All right then Chapter (checks) Five…Holy Hell. Chapter Five already, though I'm sure it doesn't seem like already to you all. Well for those of you who aren't aware I've gone back and fixed my screw up in chapter three. I'll try to stay on the straight (relatively) and narrow from now on.

Another Team 7

1-2-3

Hyuga Hiashi paced his study, his mind far from the political matters and clan affairs that cluttered his desk. His thoughts drifted over his older daughter and her actions today. At breakfast she had been distracted and when confronted about it, Hiashi had detected hesitation in her voice. That coupled with the unusual response and the look in her eye left no doubt in his mind that his eldest was hiding some thing from him. Of course this hadn't been his first hint that something was amiss, no, the first hint he had had came from the Hokage herself. The day before Hinata and Neji's release the Hokage had come to him with a request to refrain from questioning Hinata about the events that had led to her hospitalization. An odd request to be sure, but one he had honored none the less. Now it was nearly midnight, barely 2 hours after Hinata's return home, and Hyuga Hiashi was beginning to wonder if he should have questioned his daughter on the events of the past few weeks despite the Hokage's request.

When Hinata had returned home late Hiashi had had her brought to his study, once there he had asked her why she was late. Once again she had told his she was training, and when pressed about whom she was training with she had told him Uzumaki Naruto. It was odd enough that she had been training with the demon child since he wasn't even on her teem, but the way she had spoken had startled the clan head more. She had been formal, more formal than she had ever been before. Normally she stuttered and spoke quietly, eyes downcast. Today she had spoken clearly, no not just clearly, coldly. Her voice had been chilling and quite frankly unsettling coming from his 'weaker' daughter. It had been like looking at a whole new person.

Another half an hour brought Hiashi to the conclusion that having Hinata fallowed when ever she left the compound would bring him the answers he wanted without violating the Hokage's request. Hiashi smiled as he left his study and headed for bed. He was confident that Hinata's dark little secret, what ever it was, would be dealt with before the next sunset.

1-2-3

Tsunade was having a wonderful time. She was in a casino, gambling and drinking, and best of all she was wining and nothing bad was happening. It was really quite pleasant, no Kyuubi, no Orochimaru, no Jiraiya, no Naruto, and no…

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK

Tsunade growled and reflexively lashed out with her fist. When she met air she slowly opened her eyes and found her office empty. "So they're learning are they?" She thought making a mental note to put a soundproofing technique on her office next time she went to sleep.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK

Tsunade growled again as she spoke. "Yes, yes, come in already."

A moment later the door opened and a pair of Jounin walked in, carefully keeping their distance. "Hokage-sama." The intoned together, bowing deeply.

"Yes, what is it."

"A patrol had reported finding an unsettling sight a few miles outside the village. We thought you should see."

Tsunade grumbled loudly but allowed the Jounin to lead her out of her office and towards the Hokage monument. A half an hour latter they came upon a scene of destruction. Everywhere in a mile wide circle havoc had been wreaked, trees had holes and cracks as often as not, and in some cases a dozen or so holes where what could have been kunai and shuriken passed clean thought the trunk. In places moss covered boulders were reduced to rubble or used as projectiles.

Tsunade continued to survey the site until she came to the center of the area where a huge circle of ground had been violently disturbed, leading away from the circle was a trail of broken branches and wide gouts in the ground. At the end was a tree that had been completely gutted.

Staring at the sight one of the Jounin leaned over and quietly asked Tsunade. "Was it the demon child?"

Sighing Tsunade put the Jounin to sleep as only a speeding bus, or the Fifth Hokage, can. Turning she left the unconscious ninja to sleep and headed back to the Hokage tower, thinking she knew exactly who was responsible.

1-2-3

An hour latter Naruto and Hinata stood before a very irate Tsunade. Upon returning to the Hokage tower Tsunade had ordered the two brought to her. Now she just sat behind her desk looking at them, letting them stew in their guilt. Finally she decided they had had enough and it was time to get down to business. "Would the two of you care to explain why you felt it necessary to tear up half the forest behind the Hokage monument instead of going to one of you're teams training areas?" Tsunade had a good idea why, but felt she should confirm her suspicions before punishing them.

