PRE-AUTHOR'S NOTES
Hello everyone, did you miss me? Cause I certainly missed all of you. Several months ago, I released this story, and asked all of you (my wonderful readers of the world) if you'd like to see this (former) one shot become an actual story and I'll admit the sheer number of response shocked me. I've always been a huge fan of feedback and ya'll gave it in spades in the form of reviews, messages, favorites, and follows. So because of all of you, you're all awesome by the way, I've decided to make this an actual story. I promise to do my best to give ya'll a story that, I hope, each and every one of you will enjoy reading!
The Following Evening
Hokage's office
"Done." Naruto grumbled as he finished writing on a piece of paper only to have it snatched away; much to his annoyance.
"Come on Shikamaru, do you really have to do that every time?" The blond headed shinobi complained from behind the Hokage's desk, thick stacks of paperwork to his left and right.
"I know it's troublesome but Lord Hokage ordered me to review everything you did." Shikamaru tiredly explained while swiftly reviewing the piece of paper." Just because you're the one doing the work doesn't mean we're off the hook if you mess up." The Nara calmly finished, placing the paper on the stack to Naruto's right indicating it was complete.
"At least let me do these requisition forms in peace." Naruto pleaded raising his hands in frustration. "What harm could I do with those?"
The paperwork was bad enough, never mind the fact that he wasn't allowed to use his clones to help him or that Shikamaru made him redo the entire page if even one letter seemed out of place.
"Last time I did that you got Torture and Interrogation's requisition mixed up with the form from Kabuto's Orphanage." Shikamaru calmly reminded while leaning back against the far wall.
"Why do you have to keep bringing that up?" Naruto whined, taking another piece of paper from the stack to his left and began to fill it out. "Ibiki even told me he appreciated the children's toys they got, said it brightened things up."
"Yeah but Kabuto wasn't as excited about the weapons and instruments of torture we sent him, he even said the next time he might even use a few of them." Shikamaru countered. "So, I'm reviewing everything. No buts."
"Ah Fine!" Naruto yelled dramatically. "But I still don't see why Kakashi-sensei's making me do this. He promised he'd help train me to be the next Hokage but all he's done lately is make me do paperwork while he goes off doing…whatever it is Kakashi-sensei does."
"One thing I've learned about being his advisor Naruto, there's more to do around here then we would've ever expected." Shikamaru said. "It's a real drag but running our village is even more troublesome because of its size. It requires a lot of work."
"Your telling me." Naruto replied with a tired sigh as he finally finished the form. "Done." He said only to have it swiftly snatched away again.
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"I can't tell you what an honor it is for you to visit Lord Hokage." Iruka greeted with a polite bow just outside his classroom.
"Come on Iruka stop being so formal." Kakashi said while motioning his hands in a placating manner. "As far as I'm concerned I'm still just Kakashi."
"Still what brings you this way?" Iruka questioned. "We've already released all the students for the day."
"All of them?" Kakashi asked with a raised brow.
"Well…All but one." Iruka said in understanding.
"I'd like to see him." Kakashi politely requested before quickly adding. "Quietly."
Iruka nodded and silently moved to his classroom door and motioned for Kakashi to peek inside. The Kage moved behind the instructor, gazed into the classroom, and spotted no less than 6 Naruto's, all shadow clones, studying different textbooks and talking amongst themselves.
"So he's still going at it strong I see." Kakashi murmured just loud enough for Iruka to hear as he moved away from the door. "How much has he learned?"
"It's incredible really." Iruka bragged with mixed pride and excitement. "He's devoted himself in ways I've never seen before, he's here nearly every day or at least several of his clones are. They each learn, talk and give each other advice and when they disperse Naruto has full knowledge of all they learned."
"He's advancing that quickly?" Kakashi asked, he was more than a bit shocked that the amount of information the clones sent him upon dispersal didn't overwhelm the kids mind.
"But then again what can be more shocking than Naruto Uzumaki." He thought to himself as Iruka answered.
