Yo, sorry for my absence. So many personal things, death of family and friend, and more public things, getting a job and college junk, are really eatting up my time. It dosen't help that I have the basic structure for this but I have those connection problems. Trying to tie everything together, you know what I mean right? Anyway thank you for the reviews and I hope you enjoy!

"Talking"

'Thought'

(Disclaimer)

Chapter 3: One Thousand Questions

So many things happening in one day…

Naruto sighed as he caught sight of it, the salvation of his childhood. The first place to give him a hot meal without the painful prejudice of the past. It broke his heart seeing the horrible condition it was in but as laughter erupted from the stand his soul calmed and he couldn't stop the smile that graced his lips.

Hinata smiled as she watched Arashi and little Tsunade shovel down bowl after bowl of ramen, giving old Teuchi a run for his money with his ramen skills. It was so good to see the kits and the old man in such good spirits. He seemed to have a spark in his eyes that was just about gone when they entered.

Teuchi was laughing as he cooked; he hadn't had to work this hard in years. It made him feel twenty years younger! The rush of cooking, the smell of the oils and vegetables stewing within the broth. It made his heart rush and a smile work its way onto his face, to him this was paradise and he wouldn't have any other way.

"Yo ramen man!" sounded a voice that froze Teuchi in his tracks, "cook me up ten batches of the Naruto special. I'm hungry!" "Otou-san!" These voices filled Teuchi's ears as he furiously cooked the ramen, it was all that held him with his back to the calls. When it was safe for him to turn around he spun quickly, sitting there looking at him was the spiky blond haired, blue eyed, Kitsune that was lost so long ago.

"Naruto!" Teuchi said in surprise which earned a hearty laugh from the golden haired Kitsune. "Yeah it's me," Naruto said turning to his two littlest children, "didn't I tell you it was good?" Both twins nodded and said, "yep! But Ojii-san cooks to slow!" Teuchi smirked and muttered as he went back to cooking, "I would go faster if I had help."

Hinata looked over her shoulder to a certain white haired Kitsune girl, "Hitomi-chan." Hitomi blinked in confusion but Hinata elaborated with a smile, "would you help Ramen-san?" Hitomi shyly nodded, vanishing in a blur of white and reappearing behind the counter with her hair tied back and an apron over her clothes.

After that the ramen shop went like clockwork, Teuchi was amazed by the work ethic and productivity Hitomi displayed. She was a really hard working little Kitsune! However none of the Uzumaki's were all that surprised, Hinata had taught all of them how to cook ramen from scratch seeing as Naruto and the youngest kits loved the stuff. Add in Naruto's insane training regiment and there you go.

Teuchi was so surprised with the young Kitsune woman he offered a job which she humbly accepted as long as the family was in town. After that it was all a matter of waking Kyuubi who had fallen asleep with nothing to do and leaving under the cover of a Kitsune henge to the old Hyuuga mansion…

Neji sat on the old tatami mats, his face the very picture of calm and the two combatants before him fought. It was nothing new within the Hyuga household. Warring before him were his eldest son and daughter, both of them dueling with basic Juken strikes. It was a typical sparring match which Neji sat in on; he used these fights to gauge how much harder their training would be the next day.

His eldest son was the picture of himself; the same icy white eyes and long dark flowing hair however he differed from his father in many ways. Where Neji held a serious look his son held an impassive stare, contemplative and somewhat peaceful with his approach to everything. However the thing that separated them the most was the fact that Neji was a genius, his son was not.

His daughter was a good mix of himself and Tenten, she was powerful and hardworking with both her Juken training and her weaponry skills. She always held a slightly smug look on her face, she knew all to well that she was a genius and she flaunted the fact. Where as Neji's son had evaded the prodigy gene she had gained it ten fold.

Suddenly his son took one last wrong step on a list of many; his sister delivered a paralyzing blow to his shoulder sending him to the ground in a painful heap. "Well done Katana," Neji said praising his daughter who beamed up at her father. "Kenshin, your form needs work," Neji said softening the blow the best he could but it stung all the same.

Kenshin stood and nodded solemnly to his father, feeling the disappointment in his icy white stare but making no reaction to it what so ever. "Dismissed," Neji said, standing from his position as his children bowed then left in a rush. Neji sighed and held his arms behind his back, taking one step that would be the precursor for a thousand more.

Neji smiled lightly to himself and shook his head, Tenten had been getting to him lately with all of the self actualization speak with their son. It was true his son wasn't the ninja genius he wanted but he loved him all the same, he had seen the pain of a child turned away by a parent who didn't want them. However this did absolutely nothing for Kenshin's self worth and pride.

Neji's thoughts consumed him so his feet went on autopilot, taking the long way around the newly constructed Hyuga mansion. It was a beautiful structure, able to hold all and any of the new Hyuga clan within its white wash walls. So many new additions to the clan and the mansion, it had to be twice as large as it had been in the past.

