Chapter 3

Patch5129: I can't tell you, but you'll see for youself. As for the HinataShizune rivalry...well I'll keep that in mind, thank you!

Sorry if this chapter is a bit shorter than the usual, I had somewhat of a writter's block, anyway, here, chapter 3 for you guys, hope you enjoy! Don't forget to tell me if you spot any mistakes, I don't have a proofreader and my spellchecker somehow blew up O.o

Naruto entered his house, a small, three piece. It was calm, not dirty, but not clean either. The walls were painted a faded beige, the ceiling was made of wood planks, and so was the floor. Cracks could be seen in the furniture, most likely because the boy didn't have enough money to afford anything great. He went to the kitchen, not even bothering to remove his sandals, and set up some water for boiling. The boy then took a instant-ramen package and threw it on the table, next to the single bowl he had, along with the single pair of chopsticks he had. The water still boiling, he went to his bathroom and took a shower. After having breakfast and placing everything back to where it belonged, Naruto left for the team seven training grounds, after all, he had all day to train. The boy walked trough the Konoha streets, meeting up with Lee, who just jogged past.

"Oii, Lee! Don't you think you've done enough laps?" Naruto shouted.

"Naruto-san," Lee shouted back, not even bothering to stop, "I still have one thousand more to do, before I can catch up with you!" The green beast was now running backwards, doing a 'nice guy' pose at the same time.

Naruto sweat dropped, Lee was really, really, hard on himself sometimes. Oh well, he shrugged the thought away and kept walking.

Seeing the grounds come into sight, the boy joyfully sped up, eager to get down to work.

- - -

Hinata had been training as well. She had noticed Shizune had an eye on Naruto, and didn't want to just lose all her chances. She had to do something about it. The blue-haired girl was practicing a technique the Hyuugas had never used before, for they thought it too reckless and by far too 'out of style' for their 'greatness'. That, though, didn't keep the young genin from learning it. There she was, in a dojo-like room, along with her changed cousin Neji, who now believed that faith could be altered because of a certain blond boy.

"Kaiten!" Neji yelled.

Hinata just spun on her feet, used the kaiten's spin momentum to propel herself at a wall, bouncing off it and speeding back to where Neji was, though she tripped at about half way after the wall bounce. The girl fell to her face, her inner self cursing silently as she stood up, ready for another try. The point of this training was to get used to the speed, and use the momentum to one's advantage, never loosing one's own speed, in other terms. It went like this all morning, Untill she could successfully do it at will.They then practiced the altered Jyuuken style, which consisted of severing tenketsu's, instead of closing them. Using that style along with Rokujuuyonshou would instead result in overflow of chakra for the victim, causing temporary inhuman strength – explaining the momentum training – but quickly burning the body to less than ashes.

After a while of training – not on Neji, of course – the girl went to shower and then rest.

- - -

Shizune, on her side, was simply working on paperwork along with the Hokage. It was quite the boring morning though, as the lady was really looking forward to tonight, and had to sign things for Tsunade. That was going to be really long.

- - -

It was now noon, everyone in Konoha was fully awake and Lee was finally done, with a high score of six thousand laps. Sakura and Ino were at the hospital, guess why. Hinata was sleeping, resting for more training which would ensue in the afternoon. Naruto was still practicing to use his heightened senses, and Shizune was about to take a walk during her lunch break. The woman walked in no particular direction, untill an idea struck her: Why not buy Naruto-kun some ramen! He's going to be happy, and then who knows... maybe he'll get the idea, maybe he'll understand that I want to be...his. The kunoichi smiled inwardly, as she headed towards the Ichiraku ramen stand. Once there, she was greeted by the usual old man that owned the shop.

"Excuse me, sir, I came here for an order from Naruto, I guess you know what are his favorite, just make three bowls of them please, to bring. I'll pay you."

The man nodded and prepared the bowls. Once they were ready, Shizune took the bowls, wrapped in paper, along with a pair of chop sticks and started leaping from rooftop to rooftop untill she reached the now-wrecked team 7 training grounds. Apparently Naruto had developped new jutsu's and had also been trying them out several times, which proved to be rather...err, devastating.

"Shugokitsune: Murasakihanashou!(1)" She heard someone – most likely Naruto – yell.

