My Precious People

by xWinorLose

Many years have passed since the end of the Fourth Shinobi War. Now twenty-six, Naruto has returned to Konoha to help someone precious to him. He finds some unexpected changes, among them the son of Hinata whom no one knows who the father is, and a new danger looms on the horizon. Rated M for language and lemons.

24. Ch 23: Relationships

23. Relationships

An object at rest cannot be stopped! – Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs At Midnight

Hello to all! I present to you Chapter 23 in all its delayed glory. I really and truly apologize for that, but there were several things working against me. Writers block was worse on this one than any other chapter I've written, I had some beta work to do on a couple other stories and it seemed like every chance I had to write, some part of my life got in the way.

Also, it was a little over one year ago that I started this story and I've come a long way since then. It's thanks to you, my dedicated readers that my story is as popular as it is and that I've been allowed to be so creative with it. You all have my thanks.

As I do every chapter, I want to thank fellow authors Titokhan and gigiree123 for helping me out with suggestions and tweaks to make my work better, as well as my anonymous grammar beta for his hard work and support. I couldn't do this without you all, so thanks.

So let's do some shout-outs and credit where credit is due:

Zafnak: You were the only one to get the Spinal Tap reference. Kudos!

MattWilson83: Gets credit for some adjustments to the battle scene with Freyja and future use of the ANBU in my story. Thanks for pointing that out.

OGAFazer89AC: The scene between Guy and Kakashi came from his idea...it was pure genius and a complete blast to write. Also, both he and bennie403 split credit on another item but I'll have to wait until the author's note at the end to elaborate.

Firetemplar415: Also gets some credit since I used one of his ideas in the scene between Guy and Kakashi. Thank you very much!

KingKakashi: I had initially thought about doing several different things with the Guy and Kakashi scene but thanks to him I stayed on the correct path. Parts were eliminated and added based on his input - so thank you!

Collective credit: Okay, this one will be a little different but there were quite a few readers who either left a review or sent me a PM regarding how strong the Mienai Segi appear in my story. It's rather ironic so many people would point that out, because I had already planned to address that in this chapter. I really tried to make it work to please everyone - another reason why this chapter was delayed - but I hope you all like how I did it.

And last but not least, I'm giving a shout-out and credit where it's due to...ME!

I know some of you are confused, so let me explain...

I took several hours out of my life - ON A SUNDAY - to write a battle scene between Naruto and Sasuke for FanFiction writer ttrq that he could use in his story, under the premise that he'd give me credit and mention my own story somewhere in the chapter. I even beta'd the thing for him - twice - before he published it.

So the chapter gets released and there's no mention of the work I did. Nothing. Nada. Zip. I sent him a PM on it and he said he'd change it. Nothing. I figured he'd address the issue in his next chapter - but that didn't happen either.

Everyone who reads my story should know how fanatical I am about stuff like this. And anyone else out there who's a writer knows that credit should always be given, whether the contributor asked or not. It's common courtesy and simply the right thing to do.

And since it looks like the only way I'll get credit is to do it myself, that's exactly what I'm doing. Yay for me.

I'd also like to thank Lu Lu-Chan25 for once again mentioning my story in her own. Please check her stuff out if you get the chance.

Enough with the depressing stuff. On to the disclaimer! Let's see who recognizes this one:

Disclaimer – I don't own Naruto. And I believe you wanted to make me a deal?

Cole – Yes, I did. You see this? This is my most prized possession. It's my new Porsche.

Disclaimer – Wow, that's a beautiful car.

Cole – God, I love this car. And I'm willing to trade you my new Porsche for your fiancee Debbie. An even swap.

Disclaimer – Oh, Cole! A car for Debbie? This is perplexing...what an intriguing offer you've made! Should I take the car...or take Debbie?

Cole – The car's got low miles, and it handles like a dream.

Disclaimer – Well, so does Debbie! (+1 if you get the reference).

---

Chapter 23 – Relationships

Naruto arrived at his office early the next morning. Since becoming Hokage, his days were mostly filled with boring and mundane tasks but today Temari was due in at noon to swear her loyalty to Konoha. Normally something so trivial would have been done by the Office of Shinobi Management, but Temari had insisted that because of who she was – and what she'd given up to marry Shikamaru – that Naruto should be the one to administer the oath.

He figured it was the least he could do – and maybe it would make Shikamaru's life a bit less…stressful if he did it.

And of course, Temari was soon to be part of a larger problem he had…too many kunoichi were pregnant at the same time. Hanabi and Tenten were both a few months along, he just found out about Hinata yesterday, Sakura gave birth only a few weeks ago and because of the marriage contract he'd drawn up with Yoshino, Temari would HAVE to be pregnant sometime soon.

He just hoped Ino, Mina and Arekusu's biological clocks didn't all go off in the next six months.

But there was a fresh batch of genin that would be graduating from the academy, and his classmates were now at the age and skill level where they could possibly get teams of their own. Neji, Shino, Choji and Ino were currently available, and he was still on the fence about Sasuke, since he'd been planning on putting him in charge of the ANBU. But if enough kids graduated the academy he'd be short of qualified people, and that meant he'd have to start raiding the ANBU for qualified jōnin… and since several of his former associates were running rogue in the elemental nations right now, he was trying to avoid that if at all possible.

Before he had a chance to ponder it any further, the door opened and Kakashi slogged into his office, practically dragging his feet. What little Naruto could see of his face was pale as a sheet, and he watched as his former sensei headed straight for the couch and collapsed on it, staring blankly at the ceiling.

"And good morning to you too, Kakashi-sensei." Naruto said jovially. "Care to explain why you're lying on my couch, looking like you just had the worst night of your life? What happened? Drink too much sake? Or did someone catch you peeking on the kunoichi baths?"

"At this point, I would have preferred getting caught peeking on the kunoichi baths." Kakashi said wearily, as if he hadn't slept in a week. "I did something far more stupid. I asked Freyja out on a date."

A pall came over the room. Kakashi knew that Naruto was the only one who would catch the hidden meaning beneath his words. And after a pregnant pause, Naruto began to laugh uproariously.

"I should have known better than to come here looking for sympathy." Kakashi said dejectedly. He stared at Naruto, who was holding his sides as he tried in vain to contain himself. "You know, a true friend wouldn't be laughing right now, Naruto."

"Are you kidding, Kakashi-sensei? Of course they would!" Naruto exclaimed, wiping a tear from his eye. "Let me guess what happened…after you asked Freyja out on a date, she challenged you to a fight. Am I right?"

Kakashi nodded mutely.

"Where and when?"

"Friday at noon. Training ground twenty-six."

"Well, I can't say that I feel sorry for you, Kakashi-sensei." Naruto said, grinning smugly. "The day after Sasuke and I came back from our mission, I told you that Freyja only offers herself to someone who beats her in a fight. You knew what you were getting yourself into when you asked her out."

"I wasn't asking her to sleep with me, Naruto. I just wanted to take her out to dinner." Kakashi said defensively.

"She considers anything beyond casual friendship to be in the category of romantic interest. You could've asked me at any time and I would have told you."

"Wonderful." Kakashi deadpanned. "I'll get to ponder that while I get my ass kicked in front of an audience."

"An audience?" Naruto asked, raising an eyebrow curiously. "Why would there be an audience at your fight?"

"Freyja knew I'd end up talking to you about this. She wants two impartial judges for the fight because Hinata told her that you can use a special exemption and promote her to jōnin if she beats me bad enough."

Naruto mulled that over for a minute. The idea wasn't necessarily a bad one; she'd easily qualify as an elite jōnin and by beating someone like Kakashi, he'd have a solid argument when he brought it up in front of the council. It would also stop Freyja from bitching about being only a genin, and she'd be available for more dangerous missions if need be. She wasn't ready to lead a team of genin fresh from the academy, but she could certainly accompany one of them if the situation called for it.

However, as much as he was enjoying the look of fear on Kakashi's face, he also felt a bit sorry and sympathetic towards his former sensei. Kakashi was in this situation because he actually liked Freyja – so sabotaging any chance he might have would probably be rather childish and petty on his part.

Besides, it probably wouldn't make a difference anyway. Freyja was known within the Mienai Segi for being notoriously hard-headed, so if she set her mind to doing something, more often than not she found a way to make it happen – and apparently, she really wanted this promotion.

Mentally defeated, he heaved a sigh and raised the privacy seals on the room. "Don't go anywhere, Kakashi-sensei. I'll be back in a few minutes." And he vanished in a flash of yellow light.

