Chapter Beta by EvIlDemon 8/14/2024
Konoha's Retrieval Team
Chapter 12
Konoha's Newest Clan
I don't own Naruto
Masashi Kishimoto does!
Nadeshiko Village
It has been more than fifteen years since Jiraiya came to Nadeshiko. Ever since he began to write the Icha Icha Paradise series and visited the place, he could not stop smiling at the warm, funny memories he had in the village while researching. He remembered his time with Akari and how they fought for a few hours before they both became tired and had a decent conversation with the woman. They promise to battle one another again in the future, but if they never get to, their disciples will take their place until there was a winner. Jiraya told her as a gesture of good faith that if she ever needed his help, he would come to the aid of Nadeshiko even if Konoha did not sanction it.
But when he got word from his informant, two S-rank criminals were invading Nadeshiko. He hurried as fast as possible to understand the situation better. It took him a few days from Jiraiya to reach the island. As soon as he stepped on the island, he saw nothing but corpses lying scattered everywhere. Jiraiya became serious instantly and knew that the situation in Nadeshiko was severe and not a joke. He quickly started to perform hand seals for the summoning jutsu. And with a puff of smoke, hundreds of tiny toads appeared.
"I need all of you to spread throughout the island and give me a report if there are any survivors. If you find any suspicious male ninjas from other villages, they are enemies, and report it immediately. Now go, my little friends; we have a lot of territory to cover." Jiraiya ordered them as they hopped away in all directions.
Jiraiya began to think about how someone or maybe a different village decided on annexing Nadeshiko, and from the looks of it. They made a great effort to eliminate kunoichis and civilians from the village to leave no opposition alive. Jiraiya had suspicions about which village had done it, but he would have to investigate to clarify his facts. He guessed Kiri was responsible for the action since they were basically their neighbor and secretly made a power move to expand their territory while the not-so-secret civil war was ongoing. And since Kiri blocked out all sources of communication from leaving the Island Nation, no one knows what truly is happening there. He would have to write a message to his sensei about this grave situation.
Jiraya was determined to find survivors; he would ask them the usual questions before getting to the heart of the matter. Jiraya would definitely offer them asylum at Konoha, as, from the looks of things, this might take a while to investigate. He would tell his sensei about his promise to Akari because the last thing he wanted was so many beautiful kunoichis to get killed and going somewhere else to find a new home. In his mind it might as well be Konoha as he giggled perversely to himself as he vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving no presence of himself behind.
After several hours, Jiraya finally received information from all the small summons he sent out to find out if there were any survivors. Everywhere the toads went, all they found were dead bodies scattered; from the young to the old, even the animals were not spared. Not all hope was lost when Jiraya got word of a small group of survivors trying not to get caught by who was hunting them. He intercepted one of the groups to get vital information and a good sense of what was happening on the island. So far, he was lucky that no other ninjas had invaded the island, giving him time to find as many survivors and escape back to Konoha.
As Jiraya kept searching through the forest jungle he found what looked like a small group of genin and two chunin looking very frightened. Jiraya, wanting to get some answer, jumped out of the trees and landed right in front of them as he towered over them. All eight females jump back in either surprise or fear at the new enemy that appeared before them. When the surprise wore off, the two chunin looked at one another as they prepared for battle. Right when they about to attack, so Jiraya quickly devised a plan to soothe them.
"Ladies, I'm glad I was able to find survivors. It is a great shame that someone would go as far as to destroy your village. We don't have much time to waste, but I'm Jiraiya of the Sannin. I came from Konoha at Lady Akari's request. She sent an emergency scroll stating that Nadeshiko was being attacked, so I came to support her. Some of your kunoichis are with some of my Anbu comrades. We are looking for as many survivors as possible on the island." Jiraiya said, hoping they wouldn't catch on with the white lie.
"Jiraiya, the toad sage, oh, thank goodness. I thought we were going to die for sure. We just returned from the island's northeast, and Kiri's fleet is almost on the shoreline. A full-on invasion is about to begin soon. We need to somehow get off the island; otherwise, whoever is still alive won't be for long," one chunin said with a worried look.
"Okay, young ladies, now listen, and listen good! We will be heading back to where I came from. Genin, keep a good watch and pay close attention to your surroundings; your island is about to become a battlefield soon, so steel yourselves when the enemy attacks." Jiraiya in a stern voice as he performed a cross hand seal, performing the [Kage Bunshin,] creating five clones as they [Shunshin] in different directions from where they were at.
"Okay, Jiraiya-sama, so what do we do now? We have never been at war before?" the other chunin said as she kept on high alert for any enemies.
"To be honest, the best thing to do is for us to find a boat and hopefully some more survivors from the attack and get off the island. I'm positive the Hokage would allow all survivors to get asylums in Konoha. Which of you can set up traps with an explosion tag?" Jiraiya asked as he looked at each of them, hoping he wouldn't be the only one setting them up.
Jiraiya heard three voices answering "Yes," which made him sigh in relief, glad they at least knew how to set up basic traps. He would take advantage of it while they still had time before Kiri invaded the island. Jiraiya pulled out a storage scroll channel and some chakra, and a large stack of explosion tags appeared in a puff of smoke. He began to give each person a large quantity before doing the same action again, this time with ninja wire. The kunoichis waited for Jiraiya to explain what they should do.
"There are two reasons why we are setting up these traps. The first reason is to alert us to the direction the enemies are coming from and to give us an estimated distance. The second reason is to set them off, killing them and to slow their progress of the invasion. We will fan out in three different directions of the island; each chunin will lead your teams into the Northeastern or the Southeastern part. I will go towards the west side, and one of my [Kage Bunshin] will go with you for extra guidance and alert me if something happens on your side in case you need help." Jiraiya explained giving them orders as he instructed them what to do.
"I understand, Jiraiya-sama; leave it up to us. We will cover a good amount of space from one another." The chunin in charge said as she checked her equipment to see what she had left.
"Also, if you run into more of your female comrades, make sure to have them do the same. And if any of you knows how to use [Doton] jutsu to make pitfalls, that would also help delay them." Jiraiya commented before he left got nods from the kunoichis.
"Understood, Jiraiya-sama," They course at the same time as he nodded in approval.
"Alright, ladies, let's meet in about a few hours. And please be careful and watch your surroundings. Let's move out then!" Jiraiya said as everyone went their separate ways.
Jiraiya hoped the Hokage wouldn't be too upset with him for involving himself in another nation conflict. He just wanted to try to keep his promise to Akari, and it would be a shame to have too many beautiful women die in the hands of Kiri forces. Jiraiya quickly summoned a toad and wrote a letter on a scroll to update his sensei in case shit hit the fan. The last thing he wanted was his involvement in starting the Fourth Great Shinobi War.
"Make sure you get to Konoha as fast as possible. Since this is an emergency, please give this scroll to the Hokage and tell him to reply quickly with a response." Jiaraya urged Kosuke and gave him a snack on the seriousness of the situation as he vanished in a puff of smoke.
