Izumi was not pouting by any means! She simply wasn't pouting! Clan leaders did not pout.
Except, perhaps she was. Just a little, however, so you can take your judgement of her and shove it out of a window for all she cared. She was less than pleased at being "babysat" seeing as she was mature and well-trained. Why did she need babysitters? She had Oka and Seishiro, but they were out of the question seeing as Seishiro was injured on a mission, and Oka refused to leave his side and while she wanted to argue, her mother would hear none of it!
Mother was not a pushy woman; no she was cheerful and bright with a nice attitude, so when she told Izumi not to argue, it shut the 84 year old up in an instant. She was pouting, though. Mother and Father insisted that children should not be home alone and it was maddening!
She did not like being babysat as no one seemed to understand her outside of her family, but the number of people she trusted was dwindling very, very quickly.
Oka was taking care of her husband.
Seishiro was said husband.
Rei had broken bones.
Hiromi's mum and dad were on a romantic day.
She had no one else.
Her frustrations leaned more to the fact that her parents were afraid she would be kidnapped if they left alone. Apparently you could not hide from two ex-ANBU that their child was being stalked by strange men, and of course it meant Izumi had little to no freedom, even during the day when she could be practicing her kata at home, alone.
Mother's voice interrupted her musings, "Now, sweetheart, do you remember who we're visiting today?"
"Your teammate's wife." Izumi responded, and Mother smiled at her, ruffling her hair in a way that caused her to flinch delicately. Her mother's lack of respect towards her hair was sickening, and it was even worse than those cursed ink stains from two years ago.
Mother hummed. "I'm excited for you." She admitted. "You'll be spending a lot more time with Mirai-can when I'm with my squad, you know. You have to be on your best behavior, okay?" They spoken about this weeks ago, now that Izumi was in the Academy, her mother wanted to pursue a genin squad of her own. She nodded with litte interest in the subject.
"Hai, Kaa-chan."
Mother knocked on the door and waited for a few moments. "Mirai-chan, it's me," She called through the door. Izumi raised an eyebrow at the three chakra signitures inside the building. There was something inside the apartment that made her uncomfortable. It was not imminent instead it was something...powerful that Izumi didn't usually feel in anyone in the village besides ANBU, or clan heads.
The door opened and in spite of her usual self-control, she watched with interest, and out popped a pregnant woman, her hand rubbing against her stomach and she smiled at Mother.
"Hey, Asuka-chan!" The woman, Murai, greeted as she wrapped an arm around her waist. She didn't look two far along and that accounted for two of the three chakra signitures, and she smiled lightly at the woman. Even back in her past life, Izumi had a respect for pregnant women as the strongest of their kind. They carried a child for nine months then risked their lives to bring them into the world.
"Good morning, Murai; how's the little one?" She leaned down, with a hesitating hand and the woman nodded quickly allowing Mother to touch the baby bump.
"Fine, but he's as cruel to me as his lazy father. He never wants to move when I want him to, only when I'm trying to sleep." Murai laughed, pausing only to examine the mixed-haired girl. "Ah, you brought Izumi-chan. Sakumo will be so happy to his goddaughter, finally."
That made Izumi freeze. Sakumo was her mother's teammate (she had never met him), but she was in no way aware of his identity as her godfather. Mirai allowed her two guests inside the home, while she was quickly examined by Izumi. Mirai Hatake was short (she understood Izumi's pain) with long, long inky black hair and delicate features. Her eyes were almond-shaped with a dark coloring, and she was using red lipstick alongside a red maternity dress.
Izumi's eyes darted from her babysittier to the house, taking in each detail. The home was quaint, with a comfortable and home-ish feeling about that made her feel less guarded. There were scrolls and documents sprawled over the table, with lots of pillows on the couch. Her eyebrows raised when she saw the table actually had chairs. All of her life, dinner had been served on zabuton, which was a cushion that you sat on your knees on.
"I'm so thankful that you've been so good a friend." Mirai laughed softly. "I couldn't have asked for a better friend, Asuka. I just have to thank you for all of those baby clothes; they are all so high-class. We couldn't have afford silk and satin like this."
"What are friends for?" She rubbed her friend's bump, "Besides, we've known each other since our Academy days! Besides, Noboru would have absolutey died if he didn't give something to you. I had to stop him from buying a crib set, because be was going crazy. Thankful, most of Izumi's clothes were unisex colors, so it's no gender problem at all."
Izumi watched the adults with facination, clinging to every word as she learned more about her parent's world.
"Noboru always did try to be my elder brother, and I'm so thankful for it. He's got a good heart, but you should have seen when I told him. I swear he almost fainted!"
