Happier Than Ever: A Naruto Uzumaki Love Story

Chapter Eight: Welcome Home

*NARUTO*

It wasn't long before Kazuna walked into the waiting room fully dressed in her everyday attire, the clunky chakra suppressing cuffs still clamped down on her wrists. Kakashi-sensei walked behind her with his hands in his pockets.

"Are we ready, team?" he asked. Naruto nodded, Kazuna ignored him.

"Where's Sakura? Isn't she here?" Naruto asked.

"She's already at Lady Tsunade's office. Let's get going, shall we?"

The walk was relatively quiet. Naruto would steal glances at Kazuna whenever time permitted. Sometimes she would catch him and he'd fight the burning sensation in his cheeks.

When they approached the office, the door was wide open. Kakashi stepped into the doorframe and knocked with a single knuckle before she permitted everyone entry. They all lined up before her desk; Kazuna stood at Naruto's right side.

"Before I dismiss you all for the night, I wanted to let you know what will be happening from now on," Granny said, unfolding her hands from over her mouth and placing them down onto the thick orange envelope on her desk. "The results of your DNA test have come from the lab... Your name is Noroi, Kazuna. First and only daughter of Noroi, Karomaru and Noroi, Nozura. Heir to the Reiju Ryuzu of the moon." It's that name again, a Reiju, Naruto thought.

"I could have told you that. Oh, wait, I did...," Kazuna said, folding her arms and closing her eyes, a smug look about her face.

"Be respectful, Kazuna," Kakashi-sensei warned.

"After the incident that took the lives of the people in your clan, you disappeared for seven years, only to return now. While your history is still under investigation, we have no liable reason to not reinstate you as an official Konoha shinobi," Granny Tsunade said. Kazuna grinned at the news. "Tomorrow your skills will be tested in combat to measure your abilities. Due to the absence of one of their members, you will be appointed to team seven, Kakashi-sensei's team, along with Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno. Be sure to rest up; your first assignment will be this Thursday. Report to my office at six on the dot that morning. Kakashi will show you to your new dwellings. You all are dismissed."

Everyone bowed except Kazuna, to which Kakashi placed a heavy hand on the crown of her head, forcefully pushing her into a bow.

When the newly formed team seven were outside the building, Kazuna raised her arms above her head, stretching her entire body out from the tips of her fingers down to her toes.

"I can't wait until tomorrow, I haven't had a decent fight in forever. So, who's this Sakura character the old woman was talking about anyway?"

"That 'character' happens to be standing right here," Sakura said with an offended "hmph." Kazuna walked up to Sakura and circled around her. "Hey! What are you--What are you doing?" the pinkette snapped. Kazuna stopped just in front of Sakura, her face only inches away from his long-time teammate's.

"Your smell. It's fluffy, like cotton candy, but there's something aggressive about it that I can't quite put my finger on," Kazuna said. Sakura jumped back, wrapping her arms around her body as if Kazuna was undressing her with her nose. So, she's always like this. With everyone, Naruto thought, his face distorted into something between a deadpan and an awkward glare. "Nevertheless, it's not particularly amusing."

"What was that?!" Sakura hollered as she raised her fists to Kazuna.

"This'll be...quite interesting," Kakashi-sensei sweat dropped. "It's late and we all have somewhere to be in the morning. Kazuna, why don't you come with me and I'll show you your new living arrangements."