Seeking You

Summary: AU, Fem!Harry. What if the Dursley's hadn't been Rose's only living relatives? Petunia sends Rose to the Haruno's in the Hidden Continents, partly because she wants to believe that the girl will live a better life there. A different take on Harry living in Konoha. Starts after the Second War ended.

Disclaimer: I don't own either the Harry Potter or the Naruto characters used in this story.

Warnings: abuse, mentions of the war, OOC concerning the Dursley family and maybe some future characters

I always assumed Sakura's parents to be civilians as in the fandoms; Sakura's mother or father is always in the civilian council. I guess since the sixth Naruto Shippuden movie; Road to Ninja, they were both written as ninja. For some reason I just can't see them as ninja though, so I kept them as civilians. Because even civilians can be strong.

Based on the fact that Naruto and Kakashi are 12 years apart and Kakashi was 26 when the series began, Kakashi would have been 14 when the Kyuubi attacked. The age of neither Minato nor Kushina is mentioned anywhere, but I think it was mentioned somewhere that they were around 28 when they died. If anyone knows Kakashi's age when he was promoted to Jounin, please let me know so I can figure out how old everyone should be and act from there. Iruka seems to be 4 years younger as Kakashi.

Pairings: have yet to be decided, at least Minato/Kushina

As a side note; updates may be quite slow. Sorry if this bothers anyone, but I want you now. I work a lot and study English and Japanese in my free time. This gives me about two days to either study or write (or anything else for that matter). I have been neglecting some stories which still need to be finished, but nothing has a priority at the moment. I write when I can, about what inspires me at that moment. You have been warned.

Chapter 1
Changing hands

The night Rose Lily Potter had been left on the doorstep of number four Privet Drive several things changed for the Wizarding World. The changes were slow, like a new curriculum installed at Hogwarts, and some would never be noticed for years, like the passing of a few laws. This wouldn't happen until a year after the Girl-Who-Lived defeated Lord Voldemort and put a stop to the war which had been tearing up Wizarding Britain from within.

But this all had no influence on Petunia Dursley, who opened her front door on the second of November to find her niece on her doorstep. Years of festering hate against the world which had taken her sister away from her care grew once more. As she held her niece in her arms for the first time and read the letter addressed to her, she knew that she had to tear herself away from that world once and for all. What world would leave a child on a doorstep and disappear into the night like thieves and madmen? Her niece could have died in the freezing night air! She hadn't expected such irresponsible behaviour from the world she had once wanted to belong to.

Anger turned into sadness as she glanced down at her niece, the only link left to the sister she had once cherished. Petunia adjusted her grip on the tiny girl tucked in her arms when Rose started to stir. She gasped silently when she saw Lily's eyes stare sleepily up at her. Petunia couldn't believe it. The dark red hair which was already growing in a wild mess on top of the small girl's head had been tainted with black. Features of James Potter, which had been prominent before, seemed to soften and be replaced by Lily's. It made looking at Rose a little bit harder than it had before.

"Mama?" came a tiny, sleepy whisper and salty tears started to form in the corners of those emerald green eyes.

Petunia's lip quivered. "I'm sorry," she whispered to the one-year-old. "I'm not your mommy, but I guess you already know. You will stay here for the time being."

"Mama?" Rose muttered sully, letting the tears drip down the sides of her face. "Papa?" She wiggled in her blanket and slowly loosened one of her arms. Tiny fingers reached for her face and without hesitation Petunia reached out to take it into her larger hand. "Mama?" the one-year-old whispered once more before their moment was broken by the kitchen door which banged open.

"Pet, are you going to stand in the hallway all morning or do I…" Vernon froze and narrowed his eyes when he noticed the bundle in her arms. "What's that?"

For a moment Petunia didn't know how to answer him. The hand which was held protectively in her own clenched and with tears in her eyes, Petunia turned the infant towards her husband. "This is Lily's child, Rose." Her voice sounded odd in her ears and for a moment she couldn't continue, chocking on the words which would confirm what had happened. "She left me her child. Oh Vernon, my sister is dead."

