Naruto and Hinata had just arrived outside the main gate to the Saigen compound.
" I'm alright now Naruto-kun. I can walk by myself." Hinata told him
" Ok, but I'm going to have someone watch you for right now Ok." Naruto said as he summoned a fox
" Hello." The little fox said
The fox that was actually at kit was as big as Akamaru. He was black with two white-tipped tail, but his eyes looked like Hinata's.
" Hey Kit, what's your name?" Naruto asked
" Lord Kyubi, I'm Itazura." The little fox grinned
" Prankster huh, well I need you to watch over my girlfriend here. She tired and I want to make sure she's ok while I set thing up for a party I'm having here." Naruto explained to the fox
" Yes, Sir." Itazura replied and sat on Hinata's shoulder.
Naruto went to work fixing the house and training areas up for tonight's party. He was sure it was going to be a blast. Hinata sat with Itazura and watched Naruto at work. It was then that Gatsukoosen appeared.
" Itazura there you are!" Gatsukoosen said, " Your mother and I have been looking everywhere for you."
" Oh sorry Gatsu. It's my fault I needed someone to watch Hinata-chan a while." Naruto replied
" No my lord, it's alright it's just this one can do a world of mischief if he's not watched carefully." Gatsukoosen said
" Sound's like someone I know." Hinata said giggling and whispering in Itazura's ear
His eyes widened at the tales Hinata was telling him of pranks Naruto had pulled when he was a Genin. Naruto knew what was going on and smiled while Gatsukoosen sat there confused.
" Since you're here Gatsu I need you to tell the others I'll be calling them tonight to have that talk with them and tell Manda I don't care if he doesn't want to come he better show up or I'll come find him myself." Naruto said
" Yes sir, Itazura you behave with the lords mate." Gatsukoosen said and disappeared
This caused the two to become red with embarrassment.
" Then you two aren't mates?" Itazura asked
" Its different here than in the Demon Realm Itazura." Naruto said
" Oh, Ok." Itazura said and dropped the subject
" Naruto-kun I'm heading back to the tower to help the Hokage with some things will you be alright by yourself?" Hinata asked
" Yeah, if I run into trouble I'll get some friends to help out." Naruto said as Hinata left with Itazura
" Itazura shouldn't you stay with Naruto?" Hinata asked
" I'm suppose to watch you and I'd like to see were the lord live." Itazura answered
" Oh, ok just stay with me. Our village still doesn't think too kindly of kitsune's since the Kyubi attack." Hinata said
" But I thought that was explained today?" Itazura said
" Now how did you know that?" Hinata asked amazed the little fox already knew that Tsunade had told the village
" The hawks. One came to the Demon Realm and told Dad." Itazura said
" Oh, I wonder who sent it?" Hinata asked
" It came on it's own. He knew it was big news to our realm so he came to inform us." Itazura told her
" Ah, well here we are." Hinata said in front of the Hokage's office door
She noticed the guards were gone again, so she knocked.
" COME IN." Tsunade yelled from behind the door
Hinata opened it and entered there in the room were the elders, Jiraiya, the other Chuunin sensei's, all the head of the major houses, the interrogators, and Anbu.
" Ah Hinata right on time." Tsunade said smiling, " And who is this?"
" This is Itazura, Naruto summoned him to look after me because of the fight today. His father is Gatsukoosen." Hinata informed the others
" Where is he now Hinata?" Jiraiya asked
" Back at the Saigen compound getting it fixed up for tonight." She told them
" Good that'll keep him busy for awhile." Kurenai said, " Here it was finished a little while ago and I picked it up for you."
Handing her student a package wrapped in brown paper.
" Thank you I was going to go after it later on this evening." Hinata said and bowed
" Ok, let's get started." Tsunade said
Her guards reappeared in front of the doors and shut them to make sure no one knew what was going on with the top people in Konoha.
Back at the compound Naruto was finishing up the last of the decorations along with cleaning the spare bedrooms, incase anyone needed to stay the night.
" Now that that's done I can go into town and get the food." Naruto said to himself, " but I'm going to need some help."
Naruto then headed off down the road. He stooped at the Uchiha compound and grabbed Sakura and Sasuke, then headed to Tsunade's house and grabbed the Suna sibs.
