AN: So another chapter.

Some may have already noticed that the poll for Naruto's pairing is over, and the winner by a landslide is Itachi. For those who voted for Sasuke you don't have to get too upset, I haven't forgotten him.

I've decided in years when Nadeshiko is old enough I'd pair Sasuke with her. This won't happen until the sequel, which will mainly focus on Nadeshiko. I don't want to say too much on it since I don't want to give any spoilers and I am still working on the idea myself.

Anyways onto the chapter.

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Ultranumb.

Chapter 10: Where We Begin.

Not far from where Jiraiya of the Sannin and Sandaime Hokage stood guard, a man hid behind a powerful genjutsu and the natural shadows of the night. His only visible eye through the orange spiral mask he wore seemed to glow crimson as he watched the cave entrance.

He had already spotted the powerful seal warding anyone's entrance. Anyone who didn't already know what was going on inside would assume just by the guard of a Sannin and Kage that whatever was inside was very valuable and important.

The masked man, Tobi or Madara depending on who you asked, already knew what or who was inside. He was simply here to observe, as he'd been observing the rather mysterious woman who'd appeared nearly six years ago for a while now.

Uzumaki Noriko, a descendant of the Uzumaki, Uchiha and Namikaze clans.

A powerful kunoichi, maybe on the same level as Tsunade of the Sannin who was considered to be unmatched. Maybe more powerful if rumors of her battles were anything to go on. It was her Sharingan that intrigued him though. Fully matured, and he'd only seen her use the Mangekyō – which he was aware she possessed though few did other than the Uchiha clan – once or twice in battle.

That had been before she'd gained the strength she did now, and he noticed she hardly ever resorted to using the eyes. At first he assumed it was because of the loss of her eyesight with overuse, but the second time he'd seen her activate the Mangekyō he realized it was an Eternal Mangekyō so it didn't have such a weakness.

The blonde girl was an enigma. No records could be found in the ruins of Uzushio or Uzu no Kuni itself, but those could have easily been taken by the girl. It wasn't as if he could even get into Uzushio thanks to the fail-safe seal which only an Uzumaki could get past.

He wouldn't have had to though, a copy should have been in the capital village of Uzu no Kuni (though Uzu no Kuni was always built more like a city than a village). He did find records on her mother, Uzumaki Shiori, and her story leaked to him through Zetsu checked out. Uzumaki Shiori was the illegitimate daughter of Uchiha Kota and Uzumaki Chizue, as well as the cousin of Uzumaki Kushina.

As for Uzumaki Naruto, he was already aware the girl wasn't the blonde woman's biological daughter. He was there the night Naruto was born, so he knew the girl was truly the daughter of Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina.

The resemblance between Kushina and Noriko had taken even him by surprise the first time he saw her, when be began to observe her three years ago.

He needed to know if he could manipulate the girl to help him reach his goal. She was an obstacle to reaching the nine-tailed fox inside Uzumaki Naruto, and if rumour was believed the other half sealed inside Noriko. He'd seen her use the chakra a few times but out of every jinchūriki he'd come across to make sure they were in place to be captured when the time came, she seemed to use it far less than them.

She treated her added skill, such as the Kyūbi chakra and Sharingan eyes as tools and didn't let them inflate her ego like some did. Most of all he noticed she was unpredictable.

He didn't watch her all the time, he simply observed when an opportunity to figure out the mystery of Uzumaki Noriko presented itself. He had a hard time believing she was who she claimed, at least in part. Some things didn't add up to him. He'd not heard of her living with Minato before she suddenly appeared out of thin air a few days after the Kyūbi attack.

News had spread fast, so it was no surprise it reached the Akatsuki and himself soon after. She soon gained a reputation, not quite on the level of her so called half-brother, but she still had time for that. Madara had been caught off guard when news reached him that the sister of the Yellow Flash, and the son of the White Fang were expecting a child together.