Kakashi remained where he was on the couch, thinking about how life had conspired to put him such a depressed state. The conversation hadn't gone quite as bad as he'd thought it would – he figured Naruto would have laughed and mocked him a hell of a lot more than he did, and as the minutes ticked idly by he wondered where Naruto had run off to. Hopefully it wasn't to make things worse by telling Ino to spread the news about his upcoming fight throughout the village.

About five minutes later, Naruto reappeared in his office holding a sword. "Here," he said simply, tossing it to Kakashi, who deftly caught the blade.

"What's this?"

"It was a gift from Saladin several years ago – he said it was my reward for beating Freyja in a fight, but I never really bought that. I just think he decided to trust me with it because of my unselfish nature of always helping others more than myself." Naruto turned up one corner of his mouth in a knowing smirk. "Its name is Kurayami."

"Kurayami? That's an interesting name." Kakashi's gaze wandered over it, marveling at the unusual craftsmanship. The hilt and sheath were ebony black, but it wasn't because it was painted that way. This was a much deeper version of the color; it seemed as if the sword was somehow drinking in the light around it – it was almost like staring into an endless void. He flicked the blade out and found that it was also black, just like the rest and he resisted the urge to test the edge with his thumb, thinking he'd probably slice the digit off if he did so. "What does it do?"

Naruto's eyes twinkled with mirth. "Just one simple thing. When you channel some chakra into the blade, it…reflects."

"Reflects what?"

"Anything that physically strikes it – which makes it ideal for defense. Oh, and as an added bonus the blade can't be broken. It won't automatically control your movements – you'll have to rely on your own skills to block any attacks – but your Sharingan help can you out with that."

Kakashi slid the sword back into its sheath, letting out a long breath. "I don't see what difference this is going to make, Naruto. Freyja is Mienai Segi – she'll probably kick my ass without breaking a sweat."

Hearing his despondent tone of voice, Naruto was surprised to hear Kakashi adopting such a defeatist attitude before the fight even began. In all the years he'd known him, Naruto had never seen this side of his former sensei. He quickly decided to help Kakashi out, even though what he was about to reveal went against the rules of the Mienai Segi.

"Kakashi," Naruto said rather seriously. "Do you remember from the reports on the fourth shinobi war that at one point, Itachi was resurrected by Kabuto using the Edo Tensei? And that he helped me and Killer B defeat Nagato?"

Kakashi nodded solemnly. "Yes, I remember that. So?"

"During the fight, Itachi said that 'every jutsu has a weak point.' It turns out he was absolutely correct…" Naruto paused for dramatic effect. "…but that statement holds true for people as well."

"That reference is a bit vague, Naruto. What do you mean by that? What people?"

"It could mean anyone, but right now I'm talking about the Mienai Segi. There are certain things we're all taught to be experts at, like stealth but the rest depends on the individual. However, one thing we all have in common is that no one is infallible or invincible. Everybody has a weakness, just like Itachi said."

Kakashi narrowed his eye skeptically. "I'm calling bullshit on this one, Naruto. You don't get to be a member of the Mienai Segi by being an upper level chūnin. To handle the kind of forbidden jutsu your organization uses someone has to be extremely skilled, and have elite jōnin or Kage level reserves."

"And how does any of that translate to not having a weakness?" Naruto asked, still somewhat annoyed. Kakashi's outlook on the outcome of the fight before it even began was beginning to wear on his slight amount of patience. "As powerful as Madara Uchiha was, we were still able to beat him. And what about Anubis? He would've turned this village into an army of the walking dead given the chance, but we took down both him and the Minions of Set because I knew their weakness was fire."

Kakashi mulled that over as he watched Naruto pull a blank scroll from his desk and begin writing on it. He had a point about Anubis, and if anyone would know the truth about the Mienai Segi and their weaknesses Naruto would – he'd spent enough time with them and he was one of their more powerful members to boot.

"So…So how strong is Freyja in relation to Anubis? I remember you said once his rank in the Mienai Segi was around seventeen or so, but was he Kage level? Is Freyja Kage level?" Kakashi asked, an inkling of hope appearing in his eye.

"Only the top ten members of the Mienai Segi qualify as Kage level," Naruto said absently, his eyes and mind still concentrating on the scroll in front of him. "The rest of them can be compared to either jōnin or elite jōnin. Freyja's rank is about eight, so yes – her reserves are as large as the five great Kage of the elemental nations."

So Kakashi was going to have to fight someone with reserves and skills at least on par with his own, if not greater. However, maybe Naruto could give him a bit of an edge if…

"You also said that every member of the Mienai Segi has a weakness. What's Freyja weak against?"

Naruto stopped what he was doing and looked up. It was blatantly obvious that Kakashi was asking in the hope that he'd unintentionally blurt out that crucial bit of information. He probably didn't expect an honest answer, but Naruto decided to humor him and give him one anyway.

"Wind." Naruto answered, his eyes laughing as he did so. "She's weak against wind attacks, which is the reason why only Gideon and I were able to beat her in a fight. Not a lot of strong wind users out there, you know."

Kakashi groaned. "Great. Just great. Out of the hundreds of jutsu that I've copied, of course it'd have to be the one element that I only know a few techniques for." He looked slyly at Naruto out of the corner of his eye. "And what about you? What's your weakness?"

Naruto chuckled, realizing he had the perfect answer. "That's a no brainer, Kakashi-sensei. I actually have two – Ichiraku Ramen, and a pair of Hyūga eyes that belong to the most beautiful woman in the world."

"Smartass," Kakashi said sarcastically. "I guess I deserved that. I really shouldn't complain, though – you've already given me more help than I was hoping for."

"And I'm about to give you a little bit more." Having finished what he was writing, Naruto rolled up the scroll and sealed it with wax before handing it over to Kakashi. "Give this to Freyja when you see her tomorrow. It'll make sure she keeps the fight between the two of you more or less on equal terms."

Kakashi stared at the scroll for a moment before his curiosity got the better of him and he said, "None of this makes any sense. After the incident with you becoming Hokage and then the surprise of Freyja and Reira being at your house, I was fully expecting you to tell me to suck it up and deal with the consequences on my own…but you didn't do that." He stared at Naruto, his gaze plagued by uncertainty. "So that begs the question…why are you helping me so much?"

Naruto leaned back in his chair and rubbed his forehead, weighing all of his possible answers. In the end he went with the most obvious and simple of them all. "To be honest Kakashi-sensei, a lot of it has to do with Hinata. You've been very supportive of her during the entire time you've been training her, which is probably why she's become personally involved in all this. She'd probably make my life miserable if I used this opportunity to get back at you – and I may be a lot of things, but I'm not THAT stupid."

The room was silent as Kakashi thought about what Naruto just said. He was sure there were other answers, but Naruto wasn't interested in giving them – and it didn't really matter anyway. The reason Naruto gave was good enough for him.

"My advice is that for the rest of the day, you go to training ground twenty-six and get in some extra training." Naruto said, giving him a knowing smile. "And one more thing – you should probably start the fight with your Sharingan activated. Trust me when I say you'll need it from the get go."

Kakashi paused, and then nodded in agreement. The conversation was over, and he knew that from here on out the rest was up to him. "Thanks." he said brusquely, before turning around and walking out the door.

Naruto watched him go, and then waited a full minute before placing his hands behind his head and propping his feet upon his desk. The grin that broke out on his face was sly, mischievous and hinted towards a subtle background plot.

"Well, I promised Kakashi that I wouldn't sabotage his fight with Freyja – and I never go back on a promise." He said out loud to himself, savoring the moment. "But having the best possible audience around to witness him losing the fight? Now that's something I can do."

---

Kurenai Yūhi walked through the forest, her thoughts on yesterday's meeting with the Hokage. At noon today, she'd be one of two people tasked with objectively judging a fight between a genin and a jōnin of the Leaf Village. Their recommendation would determine if a special exemption would be used to promote the genin immediately to jōnin, bypassing the exams.

She still didn't know who the two shinobi were – Naruto's body language said he was practically itching to tell her, but somehow he fought the urge. But he DID guarantee that she'd enjoy the show.

Naruto…The fact that he was now Hokage still felt a bit weird to her. He'd been an orphan; the dead last and class clown in the academy, known more for his pranks than his skills as a ninja.

It still amazed her at how much things had changed since then – and how wrong everyone had been about him.

Everyone that is, except for Hinata. She'd never wavered in her belief of Naruto and his abilities, and now she was happily married to the man of her dreams – although it had taken a lot of pain and suffering to get there.

Kurenai couldn't be happier for the woman she considered to be like a younger sister.

