Welcome Naruto fans to the sequel to 'The Lucky Ones'.

I am so sorry about the long hiatus, but I've been trying to figure out my next idea for the chapter I was working on for the story. Then realised that the chapter United We Stand, Divided We Fall, was pretty much were that story needed to finish. This chapter seemed to better suited for a sequel. So here we are!

If you're read this already, it's probably a good idea to do so again just to jog your memory. I'll be tweaking it again just to fix it a little. Happy reading!

Last time: Naruto and Hikari were both still reeling from Sasuke's defection to Sound, and both are coping in different ways. However, Naruto suspects otherwise and confronts Hikari who tells him that she is planning on asking for one-on-one training from an Elite Jounin. Hikari's uncle, Mamoru, gives her her mother's katana and promises to help her to wield one for combat alongside Anko-sensei, who has been selected as her Jounin teacher. And Naruto is about to embark on a three-year training session with the infamous Jiraiya – one-third of the Legendary Sannins…

As always, I have no claim on the rights of Naruto (either character, TV shows or online YouTube doujinshis) or ownership of Hikari. I just own this story.

Please review responsibly and respectfully :)

HERO'S RETURN
"You are the luckiest, the canniest,
and the most reckless man I ever knew.
Bless you, laddie."
– Gimli: Lord of the Rings 'The Two Towers'.

~HIKARI P.O.V~

THREE YEARS LATER…

The candlelight flickered eerily in an unfamiliar tunnel. I could hear my heartbeat thudding ominously in my ears as the salty sting of my anguished tears dripped down my face. I could hear the rise and fall of running footsteps. What was I missing here? Was I supposed to be searching for something?

Or someone?

"SASUKE!"

Naruto? I jerked my head in the direction of the familiar deep husky voice that reverberates off the tunnel walls surrounding me before fading away like an echo. Why did he sound so desperate? I could hear the echo of doors opening and slam shut. Muttered curses and weeping could be heard. Was Naruto crying? I could feel and hear my heartbeat quicken at the thought that Naruto could be in that much pain over our absent friend. I wanted to find him, tell him that everything was going to be alright. We will find Sasuke; try to reason with him and plead for him to see sense and come home, to us... If that didn't work we'd beat him senseless and drag his idiotic ass back to Konoha, kicking and screaming. In chains if necessary. I ran down the next corridor opening and closing doors. Was this why we were in this creepy tunnel? Was Sasuke the reason why we were here?

"He's got to be here! We've come so far!"

Sakura!? Why is she here? I turned down yet another corridor…

"I'm here to save the bond you have with your friends…" a deep, emotionless and extremely unfamiliar voice breaks the silence… Then I see it: a light at the end of the tunnel. Metaphorical or not, I feel relief and triumph overwhelm me as I break through the light barrier. I turn in slow motion… the thudding of my heartbeat gets louder, and slows down… before I see it, standing above me; waiting with an air of cool indifference: a tall, shadowed figure… with a cruel smirk on his face…

I sit bolt upright in bed, panting, drenched head to toe in a cold sweat.

"Damn!" I cursed, turning off my alarm clock as it suddenly blared loudly heralding the new morning. It was that bloody dream again! The same dream that has been tormenting and haunting me since Naruto sent me that scroll via Toad (ugh…) two weeks ago:

Hey Hikari-chan!

Guess what? I'm coming home! Finally!

I was beginning to think that all this training was never going to end. Mind you, it was SO awesome and I've learned so much. At least what training we did do when Ero-sannin wasn't busy perving on the Women's bathhouses or hanging out WAY too much in the Red-Light district of every Village we visited.

Ugh! I don't care if he calls it 'research' it's still disgusting and creepy.

I'm missing spending time with you. I hope that we'll get some time to catch up once I get back to Konoha. I want to know what training you did while I was away. Just hope that Anko-sensei wasn't too harsh; I've heard that she can be one sadistic bitch.

Say hi to Iruka-sensei, Kakashi-sensei, Baa-chan, and Sakura for me!

Naruto xo

I must admit I am relieved.

I miss my loveable moron.

