Disclaimer - I don't own Naruto or any of the characters from the original series! Okami Etsu and the Onizuka's are mine however - so please ask nicely before borrowing! Any characters and situations herein are purely fictitious, and any similarity between those and persons living or dead is coincidental.

Explanations

The next three days passed in a whirl of activity for Iruka, despite his busy schedule he still found himself wondering about Etsu. Where had she gone? And what was her mission? What on earth could a long term solo mission consist of? As his shift in the mission room drew to an end Wednesday evening, Iruka decided to pop over to Etsu's house and see if she was back. He'd only reconnected with her five days ago, yet he found he was really missing her; almost as if they'd been friends for years.

Iruka was disappointed to find no answer at Etsu's house when he called round. He trotted round to see if she was collecting eggs again.

'Who are you?' A tousle haired boy of about seven looked over the gate of the pen where Etsu kept her livestock.

'Wha...' Iruka's eyes widened in surprise.

'Who are you? And what are you doing at Oba-san's house?' The boy frowned as he stared Iruka down.

'I'm a friend of Etsu-chan.' Iruka said at last. The boy looked like he was a civilian child, Iruka certainly couldn't recall ever seeing him at the academy. His reference to Etsu as Oba-san had thrown Iruka somewhat.

'No you're not.' The boy's eyes narrowed. 'Oba-san doesn't have any "shinobi" friends except nii-san.'

'Look, my name is Iruka - Umino Iruka. I work at the ninja academy and I met Etsu-chan five days ago. I just wanted to see if she was home.' Iruka gritted his teeth as the little brat continued to stare at him. He really didn't like the way this boy said shinobi and who on earth would he refer to as nii-san? He was pretty certain Etsu had no relatives in the village.

'Iruka-sensei?' The boy sounded surprised, but he immediately relaxed on hearing a familiar name.

'Yes, did Etsu-chan mention me?' Iruka heaved an inner sigh of relief.

'No. But Naruto-niisan talks about you.' The boy looked curiously at Iruka.

'Naruto... Niisan?' Iruka repeated stupidly.

'Yeah. Naruto-nii-san knows Oba-san. He sometimes comes here. He's fun.' The boy lifted the latch on the gate and walked out of the pen, securing the gate behind him. He carried a cardboard box with a dozen or so eggs in it.

'Is Etsu - I mean Oba-san back yet?' Iruka asked with a smile.

'Uh-uh.' The boy shook his head, he paused before adding quietly. 'I'm Honda Itsuki by the way. I look after Oba-san's birds when she's away.'

'I see. What birds does Oba-san keep then Itsuki-kun?' Iruka asked in his very best friendly-teacher voice.

'Chickens, ducks, quail and geese. You have to be very careful of the geese though Sensei - they dislike strangers.' Itsuki looked uncomfortable. 'I have to go home now.'

'Me too.' Iruka smiled broadly. 'Maybe I'll see you again.'

'Probably. I come here lots! Goodbye, Sensei.' Itsuki grinned and strode off with his box of eggs. Iruka chanced a glance over the fence, but Itsuki had apparently already shut the birds in for the night.

He wandered back into town wondering if it was unusual for Etsu to be late home from a mission. It was strange to find someone who was so respectful of Etsu. Itsuki obviously lived locally, so it followed that his parents must know of his association with Etsu. It seemed they did not disapprove of their son seeing her.

'Why so glum Iruka-sensei?' A voice asked from directly behind him. Iruka nearly jumped out of his skin. Whirling round he found himself face to face with Kakashi, who was naturally wearing that infuriating one eyed smile of his.

'Nothing. Really.' Iruka looked suspiciously at Kakashi. Had Kakashi made him jump on purpose?

'Soooo... Itchiraku?' Kakashi asked, nonchalantly thumbing in the general direction of the ramen shop.

'Yeah, I guess.' Iruka nodded slowly as they began walking. 'What brings you out here?'

'Do I need a reason?' Kakashi parried with a chuckle. 'Seriously though. Why are you interested in Etsu-chan all of a sudden?'

'I don't know.' Iruka looked curiously at the jonin. Kakashi sounded almost protective... 'In some ways, I guess, because she reminds me a little of Naruto...'