"He really is." Iruka assured. "He's already finishing our most advanced material." Iruka explained with pride. "I was worried receiving so much information would hurt him at first, but he's taken it in stride. I know I told you when I started teaching him 6 months ago that he'd need at least 2 years but at the rate he's going he'll be done in a month; two at the most."
"It truly is a jutsu only he could master." Kakashi said to himself as he felt his own sense of pride in his former student soar.
"Lord Hokage?" Iruka questioned as Kakashi suddenly turned to leave.
"Thank you for your help Iruka." Kakashi said as he gave a backwards wave. "You've given me a lot to think about."
As Kakashi made his way outside the school he couldn't help but notice the fast setting sun in the distance.
"It's this late in the evening already?" Kakashi questioned to himself as he stared into the sunset. "Time really does fly when your busy doing work for the good of the village."
Sighing to himself, Kakashi quickly determined his quickest route back to the office. "I'd better go relieve Naruto, he's likely killing himself over that work I left him." He thought to himself while beginning a beeline to the office; however, just as soon as his march began it quickly stopped as he changed directions. "Of course, taking the longer route around the village would allow me to mingle with the public which is also one of the core duties a Hokage must fulfill."
Besides, I'd hate to rob our future Hokage of any training that would help him fulfill his duties. This is for the good of the village after all. Kakashi mentally reasoned with a masked grin as he greeted and talked to passerby's in the streets.
Those people would later swear that they'd never seen the Hokage so happy.
(4 hours later)
"Done, it's all finally done." Naruto said exhaustingly as he collapsed on the desk.
"Yep, looks like that's it for today." Shikamaru agreed in a bored tone as he reviewed the last piece of paper and placed it on the now oversized stack of paperwork on the floor just to the right of the desk.
"First thing I'm doing after becoming Hokage is banning paperwork." Naruto grumbled not moving his head off the desk. "It's a bigger threat than Akatsuki, Madara, and instant ramen combined."
"It was troublesome." Shikamaru agreed as he stifled a yawn with his hand and checked the clock on the far wall. "Looks like it's just past midnight."
"I'd better-"The Nara began only to be interrupted by the door opening, as he turned around he saw the familiar red and white robes of the person who actually owned the desk Naruto had collapsed on.
"Lord Hokage." He greeted smoothly as Naruto's head shot up and glared at the man in the doorway.
"Yo." Kakashi flippantly replied to his most trusted advisor and flashed a covered grin at his seemingly enraged student.
"Don't yo me you masked pervert!" Naruto said with renewed energy. "Where've you been for the last 16 hours?"
"Now Naruto I thought of all people you would respect the large amount of work expected of a Hokage." Kakashi replied in a mockingly kind tone.
"For the last 16 hours?" Naruto questioned
"Well no, not really. You see on my way back." Kakashi trailed off while scratching the side of his face, with his eyes closed.
"Well?" Naruto impatiently asked.
"I simply got lost on the path of life." Kakashi answered causing Naruto to fall sideways unto the floor.
"5 years. You've used that same excuse for 5 years." Naruto said from the floor.
"I like to stick to the classics." Kakashi replied as he moved forward and looked to Shikamaru while Naruto recovered. "So what's the situation."
"Naruto did all the day's paperwork correctly, including half of tomorrow's paperwork that you requested be done today." Shikamaru replied causing Naruto to fall back down again with both his eyes and mouth gaping.
"Yo-you made me do tomorrow's paperwork to!?" Naruto questioned to himself in a voice that sounded more horrified than angry. "Y-you bast-"
"Good, good." Kakashi replied to Shikamaru while cutting off Naruto's rant. Turning his attention back towards the blond, he gave another closed eye smile. "We're all so lucky that the village will one day be in your capable hands, right Naruto?"
Whatever insults Naruto thought of hurling at the masked ninja quickly died in his throat as the hidden meaning behind his words. Calming down Naruto crossed his arms and replied evenly. "I had a lot of help."
"Even so you did great. Why don't you head on home and relax? Next time I promise to show some of the other duties to being Hokage. No paperwork." Kakashi promised as Naruto nodded.
