Naruto and Hinata's Apartment - Near the end of the Week, Evening
[X]
It had only been a single week since he had first fallen into this world, and his wife had been pulled in soon after.
It, somehow, felt longer.
Naruto supposed that the sensation was too surprising. He felt like he spent a lot more time here due to the memories of his clones and their attempts to scour the city of Tokyo and the nearby precincts to find some clues or hints of time and spatial distortions.
He found none.
So that made what he was currently doing the only viable way to return home at this very moment. Helping train these horse girls and accomplish their goals. Only then, from what had happened to previous trainers, would they be returned home.
It was what happened to the previous trainer of the former team SPICA when his star pupil felt her academic life was over and went professional. Or at least, that is what Gold Ship and Vodka said caused their former trainer to retire.
If they only knew he simply returned home.
Naruto shook his head, flipping the page of his notebook to review his slowly building schedule and his students' strengths and weaknesses. Their likes and their dreams...
"Gah! Why did I write Oguri's dream as stew?!" Naruto palmed his face before sighing.
She did say that, but after hearing several others speak, she immediately added that her dream was to run like she couldn't when she was small and make her mother proud.
"It's what she likely told you. All that girl has going in her head is eating and training," Hinata giggled, causing Naruto to deflate on the couch they shared.
"You ain't lying," Naruto scoffed, leaning his head back and looking at their roof, suppressing his urge to smile. "I'm not used to waking up and finding someone out training before I am outside Lee. It's not a trait most people have... And then there is Gold Ship, who is the complete opposite, and I have to drag her everywhere. I don't get why she wanted a trainer if she never wanted to train!"
"Ah, the girl who is allergic to training. That one reminds me a lot of the troublemaker you used to be." Hinata mused, her smile only broadening as she taunted her husband.
"Mah! I wasn't that bad!" Naruto growled, defending his honor, shrinking ever so slightly at Hinata's graceful smile. "...I wasn't that bad, was I?"
"No, but it's funny seeing you squirm." Hinata giggled once more.
Naruto glowered, glaring at his wife for picking on him. He would get his payback soon enough...
"Oh, did I tell you I picked up a new member today?" Hinata faintly smiled, looking down at a new report.
"You too?" Naruto tilted his head, curious as to his wife's new addition to her team. He glanced down at the report to see an Uma he hadn't seen at the school before. "Manhattan Cafe, huh? Eh, she's a Senior too? Ugh! I don't get how class works here!"
"It's not by your school year or age. A Junior is someone who is still competing in the Junior circuit and has yet to debut. Senior is a designation given to any racer who has won enough races on the Junior circuit and can compete on a national stage." Hinata explained to her confused husband, her gaze lingering on the report for a moment longer before smiling at her husband. "I actually have your new student, Tachyon, to thank for that. They happened to be friends."
"Eh, really? ...Having a hard time seeing it here." Naruto squinted, looking down at Cafe before gazing back up blandly at Hinata.
"Hm, one could say the same about you and Sasuke," Hinata caused Naruto to scrunch his face, holding back a retort.
She had a point.
"You win this round," Naruto grumbled, smoldering internally before he scoffed. "Mah, didn't school officially start? Where has she been? Or is she a transfer like Oguri?"
"No, she's not a transfer. She went home for the break to see her family. Mother got sick, so she stayed behind for a few days to help around the house. Returned to find Tachyon joined a team and, in response, picked a rival team to join to find a way to beat Tachyon on the track." Hinata replied, her gaze falling to the cozy apartment. "It's been a week, hasn't it? Somehow, it feels longer."
Naruto's expression faltered, and he fell glum, his cerulean eyes losing some of their luster. "I'm sorry... Despite everything, I can't seem to find anything that could lead us back home. Not a hint or a trace... Doing this might be the only way to return home."
"Naruto..." Hinata whispered, seeing her husband unusually dreary. With a soft smile, she comfortably leaned into her husband, laying her head on his shoulder. "You are doing everything within your power. If there are no traces to follow, what more can be done except by following the lead we do have? Even if it is time-consuming, it is the only answer we have available to us right at this moment. It's all we can do."
