I can't protect you without holding a sword
I can't embrace you while holding a sword
././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././.
Naruto hugged the motionless body close, "Come on Yu-chan…" He whispered, "Wake up, it's not funny to pretend to be…to be…to be asleep when I'm so worried…"
Kit…she's gone.
"No she's not! She's…she's just asleep…" Naruto whispered, brushing the pale blonde hair from the bodies face. Her silver eyes were shut and her mouth was just barely open, as though to breathe, even though no air stirred within her lungs.
Kit, She's dead. I refuse to allow you to deny this. She contained my mate, too, self-pity will get you nowhere! Kyuubi called from within her vessels mind.
Naruto seized up and his sapphire eyes forced themselves away from the pale face, frozen in death.
What am I supposed to do then Kyuubi? This was a stupid mistake! I can't…I can't do this without her!
A dark chuckle sounded from deep within the depths of his mind. There is…one option.
What?
You recall what the Hyuuga said in the Chuunin Exams? Naruto nodded, even though Kyuubi couldn't see him. Good. There was a failed kidnapping attempt on the Hyuuga Heiress by a Kumo Ninja. If you could stop the other Hyuuga from killing him and expose what he was trying to do-
Then Kumo would owe Konoha and we could get them to send…Yu-chan earlier to avoid bad relations, only problem is, that was almost two decades ago.
What…exactly, are you willing to do to get our mates back?
Naruto looked at the prone form in his lap. A slight breeze stirred the light hair, the color akin to moonlight, and Naruto felt his heart throb with a pain he thought unimaginable.
I'd do anything.
Good. Then what you need to do…Is become The Kyuubi and merge with me.
Naruto froze. Kyuubi had mentioned merging a few years back, but the process would require Kyuubi to die and Kyuubi had become a good friend to him and he was angered by the idea that she thought he would sacrifice a friend so readily for his own power.
Fox! He hissed angrily.
Naruto, As my heir, you would gain the ability to travel through time…once. It was a gift from the Shinigami to the first Kyuubi no Kitsune. Now every Kyuubi is allowed the ability once, and if you went back sixteen years in the past, I would still be the reigning Kyuubi and would remain so until time caught up with itself.
Naruto looked down at Nii Yugito, the only girl he could imagine loving.
…I guess…I accept furball.
Then hold on, this is going to be a wild ride!
Naruto started to form a retort, but it was cut short as a blast of red chakra shot through him and began invading every cell in his body. This in itself was painful, but what was even more excruciating was the eight extra bones that were growing themselves from his tailbone.
He screamed wordlessly, curling into the fetal position. Yugito's body was forced away by the pure chakra Naruto's body was emitting from his every pore.
Naruto began gasping and his mind bordered on the edge of unconsciousness.
Hold on Kit, if you lose it now, You'll die, I'll die, and half of Fire Country will die!
Naruto forced himself away from the darkness that threatened to consume him and forced his thoughts to send a coherent question to Kyuubi. When will we leave?
…Now actually.
What?
But before the question was fully formed, they were gone, leaving nothing but a moon washed clearing and the body of a much beloved girl. A few seconds later the body and clearing faded into nonexistence as the future warped itself to the machinations of the past.
././././. the Hyuuga compound, approximately 16 years previously././././././
Naruto sat up holding his head, "Ow…ow…ow.." He muttered, wincing as his head throbbed in time to the sounds of the night.
Shh, Kit. The Kumo nin is coming! Kyuubi hissed, the headache disappearing with a pulse of her chakra.
WHAT? I haven't had any time to prepare! Naruto scrambled up a nearby tree and began working on freeing a branch, a plan half forming as he moved.
Meanwhile, a man sporting a cloud headband jumped into the small clearing just outside the compound to silently celebrate his capture. He kept his guard up, looking around as a smirk formed on his face. Out of the shadows behind him, Hyuuga Hiashi emerged. The head of the Hyuuga Clan looked emotionless, but his eyes spoke of the untold fury he was experiencing.
