Shinobi Turned Goddess

By: Kibou32

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto… don't even own one of its manga…!!

Summary: AU. Set after Orochimaru's invasion to Leaf and before Sasuke's defection. Kakashi finds himself caught in Naruto's web of love and without even knowing how it happened, he ends up falling in love. What will happen now?

Pairing: Fem Naruto + Kakashi.

Warnings: This story contains sex. Please refrain from flaming me due to not being able to read the fiction rating… which is M.

:-:

Part VIII

:-:

When the two weeks were up, Sakura tried to go and apologize to Naruto at Team 8's sensei's place where Naruto was rumored to currently be living at. But the place was empty. She later found out that Team 8 was out on a mission and Naruto was out with Team Gai's on a mission also. She returned to the village feeling tired and forlorn. She looked over at the Yamanaka's flower shop and got a brilliant idea. So she went in and found herself the object of Ino Yamanaka's angry glare. Oops! She had forgotten to apologize to her friend for her unduly behavior.

"Ino!" – she called out and begged for forgiveness.

If she thought Ino was going to make it easy for her, she was mistaken. It took her about an hour to get her to talk to her… but by then… she knew that Ino had missed her too.

"So listen to this…" – Ino said whilst she took out a folder that Sakura knew quite well was the ordering list from clients.

"What? What's going on?" – she asked wondering why her best friend of all times looked so excited… as if she had some secret to share.

"I told you it was weird that Hatake Kakashi was seen buying sunflowers and what other flowers he normally does not buy. So… while I was helping Naruto with learning every single meaning of what a flower means when given away to someone, and it reminded me of every different kind of flower Hatake-san has been buying up until before he left for a mission the day before yesterday. All to be delivered to Yuuhi Kurenai's place around the time for Naruto's return." – and then she looked expectantly to Sakura to see her mulling over it.

"Well?" – Ino asked impatiently.

"Uh?" – Sakura responded intelligently.

"Well what do you make of it?! You know what Sunflowers mean don't you, or is it that you forgot?" – she asked quite despondently.

"It means 'Voluble opinion, dignity, glory, adoration, a bit of arrogance and childish cheer' right?" – she asked as she rattled of the meaning of it.

"Yup! And Hatake-san has been sending other types of flowers lately. The 'Forget me not', the Amarilis – I think he meant to show that he was serious about the flirting although if it is that he's really wrong about that. He even sent some Dragon's mouth a week and a half ago! He sent one tinkerbell the other day and… are you listening to me?!" – she said as she stopped listing all the flowers that Sakura's sensei had bought and sent over to Yuuhi Kurenai's house.

"That's a lot of flowers. But Ino… I'm certain that Team 8's sensei is in a current relationship with your sensei!" – she said out loud.

"Uh… I had forgotten about that." – she sheepishly admitted.

"Then? Wait. Who else lives with Team 8's sensei?" – Sakura backtracked a little.

"Uh. Well this is the funny thing… Naruto invited Tenten and me over to her place to get something…"

"What other flower did Kakashi-sensei sent to Kurenai-san's place?" – Sakura asked feeling like she was just about to reach an epiphany.

"A red chrisanthemous. Why?"

"And that means 'I'm in love/with love/I love you', right?" – she persisted and Ino nodded.

"So? Your point is…?"

"Kakashi-sensei has a serious problem. I don't know what happened but… it seems he's been trying to make Naruto Uzumaki fall in love with him by courting her." – she stated firmly.

"NANI?!" – Ino cried out surprised.

"Yeah! That's it. That's why she was feeling so hurt when he interrupted our quarrel! He seemed disappointed in her, but when you explained the situation further he had this look on his eye that clearly said 'I screwed up big time'. He's definitely courting Naruto." – she concluded pounding a fist into her palm.

"Well… if he knows enough of what each flower means to send one with those meanings… then its obvious he really messed up and Naruto let him have it. This requires a much more thorough investigation!" – she firmly concluded and Sakura nodded.

"I'm going to see him after I visit Hinata-san. I have to apologize you know. Oh how I wish I could apologize to Naruto… but she's on a mission!" – she cried a bit sad at the current circumstances.

"Sakura… about Hinata… you'd have to apologize to Neji too and he's not here at the moment. But apologizing to Naruto won't make her like you some time soon after she returns from her mission. The only way you can manage to smooth things over is if you…"

"I know Ino. Actions speak louder than words, don't they? So that's why I'm going to see Kakashi-sensei… wait. You said he left for a mission?! Damn! Now what the heck am I supposed to do until then?!" – she cried out while fisting her hands in her hair.

