"Lord Hokage, I'm back" I said entering his office "o-oh... my apologies... I didn't know you were with someone" I bowed ready to leave
"No it's alright, I called him here" lord Hokage said standing "he's going to escort you home"
"He's what?" I asked nearly dropping my report "lord Hokage I'm a Chunin, I don't need an escort"
"Your parents have hired one" he said placing his hand on the man "this is Kakashi Hatake"
As he said his name the man turned around facing me, most of his face was covered by a mask with his forehead protector covering his left eye leaving his expression to my own imagination. He was defiantly older than me, by 5 years at the least but unlike most adults he didn't look down at me; at least it didn't look like he did anyway.
"It's a pleasure to meet you" I half smiled "but I don't wa..."
"It's already been settled" the Hokage cut in "you two can leave as soon as you're ready"
"Yes... lord Hokage" I sighed placing the folder on his desk "I'll be leaving then"
As I left his office the man, Kakashi Hatake, followed behind me not saying a single word. When I got back to my small one room apartment he waited for me outside and I considered trying to slip past him but he was obviously a higher ranking shinobi then I was. With my bag on my back I locked up then headed back down walking past him and towards the west gate refusing to acknowledge his presence.
I knew why he was here, my parents thought I needed protecting, they didn't believe I was truly able to protect myself but out of all the people I could have been stuck with at least it was someone I didn't know and someone quiet.
My parents owned a town about a 7 hour walk from here but I was in no rush to get there. By all rights I could have been there in a few hours but I stuck to walking, I still could have made it by night but I left as late as I could get away with even so I could have kept walking making it there late however once the sun started to set I found a place to camp.
"What are you doing?" Kakashi spoke for the first time
"Ah, so you speak" I said ignoring his question "well then there was no excuse for being so rude earlier"
"Your parents are expecting you tonight" he said ignoring my remark
"So? Why do you care? Your still going to get paid, I'm the one that will have to listen to them lecture me for hours"
"I said I would get you there tonight"
"Go ahead and try" I said glaring at him "I don't know what you know but I'm not some princess in need of protection. Try to force me and I will fight back, I'm assuming you're stronger than me so naturally I would lose eventually but return me hurt and then you will be in trouble"
"My mission is to return you home tonight" he said walking towards me
As he neared me I put my hands on the ground sending out my chakra creating a spider web effect on the ground around him.
"You realise there's a reason I was sent to the academy right? It's not just because I was a spoilt child who wanted to go"
It didn't seem like much, it more looked pretty then dangerous but it looked like a web for a reason. Anyone who stepped on it would find I hard to move, not impossible, enough force or strength would do it which is why the next step had to happen quickly. Ideally I would have liked to give him the choice but I had the feeling I wouldn't be able to catch him like this again so I had to take the chance I was given. When I felt him starting to move and struggle against my chakra I sent a small electric shock making him pass out.
"Sorry" I sighed as he fell to the floor "but really you should have listened"
The nights were starting to get colder now so using my blanket I gently placed it over Kakashi sitting near him keeping watch. It was an hour or two before sunrise when he woke up tying a rope around me before I could even flinch.
"Bit mean don't you think?" I asked looking down at the tight rope "it's not like I just left you out here in the open to die or anything"
He didn't say anything as he stood up thankfully putting my blanket away in my bag before picking it up along with me.
"He-hey!" I shouted with a small blush "put me down"
I struggled for a while but it was pointless so instead I used this time to get some rest. I had managed to fall into a shallow sleep when I was put on the ground with the rope around me now gone. At first I was extremely confused but as I looked around I noticed the village was already in sight.
I expected there to be more people as we walked into the village. My father was considered the lord here since he owned near all the land and as his daughter I was often treated like a glass doll however everything was oddly quiet. I told myself I was just being paranoid, still in the mind of a ninja waiting for danger at every corner, that the people were still sleeping since the sun had barely started to rise but I couldn't completely shake the growing dread.
When we reached my old home father grabbed hold of me pushing me into the house where mother was waiting quickly dragging me away to get cleaned up, I didn't even get the chance to say goodbye to Kakashi. After getting cleaned I was dressed in a formal kimono then taken to the main room where father was waiting for us walking in a circle.
