I apologize for the long update time. With college, sports, beta reading, and reading, writing got pushed to the back burner. I apologize in advance if it should happen again. I hope not, but it is a possibility. I just thought I'd let you guys and gals know, this is most likely the second to last chapter of this fic. Don't worry though, I plan on writing a sequel, which will be where the ShikaTem comes in. Gaara will also have an important role, if all goes to plan.

Important: There is a FFN rule banning authors from responding to reviews. There is a petition out to reverse this ruling. If any authors wish to sign this petition, please send your FFN name and email address to either myself or raging hobo via email. Thank you.

Now, onto review responses.

YaminekoHyousai: Yeah, I agree about Luffy, but it was such a fun idea, I had to use it. Whoa, calm down. ShikaTem will show up in the sequel, and this fic only has one chapter left, so it shouldn't be long.

lunarangel: Ok, here goes nothing. Yes, raging hobo and I enjoy your reviews immensely. Hahaha, teddy fox! I love it. Naruto and Luffy twins? It could be, if not in this fic, then maybe in my next. Who knows? I'm not sure on my favorite cursed fruit; I really don't know much about One Piece.

game2002: If by plot you mean action, then probably not much of one. This isn't a serious fic, although when I have time, I plan on writing a pure Naruto fic that will be. The romances will advance, albeit slowly. Hope that answers your question.

The Gandhara: Those were good ideas. I may use one of them if I ever go back and revise the story. Thank you.

Silver child of the winds: Yes, it is crazy that the boys are so alike. I have a younger brother as well; I like to beat the stuffing out of him :grins:

Firehedgehog: As happy as ever, I see. Naruto 'foxing out', as you so greatly put it, would be interesting. Enjoy the chapter and your pop.

Fire Blazing Chan S.E.: Thank you, many people like that part, so that means I'm doing something right.

Firedude328: Hm HERE YOU GO!

warprince2000: Still consistent in your reviews' content I see.

Soul's Eclipse: Interestinggreat, haha.

kitsuneofthedarknessflame: Band camp, eh? What do you play? The extent of my musical talent is being able to clap and sing at the same time, and that only happens on good days, hahaha. I sympathize about the internet. Vegas, eh? I'll get my people on it :dials phone: you should have your stuff back by morning ;-).

OintmentJar: Glad I could make you laugh. (Clap, Clap)

Dragonien and Shikamaru: Yeah, Zoro sounds so much better. On the attack and jutsus names, please send me any list you have via email; it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

To All: Thank you for the reviews. I hope you'll continue to review when the sequel comes out, although there is still one more chapter after this.

Chapter 9: Confrontation!

Something was interrupting Naruto's sleep. He was comfortable, more so than he could ever remember being. But the noise wouldn't stop, and it seemed to be getting louder and more insistent.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

Naruto reluctantly slipped out of Hinata's grip, which had luckily loosened while he had been asleep. "Hold your horses; I'm coming." Naruto called out, careful not to wake Hinata. "What do you—?" Naruto stopped his tirade. "Hyuuga Hiashi?" Naruto was surprised to see the Hyuuga head at his door. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit, Hiashi?" Naruto recovered in time to greet the man in his normal manner.

"Normally, I'd tan your hide for such impertinence, but right now I haven't the time. My men reported that my eldest daughter entered this dwelling some time ago. May I inquire as to what you two have been doing?" Hiashi said, struggling to maintain his formality in the face of the village loudmouth.

"Oh, nothing much. We just slept together, and we could have kept going if you hadn't interrupted us. Whoa!" Naruto barely dodged a chakra charged punch from the enraged man.

"You slept with my daughter? How could you defile her in such a way?" Hiashi screamed, attacking with a flurry of punches.

Naruto replied while performing a series of hand seals. "Sheesh, what's your problem? Anyway, it's not like it was my decision; Hinata-chan was the one that started it. Kage Bunshin!" Thirty Narutos appeared, spreading out throughout the area.

"I don't have time for any more of these lies! Men, get down here and take care of this. I'm going to retrieve my daughter!" Three Hyuuga joined the fray.