"Alright but you owe me dinner at Ichiraku Ramen for this." Naruto said as he began to walk out. "Night Sensei, Shkamaru." He finished as he walked out the door and closed it behind him.
"Well that was surprising." Shikamaru said to himself as he looked at the door and back at Kakashi who had begun to move to his desk.
Kakashi walked to his desk, sat down quietly and waited a few minutes to ensure Naruto had left before turning to Shikamaru who stood just in front of the desk.
"How did he really do?" The masked nin asked, all traces of humor fading away.
"He completed the work." Shikamaru said simply with a shrug. "Aside from a little troublesome whining about me checking everything he did it without incident."
"That's what I thought." Kakashi said as he placed a hand under his chin in deep thought. "I can remember a time when he wouldn't sit still for a second and spent more time complaining about doing something like paperwork than actually doing it. He's really calmed down a lot since I met him"
"He's matured, there's no doubt about that." Shikamaru agreed. "But he's still the same unpredictable knuckle headed ninja I remember from the academy."
"That he is." Kakashi agreed with a laugh. "But between this and what Iruka said I think it's time I escalated my plans a bit."
"You mean-" Shikamaru asked, his eyes widening in surprise.
"I've decided to allow him to take the Jonin exams." Kaksahi interrupted. "They're scheduled to be held in 2 months, right? Plenty of time for him to finish his studies and prepare."
"Hm, it's bothersome." Shikamaru jokingly complained with a smile. "he'll be unbearable once he hears about it."
"I suppose that's what it means to sacrifice for the greater good." Kakashi joked back as he turned around and looked out his oversized window.
Minato-Sensei, Lady Kushina you'd be proud of him.
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THE FOLLWING DAY
TenTen POV
TenTen woke up with a yawn and quick stretch followed by checking all her weapons, which took much longer than most nins did due to the sheer amount she used, and got dressed. After that she quickly ate breakfast and rushed out the door in the direction of the shopping district.
"I promised Naruto I'd meet him at Ichiraku Ramen at 2pm so I should get everything else taken care of by then." Tenten thought to herself as she grabbed a few items from several of the different stores lined up on either side of the main road, paid for them, and headed for the mountain holding the Kage faces.
"Still it's not like I have a lot to do today, and yesterday was mostly uneventful." She thought as she ran along the buildings with a bag of groceries and quickly ran up the mountain with chakra induced speed. As she finally made it to the top of the 5th Hokages stone face she made her way to the surrounding forest and then towards a small waterfall several dozen yards within.
As she made it to the waterfall she knelt near the bank of the water and picked several of the small ,wild yellow flowers growing around there, flowers that literally grew all over the village; however, she had only ever come here because that's where he had always gotten them.
"Besides" Tenten reasoned. "It's not like it's as much trouble as it was when I was a genin."
After ensuring she had gotten enough of the special flower she smiled in satisfaction and quickly made her way back down the mountain and towards the hospital's special recovery ward where many of the disabled ninja resided.
"Tenten! Thank goodness it's you!" A brown-haired nurse yelled much to the other's shock.
"Uh hello AimEEE!" Tenten yelled as the nurse practically began dragging her towards her sensei's room.
"I'm so glad you're here. Mr. Gai has barricaded himself in his room and claimed that something terrible has happened to him. We tried to send in doctors but he won't let anyone in saying it's too horrible to watch. I've sent for Lady Tsunade and Lady Haruno but maybe he'll at least open the door for you so we can diagnose him before they arrive." The nurse explained in a frantic pace as she continued to drag Tenten until they reached a room on the far side of the facility.
"Ow." Tenten complained as she stretched the released arm and then double checked her items to make sure nothing had been lost along the way. She gave a sigh of relief when she saw everything was accounted for only to notice the several pensive looking doctors and nurses either looking at her or the doorway leading to her sensei's room.
"Um…hi?" Tenten said lamely to the doctors before the brown-haired nurse grabbed her again.
"Please Tenten get him to open the door so we can help him!"
"Don't worry Aime." Tenten said with a smile. "I think I know what's wrong with Sensei and I should be able to help him make a full recovery."
