Fiery Hot Ramen

The Third Shinobi World War had been declared. There was little action the first few months, but any battles held between nations were usually vicious. Each battle lost many lives.

I don't know many details of the war besides supposedly being caused by a 'failed mission,' as Otou-san has stopped speaking to me, he can't look at me in the eyes anymore. I'm still attending the Adademy but there is talk of me skipping grades. Apparently I am a prodigy because I learn faster than other kids.

I-I don't know though.

I kind of like the Academy in it's own weirdness. Then again, Tou-san did something and now practically everybody in the Village hates us. Why? Even the teachers glare at me as though I did something wrong. The children that once tried to tackle me and bring me into their little groups now stare at me as though I were some grosteque thing.

Perhaps I should skip grades.

If I skip grades, I won't have to burden anyone any longer with anger. Anger is bad because it hurts. Tou-san hurts whenever they glare, when they whisper under their breath insults and lies. I hurt.

I don't want my classmates to be burdened with anger. Those eyes that once stared at me with awe, with friendship, with comradeship. They were mine.

Perhaps I should leave.

I will leave, and perhaps...

But I don't want--

Ano, who cares what I want? Life is not kind and death waits for no one. So I will grow stronger, and one day they will look at me without those gleams of hatred in their eyes. And will look at me with fear instead...

I don't want... but I have no choice for now. For now, I will grow stronger.

Tou-san seems distracted lately, and it's different. Even Orochimaru-oji-san no longer has time for me. Although he has an excuse, because he's acting as Head Scientist for the Division of Science & Engineering. And he is also an esteemed and high-ranking shinobi, since he's is one of the legendary Sannin.

Sannin. The Three Ninjas.

Pfft. Such an odd name, but at least it somehow strikes fear in our (their) enemies. It was bestowed upon Orochimaru-oji-san, Jiraiya-oji-san, and Tsunade-oba-san, by Sanshōuo no Hanzō, Hanzō of the Salamander. He is the current sato-osa, village head, of Amegakure of Rain Country.

Although he is a mere sato-osa, his lethal prowess is nothing to mock. As proven in the last war, the Second Shinobi World War. In fact, people say that he can probably fight on-terms with any Hokage he wishes. And that he is probably a ushi-oni, despite him being human. As his metal mask is supposed to ventilate the toxic air he exhales.

Some people say that he probably feasts on his kill in the safety of the large bodies of water found in Ame. Although that isn't true because the corpses that are retrieved by others, are given burials here in Konoha.

Throwing the rock forwards, I watched as it skipped five times across the lake before sinking with a quiet 'plop.' Tilting my head, I turned around to find another stone before tripping unceremoniously onto the ground.

Picking myself up, I inspected my blue kimono for any dirt stains. Quickly brushing off the few flecks of dirt that were visible, I sighed in relief before pretending nothing happened. A quiet voice whispered something, and I nearly snapped my head up in surprise.

"So cool."

Picking up a rock, I warily looked around for the source. Somehow this person snuck up on me, and I wanted to know who. Alarmed, I barked out a loud,

"Who's there?"

From behind a giant boulder, this kid with messy black hair and orange goggles nearly tumbled out and into a face-plant. Unimpressed, I nduged him gently with my foot before he indignantly jumped up.

"OI!! You don't need to be so mean Pretty Kitsune!"

Confused, I stared at him. Kitsune? What. Oh. I forgot to re-apply the light Illusion that hides my tail and ears. But why did he call me a kitsune(?)... Glaring down at the boy, I immediately rectified his mistake.

"Excuse you, I am 100% not a kitsune!"

Confused eyes stared at me.

"But you have ears, and a tail. That makes you a kitsune!"

Alright, this obvious weirdo does not know the difference between a kitsune and any other type of yokai. Specifically wolf types. This is a very stupid stupid-head.

"Baka! You don't just call someone a kitsune, do you know how insulting it is for someone to be called something they're not. Let alone without the proper greetings and etiquette?"

His face was scrunched up like a pug. Tou-san once said that when human children make that face it either means they're going to start crying. Alarmed, I pulled him up, and tried to calm him down.

