Disclaimer - I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 3 - What Really Happened

Last time. . .

"I know your there; there's no use in hiding."

The figure stepped out of the shadows and she gasped. There before her was Naruto. He was no longer in his 'Kill-Me-Now Jumpsuit' but was now in orange and white training gear with a white haori over it. But Naruto's eyes were the biggest different. They were no longer blue but were now violet with six rings rippling out of the center.

She couldn't move. She was just too surprised by this. However, she did managed to stutter out, "N-N-Naruto?"

He smiled warmly at her, "Hello, Hinata-chan."

Hinata was in shock. Her long time crush. . . no, love, was standing write before her. Hinata instantly went back to her stuttering at the sight of him, "N-N-Naruto. H-how i-is it p-p-possible? K-Kakashi-s-sensei s-s-said you w-were k-kidnapped."

Naruto put hand to chin and spoke out loud of his playful musings, "Well, I wouldn't call it kidnapping really. Kaosu-sensei really only took my so that I could live out my true calling."

"W-what?" Hinata asked confused. "Y-you w-w-weren't k-kidnapped? K-Kaosu-s-sensei? T-true c-c-calling? N-Naruto, w-what are y-you t-talking a-a-about?"

Naruto grinned, "First Hinata, lose the stutter. You sounded cuter without it."

Hinata was cherry red at that statement, "Did he just call me cute?!"

"I-I will try, N-Naruto."

"Call me, Naruto-kun, Hinata-chan

"Ch-ch-chan?! Did he just call me -chan?! Wait?! Did he just ask me to call him -kun?!" Hinata nodded and took a deep breath and said, "How is the N-Naruto-kun?"

Naruto shook his head smiling, "It's good enough for now."

Naruto smiled at her and sat down on the grass. He patted the ground next to her and she sat down next to him.

"Now answering your questions. No, I wasn't kidnapped per say though now I'm going to be using that to tease Kaosu-sensei," Naruto snickered to himself. Hinata blinked, "Who's Kaosu-sensei?"

"Hey, Hinata-chan your stutter's gone!" Naruto laughed and Hinata face melted into a darker red if that was at all possible. "But to answer your question, Kaosu-sensei is the one who took me."

"He was the one who took you?!" Hinata asked. "Why?"

"To help me become what I was meant to be," Hinata looked at him both strangely and with a hint of worry.

"What do you mean, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto took a deep breath, "You know the old story of the Rikudo Sennin?"

Hinata nodded, "You mean the old myth of the founder of ninjutsu?"

"It's no myth, Hinata."

Hinata's eyes widened in surprise, "What?"

"There's more Hinata," Naruto said looking at her seriously. "You have noticed the change in my eyes?"

"Yes," Hinata nodded. "What happened? What are they?"

"These are the dojutsu used by the Rikudo Sennin," Naruto explained. "The Rinnegan."

"What?!" Hinata said surprised. Naruto's hand quickly went over her mouth and he whispered, "Shh, Hinata! I don't want anyone to know I'm here. Please quiet down."

Hinata nodded but asked, "Naruto. How do you have the eyes of the Rikudo Sennin?"

Naruto took another deep breath before speaking, "Because Hinata, I am the Rikudo Sennin Reborn. The Rikudo Sennin and I are one in the same person."

Kaosu had managed to get out of his disguise and was using his shadow stealth technique to glide across the floor of the Hokage Tower as a mere faded shadow. He didn't move rapidly as to not draw attention but he slowly made it into the Hokage's Office. He hid next to the door. He took special note of where everyone in the room was; the Hokage herself, her assistant, the three jonin present, and the ANBU hidden within the office itself.

"I'm in luck," he thought. "They are just starting the meeting."

"I'm surprised you showed up on time, Hatake-san," Tsunade commented slightly amused.

"You mentioned it had to do with Naruto so I came as quickly as I could," the Copy-nin answered. Kaosu blinked, "Eh, what?"

"So, what is it you need from us, Hokage-sama?" Inuzuka Tsume asked.

"I need your opinions on something," the Godaime answered. "Something very important."

