Hinata was very tired.
It had been an exhausting day. She felt drained, physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Even with his extraordinary stamina, Naruto was feeling a bit worn down himself. Not that long ago and he had been a loner of sorts, training with Jiraiya and thinking mostly about himself. Now, as if by miracle, he found himself with a girlfriend.
"Naruto-kun…" Hinata sounded somewhat timid, despite her recent strides.
"Huh? What is it Hinata? Something bothering you?" Naruto looked around his home village, drinking in the sights. He wondered if Hinata might be embarrassed to be seen with him. His overconfidence didn't extend to every facet of his life.
"I… well… when I tricked you before…" Hinata swallowed hard. Part of her pleaded, wanting her to stay silent. But, her conscience was bothering her. "You know… when I won that first bet…"
"How am I ever going to forget that?" Naruto stopped a moment and stretched. He moved his scroll case to a more comfortable location.
"It's… I mean… that's no reason for you to be…" Hinata still couldn't get her words out.
"Oh." Naruto thought a moment. He thought he knew what Hinata was getting at. "Are you saying that you release me from that bet? I don't have to be your boyfriend because of that?"
Hinata nodded. It felt as if her heart had fallen down at her feet. If anything, her feelings for Naruto had grown stronger after spending time alone with him. Despite everything that happened, or maybe in part because of it all.
"Great!" Naruto pumped a fist in the air. He felt a bit guilty, seeing Hinata's face go blank. "That means I can like you for my own reasons, right?"
"N-Naruto-kun?" Hinata brought her hand to her mouth. Had she heard him correctly.
"Yes. You're a great girl, Hinata. I still have to give it some thought. There must be some way I can trick you into being my girlfriend." Naruto struck a Lee-like pose.
Hinata's smile could have lit up the avenue, had there not been a plethora of lamps burning. There were a lot of people out and about that night, but she only had eyes for Naruto.
"Speechless, huh?" Naruto rubbed the back of his neck. "I probably frightened you out of a few years of growth. You can't afford that!" He looked at the ahead of him. He should be feeling nostalgic. He was. But, for the most part, things somehow felt new to him. That was because of the girl at his side. "We should probably get you home. Did they expect you to be this late?"
"No." Hinata leaned up against Naruto for a moment. She felt a bit self-conscious, standing there with him. Why? She also felt as if she didn't want that day to end. Things were going so well. She was afraid that a new day might bring a reversal or something. Worse, she didn't know when she might have a chance to see him again.
"Well, you're father probably wouldn't be happy to see me. So, we should get you home fast, and as stealthily as possible." Naruto furrowed his brow, thinking. He snapped his fingers. "They're too many people running around, setting up for the coming festival. So, we can't just sneak through town. We can transform and fly!" Naruto had already begun sprouting feathers.
"No." Hinata shook her head. "We should make it a habit to conserve chakra, not use it for every little thing. That is what Kurena-sensai always says."
"What?" Naruto frowned. He knew that Hinata's sense of propriety was strong. But what would a little transformation hurt? They had already used that talent during the day! "No flying. How about taking on someone else's appearance. We can walk together that way." Naruto now looked like Kakashi. "You could look like Kurenai."
"No." Hinata brushed off one of her sleeves. "That would be rude. I would not wish to have my form borrowed without permission." As uncomfortable as she might feel walking about the village with Naruto, she wanted to do just that. It was something she needed to overcome. She didn't want her father to hear about things just yet, but didn't want their relationship to be a total secret.
"I got it! Rooftops." Naruto looked for the lowest roofline in the general vicinity.
"No. We're not thieves or spies." Hinata blushed. Yes they were. They were shinobi. "At least, not in our home village."
"Steam tunnels?" Naruto looked for the tell tale streamers of smoke and steam.
"No." Hinata turned up her nose. She was not going to sneak through the steam tunnels.
"Gamarakki?" Naruto bit his finger. The giant toad should have forgiven him by now.
"No." Hinata shook her head,
"Konohamaru's camouflage box?" Naruto was beginning to scrape the bottom of the idea barrel. But, he did know where his friend used to keep his silly contrivance.
"Are you ashamed to be seen with me, Naruto-kun?" Hinata stood deathly still, her eyes looking eerie in the light of a nearby flickering torch. That question had just struck her. She hoped that the answer would not be 'Yes'.
"Huh? Of course not! I just didn't want any repeat of today's trouble." Naruto had no doubt that word of their mishaps might have made it back to this village courtesy of the ANBU members. "There might even be some people looking for me." He looked in the direction of the Hokage's building. "And, if I cause any disturbances while we're here, who knows what old lady Tsunade might do to me!"
"I'll protect you, Naruto-kun." Hinata smiled, but she was actually being serious.
"Really?" Naruto smiled. He felt a growing warmth inside. That didn't stop his mischievous side from taking over. "But, I can prove that I'm not ashamed to be with you. I know where I can get some paint and scaffolding." He pointed up at the darkened stone Hokage faces. "Do you want me to write 'Naruto and Hinata' on the stone faces? I'll let you help, if you like."
