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Chapter Text

Kakashi Hatake had carefully spent the last 10 years in the Anbu Black ops. As his time in the unit ended, he thought about all the death, dangerous missions, and more importantly the dark thoughts he held during this period in his life. His friends he grew up with had all taken notice in his lack of interest in anything and worried over him constantly. Recently the 3rd Hokage’s offer of becoming a Jonin Sensei touched his mind, but never fully planted itself into his heart.

Would he be able to be the Sensei his Genin teams would need him to be? Or would this cycle of torment continue in his life no matter what path in life he took?

These thoughts echoed in his mind as he waited in the tree line near one of Orochimaru’s secret bases. He took a deep breath and focused his mind on the task at hand.

There had been some unusual activity in the area: massive earthquakes of unknown origins, outrageous thunderstorms causing landslides, and unexplained warps in gravity. All causes for these occurrences pointed back to this place.

A task force was sent out a few weeks ago to canvas the area. They ended up discovering the hidden base on sheer luck, but a landslide forced them down the mountain into the forest below, injuring several operatives critically. Kakashi was the one they called when others failed, and unfortunately, it happened often enough to fill up his schedule during the week.

This mission seemed to be pretty cut and dry – get in the base, search for anything of importance on Orochimaru’s work, and bring it back to the leaf.

Simple. Easy. Maybe he’d have enough time for some make-out paradise when he got home later that evening.

He looked dully down at the cave opening and decided it was alright to proceed forward as he detected no movement or chakra presence inside.

As he crept into the narrow mouth of the cave, he angled his body to reach the opening and could feel a cool breeze on his face. He pushed past the crevasse and was immediately hit with the scent of decay. He crinkled his nose thankful for his mask and continued down until the passageway opened wider and he was able to walk comfortably.

He came upon an empty laboratory of some sort. The place was an utter disaster.

There was a large tube-like structure in the middle of the room that looked like whatever was held inside had escaped. Off to the side, there was a type of reclining chair with large metal restraints and a spotlight shining on the headrest. Kakashi had noticed that the restraints had been burned through and sighed to himself expecting to meet another of Orochimaru's monsters soon. He looked over at the throw-over table to see various bloodied tools scattered on the floor along with emptied syringes. He could hear the glass cracking from under his ninja boots and felt the hair on the back of his neck standing as his eyes adjusted to the dimmed lighting.

The room surrounding him was filled with large wooden spikes protruding throughout the room. He climbed up one spike to reveal they were full-grown trees, the roots were wrapped together into sharp points and Kakashi watched as the water was dripping from the opening. How curious.

There were a few bodies impaled by the wood explaining the stench in the room and Kakashi tried to identify a village or anything about the individuals but was unable to. These must have been Orochimaru’s lackeys, but what was their purpose there?

He wandered over to a large desk with various screens sitting on the table, the area was well surveillance from what he could tell meaning whatever was here was important. He searched through the various documents on the table and found pictures of the 1st and 2nd Hokages and various information about their abilities/family lineage but one document in particular caught his eye.

Female Senju: Name unknown

Age: 6-7 years

Chakra nature: Lightning/unknown

Kekkei Genkai: Wood release

Subject was found in the Land of Snow frozen.

Family lineages expect to be close to the main Senju branch from indicated markings.

Was this the person who broke through the glass and burned through the restraints? A little girl?

Kakashi flipped through more documents showing procedures done to the said child and felt sick as he came upon a picture of her. She seemed to be wincing in pain and it looked like a metal collar hung around her neck, maybe some type of control device? Her hair was long and white, and her eyes were a bright red as two distinctive red markings ran down the contour of her high cheekbones

The tears staining her face clearly in the photo made Kakashi’s stomach churn as he remembered his previous encounters with Tenzo. He was made aware of the child experiments done on him in the same type of tube found in this place. If this child truly had the wood release, then that means that the damage done to these people manifested through her.

He started gathering up the documents that were scattered and sealed them into a scroll for easier transport back to the Hokage and froze when he heard small sniffles. While scanning the room amongst the wreckage he spotted some long white strands of hair and two red eyes peering out at him from under a tree.

He paused. He did not expect anyone to be here, so he was taken back for a moment. While stepped closer to where she was and he stopped when a small whimper escaped from her throat

She retreated further into her hiding place. He noticed that the tree began to wrap itself around her protectively and his suspicion was confirmed that this was another one of Orochimaru’s test subjects injected with the wood release. Kakashi sighed running a hand through his hair and began thinking of various scenarios playing out in his mind. He would have to bring this girl with him back to Konoha, but how exactly was he going to do that? He thought for a moment and realized he probably looked scary with his Anbu mask on. So, he removed it letting his different colored eyes be revealed and he bent down to be at the child’s eye level.

“I know you must be scared. It seems like this is a scary place to be…” he trailed off and looked towards the girl while tilting his head. She hadn’t even bothered to look at him. “My name is Kakashi Hatake, and I am from Konohagakure, I was sent here to retrieve you.” He waited for a response and saw the glint of a single red eye peeking at him from the shadow.

Kakashi sighed and tilted his head up slightly, the light reflecting off of his Sharingan eye. His attention was brought back to the child as a small pale hand poked out from the darkness of the tree root and signed out the word ‘Uchiha’. The tree opened more to reveal her small dirty face as she waited for his response.

“Um…no not quite an Uchiha…it’s a long story…” Kakashi trailed off not wanting to explain to a 7-year-old child why he had the Sharingan. “Why don’t you tell me your name?” Kakashi smiled trying to keep the focus on her.

She opened the tree more to were Kakashi was able to see more of her. The dirty gown stained with blood clung to her small frame quite loosely making her look skinny and frail. She brought her arms up again to sign the name, ‘Yu’ and pointed to herself. ‘I want to go home’ she signed again, small tears running down her face.

Kakashi’s heart hurt for this poor innocent being and knew she had been through a lot in this place. “Come with me then Yu. I will take you to my village. I will protect you, and we can take you home.” Kakashi offered letting a smile touch his lips trying to be as warm and inviting as he could muster.

This feeling was foreign to him, showing kindness out of desperation, he knew if she didn’t go with him there is no telling how long she would last on her own. She hugged her knees to her chest weakly and seemed to think over the offer. She looked around and studied the roots that she killed the men with after they hurt her, and she knew she needed to get out of there if she ever expected her family to find her.

She opened the roots with her chakra and stepped out. She tried to stand, but as quickly as she gained her footing, she began to fall completely exhausted and Kakashi lunged forward to catch her.

Yu’s eyes were shut tight almost as if she expected Kakashi to hurt her in some way. Kakashi expected that her reaction stemmed from the torture and pitied the girl even further.

“Your safe now Yu. Just rest.” Kakashi cooed down to the small framed child in his arms watched her as she nuzzled into the warmth of his chest.

She looked through half lidded eyes up at him and he could feel little hot tears on his arm as he carried her bridal style out of the horrid place. Yu closed her eyes and felt safe for once she since she was woken up from her sleeping time. She cuddle into Kakashi’s stomach and drifted off into some well-deserved sleep.

Chapter Text

As Kakashi traveled from the Land of Frost to the Land of Fire it seemed to be more of task with Yu in tow. He couldn’t use his normal ninja speed because it made her small bones hurt and even though she slept for the first few days she seemed to have a lot of things going on physically. They stopped at an inn in the Land of Rice. He got a single room with two beds and set Yu down on the floor holding her hand to steady herself in case she fell. She released his hand and wobbled over to the bed closest to her and laid down, not bothering to cover herself up. She felt like the room was spinning and she could feel her head pounding through her ears. More tears came to her eyes and Kakashi could hear her small belly growl with hunger.

“Yu” he said softly going over to the bed and kneeling to look at her. She opened a lazy eye and looked at him, “I’m going to go across the street to get us some food. Stay here and rest, I will be able to see this place from where I am so there’s no need for you to worry.”

She made a small nod at his words and turned her body away from him as her shoulders relaxed. He grabbed the throw blanket on the end of the bed and covered her small body with it. He placed a gentle hand on her arm before leaving, locking the door behind himself. He sighed heavily and leaned against the outside of the door for a moment briefly thinking about his next steps in taking care of the girl. He needed to find her some clothes, bandages, shoes…a bath. Kakashi didn’t think anyone had followed them from the base and he tried his best to cover his chakra tracks from their journey. However, nothing was foolproof. She was a test subject, one that survived. She had to be valuable to Orochimaru and Kakashi wondered what lengths he would go to retrieve her. He sighed heavily forcing himself to hurry and collect the items needed to care for her.

After a few hours passing Kakashi returned and unlocked the door. He saw two little red eyes staring at him from the bed. Yu was sitting against the headboard holding her knees close to her chest and was studying Kakashi’s movements as he closed the door behind him and placed a bag on the bed opposite to Yu’s. “I see you are awake.” Kakashi stated meeting the girl’s eyes. She simply nodded.

She sniffed the air and smelled something yummy coming from the items Kakashi brought back with him. ‘Food’ she signed and Kakashi smiled to her and pulled out the ramen he bought from a local street vendor.

Yu’s eye widened and she crawled over her bed and stepped onto the floor grabbing the bowl of ramen greedily out of Kakashi’s hands. She opened the container sitting it on the bed and didn’t even bother using chopsticks as she dug in. Kakashi looked at Yu with a sad expression watching her eat like she’s never eaten before in her life. He grabbed her arm causing her to look up to his face and he handed her chopsticks and signed ‘dirty’ and pointed to her hands that had various healed scars and dirt crusting her nails. She looked at them briefly signing

‘Thank you’ before grabbing the chopsticks from his hand and continued to eat with them. Kakashi sat on Yu’s bed pulling out his own bowl of ramen before pulling down his mask to eat in front of the small child. He took a few bites and looked up to find Yu staring at him thoughtfully.

‘Not yours’ she signed and pointed to his eye.

He wondered what her fascination seemed to be with his sharingan and nodded to her, “Yes this is not mine, it was given to me.” Kakashi said simply continuing to eat while ignoring her staring not wanting to discuss it any further.

Yu brought her chopsticks slowly up to her mouth taking her last few bites as she slurped the noodles into her mouth and examined the scar running down his eye. She had never heard of an Uchiha gifting an eye away to…well anyone really. Uchiha’s prided themselves on their eyes and if she knew anything about Uchiha’s they wouldn’t give anything away so willingly. This man had such a kind face she thought looking him over again and glancing at his white hair. His hair and demeanor reminded her of her brother, and oh how she missed both her brothers so terribly. She felt a tear run down her face and quickly brushed it away.

“I think after we eat it’s time for a bath, and we can rest till morning. That way we can get a fresh start to my village and be there by nightfall tomorrow.” Kakashi said simply as he finished his meal replacing his mask.

He went back to the bag rummaging through its contents. He pulled out some children’s clothes, they weren’t anything fancy just some black sweatpants and a little yellow t-shirt with a cat face on it. He also pulled out some medical supplies to treat Yu’s wounds. She walked over to him to look at the clothes and smiled softly up to his masked face.

‘For me?’ she signed and Kakashi nodded smiling placing a hand on her head ruffling her hair. She hugged the clothes close to her and took off to the washroom inside of their room. He could hear the water running and he relaxed thinking of her sweet little smile.

After an hour had passed, Kakashi knocked on the bathroom door calling out to her. He found her standing there with the towel wrapped around her body and it seemed as if she was having problems combing her hair. The brush he got her was stuck in a big tangle towards the ends of her hair and Yu was fussing making a few cooing noises as she turned to look at him seemingly defeated. He chuckled at her grumpy state, and she glared at him as if her eyes could say everything.

“Get dressed and come out here” Kakashi said going back out of the bathroom and sitting on his bed to wait for her.

Yu grabbed the towel and dried herself off throwing on the sweatpants Kakashi had bought her, they were a little baggy in some areas but overall, the elastic in the waist kept them on her tiny hips. Yu grabbed the shirt and tried to put in on but winced at her sore arms and ribs unable to complete the motions. Her body hurt so bad. She wrapped the towel around the upper part of her body and grabbed her shirt and the brush and went out to meet Kakashi. He looked at her curiously as she hesitated to come closer to him standing at the bathroom entrance.

She signed the word ‘help’ and had a look of frustration on her little face almost as if she was about to cry.

Kakashi held an arm out towards her, and she came closer to him handing over the shirt and turning around dropping her towel. Kakashi cringed at the bruising and healed over scars on her back. It looked extremely painful. She was such a tiny thing to have these injuries that he felt sorry for her, but so was the life of a shinobi. What she even that though? There were still many questions he had about this child. He pulled out the wraps he bought earlier to bring some support and help with her inflammation. He wrapped it around careful not to hurt her torso anymore than it was. She winced a little and he asked her if she was alright which she nodded and motioned for him to keep going.

Once he was finished patching her up, he looked up to see her face in the reflection of the mirror hanging on the wall. Yu was looking down almost ashamed as her shoulders shook from either the cold room air or pain, Kakashi couldn’t tell. He could see the upper part of her shoulders and chest and was able to see the top of a huge healed over scar in the middle of her chest just above the wrappings. He narrowed his eyes at the markings and wondering how such a small child would receive a wound like that. She held her arms up weakly and he helped her pull the shirt over her head and onto her body. She looked back at him and smiled smally handing over the hairbrush.

Kakashi tried his hardest to comb through the matted pieces of her snow-white hair, but some areas were not able to be salvaged and needed to be cut. She nodded in agreement when he asked for permission and began to cut her hair as evenly as he could with his kunai. When he was finished, she went over to the mirror and inspected her new look, it was a lot shorter than she was used to it being. Yu thought of her father who always wanted her to keep her hair long as he had mostly boys and wanted to keep her as doll like and beautiful as her mother was. She touched the ends of her hair as most of it fell to the middle of her back. Cutting her hair made her feel as if this was symbolic to shedding the pain she experienced in that cave for the past year or so she had been there. She really didn’t know much about her arrival there, except one day she just woke up in the tube in some strange liquid.

“Do you like it Yu?” Kakashi questioned as he looked at her blank mirrored expression.

She turned her head to him and smiled brightly. She was so thankful to this man who showed such kindness to her. Kakashi’s heart about melted in his chest at the expression of pure happiness on little Yu’s face. She turned and ran over to him tackling him and holding him close to her. She felt so safe in this moment that she forgot almost what it was like to experience such kindness from a human being. She nuzzled into his chest while Kakashi sat there not knowing what to do. He really didn’t have a lot of experience with children, and this was the most contact he’s had with anyone since his father had passed away.

He looked down at Yu with her little hand holding onto his chest and felt something he hadn’t felt in a long time. Love and protection. If he could do anything right in his life, saving this little girl would have to be it. He decided in that moment as he rested his hand on Yu’s back, he would deliver her safely to Konoha and find her parents straight away. No matter the cost. Kakashi could hear her soft snores and sighed as he leaned back onto the headboard not wanting to disturb her peaceful slumber as he turned off the light. They would make their journey through the valley of the end and straight to Konoha afterwards at first light.

Little did he know the rest of the journey wouldn’t be as easy. The two companions rested as someone watched them from the shadows outside, waiting for the right moment to reveal themselves.

Chapter Text

At first light Kakashi woke Yu up and helped her put on her new ninja sandals and combed her hair up into a ponytail. She marveled at the sight of her shoes and tears formed as she could hardly recognize herself in the mirror. She couldn’t remember the last time she had actual shoes on her feet and felt like a real human being for once. They left the inn together and grabbed some pork buns eating them along the way. Yu insisted on walking next to Kakashi instead of being carried. She did pretty well keeping up with his pace, occasionally grabbing his hand from time to time when she couldn’t match his speed.

Eventually she asked to be carried piggyback style where she laid her head on his back and snaked her arms through his to hold onto his chest. He was running full speed when they reached the river leading to the Valley of the end and Kakashi stopped briefly relieved that they were almost home. He began to fill up their water canteens at the river side, while Yu was happily skipping rocks across it thinking of her elder brother. She stopped suddenly as she felt a presence in the tree line and took a defensive stance while turning to face the woods.

Kakashi jumped up taking his Anbu mask off and searched through the trees, focusing on a figure standing there. It was black almost like a shadow and had tan eyes, it didn’t seem human. As fast as it appeared it disappeared again, and Yu relaxed as it’s sinister chakra faded. She grabbed onto Kakashi’s shirt pulling him along to leave. Kakashi had a bad feeling about this place and didn’t want to spend anymore time here than was necessary. As they sped past the two figures carved on either side of the waterfall, he felt Yu tug on his shoulder and point to figures. She had recognized one of the men to be wearing the Senju clan symbol on his forehead and wiggled her way down from Kakashi’s back onto the ground.

She began signing very fast and Kakashi could barely keep up with what she was trying to say. “Hold on Yu, slow down!” he begged her, and she huffed at him in annoyance as her little eyes narrowed.

She signed a simple word, ‘brother’ and pointed towards the statue of Hashirama Senju.

“Brother?” Kakashi questioned quite confused. She thinks that the first Hokage is her brother? Kakashi questioned to himself as he looked at Yu and saw her eyes dead set on the tall figures carved from stone.

“Yu…” he breathed out and thought carefully at his next words, “This is Hashirama Senju…the founder of Konohagakure, he’s been dead for quite some time..” he trailed off studying her expression.

Yu looked at him with all seriousness and considered his words carefully. There was no way that this was true…Hashirama was only a year older than her. How long had she been kept in that cave? ‘Who is that?’ she signed pointing to the stone carving on the opposite side of the waterfall.

“That is Madara Uchiha” Kakashi answered wondering what was going through her small mind.

‘Dead?’ she signed again and Kakashi nodded confirming her guess.