I wonder how much he has improved over the last three years. It sounded like he learned a lot. Was he as strong as I felt, or even stronger? I couldn't wait to find out. Then it would be only a matter of time before we could head out and rescue Sasuke from himself. I just wonder if I could bring myself to forgive Sasuke for betraying us and breaking my trust. The fool has no idea how deeply he has hurt me. But I know there's still good in him deep down.

There just has to be.

Pulling aside the blanket, I stood up on shaky morning legs and padded zombie-like down the corridor to the bathroom. I was still not a morning person, but because of Anko's brutal training regimes I quickly got used to the idea; having been disciplined severely for arcing up about it. Surprisingly, my uncle Mamoru backed Anko up on it:

"This is not the time to become lax about your training. The time for worrying about petty, trivial things is in the past. It's time to step up or fall down!" He had lectured me.

Constantly.

For three. Fricken. Years!

Mamoru and Anko both knew that I was going to be facing Orochimaru (and most likely Sasuke) in the future; Anko knew from personal experience that the Snake Sannin – her former master – was not the type to tolerate weakness. He exploited it for his own benefits, and it was one of the many reasons why he was known to be a very dangerous, unpredictable opponent.

"Do not underestimate him." Anko had once told me, "Orochimaru has a complex personality. 'Twisted' being one of the few popular characteristics people have labelled him."

When training with Anko, we worked on my ninjutsu – through the use of snake summoning, poisons and various different elemental attacks. I could just barely escape from genjutsu in the likelihood that I'd be trapped in one; and my taijutsu had been severely lacking despite my previous victories against strong opponents – Zabuza and Haku, for example. I was informed that the missing-nins that I had already faced were cake compared to who I was to face in the up and coming future. Mamoru was left with the task of teaching me the art of sword-fighting. Since starting that course with my uncle, I was now well on my way to becoming a highly skilled, very formidable swordswoman. But I wasn't quite there yet. There was still much I needed to learn, but I would be able to hold my own should I be faced with a duel to the death.

Stepping into the shower, I turned the knob to cold and allowed the water to blast on my face. I shrieked partly out of shock (which was the idea) and because of the arctic temperature against my warm skin. Sufficiently awakened, I turned the knob to hot and continued my bathroom routine making sure I cleaned everywhere quickly and thoroughly with my usual Cherry Blossom and Vanilla scented body wash. However, I couldn't help but dwell on what I had learned during my studies.

I had researched my target thoroughly; desiring to know everything about Orochimaru so I wouldn't be caught unawares when the time came to face him. The term: 'mad as a cut snake' was a term I definitely identified Orochimaru with when describing him. This guy's ultimate goal was to be worthy of the title of 'ultimate being'. He had this delusional belief that in order to do this, he needed to obtain immortality – due to his disdain for a weak and fragile human body, and how it affected loved ones – so he would be unable to die without learning every ninja technique in the world. I shuddered at the mere concept.

Sicko… I decided that this was starting to border on obsession, so I distracted myself from the topic that was 'Orochimaru' and focused on what I was going to be wearing to Team Seven's unofficial reunion, which was happening that evening.

Did I forget to mention something that has definitely changed in the past three years? Me. I was now the exact opposite of who I used to be, and it was necessary for my plans.

At twelve I was a petite, innocent pale peach skinned girl who always wore pale blue dresses with matching ribbons in her long shoulder length black hair, ankle-length toeless navy blue sandals, and always had the naïve view of seeing the good in people (even if they didn't entirely deserve it).

Now?

I am fifteen with a more jaded view of the world, and had grown to 5'5 and was well-endowed in the boobs, filled out in her hips (I was hourglass shaped like my mother had predicted) and had toned muscles. I no longer looked delicate and petite and favoured pale blue EVERYTHING. I wore a tight form fitting black mid-drift tank top and tight matching black ANBU style pants, knee high black toeless kunoichi sandals with a slight heel and I wore fingerless elbow length gloves with metal guards.

