Hinata stared at the mirror in her private baths, hands placed on the painstakingly-crafted porcelain sink as she turned her head this way and that. She could still clearly remember that raw…fury that she had somehow pulled from Naruto's body, a mere three weeks ago though it felt like a lifetime. There was no mistaking it as she glanced at her reflection. Very clearly she could see a trio of inch-long markings on each cheek, right at the jawline and angled so that, if they happened to get any longer, they'd give the plain impression of whiskers. For now she could hide them with her hair, although she wondered how and why they'd shown up in the first place.

Was it possible to admire someone so strongly that your body began to undergo physical changes to match shifts in behavior and thinking? It wasn't just that she'd been feeling more confident in her own abilities. Hinata knew she wasn't acting like herself, being more outspoken, more…vibrant, leading to some of the branch members to comment that she was acting like she did before her mother had died. Not that she recalled ever being so extroverted. She had even had the gall to tease Hanabi this morning! For now, she'd keep it a secret and say that being with Kakashi-sensei had revealed a side to her she hadn't known existed.

They'd buy that explanation, for awhile at least. If she kept on changing like this, though, there'd be no way to cover it up. An investigation would be mounted, and she could be exiled, or worse, disowned. Hiashi loved her, she knew that, even if her father was strict out of necessity. The one thing she could never do was to bring dishonor onto the name of Hyuuga. Hanabi may have replaced her older sister as candidate for leadership upon Hiashi's eventual but inevitable demise, but Hinata was still an heir in her own right and as such had a responsibility to maintain her family's honor.

So she'd keep it a secret for as long as she could. It was the least she could do.

(break for dinner)

Across the city another kunoichi was puzzling over a similar predicament. Sakura had found her feelings to have calmed down once the team had put enough distance between itself and the sites of battle, though the urgent thoughts still lingered in her mind. For a short window she'd been given the chance to be free of morals, free of constraints, that much could be seen, now that the window was shut. Would the window ever come again? The first fight, against the puddle-jumpers, and then the second one with Zabuza, those had whetted her appetite, given her a taste of the psychotic thrill that career soldiers often talked about while they convalesced in her parents' hospital.

Having felt it for herself Sakura came to the conclusion that she wanted more of it, like a drug, yet if she were not careful then this desire for power would overwhelm her, consume her body and soul. The pink-haired kunoichi knew the signs, having seen them before, and currently it was enough to say that she already had power. If she had to guess she would say that she'd definitely gotten stronger, in every way that mattered. Her thoughts were clear and her body was fit, much moreso than it had ever been while in school. There'd be plenty of ways to satisfy these other desires while out on missions, so she was able to push the want to the back of her mind.

There was one other thing that made her pause, though. Sakura recognized that emotion, too, surprised as she was by the source of it. Envy? Yes, envy. She envied her friend—was Naruto her friend?—of course he was. He shared his lunches, taught her tricks, listened to her advice as best as his simple but honest heart would allow, and it was this that let her come to the conclusion that she envied him. She envied that he had Hinata's attention. Feelings of attraction to teammates were normal, her father had said, when Sakura had broached the subject over dinner. The girl hadn't said who exactly she felt this attraction to, and didn't feel it necessary yet, either.

Her mother had agreed, asserting that it didn't matter which of her teammates that her daughter had fallen for as long as she was doing so for the right reasons and not letting it interfere with her effectiveness as a ninja. The disapproving tone spoke volumes. Her parents still didn't like the idea of their daughter running off to fight and risk her life, and she didn't blame them. One look at her father gave Sakura all the information she needed as to why the idea didn't sit well with her family, but they respected her choice and vowed to support her. But she was still going to work in the clinic as much as possible.

(is it time for lunch yet?)

The cause of all the troubles was sitting in his favorite seat at his favorite ramen stand, watching Ayame wiggle her hips along to the tune she was humming, while Teuchi diced vegetables and pulled noodles at the counter. Naruto's appetite was as healthy as ever, the black and orange jacket hung over the back of his chair due to the warm weather and his eyes alight with anticipation as he inhaled the scent of simmering broth. Teuchi laughed at the look on his favorite customer's face, promising that it would only be a few more minutes.

Then a shadow fell over his good mood again. He didn't need to look to know who it was; his spirits were simply too high at the moment to let the brooding ninja at his right to spoil anything, though. The armored mesh shirt whispered only slightly as he turned to regard the Uchiha taking a seat next to him.

"So I hear you came up against an S-Class ninja and lived. You got lucky Kakashi was there to pull your asses out of the fire."