He didn’t understand why but she looked down almost as if she were about to cry. She turned to him and crawled back onto his back and laid her head down feeling numb on the inside. She didn’t understand this world she has woken up too and wondered solemnly if her twin brother was also dead as well. He had to of been, otherwise he would have been the one to rescue her from that horrible snake man.

They stopped again later in Shukuba town as the sun began to go down, Kakashi briefly wrote a note to the third Hokage letting him be aware of his arrival and summoned a messenger raven to delivery it. Yu had been very quiet since their conversation at the Valley of the End and Kakashi studied her face as she munched on some dango. They sat in front of a mini café in silence as he wanted to give her one more good meal before reaching the village. Kakashi didn’t know what exactly would happen to Yu once they arrived, but he did intent to keep his promise to protect her and find her family. Yu noticed him staring at her and looked at him while tilting her head wondering what was with his sullen mood.

“Yu, can you use your voice?” he asked suddenly, and she nodded her head. Kakashi looked at her expectantly wondering what her voice sounded like and waited for her to continue.

She signed the word ‘It hurts’ and pointed to her throat.

“It hurts to talk?” he asked, and she nodded again.

Well, that explains all the signing for now…he wondered when she would begin to use her voice again but left it at that. Yu turned her attention back to her dango eating it happily smiling toward Kakashi occasionally sharing it with him. Even though he didn’t care to much for sweets it was hard to say no to her and it was nice to see her smiling and enjoying herself…she deserved this.

About a half hour passed and Kakashi decided to hit the road again with Yu. The sun was setting in the distance and he was grateful for everything going as smoothly as it did. She was ahead of him by a few meters chasing fireflies that floated above her. Kakashi smiled watching her. Yu seemed so serious, and grief stricken since they’ve met. It was nice to see her just being a child.

She held her hands up as the little bugs landed on her hands and cheeks and she laughed so purely. Kakashi was taken back as the grass rose around her feet as well as some small springtime flowers sprouting up to her knees. He forgot that with the Wood release it took life force to maintain and being as small as she was without proper training it probably made it harder on her to control. She ran into the field and off the road chasing the little bugs her giggles filling the air and the flowers were reacting to her presence growing bigger and brighter than ever. That all changed as Yu's mood changed suddenly and glared behind her towards Kakashi as a man appeared behind him.

“Yu, hide!” was all Kakashi managed to blurt out as a kunai was slashed his way he dodged easily and was able to disarm the man.

Kakashi dropped down and kicked his leg out to make the man fall and took off running to collect the girl. As he ran towards her Kakashi noticed that she was engaging someone in combat little lighting bolts flying out from her hands faster than he could keep up with through watching their encounter. Several bolts struck her opponent and Kakashi could see the same black form from earlier withering on the ground in pain as the lighting jumped over its body.

Kakashi grabbed Yu's hand pulling her along, running towards the road. They were almost to Konoha. They just had to keep going. He thought these men were Orochimaru’s lackies or hired mercenaries he couldn’t tell which. As they ran up a hill and through the trees Kakashi was hopeful, if they could just make it past the bridge ahead it would be a straight shot to Konoha. Yu began to pull his arm back digging her heels into the ground making Kakashi stop to look at her.

She signed the word ‘Bad guys’ and pointed to their path ahead Kakashi nodded to her and ran to the forest hiding in a nearby tree to assess the situation at hand.

He had noticed in his time with Yu that she was able to sense chakra presences from well off and trusted her instincts. Kakashi could see ahead that the bridge opening was littered with various mercenaries, and they were clearly outnumbered. He didn’t know how he would be able to get Yu across safely. He pulled out his summoning scroll and jumped to the ground do various hand signs. Yu stood by his side and looked thoughtfully at Kakashi wondering what his next move entailed.

Kakashi slammed the scroll onto the ground, “Ninja Art Summoning, Earth Style: Concealed attack Jutsu!” Yu watched carefully as the words from the scroll shot into the earth and she could see the cracks in the ground as something fanned out from their hiding place and towards the men on the bridge.

She sniffed the air and tugged on Kakashi signing the word ‘Dogs?’ as he nodded to her.

Kakashi placed both hands on her shoulders causing her to look up at him. “I’m going to protect you, Yu and bring you home. Please just stay close by me.” She nodded acknowledging his words as he lent her a kunai from his pack.

He took a deep breath wishing that everything would be alright for them and took off running towards the bridge with Yu close behind.

“There she is” one of the men with long black hair and a mask over his face said excitedly standing up from the ground as he addressed Kakashi, “We just want the girl, there’s no need to fight it out for her.” The man said simply pointing to Yu.

Kakashi stopped just a few feet from them. Yu hid behind Kakashi legs fisting the fabric of his pants and peeking one small eye out towards the man.

“So, what do you say champ? You want to send her over my way?” the man asked expectantly.

“What is she to you?” Kakashi questioned back staring at the man coldly.

The man scoffed, “She’s nothing to me…but my boss on the other hand was real sore about you taking her. He just wants her home.”

Kakashi could feel Yu behind him shaking and gripping the fabric of his pants as if her life depended on it. He knew it was time to act and made a loud whistle which in turn revealed his ninken 8 from the ground below. Each one took a different man by surprise, and they could hear some screaming as result of it. Kakashi rammed into the man in front of them knocking him down and grabbed Yu’s hand before charging forward. If they kept moving forward, they would make it to Konoha, he was sure of it.

A man with light brown hair got in front of the pair as he drew his sword. Kakashi let go of Yu’s hand to draw his katana and lunged forward at the man. Steel met steel as they mirrored each other’s movements in perfect unison. “Kakashi the copy ninja, eh?” the man questioned him and Kakashi didn’t reply.

He kept forcing the man back trying to create a path for him and Yu to move forward. Yu yelped in pain as the masked man talking from before grabbed her ankle from the ground causing Kakashi’s ninken to react biting the mans legs, while pulling him back from the girl as she fell.

Kakashi looked towards her briefly, only to be struck in the chest by the brunette man he was fighting causing blood to spew from his chest. Kakashi winced but manifested his Chidori all in one swift motion and jumped up to ram his hand through the man’s chest. He quickly retracted his hand and began running over to Yu as he heard the man's body drop down to the ground dead behind him.

Yu had taken the kunai given to her and stabbed the hand reaching for her into the ground, "You little bitch!!" the man yell out in pain. She got up stumbling towards Kakashi to meet him. Yu grabbed his outstretched hand and Kakashi slung her on his back to carry her. He took off running down the bridge as several men were in pursuit of them.

“Yu stay close.” Kakashi said turning to the men as Yu flipped behind him landing on the ground softly.

“Lightning blade!” Kakashi shouted running towards the men slashing one through his stomach and another down his back killing them both instantly.

Kakashi began to feel a pounding in his head immediately after indicating that this sharingan was using to much of his chakra. Yu could sense his chakra drain and Kakashi fell on one of his knees in pain. She went over to him tears falling from her eyes as she helped him up, but it was hard for him to keep up right in this state. They jogged a few steps before Kakashi fell again, and Yu clung to him desperately. Due to the long journey and a mix of his sharingan still taking a demanding toil on his body, Kakashi was exhausted. Though he had improved quite tremendously with the sharingan he had yet to master it completely.

“Yu, you must run.” Kakashi said as he lifted a weak arm making a hand sign and Pakkun poofed by his side. They still had three pursuers and more coming upon them.

Kakashi knew he couldn’t outrun these men, but he could deflect them and was ready to give his life to complete this mission. “Pakkun I need you to gather the others and take her to the village.” He said weakly grabbing his katana once more trying to stand on his own.

“Understood” Pakkun jumped towards Yu as he howled for his other companions to join them.

Yu looked at Kakashi and grabbed onto his arm her eyes looked wild and desperate at him. “N-n-o…no!” Yu shouted to him the sound waves from her voice making his ears sting from the noise.

Kakashi’s eyes widened with shocked to hear her speak for the first time. He could hear the chakra infused with her voice which answered his question of why it was so painful for her to use her voice before now.

“Kakashi goes. Kakashi stays with Yu!” she said through a sadden sob opening her bright red eyes as a magenta light enveloped around her.

She raised her arms in front of him as a magenta-colored barrier closed around Kakashi and the ninken 8. They were floating on the inside almost as if gravity didn’t exist in the rounded bubble. Kakashi tried pushing through the barrier, but it seemed to be useless. He yelled Yu’s name as she turned to face the remaining mercenaries looking unafraid. Kakashi had protected her and now it was her turn, though her strength hadn’t completely returned, she could muster up the chakra to protect her friend and his summonings.

A group of men were dangerously close to her, and one threw a net in attempt to capture her. Yu stuck a handout, and the net froze enveloped in the same magenta color as she threw it away from herself. She extended her arms as a magenta light glowed from her hands and two magenta walls formed on either side of the men. Yu clapped her hands together and the two walls came slamming together crushing the men in their paths. Kakashi couldn’t believe his eyes. Yu stumbled slightly but steadied herself digging her nails into her clasped fists to focus on her task at had.

He could feel himself slipping into unconsciousness as Pakkun tried keeping him awake by calling his name. Kakashi remembered reading on the paper in Orochimaru’s base the words: Senju female…unknown chakra manifestation…could this be the unknown chakra type he thought as he closed his eyes in exhaustion and drifted into unconsciousness.

A wooden tree trunk began to form on the ground underneath Yu as she unclasped her hands. The pillar of wood rose her up above the ground and she looked around to find the last of the remaining mercenaries. She took in around 10 men remaining marking each one carefully and yelled out as she slammed her palms on the wood causing it to splinter and shoot through the rest of the missing nin killing them simultaneously.

Yu gracefully landed on the ground and went over to her barrier touching it softly as it floated down resting on the ground before dispersing. Kakashi was hunched over, and Yu feared for the worst as she turned him over examining his peaceful face.

“He’s alright kid, but we gotta get moving to the leaf village, otherwise he won’t be.” Pakkun told Yu as he nodded to the bigger black bulldog.

Bull came over immediately and Yu helped Kakashi onto the massive dogs back. Yu stroked Kakashi’s cheek mentally thanking him and retracted her hand as she felt the warmness leaving it. She looked over his scared eye and knew the reason for his chakra depletion. She remembered flashbacks of all the times she fought The Uchiha with those same eyes and felt sad all over again.

“Kid we have to go, are you able to keep up?” Pakkun questioned her as he sat on top of Bull’s head. She nodded to the small dog, and they all ran off together in a flash. Little did they know the black figure that attacked from before was watching them eagerly ready to report back to his master about the girl.

Chapter Text

When Yu arrived at the village with the ninken 8, it was pitch black except for the various streetlights lighting the road. She stumbled through the gate feeling her legs grow heavy while steading herself against Urushi as he nuzzled into her. She had exerted most of her chakra on her previous attacks toward the mercenaries and was having a hard time adjusting to the fluctuation of her powers. The gate keepers Izumo and Kotetsu noticed the group and came running towards them. They tried to check on Kakashi, but Yu jumped in front of him twisting her kunai upwards ready to defend him.

“Woah, slow down girly. We need to get Kakashi checked out.” Izumo put his hands up to stop her next movements.

“It’s ok kid, they’re from the leaf. No one’s going to hurt you guys from in here.” Pakkun said reassuring Yu as he put his front legs on her calf.

Yu bent over to pick up Pakkun and watched as Kotetsu hauled Kakashi up over his shoulder. Kakashi’s anbu mask fell from his side and she leaned over and grabbed it before it shattered on floor. Pakkun motioned for the other dogs to disperse and search the forest for any nearby threats while he went with Yu. She placed the mask on her face while wrapping both arms around the dog’s stomach and ran after two men carrying Kakashi. When they reached the hospital, they brought Kakashi to a nearby stretcher and wheeled him down the hallway in an empty medical room. Izumo went to notify the Hokage of Kakashi’s arrival and Kotetsu talked with a nurse before glancing at Yu.

She couldn’t keep her eyes off Kakashi through the mask, she didn’t trust anyone in this village…she didn’t know anyone she could trust except Kakashi. She tightened her grip on Pakkun. Kotetsu wondered who she was briefly before the nurse asked him some more information and nodded to him writing something on a clipboard. Kakashi looked terrible. He was so pale and bloodied. Yu scooted into the room her heart pounding into her ears as she sat in an empty chair close to the window. She curled her little knees into her chest cuddling close to Pakkun.

The medical staff removed Kakashi’s shirt and began to stitch up the wound he had going across his chest. The wound he got protecting me Yu thought darkly as a few strands of hair fell into her face. She tightened her grip on her knees her knuckles going white. She was so upset at herself, at the snake man, and even at her brother for not coming to rescue her…this sweet man didn’t deserve this over someone like her. The little Senju princess…it seemed like everyone in her life was always fighting to save her and for what? To die?

She thought back to her younger brother, Itama. She rested her head on her knee and began to drift off to sleep. Dreams of a little baby Itama smiling and giggling up at her filled her mind. Until everything went black. She was walking on what felt like water until she heard Itama calling her name. She turned to his voice to find that she was in the forest back home in the dead of winter. Yu was playing chase with her sweet baby brother like they always used to do. She smiled laughing and running away from him as he called her name. They went on like this until she turned and stopped suddenly as a boy a few years older than her dressed all in black was in front of them. Yu held her arm out for Itama to come to her and she felt his hands on the sleeve of her long kimono tugging.

“Who-who is it, big sister?” Itama questioned quietly.

Yu knew exactly where this boy was from as she could see his red sharingan eyes gazing daggers straight into her. Blood was dripping down from them which meant the were freshly awakened.

“Itama.” she said firmly pulling her katana out of her sheath as Itama’s eyes widened. “It’s time to go home…” She pushed him from her and took her stance.

Itama stood there a moment not wanting to leave her and she gave him a kind reassuring smile before darting off meeting the Uchiha in combat. They battled for a while and the boy’s speed seemed to slow down considerably. Yu could tell he was upset; he just unlocked his special eyes as so many Uchiha before him and she assumed that the giant sword he carried was not his because well…he wielded it very badly. He sliced the sword towards her as she jumped up causing it to get stuck in a tree trunk. Yu landed on its side sinking her knees down to look at the boy unafraid and tilted her head curiously at him. His hair was a spikey mess, and he had such a serious look on his face,

“So, where’s your friends?” she questioned as the boy scowled at her in response, “Usually Uchiha’s travel in packs…are you alone?” she asked poking his nose the gesture made the boy blush, and he swung a punch at her missing entirely and making a dent in the tree.

“Oh, geez, I was just trying to get to know you,” Yu said sheathing her katana. “I don’t want to fight you.” She said firmly crossing her arms.

There were tears forming in the boy’s eyes and Yu was taken back as he desperately tried taking the sword from the tree. Yu went over and put her hands on the blade and helped him retrieve it. He looked at her briefly putting the giant sword on his back, “I’ll let you live today, little Senju.” He said coldly turning his gaze from her.

Yu got an urk mark and her head, “Little Senju?! I hope you know I could rip you apart, you Uchiha brat!!” she pointed at him accusingly and he smiled smally at her and replied with a “Hn,” causing them to break eye contact. What does ‘Hn’ even mean Yu thought briefly.

She felt her twin’s chakra coming up on them, she grabbed her sleeve and wiped the Uchiha’s eyes, “Look just because I’m so forgiving doesn’t mean others will do the same…go home, no one needs to wander in the woods being sad.” She said kindly smiling up to him.

The Uchiha stared at her in awe, even though she was a Senju, she still was very pretty he thought as her long white hair blew lightly in the wind. He noticed the red markings on her face and suddenly it clicked that she was from the main branch of the Senju line. How could he not recognize that sooner?

“My name is Madara” he said simply as he turned away from the girl hiding his blushing face.

“I’m Yu,” she said as she studied the Uchiha symbol on his back.

She was distracted again by feeling her brother’s chakra closer than ever. She the pushed the young Uchiha to walk faster in the opposite direction, “You need to go, my brothers won’t be too happy to see you.” Yu worried for the worst if they were to encounter each other.

Madara waved behind him towards her, “I’ll see you again, Yu Senju.” Madara nodded to her making her pale cheeks turn bright red before he smiled to himself and sped off.

She stood there watching the place he once stood and smiled, thinking of them meeting again…until she realized it would probably be on the battlefield. She hated her clan’s eternal fight with the Uchiha, so much. Her elder brother landed beside her in his red armor along with Tobirama in his blue one. She looked up to Hashirama with a sad face and he was taken back momentarily before going up to her as he noticed the blood on her sleeves.

“Yu, are you alright?!” he grumbled looking for any wounds on her.

As Hashirama fussed over her, Tobirama’s attention was brought up to a tree not to far away with the boy resting on the branch watching them. As soon as their eyes locked, he teleported away.

“I don’t see anything wrong with you,” Hashirama finally said smiling warmly to his sister caressing her cheek.

“I’m ok” she said finally leaning her head into his chest thankful to always have them both. Her red eyes met Tobirama’s, and she grinned innocently at him knowing that he knew her just a little better than that.

“Who did you fight?” Tobirama asked her, his voice serious.

“Oh umm…I’m not sure which clan he was from, or who he was” she lied innocently as she placed a finger on her chin looking at him. He narrowed his eyes to his sister knowing there was something she wasn’t telling them. “But he was too fast for me and took off” she stated pointing in some random direction, “But never mind him, let’s go home! I bet Itama is so scared!!” she said trying to change the subject.

Tobirama sighed as Yu grabbed his and Hashirama’s hands pulling them along. They all held hands as they walked home with Yu in the middle. Yu smiled to each of them. She loved her brothers with all her heart, and hoped they’d always be this way.

