Eien no Shasai

(Edited Version)

Chapter 2;

No Namaega Hitsuyoude

In Need Of A Name

-----x-----

Hikari; light in the form of a ray or brilliance.

-----x-----

"Sasuke-kun…" the girl sighed softly. He was late, very late, and he was hardly ever late. Sasuke was known for taking his ninja training seriously and was never tardy. She hoped something hadn't happened to him. Then again, she wouldn't mind if he had a cold. She could play nurse and take care of him. The thought made her blush.

"Ne, Sakura-chan!"

But while Sasuke was not yet here, she wasn't alone. No, she was stuck with this nuisance. He couldn't remain quiet for even five seconds! While rather impatient herself, at least when it was quiet she could daydream of Sasuke. Or when he was here, she could simply stare at him, memorising all of his perfect features. His silky dark hair, smooth skin, straight nose, perfect lips… ohhhh…

"Sakura-chan!"

Alas, the nuisance still whines for her attention. Was it too much to ask for some peace so she could dream of her love? She couldn't dream of her wedding day or future kids while he was yelling in her ear!

"Nani?!" But then she saw him. Her Sasuke. He was heading towards them, was he running? Oh he must be in such good shape and have hot muscles, cha!

And then her eyes landed on what he was carrying.

"NANI?!"

Who in the world was that evil harlot that has her claws in her Sasuke-kun?!

She jumped to her feet, soft pink hair following the sudden movement.

"Yo!" Kakashi greeted, appearing suddenly. "Sorry I'm late, I—" The Jounin was cut off when the Uchiha skidded to a stop in front of him, seemingly with his feathers ruffled a bit. Ah, so the boy wasn't a complete ice burg after all. After taking in Sasuke's slight anxious expression, his visible eye drifted to the unconscious girl he was awkwardly holding. The boy wasn't holding her right, his hands were too far apart which was why he was finding it difficult to hold her. "What have we here, hm?"

"I found her when I was training, I tried waking her and had trouble finding a pulse," Sasuke muttered almost angrily. While Kakashi wanted to raise an eyebrow at Sasuke's attitude he instead became serious. Sasuke laid her down, well; he more or less dropped her.

The Jounin crouched down and placed two fingers to her neck. He took note of the soft rhythm as the Genin crowded around him. Sasuke seemed uncomfortable while Naruto and Sakura appeared anxiously curious.

"She seems fine, just knocked out," Kakashi said. Though he was by no means a medical ninja, being of his rank you learnt from experience. From what he could see, the girl seemed in no immediate danger though she was incredibly pale and her lips were slightly purple. As well as this, she was very cold.

"Ne, ne, Kakashi-sensei, she isn't going to die is she, dattebayou?"

"I doubt it Naruto," Kakashi reassured, while not taking his eyes off the girl. She was incredibly still despite the fact he could see the slight rise and fall of her chest as she inhaled and exhaled silently. "Oi, rise and shine kid," he said touching her shoulder.

"Maybe she's sick?" Sakura asked. Though slightly worried, she was still angry that girl had the honour of being carried by Sasuke. She was surprised he hadn't just left her there but reasoned that Sasuke was after all a gentleman and had his morals.

"Perhaps," Kakashi said, analysing anything out of the ordinary and seeing if they matched symptoms of any illness he could recall. Perhaps a trip to the hospital? He hadn't seen her around before and from the looks of it neither had any of the Genin, despite seeming around the same age. It was unlikely she was a spy or enemy, but he couldn't rule it out. A trip to the Hokage was in order.

But if she didn't wake in ten minutes he would take her to get medical attention. Possible enemy or not, she was still a child.

"Ne, she's pretty don't you think?" Naruto said, a goofy grin sneaking onto his face.

"Urusai, baka!" Sakura hissed punching him on the top of his head.

"Ite-e! You're pretty too, Sakura-chan!" Naruto whined rubbing his head.

"Shh, she's waking up," Kakashi informed and the two immediately became quiet, leaning in for a better look. Though curious, Sasuke remained uncaring on the outside.

The girl blinked twice, before fully opening her eyes. She seemed disorientated as she looked around and then sat up a hand coming to her forehead.

"Steady. Don't get up too fast," Kakashi said sternly, a hand on her shoulder.

"Where… Where am I?" she said quietly, almost a whisper. "Who are you?"

