Here's the next chapter!

I had a lot of fun writing this, so I hope you guys enjoy it!

as always, PLEASE REVIEW!

Chapter 15

I crouched in the shadow of a snow-covered bush, motioning for the two younger children to crouch behind me. My hair was down – I hoped that it would provide me with some warmth as it covered my shoulders and arms. Hoshiko's eyes flickered around nervously, her short black hair blowing in the gentle breeze that blew flecks of snow in our direction. Sora's bright blue eyes were alight with excitement, his hands clenching and unclenching.

We were close to Konohagakure; I had followed the directions of passerby civilians who traded with residents of the ninja village, and we had come upon a wide, snow-covered road that was clean and well kept. I was surprised at the lack of security; if it were Orochimaru's village, we would probably be dead by now.

I glanced around at the empty road that led to the village, and looked both ways in dismay. There was no security, no patrols, no nothing. Was I missing something here?

Sora seemed amused by my caution, and playfully stuck a finger out to touch the road. "Ooo…look, I touched the road!"

I hissed, pulling his hand back hurriedly. Nothing had happened, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. I felt nervous, just sitting here. I almost wanted someone to attack us, just to vent out some of my anxiousness.

Hoshiko peeked out, and whispered. "Onee-san…I think it's safe to go."

I sighed, and stood. "Alright, let's go. In case anyone does intercept us…"

Sora rolled his eyes, and pulled out his mother's Hidden Leaf Village certification card, along with both of the twins' birth certificates.

"We know, Hikari-chan, don't worry."

"Don't tell me not to worry, pipsqueak." I ruffled his hair as he scowled, and we slowly stepped onto the road, snow crunching under their feet. I breathed in the dry, icy air that permeated everything for a moment, and hefted my pack more securely over my shoulders, watching as the twins moved so they were on either side of me. Sora put his hands behind his head, yawning, while Hoshiko took my hand, leaning into my side as we began to walk.

I was slightly scared when I first was confronted with the idea of visiting another village, because I assumed that all of them were the same as Orochimaru's village; cruel, merciless, and corrupt. But now, as I walked along this clean, innocent road towards the Hidden Leaf Village, I felt something different. A sort of calm that I hadn't felt since arriving in this world.

It reminded me of Hana, in the strangest way. Her compassion, her blind affection…her innocence.

Every step I took led me farther and farther away from my cocoon of stability, every step brought me closer and closer to this unknown world that was almost painfully bright and peaceful. I hated that feeling, and would've turned back had it not been for the two children pulling me along.

The snow whirled around in graceful gusts as the breeze blew across the road, and Sora chased after a gust of snowflakes with a giggle, his spiky hair blowing around on his head in the most familiar way.

I heard something behind me, and saw a tall, lean boy standing with his back to me. His spiky blonde hair stuck out messily all over his head, and his black and orange outfit made me want to smile, but at the same time seemed to fit him. That was even more odd…because I didn't know who this boy was, and yet I felt as if I should know him.

I blinked as the small portion of that dream came back in a rush, but the resemblance disappeared once Sora turned back around. The blonde hair reverted back into black, and the figment of my imagination was gone.

Was it just my imagination? What was this feeling that kept popping up in my mind? Was it like that girl with the pink hair; were they both just a dream?

Was I going crazy from my exposure at Sound?

I bit my lip, and something flared behind us, and a loud voice yelled.

"Watch out!"

I whirled around, and saw that a large white dog was nearly on top of us, a tall, dark haired boy on its back. The dog was running full out, pink tongue hanging out of its mouth. I reached for the children, but the dog was too fast, and in a flurry of snow the dog bumped into us roughly, sending me flying backward into the snow. Something scraped against the side of my head, tearing the bandages off, but I ignored the pain as I jumped to my feet, shaking snow out of my hair furiously. The tall dark haired boy had dismounted, and was gripping Hoshiko by her wrists, pulling her to her feet. Hoshiko's eyes were wide with confusion and terror.

Looking back on this, I can reasonably say that I overreacted. But I didn't care; in my mind his hands on her wrists could only end badly, because back in Sound, no one touched anyone unless it was to cause them pain.

I yelled, leaping at the boy and whipping my foot around so that it collided with his ribs – not with enough force to break anything, of course. He was taken by surprise, and was sent flying towards the other side of the road. I crouched in front of my charge, and quickly examined her.

"All you alright?" I hissed, touching her arms and legs, tilting her head anxiously. She nodded slowly, and tried to speak, but I shushed her, moving on to her brother. Sora was sitting in the snow, a beaming grin on his face.

