Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

Edit: Shout out to any who can guess the names of the four OCs introduced. Wataru is easy but the other ones are all nicknames. Hint two of them are plant names but one is a body of water like Wataru is.

Add on to the AN at the bottom Azuki will be a Haku sort of character who will like trolling people on their gender.

"Wait up, Onii-chan!" Azuki was chasing after me again, her* steps loud in trying to catch up.

I inwardly cringe at her nickname for me but ignored it otherwise. "Come on, Azuki, you're too slow!" I peeked behind me as I ran to see how she was doing.

Azuki was a clumsy child and it also didn't help that her long, white scarf trailed after in an almost comical fashion. I found it almost cute with tHe fact that the scarf covered most of her face and adds even more character to her ditzy self.

"Don't you want to explore with me?" Deeming the speed Azuki was going at too slow I grabbed her hand to pull her along. We were only four years old but Miki-San deemed us old enough to go outside.

Miki-San had packed us a bento and sent us off with a warning to not wander too far. And I took that as permission to go exploring in the village.

I already knew that I lived in a Hidden village somewhere in the Land of Water.

How could I not with the way Miki believed in early development?

She taught all of her children how to read and write early and with the two of us being the youngest kids under Miki-San's care, so she's really gung-ho about teachingg us early.

Azuki was a truly bright kid despite failing in a lot of normal day to day aspects of life. She learned to read before I did and she had practice in calligraphy when I was still struggling with hiragana. And when we were learning history... Their lessons might have held the same content but Azuki grasped concepts and the undertones of the lessons before I did.

Azuki was the true genius.

I was... I was just good at remembering.

The only thing I had over her was math and even there I got the feeling she would one day surpass me.

Still though Azuki was... the beacon? of my life.

She was what kept me anchored when the memories of a past(?) life resurfaced. Azuki's adorable face and constant warm smiles were strangely healing to me.

Oh? Are we at the market place already? I've been here once or twice with Miki-San and a few of the older kids but it was always rushed. Now though I could take my time and look all I want and satisfy my curiosity.

Walking with Azuki's hand in mine, it strangely made my chest warm.

I felt like as long as there was Azuki I would do anything to keep us happy.

Mitsuki was gonna be the best Big Sister ever!**

Oooh, frozen yogurt!

But, man! Look at how much Ryo it costs.

Although I had some of my allowance in my pocket and it was probably enough for something silly like Baby's First Errand but it wasn't enough to buy ice cream...

And now that I know what to look for a lot of the dairy products are really, super popular but also really expensive too.

Even the price of plain milk and yogurt was kind of extensive. It really made me think twice about nagging Miki-San about buying milk and ice cream.

'Like this milk based Popsicle stick!'

Is what I think when I see an adult go and buy three of 'em. I'm practically seething at this. Is that adult going to eat all three of 'me all by himself? Couldn't he share some with let's say... me!?

But then I see him walk to the end of the street and there's these two older kids waiting for him. The girl looks really grumpy and impatient to see him and it seems that he was late. But the younger one just looks happy to see him. They must be his kids.

The guy has such a derpy face on as he smiles and apologizes that it looks like the girl'll forgive him.

How nice. I wonder what's it like to have parents. I know I have Miki-San and she's really nice but sometimes she's really strict too.

Bet it would be really nice. With parents who are super cool and nice and they'll never be mean or strict or leave me and Azuki alone...

It feels like the shadows on the street have gotten longer even though the sky isn't actually any darker.

Before I dwell on it any deeper I feel my hand being squeezed.

I look down at my hand in Azuki's and it calms my swirling emotions. I look up to her face, and feel reassured when I see her chinky smile.

Although I can't see her eyes but for some reason they feel a little sad to me. Just a little though.

I smile back and can't help but be delighted that it was the right thing to do because Azuki feels happy and content like always again.

So instead of looking at the milk Popsicle which the sight of makes my eyes burn I point to the ones next to it. Pointing at the fruit flavored Popsicles, I say:

"Ne, Anzu how about we get these and head to the park next?"

"Mm-Kay Mitsuki-nii. Then I'll get the apricot flavored one!"

And I say, "One mango, and one apricot juice Popsicle, please!" As I take out the money to pay for them.

Ding ding! "Thank you for your purchase!" The kindly grandpa says.

Azuki smiles and says, "Bye bye," and the old man behind the counter is charmed and smiles too.

My mango juice Popsicle tastes really good and sweet so it's all good.

But, man... I really wanted one...

It isn't until ten minutes later and I'm finishing up the dredges of my ice Popsicle that I remember.