As she arrived at her destination, she was greeted by a familiar face – someone who could turn a small afternoon session into one that felt like an eternity.

"Kurenai! It's wonderful to see you!" Might Guy declared. "It appears to me that your flames of youth are burning as brightly as ever! Tell me, how is Asuma Jr.?"

Kurenai sighed inwardly; Guy was her friend but the whole 'flames of youth' thing was now an old, tired rhetoric. It was hard to believe he was still doing it at his age. "It's good to see you too Guy – and Asuma Jr. is doing just fine, thanks. He'll be graduating from the academy in the next year or two, and he's eager to follow in his father's footsteps."

"I look forward to that day! I know that if Asuma were here, he'd be very proud of his son and the job you've done of raising him. Having the two of you as his parents means he'll make a great shinobi!"

Kurenai smiled wistfully. Although she'd come to terms with Asuma's death all those years ago, she still got the occasional twinge of regret when she thought about him. Rather than dwell on it, she decided to change the subject as quick as possible.

"So, I'm guessing that you and I are today's judges but tell me…did Naruto happen to mention the names of the two people that'll be fighting today?" Kurenai asked.

Guy shook his head. "He did not. Although, I am curious and more than a bit concerned. For a genin to be fighting a jōnin, no matter what the level seems to be pure folly. Experience tells me that this battle will be very one sided."

"Normally I'd agree with you, but I think we both know that even Naruto isn't that dense. I'm sure he's privy to some information about this situation that we aren't."

"I'm sure you're right as always, Kurenai. Plus, Naruto assured me that today's contest simply cannot be missed!" Guy exclaimed, striking the nice guy pose and giving her a thumbs-up. "My excitement has been so great, that I decided to come early and get some additional training in before it started!"

Only mildly shocked, Kurenai raised her eyebrows at him and asked, "Additional training? How long have you been out here, Guy?"

"Since ten-thirty this morning. I figured that if I was going to be at one of the training grounds, why waste an opportunity to get some additional training in?" He accentuated his point by doing pushups while standing on his hands. "Although, I do find it unfortunate that no one was around to witness the awesome display of my flames of youth!"

Kurenai rolled her eyes. Just as she was about to respond, she felt a chakra signature heading their way…a very familiar one.

"Hey…Guy…" Kurenai said hesitantly. This doesn't make any sense. Why the hell would the Hokage send HIM of all people to fight this genin – whoever that might be? Doing something like that basically amounts to overkill.

Guy stopped what he was doing and flipped back onto his feet. "I feel it too Kurenai, and I'm just as confused as you are. However, there's no mistaking the fact that this chakra signature belongs to…"

Kakashi suddenly appeared in the middle of the clearing, his posture guarded as if he half-expected to be attacked the moment he arrived. His lone visible eye darted around warily, like he was searching for something – or someone – that should already be there.

But as he spotted Kurenai and Guy, it was obvious by the look on his face that he was just as surprised as they were.

"…MY ETERNAL RIVAL!" Guy exploded, frightening every animal within a fifty foot radius. "Although I'm wondering if he's one of the two people we are expecting. Naruto said a genin and a jōnin would be fighting today – and Kakashi is a former Hokage, which is a different class entirely."

"Kurenai? Guy? What're you two doing out here?" Kakashi asked, walking over to where his two friends stood. A sinking feeling was developing in the pit of his stomach, since there could be only one reason for them to be here at all.

"Naruto asked the two of us to be here today at noon. We're supposed to judge a fight between a genin and jōnin of the Leaf Village." Kurenai said pointedly, before narrowing her eyes at him. "But why are YOU out here? Did Naruto send you to make sure the two of us did a good job?"

Of course, Kakashi thought to himself. I had a feeling it was too good to be true. Out of everyone he had available, he sent Kurenai and Guy – somehow finding a way to make this situation more embarrassing than it already is. If I lose as bad as Freyja hinted at two days ago, Guy will never let me live it down…

"Ah, no…" Kakashi said sheepishly. "I'm actually going to be fighting today."

"Naruto told us to expect a genin and a jōnin. He said nothing about a former Hokage."

"This situation is kinda special. I was… specifically requested." Kakashi said with forced hesitancy. "Although, I'm a bit surprised. I'm usually the last one to arrive for anything. I don't know how it happened, but somehow I beat my opponent here."

"Don't go patting yourself on the back just yet, Scarecrow. I've been waiting for you for the last half hour."

Everyone turned in the direction of the voice. About twenty yards away, they saw Freyja emerge from the shadows of the tree line and walk purposefully toward them. From the combination of her posture and focused stare, everyone could tell that she was looking forward to this fight in more ways than one.

Without taking his eyes off their newest visitor, Guy leaned towards his fellow judge and whispered, "Kurenai…Did you know…?"

"No," she answered just as quietly, interrupting him. "I didn't sense anything either. And if she's really been watching for the last thirty minutes…"

Both of their faces guarded masks, they watched this unknown woman stride over to Kakashi, stopping several feet in front of him. She crossed her arms defiantly in front of her chest and said, "Well, well, well…glad to see you showed up. I was kinda thinking I'd scared you off the other day."

"I don't run from fights, Freyja – especially not one as important as this. I have my pride, and I'm not embarrassing my village by chickening out. Whatever you or I might think the outcome of this little contest is going be, I'm not hiding from it."

Freyja snorted. "Wow…I'll give you points for making that bold of a statement. Most people don't have the brass balls to talk to me like that. Yours must be huge."

"Uh…sure, I guess…" Kakashi said, blushing in embarrassment as he reached into one of his vest pockets and pulled out a storage scroll. After unrolling it on the ground, he placed his hand in the center and four items appeared in a cloud of smoke – the scroll Naruto had given him yesterday, the sword Kurayami and two specially made kunai.

Upon seeing Kurayami, Freyja scowled and pointed at the sword. "Where did you get that?" she demanded.

"Naruto let me borrow it for the fight today." He extended his hand, offering her the scroll. "He also said that I should give you this before we get started."

Still looking a bit peeved, Freyja snatched the scroll from Kakashi's hand. Breaking the seal, she quickly unrolled it to see what it had to say.

*:*

*:*

Freyja,

I'm sure by now you saw what I lent Kakashi and you're suitably pissed – probably because you realize this fight isn't going to be the walk in the park you imagined it would be. And you might be thinking that's the only thing I'm doing to help him out – but you'd be wrong. There's some additional rules I'm giving you – and ONLY YOU – for this fight.

You will NOT do anything to maim, permanently injure or kill your opponent. I don't want to hear about how your sword 'accidentally slipped' and cut off a finger or limb – so make sure to keep your anger in check.

Don't even think about using any forbidden jutsu. And any jutsu with a blast radius of more than a quarter of a mile is off limits as well.

And one last thing…Totentanz is NOT to make an appearance during the fight. If my judges tell me they saw even the tiniest part of him, I'm declaring you the loser. So don't even try it.

Other than that, you have my full permission to embarrass Kakashi any way you want. If you're looking for ideas, you might remember that no one has seen him without his mask.

I'll get the report from my two judges later this afternoon. You can give me your version of how things went during dinner at the house tonight.

Gabriel

*:*

*:*

Scowling, Freyja rolled up the scroll and flung it into the woods – telling everyone she wasn't happy with the contents. "Well, it looks like you just got a buttload of help. That thing said I can't use half of the stuff I was thinking of." Smirking, she casually reached up and touched the back of her neck. "I guess I'll just have to make do with this."

A sword appeared in her hand, and the three onlookers could honestly say it was unlike anything they'd ever seen. The main blade was wider and thicker, but the tip was still curved up like a katana. Two smaller blades adorned either side of the crosspiece; one side resembled an axe blade about three inches in length while the other side sported a crescent shaped, eight inch blade with a hook on the endpoint. The hilt was curved in the opposite direction as the main blade, and the pommel was carved into what could only be described as the visage of a demon, with two tusks coming out of its mouth.

Freyja stood about five feet seven inches tall, yet the sword appeared to be almost four feet in length, and looked inordinately heavy. Kakashi absently wondered how fast she actually was with it, as he strapped Kurayami across his back and held one of the specially made kunai in each hand.

Freyja raised an eyebrow inquisitively. "Not gonna use Kurayami?"

Kakashi shook his head as he held the kunai, blades pointing skyward to display them properly. "I thought I'd start off with these. They're kunai I used for the silent killing technique when I was an ANBU captain. That's why the blades are twice as long, and…"

He paused for a moment as he saw Freyja's sword suddenly enveloped in a swirling aura of two colors – an ebony black similar to Kurayami, and a jade green that matched the color of Freyja's eyes. The odd thing however, was that the two colors never blended together. Rather, it was like oil flowing downstream on a river, the two substances churning but never mixing…almost like they were partners dancing in chaotic harmony…

"Umm, as I was saying…these kunai are made from specially enhanced chakra metal. They're far stronger than the ones shinobi normally use, and…"

TING!

