Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto
Shippuden: Road To Ninja (Female Naruto Style!)
Somewhere deep and sinister…
Tobi held a glowing crystal ball close to his mask. Examining it closely, but it wasn't just any crystal ball… it was the third hokage's crystal ball. The one with the power to show anyone the future but with Tobi's jutsu, it had the power to send any person into an alternate dimension.
…A whole different future.
It had taken quite a bit of time to fully understand and master, but here they were. But it was a only a one time thing, the crystal ball granted whatever it was your heart desired… you could choose to stay or leave your dream world. But by staying you would leave everything behind, friends, promises, and problems.
"I wonder what you would do for the one thing you desire most… Naruko Uzumaki…"
Back in Konoha
It wasn't much of a training day, well, in Rock Lee's opinion anyway. Neji and Tenten were covered in bruises and desperately needed a bath. But Lee didn't feel like he was tired enough to enjoy the bathhouses.
So off he went, letting both Tenten and Neji to go and relax. After all, they really wanted it. Just as he was passing an apartment to his destination, the training field, when he caught the most upsetting sight.
…
"HAHA! I WIN!" "NO WAY! YOU CHEATED, DIDN'T YOU?!"
Naruko watched as both of her clones went off on one another. Naruko #3 had lost a third round of poker, while Naruko #2 was just fanning the flames by mocking her. She never knew she was this annoying before.
It was a relaxation day today… and she had no one to relax with! It was just sad…
"I'm not playing anymore!" Naruko #3 pouted "Ha! You're just a sore loser!" and these two going at each other's throats like this, was only aggravating her. Right before an all-out battle begun between the two, Naruko released the jutsu, both clones disappeared in clouds of smoke. But… once they were both gone, the room was consumed in an unbearable silence once again.
For about a week now Sakura was busy with nothing but work, always telling her not to come and bother her for stupid reason. All the other teams were all pretty busy to, leaving her completely alone for the last couple of weeks now. Although, she would try to hang with Sai again… but considering what happened the last time, she just wasn't ready to face him yet.
So the only thing she's been doing was playing cards with a couple of clones, sometimes she'd have wrestling matches with them, a tournament of sorts to see who was the best Naruko, of course she would always win… but things were just so… lonely.
Her head slammed against the top of her table, feeling miserable.
…
Lee's giant eyebrow's knitted together in worry. It didn't take a genius to know she was lonely, the depressed expression on her whiskered face seemed completely out of place. He wished he could do something for her…
"Ah! Finally back home! I can't wait to go to the bathhouse!" Ino's voice caught his attention. "Three missions, one after the other can really build up dirt.." Shikamaru actually agreed with her. "But I wanna go get some barbeque!" Choji whined.
"… finally home… I th-think I'll visit the b-bathhouse… today." Hinata walked down the streets with Kiba and Shino at her sides. "Yeah! Pretty soon I'm gonna have to start calling you 'Brown-maru!" his dog barked at his joked. "…but he's not red or brown…. Why not just call him white-maru…?" "Geez, Shino! I only meant Akamaru really needs a bath!" Was everyone heading to the bathhouse today?
Then an idea struck him like a bolt of lightning.
"EVERYONE LET'S GO TO THE BATHHOUSE TODAY!"
Both Tenten and Neji glared at their teammate, he could be so loud at times.
Naruko jumped out of her window, wearing only a bikini top with a pair of shorts, for the hot weather. Her hair was disheveled and un-brushed since she didn't think she was going to do anything today. "I'm in!" from below Kiba's face grew red at the sight of her. "W-We're in too!"
Ino glared at the oblivious girl's bold outfit. "Damn Naruko! Think's she hotter than me?!" "We're in!" Shikamaru smirked up at the Uzumaki. "A little hot today Naruko?" the girl looked down at him confused. He wanted to laugh at the naïve expression she was making.