"Return my daughter, scum." He growled.
The man twisted, surprised, "Or Not." He snorted slipping into a Taijutsu stance, and was about to launch himself at Hiashi when a loud war cry and a large pain on the top of his head knocked him out.
Naruto blinked and looked at the unconscious Jounin below him. Mentally he expressed his disbelief that this idiot had been allowed on such a high profile mission.
"That…was really easy…" He muttered and looked up at the stunned clan head in front of him.
Behind the Hyuuga Head, dozens of other Hyuuga members began to emerge and surround the fallen Cloud Ninja, The Hyuuga Heiress, and Hyuuga Hiashi.
Naruto plastered a fake smile on his face, inwardly wincing and wishing he had more time to prepare a believable story for his sudden appearance
Hiashi was the first to speak, "…Uzumaki Naruto? What are you doing here?"
Naruto thought for a minute, desperately trying to think of a credible story. and after a long wait he announced, "…hanging out…"
Most of the supposedly unflappable Hyuuga twitched.
Hiashi, though, just blinked and nodded, "Well, you have the thanks of my family." He gently scooped up Hinata and walked away, leaving his twin brother to drag the motionless body of the Kumo Jounin to the Hokage.
Naruto stayed with Hizashi the entire time, and when they got to the Hokage's office, he told the old man his side of the story and ended up falling asleep on the little couch over in the corner.
The next morning, when Naruto woke up, he only got a few seconds to wonder why he didn't look like a fox before the Sandaime was crouching next to him and smiling.
"Well, you had a busy night, didn't you Naruto."
Naruto smiled, trying to act like a three year old him, "Yup!" He wiggled slightly as he moved himself into a sitting position.
Sarutobi laughed and went back to his desk, "Now, if only I could figure out how to solve this little problem."
Naruto grinned foxily, "Well…"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Some Time Later~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kit, we need to talk… Akira's voice rang in his head.
Huh? Nah…m'seepy…
Just get in here so we can talk. Akira grumbled with an exasperated sigh.
Naruto found himself in the sewer that was his mind. He sighed, "My mind is always in the gutter…probably because of the perverts I surround myself with…" He muttered as he walked to Akira's cage.
He stood in front of the demoness, idly noting he was in his nineteen-year-old body, Kitsune attachment out in full splendor.
"So what do you want Akira-chan?" He asked.
Akira regarded him, a slight frown marring her huge muzzle. You have a difficult choice to make kit. She told him, sorrow marring her voice
"Choice?" Naruto asked in bewilderment.
Akira nodded, and to Naruto's surprise, began shrinking, until she was in her Human form. The demon lady looked Naruto in the eyes. Kit, I've been going over our past timeline very carefully in order to mark events we can change, and mark events that must not be changed and I've realzed... you cannot safely pursue a relationship with Yugito until the timeline has caught up with itself, and maybe not even after that. For now you must choose one, protect her, or love her.
Naruto's mouth went dry, "What? Why?"
Akira regarded him solemnly, red eyes full of sympathy. When someone is in a relationship, their senses dull. Their minds are constantly occupied, and this makes them hazy and unfocused. Protecting a precious person will do the opposite, but a precious person you are in a relationship with causes them to occupy their thoughts, you cannot train your chakra because the mental energy you would normally expend towards it will be engaged in thoughts of her. You will not be able to protect Yugito and be with her at the same time.
Naruto stared at Akira, his gaze was unfocused and she could almost hear the blonde boy's heart ripping in half as he considered the possibility of a future knowing and loving Yugito, but being unable to be with her.
"Can…can you train me?" Naruto finally managed.
Akira regarded him, and nodded. Of course, it is only fitting I train my heir. The only stipulation I have is that you learn Gaijutsu.
Naruto twitched, heartache momentarily suspended by the mental image of a jutsu that involved green jumpsuits "Gai?..."