"I know... It's just strange feeling this... Helpless. I'm so used to being able to do something, ya know? Feeling like this puts me back when we were little... And I couldn't do anything right." Naruto looked down at his hands, flexing his right, bandaged fist several times.
Memories of his younger years came to mind.
Naruto could not dwell on them, however. A warmth brought him out of his sulking. He saw his left hand interlaced with his wife's, with Hinata smiling gently. "Then let's focus on what we can control for now. Let's focus on training our girls and start preparing for our bundle of joy we have coming."
Looking into his wife's soothing gaze lifted Naruto's spirits. The sense of unease, while still present, lessened its grip, and he focused on what really matters.
"Mah, I've only thought of names so far... And they kind of suck. All I've come with is Bolt or Flower." Naruto chuckled nervously, finding that thinking of a name for his child, whether his child was a boy or a girl, was the most difficult task in his entire life.
"I can work with those," Hinata faintly smiled, holding back her laughter. She remained silent to contain that laughter before she calmly took a deep breath and spoke. "That reminds me. I need to make an appointment with a maternity doctor here. The technology here is far ahead of ours in certain aspects. They can determine the gender of our child this early by detecting if there is the presence of male hormones in my blood or not."
"Mah, that's something Tsunade would like to get her hands on. It'd make her life a whole lot easier." Naruto chirped, glancing around the room for a moment. "There's a whole bunch of things I would like to take back in general... Hm..."
"Someone has an idea," Hinata quipped upon seeing Naruto's brow furrowed thoughtfully.
"Hear me out. This world's technology is quite a bit ahead of ours in many areas, as you said. And we really haven't gotten a chance to really look around for ourselves." Naruto gave a wide grin. "Say, after any training you have scheduled for the weekend, would you like to go out on the town? See it for ourselves?"
"Naruto Uzumaki. Are you asking me on a date?" Hinata playfully chided, her eyes gleaming. "Because I accept! I have a few places in mind that I want to check out. Hangouts for our young ladies and the sort along with a few stores."
"If we're going to be here for some time, I think we should start to stock up for the future."
[X]
Next Day, Friday Afternoon - Team Gutsy Locker Room
[X]
"Good afternoon, everyone, Trainer-san!" Teio strutted in, waving to her teammates and Naruto, her infectious aura permeating the room the moment she stepped in. "Sorry, I was late! I was too caught up talking about signing up for the Kyoto Kinen for my first race after over half a year next month with our Class President!" Teio beamed cheerfully before looking expectantly at her trainer. "You didn't have to wait for me! I know today is track practice! Or are we doing something different?"
"Sort of," Naruto smiled back, shaking his head. "Before we start track practice this afternoon, I wanted to discuss with everyone about our schedule going forward..."
"We have to train even on our days off! No!!!" Gold Ship whined before falling to her knees in despair.
"If you don't quit it, I'm gonna actually make you train over the weekend instead of just our morning jog, ya hear! Or better yet, make you swim laps." Naruto shook his fist at the overacting diva before coldly threatening her with one thing he had quickly learned she detested. Turned out, Gold Ship wasn't a very good swimmer despite her love for the beach.
"No! I'll behave! I swear!" Gold Ship fearfully held up her hands, begging for leniency.
Naruto scoffed but accepted her apology. He took a breath and exhaled, throwing one last glare at her before motioning to the wall behind where he was standing. "What I was going to say before I was rudely interrupted is that I finally finished and posted our weekly training routine, and the days of the races everyone will be competing in are on the calendar over here. Will be starting one-on-one training next week, so check out what days you are scheduled for."
"Ah, I was wondering when an official schedule would be posted." McQueen nodded as she and the rest of the team scooted over to glance at the wall calendar. Their names and the type of training were scribbled all over the days, along with the days when their next race was scheduled. "The Kinko Sho? Hm, yes, that's a good track to work toward and start the year. Bold for a new trainer to start all your Seniors on G2 tracks this early into the season."
"I wanted to throw you in the deep end early, relatively speaking, to push ya. See where you are against the competition while simultaneously giving our juniors prepping for their Maiden races a taste of what high-level competition and atmosphere is like." Naruto responded before chuckling and nervously laughing. "Plus, I was trying to avoid actively placing each of you in races where a few more Tracen Students would be participating in... And I did the best I could on that."