In the present time, as Yu dreamed of her brothers the third Hokage walked into the room with Kotetsu following behind him. The Hokage was notified about Kakashi’s return and grew curious of the girl accompanying him home to the leaf. He scanned the room and found the child sleeping. Her head was leaned back as her soft snores filled the air. Her high white ponytail hung over the chair and Pakkun laid on top of the girl as her arms were wrapped loosely around the small dog.

“This is her?” the Hokage asked to Kotetsu.

“Yes, that’s her, she almost took off our hands when we tried to help Kakashi,” he grumbled giving the Hokage the contents of Kakashi personal affects which entailed the sealing scroll. “He had this on him, the nurse said he should make a full recovery he just needs rest.”

The Hokage took the scroll, but his eyes never left the girl. Kakashi’s Anbu mask rested ontop of her head revealing the dirt on her face and the red marking staining her cheeks. Lord 3rd thought this was a curious resemblance to his old sensei, but the thought was pushed from his mind as Itachi walked into the room.

“Ah Itachi, perfect timing!” Kotetsu smiled to the young Anbu member as he nodded to the Hokage and took his leave back to the gate for his guard duty.

“Lord Third, is Kakashi alright?” Itachi questioned about his group leader in a calm tone.

“He will make a full recovery, however,” the Hokage paused to look towards the small child, “I need you to canvas the perimeter of the village for intruders. It seems these two were pursued by several missing nin, and it’s crucial they don’t get their hands on the child. You have my permission to use whatever means necessary, see if Shisui is back from his mission and have him help you with the task.” The Hokage stated placing his pipe in his mouth looking towards Itachi.

“Understood sir,” Itachi placed an arm over his chest bowing before the Hokage in compliance. “What about the girl?” Itachi asked.

“Let her rest, it seemed they had quite the adventure returning to the village.” The two men left, and Yu was still snoring.

A few hours passed as the daylight began creeping up over the Hokage mountain and the bright light from the window woke Pakkun up. He crawled out of Yu’s arms and licked her face to wake her up. It took her moment, but she opened her eyes lazily.

“Mmm, Pakkun? Go back to sleep.” She murmured cuddling back into the arm of the chair wishing to dream of her family again.

“Aye common kid,” Pakkun gruffed.

Yu was beginning to doze off when it suddenly hit her that she fell asleep without seeing if Kakashi was alright. She opened her eyes and sprung off the chair over to his bedside and saw that he was maskless with just the sheet covering his face and looked very peaceful.

“I’m gonna go meet with the others, stay here with Kakashi and I’ll be back before you know it.” Yu looked down at the pug briefly before nodding and placing her hand on Kakashi’s forehead feeling for a fever.

His face felt warmer than it had last night, and most of his color had returned. Yu felt so relieved and grateful for that. She watched him for a moment before crawling up onto the foot of the bed replaying the events of the past few days and a cold shiver crept up her spine. She just wanted to go home, but a feeling of dread filled her as she knew in some small way that her home did not exist anymore. She thought of her father who never had a nice word to say but was filled with pride knowing she could take down any Uchiha twice her size. Her loving mother who would brush and braid her hair every night while giving her lessons on how to be a polite well-mannered child and a good big sister. She missed her brothers Hashirama and Tobirama and long all-day training matches. They pushed her to be the best kunoichi and sister she could be. She dreamed of little Itama last night and she smiled remembering how her name sounded so cute coming from his mouth. Even her littlest baby sibling who was yet to be born was missed. Everything was such a mess.

She pushed the feelings of sadness out of her brain as she crawled to Kakashi’s side cuddling up into a little ball and letting her heavy eyes rest some more. Hopefully Kakashi would be up the next time she woke.

Chapter Text

Kakashi woke up to the sunlight shining on his face. He tried sitting up but only winced at the pain coming from his chest and laid back down. His left arm felt like it was asleep and as he tried bringing it up towards his face but met resistance as someone was holding on it. He glanced down noticing the little lump that was next to him and moved his head to see Yu huddled up under the blanket. Kakashi was relieved knowing they made it to Konoha as he turned his head to look out the window noticing the Hokages mountain off in the distance.

His attention was brought to the door as a nurse filed into the room staring at her clip board, “Oh you’re awake! I was just here to take your vitals,” she said happily.

The nurse helped Kakashi to sit up by moving the top portion of his bed in the upright position, this sudden movement caused Yu to wake up. Her eyes opened slowly, and they felt puffy from all the sleep she had gotten recently. She stirred from under the blanket and her bright eyes met Kakashi’s black ones. Her eyes widened at the sight of him. She crawled out of the blanket pouncing on him. Kakashi winced at the sudden pain felt on his chest, but he was glad to see her aswell. Her little arms were wrapped tight around him and he chuckled to himself placing a hand on the girl’s head.

“Well good morning, Yu” he said simply holding the sheet to his face as the nurse checked his pulse.

“It this your daughter? She’s so precious.” The nurse smacked her lips winking at Yu.

Yu raised an eyebrow at the lady and Kakashi laughed. The nurse was listening to Kakashi’s breathing and wrote something down on the clipboard.

“Well Mr. Hatake, it looks like you’re all ready to go. You’ve got some chakra exhaustion so rest will be you best friend for the next few days. Also be sure to clean and dress your wound thoroughly to prevent infection. Someone brought by some clothes for you while you were sleeping and the Hokage asked if you would stop by his office before returning to your home.” Kakashi thanked the nurse, and she was gone in a flash.

He looked at Yu and noticed her gaze was set on the Hokage mountain that wasn’t visible from the night before. The little girl jumped off the bed and stood in the window seal examining the faces on the mountain side. She recognized this cliff. The carvings were something new, but she sat many times on that very spot looking into the treetops with her elder brother and a certain Uchiha boy. Was Konoha the village Hashirama had always talked about creating? The village where Madara spoke so passionately about? She was lost in her thoughts as she placed the pads of her fingers on the glass. Kakashi took her distraction to change his clothes and went over to Yu pulling his mask up over his face.

“Yu?” he called her name, and her red eyes met his again. “Is everything alright?” he asked.

She thought briefly before nodding her head and jumping down from the window, “This world…is so much different from the one I know.” She said quietly as if the weight of the world was weighing down on her.

Kakashi looked at her furrowed expression and wondered exactly what she meant by that statement. Yu looked up to him noting his typical black mask and scarred eye than remained closed. His wordless expression didn’t mean much to her and her attention was brought back down to earth as Kakashi placed his Anbu mask down onto her face, “Let’s get some breakfast.” He said almost bored leaving the hospital room.

Yu shuffled behind him unsure of her surroundings. When they left the hospital doors, Yu could feel the cool breeze blowing her hair and the warm sun on her pale skin, it seemed so nice. After being held up for almost a year in a mountain side anything felt both new and foreign to her. She spent her time back home mostly outdoors: hunting, fighting, or training. In her free time, she would help her mother with the younger siblings as well as sneak off to meet her little Uchiha brat which was one of the rare times she had gotten to just be Yu…not Yu the Senju’s most prided princess.

Kakashi led her to a little diner that was one of his favorite places to come to after a long mission. Kakashi took a seat across from Yu at the table, and he noted that she looked rather uncomfortable.

“There’s so many people here,” she finally said, and he could see her little head turning to catch a glimpse at the people…or maybe a nearby exit? He couldn’t tell which due to the mask.

“You don’t have to do that; we are safe here.” Kakashi eye smiled to her and motioned for her to focus on the menu in front of her.

This was the first time Yu had eaten in a restaurant before, so Kakashi helped her to order some waffles with strawberries and bananas, eggs, and bacon. Their food came before they knew it and Kakashi was happy to see his omelet as Yu heart eyed over her yummy looking plate. Before they could dig in someone caught Kakashi’s eye outside, “Oh…brace yourself Yu.” Kakashi warned noticing the green jumpsuit flashing over to them.

The bell on the front door to the diner jingled as the door opened, “Ah Kakashi! There you are!”

Yu turned her head from her delicious looking waffles to see a tall man in a green jumpsuit posing while smiling brightly and pointing a bouquet of sunflowers to Kakashi. She sweat dropped as she looked over his haircut and brushy brows and turned to Kakashi who was smiling awkwardly.

Kakashi raised a had to greet the man, “Hello” he said monotoned back to the overly eccentric man.

The man flopped into the seat next to Kakashi, “We don’t have to do this right now, Guy…but I’m sure you won’t take no for an answer,” Kakashi sighed.

“Well of course not Kakashi! I heard my number one rival was hurt, so I had to come give you my well wishes. But of course! Nothing keeps you down for long” Guy said grinning smacking Kakashi with the bouquet.

Yu looked between the two men confused as she felt someone sit next to her. She turned her head to the person, to find a boy about the age of herself sitting there with long black hair tied into a braid. She could faintly see the same bushy brows poking out from his bangs and she glanced at Guy comparing their eyebrows. The boy was extremely close to her face and was scowling in concentration, which made her slightly uncomfortable.

Guy and Kakashi started talking back and forth with one another…well Guy did most of the talking as Kakashi nodded along. Yu stared back at the boy.

“My name is…Rock Lee,” he said enunciating his name and stuck a stiff hand out to shake hers.

Yu nodded to him and placed her hand in his, “I am Yu,” she said quietly retreating her hand away from him.

She turned her attention back to her food and took Kakashi’s Anbu mask off and placed it on the table in front of her. She picked up a strawberry with her chopsticks and ate it quietly as she could feel Lee’s gaze on her. She side eyed him and turned her attention back to him. Lee blushed lightly when they made eye contact, he didn’t expect her to be so pretty.

“Are you hungry?” Yu asked pushing her plate closer to Lee.

She could hear little rumbles from his tummy and before he could say no, she had a piece of waffle on her chopsticks and shoved it into his mouth. He looked a little taken back and Kakashi and Guy stopped talking to stare at the two kids’ interacting with each other. Lee chewed and his eyes turned into little hearts as he placed his hands on his cheeks making Yu giggle at his reaction.

“It’s soooo gooood!” Lee moaned out as Yu grabbed some unused chopsticks and broke them in half giving them to Lee.

“Here you eat half and I’ll eat the other half. It’s too big for me anyways” Yu smiled to Lee, and they ate happily together.

Kakashi marveled at little Yu as he was brought back into his conversation with Guy. “I’m not sure, what the Hokage will do with Yu.” Kakashi trailed off wondering himself what was in store for her. He sighed heavily as Guy studied his mannerisms and body language. For as long as Guy had known Kakashi he didn’t seem too ever be as lively as he was now. He worried over the girl which was…not like himself…usually it was just all business or ‘leave me alone’ with a dark brooding phase afterwards. Guy looked over to the little white-headed girl with her ruby eyes who was so kind to Lee as they talked about their chakra natures.

“Well…I don’t really have any…” Lee said quietly waiting for the teasing to begin.

Yu blinked shocked at his answer and put a finger to his cheek, and she could feel his chakra swirling under the pad of her finger. “That’s not true,” she pulled her finger from his cheek and brought a bite of egg up to her mouth. “So how do you fight then?” Yu questioned her mouth half full looking at Lee, her eyes bright.

Lee blushed lightly at her innocent expression and breathed out, “just using Taijutsu.” He played with the waffle using his chopsticks as he began remembering all the times he’s been teased for not being able to use ninjustsu or genjutsu.

“Really?!” Yu exclaimed excitedly as Lee nodded his head to her looking solemnly. She could tell this was a sore subject for him, so she tried lightening the mood “So, what! You master taijutsu and be the best at it! That’s unique…being a power Taijutsu fighter would always come in handy on the battlefield, believe me it’s hard putting chakra into all those attacks one after the other and when you run out it’s game over.” Yu had her left hand crossed over her chest stretching just thinking about all the work going into fighting hand to hand.

“We should train together sometime!! I could show you some cool moves, my brother could also…” Yu had a mini flashback of Tobirama’s face and froze feeling stupid for bringing him up.

Kakashi eyed her and wondered if she meant the first Hokage again, but as fast as she mentioned it, the thought was snuffed out by her sadden expression. Kakashi didn’t know much about Yu’s family, but maybe whatever Orochimaru did to her made her believe she was sister to the Hokage.

The conversation went on seamlessly after that little hick up and Kakashi ended up giving his bouquet of flowers over to Yu who seemed all too excited about it. Rock Lee ended up intertwining the flowers into a flower crown for Yu and placed it on top of her head thanking her for “being a beautiful soul” making Yu blush at the gesture. As the quad pairing left the diner Lee and Yu giggled to one another playing a game of chase. From first glance Yu seemed to be faster than Lee, but Guy knew that he was only being polite to his new friend.

Yu was so happy in this moment making Kakashi smile seeing the little trail of flowers growing from her footsteps already taken. He wished she would always know happiness as her time spent in Konoha molded her into a gifted Kunoichi. Yu was running ahead of her companions, all her laughing caused her to close her eyes. She looked in front of her and cringed as someone rounded the corner coming into her path causing her to barrel into them.

Yu brought her arms up to look at the boy she was currently on top of and noted his annoyed expression and spiky ponytail. Yu blinked her eyes a few times and put her flower crown back up on her forehead. She pushed off the floor and bent down to help the boy up. She reached her arm out, but he didn’t take her hand which she clicked her tongue in annoyance.

“I’m sorry if I hurt you,” She said grabbing his hand and making him stand up, “if you stay down there, you’ll only get stepped on.”

His cheeks seemed flushed, so she assumed he was just angry with her. She sighed softly as Lee came up behind them asking Yu if she was ok. “Oh, hey Lee. I’m alright.” Yu nodded to Lee and turned her attention back to the boy. “Oh, I know!” She pulled a sunflower from her crown and handed it over to the boy who took it wordlessly and she smiled to him. “Sunflowers are happy flowers, maybe it will make you happy too.” Yu said simply pointing a finger to the boy.

She felt Kakashi’s presence behind her and smiled up to him taking his hand as they walked towards the Hokage’s office together with Lee and Guy in tow. The other boy just watched them leave annoyed that his face was in a permanent blush.

Chapter Text

Shikamaru’s pov~

When I heard my mom yelling from the kitchen, I knew it meant trouble. I slowly turned the corner to find my father leaned up against the wall holding his hands up almost in surrender with the goofiest looking grin on his face. Typical. My mom was going on about…something important, at least it must have been for the amount of yelling she was doing right now. I sighed scanning the kitchen not seeing any breakfast ready, “What a drag” I mumbled before going over to the counter by the stove and grabbing an apple to eat on my way out.

“I’m going to Choji’s” I said waving over my shoulder before pulling my ninja boots on and heading out the door.

“Be back before dinner!” my mom called out to me before going back to grumbling back to my father.

I rolled my eyes as the door closed behind me and headed off the Nara property into the village. I took my time walking to Choji’s house, tomorrow was the first day of the ninja academy and I didn’t know how to feel about it. They’d probably teach us a bunch of stuff I already know and make us work…what a drag. I told my mom we were planning on training today when it was probably furthest from the truth. Choji just wanted to buy snacks for tomorrow and what kind friend would I be if I didn’t tag along?

I shoved my hands in my pockets focusing on the ground in front of me as little flowers were sprouting up from various cracks. Maybe someone nearby was doing this? I rounded the corned to one of the local shops to hear some kids laughing and before I knew it, I was hit pretty hard and fell straight on to my back. The person lied on me for a moment, and I could feel them shift their weight while still pinning me to the floor…least they could do is get off me.

It was a kid from what I could tell. As I focused on the face that lingered above mine, I could tell it was a girl now from the small pout in her lips. The giant sunflowers in her white hair covered her eyes and she used a hand to lift them up back onto the crown of her head. I gulped as her deep red eyes were staring back at me examining my face and I wondered what she thought of me in that moment.

Our faces we so close and she smelled very earthy and sweaty like she had been training. I tried to look anything but annoyed, but I could tell from her expression that I probably did. I sighed internally rolling my eyes and looked up to see her standing over me with an outstretched arm. I thought about taking it, but I just wanted to die of humiliation at this point. Isn’t the guy supposed to be helping the girl up? Way to go Shikamaru, she probably thinks you’re a loser now.

I felt a tug on my arm and was taken back by how easily she was able to lift me to my feet. Her hand was calloused as if she had been fighting recently or working with weapons of some kind and this fact made her even more intriguing. I could feel my face growing hotter as I continued looking at her. I heard a boy saying the name ‘Yu’ and some other words I don’t remember…just her name was floating through my mind…Yu…was that her name?

Common ask her something…I opened my mouth, but I was interrupted as she turned her attention to the kid behind her.

“Oh, hey Lee. I’m alright.” I guess this was her friend. I looked behind them to notice a man with white hair and a concerned look coming up behind her…it must have been her dad. “Oh, I know!” the girl began tugging at the flowers on her head and pulled out a rather large sunflower from it. She brought it down to eye level looking at it momentarily. I was studying her face; my eyes traced the red marks going down her cheeks wondering if it was a clan thing like the Inuzuka clan’s markings.

My attention was brought back to her eyes as they shot back up to mine. She held the flower out to me, and I felt like a moth coming to the flame as I grabbed it without hesitation. “Sunflowers are happy flowers, maybe it will make you happy too.” She smiled at me pointing a finger to my dumbfounded face as I felt my heart erupted through my chest. Who is this girl?

The white-haired man came up behind her and she smiled up to him taking his hand in one swift motion and I felt my eyes follow her as she was uninterested in my presence anymore. Her arm was held out as she skipped next to the man. They came across the Yamanaka flower shop, and I noticed the flowered plants that were out front grew bigger and leaned in the direction she was walking almost as if they were drawn to her. I blinked once then a few more times and felt annoyed as my face still was hot from the encounter.

I forced myself to shuffle off in the direction of Choji’s house after they were out of eyeshot crashing back down into reality. I stared at the large flower in my hand and closed my eyes remembering her ruby red eyes looking back at me. She definitely wasn’t from around Konoha...I knew for sure I had never seen her before. I would have remembered her…what a drag.

