Butterflies

"Me? I'm nobody. I'm not skilled like Uchiha-san. I am not passionate like Haruno-san. I am not smart like Nara-san. I'm not as strong as Chouji-san. I'm not as collected as Aburame-san. Or as pretty as Yamanaka-san. I'm not as confident as Inuzuka-san. If anything, I'm like Hyuuga-san, socially awkward. Oh wait, no, she's just shy. The socially awkward one is me." OC! Team 7 remix!

Chapter 16 – Trust me

8-8

It takes almost four hours before the new team arrives. It felt like an eternity had come and gone, but it's mostly just because I'm reaching new heights in being annoyed. The bridge builder is avoiding me. Uchiha-san is doing the opposite, trying to sit near me. Ecchi-san is trying to play nice. And all this while Naruto-nii keeps warning them to back off and give me room to breathe. I swear to Kami-sama, if I wasn't sucking on chocolate, I would have hurt someone by now!

I'm almost moved to tears when the team announces they're moving out. In fact, I actually look to them, noticing the redhead Sarutobi, that Nii-san's talking to. The others I don't recognize, but one of them is wearing a medic's uniform. Idiot. You don't announce that you're the team medic!

Whatever.

Once they're gone, I turn my attention to Naruto-nii. "So where are we going?"

"How should I know?" He asks, amused. "Kakashi?"

"There's a farm that had its legal documents stolen. We're to go, investigate, and track down the people that stole the documents. So we're heading for the coast." Whatever.

"Aw, come on, Aya-chan. Don't be like that." Naruto-nii tries, but I just glare at him. Even if I have enough chocolate in my system to made the average person high, there are only so many things that annoy me enough to need so much chocolate… and having to offer that Ecchi another shot at being my sensei is one of them!

"Same formation as before. Only I'll be in the lead. Sasuke will take up our rear flank. We'll be moving until the sun starts to set. Let's go."

He sets a fair pace, travelling through the trees. We're jumping from branch to branch, trying to keep up with the world's greatest pervert. Whatever.

8-8

I have no idea where we are. I don't care where we are. All I know is that I'm hungry, and thirsty, and have to go. I complain about none of it. You don't get raised by an Anbu operative and not know how to be professional no matter the situation. Just because I ignore that almost as a rule, doesn't mean I don't know it.

"We make camp here. Aya, you'll gather firewood. Naruto, try to find us something to cook. Sasuke, start setting up the tents. Everyone should keep their eyes open for running water." I hear him. I don't care. I glance towards Naruto-nii, finding him already begging me with his eyes. I roll my eyes, already heading off in a random direction. I just hope I don't end up getting lost.

The first thing I do, once I'm far enough away from 'camp', is seeing to my needs. Seriously, girls aren't designed to 'go' in the wild outdoors! It's weird, and cold, and uncomfortable.

Whatever. Suck it up, Aya. Once I properly repackage everything, I start looking around for firewood. Since it hasn't rained in a while, anything that looks like a twig, branch or fallen leaf will be perfect for a fire. I gather what I can, heading back to the camp… I hope. It's this way, right?

I drop my load in the middle of our camp, quite happy with myself. I then sit with my back to a comfy looking tree. I take out my scroll and unseal a bottle of water and a rations bar. I chew the granola-tasting thing, wash it down with water, and just sit happy with having my task already completed.

"Touch that bag and you won't live long enough to regret it." I warn Uchiha-san. He's already set up his tent, so he figures he'll just go into my bag to set up mine. Seriously? How big an idiot can you be? Going into a girl's bag?

"I assume you're setting up your own tent then?" He drones, trying to act unimpressed. I glare at him, daring him to try touching that bag. He makes a noise, moving onto Nii-san's bag.

"Is that yours?" I ask him. He turns to me again, obviously annoyed. "Start the fire, or something. And stop touching what isn't yours." I take one last pull from my water bottle, then walk over to my bag and take out my tent. I've set up this stupid thing often enough to get it done quickly. I then lay out my futon in it and set my bag down on it. I then set up Nii-san's tent for him, noticing that he doesn't have a futon. That idiot. What's he planning on sleeping on then?

I groan, but don't comment. I set his bag down in his tent. Uchiha-san gets the fire going, but I don't go anywhere near it. Warm water, Kami-sent. Fire, Shinigami's curse on this world. I'd better not find out I'm a fire release user!

