Night had fallen. The school had grown quiet. Yayoi had given Naruto and Hinata some time to gather themselves after showing them to a room where they could stay in an apartment building nearby. One that had previously belonged to the last trainer who had been staying here.
Naruto and Hinata had decided to stay out in the courtyard of the academy, enjoying the brisk night air while sitting on a bench.
Naruto's nerves were frayed upon seeing Hinata here. While he had thought about having Hinata here with him earlier, he hadn't thought that would happen! Now, not only did he have to worry about how to return home himself, but he also had to ensure that Hinata returned safely as well.
At least he had an idea of how to do that. And having Hinata here could help find an alternative route home and come up with ideas he wouldn't, so it wasn't all bad.
Hinata had also been asking for them to take a vacation… However, Naruto doubted that she had meant for it to be in this manner.
"This has certainly been a day," Naruto exhaled, glancing around to take in the view of the school.
At the school where they would be staying for quite some time, or until they figured out how to return home.
Almost all the students had fallen asleep or were at least in their dorm rooms. There were still a few awake. Those who happened to be were training out on the track. Well, most of them. Naruto's eyes had landed on Suzuka as she ran the track without a care in the world. Almost as if she enjoyed the sight of no one in front of her.
"It has," Hinata nodded in agreement, watching her husband's gaze with understanding. However, her head shifted as one student with rough white hair was absently wandering about the academy with a confused expression. Hinate waved at her to catch her attention. "Um, excuse me. If you are looking for the dorms, they are right over there."
"Oh?" The girl with a diamond crown tiara in her hair responded, looking genuinely thankful. With a faint smile, a smile that just so happened to have a few visible, juicy crumbs stuck to her cheeks, she gracefully bowed in appreciation. "Thank you. I'm a transfer here and am not used to this place yet. I just finished my midnight snack after a good workout and got turned around."
"But you… Nevermind. You got something on your face." Naruto momentarily squinted before shaking his head and motioning to his right cheek.
The girl's eyes widened as she swiftly swabbed her face clean. "My apologies. If you would excuse me…"
"Have a good night," Hinata waved as Naruto continued to shake his head as the student started to walk away.
"Other direction," Naruto commented, causing the girl to jump.
"Right! My apologies again." She bowed once more toward the dorms.
"She might be hopeless," Naruto muttered, watching to ensure she arrived at the dorms.
He wasn't sure why, but just from her appearance and her dazed, airheaded expression, all that girl didn't have much on her mind. Probably only thought about food and possibly racing, and Naruto doubted that.
"I don't know about that. She sort of reminds me of someone I know." Hinata lightly giggled while Naruto scowled.
"I was not that obsessed with ramen and training." Naruto gave a miffed response. However, upon seeing Hinata's uplifting smile, his mood settled. He glanced at the school around him before exhaling, setting down his book. "From the sounds of it, we're gonna be here for a while. I don't even know where to start with this thing. I can't find any traces of the energy that brought us here on it. I'm not sure that I can reverse what happened to us."
Hinata frowned as she listened to her husband's agitated tone. With a faint sigh, she gave a slight nod. "So, as far as we know, the only way to return to Konoha is to change their stories."
"It's all I've got to go on so far," Naruto ruffled his hair out of mild frustration. Hinata remained silent, gently gazing down at the grass and the sidewalk pavement. Naruto's sour mood softened upon seeing her crestfallen wife, gently nudging her as he wrapped his arm around her waist for support. "We'll figure this out one way or another. At least we're here together… Not to mention you got to read a lot of the book."
"Most of it. I found myself here midway through reading Rice Shower's story." Hinata leaned into her husband's warm embrace. Her expression was one of content for a brief moment before concern washed over her as her right hand traced her stomach. "Naruto… There might be a complication in all of this."
"Huh? What sort of complication?" Naruto frowned, worried at the shift in Hinata's demeanor, noticing her odd gestures. His frown deepened. "Does this have to do with you being sick as of late?"
"Yes," Hinata nodded, grimacing, biting her lip. "I wanted to save this for when you returned home. But with this happening and us being here, I'm worried about what could happen…"
"Hinata, you're kind of worrying me here. What's wrong?" Naruto spoke of a moment of hesitation on his wife's part. Her tepid demeanor was concerning.
