Bleach, Naruto 1. When another problem arises

**The Dragon's egg II: Hade's Rebellion**

'Sakura, wake up'

…

'Wake up'

…..

'Come on, wake up'

…..

'Wake up, right now'

….

'WAKE THE HELL UP BRAT!'

A young, pink-haired woman jumped out of bed with her head ringing and black dots in her line of vision.

'What the hell Tsuki?! I'm trying to sleep here!'

'My point exactly! Now, get out of bed right this instant or you are gonna be late'

'Late for-' Sakura's eyes widened as it hit her.

"Shit! Shit! Shit! I'm gonna be late!" she yelled and immediately threw the covers aside.

'Good to hear that we agree'

The girl ignored her dragon and continued rummaging through her closet for something to wear. She didn't really know why Kaien had called an emergency meeting and the man was unpredictable, it could begin as a simple gathering and the turn into a full training session. And since it was summer and the temperatures were high, she chose plain black shorts and a fitting green t-shirt. Simple and comfortable, just the way she liked.

Without wasting another minute she grabbed her katana (which she didn't have to hide anymore) and rushed out of her room and down the stairs into the kitchen where her mother was preparing breakfast.

"Good morning mom!"

"Oh! Good morning Sakura! Why are you in a hurry?"

"Kaien called a meeting and I'm gonna be late!" the girl said and as she grabbed her toast and gulped down half a glass of fresh orange juice.

"Tell Tsuki and the others hi for me, will you? Oh, and please remind Kurenai and Kaien that they are invited for tea later today!"

"Will do!" yelled the girl and ran out of the door, over the wooden fence and down a path that she knew all too well. The truth was that her mother had taken the whole 'dragon-rider' thing surprisingly well. At first, Sakura had expected Tsunade to freak out, yell, faint. Well, do something other than what she did. Tsunade had listened to the whole story quietly without interrupting and even asked a couple of questions to clear some things up. Sakura had been pleasantly surprised to see that her mother (and her sister after some time) accepted the unexpected turn of events in their lives. Of course, the girl hadn't told her mother of her meeting with Dan Haruno. The fact that her daughter and Toshiro were dragon riders and that she was conversing with 4,000 year old people were a lot to take in. Also, meeting up with the dead wasn't something common even for dragon riders and she had kept that to herself. Not even Toshiro or Neji knew. After all, she felt that that meeting was something special and she wanted to keep it to herself. Between herself and her father.

Within minutes, she was standing panting in front of Tsuki and Uragiru's cave.

"Glad you could make it." a voice said and Sakura looked up to see Neji smirking from the cave's entrance.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm late. Is everyone here?"

"Kaien will be here shortly. He had to take care of something first. Kurenai and Toshiro are already inside."

Sakura nodded and followed him inside where humans and dragons alike were resting quietly.

"Good morning."

"Good morning, Sakura."

"Morning, sleepyhead."

The girl glared at the white-haired teenager who only smirked in return. She walked past him and made herself comfortable between her dragon's front legs but not before giving Tsuko and Uragiru a kiss on their muzzles. It had taken Uragiru some time to get over the guilt of being Madara's dragon (even though it had not been his choice) but he had adapted quickly to his new life and he couldn't have been happier. He had opened up to them after the first few months and they had become best friends with Tsuki rather quickly. As it turned out (and to everyone's surprise) he liked affection and had developed a particularly soft spot for Sakura who gave it to him wholeheartedly, with the girl coming second only to Toshiro. It was plain as day that the black dragon adored his new rider and was extremely protective of him. She rested her head on Tsuki's body and closed her eyes, enjoying the calming rise and fall of her dragon's breathing.

'Do we know what this meeting is about?' Sakura asked without opening her eyes.

'I'm afraid not. No matter how many times we asked Kaien, he was reluctant to answer. The same goes for Kurenai. They have been awfully secretive these past couple of days. Not even Neji knows.'

'Strange. Kaien never tells us anything until the time is right but for Neji to not know…..I don't know; it just feels off.'

'My thoughts exactly. Something is going on….And I've been getting this strange feeling the last few days…..'

Sakura opened her eyes immediately and turned to look at her dragon. Tsuki's eyes were worried and uncharacteristically wary.

'Tsuki, what's wrong?' the girl asked more worried about her dragon than anything else.

'I'm not sure. It's just…I've been getting the feeling that something big is going to happen. And it doesn't seem good.'

'What about Uragiru? Have you talked to him about this?'

'He gets the same feeling too.'

'Does Toshiro know?'

'I'm not sure but judging by the glances he has been sending us since we started talking, he probably does.'

Sakura lifted her eyes and emerald clashed with sea-green. In his eyes was all the answer she needed. He knew and he too was worried. She nodded curtly at him, telling him that she knew and a silent understanding passed between them to talk about this later.

'Tsuki….. What do your instincts say?'

The young dragon looked at her straight in the eyes 'Danger.'

At that moment and before Sakura could answer, the unmistakable sound of flapping wings came from outside announcing the arrival of Arasoi and Kaien. Both man and dragon hurriedly entered the cave and Sakura's worry intensified once she saw the distressed look on Kaien's usually composed face. The last time she had seen the man so upset was almost a year ago….right before the battle with Madara. Her gut clenched uncomfortably at the thought.

"Kaien? What's wrong? What did you find out?" asked Kurenai and rushed to the man's side. She hadn't seen Kaien seem so…..old for a long, long time and her instincts were screaming at her that something was terribly wrong.

"It is worse than we thought Kurenai." The man said and he seemed so tired, as if he had aged 1,000 years in the course of a minute. Arasoi sensing his rider's distress sat beside him and brought his legs around him protectively to which Kaien answered with a grateful smile.

Kurenai paled at the sound of those words "How much worse?"

"So much that I am afraid we might be too late."

"But how is it even possible? The last one was suppressed almost 3,000 years ago!"

"Hey, we would very much appreciate it if you finally told us what the hell is going on." Toshiro interrupted them before Kaien had the time to answer.

Kaien sighed heavily as if the weight of the world was upon his shoulders, knowing that it had come to the inevitable.

"Sit down and listen carefully."

The others, humans and dragons, gathered around the man in a semi circle and waited patiently for him to continue.

"The world has another threat to face" the man started "and this one might mean the end of it. For good."

"What kind of threat?" asked Neji who was sitting beside Sakura, already getting the unpleasant feeling at his gut that in the end, it would inevitably have something to do with them.

"Hades is preparing another rebellion."

Sakura watched her Guardian closely for his reaction and she could say that she wasn't pleased with it. Neji, who she thought wasn't unfazed easily, became even paler than he already was and his pearly eyes widened considerably.

"Hades?" said Toshiro and her eyes shifted to him.

"The Greek God Hades, the ruler of the underworld, King of the Dead." Answered Neji and his voice carried an uncharacteristic edge to it that had the hair at the back of Sakura's neck stand on edge.

"Exactly. Ruler of the Underworld, lord of darkness, wielder of shadows. Call him whatever you want."

"You said he is preparing a rebellion. Why? What does he want?" This time it was Sakura who asked.

"Hades along with his brothers Zeus and Poseidon and his sisters Hera, Demeter and Hestia are the children of the Titan Cronus and Rhea. The six gods challenged the Elder Gods for power in the Titanomachy, a war of gods and titans which lasted for a decade and ended with the victory of the younger gods. Hades and his two brothers, Poseidon and Zeus, drew lots, for realms to rule. Zeus got the sky, Poseidon got the seas, and Hades received the underworld, the unseen realm to which the souls of the dead go upon leaving the world as well as any and all things beneath the earth. But Hades was never satisfied. He blamed Zeus; accused him that he had tricked him and cursed him to live for eternity in the misty and gloomy abode of the dead. And he never rested. He plotted with his shadowy followers since the dawn of the Olympian Gods."

Silence fell around them, uncomfortable and suffocating until it was broken by Sakura.

"Kurenai said that the last one was suppressed 3,000 years ago. What exactly did she mean?"

"Hades has tried again to take over Olympus. Almost 3,000 years ago he challenged Zeus to a divine duel to see who was the strongest and fit to rule Olympus. But he underestimated the power of the Father of Gods and Zeus banned him from the Residence of the Olympians. He has been living in his dark realm since then and now he is making his move."

"But why now?" asked Toshiro.

"The Olympians are weak. In Ancient Greece they were feared and respected and worshiped. They had temples and shrines and statues. But most of all, people used to pray. Nowadays, people no longer believe in The Twelve and their power is fading. But as you can't stop time, you also can't stop mortals from dying and with all the wars and the deceases scourging the world, their number is bigger than ever. Hades is gaining power and the Gods are weakening. Soon he will have enough power to overthrow Zeus and turn this world to ashes."

