She headed to the Hokage's office. She always felt anxious when Tsunade-Hime called her, she always wondered why there was that awkward tension between the two of them.

She knocked hesitately against the door, in a silent, discreet way.

-Come in!

The soft but strong voice of the Godaime ran through the door. Kaori accepted the invitation and entered the messy office. Piles of unsigned papers were scattered all over the floor, and the young Jounin walked between the folders.

-Godaime-sama, you asked for me?

Kaori's tone was, as always, emotionless, neutral. She had been like then ever since that moment where she had been deceived. Her eyes were empty, and stared blankly at the blond woman sitting in front of her.

The Godaime looked at the young woman. She sighed at that emotionless expression. "She's like Sai", she thought. Of course, she knew why the young girl was so.

-Kaori, why are you like this?

She did not answer. Tsunade repeated herself, twice. But only silence responded. She sighed again. That girl was so stubborn! The Hokage suddenly raised her voice, and frustration came out of her throat.

-Kaori! Answer to me! Why are you like this? Why do you never answer to me, or anyone of Konoha's authority?

Kaori started thinking of it. It was true, she wouldn't speak to the "big heads" of Konoha. The only persons she would trust where the 12 super rookies, the Gai group, Asuma and Kakashi. But even in those, she was uneasy with most of them. In fact, the only ones she would listen where the teachers, Shikamaru, Kiba and Shino.

Kaori had known Shikamaru and Shino since she was a small child. She was looking at a group of kids playing when she heard a rustling sound behind her. It was that bored-looking kid that was always sleeping in class. Without a word, he sat next to her. After a while, he said, more to himself than to her "I like the clouds. They keep me calm." She nodded and that was it. They looked at the cloud without another word. And that's how she became friends with Shikamaru.

She became friends with Shino a few days later, when a scarab landed on her knee. Shino had wanted to catch it for weeks, and he appreciated when Kaori didn't move, didn't scream of disgust and let him take it.

-Hehem.

She snapped out of her memories and looked back at Godaime.

-Kaori. You are a precious Jounin to Konoha. You are one of the rare ANBUs who decided to come out of it. I know you where in it since you were twelve, and that you suffered in that emotionless organization.

Kaori snapped at the "suffered". Suffering? That Slug Princess had no idea. The ANBU was a terrible organization. Sai was the perfect example. The trauma he had was worse than hers. You would see, do awful things, things that you should know as a child. It had happened she had to torture people till they begged for death. Men crying for mercy when she would pass their cell, trying to bear the pain of their screams in her ears. She would hear them in her bed, in her dreams, in her worst nightmares.

Rage overwelmed the young woman, and she tried containing her anger, clenching her fists and digging her nails in her flesh. Tsunade noticed it, and, worried, headed towards Kaori. She reached a hand for her shoulder, but Kaori stepped back.

-Kaori. You have no idea how sorry I am for what happened to you. And the Sandaime had no idea that your ANBU special branch was using such methods. That is why it was dismantled. And believe me when I say I'm sorr...

-SHUT IT WITH YOUR APOLOGIES! YOU SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT BEFORE!

Kaori glanced hatefully the startled Hokage for a few seconds, and left the office, without regretting her words.

The Hokage sat back at her desk. She took a file out of her drawer. If only she had knew that would have happened when she left Konoha years ago. If only she had imagined how much she had suffered all those years... She looked at Kaori's identification sheet, stared at her name.

-I'm sorry, Kaori... Koichi Kaori. I should have...

She couldn't hold her tears, and drops fell on the I.D. photo.

-I'm sorry... my daughter.


So I hope you liked it, yes, Kaori is Tsunade and Dan's daughter. I know Dan died at the age of 27 and Tsunade's 54 in Shippuuden so for Kaori to be his daughter, she should be like 30, but let's say that Tsunade somehow gave birth to Kaori at the age of 38 ok? :D