This was making me think to hard, maybe Choji knew who she was…I kept shuffling along looking into the clouds in the distance wishing I was back at the clan compound so I could take a nap under my favorite tree.

Back to our Quad group~

Guy and Lee had said their goodbyes to Kakashi and Yu as they went their separate ways. Lee promised to come visit Yu as soon as she got settled in Konoha so they could test their taijutsu out together. Yu felt hopeful in making a new friend here in this strange place and couldn’t wait to train with both Lee and Guy at some point. Kakashi and Yu made their way into the Hokage building and went up a flight of stairs. Before they entered the office of the Hokage the door opened to reveal Itachi and Shisui. Yu was holding Kakashi’s hand as she looked up at the two teens with a bored expression, wishing Lee was here to play with.

She immediately hid behind Kakashi as she saw the Uchiha symbol stitched into their clothing and squished herself as small as she could be against him. She could feel her heartbeat jump into her throat and pound into her small ears. Konoha was not safe, not if the Uchiha were here. She thought carefully and suddenly things began making sense to her. She had to have been captured and taken here to be their prisoner? Or maybe to get back at her father? Maybe the snake man hired them? But then why did her brothers never come for her? Why did Kakashi save her?

So many possibilities were running through her mind as her heart pounded and felt as if she was going to pass out. She knew how to fight her way out of situations and thought of her fastest course of escape. But then she remembered Madara and how he always talked about the idea of them running away together. She zoned out suddenly hearing Madara yell her name out, her mind seeing a flashback of his worried expression and blood clouding her vision. So much blood…what had happened that day? She heard Madara say her name again and she felt someone shake her shoulder making her snap back into reality.

Her eyes locked on to Kakashi’s face as he was the one calling her name, “Are you alright Yu?” he asked bending down as Kakashi was worrying over the dazed look she gave him. Where did her mind wander to during those times?

She looked to the two Uchiha teens behind Kakashi’s white mop of hair and locked eyes with Itachi. It seemed as if he could feel her and her emotions in the moment and she felt very vulnerable. She looked over to the other teen who had a kinder look about him as he smiled to her and brought a hand up, “Boy, Itachi if looks could kill,” he joked half heartedly to his younger cousin.

“Yu, I want you to meet one of my fellow Anbu members, this is Itachi Uchiha and his cousin Shisui,” Kakashi said standing as he pushed Yu in front of him.

Yu was scared and nervous…any encounters with Uchiha she had in the past were bad. Madara being the exception, but that was something that only she and her elder brother kept between them.

“I’m Yu” she said sternly maintaining eye contact with the two Uchiha’s before her.

“Well, it’s nice to meet you Yu,” Shisui crouched down to meet her gaze and as he brought his hand up to greet her, she flinched slightly causing Shisui to freeze and shake off his actions. He gave a knowing look to Itachi and sighed figuring out that their mission would be something of a task ahead of them. The two boys had been briefed over Kakashi’s retrieval of the girl and a bit about her background and figured she would need sometime to get used to Konoha. They talked briefly with Kakashi before leaving and Yu didn’t pay attention to their words but kept her eyes on them until they were out of her sight.

Kakashi entered the Hokages office, and some ninjas were dismissed as a pretty lady with red eyes and black hair stood there and another fellow with a beard and unlit cigarette hanging out of his mouth lingered next to her. Another lady with a purple spiked ponytail stood near what Yu assumed was the Hokage that everyone talked about as well as a blond man with a high ponytail and a very serious look on his face. She also noticed a man leaning on the wall nearby with a familiar spiked ponytail with two scars covering the side of his face…somehow, he felt familiar.

Yu felt the tension in the room a she entered it. She didn’t know any of these people.

“Hello Kakashi, it is good to see you up and walking again,” the Hokage greeted gently raising his pipe to them.

“Yeah, we almost thought you weren’t going to make it,” The bearded man laughed making Kakashi sweatdrop and scratch the back of his head.

“Well thanks for the concern, but we made it in one piece” Kakashi said warmly placing a hand on Yu’s shoulder. Kakashi could feel how tense her shoulders were and just wanted her to relax. Yu was looking over each individual and noticed that there were no Uchiha’s present in the room and felt slightly relieved.

“So, this is the girl I’ve heard so much about?” the Hokage asked standing up and walking around his desk to examine the little girl who didn’t bother moving from Kakashi’s side. “What is your name child?” he asked her, and Yu looked to Kakashi who nodded to her encouragingly.

“My name, is Yu Senju” she said politely and bowed to the man in front of her. “My such manners, you don’t see that to often nowadays,” The 3rd Hokage laughed half halfheartedly thinking of Naruto and his excessive need to call him old man.

Kakashi introduced Yu to everyone individually, “It’s nice to meet you all.” She called back.

The man known as Shikaku came forward with Anko at his side and he knelt to look Yu in her eyes. She remembered her brief encounter with that boy earlier and noted their similar bored expressions and smirked to herself remembering the flustered expression on his face. “Do you care if we check your neck for any markings?” he asked her.

Yu shook her head in response and Anko pulled her neck to the side to examine any markings but found none. They examined her arms legs and other various body parts and though they found many scars, puncture marks, and bruising littered over her body nothing noting Orochimaru leaving a cursed marking on her seemed present. Shikaku nodded to the Hokage and the two people retreated from the girl.

“Kakashi, there was some interesting things found on the papers recovered from the base and we would like to test these theories.” The Hokage said placing his pipe down on the table and walked slowly over to the picture wall of the previous Hokage and motioned for Yu to come over to him.

Yu hesitated, clinging to Kakashi’s pant leg unsure of the man in front of her. Kakashi pushed her from him encouraging that it was ok for her to go to the Hokage. Yu took a few steps and stopped as she stood in the middle of the room with all eyes on her. She should be used to this feeling of being the center of attention being the only girl of her many brothers…however, she wished she could just be normal just this once.

She looked to Lord 3rd and then her gazed went through him as she focused on the pictures behind him. She locked eyes on to the first two portraits specifically and ran up to the wall examining the two pictures side by side. The first one looked like her father when he was younger with longer hair, she read the plaque underneath to say: First Hokage: Hashirama Senju.

The second one looked like an older boy version of herself, and her little eyes sprang fresh tears as she knew who he was without reading the plaque: Second Hokage: Tobirama Senju. She went over to the picture lifting it up and off the wall to bring it to her eye level. Asuma went to go over to the girl, but the Hokage stopped him by holding an arm out.

Yu stroked the red markings on the portrait that mirrored her own and her eyes were so sad…when did he start wearing the markings of their mother’s clan? He always told her it was stupid since they were Senju’s and only half of whoever their mothers mysterious clan was. She felt like she had looked at his face so many times since they had been alive. Yet she couldn’t believe that he looked so much older than herself…why wasn’t she old like him? Where was he? Where was Hashirama? Itama?

The tears fell from her face onto the picture landing on the 2nd Hokages eyes making it look like he was crying for her as well. “Where is Tobirama?” Yu said quietly and Kakashi could see the magenta color swirling around her faintly.

Everyone could feel the instability of her power nature swirling through the room and Inoichi stepped forward taking a stance in front of Yu leery of the little girl.

“Who is the second Hokage to you?” The third asked as Yu turned to look at him. “My brother…my twin brother,” she said sadly as the magenta color dissipated in around her as she looked towards his picture again. “He’s dead, isn’t he? They both are.” Yu looked up to Hashirama’s portrait and fell to her knees weakly sobbing.

Inoichi took this moment to bring his arms up and yelled, “Ninja art: Mind transfer Jutsu!” Yu’s body fell limp in that moment and her consciousness went out like a light.

Chapter Text

Yu's body lied hunched over for a moment, before Inoichi gained full control. His own body was motionless as Shikaku held it upright. Kakashi had noticed that Yu's sudden change in her mood had made the flower crown wither slowly and die. It dropped down to the ground next to her knees and Kakashi stared at it knowing that her wood style was the cause. He was taken back by the sudden change of events. Kakashi thought he was just coming here to debrief and go home, but it seemed like the Hokage had other plans on his mind.

Inoichi stood up inside of Yu's body walking her back into the center of the room, facing Kakashi. Her eyes seemed motionless and dead on the inside. They were nothing like the bright shining orbs they usually were, and he wasn't fond of seeing her this way.

"I'm sorry to spring this so suddenly on you Kakashi, but we need to know if the girl was brainwashed or she is truly who she thinks she is, that way we can help her." Lord 3rd said examining the young mans unreadable expression. Kakashi seemed to be considering his words as he stood there with his hands in his pockets and his shoulders relaxed. He nodded to the Hokage looking quite exhausted.

"Go ahead Inoichi, Kurenai-find what you can." The Hokage nodded to Yu' body.

Kurenai walked over to the currently occupied child's body and stuck a hand on Inoichi's borrowed shoulder. They were attempting to probe Yu's mind to project images to the fellow ninja around them. This technique had been used in interrogations before and was unsuccessful due to enemy shinobis training, but to probe a child's mind shouldn't be too hard.

The image showing was nothing but darkness around them and Inoichi tried diving deeper into Yu's subconscious to pull out her core memories. These were events that had made her into who she is today or things she always wanted to remember in her life. It could lead into personal deep dark secrets, experiences, trauma...basically anything. The girl was resisting at first but when brought to one of her most cherished memories a bright light overtook the darkness and they found themselves in Yu's family home. It was like the shinobi in the Hokage's office were physically there but were invisible to the people in the memory world as several people walked through walls and the Hokage's desk like nothing was there. Like a real-life movie was playing before their eyes.

Kakashi noticed a woman laying in the middle of the room with servants around her, her face was hot and flushed as she groaned from the pain in her stomach.

"Where is Butsuma?" the woman breathed as one of the lady servants held her hand. Her hair was long and white and stuck to the sweat resting on her forehead. She was a very pretty woman with the same red markings Yu wore on her face, and Kakashi assumed this woman was related to her somehow.

"Kama! Kama!" a man called opening the door. He was dirty looking, and blood stained. He wore thick red armor and his eyes looked almost wild as he searched the room and laid eyes on the woman and went over to her in a rushed manner.

"Oh, please don't tell me you took up another mission! Where is Hashirama! The twins!" she whined as another pain ripped through her belly.

"I'm sorry my flower, please - the children are here with us," The man knows as Butsuma held an arm out to the opened door and Hashirama came almost on command looking as dirty as his father was. The twins however waited outside of the door. Their white hair was both soiled by dirt and blood and Kakashi didn't know people made armor that small.

Kakashi recognize the little girl to be Yu right away. Everything about her seemed to be quite smaller, but her mannerisms matched perfectly. The little white-haired boy tugged on his blue armor nervously, and Yu looked to him worryingly.

"Tobirama, father will be angry with us!! Mother is calling for us too!" She whispered to him.

The little boy had clean streaks on his dirt covered cheeks from when he was crying, and Yu clicked her tongue in annoyance as she could hear their mother asking for them again.

"Look, I know battle is scary and father pushed us harder than he ever has before. But remember father pushes us because if we were to come face to face with the Uchiha, and they would slit our throats without hesitation." Tobirama was still sniffling at her words wiping the dirt from his cheeks and trying to put on a brave face. "I was scared too, but I am always right here by your side." Yu said to him and grabbed his hand.

"As long as I breathe, I will always be right here." She smiled to him and Tobirama looked down to their hands intertwined together and back up to Yu's face thoughtfully. "Now, mother needs us, let us go meet our new baby sibling!" she smiled to him as she pulled him along with her.

He seemed to find a new confidence in himself because of her words and never let go of her hand as they entered the room together. They both went to their mother's side happy and smiling as the three siblings encouraged her and took bets on the baby's gender. Sometime went by, and their newly birthed baby brother cried after his umbilical cord was cut. Yu was smiling from ear to ear as she marveled at, her newest baby brother. He had half of their parent's-colored hair on either side of his head and the sweetest little shaped eyes you could imagine on a baby. Yu was so in love with him.

The memory faded out and another one soon took its place. Yu was a little older this time as she balanced on some wooden poles sticking out from the ground. Half of her face was wrapped up covering her left eye as if she had been hurt in some way. She had a bow and arrow in her hands. She proceeded to do various flips dodging both shuriken and kunai alike steadying herself on the wood poles with ease.

As she did a flip, she shot her arrow, and it struck several shuriken together into a nearby wall. She did this repeatedly matching arrow to kuneai and shuriken to arrow. It seemed almost impossible, but there she was making it possible. Yu landed on a nearby pole that was towards the end of the path and flipped off gently onto her feet and smiled to herself.

"That's my girl!" Butsuma yelled encouraging his little one.

Yu smiled to her father and a thick line of blood dripped down from the bandage. It fell onto her face and staining her shirt and Yu felt her head become light and distant. Tobirama came over to steady her, and Hashirama came running to her side fretting over her bleeding. She smiled to them lightly and passed out suddenly. Tobirama glared over to their father briefly before Hashirama took Yu's other arm to carry her inside their home.

The scene changed into another training moment and Yu was using a rope dart to hit different clay objects. She looked tired and worn out. Her face was covered in dirt and sweat dripped down her temples stinging her eyes. Her father was there pacing along in his civilian clothes looking very concentrated as he furrowed his eyebrows together.

"Yu, you must be faster! Do you think the Uchiha would stop to match your slow speed? Run it again!" He growled at her.

Yu just nodded and flung the weapon out again at a much faster speed trying to achieve the expectations of her father. She hit several more targets with ease, but her knees were shaking. She was barely able to keep up with the blade at the end of her chain. She pulled back for it to wrap around her arm and it ended up slicing her hand deeply causing blood to spew out. Yu didn't stop, she kept going, barely even flinching from her open wound.

"Father, enough!" Hashirama called to him almost pleadingly. But her father didn't stop her, he just kept ushering her on.

Yu's arms shook at the weight of the blade being flung out and her arms burned as her muscles screamed for her to stop. Tobirama looked on noticing her fatigue and prayed to himself that she could keep up the relentless tirade. If she stopped their father would only push her harder. He always pushed Yu harder than either of the siblings. If she cried, he would make her sweat every fluid out of her body until there was nothing left. Tobirama crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at their father.

Kindness was nothing to a shinobi. Weakness got you killed. Emotions were not something to show either, only if you were asking to die. Tobirama could see the sparks illuminating off her hands and as the blade swung out, so did the lightening bolts. She swung the blade faster until the lightening was flinging out of control hitting whatever was in its pathway. He could see the tears running down her face and Tobirama cringed internally as he could hear their fathers noises of annoyance. A lightning bolt whizzed past Butsuma's head causing him to yell at his daughter.

Finally, Yu hit a breaking point and fell to her knees panting deeply as she doubled over. Her father stomped over to her as he proceeded to kick her chest in one hard swift moment causing her to land on her back looking up at him. She winced in pain, but did not cry. He kicked her again in the ribs and slammed her back down onto the ground again with his foot on top of her. Yu grabbed his ankle as a reaction and burned him with her lightning that was coursing in her veins. Yu half stumbled but was able to break free of him and took off running towards the woods.

Their father cursed loudly as the children's mother appeared in view, "I think you pushed her to hard this time!" she scolded him as tears escaped her eyes. Butsuma gave an annoyed looked to his wife and their sons and picked up the bloody weapon left behind by Yu carefully choosing his next words.

"I love my daughter Kama," he said clutching the rope dart tightly. "I want her to be strong because I - we won't always be here to protect her. She must always be stronger than any of these washed-up shinobi, including the Uchiha. They would gladly place her head on a pike, because she's our daughter." Butsuma looked down and then to the woods where Yu ran off too.

"Just give her some time Butsuma, she'll come home" Kama said softly grabbing her husband's hand.

He stared into the woods a while longer regretting his actions and looked solemnly to his wife who ushered him into the house along with their sons. Hashirama and Tobirama looked nervously to one another not liking the fact that Yu had run off on her own. Itama was inside taking a nap on a futon in the corner of the living room. Tobirama went over to him and pushed some hair out of his face hoping he didn't wake up to find his favorite sibling gone. Meanwhile, Hashirama was asking for their father to forgive Yu and was trying to convince their father that they could train with Yu more after dinner.

Yu was pretty upset as she came along the bank of a river side, she sat there for what seemed like hours looking into her reflection staring back at her. She felt the chakra of someone beside her and lifted her head expecting one of her siblings, but was surprised to see the Uchiha boy from the cold winter months she met not too long ago.

"I'm surprised you don't have your sword with you." Yu mused recalling their fight...if you could call it that.

The boy looked taken back for a moment and noticed her sadden expression which made him slightly concerned. This meeting was like their previous one, but Yu was the one who was upset this time.

"It wasn't my sword little Senju," Madara stated coming closer towards her.

Yu knew that she should have feared this boy named Madara of the Uchiha clan, but for whatever reason she didn't. She side eyed him studying his dark features and black mop of hair and thought he was quite handsome, though it was something she would never admit out loud.

"You're bleeding" Madara motioned to her hand drawing their gazes away from one another and to Yu's injury.

Her hand had been stinging for a while, but she had chosen to ignore it. Her father's teachings must have been sinking in...pain was jut weakness leaving the body after all.

"I wasn't fast enough" Yu responded as a single tear ran down her cheek. She turned her head away from the Uchiha refusing to let him see her tears.

Madara sat next to Yu's side facing her back. He began to rip some fabric from his sleeve and grabbed Yu's hand who was taken back by his sudden gesture but didn't bother to pull away. Madara wrapped the wound skillfully as if he has done it a million times. Yu looked at his handsome face with a slight rose color tinting her cheeks. He glanced up towards her and as they made eye contact. Yu could feel her face turn into a full-on blush. Madara was done wrapping her hand, but held onto it for a moment longer as they looked at one another. The grass under the rock they were sitting on began to curl and grow greener.

