Title: Restarting Life From Zero Alternative
Summary: At age 36, Uzumaki Naruko died with very few regrets with her family by her side. Having achieved her dreams and formed a wonderful family she was content on just passing away and entrusting her will to the next generation and to those that outlived her. Yet, life had a weird way of operating whenever Naruko was involved. (OP time-travelling !femNaruto)
Author's notes: So their 'future' children are named Itachi and Minako (Kinda like the female version of Minato, the same way that Naruko is the female version of Naruto- hey I thought it was clever, okay? Sasuke is the one that wanted to name the eldest son Itachi considering how much he liked his older brother.
So do you like the scene with the Uchiha family? There should be more flashbacks coming in later chapters.
Sorry for the late update. Hope you enjoy this chapter! :D
Chapter 4: Living in the past... future?
''Can't we just use fire ninjutsu?''
A soft giggle answered him as Naruko turned away from the oven and shot him an amused look.
''No, that's not how you bake cakes, Sasuke! You can't use your fire techniques on everything.''
Sasuke felt the girl perched on his shoulders stir and he looked up when she released the locks of his hair that were held in her tiny hands, she frowned as she spoke.
''Mommy, I think daddy wants to burn the kitchen.''
Even with the urgency that her statement was laced with, the little girl gave a proud happy grin when a soft hearty laugh escaped her mother's throat, She leaned into the woman's touch when she reached towards her and brushed a lock of blonde hair away from her forehead.
''Are you going to let him though, mina-chan? We have to stop him! I'm counting on you.'' Her mother said with a mischievous smile.
Minako gave her a determined nod and grabbed a fistful of Sasuke's hair, pulling the strands forcefully but not as much as to hurt her father. It was obvious she didn't want to. And so Sasuke didn't even wince at the action, a fond smile quickly adorned his features instead and his hand reached for the girl, wrapping itself around her and holding her in the same, one handed grip that he was so good.
''I will not be defeated this easily.'' He gave her her chin a little tickle as he made his way to the couch, and the girl had to hold her laughter as his teasing and tickiling became faster.
''Mommy! HELP! He's too strooong. STAAHHP!'' Minako managed between laughs, finally giving up to the temptation.
Sasuke, however, didn't spare her any mercy and he continued to annouce the list of 'hiden techniques' he was using on her throughout their little 'scuffle'. Naruko watched from the sidelines with a blissful grin. Moments like these were precious, surrounded by her loving family, laughing and smiling. Having them around was everything that she ever wanted and she wouldn't trade them for the world. Times like these is what she looked for whenever she was bombarded by paperwork, and burried neck-deep in her work. She made sure to squeeze as much time in her busy schedule just to have her little moments of ephoria whenever her family was around.
She really considered the shadow clone a blessing. God bless the second Hokage for his genius.
She adjusted the heat on the oven, watching as the cake that she had made with her husband and daughter slowly bake to the perfection that their home-made cooking was before she glanced at the door, her senses alerting her to the presence of their other family member.
Her son was leaning against the wall taking in the sight with a similar fond grin to the one she had earlier.
''I'm home,'' He exclaimed when he noticed her gaze on him and she smiled, her smile widenning even further as her eyes set on the forehead protector he had wrapped around his forehead.
''Welcome home, Itachi-kun.'' She wrapped the boy in a hug and she felt him relax in her grip even though he made no move to hug her back.
Naruko didn't really know why it bothered him, but her son considered himself a bit old to be hugged by her as often as she did. She supposed it was teenage pride or something like that. She could never see why he was a bit dissaproving of her show of affection, even if she knew he enjoyed it deep down. She adored her children and always will and she had to always remind them of that fact. She had to make sure to show them she is always there for them, make sure that they never feel the pain she and Sasuke had felt in their childhood.
She would always shower them with love, so they would never feel loneliness.
''Mooom..'' He gave a quiet complaint and she decided to pull back, taking in his features. Her eyes stopped on his headband and she gave a cheerful grin.
''You passed!'' She chirped.
He nodded happily and he readjusted his headband proudly, reminiscing her of her younger years.
''Of course I did!I am Itachi Uchiha after all.'' He smiled.
''I'm so happy! My little boy is finally a ninja,'' She hugged him again, and he scowled against her shoulder.
''I'm not a little boy. And It's not like you didn't know already. You are the hokage!''
It was true, the test results had already made it to her when she was at work and she had rushed back home the moment she figured her son had passed leaving a shadow clone behind to take care of the work left. A celebration had to be made in such an occasion, after all.
''It doesn't make me any less happy seeing you wearing Konoha's headband in person.''
