It had been almost two years since Hanara was sent off to the Cryptanalysis team, and she was liking it. She wasn't always stuck in there decoding codes, because if she was, she would have definitely gone insane. Besides, she also took the Jonin exams one month ago and passed, so life wasn't just missions and decoding.

Right now, Hanara was taking a stack of the newly decoded codes to the Hokage's Office so that she could check them over and place them in the Archives.

Knock knock.

"Come in!" Lady Tsunade answered.

Hanara took in the people in the room, finding Sakura, Shizune, Shikamaru, Jiraiya and Naruto.

Wait, Jiraiya and Naruto?

'Oh. They're back... things are going to get hectic. Isn't there a war that begins with this? I- I need to prepare, or I'm going to die young. Again. But what do I prepare for...? Uhhh, think about this later, Hana. You're in public!'

"Hi Naruto, Sakura, Shikamaru, Temari, Jiraiya," she greeted, not paying much attention to their conversation as she walked up to Tsunade's desk and dropped off a stack of papers.

"How do you get through all these so fast?" Tsunade groaned.

"Secret," she responded with a small grin before turning to Naruto, "So, you're back, huh? Did that old pervert teach you anything?"

"You better believe it!" Naruto cheered, "I'm back and stronger than ever!"

"Look at you," Shikamaru smiled, "Who'd ever believe that you're the same idiotic-"

Hanara snorted, 'Great use of tact.'

"Well, I mean, you've changed, haven't you?" he said, taking in Naruto's new appearance.

'I bet he only changed his outfit because it got destroyed or something.'

"You bet I have!"

"He hasn't changed one bit," Sakura sighed.

Shikamaru slumped, "I didn't think so."

"We better get used to his loudness then," Hanara remarked.

"Give me a break, Sakura," Naruto groaned.

"Hey, does that mean you're my opponent, Shikamaru?" Naruto asked after a moment of silence.

"Opponent? What are you talking about? I just came here to drop off some paperwork," Shikamaru responded.

Naruto turned to Hanara, but she cut him off.

"I'm not your opponent, for whatever it is you're on about."

"Then... is it... uh, what's your name again?" Naruto asked, turning to Temari.

Hanara facepalmed, "Even if you don't remember her, look at her headband. Lady Tsunade wouldn't give you a foreign shinobi for an opponent."

Temari growled, "You don't remember me?"

'He only saw you in the Chunin Exams while he knew us since we were children. It makes sense, I guess.'

"You won't find your opponent here, Naruto," Tsunade sighed, "He's outside."

"Eh? I'm not fighting a tree or something, right?"

'Oh, honestly.'

"Just go look," Shikamaru groaned.

Naruto looked out the window and found Kakashi. After catching up for a bit, Naruto rummaged through his pouch and pulled out a book. A pervy Make-Out Paradise book.

"No way!" Kakashi exclaimed, "Is that- Is that really-"

"The first issue of the 'Make-Out' series in three years," Naruto stated proudly.

Kakashi grabbed the book and stared at it with stars in his eyes.

"Pretty boring if you ask me," Naruto shrugged, "But I know you like this stuff, so..."

Kakashi slowly started to open the book, acting like it was the most precious thing in the universe.

"Woah," he laughed giddily.

'Damn, he's acting like a child in a toy shop.'

"Oh, and by the way, sensei, I got Pervy Sage to sign the book," Naruto added.

"You better be happy with that," Jiraiya hollered from inside the office.

Kakashi continued to read the new book, giggles escaping his mouth from time to time.

"Calm down, Kakashi, this is no time to be fooling around." Tsunade sighed, looking just about done with her ninja.

Hanara didn't blame her, but she couldn't blame Kakashi, Naruto, and Jiraiya, either.

Kakashi closed his new book and stood up, finally serious.

"Hmm?" Naruto hummed confusedly, "Oh! Does that mean you're my opponent?"

"Well, you're half right," Kakashi said, walking inside the office through the window.

"Huh? Half right?" Naruto asked.

"It's been a long time, hasn't it, Sakura?" Kakashi said, looking at the pinkette.

"Yes, it has, sensei."

"So, as to who my opponent will be," Kakashi said, shooting them a closed eye smile, "It's Naruto and Sakura. The two of you."

"The two of us at once?" Naruto exclaimed, "Can you even handle that, sensei?"

'I'd hope so. If he couldn't, well then, they both deserve to be in the Bingo Books.'

"That's right," Lady Tsunade affirmed, "How well you do will determine your future status in the village."

"My future status..." Naruto echoed.

The wheels in Hanara's mind were spinning, 'Are they gonna get a promotion? Or is this going to determine their future teams? Maybe a position offer? Naruto is still a Genin.'

"So, shall we get started?" Kakashi asked them.

"Huh? Start what?" Naruto questioned.

"Idiot." Sakura facepalmed.

"Okay, you're right," Kakashi started, a devious gleam in his eyes, "You just got back, Naruto, you must be tired. We'll give you a chance to rest, first."

"Ehhhh? I'm not tired! I'm ready to go right now!" Naruto exclaimed.

