"Gravity Fails?" says Shisui dubiously. "Why's it called that?"
"Obviously it's because random stuff happens here on a regular basis," says Namiko, rolling her eyes.
"You have quite an extensive vocabulary, little dudette, eh," comments Gramps Pants.
"Hey," Chippie whispers to Kipper. "What does extensive mean?"
"It means huge," whispers back Kipper. "Namiko, could you take these visitors to the motel? It's nearly time for you to go back anyway."
"I still have ten minutes!" protests Namiko.
"It'll take you ten minutes to get this old guy to the motel," says Chippie, pointing at Gramps Pants.
Naruto decides it's time for someone to say something. The older kids are obviously trying to get rid of the little one, whom Naruto guesses is their little sister. "Your name's Namiko, right?" Naruto asks the little girl.
"Yeah," says Namiko, nodding.
"This is Sparky," says Naruto, taking Sparky off his shoulder. "He's my pet phoenix. Do you wanna pet him, 'tebayo?"
Namiko looks torn between falling for the obvious ploy to stop her from noticing the big kids are trying to get rid of her and beating the crap out of them. After a few seconds, Namiko pets Sparky. Sparky understands what Naruto is trying to do and hops over to the kid's shoulder and rubs his face against her cheek. Namiko giggles, glares at the twins and says, "The motel is this way."
Namiko leads Team Iruka, extra members and all, through a short patch of forest. Soon the trees open out into a clearing where several houses sit nestled in patches of bush. Off to one side is a walled area, and off to the other is a giant hedge.
"What's behind the wall?" asks Shisui curiously.
"The park," says Namiko. "Lots of kids around here learn fuuinjutsu and accidently summon things from a parallel universe. There's also a rift somewhere around here that leads to that universe, but no one can ever find it. The weird animals and stuff all go in the zoo part of the park. Lots of people come from all over to visit it."
"What about the hedge?" asks Neji, who is looking at the hedge with his byakugan. "There's a strange energy coming from it, but I can't see past it with my byakugan."
"That's the temple of Dave," says Namiko reverently. "No one can get past the barrier, or see past the barrier unless they are from the Uzumaki clan or the Umino clan. And no one's allowed in there either, unless it's an emergency."
Soon, they reach the motel, a low lying building with a sign over the door reading: The Mystery Motel. Or, at least, it should read that. The 'M' from 'Motel' is lying in the grass in front of the motel. "Well, this is the motel," says Namiko. Then she sees something out of the corner of her eye and runs off. Naruto sees Namiko disappear around the corner dragging someone out of sight behind her.
"Did she just ditch us?" says Shisui, blinking and staring at the spot where Namiko was standing.
"Yeah, did you see who she ran off with, 'tebayo?" asks Naruto.
"No," says Iruka-nii.
"It was a pretty lady with red hair," says Burifu, grinning. "Let's go inside, I'm tired and I'm hungry and I need to pee."
"Come on then," says Iruka-nii, opening the motel door and ushering everyone inside.
Once he is inside, Naruto has a good look around the lobby. There are gift items for sale, such as hats, scarves, a jar of glass eyeballs that look startlingly real and many other strange things. On the wall behind the counter there is a large, framed photo of a mermaid that is obviously faked. In the center of the lobby is a stuffed bunny with fairy wings stitched onto it.
Iruka-nii and Naruto's grandpa head up to the counter, where a tall teenage girl with long red hair is watching them. "Welcome to the Mystery Motel," she says. "My name is Wendi, what can I do for you?"
"We'd like rooms for - how long are we staying?" Sasy Iruka-nii, breaking off mid-sentence to ask Naruto's Grandpa a question.
"Doesn't matter," says Wendi, leaning her elbows on the counter. "We have no one else staying here at the moment, and no one due to come for another week. The only visitors we do have are staying at someone's house because they want to avoid any other visitors. They are ninjas like you, so we'll be making sure you stay out of each other's way: we do not tolerate conflict inside Gravity Fails. Got all that?"
"Yes, no fighting!" grins Naruto's Grandpa.
