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Chapter 44
As soon as the ANBU operatives left, Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke wandered outside and returned to the training area Kakashi-sensei had set up for them. At first they went through the normal Academy katas before working their way through pushups, sit ups and other muscle strengthening techniques. Sakura as always did the fewest of the group but at least she was really trying now. Even with only two days of proper nutrition she already felt a difference, the pink haired girl wasn't so exhausted and hungry after training anymore and to be honest she was also a lot more even-tempered than normally. The civilian born kunoichi in training had hit Naruto only two times on the head throughout the whole day and she felt pretty accomplished for that.
Seeing a real high Jounin fight had frightened her and at that moment she had been unsure if she wanted to continue being a ninja but then she had seen how Naruto and Sasuke had flanked Shiori and put themselves between Kakashi's wife and the unknown ANBU members and she had unconsciously fallen into line. Her body had just moved there was no hesitation or fear at that moment, just the urge to protect. When they were back inside the house Sakura had mulled over this instinctual reaction and suddenly remembered why she had wanted to become a kunoichi all this years ago, before even meeting Ino.
When she was little she had witnessed a kunoichi protecting a group of civilians from a rouge ninja and how thankful the people had been and how much respect they had shown the woman. The young, bullied girl had wanted to be just like that woman and had for the first time in her life fought her parents to attend the Academy. The pink haired teenager could not believe that she had forgotten that!
So when the boys went outside to continue their training, Sakura had followed them and started to push herself without complaining, yes she may be weak at the moment but she would NOT stay that way for the rest of her life!
Shiori in the mean time was trying to comprehend what had happened at that afternoon, Kakashi and his team had confronted Danzo, DANZO and apparently won. Shiori had the sudden urge to giggle hysterically; it seems as if the Manga/ Anime plot she knew off was now completely useless, oh well. A tiny sardonic smirk stole itself on her face while she started to make dinner, there was really nothing left for her but to live into the day, to do as she thought best and wait and see.
Her thoughts than wandered back to Anko and Asuma, she hoped fiercely that those two would be alright; especially Anko had become closer to her than Shiori had realized. The snake summoner had turned out to be one of the first people Shiori went to concerning questions or worries when Kakashi was not available, even more so then Kurenai who at first had been busy with her new Jounin rank and the fact that Genjutsu masters on her level were high in demand and now the Yuuhi was occupied nearly full time with the Genin team she had always wanted.
Shiori sighed worriedly while she mixed the ingredients for a giant batch of trail mix cookies that she had chosen as dessert. It was one of the simplest and fastest recipes she had perfected in her new life and the black haired woman hoped that her family, friends and acquaintances liked this kind of sweet because it didn't take up a lot of time. Furthermore they were easy to carry around and wouldn't spoil for quite some time which meant they could be taken on missions. For the main course on this evening Shiori had chosen fish teriyaki as well as a lot of finger food as side dishes so that the ANBU operatives that Lizard-taicho had promised her would have a chance to eat as well if they refused to join them on the table.
Shiori felt a soft tug on her three quarter trousers, Hinako had toddled up to her and the black haired woman hadn't heard her approach, the little silver haired girl looked up to her with big eyes and the giggled softly.
Shiori's eyes became soft and she picked up her daughter, "When have you learned to sneak up on mummy? You are getting just as bad as your father."
Her only response was another giggle before Hinako burrowed her face into her neck.
"Are you hungry?" the black haired civilian asked softly while she stroked her daughter's hair.
"A bit." came the mumbled answer.
"I will be finished soon. You can have some carrot sticks until then, is that okay?"
"Yes mummy." Hinako answered before she started to munch on the red sticks offered to her before she stated "Mummy? I want Sasuke."
"Oh, would you like to go to the big kids your dad is teaching now? We can do that." Shiori answered before turning off the cooking plates.
The food only had to stew a little bit longer and the rice cooker should be done soon, nodding to herself Shiori took Hinako's hand before leading her in direction of the back door. Outside the sun was still shining brightly even though it was beginning to get late in the day and the weather was somewhat humid with cicadas chirping everywhere. On one side of dojo Kakashi's students were throwing weapons at the target her husband had put up only the day before, they were quite good at it. Beside her Hinako squeaked excited before hastily removing her arm from Shiori's hold and toddling over to the group of preteens. The ninja in training looked up and quickly started to remove the weapons lying on the ground around them and on the targets to put them back into their pouches. Shiori leisurely followed her daughter who had quickly reached the group of teenagers in front of them. Shyly the silver haired girl came to a standstill in front of Sasuke and reached her arms up. Said boy wordlessly picked her up and situated her on his hip while he ignored the teasing grins of both of his teammates.
"Hi there Hinako-chan." Naruto greeted her before he tugged playfully on one of her hair strands.
The youngest Hatake giggled and gave a mumbled greeting back, "Ohayo Naruto-nii."