The cave once more fell silent as the graveness of Kaien's words lingered in the air and weighted their hearts.

Sakura knew that she had to ask; a question that she wanted to be answered but also dreaded.

"What does this have to do with us?" Suddenly all eyes, human and dragon alike, turned to Kaien who was silently sitting across from them with his eyes closed. They patiently waited for the man to answer.

"We have no choice. Our allies in Greece have already begun gathering forces to face Hades when the time comes or at least slow him down even for a while. We have to go to their aid. An old friend of mine who has been living in Greece for the past few centuries contacted me a couple of days ago. The news isn't encouraging. They have problems keeping the creatures of dark at bay and most of their forces have not yet arrived. Soon they will be overpowered and what small hope is left will be lost."

"Kaien, Sarutobi is old. What if he is wrong?"

"Don't try to postpone the inevitable Kurenai nor find hope here there isn't. Sarutobi might be old but his powers far surpass ours in this particular field of knowledge. He was never wrong in the past and he will never be until the day he closes his eyes. The signs are clear."

Sakura closed her eyes as if in pain. The truth was that from the moment Kaien had walked through the door, she had known that he wouldn't be telling them anything good. As it turned out, Tsuki had been right. They had another, new war to fight. It never ended, did it? There always would be another battle to be fought, another villain to be brought down. But this time, did they even stand chance? Madara had been a tough opponent but he had been mortal. This time, they were going up against a god. Dragon riders or not, they were mortal and they would die. Heck, they were fighting the God of the Dead himself! Could she risk everything for the second time in her life? Would she? Now that she was finally happy and at peace with her family and loved ones, was she willing to give all that up to go on another quest? Another mission that would take her far away from home, maybe forever?

Yes, she was.

There were innocent lives at stake. If Hades won, no one would escape his wrath and desire for vengeance. He would destroy everything and everyone in his wake, her family and friends included. She couldn't- wouldn't allow that to happen. She had already defeated a madman once in her life and she would do it again and again and again if it meant keeping the ones that mattered to her safe. Slowly she rose and was immediately followed by Toshiro and Neji. The boys had been around her long enough to know when she was serious and the unmistakable shine in her eyes was all the answer they needed.

Sakura trailed each of her friends with her eyes. Kurenai's worried expression and Kaien's tired face, Neji's sharp features and Toshiro's tense form. Then her eyes went to Tsuki and the other dragons that were patiently waiting for their riders to make their decision. These were her friends and she knew that they would stand beside her as she would stand beside them. She trusted them with her life and nothing would ever change that. When she was with them she didn't know what fear meant.

"Well, what are we waiting for?"

She wasn't surprised to see Neji and Toshiro with identical smirks on their faces and she noticed with satisfaction that Kaein's face had regained some of its color and that his eyes weren't cloudy anymore. Slowly he rose to his feet and stood tall beside his dragon.

"I shall inform Sarutobi that help will be arriving shortly." He said and sent Sakura a smile. It was in rare occasions that Kaien smiled that particular smile; the one full of gratitude and kindness and pride. But when he did, it brightened his face as it brightened the souls of the ones that were around him. She returned it with one of her own.

"So that means….." Toshiro trailed off.

"That means that you should pack your bags. We are going to Greece."

**TBC**

**And here it is! Prologue/ Chapter 1 of "The Dragon's egg II: Hade's Rebellion"! First of all, I know that many of you have noticed that not all the parts of Ancient Greek Mythology I used (and will use) are exactly as they really are. Believe me, there is nothing about Greek Mythology that I don't know since I've read and re-read and re-re-read and- well, you get the point. The thing is that Ancient Greek Mythology is something that I've known by heart since I was three (there was no Snow-White or Cinderella for me. My mother used to put me to sleep by reading me the Odyssey, the Iliad and the story of the Minotaur.) So please don't tell me that I am doing mistakes or that I don't know Greek Mythology. It's just that some parts will be altered to fit the story better. I hope you liked the chapter and the general idea of this sequel. Tell me if you'd like me to continue this story. READ AND REVIEW! Lots of love!**


	2. Welcome to Greece

"And don't forget to call me when you arrive, ok?"

Sakura allowed what seemed to be the hundredth sigh in the course of the three hours that it took them to gear up and get ready for their voyage to Greece. "Yes mom, I promise I'll call right after we get settled."

Tsunade glanced at her daughter suspiciously and crossed her arms across her chest. "I believe you. But since you cannot be trusted when it comes to this kind of thing…." she said after a few seconds and turned to Toshiro who had just finished saddling up Uragiru. "Toshiro, dear, please make sure my daughter calls me, will you?" she asked politely and smiled sweetly at the young man who grinned back at her mirthfully.

"No worries Mrs. Haruno. I'll take care of that."

"Thank you, dear. Such a nice young man! Completely unlike a certain someone who seems to pay little mind to the justified worries of a mother." Tsunade said almost dramatically and sent Sakura a pointed look. The pink-haired woman rolled her eyes. Same old Tsunade.

"I'll be right back." Sakura said and headed for the back door that connected the backyard to the kitchen to grab a couple water bottles she had put in the fridge last night.

Neji had finished checking Tsuki's saddle to make sure that it was secure on her back and was about to check his own gear when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around and was met with the serious hazel eyes of Haruno Tsunade.

Tsunade was stubborn and had a temper to be scared of but stupid she was not. She knew that this was not just a simple trip. You don't travel 5,500 miles just to visit a man you don't even know in the first place. The blonde woman knew that their lives would never be the same again and after hearing the whole story she was well aware of the danger. It was still kind of hard for her to process everything that had taken place, the dragons and the 4,000 years that were Kaien and Kurenai's lives being the hardest. She knew that it was only natural to be worried and she was positive that the uneasy feeling at her gut was because of the distance that they would have to travel to reach their destination. She knew all that as she also knew that she had to be strong and remain calm for her daughter's-both her daughters'- sake. But that didn't stop her throat from clenching and the knot at the pit of her stomach from tightening.

But she had faith in her daughter's strength and resolve and she knew that Sakura had people (and dragons) around her that would protect her; Neji being one of those people. In the year she had known him, Tsunade had grown to really like and respect the young man. She could see the special bond he had with her younger daughter- though she couldn't really understand it- and she was absolutely sure that if there was one person on the entire planet that would go to hell and back for Sakura it was Neji.

With seriousness that was unlike her usual lighter tone she started speaking.

"I know that you have much to do, Neji. I also know that my daughter's life as well as ours will never be the same again; not after everything that has happened. I have faith in her and Tsuki and I know that they both put their hearts in what they are doing. But I can't help the fear that has clouded my heart. Please…." she said and her tone was almost begging "Please protect my little girl."

Neji regarded the blonde woman with a soft gaze and a gentle smile appeared on his lips. This was not Tsunade the scientist or even Tsunade the woman. This was Tsunade the mother. A mother that was worried about her daughter's well being. A mother who had seen her child become something extraordinary that was beyond her imagination.

"With my life." he replied and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

The most grateful smile he had ever seen on a person's face bloomed on her lips and for a moment he could swear that he saw her fighting back tears of gratitude.

"That's…great!" she said almost awkwardly and she immediately straightened up, regaining her composure. Tsunade Haruno was not a woman who was used to showing weakness to anyone but her tense shoulders had visibly relaxed, if only slightly, and she was standing up straighter as if a heavy weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She stepped back, dropping the hand she had placed on Neji's shoulder and ran the other one through her hair to untangle knots that weren't there.

"I'll…..I'll just go get Sakura and you can finish what you were doing."

"That would be a good idea." he answered back still smiling. It was amusing to see such a strong and usually composed woman scratching her head in nervousness.

"Ok, I'm all set. We are ready to depart."

Both heads turned and they saw Sakura walking towards them with her pack hanging off her right shoulder and a determined look on her face.

"If the winds are kind we should arrive to Greece in two days time. Once we reach the coastline, it's only a matter of a couple of hours before we reach Sarutobi's residence. Kaien and Kurenai will probably arrive a day or two later."

"Do you really have to make such a long journey?" Tsunade asked and grabbed her daughter's hands in her own.

"Mom, you know we have to. We will just check things out over there and come back in no time. You won't even realize we are gone. Relax, ok?" Sakura said and tightened her grip on her mother's hands to reassure her that everything was fine. And if she wanted to be true to herself, it was all lies. Lies, lies, lies…..Would it ever end? Would she ever be able to look her mother in her eyes and tell her the absolute truth? She wasn't sure. Her life had been calm and happy for almost a year until this new calamity made its appearance. It was almost ironic, really. All she ever wanted was to be a normal girl, yet now she didn't even know the meaning of the word 'normal'. Whatever normality and stability she used to have in her life before Tsuki and the whole dragon-rider thing was long gone and she highly doubted that it would ever come back. Her life was far too complicated now to change.

