ACADEMY DAYS I - UZUMAKI
Uzumaki clan compound
The Uzumaki district has been coming along well since the clan settled in. It's still not quite home, and the adjustment period is taking some time, but they're all getting there.
The older Uzumaki, who actually remember the Hidden Whirlpool, have taken to slightly re-decorating by adding familiar elements from the destroyed village. Naruto left Awaji to handle that as he knows better than most how and what to do in that regard.
Meanwhile, Naruto is overseeing another addition to the district. Toward the edge of the compound is an area that's been designated as a park of sorts; a bit of greenery to add some freshness to the place. One particular part of it had a small pond built at the request of clan leader Naruto Uzumaki.
It's a tranquil place that washes over you with a peaceful aura and makes your worries seemingly go away. In truth, that's because the pond is connected to Mount Myoboku and so has some natural energy seeping through it. Statues of toads from Mt. Myoboku are arranged around the pond to truly cement the feeling.
Karin looks over the scene, not looking as peaceful as some others. "Not gonna lie, the frog statues kind of freak me out."
"Well, first of all, they're toads." Naruto corrects her.
"I don't actually care." She interjects.
"Second of all, they're needed to properly channel the natural energy so it doesn't overflow. Least that's what Pa said. Besides, I think they look nice! You just have to ignore they're toads who failed their training so were turned to stone." He shrugs and takes a step closer to the pond.
Karin stares for a few brief moments before whipping her head. "WHAT?!"
At this point, another large statue is carried through, going right past Karin. The new information causes her to jump back in surprise. These things suddenly freak her out even more.
The man carrying this new statue peeks his head from the side to look at her. This thing is easily twice his size but Jugo manages to hold it like it's nothing, although only the top of his ginger hair can be seen when he tries to look around the petrified toad.
"It's nothing to get freaked out about, Karin." Jugo states in his usual calm voice.
"Easy for you to say, you've always been weird!" Karin protests in her usual over-the-top demeanor.
Another voice rings from Jugo's general direction. "What a rude, child. Are you truly certain about this one, Naruto?" Fukasaku hops from where he was on Jugo's shoulder onto the head of the statue.
Naruto chuckles. "Yeah, I'm sure."
The large man goes to gently place the final statue around the pond, completing the decor. All three of them take a step back to admire the layout, proud of their work.
Karin, however, looks disgusted. "Those… are all…"
Fukasaku sighs. "Yes, we went over this. Keep up, girlie. This is how we honour those who've tried to walk the path of the sage."
Naruto rubs the back of his head. "I almost turned into a statue a few times."
Jugo nods. "Same."
Karin looks between all of them with a contorted expression. "You're all weird."
Fukasaku pats Jugo on the calf, that being the highest he can reach. "As long as you keep meditating here, you'll be good to go."
Jugo turns to him and bows deeply. "Thank you, Elder. If it weren't for your guidance, I don't know where I'd currently be."
"Your power is still something completely alien to me, but you've definitely gotten a grasp of it. If something happens, you can turn to this one." The toad motions to Naruto. "He's an oddball but he's reliable, and he should have a good grasp on the sage arts."
"So I've come to realize." Jugo chuckles.
Naruto grumbles. "Did you have to put it like that?"
"Even I know you're an oddball." Karin adds.
Fukasaku claps his hands together to form a hand sign. "Right, with the pond now ready and the Leaf having a direct link to Mt. Myoboku, I can take my leave."
Karin looks at Naruto and nudges him with an elbow.
"Ow, what was that for?" He protests.
She motions to the toad with her head, waiting for him to get the hint. "Nothing you wanna ask the toad?"
It takes a moment for Naruto to collect his thoughts. "Oh, right!" Naruto interrupts before the elder goes. "I actually wanted to ask you something else, about summoning. Since the Uzumaki clan is still new and getting to its feet, would you let, like, other Uzumaki to sign the contract?"
Fukasaku scratches his chin. "A clan-bound pact, huh? It's definitely not unheard of, but you have to realize, Naruto, we toads are a strong-willed bunch. If you deem someone fit to sign a contract with us, they can, but that doesn't mean we'll accept. They still have to prove themselves, just as you did, and Minato and Jiraiya before you."
"Yeah, I get that. I don't expect you to just give your power to anyone. Just that we could use all the help we can."