I go back to the same tree I was leaning against, and sit back down. I shiver a little. Even though I've been outside all day, I've been moving around all day. The air is cooling; tonight's going to be cold. I shiver again, just thinking about it. It's a good thing I have two pillows. I can sleep on one, and hug the other for extra warmth. I should have brought Bazu-chan with me, but he's keeping my old house slippers warm, where he's needed for now.

Don't worry, sweetie, Bazu will be here when you get back. Mama's words still sting. She never told me about her missions, only if they were hard or easy or somewhere in the middle. I could always tell when she was going out on a mission too, seeing as it was just mama and me, she'd arrange a babysitter. Sometimes a friend of hers would sleep in the house with me, but most often I was brought over to someone else's house. I don't remember who… I never cared. They weren't mama, so I just never cared to notice.

I do remember the last time though. Mama brought me to a friend's house again, so Bazu had to guard the house… and keep my slippers warm. I hated it when my house slippers were cold. We were shown in, and mama knelt down so we were more or less the same height. She grabbed my chin, gently as she always does, and she tugged so I'd look her in the eyes. I'll be gone no more than a week. I promise.

Three weeks later, I moved into an orphanage.

"You cold?" Ecchi-san asks, as I shiver again.

"No." Just to spite me, my body shivers to prove me a liar.

"It's warmer by the fire."

"…" I look away from him. I'm not in the mood.

8-8

After breaking camp… striking camp… yes, striking camp, the next morning, I start the day with another rations bar and a bar of chocolate and water to wash it all down. Naruto-nii goes with instant ramen again, but I don't care to notice what anyone else eats. I didn't care last night either. I did find out that Naruto-nii has his futon sealed in his scroll. Pretty smart.

After breakfast, I do a few stretches to loosen my muscles. I also do my hand stretches, mostly pain-free. After that, it's just waiting on Ecchi-san to decide we're moving out.

We spend four days just this same way. Wake up, breakfast, run, break, run, break for lunch, run, break, run, stop for the night and set up camp. I don't say more Ecchi-san or Uchiha-san than I need to. If I feel chatty, Naruto-nii is the only one I talk to; I'm not the chatty type.

Late on the forth day, I start noticing that we're coming across a lot more rivers. I don't know why that seems important, but it does. Ecchi-san 'suggests' that we cross the river practicing that water walking thing again.

"Brilliant. Let's get out clean clothes and tents soaked." I complain. They're the first words I've said in two days.

"I can always hold your bags for you." Ecchi-san offers. Yeah, no.

"Nii-san?" Naruto-nii makes a clone, which takes both of our bags.

We spend the afternoon getting soaked, but I'm starting to get the hang of it! I just wish this stupid river didn't move so much!

8-8

I shiver. I gaze longingly at the fire. I shiver again. I've already changed into something dry, but my jacket's near the fire to dry quicker. That means that I, after feeling cold for days, I feeling even colder, lack a jacket, and refuse to go near the fire.

I shiver again. "Sis?" Naruto-nii calls me. I look to him, shivering again. He motions me over, already grabbing a blanket from his tent. I look to the fire, seeing that he's far enough away to not have to worry. Walking over to him, I can't help but wonder at Ecchi-san's stupidity. I mean, it's autumn, and he wants us to train in a river? Idiot.

Still, I agreed to that stupidity. I'll just take off my jacket first next time.

I sit down between Naruto-nii's legs, leaning against him. He covers me with the blanket, wrapping his arms around me to keep me warm. I shiver again, but I soon feel his warmth filling me up.

"You've been quiet." He whispers.

"Nn."

"You aren't okay."

"N-nn." Can't argue there.

"What have you been thinking about?" My parents. Yoshino-sensei. Chouji-kun. The usual.

I take one look at Uchiha-san. "Stuff."

"He wasn't there to hurt you, you know." He's probably talking about that brilliant act of stupidity, transforming into Naruto-nii to get into my apartment. I shrug. I don't care. "He just wanted to talk. I mean, you're the only person that treats him like everyone else. Kind of like how you were with me."

"N-nn."

