Chapter One

Disclaimer: Ok, I don't own any Naruto; except for Sairi, Kaori, and Rin (my Rin). Now Higen's kinda weird; he does appear in the manga and speaks, but I don't think anyone knows his name or anything (if it does, tell me!), so I decided to mold him to fit my own ideas! grins Anyways, so they drew him and I made him; so whatever you believe there.

Anyways, this is my first Naruto fic, and I'm excited! I know parts may resemble Khazia's The Three Otaku, but there are many differences and the sequels will be completely different… Just wanted ya to know that if you started to wonder. Anyways, if you read this, leave me a review and let me know if I should continue with it or not. And give me some tips! There's nothing I love better than making my writing better for you guys… So yeah, let's get to it shall we?


Katsumata Higen stood in the middle of the forest, leaning lazily against a tree. His tired ears were listening to the repeating sounds around him of frolicking rodents about to crawl into their burrows. He had been in that exact spot for almost five hours. They had left their village, Konoha, early that morning in expectance of a delivery from three different villages: Rain, Cloud, and Star. He was starting to doubt that they were ever going to get out of there within the year; much less with the packages for the Hokage.

"Don't fall asleep," His comrade, Sarutobi Asuma, warned jokingly from a few feet away. A smirk crossed Higen's face at this comment. Slowly his hand passed the single loose strip of wrapping that sat on his nose, his fingers running partly through his black hair.

"Hey, Asuma," Higen spoke through the toothpick he was chewing on impatiently. This was a common scene, because sometimes he just needed something to calm his turbo charged nerves… And he would never smoke. If he smoked, he endangered his speed and his drive to be the best. Unlike Asuma, who drew in a deep breath of his cigarette in response.

He exhaled the smoke in a single smooth breath. "I know, I can see exactly why my team couldn't come along."


Arakida Kaori continued to walk through the wooded area, each footstep crunching dead leaves in the silence. These sounds came closer and closer together as Kaori's pace quickened, her eyes darting over her shoulder every few moments at the spindly black shadows of the trees. She had no idea how long she had been walking, but she was finally becoming tired and even more afraid every moment.

Sighing, she tried her best to follow the path in front of her. It was supposed to lead towards her meeting point with the Leaf Shinobi, a safer place, and that warm and comfortable bed that her grandfather had promised her. The quicker she got there, the better everything would be. As a bird suddenly shot out of a tree overhead, screeching, Kaori tripped over an uprooted tree root and into a clearing.


The suspicious fluttering of squirrels scurrying through the brush caused Sairi to almost constantly twirl towards the sound, a fatal kunai in hand. The moment she realized it was a harmless animal she would regain her composure and continue to walk; just like she had been doing since hours before the sun rose that morning.

Earlier that day, Sairi had taken time to hurry and run towards her destination. Now that she had been running all day, she was starting to feel fatigued. She just wasn't built for the endurance of running for hours straight; she was built for the speed that was unmatched by anyone from her village. Or at least that's what her training had made her become.

Finally, and without warning, a small tinge of relief washed through her. It was the sight of a distant fire through the trees that gave her this feeling, but it was instantly replaced as she realized it could be anyone; including someone other than a Leaf Shinobi squad that was supposed to retrieve her.


Mitsui Rin walked calmly through the wooded path, not even pausing to cast the shadowy figures of animals and trees a second glance. She was having slight trouble walking for so long in her attire… But the seemingly Japanese inspired long black dress blended in with the darkness. The dress had a long slit up the side until it reached just below her hip, where there was an almost invisible pair of skin-tight shorts. The only part of her that didn't blend in with the wicked scenery was her fair hair and skin.

The sounds of screams and yells ahead of her forced her to pause. The warning gears in her head turned at lightening speed. She was yards away from the set meeting place, but the red flags were all there. Suddenly it all stopped, and there was silence heard for a moment before Rin continued. If someone was in trouble, then Rin would have to use her powers to help them. And if not, hopefully it would be the Konohans waiting for her. She was praying for the latter.


A bored groan escaped Higen's lips; he seriously didn't think he'd be able to take much more for much longer. He walked to the edge of the clearing in an irritated manner, peering into the darkness. Just as he did, a pink haired girl feel onto him; and through his surprise he caught her just before hitting the ground. As he held her up by her shoulders his eyes ran over her Hitae-ate. Rain. The girl looked up at Higen with wide-eyes, then began to panic.