"Don't cry. You don't need to cry, because of your stupidity. Don't worry, Tou-san said that all human children are stupid when they're young. So, um, don't cry?"

The kid, just looked at me as though I were crazy. His next sentence made me drop him, as it seemed I was mistaken.

"That's my thinking face."

Frozen, I stared at the baka. His face has smoothed out, with only a wrinkle between his eyebrows, as he glared at me. Eyes narrowed, after he finished flailing around like a fish, and calling me a 'big meanie pants.' The expression he now wore seemed vaguely familiar, so I called it as I saw it.

"Are you constipated or something? Because I've never seen that expression before."

He looked up at me, mouth gaping open before closing it. His next choice of words made me grit my teeth as I stared down at him.

"You're rude you baka-kitsune!"

Gasping out loud, I held my hand to my heart as I feigned hurt. Before pulling my kimono out of his grip, as he tried to pick himself up.

"Oi! Don't call me a kitsune!"

He made that stupid expression again, the one that I thought meant he was going to cry. Worried, I knelt down and studied his expression. Perhaps it'll tell me what he's thinking about. Once I discover it's secrets of course.

Owlish eyes blinked at me, as stars sparkled. He was like a puppy begging for forgiveness, how could I deny such a cute face?

"But you're so pretty, and kitsune are the prettiest yokai I know. Every other type will trick and eat people, but you're so nice. And you're white like a tenko."

The flattery was nice, and I could see he meant well. His puppy eyes and innocence is cute as well...

"Fine, I'll forgive you for your insult. Don't call me a kitsune, 'cause I'm not one. Okay?"

I held out my hand and hesitatingly, he grabbed it. Pulling him back onto his feet for the second time already, I quietly laughed at the absurdity of it. The boy spoke again, this time voice soft and not annoying like earlier.

"Then who are you yokai-san?"

Glaring at him, I sighed. Not wanting to give him my name, but wanting him to stop calling me those weird names. Perhaps if I give him a shortened version of my name? Kashi is to close to my real name, how about...

"Call me Shi-san!"

The boy nodded in response before freezing.

"YOU WANT ME TO CALL YOU DEATH!?! Isn't that rude?"

Nodding in reluctant agreement, I couldn't help but remember that shi means death and death, when spoken about, is considered unlucky. But I couldn't think of any other name to give him, as anything longer will give away my identity. Because he seems familiar and is he a Uchiha? Nah, he's to clumsy, but still...

"Well I can't give you my real name, so Shi-san will have to do."

He narrowed his eyes as he stared at the ground for a long while. Before looking up and staring at me. Discomforted by his intense stare, I fiddled with a piece of cloth before remembering that I have no need to get worried about his feelings!

Although, perhaps I should...

"Then what's your real name Shi-chan?"

This snapped me back into reality. Haughtily, I replied back to him.

"You have no reason to know. I don't even know your name and you ask for mine? It's bad enough I don't have a mask, but for you to ask my name so blatantly? Hmph."

The boy tilted his head before holding out his hand.

"Alright, let's do this. My name is Obito. So now I did this it isn't so rude anymore. Okay?"

His hopeful eyes were cute... No. This is not a puppy, this is a gross kid that nearly got snot on my new kimono. That is a transgression I am not going to forgive.

"Fine, fine, Obito-san, call me Shi-chan. Although I can't tell you my real name unless I have a mask."

Obito tilted his head before asking quietly.

"A mask?"

Seeing that this Obito wasn't as stupid as he seemed, I smiled.

"Yes, I have several. But my favorite one is this white one with ears and a long snout that goes over my face like this!"

Holding my hands out, I mimed the shape of the snout and ears. That got a giggle out of the boy, laughing as I made silly expressions behind my 'mask.' Perking up, he started making an arrangement of leaves and stuck it together with mud, before saying,

"How does this mask look?"

Examining his weird face, I hummed as I wondered how to tell him.

"It looks...stupid."

His shocked and scandalized expression made me laugh. It was so silly! Then he frowned, and with a curious tone, he asked,

"But why does a kitsune have to wear a mask? I thought they only had to wear them during festivals?"

Horrified at not clearing up his misunderstanding earlier, I blatantly told him.