While her husband continued to stand in the doorway Petunia broke down, sobbing heavily and bowing low over the whimpering girl in her arms. Her body shook in despair and tears continued to stream down her cheeks only to drip on the chubby cheeks of her niece. Petunia raised her head to look up at her husband, silently begging for his embrace or any form of affection. He remained frozen in the doorway, his hands clenched into tight fists and his face slowly turning an ugly red.

The soft wailing of another child echoed down the stairs and at that moment the beefy man sprang into action. He took Rose from his wife's shaking arms and, after a moment of looking around, Vernon opened the door underneath the stairs. "What are you…?" Petunia asked hesitantly, forcing another sob away. With wide eyes she watched as her husband, the man she married out of love, placed Rose inside the cupboard and closed the door. Petunia dropped her arms, which had still been in a position of holding, and opened her mouth to say something but Vernon cut her off.

"See to Dudley," he barked and Petunia flinched back at the pure hatred he was radiating. "I'll arrange everything while you take care of breakfast." Petunia continued to stand hesitantly in the spot she had been standing, torn between going upstairs to fetch her own child or to rescue the child her beloved sister had left her. "GO!" Vernon barked, making her flinch once more and hurry up the steps. She did not turn back to see her husband pick up the letter which had fallen out of her trembling hands before.

Dudley was already trying to pull himself upright on the bars of his cod. Tears were dripping down his chubby cheeks and his eyes were squeezed shut as he cried out. When his mother entered his room, Dudley quieted and raised his arms. "Up," he all but commanded and continued to stare at his mother until she finally picked him up and out of the cod. Silently she changed his nappy and took him downstairs for his breakfast, placing him in his high-chair while her husband came back out of the living room. All the while, silent tears continued to cascade down Petunia's cheeks.

"Leave that thing in there," Vernon barked when Petunia moved into the hallway. She flinched back as if burned and simply picked up the newspaper from the doormat.

"Rose isn't a thing," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. Her husband narrowed his eyes at her and Petunia tried her hardest not to flinch and look away. "She is a child, not much younger as your own, and she needs to eat."

Vernon sneered and with one last heated glance, unfolded his newspaper. "That thing will not get more than our Dudley," he growled before biting into his toast. "It will start working the moment it is old enough to earn its keep. It will stay in that cupboard all day if it has no use."

Pale green eyes widened and more tears started to leak from them. This time they were tears of anger. Anger at the man she once loved. Anger at the man who now decided how she lived her life. Anger at the man who did not wish to acknowledge the only reminder she had of her sister. Anger at the man she had thought her whole world until now. Now that he had spat at her niece like she was just some wild animal.

A plan started to form inside of her head. One, if she played her cards right, would secure her niece to a life where she could be happier than here. And maybe even save-guard her from that retched Wizarding World which had taken her sister away from her. But how would she do this? She hadn't spoken to her cousin in years, not to mention the fact that she lived in a hidden dimension. Once you crossed to the other side, there was no returning. At least that was what her mother had once told her, just before she passed away. Petunia would have to look for her mother's old belongings which were somewhere in the attic, but if it was for save-guarding Rose's future… would she do it?

Would she risk everything for the sister she had despised for so long?

…two-years later, Japan…

It took nearly two years before Petunia was finally able to fulfil the promise she made the night her niece entered her care. It had haunted her each and every night, the feeling she was being watched and judged. It had been that one night that she had prayed, not to God or any angel she knew of, but to the spirit of her dead sister which she was sure haunted her. Petunia had prayed and begged, sworn that she would do anything she could to get Rose away from Vernon. Because the little girl had been anything but safe while in their care.

She had tried, she honestly had, to take care and shelter Rose. Vernon's anger was just too strong for her at times. It was why she doted on Dudley, taking proper care of her own son because she was unable to care for her niece. Petunia never realised that her niece had grown to be disappointed in her or that Dudley had started to bully his cousin. All in all, the picture of the perfect family was slowly falling apart.

