Chapter 7 – It Begins
Jiraiya watched from a few rooftops away as Naruto climbed the steps climbed the steps. He sensed someone coming. "So, how do you think it went?"
Kakashi looked into Chise's window and saw her come out of the bathroom half dressed; a blushed crept up his mask hidden face. How long has he been sitting here. He turned to face Jiraiya and saw drool seeping out the corner of his mouth. Kakashi sighed. Eh, he is 'Pervy Sage' for a reason… "Well, I guess as well as anyone could expect it to be. 'Hey, your family was slaughtered for their sealing abilities and your cousin has a monster in his body. Oh and those sealing abilities everyone was killed for…we want to see if you have them to…to use you for your cousin. Oh don't worry; we'll pay you for your services,'" he said sarcastically. "I think that pretty much sums up what we told her last night."
Jiraiya nodded as he watched Naruto enter Chise's main room. "Yes, I see your point. At least she didn't leave."
Naruto and Chise left her apartment and headed toward the shopping district of the village. "Did you talk to Naruto," Kakashi asked.
"Yeah, this morning. I told explained the situation to him. He took it well, but you could tell he's bothered that he has to lie about her. I think he was excited to finally have that connection."
Jiraiya and Kakashi stood, "Well, we don't know how long she'll have to hide that she's an Uzumaki, that all depends on the outcomes of the agreement. I guess all we can do is periodically monitor the two."
Jiraiya put a hand on Kakashi's shoulder, preventing him from jumping off. "While in the village, I'll train Naruto and you watch Chise. When you're out on missions as Team Kakashi, I'll watch over Chise. I think there's something more to her and we can't just assume she's a common citizen." Kakashi nodded his consent and jumped off into the mid-morning air.
"Do you always have a list?" Naruto asked watching Chise.
"Hrm? Yeah, just to make sure I don't forget anything," she linked arms with Naruto causing him to jump. "Come on, I can't read and write while I walk and I don't know where I'm going. I'll get lost."
"Ehh…" Naruto feigned annoyance, but he was really happy. Since he found out he might have relative, he watched interaction of other kids, especially those his age with younger siblings. They were holding hands, carrying the younger kid on their shoulders or backs. Even younger kids with their grandparents were holding hands or linking arms. This what family feels like…He looked at their linked arms. "Onee-chan!"
"Hrm?"
She responded! Naruto smiled.
They had a ton of items to purchase. After the second store, Naruto's arms were so filled he barely had room left and he refused to let Chise carry anything.
"Naruto, there are two of us. I can carry things. You were just here to show me where to go. Come on," she said tugging on a package.
"What type of ninja would I be if I let you carry everything?"
"That makes no sense! Don't you have Kunoichi here?"
They were starting to make a scene, fighting over who would carry what. "I got it!" Naruto put everything on the floor. "Kage bushi no Jutsu!" [poof] Another Naruto appeared. "We got it!"
"Well…" Chise said surprised, "that is definitely a first."
"Oh! Onee-chan! I can show you all my moves later! Will you watch? Will you watch!" Chise grinned from ear to ear and patted him (the one who spoke) on the head. He seems so happy. I never would have guessed he's a Jinjuriki. I wonder if they're all as happy as he is. He's still so innocent in some respects.
"All right, let's get the rest of this shopping done. I'll make you dinner okay?"
Chise wove gracefully through the crowds, the sway of her hips caused a few heads to turn, neither of the two noticed though. By the time they were done shopping there were four Narutos. Chise organized the clones by item types: one for kitchen supplies, one for groceries, one for bedding, and one for miscellaneous items.
They entered Chise's apartment. "Okay Narutos, disperse. You can take your shoes off after you put everything down." Instead, they vanished when they were done, the real Naruto laying on his back laughing at Chise's surprise.
Naruto helped Chise unpack and wash the dishes while Chise put everything away. "You're kinda anal aren't you," he said peaking over Chise's shoulder as she put items in the fridge: liquids on the bottom, condiments in the door. "I don't get the difference between the top two shelves."
"Oh, the top shelf is ingredients for things I'll use immediately, like all the stuff I need for dinner. The middle shelf is the other ingredients for other recipes that I'm not going to use immediately."
