Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, just the OC though.

POV: Iruna

"If you two are going to pummel each other you may as well eat breakfast first, so you would have energy to use and I would not need to use most of my chakra to heal your bruises." Itachi said and even without any inflection, but it sounded like he was…allowing us at the same time scolding us. Did becoming a medic-nin do that to him or he just wanted more practice?

"We weren't going to turn each other blue. It was just going to be a friendly spar to see how much we've gotten stronger. Right?" Shisui said turning to me.

"Maybe" I answered smiling at him.

"Why do I feel like your answer is more of a 'yes'?" He said with narrowed eyes.

"Well, that's for you to think of."

After eating breakfast, the three of us, that being Sasuke, Shisui and I walked in the direction of the academy. It would have been the four of us, but there had been an emergency at the hospital and they called Itachi for assistance.

In the main street of Konoha we came across some of our clansmen—yes, even if the elders did exile me I am still an Uchiha by blood—would nod, for the typical Uchiha, and others would greet him, those were the elderly or kids.

"Ah, Shisui-sama, you're father is looking for you." One from the police force said when they were close to us.

Shisui-sama?

"Is it urgent?" Shisui asked.

"Yes."

"Sorry, I'll go on ahead." He said turning to me before he left.

"Shisui seems to have gotten popular with the clan while I was away." I said to Sasuke on the way to the academy.

"Has he? Everyone greets him and he always has meetings with the elders and his father at the police station. He's always busy even though he has shinobi duty."

"Do you have any friends, Sasuke?" I asked.

Sasuke turned his head away and mumbled something too soft for me to catch.

"What was that?"

"Nothing! I'll see you later!" Sasuke said jogging towards the academy building.

Maybe I should see how his lunch goes and if he already has fangirls at this age. I should record that using my sharingan, so I won't miss it. Before that I still have to hand in my report to Minato-san.

I rounded the corner towards Minato-sans' office, and almost bumped into Shimura Danzo. I stared at the bandaged man for a while. I stepped out of the way after some seconds so he could pass, there was that instant that I wanted to remove all of the bandages he had to reveal the stolen sharingans.

"Come in." Minato-san called when I knocked on his door.

"How was it going back to your house?" He asked while he read through the scroll I handed him.

"The house hasn't changed."

"That's not what I'm asking." He said raising his head.

Here, I was hoping he wouldn't ask about that…

"Is this really necessary?" I asked with a frown.

"Yes."

"It's not that important."

"Maybe for you, but as the Hokage I should know how my shinobi are faring."

"Isn't that going a bit too far, Minato-san?"

"You were Kushinas' student. Is it wrong for me to know how her student is after years of being away from her family or would you like to speak to a Yamanaka instead?"

I narrowed my eyes a bit at Minato-san before I gave in.

"I'm not sure what to feel." I answered. "I do feel welcome, but things have changed and I'm more worried about the rest of the clan realizing who I am and getting them in trouble with everyone."

"It's not good to worry for things that have or haven't happened yet." Minato-san answered.

"I know, but I can't help it when" that mummy is there and he may just steal Shisuis' eyes for himself. He already stole a lot from the clan and he wouldn't stop either. "When are you going to overhaul the garden, Minato-san?"

"It's not just me who's watching the garden."

"Yes, but…"

"Iruna let me worry about it."

"But—"

"For now, is there anything I should know concerning about Konoha?"

He changed the topic. No point in pursuing it anymore.

"It's been quiet and there hasn't been any news about Orochimaru either. I'm not even sure if he's with Akatsuki or he already left. Jiraiya-san said he'll look into it and about Akatsuki."

Minato-san nodded. "Since you're here, I assigned you to the roster for perimeter patrol. You'll be joining squadron five." He said before tossing a scroll to me. "The details are in there."

I opened the scroll and read it thoroughly before I rolled it up and looked at Minato-san.

"I just got here and you're already making me work that much. Don't I get some time to relax?" I asked. "I do have seals to study and work on."

"I'm sure you can manage your time. You were able to train while you made your seals."

