Author's note: I'm sorry it took some time for me to write this down. I'm in my final exams and I'm super stressed out! Wish me good luck!

OC POV

As I was walking in the corridors of my house, I heard the front door opening: my father was home. I hurried to the entrance and greeted my father.

''Okaerinasai, chichi.'' (Welcome home/dad) I said while bowing slightly.

''Ah! Tadaima, Akira.'' He said while putting down his sandals. ''Is supper ready?''

''Yes, it's on the stove. I made curry.''

I went to the kitchen while my father was sitting down at the table in the dining room. I brought back two plates of curry and we began eating.

''Itadakimasu.'' We said at the same time.

None of us said anything, until the end of the meal.

''Akira?'' He put down his spoon and plunged his eyes into mine.

''Yes, what is it chichi?'' I was about to clean up, but got curious and stopped my movement.

''Do you remember the hidden village of Sunagakure? You met the present Kazekage when you were four years old. We were on a political mission, your mother and I.''

''I'm sorry father; I have no memory of this. I do remember mother though.''

''Ahh yes, Hinoko… She was the most beautiful woman I have ever laid my eyes on. You look just like her, you know?''

''Yes, you told me a thousand times how my nose and my eyes were a copy of hers. Why did you mention Sunagakure?''

''Ah, well… I'm going to have a political trip there.''

''I thought we weren't in good terms with the Earth country.'' I stood up and cleaned the table while my father was talking.

''Yes, that's why I'm going. The council have found a solution and I'm the one who communicates with the Kazekage. So it is only logic that it is I who will conclude the deal.''

''Why did the council chose you?'' I said once in the kitchen, putting the plates on the counter for the maid to wash it.

''Well, I volunteered. The solution is my idea after all! Plus, it would make a great vacation. Just the two of us, if you want to come with me that is.''

''It has been so long since the last time we've been on a trip!'' I exclaimed, running back to the dining room. I suddenly stopped running. ''Last time… Was with mother…'' I looked at the floor.

''Oh, my precious daughter.'' He stood up and gave me a hug. ''Don't worry, she's in a better place now.''

We kept talking about mother and other memories for about an hour and went to our respective rooms. I told him that I would think about the trip and closed my door. I undressed myself, took a soft-light pink yukata and a towel and went to my personal bathroom. I poured hot water into the bathtub and went inside.

''Ahh, finally.'' I said while sitting down.

It has been a hard day today. Hiding things from father wasn't so easy, since he was a member of the council. It wasn't a big lie, nothing that could harm him. Still, if he had to find out, he would say: Kunoichi training isn't made for a high-class lady like you! Or something like this. It has been eleven years now that Kobayashi Hogo, the brother of my mother, have been training me.

Flashback

I was sitting in front on my mother's grave, weeping, when I felt a hand on my hairs. I looked up and saw my uncle.

''O-o-oji-ih-ih!'' I stuttered. (Oji=uncle) I kept stuttering his name and crying until he sat next to me.

''Akira-chan, don't be sad. Your mother is in peace now. She loved you very much and I'm here to carry out her will… Akira, my sister Hinoko wanted you to be able to fight.''

''M-Mama wan-wanted this?'' I sniffled.

''Yes, she wanted you to defend yourself, so that what happened to her wouldn't happen to you.''

-End-

As I was walking in a desert, I felt something grasping my leg and suddenly I couldn't move. I looked down to see what was grasping me: a hand made out of sand. I tried screaming, but nothing came up. A second hand appeared and they began pulling me into the sand. I tried to get away, but I failed on the ground instead. The golden sand was now bright red and slowly engulfing me. I desperately waved my hands in the air, hoping to grab something, but there was only darkness surrounding me. I saw a silhouette approaching me.

''Help!'' I managed to talk to the shadow.

''Why?'' My father's voice! ''Why should I help you? I want you to be in this situation. I never loved you. You're a burden! Never come back!''

''Chich-'' I couldn't talk anymore, the red sand had transformed into blood and I was drowning.

I woke up in my bath, coughing to get rid of the water in my lungs. I grabbed the edge of the bathtub, still coughing and tried to recover my breath. I calmed down and noticed that the water was cold. 'Shit, I almost died because I fell asleep. Whose fault is that? Hogo oji… His training was really hard today!' I came out of the tub and pulled the bath plug. I dried myself and put on the yukata. I brushed my teeth and went to bed, hoping that the nightmare wouldn't come back.

I woke up by the sound of something hitting my window. I opened my eyes and looked at it: it was sunny outside. I got curious about the tapping sound and got up. My room was at the third floor so no one could have been knocking and I wasn't seeing anyone. I opened my window and got hit on the forehead by a rock. I lost my balance and fell on the floor. My uncle appeared and sat on the edge of the window.

''If you had gotten up sooner you wouldn't be on the floor. Bad student!'' He grinned.

I got up on my feet and looked angrily at my uncle: we had the same features, because my mother and him were twins. He was wearing his red shinobi uniform and had a toothpick in his mouth.

''All right, I'm up now! Just let me change into my training out…''

''No! Not today. We're going shopping!''

''What? No training? That's unusual, did something happened?''

''Not really, your father wants me to escort you so you can buy anything you like and not have to carry anything.''

''Pfff! I can take care of myself!''

''Yeah, but he said to buy EVERYTHING you wanted.''

''Huh? Why's that? Oh wait… He really wants me to come with him on this trip, right?'' I folded my arms and lifted one eyebrow.