Konoha
The following day, a groan escaped from Naruto's mouth since his body was still in pain. The challenge of a spar that was supposed to be a way to break the ice with Sasuke ended up taking a turn for the worse. While they started friendly, trying to impress one another with their skills, they slowly became competitive as the sparring match continued. In both children's minds, they never expected another in their age group to be such a challenge. In Naruto's mind he felt excited that he could improve in the academy with Sasuke there to push him harder to improve.
But in Sasuke's mind, he saw it as an insult that anyone could ever put up a significant challenge to the Uchiha clan. It began to infuriate the boy that he couldn't defeat the blond when he got serious enough to hurt him as his anger blinded his reasoning. Naruto shook the rest of his sleepy, wary mind and looked around where he was, seeing that he was sleeping on the couch guessing that someone chose to leave him there instead of taking him to his bedroom. Naruto got right up and walked straight to the bathroom to relieve himself; he finished and washed his hands, brushed his teeth, and decided to go to his bedroom to get some clean clothes. He needed to take a shower since he never got a chance to take a shower last night. And the last thing he wanted to do was to walk around stinky and getting yelled at by Karin wasn't very pleasant.
Fifteen minutes later, Naruto came out of the bathroom clean and all dressed, curious to see if Karin was awake. So he walked over to her room, knocked on her door, and waited for an answer. When he heard no answer from the other side, when he opened the door, what he saw almost made Naruto fall over in laughter. Karin was sleeping sprawled out on the bed, and to make matters funnier, her bed hair was so wild that it looked like someone shocked her with [Raiton] jutsu. Feeling a bit mischievous, Naruto was about to prank his cousin again when he realized that he shouldn't antagonize Karin so soon after his last prank..
Naruto looked at Karin a bit longer when he concluded she had brought him home. Naruto felt a warm feeling in his chest that at least his new family member really cared for him. So, Naruto decided to leave so Karin could rest before pulling out a camera and taking a picture for future blackmail material. In the future, they would look back on it in a family album. Remembering that he needed to see the Hokage for more basic lessons in fuinjutsu, Naruto wrote a note telling Karin where he was going and what he would do. Then he went and grabbed a light travel bag and went off to see the Hokage.
But first, Naruto needed to eat breakfast; before seeing the old man, he grabbed all his fuinjutsu tools and put them in his backpack. Then he remembered that he needed to pick up after himself as he tried to keep their new home clean. The last thing he wanted was for Karin to complain about not picking up after himself. Since they cleaned the house the first day, Karin told Naruto she would teach him common sense, how to speak correctly, write, and keep their new home neat and clean. Karin told him that she would be making rules for their home while they were living together as a way for him not to forget that he was not alone anymore.
Uchiha Compound
It was a wonderful, fresh, bright morning in Konoha, where the village people began moving around the village to start their daily lives. The bright sunlight entered through his curtains, hitting the young Uchiha's face. Sasuke attempted to cover his face from the bright light as he tried to turn over, but he felt a sharp pain on his face and his ribs. He wince as the fogginess of his sleep began to fade away as he stares at the ceiling, remembering last night's memories of his sparring match with Naruto. The fact Naruto was able to compete with him meant that Sasuke had acknowledged him as a worthy rival and someone who would be able to push his limits.
A smirk slowly appeared on Sasuke's face. He was eager for the academy school year to begin, to see who among them would take the title of rookie of the year when they graduated. Sasuke's shoji door slid open to see his mother giving him a calculated look. He saw his mother blankly stare and knew immediately that she knew what had happened between Naruto and himself last night. But Sasuke's mother stood in the doorway, waiting for Sasuke to speak.
"Good morning, kaa-san. Do you know how I returned home since I was out training last night?" Sasuke said as he tried to probe his mother, feeling uncomfortable and grimacing.
"Uchiha Sasuke, I'm going to ask you a few questions, and you will answer them honestly, or else I will have to punish you severely." Sasuke's mother said as her eyes slowly morphed into the sharingan.
Sasuke felt a shiver go down his spine when he saw two narrowed, spinning [Sharingan] looking down on him. Now he knew why his father would fear his mother and their older cousin Shisui would steer clear of her way.
"W-why yes, kaa-san," Sasuke answered in a low voice as he looked at his hands.
"Sasuke, can you explain why you didn't come for dinner?" Sasuke's mother asked as she carefully analyzed him in case of any deceit.
"I was at one of the training grounds in the compound, taking out my anger. When I was close to finishing my training, Naruto snuck up on me and asked for a spar. I accepted the challenge and moved our match to the lake, where I usually practice my [Katon] jutsu. We had three rounds, and I lost my temper, and the spar got even more serious as the spar progressed when we knocked each other out, I guess." Sasuke said, embarrassed that he couldn't defeat the blond, making the Uchiha clan look weak.
Knowing what Sasuke was thinking, Mikoto poked him in the forehead just like his brother used to. He froze at the reminder of the person he loved doing the same thing to him. Sasuke's mother sighed to herself, the things she used to do to Itachi when he was little became a trauma for her youngest. And as a mother she knew that pride didn't help a damaged psyche. She then hardened her resolve, knowing Sasuke would not like what she had to say. But it was for his own good to try to let out the pent-up emotions he had bottled up.
"Sasuke, I'm going to have you go to a therapist so you can get a proper examination. As your mother, I have to make sure that you haven't been mentally scarred or have psychological damage. Otherwise, you won't be fit to enter the shinobi force since I'm the last jonin from our clan. I will train you when your [Sharingan] will appear." Sasuke's mother said as she narrowed her eyes at her beloved son, telling him that refusal was futile, making him drop his shoulders in defeat.
"I-I-I understand, kaa-san; it's just I have this great pain in my heart since that man killed almost everyone in our family. I thought I was the last living Uchiha alive since he put me in a genjutsu and tortured me by reliving what I saw in it. I thought I saw him kill you and tou-san, and it almost drove me to madness. Itachi's final words were, "Run and hide like the weak boy you are, and when you gain the same eyes as him, find him, avenge our family, and bring back the honor to our clan once again." Sasuke said as tears slowly started to run down his cheeks.
Sasuke's mother's eyes widened at realizing what her eldest son's cryptic words were trying to tell Sasuke. So Itachi got the [Mangekyou Sharingan] after killing a person who was dear to his heart. And the way it sounded to her, Itachi, in a subtle way, was egging Sasuke on to become stronger and to come after him when he got the [Mangekyou Sharingan] to kill him for what he did to their family. Mikoto slowly began to have tears running down her cheek, understanding Itachi's plan; this was his way to atone for mainly killing everyone in the clan. She then realized that Itachi was a double agent and must have reported his finding to the Hokage.
