"Sometimes me think, 'What is friend?' Then me say, 'Friend is someone to share the last cookie with.'" – Cookie Monster

Chapter 12

Making friends is apparently harder than I thought it was. There weren't actually that many people my age that I got to interact with. Not having gone to the civilian school I didn't know any of the children that weren't heading down the shinobi track, and the only Academy kids I knew had already graduated, besides Anko, who didn't seem to know many people in her class, or at the very least she didn't seem to like them. I did get to spend more time with her, as she came by the café a lot, Anko's sweet tooth making an appearance, especially after a particularly 'taxing' day for the purple haired girl. She really liked the snacks from the café. Kurenai would occasionally join us if she had the time between missions and training.

I was trying to convince Rin to join us, so that we could try and make a trio a proper group and could have more regular meetings, but the girl wasn't fond of me after I had told her that her crush on Kakashi was unrequited and that fact was unlikely to change. Being forced into the friend zone was harsh on girls too it seemed. And Gai's team didn't have a girl on it. According to Kurenai, there weren't a lot of girls in the Academy anymore and even less were graduating, the fear of going to war was off-putting to a lot of young girls, despite that kunoichi generally weren't on the front lines.

I had invited Kurenai and Anko over for dinner to tell them my concerns about the Uchiha clan.

"So, I have some sencha tea and my new white chocolate biscuits for us today. Tou-san is also planning on adding gyokuro tea to the menu, it will match our dark chocolate mints really well, I quite like the relaxing properties of it myself."

"Thank you, Sayuri-chan.," Kurenai took her cup of tea as I put the plate of biscuits in the middle of the table.

"Yeah. Real swell. Your Tou-san like tea and you're following in his footsteps. What do you want to talk about?" Anko was as blunt as ever. I raised an eyebrow at her as I sat at the table. "You only ever bring out something new for us to try if you have something specific you want to talk about. So, what's up?" I took a deep sigh as I slumped down.

"I'm worried about the Uchiha Clan." I spat out.

"Why? They can look after themselves." Anko dived straight for the biscuits.

"I have to agree with Anko-chan. The clans have always protected themselves."

"I'm not worried about them being attacked. I'm worried about them being segregated from the rest of the Village. I've noticed it already when Mikoto-san wanted to talk to me I was seeing Uchiha's everywhere, but now, the only Uchiha's I see anywhere are wearing KMPF uniforms, the rest just live in their compound, I don't seem them interacting with anyone else. And I'm just scared that we, as a village, are just helping them close themselves off."

"And what's wrong with that?" Anko askes as an arch of crumbs sprayed from her mouth.

"So disgusting." Kurenai scoffed, as I turned up my nose at the mess accumulating on my table. "How are you even passing kunoichi class?"

"With the power of chakra, and my gorgeous good looks. But don't change the subject, back to the Uchiha's being introverted. Princess?" Anko pointed the remains of her latest biscuit at me.

"I worry that with the tensions so high from the war that it won't take much for the people, for civilians and the genin corps, to turn on our more secluded clan. Even the Aburame clan makes an effort to work alongside our farmers, and they're known to be secluded." And I saw a few Aburame members around the village, but the Uchiha's were always few and far between in comparison.

"So, they keep to themselves. Boo hoo. Sad for them. Why are you concerned about it?"

"What do you think will happen if people start to actively shun the Uchiha clan? One of the founding clans. One known for their pride" There was a pause as Anko and Kurenai thought about what that would look like.

"It could be a disaster. Either they would attempt to rise up and try to take control of the Village for the slight, or they would follow the ways of Madara and leave. Either way, it would be an actual disaster for Konoha. We would be left weakened; our police force would be reduced to less than a tenth of its current size."

"That would be bad."

"Yes Anko-chan, that would be bad."

"Ha-ha, Kurenai. I got that. So, I can see why you're worried Princess. What are you going to do about it?"

"I'm not sure, I'm planning on just starting on making good connections with the Uchiha clan. Mikoto is my cousin after all, and she wants to open communications between us."

"Weren't there big issues between you and the Uchiha's? That was started by Uchiha-Oba-San?"

"That was mainly between the elders and me. Mikoto-san and Fugaku-san were just the unfortunate middlemen, they backed off a while ago. Mikoto-san has even apologised since then. I got to meet my new cousin, I think he is the reason they backed off. They don't want the elders to have the control over me that they would over him." I took a sip of my, now cold, tea, grabbing a biscuit from the plate I noticed that there was only one left, glancing at Anko she shrugged at my accusing glare, completely unapologetic.

"You seem to notice quite a bit Sayuri-chan. A lot more than some of your peers." Kurenai also cast a quick eye at Anko.

