Mr >.

Also, if you have any ideas of who the love interest should be [I know I insinuated Sasuke, but who knows] then just comment or message me, cause I don't know how to decide. And if I don't get ideas, then a Hunger Games will be held to determine the victor. It will be a fight to the death, exceeding any Homra vs Scepter 4 fight, Aang vs Fire Lord Ozai bending battle or Yugi vs Yami Duel. So please let me know so we don't have to experience any character death.

Okay, this has gone way past too far. I'm not going to break a child, Kakashi's daughter. My orders were from the Hokage, and I know he's still watching now. But this has to end. And that girl needs help, I should probably take her to the hospital...

I was about to jump down into the clearing to help her up, but before I could move, Kida's gaze shot up to me. Her eyes were swollen and red, and her dirtied hair was even more messed up from having it clutched in her hands.

Her eyes narrowed into a glare, and their black depths radiated pure anger and hatred as she stood up slowly, her clenched fists shaking at her sides.

Oh no. What have I done?

I'm over this. It ends now. I thought to myself as I glared up at him, the bastard who ruined my day. I was shaking from the anger that was pulsing through me. I shouldn't have let it go this far, too much running, not enough beating the s>.He's skilled though, if I had my katana then I would have had more than a chance. Ms Takashima trained me better, I'm stronger than this.

I spoke quietly, just loud enough for my attacker to hear me from his place in the tree tops, my voice came out so venomously that I hardly recognised it as my own. "You'd better start running, because when I've finished with you, there will be nothing left for the ants to feed on."

I saw a shiver run through him at my words as he stared down at me, his wide, terrified eyes just visible under his untamed eyebrows. Suddenly, he was engulfed in a cloud of smoke, and as it cleared, a familiar figure was revealed.

Wearing the regular ninja attire and headband for a leaf ninja, his brown hair tied up in a spikey ponytail, a scar slightly darker than his tanned skin ran across the bridge of his nose, his dark eyes looked concerned and his mouth was formed into a grim line as he stared at me. I remember him from the Hokage's Office when I first arrived...

He suddenly jumped down a few metres in front of me, I immediately jumped back in a defensive position, kunai in hand as I continued to glare at him, confusion beginning to replace my anger.

He held up his hands slowly in surrender, but I remained in my defensive position, grasping the kunai even tighter as I let my face become expressionless, completely void of the confused, angry thoughts that were swarming through my mind.

"Kida, my name's Iruka, do you remember me?" He asked calmly, his hands still raised as he stood in front of me.

"You were with the Hokage, you're part of this village." I kept my voice even as I stared at him, waiting for another attack. Although he was someone I recognised now, he still had attacked me.

"Ye-" He began before I interrupted him.

"Why'd you attack me?" I asked, still keeping my voice void of emotion as I stared unblinkingly at him, my fringe obscuring my left eye.

"The Hokage told me to test you." He stated, keeping his answer short, not sure if he should continue this talk on his own.

"And?" I asked inquisitively, tilting my head to the side as I continued to stare while moving out of my defensive position and putting my kunai back in its pouch.

"...And what?" He asked confused, looking uncertain as he began lowering his hands to his sides.

"Did I pass?" I asked just as inquisitive, looking around absently while wiping my sweaty, dirt and soot covered hands on my similarly conditioned skirt.

"I- I don't know, I suppose..." He replied uncertainly at first before his voice became more assessive. "Your skills are advanced for someone of your age who hasn't attended a ninja academy. Your chakra control and execution needs to be improved on..." He trailed off, realising he had been more revealing in the results he had gathered than he maybe should have.

There was a short silence between the two as you stared at each other. My one visible eye was unrevealing of the swirling emotions of anger and determination that was growing within as they met his soft brown eyes unblinkingly.

"Well, I should probably work on that." My quiet voice remained even as I spoke, still staring unblinkingly at Iruka's now confused face.

