Three weeks after school starts, Madoka's class gets new student. Madoka is not overly interested in the new girl. The girl, who has short, red hair is standing beside Nezumi sensei staring at the class nervously.
"Alright class," says Nezumi sensei. "listen carefully while your new classmate introduces herself."
The new girl adjusts her glasses and says, "My name is Karin Uzumaki. My mother and I left the Hidden Grass and came to live in the Hidden Leaf because a shinigami told my mother the Leaf is miles better than the Grass. I am studying fuuinjutsu and medical ninjutsu because I want to be a medical ninja like my mother."
At least she made a good impression on the class, Madoka thinks absentmindedly.
"Oh, so you want to be a medical ninja?" crows Nezumi sensei. "We don't get too many who want to learn medical ninjutsu." She beams around at the class. "Does anyone else want to learn medical ninjutsu?"
"I do," says Madoka, not really paying much attention to what he is saying.
"Oh, Madoka, that's great!" beams Nezumi sensei. "We don't get too many boys learning medical ninjutsu."
"That's because medical ninjutsu's a girl's thing," scoffs the boy who keeps making fun of Madoka's pink hair. "Everyone knows that's all girls are good for. They're too weak to fight."
"You are staying in at lunchtime today," snaps Nezumi sensei. "You need to think about what you've said."
"That's what my dad says," says the boy defensively. "And my dad's always right."
"If you like I can spar with him and show him how well girls can fight," volunteers the Hyuuga girl, with a sweet smile on her face.
"Nah, I'll do my detention," says the boy, pretending he isn't terrified.
"So," says Nezumi sensei. "Who else wants to learn medical ninjutsu? Perhaps you could form a study group, or if there's enough of you we could have a special class."
"I'd like to learn medical ninjutsu," says a girl with short, blonde hair. Madoka isn't sure, but he thinks the girl's name is Ino.
"So would I," adds another girl, whose name Madoka does not know.
"Well, it looks like we might have enough for a medical ninjutsu class after all," smiles Nezumi sensei. "I'll see if there are any children in Washi's class who would like to join such a class."
The new girl ends up sitting in the seat directly in front of Hinata, next to the boy with pink hair. As soon as she is sure Nezumi sensei won't notice, Hinata leans forward and whispers, "Hey, new girl!"
"Huh?" the girl turns around, a surprised look on her face.
"Meet me after class, I've got something to tell you!" Hinata whispers and goes back to her schoolwork.
After class is finished and break time arrives, Hinata hangs around waiting for the new girl to talk to her. To her surprise, Ino and Pink Hair have already befriended the new girl and both follow her to meet Hinata.
"So what did you want to tell me?" the new girl asks Hinata.
"Only that there is another Uzumaki living in Konoha," says Hinata grinning. "So you call tell your posse to stand down."
"There are people from my clan left?" asks the new girl, her eye's wide.
"Yeah, at least, that's what Joe says," shrugs Hinata.
"Who's Joe?" asks the new girl.
"Someone obviously hasn't started practicing for her level two test," mutters Hinata.
"Level two test?" the new girl looks confused.
"You did say you were studying fuuinjutsu?"
"Well yeah, but I don't know anyone called Joe."
"You will." Hinata nods seriously. "Now, do you want to meet another Uzumaki?"
Naruto and Shikamaru are waiting for Choji and Hinata in their usual spot. Choji arrives pretty quickly and tells them Hinata stayed behind to talk to the new girl. Soon after, Hinata comes running from her classroom followed by a blonde girl, a red haired girl with glasses and a boy with pink hair.
"Hey Naruto!" Hinata yells. "This girl is an Uzumaki!"
"Really?" Naruto is so excited he sets himself spinning and ends up getting tangled in the branches of a nearby tree.
"Why are you floating?" asks the red haired girl.
"Because I didn't listen to Iruka niisan when he said 'don't ever write seals on your own body'," explains Naruto. "And now I'm stuck floating until I figure out how to deactivate the seal."
