"Kaze!" my mother called from downstairs. "Wakey wakey, it's a big day!" I groaned and rubbed my eyes under the warm doona covers. I peeked over the top and saw sunlight streaming through my windows. Well, that made me feel a whole lot better. I just don't do rainy days very well.
"Mama! It's Saturday, can't I sleep in? It's not like I go to the Academy or anything!" I called back, although I was stretching my arms up, knowing what she would say.
"That's no excuse, sleepyhead! I'm taking you out today!" At that, my arms fell down and I flopped back onto my pillow. "Kaze!" mother's voice was louder and I could hear her advancing up the stairs. She loudly opened the door and stared down at me, smiling. "Time to get up, honey. We're going out after breakfast."
I sat up again and rubbed an eye. "Why so early? Where are we going?"
Mother sat down on the edge of my bed and ruffled my knotted hair, the same fire-red as hers. "We're going to see a friend of mine. She invited us over for lunch, but I thought we could go a little earlier so you could meet her daughter."
"Really?" I complained. "Why can't you just give me another lesson today?" I motioned to the window, where small rays of sunlight darted past the blinds. "It's a good day for that."
Mother shook her head with a grin and stood up to go open the blinds. As the morning sun shone through the window she smiled at me. "Kaze? Up. Now."
I sighed. "Okay, okay, Mama, I'm getting up." I stretched again and finally got out of bed.
"Atta girl." Mother walked out of my room, calling over her shoulder, "Breakfast will be ready when you get down, honey." And with that she was gone, and I felt like I had been issued a challenge.
"Let's see how fast she can cook, huh?" I murmured to myself, hurrying to get dressed. I pulled on my favourite shirt (black with a silver owl on the front and the owl's wings on the back) and a pair of leggings, before pulling on socks and running down the stairs. But, despite how quickly I had gone, mother was sitting at the table with Kakashi, my brother, with breakfast served. Mother was waiting for me with that beautiful smile of hers, but Kakashi was almost finished, as he had a mission today that he had to leave early for. "Damn it…" I mumbled.
"Beat you again, Kaze!" Mother laughed as I made my way over to the table.
"Yeah, yeah," I replied. "Morning, Kakashi!"
"Good morning, Kaze," Kakashi answered, standing up and walking over to put his dishes in the dishwasher. "I'll see you two when I get back."
"Okay." Mother walked over and hugged him warmly. "Be safe." Kakashi pulled away and nodded, picked up his mask and left. Mother came back and joined me at the table.
"So, where are we going, Mama?" I asked again, beginning to eat the yummy-looking French toast that she made.
"Her name is Azami Uchiha," mother explained, "and she has a daughter named Hitomi."
"You want me and her to be friends, right?" I asked through a mouthful of food.
"We'll see," mother said with a smile. "Mikoto Uchiha and her son Sasuke will also be there, so I've heard. You do need some friends, at least."
"I've got you, Mama," I said. "I don't need anybody else."
"That is nice of you, honey, but I want you to have friends your own age. Just come with me today and if you don't like them, you don't have to see them often. That sound fair?"
"Yeah, Mama, I understand." I finished off my breakfast and put my dish on the bench, although I had to reach up to get it. I may be taller than most my age, but hey, I was six. Gimme a break.
At that time, I didn't understand why my mother wanted me to be friends with this Hitomi, and this Sasuke. Wasn't she and Kakashi enough? Wasn't she content with only having me and Kakashi? Was it because Kakashi was an ANBU Black Op, and he wasn't around much? Was it because she still went on the occasional mission as a Jonin, the Violet Samurai, and had to leave me home with Kakashi? Was it because I got along so easily with everyone I met, but didn't have any friends? Was it because of the fact that I didn't attend the Ninja Academy, and didn't socialise with kids my own age? All these questions kept swirling around and around in my head, and I didn't understand at all. Because in my eyes, my Mama and Kakashi were all I had, and all I needed.
At least, that's what I thought.