This chapter is dedicated to Dadan07 & OMG fanfic! I really appreciate everyone's reviews and questions - and thank you all so much for reading and following my stories.

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing from the Naruto universe but I do have an imagination of my own. PLEASE REVIEW MY CHAPTERS! I will take advice and suggestions from my readers while continuing the story.

Thinking

Biju, etc. speaking

Biju, etc. thinking

Emphasis

Naru looked behind her, wondering where everyone went. Deciding to take a walk, she was unknowingly lucky that she was surrounded by those most responsible in the house that night - the summons - as she quietly closed the front door behind her.

"Daddy, I want one!"

Inoichi Yamanaka was hardly surprised to hear that. He knew his daughter was getting spoiled, but she was just so darned cute that it was difficult to deny her anything! "What's that precious?" He asked distractedly as he finished paying for their ice cream cones.

"I don't know what to call it, but I want one of her," his little angel stated firmly.

Wondering what "her" she called an "it" or vice-versa, he turned to look at his little one - only for his eyes to nearly pop out of his head at the tiny girl his Ino-chan had brought to him. Kami-sama, it can't be! That shade of both blonde hair and blue eyes… His gut cramped in grief: Minato... Trying to regain his composure as his daughter babbled on, he bent down, getting on one knee to take a look at this girl who just couldn't be his child, could she? The Hokage would've told me - would've told us! She had been missing for most of her life… Could this really be Minato and Kushina's daughter standing in front of him? If it weren't for little Ino's presence, he would've thought that he was either dreaming or in a genjutsu!

"Hi there, cutie, how are you doing today?" Inoichi said without thinking. He just had to determine if it could be true… The little blonde looked at him critically, glaring at him - just like Minato used to do when he was about to attack, he remembered. Better watch out! He chuckled a bit to himself and the little girl further narrowed her golden-blonde eyebrows at him.

"Daddy I want one of her," his Ino-chan pouted. Inoichi didn't understand his little princess. Suddenly realizing that a genuine princess might be standing in front of him, he coughed uncomfortably and asked his little one what she meant.

"Daa-aaad!" Ino replied, rolling her pupilless blue eyes that matched his own. "I want a dolly like her! Does she have our jutsu or something? Did you make her? You should make her so that she can talk!"

Inoichi stared at his daughter in disbelief. Hearing the crack of a branch behind him, he heard a somewhat high-pitched, "Troublesome." Aa, Shikaku and his son have finally gotten here. They were late! Usually, he met up with his teammates and their kiddos once a week at least, letting their wives take a break - which meant that they were sheltered within one compound or another drinking.

He looked behind him to see his bearded teammate shuffling forward at the pace of a snail. Shikaku was yawning, naturally, Inoichi thought. "Look what Ino-chan's found, Shikaku…"

Shikaku yawned again, looking up at his teammate - who was holding on his hip a little girl. He missed a step, eyes watering up and shaking his head slowly. "It can't be…" he gasped.

"What is it, Dad?"

His smile was pained, but he looked up at his son, standing so close to his teammate, and what had to be HIS little girl. "Shikamaru." He took a deep breath to temper his emotions. Walking close to the little girl on Inoichi's hip - an act which Ino-chan was now complaining about with a cute little pout on her face, he quickly thought of the best thing to do. "Hello, little one. Can you tell me your name?"

The very small blonde frowned at him and scowled. He could've laughed, had he not been so emotional at seeing two of his deceased best friends' child after all this time - if it really was her. The girl looked at him, glaring - just like Minato-kun did when he was pissed - and shook her head. Then her actions displayed the clincher: she screwed her face up to the side then scratched the back of her head.

A choked sob came from behind them. "Dad?" Choji asked in concern.

Silent tears were now falling freely down his father's face, and Choji was a little afraid - he'd never seen his dad cry unless they were what he and his mom called "Happy Tears." But his daddy definitely didn't seem happy now. What should I do? He patted his daddy on the head, just like his parents did to him when he cried, then used his small hand to rub circles on his back. He could only reach a little over his shoulder, but he hoped that would do.

"She's back?" Chouza whispered in a broken voice.

"Ne, little one. Is your name Naruto-chan?" Shikaku asked, then was immediately on alert as he heard a distinctive POOF sound behind him. All three men were instantly on alert, shielding the children as they went into a perfectly-formed, battle-hardened formation. "Son of a bitch. I see you! Get out here Pakkun!" He'd seen the little booger - now they KNEW she was Naruto-hime. He couldn't be entirely sure what summons had first dispelled, but he sure as hell saw that little frog - no, toad, as Minato and Jiraiya-sama would have definitely chastised him for calling it. He could hear a frustrated young teenage Minato's voice in his head. "Not frogs! Frogs are lesser amphibians, although certainly far superior to a slug or a snake." He'd get so frustrated with them - he was so easy to tease. The toad dispelled surely followed whatever summons first dispersed Kami-only-knows where.

"Hehe… Sorry!" Pakkun then poofed away, no doubt going to report to the rest of the ninken pack or Kakashi-kun.

