Chapter 7 – Chicken Voyage!
Previously…
"Yes, I think you may have to relocate some of this –" Shikaku gestured to the mound of paperwork scattered around the room. "- Administration, before it becomes ammunition. You've basically got to tell one of the most volatile shinobi in Konoha, to give up looking for his would-be sibling after all."
"That's all you can suggest, to move my paperwork?!" Hiruzen said affronted. "You're my advisor, advise me!"
The Nara shrugged and linked his hands behind his head. "It's now or never and I won't let you lead him around by the nose. There's only one thing to be done, Hiruzen. Tell him the truth and explain your reasoning to him, otherwise he's a loose cannon."
He scrubbed his goatee, dragging a hand over his face and looked tiredly over the busy desk at his advisor.
"I really am getting too old for this shit…maybe I should retire?"
Naruko awoke to the wonderful aroma of breakfast and the sound of clattering pots and pans that reached her from downstairs. Her father no doubt, surprisingly good cook that he was, must be creating another masterpiece. She drooled at the thought of the feast to come, her stomach rumbling in agreement.
She sat up and stretched languidly from the cocoon of her soft bed sheets, wiping her mouth with her pyjama sleeve and rubbed her eyes. Blinking away the last remnants of sleep, she took in the sunlight filtering through the flowing white material hanging over the window.
The sunlight pooled through the gaps in the curtains that swayed gently in the breeze and lit her pastel yellow walls with warmth.
'Beautiful day.' She thought, batting away the last remnants of sleepiness.
She yawned lazily and shuffled out of bed, lest she be called back to the land of nod by the ridiculously comfy mattress. Her toes sank into the squishy thread of the carpet as she rose and stretched her spine once more, a small purr escaping her lips. She padded over to the full-length mirror that was on the wall in between the bed and the wooden door of her bedroom. Her bedroom. That was going to take a while to get used to.
She gazed at her reflection. So much had changed in the two weeks since she'd hopped dimensions, she could never have imagined what it was to belong. Really belong.
Dream-like was the best way she could describe it. Two weeks of pure happiness, but that in itself, was profoundly scary for her. Naruko worried she would go to sleep one night and simply wake once again into that dark, dank space, finding herself in the care of The Matron. Perhaps one day she'd look back and think she was being silly, becoming anxious over nothing, positive that it was never going to happen; but that day was yet far away.
The contrast between what was and was is now is rather startling. Now, Naruko had a room of her very own. A proper bed and her own clothes, a house to call her home and most importantly, she had her father, Minato. So yes, call her paranoid but she was afraid, afraid that things would go back to the hell they were before. She has so much more to lose now after all.
She sighed.
She knew it wasn't healthy to keep worrying like she was, but who could blame her? While her lifestyle had done a one-eighty and flipped itself on its head, she couldn't help but tumble back into her old mindset.
Minato had been amazing. It was helping to open up to him, he listened to her doubts without judgement or interrupting and somehow said exactly what she needs to hear every time.
Their relationship had only improved, and they had grown quite close. She had thought it would be difficult to connect with someone so completely new to her, but Minato had fallen into her life almost seamlessly. It helped, of course, that Minato treated her like gold.
Minato insisted in showering her in gifts and spoiling her, despite Naruko repetitively saying it wasn't needed and to 'save his money'. He instead had assured her that money wasn't an issue and that he enjoyed buying her things. In the end, after his insistence – and after Naruko's exasperation had reached its peak - she had caved and agreed to go along with it only when it came to necessities. Of course with what Minato claimed was a necessity, she needn't have bothered.
She ran a hand over her fox print pyjamas admiring the soft texture of the brushed cotton. They were a lovely pale orange colour with the small auburn canines printed in different positions all over the blouse and matching trousers. At the moment they were slightly too big for her, the sleeves covered her fingers almost completely and the bottoms had to be rolled up a little, no doubt she would grow into them quickly. She had already grown a few inches and no longer looked emaciated; Minato's cooking really was working wonders. Her eyes looked brighter, her hair felt smoother, (of course having access to a hairbrush helped too) and her face had lost her previous gaunt look.
Physically, she felt great, better than ever. Mentally though…she was still waiting for the penny to drop.
