Hello my dear friends. There wasn't too much action in the last chapter, but it won't be in this one either. That doesn't mean they won't be any less interesting, so go ahead and enjoy.
"Sorry, Haru-san, but this isn't it either. " I told the girl who was in charge of walking me around the village looking for a place to live while I was in Konoha. But so far we haven't found anything even though this was the eighth apartment we've looked at so I'm starting to think that Haru has started to lose patience with me and give up on me.. Thank God, a girl has patience for picky people like me and that she didn't stop for the last five hours to take me around the city looking for a new home for me.
In my defense, there wasn't a any good choice. The first two apartments were literally in the center of Konoha, not far from the market as well as very close to the Hokage tower, and I don't like the fact that the shinobi have such a close eye on me, especially Danzo and Root. Then we moved to the part where there were more civilians, far from the other clans, but most of the apartments had cracks on the walls, mold in the corners, and in the previous one I could have sworn that I heard two maniacs fighting like crazy and no one came out to complain, but there wasn't any occupied apartment around them for someone to complain about, and I want my own peace and quiet, OK, maybe not qiuet, but peace for sure.., I didn't like this apartment because it didn't allow to keep plants or animals under the pretext that landlord is allergic to animal hair and pollen. And since I'm used to always having pots of herbs in my kitchen and some creeper climbing around the window in my room on the windows and a living room with a couple of ficuses, that was unacceptable.
I began to pray, holding my silver cross pendant that hung around my neck and was almost always under my clothes. My mom gave it to me when I was seven saying she would always protect me and I've never taken it off since. My mom also has one, but a gold one that she never takes off, so it was our family thing as my grandmother (her mother) also has a similar gold one while her brother (my uncle) has a silver one just like me while my cousins (his sons ) has a golden ones. It like rule older relatives got golden cross younger ones get silver ones.
I was hoping we'd run into something soon because I honestly couldn't handle another night at Sarutobi's. It's not that they weren't good hosts, but the service was too kind for my taste, and I'm used to being independent, I like to cook my own meals, make my own bed, make my bathtub... And the first night when I cried until I was exhausted and fell asleep, the next morning everyone looked at me with pity in their eyes and tried to comfort me in a way I didn't like. Recommendations were to sit in the garden and rest, take a bath in one of their scented baths and the like every time I tried to explain to them that I like to relax dynamic, walk, help in the kitchen, etc., they urged me to rest from emotional stress.
I was grateful for the hospitality and all, but I'd rather run away from it, especially since it looks like Danzo is visiting Hiruzen tomorrow and I don't intend to be there when that happens. As I finished my prayer and put the cross back under my black shirt on the short sleeve with a silver rose and its thorns forming a circle around it. I turned to Haru who was flipping through the papers trying to find something that would satisfy me, but the expression on her face told me that with each page that was turned, more and more hope was disappearing from her green eyes. After about twenty papers, a small uncertain spark lit up in her eyes as she read the information from the sheet she was currently on.
,, Uzumaki-san. There is another place we could look at, but it's not near the market, nor the academy, nor the public streets and it's pretty small so I don't know if it would suit you." For me, that was enough to take a look, regardless of the distance and the fact that there are no main street. I liked that way more. And every time I get called Uzumaki-san my whole stomach turns and everything around me go upside down. Around noon after my first evening in Konoha, Inoichi showed up with the papers about my new identity, and more surprised I couldn't be.
First and last name: Maxi Uzumaki
Height: 178 cm
Weight: 75 kg
Date of birth: September 17
Age: 20
Rank: under determination
Reason for coming to Konoha: Wandering doctor and kunoichi for the past few years, after the destruction of her home in the land of tea. The only survivor. Eager to work in Konoha as Sensei at the Ninja Academy.
Abilities: under determination..
It seems they really thought my real name was Maxi and put it in my papers, which I didn't complain too much about. At home, my name was spoken just when I got into serious trouble or when I pissed someone off to the point that I had to run away. Everyone had a different nickname for me in the family as well as my friends. Of course, same are mentioned more often than others, and the most common is Maxi, so every time when introduce myself so I use it as my name.
But what surprised me was that they gave me the last name Uzumaki. I argued with Inoichi about that for at least an hour, because it's not right that just because of the color of my hair and the fact that I'm a newcomer to Konoha, they immediately condemn me to the last name Uzumak. They literally put a huge target on my back, especially for the Kirigakura and Iwagakura ninjas who are eager for the Uzumaki kekkei genkai. To make matters worse, my hair isn't even naturally red and I dyed it wanting to try something new. My natural hair is dark brown with streaks that tend to black, and it grows fast, which would mean no red in four months.