That explained why Itachi was trying to talk to his father about finding a solution on how changes must be made in the clan so that the village wouldn't see them as a threat. But why kill everyone in the clan when they could have just gone after the Uchiha council and their sympathizer, all the innocent children and the aged? She thought about it a little bit more, and her conclusion was something went wrong with the plan, and almost everyone got killed except for the ones that were still alive. That brings up another important question: how did she manage to live? When she was supposed to die with her husband. And why was she at her uncle's home when they found her? For now, she will think about these thoughts later; she needs to focus on Sasuke first.
Sasuke's chest tightened, seeing his mother start to cry, thinking what Itachi must have said hurt her deeply; knowing the fact made Sasuke determined to get up to hug his mother. He began to pull the cover to the side when a particular move made him yelp in pain. Mikoto snapped out of her depression as she wiped her tears as she heard her youngest child yelp in pain. Mikoto kindly stopped Sasuke from getting out of bed by placing a hand on his shoulders and guiding him to lie back down.
"Sasuke, what are you trying to do? You need to stay in bed and rest up, my son," Sasuke's mother said as she hurried to his side, helped him lay back down, and kissed him on the forehead.
"I'm okay, kaa-san. I just felt a little pain from the spar last night. But I am getting hungry. Have you made breakfast already?" Sasuke asked as he heard his stomach grumbling. A red tint of pink appeared on his cheeks, making his mother smile at him.
"No, I have not started breakfast since Miyu, and I have been waking early this morning to take care of the kids. I'll make breakfast for us since I haven't eaten yet." Sasuke's mother told her son as she began to make her way out of the room
"Thank you, kaa-san, and I love you," Sasuke said as his cheek turned pink. His mother smiled, walked out, and slid the shoji door closed.
Naruto closed the front door of the house. He quickly left, running with a bag in toe to see the Hokage. Since Naruto and Karin live towards the back of the compound, it takes them a little longer to make their way to the exit. Not paying attention, Naruto accidentally bumped into Miyu-san when he turned the corner as he exited the compound. Both got startled, not expecting to run into anyone since only a few people lived there. Naruto bowed and apologized to Miyu-san, who smiled back at the blond and accepted his apology. She told him to be more careful and aware of his surroundings if he wanted to be a great ninja.
Naruto smiled and nodded at her advice; he then waved goodbye to her as he ran off to his destination. As Naruto made his way to the Hokage tower, his belly began to rumble. He then realized that he had forgotten to eat breakfast, so he decided to make a detour to his favorite place in the world, "Ichiraku Ramen." On his way there, he noticed how many villagers were giving a different look other than scorn. Since part of Naruto's heritage was revealed and is a direct descendant of the Shodai Hokage's wife. It made the Uzumaki clan the other prominent clan that was able to compete with the Senju and Uchiha during the Warring State era.
Naruto, being Naruto, forgot that he wasn't supposed to eat at Ichiraku Ramen for the rest of the week. Suddenly, the Anbu in a Neko mask appeared, barring the entrance of the little Ramen Shop. The nearby villagers were surprised by the appearance of the most elite Konoha Special Ops, as they scattering like bugs. Naruto froze in place when he saw the Hokage's Anbu appear in front of him when he tried to do his best impression of the [Puppy Eye Jutsu] to let him in. Not fazed by the cute face, the Anbu crossed his arms as he looked down at the whisker blond before speaking.
"By the order of Hokage-sama, you are not allowed to eat or enter this shop for the rest of your punishment, Uzumaki-san. Did you forget?" the Neko mask Anbu said in his deep monotone voice. Meanwhile, Naruto got a sheepish smile as he rubbed the back of his neck since the Anbu was correct.
"Is there no chance I could get a bowl of ramen for old-time sake?" Naruto commented, knowing the answer he was about to receive.
"No, Uzumaki-san. Now leave before I send word to Hokage-sama about you disobeying him," As the Anbu replied as he waited for Naruto's action.
"Fine! Be that way!" Naruto shouted, and he turned and left while the Anbu sighed to himself as he was left with guard duty of a ramen stand as a punishment for his unrelated actions during his off time..
Naruto's stomach grumbled as he tried to figure out where to eat when he saw the Yakiniku Kyu restaurant. So, Naruto decided to give it a try when he walked in. Naruto saw two other kids who looked to be around his age sitting waiting for their food. One of the two boys had a black pineapple hairstyle and a lazy, sleepy look. The other was a chubby boy who acted carefree; he had messy brown hair and a single swirl on his cheeks. Then Naruto walked up to them and asked if he could join them at their table, as both boys stared in disbelief at him for such a bold act.
"How troublesome!" The pineapple-haired boy said, not sure what to make of the situation.
"Sure, why not? As long as you are willing to share some food, I don't mind at all," Choji said as Naruto smiled and nodded in agreement as he sat next to the pineapple-haired pale-haired boy.
"So, Blondie. What is your name? My name is Nara Shikamaru, and the guy right here is my good friend Akimichi Choji." Shikamaru introduced the both of them, while Choji stuck his hand out as a greeting.
"Nice to meet cha, too. My name is Uzumaki Naruto. Thanks for letting me sit with you both," Naruto replied, giving Shikamaru a handshake as he made himself comfortable next to him.
"So, Naruto how is your day so far? As for us, we decided to get something to eat since it was lunchtime. Well, not Shikamaru. He came to get away from his kaa-san before she gave him something to do at home." Choji said while smiling as he ate a bag of chips while they waited.
"Choji! Wha-what are you doing telling a random stranger something so troublesome? Grrr." Shikamaru commented feeling betrayed as he slams his head on the table.
Naruto laughed at the comedic show in front of him. He was surprised that the chubby, carefree boy was so funny, as Naruto wondered where the bag of chips appeared. As for Shikamaru, one word came to mind: lazy, but at least he didn't judge Naruto or give him angry looks. Naruto thought they were friendlier than Sasuke and would make a really good friends as an addition. Naruto hoped to see both boys at the academy in two days. But first, he would have to get to know the boys even better for recon purposes that Naruto would write down in his notebook.
"Well, to be honest, I woke up not too long ago, and I became hungry, so I went to look for a place to eat. And I picked this place randomly since I was punished by my jiji not being able to eat at my favorite place. Afterward, I considering seeing jiji while I practice my calligraphy so I would be able learn [fuinjutsu.]" Naruto explained as he got a nod from the pineapple-headed and the chubby boys.
"[Fuinjutsu!] Isn't that a really old shinobi art not used by many ninjas these days since it extremly difficult to learn." Shikamaru said while giving Naruto a pointed stare of curiosity.
"Yeah, that is what my jiji told me, and it is part of my clan's common use in everyday life. I heard my parents were [Fuinjutsu] masters and were really powerful ninjas before they died in the Kyubbi a few years ago." Naruto replied, getting a nod of understanding from Shikamaru.
"What is the place you usually eat at, Naruto? Since you mention that your jiji punished from going their to eat. I would have to say it is a harsh punishment." Choji asked in understanding, feeling Natuto's pain in not being able to eat your favorite food.