"Troublesome," Shikaku grunted earning a glare from the three women in the room. Ignoring the comment Kakashi spoke up.

"And what would that be, Hokage-sama?"

"Recently, one of Jiraiya's spies spotted the man Kakashi saw taking Naruto," the instantly got everyone's attention. It especially got Kaosu's attention who was wide-eyed at the very prospect of being discovered.

"What? Where is he?" Kakashi asked desperately. In his mind, he was overjoyed that he finally had a chance to redeem himself, "Naruto. I hope it's not too late. I need to apologize for what I've done. For neglecting you, for not being able to save you, and for not protecting you when your 'teammates' went too far. If. . . no, when you return I will treat you as I should have as a sensei. Not to mention preventing Sasuke and Sakura from attacking you after beating the Uchiha brat down."

It was true, neither Sasuke or Sakura had really changed much since Naruto's kidnapping. Sasuke was enraged that he didn't get away and of the treatment he was getting as 'The Last Uchiha', namely being sealed and placed under house arrest. He didn't care that Naruto had been taken and the rest of the Konoha 11, as he refused to call it Konoha 10 since he still considered himself the best of them, refused to do anything involving the Uchiha heir.

All of them expect for Sakura that is. Sakura hadn't changed her view on Naruto. She was willing to let him stay kidnapped and let Kami knows what ever was happening to him continue as long as she had the damn Uchiha brat by her side. Consequently, Kakashi, disgusted by the fact that they had completely let their teammate to rot, refused to train them any longer and, with Tsunade's permission, was allowed to dissolve Team Seven.

Needless to say, the Civilian Council, the Harunos, and the Uchiha were not very happy. Kakashi didn't care and said that he wasn't going to train them and to find somebody else. They did just that. They had found a jonin loyal to the Civilian side to train Sakura and Sasuke, once he was out from under house arrest.

Kakashi nowadays was either helping the other teams train from time to time, substituting for their senseis, or tagging along on their missions as an extra set of hands. How this happened was when most of the Konoha 10, as he continually called it to irritate the council, proclaimed their desire to grow stronger to be able to help defeat the man who kidnapped Naruto, he knew that he now need to make sure they were ready. The guy had given him a Gai-like strike without touching him and in the same instant managed to evade him so well it was as if he never existed. They would need all the strength they could get. The other senseis and their teams welcomed Kakashi's training with open arms, even though he was still always about an hour or two late.

"He was seeing gathering supplies in a small settlement in the Wave. He vanished before day broke however," Tsunade answered, letting the information sink in. Kaosu on the other hand was inwardly groaning, "Kami damn it! I hate spies when they're used on me! When Naruto hears this he's never going to let me live it down! Ever!"

"So," Kakashi's face dropped in disappointment. "You still don't know where he is."

"Not exactly," Tsunade confirmed. "However, two of you are our best trackers and one of you is our best strategist. I want you to put your heads together see if you can come up with a general area he could be based on the information we know about him."

The three jonin were silent for a minute as they thought. Kakashi was the first person to speak, "Well, based on my encounter with him, I have to say he is neigh untraceable if he doesn't want to be found. So us finding him probably means he's leading us somewhere."

"No," Kaosu mentally cried anime tears. "I just fucked up."

"So you're implying he might based in the Wave?" Shikaku asked.

"Or it could be a trap he's setting up," Tsume pointed out. Kakashi and Shikaku 'hmmed' at the analysis. That was a legit point. The man had prove to have been a match for Kakashi or even more than a match for the Copy-nin due to how unimpressed he was when they first met. Shikaku then brought something else up, "What exactly did he buy anyway?"

"A lot apparently," Shizune answered. "It's a long list."

"So, he's either been doing a lot of high-ranked missions and bounty for one of the nations," Tsunade deduced. "Or he's being funded by someone."

Kaosu smiled mentally, "Yami pays his harbingers well. Hehe."

"Would you mind reading the list?" Shikaku asked. The other's looked at him curiously, wondering why that would matter but decided just to go along with it. Shizune pulls out the list and begin reading it.

