Bowling

The Leaf Village.

Jada twitched her eyes open a little before jolting awake. The sunlight was at an angle that suggested she had lost track of time again. This was the fifth time in a row she had overslept—an alarming trend for someone who enjoyed duty and getting things done.

"Ugh, get it together, Jada!" she muttered, hitting herself in the head.

With a sigh, she padded to the kitchen where the aroma of freshly cooked food wafted towards her. Alice had really outdone herself this time.

Jada found her friend at the stove, flipping pancakes while reading a difficult-to-read medical book again.

"Morning!" Jada said.

"Umm, I think you mean good afternoon?" Alice playfully teased.

Jada groaned, hiding her face in her hands for a moment. "Right! Haha!" She then rubbed the sleep from her eyes before taking a seat at the small wooden table. Alice served her a towering stack of pancakes drizzled with syrup, accompanied by fresh fruit and some tea.

"Wait," Jada wondered. "You don't normally serve me. What's the occasion?"

"Just thought I had to," she replied, trying to mask her guilty conscience. Not long ago, she had tricked Naruto into taking on a mission that could have ended the ninja's career. "Eat up, okay?"

After a knowing smile on her face, the pancakes quickly disappeared, allowing Jada to commend Alice for yet another great meal.

"What's the status in the village?" she asked, bringing the plate to the kitchen.

"It's quite peaceful lately. Just some routine animal rescues and helping other Chūnin with small tasks. But I think everyone's still on edge after all that's happened lately."

Once breakfast—now awkwardly dubbed brunch—was complete, Jada donned her garb and stepped outside.

As she walked on the streets, she received numerous cheerful greetings from familiar faces. Even Kakashi was seen, who was leaning casually against the village wall. He flashed her an easygoing smile as he read his well-worn book.

"Strange seeing you here," he said as she approached him.

"Very funny, Kakashi-sensei," she shot back, rolling her eyes with a smile.

The joke being that since they were near a casino, she might have wanted to gamble.

Kakashi closed his book and eyes to thank her for her hard work as of late. Of course, Jada remained humble, stating that she was just happy to help.

As she continued her patrol, she encountered Might Guy, who immediately struck a dynamic pose.

"Jada! The spirit of your youth shines bright! Are you ready to push the limits of greatness today?"

"Always, Guy-sensei!" she responded with the same energy.

"Now that's what I'm talking about!"

Throughout the afternoon, she made her rounds, checking on various merchants and ensuring everyone was treating one another fairly. The village felt serene, yet it was as if everyone was collectively holding their breaths, waiting for something to happen.

Later, she headed to the mission center.

Inside, a few Chūnin and Jōnin flipped through scrolls and reports. She approached the front desk with hopes that there maybe would be something worthwhile today, like catching Naruto's attacker.

As she scanned the available missions listed on the wooden bulletin board, one particular mission caught her eye—it seemed to stand out among the mundane task requests. There seemed to be a request from Takumi Village.

"That's strange," Jada told herself.

The main instance of Takumi Village being significant in the original story was during a filler arc.

That arc was known as the "Sand Village Support Mission.". It began with Kakashi investigating the deserted Takumi Village, where he discovered that the body of an important figure had been stolen.

Meanwhile, Naruto, Sakura, and Shikamaru discussed recent developments in the Sand Village, where Gaara and his siblings were engaged in a shinobi training program. Gaara's interactions with a shy student, Matsuri, revealed his growth as a leader and mentor, as he helped her find confidence.

This had set the stage for the primary conflict of the arc, where Matsuri was subsequently kidnapped by a group called the "Four Celestial Symbols Men."

As news of Matsuri's kidnapping reached the Leaf, the main character rallied his closest friends, minus Tenten, to assist Gaara and his siblings.

Their teamwork proved crucial when they confronted Suiko, an enemy with chakra-absorbing abilities, allowing Gaara to recover and reclaim his strength for the upcoming battles.

