Shikaku wakes to the sound of quiet footsteps in the kitchen. Not forgetting that Kodai is here, almost stumbles down the stairs that lead to the lower half of the house. Kodai is fixing a simple breakfast for Shikamaru to take to Choji's, knowing that he wanted to go there today. She sets the table with graceful ease before heading back into the sitting room to wake the boy.

Kneeling next to the couch she brushes a few stray brown hairs away from his face "Shikamaru, time to wake up." The Nara rolls over with a fitful groan "What a drag… Dad, 5 more hours."

Kodai chuckles sitting where he moved from "Well I hate to disappoint, but I'm not your dad. However Drake, you need to wake up. You told me yesterday that you and Choji go and play on Saturdays."

Hearing the familiar yet unfamiliar dark feminine voice sends Shikamaru bolting up.

"Ryujin-san! I fell asleep on you and you had to wake m-."

Kodai grabs his shoulders "hey, slow down. Your fine. I let you sleep on me. And I wanted to wake you up. Plus I'm sure your father enjoyed the show." Smirking at the door were Shikaku in sleep wear is leaning against the door with his hands in his pockets.

She can feel Shikamaru tense than droop under her hands, that were still on his shoulders. "What a drag." Sighing Shikamaru leans forward all the way slouching against Kodai. The Ryujin's chuckles echo in the quiet room, and rumbles through the Nara in her arms.

"Come I fixed breakfast for you to take to Akimichi-san's house." Pulling the small boy up with her, then setting him on the ground they all shuffle to the kitchen. Sitting in the same spots as before, they all say thanks for the food.

"Oh, the Hokage says that you're officially out of the classified system. And to stop by the office for your hitai-ate and flak jacket."

Setting down her chopsticks "understood, does that mean I can walk around in public now." Shikaku only nods.

Line Break

After Breakfast is eaten and cleaned up after, Kodai offers to help Shikamaru with redoing his hair. To which he agrees, so they are now in the sitting room where Kodai is sitting on the couch and Shikamaru is in between her legs.

"I used to do this for my cousin." Brushing his hair into her hand, Kodai comments. "She had the longest red hair and the hardest time actually putting it up. The last time I put her hair up she was 18 and she would squirm and wiggle. Giving me such a hard time. But that's nothing a swift bop to the head can't stop."

The boy smiled at the story and the fact that she had told him info about her without having to ask. "And, finished. Now I have to go get my hitai-ate and flak jacket but I'll be back to walk you to the Akimichi's." Pushing the boy away a little so she could stand up. Giving him a playful tap on the head she shunshined to just outside the Hokage tower.

Trying not to lean over or pant, the woman walks in the building. Asking Hiruzen's secretary about her appointment, the girl stutters out that he is currently available. Rapidly moving to where the office is she fiddles with the edge of her red and white kimono sleeves.

Kodai swiftly knocks and proceeds to enter when given permission, the Hokage's back is facing her as he peers out at Konoha. "Hokage-sama."

He turns to see her in ANBU kneel, like the shinobi that she is, waiting for orders. "Ryujin Kodai, Dragon Sennin, and Dragon Empress. You are hereby on active roster. You are to wait for further orders till then," the Hokage paused as she looked over at him, satisfied when her gold eyes told of her determination.

"Welcome back." He finished handing Kodai her old white hitai-ate and special gray and dull green flak jacket. Taking them Kodai put them back where they belong, her hitai-ate on her right bicep and the flak jacket on her abdomen.

Beaming up at him she bows then flickers back to the Nara compound. She walks in "Drake, you ready to head out?" Taking off her black shinobi sandals, she treads the halls to the sitting area, opening the sliding door. "Little Drake?" She calls out questionably, out on the engawa playing shoji by himself.

"Shikamaru, are you ready to go?" Kodai calls out to him, the boy looks at her with a bored expression but nods. "Then grab your stuff and let's go." Grabbing his food he walks to the door to put his sandals on, putting hers back on she holds the door open.

Gliding down the street of Konoha with Shikamaru by her side, she can feel the stares and hear the whispers, murmurs. Kodai's mind clouded she starts when she feels a hesitant hand curl around hers, glancing down her heart warms to see the young Nara with a faint blush but not letting go of her hand.

"Ryujin-san, dad said that he won't be home tonight, he has somethings to take care of at the Hokage's tower." The boy turns his head to address her "Drake you don't have to be so formal, just call me Kodai." Nodding hesitantly they continue on their path.

Approaching the Akimichi district Kodai can smell the familiar smells of Akimichi cooking. People call out want them to buy their food, however Kodai pay them no attention. Soon they reach the inner clan compound and head straight toward the largest house. Stepping up to the door Kodai knocks.

She can hear inside a distinctly male voice telling Choji to get the door that it is Shikamaru. Little feet stomp till they reach the door and it swings open. A little pudgy boy with tawny brown hair and hazel eyes stares up at the lady with pretty eyes "tou-san, we have another guest!"

