Hey, everyone. Sorry for the wait. Had some trouble with this one, followed by some IRL issues.
Rusty TheBanite: Earth Spear. Earth Grudge Fear is the forbidden technique that turned Kakuzu into a living rag doll. And she learned it in the original too.
Fang723: I agree about Fuu's development in the anime. It would have been nice to know what her relationship with Taki and Chōmei was like.
dextron11: Jiraiya is one of if not the greatest seal master in the Elemental Nations. Of course, he will. And yeah, Naruto will actually learn how to make use of the toads' abilities here.
You don't think the Akatsuki are enough motivation? I mean, they want to kill him and someone very close to him in a way that will subject them to agonizing pain for days, to do who knows what with their Biju. Not to mention Jiraiya suspects Madara's behind them and the Kyuubi attack.
Jintolin: Hinata kinda had a chance for that after she reassured Naruto and he fought Neji for her, but she let her shyness hold her back. I imagine having not only his respect but also that of her clan riding on this would motivate Hinata. But afterward? And it might help Hinata and Hanabi, a bit, but not Neji, not yet. And on Hanabi's side... I feel part of the disconnect between them is she feels disrespected because she knows Hinata could have won their sparring match. Still, this might get them to talk.
Jiraiya was more so than Kakashi. I mean, all he did over their training trip was improve Naruto's basics, teach him a stronger Rasengan when the basic one already incapacitated most, not to mention he still needed a shadow clone to help and screwing up his control over the Kyuubi.
Yeah, I've said before Fuu, and to a lesser extent the other Jinchurriki, were wasted potential.
SonicBlast4444: I think a lot more noticed and just didn't care. And I don't think she has an Easter egg line.
Tervannever: Really? Huh. And at what point did he decide this?
dammyd: I think you might have looked at the wrong part of the fight. When Sasuke does that, it doesn't seem he could see it, but at the end when he has Deidara cornered, he reveals that he did that as a test. He intentionally stabbed a mine with lightning, knowing that if it went off he could avoid the blast, to check if the lightning disabled Deidara's explosives. Deidara asks him how he knew where the mine was, and in the translation that I read Sasuke replies "I told you, my eyes give color to chakra." He can see at least as far as his sword's length, around a foot, but I highly doubt that he was lucky enough that it was right at the edge of its limit. It isn't known how far the Sharingan's ability to see chakra through objects goes, but I say a few feet are a good guess. While they can crisscross underground, unless Naruto does something to trip him up, I think that would give him enough warning to dodge.
It wouldn't lower Hinata's crush on him. That said, if canon Karin can get over losing Sasuke, I think she could get over losing Naruto.
dai sennin kurosaki de Naruto: Don't forget destroying Sasuke's Rinnegan just to nerf both him alongside Naruto. I hadn't exactly felt he'd earned in the original series, but still. Yeah, I've signed off on Boruto.
SCI-FIWIZARDMAN: I'm glad you like the story. So many people preferred the original, although a lot of that was for the Rinnegan from what I've read.
Yeah, that was part of why I killed them off this time. Too contrived.
That's what I was going for.
I actually like Fuu better this way. Seeing what she was like is part of what rekindled my inspiration, but to each their own.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Fuu trailed a bit behind Naruto, her hands behind her back and a smile on her face.
Today was yet another on the mint-haired girl's list of good days since she'd been allowed to join in the Chunin Exams. She'd managed to pull her friend out of the funk the morning had put him in, and knowing she'd been able to help him warmed her heart.
And then the tour! It was everything she'd hoped it would be. Konoha was so different than Taki. There were so many sights to see and places she couldn't wait to visit over the next month.
Konoha had a hot spring! How many villages could say that? Not many, from what she knew. Taki didn't, that was for sure. And you could tell from how good the place looked that it saw a lot of traffic. She'd have to take a soak in them at least once before this was all over.
And Kikyo Castle! It was easily the largest building she'd ever seen! It was a shame Naruto hadn't known what it was for, but in some ways, that made it better. She could let her imagination run wild.
Maybe some VIP had sunk a ton of money into it trying to rival the Land of Fire's lord. Or maybe a prince or princess had come to Konoha as part of some agreement. Or it might have been a meeting place for the leaders and clan heads to meet in the past. She and Naruto had fun trading ideas back and forth for a bit.
She knew it wasn't a place for the feudal lord to stay when he came to Konoha; because they had a VIP hotel with a room just for him! Just wow! The Lord of Taki's land never went to the village. Ok, that might have been because Taki was an actually hidden village, but still.
But now, it was almost over. The sun was hanging just over the horizon, dyeing the sky orange, and the streets were beginning to thin out.
It was a shame it was almost over, but she was still excited for their last stop; Naruto's promised best restaurant in Konoha. Her stomach rumbled as she imagined what she was about to try.
She was surprised when he turned and said, "And here we are!" gesturing with a flourish towards the unassuming restaurant nearby.
"Ichiraku Ramen?" Fuu questioned, reading the name on the logo aloud.
"Yep! The number one restaurant in Konoha and the best place for ramen on the whole continent!" Naruto said, turning to the shop and practically bouncing on his feet with excitement. "Come on!" He yelled as he ran inside.
Fuu grinned widely, infected with his enthusiasm. If he was that excited, it had to be good! "Wait up!" She called out as she ran in after him.
"Well, if it isn't our favorite customer?" A man's voice called out just as she entered the shop. She saw it was an older man behind the counter, just finishing cleaning a bowl. "Two days in a row? What's the occasion?" He then turned to her, smiling warmly. "And who's this?"
