[Chapter 25: Guess Who's back, back Again.]

"Thank you very much!" I thanked the receptionist. I was back in Konoha and was currently in the hospital, though I was beginning to leave when I did all the important things like checking Sasuke in and paying all the shit and whatnot. Rotating my arm around, I stared at it in mild amazement— medical chakra is OP!

"Hey!" Came a familiar shout, causing me to turn my head towards the directions. I found myself looking at a pair of far away, enthusiastic eyes. "Megumi-chan!"

My lips stretched wide, raising my arm only to wave. "Lee!" As he jogs up to me with crutches, I almost frowned at that but resisted it, opting to place my hands behind my back instead. Watching him frown in curiosity, I laughed it off before he could ask. "My brother and I had an encounter with a weasel. Anyways, aren't ya supposed to be resting?"

"I am training!" The boy exclaimed with a wide grin, raising up a fist. I titling my head, nothing the small sweat sliding down the side of his cheek.  "I'm going to go back at being a ninja, after all! I do not want to fail Gai-Sensei, after all!"

I giggled, covering my smile with a hand. "But, ya shouldn't push so hard. It's only gonna make things worse." Was my advice to him.

"But I must become stronger—"

I poked his cheek, stopping him in his tracks. "Why is everybody so obsessed with getting stronger?" I commented under my breath, mostly to myself. Puffing out my cheeks, I kept on poking him as the genin became only more confused. Reeling my finger back, I soften my features, "Why don't I walk you to your room? Ya really are gonna collapse if ya continue." And then you might shit yourself.

He blinked, his cheeks flushing pink as he processed my words. Ah. I forgot he confessed his love for me. Stepping to his side, I became walking to his designated room, Lee quickly following suit.

"Ne, Lee," I spoke to the raven-head, the said boy inclining his head to look at me with a loud 'Hai?!'. I'm surprised he can keep pace. But then again, it's Lee. "Why did you fall in love with me? Kininarimasu!" Did I just pull a Chitanda? Yes. Did I cringe at it? A little bit.

"Why would I not?!" Came the shinobi's fast reply, staring at me with now furrowed brows as his eyes shined with passion. I smiled while hiding away my thoughts that might be seen on my face. Well, most people just like my genes and how "bubbly" I am so... He inches closer to me, his nose flaring, "Your beauty is like a purple calla lily!" Lee answered confidently. Huh, so it was the genes— "But not only that! The moment I saw you with my own two eyes, I felt myself overwhelmed by the sheer love and kindness radiating off of you!"

I blinked, not expecting that answer from the side character. Am I really like that? Apparently, we had stopped walking, just standing in the middle of the hallway. Placing a hand over a hand over my lips, I broke eye-contact to sway my head to the other direction, letting the giggles spill out. "Of course you'd say something so cheesy," I commented. Straightening my back, I smiled at the boy, albeit feeling a little reluctant. I hope this doesn't break his heart... I'd feel like the scum of the earth! "Sorry, but even with a confession like that, I don't have feelings for you in that way."

"Not to worry!" Lee assured me, grinning with only the tiniest sign of dejection written on his face. I clutched the side of my face— my heart! He doesn't deserve me! "Love takes time, after all!"

Despite all that, I smiled. Well, at least I won't be leading him on, unlike Sakura from the original.

(｡▼皿▼)σ

"Megu-nee!" Twirling around from my spot, I caught the familiar, petite girl in my arms with a bright smile, spinning her around gleefully as I did so.

"Hanabi-tan!" I exclaimed when I settled her down, letting the girl release her own small laughs. "What are you doing in the market?" I asked the brunette, my grocery bag hanging loosely from my arm.

"We came with Neji," Was her cheerful answer. Humming in response, I tilted my head at the alert of a chakra source creeping close to me.

"Wah!" Feeling a warm body collide with mine, my lips stretched wider. Rotating my head back, I stared at the mop of dark hair behind me. Oh my!

"Kyaaaaa~!" You can't blame me for squealing, can you? If you do then you have no taste in cuteness. "Hinata-tan, were you trying to surprise-tackle me?"

Feeling the older Hyuuga leave my touch, I finally got a glimpse of her face: pretty embarrassed but not that blushy. At least, not as usual. "He... hello, Megumi-chan!" Hinata greeted with a tiny smile. Giggling at her, I wrapped my arms around her, squeezing her body gently before slipping away.

