Hello there. This is my first fanfiction that has been ruminating for a long time in my head. It's a long one. The main character is OC and this is a lot of me playing around with Naruto's universe, while still following canon (set from the end of Naruto until the end of the Fourth Shinobi War). I've loved Naruto since I was a little girl and wanted to explore some interesting, heavier themes, my favourite character: our lovely Copy-nin, and a female character, (Kishimoto Masashi misses slightly when writing teen girls). It focuses on worldbuilding with a new Village and Clan, although still set in Konoha.

The major canon character is Hatake Kakashi and the secondary ones, besides other OC, will be from his "age group" and not the Konoha 9, although some"cameos"will appear. I'm just warning in case you were looking for a fanfiction based in the main characters of the anime/manga.

I'm not an english native speaker and this is not beta'd, so grammar/orthography corrections are much appreciated.

-RedPowder

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto world or its characters. They belong to Kishimoto Masashi.

PART I | The White Wolf

Chapter 1

The day was hot, even at early morning. Gohama would have to get used to the weather of Konoha, if she were to stay there. The sun was unforgiving against her dark hair and she was regretting not taking a path through the forest, even if it had been more dangerous. The Leaf scouts could think she was trying to infiltrate the Village.

She could finally see the great green gates, and a sudden uncertainty flickered in her stomach. The forest surrounding the Hidden Leaf pleased her, even if its trees were different from her homeland. The wide green shadow of a tree was comforting with any type of leaves.

Gohama didn't let her thoughts wander too much, as she passed the threshold of Konoha's gates. Promptly, one of the guards called after her.

"Hey, girl! Come here." she took steady steps towards their post "Name, Nationality and reason for visiting."

"Kyura Gohama, Bukigakure, request for asylum."

Both dark haired guards glanced at each other, with furrowed brows. One of them chuckled incredulously and soon the other followed. The chuckles turned into a laughing fit and the corner of Gohama's lip lifted slightly, as she waiting for the guards to pull themselves together.

"Right. And I'm an Uchiha." the left one joked with his partner between laughs.

"I would like to speak to your Hokage, if you would give me clearance for entering."

The right one calmed his giggles and turned back to her, his tone smugly professional. "Do you have any verification of this identity?"

Gohama took a scroll from her back pouch and handed it to him. Her lips twisted into a smirk, reflecting the haughtiness from the shinobi in front of her. "My birth certificate."

The smug one unrolled the document and passed his eyes through it lightly at first. The other peeked over his partner's shoulder and urgently he took the scroll from him so he could assess it better. They lost their confidence and scowled in seriousness.

"This could be forged." They looked up from the certificate to study her response.

"It has the Yukikage's and Buki's seals. It isn't counterfeit. It can't be."

"Even if it isn't," he started while closing the document "we no longer have clearance for people from the Arms Hidden Village. We can't let you enter."

"Konoha clears entrance to citizens from allied Villages with benign motives." Gohama stated, she had made sure of it before leaving her country.

"Well, yes..," he faltered "but the Arms are a special case, there isn—"

"The alliance should still stand, as it has for a hundred years. I ask only for an audience with the Hokage."

The guards exchanged an entire conversation with only one look. It was clear they had been partners for some time.

"We'll call someone to escort you. But it should take you days to get a chance to speak with Hokage-sama."

"I'm in no hurry."

After a few waiting minutes, a masked shinobi materialized beside her. He was clearly ANBU, with his porcelain bird mask, long gloves and grey vest. Gohama had obviously heard of the infamous Leaf ANBU. She wondered if she could enter their military division. Her own assets would probably be best exploited and developed there. She had come to Konoha in search of improvement, ANBU seemed the best option for her.

She followed the operative, taking in the view of the Village. The streets were all unpaved, the dirt and stones cracked under her sandals. It was foreign to her, but the sound soothing. It seemed strange for such a wealthy Village not to care for paved streets. Her feet were already dust white, for regular citizens it would be unpractical.

