Everything's changing
When I turn around
All out of my control
I'm a mobile
-Avril Lavigne, "Mobile"
"Leavin', huh? Think this place ain't good enough for you anymore?"
Uzumaki Setsuna sighed. Slinger and Miki's reaction to her intentions weren't out of the ordinary, but she hated long goodbyes. Between emotional stuff, tears and packing, this trip was turning into one big pain in the butt. This kid of Haruka's better not be some spoiled brat.
"Slinger, this doesn't have anything to do with the Udon-ya. I like it here. But I've got a job waiting for me back home; can't just keep staying on here and running away from it."
Miki nodded. Always a sucker for a dramatic story, Haruka's letter had reduced her to several hours of tears and blowing her nose.
"Slinger, it's not like she's going away forever. Think of it as a long vacation!"
"Yeah, fine. Look, I ain't yer ball and chain. If ya gotta go, then do it. We'll be waitin'." Slinger crossed his arms and tried to look unconcerned. Always awkward with emotions, he failed.
"Aw, hell. I know I sprung this on you guys kinda quickly. How about we go out for one last night on the town, celebrate before I split?"
That got Slinger Ozaki's attention.
"You're payin', right?"
"This kid really better be worth it." Setsuna mentally waved goodbye to her wallet. When the three of them got really worked up, budgets and accounts everywhere were liable to collapse in ruins.
Later, as she walked on the road back towards the Leaf Village, Setsuna had to think back and wonder whether Haruka had heard that complaint – and done something about it.
* * *
"Whaddaya think I am, Slinger, a money tree? We are not going in the casino."
Halfway into their night of partying and random entertainment, Slinger had dragged the three of them towards the only casino in the out-of-the-way town, still full of suckers and gamblers of all kinds even close to midnight.
"Said ya wanted to live it up, right? Take a chance for once in yer life."
"Just because you get a rush from blowing your money here doesn't mean everybody will, Slinger," Miki sniffed. "Honestly, if you'd save some cash once in a while, you wouldn't always be asking me and Setsuna for loans."
Whether or not the younger waitress genuinely cared about their boss, Miki almost always attempted to steer Slinger towards more useful pursuits and morals. Most of the time, she got nowhere.
"Aw, come on. Everything evens out in the end. When I hit it big, you'll get all your money back!" Slinger turned on whatever was left of his charm. It probably would have left his two waitresses swooning – had they been drunk, desperate and several decades older.
"For Pete's sake…" Setsuna had had enough. Grabbing Slinger and Miki's hands, she dragged them both towards the very first game she saw, a wheel that bore several odds multipliers on its face, ready to be spun.
"Once and for all, I'm gonna prove that this place is nothing but a huge waste of money!" Pulling out everything left in her wallet, Setsuna slammed the wad of cash down in front of the young, pimply-faced worker manning the wheel. "Step aside, kid. One spin and we're out of here."
"Setsuna! That's more than three thousand yen! What are you trying to do?" Miki looked at the entire scene in horror.
"Teaching this idiot the value of money, that's what. I work my ass off for this stuff when I'd rather be sleeping; and he pisses it away here. So let him see what happens when people wager stuff thinking it's all gonna 'even out.'" Turning to the wheel, she yanked it down with a savage jerk and then turned to go. "I'm out of here."
Before she had gotten five steps away from the wheel, a shout froze her in her tracks.
"OH, MY DEAR SWEET LORD!"
Turning around slightly, Setsuna caught sight of Slinger and Miki still staring at the wheel, faces ashen and gaping.
"Okay, what now? Hypnotized by all that fools' gold?"
"Y-y-y-y-y-y-you…" Slinger could only point at the wheel, speechless.
Setsuna glanced towards Miki, looking for a saner viewpoint. She slapped her forehead as Miki copied their boss.
"Y-y-y-y-y-y-you…"
"I-I-I-I-I-I WHAT? You two gone bonkers?" Then she caught sight of the wheel. The needle had stopped, pointing at the lone slice of the wheel marked JACKPOT.
"Well, whaddaya know. Slinger was right for once in his life? World's coming to an end." Setsuna looked at the casino employee, pointing a thumb at the wheel. "What's a jackpot pay?"
"Ten thousand to one." Hands shaking, the young man looked down at the pile of cash on the table. "Roughly estimating from what you bet, you're up more than 30 million yen, Ma'am."
Slinger Ozaki fainted dead away.
"Ya gotta let me come with ya, Setsuna! That's enough cash to build a new restaurant; hell, enough to build ten! Forget the Udon-ya, we could all start over in your village! Whaddaya say?"