"It's hot," Vernon groaned next to her, trying to cool himself while he lay on the bed. "I never expected Japan to be this hot. What's the point of going on vacation here if the place is too hot for us to do anything?"

Petunia sighed and glanced at her son who was sleeping on the smaller bed next to theirs. His breathing was heavy and he was sweating even if he was lying on top of the covers. The air conditioner was on full blast, but all it seemed to do was circulate the warm air. "You shouldn't have opened the window," Petunia muttered before looking at her niece. Rose was sitting in the corner of their hotel room, seemingly nodding off showing that she too suffered from a jetlag. Green eyes forced themselves open and glanced in their direction. When their eyes met, Rose quickly lowered hers.

It pained Petunia to see her niece this way. How she would turn away from them, almost as if she expected to be punished by simply looking at them. It wasn't right.

Turning to look out the window, Petunia knew that this would probably be the only chance she would get to explore the town on her own. Tired as she was, she also knew that her husband would not leave this room today or her son for that matter. So all she had to do was leave, take her niece with her and find the address written on a tiny piece of paper which had been hidden in her wallet. So she made up her mind, got over her fatigue and kissed her husband's cheek.

"I'm going out for a bit," she said when Vernon looked at her questioningly. "I feel like stretching my legs after that long flight. Would you like me to bring you anything?"

"Hmm," Vernon murmured, closing his eyes again. "Maybe something to drink and eat. Take the girl with you, would you Pet."

Petunia nodded and waited for a moment until she heard her husband's soft snores to release the breath she had been holding. She swiftly crossed the room and pulled out a small pouch from her luggage. Grabbing a white dress and comfortable sandals, Petunia gestured for her niece to come a little closer. Hesitantly and with a weary glance at the suitcase Rose approached her aunt. "Change into these and freshen up a little," Petunia whispered and her sister's eyes suddenly looked up at her in shock. She had to fight back a flinch at the mixture of emotions which was displayed on the child's face. "Hurry now before Vernon wakes again."

Rose scurried towards the bathroom, the new clothes clutched tightly to her chest. Petunia also changed into a loose fitting dress and quickly cleaned herself up a little with some moist towels. Her niece entered the shared bedroom again; her body tense and her eyes downcast as if she expected punishment for wearing the new clothes her aunt had given her. For a moment Petunia observed the three-year-old with a sad smile. The white summer dress swerved around her tiny frame and her red hair, which had become more prominent because of the sunlight, cascaded down her back. She really was a miniature version on Lily, though the black mixed into her hair and the way she moved reminded Petunia of the man she had met so long ago.

"Come Rose," Petunia said with a small smile and held out her hand. Rose's head snapped up and wide eyes stared at her aunt in uncertainty. "We have a lot to do. Let us hurry."

Rose nodded and took the hand which was offered to her. When they reached the lobby, Petunia showed the address to one of the girls behind the counter. After an odd look the young woman gave her directions in broken English, but Petunia was sure they would manage. They had to.

After silently wandering the streets of the quaint little town, Petunia finally broke the silence. "There are a lot of things I haven't told you yet," she said, her eyes ahead so she didn't have to look at her niece. The grip on her hand tightened for a moment and twisted, telling the older woman that Rose was looking at her. "It was my decision to keep this from you because it wasn't safe for you to know these things yet. From today onward you will no longer be in our care. Before I send you off you need to know about the Evans family. And about your parents."

Rose gasped softly and the hand trembled slightly, making Petunia squeeze it gently in comfort. "While I am the only remaining Evans left on this Earth, and indirectly so are you, there is one other who also used to carry the Evans name before she married. And before she left this Earth for another. My father had a brother, who passed away long before you were born, right around the time your mother and I had our falling out. It was part of the reason why I hated Lily so; because she could escape the grieving home while I was stuck with a father who turned to drinking."