It hadn't leaked out of Konoha until Noriko was farther along in her pregnancy, since by the time he found time to plan what to do the girls due date was fast approaching.

This would create an opportune time to extract the Yin half of the Kyūbi no Yōko. Even with the Shiki Fūjin the seal would weaken, maybe not as much as Kushina's had, but enough to weaken the girl. Madara chuckled under his breath at the idea of recreating history. Another Kyūbi attack would devastate Konoha, especially after only five years and three months has passed since the first one.

He smirked to himself at the irony of it, and his ears picked up the pain filled groans of the jinchūriki from inside the cave. From the distance he was at she must have been in pain for him to hear her. It was not all that surprising to be honest.

Pain was usually fleeting for a jinchūriki who healed quickly, and the Kyūbi had the best healing prowess of all the jinchūriki, bordering on regeneration. Added to her Uzumaki healing it was unlikely she'd expected childbirth to hurt as it did.

Kushina had the same problem. Soon the child would be born, and he could extract the Yin Kyūbi. At least he would have been able to if he'd counted on the girl knowing such a powerful ward seal.

He'd read of it before, it was the most complex seal and one of the oldest in the Uzumaki clan library. It was what had protected Uzushio so dutifully, until forces from the inside had conspired against them and weakened the seal just before Iwa, Kiri and Kumo attacked.

It didn't matter. The Kyūbi was needed last of all the Bijū to complete his plan. It could wait, he thought as the loud cries of a newborn baby reached his ears. It was such a sudden sound to the tranquil night that he noticed birds take flight from trees close by.

"Did you get what you were looking for?" Zetsu asked, coming up behind him.

Madara didn't bother turning around, instead he simply looked up at the full moon over head.

"They've prepared well for the chance I would return to repeat history," he said darkly, and then smirked. "They say those who don't learn from their past are doomed to repeat it...I'm impressed they learned anything from five years ago."

Zetsu tilted his head to side a centimetre as he thought of this.

"And the Kyūbi?"

"Is not needed right now. We have plenty of time to retrieve it."

"Is that a good idea, Madara? The girl is already known throughout the nations as Kitsune Joō Noriko (Fox Queen Noriko). Konoha no Himitsu Ōkami (Konoha's Secret Wolf) in some parts of the nations, and even the Uzu Joō (Whirlpool Queen). She already over powers a Kage with her chakra reserves alone, given enough time she could be a very troubling threat," Zetsu stated.

Madara smirked under his mask.

"It doesn't matter, I even look forward to it. No matter how strong she may become no one will strand in the way of my dream." The red glow of his Sharingan became even more apparent as he spoke. "No one."

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Two Months Later;

May 3rd.

Hatake Compound:

Noriko laughed gently as she watched Kakashi rocking back and forth so as to calm the two month old baby he cradled.

Nadeshiko (commonly shortened to Nade-chan by Naruto, who'd decided in her childlike wisdom that Nadeshiko was too much of a mouthful. In reality it was because the girl was just too lazy to always use her full name), was very loud at only two months old.

Naruto had been a handful at that age, but Nadeshiko proved to not only have an unparalleled set of lungs but she knew how to use them. Coffee had become their best friend in the months since Nori had given birth. Though it was hard on them at times, they loved every moment of it. Well, maybe not the dirty diapers.

Kakashi had finished his resignation from ANBU and had more free time, but still had at least one mission a week, sometimes more. She herself wouldn't be expected to do more than a C-rank for a few more months. Usually maternity leave from active duty lasted no more than six months, unless the kunoichi retired all together.

She would return to active duty by the time Nadeshiko was a year old, and in about a month she'd return to the Academy to teach. Until then a substitute was teaching in her place. Despite this Noriko didn't allow herself to stop training completely now that she could once again. She did light training for now as she didn't have the time for anything more with Nadeshiko being so young.

Thanks to her healing rate she was pretty much completely recovered from childbirth.