The Kyuubi no Kitsune laughed, glad her container could bring his mind to focus on something else. Not that mortal with the Eyebrows bent on world destruction. Gai as in Scythe.
Naruto sighed and nodded, "Yeah…" He sat down, a faraway look in his eyes.
Akira walked over and sat next to him, understanding. It's not every day you had to choose between being able to protect the one you love, and being able to love them.
"I will always love her." He swore to her and himself.
Kit, The Goddess of Luck Started, Naruto looked at her dully. Training starts now.
A scythe appeared in midair. Its handle looked like a spine set in silver. The part where the blade connected was a skull with rubies embedded randomly. The blade was fairly large and so sharp the edge seemed to disappear.*
"Wow…" Naruto murmured.
This scythe will manifest outside of your mindscape when you wake up, it is charged so that no one will be able to touch it, but you, unless you have given them clear, concise permission. Which means they can't take a loophole like 'I'll let you hold it sometime' and exploit it. Akira informed him.
"Right."
And now, we train.
…..One Year Later-Suna….
The Kazekage scowled, "With concession Kumo made of their Jinchuuriki, Kumo and Konoha's relations have been better than ever…" he muttered, paranoia dominant in his thoughts.
"They could attack me and I would never win a war against both of them!" He scowled even more, "I need something to tie them to me…" His eyes wandered to a report made by his brother-in-law about Gaara's seal becoming even more unstable with the young boy's loss of sleep.
He shook his head, "No, Temari has been getting too close to the demon for that to work…" He continued to think, when the solution to both the problem previously presented, and the problem of his daughter becoming too close to the demon boy occurred to him
"That may work…" He nodded and pressed a button.
"Yes Kazekage-sama?" His secretary answered the call from beyond the soundproofed door.
"Get Yashamaru to bring my children over." He said curtly.
"Hai Kazekage-sama."
He smiled and sat back in his chair to wait. A little over twenty minutes later his three children were standing in front of him, Yashamaru awaitin instructions in the other room.
"Children, as you know our situation with Konoha and other countries is deteriorating fast," He began.
The younger Temari and Gaara looked to Kankuro for a translation.
"…A lot of people aren't happy with us." The six-year-old said after a minute.
The Kazekage nodded, "In order to improve our standing-"
"To make them happier with us," Kankuro continued to translate for his still confused younger siblings without hesitation.
"-I am going to send two of you to become Konoha Shinobi."
"Two of us are gonna be ninja for Kono- wait, what?" Kankuro blinked at his father in disbelief.
"Temari, Gaara, I am sending you on an A-rank mission to be Konoha Shinobi and help improve relations. Dismissed children."
Temari clutched at Kankuro and Gaara who frowned at his sister at this surprising show of affection.
"Father, W-why?" She stuttered.
The Kazekage frowned, "I said, Dismissed Children."
Temari whimpered and, not releasing either brother, left was drug from the room by Suna ANBU.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~One Week Later, Temari and Gaara, Hokage's Office~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"So you will be living in the Namikaze estate with two other children and their appointed Guardian, Miterashi Anko." The Hokage said kindly, trying not to spook the obviously unhappy children in front of him.
"Thank you Hokage-sama." Temari said quietly, keeping her eyes on the floor, Gaara's hand hald firmly in her own.
Sarutobi frowned at the girl's timidness, "…Why don't I take you there? We can walk together." He said and reached for their hands. Gaara flinched and Temari barely reacted at all, besides to pull Gaara back slightly and take Sarutobi's hand in her own.
'I wonder what could have happened to these children…' Sandaime mused to himself, and pondered it as he made his way to the top of Hokage Mountain, where the Namikaze Estate was located.
They stood in front of the gates and Temari's eyes got huge, "Wow! It's big!" She said, with the first emotion she had shown since she had arrived.