Once Slinger had been dragged out of the casino, had water splashed in his face, and gotten over crying about "missing his big chance," he had started in on Setsuna. The ex-waitress looked over at Miki with a questioning expression.
"Well, it would be nice, I suppose. Things just wouldn't be the same with only me and Slinger here." Miki smoothed back her frizzy red hair and giggled as Slinger got down on his hands and knees and started kowtowing. "Besides, you know he's never going to quit begging until you say yes."
I just know I'm gonna regret this, but it's easier than having to listen to him beg for another six hours or so.
"All right! ALL RIGHT! You two can come with me already. Now would you shut up?"
"Ya mean it?" Slinger sprang up with surprising speed.
"Hold it, big boy, this ain't a free ride. I got conditions."
"Name it." Money signs were dancing in the chef's eyes as he awaited her response.
"I'm the boss now. No more of this 'slacker' junk coming from you; Miki and I work when we feel like it, as hard as we feel like it. I think you're not treating us with the proper respect, you're out on your ass. Got it?"
"Yeah, sure. Whatever you say, chief." Slinger might as well have been a robot, for all the attention he showed.
Setsuna sighed.
"I'm really gonna regret this."
* * *
A country away, Naruto was regretting something for a different reason. Preparing to return to training, he had gotten barely a block from home when he noticed a medium-sized cardboard box scurrying behind him, out of the corner of his eye. Aw, crud. Not those three.
Flexing his knees slightly, Naruto leaped up onto the roof of the house across the street, intent on leaving Konohamaru and his two cronies behind. He normally didn't take Arashi's comments too seriously, but his training was important enough that the Fourth Hokage's words sunk in for once. Nobody else could be allowed to learn the Uzumaki techniques; whatever edge he might gain would quickly vanish.
Still stiff from three days of being pounded by traps, Naruto couldn't move as fast as he wished; the weights on his shoulders and legs weren't helping. So he wasn't surprised when, three houses later, the box was still scrambling along the street after him. With such reduced mobility there was no way he could outrun them. Bowing to reality, Naruto leaped backwards off the roofs, landing behind the box. No training for a while.
"All right, you idiots. How'd you find me this time?"
Konohamaru's muffled voice echoed from inside his hiding place.
"Leader, you clank when you walk. It's hard not to notice you."
"Would you get out from under that stupid box?" Naruto bristled. He had to deal with the kids, but he didn't have to like it. "It never fools anyone!"
While it was a good lesson for the three kids, Naruto probably should have kept his mouth shut. The box exploded as it usually did when Konohamaru was "discovered," sending multicolored clouds of smoke billowing into the air as Konohamaru, Udon and Moegi were revealed.
"Leader, will you play with us? It's been so boring with everybody away in the forest!" Moegi coupled her request with the deadliest form of genjutsu known to man – Puppy Dog Eyes no Jutsu. Had Konohamaru asked, Naruto would have denied him outright, but the little kunoichi was too cute to resist. Besides, after getting beat up so badly, he wasn't too keen on going back to the training ground for another day or two.
"Yeah, sure. Just don't go running off too far; dangerous people are still in the village, and I'm not in any shape to be saving your butts like last time."
"YAY!"
"I'm probably gonna regret this, but what the hell." Naruto growled to himself as he followed the Konohamaru Corps in the opposite direction of the Uzumaki house. His actions did not go unnoticed.
* * *
"Looking through houses again?"
Hyuuga Hinata jumped as the soft voice startled her out of the Byakugan, solidifying the objects between her and Naruto. She turned from her seat on a bench to see her teammate, Aburame Shino, sitting down next to her.
"W-well, I thought I would practice. Neji-kun is always looking at birds, so I thought I'd try looking through things instead. He wouldn't like me copying him."
Shino shrugged.
"You really shouldn't worry about what others think of you, Hinata. It's your life to live."
Hinata twiddled her thumbs absently. "I know that…I just don't like to make trouble."
The ghost of a smile flittered across Shino's face.
"For once, I think you should follow Kiba's example. He couldn't care less what others think of him, as he usually lets everyone know."
Hinata giggled. Team 8 didn't have a true "leader," but from watching the constant conflicts between Kiba and Shino, an outside observer would think the two boys wanted to settle the issue once and for all. Hinata knew they both respected each other too much to actually pull rank, no matter how many subtle insults they threw at each other. They weren't friends, but they'd band together before they let anyone else get the upper hand.
"Akamaru would bite anyone that disrespected Kiba anyway, Shino."
