"You kids behave around the uminin. They won't suffer any nonsense from you while we're at sea," explained Jiraiya as the trio walked down the docks checking the various ships and crews. "We're going to a really dangerous part of the sea so I'm not playing with you guys. Behave or you could get us all killed."
Naruto and Karin nodded once again. Jiraiya had been harping on the need for them to be on their best behavior once they took to the ocean. Especially since he was planning to hire a small vessel run by an uminin.
Uminin were an unusual sort. They were very similar to the messenger shinobi in that they didn't have a village or country and weren't technically shinobi. They were only called uminin because they could use chakra to help them navigate the ocean waters. They were also more of a guild where they all contributed part of their fares to help with the maintenance of the docks and ports they all used throughout the elemental nations.
"Shiokarai," said an uminin as he was approached by Jiraiya. The boat behind him was small. It was probably just a small transport vessel for local waters only. There was also no visible crew unless you counted the ugly, mean-looking pelican sitting on top of the single mast.
"Need transport, probably for a week or two," said Jiraiya.
"Where you be going? Shiokarai."
"I'll give you the destination once we're out to sea. And I expect absolute secrecy," said Jiraiya, he held up a very healthy looking sack of ryo.
"Shiokarai," said the uminin. The man looked left and right up and down the dock before taking the sack. "I be stocking the boat tonight. We be leaving first light tomorrow. Shiokarai."
"We'll be back then, what should we call you?"
"Shiokarai be what everyone be callin' me, Shiokarai."
Karin whispered to Naruto. "His name is salty?"
Naruto shrugged.
"We'll be back at first light," said Jiraiya. "Come on kids we've got to get supplies."
"What do we need to get Ero-sennin?" asked Naruto, following along behind the man.
"Let's start with a hotel room for the night. I also want us to get some waterproof coats," explained Jiraiya.
"Oh my, aren't you just the handsomest man! And you're good with kids too," said a seductive woman, approaching them. "Let me buy you a drink."
Jiraiya grinned lecherously and was about to turn to take up the woman on her offer.
"Ero-sennin, don't, she's under a genjutsu!" said Karin frantically.
Jiraiya didn't pay attention though.
"Naruto-kun, Ero-sennin is under a genjutsu too now," said Karin.
Naruto smiled at Karin deviously. "Sennin goroshi!" shouted Naruto giving Jiraiya a chakra enforced ass poke.
Karin blushed feeling completely embarrassed by Naruto's technique choice.
The howl by Jiraiya though signaled that it had worked.
"I'm going to kill you brat," said Jiraiya, stomping over towards Naruto before freezing at seeing Karin shaking like a leaf.
"I told you that was a waste of time, Itachi," said a giant shark looking man.
"Itachi, Kisame," said Jiraiya in greeting as he turned swiftly to face them. "So what does Akatsuki want with me? Or is it my apprentice you're after?"
Kisame grinned. "Oh, so you've heard of us, huh?"
"Naruto-kun," said Itachi, "Come with us peacefully and I will not harm your friends."
Naruto clicked his tongue. "Fine, let's go."
Jiraiya and Karin both shouted protests but Naruto walked towards them anyway.
Itachi frowned and threw a kunai at Naruto.
"Heh, saw through it, huh?" asked Naruto as he glowed slightly before detonating.
Itachi and Kisame were both forced to leap away from the explosion while Jiraiya and Karin both vanished in a puff of smoke.
"Well shit," said Kisame. "Now can I cut off his legs?"
Not too far from the docks the trio were running quickly away from the Akatsuki members.
"Good move gaki but reckless as hell," said Jiraiya. "We've got to move these two away from the water."
"They are coming," said Karin. She was still shaking in fear at those two monsters.
"It's okay Karin-chan," said Naruto as he tried to sooth the poor girl. "Ero-sennin and I won't let anything happen to you. It's a promise."
Karin's shaking subsided as a subtle blush settled in on her cheeks.
"Kage bunshin no jutsu," said Naruto as massive numbers of clones started spawning in droves and moving to attack their chasers.
"Save the chakra, gaki, you're going to need it," said Jiraiya as they continued putting distance between themselves and ocean. The last thing they needed was Kisame around a large body of water. "Karin, when we get to fighting these two I need you to focus on disrupting any genjutsu. Naruto, no holding back from the start."
"Kurama is pissed," said Naruto with a shiver. "Leave Itachi to me and him."