That wasn't to say that I still didn't wear pale blue. I did. Just not as much as I used to. I wore the colour in the ribbons I still wore in my (now extremely long) black hair – which I now wore up in odango-style pigtails with bangs that framed my face. My prized ribbons were tied around the odangos. My brand-new forehead protector still took pride of place around my neck with a black coloured ribbon instead of the navy blue that Genins wore.

And guess what? I was no longer of Genin rank. I was now a proud Chunin – having participated in the Chunin Exams alongside the other Konoha 9 (Naruto was still absent) and passed with flying colours. I snatched up my katana and secured it to my hip, as well as securing my weapons pack to my thigh before hi-tailing it out of the Uchiha compound and making my way into town to run a few errands.

It was Naruto's cheeky face that I was dying to see.

~AUTHOR P.O.V~

At Konoha's gates, the morning guards were sitting at the check in station both bored and cursing their Hokage for giving them a shift this early in the morning. One of the guards amused himself by balancing kunai or whatever he had on hand on the end of his dozing partner's nose, holding his breath whenever he shifted or moved in any way. He was just about to balance yet another weapon top of the growing pile when an orange and black blur sped through the gates and came to a stop not too far away from where the guards – who were both in crumpled, dazed heaps on the ground – were.

"Oops! Sorry, guys!"

A tall, toned and muscular boy with shaggy, untamed blonde hair, cerulean blue eyes (which were wide and alight with mischief and glee) and dressed in orange apologised; sheepishly scratching the back of his head and grinning from ear to ear. It was the grin that was familiar. Both guards were momentarily stunned before realising who the boy was and rolled their eyes in exasperated amusement or annoyance. It was Naruto Uzumaki – home from his three year training session with the Toad Sannin, Jiraiya.

Naruto rushed for his favourite viewing post and dumping his knapsack at the base, sent chakra to the base of his feet and climbed up the wooden pole to the very top. From there, he had a fantastic view of Konoha in its entirety.

Naruto drew in a deep breath.

"Hello, Konoha! You've changed a lot!" He scanned Konoha, which had multiplied a lot in his absence. Then something caught his eye on the Hokage Monument. "Oh nice! You've added Baa-chan!" He squinted at the workers making their finishing touches on the stone cut out of Tsunade's face on the Cliffside of the monument and grinned picturing his face someday making an addition to those already up there.

"OI! NARUTO!"

He looked down and saw Sakura standing at the base of the post next to his abandoned knapsack and Jiraiya – who had finally caught up with him – and a trio of Academy students that Naruto recognised as the Third's Grandson, Konohamaru and his sidekicks and friends Moegi and Odin. Sakura had a rather impatient look on her face that Naruto instantly recognised and not wanting to suffer her wrath, immediately jumped down from the post.

"Hiya, Sakura!" Naruto greeted her brightly. Sakura smiled and shook her head fondly.

"Welcome home, Naruto. How was your training?" Sakura inquired politely. He shrugged modestly.

"It was awesome! Learned loads." He briefly gave an appreciative flick of his eyes over her body, and was impressed with what he saw. Sakura had changed from an awkward, painfully thin twelve year old Sasuke-stalker to a tall, thin and poised fifteen year old with a neater bubble-gum pink bob. She had shot up to 5'5 and had replaced her usual red fighting dress and bottle green spandex shorts with a tight sleeveless shirt that showed off what little assets she had, black spandex shorts with a pale pink skirt over the top and knee-high black toeless shinobi sandals. On her hands were black gloves and she wore matching elbow pads the same colour as her skirt. Her hair was held back with her forehead protector which was now a brilliant red instead of navy blue. "You've changed a lot, Sakura." Naruto commented.

Sakura beamed; she was always a sucker for compliments.

"Look who's talking," she made a casual eye sweep of his appearance, "You're no longer the annoying little shrimp you used to be." Naruto pouted and shuddered.

"Ugh, don't remind me." He groaned.

"Hey, boss!" Naruto looked around Sakura and clapped eyes on Konohamaru who was beaming from ear to ear to see his friend again.

"Hey, squirt! How's it goin'?" Naruto greeted him, noting that the boy was wearing the old goggles he used to wear back when he was an academy student. Konohamaru glared at him for the 'squirt' comment, but then suddenly smirked which made Sakura instantly feel nervous.

