A/N:
Well, it was long in coming, but here's the epilogue. I think I tied up most of the loose ends. This is all there will be for this story. It's possible I might to do a one-shot sequel or two some day, but that's by no means a given.
Enjoy.
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It was a sunny day, one ripe with promise.
The village streets were filled with busy people, as farmers brought wagons of produce to the markets, and students ran from their dormitories to the cafeteria.
Naruto stopped, staring over at his favorite ramen shop. It was just one of the things that made his return to Konoha a wonderful thing. Another reason he was glad to be back stood patiently by his side.
"It's breakfast time. It will be two hours before it opens, Naruto-kun." Hinata knew what her boyfriend was thinking.
"But I see the old man in the window. He could whip us up some noodles real fast. It will make a fine breakfast." Naruto took a few steps towards the shop. He stopped. Hinata had hold of his arm.
"You know you need to keep your appetite, Naruto-kun." Hinata began pulling him towards the center of time. "There will be a lot of food today. Father wants this to be special." She stopped, looked up into his eyes, and made the face that he had difficulty resisting. "You promised. It's our Ninja Way."
Naruto frowned. He did promise. Being an idiot, he gave his word before he knew what was actually involved.
IT'S FITTING
"If you…" Naruto fought the urge to say something obscene and terribly graphic.
"What did he say?" Hinata had learned to recognize the 'Naruto is pissed at Kyuubi' look.
"The bastard fox said 'It's fitting.' He really knows how to get my goat!" Naruto kicked at a loose brick on the sidewalk.
NOT GOAT. SHEEP
"Ahhh!" Naruto scowled "You mrpphhhll grbfbll frkngll…" He stopped trying to swear, seeing that Hinata had her hand over his mouth. "He said 'Sheep'."
"I see." This time, Hinata put her hand over her own mouth. She tried to keep a straight face.
"Are you laughing at me, Hinata-chan?" Naruto threw his chest out, trying to maintain some dignity by making a manly pose.
LOOK OVER THERE.
"Huh?" Naruto scanned the area. What had caught the demon's attention? There were some pretty students, but he wouldn't dare look at them with Hinata there. Over by the guard tower there was a spat going on between two craft merchants whose wagons collided. Big deal. There were a fair number of pedestrians coming through the Great gate, including a line of monks. "Shit!"
"Naruto-kun!" Hinata did not care much for coarse language. She let her beau know that more and more these days. Following his gaze, her eyes widened. She smiled. Despite Herculean efforts, she began giggling. "I'm s-s-sorry…"
The monks were completely bald, their heads shaved smooth each morning. That sight, combined with Kyuubi's mental images of sheep being shorn, had Naruto clenching his fists. He could deal with Nine Tails. But, if Hinata reacted this way, how would everyone else?
"I'm never going to make another promise in my life!" Naruto began stomping off.
"Not even to me?" Hinata stood back where she was, looking down at her shoes. She still was a very shy person, and was more easily hurt than she wanted to be. But, she had also worked up the nerve to begin using that kind of thing to her advantage. She wouldn't let Naruto know that, of course.
Naruto stopped. He closed his eyes and clenched his fists. He was Uzumaki Naruto. It was his right and privilege to overreact! But, as loud as he might talk, and as brash as he might seem, there was no way he could ever purposefully upset Hinata.
PUSSY
Naruto tried to hold his tongue. He turned red in the face. It was too much to ask for. "Stupid dumbass fox!" He looked over at Hinata. "I am not going to tell you that one."
Hinata walked over to join Naruto. "It's not something Father is doing to embarrass you, Naruto-kun. You know that. Really… it's…"
"I know," Naruto sighed. "It's great for him to throw you another ceremony, and to make this one just for family and friends." He looked down at his sandals, sighing. "It's also great that he is letting me attend… and… well…" He really should look on the bright side of things. This would have a number of positive effects. Not only would it signify that Hyuuga Hiashi truly didn't mind his daughter dating the village's noisiest ninja, it would also be a way for one of Konoha's top families to send an important message to the entire community.
"Father is trying hard, Naruto-kun. I know how he once felt about you; but, he was very impressed by the way you stood up for me that day. My words made him start thinking, too." She didn't say 'please don't ruin things now'. She didn't have to. "This won't make you a part of the family or anything." Hinata blushed deep red, thinking about the way that Naruto could be brought into the family. It was her secret dream, and she did not want to spook her boyfriend by mentioning it any time soon. Uzumaki Hinata had a nice ring to it, but she had to face facts: that day might never come. "But… ummm… since you don't have any parents…" She hated reminding Naruto of that.