Kakashi blinked as he watched the blades of the kunai fall to the ground. Somehow, Freyja had moved her sword fast enough to cut them off, leaving him holding only a handle in each hand.

"Oh, I'm sorry…did you say those kunai were far stronger than the normal ones?" she asked sarcastically, a dark chuckle slipping past her lips. "Because I could have sworn that's what I just heard you say. Or was it that you've changed your mind and want to use Kurayami instead?"

By this time, Guy and Kurenai had removed themselves from the immediate area of danger and were sitting at the edge of the clearing on two large rocks. After watching the exchange, Guy leaned over once again and whispered, "Kurenai…did you even see her move?"

Kurenai shook her head, a bit awed. "No, the blade is the only thing that changed position. I don't know who she is or where she came from but she's no genin, that's for sure. Kakashi's going to have his hands full with this one."

Sighing in resignation, Kakashi dropped the remains of his two kunai on the ground. With one hand he lifted his headband to reveal his Sharingan eye, and with the other he reached over his shoulder and drew the sword strapped across his back. As before, he was amazed at how the blade didn't seem to reflect any light.

"Okay, Freyja. You made your point. I think I'm ready now."

"Then let's get this party started."

In the space of a heartbeat the two fighters clashed their blades together. The sound of SuchīRushadou and Kurayami striking each other sounded eerily similar to a blacksmith hammering steel on his anvil, the ringing echoing throughout the clearing.

Even though they were only a few feet apart, both Freyja and Kakashi stood almost perfectly still, the only movement being their arms as their swords came together in a flurry of strokes. It was if the two of them were tentatively testing the skills of the other; like a swimmer dipping their toe in the water to see how cold it was.

Freyja made several slashes at Kakashi's face and then feinted towards his chest, trying to see if his defense favored one body part more than another. She'd never been one to analyze her opponent in a fight, preferring more of a hack and slash approach. That strategy had worked out pretty well in life for her so far, but since she didn't know anything about Kakashi or how strong he was, she thought she'd use this tactic for once.

For his part, Kakashi was putting up a good defense. He was actually rather impressed with himself; he wasn't straining to keep up with Freyja but it wasn't a cakewalk either. He was merely maintaining, although he wondered how long that would actually last because Freyja was staring back at him, a deranged grin plastered on her face which meant…

So far, this has been pure entertainment for her, he thought. There's no way this is the limit of her kenjutsu skills, which means she's testing me, waiting for an opening to strike. I need to stay on guard…

And in the back of his mind he was VERY glad that Naruto let him borrow the sword. After seeing how easily Freyja cut through his special kunai with SuchīRushadou, having something that not only didn't break but actually made every strike rebound a bit was invaluable in a fight like this.

Freyja feinted towards Kakashi's stomach and then without breaking the motion continued up towards his face. When Kakashi instinctively followed the strike it left his torso exposed for a brief second and Freyja lashed out with her foot, catching him in his stomach and launching him backwards.

Kakashi performed a backflip and landed on his feet, hoping she would give him a second or two to regroup but that turned out to be pure fantasy. As soon as he straightened back up she was on him once again, attacking with feints and controlled slashes. She was pushing him backward, slowly but surely and Kakashi knew that he needed to start attacking and stop defending if he wanted to have any hope of winning this fight.

He pushed some chakra into his arms and legs, knowing speed was the key to penetrating her defense. He started to press her backward, step by step as Kurayami left what seemed like an inky trail of shadows in the air from moving so fast. Kakashi continued his relentless assault, gaining ground against his adversary. Five steps…now six…now seven… His confidence was starting to rise just a bit…

And then Kakashi made a rookie mistake and overextended himself. Feeling a bit cocky that he was doing so well, he slashed twice at Freyja's head. She blocked the first one, but at the last moment she did a full leg split, allowing the second to pass harmlessly over her head. Now off balance, Kakashi tilted a bit before righting himself – but that was all the opening Freyja needed.

Before he had a chance to regain solid footing, Freyja rose back up and faster than any normal eye could follow, flicked her sword out and slashed his vest across both shoulders and then straight down the middle. The vest that had protected him in countless battles during the fourth shinobi war fell to the ground in three pieces, now an utterly useless pile of fabric.

Across the clearing, Guy and Kurenai had watched the initial exchange with mild interest. However, as things progressed they started to take on the roles that Naruto had given them, their eyes focused on the fight with rapt fascination.

"When Naruto told me this fight would be entertaining I was skeptical at first, but I have to admit he wasn't kidding." Kurenai said intently, refusing to tear her gaze away from the two fighters in front of them. "Guy, you're a better judge of what they're doing right now than I am. What's your opinion?"

"She's exceptionally fast – her kenjutsu is Kage level, without a doubt. In all my years of fighting, I've never seen anyone with skill such as hers." Guy breathed appreciatively. "This spells trouble for my eternal rival. If he tries to match her in a contest of only kenjutsu, he will surely lose."

Kurenai glanced sideways at him, refusing to take her eyes completely off the fight. "How can you tell she's that skilled?"

"That kunoichi…Freyja, I believe Kakashi called her…if you notice her posture, it's semi-relaxed and her demeanor gives the impression that she's enjoying this fight on a number of levels. Plus, think about the weight of her sword – performing a precision cut such as the one she just used to cut off Kakashi's vest without injuring the wearer requires pinpoint accuracy and control. Kakashi's moves on the other hand, while not desperate still have an air of seriousness about them. He's still on guard even when he's taking the offensive position." Guy shrugged, conceding some unknown point to himself. "I'd estimate that Freyja is at only half of her best effort. I'd probably have to open at least three gates to keep up with her if she went all out."

"Then Kakashi needs to pull off some serious ninjutsu to win this fight," Kurenai realized. "But still…where did this woman actually come from? How can she be this good and no one knew about it?"

Kakashi's Sharingan was getting a serious workout through all of this; it was difficult but he was able to keep up with Freyja's speed as the immense blade she wielded came at him from what seemed like every possible angle. Now that he lost his vest, he was a bit more leery about the attacks and his mind was running a mile a minute, digesting possible strategies where he might actually win.

How the hell can she move that sword of hers so fast? he thought to himself, parrying another quick round of slashes at his midsection. It either has some sort of special property, or she's stronger than she looks… and until I know otherwise, I'll have to assume it's both…

Freyja jumped back suddenly, putting some distance between her and Kakashi, who appeared befuddled at the move since she currently had the upper hand. Grinning sadistically, she motioned her hand towards him mockingly – practically daring him to attack her again.

Still remaining calm and collected, Kakashi decided to give in to her request and dashed forward to meet her in the middle…except she didn't do that. With less than six inches separating them she dodged to the side, allowing him to pass harmlessly – and allowing her lash out once again with her sword. Three more swipes and the back of his shirt was now gone.

"I'm surprised you fell for that," Freyja said haughtily, thinking she had Kakashi's fighting style pegged. "Don't get distracted – you gotta stay on your toes when you fight someone like me!"

"I'll keep that in mind." Kakashi responded dryly. He engaged her in swordplay once again, trying to find a hole in her defense. It was a risk, but if he could just find a way to slip inside her kenjutsu he'd have a much better chance of winning this thing…

And then he saw it…Freyja's body pulled back a tiny bit every time her sword rebounded off of Kurayami. It'd have to be extremely precise since the window of opportunity was so small, but getting in one good hit was certainly possible... he'd have to make it count…

Kakashi slashed his sword vertically in front of Freyja's face and she instinctively blocked it – causing her own sword to rebound and making her right arm reel back just a bit. Her eyes followed the sword as it passed harmlessly by – completely missing the fact that Kakashi's chakra enhanced fist was hiding behind it.

The punch crashed into her jaw and launched her backwards, her body digging a trench thirty feet long in the ground. Freyja righted herself and straightened up, rubbing her jaw in surprise while Kakashi wondered how she could even be conscious, let alone standing considering the strength he just put into the attack.

"You hit me!" she exclaimed, before rolling her tongue around in her mouth and spitting out a tooth in a very unladylike fashion. "I'm a woman! You're not supposed to hit me like that!"

"I'm well aware that you're a woman," Kakashi said, eyeing Freyja up and down suggestively. "But that's not how I see you right now. Instead, I see you as a very capable and deadly warrior, who also happens to be my opponent."