"Naruto-kun!" Hinata felt uneasy, even though she was pretty certain that he was joking. No one could ever be sure what Naruto might do.
"OK. I'll wait until you're safely home." Naruto sounded serious. "Then I'll do it…"
"Nartuto-kun!" Hinata grabbed his arm.
Naruto laughed. "Are you ashamed to be the girlfriend of 'That Naruto'?" He was not asking entirely in jest.
Hinata shook her head, and then squeezed his hand briefly.
"Did you really think I would do something like that?" Naruto asked, grinning. "I would never do that!" He laughed.
Hinata sighed.
"That's old school! I wouldn't use paint. I'd use illusion. I could work something up with flashing lights and glowing arrows." Naruto grinned, seeing the look on his companion's face. "Which way does your father's window face?"
Hinata froze. One foot rested a few inches above the ground. Naruto watched her for a few moments. She never blinked once. She shook her head briskly, shaking away a number of unwanted images. He had to be joking. Just the same, she wanted to change the subject. "Ummm…Naruto-kun..." Yes. That ought to work. Maybe too well. But, there wouldn't be time for too many stories. "I was wondering... do you have any more fables?"
"Sure!" Naruto said. He thought of one that would serve his current mood:
"An Ant, going to a river to drink, fell in, and was carried along in the stream. A Dove pitied her condition, and threw into the river a small bough, by means of which the Ant gained the shore. The Ant afterward, seeing a man with a fowling-piece aiming at the Dove, stung him in the foot sharply, and made him miss his aim, and so saved the Dove's life."
"What's the moral, Naruto-kun?" Hinata cocked her head.
"Little friends may prove great friends." Naruto smiled. He was certain that Hinata would know who he was calling 'little'. He laughed when he saw her puff out her cheeks.
"I see," Hinata said, stopping. "Any more?" She sounded a touch peeved. But her features softened almost immediately.
"You bet. I have just the one:
"It happened that a Fisher, after fishing all day, caught only a little fish. 'Pray, let me go, master,' said the Fish. 'I am much too small for your eating just now. If you put me back into the river I shall soon grow, then you can make a fine meal off me.' 'Nay, nay, my little Fish,' said the Fisher, 'I have you now. I may not catch you hereafter.'
"And?" Hinata cocked her head.
"A little thing in hand is worth more than a great thing in prospect," Naruto said smiling, holding out his hand. "Of course, if they don't meet the minimum size, you have to take out the hook and throw them back." He looked rather pleased with himself.
"Very instructive," Hinata said putting her hands in her coat pocket.
Naruto suddenly froze. His skin had tingled for a moment. Had there been somebody watching them? Watching him?
"Naruto-kun?" Hinata suddenly looked concerned.
"It's probably nothing Hinata. Let's get you home before you get in trouble, or your father calls out an ANBU squad."
As they walked, the two of them noticed a number of couples out on the town. Passing under a large group of flowering trees, they saw lovers walking hand in hand, embracing, and kissing. Each looked at the other, then quickly looked away. For the next few blocks, neither said anything. Naruto was on the lookout for anyone that might recognize him. Hinata was thinking about something else.
"N-N-Naruto-kun?" Hinata stopped by a long wooden fence. Looking over the fence, she noted long neat rows of cabbage. The short stretch of road they were on was one of the few dark sites in this part of the village.
"Hinata?" Naruto raised an eyebrow. What had her sounding nervous? She wasn't afraid of the dark, was he. Not a trained shinobi!
"Uhhh..." Hinata began to shake a little. "N-N-Nevermind..."
"What were you going to ask, Hinata?" Naruto as curious. But, there was nothing wrong with that. In the story, curiosity killed a cat, not a fox.
"R-R-Really... it's nothing…." Hinata began walking, very quickly. She gave out a little yelp when she banged her foot on the uneven curbing.
"Huh? This is the girl who saved me from that unhappy crowd? The girl who was ready to fight an enchantress for me?" Naruto made himself sound disappointed.
"Well... I... You see…" Hinata began doing her finger thing again.
"Fine. I understand. It's OK to be with Naruto until you get back to your home village. Guess I have to get used to that kind of stuff." Naruto tried not to smile.
"Ummm... Alright…" Hinata made it a point to look around her, to make certain that no one was listening. Not completely satisfied with normal means, she used the Byakugan as well. "Wh-Wh-What I wanted to ask... I mean... ummm…what I wanted to know was..." She clenched both fists and gathered up her courage.
"Yes?" Naruto put his hands behind his neck, acting nonchalant. That was just an act. For some reason, he had begun to feel uneasy.
"Naruto-kun… have you ever been... ummm... kissed before?" Hinata felt somewhat unsteady on her feet.
"WHAT?" Naruto shut his mouth quickly. He hoped that shout wouldn't draw any attention to them. He actuallt felt beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Holding his breath, he hoped that Hinata would be too embarrassed to continue.
