That evening, after we were settled, I went out to explore the Village.

Konoha, I thought, you're the second most beautiful place I've ever seen. I saw Gai standing next to a man with a mask. As Mom, who also wanted to see the village, walked by, they started talking.

"I bet I can get her to go out with me before you can," said Gai.

"No way she'd go out with a meat-head like you," the other man retorted.

"Then how can it hurt you to bet?" Gai asked.

"I suppose it can't.." he pondered.

I walked up to them and tapped the other man on the back. I couldn't explain it, but I liked him. "Excuse me, Sir," I said.

"Yes?" said the man.

"That's my mom you two were talking about," I stated honestly, "I just wanted to tell you it would be a bad bet because Gai-Sensei is already her boyfriend." He looked at Gai, who shrugged, smiled, and bolted away.

"Thanks," the man smiled. "What's your name?"

"Yusi Enkai,"I said.

"Allright Yusi Enkai," He said, "I'm Hatake Kakashi. I was just about to go train with my team. Would you like to come?" I nodded, smiling a smile the world hadn't seen in years. He began to walk. Under his mask, I saw his was smiling, too. I began to notice a book in his hands.

"Make-Out Paradise?" I read the cover.

Instantly he took it out of my site. "You can't read that.." he said.

I shrugged, "I already have."

"And what did you think about it?" Kakashi asked.

"It's one of the best books I've ever read," I grinned.

"Yay!" he exclaimed, laughing. Then he stopped laughing and added, "We're here." As we walked in, I noticed some rather interesting ninja childrentraining. One boy had a strange, orange jumpsuit and bright, blonde hair.

"Who is that, Kakashi?" asked the boy in orange.

"Naruto, that's Yusi Enkai. Enkai, meet Uzumaki Naruto," said Kakashi.

"Hi!" the boy, Naruto, said. I waved, then saw a girl with pink hair.

"That's Haruno Sakura," Naruto added, pointing at the girl.

"Welcome to Konoha," she said. I wondered how she knew I was foreign, but then realized I was wearing my headband.

"Is this your whole team?" I asked, "In Kumo, we have four-man teams, counting our sensei." Again, I felt that weird, open feeling I had with Lee. And then I saw him. He was in the back, hitting a punching-bag as hard as he could.

I walked back there, and said, "Uchiha Sasuke?" He looked at me and blinked.

"You know him?" Sakura asked.

"No," I said, "But I know of him. The honorable Uchiha clan." Sasuke returned to hitting his dummy.

"Well, now that we all know each other, let's get to sparring." said Kakashi, "But let's make it interesting. I won't fight. And it's girls-on-boys." Naruto and Sasuke glared at each other. I looked at Sakura. She looked at me. We nodded, and went for it. Twenty minutes later, Sasuke and Naruto were on the ground; Sakura's foot on Naruto's head, and and I was sitting on Sasuke's back.

"That was pathetic, boys," said Kakashi. "If you'd just work together, you could've had a chance."

Looking at Sakura, I said, "I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship." She began to laugh, and, interestingly, so did I. The last time I remember laughing before that was more than three years ago.

"So, how many squads are going to be in the Exams from your village?" I asked, still sitting on Sasuke, "Two? Three?"

"Four," said Naruto.

"That's cool," I said, "We only brought two."

"Was that really your mother?" Kakashi had to ask.

"Uh-huh," I said, "Though she'd never tell you she's a day over twenty-three if you didn't know about her kids."

"She doesn't look a day over than that!" said Kakashi.

"Let's change the subject," Sakura suggested. I nodded my thanks.

"So, is it just Konoha and Kumo ninjas?" I asked.

"No," said Kakashi, "Suna sent a squad, too." One squad. From Suna. Could it be them? No, I thought, they're probably all Jonin by now. They were always so gifted.

"So, where are you staying?" Naruto asked.

"With Gai-Sensei," I replied, sadly.

"You don't like him, do you?" Kakashi asked. It was more like a statement.

"It's not that I don't like him," I said, "He's just a little...Well.. He freakin' pings!"

"Pings?" Sasuke asked from under me. He had given up trying to move.

"His teeth. They're like 'ping!' And he's kind of annoying. He acts like just because he dates my mom he's my father." I paused a moment to see if anyone wanted to interupt me. They didn't.

"He doesn't act that way to my siblings.."

"Why is that?" Sakura asked.

I shrugged, "Because my father was never the fatherly type."

"How so?" Kakashi asked.

"Let's see, he had a wife and son when he met my mom," I said in an annoyed tone, "Then I popped up and I was supposed to live with him, but he didn't want his real family to know about me, so I was sent to his mothers house."

"Wow," was all Sakura could say.

"At least I recently found out my brother's name," I paused in sadness. "He's dead now."

"What was his name?" Kakashi asked.

"Haku," I replied, and they gasped.

"Oh!" I added, "And my siblings' father, Mom's ex-husband, is the current Raikage. So yeah, I'm messed up." A few silent, awkward minutes passed.

"Would you get off of me now?" Sasuke said, in an annoyed tone.

"Fine," I said, standing up. Wanting a good conversation, added, "So how old are you guys?"

"We're all twelve," said Sakura.

"Cool, me too." They all looked at me. Being about three or four inches shorter than Naruto made them disbelieve my age.