"I know. You will go through your Mogi. I will do the same, going through my Gempuku. Your father will play the roll of my kin." He felt strange inside. He had truly dislike Hyuuga Hinata before, and was still slowly warming to the clan chief now. But, the gesture he had made really did touch him deeply. Not that he was going to tell anyone that.
SNIFF SNIFF
Naruto ignored Kyuubi. He scowled, deciding he didn't need to get all mushy or anything. "It's great and all… but… why my hair?" He folded his arms over his chest. "I mean, in the old days, they would have made you blacken your front teeth. But you don't have to do that." He tried to stare Hianata down, even though he knew that she was not the one who was insisting that certain traditions be followed.
Things could be worse. According to Tsunade, who had done some research into old scrolls, the Hyuuga family had been a very warlike tribe long ago. The first coming of age ceremony for boys was a lot harsher. The younglings would be brought to a river after they were ready to begin their ceremony. The elders would place the children into the river and make them stay there for days. In three days the elders would return to the river to alert the child that they are now free of the river. They would then take the child to the great mountain tops, where the child would live off of the land for two years, until the family leaders saw fit for his return. Then the use of bamboo training katanas were used to show the child's strength and cunning. If the tribe thought the child was well enough to become an adult warrior, he was allowed to rejoin the tribe.
Naruto wondered if he would go through all that for Hinata. Maybe. He was wise enough to know that certain people, just like certain opportunities, only came by once in a life time. It depended on the mountain top. If someone would deliver ramen there…
"I have to follow the other traditions, Naruto-kun." Hinata was nonplussed. Even after months of dating, she still had a lot to do to get used to Naruto's quirks and habits. But, she had gotten used to enough things to stand up for her self. "I don't know why you… well… I don't see why you have to act like such a big baby…" She bit her lip. That wasn't pushing things too far, was it?
HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH.
"Hinata-chan!" Naruto shook a fist at his girlfriend. Who was he fooling? She was right. She was usually right. Damn. "Well, I guess that was why I haven't had a haircut in six months." He tugged at the hair at the back of his head. He would be allowed to keep a long ponytail after he was shorn during the ceremony. He would be given a round-sleeved robe to wear… would be gifted with a short word that had belonged to an ancestor of Hinata's father… and would be given a new name for use in Hyuuga family affairs. "I told Ero-Sennin that I wanted to look like him. He bought it!"
"Naruto-kun!" Hinata shook her finger at Naruto. "You shouldn't use that name."
"Ero-Sennin… Ero-Sennin… Ero-Sennin…Ero-Sennin…" Naruto turned his nose up.
THAT WILL SHOW HER. I'M IMPRESSED. INSECT
Hinata bit her lip. That was absolutely enough of that. She always had to work up her courage before she walked away from Naruto. Part of her was always scared that if she did that, he might walk away from her for real. But, facing facts like that was part of growing up. If her father was going to make strides to improve himself, then she would do no less. Swallowing hard, she began to stride quickly away.
Naruto stood watching, his nose still in the air. It was an act. He knew that it was an act. At least he was pretty sure it was an act. Even if it wasn't, Hinata wasn't the only fish in the sea, right? Sure, she was cute, and she liked him. Yes, they had been through a lot together. OK, so sitting alone with her after dark, holding hands or kissing, was one of his new favorite things. Sakura might get off of her latest 'Sasuke-kun' craze. Shikanmaru would finally decide on Ino or Temari, leaving one of them free. The noodle guy's daughter was really pretty. Yeh. Right!
"Hinata-chan!" Naruto had let Hinata get a good distance away. He leaped up on top of a light poll… jumped over to a tiled roof top… and sped along unencumbered by the milling crowd below. He took a bucket of water in the face when one woman took a lazy approach to drenching her newly planted flower boxes. Stepping on a loose ceramic shingle, he slid off of the roof or the next building over. By serendipity, he landed hard at Hinata's feet.
HE'S WHIPPED
'Huh?' Naruto wasn't certain what Kyuubi meant. The youma had begun picking up slang and colloquialisms that his host did not know.
As Naruto sat seeing stars, Kyuubi simply chuckled. He told Naruto that the term was not truly accurate yet, but might be in a few months. He would wait to explain it to him at some time when he needed to maintain his composure. Maybe at a crucial moment during the upcoming ceremony…
"Naruto-kun!" Hinata kneeld down on the road and looked in her boyfriend's eyes. She checked to see if he had any broken bones.
"I'm OK, Hinata-chan. Stupid, but OK." He rubbed his backside. It really hurt. "Don't you go punishing me, too. I've had more than enough punishment to last a life time."
"You're almost done, right?" Hinata knew how much it stung her boyfriend's pride, not only having to do punishment, but also having the whole village know that he was doing penance. "It's shown everybody that you truly care, and that you don't just put yourself first."
