585Chapter 9: Beating Hearts
The Uzumaki clan was strange.
The mechanism that led to their "destruction" lacked clarity the more he learned about them. A group of people more focused on the arts and the potential of humanity. It was uninterested in conflict and the ego battle of domination, perfectly content within the confines of its land. However, its alliance with Konoha by proxy of the Senju clan made it a prime target for the village's enemies. Any and all progress made by the Uzumaki was subsequently viewed as a means to aid Konohagakure, a threat to the other villages. There was more to it- he did not have all the facts, but that was what he could surmise from the scrolls his clones read.
However, there was something more interesting he stumbled upon. Perfecting humanity was one of the clan's goals, and even though some of the text was unclear, he gathered that some of the Uzumaki traits were developed to combat many of the human body's flaws. Their longevity had been carefully curated with the ultimate goal of perfecting it, ridding humanity of fragility and ailment through age. To achieve this meant understanding the relationship between the body and chakra, resulting in a considerable focus on studying the latter. This led to an interesting development of characteristics that would be exclusive to the clan. Such as…
"Kagura Shingan." He was not far off the mark with the name he used. He could now see the love for the arts with his clan's naming scheme. It wasn't present in every clan member, but traces of it were present in all those bearing Uzumaki lineage. Unfortunately, there was not much else about the Kagura Shingan other than a few words about it being the key to understanding and becoming the master of chakra; but that was not to say the information was useless, he always had a feeling that the Shingan had more to it and now he was determined to unlock said potential.
"Your clan sure has a lot of defense stuff." He nearly jumped as Ino's voice drew him out of his stupor. He looked over his shoulder and saw her observing a scroll. Getting up from his seated position he walked over to her and snuck a look at the parchment.
"Well, they were pacifists, sorta."
"Think Asuma-sensei can help with this?" She asked as he read over the scroll.
Suiton: Agemaku (Water Release: Lifting Curtain)
Moulding one's chakra and embodying the surface of water, create a barrier that protects from harmful projectiles while allowing your own to pass through.
"Maybe I can use it to set up the Shintenshin."
He nodded, but they would need someone with a deeper understanding of nature transformation, and like she suggested Asuma may be able to assist them. Though they'd need to be sly about how they came across such a technique- Ino knowing about his clan was one thing, someone like his sensei, on the other hand, is another.
A barrier technique was a good idea for Ino, her clan techniques often left her in a vulnerable state and although he did not mind protecting her, he knew his presence wasn't always guaranteed and the same went for Shikamaru and Asuma-sensei.
"Right, we'll pocket that and save it for our team meeting." She nodded and slipped the scroll into her pouch. She was left to meander and observe Naruto's clones go through scrolls, days of information simply cut short to a few hours. She was still envious, and even though she knew the technique it was not as useful due to her limited reserves- just making one clone was enough to make her sick with the early signs of chakra exhaustion. It made her respect Naruto even more, he was capable of creating armies of himself and not even breaking a sweat.
Ino caught a few glimpses of the clan's history and it made her wonder why they had never learned about the Uzumaki in the first place. It was all a bit strange to keep such an important part of Konoha's history hidden, especially with how prominent the clan's crest was in Konoha. Did it have to do with Naruto? He was despised by the adults, so maybe there was more to the Uzumaki clan. Thinking about such things was exhausting, but it was a good start to the sort of investigations she would be involved in.
She heard Naruto groan, "Let's call it a day and grab something to eat, I'm starving."
"Yeah, and I'll be kind and let you eat ramen this time." She was immediately scooped off the ground by an excited Uzumaki, the boy lifting her in a tight but careful hug.
"You can stop squeezing me like a fruit now." He sheepishly chuckled as he lowered her to the ground.
"Sorry."
Naruto left his clones to continue reading through the study, it was much easier to organise them after figuring out that Mito had labelled the pigeonholes. So far he was more intrigued by the intricacies of his clan compared to the techniques, that was not to say he did not find the latter interesting. He just wanted to know more about his clan.
By the time they had made it back to the village it was already midday and the streets were abuzz with people flocking from one end to another. The market square was the liveliest as merchants from all over the world presented their wares. Ino and Naruto made the subconscious effort to avoid the busy streets opting for less used routes to reach their destination. Along the way, Ino spotted the glares directed towards Naruto, the sneers that briefly interrupted cheery conversations. She did not like it one bit.