In unison the two genin whispered. "Kyuubi-sensei wanted us to train using his power."

Tsunade was slightly taken aback at the response. First off, Naruto rarely if ever spoke in a whisper, and second, Kyuubi-sensei. She had already guessed that they had sparred using Kyuubi's power, that was the only thing short of a summon that could cause that amount of destruction. There were certain things she didn't know, such as how no one could have noticed a battle of that magnitude until after it was over. But that wasn't at the forefront of her mind just now. "Kyuubi what!"

Hinata fought back a smile as an image Naruto and Kyuubi lying dead on the office floor while Tsunade strangled her passed through her mind. "She's not going to kill us Naruto-kun." Hinata 'said' more than slightly amused at the suggestion. Naruto had just learned how to send rough images, a precursor to speech, yesterday after their 'little' sparing match. A complicated combination of amusement, pity and exasperation echoed from Naruto that Hinata knew was roughly the equivalent of a shrug and a 'you don't know her like I know her' look.

Neither of the Genin moved or gave any indication that the other was sitting next to them, but without missing a beat they both replied at exactly the same time and in exactly the same tone. "Kyuubi-sensei has started teaching us since our regular teachers are busy and our teams are preoccupied or half gone. He asked us to call him Sensei."

Now Tsunade was less mad and more curious, but she was still mad. "Alright then get the blasted fur ball out here! I want to have a little word with your Sensei!" Tsunade's voice was menacing and she added to the effect by cracking her knuckles loudly. The result, however, was less than spectacular. Naruto looked a little shaken, and Hinata's eyes widened slightly trace amounts of fear passing through them, but then it was gone as their eyes glazed over slightly and lost focus.

"Kyuubi-sensei," Hinata said standing in front of the massive form of Kitsune no Kyuubi. She was in her mindscape now or rather in the collective mindscape the seal created. "You need to wake up. Hokage-sama wants to speak to you."

"He's not going to wake up if you don't speak up Hinata." Naruto said appearing behind her.

Hinata sighed but knew that Naruto was right; Kyuubi was a very heavy sleeper. "On three then?" Naruto suggested indicating the small silver bracelets around their wrists. In this mindscape Kyuubi was no longer caged as he had been when sealed within only Naruto. Instead his mental form was bound to the bracelets that the two of them wore. They were connected to a massive silver collar around Kyuubi's neck. Hinata and Naruto could alter the length of the chains between the bracelet and caller at will and no matter how hard Kyuubi pulled he could not make them budge if they chose to stand still.

Hinata nodded knowing that even if they yelled it was very unlikely that Kyuubi would awaken any time soon. Neither of them was willing to get closer to the demon and try, Kyuubi reacted to being woken up about as well as Tsunade.

Naruto nodded and took a deep breath before starting the count, "One… two… three!" As he yelled three both of the young shinobi concentrated on the chains shortening by half. As soon as the desired effect was reached both shinobi retreated from the mindscape to the safety of their respective heads.

"Do you have to do that EVERY time you want to talk to me?" Kyuubi screamed at both shinobi as soon as he collected his wits after being rudely awoken.

"Yes." Naruto said simply.

At the same time that Hinata replied. "Hokage-sama wanted to speak to you."

"Oh, is that so?" Kyuubi said easily finding a new target for his rage in the Sennin.

At that very moment that same Sennin was watching the two shinobi with great interest. "What has that fox been doing with them? It's only been a couple of week and already Hinata is warming up to him, and she's not nervous around Naruto any more. And speaking of Naruto, what's up with him? I've never seen him so quiet, except when he's depressed and he's definitely not depressed right now, I'd know if he was."

A moment later Kyuubi appeared in his human form just behind Tsunade. "What do you want hag?" Tsunade's eyes narrowed before she swung around and tried to punch Kyuubi through the wall. But by the time she had turned around Kyuubi had already dropped his form and reappeared behind his students. Tsunade growled as she turned to face the fox and his students.

