?
Sometimes she would dream.
Dream of a world full of large glass towers and metal carriages.
Those dreams felt warm, she felt warm but cold all the same.
Not in the physical sense that affected her.
Still, the girl relished the dreams she had.
Because they were hers and she had nothing.
Nothing but a wish.
A wish to be alive.
Years alive 3; Days on Konoha Outskirts, 14
Maruchi found it very unfair. The fact that Kakashi and Gai could go back to their village three days after coming home from the horrors of war but Minato had to stay.
It was unfair and wrong. The girl had heard it whispered, that the blonde was to be the next Hokage, but just because he was destined for greatness didn't mean he didn't have human limitations.
Maruchi had decided to stay with Minato, to watch his back and make sure he returned to the village safely.
Minato had been quite adamant that she goes to the village but Maruchi wasn't having any of it, she was staying no matter what and that was final.
The man had finally relented and let the brunette stay, though not without strict instructions to stay near him at all times. She didn't mind, that just made her job easier.
What wasn't easy was trying to figure out what the hell happened to her. How was she still alive?
Minato consulted a few nurses, trying to gauge how unnatural it was for Maruchi to do what she did. Apparently, there were theories surrounding re-growing limbs from chakra, because the spiritual energy can outlive the physical and therefore should be able to affect it to keep oneself or another person alive.
They're just theories though, for all the nurses knew.
Minato decided it best to keep Maruchi's experience between themselves.
Maruchi didn't care honestly, she just wanted to keep Minato alive.
And she'd be damned if anyone tried to stop her.
Currently, though the girl spent her time trailing after the blonde. Picking up things after him and becoming a faithful shadow.
Most days Maruchi wore her snake mask, it helped her conceal her emotions and make her anonymous. Many underestimated her, thought of her as a simple child, the next Hokage having a shadow? Preposterous!
No one tried to stop her though.
Picking up the last of the pile, Maruchi straightened them out before placing them back on the desk. Her golden eyes slid over to the tall blonde, who was currently talking with an ANBU captain stationed at this outpost.
Catching Minato's eyes, the blonde made a subtle gesture to his maps he kept in the corner of this office.
The girl didn't say anything as she went and grabbed the hefty scrolls and their ink sets.
Placing them down on the strategic table, she unravelled them, revealing a worn map of Konoha and its borders.
Maruchi took a moment to admire the painted paper, though frayed at the edges, was still beautiful.
Finishing up she bowed to the two approaching males before leaving the room and letting them discuss their matters privately.
For the next three hours, the girl just waited outside the room. It would do no good to wander off, she already knew the base layout, it was a requirement for staying, and Maruchi didn't feel boredom she just wasn't the type to get impatient. Well, that was only for a few things.
When the door opened and a tired Minato walked out, the ANBU probably took the window, Maruchi was there, a cup of coffee in her right hand and an apple in the other. Where she got those in three seconds no one knows.
Smiling tiredly the blonde accepted it. "Thanks." He mumbled.
"So, anything happening?" Maruchi asked as the two made their way out of the small building. The encampment was busy, many shinobi bustling around. Maruchi even saw a few Genin running around, huffing and puffing at the massive amounts of scrolls they carried.
Speaking of scrolls.
Minato simply waved said item in front of his young companion's face.
Snatching it from his hands, Maruchi opened the parchment. Her golden eyes scanned the contents, a frown pulling her face under her mask.
"A frontal assault on a recently established Kiri base? Is that wise?" she asked, rolling the paper up and passing it back to the tired blonde.
Minato sighed; he didn't know how he could answer her. "ANBU-san insisted that it was better for us to attack first near home turf. Besides," he took a sip of coffee, hoping the caffeine would help sharpen his mind. "Kiri is looking for blood."
Snorting slightly, the girl let her sharp tongue respond with a scathing. "When are they not?"
Scuffing Maruchi on the back of her head, the blonde ignored her hiss of pain as he bit into his apple.
"C'mon." he beckoned with his mouth half full. Swallowing the piece of fruit, Minato made his way into his resting tent.
"Let's get ready to head out, the debrief will happen in a few hours."
Maruchi let out a hum as she followed her friend.
This was going to be exhausting.
Years alive 3; Days in the wild, 34
"What's your favourite colour?" she asked, curled in on herself as she and her companion stared out at the stars.
They were on guard duty, and she was bored, but she also had a distinct feeling that this is what was considered an awkward situation.
The blonde man blinked as if startled by the sudden question.
"Uh," he fumbled for a second. "Uh, its" a cough, "…red."
"Mines orange!" she chirped. Her mask wasn't on, so Minato could see how her expression lightened.
"Favorite food?" She asked again.
Minato quirked a brow. "Ramen."
Closing golden eyes, Maruchi hummed, as if tasting the food on her tongue. "I'd love to try ramen again." Opening her lids, the girl looked up at Minato. "My favourite food is Gyuudon."
They continued through their shift, with interesting questions and light jabs.
Maruchi enjoyed the night, so did Minato, and both felt a subtle shift in their relationship.
Little did both know they'd be connected by the hip soon enough.
Years alive, 1
Ok, Maruchi you can do this.
Still, the girl felt her palms become slightly sweaty.
Why was she nervous?
It's not like she was going to summon mystical creatures from another plane of existence.
Yeah, not like that at all.
She hesitated, scroll weighing heavily in her hands.
She was so small, too small.
Sighing, Maruchi decided she would try later.
Maybe tomorrow, or next week.
She didn't know.
Years alive 3; Days on Konoha Outskirts, 17
Strapping the kunai holster to her thigh, Maruchi shrugged on the thick green vest that was the standard uniform, her mask already in place.