"A hundred slabs of stone from the local quarry, a hundred blocks of iron from the local forge, a fifty planks of wood from the local lumber mill. . ."

"Well paid, indeed," Kaosu inwardly snicked.

"It's pretty much is the same thing the rest of the way down. It's really just materials for building and crafting until we reach food which includes but is not limited to chicken, beef, breads, and. . ."

Shizune's eyes widened at the last one, which gets Tsunade's and the other jonin's attention.

"And what Shizune-san?" Shikaku asked.

"And ramen."

While some saw this as a token of interest, Shikaku himself shrugged it off, "Could be he just likes variety."

Shizune deadpanned, "Yes, Shikaku-san, because we all know that fifty packets of instant ramen goes well with seasoned chicken and rice."

The others' blinked in surprise at this revelation. Kaosu sighed inwardly, "Knew that kid's ramen addiction would have consequences, but no, taking away is ramen puts him into a berserk fit of rage. Hopefully his parents can keep him in line now."

"So either this man has a ramen addiction that can match Naruto. . ." Kakashi began.

"No way in hell." Kaosu sweat-dropped.

"Or Naruto is still alive and is being taken care of."

"And this is my queue," Kaosu thought as the shadow quickly formed himself leaning on the wall next to the door. "I can vouch for that."

The inhabitants of the room instantly jolted to face him. Kakashi recognized him immediately on got ready to fight, "You! You were the one who kidnapped Naruto!"

Upon hearing this, the other inhabitants joined Kakashi in a fighting stance. Even the ANBU appeared from their various hiding spots with weapons ready. To their surprised the man looked up at the ceiling and put his hands behind his head. What surprised them more was the nonchalant musing he spoke to seemingly no one, "I wouldn't exactly call it a kidnapping. I like to call it necessary intervention."

"I don't care what you call it," Tsunade said in a very low and dangerous tone. "You took a shinobi of Konoha away. You are going to spend some time in the Interrogation and Torture Department until you tell us where he is."

"Oh please," Kaosu scoffed. "One: your 'Interrogation and Torture Department' doesn't scare me. Trust me. My great-grandmother is scarier."

Kaosu involuntarily shivered at the last part. "Two: I evaded Mr. Cyclops here in a split second. What makes you think the same won't happen here? Third: Naruto is fine. In fact, the boy's better than fine. He's improving by leaps and bounds since I picked him up. Four: Why should I bring him back if the village doesn't want him?"

"YOU LIE!" Kakashi shouted. "The boy is well respect by Konoha! He belongs here."

Kaosu's eyes narrowed, "Yes, because your populace made that so clear after they had learned he was gone."

That struck a nerve in all of them. They felt guilty and rightfully so. What he spoke was true. Kaosu wasn't done, however.

"Don't think Naruto hasn't heard about what they did. All the parties and such. He knows full well what has gone on here. However, he is also aware of how many of the shinobi did stand-up for him and believe me when I say he does appreciate that."

The jonin didn't know whether or not to be ashamed or relieved. Tsunade, Shizune, and Kakashi were fighting back tears at the man's words. Somehow, they knew what he was saying was true.

"Naruto is doing very well, however, due to recent events he can't reveal himself to you just yet. Believe me, he wants to but he knows now is not the time."

There was a pause before Kakashi asked, "When can we see him again?"

Kaosu thought a moment before he said, "For those who wish to see him go to the ruins of Uzushiogakure exactly two years from today."

Their eyes widened. They were in Uzushio this whole time? How did they manage that? The place was crawling with traps and the like.

"And Tsunade-sama."

Tsunade snapped out of her thoughts when she heard her name and looked at the man, "Naruto wanted me to pass this message on to you and I am saying this verbatim: 'I'm okay baa-chan. Don't worry about me. We'll see each other again soon. And please know that even though I didn't know you long, I sort of saw a mother-like figure in you'."

Tsunade sat back into her chair. She couldn't fight back the tears any longer. Those words held so much meaning. She knew the man was telling the truth, "Thank you, Mr. . ."