A huge burst of purple chakra flew past her like an EMP blast, knocking her a few feet back, blowing trees and rocks to pieces on its way. One thing was quite awkward though, why hadn't she even been scratched? Oh well, She would have to ask him. Staring at the young chuunin, she walked closer. Not losing focus off his forehead protector for even a mere minute. Shizune slowly walked closer, and closer, and closer, only to be startled by the man that was now standing behind her, a hand on her shoulder.

She blushed.

"Naruto! You haven't been doing this all day... have you?"

He nodded cheerfully, which caused the girl to sweat drop, blush even more and then tackle him to the ground playfully.

"Shizune-teme," he said playfully, "What the hell was that for, ne?"

She just grinned and pounced on him yet again, this time 'tickling' his neck. Naruto watched in a strange manner that suggested 'what is this?' causing his friend to stare at him blankly, eyes as sharp and small as peas, mouth shaped into a tiny 'o' and a rather huge sweat drop in the back of her head.

"Naruto, baka, you're supposed to laugh, it's supposed to tickle!"

He stared back at her for a few moments, before getting what she actually meant, and starting to laugh in a rather forceful tone. The kimono wearing woman pounded his head with a wooden mace which seemingly came out of nowhere, as a loud 'BAKA' issued trough the fields. All in all, they were having quite a bit of fun. What both of them weren't aware of though, was that Hinata was actually spying on them having their little play-wrestle thing, and it was making her rather jealous, actually, even pissed off. Shizune-sama! You're not getting away with that! The young genin grinned inwardly, as she stepped down the trees and began walking towards them, feigning and innocent and unaware look.

"Err, n-N-Naruto-kun, I...w..would you...I mean... w-want to..t-trainwithme?"

The fighting abruptly ended, Naruto half laying on Shizune, who was blushing and looking away in a rather embarrassed way, though that wasn't Naruto's case.

"Oi! Hinata-chan! Sure you can, I was just practicing this new, awesome jutsu kyuu-- erm, someone thought me, I'd gladly show you if you like!"

The jounin girl wasn't blushing anymore, rather, she was dumbfounded, rethinking what Naruto had almost said. Kyuubi? Why would that demon teach him anything? Oh wait! Could that explain why he sees me even though he has his forehead protector covering his eyes? Then it would make sense I guess! She smiled softly as she watched Hinata turn crimson, was it jealousy or embarrassment, that she couldn't tell.

Hinata suddenly, although clumsily walked up to Naruto, handing out her hand for him to take it. Now that explained the girl's tint.

How...am I going to keep up with that Shizune girl, she's not shy at all, she's much more mature, and her body is so much better than mine is, I stand no chance...and ugh... She fainted, Hinata, fainted.

"Hinata-chan? Hinata-chan? Hi-na-ta! Are you alright?" Naruto looked rather panicked.

"Baka," was the black haired girl's reply,"She's just fainted. You should bring her home, then you can come meet me at the Hokage's office, ask Tsunade for me, she'll lead you. Naruto nodded, grabbing Hinata bridal style, and running at a speed never matched before, heading toward the white eyed beauty's house. He laid her down and knocked on the door. A few moments later, he still had no answer, so he decided to do something he might have regretted later. Naruto entered the house and laid her down on the first thing in sight: The couch. She looked cold, so he decided to take his coat off and put it around her, but to his surprise, it wouldn't take off. Ah well, he forgot about that and quickly aimed to find something to cover up the poor girl. He finally manged to find a blanket and set it around her. The blonde boy ruffled Hinata's hair and left the house as quickly and quietly as when he came in.

- - -

"Tsunade-sama! I've been signing these papers all day long, I'm bored already! And...and..I'm..." she blushed, but continued, "...expecting Naruto here soo--" knocking could be heard at the door.

Tsunade nodded her in an approving mother-like manner, and went back to her usual work. Naruto came into view, along with seemingly cold ramens, which were wrapped up in the same cloth sheet as earlier.

"Shizune!" he said, with his tradmark voice. "I believe you dropped the surprise you had brought for me, so I guess here it is." he grinned foxily while she blushed furiously, how could she be so careless?

"Arigatou, err, I mean, thanks for bringing them back but they are yours" she replied hastily.

