Lost in the darkness

Kiyomi: this is an experiment based on another dream I had but this one wasn't very clear and I also found it hard to understand but what I do remember I thought would make an interesting fan fiction. In need of a beta reader.

Prologue

A small child sits in the darkness. Her brunette hair hiding her face just brushing her shoulders. As she draws her knees up to her chest and buries her face in her hands.

"Mama, Papa stop sleeping please." Her voice squeaks out hysterically "Mama and Papa aren't going to wake up." She realised

Bloodied bodies lie around her in the cave. That cave was the only entrance and exit to her home. Slowly somewhere in the cave water drips. Drip, Drip,Drip.A restless bat flaps from its perch.

"Oka-san and Otou-san, Gomen. You said to be brave, I'm not." She whispered to what seemed to be the bodies of her parents. Standing up she wiped the tears from her eyes with her sleeve.

"Right, I guess I can't stay here forever. I should find somewhere." Looking back through the cave she could see the burned remains of her village still smouldering.

Carefully making her way to the entrance of the cave, the route she had walked so many times to the border with her friends. Little remained outside the cave, some flowers here and there but the land was too dry for much else to grow. Most of what had been there had disappeared, the tree which she played forts in with Haru. The boulders that she would hide behind when playing hide and seek with Papa he could always find me, I guess that's what happens when your Otou-san is an ex tracker ninja. The path she had marked out with crosses so she could remember the way to the hunting ground where the villagers would hunt animals. Otou-san would always forget his lunch, so Oka-san would send her to take it to him. No one ever came near these lands or very rarely. The village hidden in the dark was practically unknown only to a few other villages in the land of fire knew they existed. Invaders had never set foot there before, no foreign ninja. The village rarely associated with the outside world only when needed.

Shielding her eyes as she stepped out into the harsh sunlight she ventured further. There was a faint brown stain in the dirt, BLOOD .Next to it were bunches of Blue flowers Papa would bring these home for Mama. Then she took a breath in" Papa's bow" she whispered as she remembered that wild animals did live out here. Papa taught her how to use a bow and arrow at an early age. He said it was an excellent skill for a young woman to have. He told me that he will not have his only daughter becoming one of that extremely reliant on others to look after her. Pulling the flowers from the ground she turned and ran.

Running back through the cave her bare feet splashing through puddles, over the hard rocky surface she could feel the rocks stabbing her feet. Heading to where her parents bodies were lay she laid the flowers on their chests, goodbye Mama and Papa I love you. Doing her best to hold in the sobs which tried to escape her she carefully removed her father's bow and his quiver from his back. Then to where her mother was lay inches from her father she took the bag her hand. Mother packed this when she heard outsiders had been spotted in the village. "Come on we have to go now, this could be dangerous. We need to head out. Papa will join us once were outside of the village. We should head to the mountains." I remembered mother's voice ushering me out of bed.

Standing up she bowed respectfully although they were both dead. "Oka-san and Otou-san, goodnight. You will shine in the sky soon. I will be brave; I will find my way to the mountain village just like you said. I will find Jii-san maybe he will let me stay with him. Arigato I love you both everything you have already done for me I will make you proud." and with that I set off. Running back through the cave which led to my once place of sanctuary.

~10 Years later~

"Hitomi! HHitom! HIT-TO-MEEE!" A mans voice yelled out echoing through the mountains.

"Coming." A lazy feminine vouce replied.

"Hitomi Kura, how dare you. When I call you it should only be once. Not three times. Now get to work" He said angrily

"Sorry sensei, I fear that my hearing must be defective, perhaps it's all the shouting." She replied teasingly "You know you shouldn't scowl so much its already giving you wrinkles."

"Enough of your cheek Hitomi get on with it." He hissed smacking her on the back of the head.

"Fine" she replied inn a monotone voice not letting him see that he hurt her.

In the blistering hot sun she knelt on roof after roof, scrubbing all the bird droppings and paint off them that pranksters had thrown there. Despite the sun burning Hitomi continued with her job, until hours of hard labour paid off.

"Sensei?" She chirped "Tama-sensei? I'm done." She says looking around but there is no sign of the sensei. must be out on a mission or in the tavern.

Putting the scrubbing brush to one side folding her arms behind her head basking in the sun. until a shadow got in the way. Lazily opening one eye, a very angry Tama-sensei was blocking her light.

"Hey tama-sensei, wanna sunbathe?" she giggles

"No, Hitomi. Get up" he says harshly flipping his raven hair away from his eyes.

"Fine, look I'm done." She said pointing to roof which was now red and no longer had white blotches all over.

"Took you long enough." Tama-sensei grunts "Here." He says while tossing an apple at Hitomi

"Seriously, I've been doing this for hours and all I get is sunburn and an apple. Come on, I gotta eat you know, I only got a ration bar yesterday." She wined while batting her eyelashes at him in a flirtatious manner. This caused a blush to creep out on his face.