She shook her head, clearing her mind of bad memories and getting back on track. "That brother left behind one daughter who was around our age at that time. She was born out of wedlock and her mother rejected her, so she stayed with us until she could find her own way. Mary Evans was her name, though she changed it when she left. She was a strong woman who only inherited the Evans' green eyes. Her blond hair was always short and Mary was quite rebellious during her stay with us. It was probably why she did so well in life."

Petunia felt a little strange talking about Mary after such a long time. Trying to remember her was hard, mainly because the memories of that time were already faded. With her sister away to that school and her father trying to get over the loss of his brother… she knew how he had felt back then. How she had wished to remain curled up in bed after she heard about the death of her own sister or even when her parents died. But Mary had always been blazing like a wild fire, leaving chaos and destruction behind. She had missed the girl who had been a big part of her life and had probably been a little harsher than necessary after Mary left. But that was all in the past now. It was time to made aments.

"Mary was the first to discover our heritage," Petunia continued, feeling a little proud. "Even if Lily had been stronger than all three of us. We Evans women all had magical abilities."

They stopped for a moment and through the reflection of the shop window she saw Rose stare up at her in shock. A stunning smile nearly split her face in two and Petunia turned to her niece with tears in her eyes. "While Lily showed her magical potential early on and was invited to a school of magic, I was left behind. I was always a late bloomer, but I resented your mother for it. Especially since she was much younger then I. So while Lily was away learning magic tricks, Mary did what she did best and I followed her down the path of destruction. Funny thing was that my mother never stopped us from doing the things we did.

"My mother was the one always pushing us to chase shadows and whispers. She supported Mary through all her escapades. All the little trips abroad which could have been seen as runaway attempts had been financed by my mother. It also meant that when my mother finally passed away, Mary was stuck in the country she had been in at that moment. Japan was her last destination."

"Mary was here?" Rose asked quietly with all the curiosity of the child she was. Petunia nodded, encouraging the little girl to speak more. To ask the questions Petunia knew she had been burning to ask. Because all children had questions.

"She was indeed," Petunia replied entering what seemed to be a small corner shop. She sighed in relief when the cool air inside the shop hit her blazing hot skin. They scouted the small shop for something which looked remotely safe to drink and eat and for the first time in two years Petunia heard Rose laugh. It was tentative and short, almost as if she expected to be scolded for expressing happiness. Petunia almost cried in relief to see the young girl act her age. She was determent to send the little girl off with a smile.

After some embarrassing moments at the counter, something they laughed about when they stepped back into the heat again, Petunia and Rose continued on their way. They were both holding onto an ice-lolly, trying to eat the cold treat before it melted completely. "When your mother was young, she seemed to draw everyone and everything to her," Petunia continued when they found a place in the shade to sit for a while. "Lily was always very bright, though she could be awfully dim-witted. And she was very trusting. Always sharing her toys and sweets with other people, especially with a boy she knew. Lily was the first to notice that he was leading a harsh life and she tried to tell me so many times, but I was too blind, too jealous, to see it. You are a lot like your mother, Rose."

Rose brightened, straightening a little at the praise. "I am?"

"You are," Petunia said, nodding and smiling softly. "And not just in your looks. Though I did not know your father, I got the general idea about who he was. Lily used to complain about him often and she would always burn the letter she would get from him. He got under her skin, but I think it was more because he outdid her in the art of pranking rather than anything else. She would throw a hissy fit when he undermined her, but would later boast about getting him in trouble for one of her pranks."

They sat there, both giggling at the silliness of a young Lily Evans. "I was a little bit disappointed when she confessed her feelings for her rival," Petunia continued. "It seemed liked something you would only read about in books. Compared to Lily, my life seems just a waste."

"Is not right, auntie 'Tunia," Rose said softly, leaning to rest her head against her aunt's arm. "Mommy is gone, but you are still here. You have Dudley."

