"Naruto."

Miho watched as her friend slid an arm over the countertop, pushing the assembled bags of chips, cookies, protein balls, and ramen cascaded onto a waiting expanded scroll on the floor. It was definitely efficient, but Miho cringed when some crunchy cookies shattered on the ground. They'd taste just as good broken. Naruto ignored her, using his bare foot to maneuver the snacks into a pile over the seal.

"Naruto."

He ignored her again, making sure that each bit of food was situated just right on the seal. If he didn't get it all within the seal's perimeter, it wouldn't be stored. Fondness crept up on Miho and she felt a rush of love for Naruto. There were at least five cups of instant ramen in that pile. He bolted upright, gasping, before he darted for his room. Miho let out a breath, watching him go.

"Naruto, it's seriously there's food th—"

"Just let him do it."

Sasuke was standing in the doorway to his room, arms crossed as he leaned into the frame. Miho wondered when he'd returned. His expression, as usual, was controlled. An almighty crash shook the floor of the apartment and, then and only then, did Sasuke grimace. Miho idly wondered if he regretted moving in—he had such a peaceful environment before. With the way he was eyeing her, Sasuke knew more than he was letting on by his silence.

"How much did you hear?"

"Messed up chakra. Probably will kill you. One year."

Miho shrugged at the summary. "Everything then. You're really good at masking your chakra."

"Naruto knew I was here."

Pursing her lips, Miho huffed a laugh. "Well, of course he did." Naruto could sense hiding ANBU. Of course he could sense Sasuke. Sasuke knew that Miho trusted Naruto's judgement. If Naruto wanted Sasuke to hear, then Miho accepted that. "Why not just…ask?" She already knew the answer to that, but she figured she'd ask anyway. What did she have to lose by it? "Instead of eavesdropping next time, enter the room."

"Naruto's your friend." The very clear and I'm not was a bit damning, Miho had to admit. "It's your business as long as you pay your rent."

"Ah… about that…" At the flash of anger in Sasuke's dark eyes, Miho held up both hands. "Sorry, sorry. I'm kidding. I've got someone handling that for me. It's no problem."

Naruto waddled into the kitchen again, arms laden with more cups of ramen than Miho could count. They were stacked so high that she couldn't see his face. In her peripheral vision, she could see Sasuke press a couple fingers to his own forehead. Before Miho could stop him, Naruto dropped the ramen cups onto the scroll. "There."

"Naruto, you don't have to—" Something in his expression told Miho to stop. It was more severe than usual. At that moment, he looked way more like his father's carved face on the mountainside. "That's your ramen stash, Naruto."

"Don't want you to be hungry there." He shrugged, pushing around and arranging the snacks just so.

In the Images, Naruto had very little chakra control. Miho could remember that— from the story, from the other realities, from the memories. Her friend knelt down and pressed his hands to the seal. Just the right amount of chakra would draw the snacks into the seal. Anything less would be ineffective. Anything more would vaporize the food. Naruto gritted his teeth so hard that she could heard his jaw grind. The scroll glowed white and the food was gone. It sealed perfectly as the scroll minimized and rolled shut.

He grabbed it and held it out. "Take it, Miho."

Miho wrapped her arms around his neck instead, feeling him use the scroll to extend his arms and encircle her. One hand on either end of the scroll allowed him to loop his arm around her fully. Once she gained more weight back, such encompassing hugs would be impossible. And she'd probably miss that part about weighing less. Miho squeezed her eyes shut and enjoyed the feeling of being squeezed so tightly.

"Be careful." He squeezed so tight that Miho could barely draw a breath. Vaguely, Miho wondered when he'd gotten so strong. His voice was muffled in her shoulder. "— waiting on you, okay? So come back stronger and more kickass. I'll be stronger and more kickass, too, when I get back."

"Love you, Naruto."

She felt him flinch in her arms and then he was shuddering. Miho's sense of smell was more acute than others. Her family was a clan that thrived on smells— the scent of food, the sting of peppers, the draw of spices, the subtlety of teas. Miho could smell salt. He curved into her a bit more and, suddenly, he seemed smaller. "Love you, too."

"When you leave with Lord Jiraiya, take care, okay? Learn as much as you can. Grow as much as you can. And we'll see each other again soon. Then— Then we'll take on the world. Team Five. Team Seven. Team Ten. Eight. All of us. All of us." She lifted her eyes to see Sasuke half-turned in his doorway. She met his eyes. "Together."

He said nothing and disappeared in the shadow of his room, shutting the door as he went.

