Yōso no josei.

Chapter 4: Calm before the storm.

A/N: Cheerio Arkheiners(that's what I'm calling you, just accept it) welcome to chapter 4 of Yōso no josei. I'll start off by saying thank your for your reviews and support, it brings a smile to my face seeing those numbers rise, it means that people are actually interested in this weird idea and that's cool! Super cool! You guys are cool! This will explore more Natsumi and just give you some idea on her origin and stuff. Enjoy!

OOh also for any of those familiar with the fanfic Foxdere! I'm happy to announce that I've been given the go ahead to adopt it and rewrite it, so yeah that's where my time has been focused on as well.

Disclaimer: I still don't own Naruto, I'm just a brokie who is saving up for a display art tablet.


"Natsumi…c-can I know more about you?" the young blonde raised a slender rounded brow at the question shot her way. She'd come to learn that her rosé haired teammate was more soft-spoken when not around her crush, in fact Natsumi could swear that Sakura was intimidated by her. She's heard little from the fangirl since they arrived at Ichiruka's, Natusmi sometimes would forget that she wasn't alone until the other shuffled.

"About myself? In what manner?" Natsumi questioned as she dipped her set of chopsticks into the pork broth pooling within the bowl topped with long spindly noodles. That was one thing that Sakura learned about her impish partner, she always carried a sealed pack of metallic chopsticks each baring her initials at the top.

"Stuff…like, are you and Hinata…a pair?" the question caught Natsumi off guard and the poor girl nearly choked on her own saliva. Hunching over and smacking her chest she cleared her airways and panted as she recovered, her cheeks a bright shade of scarlet but whether it was from choking or from the question itself was only known to her, but the general guess would lead to both.

"E-excuse me?" She rubbed her throat and turned her head to face the now flustered Sakura who felt embarrassed for asking the question. Yet Sakura knew she couldn't be blamed! Natsumi and Hinata were ridiculously close to the point that it would raise questions from people outside of their friendship. The way Natsumi would cling to the Hyuga heiress was odd, and her mannerism suggested more than a buddy system between the two. One time Sakura could swear she caught Natsumi nuzzling into Hinata's neck as if leaving a hickey. She needed to know!

"You and Hinata, are you two in a relationship?" Sakura asked once more after some self-motivation her stern emerald gaze peering into the ocean pools that Natsumi possessed. Sakura was no specialist when it came to reading people but she could tell that there was some hesitation in Natsumi as her lips twitched with empty words and darting eyes, of course this was Natsumi, the girl regained her composure as fast as she lost it and a light tug pulled on the corners of her lips.

"Hinata and I are friends, best of friends in fact…I'd go as far as to say we are sisters in all but blood. You should know that same sex relationships involving a clan heir are met with negativity especially with one as regal as the Hyuga clan." Natsumi explained and the more that Sakura that about her words the more they made sense. The Hyuga clan was one of Konoha's first clans and possessed a Kekkei Genkai that could only be passed down through blood relatives of the clan, meaning that they married amongst one another. If she had to guess, Hinata was already meant to marry a cousin of hers to keep the clan blood pure.

"For you to bring up such a question…Sakura Haruno, are you eyeing me?" Natsumi teased with her lips creasing into that familiar smirk of hers that managed to be both majestic and smug. It was Sakura's turn to feel the heat in her cheeks as they burned with several shades of red that nearly outdid the colour of her dress. She reeled back and waved her hands in front of her defensively.

"N-NO!" she protested and Natsumi clutched at the fabric of her kimono right where her heart would be, her face shaping into an expression of mock sadness.

"Am I not beautiful Haruno-san? Do you think of me to be an unattractive troll?" Sakura began to panic at her teammate's words and just as she was formulating a response, the sound of jovial giggles broke through her ears. Natsumi was not hurt or offended, which allowed Sakura to release the air she didn't know she was holding in.

"Worry not Sakura-san, I am only jesting with you but since you brought up the topic of love and romance, I must say that I do not view myself with anyone…not because I have no interest in such a thing, but circumstances place me at a disadvantage. Besides who would want to date a small girl such as myself." She laughed but unlike her chuckles from prior, this one felt dry and forced.

"You may be snobbish but you are pretty, I'm sure you'll find someone." Sakura answered and the two girls just stared at one another for what felt like an eternity before a light thud called to their attention. The females of team seven turned to the counter where they food had lost all its warmth due to being forgotten but what immediately drew their attention was the plastic bag set on the wooden surface with what appeared to be books. From what Sakura deduced they were coloured orange, teal, and red respectively.

"Sorry to interrupt your chat girls, but I have your stuff Natsumi-chan." Ayame spoke as she leaned against the counter, her hazelnut eyes brimming with a knowing to them. However before Sakura could question the contents of the plastic Natsumi hurriedly reached out for the parcel and tucked it between her calves, shielding it with her kimono.