"Narukoooo! Breakfast is ready, hope you're hungry!" Minato's voice echoed up the stairs interrupting her solemn thoughts.
"Coming Dad!" She said, quickly putting on the lilac dressing gown from the hook on the door, shuffling on a pair of foxy slippers and making her way downstairs eagerly.
"Good Morning Dad," she said upon entering the airy kitchen. She groaned after taking in the sight of the veritable tower of steaming pancakes and crispy, crispy bacon. She licked her lips as her stomach rumbled once again.
"Dig in while its hot Naru, I'm just getting the tea ready." Minato said pushing a plate forwards, chuckling at his drooling daughter.
She plonked herself onto a chair at the breakfast bar and rapidly plated up a stack of the fluffy pancakes and some sizzling bacon rashers, before helping herself to the vat of maple syrup.
She hummed in delight at the bursts of flavours that hit her tongue pausing only to dollop some more maple goodness onto her, already very full, plate.
"Thanks Dad, dish ish'amazing!" Naruko said, mouth still packed with food.
"Slow down Naru, you'll give yourself a stomach ache – Look, you've even got some on your nose!" he laughed and offered her a napkin.
"Sorry," she said as she came up for air. "But it's so good!"
"Ha Ha! Compliments aside…where on earth did that teapot go?! It couldn't have gone far, we only used it yesterday!"
Something caught her attention from the corner of her eye.
"Umm, isn't it over there?" Naruko said pointing to the blue teapot, quite obviously sat on the counter top. He must not have heard her as suddenly he dove into a cupboard and, on his hands and knees began rooting like a man possessed through the crockery. He could be quite…an oddball, at times, she had discovered.
She observed him while munching on her pancakes. Whether he had noticed her gaze or not, he continued unfazed pulling items out haphazardly in the search for the elusive teapot, his torso now disappearing completely into the depths of the cubby.
He was a good-looking man, her father; mild-mannered, blue eyes, sunny messy blonde locks and sharp, chiselled features which certainly didn't take away from his youthfulness. Naruko could see, she supposed, why the local housewives giggled and blushed when he was nearby. A tall, handsome foreigner and father, that dotes on his young daughter.
Those women reminded her of the chickens she had seen when Minato took her to the petting zoo last week. Cluck, cluck, clucking away, not having anything better to do with their days, other than finding nice juicy worms. Here she – quite accurately - pictured worm-Minato inching along the ground going about his day to day business, only to be surround by the hungry, hungry hens. She could tell they made him uncomfortable, though he hid it well behind a mask of polite indifference. The more worm-Minato squirmed, the more excited they became. Though sometimes their prying questions hit a little too close to home…'Your daughter's very skinny, does she have an eating disorder? Probably because we don't see that woman of yours around, when can we expect to meet your wife?' Insensitive hags. Naruko hated them and her patience was already running quite thin. They liked to talk down to her, as if she was a simpleton, no doubt trying to impress her father with their kind 'child speak' – which, by the way, didn't give her much hope in befriending their children either if they were even remotely like their simpering matriarchs. Each one of the brood were constantly preening their feathers and trying to one-up the other. Blegh, it was sickening, and the street was jam-packed full of them.
Namimori, Japan - the sleepy little town they had decided to make their home, was apparently a mixture of retirees and busy young families. That meant you had a bunch of the older generation, quite literally, loitering about in rocking chairs in their front gardens and whole hordes of housewives roving the streets in some sort of unofficial 'mother's meeting'. The horror. That was the done thing around here, see? The men provided while the women stayed home, catered to the children, cleaned…and gossiped while the children were at school. The very idea of it made her wrinkle her nose. Nope, that was not the life for her, but she digressed.
Her father was mostly always cheerful and slightly goofy, bar when being antagonised by the Namimori Welcoming Committee, also known as the Extremely Galling Groupies – E.G.G if we're sticking with the chicken analogies.
During such encounters he was distant but polite and with a neutral smile in place he was able to pass by the flocks of women quite efficiently, without too much hassle and revealing barely any information.
At home, despite his dorky persona, he could be equally as serious when the moment called for it.