She paused realizing she had never gotten his name. She looked at him and he smiled, "Right. My name is Kaosu. Mahotsukai Kaosu. I am the Harbinger of Yami, the God of Darkness."

With that, Kaosu vanished, leaving the inhabitants of the room stunned one last time before leaving. Tsunade was the first to recover and cleared her throat to get everyone's attention, "This is to be an S-class secret that never leaves this room. If Naruto wants to remain hidden for now, so be it. Also, Shizune, I want a message sent out to Jiraiya. Tell him I want him back here now. He's currently in the town Kaosu was last spotted at."

The others nodded. Tsunade took a deep breath, "Now could you all leave? I need a minute alone."

The all complied. After they had all left, Tsunade began to cry. She only thought one thing, "Naruto."

Hinata was looking at Naruto with complete and utter shock. She had just been told that her long time love was the Rikudo Sennin's reincarnation, "N-N-Naruto-kun. . . y-your the R-Rikudo S-Sennin?"

"Stuttering, Hinata-chan," Naruto said reminding her pleasantly. "But yes I am the Rikudo Sennin. Or his reincarnation at least. I have recently received all the memories of my past life and know all his techniques. I have spent the last three months getting my body prepare to be able to handle his-er my techniques. Man, this whole reincarnation thing is confusing!"

Hinata was gaping. She couldn't believe it, yet the proof was right there in front of her. She finally managed to find her voice after a minute or two, "H-Have you told t-the others yet?"

Naruto smiled sadly at her, "No. In fact, I wasn't even suppose to reveal myself as of yet."

Hinata's eyes widened again, "What?! Why?"

"Because I need to stay hidden to train. I have to be ready to fully take up the mantle of the Rikudo Sennin before I reveal myself as his reincarnation to the world. Don't get me wrong, the last three months have made me a lot stronger you know with the Sennin's memories and techniques and all, but I haven't had any real shinobi training in three months and I need to train in that area for a long time before I'm at the level worthy of the Sennin."

"I-I understant, Naruto-kun," Hinata said. She then did probably the boldest move of her life. She leaned up against him and held his arm close to her body. Naruto blinked in surprised but he relaxed a few short seconds afterward. They sat there awhile before Hinata decided to speak.

"Naruto-kun," Hinata whispered. "I-I know what's sealed inside you."

Hinata felt Naruto's body tense at this information but before he could say anything she got up and stared right at his eyes. Her face was but inches from his. "The entire Konoha 12 knows, or what's left of it. And we don't care Naruto. In fact, we respect you so much more for what you've been through. You protected us every single day and had the perseverance to stick it through despite what those ungrateful villagers had done. I admire you, Naruto-kun. More then you will every know."

Naruto was silent for awhile. He was stunned, "They know about the Fox and they don't hate me? I can't believe I doubted them."

Then Naruto remembered exactly why he came to find her in the first place, "You admire me, Hinata-chan? Don't you mean you love me?"

Hinata froze. Naruto noted that her face went a darker shade of red the his okaa-san's hair. Hinata put her two index fingers together and managed to squeak out, "H-H-How d-d-did y-y-y-you f-find o-out?"

Naruto smiled, "I overheard Neji, Shikamaru, Kiba, and Choji talking about it when I was in disguise earlier and I listened in on their conversation. It's the only reason I'm talking with you right now."

Hinata and Naruto were silent for a moment before Naruto looked at Hinata apologetically, "I'm sorry for being so dense and not noticing it. I hope you can forgive me and that some how I can make it up to you."

Hinata managed to muster her courage up for a reply, "O-of course I-I forgive you, N-Naruto-kun. I could n-never hate you. And I you d-don't have to make it u-up to me."

Naruto thought a moment then smirked, "I want to though and I think I know how to start making it up to you, Hinata-chan."

With that, Naruto quickly leaned forward an planted a long, loving kiss on Hinata's lips. If her face could have gone a darker shade of red, it probably would have. Hinata was screaming in her mind even as it melted away from the bliss of finally kissing Naruto, "Oh Kami, he's kissing me! Naruto-kun is KISSING ME!"

