An attack at the damyo's house brought their paths together. Unknown to them an unlikely connection was bound to happen that would deeply affect their future for better …or for worst.

Chapter One

Not everything goes as planned

It was winter, the white scenery appeared to be never ending from her sight, expanding all the way as far as her eyes could see; the snow had built up and compress enough to appear a fluffy white pillow over the once green grass. It was still snowing lightly but she felt no cold. The ginkgo tree branches to her far right were full of snow making it appear out of a fantasy story. She was seated in a small engawa, in the front of a small brown and white house, with her feet dangling from it. A small koi pond was right below where her feet where dangling. The water was not frozen, it moved freely making small ripples. She was her 15-year-old self, dressed in a simple all pink kimono, with her hair down; she could deduce her age by how both her cousins looked like, crouched down, playing by the pond, trying to catch the fish swimming, her uncle standing right behind them with a small smile playing on his lips. It was a nice scene, the way he was looking at her cousins with a genuine smile reaching his eyes was precious to her., she could feel two figures sitting at each of her sides. Their hands were flat against the wood of the engawa but their fingers were touching and she had an overwhelming sense of peace.

She knew she had lost the dream but she just didn't want to open her eyes just yet. Behind her eyelids she didn't perceived any visible light, which meant it was still the very early hours in the morning, daybreak was still a couple of hours away and she wanted to sleep for as long as she could.

Carefully as if to not wake her own self, she tried to toss around in her futon, first right, then slightly more to the right but the pillow she had between her legs slipped slightly making her knees bump with each other. Frowning, but still without opening her eyes, she extended her arm and tried to re-adjust it, she couldn't sleep with her knees touching. Once she felt comfortable enough, she forced her mind to continue the dream she was having. It had been one of those rare nights in which she had it and she tried to enjoy and cherish it while it lasted.

For her, that dream, was the only good thing the Infinite Tsukuyomi had left her, she had seen that vision while trapped within the God Tree almost four years ago and it had remained in her memory through the not so frequent dreams.

She always felt peaceful when having that dream, and today she considered luck was on her side for having it again on this day, she felt it was a sign of a good omen. She felt restless and stressed the night before, but she woke up calm and collected due to that.

She didn't manage to fall asleep again but at least got some rest before the first rays of sun started to peak through her window. Signing, and slowly opening her eyes, she remained a couple of minutes laid down on her side while her brain started to function properly.

Today was a big day.

She turned around, face up, and stared at the high roof of her bedroom. She wasn't entirely fond of her room or her house overall, she always found it too big and it gave her a sense of exasperation, but today she could not afford to give it much thought, it was a worn-out topic anyway.

Slowly she came to a sitting position, her room was still partially dark and she was glad it was, it gave her eyes time to adjust to their surroundings.

Aina was bound to come to her room in a few minutes now to help her get prepared for the day ahead. Distractedly, she took a few strands of hair in her fingers and examined them, it was messier than usual, the weather was humid as summer was rapidly approaching and it did not help her case at all, Aina was going to have a field day getting her hair done.

Letting the duvet slide completely from her form, she stood up and walked to her full-size mirror. There was a shodo work made by herself the night before hanging from one of the sides of the mirror, written in Kanji, it read "Mindfulness and respectfulness". For practice, she tended to do some calligraphy with meaningful words that 'be useful for the day after. She was going to need those two today.

"Emiri-sama, are you up?" Aina's gentle voice reached Emiri's ears through the shoji door, she knew it was just a polite question, Aina knew she was an early riser.

"I'm up Aina" she responded with a slightly patronizing tone.

She saw from the mirror how Aina slide the door and let more light come through to the room. She let herself in carrying a small tray on her hand with what she could see was a bowl of rice. Aina was a small woman on her late 30's, being with Emiri since childhood she saw Emiri grow into womanhood. Being a thin woman, with slightly tanned skin, sharp nose and chin, and short ash blonde hair, made her look as a very strict woman, but her eyes gave her away, they were big brown eyes that were almost too big for her face and it gave her a perpetually look of innocence. She was Emiri's maid servant, but she didn't treat her as such, for her, it was a precious friend.

"you know the rice will only get cold if you brought it with you this early in the morning" – Emiri said finally turning her back to the mirror and giving her a playful look to Aina.

