind offer of dinner, but ONLY after I have finished." Alice didn't argue, and proceeded to take out the provisions that Yuu had given her that day, and put her groceries away in appropriate places. Though inside the cabinets she left the dry items inside their plastic bags...this place was certainly a mess, the cabinets had become a virtual breeding ground of spiders. She set out the food as neatly as possible, and Gai-san came over. He was odder than ever, the sweat on his body giving him a disturbing sheen, and an even more disturbing odor. But when he sat near her and began to eat, she saw that he really wasn't that old. He was just about her age...perhaps a little older. But it had been the same with Kakashi. Then again, she also had the older versions of these men in her mind, and felt that was probably affecting her perception of them.
Gai saw her looking at him, and winked. "Such delicious food! And with so little to work with! You must be a housewife of epic proportions!"
Alice felt herself sweatdrop, an odd sensation, but appropriate nonetheless. "Oh no, it wasn't me! It was Yuu-san! She brought all of this for me! But I just went and bought more food," she said as Gai looked concerned at that. "...so I am happy to share with you."
"Oh GODDESS!" And Gai got on one knee before her all of a sudden. "Will you marr-"
"Ohlookatthetime,wellyouhadbetterbegoingthankyouforeverythingbutnowIreallyneedtoprepareforNaruto!" Alice rushed out, pushing him along. "Please take the dinner with you, thank you for everything, truly!" Gai still had stars in his eyes, so Alice wasn't sure if he was totally cognizant of what was happening, but he dutifully started marching home. Alice could only hope he had gotten the message.
♥ ♥ ♥
The next two days were over quickly, but so entirely necessary that she congratulated herself for doing this. The house was squeaky clean, thanks to the running water now in her home. She was endlessly amused at the fact that all her appliances were black. Perhaps everything a ninja owned had to match the ninja lifestyle. She had even washed the sheets that Yuu-san had given her, and had them ready for her when she arrived. She went to get her sheets and futon, then pots and other cookingware items that day. Then she went to the Hokage and informed him that she was ready for Naruto.
♥ ♥ ♥
They took her to his home and left her to the rest.
He apparently had been informed earlier that day that someone was going to take care of him from now on. And Alice was very glad that she had thought of this when she came to the three year old's home. The child, all by himself for quite some time, had made the place a terrible mess. Everywhere stank, and the child himself was dirty and unkempt. He looked at her with suspicion, his blond locks sporting some sort of foul brown streaks. "Who are you?"
"I'm...here to take care of you."
"Take care of me?" His look softened, "What's your name?"
"Alice."
"Ali-su?" he giggled. "That's a difficult name."
"Well then, you call me whatever you like. Alice, oneechan, okachan." He looked like he liked that. "But now you need to take your bed and clothes, and whatever else you want with you. We're going to a new home."
"Where?"
"Just a little ways from here...in the forest outside the village."
"I like that place." He started shuffling around, gathering his few dirty belongings together. As far as she could tell all this boy had was clothes and bedding. She saw him go into the miniscule kitchen and start dragging out cartons and cartons of...ramen. She quickly put these in the basket she had brought with her, and handed it to him to carry, and held everything else herself. He didn't seem to be reacting badly to this move, but perhaps it had happened to him before. She took him and these things into the streets, where she got many stares from the village people. She didn't mind, but instead focused on the swirl that seemed to be a theme on all of Naruto's belongings. It was on the shirt he currently wore, and other articles of clothing. She chatted happily to him, asking him what he liked and what he didn't. He seemed to have one true love, ramen. He mentioned that he didn't like some people's eyes, and Alice remembered again what the novel had often said. The people regarded him as a monster. She gently rubbed his head, and he looked up at her. She smiled at him, and it took him only a moment to smile back. She was so busy listening to Naruto, she didn't notice the figure coming towards the pair.
"Hey! Need any help?" Kakashi-san was here again, and she had to remind herself that he was her age, and not the older man of the novels. It was unusual to see him so young.
"No thank you, I wouldn't wa-" but he had already grabbed the bedding out of her hands, leaving her with Naruto's pitiful clothing collection. She had no choice but to smile at him gratefully. Naruto continued to fill the silence of the two young adults, chatting away about almost anything. Alice was glad, for she had no idea what to say to this impressive person. Desperately trying to think of a question that would neither seem inane ("What the weather here usually like?") or too forward, Alice's thoughts were interrupted by the sharp blade of a kunai, instantly deflected by Kakashi. He was, after all, a ninja.
"Sorry about that," he said, sounding amused. "They'll leave you alone once I'm gone."
"Excuse me, but...who are they?"
Kakashi looked a little uncomfortable, despite the mask. His single exposed eye would not meet hers. Naruto was more helpful. He stuck out his pinky and said, "This."
While Alice was familiar with this particular expression of girlfriend, she waited until the meaning was confirmed. Kakashi clamped his free hand over the offending digit and shook his head. Naruto pouted as only a three-year old could and Alice continued to look inquisitively at the young ninja. Finally with a blush that rose beyond the mask he uttered a single word.
"Fangirls."
♥ ♥ ♥
Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto
Notes for the Reader
• Set 9 years before original story.
• Please review!