Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, if I did, I'd be richer.

"bla bla" - normal talking

'bla bla' - thoughts

bla bla - book reading

'bla bla' - book talking


Storytellers – Minato Arc:

Tomato


Unknown place, indefinite time


Temari started.

Chapter 2

Her name was Uzumaki Kushina.

Kakashi and Jiraya exchanged glances.

"Uzumaki Kushina? As in Uzumaki Katha?" Tenten asked full of curiosity. Katha showed herself equally curious.

Kathari smiled softly, "Yes, as in Uzumaki Katha.

Said person widened her eyes and started to pay total attention in Temari.

She had long red hair, dark-violet eyes, face slightly round and spoke really loud.

"So, she's nothing like Katha," Shizune decided, observing the short spiky blond hair of the small girl and the long smooth one of the Rokudaime.

"Except at the loud part," Kiba gave a small chuckle that sounded like a bark, and Akamaru barked in what appeared to be in agreement.

Katha had a black cloud over her head; Kathari, a sweat drop.

She looked nervous while sensei explained that she came from Uzushiokagure

"Ah, that's why we never heard about an Uzumaki clan here," Sakura deduced. "I just thought that you were from a civilian family."

Kathari directed her kind smile to the pink-haired Genin.

"The Uzumaki's were exterminated in the Second Shinobi World War. They lived in an island called Land of Whirlpools, in the village of Uzushiokagure, and had an alliance very strong with Konoha through Uzumaki Mito, wife of the Shodaime Hokage."

Everybody that didn't know this fact showed interest in the story.

"When Uzushiokagure was destroyed, lots of Uzumaki's run away, and my Mom, Kushina, was brought to Konoha."

Finishing her explanation, the Rokudaime indicated to Temari continue.

and I couldn't blame her. I mean, she was in a totally new village.

"Your father was so kawaii as a kid, Katha!" Ino and Sakura exclaimed together. Katha's right eyebrow shot up… Fan girls.

The adults almost choked with laughter. Heaven, if both knew that they were talking about the Fourth Hokage – one of the most feared shinobi in the world when alive – like he was a plush…

But I think that people didn't notice this, because when she introduced herself, shouting as loud as you can imagine,

"Ka-tha," Kiba practically sang the syllables. Again, Katha was refrained from strangling him to death by Tenten.

and announced that she would be the first female Hokage one day, sneers and laughs traveled across the classroom.

"Kami-sama, is there anything that someone from your family think beyond that?" Neji sighed, exasperated.

"YOSH! I think that the Flames of Youth burn brightly in them!"

"THAT'S RIGHT, MY STUDENT OF HARD WORK!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

"LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

"LE...-"

"Can you both stop shouting, you weirdoes?"

I looked around without moving my head,

"How does someone do that, dude?" Kiba asked.

"Not being stupid as you," Katha murmured, crossing her arms. Tenten and Hinata, who had heard, giggled behind their hands.

and decided to stand up. I smiled friendly enough to the new girl and said,

"I love you!"

"Marry me!"

Everybody sweat dropped. Even Itachi – okay, maybe only mentally.

Kathari coughed, "I doubt that's what he said, girls, sorry," she looked at Sakura and Ino, who pouted in sadness.

"My dream is to every villager acknowledge me, so I can be a great Hokage."

"Hn," Sasuke made. Only three people in the room understood. Itachi, Kathari and…

"What do you mean by that, teme? My Dad was great, alright!" And Katha. She was just more vocal than the others.

Kushina crossed her arms and looked away, which made me frown slightly. I sat back to my chair and observed while she walked to the back and sat alone in a desk. What was her problem?

"Poor Minato, so innocent back then…" Jiraya mourned. Tsunade snorted, murmuring a 'Yeah, right', before spacing off and wishing she had sake.

Shikamaru decided that it was a good hour for a nap.

During the interval, Mako, Jin, Hikaru and Sho circulated her.

'What an ugly red hair.'

'Yeah, what type of ninja has it?'

Katha looked down. It looks like her mother's life was as great as hers. How depressing.

I stopped talking with Inoichi to listen to more.

'As curious as Katha', Iruka rolled his eyes, amused.

'And you have this round face. Hey! I'll call ya tomato!'

'Tomato! Tomato! Tomato!' They chanted together, pointing their fingers at her.

"So your father heroically saved your mother and they fell in love, right?" Ino had stars in her eyes. Most of people in the room sighed.

Kathari refrained from giggling – a silly action.

"Oh, no. Mom was more than capable of handling herself," Kathari told with a smile. Jiraya and Kakashi shuddered.

Kushina looked small near them – always the class's troublemakers. Her face was red, although it was difficult to tell if it was from shame or anger. So, she made the most unexpected thing in the world.

"Definitely like Katha/me," all team 7 decided out loud, even Sasuke. Everyone laugh – sans Gaara and Itachi. They don't laugh in public.

Or so everybody thought.

Threw Sho on the ground and, sitting atop of his back, started to punch the back of his head.

Jaws went down.

"She's a little…" Chouji started, but couldn't finish.

"Violent, yes," Kathari agreed. Ah, it was so funny to see their reactions.

'You… don't… have… the right… to… call me… tomato!' Each break was completed with a punch and a groan of pain from Sho. Jin, Mako and Hikaru quickly dispersed.

"Troublesome woman," Shikamaru yawned, closing his eyes again and faking sleep, because the story was too damn interesting.

Then, she turned her challenger eyes to me, as if asking "What?" in a annoyed way. I widened my eyes and got back to my conversation with Inoichi, who also looked a little bit scared.

"Man, Katha's mother is freaking scaring," Kiba commented to Shino. Said Genin didn't reacted, just merely nodded his head.

I tried to look again with turning my head, and decided right and then that Uzumaki Kushina scared me a little.

"That was it," Temari turned the page and saw 'Chapter 3' written. "Who'll read?"

"I'll," Shizune offered and the sand-haired kunoichi passed the book to the brunette.

Tenten's hand shot up in the air, "Just one question, er, Namikaze-san…"

Kathari smiled, "You can call me Kathari, Tenten, we're friends."

"Er, right. Kathari, at the beginning of the chapter you said that your mother was brought to Konoha and…"

"And you want to know why?"

"Well, yeah."

Kathari smiled apologetically.

"Sorry, but I can't tell. It'd ruin the story, but you'll know later on, anyway.

"Oh, okay."

Itachi narrowed his eyes, thinking. What could Uzumaki Kushina have to be special enough to be brought to Konoha? It couldn't be simply because she was Mito's and Hashirama's granddaughter. The Akatsuki member observed Kathari and Kyuubi.

Both were relaxed, appearing happy. Kathari was smiling and Kyuubi was sleepily cuddled next to her. But, somehow, the picture was wrong. Was Kathari as happy as she let on? And why was Kyuubi there and not in her – his, its – cage? Something happened in the past, something happened in the future. But what?

He snapped out of his thoughts when Shizune-san started reading, but didn't miss the fact that when Kathari sighed, she looked more mature and tired than normal.

Like there was some burden trusted upon her delicate shoulders.