Stepping back so I can get a better view of the siblings, I clasped my hands behind my back, catching the bag now behind me before the eggs met a cruel, terrible death. Peering closer, "So you were with Neji?" I questioned the two, tilting myself with a smile.

"Onii-chan, too!" Hanabi added, raising a hand cheerfully. I giggled, enjoying her adorable actions. Why is most Hyuuga that I know have to be so cute~? It should be illegal, I know. "But we ditched them so we can have girl time!"

"Don't phrase it like that!" Hinata slightly scolded her sister softly, nervously chuckling as she then turned to me. "We have been looking around but..."

"You're bored as hell," I concluded, giggling at their flustered (Hinata) and awkward faces. Clapping my hands together, I flashed a big smile. "It's time to educate you both of the outside world, y'all rich girls. As Aladdin sang, I can show you the world—"

My totally awesome singing was interrupted by a high-pitched wail. Stopping in my tracks, I blinked, "Or, we can investigate that!" I suggested, spinning around as I peered around the market area to find the source. Spotting it, I waltzed towards the noise, kneeling down when I reached in front of my destination.

In front of me was a small child, a toddler even, staring at me with watery eyes, sniffing the snot from his runny nose. I smiled, giggling as I then raised up my arms and pinched my cheeks and stretched them wide, wiggling my tongue out playfully towards the child.

He gasped at my actions, before bursting to laughter, "Gwah... ahahahaha...!" The toddler giggled, clapping his hands together childishly. Releasing my own laughter, I continued to entertain him as the Hyuuga sisters walked up to us.

"What is she doing?" Hanabi questioned behind me, a hint of confusion in her tone.

Hinata let out a soft laugh, but loud enough for me to pick it up, "She's just being her."

"Ehhhh?" I let out, tilting my head back to meet their expressions, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Ah— I-I didn't mean to offend you, I—"

"Pfft—" Snorting, I watched her face bloom pink in embarrassment. "Don't worry, any insult you spew out will be a compliment to me!"

"I don't think that's good, Megu-nee," Her younger sister commented, raising a brow.

I only giggled in reply, turning my head back at the child that was no longer screaming like a Sasuke-fangirl. "What's wrong?" I inquired the tiny boy, hugging my legs as I glanced at him with concern laced in my voice.

"Ma..." He sputtered, "I can't find mama...!" He wailed, grips his hands onto the hem of his shirt with a snort.

"Shhhhh..." I comforted with a soft exhale, stroking his head gently with a hand. I then gasped, widening my eyes with a clap of my hands, "Why don't we help you find your mom?"

"'We'?" Hanabi noted from behind.

"Yes, Imouto," Hinata confirmed, "It's... it's the least we could do."

"I won't help you."

"What's your name?" I asked, ignoring the Hyuuga's side conversation as I took his hand whilst standing up.

"Tsu... Tsunotaro." Came his, now known as Tsunotaro, answer, sniffing as he held my hand in a tight grip.

Smiling at the child, I glanced back at my friends, "Ne, can you guys use your Byakugans? I would use my own sensoring but, they absolutely, positively, suck compared to yours." I asked, morphing my face to express one of reluctance.

"No problem, Megu-nee!" Hanabi agreed immediately, raising a thumbs up as she lively flapped her arms around.

"Didn't... didn't you say you weren't going to help a moment ago—"

Hinata was shushed by Hanabi, who stepped next to her more with puffed-out cheeks. "It means that we can spend time with her!" Came the little girl's excuse. My heart swelled, she's too good for me!

"Of— of course," Hinata added in slight exasperation and embarrassment. She then graced me a smile I did not deserve as her features seemed to soften. "We'll help— we are best friends."

I blinked, turning my head away from the pure and lovely sisters, internally gushing like the insane fangirl I was as faux tears threatened to spill out. Fuck, if... if they keep on being so adorable, I might get die from it! Clearing my throat, now, now, there's an innocent child in my hands, I rotated my head back. "Ok, let's go!"

I'm sure you guys would get bored of a chapter of just finding an irresponsible parent so I'll spare the details: we practically just walked through the whole market area whilst entertaining Tsunotaro.