Taking a deep breath she calmed herself, she really didn't like Kyuubi. Even if he wasn't a threat to the village anymore Tsunade would give a good many things to see him hurled to the deepest depths of Hell. "What is it exactly you've been teaching them?" she said trying to keep the malice out of her voice and failing miserably.

Kyuubi smiled and before he responded contacted the two genin in front of him. "Stay quiet, let me handle her." Then he spoke, " O, nothing much. A few little tricks here and there, nothing of consequence to you." Kyuubi sounded quite indulgent, as though he was giving Tsunade a privileged insight into his designs.

Tsunade was livid; she wanted this fox dead and never mind that he was already technically dead. "A FEW TRICKS." She screamed before continuing in a more normal volume though her words dripped with venom. "You call power enough to level half a forest a few little tricks. And what about the fact that no one knew about it until this morning when a Jounin patrol found the sight. I want, no I demand to know exactly what you've taught them, everything."

Kyuubi was quite suddenly no longer smiling. His eyes took on a look akin to a smoldering flame ready to erupt into a raging inferno, and despite the fire in Kyuubi's eyes all the occupants noticed that the room seemed suddenly colder. Much colder. "Do not presume you may demand any thing from me or my students. Whatever claim you had to them is gone now. They are mine now."

Tsunade was shocked at the demons declaration. Those two were shinobi of the leaf they belonged to Konoha. More over, as shinobi of the leaf they HAD to follow orders she gave them. Then Tsunade noticed the rather blank looks that the two wore and remembered their frightening way of answering in-sink. Maybe Kyuubi had some kind of hold over. Just then Tsunade's thoughts were interrupted.

Hinata on hearing Kyuubi's declaration had spoken up, or rather had expressed her opinion artistically. Both Kyuubi and Naruto were treated to the image of Kyuubi mighty and powerful chibi cuddling up to Hinata and Naruto while barking at Tsunade, with hearts in the background. Naruto burst in to laughter and fell to the floor. Kyuubi rolled his eyes and sighed deeply giving Hinata a reproachful look, but his eyes were warm and held just the tiniest bit of approval. Hinata allowed herself a small smile of her own and quiet suddenly Tsunade's vision of the evil demon holding her genin hostage was transformed into an exasperated teacher and his favorite students. Tsunade was completely lost.

Naruto finally stopped laughing and climbed back into his chair but the smile didn't fade from his lips and his eyes sparkled with amusement. "You should let us tell her before she gets really mad." He commented to Kyuubi. "She probably still wants revenge for the incident at the Hospital."

Kyuubi scoffed out loud as he responded, "She doesn't scare me, she's just an old hag."

As he did Hinata piped up to Naruto. "We should probably tell her what we can do Naruto-kun. She does need to know what we're capable of, for missions." Naruto unable to respond through the link nodded.

Tsunade watched the whole process with great confusion. She watched Naruto climb into his seat, Kyuubi scoff at something, and then Naruto nod. Not a word passed between the three. "Kyuubi must be relaying messages." Tsunade thought, getting slightly ahead of herself. "But Naruto's eye's always glaze over when he's talking with Kyuubi in his mindscape, and I know both Hinata and Naruto's eyes glazed over when they brought Kyuubi out. What the hell is going on? Well I intend to find out." Her decision made Tsunade rose and slammed her hand down on her desk effectively getting the genin and demon's attention. "Alright you three out with it, what have you been talking about."

Both Kyuubi and Naruto smiled foxy smiles while Hinata looked anywhere but at Tsunade. "What ever do you mean?" Kyuubi said aloud while commenting to his pupils. "She catches on fast, for a hag." Naruto smile widened and Hinata discreetly raised a hand to cover her own grin.

Tsunade sighed and turned on a softer target. "Naruto, Hinata I order you to tell me."

"Don't tell her anything." Kyuubi said his amusement obvious to the two genin.

Hinata rolled her eyes slightly and spoke in a lecturing tone to the others. "It's really not nice to give Hokage-sama such a hard time." But she didn't speak up.

