The Lost Yamanaka

Disclaimer: Naruto is the legal property of Masashi Kishimoto. The only things I own are what my parents choose to bequeath upon me .

Chapter Two: A Yamanaka Introduction

The classroom hummed with restless, futile activity. The class had all finished their mid-year vacation and were ready for another semester with their teacher, Umino Iruka. The summer had been spent joyfully as only a peaceful village could spend a summer and the children almost longed to be back, back to lazy days spent on nothing but whims. Almost. Although the lure of vacation still beckoned them, most wished to graduate this year (although there were those just along for the ride) and to do so was going to be hard, they had all been warned by Iruka-sensei.

Nara Shikamaru was the exception that proved the rule true. He had heard of in the past of a Yamanaka who had flat out refused to take the test, and although he would have liked for nothing more than to follow that example, Shikamaru could see no way of getting out of at least trying without both his mum and his childhood friend Ino nagging his ears off. That, he had decided, would be even more troublesome than actually becoming a ninja, and besides someone had to watch Choji's back out there in a world of shinobi. Choji was his best friend and they always looked out for each other. Choji with his brute strength and Shikamaru with his smart intellect. It was this intellect that served him well now, as he was certain he had noticed something that the rest of the geniuses in his class had not yet identified.

Iruka-sensei was acting strangely. His body was tilted slightly on angle behind his desk and was half facing towards the door at the bottom of the classroom, his eyes - when not scanning the class for mischief - strayed and lingered towards the door. He was definitely expecting someone to come through that door, and he was prepared to meet them. Shikamaru was curious now, it had to be someone important because Iruka had yet to start the class, and as far as he could tell, all the students were present and accounted for. The dark-haired boy straightened up from his slouch now, eager to find out what was going to happen. To his right he felt Choji pause mid-chew of his current chip, a definite signal to Shikamaru that Choji had noticed that Shikamaru had noticed something. It was good to know Choji always had his back. Shikamaru nodded at him, and Choji resumed the decimation of the chip packet, if this was a hostile situation he trusted that Iruka-sensei would have been more proactive in protecting his students by now. Still, when he first heard the footsteps coming across from the hall he couldn't help but shiver slightly in anticipation, something deep inside of him told him that this would be a very important meeting, it wasn't quite intuition, and it certainly wasn't logical, most of him wanted to reject it, part of him felt like it didn't want to let go. He didn't bother to verbalise the 'Troublesome' that was welling up inside. He suspected he would have an adequate opportunity to release it later.

The door opened. If the blue-eyed blonde kid on the other side of the threshold had expected silence at his entry, then he would have been disappointed. Shikamaru gawked. This was the year before graduation, it didn't make any sense to him that a new student would transfer in now. They would be way behind, unless they were a genius...

The kid hesitantly stepped into the room, peering at all the people inside as if overwhelmed, he also jumped a bit when Iruka-sensei beckoned him closer. Shikamaru didn't think those were the actions of a genius.

So if he wasn't a prodigy, then why come into the class so late? The Nara boy 'hrmnnned' and his hands slid into a habitual position that was often mistaken as a seal. Perhaps he had been from another hidden village. An idiot shinobi-in-training used as a sign of good faith? That would explain why he was here, and why he had never seen the boy before. It could also explain the whiskers imprinted onto his face, could he be from a cat-type clan? Better to watch Kiba then, an Inuzuka would know his natural clan enemies right?

Shikamaru glanced at the boy and his pup. But even though Kiba had noticed 'The Kid' there was no outward sign of aggression on his face, he did mutter something like 'hair iron' under his breath though. Kiba was decidedly not an introvert... No such luck then.

The Nara boy sensed restrained movement at his 7'o'clock. He twisted in his seat to stare at Ino, the blonde fangirl was squirming with a sort of glee, so there was some relationship between Ino and 'The Kid'. Well, they were both blue-eyed blondes, although 'The Kid' was a tad more sunnier than Ino's refined colouring. Added with Kiba's earlier comment, then that would mean that 'The Kid' straightened his hair much like Ino was wont to do on occasion. Must be a Yamanaka.

By now practically all of the students were watching 'The Yamanaka Kid' with ill-disguised interest, except for some of the Uchiha's fangirls who were to busy vying for said Uchiha's attention to notice anything else around. The true shinobi wannabes like Shikamaru before them, wondered who he was and what he was doing here. The genius Nara allowed himself a small, smug grin, it had been a bit troublesome there for awhile, but he had figured out the identity first.

***

Iruka smiled benignly at the increasingly nervous blonde. Although he thought this only seemed to make the boy more nervous, like he wasn't used to someone paying attention to him. Was he really here for training? Well, he had heard that the boy hadn't been around large groups of people who weren't blond before. Ninja training would loosen him up for sure.

"Class," Iruka began, "I would like to introduce our newest Shinobi in training, Yamanaka Naruto, please treat him well."

For a moment Iruka was concerned, the rest of the class were blinking at the blond with surprise. While he could see the Nara boy had already worked out beforehand and come to terms with Naruto's presence, the rest of the class seemed confused, well except for-

"Ruto-kuuuuun!" The cry coming from the only other Yamanaka in the room screamed to all alert and paying attention, that those two were familiar with each other.