"Ah!" The said child shouted, pointing at a certain stall. "What's that?" Humming in curiosity, I turned my head only to whip it back away, promptly shielding the child's eyes with my hands.

"Why does this stall exist?!" I frantically screeched out, making sure that the innocent child didn't get a peek.

"Wha... what do you mean?" Hinata questioned me, glancing at the store and then back at me, completely baffled as to what I was meaning.

"Yeah, Yeah!" Hanabi added on, holding on one of its cylinder-like items and inspecting it closely. "What even is this thing?" I almost choked, leaning in to slap it out of her hands with a very-reasonable screech. "Hey!"

"It..." I stuttered, feeling the heat on my cheeks as I quickly caught it with the same hand, placing it down with a grimace full of absolute remorse. "It's not something you should know at your age." Those words were uttered with a rushed breath.

"Eeeeh???"

"Oi! Hinata! Hanabi!"

"Ah!" My best friend exclaimed at the distanced shout, shifting her body towards the source, waving a hand as she called out, "Hiro! Neji!"

"Hehe, we got caught." Hanabi laughed.

Watching as the new male characters entered the scene, they stopped when they closed in a good enough distance. "Where were you, Hinata-sama, Hanabi-sama?" Neji inquired with furrowed brows.

Next to their cousin, my reincarnation buddy blinked at the sight of me, "Why're you here?" His eyes furrowed in more confusion when they landed on the boy who was currently blind, "Who's the child?"

"Honestly, I don't want to be here either." Feeling the weight of my grocery bag somehow getting heavier, I smiled nervously at him, only making him feel more bewildered, nudging my head towards the stall next to our group. I giggled as if I was a clown on fire, "But awesome timing! You can get us out of here!" PLEASE.

Glancing at where I was not-so-subtly hinting at, he suddenly tramped the hell back with wide eyes and an alert figure. "Wha— what the fuck is a porn store doing here?!"

I made a choking sound, resisting the urge to slap the bitch into the promised neverland, human-eating demons or not. You had one job! ONE JOB! I screamed internally. If it were a different situation, I would've wheezed and teased the male but no: there was a motherfucking child here! A goddamn toddler! "Shut it!" I, for once, hissed at the flabbergasted guy.

"What?!" Neji yelled in alarm, dragging both of the girls with his hands over their eyes, like that would do anything. All three of us, we all started frantically stepping away from the danger with long and terrifying steps.

"What's porn?" Tsunotaro, oh the pure child, curiously asked from under my shield.

"Yeah! We wanna know!" Was the younger sister's comment.

"Something you don't need to know at the moment," I repeated in the same rushed, shaky tone, making sure that disastrous thing was nowhere in sight. Why is it even here?! In the open!!!

"Tsunotaro!" An unfamiliar, feminine voice called outside of the chaos. Feeling him perk up, he pushed away my hand on him only to wrap it in his tiny hand, tottering towards the voice with me scrambling from the sudden speed.

"Mama!" The toddler wailed out, falling into the woman's arms, sobbing into her as she kneeled down.

"I finally found you!" She cried out, hugging him tightly.

Pulling away, her child pointed towards me, "Onee-chan and-and her friends helped!"

Glancing up to me, the woman smiled tenderly, "Thank you."

I giggled, a rustle from my bag accompanying my hands clasping behind my back. "No need, I just did what I felt was right," I assured her as I tried to regain my composure from what happened before. Watching her stand up and hold onto the kid's hand, they waved back at me before turning their backs away. I smiled as they walked away, becoming smaller as time passed.

My eyes then squinted, noticing an object that looked out of place than the rest of the items in her purse. Why does that look like a d—

Oh.

Oh.

She was probably the reason why that store was still running.

Ridding that thought with much haste, I continued watching. Even when they disappeared, I still kept my gaze, I wonder... did I ever do that?

"Hey!" Hiro called out from behind, causing me to finally break away from the view, "What are you standing there for?"

I giggled, running up to them when I could've had dinner by now, "Coming!"

。(>_<;=;>_<)。

Scribbling down my ideas down in my journal, I plopped a piece of my omirice with my other hand. I chewed on the food, dropping my pen in boredom as I leaned against the table chair. I'm pretty used to it but... it really is boring alone here.

