"Birdie!" I turned around to see my father waving his hands like a mad man. My grin grew at his sudden outburst and I skipped over.
"Yeah?"
"We are leaving now." My dad picked up the last of the boxes and placed it in the wagon.
"Okay. Give me two seconds." I ran back into the empty house I sucked in the breath.
"Bye, bye old life. Konoha here I come." I whispered and raced back to the wagon my father already to start to ride off on.
Once upon a time, there was a beautiful lady named Hamasaki, Ai. She trained and battled constantly to achieve her goal of becoming a great ninja. One day she was sent on a mission with a man she hated with all her guts, Hayashi Itasu. I wasn't exactly told what happened, but a few months later they were married then nine months later Hayashi, Taka was born. Taka never knew this Ai woman though. She died giving childbirth. I am Hayashi, Taka, the motherless child with an eccentric ninja father.
We lived outside of the capital of the Land of Fire in a small and I mean small village. My father originated from Konoha and he decided for my best interest to move back. The Third Shinobi War was in works and being in a small village with a rare sight from any ninja he thought it would be best to move. So, Konoha was the lucky city that got to bask in my glory. I'm only joking. I'm not that great.
"Father. I'm bored. I don't like this trip. How long do we have left?" I asked staring into the boring green forest.
"We have a few miles. We'll stop for a bit of tea if you would like, maybe some dango?" A single red eyebrow lifted in my direction and I smiled brightly.
"Yes! Please, please please please!" I whined into my father's ear.
"Yes. We'll stop for dango and tea then." He ruffled my blonde hair and turned his attention back to the road ahead.
"Okay!" Pleased with the stop coming up soon, I sat and tried waiting patiently. I'm not a very patient person and that is what kills me most on my missions. Patience. It is like the number one rule of being a ninja. I don't like rules.
After stopping for tea and dango we finally reached Konoha. It is HUGE! I have never seen a village so big before in my life. I hopped off the wagon and walked along side it.
"Father, it's so big!" I said in awe looking at all the tall buildings and all the people.
"I know it is." He smiled and I guess started to reminisce about his glory days because his eye glazed over.
"Ahem." A man coughed and my father looked up from his thoughts.
"Yes. Papers. I have them here." My father handed the guard the papers and he went wide-eyed.
"You're Hayashi, Itasu?"
"The one and only."
"Welcome back!" The guard happily smiled and shook my fathers hand.
"Thank you." They went on talking for a while then we finally left in the direction of our new home.
I'm very happy to say it was nice sized and not an apartment.
"Wait, father. This is it?" He nodded at my question and I quickly ran in and sucked in the new house smell. I walked through the house and smiled to every inch of it.
"I love it father!" I squealed and jumped up.
"Good to hear. We'll be here for quite some time."
We started unpacking immediately and I giggled through it the whole time. We finished the entryway, kitchen, and living room before I started to get really hungry.
"Hungry, Birdie?"
"Yeah. I want some food."
"Okay. I guess were going out to eat tonight. I'll get food for us tomorrow."
"I want miso ramen!"
"Haha. Okay Birdie. Let's go." Father and I put our sandals on and I followed him in the direction of a near ramen shop.
"AH! Welcome!" A very cherry man greeted us as we took our places at the stools and ordered.
"Two misos." The man nodded and went on preparing the bowls.
"Father?"
"Yes?"
"Why did the guard at the gate praise you so much?"
"Well you see Birdie, I used to be a really cool ninja back in my day."
"What you aren't one now?" I giggled.
"Oh, I am. Just I'm not going on missions as frequently as you, Birdie."
"So you used to be like a super cool fighting ninja? Like you kicked butt and everything!"
"Yes."
"That's so cool! How come you never told me really?"
"It was the past. But now we are back, and father will be going on way more missions, Birdie. So you are going to have to be a grown girl and keep up the house. Okay?"
"Hai!" The gleam in my eyes grew more as the nice cheery man set the miso ramen in front of us.
"Itasu?" I looked over to see a man with silver spiky hair wearing a green vest. He had a boy that looked exactly like him standing right by his side wearing a mask over the lower half of his face.
