Kakashi stood outside Naruto's apartment, knocking patiently on the door. When Naruto answered Kakashi found out that Sai and Sakura where there as well. "Um… Naruto do you want to go to dinner at Ichiraku's," Kakashi casually asked.
"Why," Naruto replied, annoyed that Kakashi would try to take him away from Sakura.
"There's someone who I want you to meet and who is paying," Kakashi nudged Naruto hinting that he could eat all he wanted.
Naruto was still skeptical but his stomach growled at the mention of eating ramen noodles. "Who is it?'
"She's a powerful Ninja, more powerful than me and maybe even Jiraiya. She might be interested in training you," Kakashi bribed Naruto and Sakura shook her head, knowing that Naruto was gone. Naruto's mouth dropped and quickly stepped out of the door running towards the stairs.
"Come on Kakashi! We don't want to keep this person waiting," Naruto yelled.
"Um, I'd invite you guys too but it's more of a business call," Kakashi told Sai and Sakura.
Sakura annoyed that they weren't invited as well but nodded and smiled at Kakashi. Sai on the other hand didn't know how to react so he just copied Sakura. Kakashi left them to follow Naruto who was already out the door. On the way there Kakashi convinced Naruto that the person wasn't going anywhere, so that they could take their time.
"Who is this person, any way?" Naruto asked.
"Her name is Ayame and just recently returned to Konoha for a mission."
"Ayame, isn't that the name of Teuchi's daughter?"
"Yeah but this is a different Ayame, she's the fourth's daughter and mine as well."
"How is that possible?"
"After the fourth died, I volunteered to take care of her with the help of a nanny until I was proper age. I guess she's more of a little sister than a daughter." Kakashi laughed.
"But I thought that everyone you loved died?" Naruto spoke bluntly.
"You're just full of questions tonight." Kakashi looked at Naruto as Naruto blushed, realizing the error of his question. But Kakashi didn't scowl Naruto for it instead he looked straight ahead and solemnly said, "I thought so to, she's been away on a mission since she was 12 and was declared dead by everybody, but not officially. Oh look there she is." He pointed towards the female that leaned against the shop. She wasn't what Naruto thought the Fourth's daughter should look like. She had brown hair and brown eyes instead of blonde hair and blue eyes like the Fourth had. Yet, she did intimidated Naruto. Ayame greeted Naruto and all three of them entered Ichiraku.
"So Naruto, Jiraiya told me that he took you as his apprentice for a while. I hope he didn't rub off onto you too much." She ordered some Ramen for herself.
"Unfortunately it has," Kakashi replied while Naruto was ordering.
"Well we will just have to take care of that," Ayame said.
"It's not necessary," Naruto explained. He wasn't ashamed of being like the perverted hermit, because he was a great Ninja so Naruto would take any compliment. Of course Ayame didn't mean that as a compliment.
"So Kakashi tells me that you're a great ninja and that you strive to become stronger." Kakashi stared at Ayame confused, since he never talked about Naruto to her.
"That's right," Naruto chowed down on the ramen in front of him.
"It seems that you're also a ramen fan but I bet you can't be the champ," Ayame egged him on.
"Oh yeah, I'll take him on any time any where." Naruto challenged.
"Really, now. Well if you can beat the champ then I will personally take over your training." Ayame wheeled Naruto in.
"Cool, Kakashi said that you are more powerful than Jiraiya." Naruto's eyes widened and he stopped stuffing his face.
"Well I don't know about that, but it could be true. It's been a while since I battled Jiraiya." Ayame laughed but still didn't touch her noodle and Kakashi noticed this. "So do you accept the challenge?"
"You bet and I promise I won't rest until I bet this person." Naruto jumped out of his seat giving her a thumps up.
"Teuchi you might want to make a huge pot of Ramen noodles it seems that we have a challenge. Let's make it twenty bowls each." Ayame placed a large about of money onto the table that make Naruto fall down in shock.
Once he got up Naruto demanded to know who his challenger is. Ayame only smiled, "Me, of course."
"You!" Naruto laughed at the thought of a girl being the champ. Ayame on the other hand didn't find it amusing and grew angry as Naruto laughed louder and louder. Kakashi rubbed his forehead, hoping that Naruto would shut up soon. He closed his eyes waiting for Ayame to pounce at Naruto but nothing happened. Kakashi opened his eyes to find Naruto staring at the bowls in front of him while Ayame meditated. Then they were off, Ayame gorged herself into her bowl and noticed that she wasn't eating like a normal human being but more like a dog. 'Oh no, Naruto surely is going to lose. She's released part of Gobi. Also he noticed that Ayame meant to do this all along since she hadn't touched her bowl at all while Naruto ate two before they started. It was clear who was going to win. But then the rest of Kakashi's eight-man team poured into the tiny area. Kakashi scooted them outside; he knew that Naruto would be humiliated if his friends saw his defeat.