"Really. You know Yoshino-sensei would get to the bottom of things like that. And she got him to tell her the whole story." He says. I still don't care. "He just wanted someone to see him." Aww, poor widdle Uchiha wants someone to see the boy within? Yes, I'm being very understanding.

"So?"

"Yoshino-sensei believes him. That's why he's still on our team." Still don't care. "He's not that different from us, sis. And especially from you. He's afraid any bond he makes will just hurt him." Then he's completely different from me. I kept people away to protect them.

"Don't care."

"I know. I just thought you'd like to know the whole story."

"I don't."

"Yes, you do. You just don't want to admit it. I get it. One strike and your out, right?"

"Nn." It only takes one kunai to kill you after all.

"Then why are you giving me free passes? I mean, no one in your life has messed up more than me."

"Not the same." Sure, you mess up, Nii-san. You mess up a lot. You make stupid jokes, you annoy me, you tease me. Things that no one else would dream of getting away with, you get away with all the time. But… you mess up because you've never been allowed to have this kind of bond. Others that mess up, do. They don't have the same excuse.

"Because you only have one brother?"

"Because you don't know better." I correct.

"…" I can't see his face, but I feel his body tense.

I stare into the fire, glad it's far away from me. "You've never had someone this close to you. You don't know how to act. You don't know what's okay and what's not." And for a stupid reason too! "I don't blame you for something you can't control."

"… th-thanks." We're quiet for a while. I look around a bit, but there really isn't much to see. This camp is no different from the last, or the one before that. Tents, a fire in the middle, and trees surrounding it. How do people even find their way in this country?

"She's been asking about you." I tease him a bit. Does he suddenly feel warmer?

"You've been hanging out with her because of me?" He's only now figuring this out?

"At first."

"Oh?" He really sounds curious now. REALLY curious.

"We get along." For some reason, I think back on what Ino told me. How she's needed to get to know me for Chouji's sake. I think I understand, a little. "I have to get to know my sister-in-law, right?" I say, smiling.

He holds me a little tighter, obviously needing some comfort. I don't mind, he's warm. "… do you think I stand a chance?"

"Yes." I tell him honestly. I still don't know about the whole 'Hokage thing', that's a long shot, at best. But Hinata admires him, craves for him… loves him. They'll find a way.

"… why?"

Because you're awesome? Because you're learning quicker than I ever have? Because you don't understand how to give up? Because I won't let you give up? I have a thousand reasons why I believe it'll work out for you, but the most important? "I trust you."

8-8

We make it to the 'farm' the next day. Well, this isn't exactly the scenery I was expecting. I mean, I hear 'farm', I think wide open space, wheat or rice growing, maybe some cattle. This… looks like a quiet section of river, and a house. How is this a farm?

Ecchi-san walks up to the house. It's nice enough, I guess. Two stories tall, decent sized, it could probably house a family of six comfortably. The paint job sucks though. It looks like it hasn't been cared for in years.

KNOCK KNOCK!

"Sorry for intruding!" Ecchi-san is polite – when he wants to be. It takes about five minutes before anything happens. The elderly woman that greets us, apologizing for taking so long and complaining about her arthritis acting up again, asks what she can do for us. "We're from Konoha. We're here about the missing documents?"

"O' course, o' course. Come on in, now. Oh, and min' yeh step. Floor's not wud it yuz ta be." A country bumpkin. Well, she seems nice enough. We're asked to follow her, further and further into their… home. This place should have been torn down years ago.

"Y'all 'll has ta fo'give me. Ma son dun up 'n gawn ta town fo' dem tray-durs." I blink. Wow, and I used to think I sounded like an idiot. I can barely make out what the woman's saying.

"It's no problem. Who can I talk to about those missing documents?"

"Da'd be ma son. Why I ain' worried 'bout thin's li' da' in fitty yurs." Ecchi-san actually understands her? Really? "Oh, but wur be ma mannas. Y'all ken cawl me Maw. E'er'body dus."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Maw-san. I am Kakashi. These are Sasuke, Naruto and Aya. Do you know when we can expect your son to be back?"

"Maw-san… fancy un ain' che? I ligh kyu." She sits down on a… chair, I suppose. I creeks and moans under her weight, making me wonder if the thing isn't going to fall apart under her. Still, she's barely more than skin and bone. She's sitting in the sunlight of a cluttered room that really looks like it used to be an elegant room in a statehouse. I don't understand. At all. Things don't add up.

