Im so sorry guys! It has been a couple rough months... but I will be better now! Pinky promise.
xx
Minato, the girl, and Kakashi strolled through the village, heading for the hospital in the early morning light. Every few steps, the girl flared her chakra in short bursts, like she was poking at something invisible inside herself. The flickers were faint, barely there before they sputtered out, each one followed by a small, frustrated huff.
Minato hid a smirk, glancing down as her face scrunched up in pure concentration. She looks like she's trying to cast a genjutsu on a mosquito, he thought, amused. The girl didn't notice him watching, too caught up in her experiments, but every now and then, she'd sneak a quick glance back at Kakashi, as if to check that he hadn't poofed out of existence.
Beside them, Kakashi followed, hands casually tucked in his pockets, his gaze drifting from the street to the girl as she struggled. He could feel her gaze every time she looked at him. What's she looking at? he wondered, a bit unnerved by her quiet, intense stare. Is she… expecting me to say something? Help? What would I even say?
They were nearing the hospital when the girl suddenly froze. Her head shot up, and her whole body went rigid. Kakashi tensed, sensing the change instantly, but before he could react, she pulled Minato back a half-step from his robe to move directly in front of him, her small frame blocking his, eyes fixed on an empty patch of rooftop ahead.
Minato blinked down at her, surprised by the fierce look in her eyes. She was staring at the rooftop, her whole body poised as if ready to pounce. Ah, so she sensed him.
A breath later, an ANBU dropped down, landing in front of them with the silent grace of a shadow. The girl didn't budge, her teeth baring slightly, shoulders squaring like she was prepared to defend against him. Is she… protecting me? Minato realized, a pang of warmth settling in his chest. She really is something.
The ANBU straightened, casting a glance at the girl but addressing Minato. "Hokage-sama, the council is waiting for you… They're not in the best of moods," he said, his voice calm but tinged with impatience. Minato felt the words brush past him, but his focus was on the girl, who was still standing firmly between them, unmoving.
Minato placed a light hand on her shoulder, and she finally relaxed a fraction, glancing up at him with an almost sheepish expression. He gave her a gentle nod, an amused glint in his eyes. "It's alright," he said softly, his hand steady on her shoulder. "You don't need to protect me from the masked man." She blinked, looking from him to the ANBU, seeming to process the words, though her brow remained furrowed.
"We'll just be a little delayed." He turned back to the ANBU. "Let them know I'll arrive shortly."
The ANBU vanished with a nod, leaving only silence in his wake. The girl gave a quiet huff, clearly suspicious, her eyes darting to Minato for reassurance. "Where?" she managed, trying to find her voice.
Minato's smile softened. "The hospital," he said gently. "Just a check-up." She tilted her head, trying to mimic the sounds.
"Hos…pit-tal?" she murmured, the syllables heavy and awkward.
"Close enough," Kakashi muttered, holding her stare for a moment longer than he meant to. She looked… proud? Her lips curved up in a shy, almost hidden smile, and he had to turn away, stuffing his hands deeper in his pockets.
Once inside the hospital, the girl froze mid step. Her nose crinkled, and her eyes darted around the pristine white walls and gleaming floors. The smell hit her first—sharp, chemical, and overwhelmingly unnatural. She recoiled, her face scrunching up as though she'd just tasted something sour.
With an exaggerated motion, she clamped both hands over her nose, her muffled voice humming out an unmistakable complaint. "Bad… air!" she declared, her words strained but emphatic.
Kakashi couldn't help a small snort, though it was more out of solidarity than amusement. "Yeah," he muttered under his breath, his tone clipped. "Tell me about it."
Minato glanced between them, clearly fighting a smile. "It's clean," he explained with his usual calmness, though his eyes betrayed a hint of amusement. The girl's glare sharpened as she gave him an accusing look.
Reluctantly, she lowered her hands and took a cautious sniff. Her reaction was immediate and dramatic. She gagged loudly, doubling over and glaring up at Minato with an expression of pure betrayal.
"Why?!" she demanded putting her hands back on her nose.
Minato chuckled softly, crouching slightly to meet her eyes. "I know it's different," he said kindly, "but this is a safe place. They keep it clean to help people get better."
Her brow furrowed as she tried to process this. "Safe?" she repeated doubtfully, glancing at the white surroundings. Trees are brown. Grass is green. They're safe. This? This is not safe. The. gleaming floors didn't look safe. They look slippery. And sharp. And weird. "No… safe."
"Yes," Minato assured her, though his smile turned slightly wry as he added, "but only if you don't hold your breath the entire time."
She glanced at Kakashi, her brow furrowed as if to say, You trust this? He gave a small shrug. She narrowed her eyes but dropped the subject, her hands still hovering near her nose as she followed them deeper into the building.
As they entered a private exam room, the girl stopped again, her eyes landing on the sterile, padded bed in the center. She stepped closer cautiously, poking at the surface with one finger. When it didn't react, she glanced back at Minato and Kakashi with an expression that could only be described as suspicious.
"Sit," Minato said, gesturing to the bed.
The girl blinked at him, then back at the bed, before cautiously perching on the edge, her legs swinging slightly when the medic Minato had requested arrived, and Minato spoke quietly to her.