"Hey, old man Teuchi. This is my new friend: Fuu." Naruto greeted, gesturing toward her as she sat down beside him. "She came from Taki for the Chunin Exams. I just got done showing her around the village and thought I'd finish up with the best restaurant in Konoha!"
Teuchi put the bowl down before turning towards her, smiling warmly with his eyes closed. "Well, nice to meet you, Fuu."
"Same to you, Mister... uh," Fuu began with a smile before trailing off uncertainly.
The chef waved off her concern. "Teuchi's fine." It was then that a young brown-haired woman stepped out from the back of the shop. "And this is my daughter, Ayame."
"Hi," Fuu greeted cheerfully, smiling widely and closing her eyes.
"Hi to you, too," Ayame said before turning to Naruto. "Any friend of Naruto's is a friend of ours."
Fuu beamed with joy. Yay! Two more friends! She'd have to come back and get to know them before she left.
"It's good to know you two aren't going to let a little competition stand between you." The waitress continued.
"Eh, why should we let something like the exams get between us and getting to know awesome new people?" Naruto asked, putting his hands behind his head.
"What he said!" Fuu added, raising her hand.
Ayame chuckled as Teuchi stepped up to the counter. "So, what'll it be?"
"I'll take a bowl of Miso Ramen with a pork fillet," Naruto said.
Fuu thought for a moment. It all looked pretty good, and she wasn't picky. It's not like she got the chance to eat restaurant-quality food that often back home. Besides, she'd be coming back anyway. "I'll have what he's having."
Teuchi nodded. "Got it. Two orders of Miso pork ramen, coming right up," He said before turning to the kitchen area. Fuu watched as he began to prepare their meals, seamlessly switching between stirring noodles, preparing broth, and throwing pork on the stove with precision honed through years of experience.
"So, what do you think of Konoha so far?" Ayame asked.
"It's amazing!" Fuu answered excitedly. "It's so much bigger than Taki! I mean, you've got a castle here you don't even use anymore! We don't have anything even half that size! And there are more places in just one market than all of Taki! And that's not even getting into the hot springs!"
Naruto chuckled. "Yep, it's pretty great, right?" He then looked away and scratched his cheek. "Well, I mean, it's not like I've been to many other places. But I don't think there's any place I'd rather live, you know?"
Fuu nodded. "Yeah, I know the feeling. I hope to travel the continent and see everything in the world someday. but in the end, Taki's my home."
For all that the other villagers put her through; she couldn't imagine living anywhere else.
Ayame nodded. "I think most people feel that way about the place they were born. It's always got a special place in your heart, doesn't it?"
Fuu nodded, "Exactly!"
"Alright, order's up!" Teuchi said as he walked towards them with two steaming bowls of ramen.
Naruto looked down at the bowl, eyes shining with anticipation. "Looks great as always, old man Teuchi." He said, grabbing a pair of chopsticks. "Thanks for the meal!" He said quickly before breaking his chopsticks apart and digging in so fast she almost thought he'd been channeling chakra.
That only served to stoke her own expectations. Eagerly, she mimicked the blond's movements before sinking her chopsticks into her bowl. She was much slower at pulling the noodles out, however, wanting to savor her first bite. She brought the noodles to her lips and...
Her eyes widened as the noodles touched her tongue. It was so good. The broth had a near-perfect balance of flavors. It was salty, but not too much, and she could taste various other seasonings, none of which overpowered the others. There was a hint of the pork that meshed perfectly with everything else. And the noodles were so fluffy they practically melted in her mouth.
Wow! It was the best ramen she'd ever tasted! Ramen wasn't exactly her favorite dish, there were plenty of things she'd eat instead, but this blew just about any other meal she'd had out of the water. And it was such a simple dish, too!
Her pleased surprise must have shown on her face because Teuchi nodded and crossed his arms with a content smile. "Another satisfied customer."
"You can say that again!" Fuu replied before slurping down another bite. "This is so good! I wish I could cook like this! It's miles beyond the kind of stuff I usually have, and I bet it would make Shibuki so happy!"
Naruto blinked. "Huh? You cook for this Shibuki guy?"
Fuu nodded. "Sometimes," She said, a bit more subdued than she'd been. She then looked into the broth, stirring the noodles. Naruto seemed to notice as he'd stopped slurping down his food. "You know how I told you Shibuki's father adopted me, more or less?"
"Yeah," Naruto replied with a concerned frown.
"Well... you see..." She took a breath. "He died a few years ago, defending our village from some enemies who got a bit too close for comfort."
Naruto's eyes widened before he looked at her sadly. "Oh. I'm sorry."
Fuu shook her head. "You didn't know." She said before she continued. "I know it's not how most villages work, but the chief's job is hereditary in Taki. So, even though he was young, Shibuki became the new chief after his father: Kiyo. It was hard on him. Well, on both of us. But he worked hard and did his best. He was struggling at first, so I wanted to help in any way I could. And one day, I thought, why not make sure he had a warm meal waiting for him when he got home like Kiyo used to make us? I couldn't think of much else I could do. I mean, I was only eight."
"Well, that's thoughtful." Ayame complimented her, and Fuu smiled back. "I hope he appreciated it."
She nodded. "Oh, he did... well, once I got him to try it, anyway." Noticing their looks, Fuu rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "This was a bit after that. The first time I tried to cook something for Shibuki... well... let's just say it's a good thing I decided to taste it myself first."