Naruto shortly broke the kiss and smiled at her. He then laughed a bit at her expression before he actually started getting worried her face was frozen like that, "Uh, Hinata-chan? Hello?"

Naruto snapped his fingers in front of her face a couple of times before she finally snapped out of her blank stare. It took a minute to process what had happened but after she had fully processed it again she looked straight into Naruto's Rinnegan eyes, "N-N-Naruto-kun. . ."

Naruto nodded with a genuine smile and before he knew it Hinata was latching onto him in a tight hug. Naruto was so surprised by the sudden movement that he fell backwards. By the time he had registered what had happened, Hinata was already hugging him tightly while laying on top of him. She buried her face into the crook of his neck and started to sob softly. Naruto was confused, "Hinata-chan? Why are you crying? Did I do something wrong?"

Hinata managed to look up at him, tears streaming down her face, "No, N-Naruto-kun. I-I'm not c-crying because I'm s-sad. I'm crying b-because. . . because I-I'm j-just so happy!" she reburied her face into his next and continued to sob softly. Naruto blinked not quite understanding but in the end he just mentally shook it off and returned the embrace. She responded by burying her face deeper.

Kaosu was finally in the general area Naruto was and was jumping through the trees toward where he could feel his life force, which was an ability he had picked up from his own sensei before he took his place as the Harbinger of Yami. When he finally reached the training ground, the first thing he noticed was that he was with someone, "Damn kid, I told him just to eavesdrop not to reveal himself. Doesn't this damn kid liste-"

His thought process instantly stopped when he saw that Naruto was with a girl who he was embracing and also took note that the girl was crying into the crook of the boy's neck. Kaosu paused and blinked a few times before smiled, "I think I'll let this one slide."

He then jumped off, making sure no one else approached the, dare he say it, adorable scene.

It was awhile later that Hinata finally managed to stop her sobbing. Naruto helped her sit up. They were silent for a bit before Naruto spoke, "Hinata-chan. I have to leave now. Promise me you won't tell anyone you saw me."

Hinata nodded, "I promise, Naruto-kun."

Hinata then topped her earlier bold action by leaning forward and giving Naruto a quick kiss on the cheek. "And Naruto-kun. Please remember that I will always love you."

Naruto smiled as he wiped a tear from his eye, "Thank you, Hinata-chan. That means a lot to me."

Naruto stood up and then he helped Hinata up. He then spoke to Hinata one last time, "Now don't stop training, you hear! I expect you to be a jonin next time we meet."

Hinata nodded determinedly, "Of course, Naruto-kun."

"Oh, and before I forget. Here's something I have been holding on to for awhile," Naruto pulled out a scroll and handed it to Hinata. "Since I can recreate it it's no problem that you have it. I knew I had to give you this once I found out how dense I was not to notice your feelings for me."

Hinata blinked, "What is it, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto winked at her, "You'll just have to read to find out. Oh, and don't let anyone know about it. Alright?"

Hinata nodded and smiled. Naruto winked again and bid farewell, vanishing in a shunshin of swirling leaves. After Naruto had left, Hinata took the scroll and opened it. Her eyes widened in shock at what she saw.

It wasn't long that Naruto was joined by his ex-sensei. Naruto grinned, "There you are, Yukai-han-sensei. Heard you got noticed in the Wave during your last supply run."

Kaosu deadpanned, "Shut it, lover boy. I have no need for your complaints. Though I do say you picked a nice first girlfriend, kid."

Naruto blushed red with embarrassment, "Uh, you saw that?"

Kaosu snickered, "Oh yes, definitely. And let's not forget you share your eyesight with you paths as well. Just wait until we get home."

Naruto's face paled and his eyes widened with horror, "Oh man, I should have blocked off my vision to them before all that. Crap. Now they're never going to stop teasing me!"

"Did you forget about me, kit?" a voice grumbled from inside Naruto's mindscape.

"Oh great, not you too, furball."