"We'll explain soon, come on let's get you checked out," Kakashi said, his visible eye seeming to close in a smile. The girl looked at him puzzled taking in his odd appearance. The man had silver hair that seemed to defy the laws of gravity. The majority of his face was covered, a navy mask covering his nose, lower face and neck, a headband with a silver plate tied around his head and crooked to cover his left eye. His clothes consisted of a long-sleeved navy shirt, a green vest of sorts, navy pants, fingerless gloves with metal guards over the knuckles and strange looking sandals. He also had bandages on his legs, was he hurt?

Wary of the strange man, she shakily stood, her legs weak and wobbly beneath her. She was aware of a hand on each forearm holding her steady and tensed at the sudden touch. She turned her head to the side to see incredibly blue eyes.

"Hi! Ore wa Uzumaki Naruto, future Hokage, dattebayou!" the owner of the eyes announced. His eyes weren't the only things bright about him however. His blonde hair was almost yellow it was so bright, and was a spiky style that reminded you of the sun. His skin was lightly sun kissed giving him a healthy glow. His clothes were even brighter, an orange and blue jumpsuit with a white collar, and the same blue sandals as the older man. Despite the colours though, what really stood out were his eyes and smile (and also his rather loud voice). She also noticed three whisker-like stripes on each cheek, giving him a slight animal likeness, yet at the same time, made him look cute.

"Naruto, she's just woken. Give her some space," the silver-haired man said, his voice almost bored.

"Demo, demo, Kakashi-sensei!" he whined.

"Baka Naruto!" Sakura scolded, annoyed with his complaints.

"Oi, you don't look steady, I think I should carry you," Kakashi said, turning to the girl.

"I will, dattebayou!" Naruto offered.

"Honestly, I—"

She didn't get a chance to finish, as the man swept her up. Uncomfortable with the lack of space, she curled slightly, her muscles tensing.

"Maa, let's go see Hokage-sama," Kakashi said, beginning to walk ahead.

"Matte, wait up, dattebayou!" Naruto cried, rushing after him as his team-mates followed.

-----x-----

"Ne, Sasuke-kun, do you know that girl?" Sakura asked. She couldn't get rid of that twinge of jealousy, and naturally wanted reassurance. After all, the girl was rather pretty. Long blonde hair, fair skin, thin and dainty, she could be competition! She grew her hair out because she heard a rumour Sasuke liked girls with long hair after all.

"Iie."

"Me either, who do you think she is?" Sakura's voice lowered to a whisper and she daringly moved to walk closer to Sasuke. It was an opportunity she must seize!

"Hn."

Sadly, Sakura had yet to learn the translations to Sasuke's grunts and was therefore unable to continue the conversation. In time however, she would know him so well she would be practically able to read his mind, she was sure. For now, she would just enjoy the closeness… Mou, he moved away!

Meanwhile, Naruto was trying to engage the girl in conversation.

"Ne, so what's your name, dattebayou?"

"Naruto, wait until after we've seen Hokage-sama to ask questions," Kakashi said, without even glancing the boys way. The girl was like a shy but inquisitive kitten, her eyes looking around as much as she could as they walked, yet repeatedly glancing at him and his students.

"Demo, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto complained with a childish pout. "Ne, ne, what's your favourite food Ojou-chan? Mines ramen, dattebayou! Have you ever tried Ichiraku ramen? It's the best, dattebayou! Iruka-sensei sometimes treats me, and then it's even better!"

"Ramen?"

"You've never had ramen?! That's it; I'm taking you to try ramen as soon as possible, dattebayou! You don't know what you've been missing, honestly, I can't believe you've never tried it, it's awesome!" Naruto was such an enthusiastic speaker. Kakashi discreetly sighed, his ears hurting from Naruto's constant chatter. However the girl seemed genuinely interested, and realising he hadn't been hit Naruto continued to blabber on about nonsense. Nonsense being ramen.

Seeing as ramen was hardly a dangerous secret that could endanger the village, Kakashi let Naruto waffle on.

"I really like miso ramen though, I try to get different flavours every day but it depends how I'm feeling. Have you thought about what you'd like to try first? Personally, I think they're all good, but…"

"We're here," Kakashi stated, feeling relieved. The girl looked up at the building with curiosity. Deciding to get it over with, Kakashi walked up the steps and inside, swiftly heading towards the Hokage's office. People recognised him and didn't bother him. He placed the girl down and gave two sharp knocks on the door.

