Knitting Fate (Canon Patchworking with Uchiha Ren Part II)

Fiftieth Thread

"But many people look similar," Sasuke brings up despite himself, because wouldn't that be nice for Naruto to find family? But on the other hand false hope would be really, really bad to the significant annoyance of his life.

"I think it is very plausible. Why? Because it says here that Namikaze Minato was in a relationship with a survivor of Uzushio, Uzumaki Kushina," Shino adds the final nail to the coffin, looking over Torune to skim Sakura's book with her.

"But if it's true, then why keep Naruto's parents from him?" Sakura asks suddenly, fists clenched and eyes ablaze. "I know they were famous and made many enemies, goddamnit, so it should stay secret, but why couldn't Naruto know?!"

"Old man..." Naruto whispers suddenly, and only now they look at him – he's pale like a ghost and looks somewhat haunted, both betrayed and yet hopeful. "Old man will know."

And he bolts, barely pausing to slip on his shoes, and he's out of the door nearly the same instant.

"Fucking shit," Sasuke hisses viciously, because Ren never reprimands them when they curse since that would be way too hypocritical, and bolts after the blond. "Don't make a mess! I gotta catch up to him!"

"Wait, I'm coming too!" Sakura yells, almost throwing Takuya-sensei at Ino and chasing after the boys, Shikamaru wordlessly following at her heels.

For a moment, the silence is deafening.

"Well, that happened," Ino finally says.

"What the hell," Kiba agrees.

*

Ren almost feels bad for the ANBU she crashes headfirst into, but honestly, it's their fault for suddenly appearing in her way, so, no, she does not feel bad at all. It's a woman, Ren knows because she crashes head-first into her breasts (not a development she's particularly angsty about, mind you), and between that and the long, dark purple hair spilling behind the woman, Ren is pretty sure it's actually Uzuki Yūgao – known better as 'one of those select few in Konoha who know which end of proper blade goes where and therefore are on Ren's radar for potential teachers'.

Also one of the few actually honest-to-god baddass female characters in the whole depicted Naruto universe, because yo, she made bloody ANBU at an age comparable to Itachi, or at least that's what wiki said. Also that one person who hounded on Hayate more than Hana, to whom Ren so happily charted him off a while back after he had a severe coughing fit in the middle of her pestering him for – surprise – more kenjutsu tips.

"Hi, gimme a sec," Ren says and grabs Yūgao's vest when her feet meet the solid surface of a branch for a split second. She focuses on the chakra in the soles of her feet and pushes, propelling herself up. Props for Yūgao for not stabbing her as she does so, dragging the ANBU woman with her to another branch as a big, black spider crashes to where they just stood. "Oi, old bat, this is important so chill for a second or forever, okay?!"

Elder Kana clicks her mandibles furiously at Ren from where she's standing on the branch Ren had dragged Yūgao from, but aside from an angry string of unrepeatable profanities, even for Ren, she doesn't really answer. She does stop, though, so there's that at the very least. Ren stands straighter, letting go of the ANBU (and boy, doesn't she wish she could see Yūgao's face now) and dusting herself off, then turns to the other woman.

"So, hi, I'm kind of in the middle of something," she nods her head in the general direction of her summon, and now that she thinks of it, it does remind her of the time in the show that Naruto had to prove his worth to Toad Boss. Maybe if she's persistent enough, Kana will cave in and let her in on the secret? Hopefully. "But I have a moment so what brings you here?"