"It sucks!" Naruto stuck out his lower lip. "Sorry, excuse my French. But it's just not right. Tsunade told me how proud she was of me. She told me I was a great young man and a credit to the village."
"She also told you that she would have a long talk with you, and arrange your punishment. The Hokage is a woman of her word." Hinata remembered the look on Naruto's face when he had walked out of that meeting, not long after he had returned to Konoha from Mount Monado. "She let you come back to the village. She kept you out of prison. There were even a few people that wanted you put to death." She reached out and squeezed his hand. She wasn't going to complain about his coming to rescue her, even though she knew that he had taken a very big risk, placing the village in danger.
"I should have been given a reward or something!" Naruto ran a hand through his long and unruly hair, for one of the last times for a while. "I mean it was nice to have her make that speech about me and everything… but she gave me the same punishment as Sasuke!" That fact would be a burr under Naruto's saddle for a long time. His competition with the Uchiha boy was back on at full strength.
"Naruto-kun, they didn't give Kabuto or Orochimaru rewards. They didn't give Itachi a medal or something." The truth of the matter was that regardless of their motives, each of those villains had played a crucial roll in saving the world, or preventing widespread death and destruction. They had all managed to escape. By all accounts though, Itachi was the only surviving member of the Nine.
"Of course not! Stupid rat bastards!" He clenched his teeth when he saw the look on Hinata's face. Too bad. They were rat bastards. There were worse words he could use, and would use when she wasn't around. "Sasuke left the village for himself. Kabuto and Orochimaru were after him, and didn't want Akatsuki to make a fatal mistake. Itachi was interested in finding a way to gain more strength and power. I went to save the girl I… well… you know…"
"The girl you…" Hinata raised one eyebrow. It was as bold as she could bring herself to be. She knew how Naruto felt, but wished that he didn't always have so much trouble telling her.
"Hinata-chan… you know…" Naruto was practically whispering while he looked all around, making certain that no one was listening.
"If I do, Naruto-kun…" Hinata sighed. "If I do… it's not because you ever tell me…" She slumped her shoulders. "I told you, in that cavern…"
TELL HER YOU WANT TO JUMP HER BONES. THAT WILL SHUT HER UP
"You!" Naruto shook with rage for a moment. He stopped. "No, Hinata. I won't repeat that one either." He twiddled his fingers a moment, and then stopped. He was doing that more than she was these days. He closed his eyes. Why did he have trouble saying those three words? Was he afraid that fate would steal Hinata away if he did? Things didn't always have to turn out for the worst, right? "I went to save the girl I love." He opened his eyes in time to see Hinata blush prettily and smile. He liked that smile. It made him feel the same way that rainbows did when he was a kid.
"I love you too, Naruto-kun…" Hinata squeezed his hand again. "…Although everyone still wonders why." She grinned. That wasn't really true. But, it was one of their little jokes.
"They're just jealous," Naruto said. "Not everyone can be as lucky as you."
Hinata didn't say anything. She knew that her silence would get a response. But, Naruto just smirked and shook his head. He knew that trick. So, she returned to her earlier question. "You're almost finished with your assignments, aren't you?"
"Yeh," Naruto said, scratching his head. "The first thing I had to do was that damn 'Precious' of Kyuubi's.
IT'S MINE. MY PRECIOUS. MINE
'I know!'
"It still makes me laugh, thinking about Ero… about my sensei. After I had…uhhh… passed that damn ball, he took it, after making Sasuke be the one who cleaned it off." Naruto grinned a wicked grin. "He put in his pocket, intending to take it far away, hiding it where no one would know. Hah! Big hairy idiot!" Naruto's smile grew larger. "It regained its size quickly, all of the sudden. The old pervert was stuck under the thing, and I had to use Ragengan to move it."
YOU WILL PAY FOR THAT IGNOMINITY SOME DAY
'Eat me!'
"You and Sasuke were given the job of rolling it to the port, weren't you?" Hinata knew the answer. She just wanted to hear the full tale.
"Yes. It was part of our punishment. At least he still has a lot of things to go through that I don't!" It was true. Uchiha Sasuke had a much greater penance than Naruto did. If it were possible, his road to acceptance by the village would be rockier than Naruto's. "You should have seen the look on his face when Granny Tsunade told him that he had to wear an orange jumpsuit like my old one. I thought he would be a missing-nin again for sure!"
"Naruto-kun…" Hinata didn't think that Naruto should take too much pleasure from Sasuke's predicament. After all, her boyfriend was one of the first to truly welcome his old friend back. She sighed, thinking of Gai and Kakashi's rivalry. Some things were destined to go on forever, she guessed.
