When best friends Alison McKay and Michelle Prince found a small piece of paper bearing a promise of the greatest Naruto experience of their lives, they were unwittingly sucked into the world they had only ever watched and read about. Now, hearts will be stirred, Bonds will be formed, blood will be spilt, and worlds will collide as fantasy and reality fuse inextricably into one.
Disclaimer: Obviously, as this is a fanfic, I don't own Naruto. Anything found in this story that does not exist in the real Naruto plot line though, including the characters Alison, Michelle, Shinjako and Kai, I claim as my own.
This is a comedy/drama/romance story I've been meaning to write for a long time. Any pairings will be decided as the story progresses, though suggestions are welcome. Also, before I begin, I realize that there are some of you out there who may not like my writing style, or the angle I'm taking with this story. As much as I'd like constructive criticism, please do not simply review to say how much you hated it. It's common courtesy.
Notes to Readers: GAH! I know, I know, no updates in a while, but I've just been too caught up in the angsty goodness of "My Inspiration" to come up with anything hyperactive and clever to write for WWE. Also, I've been working on a "Happy 100 reviews" pic for y'all, but Mr.Duck (my scanner) is being crappy and not scanning! So instead, I figured I'd just give you an update before everyone lost interest all together in waiting on me, and upload it at a later date.
Content warning: Contains excessive levels of fluff that may choke some readers (And even the author) though I can tell you it's not nearly as bad as chapter 15. Is also pretty much just filler until I get the kinks worked out of the hardcore plot type-thing that comes next.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 16-Keeping Faith
Belief in fantasy is not only
the rejection of reality
But of disbelief itself.
---
"Come on Reiki-chan! Beast Mimicry no jutsu!"
Alison encouraged the small dog, waving a treat in front of his nose. The small blonde fuzzball seemed totally oblivious to what she was asking of him, and just bobbed his head back and forth, following the bone shaped cookie with his large brown eyes in a state of near hypnosis. Kiba, who was standing off to one side shook his head.
"Damnit no! You're doing it all wrong!"
He cried, slapping his forehead. He reached into his jacket and pulled out Akamaru, who he set down in the grass next to him. The pair then demonstrated the proper way of performing the jutsu, the small white dog transforming into a perfect replica of his master. Reiki watched them carefully, somewhat puzzled as Akamaru transformed back into himself and yapped out what Alison could only assume were instructions. Then enlightenment lit up in the blonde pup's bright eyes. He yipped once excitedly and a puff of smoke enveloped him. It cleared after a moment or two of drama, revealing a perfect reproduction of-
Kiba?
"No, no, no Reiki-chan!"
Alison mewled in frustration. Akamaru growled softly, and was met with a stern glare from kiba.
"Hey, watch you're language! He's just a kid."
Akamaru looked up at him and huffed. Alison, not knowing or caring where their conversation was going, turned her attention back to Reiki, tugging on the hem of his jacket sleeve to get his attention. He looked at her with a very non-Kiba expression of pleasant curiosity.
"Okay Reiki-chan, now listen."
She said.
"You're not supposed to turn into Kiba-san. You're suppo-"
Reiki as Kiba didn't let her finish the sentence. He nodded his head and promptly vanished in another puff of smoke. Sadly it was not Alison who stepped from the cloud, but a puppydog-eyed Rock Lee. Reiki as Lee smiled, his tongue lolling from one side of his mouth, seeming quite pleased with himself. Before Alison could scream-or react in any other way- he promptly grabbed her around the waist and gave her a big hug. Alison blushed profusely, going misty-eyed as Reiki-Lee started nuzzling her cheek. Only after several long, shoujo effect filled moments did her ears prick to the choking sounds of barely contained laughter coming from Kiba's direction. That was enough to bring her crashing back to reality.
Alison shrieked, pulling away from Reiki-Lee's embrace as fast as she could. She stood trembling a few paces back, hugging her arms with an expression on her face that would have been similar to the one worn by a person who had just been hugged by a large, poisonous, mutant slug with a highly contagious viral infection. By now Kiba was laughing hysterically, and Akamaru was yipping and snorting in what Alison could only assume to be a dog version of the same action. She glared at Reiki-Lee, who looked incredibly confused by her reaction to him.