"WHY ME? DEAR KAMI IF I SURVIVE CHILDHOOD AND LIVING WITH THIS PYSCHO BITCH I WILL NEVER AGAIN ATTEMPT TO BEND SPACE AND TIME FOR MY OWN NEEDS!" Came a wail from inside the house, followed by a, "WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME BRAT?" Coming from an obviously feminine voice followed by a much younger girl's voice wailing, "ANKO-SAN, NO! NARUTO-KUN WON'T SURVIVE YOU PUTTING A KUNAI THERE!"
Gaara looked at the Hokage with terror in his sea foam green eyes, "What is that?" He asked in a timid voice.
"Ah, I believe the first voice was Naruto-kun, He's your age Gaara, and the second voice was Anko-chan, she's your guardian, and the third was Yugito-chan, who has saved Naruto from the 'righteous justice' of their caretaker more times than I can count, she's three." He smiled fondly at the house and the makeshift family it contained.
Temari clutched her little brother to herself, "May Kami-sama have mercy on our souls…"
"Oy Baka! Get up! Old man says there's something wrong with Sasuke-chan!"
Eight-year-old Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto blinked in surprise as his Seven-year-old friend Nii Yugito shook him from his flashback.
"Old man dropped by! Itachi-sempai…The Uchiha Clan is gone, 'cept for Sasuke-chan and Mikoto-kaachan! And Sasuke-chan is in a coma!" Yugito was frantic.
"Yugito-hime relax! We can wake Sasuke up, we always do!" Naruto said, hugging the smaller girl.
Yugito sniffed "But Naruto-kun… this isn't like the time we kept Sasuke-chan up for thirty-six hours and he fell asleep on Yondaime-sama's nose…"
"Trust me Yu-hime." Naruto grinned winningly at her and the younger Jinchuuriki nodded, wiping the barely formed tears from her eyes.
"Anko?" Naruto called to the worried woman in the doorway, "Would you tell Temari-chan, Gaara-chan, Hinata-chan, and Neji-chan that you've taken Yugito-chan to the hospital?"
Anko nodded slowly and raised an eyebrow at the blonde boy, "Where will you be gaki?"
"I'm gonna go make a bet with the old man." Naruto smirked.
Yugito wiped the tears from her eyes, "That's not fair Naruto-kun…You have Akira Goddess of Luck in your stomach…"
Naruto grinned, "Yeah, but this is the bet you, me, and Sasuke-chan have been waiting for."
Yugito's eyes lit up, and she smirked impishly, "Fate is on your side Naruto-kun."
Naruto nodded, "Tell Jashin thanks."
Yugito nodded, "He says you're welcome."
Naruto nodded and took off towards the front door where the Sandaime Hokage was standing, expecting the young boy to be worried for his friend and ready with explanations.
Naruto carefully went through what he wanted to say in his head, wanting there to be no loopholes for the Old Man to wriggle through when he was done. More than halfway to the hospital, he decided to breach conversation, "Hey, Ojiji, Wanna make a bet?"
Sarutobi looked at the young boy, who had remained silent for most of the trip, "What kind of bet Naruto?"
Naruto smiled, which startled the Sandiame who had expected the child to be too distraught to think of anything but his fallen friend, "If Yugito-hime and I can wake Sasuke up, you let us out of the village to train until it's time for us to take the Genin Exams. But if we can't find a responsible sensei within the first month we'll return."
Sarutobi sighed, "Naruto…two eight-year-olds and a seven-year-old traveling on their own? Even for one month… I don't know…"
Naruto growled quietly, "Come on Oji-san! If we leave, it will get the villagers to stop staring at Yugito-hime and me like…you know, and Sasuke can train without having everything handed to him on a golden platter, you know it'll happen-"
"Assuming you can wake him up." The Sandaime interrupted.
"Yu-hime and I are his best friends; of course we'll be able to wake him up." Naruto replied, "But, anyways, do you want a self-righteous avenger on your hands when you could have Konoha's troubles disappear for five years, and come back as trained shinobi, as well as having the last loyal Uchiha a somewhat normal Shinobi, instead of one obsessed with killing Itachi-sempai?"
