A/N - Okay, been a while since I updated this one. I was having quite the hard time coming up with what to do in this chapter, which is why I put off writing it for as long as I did. However, once I got started and began to write more and more, it started coming easier. So...yeah. lol

Anyways, this chapter is a bit different from previous ones. Consider this sort of like a filler chapter. That being said, not too much really happens in this chapter, but there is enough important stuff for it to be relevant.

With that being said, I do hope you enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 13 - Changes

It has been one week since Tsunade became Hokage, and already people were noticing changes. The problem is, a lot of people didn't like what was being changed.

The first noteworthy change to discuss dealt with the academy. As ordered, Inoichi Yamanaka headed the investigation into the academy. What he managed to uncover was something of a travesty. It turned out that Naruto wasn't the only one being actively sabotaged during his time in the academy. Some of the clan heirs, namely those that reached out to befriend Naruto, were also being sabotaged. Then there were others that were being helped along, namely the sons and daughters of civilians with a decent amount of influence in society. And, of course, Sasuke Uchiha was being helped on an extreme level, pretty much guaranteed to be at the top of his class.

Inoichi also found out that a number of the teachers were practically criminally negligent in their duties when it came to Naruto. He was often paired up with Sasuke in taijutsu spars, and, as Naruto had been taught the incorrect forms of the academy taijutsu style whereas Sasuke had his unique brand of taijutsu, it was a no brainer that Naruto would end up losing each and every spar. To make matters worse, even after Sasuke had clearly won, they refused to call the match in his favor until Naruto was severely beaten and barely able to move, let alone stand on his own two feet!

Of course, most of this took place before the attack that led to Naruto meeting Rose in her crypt. After the Darkness Dragoon entered his life, Naruto began to have a much better time in terms of taijutsu practice and shurikenjutsu and the like. However, teachers continued to sabotage him in every other way that they could. It was obvious that genjutsu had been applied to some of his tests, while others looked like Naruto had given perfect answers for every question...and yet they still failed him.

The only teacher that would give Naruto a fair shake was Iruka Umino, and even then he still had problems. Iruka may not have actively sabotaged him, but he wasn't exactly helpful either. It was almost like Iruka tried to ignore Naruto whenever he could. And yet, somehow, Naruto had graduated at the top of his class.

It was obvious that Mizuki had been trying to sabotage Naruto in every way that he could, while Iruka just didn't care enough either way. After reviewing everything he found, Inoichi couldn't help but wonder how Naruto was at the top of his graduating class when he had such negligent, and even downright spiteful teachers. If he had to fathom a guess, he'd say that the Sandaime Hokage and even Rose played a large part in why he was allowed to graduate at the top of his class.

This theory was proven when he had Iruka brought in for interrogation. Iruka naturally tried to resist at first, claiming he had done nothing to deserve such treatment. The blonde mindwalker performed a mind dive and found exactly what he was looking for. Iruka had been approached by one Hiruzen Sarutobi and had been ordered to alter whatever he needed to to ensure that Naruto graduated at the top of his class. After all, it would look odd for someone being so well trained to just barely graduate and he didn't want any suspicion falling on himself or the academy if Naruto started failing everything.

Inoichi had also found out that Iruka harbored a deep hatred for Naruto Uzumaki. The reason behind this was simply due to the fact that Naruto was a constant reminder of what happened to his parents on the night of the Kyuubi attack on Konoha. Instead of trying to fix this particular issue, Hiruzen just let it fester and become something horrible by forcing Iruka to pass Naruto Uzumaki in his class.

After delivering his report to the Godaime Hokage, Inoichi suggested that they clean the slate, essentially, by getting rid of all the current teachers and replacing them with people they felt they could trust. On top of that, they needed to give the academy curriculum a serious overhaul and return it to what it once was before the civilians got their grubby little hands on it.

When asked for names of people who he felt would make good, qualified teachers, Inoichi was quick to suggest Kotetsu Hagane and Izumo Kamizuki. They were both experienced chunin and had a great deal of experience on the job. That, and they were pretty much wasting away on gate watch duty most of the time, so giving them something beneficial to do would be a great help to not just the academy and its students, but to the two chunin as well.

The next thing to happen was the disbanding of the civilian part of the council. They were a bunch of corrupt individuals that had been in power for far too long. However, Tsunade did recognize that the civilians needed a voice or two on the council to look out for their interests, so she looked into potential candidates to speak on their behalf. So far she hadn't found anyone truly worthy of such a position. Most that she had seen or talked to just didn't fit what she needed. It didn't help that they were a bunch of bigots.

Naturally, this particular change upset a lot of the civilians in the village, but the new Hokage didn't care. She refused to have a bunch of corrupt bastards hassling her all the time. It didn't help matters any that she already had to clean up the mess left behind by Danzo and the Elder Council: Homura and Koharu.

Then came the issue with Team 8. They were without a sensei thanks to Kurenai proving herself incapable of leading a genin team. On top of that, with Kiba's death, they were also without a third genin on the team. She didn't want Hinata and Shino to suffer for the faults of their teammates, so she would need to find them suitable replacements.

