Chapter 11 Fitting and Departure
Tailor Narubi
"Another year ahead?" Naruto asked softly.
"Yes." Sarutobi smiled softly, eyes crinkling. "The teachers have informed me you appear bored with the material and think you would do better in a higher grade.
"Okay." Naruto agreed, not fully caring.
The Hokage smiled softly.
.-.
Naruto smiled softly as he zipped up the zipper. He took a step back and Hinata timidly twirled in front of the three mirrors he'd set up.
"It looks beautiful." She whispered, her voice even lower though lacking a stutter
"It looks good on you." He smiled.
It was a strapless dress that hugged her body until her waist where it flared out with mesh petticoats. Lace adorned the bottom and the top with a large bow in the back and small beads swirling in designs on the front. It was a mixture of dark blue, purple, and black. The beads were silver along with the lace and the large bow on the back that was black with silver threads in it too.
"Thank you." She blushed at the compliment.
"No thank you." He smiled. "Without you I would have no model."
"What about that older boy I see sometimes. The one that looks like Sasuke?" She asked timidly.
Naruto turned away.
"He's gone." He said simply.
"Sorry." She said awkwardly.
"It's okay. He'll be back someday." Naruto shook his head, a smile appearing again.
.-.
"I have a fitting?" Naruto frowned, confused. "I did not plan one for today."
"It's a noble from the Daimyo's Court. You can't refuse without being rude." Tora said as he leapt through the air, Naruto in his arms.
"I suppose I can't." Naruto sighed.
He glanced back briefly at the academy in the opposite direction. It was supposed to be exam day. He sighed but did not voice his concerns.
.-.
"Naruto! My friend, you have once again joined us!" Rock Lee shouted happily as Naruto stepped into the class room. "I had been worried you had left the academy!"
"No, I was moved up a grade." Naruto said timidly.
A snort came from a few around them.
"Only to fail." One kid chuckled.
Naruto frowned as did Lee.
"Do not worry, you will do better this time!" Lee grinned, showing off very white teeth.
Naruto just smiled not bothering to explain that he had missed the exam and that the council had blocked his request to test at an alternate time.
.-.
"What are you doing?" Neko asked softly.
"I'm making a book." Naruto said simply.
"With pictures of clothes?" Neko chuckled.
"Yes. See, chapter one is Neko, Tora, and Inu. I've got pictures of all the clothes I've made for you three. Yuki is Chapter two and Chapter three is Itachi and Chapter four is Hinata."
Neko was silent for a long moment.
"You have blank pages after Chapter three. Aren't you finished with it?"
Naruto smiled and shook his head sending long blonde locks whipping around.
"No. That chapter of my life is not yet finished."
Neko was silent for another long moment.
"I think you'd better take the extra pages out of Chapter one."
Naruto looked at the masked man confused.
"Our job is finished."
"Finished?" Naruto asked bemused.
"Our mission was to guard you for the last couple of years because of the danger to you. The council has decided that you can now efficiently deal with any threat or can at least call for help."
Naruto looked down at the book.
"So you're leaving? I won't ever see you, Tora, or Inu again?"
"Take out the extra pages in chapter one."
Naruto's fingers clenched the book cover hard. Neko stroked his hair softly and Naruto got the feeling he was smiling behind his mask.
"I never said you wouldn't see us again. You'll just probably never see Inu, Tora, or Neko again. Those are our identities on the job. Watch for us because we have other identities when not at our jobs."
"Okay." Naruto agreed softly.
He took the extra pages out and put them in the back marking them as Chapters five, six, and seven. Naruto hoped that he would see them again soon.