Even if Itachi hated the way his mother treated him like a child, he still loved her. Her loving attitude, her caring nature and the love she had for them in spades. Even with the amount of work she had, she always made sure to spend time with them. He loved her and he couldn't ask for more loving and kinder mother.
''Good job Itachi, you did great.'' His father said from his side, ruffling his hair with a proud smile, his sister also tackling him into a hug when his mother finally pulled away.
A sligh blush colored his cheeks at his father compliment and his heart warmed even more. He hugged his sister back lovingly and he smiled at his father's touch.
The compliment coming from his father had a much stronger effect, it was rare for his father to compliment either of them. Even as he took the time of his day to play with them, train them and teach them, he made sure to not pamper them with affection and coddle them the same manner that their mother did.
''It's nothing. The test was easy.'' He mumbled despite the satisfaction he felt. The test was easy.
His father smirked and he blinked.
''Well, I know someone who struggled to pass such an easy exam.'' He said playfully, his look pointed at Naruko. Itachi glanced at his sister, who was looking at the couple with the same amount of curiosity before he trailed his father's gaze.
Naruko laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head.
''Come on Sasuke, they don't need to know that.'' She suggested uneasily.
Sasuke decided to ignore her suggestion and he looked at his kids.
''It took your mother three times to finally pass the exam.''
Itachi and Minako both blinked in suprise, their mother was the strongest ninja in the village, the village leader and a world savior. Aside from their father, she was said to be unparalleled in skill and strength. Both knew as much from the academy.
To think that she would fail the academy exam was unbelievable.
''But mommy is suuuuuuper strong and everyone loves her and respects her.''
Naruko gave her daughter a bright smile before speaking.
''The thing is I had a problem with the clone technique back then, the same problem you had Itachi. I didn't have anyone to teach me the shadow clone technique though and I had to figure out a way to finally pass the exam.'' Naruko said.
''Your mother was also a bit of an idiot back in her childhood.'' Their father said, his fond tone contradicting his statement. ''...an adorable idiot, though.'' He continued either ignorant or ignoring the glare Naruko had sent him, a glare that quickly shifted into a widenning of the eyes, accompanied by a slight rosiness on the cheeks.
It was rare to see to see Naruko blush, even more less when Sasuke was not involved. To the village, she was the epitome of strength and composure. Nothing could affect her, not the villagers and ninja's idiocy and disobedience, nor the political warfare she had to endure often. But whenever she was with her friends and especially family all walls seemed to fall and the steely facade warmed and faded.
It was a reason that made Itachi respect her so much.
Any silence that ensued was broke off by Minako's needlessly cheerful exclamation and the sound of the oven's alarm finally signifying the cake's getting baked.
''Mommy's an adorable idiot,'' Minako repeated happily. Naruko gave an ankward laugh and sent a look at Sasuke that didn't abode well for the man.
If anything, this interaction is what made Itachi love his family. The way his father and mother bickered, but still laughed and joked right after it, the way they split the chores and the way they fought over which one of them would have to wash the dishes the day after. The way they made sure to provide them with the childhood that each of them never had.
''The cake's ready. Let's celebrate!'' Naruko hollered excitedly. And as always the cake tasted a thousand times better with her family around.
''Naruko, Naruko! Wake up you idiot!'' A voice rang in her ears and Naruko steered in her sleep. Her eyes oppened slowly and the pink haired adolescent stared back at her, proving even more that the pleasent experience she had was really just a dream and a memory of her past.
''Kakashi-sensei is here. He told us to meet him at the roof. Come on.''
Naruko sighed miserably, wanting nothing more than to go back to sleep, hoping beyond hope that she would keep dreaming of the precious memories she had with her family, but the hope vanished as fast as it came as she felt the sleep temptation drift away. She even shamelessly tried for good measure, only to get a harsh glare out of her fellow kunoichi.
''Seriously, why did I have to be the one to wake you up. Why do you even tire yourself this much training the day before our first official day as ninja? It's not like it's gonna change anything,'' Sakura said in exapseration.
Naruko gave her a sheepish laugh as she stood up from her seat and made her way towards the roof, her teammate in tow. She knew she needed to preserve the energy for a day as important as team assignments day, as first impressions were always crucial, but such things were barely important when your jonin sensei was Kakashi. The man repeatedly and without fail comes hours late to every meeting he had. Not to mention Naruko also had a lot of training to catch up on if she wanted to get back to her former strength as soon as possible and go even further beyond; every single minute counted.
There's was no time to play around, she had to be as strong as possible for the otsutsuki's eventual arrival and for her preparation plans. She had to be strong enough to gather allies, prevent unnecessary deaths and save certain foes from the darkness that plagued them.
''Glad you girls could make it!'' Kakashi eye-smiled as he leaned against the railing. ''I'll let it slide this time around but make sure to be on time next time.''