"See! That is right, someone who understands my pain. I thought it was a bit unreasonable, but I should be able to make it towards the end of the week." Naruto replied as he nodded to himself. Choji gave him a thumbs up, while Shikamaru gave him an incredulous stare at the two boys.
"Geez! How troublesome. So, Naruto, are you joining the Ninja Academy in a few days? And are you from a clan?" Shikamaru asked now with a little more interest since this person might become a classmate for the next four years.
"Yeah! I'm so excited I can't wait to become a very skilled ninja when I grow up. And to answer your question, yeah, I'm from the Uzumaki clan", Naruto said as he gave Shikamaru a foxy grin, making the boy sigh while saying, "Troublesome."
"So, Naruto, what is so special about the Uzumaki clan?" Choji asked as the waitress brought Choji and Shikamaru a meal.
"That's a secret," Naruto replied, giving Choji a wry smile. He did not answer his question, making the chubby boy shake his head disappointedly.
"Anyways, so how old are you, Naruto?" Shikamaru asked as he began to cook his meat as Choji did the same while Naruto waited for his portion of the meal to come.
"I'm seven years old, and my birthday is October tenth. How old are you guys, by the way?" Naruto said with a happy smile, letting the other two boys finish chewing so they could swallow their food.
"Both of us are eight, but Choji is older than me by a few months. I was born on September twenty-second. Do you have any hobbies?" Shikamaru said as he took another bit of his food.
"I was born on May first, And my hobbies are trying new foods and hanging out with Shikamaru," Choji said. He stuffed a large portion of meat in his mouth just to be ahead of Shikamaru when it comes to eating.
"Hobbies let me see hobbies. I would say that I have many of them, like training my ninja skills and improving my calligraphy so I could begin to work on fuinjutsu. I like to play Shogi and Go to sharpen my mind. And I love to play pranks when I'm bored or anyone who tries to mistreat me." Naruto said as he received surprise look from his two new friends.
Shikamaru right away instantly took an interest in Naruto for the fact that he played Shogi and Go. He definitely saw it as a plus to befriend the blond Uzumaki and see his way of thinking. Choji might enjoy a good laugh from the pranks if any bullies decide to pick on him. Shikamaru also wondered if Naruto would like to do cloud watching even those it didn't strike him as a person to just to lay there and watch clouds. He was also curious to see how far advanced Naruto was with his ninja training.
"So Naruto, with whom do you live with, if you mind me asking?" Choji asked out of curiosity as Shikamaru turned and waited for a response.
"I don't see why not. So where should I start from." Naruto thought aloud as the two other boys waited for him to begin.
"Well, from what I was told by my jiji, both my parents died on the night of the Kyubbi attack. I was then taken to an orphanage, where I stayed till I was four years old when, suddenly, I was kicked out for no reason. And for an entire two years, I was homeless and lived in the forest, surviving to stay alive. I eventually learned how to hunt for small animals, I found edible plants and I learned how to make traps and how to live in the wild. Then, one night, I met my jiji, who found me when I made a campfire at night making my dinner. We talked while we ate some fish I caught, and talked about life and the village and if I had any goals and dreams. I didn't have any since I was only trying to survive my lonely life."
"I then told him about my situation, and the more I told him, the more he looked like he was getting upset. After we ate the fish I caught for dinner, he told me that he would have a new home for me, and I would stay on my own. We spoke for a little longer before he had to leave, and he told me to visit him at the Hokage tower if I needed anything since Hokage-jiji said he was the village leader, even if I didn't understand what he meant by that." Naruto finished explaining about his life so far.
Shikamaru and Choji were shocked that Naruto's life from the beginning was rough and brutal, with nothing but hardships. They couldn't believe that a boy younger than them was kicked out of the orphanage and was homeless for two years in the forest. Shikamaru didn't think Choji or himself would be able to survive on their own without the help of their clans. And for a Nara child, that would be a nightmare, being unable to sleep or even being lazy. For Choji, the thought of not being able to eat food only horrified him; he might as well be already dead.
Both children look at the blond with a new light and respect since he had survived all this time alone. They would ensure that Naruto won't be without good friends from now on. Shikamaru couldn't explain why he felt that Naruto had a particular power that could pull people towards him. But one he knew for sure was when Naruto got older, he would command attention wherever he went, either good or bad. Shikamaru could also imagine the troublesome problem he would gain hanging out with this guy, but till then, he would challenge him to as many Shogi games as he could till the blond found it bothersome losing to him. He would have to wait till that time came.
"Naruto, by chance, the person you call jiji, is it the Hokage?" Shikamaru asked one of the questions that had been swimming in his mind, stunning Choji while he was it.
"Huh, yeah, why?" Naruto replied like it was the most natural thing in the world, making Shikamaru and Choji fall out of their seats.
"Geez, Naruto, didn't you get in trouble for calling the Hokage an old man?" Choji commented while looking at his new friend like he was looking at a weird creature.
"By chance, did the Hokage punish you for calling him an old man?" Shikamaru asked as he took another bit of his food.
"No, why didn't I already tell you guys that I was already punished for not being able to go to my favorite ramen stand? I feel like a horse and jiji is hanging a carrot in front of me, but I cannot reach it. It's torture, I tell you; Choji might understand the sentiment." he replied, getting an emphatic nod from the chubby boy, as Shikamaru rolled his eyes and sighed.
"So Naruto, after we finish eating lunch, do you want to hang out at the park, play ninja, and maybe go cloud watching?" Choji asked, getting a surprised look from Shikamaru, not expecting his friend to invite their new friend immediately.
"Well, I did plan to go see my Hokage-jiji for fuinjutsu lessons, but it shouldn't be a problem since I was going unannounced. It should be fine to hang out with some new friends, and I left a note to my cousin that I was going out to see my jiji?" Naruto said as he had a look of expectation on his face, full of happiness.
"Cool, at least with got another person who might be able to handle Ino", Choji said, making Shikamaru choke on his water.
"Ino! Whos Ino?" Naruto asked as the two boys looked at one another and sighed.
"Actually, her name is Yamanaka Ino. She is a day younger than me. And she is a real troublesome girl who likes to gossip and is a future fan girl of a poor unfortunate fool." Shikamaru explained as he got a curious look from his new friend.
"Just be sure to be mindful of her since she tends to be a pushy person," Shikamaru said, getting a slow nod from the whisker blond.
"Ah, my food is finally here. Let's enjoy ourselves before we go play at the playground." Naruto exclaimed, getting a nod from the other two boys before saying, "itadakimasu!"
All three children began to eat while they got to know one another better and had a laugh with one another. A half-hour later, Naruto, Shikamaru, and Choji finished eating and paid for their food before they left the establishment. In the meantime, Naruto and Choji began a conversation about ramen and how many delicious recipes there were in the Elemental Nations. Shikamaru silently listen to the two as they walk to the playground, thinking of the best way to play without using his energy. For this plan to work out, he would need to be lucky and hope there would be plenty of other kids there.