"That Snake Bastard won't get him." Naruto responded as he pulled away, dragging the back of his hand over his eyes. "And the band of Cloak-Wearing Jerks won't get me either." He reached up and sat a hand on Miho's shoulder while his other hand formed a thumbs-up. Naruto grinned. "When we see each other again, we'll be stronger."

Miho smiled. "Believe it."

"Believe it!"

Ino rolled her eyes, impatiently elbowing Shikamaru out of the way. Enough force was put into the action that he gasped and staggered, affecting a Nara Mope as soon as he lifted his head again. "Look, you can think this through later." Miho grinned at the Nara over Ino's shoulder. "She's got a timeline to keep. She can't run on Nara Time, okay?" Shikamaru sighed, raising a hand to scratch the back of his head. His eyes were critical though and Miho could see he was quickly reconfiguring whatever plans he'd already laid for the next several years.

"Exactly how many plans just went up in smoke?" Ino huffed, slumping down in Miho's arms. Miho kept her aloft easily enough, ignoring her friend's muttered complaints. "C'mon, Shikamaru. I know you. Apparently, you didn't have a contingency for this."

"I was…anticipating something else." He was overly cautious in his phrasing and that got Ino to pull away and stare him down. He grimaced. "Elder Torifu was going to teach you."

"He still is. He's going with me to Center Mountain." Miho smiled. "That can't have been your plan, whatever it was."

Shikamaru's shoulders rounded as if the weight of the world was upon them. Miho could read him after all these years. When he diverted his eyes like that, it's because he didn't want to say something. And when Shikamaru avoided saying something…

"Out with it then. What's your problem?" Ino, apparently, wasn't in the mood. "Spit it out if you're gonna be dramatic."

"Troublesome." Shikamaru sighed. He finally brought his eyes back around and they were piercing. "If you're away, Chōji and you can't work things out. The whole situation will stagnate and neither of you will heal." Miho felt her smile faltering a bit before it was gone. Guilt struck her. Like it was her responsibility to make sure Chōji healed. Maybe it was. Miho wasn't so sure anymore. "If you go— with how things are now— nothing will ever change."

Chōji won't change.

Miho always knew Chōji was Shikamaru's top priority. They were best friends. They were brothers. She never doubted Shikamaru's support, friendship, or anything else. She didn't doubt it now. With the way he was staring at her, Miho got the feeling that he expected more.

"Yeah? Maybe he should've thought of that—"

"Ino." Miho grabbed her arm. "Stop." Miho knew, better than anyone, that she was Ino's top priority. She patted Ino's arm and smiled. Ino scoffed, running a hand through her hair. Like she always did when she wanted to yell and had to hold back. "I know you spoke with him weeks ago. I know…I know he wants to try. I know he's been training every single day. To get stronger. To protect me."

Shikamaru didn't blink. "So, you do know about that?"

"I'm his sister, Shikamaru. Of course I know." Miho tried not to let her voice shake. The moment it waivered she saw Shikamaru's eyes narrow and Ino's back straighten. "I know he's upped his caloric intake to 12,000." Ino's mouth dropped open and Shikamaru cursed. "I know he's started a more intense weight-training regimen. I know he's been training with our father every spare second and has taken up Earth Release techniques, too. I know Asuma-sensei is teaching him some weapons techniques when he's in town. I know Chōji knows how much weight I've gained back. What my caloric intake is. How I'm training. How often I go to the Memorial Stone. Because he's there when he can be. Even if he doesn't talk to me. Even if he keeps his distance. Shikamaru, I know my brother." Swallowing, she rolled her shoulders back and raised her chin.

Miho shifted and moved forward, carefully embracing Shikamaru for the first time in what felt like forever. She was never physically close to him. Not like Ino and Naruto, who were very tactile people. He was stiff and didn't move to hug back. His stance did become more relaxed though, when he realized she wasn't letting go.

"I'm sorry I'm leaving so much weight on your shoulders. All of you."

"It's not about that." The Nara drawled, clearing his throat. "We will figure out the future. Just…It's a drag, but…Talk to him before you leave." Miho moved away, watching Shikamaru stuff his hands into his pockets. "Come back when you're ready. We'll be here." He glanced to Ino and turned, waving blindly over his shoulder. Miho assumed he was off to find Chōji somewhere, to check on him before his guard shift.

Ino threaded her arm under Miho's and pulled her toward a dango stand. In front of the dango stand was a small picnic table where they'd spent hours and hours of their time before. During their Academy years, they'd found this place a few blocks from the school. A takoyaki stand was nearby. It closed down after the Invasion.