The architecture was a mess. Gohama could see how the buildings seemed to have a related style, but they were all in different shapes and colours; apparently boxed in randomly to fit the narrow streets. It was overwhelming. She very much preferred the traditional and Japanese style of Buki. Then there were the sculpted faces of the Hokage, hovering the Leaf. She could understand the adoration. The Arms' people also revered the Yukikage, however the constant scrutinizing of the five faces made her unsettled. Maybe that was also another reason, to awe and craft fear in foreign visitors. But if Konoha lived long enough, there would be no space left for the future Hokage and it seemed unfair to have a monument of ones and not others. Did the people here ever wondered about that? Was there a planned solution? She scoffed at herself. Why did she care, she would be long dead before that happened.

Despite the eccentric architecture, the Village did have a particular charm. There was a constant murmur of life accompanied by cicadas singing and the ruffling of leaves. It was cozy and safe, it was a home for the thousands of people that lived here. Gohama started feeling resentment gnawing on her. She tried brushing this ridiculous feeling out of her, but, as she entered the centre of Konoha, there were more people peacefully living their day to day life and her bitterness settled deeper.

Suddenly a happy and animated sound made her jerk. She turned towards its source. Children were playing and laughing on a playground. Their carefree laughs thrust into her heart. She had forgotten how children sounded, she hadn't heard them in so many years. A wistful smile crept into her expression. She felt her eyes prickle and her throat tighten. How could such a simple thing move her so deeply? It really was a home. Her being ached for her own. She felt like laughing and crying at the same time. Maybe she had been wrong. Maybe she wasn't prepared to barge into normal life again, only to remain at its shore, quietly observing with aching longing.

They reached a red circular building. It was as terrible as the others were. The kanji for fire standing out. The ANBU operative ushered her in towards the reception and left in a cloud of smoke.

"Good morning, how can I help you?" The receptionist asked her with practice politeness, not taking her attention from the schedule on her desk.

"I would like an audience with Hokage-sama."

"I'm afraid that without previous arrangements it will take a few months."

"It's urgent." Gohama pressed.

"May I ask the purpose and who is asking?"

"A request for asylum from Kyura Gohama."

The older kunoichi raised her head in disbelief and dissected Gohama, focussing on her green eyes. Then, she leaned subtly over her desk and her eyebrows shot upwards at the hitai-ate at Gohama's waist.

She grabbed the phone and typed a number. "Shizune-san, I have an urgent request for asylum. Would Hoka— Yes, I know…" she lowered her voice into a whisper "…but it's from a Kyura…"

Gohama heard static murmur leaving the phone, but couldn't make out the words. It went silent for a while, but the receptionist didn't end the call. Then a short murmur returned and the phone was hastily lowered.

"Hokage-sama will see you right away. Please continue down the corridor and await on the hall before the third wooden door. Have a nice day, Kyura-san."

Gohama was pleasantly surprised by the efficiency of her request for an audience. Being taken as a priority, even if it was mainly fueled by curiosity, sparkled her already bursting pride in her clan. The name was not forgotten. Its greatness would forever live on. Gohama would make sure of this.

Kakashi could finally sigh in relief as the office door closed behind him. A week past due on a report, although common for him, was always a risk. He could never know how Tsunade would react. It had been an important S-rank mission report, but Kakashi hadn't managed to bring himself to write it when he was healing from chakra exertion. Icha Icha had been his priority after his unwilling withdrawal during the mission. Only after reading it three times, did he gave his precious time to the report.

This time a troubled Shizune, thankfully, interrupted the Hokage's growing rage; she had been ready to throw a paperweight at his head when her assistant entered with an urgent massage. The only reply was a widening of eyes and an «I'll see her right away». To Kakashi, Tsunade's answer was a threat of bodily harm if he were to turn in another report late, followed by a yell for him to get out. He happily did so, silently thanking «her».

Now out of the danger zone, he wondered who this «her» was and why was she such an urgency and concern. Tsunade had seemed shocked and confused. It wasn't fear in her wide eyes, so probably there was nothing to concern himself about. His curiosity died there. As he strolled down the corridor, all he could think about was a sunny spot to start another re-reading of Icha Icha Violence.