"I'm not a kitsune though."

With questioning eyes, he stared at me. Seeming to try to see if I were lying or not. When he seemed to have found no lie, although I don't know why he thought he could see a lie, he nodded in acceptance. Then he asked,

"Okay, then. Then what are you?"

Quietly, I answered his question. All prejudice gone, as he seemed friendly, even though he seemed a bit dumb. He was nice.

"Raiju. Biologically I am a raiju, lightning beast but I can't transform. Something about..."

His hand pulled away from mine as he flailed once more. Screaming and running in circles as he once again became annoying. Stepping back from the obviously-a-lunatic, I asked him.

"What's wrong?"

His sobs grated on my delicate ears and I glared at him.

"You're gonna eat my tummy and sleep in it! I love my stomach, it's where all baa-chan's delicious food goes! Idon'twanttostopeatingbaa-chan'syummytummy food! Don't eat my tummy!"

Sweat-dropping, I just stared as the baka continued to flail and beg me to 'not eat his tummy.' When he started hyperventilating though, I slapped him on the face with the nearest thing I could grab. Not wanting to get snot on my hand.

Immediately he stopped crying, and relieved, I laughed at his stupidity.

"I'm not going to eat you."

Hopeful eyes stared at me. I think I'm getting the hang of this now, reading his expressions is getting easier.

"You're not?"

"No, because I'm a big wolfie now. I can hunt and kill my own prey, and not hide in somebody's stomach like a coward."

Wide eyes stared at me in shock.

"K-kill?"

He seemed scared. Why? Odd, killing isn't that big a deal. Why does he seem so weird?

"Yeah, hunt and kill. It's what oji-san and Tou-san do."

The boy's eyes rolled backwards and I had to catch him before his head hit the hard ground. River stones making up a bulk of the shore, and that would definitely hurt a delicate human. Right?

Pulling off his blue jacket, I inspected it for a tag, or something. Sniffing it, I smelled a lot of old people and perfume on it. Blech, perfume.

Sighing, I started dragging the boy towards town but a hand stopped me. Freezing, a voice spoke into my ear.

"Kashi-chan, why aren't you hiding your tail and ears? Did you kill this boy?"

Turning around nervously, I guiltily avoided looking into his piercing gaze. Taking a deep breath, I answered him as truthfully but not-truthfully as I could. Knowing that if I told him everything, we'll both get in trouble and I might not see him again.

"I was just playing when this boy showed up. I don't know why but he fainted."

Orochimaru-oji-san frowned and called one of his summons over, Nagi, to take the boy home. Then he started escorting me back to the Hatake compound, all the while muttering under his breath.

"It seems Sakumo is denying his cub social interaction, and you've taken the matter into your own hands. How pitiful. It appears, that I need to show you how to enter the human populace without being outed."

~

Together we made Sukea.

Although more like I picked out a character called Suki from one of Jiraiya's book, 'The Tale of the Gutsy Ninja.' It's a classic.

Suki is this brunette that pops out of nowhere and has a kindly and welcoming disposition. Suki always carried around a small little camera, given to him as a parting gift from his Kaa-san. She has two stripes on his face and always wears a green sweater. Although an under-developed character, it's one good enough to re-make as my own.

Although Orochimaru-oji-san made various photos of Sukea aged from now to when he's an adult!

I had enough time to even give Sukea, my new disguise, a whole background filled with dead family and lost relatives. Although his clan is gone now, having never existed, some people even pity him.

Oh, so that's what I think it was when that old lady said,

"Such a sweet child. So sad that you have no parents."

So that's what I've gathered from my test-run. Although, I don't know where that Obito is. I went back to the lake at the same time we met, but he's just not there. I think Sukea counts as a mask, right?

~

I held up my camera, shutters clicking as I took picture after picture of the small grey sparrow chicks that had hatched. Bits of eggshell and fluids still visible as their damp, scrawny forms sought attention from motherbird. They weren't the prettiest birds, but they had hatched and that was reason enough to take a photo.

You see, it's now the beginning of summer. These birds hatching so late, is a miracle itself. Except, I'm worried if they'll make it through winter. Hatching so late and learning to fly for a large chunk of summer, and in the sweltering heat too. By the time it's autumn, it'll be different for them because...don't worry about them. Worry about yourself first.