Sarutobi gulped when Naruto met his eyes when he said 'Itachi-sempai'
"Naruto…" The Sandaime began.
"Come on Oji-san, if Yu-hime and I wake Sasuke up, then we can go. Otherwise we'll stay and I won't mention it again." Naruto bargained, employing a minor genjutsu to make his eyes to look just a tiny bit wider and more pleading.
Sarutobi sighed and nodded, "Fine, we have a deal."
Naruto grinned and jumped up, "Thanks Hokage-oji! Now, let's go get Sasuke!"
Sarutobi raised an eyebrow, "Won't you need Yugito-chan?" He asked.
Naruto waved slightly, "Eh, She's already at the hospital, I sent her there before hand."
The Sandaime sweat dropped, "…Confident brat, huh?"
"Better believe it!" Naruto grinned.
They began walking, but Naruto slowly increased his pace until they were nearly running.
"What's the rush Naruto-kun?" Sarutobi asked, his robes flapping around him.
"Well, I kinda don't want to…uh, be caught by any Hyuuga…" He mumbled so the Hokage just caught a few words of it.
"The Hyuuga? Why would you want to avoid the Hyuuga?" He asked in surprise.
"Ah-ha, well…funny story…-"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Within the last Week~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hinata, you must be stronger!" And elder Hyuuga snarled grabbing the tiny girls arm and shaking her sternly.
"I-i-i-i-I'm s-s-s-s-s-s-sorry..." Hinata sobbed, nearly incoherent in her tears.
"If you keep up with this impudence we will have no choice but to find a way to…motivate you!" A second elder threatened, waving a hand. Two reluctant looking Branch Members pulled a confused looking brunet boy forward.
"N-n-n-neji-niisan!" Hinata called, wide-eyed as the Elder's words were given meaning.
"Yes." A third Elder nodded, "We cannot have the rest of the world seeing such a weak child as you and judging the rest of our clan on you, therefore we find we must use any means necessary to motivate you."
"Neji-niisan!" Hinata cried, trying to wrench her arm from the elder holding her and reach the older boy.
"Hinata-imouto!" Neji cried, struggling to get to the worn and beaten girl, but the third elder moved forward and grabbed him, motioning the Banch members to move away.
The first elder scowled and made a handsign, forcing Neji to his knees in pain.
"N-no! I-I'll get stronger! I-I Promise!" Hinata cried, reaching futilely for her beloved cousin.
"That's not good enough Hinata-sama." The Hyuuga holding the sign sneered.
"Is this the honorable Hyuuga clan at its best?" Snarled Naruto, jumping down from a tree, his scythe secured firmly on his back.
"Lleave, now, Demon-brat, you are trespassing and this is none of your business. Leave before I am forced to deal with you." The second elder said dropping the hand sign to move in front of the other two elders and the children.
"How about…No." Naruto growled, flashing through hand seals.
The Hyuuga elder settled into the Jyuuken stance and waited, but to his surprise, and the surprise of the first elder and Hinata, Naruto walked to Neji, completely ignoring the Elder who had dropped him, and knelt by the boy who was panting on the ground, eyes unfocused.
"Namikaze Promise: Caged Bird Seal: Release!"
Neji froze and his forehead glowed blue. He finally let out a sigh and relaxed, falling unconscious.
"Neji-niisan?" Hinata asked quietly, ceasing her struggles long enough for the Elder holding her to grow lax. With a ferocious move she twisted from his grip and moved to kneel by her cousin.
"He's fine Hinata-chan." Naruto said smiling tiredly at the girl.
"Demon! What did you do?" The first Hyuuga elder threatened, eyeing Neji warily.
"I saved him from a terrible fate." Naruto said, unknown to all three elders and the children on the ground a much older Neji's voice echoed the word Fate from a future that would now not happen.