It had looked fine, but it wasn't. It really wasn't. The meat being undercooked was just one of many problems with it. And if the taste wasn't bad enough, a while later, Fuu wound up with a terrible stomach ache.
"Could a done without the hospital stay, though..."
"Oh," Naruto replied before chuckling awkwardly. "Well, I see you didn't let that stop you from trying."
Fuu nodded, smiling again. "Nope. I never give up on anything. I took that more as a challenge than anything else."
"I hear you, Fuu," Naruto replied with a grin. "I don't back down or run from anything. I better not since it's my dream to be Hokage!"
That jogged Fuu's memory. "Oh right. That's what you said when you fought Neji, right?"
Naruto nodded vigorously, "Yep! To be Hokage is my dream, and I'm not stopping until I make it! That way, everyone in Konoha will have to acknowledge me!"
"Well, I'm rooting for you, Naruto," Fuu said, and he grinned at her.
"Same here," Teuchi said, and Ayame nodded in agreement.
"Thanks, guys," Naruto replied before looking to Fuu. "So, do you have a dream your chasing, too?"
Fuu shrugged, leaning back and closing her eyes. "Aside from seeing the world and making a hundred friends? Not really. I'm more for living in the moment, you know?" She asked before she slurped down more of her noodles, humming happily at the taste.
Not too long after, they found themselves ordering seconds. Fuu stopped there. Naruto didn't.
"I trust you've finished sending out the last of the invitations?" The Third Hokage asked, leaning forward on his desk with his hands interlocked together.
"Yes, Lord Hokage," Iruka nodded, standing at attention before his leader.
The elder shinobi nodded and closed his eyes. "Good. Now it's just a matter of seeing who will respond."
With a sigh, the Third Hokage stood. He walked over to the window and looked out at the village with his hands behind his back.
Iruka wondered what the Third God of Shinobi was thinking as he looked out at their home. Knowing the man as he did, if he had to guess, he was worried. His mind was probably on all the people who shared the village with them.
Understandably, given the looming threat of Orochimaru and whatever he had planned.
And, of course, it would be a member of Naruto's team being targeted by the Snake Sannin. He couldn't help but worry about what lay ahead for all the students from his former class. They may no longer be his students, but he'd watched them all grow up. The village could be in danger. War might be on the horizon now that Orochimaru had Oto.
They were still young, he thought as he followed his leader's gaze out the window.
Sure, the rookie genin wouldn't be the first kids their age to see the harsher aspects of shinobi life, but no one that young should have to see what war brought if you asked him. And of course, if it wasn't bad enough that one of his former students was at least one of Orochimaru's targets, it had to be Naruto's teammate.
He was worried for all his former students, but most of all for the boy who'd become like a younger brother to him. Naruto had already endured so much. And just as things were looking up, one of the most dangerous criminals in the ninja world targets someone close to him.
There wasn't much he could do, given who they were up against. All he could do was hope things turned out ok.
Speaking of his younger brother figure...
His eyes turned back to his leader. "Lord Hokage," He began, and the man half-turned to face him. There'd been something on his mind ever since he met up with Naruto at the forest. Things had been so busy between the exams and Orochimaru that he hadn't had a chance to ask.
Now, with nothing urgent for either of them, it was a good time to ask just what else Naruto had gotten himself into back in the forest.
"If I may ask, what's the story with that girl Naruto brought to you back in the Forest of Death?" The scarred Chunin asked.
Hiruzen closed his eyes. "Ah, that..." He said before letting out a sigh.
Oh boy. From the look on the man's face, this wasn't going to be good. "Naruto hasn't gotten in over his head, has he?"
"No. Rest assured, the problem has been resolved for now. Naruto was quite right to be concerned about her," Hiruzen replied as he returned to his seat. "I've granted her asylum. She's being vetted as we speak."
Well, it was good to know he hadn't been exaggerating or taken advantage of. "Hearing that's a load off my back. Still, it goes without saying that taking in a foreign ninja during the chunin exams is..."
"Yes," Hiruzen replied as he pulled out his pipe. It didn't need to be said what that would do to a village's standing and the other nation's trust in them. "But these were extraordinary circumstances."
He took a drag from his pipe and breathed out a plume of smoke. "There's no harm in telling you. I suppose I should begin with her identity. The girl's name is Karin Uzumaki."
Iruka's brows shot up, his jaw dropped as he stared at his leader. 'Uzumaki!? Then, that girl's related to Naruto!?'
Hiruzen read his expression and nodded. "Yes, and the DNA test we've administered confirmed she's a member of that clan. Making her a distant cousin of Naruto."
The Third Hokage then explained the girl's circumstances. And the consequences of her mother's choice to seek asylum in Kusa.
When Iruka learned of the Uzumaki's ability to heal others with their vitality, he hadn't thought much of it. It was useful: very much so from how powerful it apparently was, but it was just another tool in the end.
That is until he was reminded she and her mother had gone to Kusa. He had a bad feeling about where the story would go, knowing what they were like.
He was quickly proven right. His brows furrowed as he grit his teeth, his hands clenching as Hiruzen explained what had happened to her.
"So far, Inoichi and the others have found no sign that she's tried to deceive us. In truth, she downplayed her experiences. She didn't mention their attempts at manipulation: praising her for her hard work, only to deride her as an outsider should she ask for a break. Or that they forced her to use what meager savings they'd allowed her to cremate her mother's body after she died healing their ninja."
Iruka growled. "So that's why..." Hiruzen nodded. "What's going to happen to her?"
