Disclaimer:

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!

Hey everybody, how did your new years go? I told you I'd try to get the next chapter done by the second week, and look, I'm ahead of schedule. Nothing much to talk about here except…WE'RE AT 1263 HITS ALREADY!!!

Anywho, back to the stupid, boring, don't-want-to-but-got-to disclaimer stuff. (If you hadn't noticed already, I'm in a weird mood…so this is the effect champagne has on me ) I do not own Naruto or any of the characters of the series or manga…But Kakashi can own me , hahaha…I am the all powerful creator of Izumi and Hino…and there's nothin' you can do about it (okay, no more mimosas for me before bed)

Now before I say anything else that is incredibly stupid and I'll end up regretting, I hope you enjoy. Please R&R. Thank you and have a Happy New Year!!!

-The Dark Jestyr

Festival of Forgotten Memories

Ch 7

What a Drag

"Come on Chouji, what did you want me to come out here for? It's freezing."

"I just wanted to talk that's all. You know Shikamaru, I'm kinda surprised you showed up tonight."

"It was my mom's idea, what a drag, she wanted us all to come." He said with a sigh, watching his breath form their own clouds, "Also, my dad said he needed to talk to that Izumi Hinotora woman about some business."

"Oh yeah, my dad too. Think it has something to do with that festival?" Chouji asked.

"I think so, she was talking to Ino's dad too. Speaking of which, did you talk to her yet?"

"No, she's always busy." Chouji mumbled, kicking at the snow, "Besides, you know she wouldn't. She's crazy about Sasuke, remember?"

"Her and most of the women in Konoha, big deal. He's gone anyway, so why are you worried?"

"I still don't know, I mean she wouldn't want to go out with someone like me. She's always talking about being skinny and I'm…obviously not."

Shikamaru couldn't help but roll his eyes at his best friend. He was trying so hard to find a reason not to ask out a certain blond haired teammate. He honestly couldn't see how girls could do this all the time. It was annoying the hell out of him to watch Chouji doubt himself so much with something so stupid.

"Look Chouji," Shikamaru finally said with a sigh, "I'm not telling you to ask her to be your girlfriend or something. Why don't you just ask her to that festival thing?"

They stood there in silence as Chouji thought the suggestion over. He could have almost sworn he was mentally going over all the ways she would say no.

"I still don't know, Shikamaru. You think she'd say yes?"

"Probably, and so what if she says no. You can still go without having to worry about if you're impressing her or not.

"Yeah, you're right. What about you?" Chouji asked with a sly grin, "Aren't you going to ask that Suna girl from the chuunin exams? You know, the blond one?"

"There were a lot of girls there."

Shikamaru knew exactly who Chouji was talking about. That troublesome girl with the giant fan that he couldn't get out of his mind since his fight with Tayuya of the sound. Sister of the new kazekage, Temari of Suna.

"Oh come on Shikamaru, we both know you can't play dumb with me. Man, you're blushing already and probably horny, and I didn't even say her name yet."

"She's going to probably be busy anyway taking care of things with the kazekage."

"They're most likely going to come to the festival anyway. How about this, I'll ask Ino when you ask Temari, deal?"

Shikamaru gave a cold stare to the smiling face of his friend as he realized that he was trapped. He mused to himself for a moment. Chances were really good that Suna was going to be invited to the festival as well. Not to mention this could be the only time Chouji would have the chance, or the courage, to ask Ino out. Or for Ino to see just how great a guy Chouji was. Finally, he gave in.

"Alright, it's a deal. I'll ask Temari and you ask Ino. Can we go inside now, it's freezing."

Naruto gave a big yawn and stretched his arms as both him and Hinata made their way to the front of the inn. He couldn't remember the last time he felt so relaxed. He looked over at his Hinata and noticed that she looked even more nervous than usual. It made him tense up a little.

"What's up Hinata?" He asked her.

She jumped a little, blushed and then replied with a little smile, "It's nothing Na…naruto-kun, I…I'm just a little tired, that's all."

Naruto didn't feel like that was all, but he didn't ask her anymore. They reached the lobby where he was last before surprising Kakashi at the party. Everything seemed a little brighter and the door was left open. As they got closer to the door, Izumi came in.

"Ah, my little Hina-doll and Naruto, I see you guys are ready to go? It'll take a little more time before we leave so you both can stay in here where it's warm, okay?" she said with a smile. Naruto still couldn't figure out what it was about that smile. It gave him a weird feeling, like the chills, but at the same time it made him feel really good.

She left through the door again, this time closing it to keep in the warm. Hinata sat down in one of the comfy looking chairs over by the fireplace while Naruto went to the bench on the other side of the room. He saw that Hinata wasn't paying attention to him so he decided to practice talking to Kyuubi again, and maybe get some more questions answered.