"I could give you a hive or two of wasps." Shino grinned.
"Forget it. With my personality, they'd probably turn on me first."
Hinata's timidity was half a running joke and half a problem for Team 8. Shino normally said nothing about it, since he himself preferred the conservative approach. Kiba, on the other hand…
"Oi, what's with you two? You got nothing better to do than sit around, then we oughta go train or something."
Shino grimaced. Speak of the devil…
Inuzuka Kiba, as usual, strolled up with the brashness that defined him, Akamaru perched on top of the fanged Genin's hood.
"What about it? Shouldn't waste this break time. Everyone smart's gonna be looking for every advantage they can get while the Exam's suspended. And I'm no idiot."
Shino snorted.
"Could have fooled me."
"Bite me, you bug-loving freak!"
"Sorry. Dog blood doesn't interest the guys here."
Hinata smiled as Shino and Kiba continued the argument, all the while moving towards their usual sparring grounds in the forest. It was just business as usual for Team 8. Still, her teammates had brought up some good points. Things weren't going too well the way she was now; unassertive and behind everyone in strength. Perhaps once she got stronger and more confident, Naruto would actually do more than greet her and move on.
She shouldn't waste time. Knowing Naruto, his strength was growing day by day; to catch up, she'd have to be just as dedicated. Resolving herself to work harder, Hinata followed her teammates and went to train. Her dreams would have to wait a little longer.
* * *
Daydreams were on the mind of another Leaf ninja, but this time it was Nara Shikamaru. Leaning back on the balcony outside his room, he stared up at the clouds, pondering what the day held. Choji was off somewhere, probably stuffing his face to make up for losing a few days' worth of meals in the Forest, and using the Meat Tank no Jutsu against the Sound Genins. That was no problem. Unfortunately, his other teammate hadn't shown up yet. That meant he was about due for another round of…
"Shikamaru! Get off your butt and let's go get some training in! We've got better things to do than sit around all day and stare at nothing!"
Just like clockwork. Shikamaru wondered if Yamanaka Ino had been born pushy and overbearing, or if something had turned her into the holy terror of Team 10. If she'd been born that way, he didn't envy the poor sap that married Ino someday. Heaven help Sasuke if she ever gets her claws into him. He'll wish he'd chosen Sakura, all right.
The platinum blonde kunoichi glared up at her teammate, frustration evident in her eyes. Had she been less experienced with Shikamaru, Ino probably would have tried to possess him with the Shintenshin and move him herself. Now she knew it was just a waste of time. As usual, his slow response sent her temper soaring.
"The hell should I bother with that troublesome crap? Go train yourself. You can't go possessing everybody and you don't know how to do anything else."
"Then I need a sparring partner!"
"Ask Choji. He can take the punishment, and he needs the exercise anyway."
"Argh! No wonder we're so weak. I've got a human vacuum cleaner and a lump that calls itself a ninja to work with!" When Shikamaru was like this, Ino knew she wasn't getting him to go anywhere. If even Asuma-sensei had trouble motivating him, nothing short of dynamite was going to pry her teammate off the balcony.
Shikamaru turned his attention back to the clouds once Ino had stormed off, not bothering to think about where she might go. It was such a pain in the butt anyway. As much as he liked Ino as a teammate, he wasn't fond of her constant pushing. You'd think that if I never talk about her Sasuke obsession, she'd leave me alone.
Team 10 wouldn't have looked like this if things had been left to chance. Their parents had been looking to recreate the Ino-Shika-Cho formation that had worked so well for their generation, and Iruka-sensei had gone along. Unfortunately, the adults hadn't counted on the kids' different personalities. Neither did they remember that the three-ninja formation had only formed out of years of teamwork in close quarters, building the trust and camaraderie that made it work. If Ino wasn't pitching a fit, Choji was kicking back and eating something; that made it tough for any of them to build confidence in the team. Adults. Ain't a damn one of them that tries doing something for us without screwing it up.
Shikamaru might have been a little lazy (okay, a LOT lazy), but he wasn't stupid. The longer this experiment went on, the more likely it became that Team 10 would just self-destruct someday. That'd be troublesome for all of them. Maybe it'd be best if he actually did go and train. Once they made Chuunin the team might not stay together as much, and things could cool off. He might even be able to deal with Ino as a regular girl, and not a screaming harridan.
Rising slowly, Shikamaru headed downstairs and out of his house, intent on finding Asuma-sensei. Just this once, for the team, he'd leave the daydreams at home.
