Hey everybody. I just wanted to let you know...
Tsunade: *Interrupts* That my girls need boyfriends! The way it is right now, there won't be another generation of ninja! And Naruto won't be able to become Hokage if there are no ninja to lead!
Sara: Tsunade, are you drunk again? .
Tsunade! Damn straight! *Hiccups*
Sara: Whatever, just give the disclaimer so we can get started...
Tsunade: Sara Hatake does not own Naruto, Masashi-sensei does. If Sara owned Naruto, Sasuke would be dead, and Itachi and Jiraiya would still be alive. Hidan and Deidara would be Leaf Ninja, because Sara thinks they're freaking awesome.
Sara: Thank you. Now let's get on with it, this is sooo troublesome...
Chapter 1: Love Given, Love Returned
Hinata Hyūga waited patiently beside the gates of Konoha with Sakura and Tsunade, all awaiting the return of their favorite knucklehead ninja, Naruto Uzumaki. It had been six months since Pein's attack, and Naruto had been making progress, slaying each member of Akatsuki, preparing to face off against Madara. In the end, Madara had been too powerful to completely overcome. But with Akatsuki mostly destroyed, Madara had had no choice but to retreat and await a time when he once again had a strong group of followers to back him and help him complete the ritual. The tailed beasts had been sealed into seven objects of power which had been created by the Kyuubi in hopes that they would be safe from Madara.
It had been four days since Tsunade received this information from Naruto, and today was the day that he was supposed to arrive home. When Naruto had come back from the Kage's summit, he had told Hinata that he hoped that she would still love him when he returned, and that when the threat of Madara had come to an end, he would come back for her.
Hinata blushed at the memory, and her heart soared. Sakura looked over just in time to catch her friend's blush, and winked.
"Thinking about a certain maverick ninja, Hinata-chan?"
Hinata smiled back, cheeks still a bit rosy. "I was just thinking about, what he said before he left..."
Hinata's voice trailed off as she saw her favorite ninja walking down the road that lead to the gates, hands behind his head and fox-like grin in place as his cloak flew out behind him, exposing his usual black and orange jumpsuit.
"HINATA-CHAN! SAKURA-CHAN! TSUNADE BAA-CHAN!" Naruto greeted them in his usual loud, slightly obnoxious way.
A vein in Tsunade's forehead popped, and her smile turned into a glare. "What did you just call me, you little brat?!" Tsunade roared. Naruto grabbed Hinata and hid behind her, and Sakura burst out laughing. Hinata was blushing crimson, and Tsunade chuckled at Naruto's reaction. This boy... no, man... had taken down the Akatsuki, defeated Madara, sealed the tailed beasts, and she was still able to intimidate him!
"Well, Uzumaki, I want you in my office... now. You too Sakura, this should be important for you to hear. But anything said on the subject will be kept as an S-Rank secret, it is only to be known of by the three of us and anyone who may be involved later. Understood?"
Both Naruto and Sakura nodded their agreement, and Naruto turned to hug Hinata. Naruto then turned to follow Tsunade, waving over his shoulder. "See you later, Hinata-chan!"
Hinata smiled and waved back at him before heading over to her team's training ground. Team Kurenai was currently being lead by Mitarashi Anko, as Kurenai was currently on maternity leave.
The first of her teammates to greet her was Akamaru, who bounded over and gave her an enthusiastic 'kiss' on her cheek. Kiba and Shino were only a few steps behind the massive ninken, and both greeted her in their usual ways... Kiba with a bear hug, and Shino with his nod of acknowledgement and raised hand.
"So, how's Naruto doing, Hinata?" Kiba asked, grinning wolfishly.
"Naruto-kun is fine, Kiba. Still being Naruto. Sakura-chan was there waiting with me, as well as Tsunade-sama." Hinata smiled.
"Sakura, eh? How's she been?" Kiba asked, feigning disinterest. Shino shook his head and rolled his eyes from behind his glasses. Shino and Hinata both knew that their dog-loving teammate had a thing for the pink-haired medic-nin. It had started while Naruto was away, training with Jiraiya. Sakura had been working with Hana, learning how to heal ninken. Kiba had often come to see if there was anything he could do to help out around the clinic, and to watch Sakura's progress. At one point, Sakura had healed Akamaru, and when she had looked at him at smiled, saying that Akamaru was going to be alright, his heart accelerated. Simply because she had smiled, at HIM.