"Any way, it's a really long walk to the port. I can't remember how many nights we had to camp out with my sensei. At least he taught me a new jutsu during that whole mess!" He smiled. Until Sasuke had won back the Hokage's favor, he wouldn't be allowed to practice any jutsus, much less learn anything new. Naturally, Naruto had made a point of rubbing that in. "It was really hot. And it was hard work, since I was the only one allowed to use chakra, but couldn't use any techniques that would have made things go quickly. I don't know how many times we rolled the damn thing up a hill, only to have it roll back down again. That hairy jerk started calling me Sisyphus.
THE SISSY PART FITS. YOU WHINED MORE THAN A NEWBORN PUP
'Uh huh. Remember where I used to go to relive myself, when there were no bushes around?'
Naruto felt a sense of satisfaction when Kyuubi sounded as if he was frothing at the mouth. He had made it a point to take a leak on the demon's giant sphere whenever possible.
"Who's the sissy, fur ball?'
"Sisyphus?" Hinata looked over at Naruto, a look of curiosity in her eyes.
"Yeh. He was the king of Corinth, in Greek stories. Some said he was the true father of Odysseus. He promoted navigation and commerce, but he was a two-faced son of a bitch. He killed travellers and wayfarers. When Thanatos came to fetch him…"
"Thanatos?" Hinata was getting lost in all the names.
"The Greek personification of death. When he came for Sisyphus, the king put him in shackles so that no one could die. Ares… the Greek god of war… freed Thanatos and handed Sisyphus over into his custody." Naruto and Hinata began walking again. "But, Sisiyphus was a crafty guy, for a rat bastard. Sort of like Orochimaru or Itachi, I guess. Before he died, he told his wife that when he was gone, she was not to offer the usual sacrifice to the dead. So, when he got to the underworld, he complained that his wife was neglecting her duty. He persuaded Hades… the god of the underworld… to allow him to go back to the upper world and convince his wife to do the right thing. But when he got back to Corinth, he positively refused to return, until forcibly carried off by Hermes… the god of boundaries and the people that cross them."
"I still don't understand why Jiraiya would call you Sisyphus, then…" Hinata wrinkled up her nose. It had Naruto coming up short, since it reminded him of a rabbit in some ways. Rabbits made him think back to his time with Hinata in the other village.
"Sheeesh! And you are always telling me to be patient!" Naruto imitated Hinata's voice. "'Naruto-kun, you need to be patient'." He grinned. "'Naruto-kun, it wouldn't hurt you to be patient now and then.'" His smirk had Hinata clenching her fists. He smiled even more, glad to see that his girlfriend could get a feisty attitude now and then. "Anyway… hey, no kicking!" Hinata had given him a sharp kick to the shins before turning her nose up. "I don't have to tell this story, you know!"
"Yes you do!" Hinata surprised herself with that one. Instead of making Naruto angry, he actually reached out and gave her a quick hug. That ruined her grand defiance.
YOU SHOULD HOLD HER RUFF TIGHTLY IN YOUR TEETH... ENTER HER FORCEFULLY... AND STAKE YOUR CLAIM IN FRONT OF ALL YOUR RIVALS
'You're repeating yourself, hair bag.'
"In the underworld, Sisyphus was compelled to roll a big stone up a steep hill; but, before it reached the top of the hill, the stone always rolled down, and Sisyphus had to begin all over again. The reason for that punishment wasn't because of his trick with Hades. It might be because he revealed the designs of the gods to mortals, or simply because of his habit of attacking and murdering travelers. So, you can see why the old hermit said what he did. Stupid pervert. He got a big kick out of it."
"Did Sasuke complain?" Hinata asked.
"No, he was his usual quiet Sasuke self, just like before. He did spare me a few 'dumb ass' or 'loser' comments here and there. I couldn't get him to tell me about everything he went through. Tight-lipped jerk!" Naruto really was glad that Sasuke was back. The only person happier was Sakura, who picked up right where she had left off, much to Sasuke's dismay. "He should be happy, being back. And, because Orochimaru was hurt badly at the cave, he needed to change bodies again. So, if no one manages to kill that freak, Sasuke will have three years of peace." Naruto frowned. He thought about his own situation. How long before someone else wanted to try and make use of the nine-tailed fox? Now that the damn Kyuubi Ball had been sent away to parts unknown, would Sasuke's brother ever get together with another group of S-class criminals, with the same target as before? Would that asshole come looking for him and Hinata, with revenge on his mind?
"He also had to help you with all the repair work, too. Right?" Hinata waved to Ten Ten, who looked to be finishing up some errands before heading over to the Hyuuga estates.
"Did Neji ever have to go through this Gempuku stuff, Hinata?" The sight of Ten Ten reminded him of the girl's boyfriend. "His hair is pretty long. I guess it could have grown back in the years I was gone."