Shikamaru groaned, hearing his teammates expressing similar sounds of disbelief or anger. "Hey guys, how about we bring the little ones over to the compound…. Quickly?" Inoichi advised. His two teammates gave him devious grins as the children looked at one another with confusion. Each man put their hand on his own child's shoulder - Inoichi still holding the little princess - and sunshinned to the Yamanaka compound.

It was only minutes later that a furious Hokage arrived at the main Senju estate home, accompanied by two ANBU guards. Knocking loudly, the door opened, and there stood his successor/predecessor's student. Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the man with what Kakashi could only describe as a crazed monkey-smile-of-impending-death. He stood up straight, holding his new book behind his back, then bowed. "Hokage-sama! We were not expecting you."

"Aa, am I not allowed to see my granddaughter?" He replied, glaring at the teenaged ANBU.

"Maa, of course you may, Hokage-sama. You are always welcome!" Kakashi stated as he politely bowed his head, feeling awfully nervous because the kind-hearted Sandaime was leaking Killer Intent in an obvious manner.

"Good," he said darkly. Turning toward his guard, he ordered them to stay outside before shutting the door and glaring at Kakashi, who at this point was very nervous indeed! "Get the other morons you live with, Kakashi-kun."

"Hai!" Kakashi got the hell out of the Hokage's immediate vicinity, not wanting to further anger the God of Shinobi. When he figured he was temporarily far enough away from the elder, he pulsed his chakra, and gradually - too gradually - the ragtag group of Shinobi arrived. "Hokage-sama's here and he's ANGRY," Kakashi whispered. Tsunade looked amused - and drunk - he noticed, Jiraiya smirked and tried to tussle Kakashi's spiky, out-of-control silver hair, and Shizune frowned in confusion. He noticed she had a little pamphlet or something in her hands, which reminded him to place his reading material in his back pocket since he didn't have his weapons pouch on him. Kakashi rolled his eye at his housemates- they definitely didn't understand just how pissed-off Sarutobi-sama was at the moment!

The leader himself was waiting, not feeling in any way patient or benevolent toward this group of fools at all! When the shinobi living here finally arrived, they were met with a question. "Well, here we are all… Pray to tell, where is Naruto-chan? I just wanted to check on the princess to ensure she was doing well, naturally. You will bring her to me for a little visit, ne?" Oh, he knew they wouldn't be able to bring her! The girl wasn't with her supposed, makeshift family at all! His summons had informed him of the little blonde leaving the Senju compound completely on her own as he followed the girl - with no one other than other summons following her. Hiruzen was ready to explode, but first, he wanted his students and their students to realize what they'd allowed to happen.

Jiraiya looked at Tsunade, alarmed. Her eyes widened as she looked at Shizune and then at Kakashi. All four realized at once that not one of them had any idea where Naruto-chan was; they all took off without speaking to find the little girl.

Upon returning, Jiraiya was the first to speak. "So sensei, we seem to have a little problem. Hehe…" All four shinobi were pale, and the Hokage noted that the last Hatake was sniffing and trying to hide the tears from his visible eye.

"I have to find her!" Kakashi stated brokenly and sunshinned away. Hiruzen took a deep breath.

Naruto-chan was all that Kakashi had left and had been holding onto since his sensei and wife died - or were more accurately killed. As much as the Hokage wanted to punish and scare the life out of four of them, he just couldn't put more pressure on Kakashi-kun - not when he knew where little Naruto had been taken and who she was with. Hiruzen took a deep breath, noting how Tsunade-chan's lips were quivering, and sighed heavily.

"She has been taken to one of the clans." There were gasps and Jiraiya tried to question him, a furious glare on his face. The Sandaime held up a hand in order to silence him. "Now, now, Jiraiya-kun: she is in good hands… I need you to first find Kakashi-kun before the poor boy either breaks down or goes on a murdering spree, ne? I'd like to keep those in my village alive and well, after all."

"Sandaime-sama!" Shizune began desperately, "where is Naru-hime? Please, sir!"

"Aa… I cannot be certain because Enma reported to me directly after following Naruto-hime to a park. Luckily for us, she ran into some new friends." He smiled at Tsunade's apprentice: such a nice girl. I don't want her or Tsunade-chan to leave the village again. He sighed. No matter what, I know Shizune-chan would be happier here than on the road. Surely someday Tsunade-chan will feel that way, too. "Please find Kakashi-kun first: that's an order. I believe that you will find Naru-chan at either the Yamanaka, Nara or Akimichi main estate." He watched them all sunshin away, Tsunade in tears and Jiraiya looking incredibly determined. Perhaps this has happened now, with Naruto-chan still safe in the village, to teach each of them better awareness and responsibility. He closed the estate's main door behind him as he left, but not before picking up a small pamphlet that had been left behind.

"JASHIN?! Which one of those idiots brought in something related to a mass-murdering religion?!" His ANBU guards at his side, the Sandaime Hokage took off towards the Tower, pamphlet in hand. He needed to get back to his desk and crystal ball to see how things would play out.