Deciding to ignore them her eyes soon landed on a dress. Stopping in her tracks, she approached the window separating the dress from the outside world. The white cloth with green and red embroidery climbing along the hemline and silhouette complimented the peachy bodice with a green neckline. It was pretty, unfortunately, she was still too young to fit into such a thing.
"Oh, that's a nice dress." Naruto said as he joined her, "I bet it would suit you."
"Yeah maybe in a couple of years…" She trailed off.
They both turned their heads as they heard the door open, a familiar face stepping out, "Hey you two, doing some window shopping?" Kiku asked the pair.
"Kiku-san!" Naruto greeted with a large smile.
"Hello Naruto-kun, I see Ino has dragged you into her shopping habits." She teased much to her daughter's ire.
A flustered Ino huffed as she turned away, "We were just passing by."
"Passing by? You know you can enter your mother's shop."
"Oh? This is your shop?" Naruto asked in surprise, this was all new to him.
"Ino did not tell you?" A rueful Ino looked away, "Well, yes, this is my shop." She said as she opened the door beckoning them to come in. An eager Naruto grabbed Ino's hand as he pulled her along, the store's cool atmosphere washing over them.
It was a quaint building, the interior a creamy beige with splashes of white accenting the walls. The floor was made of wooden tiling mirroring the ceiling. There were several mannequins posed at various areas of the store, some were bare while others showcased dresses and outfits. The back of the store hosted tall shelves housing a myriad of materials and tools.
"Welcome to my humble trade." Kiku chirped as she gestured to her wares, "One day you'll come to me when you finally get married."
Both blonds locked eyes before snapping away, red painting their faces. Despite it being a common joke in the family, they haven't managed to adapt to it. However, it always amused both Kiku and Inoichi.
"I don't hear a no."
"Mom!"
"Oh fine, so what were you two up to?"
Naruto was happy to answer if it meant changing the subject, "We were just coming back from training and were about to grab some food."
"My two favourite kids are training to be strong, that's the attitude I love to see."
"Thank you, Kiku-san." Naruto chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head. Having someone proud of him always made him feel bubbly inside. He always had the Oldman, but he was the Hokage so he imagined it was beneficial for him to praise the people under him. Praise coming from someone like Kiku felt different and far more earnest.
Ino on the other hand scoffed as she grumbled to herself.
"I won't keep you any longer, I just wanted my son-in-law to see where I worked. You can go grab your food, little missy here is getting grumpy."
Pouting, Ino grabbed Naruto by the arm, "I'll see you later, Mom." She said with a huff as she dragged Naruto along, the whiskered blond waving as they exited the store. Kiku laughed as she watched them leave, it was always a joy to tease them.
Back on the road, Naruto and Ino made it to Ichiraku's without any other delays. The rich aroma of broth being prepared in the back instantly made their stomachs growl as they claimed their seats.
"Welcome to Ichiraku- Oh, it's the love birds," Ayame announced with a smirk as she watched them hide their faces, sharing a collective groan at the jab.
"Not you too." Ino moaned in defeat.
"I just think you would make a cute couple. But enough about that, glad to see you again, it's been a while." She leaned against the counter, a soft smile overtaking her smirk.
"We're Genin now." Naruto said with a large grin, "Told you the third time was the charm."
Ayame clapped, overjoyed by the news. This was enough to draw her father's attention as he stepped out from the back.
"If it isn't my number one customer and his young lady." Teuchi said with a hearty chuckle, "What's this I hear about you being a Genin now?"
"You heard right! Uzumaki Naruto is on his way to being number one!"
Ino cleared her throat as she elbowed his side.
"Thanks to my amazing friend, the lovely Yamanaka Ino." Not expecting that kind of praise, a flustered Ino looked down at her lap and just waved her hand.
"Easy you're going to make her faint. How about this, four bowls on the house." Teuchi declared.
Although Naruto was ecstatic to hear that, he shook his head, "I appreciate that Teuchi-jij, but I'll pay."
Teuchi wanted to speak but saw the stern expression on his face. He raised his arm and relinquished it.
"Can't argue with the man."
"So what will it be? The usual?" Ayame chimed in as she pulled out her notepad and pen.
Naruto nodded in unison with Ino, who was less familiar with ramen toppings so she always got what Naruto ordered.
