I do not own any of the Naruto characters.
Enjoy.
[Chapter Three: Home, Sweet Home]
It was a long journey, but the quad finally made it to the village of Konoha. Akira admired the beauty of the village as she entered through the large wooden gates. The entire village seemed to be bustling about with chores, shopping or children playing. Naruto inhaled a large amount of air through his nostrils as he placed his fists on his sides, and then slowly exhaled through his mouth.
"Home, sweet home!" he said before glancing at Akira, as if he were waiting for what her first impression of the village was.
She smiled at the handsome blonde, "It feels so… homey"
Akemi placed her hand on Akira's shoulder and smiled, "C'mon, let's get settled at home."
Akira nodded, but felt a sense of disappointment. Now that Naruto and Kakashi had fulfilled their mission, it was time for them to depart and undertake greater, more difficult missions. She had a great interest in this boy, he was different… unique.
"Hey, granny Akemi, do you think it would be okay if I could show Akira around the village?" Naruto asked.
Akira's heart skipped and her face lit up in excitement. She reacted so quickly, she hadn't realized she looked a little too excited. She quickly attempted to gather herself together to seem calm and collected, but it failed once her face blushed over a thousand shades of red.
"Oi, Naruto, don't be so forward," Kakashi said. "Akira just got here, she's probably tired."
"I-I'm fine," Akira stuttered. "Would it be okay, grandma?"
"That's fine with me," Akemi smiled.
"Alright, to the Oita residence!" Naruto exclaimed.
Akemi led the way through the busy marketplace with the rest following. Akira felt awkward, and out of place as she noticed some of the villagers staring at her as if she were some sort of zoo animal. She stuck close to her grandmother and decided to look down the entire way home to avoid any awkward stares. Her eyes widened when she overheard one of the whispered conversations.
"Who's that hottie walking with Kakashi-sensei and Naruto?"
"I do not know but she is beautiful! I will go introduce myself!"
"No way, Lee. I saw her first, right Akamaru?"
Akira's head shot up from the ground and immediately turned to the direction where she heard the conversation. It was too crowded for her to determine who the two guys were. She wasn't sure whether to be flattered or offended by the loud comments. Suddenly, she bumped into something, and nearly fell on her bum. She caught herself before she realized it was her grandmother that she bumped into.
"Are you alright, Akira?" Akemi asked.
"Uh yeah, sorry about that," Akira said, then looked up to see the entrance for a condominium townhouse.
"Well, I'm going to take a short nap, it was good seeing you today Lady Akemi," Kakashi-sensei said as he walked toward the door right next to Akemi's. "It was nice meeting you, Akira. Bye, Naruto."
Akira slightly bowed while Akemi and Naruto waved. After Kakashi closed the door behind him, Akemi pulled her keys out from her pockets.
"It surely isn't a mansion, but its home," Akemi said as she inserted the keys to open the wooden door.
"No, it's perfect." Akira smiled as she walked in.
It was bright, warm and decorated with several flowers and family pictures. Akemi walked down the hallway, toward the staircase.
"Please follow me, Akira," she said. "I will show you to your room,"
Akira nodded and followed after her grandmother. Naruto laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head, "I-I'll just wait here I guess!"
Akira reached the top of the stairs and noticed her grandmother stand before the door at the end of the 2nd floor hallway. She walked over and gasped once she took a look into her room for the next 2 months. It was a white room, with several scrolls organized in a pile in the back corner, sharp dangerous weapons that hung by the closet, and a white mask with a cat like design placed on the bed.
"This was your mother's room when she was younger," Akemi said.
"Wow, this is amazing," Akira gasped as she continued to scan the room. "Mom… was… so intense!"
"Surely she was a very talented nin," Akemi sighed.
Akira gently placed her bag on the floor, next to the bed and looked at her grandmother, "Will I be able to be as good as mom?"
Akemi nodded, "With your determination and my training, of course."
Akira smiled and wrapped her arms around Akemi, nuzzling her head on her neck, "Thank-you grandma, I love you."
"I love you too, dear," Akemi said. "Now, go on, have a good time with Naruto, and be home before 12 a.m"
Akira nodded then rushed down the stairs, to find Naruto staring at some of the family photos. He noticed her presence and a wide grin spread across his face as he pointed at one picture, "Is this you?"
Akira's eyes widened as she took a look at the photo. It was her when she was a baby, completely naked in the tub, holding a rubber duck. Her face flushed as Naruto began to laugh.
"It's really cute," he managed to sigh after his minute of complete laughter.
"Yeah, yeah, let's go," she groaned, grabbing his wrist and dragging him out of her grandmother's home.
[ - ]
"And finally, these are the Hokage monuments," Naruto said as he stared out into the carved mountain. "My face will be carved into that mountain one day."