She similarly arranged everything else in the kitchen. "A place for everything and everything in its place."
"Eh?"
"It's what my mom and dad told me. They were ninja and said that a ninja must always be organized. Know where your weapons are at all times, without thinking, without looking."
"But you're not a ninja."
Chise smiled, "No, but they kinda carried it into the home. I got in trouble a lot for leaving things around the house." She turned to see Naruto flipping through her albums. She sat down beside him, "We should take pictures. Make an album for about us."
"I don't have any pictures from when I was a kid."
"No, but we can have pictures of us now," she smiled patting him on the head. "Don't worry, the albums don't leave the apartment, no one will know. I'm a Ryu after all," she rolled her eyes as she said the name.
She watched him for a bit as he looked through the albums. Chise couldn't read the expression on Naruto's face. Is it longing, sadness, or something bittersweet? She wanted to hug him, how her mom held her when she was young and confused, upset, hurt. He's gone his whole life without a hug from his mother and father. But, is it better to have known or not know? "Come on," she pulled Naruto to his feet. "I can cook for you later. Take me to that Ramen place you love so much."
Naruto smiled wide. Ah, there he is… "You'll love it! I love getting pork slices!"
"Hey Pops! The usual, but two!"
Teuchi and Ayame turned, "Naruto! Welcome back! Ah, a new comer!"
"Hi, I'm Chise."
"I haven't seen you around here before," Ayame asked putting the final touches on ramen.
"I've just moved into town a few days ago." The bowls were placed in front of them.
"Itadakimasu! Oh man, oh man, you're going to love this!"
Chise smiled and dug in. "Do you like it," Teuchi asked, always eager to hear what outsiders thought.
"It's the best Ramen in all my travels!" Teuchi beamed with pride.
"So what brings you to Kohona and how'd you meet Naruto?"
Unfortunately, Naruto, already finished with his food, spoke first, "Um…uh…She's uh…she's… KAKASHI SENSEI'S GIRLFRIEND!"
[pfffft]
Ayame's face dropped in shock as Chise spit out her food. "Oh my god," she took napkins to clean up her mess. "Naruto! What the hell?"
"Hehe," he smiled and laughed nervously putting his hands up in protest.
"Kakashi has a girlfriend," Ayame breathed in shock. Having seen his face, she fanaticized about the handsome ninja…and the other parts of his body that were covered by cloth. Now it was like her little fantasy was shattered – he was in a relationship.
"Don't listen to him, you go it all wrong!"
"Oh don't be shy! There's no need to be like Asuma and Kurenai and hide your relationship. Everyone will notice," Teuchi laughed, "Kids these days…"
"No, no really, I hardly know the guy-"
"Well you must be something special then…" Ayame said, voice slightly dipped in poison.
Chise turned to Naruto and growled, "I'm…going…to…KILL…you…"
"Umm…put it on Kakashi Sensei's tab!" he grabbed Ayame and pulled her out of the booth. Unfortunately, because Naruto yelled out that Kakashi had a girlfriend in his nervousness, a few more people overheard. Chise immediately noticed that she was being looked at.
She turned to Naruto, planted a fake smile on her face and asked, "Where is Kakashi?"
"Oh! ONEE-CHAN…YOU WANT TO SEE KAKASHI SENSEI? Hehehe" he forced being nonchalant and utterly failed. Chise put a hand over Naruto's mouth.
"Stop yelling! What's wrong with you!" she growled at him, "Just … just find him!"
Naruto put her arm around his shoulder and one around her waist and jumped up to the roof top.
"Naruto! What are you doing! You're making it worse! They're watching us!"
"I didn't know what to do! They were asking questions, it freaked me out!" He hopped to another roof.
"I would have handled it! There was nothing wrong with saying that Kiba accidentally injured me and I decided to stay here until my medical bills were paid."
"But that wouldn't explain why you were with me." He bounced to another roof.
"You're a friend of Kiba's aren't you? No one would ask that much detail…" she hung her head in defeat, "You're a terrible, TERRIBLE liar!"