Her daddy had told her yesterday evening that she should add this suffix to the boys names and use nee-chan for Sakura if she liked them. The silver haired toddler had been somewhat unsure when faced with them in the beginning, especially after the loud sounds two of them had made but after playing with them this afternoon Hinako had decided that they were nice enough and that she would keep all three of them, even when Sakura smelled somewhat icky.
The blonde boy Hinako had just addressed turned slightly pink while he laughed embarrassed and scratched his neck. Sakura cooed at her and Sasuke just 'hhn'ed while the corner of his mouth went up for a second. The whole scene was watched by an amused Shiori who had come to a halt some feet away from the colorful group.
"How was your training?" the young mother asked while she took in their disheveled state in.
"Good." Naruto answered sunnily while Sasuke nodded in agreement and Sakura smiled up at her sensei's beautiful wife.
"Would you mind watching Hinako while I set the table out here?" Shiori asked warmly.
"Sure Shiori-neechan." Naruto grinned before he turned to Hinako, "What do you think about a game of ninja?"
The little silver haired girl giggled and squirmed a bit until Sasuke put her down and she quickly vanished into the thick foliage leaving three stumped Genin behind before they got their bearings and followed her frantically into the woods.
Shiori laughed quietly before she looked up at the tree tops and then calmly called, "ANBU-san?"
It took a moment before a shinobi with a canine mask dropped down in front of her and asked, "Hatake-san?"
"I'm preparing dinner would you and your colleague/ colleagues like to join us? Or would like to have it up in the trees?" the blue eyed woman asked calmly.
The ANBU shifted minutely before slightly turning his head into the direction of the woods and then answered, "We are here to protect your family Hatake-san not to eat your food."
"And I'm very thankful for this but that's no reason to NOT join us for dinner." the amused woman answered back, "I have made salmon teriyaki and a variety of side dishes and cookies as dessert."
"We are ANBU,…" the shinobi in front of her now said somewhat bemused.
"And this is not an official mission is it?" Shiori interjected.
It seemed as if the ninja was just about to answer to her last sentence when a slight growl came from his middle.
"Right, that's it. For how many people will I set the table?" the older female Hatake said authoritative.
"…, two…" came the sighed answer.
"Very well. Dinner will be finished shortly ANBU-san." Kakashi's wife said before returning with a slightly smug grin to the house, she had been dealing with stubborn former ANBUs for more than two years now; whoever was behind that mask hadn't stood a chance.
And so Team Seven returned to the fascinating sight of Shiori and an ANBU operative setting the garden table. Hinako took one look at her mummy handing over tableware to the masked stranger and relaxed, if her kaa-chan thought that this man was okay she was fine with him too. Determinedly she made her way over to the new person and demanded to be picked up. When the man with the doggy mask didn't react Hinako sighed slightly, another one who didn't understand the importance of picking her up,… YET.
With a cute pout and a petulant voice she demanded, "Doggie-san up!"
She could hear how her nii-chans snorted and her nee-chan giggled while they looked amused at her antics. With satisfaction Hinako watched as all three of them jumped in unison when behind them another masked stranger entered her family's territory, serves them right!
Doggie-san in front of her continued to hesitate until Hina-chan finally lost her patience and started to pull herself up on his right foot. Quickly the masked man scrambled to pick her up and pull her closer to his body. His warm arms were stiff and awkward but that didn't bother Hinako much, instead she buried her nose in his neck and breathed in the muted personal smell while she rubbed her own scent along his breast plate. Another person for her ji-chan collection she noted idly while she played with the closely cut brown hair, it felt a lot like Pakkun's fur.
"Doggie-jichan will sit beside me." Hinako then declared to her highly amused mother.
"Of course honey, but only if ANBU-san agrees." came the amused reply of the civilian woman.
"My name is Jackal." interjected the out of his depth shinobi.
Across from him his colleague's chakra signature fluttered in apparent amusement while he watched how Jackal dealt with the young toddler in his arms, the traitor. Mozuku sighed inwardly before carrying Hatake's daughter over to her high chair, if he made her unhappy and the little one ran to her father he would be mincemeat of that he was sure. The member of the T&I desperately hoped that whatever happened today would be kept under wraps but by the amusement that ANBU Tiger was emitting across from him he was out of luck.
Mozuku then took note of the seating order, he and Tiger were across from each other and beside him was Hinako-chan who was sitting across the Uchiha, followed by Uzumaki and the pink haired girl, Sakura something, Hatake-san sat on the head of the table and watched the going ons with indulgent patience.
"Children I expect you to respect the privacy of Jackal and,…" the black haired woman began.
"Tiger" came the amused voice from the other ANBU operative.
"…, and Tiger. So no peeking, this also includes you Hina-chan, if you four try something I will be very disappointed." finished the young mother with just the right amount of sternness.
The Genin and the toddler nodded hastily before digging into the food. Tiger and Jackal looked at each other before removing their masks, they still had a weak genjutsu around their faces but as far as they were concerned the threat had taken care of any attempts on the children's side, who knew that Inoue Shiori was so good at blackmailing?
On the other hand scratch that, this woman was married to Hatake Kakashi there was clearly a lot more to her person that they had thought.