"To begin with, the Uzumaki clan isn't actually that big." Karin explains. "We don't have the full statistics yet, but more than half aren't actually Uzumaki but people who married one, and of the ones who are Uzumaki, most of us either aren't fighters or have been inactive for decades. We're considered a shinobi clan, but truthfully we're just barely."
Fukasaku nods. "I understand and we will offer what aid we can. However, we still have our own to look out for. Those of us who form summoning contracts have our own responsibilities, as well, and that involves not allowing the unworthy to wield our power." He begins hopping towards the pond. "I'm sure your clan will be fine, though, so long as you have faith in them." Reaching the small body of water, he jumps in and disappears from sight.
Naruto scratches his head. "Guess we gotta start preparing what shinobi we got, huh?"
"Yeah, I'll leave that to you. Ninja work isn't my specialty." Karin shrugs.
Jugo cocks his head. "It's not?"
"Have you actually seen me use any jutsu?" She raises a brow. "I was taught the basics; enough to stay alive but that's it. My abilities meant I stay back and don't get in harm's way, so I didn't need any more than that."
"And are you fine with that?" Naruto asks.
"Yeah, well, it's not like I-" Karin stops herself. "Wait, why am I sharing this with you; it's none of your business." She huffs and spins around on her feet to get back further in the Uzumaki district. "Acting like psychoanalysts…"
Naruto and Jugo share a confused look and simply shrug, walking behind her.
Jugo looks around at the sight before him; the people going about their day, trying to figure out their new life, the buildings in the process of redecoration. "Are you sure it's fine for me to stay here, though? I'm not an Uzumaki, so I'm not sure how much I belong."
Naruto shrugs. "You heard Karin, most folk here ain't Uzumaki, anyway."
"But they're married to Uzumaki. There's a difference." Jugo clarifies.
"Yeah. Maybe. But you gotta stick close to a source of natural energy so it's better for everyone if you're nearby. I don't plant to be that kind of strict clan leader, y'know?" Naruto steps a bit to the side to get closer to Jugo and whispers. "Besides, I think Karin feels better with you around, so you're also kinda doing us a favour."
The much taller man raises a brow. "Really? It's not like we were ever particularly close or anything."
Naruto shrugs. "But now you're the closest thing she's got to a friend. She knows you're a good person"
Walking some paces in front of them, Karin spins around to glare. "What're you two talking about?"
They both become flustered, with Naruto giving a nervous laugh. "Oh, just sage stuff. Talkin' 'bout toads, y'know? Oh, by the way, what's next on the schedule?"
She squints her eyes even further, as if trying to burn a hole through them, before continuing to walk forward. "You have a meeting with the Senju clan's leader, Fusuma Senju, at 2 o'clock."
"Right, I forgot… Was too busy with Kotori starting the Academy..."
"I didn't see the kids, actually. Are they okay?" Jugo asks.
Naruto nods. "Yeah, they're fine. Today's their first day in the Academy. We can all meet up when they get back, I'm sure they'd be happy to see you."
"That'd be nice." Jugo smiles in response. "I hope they're doing okay."
Hidden Leaf Academy
"Rise."
A young boy brings the class' attention to the opening classroom door, from which their teacher enters. Everyone in class stands up to greet her.
"Bow."
The same boy instructs, his long dark hair falling in front of his face as he does the motion.
"Sit."
They all take their designated seats and prepare to begin class.
Tenten smiles at her class, and the diligence of the class representative. She looks to the boy, meeting a very familiar pair of pale eyes. "Thank you, Jiriki." She then turns to address everyone in class. "Now then! I'm sure many of you have heard of changes going around the Hidden Leaf, and you're all probably curious about it. Means a lot of new students coming to the Academy and that includes our class! We have three new students who'll be joining us starting today, so I'd like you all to get along and welcome them." She then turns to the door. "Come and introduce yourself."
On cue, three people enter the class and stand next to their teacher, in front of the class.
The girl is first to speak. "I'm Kotori Uzumaki!" She gives an enthusiastic wave. "Let's all get along!"
"My name is Yokumaru Kigatsu, it's nice to meet you all." He gives a light bow.
"Shoto Teshin." He gives his traditional bow and when he raises, he locks eyes with the Hyuga boy who instructed the class earlier.
Some sparks fly. There seems to be some recognition in Jiriki Hyuga's eyes as he gives a light smirk. He's definitely aware of the Teshin clan and their history. Shoto already has a target he needs to test. This is his chance to prove himself against the Hyuga clan. Hopefully this one doesn't disappoint.