"So how many of you are there?" Wendi asks.
"Three children and four adults," replies Iruka-nii promptly.
"Do you have bunk beds?" demands Naruto, running up to the counter. They probably don't, but he would be so happy…
"Yeah, we have bunk beds," says Wendi. "Our family suite has a couple of sets. I guess you guys can have the family suite, but you'll need an extra room for someone. There's only six beds in the family suite."
"Dibs being by myself," says Shisui, instantly.
"No one wants to look at your pyjamas anyway," says Neji.
Shisui growls unhappily and goes a bit pink.
Naruto laughs and highfives Neji.
"I'll show you to your rooms, then," says Wendi. She leads them through a door, down a corridor and stops about halfway down. "This room is the family room," she says, opening the door with the number 5 on it. "And this loser can have this room," she taps the number six door across the hall. "Make sure you pay before you leave."
"You're pretty laid back here," comments Naruto's grandpa.
"We are," agrees Wendi. "But don't you dare cross us."
Naruto wakes up the next morning to the happy realization that he is sleeping in a bunk-bed. Iruka-nii is on the bottom bunk, Neji is on the top bunk of the other set and Burifu was on the bottom of the other set. After a very short time, she climbed up onto the top so she could use Neji's knees as a pillow. Gramps Pants and Naruto's Grandpa are sleeping in the two single beds on the other side of the room.
Naruto wonders if, when actual families stay in this room, the parents are glad or unhappy about there being no double bed. Naruto remembers his parents and his good mood vanishes. Hurriedly, Naruto pushes the thought to the back of his mind and jumps down off the bunk bed, right on top of Iruka-nii.
"OW!" Iruka-nii protests.
"IT'S MORNING, DATTEBAYO!" Naruto shouts, trying to get his good mood back. "I want to see the PARK!"
Sparky flies down from his perch on Neji's bed-rail and squawks loudly, waking up everyone who Naruto didn't already wake up.
"Naruto!" Protests Naruto's Grandpa. "It's six am. It's too early to get up."
"But I'm awake, 'tebayo!"
"I'll take Naruto to find some breakfast," sighs Iruka. "The rest of you can sleep until we get back."
"I'll come," says Neji, climbing down from his bunk. "I am used to getting up at this time for training."
Naruto changes out of his panda pyjamas and panda hat while Neji vanishes into the ensuite bathroom and emerges after having a two minute shower, washing his hair, getting dressed and brushing his teeth. The entire process takes him five minutes. By that time, Iruka is also dressed and has tidied up his hair, which wasn't even messy. Iruka-nii's hair is always perfect.
Once the three of them are ready, Iruka, Naruto, Sparky and Neji head out to find some breakfast. They leave the motel and look for a cafe. A short way down the dirt road, they come across a breakfast bar. "Let's try in there," suggests Iruka, heading over to it.
"It probably has boring food, 'tebayo," sighs Naruto, following.
"This place is run by Uzumaki's, right?" says Neji. "I doubt it will be boring."
Once they are inside, the trio checks out the menu. Naruto orders Breakfast Ramen for himself and breakfast cereal for Sparky, Neji orders Breakfast Cereal and Iruka-nii orders Breakfast Soup and Pancakes. It seems the Order of Steve aren't the only ones who eat soup and pancakes for breakfast.
Once they have devoured their food, Neji, Iruka, Sparky and Naruto head over to the zoo to see if it is open. It isn't, but the guard lets them in anyway, after telling them they haven't had many visitors lately, but there is another one inside who can show them around.
The four of them head inside the zoo and looks around for the other person who is there.
"You know, the other guest the guard mentioned is probably one of the shinobi who are here," says Neji.
"Aren't we supposed to be avoiding them, 'tebayo?" says Naruto, pulling a face and crossing his arms.
"Looks like the memo hasn't gone out yet," sighs Iruka-nii. "We will have to take it upon ourselves to stay away from these shinobi - if they are even enemies."
Naruto sees someone come around the corner and grins. "HI NAGATO!" he yells, waving enthusiastically.