DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO Soooo… here’s chapter 10. Sorry if it’s a bit boring, it’s sort of a lead up to chapter 11… Thanks for all the reads, votes and comments, they make me smile a lot :)

Still Kida's POV

The bright morning light coming through the window washed over the back of the couch and illuminated the room. I cursed my internal clock that set me to wake up at 6 o'clock every morning as I slowly sat up on the couch and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes.

The navy blanket slid down and pooled in my lap. My brows furrowed in confusion as I felt the fabric between my fingers... a soft blanket?

I slowly glanced over my shoulder and stared at the white pillow where my head had been resting. I hummed drowsily, looking towards the open window. The sun was getting brighter very quickly and I could feel the warmth of the rays on my face, on my whole face. My hand reached up and I realised that my mask had been pulled down and was scrunched up at the base of my neck.

Recollections of yesterday’s events came back to me as I looked around the apartment that was my new home, and a small smile graced my face.

Pushing the blanket off me I slid my legs over the side of the couch, my bare feet touched the carpeted floor. I don't even remember taking my shoes off.

I folded the blanket and placed it on the pillow before grabbing my bag from its spot under the coffee table and making my way to the bathroom to get ready for the day.

When I emerged again, refreshed and wide awake, Kakashi was sitting on the couch reading his 'special' book. Standing up and slipping the book into his back pocket, he gave me a closed eyed smile.

"Sleep well?" He asked making his way around the couch towards me.

"Yeah, haven't slept that good in weeks" I replied, glancing longingly at the couch.

"Breakfast?" Kakashi asked making his way to the kitchen and disappearing from my view.

"Yes thanks"

“Cereal?”

“Sure”

[Hatake’s… people of few words…]

I sat at the small table at the window as Kakashi emerged from the kitchen and placed the full bowl in front of me before sitting down opposite me with his own bowl of morning nutrients.

We sat and ate in silence for a few moments, each of us stealing glances at the other when we thought the other wouldn’t be watching. Our dilemma was that we kept doing this at the same time and making eye contact… Damn it…

“So, thanks for letting me stay here…” I said uncertainly after the 8th awkward eye contact.

“No problem, it’s good to have someone else here.” He replied giving me a close eyed smile. Our spoons sat in our now empty bowls and we were now just sitting in our seats swapping glances between each other our bowls.

Over the awkward situation, standing up I grabbed my own bowl and reached across the table for Kakashi’s only to have my hand blocked by Kakashi’s hand that was doing the exact same thing as mine except the other way around. S>.

We both just stopped and stared before stepping back from the table, now expecting the other to do it. It’s usually polite for the guest to collect the dishes. Okay, I’ll do it. I reached forward again to grab his bowl but his hand blocked mine again as he reached for my bowl. Double s>.

This happened twice more before my patience snapped like a librarians G-string.

“Okay, you just do it!” I gritted through my teeth, completely frustrated by the situation.

One.

Two.

Three.

Kakashi still hadn’t made a move for the bowls. Fine, I’ll do it.

…Our hands moved at the same time again…

“Okay, let’s just take our own bowls” I sighed as I picked up my own bowl and had to consciously tell my other hand not to go for his bowl again.

“Agreed.” Kakashi replied mimicking my actions as we made our way towards the kitchen to rinse our bowls.

That situation was too stressful for 6:15 in the morning.

"I've got to go meet my team for a mission. You can explore the village if you want and we can meet up later?” Kakashi looked at me hopefully as we walked back into the lounge room.

“Sounds good”

Kakashi hesitated in the door frame before sending me a small wave and a close eyed smile as he stepped all the way through, leaving me alone in the apartment. I stood in the lounge room staring at the door for several minutes before my eyes began to feel watery from lack of blinking, well I hope that’s what it was…

Sighing, I decided I should take a walk around the village, become more familiar with my new surroundings. I pulled my mask up to its place across my face and strapped my weapons pouch that had been resting on the coffee table, to my thigh. I went to attach my katana to my waist but decided it wouldn’t be necessary for a small walk around a friendly village with shinobi guards to protect the inhabitants. So I left that at the coffee table with my back pack.