"Hey, Kakashi didn't do all the work. Just because he's a jounin doesn't mean he's invincible. We're a team first and foremost; rank is just a formality. Kiba tells me you invented a new move. What'd he call it? Fire Drill or something like that?"

"Something like that. It's not easy for me to say this so I'll make it brief: I was wrong on a few things, Naruto. Like being able to get stronger on my own. The border patrol mission I was on showed me that."

"Yeah, if I didn't have Sakura and Hinata helping me, I probably wouldn't be half as good as I am right now. Not that I can't still improve, though, because we're only as strong as we're willing to work for, right?"

"How do you manage to put up with those two? Sakura's annoying as hell and that Hyuuga girl, I'm surprised if she can stop staring at her feet long enough to throw a punch." Naruto ignored the 'Sakura is annoying' part, since even if she could and did get on his nerves sometimes, he still liked her and there was plenty to make up for those moments when they didn't quite see eye to eye.

The same could be said, it is true, for Sasuke and his own teammates. He trusted them now to pull their own weight and not mess up his plans, but he couldn't say that he actually liked them. Not the way Naruto could. It irked him to no end how the blond was completely oblivious to anything and everything, coasting along without so much as a care for what people said about him. Surely he had to know the things people whispered, surely he must care!

Naruto for his part cared only for the bowl of ramen sitting in front of him (with an extra helping of pork on the side, on Kakashi's insistence that he eat more real food). Ramen, and the way Ayame's rear end shifted casually and sensually beneath her dress with each step, looking entirely as if it was doing it without her say-so. It would never occur to him to start wondering why he was noticing such things, though he didn't spend any great effort thinking about Teuchi's daughter beyond anything but a beloved friend, either.

Sasuke was following Naruto's eyes as they wandered from his food to the vendor's assistant, then back to Naruto. After some deliberation he ordered a bowl of miso for himself, although he wasn't particularly hungry. He would not be ignored. "I asked you a question."

"It's something you get used to, I guess. You live with someone long enough and what used to be unusual turns into normalcy, and if you work with someone long enough they drop their guard and show you their real self. Or did you think that she was going to be hanging off your coattails forever, wonder-boy?"

"I actually prefer it if she doesn't notice me. It's better that way, I think. One less selfish person projecting their own desires onto me and following baseless rumors." Slurping up his ramen and mulling it over, Naruto puzzled over it. He'd fought for years to get Sakura to notice him and all she'd ever done was kick dirt onto him or punch him every time he'd tried. He didn't expect to ever understand women unless he turned into one, and that wasn't going to happen, but he'd still like it explained how a girl could change their minds so easily.

Not that guys were any different, but they weren't so malicious about it. They knew from the first punch whether they were going to forgive someone and try to be friends or at least neutral, or if they were going to hate someone forever. Given that, he couldn't say that he hated Sasuke. Sure, the other boy pissed him off sometimes, though there were things about Sasuke's life that he didn't know and therefore couldn't justify staying angry at him no matter what he did.

"This is pretty good. I should bring Kiba and Shino here. Akamaru, too."

"Kiba's dog?"

"You try separating them. The Inuzukas are…very dedicated to their animal partners."

"You know, you can be a pretty decent guy when you don't have your head up your ass, Sasuke."

"And you can be a pretty smart kid when you don't have your foot in your mouth, Naruto." They laughed and went back to eating, all tension gone. When Naruto left the ramen stand after a third bowl, he remained ignorant of three more strands emanating outwards.

(more dots)

"Are you sure about this, Kakashi?" Sarutobi took a long draw off of his pipe, reading over the report that Kakashi had submitted while listening to the ninja deliver the promised details of the mission. "It is a serious problem if what you're saying is true. The possibility of chakra contamination was never explored before; it was simply deemed impossible."

"I can only tell you what I saw, or rather what my dogs witnessed. The moment that Naruto fell a ball of orange energy shot out of his body and into Hinata, and after that she simply went berserk. If just a small fraction of the Nine-Tails energy was able to enhance her power that much then imagine what would happen if it had been Naruto who frenzied." Here in the Hokage's office behind a quadruple layer of wards and privacy seals and in the sole company of Sarutobi, he felt free to openly discuss Naruto's prisoner. "If it's true that the Fourth designed the seal so that Naruto could utilize his passenger's chakra," and add insult to the Nine-tails by having his energy be used to further the career of someone he tried to kill, "then we must prepare for the possibility that he can transfer that energy to others, consciously or not."

