An imposing silhouette appeared before us. I slowly lifted my gaze to meet the striking cat eyes of Konoha's jounin commander. Harue Rie. Oh for god's sake. I had never considered my luck bad, but it seemed as though ever since I set foot into this village, nothing had gone right.

"Kid. I see you've somehow found my house."

Not knowingly and definitely not willingly. I cringed. "Harue-sama."

Furumi looked from me, then to her mother and then back to me. Something must've clicked in her mind because she suddenly shouted. "Kareha, you know my mother?!"

I nodded, all logic escaping my mind. I felt my soul slipping out of my body. "I'm as shocked as you." I managed to say eventually.

"I wouldn't have guessed my daughter made friends with you, Kareha. However there is a sort of hilarity to this turn of fate."

She didn't sound very amused though. I shuffled before her awkwardly. Does she think I intentionally befriended Furumi to get to her? I gulped as her eyes bore down on me.

"Well then! Since you already know each other, Kareha and I will be heading upstairs to do some homework." Furumi grabbed my wrist and we made a dash out of there.

We settled onto her bedroom floor, stunned. "Go figure that you'd already met my mum."

I stared at the blank space behind her desk absentmindedly before turning on her with a glare. "Not only did you not mention your mother was home, but you also didn't mention she was Harue freakin' Rie!"

She held her hands up in surrender. "I honestly didn't know she'd be at home!" she looked down at her feet. "She's mostly never at home." "I didn't want you to get intimidated by her. So I didn't tell you who she was."

I gave a mirthless chuckle. "No wonder why everyone in class is half scared to death of you. Jounin commander's daughter. A fearsome title."

She wilted. "A burdensome title."

We bumped fists. "A toast to that."

We spent the rest of the afternoon making poor progress on our assigned homework in favour of mucking around with playing cards. After losing consecutively for the fifth time I threw down my cards in defeat, stretching my arms behind me. "Well, I'm pooped. How do you manage to keep winning?"

She tried for a mysterious smile. "A magician never reveals their secret."

I rolled my eyes. "You've been cheating."

"Maybe."

I coughed out a laugh and left the room. "I'm going to get some water." I heard a soft 'ok' as I quietly closed the door behind me.

Entering the kitchen I found the commander already sitting there, chin tucked into her linked fingers. She waved a piece of seal paper between her two fingers. "Nifty little parlour trick you've got here." She nodded at me to take a seat. I did so hesitantly. "Now before you get your hopes up kid, just know that you most likely will not be receiving an answer." Her mouth twisted into a grim smile as she gestured for me to speak.

I took in a deep breath. "Is the kunoichi still alive?"

"Next."

"Have you got any leads on the perpetrator?"

"Next."

"What was the item that they were looking for?"

She stared me down, unimpressed. "Look kid, I may have all day but this conversation isn't going anywhere." I knitted my brows, glowering at the floor like a kicked puppy. Her eyes softened slightly. "Whatever you want to know...don't. Your ignorance is the only thing keeping you safe."

I pressed my lips together, swallowing the bad taste in my mouth. "So her death was meaningless."

There was an imperceptible inclination of the head that neither agreed nor disagreed. Her demeanour was completely unapologetic, borderline unfeeling. But then again, why wouldn't it be. Shinobi died all the time. Shinobi were everything if not bountiful, interchangeable, expendable. I'd temporarily forgotten her for what she was. This Harue was not kaa-chan's friend. She was the Jounin Commander, and no stranger to sending soldiers to their deaths. I steeled myself. "Well then I have one more question."

Her eyes glinted. "Go ahead."

"Do you need more information?" Suddenly she was centimetres from my face, displeasure rolling off her in waves. Her chakra was suffocating.

"Kid, did you go against my explicit instructions and involve yourself further in this case?"

"No Commander." I leveled my voice and deliberately met her eyes. A defiant fire lit in my chest. I would avenge the dead kunoichi.

She stared into me for an uncomfortably long time before she blinked and let out a sigh. "Fine, let's hear it. What else have you got to offer?"

I licked my dried lips. "I believe this will be able to cut down on your suspects. On the day, the more powerful of the two. He was a wind user."

"…A wind user, you say? And how do figure that?"

"I'm a chakra sensor. I could tell he had a very strong affinity to wind. I don't know how quite to explain it. But it's like a pattern in chakra and it becomes really obvious what affinity you are in a state of heightened emotion. And that man, he was… very angry."