"Reiki-chan! That wasn't funny!"
She cried, her face scarlet, praying that nobody but the four of them had been around to see the bizarre spectacle-Lee especially.
"That's a bad, bad Reiki!"
She scolded, trying to shout over Kiba and Akamaru's laughter.
"That's a horrible nasty wicked little Reiki-chan!"
Reiki-Lee frowned, his even larger than usual black eyes watering at the verge of tears. Another cloud of smoke erupted around the small dog, and he padded out of it as his usual self, hanging his head in true puppy shame. Kiba had finally managed to stop laughing, and gave her an apologetic look.
"Sorry Riku-san, we tried. Guess he's just too young to get it."
Reiki whimpered softly, grabbing Kiba's attention and putting a small, tender smile on his face that he no doubt reserved for use with his canine friends.
"Aw, don't be such a wimp. She didn't mean it."
Alison smiled gently, picking up her puppy and giving him a hug.
"Aww, it's okay mon bebe. Him's wight, me wuvs you even if yous is worthless as a ninja tool! That's why mummy has a sword!"
Reiki seemed to be unable to pick out the underlying insult through Alison's loving baby-talk and cuddles, and so simply started joyfully licking her cheek and making small cooing noises. Alison giggled, throwing a wink at Kiba who sighed and muttered something about understanding why Reiki acted to immature. She and Kiba then walked off to re-join their respective companions in the main part of the encampment.
-----
The Konoha shinobi had broken camp at dawn that morning, and reached Kaikakagure-the village hidden in the blossoms-about midday. Village; however, was not nearly as good a description of it as...say, smoking pile of rubble. It looked as if a landslide, tornado and flood had hit the settlement all at once, then fought it out over who got to destroy/maim/kill what. It reinforced Alison and Michelle's cover story, as anyone who survived such a disaster would most likely suffer severe amnesia from the blunt shock of it all. That said, the pair had received several comments on how lucky they were to have survived.
Frankly, the girls had no idea what to think, and preferred not to discuss it.
Now the groups of genin were anxiously awaiting word from their senseis in a large clearing not far from the ruined village. The jounin were presently meeting with the head of the restoration crew, most likely to come up with a game plan for the next four days, which would be spent rotating ninja sentries. The clearing was pockmarked with craters from falling debris, and the remnants of a stone wall that had once separated two tracts of potential farmland. The grass was scorched away in several places, and the smell of burnt flesh permeated the air. Needless to say, everyone was feeling quite restless to be stuck in such a place, and each coped with it in their own way, by reading, wandering aimlessly, examining plants...
Or in Michelle's case, bugging the hell out of Kai by poking him in the back of the neck with a long piece of grass repeatedly while laying cat-like across the branch of the semi-charred and dwarfed tree he sat with his back against. She was just pondering whether or not to switch to a stick when she noticed Alison jogging toward them. The blonde smiled and raised one arm lazily in greeting. Kai's pale eyes darted up when he felt the vibrations of running footsteps in the ground. He called out a cheerful greeting.
"Hey Riku-chan! Any luck? OW! Cut it out, that's sharp!"
Kai flinched as Michelle unexpectedly poked him again. He rubbed his neck and glared at her, but received only a mocking smile from the blonde. He turned his attention to the grass, giving it a sharp look and making a pinching motion with two fingers. Michelle shrieked in surprise as it suddenly sparked at the tip and caught fire. She dropped it hurriedly, and the charred piece of foliage disintegrated in the air before it could hit the ground. Now it was her turn to glare at Kai, who was smiling to himself and innocently braiding three long pieces of grass together with a primrose blossom
When she got near enough, Alison set Reiki down and smiled, folding her hands behind her back as she stood in front of her friends.
"Well, turns out he's just not cut out to be a ninja yet, but meh. I'd just worry about him if he fought with me anyway."
She said, panting slightly from the run over.
"Yeah..."
