After Minato left for work, Kushina took one look at the girl's tattered, ill-fitting dress and made a decision.
"No way am I letting you walk around in that a second longer."
The girl, sitting cross-legged on the floor, blinked up at her in confusion.
Kushina placed both hands on her hips. "We're going shopping, kiddo."
The girl tilted her head back, mirroring her, as if considering the statement.
Kushina smirked. "No arguments? Great! Let's go, dattebane!"
She took the girl's hand, leading her toward the market.
At first, the girl followed easily enough.
But as they walked, Kushina felt the shift.
The closer they got to the market, the louder the village became—vendors calling out, carts rolling over uneven stone, distant laughter mixing with sharp voices.
And with every step, the girl's pace slowed.
At first, just a slight hesitation.
Then, her feet began to drag.
By the time they reached the outskirts, her steps had turned into small, reluctant shuffles, her body pressing closer and closer to Kushina's side.
Kushina glanced down, frowning slightly.
The moment they stepped in, the girl froze. Vendors shouted over one another, metal clanged. Too loud. The sheer volume of people shifting in all directions swallowed the space around her. No room. The scent of smoke, cooked meat, cooked fish mixed into the air. Wrong smell. A cart rattled over uneven stone making some crates fall from it, crashing to the ground. Danger. Her hands shot up, pressing against her ears. Still too loud. Her breath quickening, she hunched slightly, her muscles locking in place. Stop.
Something warm touched her back. The girl flinched, ready to move, ready to run,
"Hey, it is ok," said a familiar voice. Warm.
A moment later, something soft brushed over her head. The fabric wrapped around her ears, snug but not tight. The noise dulled. Her heart slowed.
Kushina's voice, lighter now, playful. "There! And you look extra cute, dattebane!" She reached out, tucking a few strands of the girl's hair so they framed her face. "Better?"
The girl touched the scarf, tilting her head. Soft. Safe. Good. But something was missing. She turned to Kushina, staring at her ears, then at a stall full with fabrics of different colours, scarfs. Her hands tugged on Kushina's wrist, pulling her forward.
"Huh? What's up?" Kushina let herself be dragged.
The girl pointed at another scarf, then at Kushina's ears. Then back at the scarf.
Kushina blinked before laughing. "Ohhh, you want me to wear one too?"
The girl nodded firmly. Too loud. Protect. Safe together.
"Alright, alright, I get it!" Kushina ruffled the girl's hair before grabbing a green scarf and tying it around her own head in the same way. "How do I look? Stylish, huh?"
The girl studied her carefully, then nodded. Good. Safe now.
Kushina chuckled, taking the girl's hand. "Alright, now that we're both safe from the scary market sounds, let's get you some real clothes!"
From a shadowed rooftop, Kakashi watched, his hood pulled low, masking his face. Just another dark shape in the village. The girl's gaze flickered toward him. Far. Why far? Close is better.
She pointed at him suddenly, tugging Kushina's sleeve.
Kushina followed her gaze, then waved dismissively. "Yeah, yeah. He's all serious on the job. ANBU stuff. Boring!"
As they moved deeper into the market, Kushina led her past stalls brimming with fabric, tunics, and brightly colored yukata, holding up different outfits, watching the girl's reactions. The girl's gaze flitted over everything, taking in the textures and colours.
Kushina plucked a kimono-style robe off the rack, holding it up with a grin. "You like purple, right?"
The girl tilted her head. The fabric was deep violet, embroidered with tiny silver leaves. It shimmered slightly in the light—like morning dew. Pretty.
Kushina held it closer. "Wanna try it?"
The girl reached out, fingers brushing the fabric. Soft. A pause, then a small nod.
After some confusion with the layers and ties, she finally had the yukata on. Even if the colours didn't quite match her complexion, the girl liked it. Soft. Warm. A colour she didn't see in the forest. But something felt strange. Hesitantly, she lifted the bottom edge and stretched her leg, mimicking a climb. Kushina watched, amused, as the girl frowned.
Not right. She shifted again, testing. Pretty, but useless.
"Not good for climbing, huh?" Kushina guessed.
The girl shook her head, frustrated. Like fish with no water.