As the boys conversed, unfortunately for Shikamaru, his hopes were not answered since they were the only ones there. Choji hurried to the swings, and Shikamaru quickly followed. They started to laugh. Naruto was caught off guard as the two boys ran past him and straight for the swings.
Naruto only pouted at his misfortune of not getting to one of the two swings before smiling as the other two waved him over to play. After ten minutes of pushing each other on the swings, when they were tired, they began to play ninja, a combination of tag and hide & seek using cardboard shuriken and sticks for a weapon.
As the three children were getting ready to play, other children and their parents started to show up, increasing the number of people who wanted to play. Shikamaru fist pumped in his mind, ready to put his original plan into action, while some parents still held some prejudice against Naruto, and others didn't care as the children played. After an hour of running around and having fun the boys took a break as they laid on a little hill and started to watch the clouds. For Naruto, this was his first experience getting a sense of peace after playing with other children. He was lost in thought when he heard someone trying to speak to him.
"Hey Naruto, have you ever just laid down during the day and watched the clouds slowly float by the sky," Shikamaru asked as he closed his eyes and waited for a reply.
"Huh, No, not really. I was too busy trying to survive by finding edible plants and hunting for food by fishing, trapping birds, and hunting rabbits. I also spend a lot of time training so that, when I enroll in the Ninja Academy, I will be ahead of most of our peers." Naruto said as Shikamaru and Choji heard some of their new friends' skills and experiences. They were surprised someone their age could already hunt, track, and trap, almost like an Inazuka.
"Naruto, can I ask a personal question, if it is okay?" Shikamaru asked as he lifted himself off the ground to look at the blond.
"Sure, I don't mind. I have nothing to hide from you guys," Naruto said as he lay down on the grass with his eyes closed.
"By chance, did you ever find out who your parents were?" Shikamaru asked as he thought of his friend's situation as he watched the clouds.
"The Hokage found a letter my mother left saying that I should be under the guardianship of one of two people. The first person was my mother's sensei. Her name is Senju Tsunade, and the other is the Uchiha Mikoto, the Uchiha matriarch. And just the other day, I found out I'm from the Uzumaki clan when a lost relative was found, and we are now living together at the Uchiha compound." Naruto told the two boys about his short life, shocking them both
Shikamaru understood that Naruto had lived a harsh life and realized he had always been alone. He truly wanted to be friends with Choji and himself since he looked happy playing with them. Then Shikamaru recollected an important name he once read in a book as punishment, the legendary Sannin Senju Tsunade, the world-renowned medic-nin. He could barely believe his ears learning this piece of new information from his new blond friend. Shikamaru quickly realized that Naruto was actually from a clan but was still mistreated as he frowned at the reason why. And the only way to find out anything would be to ask and get to know him better, he thought.
"Naruto, will your cousin also be going to the Ninja Academy this year?" Shikamaru asked out of curiosity since they would start in a few days.
"uh yeah, why she might be in the same class as us since we plan on being on the same team after we graduate." Naruto said as he did a kip-up off the ground and landed on his feet.
"I guess we will be seeing each other at the academy, and don't forget to introduce your cousin as well," Choji said as he ate a bag of chips that had appeared out of nowhere.
Shikamaru was about to ask Naruto a question when he felt a chill went down his spine when he began to sense danger. He was about to say his goodbyes to Naruto when he heard the voice of the person he feared the most. It was Shikamaru's mother, Nara Yoshino. She had an angry look on her face, but she was not alone; next to her was Choji's mother, and she didn't look pleased. Both Shikamaru and Choji had pale-looking faces, knowing for a fact that they were in deep trouble for running off and not telling their mothers where they were. Shikamaru knew when he got home that he would first be lectured, then he would get punished. As for Choji's punishment would not be that severe since his mother was much more forgiving and understanding.
"Shikamaru told me that you and Choji were going for lunch at the ramen stand; you lied to me so that you two could run off to the playground," Shikamaru's mother said, her angry scowl on her face and hands on her hips as she waited for a reply.
"Kaa-san, we did go eat at the ramen stand. That's where we met Uzumaki Naruto. We started getting to know one another when I invited him to play at the playground. We lost track of time since we were about to leave, but you found us first. I apologize for not informing you beforehand since it was our mistake." Shikamaru said as he bowed to his mother, and Choji followed suit.
Naruto, noticing that both his new friends got in trouble, decided to make a quiet
exit, he left the parent and children group to handle their issues. Since Naruto never made it to the Hokage office for his lesson, he decided to visit him. So he began to walk to the Hokage tower; little did he know that he had Anbu black ops and Root following him, as well as a summoning animal watching everything from the sky without their knowledge. And unfortunate for everyone involved, a red haired girl was tracking her cousin as she started practicing her Kekkei Genkai to get accustomed to the bigger village. So she wouldn't be overwhelmed when she got older and started to use the ability when she became a ninja.
When Karin woke up and didn't sense Naruto in the house, she got up to prepare for the day. She found the note he left for her and decided to practice finding Naruto in the village when she noticed he was not even where he was supposed to be. Karin didn't expect him not to find him at the Hokage tower for his fuinjutsu lessons, but he was out playing at a playground. She decided to see and scold him for lying over an insignificant matter and should try to keep his promises. But first, she made herself something to eat and cleaned her mess up before hunting down the blond Uzumaki.
As Karin was using her [Mind eye of Kagura], she noticed multiple chakra signatures following the three boys from different areas. She knew the village monitored Naruto constantly since they sent some of their best ninjas to follow her cousin wherever he went. Karin decided always to keep watch on her watchers in case the worse happened and she would be able to identify them. She was snapped out of her thoughts when two similar chakras from the two boys were heading their way. From the look of it, one of the chakras was very angry, while the other was disappointed; Karin followed Naruto to see where he would head next.
Konoha Front Gate
After a lengthy discussion last night the women from Nadeshiko came to a decision that they would join Konoha and create a new clan. They have a few conditions they would like the Hokage to grant, but knowing that the laws are different in the land of fire, not all of them would be guaranteed. So long as they can continue their cultures and traditions to a certain extent, that is all that matters to them in the long run for survival. Tokiwa and Shizuka were let in with the special pass the Anbu brought them in the morning to enter the village without any problems. Shizuka looked excited as she looked at the hustle and bustle in the afternoon as she walked through the village. She couldn't wait to start at the academy, where she could make new friends and have a chance to become a lot stronger than the kunoichis of her former home. Shizuka was snapped out of her thoughts when she felt a chop to her head, making her get tears in her eyes as Tokiwa began to speak.
"Shizuka today's meeting with the Hokage will be crucial while changing the lives of many of our people. I know it will take some time for them to adapt to this new village, but I could see us becoming stronger soon. So far, you will be the first Nadeshiko citizen to go through their ninja program, and if we can find more children, they will also be going there." Tokiwa said as they approached the Hokage tower while some villagers watched curiously.
"Tokiwa-sensei would it be possible to tour around the village?" Shizuka asked as she wished to see the beautiful scenery that the village provided.