" So why did you drag us form our home dope?" Sasuke asked
" I need help getting all the food and stuff for tonight's party. I knew everyone else is probably doing something else, so I got you guys." Naruto said smiling at the group
Walking down the streets of Konoha the villagers all stopped when they saw Naruto walking towards them since that afternoon, most had changed their minds about him. Along with him wearing his father's coat almost made him his twin. Everyone in the group noticed the looks Naruto was receiving, but Naruto was in his own world. Gaara just smiled because Naruto was finally being seen not as the monster but as the kind person he was.
" What Gaara?" Naruto questioned seeing his friend smiling
" Nothing." Gaara said
"Don't nothing me Shukaku." Naruto said, " Spill it."
" Bro just happy that the villagers are seeing you as you and not as the demon you had inside of you." Kankurou explained
" Really?" Naruto asked and Gaara nodded, " Thanks Gaara."
" Alright here we are." Naruto said
Everyone in the group sweat dropped the sign on the building said. International Ramen House, Every Flavor of Ramen you can Imagine, Naruto was drooling
" Oh no, you are not going to have just Ramen at this house warming party of yours." Both Sakura and Temari said
"Bu, bu, but." Naruto started to protest
" We will have two Ramen flavors and that's it. We are going to a normal store for the rest of you food." Sakura told the pouting boy
" Can we still go in there though I have to restock the compound?" Naruto asked
" I don't see a problem in that." Temari said and Naruto was gone in a flash
" You have no idea what you have just done. Do you?" Sasuke asked
" Let him have the Ramen." Temari said
" Temari that's all the kid eats. I'm not going to be the one that carries all the Ramen he buys from there." Kankurou stated
" You won't have to." Naruto said coming out of the store with a bowl of Ramen in his hand, " They deliver. I just told them to take it too the Saigen compound and if no one was there to leave it by the front gate."
" BAKA!" Sakura screamed
" What? They've done it before for me." Naruto said
" Can we go get normal food now?" Sasuke questioned
With that the group headed to the grocery store Sakura and Sasuke knew about.
" Here we are." Sakura said
" The sign on the store had a 10 on it. I come here all the time for my mom. It's great. The first floor is all food and the second floor had thing for the home and clothes." Sakura explained to the others
" Ho did you know about this place Sasuke?" Gaara asked
" I've been helping Sakura lately and have come with her a couple of time to help her with the groceries her mom needed. Sometimes I'll stay over for dinner I hate going to the compound and being the only one living there." Sasuke told the others
" Yeah, I know what you mean that's why I'm living with the Hyuuga's for right now." Naruto said
Everyone went in and all came out with a number of bags. The all opted to have Gaara carry them on a giant sand stretcher. They arrived at the Saigen compound to see Hinata with a fox, Tsunade, and Jiraiya waiting outside for them. Beside them were two giant carts full of assorted ramen.
" Hi, guys." Naruto said
The three turned around, Itazura see Naruto jumped of Hinata's shoulder and headed for him.
" Lord Naruto." Itazura said
" Hey Itazura, how did you like the visit to the village?" Naruto asked the little fox
" It was great, who are there people and why does that one smell like tanuki?" Itazura asked pointing to Gaara
" These are my friends and the one that smells like a Tanuki is the vessel for the One-tailed Lord Shukaku." Naruto told the little Kit
" Oh I'm sorry." Itazura said apologetically
" You don't need to apologize. You didn't know." Naruto said laughing at the kit, " Let us get inside so that we can start fixing the food for tonight."
Naruto then went over to the Uzumaki handles and pushed them open. The group who hadn't been here before were amazed at the size of the compounds along with the houses.
" Well here we go." Naruto said heading to the first house inside the gate
" Here? This is the main house?" Sakura asked shocked
" Yeah, Saigen elders wanted the main house to be the first house, so this is it. Thought it's really just one floor the upstairs is all a Advanced Scroll Library." Naruto told them, " Follow me and I'll show you to the kitchen."
Everyone followed Naruto looking into each room they passed to see what it had in it. They noticed most of the rooms were bedrooms. They finally got the kitchen.
" This is a kitchen?" Temari questioned
" More like a restaurant to me." Kankurou said
" Yeah, well the Saigen's were a rather large family before the plague hit and kill of most of them." Naruto said, " If it's alright I'm going to head outside for a little bit and rest. I'm done with almost everything except the stuff in the outdoor dojo."
With that Naruto left the others and went outside to the Inari shrine. Hinata followed him through the windows of the house until she saw were he was going.
