Another chapter! Sorry for being late, I'm a little stuck here. Thank you very much to my faithful reviewers, such as Kohaku-san (Haha, still have problem in that area! I'm working on it!), Y.Mitsuki (Medic! Need some help here! Next time don't try to throw a baton when there's a high possibility of hitting your head, okay. Don't wanna lose my reviewer here -grins-) and most of all, Rhythmic! That's the longest review I've ever had! Oh well, he's dead, that's a fact but still… Naruto? There's a special side story for him. You've squealed four times, if I'm not mistaken with the 2 E!s and 2 Awws. Glad you love Ayame's character as much as I do. The girl didn't like to have people worry and pity her. She preferred crying alone in her favorite place, you know where.

I do not own Naruto! You got it? I only own my story and characters! There! Let's go on with the story, shall we?

Ayame

Discovery

Today was a beautiful day in Konoha. The sky was crystal clear, the clouds were sheltering the village from the heat of the sun, and the weather was nice. For every people in the village, it was a perfect day. However, for Kishuu Arashi, today was just another day. It was no different than any other day before, only differed by different kind of missions, training and day-offs. Being an early riser, she was already awake before the sun was rising. She got herself out of the bed effortlessly and walked toward the kitchen. She wore a short-sleeved white shirt and a loose beige pants, as an efficient shinobi, she was used with practicality. The only difference was she was letting her hair loose, revealing soft curly brown strands hanging until her slim waist. She opened the refrigerator and found that she was running out of food. She let out a sigh and glanced to the clock behind him. The market should be open in few minutes…

Today Ayame woke up earlier than usual, since today was time for groceries shopping and she was going to have another training with her teammates. She was thinking of making each of them a box of lunch to eat together. Before she went, she checked Sarutobi in his working room and found him sleeping on his works as usual. She silently approached him and planted a small kiss on his forehead.

"I'm going for some groceries shopping. Breakfast on the table, don't get late to work Jiisan," she whispered softly and noticed a small smile nudged his lips, knowing he heard what she said, she left the room and headed to the market with a large basket on her arm.

Arashi stepped out from her apartment and didn't bother to lock the door. There was nothing valuable in her apartment, anyway. The only thing that was valuable was her sword and it was hanging on her left side. It wasn't a common sight to see someone carrying a sword to the market, but Arashi's case was an exception. Arashi's reputation as a sword specialist was renowned throughout the entire nations and there was no single shinobi didn't know the fact, especially it was written in Bingo book. So there she was, walking casually between the crowds on her way to the market.

Her first stop was vegetables and fruits stall, the seller was a kind old lady.

"Ah, Kishuu-san, as usual?" she smiled kindly to her, Arashi slightly nodded. The woman expertly picked the vegetables and fruits she needed.

"Here it is. Is that everything?" she handed the vegetables and fruits which Arashi put into her shopping bag

"Yes," she didn't need more of it, since she was living alone and no one would bother visit or even stay in her apartment. She gave her the amount of money in exchange of the groceries.

"Ohayo, Narumi-san!" she recognized the voice.

"Ohayo, Ayame-chan. Groceries shopping today?" she recognized the cute girl as her regular costumer.

"Yep, as usual," she smiled cheerfully, "Oh, and could you add more?"

"Oh, are you going to have some picnic?" Narumi asked while weighing Ayame's groceries.

"Not really, just some training with Shinji and Itachi. I'm thinking to make them bento for lunch especially you know how much Nakayamas eat," she checked her groceries that had been weighed.

"That's nice," the woman laughed good-naturedly, "At last they're getting along." It was pretty widely known about Shinji rude treatment toward Itachi.

"Yeah, at last. Geez, boys can be so stubborn," Ayame spoke her thoughts, Narumi was like a grandmother figure for her. A place for expressing her thoughts freely, other than Sarutobi who couldn't always beside her.

"Oh, you still have a lot to learn Ayame," she chuckled. Men and their ego, she thought but of course she couldn't tell Ayame about it at least until she was older.

"Sure I am. Arigato, Narumi-san," she put her groceries inside the basket. When she was about to go she noticed a familiar figure and a familiar chakra signature.