"Uhhh… Naruto-kun?" Hinata felt that she had gotten past the hardest part. "Have you ever kissed a girl?" She felt weak in the knees. Why couldn't she be like all of the other girls?
Naruto froze. Swallowing hard, he saw Hinata shuffle her feet, moving a little bit closer to him. He wanted to say 'Of course! Plenty!' He couldn't get the words out. It wasn't because he was unwilling to lie. He was, big time.
"I d-don't want to p-pry into y-your secrets," Hinata had begun to stutter some. She took another step in Naruto's direction.
"Well... you see... a gentleman shouldn't..." Naruto had to clear his throat to continue. That, and prick himself with a kunai. He was sweating rather profusely now. His heart was beating wildly. Hinata had moved a tiny bit closer.
"Naruto-kun... I…" Hinata clenched her fists tightly, willing herself to go on. "I have never…" Her voice had gotten quiet. She shivered briefly, a slight chill going down her spine.
"That's… uhhh… nothing to be ashamed of. You see..." Naruto fought the impulse to burrow deep into the ground. For a moment, that instinct latter seemed appropriate. Burrowing had helped him against the Hyuuga clan in the past, back in his match against Neji. Why was he breathing so hard? Hinata was even closer!
"Thank you," Hinata said, her body trembling. "Everyone thinks you are loud and brash. But, y-you are r-really so k-kind." Hinata didn't know how where her nerve had come from, but it felt about ready to vanish. Lifting her chin, she walked a few steps closer. "With you… I wouldn't be… I wouldn't be scared…"
"Hah hah hah. I'm not really so kind, Hinata." Naruto felt a strange sense of anticipation. He also felt a strong sense of anxiety. "Hah hah. It's getting kind of late, you know... and you..." He stood transfixed. His Kyuubi senses were taking over. He could hear Hinata's breathing. Slow and deep. He could make out the beat of her heart. Rapid, just like his own. He could see her face now, bathed in light from the voyeur moon. Her eyes were half-closed. She began leaning forward.
What was he feeling? A sudden gust of wind swirled around them. Flower petals caressed them, and then moved on.
"D-D-Don't you like me, Naruto-kun?" Hinata's voice was barely audible. "Don't you want to..." She leaned forward even more, worried that she might lose her balance and end up face first in the road.
"Hinata... I..." Naruto began to lean forwards as well. They were a foot apart. Six inches. Three inches. Closer. Closer. Closer. He could feel her breath on his face.
The crickets went silent. It was as if they were anticipating something momentous. No, it was as if they had detected some presence. There it was again. The sense of someone or something behind him? Where? In the crown of that tree? Naruto tried to split his awareness. He didn't want to lose this moment. Who knows if he might ever feel like this again?
Hinata was awash with anticipation. She had dreamed about this in her fantasies. It was close to becoming a reality. It would be so wonderful. This would be the best night of her life.
"Hinata..." Naruto closed his own eyes.
"Naruto-kun..." Hinata's lips were so close to his. Suddenly, the spell was broken.
"Hinata? Are you sure, Akamaru?" It was Kiba's voice. "Naruto, too? Why would he be here?"
"Rrrfff Ruff Ruff."
"OK. I believe you. Let's go see." Kiba and Akamaru were just around the bend in the road. Hinata and Naruto both stepped back from one another. Their breathing was ragged and their hearts beat quicker than before. Before long, their friends became fuzzy outlines. "Hey, Hinata! Naruto! What are you guys up to? Walking her home, man?" Kiba reached out to slap Naruto on the back, but changed his mind, remembering what happened the last time..
Akamaru answered before either of the others could. "R-R-Ruff. Mmm-ruff. Grr-grr-mmm-mmm-ruff. Ruff ruff ruff nnn-nnn-nnn..."
"What, Akamaru? The smaller one wants to hurt someone?" Kiba bent down to rub his companion's head. Why was Hinata upset? Had Naruto done something to make her angry?
"Ruff nnn-nnn ruff ruff grrr ruff ruff."
"The smaller one wants to someone gone ?" Kiba sounded puzzled, and then began to laugh. "Naruto. You dog!" Akamaru snorted. "Sorry, Akamaru. Bad choice of words…" He turned to Naruto. "Did you get fresh with Hinata? Wait until Neji hears!" He whispered into his friend's ear. "Way to go man."
"Ruffruffruff. Mmm-ruff grrr-ruff."
"What? The larger one smells of fear?" Kiba chuckled for a moment. He wondered what Naruto had been about to do. Was Hinata angry because of something he did, or something he didn't get a chance to do?
Hinata stood quietly, her fists clenched. She looked over at Naruto. Her boyfriend had mixed emotions. It felt nice, feeling like he was one of the guys. He had to fight the urge to throw out his chest and strut. On the other hand, he felt a need to tell the truth, so that Hinata wouldn't think he cared more about that than her. Before he could open his mouth, Akamaru began yapping and howling.
"What Akamaru? More friends? You're busted big time, Naruto!" Kiba began laughing.
