-1Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
"Basically, he's the guy you're supposed to fight to protect us."
"I heard him say something about a Shogukane power. You one of them, or is it the girl?"
"Unfortunately, it's me. Jun's my- I mean, she's a sister of another one of us."
"Kimiko. Where is she anyway?" Shikamaru asked.
"Training and helping this kid out. Serious problems, I swear."
"What do you mean?" Choji asked.
"Long story. I'll tell ya later, like when I know Ko-ko won't kill me for telling you. Anyway, they're goin' to some sand village to look for this kid, Gaara. I think you've met him or something."
"We did. How did you know?"
"We're intelligence. Even though I don't show I can be pretty smart." he said in a boastful manner.
"Doubt it. But why is she looking for Gaara?"
"Ummm….until I know I won't get killed for telling you, guess what, I'm not gonna spill! Anyway, let's set up camp here for the night. We've got stuff to do. Lots and lots of 'em."
"You just had to discourage me didn't you?" Shikamaru asked, now annoyed at the fact that they had even more stuff to do.
"You know it." Shinji responded as he laid Jun down on the ground. He then proceeded to take off his back pack where surprisingly, two sleeping bags were able to fit in there.
"What are ya waiting for? I said let's set up camp here for the night."
"Alright." Asuma said as he lighted a cigarette and squatted on the ground. The rest soon followed.
"Tell me, "that kid" you were talking about, what's his name; I get the feeling I know him." Asuma asked.
Shinji rubbed the little amount of stubble on his chin trying to remember the name. "Hmmm….Hmmm….oh yeah! It's Uch…Uchiha Sasuke, I think."
"Sasuke! You've found him! But how?" The others getting excited, even though they barely showed it.
"Think so. He's got like black hair and eyes right? And he's also real quiet and emotionless? Ko-ko found him. You know him?"
"He's a missing nin in our village. Is it too much to ask why your friend is helping him?"
"Yeah, pretty much."
"What do you guys think Sakura'll say when she finds out we've got news about Sasuke?" Ooh…I can see it now….Forehead-girl doing all my chores for a week! Priceless! Ino thought.
"Whatever. Hey, you planning' on eatin' all that by yourself or are you gonna share fatty?"
"I'm not fat, I'm husky!"
"Yeah, whatever." he said snatching one of Choji's sweets.
"Hey, give that back!" Choji said. Jumping all over Shinji trying to get his snacks back.
"I will, wait up." he said as he went over to Jun and handed her the snacks.
"You can eat them yourself, right?"
"Yeah"
"Good." he said and hit her on the head for seemingly no reason.
"Hey, why'd you do that!" Ino exclaimed.
"It's alright. I deserved it anyway."
"What! No one deserves to be hit without a reason ya jerk!" Ino pursued. She looked to Shnji and found he was looking for something, most likely firewood.
"Jun, you're taking The Arts exam aren't you?"
"Yes. That's why I deserved it. I am not allowed to use any magic, just the skills I have learned."
"That's understandable."
"How much do you know about this anyway?" Ino asked getting a suspicious look on her face.
"A little bit. I was only about 5 when Kimiko, her sisters, and Shinji came to our grazing fields in need of help. Shinji was the one who told us most of the stuff, and then Kimiko made sure we wouldn't tell anyone. Shinji came back a while later with a pile of wood in his arms.
"Help me with this will ya?" he handed Asuma some of the wood and they both set it down on the ground. They then started up a fire and everyone gathered in a circle; Jun still regaining her energy but faring quite well.
"So Shinji, what exactly is your role in Jun's Arts examination?"
"Those stupid old geezers thought I should finally do my part and "contribute" to the village. What a bunch of crap."
"You're not from a regular kekkai genkai , are you, Jun?"
"Kekkai genkai? What is that?"
"A kekkai genkai can range from a clan's bloodline ability to just traditions passed down from generation to generation."
"I suppose you could say that then. Our clan is one of the oldest in the world, yet we don't have a place we can call home like the prominent clans in your village. So we're always moving around in an ever rotating cycle around the same place, always the same place. That's why we're called the "Clan of Whirlpools"; in your society, we may be known as Uzumaki." As she said this, she fully opened her eyes and you could simply see the deep ultramarine maelstrom she had gone through; just by looking at her pained, young eyes, eyes that looked surprisingly much like Naruto's eyes.
"U-Uzumaki, isn't that Naruto's surname?" Asuma asked, confused as to why a clan would have the same surname as Naruto.
"But that would make him your cousin or something wouldn't it? But Naruto is an orphan."
"Does he have…blond hair and cat-like whiskers on his cheeks?" she asked, somewhat hopeful for some unknown reason.
"Yeah, that's Naruto alright."
"Shinji, did you hear! Aunt Natsuki's son is actually alive!"
"Yeah I know the kid's alive, Jun. I guess you could say me and Ko-ko have been spyin' on him."
"What, why?"
"Long story. You'll find out sooner or later. Let's go to sleep, it's been a long day. You four just simmer on what I've let you know; no more annoying questions, got that?" he said with a look that wouldn't accept any protests.
Asuma, Choji, Ino, and Shikamaru begrudgingly agreed and decided that Shikamaru would keep watch. Using his watch guard duty, he used that opportunity to learn more about his old acquaintances.
"You know I'm not gonna tell ya more about the mission right? Or about what we'll be doing in your village. But if you really wanna know what's up with us go ahead."
"I wasn't about to ask on your arrival to our village. Is it so wrong for an old acquaintance to pass the time with another?"
"When we're talkin' about you, yeah it is? You don't usually come to people for no reason at all, I know that much. So, whaddaya want?"
"Fine, I just wanted to know if anything has changed in the time you guys left."
"I guess you could say we have. Jun an' Kazumi, especially."
"I also wanted to know one other thing. Is your village letting visitors in or is it still closing itself off to others.?"
"Well…that depends."
"On what?"
"If you can convince me and Ko-ko to let you come in that is."
"So, you've become the leaders of the Shadows, huh. But why would it need two leaders now all of a sudden?"
"Well, that's a long story. And we aren't really Hidden Shadows anymore. Never really were; but that's a long story that'll have to wait for some other time."
"Um…Shinji…?"
"So your back to normal huh? That's good news."
"Yes, well, I was wondering about why exactly Kimiko wants to come to this village. I know that uncle Tadashi has to train Naruto, but can't he do it alone?"
"If she didn't tell when we left, she'll tell you when we meet up. As crazy as she is, she has her reasons for doing some things. Just trust her, okay. Now, you two should go to sleep. I'll keep watch, so don't worry about it Shika."
"I do trust Kimiko, but I'd still like to know why it is that we're going to this village. Is there something there that will help us fight the Traitor?"
"I can't tell you that Jun. Ko-ko made me swear not to tell until she says so."
"But-"
"No buts Jun. Go to sleep, you need your energy back; you know that. You too Shika."
Jun begrudgingly agreed to drop the subject for now and went back into her sleeping bag to lay down.
"Is it that important to her?" Shikamaru asked before going to his own sleeping bag; trusting that Shinji would be able to keep them safe.
"Yeah, it is." he responded, staring in thought at the slowly dying embers of the fire.
Notes:
Thank you raging hobo for letting me use the name Natsuki, I really didn't want to have to think up more names for my already filled up supply of O.C.'s
I'll be revealing more about Naruto's parentage, but that'll be little by little.
More about the Uzumaki kekkai genkai will be revealed later on too.
So yeah….I think that's about it…..Later.