"…Sensei?" she titled her head to have better look.

Arashi who was listening quietly Ayame and Narumi conversation, was a little caught off guard when Ayame noticed her presence. She turned to look at her student.

Ayame blinked in surprise, she could barely believe her eyes that the one standing in front of her was her jounin instructor. First, she was wearing her hair loose instead of tying it into a ponytail as usual. Second, she was wearing casual clothes, her upper shirt was unbuttoned. She knew that her sensei was a beautiful woman, but she couldn't help but to be perplexed how beautiful she was.

"Ah- Sensei is shopping too?" she mentally scolded herself, what she would do in the market if she wasn't shopping!

"Hn," as usual, one word answer.

"Oh," Ayame didn't know exactly what to say, sometimes she couldn't find a way to talk normally to her sensei.

"Dewa, I'll see you tomorrow as usual, Sensei. Ja ne!" it was the only thing she could think of. Arashi watched as her student's small figure disappeared in the crowd.

"I remember Ayame told me you're her jounin instructor. An interesting match-up, isn't it?" Narumi spoke, "An Uchiha, a Nakayama, and a simple girl"

Arashi couldn't agree more.

-o-O-o-

When the day off was over, Arashi started her day with the same routine that some people would find boring. She arrived at team 4 training ground at usual time, only to find that her students were already present and Shinji was teaching Ayame taijutsu while Itachi watching from across a distance, giving some useful pointers for Ayame. Soon after they felt their sensei's presence, they stopped and greeted their Sensei altogether,

"Ohayo gozaimasu, Sensei" with the loudest greeting from Shinji.

The training was in its usual routine, running 5 laps around Konoha for warming up, physical training that consisted of push-up, sit-up, etc., practicing their ningu skills, and the main event, sparring. Team 4 hadn't moved to learn any jutsus yet. It seemed Arashi was concentrating more on their stamina, endurance and agility. They didn't really mind though, since they could understand their sensei reasoning, besides they could learn from one another, which was in this case were Itachi and Ayame –Shinji didn't have many jutsus other than basic jutsus. Arashi was surprised that Shinji and Itachi was sparring –yes, sparring- instead of fighting, while Ayame was watching their spar attentively. Arashi eyed the younger girl, the last time the boys truly sparred was when Ayame was angry to her teammates. She wondered what exactly the girl did this time. She remembered when she met her in the market, how she exchanged greetings with people around the market. She had seen that sight once, the sight was involving a tall young man with spiky blond hair and warm bright blue eyes talking nonchalantly with the villagers although he was wearing Hokage robes. Ayame's influence toward people was similar to his, how he could make people felt comfortable and secure just being around him. She quickly dismissed the memory, Ayame was nothing like him, she convinced herself, yet she still felt their similarities. She averted her thoughts to the spar between her students.

The training ended hours later, leaving the children out of breath. Arashi was pretty hard on them today. She examined her students carefully, she noticed many changes in her team. The tension between Shinji and Itachi was gone, as if it never existed in first place, instead they conversed in pleasant mood together with Ayame. Meanwhile, Ayame started to find her own taijutsu style that suited her small body, taught by Shinji, Itachi or both. They were beginning to look like a real team now. She must admit that she was pleased with it.

"That's for today. Take a good night rest. I expect you tomorrow at the same time and place," she ended the training. Her students nodded and left the training ground together. Arashi was about to leave when a glimmering object caught her attention. She approached the object and picked it up carefully. It was a silver locket, it was beautiful handiwork. She wondered who wore the locket to the training ground, probably her team but her team wasn't the only one who used the training ground. She decided to keep the locket to return it to the rightful owner, thinking the locket must be important for the person. She laid it gently on her hand and the locket accidentally cracked open. Arashi, being Arashi, who wasn't interested in prying with other people property was about to close it when a certain figure in the locket caught her eye.

No, it couldn't possibly be…her eyes widened in recognition. It was no other than Yondaime, but she couldn't be mistaken. It was really him and her eyes unconsciously drifted to the woman beside the man she identified as Kazama Kyouki. The woman had… a striking resemblance with Ayame! It was too much of a coincidence, she thought, but she couldn't jump into conclusion so fast. There was only one way to prove whether her assumptions were right or wrong.