"I'm sure you all have a lot of questions, but let's keep them for later!" Tenten motions to an empty desk at the end of the class. "You three can take that desk."
The kids do as told, receiving a lot of curious looks and even some already asking questions and introducing themselves, but are quickly shushed by their sensei.
"Now, since there're some changes in the Hidden Leaf, today's homeroom will be about those very changes. Let's find out about the Uzumaki clan!" Tenten tries to get them excited for the subject with some exaggerated motions. Nowhere near the level of her own sensei, but there's definitely a resemblance.
Some gazes are immediately drawn to Kotori, who shrinks in her seat, not really knowing how to react. To begin with, that really isn't her clan, per se. She has no connection to the Uzumaki of old or their history, so this will be new information even to her.
What follows is a brief history lesson into the Land of Whirlpools and the Hidden Whirlpool Village. Its formation, its clans, their rise to fame, their downfall. Much of it is cliffnoted due to time restraints, but the class listen with mixed interest. Some of the kids that are visibly from shinobi clan listen a bit more intently. It's possible they've been told things back home and are taking a professional interest in the subject.
As soon as class ends, however, all hell breaks loose. The three newcomers are swarmed with questions and requests by most of their new classmates. Many of it mundane, such as where they came from, what they like, what their hobbies are. Some of it more focused, such as asking about what training they've received, what their abilities are.
"So what's it like, having your clan back together?" One girl asks Kotori.
"Oh, that's…" Kotori becomes flustered, unsure how to answer. "That's not… I dunno." She stumbled over her words. There's a whole lot of information to give and she's not certain how to give it.
'Your clan', they say. They're all so curious about the Uzumaki clan and keep asking her about it but when it comes right down to it, she's one in name only. But that name comes from Naruto Uzumaki- village hero and clan leader. If she says something to put him in a bad light...
They have some trouble keeping up with everyone, and they've already forgotten most of the names that were thrown their way along with the questions. They're trying to figure out how to diffuse the situation and get some breathing room, until one voice in particular booms throughout the room.
"Alright, that's enough!"
Everyone turns to a young boy standing on his desk, next to the Hyuga boy. This one has short brown hair with a single tuft of lighter brown hair above his forehead.
"What're you guys in a rush for?!" He continues to speak in a raised voice even though he no longer needs to, with everyone else having quieted down. "We have years to get to know each other!"
Some of the kids sigh. "Here he goes again…"
The boy hops over from his own desk, to the one next to his, so he can be just in front of Kotori. "I'm Kashiwama Senju, pride and heir to the Senju clan!" He proudly pounds his chest. "Kotori Uzumaki, let's get married!"
Dead silence.
Everyone stares in disbelief at his far too sudden proposal.
The first to react is the third boy sat next to Jiriki Hyuga and the one who just introduced himself as Kashiwama Senju. A young boy of short black hair and dark eyes who just faceplams. "You idiot… What did you just say about rushing?"
Jiriki only shakes his head.
"Umm… no thanks?" Kotori blinks.
Kashiwama slumps his shoulders. "Oh. Then tomorrow it is!" He rights himself back up and jumps down. "I'll win you over, I swear it!" He gives a thumbs up to the increasingly confused audience.
"Sorry about him…" The third boy from Jiriki and Kashiwama's desk raises from his seat. "I'm Genzai Sarutobi, unfortunately his best friend. Just… try to endure him? He gets better."
"Right…" Kotori is still very visibly confused by the encounter.
The remainder of the day goes fairly normal, at least compared to what happened before. The day was spent mostly indoors and on theory, so they didn't quite get the chance to show off their skills just yet, but Kotori keeps an eye out for the Senju boy and any other possible shenanigans, although he spent the day oddly normal as if he hadn't said something so outrageous.
When the first day of school ends, they all part ways and head home.
"Don't get married on your way home." Shoto teases.
Kotori groans in annoyance. "Don't you start, too."
Yokumaru chuckles. "Today was… fun, all things considered. It's nice. Being in a school." He gives a light smile.
"Sure, ruin my fun by saying something like that." Shoto shakes his head, but his smile betrays that he's only joking. "But you're right. Proper schooling was never in the plan for me; just training to be a master in our dojo."
"And we couldn't really afford it. Was only a pipe dream..."
Kotori grins and wraps her arms around both the boys' shoulders. "And now we get to do it together! Kinda makes me wonder how everyone back in the Cloud is doing, though…"
"Yeah, I guess studying in an Academy isn't new for you, huh?" Yokumaru notes.
