Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!

Taku94: Thanks for following and reviewing! I'm glad that you liked how this started. I have issues with putting too much dialogue into my writing. Kakashi has always been one of my favorite characters, and he's fun to write, so taking a look at what happened before Squad Seven interested me. I'm glad that you like the characters, too. I plan on 'delving deeper' into all of them(the important ones at least), so no worries! Again, I'm really glad that you liked this!

Chapter Two

One Month later

Taka could hear several things from her hiding place, but she was focused on only one: The birds were singing, small animals were scuffling, she could hear the series of light thumps as a Genin team returned from a mission, and she could hear a team training nearby.

She had, somehow, been given the day off, along with Tora and Hebi. Hebi had revealed that she was planning to leave the ANBU as well, and return to her position as a Special Jōnin, much to Taka's and Tori's dismay.

Taka had decided to hunt down Inu, or Kakashi as he was known outside of ANBU. She believed that she had found him, but she had yet to confirm it.

Moving closer through the trees, Taka was now certain: The silver-haired Jōnin with the Genin at the training ground was indeed the infamously late Kakashi Hatake.

She sprung out of the tree she was perched in and landed silently behind Kakashi. "Yo!"
He spun around, startled, and relaxed slightly, seeing that she was ANBU. The three Genin behind him looked frightened at Taka's sudden appearance.

"What is it?" Kakashi asked. Taka laughed.

"I'm not on duty, Inu, just wanted to see my former teammate," Taka said, grinning behind her Hawk mask. Kakashi looked confused and startled at being called by his ANBU name.

"Taka?"

"Who else?"

Kakashi facepalmed. "Is this normal?" I heard one of the Genin whisper, and blonde-haired boy with bright blue eyes and whisker-like birthmarks on both cheeks.

"This is normal, for Taka, that is," Kakashi said to the boy, who looked embarrassed at being heard.

"Well, I'll leave you alone. Don't want to be interrupting anything," Taka said before Body Flickering away.

The next day Taka, Hebi, and Tora were called to the Hokage's office for their last mission as a squad, since Hebi would be leaving the ANBU after the mission. They were to follow one of the new Genin teams, which was taking their first C-Rank mission. The ANBU were going to provide backup if needed.

After being briefed for their part of the mission, specifically about which higher-rank risks could appear, they were told to stand along the walls, but to remain visible. The Genin team was going to be informed about the ANBU's presence, so it made sense for them to be semi-familiar to them.

A few minutes after the initial briefing, the Genin squad that was officially taking the mission arrived. It was Squad Seven, lead by none other than Kakashi Hatake. Said Jōnin's one visible eye widened slightly as he recognized the three ANBU that stood along the wall.

The team's mission was a fairly simple one: An escort mission to the Land of Waves, as well as protecting the bridge builder Tazuna while he finishes building a bridge to the mainland.

After the briefing, the Hokage asked the team if anyone had questions. Right away, the pink-haired Kunoichi spoke up.

"Why are we being accompanied by ANBU? I mean, this is a C-rank mission, it shouldn't get so dangerous that ANBU need to get involved!"

"All rookie teams have an ANBU squad backing them up on their first C-rank mission to make sure no-one gets killed. If everything goes fine, then the team can continue taking C-ranks," the Hokage explained. He then turned to the three ANBU. "Would you three introduce yourselves?" He asked.

"I am Tora," the Cat-masked ANBU said.

Then the Snake: "I am Hebi."

"I am Taka, and the team Captain," the Hawk-masked ANBU said quietly. The three Genin nodded respectfully, while Kakashi made a series of subtle, ANBU-exclusive signs: I would like to speak to you three in private, if that's alright.'

Taka did the same, Training ground 14.

Shortly thereafter, the Hokage dismissed both teams from his office to give them time to prepare. The three ANBU quickly gathered the necessary supplies before Body Flickering to Training Ground 14. It was about five minutes before Kakashi arrived.

"What did you want us for, Kakashi?" Taka asked. Here, in a less professional setting, her voice lost the cold edge that it normally had.

"I wanted to apologize for leaving so abruptly," Kakashi said. "I was planning to leave later, but because of when the Academy students were taking the Genin exams..." Taka stifled a groan.

"Trust you to forget things like that," Taka said in a low voice.

"Well..." Kakashi began.

"We'll meet y'all at the main gates," Hebi said, interrupting her former Captain. Sean's Tora Body Flickered away before Kakashi or Tora could speak.

"That was odd," Kakashi said.

"Hebi is odd. I thought you'd figured that out by now!" Taka said teasingly.

"All ANBU are odd, Taka, you included."

"How exactly am I odd?"

"Well, to start, you were adopted by the ANBU. Hebi is basically your sister, Tora's your 'brother', you got Ibiki riled up and successfully avoided his wrath-"

"And my whole family is essentially ANBU."

"Except for me."

"Of course, Dad, but you're not ANBU anymore, remember?"

"Taka... How can you be so annoying?"

"Who's worse, me or Naruto?"

Kakashi winced. "I honestly cannot say. Naruto's louder, but you blackmail people with the info you get from who knows where!"

"Icha Icha?" Taka said mischievously.

"Do not start that again, Taka."

"Really, Kakashi, you give people way too much to use against you!"

"Main gates. Now."

"Don't change the subject on me, mister!" Taka exclaimed.

"Don't you 'mister' me, Taka!"

"..."

"..."

"That was fun," Taka said.

"Yeah, right. You just like picking on me."

"You're just lucky that you ended up as my Dad. Better you than Ibiki, right?"

"Definitely. How you managed to find a family label for every ANBU member escapes me, but you are at least pretty reasonable about it."

"Fifty-two uncles, twelve aunts, nineteen brothers, four sisters, one dad, two granddads, one grandma, and one great-granddad."

"How did you...? Nevermind, I don't want to know how you can remember that, or specifically who has what title," Kakashi said.

"How did I do it, anyway? Oh, yeah, and ten cousins. Can't forget them!"

"Taka... You are strange..."

"Thanks! We need to leave right now if we're going to at the gates on time!" Taka said cheerfully before Body Flickering to the gates.

"TAKA!"

It has been revealed... Taka has one freaking huge family! How does she keep everyone's labels straight?

Please let me know what you think! Reviews motivate me and help me get a feel for how others perceive things in my writing.

Hawk Sirius, out(cuz it's 20 min. To 11:00 pm and I should be sleeping).