Chapter three: Settling in. (Part two.)
"SHUT UP! ALL OF YOU! LEAVE ME ALONE!" Shouted the voice of one Iruka Umino from a television set as one Ayame Ichiraku could be seen cleaning some dishes with a small chuckle. The clip had been replayed numerous times since the Chunin exploded on live TV and the news media had practically crucified him. It was pretty safe to say that he was gonna lose his job over this, and good riddance too.
Naruto had plentiful stories to share about his 'teacher' and none of them made him sound endearing in the slightest, and for good reason. Speaking of a certain blonde, she and her father couldn't help but feel glad that Naruto had been chosen as a Taimanin's partner, and to be chosen by the legendary Asagi Igawa no less. No doubt he was in some fancy restaurant, gorging on some gourmet food with the one of the most gorgeous and desired women in Konoha on his arm.
"Hey Ayame! Hey old man Teuchi!" Shouted a very familiar voice as a trio of figures entered the Ramen stand.
Almost automatically the waitress put on her most charming smile and greeted "Welcome to Ichi…" she paused midway as she registered who exactly had entered and saw the form of Naruto himself… accompanied not by one, but by two women. The famed Igawa siblings. "EHHHHHH?!" The waitress yelled in surprise, her eyes almost bugging out of her head at the sight.
"Wha?! Naruto-kun?! The Igawa sisters?! In my shop? I… I could die happy!" Teuchi shouted as he cried animal tears at the fact his humble Ramen stand had been graced by the presence of such famed celebrities.
"So… you could have chosen anywhere you wanted, but chose this place huh? I wasn't expecting this." Sakura spoke with an amused grin as she set herself down on a stool with her sister and the whiskered teen doing the same.
"You won't find better Ramen anywhere else. Besides, the Ichiraku's have always been good to me. Even spotted a few bowls for me when I was short on money. I'll never forget about that." The whiskered teen replied with a nostalgic smile, earning a gushing 'Awww' from the orangette.
The Ichiraku's managed to break out of their stupor with the Ramen chef stating "We heard about you getting picked on the news Naruto-kun. Congratulations! You made the big time!"
The whiskered teen chuckled as he nodded and then said with a broad grin "That's not all. I finally got my Shinobi headband and license registered." He then pointed towards the headband that was tied around his arm and produced his license to the Ichiraku's, the picture depicting the blonde standing with his arms crossed and a serious expression on his face.
"Truthfully, I kinda wanted to put on some kabuki style makeup to really mark the occasion and stand out." Naruto added as he pocketed his license, his words earning an eye roll from his partner.
"It would have stood out all right, in all the wrong ways. If you want people to take you seriously as a Shinobi, then you need to treat the position and all that it entails seriously as well. Remember, a person's reputation means a lot in the Shinobi world. You want to have a reputation for being reliable and trustworthy, yes?" Asagi asked him, which made the young blonde nod his head in understanding.
"I got it. I got it." He muttered sheepishly, with the Igawa siblings giggling a little.
"So what's good here? Any recommendations Naruto-kun?" Sakura asked since she had never visited this place before. She was kind of eager to see just how good the Ramen was here
.
"You can't really go wrong with anything here. Though I think the Miso Ramen is good for first time visitors. At any rate, Old man! Hook me up with the Uzumaki Grande Special!" The whiskered teen spoke excitedly with a large grin.
"Wait. You have a Ramen bowl named after you?" Asagi asked with a raised eyebrow, her question making the Ichiraku's laugh a little in response.
"Ah. Naruto-kun has been a regular of ours for years. To commemorate his patronage, we named a Ramen bowl after him in his honor." Teuchi explained with a hearty chuckle.
"Ooh! Sounds interesting! I want one too!" Sakura spoke while clapping her hands excitedly.
"I shall have one as well." Asagi requested, then she raised an eyebrow upon noticing the hesitation in the father/daughter pair.
Ayame cleared her throat and asked "Are you sure about that? It's a big bowl. Like REALLY big." The sisters tilted their heads a little in confusion. A big bowl? Just how big could it possibly be? Ignoring the warning, they confirmed that they wanted the Uzumaki special as well… barely a few seconds after placing their order, the Uzumaki himself was snickering quietly to himself.
"You might regret that." He warned with a sly smile, making the siblings sweat-drop. What could possibly be so daunting about a bowl of ramen? They received their answer minutes later when the Ichiraku's planted three enormous bowls before them. The sight made the two sisters' eyes widen in shock. There seemed to be enough in just one bowl to feed at least ten people.
"Goodness. Now I see why the 'Grande' part was added." Asagi muttered, suddenly feeling a little intimidated by the massive serving. Could Naruto seriously eat this whole thing? That didn't seem physically possible.
"Quite the specimen eh? It's something of a challenge we started here. Anyone who can finish the whole bowl gets it for free." Teuchi explained with a proud smirk, a little twinkle shining in his eye as he then added "Only two people have ever been able to accomplish this feat. One of them being Naruto-kun himself."
"Who's the other one?" The Jinchuuriki asked since he was unaware that someone else was capable of performing this task. At his question, Ayame giggled and spoke "Sorry. That's a secret, feel free to guess though."
Naruto shrugged his shoulders as he began to dig into his bowl with gusto while the Igawa sisters glanced down at their own bowls. Sakura slapped both of her cheeks before grabbing a pair of chopsticks for herself before shouting "Yosh! The Igawas don't back down before a challenge! C'mon sis! Let's conquer this monster of a ramen bowl!"
Asagi smirked in amusement as she too grabbed her own pair of chopsticks and replied confidently "Let's do it!" The orangette wasted no time in digging into her own meal, the older Igawa sister doing the same.
To the sisters' surprise, the ramen tasted amazing. It had a spicy kick to it that was just balanced enough to where the spiciness didn't overpower the rest of the ingredients. Asagi especially liked the pork slices and the shrimp. The broth was also pretty good, having a nice thick and meaty taste to it.