This time it's going to work. I thought to myself as I recalled Kakashi's short lessons from the night before. He described chakra as an energy that flows through the body consisting of both physical and spiritual aspects, then used to create jutsus by focusing that energy into hand signs and releasing the chakra energy.

The soreness of my muscles was catching up to me again, and spiritually, I wasn't that stable at the moment. But I need it to work this time.

Ignoring the physical aching spreading through me and pushing back the negative thoughts and memories that had been called to the surface during this fight, I began to breathe deeply and let my eyes close despite being in the presence of my 'enemy', allowing the calm sensation that the forest environment usually provided me with to wash over me.

I clasped my hands together in front of me, connecting both my pointer and middle fingers as I focused on my breathing. Imagining a ball of energy in my chest getting bigger and bigger until I could feel it like electricity shooting through my body. I grinned to myself under my mask, then thinking back to the hand signs Naruto had done on the roof, I changed my hands positioning to match the ones he had done again.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" I shouted squeezing my eyes shut as I felt the chakra surge through me.

I opened my eyes and saw dozens of clones surrounding me, in the trees and on the ground. I smirked behind my mask in satisfaction, all the clones smirked with me.

Iruka looked around in amazement at all the clones that now surrounded him. Unlike my current state, they were undamaged and clean looking, so Iruka still knew which one was the real me as he looked back at me with awe and confusion.

"How do you know this jutsu?" He asked curiously.

"I picked it up." I replied simply, staring at him with a slightly bored expression. He doesn't realise why I conjured them yet...

"Is this your first attempt?" He asked

"No, second. It worked out much better this time." I replied absently as I looked around, admiring my handy work before snapping my eyes back at him with an icy glare. "So, that last attack, that was a gen jutsu right?" I asked, keeping my voice low and deadly.

Iruka seemed to tense at the sudden change in atmosphere. "...Yes, a gen jutsu that makes the person see what they want to see..." He replied before continuing slowly. "It was to test how you would handle a mental attack, although, because you may not have had trained in gen jutsu, it was probably an unfair assessment..."

At this, my anger flared. What I want to see? An unfair assessment? I looked skyward as I tried to keep my breathing calm. The sun was at its apex. Lunch time, I'm supposed to be having lunch with Kakashi...

Looking back down at Iruka, my black, uncaring eyes bore into his own concerned, nervous brown ones. "Well..." I spoke quietly as I scanned the area admiring my clones before focusing my gaze back on Iruka. "Thanks for the assessment." I finished before speedily lunging at him with an outstretched fist that connected straight into his gut causing him to double over. I quickly retracted my fist and nodded my head for my clones to begin their attack.

They attacked from all different angles, throwing punches and kicks at Iruka as I stepped back slowly and calmly. Why isn't he fighting back?

With this thought in mind, I mentally reached out for the chakra that was in my clones and retracted it, causing all of them to disappear.

Iruka laid on the grassy forest floor, black and blue bruises forming on his face and his limbs were tense as he slowly began to sit up to look at me, a trail of blood dripping down the side of his mouth and his eyes squinted in pain.

I walked up to him slowly and crouched down beside him as he sat up fully. His brown eyes showed regret and determination as he looked into my now confused face. He hadn't even tried to fight back.

His voice sounded weak, but was still sincere as he spoke "Kida, I'm really sorry for what I did. I shouldn't have let it go so far." He finished before grinning at me... he's actually smiling. This guy just got the s>..

He's weird. I thought as a small smile formed under my mask, and I'm guessing he realised this because his grin got even bigger and he began chuckling. Involuntarily, I began chuckling with him until both our laughs escalated and we were laughing together on the ground.

Our moment ended when suddenly, a big puff of smoke swirled behind Iruka and The Hokage and that Ibiki guy from the restaurant appeared. They looked on in concern before relief took over their features as Iruka and I stared back from our place on the ground.

Ibiki was the first to speak. "Hmn You weren't looking to good earlier Iruka, The Hokage and I thought we'd have to come down here and save you from the swarm of brats" He said scowling, but his eyes still expressing some amusement as he crossed his arms over his broad chest.