"It's not safe to be in the woods by yourself, Yu. Any other Uchiha would have cut you down." Madara said softly poking her nose. She remembered doing the exact same to him in their last meeting and she felt silly now for starting this small trait.

"But I'm with you." She chuckled pulling her hand from Madara turning back to the river. Madara blinked several times taken back by this notion, now it was his turn to blush.

Yu stood up from the rock while helping Madara up in the process. The sun was beginning to set, and she was sure Itama was up from his nap asking for her. She jumped down and began walking towards the woods as she could feel Madara's eyes on her.

"Can I see you tomorrow?" Madara yelled after her.

She stopped walking surprised by his request and turned to look back at him. "You wanna fight again?" Yu asked thrusting her fist up into the air. What was a Senju and Uchiha relationship if there wasn't fighting involved?

Madara chuckled lightly and shook his head no. "I'll bring you something for your hand tomorrow." He said lightly turning and walking over the water to the other side of the river, "And maybe teach you how to be alittle faster." he shrugged still walking away from her.

"I'll see you tomorrow" she huffed under her breath recalling that she was the faster one in their last encounter. Her eyes traced the Uchiha symbol on his back. She looked thoughtfully down to her bandaged hand and smiled to herself before continuing her journey home.

Chapter Text

Yu thought about Madara for most of the following day. She was in such a pleasant mood, that nothing could get her down. Which included her father…who she was currently ignoring. She had just finished washing the floors to her family’s main hall with little Itama tied onto her back.

He would giggle at her sudden twists and turns, and he fell asleep as she sung him his favorite lullaby. After she was finished dumping the dirty water, she put Itama down on his usual napping spot and went to her mother who was in the yard.

Kama was hanging up some freshly washed clothing with a distant look on her face. Yu marveled at her mother from the front porch as her snow-white hair flowed in the gentle breeze. Her mother had always held an elegance that Yu wished to receive in time, but she enjoyed being in the presence of her mother more than anyone else. She has wisdom and grace about her that was not seen much during this time. Usually, it was all a pissing match of men who claimed to be the strongest shinobi without a truth to be held in their claims. But not Kama.

Yu’s mother valued peace and believed that in time that all war and turmoil would cease to exist. She always encouraged her children to strive for this peace, spite her husband’s feelings on the matter. Their father had always focused on the physical while their mother took care of teaching them how to carry on with love and grace.

Yu ran up to her mother’s side putting her face into her long Kimono. Her mother reached down and embraced her daughter. Yu pulled back from her mother and Kama caressed her daughters face thoughtfully.

“Did you finish your chores little duck?” Her mother asked with a pleasant smile, and she kneeled to be eye level with Yu.

“Yes Mama, and Itama even went down for his nap!” Yu smiled back to her.

Kama had her attention on Yu’s injured hand from the other day and frowned briefly before standing to continue hanging up the laundry. “Are you still upset with your father?”

Yu snorted in response and scowled, “I have been avoiding him” she said with a small ‘hmph’ while crossing her arms over her chest.

Kama shook her head more to herself than Yu and figured her husband was avoiding Yu as well. They were more alike than they knew. “You know he loves you.” Her mother cooed while flipping some pants onto the clothesline.

“Sure” Yu said quietly rolling her eyes.

“Yu, manners dear” Kama said softly giving her daughter a knowing look.

“Yes mama…I’m sorry, I will try to talk with him later.” Yu bowed to her mother before quickly changing the subject. “I’m going to go train to clear my head, I will be back soon…if that’s alright?” Yu asked tugging on her mother’s long sleeve.

Kama looked down at her daughter and nodded to her, “As long as you don’t stay out for to long, Itama might cry without you,” she chuckled.

“Thanks Mama!” Yu exclaimed jumping up to kiss her mother’s cheek before dashing off to the woods hoping she hadn’t missed her Uchiha friend.

She went to the river where they had met the day before, and she didn’t have to look long before she spotted him. He stood there skipping rocks across the river and she studied his movements carefully. He was very precise and calculating. His hair was spiked out in every direction and compared to the other Uchiha she had met during their missions he seemed nothing like them. She called his name in which his attention became focused on the direction she was coming from.

Yu was smiling and waving her arm to him, and he smirked back not as enthusiastically…but Madara was just as eager to see her. He unwrapped her injured hand and put some weird medicine on it that made it feel incredibly better.

“My mother makes this salve for our clan; it should take the pain away.” He said solemnly letting his hand linger on her own for a moment before letting go and turning back to the river.

“Why are you being so nice?” Yu questioned him wanting to know his motives.

“You were nice to me first…” Madara trailed off recalling the day they first met.

“The day you got your special eyes?”

“Yes, that day” Madara’s mood seemed to change as he looked to her. “My elder brother had died that day…”

Yu froze at his words and felt immediate rush of emotions. Was a Senju the cause?

“I was carrying his sword home to my parents when I met you…and well…I couldn’t quite forget you afterwards. Then when I found you the other day, and I guessed it was fate.” He shrugged while skipping another stone across the river making it to the other side.

“Fate?” Yu questioned quietly. “Is it fate that we are supposed to hate each other too?”

“You tell me.” Madara faced her looking down to meet her eyes.

Yu markings were brighter today, and she wore her hair in a long messy braid. Her bangs framed her face almost perfectly and Madara resisted the urge to move a few strands that fell into her rounded eyes.

“I don’t hate you” she said quietly breaking their gaze as she put her hands behind her back. “If anything, you seem nice.” She smiled and picked up a nearby rock to skip it across the water but frowned when it only went halfway and sunk down to the bottom.

“You’re not to bad…for a Senju, I mean” Madara teased laughing skipping another rock successfully to the other side.

Yu huffed at him a little annoyed by his cocky behavior. Madara went to skip another stone and Yu kneeled to poke the water with her finger. She caused a small whirlpool in the river that sucked the stone down into its depths and Madara threw a glare down at her.

“That’s cheating!” He growled at her, making Yu smile mischievously at his reaction. Madara was taken back by the way the water reflected on her face.

“Sorry! Usually water is my brother’s thing, but I couldn’t help it.” She stood up pouting to him and Madara rolled his eyes at her fake innocent expression.

“What’s your thing?” he wondered out loud.

“Oh, it’s lightening.” Yu shuffled grabbing another rock and skipped it. The rock made it further than her first attempt but ended with the same result.

“Aren’t those opposites? How does that work?” Madara raised brow at her and waited for her response.

“We make it work. I fight the best when I’m with him.” Yu said thoughtfully drifting off into her own thoughts.

“I fight the best with my little brother.” Madara came closer to Yu watching her face. “His name is Izuna…we used to have more brothers…but he is my only one now.”

Yu flinched at his words. She couldn’t imagine losing a brother let alone more than one. Madara watched her conflicted face and met her eyes as she looked up to him.

“Come with me” he said suddenly taking her hand and running off with her.

She hesitated for a moment thinking he was going to lead her into some Uchiha trap, or maybe he was truly just being nice to her? His hand felt warm either way. Yu shrugged off the notion and let him lead.

They finally stopped when they reached a cliff side that overlooked a sea of trees, and it was one of the prettiest views she had ever seen. She sat next to Madara and thought about the last time she sat and watched the clouds or trees, but nothing came to mind. Her thoughts shifted to her father pushing her through constant training and missions, making her sigh heavily. Yu closed her eyes and focused on the wind blowing on her skin instead.

“It’s really pretty here” Yu said softly looking to Madara who seemed like he was studying her face.

Madara felt like if he were to look away, she would have disappeared at any moment unless he kept his eyes on her. “I come here often…when things trouble me.” Madara said finally making Yu wonder what he was thinking about. What did he think about her?

“You seem very serious right now,” Yu mused sticking her tongue out at him causing Madara to make a face at her back.

“And you’re not serious enough” he said grumpily and crossed his arms.

Yu smiled to him and rested her head on his shoulder, “Maybe I’m thinking about how familiar you feel to me” she said more to herself than Madara.
He was a little taken back by her actions but enjoyed this moment they shared together.

--

The memories from Yu began to fade in and out around the Hokages office during the present time as only glimpses of Madara were shown in Yu’s memory.
They had begun meeting each other regularly at the river side from that day forward. In this place where they weren’t moral enemies, but friends. This was their spot. They both enjoyed one anothers company, and it gave them a chance to see each other in a different light.

They made a promise to avoid each other in battle if it ever came to that, and to protect one another’s siblings at all costs if the moment presented itself. They talked about many things including achieving peace between their two clans which would have been a difficult discussion, but Madara always found that it was so easy to talk to Yu. She had such an infinite hope and wisdom about her that made her seem other worldly.

She shared her bow and arrow expertise with him, and he helped her with her speed to the point where even he couldn’t keep up with her anymore. They would sneak off regularly to meet one another occasionally sharing meals, ideals, or anything new going on in their life. It was nice for them just to relax and be there for one another. Madara would smile more than Yu had ever seen him smile before, and it was nice not seeing him be so serious all the time.

One day seemed particularly special as the flashes of the two friends meeting began to slow and settle on a particular memory. Instead of being in Yu being in her Senju Clan armor, she was dressed in a short black kimono with a gold and red flower design that was accompanied by some leggings and some strappy sandals. Her hair had a deep red flower clip in it that was holding her hair up in a bun, but some of her hair was loose and waving behind her as she ran. Her red markings were accompanied by another one going down her chin, which made her look older than the last memory and closer to her age now in the present time.

Madara waited for her near the river while pacing back and forth. He looked very nervous as Yu called his name waving as she ran up to him.

“Hey, I don’t have a lot of time…” she panted, “…but I wanted to let you know that today is-”

“Your birthday” Madara interrupted her, which made Yu nod.

“How did you know?” she looked at him suspiciously.

“You told me.” Madara shrugged.

“Riiiight, well I brought you this,” Yu pulled a small bag from her back and proceeded to take out some inarizushi she had made for them to share. Even though they couldn’t be together for long, she wanted to share at least a small moment with him on her special day.

They sat in a nearby tree giggling and eating happily together. She made one of Madara’s favorite meals and even though this day was supposed to be about her, she was always thinking of others. It was one of the things Madara admired the most about her.

Yu let him take the last bit of inarizushi and jumped down from the branch.

“I have to get going, or Tobirama might come looking for me” Yu sighed looking at Madara as he jumped down next to her. She wished that he could just come with her. Yu smiled to him sadly and turned to leave.

“Yu, w-wait…” Madara said seeming unsure of himself.

She furrowed her eyebrows together at him and turned to face him, “Yes?”

“Um..well…” Madara’s cheeks were growing redder by the minute. He cleared his throat and pulled out a juda stick (a fancy hair pin) that had a big pink ribbon on it. “This is for you.” He said quietly handing it to her.

Yu pulled the ribbon off her birthday present and marveled at the big red jewel on the end of it. “Oh, Madara…it’s beautiful!”

Madara’s nervousness vanished at her words, and he gained a new confidence. “The jewel has some of my chakra inside of it, so when we get close…” he put his hand towards the juda stick and the red jewel began glowing brightly, reacting to Madara’s chakra.

Yu’s eyes watered up and she beamed at him.

“Do you want me to help you put it in your hair?” he asked moving closer to her.

She nodded yes and he didn’t hesitate. He helped her gather up her long hair and put it in a rounded half up half down bun and he smiled at how pretty she looked.

“Thank you Madara,” she said turning and hugging him close to her. Some tears ran down and hit his shoulders and he tensed wondering what had made her cry. “You’re the favorite part of my day” she said softly leaning back and rested her forehead on his chin.

The jewel shone brightly in her hair and Madara wished that they had more time together as he wrapped an arm around her. When she finally let go, they said their goodbyes and Madara had stared at the spot she had once occupied for a long while after she was out of his sight.

--

The scene faded out and returned to a bloody battlefield with bodies upon bodies piled up amongst each other. Yu was found holding her twin brothers’ hand as they were being chased by unknown assailants. They came upon a rushing river and became cornered between it and their enemies. Blood red eyes peered out from them from the woods all around them and Yu got in front of Tobirama raising her rope dart in front of her.

Tobirama looked to be in bad shape he had a several arrows coming out from his back and seemed to be bleeding from a large gash on his thigh which made him limp. He had blood running into his left eye and it was shut tight from their earlier battle.

“Yu…” Tobirama was panting heavily, and she held and arm out to silence his next words.

What was he going to say? ‘Save yourself’ or ‘Leave me behind’ those weren’t an option. Oh, how Yu wished Madara was here. She would give anything to be looking in his eyes right now.

“I’m not leaving you” she said with her mind made up.

The first assault came, and she threw her blade to the first Uchiha she saw. Her blade missed, but as she pulled the rope back it came flying back to him wrapping around the man’s outstretched arm and digging its way into his shoulder. She jumped up landing on the blade gracefully and pushed her legs off it causing her backflip behind the Uchiha. As a result, it caused the blade to dig further into the mans throat killing him.

Two more men charged her, and she began using taijutsu to fend them off. She wrapped her arms around one man and she threw both legs out kicking the other in the face causing him to stumble backwards and fall. Yu threw her hand out which caused a nearby tree root to fly up from the ground impaling the man on impact.

The other man she was currently fending off had landed a good blow to her face and another to her stomach knocking the wind out of her. She doubled over and managed to pull a kunai out of her pouch and stabbed the man in the foot. He yelled out in pain as Yu jumped up to kick him in the face and shocked him with her lightening.

Her lightening was coursing out of control around her body as more Uchiha appeared and the sky became black with storm clouds.

“Oh look if it isn’t the little Senju princess” Yu heard among to group of Uchiha and glared to them.

She wasn’t helpless and she wasn’t going down without a fight. She pulled her rope dart out from the dead Uchiha and held it firmly in her hands.

The group had charged her and though she fended off half of them, they proved to be to much for her. She fell with a harsh thud, and she felt them hitting her all over, kicking her, and laughing at her weakness.

Her vision became clouded from blood, and she opened her eyes as she heard a familiar voice call her name. Was it Tobirama? No, this was further away. She looked to her side and saw a group of Uchiha had surrounded her twin with swords drawn and all she could do was think of her failure.

All of her promises to be by Tobirama’s side…to build a future of peace with Madara and Hashirama…would it all end here?

She got tunnel vision as she saw the juda stick laying next to her and she could feel hot tears sting her eyes. The jewel in her hair pin began glowing a bright red and Yu focused on that because it’s the only thing she could see. It was Madara calling her, she could hear his voice…she closed her eyes.

She opened them again as Tobirama screamed in pain. She realized that they were killing him and was able to get out of her dream like state. She snapped her eyes open more aware this time and lifted an arm up to the sky which caused one of the biggest lightening bolts to come crashing down into her body. It destroyed most of the area around her as well as the Uchiha surrounding her.

Yu appeared out of the wreckage with her ruby eyes turning white hot from the lightening coursing through her body. It was jumping wildly around her small frame, but she commanded it fully. She ran towards the Uchiha surrounding her brother and slammed her hands onto the ground causing the lightening to course into the ground, electrocuting the men to their deaths.

She grabbed Tobirama jumping out of the way. Yu fell with him in her arms as she landed on the cliff side. She held onto Tobirama desperately asking for him to open his eyes. Tears were running from her eyes like rain drops and she felt so lost in this moment. She held her brother close to her and looked over Tobirama’s hair to see Madara as he was running towards them.

She felt relieved at the sight of him. So, he was there after all. Madara came over to see about her, but she pushed Tobirama into his arms begging for Madara to save him.

Madara’s heart broke seeing Yu this way, but he found a faint pulse on Tobirama and worked on getting him breathing again. Yu would help by shocking Tobirama’s heart back into a steady rhythm and kept watch though she could barely keep her eyes open. When they got him breathing steadily, he opened his eyes for a moment calling Yu’s name and fell back into darkness.

“He should be fine now” Madara sighed relieved as he looked at Yu through hooded eyes.

She looked terrible…blood was caked in her hair and all over her body. She had a swollen eye and more bruises than Madara could count. His blood ran cold seeing her this way.

“Thank you Madara” she sighed falling into him.

He caught her easily and held her close to him. He handed her the juda stick for her hair that shone brightly being so close to its familiar chakra source. She placed her hand in Madara’s, but couldn’t muster the strength to grab it from him.

She looked up as she felt a faint chakra presence and pushed Madara away from her as she was struck in the chest with a large spear like object.

She choked up blood and it spewed out of her mouth as her eyes flew open wide and her pupils began to dilate. The pain in Yu’s chest erupted throughout her whole body as everything went black. Her body fell backwards over the cliff side as she gripped onto the juda stick, being lost to the fog below. Madara tried to grab her in time but wasn’t able to reach her. Madara sat there in shock for a moment and looked to see a singular Uchiha from the assault on Yu and her brother. Madara pulled his sword out and decapitated the man in one swift moment. He looked to the Uchiha in disgust. He sheathed his sword and was going to search for Yu, when he heard Tobirama groan out in pain. Madara looked over to the boy who looked so much like Yu.

In his heart he knew what Yu would want him to do in this moment…and Madara sighed heavily wiping away the blood staining his eyes on his sleeve. Losing Yu so suddenly cause him to unlock his Mangekyou Sharingan and his eyes were burning through the pain he felt in his heart. He grabbed Tobirama and hoisted him over his shoulder. Madara traveled to the nearby Senju compound and left Yu’s brother near the front gate to be found by his fellow clans’ men. Madara disappeared in order to search for his little Senju he adored so much.