Naruto shook his head and hoisted the older boy over his shoulder, and smiled at Hinata. "Come on Hinata-chan. I've gotten permission from your father for you and Neji to live at my clan house." He said, glaring at the Hyuuga Elders.
"Y-you can't do this!" the Second sputtered.
"Yes, I can, actually. Have a nice day." Naruto took Hinata's hand. Together they walked out of the compound. Just before they turned the corner, Naruto saw Hiashi mouthing 'Thank you' his solemn brother watching, sad resignation in his eyes, but also knowledge that his son would still be in the village, but out from under the control of the Hyuuga Council.
Naruto grinned and nodded at the twin brothers.
Sarutobi blinked, "…You released the Caged Bird Seal?" He asked in disbelief.
Naruto sheepishly scratched his head, "Uh…yeah…Now Anko's gonna train Hinata and Neji to develop their own style of the Jyuuken…Would you look at that, We're at the hospital! Time sure flies when you're trying to avoid explaining why you developed a jutsu to undo a Major Clan's seal."
"Naruto…"
"To Sasuke-chan!"
The Sandaime smiled at the attempt to keep off the conversation of the boy's intellect, but frowned as they came upon an ANBU who was talking with Yugito.
"Listen, the emo in a coma is my best friend, my other best friend is dragging the Hokage here as we speak." Yugito was trying to explain.
"I'm sorry, but I can't let you-Hokage-sama!" The Inu masked ANBU jumped to attention as his leader came into view.
Yugito turned and grinned at them, "Hey Naruto, Old man. Did you talk to him about the trip?"
Naruto nodded and Yugito's grin widened, "Sasuke'll be happy when he wakes up."
Sarutobi shook his head at them, "You two are pretty certain of your abilities, huh?"
They nodded in unison, "Yup!"
He shook his head, "Alright then, let's go."
Inu bowed his head and moved out of the way. The Sandaime led Yugito and Naruto to Sasuke's room, where they paled slightly at the sight of their mutual friend.
The dark haired boy was staring at the ceiling, his ebony eyes were almost as pale at Yugito's own.
"He is technically awake, but has been classified as in a coma because he responds to nothing." The Hokage told them quietly.
"We'll see…" Naruto murmured.
Yugito walked over and sat next to Sasuke. Taking a deep breath and forcing herself to shake off the melancholy the sight of her friend had caused, she raised an eyebrow and shook her head, "Sasuke? You look terrible…Your fangirls raped you didn't they?"
To the Hokage's utter shock, Sasuke's eyes dilated rapidly.
Naruto sat on the bed, grinning at his friend and showing no sign of the unease the sight of his friend in this condition caused him, "Don't worry, they have therapy for that kind of stuff, but the absolute horror…Which one was it? It wasn't Ami, right? She's more male than female."
The Hokage watched as Sasuke's fists clenched and his eyes grew darker, dilating more and shifting just slightly so his focus was more on Naruto than the ceiling.
Yugito chimed in once more, "Man, this sucks, raped by fangirls at six…Raped by Ami at six! You'll be beyond help after this!"
Apparently, that did it. Sasuke's hands shot out and grabbed both blondes by the front of the t-shirt, dragging them close as Sasuke sat up.
"I. Would. Never. Let. Anyone. Rape. Me. Particularly Ami." He hissed into their faces.
"Thank god." Naruto said, pulling Sasuke's hand off of him and straightening his shirt.
"You okay, teme?" Yugito asked quietly, untangling herself from Sasuke's fist.
"…My brother murdered my whole clan, then forced me to watch using a level of our bloodline that I don't want." Sasuke remarked dryly, taking a deep breath and rubbing his face.
Yugito blinked, "…That sucks."
Naruto laughed and shook his head, "Kami, hime, talk about understatement."
Sasuke glared at them, but his eyes held traces warmth and humor.