"I am not willing to go that far just yet, Kakashi. We are to treat this as an isolated incident, nothing more, nothing less. The expert you requested will be in Konoha soon enough; Jiraiya is difficult to contact as it is but does make regular visits to the city to deliver updates on his mission. I can say no more than that. Even telling you that one of the Legendary Sannin still maintains ties to the Leaf could compromise the whole effort if you were to be captured."

"I understand that, sir. There's also the matter of the sightings of Tsunade. I didn't witness any of them myself, unfortunately, but I did hear that a woman who matches her description has been wandering around the southern provinces, mostly gambling houses and casinos."

"Speaking of gambling what is this nonsense that I'm hearing that Naruto has been playing games of chance in his spare time? I would think that as his teacher you would keep a closer eye on his activities and discourage such behavior."

"Begging your pardon, sir, but he does have a talent for it and as we don't often carry large sums during missions such a skill could prove an unforeseen asset should we ever need to replace our supplies or engage in bribery." Like hell. Naruto was doing it purely to line his own pockets. Once a trickster, always a trickster. As long as he shared, though, Kakashi wouldn't try to stop him.

"Very well. We'll list the Sannin sightings as rumormongering, then, and leave it at that. And Kakashi, I do trust you'll keep me informed of any developments regarding this…issue so we may forestall any problems that may be in the making?"

"I'll do my best."

(stop dots)

Dearest Hinata,

I hope this letter finds you well. I do not resent you for the actions you took against me the last time we met, and in fact thank you for helping me see the truth. My only regrets are that my relationship with Z did not come to fruition until the end, and the fact that I could not accompany you to your home. You'll be happy to know that I am settling into my new life here; Tsunami is an ever-gracious host and my new career as an acupuncture therapist is progressing nicely. Soon I will have enough to afford that surgery and restore full use of my arm. Please convey my appreciation to your friend; without her efforts I am certain the outcome would have been much different.

My hope is that you will act on your love soon and express it fully; the people you care about deserve to be made aware of it so they may make a choice regarding their own feelings about you. It may seem selfish but such is the nature of love. Affection and endearment go hand in hand with jealousy and possessiveness; may you know the peace of balance and not drive your love away accordingly.

Do not despair for me, dearest Hinata. The pain will fade and I will cherish the memories with joy, as he told me to at the last. In due time I may even find love again, so do not fret or worry for me. Know only that I am in good spirits, and look forward to the time when we may meet again.

As ever, yours truly,

"Kagami"

(another break goes here)

His plan was working out nicely. It hurt to be constantly pushing out energy like this, though nothing compared to the mind-shattering agony of having a full half of his self sundered and hidden away, and then secluded for all time in the underworld where not even the Impure World Resurrection could retrieve it. That he could project his energy out at all was nothing next to astounding; he knew the Fourth's seal was designed to let his warden draw on the power he contained and use it for his own ends. Did the Yellow Flash really think it would weaken his resolve? If the brat did manage to obtain his goal, so much the better: the more people he connected to, the faster he could escape this blasted prison.

If he were anyone else he might have called it a stroke of genius, linking himself along the boy's natural ability to bond with people, and then copying himself, bit by bit, along these threads to those he shared ties with. There was some risk, of course. These copies were inherently weaker and spreading himself thin like this meant he could be subsumed with much less effort, and if they ever caught wind then they would seal away his clones, and probably kill the warden and himself in the process.

Then there was the issue of his fragments not wishing to obey him, but that could be handled easily enough. They were made of him, were him for all intents and purposes and he did not intend to release so much of himself that he could not make these weaker versions obey. No, he would be free, even if he had to split himself between a thousand, or even ten thousand people. This jail would not hold him. No prison ever had.

(put teleport here)

Team Seven spent the time remaining before the preliminary exams training harder than they'd ever trained before. Expanding on their idea of carrying logs to improve their stamina, Kakashi started them on weight training as well. Not only that but they were also under instruction to practice their taijutsu styles. Naruto excelled there, much to his surprise. Even though his form was sloppy, the genin's technique was impressively adaptable, taking elements of the Haruno and Hatake family forms and mixing them with what he learned from watching (and being on the receiving end of) the Hyuuga gentle fist style.

Granted, without the ability to see the chakra network in the human body he couldn't project his energy into the tenketsu points and disrupt anyone's control, but the fluidity that Jyuuken lent to his movements, when applied to more aggressive styles, was almost akin to the unpredictability of the Drunken Fist that only a rare few could perform. The fledgling Uzumaki Style would still take years to fully develop and refine, but Kakashi could see there was already a strong foundation of a new method of technique uniquely suited to people who didn't like to stick to any one pattern of attack.