"R-really?" The nurse asked. "But he-"
"It's a recurring illness of his or at least he thinks it is." Tenten said as she made her way to the door. "You know how…eccentric Gai-Sensei can be sometimes. Just tell Sakura and Lady Tsunade that I've got if covered."
"Y-yes Ma'am." Aime said as she took off while TenTen knocked on Gai's door.
"Go away!" A male voice replied. "Run fast or bear witness to the unbearable horror and disfiguration that has fallen upon me."
"Hey Gai-Sensei it's me TenTen!" Tenten yelled as she knocked on the door again. "Open up I came to visit you."
"No Tenten!" Gai called out dramatically. "I couldn't bear for you to see me this way. I'd rather you remember me for the youthful man I was instead of this, this monster."
"And I brought flowers." Tenten continued completely ignoring her sensei's antics.
"F-flowers?' Came Gai's timid reply.
"Yep your favorite yellow one's. You know from the waterfall." Tenten said before several loud noises could be heard from the other side and the door slightly opened enough for Gai's hand to reach out.
"Please Tenten, l-let me see." Gai emotionally said. "Let me know that it's really true."
"Here comes the sunsets" Tenten thought with a smirk as she handed him the bag filled with groceries and flowers.
As the door quickly shut she heard water running and other loud noises come from the room. "I also got you those other things you wanted." Tenten yelled over the loud noise before the door burst wide open revealing Might Gai in a wheelchair and smile.
"Finally, my youthfulness is restored!" Might Gai said dramatically as he rolled up to Tenten and held her hands in his as a sunset began to form in the background out of nowhere. "And it's all because of you my youthful student."
"Uh…no problem." Tenten said with closed eyes, an awkward smile and a sweatdrop running alongside her head. This continued for several seconds as she tried to not imagine the several not so amused doctors and nurses glaring holes through her back.
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"So what brings you here at this time my youthful student. Usually I wouldn't be expecting you for another few hours." Gai asked as both he and Tenten sat at across from each other at a table inside the cafeteria.
"Well I knew you'd be running out of your flowers for your shampoo soon and I kind of had to be somewhere later today." Tenten replied innocently
"Ah has my rival Kakashi given you a mission to test your prowess?" Gai asked. "No one but the youthfulness of my students could possibly handle such dangers."
"It's not a mission." Tenten answered. "I'm just meeting someone for a late lunch and a bit of training later and wanted to make sure I had enough time to visit you."
"I'd would expect no less. What kind of training do you and Lee have in mind?" Gai asked placing a hand under his jaw and smiling big. "Perhaps you'll try to beat my time on the special training technique that myself and Kakashi perfected during our return from saving the Kazekage?"
"First off I'd never do that. Ever." Tenten explained with a frown. It was hard enough keeping the memory of a semi-comatose Kakashi piggy back riding on Gai's back repressed as it was. "Second, it isn't Lee I'm training with its Naruto."
"Naruto?" Gai questioned.
"Yes Sensei." Tenten said in mild annoyance. "We're eating at Ichiraku at 2 and then we're going to team ten's old training ground for some weapons training."
"I see." Gai said darkly. "It all makes sense to me now."
"Sensei?" Tenten's annoyance quickly switched to worry. "What's wrong."
"You suddenly eating lunch with him, training by yourselves, and making sure nothing interrupts you." Gai said quietly as Tenten leaned closer in to try and hear him. "Your dating Naruto!" Gai yelled loudly.
"W-what!" Tenten asked as her concern quickly morphed into confusion and finally anger as she tried not to fall backward from the shock and unexpected noise.
"It only makes sense that the student of my eternal rival Kakashi and that of my own youthful students would attract the other." Gai said with a hand under his jaw and closed eyes, as if in deep thought. "I'd expect nothing less fro- ah!" He screamed as he was knocked into the table by a familiar fist.
"I am not dating him." Tenten said slowly after hitting her teacher upside the head. "Got it?"
"Y-yes."
"Argh." Tenten said aggravated while looking down with closed eyes. "I can't believe I actually thought something was wrong with you. I should know better by now." She scolded herself and then looked towards the left wall, her eyes quickly widening as she saw it was already a quarter till 2.