"Do the Bears know?"

Miho shook her head, pulling a sleeve of cookies from her pocket. Ino idly took one and sat on top of the table, folding one leg over the other. Miho wondered what Ino was thinking with her expression so conflicted.

"Are you going to tell them?"

"About which part?"

"Him. The Images. What's coming. Or what might be coming. With Sasuke still here and the Old Geezer dead, who knows what will happen." That didn't quite explain Ino's expression. Miho reached up and poked her friend's thigh, raising her brows. "Okay, fine." That definitely caught Miho off-guard. Ino threw herself off the table and started pacing. "I'm joining the Intelligence Division. I asked Lady Hokage for the appointment."

The Intelligence Division? Not Medical? Why would she…

A bright white light. The explosion. In the distance, on the horizon.

Miho felt herself stop breathing.

Ino stopped, hands going to her hips.

"It's my decision." Ino was challenging Miho to argue it. To tell her not to start down that path. To demand she do anything but that. "It's my decision, Miho."

Miho knew what Ino was doing. Placing herself on a path to her father's side. Maybe even her father's place. She was making a path for Headquarters. Allied Shinobi Headquarters. Just in case. Just in case there was a war and the Ten Tails was summoned. Just in case. A sick feeling curdled in Miho's stomach. "Ino—"

"Don't. I'm doing it."

Seeing that there was no arguing with her, Miho sighed. She felt the fight drain away. Now, she just felt tired. As if she'd already watched the next five years in fast-forward. Ino, caught in that explosion. Ino, not there during the final battle. Ino, who was the lynchpin in so many ways. Ino, who took her father's place. Ino. Her best friend.

Still, Miho gave in— because she had to respect Ino's decision. She had to respect Ino. "You sure are stubborn."

Ino sighed and nodded, pressing her hand to her own forehead. "I've been called worse."

Tetsuya's hair was fine. It was fine and long— longer than she had ever seen it. Miho vaguely wondered if he was growing it out for Koji. Koji, whose blue hair once fell to his shoulders. The green bandana lay clutched in his fist, which rested on his chest. For a moment, Miho forgot that she only had a couple hours left. It was just a normal day. This was their habit, their tradition. Her fingers threaded through his hair, brushing it back.

"My grandmother disowned me yesterday."

Miho stopped, hand resting on the hair that lay on her thigh. "Wha—What— When—"

He kept his eyes shut. He was feigning peace. "Hayate-sensei said his genin teammate was disowned before their chūnin exams. He's helping me with the legal process."

"Tetsuya…Are you okay?" That was a stupid question, she knew. She felt stupid saying it. He shrugged, folding his hands over his stomach after waving her off. Miho couldn't quite wrap her head around the peacefulness of his reaction. He seemed…at ease. "What happened?"

"I went back to the estate to get my father's weapons. She threatened to disown me if I left again." Tetsuya's eyes opened and he stared up at the sky. The sun was just beginning to edge toward the horizon. Only a few hours more. "I left. No way was I staying there. I took my mother's stuff too. She had no right to that anyway." With that said, he rolled his legs back and threw them forward, following the momentum to sit upright. "Hayate-sensei said that she has no legal claim to me. Not anymore. We're filing the disownment papers tomorrow morning."

Miho watched his shoulders. Tetsuya always carried tension in his shoulders. She couldn't see anything but resignation and acceptance. Shifting to her knees, Miho reached forward and rested her arms around his shoulders. She leaned onto his back, knowing that it might be the last time she could rest her weight on him like this.

His hands held onto her forearms.

"I don't feel anything. Not disappointment. Not…hurt. Nothing." He raised his head and Miho angled her chin to let him look upward. "I'll be Tetsuya. Just Tetsuya. Like Koji… was just Koji."

Miho didn't want to ask, but she did anyway. "Was it—because—because of—Naruto?"

Tetsuya let out a breath. "Yeah. That was kinda the last straw. I'm cavorting with the demon brat." Miho flinched. "This was a long time coming though. After what you told me, I— I'm afraid of what I might've been… if you weren't here. My grandmother…She allowed the Warhawk to do what he did. She…She let that monster do what he wanted. If I didn't make it into our team…would I have been given to that man?" Miho tried to pull back, but Tetsuya wound his hands fully around her wrists, holding her in place. "You're my family now. Family isn't always blood. You, Genma-sensei, Hayate-sensei, Lee, and yeah, Naruto, too." He leaned forward and pressed his chin to her arms. "I don't need to Utatane name. All I need is a sword and my…How does Naruto always say it? My precious people."