"Uh-huh, still in the dog house with your wife, aren't ya?" Vodka grinned, and Naruto glowered.
"Be that as it may, those opportunities will come about later in the year. I just felt like giving you competition from out of school is better for ya." Naruto scowled while Vodka continued to have a cocky grin, while Gold Ship snickered.
She quickly silenced as a menacing aura radiated. All eyes fell upon the gleaming and gleeful Tachyon as she stared at the calendar. "Oh-ho-ho-ho! The Yayoi Sho I see... I heard Cafe had already signed up for it this morning..."
"Perfect. I expect my Guinea Pig to push me to my limits."
[X]
Next Morning, Just Outside Tracen Academy
[X]
"Free at last! Free at last!" Gold Ship cheered as she strolled outside the streets of Tracen Academy with a hop in her step towards the metro station without a care where she was heading.
This week had been such a drag. Who knew getting a new trainer would mean training so much?! Not her! Golshi train?! Preposterous!
"Ah, what should I do today?" Gold Ship mused, stroking her chin after a big stretch and loud yawn. "Ah, of course! But before that, it's always time for yakisoba!"
"Would you be quiet, blockhead?" Gold Ship's ears twitched upon hearing Vodka's voice.
"Eh?" Gold Ship blinked several times upon hearing her friend's voice, but was unable to see her at first glance of her surroundings. Following her inner radar, Gold Ship found Vodka and Scarlet hiding behind a bush, focused on something farther down the street. A mischievous grin formed, and she slunk her way toward her former crew. "What do we have going on here? Who are we after today? Do I need to get my sack? ...Fools! I always have it ready!"
"Why do you always have that on hand?!" Scarlet exclaimed, palming her temples in astonishment upon Gold Ship withdrawing her burlap sack.
"Ssh! You'll get us caught! He's got hearing comparable to ours, you fools!" Vodka hissed, elbowing both and glaring at them. As Gold Ship blinked and Scarlet looked sheepish, Vodka pointed down the street as a certain trainer couple walked further down the street. "We're following our Trainers, got it? We're curious about what they are up to and what they like to do on their own time."
"We noticed them checking in with the Director and decided to follow after them," Scarlet added, peeking out of the bush to check on Naruto and Hinata's location. "Don't think they noticed us."
"That sounds... Boring." Gold Ship scrunched her brow, giving her former comrade and her current teammate a bland glare. "You two have fun with that. I'm gonna go to the beach and..."
Gold Ship's words died on her tongue as an absolutely evil laugh caused her to shudder and look back in terror.
With her unique crimson eyes staring daggers into Gold Ship's soul stood Agnes Tachyon, smiling manically. She completely ignored Manhattan Cafe peaking out from behind and waving at Scarlet.
No. Not her! Anyone but her! Gold Ship was not some test subject to be studied!
"Oh, being quite studious for once?" Tachyon grinned. She glanced down the street and at the subject of her current research before returning her gaze to them. Without warning, Tachyon clasped both of Gold Ship's hands while giving her a look of adoration. "I did not think a jester like yourself would have such aspirations! I approve and will join you on your scientific endeavors! Onward to progress!"
"What? Hey! Hey!" Gold Ship struggled against Tachyon's hold but was helplessly dragged behind her fellow Uma. With tears in her eyes, she held her hand out desperately for her friends to save her, only to watch Manhattan apologize.
"I'm sorry about her and having to deal with her... eccentricities. Nothing can stop her when she gets like this." Cafe bowed apologetically to Vodka and Scarlet.
"No..." Gold Ship wailed, unable to break free of the divine hand that roped her into this misery.
"I just wanted to get some yakisoba and spend a day at the beach!"
[X]
Meanwhile, with Naruto and Hinata
[X]
"I see we have some company," Hinata giggled without even turning back to acknowledge them.
"Huh? So this is what it felt like for the old man back then?" Naruto scratched his chin, musing about the situation. He was unsure whether to be flattered...
"Let them have their fun," Hinata waved off his pessimism with a smile and a shake of her head. "It's not like we're hiding anything from them..."