Michele agreed wryly, touching her singed fingers together experimentally. Lousy rotten Kai and his lousy rotten fire jutsu and their lousy rotten fiery...ness! She was planning on smacking him upside the head for burning her, when out of the corner of her eye she happened to notice Sasuke, out for a wander around the field. Something in the back of her mind itched at the sight of him, though she couldn't quite remember why...
Wait. Yes she could.
The blonde sat bolt upright, staring at him only a moment longer before quickly leaping down from her perch.
"Ah...sorry I gotta go! I'll see you guys later!"
She told her teammates hurriedly, her voice holding the distinct rushed quality of concentration on something other than what she was saying as she jogged off toward Sasuke, not even bothering to turn and look back at her teammates. Kai blinked once curiously and Alison smiled a small, knowing smile.
"Okay, sure. later Atsuko-chan! Have fun with you're boyfriend!"
She called. Michelle froze in place, first looking to Sasuke to make sure he hadn't heard, the back to Alison, her eyes glinting maliciously.
"He's not my boyfriend!"
She hissed in what would have been a whisper had it not been so loud. Alison shrugged and waved cheerily at her friend, who turned around with a huff to continue following the raven-haired boy. Alison giggled softly, plunking herself down next to Kai on the ground and helping Reiki scramble onto her head.
"So, what's up?"
She asked him with a smile, only then observing the small bundle of what seemed to be flowers and grass sitting on his lap. Kai noticed her gaze wander to it as he was attaching the small primrose ornament to it.
"Ah n-nothing! Absolutely nothing!"
He blushed, scrambling to tuck the bundle under his discarded jacket. He was to slow however, and Alison plucked it from the ground and away from his grasp.
"Why're ya makin' a daisy chain?"
She asked in curious puzzlement. Kai's project was a string of flowers and bits of braided and curled grass, woven together to make a garland. It was quite pretty, and mostly pink. By now Kai was blushing profusely and trying to grab it away from her.
"I-It's nothing! Please Riku-chan, give it back!"
"Aww, it's like a little crown!"
Riku cooed, ignoring her teammates pleas as she stood to keep the garland from his reach and placed it on her head, tying it at the ends to form it into a ring shape. She struck a dramatic model-type pose and smiled.
"I'm ready for my close-up Mister Deville."
She sighed in a breathy voice, the wind choosing the specific time to blow her hair behind her in dramatic red waves.
"Riku-chan!"
Kai cried jumping to his feet and snatching it from her head-not without a cry of protest from the girl, who had been quite proud of her pose. Alison recovered from the disappointment quickly though, and grinned a cat-like grin at Kai. Reiki mimicked her from the top of her sun-streaked red hair.
"Is it for Saaaakura-chan?"
She purred. Kai's blush deepened and he faltered, stuttering.
"W-what? I-I don't know what you mean! What gave you t-t-that idea!"
Alison leaned into his face, giving him a sparkley eyed 'awwww, it's so cute when it's trying to lie!' look and patting the top of his spiky head.
"Well it's obvious you have a thing for her, what with the way you always blush and sigh when she's around! And I for one think you two would make a really cute couple! You should ask her out sometime!"
Kai sighed, dropping his gaze to the flower ring in his hands.
"Oh...don't be silly Riku-chan. I...I don't stand a chance with a girl like Sakura..."
He sighed, glancing wistfully across the clearing to where the pink-haired kunoichi was reading, and attempting to ignore Naruto, who had found himself a frog to play with.
"She's got a thing for that Sasuke guy. I mean, I'm not the only one who likes her I know, but if Naruto-san and Lee-san can't win her over-and them being way better ninja than me I-"
"Silence!"
Alison cried, punching one arm skyward to cut him off. She gave him a sly look, winking one silver eye.
"First off, Sasuke is no competition since he constantly blows her off. Second; The gods realize that she doesn't deserve Lee-san, and so they will NEVER be together!(mutteraslongasIhaveanythingtosayaboutitmutter)And three...well...uh...well if it's just Naruto that you have for competition, then I guess you've got a 50-50 chance!"
Kai sighed deeply once more, drooping earthward from the waist up in defeat.
