Merry Christmas!
Six months. That was how long it took to rebuild the wall around the island to Naruko's satisfaction, and an entire month to apply and power all the seals. The Uzumaki had not been idle when they had vanished. The only chance the enemies of their clan had to get in now was if they overpowered the bijuu-chakra (not likely since Kurama had somehow tied the seals to the Juubi...Naruko had no idea how, and he wasn't talking) or if they managed to break the wall the old fashioned way.
Extremely difficult, but possible. Naruko had come up with a routine inspection of the seals, and the reapplication of the lines every month. She planned to make it part of their Academy curriculum in the art of fuinjutsu.
Nothing motivated a child to learn it right like the threat of an impending invasion and the knowledge that they were learning something that would lead to explosions later. Only the best would copy it onto the wall, but it would give them something to look forward to.
"Naruko-chan, it's almost time to send the delegation to Konoha. Are you sure you want to do this?" asked Nina.
Naruko made a face, accepting the hot coffee Nina had brought.
"I have to go, partially out of closure but mostly because those old bastards won't acknowledge us without the Clan Head there. Besides we're heading to Suna almost immediately after."
She wanted to see Gaara again. She'd heard rumors he had made Kazekage, and she wanted to confirm them.
Naruko took a deep breath of the air in Konoha. It almost felt like home, but a second breath changed that opinion.
No. The scent was familiar, but it was not home. After Nina and Nao had broken the mental conditioning that the Third Hokage had put into her about the village being her family, she realized now that it was never her home. Maybe, if the villagers had treated her as the hero she was, it could have been her home. But they had treated her with nothing but outright hate and fear.
Uzushiogakure was her home. The Uzumaki were open and inviting. They treated her as one of their own, and they were angry beyond belief at how their once allies had treated her. Konoha would have to get on it's knees and apologize to Naruko before they would even consider the possibility of becoming allies again. The only reason Naruko had been allowed to come was because Tsunade was the current Hokage, and she was half Uzumaki herself.
"Naruko-chan!" said a familiar voice.
"Hinata-chan!" said Naruko happily.
"Yo," said Shikamaru.
"Hey Shika, Chouji... Damn, Akamaru got big! What have you been feeding him, Chouji's snacks?" joked Naruko.
Nina coughed politely behind her.
"Oh relax, Nozomi-chan, these guys are the few good ones. You can beat the shit out of Hatake and Haruno later," said Naruko.
"We'll be late for our appointment with the Hokage," she said pointedly.
"Bah! Hey guys, how does ramen sound?"
"I'm in," said Chouji immediately.
"Hell yeah!" said Kiba.
"I'll come," said Hinata.
"What a drag. Why not?" said Shikamaru.
"I'll be coming as well," said a voice behind a pole.
"Hey Shino. Still stalking people?"
"I do not 'stalk', Uzumaki-san, I skulk," said Shino. He only joked around with Naruko.
Nozomi watched the interactions with her fellow shinobi. Naruko got along perfectly fine with them, so why had Sarutobi placed her in such an unhealthy environment? If he were alive she would be pinning him to the wall demanding answers, ANBU be damned.
"So Naruko, is you friend single?" asked Kiba.
"Nope. Everyone, meet Nozomi...my girlfriend," said Naruko, smirking at how Kiba, Shikamaru, Chouji and Ayame did either a spit take or a doubletake in shock.
"GIRLFRIEND?!" said Hinata.
"Long story. But anyway she's officially an Uzumaki through me and the clan. I even found out where most of them vanished off to when they didn't scatter!"
"You found your clan?"
"Turns out they used an experimental seal, and those that didn't stay to see if it worked scattered all over the place. They heard I was having Uzu rebuilt and they came to see if it was true. Now I got a big family. I mostly came back to Konoha so I could be permanently posted in Uzu as one of theirs," said Naruko.
"You're not staying?" asked Hinata sadly.
"Nope. Too many bad memories, and the Uzumaki aren't happy with how the villagers treated me growing up. I am their clan head after all."
