Reunited and it feels so good! Segway into the usernames of the people who supported us and made us feel good with their reviews: Tremblers (Guest), Dulemina, Llyrica, dragfillia, korohoshi, GM NASAI, spicyrash, and MajesticSkittles. Super short because we're tired (read: busy) and this one is pretty much a boring needs-to-be-there-but-not-fun-to-write set-up chapter. Next one will be far more entertaining and longer.

Note: Unedited (Will fix soon)

Rumble Tumble, Double Trouble!

ARC 1: Reunited (3)

KAIDA

I wake up to the echo of a throbbing pulse in my head as I sit up and sigh, clutching my fingers to my scalp. A low groan resounds from my throat before I open my eyes to push past the brunt of the flash of light before my eyes. It's only then, when my thoughts catch up with my memories, that I jump off the bed I had been laid on before looking wildly around the room I found myself in.

"There's nothing to be concerned over, Kamishiro-san," a woman says and I blink over to meet the gaze of a brunette, dressed in a dark teal dress. Vaguely, she rings a bell to my memory but before I could guess why, the door is opened as Inoichi steps in.

"Ah, she's awake! Sorry about putting you to sleep like that," Inoichi says, smiling as I recall the sense of pressure before being forced to pass out.

"Have you found Kairi?" I ask, instead of all the other questions I wanted to pester him with. Like, how an ANBU member was able to lose a little girl in a place he probably knew like the back of his hand.

"We have," Inoichi announces cheerfully, grinning, "and we also found one other person that I think you'd be very interested to see."

My brows crease and I look up curiously as the door is opened. My jaw drops, hand going up to my lips in a near quiet gasp.

"D-Dad!?"

ARC 1: Reunited (3)

KAIRI

I can't understand what everyone around me is saying, I just know Kaida was really worried for no apparent reason, really. She must've been super bored and didn't like it when I left to leave her with just boring Inoji. Well he's alright, I guess, but not super fun like Anbu.

Kaida is crying right now and I think its a good sort of crying, not the type she did when she thought no one could see. I think she's really happy because Daddy's here finally. Which is a good thing, really. I was really missing Daddy too.

Daddy is holding Kaida in his arms. He's still dirty but some of it has rubbed off and I can see his face now. He's crying too, so he must've been really upset when we didn't show up right away for dinner. That reminds me! I'm kind of hungry.

I tug at Anbu's pant leg and look up with beaming eyes. "Ne, Anbu, I'm hungry."

Anbu nods curtly before he hefts me into his arms and takes me into the kitchen so Kaida and Daddy can have a bit of privacy. He then sets me on the counter and goes through the cupboards and finds a box of cookies. Nonchalantly he hands me the box after opening it.

"Have at it, kid."

I smile at him before stuffing my chubby fingers into the box and pulling out two, one for me and one for him. He takes the one offered to him, his porcelain mask a stoic expression.

ARC 1: Reunited (3)

KAIDA

I wake up with eyes puffy from sobbing and covered in gunk. Somewhat disgusted with myself, I blurrily reach for my glasses on the nightstand besides the bed and release a muffled oath when someone kicks me and I get sent flailing to the floor. With a glare of hatred fully prepared to be released, I sit up and look over the bed covers to find that both Dad and Kairi are completely taking up the bed like complete monsters.

Standing up, I huff out a sigh and slip on my glasses before absentmindedly adjusting the cotton shorts handed to me before bed last night. With a yawn I head into the bathroom and busy myself with cleaning myself up in an odd sort of mindset of being half aware and half vacant. Then, like a light bulb flashing on, I rush out, blinking rapidly as I try to convince myself that this isn't a dream.

"Dad!" I shout, voice hoarse from the sobbing I had done the night before. Wasting not even a second more, I run forward and fling myself onto the bed, body slamming into him. A feeling of satisfaction fills me when I hear a muffled grunt of pain be released from him. "Daddy, wake up!"

"Nrghhff," he mumbles out, words incoherent.

I roll my eyes, leaning in to kiss his cheek before scuttling off to the kitchenette. There's really only one way to wake the sleeping beast, and that's through his stomach.

Rummaging through the fully stocked pantry and cupboards, I take the time to create the traditional breakfast that my grandmother had been avid about teaching me. Before I really notice how much I'm actually making, there's an entire set table for four people. I place a hand on my hip and frown, wondering if the ANBU would even be alright with me cooking for him.

I turn around to ask and nearly jump out of my skin when I find that he's standing right behind me. I suck in a breath and press a hand to my beating heart, "You really need to stop doing that, please. I'm an easy scare." He nods before sliding past me to move to the other corner of the room. I scowl.

He could get so chatty with Kairi awake but the moment she's gone, he's a complete...doorknob!

Just then, Dad pops his head out of the blankets, sniffing the air before jumping out of bed.

"My favorite daughter," he declares, seemingly rejuvenated and wide awake by the sight of a full breakfast. He takes a seat, rubbing his palms together before looking up to meet my gaze, "Kaida? Something wrong?"

"No, I just..." I sigh, unable to come up with a good enough lie, "I need to wake up Kairi."

