Author: Wow, Inner!me is quiet today...I wonder why...

Naruto: 'Inner!you' dragged me in here.

Author: ...why must I be punished like this?

Naruto: *arches an unimpressed brow* You wrote this story. I'm kinda glad it means I'm the STRONGEST FEMALE HEROINE!

Author: *sweatdrops* yeah, whatever makes you feel better. Anyway, Naruto will apparently be paired with one more additional guy in this story...wow, almost too many guys *laughs nervously* I mean, too many guys for one girl. Right, Naru-NARUTO!

Naruto: *shoves Violet in the frame* I'm outta here. *vanishes*

Author: Okay... that was weird. Okay, so not in order, Shikamaru, Kiba, Utakata, Itachi, Shisui (Shisui of the Body Flicker/Shunshin no Shisui), Kakashi, Nagato, and Kurama. That's it for this story...I hope. I really, really hope I don't add more guys in the sequel-

Violet: Spoilers! There's going to be a sequel to this extremely long story!

Author: -anyway, I don't own Naruto. However, I do own Violet. My co-author, Elements1999, gave me lots of ideas and proofread and edited a lot of the story. I should probably give longer chapters if I don't want this to end up a 50-chapter story... nah, I don't care if it's long. It's one of the ones I've been focused on since before Christmas, so yeah. I'm going to finish it without having to rewrite the whole thing. Okay! Please review. Oh, yeah, it's difficult for me to use 'Naruko', so that's why Naruto's name is not Naruko. Okay?

Violet: Flames=more fuel for Amaterasu!

~angelslaugh

~:~

Kit.

KURAMA! Naruto went into her mindscape. She leapt at the giant fox. "I missed you!" Tears blurred her vision.

You mean you missed my chakra, right?

Naruto withdrew her arms and slapped the fox's muzzle.

"Baka! I missed you, not your chakra," Naruto answered with a sniffle. "I know I wasn't gone for a while, but I was-"

Scared. Thought you had been permanently shut away.

The fox vanished.

Kurama's human male form hugged Naruto, who sniffled in sorrow.

Don't worry, Naruto. I'll always be here.

No you won't. I'm going to be here someday and you won't be. I'll miss you then, is what Naruto wanted to say, but didn't.

But he could hear every thought that passed through her mind.

So he had heard that one, too, by the tightening of his arms.

"I'm glad you're safe."

I find myself reciprocating that feeling of gratitude- Kurama began, but Naruto's slumped shoulders made him break off and continue in a gentle tone. I'm glad too, Naruto.

Naruto disengaged and offered him a smile.

"So!" she said brightly. "Shall we see what changes that creature made to my body?"

Kurama flushed for a second. Uh, Naruto, you have more of a feminine figure than you used to...I'd suggest using a henge. Place it on an object you wear every day, and please find something other than that atrocious orange jumpsuit you wear.

"But I like it!" objected Naruto.

Naruto, you're a serious kunoichi now. At least get something other than orange...if you do, I won't incinerate that kami-forsaken jumpsuit when I have the opportunity.

"Fine. I'll attach the henge to the Uzumaki swirl," she sighed.

Oh, one more thing. A seal on the back of your neck will release your real looks. Release it; it shouldn't be too troublesome.

"Okay!" Naruto beamed.

~:~

KONOHAGAKURE

Yuki Haku was carrying her rabbit to the market when a man with a Taki hitai-ate appeared.

"Excuse me, do you know an Uzumaki Naruto?" asked the man. He held up a fox necklace. Haku recognized what the necklace meant.

"Yes, I tried to kill him," Haku said in a bored tone. "Now state your purpose before I ask my compatriot to deal you a killing blow."

Haku pointed to Zabuza, who was sharpening his blade. He looked up and glared at the Taki runner, who shuddered.

"No payment necessary!" he squeaked in a high pitched tone. He shoved at her an envelope. Haku took it.

Haku smiled, closing his eyes and tilting his head angelically.

The man ran away.

Haku read the letter with a soft smile.

It looked like Naruto was doing fine.