They didn't talk for a long time. Miho didn't feel like words were really necessary. Miho shifted and laid down on the grass of Training Field Five. Tetsuya did the same.

She just stayed there and he just stayed there.

And they just were.

"Kids."

Miho opened her eyes to see Genma-sensei leaning over them, senbon shifting to the side of his mouth as he looked down. "Stop being cute and get up." Miho and Tetsuya didn't move.

Then, with a roll of his eyes, Genma-sensei sat. Miho turned and mirrored his cross-legged posture. Tetsuya groaned dramatically as he did the same, resting his cheek against his fisted hand. Genma-sensei took a deep breath and pulled the senbon from his lips. "Not gonna bother sayin' that a year is nothing. It's not nothing. Our team has been through some shit." Tetsuya snorted. "When we come together again, we're probably gonna go through more shit."

"You're not really inspiring much confidence, Boss."

"It's the truth." Genma-sensei shot back. His laidback drawl pulled away like the tide. Miho felt her back straighten when she saw her teacher's demeanor shift. "Normally, genin are restricted from apprenticeships before reaching chūnin. The Hokage has made an exception. Tetsuya's apprenticeship with Hayate. Miho's apprenticeship with Elder Torifu. These things aren't normal. Nothing about all of this is normal." Miho didn't look away, didn't look down. He was right. None of it was normal. "The things Seven endured there…What happened to them…"

"We're paying the price for it." Tetsuya said. His voice was even and Miho pressed her lips together. She could see Tetsuya nod in her peripheral vision. "Genma-sensei, we know."

"When you come back together, Team Five will be different."

Miho nodded.

They'd be different people. She had no idea how they'd change, but she knew they would. She knew she would. A year was a short time, but it was enough time. It was enough time for lots of things to change.

"I am proud of you both. Who you've grown to be. Who you are. I'm proud of Team Five. And I look forward to being your teacher again…one year from now." He reached up and removed the senbon. The smile that came over his face was comforting, encouraging. It held so much belief in them that Miho was in awe of it. "Book Club—"

"Let's get it."

She stopped at the center of the rock garden, on a slab of granite settled into the sand. A few feet away, her father sat on the ens. His hands were resting on his thighs as he stared across the garden toward the goldening trees. Their leaves were just beginning to turn, bright golds and oranges. Soon, the leaves would fall onto the sand of the garden, catching in the ripples. The sun was beginning to cast long shadows, making those ripples seem even more prominent.

Whichever one of her cousins had been tasked with the garden this season had cut the ripples in such a way that they extended out from the porch, from her father's usual seat.

"You have already seen your mother?"

"Yes. I have."

He nodded. His eyes opened and Miho held them. She stood a bit straighter, feeling the two bō on her back guiding her posture.

"I'm going to tell Chōji goodbye and then I'm meeting Elder Torifu."

Miho swallowed as her father nodded. He said nothing. Nothing, even now. She felt her anger begin to lash, a strange out-of-control emotion that she tried to wrangle. When his eyes trailed from her face to the ripples in the sand to her knee, Miho lost her patience.

"You made a mistake. You kept telling me to trust others. Trust them, trust us, trust me, Miho. You kept telling me to trust. And then, when Chōji trusted you, you betrayed him. You betrayed me. And then, when you realized, I think you knew it was already too late. Too late in…a lot of ways." Miho took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. She rolled her shoulders back and counted down from ten in her head before finding center and starting again. "One day, we might be close again. I don't know when that will be. Chōji was hurt more than I was, I think. Chōji is the one you need to protect now. Chōji's the one whose faith you need to restore."

"Miho—"

She'd never heard her father's voice shake like that.

"I was wrong." Her father lifted his eyes from blankly staring. "I should have listened. I should have believed in you. I will never stop trying to be better for you, for Chōji. I need to restore your faith too. You're my daughter." He met her eyes. "I'm sorry, Miho."

Swallowing, Miho bowed. As she stared down at the granite beneath her feet and the rippling sand around the stone, Miho could feel her father shift. She felt him stand. "I learned to trust, Father. It may be some time before I can trust you again, but I found others that I do trust. With my life. With everything. And someday, I hope that I will be able to trust you again." Miho lifted herself up. "I'm leaving so I can learn what I need to…to protect my friends and family. I'll be the shield I said I was going to be."

Her father's voice was steady. "I will earn back your trust, Miho."

Miho didn't answer. She just nodded.

She hoped he would.

She desperately, desperately hoped.

