Kazu sat on her knees before her scrolls. For once, as she studied the worn paper, she realized just how old they were. She could faintly see the lines other's blood has drawn from when they were still on the path. Hesitantly, she reached out. Slight shivers rocked her hand as she traced the faint lines. One of those lines could have been her parent's.
Blue eyes scanned the room to make sure she truly was alone. The room was that of a traditional dojo. With white rice paper walls and sliding doors, bamboo floors, and low lighting created a very traditional ambiance. The people of Konoha were very traditional; and the Hotoya clan was of the utmost, following traditions since the making of the small clan.
Kazu could remember watching as a little girl as boys would go through the coming of age test. She could remember watching as the boys would execute a form with their dragon familiars. The vision of human and dragon moving together, their bodies twisting just barely missing each other, and the wisps of fire spinning was such a sight to see.
She also remembered being jealous of the girls as they went through their own rite of passage. While the boy's own rite had been harsh and full of strength, the girl's was graceful and dance-like. Their movements across the ground, through the air, and around their familiar were so beautiful to her young eyes. And with the wisps of fire glowing on their faces made them look so fierce, so strong. Kazu had always looked forward to her own rite of passage.
The rite of passage for a young Hotoya clan member happened when the child turned seventeen, which was just months away for Kazu. When she had begun to read about it in her instruction scroll, excitement rocked through her body. It was through her family's traditions that she felt closer to them. She felt…whole, almost.
A jolt traveled across her finger tips. Hair rose on her arms as she jerked back. Her eyes immediately glanced down at the scroll before her. It still kind of freaked her out on how life-like the scrolls were. They always seemed to know if she would veer off track. Removing her hand, she began to read.
It is time to begin the journey to perform your rite of passage. Young one, you must perform each task diligently and painstakingly precise. To begin, prick your finger and drop your blood onto the paper. Follow the instructions given.
As if it was the norm, which it was for the way of the Hotoya, she raised a kuni to her thumb and pressed the tip into her flesh. Wincing out of habit, she placed pressure against her thumb to draw out more of the thick red liquid that made her body run.
Blue followed as the red spread across the yellowed scroll. She watched as her blood followed the lines already mark on the paper and creating its own paths. Her hands molded into the hand signs her blood instructed: Ne, Tora, Tatsu, Mi, and I. *
A bright flash ignited as if a lightning bolt just struck the ground before her. She blindingly blinked, trying desperately to return her eye sight from just seeing white. Fire crackled in the background. The air had changed. It wasn't the light air of the dojo. This felt heavy, damp, as if in a cave.
In an instant, her vision went from filled with bright white to clothed in defining black. Firelight slowly faded into sight. And, as her vision returned, she quickly scanned the area around her. It looked to be a temple in a cave. Columns carved from the rock held the ceiling from crushing her. Torches mounted on the wall lit the walk way before her, which seemed to stretch on forever.
Cautiously, she moved to her feet. Where was she? What happened to the dojo? How did she get out? Glancing over her shoulder, she was met with solid rock. Obviously that wasn't the way out. Blue gazed down the lit pathway. There was only one way to go, forward.
With her right hand, she reached to grab a kuni only to find her kuni pouch gone. She quickly searched her person for all of her other weapons. She angrily glanced around. That was just great. Of course this would happen to her.
Still peeved about her missing weapons, she set out forward. As she walked, she glanced around at her surroundings. To her surprise, there were pictures painted and carved into the walls. There were pictures of dragons fighting each other, dancing together, and dancing with humans. She saw men and women in traditional garb with dragons. What was this place?
It seemed as if the tunnel continued on for miles. She felt as if she had been walking down the picture covered path for hours. And then, suddenly it changed into a huge room. The ceiling abruptly raised several stories and the walls suddenly widened several meters. Torches and columns of black stone rimmed the room. Before her was the picture of a giant golden dragon. Its body was coiled and poised to strike while its teeth were bared.
Kazu felt entranced as she traced the outline of the dragon with her eyes. For some reason, in this unknown place, she felt safe. She felt protected, which was something she hadn't felt since she was kidnapped.
The sound of whistling wind to her left pulled her out of her musings. With her body still facing forward in the middle of the room, she examined the shadows to her left. Her eyes narrowed, the blue hues flashing in the torch light.
A shadow moved in her peripherals, drawing her attention away from her left. Soon, she was turning in circles trying to get a clear look at the moving shadow. As she turned to face the Golden Dragon once more, she was suddenly staring straight into golden eyes. The pupils were slit like a cat's. Clouds of hot breath brushed against her skin as the beast before her breathed in and out. The grey smoke curled around her limbs.