Kushina chuckled. "That's 'cause this one's for looking nice, not for running around like a wild thing." Hands on her hips, she smirked. "Some clothes are for running, some for sleeping, some for special days when you wanna look extra cool."
The girl tilted her head. She pulled at the sleeves—done with it.
Kushina laughed, swapping it out for a looser tunic next. Purple, of course. The girl climbed onto a crate, hopped down, testing. The girl gave Kushina a cheeky grin. Good. Free. Not trapped.
Kushina nodded, satisfied, watching the girl test the tunic. "Alright, alright. No more fancy stuff. But if you're gonna be training, you can't always run around in tunics, dattebane?"
She pulled out a pair of shorts, holding them up with a knowing grin. "Try these."
The girl took them, eyeing them suspiciously before pulling them on. She stretched her legs, bent her knees. Not enough room. She tugged at the hem. Too close. Feels trapped.
Her nose scrunched.
Kushina tried—really tried—not to laugh. But the way the girl shifted, twisting uncomfortably, made it impossible.
"Pffft. Kid, you look like you're fighting your own pants."
The girl shot her a flat, unimpressed look. Enemy. Shorts are enemy.
Kushina wheezed, barely holding in her laughter. "Okay, okay! Loose ones it is!"
She quickly grabbed a longer, baggier light brown pair and handed them over. The girl snatched them, swapping them out immediately.
The girl grinned at Kushina, triumphant.
Kushina grinned back. "See? Now we're getting somewhere!"
And then—as if struck by inspiration, Kushina gasped.
"Oooh! Hold on!"
Before the girl could react, Kushina disappeared into another stall. A moment later, she returned, her grin downright devious. In her hands was… something awful.
Frilly. Pink. Covered in tiny embroidered flowers.
"How about this? You'd be adorable!"
The girl stared in horror. Danger. Danger. This is a trap.
Kushina wiggled the dress in front of her, eyes sparkling. "Come ooon, just try it! Just for fun!"
The girl took a slow, measured step back. Then another.
Kushina took a step forward.
The girl's muscles tensed.
Kushina smirked. "Don't even think ab—HEY!"
The girl turned and bolted.
Kushina howled with laughter. "Oi! Get back here, you little wild thing! I HAVE MORE DRESSES!"
The girl wove through the market like a panicked deer, dodging between stalls, using carts as obstacles. Kushina gave chase, not even trying to hide how much fun she was having.
Her laughter rang through the market, echoing between stalls.
Meanwhile, across the village, there was no laughter in the Hokage's office.
Hawk's fingers unrolled the parchment, scanning the contents. Minato watched him closely, noting the barely-there shift in his posture when he reached the core of the assignment.
Two words stood out immediately. Guard? Train?
His fingers twitched against the parchment. Security detail—that makes sense. He had done that a hundred times over. Shadowing, protecting, anticipating threats before they happened. That was familiar. That was what he knew. But this? A guardian. A teacher. A guide. That isn't what I've trained for.
His jaw tightened slightly as he read the words again, slower this time, as if they might change. They didn't.
A long pause stretched between them before Hawk finally lifted his head, staring directly at the Hokage.
"…You want me to be her trainer."
Minato didn't waver. "And her security detail," he confirmed. "Watch her. Teach her. Make sure she's safe."
Hawk's fingers pressed against the parchment. Security detail, he could handle. That was a mission. A clear objective. But training? Guiding? I am not a mentor, certainly not patient and I sure as hell don't know how to raise a kid.
"I assume I don't have a choice in the matter."
Minato leaned forward slightly, still holding his gaze. "You always have a choice," he said evenly. "This is a huge responsibility, and you can say no. If you don't think this is something you can take on, I'll find another way."
Hawk read the scroll again, but the words blurred together, his thoughts a tangled mess. Say no. That was the right answer. The logical answer. He wasn't suited for this. It wasn't his role. He wasn't—
His fingers twitched against the scroll, that same instinct pulling at him. Telling him to walk away.
But instead of saying no, he thought of… Pebble.
The nickname surfaced in his mind before he could stop it.
He could still feel the warmth of her tiny hand patting his arm, light and easy, like it was the most natural thing in the world. She hadn't hesitated, hadn't flinched, hadn't treated him like something to fear. She just… acknowledged him.