She still had a bit of baby fat left over from her pregnancy, but with the right training she'd be back to her weight before she got pregnant. It didn't really bother her, she'd never watched her weight. Life of a ninja was pretty active, so there had never been a reason to.

"Why do they always go for the hair?" Kakashi muttered as his defying hair was pulled by Nadeshiko's tiny reaching hands.

"Maybe because it's so soft and pretty," Nori suggested with a teasing smirk.

Kakashi sent his girlfriend a deadpanned look with his one visible eye.

"You're hair is brighter and softer than mine, love," he pointed out.

Noriko shrugged and walked over to take Nadeshiko into her arms. She gently rocked the baby, cradling her to her chest before she walked over to sit in a rocking chair which was in the corner of the room.

"Have I told you recently that I love you, Nori-chan?" Kakashi asked as he stood beside the rocking chair, looking down at them.

Nori smiled, looking up at the silver haired man, and said, "All the time, and I love you too, Kakashi-kun."

"She's asleep," Kakashi noted a few seconds later, and Noriko nodded as she slowly stood.

Nadeshiko was a rather light sleeper, very much like her father. It seemed the baby had taken greatly after both of them in appearance. Her silver hair seemed to want to spike and defy gravity as it grew in, her complexion was fair more similar to Kakashi than Noriko.

The one thing that could only come from Noriko were Nadeshiko's eyes, they were the same shape, and they were blue like Noriko's had been at birth, just a darker shade. The dark shade could have also been influenced by not only Kakashi's eyes, but his mother's which had been blue-gray.

"Kaa..." a child's voice yelled, but as she came through the door to her little sister's nursery she was shh'd by her parents stern looks.

Naruto flushed lightly at this, and muttered a soft sorry as her mother placed Nadeshiko into her bassinet.

"Alright, what's up Naru?" Noriko asked, once they were out of the nursery and in the living room.

Naruto grinned.

"Miko-Obachan said Itachi was going to Suna for his Chūnin Exams," Naruto said. "She mentioned that if he made it to the finals the Hokage and those he chose would be going as well..."

"Did she also mention that I had told her the Hokage had already talked to your mother and I about going as two of his guards?" Kakashi asked.

"So is it true?"

Noriko exchanged looks with Kakashi and then nodded.

"Yes. You and Nadeshiko will be coming as well, seeing as both your father and I will be accompanying the Hokage. I will mostly be there as a guest though since I have to take care of Nadeshiko. Mikoto, Fugaku and Sasuke will also be there to give support to Itachi. You'll be given leave from the Academy in order to attend the Chūnin Exam," Noriko explained.

"I hope Tachi-kun makes it to the finals! I've never been outside the village before," Naru said, and Noriko chuckled.

Naruto had been outside the village walls once or twice when she was a baby, but not far outside. Noriko had taken her out to a small pond area she'd found with Jiraiya in her timeline during the break for the Chūnin Exams... a time which was so far away in her memories now. Point was Naruto wouldn't remember those short trips outside the walls of Konoha.

"I'm sure he will," she said, and reached out her hand for Naruto to take. "Why don't we go get ramen later when your sister wakes from her nap. For now we can make mochi."

"Mochi... can we make Ice cream mochi?" Naruto asked, giving her mother an innocent look as she suggested her favorite food other than ramen.

Another difference between them, Noriko had realized. Unlike Nori, Naruto didn't particularly like red bean soup, instead she'd taken an love for mochi ice cream. She supposed if she'd grown up with the ability to get a hold of other foods she'd have favored other foods as well.

Noriko had found it easiest to get ramen and red bean soup when she was growing up, so they'd become her favorite foods. Naruto didn't have that handicap, and while she loved ramen just as much as Noriko, she wasn't overly fond of red bean soup. That was okay, while Noriko liked mochi she wasn't as fond of it as Naru was.

"Sure," she replied.

The duo walked to the kitchen. Kakashi following behind.