"Don't look in his eyes," said Jiraiya reluctantly. "I'll try to deal with Kisame quickly. Don't hesitate to use the toads or Kurama's chakra."
Naruto nodded as his cloak had already fully formed and was growing a third tail, all three filled with chains.
"Karin, protect yourself as best you can. I know you haven't gotten very far with your chains yet but don't be afraid to use them."
Karin nodded allowing two thin green tinted chains to form, one from each hand, about a foot in length in total and growing longer slowly, one link at a time.
"Suiton: daibakufu no jutsu," called a voice from behind them.
The trio separated to avoid the high pressure water cannon.
Naruto turned sharply at the incoming attack and slid around and under it as he charged at his target. "Futon: renkudan," Naruto barely whispered as he fired a blast of air from his mouth at the pair that enlarged to ten times the size of his body as it traveled.
Itachi and Kisame both separated as well though Kisame was more launched in the backlash of the wind technique.
Naruto landed on all fours in front of Itachi. He then stood hunched over slightly, he was ready to go back to all fours at a moment's notice.
Itachi seemed to be studying the Naruto before him. "You're quite different from what I expected."
"You too," growled out Naruto in the deeper voice that accompanied Kurama's chakra. His eyes were trained on Itachi's waist, something he'd learned from sparring so often with Lee and Hinata.
"Katon: ryuka no jutsu," said Itachi making the first move.
Naruto charged forward towards the flames and veered left at the last moment allowing the fire to over shoot him while he closed on Itachi. Two of his tails extended rapidly and attacked Itachi from two sides in an attempt to skewer him in a pincer attack.
Itachi leaped backwards only to spin his body while in the air to attempt to dodge the third tail that burst from the ground. The spike on that tail still managed to gash his bicep and chest as it went past him. The impact and the cut caused him to continue spinning through the air where he landed on a tree trunk.
Naruto smirked slightly at seeing Itachi using his good arm to try stemming the bleeding.
Itachi was suddenly moving again as Naruto continued his assault, his tails stabbing and weaving around him, using kawarimi frequently to avoid being hit again or to keep out of the explosive range of clones.
Naruto noted Itachi was starting to breathe heavily while he wasn't even sweating yet.
A very large explosion off in the distance distracted both Naruto and Itachi. "Foolish fish, we will meet again Naruto-kun." Itachi ran for the explosion to find Kisame bleeding from several burns and gashes.
"Where is Naruto?" asked Jiraiya. The man looked furious until Naruto landed next to him seconds later.
"You did a number on him," said Naruto, observing Kisame.
"Only because Karin kept healing me when that bastard sword of his would take a chunk out of me," said Jiraiya acknowledging the young woman that was not far behind him.
Karin was breathing very heavily as he chains flickered in and out of existence.
"We're leaving Kisame," said Itachi.
"As if I'd let you," said Jiraiya and Naruto at the same time.
"Amaterasu," said Itachi, spewing black fire from his eyes creating a wall of flame between them.
Jiraiya held back Naruto with an arm in front of him. "Not that flame Naruto. That is a flame even Kurama couldn't heal from."
"Cursed flames?" asked Naruto, looking at the black fire in wonder. Shaking his head he began pushing down Kurama's chakra and his own chains. When it was done he fell on his ass breathing heavily.
Jiraiya pulled out a scroll and approached the flames, careful to ensure he did not touch them. He set the scroll on the ground open and began scribbling furiously. Finally performing a few hand seals, "Fuka hoin," a vapor appeared from the scroll and enveloped the flames before being sucked into the scroll.
"You've got to teach me that," said Naruto and Karin at the same time. Both sounded completely exhausted and nearly depleted of chakra. At some point Karin had sat down next to Naruto and was now leaning against him.
"Later," said Jiraiya. "For now we need to get back to town and rest. We've got a boat to catch early tomorrow.
"Sounds good to me," said Naruto as he fell backwards and began to snore.
"Yep," mumbled Karin as she curled up into Naruto's side and began to sleep herself.
"Crap," said Jiraiya with a sigh.
BREAK
"You got your ass kicked too, Itachi?" asked Kisame, the struggle to speak with several broken ribs was evident.
Itachi sat silent in front of the fire, his coat, shirt, and vest all hanging from a tree branch not far away. He was busy with needle and thread stitching up his arm and chest. Some areas of the cut were quite deep and probably damaged muscle. It would take weeks to fully recover.