'Hnnnn, I'd never thought of it... But she is a little like Naruto I guess.' Kakashi nodded slowly, a soft look on his face. 'So Izumo and Kotetsu were over at your place Sunday night... I can pretty much guess what they asked...'

'And your interest is... what... exactly?' Iruka stepped into Ichiraku, nodding to Teuchi and Ayame.

'About Etsu-chan... You know no one has ever taken any real interest in her. Sandaime-sama never revealed why and I doubt Lady Tsunade will either.' Kakashi sighed. 'Personally I've always quite liked her.'

'Coming from you that sounds perverted.' Iruka glanced sideways at the silver-haired jonin. He gasped as he realised Kakashi had actually meant the statement seriously.

'You know she lost her family when she was very young? Like you and me, Naruto and Sasuke... Of course I had my team and Yondaime-sama, Sandaime-sama helped you, you helped Naruto and Sasuke was always very popular anyway. Etsu-san didn't have anyone though.' Kakashi was gazing off into the middle distance, oblivious to Iruka or anyone else. Iruka couldn't quite believe it, Kakashi almost sounded sorry for Etsu... Which was almost unheard of. As Teuchi handed them their ramen, Kakashi just continued to zone out.

'So what are you saying? That all us parentless mutts should band together?' Iruka laughed. 'It never happened and I don't think it ever would have... This village doesn't always do the right thing - but I think, in general, we always try to do things for the right reasons.'

'Perhaps.' Kakashi sighed and picked up his chopsticks. Iruka chanced another sideways glance at Kakashi. He'd never taken the jonin as a soft touch, but where Etsu was concerned that might just be the case. He wondered what prompted Kakashi, of all people, to take an honest interest in the kunoichi...

'Look Izumo and Kotetsu are planning to look out for her around the village... Why don't you do the same?'

Kakashi's answer was lost in an explosion of noise.

'Hey! Iruka-sensei!' Naruto suddenly appeared, sitting down to Iruka's right and grinning at his two teachers. 'I'll get an extra large miso ramen with pork please!'

'Right you are.' Teuchi smiled in reply.

'Hey Naruto.' Iruka chuckled. 'How have you been?'

'Good. I just wish pervy sage would get back from wherever he's run off to... Or that Kakashi-sensei didn't have so many missions! Then I could do some training!' Naruto grinned. 'Until then I'm stuck on my own! Believe it!'

'Hnnnn.' Kakashi sighed as he looked at Naruto. 'I guess I could find some time between missions...'

'Yes! Kakashi-sensei you're the best!' Naruto laughed.

'Well the best is paying the tab and heading home.' Kakashi stretched and slid off the stall. He handed Ayame a handful of money and sauntered out of the shop and down the street in the direction of the jonin quarters. Iruka whistled softly, Kakashi had just handed over enough money to cover all three bowls!

'Naruto...' Iruka caught his former pupils attention with a questioning note in his voice. 'Do you know a kunoichi called Okami Etsu?'

'Etsu-nesan? Yup! She's awesome! Believe it!' Naruto grinned as he prepared to eat the ramen Teuchi had just set down. Nesan? So Naruto thought of Etsu as a sister?

'Then you know a boy called Honda Itsuki as well?'

'Mmmmmm, yeah, he lives in the Okami compound with his Mom and Grandpa... There are a few families living there... They're the only people who are nice to Ne-san, ya know? I don't know why... Ne-san is kind... ' Naruto paused and gave Iruka a suspicious look. 'How come you're asking about Etsu-nesan, Iruka-sensei?'

Iruka gave a sigh of relief as he closed and locked his front door. The short explanation he'd hoped to give Naruto had turned into a two hour conversation, though he now felt as if he knew Etsu a lot better. Naruto had known her some years, and was the only shinobi ever seen regularly at the Okami compound. Iruka smiled, Naruto had told him that Etsu was well loved by the tiny corner of the village that she lived in. And of course, Naruto adored her as well. She seemed to have been a constant in the boy's life for a number of years. Rather like Teuchi and Ayame, there on the occasions when he really needed bucking up. Iruka fell onto his bed and stared out at the stars. What on earth was Etsu going to make of his meddling? He'd no doubts that she'd find out... If for no other reason than the number of shinobi now taking a decided interest in her...

Here ends Chapter 3...

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