Just then as if he had heard his name, Minato's voice rang out from the porch, cutting through the morning air. "Breakfast's ready!" he called, waving them over with a cheerful smile.
The girl's attention immediately shifted, her sharp eyes locking onto Minato, and tilting her head.
"He means food. Eat" Kakashi explained, catching her questioning look.
"Eat?" she repeated, glancing up at the sky, then at her own hand pressed over her belly. She pointed to the sun and raised her eyebrows.
Kakashi quickly supplied, "Sun." She echoed him, then traced a high arc with her hand, pointing to where the sun had been and then mimicking a lower arc. "Moon... Eat?"
Kakashi took a second, finally catching her drift. "Three times," he said, holding up three fingers. "We eat three times every day."
Her eyes went comically wide, a mix of amazement and doubt. "Three?" Her brow knitted in disbelief. Three times?
Kakashi chuckled. "What, you don't eat that often?"
She shook her head solemnly. "One... day."
Kakashi blinked, trying to wrap his head around it. Once? Only once? But Minato, now at the door, gave a gentle smile and added, "Well, here, you'll eat three times a day. Let's go." Minato added another step to his plan, pass by the hospital for a check-up for the girl.
When they finally sat down, the girl's jaw dropped as more food piled onto the table—rice, eggs, vegetables, and even more rice. Her eyes darted from the spread to Kakashi, then back to the spread, her face torn between awe and... suspicion.
"Eat... all?" she whispered, blinking fast.
Kakashi snorted, nearly choking on his tea. "No, not all at once! Just what you can. And if there's extra, we save it for later."
Her eyes narrowed, visibly perplexed. Save food? Just leave it sitting there?
She hesitated, but eventually picked up her chopsticks, cautiously copying Kakashi. For a moment, things were calm. Then, out of nowhere, her instincts took over, and she devoured everything in sight like it was a race. Kakashi watched, wide-eyed, as she inhaled her food with alarming speed. Does she think this is a survival mission?
Minato laughed softly from across the table. "Hungry, huh?"
Hungry? She's acting like she hasn't eaten in days! Kakashi thought, raising an eyebrow.
But then, as the girl powered through more bites, she started to slow down. Her bites became smaller, and her face scrunched up in determination. She was full. Very full. But instead of stopping, she forced herself to keep going, shoveling in more food like a soldier on a final mission.
Kakashi leaned in, his brow furrowed. "You... don't have to finish it all."
She stared at him in confusion. "Eat... all?" she repeated, pointing at the mountain of food still left.
Kakashi sighed, Oh no, she's really serious about this. "No, no. Look." He got up and opened the fridge, pointing inside. "We can save it. See? Cold box keeps food. You don't have to eat everything now."
She cautiously approached the fridge, peering inside like it was some kind of mystical cave. Her eyes widened. Cold box... magic.
She turned to Kakashi, relief flooding her face. "Later... eat?" she asked, sounding like she'd just discovered the meaning of life.
"Yeah, later," Kakashi answered patiently.
She let out a huge sigh of relief, plopping back into her seat, rubbing her stuffed belly. But soon, the discomfort of being so full began to set in. Her fingers drummed against the table, and she shifted in her seat, clearly unable to sit still.
Oh no. Kakashi saw the look on her face just a second before she turned to Minato, her eyes bright with renewed excitement.
"Run?" she asked, her gaze turning to Minato with wide, hopeful eyes, her body practically buzzing with pent-up energy.
Kakashi stiffened slightly, glancing over at Minato. He hadn't expected her to go straight to the Hokage with that question, but the girl had clearly picked up on something. She knew Minato was in charge, the one who made decisions.
Minato raised an eyebrow, his mouth curling into a smile. Well, that's step two sorted for me. He could see the excitement bubbling in her and knew this was a perfect opportunity to see how far her abilities could go.
"Alright," Minato said, rising from his seat with a calm smile. "But I'll join you too." Minato turned toward the stairs, glancing up with a soft smile. "Kushina's resting upstairs, you two clean up. I'll be down in a bit."
