愛
Hatake Kakashi sat in an aging maple tree, the vibrant red leaves blocking the sun from his masked face. In his gloved hands was a small orange book labeled Icha Icha Paradise, his right eye scanning enthusiastically over its perverted contents. Running a hand through his wild, silver hair, Kakashi looked toward the rising sun, estimating his client's appearance would be soon.
A few moments after the sun had turn the sky from a dim purple to a fading blue, Kakashi pocketed his novel, staring up the worn path at two approaching figures. Standing, he stretched out a kink in his back and leapt down from his comfortable spot in the natural giant, kunai at the ready.
"Who approaches?" The scarecrow asked the dark figure.
Without removing the long hood from their unknown face, a feminine voice answered, "One who carries but a fraction of our fate." Their reply was practiced and fluid, holding no fear.
Kakashi lowered his weapon and bowed to the cloaked individual. "My apologizes for any alarm I may have caused you both."
Sighing, the taller of the two cloaked figures looked behind her, "No need. We have seen far worse than the likes of you."
Kakashi chose to ignore the clipped reply and continued, gazing behind the woman as well, "Does she carry any belongings?"
"Only the clothes on her back I'm afraid. We had no time to gather anything of great importance. Not that there was anything of great importance." The woman pulled the shorter figure forward harshly by the hand, as to let Kakashi see.
Kneeling down to its proper height, Kakashi removed the hood from the figures head.
What he was presented with was no shock at all. For Tsunade had already informed him of any surprises he might encounter. The girl in front of him was no older than five years of age. Her round cheeks dried with tears that had long since streamed from her golden colored eyes.
"Hello there!" He greeted quietly, placing a hand on top of her shock of indigo hair. "I'm Hatake Kakashi. I'm here to help, okay? So do not be frightened." The small girl nodded, but shook in fear none the less.
After he had given her what would be a smile beneath his mask, he raised himself up, dusting off any dirt that might have clung to his knees. "All I need now is her name and I will be out of your hair."
The woman shook her head, "I'm afraid the Tsuchikage did not give me permission to release that information. The only way you will find out is from the child herself."
Upon saying this, the women let go of the child's tiny hand, allowing the copy cat ninja to replace it with his own.
"Are you certain you don't want me to get you an escort back to the Rock Village?" Kakashi asked.
"No. Just take her and go." was the brief reply, before the figure was running back to whence she came with inhuman speed that could only belong to a kuniochi.
After staring at the spot where the women was, Kakashi looked down at the child in his grasp.
She was waving after the figure solemnly. The wide sleeve falling down to her elbow, her other hand holding Kakashi's for all he was worth, new tears falling onto the earth below her.
"Who was that woman to you?" the ninja asked the girl, as he picked her up and laid her on his vest clad back. After a few moments of silence he came to the conclusion he would receive no answer and made his way to the tops of the trees, leaping gently as to not scare the child further, her arms falling around his neck carefully.
Half way back to Konoha, Kakashi almost missed the girl's hushed voice as the wind desperately attempted to chased it away from him. But she said it, and he heard it, and he wished he never asked it, as he felt a collection of hot tears soak the back of his uniform vest.
"M-my sister…"