A/N: I just find it unbelievable that this story already has the fanbase it has already. Thank you to xireblack, VitalInfo and everyone else who has read, faved, reviewed or alerted this story. It makes me incredibly happy that people enjoy the stories I write. And just as a side note, there won't be any real romance for a long time. These kids are only twelve. That being said, let's continue with Those Chosen By Fate.

Chapter Seven: Colors of the Heart

December Twenty-Fifth had arrived in Konohagakure. Rise could hardly sleep the following night. She was excited about Christmas Day. They had the day off from the Academy. Rise awoke before the sun had risen into the sky. She knocked on Syao's door and she whispered.

"Kaze? Are you awake?"

Rise heard movement in the room and the door slid open slowly. Kaze was grinning at Rise as he attempted to drew his robe over his body. Rise stopped him for a moment.

"Kaze, you're hurt!"

Rise said pointing to a small gash on his hip. Kaze drew his robe over his body and he shook his head.

"Its not a serious injury."

Rise put her hands on her hips the way her mother did when she wanted Rise to listen.

"Not serious? Kaze, who did that to you?"

Kaze shook his head and he swept his red hair out of his face.

"Don't worry about it Rise. Please, let it go."

Rise shook her head and she hugged him from behind.

"I can't Kaze. I care too much about you. You're the only friend I have who knows what its like to be a monster."

Kaze could feel her warm trust. He turned and he hugged her and he stepped back.

"I was training with Syao and a stray Kunai grazed me. He was trying to teach me that thing Lyn did, where you add the Kyuubi's Chakra to your weapon. Except in my case, its the Ichibi."

Rise nodded and she grinned.

"I want to learn that too. It was pretty cool. Want to eat some cookies?"

Kaze grinned and he followed her into the living room. They had left out several plates of cookies and milk. Rise saw that they hadn't been eaten yet, so she took one plate and handed it to Kaze. They sat at the table and talked in hushed voices about many things until the sun rose. Rise had learned last year not to awaken her parents before the sun had risen. Shortly after sunrise, Syao and Lyn came into the kitchen as well.

"Janken to decide who wakes them up."

Lyn said. They drew and Rise lost the match.

"Damn it. Alright, I'll go wake them up."

Rise sighed and she walked through the hallway to her parents room. She knocked on the door and she spoke.

"Mom, Dad, Christmas time."

Rise heard them stir in their bed and she waited until they opened the door. Naruto looked down at his daughter sleepily and he nodded.

"Give us ten minutes."

Rise smiled and she hugged her father and she walked out into the living room. Kushina had heard Rise's voice and she exited her own room, dressed in her robe. Shortly after, Naruto and Hinata exited their own room, dressed for the day. Hinata then sat by their tree and she started to divide up the gifts. Rise sat between Syao and Lyn, with Kaze just in front of her. Hinata then bowed her head and she whispered.

"Mother, Father, thank you for another year."

Syao, Lyn and Rise repeated Hinata's words, and Kaze quickly followed suit. Hinata smiled at him and then she gave the signal to open the gifts. Rise tore into her presents. Kaze had given her a new set of Shuriken, since she usually lost hers. Syao and Lyn gave her a book on famous Shinobi. Her parents gave her Ryo so she could buy something nice for herself. Rise finished opening her gifts and she smiled at Kaze, who was taking his time. Kaze had yet to open Rise's gift. Rise had given him a special gift she had made, a silver bangle. Rise watched as he drew it out of the box. He slipped it on his wrist and he smiled at her.

"Rise, its beautiful. Thank you."

Rise grinned brightly.

"It suits you well. I'm glad you like it Kaze. I wanted to give you something special."

Hinata whispered to Naruto in a very soft voice.

"They're like we were at that age."

Naruto smiled and he chuckled.

"Except I didn't realize it until we were sixteen."

Hinata giggled and she stroked Naruto's wedding ring.

"Thirteen years. Hard to believe Rise is already twelve."

Naruto nodded and he kissed his wife as he watched Rise and Kaze talk. Naruto smiled inwardly. Already they're like a couple. I just hope that they're always like this. Naruto then stood up and he patted his stomach.

"Who wants breakfast?"

Everyone stood up and Naruto made his way into the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator and he drew out bacon, sausage and eggs. Hinata helped him cook while Rise and Kaze went out into the backyard. Kaze sat on the lawn swing with Rise.

"I wonder what we're going to be doing in the Academy tomorrow?"

Rise said and Kaze shrugged.

"I'm not certain. I want to do the water walking again though. I need to overcome my hydrophobia."

Rise chuckled, and she looked at Kaze.

"I didn't know you were scared of water. I thought you just couldn't swim."

Kaze rubbed the back of his head sheepishly and he grinned.

"I just don't like water. It hampers my Jutsus."

Rise grinned and she looked into the sky as snow began to fall.

