Dragon: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah?! We'er back in in business?! Yes sir e! I have been UBERLY busy for the past… well, even MORE UBERLY busy for past while.. Well, here is chapter 2, edited and fixed… to the best I could do in such a short amount of time I have to spare to this. I may just not do anything else, since most stories here are now so newbish. Damn n00bs!

The day dawned sunny with just a touch of wind, whistling through the leaves that were the fort's namesake. Naruto found he just couldn't sit still, and wiggled his toes impatiently within his boot. At times like this, he found it annoying that he couldn't just dress down and watch his own daughter pass her exams. Even though he had trained with her time and time again, and even though he was quite sure that she knew all the jutsus at least moderately well and had a great sense of prediction for an attack, perhaps there was some horrible thing that had been added that would stop her in her tracks. He didn't want his poor little girl to have to suffer through another year in the Academy, as he knew she was already far beyond it....

"Stop tapping your foot, Lord Hokage." Ko no Ha Jounin Uchiha Sasuke stood by the 5th Hokage's side, guarding him from any assassins that might strike out of the blue. He was obviously bored. "It destroys the innate dignity of your position."

Naruto looked around before answering in a hushed voice. "Who put a stick up your ass, Sasuke? Nobody can see me from here anyway....just my wife." He smiled down at her and blew her a kiss. Hinata was still beautiful to him even from a distance.

"...Don't call me by the boyhood serifs, Lord Hokage," replied Sasuke. "If you must address me, do so as Uchiha-san in respect to my title as one of the bloodlines of this village."

"Put a sock in it, Sasuke." Naruto craned his neck to try and see the building in which the exam was taking place better.

Sasuke sat there silently for a moment, then muttered in a strangled voice, "Usutorankachi."

"Same to you," grinned Naruto. They had never had a completely professional relationship, despite all their titles. The blood of rivalry still ran strong. "Say, isn't your son taking the exams today, too?"

"Yes.... and also the title of first place." Sasuke allowed a smirk on his face.

"Ohhhh really...." The fires crackled, then were smothered quickly. "Well, we'll just have to see about that. My daughter isn't bad, either."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "She will never be in first place," he said laconically. "You have been too easy in her upbringing, Nar—Lord Hokage. If I may respectfully state my opinion."

"I beg your pardon?" snapped Naruto. "Was that a comment on my daughter's abilities?"

"No, Lord Hokage.... I quite honestly meant it to be a comment on your parenting style." Sasuke understood it was a touchy subject with Naruto.

"As if I could do it any other way," muttered Naruto. Suddenly he brightened up. "Hey, look! Sakura just showed up! She's brought Umeko and Itachi, too!"

Sasuke cursed under his breath. 'I told them not to come! It's not that important of an event that a young man needs to be humiliated by having his mother show up to see him."

"Hmmmmm..." said Naruto, "So being 'too easy' is worse than being 'too hard'?" Sakura waved at them cheerfully, long pink hair let down and flowing in waves across her shoulders. She, too, was still beautiful. Sasuke turned his eyes away.

"My son will rival you one day, Naruto. Leave no doubt about that. And he will triumph over all your progeny. He will do good works for the Konoha and be recognized all his days."

Naruto opened his mouth to respond to that, but then thought better of it. First, the idea of his son's genius-ness was very important to Sasuke, as he saw in it a way to repair all the damage he himself had done when he had been a soldier of the detested Orochimaru for a short, tormented while. Naruto had saved him then, and probably that was the sole reason Sasuke could stand to serve his old rival. Secondly, he didn't really want his daughter to become consumed by trying to compete with Sasuke, Jr. Becoming maybe a Chuunin level was fine, and he thought she'd make quite a fine one too. Sadly, it was obvious that young Sasuke would become a Jounin within five years. Narumi shouldn't have to compare herself against someone like that, thought Naruto.

"Whatever," Naruto finally sighed. "Let's just wait for the outcomes, okay? We don't have to fight about it...."

"I am not fighting with you, Lord Hokage," Sasuke snapped stiffly, apparently embarrassed at his outburst.

"Sasuke-samaaaa!" Sakura called from down below the platform. "I brought you some lunch! I hope you don't mind that I came here today!!"

"Disobedient woman," muttered Sasuke. Naruto nudged him. "Keep a distance away from him when he comes out, so he doesn't think that you've been waiting for him!! He must learn to do without!" Sakura smiled in a way that showed she would definitely not follow that order. Umeko scowled, her facial expression perfectly mirroring her father. Pink-haired Itachi, on the other hand, beamed up at his father and the 5th. On a whim, Naruto then scanned the crowd for other faces he knew. He quickly picked out his lovely wife, who was trying to control their two rowdy sons. And just beyond them... was that? Ah, yes, Shikamaru and his wife Ino and their 8 or 9 children in a huge group! Shikamaru didn't look happy, but Ino seemed to be having the time of her life. Their oldest children, twins, were competing today.

Looking back over to the left, nearer to the building, Naruto picked out Lee and his wife Tenten with their younger son, who was conspicuously eyeing some girl's bottom. That kid was going to be a problem someday.... though you could count both of their kids as being so, in a way. Their two sons were so opposite of each other, Naruto mused, and neither of them were really like their parents in personalities - –though Gai looked like Lee and Kei looked like Tenten. Even so, they got along the best of any siblings that Naruto had ever seen anywhere. There were virtually no fights at the Rock household, between any of the members. And it was not like the Uchiha household, where fights were suppressed.

Another figure made his way out of the crowd and walked over to join them. It was Neji! Naruto blinked and leaned forwards. Oh, that was right, he must have just gotten back to the fort today. Ex-Hyuuga Neji was one of the busiest ninjas in the fort, still a virtual member of the ANBU in all but name. One could make a crack about 'running away from ones demons' but not even Naruto was cruel enough to do that. Neji and Lee seemed to be talking cordially, and Naruto let his eyes rove once again. Where was Kakashi, anyway?

"Lord Hokage." Naruto was jolted back to reality. "The ones who passed will be coming out soon." Sasuke was looking down at him with an odd expression.

"Um, yeah.... sorry, just let my mind wander a bit."

"Indeed." And Sasuke turned away to look out among the waving leaves himself.