Chapter 15

Was this ... Izumi? No ... Itachi?

Sasuke was speechless and in awe from what he was seeing. The girl in front of him was uncannily reminding him of people he knew before in his life, ones he used to care about. Her presence felt familiar ... it was just as kind and warm as when he first met Izumi. She was too much like her, appearance or personality.

But ... Izumi wasn't the only one she reminded him of. No, there was someone else ... someone he needed to kill in order to find meaning and peace in his life again. But how was it possible? Why would a young girl, who barely looked to be 8 years old, remind him of one of the most powerful Ninjas in the world?

Why would a calm presence, like Hikari's, remind Sasuke of a dark and cold monster, like Itachi?

If he didn't know any better, he'd say the girl was actually their daughter. Except that was impossible. There was no way Izumi ever carried Itachi's child, not that a monster like him would make an exception if it came to her. If he was capable of doing something like that, he wouldn't have killed her or their parents in the first place.

Sasuke mentally hit himself. The thought alone was disgusting and hard to think about. He didn't know what came over him. But ... he didn't like his emotions at the moment. He felt as powerless and useless as when he was when Itachi practiced and showed off his skills.

He was different now. He had gotten much stronger. True, he was still a Genin, but he was considered as the top of his class. His skills were already Chunin-level. He didn't need someone, certainly a little girl, to save him from danger. He was more than capable of defending himself and protecting his teammates.

He shook his head to kick out any ridiculous thought. All the theories in his head were just excuses. He needed to get stronger. Just because someone saved her doesn't mean that she was stronger, or that she was somehow to the people he knew. Why did he even think of that in the first place? Was he that desperate?

"Hikari, I checked. They're all gone." A voice broke the silence from behind.

Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura's attention went to the young boy who was approaching them quietly. Despite the silent and tense atmosphere around them, they couldn't hear his footsteps or his breathing. Although he seemed to be a 10-year-old boy, it showed he was that skilled and professional in what he did.

Seeing as both the girl and boy were wearing Konoha headbands, it was safe to assume they were Konoha Shinobi. Which meant they weren't dangerous to them, or at least, Sasuke assumed.

"I see. Thanks, Takeru-kun." The girl calmly replied as she slowly turned around.

When she did, Sasuke didn't see a young girl from Konoha. He didn't see someone, arguably, stronger than him. He didn't see someone who reminded him of people he wanted to forget. All he saw was her eyes ... two shining red eyes ... All he saw was the Sharingan of someone who was not an Uchiha.

A chill ran down his spine. He was shocked, confused, angry, and sad all at the same time. He watched as Itachi killed every single Uchiha in their clan. So why did someone, a young girl who would not have been born before the Uchiha Massacre, possess the Sharingan? Was she an Uchiha? Did she somehow manage to steal the eyes? Did she have an Uchiha father and an ordinary mother?

It didn't make sense at all. But the more he got a closer look at the girl who saved him, the more he was reminded of his brother. That annoyed him to an extent he didn't know was possible. But at the same time, very deep down ... he didn't realize he was actually happy to the same eyes in someone who reminded him of the kind brother he used to know.

Sasuke was too angry to realize it, but he actually missed Itachi. Of course, not the one who killed their parents and mentally tortured him, but his kind brother, who according to Itachi himself, never existed in the first place.

Meanwhile, Naruto and Sakura were left dumbfounded and confused as to what was happening. Who was this girl? Where did she come from? Why were both her and the boy wearing Konoha headbands? Were they friends or allies?

"Excuse me ... who are you?" Sakura asked in confusion.

"We're Konoha Chunin. We were told that there might be some unwanted interruptions for your mission, so at the request of our mentor, we followed you." Takeru said simply and vaguely at the same time.

"My name is Inari Takeru, and this person is Hikari." He smiled slightly as he pointed at Hikari.

"Nice to meet you all. I'm glad no one was badly hurt."

Team 7 was so confused. These two kids, who were younger than all of them, saved them? They were from Konoha? They were Chunins? Already? But how? Where was Kakashi, for God's sake? Why was he nowhere to be found?

"Let me get this straight. You two kiddos are already Chunin? Don't mess with me, dattebayo." Naruto laughed as he shook them off, but when he saw Hikari and Takeru's glare, he immediately shut up.

"Naruto!" Sakura hissed in embarrassment.

"Sorry, dattebayo." He muttered.