He smiles up at her the red swirls on his face standing out "Cho-chan, who is it-!" Choza a large man with fiery red hair and purple diagonal marks stops in his tracks as he stares at a woman who is supposed to be dead. "K-Ko-chan! H-How!"

The Akimichi man shouts watching as she opens her arms, not wasting any time Choza embraces her bawling. "Honey, who was at th-." A round woman comes out of, what Kodai can assume is, the kitchen. Drying her hand on her red and white apron, before freezing as well "Ko-chan!"

The Ryujin woman now is in an Akimichi sandwich, laughing joyfully to be in such a welcoming embrace between friends.

Line Break

"What happened?" Currently they are relaxing/interrogating in the Akimichi sitting room, as the boys watch the adults with curious gaze.

"The Elders, the night when Shina-chi made her announcement, I returned home and they demanded Convergence and Drake sleep." Choza face darkened as Chiharu looked confused, Kodai turned to explain.

"The Ryujin clan are known for having more chakra then some can handle only the Uzumaki having similar chakra storage size. Once every ten years those Ryujin with abnormal chakra sizes go into a Drake sleep. It's only supposed to last a week however because of… something mine was going to take a month."

Slightly downtrodden Kodai lowers her head, that's when she feels a small hand tap the top of her head. Looking up she sees Choji smiling bright and Shikamaru behind him with his hands in his pockets.

"Ryujin-san, I've been wondering but will you take your mask off?" Little Choji innocently ask, Kodai can see Shikamaru perk up behind him. "I would, but I don't want to startle you." Choji shakes his head ardently "I never judge other people cause that's mean."

Chuckling the woman concedes pulling her mask down, peach colored full lips and a beauty mark below them on the left.

The adults both curious as well since they never seen her without it on, peer at her. "I don't see anything wrong Ko-chan, you're beautiful." Chiharu points out across from Kodai, her husband sitting next to her agreeing with a gentle smile and a nod.

Sighing through her nose Kodai opens her mouth, gasps fill the room, and instead of blunt teeth they're sharply pointed. "And this is why I don't like to take off my ma- ompff." Shy little Choji who had asked a simple request was in her lap staring up at her with sparkly eyes "Your so cool! Can you turn into a Dragon too? What about scales, do you have scales too?"

Surprised gold eyes glean down at the child in her lap. Without much thought her Dragon instincts act up and the Akimichi child is gently wrapped up in her arms as a loud rumbling purr fills the room. Choza use to her snatching up children in motherly embraces chuckles loudly.

"What's with all the racket?" From the door stands a man with long blonde hair in a high ponytail and blue- green eyes. "Choza you didn't tell me you had guest over." Walking closer the man's eyes widen step for step "wait. Koda-chan!?"

Pulling her off of the seat, the man goes from politely distant to warm friend. "Ino-chi, it's good to see you." Pulling the Yamanaka into a hug, Choza in the background chuckling with an arm around Chiharu. "Inoichi, my friend, did you really not recognize Ko-chan? Maybe you need to get your eyes checked, maybe you're getting old-." Choza's cut off by a pillow to the face, Inoichi had cut the hug short and shunshined to the couch to grab a pillow then threw it.

Placing her mask back over her mouth and the tip of her nose, she noticed a little blonde haired girl with the same eye color as Inoichi. The girl was beaming at her "Empress-sama, your one of the prettiest people I've ever seen." Hiding a wince at the name, the little girl gave her "please call me Kodai. But I however don't know your name, Drake."

The girls face dramatically falls before she returns to her radiant beaming "I'm Yamanaka Ino, Ino to the Ino-Shika-Cho." The Ryujin steps back doing an extravagant bow, then lifting her head up and winking at the girl. "Well then, my apologies Yamanaka-sama."

The Yamanaka girl squealing before collecting herself and bow as well "of course, I wouldn't blame someone for forget their place." The two catch each other's eye then bursting into giggles.

Line Break

"Bye, Ko-chan/Koda-chan." The collective families of Akimichi and Yamanaka wave them off as the two walk back. Exiting the Akimichi district Kodai crouches in front of Shikamaru. "Get on. We're going by roof and I know you're tired."

The Nara grumbles before climbing on to her back, positioning him properly she takes off. Jumping from roof to roof using very little chakra every time giving her the boost that she needs, and little to no time at all they reach a familiar compound. Striding in careful not to jostle the now asleep Shikamaru, Kodai takes her sandals off.

Taking him to his room she leans over gently sliding him off her back, taking his hair out of its ponytail, and placing his shoes next to his bed. Before she can move away his hand reaches out and latches on to her kimono, sighing she pry's his hand off.

Kodai gets half way to the door when her ears pick up on whimpering, tears prick her eyes hearing such a heart shattering sound. Gliding to his bed she whispers sweet words promising to be back. She quickly showers and changes into night clothes opting not to wear her mask, and goes back to Shikamaru's room.