"From the looks of things, she'll be inducted into the village once our inspections are finished," Hiruzen told him. "Beyond that, I don't know. It's up to Karin to decide what path she'll take. While she may have been sent here for the exams, the girl is a genin in name alone. She's had none of the conditioning of a shinobi and was only given the most basic physical training to make her easier to transport. She doesn't know how to fight, conceal her presence, or even use the most basic of jutsu. Fortunately, that means Kusa is likely to assume her dead."
Iruka took a breath. Focusing on what had happened to her wouldn't change anything at this point. "Well, at least her ordeal is over."
Hiruzen nodded. "And from the looks of things, both she and Naruto will have blood family they can lean on."
Iruka smiled at that. That's right. For so long, the blond had been alone. Had dreamed of having a family to come home to. He knew well what that was like.
And it looked like he might get it. And from the sound of it, she'd need someone there for her as much as Naruto had.
He looked out the window. He hoped they got along. He knew it didn't always turn out that way, but family should be there for each other. And with what might lay in the future, they could need it.
Naruto growled as he focused on the balloon in his hands. It was to no avail. He was doing better than before; the rubbery surface of the balloon churned in different directions, but it wasn't to burst the material.
He sighed, calming down a bit. He shouldn't be surprised. Kakashi had told him this was an A-rank jutsu, one much harder than his Shadow Clone Technique. He said it was the pinnacle of shaping chakra, so he knew it would be hard.
But it was so frustrating. It just seemed so simple. Spin the water with your chakra until it popped the balloon.
Yeah, easier said than done. Days had passed since he'd started training for this technique, and he was still on square one.
He sighed and set the balloon down, standing up and stretching before he began to walk over to the bookcase.
So much had changed in just a few months. Looking back, deep down, Naruto had known that he wouldn't have been able to back up any of what he said back in the academy. But now, just look at how far he'd come.
Back then, pretty much the only ones who'd give him the time of day were Iruka, Hiruzen, Teuchi, and Ayame. Now, he had Sakura, and surprisingly Sasuke, given their past, Kakashi, Mebuki, and Kizashi there for him too. It warmed him, having bonds with all those people.
And, of course, his new friend Fuu. They'd hung a few more times over the past few days. He'd be sad to see his fellow hyperactive genin go when the exams were over. Hopefully, they'd be able to keep in touch somehow.
Reaching the stack of books on sealing he kept on his nightstand, he picked through them for one of his newer ones and went to make a hand sign and...
... Wait a minute.
He turned back to the balloon and ran over to it. It was so simple, why hadn't he thought of it before!?
He went to spin the water, and this time put his left hand on top of the balloon. With the added influence of both hands, the balloon's sides roiled until...
Pop. The balloon burst.
Naruto stared at the puddle before he grinned and cheered, leaping into the air and raising a fist.
"Yes! I got it! Wait until I show Kakashi-sensei!"
"Great. Now try it again, without the other hand." Kakashi said the next day.
"Huh?" Naruto blinked, looking up at the man in disbelief.
"Naruto, you should know that Minato-sensei had a preference for techniques that didn't require hand signs. Jutsu that he could spring on his opponent at a moment's notice," Kakashi explained, closing one eye. "The fact that it can be used with one hand, and its speed, are some of its biggest advantages. While I'm glad you thought outside the box and made it work your own way, using both hands would hamper the technique."
"Darn..." Naruto grumbled, hanging his head. Kakashi-sensei was right: it'd be a lot harder to use that way.
"So, call up your shadow clones. Let's start again," the silver-haired man said.
"Ok." And so began another day of training for the Rasengan.
Fuu wandered the busy streets of Konoha, looking this way and that with a smile on her face.
There were so many different stores to choose from! She'd already passed by more restaurants than there were in all of Taki. And they had a movie theater with 3D screens!
Honestly, it was nice to just walk around looking like this. There were so many sights, and while it wasn't home, there was a sense of peace that Fuu couldn't get while walking around in Taki.
Not with all the stares and the whispers she got back home...
But for now, she didn't have to deal with that. The people met her with nods and smiles and friendly waves that left her feeling warm and happy.
Now where to go? Maybe she could find a game shop? Or a bookstore? They could have stuff she'd never even heard of before! And maybe, she'd meet someone she has something in common with and make a new friend!
She was happy with the ones she had, but she still had a long way to a hundred, after all.
She then blinked as she spied a head of pink hair. "Huh? Is that...?" Sure enough, now that she was looking, she could tell who it was. Fuu beamed as she ran up to one of her new friends. "Hey, Sakura!"
The Konoha kunoichi stopped and turned. "Fuu?" She asked, seeming surprised to see her. She smiled as the orange-eyed girl neared. "Oh, hey. What are you up to?"
"Oh, just looking around," Fuu answered. "There's just so much to do around here."
"Yeah, I guess it must seem that way to someone from a small village." She replied.
Fuu frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Sakura blinked. "Huh?"
Fuu put her hands on her hips and glared at the pink-haired girl. "You make it sound like I've never seen any of this stuff before. Do you think I'm some kind of country bumpkin or something?"
Sakura blinked again, then she looked shocked. Then she broke out in a panic, waving her hands back and forth and shaking her head. "W- wait a second! That's not what I meant! I just meant that since Taki's smaller than Konoha, you don't have-! I mean-!"
Fuu's shoulders trembled as she listened to Sakura stumble over her words before she finally burst into giggles. "Ah, I'm just playing with you."
