OMG!! 200 reviews!!!

I can't tell you how happy I am! My goal had been to get a hundred reviews by the end of this fic and here it is, not finished and 200 reviews! I'm jumping for joy. :)

(Sorry about not replying to reviews in the last chapter, I was busy writing as well as other things. But I promise to respond this time around.)

The sickening sound of bone hitting flesh recurred in its own rhythm, accompanied by the sound of painful grunts.

"Stop Naruto."

The blue-eye boy heard Shikamaru's command, but rebelled by giving the enemy one more punch before lowering his fists.

"Are you ready to talk?"

The tied up man looked up at the dark-haired man from his wooden chair. He scowled at the Konoha shinobi, his irritation presented to all without his mask.

"Like shit, I'd talk."

Naruto was ready to pounce again on the man that attacked him. This man was the kind of asshole that he hated. But before he could start beating the guy to a pulp (along with telling him what he really thought of him) Shino intervened.

"Allow me."

Knowing never to mess with an Aburame, Naruto stepped back. A magnitude of bugs seemed to escape from Shino all at once. They came crawling out from the confines of his sleeves and pants, gathering together to head towards the captive man. Circling around him to cover his every angle, they formed a dark circle that began to close in on it's bulls-eye. The disturbing clicking noise they made with their wings grew louder.

"I'll talk! I'll talk!"

The bugs pulled back, but Shino commanded them to stay outside as a warning to the Cloud shinobi.

"Why did you attack our teammate?"

Shikamaru took the lead with the questions; his eyes could study the subtle movements of the defeated man.

"Because, he's going to marry that Hyuga brat."

The Nara lifted an eyebrow to the false comment but said nothing to it. Instead, he pushed on with the mystery.

"And what does that have to do with your attack?"

He heard a low chuckle to his question, which was quite daring when he had been scared out of his mind before by the bugs.

"Cloud, the Hygua. I'm sure you're a smart kid, figure it out."

Shikamaru didn't answer to the cocking reply, but signaled to his teammates. They walked out of earshot from the attacker to form their own huddle. This was done after Shino commanded his bugs to keep a close guard on the other man.

"He thinks I'm Hinata's fiancé! Where did he come up with that?"

The first to talk as always was Naruto.

"He must have listened in on one of our conversations and made an assumption."

The monotone voice of Shino's was directed at Naruto's question, but his shaded eyes did not miss the look of deep thought on Shikamaru.

"Yeah, but that doesn't explain why he would attack me. I mean, I know the Cloud and Hyuga's history is rough, but I thought it was all sorted out by now."

"As long as one side isn't willing to change then there will always be conflict."

Both Naruto and Shino looked at each other questioningly before turning to their companion who had uttered a philosophical sentence.

"Shikamaru?"

Said man seemed to snap out of the deep realms of his mind to regard the two men beside him.

"Someone needs to take him back to Konoha to be questioned."

"What?" came the blonde's staggered response.

"This isn't just about a Konoha shinobi, but about the Hyuga Clan. He'll need to be taken in so the Hyuga's will know what they're dealing with. You should probably be the one to do it Naruto."

"Why me?"

If he had been in any other situation, Shikamaru would have rolled his eyes at the whining tone in Naruto's question. However, being in the place he is in now he pushed reason.

"Because, even though Shino and myself had assisted you, you had already disarmed your attacker by the time we had arrived. Also he was the one to attack you."

Bright blue eyes dimmed at those words. He knew Shikamaru had made a valid point. It was a bit of his fault that they were in this mess, but he didn't feel comfortable abandoning his comrades on a mission.

"We will be fine Naruto."

The whiskered-boy looked at the hooded man in front of him and smiled. Count on Shino to be straight-forward.

"Alright, I'll take the piece of trash back home; just make sure to land in a few extra hits for me when you catch those guys."

Both men smiled at their friend, assuring him that they would.

The sun casted a heavenly array of oranges, reds, pinks and yellows as it began to shrink in the horizon. Ino released a contented sigh. This was the perfect spot to watch the sunset. No trees or buildings blocked her sight from the natural beauty and nobody came here except for herself and her sweetheart. She was at complete peace here, snuggled up in the warmth of Chouji's embrace, just enjoying each other's company.