That's what Tou-san says now. After the events of that mission, he's slowly lost his loyalty to his team. To his Pack.

It's-it's different.

I'm scared.

He's different, in fact he almost...

Breathe.

It won't happen again. He promised.

A voice cut through my worrisome thoughts. It's tone curious and questioning as it spoke. Scooting away from the birds nest, I looked down towards the odd blonde man. His blue eyes curious and different somehow.

"Why are you taking pictures of those hatchlings? Sure it's odd that there are baby chicks at this time of year but look at that pretty bird!"

Staring at his face, I vaguely recognizing the odd blonde man, placing him from all those pictures Jiraiya used to send to Tou-san. Although he looked older, it was still him.

So I called him out.

"I know you. You're Minato-baka. Jiraiya-baka's student, aren't you!"

The way I seemed to recognize him stopped him in his tracks, but perhaps it was the way I addressed him that made him curious. Maybe I should have used a more formal address, he is known as the S-rank ninja 'The Yellow Flash' after all.

A mere civilian child would be in awe and use honorifics like -sama and -san. Excited at meeting such a legend.

Although Orochimaru-oji-san said that calling Jiraiya-oji-san a baka is just as synonymous a title as Jiraiya-sensei. Because Jiraiya will always teach a person about stupid things like this thing called sex. Otou-san got really mad when I told him about it and said that only adults should know it.

Blue eyes stared at me in curiousity. Inquisitive and prying as he watched me stand up, a smile painted on my face. Hand held out in open greeting.

Then he opened his mouth, but another voice spoke instead. This time a woman's.

"Why not Jiraiya-hentai?"

Looking behind the blonde, I spotted a redheaded woman. Purple eyes twinkling with unprecedented joy as she smiled mischievously.

Tilting my head, I slid down the tree. Ruffling my hair to get all the leaves out of my hair, colored brown with temporary dye after this one haircut gone wrong, and beamed at the redhead for the new idea. Slowly, I explained to her why I called Jiraiya a baka instead of hentai.

"Well, when I was out walking, I heard this woman with blonde hair call this one white-haired old man called Jiraiya a baka. It just stuck, and I can't think of that old man as anything else but an idiot."

The blonde gaped at me, as he nodded in quiet agreement. Coming up behind him, the redheaded woman snorted as she came up and ruffled my hair.

"I like you. Name's Kushina by the way but you can call me Kushina-nee."

Bowing slightly in gratitude and in respect I smiled. First meeting and everything is fine, although I don't know about the blonde besides his name. So turning towards him, I asked,

"So who are you blonde-san?"

"My name is Namikaze Minato, and you are?"

"Sukea!"

"Huh, good to meet you Sukea-san."

~

"Minato and Kushina sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N- Umph! Lemme go!"

The hand clamped over my mouth retreated as a purple glare whipped around from the jewelry stand the redhead was at. A hoarse whisper.

"Hush!"

A defiant cry.

"Never!!!"

An embarrassed but regretful sigh.

"I wish I never met you."

A fox that acted like a mother-hen.

"Minato. What. Did. You. Just. Say. Apologize. At once."

Stricken with fear, he reluctantly did as told.

"I am sorry for my rudeness Sukea-san."

An arrogant but so deceivingly kind gaze stared down at the bowed and regretful figure. While a woman stared with narrowed eyes and a terrifying aura. Brunettes mouth curved into a smirk as 'he' continued.

"I accept your humble apology Minato-kun. Now, where did I leave off? Oh yeah. Minato and Kushina sitting in a-"

~

Looking behind me, the blonde's eyes were twitching as he clenched his teeth. Then his gaze locked onto me, lifting a hand he pointed two fingers to his eyes and pointed them at me. I'm watching you. I hugged Kushina-nee tighter as I smiled viciously back at him. Turning forwards I pressed down on the mischief and increased the cuteness factor.

Innocent in every way, Kushina cooed at the waves of cuteness I exuded. Then leaning closer I hugged Kushina-nee, as I whispered.

"Thank you for being so nice to me."