"O-, oh," Sakura calmed down. "That's a relief. I thought for a second..." She grimaced and looked away. "I used to have a habit of blurting out things and hurting people..."
Oops. Fuu almost blanched and gave Sakura an apologetic look. "Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."
"No, it's ok. You didn't know, and it was my own fault for being thoughtless before. For anyone else, that would probably have been pretty funny," Sakura replied.
Fuu felt like kicking herself. She was just starting to get to know a new friend, and she goes and puts her foot in her mouth. She rubbed the back of her head. "You think so?"
Sakura nodded. "Yeah, it was a good joke. Not really creative: I'm pretty sure a lot of people have used something like it."
Fuu gave an awkward chuckle. "Well, at least I didn't make a complete ass of myself... are we good?"
Sakura nodded. "Trust me, that wasn't nearly as bad as what I said before I realized I had a problem." She then grimaced again. "Don't ask."
"Wasn't gonna." Fuu knew she wouldn't want to talk about something like that if it was as bad as Sakura made it out to be.
"So, looking for anything in particular, or just sightseeing?" Sakura asked before something seemed to occur to her. "Ah, that's right. Naruto took you for a tour around the village. How was it?"
"Great! I had a lot of fun," Fuu answered, smiling brightly. "He showed me so many places I want to visit before I go home, and he's just fun to be around, you know?"
Sakura laughed a bit. "I bet he finished off with Ichiraku's, didn't he?"
Fuu giggled. "I don't blame him for liking it so much. The food's great, and Teuchi and Ayame make the place feel warm."
Sakura nodded. "They're good people." She agreed.
"So, how about you? Are you doing anything right now?"
Sakura shrugged. "Not really. I just had to pick up some stuff."
Fuu clasped her hands together, looking hopeful. "If you're not doing anything, would you maybe like to hang out?"
"I don't see why not," Sakura replied.
"Whoo-hoo!" Fuu cheered, happy to spend time with and get to know one of her new friends. Sakura chuckled at her enthusiasm. "Is there anything you'd like to do? You name it, I am up for it!"
Sakura shrugged. "Nothing really comes to mind. I guess we could always go get something to eat." She then crossed her arms. "Ichiraku's great and all, but Naruto really should have asked what you liked."
Fuu waved it off. "Eh, it's fine. It's a great place. I'm definitely going to go back a few times before the exams are over. Besides, he did show me a few other places."
"Like what?"
"The Dango Shop and Yakiniku Q."
Sakura nodded. "Well, nice to know he didn't just show you his favorite spot. Still, what would you like?"
Fuu smiled and closed her eyes. "I could always go for some daifuku mochi."
Sakura chuckled. "A sweet tooth, huh? Why am I not surprised? Ok, I know just the place."
Fuu soon found herself being led into a shop called Gekkoyume.
There wasn't much to say about the building's exterior. It was pretty average overall, save for the sign decorated with images of all manner of sweet treats.
The building was pretty standard on the inside too; hardwood floors with tables lining the walls. But the display beside the counter was full of all kinds of desserts, from anmitsu to mochi, cakes to pudding, arrayed in various colors. The air was full of a sweet aroma that had her stop just to bask in it for a moment.
"Great selection, huh?" Sakura said beside her. "This is easily the best place for sweets in Konoha... Unless we're talking about Dango. Then you should go to the Dango shop."
"I hope so, with a name like that," Fuu said with a flat look. "I can't believe someone named their Dango shop 'The Dango Shop.'"
That was like naming a ship 'Ship.' How did no one involved have anything to say about that name?
Sakura giggled. Her face was easy to read. "Yeah, I know. Not exactly the most original name, but they know their Dango."
As Fuu made her way to the counter to order, she stopped as she heard Sakura say, "Hinata?"
Fuu stopped and glanced at Sakura before following her gaze. Sure enough, sitting at a table was the blue-haired girl that had fought her teammate.
"Oh, you know her?" Fuu asked.
Sakura shrugged. "Kinda. My team, her's, and Ino's were all in the same class back in the academy."
That makes sense. The members of these teams were all about the same age. It hadn't occurred to Fuu since she hadn't gone to Taki's academy.
"She's kinda shy, though. She's a lot better than when we were enrolled. I remember she used to hide behind her escort's leg when someone looked at her back then..."
That was a shame. Hinata seemed nice, from what little she'd seen of her. And strong if she was able to beat Kaito. She should be more confident.
Maybe they could help? And make a new friend!
Sakura turned to her. "Want to say 'hi'- huh?" She stopped as she noticed Fuu was no longer beside her. The mint-haired girl was quickly making her way to the table where the pale-eyed girl sat.
"Hi, there!" Fuu greeted behind her.
She immediately realized she made a mistake, as Hinata jumped in her seat, causing the bowl in front of her to fly off the table.
It landed on the floor with a resounding crash, a pool of thick red spreading out as Hinata's zenzai spilled.
For a moment, no one said anything. Then, Fuu said, "Oops..." She was really scoring today, wasn't she?
Hinata looked up at her with wide-eyed shock. Fuu chuckled sheepishly and rubbed the back of her head. "Um, my bad. Sorry about that. Let me buy you another bowl."
Hinata blinked, looking to her, to her ruined treat, and back. "U- um. No, that's ok."
"No, no. It was my fault. I should cover it."
"But, I can..."
"Just take the apology. I don't think she'll take no for an answer." Sakura said as she joined them.
"O- oh, Sakura?" Hinata said before looking to the Taki kunoichi. "And you're... Fuu."