…Though that was not today it seemed.
This morning he had donned a ridiculously frilly pink apron, that he had assured her was 'all the rage' and 'fashionable'. Naruko somehow, wasn't convinced and even with her intuition, couldn't tell if he was joking or not. She would bet her fluffy fox slippers that it was a gift from the local poultry, but it nonetheless amused her.
"Ah found it!" Minato said triumphantly.
"You mean it was exactly where I said it was?" Naruko deadpanned.
"Yup!" He grinned unabashed.
"Good grief - Ouch." She said slapping a hand to her forehead, though instantly regretting it as she had forgotten about the ring on her finger. She scowled down at the colourful metal but was swiftly pulled from her thoughts when her stomach gave her a not-so-subtle reminder of the hunger which needed quelling. Right, pancakes.
Minato set a hot cup of tea in front of her, that smelt distinctly of peppermint and then made up a plate of food for himself. Not before removing the girly pink monstrosity. Naruko eyed it and contemplated incinerating it with her Flames, before shaking her head remembering she was still supposed to be recuperating – maybe she could hide it somewhere for now?
Naruko polished off her pancakes and mopped up the last of the maple syrup with the remaining piece of bacon savouring the salty sweet combination, while patting her stomach.
"That was great, thank you." She said, pulling the cup of tea into her hands inhaling the menthol steam. Full as a tick and now enjoying the warmth from her drink, had left her feeling a little lethargic. Naruko raised her hand to stifle a yawn.
Minato chuckled lightly; his plate already clean.
"What do you fancy doing today, Naru?" He said combing his fingers through her long hair.
"Umm, how about a day in today? Maybe a movie later?" She said, still feeling quite sleepy.
"Sounds good to me, though if you want popcorn for later, we'll have to go to the shops, we don't have any in the house."
"What's popcorn?"
"Ah, well it's a typical movie snack that you can make to be either sweet or savoury, but we'll go buy some and you can try it."
"Hmm, ok, but will the E.G.G's be there?" She asked dreading his answer.
"Always Naru." He said with a strained smile.
"…"
"Look, it will be fine. I'm their main target, but we won't let them stop us from our mission to retrieve the popcorn!" He declared, though his eyes softened at her pouty expression. Seeing her finally beginning to act like a kid her age was a huge relief.
"It's fine. I just don't like them, that's all. Those women make my head hurt." Naruko said with a sigh.
"So long as your intuition doesn't ring like a bell, we're fine."
"Alright," She knocked back her tea and began trooping to the door, as if gearing for battle. "Let's go!"
"Naru wai-"
"-Can't we just get this over with Dad? The sooner the better, right?"
"Yes, bu-"
"-So let's go!" She interrupted and tugged at the front door handle.
"NARU! Slow down, you're not even dressed yet!" Said Minato with no small amount of amusement.
Naruko froze and an adorable blush began to colour her face. She squeaked like a mouse and scurried, away from her father's snickering, up the stairs to change.
Swiftly shutting the door behind her, she blew out a puff of air. 'Those mindless women must be getting to me!'
She shook herself and started picking out clothes for the day. After rifling through her wardrobe, she settled on a pair a khaki brown shorts, white floral t-shirt and a pale green zip-up hoodie that she could snuggle into. Satisfied, she quickly brushed her hair and rushed to complete her bathroom routine.
She was down the stairs in record time and waited by the door as Minato walked out from the direction of the kitchen.
"Ready to go this time?" Minato asked with a grin.
"Yep!" She said, ignoring the blatant humour in his voice and slipped on her trainers.
They made their way down the short path to the gate after locking up the modest two storey house and sensed that eyes were on them the moment they stepped out of the boundary.
"Oh Good Morning Neighbours!" Came the sickly-sweet voice of Groupie Number 1.
"Urgh." They both groaned in unison, catching each other's eye.
Minato, with practised ease, put on his polite smile and turned to face the nosey neighbour. "Ah, Good Morning."
Naruko used the guise of her being shy to hide behind Minato's larger form, urging him to keep moving. He slowed only slightly to not come across as rude.
"Where are we off to today, another day trip?" She said, attempting to walk alongside them.