He smiled lightly as he passed the garden, the memorial to the young Hyuga princess that had passed seven years ago. It held many flowers, some that were impossible to find in fire country. However one breed was dominant, the lunar flowers held their petals closed in the cloudy light of the day.

Neji was brought out of his thoughts by a clan member calling his name. Neji turned and the clan member informed him that there were a few people awaiting his presence in the foyer. What their business was they had no idea but apparently it was important. Neji thanked them and went on his way, his thoughts traveling to his wife and younger cousin who were on day and week missions, respectively, at the moment.

He was questioning their welfare until he arrived in the foyer witnessing four figures looking around in awe while two merely smiled. "Hello," Neji greeted and instantly all eyes were turned to him, "may I ask what business you have here?"

The tallest figure, a man of tall stature and garbed in civilian clothes, stepped forward with a wide smile, "greeting's Hyuga-sama. We have just arrived in this area and we've heard so much about the generosities of the Hyuga clan that we came asking stay if only for a little while."

Neji looked slightly surprised but responded, "I admire your forwardness, what is your name?" The man smiled, "my name is not important, I just wish a place to bed for my family. I would gladly sleep on the street as long as my children and wife had a warm bed to lie upon."

Neji blinked a few times them a small smirk crossed his features, "you are a horrible actor." The civilian man snapped his fingers breaking the henge on his form and revealing the Kitsune Naruto garbed in his black cloak. "I thought I had you," Naruto muttered as he motioned to his family, all of them removing their henge's to Neji's utter amazement and surprise.

The first words that escaped the Hyuga leader's mouth, "Hinata-san?" Hinata smiled and nodded, "it's good to see you Neji-kun." Neji's amazement was quickly suppressed and replaced with his customary stiff face however his eyes still held some bit of surprise and emotion.

"So can we stay?" Naruto asked which earned a curt nod from Neji, "I couldn't let my family out in the cold." Naruto started to say something but Neji cut him off, "I would like to speak with Hinata if you don't mind. Feel free to explore the grounds to your hearts content."

Naruto instantly realized the situation and nodded, ushering his confused children out of the room letting Hinata to stare down her cousin. "Hinata-san," Neji began, "I have so many questions…" "He says he is proud," Hinata said simply which made Neji take a step back in surprise.

"Hinata," Neji said in surprise and confusion but Hinata continued unabated, "he says that even though you have made mistakes he is still proud of the man you have become." Hinata didn't have to say anything more; Neji had the message loud and clear. Neji stood there, surprise evident in his face and eyes as he stared.

Slowly he righted himself and took the proud Hyuga pose that he had been trained from birth to perform. "Thank you Hinata-san," Neji said softly taking a few steps to Hinata and placing a hand on her shoulder, "come, I have many things to show you. You've missed so much and the clan just hasn't been the same…"

Tsunade drummed her fingers upon the thick wood of her desk, her eyes sharp as she gazed around the room filled with ninja. Those who had received orders were there and that was quite a few ninja.

Standing on the far left of the room was Aburame Shino, his high collared coat hiding his entire body from view save for his hair and the miniscule amount of skin not covered by his sun glasses. Standing next to him with crossed arms and an annoyed look was Inuzuka Kiba, dressed in the Jounin uniform that was common in his family.

Next to them were the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, all of them decked out in their Jounin uniforms save for Choji who had his family's armor covering him rather than an average uniform. Shikamaru was garbed in his uniform and looking as bored as ever while Ino chattered to the two incessantly, for once wearing her Jounin uniform without any provocation from the Hokage.

Standing on the far right of the room was a silver haired ninja; his own high collar opened revealing his face to those present. A small smirk was on his face as his wife began to pester him about what this was all about. Itami was the same as ever, growing up to the point that she resembled her mother but held her own attitude that she had since she was old enough to form one.

On the left of them were two of the three Suna siblings, Gaara stood beside the Hokage herself in his quiet fury. His fiery red hair had grown a bit longer and he had grown a bit taller but other than that he was still the same Suna killing machine. The gigantic gourd on his back holding highly compacted sand ready for use at any second.

Temari took fleeting glances at her brother then to Shikamaru, attempting to sneak off every once and a while but a glare from Gaara froze her in her tracks. She was dressed in her favored Suna armor while Kankuro, who looked just about as bored as Shikamaru, waited in his head to toe black uniform.

The closest to the center were Sasuke and Sakura as they chatted with Tenten and Lee. Neji had claimed he had urgent business so he claimed he wasn't able to be present, no one questioned him, not even Tenten who had a small knowing smile on her face along with Sakura and to an extent Sasuke.

"So when is everything going to come together?" Gaara asked calmly, casting another glare to his sister who had once again tried to sneak through the crowd. If they were there under the Suna title then by the gods they would be together. She could visit her husband any time; they had business to attend to.