Mentally Tsunade was disappointed, she had really thought that Hinata would buckle under an order. "O, well. If official power won't work, then intimidation should do the trick." She thought before rounding on Naruto. "NARUTO, TELL ME OR I'LL MAKE YOU LIFE A LIVING HELL. I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE." She accompanied this statement by looming over him and cracking her knuckles menacingly.

Naruto was on the verge of breaking when Kyuubi intervened. "I know where you dream, kit. Think about it, a living hell or an eternal waking nightmare." That froze Naruto's tongue. He shrugged and sat back in his chair a shadow of a smile still on his face.

Hinata for her part was trying very hard not to laugh. The whole escapade was quite pointless as Tsunade had more or less figured it out, she just couldn't get them to admit it. Without even looking at Kyuubi and Naruto she could tell that they were willing to keep this up as long as they could. "Kyuubi-sensei could we please just tell her so we can leave?" Hinata asked hopefully.

Kyuubi sighed, rolled his and pouted mentally but gave in. "Alright hag I'll tell you everything I've taught them, but you have to move them into the same cell."

Tsunade kept a smile from her face, she had intended on putting them together anyway, especially after the incident in the forest. "Fine, I'll call a meeting of the genin and their instructors today." She said checking to make sure that all the Jounin instructors were in town at the time. "Now about your end of the deal." Kyuubi obliged, telling Tsunade everything he felt she should know.

1-2-3

Two and a half hours latter Naruto and Hinata waited in a small meeting room in the Hokage tower waiting for the remaining members of the rookie nine to show up. Kakashi and the other Jounin instructors Kurani and Asuma were already there. Sakura was the first to show up. Naruto hadn't seen her since his fight at The Valley of the End, she greeted him and Hinata politely but she seemed so different from the Sakura Naruto remembered. She seemed almost as cold and distant as Sasuke had been. It worried him. A few minutes later Ino arrived dragging Shikamaru. Ten minutes after Ino, Shino finally drifted in followed shortly by Kiba.

With everybody present Tsunade began, "Alright, you're all aware of the state of affairs. As of right now only one of your team is complete, and since you are all much more advanced than then new genin it has been decided that your teams will be consolidated into two complete teams. Shikamaru will be held in reserve to work with intelligence gathering and mission planning." Tsunade waited a moment to let some scattered grumbling die down before addressing those assembled once more. "Ok first off team 10 is officially disbanded, and in order to balance the new teams Hyuga Hinata will be moved to team 7 and team 8 will recived Yamanaka Ino. The new teams 7 and 8 will have the same Jounin instructors as normal. I suggest you take the rest of the day to get to know your new teammates and begin learning to work together because you will be starting missions as normal at the end of the week and you will be expected to perform missions that would normally fall to low chunin teams due to recent events. Good luck, dismissed. Oh, and would the Jounin instructors, Hinata, Shikamaru and Naruto stay behind for a moment."

The four Genin filled out of the room after dutifully receiving the time and place of their respective team meetings. Sakura lingered a moment longer than the others trying to figure out why the two other members of her team were asked to stay. "What happened between them?" she wondered. Finally she decided she would add that to the growing list of things she had to beat out of Naruto, and left for the appointed meeting site.

Once the room was empty of the other Genin Tsunade addressed each of those she had asked to stay. "Alright, Shikamaru. As I said before you'll be trouble shooting and planning missions, so I want you to report to my office at 8 in the morning ever morning, you can go now." Shikamaru nodded and left quickly. "Asuma, you'll be starting with another genin team soon but until then you'll be on active duty. Report to the tower tomorrow morning for assignment." Tuning from one Jounin to the next Tsunade continued. "Kurani, here's the information on your knew student." Tsunade handed Kurani a small folder with the label Yamanaka, Ino.

Then she dismissed the two Jounin and turned to the final occupants of the room. "Kakashi, you're already aware of the situation with Hinata and Naruto, but I'm afraid I have one last surprise. It appears that Kyuubi has begun to train them, and intends to continue to do so." Kakashi's visible eye widened as the normally impassive Jounin processed the surprising information. Soon enough his calm face returned and he nodded to Tsunade.