"That was awesome!" He yelled, jumping to his feet. I scowled, and I heard a howl of indignant rage. I turned to see the boy I had attacked brushing snow off of his shoulders, his slanted eyes narrowed. I noticed that there were two other ninjas with him, both of them trying to calm him down.

One of them was a shy looking girl with long black hair and creamy white skin. She was the epitome of delicate, her fingers twiddling nervously as her teammate raged. I snorted. I knew that she wouldn't last a day in Sound, maybe not even that. It was her eyes that interested me the most though. They were pupil-less, which should've been creepy, but on her looked totally normal. And she obviously wasn't blind…because I saw those eyes track her teammate without hesitation. Weird…

The other was a tall and aloof, his face almost completely covered by a hood and glasses. He didn't make any movement as he faced the angry ninja, so I couldn't tell whether he was speaking or not.

The large white dog was sniffing in my direction, and its tongue lolled out lazily as it sat down, its pants releasing puffs of white smoke into the air. Its fur was covered in snow, but that didn't seem to bother it in the least.

The spiky haired boy saw me looking at him, and I saw that he had two triangles that adorned his face that looked like some kind of tattoo. His canine teeth were also slightly longer than most people, giving him a feral look. The feminine side of me didn't mind though…in fact, he was quite attractive…

Snap out of it!

The boy yelled. "Hey, dude, what's your problem? I was just trying to help her up!"

"Kiba, you were grabbing the girl rather aggressively," The taller boy murmured, his voice low and slightly monotone.

"Whose side are you on, Shino?"

The girl glanced back and forth between me and her angry teammate, and her soft voice whispered.

"She was just protecting that girl, Kiba…"

Kiba snarled. "Yeah, Hinata, but she could've just asked me to let go…"

Shino turned his head slightly to look at me. "She isn't from around here…her village might work differently."

I scowled. "Do you guys think I'm deaf or something? I can hear everything you're saying…"

Kiba smirked. "Oh, sorry, I forgot that you were even here. Must be sad going through life as pathetic as an insect…"

I raised an eyebrow. "Was that supposed to be insulting? Jeez, man, you need to read up on how to insult people…" I was shocked at my forwardness…but even more surprised at the feeling that went through me as I stood there. It wasn't afraid, or nervous. I was comfortable with these people…and it was more than just the knowledge that none of them could overpower me; it was more than the ease of knowing that I was stronger than they were.

"Hey!"

"Are you guys Konoha ninja?" I asked, getting to my feet and looking at each of them. Hinata nodded, and the Shino asked quietly.

"Why do you ask?"

Sora bounded forward before I could retrain him, and pulled out the papers he had shown me before. "Our Aunt Shizune lives here, and we're visiting her!"

"Shizune?" Kiba asked curiously, peering at the papers Sora shoved under his nose. "I didn't know that she had a sister…"

Hinata smiled slightly at Sora's enthusiastic grin, a wistful expression on her face. Shino turned to examine the papers as well, and I slowly walked forward, Hoshiko clutching my hand tightly, shrinking into my side as we passed the large dog. The dog seemed slightly miffed at being ignored, because its head dropped a bit in disappointment.

Well, sorry, buddy. You're going to have to be disappointed; because there is no way I'm getting within a foot of those teeth…

Hinata noticed Hoshiko and I coming closer, and she smiled encouragingly. I walked forward warily – my eyes glancing around to try and uncover the hidden ninja who were just waiting to kill us. But there was no one…what the heck was up with this village?

"Hello, my name is Hinata. That over there is Akamaru. He's Kiba's clan partner." She gestured over to the large white dog, and he yipped in greeting. "I'm sorry about my teammate…he tends to go a bit overboard sometimes…" The girl said quietly, a small smile spreading across her face as she glanced back to see Sora and Kiba talking animatedly. Shino was Kiba silently, and I could almost see what he was thinking.

How did I get stuck with such an immature teammate?

It was pretty hard to tell with this guy though, seeing as his face didn't reveal any expressions and his voice was toneless enough to think that instead of talking about anything serious, he was just commenting on how white the snow was this morning. Or something equally bland and boring.

I didn't smile back at Hinata, and she moved to Hoshiko, avoiding my eyes awkwardly. "Hello…what's your name?"

Hoshiko didn't answer, burying her face deeper into my side. I nudged her forward, and she looked up at me in nervous anxiety. I smiled, and let my hand gently fall on top of her head. She smiled – ah! So adorable! – and turned shyly to the kunoichi who was waiting with a small smile. Hoshiko held out a hand, her eyes flickering up to meet the pale ones of the kunoichi before her.

"My name is Hoshiko. And this," The girl let her eyes flicker up to mine, "is Hikari. Nice to meet you."