I sighed, glancing up at the ceiling with slightly furrowed brows. Naruto's not at his apartment, I don't wanna deal with Hiashi yelling at me for trespassing the compound again, and I probably shouldn't bother the others... I grumbled, why can't the internet and anime exist in this goddamn world?!

Straightening my back, I peered down onto my notes, my fingers tapping to a rhythm on my table. It was basically just random ideas on how I could potentially save the characters from their death...

My thoughts trailed off to another— what if... I can't? What if I can't change anything major? What if...

What if I make things worse?

I sighed, placing my head down with a soft thud. I shouldn't think about those things... it ain't healthy. Stabbing into my meal, I let myself consume my worries away.

ॱ॰⋆(˶ॢ‾᷄﹃‾᷅˵ॢ)ӵᵘᵐᵐᵞ♡♡♡

Red eyes.

That's what I was staring at.

"Ah!!!" My blond friend that I haven't seen, like, in a week yelled from behind the gates. Picking up speed, he eagerly dashed towards me as he left the people that were traveling with him. Breaking eye-contact with what I saw before, I quickly put up a wide smile as Naruto stepped closer to me, "We're here! Don't worry, Megumi, Sasuke's gonna get saved, dattebayo!" He assured me with his usual foxy grin.

I giggled, a bit nervously I'll admit, as I inched closer to my best friend, patting him on the head, "You really think so?"

"Mhm!" The boy responded cheerfully, accepting the pats with a much yet half-hearted complaint. "We got a woman who's gonna be the next Hokage! Oh! Oh! And I learned a new jutsu!"

"Oh, really?! I wanna see!"

"Hey, brat," A new voice approached us, Naruto suddenly getting an arm on his head. He shouted, looking up to see the one and only Tsunade using him as an armrest. "What makes you think you can just go scampering off?"

"Tsu- Tsunade-sama!" Another woman, Shzune actually, stammered, waving her hands around in distress.

"Ba-Ba-chan!" Naruto rose his voice in the complaint, trying to get her off of him with no avail. Putting a hand over my lips, I giggled at the current situation.

Tsunade's brows furrowed, "Don't call me that!" Turning her eyes at mine, "Who're you, huh?"

I dramatically gasped, a hand over my heart as I darted my eyes to my blond bestie, "You never talked to her about me?! I thought you cared about me!"

"Kinda hard to talk when she kept on flicking me away. And also because of a whole bunch of ninjas fighting, dattebayo!"

I laughed once more, waving him off. When I settled down on my laughter mildly, I put on my greater smile and introduced myself, "Nice to meetcha! I'm Megumi Uchiha!"

"Tsunade Senju," The lighter blonde replied back with a smile, she the. Peered down on Naruto who was still under her arm, "She's so much better than you. Why can't you act like her, eh brat?"

"Oi!"

"I'm Shizune," The brunette spoke, stepping towards me with a familiar pig now in her hands, "And this is Tonton!" The pig oinked in response, I giggled as I greeted them. Where the in the ding-dong-fuck is Pepe dude?

"Oh, yeah!" Naruto suddenly, well, not really, exclaimed, running off towards a certain someone, watching him usher them here, The fox boy looked at me with so much happiness radiating off of him as he showcased the newcomer, jazz hands and all. Pink, that much I can comment. "This is Shiori Uzumaki— I have a relative!"

Uh—

What a fucking twist.

A/N: Alternate titles: Shiori Joins the Battle!

So— uh— this wasn't last minute (at least, not as last minute as the creation of Chiaddo) or anything— I did plan Shiori. Heck, I kinda hinted a new character in my art book (quotev) so if ya want a preview of what they look like go over there.

Anyways, I kinda feel like I'm losing my humor. Cuz when I think about the plot I'm going with (yes I have one), I don't really think I can get the chance of humor. Sorry about that, this fic might become boring. Or, at least, not as comedic.

Anyways, the next arc is next! It won't be as long as before but just know it's gonna lead to a long-filler part. Like I've said in the last chapter, this fic isn't gonna jump straight to shippudden.

Also, surprisingly, Megumi hasn't fought much. It might just be me avoiding fight scenes but I just noticed that. Oh well.

Also also, I completely missed Sasuke's birthday, which means I missed Megumi's birthday... I'm a terrible mother.

Well, I hope y'all enjoyed this update! Do give feedback and see ya next time!