"There's no way that's right." Tenten thought in a panic as she stood up. "It can't already be that late."
"You're leaving already?" Gai asked in surprise while rubbing the top of his head.
"Sorry Sensei." Tenten apologized before explaining. "I didn't realize what time it was, but I'll be back again real soon."
"Alright then my youthful student, I'll eagerly await your next visit to see how much you've grown." Gai said with his typical smirk only to lose it as he felt something warm against his neck.
"Thanks sensei." Tenten said as she broke her quick hug and starting walking away looking back and waving at her sensei as she did so. "I'll be back soon, and don't worry the doctors and nurses anymore ok?"
As he watched his student disappear in the crowd of shinobi and patients Gai smiled a warm smile.
"You've all done great things." Gai thought with memories of his old team surfacing again. "I couldn't be prouder of all of you."
As Gai prepared to return to his room for his daily 10,000 handstand pushups he was stopped by a disturbing thought.
"If Tenten isn't dating Naruto…could Naruto be trying to date Tenten?" Gai idly thought for a moment as his train of thought escalated.
Gai himself would admit that his two remaining students had grown into fine, strong, and youthful individuals and Tenten was no exception. He practically considered her his daughter but also had no doubt that most of the single shinobi, and likely some of the married ones to, would do anything to be with her.
Naruto, Gai reasoned, would be out of his mind to try and not date his student. Why else would he take her out to eat and offer to train with her by themselves in one of the most isolated training grounds in the Village?
His poor student, whose youthful innocence had no doubt blinded her to his true intentions, must not have realized that Naruto had been trained by Gai's own eternal rival Kakashi Hatake, who was also known as one of the biggest pervs in the Hidden Leaf. Not to mention that he was also trained by Master Jiraiya the Perverted sage himself…and she would be alone with their student; the person who no doubt knew every trick in the book when it came to seduction. The things he might do to her…his daughter!
"No, no." Gai thought as he began to move to his room. "Naruto's youthful presence brightens the village, there's no way he'd ever do that."
"But how can I know for sure?" Gai mentally asked himself as he turned back around just in time to see a Chunin leaving the cafeteria. He quickly recognized him as a 15-year-old that came to visit his grandfather every few weeks.
"That's it!"
"Bye Grandpa!" The chunin yelled as he walked away while looking and waving at an elderly man at a far table. The young boy wished he could've stayed longer but knew that he'd be spending the weekend in Ibiki's tender care if his commander caught him slipping in late for wall duty again.
As the boy neared the door an invisible force harshly pulled down on his vest; taking his entire body along for the ride.
.
"Wh-whoa!" The boy exclaimed but was quickly silenced as he found himself staring into the eyes of a very big man in a very small wheelchair.
"Are you leaving?" The man said darkly.
"Y-yes sir." The boy stuttered out not knowing what else to do.
"I want you to find someone and bring them here." The man said seriously.
"S-sir?" The boy questioned timidly. "I have guard duty in- "
"Never mind about that!" The man exclaimed. "This is a matter of life and death!"
"Y-yes sir." The boy timidly screamed.
"Now then listen up, do this as quickly as you can."
(5 minutes later)
"This is crazy." The young boy thought as he rushed out the door. "The commander's going to kill me for this."
"But if I don't find this guy that phyco in recovery's gonna kill me to." The boy thought as his face paled considerably. "Why didn't I just take that escort mission in Rain country!?"
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NAURTO's POV
Naruto walked towards the Ichiraku Ramen stand with his arms behind his head, looking towards the sky. It had been another beautiful day in the Village Hidden in the Leaves, and he had enjoyed doing absolutely nothing since almost being paper worked to death the day before.
"At least now I can finally get some training in." He thought as he walked into his favorite restaurant. "Not to mention a great meal."
"Hey Old Man!" Naruto called out to the man behind the counter, his back to Naruto as he prepared some ramen.
"Naruto!" The man exclaimed while turning to face his greatest customer, a big smile gracing his face. "It's good to see you, come on in. What'll it be today? Miso and pork?"