He also started his team on elemental techniques, as promised. Watching them fall into their studies with a vigor that rivaled Gai's was unnerving in some ways, amusing in others, but overall admirable. Before long every rookie team in Konoha was adopting similar strategies, tailored to the needs of their own teams and the instructing styles of their teachers, reinforcing everyone's belief in the village's beloved Will of Fire.

Of course, every team needed to rest every so often, too, and Kakashi allowed them a two on, one off schedule of training. For every two days of hard work they'd spend one day resting, discussing theory and tactics, practicing craftwork and control, and generally giving each other ideas. After all, a strong mind was essential to a strong body, and if a ninja had both, then they were truly formidable.

One such rest day saw Hinata arriving with a bundle of clothes, each individual outfit wrapped in plain brown paper. Of course she knew her teammates' and even Kakashi's measurements; what nobody expected was that she had any skill as a tailor, or that she would come up with this idea on her own. Already wearing hers, to each teammate she offered a package, watching happily as they opened the gifts.

To her teammates, she offered clothes modeled after Naruto's own outfit, but with modifications. The mesh shirt was integrated into the black-and-orange jacket and reinforced with steel ribbing that would protect the ribs and kidneys; underneath that an ANBU-styled high neck shirt with a zipper down the front, the pull tab modeled after the whirlpool design worn by every Konoha ninja. The pants were similarly reinforced, and sported additional strips of steel bolted to the outer thighs in an articulated pattern to allow free movement. On the left shoulder of both jackets was a fox emblem with the kanji for "seven" making up one side of the face.

Grinning with pride, Hinata watched as her teammates changed into the new garments, and then she pulled out a box from her traveling pouch. It opened up to reveal a piercing kit, and she looked to each member of the team one by one. "I, uh, I thought we could each…I used clan money to buy earrings with each of our birth stones." She held one up, showing off the setting: three stones, with the fourth being inlaid into the silver. "One stone each for myself, Sakura and Naruto, with Kakashi's being the foundation. B-but if you don't want to…"

Sakura squealed with glee and threw her arms around Hinata, rubbing her cheek against the other girl's own. "Oh, this is fantastic stuff, Hinata! A true showing of what it means to be a team! Of course I'll wear mine! How about you, Kakashi-sensei? Naruto?" Not to be outdone the two men gave firm nods, a proud grin on Naruto's face. If he smiled any wider it would split his face in half.

"You three are seriously…the best friends a guy could ask for…" Kakashi hadn't been aware that someone's eyes could get that large or watery without either bursting out of the skull or being some kind of genjutsu. "I just wish I had something I could give you, too…"

"Naruto, you've already done so much for us and everyone else in Konoha. You don't need to give us anything." Sakura paused in her hugging of Hinata, much to the pale girl's relief, and grasped Naruto's hands in her own. This set the blond to blushing, something that he didn't do very often. Given how close Sakura was getting to him, who could blame him? "These past few months have been…enlightening to me, Naruto. Don't ever change; we love you just the way you are."

Naruto's heart pounded in his chest as he looked between them, Sakura and Hinata smiling openly, and even Kakashi offering a nod of acknowledgement. The Copy Ninja then remembered something, and pulled out a summoning scroll. When he opened it up, a trio of blades in ebony sheathes appeared, the handles wrapped in red leather to match the belts.

"This is my last gift to you as a teacher. They are made by the best weaponsmith in Konoha; there's just enough time left before the preliminaries that you can be taught basic technique as well as the proper care and upkeep. You three are like family to me, and I don't offer that lightly. Especially you, Naruto; you're the closest thing to a brother I have ever known. You, my students, have progressed so far in such a short time that I fear I may have nothing left to teach you."

With trembling hands Team Seven took their blades and strapped them to their waists to hang comfortably but securely, each one of sufficient length to lend an air of restrained menace. That was what Kakashi and to some degree Sakura had been stressing endlessly since they first became a team. Control was paramount to a ninja, and the ninja who had no control could subsequently be controlled.

"The exams will be held soon, and I know that each of you will make me proud to have been your teacher. Know that whether or not you make chuunin you are and will always be Team Seven, etched into the memories of every man, woman and child of Konoha."

