Somewhere Other Than Here

Grandma

Winter came down hard on us. It's been a few months since I wrote so here is what happened during my "break".

I helped out the town with many small and miscellaneous things: cut down wood for fire, helping with construction, cooking for the town's restaurant "Flower power". My body ached after everyday, especially the cutting wood days. But the first snow finally came and it was oddly beautiful. The small snowflakes slowly falling, only to melt immediately after touching my face, hands or ground. The children would run outside and try to catch them all with their mouths. Safe to say, they aren't good at it. The parents would laugh, I would laugh with them.

I've gotten friendly with a lot of the town folk in here. After two days of being here, I finally got the name of the village. "Village In The Flowers". Now looking back, I remember seeing the place covered in flowers of all types. Past me was stupid. And I still am.

One time, I helped this old women walk her dogs. She asked to help and I obliged, thinking it might be one or two small dogs. Only for it to be 9 entire large wolf like dogs. But they were very nice to me and I walked them peacefully around the village. And everyone seemed happy to see them and so did the dogs. Everyone petted them and the dogs seemed so happy about it. At one point, I stopped using the leashes and they stayed by my side the whole trip. Everyone said hi to me and some had small talk. Some even asked for help later on and the entire time, I held back my tears and thanked them after I said goodbye.
I brought the dogs back and stayed to help the old lady around the house. Helped her clean, do dishes and laundry. Even cooked for her and made her some warm tea. After I finished everything, I said my goodbyes and went to leave but she stopped and told me to sit down. I did so and sat next to her on the couch. She began to talk to about the headband I was wearing.

"Oh, yeah I'm from the leaf village, Konoha" I told her with an awkward smile, adjusting it on my forehead.

"Hmm, you know, I am from Konoha too..." she told me with her old raspy voice as she stood up and went to a drawer in the living room. Now noticing, I saw many pictures lined there on the drawer. Many of them where, what I assumed, of her and other people. They all had similar red markings on their faces. Very similar to Kiba's markings. I was still inspecting the pictures while the old lady came back with a leaf headband and multiple dog collars. 9 of them, all of each different colours.

"I was a part of the Inuzuka clan. Do you know anyone part of clan?" She asked, looking at me as she held her headband and dog collars.

"Yes. His name was Kiba, same age as me" I told her.

She chuckled as she laid her headband on her side and started to look at her multiple dog collars. Each one had a name engraved on them as well as being different colours each.

"That's my grandson, but I only saw him when he was born. He probably doesn't even know my name or that I even exist" She slightly chuckled as she rubbed the engraved Konoha logo on the metal plate

"Grandson?"

"Yes...I'm the mother of his mother"

My eyes widened in surprise. Never heard or seen any of Kiba's family. And I definitely didn't know his grandmother lived outside the village.

"Why are you here then?"

"I left...13 years ago I took my dogs and left. I found this village when it was only two house and they accepted me in. I helped build, back when I was not some old lady, some houses and they made me my own as a thank you. And I've been living here since. My dogs were loved and free to rom the small town. Everyone loves them and they help catch a few bad people here and there too. Good dogs....good dogs"

"Why?" I asked her, trying to see if it's similar to my own reason.

"I was tired of it all. How my clan treated our dogs. How they treated each other. So much hate and everything was about fighting and winning. And they saw their dogs as tools and nothing more. And back then, they treated me as if I was some sort of relic that could be destroyed by a small gush of wind. I couldn't do anything. Just stay inside and feed the dogs. After Kiba was born, I just couldn't take it anymore and left. I took the dogs I loved the most and now I'm here."

I looked at her as she speaked. But after she stopped, It made me think of my own situation. I stared down at my hands and arms. All the scars I had and how dirty my hands were from all the work I've been doing.

"Do you regret leaving?" I asked genuinely.

"Sometimes. I miss seeing my daughter, brothers and sisters. We might've fought alot but they are my family after all. And sometimes, I wish I could've been there for Kiba when he grew up. But now I'm scared to go back. Too old to be a Shinobi and I would burdened my daughter with taking care of me."

What she said really touched me. It made me realize that I have some sort of time limit. A limit where there is no going back. And the scariest part is: I don't know when that is.

"And you, Naruto, what brings you here?" She then asked, feeling her stare at me as I kept looking at my hands.

"I....I never had a family. And everyone else hated me." I told her, trying not say too much.

"So you left because you felt alone?"

"Yes but..."

"You miss someone, don't you?"

"...Yes"

She lightly chuckled. "I could see it in your eyes. You are happier here but you miss that one person that made you happy back there. Well, you are still very young so take your time and whatever choice you choose-" she says, pinching my cheek as I look at her. "It will be the right one" she gave me a warm smile. I started to cry as she hugged me lovingly. It felt like what I imagine a grandmother's hug would feel like. She reminded me of Grandma Tsunade but more calm and less angry everytime I called her that.

I thanked her and I left, saying goodbye to all the dogs one by one now knowing their names. I went back to my little hotel room and now I'm here, writing about my day and months.

I feel amazing. I keep wondering how Tenten is doing.