A devious smile lit up on Mother's face, and she leaned in as far as she could. "He did faint when I told him with Izumi. He had a mild concussion." Both women laughed, and Mother continued after catching her breath. "Thank you for watching Izumi. She has her backpack because her teacher assigned weekend work, so just make sure she does it. Otherwise, it'll feel like she's not even here,"
"It's no problem at all, Asuka." Mirai's face darkened, and she glanced at Izumi (who acted as if she was preoccupied with a scroll), and continued quietly. "I've been hearing stories about children getting...I think she's safer here with Sakumo while you two are busy." Her voice came up an octave. "Besides I need more experience with young children! I mean, Izumi's not a infant, but all the others say they grow up too fast." Mirai announced cheerfully.
Izumi had little interest in their conversation after that, it had changed to frivilious topics with little information. The 84 year old was confused, way too confused for her likings. This topic was always being brought up, but what was happening? What happened to some children? Were they murdered; slaughtered in their bed? Or...?
She glanced around as she examined the house for that strange chakra feeling. Traces littered the entire house, and it was somewhere. It coursed through her veins like an electrical current (obviously it was an lightning chakra nature), and she followed it down a short-hallway. She crept down the hallway soundless, following the chakra. That was nothing new for her, tracking was part of survival. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end when she focused on the room where the chakra was.
It was huge (a mix of water and lightning) and she was frozen in the doorway when she swung it open. It hit her like a punch in the gut; this person was powerful.
"I guess you're Izumi-chan?" The man inside prompted gently, when he noticed her face, and she tilted her head as she examined him.
Sakumo had a kind face with dark eyes which possessed had very light lines (most likely from stress, not age) running underneath them, and spiky, silver-coloured hair that reached into the middle of his back tied in a ponytail. He wore a standard Konoha-nin uniform and Izumi spotted his vest lazily tossed to the side on a chair.
She nodded, unable to form words. His chakra was overwhelming, but in a strangely comforting way that just felt like protection.
"I'm not good with kids," He chuckled. "I planned on just hiding in here until you left. It seems like you are good at hide and seek. My name's Sakumo. It's nice to meet you," He held out his hand, and Izumi didn't take it right away.
She scruntinized every inch of him first, her pale eyes locking onto his in a battle of wills, and he visablly flinched under her sharp gaze, smiling awkwardly. It took her almost two seconds more before she shook his hand formally; firm and strong.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Goddofāzā." Izumi intoned, while Sakumo smiled brightly at her words.
"I see she found you," Mirai noted softly. Both whirled around to find her there with a big grin, an arm wrapped around her waist. "Asuka already left, she said to tell you thank you and that you are the 'best teammate ever'." Mirai gave him a smile, "So, Sakumo, why don't you help Izumi-chan with her homework?"
Both Sakumo and Izumi's shoulders dropped in reluctance.
...
Izumi looked over her notes and muttered under her breath as she reviewed what she needed to for homework, and her shoulders remained dropped as soon as her eyes fell on the section about genjutsu. She understood the art and nature of the subject inside and out, but Izumi would relucatantly admit that she had never been very good at it nor had she used it that much.
She glanced over at Sakumo, and her frown deepened significantly. It had taken her a few minutes to put together the fact that he was Konoha's White Fang, someone extroidinary, but he didn't look it right at the moment.
He was staring at the page of homework as if it were written in a different language of some sort, and he hadn't completed a single problem. While she had finished four sheets, he was stuck on this one problem that he couldn't seem to solve.
"I..." The man began. "What is this?" He gave her a inquiring glance and she looked over at it curiously, raising an eyebrow at him.
"Oh. Algebra." She said, before going back to writing the three methods for getting out of Genjutsu, and he remained quiet long enough for her to finish.
"It's math, but why is there letters in it?"
He really was not helping at all.
Izumi sighed, snatching the paper from him and proceeding to solve it for him, and he gawked. It left her with a feeling of superiority considering she only learned this last week, and she was slightly smirking. Only slightly.
Sakumo stared at the bundles of homework. "When I was the Academy, they were still trying to write the standards and cirriculum. I was learning how to throw kunai, not algebra. It doesn't seem like it would help much on the battlefield."
Izumi dropped her pencil at his words and he looked at her concerned, while she just smiled, idly tapping as she did so. He may be confused, but his exact opinion was WHAT SHE HAD BEEN SAYING FOR WEEKS!
Someone understands...
...
She did admit that she was a little disappointed to leave the Hatake Household, seeing as she had found she enjoyed it there.
Mirai fed her all sorts of sweets (they were rare in her time, and Izumi was very fond of them), while Sakumo made her feel arrogant at his inability to do her homework. She did get to feel Mirai's baby moving around, and she learned it was a boy.
