Disclaimer: I own whatever is in this story that isn't already owned by Masashi Kishimoto-sensei.

Ceestar: So I did make it to chapter 2 eh? Well enjoy! This chapter will actually have some characters from the anime in it! 00 gasp! Plus thank you all for the great reviews

Chapter 2: A Masked Friend in Konoha

Nyoko's POV

Father

Mother

Hikaru-kun

Where are you? I want to see all of you. We can finally be happy together. I cannot wait to see you.

I fluttered my eyes, as if opening them. I saw a bright light ahead of me; I couldn't be far from it now. But I didn't feel like I was moving, in a way, I didn't even feel like I was standing. I could feel…feel something on top of me, aside from my clothes. The light did not move, I did not move. Something wasn't right.

"Miss?" A voice called in the distance. I heard a voice, but I didn't see anyone. Was there someone welcoming me to this new world? If there was, he wasn't doing a very good job, where was he? Then a thought occurred to me.

Is it possible?

Everything was very blurry, but I could see someone next to me. Judging by the voice, it was a male. I couldn't see his face properly, but I saw a topknot and a bluish silver blur of his head, a forehead protector. So he was ninja. Was he one that died in battle? I couldn't see properly, but he didn't die of old age for sure. Unless…

No way…

"Miss, are you feeling alright?" The voice called again. My eyes began to focus, just a little. The light I saw, and still see, it wasn't the light that everyone talks about when you move on was it? It was just a normal light. The surrounding whiteness was just the ceiling so…

I'm…still alive?

I felt a hand holding my own, so I squeezed it and I heard the person let out a sigh of relief as he squeezed back. Even though I could not see, I knew he was smiling from the little sound he let out. I squeezed again and now my eyes fully focused.

The man next to me had a sweet smile on his face and a scar across his nose. He was holding my hand and still squeezing it a little bit. I was right, that blur on his forehead did turn out to be a forehead protector, and looking at his clothes, he was either a Chuunin or Jounin.

"Are you alright?" The man repeated.

Normal POV

Nyoko began to slowly sit up and the stranger helped her, seeing her discomfort. He helped her up and then sat her pillow up vertically for her to lean on.

"Don't push yourself," he said softly.

Using what strength she had, Nyoko sat up and then was relieved to lean back on the pillow. She smiled at the man and faced his own welcoming smile. By now he had let go of Nyoko's hand and was leaning back on his chair.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"A little stiff," Nyoko replied softly. "But otherwise alright."

"That's good to hear, do you know where you are?"

She closed her eyes and thought for a bit, what had happened? Her last conscious thought had been…

"Hikaru-kun!" She suddenly yelled. Where was the body of her friend?

The stranger was slightly taken back at first, but his face grew sad and he looked away. "If you are talking about the boy that I found with you, I'm afraid he was already dead."

"I know! But…where is his body?" Nyoko asked, not knowing how strange the sentence sounded.

"Some other ninja took him the Hokage's office, we wanted to wait until you woke up."

Nyoko sighed in relief and smiled, "Thank you. I…I guess it would be best to cremate him because of the secrets he knows."

"That can be arranged. We have a memorial site for ninjas lost in battle; we can add his name there if you would like that."

Still smiling, the now lone Princess nodded. "By the way, what is your name?"

The stranger laughed, having realized he had not introduced himself. "Ah, sorry, my name is Umino Iruka. I am a Chunnin here in Konoha."

"A pleasure to meet you, I am—"

"Kashito Nyoko-sama, from the country of Thunder if I am not mistaken." Another voice said from the door.

Both Iruka and Nyoko turned to face the doorway where another man was standing. He had this arms folded and was leaning on the door frame. If not for his right eye, Nyoko wouldn't have been sure if he had a face; it was almost fully covered up. He also wore the Chuunin/Jounin vest, so he had to be a pretty skillful shinobi. His hair was a light mix of silver and white, it was thick and held up, probably by his forehead protector. From the look in his eye, he looked bored and slightly emotionless.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Iruka said, standing up and bowing lightly.

"Yo! Iruka-sensei." Kakashi said, walking in.

Nyoko looked at Kakashi as he took a seat to her right, and smiled at her (more of his typical face, than a smile…)

"Was I correct?" He asked.

At first Nyoko did not understand, but then realized he was referring to his statement earlier, she nodded. "Um, yes."

"I thought so." Kakashi said, still smiling and his eye closed. "You've met Iruka-sensei, he is the one that found you at the gate."

"I was on a break when I heard some people scream. I rushed over in the direction of the yells and I saw you collapse to the ground." Iruka explained, now sitting on your left again.

"So it was true that the Thunder Country had started a rebellion." Kakashi asked, his tone not changing.

A sad look appeared on Nyoko's face and she looked down, scrunching the bed sheets in her hands. It was true, and now she had no idea what had happened to her country. She gave a weak nod and scrunched the sheets hard enough for her to feel her own nails against her palm. Kakashi and Iruka knew that this was very hard on the young girl, so changed the subject.

"Anyway, I haven't introduced myself." Kakashi smiled. "I am Hatake Kakashi, a Jounin shinobi and uh…yeah."

Nyoko gasped, "Copy Ninja Kakashi?!"

Kakashi sweatdropped and nodded. "Yeah..." He said with a bit of uncertainty in his voice.