"Uh-huh. Nice to meet you!" Fuu greeted, smiling and closing her eyes.
"Um, same," Hinata replied. "Uh, sorry about walking off back in the tower."
Fuu waved her off. "Don't worry about it. Not like you were the only one."
That had been sad and embarrassing, but at least she learned not to try that again.
They all turned as footsteps drew their attention. An employee of the shop was headed their way, mop in hand and looking none too happy.
"Um, we should probably make our orders... and find a new table," suggested Sakura.
In short order, the three had taken up another seat. Fuu had her daifuku mochi, Sakura had some Anko dumplings with syrup, while Hinata had a new bowl of zenzai.
Fuu smiled as she took a bite of her treat, humming at the sweet taste as she savored the chewy snack.
"So, what are you doing here?" Hinata asked.
"I ran into Fuu walking around town after I'd finished some errands. Neither of us really had anything to do, so we thought we'd hang out." Sakura explained.
Fuu swallowed and smiled at Hinata. "I was doing some sightseeing. Naruto showed me around the village, and there are lots of places I want to try out." She then closed her eyes, reached into her pouch, and pulled out a deck of cards. Brand new. With Konoha's symbol on the back. "Not to mention; look for souvenirs."
"Aren't you kind of taking this lightly?" Sakura asked. "You're acting like this is a vacation here."
For Fuu, it kind of was a vacation, even with everything else going on. Still, she rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "Eh, I don't think so. It's not like I'm shirking my training. Besides, I told you I've always wanted to get out and see the world, and this is the first time I've ever been someplace interesting, so..."
Sakura nodded. "I get it. You want to make the most of it, huh?"
"Uh-huh! I just hope I can find something for Shibuki too," Fuu replied.
"Shibuki? Is he one of your friends back in Taki?" Sakura asked.
Fuu nodded and smiled brightly. "Yep. He's also my village chief. His father took me in, so he's kind of my brother."
Hinata's brows shot up while Sakura's jaw dropped, "Wait, your brother is the leader of Taki!?" The pink-haired girl asked.
"Yep!" Fuu replied cheerfully.
"It sounds like you two are close," Hinata notes.
Fuu nodded. "We had something of a rough start, but since he warmed up to me, he's always been there. I try to be a good sister for him," She rubbed the back of her head again. "But I know I can be a handful sometimes..."
Then Sakura frowned. "Huh. You'd think your team wouldn't be so quick to blow you off."
"Just because her brother is respected doesn't mean she is," Hinata said quietly.
Wasn't that the truth? Still, it sounded like she spoke from experience. "Huh?"
"It's nothing," Hinata said, averting her eyes to the floor.
Fuu frowned. She wanted to press on it, but she didn't think the pale-eyed girl would respond well. Unlike Naruto, who was as exuberant and outgoing as her, Hinata was shy and probably wouldn't open up if prodded. Best move on and try again when she knows her better. "Well, I'll get there."
Sakura gave her an odd look. "So, you said you're goal was to make one hundred friends, right? How far have you gotten?"
Fuu smiled, closing her eyes. "Thanks to Teuchi and Ayame, I've got six."
"I see," Sakura said before she smiled back at her. "Well, sounds like you're well on your way."
"Yep!" The mint-haired girl replied before looking hopefully at the pinkette. "We've gotta hang out some more before the exams are over. It's not really friendship when we barely know each other."
Sakura nodded. "No problem. I did say we could play some trivia together sometime."
"Yay!" Fuu cheered. She then looked curiously at Sakura. "So, do either of you have any siblings?"
Sakura shook her head. "Nope. It's just my parents and me."
Hinata looked to the other Konoha kunoichi and said, "Um, I don't think I've ever met them. What are they like?"
"Well, there's not much to say." Sakura began. "They're pretty normal overall, I think. My parents are retired ninja... they, uh, weren't great at the job. Neither of them made it past genin." She then scratched her cheek. "They can be kind of overbearing sometimes. More so my mom. Not to mention embarrassing. Especially my dad. He's always joking, and he just can't resist making a pun."
Fuu closed her eyes and smiled. "They sound nice, and your dad seems like a lot of fun."
Sakura just stared down at her food with an unreadable expression for a moment, causing Fuu to frown. "You know... I used to actually find them kinda annoying. How they'd pry into my life so often... there were times I wished I was on my own. Like, if I had parents so caught up in their own lives that they didn't have time for me, you know?"
Fuu's frown deepened, unable to understand how Sakura could feel that way. But before she could say anything, she continued,
"But... then I thought about my team. I'm sure you know by now Naruto's an orphan, and he's always been on his own." Fuu nodded, and Sakura continued. "And you've probably heard about Sasuke's clan. And my sensei... he told us what his family was like and... well... suffice to say that's not a pretty story either." The pink-haired girl scratched her cheek. "After thinking about all they went through... I'm just grateful to have parents who care. I have a hard time thinking about how stupid I used to be."
Fuu had been smiling until she said those last words. "Don't say you're stupid."
Sakura looked up at her.
"F- Fuu's right," Hinata said, getting Sakura's attention. "It's not stupid. You were only thinking of what you knew."
Fuu nodded. "Yeah, you just needed some perspective."
After a moment of thought, Sakura replied. "I guess so," She then smiled at them. "Thanks, you guys. I've been pretty hard on myself lately." She then turned to Fuu. "I'll introduce you next time we hang out. We can play some games at my place."
"I'm looking forward to it!" Fuu replied. She then turned to Hinata. "And how about you? Do you have any siblings?"
