Disclaimer: I do not own any Naruto characters! I only own my OCs!

Chapter 6: Preparations

Akagi was excited to become a big sister. She had practiced a lot with a baby doll on how to change diapers or clothes if she had to do it. Kushina had taught her the basics and even read some books about babies. But she spent most of her time on studying the documents she inherited from her surrogate mother. The draconite she got with the books and scrolls and other things had transformed into an egg one month after her summer birthday. It was as big as an ostrich egg, or so did Minato say. Akagi didn't know what an ostrich was. Now she acted that she was a pregnant woman who looked after the egg. Sadly, she had to keep it hidden because Ryuu-nin could come after her if she told others.

Akagi spent most of her time now to study on becoming a ninja, but also learning a lot about her people's country and dragons. She rarely visited Itachi, but she got to hear from the boy that his mother had successfully given birth to his little brother; Uchiha Sasuke.

While the redhead was happy for her friend, she was getting worried about Kushina. Now when she could properly sense chakra and understood how they were working, she could feel an enormous chakra emitting from the Uzumaki woman.

She got her answers when the Third Hokage and his wife Biwako came to visit the Namikaze couple one early September evening to discuss something highly important.

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Akagi hid in a corner of the hallway, cradling the dragon egg, as she eavesdropped on her foster parents and the Sarutobi couple who were sitting in the kitchen/living room. She could tell it was important. Even though she shouldn't be eavesdropping, she still wanted to know what was going on. She cared a lot for her foster parents. They were also two very important people to her, people she knew since she was a baby. If there was a way for her to be more useful than just being a big sister, she wanted to do it.

"Kushina, there is something I must tell you regarding the moment you give birth", the Third Hokage began. "Your predecessor, Mito-sama, was in the same situation. When she was giving birth, they said the Kyuubi's seal nearly broke."

Akagi raised an eyebrow. Kyuubi? As in Kyuubi of the nine legendary Tailed Beasts she read about not so long time ago? Just as one of the Tailed Beasts' spirit had been inside Rin? So… Kushina was a Jinchūriki? Why didn't the foster parents tell her?

The Third Hokage let out a soft sigh. "I'm sorry, but as a precautionary measure, I must ask you to give birth within a barrier a little outside of the village."

"I'll be at your side too, watching the seal", Minato's calm voice told Kushina.

"Minato, Taji from ANBU and my wife, Biwako, will accompany you", the Third Hokage added. "All this will be carried out in absolute secrecy. You will, of course, have ANBU bodyguards, but they will be under my direct command."

Akagi bit her lower lip to stop her from speaking out her mind, but her body went against her orders. She stood up from the corner and walked into the kitchen with the egg in her arms. The adults turned to the little redhead and saw her serious eyes.

"Please, let me go too!" Akagi said with determination. "I want to be there and help Kushina-san and see my little brother!" She bowed deeply. "Onegai!"

"Akagi…", Kushina mumbled worriedly.

"It's too dangerous, Akagi", the Third Hokage replied. "A little child like you would only get in the way if something goes wrong."

Akagi's shoulders sank when she heard that. She looked down on the floor and rubbed her right foot against the pavement.

"But… She could wait for us in one of my safe houses after Kushina gives birth to Naruto and we've sealed the Kyuubi", Minato suggested, giving the little girl new hope.

The Third Hokage hummed to himself and thought deeply before making a decision. "Very well. But she is not to be there during the childbirth."

Akagi's eyes lightened up by joy when she heard that. "Thank you very much!"

The four adults chuckled softly at Akagi. They could tell she was excited to become a big sister, but they knew she understood the danger behind the procedure.

"I'll go ahead and start preparing things", Minato announced.

The Fourth Hokage stood up from the chair and walked past Akagi. He briefly patted her head before he went to the hallway. The others could hear him put on his shoes before leaving the house.

"When the time comes, I will lead you there", Biwako told the pregnant woman.

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A few days later, Akagi was working on something in her bedroom. It was a handmade friendship bracelet that was made of black, red and silver threads. She had asked Kushina how to make one, since she really wanted to give a present to a certain someone. The dragon egg sat still on several cushions on her bed as the girl kept working on the present. She tied the last part of the friendship bracelet after adding a small button and cut the leftover threads.

"Done!" Akagi told herself as she held up her finished work.

The little girl couldn't help but feel happy and proud of herself that she was able to make a bracelet. She stood up and walked over to the bed and showed the bracelet for the egg. "Do you think Kakashi-onii-chan will like it?"

The egg didn't move or react, but Akagi still smiled, having a feeling the dragon inside the eggshell said the teenager would like it.

Akagi put the friendship bracelet in a silver paper bag and added a decoration on it. She clumsily wrote "Happy birthday, Kakashi-onii-chan" on the bag before leaving her room. She ran down the stairs to the hallway and put on her shoes.

