Hey guys, SOOOOO sorry about not uploading a new chapter for such a while. I've been crazy busy with my last year of school, ect. Hope you guys like it.
Chapter 2
-One year later-
Ikaru ran down the stairs leading into the shop. "Mommy? Mommy where are you?"
Ellen called out, "I'm in the sewing room."
Ikaru ran into the room. "Mommy, do you think we can go to the park? Please."
Ellen finished a stitch and put down her work. "Yes, we can. I could use a little break."
Ikaru smiled, "Yay!" She ran back upstairs and grabbed her stuffed wolf. Then she ran back down, went to the door and pulled on her sandals.
Ellen came out of the sewing room and came to the door. She put her shoes on and they walked to the park. Ellen sat on the bench, "Don't wander off too far."
Ikaru nodded and ran to the swings. She sat and started swinging. When she got high enough she called to Ellen, "Mommy watch this." Ikaru slipped out of the swing at its highest point and did a front flip. She landed on her feet.
Ellen clapped, "Wow, How long did it take you to get it right?"
"Only seven times."
"I'm impressed. Have you shown your father yet?"
Ikaru nodded, "Yep, he was proud. He said that soon I'd be a ninja if I kept working hard."
Ellen smiled as she watched Ikaru place her wolf on the ground and get back on the swing.
A little boy came onto the playground with his dad. His father went to sit next to Ellen. The boy went over to a swing and just sat there.
Ellen looked at the man. "Hey Aramashi, Long time no see."
"Yes, it's been a while. How are you and Ben doing?"
"We've been doing great. Ikaru is a very sweet little girl."
Aramashi looked over at the kids and smiled. Ikaru was talking to his son.
Ikaru got out of her swing and walked over to the boy, "Hi, what's your name?"
The boy looked up, " My…my name is Ric…Richimaru."
"Wanna go play on the slide?"
Richimaru shyly nodded and they ran to the slide.
Ikaru stopped suddenly. "Hang on, I forgot my wolf." She ran back to the swings. She ran into an older boy who was holding her wolf. "That's my wolf. Can I have her back?"
The boy just laughed. "Does the little baby want her toy?"
Richimaru got mad. That boy was tormenting his new friend. He went up and kicked him in the shin. The boy dropped the wolf allowing Ikaru to get it.
Ikaru grabbed Richimaru and they ran to their parents. Ikaru put her wolf by her mother. She turned and got between the boy and Richimaru. The boy tried to go after Richimaru.
Ikaru pulled out one of the kunai, from years of attacks, by instinct. The boy looked at her with surprise. ' How did she pull that out so fast?' He backed up, not wanting to get in a real fight in front of adults, and ran off, "I'll get you for that."
Ellen was watching. She was a little surprised. 'Wow, she handled that very well.' Richimaru and his father just watched.
Ikaru put the kunai away and walked back over to her mother. "Can we go home? I don't wanna stay anymore."
Ellen nodded, "It's time to go anyway. Remember that your birthday is tomorrow and we have a lot to do. Aramashi, if Richimaru wants to, you guys can stop by the shop tomorrow. We're having a small party for Ikaru."
Richimaru smiled, "I'll…I'll see you tomorrow, Ikaru." The pairs headed off to their homes.
Ikaru ran into the house. "Daddy are you home yet?"
Ben walked into the room, "Yes I just got home."
Ikaru jumped into his arms. "Daddy, I made a friend today."
"You did? I'm proud of you. I brought dinner home." They went into the kitchen and ate dinner.
After dinner, Ikaru took a bath and got ready for bed. First Ben came in to say goodnight and then Ellen was soon behind him. Ikaru got into bed.
Ellen tucked her in, "Goodnight, my little angel." Ikaru soon fell asleep.
–Dream-
Ikaru was walking in a forest. She walked into a clearing and she saw a huge wolf. The wolf was different shades of blue and had five long tails. Ikaru walked up to the wolf.
It said, "Welcome, Ikaru, I was wondering when I would be able to meet you."
Ikaru looked the wolf up and down, "Who are you and where are we?"