"It's alright. While age is not a factor in Shinobi ranks and skills, it certainly doesn't stop the simple judgements from simple people. We're used to it by now." Hikari calmly stated to reassure Naruto. She wasn't angry in stating that, nor was she upset. But she felt like she needed to clarify that.

Sasuke released a frustrated sigh to get a hold of his emotions. Even the way she spoke and acted was like Itachi, so elegant and polite. She was too mature for her own good and age, based on the few words they'd exchanged.

"When did you become Chunin? How old were you?" Naruto asked, eager to see young people already achieving their dreams with their skills.

"We passed the Chunin Exam about 2 months ago with our first try. And to answer your next question, I was a Genin for a year, but Hikari's term was only a few months. We both graduated early and got promoted together." Takeru shortly explained, leaving out all the details he didn't want to share just yet.

"Well, thank you for saving us." Sakura bowed slightly in appreciation as she smiled politely. Hikari shook her head with a smile, not answering it with words.

"Who told you to follow us? Who's your mentor?" Sasuke asked in curiosity.

"That would be me." A voice answered before Hikari or Takeru could reply.

"Kakashi-sensei!"

"Are you okay, dattebayo?"

Kakashi smiled under his mask as approached the kids, who were happy and relieved to see him. Sakura and Naruto were over-relieved to bomb him with questions, while Sasuke looked away, worrying on the inside. The two Chunins stood aside as they glanced in relief. Hikari was a bit worried she didn't see him with the Genins, but she controlled her emotions.

She may only be 7 years old, but she never wanted to cry in front of anyone ever again ... not like 3 years ago.

"I see you guys have already met my daughter." The old Jonin smiled.

Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura all blinked in surprise as they tried to process what he just said. Kakashi wasn't even married, and despite his habit of reading perverted books, he had no lover. So how could he have a child? They'd been together for almost 2 years. Why didn't they know about her?

Hikari just smiled awkwardly as all the eyes were on her. She really didn't like to be the center of attention anywhere. But even she had to wonder the real reason why Kakashi didn't introduce her to the rest of the team when they were assigned. He just smiled, saying there was a good reason for it.

But if she didn't know any better, she would have guessed he didn't want her to meet one of them, or any of them. Meanwhile, Sasuke could get some understanding to his previous questions. If that girl was really Kakashi's daughter, it would explain how she could pass as a Chunin at a young age, or why she would have the Sharingan, for that matter.

"Takeru, Hikari, thank you for getting here in time. Did any of you get hurt?" Kakashi asked everyone, looking from one person to another.

"We're all alright. I think we're mostly a bit tired." Sakura quietly said with low energy. They hadn't slept or eaten in a long time.

"Then let's get some rest, huh? Hikari and Takeru, you guys stay with us, too. Our mission is done, so we'll head back to Konoha tomorrow."

"Hai!"

...

Flash back

Right after she was attacked by the Masked-man and Uchiha Sasuke, Hikari ran into another weird boy. Uzumaki Naruto could be the weirdest and kindest person Hikari could ever meet. Although his looks gave away how miserable and unorganized he was, she could feel that he was doing his best to survive as he was desperately hanging on to the threat of hope.

Despite meeting each other for the very first time, Naruto grabbed Hikari's hand and took her to Ramen Ichiraku to eat ramen. She didn't even have the time to say anything, whether to agree or disagree with it, since she found herself in the restaurant before she even knew it.

"Two bowls of ramen, please!" Naruto loudly laughed as he led his new friend to her seat.

"Naruto, it's good to see you again! And you brought a friend." The old man, who looked to be the owner, smiled as he looked at the children.

"What's your name, little lady?"

"Uh ... Hikari." She quietly mumbled as she looked down and shrunk herself in a matter to hide herself.

Teuchi nodded, understanding how young children would be shy to introduce themselves to a stranger. But Naruto, being him, didn't figure out anything and just tried to make out a name from the mumbling without asking anything.

"Here you go. Enjoy."

"Thanks, dattebayo, 'ji-chan!"

Before Hikari could even find an excuse to go away and be alone, she found a bowl of ramen in front of her along with two sets of eyes shining in excitement and pleading with her to take one bite, at least. She opened her mouth to say something like 'I'm good', or 'I have to go', but when she saw the look in their eyes, she closed her mouth and just looked at the food.

She didn't want to hurt their feelings by rejecting their kind gesture. She was the type of person that was too kind for her own good. She wouldn't want to hurt someone just to feel better, so she hurt herself to make others feel comfortable ... just like both her parents.