Lying next to him she eventually matches his breathing and falling to sleep, the last thing she remembers is Shikamaru facing her and snuggling into her collar bone. 1652 words

Line Break

Kodai watches Shikamaru play with Choji, she thought a day at the park is perfect way to relax and take some time off, it's been a week and a half since she woke up, since being placed on active roster she's taken a couple of missions out of the village nothing above an B-rank.

A shrieked giggle sounds through the park, surveying the park Kodai learns that's it's nothing more than a couple of kids chasing each other. Her eyes roam to the back towards Shikamaru and Choji, she had been informed that the two had only recently become friends, and since moving in with them Kodai continues to learn more and more.

Like the fact that Shikamaru's birthday is in 2 days, and she has no idea what to get him or who to invite to the party.

Obviously, Ino-Shika-Cho families will be there, probably some of Shikamaru's more distant family. "Hey! Leave them alone!" Yelling pulls Kodai out of her thoughts, a blonde haired boy who is standing defensively in front of Shikamaru and Choji. Quickly moving closer, all her senses come to life.

The smell of blood trickling from Choji's nose and down Shikamaru's knee.

The small whimpers and sniffles.

The trembling legs of the blonde boy, crouched behind him Choji is holding his nose and to his right Shikamaru clutching his left knee.

Kodai's wrath climbs as she watches as 5 genin level teens surround the boys, her pride grows when she sees what she can tell is the leader, has a split lip. Low growling reverberates across the playground, causing parents to grab their children and move out of her way.

A low amount of killing intent is directed at the genin, making them freeze like prey being hunted by a predator.

Shikamaru and Choji Instantly feel relief seep into them when they see a familiar figure standing behind the bullies, "What do you genin think you're doing bullying. My. Boys!" A dark toned voice rumbles out, looming there in all her gracefulness is a very different looking Kodai.

Her usual brilliant platinum hair is gray and her gold eyes are brighter with a red ring on the outside of the iris that looks like its bleeding into the gold, and where as her pupil is usually round it's slit like that of a snake or "Dragon."

The blonde haired boy whispers, causing her attention to focus on him. Her unique eyes land on the boy causing him to stumble back in fear.

"Minato?" Kodai mutters to herself "no, Naruto." Her voice just loud enough for him to hear, causing his head to snap up to her. Her focus switched back to the 5 genin she whispers a threat just loud enough for them to hear but not the younger boys, they nod enthusiastically in fear "go."

And with that single command they scatter.

Sighing Kodai closes her eyes just long enough for her to calm and to revert back to her usual self. Surveying the three, Shikamaru seems to have a scrape on his knee, Choji has a bloody nose probably broken, and Naruto has bloody knuckles. Kneeling next to Shikamaru "Are you hurt anywhere else?" The Nara shakes his head "no, but I think that that boy has the worst."

Naruto stills, blue eyes going wide, preforming a quick Medical jutsu the scrape is healed, moving on to Choji she does the same. Cautiously walking over to Naruto she stops just in front of him, "my name is Ryujin Kodai, but everyone calls me Kodai. What's your name?"

Naruto glares straight into Kodai's gold eyes, seeing nothing but concern and a hint of something else he can't name, he hesitantly answers "Uzumaki Naruto." A gentle but bright smile appears on Kodai's face, "nice to meet you, little Kit. You need to be healed, will you let me do that?"

Naruto's glare of distrust cut through the woman, causing her to have to withhold a growl, no one that young should be able to know what distrust is. The boy glances back at the Nara and Akimichi behind him, and with a nod Naruto voices his agreement. With slight concentration the green glow comes back, as the Jinchuriki thrust his hands out. Placing her hands over his, Kodai notices that the abrasions are already healing at a fast rate.

"Okay you're good to go." Standing up the woman ruffles his dirty blonde hair, catching Naruto off guard causing him to blush and back away, sheepishly glancing at the woman with an unreadable look. Kodai turns signing to Shikamaru and Choji to follow her, as she walks away Kodai's mind wanders back to the Nara's upcoming birthday and pauses peeking at Naruto who is watching them leave.

"Actually, Shikamaru's birthday is in two days. I think we would both like it very much if you came." Glancing over at Shikamaru, the boy just shrugs causing Kodai to chuckle. "If you want to come I'll wait for you at the Shinobi Academy at 4:30."

Hey Guys and Gals, I was planning on posting this chapter next month but since I was late on posting this month I decided to post two chapters as compensation.

But guys I have to say this I need to know if you like this story. I need to know if there is anything I need to improve on. But how can I do this if no one reviews. Now I'm not saying this to fish for reviews but I'm saying this because I really don't know if anyone likes my writing and if there's something I can improve in so that y'all will like my writing.

Anyway on to lighter things I wanna know whats y'alls favorite girl and guy character from Naruto?

Well Guys and Gals, luv y'all and type to y'all later!