"Fine" he said and tossed another apple to her and handed her 100yen (okay wasn't sure how many yen equal a pound/dollar so I was thinking that 100Y=£10/$10 don't know for sure so sorry If I have it wrong)

"Ta, I can actually eat for once." She says with a hint of bitterness in her voice.

Flashback

Clutching the map which had been in the bag her mother had packed the little girl walked through the forests endlessly. Her bare arms covered in purple splotches.

"I guess that should teach me to walk through nettles." The girl mused out loud to herself

After many days of non-stop travelling the worn out child couldn't take it anymore. Her legs gave way beneath her, as she slipped into unconsciousness. It had been almost a week now judging by the rises and falls of the sun, since her parent's deaths. Hitomi had walked all through the day, taking breaks whenever she passed a food source or water source before continuing on her quest to find the village hidden in the mountains.

Outsiders POV (still in flashback)

Running through the forest in the land of fire, on my way back from a mission. Something catches my eye, a little girl. A little girl no older than five asleep or unconscious under a tree.

Where are her parents? Why is she alone?

What struck him most about the child is that on the back of both of her hands were purple marks extending up her bare arms.

Gently he began to try shake the child awake but with no success.

She's probably just lost he thought to himself another run away, the nearest village is the mountain village, she must be from there. The poor child's family must be franticly looking for her.

Scooping the small child up he ran with her through the forest until after a few hours he reached the Village hidden in the mountains.

"Who goes there?" Voices of mountain shinobi called at the gates.

"Mizu Kagure, of the Hidden leaf village. I wish to speak with the leader of this village." Mizu said while clutching the child in his arms

"You may enter, but remove your weapons pouch and leave it at the gate. It will be returned to you upon your departure." One of the shinobi called

The hidden Leaf village, and the village hidden in the mountains were allies but it never hurt to be cautious.

"What is the reason for your visit?" the leader asks

"This child, I found unconscious beneath a tree in the forest. I believe her to be descended from this village." Mizu says gesturing down at the small child asleep in his arms.

"Friend I do not recognise this child to be from the village, but there are no other villages nearby. So I do not know where her heritage lies."

"Hm, then we have a dilemma. It is about 3 day's journey back to the leaf. I wish not for the child to endure that. There has also been rumours that a few rouge ninja have been spotted nearby the leaf. I would fear for the child's safety."

"Ah, yes. Quite the dilemma. I would be happy to let her stay in my village for the mean time. I'm sure that a place for her can be found." The leader says

"Excellent, I would find it quite distressing for a child to be left out there in the wilderness to fend for herself at such a young age. It is a possibility that her parents have been killed by those rouge ninja I mentioned" he said scratching his head

"Mizu, if you like you may visit her, when you are in the area."

"I would enjoy that. I know my stay has been brief but I must go I do not want any backup being sent to aid me when it isn't needed. Please take care of the child, treat her well." And with that the travelling nin disappeared

Flashback end

Later that day

"Hitomi, you were told to stack the firewood neatly and not get it wet. Why is this pile wet?" the bossy old lady asked sternly

"It started raining, rain does tend to be wet you know." She replied glaring at the woman in front of her folding her arms across her chest

"You should have got it under shelter before then." The old woman said harshly placing her hands on her hips.

"You shouldn't give me so much firewood to shift. If you had given me less I would have got it under shelter before the rain started. This is not of my doing it is yours." She replied holding her head high despite the scolding

"In return for your efforts or lack of it I will give you this" she replied digging into her kimono sleeve and bringing out half a loaf of bread

"Ooh bread. Hey what are those green bits on it?" she asked pointing to the strange green parts which were consistently present across the food item

"Mould, this wasn't made yesterday." The old woman seemed rather smug

"How do you expect me to eat mouldy bread? You're a nutcase old bat." The old woman's smugness making her mad

"Who you calling an old bat! And anyway I'm not saying you have to eat if you don't want to. Anyway you didn't do a decent days work so you're lucky I'm even giving you that."

"Well I don't see anyone else here do you? Anyway why are you people always treating me like crap eh? What have I done to you? Nothing." Anger gets the better of her as she yells

Throwing the bread at Hitomi the old woman just turned to walk away. As she did she looked over her shoulder "Because you are a curse."

"How am I a curse I am a human being just like you yet I am cursed. How Dare you! I would know if I was the barer of a curse." She eventually calmed down but her hands remained on her hips along with a scowl upon her face.

"You bare the mark. It has been known for years. Curses are hated by everyone" and with that she walked off leaving the girl awe struck with half a loaf of mouldy bread in her hands.

What should I do with this now? I can't eat it its mouldy it's pretty hard maybe if I throw it at someone it could do some damage. And how that thought was tempting, that old lady could be the recipient or those kids from the ninja school who kept on stealing her cloths when she hung them out to dry, even tama-sensei he never liked me even when Jii-san was about.

