Chapter Two: The Bearer of Manna

Present day in Konoha

Naruto and Sakura were sitting beside the lake, reminiscing about the good old times. Sakura then began to cry. Yep, this was because of Sasuke joining Orochimaru case. Naruto likes Sakura very much and if it means bringing Sasuke back just to make her stop crying, Naruto would do everything. Sasuke is his friend, and Naruto hates to see Sakura cry. Sometimes Ino would cry as well, this would make Shikamaru very mad, If only Ino has a crush on me, I never would have left her" Shikamaru told Chouji one day but then Shikamaru looks at Ino as a little sister. "I really don't understand women crying because of these things, there are a lot of boys around right?" he protested. "Does it really have to end this way?" Sakura asked. "I promised you ne, onegai, Sakura-chan, don't cry" Naruto said wiping his eyes with his sleeves. "Gomen" Sakura replied slightly smiling.

Near the boundaries of the wind country was the Akatsuki's leader with Deidara, Zetsu, Kisame and Itachi. They have just gone to talk about Sasuke and Orochimaru when from the sky, something seemed to be falling, "Look out" Deidara said as Itachi jumped and caught it… well her… It was a woman, unconscious and beaten up wearing a pink dress. Itachi landed and immediately tried to see if there can be done with the damage, "Oh, that's my kind of rain. "Wait, isn't that Lady Ryumi?" Deidara asked as she looked at Itachi. Itachi did not answer. "We'll have to take her" Zetsu said, "Iie" Itachi said as he looked at Zetsu straight in the eye with his sharingan, "You will fight me?" he asked. "Because of that woman?" Itachi looked at Ryumi again as he carried her. The leader was just watching what Itachi would do,

"Kisame" Itachi muttered. "Yeah" Kisame said then Itachi summoned Garuda, this shocked the leader, Deidara, Zetsu and even Kisame, Garuda is one of the mystic beasts so rare that it is a shocker to find someone who can summon the beast the beast is a huge eagle like creature, Itachi hopped in "Where are you going, you cant go!" Deidara said, "I don't follow orders" Itachi said as the beast took its flight leaving the akatsukis.

"Why you" Deidara said, "Leave it" The leader said, "Let him do as he pleases" "Demo!" Deidara protested, "that is an order" the leader replied.

"Ryumi-san why are you here?" Itachi said as he held Ryumi's pallid cheeks and tried to heal her, "I thought I can never see you again" He muttered, then finally they landed in Konoha, the man in the entrance was again put to sleep by Itachi as he dismissed Garuda and entered the village, They were seen by Sakura and Naruto and immediately they stood up. "YOU!" Naruto said, but seeing Itachi carrying a woman made Naruto to hesitate the attack, "Naruto, take her" Itachi said as he approached Naruto and Sakura, "Take her to Kakashi and don't tell her I brought her here, or else" Itachi said as he looked at Naruto. "Wait!" Sakura said but then Itachi teleported. "He looks just like Sasuke" Sakura said to herself

Naruto and Sakura reached Kakashi and found a woman talking to him. She was very shapely her hair, burgundy tied up in a bun with ornaments, . "Kakashi-sensei" Sakura burst out as Naruto entered with the woman in his arms, "No way!" immediately Kakashi and the woman, Rin rushed to them, "RYUMI-SAN!" Chiaka said as they tried to revive her but then what they saw was just a mannequin, "Kawarimi?" Naruto asked, "You didn't even feel her leave?" Sakura asked furiously, "Gomen!" Naruto said. "Is it really true Kakashi, Ryumi is back?" Rin asked, "How did you find her?" Kakashi asked. "Itachi guy told me to take her to you but told me not to tell you he did" Naruto answered. "Wait, did I did it right?" Naruto asked Sakura, "Rin report it to the 5th I will gather up jounins to search for her" Kakashi said, "Yes" Rin said as they both teleported, "Hey what are we going to do then?" Naruto asked, "Something is going on" Sakura said.

Back to Ryumi,

"Why am I here?" She thought as she headed for the spring, "Will he find me?" She thought as she reminisce about their times together. Soon she fell asleep, waiting for someone to rescue her.

"Silly girl" a man muttered as he saw Ryumi sleeping in the cave beside the spring, he looked a her fondly her bright hair spread out and her pink dress, she looked so beautiful, was she that boy girl he used to tease all he time? He carried her on his back, "why is she here, why just now?" Itachi thought as he headed for the palace, "she looks pretty, she always did, and she's grown up"

After several hours, it was already about 10 pm, when the jounins decided to stop. " Perhaps the hermit can help" Kakashi said.

"Look" Rin said, as they saw Itachi carrying Ryumi on his back, no one can even speak, Itachi was "The Bearer's" hand picked guardian, a companion sworn to never leave by her side, and somehow the reputation and responsibility was his. The medical ninjas appeared and Itachi laid her down the stretcher. "Anyone who tells her a single thing will be good as dead" He said before he disappeared.

