Disclaimer: No, people, I don't own Naruto! Duh. : P

Me: Okay, so as I said last time, there WILL be NaruHina. You no like, you no read, got it? Good.

Naruto: Okay then. Fine by me!

Hinata: O-okay th-then, I-I am t-too, Naruto-kun! faints from pleasure

Naruto: What the?! Why does she always do that!?

Me: ...you can be a doofus, you know?

Naruto: Well, yeah, but I'm not the one in danger of being bombarded by questions like, 'What other pairings are there!? Well, HUH?! HUHHHHH?!!?!'.

Me: Ah, crap.

-

Walk Like a Shinobi

Naruto's eyes etched wide, and he tried to think of something to say. The others seemed to be waiting for him to speak, but he simply shook his head and stood. He had a strange smile on his face as he said, "Well then, this is certainly an important mission."

Yamato smiled, and Tsunade dismissed them with a wave of her hand.

-

Naruto stood, pondering what to pack. He only had so much room in his pack left, and they may be gone for a while, so he wanted to make sure that he had what he needed. Already some changes of jumpsuits and underwear, scrolls, food pills, bandages (Tsunade's orders), kunai, and oil cloth to keep them sharp, and some instant ramen, among other things, were in his pack. He did a quick survey of his room, and his eyes locked on Sasuke's old Konoha headband. With a scratch through it. It was sitting right next to his old Team Seven picture. Odd, he thought. He hadn't noticed it there earlier.

Picking the two items up, Naruto wrapped them carefully in one of his packed jackets, zipped the bag shut, and walked out the door. Hinata and Sakura were waiting on his roof, and he waved as he jumped up (effortlessly, this time) to join them.

"You all packed, Sakura-chan?"

"Yeah. What took you so long?"

"I was looking for anything I might've missed..." the blonde shinobi shrugged. "Just some last minute stuff. What about you, Hinata?"

"I, um, I got everything t-two, Na-Naruto-kun..."

He nodded. "Cool. Let's go."

The three leapt off of their rooftop, touching down only for a second on another not too far away, then flipping away again and making their way across Konoha. Within the span of two minutes of silent moving, they landed on the pavement in front of the others, gathered by the gate.

Lee and Gai touched down a second after them. Lee saluted smartly to Naruto. "Good morning, Naruto-kun! Sakura-chan! Hinata-chan!"

"Hey, Bushy-brow."

"Hi Lee."

"H-hello, Lee-kun..."

Gai clapped Naruto on the shoulder and winked at him. "Don't worry, Naruto, we'll find this Yotogi and solve that riddle, no problem! Our flames of youth will see us through!" Having said so, he used his other hand to give Naruto a thumbs up, and Naruto blinked hurriedly to clear the flash from his eyes.

"Er, thanks, Gai-sensei. I appreciate it."

"Ha!" Gai shouted, giving punching Naruto a little too hard in the shoulder (Naruto staggered to remain on his feet). "It's nothing a comrade wouldn't do!" He punched Naruto's shoulder again, and this time Naruto was knocked off his feet and flew five feet back into a wall. Sakura thought about telling Gai off, but let it go as Hinata help Naruto to his feet again, and he smiled at her. The Hyuuga heiress gulped and had to focus on breathing when he thanked her, but luckily she didn't faint. Sakura smiled knowingly and bowed to Tsunade, who was there to see them off.

"Is that everyone?" the Godaime was saying. Kakashi took a swift head count and said yes, and Tsunade nodded once. "Good. Then may you all take luck, and stay with your assigned teams at all costs. A mission group this large can be complicated to take care of."

Naruto stared at her. "Groups?"

"What kind of ninja...doesn't even hear the entire mission briefing?" said a voice form the corner. Fifteen heads swiveled around, some to stare, a few others to watch amusedly, (as they had already sensed the newcomer). Tsunade calmly turned to address the ninja.

"Shino. I thought you had a mission already."

"I do," said Shino, stepping forward. "I thought I would come by...to see you off."

"Uh-uh," Naruto said, shaking his head violently. "I don't buy it. This guy's always got something to do to me. Well, tough luck, Shino. You're just jealous that you don't get to come with us!"

"Not really. What interest would I have in a simple S-ranked mission?"

Naruto smirked. "Just the fact that you know what rank it is and brought it up proves that you're pissed off."

Suddenly, Shino had Naruto's jacket in his fist, and he yanked the boy closer. "Don't test me, Naruto."

"Sh-sh-shino!" Naruto stuttered, startled. "Let go of my jacket!"

"Fine." Shino relaxed his grip, and Naruto staggered backwards. "Enjoy your mission, Uzumaki." Without another word, he turned and walked away.

Naruto stared after him and scratched the back of his neck. "Crimony! That guy is so creepy!"

