He raises his head. Wild golden eyes watch you with precision. A rumble in his chest echoes through the jungle, he pants with a hungry fever accepting your request. You take a step forward towards the pool of water between you. He smiles bearing sharp fangs and a black spotted tongue. He welcomes you as he usually does, but just as you reach for the connection to your cohort instinct something pulls you out of your mind's eye and back into the reality you had tried to escape from.

It was his scent, that lovely cool smell mixed with spice, and his warm embrace, enveloping you perfectly, that draws you out from your salvation. You open your eyes to the world to find Kakashi standing directly in front of you holding you tightly. He is speaking to you in your native tongue. But how?

"Come back to me, Hana." He says quietly into your ear while pressing you firmly against his body.

You rise off his chest and look up at him. He lowers his arms to your hips to give you room but keeps a solid grip in caution. In your language you speak back to him, ignoring the entire room of shinobi ready to take you on.

"How do you know my language?" You ask.

He smiles lovingly at you and replies back in your language.
"I study it every night." He says in a simpler form. It was a raw version, but he knew the words and basic pronunciation. And here you thought you couldn't be more in love with this man. Yet he has just melted your heart once again with how much effort he puts into your entire being. It was enough to make your eyes water.

The room stands silent watching as Kakashi takes control of the situation. Even Shiro is taken back by how quickly he is able to subdue your raging stone and wild instinct. Kakashi places a gentle hand on your cheek then whispers in your language one last time.

"Stay calm. This is all a part of the plan." He grins and you clutch onto him burying your face into his black vest and everything levitating in the air floats back down to its original place. The energy in the room dissipates, and the tension slowly subsides.

Kakashi looks up to the judge.
"You can lower your guard, she is in a safe state of mind now. As you can see, I have absolute control."

Miss Mizukage smiles at Kakashi and nods.
"Everyone take your seats.. except Kakashi. I want you to stay with Hana for the rest of this hearing."

The room shuffles about as everyone gets back to their seats. You lift your head to search for your brother and find him sitting with the land of iron. He watches you and Kakashi inquisitively, carefully analyzing the way you react to each other. Quickly you push away from Kakashi hoping Shiro hasn't figured things out. Kakashi releases you although more slowly than you wished. He keeps a hand on your lower back, tickling you with his thumb.

The Mizukage blows out a long breath, thinking hard and the room sits quietly waiting.
"I don't like this..." she states more to herself.

She sighs.
"Hana."

"Yes Miss Mizukage?"

You can tell she is feeling the exhaustion from this meeting and starts to speak far more casually than before.
"It would seem the whole world has gone crazy over you....you have caused everyone so many problems in your travels, but I think it isn't all what it seems. However, that is just my opinion and doesn't prove anything written down on paper." She addresses the land of rain.
"To the land of rain, you have lost your entire platoon of men to this girl. My condolences to you and their families. Hana will be accountable for their lives, as there are no other witnesses present to counter your case. Your report was enough to contradict her statement."

You begin to protest.
"But, Miss Mizukage! They tried to kill me!"

"There is no proof of that without another witness. Therefore..." she is suddenly interrupted by your brother of all people.

"Actually. There is another witness." He says and stands.

The judge nods.
"Who?"

"Myself. I was there to witness the entire event unfold. I had even pulled her from the lake after words and revived her...." He states.

So it was your brother that had saved your life. After being thrown into the lake by the shock of your power he had pulled you from it and revived you. Has he been following you this whole time?

The land of rain protests.
"That can't be true!"

He looks directly at them.
"It is. I saw everything! Including the five men who held her under the water, and it is exactly how she explained it. Every detail is true, although they did far worse things to her that day than she has come forward with."

The room was silent after that. Miss Mizukage thinks on this for quite some time before coming to a conclusion..
"Thank you Shiro for your statement."

He nods and takes his seat once again. You watch him curiously and notice a slight dusting of pink across his cheeks. He glances at you then quickly looks away. Is he seriously blushing right now?

"Well, with that being said, I am dropping all charges from the land of rain. However, there will be a full investigation of Amegakure's shinobi academy and its leaders. Hana, you are not to step foot in that land unless escorted by at least two black op ninja. For your safety."

You smile wide at that.
"Of course, miss Mizukage."

The land of rain becomes very hostile.
"This is nonsense! I think everyone's minds have been influenced by this girl! If she steps one foot in the land of rain we will kill her without hesitation!" The leader points his finger at you.

"Don't worry, Amegakure is the last place I want to be." You reply.

They hiss at you and make their leave but not without slamming the door shut on the way out.

Miss Mizukage sighs heavily.
"Alright, let's talk about this new contract.....give it here." She holds out her hand and a man from the land of iron quickly passes it over. Once it is in her hands she tears it in half shocking the entire room. She doesn't stop tearing it until it is in pieces piled up in front of her.

