Thanks for all the great reviews guys!

I'll answer some of the queries when we get a bit more into the story, some very pertinent questions asked.

Trading Places

Chapter 3:

Sleeping Arrangements.

Naruto slowly returned to consciousness.

He opened his eyes to find himself sitting astride his own back, sailing through Konohas surrounding forest.

Damn, he hated these moments of existential uncertainty.

Was he the clone or was the clone carrying him?

Was it true that his clones were duplicates of himself drawn from shadow parallel universes and someday he might draw himself as a shadow clone and destroy the known universe?

Luckily Naruto being Naruto soon abandoned this promising angst ridden thought to face into the matter at hand.

"What? Whats going on?"

"Ino" sighed heavily and turned to him "Naruto, right?"

"Who else..."

"I've had enough of that joke today" replied Ino in a rather exasperated low tone "Ok, short version, we completed our mission and got the package, but in the process our souls and bodies got shuffled around, alright? Currently you are in Hinatas body and Hinata is in yours. I've got a list of the rest on me if you want to see it. We're making our way back to Konoha at best possible speed, hopefully someone there can fix this if problem if it doesn't fix itself"

Shikimaru paused for the outburst, the tirade of abuse, the endless questioning and second guessing that went hand in hand with dealing with Naruto.

"Ok" Naruto responded

Everyone sweat dropped.

"What! That's it? OK? No endless stream of whats? No demands for me to fix this?" exclaimed Shikimaru

"Not really, we accomplished our mission, I'm really tired, and I just want to get home, get some ramen and get to sleep."

"You're not even freaked out about being a girl!"

"Not really, Hinata is really strong anyway, and I spend a fair bit of time looking like a girl anyway" Naruto answered wearily

"Naruto" coloured from the unexpected praise

"Naruto are you feeling ok?"

"I'm feeling alright, just a bit tired, like after I used all my chakra up, Hinata could you put me down, we're nearly there"

Naruto paused; he did feel a bit different, the abundant energy that kept him at his frenetic pace was gone, all he wanted to do was crawl into bed and get some sleep.

"Hai Naruto-kun" Hinata answered quietly and gently put him onto a tree branch

"Hey Shikimaru, can I see that list?"

"Sure, just don't lose it"

Mind - Body

Shikimaru - Ino

Ino - Chouji

Chouji - Shikimaru

Naruto - Hinata

Sasuke - Kiba

Sakura - Rock Lee

Kiba - Sasuke

Shino - Tenten

Hinata - Naruto

Neji - Sakura

Tenten - Shino

Rock Lee - Neji

"HAHAHAHA! Sasuke-baka is in Dogboy HAHAHAHA!"

That's more like Naruto Shikimaru thought.

"Dobe" said "Kiba"

Akamaru barked loudly.

Another twenty minutes brought the 12 genin to the very gates of Konoha. The time at this stage was roughly three in the morning.

"Ok we're too late to report to the Hokage, I don't want you guys panicing anyone and there is every chance this will fix itself, so nobody is to let anyone know what happened until after I've spoken to the Hokage. Clear?"

Shikimaru get a general mummer of assent. "Right , head out, Ino, Chouji"

Ino and Chouji had taken their respective bodie changes badly, Ino who after carefully watching her figure for four years was now in her opinion entirely the wrong weight. Funnily enough Chouji held the exact same opinion on being in Shikamarus body.

"Ok it's too troublesome to explain to our parents what went on, and none of us want them to see us like this really right? He received two dejected nods. "Ok, so we'll each head to our respective bodies homes, that way no questions will be asked."

Tenten was having different problems. For several years following a traumatic incident involving a giant hairy caterpillar and fifteen feet of rope Tenten had nursed a deep phobia of insects. This condition was being aggravated by occupying the body of Aburame Shino.

"You must stay calm," He cautioned "My bugs react to my...well your emotions, let your fear overwhelm you and the bugs will lash out."

"I'm trying...God, they are crawling inside meeeeeee!" Tenten grimaced. The bugs began to swirl aggressively.

Shino sighed "I think it'll be best if you return to my familys home, my father will be able to calm them a bit"

"Your home? You guys don't live in a giant burrow do you? I heard talk..."

"Nothing of the sort" chuckled Shino, it's more of a hive he added silently.

Sasuke turned to Kiba, "Okay, my place or yours? Because I'm not letting my body out of my sight"

"Rrrf, go home now" barked Kiba and sprinted on all fours off towards his families home.

He's even more dog like than usual in my body thought Sasuke and this body is noting compared to my own, but he smirked, no-ones are.

"After him fool!" Akamaru growled

"What the hell?"

Neji turned to Lee.

"Ok fool, that body is property of the Hyuuga clan, you will return to the clan lodgings with me"

"Roger, but how will we infiltrate your mansion?"

Neji sighed, Rocks hyper nature as always irritating him, doubly so in this body for some reason "I know a way in not covered by the Byakugan of the guards." Good thing too he thought, this body was worse than useless, it was weak and the Hyuuga despised weakness. "No-one must know" he muttered.

It didn't occur to him at this point that Hyuuga Neji apparently sneaking a young girl into his room in the dead of night would ever be seen as inappropriate.

Sakura, snuck into her room and released her Henge. That had been easy. Rocks body had both impressive physical condition and a commendable chakra reserve, pity about the hairstyle and eyebrows. She momentarily dwelt on her own bodies comparative weakness, before returning once more to her favourite subject. I hope Sasuke-kun can deal with being stuck in the fool Kiba's inferior body she drabbled. Ah well things would look better in the morning, but perhaps a shower first...

She froze.

It is worth mentioning that despite Sakuras tendency towards monomania regarding Sasuke-kun she is a very intelligent girl. Its only fair that she was among the first to realise the full extent and terror of the body changing experience, especially when that experience results in a change of gender.

Naruto sighed the others were splitting up and heading home and he felt the low he always did after the end of a mission, he also became aware of a lone presence behind him "Ano...Naruto-kun...er..." mumbled Hinata.

"Some problem Hinata?"

"Um...I...can't...um go home like...looking like..."

Of course he thought, no way would he be popular in the Hyuuga House, not her fault nobody liked him. It also wasn't her fault she had nowhere to stay tonight.

"Hey Hinata, come stay in my place for tonight, it'll be fun!"

Hinata coloured heavily, her blush highlighting the scars on the sides of Narutos face. "Umm..."

Hinata mind raced, finally some time alone with Naruto-kun...but what would father think, wait she HAD been ORDERED not to tell anyone about what went on until the morning...so...she really COULDN'T go home.

"Um..Ok"

"Great" grinned Naruto and grabbed her/his hand, "Lets go!"

Hyuuga Hisashi was keeping a late night

"Any sign of my daughter Akagi?" he growled

"No my lord"

"Useless girl, well when Hinata turns up in the morning, find her and bring her to the main house. This betrothal ceremony to that fool from the Hidden Mist is dicey as is, the plan must go off without a hitch..."