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Two weeks later they got word that Itachi had past to the final round of the exams, and it was clear Naruto was very exited. Not only to see other places in the nations but to see Itachi.

The Hokage had chosen a few ANBU to accompany him aside from Noriko and Kakashi. One of which included Noriko's old student, Yūgao. They left on a Monday, a few days after the news came.

Noriko flanked the back with Mikoto, Fugaku and Sasuke with Naruto and Nadeshiko. Yūgao was close to them with another ANBU, the rest towards the front. Protecting the Hokage. It would take about three to four days at the slower pace they had to go because of the children currently with them.

At the borders to Sunagakure they'd meet with two carriages and horses which would carry them the rest of the way. That would be a relief, Noriko wasn't sure it was a good idea for Nadeshiko to be exposed to such hot windy-sandy climates. As it was everyone wore scarfs to keep the sand from being breathed in, even while traveling in the carriage once they finally made it to the border.

Baby Nade-chan also had a thin scarf which covered her enough to make sure she didn't breath in any sand. Mikoto told her she didn't need to worry quite so much, seeming amused at how concerned about the little things she became when nervous.

Noriko supposed she was a worrier when going into uncertain situations, or she could just blame hormones. Mikoto joked that she was simply a mother bear, while Noriko corrected her and said she was more of a mother fox. Much more vicious and protective.

Truth was she worried about Nadeshiko and Naruto being outside the village, more so the fact they were going to another village and it was well known fact who Noriko was. Which meant it was well known who Naruto and Nadeshiko were in relation to her and the Yondaime Hokage and his wife.

"Finally," Naruto sighed as she jumped out of the carriage inside Suna. She stretched her arm above her head and breathed in the humid desert air – though there was a slight breeze, there always was in Wind Country. "I thought we'd never arrive. Mama, do you think they have good ramen here?"

Noriko smiled, and with regret said, "Unfortunately you wont find ramen in Suna, Naru."

Naruto's jaw dropped and she looked at her mother in horror. "N-n-no r-ramen?"

Nori shook her head ruefully. "No. They're a deprived people I know, but never fear I've sealed enough instant ramen into a scroll for both of us!" She grinned cheekily, raising her hand in a quick victory sign (or peace sign, depending on who you asked).

Mikoto actually laughed at her cousin and surrogate little sister, while Fugaku rolled his eyes, and the others who'd been in the second carriage(the ANBU guards, Kakashi and the Hokage) chuckled their own amusement. Naruto breathed a sigh of relief and then grinned happily.

"Let's go explore!" she said.

Sasuke looked at his own parents and then back to Noriko and Naruto contemplatively. Noriko hmm'd in thought and rocked Nadeshiko gently in her arms, trying to calm the somewhat upset baby. If she was right about the feeling against her arm the fair haired child needed changing. Her nose wrinkled and she patted one of the scrolls hooked to her belt – making sure it was still there filled with baby supplies.

"First we need to settle in at the hotel. The final tournament is tomorrow, so we'll only be here a few nights," Kakashi said, and Nori nodded.

"Yes, and I've got to change your sister," Noriko said, and Naru and Sasuke both wrinkled there noses.

"Go on ahead, I need to see the Kazekage now that we've arrived," Hiruzen said.

Noriko nodded and they all (sans Kakashi who went with the Hokage and other ANBU) headed towards the hotel.

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"Tachi-kun!" Naru exclaimed as she jumped on the poor unsuspecting boys back.

Itachi grunted, taking the weight of the small girl and straightening out his own balance. Looking back at her bright grin, and closed blue eyes – a habit she'd picked up from her father's habit of using his eyes to smile since he never took his mask off away from home or with company over. The grin though was all Noriko (who in actuality inherited it from Minato) though.

"Hey, bunny-chan..." he said and Naruto puffed out her cheeks at the nickname, which to her made little sense. She wasn't in anyway similar to a bunny.