"Oh, yeah. Hey, Anzu." I said as I looked up and chewed on the Popsicle stick. Anzu was right next to me, still holding my hand.

"Yeah, Mitsu-Nii?"

"Anzu..Why do you keep calling me your Nii-San?"

"Hmm, but Mitsu-Nii is Mitsu-Nii. You aren't anybody else."

"You do know that I'm a girl... Right? I'm your Onee-San."

"But Mitsu-Nii. Mitsu-Nii isn't girly at all!"

'...'

"..."

That was true in a sense. With my short spikey hair and sharp looks I looked more like a boy than Anzu ever would in my opinion.*** Especially her shoulder length wavy hair the color of apricots and that round face and soft features. Anzu is asceticly appealing in a feminine tilt.

Still though... Does Azuki know the difference between girls and boys? Other than pretty things equals girls? I get the feeling that this was important, that maybe I should explain it. But it's too troublesome to explain though...

"Nevermind, Anzu! I see the entrance to the park! Let's go play!"

"Okay..." A curious pause. "Onii-San!"

"We don't wanna play with no babies!"

Choruses of "Yeah! Yeah!" raced through the crowd in the park.

At the park Anzu had decided to join some older kids in a game of kick the can. Too bad they didn't want us playing with the big kids.

I wonder how they knew we were only four years old though? It wasn't like they were that much taller than us. I was never too good at guessing ages but weren't they only maybe six or seven?

I really wanted to say something biting or cool but nothing seemed to come out. So I glared at the ground despite myself.

I lifted my face up to tell Azuki that we could just play elsewhere but when I looked up I was met with Azuki's face on the verge of tears.

I sort of froze up at that but I still heard the next part.

"Come on Wataru you're going to make the kid cry." This came from a soft spoken boy with a large red mark marring his right eye.

"Whatever, Sen." The loud mouthed boy now dubbed Wataru crossed his arms and looked away after meeting Azuki's eyes. Both because he was red in the face and he was feeling more than a little guilty. Her crying face tended to do that. "I'm going to play over there. Whose coming with?"

Everyone just sort of... left. Even Sen the one that had stuck up for us left though looking a bit apologetic. Of course it was just to the other side of the park! but it still stung.

The area the older kids had claimed was a small clearing next to the playground set We were now alone in.

It was just the two of us swinging our feet half-heartedly on the swing set. Our hands were still clasped to one another so it was a litttle difficult to get a rythym going. After awhile though our swings occured in smooth tandem.

But still it was a little bit lonely despite the fact that we had each other.

I guess we were so used to being in our own world that it didn't occur to us that not everyone wanted to play with us.

We were eating lunch when an angel descended from the heavens.

"Ne, ne. Do you want to play with us?" A voice like a bell.

I looked up to see locks of silver hair and met clear golden eyes. She looked like a doll.

"What's this?" The second voice came from a person behind the doll-like person. The second person was another girl a bit taller but with short, black hair. She had an air of non-chalance and had walked up to us with her arms folded behind her head. Still though she had sharp eyes even though I couldn't see her eyes. Didn't even know what color they were.

She was a... what was it? A person with Kitsune eyes, eyes that were always closed. It really added to her laid back but cool nature.

Anzu turned and raised her hand to prevent herself from being heard. "Hey, isn't she cute?" And I couldn't help but nod my head in agreement. Suika was pretty, so much that it was dazzling.

Now that I was thinking about it though weren't these two from the group earlier? I remember that they were some of the few who didn't jeer.

Holding hands, we came apart when Suika addressed us. "I'm Suika and this is Zuuchan. What are your names?"

"Azuki." "Mitsuki." We replied in tandem. "And it's nice to meet you!"

"Same here." Zuucchan answered automatically.

"Yes, it's nice to meet you too." Suika's smile could clear rainclouds.

Zuucchan turned to face Suika.

"I don't see why you have to clean up his messes for him, Suika," the raven crossed her arms, a slight frown tugging at her lips.

"Now, now. Zuucchan. Let's just play," Suika said with a smile and pulled an empty glass bottle out of seemingly thin air.

"I don't see where you even put that stuff! You don't even have any pockets..." Zuucchan? Looked a little exasperated at that last bit. I wonder if this exchange reoccurred quite a bit.

It certainly rang true. It didn't look like much could be kept in the modern, kimono-based shift Suika was wearing that was just long enough that it ended by her knees. She didn't look like she could fit anything in it's pockets if it even had any.

Hm? I hadn't even noticed when she had pulled out a short stick and a role of metalic looking wire.