"Miss Mizukage!" The land of iron protests.

"Quiet!" She snaps. "What makes you think the rest of the founding lands are going to sit by and let the land of iron and the land of lightning gain two of the most powerful assassins in the world?"

They stare at her, unable to come up with any words.

"Hana will stay in hidden leaf village..."

"Arufa will....."

Miss Mizukage leans forward in her chair.
"Arufa is a spoiled brat and will NOT get his way this time! I am tired of heeding to his demands! Hana will stay where she is safe... as it is obvious she is safest in the care of Kakashi Hatake and hidden leaf village!"

"The royal family will be very displeased!"

"That isn't my problem! We live in times where women get to choose their spouses, I suggest the royal family start getting up to speed with the world before it leaves them behind."

You couldn't be more happy and relieved by those words. She had said it perfectly, better than you could have even thought. Kakashi is over the moon about this too, you can tell from the grin under his mask and the squeeze on your hip.
She turns her focus on you.
"Hana, you are free to choose whoever you want to spend your life with, but you still owe everyone in this room something in return for the chaos you had created throughout the years."

Your smile fades away.

She looks at you with sincerity.
"You and your brother are very valuable ninja...." She pauses and scans the room again. "It has been a long time since the lands were all in the same room together. I would like to come up with a contract that is useful for everyone here, not just the land of iron or lightning. Does everyone agree?"

Surprisingly the majority agrees.

"Good. Hana and Shiro, I want you to carry out high ranked missions in all allied lands as they need, except for the land of rain. Since they are now under investigation they will no longer be accepting missions until they have been cleared to do so. Does this please the audience?"

Everyone begins to talk amongst each other. Whispering mostly agreeable words, there is only a few lands who are hesitant but Miss Mizukage quickly changes their minds.

"This is the best option as I don't believe giving up two very powerful ninja to the land of iron and lightning is a wise decision on anyone's part. We are all here to work together, to prosper together. Despite our lands being separated by borders and names we are still linked together in so many ways. May these two ninja be our spokes models for unity."

Now that doesn't sound as bad as you thought it had in the beginning. When she put it in terms of joining the lands together, you now feel it is your heroic duty to show everyone what has been slipping away for so many years....unity....

You catch your brother's eyes once more, and for the first time in a long time you see him smile. That same comforting smile he used to have when you outwitted him or bested him in a fight. It was so nostalgic it brought back many memories you had forgotten about. Memories of playing childhood games, sharing your dreams with each other under starlit skies, or playing your guitar for him when he was in a bitchy mood.

You smile back at him and notice that same pinking to his cheeks. He almost seems bashful right now which is something you have never seen before. It was sort of...cute...

Miss Mizukage speaks, wrapping up this intense meeting.
"As for her loss of control over that stone, Kakashi will work closely with her until that control is established. I will have the contract written up and sent out to everyone in a few days. This meeting is adjourned." She slams her mallet down and the room begins to clear out.

You and Kakashi both sigh in relief at the same time.

"I think I can breathe now." Kakashi says, almost laughing it off.

"Yeah...that was...the worst." You reply.

"It was fucking hell." He says in your language. So he knows some cuss words too.

"And who taught you cussing in my language?" You ask.

"The internet is full of things we shouldn't know. Let's go get some food, I bet you're hungry."

Your stomach begins to growl loudly and Kakashi comments.
"Right on time..."

It was then Naruto, Konohamaru, and Shikamaru approach you, huddling around in a group.

"So....you have a brother?" Konohamaru asks.

You sweep your hair from your face, getting the feeling like this may have been good information to provide everyone weeks ago.
"Uhhh...yeah...we'll sort of...I grew up with him...but we aren't officially related by blood."

Shikamaru asks you a very serious question.
"Should we worry about him?"

You glance over his way and notice his gaze has never left you.
"Possibly. We didn't end things on good terms."

Everyone draws their attention towards him and he finally looks away focussing on the rest of the land of iron who are arguing amongst themselves.

"Well, if he tries anything he will regret it. Stone or not, all of us together can take him on." Naruto says and slams his fist into his palm.

And because you feel this is the correct time to display his own trademark, you perform it perfectly. You lift your thumb and say the words.
"Believe it!"

Each shinobi laugh loudly at you, Naruto getting far too excited about it and Kakashi doesn't hesitate to scold you for it.
"Don't even start that shit." He says and beckons you to come with him. "Let's go get something to eat, I'm starving. We still have a lot to discuss. Every body in for some ramen? Our hokage is buying."

"Hey! I never said that!" Naruto argues.

The others, including yourself, ignore him and begin to discuss the many expensive dishes to be ordered leaving Naruto scowling behind you.