"Hey. Wait. I didn't…" Naruto couldn't get a word in. Kiba was calling out their location.
"Just twenty more. Just twenty more. Just twenty more. Just twenty more." A familiar sounding voice was getting louder and louder. "Just twenty more. If I can't do that, it will be five hundred kicks." Someone ran into view, his green stretch suit looking black in the low light. "JUST TWENTY MORE. IF I CAN'T DO THAT, IT WILL BE FIVE UNDRED KICKS." Rock Lee slid to a stop when he heard a short bark from Akamaru. He had his weights on again, running laps. "Naruto! O-o-o-o-o-oh!"
More voices could be heard coming from the other direction. Hinata looked like she was ready to fold up like a cot. Naruto was no longer anxious. He was becoming rather annoyed.
"You will remember, won't you? Breakfast too, Shikamaru!" It was Choji. His comment gave away the identity of the other individual, neither in view quite yet.
"That was a large dinner. That was more than bothersome. My wallet is almost empty. You didn't have to ask for everything on the menu!"
"It was all so good. And the dinner crowd was coming in. They might have eaten something I wanted." The tell-tale rustle of a snack bag announced their arrival. "Hey, what's going on. It's Kiba. There's Lee. And Naruto. You guys getting together for dinner or something?" Choji sounded eager.
Another form stepped nearly into view, without saying a word. Holding up one finger, he concentrated, trying to interpret a message sent to him by an unseen insect. The female bug was back. It was time to retrieve it.
"Shino too?" Shikamaru asked, sensing the other. "Now this is getting quite troublesome. I dislike unannounced gatherings." He put one hand up to his forehead.
Naruto looked over at Hinata. He could practically smell her discontent. Before he knew it, he began to swell with anger. He knew that feeling all too well. Kyuubi chakra. Part of his mind had decided that Hinata was in need of protection. His reactions were beyond his control. In the dark, no one could see the tail-like streamers of orange energy that were writhing and dancing like nine agitated cobras. Naruto fought to control his temper. There was no need for this, now.
THERE IS NOTHING WRONG IN KILLING PACK MATES. IT KEEPS THE BREED STRONG. IT CAN BE GREAT FUN, TOO.
"What's going on here, guys? Is this another special mission?" Lee thought back to the days when he thought he would never be able to continue his dream. The operation had been a success, and he had managed to join his friends in their quest to bring Sasuke back. "Are you assembling a team?" Lee's eyes flashed in the moonlight. "A-h-h-h-h-h! The fire of youth will flare again!"
"Is there something going on? I haven't heard anything." Shikamaru crossed his arms over his chest, annoyed.
"If there is, I'll need more snacks." Choji's comment was followed by the sound of torn plastic and fearsome crunching sounds.
"It would be good to get in on the action this time," Shino said. "I will see what it is you all shared, years ago." He stepped into the moonlight, casting an eerie shadow.
Kiba laughed. Akamaru let fly with a number of short barks. Naruto felt the urge to grab Hinata's hand and run off.
IT WOULD BE MORE SATISFYING TO KILL THEM. YOU COULD EAT THE NOISY ONE. THE DOG, TOO.
Naruto wanted to shout at Kyuubi. He kept his temper. Hinata stepped over behind him, her hands grasping his robe. Her hair stood on end, buffeted by physical manifestations of Nine Tail's energy. Naruto could sense the swirl of her emotions. He felt am near uncontrollable need to keep her safe.
"Shit!" Kiba shook his head. "It's not a mission, guys." He looked over at Akamaru, who was facing Naruto and growling. He had no way of knowing that Kyuubi's increased presence was putting his canine friend on edge. "It's just lover boy, back from his date. He's walking the little lady home. Huh?" He listened to Akamaru. Akamura said she was very upset. We were trying to find out just what Naruto did. "Wait. He says that there is something wrong about naruto."
"Probably tried to kiss her," Shikamaru said. "Not really a big deal." He tried to sound nonchalant.
"You mean... (munch munch)... like that time... (munch munch munch)... Temari dragged you behind that... (munch)... wood shed?" Choji smiled, hearing his friend's exasperated sigh. "I heard you screaming like a baby..."
"O-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h. Naruto! Making a bold and strong move towards manhood. Amazing!" Lee struck one of his poses. "I'm so jealous! Ahhhhhhhh!
"It's not..." Hinata's quiet voice was drowned out. She was feeling a bit miffed by the Boy's Club atmosphere, even though Naruto wasn't acting that way. She was also feeling somewhat down, as her special moment had been ruined.
"I remember Akamaru saying something in the village. He said something about Naruto wanting to have pups." Kiba's voice deepened. "He also said that Naruto was afraid of something. And Hinata wanted to hurt someone."
"We should think things through logically. You know Naruto. He…" Shikamaru was cut-off.
"If you tried to go too far, Naruto… you will be sorry. Shino, Akamaru, and I won't let anyone do that to our teammate… not even you!" Once again, he misinterpreted Akamaru's growling. "If you tried to take advantage of a sweet girl like Hinata, I will tear you apart with the Half Beast Clone."