She can't believe that at one time she had rejected such love. It was foolish and shallow of her she now realized to not answer to her heart's desire. She was so happy now that she couldn't even fathom how happiness before was even happiness. Love had brightened her world.

At that moment two faces flashed in her mind, both brimming with happiness as a celebration played in the background.

It made her turn her head that had been plastered on Chouji's chest to look up into his face.

"Chouji."

Said man bowed his head and warm brown eyes gazed at her.

"Hmmm."

She had to contain a giggle at his lazy reply.

"How did you know I would be here at the festival?"

Pink dusted the huffy man's cheeks as he staggered a cough.

"Well, I had noticed you sneaking off on your own a few times and I might have…followed you one time."

Chouji felt a pinch on his left arm that he was using to hold Ino.

"Ouch."

"Stalker."

The accusation made him look at his girlfriend, but when he saw the playful curl of her lips he smiled.

"It was just the one time."

"Mmmhmm."

His smile increased in size when he heard the 'not believing you' tone in her voice.

"I bet you also don't know why this place is important to me."

Blue eyes caught the failing smile as brown eyes shone in confusion.

"No I don't."

Ino turned from her beloved to stare back out into the sunset. She noticed that two-thirds of the sun has disappeared out of sight.

"Do you remember Asuma and Kurenai's wedding?"

Chouji blinked at the off-topic question, but responded just the same.

"How could I forget?"

She smiled though she knew he could not see it and sunk further into his hug.

"I saw him before the wedding at this very spot. You should have seen him, he was so nervous it was absolutely adorable."

The blonde let go a few laughs at the memorable image before continuing on.

"I had asked him if he was excited and happy to marry Kurenai. He said he was and you could tell he meant it….Then he sat me down and started to talk about love and what's important. I know it's weird, Asuma talking about love? I was freaked out too for most of the conversation, but…he said to me that I should open my eyes to what's out there. To see all the possibilities that the world can offer, because most men blind themselves to what's real; that they don't see what's important until it's too late."

She felt her voice shake at the end, overwhelmed by the emotion of talking about her deceased sensei. Chouji gave her a reassuring squeeze, edging off some of the pain.

"This place is special to me, because it reminds me of him and what he said. And because I think that after he said that, it was when…"

The blonde beauty lifted her head off of her boyfriend's chest to look at him face to face.

"I began to fall in love with you."

Chouji's gaze softened, turning those brown eyes into a milk chocolate. It made Ino's heart beat loudly to actually see all the love he had reserved for her.

"I always knew there was some reason I thought he was a good sensei."

Ino genuinely smiled before she melted into his kiss.

The streets of Konoha were busy. Throngs of people moved together as they tried to get their afternoon errands done for the day. Inside the heap of bodies, a man of seventeen tried to weasel himself through the maze to get to his destination.

If there was one thing Naruto didn't like about crowds it was that they were too…crowded.

He was finally able to breathe when he escaped the cushioning of the growing Konoha citizens. Straightening his jacket that had became eschewed; he walked with determined steps towards the Hokage's building.

The front gate guard's had taken the liberty of arresting the attacker when he arrived home. They immediately took him to a holding cell, doing nothing more until Naruto briefed with the Hokage. He had been more than happy to get the guy off of his back, he had did nothing but complain for the whole trip and it had really plucked Naruto's last nerve.

He was not going to go easy on the guy when he talked to Tsunade-baa-chan that's for sure.

Finally arrived at the Hokage's office, he lifted a tan fist and banged on the door.

"Come in."

The blonde-haired man followed the strong feminine voice's command. He was greeted with the sight of the members of Team Gai receiving a mission.

"Naruto what are you doing back? Aren't you supposed to be on a mission?"

He felt like taking a step back when he heard Tsunade's tone turn from surprised to a mother scolding her child. But he instead moved forward.

"I was, but it kind of got interrupted by the Cloud."

One delicate eyebrow rose.

"Interrupted?"

"I had been attacked by a Cloud shinobi. Shikamaru thinks it might have been a kidnap attempt."

"A kidnap attempt? Where is the attacker now?"

"Brought him with me. He should be in one of the holding cells."

The older woman studied the boy in front of her for a few silent seconds before turning to the neglected team.

