Searching For Home

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New Arrivals

Inuzuka Haru stared out of his bedroom window at the rain. A little way down the corridor, he could hear his parents arguing about something. Or rather, his father was shouting and his mother was trying to reason with him. The boy sighed, and turned away from the rain-streaked glass to see his nin-dog, Kibou, curled up on his bed.
"Ah, Kibou! How many times do I have to say, no sleeping on my bed when you're all wet!" He exclaimed, reaching over to pluck the dog from the comfy blankets.
The scruffy, white dog shot him an angry look over his shoulder and skulked to the corner of the room, where his own bed was. Haru sighed, and moved his messy black hair out of his eyes as he walked to his desk. He really wasn't looking forward to today. Uzumaki Dai, his best friend, had invited him for dinner with his family. This meant that he would have to be polite to the Hokage, Naruto, who was Dai's father, as well as put up with the man's crude jokes and loud, irritating laughter, and also put up with Etsu, Dai's younger sister, ogling him from across the table as always. The only nice thing about going over was the food. Sakura, Naruto's wife and Dai's mother, was an excellent cook, and always made sure she made Haru's favourite when he went over.
A knock on his door caused him to leave his thoughts, and go to see who it was. His mother stood outside the room, a tray with some sweet biscuits and a cup of tea in her hands.
"Haru-kun. I bought you a snack. Don't get crumbs on your bed. When you've finished, come to the family room. Neji-niisan, your father and I wish to talk to you and your sisters about an important matter."
Haru rolled his eyes to the heavens.
"Will Hoshi be there?" he asked his mother, with a mouthful of biscuit.
"Hai, your cousin shall be there. But no annoying her this time, Haru! I mean it! And it's Hoshi-sama, have a little respect! Her father is leader of my clan, you know… And please don't eat with your mouth full." Hinata turned and left her son's room, smiling to herself.
Haru reminded her so much of his father, Kiba. And he was growing to be just as handsome too. It was little wonder to Hinata that her son attracted so much female attention, including a certain Hokage's only daughter.
She entered the small kitchen in her wing of the Hyuuga compound, and sat next to her husband. He smiled at her weakly.
"I'm sorry for shouting Nata-chan. I'm just stressed out about all of this. I don't understand why our kids have to be involved."
"Kiba, we're all in this together. They have to be made welcome, and our children are important in doing that."
"Even so, why is he coming back anyway? Why does Uchiha Sasuke always have to cause so much drama?"

*

The horse and cart was slow. Painfully slow. A tall, dark man sat atop the cart, steering the horse, his hood up against the rain. The raindrops mixed with tears on his face, but no one knew but him. Inside the cart, huddled together, were two boys and a woman. The eldest son must have been about 18, his back against the wall of the cart, the frail woman propped up against his side. On the other side of the woman sat a younger boy of about 16, nose in a book, blocking out the laboured breathing of his mother.
"Eh, Ichiru? Take over, will you? For a little while, I need to rest. Keep following this road straight!" A voice called from above.
Ichiru carefully leant his mother against his younger brother and climbed out of the cart, swinging himself from the door to the roof in one fluid movement. The rain lashed down on him and he was soaked in seconds.
His father held out the reins and swiftly vanished into the cart below them.
"Kin! Kin! What are you doing? Stop reading and give your mother some water!" Ichiru heard his father shout at his brother underneath him.
Sighing, the dark-haired boy flicked the reins and spurred the horse on. If they carried on at his father's pace, they'd never reach the village hidden among the leaves before nightfall.