Petunia blinked and placed her hand on top of her niece's head. Rose flinched for a moment, but relaxed when the older woman started to brush through her red hair, leaning into the affectionate touch. "I let you be hurt by the man I loved," Petunia whispered softly. "I could not protect you as well as I should have. I'm sorry for that."

Rose shook her head and look up from under Petunia's hand which was resting on top of hers. "You are hurting too," the three-year-old whispered.

For a moment they sat in silence again before it was time for them to move on. Vernon would grow suspicious if she stayed away too long, but she still had so much to tell her niece. She was running out of time. They were already standing in front of the shop. She crouched down in front of the small child. "I want you to listen to me now, because this is important Rose," Petunia said sternly. The girl nodded her eyes wide with worry and fear. "People change all the time, especially when given new opportunities. Your mother changed when she decided to live in the Wizarding World and Mary… well I don't know for sure but I'm sure she changed a lot more than either of us. Never be afraid to change and never be afraid to accept help from others. I tried to do everything by myself and it cost me a lot. Be healthy and happy and always stay true to yourself." The words run short. At the last moment, when she was just about to send her niece away to live in a different world. "We will never meet again, but never forget your parents. Even if you will forget about us, never forget that they loved you more than anything in the world."

Rose nodded in earnest and salty tears started to form in the corner of her eyes. Petunia placed the small pouch on her back, kissed her cheek and guided her niece into the shop. "Irasshai!" someone called from the back and the elderly woman made eye contact with Petunia. Her eyes were almost completely squeezed shut and her face was deceptively wrinkle free. Black hairs streaked with grey had been tied securely into a bun. To hair pins were decorated with small ribbons and bells which chimed when she turned her head.

This was it. "I'm here to use the mirror," Petunia said, her voice wavering a little when the slits opened slightly to stare right into her soul. "We communicated through letters a few months ago. About my niece."

"Aah, yes, yes," the elderly woman said, her voice as old as her appearance. "You send your niece to Hi no Kuni, yes?" The woman looked at Rose and then back at Petunia, frowning. "She your niece? She too young," she said when Petunia nodded.

"But you agreed she could go!" Petunia cried out, desperation filling her up till she felt like she was drowning. They were so close to sending Rose off towards a new world. Why was this happening now? "I told you her age and why she needed to go today. She has another aunt on the other side who will take care of her. Why won't you accept her?"

The elderly woman shook her head. "Too young, will be too much pain for her," she argued back. "You say she young, not age. Now I see and I say she too young. Cannot go to Hi no Kuni if she too young."

"But-"

"What if I want to go?" Rose whispered suddenly making the two arguing women look at the small three-year-old.

The old woman shook her head sadly, making the bells chime cheerfully. "The price too high," she said softly. "Too much pain for young girl. Will make you die. You will not see sun there. Only black."

Rose bit down on her lower lip, looking like she was thinking. Petunia felt a little shaken. During their correspondence the woman hadn't spoken about a possibility of dying. Maybe they should pull out of the deal? Think of another plan to keep Rose safe. But Petunia knew that this was probably her only shot at Rose's happiness. At least the only one where she would be safe from both Vernon and the Wizarding World.

"I will do it," Rose said suddenly earning a calculating look from the shop keeper. The silence in the small shop was as heavy as the heat outside and for a moment Petunia felt like everything was going to blow up in her face. All her plans and hopes for a better future. Suddenly the woman nodded gravely and gestured with a shaking hand towards Rose. The young girl looked up at Petunia and after an encouraging nod, stepped towards the back of the shop where the shop keeper was waiting for her.

The mirror was deceptively normal looking. It didn't have any decorative feature, just heavy looking glass which stood about two meters tall with a small silver frame. The fact that it didn't seem to reflect anything which was in the room was the only hint at something being not right about it. "You are brave girl," the older woman said while she gestured for Rose to stand in front of the mirror. "You will have many luck in other life."