"I don't appreciate that, Naruto."

"Why are you still even listening!?"

Kakashi chuckled and bowed once to Tsunade. "Naruto," he said, motioning his student over. "You're with Sakura, Sai, Yamato, and myself."

"Oh. What about Hinata?"

The jonin eyed him, doing the work in his head-fifteen people, four jonin (Neji, Yamato, Kakashi, and Gai), meaning ten chuunin plus one genin strong enough to BE a jonin already. The Hatake really didn't know which group Hinata had been assigned too-he looked at first Gai then Neji out of the corner of his eye, and they nodded. Kakashi said, "Fine, she can be with us."

"Sweet! Now can we stop talking? Let's move!"

The jonin jumped past the gate, their groups with them. Splitting off into three different lines through the trees, Tsunade watched them go. The wind created by their passage blew her hair back, and she smiled.

"You know, Shino," she said to the watching Aburame. "You may get to go on this mission after all. They could need you later, you know."

"...I got it."

"Mmmmm...We'll see what happens, huh?"

"Indeed, Hokage-sama."

Tsunade waited a moment longer as Shino left, and eventually, she walked slowly back to her office. The jonin had instructions to stop after a few days in the Sand, to rest and re-stock. It was a week's trip to Iwa, and then another two weeks across the Flaming Sea. There would be more terrain to cover after that, undoubtedly... The riddle said they must 'go beyond the map'. An unmapped area.

They would see what would happen, alright. It was unlikely the trip would go smoothly at all.

-

The trees raced past, and Naruto was grinning from ear to ear as they ran, jumping off tree branches almost too fast to see. It was always exhilarating, running like that. And they would be for the next two hours, which was the amount of time that had been set until they would stop and re-group with the others. Naruto pushed off his branch to soar higher, tucked into a tight roll, and landed easily again, letting out a whoop.

Watching him, Hinata felt a twinge of happiness. She was here, on a mission, with Naruto-kun. She hadn't expected him to ask for her, personally, but there it was for you. She suddenly realized she was smiling, and laughed out loud as Naruto did another flip. He looked back at her, surprised. Hinata clapped a hand over her mouth, blushing furiously.

"Hey, Hinata, you laughed!"

"Y-yes, I..."

"I don't think I've ever heard you laugh before!"

"Oh, r-really? I d-don't usually..."

"It's a nice laugh," he said, slowing until he was zooming along beside her, smiling. Hinata felt a flush of red color her cheeks again, and smiled tinily.

"Th-thank you, Naruto-kun."

"Don't mention it." The two kept moving, only half paying attention to the path in front of them. They were staring at each other, Naruto grinning hugely and Hinata just smiling. They might've stayed like that, too, until Sakura barked at Naruto to look out.

"Wha-Ag!" Naruto shouted, milling his arms in the air and stretching his back out like a limbo-er to avoid the low lying branch. He lost his balance and fell out of the tree, Sakura yelling at him from the branches.

"Sorry!" he called, and Hinata giggled. He looked at her hopefully though, and she gave way to her happy, sparkling laugh. He laughed too, jumped back onto the branch, and they moved on without hazard until it was time to stop.

-

Kakashi's group stopped in a small, almost oval-shaped clearing, and jogged over to where Neji was already waiting with TenTen and Shikamaru and Chouji. Hinata and Naruto were chatting about their favorite hobbies, and Sakura and Sai left them alone to wander over and talk with TenTen and Chouji (Shikamaru was taking a nap, apparently).

After a minute or two of waiting, Gai, Lee, Akamaru and Kiba landed not far from them, panting heavily. Gai had blood dripping from his forehead, and Kiba's shirt was torn.

"What happened?" asked Naruto, eyeing them. "You look like you got attacked!"

"We did, sort of. See, we accidentally tripped some old trap that had been set up, and only avoided most of it. There were more, but we moved around them quickly and continued here," Kiba said. Lee nodded, rummaging in his pack and giving his teacher and comrade each a roll of bandages. They thanked him, and he threw a quick salute.

The easy-going babble started up again, and Naruto managed to make Hinata laugh. Kiba noticed, and for whatever reason felt angry about it. Akamaru looked at him and whined unhappily, feeling his friend's frustration.

"Who does he think he is?" Kiba muttered, rolling the remaining bandage up and tossing it on top of the dozing Shikamaru. As soon as Hinata was called over by TenTen and Sakura, he marched up to Naruto and grabbed his shoulder.

"Hey, Kiba, I hope your wounds are feeling bett-"

"What do you think you're doing?" Kiba snarled. Naruto stared at him blankly, and Kiba shoved him away. "Stop hitting on Hinata like that!"

"Say what?"