At last she turned on the two Genin. "Naruto, Hinata, I'm leaving it up to you… three as to whether or not you reveal Kyuubi to Sakura because of what she already knows concerning the Valley of the End. I still want you to keep it as quite as you can but her experiences and knowledge and the fact that she will be working with the two of you may require that she know. Ultimately the choice is yours. Alright that's it, you may go."

The last of her messages delivered Tsunade left the room; Kakashi repeated that the two Genin were to meet in an hour at the bridge near team 7's training area and left as well. For a moment Hinata and Naruto stood alone in the room before leaving and heading to the Hokage monument.

1-2-3

Naruto leapt gracefully up the side of the cliff face coming to rest atop the carved head of the third Hokage. Moments later his companion landed beside him. "Did any one follow?"

Hinata let out a sigh and began a short series of seals. No one had ever followed them before, but it was better safe then sorry she supposed. Holding the final seal of the set she let her Byakugan scan the forest around them.

A tiny gasp escaped Hinata's lips as her gaze found two figures watching them a few hundred feet away, just inside the range of the Byakugan. A quick study of the figures revealed what Hinata already suspected. Both ninja wore clothing with the Hyuga crest and her father's personal crest. For a moment Hinata indulged in her anger at being spied on by her own father, and the tiny perverse pleasure in knowing that she now had her fathers full attention. "Naruto-kun look." Hinata said aloud to avoid drawing attention to the chakra thread that connected her and Naruto. She knew from experience that it could be seen with the Byakugan when they used it to talk.

Naruto heeded her words and closed his eyes. Taking hold of the thread he fought back a small bout of vertigo that he still felt when he saw through Hinata's Byakugan. Following her focus he spied the two Hyuga ninja watching them from the trees. A moment latter the two ninja retreated further away leaving the range of Hinata's Byakugan.

Release the link Naruto dropped to the ground with a sigh. "How long do you think they've been watching?"

Hinata sat next to him and pondered the question. "Not long, maybe just today." She said after a moment. "Father would have brought it up if he knew the truth." She added pointing to the seal on Naruto's stomach.

For a while they sat in silence, wanting desperately to do something but not daring to chance anything that used Kyuubi's power. After a few minutes Hinata breached the silence with a more pressing matter. "Naruto-kun…what should we do about Sakura?" Hinata asked careful to avoid using Kyuubi's name, lest her father's ninja were listening.

"I think she deserves to know. She saved our lives by being at the valley. If she hadn't been there to take Sasuke I wouldn't have been able to safely heal you." Naruto replied with his usual tone of firm resolve.

"Who healed her?" Kyuubi intoned like clockwork.

Hinata smiled at Naruto's response. "I was hoping you'd feel that way, I don't like keeping secrets."

"What about everyone else, Hinata?" Naruto asked.

"They're different." Hinata mumbled before switching the subject. "What about you Kyuubi-sensei? Do you think we should tell Sakura-san?"

"I agree with Kit, if she hadn't been there one or both of you would be dead."

"So then it's agreed, we'll tell Sakura-san after training today." Hinata said. Naruto nodded and Kyuubi answered in the affirmative.

For the rest of their free time Hinata and Naruto sat atop the carved head of the third idly talking about things of no consequence. Finally as the appointed time drew close the two genin rose and set off for their first meeting with their new team.

1-2-3

Sakura stood on the bridge near Team 7's training area, staring quietly into to river flowing beneath the wooding planks. This whole area was charged with meaning for the young Genin. From here she could see the training area where she and her teammates had first tried to capturer the bells from Kakashi, unsuccessfully. This was the very bridge where they had met before so many missions, including the fateful meeting that had led them into the Chunin exams. How many times had she come here to wonder if she was up to it, what would have been different if she had kept her team back? Would Sasuke be the traitor he was today?

"No, he wouldn't be a traitor, I would still be a fan girl and Naruto…" Sakura stopped and wondered about that. "How would Naruto have been changed if the Chunin exams hadn't happened, if we hadn't gotten wrapped up in all of that?"