"What else… hmm.. well you could do what every other person does when they have off time from missions." – she said.

"And what is that?" – Sakura asked confused as to where Ino was going with this.

"Well… you train." – she impishly said and Sakura glared at Ino before determinedly looking up and said…

"Yeah! I'll show Naruto that I am not a whiny kid! I'll show her that I can be strong too!"

:-:

Kakashi came home to find a seemingly dead tired looking Sakura waiting for his arrival at his apartment's door. He scratched his head feeling a bit out of the loop. He had been sure that once Team 7 had been destroyed by Sasuke's defection and Naruto not wanting to ever be near either he or Sakura ever again, that Sakura would just go do missions once her suspension was over and whatnot. Apparently… he was wrong.

"Sakura." – he intoned carefully.

"Uhn… gomen! It's just that I got a bit carried away with training!" – she said whilst she stood up to greet him.

"Training?" – he asked whilst he opened the door to his one room apartment and signaled her to go in.

"Yeah. I… I changed my mind about certain things. And I realized that I needed to shape up if I want to help Naruto get Sasuke-kun back in three years time. And I can't do that while being weak so… I've started a training regime with Maito Gai. He's helping me shape up." – with this she shut up a bit and took a good look around.

"Ah. So what brings you to wait up for me? It is a good thing that you've decided to train yourself… but I don't see what you need me for?" – he said quietly heading to sit on his bed.

"Well… this is… I mean… I've decided to train. But I still need a ninjutsu specialist and you're my sensei… so that falls into your line of teaching…" – wondering if she had to be more explicit with her request.

"Hn." – was his quiet response.

"Kakashi-sensei… if you train me in ninjutsu and genjutsu to become a better shinobi… I could help you out with Naruto." – she bribed.

"What?!" – he asked as he sat up quickly wondering when on earth had Sakura connected two and two together and got four.

"Geez Kakashi-sensei! It's not like you've been quiet in your endeavors! Yamanaka's flower shop is usually ran by Ino when her parents are away on missions. So… it was clear that once we made peace with each other that she'd tell me all about your little shopping sprees. Especially as to where you sent those flowers to… you once said that I was really smart. The smartest girl in the whole Rookie 9 group, now don't go blowing it off to smithereens just because you're blue about Naruto." – she explained a bit exasperated at her sensei's naivete.

"I… I can teach you what you want to know. However… how can you possibly help me in courting Naruto? She's stuck on the idea that she needs no man in her life… I… I've been trying so far and I haven't managed to even get her to accept the flowers… I…" – he stopped before he finally ended up looking like an idiot in front of Sakura's eyes.

She giggled.

"Gomen sensei. But the truth is that every girl would be unlucky to get so many flowers – different ones with different meanings at that – from you. You might be a catch to older kunoichi, but to the younger generation… you are no more than a pervert. Something you flaunt left and right to everyone!" – she said still giggling in between sentences.

He looked bereft. And a little hurt.

"Actions speak louder than words, right sensei? If you shower her with gifts it doesn't show that you're courting her. It shows that you're demeaning her. I bet she accused you of some hard learnt truths!" – she said while standing in front of him.

"I… yes she did." – he admitted in the end feeling forlorn and whatnot. He was a prime shinobi! But he was in deep shit with Naruto. Usual charm and the ritual flower gifts didn't work as he had thought it would. They were all given back to him and he was left bereft at how he could get Naruto to forgive him. That was first and foremost at his list. After that… well he'd have to take lessons on how to court a woman… he had never wanted one as much as he wanted Naruto now.

"If you want her… you're going to have to show her – with actions! – that you're serious in wanting her for more than a superficial relationship. Now I don't know the whole specifics about your sudden romantic interest in Naruto, sensei… but, the only way you're getting her to notice you is if you change your ways. It's the way you act sensei that drives her even further away from you."

And Kakashi began to think deeply about it. Even after Sakura left, he was still running those thoughts through his head.

:-:

Getting the Godaime to agree to a little training trip with Sakura as his main student was a little easier than what he had thought it would be. He had thought that since Sakura had hurt her precious adopted daughter, she would negate her the right to train or something like that. But who was he to complain!