"Actually, I'm waiting on somebody before I order anything." Naruto explained as he looked at the clock mounted on the wall behind the counter. "She should be here in a minute."
"Oh." "The Old Man said as he turned back around and started washing some dishes. "I'm sure Sakura won't mind you ordering for her."
"It's not for Sakura-chan." Naruto said in a smaller tone, his eyes falling to the countertop.
"Don't tell me your still on that crap? Get over it already!" Kurama yelled in Naruto's mind.
"It isn't?" Tenichi said picking his head up for a moment in surprise at his customer's change in mood. Deciding to switch topics he began to wash his dishes again albeit a little slower. "Then who is it?"
"Tenten." Naruto said, his expression still dark.
"That girl from Might Gai's group?" Tenichi questioned. "I've seen them in here a few times. Nice girl."
"Yeah. After this we're going to do some training." He said as he watched the door from behind the counter open.
"Dad! We'll need to order some more pork before the end of the week if we still plan on-" Ayame called out only to spot Naruto with a grim expression.
"Hey Naruto! How's our number one customer doing?" She asked happily
"Pretty good Ayame." Naruto said
"I'm over here dear." Tenichi replied before asking. "How much should we order?"
Ayame's response was to grab her father's hand and pull him into the back-supply room. "How bout I show you dad." She said happily. "We'll be right back Naruto."
Naruto barely noticed the door shutting and then glanced at the clock again.
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Ichiraku Supply Room
"Ayame" Tenichi called out as his daughter released him after the door to the small room closed. "Couldn't you have just told me how much to order? I think I left the water running."
'Never mind that dad." Ayame said in a serious tone. "What's wrong with Naruto?"
"Er-I don't know." Tenichi replied. "He just mentioned that he was meeting a girl here and-"
"A girl?" Ayame questioned. "Who?"
"One of Might Gai's old team, Tenten, I think the one who uses all those weapons." Tenichi explained. "Well anyway I asked who it was and his mood suddenly switched."
Ayame replied by nodding her head. "I see I see." Before suddenly shouting "That's it." As she hit her left hand with her fisted right.
"Er, what is dear." Tenichi questioned as he watched his daughter's smirk widen.
"Naruto's on a date!"
"A date?" Tenichi asked. "Naruto?"
"It explains everything!" Ayame said with hearts in her eyes. "He must've asked that girl out but poor Naruto must be embarrassed or nervous, it's his first date after all so when you brought it up it must've upset him."
"I remember when his parents first came here to eat." Tenichi explained thinking back, ever since the village had heard of Naruto's linage he couldn't help but see Minato every time the blond walked in.
"And now it's our job to make sure Naruto has the best first date he could ask for." Ayame said determined. "Nothing less will do for our best customer!"
"Right!" Tenichi agreed.
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"Are you better yet?" Kurama growled in an annoyed tone after spending the last few minutes talking with his idiotic host.
"Yeah, I'm fine, just got caught off guard. "Naruto replied in a more normal tone. "It still hurts ya know?"
"Grrr, no I don't know" Kurama responded in a slow threatening tone. "What I do know is that your supposed to be meeting this girl in a few minutes and I want to sleep before becoming your personal medic again; so stop trying to ruin everything by acting like a child whose dropped their candy."
"Sakura-chan isn't-"Naruto began.
"I don't care!" Kurama finally screamed. "Either date this girl or one of the dozens of fan girls that keep stalking you and move on." As Kurama finished his rant his eyes widened, and a wicked smile appeared. "This girl." He thought to himself menacingly.
"Your right." Naruto finally said. "I'm fine now ok, it won't happen again." He said in a determined tone.
"Trust me kid I believe you." Kurama said as Naruto saw Tenichi and Ayame resurface from the storage room. "Let's just wait for this beautiful eyed girl to show up."
Before Naruto could question Kurama further, or ask why Ayame kept eyeing him he heard a familiar voice from behind. "Hey sorry I'm late." Tenten said opening the curtains to the store and spotting Naruto. "I had to visit Gai-sensei and lost track of time."