"Alright, Miso Ramen, extra pork and fishcakes, no bamboo." She penned down before the father and daughter pair slipped away as they got to work with the orders.
Ino sighed as she rested her head against the counter, the comments about their relationship weren't helping, Ino already felt conflicted. She liked Naruto, but not like that right? But she had to ask herself, was there anything wrong with being into him? Maybe they were all right about them. She cracked an eye open and glanced over at her friend who was looking back at her with concern.
"You okay?" He asked.
"Yeah…just thinking."
Naruto's face scrunched up in confusion, "Is it about ramen?"
Her expression fell flat.
"Yes, Naruto. I'm thinking about ramen." She said flatly.
Naruto hummed as he cupped his chin, "I know it can be daunting sometimes, there's so many toppings and types to choose from. But it's all worth trying."
She raised a brow as she adjusted her position, propping her elbow on the counter and resting her cheek on her open palm. Now she was intrigued.
"Why do you like ramen so much?"
Naruto chuckled as he scratched his cheek, "It's all I could afford," He admitted, "I used to try to scrounge up some food from the trash, most stores just kinda chuck perfectly good food out. One day I wasn't having the best luck and happened to nearly collapse in front of good ol' Ichiraku's."
Ino's expression softened, Naruto's positive attitude easily made her forget that he struggled to get to where he was today. She wasn't sure if she could keep up such a sunny disposition.
"And let me guess they invited you in?"
"We sure did!" Ayame chirped as she moved from one side of the kitchen to the other.
"Yeah, Teuchi-jiji gave me a few bowls on the house. And well that's where my love for ramen began."
"Naruto…"
"Origin story aside, what's really on your mind?"
She let out a low grumble, she needed to stop underestimating Naruto. Now she couldn't just blurt out what was bothering her, especially in their current setting. She sighed and sat up.
"Just thinking about stuff. It's nothing important."
Naruto wanted to press some more, but before he could question her any further their conversation was cut short by Ayame as she set their steaming bowls down. Ino instantly reached for her ramen, wasting no time as she snapped her chopsticks apart.
She spoke a silent thanks before digging into her bowl. Naruto stared at her for a short while before exhaling.
The remaining days of their time off seemed to sail by in an instant. Naruto could only groan as he was jolted awake by the loud ring of his alarm, his senses immediately assaulted by the morning cacophony of bird calls and the chatter of civilians. He rolled out of his bed and sat on its edge as he gathered himself. Today would be their first official team meet-up.
"Okay, let's get going." He pushed himself off the bed and went ahead with his morning preparations.
The blond jogged towards his team's training ground with the intent to get an early warm-up. He was excited about what Asuma-sensei had in store for them, almost salivating at the idea of finally doing a few missions. If only he knew of the despair that awaited him.
Halfway through his journey, Naruto cursed as he almost collided with a few blurs. Pivoting himself and coming to a stop, he glanced over his shoulder realising who he had almost crashed into.
"Oh, hey Ami!"
The purple-haired girl stumbled, her friends coming to a halt as well.
"Shit, didn't see you there, Naruto."
Naruto noticed that she along with her friends were all wearing their hitai-ate, which meant they all passed and were Genin.
"My bad, I was jogging and not paying attention," He then grinned at her, "I see you passed."
She returned the grin, "Hell yeah I- we passed. Would like to stand and chat but we have a crazy bitch for a sensei."
He had so many questions, but he could only nod and wave as the three girls took off once more. That was genuine fear in her voice, he wondered who their Jonin instructor was, maybe Asuma knew. Shaking his head, Naruto continued with his journey and reached his destination within a few minutes.
As expected he was the first to arrive and he didn't expect the others for at least another hour. Scouring the open plain he took a moment to consider his options. He could work on some fuinjutsu or try to make sense of his gathering concerning his clan. There was a third option and it was just to sit and rest. He didn't know what Asuma had planned for them and keeping fresh might be the better option.
The blond walked over to a tree and laid on his back, lush branches cast a shadow over his being and shielded him from the morning sun. A calm gale swept through the training ground and Naruto let out a yawn as he closed his eyes.
Eventually, he drifted off to sleep and became oblivious to the world.
A couple of minutes later Ino walked into the training ground and wasted no time marching over to her friend. She stood over him and tried discerning whether he was awake or if he was truly asleep. She dropped into a squat and examined him further, tilting her head and sneaking a peek behind his glasses. His breathing was steady and watching his chest rise and fall almost caught her in a trance.