Nyoko looked at him and smiled. She felt both these men were very kind, though she had heard interesting stories about Kakashi.

"You're in Konoha now, and you've sustained some serious injuries. Luckily we have some very highly skilled medical ninjas here, so you should be discharged tomorrow or the day after." Iruka said. "But, do you have a place to stay?"

Of course not, Nyoko had been pretty much run out of her country and had just entered a new village. There was no where for her to go.

"As a matter of fact she does Iruka-sensei." Kakashi said before she could answer.

Both Nyoko and Iruka looked quizzically at the silver haired sensei.

"Nyoko-sama will be staying with me."

Nyoko's eyes widened and her mouth opened a little, but then she closed it and formed a very grateful smile, "Thank you very much, Kakashi-kun." Her smile was wide, but it could not show even half of how happy she felt at that moment. She had only meant this stranger about five minutes ago, and yet he was so willing to take her into his own home and care.

"Mind you, my place is rather small and a bit of a mess," Kakashi said with a sweat drop.

"It doesn't matter but," Nyoko said bowing her head. "I am eternally grateful to your kindness."

Kakashi rubbed the back of his head with his left and blushed slightly, "It's nothing, really."

All three of them smiled and laughed. Iruka said that it was a rare occasion to see Kakashi blush and not reading a certain book.

Kakashi and Iruka left after about another hour because they both had jobs to do. Kakashi said that he would come back later that night to check on her. A medical ninja named Yuki came in every so often to how Nyoko was doing later that day. She checked her wounds and the most serious one was the one of her back. Though luckily she was a very talented medical ninja, and Nyoko only needed to rest for a night just to be safe.

"You may leave tomorrow morning," Yuki beamed.

"Thank you." Nyoko bowed.

"Do you have somewhere to stay?" She asked.

"Yes, I am staying with Kakashi-kun."

"Well then, I hope his kids don't drive you mad, Naruto especially." Yuki laughed.

"He has children?" She said without being to stop herself.

Yuki looked at her paitent strangely then let out a laugh. "Oh goodness no! I'm sorry, that's not what I meant. I meant his Genin students. They can be a handful."

Nyoko forced a laugh, but mentally sighed a big sigh of relief.

"Well it is getting late, so you should get some rest. I will be back in the morning to discharge you." Yuki said smiling, and then left.

Nyoko smiled and then lay back down in her bed. She looked out the slightly open window to her right. The sky had gone dark without her even noticing it. Stars now littered the sky like spilt salt over a dark table cloth. There was one star that glistened very brightly and she remembered the words of a dying friend.

FLASHBACK

Hikaru and Nyoko sat on the rooftop just above her room. They both looked into the sky and watched all the stars. There was one that caught Nyoko's attention, it glistened very brightly and she pointed it out to Hikaru.

"Look at that star right there Hikaru-kun," She smiled. "It's so bright."

"Yeah, because that is my star." He said.

Nyoko looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean it is your star?"

"Well, that is the star you can always feel safe when you look at it. Because it is mine, and you will always remember me by that star."

Now she looked at him with an even stranger look. "So if I ever want to think of you, I just look at that star?"

"Yes, and if anything happens tomorrow, then that star will be my soul always looking down and guiding you."

"Do not speak like that Hikaru-kun. Everything will turn out fine tomorrow."

"I am not saying it won't, but just remember."

"I will…"

END FLASHBACK

Tears rolled down the young Princess's cheeks again as she smiled, carefully watching the star. It looked so peaceful, so bright. She knew that meant Hikaru was now at peace, and happy.

"It breaks a man's heart to see a woman cry." A voice said.

Nyoko snapped out of her thoughts and saw Kakashi sitting on the window; she was amazed she had not seen him there earlier. Quickly, she wiped away the tear as Kakashi jumped in and sat down in a chair to her right. He smiled.

"Good evening Kakashi-kun." Nyoko said, forcing as much of a happy tone as she could into her voice. But this Jounin would not be fooled so easily.

"If you don't mind me asking, why were you crying Nyoko-sama?" He asked with a gentle voice.

She shook her said and smiled, "I was just thinking, about the past."

Kakashi lay a hand on Nyoko's cheek and caressed her gently with the back of his fingers, like he had done so before. "That past can be full of sad memories, but we have to look towards a happier future ok?"

Nyoko nodded.

"But I'm always here if you ever want to talk about it." He smiled again.

"Thank you, Kakashi-kun."

"So have the doctors come to see you?" Kakashi said as he withdrew his hand.

"Yes, she said she will come and discharge me tomorrow morning." Nyoko smiled.

"OK, then I shall also be here tomorrow morning to take you home. There are a lot of people in the village that you will be able to meet tomorrow."

"I'm looking forward to it,"

"Get some sleep, I will stay until you are." Kakashi said as he lowered his voice.

Nyoko smiled one of the first natural smiles she had felt in some time and she closed her eyes, feeling Kakashi's gentle touch. It only took her a few minutes to fall into her dream world, but she felt very safe, knowing the masked Jounin was by her side.

Ceestar: Yep yep yep!! Chapter 2 in complete! Yay! Sorry Kakashi doesn't sound too much like himself, but I have never seen him in situations like this, and I think that he is really sweet. I'll try harder to keep him in character! Thanks for reading, please review!