"That we'll be doing today," Naruto added with a hint of apprehension before frowning. "Well, not even really that. I was planning on teaching them some tricks if they can learn it..."
"So what's the harm?" Hinata smiled, patting her husband on the back. "Is this any different than what we have done? I know you have followed the Third and Kakashi-sensei to learn more about them."
"Well, yeah, but..." Naruto sheepishly admitted, trying to provide more context when his wife's words caught his attention. "We? Oh, that's a story I got to hear... Let me guess, Kiba?"
"Would it surprise you to hear it was Shino's idea?" Hinata giggled, recalling the memory before smiling.
"Okay, now I gotta know more!" Naruto grinned from ear to ear. This was juicy gossip he had to know about his wife and her team!
"Only if you agree not to embarrass him about it when we get back," Hinata chided her husband.
While Naruto frowned and glowered for a moment, he nodded and agreed. He was too curious not to know!
"Fine, fine! I won't! It's a promise! I'll keep it to myself!" Naruto grumbled but accepted his wife's terms.
Hinata faintly smiled before pursing her lips, recalling and reliving those memories. "Well, it started the day after Kurenai-sensei became our instructor..."
"Shino came up with the idea with the pretense of it being useful to know who our instructor really was."
[X]
Later that Morning, Shinjuku
[X]
"This is boring! All they've done all morning is go shopping and stop for coffee! Everyone does that!" Gold Ship complained, poking a random rock on the ground with a stick she found lying around. "They're not doing anything cool... Some ninja Trainer-san is..."
"Hey, don't forget that bag trick he has and you wanted to learn!" Vodka redirected Gold Ship's attention, pointing to their empty hands. "Look! All the stuff they bought has disappeared."
"Nani? You're right!" Realization dawned on Gold Ship and, with renewed vigor and interest, she balled her fist and menacingly shook it in Naruto's direction. "Curses! I missed it when it happened! It won't happen next time! I'll learn your tricks yet, just you wait!"
"So that's how you get her to focus." Scarlet blinked before sagely nodding.
"Shush, child! I'm trying to listen to what they are saying as they leave the cafe! If you must be loud, go take your friends elsewhere." Tachyon hushed Scarlet, her ears twitching and filtering out the white noise to focus on Naruto and Hinata.
"Hmph!" Scarlet pouted after throwing a nasty glare aimed toward Tachyon.
"Rude... We brought you along on this endeavor." Vodka puffed out her chest and growled.
"Semantics!" Tachyon dismissed her, much to Vodka's agitation.
"Oh, you are getting on my last nerves!" Vodka cracked her knuckles, looking for a fight before frowning. "Hm, now that I think of it... You do remind me of someone I know..."
"Why are you looking at me after you said that?" Scarlet hissed, narrowing her eyes at her friend.
Scarlet was about to reconsider their friendship after a statement such as that.
"Cafe," Tachyon, somehow ignoring the noise behind her, leaned over to her friend. "Isn't that your parents' cafe? Are they researching all of us?"
"Yes," Manhattan Cafe nodded, pursing her lips. "No. Trainer-san said her husband liked coffee. I told her about our shop here. My Mom wanted to meet her after I called her and said I joined a team."
"Ah, so he likes coffee? Hm, interesting..." Tachyon held her hands together excitedly.
"Why is that interesting?" Cafe gave Tachyon a bland but glum glance. Before she could receive an answer, her ears twitched, and she looked behind. "Oh, McQueen. Why are you here?"
"I could ask you all the same question." McQueen scowled, quickly recognizing what the group was doing. "Mind explaining why you are stalking our trainers? Or shall I inform the Director and our Class President about this?"
"Inform me about what?" A sense of dread washed over everyone as Symboli Rudolf, having left the same cafe Naruto and Hinata had just exited, made her way toward them. She glanced at each gathered and frowned.
"Why do I have the faint impression I'm not going to enjoy whatever it is you are doing?"
[X]
Also in Shinjuku, Closer to Lunchtime
[X]
"Honey, honey, honey!" Teio joyfully sang, happily exiting the bakery with a paper bag held to her chest.
"You must really like honey bread," Special Week commented with a light smile at Teio's joy.