"Be careful daughter," Dad reminds me and I nod gravely. Time to wake up the real beast.

Calling unsuspecting and antisocial men the name of objects aside, I brace myself for war. Creeping forward and moving quietly, I shuffle slowly up the bed and grab any hard objects she could reach for and hiding them away. I notice how the ANBU watches me curiously but for the most part I concentrate on the task at hand. There is no room for mistakes in this line of duty.

With painfully slow movements, I slide the pillows off the bed and feel my breath catch when she refuses to let go a pillow she clutches in her hands. Her eyes slide open.

"Oh shi-"

"No! No! Really, no!" Kairi shouts out, screaming with bloodlust as she maneuvers her way into a standing position. Looming over me with her added height, she swings her arms out, with the pillow in hand, and goes on to attempt to pummel me alive.

"Kairi!" I cry out, arms up in protection. I sputter through feathers that leak out of a newly torn hole. She refuses to stop, tiny arms waving wildly before I decide to put an end to her violence by wrapping my own arms around her waist and hefting her over my shoulder. She squeals brightly as I spin around on my feet. Then, with a grunt of finality, I toss her onto the bed and watch her flail in the bedsheets.

"That was really fun, Sis! Do it again!"

I shake my head in amusement at her crazy ideas of 'fun' and merely say, "Food is ready."

"Fish!" Kairi immediately screeches out, plucking feathers out of her wild mane of curls before rushing to an open seat.

"Yup, grilled fish too."

"Really yum, really yum, really...yummy!" She sings out, before picking up her chopsticks and fumbling to break them apart.

"You may need to help her out, Dad," I say, looking on as she chews on the chopstick as if that would help her any. He hurriedly rushes to correct her, flicking his finger on her cheeks. She blows out air into his face in response, making him squeeze her nose.

"Daddy!" She yelps, grinning into his hold on her.

"I got your nose!"

"Oh no! Give it back, really, give it back!"

I snicker to myself, leaving them to their 'lesson' before looking up to the ANBU in the corner of the room. "I made enough for you too, if you'd like to join us." I nervously shift on my feet, sucking on my bottom lip before saying thoughtfully, "Of course you can also stay there and eat, but I don't think it's really all that healthy to do without food. I mean, are you ever going to be able to take a break? Y-You don't have to answer but I..." I trail off, cheeks hot as the memory of what happened yesterday returns. I press my cool hands to my face, hoping that the ground could just swallow me whole. It's really just like talking to a freaking wall. To quote my baby sister, 'Really'.

"Eat, ANBU!" Kairi says, saving me from shame as she slaps the chair next to her, "With me! Me!"

Like a miracle above miracles, he actually does as she asks, moving across the room and sitting at the table like a ready to scare off cat. I stare at her in horror, asking underneath my breath, "What kind of sorcery...?" (Duh, she's cute as hell.)

Still feeling bewildered, I take my seat and numbly repeat after Kairi when she shouts out, "Eat a duck I must!"

Somehow the ANBU shinobi manages to finish off all of his food without taking off his mask a single time. I'm practically itching to know the face of the person who Kairi had wrapped around her finger. Like a dog, snap, snap, and then he'd be there.

"So," I start, looking at my dad with interest, attempting to ignore the shinobi in favor for something more pressing, "what have you decided to do?"

"Well, Yamanaka-san explained to me that it would be best if you and I visited the leader of this place and figure out things from there," Dad scowls, expression sharpening in distaste, "They have said they did their best to find the hole we fell in but it seems that after the three of us came through, it closed off."

I make a noise in the back of the throat in response, unsure of how to feel about it all. It seems, as it all turns out, there is very little chance for us to make it home again. We're stuck here forever, which means we sort of have to figure something out. Trip to see the Hokage it is. I only hope I'm actually ready for it.

ARC 1: Reunited (3)

"You've had it this entire time?" I ask, mostly to myself as I take the phone from Hiruzen's hand and lay down the stacks of papers I had oh-so tirelessly covered with text. He eyes everything I'm in contact with warily.

"I couldn't understand how to work your technology," he says to me and I nod, kind of assuming that would be the case.

Absentmindedly I flip through the apps and blink when I spot one of my many manga apps. Opening up one of them I curse silently to myself, "If only this thing would never die. Then I'd have the entire Naruto series at the touch of my hand." Mostly because I'm an obsessive dork, I fully take advantage of my sixty-four gigabyte memory and have every single chapter downloaded and stored onto my phone. I sigh forlornly. For now all it would be good for is looking through the places I knew the least in but nothing more. It will die eventually and then I'd be left with only my somewhat faulty and erroneous human mind.

"Teenagers," my dad whispers conspiratorially to the Hokage, "always on their phones, am I right?"

I look up in horror and watch him wink, "Dad, no!"

Looking vaguely disturbed and conflicted, Hiruzen waves it off, "I wouldn't know."

Distressed, I pocket the phone and steer the conversation to less offending and dangerous topics, "So, how are we going to be doing this? Are we treating this as if we're stuck here forever or not?"