"Toshiro and Uragiru are ready and so is Tsuki. We can set off immediately." Neji said and broke her out of her thoughts.

"Right." said Sakura "We shouldn't waste anymore time."

She was about to move away when Tsunade pulled her into a bone-crushing hug. Sakura was startled at first as her mother wasn't usually so expressive but quickly brought her hands around her mother and buried her nose in her shoulder.

"Promise me, Sakura. Promise me that you'll be safe." the blonde woman whispered in her ear and tightened her hold on her even more. It was as if Tsunade was afraid that if she let go, Sakura would disappear.

Sakura hesitated. Could she really give that promise? Would she be able to keep it? They knew little to nothing about what they were going to face and time was running out. They were going up against a force so old and vengeful that it put Madara to shame. She could already feel the burden of this new mission weighting her heart and they hadn't even reached the battlefield yet. Facing Madara had been the hardest thing she had ever done and more times than she could count she had been sure that she wouldn't make it out alive. But this…..This was taking it to a whole new level. Fate had thrown them into another one of her games and this time…Death was her ally.

"I promise. I'll be safe and I'll be home before you even know it. " she said at last though she couldn't know what message her moment of hesitation had passed to her mother.

Tsunade was reluctant to let go though she knew she had to. Her little girl was not so little anymore and her life would never be the same again. It was difficult for the blonde woman to grasp completely the full extent of the change in her daughter's-their lives and it would take time to finally be able to come to terms with everything that had taken place. But Tsunade was a mother and she loved her children to death. She would support her daughters' choices no matter what they were and offer them all her love. And no dragons, 4,000 year old people or madmen bent on world domination would ever change that.

Her arms fell from around the girl's body but not before lingering for a little while longer on the young woman's hands.

Sakura smiled sweetly at her mother. She understood how the blonde woman was feeling. From one minute to another Tsunade had been thrown into a completely different world, a world where black was white and fire-breathing dragons were a common occurrence. She herself still knew little to nothing despite being an apprentice to Kaien for almost a year. It would take time and no small amount of understanding and mental labor to finally grasp even a small part of this storm of events.

'Sakura, it's time.' Tsuki said and came to stand beside her rider. Sakura nodded her head without tearing her eyes away from her mother and mounted her dragon with Neji behind her. Toshiro and Uragiru were already ready to go and were waiting patiently for them.

Tsunade smiled faintly and patted the silver dragon's neck gently.

"Take care of my little girl, Tsuki; and of yourself. "

The young dragon lowered her head and softly touched the woman's forehead.

'I will.'

"We better get going." said Neji and Sakura had to agree. Time was flying faster than dragons and even a minute could make a difference in a situation like this.

Tsunade was left standing there, watching as the hug beasts spread their wings and with a leap and a few powerful beats they were off the ground, their membranes shinning under the sunrays like silver and black diamonds.

As they grew smaller in the distance, Tsunade couldn't help the shiver that ran up and down her spine nor could she stop the fear from gripping her heart in a tight hold.

She stayed there until there was not even a trace of them in the distance and all she could see was the endless blue of the sky…..

XxxOxOxOxxX

As it turned out the Gods were with them for the winds were kind and there were no unexpected complications along the way. The Sun was just beginning to rise announcing the arrival of the third day of their journey when the rocky coasts of an island came in sight.

"Which island is that?" asked Sakura turning halfway to look at Neji.

"That would be Crete, one of the biggest Greek islands. It has a long history and an ancient civilization. In ancient times, the Cretans were the rules of the Mediterranean any had ships in almost every port. They used to be a remarkable force. Nowadays, the island of Crete is an important tourist attraction and the Cretans, like most Greeks, are known to be especially hospitable."

"I seem to recall something I once read about a Labyrinth."

"That's another important part of the history of Crete. Minos was a king of Crete, son of Zeus and Europa. Every nine years, he made King Aegeus pick seven young boys and seven young girls to be sent to Daedalus' creation, the labyrinth, to be eaten by the Minotaur. After his death, Minos became a judge of the dead in the underworld. Archaeologists today believe that the legend of the Minotaur was created because of Minos himself, who used to wear the mask of a bull's head in feasts and symposiums. Though we do know for a fact the Minotaur was indeed there. We do not know how he got caught by the Cretans. He is a particularly strong individual."

Sakura shot him an incredulous look. "'Is'? What do you mean 'is'? As in, he is still alive?" The girl had learnt to have an open mind and she didn't doubt that Minotaurs were bound to be another one of the unknown, ancient species that still roamed the earth. Sure, she already knew a couple of people that were a few thousand years of age and sure, she had faced many bizarre situations but it was still kind of hard to believe that an ancient legend like the Minotaur of Crete was indeed true and most of all, _alive_.

"Old and grouchy with a strong dislike for Cretans but alive nonetheless."

"Wait, wait, wait. You mean you have met him?" It was getting stranger and stranger.

"I did meet him once when I came to Greece with Kaien to help our allies with some problems. He's a bit unpleasant, especially when reminded of his imprisonment in the Labyrinth, but patient and with some great stories to tell."

Sakura didn't answer, only shook her head and fixed her eyes in the distance. They were flying high enough so they wouldn't be seen but she could still see clearly enough the island as they flew over it. There wasn't much green and rocks and dry, yellow grass covered most of the island but it radiated a certain charm that had Sakura wanting to get to know more about it. She made a mental note to come visit when all this was over.

Soon they were flying over an endless blue and the distinct smell of sea salt rose in the ait along with the cool sea breeze. Sakura marveled at the way the orange rays of the early sun reflected on the sea foam and watched in awe as small waves rippled the surface of the beautiful waters. They were an inviting blue and at some places an exotic blue-green that reminded her of Toshiro's eyes…..

She glanced at the young man who was flying on his dragon a couple of feet away. She watched as the morning air blew through his white hair ruffling them but still doing nothing to lessen his unique charm; if anything, it made him even more handsome. Her emerald-green eyes traced his refined features, the pale skin, the straight nose and the inviting lips and then rested on his eyes that so much resembled the sea.

'Though his eyes are so much more beautiful…..'

"That's Athens. It's the capital city of Greece."

Sakura shook her head to clear it and mentally thanked Neji for the distraction. She glanced at the city as they flew over it and though she couldn't see much she could still make out the roads and the cars as well as some of the bigger buildings. That's when a particular one caught her eye.

"Hey, what's that?" she asked and pointed at a strange, marble structure that stood out. It seemed magnificent to say the least even from this height and it radiated a unique, ancient aura.

"You have a keen eye, Sakura. That's the Parthenon. It is a temple on the Athenian Acropolis dedicated to the maiden goddess Athena, whom the people of Athens considered their patron deity. Its construction began in 447 BC when the Athenian Empire was at the height of its power and was completed in 438 BC. The Parthenon is regarded as an enduring symbol of Ancient Greece, Athenian democracy, western civilization and one of the world's greatest cultural monuments."

Tsuki flew over the Parthenon and as low as she could so she wouldn't be seen and Sakura managed to get a better look. Though it was brief and nothing more but a simple look, Sakura couldn't help but feel drawn to the ancient temple as if something was calling her and it had nothing to do with its beauty. She fought hard to resist the urge to tell Tsuki to turn around and head for the ancient monument.

"How do you even know all this?" she asked to take her mind off the strange feeling the temple had woken inside her and turned to glance at Neji.

"I've been here more times than I can count. Greece is our…headquarters, of some sorts. Modern Greeks, at least most of them, as well as the rest of the world do not realize it but this land holds more power than you can imagine. It is where everything started. It is where the first dragons and mythical creatures were born and where the Gods met humans for the first time. Many secrets this land holds and many more its ancient civilization."

He didn't continue after that and Sakura didn't press for more. She couldn't know how, but suddenly she got the feeling that when all this was over she would have a completely different outlook on life.

"Where are we heading? Kaien failed to mention that."

"Our destination is the Pangaion Hills, a mountain range that lies in Northern Greece. It is where Sarutobi has been living for the past few centuries. We should be there in an hour or so."

The rest of the flight was silent apart from the occasional scared bird and Sakura spent the following hour regarding the villages and the towns that they flew over. It was a beautiful country, she decided, with both big enough cities and picturesque little villages that reminded her of tales that her mother used to tell her when she was younger.

The wind picked up and the chill in the air was more noticeable as they traveled north. The scenery changed and became wilder and more uneven. There were long mountain ranges and a couple snowy peaks despite being summer. The trees were taller and their barks were a dark brown while their leaves were a darker green.

'Are you ok, Tsuki?'

'I'm fine. A bit tired but fine.'

"How much till we're there? The dragons won't be able to go much longer. We've been travelling nonstop for the past two days." asked Sakura and patted Tsuki's silver neck to offer some comfort.