"Let me go!" She exclaimed, flailing her arms as she tried to fight away from him. Higen struggled to keep a hold of her, making the mistake of keeping a tight grasp on her waist. This gave her full range of her hands to slap him about the arms, although in her alarmed state it was nothing but a limp swing.

"I can't…" Higen returned with a hint of frustration in his voice. If this girl would just be observant instead of jumping to conclusions, neither one of them would be in the awkward situation they were in now… Or at least Higen wouldn't have to deal with this girl freaking out.

"GET OFF ME YOU PEDOPHILE!"

The girl screeched, finally getting enough focus to stop and kick him in the shins. There was no water around that she could sense, so there was no way she could protect herself… This man was allowing her no room to perform the vital hand sequences that she used. Besides, he was at least three times her size and probably ten times more skilled and experienced than she was. How was she supposed to be a match?

A flash of silver flew between the both of them, cutting a strand of Kaori's hair cleanly in half and coming riskily close to Higen's nose. On the tree beside them were two kunai, nailing the hair to the bark behind it. Higen's gaze trailed a few feet away, where a pair of lilac eyes stared bitterly down at him from the shadows.

"What the-" Higen threw the pink haired girl behind him, immediately falling into a defensive position. A petite ninja flew to the ground before him, still crouching in preparation as she threw a scroll to the ground beside her. Her. It was a woman. Being the man he was, Higen's eyes trailed over her short, kimono-like dress that ended just at her thighs, sleeveless and looking rather nice. It was just above a Hitae-ate tied tightly to her right thigh, where Higen was able to catch a quick glance before she began to charge at him. She was the deliverer from Star Village.

"I-I'm…" Higen struggled to speak to hear as the flurry of punches and kicks began. A bad chick who knew advanced taijutsu. He decided to quit the negotiations; these non-Shinobi didn't know anything. A determined look set on his face as he threw a punch at her, coming in contact with her mouth. He received a rather harsh counterblow to his jaw from the side of her foot. They were moving at speeds that Higen wasn't used to; he wasn't accustomed to someone being as fast as he was.

Kaori gasped and tried to scramble away from the fight, speechless. Just before she was stepped on by Higen, two strong arms hooked underneath hers and pulled her out to safety. She looked up to see a tall, bearded man smoking a cigarette; once again frightened and almost screamed again. She was trapped and caught once more. Yet he sat her down beside him and began to watch the two fight with interest.

After a few moments, Kaori was comfortable enough around this man to speak. "How can they do hand sequences that fast?" She asked, automatically assuming they were using the same jutsu she specialized in. An amused smirk crossed Asuma's face as he chuckled. So much for telling Higen not to fall asleep; Asuma had only promised himself a few seconds of shut eyes before he had faded into a short dream.

"They're not. They're using taijutsu." He answered, sighing as a mouthful of smoke was exhaled. Kaori coughed as the smoke of his strong tobacco seemed to burn her own throat, causing her eyes to water. It faded quickly.

Kaori punched the air victoriously. "Yeah! You go girl!" She cheered, as the fight slowed down for a moment. Both of the two skidded to a stop in the dirt, now a yard or two apart. Their chests were rising and falling quickly during this short break, and a trail of blood trickled from the corner of the girl's mouth. Higen seemed to be unaffected besides the surprised look on his face and a few sore spots on his face that would bruise later. These didn't stop the two from clashing once more, as seconds later the girl lunged herself at Higen. By some stroke of luck he dodged this and maneuvered her body, using her weight against her to slam her against a tree. The girl gasped for air like a fish out of water, the air suddenly knocked out of her, and the oxygen rushing into her lungs stung icily. She coughed, a small spatter of blood moving into the air. It barely reached Higen and landed on his noseband, but he didn't seem to notice. He held her tight against the tree by her shoulders, staring her in the eye. She didn't fight it anymore.

The cocky smile faded on his face as he pointed to his Hitae-ate. "Look here princess," He pulled his black hair back to assist in an already clear view, and finally set on ripping it off and shoving it close to her face. "You see that! That means leaf. Ko-no-ha." He snapped at her firmly, receiving a growl in return. "We're here to accept your package, not murder your worst ninja."

