Dragon's Echo

A young boy with silver hair and his face covered, except for his right eye, traveled down an old, rugged dirt road accompanied by two others. A boy and a girl.

Their names were Kakashi Hatake. Iruka Umino and Kurenai. They were all 16 and were on an escort mission. Their target: The Dragon Priestess and her brother from the Dragon Temple back to Konoha.

It took two days to get from Konoha to the temple. The temple was beautifully designed with golden dragons for pillars and statues.

When they arrived, they were greeted by a monk.

"Greetings. You must be the Leaf's escort team. Team Kakashi, correct?" The monk said.

Kakashi (A.K.A the silver hair) nodded.

"Then I must ask that you remove any weapons and loose garments."

Team Kakashi hesitated.

"Weapons are frowned upon here. I am sorry."

Team Kakashi went inside the temple, removing all their concealed weapons and loose clothes.

"Your head bands as well. When people visit, we do not want them to feel uncomfortable with ninja from other lands. Without the head bands, everyone is on equal bounds."

So off went the head bands. Kakashi felt naked with his sharingan eye revealed.

"I'm sure you all are tired from your journey. Feel free to use the hot springs. Ladies through that door." The monk pointed to the right. "And men through that door." He pointed to the left. "Do not fear if you stumble upon Master Rei. He is the Priestess's younger brother."

"Excuse me." It was Iruka. "But where does that door lead to?" He pointed to the door next to the 'Ladies' hot springs.

"That room leads to the Priestess's personal hot spring. No one is allowed in there when she is in."

Neither Kakashi nor Kurenai heard this for they were already through the separate doors to the hot springs. Iruka soon followed Kakashi.

A young boy sat in the water. His hair was the color of ripe carrots. "Ah. You must be Team Kakashi."

"And you must be Rei." Said Kakashi.

"How old are you?" Asked Iruka.

"Eight."

'Moment of awkward silence.'

"You and your team may stay here the night."

"This was supposed to be a four day mission." Said Kakashi.

"My sister and I will pay for the extra day."

Suddenly, a beautiful voice began to drift through the mists sending Kakashi and Iruka into a daze.

"It is only my sister singing. You will meet her in the morning."

Next day.

Team Kakashi, accompanied by Rei, was doing a morning stretch outside when the monk stepped outside.

"Team Kakashi, It gives me great pleasure to introduce you to the Dragon Priestess Echo."

Once he said her name, a beautiful young woman stepped into the sunlight. Her snow white hair drifted down her lowerback. Her green eyes seemed to pierce everything. Or, that's what Kakashi and Iruka thought. She wore a kimono fit for a princess.

"Hello there. I'm Echo." She smiled.

"Don't get any ideas," Rei whispered in Kakashi's and Iruka's ears. "She's only 15. And…I'll kill you."

And so, Team Kakashi began their escort trip back to Konoha. Priestess Echo end her brother Rei in tow.

That night, Team Kakashi stopped at the midway point. An Inn/Hot springs called Lucky Pond. There, Kurenai had time to get to know Echo.

"So, how did you become Priestess?" They were exchanging their clothes for towels when Kurenai notices that Echo is more filled out than she is. A LOT more.

"Well, my mother was priestess before me and when she died I took on her role."

"I'm sorry to hear that. About your mother I mean."

"S'alright. I was going to be priestess anyway. It just came sooner than expected." She laughed.

'Her laughter sounds a lot like bells.' Thought Kurenai.

Meanwhile, with the guys…

" Yo, Rei, what's it like to live in a temple?" Iruka asked.

"It's okay. Food's good but I prefer my home village."

"Your home village? What's it called? We were never told." Kakashi said.

"You'd never believe me."

"Come on, you can tell us. If you say that then no one would believe us so tell us anyway." Iruka said.

Rei sighed. "Our village goes by many names. Some called us 'The Village between the Nations'. But, I think, the most common one is 'The Village of Illusions'."

Kakashi and Iruka gasped.

The Village of Illusions was supposed to be a myth. But here, not three feet away, sat a citizen from that village.

The next morning, the guys were doing their morning stretches (again), when Kurenai and Echo stepped out. Kurenai was in her usual garments but Echo was wearing a tight, black, sleeveless tee, black bicycle shorts, black boots, fishnets extending from her neck to inside her boots and to her wrists, and a pair of goggles on her forehead.

Iruka had a slight nose-bleed and Kakashi turned around to wipe away his nose-bleed before it seeped trough his mask.

"Sister, do you think that outfit is…acceptable?"

"What? I used to wear something like this before we lived in the temple. And, besides, no one should know who I am until we reach Konoha."

"So that's why you changed." Kurenai said.

"Yep. And it felt more comfortable, too. Hey, uh, Iruka. You got allergies or something? Your nose is bleeding. And, Kakashi. What are you looking at?"