Kotori nods in response. "Yup. But that was only for 2 months. We're gonna be here a lot longer than that."
"And some of us might graduate already engaged." Shoto can't contain the remark.
Kotori elbows him in the sides and begins walking toward the Uzumaki district. "See you tomorrow!"
"See you."
"Night!"
Naruto Uzumaki's residence
Making her way back to her new home, walking through the streets of the Uzumaki compound and finding it odd just how many people recognize and greet her, Kotori swings open the front door and calls out. "I'm home!"
"We're in the living room." Hinata responds.
She takes off her shoes and places them to the side of the entryway before making her way inside to her adopted mother. Inside, she finds both Naruto and Hinata sat at the table along with a woman she'd never seen before- young, although still visibly older than her adopted parents. Long hair tied in a ponytail, with a streak of white in her brown hair.
The stranger smiles. "You must be Kotori. How are you, dear?"
"Um, fine?" She sounds a bit uncertain how to answer this person. Is it someone she's met but forgot? She's met a lot of people since coming here and it's hard to keep track of everyone. She's going through every face and name, to try and place them to this woman but is coming up short.
The woman laughs. "I'm sorry, I should introduce myself. Fusuma Senju, leader of the Senju clan. We've not met."
"Ah. Kotori Uzumaki, it's nice to meet you." She bows.
Hinata goes over to take Kotori's jacket off and help her get comfortable. "How was your first day?"
"It was good! Kinda boring, though, it was mostly theory."
"I agree on the boring part." Naruto laughs.
"My son didn't do anything weird, did he?" Fusuma asks.
Kotori cocks her head. "Your son?"
"If you're in Tenten's class then he should be your classmate. Kashiwama. I feel like he's always doing something weird, that boy." She sighs.
"Oh." He did actually say he's the heir to the Senju, so if this woman is the leader… Makes sense. "Um… he asked me to marry him."
Naruto laughs after a brief pause of the information to sink in. "Already popular at school, huh?"
"Well…" Fusuma looks stunned. "I didn't expect that…" She sighs and stands up from her seat. "I guess he needs a talking-to."
Kotori gets flustered. "Ah, no, it's not that bad. You don't need to get mad at him."
"Well aren't you sweet." Fusuma pats Kotori on the head. "You don't have to worry about him. I'm sorry if I overstayed my welcome, Naruto, Hinata."
"No, it's quite alright." Hinata smiles.
"Yeah, if anything I should be thanking you." Naruto rubs the back of his head. "This whole clan thing is still so new to me… Every bit of help is good."
"You're doing great, don't worry. Besides, the Senju and the Uzumaki have a longstanding history. It's only proper that we reignite it, since both our clans aren't really what they used to be."
With that, she makes her way to the front door to leave. The Uzumaki send her off with their best wishes.
When they close the door, Naruto lets out a snicker he'd been holding for a while. "So. Marriage? Should I be arranging something?"
Kotori just playfully smacks him on the leg. "Not funny."
"Hey, I'm the clan leader now. I can probably set things in motion, y'know?"
Hidden Leaf Academy
The next day, Kashiwama Senju jumps out in front of Kotori pretty much as soon as she enters school grounds.
"Have you thought about it?!" He gives a far too cheery grin.
"... Still no." She answers after a brief pause of trying to wrap her head around his sudden appearance.
"Oh." He nods firmly and turns around. "Alright!" With that, he promptly turns around and walks inside.
Kotori just raises a brow and waits for a bit before going in herself.
-x-
The next day, the same scenario plays out.
And the day after.
And the day after that.
With each time, Kotori grows slightly more frustrated, her usual cheery persona loosening, until one day...
-x-
"Okay, why are you so persistent?!" Kotori finally snaps, probably being more patient than she should've been. "No, actually, you're not even persistent! You ask once and then stop! What's up with that?"
Kashiwama looks at her rather calmly as she vents and waits a few moments for her to catch her breath before replying. "Well, it makes sense, doesn't? The Uzumaki and the Senju! We're both heirs who'll bring our clans to their former greatness! That's my dream. We're a match of heaven and earth! It's both our duties to restore our clans to greatness!"
"... What?" She squints her eyes in disbelief. "Is that it?"
"Well... yeah. We're perfect for each other!" He proclaims.
"You don't even know me." She states the fairly obvious. "But you're already proposing just because of that? Shouldn't you see if we like each other first or something?"