She hugged me tighter as Ichiraku's Ramen Stand came into view.

"Dattebayo. Anytime kid. Oi, Minato. You have your wallet right? I don't want a repeat of what happened last time."

The blonde suck-up nodded his head as he patted himself down. Stopping in the middle of the road as a cart full of vegetables came rolling down the hill.

"Hai, my wallets here somewhere..."

Kushina just smiled, satisfied that another 'Incident' wouldn't happen again, as she practically dragged me inside the ramen shop. Ignorant of the impending accident that was going to occur in the streets.

There was a crash outside as Kushina ordered her ten bowls of ramen and my one dish of eggplant-mixed miso soup.

Outside we heard a yell of.

"I'm okay! I found my wallet Kushina-chan! I found it! Oi!!! Fugaku-san get off of me!"

Kushan-nee just sighed fondly as the ramen arrived to our table. Eyes shifting from the ramen and towards the front door. Then a scraggly figure crashed through the nearby window and limped towards us. Collapsing at Kushina's feet as he held up a wad of cash, speaking his final words before falling unconscious.

"I'm paying."

~

Purple eyes stared at the sign. The sign proclaiming the early viewing of a horror movie she's been meaning to see for a while now.

Hm.

Perhaps...

~

"Don't ever leave me Kushina-nee!"

I wailed as I clutched her hand tightly. Afraid that she would disappear for years like that woman on that weird screen thingy. Then arrive several years later as somebody with tentacles and and die. A gentle hand patted my head.

"Dattebayo, that was just a cheap drama movie Sukea-san. Dunno why you seem so scared."

I hugged her arm harder.

"I don't believe you."

Minato-baka scoffed at me as he stared down at me. Folding his arms as he started talking in a know-it-all tone.

"It's like you've never seen a movie before Sukea-san."

Huffing in frustration, frustrated I gazed into Kushina-nee's eyes. Curiosity and vague fear churning in my gut, spurring me into voicing my questions. That can't be real...right? And, what is this movie they keep speaking of?

"What is this 'movie' you keep talking about? Are those people on the screen what you call a movie? Is that what it is?"

Heavy killing intent flooded the air as red hair started floating. Her eyes sparked with an emotion that I had grown familiar with...anger and rage and...did I say something wrong? This anger, it scared me.

It was heavy and clung onto me. Dragging what little vigilance and courage I had with it. I felt...I felt like a weak little cub. A cub that is facing a larger predator alone with no one around to help to make safe to...

She scared me.

The redheaded Uzumaki scared me.

"A-ano, Kushina-nee? Did I say something wrong?"

I backed off. Eyes wide as I felt like I was being burned alive and it was so hard to breathe. It hurt it hurt it hurt...

Warm arms enveloped me as the burning feeling fell away.

"Hey, are you okay?"

Worried blue eyes stared into mine.

"H-hai."

I ducked under his grip as I ran. Away from that burning feeling, from some of the few people to actually be nice to me. Instinct demanded I get away. Away from that overwhelming sense of danger danger danger...this person is not safe.

Mou, I wonder how I forgot as simple a thing as stranger danger.

"Sukea-san!"

Jumping inside a nearby store, I tore off my wig and quickly wiped the makeup off my face. Throwing off the too-big jacket I wore. And hiding it all in a quick sealing scroll. Distantly watching as Kushina-san and Minato-san searched for the missing brunette. Unaware that under those layers of a pseudo life was...me.

I forget that sometimes people don't see me, but rather see Sukea. Odd how a fake life can give you so much more real acceptance.

~

As Sukea, some people had pity on my extra identity, not a lot though. They still overcharged me, just not as much. In fact, they don't like scruffy orphans.

Usually on charges of being a waste of space and needing to compensate for resources that could be better used on other things. Don't worry, all orphans go through this, well in this time of almost-war anyways.

So, I had time to bring him to life. To make a whole other life, complete with a dead family and personality. When I first sparked him to life, people were starting to recognize him.

If I took him out of existence now, when he has become a character, it would have drawn attention. I like playing as Sukea, but now I have to do it often enough to give him life. Orochimaru-sensei... -san would have disapproved.