"Thank you Ayame-san." Natsumi smiled and bowed her head in appreciation. Ayame giggled and waved her hand before disappearing into the back again, leaving the newly graduated Genin to themselves once more.

"…Why are you so polite?" That was her next question and Natsumi found it easy to answer as she coiled strands of noodles around her chopsticks, dipping them in the bisque allowing them to absorb the porky flavour.

"I grew up in the Hyuga clan, etiquette is the first thing one is taught. It has simply become second nature." The blonde answered and with her words spoken she brought the gathered noodles to her mouth and slurped on them, and Sakura couldn't believe she would say this…but the action was graceful.

"So you were raised by the Hyuga…that explains a lot." Sakura said more to herself than her companion. A few minutes would pass with peaceful silence between the two, only the lively sounds of Konoha made them aware of their whereabouts. Sakura felt the chill of the night breeze as the sun lent the village a few more rays of amber light. The cold was settling in and despite the warmth of the Ramen stand, her skin was still exposed to the intrusive air that blew past the flaps behind them.

"It's getting late yes." Natsumi spoke her thoughts as she finished up her bowl…well her tenth bowl that is. That was yet another thing that Sakura learned about Natsumi, the little girl had the belly of a beast one that could engulf entire villages…if only she knew.

"Yes it is…Natsumi, one more thing." Sakura didn't know how she would ask this but she needed to. Natsumi turned to the pinkette with a quirked brow and awaited for more to be spoken.

"Can we…of course whenever you're free that is, but can we train?" Sakura asked and already she expected a no, so imagine her surprise when Natsumi agreed.

"Of course. You are my teammate, we have to be strong and learn to work together for this team to be successful. We have a week before our first official team meet up, although I wish Sasuke-san would join us I know he would decline. You just tell me when you're available and I'll make my way to you." Sakura felt ecstatic and never had she imagined that she would be getting along with Natsumi, perhaps she had misjudged her blonde teammate.

"Great! I-I mean, thank you! Can we meet on Monday? From there we can schedule other meetings." Natsumi nodded her head as she rose from her seat and pulled out a wad of notes, Sakura was about to do the same when the whiskered female stopped her.

"Don't worry I'll pay." Before she could protest the blonde had already done so as Ayame returned and accepted the payment.

"Monday, Sakura-san…until then, enjoy your weekend." With that Natsumi left with her parcel. Sakura sat for a while before sighing but before she left she spotted something on the ground, it was a dark red covered book which must have been dropped by Natsumi. Picking it up she rushed out in search of her teammate but couldn't spot her anywhere.

Hyuga clan compound – 21:00

Natsumi sat on the edge of the bed garbed in her pyjamas composed of silk. Behind her was Hinata, seated cross-legged with her soft hands going through the golden tresses of her minder.

"How did your test go Natsumi-chan?" Hinata asked in her voice that could rival the texture of her pyjamas. Natsumi hummed as she swung her legs back and forth, her toes brushed against the tatami creating a bristling sound.

"It was moderate, we experienced difficulties but managed and proved to Hatake-sensei that we were worthy of being a team, but I tire of talking about myself. I am more interested in your day Hinata-hime." The meek heiress found herself flattered and could only produce stammers. It would be a few seconds before she would be able to piece together a coherent statement.

"Kurenai-sensei tasked us in several layered Genjutsu, Shino and I had little trouble but we had to assist Kiba. In the end we were able to break the entire illusion to gain Kurenai-sensei's approval." Natsumi eyed her pseudo-sister and Hinata caught her gaze through the assistance of the mirror placed above the dresser facing the bed the two occasionally shared.

"And she treated us to ice-cream." A satisfied smile crawled along Natsumi's face.

"…I am proud of you Hinata-hime." Natsumi said and Hinata found that her blush from before returned with a vengeance. Natsumi giggled at the girl's reaction as the night continued.

An hour had passed and Natsumi had left Hinata to roam the Hyuga compound, the night's breeze brushing against her skin and carrying her sun-kissed strands. The pale moonlight cast brilliant pallid glows against her skin and the surfaces of the complex, however her favourite feature of the night would have to be the pond at the center.

She visited it every night to compose her thoughts and reflect on memories, it also helped her meditate. This was also the best time to do so for everyone was asleep aside for the branch members who would patrol the yards in search of any oddities.

"That is enough for today Neji." Her walk came to a stop as a familiar voice broke through dusk's silence. in the small distance she spotted two males garbed in the traditional Hyuga practice gear, both bearing a striking resemblance to one another.

