After the somewhat eventful bath, Kushina led the girl down the hall, her hand resting gently on her shoulder. "Come on, let's get you settled in for the night," she said with a warm smile. They reached a small, cozy room with a futon already laid out and soft light filtering in from a small window.
"This is where you'll sleep tonight," Kushina explained, gesturing toward the bed. "It's comfy, I promise. You'll sleep like a log."
The girl, still quiet, walked into the room and examined the futon with curious eyes. She reached out, touching the blankets gingerly as though unsure of what to make of it. She turned to look at Kushina with a questioning expression.
Kushina, sensing her hesitation, knelt down and patted the futon. "See? Soft and warm. For sleeping," she then tilted her head to the side and closed her eyes, making an obnoxiously loud snore.
The girl laughed and looked at her expectantly. Kushina having seen this look during dinner, understood her. What's the word?
"Sleep," She gently answered.
The girl repeated the word sat down on the edge of the futon, fidgeting with the blankets, before giving Kushina a smile. Kushina gently ruffled the girls hair, told her good night and left the room, leaving the door ajar.
She lay down, pulling the blanket over herself, but her wide eyes remained open. She looked around the room, her gaze landing on the walls and the ceiling, the space felt too closed off, too different from what she was used to.
After a few moments of restless shifting, the girl stood up, her bare feet padding softly across the wooden floor as she made her way out of the room. Silently, she wandered through the house until she found Kakashi, who was sitting alone on the porch, staring out at the night sky.
Kakashi had stayed up, waiting for Minato to return, but now, even after talking to him, he found himself sitting on the porch, lost in his thoughts. Why is everything always so complicated? The cool night air brushed against his skin as he leaned back, his head resting against the railing and his hand absentmindedly stroking Shiba's fur.
The girl, unnoticed at first, quietly approached him. She stopped just behind him, tilting her head as she observed the way he sat in the dim light. When Kakashi finally realized she was there, he glanced over his shoulder.
How long has she been standing there? Kakashi wondered since he hadn't heard her nor feel her approach. What's this about? Can't sleep? He sat up, meeting her gaze, trying to figure out what was going through her mind. She stepped closer, looking around at the open sky, the cool breeze brushing past them, and then down at Kakashi letting out a soft "moon".
Kakashi sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Can't sleep inside, huh?" he asked quietly, already knowing the answer. Her eyes shifting toward the trees nearby. Of course. She's used to sleeping outside.
Without another word, he stood up and stretched, motioning for her to follow him. The girl and Shiba followed him into the open yard outside Minato's house.
The moonlight bathed everything in silver, the trees casting long shadows across the ground. Kakashi led her to a large tree near the fence, its trunk thick and sturdy, it's the branches swaying gently in the breeze.
As Kakashi settled against the tree, thinking the girl would soon drift off to sleep, he heard a sudden rustling sound. He opened his eye just in time to see the girl scaling the tree with an efficiency that startled him. She moved swiftly, her small hands and feet gripping the bark with a precision that seemed unnatural.
Okay... that's not normal, Kakashi thought, his brows furrowing as he watched her climb higher. She reached a spot near the middle of the tree and stopped.
For a moment, she crouched, seemingly assessing the various branches, and then, with a soft huff of frustration, she poked one of the larger branches as if disappointed it wasn't the right fit. Kakashi tilted his head, bemused by her odd behaviour. What is she doing? Looking for a spot to nap?
She huffed again, this time louder, clearly unhappy with her options. Finally, she placed her hand on the bark of the tree, her expression growing serious. Kakashi narrowed his eye as he watched her. What is she doing now?
Kakashi's eyes widened, his breath catching in his throat. Wait… what is—
Before he could fully grasp the situation, the tree responded. A faint rustling sound filled the air, and slowly, the thick branch the girl was standing on began to move. It shifted, almost as if it were alive, curling down slightly to form a sort of resting place that looked almost like an expensive wood bowl. The movement was subtle but unmistakable—the tree was bending to her will.
Shiba sat on his butt, muzzle open completely in shock.
Kakashi stood up, eyes wide with shock as he took a step back. "W-what…?" He could barely get the words out. "How… how did you…?"
The girl, now standing on the new crib-looking formation, turned to face him, her expression calm and matter-of-fact, as if moving a tree was the most natural thing in the world. She tilted her head slightly, as if asking why they were so surprised.
He blinked, struggling to process what he had just witnessed. Did she… did she just make a tree move? This wasn't normal chakra control; it was something entirely different. Something he hadn't seen before, her own chakra didn't even flutter.
The girl, apparently satisfied with her new spot, settled down on the branch, laying her head against a small clump of leaves that had formed at one end of the bowl as if it were the softest pillow. She gave a small, content sigh, clearly pleased with her work, and glanced down at Kakashi as if to say, "See? This is better." The branch, now perfectly positioned for her comfort, cradled her as she closed her eyes.
