A Different World

Chapter Three

A Future In the Making

"You know she's going to grow up to be a beautiful woman."

Aoshi did not react. "Ah. She will be."

"I wonder who she'll marry. He'd have to be stronger than her to deal with her temper. He'd have to be really strong considering how Misao-chan is growing up so quickly. I still can't believe that she's actually considering taking the Chuunin exams already. Hm…how old is she this year?" Kakashi started to count his fingers.

"She's turning nine in two months." Aoshi still not moving but to drink his tea.

"Oh right. To think she'll be a Chuunin at the age of nine. That's almost the same age as me when I became one. But then again I don't think it's a good idea to have Misao-chan grow up so quickly." Kakashi said casually. He noticed there was the slightest quirk in Aoshi's eyebrow.

"Misao is a strong girl." Aoshi got up and left the room. Leaving the green tea still hot and leaving a smug looking Kakashi in the entertaining room.

Misao was angry and confused. Mostly angry. She had been in her room for over two hours throwing one of her famous tantrums. Whenever she didn't get what she wanted she would run to her room and not come out until she was ready to accept the offer whatever it may be. This time she was so angry at Okon, Omasu, Kuro, Shiro, and even Okina. But oddly enough she wasn't angry with Aoshi. She never could bring herself to be angry at him.

The Chuunin exam began and she had missed it. She was so angry with herself for everyone that got in her way. It seemed like her whole family was against her going to that one exam. She had to go or else she wouldn't become stronger. All she wanted in life was to be strong so that she could be acknowledged by the one she cared about the most in the world.

Then the confusion behind her tantrum. Didn't everyone want her to be stronger? Wouldn't taking the Chuunin exam make her stronger? Even if she didn't pass she would be stronger from the experience and she would take that experience and get ready for next year. She laid on her bed and closed her eyes for a moment.

When Misao opened her eyes it was dark outside. The whole house was quiet because everyone was sleeping. She looked out side and saw the crescent moon shining. It was a cloudless night. She yawned quietly and fell back into bed for a moment. The anger that she felt had mostly disappeared when she was sleeping. The question of why she couldn't attend the exam still plagued her mind.

There were only a few people that could have stopped her if they really wanted. No, Okina would not stop her nor could he. Although he was her legal guardian Misao had grown up fiercely independent and rarely listened to the old man. The old man was too kind for his own good and had spoiled Misao when she was growing up and let her do whatever she wanted. So there was no way that Okina could have stopped her. The only other person that might have been able to stop her was Kakashi. But she hadn't seem him since he left for his mission with Aoshi and that was about two weeks ago. She wondered how her Aoshi-sama was doing.

Aoshi was the only other person capable of stopping the young girl from taking the exam. But how was he able to stop her when he was off in some other country doing some dangerous mission. The thought of her beloved Aoshi doing some sort of life and death mission made her feel sick with uneasiness. She wanted to become strong for that reason. The helplessness feeling of being left behind was something that she wanted to overcome. Just another reason to become stronger.

She needed to become stronger so that she was able to protect the things that were important to her. She was frustrated with her weakness. Although Misao was a talented shinobi one of the top in her classes she was still considered to be weak in her family. The power she was seeking was to protect the ones that were important.

Misao was tired of thinking these deep thoughts. She had decided that her quest for power was pure and therefore would not be tainted and the power that she did obtain would be real.

The young girl opened her window as quietly as she could. Patting her left side she felt for her equipment bag still all in place. The night time would be the best time to train. She would show everybody. The training would take up every night and she would improve without anyone knowing.

The three poles also known as the training grounds of Genins. She yawned again. Walking steadily there she got herself ready to train.

"Misao-chan?"

Misao turned around and saw a familiar figure, Kakashi. "Eh? What are you doing here?"

"I should be asking you the same thing. Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"No I couldn't sleep." She yawned again after she said that. "Anyway how did your mission go? Aoshi-sama isn't hurt right?" Her voice laced with concern and a tint of fear. She couldn't bear it if something had happened.