"Was that a girl that Naruto was racing?" Kiba asked.
"Yes," Kakashi sat down, far away from Ichiraku as possible. When a loud Naruto ran out of the stand, screaming at his defeat. Ayame gave the man more money before departing and heading towards Kakashi. The amazing thing was that, despite eating twenty bowls of ramen she wasn't bloated at all and Kakashi realized that Ayame used her chakra to act as metabolism. She's smart, he had to give that to her but now Naruto is going to be mad and will continue challenging her, he wonder how she would get herself out of this one. Kiba then dropped his jaw at the site of Ayame and Shino acted weirdly when she came near them. Akamaru ran over towards her and she stopped to pet him. He licked her face and she laughed giving him one final pet before taking her seat next to Kakashi.
Naruto meanwhile ran towards Ayame and demanded to have a rematch. Ayame accepted, but Kakashi intercepted "Wouldn't it be wiser, when you're not so full Naruto. You'll end up losing again, your not Choji." Naruto agreed and hung his head down in humiliation, as he took a seat next to Sakura.
"Ayame, this is my current team." Kakashi pointed to each member as he said their names, "Inuzuka Kiba, Hyuuga Hinta, Aburame Shino, Yamato, Sai, Haruno Sakura, and of course Uzumaki Naruto."
"Wow, that is a lot of people on one team," Ayame gave him questioning looks.
"We are the ones that will be accompanying you on your mission." Kakashi said.
"Oh, I see. Well that's good new, Naruto. Now you have a lot of time to try and beat me." Ayame winked at him and Naruto's mood lightened. "Or I could just skip that step and train you myself. Then see if you can beat me." Naruto jumped up once Ayame said that, but also vowed to beat her no matter what.
"Well I must get going, I left in such at hurry that I haven't made time to make reservations at an inn." Ayame stood up.
"Nonsense you're sleeping at my apartment. You can have my bed and I'll bunk on the couch." Kakashi followed Ayame and Ayame nodded as they left the team looking at them weirdly. Kiba swore and realized that girl like that wouldn't be free.
"Are they dating?" Sai was the one to ask the blunt questions this time, instead of Naruto.
"No… she is his adoptive daughter," Naruto stated and felt proud to know something before everyone else.
"What happened to her real father?" Sakura asked Yamato and Naruto grew angry that Sakura didn't ask him.
"He died protecting Konoha." Yamato stared at the two figures that soon where out of view from their eyes.
"Who was he?" Sakura pried more but quickly added, "If Ayame wouldn't mind you telling us."
"The Fourth." Yamato replied. Naruto's mind just clicked and realized that it was because of the demon inside of him that her father died. A surge of guilt rushed into him but Yamato came close to Naruto and told him not to worry too much for he was Hokage and it was his duty. Also that Ayame doesn't resent him because they have much in common.
That night Ayame reached into her bag pulling out a picture frame that was hidden from plain sight and set it on the bed frame next to the picture that Kakashi had of him and his students. Ayame hated that she put Kakashi out of his room but he was stubborn and wouldn't let her sleep anywhere else so she gave up. She closed her eyes to reflect on meeting her brother. He was a lot like their father, the same hair color and cut, eyes, and even attitude towards life. She couldn't wait to learn more about him; also she noticed that they both had things in common as well.
The window was left open to let breeze into the small room and a shadow crept into the room. He hovered over Ayame's sleeping body. His red eyes staring intently at her as he lifted his hand over her body uncovering a needle that he pointed at her. As his arm fell towards her body it hit something solid about a foot from her body. The shield rippled as the object made contact with it. Itachi lightly cursed at his error in judgment. It wasn't like him to forget things. Ayame's head moved as her hands tightened its grip on the pillow. Itachi moved away from her as she flipped over and a necklace fell out of her shirt. Itachi moved closer to touch the necklace, this time the shield was down. He realized that it was the necklace he gave her after their first B rank mission together. Then his eyes moved towards the pictures that were on the headboard. Itachi saw the photo that his mother took of them two and Sasuke, the day after they both gained Chunin status. He picked up the frame and felt an indent in the back. He flipped it over to find another picture of just him and her, with her hugging him and he was keeping his cool. He sat down on a chair near by staring at that photo. When Ayame stirred, once again she turned over this time facing him. She was sweating and breathing heavily as her body involuntary moved about. Itachi looked at he clock to find that he was here for two hours, way over his time limit. Pulling the covers that she kicked off on her again, while putting the photograph back. This time with one change, he kept the photo of them together as he left the room.