Kakashi, still stunned, stared up at her, his mind racing. What in the world… He shook his head slightly, leaning back against the trunk once more, trying to make sense of it all. That's definitely not normal, I think this is an enough good reason to be surprised… again.
Kakashi jumped onto the branch besides her a long minute later, and looked at her. "You just… what in the Kami are you?"
But the girl didn't respond she was deep asleep already, looking as if she was a part of the tree. Kakashi sighed, his initial surprise giving way to resignation. What kind of—
Suddenly, a flicker of movement caught his eye from the house. Kakashi's head turned, and there, staring out of a window, was Minato. The Hokage's face was barely visible, but Kakashi could see his eyes—wide as dinner plates, practically popping out of his head. Minato's usually calm and composed demeanour was nowhere to be found as he stared, his mouth slightly open in shock.
Kakashi stared back, their gazes locking for a moment, both of them caught in mutual disbelief. Minato's mouth moved, trying to form words, but nothing came out. Are you seeing this too?
Kakashi, still reeling, gave a slow nod. Yeah, I'm seeing it, alright. I just don't believe it. He raised his hands in a gesture of helplessness. I have no idea how or why this is happening.
Minato's eyes darted back to the girl, who was now fast asleep on the branch. The Hokage blinked rapidly, then rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
After a few more stunned moments, Minato shook his head and slowly retreated back from the window, disappearing from view. Guess I'll just keep an eye out... in case she decides to move an entire forest next.
"Well, at least she's comfortable now," Kakashi muttered to himself, shaking his head in disbelief.
Kakashi sat and leaned against the trunk of the tree, keeping the girl on his view. What am I even dealing with here? He let a whistle escape his lips, which had shiba jumping up besides him. Kakashi reached out and patted Shiba absentmindedly.
But the sound of Kakashi's whistle reached the girl's ears. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open, blinking sleepily.
She looked at him, studied him for a second, then glanced around as if realising something. Her eyes widened slightly and her expression suddenly filled with guilt. She let out a small, sad purr.
Is she apologising? What for? Kakashi raised an eyebrow, surprised that she'd woken up. "What?" he muttered softly, more to himself than to her. He wasn't sure why she seemed upset.
The girl pressed both of her palms onto the branch she was laying on, the same way she had done earlier. Kakashi watched, his eyes narrowing in confusion. She can't possibly be—
Suddenly, the trunk he was leaning on shifted. No... she wouldn't. The wood groaned softly as it moved, bending in ways that a tree shouldn't naturally move. His eyes widened, and he instinctively leaned away, only to realise the tree was reshaping itself… for him.
Within moments, a perfect nook had formed, complete with a gently curving branch in front of him. It was almost as if the tree had formed a cradle specifically for Kakashi, as if inviting him to lean back. Oh, for the love of...
Kakashi sighed. "You've got to be kidding me…" He muttered under his breath, cautiously reaching out to touch the newly formed nook. It felt solid—sturdy, like it had always been that way. The rough bark had smoothed out, making it feel almost soft. He couldn't help but shake his head in disbelief. So, now I've got my own personal tree bed. Great.
But she wasn't finished yet.
With a gentle rustle, leaves began to sprout from a thin branch in front of him. Kakashi stared in awe as the branch cradled him, its soft leaves forming a surprisingly comfortable cocoon, resembling a soft, leafy duvet. A branch duvet. Made. For. Me.
The girl gave a soft, satisfied hum from above, clearly pleased with her handiwork. She looked down at Kakashi with those wide, curious eyes and gave him a small smile, like she was proud of herself for figuring out how to make him a sleeping spot.
Kakashi sighed, not quite knowing how to feel about this development. He looked up at her, his gaze softening despite himself. "Thanks... I think,"
As he cautiously settled into the nook, testing the comfort, he found that it wasn't half bad. In fact, it was surprisingly comfortable. The branch supported his back perfectly, and the leaves rustled softly overhead, creating a calming, almost serene atmosphere.
"She really made me a bed…" he muttered under his breath, more confused than ever.
The situation was far from normal. He tilted his head back to glance at the girl again, who was already half-asleep again. She looked peaceful, completely unbothered by the strangeness of it all. Maybe to her, this is normal. Or maybe I'm just losing my grip on reality.
Kakashi let out a long breath, allowing himself to relax as he leaned back against the tree. Well, this is different, but I guess it beats sleeping on the ground. The branch cradled him comfortably, and for the first time in what felt like hours, he felt his body start to unwind. I'll just accept it for now, maybe this is a dream. No sense in figuring it out if I'm just gonna wake up.
Kakashi felt his eyelids growing heavier as the odd comfort of the tree lulled him into relaxation. It was the best sleep he has had since he was 4.