After hearing this, Freyja leered at Kakashi. "And THAT was the right thing to say, Scarecrow. That silver tongue of yours just made your hotness factor kick up a notch. You're now a four, rather than a three – on a scale of one to ten, of course."

"Gee, thanks." Kakashi replied dryly, his ego a bit deflated. "You ready to get started again?"

"Well, since you asked so nicely…"

Kakashi knew that trying to win this fight using only kenjutsu was a losing proposition. It was Freyja's specialty and he knew she wasn't near her maximum. He needed to start using some ninjutsu, and it probably wouldn't hurt to take a page out of Naruto's playbook of fighting techniques.

He placed Kurayami back in its scabbard and started to flash rapidly through several hand signs. Freyja saw what he was doing and motioned her body as if she was thinking of running towards him to engage him in swordplay once again, but unfortunately it was too late.

"Water Style: Pressure Geyser!" Kakashi exclaimed, slamming his hand into the ground.

The ground beneath her feet began to shake, as Freyja struggled to maintain her footing. Half a second later, a large torrent of water erupted from beneath the surface and launched her high into the air. Still holding onto her sword she flailed her arms, trying to maintain her balance in midair but in doing so, she left herself wide open for a second attack.

Kakashi flashed through another series of hand signs, and then placed one hand in front of his mouth. "Fire Style: Great Dragon Fire Technique!"

A stream of fire with the head of a dragon emerged from his mouth and made its way straight towards Freyja as she began to drop back towards the ground. The expression on Freyja's face changed from surprise, to shock, to anger in the space of a few seconds. She could feel the intensity of the flames heading towards her and just as the dragon's head opened its maw, everyone watching saw Freyja' s face contort in rage.

The dragon snapped its jaws shut, swallowing her whole and barreled towards the ground, impacting head first and creating a crater thirty feet wide. The dragon's head exploded, morphing into a gigantic ball of flames.

Even with the amount of distance between them, Guy and Kurenai cringed from the intense heat the fireball was giving off.

"I think we're going to need a medic," Kurenai stated, as she watched the ball of flames diminish just a bit. "I was worried about Kakashi when I saw the look Freyja gave him just before his jutsu reached her, but…"

"I don't think that's the case, Kurenai." Guy said, interrupting her. "There's something at the center of the fireball – and it's standing up. If indeed Kakashi's jutsu had severely injured her, she'd be lying prone on the ground instead."

"YOU FUCK." a voice said, dripping with malice.

"Oh, boy. Kakashi may have gone overboard with that last attack." Kurenai said guardedly. "Freyja sounds pretty pissed off."

"I agree. My eternal rival may be the one requiring medical treatment instead of his opponent."

"YOU ROTTEN FUCK!" The flames died down to reveal Freyja standing in the center, except this time her entire body was enveloped by the same black and green aura that was only surrounding her sword before. Freyja had extended it to protect herself from the attack, but apparently she hadn't been quick enough – her jacket, along with the bottom edge of her knee length pants were singed and in tatters. She still clutched her sword in one hand but the other was clenched into a fist, and sparks seemed to fly from her teeth as she ground them in fury, staring at Kakashi with a gaze that promised only pain.

"This was my favorite coat!" she yelled, ripping the garment off and flinging the remains to one side. "And you just fucking ruined it!"

What little of Kakashi's face that was visible turned pale. "Um…I'm sorry?" he apologized, uncertain of what else he could say. It was taking a tremendous amount of effort to stay focused, now that Freyja was wearing only her chainmail shirt.

"Sorry ain't gonna cut it!" She pointed her sword menacingly at Kakashi. "I think you need to bleed a little bit!"

Her killing intent spiked – large enough that Guy, Kurenai and Kakashi all flinched from it. She dashed forward, quicker than anyone could follow and buried her sword into Kakashi's left shoulder…

…and he disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

"Shadow clone?" Freyja asked, her eyes darting around the clearing. "Don't think you can hide from me, Scarecrow! I'll find you, and when I do…"

She stopped in the middle of her tirade and grinned wickedly. Then she flashed through several hand signs with her left hand, while still gripping her sword in her right.

She can do one handed signs, too? Guy and Kurenai thought in unison. Impressive…

"Earth style!" Freyja shouted, raising her right foot. "Shattered Earth!" And she slammed it down, literally shattering the ground for thirty yards in every direction. The only thing comparable to the swath of destruction would be if Tsunade had used her chakra-enhanced fist instead.

Kakashi was heaved out of the ground and tossed upwards. With no way to dodge, Freyja took advantage of the opportunity and threw several shuriken at him, striking him as his body paused at the apex of his flight about a dozen feet above the ground…

…causing it to disappear in a cloud of smoke. A log fell from the bottom of the cloud with the shuriken embedded in it, landing with a thud.

"Substitution jutsu?" Freyja growled, glancing around the remains of the clearing in confusion, wondering where Kakashi might be hiding where she couldn't sense him. "When did you have the chance to set that up?"

For her answer, Kakashi launched himself straight out of the broken ground and slammed another fist into her jaw, launching her backwards. The scene was very reminiscent of the way Naruto had taken down Neji in the chūnin exams many years ago.

Freyja flipped over and landed on her feet, seemingly unaffected by his attack. "OW!" she yelled, rubbing her jaw as she wiggled it back and forth, testing it out. "THAT FUCKING HURT!"

Kakashi couldn't believe what he was seeing. He'd hit Freyja twice with chakra enhanced punches – specifically in the head to try and knock her out – and not only didn't she lose consciousness, she wasn't even dizzy.

What the hell is she made of? Is she stronger than I thought, or am I just that out of shape because I focused more on my job while I was Hokage and less on my training?

"Okay, I've had enough of getting hit by you. I'm finishing this fight right now." Freyja said, flashing through signs with her left hand and then slamming her right foot down. "Earth Style: Pillar Bombardment!"

Several pillars of earth erupted from the ground, but instead of going straight up they bent and twisted, almost like they were living things – the closest comparison that could be made was Yamato utilizing his Mokuton.

They made a beeline straight for Kakashi – and the former Hokage knew right away that he was in deep trouble. Several broken ribs and a fractured leg weren't beyond the realm of possibility if they slammed repeatedly into his body.

He whipped out Kurayami and slashed at each pillar as it came near him, doing his best to defend himself but Freyja had joined in the melee as well, appearing in gaps between the pillars. Her sword flicked out lightning fast, slicing through various parts of his clothing and within moments she had cut through the strap holding the scabbard on his back and destroyed his shirt, leaving him bare chested. Two seconds later his mask was in pieces as well, joining the remnants of his shirt on the ground.

In a last act of desperation, Kakashi threw a wild swing at Freyja's head and she ducked underneath it, throwing two quick slashes at the belt around his pants. With nothing left to hold them up his pants fell, pooling around his ankles. Unable to pull his feet free Kakashi lost his balance and tripped, falling backwards and landing squarely on his ass.

In an instant Freyja was standing over him, her eyes glaring fiercely at him with her blade poised against his throat.

"Drop the sword."

Kakashi hesitated for a moment, wondering if there was a way he could get out of his current predicament and continue the fight until Freyja dug the point of her sword further into his neck.

"I won't ask again. Drop the sword."

The sword made a small thump as it hit the dirt.

"Surrender. Say that I won – and you'll buy me a new jacket."

"I-I surrender," Kakashi stammered. "Y-You won, and I promise I'll buy you a new jacket."

"Stand up."

"I…I can't do that with your sword where it is. My feet are tangled up in my pants, and…"

Freyja slashed her blade downwards, cutting his pants in two.

"There. Now you can stand up. So do it."

Freyja continued to keep her sword in place as Kakashi slowly got up off the ground. Once he did so, the aura around SuchīRushadou dissolved and she touched the back of her neck with the sword, placing it back into the storage seal she had tattooed there.

Just like Kakashi had done during the fight, Freyja eyed him suggestively as he stood there embarrassed, clad only in his underwear. "You know, you're really not that bad looking. Makes me wonder why you constantly hide behind that mask you wear. I'm guessing that I'm one of the few people who've actually seen your face without it?"

Kakashi blushed and nodded in agreement. He'd never been in a situation like this before, and he was unsure of what to do at the moment.

"I have to say that even though Gabriel gave me a handicap for the fight, you did a lot better than I thought you would… Kakashi."

His eyes opened a bit wider, startled that for the first time since she'd shown up in the village, she called him by his real name – and she hadn't done so mockingly either.