'I guess he is asleep.' She shrugged as she curled her legs and sat next to her best friend.
She didn't want to wake him up. But she also hated sitting in silence. She could opt for a run around the field but that would make her all sweaty before their team session even began.
"Might as well join him." She muttered as she lowered her head onto the ground. She closed her eyes for a moment, only for them to snap open a few seconds later.
'This is uncomfortable.'
She looked around, her eyes falling towards Naruto's chest.
'I don't think he'll mind.' She reasoned as she moved her head from the ground, and settled on his torso. She shifted about with caution to not wake him up until she found a sweet spot that was comfortable for her as well as not disrupting him from his sleep.
She felt the steady rhythm of his heart, the soft thudding gradually lulling her to sleep. Before she knew it, Ino was asleep.
It would be an hour later that Shikamaru would stumble upon his sleeping blond teammates.
'I thought I was the lazy one.'
Did he think they were adorable? Shikamaru wasn't one to meddle in other people's affairs, but the will-they-won't-they saga between his friends was more interesting than most things that didn't involve him. The unlikely pairing he never saw coming proved to be amusing when their attention wasn't directed at him, their bickering and exchanges could uplift even the slowest of days. Dare he say he wanted them to get it over with and make it official?
It was troublesome and of course, they were the ones capable of making him deviate from his usual demeanour. He sighed and shrugged as he dragged himself to the resting duo and dropped next to them.
As he closed his eyes he couldn't help but grunt as he tossed and turned, the ground was unbearable, and taking a nap was close to impossible for him, and as someone who deemed himself a master of taking well-earned breaks, he could not put up with such standards. Sitting up and exhaling he looked around for a better spot or for something that could work as a makeshift pillow.
His gaze scoured far and wide before the corner of his eye caught sight of the clump of colours next to him. There was a spot right next to Ino's head that was unoccupied and he was sure that Naruto would not mind, right?
He shrugged and claimed the spot, and it was just right.
All three members of Team 10 were asleep, Naruto acting as the unknowing pillow of his comrades. Training ground 10 held a tranquil calm unbroken even by the critters that foraged from tree to tree. One would be forgiven for thinking it to be unoccupied territory.
Asuma was late, almost as late as one Hatake Kakashi. He didn't want to think about the reason for his lack of punctuality, all he could do was cover up the remnants by pulling on the collar of his top and ensuring it was covering his neck. He knew Ino would be the first to yell at him and he was prepared for that.
But he wasn't expecting to find all three of his students slumbering under some tempting shade. Maybe it was telling how the other two were using Naruto as a foundation, he did plan for the boy to be the vanguard of the team- the role that Choji would have initially fulfilled. Some things just write themselves.
If he were like the aforementioned scarecrow he would have gone about rudely awakening them, but even he needed some time to recoup; he didn't have much planned for the first official team meeting other than some light training and discussions- maybe even their first taste of a D-rank mission.
The Jonin led himself to the base of the tree and heaved a sigh as he slumped against it, his jacket taking the brunt of the trunk's hard surface. He sat in silence and watched as the clouds sailed by.
It would be some time before Naruto's eyes finally fluttered open. His mind was foggy for a few fleeting moments before he recognised his surroundings. He was at their designated training ground.
"How long have I been out?" He mattered.
"Beats me, kid, I found you guys asleep." His eyes shot towards the origin of the voice.
"Oh, yo Asuma-sensei!" Naruto tried to raise his hand but found that it was pinned to the ground.
Looking down he was surprised to find that Ino had fallen asleep on his chest. She looked so peaceful that any attempt to wake her up filled him with guilt. It reminded him of their afternoons spent resting after intensive hours of training. It was both to his relief and disappointment that Ino began to stir from her nap, blue opal eyes fluttering opening and clearing the fog of sleep.
She rolled her head slightly and their eyes met.
"Hey there sleepy head." She said in between waking moans.
Naruto snorted, "Enjoy your nap?"
"You're no feather pillow," She began, "But you're nice enough."
"A pillow is a pillow. Beats lying on the ground."
Both blondes snapped their attention to their third teammate. Shikamaru still had his eyes closed, but the smirk on his face confirmed that he was awake.
Ino instantly sat up as she glared at the brunette, "Oi, get off him, get your own Naruto!"