(be here a break)

Naruto found himself unable to contain his excitement, and with his manic energy he'd even managed to not only clean his apartment but effect some minor repairs to the whole building. Still filled with nervous energy he'd begun wandering the streets of Konoha, the gleaming steal of his headband shining in the morning sunlight, and people offering him respectful nods or familiar smiles as he walked past. Perhaps he didn't have their admiration yet, but these were now people who trusted him, their misgivings burned away by the persistence of his attitude.

So enveloped in his thoughts that he didn't watch where he was going and crashed directly into an older person in black robes and wearing odd face paint, wearing the emblem of a Sand ninja. Putting two and two together Naruto quickly rebounded from the accident and offered an apologetic bow to the visitors. The redhead with the "love" symbol tattooed over his left eye fixed him with a predatory stare, making Naruto wonder for a brief moment if he was, perhaps, crazy.

"Ah, pardon me, sorry about that. Please don't be offended, I wasn't watching where I was going."

"Maybe if you had eyes on the side of your head, squirt," said the one in black. Beside him, an attractive kunoichi bearing a large fan rolled her eyes and looked like she was about to start hitting him, but a quiet stare from the gourd-carrying ninja stopped her.

"Ah come on, no need to be rude, is there? I did apologize. So I take it you three are here for the exams?"

"Of course. Why else would we come to such a stupid place as this?"

"Hey, you'd better not be insulting Konoha or else I'll—"

"Naruto, are you bothering people again?" Shikamaru's voice brought him out of the rising anger he'd felt and he turned to see the Nara prodigy slouching his way forward out of a crowd wandering down the main road towards the services district.

"Not at all, Shikamaru; I was just explaining to our three visitors here that as guests they should display the proper respect to the village and we'll do our best to be gracious hosts. Isn't that right?" He turned again to the three Sand ninja, staring them down with an unspoken challenge. The tallest of the three glowered in response, but it was the youngest one that spoke up in an eerily quiet voice.

"That is correct. Do not do anything to get us thrown out, Kankuro, or I'll kill you. You. Your name is Naruto?"

"Naruto Uzumaki. Pleased to make your acquaintance." The way he said it suggested anything but joy on his part.

"Gaara. Let us move along. We do not want to keep Baki waiting." Together the three of them moved past Naruto and Shikamaru, blending into a crowd that apparently didn't enjoy their presence and gave the travelers a wide berth. Shikamaru watched them go, suppressing the shiver that wanted to run up his spine.

"The one with the gourd gives me the creeps. Lot of strong ninja entering the village this year. Speaking of which, word on the street is there's going to be a flood of rookies. I hope your team isn't planning on bowing out and making us look bad."

"Heh, not a chance! We've been ready for this since day one!"

"Is that right? How troublesome. I might actually have to use a few tricks I was saving for a rainy day. Anybody you want to put money on? Asuma-sensei's running a betting pool among the jounin instructors and I figured you might want in on it."

"What are you implying, Shikamaru, that I'm a cheat? Nah, I'll save my money for craps and blackjack. Don't want to stack the deck after all. Or to bet against you. Why? Do you have money on anyone in particular?"

"Not saying. If I did and they happened to make the final round of exams, though, I'd be getting a massive payout." Naruto frowned at Shikamaru's absolutely placid expression. There was a reason he never played against him; Shikamaru's eyes were just as fast as his own and he had practically zero tells whatsoever, save for one, and that was Naruto's only defense against the other ninja. "Just remember the old rule, Naruto. The house always wins."

The message was clear. Don't screw it up by giving a poor showing. He stayed put, letting the crowd flow around him as Shikamaru made his way off, still using that same slouching walk that hid his true power quite effectively. To the outside observer the Nara was an irredeemable layabout, with no skill and no strength. Anyone who underestimated him, however, would soon find themselves caught by a master strategist. He had a point. The house did always win.

(breaktime breaktime breaktime)

As the sun set languidly, bathing Konoha in its amber rays, Naruto sat atop the Hokage's monument, thinking back on his life so far. It hadn't been that long ago that he'd been the dead-last prankster of Konoha Academy, giving his teachers headaches and giving ANBU the slip. Sometimes he had to wonder what his life would be like if he'd continued to fail, continued to make mistakes, or if he hadn't had people to show him what it meant to have friends and be loved.

Probably an insane killer, in all likelihood. For all their faults, though, the people of Konoha were still worth his efforts so he hadn't given up on them, and in the end been rewarded. He'd made the rank of genin, and then become an integral part of a fantastic team. The people who once looked down on him with scorn and disdain now acknowledged him, if not as an equal then as someone who they could rely on. It felt good to be the center of attention without having to resort to something drastic, and in the process he felt free to let them move on to other things in life. He had a purpose and a goal still, and yet here he was thinking it wouldn't be so bad if he were stuck in a lower position.

