Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, or any of the associated characters, and no profit is being made. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto.
Chapter One
When Yue took her first steps into Konohagakure, her immediate impression was: humongous.
She craned her neck up to survey her surroundings - eyes bulging, mouth wide open awe. The great, green gates groaned with the sheer weight of its timber doors, sending tremors through the ground as they closed behind her with a thunderous clang. Around her, the buildings stretched several storeys high, casting long shadows that blanketed the streets below. And in the distance, were three colossal faces carved into the mountainside, beholding the entire village within their sharp, stony gaze.
It was nothing like she'd ever seen back at home. Dàotián was but a small agricultural town near the western border of the Fire Country, surrounded by flooded rice fields and tiny huts made of sticks. There were no walls to protect them from foreign invaders, nor any shinobi to fight for and defend their land. So, when the Second World War raged between the Five Great Shinobi Countries and devastated the continent, it was only a matter of time before Dàotián was razed to the ground.
A wave of sorrow washed over Yue at the thought of her fallen homeland. Memories, once cherished, now haunted her; the once lush and vibrant landscape reduced to nothing but ash and rubble. She recalled the way smoke had choked the air and the acrid smell of burnt flesh. Even now, she could still taste soot in her throat.
Suddenly, a hand gently gripped her elbow, pulling Yue from her daze. She had inadvertently separated from the people she'd been travelling with, so her mother had come to fetch her.
"Come on, Yue. You're going to get left behind." Shuye said, tiredly. Her face was pallid, etched with deep lines that bared the fatigue of their journey. She released her daughter's arm to cup the young girl's chin. "And close your mouth, or else you'll swallow a fly."
Yue promptly clamped her mouth shut at her mother's behest. They hastened their footsteps to catch up with the rest of their company, who were being lead down the main strip by a trio of shinobi officials. All of three of them looked incredibly intimidating in their green flak vests and hitae-ate; their faces betraying no emotion as they kept their lips pressed in a firm line.
The village pulsated with the rhythms of daily life, filled with the sounds of chatter, laughter, and vendors peddling their ware. Yet, as they approached, the liveliness slowly ebbed away as the villagers gradually ceased their movements. Conversations dwindled into whispers, footsteps softened, and even the breeze seemed to fade into the background. In its place, an eerie silence descended like a shroud, save for the shuffling of feet as the villagers parted to let the foreigners through.
Feeling the weight of their gaze on them, Yue instinctively pressed closer to her mother. Their eyes, filled with wary scepticism, seemed to dissect her every movement, stirring a tumult of unease and apprehension in the pit of her stomach. She whispered, "Mama. I don't think they like us very much."
"They're at war. It is normal for them to be wary of outsiders."
"Even though they invited us here?"
Shuye did not answer right away. Sarutobi Hiruzen was notorious for his excessive sympathy and liberal tendencies- an attribute that stirred much controversy throughout his political career. When his envoy sent word that Konoha was accepting refugees, Shuye remembered the glimmer of hope that sparked inside of her and every Dào survivor who heard the news. She wondered now how much resistance that decision was met by his own people.
She considered her words carefully before she spoke again. "The Hokage is a man of great benevolence and generosity. However, his people are still fighting and hurting. You cannot blame them for being a little bit slower to open up to us."
Yue huffed. She wanted to retort that they had lost everything, but was interrupted when their ninja escorts barked at them to stop. They had arrived at a large open space in the heart of the village, where the Hokage was waiting to greet them. The shinobi bowed their heads in respect to their leader, before disappearing into thin air- leaving nothing but a cloud of dirt spiralling in their wake.
"Dear people of Dàotián. There are no words that can express my sorrow about the loss of your home," Hiruzen said, sombrely. He opened his arms wide, as if to embrace the audience. "I welcome you into our village, which from today onwards, is now your village. You are not strangers here. You are our brothers and sisters; fellow travellers on the journey of life. In your eyes, we see the Will of Fire burning brightly inside each and every one of you. And we stand ready to offer you the support and solidarity you need to rebuild your lives and realise your dreams..."
Yue stifled a yawn, her eyelids growing heavy as the speech dragged on and on. Occasionally the Hokage's voice would rise in emphasis, piquing her interest for a brief moment, before her attention waned once more. When the Hokage finally ended his spiel, a round of applause erupted from the Dào refugees, before they were sorted into groups and finally showed to their accommodations.