"So Naruko...got any room in this new village of yours?" asked Teuchi.
"And here I was going to ask you if you wanted your own restaurant and all the customers you could ask for. I made sure to have a fully built place just for you and Ayame, and it comes with two apartments so you and Ayame don't have to share a small one anymore. Did you know I'm not the only ramen addict in the clan?" smirked Naruko.
"That sounds like a plan to me!" said Teuchi. An entire clan of ramen addicts? All of them who actually liked his favorite customer? Sign him up!
"Since we're still finishing reconstruction, you'll be allowed to live rent and utility free until we start getting missions in again. We can keep you stocked, but you'll have to deal with not being paid right away. Who knows, maybe you can use this time to try some new recipes!" said Naruko.
"Don't forget the plan to have an entire staff of girls who can cook to help with the rush," said Nozomi lightly.
"Almost forgot about that."
Part of the agreement for allowing Nozomi and Naruko to return home with their GEMs was that they find a way to help employ the many Otome candidates who didn't make the cut. An education at Garderobe was first rate...unfortunately the number of Meister GEMs made it hard to employ all the girls who came out.
Which was why Natsuki was willing to send some Naruko's way in exchange for allowing this girls to still have a life and keep their abilities.
Naruko already had twenty of them helping the reconstruction efforts, all under the command of her five most trusted family. She might send some Tsunade's way as her own personal guard if things went well.
Tsunade smirked at her favorite cousin. Thanks to Naruko, rumors were spreading like wildfire that the Uzumaki were back and stronger than ever.
"About time you brat. Stop for ramen?" she said calmly.
She grinned outright when Nozomi discreetly grabbed Naruko's braided pig tail and hissed that she had warned her. But there was a fondness behind the act. Naruko didn't complain about the pain, but kept on smiling, a genuine one at that, despite the fact that Nozomi was keeping her in line.
Compared to what little she had seen of the soon-to-be-former Team 7 before the traitor left, Nozomi was definitely a better partner than Haruno. Sakura had been baffled why Tsunade seemed so pissed at her lately.
"Here brat. A signed agreement to sponsor Uzushiogakure as a full Hidden Village once more and a basic non-invasion treaty. This means we're not full allies, but in return for giving us advance notice of any forces heading our way we'll sponsor you as a full hidden village. And this...is a signed transfer of allegiance stating that you are no longer one of ours, but our ambassador to Uzushio," said Tsunade.
Naruko read it over, then handed it to Nozomi for confirmation. She was an Uzu shinobi, not a Leaf.
"I'll have Hatake and Haruno wait for you in training ground seven. Or would you prefer 44?"
"Seven is fine, Nozomi can use the river that runs through it on them," said Naruko.
Sakura was happy Naruko was back. Now they could get back to trying to retrieve Sasuke, who had been brainwashed by Orochimaru. Didn't that boy know Orochimaru was a known pedophile?
Kakashi was eager to see how Naruko had grown since leaving with Jiraiya. He felt a little bad that he couldn't tell her about her father or mother, but the Third had been quite firm about it. Well, that and he was still dealing with the aftermath of losing his teacher and the only people he could call family in such a short time.
Sakura spotted Naruko first, and she had her back to the two of them.
"Naruko!" she shouted. The other female ignored her completely.
Her companion, however, noticed them and started to glare at them both. From the headband around her neck, she was likely part of that odd group who had come into Konoha earlier that week. All of them were wearing that odd circle spiral that was on the Konoha flack jackets.
"Yo," said Kakashi.
Naruko continued to ignore them as she chatted with the other girl. Sakura began to grow angry. Why was the girl ignoring her?
Finally Naruko turned to look at them. Her eyes narrowed.
"Oh, it's you two. Don't you know it's rude to interrupt other people's conversations?" she said annoyed.
Haruno blinked. Was Naruko speaking in proper sentences? And why didn't she look happy to see her teammate again?