"Enter."

Kakashi did so, the others following behind. Kakashi steered the girl in with a hand on her shoulder, still not fully trusting of her.

"Aa, Kakashi. What can I do for you?" the elderly man said interlacing his fingers and resting his hands in front of him. He wore white robes and a hat with a cloth around the back and sides. On the hat was the kanji for fire. He looked curiously at the young girl Kakashi had brought along.

As far as his memory goes, he had never seen her before. Some characteristics were familiar, but he had seen many, many people in his time so it was to be expected. Her features were soft and feminine, large eyes with hues of blue, green and grey, blonde hair to her mid back, fair skin and a rather dainty frame.

"We found a lost little girl," Kakashi said, his hand becoming slightly heavier on her shoulder. "She was unconscious when found."

"I see," the Hokage said grimly, immediately catching on to Kakashi's suspicions. "I'm afraid I'll have to ask the Genin to leave while I ask her a few questions."

"Nande?" Naruto immediately protested.

"Don't argue Naruto, take this time to train together," Kakashi said in a lazy scold. Sakura dragged Naruto out and Sasuke shut the door after them.

"Now then," the Hokage began and Kakashi pushed her forwards slightly. "Do you know who I am?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't," she replied awkwardly.

"I am Sandaime Hokage of Konohagakure," he said, introducing himself.

"Hokage? Konohagakure?" she repeated under her breath, though it was clearly heard.

"I am the leader of this village, this village being Konoha," he explained and she nodded in understanding. "What's your name?"

"I…" Realisation hit her like a slap to the face. "I… I don't know."

"You don't know?" the Hokage repeated taking a puff on his pipe. "I see. How old are you?"

"I…" A sense of dread began to eat away at her. "I can't remember."

"Where are you from?"

"I don't know… But I don't think it's here, nothing seems familiar to me," she replied meekly, starting to withdraw within herself.

"Hmm," he breathed out a ring of smoke. "Can you remember anything, anything at all?"

"A mixture of images and sounds that make little sense to me," her head lowered as her uncomfort grew.

"And the two katana strapped to your back?" he asked, pointing at her with his pipe.

"Katana?" she repeated, her face scrunching slightly in confusion. The Hokage stared at her pointedly and she slowly reached behind her. She felt something made of a smooth hard material and followed it with her hands, twisting her shoulder slightly until she came to the handle. Gripping it she pulled, but stopped when Kakashi's grip on her shoulder tightened until it slightly hurt. Flinching at the sudden pressure, she allowed her hand to drop to her side.

"I'm going to have to do some tests, is that alright?" the Hokage asked, rising to his feet. He was shorter than she thought he would be.

"Hokage-sama, someone else should…"

"No, Kakashi," the Hokage said sternly. "It is incredibly hard to be a convincing liar. I've seen many attempts in my time and I am quite positive this child is genuine. She's far too anxious."

"She could be hiding something," Kakashi said. "Though my first instinct agrees with you."

"Alright child, I'm going to run some tests, some may be uncomfortable but I know what I'm doing alright?" the Hokage said coming to stand in front of her, smiling reassuringly. She looked at him warily, and then nodded. "Your hands please."

He took her hands and ran his old fingers over them. It was almost like a hand massage, though was uncomfortable when he pinched her fingertips. He then took hold of her chin and peered into her eyes, turning her face left and then right. He then asked her to stretch, and moved her arms, legs and bent her back. He straightened her.

"Now, this shouldn't hurt, though it may tingle and feel odd." Before she could ask what, the tip of the index finger on his right hand became surrounded with a blue glow. He went to touch her skin with it but suddenly fell back, as though an invisible force had pushed him.

"Hokage-sama!" Kakashi said alarmed but the Hokage raised a hand, saying he was alright. He stood and looked at his hand, surprised to see his finger burnt and a cut running down the middle of it to his palm.

"Gomenasai! Gomenasai! I didn't mean to, I swear!" she cried desperately. The old man smiled slightly and nodded.

"It's perfectly alright. Now, would you mind gathering Chakra in your hand for me?"

"Chakra?" she repeated, still very much on edge after what had just happened. "Sumimasen, I don't understand."

"I see… Can you try and concentrate your energy to your hand?" he said, rephrasing it. She uneasily held out her hand and glanced at it. "It works better when you relax," he said, seeing the slight tremor in her hand.