A chakra signature made him flinch. He raised his hitai-ate imperceptibly and slowed his steps so he could gather time to examine it. It spread across the corridor in encompassing waves. Where had he sensed something like this before? He crossed the curve, expectant for the shinobi that contained such grace and fierceness. A girl. His eyebrows raised involuntarily at his surprise. She was by the receptionist. She must be the «her» Tsunade was so eager to see. Kakashi didn't recognise the girl, only her chakra. It was at the tip of his tongue. He had fought someone like this. With his Sharingan he saw it flow her pathways with power and fluidity. Such a girl, with such chakra…

She turned towards him, walking down the corridor. He studied her with his perfected nonchalance. Pale skin, black hair, green eyes. She reminded him of someone. No. It couldn't be. Then his gaze focused on the hitai-ate at her waist. The carved shuriken. It had been seven years since he had last seen one. His guts clenched. He shoved both hands into his pockets as he felt them slightly tremble. He faced straight ahead, ignoring the arrogant steps of the ghost passing right beside him. Was she actually smirking?

This explained Tsunade's reaction, but she had to be a fake. The Arms no longer existed. The Kyura were all dead.

"You certainly look like a Kyura, but I don't buy it." Tsunade-sama said, her chin propped on her intertwined fingers, her scrutinizing eyes static on Gohama as she stood in front of her desk. "Though your chakra does also feel Kyura like."

Gohama stepped forward and the ANBU quickly blocked her passage.

"Edgy." she commented "Can I at least give Hokage-sama my birth certificate?"

Tsunade nodded and the ANBU moved back to their place against the walls. Gohama handed her the scroll.

"This could be forged."

"It has the Yukikage and Arms' seals."

"You overestimate the seals and underestimate forgers."

The Hokage opened it and examined the evidence. Her eyes widened and she glanced at the girl in front of her.

"Kyura Inaku…" she murmured to herself "So you are allegedly the Yukikage's daughter?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama. This is also a letter from my uncle, Kyura Tsukate."

The blonde woman laughed "Another Kyura alive?"

"He was never taken as dead. He left the Village to be a monk before the massacre. The letter should explain why I remained hidden and how I'm not dead."

"Have you read the letter?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No, Hokage-sama."

Tsunade opened it and solemnly studied it. She yelled for a Shizune and a dark haired woman appeared. She whispered to her assistant, which left with her orders, Gohama couldn't capture the exchange.

"Your uncle seems persuasive, but I still need more evidence. You must understand I have to be certain before allowing an asylum. Besides, we have still to discuss the reason for your request. But before that, do you have any more proofs to corroborate your statement?"

"I have the Kyura's bloodline limit." Gohama said matter-of-factly.

"Show us."

The silence in the room was pondering and expectant. The Kyura extended her arm and turned her palm upwards. With an effortless push of her energy through her pathways, delicate threads of light blue chakra flowed from her hand into the air. She moved her other hand into her pouch and, in a flash, an ANBU held her wrist and another a kunai to her throat.

"Very edgy indeed. I just need an object to show the bloodline limit."

Tsunade waved at her guards, which retreated, and threw a paperweight at Gohama. It was caught mid course by a field of blue chakra. Gohama clenched her hand into a fist, the glass piece shattered, and the shards fell with light thuds to the floor.

"The manipulation of chakra outside the pathways…" Tsunade again murmured to herself in wonder "This is…"

"…a great asset to Konoha." Gohama finished.

The assistant entered the room again with a mountain of files in her arms, she dropped them with a bang on the Hokage's desk. She left again. Tsunade opened the first file and stared at it for long ten minutes. She never changed a page, but her face was strangely impassive. Finally, she turned her eyes to Gohama, closing the file.

"Why have you come to Konoha for asylum?"

"As the letter probably informed you, I've been living for the past seven years secretly with my uncle at the monastery. During that time, he was my teacher. Unfortunately, I can no longer learn anything from him. I ask for asylum so I can become a part of the Leaf military force. I want to progress to my fullest potential."

"Why the Leaf?"

"There has been an alliance between us since the beginning of our Villages. I am now, as the only representative of the Arms, asking for an effective measure, beneficial to both parties. I would be a more capable and experienced Kunoichi and the Leaf would use me as its own."

"Still, you could have gone to any other Village. Most would willingly accept a Kyura in their military power."

"Uncle Tsukate insisted I would go to Konoha or nowhere else. He has collaborated with your Village before and seems to trust it. At least above the others."

"The question is do you trust Konoha?"

"I don't trust blindly."

"Wise, but not the right answer."

"No. But an honest one."

Tsunade scoffed and smirked.

"What do you know about Buki's massacre?"

Gohama's heart pinched at the words, but didn't let it show.