Back to shopping, I had grabbed a bunch of seeds, I'm just missing the eggplant and soy sauce. I have ginger, fish, lemons, cabbage, milk, and a whole bunch of rice.

The soy sauce on the top shelf, I can't use chakra or that breaks my current identity as a civilian.

I jumped several more times before I lost patience and leaped. I felt like I was flying for a second, missing the eggplant by a whole five feet and six inches instead of six feet like before.

Then I crashed back down to Earth and rolled beside someone behind me.

Blearily I looked up.

I saw a tall brunette man with purple triangles covering his eyes. He had a long green coat on, he smiled kindly(?) down at me.

Unsettled by his smile I lurched to my feet. Quickly I bowed low, stumbling. Hoping that I had not drawn unwanted attention to myself.

"Gomensai."

I felt a hand on my shoulder. Hesitantly I looked up, oh no. I had his attention. I've been compromised. Tensing I prepared to run.

Then he grabbed me and pulled me into a hug.

I froze.

WTF.

The hug that came out of nowhere, tightened. Hot breath rolled down my neck, chilling me. The warm embrace felt like I was being trapped. So I kicked him and ran. I ran as fast and far as I could. The farther the better.

Konoha almost felt like Home once, like Den.

Safe and Warm.

Pack would be safer Home, not somewhere that pretended to be Home.

~

It was midnight, the small patch of weeds called a garden was going quite well. It grew quickly, in fact I'm already seeing flowers. I didn't bother trying to tame the patch into something it wasn't, because it didn't feel right...

To tame is to control the growth, the intake of water and air and life, then to control its shape, and everything. To merely guide is to nudge a little here and there and let it grow and to try to keep it alive until it no longer needs a caretaker.

Personally, I'm no good with plants, but just being around them calms me.

I don't want to forget. Forget my purpose, my reason to just not cry. If I forget that, I would have dRoWnEd iN kOnOhA.

Unsteadily I evened my breaths.

Quietly I looked up, up at the full moon. Then I let myself go. I broke and started making half choked sobs. Tears never appearing, no matter how hard I cried aNd sCrEaMeD.

Pleading. Pleading for everything to make sense again.

For Tousan to be here and to ruffle my hair fondly, instead on meaningless missions trying to regain lost honor. For Orochimaru-oji-san, to smile those small but meaningful smiles like before. For everything to make sense again.

Please, why can't this place be Home? Why does it have to hurt?

Calming myself just enough to think rationally again. I wanted so much, and I had so little. Yes I was well off, but I won't have access all the time.

My thoughts wandered to something else I noticed today.

Someone has been trying to dip into the clan accounts. Tou-san is.. not doing this, or else I wouldn't need to force feed him whenever he visits with puppy eyes and tears.

I don't want to do all this work. I don't want to have to wake up so early and teach myself everything.

Yet I need to survive, until my Pack is whole.

To learn to navigate through politics and etiquette, to hunt the weak so that my own can live.

To grow stronger and smarter so that when I have Pack I will never lose them.

Never, never, never, never, never, never... NeVeR.

Silently I wished, wished that everything could be happy again. That Konoha was safe and that Tousan never died.

To not keep leaving and leave me here to claw my way to something close to stability. To grow and pretend. Pretend that everything was fine, if a little messy, and declare unwavering, unwavering, loyalty to Konoha.

I remember following Tousan to a place with the moon overhead eVeRy NiGhT, every night listening. Listening to him talk, talk as though Kaa-san was there. He never noticed me on those nights. Those few nights that he was home, and we were whole. Pack.

I remember hearing him admit his only wish. A wish that I try to honor today.

For Home to be a place of Family and Safety and Love. For Pack to be the Village as well.

I hate the village, they were supposed to be Tousan's Family. The Village raised Tousan, a traitor, hah. They're the traitors. The only thing keeping him from being consumed was Pack.

The Alphas, our Clanheads, had taught him tradition and that he would never be of the Village but Hatake, we are Hatake no matter what happens. Why would he forget? Is he that lonely? What about me? I was Tousan's Pack, so why does he want outsiders to be Pack?

His memories were what had kept him going these last few days.

For that I was happy.

So I remembered for us.

