Chapter 1: Gateway to Gran Pulse

Hidden leaf village, Konoha

"Ten years… had that much time really passed?" Tsunade stood in her office of the Hokage tower, looking over the village she had governed over for the past ten years. She was remembering that day, the day Naruto Uzumaki vanished. Jiraiya and the little blond had managed to convince her to become Hokage by mastering the Rasengan in one week.

But that the night they arrived back in Konoha, Naruto disappeared, leaving behind the necklace he won in their bet and his headband. Teams were sent out, chunin, jonin, even some anbu but nothing was ever found. The councils had always hated Naruto and they were furious, moving instantly to declare him a traitor and have him placed in the bingo book as an A rank threat. However, numerous rumors of the group Akatsuki floating around he was declared MIA and possibly kidnapped instead. Since his disappearance many things had changed in the village.

Two months after he vanished his team mate Sasuke Uchiha fled the village with the help of Orochimaru's Sound Four. He was nearly captured but thanks to Kabuto and the now deceased Kimimaro, he managed to escape past the border and made it safely to the snake sannin. The councils refused to declare him a missing ninja on the sole count of Orochimaru's curse seal was affecting his mental state. The clan councils were very angry with them but could not do a thing since it would surely cause a civil war. Several of the demon containers had been captured by the Akatsuki but they were still missing four in order to complete their goal. They had gone underground for the past few years, most likely searching the Naruto in order to obtain the Kyuubi no Yoko.

Sakura Haruno and Hinata Hyuga had become apprentices of she. Neji had become a jonin. Tenten, Ino, Lee, Choji, Shikamaru, Kiba, and Shino had become chunin. Kurenai was on leave due to pregnancy, Kakashi retired from being a sensei, again. Anko took a team for once, and Jiraiya continued to run his spy network in hopes of finding Naruto. However the major thing being changed were the search for Naruto. While searching through Sarutobi's things she discovered a journal detailing observations of Naruto during his childhood. She freaked out when she read Naruto was the son of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki, the two most powerful shinobi in the village during the last Great War. Somehow the information was leaked to the shinobi and clan councils and they became infuriated by this. They had all been told by Sarutobi that Minato's son had died in the Kyuubi attack and that they couldn't find the body. With Minato and Kushina's wills stated that Naruto was too be raised by Hiashi Hyuga, as he and Minato were close friends and former team mates; Now the need to find Naruto became more serious, they couldn't allow the son of Konoha's Yellow flash and Konoha's Red Death be trained by their enemies and become a weapon to use against them.

Currently Tsunade had just finished going over another mountain of paperwork when Sakura burst into her office. "Lady Tsunade! Anbu squad 13 has reported something unusual just outside the village walls!" she voiced.

"Well? Tell me already!" She snapped, slightly ticked that her alone time had been interrupted, again...

"The team discovered a cave underneath the Hokage Monuments and what seems like some kind of stone archway that is generating a portal!" Sakura reported. "A portal?" Tsunade questions. "Find Kakashi, Neji, and Hinata. Tell them to go investigate. Report back to me with any findings!"She ordered, making the girl salute and leave.

Tsunade sighed. "Finally, now time for my lovely sake..." she smiled as she reached under desk and pulled out a bottle.

She is suddenly interrupted when Shizune burst into her office, cursing about skipping paperwork again...

"Aw dammit."

Konoha: Hokage Monuments…

They all assembled at the cave entrance. Kakashi in the lead as they approached the gate. There was a carved stone in the cave; strange ruins in an ancient language lined it and glowed with unnatural light. They were currently trying to decide how to investigate without causing any risk to themselves.

"Maybe someone should send in a Shadow Clone and have it attempt to return after checking the surrounding area on the other side." Recommented Neji.

"Sounds right." Kakashi agrees and did the hand signs.

A clone appears and enters the portal. They waited in silence for it to return, and two minutes later the clone returned with an eye smile on its face. "It's perfectly safe, there are some strange creatures nearby but they didn't attack unless I got really close." Clone-Kakashi said before dispelling. "Alright, let's go but stay alert." Kakashi voiced as they entered the portal, not knowing just where they were going to end up.

Gran Pulse: Taejin's Tower: The Cloven Spire…

The Cie'th stone activated. In a flash of light the shinobi appeared and began to search in the surrounding area. They were on top of what looked liked a giant broken tower; strange white tiger like animals were roaming around but seemed to be avoiding them. High in the sky was a strange moon that seemed to be connected to the planet by a pillar of crystal. However it was what in the center of the room that caught their attention. Five crystal statues stood, all appeared in some kind of fighting stance; The first was of a small boy holding a boomerang. The second one, a man with an afro carrying two strange weapons. The third one, another man with his fists. The fourth was a girl that seemed to be hiding behind the man with fists. And the firth and final one, a tall slim woman with a strangely shaped sword resting in her right hand.

Hinata walked up to the statues and noticed a tablet in front of the monument. Kneeling down she began to read aloud, drawing the attention of her teammates.

"Here rest the Pulse L'Cie, saviors of our beloved world Cocoon. They fulfilled their focus and saved us all from the Fal'Cie who sought to destroy Cocoon and summon Maker back our dimension. We place them here on Gran Pulse in hopes that should Cocoon ever be threaten with destruction again they would awaken to save us all..." She read.

"Hero's of an entire planet, they must have been very powerful and skilled..." Neji mutters. Hinata noticed more on the tablet but most of it had faded most likely due to being exposed by the elements. "There's more but I can't make it out, I think it's the names of them but the only one I can make out is…"

"What?" Asks Sakura.

"Lightning... I think-" she whispered and then something happened.

CRACK!

Startled by the sound they jumped to attention. The crystal surrounding the strange sword held by the woman was cracking apart, soon more cracks formed all over the statue. Light spilled out as the crystal figured shattered and a young woman appeared. She floated in the air, completely naked which made Neji and Kakashi looked away as she floated down. Light covered her naked form and soon strange clothing formed on her. It was unlike anything they had ever seen, it was a uniform judging by the glowing badge on her left shoulder.

She than collapsed on the ground, Hinata and Sakura rushing to her side. Bringing chakra to their hands they began to check her for injuries while Kakashi and Neji edged closer. "She isn't injured but her muscles haven't been used in a long time..." Sakura spoke. "Should we take her back to Konoha?" Hinata asked. "No, she's a resident of this world and judging from the monument she's very famous. Her disappearance could cause big trouble for us." Kakashi replied. "Neji and I will spread out and eliminate any hostels. Sakura and Hinata, you two continue to treat her." He ordered as they two walked off to attack the strange animals. Taking off her pack, Sakura removed the sleeping bag from it and placed it under the strange pink haired woman's head.

"She's young, and around our age I think..." Hinata spoke softly as she too pulled out her sleeping bag and used it to cover the pink haired woman.

"Someone our age yet so strong, she and her friends saved an entire planet..." Sakura whispered. They continued to discuss this woman's identity, and not noticing one of the pink blond's eyes cracking open and focusing on them.

"Sakura Haruno and Hinata Hyuga... but it can't be! The ritual should have made it impossible to follow me here from Konoha! Curse you Kyuubi and your crappy promises! When I find you I'm gonna beat the shit out of you, BELIEVE IT!"