"That's... interesting," she replied.

"What about you, Kakashi-Sensei?" I said, respectfully.

"Let's say 'in my twenties' and leave it at that," he smiled under his mask.

"Enkai!" said a familiar twinly voice, "Where are you?!" Instantly, my openness escaped me. I hid behind Kakashi-Sensei.

"Have you guys seen my sister, Enkai?" asked the twin. I could see now it was Yumi.

Haven't heard of her," Sakura shrugged.

"I saw her come in here," Yumi argued.

"Hello, I'm Uchiha Sasuke," said Sasuke, moving towards my sister and running his hand through his hair.

Another boy falls victim to Yumi's charm, I thought.

"Akameh Yumi," Yumi giggled.

"Would you like to take a stroll with me?" he asked.

She nodded. "Kay!" He took her hand, and away they walked.

"That was unexpected," Naruto said, blinking.

"I hate her!" Sakura shrieked, "She got a date with Sasuke without trying!"

"Yumi does that to people," I sighed, my openness returning. "She's just...gifted. All the boys love her."

"Well, what now?" Naruto asked.

"I think I'm going to sit," I said. I walked over and sat on a punching bag lying on the ground. Oddly, it squirmed, so I bolted up.

"What?" Kakashi asked.

"It moved!" I exclaimed. The zipper on the bag began to move as the four of us stared at it.

"Meow!" said a girl, popping out of the bag. She had odd, fox-like ears.

"Who are you?" Sakura asked.

"Who am I?" the girl repeated, shocked, "Who are you?!"

"Haruno Sakura," She said in a flat, dull tone.

"And them?!"

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto," said he, pointing at me, "Yusi Enkai," he pointed to Kakashi, "Kakashi-Sensei."

"Haha, Kakashi-Sensei only gets one name," she laughed to herself.

"It's Hatake. Hatake Kakashi," he said.

"Don't lie, one-name!" the girl commanded.

"What is your name?" Sakura said, running out of patience.

"Mekiko Akisha!" she smiled and scratched her ears.

"Your ears are..." I began.

"Cool?" Akisha said, beaming, "I know, right!"

"Why were you in the punching bag?" Kakashi asked.

"I was going to pull a prank on someone," Akisha smiled slyly, "They'd hang the bag up to punch it and when they did, I'd punch back!"

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard," Sakura muttered.

"That's the smartest thing I've ever heard!" Naruto exclaimed, "Why didn't I think of that?!"

"Because it's level of stupidity almost surpasses your own?" Sakura said.

"I'm bored now," said Akisha.

"Let's do something then," said Naruto.

"Ooo!" Akisha shouted, "Can I tell a story!?"

"Sure," said Kakashi.

"Ok," she began. "Once upon a time..." She told a story of a woman who met a demon. Somehow, the woman was charmed and fell in love with the demon. The demon seemed to love her, as well. Everyone was against it, but they married in a secret ceremony. No one knew anything of it. The demon was taken and trapped away somewhere. Sob as she did, the woman's husband was never returned. She felt her stomache, and something kicked. The woman was pregnant with a half-human half-demon child. Since no one knew of her marrage to the demon, her parents were shocked at her pregnancy. The woman lied to her parents and told them she had been taken advantage of in a time of weakness. No one questioned until the child was born with fox-like ears. After that, her family knew she had lied and had the child with the demon. Her parents cut her off and lost all contact.

"I have a special name for this woman," Akisha finished. "I call her 'Mom'." The four of our jaws fell open.

"That's why you have the ears." Sakura said.

Akisha nodded and smiled. "I like them! They're so furry!"

"Yusi Enkai, where on Earth are you?" I heard my mothers voice shout.

"Uh oh," I said and ducked behind Kakashi-Sensei again.

My mother walked in. "Where is she?"

"Where is who?" asked Akisha.

"My Daughter," said Mother.

"Who are you?" Akisha asked.

"Yusi Enkai is here somewhere," said Mom, "And she needs to come with me." She turned to Kakashi.

I bet she's gonna flirt her way to finding me, I thought, he's gonna sell me out.

"Have you seen my daughter, Dear?" She said to Kakashi, with a pout, but eyes that smiled, "I think you have. Where is she?"

"Haven't seen her," Kakashi lied, trying to sound honest.

"Oh, are you sure?" She said, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

Wow, Mom's a ho, I thought.

"Yes," Kakashi said finally, pushing her off, "And I don't think you should be hanging on me like that. Your boyfriend wouldn't like it."

"Fine," said Mother. "Call me if you see her." With that, she was gone.

"Yay!" I cheered.

"Hey," said Akisha, "Can I have a place to stay? I don't live with my mom anymore..."

"Why not?" asked Naruto.

"I ran away." No one asked for more details.

"You can stay with me," said Sakura, "It'll be like a Sleepover!" She whispered to herself, "I haven't had one since...."

"Of course!" said Akisha, interupting her whisper. "Enkai, too?"

"If she wants," Sakura shrugged.

"Thanks but no thanks," I smiled, "I think I'm gonna walk around the village. Explore a little."

"Oh, ok," said Sakura, "Bye!" I waved and the others waved back. I walked away, and next time I looked back, I couldn't see them anymore.