"Won't be a problem for long. Look up ahead."

True to his words, Neji pointed in the distance where a peak rose high in the air and the Pangaion mountain range was just beginning to become visible. Sakura sighed in relief and stoke Tsuki's scales.

'Just a little bit more Tsuki and you'll get your much deserved rest.'

"Where does this ally live?"

"In a cave not far from a small village."

"In a cave? You mean that he has been living in a cave for the past few centuries?"

"Sarutobi is very frugal and he is content living the way he is. He prefers the company of the trees and the forest animals to the one of humans and he rarely ever goes to the village. After all, the peace and quiet of Nature is ideal for his powers."

Sakura nodded and fixed her eyes to the approaching mountain range. She could clearly see it now and though it wasn't the biggest one she had ever seen, it surely was big enough to catch someone's attention. As the dragons' got closer they started to fly lower and lower, trying to find a good enough place to land without being seen.

"Look, that's the village." Neji said and pointed at a small amphitheatric village at the base of the Pangaion Hills. "Sarutobi's residence is close; in a secluded area behind those rocks and after that part of the forest."

Finding a place suitable for landing was not easy. Not many dragons ever stopped at this part of Greece as very few were aware of Sarutobi's whereabouts and there were not many clearings big enough to host two dragons of Uragiru and Tsuki's size. After several minutes of searching they finally managed to locate one big enough and hidden by a thick cluster of tall trees that would hide the dragons from prying eyes when they landed. Both beasts circled the clearing a couple of times before landing as soundless as they could. The place was secluded but the village wasn't that far and it would do them no good to attract unwanted attention.

Sakura's feet where sore after so many hours of flight and she had no doubt that she wasn't the only one. Toshiro cringed when his back made a loud crack and groaned as he stretched trying to get his sore muscles to work properly once more. The only who seemed to be rather well was Neji who smirked at the tired teenagers. Apparently after so many years with Kaien he had gotten used to so many hours of nonstop flight.

"Come on. Sarutobi doesn't approve of being late." Neji said and started walking away. The two teenagers glanced at each other and groaned but followed him nonetheless. He cleared a path through the forest that they didn't know was there and continued walking seemingly to nowhere in particular. Several minutes passed and with all of them tired and wary from the journey the walk was anything but pleasant. No one was talking and the small mountain road Neji was following still seemed to have no end. At some point Sakura was almost certain that they had taken a wrong turn somewhere and was about to call out to Neji that they were lost when suddenly the trees cleared out and the entrance of a cave came in sight. Sakura fought hard to get rid of the urge to fall to her knees and kiss the ground and instead only allowed a small sigh of relief to escape her lips.

When they reached the entrance Neji kneeled and bowed his head, nodding at Sakura and Toshiro to do the same. The dragons watched curiously at their humans and waited to see what would happen next.

"We have come Reader." said Neji and his tone was serious.

"What are two riders and a Guardian doing outside my home?" came a male voice from inside and Sakura had a feeling that whoever it was, he was smiling.

"We have come to seek your guidance."

"Then step inside Guardians. You too riders. Come, for I've been expecting you."

The five of them walked inside the cave. It was nowhere near being as big as Tsuki's but it was spacious enough though Sakura could tell that it was not meant to host dragons; at least not two at a time. The inside was warm, the warmth coming from a bright fire blazing in the middle of the cave. Sakura could make out the shapes of a mattress and a couple of pillows in the far left corner as well as some other necessities but other than that the rest of the cave was dark.

"Please sit. You must be tired from your journey. I shall fetch some water for you."

The man stood up easily despite his age and wandered deeper into the cave from where e came back holding a medium sized flask full of clear, cold water. She was the last in line to drink but she welcomed the refreshing sensation of the cool liquid running down her throat. She cupped her hands and asked Neji, who was sitting beside her, to fill them up. She slowly brought the water up.

'Come, Tsuki. Drink.'

The dragon quickly drank the water and affectionately rubbed her nose on her rider's cheek in thanks. Sakura kissed the tip of her silver nose and smiled. In the corner of her eye she noticed that Toshiro had done the same.

"Forgive me but this is all I have to offer you. I don't usually have guests ."

She focused her eyes on the figure sitting near the fire.

The man was old though how much she couldn't tell. According to Kaien this man was far older than Kurenai and him. And by the looks of it he was indeed, much_, much _older than any of them. His hair was short and white though not the same white as Toshiro's as was his beard though it was slightly unkempt. He was wearing a long grey cloak-at least it seemed grey in the darkness of the cave and the orange light of the fire- with faded dark red letters. He was smoking a pipe and sitting on an old looking log with one hand on the pipe and the other hidden in his cloak. It reminded Sakura of the old men she used to read about in fairy tales when she was younger. Travelers and story tellers who always had a new adventure or another ferocious beast to tell the children about around a fire much like this one.

Though this time, Sakura could tell that this was no mere story teller. There was something about this man that had her on edge. Something ancient and powerful that had the hair at the back of her neck stand. It wasn't a negative feeling; quite the contrary in fact. It was as if there was a natural urge to respect this man despite never having seen him again in her life. There was something about him, the aura of wisdom and knowledge and power he was emitting that made Sakura feel lucky that he was on their side.

"It has been a while, Neji. It was almost a decade ago that I last had the honor of having the White Warrior in my humble home."

"It has been a while indeed, Sarutobi. Though, given the situation, I can't say that I am particularly pleased to see you."

"And I couldn't agree more. I suspect that this visit is not for entertaining or sightseeing purposes. For Kaien to send two dragon riders and a Guardian he must be really worried. Unfortunately, he has every right to be worried."

"I am afraid you are right. I have never seen Kaien and Kurenai more alarmed. He sent Sakura, Toshiro and me here to seek your advice and help as much as we can."

The old man's eyes focused first on Toshiro and then on Sakura. "Ah, so this is the pair I have heard so much about." he said and smiled at them, the wrinkles around his mouth making it softer.

"Excuse me, but what do you mean?" asked Toshiro.

"My dear boy, the defeat of Madara was no small feat. All our allies know of the part that each one of you played in his demise. Especially your name Sakura, has reached my ears more times than I can count. A remarkable achievement for someone your age and so inexperienced at the time. "

The girl blushed heavily and scratched the back of her head in a clear sigh of something between awkwardness and embarrassment.

"Umm….thanks. Though I wouldn't have made it without the precious help from everyone."

The man smiled. "I am sure that all of you played an important role as I am sure that you'll have a huge part to play before all this is over."

"Maybe we should get down to business." interrupted Neji who was growing edgier and edgier as the minutes ticked by "Time flies fast and time we do not have."

"Nonsense!" said Sarutobi mirthfully "Even though it is true that time is essential, night has fallen and you are tired. Rest tonight once the sun has risen we shall speak again. Daylight always brings new hope as the shadows of the dark disappear."

Neji was skeptical for a few seconds but seeing the tired faces of his companions, it was obvious that not much would be done tonight. He sighed and nodded and Sakura fought the urge to jump on him and hug him tightly. Gods only knew how much she needed a good night's sleep.

"Rest…For now, Welcome to Greece."

**TBC**

**YEAH! Finals are OVER! I'm going to college in September! This is the second chapter of "The Dragon's Egg II: Hade's Rebellion." Some things will be explained in the next chapter and there will be more ToshiroXSakura interaction. Thank you for all your wonderful reviews! I am very happy that you liked the first chapter and I hope that you liked this one too! Leave a review to tell me if you like how this is turning out! You opinion matters to me! **

**READ AND REVIEW! **


	3. When five become eight

It was early in the morning and the sun had barely risen but the few rays that managed to sneak through the opening of the cave were enough to wake Sakura up. She was in grave need of a couple more hours of sleep but after half an hour of trying to fall back to sleep, she sighed heavily and threw the light blue sheet that Sarutobi had given her the previous night. Trying to make as little sound as possible, she crawled out of bed. Glancing around, she found that Neji and Toshiro were still asleep while Sarutobi was nowhere to be seen. Shrugging the old man's absence off, she quickly walked out of the dark cave.

The slightly chilly morning breeze was pleasant on her skin and she took a deep relaxing breath. The atmosphere here was different, Sakura noticed. The very air felt different; more fresh and…..sweet. Konoha was nowhere near big and she always thought that she was lucky to live at a place where she could breathe fresh air every morning. Now though, she realized that the air of Konoha was nothing in comparison to this fresh breeze that carried the smell of pine and flowers she couldn't recognize. She closed her eyes and savored the peace and quiet, the rhythmic rustling of the leaves and the sweet chirping of the local birds.

'Good morning'

Sakura smiled as Tsuki's warm muzzle nuzzled her neck and the girl hugged her dragon's head gently.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?"