"Well, I was hoping today was going to be one of those rare occasions when you would eat breakfast at breakfast time" - Aina retorted, she knew Emiri didn't ate at ounce of food before ten or eleven, she didn't get hungry until later in the day and always said that it was just the way her body worked, unless she knew it was going to be a busy day, she would have a small snack early in the morning.

"perhaps, when I finish combing my hair I'll get hungry, it seems it will take ages" – she liked to comb her hair on her own, but she knew Aina wouldn't let her.

"Not today Emiri-san, I'll prepare the bath and while we wait you might as well eat" – a playful smile was on her face as well - "today is a big day". She left the tray on a table next to the mirror and made her way to an adjacent door to where the bathroom was.

Emiri knew that and she was glad that Aina had been the first to bring the topic up, after all she was one of the reasons as to why today was a big day. Emiri kept her gaze at the now open door to her bathroom, she could hear the running water and Aina moving things around.

Emiri sat down in a nearby stool. She was going to talk to Aina today, she had practiced the words in her mind for the last few months and she wanted to convey what was on her heart, but mostly she wanted to lift the big burden that Aina had been carrying on her shoulders.

"the bath's ready Emiri-san, please hurry, I'm getting a bad feeling about the nest you've got in your head" putting both hands on her hips, she made an exasperated sound but not losing the playful tone of her words.

"alright! Let this begin!" giving a clap with her hands, Emiri went for the bathroom and closed the door, it had been many years since she had forbidden Aina to assist her, she never liked it and she wanted to at least have some privacy during her bath.

After a while, wrapped in a tight robe, Emiri went to sit down on the stool in front of the mirror to let Aina comb her hair. Aina grabbed a beautiful comb made from marble with koi fish figures sculpture into it and started to untangle Emiri's hair.

"today was not supposed to be a bad hair day" - replied Aina while trying to untie the knots, Emiri's hair was long, brownish color that almost reached her hips so it was going to take longer to get it to a decent shape - "It will take ages to get you ready" -

Closing her eyes, Emiri took a deep breath and relax herself into Aina's hands that were caressing her scalp.

"maybe it was fate" said Emiri with her eyes still closed "I need to tell you something and it might take some time" her tone serious.

"please don't tell me you're getting cold feet" Emiri could almost feel the fear coming from Aina's voice, she imagined her eyes to be widen and her mouth contorted into a grimace, but she kept her eyes shut, she needed to focus.

"After everything is finished, you will be relieved from your duties and if you want to you can stay at this house or the ministry doing whatever it is that you want to do, if not, I have already prepared a funding for you so you can have a very tranquil retirement" - her voice was calm, almost soothing, she opened her eyes when she felt Aina's hands had stopped at her hair, keeping her gaze towards the mirror in front of her and seeing Aina's shocked reflection staring at her, she took a small breath and continued

"This means you won't be coming with me Aina" - she let the silence settle in, broken by the sound of the comb falling to the floor. She turned around facing Aina directly.

"If this is a joke, I don't care about your status, I will slap you" – her voice was strict, almost angry. Emiri smiled leisurely, and reached for Aina´s hands, she cradled them in her own and at the same time stood up from the stool so she could face her directly, they were almost the same height.

"It is not a joke Aina" looking directly into her eyes she met her now angry gaze. Her brown eyes clashed with her grey ones in a staring contest.

"why?!" she demanded, she felt her voice was going to break down.

"Aina" Emiri started and tighten her hands "I know everything that you have gone through in all these years, your parents and brother's pain but also the good things that have come as well, your newly found circle of friends and your loved one. I want to be your genuine friend Aina, and for that I know that being my maiden it's not fair, back then you had to fulfill a role but it won't be necessary anymore"

She continued her speech

"Friends support each other, and you have supported me for far too long, I can't and I won't take you away from the things you love the most, I already talked with Hiroyuki-dono, there is a way for you to be happy here with the people you love the most" she paused, what she was going to say next would shock Aina even more.

"This job is not your life, your life is out there with your friends and your loved one, I want to be a true friend of yours Aina, and for that we have to part ways" – she finished with a sad smile on her lips.

She was going away very soon, and it was expected for Aina due to her role, to follow her, if she didn't there would be consequences, but Emiri had been working on a plan to settle that down peacefully.

"Emiri-sama" her voice broke down, and tears started to flow freely from her eyes "I… I…I am your friend! We have been true friends for several years now, please…. You are not forcing me, you are making it sound as if you did something horrible, I agree to go with you, you. you... you are like a sister to me! please Emiri-san…I made up my mind since the day it was announced, you... you are part of the people that I love the most..." she finished with almost a whisper.