"So what happened? I thought he was supposed to be the most useless of jinchuuriki? And I know he didn't go full-on bijuu."
"He is... unexpected," said Itachi as he continued stitching. "He will be very dangerous in a few years."
"More dangerous than all of Akatsuki?" asked Kisame with a snort.
"Maybe," said Itachi.
"Pein-sama will not be happy to hear that," said Zetsu as he emerged from the ground near their fire.
"It does not change the facts," said Itachi. "He caused me serious injury early on in the fight and then did not relent in his assault. That has never happened to me before."
"Perhaps you should not have held back," said Zetsu.
"I did not," said Itachi. "He knew how to fight the sharingan. He was unpredictable and imaginative. Worse, he had perfect control of the kyuubi's chakra. I suspect even Pein-sama would struggle now. A few years more training and even Pein-sama would not stand a chance."
"The gaki can't be that good," said Kisame. "He must have gotten lucky."
"And if he is that good?" asked Itachi with a frown. "He is the great-grandson of the last Uzumaki clan head and the son of the yondaime. Our endeavor may already be doomed."
"You will have to inform Pein-sama of what you know," said Zetsu. He then sunk back underground.
"What happens next?" asked Kisame.
"I don't know yet," said Itachi. "Pein-sama will tell us when he's ready."
BREAK
Naruto woke up the next morning caught inexplicably in a vice-like grip. "Help me," he gasped out. He could see Jiraiya sitting on his own bed a few feet away laughing like a loon.
"Mmm, Naruto-kun, you smell like ramen," murmured a sleepy voice.
Suddenly things became clear to Naruto. "Karin-chan," he stammered through his strained airway.
Naruto desperately tried to escape. If Karin woke up and found him there he had no doubt that she would murder him.
Karin then nuzzled her face and nose into his neck.
Naruto naturally turned bright red and fainted. Jiraiya meanwhile continued to cackle like a mad man.
From Karin's perspective she was still dreaming happily as she snuggled up to her hero and unknowingly talking aloud. "Ooh, Naruto-kun, you're so naughty. I'll be your naughty girl."
Jiraiya laughed even harder finally rolling off his bed and landing with a loud thump that woke Karin up completely.
With that thump Karin suddenly realized she wasn't really asleep or dreaming anymore. She was deadly quiet as she fully realized where she was and what she was doing. Very gently she extricated herself from the still thankfully asleep Naruto and ran for the bathroom but not before she gave the laughing loon a swift kick to the pills.
Jiraiya was no longer laughing. Instead he was now rolling on the floor crying while holding his man bits.
In the bathroom Karin was still blushing bright red. "What the hell happened? What did I do? Did I sleep walk again?" The hot feeling coursing through her body was more than a little awkward. She turned on the shower setting the water all the way cold.
Back in the room Naruto woke up again and looked around. Jiraiya crying on the floor was unusual but who knew what woman he hit on this morning he shouldn't have. "It was all a dream," he mumbled to himself as he sat up and stretched. Then he remembered his dream and blushed something fierce and a heat ran through his body.
"I need a cold shower," he said, standing uncomfortably. He began stripping as he made the short walk to the bathroom he shared with Jiraiya. Karin probably got her own bathroom since she was a girl, he reasoned subconsciously.
Naruto didn't pay any mind to the sound of running water as he opened the bathroom door in only his boxers to be greeted by the sight of Karin in only bra and panties.
Karin froze as the door opened when she was in only her bra and panties. She turned slowly to see Naruto in only his boxers.
Both pointed at the other then a small trickle of blood came from their noses and they both fainted.
Jiraiya couldn't help taking a few blackmail pictures.
BREAK
An hour later the group was walking down the docks arriving at their transport boat just as the sun peaked over the horizon. The walk there however was entertainment gold in Jiraiya's opinion. Naruto and Karin couldn't even look at each other and both had a constant blush on their faces. Sure, it would probably fade in a few hours but for now Jiraiya was thoroughly amused.
"Right on time. Shiokarai," said Shiokarai.
"Permission to board?" requested Jiraiya.
"Permission granted. Shiokarai."
Jiraiya and company boarded the small ship. Jiraiya headed straight to the bow and dropped his bag. He would return later to nap, for now he still had to tell Shiokarai where they were going.
Naruto and Karin both dropped their packs on opposite sides of the ship and sat down specifically not looking at each other.
