I'm back again and with a new chapter. I don't have much to say so I'll just say hope you enjoy and thanks for all the reviews.

"Speech"

'Thought'

"Kyuubi"

(Standard Disclaimer)

Chapter 16: Rumors

"Hokage-sama I brought the captain," said the ANBU member as he disappeared in a blur leaving behind the captain of the ANBU and the Hokage. "Kakashi, how goes the Sasuke observation period?" asked Tsunade with a gravely serious look on her face. Kakashi's visible eye twitched for a second until he calmed his silent anger.

"He has been acting strange," Kakashi confessed with a solemn look in his eyes. "He spends a good portion of his time writing in a scroll but he's incredibly careful. He always closes it when I attempt to see what he has written. He's keeping tabs on me like I am on him." Tsunade sighed and said, "bring him in, I have a few questions for him."

Uchiha Sasuke, many people knew the name and many people know what befell his clan. However not many knew how it affected him. Not many knew how deeply he was pushed that fateful night and how far he would go to kill the one responsible.

Uchiha Sasuke, the last of the Uchiha literally now. Not many knew why, not many knew how, but almost all knew he was back. Now he was sitting in his old team mates favorite food stop, a sign hanging outside calling for a going out of business sale.

Sasuke smirked to himself as he read the sign, Naruto was the only way this guy stayed in business. Well maybe he'll help the old man and young girl along, "I'll have a bowl, pork." The old man nodded thankfully and began to make the bowl with god speed.

Sasuke crossed his hands in front of his face in his patented thought look. He had recently killed his brother, rejoined Naruto and Sakura separately, rejoined Konoha...then threw them to the snake. Good riddance, if they weren't dumb enough to trust him maybe they would have seen this coming. Maybe he was spending to much time with that snake sannin.

"Ramen's ready sir," said the old man as he slid the bowl to Sasuke. "Yeah, yeah..." Sasuke said tossing his money on the counter then proceeded to eat his bowl. More thoughts plagued him as he ate, why did he feel this sudden feeling, why did he feel this stomach clenching feeling?

"Hey Sasuke-kun," came a voice from the entrance of the Ramen shop. Sasuke turned his gaze and found that it was the pink haired girl from his old team. "Sakura," Sasuke said in acknowledgment. "I never thought I'd find you here," she said as she sat down next to him. "Then why are you here?" asked Sasuke, purposely not looking at her.

"I was hungry...besides with Naruto AWOL this place could use all the help it could get." Sakura said before she placed her order of vegetable ramen. From there the two began talking like old friends again. Sakura laughing and Sasuke smirking and chuckling. "Sasuke, why did you leave?" asked Sakura from no where. Sasuke stared into his bowl of ramen running over the reasons, his mind screaming at him to tell her everything.

"I needed more power..." Sasuke said simply and coldly as he finished his bowl. "Sasuke..." Sakura said in a pleading voice but Sasuke had already stood up and stormed out of the shop leaving Sakura to stare at his back sadly.

'Why did I go?' Sasuke questioned himself as he walked to his apartment. 'I needed to get stronger...I killed my brother...but at what cost. I need to stop thinking like this...' Sasuke thought but he was reminded of his mission, his orders...the incident.

"Sasuke," said the darkness radiating snake sannin. "Yes Orochimaru?" asked Sasuke obviously still holding no respect in his 'teacher'. "I have a mission for you. You will be going to Konoha, you are to gain their trust, then you are to map out all of Konoha and send it back through bird. When that is accomplished you are to stay in Konoha awaiting further instruction. Is that clear?" said Orochimaru as Sasuke bowed. "I understand Orochimaru," Sasuke said as he stood and turned.

"Good, go see Kabuto about your equipment," Orochimaru said as he walked away from the young Uchiha. "Yes...sir," Sasuke said with a quiet growling tone. He hated Kabuto, always had, always will.

Sasuke walked down the halls of the Otokage tower until he reached the equipment room. Inside he saw the white flash of hair and shine of a pair of glasses and knew who it was. "Kabuto..." Sasuke said angrily as he entered the room. "Oh Sasuke...how nice to see you." Kabuto said with a slightly twitching eye.