Kakashi, however, caught the tone. Somehow this didn't feel like a paid reunion with a student who had just returned from another teacher.
Sakura turned her attention to the new girl. She had her hair down covering her ears and wore an outfit that she didn't recognize off hand.
"Get lost outsider. This is a team meeting," said Sakura.
That was when she realized something.
"Naruko, where's your Leaf headband? You're supposed to wear it when you're on duty!" shrieked Sakura.
Naruko raised a single blond eyebrow at Sakura.
"When did I give you permission to speak to me so personally Haruno-san?" asked Naruko.
Kakashi was really sweating now. He had seen something Sakura missed...the growing number of ANBU there to watch the show, some with video cameras for further viewing.
"Naruko..." growled Sakura warningly, her fist raised to punch her errant teammate. When did Naruko grow so cocky?
"Nozomi-chan, I do believe it's time to put this banshee in her place," said Naruko to her friend.
"I fully agree Naru-chan," said Nozomi angrily.
Naruko went to stand next to her friend.
"Nozomi Uzumaki, Otome of the Neptune Emerald, in my name I hearby release your powers," whispered Naruko before she lightly kissed Nozomi's earring. The bio-lock on the GEM acknowledged her matching one, and Nozomi took a stance.
"Materialize!"
Sakura stared dumbly at the Robes and Nozomi's new weapon.
"And by the way, Haruno-san, you're not my teammate. Not anymore. We only came back long enough to get Tsunade's signature and the agreement to put me into Uzushio's forces permanently...and to show how Nozomi-chan felt about the years of abuse you've put me through. Hatake-san, you fail utterly as a teacher and therefor must pay. Have at them, Nozomi," said Naruko far too cheerfully.
Nozomi's smirk sent chills down their spine.
Even with Kakashi's experience, he couldn't hold a candle to her water manipulation, especially since most of it was without the use of seals. Even his Sharingan couldn't keep up with her, mostly because he couldn't really predict her ribbons.
It did not help that Nozomi stayed well off the ground and out of reach of Sakura's super-strength. Every time she tried to hit her, Nozomi would use water to blast Sakura back and into something hard.
Naruko was with the ANBU recording this for 'training' purposes. At least that was what she would tell the others. Truth be told, Sakura had this coming for years, and Kakashi was just bonus.
Nozomi landed close to her girlfriend.
"I'm sorry Naruko, did you want a piece of them too?"
Naruko smirked.
"Let's tag out," she said grinning evilly. Inside her head she could hear the fox cheering her idea on.
He hated Sakura Haruno...especially her voice. The chance to deliver a beat down to the she-witch was something he had been wanting to do for years. Kakashi, again, was just a bonus.
"Materialize!"
Naruko punched her fists into the air once her Robes kicked in. This was actually the first time she had used them in a proper fight since the attack on Windbloom. At least this time she wouldn't have to hold back as much.
That fight had been a disappointing one.
About the only show of camaraderie she displayed to her former teammate and teacher was tossing them several chakra pills.
"Consider this your one and only show of mercy. I'll give you time to recover from Nozomi-chan before I pound both your asses to the ground. Coincidentally Tsunade's only condition for this 'spar' is that I don't kill you two. Maiming, however, was not discouraged," she said far too cheerfully for their continued health.
From the way she said that, Tsunade would look a blind eye to any payback Naruko extracted from the two of them so long as they would live and make a full recovery. And unfortunately for Sakura, she happened to know for a fact that the human body could recover from a lot of damage before it gave up the ghost.
It was the first time she ever regretted becoming a medic. It gave you a very good idea how fragile the human body was.
"Time's up," said Naruko.
The resulting beat down would serve as a warning for the jounin of the village to not slack on the training of their students. You never knew when one would get pissed, find a better teacher and take out their frustrations on you.
And to further insure none of the Council would get any bright ideas, Tsunade had waited until after Naruko beat the living shit of her former team before she filed the paperwork stating she had sent her to a permanent assignment in Uzushio.