In response to all of this, Inoichi said that if anyone asked, I should tell them that I dyed it myself to draw less attention to myself. , seriously man, that's your best excuse., but well, you shouldn't cry over spilled milk, even if they didn't get any other important data wrong. Although I didn't even think that he would try so hard to fit me in as much as possible. Inoichi from the anime and manga was much colder, more serious. Or is he just feeling sorry for me since I'm literally cut off from my dimension without knowing anyone so he wanted to provide a little more support or possible knowledge .
In addition, he gave me an envelope with a lot of money so that I could get essential things until I start working in three months and in the meantime after I unlock my chakra and start with D and C rank missions. More ones of C rank to be consulted for chunin, but they will probably send me to some B rank. In the papers it says that I was a medical support and reinforcement on an S-rank mission, which is why I assume they could legally pay me with the money in the envelope.
It literally took us half now to reach our destination since Haru was walking at a civilized speed and I didn't want to go my normal speed because the poor girl would had to run for me the whole way. When we arrived before long there was a wooden gate up to the waist and the walls were about two meters so you couldn't peek inside, except from the gate. The front yard was overgrown with pepper, grass, weeds, and the only thing you could barely see was a stone path like the one in The Hobbit, but they were just bigger for us humans.
After we got closer, my attention was drawn to the house, which was not very big but somehow nice. At the entrance, it had a porch with a fence and a canopy, and the fence with the porch ran from end to end of the house with only an opening for passage. The wood appeared to be in good condition without mold or rotting, but only with a lot of cobwebs, overgrown creepers and dust from long disuse. The door was not a typical Japanese sliding door, but a normal one like the ones on the apartments, with light-colored wood where you can see its patterns quite well.
Haru quickly ushered me inside without seeming to want to spend too much time in this place. The hallway was short with a couple of pegs hanging on the wall and an old wooden shoe rack, which I've seen in other places. The living room was somewhat different. The walls were very light gray from age, but when I touched the wall it didn't seem like hollow, but solid stone, while the windows for some reason were oval with a couple of polished spoke and leaf shapes on the edges. There wasn't much in the living room except for a shelf and a round table with carved vine-like legs for four with matching chairs whit half wall divided the kitchen and the living room, making it a second table for a quick meal or a side table.
The kitchen was not poorly equipped, with a wood-burning stove, a stone sink decorated with multi-colored pebbles, large enough to hold a cauldron. It has almost the entire length of the sideboard and a work table next to another equally round window with an opening for ventilation above it. Next to the shelf were the doors of the pantry as Haru had said, but the room was almost empty with a couple of boxes, probably empty, and a small square window in the corner. From the opposite side came another door that led to a bathroom that had a traditional Japanese large bathtub with intricate detailing on the sink and a fogged mirror above it. Bioler seemed to be in surprisingly good condition which was good enough for me.
The only thing left was the door to the back yard, which I found unusual until Haru showed me the handle hanging from the ceiling for the folding stairs. When we went up there was an empty room literally under the roof and it seemed like a longer triangular tent and it was well lit with two wide bony windows one across from the other as well as a small window on the side that led to the roof. It was quite good for me, except that it was quite dirty and empty and you would have to invest a lot of money to make it 100% functional again, but I liked it most of all so far.
Hana apparently went downstairs before me, waiting for me to look at the back yard, which was as huge as a football field, overgrown with bushes and grass, but at the same time the back of the yard, a forest cast a shadow, into which the gate surprisingly led. I could almost hear the forest itself calling me, and when I strained my ears a little more, I heard a very soft murmur, which seemed to be the river near. For some reason, the neighbors were a bit further apart, but it was better for me because I didn't like someone looking at me while I was working, especially not someone I knew.
As I walked back to Hana the girl was looking at me with an apologetic look in her eyes and for some reason she felt uncomfortable in this place but she didn't have to stay here much longer because,, I take it." You could almost hear her jaw hit the ground and her eyes drop out. out of the head making a pop sound.,, You know it needs a lot of renovations, it's also a very small house and not to mention that the back part goes into the forest, which is why a lot of the previous owners had problems with paraites and rodents. It's also quite far from the hospital , the academy..." I put my hand on Hara's mouth and encouraged her to take a deep breath and then exhale a couple of times with me. The problems she mentioned were enough that someone wouldn't want to take this cabin, but it wasn't a problem for me. Since I'm alone and I don't require a lot of space, it's far from the center and it's not the most pleasant apartment because it's quiet and relaxing, and rodents and forest animals were not a problem for me, knowing that there are various ways to get rid of them.