"Nothing different from the universally accepted version. The missing-nin from the Land of Snow and other countries conspired to destroy one of their greatest adversaries. And they succeeded."

"You were there. What did you see?"

"People dying." She offered a vague answer.

"What about the specifics? The actual ninja attacking."

"The only face I could possibly have memorized was covered by a blank mask." Gohama explained impatiently "I don't mean to be rude, but why would you care to know, Hokage-sama?"

Tsunade leaned back on her chair "That day was a tragedy for the shinobi world. Konoha isn't indifferent to what happened."

"Does this mean you will accept my request?"

A long sigh escaped her lips "If only it was that simple, girl. This is unprecedented. I have to discuss it with the council." Tsunade let some distaste slip from her tone.

"With all due respect, but I'm eager for an answer as I wish to take the Chunin Exam."

"The Chunin Exam? The one in two weeks?" she asked surprised. Gohama's only response was to nod "I can't accept an application, you have to be nominated by a Jonin sensei. Besides, I don't know your level. You may have the Kyura rare blood limit, but you have no mission experience and no team."

"Well, I was a genin training for chunin when my Village was attacked. I have gone on several D-rank missions and C-rank ones. I have the records here." she laid a scroll on the oak desk, opening it. Several files appeared in a smoke cloud. "I am more than capable of taking the exam. In fact, in terms of abilities, I'm on Jonin level." Tsunade scoffed at her confidence. "Yes, I don't have the mission experience of a Jonin, but I have definitely one of a Chunin."

The Hokage studied the new files on her table and Gohama could see the pondering behind her eyes. Pondering was better than a decisive no.

"You can take the Chunin Exam as part of a Leaf team if your request for asylum is accepted. And you have to complete ten D-rank missions for the Leaf and one C-rank. Considering the lack of time, I will give you an answer by tomorrow morning. You'll have fifteen days to prove your worth."

"I will."

"An ANBU operative will escort you to an Inn where you can stay. You are dismissed." Gohama gave a deep nod as a bow and turned to leave. Tsunade added "And it's good to see that hitai-ate on a shinobi again."

As Gohama closed the door, she heard yelling.

"Shizune! Bring me back Hatake! Now!"

The Inn room was acceptable. It had a queen size bed, a desk and a bathroom. A large window illuminated the room. The tree branches just outside created fresh and peaceful shadows on the floor and walls. It would do. If she were to actually stay in Konoha, she would buy a proper apartment.

Sighing, she threw her bag across the room and sat on the bed. Gohama could clearly sense the chakra signature on the other side of the street. The shinobi wasn't even trying to hide his chakra. The Leaf was underestimating her. It was obvious the Hokage would order surveillance on a foreign, slightly suspicious kunoichi, however, ANBU were supposed to be secretive, and the operative outside her window was anything but a secret. The reunion with Tsunade had gone well. Gohama could see she wanted to accept her request for asylum. Politically it would be an advantage for Konoha to embrace the last survivor of a famous and powerful clan. Having a Kyura choose their Village would show others they were taken as militarily superior. Besides, practically, she would be an actual good kunoichi, succeeding in missions. There was little, if any, downsides to her asylum. It was wise not to trust an unknown person, but really what could Gohama do to damage a powerful Village.

On her side, Gohama desperately needed field experience. As a missing and independent nin, her freedom was constricted. Submitting to a Village, meant she was protected to complete as much fieldwork as she wanted. Fieldwork also meant travelling. This way she could gather more information about the people behind the massacre of the Arms. During her time in the monastery, she had investigated her home country, the Land of Snow. She had managed to gather information about involved criminal syndicates and gain some contacts. However, with her abilities' level, she could do little about it. She had to be patient. Patience… It would be easier if every day her insides weren't gnawed by loss and pain.

Gohama took a letter from her pouch and examined it. Her uncle had asked her to deliver it to an old friend. Hatake Kakashi. She had already passed him at the Hokage's tower corridor. He had a remarkable chakra. Nothing surprising for the famous Copy-nin, he was also known in the Snow Country. However, what intrigued her was that she could have sworn she had already sensed it somewhere. Probably he had been to the Arms before the massacre or he had passed her on a mission, while she gathered information on missing-nin. Still, she couldn't escape the eerie feel the powerful, both wild and contained, chakra had caused her. Gohama supposed he wasn't an S-rank shinobi for nothing. All Uncle Tsukate had told her was that they had fought together during the Third Shinobi War and that he trusted the Hatake. She already knew what the letter probably contained, so there was little curiosity on her part.