"I'm not a bunny! Why do you insist on calling me that?" She slid off his back and crossed her arm, and Itachi's usually stoic expression broke slightly to become a small smile at the corner of his mouth.

Lifting his hand he tugged gently at the small high pigtails Naru had begun wearing once her hair had grown out to just past her shoulder blades. The bunny hairclip still present to keep the hair out of her face. If one looked at the pigtails right they looked a little like bunny ears.

That, together with the hairclip and whisker birthmarks had reminded Itachi of a rabbit so he'd given her the nickname of bunny-chan. Mostly because he knew it annoyed her.

"Because you're like a bunny, always bouncing around and grinning," he said, and then turned to see Noriko, his parents and little brother all standing there with smiles, excitement or looks of pride on their face. Baby Nadeshiko was also in her mothers arms, seemingly asleep from the looks of it.

"Wonderful job in the exams, son," Mikoto said, smiling happily and Fugaku actually gave a small smile but his eyes were all Itachi needed to see to know his father was proud of him for once. Sasuke was smiling at him, looking awed and exited.

"Hn, you're mother is correct. You did very well, Itachi," Fugaku said, nodding and clapping his son once on the shoulder.

"Nii-san, can you help me learn that thing you did with the fire when we get home?" Sasuke asked, tugging on his shirt.

Itachi blinked before he smiled. "When you're older, little brother. You too young to learn that fire jutsu yet."

"I know," Noriko said, drawing their attention to her. "Why don't we meet up with Kakashi and we all go have a celebratory dinner."

Mikoto and Fugaku exchanged looks before they nodded. There was no harm in having a dinner together before they turned in for the night and readied themselves to return to Konoha. Itachi had proven to be able to finish the chūnin exams, the winner though the term was used loosely in these type of exams since there really wasn't a winner or loser. It was a test to show the higher ups of the villages who was ready to be promoted and who needed more time.

Noriko, Mikoto and Fugaku had little doubt Itachi would be promoted.

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Noriko left Nadeshiko in the hotel room, looked after by Mikoto and of course the others, the next morning. Those from Konoha wouldn't leave until tomorrow morning, so the Hokage could finish everything up with the Kazekage. Noriko herself couldn't help but let everything catch up to her.

Being in Suna had opened some memories she thought long since lost to her. Memories of her timeline, of friends and then the less happy times of war. How in no less than a decade Sunagakure wouldn't be much of a village, over half of it little more than a wasteland, a ghost town... a crater in the ground.

Madara would reap the five great nations like a personification of death himself, and no matter how hard they fought it never seemed good enough. It was why she'd come back, why she, Sasuke and Sakura had worked so damn hard to right the wrongs and fix everything.

Maybe the first turning point of a loosing war was the death of three of the five Kage in the beginning of the war. The Mizukage fell first, then the Tsuchikage, and finally the Raikage fell. Others were elected to take their place but the damage was done, and there was no fixing the lives lost afterwards.

In the coming three years more death followed, they were always one step behind Madara.

Even if they had stopped the Jubi's reforming by some miracle of fūinjutsu even Madara couldn't hope to crack, it was all a loosing battle and by the time Noriko became Hokage there wasn't much of a nation or village to reside over. Konoha was the last relatively safe place and even then it wasn't safe enough.

Most of her memories before the Great Fourth War were blurry to non-existent any more, and as she'd theorized in the past it was all consequence of travelling back in time. The balance trying to restore itself... but maybe it was just she didn't want to remember. She didn't know everything anyway. Just a vague timeline for things that happened before she became a genin and things that happened afterwards. In the end it didn't mater, she was here to change things and she'd already changed so much.

Danzo was somewhat under control, though still being watch carefully by the Sandaime. The Uchiha didn't seem to be planning anything – but she also didn't want to rely on appearances. The Uchiha hadn't seemed to be trying anything in her timeline either until suddenly the clan was gone expect for Sasuke and Itachi.