"Speak a bit softer, and besides I'm sure he doesn't mind." The Nara said with a wave of his hand as he sat up.
"Yeah, it's nothing much really," He wasn't even aware he had people sleeping on him in the first place. Ino begrudgingly dropped the topic as she rose to her feet and brushed away the grass and fallen leaves from her clothes.
Asuma grunted as he pushed himself off the ground and stretched. The peace was enjoyable but he was a sensei and needed to fulfil his responsibilities. He gestured with a nod for the team to follow him towards the open field and he heard them shuffle behind him. He came to a stop a couple of steps in before turning to face them. Outside of Shikamaru who still looked half-asleep, the team was ready for their first taste of being a Genin cell.
"Now that we're all well and rested," He spoke with his eyes towards the trio, "I'm sure we're ready for some light training."
Shikamaru raised a suspicious eyebrow, "How light?"
Tilting his hand side to side Asuma chuckled, "Five minutes, I just want to see and refresh on your abilities. That's all."
While the Nara sighed, Naruto was more elated with the news, his excitement almost radiating off of him. Ino rolled her eyes.
"I'll take that as a resounding yes. I'll give you a minute to prepare." Asuma then walked further into the training grounds open clearing where the grass grew thin to reveal washed out soil.
"Can't we just surrender?" Shikamaru was met with blank stares. Clearly his teammates didn't know a good strategy even if it smacked them in their faces.
"Right," Naruto clasped his hands together putting the attention on him, "I can keep him busy, Shika I guess you can hang back and try to do your shadow thing, Ino cheer me on."
Ino curtly smacked his shoulder, "Don't you dare."
"Sounds like a plan to me." An amused Shikamaru said but he was silenced by the Yamanaka's glare.
Managing to get the boys under control, Ino cleared her throat, "We're a team. So we do things as a team, together. Mr. Jokester here-" She glanced over to Naruto who sheepishly chuckled, "was in the right direction. Shikamaru you're our brain guy, we need you to be in the back doing smart-guy things."
"Like sleeping?"
"I will kick your ass. Now, before I was rudely interrupted. Naruto you handle Asuma-sensei with what you do best.
"Punch things hard?" He asked with a smile.
Ino smirked at him, "Yes, punch things hard. I'll provide you with support and keep us linked, okay, babe?"
"Gotcha."
"Babe?" Shikamaru looked between the two blonds but his question was left to be answered by the sweeping wind.
'Gods these two are weird.'
"Let's get this thing started." Asuma announced from a distance, beckoning them towards him.
—
Asuma had all he needed to know. He gave his team a cursory glance as they sat in varying positions under the shade of the tree they previously occupied. It played out just like it did during their exam, not to say that was a bad thing. The team had a solid foundation and their teamwork was satisfactory for a bunch of fresh out of the academy Genin.
Naruto and Ino had the most experience working together and flowed well, both knew the other's repertoire enough to provide the appropriate assistance. Shikamaru being the strategist and possessing a simple goal, that being immobilising the target, didn't need much nuance in his contribution. However, the Nara did manage to surprise him a few times with his active participation and ability to adjust to his teammates.
From just a glance, they just needed more experience and to expand on their respective skill sets.
"That wasn't as bad as I thought it would be." He heard Shikamaru drawl, the boy barely able to keep his eyes open as he peered through the collage of leaves.
Ino scoffed, "Next time you do all the running around." As per usual she had propped herself against Naruto, using the older boy as support as they both sat leaned against the tree.
"You all did great." Asuma chimed in, "But there's still a lot we need to work on. I'll dedicate our next session to ironing that out, and don't forget about the assignment I gave you, that still stands. But for now, how does a mission sound?"
All three perked up.
"A mission?" Naruto asked excitement rolling off of him in waves.
"Yeah, a mission." Asuma replied with a knowing smile, he was about to enjoy the next couple of hours.
Shikamaru on the other hand did not trust that smile of his, not one bit.
"What kind of mission?" Ino asked, and in return their sensei shrugged.
"I don't know, can't say until we get one. Now come on, let's get to the mission desk before they run out of all the good stuff.
Team 10 was not happy, not one bit. What Asuma failed to mention was that the "good stuff" was a series of glorified chores. Cleaning the Inuzuka kennels, washing windows, filling the library shelves, pulling weeds, and the worst of it all…catching the demon cat.
"If I get my hands on that stupid thing I'll ring its neck!"