Hoshiko was the kind of kid whose innocent and shy nature could melt the heart of anyone, and yes, I don't doubt that if Hoshiko asked Sasuke to tap dance for her, he would do it in a heartbeat. Her smile was like the sun coming out, and her little slender hands were just the right size for gripping your hand, and had that same weakness that made you want to jump in front of a bus for her.

Now…why couldn't I make people feel that way?

I smiled at the thought, and Hinata's eyes lit up as she smiled.

"Nice to meet you, Hoshiko-san."

Hoshiko brightened, and gripped my hand tightly as she leaned into my side once more. Sora was jumping around excitedly, and Shino was sighing in exasperation. Kiba looked over to where I was standing, and his eyes met mine for the briefest moment, and he quickly looked away, his lips quirking into a small smile.

Okay…I was seriously confused…

Shino moved closer to us. "The papers are legitimate…we'll take you to the village."

Sora punched a fist into the air. "Yes!"

Hinata's face softened as she watched the boy jump around, and a deep longing flickered across her face. But before I could ask, Kiba jumped on the back of that huge dog, and grinned cheekily.

"I doubt that she'll be able to keep up, so–"

I raised an eyebrow. "Are you trying to get me into a race? Cuz I know without a doubt that I'll kick your ass."

Kiba laughed, and rolled his eyes at Hinata. "Did you hear that, Hina? Sounds just like something Lover-Boy would say!"

Hinata flushed a bright red, and Hoshiko giggled at the look of horror that crossed Shino's face.

"Kiba, please don't start this. I want Hinata conscious for this entire mission! Don't ruin it by making her faint in the last few minutes of traveling home."

I smirked, and positioned myself next to the large dog Akamaru. "Okay, Mr. Confident, let's see who's faster. Do we just go straight until we reach the gates?"

Kiba grinned, and leaned low over his partner's neck, hands gripping the fur that lay there. "Yeah, just head straight."

Sora and Hoshiko were gestured over by the other two ninja. Hinata gently knelt so Sora could get on her back, and Shino did the same for Hoshiko. The two children's faces were alight with excitement as they watched Kiba and I tense in preparation.

"Ready…"

"Set…"

"Go!"

I let the chakra pool to my legs, and when that voice said go, I could've sworn it was Sasuke. Maybe my mind was just used to him giving me orders, to the point that no one else could give them without me being reminded of Sasuke.

The trees blurred past as I ran, and my eyes watered at the speed as I flipped under and over branches. My feet barely touched the snowy surface of the upper tree branches, and I was suddenly taken back to a day just a few months ago.

"How do you run so fast, Uchiha-sensei?"

"I train."

I rolled my eyes as I continued to jog around him in a large circle, the weights on my legs heavy as hell as I struggled to keep my legs moving at a constant speed. The crisp winter air felt icy against my heated skin, and the snow that blew in my face melted instantly into water. "Well, duh! I mean what else do you do?"

Sasuke was currently sharpening his sword – he did this when he was bored – and glanced over at me from under the cover of a tree, leaving him snow-free. His onyx eyes were dark as they watched me, and after a moment I sighed, and looked away, picking up my speed a bit.

Don't know why I bothered…

"You're too focused on your attachment to the ground."

I was so surprised that I slowed to a stop. "What?"

Sasuke got up and walked over to me. "You need to stop thinking in terms of pushing yourself against the ground to go faster. Don't think about gravity or how much power you have to use. Think of something different…more free…" He trailed off, his expression far away as he stared up at the clear blue sky.

I swallowed, and watched him for a moment. "What do you think of?"

"I think about…flying…"

And then he was gone, running so fast that he practically disappeared.

I looked around for him, and then felt something on my legs, looking down frantically. The weights were suddenly gone.

Sasuke appeared by the nearest tree, the smallest hint of a smirk on his face. He tossed the weights to the side, and I cringed at the small crater it made in the snow. The boy turned towards the tree.

"Keep up with me."

And he was gone.

I smiled, and started running.

The feeling that filled me was the same as it had been on that day, and my words floated before my eyes as I ran.

"What do you think about?"

It's so strange…ever since that day, the only thing I think about when I run like this is Sasuke and the words he said to me.

"I think about…flying…"

Sasuke's voice was like a wake up call, and my run became even lighter and faster. I was not a part of the earth any longer; I was flying along the snow like a hawk, my lips turning up in an exhilarated smile and my heart beating like a drum in my chest.

And Sasuke was beside me, his dark hair whipping in the wind, reminding me of the downy feathers of a raven that shone in the brightness of the snow.

But when I turned to look at him, I found that he was gone, and I was alone save for the glittering ice on the trees and the looming gate that appeared before me as I reached it.