"I've been practicing that technique you showed me. I'm almost as good as you, if not better!" He bragged.

Sakura's eyes widened with horror.

He wouldn't… Konohamaru started forming the dreaded hand signs and immediately transformed into the visage of a tall, very naked and very busty brunette woman who was blushing coyly and seductively at Naruto. Almost immediately blood poured from Jiraiya's nose as Sakura launched herself at Konohamaru and thumped his ear. She was about to cuss out Naruto for even thinking of teaching such a depraved and disgusting technique to a minor when she saw the serious expression on the blonde's face.

Sakura was stunned.

"That's not cool, Konohamaru…" said Naruto, and Konohamaru looked immediately shamefaced.

Thank kami! There's hope for him yet… Sakura thought.

"THIS IS HOW YOU DO IT!" and Naruto transformed into his trademark sexy jutsu, which sent another stream of blood jetting from Jiraiya's nose. Sakura's approving smile fell and immediately her blood began to boil.

I stand corrected… She amended her thought as charged forward like a raging bull and decked Naruto across the face, scaring the three Academy students and Jiraiya when they made witness to her new monstrous strength that pummelled Naruto through the air like a ragdoll.

Yep… Sakura's not changed… thought Naruto as he flew and landed in a painful heap on the ground.

Ten minutes later, a slightly bruised Naruto and a still annoyed Sakura were making their way through Konoha, catching each other up with what they had been up to during their three years apart. Then Naruto stopped and looked around curiously.

"Where's Hikari-chan?" Sakura immediately tensed up.

"Your guess is as good as mine." She replied dismissively. Naruto frowned.

"Did she leave the village for her training?"

"No, she's just very elusive nowadays." Sakura replied, "Hikari has changed a lot." Naruto was surprised, but also extremely curious and excited to see his best friend again. He was determined to see how much she had improved. They had made a pact that both of them would become stronger so that they could go out and bring back Sasuke together.

But he also missed her deeply.

It was also very clear to the blonde that the animosity between Sakura and Hikari had not changed at all. His observation skills had improved and he noticed almost immediately, that after he had mentioned Hikari Sakura's defences rose. He sighed.

"I'm gonna go find her. See ya Sakura!" Naruto waved and took off down the street, leaving a disgruntled Sakura behind.

Along the way, Naruto had met up with several familiar faces: Shikamaru (cloud watching as usual), Kiba and Akamaru (who greeted Naruto with a large wet lick across his face) – Naruto was shocked about how huge the white dog had gotten – Choji (who had only made himself known when Shikamaru tried to eat the last chip in the packet he had in his hands), and Shino (who was extremely put out when Naruto couldn't remember his name). Naruto even managed to catch a glimpse of Hinata who immediately hid from view when she clapped eyes on him walking around a corner.

When Naruto came over to say 'hi', she fainted.

Weird girl… He thought before leaving her where she was and continuing on to the Uchiha compound. Naruto still regarded walking through the abandoned streets of the Uchiha compound as the freakiest and eeriest experience ever. Particularly when you could easily tell the places where blood had been spilled.

Itachi, you are one sick bastard… Naruto mused uncomfortably as he made his way to the main house; Sasuke's house.

A place where Hikari and he had made residence three years ago when the last Uchiha had defected to Sound and Orochimaru. Pulling his key free from his pocket, he let himself in and took in the long wooden corridor that greeted him. Naruto forced down the lump that had formed in his throat as he took off his shoes and padded down the hallway to the living room. It was immaculately clean, as usual. As though Sasuke hadn't even left. The only things out of place were some scrolls, the odd piece of clothing lying around that Naruto recognised as Hikari's, a few empty teacups and colourful flower sprays in vases dotted around the room.

Ino. Or Hikari-chan… Naruto sighed sadly and turned down the corridor leading towards the bedrooms.