"Everything is fine. Aoshi is fine barely a scratch really." Kakashi was light and casual as usual.

"That's good then. I'm so happy." She turned around and leaned against the pole. "I didn't get to take the Chuunin exam. I was late. Somehow everything was against me that day."

Misao told Kakashi about the whole day. She had woken up really late in the afternoon and there was about 30 minutes before the exam started. It seemed that she had something weird the night before which made her sleep in. Her alarm clock fell off her night stand somehow. Maybe she had kicked it off of her nightstand in her sleep. Then when she did get herself together it she only had 25 minutes to get to the room. She had ran to the exam room only to find out that they had moved the whole exam to a different building that was almost all the way across town. That had killed a lot of time trying to find where the exams had moved to. She then had only about 8 minutes left. By time that she got to the examination room it had been locked. Misao was angry and confused.

Kakashi just smiled under his mask watching the amusing little girl rant on about the day. It was very obvious that she was tired too. After all she was still a little girl and would have to go to sleep sooner or later. No doubt she must have given an earful to everyone in her household. Kakashi smiled again. She was one of a kind, this girl.

Soon Misao's words began to slur.

"Misao-chan are you sleepy?" Kakashi smiled some more. Looking at the girl that was trying to be strong. But he understood how she felt. There were a lot of people that were frustrated with their weakness but they would be ones that became the strongest.

"A shinobi never gets sleepy. My eyes are just taking a break." Her words were slurred and soon she was completely asleep. Kakashi picked her up. He started to walk back to the Aoiya, to her home.

He remembered that day:

Aoshi had walked out of the room rudely and Kakashi being the curious fellow he was followed after him.

"Hey what are you doing?"

Aoshi remained silent.

"Don't tell me you're going to…"

"Going to do what?" Aoshi knew that he knew but he wanted to see if Kakashi was daring enough to say it.

Kakashi looked seriously at Aoshi for a long hard moment. "Are you going to sabotage Misao's chances?" Aoshi just looked at the other man. They stayed there, their eyes locked.

"…"

Kakashi stepped back for a moment of shock. "You know she might never forgive you if she finds out. And knowing her she'll find out sooner or later."

"It's a risk I'm willing to take."

"Why are you doing this?"

Aoshi just turned away from him and began to walk away. "Because I have to protect her."

"You should let her protect herself by becoming stronger."

And that was the end of that conversation.

Sometimes that Aoshi would be so frustrating because no matter what others said to him it just seemed like he wasn't listening at all. It was annoying and Kakashi almost got annoyed.

Kakashi was about a block away from the Aoiya. It was almost dawn. Aoshi was already standing outside the door of the house.

"Yo."

"What happened to her?" Aoshi completed devoid of feeling let out a tweak of concern in his voice.

"She just fell asleep. She's not angry anymore but still you shouldn't have done it." Kakashi handed the little girl to Aoshi's arms. She kept on sleeping.

"I know."

"I mean next year she'll just take it then."

"I know."

"Will you destroy her dream again?"

"I don't know."

"Well, Aoshi I'm going home. I'll see you in a few hours."

"Right. Thank you."

Kakashi just smiled for a moment. It was unlike him to say thank you. But he knew why.

Misao slowly opened her eyes and saw Aoshi carrying her to her room. "Aoshi-sama?"

"Shh Misao just go back to sleep." Misao closed her eyes for a moment but then remembered to ask. "Were you in a lot of danger?"

"No."

She closed her eyes tightly. "I can't imagine the danger you were in. But no matter what I promise to protect you."

Aoshi widened his eyes in surprise. Rarely did he ever get surprised by anything even living with the unpredictable Misao. But her words caught something in his throat and he wasn't able to form a reply. His lips turned up slightly and a small smile was on his lips.

"No, I will protect you." He whispered to her.

TBC

AN: I hoped you like this chapter. The next chapter will be last of this series. Hopefully I'll be able to get something together such as 'Enter Misao' another Kenshin/Naruto crossover. As always please leave a review anything is greatly appreciated.

Meryl Lee