Rising from the bed, she sealed the door and windows of the room and left.

She wandered towards the centre of the Village, acquainting herself with the streets and buildings. It was lunchtime, so she figured it was time to find some place to eat. She entered the street with most restaurants. It was full of shinobi. It somewhat warmed her. It had been a long time since she were in a ninja village. However, the familiar space was overpowered by the piercing loss. It was not the Arms. They were not the people she had known. Those were all dead. And here she was, alive and walking and hungry. Guilty. Lost in her own sorrow, she almost didn't noticed the glances people gave her. It was, obviously, no longer unknown that a kunoichi from the destroyed Arms was in the Leaf. The stares were both confused, untrusting, curious and suspicious. Gohama didn't really care.

She entered through the canvas of a traditional Fire Country restaurant. She was curious about the cuisine of a country she had never been in. Asking for the day's dish, she sat and waited. The ANBU was on the roof across the street. She couldn't see him but she could sense him. Konoha had forgotten one of Kyura's abilities was a sixth sense that allowed them to feel the chakra of people around them, the same way they could see, hear, touch or smell them. This overlook was all the better for her. Satisfied with her meal, although it was not quite as tasty as the ones from home, she left the restaurant.

She strolled through the streets and a chakra signature popped over the others. It was now the time to give Hatake Kakashi the letter. He was sitting in another restaurant, facing the street. He was reading a book, apparently porn, whatever the deal was with reading that type of book in public. Gohama supposed every deadly shinobi had their kinks to cope with the job. She suppressed her chakra and waited for the perfect moment. As a burdened waiter passed by his table, she created thin threads of chakra that entangled her ankles. She fell and the ninja was forced to abandon his book on the table with a thud, as he caught the woman and loaded tray before both reached the floor. Gohama stealthy put the letter between the pages of the book and left. Good thing the Copy-nin seemed to be a gentleman willing to help pretty women in need.

Gohama spent the rest of the day wandering through the village with an ANBU operative as her company.

Gohama woke up to the chirping of a small bird on her windowsill. She was being summoned. The council must have chosen already. A cold fluster broke through her stomach. It had been years since she had felt this anxious. Neither prospect could calm her trembling guts. The rejection of her asylum meant she had to search for another willing village to accept her as a kunoichi. Maybe it didn't even have to be a village, just a powerful teacher. This, in terms of practicability, was the worst outcome. However, the other made her even more nervous. It was incredibly irrational to be affected so strongly by something she wished. Gohama felt the unknown tingle in her skin. She knew that, if she stayed in the Leaf, her life would change completely. After seven years stuck in the same place, with the same people, the same routine, the same everything, change scared her. Yes, it was more than nervousness, it was fear. She wanted to stay in Konoha badly, but she couldn't help but fear the change, the unknown. She had only lived in the Land of Snow. She had lived her first nine years in her home. The next seven in the monastery. The changes set in her life weren't part of her choice. Now, she had finally chosen. What if she had chosen poorly? What if she ended up fucking everything up? She was good at fucking things up. Gohama forced her worries away from her mind. This was the right choice. This was the logical step. She needed to become powerful. She needed to reach the top of the top. Konoha was just a means for that. She needed to focus on her objective and forget her fears. This was her way as a kunoichi of the Arms, as a Kyura. This was her duty.

The wooden doors were closed. It was early and nobody crossed the corridor. A voice came from inside.

"Come in." Tsunade ordered.

Gohama opened the door. It felt heavier than yesterday. She confidently walked across the room, standing before the Hokage and bowing. "Hokage-sama."

"Good Morning. I hope you enjoyed your first day in Konoha." Gohama nodded. "I won't torture you longer. Konoha is giving you asylum. This means, from now on, you have the same rights and obligations as any Konoha citizen. As a kunoichi, you are to serve the Village above all else and your loyalty stands with the Leaf. If you have any suspicious contact with an outside and hostile party, the punishment is execution. The bureaucracies will be arranged later with my assistant.