"Higen!" Asuma barked, and after another moment of staring daggers at each other, Higen let the girl drop to the ground. She coughed for a moment and wiped the blood from her mouth on the lavender fabric that covered her arm from her middle finger to an inch below her elbow. Higen turned and stormed away, stopping a few feet behind Asuma and sitting on an uprooted tree root. She jerked the two kunai out of the tree behind her, which she had come dangerously close to colliding with when she was pounded against the trunk.

"What's your name?" Asuma asked, as if making polite conversation. The girl looked up at him fiercely.

"Hayata Sairi." She answered coldly, holstering her kunai back on her thin black belt. Asuma nodded as if he were deep in thought; something that Higen himself knew was impossible.

Asuma looked down at the girl beside him, a gentle curve at the ends of his mouth. "And you?" He asked, and her low pigtails danced as she hopped for a minute and grinned.

"Arakida Kaori!"

There was a sudden silence as the gentle breeze blew through the leaves on the forest floor, a calming scene in nature if you were used to it. It sent Kaori's hair into a mesmerizing sway and tossed Sairi's shoulder-length dark tresses in her face. Sairi's eyes darted over the bearded man's shoulder, chasing what she thought were a flicker of fair yellow… But was obviously wrong. "I am Sarutobi Asuma, a Jounin of Konoha."

A new, silky voice sounded from the opposite side of the clearing. So Sairi had been right. "Mitsui Rin, Kumo no Sato." Before them, or rather behind Asuma and Higen; was another young woman with long, pale blonde hair that fell to her hips. It was in slender ponytails tied by black lace. Higen's eyes examined her too, from head to toe and landing finally on the Hitae-ate around her waist.

"Village hidden by Clouds." He breathed the words to himself.

The taller, thin girl nodded silently, walking to the center of the opening to Asuma. Here she held out a small wrapped parchment, tied taught with black silk. Here Kaori's face lit up like she had just remembered something, and dug in the pack which was slung over her shoulder. She produced a similar looking cylinder, tied in a blue stringed bow. Sairi's, unsurprisingly, was still lying on the ground beside the tree from her struggle with Higen. The outside was stained with a small spray of blood, and had also been tied with deep purple silk. Asuma blinked, as if overwhelmed by it all at once, but took them all anyways and began to open them. Higen, in the meanwhile, was sitting on a tree root and glaring at Sairi every few moments. Asuma raised an eyebrow at the letter, his eyes scanning over it skeptically.

Lord Hokage,

As you already know by now, the Amegakure no Sato wishes to be the next
village to be accepted into the strong treaties of the Konoha. I believe that an alliance between our villages will be most helpful to both futures. To help persuade you in this decision, I have sent you a gift. My granddaughter, Arakida Kaori, whom is very skilled at housework and is also a talented ninja. She has the gifted Kekkei Genkai that is only prominent, which you probably know of. I hope she pleases you, and I wait to hear a response from you soon.
Sincerely,
Kuga Numomaru

Asuma's eyes looked warily over the paper at Kaori. She grinned up at him, and he merely looked back down to the letter. Yes, such a hyper teenaged girl would be welcome to run wild in the Hokage's palace. And Higen was the next Hokage. With a sigh Asuma rolled the scroll back together and tossed it to Higen, whose disregard for privacy was evident as he almost tore the parchment trying to open it. Asuma though, slowly becoming used to his rash nature, moved on to the next letter.

Hokage of Konohagakure,

It is my pleasure to come in correspondence with you once again. I believe that you have knowledge of our interest in a closer treaty or association. We can both feel the tension growing in the countries, and it would bring us both great comfort to know we have a supply of another army at hand. I am giving you my only daughter, Rin, as a sign of my faith in this proposal and a token of prelude to loyalty. She is giftedly clever, and very skilled as a Cloud ninja. She wields a bloodline trait of the electricity manipulation; which is very common here. Your flight of response is greatly appreciated.
Signed,
Kage Raikage

"Great." Asuma muttered under his breath, retying the scroll. These were not the kind of things the Hokage had expected as a gift from the villages. These were people; as if it were an arranged marriage. Not that those kinds of things weren't still happening, but Asuma wasn't one who agreed with it. He just kind of sat back and watched the rest of the world live their lives. 'This one had better be good…' He thought to himself as he opened the third and final message.

