Naruto walked into the police station and saw that lady she'd seen before.
"I need to see Uchiha Fugaku," she said without preamble.
"Uchiha-san, Uzumaki-san is here."
"Send her in."
Naruto walked into the office. After sensing several other Uchiha, she rolled her eyes (immediately regretting it) and looked at Fugaku.
"Let me make myself clear. Crystal, shiningly clear: Uchiha Madara is the one behind this coup."
Fugaku stared at her.
"I know how Shisui-san died," she continued. "I know who precipitated his death, and I know who is behind this. He threw himself off a cliff to stop Danzou from getting his eyes; Danzou, who has several Uchiha eyes implanted in an arm. And Madara, who has ordered all of your clan to death. You, Uchiha Fugaku, would be dead either way - go through with it, you get killed, go to the Sandaime, you get killed. Me? Not so much. I can go to the Sandaime and tell him everything." Naruto thought fast.
"I would still die," Fugaku growled.
Kurama spoke to Naruto. Clan alliance. Allying oneself with the Uzumaki line, you're bound to make a statement. Plus, it was the Uzumaki-Senjualliance that created the alliance between Konoha and Uzushio.
"Not if you were in an alliance with the Uzumaki," Naruto said with a grin.
...Small catch, two Uzumaki need to be present. At least. I could smell them out, but it would still take a couple days.
"But there is a small catch. I need another Uzumaki present, but I need to leave Konoha if I can find them," she told Fugaku truthfully. "A week tops is all I need, Itachi-san, so if you can give me that, I can save you all."
She looked at the right corner, Shisui's normal spot. Sure enough, Weasel's mask appeared briefly.
Then it vanished.
Is there any way I can find them here in Konoha?
No. Well, there is a seal, but I wouldn't try it right now. If we get out of Konoha I can track any with the Uzumaki blood.
Okay. Just a few days, right?
...as long as I take the wheel. If I don't, you'll be in pain. Like a lot of pain.
Okay... I trust you. Naruto nodded.
~:~
Uzumaki Karin was entering her apartment when she caught a light on. Now, her aunt on her non-Uzumaki side wasn't home very often, so she doubted it was her.
She cautiously stepped in to see a shock of spiky yellow hair peeking out from behind her open fridge.
But some of the hair shifted as a breeze came in through the window. Uzumaki-red hair was streaked through it, meaning that this girl...
...was family.
Almost as if she heard the thought, the person straightened and cerulean blue eyes met hers.
"Hi," the girl younger than her said. "Got any ramen?"
~:~
Tayuya wasn't too sure of what to think of the blonde and redheaded chicks staring at the corpse she'd just gotten rid of on behalf of Orochimaru-sama.
"Hey, runts, you better leave before we decide ya need to die," she told them.
"Are you an Uzumaki? I'm looking for Uzumakis to join Konoha, -ttebayo."
The yellow-haired gaki looked too young.
"Who are you?" Tayuya finally asked her.
"I'm Uzumaki Naruto. This is Uzumaki Karin."
Tayuya mulled over that aspect.
"I don't know," she said finally. Orochimaru-sama... Her hand found her curse mark.
Naruto looked interested. "Is that a curse mark? I'm not an expert sealer, but I'd like to help you with it, if I can," she offered.
Tayuya blinked. "I thought that was impossible," she said slowly.
Naruto shrugged. "I don't think anything is impossible!" she announced with a grin.
~:~
Naruto grinned in her home, the two Uzumakis warily glancing at her. "So, who's up for ramen?"
Karin pushed her glasses up her nose. "What's 'ramen'?"
Tayuya huffed. "I heard that stuff was nasty," she muttered.
Naruto stared at them, horrified. Kazama had made it a point to eat ramen at least once a day. (Hashirama had been annoyed with Mito's fascination with it, but then he realized that it was pretty damn good. Mito had told him that she couldn't live with him or have a child with him if he didn't like it.) It was practically an Uzumaki legacy that Naruto had unknowingly upheld.
"Let's go taste it," she said, her expression dark.
~:~
"Itadakimasu!" All three Uzumaki exclaimed, Karin eagerly digging in. Tayuya cautiously took a bite, then, ravenous, sucked down the whole bowl.
Together, they nearly ate out the stand. Luckily, Tayuya had good enough pay to cover the transaction.