This final scene caused Yu memories to dissipated, and the group was immersed back into the Hokage’s office. Kakashi had recognized the way Yu’s eyes had dilated because they reminded him of Rin’s eyes when the Chidori went right through her chest. The endless cycle of death a shinobi faces is limitless. It was a look he never wanted to see on her face again.

Inochi was still in Yu’s body and grabbed her forehead as if it was hurting.

“What’s wrong Inochi?” Shikaku asked noticing the blood coming down from his friend’s real mouth.

“She’s…f-fighting me…I can’t…” Yu’s body fell to one knee and Inochi was returned to his own body all at the same moment. Shikaku helped to steady his friend as Yu stood up on her own clutching her chest thinking over the events she had to relive. The pain still felt in her chest made it all to real.

Kakashi eyed her wondering was she was thinking in this moment and the Hokage finally spoke up.

“Well now that we’ve seen the truth there is no denying who this child is,” the 3rd went over to his desk sitting down and taking off his Hokage hat. “Yu, I would like for you to stay in the village. We will provide you with everything you need and your own place to live if you would like. Your brothers…were my Sensei’s and taught me a great many things in my lifetime. It would only be right for you to stay here and be raised in the village your family helped to create.”

All eyes were on Yu and she ignored everyone except Kakashi. She stared at him for a long time as if waiting for him to say something…anything. But he was just another shinobi on a mission, what was she to him anyway? She remembered her father’s teachings and that foundation would always come first no matter what she longed for in her own heart.

“I accept your offer” she said quietly putting her arms behind her back while fidgeting with her dirty fingernails.

Chapter Text

The Hokage had asked Kurenai and Asuma to take Yu and gather the required things she needed to sustain a life there in Konoha. Basic needs, clothing…whatever they deemed necessary. Yu dug her nails into her bunched up fists as she passed by Kakashi without even saying a goodbye, though it pained her to do so. Upset couldn’t even come close to what she was feeling right now at his lack of concern for where she ended up.

~Yu's point of view (We're finally here!!)

I shuffled behind the two adults in front of me looking down at my ninja sandals the entire time. I had never felt so many emotions going on in my head like I did right now. It was driving me crazy!! I had died, and now I was magically resurrected. All my family was dead along with Madara...which made me feel like this was one of my worst nightmares.

Who was I without my family? How did Itama feel when I never came home? My mother? Did my father even care?

A shinobi’s greatest honor is to die in battle, I could imagine him saying and felt my stomach doing summer salts at the notion.

So how did I come back to life? I thought of Orochimaru in the moment and remembered waking up to needles lodged into my neck injecting all kind of things inside of my body. The pain I felt during that time was something I will never forget. I wish I could forget, maybe it would make things easier?

How did Madara feel after I had died? Who did he end up becoming in life? It was silly to think of him, but I had always seen us living ours lives meeting on our same cliff side with or without Hashirama.

“Where should we go first?” Kurenai questioned to Asuma, he puffed out a big ball of smoke from his mouth before answering.

“She needs clothes and food…maybe we can swing by her apartment afterwards.” Asuma said glancing back to me.

I met his gaze which pulled me out of my thoughts, and I looked away from him immediately. I did not want him to read the sullen mood I was giving off. Asuma shook his head focusing back on Kurenai. They talked casually between each other and the little touches between them made me realize they were probably a little more than friends.

“So kid,” Asuma said throwing his cigarette to the ground and stomping it out with his foot, “you and Kurenai will go in here first to find some clothes for you. Kurenai will show you to the bathhouse so you can get familiar where things are, and I’ll grab you some groceries and we will head over to your new place.”

I nodded to him, and Kurenai and went over to him and they both gave some lovely goodbyes to each other as I headed for the door to the shop. Kurenai followed behind me as Asuma left in the opposite direction.

It was a little awkward at first, but I finally concluded that Kurenai was a very nice lady. She kept telling me how pretty I was as she held up different outfits to my body seeing which one would look the best on me. Even though I didn’t feel like being dressed up like a little doll she made it a bearable experience.

We finally decided on a long red sleeve top that had a wider opening going down to my wrist with some overall shorts that looked like a skirt. I decided to keep my ninja sandals feeling impartial to them because of Kakashi.

My thoughts kept wandering back to him.

I eyed the black masks like Kakashi’s own and put a few in the pile to buy. I remembered his face as he stared at me wordlessly, letting me go with strangers. Being cast off into a world, I didn’t want to know…which just made me upset all over again.

I was over shopping and just wanted to leave but Kurenai loaded me up on training tanks and shorts, bandages, pjs, and some other things I don’t really remember. Apparently, all this stuff is important to have. Kurenai reminded me of my mother, or at least she had a resemblance to her smile. She paid for all the items, and we left to the bath house.

I got glances from people along the way, and it made me feel uncomfortable. I heard my last name mentioned a few times followed by the Uchiha name, which made me turn to the couple talking about those specific things. I narrowed my eyes at them both and they froze for a moment realizing I had heard them.

“Just ignore them Yu” Kurenai mused happily.

I turned from the couple with a ‘hmph’ and walked a little faster to catch up to her.

“Why are they staring?” I asked looking up at her.

Kurenai sighed softly and then smiled to me. I felt her hand wrap around my own and it gave me some confidence in myself. She really did remind me of mom.

Always keep your head held high, no matter what people around you do. I remembered my mom saying this exact thing whenever the kids back home would tease me about my muscles or about wearing my armor. Little did they know I was the one keeping our compound safe during the long nights, but it still didn’t make their teasing hurt any less.

Kurenai showed me a lot of the village and where important things were and how to distinguish them from other buildings. She was a very smart lady and I found myself enjoying her company. When we arrived at the bathhouse, she helped me scrub all the dirt from underneath my nails and off all the places I couldn’t reach. I finally started feeling like myself again.

She noted the unevenness of my hair and I told her about Kakashi cutting it, and she rolled her eyes muttering something about men. She helped to even it and by the time she was done my hair was a little above my shoulders and was the shortest it has even been. She reassured me that it will grow back, and I kept that as a mental note. Kurenai also explained to me the importance of braiding my hair nightly so it wouldn’t tangle.

I soaked in every word as I practiced my braiding until I looked decent enough to grace the world with my presence. Before we had left, I changed into some of my training clothes as Kurenai said my other outfits were for when I started at the academy in a few days. I didn’t understand the need for someone to train me in the ninja arts, it basically sounded like some lame way to hold me back from proving myself on the battlefield. Which was the true test of a shinobi.

Maybe that wasn’t the Konoha way? I guess I would find out sooner or later.

~Kakashi’s point of view

When everyone had left the Hokage’s office, I was the only one remaining. Yu’s refusal to look at me before she left surprisingly hurt in areas, I thought were numb to pain by now.

The Hokage explained to me that he wanted Yu to be able to see the Uchiha for who they are in today’s world. He let me in on the mission he assigned Itachi and Shisui to perform. They were to protect the girl, and train her to see her abilities and what her mindset was towards the Uchiha. Lord 3rd felt that these two were the most capable.

I asked him about his plans for Yu, and if anyone would be looking after her…but he reassured me that the orphan apartments to the east of the village was a suitable living arrangement for her. Before I left, he stopped me with one more question.

“So Kakashi, have you taken any thought to the offer I proposed to you before your recent mission?” The Hokae took a serious tone and waited for my response.

“To become a Jonin sensei?” I question back.

The Hokage nodded and there was a brief silence between us before I answered.

“I would like to take some more time to think about it, if you don’t mind.” I replied lazily. “I do have a request, however…I would like to stay close to Yu if at all possible.”

“You two seem to be close” The Hokage smirked more to himself and closed his eyes for a moment. “I don’t see any issue with your request, help her to adapt to village life.”

“I will sir” I leaned down onto one knee bowing low.

“Good, dismissed.” The 3rd replied and I got up to leave without another word.

I left the office in a daze as my mind kept wandering back to Yu. I thought about my own father and remembered him picking me up from the academy or us cooking together after long missions. I was a lot happier back then, and maybe Yu would better adapt to village life with someone there for her as well. I never imagined myself as a father figure but knowing her to be without anyone hit me differently.

However, being in the Anbu black ops didn’t give me a lot of spare time. I would not be able to be there for her like I would want to be, like she would need for me to be.

I saw a lot of potential in her abilities and more specifically her lightening release. I could recognize a lot of myself inside her along with the same sadness lingering in her heart. I could only imagine the things going through her head. Losing someone you love is hard. I saw flash backs of Obito and Rin. Their faces haunt me daily.

Yu woke up to lose her entire family and was something on a bigger level.

I purchased some fresh flowers from the Yamanaka flower shop and headed over to my fellow teams’ head stones to think things over and reflect on my next move.

~Yu’s pov

Kurenai and I had met back up with Asuma. He was carrying a few bags of groceries and I tried to grab one from him, but he insisted on being the gentlemen. He seemed to brighten up around Kurenai. It made me a little sick, but secretly I wished that when I got older someone would be so dedicated to me. They would ask me small questions about myself, and I would be polite and answer without giving to much detail. Though I liked these two and they had been so kind to me, I wasn’t into getting close to anyone and I was still sulking over Kakashi.

I remembered his dumb looking face and the way he always kept his sharingan closed or covered. I could easily recognize his chakra from miles around me. It was strange, but it was almost like I’ve known him for all my life. Kakashi was even willing to give his life for mine…but then my body reacted the way it did.

The magenta chakra source that poured from me at times was something very new and very terrifying. I could control it at times and the other times…it just kind of took over. My thoughts wandered on to various things and I began falling behind Kurenai and Asuma again. I was unable to see their worried glances they were giving me, but I could feel their temperaments change and I just didn’t want to deal with any of it right now. I just wanted to get to my home and get some rest.

~Kakashi’s pov

I was heading back into the village from the cemetery. My hands were shoved into my pockets, and I was in deep thought.

I thought about Yu for most of the day and could think of nothing but the mistakes I made in my life up until this point. Letting Yu leave without a word or even arguing that she needed someone around was beginning to be a problem for me.

But who was I to question the Hokage?

What else was I good for except for being a tool to use and effectively complete missions. I had contributed to the violent spiral of shinobi death for as long as I could remember but thinking of Yu growing up to become a killing machine was even worse.

I remembered how far her father had pushed her. The tears, blood, and having to give up everything to fulfill an era of hatred against the Uchiha. She wouldn’t have to look over her shoulder anymore, not if I could help it. Yu deserved a normal childhood. Friends. A team that would love her. Family.

I was snapped out of my thoughts as I heard a woman scream. I looked up to see various objects and people enveloped in a magenta lighting or just floating throughout the village. The color seemed faintly familiar and then I thought back to Yu using her chakra before we made it to Konoha.

I took off running towards the orphan apartments and hoped that whatever was happening was fixable.

As I ran through the village the flow in gravity was a little sporadic and unpredictable. Various shinobi around the village were trying to help retrieve items or people that were floating in the air but were unsuccessful at keeping them grounded. I remembered that in my mission notes there were reports of unexplained gravity distortions around Orochimaru’s hidden base and felt like it was only a coincidence that it was happening now that Yu was living in the village.

As I reached the building, I jumped up to the 2nd floor and felt weightless as the gravity holding my body released. I grabbed onto the railing to pull myself back down and pushed most of my chakra to my feet to stay running on the wall beside me. I made my way to the third floor being careful to stay against the wall until I lost control began to float again. I pulled out two kunai to stab into the wall and make my way over to Yu’s door.

It was difficult and I felt like I was doing anything but letting my body rest from my pervious chakra exhaustion. However, I was not going to make another mistake by not being there for Yu.

I maneuvered my way to the door frame and kicked it open as it was slightly ajar. I moved down the door frame and placed my feet on the floor of the apartment and searched for Yu.

She stood there in front of the sink counter in the dark looking like she was attempting to cook some fish, but had cut her hand in the process. Her face seemed defeated and like the world was threatening to crush her at any moment. The water running over her hand was a dark red as it mixed with her blood.

I was taken back because I remembered crying exactly like this when coming home to cook my own fish after my father took his life. In this moment Yu was experiencing true pain.

The tears were relentlessly rolling down her cheeks and floating upwards instead of down. The tips of her hair were raised up and so was various things in her apartment.

“Yu!” I yelled her name once and she didn’t look at me. “Yu!” I yelled a second time still with no response.

I made my way closer towards her and called her name a third time. She finally looked at me, but her eyes were clouded as though she was looking right through me.

“Yu I’m sorry, please.” I grabbed onto her and pulled her into me, crashing her small body into mine and just held her.

Immediately after she began to sob uncontrollably.

“Kakashi..” she sobbed as I could feel her grabbing onto the back of my shirt.

We floated for a moment and as she nuzzled her head closer into my chest, I could hear things falling in her apartment. I felt the pull of gravity holding me back down again as we reached the floor. I sighed heavily as the tiny girl in my arms let out all of the sadness she had been holding in.

Chapter Text

~Yu’s pov

Kakashi held me for what seemed like hours. I cried until my eyes felt raw and my cheeks stung from feeling the salt water on my face. Kakashi kept talking to me, asking me questions, but it was like I was listening to him from under water.

My head was pounding as he helped me to my feet, and though I tried to stand up on my own my body was too weak to support itself. Kakashi was holding my arm keeping me steady. He continued saying something, but I couldn’t quite make the words out…everything just felt numb.

He sat me down on a nearby chair and I could feel my blood turn cold without him near me. He was something I could hold onto and feel safe amongst the darkness I was feeling. I hadn’t unpacked most of my things, just the food. Kakashi looked around the tiny room and began gathering everything up. I watched him through puffy eyes as small silent tears fell down my face. When he was finished, he held a handout to me, and I looked at it absent mindedly.

I looked up to his lone uncovered eye for an answer and all he gave me was, “Let’s go”

We left the orphan apartments together with a large tote on Kakashi’s back. I shuffled along side him my feet feeling like they were foreign to my body, but Kakashi picked me upholding me on his hip. I buried my face into his neck and could smell his earthy scent. Maybe this is why I liked him so much…he smelled so much like Hashirama. Some more tears escaped my eyes thinking of my brother, and I turned my head to prop my chin on his shoulder.

The village seemed to be in disarray. There were various villagers trying to clean up messes from objects being smashed or trying to get things that seemed to be misplaced in high up areas.

I knew I had caused these problems. When I got angry or sad…my chakra would react in different ways.

I sighed lightly and mumbled a sorry to everyone. I could feel Kakashi’s arms wrap around me tighter in response. A big part of me knew he was smart enough to figure out that I was the cause of this destruction.

“Do you think that I’m a monster?” I whispered to him.

I could feel his muscles tense at the sudden question, but they relaxed again as he answered, “I would never think that, Yu.” He stroked my back softly in a circle trying to calm me. “For all things considered, it could have ended more…dramatically.” Kakashi said chuckling under his breath. “You need time to process and heal...” He trailed off and I shut my eyes tight.

“It was a mistake to leave you” he finally said after I long moment of studying the side of my face and I opened my eyes to look at his masked one. He eye smiled at me and I felt a little taken back by his apology.

I wasn’t used to adults apologizing or even admitting when they were wrong. This feeling was something new. I admired Kakashi so much for being such an admirable shinobi. I buried my face back into the crook of his neck and whispered my thanks to him.

Kakashi took me to the shinobi apartments, where he lived. I was happy to not be alone his place just seemed a little lonely. There was nothing personal except for a green blanket on his bed and an old photo resting on the windowsill. I went over to his bed and sat down on his pillow while leaning my head down to examine the photo.

There was a tall blonde man who had a concerned smile as his hands were placed on two boys’ heads. The first boy was raven haired and had some goggles on his face. There was a girl at the bottom of the picture smiling brightly hold up the victory sign on her fingers. And the last boy was unmistakably Kakashi scowling in a determined manner. Kakashi looked ridiculous and nothing like the cool collected ninja that was before me now. I turned my head to look back at him and watched him putting a few things away carefully observing his body language.

My eyes felt heavy with sleep, and I laid down cuddling up to his pillow that was twice my size.

~Kakashi’s pov

“Are you hungry Yu?” I asked looking through the various groceries we brought from Yu’s apartment. I was answered with soft snoring sounds and looked over to see her sleeping. Well, I guess that’s a no.

I went over and pulled my comforter around her small frame and studied her sleeping form. She was really a mystery…so much life in such a little person. My sense of duty to her felt out of character and natural all in the same way.

I would have to speak with the Hokage about her later and wasn’t looking forward to that conversation. Taking on the responsibility of another human being, let alone a child was not something I saw myself doing in this period of my life. Hell, I couldn’t even take care of my own self if I were being completely honest. However, this is the first time I have felt so strongly about another person in a long time.

There was a sudden knock at the door. I got up to answer it and was surprised to see the two Uchiha cousins on the other side.

“Kakashi,” Itachi said cooly, “I’m sorry to bother you, but we haven’t seen the girl arrive to her apartment yet and there was some trouble in the village-”

“Oh…” I smiled to him cutting off his words, “Well that’s because she is here” I stepped back as their eyes fell on the snoring girl. “It seems she’s still having problems controlling her chakra, so I thought it was best to keep her here in the meantime to keep an eye on her.”

“Hah, guess you two are pretty attached to one another eh Kakashi?” Shisui laughed. “Who would have thought?” Shisui smiled brightly at me.

“Alright Sensei, the Hokage wanted her to enroll into the academy tomorrow. Will you be able to…?” Itachi was looking for the right words. He felt confused seeing his sensei assume guardianship over this child.

“Don’t worry, we will be there.” I smiled to them both and Itachi nodded.

“Alright Kakashi, well we are calling it a night since you’ll be keeping an eye on her,” Shisui nodded to the older jonin and grabbed Itachi’s arm leading him out of the complex.

“See you later” I waved briefly before shutting the door.