She was silent in thought for a while before she delivered a swift nod. "Thanks kid, I'll take it from there. If there's anything you remember from that day, please tell me. Other than that, same rule as before. No more involvement."

Thankfully, Furumi came down just at this moment. It saved me from making promises I couldn't keep. "Is everything ok here?"

Harue dismissed her question with a grunt. I gave her a reassuring smile, "Just talking with your mum about her job. It's pretty fascinating."

Furumi gave an unconvinced nod before pulling me over to her side. Her voice wavered with a fearful edge. "Let's get you home now."

"Wait, what?"

She shot me a desperate look. "Don't you have to be home early today? You don't want to be late again, do you?"

My eyes met hers and I nodded. "It's - that's true." I turned to Harue. "Thanks for having me commander." I touched a hand to my forehead in a mocking salute before being forced out the door by Furumi.

When we had cleared far enough from her house I ripped my hand from her painful grasp. "Did something possess you?"

She brought a hand to her elbow, avoiding my searching look. "What did she say to you?"

I frowned. "What do you mean? She was just telling me about her job." I gave her an odd look. "We weren't lying to you." Being surrounded by licensed deceivers, you tend to pick up a thing or two.

She watched me for a long time before sighing. "Look, it wouldn't be the first time my mum lied to me." She took a seat on a park bench, swinging her legs against the dirt ground. I joined to sit beside her. "She's not your typical housewife mother. She doesn't bake cookies, or press flowers, or practice tea ceremonies... hell she's never home half the time."

We watched as a little boy ran pass us, chasing a ball with his parents in tow, laughing as they ran after him.

She huffed. "She's not a very good mother and I'm not her real daughter."

I stilled but said nothing. Something told me Furumi was not adopted out of the sweet kindness of Harue's child-weak heart. What a melodramatic turn of events. Jiraiya would have a kick recycling this into one of his sick excuses of a book. If he hadn't already.

"I think I was about your age when I was adopted. She found me as a young orphan, off the borders of the Wind Country. I'd travelled quite a distance and escaped from some bandits. I was half dead by the time her team got to me. That was what I've been told anyway."

I side glanced at her.

She wore a bitter smile. "You see, I don't actually remember anything before waking up in a Konoha hospital bed."

My mind reeled with all the things she was hinting at. "You think Harue-sama wiped your memories."

She shook her head. "I know." She looked over at me. "They weren't very discreet about it, the nurses. Heard them gossiping when they thought I was asleep." Her fists were clenched at her sides.

"Did you ever find out why they would do such a thing?"

"My abilities probably."

"You have a kekkei genkai?" This was a surprising development. Although it would explain Konoha's interest in her.

She pulled her shirt aside to reveal a seal emblazed across her shoulder. At my look of understanding, she exchanged a rueful smile. "Yeah, afraid I'm not really in a position to say much." She leaned back against the seat, throwing her arms behind her head. "My mother only has one mode, no matter how much she tries to hide it or pretend otherwise. Jounin Commander. Shinobi. She's Konoha's Harue Rie first and foremost. Seeing as I've lived with her almost my whole life, I can safely tell you she's not above manipulating children." She gestured to herself as if to say 'look at me, I'm a perfect example'.

I gave a slow nod.

She made a big show of shrugging her shoulders and stood up, patting herself off. Extending her hand, we participated in a handshake. I believe it was a show of trust and the best way of conveying her friendship for me. I felt oddly solemn as I watched her stalking off, into the village that likely wasn't even hers, back to the woman that wasn't her real mother.

"We're going on a trip, Kareha-chan!" a hyper, over-enthusiastic shishou sang. I opened a bleary eye to glance at the red head currently hanging off my window, face just peeping past the ledge. Her excited grin had a hint of mischief. She began cackling. Scratch 'a hint', I shivered as a sense of apprehension travelled down my spine. I shrugged myself back into the warm cocoon, not unlike a tortoise seeking refuge in its shell. I heard Kushina click her tongue playfully. Suddenly, all warmth and life left me as the blanket – my only lifeline, ripped viciously away. I wrapped my arms pitifully around my body as the demon red head wagged a forefinger in my face. "Nu-uh. We've having fun. And I'm serious this time."