…
"Hey! I didn't see Lee walk into the boy changing room!" Naruko stated curiously. Lee's female teammate answered in his place. "He said he still had 2000 steps on his hands before he could 'allow' himself any downtime." She shrugged, but Naruko smiled inwardly. He had done all this just so she wouldn't be alone, he was such a cool guy…
"Ah! I love the hot water!" Ino sunk into the relaxing warm waters, a content sigh coated her cheeks with red.
"I know right?!" both blond girls chatted loudly.
Only one person out of the five girls were having the worst time. Just when she had gotten time away from all the screaming, at the time it was a good idea to come here… but now, she wasn't too sure anymore. "Would you two shut up?! I'm trying to relax! I can't do that with you two being loud!" Sakura yelled irritably.
Her shout made Hinata squeak in surprise and quickly cover herself. Sakura immediately regretted making the shy girl feel uncomfortable. "Not you Hinata! You're okay! And… and you don't have to be so shy. I mean we'll all girls here right?" Naruko nodded her head furiously in agreement.
But she shook her head, trying to find the words to explain her embarrassment. "n-no! it's n..not that!... it's just that… they float up…" pink dusted her cheeks. Naruko swam next to her sitting right beside her same with Ino and Tenten. "Hey! Hinata, I never noticed! You really grew! Let's see who's bigger!"
On the male's side, all of the boys could hear the girl's conversation. It was embarrassing to listen, but they couldn't bring themselves to stop.
"-wow! Naruko I can't believe you're actually bigger than me and Sakura!" Shikamaru could easily recognize Ino's distinct shrill voice. A laugh was heard. "Haha! Of course! Ramen doesn't just taste good, but it's also good for the body!" the number one loud mouth proclaimed.
Kiba was getting anxious now, he couldn't just sit here and let a once in a lifetime opportunity pass him by... but than again, he also didn't want to be pegged as a perv. Shikamaru caught the painful look in his eyes and smirked, it was real easy to read him especially when Naruko was involved.
Before he could say anything Neji had caught the look Kiba wore. "I know that look, get your head out of the toilet bowl!" the dog owner, gave Neji a confused look. "I'll make this absolutely clear, NO, PEEPING!" the idea had occurred to him, he was happy just to come to the bathhouse with Naruko… but thanks to Neji, Kiba had a different idea in mind.
Calling forth his canine friend, Kiba swapped places with him. He just hoped no one asked him any crucial questions while he was away. Akamaru still hasn't master the human vocals cords.
Naruko laughed happily with the girls about a funny memory that took place here at the bathhouse. As they changed into their clothes a feeling of something missing had her puzzled. Then she remembered… Sasuke still wasn't here. Even after all the terrible things he had said to her, she still missed him. "…I wonder… what he's doing right now…"
Cracking sounds interrupted her train of thought. Looking back and forth, nothing was out of place but the sound continued, until a flash of green broke through the changing room rooftop. Naruko only had enough time to put her underwear on and wrap herself in a short towel. Hinata stood in a towel as well, but being more self-conscious, she turned red.
"KYAAAAAAAH!"
"L-Lee?! What are you doing here?!" Ino was quick to grab the poor boy by the collar, dangling him in the air. "You were peeping! Weren't you?!" she yelled.
"N-no! I was training, and my pants got caught on something!" he had tears in his eyes. Soon after hearing Hinata scream, Neji and the rest of the boys stumbled into the girls changing room, Kiba being the first.
"What happened?!"
Hinata was so red at this point, they could've mistook her for a red light.
"Lee was peeping!" Ino barked.
"What? That's absurd!" Neji tried stick up for his teammate. There had to be an explanation to make sense of the sudden strange behavior.
Naruko looked on confused at the scene, would bushy-brows actually do something like that? But before she could question, he made a break for it, never one to be put in that kind of situation before. "HE'S TRYING TO RUN! SEE? IT'S SUSPICIOUS!" Ino chased after him, the gang following right after her.