She couldn't remember how long it had been since she last had a hot bath – let alone wash at all. The water, infused with fragrant oils, soothed her aching muscles, melting away the tension that had accumulated during their long and strenuous journey across the country. Yue closed her eyes, only to open them again slightly when she felt her mother ease into the tub behind her.
They remained still for a few minutes, surrendering themselves to the embrace of steaming hot water, until Yue felt her mother's fingers pass through her hair. Gathering the black strands into her palm at the nape of her daughter's neck, Shuye gently massaged shampoo into her scalp, working it in into a rich lather with careful strokes. She carefully washed away all the dust and grime from their skin, until their bodies dirt-free and the water that came off them no longer ran brown.
After changing into a fresh set of clothes, Shuye set Yue down on the futon. She applied ointment to the soles of their blistering feet, before tucking the young girl into bed beside her. And for the first time since they left their homeland, Yue felt the exhaustion finally overcome her as her conscious slipped into darkness.
Hatake Sakumo was out for an afternoon stroll with his son when the young boy tugged at the hem of his shirt.
"Dad… who are they?"
He followed his son's finger with his gaze as Kakashi pointed at the group of foreigners gathered in the village square. They bore striking features that set them apart with ease; olive skin, dark almond-shaped eyes, and straight obsidian-black hair. In his youth, there were rumours among his peers that the people from Dàotián were some of the fairest in the country; and despite their sunken appearances from their journey, Sakumo could see that there was some truth to their words.
"They're Dào refugees. They will be living with us here since their home got destroyed by our enemies."
"Where are their shinobi?"
"They were a farming town, Kakashi. There are no shinobi in Dàotián."
Sakumo resisted the urge to chuckle at Kakashi's indignant expression as he took time to process this seemingly shocking fact. Although, having been born and raised in a shinobi village, as well as having a shinobi father, he supposed his son's bewilderment wasn't really all that uncalled for.
Kakashi was silent for a while as he mulled over his thoughts. "Why would the Hokage want to take them in?" he asked, perplexed.
"Why would he not?" Sakumo countered.
"We're fighting a war right now. Wouldn't opening up the village to refugees make us vulnerable to enemy infiltration? And the fact that there are no shinobi among them–" Kakashi shook his head, exasperated "–means that we'd have to protect not only our own, but now them, too. Not to mention they'll be taking up resources as well, and we already don't have much to spare. Honestly, I don't understand why the Hokage would make such a reckless decision."
Sakumo was rendered speechless. It was nothing that he hadn't heard before– in fact, everything that was said just now was the general consensus among the villagers regarding the refugees –but he didn't expect his son to analyse the situation and formulate an opinion on the matter so quickly. Then again, Kakashi took after him in both appearance and characteristic (handsome and smart, if Sakumo did say so himself) so his critical thinking skills shouldn't have been a surprise. Hell, the kid had already mastered chakra control, and he was only four.
Kakashi was looking expectantly at his father for an answer, so Sakumo was obliged to offer his opinions. "You've made some fair observations. But think of it this way, Kakashi. They are innocent victims in a war we started. People can think all they want that just because they lacked shinobi forces, they got what was coming to them. But the ugly truth still remains that what happened to them was a terrible thing, and it was because of us.
Not only should we take responsibility, but as humans we should never avert our eyes from the pain and suffering of others- especially of those who we have wronged. The moment you lose compassion and turn away from someone who needs your help - when you have the capacity to help them - is the moment you've failed as a human being."
At the corner of his eyes, Sakumo caught a glimpse of a girl around Kakashi's age. There were other children, too, all scrawny and young but full of potential. "Besides, even if they don't have anything to offer now, that doesn't mean they won't make any meaningful contributions in the future. You never know, there may be amazing talent yet to be discovered."
Kakashi's eyes widened in realisation. "An investment!"
"Err…um, yes." Sakumo sighed. Calling people investments after his mini lecture on humanity was a little concerning, but if it helped Kakashi to broaden his perspectives and gain a little empathy, then for now that would have to suffice.
After pausing to listen to the Hokage's speech, Kakashi eventually lost interest in the newcomers and continued walking along the dirt path.
"So… can you tell me about your latest mission?"
Daotian / Dàotián 稻田 / rice paddy
Shuye / Shū Yè 舒晔 / Bright and radiant demeanour who is calm and brings comfort
Yue / Yuè 月/ moon