Halfway to the Akimichi house, Ino simply stopped and turned towards the forest instead. As bad as Shikamaru was when he got into lazy mode, Choji was worse when he had access to food. Yelling at him wasn't going to improve things, any more than trying to move Shikamaru had.
No matter what the others in the village thought, Yamanaka Ino hated having to be the motivator. It wasn't fair. Sakura had gotten paired with Sasuke, and she didn't even have a cool, unique jutsu at her disposal like the Yamanakas did! Instead, Ino had gotten Shikamaru and Choji. They weren't bad, and they did get along most of the time. But the reality was that they were weak, even as a team. Weaker than Sakura's team had been, and probably further behind now, after what had happened in the forest. Between the curse-powered Sasuke and this new Naruto, Team 7 had made Team 10 look like exactly what they were – flawed and unprepared. Or at least, that was what it had felt like to Ino.
It still sounded weird to her, even after a week of playing the memory back, but just once, Ino wished that Shikamaru were a little more like Naruto. The passion and tenacity in his eyes had been undeniable even when he was only the class clown of the Academy. But when Naruto had turned himself loose against the Sound-nins, she had seen him go to a completely new level. This was someone who actually seemed to care about being a ninja. Granted, he was a little hotheaded, but it had to be better than sitting around daydreaming and playing shogi like Shikamaru. If Sakura hadn't warned her…
Ino shivered. Naruto wasn't a clown anymore. He might not be in Sasuke-kun's class yet, but it wouldn't be for lack of trying. The looks of despair, then savage determination she'd seen in his eyes when Sasuke had rescued him had told her as much. In spite of everything, the blonde ninja found herself admiring – and envying – Sakura. She has two people on her team who'd be willing to die for her. And what do I have?
Not a whole lot, really. Perhaps Shikamaru had been right about one thing. She didn't know much other than the Shintenshin, and that was a dangerous gamble. It was long past time for her to grow stronger, more than a threat to just one enemy. Once she made Chuunin, she could let someone else deal with her teammates. And maybe find out whether a certain spiky-haired ninja would be interested in helping her improve… Maybe THAT will motivate Shikamaru's lazy butt.
Many journeys would begin in the Leaf Village that day, revolving around the son of the Fourth Hokage in some way. The most important one to Naruto would soon arrive, to take him along for the strangest ride yet.
* * *
"Uzumaki Setsuna. It's been a while." The Third Hokage waved his guards off the ex-waitress as he entered his office. "I take it you've reconsidered my offer to reinstate you at the Academy?" Like most of the Hokage's jokes, this one fell flat too.
"Hardly." Setsuna took Haruka's letter out of her pocket and slid it over to the Third. "It's true I'm taking up a duty, but this one's purely personal."
The leader of the Leaf Village grunted an affirmative as he scanned the letter.
"Frankly, this is a surprise. Haruka never spoke a word about you in public after Kotaro disowned you."
"She knew better." Setsuna harbored nothing but bitterness towards her grandfather, and made no attempt to hide it. "Told her before I left it wasn't worth antagonizing the family over me. I said the same to Sentaro."
A younger brother and sister dead, and here she was, picking up the pieces. Setsuna couldn't help but wonder whether she'd have been standing here today if things at the Academy had gone the way their family wished. The Third sensed her hesitation.
"Before I take you to go find your nephew, would you like to go see the Memorial to the Fallen? Kotaro, Daigo, Haruka and Sentaro are all there now. So is your nephew's father, the Fourth Hokage, Kazama Arashi. That part of Naruto's bloodline is to remain a secret from the village, as per Arashi's instructions."
"That's the kid's name? Uzumaki Naruto?"
"Yes. Don't be too surprised. He may not look much like Haruka, but his spirit is all hers."
"Surely you didn't stick him in the old house…" Setsuna didn't remember much about the village, but she did know how dangerous the Uzumaki house could be for the unprepared.
"Nobody would be crazy enough to live there, Setsuna." The Third had been in Uzumaki Kotaro's house often enough that he knew the dangers. It had been hard enough to find someone to watch over Naruto every so often in a regular house.
"Well, I am, and he's coming with me. Past time someone fixed the place up again." Setsuna looked out in the direction of the mountain memorial, and down towards her old haunts. "But my brother and sister come first."
The Third Hokage nodded. "As it should be."
"You drive a hard bargain, sis. But I don't make promises I can't keep; so consider this that favor I owe you."