"No problem." Naruto said as she set down beside him. "I wanted to wait for you before ordering so there's no rush." He finished with one of his trademark smiles.
"Thanks." Tenten said with a smile of her own before turning to the menu and then to Tenichi. "I'll have a miso with pork please."
"Me to!" Naruto called out as Tenichi quickly turned around and began making the dishes.
"2 miso with Pork on the double." Tenichi called out. "It'll be the best ones you've ever tasted!"
"So Tenten, I haven't seen you in a while." Ayame said leaning over the counter at the weapons user. "What have you been up to?"
"Just training, missions, visiting Sensei and some research." Tenten said nonchalantly.
"What kind of research would that be?" Ayame asked innocently as Naruto watched the two women silently.
"Just trying to get better with seals." Tenten explained. "Hopefully I'll be able to carry more with me without being buried in scrolls."
"Got you." Ayame thought as she turned towards Naruto. "Hey Naruto, aren't you a sealing expert now?"
"Uh, I wouldn't exactly call myself an expert.' Naruto explained while scratching the side of his face. "I just have some notes that my dad and pervy sage left behind and I've studying those for the last couple months."
"Wait you have their notes?" Tenten suddenly asked turning around and looking at Naruto with sparkles in her eyes.
"Well yeah, I got most of the Pervy sage's things after Pein attacked the village and Kakashi-Sensei released my dad's things to me after he took power shortly after the war."
"Naruto the 4th Hokage and Lord jiraiya were two of the greatest seals experts in Leaf Village history." Tenten explained with excitement. "Everything they knew must be in those notes."
"Most of it." Naruto said. "But I only just really started getting into the advanced parts of it, so there's still a lot I haven't even looked at."
"Do you think." Tenten said a bit shyly. "Whenever you have some time, you could let me come over and look at them."
"Sure, why not." Naruto said happily. "You might be able to help me learn some things about them."
"Naruto you're the best!" Tenten exclaimed. "Now I don't have to bother reading those old texts in the library anymore."
"It's no problem." Naruto said with a smile. "I didn't even know you liked seals." He explained.
"Ever since I was in the academy." Tenten said.
"Really?" Naruto asked. "Why's that."
"Well my dream's always been to be like Lady Tsunade so I tried to be a medical ninja at first." Tenten explained. "But I kept botching up even the most basic test to even begin to qualify to become a medical ninja, but then one of my instructors showed me how sealing worked, and I thought how awesome it was. I mean, back then it was like magic." She said while looking as if she was dreaming. "Being able to instantly store something massive into a small object and then bring it out at a moment's notice. I had also loved weapons even before then but with sealing I could bring out dozens, hundreds, even thousands more weapons than I ever could without them."
"That's awesome!" Naruto said. "I guess I just thought all you liked were weapons. I never thought that seals played such a role in it."
"What about you?" Tenten asked before adding teasingly. "What made the most unpredictable knuckleheaded ninja want to learn about some boring old seals?"
"Well." Naruto began as he rubbed the back of his head nervously. "At first, I didn't really care for them, much less understand them. I've always been more interested in learning new jutsu than things like sealing."
"So what happened?" She asked.
"Pervy sage I guess." Naruto explained as he remembered the times he had with his godfather. "When I went on that training trip with him he kept making me learn about them, said that since he was a renowned sealer and I'm his student I should learn everything there was to know, especially since I had to keep the 9 tails seal going in case something bad happened. After the Pervy Sage passed away and I found out who my dad was I kept practicing and learning more about it to honor them." He turned and smiled at the brown-haired girl. "So I guess you can say that whenever I study seals I just feel like my dad and the Pervy Sage are somehow not so far away."
"Naruto." Tenten quietly said as she wiped one of her eyes and smiled a warm smile. As Ayame watched on. "That's beautiful"
"Mission accomplished." The ramen waitress thought as she turned and walked to her dad.
"How's it coming." She asked him quietly enough that the 2 shinobi wouldn't hear.
"just finished up." He said about to turn around only to be stopped by his daughter.
"Take 10 more minutes." She quietly said.
"B-but the Ramen's done." Tenichi began.