"I... "Naruto couldn't get the words out. He felt the anger growing within him.
"The female bug says..." Shino's words were ignored.
"OW-W-W-W-W! Naruto. Even though you are a valiant warrior and have served us well, I will not let you do that to Hinata!" The sound of Lee's weights hitting the ground echoed through the night air. "You are a strong opponent. If I need to use Lotus, I will do it for the honor of a woman! OH-H-H-H-H-H!"
"Naruto... he..." Hinata finally worked up the courage and annoyance to shout. She wasn't able to finish her denial. Those two words sounding damning by themselves.
"Did he, Hinata?" Shikamaru turned a scowling face towards Naruto's shadowy form. "Even though you are my friend Naruto, this will have to be reported to the Hokage. Please do not attempt to leave the village. Choji, remain here and keep an eye on things. I will get the necessary people." With that, he was gone.
"NO!" Naruto shouted at the top of his lungs.
IT WILL FEEL GOOD. JUST LET GO. YOU WANT TO. WHY RESIST?
"I wish it hadn't come to this." Kiba took out a food pill and ate it. He tossed another in the air, watching his canine companion leap and catch it in his mouth. They would do the Gatsuuga, if it came to that.
Choji was chewing faster and faster. He wrapped a string of kunai around him, preparing for the Kasui Nikudan Sensha if necessary.
"What is going on here?" Neji walked into view. He had sensed the strange chakra. It was all too familiar. He realized, of course, that Naruto was back, along with Hinata. He had come to escort her home.
"Naruto has taken advantage of Hinata," Kiba growled. "We were about to keep him occupied until the ANBU arrive. It's good you came. He's stronger now. We could use the help."
"But..." Again, Shino was ignored. "The female bug..."
"It is our duty, as honorable ninjas and members of this society, to uphold the welfare of woman and children. Master Gai has personally placed that geas on me!" Lee looked over at Neji. "Although it is still my dream to fight you and defeat you, I would be honored to fight by your side, honored team mate! Ahhhhhhhhhh!" Lee began powering up. Kiba and Akamaru finished the transformation of their chosen jutsu. Choji was close to enacting his transfiguration. Shino simply turned and walked away. The bug would be OK for a little longer. It could wait.
"I... have... done... nothing... wrong..." Naruto shook, like he stood astride a raging earthquake. Immense waves of chakra rolled out and away from him, causing the larger tree to shake and shiver, while the smaller ones bent or snapped.
"Leave... us... alone..." He reached back a hand to Hinata.
Akamaru, fell prone. He whimpered, bring the hand of his Half-Beast form over his eyes.
The ninja all spread their legs apart and leaned forward, as if they were trying to stand in the face of hurricane force winds. It was all they could do for a few seconds, concentrate their chakra and remain in place.
Lights went on in houses that were previously dark. Garbage cans bounced off of walls, their contents dancing and darting in mid air. Shouts came from all directions. A siren went off in one of the watch towers. Naruto saw things in slow motion. Part of him was afraid that the great demon was on the verge of breaking free. It wasn't. The seal was intact. This was his own doing, using the power that Kyuubi gave him access to. He began to realize why the beast had been so generous. Destruction was destruction, no matter whose hand held the torch.
Hinata was frightened. Her hand on Naruto, she vibrated with an energy she didn't understand. She felt some of what Naruto felt. She also sensed something else. Or was it someone else? "It's…OK…Naruto-kun..." She wrapped her arms around him and lay her head on his back. "I'm OK… we're OK… those are our friends." The surge of energy ceased. Naruto was left huffing for breath. Hinata whispered "Thank you, Naruto-kun."
Moments of silence passed before anyone found the will to speak. It was Neji who stepped forward, a hand raised in peace. "Why don't we attempt a reasonable conversation, without getting ahead of ourselves."
Naruto nodded. Hinata stepped out from behind him. Choji, Lee, Kiba, and Akamaru stood on either side of Neji. They could all hear noises approaching. Ahead of the advancing crowd, dark shadowy figures flashed here and there, forming a ring around the group of friends. Shikamaru soon joined them. Hinata walked forward, then stepped in front of Naruto. She held her arms straight out from her sides.
"Did anything bad happen to you, Hinata?" Neji knew there wouldn't be a lot of time for talk. He thought that Naruto deserved to be vindicated if he were innocent. If, on the other hand, he were not blameless, none of the watchers would prevent him from standing up for his cousin's honor. A number of enforcers stepped out with large portable torches. They moved to separate the young ninjas, but Neji held up his hand to stop them. "We'll be finished here in a moment. I will not let you interfere."
Masked figures looked at one another. There was a need to ascertain the true nature of this situation. They would act when they had sufficient information. Hyuuga Neji was jounin, and was in line to be promoted to 'Special Jounin'. They would trust his judgemnt at that moment.