I went over to some books on my shelf and pulled out the latest makeout paradise and laid down on the bottom of my bed making sure not to disturb Yu’s sleeping form.

The injuries I received from protecting Yu in the previous days were aching dully as the sharingan in my left eye felt like it was digging into my skull. It had been a while since I felt this way and though I’ve come along way in controlling my borrowed eye, it never got easier. Yu shuffled in her sleep murmuring something incoherent and began to snore again, as I looked up at the ceiling unaware of all the drastic changes that were about to happen in my life.

Chapter Text

~Kakashi’s pov

Yu was out of it for most of the time after the ‘floating incident’ experienced all around Konoha.

It seemed that the chakra power she used was unstable and took a lot out of her and her tiny frame. I sent word with Shisui to pass along to the Hokage about what had transpired and was put under direct orders to keep her close.

Close…I read the tiny written word over and over again. It was not something I could move on from. The images of my arm jamming through Rin’s chest flashed in my mind as did the images of Yu’s death. I kept thinking about them and how similar their smiles looked. Soon the image of Rin was replaced by Yu being impaled on my arm and I felt my blood turn cold.

The only thing that snapped me out of my trance was Yu coughing up blood while crying.

Her recovery was slow. When she managed to stay awake, she said she felt weak and would zone out. She would hardly eat anything, and it was tough getting her to drink anything. When the applications to the ninja academy opened, I helped her to look as presentable as possible for the public eye. She slept for most of the walk over there as I carried her on my back. I did not want to draw attention to ourselves but could see several eyes on us as we traveled our way to the academy. I made a reputation for being a lone wolf, and now here I am a part-time…. whatever it is I am doing with this kid.

I didn’t try waking Yu until we reached the school. I had to fill out the necessary paperwork, so it was time to wake the sleeping beauty from her slumber. Her head was laying on my shoulder and I shrugged it until she opened her small red eyes. I sat her down next to me and began filling out the forms, but she immediately put her head back on my arm. There were a lot of blanks I couldn’t fill out, but Yu gave me some small answers like her age and chakra nature. I hesitated to put myself as her guardian but figured that they could change it later on and continued with what I could answer.

“Lee” I heard Yu coo as she lifted her head weakly from my arm. She was smiling softly at the boy as he ran over, matching her same bright smile.

“Greetings Yu, Kakashi” Lee said bowing lowly to each of us. I looked around for Might Guy dreading the encounter but felt relieved when he was nowhere in sight. I really didn’t feel like dealing with that today.

“Do you go to school here?” Yu questioned softly.

“Yes! But I am in an upper class, more than likely you will be in the one below mine.” Lee said studying Yu’s sleepy nature. Lee was a strange boy, much like Might Guy. He spoke in weird short segments and it kind of got on my nerves to tell you the truth. Guy had been following me like a lost dog for years now, trying to break down walls I carefully placed for my own reasons. The man just couldn’t take a hint. I didn’t listen to much of their conversation after that, but finished Yu’s paperwork and returned to the front desk.

“Um sir, we need you to fill the paperwork out in its entirety,” the ninja at the front desk said in annoyance.

“Oh yes, about that, this-“but I was cut off by a familiar voice.

“This is the girl the Hokage sent word about.” It was Iruka sensei there smiling brightly at me.

I nodded to him grateful for his interruption, but Iruka was looking past me studying the girl who looked so sleepy-eyed talking to her friend. I hadn't had many encounter with the man before this moment and knew even less about his skills as a teacher.

“My understanding is that she was found in one of Orochimaru’s labs?” Iruka questioned leaning his chin on the palm of his hand. I nodded simply and looked over to the pair of kids briefly before coming closer to Iruka. “Yes, but there are some things you should know…”

~3rd person pov

“As much as I would like to stay longer Yu, I must take my leave of you” Lee began but quickly stopped as he noticed Yu’s demeanor change. But Yu seemed really tense as she stared at the door expectantly. Almost as if she was waiting for someone to enter through the double doors at any moment. One of the doors creaked open slowly, and Yu grabbed Lee's hand and quickly squeezed. She darted over to Kakashi sensei in a flash, pulling Lee along with her.

Yu pulled Lee closer to her as she crouched down in between Kakashi’s legs peering at the people who had just entered the room. Kakashi looked down briefly at the duo not paying too much mind to the kids.

“Um…Yu, I-“ Yu pressed her finger to Lee’s lips to quiet him as she looked back to the double doors. Itachi and a smaller raven-haired boy entered the room. Yu squeezed Kakashi’s leg with one arm as the Uchiha's casually walked towards them. She was dreading another encounter with the Uchiha. Kakashi looked down to the small girl clinging to both him and Lee, but his attention was brought to Itachi’s presence.

It finally clicked in Kakashi’s mind that Yu was a Senju and during her time the Uchiha were not her biggest fans.

“Yu what are we doing?” Lee whispered to her.

Yu moved her face out of Kakashi’s leg, “Hiding” she said plainly and briefly shifted her eyes over to the little raven-haired boy that stared at them from beside Itachi. She felt the little boy’s chakra drawing closer and she squeezed her eyes shut tightly to avoid him.

“Hello!” the boy exclaimed loudly. Yu opened one eye to look at the boy. Hmph. she exclaimed loudly, moving her head to where the boy couldn’t see her face anymore hoping he would take the hint.

Yu looked at Lee with a knowing expression wishing he would shoo the Uchiha away for her, but as she studied Lee’s bushy eyebrows and his calm nature she knew he would never comply or even understand what she was feeling in this moment.

The little boy moved over to behind Lee trying to get Yu’s attention again, “Hel-“

This time Yu cut him off by moving her whole body to the other side of Kakashi’s legs and left Lee behind confused at the whole situation.

The raven-haired boy made an annoying noise and made eye contact with Lee who just shrugged his shoulders in response. They did this back and forth fighting to both get their own way. Yu wanted nothing to do with the Uchiha, and the Uchiha seemed determined to be in her business. Lee felt suffocated being stuck in the middle of the two. Yu was making it very clear that shw had no interest in making friends with this boy and didn’t understand his determination. The Uchiha on the other hand promised his big brother to befriend her and wouldn’t stop until he at least introduced himself.

He moved again and Yu tried ducking back to where Lee was, but was tricked by the Uchiha who timed it just right and ended up coming face-to-face with her.

Yu was a little taken aback by his movements, but she shouldn’t have been surprised by the deceptive Uchiha nature. The boy stared into Yu’s eyes and was taken back by how pretty her round eyes gleamed.

“Well!” Yu huffed out annoyed at the blush on the boy’s face crossing her arms in front of her.

“Pretty,” was all the boy managed to mutter out making Yu blush by his sudden boldness. However, she wasn’t blindsided for long. The image of Izuna, Madara’s younger brother flashed through her mind. She opened her mouth to say something, but her thought was interrupted

“Ah, Yu seems to me you’ve already met Sasuke” Kakashi said bending over to stare down at the three kids underneath him.

Yu peered up at Kakashi who was giving her the ‘be nice’ look her mother used to always give her and rolled her eyes. Sasuke held his hand out to her, but Yu was focusing on Kakashi’s face. This wasn’t Madara’s brother after all, and the notion made her heart feel sad all over again.

Sasuke nudged her with his hand, and she focused on his face briefly before looking down at a random stop on the floor. He really did resemble Izuna, but it also made her mad just thinking about it.

She swallowed down her emotions, before noticing his outstretched hand and she shook it with little enthusiasm. “Nice to meet you Sasuke”

Chapter Text

Far away from Konoha in the underground, a black figure skulked around returning to its master. An elder Madara waited in the quiet sitting on his rock throne, eyes closed, listening to water droplets dripping from the caves’ jagged edges onto the floor.

He was ignoring everything around him as he envisioned the smiling face of the young Senju girl anxious for her arrival. Madara opened his old, tired eyes as he felt Black Zetsu drawing closer.

“I see you’ve returned without the girl,” Obito said from behind his mask as he practiced throwing kunai at the cave wall.

Tch Black Zetsu replied in disgust while ignoring the inferior Uchiha.

It jumped from the shadows of the ceiling landing on White Zetsu, morphing back into a singular being. The squish and pull of the two colored Zetsu sounded sickening and otherworldly as their body began to take the shape of a man again.

“Explain” Madara demanded.

The piercing single yellow eye stared at Madara dully. “The girl resisted…she is quite…spirited” Zetsu stood up studying Madara’s face trying to read the emotion on it. Though Zetsu let the little white-haired girl go on purpose the curiosity of why exactly Madara wanted her piqued interest.

Madara was looking toward Zetsu expressionless while disappointed in its failure, “How did she seem?” he finally asked, trying not to show his eagerness.

“She is well” Zetsu nodded, “she was accompanied by a Hidden leaf Anbu member who took her to his village. I was not able to follow them further.”

Obito became interested in hearing of his old village but kept his focus on retrieving and rethrowing the kunai.

“Show me,” Madara said gruffly. Before he knew it Black Zetsu had flown from his form and began resting in Madara’s body to show him what had transpired.

The images of Yu’s face flashed as well as her lightning bolts and the pain they caused Zetsu. She was as lively and graceful with her movements as Madara remembered her being. He could feel himself smiling at the notion.

Madara didn’t care that Zetsu failed to retrieve the girl as long as her whereabouts were known, and she was safe- that was all he cared for. In the back of his mind, he felt relieved because he wouldn’t know how to explain his current state to her.

“What about the hidden leaf shinobi-” Madara’s voice winced as he felt Zetsu searching through memories to find the image of Kakashi grabbing onto Yu’s hand and running off with her.  

“Interesting…” Madara trailed off opening his eyes to look at his protege retrieving several kunai from the cave wall “Seems as if Kakashi, of all people, has found the girl.”

Obito visibly tensed at that name, slowly turning his head to peer at him through the singular hole in his orange mask. His knuckles visibly whitened on the kunai held in his right hand.

Madara smirked to himself and closed his eyes bowing his head down as Zetsu left his body returning to his previous form.

“Let me go retrieve the girl” Obito finally said after a long pause, wanting to take away the glory Kakashi received from keeping the young girl safe.

Madara pressed his lips together deep in thought. He didn’t want to scare Yu away, and even though his original plan seemed to be unraveling before him, he knew Yu would stay safe in the Hidden Leaf Village…for now.

“No,” Madara declared simply “she will be safe there…after all, it is the village Hashirama and Yu always dreamed of.”

~Back in Konoha

Over the next few weeks, Kakashi and Yu’s wounds began to heal and the relationship between them flourished. Kakashi trained Yu hard preparing her for the ninja academy. Though the young girl was used to her father’s harshness, she benefitted the most from Kakashi’s calm nature and knowledge of the shinobi world. He also taught her to fish and scavenge for food as well as how to cook and prepare meals for herself if she ever found herself alone. Kakashi found a very protective nature towards Yu as it seemed to come naturally to him.

The younger boys of the village would tease her until she decided to play with them. One particular incident involved a group of boys making fun of her for favoring to play with Rock Lee, which resulted in Yu letting her fists do most of the talking for her.

Kakashi spent the whole day making Yu go to each child’s house apologizing to each boy’s family for her violent actions.

“They deserved it” Yu would shrug shamelessly.

Kakashi would smile at her fiery nature while still reminding her that honey collected more flies than vinegar, which seemed to go over her head completely. Admittingly Kakashi felt a small sense of pride for her taking on those boys single-handedly. She really was a little firecracker.    

 Unfortunately, the more he found himself growing closer to the girl the more frequently his nightmares of the past began to haunt him. While the images of Rin mixed with Yu’s…their horror-stricken faces burned into his mind. He had a hard time distinguishing the two, which resulted in him withdrawing from the small girl completely as he worked through his trauma.

Reminding himself that Yu would not end up like Rin took a lot out of him mentally and he didn’t know how to combat it on his own yet.

Kakashi was finally well enough to return to doing missions again, however, he was finding it hard to leave Yu alone. The closer he found himself to her the more appealing becoming a Jonin sensei was becoming.   

During the times he was away, either Itachi or Shisui would take over for him. Yu was hesitant at first to go with them, however, she began opening up more to the young Uchiha cousins. Shisui more than Itachi as Sasuke was not too far behind his big brother.

“Try to be nice Yu.” Kakashi would sing out.

“Well tell him to quit with his puppy dog eyes” Yu would pout crossing her arms, referring to the younger Uchiha brother.

She expressed her annoyance with Sasuke many times and even though his affections were never fully reciprocated, Yu would feel hurt when he wouldn’t acknowledge her fully.

She would tag alongside Shisui while he trained and, on this day, he was training with Itachi in the woods near Konoha. They were sparring by the river while Yu quickly became bored watching them, her mind drifting off to Kakashi and where he might be at this exact moment.

She was up in a nearby tree fully visible to the Uchiha cousins. She sat up on the limb she occupied, closing her eyes, and turning her head up into the sunlight. She felt the warm sun rays on her skin, and she imagined herself soaking up them like a little flower trying to bloom. Little did she know the grass on the ground underneath her was growing vibrantly and taller as the life force flowed from her into the earth below.

The gentle breeze lifted her baby hairs from her head and tickled her face making her snicker and breaking her concentration. She sighed crossing her dangling legs and returned her attention back to the two older boys sighing heavily, wishing Sasuke had tagged along today.  

She found herself thinking of Izuna along with Sasuke- comparing the two in her head silently.

They were so similar yet so different. Sasuke was full of life and laughter, and Izuna…well he had no love for the Senju. He wasn’t thrilled that Madara was sneaking off every chance he got to meet with her. Madara was older than her by a few years, but Izuna was a year younger than herself. She wished they had been closer, but fate deemed otherwise.

Maybe that is why she kept Sasuke away at arm’s length…he reminded her too much of the past…and the past is where she wanted to be most.

Silent tears ran down her cheeks as she turned her head, eyes still closed imaging Madara sitting next to her, grinning brightly. Remembering the last time, they sat like this together. She imagined his spiky hair and the way he smelled like the earth. So many memories, so much time lost…she placed her hand down on top of his…but felt sat as she felt the bark of the tree underneath her hand instead.

She opened her eyes to find Shisui crouched down in front of her staring at her curiously, head cocked to the side.

He was studying her intently wondering what she was thinking about at that moment. Yu felt her face grow hot from embarrassment and turned her entire body away from him, angrily wiping the tears from her face. Normally she could sense people getting closer to her, so he had taken her by surprise.

“Yu are you-“ Shisui began to say but was cut off.

“I’m fine, FINE! Everything’s fine!” She shook her head back and forth furiously, not wanting to talk about anything she was feeling.

Shisui smiled sympathetically watching her shoulders heave lightly. He placed a gentle hand onto her back letting her know he was there for her. “Ready to go kiddo?”

She nodded still not looking at him.

“Well, I was thinking we could go get some ice cream…Buuuuttt, if you’re not feeling up to it…” Shisui waited for her response hoping to snap her out of her feelings.

She sniffed a few times and looked down to the ground…her eyes met Itachi’s briefly and she could sense the tenderness both boys felt for her at that moment.

Yu needed to stop looking to the past and step into her the present from now on, to quit feeling sorry for herself, but she didn’t want to let go of anything just yet.

“W-what is ice cream?” she questioned quietly, turning back to Shisui with an innocent expression.

He smiled brightly back at her and the two images of Madara and Shisui felt like they were colliding in her mind…damn the Uchiha and their similarities. She smiled back at him weakly and forced the image of Madara out of her mind.

***

At a local sweets vendor, Yu pressed her face against the cold glass looking at all the colorful flavors. Shisui got a sample of a few flavors and let Yu try them out. Her eyes immediately turned into little hearts tasting the pink sample as strawberries were her favorite type of fruit.

“This is SO GOOD!” she yelled, jumping from leg to leg happily.

Shisui smiled down at her relieved to see the liveliness come back to her demeanor. “We will take two strawberries please.” He said turning back to the vendor paying for their order.

The door to the shop had opened and the familiar chakra signatures of both Itachi and Sasuke had entered the shop. Which made Yu stop dancing, she ran over to Sasuke who was a few inches shorter than herself.

“Sasuke-kun!” she yelled grabbing onto his neck, careful not to drop the spoon samples she held. Sasuke tensed up at her sudden affection as he was beginning to get used to her usual cold shoulder.

She released him and lifted the samples up to his face, “This is ice cream and it’s so sweet and yummy, try one!”

“Uhm…” he looked to Itachi nervously who just smiled down at him, “Well…ok,” Sasuke said finally opening his mouth. He tried whatever Yu shoved into his mouth, but he didn’t have the heart to tell her that he didn’t like sweets in the slightest.

Itachi had ordered something for himself, but Sasuke declined much to Yu’s disappointment.

“Do you not like it, Sasuke?” Yu pouted looking at his face with a worried expression. Sasuke tensed at her concern for him and looked to Itachi again not wanting to hurt Yu’s feelings.

“Sasuke really isn’t a fan of sweets, Yu,” Itachi said calmly almost as if the older Uchiha was reading his brother’s mind.

They sat at a booth close to some open windows and Yu was playing with the ice cream that sat in the cup before her. She felt embarrassed that she had made him try so many flavors. She paused for a moment and Sasuke studied her face nervously waiting for her reply.

“Well,” she finally started, “what things do you like Sasuke?” she asked, finally putting a spoonful in her mouth, and looked at the boy expectantly.

Sasuke had to think for a moment, the question caught him off guard and his mind went blank as he tried thinking about things he liked to eat. It wasn’t a hard question, but he didn’t want Yu to stop talking to him. He wanted to be her friend like he promised Itachi before meeting her.  

