Haurutsuki: Melting of Beautiful Snow

2. Journey to the Hidden Leaf

As they began their three-day long journey in the desert, Miyuki spoke up, "It's so hot..." she whined. "We're definitely not in the Hidden Mist Village anymore." Katsu said, looking around the desert sands. "You just had to wish to feel the sun on our faces for one last time, didn't you, Ryuu?" Miyuki complained. Ryuu walked with his arms over his head, "Don't blame this on me. Besides, it's better than being frozen for all eternity. You think Kakashi would be there? In the Hidden Leaf, I mean." he wondered. Sasuke stopped, "Kakashi-Sensei?" he wondered aloud. The three halted behind him, "What, you know him?" Ryuu asked excitedly. "Is he even alive?" Katsu asked suspiciously. "And why are you calling him Sensei, we're like the same age." Miyuki questioned skeptically. "You were frozen like that for eight years. A lot happened since then." Sasuke said, and then turned to continue walking. The three's jaws dropped, "EIGHT YEARS!?" they exclaimed in shock.

Miyuki shook off her shock, ran up, and grabbed his shoulder to turn him to face her, "Alright, now you listen here, Sasuke Uchiha. You have some explaining to do. You can start with what happened during those last eight years and how we're still alive." She demanded. "Are you taking us in as hostages? Or do you plan on selling us to Lord Yagura?" Katsu asked flatly. Sasuke removed Miyuki's firm hand on him and fixed his robe before replying to the angry and suspicious-expressed duo, "I don't know how you're still alive. But I don't plan on shipping you off to a dead Mizukage either." The trio's eyes widened, "Lord Yagura's dead!??" Ryuu burst out in shock and disbelief. Miyuki folded her arms, "Hn. Finally." She mumbled to herself. "No kidding." Katsu added, putting a hand on his hip.

"Lady Mei is your Fifth Mizukage. I doubt she wants you dead. In fact, she'll probably welcome you back to the Hidden Mist as shinobi. But if you know Kakashi-Sensei, he'll have some questions for you to answer first, which is why I'm taking you in as refugees." Sasuke explained. Miyuki frowned skeptically, while Ryuu's face lit up, "You here that guys!? We're going to get to see our old friend, Kakashi!" he beamed, grabbing Miyuki and twirling her at her hands across the sands. "Whoa! Ryuu! The last thing we were to him, were enemies of war!" she exclaimed, before Ryuu released her, and she caught her spinning head. "Well that was officially. But I mean, with everything we went through with him, Minato, Obito and Rin, we became friends. Right, Katsu?" he said, turning to Katsu. Katsu shrugged, "I'd say comrades in arms, but-" Ryuu cut him off, "Same thing! So how is he, Sasuke?" Ryuu asked brightly. Sasuke sweat-dropped, 'He's as bright as Naruto when it comes to ramen.' He thought before flatly replying, "He's fine. He's the Hokage, after all." The three were taken aback.

Suddenly, Miyuki burst out laughing, "Pfft! You made that arrogant snob your Hokage!?" she laughed out. Sasuke smirked to himself at the comment. "Miyuki... Stop being so mean." Ryuu whined. Miyuki wiped a tear from her eye, "Sorry, I can't help it. He was a total jerk." She chuckled out as she composed herself. "That is very true." Katsu pointed out. "Yeah, but maybe he did it for Obito. It was his dream, after all." Ryuu said sympathetically. Miyuki and Katsu suddenly felt ashamed, "Yeah... Maybe." Miyuki said quietly. "Before he tried to kill us." Katsu reminded them.

"So, you know the old Team 7. Guess that makes you three more interesting than I thought." The three raised curious eyebrows at Sasuke's statement. "A lot has happened while you three were frozen. The Five Great Shinobi Villages joined forces during the Fourth Great Ninja War, and have now entered an era of peace, thanks to Naruto." Sasuke explained. The three stared up at him blinkingly.

Sasuke sighed and held the bridge of his nose, before turning and walking on again, "Come on. I'll explain it all on the way to the village." He said, and with that, the curious three Haurutsuki members followed him.

It took some time for Sasuke to explain it to them (A lot of it actually). They did their best not to ask him annoying questions or have the shock of their lives after each sentence, but it was rather difficult. After all, Obito had been the masked man all along. Knowing they could have stopped him sooner left them feeling guilty. Sasuke told them about how shinobi came to be, Madara's era, Obito's and Kakashi's era, Itachi's, as well as his and Naruto's. By the time he had finished, the three were already camping in the forestry near the Leaf Village.