-o-O-o-

The next morning, Arashi had arrived earlier than usual in the training ground. She figured whoever the owner was, would be looking for the locket as soon as the person realized it was missing. She hid her presence in the shadows, waiting for someone to look for the locket. Without long wait, she sensed someone else's presence, a figure appeared in the clearing of the training ground. It was Ayame.

Arashi tensed, she noticed Ayame seemed looking for something. Her eyes scanned the clearing carefully, she was nervous and… poignant. Ayame didn't sense Arashi's presence, because of how well Arashi hid herself and her focus was on finding her locket. Not long afterwards, two other presences arrived in the training ground. Surprisingly, it was Itachi and Shinji, they seemed to chat casually which was a rare sight, remembering that Itachi barely talked to anybody, especially Shinji on top of all. Shinji noticed Ayame had arrived and she didn't seem to be aware of their presence. Shinji who knew Ayame better knew something was wrong and Itachi who had good observation noticed it too.

"Yo! Ayame!" he called her, the girl turned her head to look at the source of the voice. Both of her teammates didn't miss the look in Ayame's face, she was troubled and they were about to find out.

"What's wrong Ayame?" Shinji asked straight to the point.

"Ano…" Ayame was thinking if she should tell her teammates or not,

"…Did you see my locket?" at last she decided to tell them.

"…You mean the locket with your father's picture in it?" Ayame nodded, Shinji didn't like it.

"You lost it?" Itachi asked softly, in which Ayame answered with a slight nod.

"When did you find out?" Shinji asked.

"Last night, I still wore it in yesterday's training," she fidgeted nervously, thinking what would happen if she didn't find her treasure. Shinji and Itachi who had grown fond toward the little girl looked at her concernedly.

"…It was the only picture I have of my parents…" she was in the verge of tears, then she felt a comforting hand on her shoulder. Itachi was smiling to her,

"We'll help you to find it." Ayame's face brightened when she heard that.

"After all Yondaime looks good in that picture," Shinji grinned. His statement earned a giggle from Ayame and a smile from Itachi, the atmosphere was less tense than before. Then without being told, the three split up and searched for the locket around the training ground.

Meanwhile, Arashi was stunned in her place, she could hear their conversation clearly.

"…It was the only picture I have of my parents…"

"After all, Yondaime looks good in the picture"

She felt the locket in her pocket, the locket was Ayame's. Ayame was the daughter of Yondaime, Kazama Kyouki. Both Shinji and Itachi knew it. The fact hit her, she was the only one in the team who didn't know. Only one person who would be able to explain everything, she narrowed her eyes, but now…

She stepped out from the shadows, revealing her presence to her students. The children quickly gathered when they sensed their sensei's presence. Before they started their training, she took out the locket from her pocket,

"…Does any of you know the locket belongs to?" she showed the locket to them. Ayame's eyes widened in recognition,

"…May I take a look, Sensei?" Arashi handed her the locket, Ayame touched the locket's surface and opened it carefully enough so Arashi wouldn't see the picture.

"Where did Sensei find it?"

"In the training ground. Is it yours?" she asked even though she'd known her answer.

"Hai," she smiled happily, "Arigato, Sensei." Her teammates were also relieved for their teammate.

"Now start your warming up," she ordered. Ayame quickly wore the locket and followed her teammates who had run before her. Arashi watched until Ayame's back disappeared from sight.

Sandaime-sama… you have many things to explain…

Meanwhile in the Hokage office, Sarutobi felt his body suddenly stiffen.

I have a bad feeling…

-o-O-o-

His feelings was proven right, in the late evening an unexpected visitor walked into his office, and her face didn't seem pleased, instead it seemed threatening. He gulped in nervousness, it wasn't a good sign to see Kishuu Arashi like this.

"What brings you here, Arashi?" Being a Hokage, he could cover his real feelings well.

"There's a lot of explaining you should do," she spoke so coldly that would send shivers to anyone's spine, Sandaime wasn't an exception.