"Yosh! It's so good! It's the best! I have to stop here every time I come by!" Teio proudly exclaimed, hugging her bag full of honey bread.
"And she comes by here whenever she can. And if she can't, she invades the shop back at Tracen and buys out the stock there." Mayano responded with a soft laugh and bright smile, hands behind her back as she walked alongside.
"But it is so good! I can't help it!" Teio cried, her eyes watering, for she was defenseless against the power of honey bread.
"It's okay. I understand," Special Week warmly smiled, patting Teio's back. "When we get back, I might have..." Special Week stopped, noticing someone was missing, and began to panic. "Ah! Where did Suzuka go?! She was with us at the store!"
"Huh? Where did she... Oh no, we made a right turn, didn't we?" Teio looked alarmed before she grimaced.
"Why would that matter?!" Special Week cried, worried about her new friend and roommate.
"Because Suzuka-nee always turns left when something is troubling her or she's lost in thought!" Mayano proclaimed, looking back to examine her surroundings. "She must have become entranced at the store by something, and we didn't notice we had left. Knowing Suzuka-nee, if we back track to the shop and start taking lefts, we will surely find her!"
"She does? I haven't noticed..." Special Week winced, having failed to notice such an obvious quirk her roommate had.
"It's okay! You're still new here! Follow me!" Mayano led the charge with a smile, racing back to the store, careful not to race at full speed on the congested streets
"Wait, hold up!" Teio cried as Special Week, and Mayano ran back, trotting much slower than she typically ran. "Girls! I can't run as fast while I have my bread!"
"I might bruise it if I do!"
[X]
Meanwhile, Nearby
[X]
"Oh, where did everyone go?" Suzuka repeatedly walked leftward in a circle just before a crosswalk.
Several passersby curiously gazed at the spectacle of the Uma's peculiar action, but no one stopped to assist. Nor did Suzuka notice them. She was too fixated on her current predicament.
Suzuka had become separated from her teammates and Mayano. The bread in the shop Teio had taken them to smelled so wonderful. One particular smell reminded her of the bread her father used to make every Sunday morning.
When she came to, her friends had vanished. She didn't have their numbers, so she couldn't call them and inform them of what had happened. Spe didn't even have one...
And now she had become so lost, searching for where they had gone. Suzuka hardly recognized the streets. Thankfully, she had a phone to help her reorient and locate where she was, but still, where had everyone gone? Oh, why did she have to get lost in...
"Suzuka? Are you okay?" A familiar voice stopped Suzuka in her tracks.
"Trainer-san?" Suzuka lifted her gaze, surprised to see her trainer and his wife in Shinjuku, both giving her concerned looks. "I... uh..."
"Let me guess, something frustrated ya?" Naruto quipped, his lips quivering lightly.
"Ah, how did you know?" Suzuka blanched, covering her face as she flushed in embarrassment.
"Suzuka, I might have only known you for a week, but I've picked up on what you do when you are lost in thought or frustrated. What's wrong?" Naruto placed his hand on his hip, giving his student a knowing glance.
"I got lost in thought and separated from Teio, Spe, and Mayano and don't happen to have their numbers." Suzuka's blush deepened.
"Oh... I can see how that is a problem," Naruto mused, furrowing his brow momentarily before scratching his head. "Well, I don't have their numbers either. Huh, guess I should have everyone do that tomorrow morning before our jog so something like this doesn't happen again."
"And I do have Mayano's number. I can call her to meet us." Hinata smiled, reaching into a pocket and withdrawing her phone.
"Just tell 'em to meet us over at the ramen shop over there. We can all eat lunch there. Was gonna invite those troublemakers earlier, but McQueen called Rudolf, and she came over and chewed them out... That was pretty funny, though." Naruto added with a chuckle.
"Ah, I don't want to intrude..." Suzuka meekly tapped her fingers together, shaking her head.
"It's okay. You aren't. You can join us if you so choose." Hinata smiled softly at the motions Suzuka made, recalling when she had done something similar in her youth when embarrassed. Lifting her cellphone to her ears, she giggled at Mayano's chipper voice on the other end. "Did you lose someone? Cause she's here with us?"