"Thank you for the food." She muttered quietly, remembering her manners even in a situation like this.

Once she took a bite and tasted the food, she thought it was good. Honestly, it wasn't as great as Naruto made it out to be, since it was a basic food, but she felt something. She felt like her energy was getting higher, even though it had nothing to do with the food. It was the thought that counted.

"It's ... It's really good ... Thank you." Hikari quietly smiled, looking down.

"Right? Ramen is the best food in the world, dattebayo! When I become the Hokage, it'll be the official food in Konoha!" Naruto exclaimed happily as he stuffed himself in the food.

Hikari stopped eating and turned to the young boy in puzzlement. The Hokage ... The only thing she knew about the role of the Hokage was that it was supposed to be the most important job in Konoha. Not only does a Hokage protect everyone in Konohagakure, they're also the most powerful and skilled Shinobi among them.

She had met Sandaime a few times, and he was both kind and strong. Honestly, while she had no dreams, she wanted to become a person like him. Strong and kind.

"You ... want to become the Hokage in the future?" She asked.

"Of course! I'll become the best Hokage in history, surpass all the Ji-jis before me, and make everyone acknowledge me, dattebayo!"

"That's good, but ... um ... isn't a Hokage's job to care for everyone in the Village?" Hikari slowly asked, unsure of his reaction. It felt like he wanted to become the Hokage for the wrong reasons.

Wrong reasons that were right.

She sort of understood where he came from. She didn't know the reason for it, but everyone in Konoha seemed to want to stay away from the poor boy. They either hated him, feared him, or treated him as if he wasn't there. Hikari was thankfully never in a position like that, but she could understand how loneliness could make you desperate.

Still, that would be no reason to take such a great responsibility. It would be wrong and unfair for everyone.

"Of course! But a Hokage's super strong, and everybody loves them." Naruto proudly said, unaware of the point Hikari was trying to make.

"I think you only become a Hokage when everyone's already acknowledged you ... not the other way around."

This time, Naruto dropped the chopsticks and turned to the young girl with narrowed eyes. While he was fixing his glare on her, Hikari shrunk herself in a manner of protecting herself. What was wrong with her? First Sasuke, and now Naruto? Why did she have to say things to upset everyone around her?

"Huh?" Was all that came out of the stupid boy.

"Huh?"

"I didn't get a word you said, dattebayo. Can you say it again?" Naruto was genuinely confused about the words she just spoke about.

"I'm, uh ..." She paused to find the right words. She really didn't want to upset another boy to snap at her. She had been through enough.

"You don't need too many people to be happy ... Just a few real friends who appreciate you for who you are ... makes you feel complete ... right?" Hikari slowly said, her voice quietly coming out in uncertainty.

Despite his foolish looks, Naruto actually understood what she meant. She believed that if you had even one true friend, you would be happy. Who knows? Maybe she was right. The more he thought about it, the more it made sense, and the harder it seemed ... which made him feel sad. It was still weird to get such mature advice from a girl who was half his age.

All Naruto knew was that he approached her to cheer her up, but he found himself cheered up with a right purpose.

"Enough about me, dattebayo!" He suddenly shouted to change the subject, which got everyone's full attention.

"What the hell did you tell Sasuke that made him snap at you like that? I mean, I get it. He's a very moody jerk, but he barely talks without a solid reason." He stated, having some knowledge about his 'friend'.

This time, it was Hikari who refused to answer the questions. She had a feeling that the name 'Uchiha Itachi' was not a name to be said out loud in public. She didn't even know why she had that feeling. She had never heard that name before in her life, but her feelings were enough to shut her up completely.

"Don't stop eating! Why did you talk to him in the first place?" Naruto changed the questions when he realized he had no chance of getting the answers he asked.

"Uh, well ... Onii-san ... saved my life." She quietly replied, looking down and muttering the first part.

"He saved your life?! I find that very hard to believe. Besides, how did that happen? What'd you do, get lost in the woods, dattebayo?" He scoffed as he stuffed himself in food.

"I was kidnapped and almost killed by a dangerous man." Hikari bluntly said, to which Naruto replied by throwing out everything that was in his mouth. He completely choked and turned to her with wide-open eyes.

"Okay ... Why?"

Hikari sighed heavily as she stared at her feet floating by the ground. That was a good question. She knew that when she told people about the Masked-man, she would also have to prepare a 'why' as well. Who wouldn't want to know why an extremely dangerous and powerful Ninja tried to kill a 4-year-old orphan?