I study what little detail I can make out. The dust is everywhere. On the couch that no one's sat on in years. On the old time piano that's seen better days. The picture frames no one could possibly see the pictures of. It doesn't make sense. No one should live in this place.

"Is there somewhere we can stay until your son gets back?" Ecchi-san asks. I don't even try to make out the reply. When Ecchi-san bows to thank her, I do the same. It's not like I'll even understand her anyway.

8-8

Apparently, we're supposed to 'camp out' until whatever else is arranged. I don't care. It isn't long before Ecchi-san starts dishing out 'suggestions' again. It's two in the afternoon, so we don't need to make camp, but making camp now is just more efficient.

I pitch the tents. Uchiha-san goes for firewood. Naruto-nii is supposed to go fishing – no idea how he's supposed to manage, seeing as we don't have fishing equipment with us. And Ecchi-san? As usual, just lazes about. Whatever.

I do make sure to tell Uchiha-san to take out his tent, I refuse to go into his bag and find something I don't want to find. Somehow it doesn't bug me with Naruto-nii. I mean, I've already seen his boxers a dozen times by now – dirty, clean, still being worn, it doesn't bother me. I guess it's just one of those things, but I'm not sure.

Soon, we're back to having nothing to do. I just sit around, waiting for our 'fearless leader' to do, suggest or even say something.

…

Yeah, no. Time's up. I go into my scroll and unseal 'The sound of silence' and start reading the next chapter. "Hey sis, you brought that book on the elements right?" I nod, still reading. It seems that there's a way to bend sound waves. Interesting. "You mind if I borrow it? I'm really curious." I hand him my book, take out my scroll again and unseal the requested book. We switch books and I get back to my reading.

I feel Naruto-nii leaning up against my back, so that we both have someone warm to lean against. I smile, shifting a bit so I'm up against his back. His warmth is really nice compared to the much cooler air around us. And the humidity isn't helping either.

"Hey, which element do you think I am?" He asks.

How would I know that? "Wind?" I guess. I mean, he's carefree most of the time. He doesn't like being cooped up. He likes to roam where he pleases and do as he pleases. He's kind and gentle to those he likes, but harsh and unforgiving to others. Why that strikes me as 'wind' is beyond me though.

"Hmm." He flips the page a few times. He must be looking for something. "You know, you seem like earth to me."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. You can be harsh and unforgiving. But when you want to be, you're so soft and nurturing." He says. Yeah, whatever. Hmm, wrap the sound waves around your will? And that makes sense, because…? "I think she's water."

"You think about her more than you let on." I say, amused.

"… he's definitely earth." Yeah maybe. "When are you going to let him take you out?" This again?

"…" Silence. It's sometimes more of an answer, sometimes more deafening, than all the noise in the world.

"Aw, come on, sis, you know you want him to." I also know I want him to ask me. He hasn't, and as far as I can tell he isn't planning to. "You know he won't ask you out. He doesn't think he's good enough."

"I see." Well, then we won't go out.

"And he's not really big on self confidence, you know." Since when do you know him so well?

"I see." He's still the sweetest person I know. Even when he's clueless, he just… knows what to say.

"I think you should ask him."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Reading."

"Aw, come on! Don't change the subject on me!" I'm not changing the subject. I'm telling you that you're distracting me from something that's hard to understand. Something that I want to learn. And something that will help me to become stronger in the long run.

"You ask her. I'll ask him." He shuts up immediately. Yeah, I thought so.

8-8

The sun sets before our 'contact' finally shows up. He comes over and introduces himself, but I can't make out anything of what he says. Ecchi-san handles him. After all, he's not doing ANYTHING else.

Not that I care. I have enough rations bars, chocolate and water to last me another couple weeks. If we simply stay here and camp out until this mission's over, I won't care.

"We'll start our investigation in the morning. Do you know who it might be?" Ecchi-san eventually says. I don't care, I'm busy trying to control the sound waves of my humming. I mean, it shouldn't be too different from using sound waves in genjutsu, right? "It's perfectly alright. It never hurts to ask. I must see to my team now. Good evening, Fukui-san."

Ecchi-san makes his way over to us. I don't bother caring. I mean, come on! You're supposed to be training us! After all the grief Naruto-nii gave me to let you, and you still do nothing with it. Moron.