'_I have to say that it was weird at first, not being in my cave, but once I relaxed sleep came quickly. Uragiru started snoring immediately though.' _

Sakura laughed. "Can't say that I blame him! After 700 years of living _and_ sleeping in that dark hole Madara had for a lair that cave must seem like home to him."

'_No argument there.'_

Comfortable silence fell between them as they enjoyed the early sun and the refreshing breath of the morning breeze. It was calming, to say the least but it also carried something else with it; the traces of something powerful and ancient. She could feel it in the wind, in the rustling of the leaves, flowing in the ground under their feet. It was as if the mountain itself was a living organism and this strange energy was the blood flowing in its veins. The more concentrated the stronger she could feel it. It was almost…tickling.

"Tsuki, can you feel this?"

'_I was about to ask you the same thing. I have no knowledge of what it might be, though.'_

"It's strange. I've never felt it before yet in a peculiar way it reminds me of home."

"That, my child, is The River of Life; the very essence of the World."

Both girl and dragon turned around at the sound of the voice. Sarutobi approached the two females and came to stand on Sakura's right.

"What do you mean?"

"Exactly what you heard." the man said and smiled kindly "The River of Life is what makes the world go round. It is responsible for the growth of trees, the birth of humans and animals, the existence of life. It is pure power that flows through the Earth as well as us."

"Us?"

"Of course, my dear. It is like a second blood flow only stronger and much more complicated."

"You say that it flows through everyone, right?"

"That's correct."

"That means from the moment we are born."

"Exactly."

"Then how is it that we only felt it now?"

"That, my dear" the old man said and his smile widened noticeably "is a very interesting question. Not everyone can feel it. Only those who have come in contact with Mythical Creatures can become aware of its presence. You see, the River of Life not only gives life. It can also be used in certain ways to either maintain this life or destroy it. But you can't simply call upon it. You need help; and that help can only be provided by mythical creatures. There are exceptions, of course. That depends on the nature of your being and the specialty of your life energy."

"Life Energy?"

"It's a personal signature of some sorts that is different for every living being. There are specific Energy Affinities, though. Depending on your affinity that energy tells you who you are and according to its whispers you end up following a certain path."

"You said something about Energy Affinities…."

"Ah. I believe that Neji has told you how he became a Guardian, am I correct?"

The girl nodded.

"Excellent! Now, do you remember exactly what he did tell you?"

"He said that he was just a kid when he started seeing things; things that no one else could see and that turned out to be mythical creatures."

"Ah, that's about right. He started developing powers because his was meant to become a Guardian. It was the nature of his life energy, his Energy Affinity. He couldn't become something else even if he wanted to."

"I get it. But you said everyone has this energy. How is it then that only a specific number of people actually develop powers? Shouldn't everyone be able to do the same or at least be able to see the Mythical Creatures around them?"

The old man chuckled. "I see now that Kaien was right about you."

"Right about me?" said Sakura and she couldn't hide the hopeful gleam in her emerald eyes at the prospect of Kaien saying something good about her.

"You do ask a lot of questions."

Sakura resisted the urge to fall over with comic swirly eyes but she couldn't help the slumped shoulders and the dumbfounded expression on her face.

"How nice of him to say that." she grumbled and crossed her arms stubbornly across her chest. "Just wait until I get my hands on him!" she murmured more to herself than the others and being preoccupied with thinking the choice words that she was going to throw at Kaien the next time she saw him, she missed the small hidden smile on Sarutobi's wrinkled face.

"But now let me answer your question." That broke her out of her thoughts and she once more focused her attention on the white-haired man.

"As I said before the way the River of Life works is complex and so is Life Energy. Everyone has it but that doesn't mean that everyone can use it. You can say that it has to be 'activated' in some way. The problem is that you can only activate it if you are meant to. That's why most humans have no knowledge of its existence. Once it is activated the only thing you can do is wait and see what your Energy Affinity is."

"So, Neji was meant to be a Guardian the same way that Toshiro and I were meant to be dragon riders." said Sakura remembering how Toshiro could see Tsuki from the very beginning.

"Exactly. Your Energy Affinity tells you if you are going to be a Guardian, a Dragon Rider, a Warrior, a Healer or a Sorcerer. It all depends on what you are meant to be."

The girl nodded but there was still one question that was nagging her at the back of her mind.

"You said that it can be used…How?"

The old man chuckled mirthfully. "That, my dear, is how you do magic."

XxxOxOxOxxX

There was little light reaching the inside of the dark cave but it was still enough to wake Toshiro up. The truth was he hadn't gotten a good night's sleep since the day Kaien told them about this new mission. He didn't know why but an ill feeling had settled in his stomach and it had only grown stronger since then. He hadn't told anyone yet apart from Uragiru, who could read him like an open book. There was no need to upset them just yet. Things were already complicated enough as they were and the others didn't have to worry about his strange feelings. He kept his eyes closed for a little while longer, just enjoying the peace and quiet of the morning. He listened to the rustling of the leaves and the sound of the wind blowing through the trees. But there was something off…..

His eyes flew open. He couldn't hear Sakura's breathing…..

He was sure she had fallen asleep beside him since her calm breathing had lulled him to sleep last night. He couldn't hear her and after a quick look around him he saw that other than Neji, who was still sleeping peacefully, and himself there was no one else in the cave. He moved to a sitting position and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He stood up and stretched his muscles before making his way outside the cave as quietly as he could, not wanting to wake Neji up. Toshiro knew for a fact that the White Warrior hadn't slept at all these past few days, on edge as he was and busy forming plans with Kaien. Even an exceptional warrior and Guardian like Neji got tired and Toshiro wouldn't be the one disturbing his much needed rest.

The morning breeze blew through his air as the sunrays touched his face making him shield his sea-foam eyes. He was sure that Uragiru was still asleep-seriously, that dragon could fall asleep anywhere within seconds-and he didn't want to wake him. The travel from Japan to Greece was a long one and both Uragiru and Tsuki had covered the whole distance without taking a break.

He was about to take a look around in search for Sakura when he heard a clear, ringing laughter that he could recognize anywhere. On his left, through a cluster of trees, he could make out two shapes; one male, one female. Sakura and Sarutobi made their way through the trees and they both seemed to be enjoying themselves. Sakura had her arm hooked through his and she was laughing joyfully at something the older man had told her. He wasn't close enough to hear what they were saying but from the looks of it, it was quite interesting since they still hadn't seen him. It didn't take too long, though.

When Sakura noticed the young man standing some distance away, her eyes instantly lit up and a heartwarming smile bloomed on her lips.

"Hey, Toshiro!" she called cheerfully and waved enthusiastically at him with her free hand. She was still dressed in the clothes she had fallen asleep in last night and her hair was slightly disheveled from sleep and the blowing breeze but her emerald eyes were alive with mirth and with the warm golden light of the sun kissing her skin, she looked beautiful. The white-haired teenage couldn't help but chuckle. Sakura was such a child sometimes; so innocent and carefree. If someone saw her now, they wouldn't be able to tell that a year back this girl defeated an evil maniac and was once more about to face another one. That was one of the reasons he loved her so much. Smile still in place, he walked towards them.

"Good morning Sakura, Sarutobi-san." he greeted them politely.

"Ah, young Toshiro. Lovely day, don't you think?" Sarutobi said and smiled kindly at him.

"It is indeed" the young man answered and his eyes briefly flew to Sakura, who was looking around oblivious to the butterflies that she was causing at the white-haired boy's stomach. Sarutobi didn't miss it, though and he felt his heart grow warm at the sight.

'Ah, young love!' he thought and his smile visibly widened.

"Where is Tsuki?" Toshiro asked and looked at Sakura.

"She was with me half an hour ago but she returned to their cave; said something about waking Uragiru up and then going for a short hunt."

Toshiro nodded and continued walking beside her.

"Is Neji still asleep?"

"He was when I left and I didn't want to wake him up. He needs the rest."

The girl agreed and made a mental note to give her dear Guardian a long lecture about the importance of sleeping, resting and just relaxing. No matter how strong and capable Neji was, he still was a human being. And humans need rest in order to keep going and not collapse.

'Proud idiot' Sakura thought. Don't get her wrong, she loved Neji dearly. He was her brother in all ways but blood and the connection they shared was unique and amazing. But sometimes she wanted to wipe the floor with his head. Like right now, for example. He just wouldn't listen. Usually he was the sensible one, the voice of logic but when it came to things like taking some time off to relax, he was more hot headed than a hungry Tsuki.

'Just wait until all this is over! I'm gonna make him sleep for a week!' she vowed and let a satisfied smile bordering to being a smirk appeared on her face. Toshiro only shook his head at her expression, knowing full well that she was planning something and would probably also drag him in it.

"Took you long enough." a voice said and the three of them came face to face with Neji who was standing at the entrance of the cave with his arms crossed across his chest. What with their conversation they hadn't noticed that they had reached their temporary home.