"N-nothing." He said while Iruka shoved tissue paper up his nose. Kakashi had done the same thing but you couldn't tell because of his mask.

The group began walking down the road.

"So, um, are you really from the Village of Illusion?" Iruka asked.

"Aw, Rei, you told them!?"

"They asked."

"Do you answer anyone who asks!?"

"Wait. You're from the Village of Illusion?" Kurenai wasn't told.

"Yea, but it's definitely a myth now. It was destroyed a while back."

"By who—"

"There you are, you scaly freak!"

Three adult shinobi had appeared from the tree-tops in front of them. They were from the Sound Nation by the looks of their head bands. The largest one who had spoken had one arm in a sling.

"I'm gonna pay you back for what you did to my arm! And I brought a few friends to help me! Wha ha ha ha!"

"Aw, man. Not you guys!"

"Do you know these guys, Echo?" Kurenai asked.

"I know the big one. He attacked the temple a few days ago."

"I'll handle these guys, sister." Rei stepped forward.

"Hey! No way! I want some fun, too. Can I at least have the big one?"

Team Kakashi jumped in front of Rei and Echo.

"We're your escort. WE will handle this."

"Now, hold up. Who do you think fought the 'One Arm Wonder' in the first place?"

"One Arm Wonder this!"

The large shinobi ran through Team Kakashi's blockade straight to Echo. He went to punch her when she caught his fist with one handed.

"I don't EVER want to see your face anywhere around here EVER again!"

She twisted his arm sharply causing the bone to break from the joint and the muscles to rip. Then, she punched him in the gut. As he keeled over, she sent out a shock wave of chakra and sent him flying hundreds of feet away. By this time Rei had the middle sized shinobi on the ground passed out.

The smaller shinobi ran away, screaming monster over and over again.

Team Kakashi stared in awe.

Team Kakashi arrived in Konoha a few hours later. Iruka leaves the group to go eat at a restaurant called Ichiraku's. And Kurenai said she had to meet someone so she leaves.

Kakashi guesses who. (Asuma! ^_^)

"So. It's just the three of us. We'd better get to the Hokage Tower, then."

"…" (Rei)

"…" (Kakashi)

As they walk down the street, they receive many stares [Mostly Echo 'cause of her looks/clothes/breast (perverts)] Rei gives them all (especially the perverts) dirty looks.

Inside the Hokage Tower, while Kakashi and Echo goes to report the mission a success Rei stands outside the door, waiting ,and Echo…

"I assume the preparations are ready, Lord Third? Here is the money I owe." She sets the money on the Hokage's desk. Her look is fierce. "I must request that no one knows who I am except the members in this room and the shinobi who escorted me here. Do you understand?"

"!" (Kakashi) 'She can't say that to him! Can she?'

"I understand your right to privacy. Your accommodations have been met and I hope you enjoy your stay here in Konoha. Kakashi, please escort Priestess Echo to this location." He hands Kakashi a map with an 'X' marked on it.

"Yes, sir!"

They leave the room and begin the trip to the destination point. Rei follows silently.

"You must hate me for speaking that way to your village leader. You must understand that I hold a higher position than his. Even for my young age."

"!"

"The place marked on that map is where Rei and I will be living. We just want to be treated like normal citizens so no formalities, okay?"

Kakashi took a good look at the map and realized where they were going.

'This is where the Kyuubi boy lives!'

They were passing a park when they heard yelling. A group of kids were standing three feet away from a blond boy with whisker marks on his cheeks.

"Get away from us, monster!"

"Freak!"

"Yeah! We don't want to play with a freak-monster!"

The blond boy stuck out his chest and pointed at himself with his thumb.

"Just wait and see! I'll become Hokage and then you'll respect me! Believe it!" He shouted.

"Yeah, right! You'll never be Hokage!" The children ran off laughing.

The blond boy slumped his head down so no one would see him cry.

"Little boy. What's your name?" Echo had walked up to him when the children ran off.

He jerked his head toward the snow-haired stranger.

"U-Uzumaki, Naruto! And someday I'm gonna be Hokage!"

Echo smiled. "Then you're gonna need a good luck charm." She took off her goggles and placed them on the boy's head.

"W-what makes them so lucky?"

Echo's smile grew bigger. "They were once worn by a beautiful princess from a faraway village."

"W-why are you being so nice to me?"

"Answer me this first. Why did those kids call you a monster?"

"I dunno? Everyone does."

"Well, Uzumaki, Naruto, people who call other people 'monster' for no reason are really the monster themselves. And, to answer your question, you and I are a lot alike. Well, see ya! And don't forget to wear those goggles!" She shouted as she made her way back to Kakashi and Rei.

They walked away leaving the boy stunned, but happy.

"Princess?" Kakashi asked.

"What? Let's just get home, okay!"

And with that, the three set off to the Dragon Priestess's new home in Konoha.

E N D