"A performance like that shouldn't go unrewarded," Freyja purred seductively as she moved her body closer to his. "And since I've seen you without your mask, I think it should be something just as important… and special…"

She slowly leaned in, bringing her lips tantalizingly close to his. Kakashi stood frozen, his heart beating wildly as he wondered if she was actually going to kiss him… but she continued past his lips, stopping when her cheek was a hair's breadth from his and her mouth was right beside his ear.

"Hanari." she whispered.

The shock from what just happened wore off and his eyes darted to the right, glancing at the side of her head in confusion.

"What?" he whispered back questioningly.

"Hanari. That's my real name." She pulled back, allowing him to see the smug grin plastered across her face. "Enjoy that little bit of information, because only a few people know it – it's as much a secret as what you look like without your mask." Her grin turned mischievous, almost playful. "I'll see you around the village, Kakashi." And just like two days ago, she moved fast enough to disappear instantly from everyone's sight.

Kakashi continued to stand dumbfounded in the middle of the clearing; his mind overloaded from Freyja almost kissing him and then telling him her real name. It was an extremely personal and private bit of information – something he wondered if Naruto even knew of – and it gave him a sense of uniqueness and empowerment. She'd given him something special and he wanted to savor it like a fine wine.

The fact that he was clad only in his underwear and sandals was nothing more than an afterthought on the fringes of his mind.

Kurenai and Guy were staring at Kakashi's practically naked form, but for vastly different reasons. Kurenai was simply enjoying the view, thinking that she was entitled to a little eye candy now and then, just like everyone else while Guy was thinking that Kakashi should cover himself up in the presence of Kurenai.

However, they were both silently shocked that Kakashi had lost the fight – especially in such an embarrassing manner, losing his clothes like that – along with being impressed by the display of speed and skills Freyja had put on today.

The silence between everyone stretched on for a full minute, with only the sound of the wind and the occasional cry of a bird echoing throughout the clearing until Guy decided to speak up.

"Kakashi, you should put some clothes on. Standing like that in front of a lady like Kurenai is unseemly for a former Hokage of Konoha."

Broken out of his reverie, Kakashi looked over at his two friends and saw Guy staring awkwardly at him, while Kurenai's eyes seemed to be both laughing and admiring him at the same time. And suddenly, he was VERY aware of where he was and his current state of dress – or undress, depending on how you looked at it. He shifted on his feet awkwardly, trying to position his body to where it might be less…revealing, but the effort was clearly in vain.

"I didn't bring a change of clothes with me, Guy. Having my entire outfit shredded to pieces wasn't something I thought might happen."

"Then you're in luck!" Guy declared, grinning broadly. Out of nowhere he produced a set of green spandex. "I always carry a spare outfit with me, just in case!"

Kakashi brought his hands up defensively and began to back away slowly. "Guy, I am NOT wearing that thing."

"You must! Not only will you become more presentable, but it will reignite your flames of youth that were undoubtedly diminished in your fight with the lovely lady Freyja!"

"My flames of youth are just fine, thanks. And I'd rather run around naked than be caught wearing that."

"Then you leave me no choice. I'm going to have to force you to wear it."

"I don't think so!" And Kakashi took off with Guy hot on his heels, waving the green spandex suit over his head while Kurenai watched the spectacle from her seat on the rock.

"Hey."

Kurenai jerked her head to the left, nearly jumping out of her skin in surprise. Freyja was standing there, staring at Guy chasing Kakashi around the clearing, just like she was.

"I don't think we've been properly introduced." Freyja turned her jade green eyes towards Kurenai and extended her hand. "Name's Freyja."

I still don't understand how the hell she can get that close without me being able to sense her. "Umm…Hello. I'm Kurenai." she said, shaking Freyja's hand.

Freyja jutted her chin toward the clearing. "That's quite a show going on out there."

Kurenai sighed in resignation. "Yes, it is. But if you knew the two of them like I do, you'd realize this is nothing new."

"Really? You'd count this as a regular occurrence?"

"Fate has presented you with this opportunity, Kakashi!" Guy shouted in glee, as he continued to chase Kakashi around with the spandex suit. "You'll surely feel the power of youth once you put this on!"

"The only thing that suit will make me feel is an incredible amount of self-loathing!"

"The two of them have been like this ever since they were young," Kurenai explained. "Guy declared Kakashi to be his 'eternal rival', so he challenges him to a contest any chance he gets. If Guy loses, he uses it as motivation to get better. His training regimens are some of the most insane things I've ever seen."

"You'd know better than I would about that. But you can't argue that his dress code is absolutely hideous." Freyja observed, repulsed by Guy's outfit. "I'd say that's one contest Kakashi will always win, hands down. Did you know he looked like that underneath his mask?"

Kurenai shook her head, not taking her eyes off of Kakashi. "No, I didn't. But I have to say, the view is very…stimulating. You do good work."

"Thanks."

Kurenai heard a rustling noise coming from her left, and then a bag was shoved in front of her face.

"Want some?" Freyja asked.

"Popcorn?" Kurenai asked, looking down at the bag. "Why do you have popcorn? And where did you get it?"

Freyja shoved a few kernels into her mouth. "Well, you always gotta be prepared for anything. I keep a bunch of things in a storage scroll just in case stuff happens. Popcorn is one of those things." She gestured her hand towards Guy and Kakashi before grabbing another handful of kernels. "And you can't watch something as entertaining as that without popcorn."

"The women won't be able to take their eyes off of you!" Guy declared.

"The women will go blind if they see me in that!" Kakashi shouted, horrified at the thought.

Kurenai looked at Freyja, who was tossing kernels of popcorn in her mouth. Then she turned to watch Guy, who was chasing Kakashi around the clearing trying to catch him, grinning like a schoolboy with the spandex suit in his hands. And finally she saw Kakashi, who was running from Guy wearing only his underwear and a pair of sandals, with a look of sheer terror on his face from what would happen if he ever got caught.

She mentally agreed that the sight was far too comical not to sit and enjoy it. Kurenai smiled happily, thinking that perhaps she had found a new friend and reached into the bag to grab a handful of kernels.

"You're right," she said, popping a few of them into her mouth. "You can't watch something as entertaining as this without popcorn."

---

At five thirty in the afternoon Freyja sauntered into the house. Her timing appeared to be perfect, because everyone was just sitting down to dinner. She went over to the table and plopped down in her seat.

"Look who decided to grace us with her presence," Naruto said nonchalantly, quirking an eyebrow. "You know, my judges never showed up at my office this afternoon. I'm guessing you had something to do with that."

Freyja gave him a lopsided sneer, snickering as she remembered the events from this afternoon. "Well, me and Kurenai watched Might Guy chase Kakashi around the training ground with one of those hideous green spandex suits of his for about an hour. We got bored and decided to go to a bar for some drinks after that."

Naruto shook his head in utter confusion after hearing Freyja' s explanation. "Why in the world was Guy chasing Kakashi around with one of his green spandex suits? Did something happen to his clothes during the fight?"

"Of course something happened," Freyja stabbed her thumb against her chest. "And you're looking at it."

"Freyja, what…what did you do to Kakashi's clothes?" Hinata inquired.

"I used my sword to shred them. By the time I was done, all he had left was his underwear and sandals." She grinned impishly at Naruto. "Thanks for the idea, by the way."

"What idea?"

"You said in your note that no one's ever seen Kakashi without his mask, so I just ran with that."

Naruto stared at Freyja, aghast at what she'd done. "How does seeing what Kakashi looks like underneath his mask translate to cutting off his entire outfit?"

Freyja shrugged indifferently. "You know I don't do anything halfway, Gabriel. I figured why settle for just a steak when I can have the whole side of beef?"

Naruto buried his face in his hands and groaned. The explanations he'd have to give the council and the paperwork he'd have to fill out were piling up in his mind – not to mention the new wave of revenge Kakashi was plotting against him.

"Besides, it all worked out in the end. Me and Kurenai got to see him in the buff, and he got some personal dirt on me in exchange." Freyja snorted sardonically and stared at Hinata. "You should have been there with us. He may not be in the same league as Gabriel here, but I gotta give him credit. He's a lot better looking than I thought he'd be."

Hinata blushed and looked away. "Thank you for the offer Freyja, but I'm perfectly happy with my husband."

"Eh. Your loss." Freyja said before she started piling food on her plate. Naruto pounced on the brief lull in the conversation and quickly decided to change the subject.

"So Hikaru, with everything that's been going on I realized something today – we haven't really talked about your mom being pregnant." Naruto stared at his son intently. "How do you feel about it?"

"I think it's great!" Hikaru said excitedly. "It'll be nice to finally have a little brother to hang out with and teach ninjutsu to and stuff."