And so… as soon as they made it to the training spot that he deemed was good enough for the both of them, he turned to Sakura and said they'd be camping there for the duration of three weeks. Then after a quick lunch, he set out to teach her some training exercises for her chakra control.

"But sensei!" – she complained and he shook his head in response.

"I know you have no problems with chakra manipulation and the like. But you need to have 120 complete control over it before we get the part that you need. What you need is quantity over quality due to your affinity to being able to control it. For now it'd be best if we stick to ninjutsu and genjutsu low level C-ranked, C-ranked and low level B-ranked. In between those two ranks… you should be able to practice them before you discover your true element affinity." – he said in his 'I know best' tone of voice.

She thought about it for a second before agreeing to go for it. Thus commenced her own training hell.

:-:

Just a day shy after both Kakashi and Sakura had left for the special training grounds needed for their crash course, Naruto and Team Gai returned from their own mission a bit weary looking but nonetheless unscathed.

"Tsunade-bachan!" – she exclaimed looking much like her old own self when she entered the Hokage office without so much as a greeting knock besides the shout.

Both Neji and Tenten tried to hide their smiles when they too came in to the debriefing with Lee trying to cajole Naruto into acting a bit more formal and whatnot.

"Gaki!! I would punch you through the wall if you keep disrespecting me!" – the Hokage yelled back but although she were frowning, all of the people in the room knew she was joking.

"Hn." – was all Naruto said before stepping forward and settling on the massive oak desk her report of the mission.

"Ah… good good!" – was the Hokage's comments as she read through the report.

"You had no problems? Those villagers were pretty upset to go back there…"

"We had some problems, but we were able to counter them by working as a team." – Naruto calmly stated.

Tsunade glanced back at the Hyuuga boy and got a nod in response.

"Very well. Team Gai dismissed." – she said.

"Hai!" – were the responses of Lee, Tenten and Neji.

"Tsunade-bachan… what is it?" – she heard Naruto ask softly.

"You know we're a bit underhanded, right? Well… I know this is unfair with how I'm working you to the top… but I really need you to go on another mission tomorrow." – she expounded before crossing her hands together as she always seemed to when she was troubled.

"Nani?!" – Naruto exclaimed surprised that she was being told she had to leave once again.

"Ah. This time you'll be going with Yamanaka Ino, Aburame Shino and a jounin you know very well: Mitarashi Anko. There's been rumors that many ships at the coast of Fire country are being shipwrecked by a monster. The reason I want you to go is because of the information you'd be acquiring… it seems there's a possibility that said 'monster' is one of Orochimaru's pet projects." – she stopped talking so that Naruto could take it all in.

"Honto ka (Really)? Do you think that maybe Sasuke and Orochimaru are hiding there as well?" – she asked softly.

"It's a possibility I'm not willing to discount. You are still a chunnin, so if Mitarashi asks you to do something don't think you have a right to disobey." – Tsunade warned Naruto.

"Hai! Wakateru (Yes! I understand)!" – she said and then turned to go.

"Naruto…" – the Hokage once again warned.

"Ah?" – she asked turning half-way around.

"For that same reason… I want you to not say this to either genin accompanying you. The only reason I'm debriefing you on your assignment is because the jounin going with you has had a bad experience there. I want you to keep an eye on her. Further… you're a chunnin and you know what that means." – she said sternly.

"I understand bachan. You need not tell me twice. I get it." – and then she turned around and walked away.

Tsunade sighed. All of that and she forgot to tell her the juicy news of Sakura and Kakashi going away for a three week training trip.

:-:

Yamanaka Ino did not know she was going on a mission with Naruto – that being the first time she was going on a mission without either Shikamaru or Chouji – and when she saw her and Shino awaiting for her with the jounin appointed nowhere in sight she was gleeful. She and Naruto got along fairly well after all that had happened before. She just hoped this was a good sign… maybe she could get new intel to tell Sakura about her sensei and why he started courting Naruto of all the sudden.

She was ready to work for it and if she had to use her special technique, then she would.

On the other hand… Shino looked stranger than usual. He was usually so quiet and the sunglasses shielded his eyes from others curious ones. Which was why… Ino found it so particular that she knew he kept stealing glances from the corner of his eyes at Naruto. Did Aburame Shino find Naruto interesting? Well this was new. She hadn't noticed other guys their age paying attention to Naruto at all. This was a new venue that she just had to know!