Happy Birthday...
It was her twelfth birthday when it happened.
Ruby woke up more excited than she had been in quite some time. This was because it was her birthday tomorrow. Ruby's mother, Summer Rose, was laying in bed when Ruby came running into the bedroom, throwing the door open. She jumped up onto the bed and climbed on top of Summer. She then bounced up and down on top of her shouting, "Wake up momma!"
Ruby continued to bounce excitedly until her mother spoke, "Alright already! I'm up you!" Summer said tackling her daughter over onto the bed. Ruby squealed in delight giggling as Summer tickled her all over. Summer's present for Ruby's birthday was a vacation to the Land of Iron, to see her uncle whom was assisting in a festival held by the samurai.
Ruby had always wanted to see the Samurai festival. Ruby loved weapons and there were bound to be lots of different kinds of weapons she'd never seen before. The fact that it happened to fall on her birthday this year made it impossible for Summer to refuse this time when Ruby asked to go.
As they packed Ruby couldn't help but daydream about the festivities. She'd even get to miss three whole days at the ninja academy. 'Vacations are great!' Ruby thought drooling with starry eyes. "Hey c'mon you! It'll still take at least eight hours to get to the land of iron, even with our swift style, so keep was packing silly!" Summer said. "R-Right!" Ruby said. Ruby the changed out of her pajamas and into fresh underwear. She then chose a black skirt, black slip on shoes, a pink cropped tank top, and a bright red sleeveless sweater with a hood and cape. It was her favorite sweater.
Summer donned her black combat equipment tied her leaf headband around her left arm, and tied her white cape around her neck. She then closed up her bags, "Ready?" She asked Ruby. "Yep!" she spoke raising her hands with an excited smile. Summer smiled and patted her head.
Φ
They stepped outside their apartment with there bags carrying water, there money, and clothes for the trip. Ruby's Uncle heard they were coming and ordered brand new yukata for her and Summer. As they got down to the street below Yang was leaving her home across the street for the academy.
Yang Xiao Long was Ruby's childhood friend, and was already exceptional with three or four fire style jutsu. The one she was the most proud of was her exploding flame shot. She was one year older than Ruby, and was Ruby's idol. Yang had long blonde hair that she wore up in pig tails. Today she wore a tan short sleeved tunic with a brown belt around the waist, an orange bandana around her neck, black knee shorts, orange leg warmers, and brown shoes.
She also had soft lilac colored eyes; if not for her bright blonde hair and the way she carried herself, one might mistake her for a Huga. Yang turned, saw Ruby with her mom, and jogged over to meet them.
"Hey Ruby, Ms. Rose." She greeted with a smile and a wave. Ruby turned and saw Yang, "Yang!" She shouted jumping into her best friends embrace. Summer greeted Yang, and began stretching. "You guys heading out now?" Yang asked. "Mmhmm. We have to get an early start or we won't get there until dark." Ruby explained with a big smile. "Wow really? Even with your family's jutsu?" Yang asked surprised.
Ruby nodded. "Ruby sweetie make sure you stretch." Summer instructed. "Yes ma'am," Ruby said taking a few steps back from Yang, setting her things down and starting her stretches. "Well happy early birthday Ruby! I'll see when you get back!" Yang said starting to leave. Ruby stopped stretching immediately, "Yang wait! You have to see us off!"
Yang deadpanned, "I do?!" Ruby nodded vigorously, "Use your fire style to set us on our way!" Ruby demanded cutely, "it's my birthday present from you! You can't say no!" Ruby finished, pointing at Yang. Yang sighed and then gave in, "No choice then huh?" Yang asked smiling with her hands in her pockets. "Nope," Ruby smiled happily. Summer smiled warmly at the exchange.
'I have been practicing that new jutsu...' Yang thought. "Alright then I got just the thing," Yang said. Ruby's eyes lit up.
Φ
Ruby and Summer sat crouched in the starting running position in front of the Leaf villages main gate. Yang stood behind them a few feet. The chunin posted at the gate watched curiously. "Ready you guys?!" Yang asked pumping her chakra to it's limit. "Ready Yang!" Ruby shouted.
"Alright here we go! Ready! Set!" Yang wove the tiger hand sign, "Happy birthday Ruby!" 'Katon, Great dragon flame jutsu!!' Yang thought inhaling deeply. Upon release her breath Yang shot forth a massive dragon shaped blast of fire, the heat from which could be felt throughout the village. As Yang shot the blast of flame into the sky. Ruby and Summer took off into the forest surrounding the village.
Ruby watched wide eyed and awestruck as the impressive fiery dragon flew into the sky elegantly. After it finally vanished Ruby looked over to her mom who was smiling. "Ready?" She asked as they jumped from tree to tree. "Mhmm!" Ruby responded with a more than enthusiastic nod. They both then wove the hand sign for there family's kekkei genkai. "Jinton!" They said in unison, then both of their speeds increased exponentially, and they appeared to vanish.
Yang sat on her hands and knees, panting heavily. While she was a fire style prodigy she was still young and a B rank jutsu consumed roughly ninety five percent of her maximum chakra pool. The two chunin at the gate were checking to make sure she was alright, when another kid walked up to Yang placed a hand on her back and transferred some of his chakra to her.
"You spoil her too much," he said. Yang looked up catching her breath. She stood and looked out the gate. "Eh, it's an early birthday present." Yang said, "thanks Lai." Lai was one of Yangs classmates. He wore a green and purple Japanese style top, white pants, and black boots. He had short black hair with a purple streak in it.
"We're going to be late now you know." He said. "Yep," Yang said turning and walking. Lai Ren watched her go, chuckled, and followed. "But she's worth it." Yang said smiling. Thunder sounded from above. Looking up Lai spoke again, "It's going to rain now too..."