"So, Naruto, I guess…I owe you three that trip." The Hokage said, drawing attention back to himself.
Sasuke looked at Naruto in disbelief, "You got him to agree, dobe?" Something else occurred to him, "You…You bet our trip on me waking up? You Moron!" He glared
Naruto grinned, "Yeah, that's pretty much it." He dodged as Sasuke tried to smack him.
Yugito rolled her eyes and the Sandaime sighed, he should have known they had already planned this whole trip.
"I've still got all that stuff you told me to get sealed in that scroll in my backpack." Sasuke said, pointing at a bag in the corner that the ANBU had retrieved along with him.
"Right then, we'll leave tomorrow!" Naruto said, then looked at the Hokage, abashed, "Err, if you're okay with that Old Man…"
Sarutobi frowned, " I suppose…but you must send in a report every three months, and return before the Genin exam when you are all at least fourteen." He glanced at Yugito, "And thirteen." Yugito pouted at the reminder that she was younger.
./././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././.
The next morning, they all met up in front of the gate and smiled at each other. For a moment Sasuke frowned and looked into the distance.
"I have to kill him, you know, to avenge my clan."
Naruto frowned, "Sasuke, going down that road is a one-way ticket to hell." He said seriously.
"But-" Sasuke began to protest.
"No buts," Yugito interrupted, "Would your family want you to live a half-life? Or a full life and be happy? Mikoto-kaasan would kick our asses if we came back with an avenger…"
Sasuke stared at them, and then the ground, "…I…guess…"
"Besides," Naruto added, "There's something about the massacre even you don't know."
"Tell him later." Yugito said, glancing at the few villagers who were out and about, who were giving them evil looks, "Let's leave now."
Naruto nodded and the three walked calmly out the gate.
Naruto tilted his face toward the rising sun, it was a new beginning, for them all. He allowed himself to get lost in the minute, There was nothing that could go wrong. He was with friends, there were no perverts in sight and Naruto wouldn't have to put up with perverts. Did he mention there were no perverts? Then-
"First stop, I'm Henge-ing into an older person and buying one of those orange books Anko is always reading, she let me read part of one once, and it looked good." Yugito said decisively.
Naruto slapped his face, He jinxed it!
././././././././././././././././././././././././././././Six years later././././././././././././././././././././././././././././.
Three people stood in front of the Konoha Gates, nostalgic looks on their faces.
The first was a fairly tall boy, with blonde hair that had the random auburn streak in it, wearing black shinobi pants and a black shirt, a long dark blue trench coat covered the rest of his body and a mask covered the bottom half of his face. Behind him the golden hued tail of a kitsune swung behind him.
The second, a boy with slightly spiked black hair, wore a leather coat with several pockets. Underneath he wore a black wife beater. Like the first we wore Shinobi pants, but these were dark green and on one of the pockets was the famous Uchiha symbol, behind him an Ookami tail was unnaturally still.
The third, a girl with hair paler blonde than the first, wore a short, zipped up grey hoodie. A baseball cap sat firmly on her head and her pants were Shinobi, like the first two, but a dark, almost black, blue. She, too, wore a mask, and her hands ghosted over a book known throughout the ninja world as Icha Icha Paradise. A pale neko tail twitched around her legs. Her eyes were a paler grey than they had been when she had first left the village.
"We're back." She said quietly, closing the book softly and tucking it in the pocket of her hoodie. No bulge presented itself and her companions smiled slightly at the reminder of the containment seal located in each of their respective pockets.
"No really?" The dark haired boy asked, rolling his eyes.
"Feels nice." The second boy remarked, ignoring his male friend in favor of answering the girl's words.
"Whatever, Bastard, Let's go report to the old man." The girl sniped at her dark haired companion.
"Yeah, sure, You coming Naruto?"
"Yeah, let's go Sasuke-teme, Yugito-hime… We're home now." The blonde remarked.
"Right…Naruto-kun…" Yugito nodded.