Oh right. The previous 'trips' I got cajoled into ended up with many unlikely enemies made and a horde of angry anbu hot on our heels. I'll spare the details but it was safe to say that Konoha unanimously bar Kushina did not find it 'fun'. Despite the high stress levels that the situation demanded - me being me - I still managed to drop Shisui's name as the perpetrator. It was something we liked to call the name blame game. Any atrocious deed one committed would be pooled onto the other and there would be no hard feelings. I believe I had the upper hand, what with Kushina dragging me all over the village constantly and me hollering like a broken record 'The name's Shisui. UCHIHA SHISUI! REMEMBER IT YOU DIMWITS!'

At her tenth minute of incessant nagging, I groaned, flailing in my bed like a fish out of water. "Not. A. Morning. Person."

She snatched my limp body up. "No problem. Shishou can fix that. Now let's gooo!"

Moments later, my eyes were drooping as I sat on a bar stool that had been specifically designed to accommodate my height. In my drunken sleepiness, I unwittingly sent some food catapulting and kitchen tools missing. After putting out the fifth fire, Kushina decided her stubbornness could no longer hold its own against my own impressive catastrophic presence when in a kitchen paired with severe sleep deprivation. If I had enough energy, I'd fist the air in triumph. But alas, all I could do at this moment was snuggle into Minato's side and wait for the other side to completely consume me. My last thought wasn't particularly tasteful. Flaky-san smelt like sunshine.

My nose twitched to the smell of something mouth-watering. Stretching out my arms behind me I let out a massive yawn and staggered into the kitchen. On the bench were bento boxes stacked mountain high and a red head observing her tower with great pride. She noticed me and cracked a wide grin. "You're finally up. You were giving Minato a very hard time this morning – dattebane."

I quirked a questioning eyebrow. That's weird. "I am told that I'm pretty good in bed."

Kushina coughed the wrong way and started watering at the eyes. "Did your kaa-chan say that to you?" she finally gasped.

"Of course. Who else would it be?" I supplied simply. "Are you ok?" I eyed shishou who was presently thumping her chest and wheezing like an old man on his deathbed.

She downed a cup of water and sighed. "I'm fine." She gasped.

I scrutinised her face suspiciously and folded my arms across my chest, "You don't believe me. I can swear to all my ancestors - especially Hashirama-sama - that I'm an incredible sleeping companion."

She turned red again, her complexion rivalling the roots of her flaming crimson hair. "N-no, it was just a joke, Kareha-chan!" she let out a deep breath and began mushing my cheeks between her palms. "Minato was just saying you were so adorable sleeping that he almost didn't want to go meet his team."

I let out a quiet 'oh'. "Well you can let him know that he was really nice sleeping with too."

"We're actually going to see him now." Her eyes gleamed something dangerous. "Why don't you tell that to him yourself?"

I shrugged. What was the big deal? "Sure."

I exited the house first, watching Kushina as she heaved the stack of bento boxes and sealed it into a trusty storage tag and followed me out, tucking the door close with a foot. "So where can we find this Team 7?"

She touched a thoughtful forefinger to her chin. "I think they've been relocated to the training field you and Kakashi trashed."

I blanched at the reminder. "My bad."

She absent-mindedly waved a hand. "Don't take it to heart. Minato actually offered to use that training field. Said it'd be useful for further experimentation and whatnot. So if you think about it, you guys completely obliterating the place was actually a blessing in disguise!"

Tugging a piece of hair out of my face, I nodded somewhat unconvinced. Shishou sure had a roundabout way of comforting people.

Soon, sounds of metal clashing against metal was heard as we arrived at the edge of the artificially created clearing. My eyes bulged as Kakashi got thrown onto his ass by the blonde jounin. Minato's movements were sharp and unpredictable as he lashed out at incredible speeds. And this was all done without the assistance of his hiraishin. He battled the other two students simultaneously, sending a goggled idiot who tried to creep behind him, sailing into a tree. The only kunoichi on the team was providing meaningless support, flinging shuriken that couldn't possibly hit its intended target. Although the goggled idiot seemed to enjoy taking them in the back in his sensei's stead. Not a minute later, all three were sprawled across the ground, out of commission. Minato looked up to catch Kushina's cheeky grin and my small wave. A cheesy smile bloomed across his own face before he bent down to say something to his students. He then pointed behind them at us two whom they immediately recognised as bearers of food and their much needed salvation. Whilst Kakashi was brushing the dirt from his clothes, I ricocheted towards him, throwing my arms around his neck. "Bakashi! How dare you get toyed around so easily by Minato-san?! Uncle would be ashamed. Ashamed!"