I'm in a deep trouble…

But he knew this day would come sooner or later, she needed to know, more than anyone else. Sarutobi regained his composure, the atmosphere changed into much more serious one.

"…So you have found out…" it was a statement, he eyed Arashi carefully. Arashi merely narrowed her eyes,

"You know she is his daughter all along"

"…Of course, after all… I'm the one who brought her here…" he stated calmly. Arashi's eyes widened in surprise, before she asked further,

"Please sit down, Arashi. It's time for you to know everything. It'll be a long explanation." Arashi complied, her eyes never left Sandaime.

"Hikari was her mother's maiden name. Hikari Nadeshiko… it is her mother's name before she became Kazama Nadeshiko when she was married to Kyouki, the Fourth Hokage. Her mother lived in a small peaceful village in the southern border of Fire Country. In which, Kyouki happened to while in a diplomatic visit to the Wind Country. It was love at first sight, you can say it," Sarutobi smiled to the memory when Kyouki told him about their first meeting.

"She was just an ordinary civilian and the village's flower, in their first accidental meeting they were interested in one another until every time he was free, Kyouki would visit her… In the end they fell in love and they were married by local tribe leader. Kyouki of course wanted to bring his newfound family to Konoha and announce his marriage, but Nadeshiko wasn't prepared to leave her village and Kyouki knew that. Their happiness was completed as they were gifted with a baby whom they named Ayame…

"But things weren't going well back then, I suppose you remember well, Arashi. The war had just ended, even though peace treaties had been signed, the peace was still fragile. Kyouki worked hard to maintain the peace until he barely had time to visit his family. Until one fateful event… the attack of the Kyuubi.

"Kyouki… sacrificed his life to protect the village and the people he loved… One of his last wishes was to bring his family to Konoha, which I did soon after I was chosen as the Hokage once more" Arashi now realized where Sandaime had gone that day.

"…But I only managed to bring 2-year-old Ayame… Nadeshiko was grieved with her husband's death that she refused to go to Konoha. I took Ayame under my wing while she waited for her mother to come… only that she never came.

"She died, partly because of her grief before Ayame reached her third birthday, leaving Ayame an orphan and under my complete care. I enrolled her to the Academy so she would have friends and adapt with the new environment. But she exceeded my expectations, she didn't only graduate but also pass as a genin." Sarutobi stood from his seat and walked to the window where he could see the Hokage memorial clearly.

"She has his father's talent, bloodline and also… his personality. I suppose you notice, Arashi… at least how she affects the people around her exactly like Kyouki," he looked at Arashi.

"…Why didn't you announce that he left a daughter?" It was the question she wanted to ask most. Sarutobi's face saddened when she asked.

"Should I?" he asked sadly, surprising Arashi, "… Arashi, that girl didn't know her father was a shinobi or the Hokage, she didn't even know what those are. She is completely an ordinary girl. If I announced that she was his daughter, you know the people's reaction would be. They would expect much from her and she isn't ready for that. She is just a child, Arashi… and she learned the meaning of loss too early for her age. Can't you see it?"

Arashi understood what he meant, the girl was wiser and much more mature than anyone in her age. Her eyes… she knew her eyes… she could see pain and loneliness behind the kindness and warmth she always gave to others. The same eyes… involuntarily, flashes of memories flooding her mind. Her parents' name in the memorial stone. She and her older brother. When ANBU appeared in her doorstep bringing the news of her brother's death. Her brother's bloodstained clothes. She squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to make the memories fade.

"Why me? There are many other more capable jounins than me," she regained her composure quickly, but it wasn't unnoticed by Sarutobi.

"Arashi… you're much more capable than you know," Sarutobi put a comforting hand on her shoulder,

"If there is someone who's able to teach Ayame her bloodline limit, it will only be you. You probably do not know Kyouki as well as Jiraiya or Kakashi, but you have something they don't have. Kyouki had seen that, because of that reason he chose you as his trusted aide. The same reason why I put you in charge of team 4. Kyouki had faith in you, and so do I," he gave her a gentle squeeze on her shoulder. Arashi raised her head to look at Sandaime and saw that he truly meant it.

