A/N: It's been two years since I've last updated this story and have decided to return to it. It's left me to reread the original and up to the sixth chapter of Dragon's Storm. I've also just recently finished reading the Naruto manga... and realized the whole ending of the series has thrown a wrench in my original plans... but that, dear readers, doesn't entirely change my entire plan for this story. I do, however, plan on writing a third final part of the this story after finishing this one up.
I hope you enjoy the upcoming chapters of Yoru's adventures. :)
Chapter 7
The sun had started to set by the time Kakashi returned home with Iruka along behind him. Both older shinobi were shocked to see a little violet-haired child run about the kitchen table then right back into the living room... with Sakura chasing along after her.
"S-Sakura?" Kakashi spoke up, blinking as he gaped from underneath his mask.
Sakura stopped and noticed her sensei at the front door and gave a nervous smile. "Hello, Kakashi-sensei." she said, with a little wave.
Misaki used this chance to sneak away, but squealed when she was scooped up. All three of the shinobi turned their heads towards the bottom of the steps, there the draconic youth stood with one foot still on the bottom step and the little child giggling in his arm as he cradled her. He cooed and thrummed at her as if he didn't notice Iruka and his father in the room. He smiled down at Misaki, tickling her stomach then stopped and finally looked up. Yoru gave a small smile, crimson cat-like eyes stung with the threat of tears once he saw the man who raised him most of his life.
"Hello, father."the draconic youth spoke softly.
Yoru's voice sounded much different to the older shinobi. He didn't sound like the small child who once looked up to him with bright, wide eyes. Nor did he look like the small child he once was almost three years ago. What he saw now was a tall, strong young man and Yoru appeared to almost stand about six-foot. His white hair was much longer and loosely bound, draping over one shoulder. It also seemed that the draconic youth cut the left side of his head so much shorter. Yoru had strange, elegant and elaborate markings decorating his forehead and down the bridge of his nose. He even had his left ear pierced and decorated with the silver dragon charm that once belonged to his mother. The junin even noticed Yoru's headband now hung at his neck, with the symbol intact without a scratch. That gave him a relieving feeling Yoru didn't go rogue at least. Kakashi took a step towards his son then paused as he gazed back down at the small child cradled in Yoru's arm.
"Is she-?" Kakashi began to ask.
Yoru gave a slight nod, "She's a Ryuu Yokai the same as me." he knelt down and set Misaki down onto her feet. Bright, wide eyes looking up towards Kakashi in curiosity then back to her adoptive father.
The draconic youth smiled softly and gave her an encouraging, gentle nudge towards Kakashi. The little Ryuu Yokai trotted over to the older shinobi and stared right up to him. Both watched each other briefly before Misaki tossed up both her arms and stood on her tip-toes, giving little mews as she wanted to be picked up. Kakashi bent over and picker her up, resting her upon his hip.
"What's your name, little one?" Kakashi asked her gently.
Iruka moved around Kakashi to place the groceries they purchased onto the table then went back to close the front door. He beckoned Sakura over to help him put things away, leaving the other two to catch up for now. Iruka was very glad to see Yoru back, hoping greatly it'll help Kakashi get out of his slump and back to his usual self. Ever since Yoru randomly disappeared a few years ago, the junin had constantly went to Lady Hokage and ANBU. Pressing for any information or where he might have gone. To see the draconic youth now, with a small child with him, did cause questions to bubble up in his mind. Though, Iruka reasoned with himself, it would be best to wait till he's told by Yoru himself later.
Kakashi and Yoru had moved into the living room with little Misaki. The two sat on the sofa in silence as they watched Misaki play with a puzzle box Yoru handed her from his tool pouch. Kakashi had so many questions, but he didn't know where to start. While Kakashi thought over things, Yoru glanced about the room. He noted a few things that have never been there before or somethings that have been moved about. He even noticed how spotless clean the place was... even the tomato plant thrived on the mantle of kitchen window. A little smirk crossed his lips once he quickly pieced it all together after looking over to Iruka. The other older shinobi seemed very at home and knew where everything was in the kitchen. In the past, Iruka had watched over him while Kakashi were on missions that took him away from home for long periods of time. Though, Iruka hardly cooked at home and took him out to the ramen shop majority of his stay.
Watching Iruka more closely as he talked with Sakura, Yoru noticed something barely poking out from underneath the turtle-neck collar of his shirt. 'Do I call him Mama now or would that be too much?' Yoru thought to himself.
"So, uhm... what's her name?" Kakashi finally spoke up.
"Mmn?" Yoru turned his attention back to his father. "Her name is Misaki."
Kakashi gave a small nod and repeated the name quietly to himself. The junin then looked back up to his draconic son. "If she's also the same as you, is she also an Uchiha?"
Yoru shook his head and leaned back into the sofa. "No, she's not of my clan... nor of my blood." his answer confused the older shinobi.
"Not an- from what I know, Ryuu Yokai were, are, of the Uchiha clan. Are you certain she's not?"
"I'm certain." Yoru leaned back forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he laced his fingers together. "A few months ago, I found her - or to be clear - she found me, stumbling out of the brush. I was just as surprised as you to find she was also like me. Later, I found her mother..." Yoru looked down at the floor. "She was dead. Looked as if she died fighting to keep this little one hidden. What ever her name was before, it died along with her Mother... so, I gave her a new one." Yoru sat up to reach a hand back and sift through his tool pouch. "I found this on the Mother's body," then held the small out he retrieved out for Kakashi to see. "It's old and of the Senju clan."
"Senju... but the Senju have no record of having any Ryuu Yokai." Kakashi was shocked to hear that the small child in his lap was of Senju. The Uchiha clan have had Ryuu Yokai dating back to the old warring days between Senju and Uchiha. Before the Hidden Leaf was founded.
"The only explanation I have is maybe my ancestor, Arashiryuu, actually managed to sire a child with someone in the Senju clan. Unaffected of the curse that was later put upon him and his descendants within the Uchiha." Yoru stated. Before he could continue, he perked up to the delicious smells wafting from the kitchen. "We'll have to look into it at a later date. For now, I think it's time for dinner." he smiled and stood up, waiting for Kakashi to stand.
The junin stood, handing off the child off to Yoru, who began to coo and purr to the child like before. As the two of them went ahead into the kitchen, Kakashi paused and thought for a moment. 'I'm a grandpa... before I'm even thirty...'