Disregarding the 'brat' comment, I looked too Iruka who was sheepishly scratching the back of his neck as he grinned up at them before replying "No, I'm fine... She showed mercy."

"Well, I'm glad this is resolved. Kida you did well." I looked from Iruka to the Hokage just as he finished his sentence.

Oh, that's right, I see... The mastermind behind this operation... F>.

I gave him a blank look before replying in a bored tone, "Sorry, I wasn't listening. What'd you say?"

They all froze for a moment before reacting. The Hokage chuckled as Ibiki glared down at me "Don't disrespect the Hokage you ungrateful brat!"

Iruka shook his head lightly before stating quietly, "Yep, Kakashi's daughter alright..."

"Well, you both had better get checked into the hospital now..." The Hokage began before I interrupted him, earning an angry glare from Ibiki but he remained silent.

"I don't need the hospital" I said as I stood up quickly, managing to keep myself steady as my muscles threatened to give out again.

Iruka looked up at me concerned now, "You should really get checked out Kida"

"No thanks, I've got other commitments to fulfil" I replied determined. "Now which way's the village?"

They all pointed in the same direction. I nodded once in thanks and waved over my shoulder as I ran where they had pointed, I could feel them staring after me but they didn't follow.

I got many strange looks as I walked calmly through the village, I was only slightly lost. I knew my appearance had only worsened as the minutes dragged on. The sun was now slightly past its apex and my stomach was growling with a hungry rage that I tried to ignore along with physical and mental exhaustion.

I was supposed to have lunch with Kakashi, but I don't know how to find him and I don't know how much longer I can keep walking...

At that moment, a heavenly smell, unmatched by any banquet filtered through my nostrils. As it got stronger, I finally reached a stall. Ichiraku Ramen.

Well, this is as far as I go. I thought to myself as I stepped under the roof of the stall and made my way over to the stool on the end. The man behind the counter didn't seem to have noticed me as he continued chopping a variety of vegetables. I tapped my weapons pouch lightly and heard the jingle of the coins in my money bag as I sat on the stool and scanned the specials board.

I coughed lightly to get the man's attention, he jumped, startled, as he looked at me with wide eyes before taking in my undoubtedly rugged appearance. He stared at me in shock before recovering and smiling at me nervously before speaking uncertainly "...welcome?"

I gave him a close eyed smile from beneath my mask as I spoke. "One miso ramen please"

"C-coming right up" He replied, going back to his chopping board. He looked at me uncertainly again as he chopped. "Would you like me to call a medic for you while you wait?"

"No thank you" I replied still smiling. "I'm perfectly fine, it's mostly not my blood"

His eyes widened and the knife faltered in between chops before he finished the rest of the vegetables quickly and moved over to work with the pots on the stove.

I snapped the chop sticks apart as a bowl of steaming ramen was placed in front of me. I moved the bowl in front of my face as I pulled down my mask with the other hand that held the chopsticks and slurped the delicious broth into my mouth, burning slightly, but I was to hungry to care.

I felt content and sleepy as I placed my mask above my nose and set the bowl back down, until familiar voices reached my ears.

"Don't worry Kakashi! She'll be around here somewhere!" Naruto's loud call shook me from my tired state.

"Yeah Kakashi Sensei, she'll show up soon" Sakura's high pitched voice was followed by a low, unconcerned "Hn" that could only belong to that dragon breath bastard.

"She's still in the village Kakashi, I can smell her, she's very close" A calm, deeper voice followed their words.

I heard people enter the stand that I was in before halting suddenly, they must have spotted me. I heard Sakura gasp as I turned around on my stool to see Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke staring at me with wide eyes, a small brown dog looking at me dully, and Kakashi standing just behind them still holding the flap of the stand open mid step as pure shock and concern radiated from him.

I leaned back in my stool resting my elbows on the counter behind me before raising my hand in a small wave and greeting them boredly "Yo, what's up?"