That should have been the end of it. He should have ignored it, brushed it off. He should have said no.
Minato's voice broke through his thoughts. "She already gave you a nickname." His tone was far too amused. "That's basically adoption."
Hawk exhaled sharply through his nose. And I gave her one.
Damn it.
"That's hardly a qualification."
Minato's smirk was subtle but insufferably smug. "You'll do fine."
Will I? He didn't feel ready for this. Not in the slightest. His instincts told him to walk away. This wasn't his mission. This wasn't his world. And yet… that same instinct, the one that had always guided him, was telling him something else. Something quieter. Something deeper.
It was the same instinct that had made him pause when she first looked at him. The same one that had stopped him from brushing her off when she patted his arm.
And now, it refused to let him leave.
Hawk exhaled sharply, shaking his head.
"…I'll do it."
Minato's expression shifted, approval clear in his gaze. "Good."
Without preamble, he lifted his hand, forming a quick, seamless seal. A pulse of chakra shimmered through the air—a privacy barrier.
Hawk's gaze flicked toward it, then back to Minato. He wasn't surprised, but he didn't like what it implied. "…Hokage-sama?"
Minato's voice was quiet, but firm. "The girl isn't normal."
Hawk's jaw tightened instinctively. Of course, she isn't. Who goes around purring at ANBU? He had already figured that much out himself. But if Minato was spelling it out like this, if he was locking the room down before saying it… it meant it was bigger than Hawk had thought.
"She's not using her own chakra," Minato continued. "She's using nature's."
Hawk went still. Senjutsu?
He had never trained in it himself, but he had heard enough—whispers of its power, of the few who had mastered it, of the monsters it could create on the battlefield.
Minato's tone left no room for misunderstanding. "It's something close to Senjutsu, but different. And if the wrong people get their hands on her before she understands it herself…" He let the thought hang.
Hawk didn't need him to finish.
Looks like the protection part will not be as easy as I thought. If she was already using natural energy without even knowing what chakra was… Hawk never trusted easily. He never had. But he trusted Minato. And if Minato had seen enough to risk keeping this a secret, then it meant the girl was already in danger.
"…How much does she know?" His voice was steady, but quieter than before.
Minato shook his head. "Nothing. She doesn't even know what chakra is, let alone how to use it."
Hawk inhaled slowly. That is… dangerous.
A child wielding something that powerful with no control? She could tear herself apart before she even realized what was happening. So protecting her also meant protecting her from herself.
Minato's fingers tapped lightly against his desk. His voice was steady, but there was something beneath it—something heavier. "She's not a tool, Hawk. She's a child."
Hawk said nothing, but his grip on the scroll tightened slightly.
"She can become incredibly powerful, but now that power isn't controlled. If she keeps relying on nature's energy without learning to use her own, it could overwhelm her." Minato's gaze darkened slightly. "And if people start noticing what she can do before she understands it herself… she'll become an even bigger target."
Hawk took that in, his mind already working through the implications.
Minato leaned back slightly. "This is why I need you. She needs guidance, but more than that—she needs protection."
Hawk nodded once, understanding even if he didn't fully like it.
Minato's fingers tapped lightly against his desk before he added, "One more thing." His voice carried a different weight now, something more personal.
Hawk remained silent, waiting.
"I don't want Kakashi to be her commander," Minato said simply. "Not a mentor. Not someone she has to listen to."
Hawk's mask barely tilted, but Minato felt the unspoken question in his posture.
"They need each other," Minato continued, voice quieter now. "Kakashi…" He exhaled slowly, rubbing his temple. "I don't want this girl to be another responsibility Kakashi feels he has to shoulder. I want her to be a possible friend."
His lips quirked slightly under this mask. I think she already has fractured his walls without even trying.
"I don't think she will give him any other choice."
Minato let out a short laugh. "See? You're catching on." His expression turned amused. "Just... watch your footing. She doesn't seem to respect obstacles in her path. Including rocks."
Hawk sighed. "I really shouldn't have let her get away with that."
Minato chuckled, then let the privacy seal drop. The weight in the air lifted. "You will report directly to me."
Hawk nodded once.