Lifting her head and meeting her husband's concerned gaze, Hinata meekly spoke. "Naruto, I sort of knew why before you sent me to see Tsunade… She only confirmed what I knew… I'm pregnant. With a boy."
Naruto froze. His muscles tensed, his stomach knotted, and his eyes wavered. All the joy he had hoped to feel upon hearing those words was briefly present. Then, he immediately understood his wife's concern.
If they were here for that long and she happened to give birth here… Did that mean their child would return when they did? Or would he remain in this world when that moment occurred?
"It will be okay." Naruto comforted Hinata, drawing her closer to him as his resolve hardened. "I'll figure something out. I ain't gonna let anything h You better believe I will."
Upon hearing those words, all the concern in Hinata's expression was lifted. She faintly smiled, snuggling into her husband's comforting embrace. "I know you will. I have faith in you."
"I always have."
The apartment they had leased was a little small but quaint. There wasn't much, as Akikawa had hired some maids to clean out and store the stuff of the last person who had lived here, the previous trainer, but there was some furniture.
A fancy flat-screen television from this world, before a loveseat. A stereo with several CDs, all of them seeming to be music from pro Umamusume. A simple kitchen with a refrigerator, oven, and microwave. A small bathroom with a shower/tub combo. A small bedroom with a new queen-sized bed.
And a plant! That was important! Naruto needed a plant! It might not be his plant, but he needed one.
"Can't say it's home, but it'll do." Naruto tried to relax on the loveseat, frowning as he looked at the television.
"It could be worse," Hinata joined Naruto, sitting beside him with several books in her hand. She gave Naruto a flat glare as he scrunched his face before shaking her head and handing her book to Naruto. "We need to. I'll look up the training manual. You can handle the rules and the handbook."
"Fine," Naruto grumpily accepted the hardback book and the handbook before he exhaled. But before he opened the book, he exhaled. "I wished I could just get a report on all of this…"
"You're not Hokage yet. You have to do the legwork." Hinata giggled much to Naruto's ire.
"Ha ha, rub it in." Naruto playfully glowered, rolling his eyes as he flipped open the handbook. He figured learning the rules of where he was going to work was more important than the rules of the sport.
Naruto could learn that as they went.
Still, as he skimmed over the rules, he couldn't help but frown. From what Hinata told him of Suzuna's story, her early, dominant career was practically halted by a sudden and unexpected leg break in one of the biggest races of the year. Despite the injury healing and returning to the same track that she had broken her leg on, she was never quite the same.
He had an idea of what he was working with. On what to look out for. Something he could prevent, and if somehow still happened… Naruto still had some of that power remaining. She would be as good as new if it happened.
Suzuka's story would not end tragically. He could guarantee that.
"So what's the issue with Rice Shower? Does something happen to her?" Naruto asked, curious.
"Um, not in the same sense. She has confidence issues." Hinata gave a timid grimace at Naruto's perplexed look. "It's complicated… But she's seen as the villain."
"Wait, that sweet little girl you came to the academy with is seen as a bad guy?" Naruto scowled. That glum, timid girl was the furthest thing from a villain!
"That's why I said it was complicated," Hinata sighed pitifully, shaking her head. "When she wins, it is always perceived by the audience as if she has stolen a rightful victory of someone who was on the verge of greatness. And because of that perspective, she is seen as a villain by the populace. And everyone sees her in such a manner, and it has caused Shower to lack self-worth and she struggles to bond with people… Why are you looking at me like that?"
"I think I understand why you are the perfect person to help her." Naruto, whose grin was broadening from every word Hinata spoke, chuckled at her expense.
Hinata glowered before she joined in and giggled. "Yeah, I see it too… I'm genuinely surprised it was Suzuka's that brought you here. I honestly thought it would have been Tokai Teio."
"Hm? Why's that?" Naruto asked, setting down the rulebook, intrigued as to why Hinata would have thought that.
"Her resilience," Hinata answered, setting her book aside, giving a slight smile. "She's a fighter. She broke her legs three times in her career. Despite all the self-doubt every time it happens, she never once gives up. She keeps getting back up to face the world… To prove that she isn't done yet."
Naruto remained quiet, listening to his wife summarize the story. His eyes glazed over as he heard before a light flickered within his pupils. Snatching a pen out of his thigh pouch, he wrote down her name. "Tokai Teio…"
"Gonna ask the Director about her."