"I don't think we get paid for bringing back a dead cat."
"Found it!"
Asuma watched from a far as his students dashed through the village in chase of the spry cat. It was a rite of passage at this point to do at least one Tora mission.
Fifteen minutes went by before Naruto manages to corner the feline and grab it by the scruff of its neck. The cat hissed and swipped at the blond, wriggling and twisting its body as it fought to escape.
"Look man we just want to get this over with." Naruto's words fell on deaf ears as the cat continued to struggle in his grasp.
"Well then I'll consider this a successful Tora capture mission. Let's report back to the mission desk and I'll treat you guys to some lunch." Asuma dropped from her perch and approached his team, watching Naruto beam with excitement while Ino's scowl seemed to deepen.
"Are we really just errand runners?" She asked and the Jonin scratched his beard in thought.
"Technically speaking, yes. Missions are at their core, just errands."
"Is it too late to quit?" Shikamaru was the next to speak up, sporting a still fresh gash along his arm from an earlier encounter with the cat.
Asuma chuckled, "Oh well if you guys don't feel like it, that just means more food for Naruto. C'mon kid let's go."
Naruto jogged after him with the cat still in tow, ecstatic over the prospect of hot food filling his empty stomach. Ino sighed, but ultimately forced herself to trail after her friend and sensei. Shikamaru remained as he stood and gazed up at the sky, thick clumps of clouds sailed above him without care in the world- no responsibilities, no pressure.
'One of these days I'll just be like those clouds.'
The Nara heir dragged after his team, catching the occasional back and forth between them as they cut through the market square and towards the Hokage tower. He could see the looks Naruto received; vile and bitter disgust, they spoke with venom and glared daggers into the boy's back. They weren't as subtle as they thought they were.
'What exactly is their problem with you pal?'
The only other person he ever saw getting somewhat similar treatment was the purple haired woman he saw occasionally. He could chalk her treatment up to her attitude, but Naruto? Sure the guy pulled pranks from time to time, but those kinds of pranks wouldn't warrant being the scorn of the earth.
That was one of many mysteries surrounding his friend that he wanted to solve, but as it stood he did not give much to go on.
'Slowly but surely…maybe Ino knows something, I'll ask her when we're alone.'
"You've been awfully quiet." He looked up to see that Ino was talking to him.
He shrugged.
"In case you don't remember we've been doing chores the whole day, I'm a little beat."
She didn't buy it.
"You know when you're in deep thought you get this little crease between your eyebrows, makes you a little ugly." There was some haught to her tone as she leaned against the wall, both Naruto and Asuma missing.
"I didn't know you liked my face enough to observe it that much, and where's Sensei and Naruto?"
Ino scoffed, "Don't get excited thinking a girl has noticed you. It's actually Naruto who pointed it out in class a while ago. As for where they are-" She pointed towards the opening leading into the mission desk, he finally realised they had made it to the tower.
"What's really eating you up?"
"I'm sure you've seen the way they all look at Naruto right?" She nodded, "You know anything at all?"
Ino shook her head, "I've been meaning to ask but…"
"But how do you even begin to ask, right?"
"Mhm."
"What are you guys whispering about?"
They both nearly jumped in fright, their eyes landing on the smug Naruto standing before them with Asuma not far behind.
"How do you keep doing that?" A disgruntled Shikamaru asked.
"Not to brag but I can sneak past ANBU."
The other two rolled their eyes at his little brag, but they could only hope that he didn't catch anything regarding their conversation. Ino hoping to quickly move on took the initiative.
"So, lunch?"
"Yeah, I know this place, Yakiniku Q. It has the best gyūtan I've ever had."
Naruto's eyes lit up, "Gyūtan? I've never had that."
'Of course not kid, of course not.' Asuma hummed, he didn't know much about Naruto beyond what he's observed but he was aware of the boy's situation. Living off scraps and ramen up until recently, it's no wonder he would be eager to try anything.
"I've got a feeling you'll like it."
"I hope this doesn't become another food addiction of yours." Ino groaned.
"Food addiction? C'mon Ino I have a perfectly fine relationship with food."
At that moment the entire tower fell silent. All eyes were turned to face the blond as he lied as easily as he breathed. Naruto deflated at the incredulous stares he was receiving. He threw his arms up in defeat, admitting to his fault and the Hokage tower returned to its normal pace.