"The situation doesn't look good for you, Kaida-chan," Hiruzen informs me, looking stately and severe in his honesty.

I slump forward, nodding, "Yeah, I got that loud and clear."

Silence lingers in the air as I look up to meet his gaze with a tiny, forced smile, "Okay then, we treat this as if we're permanent civilians in Konoha." I turn to Dad and will myself to not reach out for his shirt sleeve like I had been prone to do when I was younger. Time to be mature, time to look out for the family and have a head on your shoulders. Neither Dad nor Kairi have the knowledge of the future, at least not in the way I do. Instead, I need to take care of them.

"For now," Hiruzen says, nodding in thought, "I will have you come sit in here as you write. That way, we can keep this information purely between us. I'll set up a home for the three of you to stay in for the time being, until you are able to assimilate into our culture. Funds will be arranged for groceries, clothes, and any other unforeseeable expenses." He smiled calmly before murmuring out in a low tone, "I expect this to be a mutually beneficial relationship, Kamishiro Kaida."

I swallow, bringing my hands up to hide my flush. Ah, older men just tended to look so...cool.

"Uwaah," Dad suddenly interjects with, blinking as he regards me with wide eyes, "I've never seen you look so professional! I did such a good job, you're welcome."

I snort, unable to keep it at bay, "Dad, you're ridiculous."

"I know you are but what am I?"

I look to him sufferingly, "Dad, please, no. Not this again."

"No, Kaida, say it."

"Say what?" I ask, wiggling my arms as I regard him desperately with quiet dread.

"Say that you're hungry."

It was almost like kicking a puppy when I reiterate him word for word, "Say that you're hungry."

His face tilts up, his lower lip pulling his expression into a pout, "Kaida, no."

Sighing, I groan internally before begrudgingly giving in, "I'm hungry."

"Hi Hungry, I'm Dad!" He beams, looking to Hiruzen before conspiratorially whispering, "Haha, it's a joke that I saw on the internet."

Cheeks flushing as Hiruzen stares at us with blatant confusion, I smack my palm to my face before I voice out a topic change, "I'll walk my dad back to the room we're in and come back to, uh, get to work. I guess."

"That's my daughter! Bringing in the bacon, ahah! That's another joke I saw too. Is it funny, Kaida? I think it is, because bacon is delicious!"

I squint at him, sighing inwardly as I pray for the strength to persevere through this. Dad jokes, maybe one day, will be the thing of the past.

ARC 1: Reunited (3)

KAIRI

I harumph into the air dangerously.

"Why do I have to stay back?" I grumble under my breath. I look at the woman before me with a quizative gaze. To be honest, she reminds me of my preschool teacher in a way. She has a gentle grin and nice eyes that say wonderful things. And she's carrying a baby in her arms. Said child has a bright bubbly grin on her face as she plays with her mother's hair.

"Oh come now, Kairi-chan," the woman chides me before placing a hand at my shoulders and guiding me towards a nice looking shop. "I hear you like flowers."

"Yeah, they're really pretty." I feel betrayed when I break into a toothy grin. I feel as though I have to hate this, maybe because I just want to play with everyone else. Not with a strange lady Inoji took me to.

We're at the front of the shop and the lady is digging her fingers into her satchel until I hear a set of clings, and the keys to the door is in her palms. After unlocking it, she pushes the door forward and shuffles into the shop.

"Come in, Kairi-chan."

"'Kay, Baa-chan!" She's irked as she looks down at my face.

"You can call me using my last name, Yamanaka," she tells me. I nod, she's one of those ladies that doesn't like reminders that she's getting kind of old.

"Yamanaka-san." I comply and set foot into the shop and feel delighted when I come face to face with rows upon rows of beautiful flowers and decorations. I jump up, feeling a slight buzz at the sight of all these gorgeous plants that beam towards the sky. It looks like their beaming at me.

"You're gonna help me sell these, okay, Kairi-chan?" I nod excitedly. "Remind people not to steal at the front." Another set of nods.

With happiness welmed into my chest I await patiently at the front door for a customer to pop in. It takes a while, but when a little old lady comes in I prepare my biggest smile and round towards her. She looks pleased, her old features tugging into a young smile.

"Don't steal!" I tell her and look towards Yamanaka again who nods and flashes me a thumbs up. "Have fun!" I shout to the older lady before going back to my post at the front door.

Kaida needs to hurry up. This is really boring.

ARC 1: Reunited (3)

KAIDA

"So, this place is our new home!" I announce to Kairi, gesturing to the well maintained house that Hiruzen had placed on us. Much to my surprise, the house is actually better than I had expected it to be and far nicer than any house we had ever lived in before (if I were being honest). There's just only so much that Judo lessons can pay for, and a big nice house is not one of them.

"It's pretty! Really!" Kairi beams, hopping on her feet.

I snort, grinning as I turn the key in the lock of the house, "It's been fully furnished, so it's fully prepared for the three of us."

"Maybe falling into that hole thing was a good thing, daughters?"

I purse my lip in thought, "A place where we can die at any moment? Yeah, um, anyone sane would say otherwise."

Dad just smiles.

ARC 1: Reunited (3) - End

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