"No, but we are running an important errand." Minato said, still smiling.
"An errand? Anything I can help with?"
"Thank you, but it's strictly for my daughter and I." Naruko looked up to see the twitch in his eyebrow making an appearance.
"Oooh sounds exciting, aren't you a lucky little girl?" She said peering round at the smaller blonde.
Naruko cringed and hid herself further into Minato's side.
"Yes, well, we really should be going now – It was lovely talking to you..." Minato flashed the woman his most charming grin. A grin she'd caught him practising in front of a mirror just the other day, walking away briskly from the now, flushed and lovestruck woman.
"Phew! She really has a way with words, doesn't she?" Minato said dryly, when they'd gotten far enough away.
"...You have no idea what her name is do you?"
"I do too!" Minato exclaimed, affronted.
"Then what is it?"
"It's...ah look, we're nearly there now...ha ha!"
"...I knew it." Naruko said smugly.
"Well at least even when knowing their names, I don't call them chicken number one!" he sniped back childishly.
"Hey Aki-san back there, is the ringleader!"
They looked at each other pouting, before bursting into laughter. Minato tickled her sides, then suddenly scooped her up under her arms and lifted the little blonde onto his shoulders, catching Naruko off guard. Minato gripped her legs that were dangled over his shoulders, leaving Naruko to softly place her hands on his head.
"Okay up there?" He queried and gave her legs a gentle reassuring squeeze.
"Mm." She quietly confirmed, falling into a comfortable silence.
As Minato carried her part-way to their destination, Naruko took the time to reflect, once again, on her new life in Namimori.
Life was different here. Completely different. No ninja. No Clans. No Village. Everything was not built with wood but made with what Minato had told her was called 'brick', amongst other materials. They'd been built in rows which were quite disorientating and easy to get lost in as the house all looked the same. The streets were usually quiet here, not counting when they were teeming with Minato's ever-growing fan club, in comparison to Konoha's busy hubbub. It was nice; to walk around the neighbourhood in the daylight, to not have those hate-filled glares shadow her wherever she went – like she could finally breathe. And for the first time in…forever, she had an ally. Her father had very quickly become an irreplaceable presence in her life, who took on many roles; friend, supporter, confidant. He simultaneously built up her confidence through his support and allowed her the freedom she craved.
At the orphanage, in the room, she'd once poked a hole through the ceiling just so she could see the vast blue of the sky. She remembered the longing, wanting nothing more than to escape and fly freely within it like a bird. Now though, sat on her father's shoulders with the breeze ruffling through her hair and she truly felt a sense of belonging. Like home.
She smiled and reached with one hand towards the sky, feeling closer to it than ever.
Yes, life was different here, everything was neat and orderly and ordinary…but she could use some ordinary, however long it would last.
Their goal was the supermarket at the end of this road to the right. The problem was that the supermarket was a haven for those with nothing better to do. In other words; it has a constant chicken infestation, much to Naruko's immense displeasure.
With Minato's long strides, even at a slow pace, they had too soon arrived at their destination.
The supermarket.
Plopping Naruko onto her feet, they looked ahead at the daunting profile of the large shop, which judging by the looks of it, was heaving with their not-so-feathered friends. No words were needed, so, gathering their courage and securing their battle helmets, they linked hands and charged into the fray.
It was quite the skirmish and not very well planned on their part, Naruko thought in hindsight as she was sandwiched between her father and the incoming horde. Having known this would happen, they should have baited the crowd into coming outside first. They could have sent them on a wild goose chase around the town, while completing their shopping in peace. But no. They'd walked headlong into hysteria, like lambs to the slaughter.
The skirmish had kicked up a large dust cloud somehow around the mass of people pushing and shoving to get to them. Each of them squabbling over who was higher up in the pecking order. Using the distraction, the pair of blondes managed to slip away from the chaos, grab the popcorn, scatter some change on the counter and escape the shop with Minato still holding firmly onto Naruko's hand. Once outside Minato guided them to a nearby park where they collapsed into a bench, winded and panting.
Minato slumped back into the seat and tilted his head back, still breathless. He turned to the side only when he heard giggling from his companion.
The giggling continued before it turned into wheezing laughter.