Miyuki smiled as she stared down at the campfire they surrounded, "So Obito died a hero, after all..." she said quietly. She thought so fondly of him, throughout her life before he turned bad. Ryuu sniffed, trying to hold back the tears in his eyes as he stared at the flames. Miyuki chuckled to herself, "That idiot... Minato better give him a good whack on the head from us." She said softly. Ryuu nodded, unable to speak, "Mm!" he agreed, tears spilling over. To think, he had been the reason for their clan's destruction, and then sacrificed himself for world peace. Sasuke told them of his final battle against Naruto next, and then the battle Naruto had on the moon. With that, his story telling drew to a close. "Now I'm on a journey to atone for my sins. Once I've brought you back to the Hidden Leaf Village, I'll continue my journey, and start investigating how I was able to free you from that ice with my Rinnegan." Sasuke finished. "Okay. Well, thank you for all your help so far. We really appreciate it." Ryuu smiled. "Hn." Sasuke replied, looking down at the fire. "I can't believe how much has happened in just eight years..." Miyuki thought aloud in disbelief. "We were in a coma throughout an entire war..." Katsu realised.

That night, as everyone slept under the stars of what remained of the fire pit, Miyuki began dreaming about seeing her Clan being swallowed by her ice and woke up with a fright. She panted slightly, before sighing in defeat. The same thing had happened the night before. Ryuu woke up lazily, "Miyuki? Are you okay?" he slurred, half-asleep. She had woken everyone up. She got up, holding a hand over her eyes trying to shake off the dream, "I'm fine. I'll just go keep watch." She said, walking off. She walked up a tree and sat on a branch, looking out at the stars passed the treetops.

Sasuke stared up at her for a moment, "What's with her? That's the third night now." Sasuke said bluntly. Ryuu looked at her too, "She's been through a lot. We may have played our part in it, but she was the one who had to eliminate us, and our clan with it." Sasuke's eyes narrowed at her as he watched her dangle one of her leg dangles under the branch. She put her worn-out, red scarf over her head as he wondered, 'Is this how you felt... Itachi?'

The next morning, the guys woke up at the fire pit to see Miyuki still in the tree. She heard them waking and hopped down to prepare to get moving. Sasuke gave everyone a food pill, and with that, they were off to the Hidden Leaf Village. As they walked down the dirt road, Ryuu took a curious look at Miyuki as she hid under her hood, "Uhm, Miyuki, you don't look so good." He said in concern. She was paler than usual and looked exhausted. She frowned in annoyance and looked away from him, "I'm fine. Just need some sleep." Sasuke was walking ahead and heard them, "We're almost there. I'm sure Kakashi-Sensei will see to all your needs." He stated. "If he remembers us." Katsu mumbled.

As they walked on, Miyuki started lagging behind, dragging her feet and beginning to struggle to catch her breath, let alone catch up to them. "Miyuki?" Ryuu said, stooping to look back at her. "Hmm?" Katsu and Sasuke wondered as they realized she wasn't between her two brothers, but a few feet away at a standstill. "I don't... feel so..." she panted out before trying to look up at them. Her eyes went into a daze, and Sasuke realized she was losing consciousness as she slurred out, "Good..."

Sasuke caught her in his arm just in time, and her hood fell to reveal her pale, sweating and sleeping face. Her brothers ran up, calling to her in worry. "She's collapsed from exhaustion. We'll need to get you three checked into a hospital once we reach the Leaf Village." Sasuke told them. "Here, let me take her." Ryuu offered, and Sasuke gently passed her into his arms.

As they continued to walk towards the village, Ryuu held his sister piggy-back style. He grunted as he readjusted her sleeping body on his back, "Don't ever tell my sister this... But she's gotten really heavy these last few minutes." He grunted out. "Hmm... We must all still be suffering side effects from the last eight years. I can't even access my chakra reserves or perform ninjutsu right now... That, and that last jutsu we pulled with what Obito called the Keihatsugan." Katsu thought. "The village is just up ahead. I'll get you three escorted to the hospital while I inform the Hokage of your arrival." Sasuke explained. "You mean Kakashi? Cool! Hey, Katsu...When is it your turn to carry her?" Ryuu grunted. "Don't look at me. You're the one who wanted to make an entrance." Katsu said innocently. "What? Since when? Hey, I never said that!" Ryuu frowned in disbelief. Katsu shrugged, "You didn't have to." Ryuu growled in response. Sasuke smirked to himself. In a way, they all reminded him of his old Team 7.

"Hey, Sasuke, is that it?" Ryuu asked as they stared into the distance at the big open red gates ahead. "Obviously, Ryuu." Katsu said flatly. "Come on, let's keep moving." Sasuke said, and they continued walking while Miyuki remained collapsed on Ryuu's shoulders and back.