After several minutes of eating, the sisters finally felt like they had reached the halfway point... only to realize that they hadn't even gotten a quarter of the way through their bowls. "Th... there is still more?" Sakura whimpered, her previous confidence slowly draining away as she stared at the seemingly bottomless abyss that was her ramen bowl.
"We mustn't retreat! Keep at it!" Asagi spoke encouragingly as she began eating again, Sakura doing the same. Their pace was far slower than before. Each time they finished a mouthful, their bodies screamed at them to stop. However, their pride refused to let them quit.
Meanwhile, the Uzumaki himself was nearly finished with his own meal. The Ichiraku's were used to seeing him demolish bowl after bowl, and thus didn't seem surprised in the slightest. The Taimanin were putting on a brave front, but it was obvious they were steadily losing steam.
"I don't understand it. Why isn't he having trouble with this?" Sakura whispered to her sister, a hint of bitterness present in her tone.
Asagi looked like she wanted to say something but then decided against it. Seriously though, just how was he able to keep going? Was his stomach connected to some sort of pocket dimension?! Was he hiding a black hole in his belly? He just kept on eating and didn't show any signs of stopping.
"Well, this is Naruto Uzumaki we're talking about. It's no surprise that he can handle it. You on the other hand..." Teuchi chuckled as he gave a quick glance towards the sisters, who were currently glaring daggers at the whiskered teen.
"You guys don't have to force yourselves, you know." Naruto spoke, finally pausing his eating and looking up at the duo with a raised eyebrow.
"Nonsense. We've come too far to turn back now. I've cut down entire platoons of enemy Shinobi, I refuse to be defeated by a ramen bowl!" Asagi spoke with her chest puffed out proudly, a determined expression etched on her face.
"Right. I'm not giving up either! Even if it kills me!" Sakura exclaimed with a fiery gaze. Naruto sweat-dropped and gave a quiet 'Uh-huh' believing that this was not going to end well for the Igawa sisters.
Minutes later, and the two women were slumped over on the countertop, their stomachs making gurgling noises as they found themselves unable to continue on. "How does he do it? It's just not natural. Ugh... my tummy hurts. I feel like I'm gonna pop." The orangette whimpered with anime tears streaming down her face.
"Ugggh. Don't mention popping. Please. I already feel sick." Asagi mumbled as she tried to massage her sore stomach, the sensation reminding her of her earlier days as a Taimanin during her intense training sessions... but this was way worse.
"Hey, don't feel bad. There are a lot of people who've tried and failed to finish this bowl." Ayame said while giving the two a sympathetic smile.
"Yeah, so you didn't do that bad. Not many make it to the halfway point, fewer still who make it so far on their first try. I gotta admit though, I didn't think you'd manage to last this long. So I'm impressed." Teuchi complimented, which made the Taimanin blush slightly in embarrassment.
"Defeated by a bowl of Ramen. Oh the shame." The Almighty Taimanin muttered dramatically, earning a laugh from her blonde partner.
"Hey, don't get too hung up about it. It's no big deal. I'm just a professional." Naruto stated with a broad grin and a cocky thumb gesture, his statement earning an eye roll and a snort from his new partner.
"Professional glutton is more like it." Asagi quipped, causing the blonde to snicker.
"Oh please, like you were any better." Sakura spoke, causing her sister to blush in embarrassment.
"Well, you can't be the best at everything. I mean, I suck at math, but that's just me. Everyone has a weak spot. No one's perfect." Naruto reasoned, which earned him a round of nods from the other occupants in the Ramen shop.
"He's got a point." Ayame conceded with a shrug, her words making the sisters nod in agreement.
"Well, at any rate, thank you very much for the meal. It was most delicious." The blue haired Taimanin spoke, her body paling a bit as she tried to resist the urge to vomit due to her stomach being filled to overcapacity.
"It was. I don't think I've ever eaten anything this tasty. We'll be sure to come back again sometime." Sakura added, her stomach also hurting due to overeating as she shakily pulled out a wallet from an unknown hiding place and slapped a large wad of bills on the counter before collapsing.
"That'll be more than enough. Thanks for your patronage!" Teuchi spoke, his voice laced with gratitude as he picked up the money and pocketed it.
"C'mon guys, let's go home... in a few minutes. I don't think I can move right now." The Tomboy Taimanin whined as she felt as if her tummy was about to split open. Why did that Ramen have to taste so good?!
"I feel the same." The Almighty Taimanin muttered softly. The three of them sat there in silence for a minute or two with the Ichiraku's performing some cleaning.
Sakura decided to break the silence by asking "Hey Naruto. How about you tell us a little about yourself? I wanna get to know the guy my big sister picked." She smiled a little when she saw her sister blushing slightly. It would seem that Asagi had really taken a shine to him.
"There isn't much to say. I'm an orphan that lived in a crappy apartment and off of a stipend. I was picked on and bullied a lot in school with Iruka seriously having it out for me. It was because of him I kept getting held back since he kept singling me out." He surmised as he took a sip of tea.
"Seriously? A teacher picking on a student? What kind of a monster is he?" Sakura muttered with a glare, her eyes narrowing in anger at the fact that the one who was supposed to guide and protect the children under his care had actually hurt one of them instead, or at least harmed their education.
"That one right there." The whiskered teen stated while jabbing a finger in the direction of the overhead television, which was still replaying the moment the Chunin exploded on live TV.
"Oh." The orangette replied simply with her face blank before her eyes lit up in recognition "Oh! Wait a sec! I saw him in the Hokage's office when I got back to the village. I didn't hear everything but it sounded like the Sandaime was chewing out this Iruka guy."
"Really?" The young blonde asked curiously, his eyebrow arching up at this new bit of information.
"Yup. I didn't catch it all, but I definitely heard the words 'grudge' and 'incompetence'. If I don't know any better, I'd say that someone's gonna be getting the boot. Or worse." The orangette snickered, a rather cruel gleam flashing in her sapphire orbs.