"I'm doomed..."
He moaned. The boy stared for a long moment as his painstakingly crafted flower ring, and frowned.
"Why the heck did I make this dumb thing anyway? Stupid, crummy looking"
Alison managed to grab it away before he ripped it in half. She poked him in the forehead to bring his eyes level with hers.(When she bent down that is)
"Hey hey HEY! NO! We DO NOT crush our art projects!"
She scolded, poking him in the forehead with each syllable for emphasis, causing him to flinch.
"If this was made for Sakura, you're damn well gonna to give it to her!"
"Wha-Riku-chan no way! I-I-I can't!"
He stuttered, blushing at the mere thought.
"Can so! Now march over there and give that girl her present!"
She cried, shoving the crown into his hands. She noted that it seemed he wouldn't really have had the heart to break it a few moments ago, as the first thing he did was straighten out the weave and remove a crushed flower. Alison then got up and walked behind him-and promptly started shoving him off in the direction Sakura was.
"AH! Riku-chan stop it! Lemmie alone! Riku-chan!"
Kai cried in surprise and panic, flailing his arms frantically. He dug in his heels, managing to turn and grab his friend's shoulders to stop her progress. Wild fear flickered in the boys pale eyes as he spoke to her in a hoarse whisper.
"Riku-chan, If I go over there now, Naruto's gonna kill me! I don't want to fight anyone while I'm out on a mission! Especially him!"
Alison blinked a few times, allowing the ramifications of Kai giving Sakura a romantic gift in front of Naruto to sink in. She flinched as an unpleasant image of her teammate as a bloody pancake flashed through her mind. She frowned.
"Well you can't just not give it to her! Isn't she worth fighting for?"
She asked, attempting to draw out even a shred of self-confidence that he might posses.
"Could you at least distract him?"
"What? NO!"
"Why not?"
He asked pleadingly.
"What if Lee-san sees us together? He could draw assumptions!"
"Riku-chan come on! It's not like you're his girlfriend!"
"I can dream, okay?"
"I'd do the same for you!"
"Yeah right!"
"I would!"
Kai cried in frustration.
"I did on the way over here, remember?"
Alison paused. That was ringing a bell. She took a moment to think about it.
:Flashback:
"Yo, Kai!"
The boy looked curiously over his shoulder, realized how angry she looked and hesitantly moved backward to walk next to her. Alison leaned in close to him that she wouldn't be overheard.
"While you're over there not spying on us, do me a favour; keep Sakura-chan away from Lee-san."
Kai just gave her an even more confused look.
"But why Riku-chan?"
"Just do it, and while your at it..."
She glanced over in Sasuke's direction, remembering Michelle.
"Keep her away from Sasuke too. Okay?"
The silver-haired genin still looked confused, and a bit embarrassed, but nodded.
"W-well I'll try Riku-chan."
The redhead smiled at him, nodding.
"Awesome, thanks."
:End Flashback:
"Oh yeah..."
She muttered, the dreamy haze falling from her eyes. She sighed, grabbing both of Kai's wrists and forcing him to release the death grip he had on her.
"Okay, okay. I'll keep Naruto busy for ten minutes and we'll call it even."
Kai blanched, looking more like she'd flat out refused him than agreed to help.
"Fifteen minutes? I was thinking two or three! I mean what am I going to say to-"
"Okay, fifteen minutes then!"
Cheered Alison, realising this might very well be Kai's only opportunity to talk to his crush for quite a while-not to mention revelling in her ability to command him so easily. Kai started to protest feebly, but his teammate had already grabbed him again, and was running full-tilt toward Sakura and Naruto.
Naruto had discarded his jacket in the heat, like Kai and many others had, and was presently shoving his frog into Sakura's face. He was soaking wet, and looked as if he had just dove into a very dirty pond-which made sense, since he had.
"Isn't he cute Sakura-chan?"
"Eww! Naruto, get that disgusting thing away from me!"
The girl was shielding herself from the small green amphibian sitting in his hands with the romance novel she'd been reading, seemingly afraid it would jump into her face and eat out her eyeballs if she gave it the chance.