Dear Sarutobi Hokage,

Our converse of a union has been taking place for years now. Now that times are becoming more stressed, I am becoming more desperate. I'm sure you know one of my greatest ninja families, Hayata. He of course both have been killed, but their daughter is the prodigy of her ranking; and perhaps the entire fleet. I am happy to present her to you as a contribution to your elite squad. I would be highly pleased if you replied with the utmost speed.
With all due respect,
Hoshikage
Akahoshi

The last message was tossed in what was almost disgust. Asuma wasn't revolted by the girls, but rather by their leaders. As if three girls could be tossed around and make everyone happy so they could become friends. What really churned his stomach was what these leaders thought the Hokage would do with these girls. Or at least what they might think… Asuma was hoping they didn't, but nowadays, such inappropriate things were unavoidable. Not that his mind didn't wander to it every couple minutes; but after being around this Kaori girl for only a few minutes, it made him sick to think of her being hurt in such a way.

"What the hell is wrong with you people!" Higen asked loudly, jumping up to his feet and dropping the scroll as if it had a plague. He kicked the last letter easily into the opened bag on the ground. Like three girls could change things so easily… Just like the magic spell that the other villages needed. An upset look instantly popped onto Kaori's face, and a deathly glare set onto Sairi's. Rin's expression remained blank.


"Ladies," Asuma finished rolling out the last of the deep green sleeping bags and stepped back to survey his work. He gestured to each of the temporary beds, "Here's your place for the night." Kaori's face curled into a surprised expression, as Rin and Sairi moved towards the make-shift bed like robots.

"We're staying here?" She asked, gaping at what she believed would be like sleeping on needles. Her face revealed it too. Higen snickered, sliding into his own sleeping bag a few feet away.

"Yes, princess." He sneered, still slightly ego wounded from the fight before. "We were supposed to be back in Konoha four hours ago. But you were late; you're lucky you have this much."

Kaori hung her head and nodded solemnly, crawling into her sleeping place before it became too dark. She noticed how wrong she was about the comfort; and although it wasn't any palace quarters, it was actually quite warm. She snuggled into the fabric and drew it closer to her, just as Asuma threw a pail of sand on the fire. The last thing he needed was a fight from a couple of rogues or missing nin; especially with three very important girls from other villages. If the leaders would have only told them it was girls, they would have been able to bring a larger group for backup. But now they were in over their heads in possible dangerous situations, and Asuma knew well that there was no way that he and Higen could protect all the girls from battle; no matter how good Higen thought he was. Of course that one… Sairi was her name. She seemed like she knew what she was doing. But still, there was the liability he and Higen took if one of them was hurt before the Hokage…

Kaori scooted closer to Sairi, her form molding into a position to where she was as close as possible to the Star ninja. Sairi immediately noticed and moved over, but it continued once more. Sairi rolled over and stared at the girl with her pastel purple eyes, scaring Kaori even more for a moment. They seemed to glow in the dark, and Kaori had to pause for a moment before she was able to speak.

Sairi wasn't going to just sit there when she had been sprinting all day and needed to store her energy for the next. "What do you want." She asked firmly, sounding more like a statement than her genuinely asking. Kaori gulped.

"I-I'm sorry…" She said quietly, barely audible in the silence of the night. Sairi didn't move. The wind blew through the leaves ominously, creating shadowy monsters only feet away from Kaori. "Just… I'm sorry… Please? I'm scared." She whispered hoarsely, jumping as the wind whistled loudly through a tree and caused a monster next to her to scream. Sairi sighed. Trying to help this girl before would prove to be a nuisance; but she seemed so helpless… And if she didn't let her, Sairi would get no sleep and in no way would be presentable before the Hokage. She hadn't had to care for a younger sibling before, but she finally decided to help this girl. This once.

"Alright." She replied, closing the eyes and letting the girl move close enough to feel Sairi's warmth. That was all Kaori had wanted; just to know that someone was beside her was enough to make her feel safe again. Soon both girl's breathing had become slowed, as their minds feel into the depths of sleep and wonders of what could possibly happen when they reached Konoha the next day.


So, what'd you think? Lemme know! Give me some ideas! If it sucks, only you can help me make it better. ;)