I blinked my eyes open slowly, my body feeling heavy and my head foggy. I was faced with treetops and an amazingly blue sky...what a perfect day...

Wait...

I didn't fall asleep in the forest...I don't think?

Shooting into an upright position, I quickly scanned the area, not really sure where I was. The forest that surrounded me was lush with life. Birds sung, flowers mid bloom, and the sun cascaded softly into the quaint clearing I sat in. Strange...everything looks almost...animated?

I quickly brought my hands up to my eyes, seeing that they were animated too. My mouth dropped in a silent screech. Since I have been mute since little, no sound came out.

Where the hell am I? And why in the world are my legs and arms so short??

My eyes widened, and I focused my attention onto what I was wearing. A big dark grey soft sweater that was so big the sleeves easily slid past my wrists and to my fingertips. Quickly pulling it up, I noted I wore a faded blue cotton t-shirt under it. I had black jeans with big pockets (How rare are these for a women) and I had white tennis shoes. I noticed with slight amusement that I had ankle high pink socks with kitten faces on them.

I stood, looking for a way to figure out where I was.

I feel so short...aren't I 5'7? I feel like I'm three feet tall....

Without much to go on, I shrugged to myself and started walking...or waddling... in a random direction.

As I walked, I passed by wonderful scenery. Trees and flower patches and small clearings. I stopped at one point to sit and weave a flower crown for myself, surrounded by flowers and pretty butterflies. It took a good hour with my small hands, but a crown of golden flowers was created, and it adorned my head as I walked again.

I grew hungry and a bit thirsty after walking for a good two hours, so I stopped to grab some raspberries from a bush that I luckily found. Also, I heard a stream nearby and I was lured to the refreshing sound.

It was a small but clear water stream, rippling quietly through its designated path by nature. I crouched by it and looked down into the water, taking the first look at my animated reflection.

....

....

Okay, why do I look 12?!? I guess that explains the shortness and socks, but who threw me into a time machine? Last time I checked I was 16, was about to go into sophomore year, and had no chubby cheeks! Ugh, Ao, get ahold of yourself!

Thinking about how I got here, I drank, trying to make sense of the situation. I splashed water on my face, but that didn't help much. Without much else to do, I continued in the direction that I was going in.

After awhile, I started to get an unsettling feeling that someone was watching me. I walked a bit faster, sweat starting to drip down my face. Ooooh no this isn't about to become Slenderman. In all horror games, the worst thing that I hated was the anticipation.

But the feeling didn't last long, for a man appeared in front of me. His clothing reminded me of a ninja or bandit...particularly from an anime I watched recently....

Then it clicked together. Animation, ninja clothes, style of art....I recognize this place as Naruto. Yes, I am familiar with many animes, but this one I watched recently.

"Hey kiddo," the man in the mask greeted with a fake upbeat tone in his voice,"where you off to?"

Deciding to play this calmly, I shrugged. I couldn't shake off the 'stranger danger' feeling this guy was giving me.

"Not much of a talker eh?"

I shrugged again.

"Oh, well in that case, why don't you come with me? I know a great place that has really good dango."

Smiling innocently I shook my head as if to say 'no thank you'.

I started forward, aiming to walk around him, but he stopped me by getting in my way.

"I can't let you do that, little girl," his tone turned dark, pulling a kunai from his thigh pouch,"you'll have to come with me."

Noticing this threat, I weighed my options as I stared at the man. I could fight, but I have no weapon and I'm at a disadvantage with my height and arm reach. I could run, but the length of my legs won't get me far. I could talk my way out of this, but it seems talking won't get to this guy.

"Well, kid? You gonna just stand there? You coming or not?"

I didn't answer, or hear for that matter, since I was lost in thought.

"Okay kid, but it's your funeral!" The man launched at me in full speed, the dangerous end of the kunai pointed directly at me.

I finally realized what was going on and as reflex, leaned backward as the man slashed at my head, barley missing my nose letting my mouth drop again in again silent yelp of surprise. My mind went blank in panic, and I stepped back, letting the man lose balance. My body moved on its own, appearing behind the man and chopping his neck with my hand. He fell in seconds.

Shocked, I stared at the man who now lay snoring. I stared at my hand I had used.

What the hell was that?!

I stumbled backward again ran, finding a dirt road not too far from where I was. I took this as a sign of humanity and ran down it in one direction, hoping to find someone to help.

-----------

I ended up tripping and falling into mud a couple times and getting my short black hair caught in branches, but it didn't matter to me. I was on a road, which was better than nothing.

It was another good three hours before I stood in front of the Hidden Leaf gates.

My hair tangled, breathing hard, caked in layers of mud, I stopped myself from running to the entrance. What was I going to say that happened to me? Where I was from? If I had.....

....family.

I gulped, a twisted knot in my stomach. In the new events, I completely forgot about my family. My shoulders slouched, and I felt so guilty....what would my mom do without me? Or my little sister?