But ... she didn't. She didn't have an answer. She didn't have any answers. She was as clueless as the rest of the audience ... All she could feel was that it had something to do with her parents, more specifically, her father. She had no idea why she even felt that way in the first place. Uchiha Itachi was the answer to finding her father.

But she didn't want to find him. She couldn't even imagine what he'd done to make Sasuke snap like that in less than a second.

"I guess ... because of my parents. I don't know." She shrugged.

"What don't you know? You can just ask them, dattebayo." Naruto stated, feeling an ounce of hidden envy. She had parents. Everyone in the Village had parents. Everyone in the world had parents. Why did they have to throw that painful fact in his face?

"I don't know my parents. I've never even met them." Hikari quietly sighed in sadness.

Now, Naruto had no idea what to say. Not that that didn't happen a lot, but ... it felt like that for once in his life, he met someone who was ... as miserable as he was. Someone who knew what it was like to be alone, what it was to not know your parents. Someone who felt sadness and envy when she watched her friends and everyone around her go home with their loving family.

That ... he felt all too well.

"Sucks, doesn't it?" He almost whispered to himself, understanding that pain better than anyone.

"But you still have friends, right? You got someone to live with?" Naruto asked softly with his usual loud voice to cheer up the mood and both of them.

"I do, but ... I don't like it." Hikari pouted the last part quietly. It was as if she was ashamed or scared to say something.

"Don't like what, dattebayo?"

"Being their daughter ... Being his daughter ... It feels like a curse, one I can't free myself from ... I don't like it." She cried out quietly, her voice breaking with guilt and shame from what she just said. It was one thing to feel certain things, but to say it out loud was harder than could be imagined.

Naruto frowned and wore his face with a serious expression. He understood where she was coming from. He would be lying if he said he had never felt that way before. He, too, thought sometimes what it would be like to have different parents, or a different home where he could be happy.

He used to blame his parents in his darkest moments, so much so that he even imagined punching his father in their first interaction, if that ever happened. He understood why Hikari would blame her parents for abandoning her and forcing her to live this life ... but he didn't like it.

"If it feels like a curse, you can just find a way to break it, right? You don't have to free yourself. Just break it altogether, dattebayo. Find yourself a dream and purpose, become too powerful to protect yourself and that dream, then you'll break it without even realizing it. If you surround yourself with too many friends, you'll even forget there is a curse to begin with." Naruto grinned widely as he put his thumb up in the air as a promise.

Hikari blinked and turned to the young boy with open eyes. Was he really right? Could she find a way to free herself? To not blame her parents any longer? To not feel as weak and useless as she was at the moment? Could she really find the strength to be ... strong? Not just physical strength, but also a strong mindset.

Was she capable of that? She wasn't sure, but she definitely wasn't going to give up. She didn't want to feel like this ever again. If there was even a slightest chance that it would work, she'd take it.

"And don't blame your parents too much, dattebayo. Maybe they had no choice, and this was their only way to protect you from the guy that came after you." Naruto softly smiled as his focus went back to the bowl of ramen. He felt like that topic was better left unspoken.

Hikari refused to look him in the eye or say anything. Instead, she just stared at her feet with shame and uncertainty washing her face. The two were too focused and lost in their thoughts and feelings that they failed to detect a presence near them, a powerful chakra.

"Stay here with her." Was all he said before he sadly disappeared and left her alone with the promise to stay away from her, no matter what.

End of flashback

...

While everyone else was sleeping, Hikari was out staring at the sky and keeping watch at the same time. She couldn't fall asleep after the day she had. Meeting the members of Team 7 brought out memories she wanted to forget.

Sasuke reminded her of when she was the weakest in her life, Naruto was there when she blamed her parents for the only time in her life. But Sakura ... She was a bit different from the rest. She was too ... innocent for the Ninja world. Hikari didn't know how she'd survive that.

But at the same time, she reminded her of herself. When she was so weak and helpless after the Masked-man almost killed her ...

Hikari took a deep breath as took out her harmonica and played in it as she tried to take her mind off of it. It wasn't so loud to wake anyone up or attract attention from potential enemies, but it was loud enough for her alone to hear. She needed anything to distract her.

Without putting a pause in her playing, she glanced at the crow who had been with her for as long as it mattered. She didn't know why, but she always felt a bit safer when that crow was around. She couldn't help but feel that the little animal was a message from her father, like it was a protection.

