I do not own Naruto or Ronin Warriors. I just enjoy twisting the characters and plots to my own devious intentions. This story was also collaborated with the author InMyWishes.

She slipped from the giant oak doors. The night was clear, the moon full. Thankfully, there were plenty of trees around her parents' mansion; she could escape through the treetops. She had already made it past all of the guards her parents had set up inside the house. There were no more interruptions from here on out.

Jumping from branch to branch, she hummed softly to herself. She could see the surrounding land from her position high in the trees. Not much to the Village Hidden in Sound, she thought to herself.

There's plenty to it, she heard his voice in her head.

"Kenji," she said flatly as he landed on the branch in front of her.

"Mitsuki," he smirked. "What's a beautiful girl like you doing out here so late?"

"Come off it, Ken. You know why I'm out here. I like to look at the moon." I hope that was a good enough of a lie.

"Then why come all the way out here? You could have stayed on your balcony. And yet, you're almost to the edge of your family's land."

Mitsuki growled slightly in response. "Why do you feel that you have to know where I am at every moment?"

"We are betrothed." He moved closer to her. "Just as soon as we're both of marrying age, I being only sixteen and you only thirteen, you and I are to be wed. However, I must become a Sand Ninja first so that I may protect you."

"Then go back to your own village. Become a ninja. Just leave me alone."

"As you wish." He bowed to her, and then vanished.

Mitsuki's mind was filled with urgency. I have to get out of here now! She continued her escape.

Five Years Later

Tetsu yawned. She and her brother had been traveling for three days, and all she heard from Cye was complaints. He's such a spoiled brat, she thought.

"My feet hurt," Cye said. "When are we going to stop for a break?"

"Nii-san," Tetsu said slowly. "We just stopped not two hours ago for lunch. If we continue, we'll be at Konoha by dinner. Then we can stop at a restaurant for ramen."

"That's still three to four hours away!"

"Yes, Nii-san, it is. But just think of the ramen at the end of the road."

Cye sighed. Even as a Ronin I never had to walk this much. It's so boring. At least I had a Warlord to fight back home. Well... before I defeated him.

"All right ladies," Kana said, laying a map out on the table. Her short black hair fell around her face as she looked down. "Mouri Cye is being escorted from the Village Hidden in Mist to Konoha by a fellow shinobi; I believe it's his sister."

"His sister is a shinobi, and he's not?" Takara asked, staring at her teammate in confusion.

"Don't ask me," Kana admitted. "I don't delve into other shinobi's lives."

"Then why did you do background checks on us?" the other teammate, Amaya, questioned.

"Well, that's a different matter." Her light green eyes were up to mischief again. "I have to deal with you two every day. I thought I had a right to know who you were, instead of trusting you immediately. I meant no offense."

"None taken. However, I thought I'd challenge your statement of never delving."

"Well then girls," Kana continued. "We are to meet them here," she pointed to a spot on the map. "And we are to guide them safely to the Hokage."

"Why make such a fuss over this guy if he's got an escort already?" Takara asked. She leaned forward, planting her elbows on the table and resting her chin in her palms.

"Apparently," Amaya started, sitting on the edge of the table and turning her head to look at her teammate. "He's an extremely important and powerful person in the Mist Village. His parents requested extra precautions."

"How old is Mouri?"

"He's close to twenty," Kana interjected. "And could the both of you get off Kakashi's map?" Takara and Amaya jumped up, leaving small wrinkles in the landscape on the map. Kana looked at the spot on the map. "Gather your things and let's go," she ordered. She picked up the map, folded it, and left the room.

"Did we piss her off again?" Amaya whispered.

Takara shrugged. "Let's do as she says, or she'll really be pissed."

"Hey Kana," Takara began cautiously, walking beside her friend. "Did Amaya and I make you mad earlier?"

"Hm? Oh, no," Kana laughed. "I had something else on my mind. Sorry I took my frustration out on you guys."

"It's chill, Onee-chan," Amaya smiled.

Both Amaya and Takara were younger than Kana, Takara being the youngest, and both looked up to her like an older sister. She did, after all, switch to their class late in the year, and was still smart enough to catch up and master every technique. And, it was Kana that helped them make it through the Chunin exam. Now, all three were Jonin, and they were still eighteen and seventeen-years-old.

As the three stepped through the city gate, they saw two people coming towards them. One of them, judging by the gear attached to her clothing, was a shinobi. The other dragged his feet wearily, hunched over from tiredness. Kana and her teammates continued forward to greet the two new arrivals.