Iruka smiled once more as all the tense shyness seemed to drain out of his newest charge. Once his ties to another Yamanaka had been established, the rest of the class seemed to take to the idea of another rival without hitch. The blond boy, hesitance gone called out with gusto towards his cousin.

"No-chaaaaan!" Iruka winced inwardly, while it was great that things were rolling smoothly he only wished that they could be less, overt while in the presence of fully trained ninjas like himself. Their voices jarred on his mind. The chuunin couldn't remember the last time he had got saddled with such loud children. He resolved to make doubly sure that both of these Yamanaka passed this semester. It wouldn't do for him to be stuck with another one next year would it?

***

At first Naruto had been a little scared, there were so many different hair and eye colours. It seemed unnatural . Of course Naruto knew that it wasn't really, not everyone in this world had blond hair and blue eyes, but this was his first day seeing so many of them – together – not singled out in a way that he was used to. His feelings of doubt overshadowed if not wiped away when he saw Ino.

No-chan, as he liked to call her, was his second cousin. She had visited him often enough for as long as he could remember, once every month or so, twice if he was lucky. Kisuke and his uncle Inochi had said something about 'getting to know family' once, but to Naruto that didn't matter as much as the fact that Ino was the only friend that he saw on a regular basis. No-chan and the rest of his family were his only true ties to Konoha. Well that was before a month ago.

Kisuke had finally relented into letting Naruto visit the village – with Inochi accompanying him of course. For the first time he had seen where his parents had lived (after they had gotten passed the genjutsu that ages old was still surrounding it). He had been astounded. It was like no trace of him had ever existed. Sure there had been a cot, even though it wasn't painted any particular baby colour (unless you counted white), it was even covered with old tomes and scrolls, but there hadn't even any pictures of him as a child. Heck looking through the dusty old albums he couldn't even see a picture of his mum pregnant. It was like they hadn't expected him at all. Naruto realised then that he knew practically nothing about his parents. He had felt at that moment, a desperate need to know them, to understand who they were and why they had done such things, to make it so they weren't just some mysterious figures that he was to inherit from, make it so they were something more, make it so they were truly family. But there was no way he could. They were after all, reclusive. To Naruto this meant the closet thing he could possibly get understanding them like he yearned to was to take up their chosen profession, and as far as he could see their purpose in life – he would become a ninja.

But, well, not a really boring utilitarian one, he would be a cool one like the Yondaime – he had style! That had vaguely amused Kisuke when he told him. Of course, Kisuke was ... hesitant at first. Possessive really. It had taken a shouting match between the usually complacent Yamanakas before Kisuke had given his consent. This didn't mean however, that Kisuke would ever decide to come with Naruto.

All Naruto had in Konoha to rely on was his family. Ino just happened to be closest to him. So it was with no small amount of joy that he ran up to hug his cousin.

***

Curiously, after the initial hesitation Naruto managed to interact with his peers with a flair that no one had pegged him for.

"So, you're new right?" Inuzuka Kiba stated the obvious. Naruto blinked, a little startled from being addressed by another, then suddenly his face spread back into a charming grin. It was the perfect opportunity to put No-chan's advice to use. Releasing his cousin he addressed his new classmates.

"Yes, that's right. I'm from the Yamanaka branch family, I was hidden away from the world after the Kyuubi attack by eccentric uncle who lives outside of Konoha's walls." He inserted a depreciating smile here followed by a cocked eyebrow and the boy and his dog. "That was the information you were looking for right?"

His attempts at suave coolness was met by gruff bravado. "So what if it was, Blondie?"

Naruto faltered a moment, this kind of interaction was new to him, Yamanakas did not operate with the social finesse of a country Hick. A glance at No-chan gave him a reminder to keep polite. No way was he going to alienate his classmates on the first day, - social suicide much?

"I'd think nothing of it, I'm sure I'd do the same in your situation." Another smile.

Kiba grunted. Naruto took that as a sign to press on. "You and friend have me at a disadvantage, as I'm sure you know my name but I have no idea what yours might be." He knew of course, dog and tattoo meant Inuzuka, Ino only had one Inuzuka in her class and that was Kiba who was perpetually accompanied by Akamaru. Best to down play his hand though.

Apparently asking the names of both Kiba and Akamaru had been a good move, the Inuzuka appreciated Naruto not shunting him to the edge of the conversation. They soon got into a rather one-sided discussion of animal breeds (one sided only because Naruto did not know much about them) and were reluctantly interrupted by Iruka-sensei when he patiently started his lesson. Only a certain amount of leeway could be granted this semester.

Ino grinned as Naruto thanked the boy and his dog and moved on to the back of the classroom. There would be plenty of time for more introductions after the lesson, either way she felt that 'Ruto-kun' would conduct himself in a manner befitting a relation to herself. Cool, confident and classy. She only hoped that Naruto could cope with the curriculum in time.

(AN I have no excuse for the amount of time it took for me to update. No excuse at all. Although I might point out that it should be fine as no one was really waiting for this in the first place, ne? Due to majority in voting Naruto's sexual orientation, when he gets old enough to have one, will be hetero, I stand fast on the decision that at one point I want him to pretend to be bi though! Mainly cos its funny... Thanks for reading if you did. Questions, Comments and Queries are always welcomed. Ja ne.)