Haku looked at the sky, at the shifting leaves above.

Maybe Konoha can become my home. Maybe Zabuza would like it…

"Zabuza-san." Zabuza looked up to see Haku in front of him. "Would you like to stay here in Konoha?"

Zabuza gave a noncommittal grunt.

"I'm going to ask Meizu and Gozu."

Right…those two, who had somehow survived and literally shown up on Zabuza's doorstep in Wave. He shrugged and left to search for the Oto girl and the Kuso girl; he owed Naruto a lot. His life, in fact.

He found them near the slums, exiting a door with hungry looks on their faces.

"Excuse me," he said with perfect politeness, "are you two Uzumaki Tayuya and Uzumaki Karin? Naruto asked me to look out for you. Yuki Haku."

"Where is that shithead?" Tayuya grumbled. "Deserting Oto was the bravest thing I've ever done, and the shithead isn't even here to see it."

"Naruto unintentionally seems to pick up strays," Haku replied with a smile. "Do any of your friends wish for a home?"

The former Sound Five were in the edges of the shadows, not distinguishable from the other smelly, dirty orphans that littered the streets.

Haku would have to ask Naruto if she was planning on taking in every stray she could.

In a letter, of course.

How else were they going to communicate?

Haku ended up bringing the now-homeless people-much to Zabuza's disgruntlement-home with him.

"I'll be writing Naruto now," he informed Zabuza. "Then I will be going to the Nara clan to ask them something."

"Are you sure?" Zabuza asked, frowning.

Haku smiled. "I am the last Yuki user in the world," he informed Zabuza. "I'm fucking awesome with senbon. Yes, Zabuza-san, I am sure." He moved to the table and wrote Naruto.

Naruto, he wrote, I have managed to gather about nine (give or take a couple) people in need of a good home. We like Konoha.

Also, I was kind of wondering if you planned on making the Uzumaki clan a mix of clans, as the Yuki clan, the Kaguya clan, and a few…unique…people would desperately appreciate it.

Sincerely,

Yuki

Haku folded up the letter and gave it to his rabbit.

"It goes to Naruto."

Yuki hopped away.

Haku left the small house and made his way to the Nara compound.

"I want to speak to someone in the clan," Haku said with his patented closed-eye, head tilted, creepy smile.

He waited a few minutes, then a Nara ambled out of the clan compound.

"It's troublesome, but you are to follow me," he said.

Haku didn't blink as he was led through the compound and saw extremely fit, yet really lazy, people.

He was led to a house, and he was waved inside.

"So what do you want?" a woman asked with a frazzled glare.

Haku smiled serenely. "I really wanted some information on the Uzumaki clan. You are the geniuses of this village. I thought I could ask."

"Yoshino, just let her in!" said a lazy voice. "Troublesome woman."

"Come in, then," Yoshino said with a venomous look shot towards her husband.

"I'm actually a boy," smiled Haku. "My name is Yuki Haku."

"You're part of that clan?" Haku was led to a man with scars, playing shogi with his son. "I thought they were all wiped out when the bloodline purges."

"I'm genuinely the last of my clan," Haku said in a pleasant voice. "My mother had it before me."

"What happened to your father?" the tall man asked.

"I killed him," Haku said in a monotone. "After I watched him kill my mother for having the clan bloodline, and then tried to kill me."

He looked down at his lap.

"I met a friend a few months ago. She protected us-endangering herself and her comrades in the process. She saved me and my…friend. I think you can guess who I am exactly, now. But I have no plans against her. I was simply wondering about her clan so I know what I'm getting into."

He looked up to see the younger boy put his face in his hands and the taller guy smirk.

"Looks like your wife will be a handful, Shikamaru."

"Troublesome," 'Shikamaru' sighed.

"Anyway, the Uzumaki clan," the man said, then sighed. "Where should I begin?"

"The trio that destroyed Uzushio," Yoshino said, appearing in the doorway. "It was Kumo, Iwa…and Kiri."

There was a pregnant pause.

"I see," Haku said after a pause.