The girl peeked into the living room, seeing Kushina knitting a dark green scarf. "Kushina-san! I'm going out for a while!"

"Make sure you'll be home before dinner!" Kushina called as her eyes never left her knitting hands.

"Hai!"

Akagi left the house and ran through the streets of Konoha. She decided to also pretend that she was a kunoichi on a mission to deliver the present to Kakashi. She had his address in the pocket of her jacket, but she had never been to his apartment before. She was going to solve it in a way or another.

She made it to the main square of the village and looked around. Children and adults were on their way home to spend some family time together or single adults headed to the "Adult Street", as Akagi referred to, where the adults did things that children weren't allowed to know and do until they reached a certain age.

The redhead picked up the little note with the address and looked around to find the name of the street. She didn't have to though when she spotted one of her favorite people with another teenager. The other teenager was a black-haired boy with a shiny bowl haircut and thick eyebrows. He was dressed in a green jumpsuit, orange striped leg warmers and had his red forehead protector wrapped around his waist like a belt. The girl had met him before, so she knew who he was.

"Kakashi-onii-chan! Gai-onii-chan!" Akagi called as she ran toward the two teenagers.

Gai had been busy to convince Kakashi to have a battle to settle some scores when both of them looked up when they heard their names. They saw Akagi run toward them and Gai's attitude changed dramatically.

"Akagi!" his eyes shone brightly by the innocent child. "What a perfect timing! We were just about to have a battle! Did you come to cheer for me?"

"Well…", Akagi began nervously as she looked away while clutching the paper bag in her hands.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow at the redhead. "Shouldn't you be at home, Akagi? It's getting dark."

"I know that", Akagi nodded before she blushed hard and held out the silver paper bag to the silver-haired boy. "F-For you."

Kakashi glanced at the bag and saw "Happy birthday, Kakashi-onii-chan" written on it. He got a bit surprised that Akagi knew his birthday. He hadn't told her before. Maybe she got to hear it from Minato.

Even so, it made him happy inwardly. He crouched down and took the bag gently from the girl's hands. "Arigatou."

Akagi smiled widely with her red cheeks, feeling happy that her favorite person accepted her present.

"Nani?! Kakashi gets a present and I don't?!" Gai exclaimed dramatically as he showed mock-horror. "Akagi, give me a birthday present next time, okay?"

"I don't know your birthday, Gai-onii-chan", Akagi replied innocently.

Gai felt like he got a boulder thrown on his head before he shook off his shock. "It's January 1! Remember it, okay?"

"I'll try", Akagi replied teasingly.

Kakashi opened the paper bag and used his hand to search for the present inside it. He felt the texture of something soft and pulled it out. It was a friendship bracelet.

Akagi giggled before pulling up the right sleeves of her jacket and shirt to reveal a friendship bracelet with the same colors. "I made it myself, with some help of Kushina-san. So you know I will always be there for you, Kakashi-onii-chan."

Kakashi felt touched by the kind gesture. He couldn't remember when was the last time he received a handmade birthday present. He did get a few from his father while he was still alive who said his mother had made them, like a scarf and a pair of winter gloves. He still had them, cherished in a hidden coffer in his apartment. The other times were by Rin when they used to be small, long before he became a Jōnin.

The silver-haired teenager wrapped the friendship bracelet around his right wrist and adjusted the button before showing it to Akagi with a smile behind his mask. "It's perfect. Well done."

"But my friendship bracelet will be much better than yours and will be filled lots of youthful passion, Kakashi! Right, Akagi?!" Gai kept pushing the matter.

Kakashi sweat dropped while rolling his exposed eye. If Akagi was around their age, then the whole meaning would mean something totally different and not as innocent.

"We'll see", Akagi blew a small raspberry before she gave the teenagers a smile. "I need to go home now. Bye!"

The redhead felt thrilled to have been able to give a handmade birthday present to her favorite big brother. Her heart beat excitedly as she ran back to her home.

Kakashi stared at Akagi until she was gone. He then looked down at the bracelet. It wasn't perfectly done, but it was still precious.

"Kakashi, my rival! I swear I will beat you in every single way I can!" Gai said determinedly. "My passionate birthday present and friendship bracelet will be much better than yours!"

Kakashi ignored his so-called rival and walked away. Gai followed after him, complaining how he refused to accept his challenges to settle some scores.

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October came and filled the air with a chill, but it didn't just deliver the scents of autumn, no. The due date for Naruto's birth was coming. Minato and Kushina prepared as much as they could together with Biwako and other members of ANBU. Akagi had prepared a backpack with some change of clothes and other minor things that she was going to take with her to one of the safe houses located outside of Konoha.