"No," Hinata said. "Neji is Branch family. Even though the Main family has changed its view in that regard, he was never offered a chance for this honor." Neji would not necessarily see a Gempuku ceremony as an honor. But, she wanted to make certain that Naruto saw things that way.
"We'll see about that. After all that Bird-in-a-cage stuff, I feel responsible to follow through. Know what I mean." Naruto began rubbing his hands together. "What?" He saw the look of disapproval on Hinata's face. "Is it wrong for me to look out for my friend? Neji's a really great guy."
Hinata just stood quietly, tapping her foot against the flagstones.
"As I was saying." Naruto said. "Yes, Sasuke and I both had to work on repairing whatever damage was done by that stupid fox's jaunt through the city. That was crap!" Naruto dared Hinata to say anything. "I controlled the damn flea bag. I didn't want him to come in the village. Some thanks I got!"
IT MADE YOU WISER. STRONGER. MORE SUBSERVIANT. NO NEED TO THANK ME
'Piss on you! Piss on your 'Precious'. Piss on your thanks!'
Naruto frowned. It would be worth sneaking another look at the forbidden scroll, if it meant he could find some way to shut that damn demon up for good.
"Sasuke didn't cause any of the damage. He was assigned that task too." Hinata reached over and bushed some dirt off of Naruto's pants. That had a passing Kiba making a loaded remark. She had to hold onto Naruto's arm tightly as he dragged her half of a village block. "Behave, Naruto-kun. These are new boots!"
"Sure. Whatever. At least I did a better job than Sasuke. Damn Uchihas are all probably too stuck up to work with their hands. They should probably name the one street 'Naruto Street' or 'Uzumaki Lane', something like that." Naruto thumped his chest.
"The Hokage wasn't too happy when you painted all of the storefronts orange and black that one time," Hinata put in. "You had to repaint that whole street, and the next street over as punishment."
"It looked better!" Naruto made a face that had Hinata giggling again. "It did! They just wouldn't admit it, that's all."
"Jiraiya said that Tsunade almost had you paint the whole Great Wall by yourself. I guess she didn't think you were learning what you were supposed to from all the work you were doing." Ninata looked down and checked her nails. She began humming happily.
"Women!" Naruto cursed, throwing in some words in a language only Kyuubi knew. He then said "Not you, Hinata-chan. You're not a woman. You're a girl." He actually jumped back, seeing the look on Hinata's face. Where did she learn that? Her father? Granny Tsunade? Shukaku? "I… ummm… you know… well…"
"Yes?" Hinata's voice was very low. It snapped like a blade clicking out of a stiletto.
"I… uhhh… I love you, you know…" That one would save him. He sighed, stopping when Hinata gave him another look. She obviously wanted those three words reserved for special times, when he was speaking from his heart. Girls are so demanding! "Hinata-chan… what's that…" He pointed to a rather fancy looking wagon. It had banners hanging from the side. The markings were those of the Hyuuga clan."
At first, Hinata thought that Naruto was only trying to change the subject. When he kept pointing, and even started jumping up and down, she turned to check things out. "Oh! That's some of our guests." She went on to explain that she had made a request for certain people to attend her ceremony, if they wanted to. Included on the list were the old scholar who told her about the Demiurge; the farmer and his wife that the two of them had met the one day; the fish merchant who they had tricked out of some fish; and the wife and children of the spy who had freed her from her chains, and had died delaying Kisame.
"You're really someone special, do you know that?" Naruto stared at Hinata for a few moments, making her blush and twiddle her fingers. "For a dark, shy weirdo, that is." He began walking again, whistling. Once again he found himself feeling as if it was all a dream. How could someone as nice as Hinata like someone like him?
"Thank you," Hinata said. "You only have one week left of talking with the hopefuls?" That was what Hinata called the young village children who wanted to begin ninja training next year, hoping to work their way towards being a genin.
"Yes. I'm almost done with 'baby talk'!" He saw the look of disapproval on Hinata's face. "What! A ninja like me shouldn't have to do that kind of stuff!"
"You're still a genin, Naruto-kun." Hinata decided to give Naruto some of his own medicine. "The only one of us who still is, right? Neji had made jounin." Hinata and all of their friends had made chuunin over the past couple of years. It wasn't Naruto's fault that he missed the chuunin exams over that time, but a fact was still a fact.
Naruto just glared at Hinata for a moment. It was mostly an act, as was his use of the disparaging terms. He really enjoyed working with the children, and by all accounts had surprised a good number of people in that regard. They shouldn't have been so shocked, however. He had been an orphan. He was only doing what he wished others had done for him. As for being a genin, so what? He doubted that Neji or any of the others would have been able to take down a single Akatsuki member by himself. Of course, they didn't have Kyuubi powers, but that was merely a technicality.