For a while, Tsunade was a bit stumped on this particular problem. Picking a sensei was easy enough in Anko Mitarashi. She was a skilled tokubetsu jonin and leading a team would be good for both her and the genin. But the empty genin slot in the team was a real puzzler.

After looking into possible candidates, Tsunade eventually stumbled upon a girl named Yakumo Kurama. She was another example of Kurenai fucking up, and her predecessor, Hiruzen Sarutobi, didn't help matters any in that regard.

The busty blonde had the Dragoons come with her to pay Yakumo a visit. They would need to do something about Ido and deal with the seal placed on her as well. When they arrived, they found that the Kurama clan had dwindled greatly with only a few members actually remaining. What really bothered them though was the fact that Yakumo was so secluded and seemed to be painting rather dark pictures of Kurenai and Konoha as a whole. With her gifts, it was a miracle something hadn't already been done to harm the village.

At first, Yakumo was quite displeased with their company, but Naruto had quickly remedied that with his natural charisma and managed to convince her that they were only there to help her. Naruto (as he had been studying up on fuinjutsu since moving into his parents' house) and Tsunade inspected the seal that was placed on her and were disgusted at what they found.

The seal did keep the Ido at bay, but there was more to it than just that. The major problem was the fact that the seal also served as a loyalty seal. Unfortunately, it wasn't so simple. If she ever even thought about turning on Konoha, the seal would damage her body so bad she'd be paralyzed for a number of days. On top of that, there was also a component to the seal that did something most women feared. Considering it was Jiraiya and Hiruzen that came up with the seal, Tsunade was quite glad they were dead or she'd have pounded them both into a bloody pulp! What was so bad, you might wonder? The seal prevented Yakumo from ever conceiving a child.

Tsunade, after taking a moment to think on it, realized that Hiruzen knew that Yakumo's children would likely inherit her talent for genjutsu and wanted to keep the possibility of new threats to the village from coming into being. It was quite obvious to all of them what needed to be done. This seal had to go. However, before they removed it, they'd first have to do something about Yakumo's Ido.

As it was, they were running a bit of a blank on what could be done about the Ido. However, after a short while spent in thought, Naruto came up with an idea. They could use the power of the White-Silver Dragoon Spirit to purify the Ido while allowing Yakumo to keep the benefits such a creature brought with it. Hinata then proceeded to do just that. At first, the Ido tried to fight back, but the power of the Dragoon Spirit was too powerful for it to deal with and it was soon extinguished.

After Ido was successfully dealt with, Naruto then unsealed an inkbrush and inkwell and proceeded to draw a counter seal on Yakumo. After he was finished, he took a breath before whispering to Yakumo to brace herself. Before she could ask why, he activated the seal, watching as the brunette before him grimaced from the pain she was now feeling.

After a short few moments, the original seal was finally erased and with that, his seal also vanished. Yakumo quickly fell unconscious, but she'd finally been freed from her horrible fate.

When the fifteen year-old brunette awakened, she felt better than she had in a long, long while. It was explained to her that, if she wanted, she could join the new Team 8 as a fresh genin. However, she wouldn't be allowed to go on missions with her team until she was up to snuff. As it was, her body was frail and she'd need to learn more than just genjutsu to become an effective kunoichi.

Yakumo naturally accepted this proposal before hugging Naruto tight, thanking him for removing that blasted seal. She even offered to paint a picture of him and his family if he wanted. Naruto gladly accepted, and they worked out a time for when they could all get together so she could paint their portrait.

After that was dealt with and Team 8 was finally squared away, Tsunade then had to deal with paying back her debt to the debt collectors. Since Jiraiya was now dead, she managed to tap into his accounts and used the money he had accrued from his book sales and various missions to pay back her debt. Hey, the perverted bastard wouldn't miss it!

The final big problem she had to tackle was the Haruno's. Sakura's parents were clearly planning something that would likely harm Naruto in some way. Despite the fact that Rose kept people from harming him, these two didn't seem to care and they were rallying a decent force consisting of both shinobi and civilians for an assault.

After getting word of this from none other than Sakura, Tsunade decided to nip the problem in the bud. The lovely Godaime Hokage had her Anbu take Mebuki and Kizashi Haruno into custody and had them delivered to the T&I department. Naturally they tried to protest this course of action and even denied any wrongdoing. However, after spending time with Ibiki, Anko, and Inoichi, they eventually gave up their plans and their many accomplices.

Unfortunately, it seemed that members of the Yamanaka, Inuzuka, and Hyuuga clans were in on the conspiracy. Naturally, when they heard about this, the clan heads were quite furious. The shinobi that were part of the conspiracy were quickly dealt with. They were thrown in prison and stripped of their headbands while the civilians were simply thrown in prison and had their money transferred into the Uzumaki clan account as recompense for how they had mistreated Naruto over the years.

With all of that done with, Tsunade couldn't help but release a heavy sigh as she looked over the paperwork laid out on the desk before her. Damn it. Why is that woman coming here? If she's seeking Jiraiya's apprentice, she'll be sorely disappointed. I get the feeling she's probably heard some rumors about him taking another apprentice...even though that's not at all true. Knowing my luck, she'll challenge Naruto. Damned if he wins, damned if he loses. I can't let that happen!

