Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. But my characters are mine :) no plagiarism!

So welcome to "Awakening the Dream"! I really hope you like it, and that you stick with the story :D thanks for reading! Review!


My footsteps echoed down the dark hall that stretched out endlessly in both directions, each step plunging me deeper into the darkness. Not a speck of light was detectable in this dark hallway, I gradually stopped because of this and stared at the ground beneath my feet uncomfortably.

I rubbed my shoulder in pain, bringing up previous memories of the intense training I had just finished. Kage and Shiden hadn't cut me any slack today, When they say intense they mean it. I winced, my shoulder stung unbearably once more, I moaned in agony. A complete chain reaction. I tried everything to take my mind off of the aching, but nothing seemed to work.

I started to walk again, making my way down the stone stairs and to the door barely visible at the end of the hall. When I came to it I knocked three times - a traditional "code" if you will - its icy steel touch making me feel a bit more comfortable. Bit by bit it creaked open, the little light that flickered from within the room making it easier for me to see. I stepped in, leaving the darkness behind.

"You wanted to see me?" My voice was cold from weariness as I knelt before the dark haired man sitting in a throne-like chair that had summoned me here in the first place. My black hair brushed over my face as I stared at the ground, the floor beneath my hands made me feel even more lifeless, like I was about to lose my soul to the underworld.

"Yes. I have a favor to ask you." The man's voice was like fingernails down a chalkboard to me.

Don't you always. I rolled my eyes in secrecy. "What can I do for you?"

A wicked smile stretched across his pale face and a glance out of the corner of his eye sent my skin crawling. He got up and started circling around me. I tried to keep my ice blue gaze on him but it cut off when he disappeared behind me. "The Chunin Exams in the Hidden Leaf Village are being held in two days. Everyone is going to be there, and I would like you to attend them with Kabuto." I heard a small chuckle. "I already have the tickets." He came back around to my right and flashed two tickets in front of my face. "See? One for you…"

I rubbed off the uneasy feelings seeping their way into my facial expressions and fought them back with determination. "And one for my brother." I resented it for being a question.

He laughed. "Your brother? I was going to say that mutt of yours."

"She's not a mutt! And I'll assure you she's nowhere near useless-" I forced myself to stop midsentance, afraid of the consequences I, or my brother, might receive for addressing Orochimaru in such manner, so I stared him down with pure hatred instead.

"Settle down. What would give you the impression that I would actually let your brother go with you on this mission? I have to have something to assure me that you'll come back, and you know as well as I do what would happen if you didn't." He twirled a key he had retrieved out of his pocket around his skeletal finger.

"What do I have to do?" I pulled the words out of my mouth grudgingly, my gaze fixated on the floor again. I was through with looking at his face.

"That's what I thought," he mocked, "Now, what you have to do is simple. You, along with some other henchmen of mine, will assist me with the assassination of the Third Hokage."

I choked on some air in shock of what I just heard. "We're going to what?"

"I said we're going to kill the Third Hokage."

"At the final rounds?"

"Yes."

"How are we going to pull that off?"

"You will go over the plan tomorrow morning with Kabuto and then do some training. I want you to be ready for this. We leave tomorrow night, you are dismissed." He turned around and returned to his chair.

I was standing by now, driven by the shock and anger about what I was expected to do. My legs were barely supporting my own weight because of this misery. Kill the Hokage? I wanted to protest so bad, but I knew I couldn't for the sake of my twin. "Are you sure I'm cut out to do this?" That's a good question to sway his decision…

He smirked, "Of course you are, I need all of my henchmen for this. Besides, you have a talent I couldn't possibly find anywhere else. You're one of the strongest." He eyed me, obviously expecting something.

Crap. Normally I would have taken that as a compliment without hesitation and rubbed it into the other's faces afterwards, but now was different. I stood there for a moment longer, paralyzed by a fear I had never experienced before.

"I believe I said you're dismissed."

That snapped me back to reality. I gave him one last bow and made my way out of the door. Once I was back in the hallway I began sprinting with the door's slam as my cue. My rapid footsteps filled the hallways as I stumbled up the stairs and into the mist-drenched forest. It took a lot of effort to move in and out of the hundreds of trees because of my scrambled mind, and the speed I was going was very well another factor. I continued running down the busy streets going the same speed, which was a pretty bad idea. I hastily dodged all of the people that blocked my way, getting unnecessary looks in the process. Everything around me was becoming nothing but a blur, all I wanted to do was go home get rid of the hurt I felt right now. I was turning a corner now, nearly colliding with a light-yellow haired boy who had leaped out right in front of me. I tried stopping, but was going to fast to stop in time. I tripped, but fortunately caught myself before landing face-first on the ground. "Wha-" I studied his face more carefully while catching my breath. Placing my hands on my knees I shouted, "Shiden! What do you think you're doing? Get out of my way." I attempted to pass him on the left, then the right, but all of my attempts were blocked. I stopped and glared at him. "Shiden, move."