"It would seem that Fukui-san has an office in the house Maw-san didn't tell us about. We've been given permission to investigate. We start in the morning, otherwise we simply won't see anything." Yeah, yeah. "For now, I suggest we set up a watch rotation. Naruto, you've got first watch. Sasuke, you next. Then Aya. Then me. Whatever.

Hmm… the book did say to 'stretch' the sound waves to amplify them, right? Maybe I should-

MREEEEEEW!

O…kay! My humming is not supposed to sound like a ticked off cat!

"WHAT WAS THAT!?" Shut it, Nii-san.

"Oh, is Aya-cha already playing with sound waves?" Shut it, Ecchi-san.

"Activate your precious eyes, and it'll be the last thing you see." I warn the moron eyeing me a little too closely.

"Hnn." Yes, I noticed. Idiot.

8-8

I don't know what we're supposed to find. I don't care. I'm not an investigator. I'm not even interested in becoming one. This is crap. Pure, fresh from the field, crap.

Ecchi-san is explaining things to Naruto-nii and that other guy. I'm just annoyed, and bored, and I'd sooooooo rather be playing my flute or reading a good book, or… anything but standing around in this dusty office looking for clues when it's obvious that whoever was hear came in through the window – seeing as it's in pieces – and left that way, seeing as some of the glass is bent the other way. So, we can guess that whoever did it, was a moron!

"This is a bit more complex than I was hoping." Ecchi-san complains. Yeah, anything including you seems to be that way. I mean, first it was a C-turned-A-rank, and now we're play 'Officer Fukitsu'. What's next? Calling in the dogs to find a scent? Why is he biting his thumb? He slaps his hand on the desk, dust flying up everywhere.

Wait. A. Second! That's a summoning!

"Yo." A pug! A cute iddy bitty, brown coloured pug!

"CYUUUUUUUUTE!" Hey, I'm sorry! I think he's the cutest thing in the world! I rush to him, scoop him up in my arms and cradle him like a iddy bitty baby.

"New team, Kakashi?" The pug asks.

"You could say that." Ecchi-san answers.

"Ooh, and a talking pug too! You're just too precious for words, aren't you? Yesh you are!" I coo, scratching his… yes, it's a him… scratching his belly with my free hand and loving how his legs goes nuts as I do it. "And what would such a cute little pug like you be called? I'll bet it's a really big, strong name, isn't it?"

"Yo. Name's Pakkun. What's yours?" He asks between huffs. He seems to be enjoying this as much as I am.

"Namiki Aya, but you can call me Aya-chan, okay?" I say, smiling brightly at him. "So Pakkun, have you always been this adorable?"

"My mom would say yes, but… meh." He tries acting cool. I just melt! I squeal, and I hug the cute little cutie and kiss him all over.

"I think it's safe to say she likes dogs." Naruto-nii teases. I don't even react.

"Girls and cute things. Yo, Pakkun. I need you to-"

"How do you even put up with such a person, Pakkun? I mean, someone as smart and as strong and as cuddly as you? You should be getting pampered day in and day out! Would you like your Aya-chan to spoil you?"

"Mm. Well, I wouldn't mind if you do. I mean, we use the same shampoo."

"Aww! A cutie and good taste in shampoos! Oh, I just knew I was going to love you the second I set my eyes on you!" I scratch him behind his ear lovingly. I just love this pug!

"Pakkun…!"

"WHAT! Oh, uh… sorry, boss. What do you need?" Pakkun is obviously enjoying his time with me, and he doesn't want someone like that interrupting it. I don't blame him.

Ecchi-san looks annoyed. Tough. "I need you to sniff around and find a scent. It should smell like someone that doesn't work with oysters."

Pakkun jumps down from my arms –sadly– and starts sniffing around. He easily picks up a scent – of course he does, he's sooooo smart! "Three guys, didn't go for anything but something that smells of old leather." And he can identify what they took! Can I keep him!?

"Good. We'll head outside and see if you can pick up a trail."

8-8

We keep following Pakkun, wherever he's leading us. Then he stops. He just stops. "This is where the trail ends, Kakashi." The river. That means there was a boat waiting. That means that this was organized, even if they were amateurs. There's something bigger going on that just petty theft.

