Sumire's POV

The first few hours of travel had been very peaceful. I watched the gigantic trees that surrounded Konoha as we passed through the merchant's road. Normally, shinobi didn't really pass the traveling roads since they would often run at the top of the tree branches to avoid most of the traveling groups or civilians.

Kakashi already mastered tree-running since he was always on missions outside the village these days. He certainly has a lot of practice already. He taught me how to tree-walk since it is one of the chakra control exercises that we did, along with the leaf sticking exercise, and the latest one was the water walking exercise. I still needed practice with tree-running though, since it would need a constant push on my feet to boost the jump to reach all the branches as well as the endurance to keep up the pace, which I currently do not have at the moment. If I am more physically fit and stronger, it might have been easier for me, like how it looks effortless when Kakashi does it.

We passed a couple of villages without stopping, it had already been hours since we left Konoha. Father said it would only take us the whole day if there would be no delays on our trip. All four horses drawing the carriage were well-rested and fed so we shouldn't have a problem with them needing a break any time soon.

The peace that I felt as we traveled was broken by a loud screeching sound. Our carriage got redirected from our current path and into an off-road that we weren't supposed to take, the pace of the carriage slowed down. One of the horses clearly got hurt by some sort of attack.

It was an ambush since it was all sudden, and even father didn't feel his shinobi senses going off before the mishap occurred. The attackers have been able to conceal themselves well even with the team of ANBU with us, so they must have been good.

I heard fighting sounds just behind the carriage. I felt so scared that moment and I wrapped my arms around the backpack I've been carrying for comfort. One of the ANBU went towards the injured horse and removed it from being tied to the carriage. After he did, I felt the carriage pace going faster.

Father yelled to the ANBU outside to send a distress message to Konoha, which I think he did as I saw a large unusual red bird fly away from the spot. It must've been the ANBU's summon.

My dad went carefully out of the carriage while it was still moving fast. He told me to lock myself in, and not go out until he said so while he joined the last ANBU remaining with us to fight the enemies that might have followed us since the rest of the ANBU team had been left behind to fend off the attackers.

I tried to take deep breaths to calm myself down and touched the pendant on my neck which has a faint glow to it. I mindlessly sent a pulse of chakra through it, not really expecting for anything to happen at all. Surprisingly, it pulsed back and glowed brighter a bit before turning back to its faint glow.

I didn't know that the necklace can send pulses between each other, Kakashi must have only realized it now as well since he never mentioned anything about it before. It's just bad timing that I discovered it while facing a very frightful situation.

I sent another pulse into it to make sure I didn't just imagine it. After a few seconds, it pulsed twice in succession in response to me. So, it really was happening and not just my imagination.

But my thoughts were cut-off when I heard another commotion outside, I heard more of the horses screech and the carriage darted off into the wilder part of the forest. After a while, I felt the carriage getting thrown off a ravine.

Everything around me slowed down as the carriage was falling, I heard the raging river below, I saw the steep slope on the side of the cliff, I saw smoke rising from where the carriage came from a while ago. I thought of my father and worried for his safety as he fought the attackers. I thought to myself that I am probably gonna die. I held onto my necklace and sent succeeding pulses to it while I hugged the backpack on my other hand for comfort.

I think I had sent more than ten pulses to Kakashi, thinking that it would be my last form of communication with him.

Then I felt the rush of water coming into the carriage as it plunged into the deep river. I noticed the glass getting cracked from the impact of the fall. I tried to open the door to get out, but it wouldn't budge so I punched the window multiple times to finally break the glass open as I struggled to breathe.

I managed to break it and forced myself out while I felt the adrenaline coursing through my body. I tried swimming upwards to get air into my lungs but it's hard to swim since I can feel the strong current of the river against my body. There were gashes on my arms and hands that I probably got when I broke the window.

I felt the necklace pulse succeedingly like I did earlier but I ignored it as I desperately saved myself from drowning. I pushed chakra on my limbs to help me swim better and it finally did the trick. I gasped for air when I reached the surface of the water, I still felt the pulses from my necklace but I couldn't send a response since I am trying to stay afloat. I noticed my backpack hanging on one of my arms, I somehow managed to grab it earlier and swam with it.