"They feared the fuuinjutsu prowess that the clan had," the older Nara male said, scratching his beard. "Their longevity, their insane good luck…it was a combined assault that blindsided them and destroyed them. Kiri, Kumo, and Iwa made a gamble against them, and the nations won. Uzumaki scattered across the globe-those that survived. Those that didn't met a gruesome fate. I think Uzushio tried to wait until the messenger reached Konoha, but…the messenger was ambushed and killed. By who? We don't know. Uzushio and Konoha had ages of friendship between them, so the Uzumaki symbol is sewn onto our flak jackets as a symbol of that."

Haku nodded and stood. "I see. I swear to you that I will not harm anyone in Konoha-but please, until Naruto-sama gets back…please don't tell anyone."

"It'd be too troublesome," the man sighed. "Oh, Yoshino, can you give him the box you planned to give to him?"

Yoshino arched a brow. "I can. But you can carry it, Shikaku."

The man-Shikaku-sighed. "Troublesome…"

"WHAT WAS THAT?!"

Shikaku paled. "Nothing, dear!"

Haku tilted his head. "Box?" he repeated.

"Yeah," Shikamaru said. "Mom saw you and those other ex-Oto and ex-Kuso nin."

Haku nodded, accepting it. "Arigatou."

"We're doing this for Naruto…the one person everyone seems willing to follow a lot nowadays," mused Shikaku as he got up.

"Is such loyalty natural?" Haku asked, puzzled.

"Naruto…is special," Shikaku said after a second. "She unknowingly has captured the loyalty of a ton of Konohan shinobi. Her latest antic-the re-establishment of the Uzumaki clan inside of Konoha-has caught a lot of interest from other nations. If Naruto became Kage before the year is out, I highly doubt any but the most stubborn could resist her."

"But…" Haku recalled the meadow. Now, though, he realized he hadn't met the real Naruto then-not really.

Haku had walked up, noting the blonde from that Konohan team protecting the bridge builder lying down, resting, it appeared.

Haku took out a senbon, ready to kill-but the boy looked young.

He couldn't. He couldn't kill him. He replaced the senbon.

Instead, he shook the boy's shoulder, and the boy's gradual awakening shocked him. There was innocence in those eyes, but they were also tired.

Tired of struggling.

This kid had little to no purpose.

"Are you okay?" The kid blinked, then nodded.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said. "Just resting. Hey, you're a really pretty girl!"

"Thanks," Haku smiled. He didn't really mind being called a girl. "You're a handsome boy." The boy smiled, a tad bitterly.

"I'm a ninja!" the kid suddenly boasted. "I was practicing to go against this really powerful guy."

"Is it to protect someone?" Haku asked, tilting his head.

"Yeah, but he's this old geezer with a dramatic son," the kid scowled. "He's lucky to have family…you know what I'm saying, right?"

Haku nodded. "I'm an orphan." He decided not to mention he'd kind of killed his dad. He had a feeling it would not go over well. "I left my homeland because I wanted to protect someone."

"Why?"

The kid's innocent question made Haku look up at the sky.

"Because he's…my precious person. He is someone dear to me."

"…I see," the kid said, a strange note in his voice.

He left soon after telling Haku his name- "Uzumaki Naruto."

Before he'd left, Haku had smiled at him.

"By the way, I'm a boy."

Naruto had smiled. "By the way, I'm a girl," he-no, she-said at the same time.

Both had stared at each other in shock, then burst into laughter.

"Yes," Haku said softly. "I can see it. Uzumaki Naruto, the hope of the world."

Haku's hair rustled. Haku had been buried deep in his memory as they had walked out, and Haku had not even noticed that they were outside.

"I think I could follow her," Haku said, smiling-this time a real smile. Not his usual one when he was trying to creep people out. "I think that there will come a time when sides will have to be chosen…and when that day comes, I will follow Uzumaki Naruto with every fiber of my being."

Shikaku looked at her.

"Yeah," he sighed. "My daughter-in-law will probably be a god among shinobi someday."

"No," Haku countered. "She's going to be a goddess." One that will protect and safeguard.