Sighing she looked around to see if anyone was looking, then quickly picked a few root plants from the ground and pocketed them. Most people thought that these weren't edible, but they were. Thanks for the book Oka-san, without it I would probably be dead. She made a mental note to thank her in her prayers

Sighing she made her way tiredly to her hut. The hut which she once shared with her Oji-san before he passed. Not far from the hut was a small secluded lake, its blue crystal clear waters were a great way to pass the time and also to cool off. Hikari always says that Hitomi needed to cool off with her fiery temper, then he normally has to pick himself up from the floor after someone's fist came crashing down.

Walking by her hut, Hitomi placed the mouldy loaf of bread and two apples on her table. Well I guess it's not a bad haul today. She thought to herself.

Stretching out on the carpeted floor of her living room, she just lay there for a while listening to the sounds of the birds in the trees, the running water of the lake, the tiny scutters that the small mammals made across the forest floor, which the house backed on to. "I wish all days could be this peaceful" she thought aloud.

After a while she stretched and got up. "Hikari should be out soon, better get going to the lake." She said talking to no one in particular. She headed off to her favourite spot the secluded willow tree with a shallow bank leading to the water. It's perfect just to dip your feet in while you relax in the shade of the tree. Sitting down she stretched out and closed her eyes. Although she noticed a familiar Chakra presence approaching she didn't bother to open her eyes.

"You can come out now Hikari. I know your there, even with the sealers on" Hitomi said not even bothering to unfold her arms from behind her head. But opening one eye lazily.

"Aww, how'd you know? I concealed my Chakra." The Blonde haired boy with curious blue eyes who was about a year younger than Hitomi said whining

"Hikari, concealing it isn't enough, your chakra levels are all over the place, you really need to improve I think even ninja in the land of waves could feel your chakra. Also your breathing was too loud and also I can smell your sweat seriously when did you last take a shower?" Hitomi emphasised how much he smelled by pinching the bridge of her nose

"Oh, come on I'm not that bad. Anyway you know what Tama-sensei is like I had training with him last thing. He said I could go home until I managed to get 10 successful hits on him." Hikari whined again a bad habit of his

"Nope, you reek of sweat. I could easily land 20 strikes on him yet it takes you forever to land just 10 wows you're slower than I thought Hikari." She teased

"But, tomi-chan that's no fair you're really fast and also Tama-sensei is Jonin level I'm not even Genin yet." He whined again

"Hikari." She said in a monotone voice

"What?" hiss curious blue eyes looking over to her as he landed on the soft grass

"Shut up whining." Without a hint of emotion in her voice

"Why are you so mean to me Tomi-chan?" He said dramatically pretending fall over

"I'm not I'm just honest." She said with a deadpan expression

After that a silence which could be described as awkward settled between the two. But to them it wasn't, sometimes they acted like they didn't enjoy each other's company but even being in the presence of each other made them happy.

"Hey, Tomi-chan I learned a new Jutsu today wanna see?" Hikari asked bouncing up and down with enthusiasm

Rather annoyed that he was blocking her sunlight with his shadow Hitomi agreed for a peaceful life. But she was also a teensy bit curious.

"Tomi-chan, can you sense anyone's Chakra nearby?" Hikari asked as they approached their secret training ground.

"No, I think there may be a meeting in leader-sama's office since most of the Chakra signals are coming from there."

"Do you think if we spar we will get caught out here?" Hikari asks warily always the good boy

"Not likely. Leader-sama's office is on the other side of the village also if they do move from their current positions I would sense them." She said in a matter of factly

"Woo, lets spar. Hitomi I want this to be fair so why don't you take off your chakra sealers for a while? How long ago was it that you last took them off?" Hikari asked with concern in his voice

"It was 3 weeks and 4 days ago I last took them off. Since the conditions are right I think I may remove them temporarily but during our spar no weapons also stop scratching your ass you look like you have fleas."

"Tomi-chan, you should remove your sealer more often, that's why I suggested the spar. When you have them on to long you get tired and cranky. Your gonna make yourself ill if you don't let your chakra flow return to normal once in a while. Anyway what if it want to scratch my ass I had an itch." He said pouting at the last part of the sentence

"I only remove my sealers when the conditions are right. I promised Jii-san that I wouldn't let them see me as a threat and by reducing my chakra flow I appear weaker than I am therefore not a threat. I cannot remove them at a whim." Then stepping away from him "Keep your fleas to yourself too" she joked.

Finally they reached the edge of the training ground, well if it could be called that it was just a large clearing in the middle of a mountain forest.

Taking their positions at opposite ends of the clearing.