" Itazura, will you keep him company." Hinata asked the kit
" But, I'm suppose to be watching over you." It's said pouting
" I'm with friends. They'll take care of me if anything happens. I think you lord though needs some company now." Hinata said
" Yes, my lady." Itazura said and headed to the shrine
Inside the kitchen everyone was starting it fix the food. Jiraiya, Kankurou, and Gaara just sat back and watched the others go to work.
" Did he go there again Hinata?" Tsunade questioned her
" Yes, I had Itazura go keep him company. I think it just bugs him he still can't figure out what the connection is between kitsune's and the Saigen's." Hinata replied
" Kids, just going to have to find that one out on his own. None of us know the answer to that one." Jiraiya said
" What are you talking about Hokage-sama?" Sasuke questioned peeling a potato
" The Saigen's have a shrine behind the house here. I didn't even now about it till I came here with the kid, but it's an Inari shrine. None of us understand why it's here. Hiashi knew a little, but I think it's still perplexing the boy not knowing the whole truth." Tsunade said
The all worked fixing everything and getting it set up. Tsunade finally decided the men that weren't doing anything could get plates and start putting the food out. Outside Naruto was sitting by the Inari shrine with Itazura on his lap being petted.
" Lord Naruto why are you upset?' Itazura now asked
" I have a lot on my mind Itazura and many unanswered questioned." Naruto told the kit
" Like what?" the fox asked
" Like why this shrine is here or why my father was trying to make a contract with kitsune's." Naruto said
" Oh that's easy." Itazura said
" Huh?" Naruto said looking at the little fox
" We protected the Saigen's, we've done it since the clan was first founded and will do so until the last one dies." Itazura said
" How do you know this?" Naruto asked the kit
" Dad told me, after he found out who you were he found it ironic. That our kind was supposed to protect you and now not only do we have to protect you, but you also have to protect us." Itazura said
" Then the shrine?" Naruto questioned
" It's like a way to communicate with us. Most just thank us for helping them, but then there are others who ask us for help and we'll come." Itazura said
Naruto smiled at the kit's explanation and rubbed his head
" Come on Itazura let's see if my friends have finished up." Naruto said and paced the kit on his shoulder
" Yes, my lord." Itazura said smiling happy he was able to cheer his new lord up
Back inside the group in the kitchen had almost finished fixing all the food. Tsunade had had to knock Jiraiya out again for being a sukebe like always and Kankurou was being forbidden to touch to food. Seeing as everything they ended up giving him wound up disappearing.
" KANAUROU! I TOLD YOU DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING ELSE." Naruto heard Temari scream
" Think I'll go save the men Itazura." Naruto told his companion
As he entered the kitchen he saw Temari brandishing her metal fan
" Well I see you are all having a good time and the party hasn't even started." Naruto said laughing
" Naruto-kun are you all right?" Hinata asked worried
" Yeah, Itazura knew more than I thought and explained to me some things about the Saigen's I didn't know." Naruto said
" Oh, like what?" Tsunade now questioned
" Later I have to go set up the dojos now." Naruto said and placed Itazura on Hinata's shoulder, " By the way why haven't you left yet Itazura your purpose was done a while ago?"
" If it's alright with you my lord I'd like to wait until father returns tonight and I'll go back with him." Itazura said
" It's Ok, just stay with Hinata-chan." Naruto said and walked off with Gaara and Kankurou following him
" So what are we doing Naruto?" Gaara questioned
" Going to fix the outdoor dojo up so we can have that spar I promised you." Naruto said
" You going to do WHAT?" Kankurou said
" After we defeated Akatsuki Naruto promised me a spar to see where we were. I've been waiting sometime now for that match and I can tell you Shukaku is excited as well." Gaara said
" Will you tell him, I don't want this place damages or him going psycho on us. Understood?" Naruto said
Yeah, yeah I know. Shukaku said to Gaara
" He knows, though he's upset not being able to go all out." Gaara said grinning
" Another day, when we're not on my estates." Naruto said
" So what do we need to do?" Kankurou questioned
" Level the field." Naruto said looking at the field that had been ripped to shreds from the last battle done there.
" Then why did you need me?" Kankurou asked
" Didn't you just followed us." Naruto said
Gaara went and smoothed the fields out and covered it with a new layer of sand.
" Alright let's head back everyone should be arriving here in a couple of minutes." Naruto said
The three headed back towards the house and to the front gates that had been left open.
Itazura - Prankster