"Well, he deserved it. Anyways, I gotta ask, what kind of training are we gonna do Asagi? I want to learn everything that you can teach me." The young Jinchuuriki stated. He was determined to become stronger, not just for his sake, but for those he cares about. Additionally, he also wanted to be useful to Asagi as well.
"I believe it would be prudent to start off by practicing with the weapons you shall be receiving. I also recall you mentioning that you need some practice in Taijutsu." The blue haired Taimanin spoke since she believed it would be wise to start him off with the basics.
"I see. Oh... I almost forgot. You also need to teach me how I can transfer my Chakra to you. That's why you need me after all." He stated matter-of-factly since without his Chakra her combat capabilities would be somewhat limited. If she used too much of the Yokai swimming in her body, there would be consequences.
"Huh? Big sis... you haven't told him?" Sakura asked with a raised eyebrow, earning a confused look from the Uzumaki.
"Told me what?" He questioned, his eyebrows furrowing a bit, recalling that the last time he had asked, Asagi had been rather evasive about it.
"Can we please save this conversation until we get home? It isn't something that should be discussed openly." The Almighty Taimanin implored, making the younger Taimanin sigh and nod her head.
"Okay. Fine. Sorry." Sakura muttered softly as she slumped over a bit, causing the Jinchuuriki to sweat-drop. Just what the hell was she talking about? From the sounds of it, it was a sensitive topic... not to mention Asagi seemed a little embarrassed about it. Why? Was he missing something?
"I'll tell you everything once we're home." The blue haired woman stated with a soft sigh, causing the young Uzumaki to give a nod of acknowledgement, accepting her promise.
"You two feeling better now?" He asked out of concern, noting that the sisters were no longer slouched over and were instead sitting straight up.
"Yeah. My tummy feels a little less full. We should be able to head home now." The tomboy Taimanin declared as she pushed herself up to her feet. Her older sister following her example.
"Alright. Let's get going then." Naruto said with a small smile, his gaze lingering on the beautiful Taimanin, taking a moment to admire the way her blue hair gently swayed with each movement. He shook his head a bit to clear his thoughts before standing up as well, and followed the duo out of the shop.
"Have a safe trip home." Teuchi spoke as he and his daughter waved as the trio began their walk back to the Igawa residence.
It wasn't long before they reached the gates of the Taimanin district where a guard was stationed at the gate. This time it was a woman carrying a naginata with dark brown hair, an impossibly large bust and a black ribbon that resembled rabbit ears.
"Naruto, this is Mizuki Shiranui. Nui-chan, this is Naruto, my partner." Asagi introduced with a gentle smile, causing the teen in question to blush a bit from the warm greeting.
"Partner? Ooh, Asagi has finally found someone." Shiranui remarked, her eyes taking on a playful gleam as she gave a knowing smile and took in the Jinchuuriki's features before adding "My my. He's quite a young one. A handsome boy as well." She giggled as the boy blushed even harder.
"Oh, stop it. You're embarrassing him." The blue haired Taimanin chuckled, giving the woman a soft slap on the arm.
"It's a pleasure to meet you." The blond spoke with a bow, not wanting to offend the Taimanin.
"The pleasure is all mine. Now then, passports?" Shiranui requested, prompting both the Igawa Sisters and Naruto to produce their passports for entry.
After a quick inspection, the Naginata user nodded in acceptance. "Everything appears to be in order. Have a pleasant day." She said with a friendly smile, opening the gate for them and allowing them entry.
"We will. Goodbye, Nui-chan." Sakura replied, the trio waving goodbye as they walked through the open gate.
"She seems nice." Naruto commented once the gates closed behind them. This reminded him, sooner or later he'd have to get to know his neighbors. From what he could see, a lot of Taimanin were really nice or at least decent sorts of people.
"Ah. Shiranui is a reliable one and very strong. She also has a daughter, Yukikaze. I think you'll like her." The Almighty Taimanin spoke as they entered the Igawa residence at long last.
After removing their footwear, Sakura moved onto the couch and stated "Okay Asagi. You know the drill. There's no procrastinating now. You gotta have 'the talk' with Naruto." The orangette added the last part in a warning tone.
The bluenette said nothing to her younger sister and instead gently took her young partner by the wrist and guided him to their bedroom. She shut the door and locked it behind her, to ensure they had some privacy. Not that she expected her sister to eavesdrop, but more likely it was out of habit.
"Okay, I've been dying to know. What the heck did she mean by 'the talk'?" Naruto asked, his curiosity reaching an all-time high. Just what in the heck was going on? Why did Asagi seem like she desperately wanted to avoid the subject?
Asagi sighed before speaking "I've been wanting to wait until the time was right, but I suppose this is as good a time as any. I was hoping to hold off on this since I didn't want to force it down your throat." She muttered while brushing aside some of her hair as the blonde teen deposited his bags of recently purchased casual wear off to the side.
"Please tell me this isn't gonna be a 'birds and bees' thing. I already went through that once, and that was the most embarrassing, cringeworthy, and painful thirty minutes of my life. Please don't make me go through that again. I'm begging you." He pleaded, his face flushing at the memory.
"Don't worry. That's not what this is about. At least, it isn't really that sort of talk." The Almighty Taimanin stated calmly, making him breathe a sigh of relief.
"The truth is... well... in order to transfer your Chakra to me, the most efficient method is... well... through sex." She forced out the last part, her face flushing a deep crimson as she seemed almost ashamed by this fact.
"Wait, seriously?!" He asked, his eyes widening at the news. That was... unexpected.
"Unfortunately, yes." Asagi confirmed with a soft sigh, her cheeks still flushed. "As you know, we Taimanin cannot naturally produce Chakra by ourselves. That is why we need a partner to transfer their Chakra to us. The most efficient means is absorbing our partners' Chakra through their semen." She explained, her face still burning bright red.
"Oh... wow. So uh... you were afraid of how I would react if you told me about this?" He guessed, his brain still processing this new bit of information.