Setsuna looked down at the names engraved in the rock, those ninjas who had died in service to the Leaf Village. The Hokage had left to summon Naruto, allowing her to be alone with her thoughts. Her eye strayed to Sentaro's name as well, as memories assailed her. Growing up had been something of a struggle for all of them, with parents and grandparents so often gone on missions. The clan wasn't well known among any but the most elite of Leaf Village leadership, but they were expected to uphold family standards and honor all the same. Setsuna had hated it; Haruka and Sentaro had coped better. And where did it get them?
When she had refused her third chance at the Genin test, Uzumaki Kotaro had made his displeasure known. Her grandfather had challenged her to a fight, agreeing to release her from the Academy if she won. Only Haruka's intervention had saved Setsuna from serious injury or even death at Kotaro's hands. Agreeing to take her sister's place in the family's lineage and the duty of becoming an Anbu member, Haruka took up the burden that Setsuna had once shouldered. It seemed she hadn't looked back.
Tracing her younger brother's name, Setsuna recalled a struggling kid, trying to live up to his ancestors' legacy, yet knowing that he was powerless compared to his two elder sisters.
With rare exceptions like Kotaro and Setsuna's father Daigo, talent in the Uzumaki line usually skipped over men. Uzumaki daughters could produce brilliant children, but only for other houses. The sons almost always had to wait until their own daughters were born in order to contribute much to the house. From what the Third Hokage had told her of Sentaro's demise, her little brother had finally had enough. For the only time in his life, he had equaled Haruka's exploits, dealing so much damage to the Ninetailed Fox that it backed off for a week. Too bad he wasn't around to enjoy it.
This kid Naruto would be different. He had to be different. No more burdens, nothing to live up to; just the freedom to become whatever he wanted. She'd give that to him, and hope it was what Haruka would have asked for. Otherwise… You're great at guilt trips, sis, but you suck at giving instructions. Just stick around and help me keep him out of trouble until he's out of my hair, okay?
"That's all I came to say. Let's hope the kid doesn't join you guys here for a good long while, huh?"
* * *
"So…"
Naruto looked at the woman in front of him with a skeptical gleam in his eyes.
"My aunt, Hokage-sama?"
The Third nodded.
"Haruka's older sister, Setsuna. I've just reinstated her as the head of the Uzumaki Clan."
"Wait a minute…a girl in exile? Reinstated?" Naruto thought back to Arashi's story. "That makes you the Ghost Girl!"
Setsuna arched an eyebrow.
"Ghost Girl?"
"Haruka was serious when she said nobody remembers who you are anymore." The Hokage shrugged. "Of course, how much of that is Kotaro not being around to grumble about it, I don't know."
"Hold it, hold it, hold it! How am I supposed to know she's really my aunt? She doesn't look anything like my mother."
Naruto scratched his head, pondering the question.
"All of a sudden I've got family popping up out of nowhere; first Dad, now the Ghost Girl is my aunt. I better not have some gigantic inheritance nobody ever told me about."
"Well, technically you do, if you fancy running a restaurant." Setsuna grinned.
"Okay, I've got it!" Naruto turned to the Third. "You said only an Uzumaki would be able to get into and out of the house unhurt, right?"
"That I did, son. What of it?"
Naruto swung back to Setsuna, pointing his thumb back at the Uzumaki house.
"You want to show you're family? Prove it. Get through the first floor and out onto that second floor balcony without a scratch on you, and I might believe it."
His only answer came in the form of a flash of black hair going past him and into the house.
"If you're going to demand proof about something, kid, try and make the trial a little harder next time."
Naruto gaped as Setsuna suddenly appeared, vaulting over the balcony railing to land gracefully on her feet in front of him.
"Geez, you must know a ton of jutsus if you're that good. What can you teach me?"
"Nothing."
Naruto's head made a dent in the ground as he facefaulted.
"Whaddaya mean nothing?"
"I only know taijutsu. Never made Genin, so all those flashy jutsus and hand seals might as well be gibberish to me. Just a simple waitress."
For the rest of the day, people in the Leaf Village wondered why a shout was still echoing through the woods.
"AW, HOW COME THE ONLY FAMILY I GET IS THE KIND THAT CAN'T TEACH ME ANYTHING!?"
Setsuna only grinned, watching her journey into "motherhood" begin. I think you and me are gonna have a lot of fun together, kid. Well, I will, anyway… Still chuckling, she took Naruto by the arm and led him into the Uzumaki house for the first time. "Come on, stop whining. I can at least teach you to get to your new room without getting yourself killed."
The Third Hokage watched them go, the Uzumaki Clan alive again at last, and smiled as he headed back home. Things are getting interesting again. For now, at least, life was back to normal. There would be time enough to think about the village's problems later.