It's 6:24 and Takara is desperately running around getting ready. Takara arrived at the Leaf Village with only 4 items: a pillow, 2 throw blankets, and her song journal. She doesn't have any extra clothing, food, toiletries, or any other basic needs. She doesn't even have a penny to her name after renting out the cheapest apartment in the Leaf Village and buying cheap pillows and blankets.

"Man, what do I do? I have nothing! I wish I knew living on your own was so hard at first! Ugh, why was I kidnapped? I don't even know what's normal and what isn't. I want to make friends but it's so hard for me to trust anybody!" Takara thought to herself.

Takara thinks about Naruto, Hinata, and Neji. "I mean, Naruto is apparently the hero of the village. Hinata is very respectful, and Neji... I don't know what to think about him, except those eyes. I swear I've seen them before."

Takara is in a deep thought until there is a knock at her door. The knock brought her back to reality. Takara goes to her door and looks out the peephole. She sees Naruto. Takara smiles and opens the door welcoming Naruto.

"Ready to taste the best ramen in the whole world?" Naruto asks excitedly.

"Absolutely," Takara says.

Takara walks out of her apartment. Takara looks over her shoulders then locks her door.

Naruto notices Takara looking around. "You okay?"

"Yeah, just... I'm very paranoid," Takara says and looks back at Naruto.

"Well don't worry! I'm Naruto Uzumaki, the future hokage! I'll keep you safe, believe it!" Naruto says.

Takara chuckles. "Thanks future hokage."

Naruto giggles. "I can't wait for you to meet all my friends. Are you excited?"

"No, I'm terrified actually," Takara says.

"Oh trust me, everyone is a joy to be around!" Naruto says.

"It's hard for me to trust anyone, especially after what happened to me," Takara says while looking away.

"Well, maybe getting delicious ramen will help you feel better!" Naruto says.

Takara shrugs her shoulders. Naruto then starts running.

"Wait! Don't leave me!" Takara yells and runs to catch up to Naruto.

"Catch me if you can!" Naruto playfully calls out. Naruto turns around and starts to run backwards so that he can keep an eye on Takara.

"I thought while we walked that you'd show me around the village! I haven't seen the village in over 13 years!" Takara yells.

"I'll show you around the village when we have more time!" Naruto says.

Naruto stops running so that Takara can catch up.

"You... sure... are fast," Takara says out of breath. "All this running reminds me of when I ran away."

"All part of being a shinobi," Naruto says.

"Must be nice," Takara says. "While I was captured and living in hell, you all were training to be amazing shinobi."

"It's never too late to start training!" says Naruto.

"Like at the academy? Naruto, I'm 18," Takara says. "I missed my chance. I have to figure out my purpose in life." Takara stops looking at Naruto and faces forward and starts walking.

"I wouldn't mind helping you train," Naruto says.

"It's okay Naruto," Takara says, still walking. "Plus, I have bad anxiety and I'm constantly paranoid. Not to mention, I have bad flashbacks from time to time. I'm not cut out to be a shinobi."

"I still think you'd make a great shinobi, Takara," Naruto says.

"I don't think so, but thank you," Takara says.

Takara sees Naruto stop walking. Takara looks around and sees a building that looks like a ramen shop.

"Are we here?" Takara asks.

"We've arrived!" Naruto says loud enough so everyone can hear him.

Takara's heart skips a beat. She hides behind Naruto.

Everyone looks up and runs to Naruto, not realizing that Takara is there.

"Naruto! You made it!" Sakura cheerfully says.

"Good to see you again," Sai says.

"Hey guys!" Naruto says. "I want you all to meet a new friend of mine."

Takara's eyes get big.

"Friend?" Takara thought to herself.

"Who?" Sakura asks while looking around.

Naruto pulls on Takara's arm and pulls her out from behind him so she'd be next to him. Takara is as stiff as a tree. Her eyes widened and her cheeks turn red.

Everyone gasps.

"Naruto! You're friends with Takara Uta?!" Ino asks in total shock.

"Whoa," Shikamaru says. "I just saw you on the news earlier and now I'm talking to you!"

Takara closes her eyes and waves to everyone for about a second. Her face is still as red as a tomato.

"I didn't even know you were in the Leaf Village, let alone alive!" Ino says excitedly.

Takara chuckles embarrassingly.

"Are you uncomfortable?" asks Neji.

Takara's eyes open real fast when she heard Neji speak. She recognizes his voice.

"Oh, um, no, well. I-," Takara stumbled on her words. "I need to sit down."

"Where would you like to sit?" Sakura asks.

"It doesn't matter," Takara says, clearly being uncomfortable.

Takara sits down at the closest seat. Naruto sits down next to her.

"I love the extra tables out in the open like this," Naruto says.

"Yeah, it's nice. We can all sit together and chat," Sakura says.

Everyone sits down at the table. Takara looks around at the table. She's sitting next to Naruto and Choji. Choji looks down at Takara.