She also hoped they choose different names before it was born.
Izumi would be damned if they named him Botan.
...
True to her word, when Monday rolled around Izumi did invite the Akimichi to sit with her. Minato was off with a few of the more pleasant boys in class and Hiromi was with Mikoto trying to get Mebuki and Muika (she was a mousy, brown haired Yamanaka with strange red/brown eyes) to go to the park later today with them.
Juncho sat anxiously at the long picnic table under the sakura trees that Izumi had chosen for them to sit. It was a decent area considering the shade it provided shade from the warm afternoons and the protection from rain or snow. Izumi sat across from her new 'friend' eating her meal at a quick pace (it was habit, her past childhood consisted of starvation), and Juncho was simply picking at her meal. They were the only ones sitting at the table because of Izumi's friends being off in their own worlds and she simply didn't like anyone else.
Izumi finished her meal first, and sat there gazing at the girl near her. She didn't find it surprising that she had befriended an Akimichi (believe it or not, the Hyuga and Akimichi were very close allies during the Warring Era), but she was mildly surprised at how quickly stories of what happened three days ago got around.
The stories rotating around involved Izumi jumping those few boys outside after school and threatning them. One involved 1000 clones ready to strike, while another involved her attacking their chakra pathways so she didn't leave a mark. Each story was more wild than the last, but the message was clear. Not only Juncho Akimichi, but the Minato and Hiromi were off-limits to bullies.
Not one to enjoy silence someone was around, Izumi spoke first. "So you're from a ninja family right? Or are your parents civilians?" asked the short girl with interest. She had heard of times when clan member (male and female) had decided to forsake their ancestors ways, and become civilains or retire as ninja.
Juncho smiled nervous, "My dad used to be a jonin, but he decided to retire when I was born. My mom is a part-time nurse, but they both run a resturant in the west side of town." Now that Izumi didn't expect, considering the girl's shy demeanor. Usually children of high-class ninja a have an air of confidence considering their parent's status in society.
"Oh? My clan compound is down there too." Izumi noted. "I'll have to tell my family." Her words prompted Juncho to smile widely at her. The girl had taken her words seriously, because she no longer wore clothing that was too big.
Her shorts were black, with a longer red shirt that was almost kimono-like. Her black hair was tied in a high pony, with a red headband that held back her bangs. The headband itself had long ribbons that went down to her neck. Izumi thought she looked very, very nice.
"That's nice," she said "it would really help their business. What about you?"
Izumi made a thoughtful noise, "Mama is an ex-ANBU that has a genin team, and Papa is an ex-ANBU who now serves as a jonin." She looked at her placidly while Juncho seemed to have a light in her eyes.
"That's really cool. No wonder you're so strong!" Juncho recoiled shyly. "My parents are proud of me. I want to achieve big things like jonin and ANBU, just to make them really happy. They that it's an honor to serve Hokage-sama."
"True," Izumi said. "Titles do not make the ninja, nor does it mean you have achieved anything big. Is ANBU really your dream?"
Juncho flushed, and her cheeks lit up in color. Izumi did feel like Juncho wanted her family to be proud of her, but that was not what she wanted at all. She didn't quite belong to the category of people who just wanted to be ninja.
"I want to be a medic." Juncho blushed, and Izumi thought back to how important healers were in her day. They meant life or death, they were the ones that were truly important..
While Akimichi healers were a rarity these day, Izumi could see Juncho as one and whole-heartedly believed in the girl. She just needed some of Izumi's confidence, so she smiled and wrapped an arm around her nes friend.
"Well, I believe you can do it."
Izumi noticed that Juncho's smile never left her face for the rest of the day. Even when they were doing Algebra.
...
Two days later, Izumi meets her mom's genin team. They were fresh out of the Academy and as far as she knew, they were all clan children. Mother had bragged about how they were the best of their class and such.
Tsume Inuzuka, Hiashi Hyuga, and Shibi Aburame were in for a surprise when when they arrive for dinner with their teacher's family. Izumi answers the door at their knock, and gawks.
The first question Izumi asks when she sees them is simple:
"Why the hell are they so old?"
...
Thanks so much for the reviews! If you hadn't noticed Botan is what the Naruto writers orignally considered naming Kakashi, so I thought I would throw that in there. Kakashi is a main character, and as you can see Izumi will have good reason to know him :) I've been planning the chapter for a week, trying to figure out when to throw in Sakumo and Mirai. It is a little slow, I know, but I like drawing things out. It makes for a better story. I hope you enjoy, and that that one reviewer, thanks for your help on English 'is' and 'are'. I'm from France and it's been kind of confusing, with all these rules and phrases. Please enjoy and review!