"Thank you, Kurenai. Okaa-san said that it comes from my Uchiha heritage, but Tou-san likes to claim that it comes from him and a natural instinct for long-term planning."

"Yeah, yeah. Princess is a clever cookie and Red Eye is picking up on it."

"Are we all getting nicknames Anko?" Kurenai remarked from behind her cup.

"Yep."

"Good to know. So, plans. How do we help the Uchiha clan socialize?"

"Hmmm. Not sure, we made need some help." Anko leaned backward before laying back completely to look up at the ceiling.

"I can see about trying to get Mikoto-san to take a more active role in the Village. What about your team? Would they be of any use?"

"Possibly. I'd have to talk with them."

"Just flirt with Hokage Junior, everyone knows that he'd do anything for you."

"Thank you for the advice Anko, I'll take it into account.

"So, you're going to help."

"Yep." "Guess so."

"Yay." I allowed Anko to take the last biscuit.

…

I next got to see Mikoto again in March, we had spent the day before celebrating Okaa-sans birthdays, she wasn't there, as usual, so I put my gift to her in a draw for her to open later. It was the next day, on the first, that I got a surprise visit from the Uchiha Matriarch.

"Oh, Mikoto-san, and little baby Itachi. How are you?"

"Sayuri-chan. It's lovely to see you again, I've been better, Itachi hasn't been sleeping through the night and has decided to let all of the household know."

"Ah, so you are quite tired."

"Quite. You mentioned at the New Year's festival that you would look after Itachi if asked."

"Of course. You need a night off then?"

"I would hate to say so, I love Itachi-kun dearly, but I don't think Fugaku-sama and I have had any time to ourselves since Itachi-kun was born."

"I understand. Tou-san used to send me to stay with Sakumo-Oji-sama, when do you need me to look after him, and where would you prefer for Itachi-kun to be for that night. I know Tou-san wouldn't oppose if you wanted the house to yourself."

"If you could come to the house it would be appreciated, I'm not quite ready for Itachi-kun to stay in other places without me or Fugaku-sama yet."

"That is fine. So, when?"

"Tomorrow if possible. I know that it's short notice, but I just need a bit of time to myself."

"Okay. I'll come around at four, that way you can get the most out of your evening."

"Thank you, Sayuri-chan., It means a lot to me."

"There is nothing to worry about Mikoto-san. I'll see you tomorrow."

…

The next day came and I went off to the Uchiha compound. I was stopped at the entrance by two police members, I won't say that I nearly wet myself when they suddenly appeared before me, but I think my heart stopped for a second. Turns out I had to sign in, makes sense, I guess. Not a great a way to welcome people to interact with the clansmen thought. I got a bit lost in the compound, it was a bit bigger than I thought it was, a mini-village in the Village, I did get to run into Obito in my wandering.

"Obito-kun!" I called as I waved him down.

"Oh! Hey, Sayuri-chan. What are you doing here?"

"I'm going to see Mikoto-san. I'm going to be looking after Itachi-chama this evening. How have you been, I haven't seen Kashi-nii in a while, have you been busy?" Obito started walking in the direction I assumed Mikoto's house was in.

"It's been a bit manic lately, we've been doing a lot of border patrols, but we're back for the next few weeks while Rin-chan heals up. She got hurt on our last patrol so we've been given time to allow her to recover. I don't know what Bakashi has been up to, probably training."

"You're not training then?"

"I'm taking a few days off to spend them with my Obaa-chan. I haven't had the chance lately, and she's old."

"Aww, that's sweet. Tou-san and Okaa-san have been busier than ever, so I haven't seen much of them lately either. I spend a lot of my time with Yume-sensei, but she has her own duties to take care of, so I try to work at the café to keep myself occupied."

"So, you are spending a lot of time by yourself?" Obito's tone seemed concerned, but his face was relaxed if a bit curious.

"Well I invite Anko-chan and Kurenai-chan to visit whenever they have the chance, Rin-chan also has a standing invitation if she ever wanted to stop by. The café has been helping, but business has been slow at the moment, and I don't want to take work away from the few employees we have." I thought about the café, there was still a profit, but nowhere near as large as before. "Oh! And Momo-san finally proposed to Chouza-san, she got tired of waiting for him to do it."

"Really? When did that happen?"

"Just after New Years. Apparently, she thought he was going to do it at the festival, but when he didn't she got fed up and when and did it herself."

"Way to go Momo-san!"

"I know. She was as proud as a peacock when she came in the next day." I could see a lager house ahead of us.

"Well send her my congratulations the next time you see her. I've heard that Shikaku-sama has also found himself a lady love."

"No~!"

"Yep. I don't know all the details, but I do know that she's in the chūnin corps. What I heard, from actual over-hearing it from the man himself and Minato-sensei, is that she's in Intelligence and that Inoichi-sama was the one to introduce the two."