The climax of the arc ended with Gaara facing off against Hōki, the leader of the enemy group, who used Gaara's chakra to execute a resurrection technique intended to revive Seimei, the Takumi Village founder.

As it was expected, the support of Naruto and their friends allowed Gaara to defeat Seimei and rescue the damsel in distress.

This was also the last filler arc that concluded part one of the series before Naruto prepared for his long-awaited training with Jiraiya—a trip that would last approximately three years. Afterwards, Shippuden would start.

"Why is it starting early?" Jada asked herself in thought. "Oh right!"

This mission had only recently been posted. Given enough time, Kakashi would either take it or it would be given to him eventually.

Since Jada knew the arc well, it would be a great opportunity to help out now so that Matsuri wouldn't be captured later.

As such, she took the paper from the board and explained her interest in the mission to the Jōnin overseeing the operations. He listened patiently, noting her aspirations and capabilities as a Chūnin.

"We'll allow you to take this mission," he said, "but you must be accompanied by a Jōnin due to the high rank of it."

Her thoughts immediately went to Kakashi, knowing he had the experience and laid-back demeanour that would complement her growth. And to her relief, he was available.

"Alright," the Jōnin said. "I'll let him know, and tomorrow you two can head out."

She smiled, relieved that the mission wouldn't interfere with her evening plans for today: bowling with the main characters.

There were many things to do in the ninja world. Not all of them, however, could be done alone. It was usually better to be in a group. And with everyone's schedules hardly intertwining, Jada's band of misfits managed to find a time for everyone to unwind for a change.

What better way than to enjoy themselves with a harmless sport like bowling?

Bowling involved rolling a heavy ball down a wooden lane to knock down ten pins arranged in a triangular formation. Players took turns, aiming to knock down all pins with their ball in a limited number of rolls. Each player accumulated points based on the number of pins knocked down, with "strikes" and "spares" adding a competitive aspect.

As she arrived at the bowling alley later that afternoon, she was met with the cheerful chaos of her friends.

William was animatedly explaining the rules to Naruto, who seemed more focused on the prospect of Hinata's whereabouts than scoring strikes. Tenten and Alice were already discussing strategies, while Chōji lounged with a bowl of chips nearby. Even Margaret had decided to tag along—she was chatting with Sakura by a vending machine.

"Jada! You made it!" shouted Naruto, waving her over enthusiastically.

The group gathered around her, exchanging laughter as they prepared for the first round. And in just a moment, the game began.

"Boom! That's how it's done!" William shouted, throwing his fists into the air as the last pin toppled over. The screen above flashed "STRIKE" in bold letters, and he turned to his friends with a triumphant grin. "Who's the man now?"

Groans greeted his declaration. The rest were seated, exchanging amused glances at the overzealous guy who just claimed victory for the round.

Margaret leaned back in her chair near the scoreboard, letting out a sigh as she scanned the scores. William and Chōji were tied for the lead, each having landed a strike. The rest of the group had managed decent spares with Jada, who had been in the running until William's latest triumph.

"Alright, Will, we get it," Sakura grumbled while still maintaining a playful voice.

With her trademark smile, Jada got up next. She walked to the lane with confidence and rolled the ball. Her attempt didn't quite go as she had hoped.

"How on earth do you get a gutter ball?!" Sakura exclaimed, watching as Jada's ball rolled pitifully off to the side.

Jada frowned slightly but quickly shook it off. In a sweet voice, she said, "Oh no, my hand must have slipped! It's okay; I'll do better next time. Promise!"

"Don't worry," Chōji said with a mouthful of chips. "you're still in the top three."

Tenten teased, "Now's my chance!"

"No way I'm gonna lose to you, Tenten!" Jada giggled.

"Not everyone was born with a gift like me," William said, stroking his chin.

"Just don't get too cocky, cuz!" Naruto commented. "Only a few more strikes and I'm in the top three!"