*

Hyuuga Neji sat with his cousin Hinata at his side. His brow was furrowed with worry as he waited for his nieces and nephew to arrive. His own daughter knelt in front of him, obedient and attentive as always. He smiled at the way she reminded him of her mother, Tenten. The woman herself was not coming to the meeting, and was instead busy sewing, and preparing for the birth of her second child. Although so long after their first – 17 years in fact- this surprise was welcome, and much celebrated by the Hyuuga clan leader and his wife.
Suddenly, the door flew open, and in tumbled two girls, swiftly followed by two, small, yapping nin-dogs. The girls were quite obviously fighting over something, and it certainly wasn't a clean fight. Aiko, the older of the twins by 2 minutes, was now sitting on her sister's back, and twisting her arm up behind her.
"Akane! Aiko! Stop at once!" Their father barked, walking in behind them, with Haru, Kibou and Akamaru.
The two girls bashfully got up from their skirmish and stood in front of their mother, and the leader of the Hyuuga clan, whom they fondly called Uncle Neji. Akane apologised first, sweeping her long, black hair over her shoulders, and kneeling next to her second cousin, Hoshi. Aiko muttered an apology quickly, her long, brown hair covering her face as she knelt next to her twin.
Haru rolled his eyes at his sister's behaviour, and knelt a little to the right of them, Kibou a little ball of white fur next to him. He looked so like Akamaru, his father's nin-dog, but it wasn't a surprise, seeing as he was Akamaru's puppy.
Neji cleared his throat loudly.
"I'll pretend I didn't see that." He said, sternly, but with a slight twinkle in his pale eyes - Neji seemed to have become much softer after he found his wife was expecting again – "Now, I've gathered you here today to discuss some important news. The Hokage himself has asked me if I will help him with this matter. I have agreed. A family is moving to Konoha, and should be arriving late this evening. The father is an old colleague of mine, and your parents" he gestured to Haru, Aiko and Akane, and then to Kiba and Hinata, "and he has been gone for a long while. We have been asked to make them as welcome as possible, and perhaps make room for them in our own home until they have set themselves up completely. His old clan home has been left derelict for years, and so will not be liveable for a while."
Hoshi stood up suddenly, eyes blazing.
"We are letting complete strangers into the home of our clan, the Hyuugas, one of the oldest and most respected…?"
Her father cut her off, "The father of the family is an old friend. And he is the last remaining Uchiha."
There was silence in the room.
Hoshi slowly sat back down, looking sheepish. They had all been told of the great Uchiha clan, of the bloodbath, and of the last Uchiha. It was quite the urban legend when they were at the academy, and children often dared each other to enter the deserted compound, to face the ghosts of the ancient clan.
"As I was saying, the family will be staying in the East Wing, and I'd like you all to be polite and welcoming. I will not tolerate bad behaviour while they are our guests." Neji finished finally, rising to his feet, and then leaving the room.
Hoshi obediently followed her father out and to the North Wing, the luxurious main wing of the Hyuuga household, where the leader and his family lived.
The Inuzuka family proceeded to their own bedrooms to prepare for whatever they were busying themselves with on this day, the twins arguing all the way.

*

Uzumaki Dai sat impatiently at his father's desk.
"Why do I have to do all this writing? I'm a good enough ninja anyway; I'm already a Chuunin. I just want to get out there and fight, to prove myself!" he said, irritably.
His father chuckled, "You remind me of myself when I was a boy. I was just the same, not wanting to do the tedious learning, being too loud. You are a good ninja, son, but you have quite a way to go if you want to take my place one day…"
Dai flushed slightly. He hadn't told anyone but Haru of his ambitions to be Hokage, but everyone seemed to assume it anyway. He raked a hand through his spiky pink hair and sighed.
Talking of Haru, where is he? Dai thought to himself.
He left his father's study, making a fumbling excuse about helping his mother in the kitchen, and headed straight for the front door, grabbing his orange fleece as he did so. It was getting chilly at night as winter drew closer.
As soon as the boy stepped outside, he knew he'd made a mistake. How could he not have noticed it was raining? Cursing himself, he ran towards the Hyuuga compound, intent on blaming his best friend for his misfortune.

*

Inuzuka Aiko saw Dai coming before he'd seen her. Taking the opportunity, she hid in the undergrowth just outside the entrance with Honou, her nin-dog. She loved to scare Dai senseless whenever she had the chance, and now was one she couldn't miss.
The rain was slowing down a little as Dai approached her hiding place, and she smirked to herself, nodded to Honou, and prepared to dive from the bush…
"Aiko-san, I know you're there, I'm not stupid." Came Dai's voice from beyond the leaves.
Cursing under her breath, the girl emerged, with Honou skulking behind her.
"I could smell you and your stinky old dog from a mile off." Dai laughed.
Aiko stuck out her tongue and ran off towards the training grounds. Dai hoped she was crying.
"Upsetting my little sister again?"
Haru had come outside, after using his Byakugan to see what was going on. He and Kibou walked up to Dai.
"You know I don't really want to upset her, baka!" Dai said, smacking his friend on the head.
Haru shrugged, "So am I coming to yours? I've got some info for you anyway.."
Dai nodded, "Etsu isn't in." he said, smirking.
"Bonus!" Haru yelled, punching the air.
The two friends set off towards the Hokage's house, not noticing the battered horse and cart pulling into the street behind them, and the boy watching them as he steered the horse.