"Heeeey!"
Called Alison as she dragged Kai toward them, catching both shinobi's attention.
"Hey Riku-chan! How's it going?"
The redhead skidded to a stop before she collided with anyone, nearly sending Reiki flying off of her head and jolting Kai's arm halfway out of it's socket. The silver-haired genin was trembling slightly, and blushed when Sakura offered him a small smile in greeting. Alison caught this out of the corner of her eye, convinced that her matchmaking was going in all the right directions. She released her vice like grip on her teammate's wrist and turned to Naruto, planning on using the clever plan she had concocted to get him away from Sakura-when her short attention span kicked in.
"Hey, neat frog!"
She exclaimed, leaning in closer to get a better look. Reiki imitated his mistress, staring curiously at the small animal with large inquisitive brown eyes. The frog stared back at them blankly. This went on for several long moments before suddenly, Alison's eyes glazed over with shimmering mist, and she extended one finger to stroke the creature's slimy wet head.
"Awww! He's just so cute! I shall name him Chuu-kun! Where'd you get him?"
While both Sakura and Kai looked confused and slightly creeped out at Alison 's fascination with the homely little beast, Naruto seemed genuinely pleased, and smiled.
"There's a little swampy pond type thing not far away! I found him under a rock!"
"Oh my gosh, you have to take me there! I want one!"
Alison squealed excitedly, her puppy echoing her enthusiasm with a happy yip.
"Sure, but they're tricky to catch!"
He teased. Alison gave him a good natured mock-scowl.
"Oh, I'm pretty sure I can handle a frog Naruto-kun. I AM a ninja you know! Let's go!"
"Alright, it's this way!-oh, do you wanna come Sakura-chan?"
He asked hopefully. Sakura managed only the smallest of trembling smiles and waved one hand in front of her frantically.
"N-no, that's okay! I'll pass!"
Naruto looked somewhat disappointed, but shrugged as if he didn't care.
"Well fine, it's you're loss."
Alison chirped, glancing toward her teammate.
"Kai-kun, I won't be too long. Stay here and keep Sakura-san company, will ya?"
She asked, the request seeming perfectly spur of the moment. Kai smiled internally at his friend cleverness-or his good luck, whichever it happened to be-and was about to respond when Alison cut him off.
"Okay, see ya later! Lead the way Naruto-kun!"
Kai sighed and closed his mouth, watching as she and the blonde boy charged off into the brush next to the clearing in search of the frog pond. He wondered for a moment if it was just and act the red head was putting on, or if she really did want to go frog catching. Oh well, no matter.
"Heh, they're pretty alike aren't they? Of course I'm sure Riku-chan's not nearly as annoying."
Sakura laughed. Kai glanced over his shoulder, just now remembering what he had come to do. Sakura's comment helped bolster his confidence slightly, and he even managed a small smile.
"Heh heh...oh, you'd be surprised. Say...S-Sakura-san? I-I have something here...I w-wanted you to have it."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 16 end.
Okies, I got a cute little idea for the next chapter- Fifteen minute dates! Did you happen notice that all the OCs are paired off with someone right now?(Michelle and Sasuke, Kai and Sakura, Alison and Naruto)Neither did I until I read it over. XD But I might as well make good fluffy use of it, since by the sime the senseis relay their info to everyone, there will be very little time for anything other than action/adventure type stuff. I guess I'm pairing Ali with Naruto after all.(Or AM I? Dun Dun Dun!)It seems that my characters are starting to write themselves. Dang, I've been spending way too much time around a certain friend of mine...:) Not that that's a bad thing. Please stick around for Chapter 17 part a, b and c! (I might post them separately, but they'll be too short to call real chapters)
EDIT: Okay, NEW CONTEST born from the e-mails and commentary I've ben getting! Would you rather see Alison paired up with Lee or Naruto? Keep in mind it'll be slight, and she'll end up good friends with the loser. Please be sure and get you're vote in ASAP!
This is SevenLevels. Don't sell you're raisins to Chinese kids telling them it'll make them tall!(Not an ethnic joke-my dad actually did that when he was little. O.o)