It took him a couple of tries to find his room, since it had been awhile since he'd been here and upon finding his room, dumped his knapsack on his futon. The room was slightly dusty from a lack of use, and Naruto smiled bitter sweetly when he recognised his few meagre belongings he had 'rescued' from his old Apartment. Then his eyes singled out two picture frames that sat on his window ceil which overlooked a spectacular view of Konoha: the first one was of Team Kakashi – a 'smiling' Kakashi hovering over the four of them in the shot with his hands placed firmly and restraining on a glaring Sasuke and seething Naruto's heads, while sandwiched between them was a giggly, shy looking Sakura and a grinning, joyful looking Hikari – and the second one was of the three of them months before Sasuke went rogue and fled Konoha.

Naruto had been sandwiched between a slightly smirking Sasuke leaning against a tree trunk, and Hikari who was beaming, wearing her usual pale blue hair ribbons and carrying a small bouquet of daisies. Naruto felt his eyes welling up and he hastily brushed away the tears as he looked at the photograph miserably.

I miss you…

Then he suddenly jerked his head up when his noise-sensitive ears picked up the sound of something metallic whistling through the air before connecting with something solid, and the sound of somebody grunting with exertion. Cautiously, Naruto got to his feet and headed out of his room, following the sound to the Uchiha family's private dojo.

Silently, he unzipped his thigh pack and produced a single kunai in his hand. With a steely eye resolve, Naruto silently slid the dojo's screen door open and peered inside. At the centre of the room, an unfamiliar young woman dressed in light sparring clothes with extremely long raven hair was sparring with a kendo sword. By the looks of her technique, Naruto knew she knew exactly what she was doing.

He edged his way further into the room with the intention of taking the woman by surprise and tiptoed towards her. Just as he was about to pounce on her, the young woman spun on the spot and blocked him with the sword. Both of them froze scrutinising the other. It only took a second before the young woman's lethal gaze and stance relaxed and she disengaged from Naruto looking at him in complete shock.

"Naruto?" she whispered hopefully. He instantly recognised her mild, pleasant voice and a small, relieved smile spread across his face.

"Hikari-chan?" She nodded as tears welled up in her large brown eyes and she instantly dropped the bamboo sword to the tatami floor and jumped into his arms nearly bowling him off his feet, and weeping into his shoulder. Naruto stiffened up for only a split second before he sagged into her arms and let the floodgates open as well.

"Kami, I've missed you!" He mumbled and buried his face into her hair.

"When did you get back?" Hikari asked, warmly.

"Couple of hours ago. It's so great to be back here!" Naruto was chewing his way through his fifth instant ramen cup as he detailed his training and adventures to his best friend who strangely secretive about her own training. This worried him. But having grown up a little over the past three years, he'd learned not to push the issue and decided to change the subject. "So what's next? When do we start missions again?" He asked brightly, pushing aside the empty noodle cup and belching a little.

Hikari wrinkled her nose and kicked him in the shin.

"Apparently we're supposed to meet up at our old training grounds tonight at five." Hikari replied, stretching her muscles to remove the kinks.

Naruto grinned.

"Sweet. Can't wait to see what we're gonna do." He said enthusiastically, "It'll be like old times." Hikari smiled but it didn't completely reach her eyes.

"Not completely." She turned away and got to her feet, collecting Naruto's empty noodle cup and their used teacups. Naruto's grin faded when he realised what she was implying and turned solemn. Both knew what the other was thinking of, but neither had the heart or the stomach to voice it out loud.

"So who taught you how to use the Katana? You look really badass with it." Naruto asked, winking and leering at her flirtatiously. Hikari blushed and rolled her eyes as she walked over to hug her friend around the shoulders and Naruto automatically reached up to hold her arm. Both of them relaxed, comforted by the other's presence.

"Uncle Mamoru. He used to be a member of the ANBU before he retired and went travelling." Naruto paled slightly.

"Damn. He's got skills. Remind me never to piss him off. I'd like to keep my limbs." Naruto gulped as Hikari giggled. "Speaking of," Naruto looked around the mansion curiously. "Where's Mamoru?" Hikari grinned, getting up and walking over to the window plucking up a photo frame and walking back over to Naruto.