Hitomi turned to her wrists and began to undo the two intricate beaded charms on both wrists. Smiling as she felt more Chakra flow through her, just removing the two made her feel much better. What Hikari didn't know was that she had more than two Chakra sealers the necklace around her neck was another one and also her anklet and her ring. It seems allot just for one person to have so many Chakra sealers but Hitomi has allot of Chakra. She was born with it.

Bowing to each other they took fighting stances and after 3 seconds they began to spar. (first time ever doing a proper fight scene so if its crap sorry ;) )

Hikari made the first move going for a direct attack with his fist. Just as he was about to hit his target it disappeared.

Confused he looked around only to sense Hitomi chakra behind him. But it was too little too late as she landed a drop kick on his ass sending I'm flying for a couple of feet.

Hikari didn't give up easily and began to make hand signs "Earth Style: Mud bomb Jutsu!" Hikari shouted then began to spit out mud bombs (which is kind of disturbing but what evs XD)

Dodging his attack Hitomi Quickly did a series of flips and quickly ran in a circle around Hikari kicking up the dust creating a visual barrier between them both. She quickly jumped back into a tree perching on the branch. She closed her eyes calmed herself and focused on Hikari's chakra.

His chakra was moving about the training field rapidly in confusion his chakra levels were unstable which obviously said he was panicking. How foolish.

As the dust settled she waited for the perfect opportunity to strike. As Hikari came within rage se quickly made the tiger hand sign "Fire style: forbidden flame jutsu." She whispered

With that he was surrounded by orange flames and Hitomi called out to him "Ready to give up yet?" teasingly

"Tomi-chan you know I won't. Leaf Style: Frenzy thorn Jutsu" he said as thorns came flying out of nowhere.

Hitomi managed to doge just but earned a few scratches to her arms in the process. As another load of thorns came flying at her quickly used a substitution jutsu to evade them.

Just then a new Chakra presence was felt by Hitomi. Causing her to gasp.

"Hikari, we are no longer alone." She stated looking him directly in the eye with a serious look on her face

Looking into Hitomi's green eyes he could tell how serious she was and nodded knowing the plan of action.

At that moment they both disappeared into opposite directions. Hikari ventured further into the forest. While Hitomi was almost invisible to the untrained eye with her speed.

Pushing a small amount of chakra to the bottom of her bare feet she ran faster and began to do up the chakra sealers on her wrists. In no time at all she was back home.

Sitting down at the small porch to her house she took time to carefully monitor the Chakra signals around them. Hikari was still in the forest training no other chakra signals were near to him. It was a possibility that the Chakra signal she sensed belonged to someone just passing through. The meeting with the Leader still seemed to be on going as all other strong Chakra signals were coming from leader-sama's location.

After a while Hikari's chakra signal faded and became more distant. That meant he had overdone it again and gone home. You could never say he didn't try hard.

Reaching inside her pocket she pulled out a small scroll. Pushing a small amount of Chakra out of her hand it increased in size, and then carefully she placed her hand over the seal which caused it to open. Quietly she relayed a series of hand signs and whispered Summoning Jutsu: Hidden Scroll Secrets: Famirībukku. With that a aged old book came out from the scroll which Hitomi picked up and looked through it.

As the hours passed Hitomi continued to practice making hand signs and memorising each Justus function strengths and weaknesses. In a way it was a way to escape the cold world, in others it was a hobby.

The reason being, that Hitomi was not enrolled in ninja school for several reasons. In the village hidden in the mountains only Males were allowed to become shinobi. Two due to the extraordinary amount of chakra she possessed hiding it would not have been possible if she were to enrol in a ninja school or so her Jii-san had told her.

After almost five hours studying Hitomi finally blew out the candle and returned the book to its scroll. Changing in to just a simple but baggy t-shirt she undid her hair from its tie and crawled into her futon. Drifting off into a deep slumber as tiredness took over her.

Meanwhile somewhere else.

Two shaded figures in straw hats and cloaks stood near the border in the tree tops.

"So this is the village hidden in the mountains un." One of the figures stated

"Hn." The other replied nodding

"I wonder why leader-sama gave us this retrieval mission, this should be exciting un."

"Hn" the second figure replied again. This figure didn't seem like the most talkative of people.

And with that short sweet conversation over with the two figures. The figures moved off jumping from the tree in which they were stood in. One strange thing though they were wearing Ninja sandals.

Kiyomi: okay so this is my first Naruto fanfic and to be honest I think the first part is okay but quite a bit of it is kind of crappy since I decided to write it in third person (yeah I don't the diffs between persons :/ but anyways I will improve.)

I know parts are kind of vague but they are meant to be and you will find out more in upcoming chapters. But if you want more you got to review I would actually like a min of 3 reviews kind of demanding I know but no one is reviewing!

Constructive Criticism always needed (just don't be mean)

Next time: What did happen in Hitomi's past? Why did her parents die? Who are those mysterious figures? (I think you may know the last question though XD)