"Want to grab lunch with us while we're all here?"
[X]
A few minutes later, Nearby at a ramen restaurant a few blocks south
[X]
"I understand now..." Oguri let out a pleased sigh, patting her belly happily.
"Ugh..." Tamamo recoiled at the sight she had the misfortune of witnessing firsthand. Glowering at Oguri's content mewl and rubbing of her exposed belly, she harshly squinted at her roommate before muttering to herself. "I think I hear your blouse screaming."
Oguri didn't notice or didn't seem to care. She continued to happily pat her stomach, much to Tamamo's disgust.
"Oh my. You have a healthy appetite. You must eat a lot to run the way you do." Super Creek cooed, much to Tamamo's dismay. She knew what that expression meant. She needed to escape... "Oh, Tamamo, you dear thing, you hardly touched your bowl. Here, let me..."
"No! Don't you dare!" Tamamo jumped off her chair as Super Creek picked up the chopsticks from her bowl and attempted to assist Tamamo with her lunch. "I'm not a kid, ya hear! I can do it myself! I simply couldn't eat anything after watching Oguri... Oguri! It's not yours!"
"But you said you couldn't eat..." Oguri whined, slid the bowl back, glumly hanging her head.
"I'll eat it later when I am!" Tamamo scowled, eyeing her roommate carefully. "Yo! Can I have a to-go bowl, please! Thank you!" Tamamo waved at the server, smiling as he gave her a thumbs-up, then quickly transferred her ramen into a travel container. Turning her attention back onto the sullen Uma with her, Tamamo huffed, placing her hands on her hip. "Don't give me those looks! I let you come with me! Now let's hurry! I want to catch the open races at Tokyo Race Course and see if there are any newbies coming up that we need to keep an eye on!"
"New... Babies?" Super Creek frowned momentarily before her eyes lit up. Tamamo recoiled at the doting expression that crossed Creek's face. "Oh, I want to see them too! I'll take good care of them."
"Creek, you worry me sometimes." Tamamo grimaced, leaning away from her teammate, expressing her gratitude to the server as he handed Tamamo her bowl. "Thank you! Creek, Oguri, let's go! I don't want to miss... Trainer-san? Why are you here? Why are all of you here?!"
"Oh, Tamamo? You're here as well?" Hinata blinked as she stepped through the door of the restaurant with her husband and Suzuka, Teio, Special Week, and Mayano behind them. She lightly furrowed her brow before snapping her fingers. "That's right. You said you wanted to watch the open races at Tokyo Racecourse. You said there was a rookie that interested you... Kitasan Black, if I recall."
"Hey, that does sound like a good idea! We should do that too!" Naruto stroked his chin, musing about the possibility of seeing a race at one of the bigger tracks firsthand. See a concert afterwards, so he had a better idea of what to expect moving forward.
"Eh? Seriously!" Tamamo recoiled at Naruto injecting himself into their afternoon plans before frowning. Much as she hated to admit it, his job was not only to train but to scout and recruit for Tracen... "Ahk! Trainer-san! You didn't answer my question! Why are you here?"
"We were out shopping and sightseeing. We're not from Tokyo and wanted to take it all in while we had an opportunity." Hinata responded with a gentle smile.
"And checking prices on stuff... Never thought a crib would cost that much..." Naruto sighed, mumbling to himself, glancing over at Oguri as he walked over. "Is it good here?"
"Yes... So good." Oguri nodded approvingly, ignoring the building tension in the room.
Tamamo froze in place, horrified at the revelation. Teio, Suzuka, and Mayano shared a surprised glance. Special Week looked confused while Hinata palmed her face and sighed.
An aura of overwhelming maternal instinct swelled and radiated from Super Creek as she suddenly appeared before Hinata. Tamamo barely was able to dive out of the way, cursing as she picked herself off the floor. "Gah! I didn't even see her move! Did she go into the Zone or something?!"
Creek ignored Tamamo's complaining. Instead, she clasped her hands together and released a high-pitched squeal. "You're pregnant, Trainer-san, and you didn't tell me? Oh, this is a wonderful day!"
"Don't worry! I'll be the best Auntie ever and help you with anything you need, Mommy!"