"Oc in Naruto"

Chapter 21

## Ancient AwakeningThe golden Dragon Essence surrounding Aria began to shift, taking on a deeper, more resonant frequency. The chakra patterns spiraled inward, then exploded outward in a brilliant flash that caused even Madara to shield his eyes."Ah," a voice like ancient thunder and morning mist rolled across the battlefield. "So it's come to this, little one?"## The First DragonFrom the golden light emerged a dragon that made the Ten-Tails look young. Ryu'o's scales shimmered with every color imaginable yet somehow remained predominantly gold. His size was difficult for the mind to process – he seemed simultaneously massive enough to dwarf mountains and compact enough to feel present and immediate. Wisdom older than the Sage of Six Paths gleamed in eyes that had watched civilizations rise and fall."Show-off," Aria said fondly, even as Ryu'o curled protectively around her position.## Kakashi's Recognition"Still making dramatic entrances, Ryu'o-sama?" Kakashi called out, his usual lazy drawl carrying a note of genuine respect.The great dragon's laugh rumbled like distant avalanches. "Ah, the silver-haired one! Still wearing that mask, I see. And still pushing my young friend into impossible situations?""To be fair," Kakashi eye-smiled, "she usually finds them on her own these days."## First Introductions"You know," Naruto whispered (or what passed for whispering with Naruto), "I always thought Kakashi-sensei was making up those stories about having tea with a dragon.""The tea was excellent," Ryu'o's voice carried easily, causing Naruto to jump. "Though your teacher's taste in literature remains questionable.""That was ONE time," Kakashi protested. "And you were the one who asked what I was reading!"## A Historic MeetingHashirama stared in undisguised wonder. "The First Dragon... I thought you were just a legend.""Many things are legend, First Hokage," Ryu'o's ancient eyes twinkled. "Some of them are even true.""Brother," Tobirama's voice held a note of awe, "his chakra... it's unlike anything I've ever sensed."## Protective Wisdom"You've grown strong, little one," Ryu'o addressed Aria, even as his massive form maintained a defensive position between her and Madara. "Though your tendency to challenge gods remains concerning.""I learned from the best," Aria grinned. "Wasn't it you who told me that story about challenging the Storm God to a drinking contest?""That was... different," Ryu'o coughed, a sound like distant thunder. "And we agreed never to mention that in front of your teachers."## The Observer's Tale"The first time I met Ryu'o-sama," Kakashi shared with the group, his eye never leaving the battlefield, "was right after I'd pushed Aria particularly hard in training. She was eleven, exhausted, and had just mastered a particularly difficult lightning technique.""You mean after you nearly electrocuted me?" Aria's voice carried up to them."Details," Kakashi waved dismissively. "Anyway, suddenly there was this... presence. And there he was, offering tea and asking very pointed questions about my teaching methods.""While looming," Aria added cheerfully. "Don't forget the looming.""I do not loom," Ryu'o protested with ancient dignity. "I... make my presence known."## Divine ConfrontationMadara, who had been observing this exchange with growing irritation, finally spoke. "Even the First Dragon cannot stand against the power of the Ten-Tails.""Perhaps not," Ryu'o's voice took on an edge that made the air itself tremble. "But I don't stand alone." His ancient eyes turned to Aria. "I never have."## Partners in Time"Ready to show him why dragons ruled the skies before the Ten-Tails was even a thought?" Aria asked, her chakra harmonizing with Ryu'o's in patterns that made Tobirama's eyes widen."My dear friend," Ryu'o's voice held both ancient power and fond affection, "I've been ready since you first shared your tea with me and asked if dragons played shogi.""I won that game, by the way," Aria mentioned to the observers."You cheated," Ryu'o rumbled good-naturedly."Proved dragons aren't infallible, you mean.""... we agreed not to mention that part either."