"Now. Let's talk about the chunin exam and your place inside the military forces. Before you start completing the requested missions we talked about yesterday, I need you to perform the bushin no jutsu. A mere formality to access that you are indeed at the genin level."

A copy of Gohama appeared beside her.

"Good." Tsunade picked up a band and the sound of metal clicked in the room "Here. Your hitai-ate."

The Kyura's eyes widen and she couldn't bring herself to move forward. She had forgotten that important matter. Being a Leaf kunoichi meant wearing the Leaf hitai-ate. She instinctively brought her hand to the Arms' one on her waist. She would be betraying her Village by taking another band. Her origins, all that she was and aimed to be was represented on the shuriken carved in the metal strip. She could never wear another symbol. It would be renouncing to herself. Worse. It would be renouncing to her Village, her clan, her family. All the people that had died and the ones that had given their lives for her. She had already left them behind, she couldn't possibly forsake them. Brother, Mother, Father. She gripped the metal plate.

"I can't wear the Konoha hitai-ate."

"Every Leaf shinobi has to wear one."

"I can't."

"And I can't accept you as part of our military forces without it."

"You must understand my position, Hokage-sama."

"The forehead protector represents the pride and fidelity for the Village. Without one—"

"That's why I can't accept one from another Village. This is what I have left from my destroyed Village. I will be loyal to the Leaf, but I can't renounce or substitute my own home. Even if it no longer exists."

Tsunade let out a pained sigh and massaged her temples with her fingertips. "You give me a lot of headaches, Kyura. The hags from the council will give me shit for this…" she opened one of the drawers of her desk and took a cup from out of it. She downed whatever drink was inside and put the cup back on the desk with a sharp chink "Keep it."

"Thank you, Tsunade-sama."

"Now. About the Chunin Exam: complete the missions, ten D-rank and one C-rank. I already have a team for you to join. You should train with them at least once, so you can get familiar with their abilities and styles. The sensei contact." Tsunade gave her a piece of paper "This year the host is Sand, so we'll travel. Any questions?"

"No, Tsunade-sama."

"Shizune will give you forms to fill and take care of the bureaucracies with you. Welcome to your new home." Tsunade turned her face to the left and yelled "Shizune!" The same poor dark haired woman from yesterday scurried inside the office "The Kyura is all yours. You're both dismissed."

Three days had passed since her meeting with Tsunade. Gohama had completed five D-rank missions. They were a complete bore. She had plucked weeds from backyards, built fences, cleaned rivers and searched for a cat named Tora. She was a deep brown cat with a red ribbon on her right ear. It had been an important mission, as she belonged to the wife of the Daimyo. After returning Tora to her owner, Gohama could truly understand why the poor cat had escaped. According to the chunin that received her report, no one was a true genin of the Leaf if they had never searched for Shijimi-sama's cat. The Kyura had smiled at the brown-haired chunin, with a scar across his nose. He was one of the few that had been nice to her. It wasn't important to be accepted, but she could appreciate it. Especially when he had recognised her as a true Leaf kunoichi, even with her Arms' hitai-ate at her waist. His name was Iruka. They made small talk, another kind gesture from him. He was too good to be a shinobi, which explained why he taught academy kids. She could see it was the best job for him.

Gohama remembered her own Academy Sensei. Enoki-sensei was nothing like Iruka. They used to call me «fungus-head» behind his back. He had been a frustrated and resentful chunin that had never managed to achieve the jonin rank. Instead of embracing his duty as a teacher, he made sure his students suffered from his failures. He enjoyed shoving his own skills at poor academy kids and mocking them from failing his advanced exercises. Gohama and her friend Haku were the only ones that had managed to humiliate him by defeating him in a spar or completing his exercises. Gohama because she had her personal teacher outside of the academy, the wise Osamu-hanshi. Haku because he was intrinsically a genius and trained hard. Both had graduated from the Academy aged seven. Her whole class envied the ones lucky to learn with Hanako-sensei, with long blonde hair and hazel eyes, at the same time demanding and caring. Her lips curled in a longing smile as she recalled her childhood. She had not anticipated Konoha would remind her so much of the Arms. It made her anguish wound deeper.