Sasuke grabbed everything he needed and was ready to leave until he heard Kabuto say, "so how does it feel Sasuke? You get to betray the same village twice." "You betrayed them just as Orochimaru did," was Sasuke's cool rebuttal. "Ah, I was not a native of Konoha although I was raised there," said Kabuto with a smirk.

"That made no sense..." Sasuke said with a skeptical look. "Alright...vessel," said Kabuto, "be sure to say hi to Naruto...I'm sure you and him have plenty of catching up to do after you almost killed him." Sasuke twitched and formed several hand seals in a flash, "Ok helmet head...you asked for it..."

Sasuke jumped rooftop to roof top with a satisfied smirk on his somewhat beaten looking face. Oh, this was sweet, far sweeter then he hoped it to be. Far behind him, hanging from the lowest corner of Otokage tower was Kabuto. His shirt has been pulled over his head and his hands and arms hand been tied with it. Around his ankles were his pants showing the bright pink boxers he wore underneath. On Kabuto's stomach was a bulls eye made up of shuriken.

Orochimaru just happened to be leaving Otokage tower and he just happened to look up as he did, just to check the weather of course. "...what...the..." Orochimaru said as he saw a depantsed Kabuto hanging from Otokage tower by his shirt.

Sasuke reached his apartment and it was near sun down. He knew that this was the end of a day rare to be in the coming weeks. A day of complete peace. Orochimaru would invade, he would conquer, and Sasuke would be his key. "Sasuke..." came a voice behind him just as he reached the door to his apartment. Sasuke turned his head to look at the ANBU standing behind him, "The Hokage wants to speak with you."

Sasuke nodded and turned, "Ok...Kakashi-sensei." Kakashi's visible eye narrowed and he said, "I am not you sensei...nor am I your friend..." Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke leaving Sasuke to go to Hokage tower immediately.

Naruto's golden edged irises began to glow and the fist slowed to where Naruto could dodged it. As Naruto turned away he could see the arm was faintly glowing then with a bright spark the glowing ceased and the armreturned to the fighters side. Naruto's eyes returned to their normal dormant state and he realized who had attacked him.

"Neji? What the hell was that for?" Naruto asked in confusion rather then anger. Neji slid into the traditional Juken stance and answered with a volley of precise and even deadly strikes. Naruto blinked and just like before his eyes glowed, slowing the world around him and allowing him to easily dodge the attacks. They even to gave a clearer outline of the chakra Neji was putting into the strikes.

'I really need a name for this...' Naruto said as he watched Neji's palm go by his face in almost slow motion. With one last dodge Naruto grabbed Neji's wrist and twisted it until it was behind his back. Using his tails he wrapped Neji's other arm and his legs so he was completely immobile. "Ok Neji, what is this all about?" Naruto asked as he held Neji's arm behind his back.

Neji growled out, "befouling Hinata and breaking the trust Hiashi-sama placed in you." Naruto's entire face turned a ghastly white and Neji took this opportunity using a quick Kaiten to throw Naruto off himself. Naruto slammed into a wall but was cushioned on reflex by his five tails. Neji took a deep breath and slid into a very familiar attack stance, "you're in range of my divination field."

Hinata was almost dancing on air as she walked to her room in the Hyuga mansion. She just had the most wonderful day with Naruto-kun and no one had dared to disturb them. He said that he liked spending time with her, she had an experience with what could only be described as heaven. Today was a great day.

"Hinata-san, Hiashi-sama requests your presence in his office," said a branch house member that had just bowed to her. Hinata froze, ok her day just had a severe turn downhill.

Hinata slowly trod the hall down to her fathers study, this was not good. He never requested her in his office unless it was to scold her for something she had done wrong that shamed the clan. She quietly slid the door open to find Hiashi sitting calmly at his study, his tired eyes scanning a scroll set before him.

He rubbed his tired eyes then turned his head up to look at his daughter in the door. "Ah Hinata, come in," he said as he swiftly rolled the scroll up and placed it on the ground next to where he was seated. Hinata nodded nervously and entered, taking a seat before her father.