"Relationships start somewhere, right?" He cocks his head as if not understand where he went wrong. "That's our common ground; our starting point. Then you build on that, simple as that."
"That's… I mean, sure, maybe?" She lowers head and begins walking past him. "But I'm not even an Uzumaki, you're wasting your dreams." She lets out in more of a whisper but it's still more than audible.
"..." Kashiwama simply observes as Kotori goes inside, not saying anything more. He waits for a bit before going in himself.
The remainder of the day, Kotori tries to keep up her demeanor but at least to those who know her better, she doesn't have the usual energy she does. She's bothered by something, but she's the type to try and put on airs for the sake of others. Asking her would only push her away, rather than get her to open up. At the very least, neither Yokumaru nor Shoto are the ones to do it, that much they know.
After final class, Shoto and Yokumaru instead catch up with another possible lead- Kashiwama. They catch up with the young Senju, with Shoto taking the lead in confronting him.
"Okay, what did you say to her?"
"Sorry?" Kashiwama tilts his head in confusion.
"Kotori. She's off. Did you say something?"
"Same as always! I told her we're meant to be!" He puffs out his chest.
"That's never bothered her until now…" Yokumaru says in an uncertain voice. To begin with, pinning the blame on Kashiwama didn't sit right with him; he doesn't seem at all like the type who'd put Kotori down.
"Well, something bothered her! And this guy bothers her every day!" Shoto accuses.
"Hey, our destinies are intertwined!" Kashiwama looks off wistfully into the sunset. "She's the one I've been waiting for my whole life."
"We're, like, 8, dude. We've barely had a life."
"If she's not feeling well, then I need to check up on her!" Kashiwama makes a turn in the opposite direction, where the Uzumaki clan compound is located.
Shoto stands in his way. "You're doing nothing. We know her better than you and we know how to get to her. Your just… sit back."
Kashiwama nods sagely. "You're right. You're totally right. We're not at that stage in our relationship."
"You don't have a relationship…" Shoto's words fall on deaf ears.
"I'll leave it to your expertise, then!" Kashiwama turns to head home.
Yokumaru waits until he's out of earshot. "It's like he lives in his own world…"
"Yeah. Should we tell Naruto-shisho and Hinata-shisho to check up on her?" Shoto expresses concern; not often seen in the boy.
"I think they'll have it covered better than us. Kotori's probably going through a lot right now; even more than us."
"You're probably right. Just hope she's okay. It's odd not being together all the time…" From his peripheral vision, Shoto sees Yokumaru trying to suppress a wide smile, giving him a pretty goofy expression. "Don't even think about it!" He dismisses his friend, beginning to walk away.
Before parting ways, Yokumaru pats Shoto on the shoulder. "See you tomorrow."
Naruto Uzumaki's residence
Upon returning home, Kotori's soured demeanor didn't go unnoticed. At least to Hinata. Naruto didn't notice a thing, but with a few suggestive nudges and head tilts, he finally picked up what she was trying to tell him.
They do wait until after dinner to ask, somewhat waiting to see if she'll bring up what's bothering her. She does not, and when done eating excuses herself to go to her room.
"Honey?" Hinata stands up to follow her.
Kotori stops and turns around slightly "Yeah?"
Hinata kneels down to be eye level with her and brushes her hair. "Did something happen?"
"What, no?" She tries her best to put on a cheerful face. "Why'd you think that?"
Naruto walks over, as well, standing behind Hinata. "Hey, you remember back in the Hidden Cloud? You had a lot on your plate, a lot of stuff you were thinking about." He kneels down as well. "We promised to talk to each other, right? I hope you don't have to fall off a cliff this time." He chuckles.
Kotori grips the hem of her shirt. "No… it's just…"
Hinata tries to sooth her. "If you really don't want to, you don't have to, alright? Anything you're feeling, we'll support you no matter what, when you're ready."
Kotori lowers her head, allowing her bangs to cover most of her face. She breathes in heavily, trying to gather thoughts. Naruto's right. She tried to hide her feelings before and learned she shouldn't do that, that she doesn't need to. She let herself be afraid before and yet she's doing it again.
Her eyes involuntarily begin to tear up. "I just… don't know how to do it…"
Naruto and Hinata share a confused look. "Do what?"