"Well, if you're ashamed to be dating a genin…" Naruto shrugged. Hinata was getting better, but she wasn't in his league. "There were some really cute girls being signed up for the upcoming chuunin exam."
"Good luck," Hinata said. "With the girls, I mean." It was hard for her to even joke that way. But, she wasn't about to back down ever again. Not after all that she had learned from Naruto. "Maybe you'll have more luck with them than the exam." She fluffed her hair. "I hear that Mitarashi Anko and Morino Ibiki are running things again this time. They will both have an eye out for you. Their expectations will be very high." She swallowed hard. "If what Kurenai says is true… I think that Anko likes you..."
"W-H-A-T!" Naruto stumbled and had to windmill his arms just to keep from taking a nose dive. "You shouldn't say things like that, Hinata-chan. There are worse things than Akatsuki…"
"Should I tell Anko that?" Hinata grinned.
"NO!" Naruto closed his eyes, calming himself down. Kyuubi was being a nuisance, digging up images of Anko from his memory. The damn youma was putting her face on some of his memories of nude models from the magazines he tried to bribe Jiraiya with. "I mean… no." He shook his head. "Some things should never be joked about. Remember that!"
"Of course," Hinata said, bowing. Naruto was the last person to talk about joking. "I'll ask Kurenai-sensei to keep things secret after I tell her."
"I think I can do without the honor of this ceremony," Naruto grumbled. Hinata still wasn't in his league. He just had his hands tied, seeing that she was his girlfriend. "But I'll do it for you." That ought to win him a few points. Maybe a kiss or two, later. "Any how, I know how strict Ibiki is. Even after I helped his brother Idate."
"That's another one." Hinata said, nodding.
"Another what?" Naruto said, frowning.
"Another Naruto story you owe me. We did the one about the Snow Princess. You told me about the Naruto Bridge. You said something once about defeating Sasuke and spoiled milk…"
"Uhhh… I'll tell you about Idate and the Todori Burning Race later. We were talking about my community service with the children." Naruto had to clear his throat. "It's actually fun, even though Old Lady Tsunade made it a big point of telling me I would serve as an example for them."
"What's wrong with that, Naruto-kun?" Hinata brushed some dust off of her vest.
"I was an example of what the kids shouldn't do!" Naruto groused.
THAT'S A WISE WOMAN. TRY TO PEAK UNDER HER SKIRT. SHE CAN'T BE HUMAN
That time, Naruto did trip on his own feet. Hinata caught him. He wouldn't tell her what Kyuubi said about Tsunade.
"She also said it would be good training," Naruto added without thinking things out.
"Naruto-kun?" Hinata looked up at her boyfriend.
"For when I'm a father!" Naruto suddenly went as white as a sheet, realizing what he said and who he had said it to. "You know… I mean… if I ever…" He clenched his fists. Damn!
YOU ARE RIGHT TO BE AFRAID. SOME MALE INSECTS DIE AFTER MATING. OTHERS ARE CONSUMED BY THEIR MATE
"Gurk!"
"Are… are you alright… Naruto-kun…" Hinata was blushing. She wasn't going to ask what Nine Tails might have said. She couldn't help but lapse into one of her favorite daydreams again.
It was a minute or so before Naruto found his voice again.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The estate grounds were empty, except for some unobtrusive guards.
Pennants were flying from poles and house windows, much like they had been on the fateful day of Hinata's first coming of age presentation. This time, however, there were no crowds.
The Hokage would be there. So would Jiraiya. Select elders and leaders from the Hyuuga clan had been invited as well. The different appearance did not stop Naruto from have a flashback, however. He stood at the gateway to the main lawn, unable to take another step as Hinata continued on her way.
YOUR BALLS FALL OFF OR SOMETHING?
Kyuubi's question snapped Naruto out of his trance. His secret was common knowledge now. Hiashi himself had been the one to make the offer about the Gempuku. There should be nothing to worry about other than the usual Uzumaki Naruto type of mishaps. Still, he felt his heart beating very quickly. His palms felt moist. A few beads of sweat tickled him as they ran down his neck.
"No, we're not that much alike, hair ball. I know that some people grow to resemble their pets, but I haven't!"
That 'pet' remark had Kyuubi going ballistic. It took a while longer just for Naruto regain total use of his body and senses.
"What's wrong, you can dish it out but can't take it? Ready to say 'Uncle'?"
I ATE YOUR UNCLE
Naruto clenched the fence rail in his hands, getting a few splinters in the process. He couldn't tell if Kyuubi was joking or not. He still knew little about his family, and he could have had an uncle as far as he knew.
Once again, it was a good opportunity for him to remember not to act as if the demon fox was his buddy or something.
'Thanks for the reminder, chum.'