"Mouri Cye and his escort, I presume?" Kana said.

"And if we weren't?" the female shinobi challenged. "You would have just given away the fact that Mouri will be here."

"I was given a description of what Mouri looks like, and, even though he is hunched over at the moment, he fits that description." Kana held out a hand in friendly gesture. "Kana, Konoha Jonin."

"Mouri Tetsu," she answered, grasping Kana's forearm just above the wrist in return. "Kiri Jonin."

Letting go of Tetsu's forearm, Kana turned slightly. "These are my teammates, Amaya and Takara."

"Welcome to Konoha Village!" Takara said cheerily.

"Yes," Amaya began. "But I thought we were to meet you out there somewhere." She waved her hand in the direction Tetsu and Cye had come from. "You two are early."

"Well," Cye piped up suddenly. "She wanted to get an early start, and wouldn't stop unless we were eating or sleeping. I don't think I could take another step."

Takara and Amaya went to his side to help him. Amaya peeled off his backpack and handed it Takara. "Here, you carry this and I'll carry him." She slung Cye's arm over her shoulder. "Just lean on me. I'll help you walk, but you do need to take steps."

"Well, if he didn't insist on wearing that damn kimono," Tetsu said. "He wouldn't have had such a hard time traveling."

"Forget the kimono," Amaya huffed. "It feels like he's wearing a suit of armor underneath."

"Let's get him to his room," Kana said.

"No," Cye protested. "Tetsu promised me ramen for dinner. I want my ramen."

"He's starting to sound like Naruto," Takara said, wrinkling her nose.

The sun was high overhead. Hashiba Rowen and Sanada Ryo had met on their way to the main city. They sat down for some lunch.

"So, where you from?" Ryo asked, pushing back his black hair from his face. He looked at his newfound friend. Rowen was only slightly taller than Ryo and had dark blue hair.

"Kumo," Rowen said through bites. "You?"

"Iwa."

"You on special business to Konoha?"

"Yeah," Ryo sighed. "I guess you could call me an elite shinobi, but I'm not a Jonin."

"You mean, like a Ronin?" Rowen smiled when Ryo's head snapped up from his food. "Don't worry, I'm not a spy. I'm a Ronin, too."

"I guess that makes me a Ronin on the rocks, huh?" Seeing the pained look on Rowen's face Ryo said quickly, "Sorry, bad joke."

Rowen laughed. "I've heard plenty of them. Let me guess: there's a Warlord in your village as well?"

"He's more like a giant floating head of an emperor."

"So you're the one with Talpa trouble. I'm the one with Anubis problems, but that was before he went all-noble and came back from the dark side. Seiji told me about you."

"You know Date Seiji?"

Rowen nodded. He stood up and brushed the dirt from his pants. "I'll tell you the rest of the story as we go. We need to get to Konoha's main city."

"Hey! Wait up!"

Ryo and Rowen turned to see someone running towards them. He had broad shoulders and was of medium height. His slate gray-blue bangs were held up and out of his face by an orange headband wrapped around his forehead. There was a naginata strapped across his back. They looked at each other with questioning glances.

"Are you two head for Konoha?" he asked as he caught up.

"Yeah," Rowen answered, stepping forward.

"Could you hold this?" the newcomer asked, shoving his bag into Rowen's hands. "This damn naginata has been hitting me in the back of the head since I started out this morning, but I haven't had time to fix it."

"Who are you?" Ryo piped up.

"Me? Oh, the name's Kento, Faun Kento." Kento fumbled for a few minutes with his naginata. "It's not as easy as most make it seem... fixing something strapped across your back when you can't see it and your arms only go so far I mean." A few seconds later he continued, "There. All done." He smiled and took his bag back from Rowen. "Thanks, buddy. Mind if I join you two? Konoha Main City is only a few minutes more in that direction." He pointed behind Rowen and Ryo.

"Sure, you can come along," Ryo said. "You need to go see the Hokage as well, right?"

"Yep, sure do. We can all go together! Wait, how did you know-?"

"We guessed as much that you were a Ronin as well," Rowen interrupted. "Where are you from?"

They all began to walk again.

"Me? Well..."

End of Chapter 1

Again, I do not own either Ronin Warriors or Naruto. I only ask one favor of those planning to review: Please give constructive criticism?! It bugs me when people tell me they don't like my story, but don't tell me why. Thank you for reading my ranting. Until next chapter then!