He grunted, trying to shake me off. "I'd like to see you try and take on sensei."

I adopted a maniacal grin, "…Is that a bet?"

Unfortunately, Minato had still been within earshot at that moment and forcibly dragged the two of us by the scruff of our necks to the picnic blanket that Kushina had laid out. The brunette was talking animatedly with shishou and the goggled idiot had already powered through his second bento. I finally understood the need for the copious amount of food shishou prepared this morning.

Kushina pulled me down beside her and clapped her hands excitedly. "Team 7, this is my favourite cutest student, Kareha-chan!" she pointed at the brunette with the cropped hair and the goggled idiot. "That's Rin-chan and that's-"

"-Uchiha Obito." I concluded for her, a glower piercing said boy.

He looked bewildered and slightly scared at my obvious and not so positive recognition of him. He shrunk under my glare. Kakashi paused in his meal to analyse the awkward atmosphere that had settled between the two of us. "How do you know the idiot?"

Before Obito could throw a hissy fit and start yelling at Kakashi I began regaling the story of when I first discovered the existence of the goggled idiot. "A few weeks ago, I was introduced to the best thing that ever happened to me, the love of my life, my soul mate..." - "Just get on with it." I slapped Kakashi over the shoulder. - "Uruchi-sama's senbei. Fast forward a few days, I was in a terrible mood and so happened to pass into the Uchiha district. Uruchi-sama saw my blatant distress and offered me free nori senbei. Instantly I was content once more and world peace had been restored. Until this-" I jabbed a thumb at the dumbfounded Uchiha, "-goggled idiot tripped over his own feet and planted his idiotic face into my food."

Obito leapt up to his feet, a hand touching the side of his face, "So you were the brat that beat me up!"

I smirked, eying the place his hand was currently cradling pathetically. For pulling his little stunt he was gifted a pretty little shoe print by yours truly. "You shouldn't have touched what you couldn't afford."

"You just said that it was free!"

I clicked my tongue. "Like I said, don't touch what you can't afford." Kakashi snorted appreciatively in the background.

"Oi! You brat!"

Before the situation could escalate any further, Minato's hand dropped onto both our shoulders, placating. "I'm sure it was all just a misunderstanding. Let's just eat up for now, alright?"

I gave a petulant pout and turned my head away. The goggled idiot did the same, folding his arms across his chest. Minato let out sigh and gave up. I cupped a hand to Kakashi's ear, "I feel sorry that you have someone like him on your team."

He shot the oblivious Uchiha a smug look. "Tell me about it."

I could feel a frown directed at me and turned to see the brunette, her expressions pinched with worry. "Rin-san, is there something wrong?"

She shook her head and faked a smile. "Of course. You and Kakashi-kun seem quite close."

I grinned. "That's because he's my Kashi-nii. I'm his precious sister."

Kakashi made a disgruntled noise of denial in the back of his throat. A small look of relief dawned on Rin's face and she beamed genuinely. "He must be very lucky to have you for a sister."

Flipping some hair over my shoulder theatrically, I sniffed, "Obviously."

Obito muttered something under his breath that sounded distinctly like 'hideous brat'. Without sparing him a glance, I toppled over his bento with a small gust of wind. He squawked indignantly but didn't dare do anything as shishou's murderous aura flooded the clearing. I hid a smug smirk behind a pair of chopsticks.

I bit into an omelette piece. "Oh and before I forget Minato-san, shishou wanted me to tell you that you're very competent in bed."

A/N And that wraps things up, folks! Oh Kareha, how you bully Naruto's parents so. And I absolutely love the old couple that own the Uchiha Senbei. They really do exist by the way and hopefully you'll be seeing a lot more of them. Gosh I just want to cuddle them so much. :3

Welp! I'm back after almost a month, sorry guys! Thanks to the reviewers who've brought me back.

GinaRogers Great minds really do think alike. I had this idea cooking in my head for a while and when I couldn't find it, I just decided to write it myself. I'm so glad it's met your expectations! P.S Shisui will be back very soon.

bookdragonslayer Thanks for your enthusiasm. I reckon you could hazard a guess as to her affinity. ;)