"There's no way I'm gonna let you disturb Hinata-chan! She's completely exhausted!" Naruto didn't expect the head of the most respected clan in Konoha to yell so much. He was beginning to like him, apart from the whole trying to kill him part. Naruto created some more clones to deal with the guards, and prepared himself for a tough battle.

"HOLD IT!" Hinata's voice froze the combatants, and a few clones even popped out of existence, "What is going on out here?" Hinata demanded, not happy at being awoken from a pleasant dream involving Naruto.

"Hyuuga Hinata! How could defile yourself so? Men, retrieve her!" Hiashi ordered.

"You'll have to get through me first. I won't let you hurt my Hinata-chan!" Naruto exclaimed, moving in front of the confused girl. 'And they call me the loudest ninja; he's been shouting since he arrived, and all because Hinata-chan took a nap at my house.' Naruto thought, grinning.

"Defiled myself? What in the world are you talking about? Hinata did not usually act this way, but she was still groggy from sleep, and everyone else was yelling, so her sleep-deprived mind interpreted it as normal conversation volume.

"You slept with this, this, thing!" Hiashi accused.

"Naruto-kun is not a thing! Wait a minute, Naruto-kun, what did you tell him?" Hinata's fuzzy mind was beginning to put together what had led to this situation.

"Nothing! He asked what we were doing, so I told him that we slept together. Then he just went berserk, and then you walked out." Naruto was still puzzled at the older man's actions.

Hinata put her head in her hands in disbelief. Only her Naruto-kun… "Otou-san, you can relax now. He didn't do anything to me."

"So it's true? You did start it?" Hiashi didn't appear to be calming down.

"No!" Hinata was growing frustrated for just the second time in her life; most likely a combination of sleep deprivation and the two most significant men in her life fighting over a stupid misunderstanding. "Nothing happened."

"Huh?" Hiashi was now as confused as Naruto.

"Naruto was carrying me back to the village after our, uh, training session." Hinata said, coming up with a euphemism for 'running for their lives.' "I was exhausted, and must have fallen asleep on his back. Next thing I know, my sleep is disturbed by the sounds of combat outside." Forty-seven heads guiltily looked at the ground and scuffed at the ground (Naruto, the three Hyuuga guards, and forty-three clones; Hiashi considered it beneath a man of his stature to act in such a fashion, so he ordered one of the guards to do it for him).

Nami, Sakura, and Sanji were beating Luffy around like a beach ball. Luffy was having the time of his life, since none of the combatants were using anything sharp. "I'm glad you aren't using that board of nails this time, Nami." Luffy said, laughing.

"I knew I was forgetting something." Nami exclaimed, bringing said board out of its hidden pocket.

"Uh-oh. Well, I'd better go find Naruto; he's probably getting into trouble somewhere. See ya!" Luffy said, running off.

"LUFFY! GET BACK HERE! I HAVEN'T EVEN HAD THE CHANCE TO INFLICT ANY PAIN YET!" Nami yelled as she pursued him with a crazed look in her eyes. Even Sanji and Sakura backed off a ways, and they were on her side.

Kakashi watched the entire spectacle in his normal manner. That is, he read Icha Icha Paradise from the time he exited the restaurant to the point at which Nami's yelling caused him to look up. It was only for a moment, but that's quite a feat, nonetheless. Unfortunately for the copy ninja, Sakura noticed his small movement.

"Kakashi, what were you doing with him?" Sakura inquired, interested.

"Hmm? Oh, I knew his…" Kakashi searched for the right word. "sensei. In fact, we were quite good friends."

"Wow, it's a small world." Sakura commented.

"And for that I am glad, for if the world were larger, I might not have had the pleasure of making your acquaintance." Sanji said, kissing her hand.

Sasuke chose this moment to return to consciousness. His first sight upon awakening was a one of the men in the group he had been fighting. "Step away from her before I kill you." He said in a cold voice. Things did not bode well for Sanji.

A/N: The end of this fic draws near. Review while you can.