It was quite an intriguing morning. From trying to sleep in a new environment to the nervous energy surrounding the fact that he was going to be a father in a new world, Naruto didn't really sleep. He managed to shut his eyes and obtain some rest, but he wouldn't call it sleep.
At least Hinata was well rested. Her faith in him gave her the confidence that everything would turn out. Her quiet confidence gave him a much-needed boost.
They would be okay.
Still, his head throbbed as they entered the track. That was way too much reading this morning. Naruto knew he would have to read a lot as Hokage, and he was training himself for that moment…
But the information was so dry! Ugh! He understood why Kakashi asked for verbal summaries. While detailed reports were necessary, it was easier to understand the gist of a brief report.
"There are certainly quite a few people here for tryouts," Hinata muttered, looking at the crowd that had gathered at the training track at Tracen Academy.
"And not all of them seem like spectators," Naruto added, walking alongside his wife, easily able to differentiate spectators from those with a more astute gaze, carefully observing the students on the track.
"Good afternoon," Yayoi enthusiastically waved and beckoned for Naruto and Hinata to join her. She smiled as they came and sat next to her and Tazuna. "How was your morning?"
"Could be better. That was a lot of information to decipher. Focused mainly on the school rules." Naruto admitted, shaking his head before shrugging. "I'll figure things out as I go. I think watching will give me a better understanding."
"From what I've heard from previous trainers in your situation, it does help to see it with your own eyes." Tazuna nodded before faintly bowing. "Oh, I do apologize. We didn't get to meet last night. I'm Tazuna, Akikawa's secretary. I have also assisted the previous few trainers, so do not hesitate to ask questions."
"I will certainly take you up on that offer when they come up. I'm confident in my ability to train… It's the rules for both the school and racing that will take some time to learn." Naruto chuckled while Hinata nodded. Even his wife, who was far more studious, couldn't absorb that amount of information in such a short amount of time.
"Just like Tazuna said, we're here to assist. I know it is quite a lot." Akikawa gave a confident smile.
"Thank you," Hinata gave a respectful bow before she glanced around and took in the crowd gathered. "There are quite a few people here today for just tryouts. This almost feels like a true race."
"And there looks to be quite a few scouts or trainers here," Naruto pursed his lips as he added onto his wife's statement.
"Well, it sort of is. Outside of the URA Cup, a lot of our school's funding comes from people excited to watch new up-and-comers, along with the standouts, like Ms. Rudolf, that you met last night, who have already started to make a name for themselves. Although Ms. Rudolf has a team, so she won't be racing today. Nonetheless, we have plenty of others with tremendous talent and renown who are looking for a new trainer like Ms. Oguri Cap." Akikawa sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck.
Naruto nodded in understanding. Konoha and the other villages made quite a bit of money through the Chunin Exams for similar reasons. Although it was rare for an established ninja to compete in such events… Gaara attending his first Chunin exam, was one of those exceptions.
Naruto chuckled to himself. He almost felt bad for Konohamaru during his second attempt on the first one after the war. The boy knew he didn't stand a chance. Everyone knew the finals were going to be Naruto and Sasuke…
And they had to hold back and treat it like a sparring session!
…It, however, made a lot of money for Konoha with all the investors wanting their assistance in particular…
He could also see why, as all the students were warming up and jogging on the two tracks. There was definitely some talent on the track. It only seemed that a few, like Symboli and Suzuka, weren't participating."
…Wait. Did that mean…
"Ah, yes, before the races start, I wanted to talk to you about expectations and your rosters." Akikawa's smile never wavered. "Now, I don't expect much at first, but I do care about my students' well-being and satisfaction. While we earn quite a bit of revenue from our students' performance on the track, as long as you help them achieve their goals and they feel they are doing their best, that is all that matters. Results can come later when you both have a better understanding and relationship with your teams. I believe those will come in time. They always have."
"That is quite fair. Thank you for the leniency." Hinata stated with a faint smile.
"Honestly, the training is gonna be the easier part for me. I've only been a mentor for a friend before. Training a bunch of girls is gonna be a new one." Naruto sheepishly grinned, once more reminded of his time helping Konohamaru.