As she left the Hokage Tower for a random place that served food, the sun already setting, she inwardly greeted the two chakra signatures that had kindly waited for her outside. One was the ANBU operative. They rotated from three separate ninja. One with wind nature affinity, which seemed the most mature and skilled - only due to her Kyura ability of sensing chakra did she detect him - the other two were only rookies, both with water affinity. They were sloppy in their chosen positions and noisy. She entertained herself with counting the amount of times she had seen the weasel mask. He was probably a good shinobi, eager for the real and dangerous missions and bored to death by tailing a harmless girl. Weasel had made the mistake of underestimating her and disregarding his job. Gohama sympathised with him somehow, which had made her snort at herself. She was really bored to death, too. Now, it was the other rookie, the one with the snake mask watching her.

The other chakra signature, independent from the ANBU team, would only make appearances from time to time. It had started since her first day as a Leaf kunoichi. He probably wanted to learn more about her person than make sure she wasn't affiliating with the enemy or plotting a coup-d'état. When she reached a ramen stand, his chakra disappeared.

Her dinner was spent bearing the loud, overly excited blond boy at her side. According to the frustrated pink haired girl beside him, he was called Naruto. She Sakura. What a pretty but unoriginal name. Gohama supposed the boy's energy came from the surprising unfindable chakra reserves he had. She had only ever sensed chakra like this in Kyuras. Suddenly, they both fell quiet. The blond-haired boy glanced over her. He was so obvious Gohama wondered how he had managed to graduate from the Academy. Maybe his chakra…

"Are you the Kyura girl?" he asked her.

The girl punched him in the head.

"Don't be rude, Naruto!" she admonished, but still looked expectantly towards Gohama for a confirmation.

Gohama decided to oblige them. "Yes." she said without turning from her ramen bowl.

"That's so cool! What's your name?"

"Does it really matter?"

"Of course it does! I'm Naruto and this is Sakura."

"Nice to meet you." Sakura sheepishly said.

"Your Naruto what?"

"Uzumaki."

"Mm… That explains it." she said to herself.

"Explains what?"

"Your chakra."

He crunched his eyes closed, as oblivious to her comment as before. Gohama put some coins on the counter and left. She heard him shouting:

"I'm leaving tomorrow, but we can train in the morning!"

Gohama just wanted to get back to her room and rest. She was tired after completing three D-rank missions in one day. The missions themselves were annoyingly easy, but took time and a lot of patience. And being patient had always exhausted her. She yearned for a quiet and relaxing bath, which would be delayed by the recognizable body of chakra laying on her bed.

"I didn't know strange men sneaking into a girl's room was a costume in Konoha." she said before the bed entered her field of vision.

"Isn't it a costume in the Land of Snow?" the deep voice asked surprised.

"I personally never had a monk waiting for me in my bed." She replied with her arms crossed over her chest and a questioning look at the man reading in her bed.

" Strange. That makes me wonder how could a girl spend almost seven years of her life stuck in a monastery?"

"Great food and free rent. How did you break the seals?"

"I have my ways."

"So, the clerk gave you the key. No respect for people's privacy..." she shook her head and pushed herself off the wall "Well, that's on me for being lazy and not sealing the key and lock." Gohama went for her pack and collected her things for the bath as if the man wasn't in the room. "I'm going to take a bath. I gather you already have enough information after stalking me for two days." the man smirked behind the mask "So you can go, unless you actually came here to join me."

"For a girl straight out of the monastery you sure are cheeky."

She went towards the bathroom.

"Aren't you going to ask me about the letter?" he asked.

She shrugged "I know what it says."

"So you've read it." There was wariness in his tone.

"No, but I can guess it just has advice and information about me to help my integration here. Uncle wouldn't leak that to someone he didn't know and trust."

"Ah. Tsukate trusts me. That's flattering."

Gohama stopped at the doorframe of the bathroom "Don't you have anything better to do or are you still trying show off your abilities? If it's the last I'm sorry to say but you're failing considering my bag is all tossed, I knew you were following me and I'm not the least bit intimidated."

"You're confidence is too reckless." He warned with an amused tilt to his voice.

"Maybe, but it hasn't failed me. Anything else, Hatake Kakashi?"

"For you is Hatake-sama." He corrected and lifted himself from her bed.

"Of course, how rude of me." Gohama deadpanned while directing him towards the window and releasing its seal. The window opened. "You can bring Weasel back. I'm starting to miss him."