The stone that cobbled the road was cleared of any snow, and I saw small genin shoveling it away with irritable expressions on their faces. A taller jounin lazily leaned against a tree, and one of the three genin – he had dark brown hair with bright blue eyes – complained loudly.

"Why do we always have to get this mission? We've gotten it like, every day!"

The girl beside him rolled her emerald green eyes. "Jeez, Hiro, grow up!"

"Mizuki-chan, you hate this too!"

Mizuki shoveled snow at him angrily, and she quickly glanced over at their third teammate to see if she had been caught – he had pale blonde hair with dark gray eyes – who was silently shoveling snow with a slight scowl on his face.

I smiled as the boy glanced up at his teammates with a familiar irritation in his eyes. That look reminded me of Sasuke, and I couldn't help but laugh as he spoke in a low voice.

"Stop arguing and hurry up."

"You're so smart, Dai-kun!"

Hiro stuck out his tongue behind Dai's back in anger. Mizuki flared at him and sent her fist into the energetic boy's head.

I sighed, and dropped down to the street, and made my way towards the village gates. The genin stopped what they were doing as I approached, and I snorted as the brown haired one – Hiro – blushed furiously, running his hands through his hair anxiously. Mizuki stared open-mouthed, and Dai – Mini-Sasuke, I instantly named him – narrowed his eyes as he slowly reached out with his chakra to test mine against his.

I stopped as I reached Mini-Sasuke, and smiled slightly. The jounin perked up as he noticed me, and was there in an instant, his eyes wary as he stood just behind his squad. I nodded to him politely before bending down to look Mini-Sasuke in the eye.

"I'd be careful with how bold you are with branching out your chakra, young man." I said, and sent out a surge of my chakra in warning. It was strange…this boy couldn't be more than twelve, and I was only fifteen…and yet I felt centuries older than him. He was a small ember, waiting to grow into a fire; I was a roaring inferno of heat and power. The dark eyed boy flinched as his chakra was forced out of my range, and the jounin leader spoke dangerously.

"Who are you?"

I smiled reassuringly, and held up my hands in mock-surrender. "Hey, hey, hey…I'm not here to fight, so let's calm down. I'm just accompanying two relatives of Shizune to this village, along with a few Konoha ninja by the name of Hinata, Shino, and Kiba. Kiba and I were having a race, and by the looks of it, I kicked his sorry ass, and they're still catching up."

Hiro grinned, and said boldly. "You remind me of Naruto! Isn't she cool, Mizuki-chan?"

The name sent a flare of something strong in my chest, and I felt my stomach twisting as something flashed before my eyes.

…he began to walk away, the long straps of his headband waving in an invisible breeze. I began to run, feeling the same feeling that his name was at the tip of my tongue, and yet still evading me.

Why did I suddenly feel so afraid?

I ran even faster, my heart pounding. I could see a shroud of orange fire enveloping him, and he hunched over himself, tails sprouting from his back. His screams of agony tore through my soul.

I let out a breath as the image faded, and I bit my lip as I heard Kiba crash through the trees, Shino and Hinata close behind him. What had that been? This Naruto person and the person in my dream couldn't be the same people…my dream was just in my head! There was no way it could be based on someone in this village…it was impossible.

Kiba was grinning as he slid off of Akamaru's back, and he walked over to punch me playfully in the arm. "That was awesome! Where the hell did you learn to run that fast, Hikari?"

Hinata must've told him my name…but strangely, I didn't care. I smiled and punched him back.

"I guess I'm not so weak after all…"

Shino was talking to the jounin, who gave me some wary glances as Kiba and I chatted before smiling and backing away from the road. Hiro and Mizuki grinned at me, and Dai gave me a small smile of wonder. I ruffled his hair before I could stop myself.

"You guys did a good job…that's probably why they keep assigning you this mission. You should be proud." I murmured, and Hiro's eyes lit up.

"Thanks, Hikari-chan!"

Mizuki smiled as we passed, and Kiba grinned at me. "Man, those kids are going to be talking about you to all their friends now…better brace yourself."

I tried not to look too pleased with myself. "I highly doubt it."

Sora and Hoshiko smiled as they ran ahead of us towards the gates that were slowly opening to admit us, and I looked up at the Konohagakure symbol that adorned the headbands of the ninja around me.

I didn't feel afraid, which was surprising.

But there was the same underlying anxiety that seemed to fill me whenever I was around Hana, that cheerful trust that immediately put me on edge.

I glanced back before the gates shut behind us, and I could've sworn that I saw a flash of white and a glimpse of dark eyes.

But I blinked, and there was nothing, the black trees and the white snow glittering and shining against a bright blue sky.