"No but's dad. A key to a successful date is conversation and I didn't just get them started on one just so you could interrupt them with food." She said angrily.
"But it'll get cold." Tenichi said sadly.
"Then make some more." Ayame said with a dangerous glint in her eye. "What's more important, Naruto's happiness or 2 bowls of ramen?"
Upon hearing this Tenichi sighed. "Yes dear."
Ayame turned back around she smiled warmly to herself as she saw the two young adults talking excitingly about some of their funnier missions. Everything was going as planned.
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1 1/2 hours later
"I can't eat anymore." Tenten said placing her 3rd bowl of ramen on the counter. "Thanks, Tenichi-san, that really was the best ramen I've ever had."
"Anytime my dear, I enjoyed making it for you." The old man said with a smile.
"She's right old man, your ramen's always the best but this was great!" Naruto exclaimed finishing his 12th bowl. "Nothing in the world can beat this." He said only to look towards Tenten after hearing her laughing.
"N-naruto." She said in between laughs. "Y-your face."
"Huh?" Naruto questioned as he felt his face, feeling something long and thin he grabbed it and brought it to his face. It only took him a moment to realize that after downing his last bowl a piece of noodle had somehow fallen on his face.
"I guess I got a bit carried away." Naruto embarrassedly said while rubbing a hand behind his head while Tenten kept laughing.
"I'm glad you both enjoyed it." Ayame said with a smile as she walked over and held out a piece of paper towards Naruto. "Here's your ticket."
"Shouldn't there be two of them?" Tenten asked first while Naruto slowly reached for the piece of paper.
"Naruto told us he'd be paying for both of you." Ayame said as Naruto looked at the piece of paper, his eyes widening and face going slightly pale.
"Really Naruto?" Tenten asked. "I don't mind paying for mine."
"N-no problem Tenten. I-I got it covered." Naruto said with a more nervous tone as he slowly reached for his wallet and pulled out enough money to cover it.
"Er-well thanks Naruto." The weapon user said taken off guard by the blond-haired ninja's actions. "I appreciate it."
"D-don't mention it." He said with the same nervous tone as Ayame gave him his change. "Let's head on to the training grounds, I'm ready to start training."
"Sounds good." She agreed.
"Bye you two." Ayame said as the two-shinobi walked out. "Thanks for coming by!"
"And come again!" Tenichi added as he walked to the counter to grab the dishes.
"That was nice of Naruto to pay for that girl's meal, guess Lord Hokage and Master Jirayia taught him something about dating after all." The older man stated as he stacked the dishes together and handed them to his daughter.
"Looks like it." His daughter replied, took the dishes and walked to the sink to begin washing them.
"Hmm." The older man said with his arms on his waist before beginning to clean off the counter, only to find that Naruto had left his receipt on his chair.
"Guess they didn't need it." He thought as he picked it up and began to look at it.
At first glance, it appeared to be the standard bill that they gave everyone; however, as he got to the bottom of the slip he noticed 2 small sentences marked in red ink.
"Pay in full or you'll be banned from Ichiraku Ramen." The old man read slowly. "PS Tell her and I'll kill you."
Glancing at his daughter's back as she washed dishes and back to the note he sighed. "Sometimes she reminds me to much of her mother."
END CHAPTER
AUTHOR'S NOTES
So that concludes our second chapter. Originally, I had it planned to be quite a bit longer but decided to cut it into 2 different chapters so that I could give you all a Happy New Year's Present. The main goal of this chapter was to give just a brief view of Naruto and Tenten's personal lives before they meet up and to, hopefully, humanize them a bit better while keeping them in character. This chapter will also be important for setting up the next few chapters to come, which will also help grow Naruto and Tenten's relationship as well. So, what did all of you think? Did you like it? Hate it? Please let me know either in reviews or PM's. ALL FEEDBACK IS WELCOME!
P.S. I'd also like to give a special thanks to each and every one of you who reviewed, messaged, favorited, or followed this story. Seriously you guys are the best!
HAPPY NEW YEARS!
GUARDIAN'S BLADE- OUT!