DISCLAIMER: I own nothing from the Naruto universe but I do have an imagination of my own. PLEASE REVIEW! I will take advice and suggestions from my readers while continuing the story. If there are couples you'd eventually like, etc., let me know!

Thinking

Biju, etc. speaking

Biju, etc. thinking

Emphasis

It had been a month and Jiraiya was still gone!

Naturally, he hadn't left enough money to last more than two weeks, so Naruto was left to hunt and fish, gather berries, and the like - which was fine for the most part. She didn't want to get the old man in trouble for "bad parenting" although she really didn't know what that even entailed. So for her, the most annoying or dangerous part of searching for food was making sure no one would find out about her doing so.

She also felt bad about even imposing upon Jiraiya so much. She's the one that should be out there, doing who knows what he'd gotten himself into at this point. Honestly, she was worried. He sure as hell better not have gone to Ame and died on her again! Really, it was her worst fear. Surely he could contact his first students by toad, right?

Speaking of toads, they'd been arriving every few days with notes that told her absolutely nothing about whatever the Sage was doing. She had taken to writing him back, trying not to complain, but always begging him for information. As long as the toads came to her, she knew the old man had chakra and was alive, at least.

What did she even have to write about? The Academy? Give me a break. It was totally boring, even in war - or maybe they were in near-war times, or maybe JiJi was hiding things from the civilians... It was close enough to what she'd consider a war-time environment in the village either way. I should pay more attention. At least she was learning more math than she ever had before, although, for what reason, Naruto couldn't imagine. If you can throw a shuriken and it hits its mark, why do you need to know the precise angle and velocity? Once again, the Academy didn't make sense to her.

Observing her classmates from the back corner of the large classroom, she felt so alone. The only person her supposed age or near it was Kakashi, and he was a total jerk! He also avoided her like the plague - which she figured wasn't exactly different than the way he was in her past. She felt tears burn in her eyes and scolded herself harshly. Why the hell would he care about her? Before, he was all about Sasuke for the most part, and probably only protected and taught her for his reputation… Hell, he'd never even told her who her father was! And he'd been the man's apprentice!

"Would you shut up?! Go…" Kurama groaned. "Just go get a friend or something! And STOP BEING A BRAT!"

"You're the only one I need, Kurama."

Kurama rolled his eyes. Honestly, all this negativity had been going on for far too long. The kit had been even more focused lately on all the wrongs her former sensei had done to her, most of which he absolutely agreed with. After all, he was the one saddled with mending her heart, lung, and everything surrounding them as a result of a Chidori or two. And that silver-haired Ningen taught the traitor that jutsu. I hate that jutsu - close to as much as I hate the Uchihas. There were so many things he hated, though. He decided to count them, brightening his mood immensely.

It's hard to stay awake. Sitting in the classroom had always sucked for her. If only there was a Nara here to nap alongside. Hearing her sensei drone on about the Clan Wars, she tilted her chair onto its back legs and pressed her head into the corner. Her thoughts returned to Shikamaru again, but at least she wasn't SO much of a crybaby, anymore! Maybe when Ero-sennin comes back, he can teach me how to really play Shogi. She had completely sucked at it all those years ago… No one, not even his dad eventually, could ever beat Shika.

Suddenly a bright flash appeared in the front of the classroom. Naruto nearly dumped herself over in her chair and had to grab her desk to hold herself up. The class was already clapping - and Oh, no… There stood her biological father in all his teenage Jonin glory, making the girls in the room swoon and make ridiculously annoying whines and other inappropriate sounds. Naruto placed her head on the desk and softly pounded her forehead into it. Keeping her head low, she glanced up at her too-young father, only to see him wave at Kakashi, who sat in the other corner of the room.

Seeing what was so obviously a familiar greeting, as well as Kakashi's face which was lit up like a puppy made her feel something strange. Her dad - no, MINATO, was talking now, but Naruto couldn't focus on it. What the hell? Her gut was clenched and burning, as she searched for an answer to what she was feeling. Had she ever felt this way before? She searched her memories and realized it was a bit like - but even worse than - the way she used to feel about Sasuke when they were young.

Naruto pushed her face into the wall, only glancing over occasionally as her… no, MINATO-SAN demonstrated his new jutsu - her most-used old one. Fucking hell! She hadn't tried to do a Rasengan in over a year, and at the time she just didn't have the chakra control. She'd also burnt her hand badly, which would've been a really bad thing if it weren't for Kurama. She'd been on her way to Konoha at the time, had no medical supplies, and was avoiding population centers. She should've thanked the fox once again as she remembered it, but her classmates' reactions to the jutsu were just too much.

Squealing girls… The boys were so obviously interested in what her father was saying and so unmistakably in admiration of him… Wait! He literally flashed in here! Does that mean he completed the Thunder God before the Rasengan?! Once again, she felt incredibly guilty and stupid for not knowing so much about her own damn parents - no, they were Kushina-san and Minato-san now - and also at being what was probably the one Uzumaki ever born to not know very much about seals. Naruto closed her eyes in sadness and placed her head on the desk.

Fortunately, the bell rang to end classes. Naruto hid her face from her, er- Minato-san, although she was pretty tiny in comparison to her classmates anyway, which probably hid her away. Being in the back of the class definitely was a plus today. Once she thought it was safe, she grabbed her backpack and moved to jump out the window. She checked to see if anyone recognizable was down below, and saw that it was safe. Naruto closed her eyes and took a deep cleansing breath after reaching the ground, and decided to forgo training for a bit and head back to Jiraiya's place.

Making her way around the front of the Academy, she stopped dead in her tracks. On either side of Kakashi were her parents. All three of them looked so happy and were chatting and even laughing. Naruto's heart felt like it was crumbling, and she clenched her hands into tight fists. Oh, gods - they were walking toward… I just can't get a break! Naruto stood silent and still as she watched the trio walk into Ichiraku's before turning away from them and running as fast as her legs would take her, tears spilling down her cheeks.

"So your class seems nice, Kakashi-kun," Minato said between bites of glorious ramen.

"I guess," he replied glumly as he rolled his eyes.

Kushina looked over at her boyfriend and shook her head slightly. Sakumo-sensei's son is SUCH a brat! Minato winked at her as she stuffed more noodles into her mouth.

"Say, Kakashi," Minato began, "I noticed another chibi in your class." That earned him a glare from the masked boy but he was used to that. "She wasn't paying much attention to my demonstration…"

"So, a smart girl then?" Kushina asked cheekily. Minato ignored her, although she definitely saw his eye twitch. Too easy.

"Really blonde hair - sits up in the corner... She looks about your age or younger, ne?" Minato continued.

Kakashi pulled his mask back up and gave Minato a blank look. "Yeah, she probably was ignoring you." He paused, "she's so weird." Minato began harassing him about his fangirls again, but he continued. "That had to be Uzumaki Naruto."

Kushina choked on her noodles so hard that she had to begin pulling them out of her nose. Minato couldn't help but chuckle, but completely understood why she had reacted that way. Everyone believed that she was the last living Uzumaki, after all.

Kakashi looked at her like she was the grossest person in the world, which he believed right now. "She's Jiraiya-sama's kid."

Minato's mouth fell open before he fell off his stool.