''Yeah, he said something about some vacation. I think he's manipulating you.'' He stepped off the window and walked to my bedroom door. ''Well, I'll be waiting in the entrance for you to get ready.''

''Your shoes oji! You have no manners!'' I stumped the floor angrily and pointed his feet.

''Ah yes! I'm sorry!'' He removed his shoes and opened the door. ''See you in a minute!''

He closed the door. ''What an idiot.'' I said to myself while getting my yukata off and putting a proper blue kimono with white flower designs.

We went to many shops and I purchased a fair amount of clothes. Even Hogo had a hard time carrying all the bags. We brought them back at my house in the afternoon and decided to take some time together for the rest of the day. I left a note to my father that I was with uncle Hogo and we went for a walk in the mountains that surrounded the village. After several minutes of walking in the paths I decided to ask him something that have been bothering me.

''Neh, oji?'' I looked shyly at him.

''Mh?'' He kept looking at the mountains around us.

''Did my father wanted me?''

''What do you mean?'' He looked at me with a puzzled expression.

''Well, I made a weird dream last night and it's bothering me.'' I looked at the ground and stopped walking.

''You can trust me. Tell me what's wrong.'' He also stopped walking.

I told him what I've dreamed of and he seemed to be thinking about what it meant.

''I think you're just afraid of your father knowing about our secret!'' He began walking again and I couldn't see his face anymore.

''You think so?'' I followed him.

''Yeah sure! Hey why don't we train your ninjutsu on top of one of the mountains?'' He began running.

''Hey! Stop! I can't run as fast as you, my kimono would be ruined! Hey! Get back here! Oji!''

I got to the top of the mountain and saw my uncle retrieving something behind big rocks: it was a backpack. He handed it to me. I took it and found some training clothes inside of it. ''You really plan everything do you?'' I asked him and he simply smiled. After I got changed we began my training.

I was facing a huge rock, concentrating. I was panting; three hours of training with Hogo were really intense. I haven't eaten except my breakfast this mornings and I was beginning to lose my concentration. My stomach growled loudly.

''Is miss hungry?''

''Just a little.'' I kept my eyes closed, focusing on the rock in front of me.

''Ah! So I guess we can stay here another three hours?''

At the idea of supporting my aching stomach another three hours I opened my eyes and hit the rock with my right fist. A small crack was left in front of the rock. I was really disappointed, I thought I haven't lost my concentration and hit it the right way. I heard Hogo clapping his hands.

''Very funny, oji. I thought I would get it.''

''You did.'' He touched the rock with a finger and it all collapsed in dust.

''Yes! I did it!'' I jumped in the air, fists rising. ''I'm going to conquer the world!''

''How about we conquer a meal first?''

''All right!''

After changing back into my kimono, we went to a restaurant. Once our meal finished, my uncle escorted me back to my house. We waved goodbye and I entered.

''Tadaima!'' I said while getting my sandals off.

''Okaerinasai Akira!'' My father stepped out of the living room to greet me. ''Had a good day?''

''Yes! Oji and I have been shopping today! I purchased a new kimono, it's green and it matches with my eyes. Do you wish to see it?'' I began walking towards the stairs, but my father stopped me.

''Yes my dear, but not now. I have to know if you're coming with me. My trip is in two weeks and I need to inform the Kazekage if there is one person or two to welcome in his village.''

''Oh, I'm sorry I didn't think of it.''

''I want an answer tomorrow.'' His face was serious. 'What's with him?' I thought while I watched him climbed the stairs.

''Yes…'' I followed him in the stairs and went to my bedroom, still a little puzzled by his weird behaviour. 'Mah, I guess he's tired! Being part of the council must be tiresome!''

The next day proved to be just as tiresome as the previous one: training with Hogo in the morning and classes in the afternoon. As a ``high-class lady´´ I was obligated to follow dance lessons, singing lessons (which I wasn't the best I must admit) and how to properly speak, move and do a proper tea ceremony, in short, all the boring stuff. Today was singing (the worst, because I couldn't make a single right note) and tea ceremony (which I was talented in). I was a little off, because I had to think of my response. While I was on my way home, I came to the conclusion that I wanted to go visit another country and another hidden village. I would taste their culinary specialities and see other landscapes. As I was thinking of what I should do in Suna, I bumped into someone.

''I'm sorry sir.'' I bowed deeply.

''Oh Akira-san!'' I looked up and saw an old man who was part of the council. ''The meeting just finished, have you come to an answer yet?''

'An answer? Oh, for the trip! My father must have mentioned that I would accompany him.' I smiled to him. ''Yes, I've made a decision. It was hard to make, because being away from my native town isn't going to be easy, but I decided to go.''

''Ah! You are such a magnificent child! Your sacrifice will be remembered!'' With that, he walked away and began speaking to himself about youth and nobility.

''Huh? Sacrifice? What sacrifice, I'm just going away a few weeks?'' He didn't seem to hear me, so I guessed it was just an old man weird behaviour. 'There has been a lot of weird behaviors these past few days.' I continued my way to my house.

Two weeks later, my father and I were at the town gates. My father insisted to have no escorts, so he wouldn't be seen as a threat. So, we were leaving the gates with our backpacks.

''I will miss you Oji!'' I said while walking backwards and doing big signals with my arms.

''I'll miss you too!'' He waved back.

I turned around and quicken my pace to get to my father's level. 'Adventure! Here I come!' I thought while looking at the sky.