"Yes." She answered honestly. "I understand that you're probably upset, or at the very least, uncomfortable. I wanted to ease you into it instead of, as I previously mentioned, forcing it on you. Then my sister had to go and tip you off. This isn't something we Taimanin speak of openly. Imagine if this became public knowledge. Every pervert for miles around would come banging on our doors to take advantage of us." The bluenette explained with a shudder.
"I can see your point. It's alright. I'm not angry or upset, I was just surprised. I can understand why you were hesitant to talk about it." He stated, his words earning him a relieved sigh from Asagi. It seemed he was taking this news in stride.
"Thank you. I'm sorry. This must be a lot to take in." The blue haired warrior spoke, her embarrassment fading somewhat as her heart began to race a bit, the young Uzumaki's reaction was the polar opposite of what she had been expecting. She was sort of expecting him to lash out or be upset at this news. She was afraid that he may think he was being taken advantage of somehow.
He was taking it rather well all things considered. In Naruto's eyes, it all made a lot of sense now. Why Taimanin were so selective of their partners, why they were so protective of their privacy and territory, and why Asagi initially dodged his questioning when he first arrived. She didn't want to burden him with such a thing. She wanted to wait until the time was right for him, to explain in a way that would not overwhelm him but now her hand had been forced. At the very least, it was now done and over with.
"I would understand if you wish to sleep separately. I'll understand if this is too much for you. It's only natural that-" Asagi was cut off as the blond pulled her into a sudden hug, his warm embrace silencing her.
"Asagi. It's okay. I already said that I'm not mad. I'm not going anywhere. You've been nothing but kind to me and I'd like to return the favor. So don't worry, I'll be here for you, always." He said softly as he felt her relax and return his embrace.
"Thank you, Naruto. You have no idea how much this means to me." She replied, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. His acceptance and compassion was like a balm for her soul. To feel a warmth that she hadn't felt before, to have a person in her life that she could truly trust and depend on despite the fact they had only known each other for a short time. She had chosen very well indeed when she made Naruto her partner and gave the oath of marriage.
They embraced for a few moments before they broke it off and each took a step back.
"So, is there anything else I should know? Wouldn't it be possible to transfer my Chakra through, say, skin contact?" The whiskered teen asked curiously, his question earning a small chuckle from his partner.
"Not right now, no. Though, we will have to begin your training as soon as your equipment arrives. I'll let you decide which weapon you would like to practice with first. I'm certain you'll do fine. As for your other question, it is possible, but not nearly as efficient as it is compared to the absorption of semen." She answered and smiled softly, her face returning to its normal shade as she sat down on the bed and patted the spot beside her, which he sat down in.
"Alright, I won't let you down. I'll work and do my best." He declared, his tone holding a note of determination, eager to please his partner and make her proud of him.
"That's the spirit. Well, you should get some rest. I'm certain that you must be tired. Tomorrow, I'll take you on a tour of the Taimanin District. I'll even introduce you to a few friends of mine." Asagi offered, her voice holding a note of excitement.
"Really? That sounds like fun. I'd love to meet more Taimanin, besides, I guess I should get to know my new neighbors anyway. I'd hate to be a stranger in my own home." The young Jinchuuriki mused.
"Excellent! Well, then, get some rest. We have a long day ahead of us. I think you'll like the Community Center." Asagi spoke with a broad smile, her words earning a small gasp of surprise from the whiskered teen. They had a freaking Community Center too?! What didn't they have?! Then again, he supposed it made sense for the Taimanin to have something like that to unwind in their downtime and bond with each other. There had to be plenty of Taimanin that had mutual interests and hobbies to bond over.
"I can't wait." The Uzumaki replied as he slipped under the covers and made himself comfortable.
"Well, good night, Naruto. Sleep tight." The Almighty Taimanin cooed softly, giving his forehead a gentle peck and making him blush lightly as she snuggled up close to him.
"Good night, Asagi." He replied as he slowly drifted off to sleep, his breathing evening out as he allowed his mind and body to rest.
"Sweet dreams." The bluenette murmured affectionately, her arms wrapping around him and pulling him close. She smiled gently as she rested her head on his shoulder. It wasn't long before her sapphire eyes fluttered shut and her consciousness faded with the Uzumaki following close behind her.
The next morning.
Naruto and the Igawa sisters made their way down the road to the Taimanin Districts' Community Center, the Uzumaki feeling quite eager to see what was in store for him there and to get to know other Taimanin. Who knows? Perhaps he could even make some new friends.
Asagi and Sakura were both wearing a pair of tracksuits, dark blue and pink respectively. The blonde himself was wearing a simple t-shirt and cargo shorts along with his Shinobi sandals.
"Hm. I can't wait to introduce you to everyone." Asagi mused with a serene smile, earning a small chuckle from the whiskered teen who responded in a cheeky manner "That eager to show me off?"
"Maybe a little bit." She spoke with a good natured laugh, the three of them soon arriving at their destination, a rather large building located in the center of the district. The structure was three stories tall with a glass window covering the front, and the sign above the entrance was a stylized emblem of the Taimanin symbol with the kanji for 'community' underneath it.
"Here we are." Asagi spoke as they approached the establishment, she couldn't help but smile while her sister giggled upon seeing Naruto's eyes light up.
"Wow! It's so huge!" The Jinchuuriki exclaimed, taking in the sight before him, his blue eyes gazing around at the many rooms that could be seen from outside along with a sign that listed the many activities available. There were various activities available such as swimming, bowling, table tennis, and even a library. It was an impressive facility, no doubt about that. He wondered what else could be inside.
They stepped inside the building proper, Naruto following the sisters as they entered a room marked 'Bowling'. Inside were six lanes with two balls per lane and a computer system to record points, a snack bar and a small lounge area for watching the game. There was also a small bar stocked with non-alcoholic beverages, and on the other side of the building was a large arcade area loaded with all manner of games.