"Be a clan kid. Everyone talks about the Uzumaki and how great they were and how great it is they're back, and everyone keeps looking at me and asking me about it, but… I don't know! I don't know about any of that. I'm not even an Uzumaki, I'm from this other clan I know nothing about!" She lets it all out in one breath.
Naruto lunges forward to pull her into a tight hug that she immediately returns. Hinata wraps her arms around both of them.
"It's fine." Naruto reassures her gently.
"Kashiwama said… we should restore our clans, that I'm an heir because you're the leader, but I'm not from the clan! I'm not a part of its history or anything, I don't know any of these jutsu Tenten-sensei told us about…"
"Hey, listen." Naruto pulls away slightly to look her in the eyes. He cups her face with both hands, brushing away her tears with his thumbs. "You don't have to. I don't know about this stuff, either, and I don't know the Uzumaki jutsu. But I have a lot of people to help me through it, y'know? I'm not in this alone, and neither are you."
Hinata leans over to kiss her on the forehead. "As for being heir- you don't have to be, if you don't want it. If someone else can do a better job, they can do it instead; that's fine. No one will hold it against you. Lady Fusuma did say Kashiwama can be a bit stubborn. You can tell him that his wishes are his own. You don't have to be ashamed for wanting to walk your own path."
Kotori nods stiffly, and both her parents pull her in for another hug.
"Don't ever feel pressured into doing something you don't want to, or to be someone you're not. No matter who's pressuring." Naruto gives her some words of wisdom.
That night, Kotori goes to bed a bit calmer than she was before and a bit more certain as to who she is.
Hidden Leaf Academy
The next day, Kotori arrives a bit later than usual. Shoto and Yokumaru grew concerned and even contemplated ditching class to go look for her at the Uzumaki compound, but she does eventually arrive, minutes before class is set to start.
She makes a bee-line for Kashiwama's desk, earning a surprised look from him and his two desk buddies, Jiriki and Genzai.
"I'm not an Uzumaki." She states bluntly, looking him directly in the eyes. "Sure, I was adopted and I got the name 'cause of dad, but I don't know the first thing about the clan. Their history, their jutsu, their greatness… As long as I carry the name, I won't bring it any shame, but I'm not the person you or anyone else thinks I am. I wanna be my own shinobi and make friends as myself."
Kashiwama smiles and stands up, extending a hand. "It's very nice to meet you. I'm Kashiwama Senju."
She blinks in confusion, as does everyone else in class. As before, he does and says the most random things. Although it might not be as random as it seems. Did he see before? The doubt she was feeling? That she wasn't certain about her place in the village? No, he couldn't possibly have seen through her, especially on the first day of school. There's no way.
She shakes her head, deciding to just go along with his odd behaviour. "Kotori Uzumaki. Let's be friends."
"Let's." He grins in response.
"Rise." Jiriki Hyuga's voice breaks the tension, alerting everyone to the presence of Tenten-sensei.
Kotori goes to take her designated spot with Yokumaru and Shoto, who give her a puzzled look to which she just responds with a genuine grin. Whatever happened, seems like she's all fine now.
Uzumaki clan compound
One particularly uneventful day, Naruto makes his rounds around the Uzumaki compound, meeting with people, speaking to them, making sure they've faring well and adjusting. By this point, it's been just over a week. The feeling hasn't entirely sunken in yet, and he shudders at the thought of not having people like Awaji or Karin by his side.
Speaking of whom, Karin is making these rounds with him. He never asked her, but she said she wanted so who's he to deny her that?
"How's it feel to be part of a clan now?" He asks, trying to make some small talk.
"It's… somewhat familiar. Honestly, the work I do isn't all that different from what I had to do for Orocihmaru, just..." She trails off, trying to find the right words.
"Without the law-breaking?" He offers a possible ending to the sentence.
Karin laughs. "Yeah, that's part of it. I never felt this at ease. I wasn't sure about it at first. Thought it might be some kind of trick on the Hokage's side, but… even if it is, I don't think I'd mind." She smiles.
Naruto walks with his fingers intertwined behind his head, orange cloak billowing behind him. "I'm glad. I wanted to make sure everyone's doing good, and that includes you, cousin. Figure a lot of people can use the peace and quiet after everything we've been through."
Karin grimaces. "Still weird when you call me 'cousin', though."
"Boss!" A voice calls out to them, a young shinobi from the clan running toward them. "You have guests. Doctor Sakura Haruno and… Sasuke Uchiha?" The man clearly knows the first person well, although the second one he doesn't seem too familiar with.