"Sakumo!" My father greeted the man and continued to laugh along with the man.
"Father?" I asked tugging at his sleeve.
"Yes, Birdie?"
"You didn't introduce me." I whispered in his ear.
"Oh yes! Sakumo this is my daughter, Taka. Taka this is-
"Hatake, Sakumo." We bowed at each other. "And this is my son, Kakashi." We bowed to each other then averted our gaze to our fathers.
"When did you arrive?" Sakumo asked.
"Moments ago."
"Well it's nice to have you back. Have you seen the Hokage yet?"
"No I haven't had the chance. I was heading to see him after I dropped the little one off at home." My father motioned to me still enthralled with his own conversation ignoring me.
"Don't. Kakashi can escort her to our house. You both can have dinner with us tonight as a welcome to the village. I have to see the Hokage soon anyways." Sakumo offered.
"Father, I have training to do." Kakashi mumbled.
"Then you can go train with her."
"But she can't fight me." Kakashi looked me up and down and I my face grew red with anger.
"Oh yes I can! I'm a ninja!"
"You don't look it. Nevermind father. I'll escort her instead."
"Hey! I can fight you! Tell 'em father!" I whined.
"She's right. My little one is a Chunin."
"Ah, skilled just like her father. See Kakashi, she is also a Chunin. You should be able to train with her." Sakumo grinned.
"You're a Chunin too?" I asked. He was merely 7 like me.
"I became a Chunin over a year ago." He gloated. I just became a Chunin months ago. Ugh, I have competition here.
"So. What difference does that make?" I stuck my tongue out at him then smiled.
Kakashi huffed and my face grew redder. "I don't want to go to their house father. I can escort myself home."
"Oh no you can't, Birdie. Do even know how to get back?"
I hesitated causing my father to laugh. "See then it's decided you can go train or go to Kakashi's house."
"Why!" We both complained at the same time.
"Taka. Go with Kakashi. We will both see you two in a little bit okay." Sakumo told me. I respected his decision and reluctantly agreed.
"Good bye, Birdie. See you soon." Father patted my head and walked off with Sakumo laughing.
I glared at Kakashi and he glared back.
"I don't like you."
"I don't care for you either."
"You're cocky."
"You are annoying."
"You're smelly."
"I do not smell and you are a ditzy little girl."
"Well, your short." I had to have been a good four inches taller than him.
"Birdie."
"Scarecrow." If looks could kill, I'd be twelve feet under, not six.
After our quiet awkward walk to his house he placed his backpack and sword gently down in his room and offered me something to drink.
"Why are you being nice, Scarecrow?"
"You are in my home and a guest. I have to be nice to you." Kakashi set tea in front of us as we sat at his table.
I propped my head up with my elbows and twirled my finger in my hot cup of tea.
"What tea is this?"
"Green."
"Ah."
That was what our conversation consisted of besides a few sighs and groans. Kakashi would periodically stir something in a pot and then come to his place at the table.
Our fathers finally came in the home laughing.
"Kakashi?" Sakumo asked peaking his head into the kitchen.
"Yes father."
"Hokage wishes you luck in training." Kakashi nodded and went back to the pot.
"What's that? It smells good." My father also came into the kitchen, sniffing.
"It's miso soup with eggplant."
My eyes gleamed with delight, but I quickly hid it when Kakashi looked in my direction.
"Kakashi. You should show Taka the ropes tomorrow." My father suggested.
"Hai." Kakashi said pouring bowls for everyone.
"Here I got that." I grabbed some of the bowls and brought them to the table.
"Arigato." Kakashi mumbled and brought two more bowls over.
"Ah, this is good Kakashi." His father praised him and Kakashi simply nodded.
Sakumo and my father chatted the entire time about various things before it was getting late and we decided to head home.
"Arigato, Sakumo-san and Scarecrow. Dinner was great." I bowed and left with my father after putting my sandals back on.
"She's kind of cute huh?" Sakumo nudged his son and I heard a huff.