"Whoa... and this is only the first floor." Naruto mused aloud with the Igawa sisters nodding their heads.
"Well, if we're going to train hard, may as well play hard too. There's lots to do here. We could bowl, play ping pong, or maybe even shoot some hoops." The orangette suggested with a grin.
"Always wanted to try my hand at bowling. I never got to experience any of this kind of stuff." He spoke, earning a gasp of surprise from the younger of the Igawa siblings.
"You've never gone bowling before? You poor thing! We need to fix this!" Sakura cried, grabbing him by the arm and dragging him to the lane, her sister chuckling at the display.
Growing up, Naruto had very few friends and fewer opportunities to engage in such activities such as bowling. As of now, he planned on making up for lost time and having fun with the Igawa sister. "Anything I need to know about how to play?" He asked since he wasn't familiar with the rules.
"It's pretty simple. Basically you throw a ball at some pins, and then try to knock as many down as possible. If you get all ten down, it's called a strike. Oh, and try to avoid accidentally rolling your ball into the gutter lanes." Asagi explained, earning a nod of understanding from the young Uzumaki. That sounded really straightforward.
"You go first, Naruto! Show us your stuff!" The Tomboy Taimanin spoke encouragingly, earning a nod from the blond.
Naruto grabbed a purple colored bowling ball and moved to the end of the lane, drawing his arm back before he hurled the ball down the lane, striking the middle pin and causing a chain reaction of pins falling, his ball bouncing off the side wall and coming to a stop before the final pin, which then fell over with a clatter.
"Nicely done." The Almighty Taimanin grinned broadly, impressed by the display.
"Heh. Beginners luck! My turn!" Sakura playfully stated as she picked up a bright red ball and rolled the ball straight down the middle of the lane.
Naruto and Asagi watched as the orangette threw the ball, the sphere colliding with the pins and knocking them all down with ease. "Yeah! Strike! Not bad, huh?" Sakura exclaimed with a proud smirk, earning a chuckle from her older sister and a grin from the whiskered teen.
"Nice shot, Sakura!" The Uzumaki spoke with a thumbs up, his words earning a blush from the orangette who scratched the back of her head sheepishly.
They were interrupted by a voice that spoke "Ara, Ara. It seems you're having fun." The trio turned and were met by the form of Shiranui who had a gentle smile on her face. She was accompanied by a girl that Naruto didn't recognize. She looked about his own age with tanned skin, long brown hair and purple eyes.
"Ah, Nui-chan. Nice to see you. Oh, I see Yukikaze is with you." Asagi greeted the woman warmly, turning her attention to the girl with the violet eyes who had a soft smile on her face.
"Naruto-san, this is my daughter. Yukikaze." Shiranui spoke as she introduced her child to the whiskered teen. He blinked his eyes a few times and looked between the mother and daughter pair... he honestly couldn't see the resemblance.
"You were just thinking how different we looked, especially our chest sizes, weren't you?" Yukikaze spoke with some bitterness since she had something of a complex about her small chest.
"Y-You're reading my mind?" He asked incredulously, earning a chuckle from the young Taimanin as he wondered if she had a special ability or a technique that enabled her to read the thoughts of others.
"No dummy. Just your face. It was written all over it. You should probably work on not wearing your emotions on your sleeve." The brunette replied bluntly.
"Uhh. Right. I admit that I was thinking you two looked pretty different but I wasn't really thinking about your... ummm... you know." He spoke a little shyly but honestly. He hadn't really meant to be insulting, or he certainly didn't want to sound it.
Sensing that he was being honest, Yukikaze smirked and spoke in a more casual manner. "Sorry, I guess I am a bit sensitive. I didn't mean to lash out at you. It's nice to meet you, Naruto-san."
"Y-Yeah, likewise. You can just call me Naruto if you want. No need to be formal." He replied.
"Okay then, Naruto-kun." Yukikaze nodded her head with an easy smile on her face.
"Mmm. Perhaps we should have a friendly competition? Naruto and Asagi versus me and Yukikaze?" Shiranui suggested, her words earning a smirk from Asagi.
"Very well, you're on." The blue haired Taimanin accepted the challenge as she turned her attention towards the young Uzumaki.
"So, are you up for it?" She asked, earning a nod from the blond.
"I'd love to. Let's have some fun." Naruto answered with a smile.
"Excellent." Asagi spoke as she clenched her fist, her sister smirking as she reset the scoreboard and then went off to get snacks and drinks for everyone.
Naruto picked a ball and moved to the lane, his attention focused entirely on the pins. Taking a deep breath, he exhaled slowly and drew his arm back before he let loose a pitch, his ball gliding down the alley and crashing into the pins, knocking all ten of them down with a clatter.
"Wow, excellent work, Naruto-kun. Seems like you got skills!" Yukikaze applauded the blond's display, earning a smile from the Jinchuuriki in question.
"Thanks, though to be honest this is my first time playing." He admitted while rubbing the back of his head.
"Still impressive." The brunette remarked, the group's attention then turning towards the older members of their group.
"Heh, so, Asagi, you ready?" Shiranui questioned her friend, earning a challenging smirk from the blue haired Taimanin.
"Always. Show me what you got, Nui-chan." Asagi replied as the two of them made their way to the lane and picked up a ball each, the pair taking a few moments to ready themselves.
Shiranui was the first to move, the purple haired woman drawing her arm back and pitching the sphere down the lane, the orb colliding with the pins and sending several flying into the air, though the majority remained standing.
Asagi took her turn and pitched her ball down the lane, her ball gliding down the center and crashing into the pins, knocking nine down in the process.
"Hmph, not bad." Shiranui spoke, her words earning a chuckle from her friend.
"I'll say. Nice job, Nui." The Almighty Taimanin commented.
"Oh, come on! It's not over yet!" Yukikaze piped up, her words earning a chuckle from the group.
"You're right, dear." Shiranui chuckled before turning her attention towards her daughter. The group all had a good laugh, their spirits high and their moods light and relaxed.