Honestly, I have always wanted a place like this. A small house just for me to shape as I wish, a large yard where I can plant fruits and vegetables, places for a garden and others, the back exit is in the forest so that I can satisfy my desire to explore and have relaxing walks through the woods, that's enough people even though I'm a social butterfly. "I'm aware of that, Haru-san. But that's what makes me so happy." I'll just have to find a way to come up with more money so she can get this place in tip-top order as soon as possible. Haru smiled from ear to ear with flushed cheeks not expecting to end our quest here, but I'm glad it is. The only thing left is to sign the papers and move in with my things, which weren't much, just my backpack, so today was the day to buy the necessary things, things for the bedroom and the bathroom first and then arrange everything other things.
In the afternoon, the market seemed to be full of people. You could barely see a few steps in front of you and everyone seemed to be in a hurry. Fortunately, I managed to find a furniture store where I got a small desk for my bedroom, and in another store where I ordered a futon for two people, since I tend to turn around in our sleep and it would be too small for one anyway. It's a good thing they said they'd deliver both tonight because I wouldn't have anything to sleep on.
I was currently looking for a ninja equipment store, a bookstore, as well as grocery and home hygiene stores. But it seemed that I got lost, since the corners of the places I passed were mostly restaurants, bars and cafes. I tried to go back to the main intersection but it didn't seem like I would find anything here. While I was avoiding people in the crowd, I heard someone calling my name behind me, and when I turned around, I had someone to see.
It was an Itachi in his civilian clothes, without his ninja gear that made him look serious. He looked irresistibly cute like this, like my younger cousins, I had to restrain myself from grabbing him in a bear hug. Next to him I noticed a woman in her early thirties or late twenties who I assumed was Mikoto Uchiha and the little six year old boy holding her hand was Sasuke. ,, Maxi-san." Itachi called out to me as he walked over with his the family looked at me with a slight polite smile on their face while Sasuke looked at me as if I had just killed his puppy and Mikoto with a nostalgic sad look..
,, Oh... little one what are you doing here, you should be in the hospital or at home resting eyes and your chakra system." Even though his expression didn't change, you could clearly see him blushing at the nickname I gave him, but who could have I been then. when I am just weak to children. Mikoto giggled at my nickname for Itachi, pleasantly surprised and happy that someone was treating her oldest son like a child, not like a soldier or someone for the position of heir to the clan. "My name is Mikoto Uchiha and this is Sasuke, my youngest son, and I believe you already know Itachi." Mikoto and I bowed slightly in respect to each other as he called out to Sasuke to say hello, but he remained silent and stared at me. ,, Nice to meet you Uchiha-san, my name is Maxi Uzumaki. I hope we get along well." I addressed her with a huge smile on my face.
Mikoto looked shocked for a moment and looked like she was going to cry but held back because it was a public place full of people. I, on the other hand, was mentally beating my head because how could I forget that Mikoto and Kushina were best friends, even more so Mikoto wanted to adopt Naruto but couldn't because of the clan. Mikoto noticed the panic on my face and quickly pulled herself together, flashing a similar smile to Itachi's only more realistic and invited me to join them at a nearby cafe for tea and dango cakes that literally made Itachi's eyes light up. , Oh..How cute., And the pouty Sasuke is just as irresistible with his puffy red cheeks.
As they occupied the table themselves, Mikoto went to order a large portion of dango while I sat at the table with Itachi next to me and opposite me Sasuke was still staring at me, not liking that Mikoto and Itachi invited me to sit with them. ,, You still haven't answered me Itachi, why aren't you resting." I asked him in a deathly serious voice, knowing that when his mother returned she would take the opportunity to squirm out of my questions. ,, I appreciate your concern Maxi-san, but they let me from the hospital, the same evening when we returned, with a prescription and I've already been resting for two days with light training." I didn't like this at all. As strong as Itachi is, smart and all, but he's still a kid around ten or eleven years old who should rest more and recover longer from such exertion. In addition, I don't believe at all in his light training, and judging by the way his eyes move and how much he tries keep his body from moving too much, he is still exhausted and his eyes are strained.
,, First little one, stop with -san and just call me Maxi. Second, I see you are not fine, so I would beg you to give me your hand and if you have the recipe with you, I can check. "Itachi wanted to protest but I looked at him sideways with a look that almost screamed,, just dare to reject me.,, after all his mother was nearby and I could have easily played that card and made that Mikoto don't let him go on missions until the end of the month if I have to, "It's like you don't know what it's like to be a true ninja, Aniki doesn't need your help, you ugly cow." Sasuke told me with a sullen tone that almost all Uchiha possess, looking down on me, not knowing that he had just written a sentence for himself.