"Wait, seriously?" Naruto sounds and looks ready to pounce with joy, hearing of his return.
Karin, on the other hand, completely freezes in place. Her eyes widen, her heartbeat intensifies. She looks like a deer in headlights, if this world had headlights. "I- I think I sh… should go." She has to fight to get the words and stiffly begins walking, but it's too late.
As advertised, Sakura and Sasuke arrive from behind the corner, making their way to Naruto and Karin.
Sakura waves to them enthusiastically. "Hey! You've become a hard man to get ahold of these days, you know?"
Karin does not turn to look at them.
Naruto laughs. "Yeah, sorry about that…"
"Looks like you're doing well for yourself." Sasuke very lightly curls his lips into a smile.
On hearing his voice, Karin tenses. Sasuke and Sakura can't really see it, but Naruto can. She's trembling, her hands are shaking.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Naruto asks with concern.
"Is that… Karin?" Sasuke gets a better look at the woman with his teammate. She looked similar and he'd heard she's officially part of the Uzumaki clan, but he wasn't certain this is actually her. Sasuke begins walking over to her, not realizing what she's currently going through. "I was actually to see you, too." When he gets closer, he reaches over to her.
"Hey, Sasuke, I don't think-"
Before Naruto can finish, Karin whips around and smacks Sasuke's hand away. "NO!" She shrieks and steps back with absolute terror in her eyes. "Do-don't come near me." Her following words come out as barely a whisper.
She looks at his eyes and she only sees the twister man who thought nothing of her life. She looks at his hand and she only sees the Chidori that struck through her chest.
"Karin?" Sakura rushes over to her, having become somewhat close to the woman while she served her sentence at the Leaf hospital. Friends might be too strong a word but it's still more than enough for Sakura to be concerned.
"Wait," Sasuke tries to explain himself, "I promise I'm not-"
Karin steps back again and trips over her own feet, falling backward.
Naruto catches her holding onto her tightly and putting himself in front of her, orange cloak whirling in front of Sasuke. "Let's talk later." He Flickers away, taking Karin with him.
Naruto lands on a nearby rooftop and gently lets Karin sit on the ground, still holding onto her trembling body.
"It's fine. You're fine, alright. I'm here." He does his best to soothe her but she still looks like a frightened child, wrapping her arms over her chest in comfort.
He figures all he can do for now is sit with her. Just as a precaution, he takes a moment to concentrate to gather natural energy around him. He kneels down in front of her, as long as she needs to gather herself.
It takes a few moments, but she finally mutters. "Sorry. Thanks." Two simple words which is all she can muster right now.
"I should be sorry. I never knew how you felt." His voice comes out hoarse, like he hadn't drank water in a long time. Seeing someone in such a state of shock took the energy out of him.
Karin shakes her head. "Couldn't have." She attempts to stand up despite her legs being wobbly, but with the help of Naruto and the wall behind her, she manages.
"You don't have to push yourself. Just… take your time, okay?"
"I'm… I'm fine. Okay? I'm fine. I just… I need to get away." She steps away, breaking away from him and only now realizing they're on a roof. She begins getting ready to get herself down.
"Hey, I'm serious. You have a family now."
Karin offers a very light smile and pats him on the chest. "I know. I know. Thanks,... cousin." And she Flickers away, although she's still well within his sensory range. If there's anything wrong with her, he'll sense it.
-x-
Sasuke stays in place, dumbfounded at what just happened.
Sakura looks just as perplexed. "I… I never knew she felt so strongly. We've even talked about it and yet..."
"No, that's normal. I was a fool for thinking she wouldn't react like that." Sasuke lowers his head. "Guess I have more work to do than I originally thought."
"I'll… talk to her. I'm sure she just needs some time to cope with everything." Sakura tries to reassure him.
"You don't have to do anything on my behalf." He turns his head to look at her. "Actually, you have every right to react like she did."
"I probably do, but I had more of a chance than she did to come to terms with everything. She felt strongly for you and all of that was shattered, a part of her still doesn't know what to do with all of her emotions."
"And what about your emotions? How do you feel after… well, everything."
Sakura looks up in the direction she saw Naruto take Karin away, still unsure how exactly she can offer help. "Honestly? I had to let my feelings mellow out. I realized what an obsession you were and how fruitless it all was." She turns to look him in the eyes, or rather eye as his left one is hidden by his bangs. "If I still have feelings for you, they'll have to be rekindled. I'm done chasing."