Asuma wasn't wrong. Yakiniku was bound to become one of Naruto's favourite foods, the smell, the taste, the sauce, it all came together to create some sort of settlement of flavours in his mouth.
Ino on the other hand, while dreading what was to come in the future, was impressed by Naruto's show of restraint as he ate at a controlled pace. Though she could not help but smile as she watched his face shift between emotions.
However, he seemed to notice her watching and stopped mid-stuffing his face, "Is there something on my face?" He asked, and she snorted, waving her hand as she dismissed his concerns.
"Nothing, just thinking."
He looked at her for a bit longer but accepted her answer as he returned to his food. This little interaction did not go unnoticed by the other two members of Team 10. Shikamaru and Asuma shared a knowing look, but when Ino looked towards them they both quickly turned away.
The Yamanaka princess narrowed her eyes in suspicion before huffing as she began eating her own portion of the food.
"You were right, Sensei, this stuff is incredible!"
Asuma chuckled, "I know my stuff."
After a while Shikamaru spoke up, "How long do we do these D-rank missions for?"
"There isn't exactly a threshold or criteria set in place," He swallowed the lump of beef in his mouth, "It will depend on whether I think you're ready to take on a C-rank mission."
"I see, and when will that be?"
"I wouldn't worry about it too much."
His eyes glanced over all three of them,a small smile following, "This team's got a lot of potential and you'll be ready to tackle that sort of thing in no time."
Shikamaru sighed, "Bummer, this whole D-rank gig doesn't seem all too bad in retrospect. Nice pay, don't need to leave the village. A guy can get used to that."
"Just get a regular job then, you bum!" He frowned at Ino's words.
"Not old enough."
"That doesn't make any sense!"
"Can you not yell? It's making imagining the perfect life a little harder when all I can hear is your voice."
Asuma glanced over to Naruto expecting him to step in, but the boy was far too focused on his food. He couldn't claim to have known Kushina all that well, he'd seen her from afar for the most part but he knew that the woman loved her food, and that was something Naruto definitely inherited from her.
'I guess he really is a stand-in for an Akimichi.'
Seeing as Naruto wasn't even aware of the bickering going on between his teammates, Asuma ceased the argument by clearing his throat.
"Relax you two, there'll be plenty of bickering on mission. Right now we're here to unwind and enjoy some good food, take a page from Naruto's book."
Said boy perked up upon hearing his name, the corners of his mouth coated in the brown glossy sauce from his barbecue.
"Did I miss something?"
"See? completely unbothered and living in the moment."
"Yeah, that's because you bribed him with food." Ino said.
"I bribed all of you with food." was Asuma's deadpan response.
"Well I'm not that easily bought."
"I'm sure Naruto has something to say about that."
"W-what?"
"I do?"
Asuma laughed, "You two are hopeless."
Night began to claim the skies, the orange glow of the setting sun thinning as Naruto and Ino made their way through the village. Having parted ways with Shikamaru and Asuma they walked with Ino humming a soft tune as she playfully bumped into Naruto who seemed to be on the verge of a food coma. Eventually they made it to Ino's home, the girl spreading her arms out as Naruto followed on cue and embraced her.
Their hugs had become more than just a means of going their separate ways. They were tender and they were long, sometimes lasting an upward of two minutes. He would sometimes caress her hair and she liked it. She wanted to ask him to do it more frequently but she was too embarrassed to make the request.
"You smell like beef." She whispered.
"You too." He replied.
"Yeah, but you smell more like it."
"I didn't know we were competing."
Some time passed before Ino spoke up, she had almost fallen asleep in his arms and that had given her an idea.
"We should have a sleepover some time."
Naruto's eyes almost bulged out of his skull, "A sleepover?!"
Ino rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, a sleepover. Oh come on don't give me that look."
"It's just…isn't that a bit weird?" He asked as he looked down at her.
"Naruto, I've exclusively hung out with you for the past year." She wasn't sure whether that was something to be proud of or if she needed more friends.
"Yeah, but like what will your parents say?"
"They'll say a lot of things, but they'll also say yes."
Naruto sighed in defeat, "You're the most persistent girl I know."
"You speak to other girls?"
His lips fell into a frown as Ino cackled. That woman will be the death of him.
"Fine, but I'll have to get a better place first. A couple of D-ranks and I'm sure I can get a better place."
