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Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage of Konohagakure, was having an odd day.
It wasn't a terrible day, per se. But there were many minor inconveniences that kept occurring, making him wonder exactly which higher being he pissed off now.
His day begun with a misplaced pipe, which he finally found hours after he started on the day's paperwork. Then, his morning tea, which he prefers to be hot, arrives cold despite being freshly prepared, and no one can figure out why it cooled so quickly.
Not to mention the birds outside his office window, which are unusually noisy, constantly chirping or cawing in a way that disrupts his concentration during important tasks. Hiruzen wonders if it is the work of a pissed off crow-summoner.
To make matters worse, his secretary had accidentally double-booked Hiruzen's appointments. All the while forgetting about a minor but annoying series of back-to-back meetings with various low-ranking officials, all bringing small but time-consuming issues.
So, five hours into his weird day, with one final appointment before his lunch-break left, the Hokage starts to wonder if he's finally lost it.
Hiruzen stared blankly at the woman standing before him. Perhaps he heard her wrong?
It would make sense that he was either losing his hearing in his old age, or going senile. A mix of both was also fairly possible.
She was a plain, nondescript civilian with dark hair and equally dark eyes. Well dressed, in a simple but flattering kimono. In her arms she held a tightly bundled, sleeping child.
“I apologize, my dear.” Hiruzen kindly told her, his gentle smile hiding every ounce of incredulity building up inside of him. He gestured for her to sit. “Can you please repeat that?”
“Of course, Hokage-sama.” She replied demurely, carefully adjusting the child in her arms. “My name is Saito Ami and this is Tanaka Kiyo. We have traveled here from the Land of Tea in search of Kiyo’s father - Hatake Kakashi.”
Her bold declaration was just as jarring the second time around.
“I see.” The Hokage hid his expression behind crossed fingers. “I apologize if my inquiries come across as insensitive, Saito-san. Are you the child’s mother? If so, how are you certain that her father is Kakashi?”
“I understand, Hokage-sama.” Ami inclined her head. Her facade was perfectly composed, but Hiruzen still saw the flash of grief in her eyes. “I am not Kiyo-chan’s mother. Her mother, Akane, passed away a month and a half ago. She was a dear friend of mine and I had promised that if anything were to happen to her, I would take Kiyo-chan to Konoha. As for her father - Akane and I were both courtesans at the Shinichi House and when Hatake-san passed through, it was widely known. He is… very popular.”
Ah.
Ami being a courtesan explained her demeanor and dress quite well. Her story also answered a few questions.
It wasn’t unusual for shinobi to frequent brothels, actually it was quite the opposite.
Kakashi, however, wasn’t the type to do so. In fact, Kakashi was the type to avoid intimacy at all costs, so Hiruzen had a hard time believing that not only did Kakashi visit a brothel, but he also impregnated one of the courtesans.
What was Ami’s goal, then? Money? Fame?
“And how old is the child?”
“Kiyo-chan is five years old, Hokage-sama.”
Inwardly, he sighed. That was around the time of Minato and Kushina’s death. A time where Kakashi was deeply unstable, grieving, and taking missions back to back. Still–
“If I may be frank, Hokage-sama.” Ami suddenly spoke up. He nodded for her to continue. “I understand that there may be some doubt of Kiyo-chan’s parentage due to Akane’s line of work. However, once you see Kiyo-chan for yourself, I believe you will understand why we are so sure her father is Hatake-san. Of course, we are also willing to do any test you require.”
Oh?
She clearly saw the interested gleam in Hiruzen’s eyes, and made to gently wake the child. The bundle stirred, and when the blanket finally dropped to reveal the silver-haired girl, Hiruzen felt his breath catch.
The child was a carbon copy of Kakashi Hatake. Hiruzen remembered what young Kakashi had looked like before the mask, and now there was a mini-female version of him. The only difference being her stunning violet eyes. Kiyo took that moment to yawn and give him a glimpse of tiny, white canines.
With a deep sigh, he gestured for one of his Anbu. “Summon Kakashi. Inform him of the urgency and tell him if he is late he will be assigned D-ranks for a month, unpaid.”