"I request that you do as he asks." It was Kurenai. "I belive that there has been a misunderstanding here. I had been following the two since they returned to the village." She nodded to Naruto and Hinata. She had been the one in the shadows. The ANBU squad members stood at ease. "But. We may still need to contain him." She didn't go into any more detail than that. The members of the squad knew of Naruto's secret.
"Hinata. Are you OK? We can talk privately, if you wish." Neji walked over to stand in front of his fellow Hyuuga clan member.
"I will not let them harm him," Hinata said. The look in her eyes took everyone by surprise.
Neji nodded, then smiled ever so slightly. "That's good, sister. It seems that you have grown even more." The latter was added in a whisper only he, Hinata, and Naruto could hear. "Now, there are those who have made certain accusations. Is there any substance in them?"
"No." She slowly lowered her arm. "None at all. Naruto-kun has walked a far distance to see me home safely. He has taken good care of me. He has not done anything wrong."
"Oh-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h! The shame is too great to bear! I must do one thousand sit-ups!" Lee sounded anguished. He began his punishment immediately.
"We should all talk this over. At dinner. Shikamaru's treat." Choji suggestion was ignored.
"But… Akamaru's reaction to Naruto…" Kiba looked puzzled. "He said that Hinata was very angry. Angry enough to want to hurt someone. Their reactions when..." He tensed up and squared his shoulders. He still wasn't certain there wasn't some kind of cover-up going on. "I think we should hear exactly what they had been doing!"
"It's none of your business," Kurenai put in bluntly. "We will discuss your actions later." Looking up, she sighed. Someone else had arrived. "Since I have seen everything they have done since I was notified of Hinata's arrival in the village, I can say without a doubt that Naruto did nothing wrong." Other than hesitate too long. Poor Hinata...
"Uhhh..." Naruto looked shocked. That meant that Kurenai had been watching when he and inata almost…
"Kurenai-sensai." Hinata bowed her head and blushed.
The growing crowd of ninjas parted to let someone through. That notable person was still in her pajamas. The look on her face would have cleared a path even if her rank and station had not. For someone of her talent and sensitivity, the presence of abundant youma chakra had been had been like an alarm clock. Tsunade was very unhappy. This was the first evening in weeks that she had stood a chance of getting a full night's rest.
Sakura trailed behind the Hokage, holding a bed robe around her. She had recently taken to studying late, sleeping over at Tsunade's residence. Ten Ten and Ino had gone to see what the growing commotion was about, and followed Sakura when they saw how she was dressed.
Before she could even judge who was present, the Hokage called out in a loud voice. "Uzumaki Naruto. Front and center. I know you're here!"
Naruto marched up, a sneer on his face. Enough is enough. He had known Tsunade before she was Hokage. While that didn't mean he had the right to take any liberties, it did mean that he was dangerously be prone to try just that. "I'm here, Old Lady. What's with all these people? Is it a welcoming committee? You didn't have to do that!" He folded his arms over his chest.
Hinata's jaw fell open. Lee stopped his exercising. Choji dropped a bag of food. Shikamaru closed his eyes and put a hand on his forehead. Akamaru, no longer a puppy, tried to climb up inside Kiba's shirt. Neji smiled.
"HOKAGE!" Tsunade said, well aware that they were now in an official setting.
"OK. Old Lady Hokage." Naruto's rashness had nothing to do with Kyuubi this time. " Why can't a man have some privacy around this place?" He stuck his jaw out. He would try and bluff his way through this, even though there was little chance for success. That was his way.
"You!" Tsunade balled one hand into a fist. She bit her lip and tossed her hair. "I should think you've been schooled by now." She reached her hand out, holding up one finger. Naruto would know exactly what that signified.
"Yeh. Sure. Better make it two fingers. Maybe three." Naruto chuckled. He looked Tsunade up and down. "Never would have caught the Third out in his PJ's. That's what you get with a woman Hokage." If she were smart, she would stop this from becoming a public exhibition. If not, he didn't care what she did to him. He was in one of those
moods now.
The gasps and cries from the crowd only made Naruto more determined not to lose face.
Tsunade fought valiantly to maintain her temper, not to mention her dignity. Behind her, a group of jounin gathered. Near the front, Kakashi closed his one visible eye and shook his head. Iruka arrived as well, pushing his way to stand near the outraged Hokage.
"I will be speaking with Kakashi and Iruka at some point. I think they will be less than pleased with my critique. I had hoped that two experienced instructors would have been able to teach you something about respect and manners." Neither of those two principals looked happy at that moment. "I will also have a few strong words with Jiraiya. But, not for a few days. I have a feeling that he will be too angry to speak for a while." Tsunade grinned. "No doubt he will have a few word for you, too."
"Uhhhh..." Naruto suddenly didn't feel so bold. The recent occurrence was one thing. The untoward events in his other village were something all together different.
"What? Not so bold now, are we squirt?" Tsunade laughed. This was a good opportunity to judge Naruto in a situation that would have caused him to go ballistic years ago.
Naruto began to puff up some.