Kazu . . .
The blonde pulled her eyes away from the golden eyes before her and glanced around for the person who spoke her name. However, she was only accompanied by the great Golden beast before her. Blue once again locked with gold.
Kazu, I am Junkin. I am your summon and yours alone. I only respond to your chakra type. I am yours as you are mine. Do not be afraid. I will forever be with you.
But what of Shaku? She had always thought her family's familiars and summons were one in the same. This wasn't making sense.
Shaku is my stable link to your world. We dragons are spiritual beings. And because of this, we need a link to your world. It also means we had to be picky about who we chose to create a blood bond with. We chose your clan because of its loyalty and faithfulness. You will find, Kazu, that when you return back to your world Shaku will have undergone some changes.
Kazu stumbled back two steps, allowing her to focus on more than just the eyes of the great beast before her. Its scales were that of the purest gold. The sharp talons of its feet were that of the sharpest white. When it opened its mouth, its teeth were the most deadly ivory. Its forked tongue was a dark blood red that contrasted beautifully with the ivory of its deadly fangs.
She found it hard not to fall to her knees as the Golden Dragon rose on its hind legs and stretched to its full height. A mighty roar was released, which shook the whole room. Kazu was captured in awe. Junkin dropped heavily onto all fours. He shook his shoulders to loosen his body. His tail flipped to lie on the opposite side of his body.
She watched as he seemed to breathe in deeply. Her eyes widened as he revealed his fangs. Kazu could see the flames lick their way from his throat as he roared in her face. The flames encased her. They touched her skin and surprised her when they were cool to the touch. However, she still jerked every time a flame came to close.
Master my sword like you have mastered your kasurigama. And come back to me when you are ready to learn my jutsu.
And through the spectacle of fire, blue remained locked with gold. It was as if she knew she would be fine as long as she looked into Junkin's eyes. They spoke of protection, of safety, of strength. And how she wanted to be so sure of those things. The fire faded as a grey smoke escaped the nostrils of Junkin. Kazu's eyes slowly closed.
Kazu was awoken abruptly as Mamoru shook her. He had known she was going to be studying from her family's scrolls and not to disturb her. But, her usual two hours of studying turned into four than six. When it hit eight hours of no sign of her or movement or sound from the dojo, he decided to go in and check on her. It was then that he had found her lying on her side, curled around a mostly blank scroll. Fear over took him and he began to shake her.
It was only when her blue eyes opened and focused on him that he calmed and his heart rate decreased from its outrageous speed. He watched as she glanced around the room confused before looking down at her hand seriously confused. His green pools followed the direction of her own blue ones to see a short katana in its sheath held in her hand.
The sheath was obsidian black with golden ribbon used to secure it to ones person tied around it. The handle was a weave between gold and black. As Kazu gazed upon her new weapon, a vision of Junkin, at full height, roaring came into her mind's eye.
Not liking how Kazu zoned out, Mamoru pulled her to her feet. He respectfully closed the scroll without looking at the words within. He then turned back to his blonde friend.
"I think that is enough training for today. Let's get you to bed Kazu-chan. We have a hard mission to start tomorrow, bright and early."
()()()
He was excited. It was plain and simple. He couldn't hide it just as much as he couldn't hide his love, and damn near obsession, of ramen. It could be seen in his huge goofy grin and in the bounce in his step. And, it definitely could be heard in his still loud as ever voice.
He was going home. Finally after more than three years, he was going home. He would finally be able to see all of his friends again. He would finally be able to have his favorite ramen again. He would finally be able to bring Sasuke back to the village like he had promised himself. And, he couldn't forget that he would see his best friend again, Kazu Korasaki.
It was going to be a good day; he could tell.
The lush trees around him thinned out into a training ground. His grin grew. He was close. He was almost officially home. Naruto excitedly glanced at his sensei next to him, the Pervy Sage as he called him. The white haired man seemed happier than usual. Maybe it was because of the hot springs nearby. Naruto shook his head.
"Oomph," Naruto grunted as a body slammed into his. He stumbled back but caught his balance. He glanced up to see a girl before him, who was slightly shorter than him. Her blonde hair was held back in a ponytail and the tips seemed to brush her shoulders. The head band of Konoha hung around her neck. A red shirt over a fishnet top covered her torso. On her hips hung black pants that tightened around her shins and disappeared into her black ninja sandals.
Blue clashed with blue as she stared at him. She seemed so familiar to him, like he had seen her before. His blue eyes narrowed in confusion as his mouth opened to shout his mind.
"Hey, watch where you are going!" But, unlike most people of the village she just smiled for a second.