Who his Ninken were. How Tousan always burned the food. When Orochimaru-oji-san taught me that the details mattered. What Kaa-san's name was.

Kaguya he had said.

My Pack was Family, the Den of my heart.

For that I remembered.

~

I was in town again, as Sukea.

I was being the things I couldn't easily get as Kakashi. As Kakashi I could get weapons and things normal civilians couldn't get, but as Sukea I could get information. I could slip under people's notice and get farther in making my information network.

Mostly doing this for two reasons-

One, that, somebody probably set Tousan up, and... Who?

And...I was bored and didn't want to be home, alone.

So far, I had heard news of children disappearing. Civilians that yearned for children, even with the current war and everyone was so poor why do you want children(?), complaining that adorable children were being adopted before they could adopt them, and that nobody knew where they went.

That caught my attention.

Perhaps, this person knows about the person setting Tousan up? I was about to take my leave when somebody robbed an old woman. Stealing her handbag and running. Somebody was chasing him, huffing. I wish I was taller.

Then somebody fell on top of me when the robber pushed him out of his way.

Oof. He's freaking heavy. I think I'm going to die from lack of oxygen. I can feel my bones giving way. To think, I had lived such a short life.

He garbled apologies as he scrambled off. Relieved at the load I took a deep breathe.

Looking up I cursed. It was that brunette man I had seen earlier. I think I left an impression.

"Fu-"

He stared back at me. I prepared to run, turning around. His eyes steeled with something then he threw me over his shoulders like a rice bag. Kicking I demanded he let go.

I played pleading eyes at the nearby civilians. They didn't even blink!!!!!!!!! Was kidnapping that normal?

I could feel him chuckle then the world spun.

Shunshin.

I'm getting kidnapped by a low class ninja no less. How insulting.

When the world stopped spinning I had pulled out a small but slightly-poisoned dagger, given to me as a birthday gift. I raised my arms but a hand stopped me. Catching my arm and quietly, I looked up.

There was a woman, she was glaring at me. Daring me to even try. With threat of death hanging over her shoulders I hesitated. Apparently that was enough for the brunette man to drop me on the ground.

The woman spoke.

"What have I told you about taking orphans in?"

Orphans? I stared curiously, maybe this is where they all went.

Nervously the man scratched his back. Pulling a bundle of papers out of his sleeve and handing them to the woman.

"Eh, look at his file, he fits the records."

Reading the papers, the woman sighed.

"He seems to match, I'll give you that much, but take him back from the orphanage you got him from. You don't find missing clan member that easily."

He giggled disturbingly.

"This one lives in the Redlight district."

Now that caught the brown headed woman's attention. Her eyes staring at me. As though I had grown another head. Her voice came out demanding but supposedly sweet, kind of scary, obviously she has no experience with children.

"Do you live with your mommy or daddy by any chance?"

Playing as Sukea I scratched.

"Kaa-chan left me there, she said that she would come back as soon. Kaa-chan looks like this. Do you know where Kaa-chan is?"

I showed them the locket I found on the streets. I don't know who owned it but I was taking it to Orochimaru-oji-san summon Nagi because she's nice and likes shiny things. Except, the woman inside the locket looked enough like Sukea's mother I hadn't taken it out yet. Is that what mothers are supposed to look like?

The woman stared. Then blinking she rubbed her eyes.

"This has to be a lie."

The brunette hugged her.

"Nope, this one is ours now. We found him and now he's ours"

Uh oh.

Looks like this kidnapping has evolved into something more.

Her eyes widened, then she glanced over to me. Some sort of battle seemed to take place behind her eyes. I don't think I'll like the side that won. Leaning towards me she started to whisper conspiringly.

"I don't think Chihiro there introduced himself but I will. Hey there, I'm Airi, Nohara Airi to be exact. And it seems we're stuck together with him. It seems like we have found our missing clan memeber, and you a family."

Disturbed, I fled. Fleeing into the crowd as they lost me in the crowd of people and civilians. Unable to find me as I fled back home. Away from the strangers, not wanting to live such a lie. Even with how easy it would be to just, go missing and become Sukea.

I am still Kakashi and that won't change.

No matter how much I want it to.