Kakashi blinked, momentarily caught off guard. Minato—join them? That wasn't what he'd expected. Since when does the Hokage have time for games? He glanced at Minato, his surprise barely hidden beneath his usual stoic expression. The thoughtful glint in Minato's eyes, though, didn't go unnoticed.
Wait… Kakashi's mind churned for a second, piecing it together. Of course. He wants to test her.
Without a word, Kakashi returned to clearing the table, masking his curiosity. This should be interesting, he thought, side-eyeing the girl, who was already fidgeting with anticipation.
The moment they stepped outside, the girl shot forward like an arrow, already sprinting toward the trees. Minato chuckled and, in a flash, shunshined directly in front of her. She let out a startled squeak, skidding to a stop so fast her feet kicked up a spray of dust. Her eyes widened as she looked up at him, curiosity and awe clear on her face. How… did he just…fly?
"Wait," Minato said with a grin, holding up a hand. "Follow."
She gave a small, confused hum, her brow furrowing as if trying to work out his trick. After a moment, she nodded, following him—though her gaze lingered on him every few steps, almost as if she expected him to disappear again.
When they reached a wide training field, Minato turned to her, an unmistakable glint of challenge in his eyes. "Let's play," he announced, his tone light but full of intent.
Kakashi turned to look at the girl. "Tag," he explained. "We chase, you run."
Her eyes lit up with understanding. Run! Without a second thought, she dashed off, her movements fluid and quick, her body low to the ground as she wove through the trees at the edge of the field.
Minato and Kakashi exchanged a quick glance before Minato gestured to Kakashi, silently signalling for him to follow while he stayed behind. Kakashi nodded and took off, his silent movements cutting through the trees as he followed her path.
The girl darted through the trees with surprising speed, her bare feet barely making a sound as she moved. Minato observed from his spot, eyes narrowed thoughtfully. The girl's speed is impressive, especially for her age. She was running low, weaving between the trees with surprising ease, her fingers brushing the trunks as she passed.
They were getting kinda far, so he decided to follow. He watched as a branch dipped slightly, just enough for her to take it and make a sharp turn. Did she control that? He decided to make his next move.
Minato shunshined in front of her. She gasped, and her eyes darted to the side—a low branch shifted just slightly, and she used it to jump down and avoid him. Minato smiled, glancing at Kakashi, who was also noticing her subtle interactions with the trees. It almost feels like the trees are helping her on their own accord…
Kakashi raised an eyebrow as he watched her and picked up his speed to keep her within sight. But she was determined. Unable to outrun both of them on the ground, she leapt up, catching a branch and climbing into the treetops. Moving like a squirrel, she hopped from branch to branch, the trees seeming to lend her a subtle hand, each branch bending slightly as she passed, as if guiding her escape.
"Oh, come on," Kakashi muttered under his breath, glancing at Minato.
Minato smirked, clearly entertained. "Hm, never seen that before" he muttered, eyes gleaming with amusement as he watched her darting through the canopy. "Think you can keep up?"
Kakashi rolled his eyes and quickly went to the trees.
The girl glanced over her shoulder, spotting them gaining on her. Her eyes narrowed, determined to stay ahead. She reached for another branch, which seemed to bend down ever so slightly as if offering itself to her. She grinned, swinging up higher, her gaze darting toward Minato as she leapt.
But Minato wasn't giving her any time to savor her lead. In a flash, he shunshined in front of her again. She gasped, eyes wide in surprise. How does he keep… poofing like that?!
Minato smirked, giving Kakashi a nod before they both shunshined to keep up, appearing in her path at random points. Despite her agility, the two of them continued to close in, their shunshins forcing her to twist and dodge at every turn.
Finally, she paused on a branch, glancing down with an expression of frustrated wonder. She stared at Minato and Kakashi, clearly impressed but determined. Her gaze flicked between them, then to her own hands. Without hesitation, she pointed to them both, her brow furrowed in concentration.
