Nina looked at Naruko. Arika was spending the night doing something for Big Sister Nao, though Nina had the feeling Nao was doing something perverted...again.
"Why didn't you turn in those Meister gems when you found them?"
"Why should I? I'm practical to a fault. What if I needed them as bargaining chips? Besides, that stupid ring got stuck on my finger after I put it on," said Naruko annoyed.
She had put it on only to see what it was like to wear an Otome ring, and the stupid thing had gotten stuck on her knuckle! When Alyssa looked at it, she called her an idiot and told Naruko that the thing had been so eager for a master that it bonded to her...the fact she had been wearing the Pillar gem hadn't helped.
Which meant she could conceivably turn a Coral into a full Otome if they agreed to be her partner.
Nina conceded Naruko's point. She did have a penchant for finding trouble.
"But why me?"
"Nao-nee-sama is awesome and all, but I know she'll look after herself first. You on the other hand have always had my back, even when I was still a rookie Coral...besides, you were the one who took enough of an interest in me to break me of that habit of using real pain to focus," said Naruko bluntly.
Nina blinked, but conceded that point. She had been the one to work the most with the girl to break that awful habit, even if it took six months to do it.
"So...do you think Nao-nee-sama is putting Arika through...that?" asked Naruko deadpan.
"Knowing her, yes. We'll find out anyway later," said Nina equally deadpan.
Nao had a bit of a side business with one of the Otome fan magazines by selling secret photos of the Corals playing in some rather risque lingerie. Naruko couldn't help but feel Jiraiya would get along great with Nao...if she ever let him anywhere near Garderobe.
Nao had tricked Naruko into starring in the magazines a few times in exchange for keeping the outfits later, until Nina told her what was really going on.
Naruko still helped out, because Nao gave her a cut of the profits for using her clones.
"Why did Arika agree to that anyway?"
"From what I understand, she's hoping to find a way to break the bond between her and Mashiro."
"Good luck with that, I confiscated the gems in the underground," snorted Naruko.
She would only hand it over once the castle was ready to be unveiled, because she didn't need the headache of those two right now.
"I heard that a King was coming to our country soon...Mai Tokiha's brother?" said Nina.
"Seriously? The Tragic Meister's brother? I heard she could cook a mean ramen!" said Naruko drooling. Nina grabbed her pigtail with one hand.
"Nina-chan's mean..." whined Naruko.
Nina blinked...didn't Naruko usually call her nee-chan?
"In any case, you might be called as protection duty for the Queen...if she doesn't escape again."
"Bah. Let her have her fun. Once she's older it'll be harder for her to run away. Once she finally gets this out of her system, she'll be a better ruler."
Nina winced.
"Besides, there's no way in hell I'd condemn my best friend to that nightmare! Dear Inari the paperwork..." whimpered Naruko.
Nina blanched. Now she was really glad she wasn't the current Queen. Sure Mashiro was a spoiled brat, but she wouldn't condemn anyone to that headache.
Naruko was too busy banging her head against the wall when she heard the plan was to have Arika play Mashiro's part.
She took one look at the 'brother of Tokiha' and blinked.
"Oh come on! You mean to tell me both of the rulers decided to take a holiday now?" said Naruko.
"What do you mean?" asked the headmistress.
"Well last time I checked, we're supposed to be waiting for a guy, not a cross-dressing girl. And believe me, I've been learning to tell the difference since I made that mistake once before," said Naruko.
Well that and she had looked up the kid before and this wasn't him. This was definitely his bodyguard.
"Your ruler went off without warning too?" complained the body double.
"Mashiro has a bad habit of skipping out on paperwork, not that I blame her really. Paperwork is the invention of the devil," said Naruko with a shudder.
"So what do we do now?" asked the headmistress.
"I'll send out the clones to find them and shadow them if they're together. Chances are that he's trying to teach Mashiro a pointed lesson on ruling," shrugged Naruko, sending out over a hundred clones who henged in order to avoid a panic.