"Oh yes, me too, Rikudo-sama," the Kyuubi snickered. Naruto groaned. Sometimes he wished he hadn't opened up his connect to Kyuubi further though he had to admit the Fox's face during that meeting was priceless.

Flashback

About 2 and a half months ago. . .

"Now, Naruto, we must deal with the Fox in your gut," Kaosu told his temporary student. Naruto listened on intently. "The Rikudo Sennin was technically Kyuubi's, and the other biju's, father. So this revelation shall be very interesting. Unfortunately, you must go in alone."

Naruto nodded and with a quick 'good luck' from his sensei Naruto found himself in the dank place that was his mindscape. He walked up to the cage that held the fearsome force of nature and spoke, "Hey Kurama! Wake up!"

"Gaki! YOU HAVE SOME NERVE TRYING TO-" the menacing Fox paused as he fully registered what his jailer had just said. "What did you just call me?"

"Kurama. It's the name I gave you isn't it?" Naruto spoke in a matter-of-fact manner. His eyes were closed as he smirked.

"The name you gave me?!" Kurama shouted. "My name was given to me by the Rikudo Sennin! The founder of Ninjutsu!"

"I know. I'm the Sennin's reincarnation."

"Of course he existed you ba-" Kurama froze yet again and looked at the boy in disbelief as he process what he just. "What did you just say?"

"You heard me, Kurama," Naruto said as he opened his eyes, revealing the Rinnegan. "I am the reincarnation of your creator. Your father. The Rikudo Sennin."

For the first time in his existance, Kurama, the Kyuubi no Kitsune, greatest of all the Biju, fainted in shock.

The only sound heard after that was the young Sennin breaking down laughing.

Kurama's groaned echoed from inside Naruto's mindscape, "You're never going to let me live that down are you?"

"Never."

"Damn you, gaki."

"Now, lover boy," Kaosu said turning to leave. "Let's get home to begin your training."

Naruto inwardly groaned. They were never going to leave him alone about his and Hinata's relationship ever again.

"I guess we both have something to tease the other about," Naruto thought before both he and Kaosu took off back to Uzushiogakure.

Again, don't expect updates this often. I just got time and motivation right now and hopefully I keep this up for some time. Also, since I never pointed it out earlier, last chapter the two used the last names of Nisemono, which basically means 'Fake' and what Naruto calls him this chapter is Yukai-han, which means 'kidnapper'. Just so you weren't confused. Thanks for reading and please review!

~Teddypro

Response to Reviews

{Wulan-chan} - Update soon, please! Can you make kakanaru brothership? Cause I like that pairing very much...

Answer: I think it might sorta be going that way anyway now that I think about it. And I did it unintentionally, too. . . . . Huh.

{Peter Kim} - You should bash Sasuke alot since alot of people hate and loathe Sasuke including me! Will Naruto create an organization? i would like to see many characters that's powerful that's either missing nin,monk,nin,etc from the anime and manga "Naruto" join forces with Naruto like Sora(the monk that have Kyuubi power in the Fire Temple),etc and I wonder if the other containers will join with Naruto? No alliance,etc with since Konoha treated Naruto like trash so why would he wants an alliance,etc with Konoha and Nar naruto helping Konoha ,Naruto becmone a Konoiha nin again,etc.

Answer: Well, I am considering some redemption for the Uchiha eventually when Naruto puts his 'inspirational speech' ability or whatever you want to call it it work but I'm still on the edge and it could go either way. As for the organization, no, he won't form one but he will be taking over one. Nudge nudge. Wink wink.

{JAIMOL} - It's a great story. I did not expect him to use the bodies of the previous Kages and the Mito and Kushina.

Answer: SURPRISE!

{bh} - You are pretty good at story-telling, but you really need to work on proof reading what you submit. You used the wrong tense a number of times, which made reading the chapter a challenge. And the saying is "hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" not "a womans scorn"

Answer: Yeah, I do have a lot of spelling mistakes and the like. However, I don't really want to go back and fix them all just yet as I want to get as many chapters done before I lose either time, motivation, or both. When I get farther into the story I will go back and fix those errors. I just hope you can bare with me until then.