My back pack… that’s right! Digging through my pack I pulled out my green, hard cover novel ‘Never Let Me Go’ by Randamuna Namae. Recommended for years 16+… Well I’m 4 years off, so that’s not too bad… It’s a beautiful teen romance novel about the blossoming of love in dire circumstances. A love hate relationship that seems doomed from the start since different variables cause the characters to be blind to the others feelings towards them, but where I left off, the main love interests seemed to be connecting the dots and realising that their feelings for the other may be returned. However, it’s only chapter 5, and in the other books I’ve read by this author, the love plot can never be that simple, something else must be coming up…

Without a second thought, I put the book in my weapons pouch, grabbing my small money bag as well, and headed out the door making sure it was locked behind me.

Hokage's POV

I had just set the orb up on my desk as Iruka knocked on the door. Holding my clay pipe between my teeth as I adjusted the clear orb on its purple cushion I mumbled a “Come in” to him.

As he stepped through the door, the confusion was evident on his face. “You asked to see me Hokage, Sir?”

“Yes Iruka, come take a seat” I gestured towards the wooden chair on the other side of the desk.

As he sat down, the inside of the orb began swirling with white smoke before an image finally formed of who I was looking for. Kida Hatake was walking down one of the main streets of the village. Iruka and I sat in silence a moment leaning closer to the image in the orb from opposite sides of the desk. Kida had been looking around curiously before she seemed to stiffen and her gaze shot up to our view point of her. The confusion and suspicion was clearly evident on her half masked face as she stared up at what would have looked like thin air. She seemed to sigh in frustration before redirecting her gaze to the street stalls and shops that she continued walking past.

“Iruka, I want you to test Kida on her ninja skills. From what I’ve seen of her fighting skills against Team 7, as well as her advanced senses and Kakashi being her father, she could make an excellent shinobi one day. She’s already at the age students usually graduate from the academy, but if her skills are advanced enough, perhaps she could have immediate placement into one of the recently developed teams of Genin.” I said continuing to stare into the orb.

“Even if she is at a Genin skill level, she hasn’t been through the trials that the other kids have to earn their places as Genin ninja. That would be unfair for the other students who went through the academy for her to show up and be given that ranking. She could be put in this year’s graduating class and graduate a year later than the other kids her age.” Iruka suggested looking between me and the orb where Kida had wandered into the quieter streets near the forests edge.

“That thought had crossed my mind, however, it is my assumption that she has been through similar if not harder trials through her life that have honed her skills into what they are now. And if that is the case, then I need her to be tested under more… extreme circumstances to accurately assess he skill level. If she doesn’t comply with the minimum Genin skill level then I’ll see about putting her in next year’s graduating class.” I replied looking closer at the orb to see the green book Kida now held in her hands. I chuckled slightly at what I saw… Like father like daughter I suppose…

“What kind of testing should I give her?” Iruka asked, slight concern flittering across his face.

At this point I sat up straight in my chair and looked at him directly, to show my seriousness in what I said next. “Do whatever you think is necessary to push her to her limits and extract the best results of what she is capable of.”

The complete and utter shock that was evident on Iruka’s face assured me that he knew what I meant and that I was completely serious. Good.

He stood up, composing himself slightly before asking “Is that all Hokage, sir?”

“Yes Iruka, and I suggest you begin her testing soon while she’s in a secluded area.” I said looking into the orb again. “She seems to be walking into the eastern forest area, near the 5th training ground.”

“Yes, Hokage, Sir” Iruka said before bowing and existing the office in a puff of smoke.

I leaned closer to the orb and clasped my hands together under my chin.

Now to see what she’s really capable of.