The day finally arrived. In order to be as discreet as possible, Minato took Akagi with him to the safe house in the morning. Kushina and Biwako were going to travel alone, without getting too much attention, in late afternoon.

Akagi looked around in the house Minato brought her to. It was more of a private training house than a simple hut. Different weapons hung on the walls and there was a big carpet where you could practice. There was a bunk-like bed with fresh covers and sheets that was big enough for two adults to sleep next to each other.

Minato crouched to Akagi's eye level and put his hands on her shoulders. "Akagi… I'm sorry, but you have to stay here. Do not go outside."

"I won't", Akagi replied as she cradled the dragon egg to her chest.

"Kushina and I will come back here once everything is done, and you'll get to meet Naruto", Minato said with a warm smile.

Akagi smiled at the thoughts of meeting Naruto and nodded. "I'll be a good girl."

Minato chuckled before he straightened and walked over to a table that had a big bag. He opened the bag and pulled out some fresh bread, thermos, empty mugs and other delicacies. "I've packed some food for us. If you're hungry, you can eat some."

"Hai", Akagi nodded.

Minato sighed deeply before closing the bag. He looked around in the house for a moment before he gave Akagi one more smile. Without another word, he left the house, leaving the little redhead alone.

Akagi sighed before she walked over to the bed. She climbed up and settled the egg on the mattress and sheets before dumping her backpack on the floor. She jumped down and opened the backpack to pull out some books and scrolls she had taken with her. She even had a small stack of dried meat at the bottom of the backpack, in case the dragon egg was going to hatch and the dragon baby would be hungry.

The child settled the documents on the bed, but she didn't climb up yet. She walked over to the table and made a sandwich with butter and cheese. She poured some green tea in one of the mugs. She brought her little meal back to the bed. She settled the sandwich and mug as safely as possible, so she wouldn't make a mess with the tea, and then climbed back up to the bed. She quickly ate her sandwich before leaning against the wall, getting into a comfortable pose. She picked up the dragon egg and let it rest against her lap as she picked up one of the books she got from Ryoko. She knew this was going to be a long day, so what better thing could she do than studying both the basics of being a ninja and how to raise a dragon.

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Akagi looked out through the window of the safe house, seeing the blue sky had now switched colors into yellow and orange. It was late afternoon and there had been no words from Minato or Kushina. She was a bit anxious to go out for some fresh air, but she had promised Minato to stay indoors.

She had taken a break from studying and practiced on martial arts. She made sure not to accidently use any techniques that would cause a wreck of the house. She didn't want to take the risk.

She was wondering how the others were doing back in Konoha. Was Itachi looking after Sasuke? Was Gai bothering Kakashi again with another challenge? What was the Third Hokage doing?

If everything went well, she would be able to live peacefully with her foster family and be a big sister to Naruto. She swore she would become a great kunoichi, as Ryoko asked her in the letter she got with her birthday present, and once she was eighteen years old, she would read the other letter that would surely give her clearer answers to her questions.

Akagi snapped out of her thoughts when she heard a weird noise. She looked around, trying to find the source, only to see the egg on the bed was rolling around. She hurried to the bed and climbed up on it to grab the egg before something could happen to it.

"Shh… Shh… Calm down", Akagi whispered, trying to cradle the restless egg. "I'm right here."

Small cracks grew larger on the eggshell as it shook violently. Akagi's eyes widened when she realized this was the moment her dragon partner was going to hatch! On Naruto's birthday!

The girl watched as the cracks on the top of the eggshell shattered into small pieces. Two clawed paws reached for the top of the egg and rested there. A small dragon pushed itself up and blinked its yellow eyes, looking around before it saw Akagi.

Akagi stared at the dragon in slight shock and joy. She took in the appearance of the newly hatched dragon. It was around 15 centimeter long. Its scales were mainly red, but it had traces of black. It had a few purple gemstones, one in the middle of its chest and one on each shoulder. The dragon also had two tusks, a short head-tail thing, a long tail and a pair of wings on its back. It was…cute, despite it looked more like a lizard than a baby dragon.

Akagi smiled gently before lowering her head down to the dragon. "Hello. I'm your friend and partner. Nice to meet you…Nova."

The girl remembered reading about the hatching of a dragon. The human partner would instinctively know the dragon's name, so she didn't have to think of a name for it.

Nova chirped and rubbed his nose against Akagi's. The redhead smiled before gently picking up the newly hatched dragon. Nova growled in joy and rubbed his tusk against her cheek. The scales felt soft and not as hard as the girl imagined. She read newborn dragons had soft scales and they would harden in time.

Akagi was happy to finally have a dragon that came from her homeland. She was going to introduce Nova to Minato, Kushina and Naruto when they would return and they would become a warm and happy family.

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Akagi's dragon is based on the Duel Monster "Red Nova Dragon" from Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's.

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Onegai = Please

Nani = What