Lee… was peeping? No, a guy like him would never do something like that! The blond chased after the group, trying to stop them before they did anything too rash.
"You disappoint me Lee!" Tenten shook her head. He continued to try and prove his innocence. "But! It's not what you think! I was jumping from roof to roof when-!" he shuddered when Ino cracked her knuckles, an evil aura sprung up behind her. "… there's no use in talking!"
Sakura tried to intervene. "Wait! Hold on a minute! Maybe it really was just a coincidence!" "SHUT UP! I'LL BEAT YOU COS YOUR SUSPICIOUS!"
"ENOUGH!" Naruko stood in front of the cowering boy, throwing her arms out to shield him. "Bushy-brows isn't like that! He's our friend! If he says it isn't like that, than I believe him!" Lee was crying in happiness behind her.
Everyone's expression fell in shame. Well, everyone but Sai. Who walked to the front of the group, standing directly in front of the blond. Naruko was about to open her mouth to question the teen… when his hand reached up and groped her breast. He gave her his usual fake smile "I believe Lee too-!" he was sent flying with a well-aimed punch to the face.
"THAT'S NOT HOW YOU AGREE WITH SOMEONE!"
…
Naruko slumped miserably on her table. Her anger had finally subsided, but for some reason she still wanted to beat the living daylights out of Sai. She touched her cheek, irritably, unfortunately her blush still didn't go away.
KNOCK!
KNOCK!
KNOCK!
She shot up straight in her cross-legged sitting position, now who could that be at this hour?
"Naruko! Open up! I've brought someone who wants to say something to you!" Sakura's loud voice boomed through the wooden door.
She dashed for the door, looking through the peeking hole, happiness swelled in her heart. Everyone stood behind a bruised and battered Sai. Sakura in the front, standing beside the pale boy was making him lower his head apologetically. Glancing down at her choice of clothing, would they care she was only wearing an oversized T-shirt and short-shorts?
"Maybe she's not home?" Ino asked. Kiba shook his head. "I can smell her, she's home!" Shikamaru glared at his confession of knowing her scent "…that's really creepy..."
Naruko swung open her door, grin plastered of her face. "Hey everybody! What brings you all here?!"
Sakura threw Sai to the front, with which he preceded bow. "I'm sorry… I was outta line, And I've learned my lesson!" he actually seemed flustered. This made her laugh. "Oh, Don't worry about it! I forgive you!"
"A-And! Lee said… we should all… come and visit you! I-I mean! It… has been… awhile…?" Hinata stuttered from the back of the group, Neji beside her nodded his head in agreement. If she wasn't a ninja, she'd swear she'd be crying right about now. "Uhh…" "Ooh! Is that pork ramen I smell?!" Choji rushed past her, followed by Shikamaru who muttered a 'troublesome' under his breath. One-by-one they all settled into her small apartment, talking happily amongst each other. While Naruko stared dazed, at the unusual number of people crowding her apartment, but she beamed at the extra company.
The rest of the visit had went with Naruko playing poker against, Kiba, Hinata, Neji, Lee, Choji and Sai. Surprisingly, Hinata came out the winner in every round. Also, she ended up having little gossip sessions with Sakura, Ino, Shino, and Tenten… oddly enough. But during their visit, no one was bored, everyone had a fun time.
But then it was time for everyone to go…
The blond girl sat in the dimly lit eating area, having a midnight snack of ramen. "They all should've stayed for dinner…." She blew a stray hair from her face. Playing with an hourglass between her fingers, Naruko replayed the night's shenanigans over in her head. A sad smile tugged at her pink lips. "… The apartment… seems a lot bigger now…" she glanced up at the ceiling, feeling terribly insignificant. "…maybe, it's because I had fun today…"
…
"The time has come! I've peeked inside you heart… Naruko Uzumaki!" Tobi raised the crystal ball above his head. "Let's start the limited Tsukuyomi!"