"I figured as much. Thanks, Pakkun." Ecchi-san is sooooooooo not letting my widdle Pakkun leave me! I scoop the little pug up before anything else gets said.

"Oh, such a capable little darling too! You tracked those bad, bad men all the way out here!" I coo, happy that he's snuggling into my embrace.

"Team, we need a plan to track the thieves from here."

"Nii-san. Make as many clones as you can and send them down river." I say, still rubbing and scratching wherever Pakkun looks like he wants me to. "They would have wanted a faster getaway, so that's all that makes sense. And make sure to remember every house, settlement or suspicious area."

"Ah… That's a pretty good idea." Ecchi-san admits. Of course it is. This is something basic, moron.

"I'm on it!" Naruto-nii is so loud when he gets excited about something. And, oops… did I leave the mighty Uchiha-san out of my planning? Aww. Once a hundred Narutos start heading downstream, all we have to do is sit tight and wait.

Naruto-nii and I sit back-to-back again, him reading up on the elements, me reading up on sound release. Pakkun is in my lap, idly getting pet, and I scratch his belly every time I get to a part that's a little hard to understand – which happens a lot!

Ah! That's what I did wrong! Don't stretch the sound waves, excite them! Via chakra I should be able to overload them and… yeah, no. Not right now at least. Pakkun has really sensitive hearing, and anything that goes wrong could really upset his poor widdle ears. BUT! This is a good place to start next time I don't mind making some noise!

Excite the sound waves via chakra. If I can figure this out, if I can learn to control them to the point where I can decide what those sound waves do… I can start creating my own jutsu! The book said so!

I CAN HARDLY WAIT!

But… I have Pakkun here with me. Someone this warm, and soft and cuddle is worth putting that aside for a day or two… right? Yes you are, snugly-fuzzy-kins!

8-8

"I found settlements here, here, here, here and here. But the ones I really found fishy were over here, and here. There was also this weird looking cave thing over here. And a really big port town over here." It turns out… Naruto-nii gets the memories of his clones when they disperse. Handy to have, I guess, but I'm not sure why he's only now figuring that out. I mean, he's been using those clones for over a month! How silly can you be?

"Hey… Aya-chan." Pakkun calls me. I look to him, wondering what's up. "Can I talk to you?"

He leads me a little ways away from the group. I'm not bothered in the least. A cutie like you wouldn't ever let me get hurt, would you? No, you wouldn't! No, you wouldn't!

"It's about Kakashi." But apparently you'll bring up annoying people when I'm in a good mood. "I don't know what issues there are between you… but he's a good guy."

He's also a jerk, chronically late, heartless, thoughtless, and a my-way-or-no-way moron. But thanks for telling me something else about him.

"I'm serious. He's rough around the edges." More like as cuddly as a cactus, but go on. "But once you get to know him, he's one of the better humans I know." How many do you know, exactly? I can only prove you knowing four. And frankly, 'one of the better' out of four, when he's already tied for third place…

"You don't believe me. What exactly is the deal between you and him?"

"He's your boss. Do you really want to hear what I think of him and why?" I sort of ask, deadpan – it's not a question he's really supposed to take seriously.

"You're Miwako's pup, aren't you. You smell almost exactly like her. And you act just like her too." And we were getting along so well, too. "Miwako trusted Kakashi. With her life. Do you really think she'd trust someone that wasn't worth trusting?"

"You were there when she died." I don't ask. And he doesn't answer. "You'd never know she died otherwise. Ecchi-san isn't the touchy-feely type, so he'd never talk about it."

I thought I hated him before. Now I'm positive that I do.

8-8

End chapter 16

8-8

A/N: I honestly wasn't sure when this would come up. I had planned from the start for Aya's mother to have died on a mission with Kakashi, but this is really the only logical place for that to come up. Yoshino knows, of course, but she wouldn't want to tell Aya something so hurtful just to get to Kakashi. And Kakashi's smart enough to know not to bring it up. But the thing is, Aya's slowly delving into her past; facing the monsters that go bump in the night. This had to come up sooner rather than later.

Next chapter! We're back to Chouji's side of things. How is he coping without Aya? I mean, since they started hanging out, he's seen her pretty much every day. And now... she's out on a mission after he gets back from his. How will he react?