Chapter 7

I don't own Naruto. It is the property of Masashi Kishimoto.

[Blah blah blah- English]

I carefully twirled my borrowed senbon and almost smiled at the panic that flashed across Naruto and Sasuke's faces. Sakura was safely out of the line of fire and was learning about the fatal points of the human body. I was teaching the boys how to dodge senbon properly as I knew that they would need it when they encountered Haku.

It wouldn't be enough to go unscathed though. No one could perfect it in a few hours. Not even Itachi.

No, wait, he probably could. Fucking prodigies.

I wasn't specialized in throwing senbon, but I knew the basics. Enough to not hit any fatal points. And that was why I was making Sasuke and Naruto into my very own pincushions.

I saw them relax a bit, seeing that I was deep in thought. Didn't they know that shinobi should never let their guard down?

I flicked more senbon towards them, gaining a few surprised yelps.

Two hours had passed and, to be honest, I was surprised they were still standing. Sure, they were panting heavily and leaning on each other, but they were standing.

I felt a warm feeling curl in my chest that I associated with pride. They had slowly but steadily improved and I was pretty sure no other Genin could do this except mine. My ducklings were going to be the next generation of Sannin!

"Good job, minions! I'm proud of you!"

I beamed at them and added a little Genjutsu that made flowers bloom around me.

Naruto and Sasuke, whose cheeks had gone slightly pink at my words, immediately sweatdropped.

I narrowed my eyes before adding some sparkles and glitter. Sasuke immediately shouted a 'Kai!' along with Naruto but I reapplied it swiftly. With rainbows. And cookies. And chocolate syrup rain. And cotton candy clouds.

I subtly wiped the drool from my mouth as the boys sighed in relief when my illusion was dispelled.

I felt a stare on my back but I did not whip around. That's not what you're supposed to do. I slowly spread out my chakra sense trying to get a feel of the person's chakra.

...Oh. I did not expect that.

Whatever. I was starving.

I dragged Team Seven around the village, trying to find a place that was open at 3 in the morning. As soon as I found on I practically ran in there before seating myself and gesturing my minions to do the same. Sakura had a surprisingly somber look on her face as she watched Naruto and Sasuke bicker and I wondered why.

The waiter came to our table and I ignored the kids' orders. I knew exactly how to lure our stalker out.

"Daifuku and Omurice for me, please." I smirked. "And salt-broiled saury and miso soup with eggplant, too."

When the food arrived, I was not surprised to find another person beside me, in front of his meal.

Kakashi's voice was low as he snapped apart his chopsticks."You sly kitten."

Team Seven's heads snapped towards him in surprise. Naruto gaped before standing on the table and pointing his finger at Kakashi.

"Who are you?"

"Maa, I'm hurt. You don't even recognize your own sensei?"

"If you're trying to impersonate him, you've failed! You should know that he could never get up this early!" Naruto nodded to himself.

It's too early for this shit.

I tugged Naruto down with some carefully maneuvered ninja wire before I started to stuff myself. I ignored the rest of their conversation as I tried to shovel as much food as possible into my mouth.

They were leaving. They were leaving.

Kami, what if I changed something and one of them ends up dying? What if they fail the mission and get Tazuna killed? What if-

Sakura patted my back unsurely."Calm down, sensei. You're hyperventilating. Besides it's only a C-rank mission."

C-rank mission my ass!

The boys were looking down at my kneeling position amusedly, even Kakashi. Bastards.

I glared at them before getting up. I twisted my hands nervously.

"You guys have your rations? Shuriken? Extra shuriken? Kunai? Extra kunai? Ninja wire? Wate-"

Naruto interrupted me."We'll be fine, dattebayo! Besides, you even gave us extra training!"

I turned to Kakashi. "Don't be a suicidal idiot like you were in our ANBU miss-"

He clapped his hand over my mouth and eye-smiled at me. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Sasuke stared at us suspiciously as Sakura shouted at Naruto in the background about some nonsensical thing.

I opened my mouth to say something but Kakashi shoved his team forward and waved at me, before fast-walking out the gates.

I sighed before I rubbed my arm and walked back home, my mind playing horrible scenarios behind my eyes.

My chakra was going haywire. I was just sitting near the Naka river, staring at it(I was not sulking!) when my chakra just burst out, trying to- to tug me away?

I tried to resist it but gave up when the tug became too strong. I stood up and was immediately dragged in a direction. I ran through the crowds in Konoha and saw that I was coming to its edge. I stopped at...Konoha Orphanage? I cocked my head to the side before I shrugged and walked to its back garden.

My chakra calmed almost immediately except for a tiny tug. I walked through the bushes, curious to see why my chakra had reacted like that. I stilled as I saw a little girl with blond hair, standing on a flat rock, looking at the sky.

From the way she had tensed, she knew I was there. A chakra sensor.

I smiled gently. "Hello!"

Her head whipped around to face me and I was surprised to see red eyes. A flash of terror crossed her face before she forced a smile at me.

As I stared at her eyes, something just clicked in my brain. Her eyes were exactly like mine, too old for her age. Could it be...?

Only one way to find out.

I knelt down to her height. "How old are you?"

She beamed at me in fake-cheeriness."I just turned 4, Shinobi-san!"

I smirked as she stumbled off the stone, stunned, an 'oh, shit' look on her face.