Emiri offered her a small smile, she was having a very hard time to contain her own tears, her vision almost blurry due to unshed tears.

"Aina, thank you for your words, but please let me do this one little thing for you, you deserve happiness, we both do, mine is away from here but yours is right here" – her tone was calmed and her voice almost a whisper, but she needed to say this without hesitation.

Aina cried harder and reached to give Emiri a full hug, she returned it and leaned her head on Aina's shoulder. They were like that, just holding each other for several minutes, Aina sobbing and moving her head from one side to another as if battling and internal dilemma. After crying her heart out Aina started to mumble.

"…ple..ase.. for…give….me" Emiri found it odd, but couldn't think any further because Aina was stepping away from her, facing her. Her eyes were big and red and Emiri found her expression overall strange, she had foreseen a similar reaction but she thought Aina was having a panic attack by the way she was. She looked disoriented, her eyes moving from one side to the other and the expression was more dramatic by the swelling of her eyelids. Her body was shaking slightly and she had wrapped her arms around her frame. She focused her attention to the floor. Emiri tried saying a few soothing words.

"I'll be there wherever you may need me, I'll come visit if I can, I swear", she paused "this is not a goodbye Aina" Aina's sight was still focused on the floor and Emiri started to worry, her strange reaction was something she did not expect. She reached out to her, putting one hand on her shoulder. Aina jumped a little bit surprised by the action but now she had her attention. Her eyes were unfocused, as if her attention was somewhere far away, a few seconds passed by and she seemed to compose herself, her voice came out as a whisper.

"You'll be alone... so far away, please... Let me come with you, please let me support you... I can re-arrange my life there as well, we ... we ... both can do...it"

Emiri tried to examine her face, she wanted to make sure her panic attack had subsided.

"You can't, you have made enough sacrifices, and you've been through a lot, there is no need for you to leave everything behind for my sake", she held her shoulders and pierced her with her gaze.

"Thank you for everything Aina, I will be good on my own from now on" and smiled at her. For a moment Aina looked dumbfounded, as if processing the information but after a few minutes, she stepped a little away from her grasp...

"I understand" tears were still coming from her eyes but her voice sounded firm, looking straight to her she continued "so much time has passed, I never realize that you were a woman now, I will protect you until the very end Emiri-sama, you are my dearest friend and I will accompany you until the moment you let me" she gave her one hard hug and a kiss to her forehead that lingered for several seconds.

"Your words have made me realize some personal matters that I did not wanted to see before" – Aina whispered. Emiri gave her a comforting smile.

"I'm sure everything will turn out fine for both us" – said Emiri

"Oh, believe me Emiri-sama, it will"- she had a determined and almost angry look in her eyes, Emiri was a little curious as to what she was thinking.

"now" composing herself and picking up the discarded comb and putting in the table, Emiri raise her brow questioning the action. She was back to playing her maiden's role.

She felt her heart lighter, it seemed at the end there was nothing to worry about.

"the rice is cold and you need to eat, otherwise your blood pressure will go even lower, try untying the knots of your hair while I go to the kitchen to get more hot food" she picked the tray with the forgotten bowl and went for the door, before stepping out, she turned her head lightly and told Emiri over her shoulder

"Thank you... Emiri" and closed the door behind her.

She was going to miss her a lot, it had been a difficult choice but she had to see through it, she had made her mind the moment the announcement was made, and it had taken several months to come to fruition. Taking a few steps towards her nightstand she picked up a framed photo of her younger self with a couple right behind her. She smiled wider

"hope this will be the beginning of solely right choices" – she thought

She needed to prepare for what was coming ahead, her fiancé was coming today.

-…-

If he could pick a village to prolong his stay during his years traveling, he would have chosen Kusagakure. During this time of the year, the grass was overly grown and wherever he looked there was a very green scenery. Tall trees and the smell of wet dirt, made his mind relax for just a few moments and it reminded him a lot of Konoha. Vaguely, he thought that perhaps that was the reason he had decided to take a slight detour from his trip to Ishigakure.

The last village he had helped back in Takigakure had bid their goodbyes as if he were a hero, and he had felt a bit uncomfortable about it, in his mind that was the most inaccurate conception someone could have of him since it was Naruto the hero type of shinobi and he was well... just himself.