"Don't you think you're getting a little ahead of yourself?" Naruto asked him. "You might just get a little sister instead."

Hikaru put down his chopsticks and stared impassively at his father. "Well, I could also get two little brothers."

Naruto mirrored his action, lowering his chopsticks as well. "Or two little sisters."

"Or I might get THREE brothers."

"Or three sisters."

"What if I got FOUR…"

"Stop right there, you two!" Freyja blurted out, pointing at one and then the other with her chopsticks. "If you keep this up, pretty soon you'll have Hinata giving birth to a litter of kids, just like an animal!"

Naruto and Hikaru stared blankly at Freyja for a moment before Naruto turned to look at Hinata. "Can you do that?" he asked questioningly.

Hinata blinked in confusion. "Can I do what?"

"You know…have like eight or nine kids at once." His expression was remarkably deadpan right now. "I mean, think about it – we ARE trying to restore two clans. Wouldn't it be better to have them all at once and get it over with? I wonder if there's a jutsu that can do that…"

Hinata couldn't tell if he was being serious or joking right now. "Y-You want me to have e-eight or n-nine children at once?" she stammered nervously.

"Ten, maximum." Naruto tapped his chin thoughtfully, as if he was considering the possibilities. "You know, if there IS a jutsu like that, I'll bet Tsunade knows how to do it – and let's face it, she'd LOVE more grandkids…"

Hinata stared at Naruto, her body frozen and what little color she had drained from her face. She couldn't believe what Naruto was suggesting right now… and Tsunade was sure to help him out, what with the promise of more grandkids and the fact that she still owed him a great debt…

A beached whale would look skinny compared to me…

Naruto watched the expression on Hinata's face change from disbelief to shock, but when he saw the look of abject horror that came over her face he couldn't hold back anymore and he started laughing.

"Oh, man! You should see the look on your face, Hinata-hime!" he chuckled. "You actually thought I was serious about you having that many kids at once! And when I mentioned Tsunade…"

Hinata's look turned sour and she slapped him across his arm playfully. "Naruto-kun! That wasn't funny! All I could think about was how fat and ugly I'd look!"

Naruto stopped laughing and gave her a quick kiss to mollify her. "I don't care what happens. You'll always look beautiful to me."

Hinata blushed again and a smile creased her lips. The silence that followed the exchange was apparently the signal to begin eating dinner, so Naruto and Hikaru picked up their chopsticks and joined everyone else. Their faces lit up as they took the first bite.

"Wow, Hinata! This is really great!" Naruto exclaimed, shoveling more pieces of sushi into his mouth. "Did you try something different?"

"Yes, I did. Actually, Ayame gave me the idea. I seared the tuna and dusted it with a mixture of some spices before putting it in. I was hoping it would make it better."

"Well, it sure did!" Hikaru said enthusiastically. "This might be the best sushi I've ever eaten!"

Upon hearing this, Reira looked slyly at Hikaru out of the corner of her eye. "You like it that much, Hikaru-kun?"

"Absolutely! No one cooks better than my mom does!"

Reira dropped her gaze to stare absently at her plate, her thoughts seemingly far away as she pushed the rolls of sushi around with her chopsticks.

"Miss Hinata?" Reira asked tentatively, raising her head to look at the woman whose home she had been living in for the past two months.

"Yes, Reira?"

"Could you teach me how to cook?"

Hinata stopped eating and looked at the girl in surprise. "You…You want me to teach you how to cook? What about your mom?"

Reira shook her head. "Hikaru-kun just said he thinks your food is the best, not my mom's. So I think he'd like it if I could cook like you for when we get married."

Unfortunately, the comment was made while Naruto was eating sushi and Hikaru was drinking some water. Both of them started choking, coughing and sputtering as they tried to clear their throats. Everyone was staring at Reira, flabbergasted at what the girl had just announced without one iota of discomfort.

Everyone that is, except for Freyja who continued to eat her sushi with a self-satisfied smirk on her face – signifying she already knew about this.

"Did…Did I just hear you correctly, Reira?" Hinata asked, still a bit stunned. "Did you just say you and Hikaru were going to get married?"

She nodded ardently. "I sure did, miss Hinata. But only when we're old enough, of course."

"Of course," Hinata agreed casually, humoring the young girl. "But don't you think you're a little young to be making a decision like this?"

She shook her head. "No, not really. I'm going to be six in a few weeks. Besides, miss Hanabi told me that you were my age when you started stalking mister Naruto and decided to marry him."

The sunny, amused look disappeared from Hinata's face and she grimaced at Reira. "I did NOT stalk my husband, young lady."

Reira tilted her head to the side, perplexed by the statement. "But miss Hanabi said you did. She said you used to hide behind trees, and rocks, and in alleyways…then there was that one time you used the dumpster next to Ichiraku Ramen because mister Naruto left the restaurant unexpectedly and you didn't have anyplace else to hide. You ruined your jacket that day and had to throw it out. And then there was the time that Kō person caught you using your Byakugan outside the bathhouse when mister Naruto was the only one inside…"

"Alright, that's enough!" Hinata shouted, as Naruto and Hikaru stared at her in bewilderment. Both of them knew Hinata had followed Naruto around when he was younger, but neither of them knew she had been that…dedicated.

"Tomorrow I'll be talking with my sister about this, because I did NOT stalk Naruto-kun. I merely…followed him around, to make sure he was okay. He didn't have a lot of people who cared about his wellbeing when we were younger, so I…I took it upon myself to make sure nothing bad happened to him. That's all."

"Um, Mom?" Hikaru asked hesitantly. "Isn't what you just said the definition of…"

Naruto clapped his hand over Hikaru's mouth, silencing him instantly. His eyes bored into his son's with a subtle, yet simple message…

Unless you feel like being grounded for the next twelve months, you won't finish that sentence.

"What were you going to say, sweetie?" Hinata asked with a dangerous glint in her eyes.

Naruto removed his hand, watching as Hikaru's eyes darted between Hinata's deceptively catty smile and his own apprehensive look.

It was at that point Hikaru had an epiphany and learned a very valuable life lesson…

Sometimes…not always, but sometimes honesty isn't the best policy.

"Uh, nothing Mom." he said, putting on an air of innocence. "Nothing at all."

"Good. I'm glad we settled that." Hinata went back to eating her dinner, while Naruto lowered his head sheepishly before joining her. Hikaru's eyes were now darting between his mother and Reira with a bemused look on his face, along with a decent amount of trepidation. Reira was staring at Hikaru with an adoring, yet mysterious smile and Freyja was watching everyone, grinning like the cat that ate the canary and thinking as far as entertainment value goes, this almost topped the show today at training ground twenty-six.

After a few minutes where the only sound that could be heard was chopsticks clinking against plates, Hinata spoke up again.

"I did NOT stalk my husband."

Everyone remained quiet thinking that at this point, no answer would be the best answer. But they all wondered who Hinata was trying to convince by saying something like that out loud – because nobody else was gullible enough to believe it.

---

The next day Naruto summoned Kurenai and Might Guy into his office first thing in the morning to get their summary and opinion of the fight. Overall, both were beyond impressed with Freyja – especially her kenjutsu skills and the fact that she was able to perform one handed seals, as well as enact earth jutsu by using her feet in addition to her hands.

Kurenai of course gave him details about how Freyja had cut off Kakashi's clothes, leaving him practically nude save for his underwear and sandals. Kurenai also made a point of telling him how she and Freyja watched Guy chase Kakashi around the clearing for a solid hour with one of his spandex jumpsuits before leaving to go to a bar for some drinks.

Guy gave his own interpretation of the fight – of course, he embellished quite a bit of the tale and more than once they had to cut him off because he got sidetracked with one of his 'flames of youth' speeches. But he DID add that when he finally caught Kakashi, it turned out to be a shadow clone that his eternal rival had somehow swapped places with at some point during the chase…meaning that Kakashi had won another contest. And since he was so impressed with Freyja and her speed, he planned on challenging her to a fight later on that week to see if he could beat her with four or five of his gates opened.

The images that ran through his mind at that point – of Freyja having to submit to Might Guy if she actually lost to him in a fight – sent a shiver down Naruto's spine that lingered for quite some time, despite how hot the day was. He told Guy that he was NOT to challenge Freyja to a fight until Naruto gave him the all clear, which hopefully would be after Kakashi – or honestly, anyone else for that matter – staked a claim to Freyja' s relationship status.