Miho found Chōji a section of the Akimichi training field with the heaviest damage. No trees. No grass. No plants. It was a wasteland of rocks and boulders and dirt. Generally, that area was reserved for jōnin with hardhitting jutsu who needed the space. Chōji sat with his back against a boulder. The sun was touching the horizon now, painting Chōji in a golden light that made him seem younger somehow. It was then that Miho realized just how old she felt. She felt outside of her body. Like she was seeing herself walk across the dirt on a two-dimensional screen. She hated the sensation.

"Hey, brother."

There's an endless road to rediscover.

"Miho." He pushed himself up. His clothes were filthy, matted with dirt, sweat, and blood. She could see specks of blood on his knees from scrapes. His bandana was gone, hair sticking up at wild angles. Her brother was a mess. "You're leaving, aren't you? I—I—"

She bit her lip and nodded. "Shikamaru talked to you, didn't he?"

Chōji nodded. A conflicted expression made Miho's stomach churn. To see her brother so… His hands fisted at his sides before he finally exhaled. His shoulders fell and he seemed to deflate. Her brother came to a decision. Whatever it was, Miho got the feeling…It was something that she needed to hear.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry all of this happened, Miho. It all happened because of me. I'm sorry for Koji. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I wasn't able to protect you." He looked up. "I never should've—I never should've told our fathter. I know I can't take it back. I know I'll have to earn your trust again. I know…I know I'm not the brother you thought I was. I disappointed you. I won't. I won't disappoint you again."

Miho knew her brother was one of the most determined people she knew. At times, his determination— quiet as it was— seemed more powerful than even Naruto's or Lee's. "Chōji, please, just…" She held out both arms. And they were shaking. "Please just come here."

Chōji stared at her before his eyes filled with tears. He closed the distance faster than she expected. Her brother was never particularly fast, but he was there in an instant. He sobbed into her shoulder and Miho felt him grasping her just as dearly as he ever did.

"You're always going to be my brother, Chōji."

And he clung to her like she was the only stable thing. Miho knew she wasn't stable. She wasn't steady at all.

She let Chōji believe she was though.

"I'll get stronger, Miho. I-I promise."

Miho nodded, pressing her face into his meaty shoulder. "I will too. I promise."

"You have said your goodbyes?" Elder Torifu questioned. His arms were folded as he stood at the edge of the weapons training field. There were three different types of staffs strapped to his back. She could see a pack on his shoulder, laden down with scrolls upon scrolls. Miho bowed, rising up to look at the large summoning scroll nearby. "Miho, did you say your goodbyes?"

Jerking at the reminder of his question, Miho nodded. "Lee's on a mission. I left him a letter."

"Your father and brother?"

Miho nodded again. She didn't know what Elder Torifu wanted to hear, but she didn't have time to summarize. He stepped forward and sat a heavy, meaty hand on her shoulder. Though she knew his body ached, he leaned forward from his huge height and met her eyes.

"This next year will be difficult. It will be more intense than all your years of training combined. Not only will you be learning new techniques, you will also be recovering what you have lost." He smiled. "I am an old man. I do not have many years left." Hearing those world aloud sent a sick feeling through Miho's gut. "I will teach you all that I know. I will help you learn from the Bears. I will help you learn the legacy of the Okuda and the Akimichi. You are my final student, Miho. I will do right by you. I swear it. By the Will of Fire, I swear it."

She could see the white beginning to enter his pupils and the hair loss he his under his bandanna. "I'll do my best, Master Torifu."

He smiled, moving the hand from her shoulder to the top of her head.

They stepped onto the seal as the sun struck the horizon. The energy surged beneath their feet. Miho could feel the chakra's tendrils wrapping up her legs, torso, chest, and head. Then, the training ground faded and she opened her eyes to her new home. Miho let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.

Familiar painted and etched walls welcomed her. Lord Ki, Grandfather Ha, and Shinrin stood on their hind legs nearby. Lord Ki threw his head back and roared, a welcome that Miho felt resonated in her heart just as much as her head. Elder Torifu settled his hand onto her shoulder again as Shinrin came to her side, nuzzling at the newly-recovered weight at her middle. Growls and roars echoed in the chamber, answering Lord Ki's welcome.

Miho turned to see a gathering of bears, large and small, old and young.

Their growls and roars sounded like thunder.

A/N: That's it for Part I! Part II begins March 2020! Thank you so much for reading this story so far! Thank you all for your reviews, favorites, and follows! Please leave me your thoughts on the story thus far! I'm looking forward to Part II.