Akira pulled her vision from the monuments and turned to Naruto. He stared at the mountain with such intent and determination; it was almost as if she already expected it to happen.
"I believe in you, Naruto." She smiled.
Naruto looked back at Akira and smiled, "Thanks."
"Hey Naruto!"
Both Akira and Naruto turned back. Akira's eyes widened as she noticed a girl with bright pink hair walking toward them. Usually, hair colors other than blonde, brown, black, or red are strange but this girl somehow managed to pull it off with her pale skin and celadon green eyes. Suddenly, a rush of anger filled his pink haired girl and a punch was thrown right at Naruto's head. Naruto screamed in pain as he held the large bump that grew at the side of his head from the punch. Akira's eyes widened as she slightly backed away from the angry girl.
"You baka! You forgot to report the completion of your mission to Lady Tsunade! She's been asking about you all day!" the girl raged.
Naruto groaned as he rubbed his head, "Ouch, Sakura that hurt so much!"
Sakura turned from the whining blonde, then toward Akira. Her angry face immediately changed into an innocent, cute face, "Oh hi, who are you?"
"Uh… I'm Akira Oita," Akira stuttered, scared to shake Sakura's hand. "I'm sorry, Naruto's been showing me around Konoha; it's my fault he didn't report anything."
A large sweat drop dripped down the side of Sakura's head as a tremulous smile crept her lips, "Oh, ehehe, nice to meet you, I'm Sakura Haruno and no, you don't have to apologize that's quite alright, Akira."
"WHAT?" Naruto yelled before the pink haired girl flicked him away with such strength.
"I would love to stay but, I'm extremely busy in the office, good bye!" Sakura said before disappearing.
Akira ran over to Naruto and bent over to help him up by placing her right hand on his back, and taking his hand with her left. She carefully pulled him up from the ground until he was capable of standing once more. Naruto dusted himself off before rubbing the bump.
"That is one crazy woman," he shivered.
"I'll say," Akira chuckled.
"Anyway, there's one last place I'd like to take you!" Naruto exclaimed, as if he immediately recovered from that little incident.
"Where's that?" Akira curiously asked.
"It's the best ramen place in town," Naruto said. "Ichiraku Ramen!"
Naruto grabbed her wrist and sprinted through the marketplace. Akira clenched her teeth 'Not again!' she thought as she struggled to keep up with the vivacious teen. Suddenly, he made a complete stop causing Akira to crash right into him, and fall back, but she wasn't able to catch herself this time. Just as she was about to land on the dirt ground, Naruto quickly reached out to her and grabbed both her wrists.
"Gotcha," he said as he pulled her up.
Akira blushed when Naruto's piercing blue eyes locked with her forest green ones for a moment which seemed like an eternity to her. Naruto quickly released her and grinned while scratching his head, "Sorry, I just get really excited when it comes to ramen."
He turned his body and gestured for her to follow him. He stopped before a small bar which included thick pieces of paper hanging from the roof and 6 empty seats. He lifted the flap of paper and made an entrance for Akira to walk through first. Akira smiled and entered. A man, around his 40's, turned from behind the counter, wiping a large bowl clean with the apron wrapped around his waist.
"Oh, hello Naruto," the man said. "How was your mission."
"Ah! So boring, but, I met this girl," Naruto replied, patting Akira on the back. "Her name's Akira."
The man gently placed the bowl on top of the stack of bowls at the end of the counter then reached over to Akira for a hand shake, "Nice to meet you Akira, I am Teuchi." He said with a big smile.
She gently took his hand and shook, "Nice to meet you!"
"So, what will it be?" he asked the two.
"2 of the usual, old man!" Naruto said excitedly while smacking his hand upon the table.
"Naruto, let Akira decide for herself!" Teuchi nagged.
Naruto's shoulders dropped, and Akira laughed.
"It's alright, I'll try this 'usual' Naruto is speaking of." She said with a thumbs up.
"Great! You'll love!" Naruto said, planting his bum on the seat, and patting the one next to him for Akira to do the same.
"Alright, 2 chicken cutlet ramen's coming right up!" Teuchi said.
[ - ]
"Make sure she doesn't do anything stupid, alright?"
"Yes, I will."
"I'm serious, Kakashi, I'm trusting you on this."
"She'll be perfectly fine."
"Okay, thanks. I'll talk to you later, good-bye."
The silver-haired sharingan user sighed after hanging up. That Hikari woman was always so demanding and angry, it scared him sometimes. Kakashi placed the cordless on the dinner table and walked back to the common area. He took a seat on his leather couch and reached for his small, orange book that rested on the coffee table before him.
"Those phone calls are going to be the death of me for the next two months," he sighed before he began reading his favourite novel.
I hope you enjoyed reading!