"Found them...oh good grief, he's taking her on a tour of the slums! What kind of idiot does that with someone as bitchy as Mashiro?" said Naruko.
"Oh good lord...and he didn't take his medicine with him," facepalmed the girl.
"What's your name anyway?"
"Akira. His highness' personal bodyguard. Can you possibly deliver his medicine to him and keep an eye out for trouble?"
"Hang on," said Naruko. Akira handed over the medication and Naruko had another clone take it to the boy. She also alerted Nao's gang to keep an eye out for trouble while maintaining their distance.
Which turned out to be a good thing, as they were able to get the kids out once trouble arose.
"This is such a headache," complained Akira.
"I know right? I let Mashiro run off all the time because she might need those skills to avoid a second massacre, but everyone is so panicky about it that the poor girl can't act like a kid at all. Besides, I wouldn't force my worst enemy to do that much paperwork...a traitor yes, but not an enemy," said Naruko.
"So which clan do you come from?" asked Akira suddenly.
"Hmm?"
"You're a shinobi, I can tell that much. And judging by that headband you're from Konoha. So which clan are you from?" asked Akira.
Naruko blinked twice.
"How did you know I was from Konoha?"
"I'm from a remnant of Uzu. About a hundred years ago, Uzushiogakure vanished and came here when the village was attacked. So which clan are you from?"
"Uzumaki. My name is Uzumaki Naruko."
"Akira Uzumaki, glad to finally meet a cousin from the Elemental Countries. So how bad has it gotten over there?"
"The Third Hokage has died, the Fox was resealed and there was an invasion by a new village called the Hidden Sound. I have it on good authority that the way back home will be reopened very soon, so you might be able to return."
"Ah... Let me guess, you're the new container since Aunt Kushina is gone?"
"Unfortunately. Ah, it appears your liege-lord is heading to the hospital," said Naruko.
"Dammit, not again," complained Akira.
Naruko grinned...she might have to visit that country more often if it held her missing relatives.
Jiraiya was waiting outside a nice cafe when he saw Naruko.
"Good to see you alive, gaki," he said.
"Can it pervy sage. I have news you might want to give Tsunade... I've found the missing Uzumaki clan."
"What?" he said, spitting out his water.
"Apparently they activated some weird seal that sent them here...they have an entire country to themselves and no one is aware of their real heritage. That's probably how I ended up here, aside from the fact I was drawn in by a ghost of all things."
"So...how's school?"
"Great...just freaking great. I hate paperwork and because I got this replacement I've been excused from anything remotely interesting. On the plus side, Nina is seriously considering coming with me back to Konoha, if only to give Haruno and Hatake a piece of her mind."
Jiraiya winced.
"How bad?"
"She wants you to give this to Tsunade, since she was finally able to obtain a copy that wasn't blacked out. According to her most of the head stuff came from Sakura's punches."
Jiraiya took a cursory scan and blanched.
"What... is this true?"
"Most of our technology runs on chakra, and it's always been confused by the fox I think. Probably why no one picked up on this sooner," said Naruko.
"Dammit, I am going to kill Kakashi-chan for this..."
"He always was more loyal to the damn Uchiha than he was to his team. Anyway I'll need your help getting some old Uzu headbands. Seems a few of the Uzumaki want to come back, but most of the gear was lost."
"Planning to swap out the Leaf for the Whirlpool?" asked Jiraiya.
"After finding out how much damage my own team (she spat out the word like a curse) caused? Hell yes!"
Jiraiya winced.
"Please tell me you are at least willing to come back to Konoha for a bit."
"I'm not one of their shinobi anymore, and the village will probably cheer when they hear I plan to return to Uzu. But I will come back long enough to say hi to the few people who actually gave a damn about me," said Naruko.
"So...made any progress with Nina-chan yet?" smirked Jiraiya.
Jiraiya had noted a month ago that Naruko had quit calling her roommate Nina-nee-chan. He could see the girl was slowly warming up to her roommate in a way that didn't imply they would be friends...and from what he heard of Garderobe, it was a breeding ground for girl-on-girl action...hell the Headmistress was a Yuri fan!