"Ah, Neji. We weren't aware that you were awake. I hope we didn't disturb your sleep with our talking."

"No, I've been awake for a while."

"That's good to hear. I hope you are well rested, then." said the older man before turning to Sakura with a kind smile "Thank you, my dear, for accompanying and supporting an old man to his walk. My old feet can take me so far."

The pink-haired girl laughed "Honestly, Sarutobi-san, something tells me that your old age will hardly pose a problem when the time calls for it."

"Thank you dear but I think you give me too much credit."

"Or you are giving yourself too little."

Sarutobi's smile widened and patted the girl's hand affectionately, like a grandfather would to his granddaughter.

"Ah, thank you for kind words my child but I have the impression that we are not alone."

"That is true." Neji said "You came back just in time. I was about to go look for you. Two of your guests have arrived, Sarutobi, and they are waiting inside."

"Excellent! I wouldn't expect anything less from them. Always on time! Though I can't say the same about the third one!" he said cheerfully "Now, what are waiting for? Let's go inside. There are some people I want you to meet, Sakura and Toshiro."

Without wasting another minute, the man walked forward and motioned for the others to follow him inside. Toshiro and Sakura looked at each other wondering what this all was about. They had not been informed that they would be having guests. Neji obviously knew them and Sarutobi wanted them to meet them too. Well, there was no point in waiting and wondering. They were about to meet these people too, anyway. At last they shrugged and followed the others inside.

The cave was brighter than before and they could easily move around without bumping on stones and rocks. (Thank God for that. Toshiro already had three sore toes!) The fire from last night had burned out but there was still smoke coming from the still hot, red coals. Sarutobi was sitting in his usual place on the log near the fire smoking his pipe with Neji standing on his right. It seemed as if nothing had changed since last night. This time though something was different. This time there were two more pairs of eyes watching them.

Sakura examined the two males sitting not too far away, on the log across from Sarutobi. They both seemed to be around her age and the big difference in their outer appearance meant that they were no blood relatives. The first one was a guy with unruly, yellow-blond hair and deep blue eyes. His skin was tan and there were scars on both his cheeks that strangely resembled whiskers. Judging from the way he was sitting, he was at least a head taller than her and well built. A long, red fighting staff was strapped to his back. From what she would see it was covered in strange carvings that she couldn't recognize. She had seen fighting staffs before while training with Kaien but this was a strange one. The tip was shaped as a fox's head with its mouth open, fangs showing, eyes made of ruby looking too dangerous for an inanimate object. There was a blue sphere in the fox's mouth that appeared to be glowing. Sakura's eyes shifted to the blonde's companion. The other one was another story entirely and the exact opposite from the first guy. He had raven-black hair and onyx eyes that sent a shiver down Sakura's spine. Somewhere at the back of her mind, she made a mental note not to piss this guy off. His skin was pale and he was sitting with his back straight and his head held high, indicating a proud and, maybe, a bit unforgiving character. Two identical blades were crossed at his back with ornate handles shaped as black snakes with glowing amethysts for eyes and shinning diamonds for fangs. His face was stern in to contrast to the other guy's sunny expression.

"Sakura, Toshiro, I'd like you to meet our guests. They are going to be accompanying you on your quest."

Before he could say another word, the blonde guy jumped up from his sitting position and a wide grin spread across his face.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto and I am going to be the greatest Sorcerer this world has ever seen, believe it!"

It was strange but Sakura couldn't help but instantly like this guy. What with his friendliness and his contagious grin, she felt that they would get along greatly. A wide smile bloomed across her lips and she shook the guys hand cheerfully.

"Tall, dark and creepy over there" he continued and pointed at his companion "is simply the teme!" he said, either not noticing the icy glare the other guy shot him or not caring enough to show it.

"Shut up, dope." he growled and stepped forward "Name's Uchiha Sasuke, Apprentice Warrior."

Sakura sweat dropped 'Not one for words, huh?' Either way, she smiled at the darker teen "Nice to meet you. My name is Haruno Sakura and this Hitsugaya Toshiro. I believe you already know Neji." she said and held out her hand which he sharply shook.

"Now that you have introduced yourselves we should get down to business. There is no time to waste and the shadows are already closing in." said Neji and stepped forward from his place near Sarutobi.

"Shouldn't we wait for Sensei?" asked Naruto and glanced from Sarutobi to Neji.

"We probably should" answered Sarutobi and laughed. "The man has no sense of being on time but he is a seasoned warrior and he can offer precious help. We will wait so I suggest you make yourselves comfortable!"

_2 hours later _

Sakura sighed heavily as she rested her head on Toshiro's shoulder, who was gently rubbing circles on her back. Two hours and still no sign of this sensei Naruto and Sasuke were talking about. How did those two stand putting up with this kind of thing every day? I mean, she didn't even know the guy and she already wanted to throttle him! When Sarutobi had said that he had no sense of being on time, she hadn't expected him to be late two freakin' hours! That was just ridiculous! Tsuki and Uragiru had yet to come back from the hunt and Sakura was bored beyond belief. Naruto had kept her busy for the first hour or so and it only served to prove that she had been right about him. They did get on greatly. But after that, even he had started feeling annoyed at his sensei's tardiness despite being used to it.

Fifteen minutes later, the man had yet to make an appearance and Neji, who was sitting beside her, was just about to explode. Time was precious to him as it was to all of them and they were just wasting it. Sakura took his hand in hers and squeezed it to offer what comfort she could and make him relax, even a little. She felt satisfied when she saw him take a deep breath and felt him squeeze her hand back.

They were about to give and get down to business when light footsteps were heard from outside. Neji heard them first and he swiftly stood up with the others following his example. It didn't take long before the shape of a man appeared at the entrance of the cave. Because of the Sun shining behind him, she couldn't make out his features clearly but she could tell that he was tall, with wide shoulders and a well built form.

"Finally!" Naruto exclaimed "You are late, sensei!"

"Forgive my tardiness but I saw that old lady and I just had to help her pass the street!"

'That voice…' Sakura thought 'It seems so familiar….'

"Gahh! Doesn't he have a better excuse?!" Naruto said to Sasuke. Sakura vaguely heard the darker teen tell him to shut up but her attention was focused on the man who was walking towards them with a sure and proud stride. Imagine her surprise when she saw the grey, gravity-defying hair, the masked face and the crinkled eyes indicating a smile. Her eyes widened and her mouth hung open in an almost comic way as she recognized that unmistakable face. How could she not?

"Yo!" the man greeted happily with a two-finger salute.

"HATAKE KAKASHI?!"

**TBC**

**Here it is! I'm so sorry for making you wait this long for the new chapter, but to my defense, I was on holiday and my computer was back home! I hope you liked the chapter! Kakashi, Naruto and Sasuke are here! Yay! Some of you or at least the ones that have read "The Dragon's Egg" might remember that Kakashi was a judge at the Art Competition that Sakura won. There is a reason behind it but it will be explained later. Not much action in this chapter but some things are explained. I'm thinking of pairing Sasuke up with an OC since I can't see him with any other female Naruto character but I'm still not sure so please leave a review to tell me what you think. I don't think that I'm going to be pairing Naruto up with anyone since I can only see him with Sakura and in this story Sakura is meant to be with Toshiro. Sorry to any of you that wanted to see a NaruHina or whatever pairing but I ship NaruSaku and I really can't see Naruto with anyone but Sakura. The next chapter will not take me that long to update, I promise! PLEASE READ AND REVIEW! **

**Lots of love!**


	4. Behind grey stone

"HATAKE KAKASHI?!"

"Nice to see you too, Sakura. It's been a while." Kakashi said cheerfully and she could make out the smile on his face even behind his mask.

Sakura stared dumbfounded at the gray-haired male standing a few feet away from her. Oh my God! It was happening again! First Neji and now Kakashi? Honestly, she understood why Neji had chosen to approach her the way he did at first. I mean, you don't just go to someone and say 'Hey, I'm your Guardian. I'm here to protect you and your dragon from corrupted maniacs and their evil plans'. No, you just don't. But Kakashi too? What was going on? This was simply too much to be a coincidence.

"Took you long enough, sensei!" yelled Naruto and interrupted her thoughts "Two hours and a half is too much even for you!"

"Ah, you see, I met this old lady and I just had to help her pass the street-"

"Liar!" shouted the blonde boy while pointed an accusing finger at the masked man, which earned him a smack at the back of his head and a 'shut up, idiot' from Sasuke. Sakura tuned out their conversation that of consisted of loud 'temes' and 'dopes'. Instead, she focused her attention on the gray haired male. Sensing her stare his smile widened, something that made Sakura's irritation rise. She crossed her arms across her chest stubbornly and started tapping her foot on the floor.