The wolf said, "I am Gobi the five-tailed wolf and we are in your mind."
"Why are you here?"
"Unfortunately, I am sealed inside of you. I was a good friend of your parents and I was injured greatly by another of my kind. They wanted you to live a normal a life, but it wasn't meant to be. Some how, the villagers found out."
Ikaru held out her hand to pet Gobi, which Gobi nodded to.
Ikaru said, "Don't feel guilty. If you weren't sealed in me I might not have ever met my new mommy and daddy." Ikaru smiled.
Gobi gently nudged her and said, "You're waking up. I'll see you soon."
Ikaru opened her eyes and stayed in bed for a little while. She was thinking about what Gobi had said. After a while, she decided to get up. She went to her closet and pulled out her outfit of the day. Her outfit was very much like the one she had gotten on the day she was adopted, but it had a few changes. It had harder armor, and the second layer was purple. She pulled on a pair of blue pants and a pair of black sandals.
Ikaru walked downstairs in a slight daze. She sat down at the table and Ellen placed her breakfast in front of her.
"I made your favorite."
Ikaru snapped out of her daze. "Thanks Mommy." She started eating.
Ben walked in. "Morning, my angel." He kissed Ikaru on her forehead.
"Hey Daddy?"
"Yes?"
"Can I go to Kenura's house after breakfast?"
"Well, I don't see a problem with it."
"Yay!" She finished her breakfast and ran back upstairs. She went into her bathroom to brush her teeth. She ran back downstairs and to the door that led to the shop. "I'll be back in a little while."
Ellen called out, "Be careful."
"Ok" Ikaru ran out of the door. She waved as she went out of the door. She ran down the street to Kenura's house and slowed to a walk as she got to the door. She knocked.
Kenura heard the knock and went to answer the door. She opened her door and Ikaru smiled. Kenura let Ikaru in and Ikaru hugged her. "Hey. I missed you. You were gone on that mission all week."
Kenura smiled. "Yea, I missed you too squirt."
Ikaru said, "Hey, I'm not short. Your just tall." She stuck her tongue out.
Kenura laughed, "Should've expected that. Well, at least I got back in time. Wow, seven years old. You'll be able to go to the academy soon." They sat down and talked for a while.
After a while, Ikaru stood up and said, "Are you coming by later?"
Kenura nodded.
"Good, I'll see you later." Ikaru left Kenura's house and headed home.
Kenura watched her leave. 'I'm so glad that she has found a good home and is having a normal childhood."
Ikaru walked into the shop.
Ben saw her, "Good, your back. Your mother needs a little help."
Ikaru nodded and went into the sewing room.
Ellen looked up. "Good you're here. I need your opinion on something." Ellen showed Ikaru a design. "I want to put something else on it but I don't know what."
Ikaru took the picture and started drawing. She added a few flowers onto the design and handed it back to Ellen. Ellen looked at the design and smiled, "That looks wonderful. Thank you."
Ikaru smiled, "You're welcome. Oh, I just got a great idea for a drawing." She turned and ran upstairs.
Ellen walked to the main room of the shop. "Ben, She is quite an artist." She handed him the design.
He smiled, "It's a good talent to have. Now let's finish getting ready for the party." Ben closed the shop and they both headed into the kitchen.
An hour later there was a knock on the back door. Ellen answered. Kenura and another woman stood outside. "Hello Kenura, it's nice to see you. Who's your friend?"
"This is my best friend Kurenai."
"Welcome Kurenai. I am glad to meet you. I'm sure that Ikaru will be too."
Kenura said, "Speaking of the birthday girl. Where is she?"
"She's upstairs."
Kenura and Kurenai put two boxes down on the table and Kenura crept upstairs. Ikaru's door was opened so she decided to surprise her. She crept up behind her and said, "Surprise."
Ikaru jumped in surprise pulling out a kunai and holding it in a defensive position.
Kenura held up her hands. "Whoa, chill, I not going to hurt you. But, that skill will come in handy later on." Ikaru put the kunai down.
"Heh heh…yea, sorry about that. It's become a reflex."