I'll figure this out later...time to put my acting skills to work. ..

I stumbled forward, coming into full view of the people I knew that were supervising the gate. I remembered one was named Kotetsu...I couldn't remember the other's name.

As I approached as pathetically as I could, one of the guards immediately noticed and nudged the other day dreaming Kotetsu. Their focus on me, Kotetsu shouted,

"Name and business!"

This was before they saw how battered I looked. When they realized just how broken I was, they scanned the area as if they were alarmed. Then, one guard nodded to the other.

The man who I couldn't remember his name jumped over the supervisor table and ran to me.

"You okay, kid? What happened to you?"

I feebly just kind of collapsed into his outstretched arms, beginning to cry and shake.

"Shhh, it's okay. Kotetsu! Hold down the fort will you? I'll take care of the kid."

"Just be quick, Izumo!"

"No problem!"

The man took off with me in his arms into the Leaf Village.

...well that was easy....

"Kid, can you hear me? I'm going to take you to some people who can help you, okay?"

I nod into his shoulder, putting on a show by shaking a bit. He sighs in relief and keeps going a steady pace across rooftops.

----------------

"Good afternoon....how are you feeling?"

The nurse walked in with those words after the an admitted me to the hospital, cleaned me, and changed me into a hospital gown. They put me in a little room with a big window so I could see the street from my white bed.

I turned to her and gave a small 'eh' kind of movement with my hand. I kept my eyes low and heavy, my posture slouched enough to feel comfortable against the backboard of the bed.

The nurse smiled saying, "that's a better response from before. Two men are here to see you and ask you some questions. Would that be alright?"

I nod silently. The nurse quickly excuses herself and leaves. She returns with the two mentioned peviously after a while, though I couldn't see them because my head was turned to the view outside. I heard the sound of heels receding, noting the nurse left us alone.

One of the people aproaches without falter and stands at my bed side. I turn to look at them, and my eyes take in a big chest and black trenchcoat. I look up slowly to see a scarred face I recognized.

The man was Ibiki Morino, the infamous mind gamer. I took in his flat and unamused face with a sweatdrop. In the anime he looked less scary.

I looked behind him to see another man, but he wore a jounin vest and had silver gravity defying hair. Kakashi Hatake. He had a less dominant aura than Ibiki, but you could see he meant business as much as the man clad in a trenchcoat.

"I assume you to be the one who turned up outside the villiage," Ibiki said coldly.

I nodded, giving a small frown. He was too close for comfort, but I wasn't about to let him know that.

"I am Ibiki Morino, and him over there is Kakashi Hatake. I'd like to know who you are?"

I grabbed my white board a nurse grabbed for me when she realized I couldn't speak or understand my sign language. I pulled open the marker and wrote 'My name is Ao. Where am I?"

"I'll be asking the questions, kid. Now--"

"Ibiki, take it easy. She's a child, not an adult," Kakashi calmly reminded his comrade. He walked to my other bed side lazily, ignoring the sharp glare Ibiki was giving him. I smiled mentally, instantly realizing the 'good cop bad cop' ruse. Information tactic. Interesting choice.

Kakashi gave is one eyed smile, saying, "Nice to meet you Ao. You are in the Village Hidden in the Leaves, in the Land of Fire. Do you remember how you got here?"

After a second, I shook my head. I wrote 'All I remember doing is waking up in the middle of the forest.'

"Where did you come from?" Ibiki deadpanned.

I gave a look of slight stress, thinking. I then held my head in my hands as if a headache was brimming. I shook my head.

Kakashi 'hmed' at this while Ibiki spoke, "You were attacked by a bandit after you awoke, yes?"

I nodded in response.

"What did he do after he approached you?"

I wrote, 'He asked me where I was going.'

"What did you respond with?"

'I shrugged. I went to walk around him, but he pulled a knife on me.'

Kakashi looked a bit worried, inquiring, " What type of knife?"

'Kunai.'

Kakashi froze, bit played it off as a sigh, asking, "What did you do?"

I (wrote) told Ibiki and Kakashi how I knocked the guy out, explaining I had no idea how I did it. Ibiki snorted, but Kakashi showed a small sign of interest.

They asked me a few more simple questions about my past, but I couldn't think up of anything on the spot so I just told them I couldn't remember. Kakashi said it was okay, but Ibiki muttered a string of curse words as he left with Kakashi in tow. They stayed for over two hours, but I didn't mind. Seeing the characters I admired so much brought me happiness.

I was left to stare outside, watching a couple of small children play with a ball in a backyard. I looked at my bruised arms,  messed with the bandages, drew pictures, and tried to make up a backstory to keep myself occupied until dinner was brought to me by the same nurse a few hours ago. I ate the plain apple, soup, and sandwich they gave me and lay down comfortably.

Today was an interesting day...I met the famous Kakashi, Ibiki, and the gate guards....I wonder who I'll meet next....

I fell into the arms of sleep with my mind brimming with imaginations and thoughts.