## The Battle ResumesAs Madara gathered his divine power, Ryu'o and Aria moved in perfect synchronization, their chakra creating patterns that even the Sharingan struggled to follow."Now then," Ryu'o's voice carried the weight of ages, "shall we show this young godling why the dragons were ancient when the world was new?""After you, old friend," Aria grinned.The Dragon Essence blazed like a new sun, gold meeting divine black once more – but this time, with the wisdom of ages behind it."Another hit!" Hashirama couldn't help himself."Brother!" Tobirama started, then paused. "Though... with Ryu'o-sama here...""I'll take that bet," the ancient dragon called back, never taking his eyes off Madara.The gathered shinobi burst into surprised laughter, the tension breaking for just a moment before the real battle began.## Chromatic HarmonyThe sunlight caught Aria's hair as she moved, sending ripples of color cascading like liquid twilight – deep purples bleeding into midnight blues, occasionally flickering with hints of amber and rose that mimicked the sky at dusk. Her eyes, deep purple and ancient as Ryu'o's own, held the unmistakable vertical pupils of a dragon."Your eyes were the first sign," Hiruzen mused thoughtfully. "Even at six, they held something... other. Something older."## Matching ScalesRyu'o's massive form shifted, his scales rippling with an iridescent display that perfectly matched his companion's hair. Where the light struck him directly, deep purples and blues dominated, creating an aurora-like effect that made it difficult to tell where dragon ended and sky began."Still coordinating, I see," Kakashi commented dryly. "Remember when you two spent three hours debating which shade of purple was more 'aesthetically resonant'?""It was an important discussion," Ryu'o defended, even as he dodged one of Madara's Truth-Seeking Orbs. "And we agreed that midnight purple holds superior mystical properties to twilight purple.""After three hours of property damage," Kakashi muttered.## A Dragon's Preference"The purple suits you both," Hashirama offered diplomatically."Of course it does," Ryu'o preened slightly, his scales shifting to emphasize the deeper purple hues. "Though I admit, the blue is equally compelling. Reminds me of the skies above the ancient mountains, before humans learned to harness chakra.""You're showing off again," Aria called out, her own hair shimming with similar shades as she wove between attacks."I'm several millennia old," Ryu'o sniffed. "I've earned the right to show off."## Nature's Poetry"Look at how they move," Sakura breathed in wonder. "Their colors... they're perfectly synchronized."Indeed, as Aria and Ryu'o moved through their battle dance, their combined colors created an ever-shifting aurora against the darkness of Madara's divine chakra. Purple and blue chakra trails painted the air like northern lights.## The Eyes Have It"Those eyes," Madara's voice carried a note of genuine curiosity despite the battle. "They're not a dōjutsu I recognize.""That's because they're not a dōjutsu at all," Aria replied, her dragon-like eyes gleaming. "Just a gift from an old friend.""A gift freely given," Ryu'o added, his own massive eyes sharing the same deep purple hue. "And well earned."## A Teacher's Memory"I remember the day they changed," Kakashi shared, watching as his former student's eyes tracked Madara's movements with inhuman precision. "Right after her first real conversation with Ryu'o. She came to training the next day and nearly gave me a heart attack.""Your exact words were 'Great, now I have two dragons judging my reading choices,'" Aria called up, never breaking her rhythm."To be fair," Ryu'o rumbled, "that particular volume of Icha Icha was especially questionable."## Colors in MotionAs the battle intensified, Aria's hair whipped around her like living aurora, each strand catching the light and throwing it back in impossible shades of purple and blue. Ryu'o's scales matched her movement for movement, their combined display making even the Ten-Tails' chakra seem dull in comparison."It's like watching the northern lights dance," Naruto observed with unusual poetry."If the northern lights could punch gods," Sasuke added dryly.## Legacy of Colors"The ancient dragons were known for their colors," Tobirama lectured, unable to help himself even in the midst of battle. "Each shade represented different aspects of their power. Purple for mystery and wisdom, blue for depth and—""Actually," Ryu'o interrupted politely, "we just think they look nice."Aria's laugh rang out across the battlefield, bright and clear. "See? Even ancient beings can appreciate aesthetics without adding deep meaning to everything!""Though," Ryu'o added thoughtfully as he deflected another of Madara's attacks with his tail, "the purple really does bring out your eyes, little one.""Now who's showing off?" Aria grinned, her dragon eyes glittering with mischief as her iridescent hair painted the air in their favorite shades.The battlefield had become a canvas of purple and blue, two beings moving as one, their chosen colors a testament to both their power and their friendship – and perhaps just a touch of shared vanity."Another hit!" Hashirama exclaimed, watching a particularly spectacular purple-blue combination strike land."Brother, please—" Tobirama started."The purple one or the blue one?" Ryu'o called back innocently.Even Madara seemed momentarily confused by the betting commentary.