"I see."
-x-
Karin spends some time absentmindedly walking through the streets. Some of the resident Uzumaki call out and greet her but she doesn't hear them at all.
She's desperately trying to put her mind at ease but the walk isn't helping.
Damnit.
She inadvertently finds herself by the creepy frog statues they put up a week ago. Sorry, toad statues. She stares at them for several moments before noticing there's actually a person sitting in front of them. Jugo is meditating cross-legged, covered in small birds. He always had a way of attracting small animals to him.
He opens his eyes when Karin finally acknowledges his presence. She's not sure if it was a coincidence or if he somehow knew she hadn't noticed him until now.
"You met him." He states bluntly.
Karin furrows her brow. "Uh, yeah. You know he's here?"
"I sensed him earlier, yes."
"And… you're not going to him?" She steps closer to the pond, giving the statues a wide berth.
"I will eventually. I need to meditate." He closes his eyes again.
"Was a time you'd go to him right away."
"I could say the same for you. I once thought my salvation lied in him, but I came to realize that's not the case. I don't need someone else to keep me in control; I can do that myself just fine."
She gives a light laugh. "Sounds pretty profound." She looks on for a moment longer, watching him peacefully sit among the greenery of the park. "Do you… mind if I sit with you?" She asks shyly.
"Of course not." Jugo gives a light smile.
He doesn't look, but he feels Karin take a seat next to him to hopefully find a portion of the peace he has.
-x-
Naruto lands next to Sasuke and Sakura, looking a bit more serious than before. "Not really how I thought this meeting would go, honestly."
"Is she going to be alright?" Sakura expresses concern.
"Yeah." Naruto looks back to where he senses Karin's chakra. "She's with a friend now. I'll check up on her later."
"Sorry." Sasuke lowers his head. "I didn't mean to cause trouble."
"You're fine." Naruto pats him on the shoulder. "And hopefully she'll be fine, too. We can only wait. Assuming… you'll actually be around to wait?" He asks, somewhat hopefully.
"Hn. Yeah, I'm returning to the Hidden Leaf, with the Hokage's permission. I'll have to be here if we're to fight these Great Beasts…"
"Lady Tsunade spoke of them, and apparently some creature with the Sharingan in the Land of Wind." Sakura looks between the two of them. "Have you found anything out?"
Sasuke shakes his head. "Very little. I sought information of the Uchiha of old and the Sharingan. I found some ancient records. They spoke of us acting as priests in many ways, and the different ways of honouring the dead and assisting their spirits to the afterlife. Talked about personally seeing to the spirit passing over. That part doesn't really help us."
Naruto scratches his chin. "It actually might. We oughta talk to grandpa Awaji about this, but… the key to the Great Beasts was someone who could see into the afterlife. We were thinking that might be the Sharingan"
"Oh? Then we need to talk to this… Awaji as soon as we can. I'm curious what you've found out since we last met."
"Honestly, this all still sounds so surreal. Ancient secrets from a thousand years ago, all of a sudden coming back to haunt us." Sakura shudders. "And we just finished a war, too."
"It'll be fine, Sakura!" Naruto pumps his fist. "Now that the team's back together, we'll work together to stop whoever's doing this."
Sakura laughs. "As confident as always. But we don't exactly have the time to be a team, you know. We're not as carefree as we were."
"We don't need to be. Even if we're not close together, as long as we do our thing to help the village, we're working as a team!"
Sasuke chuckles. "Oddly profound, coming from you."
"I have my moments." Naruto grins and extends his hand with his palm facing down.
Sakura smiles and places her hand on top of his.
Sasuke sees the gesture and shakes his head, "I take back any compliment I've given you," but still follows along and places his hand on top of Sakura's.
"Team 7 is back!"
Name meanings
Kashiwama Senju (千手 カシワマ, Senju Kashiwama) - Named after Japanese Emperor Oak, a.k.a. Kashiwa.
Genzai Sarutobi (猿飛 ゲンザイ, Sarutobi Genzai) - "genzai" = "present", in contrast to his cousin Mirai whose name means "future".
Jiriki Hyūga (日向 ジリキ, Hyūga Jiriki) - "jiriki" = "one's own strength"
Trivia
As this is an AU, it's somewhat implied that some canon events differ. In my telling, Team Taka was never a part of the Fourth War and so this is Karin's first actual meeting with Sasuke since he tried to kill her at the Kage Summit.