That's true.

"And speaking of seals, you asked me to teach you before."

"I thought that agreement was…"

"I agreed to teach you when you became chuunin and it's long overdue already."

"But aren't you busy yourself Minato-san?" I asked. "And I already have a seal that's almost like your Hiraishin." Minato-san knows that himself.

"Then, how about a different sealing technique? The one's you've made so far from what I know were traps."

Thinking about it, I only have a number of seals for the purpose of security, but not one any for containment. I have traps as well as storage seals, but those are basic seals. I haven't made any revision with any of those either.

"Y-yeah. Most of them are traps or offensive." I replied.

"That settles it then. I'll inform you when we'll start." He said smiling widely and he even looked excited.

ooo

I was in one of the trees at the courtyard of the school where some of the students were playing or just doing what they wanted with their break. Sasuke was leaning against the tree just below the one I was hiding in and eating his lunch alone. Feet away from him, I could see a group of five girls watching him by the tables. They were giving him glances and giggling to themselves.

'This is getting tiring.' Shou-kun said from the branch near me.

"How so?" I asked softly.

'It's the same scenario. Those girls would just keep doing that whenever it's their break. Sasuke has gotten good at escaping them or ignoring them. Then there's—'

"Oi Duckhead" I looked down to find a blond haired boy with whiskers talking to Sasuke. "Want to join us?"

"Join you for what?"

"Naruto! Come on!" Kiba called from across the courtyard.

"Maybe another time, Duckhead." Naruto said before chasing Kiba along with Chouji and Shikamaru as they left the academy.

'They often do that.' Shou-kun said.

The anbu watching Naruto too left, trailing after him. Well, not surprising someone has to keep an eye on him. Not solely because he's the jinchuriki but half is he's Minato-sans' son. I wonder what Minato-san does when he hears the anbu report about his son skipping classes.

At the end of their classes, I was outside waiting for Sasuke. From a distance I can see him come out of the building and a bunch of girls trailing steps behind him. They didn't try to hide that they were following him. It was funny, but a bit disappointing that those girls didn't have anything better to do aside from stalk their crush.

"Sasuke!" I called Sasuke to get his attention away from the trailing fangirls.

He blinked before he ran towards me.

"Neesan, why are you here?" He asked.

"Can't I come and walk with you back to the house?" I asked grinning down at him. "Want me to invite those behind you?"

"No!" Sasuke wailed before grabbing my hand and dragging me away.

"Aw, come on, Sasuke. Aren't they your friends?" I said teasing him while walking in step with him.

"They're not my friends. They just keep looking at me and giggling. Girls are weird!" He said frustrated.

"I'm a girl." I said in a matter of fact tone.

"Neesan isn't like those weird girls. You're prettier and cooler than any of them. Why can't those girls be like you?"

I felt flattered that Sasuke thought of me as that when yesterday was the first he saw me in a after a long time.

"I have a different mind than them." I replied chuckling. "Want to go buy some snacks to bring back? I feel like getting takoyaki."

"Do you like takoyaki?" Sasuke asked.

"I do." I grinned. "It's like how Itachi likes dango."

"—dango. The store won't be open later." I heard ahead of us.

"You love dango way too much, Anko. *cough* Do you even eat anything else besides that?"

"Dango is my source of energy! I need to eat one or two or three sticks before..."

Her voice became softer as they went in the direction of the dango shop. I glanced down at Sasuke and he was laughing while covering his hand.

ooo

While we were eating dinner, I told everyone that including Shisui—our food mooching cousin—that I had evening patrols for two weeks. Minato-san doesn't seem to plan on sending me off for a mission outside the village for a while.

It was around the time for me to head out for the patrols, the scroll said that the meeting spot would be the main gates and that it was made of three members. It didn't mention who the other members are or Minato-san did that on purpose…

"Is this squadron 5?" I asked when I saw three persons, two of them I already knew, standing at the side of the gate.

"Yes." The Hyuuga member in the squadron answered. "Are you the one joining us?"