She glanced at Kakashi, her curiosity still bubbling over. "You… him," she said, pointing between them. "Poof?" she added, mimicking his shunshin by wiggling her fingers and making a little whooshing noise.
Kakashi chuckled, catching on quickly. "Sometimes, yeah," he said, giving her an amused look. She huffed, her gaze lingering on him. Is she accusing me of cheating? The trees are helping her!
Determined, she placed her hand on a nearby trunk, eyes narrowing in concentration. She took a deep breath, as if trying to mimic the energy she'd sensed from their movements, feeling the hum of the tree beneath her fingers. Her own chakra pulsed lightly, uncertain but searching.
The girl's fingers dug a little deeper into the bark, and she closed her eyes, concentrating hard. This time, instead of feeling only the gentle warmth of the tree, she felt a sudden surge—like the forest itself was lending her its strength. She opened her eyes, and without a second thought, shot forward.
Kakashi froze, his one visible eye widening in disbelief. What. The ? The way she moved was unlike anything he'd seen, save for a few legendary shinobi. His hand unconsciously drifted up, pulling his headband aside to reveal his Sharingan, hoping that it would make sense of what he was seeing. The enhanced vision didn't make things any clearer; instead, it only heightened his shock.
Minato's jaw had nearly dropped. He'd fully expected her to be fast, maybe even a little clever with the trees. But this? She just absorbed nature chakra as if it was nothing! She has more control than Jiraya…. He exchanged a quick look with Kakashi, only to notice his headband lifted and the red gleam of the Sharingan staring back.
Kakashi's words hung in the air, his voice barely above a whisper. "Minato-sensei…is that Senjutsu?"
Minato's gaze was fixed on the girl, his expression shifting from shock to a deep, calculating focus. "I'm… not completely sure," he admitted, though his eyes betrayed an excitement laced with concern. How is she managing this… and so naturally? he wondered, marveling at the sight.
The girl darted from tree to tree with newfound speed, a small look of triumph flashing across her face. For a moment, she glanced back, noting Minato and Kakashi's astonished expressions with a gleam of satisfaction. But when she reached another high branch, she slowed, her expression quickly souring as she realized she hadn't managed to "poof" like they had.
She huffed, clearly annoyed. That wasn't what she was aiming for. She spun around and fixed her gaze on them, hands on her hips. She glanced at Kakashi and paused for a second, her head tilting slightly as she noticed his uncovered Sharingan. What's with his eye? Her gaze didn't linger, though, she already though he was weird covering his face and she had more important things to worry about.
"Poof!" she insisted, pointing at Minato, then back at herself, her brow furrowed. She wiggled her fingers again, repeating the sound she thought matched the shunshin: "Whoosh!" Her expression was clear, show me.
Kakashi was still too stunned to react properly, but her expectant gaze was insistent. Before he even processed it, his hands were forming the shunshin signs he hadn't done in years, almost as if on autopilot. As he made the seals, her eyes fixed intently on his hands, then he appeared on the branch next to hers.
"Again," she whispered, her gaze unwavering.
Kakashi blinked, unsure if he should keep showing her, but then her gaze softened into that curious, endearing look again. Well…once more will not hurt. Without another word, he made the signs once more, slowly. She leaned in, her fingers reaching out to lightly touch his wrist, her brows knitting in concentration.
This time, she seemed to sense something—the faint flare of his chakra before he vanished. Her gaze tracked the energy as if following a delicate thread woven into the air, her mouth parting slightly in fascination. It's… different than the trees. She could feel the pulse of his chakra, sharp and controlled, in contrast to the softer, sprawling nature energy she was used to.
Kakashi watched as the girl's brows knit together in intense concentration. She didn't try to replicate the hand signs but instead closed her eyes, focusing inward. Her hands hovered slightly at her sides, as if feeling out the subtle shift in energy she had sensed from him. Kakashi's Sharingan caught the faint swirl of natural energy around her, and his eye widened. No way... Is she really trying to shunshin with nature chakra?