"Thank you," Rose whispered before turning to her aunt. Petunia looked at her niece with mixed feelings. She knew that this was probably for the best and there was no turning back now. It didn't help fight the feeling that she wanted to pull Rose away from the mirror and keep her close. "Thank you auntie 'Tunia. I will make you proud." And with a flash of light, she was gone.

…P.O.V. change, Rose…

Rose felt like she was being squeezed from all sides. While she was falling through the air she had squeezed her eyes shut, but she could feel her tears rolling down her cheeks. And her ears. And from her mouth, down her chin. Her head felt like it was being banged, banged, banged against the wall. Almost like that time she saw a ball bounce against the wall, and back, and to the wall again, and back. And she was falling faster, and faster, and faster, until she screamed in fear and pain. Because she was hurting so much and falling so fast. And her heart went throb, throb, throb. And it hurt so much.

And then she sneezed, making everything stop. Slowly she opened her eyes and Rose felt like she hadn't left the shop at all. It had the same wooden beams and the same funny lightly. But she knew it was different, because aunt Petunia was gone and so was the old lady.

Another older lady, who looked like the other old lady but differently, was crouched over her. "Are you alright, little girl?" she asked softly.

Rose frowned in concentration and started to wiggle her toes. One at a time she checked to see if they were all working before wiggling her legs, her butt, her fingers, until finally reaching her ears and nose. "Yup, they're all working," Rose said with a smile and the old lady chuckle, making the skin around her eyes wrinkle funnily. With a little help from the old lady, she slowly sat upright, accepting the drink which was offered to her.

"It's good to see that it worked," the old lady said with a kind smile. "I was wondering if you were going to make it seeing as you're so young. I'll let my sister know that you arrived safely, shall I?"

"Thank you," Rose said, nodding and handing the now empty cup back to the old lady. Rose looked around the room she arrived in. It looked like the shop she just left behind, but some of the stuff in the room were different. There were lots of pictures with strange squiggles on them and she could swear there were some odd looking knifes on the shelves. Just as she was getting ready to stand another person entered the room.

The lady was as tall as aunt Petunia with short blond hair and green eyes, though not as green as her own. There was a strange and slightly scary strength which seemed to radiate off of her in waves, but when the lady smiled down at Rose she scariness seemed to disappear a little. "You must be Lily's daughter, Rose," the blonde lady said with an encouraging smile and Rose nodded shyly. "My name is Haruno Mebuki. It's nice to meet you."

Suddenly Rose realised just who she was talking to. "It's nice to meet you auntie Mary."

Mebuki blinked and started to laugh. "I like you already," she said with a grin before turning to the elderly lady. "Thank you Shimura-sama for this. Will you please send this to your sister to give to Petunia?"

"Of course," Lady Shimura said. "Now run along and make sure that the child eats enough tonight. She will be a little tired for a while, but that should have passed by tomorrow. If she shows any sign of illness, give her this." A small flash was trusted into the hands of Mebuki who accepted it with a grateful bow. "It should help, but you might want to visit the hospital as well. She will need to get her shots anyway. Have the doctors check her for any malfunctioning's in her chakra coils."

"Of course Shimura-sama," Mebuki said, bowing deeply once more. "Thank you for everything you've done for us."

Lady Shimura waved the thanks away with a smile. "That's alright. Off you go and tell your husband to come and fix my shed sometimes this week."

Mebuki gestured towards Rose, who mimicked the bow towards the old lady. "I'm going with auntie Mary now," Rose said. "Thank you for the drink."

The old lady winked at her and patted her on the head. "Have fun now."

Rose nodded and followed aunt Mary out of the shop and into a strange forest. The trees were larger than any she had ever seen and everything seemed green and bright. The air was warm and the sun, which shone brightly through the trees, coloured the world in a way she had only seen in picture books. While Mebuki was waiting for her niece to follow her, Rose was spinning in a slow circle, trying to see everything at once. From the birds nesting in the nearby tree, to the fox which scurried away under the bushes, to the butterflies hovering above the flowers which seemed to bloom on top of the roof of the shop they had just left. Its wooden roof seemed to be home to many small creatures, each minding their own business and sharing the small space.