I nodded, and for a Hyuuga his hair wasn't long. It was actually a clean cut, not like Guys' hairstyle, but it looked nice to see a Hyuuga with short hair for a change.

"I am Hyuuga Haru." He said stoically. "These are Mitarashi Anko and Gekko Hayate."

Hyuuga Haru?! What the hell happened to him to make him cut his hair?!

"Oh, have you two met already?" Anko-san said grinning when I gawked at him.

I ignored what Anko-san asked and proceeded to introduce myself. "Iruna" I answered there was no avoiding telling them my name.

"The Ex-Uchiha?" Anko-san said looking at me from top to bottom.

"Anko!" Gekko-san chastised her. "Don't call her that, you could be wrong."

Haru-san nodded before speaking. "We'll divide the squad into two. Hayate-san you're with Iruna-san for the following days. Anko-san…" He paused. "…you're with me."

"Hey! What's with that pause?" Anko-san growled out.

"Let's go." Haru-san answered walking away leaving Anko-san with no choice, but to follow him.

"Sorry about Anko-san. She was rude earlier, not that she meant to. Her personality is just rough."

"It's fine. I prefer people like her she doesn't hide what she thinks." I answered. "After all I am a former Uchiha, Hayate-san."

"You're really Iruna-chan?" He asked me shock all over his face.

"Yes."

We walked in silence after three rounds passing the main gate.

"You've changed."

"And the same goes for you." I said indifferently.

I didn't really speak that much during patrols and it always went uneventful. Hayate-san didn't try to make conversation with me and I was fine with that. The days passed by quickly and it was already the end of the week. I was joined by Sasuke to look for a gift in the business district.

The first thing I thought was something they could use and we decided to enter a weapon shop. I only just saw this shop now, and this wasn't here before. Behind the counter was a kind looking man with brown hair and small brown eyes.

"Welcome." He said smiling.

I bowed out of politeness and we went around the shop, while I inspected their wares most of them were high-quality, and it had good prices that even a genin could buy after a number of D rank missions. I bought what I needed and went to the corner I saw Sasuke was at earlier.

He was looking at the senbons on display and one brown haired girl with her hair in two buns approached him.

"Those are senbons they're difficult to use." She said to Sasuke. "Not like a kunai or a shuriken. They are so thin and it could slip your hands if you don't know how to handle them. You might even end up getting pricked by it yourself."

"Who are you?" Sasuke turned to her.

"Tenten" She answered. "My dad's the shop owner, and you're Uchiha Sasuke."

Sasuke stepped back thinking that she might be a fangirl. Sasuke has been complaining about his fangirls a lot of times in the house saying they annoy him.

"If you want to know something about any weapons here you can ask my dad. I can only tell what I learned about the weapons from him. See you around." She said.

I smiled as Sasuke watched Tenten disappear behind the counter and into the backroom. Sasuke appeared dumbfounded by her, probably because it was the first time a girl close to his age just spoke to him normally unlike the girls' I've witnessed in his class.

"Let's go, Sasuke." I said getting his attention.

We were on our way back to the compound after we bought some tomatoes and the ingredients Mother needed for dinner.

"That girl earlier…Tenten."

"Yes?"

"She didn't blush and act shy when she knew who I am. She's not like my classmates."

"It sounded like she knew you. Maybe she also goes to the academy."

"It's the first time I saw her."

"Ah, then maybe she's older, but you won't see every Konoha citizen wanting to become a shinobi. Some prefer to learn the trade of their family instead."

"I hope I see her in the academy." Sasuke answered.

"You want to be friends with her?"

"Maybe"

"She seems to know a lot about weapons maybe you can learn one or two about weapon handling from her aside from us."

"Do you think she'll teach me?"

"You won't know until you try, right?" I said smiling at him.

After finishing the seals and attaching them to the kunais' that I bought earlier, next was to give it to Kakashi. It was time for my patrols already, so I decided to hand it tomorrow in the afternoon.

"Morning, Minato-san" I greeted when the said person opened the door that morning.