Sakura wasn't as surprised as she expected when she realized she didn't exactly know. She knew herself well enough to say what she would have been like. She had made it her business for several years to know Sasuke, and even if she didn't really know him that well it didn't take a genious to figure out how he would be different without the Chunin exam. Naruto however. Somewhere between the mission to wave country and the end of the Chunin exams Sakura had realized that her hyperactive teammate had a few dark secrets of his own.

Sakura let out a huge sigh and resumed staring into the water. "Since when did life become so complicated? Maybe I just never paid enough attention or…" Sakura's musings were brought to a premature end by the approach of her new teammates.

"A half an hour at least." Naruto said as he and Hinata approached the meeting place.

"Kakashi-sensei can't be that bad, can he?" Hinata asked.

"Worse." Naruto replied as they joined Sakura on the bridge. "Hi Sakura."

"Hi Naruto, Hinata."

"Hello Sakura-chan"

After their greetings the members of team 7 lapsed into a collective silence as they waited the arrival of their chronically late sensei. Their wait was, as predicted, a long one. Not a half an hour, but a full hour later Kakashi appeared before his team in a puff of smoke. He accepted the dagger filled glares of his two old students with a smile. "Yo."

"YOUR LATE AGAIN!" Naruto and Sakura's voices rang out together.

"Well, you see…" Kakashi began, but was interrupted seconds later.

"Save it." Sakura said flatly ending Kakashi's excuse mid sentence.

Kakashi stopped and for a long tense moment looked at Sakura before continuing. "All right then now that we're all here lets get started. I think since we're a new team introductions are in order." He paused a moment to appraise his audience. All three faces before him were blank, although given that Tsunade had told him that Naruto and Hinata could carry on an animated conversation without any outward signs their blank looks were understandable. Sakura's lack of emotional response after her initial outbursts however made Kakashi curious.

"So then; goals, hobbies, likes, dislikes?" Still no reaction. Kakashi almost sighed as he pointed to Naruto indicating for him to start.

Naruto stood and obliged Kakashi's request for an introduction with his typical enthusiasm. "My goal is to be the greatest Kage that any village has ever seen! Among other things. My hobby is training, among other things. I like Ramen, among other things." Naruto paused for a moment and grew quite serious. "I dislike that traitorous bastard." Of the people present only Hinata didn't assume he meant Sasuke.

Kakashi indicated Hinata next. She stood and began with a goal no less ambitious than Naruto's. "I'm going to be the greatest leader my clan has ever had, among other things." Kakashi chuckled at the similarities between the two of them, almost like it was rehearsed. "My hobby is reading, among other things. I like my pet fox."

"Pet, who's a pet?" Kyuubi piped up at Hinata's phrasing, trying to sound offended.

"And I dislike people who pick on those weaker than them."

Kakashi nodded thoughtfully before indicating Sakura. She didn't bother to stand as she began. "My goal is to not let my team down. My hobby is training. I like my friends, and I dislike a certain person."

Kakashi pondered their responses for a long time. Something that Youndaime had pounded into his head those many years ago was how much introductions could teach you about someone. Naruto's response hadn't changed much at all, same big goal, same likes. Different hobby and markedly different dislike, but overall very much the same introduction Kakashi had received when Team 7 was first formed, tempered understandably by experience. The big difference was the way Naruto said it, his goal seemed to carry much more weight this time around or maybe Kakashi was trying to read to far into the boy.

The way Hinata had paralleled Naruto's response told Kakashi all that he needed to know. "These two have big plans and they're in it for the long run, together apparently."

Sakura's response was much different and clearly reflected her growth as a shinobi. The first time she hadn't seen anything other than Sasuke, this time around she has a real goal and completely different outlook. "Sasuke's betrayal has affected both of them dramatically. They both look as if their coming to terms with it, but I'm worried about Sakura. She's changed a lot."

Kakashi wrapped up his evaluation of their responses and began to address his new students. "Well then if that's it. I haven't see you two in action for a while and I've never seen what Hinata can really do so," He reached behind his back dramatically and pulled out three small bells. "Shall we see what you all can do?"

"Oh, hell." Naruto groaned.

1-2-3

And there you have it. Expect chapter 6 sooner rather than later, but don't be disappointed if it still shows up later rather than sooner.