For a moment nothing happened and then a bright blue flame engulfed her entire hand making her yelp and fell back, trying to escape a part of her own body. The flame immediately went out and Kakashi steadied her, as she stared at the Hokage with wide, almost accusing eyes. She clutched her hand to her chest as though it was slapped.

"Hokage-sama?" Kakashi murmured and the old man snapped out of his thoughts.

"Aa, I apologise." He walked back to his desk and sat down. "Lastly, could you please demonstrate your katana skills."

"A-as far as I know I've never wielded a katana," she said shakily, still startled by the burning in her hand.

"Could you please try?" he requested, as he wrapped his bleeding hand quickly and then turned his attention back to her. She reached up and grasped her right katana with her right hand. "You'll find it easier if you change hands." She blushed slightly and did so, unsheathing the blades.

Once she'd freed them from their protective sheath, she held them in front of her, in awe of them. To her, they seemed the perfect weapon. Lightweight, clearly sharp, deadly and beautiful. To whoever made them, they must be his finest piece of art. They appeared flawless.

"You have a natural grip," the Hokage said with a small smile. She snapped out of her thoughts and looked up again. She didn't know if he spoke the truth or not, yet felt comfortable holding them, her uneasiness washing away like waves in the sea. She felt protected, and in this strange environment, the feeling was welcomed. "Please, try them out."

"What if I break something?" she asked, though seemed calmer than before.

"It doesn't really matter," the Hokage reassured. She still hesitated. "Neither of us shall laugh should you make a mistake," the Hokage said, reading her easily.

What did she have to lose? Spinning the blades she adjusted her grip and suddenly, felt as though nothing else mattered. Her movements were like a memorised routine, slash, slash, slash, stab, spin, duck, switch stance, loosen grip, flick, slash.

"Aa," the Hokage said with a nod and she stopped, sheathing her blade her cheeks taking a cheery turn as her face became hot with embarrassment. "Impressive skill for someone so young."

"Arigatou?" she mumbled nervously looking to the ground.

"Would you mind waiting outside for a short time? I have something important to discuss with Kakashi. I shall call you back in once we have finished," he requested, motioning to the door. She nodded and quickly left, closing the door behind her.

"Hokage-sama?" Kakashi asked and the old man once again took his pipe into his mouth, before removing it and exhaling smoke.

"The child worries me," the Hokage confessed, his old eyes serious.

"You believe she is a danger?" Kakashi asked.

"I'm uncertain. She has an alarming amount of Chakra, yet does not even know what it is," the Hokage said grimly. "She was clumsy and unsure of her katana, but once they were in her hands she was a natural. She's incredibly flexible, more so than most ninja who train everyday and certainly more than the average person. Yet despite this, her hands are smooth and soft, as though they had never engaged in combat." He lifted his bandaged hand and observed it, seeing spots of blood sinking through. "And when I tried to touch her with Chakra, to see how she would react… She was wary of it and unsure, but I'm positive the strange attack was unintentional."

"What does this mean?"

"We have a very strange little girl," the Hokage said. "She's frightened and confused, yet doesn't seem to understand the ninja system. She doesn't even know what a Hokage is. But how can she be so talented and skilled, yet have no knowledge of it. She's certainly not from Konoha, yet doesn't seem to be a spy."

"What should we do?" Kakashi questioned.

"Well, she cannot attend the academy," the Hokage said, straightening in his seat. "She's too strong and may harm the inexperienced children accidentally," he glanced at his hand. "That, I simply cannot allow. Also, due to the slight chance of her being a spy, it's not safe to let her into the education system, where she can get hold of information on students and their parents."

"But, if she's too dangerous to allow in the academy, what can we do with her?" Kakashi asked.

"We can't lock her up or interrogate her; she's a mere child with no memories. I can't pull Jounin or ANBU away from their duties to baby sit her, they have their own missions to attend to. I think the best course of action is to put her on your team, under your watch."

"My team, Hokage-sama?" Kakashi repeated.

"Hai. That way, should her amnesia wear off you'll be the first to realise. Also, she will be under constant supervision not only by you, but by your curious students. On the other hand, it would be good for her to socialise with people her age. She's woken up in a strange place, confused and with not a familiar soul to comfort her," the Hokage said.

