//------------------------------// // Prologue: The Tale of the Crimson Spider of the Hidden Sand begins // Story: EQG: Sunset Shimmer of The Hidden Sand: A Naruto Story // by Dalek-Galvo //------------------------------// As Sunset Shimmer regained consciousness, she felt her hands touching something soft and smooth. Well really, she feels the same feeling on her legs and body. As if she was lying on the sand of a tropical beach. When Sunset first opened her eyes, she saw that she was surrounded by a vast ocean of sand. She was in a large desert. "Momma, Papa, where are you," Little Sunset cried out to her mother and father, but the only response she had gotten was nothing but silence and the gentle humming of the desert winds. Sunset was in a pinch, all she was doing was walking home her usual route after a long day at Everton Elementary School, when suddenly out of nowhere she was snagged from behind by an older girl whose face looked like hers. The next thing that she remembered was when the older girl threw her into a weird portal with multicolored lights on it. This brought Sunset into utter sadness, her parents must be worried sick about where their daughter is, and now Sunset is trapped in another world, and she had no idea on how she could get back home. "What if I can't find a way to get back home, what if I die in this desert and never see my friends or family ever again," Sunset thought to herself. This thought in her head made her start to cry, and who could blame her. She was only 7 years old; no child could survive in such intense conditions. All she could do was cry, and hope that someone or something could bring her salvation in this dire time. Many hours later, she was just wandering aimlessly through the vast desert, as she was searching for any sign of food or water. "Water...I need water," Sunset weakly murmured to herself as she continued walking. All Sunset wanted to do was close her eyes tightly, and hope for when she reopened them, she would be back home safe and sound, feeling the warmth of her houses fireplace, and smelling the wonderful smell of her mother's home-made cooking. But she knew that this would never happen as she stared at the vast desert. Sunset's legs ached, her arms ached, every bone in her body ached, and she just wanted to just stop moving, but she knew that if she stopped moving, she wouldn't survive. Sunset was also beginning to see things that weren't there, like seeing a pond with fresh drinking water. However, this was nothing more than an mirage. Sunset's legs finally couldn't take anymore of this as she then collapsed onto the sand below her. "C-Can't walk anymore, s-so tired," Sunset said as her vision was starting to fade, as she was giving up on any hope that she would be rescued. "N-Need to sl-sleep, just for a little while." That was until Sunset felt the sand start to shake before her, as the ground then opened. From underneath the sand, a giant creature appeared from below the sand it was burrowing through. It was the ancient sand spirit, Kumo, a giant Spider like creature, resembling a giant Desert Two-Toned Wolf-Spider, that had been rumored to roam around the sands of the desert. Even though Kumo had Perfect eyesight, she could also see through chakra, and Kumo could see that this girl's chakra was fading fast. "This girl won't last much longer if I just leave her here," Kumo said. And so, Kumo tried to gently pick up Sunset with its legs, but then sensed the chakra of a group of bandits who were heading straight for Sunset. "Sage Mode," Kumo said as bright red lines formed around the creature. "Sand Concentration." Kumo with lightning speed, glided through the sand as she got close to the bandits. "Sage-Art, Arachnid Technique, Orb Web Chakra Net," Kumo said as she fired a giant orb that trapped two of the five bandits. "Don't waste any time, git the kid," One of the Bandits said as they continued charging towards Sunset. "Water-Style, Water Dragon Bullet Barrage," Kumo stated as she fired bits of water from her fangs that resembled dragon-heads as they were shot at extreme speeds. The Bandits had no time to fight back as they were all sent flying from all Kumo's attacks. The only Bandit that was left just took off running in the opposite direction. After Kumo returned to normal, she carefully put Sunset on her back and then carried Sunset back to her underground burrow. "She will stay down here until she can fully recover from the desert heat, then I will send her to The Kazekage," Kumo said to herself. Luckily, Kumo's Burrow was connected to an underground cave where there was a large pond with drinkable water. Not only that but there a vast collection of nutrient rich fruit and the meat of prey she had gotten ahold of. "Come little one, drink from the water so that you can regain your strength," Kumo said as Sunset was weakly drinking from the pool. Sunset would also eat the fruit Kumo gave her, which would also help her improve her bones and muscles. "Thank you, Granny-Kumo," Sunset said to Kumo, who chuckled a little. Kumo had taken it into herself to care for the young child, in Kumo's dark yet illuminated cave burrow, Sunset trained herself to the fullest, so that she would be able to protect herself. This also unintentionally made Sunset awaken her own Ocular Jutsu, The Jiraigan, or Times Eye. As One day, Sunset saw her new eyes while looking at a puddle and even though she was shocked at first, she then thought they were very pretty due to them having the texture of a spider's web. The Jiraigan allowed her to either slow or speed up time, which came in handy when she would either play or spar Kumo's many Hatchlings. Especially with one of her best friends, Gumo, another Ninja Spider. The Jiraigan also allowed her to see in Night-Vision, Thermal Vision, she could even see Ultra-Violet Light. Kumo taught her many things, for example, she was taught how to excrete silk from her fingertips, silk that was laced with chakra. Sunset even created her own Ninja Puppets, Known as King (Resembling her Father), Queen (Resembling her Mother), Jack (Resembling her older brother, and Joker (Resembling her little sister), though her personal Puppets were King and Queen. Sunset lived a good and happy life under Kumo's watchful eyes. Sunset Shimmer: Age 10 "CHAAAAA," Sunset shouted as she was sparing with Gumo. "Sunset," Kumo said. I think that's enough sparring for now." "Ok, Granny-Kumo," Sunset said. "You did good out there li...," Gumo said as he stopped himself, not daring to call Sunset "Little Girl, or small-fry, or short." Another Hatchling named, Zumo, learned that lesson the hard way. "Were you about to say something," Sunset said. "No, nothing, nothing at all," Gumo said with a look of fright. "Yeah, that's what I thought," Sunset said. "What is it, Granny-Kumo," Sunset asked. "I think that it's finally time for you to leave the safety of the burrow, and venture on to greater heights," Kumo said "What do you mean by that, Granny-Kumo," Sunset asked. "I will be taking you to a secret passageway that leads to the gate of the Village hidden in the Sand," Kumo said. "Once there, we will talk to Gaara, The 5th Kazekage." "Ok, Granny,” Sunset said as she and Kumo went through the tunnel and to the entrance of the Hidden Sand Village. “One day, I’m going to become Kazekage, and help those that I want to protect, cause that’s my Will of Fire, my Ninja Way. Chaaa!” And so, this is how the story of Sunset Shimmer began, and this is how her life in The Hidden Sand Village will bloom. But what events will occur in the future, only time will tell. (This story will continue in Chapter 1: Pathway to Genin: Part 1 of 3: Meeting new Friends).