"What is it?" Smiled Minato.
Naruko went to respond but struggled to contain her mirth, gasping for breath.
"Ha ha…I-it's just….ha…they really…went to town on you!" She managed to wheeze out.
Minato tilted his head and looked at her questioningly, prompting another fit of giggles.
The sheer absurdity of his appearance left her shaking in uncontrollable delight. His hair was in disarray, his clothing was torn and what really finished her was he had enough lipstick marks littering his face to look like freckles.
Unable to get any sense out of his snickering daughter, he shrugged and closed his eyes to enjoy the sound and to recharge some of his energy.
Naruko's giggles calmed leaving her panting and flushed, before disappearing altogether at her now more somber trail of thoughts.
"How do you think they're doing?" Naruko asked as her smile fell.
"The Arcobolano?"
"Mmm." She confirmed, leaning her head on Minato's shoulder.
Minato sighed, he knew she saw at least part of what happened as her fault, despite him telling her otherwise. He thought back to that day, a little over two weeks ago.
Naruko and he had left the memory version of their house in Konoha to enter into real time. He, himself, had simply opened his eyes to once again look out onto the large grassy peak where the seven strongest now lay, seemingly asleep, surrounding a little blonde.
Minato had leapt out of the window, throwing his checkered mask to the floor with a clang and dashed over to the forms on the ground, coming across a strange sight; seven de-aged Flame users - all dressed in a miniature of the clothes they'd previously worn - all lying in a circle, surrounding his young blonde daughter. Her long fair hair was fanned out around her in a halo of gold, briefly stunning him.
He shook himself into action and rushed to check on her, kneeling and pulling her onto his lap. There she stirred slightly before opening her eyes and regarded him groggily. He had exhaled in utter relief - it had worked, she was here, in his arms at last. He held her close, pressing his cheek against her head and thanking whatever deity had heard his prayers.
It wasn't until the little blonde in his arms started flailing, did he realise he was cutting off her air supply. Quickly releasing her, he held her at arm's length and looked her over. Minato had been concerned that the Seal would sap her completely of energy and ignore the other energies used as fuel for the transfer. He sighed in relief once again when he found no wound other than minor Chakra depletion, (which was saying something considering her already shockingly large reserves), something that a good rest would resolve.
He remembered bombarding her with questions until one of her small fingers gently placed itself on his lips. She had stared at him with soulful eyes and he'd been lost within them even as her hand fell from his face.
He didn't know how much time had passed but it was only to the sound of stirring around them was he brought back to reality.
He watched as their eyes opened and the realisation dawned on each of them. He'd tensed with Naruko still in his arms as the crushing guilt he had felt in that moment amplified tenfold. He watched them gape at their now-tiny limbs - saw the anger, the confusion, the revulsion and it made his stomach somersault with dread. It was only his grasp on the warm figure of Naruko, that let him hold his nerve. He needed to be strong for Naruko.
Breathing in deeply he broke out of his reverie and came back to the present.
"They're doing well…considering the circumstances."
"…" Naruko scuffed the ground.
"You know none of it was your fault, don't you?" Minato urged, circling and arm around her shoulder.
Naruko looked down at the multicoloured ring on her finger. "I know…I just…feel guilty…If I were them, I'd probably hate me."
"They don't hate you Naru, nor should they. They're just angry – at me – and rightly so! That guilt is mine to shoulder Naru, not yours. You didn't have any say in the matter!"
Naruko said nothing in response, quietly curling into her father's side as tears escaped and small sobs racked her frame. Minato's expression crumpled and folded her into his arms, unable to take away his daughter's pain.
They stayed, wrapped up together on the bench, as Naruko calmed and listened to the sounds around them.
She stirred, minutes later from their hold muttering apologies for his now sopping t-shirt.
"Perhaps I should have worn my apron?" He joked, eliciting a chocked laugh from Naruko.
"No way should that be allowed out in public." She sniffed, mock haughty.
They glanced at one another and laughed.
"Come Naru, we have popcorn to sample!" Minato said rising and tapping her freckled nose lightly.
She stood and linked her hand with his, looking over the grassy park one last time before the two Skies made their way home.