Shiokarai unbound the moorings and pulled up the small anchor. He then did a few hand seals causing the boat to push away from the dock gently. "Where we be going? Shiokarai."
"Head southeast for now," said Jiraiya. "I'll give you the final destination in an hour. I want some distance between us and anyone who might want to follow us."
"Shiokarai," the man acknowledged, though he seemed uncomfortable or even slightly reluctant.
The hour passed in near silence, only broken by the sound of a gull or the pelican still perched on top of the mast.
"Alright, I been mighty patient. Where we be headed? Shiokarai."
"Uzu no Shima," said Jiraiya expecting a bad reaction.
"You goin' after them pirates?" asked Shiokarai.
"What pirates?" asked Jiraiya.
"Some pirates be working from Uzu no Shima. I thought since you be shinobi that might be your mission. Shiokarai."
"It isn't," said Jiraiya with a frown. "But it seems to be now. We'll take out the pirates if you get us there safe. Once we're there, we'll be staying for a week or so."
Shiokarai took out the bag of ryo that Jiraiya had given him earlier and tossed it back to the man. "Consider that payment for taking the mission. I only spent the ryo needed to stock the ship with the supplies we be needin'. Shiokarai."
"Sounds fair," said Jiraiya. He then turned to Naruto and Karin. "You two get over here."
Naruto and Karin obeyed still unable to meet the other in the eyes.
"What can you tell us about these pirates?"
"We know they have two ships, both slight bigger than this here sloop. Shiokarai," said Shiokarai. "I know one of them used to be an uminin. A young lass I knew. Shiokarai."
"How many men all together?"
"Maybe fifteen," said Shiokarai.
"Any shinobi?" asked Jiraiya.
"Maybe," said Shiokarai. "I think maybe that girl I knew, I think she might have become one. Knew her when she was a small kid. Did runs with her father all the time. When her father died in a bad storm the kid ran off. Shiokarai."
"What's the girl look like?" asked Jiraiya.
"Red hair like the girly here," said Shiokarai. "Maybe a few years older."
"Was she an Uzumaki?" perked up Naruto curiously.
"Don't know, never asked. Shiokarai. Uminin don't much care for family names. All of us just take the guild name as a family name when we take up the profession. Umino we all be, because we all be of the seas. Shiokarai," said Shiokarai.
"Umino? Like Iruka-sensei?" asked Naruto curiously.
"Who? Shiokarai."
"Umino Iruka, he was my sensei at the academy?" explained Naruto.
"Naruto, Iruka's family most likely were uminin before they migrated to Konohagakure," explained Jiraiya. "Anyway, you think one shinobi and a little more than a dozen pirates."
"Shiokarai."
"I'll take that as a yes," said Jiraiya. "Alright, I'm going back to napping. Wake me if pirates show up or if it's lunch."
"Lazy pervert," mumbled Naruto as he walked back to his pack to laid down to nap also.
BREAK
It had been two quiet days at sea as they moved steadily towards their destination.
"We be at the start of the whirlpool fields. Shiokarai."
"Okay gaki and other gaki," said Jiraiya. "Use chakra to stay attached to the ship, if Shiokarai tells you to do something you do it without hesitation. Got it?"
Naruto and Karin both nodded firmly. The awkwardness on that first day at sea passed soon enough and the pair were once again talking like friends though there was an undercurrent of something else there that Jiraiya took note of but doubted the two had a clue.
It was a very rough ride between the various whirlpools that tossed and bucked the ship many times.
"Karin, do you sense anyone on the island?" asked Jiraiya now that the shore was finally in sight.
"Nothing yet," said Karin.
"There be no ships docked. Shiokarai," the man pointed down the coast to the docks. As they approached it was easy to see the docks had recently been used. "They left maybe a week ago. Ten days would be the limit of their ships with a crew their size. Should be back soon, maybe today even."
"Okay, drop us off here," said Jiraiya. "Then I want you to take the ship around to the far side of the island and drop anchor. We'll meet you there in seven days."
"Shiokarai."
Naruto, Karin, and Jiraiya all jumped off the boat and on to the docks as they passed it.
"Most likely they went out on a raid. We'll setup an ambush in their camp so when they come back we can snuff them all out," said Jiraiya.
"What about the shinobi? What if she is an Uzumaki?" asked Karin.
Jiraiya sighed. "We'll try to capture the redhead and find out. We'll just have to play it by ear but you both need to prepare yourselves, she may not want to rejoin the clan if she is Uzumaki. She may have to be put down. We accepted the mission to clear out the pirates and that is what we're going to do. Understood?"