Kakashi hadn't gone as deep into depression as she'd heard he had in her original timeline... he hadn't avoided Naruto until he was forced to really get to know her because of Team Seven. He hadn't nearly got himself killed by staying in ANBU and taking more than a few suicide missions over the years until forced to retire by a concerned Sandaime.

The biggest change was Kakashi and Noriko's relationship, of the daughter they'd created together. It gave Noriko more than a little hope that she was going to be able to save the timeline from the fate hers suffered.

The Hyūga affair hadn't happened as it had in her timeline and it was already apparent in the fact Hinata didn't stutter, though she was still rather shy. Hizashi hadn't died, and as far as she knew Neji wasn't as obsessed with fate or hateful of the main family.

Tsunade was back in the village, working on the new medical corps to incorporate into the shinobi team system which would be very helpful to the future. Even she knew she couldn't change everything. Somethings had to come to pass... though she wasn't sure which events she'd be unable to prevent and that scared her. More than childbirth had, more than Madara ever did.

Taking a deep breath, she wrapped her arms loosely around her midsection and smiled as she walked. Taking in the places she'd not thought she'd see again, and the people who were more than just ghost.

"You seem more upset then usual, love."

Nori looked to her right a hand over her heart at the sudden appearance. She was pretty rusty it seemed, having Nadeshiko and not being able to train for over half a year would do that to any kunoichi. Soon though she'd be able to train again, and considering Naruto turned out so well despite it being fox summons, friends, or shadow clones looking after her at times, Noriko wasn't fearful of what to do with Nadeshiko during the time she chose to train.

Being a shinobi one had to come to terms with the fact the job was demanding, and unless retired like Mikoto, you couldn't always be there to raise your child or children. Noriko still had time though before she was put back onto active duty, and Kakashi would return soon to taking more missions than he already did.

"Just thinking about the future," she said. "The good and the bad.. and the hopeful."

Kakashi nodded, understanding what his girlfriend was talking about. He was one of the few to know nearly everything there was to know about her. Both her past life in another timeline and the one she'd made for herself now.

"You're doing the best you can, Nori-chan," Kakashi said. "You can't push yourself too hard, or sooner or later you'll crash and burn."

Noriko grinned and leaned into her lover, breathing in his unique scent which always felt like home to her. The two continue to walk through the village together, drawing very few looks from the civilians and shinobi of the village who recognized them easily as foreigners, or shinobi of Konoha. Both were rather well known, both being in the Bingo book listed as A-rank.

The two passed a park as they headed back towards the hotel, if only to make sure Sasuke and Naruto hadn't killed each other even under Mikoto's watchful eye, when Noriko stopped suddenly. Kakashi blinked his one visible eye and looked at the blonde woman and where she stared off too.

Sitting on a swing, looking down at the ground and clutching onto a teddy bear was a small boy, smaller than even Naruto but he looked to be around her age anyway. He had pale skin, and auburn red hair, though it was hard to tell his eye color other than the fact it was light and there were black rings around his eyes. Almost as if he'd never seen sleep before. Possibly some sort of birthmark like Noriko and Naruto's whiskers.

"Noriko, what's wrong?" he asked, and Noriko blinked back what appeared to be raising tears.

"That... that boy. He's Sabaku no Gaara..." she whispered, barely loud enough for Kakashi to hear. He couldn't have if not for standing so close to her and his superior hearing.

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Kakashi had heard about Sabaku no Gaara from his girlfriend in the past. In the beginning of their friendship she would sometimes wake up in the middle of the night screaming – he only knew because he commonly stayed in one of the free rooms in the Namikaze estate.

It would cause Naruto to wake up and start screaming her lungs out, and of course Kakashi would get up only to find Noriko already with Naru, trying to calm her down. The problem being she to was shaking, her onyx eyes darting back and forth as If she expected a shinobi to dart out of the shadows and attempt an assassination.