"Oh, no..." Suika was patting down the legnth of her kimono clearly looking for something.

"Zuucchan, do you still have those shuriken we played ring toss with the other day?"

Zuucchan had begun to pat her own pockets, "Probably not. I don't keep everything on m..."

"Ah! I've found it." Zuucchan pulled something out that could only be called a ring and passed it to Suika.

It didn't look like any shuriken I've ever seen before not that I've seen many.

The shuriken was a dull metal with short spikes on the inner ring and blunt pokes all around the outer. It looked more like a painful piece of jewelry than any sort of weapon.

"Done!" Suika held out her handy work for all to see. It was just one end of the wire tied to the stick and the other end to the shuriken.

Without further fanfare though, we played a few games of pretend fishing. It was kind of random but also a lot of fun too.

There was a lot of loud jeering from Zuucchan and quiet cheering coming from Azuki. Really simple but the four of us really got into playing the game in no time at all.

"Um. I was wandering if we could play too?"

We all turned to see that Wataru kid from earlier. He seemed a little different though. His eyes kept on shifting away and The expression on his face was a little strange. He even had a nervous tic in the form of an itchy cheek.

It was like he was a totally different person.

"Everyone went home." Sen helpfully deadpanned.

Wataru elbowed him in the ribs, "Be quiet. Sen."

Sen rubbed his aching ribs looking for all the world like he wanted to say something but didn't say anything further.

His bashful face could inspire sunsets. Wataru's fidgeting only got worse when Suika smiled.

"Shouldn't you ask someone else though?" Suika was still the perfect picture of a smiling angel. I guess her smile was kind of menacing though. It was a little less laid back, her closed eyed smiles.

At that Wataru seemed a little confused, the dunce. Zuucchan smirked smugly and Azuki giggled. Suika... Suika looked content. She's an angel. A fallen angel.

Sen though... Sen was busy bodily nudging Wataru to turn where Azuki and I were standing.

Wataru blushed.

Although Wataru was now turned towards the both of us it was clear he was adressing Anzu.

I'm pretty sure she meant the both of us. Rude

Wataru was clearly embarrased, so much in fact that he talked a little funny. "Can I...I mean can we play with ya?" His face burned.

This was... It was entertaining. Was this even the same kid?

Azuki's smile was like the sun. "Yeah! Let's play!"

And then Wataru was gone. Zuu and Sen soon followed running after the unintentional leader of his group of friends. They were just running, but I wasn't paying attention and they were just so fast. They weren't even that far away, but I was startled out of my own head. When did they decide to play tag? Did I miss something?

I had taken a few unconscious steps forward watching them run, but remembering Azuki I turned around.

Suika was ruffling Azuki's apricot colored hair affectionately.

I wasn't too far away that I couldn't hear Suika and Azuki's conversion.

"You're a sweet kid. Azuki-chan." She smiled and Azuki returned it in kind.

Huh. I guess I didn't have to worry about Azuki after all.

After that we played together for hours.

"Hey I see my Dad. Bye, everyone!" Zuu was the first one to leave. At the sight of her dad Zuucchan had shown a genuine and happy smile. It was strange seeing anything other than a smirk on her face that it almost startled me. Her face had lit up and for a second I even thought Zuucchan would open her eyes with the way she was smiling. But the color of her eyes will be safe until another day.

"Bye, bye. Okaa-Sama came to pick me." Suika smiled her best smile yet. "But let's play again sometime soon!" And she was gone just like that.

"Ah, I see Nii-San." Sen smiled with something other than exasperation for the first time that day. It was warm. For some reason when he looked back at us though Sen looked like he wanted to say something or like maybe he was sad. I wouldn't know why he would look sad for so maybe I was wrong. "See you guys soon!"

The park was deserted except for the three of us. Wataru, Anzu and I was just hanging out by the swings. Most of the energy we had earlier in the day spent.

But then Wataru looked up at the entrance to the park and saw his mom.

He looked back to us to say goodbye. He opened his mouth to be rude instead.

"It's getting late shouldn't you guys be going home?" He squinted at us suspiciously. "You guys do know how to get home right? You don't do you? Haha. I knew you guys were babies."

...

Of course I vehemently denied it.

...

And then it was just the two of us.

It was starting to get dark out so maybe we should go home now?

"Mitsu-Nii~ Are we lost?" Anzu sang.

I stopped in the middle of the Woodsy street. Our hands unclasped as Anzu turned around to face me. The sun was behind me so sunlight fell on her face.

"Hehe. Yeah." I ran my fingers through my short hair and gave her a toothy grin.