"Hinata, I've been hearing a few rumors from the branch house members, care to explain them?" Hiashi said as he picked up his cup of tea and took a sip. "W-what rumors f-father?" Hinata asked in fearful confusion. "The most common is of you and Naruto bedding together..." Hiashi said causing Hinata's face to burn red to the roots of her hair. "W-w-what?" Hinata asked with wide eyes. "Oh yes, amusing story, care to explain?" Hiashi asked with a serious stare.

"I never b-bedded with Naruto-kun," Hinata said her blush and a slight nervous stutter still present but much more deluded and a serious glare on her face. "Naruto-kun and I just went on a picnic today. N-nothing happened..." Hinata said knowing she just said something she probably shouldn't have.

Hiashi stared for a few moments until his lips turned upwards in a small smile, "that's good to hear Hinata. Getting out of your shell I see, well I suppose I should talk to Hitokoe about those rumors she's been spreading. You're free to go, and if you see Hitokoe send her in please, thank you."

Hinata blinked in confusion, "T-that's all father?" Hiashi nodded and picked up the scroll he had put on the floor before and laid it on the short table set before him. "I don't see anything wrong with it, besides a young girl like you should be getting on more dates..." Hiashi said as his eyes dropped to the scroll he had.

Hinata blushed as Hiashi continued, "you know your mother and I, we didn't have an arranged marriage. Oh the council hated the fact I married someone from outside the clan but all the intermarriage just didn't seem right to me."

Hinata blinked in confusion, she didn't have that many solid memories of her mother but she could remember that was a very kind person, always having a treat for her and a bottle for the baby Hanabi. She always wondered why her and Hanabi's eyes were a little darker and different shade then the rest of the Hyuga clan.

"Your mother was a very beautiful and kind person Hinata, you remind me of her. Now you should be going, I have to revise this scroll as soon as possible," Hiashi said as he read the scroll with an ink brush at the ready. "Yes father," Hinata said as she left in a hurry. Hiashi smiled and with a few quick strokes of his ink brush the scroll was revised. He closed the scroll with a sense of accomplishment as he read the title on the edge, 'The Curse Seal.'

Naruto's eyes slowed the world and the strikes Neji threw still came like flashes of lightning. Naruto barely had time to dodge and a few times he did get a good hit or two. When Neji's attack stopped and Naruto returned to the world of normal moving objects Neji was exhausted and Naruto's right arm and left abdomen felt numb and useless.

"I'm telling you..." Naruto huffed, apparently the slowing of the world really ate up chakra, "I didn't do ANYTHING with Hinata-chan!" Neji scowled and despite his chakra drainage he prepared for another powerful attack. "Fine, you don't believe me..." Naruto said as he began to wave his tails back and forth, taking great care to rub them together.

Neji watched the spectacle in confusion and the next thing he knew he was on his back, his head throbbed, and he tasted copper. "Damn it..." he said as he sat up. He slowly opened his eyes and took a look around finding he was in his and Naruto's room, oddly enough the world had a blue tint to it. He put a hand on his head and rubbed his temples, attempting to quell the headache that threatened to split his head in two.

"You're awake," came a voice from across the room from him. He turned his now light sensitive eyes to the voice finding Naruto sitting on his own bed. "However to some point you deserved this you know," Naruto said with a smug smirk. "You ass..." Neji grumbled but decided against the impending fight in favor of lying back on his bed and closing his eyes.

"I told you I didn't do anything to Hinata-chan. I don't know what made you think that but it's a lie. I wouldn't do anything with her without marriage, I have at least some honor," Naruto said as he lie on his own bed. "What the hell did you hit me with..." Neji groaned out in pain accepting whatever Naruto had just said. Naruto snickered and said, "Kitsune Raikou, the effects should wear off in a little while."

"Raikou? Since when did you learn electricity?" Neji asked while he continued to massage his temples. "Since the other day when I gained my fifth tail. Didn't you notice how fast I was moving earlier?" Naruto said plainly. Neji had noticed and hell he had been pissed. It looked like the idiot easily dodged him too, like he was moving faster then the world.

