Just Imagine

Chapter 33

Third person pov

It wasn't long before they were finally able to leave. Ima was so excited, she was practically bouncing. Sasuke liked to watch her happy. It made him happy to see her that way. All the bad thoughts that would creep up on him, about Itachi, and his clan, and his want for power... they faded away into nothingness. It was replaced with something lighter, that made his heart feel like it was flying.

"Sasuke, I can't even begin to imagine how wonderful Konoha is!" Ima squealed. "Where will I stay? What will we do?"

"Konoha is super big, and there's lots to do, believe it!" Naruto was glad to have someone new around. Someone like Ima. She was nice, pretty, and his age, and she didn't even glare at him or think he was annoying. She had no idea he was shunned! Even if she did know, he had a feeling she'd never treat him like the villagers did.

"And you'll be staying with me." Sasuke added.

"We need to talk to the Hokage first, boys. After all, we are bringing two rogue ninja into the village, and we need to make sure Ima can stay. And explain her... abilities to the Hokage." Kakashi told them. He was hoping they wouldn't scare her too bad. The Hokage and any of his men, Kakashi meant. While Ima didn't seem to get scared by much, there was no telling what she may accidentally do if intimidated.

"Okay!" Ima agreed with no hesitation. Too trusting, Kakashi noted with a frown. This girl had definitely been shielded. He doubted Sasuke helped with that, probably keeping the gory details of how the world really was to himself. He wondered if Ima could imagine those things away. Wars, and hurt. 

"What will your Kage do with us? Hand us over to the Mist?" Zabuza asked gruffly, although there was an undertone of fear in his voice. He didn't want to go back to his village. That much was abundantly clear. Ima gazed up at the man. She could feel that he was scared, although she was unsure of what. He was a criminal, like Sasuke's brother. 

"Well, can't you just stay in our village?" Ima asked, blinking innocently up at him. Zabuza tensed.

"That's not how it works, kid." Zabuza said gruffly, shaking his head a little.

"He's dangerous." Sakura agreed softly. Ima blinked. "He's a bad guy, basically."

"Then why doesn't he just stop being bad?" Ima scoffed as though it were the most obvious answer in the world. Sasuke was going to say something, but stopped himself. He... I mean, technically... 

"That works, right? Why are you being bad, anyway?" Naruto blinked. "Is there a point?"

"Uh..." Zabuza looked dumbfounded. Why did he kill innocent people and run around like an idiot, taking odd jobs? Honestly, if he just took off his headband and moved into a village that wasn't full of ninja, he probably could have given himself and Haku a fairly normal life. 

"Like I said, we need to talk to the Hokage." Kakashi smiled a little at the girl's peppiness. Her hair was braided today, but even then it was still an extraordinary length. She didn't seem to have a care in the world. Sakura, Sasuke, and even Naruto eyed Haku and Zabuza with some suspicion. They were on their guard, which wasn't a bad thing.

"Where'd your goat friend go?" Naruto questioned, looking around.

"I don't know." Ima sighed happily, looking like this was the best day of her life. "Oh, I just can't wait! Imagine what it would be like if we were all already there, at the gates! I bet it'd be amazing!"

Kakashi's eyes widened as an odd sensation washed over him. Like air was compressing his whole body. It was the feeling he got when teleporting, but also different in an odd way he couldn't quite place. Either way, one moment they were all walking down a dirt road towards Konoha, and the next they were in front of the gates, teetering back and forth as they tried and failed to keep their balance.

"Whoa!" Ima gasped, eyes wide with awe. "It's amazing!"

"Ima, you have to warn us when you do that." Sasuke coughed a little, the air sucked right out of his lungs. It was always better to hold it when Ima did that so suddenly. Then you wouldn't feel like a deflated balloon after travelling from point A to point B. His teammates were in no better shape, hacking and wheezing.

"Sorry." Ima apologized sheepishly before her eyes were back on the village. Izumo and Kotetsu, startled by their sudden appearance, had scrambled out to investigate the group of gasping ninja. Ima brightened when she spotted them, bouncing right on over. It was rare that she ever got to meet new people!

"Hello!" She chirped, holding out her hand. "My name is Ima!"

"Uh... hi..." Kotetsu shook it, and them Izumo. "I'm Kotetsu, and this is Izumo... who are you?"

"Ima." Ima repeated, undeterred. 

"Don't worry, Izumo, Kotetsu. She's with us. As are these two." Kakashi, finally having caught his breath, nudged Haku and Zabuza forward. Haku nodded respectfully before he could really stop himself, while Zabuza simply scowled. While the man wasn't dumb enough to run away while they had that powerhouse of a girl with them, it didn't mean he was too happy about being caught.

"Oh!" Izumo's eyes widened when he recognized. "I thought it was a C-rank?"

"It was, believe it! But then all sorts of exciting stuff happened." Naruto grinned.

"We almost died." Sakura argued. 

"I never said it was good stuff, believe it."

"Let's just go, team." Kakashi sighed as Sasuke retrieved Ima before she could bound off and meet anymore strangers. The girl was clearly very excited, and Kakashi couldn't say he blamed her. After all, it wasn't everyday outsiders got to see the inner workings of a ninja village.