Maybe she never noticed it before, but she only noticed having the little crow around after her meeting with Naruto. It was as if her father was standing right behind her and heard everything she said, so he left a message to let her know she was cared for.

But that was impossible. Her father couldn't have heard her ... right?

"That's beautiful, dattebayo." A voice suddenly broke the quiet and calm melody of the song.

Hikari paused and turned around to find Naruto awake and up behind her. She was already aware of his presence, so she didn't take out her kunai to try to protect herself. She knew enough that despite what everyone in the Village said, the boy was someone to be trusted.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you." She said as she looked down at the harmonica in her hands.

"Nah, you didn't. What you were playing was so relaxing and beautiful. Do you play?" Naruto asked with excitement in his voice. He was no artist, but even he could recognize beauty when he saw it.

"I'm not a professional, but yeah ... I need to play." Hikari finished her sentence with a bitter scoff.

"What do you mean?"

"Didn't Kakashi-ji-san tell you guys about me?"

"Nope, not a thing. We didn't even know about you till you showed up, dattebayo." He said with a hint of questioning in his tone.

"Oh."

"But I can already tell you're not actually his daughter. You're a lot prettier, dattebayo!" Naruto whispered as he winked at her, which made Hikari press her lips together and blush away.

"Besides, you told me 3 years ago that your real parents abandoned you, so you don't know them."

Hikari blinked and looked at Naruto in his soft blue eyes as he smiled. She didn't think he'd remember her. They'd only interacted once for 30 minutes in their lives. It was too little and too shallow to have it as an important memory. At least, she assumed that was the case for him. She would never forget the conversation she had with him.

It was because of him that she was on this path.

"You grew up too much, Chibi-chan. I mean, you're still a Chibi, but a Chunin ... Wow, dattebayo!" Naruto grinned as he took a step closer to her to hear her better.

"Thanks." Hikari simply said as she looked at the sky, taking a deep breath to continue.

"Ever since I was young, I would always be at home alone when Oji-san was on a mission. I really ... hated it. The loneliness wasn't bad, I could work with it. But the quiet ... the deafening silence that filled in the house ... That was the worst. I couldn't stand it at all. And when I was attacked, I became scared of it. So I tried to find ways to make the silence go away. I had to fill it with something, and Oji-san gave me this as a birthday present." She said as she held up her harmonica.

Naruto understood what she meant a bit too well. Being alone and watching yourself be the only one left alone was bad enough. The only thing that could possibly make it worse was that they'd have nothing to do other than to sit in silence and be lost in their own misery. He would do anything to get rid of that feeling.

"Well, maybe you should come by my house more often to fill in the silence. I could use the sound and the company, dattebayo!" He loudly said, almost waking everyone up.

"Maybe one day ..." Hikari smiled as she trailed off in her own thoughts.

"Good. And when you do come, you'll be calling me ' 'nii-chan'."

"Huh?"

"Yeah. I wanna be your friend, and I want you to be my little sister. I'm short on family, but I wanna have bonds just as strong. Isn't that all that matters, dattebayo?" He simply stated.

Hikari chuckled to herself. She didn't know why, but she always found herself speechless and stunned whenever Naruto gave her life advice. He obviously wasn't the best person to give it, and yet, his simple sentences made the most sense.

Was that even possible?

"That's good." She just smiled.

"So you're ..."

"Sadly, no. The day that I call you 'Onii-san' is the day that I can no longer speak for the rest of my life." She teased him just a bit.

"But how will you be saying it, then?" Naruto simply asked, which left the young girl speechless again ... but in a different way. He had a few dependable moments. Other times were just him being him.

"That's the ... Never mind. Go to sleep. We're gonna have a tough day tomorrow." She simply waved him off.

"Okay. 'night, Hikari."

"Goodnight ... Onii-san." Hikari quietly whispered as she grabbed the harmonica in her hands to stop the silence.

Done :)

The words for this chapter:

- Konohagakure / Konoha: Hidden Leaf Village

- Onii-san / 'nii-san / Onii-chan / 'nii-chan: Older brother

- Oji-san / 'ji-san: Uncle (a way to address a close older man)

- Chibi-chan: Kiddo, little kid

- Sandaime: The third (Hokage)

- Dattebayo: Y'know (literally meaning 'believe it')

- Hai: Yes sir

- Sensei: Teacher (master)