Hinata looked away, causing Fuu to frown. "Oh, right. That Neji guy is your cousin, isn't he? He's kinda... harsh. What's his deal?"
Hinata didn't reply. Didn't raise her eyes to them. The blue-haired girl raised her hands before her chest, clenching them together tightly.
Oh boy. This reminded Fuu of her own past.
(flashback)
"Fuu!" Shibuki cried as he burst into her room, looking around in panic. When his gaze landed on her, he sighed in relief and frowned. "I can't believe you actually snuck out! I know how much it sucks to stay cooped up like this, but Father was just looking out for you!"
The seven-year-old didn't respond. She hadn't even turned to look at him. She was gazing out the window, her back turned to him.
Shibuki stepped closer. "Fuu?" He reached out for her and stopped short when he heard her sniffling. He lowered his hand, his gaze softening. "You... you went and found them... didn't you?"
Fuu turned to him, her eyes red with tears, snot flowing freely from her little face. She ran and buried her face in his chest. He embraced her gently, one hand stroking her hair as she sobbed. "Oh, Fuu... I'm sorry... I'm so, so sorry..."
(flashback end)
Fuu grimaced. Hinata must have had some issues with her family too. She was about as outgoing as they came, and she'd had trouble talking about stuff like that back then, even with Shibuki.
For someone as timid as Hinata? Who she just met?
Nope! Change the subject!
"By the way, great job back in the prelims," Sakura said, and Fuu gave her a grateful glance. "You've gotten a lot better since the academy. Even after seeing your cousin in action, that Kaito guy didn't know what hit him."
Hinata smiled and nodded. "Thank you." Way to go, Sakura!
"Kurenai must be a good teacher. And you must have really been putting in work to grow so much."
Hinata nodded. "I wanted to be able to support my team. I couldn't afford to stand to the side like I used to. But I could say the same about you. You've changed a lot from when we were in the academy."
"Yeah, well. My team and I went through some stuff, and Kakashi-sensei's really been putting us through the wringer. But then, everyone who made it this far probably worked themselves into the ground." Sakura said. She then looked to her plate and scratched her cheek. "Honestly, it's a bit nerve-wracking, thinking about how we're going to represent our villages to a bunch of VIPs. I mean, lords will be there."
"All the more reason to put our best foot forward!" Fuu said, raising a fist. "Just think of everything you went through to get here and go full throttle from start to finish!"
"Here, here! Let's do our best!" Sakura replied, somewhat fired up. After a second, Hinata nodded, looking encouraged. Satisfied, Fuu took a bite of her mochi and hummed at the taste.
Making new friends and eating delicious food. Seeing incredible sights, being treated just like anyone else, and doing Taki proud.
This trip was everything she'd dreamed of.
It was the next day that Naruto had finally gotten it.
He'd glared at the balloon in his hand, focusing on it as he ignored the sounds of his clones training nearby. The sides roiled with tiny bubbles, growing larger and faster as he growled until finally-
Pop!
The balloon burst, showering the dirt below. Naruto stared at the darkened earth at his feet for a moment before he grinned and let out a cheer echoed by his clones.
"Good job," Kakashi complimented as he stepped towards the blond. "You made pretty good time, too."
"So, what's up next, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked excitedly.
In response, the jonin reached into his pocket and pulled out another scroll. Naruto watched as he placed it on the ground and, in a burst of smoke, a pile of white rubber balls appeared. "Here you go." And with that, he tossed one of them to him.
Naruto caught it and stared at the ball. "Huh?"
"That ball is a lot thicker than the balloons. And on top of that, it's got nothing but air inside. You'll find it's a lot harder to work with than the balloons," The jonin explained before picking one of the balls up himself. "And it's too easy to simply poke a small hole in them. What you need to do is..." And then the ball began to shift, large bumps forming this way and that before it exploded with a loud bang, pieces falling to the ground. "That."
Naruto grinned confidently. "Got it, Kakashi-sensei."
Later that evening, after Naruto and his team had been sent home, the blond was carefully watering his plants. Couldn't let them drown or wait too late in the evening, after all.
Just as he finished up, he heard a knock on the door.
Naruto turned, wondering who it could be, before running over to it. "Be right there!"
He reached and unlocked the door. It opened with a creak to reveal the familiar face of his former sensei and brother figure. "Iruka-sensei?"
The man smiled. "Hey, Naruto. I heard you made it to the finals. Sorry I couldn't come by and congratulate you." He said before rubbing the back of his head. "I've been kinda busy for the past few days."
Naruto grinned. "Eh, it's fine, Iruka-sensei. I know how it is. You've got all your regular work on your plate, plus the stuff with the Chunin Exams, right?"
"Yeah, I've been pretty swamped," Iruka said with a slight chuckle.
"Well, come on in! I'll whip us up some instant ramen in a second!" Naruto said, gesturing for the scarred chunin to enter.
"Nah, I'm not hungry. Thanks for the offer. I would appreciate some water, though." Iruka replied.
In short order, they were seated at the table. The blond had let out a whoop when Iruka had told him he'd had news: Karin's DNA test proved she was telling the truth, and they'd seen no signs she'd been lying!
Naruto still found it hard to believe he'd have a chance to get to know someone from his family. He couldn't wait until she was out!
Afterward, The Kyuubi Jinchurriki had regaled him with tales of his exploits in the exams. How they'd passed the first test, his encounter with Fuu and the fast friendship they'd struck, and of course his prelim match.