"All reports come directly to me," he said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Nothing is to be shared or recorded elsewhere."
The medic nodded, her demeanour professional as she glanced at the girl. "Understood, Hokage-sama."
The medic nodded, her demeanour gentle as she approached the girl. "Alright, let's start with some basics," she said, crouching slightly to meet the girl's gaze. "Can you tell me your name?"
The girl blinked at her, then glanced at Minato as if searching for guidance.
Kakashi barely resisted the urge to shift. Right. That is a good question. A very simple question. A question he absolutely should have asked by now.
Minato turned his gaze toward him, and Kakashi immediately felt the weight of it. He and Minato exchanged a brief, almost guilty look before Kakashi exhaled and rubbed the back of his neck. "I… haven't asked yet."
The medic blinked. "You haven't asked?"
Kakashi frowned, feeling vaguely defensive despite himself. "In my defense, I doubt it's a name any of us could pronounce."
That sounded better in my head and it is… technically true. But mostly, he just hadn't thought about it, there had been too many other things happening. She had been purring at him, dragging him into chases, climbing trees, confusing every single ANBU in her vicinity. At what point was I supposed to pause and ask for a name?
Minato gave a light chuckle before explaining, "We don't know her name yet. We'll figure it out soon enough."
Kakashi glanced at the girl again. Will we?
The medic's smile didn't falter, but her raised eyebrows betrayed her surprise. "Alright. Can you tell me how old you are?" she asked gently, directing her question back to the girl.
The girl furrowed her brow, glancing between Minato and Kakashi. Minato shook his head slightly. "We're not sure," he explained. "We were hoping you might have an idea."
The medic raised an eyebrow but said nothing, her gaze returning to the girl. "Alright, no problem. Let's move on." She gently guided the girl to sit straight. "This won't take long. I'm just going to check how you're growing."
The next few minutes passed with the medic taking the girl's height and weight, checking her reflexes, and observing her posture. The girl followed directions quietly, her wide eyes darting between Minato and Kakashi every so often, seeking reassurance.
Minato hummed, thoughtful. "She's only been eating once a day before now. Could she be malnourished?"
The medic frowned, considering. "Not visibly, no. She's small for what I estimate her age to be—at most, a couple of years younger than you, Hatake-san. No signs of stunted growth or nutrient deficiencies. If anything, she's surprisingly healthy and has excellent muscle tone for someone her size." She paused, tapping her clipboard.
Minato exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "That's good to hear," he said, his voice warm but tinged with relief. "Though I'll make sure she gets on a proper diet from now on."
The medic smiled and nodded before setting her clipboard aside. "Next, I'm going to check her chakra network," she explained, holding up her hands to show they were empty. "This won't hurt. I'm just going to use a bit of my own chakra to feel how hers is flowing."
The girl tensed slightly, her sharp eyes narrowing as she watched the medic approach."It's okay," Minato said softly. "She's just helping."
Kakashi, from his spot against the wall, muttered under his breath. "Yeah, because trusting someone to mess with your chakra is totally normal."
The medic and Minato ignored him.
Gently, the medic guided the girl to lie back, then placed her hands over the girl's abdomen, chakra flaring faintly at her fingertips. The girl stayed still, her eyes flicking from the medic's hands to Minato's face, gauging whether she should bolt. But as the warmth spread through her body, soothing and unfamiliar, her expression shifted—cautious tension melting into curiosity.
A quiet, thoughtful hum escaped her lips.
Arms crossed, Minato kept his gaze locked on the medic, watching for any change in her expression. She is taking longer than expected. That's never a good sign.
Finally, the medic pulled back, her expression thoughtful. "That's… unusual."
Minato arched a brow. "Unusual how?"
The medic hesitated for a moment, gathering her words. "Her chakra network is fully developed. More so than I'd expect for a child without formal training."
Kakashi exhaled sharply. "And what does that mean?" Because I'm really not in the mood for cryptic medical observations.
The medic turned to Minato, clearly aware this was not a normal case. "It means her body is structured like a shinobi's—her pathways are reinforced, structured… closer to what I'd expect from a genin with experience or a chunin. She's healthy," the medic clarified, her brows knitting together. "Extremely healthy. In fact, her immune system seems stronger than any child I've seen. Normally, this would indicate consistent chakra use." She paused, eyes flicking to the girl. "But she has barely any of her own chakra stored."
Kakashi blinked. "…What?"
"The network is strong—really strong—but her chakra circulation is almost nonexistent. Her body isn't naturally pulling from it the way it should be."
Kakashi, meanwhile, was frowning under his mask. "So… her chakra's just sitting there doing nothing?
The medic shook her head. "Looks like it. Almost as if she's never used it."
Minato's expression remained neutral, but inwardly, his mind was running through every oddity he had seen so far. The realization settled in his chest like a weight. She wasn't using her own chakra. She was using nature's.
Minato's eyes flicked to the girl. "And yet she's completely healthy?."
"Did she seem sluggish or fatigued at all before this?"
Minato shook his head. "No. If anything, she's more energetic than most kids I've seen."
The medic hummed in thought, clearly puzzled. "That doesn't add up. A child eating once a day, with little to no chakra circulation, should have some signs of strain."
Silence.
Then—
A loud, exasperated huff.