"No, both of you take it easy," Kakashi insisted, "Meet me at the training grounds tomorrow."

And he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

'Oh boy, he's way too excited to read that book.'

"Well, that's odd, isn't it?" Shizune commented.

"Yeah, he seemed in a bit of a hurry, and I have a good idea why," Lady Tsunade said, exasperated.

"That book," Shikamaru said suddenly.

Naruto growled, "I can't believe him!"

"That explains the gleam in his eye," Sakura sighed.


Naruto, Sakura, Hanara, Shikamaru, and Temari walked outside the office, still listening to Naruto's loud complaints. Feeling bad for Sakura, Hanara decided to accompany her and Naruto, who were walking ahead of Shikamaru and Temari.

"It's like he cares more about that stupid book than our training!" Naruto exclaimed, "I shouldn't have given it to him..."

"Well, look on the bright side." Hanara started, "Now you can create a battle plan with Sakura."

Naruto looked like he hated that idea, and didn't respond, instead smirking slyly and to falling behind Sakura.

Curious, Hanara did the same thing.

"Are you two going out or what?" Naruto asked, jabbing Shikamaru with his elbow.

'I'd hope not, because he asked me two weeks ago.' Hanara thought, putting a hand over her mouth in an attempt to muffle her giggles.

From in front of them, Sakura turned around and looked shocked. She put her hands on her hips and started to angrily march towards Naruto.

"Not even close, idiot," Shikamaru said lazily, saving Naruto from Sakura's wrath.

"Hah," Temari snorted, "You've got to be joking. As if I would even."

Naruto looked at them confusedly, "Then why are you here?"

"The Chunin Exams are about to start, so I've been running back and forth from your village to mine to get ready for them," Temari said.

"Yeah, that's right. It's a drag, but I'm her escort. And, don't ask how it's happened but I've been put in charge of organizing the Chunin Exams." Shikamaru added.

"And this idiot nominated me to come up with the first exam," Hanara sighed, "Getting me out of paperwork only to put me in charge of even more paperwork..."

"Getting you out of paperwork...?" Naruto trailed off.

"I'm a part of the Cryptanalysis Team," seeing Naruto's confused face, she elaborated, "Decoding without the code."

"Anyway, what are you going to do?" Shikamaru asked.

"About what?" Naruto asked, "What do you mean?"

"What do think?" Hanara asked rhetorically, "The Chunin Exams! You're the only one in our year that isn't a Chunin. Everyone is but you."

"Huh?" Naruto yelled, "That means- even you? Sakura, you've been made a Chunin?"

Sakura chuckled, "That's right!"

"Oh you haven't heard the half of it," Shikamaru added, "Kankuro, Neji, Temari, and even Hanara here have taken it one step further. They've already been made Jonin."

Naruto stared at Temari and Hanara in shock.

"Oh, that was only recently," Hanara laughed sheepishly, feeling a bit uncomfortable under Naruto's gaze, "Like, a month ago recent. I only took the exam after Neji, Temari, and Kankuro passed."

"What about Gaara?" Naruto questioned suddenly, "What's he."

Shikamaru, Sakura, Temari, and Hanara exchanged uncertain glances.

"Gaara's the Kazekage," Shikamaru replied.

"I see," Naruto said a bit sadly, "So Gaara was named Kazekage," the fire was back in his eyes, "That's great! I'm happy for him! That just proves that one day, I can be Hokage too, you know!"

'You know, I missed his unrelenting optimism.' Hanara thought, shaking her head with a fond smile on her lips.


Later that day, Hanara sat at her desk with a brush in her hand. She dipped the brush in a pot of ink and began writing on a blank scroll.

To whomever it may concern,

If you're reading this, either you searched my room without my permission and got through all the traps, or despite all my efforts, I'm dead before I could try and change whatever I know.

There's a lot of things that I never told anyone because it would have a Yamanaka in my head before I could elaborate. And, I suppose, since I'm dead, I should tell you. If it's 'Maru, Ino, Choji, Neji, or Asuma-sensei that's reading this (and I really hope it is), it's not that I didn't tell you because I thought I couldn't trust you. In the beginning, yes, that was the case, but I can say wholeheartedly as I write this (the day Naruto came back if you must know) I wish I could because I do trust you. But, I'm afraid, that if I tell you, I'll want to tell everyone. And, if I do that, my life will be in danger, despite how little I know in actuality.

I'm sure you've noticed the smaller scrolls that were in here when you first unrolled this one. They're all for different people, as you should be able to tell by the backs. Whoever is reading this, please give them to the people they're addressed to. After that, please burn this scroll and tell the others to burn their scrolls.

Sincerely,

Hanara Hyuga, Jonin of the Hidden Leaf Village

She sighed and pulled out around ten smaller scrolls.

This is where everything hellish began if what she saw and remembered was correct. She didn't want another war to break out, especially not a war full of people that should be dead. If that meant that she might die early and as a result, reveal her past to everyone, so be it. The people in this world have become important to her, and if there's one thing that Hana Lashi and Hanara Hyuga have in common, it's the desire to protect anyone close to their hearts.