"Yes sir," said Karin, slightly downtrodden.
"I'll convince her," said Naruto, a fire in his eyes. "I have to. And even if she doesn't we can take her prisoner and drag her back to Konohagakure where I'll make her understand."
"He doesn't really take no for an answer does he?" asked Jiraiya to Karin.
Karin shook her head in the negative but smiled all the same.
"Let's get to work," said Jiraiya moving towards the pirate camp.
They spent the next few hours working on setting up an ambush. They salted the jugs of sake with a very heavy sedative. Karin had found it in the jungle that started abruptly a dozen yards from the pirate camp.
Naruto and Jiraiya place a number of binding seals under the sand randomly all around the camp and then linked them all to a single activation point. The plan was to ambush them at night. With everything set up they just had to wait.
No one came that night or the next while they hid in the nearby jungle. They finally came in the late afternoon of the third day. They drank and laughed happily unaware of what was to come.
BREAK
Umino Tora was a pirate. She was vicious and brutal and did whatever it took to keep her crew happy and her name feared. She loved being a pirate. It had made her rich, it gave her the freedom to do whatever she wanted whenever she wanted and no one could ever give her an order again.
Tora became a shinobi of Kirigakure after her mother passed away of starvation. Her father dying at sea left them destitute. She didn't take well to following orders though, it was too strict for her tastes so she left. She never bothered to keep the headband or put that stupid slash through it, she was only a genin when she left anyway. She didn't leave completely empty handed though. Nuibari was hers now, bound to her will and sewn into her soul. With this sword she would get rich taking what she wanted and needed and no one would be able to stop her.
Tora had been stalking these waters for nearly a year now and had gotten wealthy from all the merchant vessels that frequented these waters. Anytime a navy would come after her she would out run them and lose her pursuers in the many whirlpools surrounding Uzu no Shima.
"Ah, Tora, quite the haul this time, eh," said Gichin. He was an idiot like the rest of her pirates, they were so easily manipulated. She could kill them if they angered her and they could be replaced just as easily.
Tora nodded her acknowledgment to the man. She'd learned early on that if she didn't say much and just tried to intimidate the men with a look, that they responded much better than if she tried to reason with them. Thank Kami for idiots.
"Prepare to make port," called out Dango. Another idiot, all muscle and no brain. Didn't even know his own name but everyone called him Dango because he was always eating it.
They made port minutes later.
"Let's make our deposit, then we can celebrate," said Tora, the declaration earning her a cheer from her idiot pirates.
They walked down the docks and turned left instead of walking to the camp. They came to spot that had two palm trees growing towards each other and forming an X where they passed each other.
Tora performed a few hands seals before slapping the ground causing a blue seal matrix to ignite in luminous light. The ground sunk forming a stairway underground. They walked in together with all of their loot.
"Everyone take one piece for spending," ordered Tora, they all cheered once more. Tora knew they would spend the money rapidly once they pawned whatever they took but that was okay by her. The rule was simple, one piece no bigger than their hand. Most of them took ryo, others took a piece of jewelry for their wife or girlfriend.
Once they all had their share and left, Tora resealed the treasure trove. She may not have liked her mother for being so weak but she had taught her a few worthwhile things. Using seals was one of those things. Another was how to use a sword which came in very handy as a pirate. She had also taught her how to navigate the whirlpools around Uzu no Shima. Tora had never cared to learn when she was kid but given her profession now she really didn't mind so much.
"Back to camp, food and sake are waiting," said Tora with a slight grin for her men, stupid though they were they would follow her into the pits of hell if she asked them to.
The walk back to camp was filled with raunchy jokes, big dreams, and talk of buying a bigger ship. The men were pleased and happy but Tora's gut was telling her something was wrong.
Entering the camp, everything looked as it should after being gone for just over a week. But still the little niggling feeling in her gut didn't go away.
"Here, Tora-sama, drink up," said Gichin handing her a jug of sake.
She put it to her mouth and drank deeply.
BREAK
"Well that was stupid easy," said Naruto as he bound and gagged the last pirate.
"They all drank the sake," said Karin with a shrug. She had no idea the sedative in the sake would be so effective.
"Clearly they thought they were safe here," said Jiraiya coming back with a large storage scroll. "I took the liberty of emptying their treasure trove. We'll turn it into the uminin guild and let them pay it out to the victims of these pirates."