"I'm sorry" I said with a small bow "I hope you didn't take it out on Kakashi... it wasn't his fault I am late"
"Yes I know" he said looking towards me "he explained"
"H-he did?" I cringed waiting to be yelled at
"I'm just glade your safe"
"Eh?"
"There had been rumours of bandits on that road, I'm glad I requested someone to accompany you, that you were returned to us safely"
"As am I" I said hoping to hide my confusion
"Bandits? What did Kakashi tell them?"
"Now, there is someone I would like you to meet, he is very important so you must make a good impression"
"Who is it?" I asked feeling that same dread from before
"Lord Noboru, he is a very powerful man and only 10 years older than you"
"10 yea... an arranged marriage?" I snapped quickly catching on "father I'm 14"
"No one is arranging anything" he said attempting to calm me down
"Not yet you mean" I said with a glare "I will not do this"
"Ayaka" he said taking hold of my hands "just smile, be nice, no one is talking of marriage, he just wants to meet you"
"Dad... what's going on?" I asked seeing the fear in his eyes "who is this man really?"
He opened his mouth to say something but quickly shut it as the front door was opened loudly. Father stood in front of me blocking most of my view but what I did see I already hated.
"Lord Tarou, a little bird told me your daughter had arrived" he said with a thin smile
"Ye-yes but now isn"
"she was expected here last night, I hope nothing happened"
"she was attacked by bandits on her way here and needs rest" he said forcing a smile with his hands on my shoulder "perhaps you could come back later"
He had started to push me away when the man spoke up making him freeze in place.
"Bandits you say?" he said ignoring father "why that should be nothing for a ninja or the leaf, isn't that right?" he asked looking at me "I'm sure it wouldn't have taken long for you to handle them, I heard you even had an escort, now why would that be?"
His voice made my skin crawl and as I saw the rest of him it took all my self-control not to send him flying to the moon. He wasn't ugly but defiantly not handsome, he looked dirty despite being dressed in fancy clothing, the kind of man you would hide your children from not force them to meet but when I felt fathers hand shake I stood tall facing him.
"the bandits were no trouble but it takes time to send word to the leaf village and for the Hokage to send someone out to apprehend them. As for my 'escort' that was my teammate as are the rules in the leaf village, normally it would be a team of three but I was in a rush to get home" I said walking in front of father "please allow me to introduce myself, my name is Ayaka Nanase, it's a pleasure to meet you lord Noboru"
"The pleasure is all mine" he smiled taking my hand in his
"I believe the cooks will be starting breakfast soon, would you care to join us?" I asked gently puling my hand free
"I would be honoured" he said with a low bow
All through breakfast I kept smiling trying to figure out what was going on here, why this man was here, why father was so afraid of him. The only thing I did know was that he wanted me as his wife.
During the day I'll admit he acted like a gentleman and not at all like some creep but still his words were like venom poisoning everything around him. That evening after bidding him goodnight I locked myself in my room, changed out of my kimono and into my usual black body suit that covered my neck, reaching to my wrist and knees with a loose dark midnight blue dress reaching my things with a slit on the left side, my forehead protector around my waist as a belt and my black ankle length boots showing of my toes.
Leaving my olive green hair tied up in its bun I quietly pushed the window open and jumped down the two stories to the garden below letting out a sigh. Being confined indoors like that wasn't something I enjoyed; I much preferred to be out here where I could be free.
Freedom didn't last long until I heard people talking getting closer towards me. Jumping up into a large tree I hide from sigh waiting for my chance to sneak away until I heard lord Noboru's voice.
"Well?" he asked
"he's gone" another said "we watched him leave"
"Kakashi?" I thought staying completely still
"Good" Noboru continued "then we will go ahead with everything tonight"
"What's going on here...father, what have you gotten yourself into" I asked myself quickly heading back to my room
I was about to go to mother and fathers room and demand answers when I heard people walking down the hall. Not wanting to raise suspicion I quickly jumped into my bed pulling the blankets over my clothes pretending to be asleep.
They stopped outside my door for a moment whispering before pushing it open making my heart race. I waited patiently until they were right near my bed then, I threw my blankets over them which they quickly ripped to shreds but not quick enough to avoid my chakra web.