"Team 13, you have your orders. Be ready to leave at dawn tomorrow, you're dismissed."

All members of the team began to walk towards the exit, except for Neji.

"With all due respect Hokage-sama, I would like to stay in case this has any relation to my clan."

Hearing this, Naruto immediately jumped in.

"Oh yeah! It does have to do with the Hyugas."

The Hokage's hazel eyes sharpen under this piece of information, already figuring out the significance of this foreigner's act.

"Start at the beginning Naruto and don't leave anything out."

The ramen-lover began to tell his tale. He made sure not to leave anything out, even (and much to his embarrassment with being in front of Hinata's older cousin) the part where the assailant believed him to be the future heiress's fiancé. After recapping the story for the leader of Konoha, she looked at him for a moment before screaming a name.

"Shizune!"

Said women burst through the double doors, breathing hard from the quick run.

"We need to contact the Hyuga elders, tell them that we need an emergency meeting. Also send word to Ibiki that he has an interrogation appointment that he needs to attend to immediately."

The dark-haired woman left as quickly as she came to bid the Hokage's orders. The woman herself turned towards the boy she considered a younger brother with stern eyes.

"Naruto, I need you to tell the Hyuga elders exactly what you told me."

"What?! Why do I have to them, why can't you?"

"Naruto."

The threatening tone in the woman's voice would have made even the strongest of men cower, but it seemed to have no effect on the blonde.

"You know I hate those old hags Tsunade-baa-chan."

The blonde woman was about to punch his face in for acting so childish in such a serious situation but was stopped by the voice of the other occupant in the room.

"Naruto, you remember that favor you wanted to give me for training you to become a jounin. You can repay me by speaking at that meeting."

"But-"

"It's important."

Naruto looked at both the figures of Neji and the Hokage. He wasn't much for noticing things, but he could tell that they're stiff poses indicated that something momentous had happened. However, he had no clue what that immense happening was.

"Fine, but what's the big deal? It was just a half-assed kidnap attempt."

He was taken aback when the Hokage honestly smiled at him.

"Don't worry Naruto, you'll understand."

A delightful hum left the young girl's lips as she tasted the warm tea. She always did enjoy the soothing liquid during her training breaks. Put her body at ease. This was good to have when your limbs had been strained to their limits. That being said, the drink had become more of a need as of late with her increased training time.

After the meeting Hinata had a shoot of energy; more vigor to train and become stronger. The meeting had made her see that she was truly capable of change and that straight away put her in positive spirits.

Her peaceful aura though was soon interrupted when her father came striding into the kitchen, his face firm.

"Hinata, the council has ordered an emergency meeting. We need to leave now."

She did not instantaneously question her father, instead she set down her porcelain cup and tried to followed her father's fast pace. When she was finally caught up to his quick steps, she voiced her thoughts.

"What's happened?"

The Hyuga head kept his head set forward, but he responded to his eldest daughter.

"The boy you have been training with, Uzumaki I believe has been attacked by a Cloud shinobi."

Attacked? Naruto?

"Is he okay?"

The middle-aged man tilted his head to gaze at the young teen. She blushed realizing how fast she had asked that question.

"There were no injuries reported, but the attacker had been under the impression he was valuable to the Hyugas."

A great feeling of relief washed over Hinata when she heard that her love was not hurt. But valuable? How did the attacker think that Naruto is valuable to her clan? Is that why he/she attacked Naruto?

"Father, what do you mean by valuable?"

"That is what he is going to tell to us."

Before she could speak her confusion over his statement, she realized that they had arrived outside of the meeting room. The retired shinobi instantly opened the painted white wooden doors. The second right after the indigo-haired beauty's eyes had locked with startling blue ones.

Her heart rate increased drastically.

Notice: Why the pointless InoXChouji fluff you may ask? Because there's just not enough out there! :)

Other than that I hope I got you guys wanting to see what happens next. There's only one chapter left and then the epilogue. I know what your thinking, last chapter?! They haven't even talked since the kiss. I know but it will all come together (plus there's the epilogue).

Also sorry to anyone who wanted a action scene, just assume that the Cloud shinobi was no match for Naruto.

Next Chapter: The Final Step