Sakura then returned, skillfully balancing a trio of trays loaded with snacks and drinks. She held one in each hand with the third being balanced atop her head "I brought snacks~ I didn't know what you liked Naruto-kun so I brought some of everything." She spoke as she placed the trays down on the table, revealing the variety of snacks and drinks that the orangette had selected for them.
"Thanks, Sakura-chan." Naruto smiled at the younger Igawa, earning a nod of acknowledgement from the orangette who had a warm smile on her face.
The whiskered teen eyed the various snacks, large and soft looking pretzels, mozzarella sticks with marinara sauce, chicken wings with a variety of sauces for dipping, french fries smothered in cheese and bacon bits, the list went on.
"I think we've got everything. So, let's dig in." Sakura spoke, her words earning nods of agreement from the rest of the group.
Each of them grabbed a drink and snack, enjoying a small break from their game. As they ate and drank, the group talked and laughed, a warm atmosphere enveloping them as they conversed.
"So, how are things going with your new partner, Naruto-kun? Any trouble adjusting to the lifestyle?" Shiranui asked curiously, earning a smile from the Uzumaki.
"Nah, things are good. We're getting along well. Heh. Asagi has been kinda spoiling me a bit. Though the sudden change in lifestyle is a bit... overwhelming, Asagi has been trying to help me ease into it. I look forward to training with her soon." He replied.
"Ah, glad to hear it. Still, be careful out there. Things can go awfully wrong very quickly." Shiranui spoke in a warning tone that came off as unusually strong. There was a pained expression in her eyes as well.
"Is something wrong Shiranui-san?" The whiskered teen asked curiously.
"Hmm? Oh, it's nothing. Forgive me, Naruto-kun. Sometimes old memories come back and haunt me." She spoke with a small sigh.
"What kind of memories?" He asked curiously.
"I would rather not speak of it. It's not a pleasant story." The brown haired woman replied, a dark expression forming on her face as the Uzumaki realized he had, rather idiotically, stepped on a landmine.
"Sorry." He spoke apologetically, feeling guilty for touching upon what was undoubtedly painful memories for Shiranui and for spoiling the mood.
"Don't worry about it, Naruto-kun. It's not your fault. You didn't know." Shiranui spoke quickly as she waved him off, a somewhat forced smile on her face.
Deciding to quickly change the subject, Yukikaze piped in and asked a random question "So uhh, Naruto! Do you know how large your Chakra reserves are?"
Instead of the whiskered blonde answering, Asagi beat him to the punch as she responded "I attempted to use a Chakra measurement device when I first met Naruto-kun. His reserves are so massive that it overloaded the device and made it explode in my hand."
This piece of information earned looks of shock from the various Taimanin as they all stared open-mouthed and wide-eyed at Naruto.
"Whoa. Are you serious? Damn, that's impressive!" Yukikaze exclaimed.
"I don't doubt that. I'm willing to bet his reserves are far greater than those of even a Kage-level Ninja." Asagi spoke with a slight giggle.
"Whaaaaat?! Good looking, kind hearted AND massive Chakra reserves?! No fair! You really lucked out on this one sis. I'm kinda jealous now! If you hadn't snatched him up, I definitely would have!" The Tomboy Taimanin whined with anime tears in her eyes.
"Sakura-chan! It's not nice to say stuff like that." Naruto huffed, his face a bright shade of crimson as the young Uzumaki averted his gaze.
"Well, I wasn't lying. I definitely would have tried to claim you. If my sister hadn't already taken you." Sakura spoke honestly.
"T-Thanks, Sakura-chan." He stuttered out unsure of how to respond, earning a grin from the younger of the Igawa sisters. He glanced at Asagi who seemed unbothered by her siblings' words and instead seemed to be smiling as she gave her partner a little reassuring wink.
"Come to think of it, I don't remember seeing you around at the Academy whenever I went there looking for a partner." The orangette mused, earning a sigh from the Jinchuuriki.
"Probably because Iruka was trying to keep me out of sight and mind, fearing that I might get picked and then finally get out from under his thumb. The prick." Naruto muttered bitterly.
"Mah, let's not hover over this subject. We still have a game to finish." Asagi spoke in order to get things back on track.
Everyone nodded with both Naruto and Asagi once again squaring off against the mother and daughter pair. Both sides wanting to claim the victory as they grinned defiantly at one another, though before they could continue their game, they were interrupted by a female voice that greeted "Yo. Naruto."
Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw the form of the orange haired Taimanin, Maika leaning against her bazooka with a cigar in her mouth, with a very annoyed expression on her face. "Maika-san. Good to see you again. There something you need? You look kinda... pissed off." The Jinchuuriki spoke a little fearfully since this didn't look like a good omen.
"Some weird kid is at the gates demanding to see you and Asagi. He's really damn annoying." Maika explained with a huff.
"Weird kid? What's this weird kid look like?" Asagi asked with a raised eyebrow. Who in the world could be asking for them?
"Some really pushy and demanding brat with a funny haircut that looks like a duck's ass. Gate guard on duty asked me to find you two. I checked to see if you were home and you weren't there, luckily the neighbors pointed me in the right direction." The Flame Taimanin explained while taking a drag from her cigar. From that description, there was no room for doubt...
"Sasuke Uchiha." Naruto muttered with an annoyed sigh. Seriously? Why did it have to be NOW of all times? He was having fun too. Still, it was definitely strange to say the least. Sasuke wanting to see him and Asagi? Very odd. Aside from the countless times they were paired up in class spars, the Uzumaki knew that he never made so much as a blip on the Uchiha's radar, and Sasuke had NEVER shown interest in a member of the opposite sex before, not even in Asagi Igawa herself. What changed now?
"I'll handle this. Sakura? You mind taking my spot?" The whiskered teen asked, earning a nod from the orangette who had a cocky grin on her face.