Kenura said, "That's ok. Come on downstairs. There is a friend of mine that I want you to meet." I
Ikaru smiled, "Ok." She stood up and they both headed downstairs. Ikaru saw a woman with black hair and red eyes talking to her mother.
Kenura said, "Kurenai, here is the birthday girl."
Ikaru bowed, "Hi, it's nice to meet you."
Kurenai said, "It's nice to meet you too." Then they all heard a knock on the door and Ikaru ran to answer it.
She opened the door to see Richimaru and his parents. She led them in. His parents went to talk with the other adults.
Richimaru handed her a box. "Um… here. Happy birthday."
Ikaru smiled. "Thanks, you didn't have to get me anything you know."
Richimaru said, "It's for yesterday. Hey, Um… I was wondering, could…could you teach me how to handle a kunai?"
Ikaru nodded, " Sure, let's go to the back yard." They went to the yard and Ikaru started to teach him how to throw a kunai. The adults just watched.
Richimaru's father smiled and said, "Your daughter has really helped him to come out of his shell. He's been looking forward to the party all day. I do wonder how she comes across her skills so young."
Ben smiled, " We really don't know. I used to be a ninja, but retired at a young age. It wasn't a life that I could live, but she might be able to. She already has many skills. It's her choice. Both Ellen and I support her in her decisions."
Richimaru's dad nodded.
Richimaru's mom said, "Are you going to put her in the academy next year?"
Ellen nodded, "She's really excited about it."
They all heard Richimaru say, "Yea, I hit the target." Ellen smiled and called, "Ikaru, come on, lets go start the party." Ikaru said, "Alright, we can do this some other time." They all headed inside and went to open Ikaru's presents.
Kenura said, "Open mine first, I think you'll like them."
Ikaru opened the box and took out a pair of leg weights.
"You put your chakra in them and that increases the weight."
Ikaru hugged her, "Thanks." Ikaru opened Kurenai's next. It was a pair of arm weights and a scroll on genjutsu.
Ikaru smiled, stood up, and bowed, "Thank you."
Her mother handed her a box. She opened it. In it was a kunai pouch, a supply pouch, and some kunai. She gave a big smile and ran over to Ellen.
She gave her a big hug. "Thank you, Mommy."
She opened the one from her father next. The box was long. In it was a katana. Ikaru looked at Ben slightly confused.
He said, "It was mine when I was a ninja."
Ikaru gave him a big hug. "Thank you so much Daddy."
She finally opened Richimaru's gift. In it was a bracelet. She put it on. It had two Safire and a dark blue stone in a gold DNA shaped meld.
Richimaru's mom smiled, "Richimaru helped me design it. I run a jewelry store and he thought that it would fit."
Ikaru hugged Richimaru, "Thanks, this means a lot."
Richimaru just blushed.
Ellen brought in the cake and had Ikaru blow out the candles. Once they were out, the cake was cut and handed out to everyone. Too soon the party ended and everyone was gone. After the house was cleaned up, Ikaru and her parents sat on the floor playing a game. Ikaru was sitting in Ben's lap and Ellen was sitting right next to them.
Ben spoke up, "Hey, Ikaru, we have something to tell you."
Ikaru looked up at him so that he looked like he was upside down. "What?"
"Well, your mother is going to have a baby." "You mean that I'm getting a little brother or sister?"
Ellen said, "Yes, angel, that's what it means."
Ikaru smiled and they went back to the game.
It wasn't long before Ikaru's eyes started drooping and she fell asleep against Ben's chest.
Ellen gathered the presents and took them upstairs. Ben gathered Ikaru into his arms and took her upstairs. They both helped get her ready for bed and they tucked her in.
Ikaru walked through the forest, but this time she knew where to go. When she saw Gobi she ran over to her.
"Hey, how are you doing today?"
Gobi looked up, "I'm doing just fine Cub."
"Cub?"
"That's what you call a young wolf."
"Gobi, will you help train me? I wanna be a ninja, just like my dad was."
"Of course. We can start tomorrow." Ikaru smiled and fell into a peaceful dream.