YOU MAY HAVE ALL THE CHAKRA THAT YOU CAN HANDLE
Kyuubi sounded much too eager for Naruto's liking. While he wanted to get the better of Tsunade, he had to honest with himself. He was at fault. Besides, he had more than himself to think about. He turned and looked at Hinata. She had her hands clasped to her chest, a worried look on her face. He looked down at his feet, then spoke in a quiet voice. "It was only a small swamp..." He kicked the nearest stone within reach.
"No, it wasn't." Tsunade shook her head. "It grew far, approaching another community. Fortunately, it spread away from the town." There was a tone of harsh disappointment in her voice. That hurt Naruto more than any shouting or name calling might. "It was a close call." Naruto's mouth worked like that of a fish out of water. "Yes. Perhaps you are not as good as you think you are. Maybe you are too strong for your own good... and everybody else's." The Hokage did not intend any threat. While that kind of statement would not win Naruto any friends in a community that had long since hated or feared him, this was the perfect time for a very pertinent lesson.
"Yes…but….I only..." Naruto felt everyone's eyes on him. This was worse than his early days in class had ever been.
"Would you like to inform all of the curious folk here why you came close to destroying a village this afternoon?" Tsunade felt bad. She had to do this. The older that naruto got, the more she grew concerned that he might be unduly influenced by the Nine Tails. If he chose to walk a bad path like Sasuke, Itachi, and Orochimaru had, he might prove an even bigger threat than Akatsuki. How would he handle this?
Naruto closed his eyes, wishing he could just disappear.
YOU CAN. MAKE A REALM. YOU CAN RETURN AND STRIKE WHEN THEY DO NOT EXPECT. BLOOD. RAPTURE. REVENGE.
Naruto clenched his teeth. He was not a traitor like that damn Uchiha. Like both those damn Uchihas. He was not evil like Orochimaru. He contained Kyuubi, but he was not the fox. He would go away if necessary. He would never harm those he had called friend. Not if he could help it!
WUSS.
Huh? An ancient and prideful youma saying 'wuss.' Naruto almost lost control of his bladder there. It appeared that the great demon might be picking up things from him, not just the other way around. That was funny, even in this stressful situation. 'Chew on that one, bastard fox!'
I WILL SUCK THE MARROW FROM YOUR BONES.
Naruto had grown some. He wasn't merely concerned about himself, or the danger that he might present to his village. He was also concerned about Hinata. Whatever happened to him that night, he would make certain that Tsunade and the others realized that she was not to blame.
"Well? Where's all that bravado? Surely you can't be afraid of an old lady!" Tsunade snickered. Years ago, that taunt would have caused Naruto to come running at her, chakra spinning in his palm.
"Ramen," Naruto said.
"What was that? Surely, the loudest ninja that Konoha has ever seen can make himself heard. Come on, little boy. You have all of our attention now. The stage is yours." Tsunade saw a look of disapproval on Sakura's face, but smiled in a way that got her point across. Sakura nodded her head.
"It was ramen. I wanted ramen." Naruto lifted his chin up, speaking with a calm and even voice. There was a touch of sorrow in his voice, but no anger or misplaced pride.
The crowd reacted noisily. Someone said 'Only Naruto.' It sounded like Kiba.
"Ramen," Tsunade said, looking him in the eyes.
"Yes." Naruto said, seeing himself as others must see him at that moment. Still, a bit of his spunk remained. "The good stuff, not instant."
"I see. I take it you wouldn't damage property and inconvenience scores of innocent people for instant noodles." Tsunade's sarcasm had a number of people laughing, despite the gravity of the situation. It hadn't been their town best by the Swamp, after all.
Hinata's next act surprised her more than anything else that day, even the near kiss. She walked over to stand by Naruto. She bowed. "I apologize, Hokage. I was there. I could have stopped him. I did not. He is not entirely to blame."
"Really? While they were unfortunate and disappointing, Naruto's actions were not entirely unexpected. But you..." Tsunade did not intend to be gentle. This was an opportunity to test the meddle of the young lady. She had always been at the bottom of her class in regards to courage and determination. Was her fondness for Naruto a good thing, or had it caused her to follow a path that she should have abandoned long ago?
Hinata shivered. But, she kept her chin up. She looked over at Kurenai, taking strenghth from her sensei's smile.
"What should I do with you, Hinata?" Tsunade rubbed her chin.
"Nothing!" Naruto clenched both fists. A few whisps of red visible chakra escaped him before he slammed the lid on tight. "Not a damn thing!"
"Oh?" Tsunade fought not to grin. So that's how it is, eh?
"Hinata did nothing wrong. It was all my doing. I am willing to accept whatever punishment you place on me." He fought his urge to say something disrespectful. Instead, he bowed. "Hokage."
"She is a ninja of this village. She has been taught our beliefs. One of her fellow shinobi put innocents at risk unnecessarily. It was her duty to stop him. She failed to do so!" Tsunade's voice rang out like a cannon shot.