The river current was getting stronger as I tried my best not to drown. My mind was racing with thoughts about how to remove myself from the precarious situation I found myself in. There were still pulses on my necklace, it was the last thing I noticed before my head got roughly hit by a rock along the river. I felt my mind getting dizzy and my sight getting blurry. I reached out to the necklace before my consciousness went out and managed to send a weak pulse of chakra to the pendant, hoping my Kakashi would feel it.

My eyes forcibly closed afterwards.

Kakashi's POV

Sumire just left earlier today.

I understood the reason why she had to go. It was her grandfather's request and she needs to comply. Nobody could really say no to the man as he controls the whole Land of Fire and even has more power than the hokage. I just need to bear a week or two without her in the village, just like how I always do whenever I get a mission outside the village.

It had been only a year since I met her, but it felt longer than that. It's like I knew her even before I met her. I don't even know why I feel such a strong connection with her, but I cannot deny it.

I have never been a people person, and never liked to interact with others except for my dad because he is family, and family is part of the pack. That's how the Hatake clan has always been. But with Sumire, everything is different. She is more than a pack. I don't understand it yet, and the things that I feel for her were a lot for my young age. Somehow, everything feels right with her.

It was really an unexpected occurrence when I first met her on one of the Senju grounds. When I landed my gaze on her, and saw her directly looking at my eyes, I couldn't breathe and I felt all the hairs on my skin stand up. It's like I found something I never thought was lost in the first place.

She initiated the conversation first and I was glad that she did, because if she didn't I'd probably just stand there and turn into stone while I contentedly gazed at her. I was even happier because she invited me to stay there with her, watched the sunrise from the spot, and got to share breakfast together. I tried to act cool, calm and casual during that time but my mind is racing with thoughts of her. I can feel her stare at me and I wonder if she feels the same way I do. There is an unexplainable connection that was pulling me towards her.

I liked it when I saw her blush, she looks very beautiful with her silver-blonde locks, amethyst eyes, and very delicate features. I thought of how she looks so dainty, so fragile. It made me want to protect her.

When I learned of her name I thought that it suited her so well.

Sumire.

I would probably have that name on my mind for eternity.

I was surprised to know our parents knew each other like brothers. Basically, my father considers her dad as part of the pack, and by extension Sumire as well. That was the Hatake's way, after all.

The picture we had taken together was displayed in my room. I like looking at it while I lie down on my bed every night. The shot looked so perfect, us wearing shades of blue and a pair of silver heads among the colors of spring in the background. Her smiling face is definitely exquisite, she looks like a princess from the story books that children liked to read. Well to be fair, she is an actual princess in the Land of Fire.

I was glad to spend most of my time with her, we both liked literature so it's another good thing. I remember that one afternoon we spent reading in their gardens, the wisteria petals were dropping on the ground. It was all shades of lilac that surrounded us and there was a nice floral scent in the air. Then, there she was, sitting on the ground, looking so beautiful. I glanced at her multiple times, trying to memorize the scene in front of me because it looked picture perfect. It looked like a dream and it definitely felt like one too. She was a dream come true.

Her father had a talk with me that day and informed me that I was his godson, and he treated me like his own kid too. After that talk, she held my hand for the first time and I felt really happy about it. Naturally, after that, I always held her hand whenever I could, and I didn't care if people saw.

Imagine my luck, I even got to stay at their house most of the time. Hideo oji-san had trusted me to keep Sumire safe, and I intended to do just that. I trained hard to become a shinobi, not just to achieve my own goals but also for her, so I could protect her. I became easily comfortable with having her in my life; I even adored her father. They both felt like home, I saw them as part of the pack, and my dad and I were happy to have them in our lives. I was even comfortable enough to remove my mask around them, something I only did with people I considered family.

The purple-eyed girl attending the academy with me was a surprise, but a welcome one at that. We even took a photo together as remembrance for her first day attending the school. I was glad that I got to be with her at the academy even if it's only for a while since I graduated shortly after. However, I always made sure to keep her company and train with her whenever I can. I was glad she got acquainted with other kids from school, even though they annoy me most of the time, but I could tolerate them if it would make her happy. I appreciate Kurenai though, for being her friend since I couldn't be there for her all the time.