"Inoichi-san just needs to find himself a girl and that'll be the three of them sorted, and maybe in a few years we could be seeing the next generation of Ino-Shika-Cho."

"That makes us sound like a couple of old biddies Sayu-chan." Obito pouted.

"Well I'm not sure about you, but I'm still young. I mean Kakashi-nii had grey hair, maybe you're hiding a few in your own dark locks."

"So rude Sayu-chan. And here I was, being a noble hero and leading you to your destination, and there you go, insulting me."

"I have no regrets."

"Well on that note, here is Mikoto-sama's home. I'll leave you to it."

"Thank you for walking me here Obito-kun, I know I'd be lost without you. Remind Rin that she can come visit me whenever she wants, and tell Kakashi that I owe him a story the next time you see him."

"Will do. Have fun!"

…

I stepped up to the main door of the large house. Before I could even raise my hand to knock the door slid open. Mikoto took one look at me, handed me a bundle and left in a flash. The bundle turned out to be Itachi, giggling away at my stunned expression as I moved mechanically into the house.

It was a very traditional home from what I could see. Wooden floors, paper doors, and sparsely decorated; only a few painted of the area surrounding Konoha and what I could only assume to be Uchiha heirlooms. I took Itachi to the largest room on the ground floor, guessing that it was most likely the main living area, complete with low table and sitting cushions.

There were some baby toys on the floor, plush kunai and shuriken, as well as other toys that I recognised; rattles, teething rings, and cuddly bears.

"So, it's just you and me now Itachi-chama. What should we do, ne?" He just giggles, such a happy baby. "I could tell you some of the stories my parents used to me when I was little…the first time. Would you like that? I'll take your giggle as a yes. Okay, once up a time there was a dragon, a large dragon with scales as black as coal…" I told Itachi the story my dad once told me to explain the phases of the moon. I was just getting to the part where the mice nibble off the end of the dragons' tail when I was interrupted.

"Miko-chan~" I was glad that I had put Itachi down while I was telling him the story as I was violently tackled from the side.

Dazed, probably slightly concussed, the figure that attacked me moved away.

"You're not Miko-chan." A decidedly feminine voice said as I blinked away the black spots in view. "Who are you then short stuff?"

I slowly pulled myself up, wincing as my ribs seemed to crack back into place, Itachi stopped giggling when the intruder arrived but had started back up when I groaned in pain. Such a happy baby.

"I'm pretty sure I'm Sayuri Akiyama, but I might be wrong. I think I just became slightly concussed." My vision had finally cleared so I could look at my attacker, it was a woman and not some effeminate man. Taller than my eight-year-old self, I looked up at the woman, she had long red hair and violet eyes that looked back at me with concern. She looked familiar, but who she was I couldn't place.

"Ya' okay kid?"

"I just told you my name is Sayuri Akiyama. But yes, I'm okay."

"Good, good. I would hate to tell Miko-chan that I hurt her guest."

"I'm currently her childminder, but the rest of the time I'm actually her cousin," I responded dryly.

"Oh! You're that Sayuri-chan!"

"Yes. I am apparently that Sayuri-chan. And you are?"

"How can you not know? I am the future Hokage! Kushina Uzumaki!"

"That's great to know. I'll keep that in mind for the future. But now for the next important question. Why are you here?"

"Such a serious child." Kushina pouted as she grabbed my face and squished it. "Cheer up kid. You're what, ten?"

"I'm eight," I muttered through pursed lips.

"See! You're just a brat. Act your age."

"Maybe later." I then felt my hair getting mussed up, I glared at Kushina. Itachi was still enjoying himself though. "Yeah, keep laughing at me Itachi-chama. I'm going to remember every stupid thing you'll ever do and hold it against you for the rest of your life."

"Ne, kid, relax." The red head sat down in front of me, a large grin stretching across her face. I pouted at her, she as almost blinding.

"You never said why you're here."

"Ah! I was meant to see Miko-chan. I mean I didn't tell her that I was coming over but she should know that I was going to show up when she least expected it – ttenbayo." So, like the Spanish Inquisition then?

"Hmmm, well Mikoto-san has gone out for the evening, she said that she and Fugaku-san haven't had much time to themselves since Itachi-chama was born."

"Phh. So super Okaa-san Mikoto Uchiha had to take a break from her nine-month-old. For shame Miko-chan, for shame." Kushina shook her head as a Cheshire cat grin spread across her face.

I got to spend the rest of the evening talking with Kushina, after a simple dinner we tried to put Itachi to bed for the night. Emphasise on 'tried', Itachi did not want to go to sleep, he cried and protested our attempts to get him to sleep. Loudly. All night.

Where did that happy baby go?