"Can I have a look at the seal?" asks the red haired girl. "I'm learning fuuinjutsu too."
"Really?" Then he realizes something. "Hey, you're the one that's an Uzumaki! Hinata really wasn't clear about that, dattebayo."
"I was pointing at her!" argues Hinata.
"Troublesome," mutters Shikamaru.
Hinata pulls Naruto down to the ground and tethers him to the tree.
"I'm Naruto Uzumaki," says Naruto to Karin. "What's your name?"
"Karin Uzumaki," says Karin. "Where's that seal?"
"It's here, on my arm," says Naruto, pulling up his sleeve to show Karin the seal.
Karin examines the seal for a few minutes. Then she pulls out a piece of paper and a pen and starts to copy the seal. Unfortunately, she makes a mistake, and just as Naruto tries to tell her, Karin activates the seal.
"Wassup, kiddies!" says Joe, as he appears in a whirl of awesomeness.
"Yo Joe!" grins Naruto.
"What are you?" asks the boy with pink hair. "I've never seen someone like you before."
"I'm Joe," says Joe. "That's all you need to know, little non-Uzumaki."
"You see, Karin?" says Hinata. "I told you you would meet Joe some day."
Joe peers at Karin. "OOOH! A new one! It's been so long since little Uzumakis have learned fuuinjutsu and now we get two at once! The last one I remember is-" he claps his hands over his mouth and blushes. "I really need to stop nearly letting secrets slip. Bye!" he vanishes.
"Wow," says Naruto. "Usually you have to force him to leave. I wonder what he nearly let slip?"
At the end of the school day, Naruto floats around waiting to meet Karin's mum. He can't believe there are two actual Uzumakis living in the Hidden Leaf. Well, two Uzumakis that aren't him anyway. After what seems like an age to the impatient Naruto and the fidgety Karin, Karin's mum finally turns up.
"Who's this?" she asks Karin, peering curiously at Naruto, who accidently sent himself spinning again.
Hinata, Choji and Shikamaru all had to leave already, so Karin is holding Naruto's leash. Karin tugs the leash to stop Naruto from spinning and says, "This is Naruto Uzumaki."
"I don't remember meeting any blonde Uzumakis before," smiles Karin's mum, amused.
"Well it's not my fault I didn't inherit the Uzumaki hair," grumbles Naruto. "I would've looked so cool with red hair, 'ttebayo."
Karin's mum laughs. "I take it you are learning fuuinjutsu?" she asks.
"Yeah," Naruto scratches the back of his head in embarrassment. "I broke all the rules and now I float." then he remembers something. "Karin tried to copy the seal on a piece of paper, but she made a mistake and summoned Joe."
"Oh!" Karin's mum gasps in happiness and hugs Karin proudly. "You finally summoned Joe! Now I can tell you about the level two test!"
"What's the big deal about Joe?" demands Karin. "Who is Joe?"
"Joe is a shinigami," says Naruto. "He's awesome."
"Whaaaaaa…?!" Karin is so shocked she lets go of Naruto's leash.
"Don't let me float away!" screams Naruto frantically, trying to shut off the seal.
Karin and her mother both scramble to catch Naruto, but they are beaten to it when Iruka niisan appears and plucks Naruto out of the sky.
"That is quite possibly the most badass thing I've seen in a long time," says Karin's mother. "You wouldn't happen to be related to Ikkaku Umino, would you?"
"I'm his son," says Iruka, letting go of Naruto and tying the leash to his belt. "My name is Iruka Umino."
"Oh my gosh, little Iruka!" Karin's mum put a hand over her mouth. "You were just a baby last time I saw you!"
"Do I know you?" asks Iruka, frowning.
"I'm Okami Uzumaki, your father taught me fuuinjutsu," replies Karin's mum. Then she gasps. "Joe referred to you as the last Umino, does that mean…"
"Yeah. I'm the last one."
"If only I had come to the Leaf sooner!"
"Well you're here now," says Iruka niisan firmly. "So there's no point dwelling on what might have been."