We were so lost that it wasn't even funny. Everything looked like the same forest trail that we used earlier.

"Hmm." Anzu brought a finger to her lips as she spun around in a circle. Her usually sleepy eyes taking in all the streets that we could possibly go down.

"Come on," she grabbed my hand. "This way!"

"How do you know where we are?" I asked as we ran but this time she was the one pulling me along.

"I don't!" Her laugh danced on the wind behind us.

This kid...

"But let's just call it a hunch!"

She looked like she was having fun in contrast to this morning. Azuki was all care free smiles pulling me along like this.

It took a little backtracking but eventually we soon found ourselves back on familiar streets. I guess Azuki knew where she was going after all.

"Do you think it was a birthmark or a burn on Sen's face, Anzu?"

"Anzu?" I turned around. And around. And around. When did she let go of my hand? Where was she?

Something low to the ground ran by me so fast all I saw was a black and white streak. I couldn't tell what kind of animal it was and that freaked me out a little. I hope it wasn't a wild dog. Those were scary. Or a giant rat. Those were freaky.

"Owie..." I whipped my head around to the sound of her voice only to see her come out from behind some lose boards leaning against a brick fence. Dangerous.

As I ran up to her I saw that she was rubbing her head, it looked like she might have bumped her head.

I checked her over for bumps, lumps or scratches on her head. There were none but what looked like a cat scratch on her left hand.

Azuki saw me and had the nerve to smile. This cheeky brat.

"Oh, hi, Onii-chan. Can I borrow your handkerchief?"

"What happened to yours, Azuki?"

"I don't have it on me anymore." Anymore? That told me absolutely nothing.

The cheeky brat. I still gave her my handkerchief though.

"You need to stop doing these kind of things." I tried my best at looking stern and disapproving.

"But," Azuki pouted, "the kitty cat was hurt."

"What would you do if it had rabies?"

"He doesn't have rabies! Probably."

"Probably?"

"I mean if there was a rabies outbreak than wouldn't we hear about it? We do live in a close-knit community after all."

I stared. My mouth was probably gaping and I stared. Azuki was usually really clumsy and like me spent a lot of time in her own world just differently. That plus the fact that she liked it when I babied and doted on her clumsy self I sometimes forgot that she was smart. Like really smart.

"Wh-what?" Azuki suddenly became embarrassed under my stare. "These kind of things are usually assigned as a D or C Rank mission. It's one of the benefits of living in a Hidden Village... Right?"

Yeah really, really smart. With potential for politics? Azuki could probably become a doctor or politician when she grew up. Or anything she wanted really.

There was a beat of silence where we just stared at each other lost in thought.

"Oh, and Onii-Chan."

"Hmm?"

"Can you help me tie it? I only have one hand..."

"...Sorry."

"It's okay, Mitsu-Nii."

...

"And there! All better."

"Haha. You're so bad at this Onii-Chan."

Yeah... I don't know how I mangled up a single bandage so much either.

"Hey look." Anzu pointed. I looked. "It's Shiro!"

I looked... and the cat wasn't even white. It was all black not a speck of white on its fur except for Azuki's white handkerchief on one fits front legs.

It was a feral looking thing. It was even missing an eye. Not cute at all.

"Why did you name it that? It's not even white..."

"Because I find it cute and funny."

I pulled a face. My 'I'm so done' face that I knew made my eyes disappear in exasperation.

"But Shiro though.. It's not a dog you know. Why not fluffy or something?"

It certainly had the fluff for it. The black fur could be described as a messy scruff.

Azuki's eyes widened in innocent surprise. "He's not!? I could have swore Shiro had said 'Wan' earlier!"

'...'

Azuki called him a kitty cat earlier hadn't she?

The next thing I knew Azuki was kneeling next to the unruly thing.

"Hey! Azuki get away from that thing! It's going to scratch you again..."

"You're being silly! Shiro just wants to give me a Thank You present. See?"

She held up a dead rat by the tail.

My 'I'm so done' face was back.

"What are we even going to do with that?" I'm not even going to bother with the germs. At least she was holding it with the hand without the scratch.

Azuki held a finger up to her lips in her thinking face. "Maybe we could give it to Mudou?"

Mudo was a fellow kid at Miki's place, who kept a pet anaconda. He was a weirdo but perfect for this kind of thing.

"Sure. Now let's just go home."

AN:For now I'll keep Azuki will be a non binary character. Mitsuki is biologically and mentally female Azuki is just a troll.

Review? Should I continue? Later on there will be a vote on Azuki's gender.