At the council meeting on Wednesday, Naruto made his plea for using a special exemption on Freyja to promote her directly to jōnin. Along with his endorsement from working with her over the past several years, he made sure Kurenai and Guy were there to give their unbiased opinions as well.

They provided an exceptional amount of detail regarding the fight, giving Freyja several glowing recommendations to support Naruto's request – although the one thing the entire council focused on was how Freyja managed to strip Kakashi of his clothes using nothing but her sword. And it wasn't because they were shocked, but rather that they wanted to know what he looked like underneath his mask.

Both Kurenai and Guy paled at the request, saying they couldn't tell anyone what they saw under penalty of Kurama.

Quite a few people in the chamber asked what that meant – and they both glanced at Naruto, who grinned and explained that for those who didn't know, Kurama was the real name of the Kyuubi. He also made sure to tell everyone that going forward, Kurama was not to be referred to as 'that fox demon' since if it wasn't for Kurama lending Naruto his power, they would have lost the fourth shinobi war so addressing him properly didn't seem like too much to ask.

He then explained what 'under penalty of Kurama' meant.

When he had Guy and Kurenai in his office last Saturday, he told them that if he ever found out they leaked what Kakashi looked like underneath his mask, he'd order the two of them to have a 'friendly' sparring match with Kurama. He didn't mention Freyja because he knew that with her involvement in the Mienai Segi, she had no problems keeping a secret – plus, Kakashi knew one of hers so there was no chance she'd ever say anything.

Naruto then punctuated his statement by allowing Kurama to personally tell the two jōnin how EAGER he was to see that happen, actually encouraging them to tell someone the secret so he could have some 'fun' as he called it chasing them around one of the training grounds for a few hours.

So Kurenai and Guy told the council in no uncertain terms that they wouldn't be talking about that particular subject. EVER.

The request was approved, and Naruto brought Freyja in the next day for a small promotion ceremony. Kurenai, Guy and Kakashi were all there to witness it, and he noticed that Kakashi was stealing glances at Freyja every so often when he thought no one was watching. Naruto hoped Kakashi addressed the issue soon rather than suffer in silence – it was something both he and Hinata were very familiar with, and he didn't wish an experience like that on anyone else.

Sasuke informed him on Thursday that Sakura was now starting sessions three days a week with Tsunade to address her 'issues' concerning Naruto, and he hoped that this would lead to the apologies Sasuke was expecting her to give everyone that was affected by the situation with Hikaru. Sakura was his wife and the mother of his child, he loved her and would support her whenever she needed it, but this was one instance where Sakura had been far beyond wrong and had hurt many others in the process – and Sasuke knew from personal experience exactly what that was like. Things needed to return to normal between Sakura and Hinata – it couldn't remain like this, and Sakura needed to be the catalyst for things to move forward.

Naruto found some time on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday to sit with Hikaru and work on the caged bird seal. Even though it wasn't anything particularly exciting – he'd much rather be training or going to the park – it was nice to spend time with his son. He just wished the time they spent together wasn't on something so boring, yet vastly important.

Naruto was quickly understanding Hikaru's frustration with the whole project, since they kept going in circles. A solution led to another problem, with led to another solution, which led to another problem…and if you couple that with how long Hikaru had been working on it before Naruto discovered his involvement… well, he was tempted to let his son take a small break from it all. But then he remembered what this was all for, plus it was designed to be a punishment for stealing the caged bird seal brand and torturing Hiashi. And even if he offered it he didn't think Hikaru would take the break anyway, since he'd adopted Naruto's nindō and wasn't going to go back on his promise of helping out Neji, Tenten and their future child.

Which brought him to the next phase of his plan… one he knew that should be addressed sooner rather than later, since it would defer suspicion on himself, Hiashi and Neji if he did so. He resolved to put things into motion on Saturday, even though neither Naruto nor Hikaru were anywhere close to cracking the seal.

He just hoped Hiashi would agree to it.

---

"Hokage-sama?" Mina asked, knocking before opening the door to his office. "Hiashi-sama is here as you requested."

"Thank you, Mina. Show him in, please."

Mina stepped aside and Hiashi walked in. "Your ANBU messenger said you needed to see me, Naruto?"

"That's right, Hiashi." Naruto said, gesturing to the chair in front of him. "Have a seat. Would you like some tea?"

"Yes, thank you." Hiashi accepted, gazing at Naruto suspiciously. Considering their history, the current Hokage was acting far too pleasant towards him and he couldn't help but wonder why.

Mina nodded and left to get the tea, closing the door behind her. An uncomfortable tension came over the room with Hiashi wondering what this could be about while Naruto gave his father-in-law a crafty smile, implying something was up.

"I appreciate you coming right away, Hiashi. I was wondering – you haven't been by the house to see Hinata and Hikaru since our conversation almost two weeks ago. Is there a reason why?"

Hiashi narrowed his eyes at Naruto. "I've simply been busy with clan matters," he said, still slightly on guard. "Why do you ask? Were you expecting me to come over and talk with the two of them by now?"

Naruto shook his head, apparently somewhat amused by the comment. "Not particularly, Hiashi. However, I just figured that if you were really interested in becoming more involved in your grandchildren's lives, you might want to do it before Hinata, Hanabi and Tenten actually give birth. I think repairing your relationship with them should be first and foremost. That's all."

Taken aback by Naruto's honest yet blunt comment, Hiashi let his guard down a bit and sighed heavily, rubbing his forehead wearily.

"While your statement may be a bit brusque, you make a valid point Naruto. However, I simply don't have the time. Between dealing with business matters for the clan both inside and outside the village, keeping the elders in check and managing the daily activities for the compound my days are filled. Right now, a full night of uninterrupted sleep would be a welcome gift."

At that point Mina walked back into the office, carrying a tray with a pot of tea and two cups on it. She poured some in both cups before bowing and leaving the office.

Naruto picked up the cup closest to him, taking a sip of tea and savoring the flavor. Being Hokage, he had access to high quality leaves that were far better than what he could buy at the local market. "Then in that case, I'd like to ask a favor of you. One that will allow you to spend more time with everyone, and establish a decent foundation for your future as a grandfather."

Hiashi quirked an eyebrow and picked up his cup of tea. "You've piqued my interest, Naruto. What's this favor you wish to ask of me?"

"I want you to retire as head of the Hyūga clan…and name Neji as your successor."

---

A/N: So one more piece of credit where credit is due: Freyja's real name came from several suggestions from OGAFazer89AC and bennie403. Every single one was great, and the name 'Hinari' was a combination of them all. Thank you guys for your input!

Now, I know I'm going to see some reviews that said the story didn't move forward very much here - and you're right, which is probably why I agonized over writing it for so long. Chapters like this are needed sometimes in a story but they seriously drive me nuts. I want the story to advance as much as you guys, and I promise next chapter it will. There's so much to tell!

Now that we've hit the tipping point for Kakashi and Freyja, I will say that things will be resolved between the two of them very soon. Hikaru will now be wary of Reira - not that it'll matter. And there's more to come with Hikaru and the caged bird seal.

Sakura will reappear as she works out her issues. Sasuke and his personality will thaw just a little bit more. And more surprises will be around the corner for both Naruto...and Saladin.

As usual, I'm reminding everyone that Mina Mikon is the OC of MattWilson83. 'Nuff said.

Recommendation time! My readers should expect a theme here - I'm going to continue to recommend great stories that don't have that many followers, simply because the writing is superb and they deserve more recognition than they're getting. This one was recommended by Lu Lu-Chan25 and Ayrmed in their wonderful stories (take some time and read them - please!) and it's definitely worth a look.

With that in mind, please check out For the Love of the Hokage by Hendrixson. It takes a different approach on our favorite love story, where the entire thing is told from Hinata's first person point of view. There's no fighting, no angst - just Naruto and Hinata exploring their growing feelings for each other. It's a very emotional and touching story that I enjoy reading over and over. If you DO happen to read it, please put the story on your favorite/follow list and leave the author a review. I'm sure he'd appreciate it.

Here's the link, as usual remove the spaces and you know what to replace the stars with:

www . fanfiction . *** / s / 10287521

REVIEWS! Okay, so I got almost fifty reviews last chapter and I appreciate every one that was left. I'm hoping to generate more reviews than that with this chapter so as usual, I'm pleading for more reviews. They keep me from pushing this story aside and drive me to write more chapters. I need your help and support with this - leaving guest reviews for myself would just be too creepy (and it would be cheating, besides.)

I always appreciate when people take some time and leave me a review, and I do my best to reply personally to each and every one...and remember as always, the more reviews you leave the faster the next chapter gets out.

That's all for now. Take care and stay safe.

Serious Sam