He'd have to calm Noriko down, while helping to calm Naru down as well. He didn't mind, he too had his nights of waking to darkness after a terrible nightmare. Usually involving his friends and family lost in his short life. Afterwards the two would sit up and talk. On one of those nights the subject of the Kazekage, Sabaku no Gaara was brought up.

They were best friends, like siblings as the war progressed from what she would tell him. Over the years the nightmares became less and he'd become aware of practically everything there was to know about Noriko, and the same could be said about her knowing him.

They didn't talk about it often anymore, their pasts but they were both aware that it would always be there. Watching her now, as she approached the boy who might still one day become the man Noriko once knew he couldn't help but be concerned but also relieved.

Concerned because soon they'd leave for Konoha and they couldn't take Gaara with them. Gaara's childhood wouldn't be something she could truly change, unless she could knock some sense into the Kazekage and even he knew the man was more stubborn and foolish than anyone else currently living.

They couldn't chance it, wars had been started for less. Relief because he knew Gaara had been one of the few living when she'd returned to the past knowing her timeline would either implode or break off into it's own alternate timeline.

Noriko had always felt guilty for that, even if she had no way of knowing what exactly became of them. When she was pregnant with Nadeshiko that guilt was more obvious and on some nights Kakashi would hold his girlfriend while she cried herself to sleep. He was relieved because maybe this would bring her some sort of closure. Closure he knew she needed.

"Hey, you alright?" Noriko asked, crouching down beside the small redhead.

Gaara's sea-foam green eyes snapped up, widening at seeing the bright sunset blonde woman with such bright dark eyes that they'd put the onyx gems on the special picture frame, which held a picture of a woman he knew was his mother, to shame.

"Y-you're talking to me?" he asked, tilting his head slightly in his shock and confusion. As far as he knew no one but Yashamaru had really been kind to him, and sometimes he wondered if Yashamaru was sincere with his kindness.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" she chuckled, smiling. "I'm Noriko, Uzumaki Noriko. I'm here with others from Konoha."

"I'm Gaara," he said, clutching at his bear. "Were you here for the exams?"

"Hn, one of my friends sons was in the exams and my daughter wanted to see him compete. Since my boyfriend was already coming and there was family involved with it I decided to tag along to see him compete," she explained as basically as she could. Gaara seemed to understand easily what she'd told him.

"You have a daughter?" he asked, surprised. "You don't look that old.. ma'am."

"Jut Noriko or Nori is fine, and yes I have two daughters actually. My youngest was born just a few months ago. My oldest is nearly six. About your age I'd guess."

Gaara nodded, and part of him wanted to ask if he could play with Noriko's oldest but no one ever had before and he didn't want to be disappointed again.

Noriko smiled. "I know, why don't you and Naru-chan, my daughter, play together with my best friends youngest son? We'll be here until tomorrow, and maybe you could exchange letters."

Gaara looked up startled, nearly dropping his bear. "Really?"

She stood and nodded. Looking back towards Kakashi she noticed he'd already left through a shunshin, having heard her suggest Gaara play with Naruto and Sasuke – she'd been sure to speak loudly so he could hear. Now she'd just have to wait until he returned with them. She knew Mikoto wouldn't mind Sasuke getting to know new children his age and of course Naruto loved meeting new people.

"Do you want a push?" she asked and seeing his confusion and some suspicion she chuckled and clarified. "On the swing, do you want me to push you on the swing? It'll make you swing higher."

Gaara's discomfort disappeared as he realized what she meant. He'd seen parents doing that for their children before but Yashamaru was always busy, and no one would want to touch him, not that they could because of his sand. He hadn't noticed it until then but his sand had not reacted to Noriko at all.

Even now that she stood behind him, pulling back on the rope of the swing as she began to push lightly against his back each time he swung backwards. For once he smiled and chuckled, like children his age should. He could easily see why the other children liked being pushed on the swing so much. It really was fun, almost like flying.