"Naruto-kun!" Hinata came running back to him. "What's wrong?" Her eyes widened, when she figured things out. "It's OK. That's in the past. Nothing like that will happen again."
"It's just…" Naruto threw out his chest and struck a tough guy pose. "That's right. Let's go see about getting your hair cut off, Hinata-chan!"
Hinata laced her fingers with Naruto's and pulled him up to the house. Taking off their footwear, they continued inside. The main house was a beehive of activity. The general guests would be arriving in a couple of hours, after the preparations were complete and the Tea Ceremony had been performed.
Neji walked into the main dining area when Naruto was passing through. He called out a greeting to the two of them.
"Pay attention to today's ceremony, Neji!" Naruto's voice echoed through the large rooms of the house. "You'll be next!"
Neji looked on quizzically, and then smiled when his cousin grabbed Naruto and started dragging him down one hallway.
"Hey, stop. Wait, Hinata. What's that?" Naruto dragged Hinata back out into the serving area. There was a huge cake, exquisitely decorated. It was in the shape of a rabbit.
"I wanted a fox, but Father would have nothing to do with that." Hinata said. "So, after thinking a bit, I told him I would like a rabbit."
"But, no one will understand what it means. They'll just think that the Hyuugas have gone nuts or something." Naruto scratched his head.
"Not after we tell them the story, Naruto-kun." Hinata smiled. "Part of the ceremony will have us sharing important tales from our life. I have a lot to tell about you."
"Uhhh… but…" Whatever Naruto was about to say was drowned out by a huge barking commotion. Young dogs ran into the room, some sliding on the newly polished floor while others bunched up various carpets in their rush to reach Naruto.
"Hanabi!" It was Hiashi's voice. "Didn't I tell you to lock the dogs up!"
A dozen dogs jumped up and down, trying to lick Naruto's face. Hinata watched with a big smile on her face. This always happened when the dogs were in the house and they heard Naruto's loud voice. Despite the fact that Kyuubi was inside him, or maybe because of that, the dogs adored Naruto. It probably had to do with the fact that he was notorious for sneaking them food under the table.
"I should apologize," Hisahi said, walking into the room. "Down!" The dogs immediately sat. Feeling mischievous, Naruto did as well. "Not you…" Hinata's father sighed. He wondered if he was doing the right thing. "I never should have changed my opinion about dogs."
"Or me?" Naruto asked, feeling some need to know that answer.
"That remains to be seen," Hiashi was only half joking.
Hinata smiled. She remembered the day that a litter of puppies were delivered to the house, tired and disoriented after a long ship voyage. She had a lot of pleasant memories, watching them grow larger and more frisky. It was almost like her father had been making up for her lack of pets as a child in one fell swoop. She also remembered the look on Naruto's face when he first met the dogs. He asked what kind they were. 'Foxhounds', her father had answered truthfully. 'They like foxes?' Naruto had asked. 'No, they were originally used for hunting them,' her father had said.
I STILL SAY HE'S NOT A HYUUGA. STICK TWO KNIVES IN HIM
'Down boy!'
Naruto braced for an explosion that never came. He remembered what happened when he called Kyuubi a 'Bad dog' once before. They almost didn't get to Hinata and the others in time.
"Hinata, the matrons will be ready for you in a little while. It will be just like last time, so you know what to expect." Hiashi turned to look at Naruto. "You still intend to go through with things?" It was not a challenge, but was not necessarily a graceful chance to back out either.
"Yes, Sir!" Naruto stood taller. "It's my Ninja Way!" A number of the dogs howled. They had heard that phrase many a time. He didn't say that he would do anything for Hinata, but that look was in his eyes.
"Very well. You will merely act as a guest at the Tea Ceremony. You will be asked to recite stories after that, when that time comes. You may refuse, if you wish." Hiashi opened his mouth to continue, but was interrupted.
"I have that part covered if he doesn't wish to speak, Father." Hinata blushed, realizing that she spoke out of turn. She began to cringe, but stopped. She stood tall.
Hiashi looked at his daughter a moment and nodded. He would live with the enthusiastic interruption. He was glad to see that Hinata had continued to grow in her personal strength. While he was still beholden to be clan chief in much of what he did, he had learned the truth behind the saying about honey and vinegar. Just as he opened his mouth again to speak with Naruto, he closed his eyes and sighed. Hanabi ran into the room and slid on the floor, wrapping her arms around some of the dogs. Maybe he had been too lax in some things.
"I'll bring them to their kennels, Father." Hanabi said. She just stood there though, wondering what was going on. She had taken a while to open up to Naruto, but had become almost as fond of him as she was of her 'puppies'. She also liked the fact that things seemed to happen around him and her sister.