"He moved out about a year ago. He's got his own place now … and a girl." Hikari explained looking suspiciously playful.

Naruto smirked lecherously.

"Sounds juicy. Spill!" He demanded.

Hikari handed him the photo frame, "Anko-sensei."

Almost immediately, Naruto gagged. He glanced down at photo of Hikari posing with her uncle and Anko. Unlike the twelve-year-old version of Hikari who looked innocent and sweet in all photographs she posed in, the fifteen-year-old smirking at him in the picture looked more feline and dangerous instead of innocent and sweet. Naruto wasn't entirely sure that was a good thing or not.

"Oh kami. That's sick…" Hikari laughed, as Naruto shuddered violently and got to his feet when he spied the Uchiha's elegant Roman numeral clock. "Forgetting that disgusting imagery for a second, we've gotta book. It's almost five." He pointed towards the clock and started strapping his weapons' pack back on his thigh. Hikari nodded and disappeared from the room momentarily, returning seconds later with her thigh pack and her prized katana holstered securely to her hip.

"Let's go!" She called as she and Naruto sauntered casually to the front door and slipped on their boots. Naruto absently scanned the Uchiha compound as Hikari locked up.

"It's gonna be interesting living here. But I feel like I'm invading Sasuke's privacy somehow." He frowned and started when Hikari clapped a hand on his shoulder. She smiled warmly at him.

"It was Sasuke's idea." Naruto nodded before grinning mischievously and poking Hikari's shoulder playfully.

"Race ya to the Training grounds!"

Sakura leant casually against the bridge where Team Kakashi had used to meet up for their missions or training sessions. She couldn't help but sigh nostalgically as memories of Sasuke either already waiting there patiently or just arriving seconds after she did. Suddenly, an orange and black blur, and a black and baby blue blur materialised at the base of the bridge, both panting and laughing.

"I win!" Hikari declared as she hunched over leaning on her knees and panting, enjoying the adrenaline high she was experiencing as Naruto mimicked her actions and whinged.

"No fair! Best two outta three!" He challenged loudly and Hikari continued laughing and shook her head.

"Later. I'll race ya home afterwards!" She promised. Naruto hooked an arm around Hikari's neck and nuzzled her cheek.

"I'll hold ya to it!" He warned and stopped when he noticed Sakura observing them with a disapproving stare. "Hiya, Sakura!" He greeted her and perched on the railing opposite where Sakura was leaning against the bridge.

"Would you two act your age? You're behaving like children." Sakura replied coldly.

Hikari snorted.

"Geez, who let the buzzkill in?" She sank onto the ground started limbering up. "Lighten up, Sakura-chan. The world's not that bad." Hikari mocked her with a uncomfortably Sasuke-like smirk that unnerved Naruto a little as Sakura glared at Hikari and tuned out her former teammates as they resumed their conversation from before they came to the Bridge.

"Well, this is a sight I haven't seen for a while…" Three heads turned towards a nearby tree and saw Kakashi crouched on a branch, reading from his porn as usual. However, he put it away the moment he had gotten his former students' attention. "It's great to see you kids again." Kakashi dropped out of the tree and sauntered over to the trio.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura exclaimed.

"You're still reading that garbage?!" Naruto scowled, uncomfortably reminded of Jiraiya and his perverted 'research'.

"How long have you been sitting there?" Hikari demanded. Kakashi sweatdropped before gesturing for them to follow him further into the grounds. Once in there, Naruto immediately noticed the egg timer sitting on their old stumps and grinned excitedly.

"Oh yes!" He punched the air. Kakashi 'grinned'.

"Yes, Naruto. You've guessed correctly. We're gonna revisit a Team Seven classic." He held up three bells which jangled together in the breeze.

Huge, sadistic smirks spread across all three of their faces.

"Game on!" declared Hikari, spinning a kunai on her finger.

A/N: All right kids! Here's to the new sequel! Hope it's a good one.

If I don't update quickly, it's because I'm updating my other stories as well. The next update for this story will be on my 27th birthday this Monday coming (11/2/2019).

Until then, happy reading ;)