''You were three hours late!'' Sakura deadpanned in disbelief. There he was ordering them to be on time. The nerves on that guy.
''Oh, I am sorry,'' He said sounding anything but apologetic.''I had this magnificent dream and I thought it'd be a shame to cut it short when I finally woke up. So I went back to sleep and lost track of time,'' He shrugged. ''What can I say, I would never get tired of sleeping.''
''That's just physically impossible,'' Sakura glared at her sensei and his awful atempt at a pun.
Naruko seemed to enjoy it however. She truly missed her sensei terrible sense of humour and his dry puns. Meeting him again was a change of scenary from the slight depression that had fallen on her when she first woke up from the dream.
''Well, how about we get to know each other?''
Kakashi explained what that entailed and gave an exemple with his own introduction, an introduction that had as much information as an unmoving unlively scarecrow.
He gestured for Naruko to speak and she gave him a pointed stare for a second.
''I could give you the same treatment and give you no information at all, but that's kind of boring,'' She drawled. ''I can tell you're a porn loving weirdo anyway. Your eye says it all.''
It didn't really, it was difficult to read Kakashi with the mask he wore and the headband hiding what was left of his face. Though, she still took pleasure on the little look of surprise he gave her before he eye-smiled.
''Well my name is Uzumaki Naruko. I like games,'' Those I used to play with my family.''Ramen, home-made cooking and my friends.'' And My precious family. ''I dislike power hungry assholes and sadistic bastards.'' Those damned otsutsuki. ''My hobbies are taking care of my plants, and taking a hike on the hokage monument; the view there is incredible,'' And playing with my family. ''My dream is to one day have a happy close-knit family, protect the world from devastation and unite everyone within our nations,'' She shrugged. ''Who knows, maybe even become the seventh Hokage while I am at it.''
Everyone was staring at her at the end of her introduction but she didn't care, she had yearned to have someone to empty her heart to even for a bit and have a couple of ears listening and registering her words. Even if they all didn't know what she was talking about.
It only took Kakashi a second to come back to his senses, even as he was surprised at the depths of the blonde's character and the nobility of her dreams. The world was not as straight forward as you think. He couldn't help but think. Many had dreamed of achieving peace and such a dream had only led them to their demise.
Foolish people they were. Foolish but great respectful people.
''Well, you're quite the inspiration.''
Sakura who was tasked to speak afterwards found herself ashamed that her goals were nowhere near as good as Naruko's. Her dreams after all was to be with Sasuke, it really would look bad on her image if she expressed such desire after her fellow Kunoichi's hearty and determined inspirations though.
''My name is Haruno Sakura,'' She started a bit bashfully. ''Um, I like reading and gossiping with Ino. I hate Naruko.'' Her declaration was less fierce and a lot less reluctant than usual and Naruko raised an eyebrow at that. ''My hobbies are discovering the history of our great nation and looking up skills that would be useful to pick up.'' Although she hadn't even make a move to learn any of the skills she thought were useful. ''As for my dream...'' She trailed off, sending a glance at her crush a blush on her face before she quickly regained her composure. ''My dream... is to be a great Kunoichi worthy of the title of jonin.'' She said, determined. Her dear old dream resurfacing and coming back to life.
She really did want to become a great ninja. Even as she craved to get Sasuke's attention.
She silently detested the fact that her dream still paled compared to the blonde.
''Good, a bit more realistic dream.'' Her sensei commented. The man was pleased that Sakura surprisingly didn't let her fangirling tendencies to show as muchc s he would've expected. Maybe being in a team with Naruko will really affect her positively.
And then it was Sasuke's turn to introduce himself. Naruko had noticed regretfully that it was the same dark introduction that had sent shivers down her spine years ago.
She had a long road to go if she was going to be able to repair the giant gaping hole he had in his heart. She had a long way to go before she got her Sasuke back.
She didn't even bother to pay attention to Kakashi as he explained the premise of the exam and the reason of their importance. Her unfocused gaze and stoic face as she looked past him both troubled and intrigued the silver-haired jonin.
What are you thinking?
When he finished his explanation that Naruko decided to deliberately ignore, he eye-smiled and spoke.
''I suggest you don't eat breakfast tomorrow. You'll vo-meat because you are not mint to eat before such an exercice.''
''I don't carrot all.'' Naruko finally replied with a smirk.
Sakura looked overwhelmed by the collective force of their awful puns, while Sasuke looked mostly unfazed other than the slow blinking of his eyes.
''I think I am gonna like having you as a student,'' Kakashi finally exclaimed and Naruko gave him a grin at that.
Sakura groaned. God help her.
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