,,Sasuke Uchiha, apologized right away to Uzumaki-san."Sasuke paled when he heard his mother berate him and zo in front of everyone in the cafe causing whispers. Not that Sasuke was rude but when they heard that Mikoto called me Uzumaki. Sasuke looked his brother for support but Itachi looked at him seriously as well, waiting for him to apologize to me. Sasuke clenched his fists stuffing them with his white shorts looking at the ground in shame. ,, I apologize. " It wasn't enough for Mikoto, but it was for me, because Sasuke is still young and kids are often like that at his age and say whatever comes to mind first. ,, It's fine Uchiha-san, but please call me Maxi. And Sasuke, I accept the apology." Sasuke looked at me carefully from under his bangs while I sent him a comforting look and Mikoto put down her order of dango while a few seconds later the worker started caring teas for me and Mikoto.
When Mikoto put down the dessert plate, I reached out to Itachi, waiting for him to give me his hand so I could check on him. ,, Itachi?"Finally, he held out his hand, and I immediately took it and went to check the pulse, pressure, temperature, tried to feel the tension of the muscles in his hands... Sasuke and Mikoto looked at us confused while Itachi spoke his transcript for recovery.,, Itachi, stop taking the solider chakra pills for at least the next five days. And don't you dare use the sharingan at the same time." Mikoto watched me with a very worried look on her face while Itachi looked like I betrayed him but I had to do this otherwise he would have to make a big shadow out of impatience.
,, I'm serious here, Itachi. No matter how good a shinobi you are you are still a child, not a teenager, a child. Solider chakra pills are coated specifically for adults with a developed chakra system, fully grown body. If you continue to use them in this state, you could damage your chakra coils and even your entire chakra system. And those nutritional supplements are not the most useful for you because you also need real food in addition to them and plenty of rest. Chakra exhaustion is not only traumatic for the chakra system, but also for the physical body and mind." Itachi looked at me with comparison but also with understanding. Of course, no one could see that except me, who was looking directly into his eyes, and eyes are difficult to hide emotions, especially when you're at Itachi's age, no matter how stupid you act.
"But Maxi, I'll have a mission again soon and I mustn't be unprepared, it's my duty to the village." Mikoto seemed ready to argue with Itachi and Sasuke said something insulting to me again, but I didn't let anyone interrupt me. ,,Which is more of a burden Itachi, a person who collapses during a dangerous mission or a person who can serve as backup with about eighty percent strength." Itachi knew the answer to that question as he looked and nodded his head followed by a ,hn, yes will listen to my advice. "By the way, your teammates won't recover for another week at least, but I'd rather say two weeks. You have enough time to heal properly. Rushing it will only make things worse." the last part for seemed to give him the assurance that he had more time so he let out a sigh of relief as his mother looked at me in surprise at my action.
Itachi somehow managed to stuff five dango sticks into his mouth and swallow them in less than a minute, then he turned to his mom and Sasuke. ,, Maxi is a medic who helped us on the mission when things gone south. Thanks to her, they didn't keep me in the hospital overnight." this time I blushed a little, because I'm not used to receiving such compliments from anyone. With my bff, there was a "Thank you Maxi", a group hug and that was enough for me and so on. I how asked them to thank me and not with long explanations and sentences. "I see, I am grateful to you for helping Itachi and his team Maxi."
Mikoto thanked me, to which I told her that it was my pleasure to be there if she needed anything, even just to talk. They also explained to me where the best shops are in Konoha and offered to walk me to a bookstore that was on the way to their house. Sasuke no longer saw me as an enemy but as an interesting new toy that he was trying to break into working. Somehow seemed silly and cute as he watched between me and Mikoto talking about how some shinobi just don't have a sense of themselves.
When we got to the bookstore, we started saying goodbyes, first to Sasuke, who somehow relaxed in the interim, then to Mikoto, with whom I agreed to visit her next week for tea, and then to Itachi, who seemed like he wanted to ask me something. "If it's not a problem Maxi, I'd like to ask you to train with me and my team next week and show us your style of taijitsu and kenjitsu." This was interesting.
Me showing shinobi kung fu sounded more than ridiculous, but when he asked so nicely how could I refuse. Maybe they can help me with unlocking my chakra. ,, I will definitely make the time, but it depends on Sandaime-sama and how my preparations for the academy are going." this shocked all three Uchiha family members as they looked at me with surprise and curiosity for some reason. "That means I'll see you at the academy." To which I smiled with the famous Naruto smile, "Believe me."