"It's good to see you back Naruto. We have all missed you dearly. I'm sorry I can't stay; I have a mission. I'll see you when I get back." She saluted him and then jumped off. Naruto followed her escape from the situation with his eyes. Who was she?
The Pervy Sage just shook his head at the clueless Naruto. Sometimes he was the definition of the blonde in blonde jokes. That girl had been Naruto's best friend and he didn't even know who it was. Yet, the man who only saw her when she was saying goodbye to Naruto before he left could tell who it was. Naruto sometimes. He rolled his eyes. That boy.
()()()()
Kazu huffed angrily as she jumped from tree branch to tree branch in formation with her team. Riku held the front while Mamoru brought up the rear. She couldn't believe Naruto had forgotten her, or that Tsunade would just happen to send her on a mission the day Naruto returned. Of course, that would happen to her.
But despite everything, she was happy. Naruto had seemed to have grown and matured from his time with the legendary Sanin. It seemed to have been good to him, those three years. Better than hers at least.
"Guys, be alert. It seems we have company." Riku whispered through their earpieces. Kazu's hand rested against her kasurigama's handle while she stayed in formation. This is not good. She had been hoping the Hokage's speculations for this mission had been unfound. But, it seemed as if they were true.
It could have been a simple mission: deliver a scroll to the Village hidden in the Snow. However, there had been some recent developments in the area. Orochimaru, it seems, had taken interest in the area. No one is sure why. But, the Village Hidden in the Snow is concerned. Hence, why they were traveling there right now.
And, by the feel of the chakra signatures surrounding them, he didn't want anyone interfering. They moved closer together as the four unknown chakra signatures moved in.
"We must get the scroll to the Hidden Snow." Riku said through gritted teeth as he prepared for battle by grabbing a kuni. The scroll was located on Kazu's person, making her the one to protect and be last to enter battle if at all.
Shaku be ready, Kazu called to her now golden dragon. Kazu never liked to pull Shaku into a fight at the beginning, but with her team being out numbered she figured it would be best to have Shaku take out the odd bad guy out.
()()()()
Naruto couldn't say that he wasn't happy. He was with team Kakashi at his favorite ramen place. He was eating ramen with Sakura . . . and Kakashi, but technically this could be a date. All his old friends had welcomed him with open arms and remembered him. The village hadn't changed too much, and they welcomed him with open arms too.
He should be happy, ecstatic even. However, he wasn't. And it was because of Kazu. He hadn't seen her all day. She hadn't come up to say hey, to welcome him back, or to scold him for leaving in the first place. And, whenever he brought her up people said she was doing fine then quickly switched the subject.
"Naruto, are you okay? You got silent for a moment." Sakura said, drawing Naruto's attention. Naruto glanced up from his almost empty ramen bowl.
"Where's Kazu?" He asked as he glanced back and forth between his two team mates. Sakura glanced at Kakashi to see if he would answer the blonde before answering him herself.
"She is on a mission right now Naruto. I believe she left this morning with her team. Why?" Sakura asked hoping he wasn't going to ask how she had been the past three years. It was best if Kazu told him about that herself.
Naruto's mind eye pulled up the picture of the girl he saw this morning. Then a picture of Kazu flashed in his mind's eye. This caused Naruto to want to beat his head against the counter. She probably thought he was a total jerk now.
The girl earlier was Kazu, and he hadn't recognized her. Wow. All he could say was wow. It seemed like he needed to apologize once she returned from her mission. And then he could catch up with her about the past three years.
"No reason. I was just wondering where she was because I hadn't seen her all day."
()()()
Kazu stood back to back with Mamoru and Riku as they were surrounded by their opponents. They were being encircled by what seemed to be a lord's men. They didn't wear the garbs of ninja, but those similar to a Samurai. Swords were at their hips and they held the handle of their swords posed to unsheathe it.
Kazu smirked as she spotted Shaku circling high above them, ready to attack when signaled. She then tapped both Mamoru and Riku and jerked her head up as if popping it. They both rolled their eyes to hide glancing up to confirm Kazu's signal. Now they weren't out numbered.
"Just give us the scroll and we will let you go." The leader of the four said while trying to intimidate them by circling them.
"I'm afraid we can't do that." Riku responded following the man with his eyes while he was in his line of sight. The man smirked, happy about his answer.
"That's fine. We like doing things the hard way anyway." With that said he removed his sword from its sheath and lunged for Kazu. Shaku dove through the air with tucked in wings to increase her speed. Like a bolt of lightning, she shocked the man as her teeth sunk into his throat. Thus, the one sided fight began.