"No problem! I'll be sure to defend your honor Naruto-kun!" Sakura exclaimed as she picked up a green bowling ball and moved over to the lane to take his place, though Asagi had a look of some concern.
The Almighty Taimanin pursed her lips for a moment and asked "Naruto... do you want me to go with you? Something feels off." She had a strong feeling that things weren't going to go smoothly, and she wanted to be at the blond's side to prevent any unnecessary violence.
"Appreciate the thought, but I can handle this by myself. Though before I go, I gotta ask... do you think this might involve Itachi? That's the only viable reason I can think of that he'd be asking for you, given what you told me before." The whiskered teen asked since there were only two things that could possibly pique Sasuke's interest, power and Itachi.
"Maybe? I'm unsure. I never really interacted with Itachi's family and I don't think he ever made mention of me, at least not directly to them. I think he was afraid that his father might have tried to push for some sort of political marriage between me and Itachi." Asagi answered, which made her young partner give an 'Ah' of understanding. Still, from her reaction, it wouldn't be impossible for Sasuke to know, especially if someone might have tipped him off.
"I'll take care of this and be right back." He promised before marching off to deal with perhaps one of the most annoying and entitled people in the village. Honestly, he'd rather stay and continue bowling, but he figured that ignoring the problem wouldn't make it go away. Might as well bite the bullet and get it over and done with now than have to suffer an even worse headache later.
It wasn't very long before he reached the Taimanin District's gates where a woman with blue hair done up in a ponytail and red eyes wielding a large battleaxe could be seen staring down the Uchiha himself, the both of them looking extremely annoyed with one another. "Do you have any idea who I am woman? I'm Sasuke Uchiha! I demand that you let me in now!" The self-proclaimed 'Elite' shouted with a snarl, causing the axe wielding woman to roll her eyes and give a dismissive wave of her hand.
"I wouldn't care if you were the Hokage, the Daimyo, the Rikudou Sennin or even their damned ass wiper. No passport, no invitation, NO ENTRY!" She bellowed out the last part with enough force to knock the Uchiha off his feet, her eyes glaring dangerously as she seemed to be almost pleading for him to try something foolish so that she may have some sort of excuse to cleave him in two or more pieces.
"Afternoon. I see we have a problem here." Naruto spoke with a lazy drawl, very much wishing that he was almost anywhere else that Sasuke was not.
The gate guard turned towards the whiskered teen and spoke to him in greeting "Hello. I am Yatsu Murasaki. I take it this is a friend of yours?" She asked the last part with a somewhat judging tone to it, prompting the blonde to shake his head.
"He's no friend of mine. Just a nuisance I can't seem to shake off for some reason." Naruto explained which earned a slow 'Ah' of understanding from the pony-tailed Taimanin who now gave him a pitying look.
"Where's that Asagi Woman? I asked for both of you." Sasuke asked in a demanding tone as he crossed his arms. Kami, just hearing that entitled voice of his made the Uzumaki want to puke.
"She has more important things to deal with." Was all Naruto said on the matter as he glared at the Uchiha. After a few tense moments of silence, the 'Avenger' scoffed and said "Whatever. You're the only one I really need anyway. Let's talk."
The Jinchuuriki raised an eyebrow, wondering what the Uchiha wanted to talk about. He was definitely up to something, no question. He then decided that it would be best to invite him inside. Not only did the Uzumaki feel safer in the Taimanin district, he was certain that if the Uchiha tried anything in here then the other Taimanin would step in to maintain order. He recalled seeing a small park nearby where they could talk. It was private enough where they could speak openly but also public enough that would make him feel safe.
"Come on then. Let's talk then. Inside. Sorry for the trouble Murasaki-san." The Uzumaki spoke, directing the last part to the gate guard who simply nodded and allowed the Uchiha to pass upon Naruto's invitation, but her eyes never left the Uchiha as the two boys made their way towards the nearby park.
They both sat on a bench together, a small hint of nostalgia coming across the Uchiha's face as he muttered "My mother sometimes took me to this park." Naruto raised an eyebrow at that, almost forgetting that the Taimanin district previously belonged to the Uchiha clan. Did Sasuke have a softer side to him after all? "To think it's in the hands of people who aren't Uchihas. Disgusting." Sasuke added as he spat on the ground. Ah. There was that Uchiha arrogance.
"What do you want Sasuke? Tell me what it is that you want and then get the hell out." Naruto demanded impatiently. The sooner this was over with the better.
"Fine then. I want you to break it off with that Asagi woman." The raven haired youth stated bluntly, which earned a shocked and confused expression from the Jinchuuriki who could only give a confused 'bwaa?' sound. Sasuke then continued to speak "A worthless loser like you isn't worthy of her. I however can make good use of her."
Naruto narrowed his eyes as he spoke angrily "'Make good use'? She's a person, not a tool. Why do you care anyway? You have never shown an interest in any girls or women before. What the hell changed?"
"She worked with my brother. She knows him, his power, his technique, with her at my side, I'll have an advantage against him." The Uchiha explained, making the Jinchuuriki grimace. So that's how it was. Figures. It all loops back to Itachi.
Of course Sasuke wasn't interested in Asagi as a woman or as a person, she was just a tool for him to take advantage of and then probably discard when he had no more use for her. "Of course I don't expect you to do this for free. You'll be compensated. I can pay you, or is it Jutsu that you want?" The Uchiha added with a raised eyebrow, hoping to tempt the Uzumaki away from his partner.
"No." Was all Naruto stated as he almost leapt off the bench, his hands stuff inside of his pockets as his body trembled with rage. "No?! What do you mean 'No'?!" Sasuke angrily demanded as he got within the Jinchuuriki's personal space, their faces now mere inches apart.
"Do I really need to explain? The answer is NO. N. O. NO! I'm not leaving Asagi. Not for money and not for Ninjutsu. If you want intel on Itachi, you could try simply asking her nicely, like a normal and/or decent person. But no, that is too much for you is it?! You gotta be some asshole that takes things from other people just to make yourself feel better. Well guess what?! I'm not a fucking sell-out Sasuke!" Naruto shouted as he shoved the Uchiha back to get him out of his face.
