The Protector of the Scattered Flowers

"Onii-san!" A tiny, high-pitched voice called after me. I turned just in time to catch the too-fast-for-her-own-good rascal.

"And just what do you think you're doing?" I began to tickle her, and she shrieked with laughter. "You know I have to go and train right now, and you can't come with me. You have to stay with onee-san."

Chikako pouted. "Onii-san stay with Chika-chan." And with that, she promptly buried her face into my shoulder, her tiny hands clinging to my shirt.

I chuckled.

Stubborn, just like her mother.

Natsumi chose to show up just then, panting and bent over from exhaustion. "Thank... God. Thank.... God." She managed to say before plopping onto the ground.

"Look, you wore onee-san out, and it's only seven in the morning! Chika-chan, you can't do this every morning! You need to behave for your mommy!" I scolded.

Chikako pulled her head out from my shoulder, glanced at her mother, then sniffed indignantly. "Mommy slow. Onii-san play with Chika-chan better than mommy."

I opened my mouth to say something, but Natsumi held up her hand, silencing me. "I know I'm getting slower, but it's not entirely my fault. It's hard to keep up with a three-year-old and be toting along another little one." She patted her rounding stomach affectionately, with a small smile on her lips, which turned into a scowl. "Plus, Daddy's out on a mission." She grumbled incoherently afterward, but I caught phrases like 'eight months pregnant and he gets sent off' and 'I'll kill Pein-sama one of these days'.

I grinned. "Chika-chan, it's really time for me to go now." She shook her head violently in protest. "But when I get back, I'll teach you a new game to play, okay? How's that sound?"

Chikako visibly perked up. Grinning from ear to ear, she nodded. I handed her back to Natsumi. "Be a good girl while I'm gone, okay?"

"Bye-bye, onii-san!" Chikako called.

"Have a good traning session, Mamoru-chan! See you when you get back!" Natsumi shouted after me.

I smiled and waved over my shoulder.

Three years later, and she's still the same onee-san I know and love.