"Hi, I'm Choji," Choji says.

"Um, hello," Takara says shyly.

Takara looks across from her. Right there in front of her is Neji. Takara quietly squeals and picks up the ramen menu to hide. Neji just so happened to see what Takara did.

"Takara?" Neji asks. "You okay?'

Takara gives Neji a thumbs up as she still hides behind the menu. Neji chuckles to himself.

"Hello everyone," says Ayame. "Do you know what you all would like?"

"You know what I like! Don't hold back on the pork!" Naruto says with a big grin.

"Of course," Ayame says as she writes in her little notebook. "What about you girl hiding behind the menu?"

Takara's eyes get big. Naruto looks at Takara and smirks. He rips the menu from Takara's hands. With Takara's head being on the table, she sits up quickly with widened eyes.

"Naruto! You bitch!" Takara yells out while Naruto keeps laughing at what he did.

Ayame gasps. "Are you Takara Uta?!" Takara nods. "Oh my goodness, eat whatever you'd like! It's on the house!"

"Really? Why thank you, you are too kind!" Takara says with a red face. "Miso ramen, please."

"Of course!" Ayame says with joy.

Everyone then starts to tell Ayame what they'd like to eat. Ayame takes everyone's order with pleasure. Ayame then takes her notebook back and her father starts making the ramen.

"So, the Takara Uta, right here in the flesh, huh?" Kiba says.

BARK!

Takara chuckles at Akamaru's bark. "What a cute dog!"

BARK!

Akamaru runs up to Takara and he starts wagging his tail excitedly. Takara starts rubbing Akamaru's soft head. Takara laughs as Akamaru gets more excited.

"Takara, I'm gonna break you out of your shell!" Naruto says.

"My shell?" asks Takara.

"You act so nervous and shy like Hinata! I know deep down there's a fun, crazy girl in you," Naruto says.

"Are you saying I'm not fun?" Takara asks with a smirk.

Naruto smirks. "Yeah! You're not fun! In fact, I think-"

Takara punches Naruto and he goes flying. Naruto crashes into a building. Everyone at the table starts laughing.

"Takara, I think we're going to be good friends," Sakura says.

"Yeah?" Takara asks with a smile.

"Naruto receives at least one punch a day from Sakura," Ino says.

"You're... you're strong... Taka... Takara," Naruto says.

"After the hell I've been through, I got strong from having to throw people off me, and from self defense," Takara says.

"What happened to you?" asks Tenten.

"Tenten, what Takara went through must have been horrible. We shouldn't make her talk about it if she doesn't want to. It's insensitive," Neji tells Tenten.

"Oh, it's fine," Takara says. "We're here to catch up. I might as well tell you all my story if I'm feeling up to it."

"We won't force you to tell, Takara," Neji says.

Takara smiles. "Huh, the first time in my life where I'm not forced to do something."

Ayame comes out carrying a cart full of hot steamy ramen. Everybody's eyes light up as they see their ramen.

"Oh man!" Naruto says excitedly. He gets himself out of the wall and runs to his seat. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

"I hope you all enjoy!" Ayame says then walks back to the shop.

Everyone looks at Takara to see her reaction to the ramen. Her eyes are spinning while she starts to drool.

"You delicious, beautiful bowl of ramen...," Takara says while looking at her bowl. "GET IN MY BELLY!" Takara starts eating her ramen quickly. Everyone at the table laughs.

Everyone then starts to eat their ramen. When most people started eating, Takara slams her bowl down. "DONE!"

Choji immediately puts his bowl down after Takara puts hers down. Choji and Takara look at each other and laugh.

"More please!" Choji yells.

"Make that double!" Takara yells.

"I didn't think you'd eat quicker than Choji," Ino says.

"After I escaped and got help, I ate non stop. I was scared not knowing if I was going to eat again. During that time, I discovered that I'm a foodie!" Takara says.

"Finally! Someone who gets me!" Choji says. Choji puts his hand out to highfive Takara. Takara smiles and highfives Choji. "We're gonna be good friends, aren't we Takara?"

"Oh, absolutely," Takara says.

"TAKARA!" Ino quickly yells.

"Ahg! What?" Takara asks.

"Never EVER call Choji a certain word. It sounds like hat, and so," Ino warns Takara.

"Trigger word huh? Got it," Takara says.

"Good call on the warning Ino," Shikamaru says.

"Yeah," Ino says. "When someone calls him that word, things get ugly."

"I'm pleasantly plump!" Choji says with a smile.

Takara chuckles at Choji's comment. Then, Takara looks up at Ino. "I just realized that I don't know your name, or mostly everyone else here."

"Oh yeah!" Naruto says. "Here's everybody: I'm Naruto, you're Takara, and that's Choji!"

"Hello," Choji says while eating a bag of chips he brought.

"And that's Sai, Ino, Shikamaru," Naruto introduces.

Sai closes his eyes and smiles. "It's nice to meet you, Takara!"

