The duo behind Gai turned out to be the future gate guards Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane. Young and shorter maybe, but they definitely had the same appearances as their future counterparts now that Julia gave them a closer look.

Gai had bid them farewell as he decided that it was time for some Student-Teacher bonding with a meal, and had let her decide where to go. Her choice was obvious.

"Welcome to Ichiraku Ramen! What can I get for you two?"

Teuchi greeted them warming the moment they walked in past the cloth cover. It was a small yet homely place that smelled of rich spices and simmering warm broth as soon as one stepped inside. As far as first impressions went, she was impressed.

"Waa can I get for yu?"

Toddler speak was evidently wayy more adorbs when it didn't come from herself. A little face round peeked out over from the countertop, light tuffs of brown poking out beneath her white cloth headwear. Her pudgy hands gripped the counter and clearly struggling to lift herself up to make eye-contact with the duo. Teuchi laughed loudly at his little waitress as he walked over. He rested a large tanned hand on her head and ruffled her hair.

"This is my daughter Ayame, I hope you don't mind her taking your order today."

"Not at all! I'd be honored to have her do so. I think I'll have a pork ramen today, extra spicy please."

"May I hav the.. The.. C-Chitkan Spektral?" Julia gave up on trying to pronounce it properly and just pointed at the item on the menu and did her best to force out the words. Thankfully, unlike her butchered order attempt, the ramen came out perfectly fine. In fact, it was better than fine, it was downright amazing. The chicken was tender and moist, the herbs and spices blended harmoniously without overpowering the natural flavors of the ingredients, and the soup was savory.

She didn't like spicy food, but even the spoonful she got to try from Gai's was delightful.

Julia was something of a "foodie" back in her world, while she wasn't materialistic and tended to save her money, food was something she never cut corners on and she often ate out. The girl was so absorbed in her meal she didn't even notice the entrance of two new customers seated near them. Julia could definitely see why Naruto was such a fan, it wasn't just the fact that the owners were kind and welcoming, the food was absolutely phenomenal.

She did eventually did notice a pair of doe eyes staring intently at her after she finished inhaling half her meal. They widened as blue met brown, and the small dumpling of a girl ducked beneath the counter.

"Oh? Don't be shy now Ayame-chan, why don't you go say hello? Sorry about that, she's a little shy."

A soft squeak of surprise could be heard before Teuchi lifted up his daughter and carried her in his arm. She had her face turned against his body, turning her head every now and then before giving a little wave.

"H- 'eir'llo"

"Why hello to you too! My name is Might Guy, the Beautiful Green Beast of Konoha, and this here is my new apprentice!" With his usual cheerful energy, he introduced himself before waving towards her.

"Hi! Julia Rose, but ya can call me just Julie if ya wanna, nise tu meet ya!" She still didn't like kids, especially the rude brats back at the orphanage, but God damn if younger Ayame wasn't just the cutest thing! She ended up pinching the other girl's cheeks and was overheard calling her adorable getting laughs from the other two adults. Perhaps it was because Teuchi was always busy being a single father, or maybe it was because they were the same age, but he seemed pretty intent on having them being friends and going on 'playdates'.

She didn't mind, the little girl was nice and didn't have the habit of screaming her head off for no reason. She had finished her meal and was just chatting with the other girl when an older woman spoke up.

"Oh my, that's so precious," Julia turned around and her eyes widened, for a moment she thought her heart would stop.

"Hello there girls, my name is Mikoto Uchiha, and these are my sons, Itachi-kun and Sasuke-chan. Would you mind letting him play with you?" She took the infant that was Sasuke from his brother's arms and nudged Itachi forward. There was a gleam in her eye that Julia wasn't sure she liked.

"But Kaa-san-"

Whatever protest Itachi might have had died instantly from a pointed look his mother sent this way.

"But nothing, you could use more friends than just Shisui, and training all day isn't good for you. So, what do you say girls?"

Ayame seemed to have gotten over her hesitation after listening to the pretty lady and gave a small nod, and while Julia wasn't quite sure what to make of how fast these events were happening, seeing how Gai gave her an encouraging look and didn't seem to mind, she agreed too.

The adults shoo-ed them away as to have their fun playing outside. Gai generously paid for her meal and told her to meet up in training ground 15 tomorrow at noon, and so the unlikely trio went off to a nearby park.