"I can't promise you anything at this moment, but I'm sure if I were to ask the Hokage if someone would be able to show us around," Tokiwa said, getting a nod of understanding from Shizuka while they kept looking around the village's main road.
They didn't take long to reach the Hokage tower; they got to see the academy on their way there. Tokiwa told Shizuka to be on her best behavior to make a good impression if she would be a clan head in the future and only speak when the Hokage speaks to her. Since they were going to be having serious talks about clan status and negotiating culture and traditions while creating clan laws that would be implemented little by little. When they reached the front doors of the towers, they told the chunin guards they had an appointment to see the Hokage. Once it was verified what the kunoichi said was true, a chunin guided the woman and child to the Hokage's office, where they sat on some chairs as the chunin knocked on the door and waited for an answer. The chunin then opened the door and told the Hokage that the Nadeshiko refugee representative was there. The Hokage told him to let them in, the young chunin did what he was told to do by calling the two sitting and letting them inside as he closed the door behind him.
"Good Afternoon Hokage-sama." Both females said while giving a slight bow, as the Hokage nodded back to the two.
"How can I help you both today?" asked the elderly leader as he sipped his tea.
"Last night, we had a conference with our current ninja forces and talked about the future of Nadeshiko. Most of the kunoichis who came here agreed, while a small group of Nationalists are against joining Konoha. They hope to one day get the island back from whoever hired the two S-rank ninjas. Otherwise, we swear loyalty to you, Hokage-sama, and the village of Konoha. Also, I sent out the Nationalists and some of the ones who want to return to Nadeshiko to see if they can find survivors still making their way to Konoha.
If something happens, the Anbu guiding us sent three Anbu squads as reinforcements. Also, Hokage-sama, one of Nadeshiko's greatest secrets, is we have a few Kekkei Genkai clans that might benefit Konoha. We have the Yuki clan, known as the Hyoton since a small group migrated to our island before the civil war. We also have the Koseki clan with the rare Shoton Kekkei Genkai; from what I remember hearing, the Koseki family left the village on an emergency trip. When they returned to their village, they found their whole clan massacred. That's when the Koseki family decided to leave just in case they were killed off as well when they made a home in Nadeshiko."
"We also gained the Jinton from Kumogakure when we found two sisters who became missing-nins because the Raikage ordered them to baby making. Something that both didn't want to and successfully were able to escape with a copy of clan secrets before they went on the run and came to the island for a new life. We also acquired another rare Kekkei Genkai, the Koton. We have a few small families; the Kotetsu clan mostly sticks to using their Kekkei Genkai for crating weapons and other metals required. They are beneficial, and the females became kunoichis. The last clan was around towards the end of the Second Shinobi War, and they were primarily females three older women and five little girls all had black hair with either black, violet, or red eyes. They are called the Ikamuzu clan as they didn't fight or battle but created storage seals, paperbombs, barrier seals, and paralysis tags as they created a business like the Kotetsu clan."
"At this time, I'm curious how many of the Kekkei Genkai clans we have in our forces. We have yet to do a roll call of all the surviving kunoichis, since we were in a hurry to get to Konoha. As soon as we negotiate the terms and conditions, we of Nadeshiko will take a knee and pledge loyalty to you, Hokage-sama. We will need two weeks at the least to see if we find any more survivors that will end up staying, and those who are determined in the hope of regaining the island are free to leave Konoha and the land of fire altogether. The genin could take a remedial course at the academy to see if they are qualified to be a genin." Tokiwa explained, shocking the Sandaime Hokage internally at the revelation Nadeshiko held, but he firmly kept his poker face as the village leader.
"Ah, I see; now that completely changes everything here in Konoha, we usually give clan status to holders of Kekkei Genkai. But see that your clan will be special because it will be of only women. Am I correct?" The Sandaime commented so he could get confirmation as a plan began to develop in his head.
"Yes, you are correct, Hokage-sama", Tokiwa replied, getting a nod from the elderly man.
"All clans with Kekkei Genkai clan with be separated from the Nadeshiko clan, having their own compound and clan laws in the future. All newborn males will be heirs of these new clans. Any female born to the males will stay in their respective clans, while all female births will be sent to the Nadeshiko clan, with possible minor exceptions that would have to be regulated in the future. We could recheck the condition later to have more clarity in case of other future problems." The Sandaime said, shocking Tokiwa at how quickly the man came up with one of the questions she was having; she was snapped out of her thoughts when the Sandaime continued speaking.
"You have actually brought up something in your favor to this negotiation. Now Tokiwa-san, tell me some of the conditions your people have considered for your loyalty?" The Sandiame asked the representative speaker of Nadeshiko as she steeled herself and began to speak.
"Hokage-sama, I understand that some of our culture and traditions might not be allowed in Konoha. So, I brought a list for you to see so you and your councils could review it and write on another scroll suggestions and reasons for which ones have been denied. We hope that only a few of our cultures and traditions will be changed and that we and the village will take some time to agree. Also, we are willing to take in and raise all the girls from the orphanages, freeing up valuable currency you would usually spend. It would also help the boys get better attention from the caretakers." Tokiwa said as she handed the scroll to the Hokage as he left it next to him.
"I will look over the scroll later with my advisors, and we will discuss the things written on this list. And once we have agreed and decided on your wants, I will summon you and some of your jonins to review the paperwork. As for your request to take in all the orphan girls, that would depend on certain factors. For example I wouldn't in good conscience separate siblings if they were in an orphanage, or any of them choosing not to be in a clan." The Sandaime said as he lit his pipe and took a puff, letting the smoke slowly out, Tokiwa nodded in understanding what the Hokage was trying to say.
"I understand Hokage-sama; also would it be possible to have someone guide Shizuka-chan around Konoha so she can familiarize herself here? Since she is going to begin her lesson at the academy in a few days," Tokiwa said as she looked over to her side to see a happy smile on Shizuka's face. The Sandaime was about to give an answer when his door swung open, and a spiky-haired blond barged in with a foxy grin.
"Hey, Hokage-jiji, how are you doing today? Oops, my bad. I didn't think you were busy right now." Naruto said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. The Hokage sighed at his adopted grandson's antics, and his guests looked surprised.
"Naruto-kun, can't you see I was in an important meeting right now? That is why I tell people to knock on the door before entering. I will have to punish you for your uncourteous disrespect towards what could be our newest clan in Konoha. How is one month without ramen?" The Sandaime said as Naruto turned pale at the fact he wouldn't be able to eat his precious ramen, as the young blond protested with vigor.
During the whole time, Tokiwa and Shizuka were stunned at the young blond who came in and interrupted their meeting, talking to the Hokage so casually and even disrespected by calling him an old man. And to make matters a lot stranger, the Hokage punished the young blond from being able to eat ramen, causing the kid to turn pale and possibly have a mental breakdown in front of everyone. The Hokage treats the young blond as a grandchild, Tokiwa thought. On the other hand, Shizuka took a great interest in Naruto's happy-go-lucky personality and his carefree attitude full of confidence. But she liked the most about the blond were his whisker marks and sun-kissed hair since she had never seen anyone with that unique hair color. Shizuka was snapped out of her thoughts when she heard the Hokage speak with the boy again.