The great doors locks clicked silencing all inside save for the Hokage who smiled lightly, "right about now." Slowly the doors swung open, the light from the outside hall blinding those inside temporarily before they revealed a solemn faced Hyuga leader as he stepped into the room calmly.

"My apologies," Neji said in a dignified manner, "I had some minor business to attend to." The Hokage's eyes twitched angrily and fire glinted in her irises, "Hyuga Neji, tell me what was so important that you were late." Neji smirked, a rare occurrence from him, "I had to think of how to do this the best."

Suddenly Neji vanished in a puff of smoke, the brief flash of light and smoke particles dulling the senses of those present so it took a moment to register what had just happened. As the cloud cleared there stood Naruto, his black cloak swamping him leaving only his grinning face to the open air.

Eyes bulged out of sockets and mouths were agape, all staring directly at the Kitsune who had made his entrance posing as the leader of the Hyuga clan with a henge so advanced none could detect it. "Well isn't this a happy bunch?" he asked with his patented smile before being greeted in various ways.

He received handshakes and hugs, he nodded to those who were silent and unmoving, he dodged the punches and jutsu of those who were going to beat him up, all in all it was pretty much an average greeting for him. When all was said and done Naruto smile happily as he cut through the crowd, standing before the Hokage and Kazekage with a calm smile to his features.

"Hey Gaara, it's been a long time," he said with a nod to the sand user. Gaara showed no surprise past an odd smile that crawled onto his lips, "far too long." Naruto turned his single blue eye to Tsunade, "my report is ready." The room full of ninja were hit with a slight shock of surprise, was this what they were here for?

Suddenly the air in the room became less stagnant and shortly a light breeze was felt by all. Slowly the breeze grew in intensity until it felt like a strong whirl wind coming from near Naruto. Leaves appeared from nowhere and formed a small hurricane before the breeze slowly calmed and revealed a very beautiful white and violet Kitsune Hinata.

In no time at all Hinata was suddenly swamped with hugs from teary eyed women as all the men merely stood by in shock, their eyes going from Hinata to Naruto who merely smirked with that confident air about him. After Hinata was let loose from the sobbing mob Kiba was the first to ask the obvious question, "Hinata! How are you alive?"

Hinata sighed with a sorrowful tone and looked to Naruto whose smirk had gone and been replaced with a hard stare into nothingness. Hinata gently disengaged herself from the women and silently walked over to Naruto, placing her hand on his shoulder in a comforting gesture.

Naruto sighed knowing exactly who it was and what it was for, it helped to know she was there. He turned his head to look up to Tsunade and Gaara who both gave Naruto confused stares. Naruto adopted a solemn face as his right arm came from the dark folds of his cloak, floating up to his neck and the very clasp of his black garment. With the aid of Hinata's skilled hands the only thing that held his cloak up were his clawed fingers clutching the rough cloth.

"To answer your question," Naruto began as his fingers went lax, allowing the material to slide from his shoulders and pool at his feet. He stood in all his glory, his entire top half was without a shirt or any type of garment showing off the several scars littering his body and revealing the glove that covered his left hand also covered his entire arm and was quite literally fastened to his very body with golden pins at the shoulder junction.

His right arm held the Kitsune summoning tattoo and over his heart lay the tattoo to summon his realm whenever he wished. He wore a black ninja supply belt and black ninja pants, both of them looking more or less new. As he had in the past he wore no shoes, his feet free from the confines of any rubber or fabric.

His body, while muscular, looked horribly thrashed about. In the past he had the healing power to fight off anything resulting in a scar the width of a hair. Before the ninja and the Kage's stood a Kitsune who showed his battle scars not with pride but with pain. The thing that separated him the most from his family was that behind him waved no tail. No gold, nor white, nor black, nor red… there was just open air.

"You'd have to ask a thousand more…" Naruto said as he clenched his left fist, waves of invisible power flowing from it.

End Chapter

Cliffy for all of you! Fear the power of my cliff hanger prowess! Q and A time!

Q: Ayame returns?

A: Well it's a mixed draw here if you can't tell. Minor detail that will not be overlooked trust me.

Q: Organization behind the Akatsuki?

A: No offence to those who offered this idea but no thanks. I respect the creative aspect of it and all but I just don't think it would fit. I did think about it but the more thought I put into it the harder the creative process became and yeah...sorry and thank you but it probably won't happen.

Well that's all. I'd like to extend a large thank you to those who reviewed and an even bigger one to those whooffered ideas. I might just tweak some and use them, but for now I'll get the formalities about Naruto and the missing yearsout of the way then the fun will REALLY begin. However I'd still like more ideas if you got them! Subplots and the like, I think I got a big plotin the drawing boardstages but you never know.Well thank you for the reviews! Later!