"You heard me!" Kiba pushed Naruto, not too hard, in the chest. "Cut it out! Like you'd care for her, anyway!"

"Kiba, stop. I'm not hitting on-"

"Just leave her alone, Uzumaki, you got that?"

Naruto glared at Kiba without flinching and squared his shoulders. "No. She's my friend, too."

"Oh, really?" Kiba challenged.

"Yes, dammit, really!"

Lee and Neji watched the two boys, not close enough to hear them. "It seems that Naruto-kun said something to Kiba," commented Lee. Neji nodded.

"Those two are always getting into arguments," he said, tilting his head back to watch the clouds. "Nothing to worry about."

Lee 'mmm-ed' in consent. Sakura tapped him on the shoulder and asked him if he would like to join her, TenTen, Hinata, Chouji, and the recently woken up Shikamaru (who had immediately wondered whose roll of bindings were on top of him and why). Lee's heart nearly jumped out of his chest, and of course he said yes. TenTen invited Neji, and he got up to follow Lee.

The snatches of conversation were dotted across intervals at turning to watch the two boys across the meadow fight. They were shoving each other now, shouting at the top of their lungs but too far away to make out what was being said. No one was really concerned, except for Hinata, and the subtle change creeping over Naruto went unnoticed.

"Look, Uzumaki, all I'm saying is that you're no good for her! Hel, you left for three years to train with that perverted Sannin, like I'm going to trust you with her-"

"SHUT UP!!!" Naruto roared. The cluster of teammates heard that, all right, and were staring at him, startled. Kakashi and Yamato stood up, suddenly noticing Naruto's change in stance. Kiba stared at him and took a hesitant step back.

"Cool it, Naruto, I just want you to stop flirting with-"

"SHUT UP, INUZUKA!"

Akamaru's scruff-fur was standing almost straight on end, and he was barking loudly. Kiba started to say something else, until he finally noticed that Naruto's eyes had changed from blue to crimson, with slitted pupils. Kiba stared at Naruto, not comprehending the wave of enraged chakra rolling out from Naruto. Everyone else was hurriedly making their way over to the two, but Naruto was to pissed off to care. He crouched on all fours, his teeth turning to fangs, and his nails sharpening into claws. Kiba stumbled backwards as a layer of red exploded and engulfed Naruto like a cloak. Sakura was shouting, telling him to stop, but Uzumaki didn't hear her. He wasn't even in tailed-form yet, but he had lost control the moment he had felt angry.

Naruto's whiskers thickened and his entire eyes were consumed by scarlet. He lashed out a hand, and the rush of chakra took Kiba off his feet and hurled him back. Akamaru howled and bristled, refusing to move. Naruto took a step forward, and the grass around his foot withered and burned. He roared again, jumping over Akamaru and lunging at Kiba.

"Naruto!" Neji shouted, "What do you think you're doing!?" He started forward, but Yamato clamped onto his shoulder and shook his head.

"That isn't Naruto anymore," he said grimly, "That's the Kyuubi."

-

Author's Note: Cliff-Hanger no Justu! Dun dun dunnnnn!!!!

Naruto: KIIIIIIIIIIBBBBBBBBBAAAAAAAA!!!!!! pissed off

Kiba: What the!? Splode, did you HAVE to do that?! Really?!

Me: Hey, you're the one who got jealous, not me.

Kiba: Ah, crap!

Me: Heh. Anyway, while Naruto's beating the snot out of Kiba (just kidding, you'll find out what happens next chapter), here's the couple's poll I promised you. Oh, but be careful-There are more characters showing up later, so I'd hold that vote if I were you. Speaking of more people, did you figure out who the 'three' I mentioned last time were? The Sand Sibs (yes, Gaara, Temari, and Kankurou are gonna be here! Whee! XD). SO, here's the poll-keep that advice in mind, though!

Couples available for the next few chapters:

SakuLee (personally, I love this one, but it's the reviewer's choice! XD)

SakuKiba

InoChou (I like that one, too. XD)

InoLee

ShikaIno (remember, temari's coming, so don't worry if you're a ShikaTema fan [like me XD)

NejiTen (WOOT!)

NejiIno

NejiSaku (???)

Soon to be available pairings:

TemaShika

GaaraSaku

GaaraTen

KankuTen

KankuIno

GaaraIno

And the elusive, yet-to-come-even-after-we-reach-Sauna-pairings, you'll have to wait for. So keep in mind to vote for you favorite, or hold your vote because it's not here yet (most likely, it will be. Sorry, nothing yaoi. Or yuri, for that matter. Or sibling connected. shrugs)

See ya next time!

Kiba: She made me say it! AHHHHHGGGGGG!

Naruto: RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAARRRRR!!!!!

Me: Oh, that doesn't look pleasant.