"Hai Tou-san." The younger of the two responded and immediately she recognized the duo as she approached them, stepping out of her momentary shadows and into the light. The younger male spotted her and she could see the slight jerk in his body as he forced himself to stop whatever he was about to do, instead he smiled which caught the older's attention causing him to turn around and eye the approaching blonde.

"Ah Natsumi-chan." The man spoke with a gentle smile as his pale eyes gazed at her.

"Hizashi-san, Neji-kun." She greeted with her own beam. The father and son duo, she had a lengthy history with them…in fact they largely contributed to her adoption into the Hyuga clan. They were the few that were important to her besides Hinata, Hanabi, Hiashi, and the Sandaime (as well as the Ichirukas).

"Here to meditate?" Neji asked and Natsumi nodded, an action that was mirrored by his father.

"We shall not distract you any further, Neji let us head to bed. Also congratulations Natsumi-chan, I look forward to seeing out your journey as a Kunoichi of Konoha and a representative of the Hyuga clan." Natsumi bowed in appreciation before watching the two leave. Once she was certain that she was left to her lonesome, she wandered over to the pond that reflected the moon's luminosity. Colourful Koi fish swam in circular motions before breaking their pattern and cutting across the pool of water, her favourite was the bright orange one, it had an appeal to it.

"Alright." She clasped her hands together before lightly seating herself near the pond's edge and shutting her eyes. She brought her hands to her knees and took a deep breath before exhaling. Seconds passed and when she reopened her eyes she was met with a different scenery, a field of lavenders flanked the clearing she was in with a layer of sunflowers in the further distance, furthermore high oak trees hid bits of the mountains enclosing the terrain. Ahead of her was a rather large mountain the peaked past the clouds with an enormous cave entrance at the base, but the cave itself was restricted by a large metal gate held together by a paper seal in the middle.

Natsumi rose from her meditative stance and walked towards the gate, only stopping some feet away from it. Large peering orbs glared through the darkness before the prisoner made themselves clear, crimson fur lined a gigantic creature that resembled a torso with long ears and dark patches surrounding its ears, it had a humanoid torso and long tails that numbered at the attendance of nine.

"Kurama." Natsumi greeted in her perpetual polite tone that seemed to be carried by every word that left her lips.

"Natsumi." The creature's voice was deep and gruff, shaking her very being. To any normal person this monster would be a terrifying sight, but to the blonde it was just her friend, although that wasn't their initial relationship a few years ago.

"Does she still slumber?" Natsumi questioned and for a brief moment Kurama –as it had been addressed- looked over his shoulder and into the darkness of the cave before turning back to the petite kunoichi shaking his massive head.

"No, but I believe she will awake soon. She rambles now." Kurama responded and Natsumi sighed but accepted the news with a nod. The young girl sat herself on the meadow and focused her blue eyed gaze at the Biju.

"Let us talk Kurama…"

Next morning.

Natsumi returned from her morning training, finding the door to her room slightly ajar. She did not panic for she could already sense who it was. Entering the room she found the only other person who was smaller than her, Hanabi Hyuga, Hinata's younger sister.

"Hanabi~" Natsumi called out to the girl who was hunched over on the other side of her bed. The girl did not look up but when Natsumi heard the distinct sound of paper rubbing against paper she panicked. Hanabi looked up and stood from her crouched position with an orange covered book.

"Natsu-nee, what is a pu-" before Hanabi could finish the phrase Natsumi had already lept over the bed and clasped the girl's mouth, keeping her from saying the rest of the word. The kunoichi proceeded to snatch the book from the child's hand and chuck it towards her pillows.

"O-Oh nothing, here read this." A flustered Natsumi pulled open her nightstand drawer and retrieved another book.

"Tale of the gallant ninja." Hanabi mouthed the title of the book before looking up at Natsumi with her big innocent eyes. She couldn't say anything for she was shooed out of the room and left to return to her own with this new book in her possession.

Natsumi groaned as she threw herself on her bed and felt the orange covered book in her hand.


three months later.

"This is Empress checking in, I have sight of the target."

"This is Depressed sponsor…I see it too."

"Pink squire reporting, still unable to see the target."

"Alright, Empress and Depressed sponsor, close in and capture the target."

Sasuke Uchiha prided himself for being a capable ninja, so when they were tasked with capturing a mere cat he thought it to be a waste of his time…but that was three hours ago and he has suffered at the paws of the devil, boasting several slashes across his forearms. Each time he got close to capturing the devil's spawn he wound up getting hurt in one way or another and he was just one scratch away from burning the cat to a crisp but he couldn't do that since it was the daimyo's wife's cat. He noted that Natsumi appeared to be immune to the cat, meaning it never attacked her which he found irksome and it bothered him, did she have to be good at EVERYTHING?! Argh it was so infuriating…yet alluring.