"Ooooo, I'm shaking." He mocked in a retarded tone.

"SHIDEN!" My temper flared until I was on the verge of knocking him out. Don't let this guy get to you. I took a deep breath then walked onward, pushing him out of my way. He landed on his back, kicking up some dust in the process.

"What was that for?" Shiden yelled after me. "Is it because I kicked your butt in training today?" He smirked, his usual evil grin appearing on his face.

I stopped dead in my tracks, "You were in my way." I replied as coolly as I could. "So no."

"No I didn't beat you in training today? That's not how I remember it going. Should I refresh your memory?" His usual grey eyes shifted to a paranormal shade of yellow and his fists gradually clenched up.

"Don't." I sighed in a mocking manner. "You're just going to get yourself hurt…" I turned to looked at him for a moment, mirroring the same evil grin before I walked away. I was not going to stick around if he was going to pick a fight jutsu would be involved in, especially since we were on the streets. To many witnesses.

Shiden gritted his teeth in annoyance. His yellow eyes faded back to its typical grey color. "Whatever. I guess I'll just see you in training tomorrow." He was obviously suggesting something but I didn't care.

A short silence passed between us before I decided to break it, "Nope." I walked farther away.

"What?! Why not?" Shiden asked in alarm while getting up, catching up to me in a matter of seconds.

"Uh, I dunno. Just not going." We were walking side by side now.

"It's because of me isn't it? I guess I can go easy on you tomorrow if that makes you feel better."

I bit my tongue, holding back several harsh remarks.

Shiden's eyes had sparks coming out of them now - literally - he was mad. I guess my continuation of silence really provoked him, as did everything else. "I'll show you!" He lunged at me, picking up speed instantly. Now one thing I'll tell you about Shiden is that once he starts running he doesn't stop. He runs until he hits his mark, easier for him if it's stationary. That's where I come in when our team is in a battle; I make sure the victim is completely immobile and Hotaru finishes them off.

I got down as fast as I could, my hands expanded on the concrete. I stretched my leg out and spun it around, tripping him and sending him crashing to the floor once again. This brought back the stinging in my shoulder, so I responded to the pain with a cringe. I forbid myself to let Shiden notice, he would just mock me even more, so I turned around and watched as he somersaulted a couple of times in front of me, finally ending up on his stomach. I brushed off my hands and continued walking.

Shiden looked up at me, dust covering his lower face. He spit and asked, "Why do you hate me?"

Those words stopped me dead in my trail, dazed at where that question came from. "What's that-"

"Why do you hate me?" He repeated with impatience, cold and hard.

I turned, kneeled down so that we were eye level and looked him in the eye, "I don't hate you, but I don't like you either." I rose to my feet.

Shiden's smile slowly disappeared then replied, "Well, then tell me where you're going to be tomorrow." He looked up at me, eyebrows raised in question.

"It's none of your business." I broke eye contact with him and turned around, my voice a bit stern.

"Why? Why am I the only one on this team that's never told anything? I should be able to know just as much as you do." I could feel his gaze burning into my back.

"You don't want to know." I replied distantly, my ice-blue gaze scanning the dim skies above me.

"Why not?" Shiden got up and positioned himself behind me.

I turned and looked into his grey eyes. "Shiden, listen. I'm tired, hungry and, if you hadn't already notice, a bit out of it today."

"A bit?"

I closed my eyes tightly in frustration and ignored his snide comment, "All I want to do is go home. So if you don't mind, I'm going to leave now." I proceeded home again, but Shiden still followed. I was getting irritated now, "Shiden PLEASE! Just let me be for now, okay? I'll train with you some other time!" His grey eyes were emotionless, so I settled down and took another deep breath. He attempted to strike up another conversation but I didn't hear the rest of his sentence because I was running for my house now, completely fed up with this boy. I slowed down my pace when I knew that I was out of his sight and after a couple more footsteps I finally was home. I stood in the doorway for an instant, taking pleasure in the joyful and relieving feelings that flooded over me. "Hey mom! I'm home!" I tried sounding happy, but fooling my mom was hard to do. I shut the door behind me.

"Hey sweetie! I was starting to get worried about you, it's already six! What took you so long?"

"Well I ran into Shiden on the way here, and that took up some time." I kicked my black sandals off and met up with my mom in the kitchen. She was making dinner, as usual, but I could tell that something was on her mind.

