Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, and make no claims over it. I am not making money from this or any of my other Fanfiction stories.

Author's Notes: My apologies that this chapter is relatively short. The reason for this is that it is primarily a transitional chapter and as such doesn't really have as much to do with the main plot of the story, it is mainly to allow me to move from one part of the story to another without huge problems.

xXx Two Days Later xXx

Naruto and Haku were sitting together in the plaza of Konoha having lunch.

"So Naru-kun, when are we going to address your forfeit to me regarding our bet about Neko-san?" Haku asked with a sly grin on her face.

Naruto had the dignity to gulp, blush and ask, "Do we really have to?"

"Yes." Haku stated as she licked her lips in anticipation.

"Alright, well don't blame me if something goes wrong." Naruto said as he scooted over so that he was sitting next to Haku, wrapped his arms around her, inhaled, leaned in and kissed her directly on the lips.

Haku melted into his embrace. But her moment of absolute bliss was cut short as she heard a feminine voice exclaim "EEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHH?" from behind her and Naru-kun.

Haku didn't recognize the voice but apparently her Naru-kun did as he backed off from her and looked behind the two of them while rubbing the back of his head sheepishly "Oh, hey there Hinata-chan, how are you today?"

Haku glanced over her shoulder at the girl in question, who had large lavender eyes that lacked any sort of pupil. She was dressed in a tan sweater. But what was really striking about her was the fact that her face was beat red and she appeared to have steam coming from out of her ears.

Smirking Haku leaned over and whispered to Naruto, "You should kiss her too, if you do that I won't need the second forfeit."

Naruto looked between Haku and Hinata for a few moments before sighing in resignation. He stood up and walked over to Hinata who still seemed to be frozen in shock. Just as he reached her she seemed to snap out of her stupor and mumbled "Wh-what ar-are yo-you d-doing Na-naruto-kun?"

Her words gave him enough time to wrap his arms around her causing her blush to become even more prominent. He then brought his lips to hers. The result was not quite what either Haku and Naruto had been expecting. The poor girl's knees buckled as she dropped into a dead faint.

Naruto backed off and looked at Haku saying "Help?"

Sighing Haku stood up and began packing up their picnic while saying "You really are hopeless Naru-kun."

As they were walking back to the Uzumaki compound with their temporary guest they were forced to stop walking as they looked at the Hyūga heiress in mild confusion. In a small burst of red chakra the girls ears had mutated so that they no sat at the very top of her head and were shaped like those of a fox.

"I guess this means she has been added to your collective." Haku said in consternation. Just then she felt a surge of chakra on her head and reached up and groaned "Oh great, I have them too. You realize this complicates things, don't you?"

"Yeah, I am beginning to." Naruto sighed.

xXx Hokage Tower xXx
xXx Later that Evening xXx

"So apparently if we escort a person not explicitly on the invite list, then they can enter the house without any problem." Naruto explained to the frowning face of the Third Hokage.

"I see, now explain to me why you are holding the daughter of Hyūga Hiashi hostage?" the Hokage asked of his surrogate grandson.

"I'm not really… its just that she fears that given what happened earlier this afternoon that the Hyūga elders would demand that Lord Hiashi brand her with that cursed seal of theirs. As such I am providing her sanctuary." Naruto stated.

"What exactly happened that makes her fear being branded?" the Hokage asked resignedly.

"She sprouted fox ears…" Naruto said.

"She what?" the Hokage asked, not quite believing what he just heard.

"You heard me Jiji." Naruto said with a frown.

"Naruto-kun. I am beginning to fear that whatever that ritual did to you it is contagious." the Hokage said with a frown.

"Well duh. Haku-chan and Yūgao-chan also appear to have sprouted fox ears." Naruto said with a sigh of frustration, "The reason they aren't here is that Haku is currently going through the effort of teaching both of them my special transformation technique. Thankfully I had just finished teaching it to Haku yesterday so she is now able to teach it to the both of them. Once that is done I suspect all three ladies will be willing to be seen out in public again. As it is right now they absolutely refuse to be seen like this."