"It makes sense I suppose," Kakashi agreed with a soft sigh. "But what if her memory does not return?"

"Then she shall be adopted by Konoha," the old man's face lit with a small smile. He always did have grandfatherly qualities. "She will become a Konoha shinobi and will make us proud."

"I see."

"Could you call her back in? I can almost feel her anxiety through the door," the Hokage requested. The Jounin moved towards the door, and opened it, poking his head out. The girl was startled and looked round at him.

"You can come back in now," Kakashi said seeming to smile behind his mask. She seemed to hesitate and the way her arms were crossed tightly to her body she felt insecure and vulnerable. But she surprised him with how quickly she swallowed and tried to hide her fear, following him back inside.

"I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long?" the Hokage asked.

"Iie, Hokage-sama," she said, referring to him in the same way she had seen Kakashi do. If she was honest, it had felt like an age waiting outside while they decided her fate. She had spent her time searching her mind, trying to drag memories and answers from its depths. Sadly, she only got blurred faces and voices. "Hokage-sama?"

"Hmm?"

"I can't be certain, but… I think my parents will miss me if I have them. I think my hazy memories refer to them. Have there been… any missing children lately?" she asked hopefully. Who would know her better than her parents? Surely they would be able to fill in the blanks.

"Gomen." Her face fell at the word. "I'm afraid any lost children are usually found by ninja. There haven't been any reports of missing children."

"I see," she said quietly. For a moment the two men thought she would shed tears, but when she looked back up to receive their verdict, though slightly dulled, her eyes were dry of any tears.

"Due to your strong Chakra it would be unwise to send you to the academy. Instead I'm going to put you on Kakashi's team with Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke. This way, you'll be able to learn to control your Chakra while putting your skills to use. It might even jog your memories. However, should any memories come to mind, you must inform Kakashi or myself immediately, understood?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

"You are to follow Kakashi's orders. Your team-mates may be a little wary at first, but they'll warm up to you. You will be going on low-rank missions together, to assist the village and earn money you need. Do you understand this?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

"Good. Now then," he reached into his draw and pulled out some black cloth. "Welcome to Konohagakure." She gave him a confused look and Kakashi gently pushed her forwards. She walked to the front of the desk, and after a look from the Hokage, held her hands out. He gave her the cloth, and she was surprised to see a metal plate attached, the same symbol as on Kakashi's headband engraved into it. "This is your Konoha hitai-ate, you are now an official ninja of Konoha."

"I'm a… ninja?"

"Hai. What else? Ah, from my calculations, due to your height, intelligence and body development you are twelve years old and were born in mid to late October."

"October?"

"October the 21st as a rough estimate."

"Now all you need a name."

"But what should I be called?" she asked.

"Kakashi, you're her sensei, why don't you give her a name?" the Hokage asked. Kakashi's visible eye blinked slowly and he looked down at the small girl.

"Hmm… Hikari."

"A common name," the Hokage mused. "Nonetheless it suits her. Hikari; light in the form of a ray or brilliance. Do you approve of the name?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama," she replied politely, though still seemed uncomfortable with the whole business.

"Then it's settled, Hikari-chan." The Hokage seemed pleased. "I think that's everything."

"Hokage-sama," Kakashi said, interrupting him. "Where is Hikari going to live?"

"Hmm…" he closed his eyes in thought. "As far as I'm aware, most available places are already in use, and those free are far too large and expensive for just you to be living on your own. Also, it would seem odd if you were to live with Kakashi. He is after all, still a young man."

"I find that offensive."

"You know what I mean," the Hokage said, brushing Kakashi's comment aside. "Perhaps with one of your students then? Or another of the rookies?"

"I'll look into it," Kakashi said, his hands sinking into his pockets as his posture seemed to relax more into a slouch. "If I can't find anything I'll send her back here."

"Aa, go inform your team then," the Hokage said simply. "Oh and I'll inform the hospital to expect you, pop in for a check up when you have the chance. One last thing, Hikari?" She looked up at him and he smiled widely, his wrinkles deepening. "As Konohagakure's Hokage, I welcome you to my family."

A/N; Merry Christmas my lovelies! I managed to get this out, I'm sorry im taking so long! Anyway I wish you all a very happy holiday, much love to you all. May all your wishes come true :D

Thank you all for my reviews, the positive feedback added to my christmas joy. I hope this little chappy adds to yours.