The girl's brow creased as the energy gathered around her, her expression shifting from triumph to confusion. Something felt off, clearly. She huffed, a tiny frustrated sound escaping her lips as she stopped and tried again, determined. Each attempt was met with the same result—a distinct difference she seemed unable to place. She shot Kakashi a look, her eyes demanding, What's wrong with your weird poof?
Minato, watching with clear amusement, stepped forward. He gently lifted his hand, catching her attention. "Not… nature," he said, patting his chest. "From… here." He tapped his own chest again, emphasizing the point, then gestured outward as if drawing energy from within himself.
The girl blinked up at him, tilting her head. Kakashi could practically see her brain whirring. She looked from Minato to him, and he gave a reassuring nod, silently encouraging her to give it a shot.
Minato repeated his demonstration, tapping his chest, then held his hands out, drawing an imaginary line of energy from his chest outward. "Inside," he emphasized, grinning slightly. "Not outside." He waved his hand toward the surrounding trees, his face exaggeratedly serious. She watched his over-the-top demonstration with a confused stare and then let out a soft, Ooooh.
The girl pressed her hands over her chest, concentrating as hard as she could, but nothing happened. She frowned, her brows knitting in frustration. Inside… my own, she reminded herself, tapping her chest in an effort to follow Minato's instructions.
For someone who could make trees bend and sway with barely a thought, this was proving surprisingly difficult. Each time she tried to pull on something "inside," her instincts kept reaching out for the familiar, calming hum of the nature energy around her. But no—she stopped herself. Not nature... but me? The concept was odd, like trying to drink water without touching the cup.
Minato seemed to sense her struggle and knelt beside her. "Here," he said gently, holding out his hand, palm up, a faint glow of chakra gathering there. The chakra swirled softly above his hand, warm and controlled. "See? From me, not…" He waved toward the trees, then refocused on his palm. He let the energy pulse gently, a steady beat, just enough for her to feel it.
She blinked, entranced by the soft glow, her gaze fixed on Minato's hand. It's like... it's alive, she thought, her eyes widening in fascination. But when she tried to do the same, to bring that warmth from her own chest, all she felt was... silence. Where was it? She squinted, concentrating so hard her face scrunched up.
Minato watched her, his tone calm and patient. "You're used to using nature around you," he explained, his voice gentle. "But it's important you learn to use your own. Nature's energy is powerful but also… difficult to control. Especially for someone young, like you." He looked at her seriously, meeting her eyes. "And it can be dangerous."
She blinked, taking in his words. Dangerous? That got her attention. Trees had never felt dangerous before—they'd always felt like friends. But the thought of something going wrong, of the trees or nature somehow hurting her or someone else, made her stomach flip.
Kakashi, who had been watching her attempt with a mix of amusement and genuine curiosity, spoke up. "Think of it as… learning to walk before you try running."
Her gaze flicked between them, her expression determined as she gave a small, resolute nod. She closed her eyes, focusing once more, her hand pressing over her heart. Inside. Only from me, she repeated silently, willing herself to find that energy.
Slowly, she began to feel it—faint and fragile, like the first glow of dawn. A soft warmth, pulsing deep inside, faint but unmistakable. Her eyes snapped open, a small gasp escaping her as she felt it.
Kakashi's eyes widened, surprised she'd even managed to reach it at all. She's really doing it. Minato offered her an encouraging nod, his face lighting up with approval.
The girl beamed, proud of her progress, even if it was small. But as she concentrated, her gaze flicked back to Minato's hand, curiosity still shining in her eyes. But… how does he make it… poof?
Minato chuckled, catching the glint of intrigue in her eyes. "One thing at a time," he said gently, his voice calm but his eyes amused. "It takes practice, a lot of it. Don't worry if it doesn't happen right away."
But as her gaze drifted back to his hand, it was clear she was already planning her next attempt.
Kakashi sighed, watching her stubborn expression. "She's not going to stop until she figures it out, is she?" he muttered, though he felt a reluctant admiration building. Her curiosity was fierce, almost unbreakable.