Too bad males were banned from the place and Naruko refused to summon him anywhere near it.
"Dammit Jiraiya, I'm not sure I think of her like that yet. Besides, even if I did, I want her to accept me completely."
"I notice you're not denying it," he said smugly.
"She's the only person who's ever cared enough to do something about my own problems, or trust me completely. If it weren't for her I would be an emotional wreck, always hiding behind my mask," said Naruko.
"I think she would be good for you gaki. From what I've seen of the girl, she'd make an excellent shinobi."
"Alyssa-chan and I are working on how to make an Otome into a shinobi without anyone realizing they were a civilian. So far the best solution we've come up with is donating a tail's worth to the other person and teaching them how to make hand seals."
"A tail... that would be roughly high jounin level at least!"
"I know. But with how inexperienced they would be it would even out to a mid to high chunin until they got used to being a shinobi."
"True."
Naruko left before dinner, as it was one of the rare nights Nina would allow her to make ramen noodles. And she needed her ramen fix dammit!
Naruko listened patiently to Arika's talk about Major Sergay... Nina's stepfather. When she spoke of her feelings towards the man, Naruko started pinching her cheeks and refused to let go.
"Ow... Why are you pinching me Naru-itoko?"
"You are an idiot,"said Naruko flatly.
"What?"
"Sergay is a grown man, and from what I heard was in love with your mother. There's also the fact that Artai has been up to something recently. How do you know he actually likes you that way and isn't trying to get you out of the picture? Plus there's the fact he's well over twice your age," said Naruko irritably.
Shinobi were quite a bit more lax about age differences and same-sex couples (as long as the 'partners' adopted or had a surrogate raise a child for them) but even they had standards. Dating someone twice your age was one of the few things they did frown on, especially if it involved a teenager and an adult.
Arika fell back onto the bed. She was so confused. On one hand, Sergay was rather nice to her and she suspected him of being her secret admirer. On the other, Naruko clearly didn't approve of a relationship outside of being friends with someone twice her age. As Arika thought about it, she saw Naruko's point.
It was inappropriate for a girl her age to date someone old enough to be her own father.
"Besides, you have to consider your dream. Don't you remember the stipulations behind becoming an Otome in the first place?" said Naruko.
Arika blinked.
"Otome can never have sex with a man, or the machines would break down and they would lost their ability to materialize. Why do you think people don't frown when they see a couple of Otome hugging or even kissing in public? Garderobe is the only place where having a relationship with your roommate isn't frown upon," said Naruko.
It was the only school where same-gender relationships were almost outright encouraged. Or where the teachers wouldn't complain about how it was 'wrong' for them to love someone from the same gender.
"I don't know what I should do Naruko..."
"Which is more important to you...your dream to be an Otome or a man who is old enough to be your own father who was in love with your mother? He could be doing this out of obligation to her you know...and there's always a chance he might turn down your offer."
Arika pouted. Naruko was blunt and had a good point. If she did go with Sergay like he offered, then she would be throwing all this hard work away for nothing, just for someone she barely knew. Was losing her only chance at her dream really worth that price?
Arika sat up.
"I've made up my mind. I'll forget about Sergay entirely. I have plenty of time for romance once I'm an Otome!" said Arika. Naruko hugged her cousin. She was proud the girl made that decision with little input from her.
Outside Nina didn't know what to think. How could her father make such an offer to Arika like that, let alone sponsor her? Did he really love Arika more than her?
In her heart, she could feel something change about her feelings towards the man who raised her.
She still loved her father...but she was slowly losing the infatuation with him after hearing all of that. Watching Naruko interact with Arika, a new feeling started to bloom.
Naruko had once said that she would rather be killed than betray her friends, and she considered Nina her best friend after the girl broke her of the misguided loyalty to her village. Naruko might care for her precious people, like Hinata or Shino, but she had lost her loyalty to the people of Konoha and the ideal that it had.
Nina almost didn't notice the odd fox-head earring Naruko wore.