'Oh boy, you are so madly in love.' Sasuke could swear that obsessing over Itachi has driven him over the edge of insanity and the little voice in his head was a result of it.

'I'll show her.' The Uchiha thought as he leapt into action and lunged at the cat that had tucked itself in between a series of trees within Konoha's park. The auburn furred feline hissed as it arched its back, paws swiping at the Uchiha as he fought to capture it. The scuffle between man and beast continued for several seconds but Sasuke lost the battle as the cat was able to land a clean slash at his cheeks. He yelled in pain, choosing to cup his bloodied face allowing the creature to scamper off.

"How graceful Uchiha-san, however I did not take you for a masochist." He growled as Natsumi's voice entered his ears. He shot a fiery glare at her but snarled at seeing the cat resting in her arms…that bastard!

"This is Empress, target subdued." Natsumi reported through the ear piece, alerting the two other members of the team who would then appear a few moments later. With the whole team assembled Kakashi smiled at the trio.

"Great job team, we did good!" he was met with a collection of blank stares, all three with similar thoughts about their sensei's words.

"Alright lets report!"

"Tora! My baby!" Natsumi pitied the fluffy cat as it was nearly crushed by the daimyo's wife who had some girth to her. She suffocated the cat with a bone-crushing hug. Sasuke on the other hand was less sympathetic as he watched with glee, that would teach the cat to mess with an Uchiha.

"Excellent work Team 7." The aged but wise Sandaime Hokage spoke in his elderly voice right after the woman left the room. Iruka sat next to him sorting through scrolls, searching for one appropriate for the team.

"Thank you Hokage-sama." Kakashi would respond for his team while bringing his hand to the back of his head.

"Available missions include painting Ms. Midoriya's fence, pulling weeds from-" Iruka was not given the opportunity to finish listing the missions due to Natsumi's interruption.

"Pardon me Iruka-sensei but I must be bold and state that I believe that we are ready for something more challenging than chores." Iruka was stunned but a part of him knew that Natsumi would say such a thing sooner or later.

"Oh." Hiruzen brought a hand to his chin and stroked at the wisps of his beard.

"There is no way-" Again Iruka was interrupted, this time by Sasuke who wouldn't allow himself to be upstaged by his blonde teammate.

"She's right. We have been completing D-rank missions for the past three months." Sasuke added his own bit. Sakura stared at her teammate with awe, wishing she had the courage to be so daring but she simply could not question the voice of authority especially if the village's leader was involved. The Sandaime was a powerful man, trained by both the Shodaime and the Nidaime Hokage. He was known as the god of shinobi due to his extensive knowledge of different jutsu all gathered from his years as an active shinobi on the field.

Iruka could not believe his ears, these genin were rude and too confident in their abilities! Did they believe themselves to be ready for the dangers of the real world beyond the gates?! No he must stop this right no- even his thoughts weren't safe from intrusion.

"Very well, I believe you can handle a C-rank mission…a simple escort mission should do." The Hokage spoke up as he shuffled through his collection of mission scrolls.

"Escort...?" Natsumi questioned, letting the question linger in the air. Of course the adults seemed to catch what she meant and had varying reactions. Kakashi coughed into his hand, the Hokage sighed and massaged his temple, and Iruka cast his eyes on the scrolls deciding it was too much for him.

"Not that kind Natsumi." Kakashi decided to speak up, although he knew that the girl was joking he just wanted to clear that out of the way. it was also obvious that his other students seemed a bit confused by what just happened, clearly unaware of what the blonde was suggesting.

"Bring in Tazuna."


End of chapter 4

Okay not much happened in this chapter, and by that I mean there wasn't any action buuut I felt as though this chapter needed to explore a little bit more on Natsumi since the other chapters weren't that focused on her as much as they needed to.

So I know the one thing I'll get heat from is the decision to keep Hizashi alive and thus altering Neji a bit, now I will mention this…Neji was still a bit of a dick for a while but an encounter between him and Natsumi changed that, it shall be explored in a dedicated chapter but for now I'll leave you to speculation. I'm sure most of you have already figured out which event led to Natsumi being adopted into the Hyuga and I'm sure you're like "Monos you uncreative bloke!" but hey it will have more to it, I promise.

Next topic is Kurama, ah yes she knows the Biju and even his name all that shall be explored on another chapter, just like with Sakura's training and other things. As for who they were referring to, that I'll leave up to you to guess, if you guess correctly I'll write a one shot of Natsumi x (desired character) just for you, but keep in mind its for the *FIRST* person who gets it right.

Look at the bright side, Natsumi reveals that she wouldn't mind doing the birds and the bees with Sakura, teases at something between Hinata and herself, aaaand that she also reads a particular book series.

As always! Thank you for reading and your continued support, it helps me continue writing and updating so keep it up!

Read and Review! Peace!