"What the hell is going on?" she half-yelled and automatically all conversations ceased. Hearing the annoyance in her voice, Naruto immediately stopped and even Sasuke grew silent. Somehow they both knew that it would be better if they didn't anger her more. There was a certain fire in her emerald eyes that bordered to being a threat.

"Well done, Sakura. I am impressed. You managed to do something that I have been trying to do for the past four years. Fruitlessly, I must admit." said a smiling Kakashi, referring to the now silent teens. He either ignored the heated glares sent his way by his students or he was already used to them. Sakura suspected it was the later.

"Now, to answer your question" the gray-haired man continued "I am sure that you are very curious and more than a little annoyed-"

"Damn right I am."

"-so I'll try to be quick and explain the situation."

"About damn time." grumbled Sakura under her breath, though she suspected that Sasuke heard her, but nevertheless allowed the man to continue.

"As you have probably guessed, my position as a judge at the Art Competition was not a mere coincidence ." Kakashi said calmly ignoring the way Sakura was fighting hard to keep herself from making a sarcastic remark. "After your dragon was hatched, Kaien immediately contacted me. Protecting a dragon is hard but with Madara on the loose…You needed all the protection you could get."

"Excuse me, Kakashi but she has me to protect her. _I am_ her Guardian." interrupted Neji calmly. However, Sakura knew better. With his arms crossed across his chest, the slightly tense shoulders and the almost unnoticeable frown on his face, it was more than obvious that he was offended.

"Forgive me Neji, I didn't mean to offend you. I do not doubt your abilities in the least. But it is the truth. Things were bad back then and Sakura was in grave danger."

Neji's frown didn't disappear nor did he seem especially satisfied with his answer but he let it be. For now…..

"Anyway" Kakashi continued "Kaien called for my help. It was a convenient coincidence that you took place in the Art Competition where I was requested to be judge. Frankly, I wouldn't have accepted the invitation had it not been for you."

"Wait a minute" All eyes turned to Toshiro who was looking at Kakashi with a frown on his face "You say that Kaien called you for help. Then how is it that you never came to our aid? You had plenty of chances. When Sakura was attacked by the Shadows and when we fought with Madara. In that fight Sakura and Tsuki almost died. Where were you then?" Toshiro had an unreadable expression on his face. It could be anger, annoyance, suspicion, sadness. Sakura couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was but it sure didn't belong on Toshiro's handsome face.

"That, young man" said Kakashi and Sakura could swear that something akin to guilt flashed across his face "was neither my doing nor my choice."

"Oh? How so?"

"It is true that I didn't help when I should have and I deeply regret that. But I didn't have a choice. Four days before Madara's attack I was called back here. We had some serious trouble to deal with. It was then that the first signs of Hade's plans started to appear. We didn't know what it was at the time but it was obvious that whatever it was it had to be dealt with. A large amount of Dark Creatures started surfacing from the Abyss not long after. Many of us had to be called back from missions from all over the world."

Sakura could see that Toshiro was still skeptical but he seemed satisfied enough by Kakashi's answer so he didn't question the older man any more on the matter. She squeezed his shoulder in a comforting manner and felt the previously thick atmosphere lighten when Toshiro sent her a small yet heartwarming smile.

"What's done is done and we cannot change the past. But we can still make sure that we have a future. That's why we must act immediately, before it's too late." said Sarutobi and motioned for everyone to gather around the fire. Once they were all sited comfortably- as comfortably as someone can sit on a log-, Sarutobi crossed his hands under his chin and passed his wise eyes over all the occupants of the cave. After a few moments of silence-that seemed endless to the others-the man released a cloud of smoke from his pipe and began talking.

"There are three phases in Hade's plan. The first has been already completed. I'm afraid that we were too late to prevent that and it is unfortunate that we are already going through the second phase. But that is hardly in our immediate interests. The simplest and at the same time most dangerous phase is the third. The simplicity of it consists of one simple goal: destroy everything and everyone. And that is something we must not allow. At all costs….."

"Then it is worse than we thought." Neji said gravely and focused his pearly eyes on the brightly burning fire. Few had had the chance to actually look into those eyes and even fewer had managed to understand even a small fraction of the mystery those eyes held. However, Sakura took pride in the fact that she was probably the only person alive-or to have ever lived-who could read the enigmatic Guardian like an open book. And at that moment it was obvious to her that he was deeply troubled. Sensing her gaze, Neji looked up and found emerald orbs looking at him with a worried expression. Trying to calm her worries, he sent her a small but warm and grateful smile. Had it been any other time, that smile would have immediately put her panicking mind at ease. But what with the graveness of the situation and their worst fears regarding Hade's plans confirmed, it was hard keeping her heart from bursting through her ribcage.

"That means nothing! We can't just sit around doing nothing while Hade's causes havoc!" yelled Naruto with anger in his voice and Sakura caught Sasuke nodding his head in consent.

Taking a deep yet shaky breath to calm her erratic heart, she gritted her teeth and clenched her fists hard enough to make her nails turn white. Sakura had secretly hoped that she wouldn't have to face anything akin to the situation with Madara ever again. But life had a strange habit of twisting and turning, messing with plans and futures as if they were nothing but leaves in the wind. It was hard but true and sometimes dangerous to defy the commands of life and Fate. All humans could do was go with the flow…

'_But I am not mere human'_ thought Sakura and held back the smirk that threatened to bloom on her lips _'I am a dragon rider!' _

With clenched fists, head held high and fiery emerald eyes alight with determination, she met the eyes of each of her comrades. Wise brown, curious dark grey, friendly cerulean, cold onyx, warm pearly, caring turquoise….

"Well, what are we waiting for?"

Six pairs of eyes focused on her, each holding different emotions. Sakura met them all head on, not backing down even for a moment. Heavy silence fell around them, though in the corner of her eye she caught Sarutobi smiling knowingly. She heard a deep chuckle and found Toshiro sending her that particular smirk that made her heart leap. His eyes were shining brightly as he looked at her and with his bare arms crossed across his chest, showing off strong muscle-a result of hard and endless training, he made her fight hard to keep her face from heating up.

"Sakura-chan is right! Let's go!" Naruto shouted enthusiastically and pumped his fist in the air, effectively snapping Sakura out of her reverie. The pink-haired girl was thankful for that.

"Then it's settled." Sarutobi said with a smile and released a cloud of smoke. However his expression grew serious after a moment. "To defeat Hade's we'll need much more than just swords, bows and magic staffs. The hard truth is we can never really kill him or any other of the Twelve. However, we can imprison him in Tartarus for the next 3,000 years and hopefully more. To achieve this difficult task you must find the Spear of Light."

"The Spear of what?" asked Naruto.

"The Spear of Light. It is a powerful, ancient weapon that was forged by the Gods in the First Age. It contains all the wisdom and powerful magic that was used to create the world. It was used 3,000 years ago when Hade's tried to overthrow Zeus. And, as it seems, it shall be used again."

"Where can we find it?" asked Sasuke, voice cold and expression serious.

Sarutobi shook his head sadly. "I'm afraid that I can't help you with that. The Spear of Light isn't a common weapon and there is not a specific place where you can find it. Three thousand years ago, Zeus used it to send Hade's back to his dark residence. The clash of the Gods caused a huge amount of powerful energy to be released. The Wise Zeus used that energy to enforce the Spear of Life and managed to defeat the Lord of the Dead. After the battle was over, the ancient weapon was no more needed and Zeus knew that he had to protect it. For the Father of the Gods knew that as it could be used for good, it could also be used for evil. And with such power…..Zeus separated the Spear of Light into pieces and hid them in different parts of Greece."

"So, all we have to do is find these pieces." Naruto said simply and Sakura felt her lips turn upwards to form a smile at his confidence.

"I wouldn't say that it's that easy but yes, that's the main idea."

It was silent for a while as each member of the party was lost deep in thought, contemplating about what was waiting ahead.

"We better get going then. Time is running short and we have a lot to do." Neji said and stood up. His expression was serious but Sakura could detect something almost playful in his voice.

Sarutobi passed his eyes over every member of the fellowship that was meant to carry out the most difficult of missions. His eyes stopped briefly on Toshiro and Sakura and a knowing smile reached his lips.

"I admire your courage but I must warn you. You have never faced anything like this. It will probably be the most dangerous situation you'll ever find yourself in. Some of you…..might not survive…"

Sakura's eyes widened and her heart clenched. It was true that her battle with Madara was probably a walk in the park compared to this but it had never once passed through her mind the possibility that any of her friends might not survive. The sudden realization of the real graveness of their predicament almost took her breath away. The cold fingers of fear tightened around her heart and she had to fight the dizziness that almost made her lose her balance. How could she not have thought of that possibility? They were going against enemies far more powerful than themselves. But still….Her friends and her family were the certainties in her life. She knew that no matter what happened she would always have them by her side. It had never once passed her mind that even one of them might get hurt or worse…..killed.