"Want to go ice skating later?"

Kaze nodded and he smiled as they were called inside for breakfast. They family ate in a happy mood. Rise and Kaze finished as fast as they could. They hurried into their bathrooms and showered quickly. Kaze came out in a sweater and long, thick pants. Rise came out in a red jacket and red sweats with a crimson scarf tied around her neck. In her hand were two pairs of ice skates.

"Ok, let's go. Mom, we're going to the lake! We'll be back later!"

Hinata made sure her daughter was dressed warmly and she smiled.

"Have fun and be back by dark."

Rise kissed her mother and the two young Academy students headed out into the forest where the lake lay. They had to fight through the snow and wind, but it was enough to keep them going. When they reached the lake, Rise saw Kiana Nara and Ashari Akimichi already there. They were friends of Rise's, but she wasn't as close to them as she was to Kaze, Nanjo and Serah. Kiana waved to her friend and she smiled.

"Looks like we weren't the only ones who wanted to skate. Your parents out on a mission too Rise?"

Ashari said as she pulled a small bag of cashews out of her pack. She opened the bag with her teeth and she slipped her skates on. She looked, walked, talked and had the same figure as Ino had at her age, but had her father's appetite. Kiana on the other hand looked more like her father, with black hair that reached down to her shoulders and dark eyes. Kiana smiled at Kaze and she blushed, turning her face away. She slipped on her skates and she tested the lake ice. She pushed out onto the ice and she gracefully skated out to the center. Rise stood up and she stepped out onto the ice as well, skating to her friend. Kaze looked down and he sighed. He had never seen ice nor snow. He stood up and he tested the ice and he skated out cautiously. He lost his balance a few times, but he stayed on his feet.

"This isn't so bad."

He said once he reached Rise and Ashari. Rise chuckled and she spun in place a few times. Rise had inherited Hinata's natural flexibility, and as such, was very nimble and lithe, much like a cat. Kaze smiled and he watched her move, as if he was hypnotized. Kiana and Ashari caught him staring and they stood in front of Rise.

"He's checking you out Rise! He's as bad as Nanjo!"

Rise's happy expression faded and she shook her head.

"Kaze is nothing like Nanjo. Don't ever compare them."

Rise said and Kaze froze in place. He could feel Rise's piercing gaze and he closed his eyes instictively. Kaze felt his stomach turn to ice. He knew how much Rise hated boys like that. He opened his eyes to see Rise standing a few feet away from him, smiling serenely.

"Come out further Kaze. This lake is where all of our parents were married."

Kaze felt as if a weight had been lifted from his body. He skated out onto the lake and he closed his eyes. They skated around for a long time, until Rise felt her stomach growl. She turned to Kaze and she grinned sheepishly.

"Let's go home. I'm hungry."

Kaze nodded and they returned home. On the way, Rise and Kaze ran into Nanjo. He smiled at them both and they talked for a while. Nanjo seemed sad, and Rise, being empathic, sensed it.

"Nanjo, you seem sad. Are you ok?"

Nanjo rolled his head back up to the sky and he nodded.

"I get like this on every holiday. I'm an orphan. I have no parents, no family, no friends."

Rise broke off from Kaze and she smiled at Nanjo.

"You have Kaze and I. We're your friends, aren't we?"

Nanjo lowered his gaze to Rise's lavender eyes and he nodded.

"Of course you are."

He said. Kaze moved forward and he held his hand out to Nanjo.

"We may have been enemies at first, but at least we're friends now."

Nanjo took Kaze's hand in his and he shook it.

"Friends, rivals and classmates. Just like some of the greatest Shinobi that ever lived. Just like Naruto and Sasuke, and just like Jiraiya and Orochimaru. I hope the three of us will always be friends."

Rise put her small hands on top of her friends' hands and she smiled.

"No matter the distance, we will always be friends. We all share one sky, one destiny. Nanjo, despite the fact you stare at me and my friends in our swimsuits, I do care about you as much as I do about Kaze and Serah."

Nanjo smiled a serene smile and he closed his eyes happily.

"Rise, thank you. Kaze, you too. I have to be getting back to the Hokage Tower. I'm having dinner with Lady Tsunade and Lady Shizune."

Nanjo gently broke away from them and he headed off back down the street. Kaze smiled at her and he closed his emerald eyes.

"You say I'm too forgiving, but you're just as nice Rise. He's my friend and rival, in many ways. Come on, let's go back home."

Kaze and Rise walked the rest of the short distance home and entered the house. The smell of ham and potatoes filled their nostrils as they opened the door. Rise and Kaze sat at the table with the rest of their family and they ate in bliss. Rise felt two unfamiliar feelings blooming in her young heart, one for Kaze and one for Nanjo. She didn't know it at the time, but everything that would happen from here on would be affected by these two feelings.

TO BE CONTINUED...