"Hello, my name is Itachi Uchiha, may I ask what are yours?"

...What the hell? How is this kid way more well-spoken than me?! Is this because Itachi was always a naturally serious and mannered kid or because he's the heir of the clan and had training?

Her pride took a minor blow.

"Julia Rose, yu can call mi just Julie" She repeated her introduction, carefully observing the future would-be-clan-killer. Strange how such a small and short kid could become such a terrifying killing machine. Heck, didn't he graduate from the academy in under a year? She bet he'd be able to wipe the floor with her or even an adult from her world within a minute flat even right now if he felt like it.

She had to consciously suppress a small shiver.

Her new playmate Ayame, however, was ignorant of just how dangerous the other haired boy truly was and was just happy to have made two new friends.

"Hi! My name is Ayame!"

Maybe it was because they were both mentally more mature than her, but Itachi and Julia spent most of the time entertaining Ayame and going along with her whims. Playing tag or "Ninja", a confusing game without any actual rules in as far as she could tell, which consisted of them doing any number of "Ninja" activities such as tossing rocks, following random people, and looking for weird stuff. It was kind of fun. It's a wonder what playing mindless games and not having to worry about getting murdered in your sleep or the fate of the world does for your stress levels.

She even managed to teach the other girl how to play Pattycake.

Still, she couldn't help feeling tense around Itachi no matter how much she tried to reason with herself that he was still just a child and a pacifist at that. There was just a primal sense of fear in knowing the person next to you could and would slit your throat in your sleep and not blink an eye if he had too. She had no doubt Gai could also turn her into a bloody pulp if he felt like it, but she trusted and knew his character. He was a good man who wouldn't raise his hands again a child. A big fluffy dog than a wild beast.

Itachi, however, was a tool of his conviction. Konoha and peace before all else. If he somehow found out she knew about the future or her plans to essentially ruin a "guaranteed peace" by changing things... Well, some things were better left unsaid.

It might be a tad paranoid of her, but she also made sure to avoid eye contact as if he could somehow read her mind through those coal orbs. For all she knew, he probably could with the Sharingan.

It must've been an hour or two since the children left because the sun had clearly shifted from its position in the sky. Ayame had really broken out of her shell after playing with them and was now laughing as she raced ahead to the ramen stall they had left. Julia and Itachi had decided to just walk, and after a bit could see Mikoto waiting patiently while chatting with Teuchi and occasionally tickling little Sasuke.

"May I ask you something?"

Hearing his high pitch voice was quite shocking, he was such a quiet child and rarely initiated conversation, usually only replying after being spoken to or giving the occasion input where required.

"Shoot"

"Shoot..?"

"Er, yeah, I mean go ahead." That was an embarrassing faux pas, thankfully he didn't dwell on it for long and continued.

"Have I done something to upset you, Rose-san?" They had both stopped a couple buildings away from Ichiraku, both standing and staring at the other. She quirked a single eyebrow at the strange question.

"What do yu mean?"

"I'll be blunt then. You've been avoiding eye contact with me the entire time, you flinched when my hand accidentally grazed yours, and finally, you tense up whenever I'm near you. Your body language is clearly stating you're ready to run at any moment like a cornered animal."

She felt like a sweatdrop was forming on the back of her head listening to his analyst. He wasn't wrong, and it seemed her best attempt wasn't nearly enough to fool the Uchiha's keen eyes.

...Sharp little bugger aren't ya, but damn if that wasn't a tad too blunt...

"I sorry, it's not anything yu did," not yet at least her mind treacherously whispered. "Complicated. It is. Not your fault. Sorry" Her broken Japanese would probably have put off anyone else, but he just patiently listened to her in contemplation.

"Is it because I'm an Uchiha..?" His emotions were hard to read, unnaturally so for such a young child, but even so, she still managed to catch the flash of hurt in them. Her eyes widened as she realized what she had been doing. She was making this young kid feel unwanted because of her fear of what he could become, but wasn't that exactly why she was here?

To change things and make sure such a tragedy would never come to be?

She didn't need to be scared of Itachi. What he might've been was pointless, because right now he was just a scared and lonely child, traumatized by war, and as she recalled the timeline, he and his clan were probably in the midst of being ostracized by the village in the aftermath of the Kyuubi attack.

"No! I sorry, let's play again tomorrow?"

And so in one day Julia met the Green Beast and befriended a certain Weasel.