"Oh, that boy on your team who always gets in trouble?"

We hugged before I started to help her with dinner. "Yeah. He's so annoying and never leaves me alone."

"Now Kouri, I know you don't like him but at least try to show him some respect."

"Why do I have to? Because he's the Shuurai's leader's son? I think that's a pretty lame excuse if you ask me." Hotaru and I come from the same clan, different family. Instead of one huge clan, ours was separated into eight families because of our kekkei genkai, the Yousogan. We can control a specific element when we activate this, which is how the families are divided. He is of the Shuurai clan- lightning - and I am from the Hakumei clan - ice.

"All I'm asking is for you to show him some respect, not an 'I'm better than him' speech. And you know that you two do share some similarities, we've had this talk before."

I changed the subject, this was beginning to become too much for me. "Any news about Kaen and his mission?"

My mom was a bit hesitant with the sudden transition, but replied, "Nope. Not a word. I wish they would actually update us about his progress! I hope he's okay."

"I'm sure he is. He can definitely fend for himself." A wide, fake grin stretched across my tan face. "Speaking of missions…"

"You're getting sent on one too?!" My mom's deep blue eye shone brightly and a wide grin surfaced on her face. The other eye remained shrouded by a black eye patch, the sight bringing back every heartbreaking detail of the stories. Not only did my mom lose her right eye that gloomy day, but my dad as well.

I have my mom tell me the story every so often, as I wasn't even born at the time to know what had really happened. It was the day the Kaguya attacked the Hidden Mist village and some of our people were sent to help ward them off, my mom and dad included. They were from different families: my mom the fire and my dad the ice. They were going through a hard time during those years, as they never got to see each other due to the strict rules our clan had set about the separation of the element families. My dad took this sudden battle as the perfect opportunity to get his expecting wife out of the clan and onto a better life, as she would never be caught escaping through the thick chaos. He took into consideration that they would never end up together if they stayed, so he promised he would find her as soon as he got the chance to leave the Hidden Mist Village if she left now. She had waited, and waited, but he never showed up. We ended up here, in the Hidden Sound Village - which I would say isn't any better then our clan - and we are still waiting for his return.

"Uh-huh." I set aside my thoughts and tried acting happy again, searching for something to take my mind off of the unwanted memories.

"I'm so proud of you!" My mother hugged me again.

"Thanks. I'm really excited too. I leave tomorrow night!"

"Oh my babies have grown up so fast! It seems like just yesterday when you were born."

"Mom," I rolled my eyes, then began peeling a potato. Perfect distraction. My mom came and stood next to me in front of the sink, and we began peeling the potatoes. It seemed like hours of silence that passed between us, each caught up in our own thoughts.

After we were done peeling, I placed the pot of potatoes on the stove and turned it on. "Well, I'm going to go upstairs to get Akira, she probably has to go out by now. I'll be down for dinner in a little bit." My mom nodded to me, too focused on something else to actually say something. I made my way up the stairs and over to my room, the sent of vanilla flooded over me when the door opened while a pair of pale green eyes looked up at me when I entered, black ears perking up in excitement. "Hey girl! You miss me?" My dog jumped down from the bed and trotted over to me, barking every now and then. Soon I was overtaken by my companion, receiving continuous licks to the face.

"Akira! Stop!" I giggled and kissed her on the head. Akira jumped down, her tail wagging.

Of course I missed you! But can we talk later? I really have to pee!

"Oh! Right, sorry! Lets go." I raced back out the door and swiftly made my way down step by step. "I'm taking Akira out! Be back!" I shouted to my mom. We wound our way through the streets and into the forest just outside the village gates. I found it strange that no matter how bright the sun shone here, the forests and village of Otogakure always had a dark atmosphere to it. I stood and watched Akira disappear behind a mossy rock.

"Just hurry up okay? Dinner's about ready." The bush rustled a bit, and a few seconds later Akira reappeared.

Alright, I'm done.

"Then lets go." Akira and I walked back through the forest, its dense fog lightly coating my skin, and into the village towards our house. The sun had almost set, painting the sky with multiple shades of dim pinks, blues, purples, and oranges. Some kids were outside running around playing ninja, cardboard shuriken whizzing erratically through the night air while they weaved in and out of the compressed homes. I remember those days. I thought with a warm smile.My brother and I would always play ninja with some of our close friends, and Shiden. It was my one escape from the man apprenticing my brother and I, plus the confining school I was forced to attend. My gaze drifted from the kids back to the setting sun.

"It's so pretty. I wonder how long I'll have to stay here though."