"Ahem!" Hiashi cleared his throat loudly. That had some of the servants stopping to see what he wanted. He waved them off. "I will continue. Before the Tea Ceremony, you must have undergone the ritual shaving. It is a custom dating back to my warrior ancestors. After that is done, we will have a small private ceremony where you receive your Hyuuga name. Before any of that, however, you must complete the ritual cleansing, and then be dressed in your ceremonial robes."
"Sir!" Naruto bowed. He had learned to respect Hinata's father, but still had the instinctual urge to test the man every so often. "Will Hinata be helping me with my bath?" That ought to stir things up a bit!
Hinata turned pink immediately. Hanabi smiled and clapped her hands. The dogs all howled, making quite a ruckus. Hiashi frowned, his hands clenching.
"C-Certainly!" Hiashi said. He paused a moment, trying to get himself under control. He had not burst into flame or turned into a huge block of salt after making that sly joke. He had actually come to admire Naruto's spirit, but was still of the opinion that there could be too much of a good thing. Just the same, he would steal a page out of the boy's own book. Let no one say that the clan leader of the Hyuugas couldn't learn a thing or two. "You of course will be naked. I'll leave her degree of dress up to your discretion."
Hanabi's mouth fell open. She would have to remember that one for her diary! Hinata looked unsteady on her feet. Her father put out an arm to keep her from falling. Naruto's eyes were bulging. He was making noise better suited for a koi than a clever boy.
MAKE IT THREE KNIVES
"Is there a problem?" Hiashi asked, raising one eyebrow. "If you would prefer Hanabi…"
"Father!" Hinata put her hand over her mouth.
"DADDY!" It was Hanabi's turn to blush.
Naruto smiled. It was worth having his hair shorn just to have heard that. Hyuuga Hiashi might turn out to be pretty cool after all. He had some more work to do on the man, but who knows?
"I guess Hinata will be OK," Naruto said, putting his hands on his hips and speaking like a man of the world. "As long as no one else peaks!" He fought a smile, seeing Hinata blush even brighter than before. "Especially Hanabi. She has a habit of doing that." That had Hanabi looking furious. "But, on one condition."
"Oh?" Hiashi was commited to go along with the joke, since he was the one who started it. Just the same, he would assign a group of guards to the boy, to make certain that he understood it was a joke.
"I want to be certain that Hinata has had her talk with Kurenai first!" Naruto blew on his hand and began polishing his fingernails on his shirt. Out of the corner of his eyes, he watched as Hinata started making the koi noises.
"Talk?" Hiashi asked, knowing it would be better if he didn't.
"Yeh. Birds and Bees. That kind of stuff." Naruto grinned. The ball was now in Hisahi's court. There was no way he could return that shot without getting all official or angry. Score, Uzumaki one, Hyuuga zero…
"A-Ahhh… I see…" Hinata's father almost lost it. That was a close one. Not only was he clan leader, he was also father of two daughters. "That will not be a problem. Since this is a day for old traditions, I can resurrect another one."
"F-F-Father…" Hinata had no idea what her father was talking about. While she might like to be Naruto's bride some day, she was not about to go through some kind of betrothal ceremony… or the consummation of that kind of union…
"In the distant past, only certain men were allowed in the presence of the Hyuuga princess." Hiashi looked sage, nodding his head. The Hyuuga eyes made him look wiser than another man with his countenance might. "Her father… her younger brothers… and her special retainers."
"Special retainers?" Naruto asked, scrunching up his face.
Yes," Hiashi said. "Eunuchs."
I WAS RIGHT ABOUT LOSING YOUR BALLS
"I'll bathe myself!" Naruto said, a little louder than he intended. He closed his eyes. Punked by Hyuuga Hiashi. What else could happen that would top that? "Uhhh…Sir."
"I thought you might," Hiashi said. He actually winked at Hanabi. Hinata would never have believed it if she hadn't seen it.
Naruto was escorted away by a number of guards and attendants. Hanabi busied herself moving all of the dogs to their kennels. Hiashi walked with his daughter on her way to meet with the matrons.
"I can't say that I approve entirely, daughter." Hiashi believed in being honest. "But, the boy does show some promise. Otherwise he wouldn't be part of the official proceedings today."
"Yes , Father." Hinata stopped. "You like him, don't you." It was brusque, and she didn't want to take too many liberties with her father's more laid back persona.
"I suppose he has grown on me, like the dogs." He put on a serious look. "Is he really the one you wish to give your heart to?"
"Yes, Father." Hinata met her father's gaze. She knew that he was not talking about anything long term. For him, making certain that his daughter had a proper boyfriend was almost as important as her having an appropriate spouse. That was his goal as both a parent and a clan head.
"I see." Hiashi nodded. "You may wish to withhold judgment until after the haircut."
"Father!"
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