Usually he would camp on the outside of the city, but being Kusagakure he had a preferred inn to stay the night. Before going to the inn he would check if there were any news from Konoha. He was on a redemption journey but Naturo had insisted… no, more like fought with all his might for him to remained at least a little bit connected to Konoha. Both him and Naruto had designated special sites scattered all through the world in which Naruto could reach him if needed, traveling all the time made it difficult to locate him so after a lot of arguing from Naruto's part, he had agreed to it. Kusagakure happened to be one of those sites.

-…-

She had eaten the miso soup Aina had brought with her before getting dressed as to "prevent any misfortune" with the furisode. It had taken a considerable amount of time to untangle her hair, have her dressed and put on a very thick layer of makeup. She barely recognized herself in the mirror, she imagined Mariko-chan and Noboru-kun's faces when they saw her, the would laugh their asses off, but there was little she could do about it, this was the protocol.

She had a lot of work to do from the ministry, this week she needed to pass on the new regulation rules for tax collection, and she had been working on the last details for the past hour. She was a nervous wreck, and it was almost time before the appointment with her fiancé and the rumbling from her stomach wasn't helping her either, ¨curse the damn stress¨ she thought bitterly. She didn't have a weak stomach but lately she had been put under a lot of stressed as today´s appointment was approaching.

Aina had gone to prepare herself and left her on her own, but as minutes passed, the grumbling on her stomach only got worse, until she felt she couldn't hold it any longer. She ran to the bathroom and with as much delicacy as she could handle, she tried to lift the kimono so she could seat on the toilet.

"please NO…. please NOT today!" she screamed out loud. She couldn't deal with a loose stomach and for the way she was feeling, it seemed her body had decided to let go of all the accumulated stress in the worst possible way. She only had an hour left and her 'situation' didn't seemed to be coming to a stop anytime soon.

-…-

With the help of Orochimaru´s lessons, he had learned of a technique to uncover hidden scrolls. The communication between him and Naruto worked in a very simple way. He just had to go to a marked designated side, in this case it was a hollow tree with a seal written inside, put a scroll with his blood close to the seal and make the jutsu hand seals. If there was no message, the scroll would remain blank, but if there was something the blood on the scroll would start changing to form the message.

He had been furious with the dobe the first few times, he had come to find stupid messages from his part and it was not until he threatened him to cut off all kind of communication for several years, that the dobe stopped to use their communication for goofing around.

There had been no important communication since the start of his journey and he was glad. The war had been long and cruel for the entire world, and he was hoping they could enjoy this most needed peace time for as long as possible.

So, landing in front of the tree, he bit his hand and smeared the blood on the scroll. He pinned the scroll with a kunai to the tree trunk, formed the hand seals and waited. The result was instantaneous, for a moment he thought it was going to be nothing as usual, but his blood started to move around the scroll until it formed a single short phrase.

He did not like what he saw.

-…-

"I… can't… fucking…. Believe it ! " thought Emiri bitterly.

Today was supposed to be a big day for the right reasons, but as Emiri ran for dear life, clutching her pained stomach trying to reach the main hall to greet his fiancé she thought perhaps it would turned out to be the most disastrous day ever.

She still had a loose stomach, but it was already late, so she did the only thing she could (and the most ridiculous one): she stuffed her underwear with an insane amount of toilet paper and exit her room as fast she could. She was running through the halls trying to reach as soon as possible the room in which the meeting with her fiancé was going to take place.

She didn't know, that it would certainly come to be a very disastrous day.

She, being only a few meters away from her destination, was blasted away by an unknown destructive force that had blown off inside. She didn't know what hit her, she just felt her head spin, a sharp pain on one of her legs and for the first time in several years, as her body brutally crashed against the courtyard's floor, she passed out surrounded by wood shreds.

It seemed that today had turned out to be a big day for the wrong reasons.

-…-

It would take him a couple of days to reach his destination, but if he kept up this non-stop pace, he might be able to reach it sooner.

He cursed under his breath.

"this better be a real emergency dobe"- he whispered while leaping at a very high speed through the tree branches. The scroll was stored away carelessly inside his cape.

"Something happened, you need to come back"

In all his traveling years, Naruto had never asked him to come back to Konoha

Author's note:

Soo, first fanfic ever. English is not my first language so there will be some grammar errors.

I left out on purpose my OC physical description, that will come in later chapters.