"Who are you" I demanded looking at the two masked men
They didn't say anything; they just stood up silently watching me. Before I could do anything more another person came through my window, I only barely managed to escape their grasp. Not caring who saw what anymore I ran out into the hall hoping to get to my parents before they caught me but I was trapped. At the end of each hall was a solid wall I couldn't break through and before I knew it they had me cornered.
"Remember" one of them said "don't beat her up to badly, boss wants her in one piece"
As they got closer to me I pulled out a kunai, if they thought I was going without a fight they had another thing coming. I was ready to attack them when the wall behind me moved and changed until it surrounded me. When I was let out I found myself surrounded and quickly my hands were tied behind my back with one person on my left and right.
"Well little princess, you've sure given us some trouble" Noboru said walking towards me "but that's over now"
"I don't know what you want but you're not going to win" I hissed
"Win? This isn't about winning or losing, its simply business" he said grabbing hold of my chin "nothing little girls should be worried about, take her away"
I was forced away from the house but when an explosion echoed behind us we stopped just long enough for me to see my house going up in flames.
"NO!" I shouted struggling against them
I managed to get my hands free, enough to weave hand signs to escape but I didn't get far before I was forced to the ground held down by rocks.
"Well, you're a sneaky thing aren't you" another man chuckled walking towards me with a large knife in hand "I'm sure boss won't mind you missing a few parts"
Panic quickly took over as he walked towards me holding the knife up, I tried to break free, tried to do anything to get away but there was nothing I could do. I tried to keep my brave face but as he drove the knife into my left arm I screamed out in pain with tears rolling down my cheeks. I passed out at some point listening as he laughed at my pain.
I woke up with a start ready to fight for my life only to find I was in a hospital room alone, thankfully the curtains were open allowing me to look outside and see the safety of the leaf village. Relaxing for a moment I fell back down to the bed relived that I was alive but that thought only led to more terrifying ones
When I looked down to my left the room started to spin as I fell to the floor with a loud crash throwing up.
It was gone, all that remained was a small stub wrapped in bandages. My life, everything I had worked for was gone. I didn't even care where I was anymore, I couldn't even focus on the nurses that quickly came to my aid and helped me, I felt numb to the world around me.
I was placed back into bed given something to help me sleep wishing that I wouldn't have to wake up. When I did I found the Hokage standing in my room looking out the window. I wanted to greet him but the words wouldn't leave my thoughts, even without saying anything he seemed to know I was awake turning to face me with an expression that made me want to cry.
He told me that my parents had both died but the people responsible, including Noboru were taken away. My house had burnt to the ground leaving me with nothing but that place never felt like home anyway , then, he told me something that made me want to scream and shout as well as cry and hide.
The leaf had been following this guy for a while but they never had any proof of anything, apparently my parents weren't the first ones he has taken from, when they heard he was in my town they essentially used me and my family as bait. He apologised for keeping me in the dark, saying that they couldn't risk me doing something and other excuses he didn't seem to fully believe in. told me that I was a true leaf shinobi, that he was proud of the actions I took which led to him explaining how I got here. Apparently Kakashi hadn't left, his true orders were to keep an eye on Noboru and he was the one who found me saving my life. He then ended saying I was welcome to stay here for as long as I liked before leaving with more apologies.
The rest of the day I was alone, other than the few nurses that would check up on me, the next day my friends were allowed to visit but I honestly didn't really have many, a few people I worked with that was it and so I was alone. Just when I felt like giving up, to let go of whatever thread I was grasping at and just slip away I got a visitor, one I didn't expect.
"Here" Kakashi said holding out a small package
I took it from him taking a moment before pulling off the brown paper reviling the book underneath.
"Thankyou" I whispered dryly leaving it on my lap
"Well... I have to go... ill uhh... see you around sometime"
"Goodbye... Kakashi Hatake" I mumbled turning my head towards the window
Just as the tears started to roll down my cheek I felt someone behind me pulling me into their chest holding me tight. I wanted to push them away, claim that I was fine but I couldn't move.
"If you ever need anything" Kakashi said surprising me "just ask me"
All I could do was nod, I understood why he was doing this, he felt guilty but for now I let myself believe it's because he truly cared about what happened to me.