"It's nice to meet you to, Sai," Takara says.

"That's Kiba, and his dog Akamaru," Naruto says. Akamaru barks excitedly.

Takara smiles. "I like Akamaru." She chuckles.

BARK!

"And of course you met Neji and Hinata," Naruto says.

"I swear Neji...," Takara started to say. Neji looks up at her. "I swear I've seen you before."

"Because you have," Neji says.

"Huh?" Takara asks,

"I was leaving the hospital and I heard a shop owner freaking out because they saw you. After your conversation, you turned around, and we looked at each other for a second. Then you ran off," Neji explains.

"Oh yeah, that sounds familiar," Takara says.

"And over there is Lee, Guy Sensei, and Tenten," Naruto says. "Oh, and that's Sakura." Naruto points at Sakura.

"The legendary Takara Uta...," Guy says. "Nice to meet ya!"

"Nice to meet you, uh, Lee's dad?" asks Takara.

Lee's eyes start flowing like a waterfall. Takara gasps at Lee's reaction while Tenten rolls her eyes.

"Oh, Lee! I'm sorry, did I say something to offend you? I'm truly sorry!" Takara bows down.

Neji chuckles.

"It would be such an honor to be the son of Guy Sensei!" Lee says.

"You basically are," Tenten says while rolling her eyes.

"Room for one more?" asks a certain someone. Everyone looks up.

"Kakashi Sensei!" Naruto says excitedly.

Kakashi pulls up a seat and sits on the other side of Naruto.

Kakashi closes his eyes cheerfully. "So, what have I missed?"

Everyone is quiet because they are in shock that Kakashi hasn't noticed Takara on the other side of Naruto. Kakashi opens his eyes.

"Cat got everyone's tongue I see," Kakashi says.

"Um, Kakashi Sensei..." Naruto says.

Kakashi looks down at Naruto. "Yes?'

Naruto points behind him with his thumb, pointing at Takara.

"Did you make a new friend?" Kakashi asks.

Sakura and Guy facepalm.

"Kakashi Sensei, do you seriously not recognize her?" Sakura asks.

"I'm really bad at remembering faces, but I know her face," Guy says.

Naruto scoots out of the way to expose Takara. Takara looks up at Kakashi with her blue eyes widened. While Kakashi looks at Takara, he immediately sees the 5 year old that he'd seen everywhere 13 years ago. Kakashi's eyes widened.

"Hey, you're the 5 year old that went missing," Kakashi says. "Guy and I were sent out on a mission to search for you 13 years ago!"

"WHAT?!" everyone yells.

"That's the only reason I know what she looks like. I had to study her face," Guy says.

"Was I really that big of a deal back then?" Takara asks.

"Absolutely," Kakashi says. "You were the first child abduction in the Leaf Village."

"Yeah, I was well hidden. So well hidden that no one could hear my screams or cries. I constantly thought of purposely getting in trouble so they would just kill me. I do have a crazy scar on my stomach from a forced surgery, and a bruise that just won't go away. I was beaten every, single, day..." Takara looks down and takes a deep breath. "Please don't make me continue."

"No one is gonna force you to do anything," Kakashi says to Takara.

Kakashi scoots Naruto out of the way and sits next to Takara. Kakashi then puts his arm around Takara to support her. Without thinking, Takara screams and smacks Kakashi really hard. Takara jumps up from her seat and takes a few steps back. Her face turns dark red and her eyes get teary.

"Kakashi... I- I...," Takara starts crying more. "Thanks for the ramen, I got to go!"

Takara starts running back to her apartment crying more.

"Man, poor Takara," Sakura says.

"Are you okay Kakashi Sensei?" Sai asks.

"Oh yeah, I'm fine. It didn't hurt... much," Kakashi says. "Putting an arm around her to comfort her is a big no-no."

"Someone should probably walk her home to make sure she is safe," Sai says.

Naruto and Neji look over at Sai. Neji couldn't rescue Takara, but for some reason he has a huge urge to help her in some way. Neji starts to sit up but Naruto bolts up and runs towards Takara. Neji slowly sits back down hoping that no one noticed him.

"You okay Neji?" asks Lee.

Neji's face drops.

"Damn it," Neji mumbles to himself.

"Where you going to help Miss Uta?" Guy asks in a teasing tone.

Neji's face turns red and he lowers himself in his seat.

"Neji, I've never seen you like this," Tenten says while laughing.

With Neji's face still bright red, he sits up quickly and starts eating the rest of his ramen.

"Okay, we'll leave you alone," Tenten says and playfully elbows Neji, making him nearly choke.

Tenten continues laughing at Neji. Neji just wants to hide his face in his bowl, or behind a menu like Takara.

"Neji," Sakura says.

Neji looks up quickly with a little bit of ramen on his face. "Yes Sakura?"

"Let us tell you about the rest of the war while you were in the hospital," Sakura says.

"Yes... please," Neji says, still being embarrassed.