I never really enjoyed celebrating my birthday before, but my sixth birthday was a blast. I got the best gifts on that day. The present from my dad had been very nice, it was priceless but I expected to receive that because the canine summoning contract was passed down to our family.

My Sumire gave me something I could never buy, obtain, or find from anywhere in the elemental nations. No other person in the world would be able to have what she gave me as a present. She gifted me a part of her mind and heart written on a page. She gave me something I was craving for, the assurance that she also felt the crazy emotions I am feeling towards her. I read the lines of the poem over and over again when I first received it, trying to memorize every word written on the paper. She called me her dream come true. Kami-sama, that was my exact thoughts about her too.

I kissed her that night, of course I didn't dare do anything inappropriate, I only planted a soft kiss on her forehead but I was content with it and just hugged her longer than I should have. No matter how much I felt, we were still kids and we are just close friends at the moment. I could wait for her, once we are both grown ups I could express everything I feel freely for her.

After that night, I cannot hold myself from giving into the pull that I feel towards her. The emotional connection felt stronger, and I freely gave into it. I couldn't keep myself from holding her hand or hugging her even when there were people around us. I just didn't care as long as I was able to hold her or touch her. I just want to feel her presence all the time. When her dad joked about saving the silver-haired girl for myself and allowing me to ask for her hand in marriage once we became jonin, I took his word very seriously.

Now, that has become my current goal. She is my goal. I would work hard to be a good shinobi not just for the village, but for her.

As her birthday slowly approached, I couldn't help but feel stressed about what to get for her since she gave me something so precious. I wanted to give her a special gift too, I wanted to give her a piece of me.

I saw a great opportunity during my last mission at the Land of Iron. It was a necklace that can store chakra, and that was the perfect gift I could possibly give her at the moment. It was a bit expensive, but I could afford it since the missions with Minato-sensei paid a lot. Those supposed low rank missions go haywire and out of control most of the time, earning me quite the amount of money that equals to what chunins or jonins would earn and not common at all for a very young genin like me.

I didn't know she was a sensor and she always feels my chakra. She described it differently, though. It was something I kept in mind to ask Minato-sensei about when I had the chance.

I showed her my newly learned method of channeling my chakra presence, I let it surround her and embrace her.

She said I felt like a cloud.

But between the two of us, I was the one on cloud nine when she said that statement to me.

I enjoyed seeing her very content and happy expression as I invaded her being with my chakra presence. I would do that "power hug" willingly everyday since it makes her happy. If only I could take her with me whenever and wherever, I will make sure she would always feel that bliss I saw on her face and never make her sad or get hurt.

Just as I expected, my Sumire surprised me again. There am I, having another set of unfamiliar feelings that she managed to unlock within me.

It happened when I taught her how to channel her chakra presence, but instead of the infamous killer intent, I taught her the opposite, the chakra embrace which she adoringly likes so much.

When her chakra reached me, I felt something trigger within me. Like my body and soul somehow found a piece of puzzle I never thought I was missing. I felt complete.

She completes me.

I already had an attachment towards her before this happened, but after I felt her chakra for the first time, it suddenly all made sense. All of my big feelings and crazy thoughts about her are there because it was supposed to be there. Her chakra settled within me and it felt warm and very calming. Now that I think about it, that was how she described my chakra too, along with it being cool and electrifying. Maybe we felt each other's chakra that way because of our deep emotional attachment towards each other.

I think this could be some clan attribute that the Hatake have, since our clan always valued connection and relationships to those who are important to us. I need to make sure what all of this is about and ask my father to explain. He probably knew about this and maybe had experienced it before as well.

My purple-eyed girl's chakra feels very refreshing, almost like the morning dew. It felt nice, cool, still and very calm. It was probably a unique trait or maybe I just felt really familiar with it since we spend a lot of time together. I am not a sensor, but I knew that this is probably like a fingerprint that identifies her among other chakra signatures.

I still feel the essence of her chakra within me, like somehow it was merged with mine. It happened during the first time she did the chakra embrace to me.

Maybe I could learn to be a sensor just like her. She mentioned that she always feels me when I am around. I want to feel her too whenever she's near me. In that way, I could single her out in a sea of other people's chakra. I have that innate need in me to always be with her anyway.