Sasuke reared his fist back as if ready to punch the Uzumaki and only just barely held himself back from throwing said punch as he yelled out "What can she give you that I can't?! What is it that you want Dobe?!" At this line of questioning, the anger almost instantly evaporated from Naruto's face as he gave a broad and knowing grin.
"The answer to both questions is pretty simple... I'll give you a hint. It's something that you once had that I never did." Naruto replied cryptically, wondering if the 'Uchiha Elite' can guess what it was.
"The hell does that mean? What is it? Whatever it is, I'm sure I can get it." Sasuke spoke, but was surprised when the blonde simply shrugged.
"If you don't know what it is... then I know for a fact you never appreciated it to begin with. We're done here." The whiskered teen stated as he turned on his heel and added "You can see yourself out now. Don't ever come back here again." Once those words had left his mouth, the Uchiha roared in anger after being so casually dismissed and denied and shoved the blonde to the ground.
Naruto growled in anger. This was the last straw. He grabbed a fistful of dirt in his hand and spoke "Two things you're forgetting Sasuke. One, don't go starting fights you can't or won't finish. Second, this isn't an Academy Sparring ring with teachers supervising us and teaching 'fair play'." He slowly rose to his feet and turned towards the Uchiha who had adopted his clan's Taijutsu stance.
"What are you talking about Dobe? You've never once been able to beat me." Sasuke pointed out with a cocky and self-assured smile.
"True. But that was at the Academy with that damned Iruka breathing down my neck. Remember that thing he always forced us to do? That 'seal of reconciliation'? It was meant to symbolize that the two opponents are still comrades even after sparring. Only one problem... YOU ARE NO COMRADE!" Naruto shouted as he threw a fistful of dirt into Sasuke's face, the cloud of dust stinging the Uchiha's eyes as he clasped his hands over them.
Naruto then grabbed the Uchiha by the high collar of his shirt and slammed his forehead directly into the bridge of Sasuke's nose, creating a satisfying crunching noise. He then swung his knee directly into the family jewels of the Academy's golden boy which caused the self-proclaimed Avenger to double over, giving the blonde the chance to throw him face first into the bench they had sat on, causing the raven haired boy to slam hard against the metal armrest.
While it was true that Naruto couldn't win in a straight-up fight against the Uchiha given the 'Elite's' proficiency in his clan's Taijutsu and various Fire techniques... the Uzumaki could still land a few shots on him if allowed to fight dirty. That was something that Iruka never did teach. That 'fair play' is irrelevant in a life-or-death fight. "You bastard! I'll kill you! I'll fucking kill you for this!" Sasuke almost screeched as he used one hand to try and stem the bleeding from his nostrils and used the other to attempt to rub the dirt from his eyes.
"Yeah? Try it Sasuke. I promise you, that it won't be like our Academy days. I also promise, that if you ever become between me and Asagi again, I'll take a red hot poker and burn your eyes out of their sockets. Won't be such a big-shot without them, eh? And if that doesn't get you to leave me and Asagi alone, then I'll kill you. I swear it." Naruto promised in a cold and detached voice, an eerie gust of wind blowing past the two.
"Whoa. That was quite a display." spoke a female voice, which prompted the blonde to turn and was met by the form of a woman with long waist-length light brown hair done in a hime cut who was wearing a bright pink skin-tight bodysuit.
"Who're you?" The whiskered teen asked while ignoring the Uchiha screaming behind him. The brown haired girl made a grand gesture and a salute that made her large breasts jiggle a bit as she answered "Koukawa Asuka, at your service! Asagi asked me to check in and keep an eye on you. Though it looks like you have it handled!"
The Jinchuuriki quickly recognized her name as he parroted "Koukawa Asuka? The Steel Reaper?" At the mention of her famous epithet, the brown haired girl quickly nodded with a beaming smile. According to what he had heard, Asuka was a famous Taimanin with some regarding her as something of an idol. She was unofficially adopted as Asagi's daughter and apprentice. Asuka lost all four of her limbs in battle, but that didn't deter her as her limbs were replaced with special prosthetics that held blades hidden within them.
"The one and only! I think you had better get back to your bowling game. Asagi's getting real worried about you. I'll take care of the trash for you, as a special favor." Asuka spoke with a bubbly expression and giving the blonde a wink. Naruto couldn't tell if she was just being friendly or if she was flirting with him, but she still seemed like a good person either way.
"Appreciate it. I'll make it up to you later Asuka-san." He promised with an appreciative grin and then began to walk away.
"You think this is over? Not by a long shot! Just wait! I know people!" Sasuke shouted, which earned a raised eyebrow from the Uzumaki which reminded him of something...
"One of those people... their name happen to be Homura Mitokado?" Naruto asked, wondering if this incident was connected with what happened with Sakura when she initially greeted him with hostility. The Uchiha didn't answer as he simply spat at the blonde's feet. "Whatever. I'll find out sooner or later." The blonde promised with a small snarl as he gestured towards Asuka.
She nodded and kicked the Uchiha across the jaw, knocking him unconscious as she dragged him away towards the Taimanin Districts gates to toss him out. As the Jinchuuriki made his way back to the Community Center, he couldn't help but wonder why people just couldn't leave him be and let him be happy. It was almost as if someone or several someones were trying to control every aspect of his life. Or was that just his imagination? Was he just being self-centered and selfish? He wasn't sure exactly... but one thing he did know was that he enjoyed being with Asagi. She made him happy... and anyone who tried to force them apart would pay very dearly.
End Chapter three.
Taimanin Series: Asagi Igawa, Sakura Igawa, Kamimura Maika, Mizuki Shiranui, Mizuki Yukikaze, Yatsu Murasaki, Koukawa Asuka.
Prison Battleship series: Naomi Evans, Rieri Bishop.