"Sakura-chan's fine, too. She was happy to see Naruto, and she's in a meeting with him and Tsunade-sama right now. I heard that Sabaku no Kankuro is smitten with her, I hope they start dating. Sakura-chan really needs a man in her life right now." Hinata giggled.
Kiba bared his teeth. "No way in hell is that Sand bastard going to go on a date with Sakura! It's not right, Sakura is a Leaf medic-nin, and a damn good one at that! She should date a LOYAL Konoha shinobi!"
"Do you have any suggestions on who else might want to date Sakura, Hinata-chan?" Shino asked calmly.
"Well, no, I can't really think of anyone. Most of the rookie nine are too quiet for her, like somebody else, or say that dating is too troublesome... but Kankuro's perfect. He's the Kazekage's brother, and a strong shinobi. If Sakura married him, it'd also be great for the alliance... and their children would be so cute!"
"She's not dating that Sand ninja, damn it! He's not good enough for Sakura!" Kiba growled.
"No? Then who would be, Kiba?" Shino asked, trying to keep the humour out of his voice.
"ME!!! Sakura's my girl, got that?!" Kiba yelled, glaring at his teammates. Akamaru barked his own agreement.
Hinata burst out laughing. "D-did you r-record that, Shino?" She gasped out through her laughter. Shino withdrew the hand-held recorder from his coat pocket, and raised it up so that Kiba and Hinata could see it. "Now, I wonder who would most like to hear this? Kakashi-san, Tsunade-sama, Naruto, maybe Sakura herself?" The bug master mused.
"What!? No, don't even think about it. Give it to me! Shino!" Kiba made a move to grab the offending device, but Shino and Hinata took off running.
~ In Tsunade's Office~
"Well, Uzumaki, start from the beginning. We need to hear this."
Naruto took a deep breath and began his story.
"As you know, I left after the Kage's summit, searching for each of the remaining members of Akatsuki. Zetsu, and Madara. I didn't consider Konan to be part of Akatsuki any longer, but I warned her that if I was unable to kill Madara he would probably go after her and either try to recruit her again or kill her. Zetsu put up a real fight, I almost had to use the red chakra. Madara... was far too powerful. With the help of the Kyuubi, I was able to lay off his goals, it'll take him a long time to recover... but I'm certain he will. But, he'll have to start from the beginning. It'll take him years, to recruit more members for Akatsuki, and he'll have to find all of the beasts again. If he ever does, that is. I used Jiraiya's old spy network, to spread word throughout the countries that the tailed beasts have been scattered to the winds, that they've disappeared."
Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "But they didn't disappear, did they?"
"No. The Kyuubi created seven powerful objects, that can be used in much the same way that the Fourth sealed the Kyuubi into me. But this won't kill the sealer, and it won't drive the jincuuriki mad anymore either. They have to be sealed at birth, though. The demons are still able to communicate with their jailers, but the jailers will be able to block them out. They'll need guidance, though. I gave the Nibi to Killer Bee, he and the Raikage are the only ones who know how to perform the ritual there. I thought it best, we don't want a war with Cloud and Killer Bee is a good man. Shukaku was given to Gaara, though I doubt he'll use it. I have the remaining five with me... Sanbi, Yonbi, Gobi, Rokubi, and Nanabi. I do intend to use them, but only if the parents agree. I don't want a repeat of my childhood, for anyone. Not only that, but this is Konoha... and an imbalance of power could cause a civil war. So the jinchuuriki will have to be from the dominant clans. That's just the tip of the iceberg. The chakra of the bijuu and its container have to be compatible." Naruto sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
Tsunade closed her eyes, taking in all the information that Naruto had given her. "Is that all, Naruto?" Tsunade asked, almost dreading anything else that the blonde might add onto what he had already given her.
"No, Hokage-sama. That's all I have right now."
Tsunade nodded. "Then, you are both dismissed. Get the hell out of my office. Kami, I need saki now..."
A/N: Well, that's the first chapter. Does anybody else sense foreshadowing? Tell me what you think! Also, it's up to you to decide who will become the new be. There will be a poll on my page with the names of the parents.