Akikawa laughed along with Naruto before her gaze fell upon the students on the track. "I'm sure you both will do fine. As for teams, we have quite a few students who don't necessarily like the attention of professional trainers. Not to mention, we run a few in-school events for our students to compete. While being on a team isn't necessary, the winning team at the end of the year gets a monetary prize, so quite a few want to be on a school team as well."
"Give them a reason to join a team. Makes sense," Naruto nodded, keeping a close eye on the students as most were ushered off the track for the coming race. "So, do we get to choose who we want? Any limitations?"
"As long as they accept the offer and aren't on another team already, yes." Akikawa nodded once more before her eyes lit up. "There are also a few members from the only current team who do wish to transfer."
"Is one of them Suzuka, by chance?" Naruto curiously asked.
"Oh, I suppose that's the story you read that brought you here. I forgot to ask last night. It was fairly hectic." Akikawa, jostled by Naruto's question at first, settled down and gave a thoughtful pause. "Hana had informed me recently that she didn't feel Suzuka was a fit for her team. Suzuka was struggling to adapt to her tutelage and training method. Hana saw that and tried to transfer her to Team Spica before our previous trainer retired and went home. I would have to ask, but I believe she would approve it. I think both would like to meet you before doing so, however."
"That's fair," Naruto gave a slight nod as the runners slowly began to enter the starting gates. He grimaced at the announcer over the intercom, but mostly shut it out as he glanced over at the path outside the track, noticing Suzuka staring on at the race about to start.
Naruto knew the feeling. It felt similar to when Kakashi tried to introduce him to Ebisu… Before he flat-out rejected the man. Hopefully, Naruto could make a better impression than that. At least she already knew him. That was a place.
"The first race is about to start. This should be an exciting round. Whose the odds-on favorite, Tazuna?" Akikawa turned, fixated on the action about to start below.
"El Condor Pasa is the betting favorite with Winning Ticket at second and Seuin Sky at third." Tazuna listed as she looked down at the information sheet for the event. But with a smile, she shook her head. "However, I wouldn't overlook Ms. Special Week. Trainer had been scouting her and had seen something, ironically, special about her."
"Is that so?" Akikawa pursed her lips in wonder as the starting gates shot open.
Each student had burst off the starting line except Special Week, who looked taken aback by the sudden start. It took a moment for her to recognize that the race had started and had begun to chase after in desperation.
Naruto frowned as he watched her catch up to the pack hanging in the back. No, it wasn't desperation. It felt almost like a desire to prove herself. He could plainly see it in her expression.
And as they hit the first corner and went into the second, he noticed that she wasn't just catching them. She was passing by them with ease. Something spurred and drove her to catch up.
Special Week didn't and had finished third, but Naruto's lips quivered into a smirk. "I think I have someone I'm interested in already."
"I think I know why," Hinata gave a faint but knowing smile.
"Hehe, I guess I do have a type. I've always had an affinity for the gutsy ones." Naruto laughed hardily.
"Those with guts, huh?" Akikawa mused, stroking her chin momentarily before her gaze turned from the race track and toward a section of students who were watching in the stands nearby. "I might have a request of you then… We have a talented student, Ms. Teio, gutting it out every day in an attempt to return to the track and race after suffering a severe leg break during a practice that would have ended most careers."
"I think I have someone I want to meet," Naruto's grin shifted to a more serious tone upon hearing the severity of the injury. Hearing the girls pick themselves up and do whatever it took to return to what they loved tugged at his heartstrings.
Naruto followed Akikawa's gaze toward a familiar student, Rudolf, with another girl standing directly next to her, observing the races. A brown-haired girl who, similarly, had a white tuft of hair curling in the same direction as Symboli's tuft of hair did. In fact, she similarly stylized her hair…
She either looked up to Symboli or wanted to be her.
However, as she gingerly moved, Naruto's attention shifted to the movement of her leg. It was ever so slight, but it was something he immediately picked up.
It hadn't healed properly.
"Tokai Teio, huh?" Naruto muttered to himself, taking in the girl's image as she chatted to her senior. Then, with a shift of attention to Akikawa, he flashed a smile."If you could make that happen, I'd appreciate it."
"I can do that," Akikawa scrutinized Naruto, likely wondering what he knew or what he was planning, before nodding.
"Thank you again," Naruto chirped, his gaze returned to Teio.
He didn't have much of that power remaining, but he still had enough. If he could get the opportunity…
That was something he could immediately fix.