"I want to see the place myself. Now," his tone sharp enough to cut through steel.
Minato glanced at Kakashi and then down at Shiba. "Kakashi, lend me Shiba to confirm the room," Minato said, his voice steady. "You go on ahead to Kushina with the girl. I'll meet you back at home."
Kakashi hesitated, his eyes darting between Shiba and the girl, who had one trembling hand buried in the ninken's fur. She wasn't letting go, her grip tight. Kakashi sighed softly. Great. She's not letting go without a fight."Understood, Hokage-sama," he replied, though his voice was lined with reluctance.
Kakashi knelt beside the girl, Shiba wagging his tail, giving her a reassuring nuzzle. "Hey, I need to borrow Shiba for a little while," Kakashi said gently, his hand moving slowly to demonstrate the sign for together, then separated his hands. The girl's brows furrowed, confusion and fear flickering in her wide, green eyes.
"Shiba will come back," Kakashi added, nodding to Shiba, who gave a low, soft whine and nudged the girl's hand with his nose. Her grip on the ninken tightening momentarily before she hesitantly let go, her hand shaking. Uh…that was easier than expected. Shiba stepped away, his tail brushing the girl's leg gently as he moved to Minato's side. Maybe she understands more than I thought.
The group began making their way through the narrow corridors of the T building. The girl, now walking a few paces behind, stuck close to Kakashi, her small form dwarfed by the towering ANBU around her. Her eyes darted nervously around the unfamiliar surroundings, her grip on Kakashi's wrist tightening as they moved through the closing facility.
When they arrived at an intersection, Kakashi instinctively turned towards the path leading to the exit, guiding the girl in the same direction.
Minato, however, glanced at Tiger. "Tiger, accompany them," he ordered, a subtle edge to his tone.
"No," Kakashi cut in, his voice firm and immediate, surprising even himself. Why did I say that?"Hawk should go with us."
Minato raised an eyebrow, glancing between Kakashi and Tiger. It wasn't difficult to pick up on Kakashi's unease. Minato gave a small, approving nod. "Alright. Hawk, go with them," he said, his tone calm, but the decision final.
Hawk stepped forward, his silent presence offering some reassurance to Kakashi. Tiger didn't react at all.
Kakashi continued talking toward the exit, Hawk trailing quietly behind them. They made their way through a few more corridors, the faint hum of flickering lights echoing in the silence. After a short distance, however, the girl was slowing down, her steps becoming more hesitant. He turned his head slightly and saw her casting quick, anxious glances behind her.
"We're going this way," he said softly, the girl's eyes darted behind her, clearly torn.
Is she still worried about Shiba? Thinking quickly, Kakashi mimicked Shiba with his hands—raising them to resemble paws as he tilted his head slightly, just like Shiba would do. It was a crude imitation of the ninken, but it was enough to catch the girl's attention. If anyone else gets a wind of this, I'll never live it down. She blinked at him, her confusion momentarily replaced by curiosity.
Then, to his surprise, a small, light laugh escaped her, the sound soft but unmistakable. It was the first time he had heard anything close to laughter from her, and for a brief moment, the tension between them eased. A hint of relief softened her tense expression.
Kakashi blinked, caught off guard. She laughed... His heart warmed slightl, he then made the sign for safety. "Shiba will be okay," he added gently.
Despite the small moment of levity, the girl took a slow, deliberate step backward, her gaze shifting back to the corridor with a determined glint in her eyes. She reached down to Kakashi's wrist, her small fingers gripping him with renewed resolve, pulling him slightly.
Kakashi frowned in confusion. Why does she want to go back? He had already told her Shiba would be fine, and she seemed to understand. But her persistence… she isn't going to let it go.
With a sigh of resignation, Kakashi gave in. "Alright," he murmured softly, his tone laced with curiosity. Guess we'll follow her for now. He let her guide him, following her lead as she retraced their steps through the twisting corridors. How does she know where to go? Her grip on his wrist never loosened, her steps hesitant but determined.
After several turns, they finally reached the others, who were now standing in front of a small iron door. She knew exactly the way. Minato stood at the front, his sharp blue eyes fixed on the door, while Shiba wagged his tail gently beside him.
Minato turned towards Kakashi and lifted an eyebrow, to which Kakashi just shrugged.