Iruka's jaw dropped as he just blinked, staring at the blond after silently listened as he finished with the prelims. "You took down Neji?" He asked in astonishment.
"Yep," Naruto said, crossing his arms and nodding proudly. "And I introduced his face to the floor!"
Iruka shook his head. "Wow. I mean, I knew you'd grown but..." He trailed off and looked out the window. "I've seen a few kids from the Hyuga clan come through the academy, in my class or others. They've all been pretty skilled, no surprise with that family, but Neji was something special. A rare prodigy."
"Heh, yeah, I think he let that go to his head," Naruto said, leaning back. "He kept going on about how he was fated to win and all, but I showed him!"
"Yeah, I'd heard about that," Iruka replied with a sigh and a shake of the head. "I can't say I'm that familiar with the workings of the Hyuga clan, but I imagine things are complicated. Especially now."
Naruto made a hum of curiosity. "I don't know much. What I do know is that the clan is divided into two branches. The main house and the branch house. The branch house is subservient to the main house, and there's been some bad blood there, unsurprisingly. I can't imagine anyone would like being stuck as servants to your own flesh and blood because you were born into the wrong part of the clan. And it's only gotten worse lately."
"So, Neji's from the Branch House then?" Naruto asked.
Iruka nodded. "And Hinata's from the main one. It's pretty easy to tell; one gets picked by a servant every day, the other walked home alone."
Huh. Naruto did kinda remember that. He'd watched parents pick up the other kids back in the academy. Hinata, though, was always taken home by someone different.
So a big part of the clan was servants for the rest? What, because they were born lucky? Was that why Neji seemed to have a chip on his shoulder towards Hinata?
That probably had something to do with why Neji thought everything was fated too. Yeesh, weren't they supposed to be nobles or something?
"I don't really know much more about the goings-on of the Hyuga clan." Iruka then looked at Naruto and smiled. "But anyway, how're things going with your team?"
That was something Naruto was happy to talk about. The blond regaled his former sensei with tales of how things had changed between them. How often Kakashi took them to restaurants. How their group training went. How they'd meet together and just hang out while talking about how they could all improve.
He'd glanced at the photo he'd taken with his team just days after they'd become genin. Kakashi, eye smiling while roughing the boys' hair. Sasuke looked forward uncaringly while Naruto glared at him in jealousy.
They'd come a long way since then.
By the end, Iruka closed his eyes and smiled. "I'll admit, I understood why you three were put together, but I was still worried after seeing how you got along in class. But I see I shouldn't have been. I'm glad you're all getting along so well."
Naruto chuckled. "Yeah, we were probably exactly what you'd expect at first, but I couldn't be happier with how things turned out. They're kinda like family, you know."
"And that's how it should be," Iruka replied with a nod. "You know, between you processing what happened in Wave and how busy I've been with the academy, I never got a chance to tell you how proud I am of you."
Naruto looked surprised at that.
Iruka smiled warmly. "You've grown a lot. And not just in skill. The way you did all you could just to give one kid hope, never mind all you and your team did for the Land of Waves. A lot of people would say you're chasing an impossible dream. But I believe in you."
Naruto was silent for a moment, then he smiled warmly. "Thanks, Iruka-sensei."
With a sigh, Hiruzen stood at the edge of Konoha's hot springs, just beyond the bridge that stood over the steaming river that trailed out from the building. He was sorely tempted to rest his old bones in the warm waters for a minute.
But he didn't come here to relax, though his reason for being here was personal in some ways.
With his hands behind his back, the Third God of Shinobi slowly stepped over the bridge. He walked past the building and towards the woman's bathing area.
He'd suspected that Orochimaru wasn't the only one of his former students to return. Given the bonds that had once existed between them and the reports he'd sent, he had little doubt someone else would follow. And he knew just where to look when his feelers had brought whispers that he was right.
Sure enough, he was both warmed by nostalgia and slightly disappointed to find a man crouching in front of the wooden fence that hid the woman's side.
He was a tall, well-built man with fair skin and waist-length, spiky white hair tied into a ponytail, with two shoulder-length bangs framing his face. Red lines trailed down from his eyes. He wore a green, short shirt kimono with matching pants, under which he wore mesh armor that is visible at his wrists and ankles. He also wore handguards, a black belt, wooden sandals, and a red haori with two yellow circles on each side, with a large scroll strapped to his back. He had a blush on his face and was chuckling as he peered into a hole.
'Somethings never change,' Hiruzen mused as he approached.
"Should a guessed you'd know where to find me, old man. Heard I was in town, huh?" The man said as a statement of fact.
"When I learned Orochimaru had returned, I thought it safe to assume you would follow, Jiraiya."
As I said, I had some trouble with this one. Struggled with a few of the scenes.
I hadn't intended to include Karin or the talk about the Hyuga in the scenes with Iruka. They were more about his feelings about the situation and his former students, and then his bond with Naruto, but they kinda wrote themselves in. First, because the last time he saw Naruto there were two major concerns, 1) Orochimaru, and 2) he brought a foreign ninja to the Hokage in the middle of the Chunin Exams, which I imagine could get very messy. And when they talked about his accomplishments, defeating a genin as skilled as Neji would come up, and yeah.
Naruto tried to make a shortcut to learning the Rasengan, but unlike Jiraiya, Kakashi's having none of that. Seriously, I can't believe he never really fixed that... Well, it's a good thing Naruto's chakra control is far better here than in canon.
Fuu's pretty much having the time of her life. And making new friends. One of which might have some... complications down the line...
Anyway, hope you enjoyed it. Please review.