He looked at her staring back at him and really took in the bright red color of her eyes. The red pools reminded him of when his mother had planted vegetables in the garden at the Uchiha compound this summer. They would eat fresh tomatoes out on the porch and enjoy the summer air. It was one of his favorite things to do.

“I like tomatoes,” he said shyly.

“Tomatoes?!” Yu exclaimed sticking her tongue out making Shisui and Itachi laugh at her sudden outburst.

Sasuke’s face burned red, regretting saying anything instantly.

“We have a garden on our compound, you should come by sometime to try the fresh vegetables our mother grows,” Itachi interjected.

“Oh, man Mikoto-chan cooks the best food!” Shisui exclaimed, mouth-watering thinking about past dinners.

“Hmmm, well…okay! It sounds like fun.” Yu took a big scoop of ice cream from her cup and swallowed it down. She looked over to Sasuke who looked really defeated next to her and a pang of guilt formed in the back of her mind.

She had decided earlier today to stop looking at her past and start living in the present. This included being nicer to Sasuke and the Uchiha bloodline. So here goes…

Yu leaned over bumping into Sasuke’s shoulder to grab his attention, “I like tomatoes too.”

Sasuke’s eyes widened a bit, looking at Yu who was smiling at him. He returned her smile, finally beginning to feel more confident in himself.

Itachi and Shisui glanced at one another with knowing looks glad that Yu was attempting to form a relationship with Sasuke.

 ***

After ice cream, Yu wanted to wait by the village gate for Kakashi. Normally he would be returning from his missions around this time and day, and she was anxious to see him. Itachi had left taking Sasuke with him, so Shisui remained with her watching her pace back and forth.

Eventually, the small dog Pakkun came into view from the path leading up to the village and Yu ran out to meet him in a flash. Shisui had a hard time following her with his eyes, the kid was admittingly fast when she wanted to be.

Yu squatted down in front of the small dog as he stopped before her, and the immediate drop of her shoulders let Shisui know Kakashi was taking longer than expected.

He looked towards the setting sun and knew he’d have to stay with her either until Kakashi came back to the village or Itachi took over for him in the morning.

Yu held Pakkun close to her as Shisui walked her home to Kakashi’s empty apartment, he helped her get ready for bed making sure she brushed her teeth and combed her hair. She crawled into Kakashi’s bed and immediately felt sad that he was not there.

Pakkun stayed by her side curling into her embrace, trying to provide any comfort he could. Shisui tucked her in saying goodnight, the sadness in her eyes was overwhelming.

 He turned to take off his sword to get more comfortable, leaning it against the wall quietly.

 Tears welled up in Yu’s eyes expecting to hear the door close behind Shisui until she felt a weight at the bottom of the bed.

Yu looked up and Shisui held a hand up to her smiling, “Go to sleep little one, I will wait with you till morning.”

She nodded to him laying back down and cuddling into Pakkun’s warmth. Though she felt relieved she wouldn’t have to be alone with her thoughts tonight, she couldn’t help but let her mind wander to Kakashi. She looked up at his class picture sitting by the window and focused on it until she fell asleep.

Chapter Text

Yu sat quietly outside of Sasuke’s house, as her head pointed up towards the sun letting the rays shine down on her. She enjoyed the times when she was able to sit still and just exist. No constant training. No rivalry between clans. She was able to be a child for the first time in her life…and it was starting to become a little boring.

Sasuke sat next to her quietly putting a juicy tomato slice up to his mouth while studying her.

They had become quite close over the passing months, but there were still things she was unable to tell him. Specifically, her life before Konoha. She was instructed by the Hokage to not disclose her lineage to anyone which was enforced even more heavily by Kakashi. It sometimes made her feel alone, but she understood how people would view her, knowing the truth.

Sasuke would feel her loneliness at times, but he couldn't find the rights word. To remedy this he stayed by her side constantly trying to fill the void.

Yu liked his company but hated the questioning glances. She didn’t like to keep things away from him, but she understood how it was better for everyone to keep her past a secret for now.

As she sat there her mind took her to the events that happened earlier that day.

The village elders had gone back to the first Hokage’s records researching anything they could find and came up with confirmation that Lady Kana had given birth to twins listed as follows:

Twin A: Male – Tobirama Senju -deceased
Twin B: Female – Yukina Senju – missing nin deceased

It had been a long time since Yu heard her birth name. She was only called Yukina by close family or when she was in trouble and hearing her name escape from the lips of the Hokage put a sour taste in her mouth.

She was put on high alert when a man casually used her given name to introduce himself to her as she was leaving the Hokage’s office.

“Ah, you must be Yukina” the man cooed delightfully. “It is a pleasure to meet the spectacle of the Senju clan.”

He held his hand out to her, "My name is Danzo Shimura,"  he waited for her to show the common courtesy of a greeting and frowned when she stood there staring at his outstretched arm. Her eyes focused on his bandaged arm as it gave off a twisted energy of the Uchiha she had never felt before, it was strange and unfamiliar. It made the hairs stand straight up on the back of her neck.

Tch he scoffed at the child, “Such rude impudence, someone should teach you manners.” He lifted a hand to strike her, and Yu flinched. Her mind went into immediate panic mode having flashbacks to her torcher experience in Orochimaru’s lab.

But as she braced herself for impact Yu felt a strong arm wrap around her waist lifting her up. She opened a curious eye to see Danzo glaring at the person behind as she was held protectively in one arm, while Danzo’s wrist rested in the other. She looked up to see the familiar masked chin of Kakashi and relief swallowed her in an instant.

A single tear spilled down her cheek as she rested the back of her head against his chest. He was a true pillar of strength in her mind.

Danzo yanked his arm away from Kakashi in disgust.

“How dare you-” Danzo began but Kakashi raised his voice above his, “IF I EVER see you raise a hand to this girl again, you will no longer have hands.” Kakashi seethed.

Danzo opened his mouth to speak and closed it again looking down at the tiny girl hanging on Kakashi’s arm with a scowl.

Yu stared at Danzo burning his features into her mind as she remembered flashbacks of a man with similar stature and clothing style as he talked with Orochimaru in the lab.

She tensed up at the realization and curled her fingers around Kakashi’s arm and hiding her face. She began using a breathing technique Shisui taught her when she had moments like these. Panic. Anxiety. Fear.  

“You will not always be there to protect her Kakashi.” He spat before stepping past them and closing the Hokage’s door behind him.

Kakashi moved Yu around to face him as he felt her trembling in his arms.

“He was right you know” she whispered softly after a long pause.

Kakashi grip tightened briefly, “Then I will teach you to be strong, so you don’t need protection,” he said simply smiling underneath his mask.

Yu's eyes widened at his words, the same one's that mirrored her fathers so long ago. “It’s funny,” she said briefly “You kind of sound like my father does...” she trailed off never in a million years would she have thought she would miss him, he was harsh and cruel nothing like Kakashi. What would he say of her now? She wondered.

“You want some?” She heard Sasuke’s voice interrupt her thoughts bringing her back to the present.

She opened one eye to see him holding a tomato slice as an offering. She nodded, turning her attention to the boy who was waiting so patiently for her to acknowledge him. Yu smiled and taking a few bites while beginning to talk excitedly about starting the ninja academy soon.

Sasuke was glad to see her smile again, but couldn’t help but wonder where her mind went earlier.

Yu slept at the Uchiha compound that night. It was the night before her and Sasuke’s first day at the ninja academy and Yu felt nervous. She stayed up for most of the night reading over a letter Kakashi had sent to her a few days prior in case he was unable to attend her morning send-off. She studied the Kanji symbol of his name smiling softly to herself. His handwriting seemed rushed and even had a few water stains smearing the writing, but it was still legible.

She sighed to herself softly while folding the paper under her pillow. She blew some hair out of her face and turned to the empty bed next to hers. She cowered in her blanket at the realization of being alone, feeling her heart beating in her ears.

“Close your eyes Yu, you have a big day tomorrow,” Shisui says softly.

Yu pulled the blanket down rolling over to meet Shisui’s eyes.

She stared at him with a blush creeping up over her face for not sensing his chakra earlier. He smirked back at her in response.

“D-do you think Kakashi will be there…?” she says more to herself.

“Hmmm” Shisui hummed, he had wondered when she was going to ask about the masked man. He didn’t want to lie to Yu, but he didn’t want to get her hopes up at the same time. “I think, he will be with you either way.”

Yu scowled at him, “What do you mean Nii-chan?”

He smiled at the choice of honorific she had chosen to bestow upon him recently. Out of the 3 Uchiha’s Shisui had become her favorite, and Sasuke seethed with jealousy when she chose Shisui over him.

“Well…” he began choosing his words carefully. “There is real-time where people are met face to face. They are a constant in your life as you see them and spend time with them everyday. Then their are others who live here.” Shisui placed a hand over his heart. “They go with us wherever we are because we keep their memories inside of us even if we can’t see them or be with them.”

Yu thought for a moment staring at Shisui thoughtfully while twirling a strand of her hair through her fingers. She always admired how cool and serene Shisui is.

“Even though Kakashi isn’t here all the time, he tries to be. He teaches you to be strong – he has molded you into the best versions of himself and when you share those lessons with others…that little duck, is how he is with you.” 

Yu thought carefully clutching her hand to her own heart.

She rolled to her back and yawned loudly. “I wish-“ she cooed softly as her eyes drifted off into sleep mode, “that I was cool like you…*yawn* Nii…channn”

Shisui smiled at the little girl in front of him now sound asleep, “If only you knew how special you are little duck.”

Mikoto had both kids up early the next day for breakfast. Yu’s eyes still felt tired, and she played with the eggs on her plate nervously glancing at the door from time to time.

She sat still when Mikoto brushed through her long locks that had already grown to the middle of her back. While Sasuke was bored of the girly things his mom was helping Yu with so he began wrestling with Itachi till the sun grew higher in the sky.

Yu wore the pretty clothes that Kurenai helped her pick out months before. Though Yu’s skinny frame became healthier with the steady meals Kakashi, and the others provided. Her once protruding ribs were no more, and the color had returned to her face.

Itachi began walking both kids to the academy. He noticed how Yu was dragging her feet while swinging the bento box Mikoto had packed for her. She often would be reserved and quiet at times, but this was a pure eerie silence. He wished Shisui had walked the kids to school in his stead because at least he could coax her into a conversation and get her out of her shell.

Itachi’s attention was brought back to her as she snapped still, suddenly looking like she was concentrating on something. Sasuke was about to ask her why she stopped, but the Uchiha’s were both dumbfounded as she took off running at full speed ahead of them.

Itachi tensed and grabbed Sasuke’s hand, running after the small girl.

Though she never talked about being a sensory nin, he had a feeling she sensed someone or something that piqued her interest. Itachi marveled at her speed at such a young age. She moved like a fairy dancing in the sunlight with light steps and graceful movements through the crowds of people.

He lost her momentarily from his eyesight and pushed past a few people to see the familiar white hair of Kakashi.

Yu was there and had clung to him with every limb she could wrap around him. Little tears slid down her face as she murmured something softly to Kakashi making him put his hand on her head.

“I missed you too” he eye smiled.

Yu lifted her head and smiled back burying her head back into his side.

Though it took a few tries Kakashi was able to pry Yu from him and sent Pakkun to go entertain her and Sasuke.

“Any trouble while I was away?” Kakashi asked Itachi casually while following behind the two children.

Itachi noticed Yu’s sudden change in mood as she held Pakkun in her arms introducing him to Sasuke.

“None that is worth reporting” he replied.

The two men walked in silence through the crowds of people, content with watching the two children as they neared the academy.

“Well, no news is good news, I guess.” Kakashi sighed hanging his head a little.

Itachi looked at him without turning his head. Kakashi was a man of great skill and determination, and Itachi wasn’t used to seeing him look so informal.

When they reached the academy Kakashi pulled Yu aside to talk about a few things.

While Sasuke begged Itachi to stay and wait for his friend, the older brother firmly pushed Sasuke through the front doors and out of sight.

“What is it?” Yu questioned with her big doe eyes shining in the morning light.

“Just wanted to go over the rules we talked about before-” Yu sighed heavily cutting him off.

“No wood release. Control my emotions. Don’t talk about the past. If anything bad happens summon Pakkun.” Yu ticked off each rule on her fingers with an annoyed look.

***

~Shikamaru’s pov

I closed my eyes shoving my hands into my pockets. Mom and dad were walking me to the ninja academy along with Choji’s and Ino’s parents. The only thing I could focus on was the sound of Choji munching on his chips and Ino whining to her mom about her hair….what a drag.

I know it was the first day and all, but who really cares…

“Hey Shikamaru”

I glanced at Choji as he spoke.

“Isn’t it that girl that-“ I looked to where he was pointing and tensed for a brief second blocking out the rest of his sentence.

It was like she morphed out of thin air. The mysterious sunflower girl.

Her white hair was braided on the sides but most of it was free flowing. She almost looked angelic as the sun reflected off her shiny white hair. The tall man I recognized as Kakashi was squatting down in front of her holding his hands up with a big sweat mark. She glared at him with sharp red eyes almost as if she was scolding him.

“You think that’s her dad?” Choji questioned blowing crumbs on my face.

I wiped my cheek quickly and straightened out my clothes all in one swift motion. Normally, I didn’t care about my appearance, but I was a little grateful Mom had forced me to comb my hair this morning.

I knew the man she was with, but could never recall seeing her with him in the past. The tones of white in their hair were also different as her hair was bright white and his was sort of dull. After my encounter with her the first time I asked my father about her, and he was clueless. He only mentioned that Kakashi lived alone and was a high ranking Anbu member. She really was a mystery.

As we walked closer to them the girl’s gaze shifted to meet mine and as briefly as our eyes met, it was interrupted some bushy brow kid yelling for her.

She turned her complete attention on bushy brow and smiled brightly at him seeming to be in their own conversation now.

I sighed heavily returning my hands to my pockets again, “What a drag.”

Before class began my parents let me know how proud they were of me with my mom makes threats about what would happen to me at home if I fell asleep in class. Honestly, I didn’t plan on falling asleep...it just sort of happened. I blame it on lack of mental stimulation. I made my way into the room grabbing a seat in the back to not draw so must attention to myself if I did doze off.

Different kids began trickling in one by one until the one I was waiting for caught my eye. I followed her white hair as she picked a seat a few rows down from mine and more towards the front. She was talking to someone while placing her bento box on the table. A boy sat next to her, and I studied his raven hair and the Uchiha clan symbol stitched onto his back. He sat a similar bento next to hers and as if he could feel my eyes on them, he turned to match my gaze.

I closed my eyes bored of the situation and a little frustrated while trying to will away the blush on my face.

The first thing we did in class was introductions, mine was short and to the point. While others talked too much or goofed off as Naruto did.

I finally learned the mystery girl’s name to be Yu and though she said very little about herself the room got extremely quiet as everyone seemed to be focusing on her every word. No one had recognized her.

Most of the day was spent showing us the basics of being a ninja and it was kind of boring. It was a lot of stuff we should have already known going into the class, but there were a lot of people who were clueless and really annoying.

I noticed that Yu kept the same bored look on her face as mine did. Often resulting in her bothering Sasuke.

Every time Iruka sensei got onto them for playing around, Yu always came back knowing a lot about the topic or a correct answer to Sensei’s questions.

I was impressed with her knowledge, but others viewed her as the class know it all.

Though the days and week went on like this, I noticed the only person she really interacted with was Sasuke or that bushy-browed kid a grade level ahead of us.

What a drag.

But things began to change as Sasuke became busy with fighting off the Uchiha fan club that Sakura and Ino had formed. They stalked him constantly.

Yu always looked annoyed when the girls would drool over the Uchiha. Her being close to Sasuke put a target on her back and majority of the students would ignore her when she spoke or tried making friend.

The class treated her equally to Naruto, and it was painful to watch.

After talking to my parents about Naruto and Yu's treatment, I decided that I didn't care much for what others thought about them. I wanted them to know they had at least one person on their side and it ended up forming a friendship between us.

Though Ino refused, Choji didn't care either way and ended up roping Hinata and Kiba along in our little group.

We usually sat under the big tree outside in the schoolyard eating our lunches. Naruto usually didn’t have anything, but Yu would pack something extra for him daily. They bonded in ways I could never understand. Yu assumed it was because there were both orphans and knew the hidden pain each other felt from a loss of family. Which seemed reasonable. Yu had explained that Kakashi was assigned to protect her alongside Itachi and Shisui so the mystery lifted, but the question of why she needed protection still lingered.

Today Sasuke joined us st lunch for a short time...and man did that guy annoy me.

He started to get a cocky attitude, but played innocent and stupid. He was protective over Yu and seldomly would share her with anyone that wasn't his brother or Shisui.

I watched him as Ino came over to us asking Sasuke to eat with her which he swiftly declined. Ino grabbed onto his wrist begging and pleading which made Yu scoff under her breath calling Ino a desperate cow.

Ino’s face flushed red and before she could return with an insult, Sasuke stood up suddenly walking away distracting Ino long enough to follow him.

“What is up with these girls” Yu huffed.

“Yeah! They act like Sasuke’s the only one here when they can have all of this!” Naruto flexed his non-existent muscles making Yu laugh in response. Naruto threw a glare her way, but Yu ignored him as she opened a bag of chips for her and Choji to share.

“My mother always told me that the men are supposed to chase the woman, not the other way around.” She took a big bite of the chips and leaned back into the tree behind her. “-sides” she mumbled with her mouth full, “being in love is overrated.”

It got kind of quiet for a moment. Her words echoing in my mind.

“Have you been in love before Yu?” Kiba blurted stuffing his face full of Soba.

Yu stopped at the sudden question and went still for longer than she meant to, but I still noticed her hesitation. The bell rang signaling that lunch was over and she resumed moving again.

“Ask me again in a few years.” Was all she said.