Hidden Cliff Village-Kaede's Story

Kaede's Story [Hidden Cliff Village]
By: Kaede Natsu Sakurano

"You're not really one of us!"
"You're not a part of this village!"
"We don't wanna play with you!"

Kaede spoke to herself, "Why? Why does everyone hate me? What did I do?" It was true, Kaede Uchiha's family wasn't from the Hidden Cliff Village [hidden by a huge waterfall], but Kaede was born in the village and her parents were skilled ninja. She was taken in by the Kage as her own child. But that didn't stop the insults from coming. All the children seemed to want nothing to do with her. She was so lonely.

Fall was nearing its end and Kaede was above the cliff to see them. Only a few people knew the hidden tunnel to get from the village [hidden INSIDE the cliff] to above the cliff and to the rest of the world. Kaede had turned 6 years old just a few months ago. She'd gotten used to being alone, so she often sat above the cliff, staring at the waterfall for hours at a time.
Kaede whispered, "Mom… Dad…where are you?" Her mother, Juuri Uchiha, and her father, Kaoru Uchiha, had left the village almost 5 years ago for a mission…and never came back. Many speculated that they died on the S-Rank mission. Others say the chickened out and returned to Konoha. They left their daughter behind…and all they left in memory was a picture frame from the Kage. The only picture that they ever had taken was a few months after Kaede was born. Kaede never lost that picture.
She lifted the picture up to the sun, "I miss you. Come home soon." She kissed the frame.

As Kaede entered the Academy the next day, she noticed that the insults weren't aimed at her, but at a new student. Shy Yume Namidagawa was the target of teasing. Because she didn't fight back, the insults continued.
Kaede got fed up, "That's it." With her uncanny accuracy, Kaede tossed 10 shurikens at the children surrounded Yume's desk. Each hit a child's sleeve, attaching them to the wall.
The kids shouted out, "What's the big deal Kaede?!"
Kaede stared at them with her big blue eyes, "How low could you get?" With her thick, black hair in her eyes, she looked fierce. Yume's green eyes glittered in admiration. Kaede stood and left the Academy, heading for the secret passage. Once away from the village, she wondered why she'd defended the new girl. Why pink haired, green eyed Yume Namidagawa, the clan's most prized child? Great, now she'd be an even bigger target.
A voice startled Kaede, "U-Umm…" Kaede turned around to see shy Yume behind her.
Yume continued, "You were amazing…but why me?"
Kaede looked at her, "We've both felt it. The misery of being alone. I couldn't just do nothing, like most people would."

From that day on, Kaede and Yume spent hours together, becoming friends and doing almost everything together. Even if the other kids kept distance, neither Yume nor Kaede cared. From eating lunch and practicing accuracy to just playing around and talking, Yume and Kaede did it together. But what would happen within that winter would push their friendship boundaries to the limit…

Kaede laughed, "How could you take that Yume?"
Yume smirked, "I took our Kage's hat! It'll look great on our snowman!"
Kaede couldn't help but giggle, "It would!" After a while of building a snowman, Kaede and Yume had the perfect snowman. And that began their troubles. Suddenly, snow blew from all sides like a blizzard. Three ninja came out from the snow.
One said, "Its gotta be here! The entrance to the Hidden Cliff Village!"
The second noticed them, "Look, it's two brats."
The third saw the Kage's hat, "And the Kage's hat! They know where it is, the entrance to the Hidden Cliff Village!"
Kaede yelled, "We'll never tell!"
Yume pulled out a kunai, "We won't let you find it!"

After many attempts to attack them, the attackers couldn't land a single hit on Kaede or Yume, who were tops in class as the most acrobatic.
One of them shouted, "Just restrain them, we'll make them talk!" And they did just that. One sat on Yume, who was belly, down in the snow. Another was stepping on Kaede's back and holding her arm, twisted.
The third one went to Yume, "Tell me, where is the entrance to the Hidden Cliff Village? Yume took a desperate look at Kaede, who gave a look of hope.
Yume yelled, "I'll never tell!" The third one cut Yume's face with the kunai.
As she screamed, Kaede yelled, "Let her go!"
He smirked, "Make me!" And that's all it took. Kaede could feel it…her sharingan was appearing. Yume saw it too, the symbol of the Uchiha, the Sharingan.
Suddenly, Kaede had Yume in her arms, whispering, "Get the Kage to send backup, I'll hold them off."
Yume was stunned, "B-But Kaede-!"
Kaede hissed, her sharingan blaring, "Get the Kage, now." And Yume was teleported away.

Yume cried to the eight jonin and Kage that followed her, "Here! Over here!" But what they saw was three captured rouge ninjas, and one ninja six-year old girl with her back to them. The Kage's eyes widened, for as the few rays of visible sun shone on Kaede, she could see the silhouettes of her parents, Juuri and Kaoru, standing besides her, backs to them. She had truly earned her respect in the Hidden Cliff Village.
Yume ran to Kaede, "Kaede! You did it!" The two embraced, cried and laughed. Surely, the Kage wouldn't mind about her hat now.

Yume called, "Yo, let's go Kaede!" Kaede is the youngest member of the Special Jonin squad, at just 13 years. Slightly older Yume, at age 15, was in the Jonin rank, moving to special Jonin. Nothing could break them…they were known better as the Golden Pair.