Hiruzen snorted at that statement. Of course they refused to be seen like that. They were teenage girls after all. "Very well Naruto-kun. I will hereby sign the orders signifying that Hinata-chan is from now on under your clan's protection as she fears her life would be in danger should she return to her own. You are dismissed."

After Naruto left Hiruzen frowned as he signed the paperwork. "Hiashi-kun is going to be most displeased by this."

xXx The Next Day xXx
xXx Yakiniku Q xXx

Hinata-chan sat nestled cutely in-between the forms of Yūgao-sensei and Haku-chan. Naruto-kun was sitting opposite of Haku-chan from Hinata. Kurenai-sensei, Kiba-kun, and Shino-kun were sitting on the opposite side of the table from Hinata-chan and the members of Team Neko.

"So Yūgao-san, you want us to do what exactly?" Kurenai asked with a confused blink.

"I want your team to accompany mine on a trip to Takigakure." Yūgao stated with a smirk.

"And why exactly are you going to Takigakure?" Kurenai asked with a frown.

"So Naruto-kun can get into the Nanabi's pants." Haku stated smugly.

This had the net result effect of making both of the boys on Kurenai's team blush. Which was a surprising thing considering that Shino NEVER blushes. Hinata also blushed, much to the irritation of Haku. It looked like Haku had her work cut out for her to break Hinata-chan of her overwhelming shyness.

Kurenai looked at Yūgao with a frown and said "And why do you want my team to accompany you?"

"Well, better that your team starts doing cooperative missions with us, than us outright kidnapping Hinata-chan from you." Yūgao stated.

"What?" Kurenai asked confusedly.

"Simply put Obasan, Hinata-chan is under Uzumaki-clan protection. She is coming with us whether you agree to it or not. So your entire team might as well join us and get some more experience before the Chunin Exams." Naruto stated with a serious edge in his voice.

"I see. Very well then." Kurenai stated.

"Excellent, then that is the plan." Naruto quipped happily, "So we shall see you tomorrow, come prepared for the journey, we leave at ten."

Haku and Yūgao suddenly stood up, and brought Hinata to her feet as well, "Come along dear, we need to get you used to your new responsibilities within Naruto's household."

At this statement Hinata promptly blushed furiously and almost passed out from the rush of blood to her face.

"Well, see ya later Obasan." Naruto chirruped as the four of them departed the bar.

xXx Konoha City Gates xXx
xXx Next Morning xXx

Naruto and his group arrived long before the rest of Kurenai's team. When they finally arrived Kiba looked at the girls in Naruto's group and asked a really blunt and probably suicidal question, "Why are they standing funnily like that? And what is with that grin of yours Dobe?"

This resulted in Kurenai and Shino both promptly smacking Kiba upside the head and Kurenai scolding him by saying "Manners!"

Kiba groaned while rubbing the back of his head and said "Right, shall we get going?"

"Of course." Naruto said happily, just as Haku and Hinata linked arms with him and the group set off at a leisurely pace.

While the younger generation took the lead, Kurenai held Yūgao back and harshly whispered to her, "Are you crazy? Do you have any idea what the Elders and the Civilian Council will do if they find out you are having relations with your student, and that it is Naruto-kun at that?"

"To tell you the truth Kurenai-san, I am not overly concerned about it. It's not like they can really do anything about Shinobi Matters. Yes they will raise a huff, but they cannot dictate my teaching methods to me." Yūgao stated.

"So you are claiming that sexual relations are a teaching method now?" Kurenai asked incredulously.

"In a manner of speaking they are. Naruto is practically a natural for infiltration and subversion missions such as the one we are going on. Teaching him how to use his natural talents in that department is incredibly important to his success in those missions, would you not agree?" Yūgao explained.

"I suppose…" Kurenai hedged still not entirely sure about the matter.