"Did you wait out here for hours?" He asked me.

"Not really" I answered. I was at the monument doing some meditating while waiting for sunrise. "I just came by to hand Kakashi his birthday gift."

"Did you have breakfast already?"

I shook my head.

"You can eat breakfast with us. I'm just about done making it." Minato-san said.

I helped Minato-san with setting the table while waiting for the other two lodgers in the house to wake up. Kakashi was the first to wake up and some minutes later Naruto came out with his eyes half-open.

"Naruto wash your face first." Minato-san said wearing an apron on top of his usual shinobi gear and holding a wooden spoon.

"Oh-kay." Naruto said while yawning as he went back to the hallway.

When Naruto came back wide awake, he blinked when she saw me.

"Aren't you Duckheads' sister?" He said. "Why are you here?"

"Eating breakfast with you guys."

"Eh? Why?"

"Because Naruto, I invited her to eat with us." Minato-san answered. "Now, eat, you still have your schoolwork to do along with the make-up assignments that you should have done while in class."

"Can we eat Ichiraku ramen later?"

"I'll consider it if you do all of your schoolwork without asking Kakashi to answer it for you. You can ask him for some tips, but that's it, okay?"

"Okay, but Ichiraku?" Naruto turned to his dad with doe eyes.

"If you finish your schoolwork."

"Okay. I'll finish it before you come back for lunch!" Naruto said full of vigor before he turned to Kakashi. "That orange book you gave me is trash. You can have it back."

"Orange book, what orange book?" Minato-san asked.

"The one Jiraiya-sama gave me." Kakashi answered blinking before I felt killing intent directed at Kakashi.

"Naruto what was the title?"

"Icha-icha" Naruto answered as he ate his breakfast.

"You gave him 'that' book?" He said smiling at Kakashi, but it was the devils' smile.

I activated my sharingan watching as Kakashi was on the floor bowing to Minato-san pleading for his life and forgiveness instead of running away. Well, even if he tried to run I know Minato-san would be able to track him down.

"I'll be going. Kakashi help Naruto, but don't spoon feed him." Minato-san leaving the house via Hiraishin.

"And you?" Kakashi turned to me. "Why aren't you leaving yet?"

"Well, that's welcoming, and here I came to hand this to you myself." I said unsealing his present from my wrist storage seal. "Here, I know I'm a little late, but Happy Birthday."

"Thank you." He said taking the gift.

"I haven't seen Obito-nii in the village is he on a mission right now?" I said when I was by the door.

"Probably, you'll have to ask Minato-sensei about him."

"Why?" I asked confused.

He just shook his head meaning he didn't know himself or it wasn't his to tell.

"Okay, don't be a stranger Kakashi." I said before leaving the house. "Next time look at what you hand to Naruto or anyone younger than you before Minato-san or someone else does do off with you."

It was a little after lunch when I woke up. After eating and waiting for an hour I would go to our backyard to do my taijutsu stances. While in the middle of my stances, I felt someone approaching from the corner of the house. I finished my stances first before turning to find Haru-san there in his chuunin vest.

"Hyuuga-san" I said.

"Haru is fine." He answered.

"What brings you here, Haru-san?"

"Are you free this afternoon, Iruna-san?"

"I was hoping to continue with a project of mine after doing my stances, but why do you ask?" It's not every day that a Hyuuga enters the Uchiha compound.

"Could you spare us an hour or two tomorrow?"

"I guess, but who is 'us' first?" I asked curious.

"You will find out tomorrow. Please meet me at the park at 13:00."

I did meet with Haru-san wearing my shinobi gear just in case the meeting may take longer. Haru-san arrived on time and he told me to follow him. The direction though that we were going in wasn't the usual places I would go even before I left Konoha.

AN: Thank you once more for reading this. I had a difficult time getting the creativity flowing out of my brain because of work. Anyway, I hope you liked this one! Any questions? Comments? Suggestions? Leave a review. Feedback is always appreciated. ^^ Until the next chapter!