"But they're cold! I'm going to pay you since that gift was wasted!" he said as he took out his frog wallet.

"Iie! Don't pay me, it's a gif--" she was shut tight by Naruto's index's firm pressure against her lips.

"I said, I pay you back, unless you want to fight me and see for yourself!" he taunted joyfully.

"Oh, I think I'll be fine then..." she smirked. "but there is a 400 percent tax on them."

Naruto fell straight to the floor, with a loud, audible thud.

"No way, you tricked me! You'll pay!" he grinned.

Naruto made many hand seals, feigning a super jutsu of some kind.

"Run-Like-A-Fool-And-Don't-Turn-Back no jutsu!" he yelled, bursting out into laughter and starting to run across the Hokage's office, whom didn't even bother looking up from her work.

Ugh, Shizune thought, I can't believe I'm actually playing silly games with him...Oh wait, who knows how this could turn out! She smirked, and made up a fake jutsu as well.

"Catch-The-Brat no jutsu!" she roared, chasing after the boy who's trench coat flew around behind him as he ran in circles around the Hokage's desk.

They both ran at each other like that, all around town, disturbing pretty much everyone and getting stares from people, after all, it wasn't usual in Konoha, a ninja town – one of the strongest – to see a jounin and the so called demon-kid chasing each other and once in a while landing a playful tackle on each other. Even less when there was a pig following them around and oinking as it ran.

It was finally after a few more hours, and it was now rather late in the evening, that the two children-like shinobi's stopped running around, as Shizune was exhausted and Naruto just wanted – for some odd reason he couldn't understand – to be beside her. They sat in the forest, leaning against some trees, and then the sweaty girl began to assault him with her questions.

"Why were you talking about Kyuubi lending you powers? What about your forehead protector? Does the kyuubi thing answer why you see tro--"

"Shizune-chan, calm down, please," he said, calmer than usual. "First of all, yes, Kyuubi lended me many powers, including heightened senses, and that jutsu you saw me using. That explains why I can see 'trough' my forehead protector, and why I hear so well and everything."

She calmly nodded him to continue, laying against him and pulling him to her. Naruto blushed slightly, but kept going.

"I also remember you asking why people hated me like that, but you should know, it's because of Kyuubi." he nearly whispered, looking down, which he shouldn't have.

Naruto found himself looking straight at her chest, although it took him a few seconds to realize.

"Kyaa! Shizune! Sorry! It's not what it seems like! I was not star--"

The girl blushed slightly, before answering him:

"Baka, I know, keep talkin please." she said as she looked him in the eyes.

And so they talked like that untill around midnight or so, before laying down and staring at the skies, where they eventually both fell into a comfortable sleep, holding each other in a warm embrace.

- - -

The next morning, Naruto woke up, eyes still closed, he could feel a soft pillow-like thing under his head. Soft...com..for...ta...ble...I don't want to wake up. He inwardly pouted to himself. Much to his disliking though, the 'soft pillow' shifted, causing him to recall everything, talking to Shizune, her holding him, laying next to each other, staring at the stars...and, well, falling asleep. The boy slowly opened his eyes, afraid of what would happen. As he looked up, he realized his head was laying on her lap, and he could see her fishnet undergraments from the fold of her kimono. He pushed the thought away, quickly attempting to stand up, only to be miraculously held in place by Shizune's unexpected strength. Despite his efforts, he was held in place and had to spend the whole morning in her grip, untill he realized today was his promotion to chuunin. The boy panicked, softly trying to wake the girl he used as a pillow, but resigning to screaming as she didn't seem to want to hear him.

"Shizune! It's my chuunin promotion today! I'm going to be late! Hayaku! Wake upWake upWake up!" he yelled, still panicking.

She slowly stirred, and sad, looking at his head causually. He looked back up at her from his soft spot he had grown used to.

"Ikimashou!" she said, standing up at an insane speed, making Naruto land flat to the ground.

They both ran off towards the village, intent on preparing for his promotion.

Okay, I have fixed a few mistakes when rereading it, and I have also added the meaning, which I had completely forgotten about, my bad!

Shugokitsune: Murasakihanashou Guardian Fox: Purple petal strike. (no, I wasn't consuming anything illegal when I came up with that. :P )