## The Truth Comes Out"Actually," Aria called out, dodging a Truth-Seeking Orb while maintaining perfect reading posture, "that volume had some really interesting plot points!"Ryu'o's massive head swiveled to stare at her. "You told me you were just confiscating it for his own good!""About that..." Aria had the grace to look slightly embarrassed, even while executing a perfect Dragon-style flip. "Remember all those times I was 'reviewing training scrolls' during our tea sessions?"The great dragon's eyes narrowed. "The orange books you kept hiding behind the actual scrolls?""The character development is surprisingly good!"## The Copy Ninja's VindicationKakashi straightened up, visible eye gleaming with triumph. "I KNEW I saw my special edition volume in your weapons pouch that one time!""Special edition?" Ryu'o rumbled dangerously."It has footnotes!" Aria defended, launching another attack at Madara. "Very... educational footnotes!"## Collective ReactionsNaruto's jaw dropped. "Aria-chan reads the pervy books too?!""With footnotes," Sasuke muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose.Sakura looked torn between disappointment and curiosity. "Are the footnotes really that educational?"## A Dragon's Dismay"All those times you said you were studying ancient chakra theory..." Ryu'o managed to sound both amused and exasperated while breathing a massive stream of fire at Madara."There was chakra theory!" Aria protested. "Chapter seven had a very detailed explanation of... energy flow.""That's not what that chapter was about," Kakashi coughed.## The First's Interest"What exactly is in these books?" Hashirama asked innocently."BROTHER, NO." Tobirama's voice held genuine horror.## Teacher and Student"I'm so proud," Kakashi wiped an imaginary tear from his visible eye. "My student, appreciating fine literature while fighting gods.""The civilian romance subplot in volume three was actually quite compelling," Aria commented, casually deflecting a divine lightning attack. "Though the author's understanding of proper tea ceremony etiquette is questionable at best.""Finally!" Kakashi exclaimed. "Someone else who noticed that! The way they positioned the cups was completely—""Can we focus on the battle?" Madara interrupted, sounding oddly put out at being ignored in favor of literary criticism.## A Dragon's Resignation"We will discuss your choice in reading material later," Ryu'o sighed, a sound like distant thunder. "At length. With charts.""The charts are also in volume four," Aria muttered under her breath."What was that?""Nothing! Look, Madara's doing something godly again!"## Professional Interest"Which edition had the footnotes?" Sakura whispered to Kakashi."SAKURA!" Naruto yelped."For... medical research purposes," she added quickly.## The Battle Continues"Perhaps," Madara's divine voice boomed across the battlefield, "if you spent less time reading questionable literature and more time training—""Oh please," Aria rolled her dragon eyes, her iridescent hair flashing with annoyed purples and blues. "I can appreciate plot development AND kick your divine behind at the same time. I'm multifaceted like that.""It's true," Ryu'o admitted. "She once recited the entire plot of volume two while maintaining perfect form during our aerial maneuver training.""With character voices," Kakashi added proudly.## Shared Interests"You know," Aria dodged another attack, "there's this great scene in volume five that reminds me of this battle. Though with less divine chakra and more creative use of water jutsu—""ARIA!" Ryu'o interrupted."Right, right. Gods first, book club later."The battle resumed in earnest, though now with the occasional muttered literary reference that made Kakashi beam with pride and Ryu'o question several centuries of life choices."Another hit!" Hashirama called out."Was that before or after the volume three reference?" Kakashi asked seriously."BROTHER!""SENSEI!""HUMANS!"Madara, for his part, was beginning to wonder if godhood was worth dealing with literature enthusiasts.