"She doesn't have any idea on what happened right after she left" Kurenai said as she watched the medical ninjas take her to the infirmary. "They were so cute! I thought I was seeing things but they are grown up" Rin said, "man, we're getting old" Gai said, "only you my friend" Kakashi answered. "Does he know about Sasuke?" Iruka asked. "I think so," Kurenai said.

"Ryumi-san…" Itachi said to himself. "Sasuke.."

The next day, Ryumi awoke, "Where am I?" she thought as she scanned the surroundings. It was her room, "I was waiting for Itachi when, I fell asleep then-Itachi!" Ryumi jumped from bed and saw that she wasn't wearing her wedding gown anymore but a kimono, and then she noticed a woman sitting beside her, "good morning" Tsunade said. "Who are you?" Ryumi asked, "the 5th Hokage" she replied, " a 5th? Since when?" Ryumi confusedly asked. "It is not important, the jounins told me that you were the famous Bearer of Manna and daughter of Yumi Mikagure?" "I was." Ryumi replied. "Tell me, how were you able to arrive here?" "I didn't know, I was just running when I saw an entrance, I wasn't able to stop and the next thing I know was, I was already falling. And I landed here" She narrated. "Someone must have summoned you here, do you realize that you can't go back unless the one who created the portal make another one for your departure?" "Yes, I am but I don't care, I like it here more" Ryumi answered. "I see" Tsunade answered.

Then Tsunade stood up, "I have more things to do, feel free to do anything you want just don't get out of the palace" before Ryumi could reply Tsunade was gone. Ryumi opened the wardrobe and saw that that the kimono the 3rd hokage gave her when she graduated is still there, she remembered how Kurenai went berserk after seeing how Ryumi "redesigned" the kimono, well she just turned the long skirt into a miniskirt and maintained the normal length on its back side, detached the sleeves which made it look just like Yuna's pinkish white thingy in her arms in ffX. She only maintained the long ribbon on its back, "at least the old man didn't get mad" Ryumi thought

She felt proud while she wore her garments, it didn't fit her well before, old man said she could wear it when she's all grown up and now she is. She wants the old man to see her. After fixing herself, she ran out of the room and ran to find the old man, then on her way out she bumped into Naruto and Sakura, "Hey, its you!" Naruto said pointing at Ryumi, "me? Who are you?" "Stop pointing" Sakura said as she slapped Naruto's hand, " My name is Haruno Sakura and this is Uzumaki Naruto, we were just looking for the 5th" Sakura answered politely, "oh I'm Ryumi, Tsunade went out a little while ago, I'm looking for the 3rd, have you seen him" Ryumi asked. Sakura and Naruto's faces went blank, "Was there something I said?" Ryumi asked while looking at Naruto and Sakura's sad, sullen faces.

"You didn't know?" Sakura asked sadly. "Know what? I just wanted to show him this kimono he gave me already fits is there something wrong?" Ryumi replied. "Come!" Naruto said, "He will be glad to see you" "Yoroshii!" Ryumi said smiling.

"Who is this girl?" Sakura wondered, "for sure she is not from here to not have known the death of the 3rd". They reached the Hokage's graveyard. "What are we doing here?" Ryumi asked, then they saw Kakashi in the distance. "Kakashi-kun!" Ryumi shouted as she ran toward him, "Ryumi-san" Kakashi said. "It fits you well", "yup! I was just looking for him, have you seen him?" Ryumi asked, Then Kakashi faced the black stone monument in front of him. Ryumi did so, and read the name. "No way…" She said, "Iie…" she knelt down. Unable to control her tears, "It's not true, he can't" Ryumi cried. "He told me he'll buy me another one when he comes back" She recalled "and that he will help me look for a boyfriend" she sobbed. "He is so unfair" Ryumi said, "It's alright, he is happy now" Kakashi said, "If only I came a bit earlier" Ryumi said. "He didn't forget what he promised you". Sakura handed Ryumi a handkerchief "Don't worry, I'm sure he is looking down at us" "Yes and probably thinking you looked great on that kimono" Naruto followed. Ryumi smiled and kissed the stone, "old man, I'm back."

"Let's go," Kakashi said. "I'll treat you guys for some ramen". Naruto jumped with joy, "I'll pass for now, I need to reflect on some things" Ryumi said, "very well, suit yourself" Kakashi said as they bid each other goodbye. Ryumi took one last look on the grave before she exited the palace. "Itachi, I'll find you" Ryumi said. "I know you were there, you still looked after me," she thought. And so Ryumi jumped from rooftop to rooftop along Konoha.

Nicky Mail:

I know I know what was with the short kimono right? Well because I designed it myself, I've been attending these lessons about fashion designing okay? So bear with me well this time Rin have returned and this really surprised Kakashi! I don't know if I should write a fic about them since this is a Ryumi-Itachi fic, maybe I should do them a little right?

IMPORTANT:

When Ryumi was summoned and fell from the sky, she landed where the Akatsuki's were right? I'm just reminding you..