"Yep."
Φ
After having ran for close to four hours, Ruby and Summer stopped in a village along the way for some lunch. Ruby ordered a corn beef rice ball, while Summer ordered some glazed dumplings. Summer looked out the window. She'd felt a sinister chakra following them for quite some time, and she didn't have a good feeling about it.
She looked around and saw a group of men a few tables away whom appeared to be experienced shinobi. Summer stood and spoke, "I'll be right back okay sweetie." She said. "Kay momma," Ruby responded through a mouthful of rice.
Summer approached the men, "Pardon me gentleman, but are you ninja?" She asked. "Yes ma'am" one of them spoke up. "Great. My name is Summer. My daughter, and I are on a trip to the land of iron for the Samurai festival. It's her birthday tomorrow." Summer said pointing to her daughter at her table. "and I'm not sure but I think we might have someone tailing us. My daughter isn't even a genin yet so I fear for what may happen if they catch up to us. If it's not to much trouble might you consider following behind us as escorts until we're there safely? I can pay of course!" She asked.
"Hmm. I don't see why we couldn't give you two a hand." The one in charge said. "Thank you! How much do you need?" Summer asked. "Aww don't worry about that. You said it was the kids birthday right? Besides we're headed back to the cloud anyway, so it's on our way." He said with a smile. "Wow are you sure?" She asked. He nodded in response. "Wow thank you so much!"
Ruby sat quietly eating at her table waiting for her mother to return. She swallowed, took a sip of her tea and took another bite of her rice ball. She then started humming to herself. A man then approached her. He crouched down next to her and spoke, "Hi there are you here all by yourself?" He asked. Ruby shook her head, and swallowed. The man wore mostly black with a blood red sash around his waist. His shirt was a sleeveless turtle neck, with a white short sleeved undershirt. He had shinobi sandals on, a ninja tool pouch on his leg, and his red, and black hair was short, and spiky. He also carried a sword on his waist.
Ruby was a bit intimidated until she noticed the leaf symbol on the mask he was wearing. Ruby smiled, "Hey I'm from the leaf village too!" Ruby said with a smile. "Is that so? Where are your parents sweetheart?" He asked. Ruby was about to respond when she saw her mother approaching from behind the man. Summer placed a hand on the mans shoulder. "Hi there can I help you?" Summer said with a scary smile.
The man stood and turned, "I beg your pardon ma'am are you this girls mother?" He asked. Summer nodded as she moved in front of her daughter protectively. "Great I just wanted to make sure she wasn't by herself." He began, "it can be dangerous for a young girl like her to be outside there village alone." He said. Something about the way he said that seemed off to Summer.
The man then left the restaurant. Summer finished her dumplings quickly and paid the waitress. "Lets go Ruby." Summer said grabbing Ruby's hand. "But I'm not done yet!" Ruby whined grabbing her rice ball. Ruby quickly scarfed down the rest of her rice ball as they got outside. After then walked outside they activated their swift style again and they vanished from view.
Φ
"Good work Adam, we'll be able to track them with ease now."
The man who spoke to Ruby approached a woman who was waiting in an alley outside the restaurant. She wore a most black outfit with red trimming, black netting, and black leg guards.
"Yes mistress Salem. I never imagined it'd be as easy as that to place the tracking jutsu formula on one of them, however it worked perfectly," He said. "I will have Summer for my cursed rebirth jutsu," the woman said.
"Indeed, she'll prove to be an asset with her kekkei genkai. But what about the young one?" Adam asked Salem. "She's not even a shinobi yet she's of no use to me... Now then we'd better set up our ambush." She said. "Right." They then vanished.
Φ
Summer and Ruby had been traveling for close to another hour before Summer spoke up, "What'd that man at that restaurant say to you Ruby?"
Ruby perked up curiously at the sudden question, "He was just asking if I was by myself. He seemed kinda scary at first, but then I saw his leaf ninja headband." Ruby said with a smile.
"What have I told you about talking to people we don't know Ruby?" Summer said, slight irritation evident in her voice. "But he was a leaf ninja momma doesn't that mean-"
"That doesn't matter!" Summer shouted suddenly. Ruby flinched in fear. Her mother rarely got upset with her. "If you don't know somebody, then you shouldn't speak to them randomly. Leaf ninja or not." Summer said. "But what about those strangers you talked to at the restaurant mommy?" Ruby asked meekly. Summer sighed. "When you've been a shinobi as long as I have, you can generally discern whether someone is sincere or not. That man that approached you, something seemed off about him." Summer said.
"Until you become a shinobi Ruby, don't speak to strangers like that okay?" Summer told her daughter. "Yes ma'am." Ruby said.
Summer and Ruby were currently traveling without using there swift style to allow there chakra to return. It was quiet for as while as they traveled, unsettlingly so. Just then as they jumped from the next branch time seemed to slow for Summer when she noticed a paper bomb on one of the tree trunks. Summer activated her swift style, and applied the body flicker jutsu. Breaking the branch she jumped from, she wrapped herself around her daughter as several explosions went off all around. Summer cleared the explosions however, she then smashed into a tree at full speed and, tumbled to the forest floor.
Φ
Hello my lovelies I was super excited to start this been wanting to make a RWBY/Naruto Story for quite some time now and I am happy to say that most of any pictures in this story will hand drawn by yours truly such as the cover art for this story, and shinobi Salem earlier. Was crazy inspired to draw for this story and haven't had a solid desire to draw in a long time! I hope you're all as excited to read this as I am to write it! (Pictures can be found in the Wattpad version)
