Smoke and Lightning (A Naruto Fanfiction) [Complete]

Chapter Two: The ANBU

“So for now, she’s my responsibility,” Hayate finished.

All of his friends stared at the two with wide, curious eyes. The fact that their friend had shown up at the dango shop with a new person wasn’t all that surprising, Hayate was rather friendly for a shinobi. They’d been introduced for several people in such a fashion. What was surprising was the fact that the girl he’d shown up was introduced as someone that his family had promised the third they’d look after for him. Which in simple terms made her basically like a foster sister.

After a second one of his friends broke away from the others with a wide, friendly grin. He stuck his hand out towards the girl, using the other to point at his chest with his thumb.

“Nice to meet you! I’m Guy! Don’t be afraid to ask me for anything!”

The girl in question blinked, not reacting beyond that. Since leaving the hospital, she’d allowed Hayate’s family to convince her to do simple things that while strange to her, seemed completely normal to others. Her once wild hair had been washed, brushed, and trimmed so that it fell to her mid-back in rather frizzy, yet straight stands. Her skin that had seemed slightly dark before was now revealed to actually be a very pale, almost sickly, color. She’d even been convinced to wear a simple, tan sun-dress.

Guy’s smile faltered slightly and he turned a questioning look in Hayate’s direction. The boy simply shrugged, pulling out one nearby chairs and gesturing for her to sit down. To everyone’s surprise, the silent girl followed the direction without as much as a second of hesitation.

“Don’t worry, it’s not you,” he told him. “She doesn’t respond to anyone, really. Although the Third got her to at least answer a few questions. I think the only reason she listens to us is because he told her to.”

The others studied her curiously once again, taking this new information into account. After another moment had passed, the only other girl in the group offered her a smile and pushed a plate across the table.

“I’m Kurenai,” she explained, picking up one of the dango sticks and holding it up for the girl to see. “These are one of my favorite foods, which is why I come here a lot with everyone. Why don’t you try it?”

She held it there for a long moment until the girl took it from her, examining it closely. After a second she glanced at Hayate, who gave her a good-natured sigh before nodding.

‘Is she going to do anything without me telling her to?’ he wondered silently.

The girl had started to take a bite when suddenly Guy ran out of the shop. Surprised, she peered around Hayate, a small amount of smoke suddenly beginning to curl around her. When the others eyes widened in alarm at the sight, Hayate gave a small shake of his head in their direction and put a finger to his lips. The smoke seemed to be her reaction to everything new.

“Kakashi!”

When she saw who Guy was calling out to, the smoke instantly disappeared. Hayate stared at her in shock as an actual expression seemed to cross her face, even if it was just for a moment- something similar to surprise. Within a second she’d slipped out of her seat and ran over to where Guy had jumped in front of a white-haired boy.

'White hair… is he the one?' she wondered silently.

“Wait…” Hayate called out, following after her.

She didn’t pay any attention to him, instead stopping behind Guy. He stopped talking the second he realized that there was now a small red-head peering around him, as if using him as a shield. Even Kakashi seemed surprised by her sudden appearance.