Would she ever find such a home she could share with everyone? Tears formed in the corners of her eyes and before Rose was fully aware of anything at all, she was crying loudly. While the three-year-old had often shed lonely tears in the dark of the night, she had never out right cried before since entering the care of the Dursley's. Dudley was the one who always cried, even when there was nothing to cry about he would scream and throw a fit. It was probably one of the reasons why Rose chose, subconsciously, not to cry without good reason. Now seemed to be the time to let all the stress of the last few days out.

So she stood there in front of the shop, her tiny hands clenched into fists, brawling. Thick, hot tears streamed down the sides of her cheeks as she mourned the loss of her parents, the time spend with the Dursley's, all the cold and dark nights inside the cupboard under the stairs and finally she cried for the loss of her aunt.

It wasn't until she calmed down slightly that Rose noticed warm, comforting arms holding her protectively. A soft, but strong, voice kept comforting her. While aunt Mary didn't make any promises that everything was going to be alright, she did comfort her with the fact that she was here now and that they would be a family. It didn't matter that they were only distantly related, Mebuki being Rose's grandfather's brother's daughter. All that mattered was that she was here now and Mebuki was going to take care of her like she was her own.

The stream of tears subsided and after a few hiccups, bloodshot eyes stared into pale green eyes. "But what if you don't like me?" Rose asked softly.

Mebuki chuckled and ruffled through her hair. "I'm sure you can't be any worse than my husband," she said with a wink. "We do not have any children of our own yet and though the war has caused trade to be slow, it seems to be picking up again. Besides, I need another woman in the house."

Rose giggled softly and yawned. The outburst had caused her to tire, especially since she had travelled twice today. First the long flight from England to Japan and then the painful travel through the mirror from Japan to… here. Her eyes drooped a little and she swayed. Rose yelped in surprise when Mebuki suddenly picked her up and swung her expertly onto the strong back of the woman. Tiny hands grasped the worn fabric of light clothing and legs tightened their hold in a reflex around the waist of the older woman. "You rest your head, while I take us home," Mebuki said when Rose started to protest.

"I can walk!"

Mebuki chuckled and started walking on a well-used road through the forest. "Let me tell you a little about the history of the town called Konoha," she said and continued to speak about her home town. The town soon to be Rose's home. For a long many minutes Rose fought her hardest against sleep. Her eyelids were heavy and the sun warmed up her back, making it feel like she was resting under a heavy blanket. She snuggled into her aunt's back, for the first time since entering the care of family, Rose was at ease. Comfortable and able to relax completely.

Rose jolted awake. For a moment she didn't understand where she was. She was up high and the world around her was too bright for her to be inside of her cupboard. When Rose tried to turn around, someone gripped her legs. "Seems you've woken up just in time." Everything came rushing back to the three-year-old and she gasped in shock when giant gates appeared before them. Large signs had been painted on them. Signs Rose had seen when they had been in Japan.

While she stared in shock, Mebuki chuckled softly. While her aunt crouched down so she could stand on her own two feet, Rose continued to gaze at the gates in apprehension and admiration. While she was still young, the girl could already read her surroundings quite well. Everything about her surroundings felt warm and welcoming, though her feet felt cold. Rose remembered something about a war which had only just ended. While the child didn't know a lot about the world yet, she did know suffering and loss. And this place was mourning their losses still.

"You seem to like it already," Mebuki said, smiling down at her niece.

Rose frowned. She wasn't too sure about whether she liked it or not, but the place did feel… right. "It's warm," she said softly. "Like the sun."

A thoughtful expression appeared on Mebuki's face before she mentally waved the thought away and grinned. "In any case; welcome to Konoha, Rose-chan."

A/N: That's it. Let me know if you know what age Kakashi was promoted to Jounin. Otherwise I'll have to make something up.