"Well, I don't see the problem." Toshiro's confident statement broke her out of her disturbing thoughts. She stared at him in disbelief. How could he be saying that at a time like this? As it seemed, the rest of the company shared the same thoughts as they all sent Toshiro incredulous looks.

However, the snow-haired young man appeared unfazed and he continued to smirk confidently. "Well, it's not like we haven't faced crazy, bent on world domination maniacs before. This one is going to be just another addition to the list."

"Toshiro, you do understand that we might not make it out alive…."said Kakashi and focused his uncovered eye on the boy.

"I seem to recall something similar being told right before the battle with Madara. As you see, we are very much alive; I don't know about you but I don't plan on dyeing here. After all, it's been a while since I last got some action. This looks promising, don't you think?" His smirk remained in place and it vaguely reminded Sakura of his old, arrogant self; the one that got on her nerves but also made her heart flatter. It really shouldn't have come as a surprise to them when the pink-haired girl started laughing. At first it was obvious that they were taken aback by the sudden change in mood but they soon found themselves joining in. Even Sasuke allowed a chuckled to escape his lips.

"High possibility of death. Small chance of success. What the hell are we waiting for?" said Sakura with a smirk.

Sarutobi watched them with a smile; a smile that held hope. "Then it's settled. Your mission starts here. There is a small village no more than a mile east from here; nice, simple folk but very hospitable and kind. There resides a girl about your age; she's my apprentice in a way. I have already informed her that you'll be arriving there. She'll be waiting for you. She will inform you of your next step. She might be young but she already has much experience with mythical creatures. She is more than capable to help you. Don't worry, you won't miss her."

The rest of the party glanced at each other, each with newfound determination in their eyes.

"Let's do this!"

XxxOxOxOxxX

It didn't take long for the party to find the village Sarutobi was talking about. It was small and fairly simple-looking. It consisted of simple but clean and prim two-storey buildings with triangular roofs and stone chimneys. Some of the houses were made of some kind of light grey stone while others had crème colored walls and big, flower filled gardens and stone paved paths. Sakura smiled at the sight of the simple yet beautiful, small village. As they made their way through the streets, she was amazed at how friendly the people here seemed. There were women cleaning the windows and sweeping the yards while others were tending to their gardens and flowers. The pink-haired girl's ears were filled with mirthful laughter as kids of all ages ran around them kicking a ball or riding a bicycle. Sakura laughed when a little girl who couldn't be more than 4 years old stopped and waved at them with a wide grin on her cute face. She waved back happily, watching as the little girl ran off following her friends.

They continued wandering around for about half an hour, searching for Sarutobi's apprentice with no luck. It was probably more than obvious that they were not from here as not long after they arrived, a man in his mid-forties offered to help them find their way in case they were lost. It was true that even without their weapons, which they had left back in Sarutobi's cave where Tsuki and Uragiru were waiting for them, they were a weird company and probably quite unmatched to an outsider's eye.

"There you are!"

The six of them turned around and were met with a strange sight: A couple of feet away from them stood a young girl about their age, panting slightly obviously from running. She had dark brown hair that reached her mid-back and matching, almond-shaped eyes with long and thick eyelashes. She was tall with a nicely built body and harmonic features. The girl looked at them with a breathtaking smile on her lips.

"I've been running all around the village searching for you!"

"Umm….Sorry if we caused you trouble. I am Sakura and these are my friends."

"I know who you are Haruno Sakura. But how rude of me! Excuse my manners; I am Elizabeth, Sarutobi's apprentice."

"Nice to meet you Elizabeth-san. There are Toshiro, Kakashi, Narut-"

"No need to be formal Sakura. I know who they are too. How are you doing Neji? It's been a while!"

The Guardian smiled at the girl. "It's been a while indeed, Elizabeth. How about you? I've been hearing that you've been doing a great job for the past four years."

The brunette laughed. It was a melodic sound, full of mirth and kindness. "It's true that things are going great for us! Another couple of years and I'm positive that we will be able to restore part of the damage."

"Umm…sorry to interrupt but….what the hell are you talking about?" asked Naruto while glancing between the two with a confused expression on his face.

Elizabeth laughed once more. "You'll find soon enough. Follow me, now. I'll take you somewhere we can talk freely, in no hearing distance of unwanted ears. " she said glancing around warily. "Come on, now. There is something I'd like to show you."

Sakura couldn't help but glace around too. It was true that at first sight, this peaceful village hardly seemed the right place for creatures of the dark. But Sarutobi had warned them that many would try to stand in their way. The enemy had many spies all over Greece and they had to be careful about what they said and did while out in the open. The party of six silently followed the brunette girl who guided them through small and slightly darker paths and they soon found themselves leaving the beautiful village behind them.

It didn't take for them to realize that they were heading back to the mountain though it was on the opposite direction of Sarutobi's cave. The path they followed was difficult. It was steep and narrow; many times they had to skate over rocks and external roots of lush trees. Elizabeth on the other hand seemed quite at home and she walked ahead of them with ease, expertly making her way over obstacles and around thorny bushes. Sakura couldn't help but smile at the energetic brunette who every now and then made sure to check on them in case they needed help. She didn't lose the chance to point out different kinds of plants that could prove useful in the future especially those meant for healing. It was impressive how well she spoke their language despite the slightly strange accent. When Kakashi commented on that she laughed it off with a 'thank you', saying that after spending so much time with Sarutobi it was only natural that she would learn the language as well among other things.

After half an hour of following the steep path, they found themselves walking down a wider, much easier to follow dirt road. Sakura could hear Naruto complaining about the distance they had to walk but he was soon silenced by a smack at the back of his head from Sasuke.

"Here we are!" Elizabeth said happily and stopped walking in front of-

"A rock? Is this what you wanted to show us?" Naruto said obviously dumbfounded at the rather disappointing sight.

Elizabeth laughed wholeheartedly at his confused expression. "Of course not, silly. What kind of person would I be if I dragged you all the way out here just to see a rock?"

"This is just a waste of time." All heads turned to Sasuke who didn't even try to keep the annoyance off his face and voice. He had a scowl on his handsome face and even Naruto made sure to stay away from him. Toshiro was about to say something when Neji put a hand on his shoulder and stopped him. The white-haired dragon rider looked at the Guardian surprised but Neji only shook his head and motioned to Elizabeth.

The girl narrowed her beautiful, expressive eyes at the raven-haired teenager, all traces of her previously mirthful and kind attitude gone. Almost threatening brown and cold onyx clashed and immediately the air around them became thick with tension. Without breaking her eyes away from Sasuke's, Elizabeth touched the huge, dark grey rock with her right hand and placed two fingers of her left hand on the middle of her forehead.

"_Όρκο βαρύ δίνω εδώ, κάτω απ' τα μάτια των Θεών. Προστάτιδα του μυστικού στα βάθη των αιώνων, ο Δίας και η Αθηνά δύναμη ας μου δώσουν. Σε__μέγα__καθήκον__, __ιερό__ζωή__να__αφιερώσω__."(1) _ Her voice was clear as she spoke melodic words in Greek. For a moment her brown eyes flashed silver and her hands started glowing. In the blink of an eye the seemingly solid grey stone disappeared and the entrance of a big cave stood in its place. Kakashi and Neji didn't seem affected by the display, obviously having witnessed it before, but Sakura, Naruto and Toshiro were clearly rather impressed. Elizabeth didn't even try to hide the smirk that bloomed on her lips when she saw Sasuke turn away with a 'Hn'.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" she said, her previous mirthful attitude returning once more. "Let's go!"

They followed her inside the cave and for a few minutes no one said a word until Naruto decided to break the silence.

"So, Eli-chan, where are you taking us?"

"Oh, you'll find out soon. There is someone I want you to meet!"

"Oh, come on! Tell me!" the apprentice sorcerer whined earning a laugh from their guide.

"Ok, then. Get ready, my dear Naruto, to see something extraordinary. Get ready to meet Unicorns!"

**TBC**

**(1)-"Heavy oath I take here, before the eyes of the Gods. Protector of the Great Secret throughout the centuries. May the Mighty Zeus and the Wise Athena give me power, in great and sacred duty my life to dedicate." **

**I know that you probably hate me for not updating for so long but I can honestly say that it was not my intention. I am going to college in a couple of weeks and I had MANY things to do! Find an apartment, clean it thoroughly, get new furniture and electric devices and the list goes on! I've been running like crazy from one place to another to prepare everything and I'm still not done! So damn stressful! Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter! I had fun writing especially the part where Elizabeth challenges Sasuke! So, READ AND REVIWE! Lots of love! **


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