"How did you dodge my attacks?" asked Neji holding his head and looking out with a squinted eye at Naruto. "That? Oh it's my..." Naruto paused, his face contorted in thought until he opened his eyes and grinned, "it's my Kitsunegan!"

"...how long did it take you to think that up?" Neji said with a one eyed glare. "Two seconds why?" Naruto asked causing Neji's returning thought to surface again, 'idiot.' "Try and think of something better..." Neji groaned. "Yeah! Seriously kid! Kitsunegan? What is that?" screamed Kyuubi in Naruto's mind.

"Whatever, night Neji," Naruto said as his tail reached over and flicked off the light. "Night fox just keep it down," Neji said as he turned over and fell asleep face down in his bed. Naruto lie on his back staring at the ceiling and thinking until he slowly fell into the world of dreams and the training from Kyuubi.

Naruto landed on the ground on his hands and feet after freshly dodging a drilling electrical attack from his sensei. "Very good Naruto," Kyuubi complimented quickly before he drove his tails into the ground of the tunnel. Naruto's eyes shot open and in an instant he was on the ground doubled over in pain.

"But electricity can travel through the ground Naruto...you're not all here right now are you kid?" Kyuubi asked trotting over to the slowly recovering boy. "I'm fine Kyuubi-sensei, lets keep going," Naruto said as he jumped up and slowly forced chakra into his eyes making the world slow down little by little.

Kyuubi jumped back but not quickly enough to miss being singed by a burst of fire mixed with electricity that Naruto had just thrown. Shaking it off Kyuubi raised his tails and predictably Naruto jumped, leaving him in the open air for Kyuubi to send a large wave of electricity and fire at him. Naruto was hit with the full brunt force of the attack and was sent careening into the far wall of the cage.

Kyuubi sighed and tapped his tails on the ground. "Kid, you're not concentrating," Kyuubi said as Naruto limped his way out of the darkness of Kyuubi's cage, "could it have anything to do with that Hyuga girl?" Naruto glared at Kyuubi and growled, "shut up you dumb ass fox."

Kyuubi's eyes opened in shock, 'this boy really does get defensive, I should warn him.' Kyuubi cleared his throat and said, "I suggest you don't do things like that kid. A Kitsune gains its tails by either proving it's worth or bringing honor and fortune to it's family. Right now you're gaining tails in record time and that's good. But insulting your master, not honorable and you could get a tail revoked." Naruto sighed and bowed, "I apologize Kyuubi-sensei. Can we get off the subject now."

"Yeah, let's get working kid," Kyuubi said with very slight worry for the kid. He had never seen the kid so distracted but he could understand it. The kid had never known love, he had never known any greatly deep feeling other then hate. Sure he had good friendships and crushes like with that Sakura girl but he hadn't known what he was feeling now. He had a hard time dealing with it and he had an awkward time having it returned.

Kyuubi smiled to himself, he knew what to get the kid going. "I have new jutsu for you..." Kyuubi said and in a snap Naruto had taken the bait. "New jutsu!" Naruto said with his insane grin once again. Kyuubi almost laughed, good to have the kid back in high spirits. He was such a sucker for new a jutsu.

End Chapter

Well that's it, hope you liked my explanation on the'Kabuto Depants incident'!Time for Q and A!

Q:What is the Guardian eyes name?

A: ...honestly I have no idea, if you guys could give me some ideas it would be much appreciated.

Q: probibly a question, explanation of Hinata's mother?

A: shrugs It's something I thought of to fill the plot with. Sorry if you don't like it but to late I guess.

Well, that was short once again so I guess, that's right, it's time for a preview!

"Well Kakashi?" asked Tsunade as she tapped her finger on the desk. Kakashi in full ANBU uniform appeared from the shadows a glare in his one visible eye. "He was lying," was Kakashi's three word answer."About what? Having it tomorrow or him making the map?" asked Tsunade to which Kakashi replied, "about being our ally."