"I'm not sure yet," Kakashi said, his voice calm. He felt the girl tugging at his wrist again, there was an urgency in her movements now,
She darted forward, reaching for Shiba. The ninken gave a soft, reassuring bark as she wrapped her arms around him, and picked him up to her chest. Shiba wagged his tail softly, sensing her need for comfort. Kakashi didn't react, his attention on the girl who had let go of his wrist but stayed close.
"Open it," Minato said to the interrogator, his tone commanding. The girl's eyes never left the door, her breath quickening as if bracing herself for what she would find on the other side.
The interrogator fumbled slightly as he approached the door. He smells nervous. The door creaked open slowly, revealing a dark, damp room inside. The girl hesitated for a moment, her breath quickening as she stared into the room. Then, with renewed resolve, she took a deep breath and stepped forward, her eyes remained glued to the floor. Her steps were slow and cautious, as though the memories of this place weighed her down. She moved toward the back of the room, where a small, metal cabinet stood.
She turned to look up at Minato with determined eyes. She held Shiba up to her head, Shiba scrambled up her small frame and perched himself on her head. He was still small enough to manage it, though his added weight made her stumble slightly. There was something endearing about the sight of the small dog perched like a crown on the girl's head. Cute.
But Kakashi could see the tension in her small shoulders, the way her hands tightened into fists. With a decided nod, the girl pointed toward the cabinet, her resolve clear in the sharpness of her gesture.
Without turning away from her, he called out to the interrogator. "Well, what are you waiting for?
The interrogator tensed, and though his expression remained carefully neutral, Kakashi smelt the faint increase in his scent—a mix of anxiety and hesitation. With a reluctant sigh, he shuffled toward the cabinet.
There was a soft click as the lock disengaged, the girl immediately stepped forward, her small form darting past the interrogator with surprising speed. She wasted no time in opening one of the drawers before closing it tightly and opening the one under it. Her movements were frantic now, her small hands moving quickly as she searched for something.
Behind her the group saw Shiba slightly tense up, when the girl opened the first drawer. What..?
She moved to the others and rifled through its contents, her small hands moving quickly and efficiently. In one of the drawers, she paused, pulling out a small, faded piece of fabric. She handed it to Shiba, who obediently took it in his mouth, his little tail wagging as she purred softly at him. It was a sound Kakashi thought meant something like, Hold.
She returned her focus to the drawer, shifting through more items, her hands brushing away things that clearly didn't interest her until, at last, she found what she had been looking for. Slowly, with a tenderness that seemed out of place for a child so young and wild, she withdrew a small clump.
The entire room watched in silence as she held the object close to her chest, pressing it tightly with both hands as a soft, happy purr rumbled in her throat. It was the kind of sound that vibrated through the quiet, filling the space with a gentle warmth. She rocked slightly on her feet, her eyes closed for a brief moment as if lost in the comfort of whatever it was she had retrieved.
Kakashi moved closer to her, "What is it?" he asked, his gaze lingering on the object she clutched so tightly.
She just pressed the bundle tighter against herself, her purr deepening as she glanced between Minato, and Kakashi. Her way of saying, This is mine. OK then, I am not touching that. Something told him she would bite him if he tried.
She started to walk toward the door, her small frame still clutching the bundle protectively. As she passed by Kakashi, her fingers found his sleeve and tugged urgently, pulling him toward the exit. Leave. Now.
Kakashi allowed her to pull him along, his own curiosity and concern growing. He glanced over his shoulder at Minato, his eyes narrowing slightly as he tried to read the situation. Minato gave a small nod, signaling him to go.
Just as they were crossing the threshold, Shiba looked at Minato. "It smells lightly of blood. The cabinet," he muttered tensely.
Minato's reaction was immediate, his entire body tensing as if an electric current had passed through him. His sharp blue eyes flicked toward the cabinet, narrowing with a cold, calculating edge. Blood? His hands clenched into fists, the muscles in his jaw tightening as he fought to keep his composure.
Minato murmured quietly to Hawk. "Make sure they get to my house safely this time." Hawk gave a curt nod before stepping into the hallway.
Hey everyone! If you're curious, I've sketched out some of Kakashi's charades from this chapter, and you can check them out on my Tumblr: /konoha-silverforest/762713066841456640
Hope you enjoy the visual fun!