Well, she thought it was the standard uniform, the strange looks she kept getting when she walked past fellow shinobi made her think otherwise.
Entering the tent, she and Minato shared, Maruchi kept quietly musing to herself.
It didn't really matter she supposed, but it was slightly irritating receiving so many double-takes.
The meeting had taken place a few days prior and teams had been selected and briefed not even a day later.
Now after a full day's preparation, the whole camp was ready for the battle surely to come.
There was a tangible energy in the air. It was fluttering and taunt, nervous.
Many young shinobi were fidgeting with their sleeves and weapons, while the elder ones steeled their nerves and prepared for battle.
Maruchi herself didn't really feel anything, but maybe that was because she hadn't slept since three days prior.
Shrugging the girl decided that it was probably best to get a nap in before the inevitable conflict.
But she'd have to do it on the mission.
Or… she could just ignore her bodily needs, yes that seemed like a splendid idea that would have no repercussions whatsoever!
Besides Minato had been awake just as long and he wasn't looking to bad.
Taking a glance at the blonde beside her, that was drinking his seventh cup of coffee, eye twitching and hair slightly dishevelled; Maruchi revaluated her claim.
"Aa, why do both of you look like you're about to pass out?" a dull voice asked.
Minato practically leapt ten feet in the air, blue orbs wide and coffee spilling on his vest.
Turning her head, Maruchi stared at the boy that snuck up on them. "Oh," she stated distantly. "I forgot to inform you Mina-san." Pointing a pale finger at the silver-haired male, she continued. "Kakashi's here."
Minato, now wiping at his vest with a rag, felt himself sweatdrop. "Yeah," he said, unfocused eyes trying to narrow onto his apprentice. "I can see that."
Kakashi sighed, mask still covering half of his face and eyes as bored as ever.
"Again, why do you guys look like your going to fall any second?"
Maruchi smiled, something that was practically visible through her mask. "I forgot."
Blanching slightly, Kakashi looked at the older girl again. "You… forgot?"
The brunette nodded her head rapidly, ignoring the dizzy spell she felt from it.
Grey eyes narrowed onto a sheepish blond form. "Your excuse?"
Minato laughed nervously, hands up in a placating gesture. "Aha, no need to be so hostile Kakashi. I was… busy?"
"You mean overworking yourself." Kakashi deadpanned.
"No—nothing of the sort I was—um I was—"
Maruchi took that moment to intervene. Something Minato was grateful for until the girl opened her mouth.
"Well Mina-san Kakashi is right in the terms of overworking yourself, I haven't seen you take a wink of sleep for the past few days, always got your nose stuck in a scroll, planning out things and mumbling to yourself." Pausing the girl rubbed the back of her head, a sheepish chuckle escaping her masked lips. "Actually, now that I think about it, it's because of your constant awareness that I felt the need to keep an eye on you, sleep just seemed to slip my mind."
Minato wilted at her words, sending a withering glare at his apprentice smug look.
Wiping the expression off his face, Kakashi did some calculations in his head.
"Well we've got around seven hours until sunset, it's the best time to get some sleep, don't worry I'll wake you guys up when its time to head out."
Minato was hesitant. "But I've got to go over the plans a few more times, just to make sure—"
Kakashi waved a hand, cutting off his sensei's words. "Knowing you, you'll just nitpick. And from what Maruchi's said you've already done plenty of that."
"But—ah…"
A hazy giggle brought both males attention to a stable looking girl.
"Aa, I don't know about you Mina-san, but I feel," a muted yawn, "Pretty ready for… sleep…"
Maruchi's legs gave out, and she fell, face-first into the ground.
Minato let out a panicked squeak, already kneeling down beside the fallen girl. "Maruchi! Are you," a loud yawn, eyes blinking hard, "Are you… you ok…?"
Maruchi chuckled as she was turned around on her back sloppily, fingers caressing the thick carpet beneath her.
"Aha, come join me Minato-nii… the grounds suuuper soooft." She whispered as she became dazed, eyes dropping and darkness creeping into her vision.
Blue eyes grew heavy at the exhaustion presented before him. Palms pressing against the carpet, the blond let out a hum. "Yeah, it is. Maybe… I should join…"
Before he even finished his sentence, Minato was laying down on the ground with a silent huff.
"Aa, so comfy." He mumbled, eyes slipping close and joining Maruchi in the comforts of darkness.
Kakashi just stared down at the two idiots on the ground.
Sighing, he grabbed a blanket before placing it over the sleeping duo.
Before he could go anywhere else, a pale hand shot out and yanked him by the ankle.
The boy couldn't even blink in surprise when he was pulled into the middle of two dozing forms.
"Uh, wha—"
"Shhsshshh… go to sleep…" Maruchi mumbled through her crooked mask, before shoving her face into gravity-defying hair.
A large pair of arms wrapped around two smaller forms.
Kakashi was stupefied. Here he was, in between his sensei and surrogate sister.
When Maruchi became that to him he would never know.
Sighing, the boy decided he would just rest and let his internal clock wake him up.
Besides, he thought to himself privately as he snuggled into the embrace provided by two of his important people. It's really, really warm.
That thought was enough to bring a content smile to his face.
No matter how small.
Authors Note:
Hi! I, uh, don't know what to put in this thing but I'd like to give some information out.
I'm planning on updating every Thursday. If I don't manage too than likely assume I'm busy with school or personal matters or I've not fully completed the chapter.
I won't do these things (Authors notes) often, so when I do it'll have important information on it.
Also, I just want to apologise if I've butchered characters! I'm not used to writing about the Naruto world, so some people may be a bit shallow as characters right now. I hope I'll improve as the story goes on.
Anyway, thank you for reading this (if you have) and have a blessed day!
OwO