"Now, take a rest, I suppose it's too much for you to take. Your students need you tomorrow," he told her comfortingly. Arashi nodded weakly, it was indeed too much for her to take, about everything. She was about to leave when a thought occurred to her,

"…Sandaime-sama, I'm not sure if I'm capable to fulfill you and Kyouki-san's expectation…" Sarutobi stared at her back that didn't give any hint of emotion.

"…But I'll try my best, especially I owe Kyouki-san…" more than you know… she added to herself. Without waiting for a reply, Arashi walked out from the office.

Sarutobi sat down, his eyes was trained to the place where Arashi had left. He recalled his conversation with Kyouki long time ago, when he chose Arashi as his trusted aide.

"Why do you choose Arashi?" Sarutobi asked his successor.

"You're questioning my judgment, Sarutobi-san?" Kyouki asked the former Hokage. He twitched his eyebrow in amusement, he didn't seem to mind.

"No, I'm not. I'm just wondering why you chose her, from all people"

"I've been watching her, Sarutobi-san," he smiled, "I saw her records, I saw how she completed missions and I even talked to her, she's the best candidate. Indeed, she is a bit antisocial, you can say…" he scratched his head and grinned sheepishly.

"Then I want to hear your judgment about her," Sarutobi smiled.

"Well, she's a type of a perfect shinobi, she always follows orders, carries out the mission perfectly, and works efficiently. Her success rate was one of the highest, making her one of the best shinobi of Konoha. That's what I found in the records only. I've worked together with her once, when I was still a jounin and she was an ANBU captain. I saw how she executed orders effectively even though she was in an unfamiliar territory. And I saw… how much she cared for her comrades, maybe care isn't the right word. But she truly knows her comrades abilities well and every time she executes orders that suit her comrades' abilities best and lowest risk even though she barely trusts them. Simply to put, she is a good leader, the only problem though, is her attitude and her inability to trust people. People often mistake her intentions. Do you think why every diplomatic mission she follows is successful?"

"I see that, you've chosen a right person," Sarutobi admired his deep insight.

"She only needs to open up more and realize that there are people who are worth her trust, Sarutobi-san… and I believe she will be a good leader and teacher if she wants to"

"I know you will, Arashi… I know you will…"

-o-O-o-

Meanwhile, after she left the Hokage's tower, Arashi decided to visit Hokage Memorial. It was already dark outside, but she didn't have any difficulty to get to the Memorial. She walked slowly to the last face, Yondaime's face,

"Kyouki-san," she addressed his name with respect and… gratitude.

"It's been a while… I've never thought I would even come here again… I suppose you're watching your daughter right now. How foolish of me, I don't even notice she is your daughter. She resembles her mother more than you, but she has your kind, caring and understanding nature and… probably more than that. I wonder… what you would think if you know I'm her jounin instructor, would you mind?" she looked at the carving on the cliff.

"Funny how easily I speak my thoughts to you… Probably because you're the only one who understood –the only one who wanted to- back then… Since my brother's gone, you've become a brother figure for me… I'm truly thankful for your attention and trust, in exchange… I will try my best to be a good teacher for your daughter and my students. Those children… I won't fail them," her eyes shone with determination.

Author's Note: Ho, yeah! Now Arashi knew Ayame's heritage! And you know the relationship between Arashi and Kyouki. And what's with Arashi past? What will Arashi do? Guys, need help around here… about fight scenes… it's still needed. My last omake!

Character Profile

.:Kishuu Arashi:.

Birth 3 October

Age 21

Blood type A

Family Kishuu Kentaro (father, deceased)

Kishuu Akari (mother, deceased)

Kishuu Kenichi (brother, deceased)

Physical appearance

Hair color Light Brown

Eye color Dark Brown

Height 172 cm

Ability Ninjutsu 9 out of 10

Genjutsu 8 out of 10

Taijutsu 9 out of 10

Ningu 10 out of 10, especially sword

Chi (Bloodline limit) -

Knowledge 9 out of 10

Team

Team 4

Students

Uchiha Itachi

Hikari Ayame

Nakayama Shinji