I could ask sensei to teach me. Although being a sensor is mostly an inborn ability, it could probably be learned. That's what I was good at after all, being called a prodigy and all the titles people call me these days would mean something if I could go beyond my current abilities.

It was really disappointing that we won't be able to spend her birthday together but it's fine, as long as she comes back to me, I would be fine.

I gave her a gift in advance so she could take it with her before she left. She looked at it in awe and her reaction was priceless. I would give her more of that if it made her happy and I wouldn't mind the cost at all. She was amazed by the intricate details of the necklace. I made sure that it would be personal, something that symbolizes her and would also remind her of me.

We registered each other's chakra onto the necklaces and it looked very magnificent.

The amethyst stone's purple color was revealed as the gray colored glass lit up from within, revealing the unique patterns at the back of the see-through gem. It looked like a crystal with a very intricate design and each other's initials were visible on top.

That was the first time I saw the color of her chakra, a light blue shade that perfectly complemented the lightning pattern on my necklace.

It definitely looked like a lightning strike on a purple sky.

On the other hand, my chakra was the signature chakra color of the Hatakes, almost like the shade of my hair but a little lighter. It was white and it looked perfect with the sumire flower design on my girl's pendant.

It was like a white flower laid on a purple backdrop. A very dainty beauty, just like my Sumire.

My thoughts were cut-off when I felt a pulse on my neck. I reached out for the necklace and saw it glowed brighter for a few seconds, before it turned back to its previous state, a faint glow remained visible.

I tried to push my chakra to see if anything would happen to it. I waited for a few moments then another pulse responded back.

I came to realize that our necklaces were somewhat connected. Maybe a seal was placed on it to make it possible to communicate with each other. Now I was even more glad that I paid extra for the chakra conductive material on the necklace, and I fully understand now why the jeweler is a sought after craftsman. The jewelry was not just a chakra storage necklace but also works like some sort of communication device since it can send and receive pulses.

I sent out two succeeding pulses to it to see if my Sumire would respond again. I was carefully observing the necklace but she did not send anything back for a few moments.

Then, I felt the necklace beating rapidly on my chest, sending more than a dozen pulses in a succeeding manner. I tried responding the same way but nothing came back. I waited for a while, but she did not communicate at all.

It gave off a very bad feeling. I suddenly felt worried, so I sent pulses for a few more times. I can still see a glow, a visible shade of light blue. I tried to send another set of pulses but I received nothing back from her. I did it a couple of times, over and over again.

Suddenly, I felt it. The pendant's glow brightened faintly from the stone with a very light pulse, if I wasn't paying attention, I would have missed it completely.

I stood up from my seat with hands gripping my hair, my heart was beating fast and I couldn't calm myself down. Dread came over me as my thoughts raced with different scenarios that included Sumire being in a state of danger.

I was in a state of panic at the moment, I don't know how it happened but I can feel it within me that she was somewhat fading. The chakra essence that remained when she channeled to me was faltering, it felt like she was in a struggle.

I rushed out of the house and tried to find my dad. I looked around the village for all his possible whereabouts for an hour but I couldn't find him. The last place I haven't checked is the hokage tower, if something really bad happened they must have called all the high ranking shinobi in the village for a meeting since the Senju are high-profile members of the village.

I rushed into the meeting room, not minding the ANBU standing guard outside the door as I forced my way inside the room. I saw my father with a group of jonins, including my sensei, the clan heads, a few ANBU, and a lot more I haven't recognized. They were surprised to see me barge in unannounced, but I didn't care.

My father took one look at me and he knew that my danger senses came off that told me something bad happened. We stared at each other for a while, I knew what that stare meant already and it's not good. Something dreadful happened to the Senju family while they traveled and it clearly showed on the faces of the people in the room.

I trembled from my spot and was trying to compose myself, but my shoulders were shaking and I clenched my fist tightly. "I feel her fading, father." I told my dad, not minding that other people were in there listening and looking at me intently.

The other adults were confused to what I was referring to, I can see it in their baffled expressions. So I cleared up my statement, "Sumire is fading, father. I can feel her chakra faltering."