As long as he could continue loving this village hidden in the leaves, anything would be fine with him.

Hands slid over his eyes and a pair of breasts pressed against his back, while a smoothly husky voice whispered tantalizingly in his ear. "Guess who, kid." At hearing the words he smiled, overjoyed once more.

"Princess! You came! I was actually starting to worry!" He turned as Tsunade lifted her palms away from his vision, smiling up at the older woman happily. She was alone, it seemed, standing there with the dusk behind her and the wind whipping at her hair like the character in some novel. Crossing her arms under her bust, overcoat draped on her shoulders, Tsunade leaned forward slightly to let him get a titillating view of her generous cleavage.

"I owed you a favor, right? I almost didn't make it in, actually. Security's pretty tight around here with all the foreign shinobi participating. But I know my way around Konoha well enough. Glad to see it hasn't changed much since I've been gone."

"You used to live here, huh? Guess being home brings back a lot of memories." He noted a slightly sad look in her eyes, and filed it away for later, once all the excitement had died down, and he could talk to her more privately.

"Oh, years back, kid. Used to be a ninja, too, but I resigned my commission before I left so they wouldn't send hunters after me. Don't go giving me that look, Naruto, I'm not a traitor. There's just some things…that I couldn't handle anymore."

"So you ran away. I figured you had to be a ninja or at least used to dealing with them. You saw through my veneer without much trouble."

"About that. Next time you might want to pick a disguise that you didn't lift from the cover of a hentai book." She wasn't going to tell him he was too young for such things; the life of a ninja was short for most of them and those that did live long enough for it tended to marry before their twenties. And that mainly because of some crippling injury or incurable combat fatigue.

"Wasn't mine but I liked the face. Personally I'd rather have a real woman over some drawings on a page. The old man likes them, though. So does Kakashi-sensei." Tsunade smiled at his response. There was hope for him after all.

"Fair enough. And this outfit, too. You look more like a professional every time I see you, Naruto."

"Aw, don't be so mean, princess! Yeah, Hinata made these clothes. She's really good at a lot of stuff. That girl went above and beyond, made one for herself and Sakura, too. Even went ahead and made one for Kakashi-sensei. It looks a lot better than that vest they give out to chuunin."

"Looks better armored, too. I bet it could even stop a sword thrust. I wouldn't go trying to test that if I were you, though. Then I'd have to patch you up, and I can't really stand the sight of blood."

"Why not?"

"Story for another time, kid. For now let's just enjoy the sunset. From here on out it only gets harder so drink it in while you can." Naruto nodded and turned back to the sunset, not objecting when Tsunade sat herself down next to him and rested her weight on his shoulder. The evening breeze as day faded into night was cool and refreshing; the last rays of the sun striking the mist that rose off the trees made everything seem as if it were on fire. Under such perfect conditions it was easy to see how the nation got its name.

He'd learned so much in the past few months, met quite a few interesting people. They couldn't all hang off of his shoulder like Tsunade was currently doing, which was fine. There were other ways of being there, of showing his support. Fear…there were only two things that Naruto feared. Being alone, and of failing his comrades. The latter was simply unacceptable. Strange to think that if he just let his thoughts drift, he could tell what his teammates were doing right now. Hinata was praying with her family for success in tomorrow's proceedings. Sakura was packing a bag full of medical supplies. Tsunade was sticking her hand down his pants.

What. Naruto looked down at the platinum-haired woman he called Princess. Indeed, she was fishing around underneath the waistband of his trousers, inching ever closer to the prize she was looking for. Until he cleared his throat nervously. "Hey, I like you, princess, but don't you think we should wait until after…you know, when my life's not in danger anymore and all that?"

"Silly Naruto. Your life's always in danger. Just shush now and let me handle things for awhile." There was a warning tone in her voice hinting that she was not to be interrupted at any time until she was finished. Gulping again, Naruto tilted his upper body back, resting all his weight on his hands. Admittedly what she was doing felt good, and the tension in his legs was just melting away entirely.

"Ahem…that's highly inappropriate, Naruto." Hastily he covered the offending image with his hands, gulping again. "You should know better than that. We don't have privacy out here, after all." Trepidation evaporated and he grinned.

Yeah. Things were looking up for good.