"Naruto, this is no way to act if you are going to become a ninja. I should not let you enter the academy till you mature some more. The fact that you barged in lets people believe I'm incompetent to lead this village." The Sandaime angrily reprimanded the blond, and he quickly got rebuked by the blond.
"That is not true, jiji! You are the best Kage in the world, outliving most Kages around the Elemental Nations." Naruto said it as a matter of fact while praising him and insulting him depending on a person's point of view, getting the old monkey to smile at his adopted grandson.
"Naruto, I just thought of a great idea you could do for me. I would like you to take Shizuka-chan around the village and show some of the best scenery here in Konoha. She is new to the village and will join you as one of your new classmates at the academy. I will give you some currency to buy snacks and something to eat when both of you get hungry. Just remember, no ramen since that is part of your punishment." The Hokage said as Naruto was stunned by the request; as he wanted to say no, the Sandaime continued to speak.
"Tokiwa-san, Shizuka-chan, let me introduce you to my adopted grandson Uzumaki Naruto of Konoha, the most notorious troublemaker and the one that causes most of my hair to fall and many of my gray hairs I have today. He is going to turn eight this year and is the heir of the Uzumaki clan. He was the only Uzumaki, but they found another clan member a few days ago. So he will be the perfect person to guide you around the village, and if by any chance he misbehaves, I will add another punishment and increase the restriction on his ramen." The Hokage said as he blew out a puff of smoke while smiling at them; when Naruto heard the final comment, his face blanched in horror.
"Nice to meet you. My name is Nadeshiko Shizuka. Please treat me well, and I hope you become my first friend when we enter the academy." She bowed to Naruto, who scrambled to bow back in respect.
Naruto wanted to decline the Hokage's request but realized that perhaps this was part of his punishment and part to make a new friend, so he swallowed his anger. When he looked over again at Shizuka, he understood why the Sandaime volunteered him to guide her around. So he relented and gave her a foxy grin as he quickly figured it would be better to make a new friend and possibly a future allied clan head. Since her clan is new to Konoha, she might not have any friends, and does not want her to feel lonely and isolated. Karin and himself are willing to offer her their friendship even without the other party's permission; he is sure they will become great friends. He only hopes Karin won't become upset with him because he left her behind without letting her know.
"Alright, Hokage-jiji, I'm ready to go whenever she is. I might have to pick up Karin to show her around Konoha and show them all the cool sites and the beautiful scenery. I guarantee you will love the village as your new home. Naruto said as he proclaimed with all the energy in the world, making Shizuka smile at his antics.
"Hokage-sama, do you think it possible to continue speaking with you privately? I have some concerns I would like to discuss further that I haven't spoken of yet. Also, will the children have someone watching over them?" Tokiwa asked as the Hokage nodded; understanding the hidden message, he agreed with her request.
"That will be fine. I already have an Anbu squad watching over the Uzumaki from the shadows. I guarantee their safety, so you won't have to worry during our talks. Also, Tokiwa-san, please feel free to ask any questions or concerns you might have." The Sandaime said to get a nod of thanks from the kunoichi, while Shizuka was happy to get out of the boring office as he turned to speak to Naruto.
"Naruto-kun, please be on your best behavior. And keep Shizuka-chan safe and out of trouble. I don't need her to pick up any bad habits from you." The Sandaime said as he got a pouting face from the young blond. Shizuka giggled at his antics again as she only watched the village leader and the blond whisker boy.
Meanwhile, Karin decided to wait in front of the Hokage tower for her delinquent cousin Since she tracked him with her [Eyes Mind of Kagura.] She was still curious about the chakra signatures roaming around Konoha. Karin could tell that something was not right with some of these individuals since their chakra seemed to be blank of any emotions from what she sensed. She felt five particular chakras that stood out to her since Karin was rescued a few days ago. Karin sensed a very powerful chakra without emotions; they had the same feeling as those watching the Uchiha compound and roaming all around the village. The only thing unique about this individual was he had different chakra signatures, his own and two others that she couldn't describe.
She then felt the most terrifying chakra; it was potent and dark, not caring for human life. Death and destruction were all she could sense from that chakra; suspiciously, these two powerful individuals were together now. Then, she felt a strange chakra that would appear and disappear occasionally in different areas of the village. But he felt familiar with the Uchiha Matriarch and the first person she described. Karin could sense this individual's emotion of hate and despair. When they went shopping the other day, they passed by a dango shop, and as she was using her ability, she felt a pool of mixed emotions on a kunoichi with a dark evil chakra like the second individual she felt on her collarbone.
Surprisingly, Karin found a perfect balance to keep her sane. The last chakra she sensed was like nature and was similar to the first and third individual. But he seemed more of an Anbu since he was always hidden in the shadows. As for his emotions, he felt like the first ones she described but would get irritated whenever he or she would follow her cousin. This only made her smile since she had heard from him that he would prank the entire village before they acknowledged that he was, in fact, half-Uzumaki. She then senses Naruto coming out of the Hokage tower with another person with him. She would have to wait and see who her cousin was hanging out with now.
After a few more minutes of bantering with the Hokage, the two kids were dismissed from the aged leader's office. As the two began to make their way out of the tower. Naruto, beginning to tire of the silence, broke it with a question.
"Shizuka-chan, how old are you?
"Naruto asked something simple to start with.
"I'm turning eight years old in November. How about you, Naruto-kun?" Shizuka asked him, out of curiosity, who was older.
"I'm turning eight on October ten. Do you have any dreams or goals for the future?" Naruto asked her as she immediately answered his question.
"My dream is to see my people get our island back from some unknown force that killed many of my people so they will be able to get their independence like before. My goal is to become the strongest kunoichi in the world, just like my mother." Shizuka said as she hoped to get a reaction from the boy, by telling him that her mother was the strongest kunoichi in the world.
Sadly for Shizuka since her life was isolated and she was still young, she was ignorant to the world's truth. This, of course, was not her fault since Nadeshiko only taught the girls the history of their village and their strongest kunoichi. In the future, she will learn that there were more powerful ninjas in the Elemental Nations, including women. And a certain blond will push her motivation to new heights she never dreamed of before. With the help of her future sensei taking her under her wing as a daughter, Shizuka became her disciple of the sword.
"Ah, just to let you know, the strongest Kunoichi in the Elemental Nations is Senju Tsunade, and from what I read, there are many others, and that does not even include the men," Naruto said. He received a displeased look on the young girl's face.
"So, what is your favorite color? What is your favorite flower? Do you know what type of kunoichi you want to be growing up? Naruto said, unleashing a series of questions, accidentally distracting Shizuka from her irritation.