"Yes," Naruto admitted. "It would be her duty to try. If she saw it coming. She didn't. I simply acted." He scowled, took a step forward, and then stopped. "I remember a young boy taking on a foe that was way too powerful for him. A wise old woman could have stopped him. She failed."
Tsunade smiled at that. Naruto was right. He was the master of the unexpected. "I see. You are correct. I would seem that Hinata is blameless, then. What should we do with you?" Tsunade looked around at the crowd, trying to judge what their feelings were. She smiled again. Naruto's comrades were all walking over to offer him support. So were the jounin who knew him well. What an amazing young man he was, despite all his flaws. Scorned from an early age, he still managed to change the hearts of people one at a time. Iruka should have been the first to hate him, but he was the one with the greatest look of concern.
Naruto reached up and removed something from around his neck, then stood looking at it for a moment. Ever so slowly, he advanced towards the Hokage, holding his treasured necklace in his hand. He dropped down on one knee and held it up, wordlessly.
Tsunade gasped. She saw images of Dan and her brother. She remembered the feel of Orochimaru's sword as it tore through her body again and again. The necklace. At that moment, she realized once again how much affection she had for the young troublemaker.
She reached out her hand, placed it over Naruto's then turned his hand into a fist. "No." Her next words were for his ear only. "Your offer makes me very proud, despite whatever trouble you may have caused today. Oh! What am I going to do with you." There was a twinkle of mischief in her eye for a moment, a firefly carried away by a strong gust of wind. So. Will Hinata be able to keep you in line?"
"Uhhh..." Naruto's hand jerked. He almost dropped the necklace.
"We will deal with this later," the Hokage said in a loud voice. "Everyone may now disperse. The situation is well in hand. There is no cause for concern." She looked over at the people who had been surrounding Naruto. "That means everybody."
"I'm really sorry Naruto," Kiba put a hand on his friends shoulder and squeezed. He still was somewhat confused. Not just about the actions of his two friends, but also by the strange power that he had felt on that dark stretch of road.
"Rufff nnn-nnn-nnn." Akamaru apologized as well.
Naruto reached down to pet the dog's head, and then gave Kiba a light punch. No words were necessary.
"Naruto, your defense of Hinata has filled my heart with fire. With Gai sensai as my witness, I will strive to be as brave and true as you!" Lee gave Naruto a big thumbs up.
"Lee!" Gai spoke with great pride.
"Sorry, Naruto. I didn't mean to turn this into such a big bother." Shikamaru bumped elbows with Naruto before leaving with Choji.
"Hinata, we should leave now. I will not tell your father of the night's events; but, I'm afraid he will hear of them soon enough." Neji looked at her a moment before continuing. "You did yourself proud. You are not the spoiled flower I once thought you were. Just as I am no longer the proud and hateful thing that I once was." He switched his gaze to Naruto. "I stand by my words from earlier today."
Naruto felt a lump in his throat, watching Hinata leave with her cousin. He didn't have time to sort through all of his emotions at the moment.
"Did we get here too late?" Konohamaru ran up with Moegi and Udon. "We heard that Naruto was in big trouble. Did we miss anything?"
"Go home, children." Tsunade was not in the mood for any nonsense.
"What? You can't talk to me that way. I'm going to be Hokage one day. Old Lady!" Konohamaru stuck out his chin.
Tsunade sighed. She looked over at Naruto. One brat was more than enough.
Naruto shrugged. "You could do the finger trick," Naruto suggested.
The Hokage stared at Naruto for a few moments. She knew that if she broke down and smiled, the seriousness of the day's events might be glossed over. "The two of us should talk, Uzumaki Naruto. While you remain a shinobi of this village." That ought to let the wind out of his balloon. The remainder of the crowd had just about melted away. Only Tsunade, Naruto, and Kurenai remained. "Kurenai? Do we have some business now?" Tsunade rubbed her eyes.
Kurenai walked over and whispered in Tsunade's ear.
"Ah. I see. There is some truth in the matter. There might indeed be a need for that. I would not trust it to others. Especially not Iruka and Kakashi." Tsunade sighed. Why was she standing outside in her pajamas, talking about serious matters? "
Naruto had no clue what they might be talking about. But, the fact that two women were discussing his fate had him worried.
"Well then, Naruto. I will leave you in Kurenai's tender care. You seemed to have kept certain things under control tonight when they could have gotten out of hand." The Hokage gave Naruto a rather pointed look.
"I…" Naruto wasn't feeling too charitable about himself at the moment. He certainly hadn't restrained his power as best he could. Then again, things could have been much worse. Neither he nor Tsunade needed to speak the word 'Kyuubi'.
Tsunade yawned, and then turned away. She said one last thing as she began to walk.
"Your actions earlier in the day still need to be discussed. Make sure you stop by and see me before you leave town." She laughed. "It may be the last chance I get to see you alive, once Jiraiya gets his hands on you."
"Come with me," Kurenai said, once the Hokage had left. "We have things to talk about."
Naruto sighed and nodded his head.