She nodded, "I can wait, but not for too long. Now it's getting late, I wouldn't want you to get lost in the dark."
"Geez what are you, my wife?"
"..." A flustered Ino began to push him away in the direction of his home much to his confusion.
"Fine I'll go, say hi to your parents."
She watched him leave before quickly running into her house. Her parents weren't home so she was left to calm herself, her reddened face slowly regaining its complexion.
–
Naruto's trek back home was once again uneventful, that was until he stopped right in front of his door. He felt a set of eyes on him and as he looked around until he spotted a peculiar looking owl perched just on a lamp post above him. The red feathered creature was slightly larger than any owl he's ever seen, the most stand out features of course were the dark pair of sunglasses it wore and the gold pendant hanging just below its beak.
"Well that's something you don't see everyday…"
"Hoot."
"Yeah, well you are stylish owl."
"Hoot."
"Are sunglasses practical for an owl?"
"Hoot."
"I guess I can respect that. Wait are you just hanging out here oooorrrr…?"
"Hoot."
"Oh, Akira? y'know that does make sense now that I think about it."
"Hoot."
He watched as the owl pecked at the pendant, a thin plum of smoke emitting just as an envelope appeared. He held his hands out as it gently fell into his hands, it looked identical to the first one he got the other day.
"Hoot."
"Thanks, hey do you have a name?"
"Hoot."
"Oh okay, well then see you next time."
"Hoot!"
The owl took off before disappearing in a puff of smoke.
"Well Naruto you've either gone insane, or the world has gone insane." He muttered as he walked into his apartment with the envelope in hand.
Once seated he unsealed the envelope and opened it, pulling out the letter held inside.
Dear Naruto
I see you have found the temple. I must admit I am not fully aware of what is in there myself, only an inkling of what Lady Mito managed to accrue. You must still have a lot of questions which I promise will all be answered in due time. Did you enjoy donning the ceremonial mask? It is certainly an experience, as a researcher I am envious that I have not been able to don one myself, they've become a rare thing to come upon and I've only had the pleasure of seeing one in person a while ago. It belonged to a man named Osamu, maybe you'll meet him one day, he's an interesting individual with a very…boisterous personality.
But I digress. Many are excited that we have made contact, and even more so that you are learning of your roots. Do continue to learn what you can, there is not much else to say and I must now aid my assistant before she creates a mess in my lab. However, I do have a warning. Keep watch of that one eyed bandaged man.
Uzumaki Akira
This time next to her name was a small cute doodle of an owl.
"So…she's watching me somehow, is it the owl?" He hummed, "And what's the deal with those ceremonial masks?"
She was right, he had more questions than answers, but he was holding her to her word. One day they will meet and he'll have all his questions answered.
But first, she spoke of a one eyed bandaged man. Did she mean…him? The encounter was still fresh on his mind, the day he found out about his parents and nearly running into said man.
"I'll keep an eye out then, but for now I'm beat."
End of Chapter 9
A/N: Yup it's me again, late as usual. Life happens, I get busy and caught up in other stuff and writing has been slipping further down my priorities. I'm sorry it took this long!
This chapter is means to settle me back into writing, I struggled a lot with the training scene going far as scrapping what I had already written, I've never been good at writing that kind of stuff, kinda ironic considering the series I chose to write for. Though I promise it wasn't much, and that I won't be doing this for important and pivotal fights.
Next chapter will be far more interesting, I had initially wanted the C-rank to be chapter 9, but I was drawing blanks and the idea I originally had for both this C-rank and the other one completely changed due to inspirations and ease of writing and conveying. Next chapter will purely be the first C-rank.
We mostly just saw everyone tease Naruto and Ino on their relationship, got a bit of Uzumaki lore, and team 10 got a taste of the Genin grind. The Uzumaki concepts will be explained gradually such as the masks because I always wanted there to be more regarding them considering y'know you can fucking call upon the Shinigami by donning one.
Once again thank you guys for your support and patience, I started this fic on a whim and never expected it to catch on at all, but I'm glad y'all are enjoying it. I've got a tumblr up where I'll be posting art related to my fics, share some scrapped content, and you'll be able to ask me questions and whatnot on there. Just follow the link on my profile and it will lead you to my blog. Alternatively you can also find me on the naruto fanfiction discord server, you can find an invite on the subreddit.
With that, I thank you.
Yours truly, Kiwi.