"My favorite color is emerald green, like the color of my eyes. I would have to say the rare blue lily is my favorite flower since it is unique. Like my mother, I want to be skilled with a sword and shuriken jutsu." Shizuka said, a small smile appearing on her face in satisfaction that someone wanted to know her.
"So, Shizuka-chan, do you have any brothers or sisters? "Naruto asked out of curiosity as they were walking down the stairs.
"No, I don't. I'm an only child. How about you? So, what is your favorite color and food? And what are your goals and dreams?" Shizuka asked as they walked towards the exit. Naruto put both hands behind his head and thought about the questions.
"My favorite color is orange; my food is "Ichiraku Ramen," the best food in the world. I'm an only child as well since both my parents died when I was born. But recently, I found a member of my clan, Karin, and she is older than me by a few months. My goal is to become more powerful than the Yondaime Hokage, my idol, and my dream is to rebuild my clan to its former glory of the past." Naruto said as he walked out of the Hokage tower while Shizuka followed closely.
"Hey cousin, how did the fuinjutsu lesson go with the Hokage-sama teaching you?" Karin asked, scaring him since he was not expecting her to be out there.
"Holy shit Karin I thought I was going to get a heart attack, but to be honest, I didn't go; I got sidetracked when I met some new friends. So, we went to the park and had a good time; they got caught and got in trouble with their mothers, so I decided on a whim to visit jiji. I accidentally walked into him while he was at an important meeting. I got punished with one month without ramen, one month! I'm not sure if I'll be able to survive; I might die without the tasty ramen." Naruto said as both girls deadpan at his exaggerated talk, but he kept speaking.
"Then jiji asked me for a favor to guide Shizuka-chan around the village since her clan just moved to Konoha. So far, she is nice and pretty; you would get along with her", Naruto said, not realizing the blush on Shizuka's cheeks.
Karin, however, was surprised that Naruto was honest enough to explain till now. In a way, she wanted to scold him for missing out on his lessons on fuinjutsu, but the fact that he never had friends, held her back. Karin then gave Naruto a chop on the head for interrupting the Hokage during important meetings. To any other person in the village, the punishment might be a slap on the hand, but for a ramen addict, it was pretty harsh.
"Naruto-kun, you need to work on your manners when introducing people. Hi there. I'm Uzumaki Karin I'm Naruto-kun's older cousin, and I'm eight years old. So, what's your name?" she asked as Naruto kept rubbing his head from the brutal hit he received.
"I'm Nadeshiko Shizuka. I'm seven years old, and my village just moved to Konoha; I don't want to discuss it since it is personal. But to be honest, I never had a friend my age, so I'm happy to be able to meet Naruto-kun and yourself. Plus, I will enter the academy this year; I'm excited to meet new people and become friends. Because our village was an only female, and I am the village leader's daughter. But my mother passed away, so now I'm left all alone without any blood relatives." Shizuka said sadly, while the two Uzumaki could sympathize with the emerald eye girl.
"Shizuka-chan, you won't have to worry about anything anymore because we will be friends from today onward. If you are ever in trouble, you need to look for us, and we will try to help you with all our strength." Karin said as she used her finger to adjust her glasses, while Naruto nodded in agreement.
"Thanks, you two. I really appreciate your support," Shizuka said, bowing to the two Uzumaki. A warmth filled her heart.
"Let me guide you both around Konoha. Prepared, I'll make sure we have a good time!" Naruto said confidently puffing out his chest in pride, and the two girls nodded in affirmation. From then on, the three children went around Konoha to see all the essential scenery, from the market area to the top of the "Hokage Monument."
Afterwards, they went to Dango stand to have dinner, but the whole time, Shizuka never had so much fun in her entire young life. She could see herself staying here for the rest of her life since, technically, she is an orphan. She doesn't have to follow the village or how the clan laws to become the leader of a women-only clan. They would still have to work out some kinds of laws and rules but they will figure it out in time sooner rather than later. While talking and laughing, the Hokage, Tokiwa, and some kunoichi guards from Nadeshiko came inside to find Shizuka.
When the Hokage appeared and invited them, they were more than welcome to eat dinner with him. All the kunoichi bowed respectfully and gladly accepted and followed the aged leader's invitation. The kids finally noticed the Sandaime and Shizuka's guardian, so they introduced Karin to the rest of the Nadeshiko group. They politely said hello, and the Hokage left after finishing his dinner so he could excuse himself on some other matters; for the rest of the time, Shizuka talked about her day and what they did. An hour later, the Nadeshiko group was ready to return to camp, so the children said goodbye and left.
Naruto and Karin walked back to the Uchiha compound in the dark all the while they were being watched in the shadows by different groups. Karin began to fear, scared that there were many unknown factors in play, and having a sense of danger, she grabbed Naruto's hand and told him they should really hurry home. Feeling Karin's urgency, he could tell that something was not right, so he trusted his cousin and began to run back home as quickly as possible. Not long after, the kids made it home, where they took off their sandals, and both hurried to get their clothes ready for bed after each bathing. Once both were done bathing, Karin looked around her room in case of anything before locking the room before falling asleep.
On the other hand, Naruto knew something had spooked Karin to the point that she felt danger and did not want to risk their lives for nothing. He had a feeling that Karin was possibly a sensor and could detect unwanted dangers, something that Naruto would ask at a later time. Naruto also wonders if, in the future, he will gain the sensory ability to make him an extraordinary ninja. But first, Naruto would have to go to Shisui and ask about the advantages of being a sensor. And would ask him if, by chance, he and Karin were in danger as well.
A/N: Hello fellow readers and writers I hope everyone enjoyed this new chapter. We are one chapter away to end this introduction arch and finally to begin the Academy arch were I'll be introducing the Konoha 11 and some add-ons. I am going to be honest with you guy but I am not following cannon and will be changing alot of things. I'm also curious if anyone reading this chapter will pick up on something I hidden in plain sight. Anyway please leave your reviews and thoughts. Want to give thanks to Samuel Santillan: for leaving another review hope the chapter was up to your standards. InsaneMakaioshin: first sorry for not give proper thank for your other reviews. 1. Glad I was able to surprise you with the destruction of Nadeshiko I had to make sense on how to make Shizuka a Konoha ninja and that was one that I thought of. 2. Kakashi at the time was still Anbu so it only make sense that coming from a mission he would lucky discover some Uzumakis. 3. Well i think a good story could use a little bit of tragedy make people get teary eyed maybe lol. 4. It was just introducing him early in the story and his mother but you are correct he will be going later to the academy. 5. Well in my opinion from the start the Uchiha has alway been the favorite clan for Kishimoto. But as tragic that it was for them I thought what if Sasuke mom lived and some Uchiha children. I think Izumi could had a better roll since she was half Uchiha since she crushed on Itachi since they were little. And a I thought what if I throw some O.c as Half Uchiha cause one of it clan members didn't want to follow the clans will by keeping his family secret that what you call a curve ball in the story lol. And as for your current review thanks I'm going to try my hard to produce a good story just like some that are out their.