Hey Kyuubi, are you there?

No, I went out for a stroll.

Haha, very funny. Why do you have to be like that?

How about this, I'll be nicer when you stop asking obviously stupid questions. I mean come on, where else am I going to go?

Fine, I was just trying to get your attention. So, what can you tell me about…?

That weird feeling you just got?

Yeah, how did you know?

…We share the same body…

Oh yeah, sorry.

That's normal when it comes to Izumi or Hinotora. Since they're both very powerful on their own, but combined their power floods through Izumi's body and is too much for her as the vessel to contain.

Is that what we feel like to other people?

No, you're still too weak and the seal is still intact. The seal containing Hino was broken a long time ago, giving her freedom to leave and roam throughout Izumi's body.

Okay.

To put it in a way even you can understand, because Hino is free in Izumi's body, their chakra leaks when they're together.

Oh, I get it now. Kind of like a sponge with too much water.

More like a dam holding water. It can hold only so much but it also has to let out some water continuously or else the dam will break. If Izumi didn't let out some of her chakra, she could probably die from all the chakra pressure. That's what you felt.

Okay, but what about her? Do you think we can trust her?

Since when has it been "we"?

Since you started talking to me without talking about eating me.

So this afternoon?

Just answer me.

The fox was quiet for a while. Naruto took the time to look over at Hinata and saw that she had fallen asleep. She looked peaceful, unlike before when she looked tense and nervous. The top part of her kimono came a little loose, exposing a small area of her pale cleavage. He never noticed it before, but she had a nice looking body from what Naruto saw through her thin winter kimono.

Nice choice.

What?!

Small, nice shape, big breasts, timid. Nice choice in a possible mate, not like that noisy, pink haired girl you've been watching.

Shut up! I wasn't thinking like that, not about Hinata.

Yeah, sure, and I guess the reason you're so hard is because it's cold. Your thoughts show like a premier movie in here, boy. You really need to learn to watch what you think. Ooh, that one was extremely naughty.

SHUT UP!!!!!

Fine, just watch out when you two are alone and I'm not there to be the sensible one, hahaha.

Naruto grumbled to himself angrily. That damned fox seemed to know exactly how to piss him off. So much for a good feeling, right now, he just wanted to get home and go to bed and forget about his little episode with his inner demon. To make matters worse, he still had an erection and couldn't do anything about because just then, Izumi came back in saying that their ride was ready.

'Stupid Kyuubi,' Naruto thought, half to himself, half to the damned fox who he could still hear laughing at him.

Hinata woke up right when she felt the cold wind from outside when Izumi came in.

"Sorry to wake you Hina-doll, but it's time to get you two home" Izumi said, still smiling down at her. She looked around and noticed Naruto with a very frustrated look on his face. She also couldn't help notice his pants wee a little tight as he got up from his bench. Hinata blushed furiously as she caught herself, and then even more when she noticed her kimono was starting to open.

'Oh, what if Naruto-kun noticed?!' she thought to herself, a little panicked, 'but, what if he did notice?'

She kept wondering to herself when Naruto came back in and snapped her from her thoughts. "Oi, Hinata? Are you coming or not?"

She nodded and followed him back outside where she began shivering instantly from the cold. They continued to the massive gate where Izumi was waiting beside a two-horsed sleigh. Hinata gasped at the thought of going home in a sleigh with Naruto. It was almost too much for her. But then it was instantly ruined when she saw the sight of the two passed out senseis from before, asleep in the bed of the sleigh.

"I hope you don't mind sharing a ride with these two drunken idiots here. They have to go back to Konoha, too."

Hinata shook her head as both she and Naruto climbed in the back. The sleigh was big enough for the four of them but it was narrow, as Hinata discovered pressed to Naruto's warm side. She started to blush again when out of nowhere, a large blanket got draped over them.

Izumi popped around the side she was on, "Sorry, but I've only got one more blanket here, I had four, but Gai had to puke all over one of them on his way into the sleigh. Besides," she said with a wink, "There's no better way to keep warm then by sharing body heat and a blanket."

This time, both Hinata and Naruto shared an identical shade of blush as Izumi went to the front of the sleigh and drove the horses through the forest back to Konoha.

Author's note:

See, I told you I'd make it longer. Also, sorry for the rant at the top. I wrote that on the night of New Years when I couldn't sleep and found out about the magic of the mimosa .

It looks like things are starting to heat up for the characters. Beware, future lemons ahead (that should have been BEWARE future attempts at a lemon ahead, lol.) Well I'll try to get the next chapter up quickly, unfortunately I have nothing but time and finally inspiration is hitting me…and it's starting to hurt…

Oh well, Happy New Year everybody!!

The Dark Jestyr