Their conversation was interrupted when the screen lit up, indicating it was his turn. And without hesitation, he leaped up and advanced to the rack to pick out a ball. He cradled it carefully, rolling it in his palm as he focused. His fingers settled into the holes, and he let out his trademark goofy smile.

Alice couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, watching him with curiosity, while Jada cheered him on from the side.

"Hey," Naruto called out to the group behind him, eyes still focused on the lane. "You guys know what the key to bowling is, right?"

Everyone looked at him, puzzled. What could he possibly mean?

Chōji blinked. "Uh… throwing straight?"

"I think he means being weird like always," Margaret teased.

Naruto shook his head with a wider grin now. "Nah. It's all about rotation." He held the ball out proudly for everyone to see, and Alice's eyes widened as she noticed something. Because in Naruto's grip, the ball was spinning—smoothly, under control, like a mini-Rasengan.

"Oh no…" she said. "He's actually perfect for this."

Naruto stepped forward and, with a flick of his wrist, rolled the ball down the lane. It spun beautifully, hooking at just the right moment until crash!

A perfect strike.

Every pin fell in succession, and the ball continued its spin before lying still.

"See?" Naruto beamed as he turned back to them. "Rotation!"

"If only Neji could hear you say that," William stared. "Wait...! Does that mean—"

"Yeah," Alice muttered, crossing her arms. "Naruto's a natural at bowling."

"What can I say?" the boy shrugged. "I'm the best."

"Oh, heck no!" Sakura said, burying her face in her hands. "Someone has to take him on. I can't let him gloat over us now!"

"I'll take him on any day!" Margaret declared, eager for the challenge.

"Get in line, Marge!" Tenten suddenly said, feeling the same energy once her name came up.

She approached the lane, ready to give it her all.

"Sorry, Naruto!" she chimed, flashing a smirk. "You're gonna have to earn that top spot… Unlike you all, I'm the best with any weapon!"

"But a bowling ball isn't a weapon," Naruto protested, "and it's definitely not like one of your ninja tools!

"Everything is a weapon if you believe it!" Tenten retorted with a laugh.

Quote the bold statement to make since she wasn't even in the top three.

"Oh, now it's on!" Naruto shouted, fists pumping in the air.

Amidst the playful banter and friendly rivalry, Jada turned to William and asked, "Speaking of rotation, how come Neji and Hinata couldn't make it again?"

"Ugh," he said, scratching his head. "Well, we invited her, but I think they had plans with Alex. Something about advancing her skills so she could rival his own—whatever that means."

"I really can't figure him out," she commented.

After her turn came up again, Naruto exclaimed that he'd be right back. She finished, and the others applauded her efforts despite the pins not doing what she wanted.

Instead of returning to her seat, she thought it would be a good idea to follow Naruto, who had looked to be fidgeting and somewhat pensive before he left. She first shared a concerned glance with Alice, who also seemed to understand her unspoken thoughts.

"Hey, let's talk to Naruto for a moment," Jada suggested, beckoning Alice to follow her.

The two girls approached him, who was lost in thought.

"Hey, Naruto!" Jada greeted with a sincere tone. "Can we talk for a bit?"

"Uh, sure! What's up?"

As they guided him away further from the group, Sakura's curiosity piqued. "What are Jada and Alice up to with your cousin?"

William folded his arms, giving Sakura a reassuring smile. "They're probably just checking in on him after everything that happened."

Margaret and the rest were too engaged in this round to have noticed anything.

Feeling like it was alright to share, Sakura said to William, "I just feel bad for him. After that attack... I don't want him to end up like Sasuke."

He frowned, trying to comfort her. "Hey, Naruto's tougher than he looks. He'll be fine."

Yet she was unconvinced. "But what if he isn't? What if it affects him more than we think?"

He sighed, sensing that words weren't going to ease her concerns. So he tried again, "Let's just give him some time. He has us, and he'll handle it in his own way."

"I guess so…"