Tied to a recently planted post was the redhead pirate. Jiraiya had taken the liberty of sealing away her sword. A sword Jiraiya recognized as one of the swords of the Kiri no shinobigatana shu called Nuibari, which had been missing for at least five years according to his sources.
A groggy groan from the post alerted the shinobi to the now-waking pirate leader.
"Yo," said Naruto cheerfully.
"What the fuck?" she groaned. "How much did I fucking drink?"
"Not much," said Naruto. "Just enough for the sedative to knock you and your crew unconscious."
"Sedative?" questioned the girl. She seemed to suddenly wake up a bit more as she began to take in everything around her. "Shit, did the Umino guild hire you?"
"Yes and no," said Jiraiya. "It was more that we were in the right place at the right time."
"I won't give you the treasure," she said fiercely, now fully awake. "You can dig forever on this island and you'll never find it."
"Already found it," said Jiraiya smugly. He was holding up the scroll in which he sealed all of it into.
"Yeah, you're pretty much fucked," said Naruto with a light laugh at the expression on her face.
Naruto took a minute to study her face. Her face reminded him a lot of Iruka-sensei, at least as far as shape and skin tone but her hair was very much Uzumaki.
"Was your mom or dad an Uzumaki?" asked Naruto.
"What? What are you talking about?" asked the woman. "I'm Umino."
Naruto groaned. "You don't even know anything do you. Freaking Uzumaki clan secrets. Did your mom or your dad have red hair like you and Karin here?"
The girl looked at Karin and was startled to see the exact same shade of red hair as herself and her mother had. "My mother," she barely whispered.
"Good, now we're getting somewhere," said Naruto. "So, your father was an Umino. Your mother was an Uzumaki."
"Uzumaki? As in the people that used to run this island?"
"Exactly," said Naruto with a grin.
"Wait, why does any of that matter?" she asked.
"Cause we're Uzumaki too," said Naruto putting an arm around Karin's shoulders and hugging her closer.
"Again, why does any of that matter? I don't give a crap if you were or are related to my mother. If you're going to kill me then just do it already. I'm sure you'll get a nice bounty for my head."
"You don't get it do you?" asked Naruto. "You are family. You are coming home with me to Konohagakure where our clan is being re-established."
The woman snorted. "Yeah right, I'd rather give the executioner his coin than become some kind of breeding stock for your twisted little clan games."
Naruto blinked. Then he blinked again and looked at Karin who looked appalled.
The loud slap rang across the beach drowning out the sound of the waves. "Are you fucking stupid or something? This isn't about any of that nonsense. This is about bring my family together and being a family. Breeding stock, what the hell is wrong with you? You're old and shit. Anyway, I don't do any of that forced marriage bullshit, the Uzumaki never have gone for any of that nonsense. You marry someone cause you want to not because I said so."
"I am not old you little bastard! I'll kick your ass!" shouted the girl.
"She's definitely Uzumaki. Reminds me a lot of Kushina," said Jiraiya.
The girl froze, "How do you know that name?"
"Who?" asked Naruto confused.
"Your mother gaki. I'll tell you more about her later. Focus for now on the matter at hand," instructed Jiraiya.
Naruto frowned but continued his questioning of the girl. "What about my mom? Did you ever meet her? Was she and your mom friends?"
"My mom was always quiet. She seemed sad most of the time and would spend hours everyday just staring out at the ocean. I remember a woman named Kushina visiting once when I was really little. My mom said she was my aunt or something, I don't remember really well but I remember her smile after she pushed my father off the pier once."
Naruto grinned brightly at that. He was glad to hear that his mom was a prankster like him.
"That smile," said the girl. She shook her head. "It doesn't matter. I don't care about family. My family is gone. My father to the sea and my mother to sadness and starvation after my father died leaving us without a single ryo."
"I'm sorry about your mom and dad," said Naruto sadly. "My parents died when I was born. I never knew them."
"My parents died when my village was burned to the ground by bandits," said Karin with a sniffle.
"But we're family now," said Naruto, hugging Karin with one arm giving her the comfort she needed then. "You could be family too with us. If you just give us a chance, I promise you'll be happy."
The girl huffed and looked at the ground clearly wishing none of them were there. "Leave me alone."
"Let's leave her to think," said Jiraiya. "Leave a clone to watch her from a distance for now. We've got a lot of space to search if we're going to find the ruins of Uzushiogakure."