Moving that report to the side, she looked at another report and sighed heavily. And then there's this one. Yukie Fujikaze, or Koyuki Kazehana, as her true name is. Apparently she was once saved by Kakashi, so his team would be a good pick to send on this particular mission. Considering where they're headed, Haku's abilities would be perfect. Then again...Kakashi might not be the best choice, considering how he wronged the Dragoons. I doubt they'll want to work with him anymore, which means I'd need to look into a new sensei for Team 7 as well. Ugh.

Releasing a heavy sigh, Tsunade rested her head on her desk. Then again...that's a good idea! The Dragoons are a team all their own. I can remove them from Team 7, set Shikamaru on Team 10 to form the Ino-Shika-Cho second generation, and take Sakura on as an apprentice. That would free up the members that would make up Team Dragoon. I'll send them on this mission to protect Koyuki. I just hope Rose and the others can handle her. No telling what she's like.

Then there's Team 10. I'm sure Hiruzen already had a talk with Asuma about his team, but I'm going to need to talk with him regardless. From what the others told me, Ino was so dead set on sparking a riot that the Sandaime had to resort to drastic measures to deal with her. While I don't exactly like the idea of her entire personality being altered like that, I can't deny that it was probably for the best. However, even she deserves some level of freedom.

Then there's Choji. Choji seems to be unmotivated, except when food's involved. Asuma's been lazy when it comes to training his team apparently. While I'm sure Hiruzen already had a talk with him about his approach to training a genin team, I need to check something before I even think about letting him continue on as their sensei.

Tsunade released another sigh and shook her head. How did any of these teams function? What the hell were you thinking, Hiruzen? Naruto and Sasuke never got along and naturally would have an almost impossible time working together. They should never have been placed on the same team. Kiba was a loose cannon and a pervert, and he caused no end of headaches for Kurenai and his teammates. On top of that, someone informed Kiba about the Kyuubi. I have a sneaking suspicion that it was the Elders that informed him, and probably on Hiruzen's orders, no doubt. Just another way to push Naruto and make him into their perfect little weapon.

Grumbling irritably to herself, the busty Godaime Hokage wished she had some sake right now. Then there's Team 10, with Ino the fangirl, Choji, who I've already complained about, and Sakura. Sakura should have been placed with Kurenai so she could have studied the art of genjutsu under her. Meanwhile, Kiba could be on Team 10 to balance things out a bit more for that team. As it was, they just didn't have the kind of muscle the other teams had. Damn it Hiruzen, you really fucked up!

"Shizune!" Tsunade exclaimed, getting her apprentice's attention. When she rushed into the room a second later, the blonde Hokage gave her her orders. "Bring me the paperwork required for a few team transfers. Also, send for Asuma Sarutobi. I need to speak with him. I also want you to call for Kakashi, as I'll need to speak with him after I'm through with Asuma. Finally, call for Naruto and Ino. Actually, get Ino's parents as well. I need to check something regarding her seal."

"Right away ma'am!" Shizune exclaimed before she rushed off to do as she was told.

About half an hour later, Shizune reentered the room with the paperwork she requested, Asuma trailing behind her. Setting the paperwork down on her master's desk, Shizune bowed to her and said, "Here you go Tsunade-sama. And, as requested, Asuma-san is here to see you. Is there anything else you require of me?"

"No Shizune, that will be all. Thank you."

"You're welcome Tsunade-sama. I'll be right outside if you have need of me." Shizune said before leaving the room to return to her regular duties.

"So...you wanted to see me, Hokage-sama? Is there something I can help you with?" Asuma questioned.

"I have a few things to discuss with you, and I'd rather not waste any time. Asuma, I'm sure you were already talked to about how you handled your team after the three of them failed to make it through the preliminaries. Am I right?"

Asuma nodded in affirmation. "Yes, Hokage-sama. The Sandaime was furious with me for my approach to handling my team, especially when it came to Ino Yamanaka. I've been doing as he instructed and training them into the ground, but I worry that it's not enough sometimes."

The busty Godaime nodded slowly as she steepled her fingers and rested her chin atop her hands. "It's good to see that you're trying to turn things around, at the very least. I was looking over the new batch of genin and the teams they were placed on, and I have to say that my predecessor really screwed things up. The teams were so mismatched, it was a miracle they all made it as far as they did. For instance, Sakura should have been placed on Kurenai's team due to her high potential as a genjutsu specialist. That's really just the tip of the iceberg, as there's so much I could rant about when it comes to how Hiruzen set up the teams." Sighing softly, Tsunade looked hard into Asuma's eyes. "Before I get to what I really want to say, I need to ask you something first."

"What do you need to ask, Hokage-sama?" Asuma questioned a little uneasily. He had a feeling he wasn't going to like where this conversation was heading.

"Do you seek revenge for your father's death?" That was it, the bombshell had been dropped and it was time to see how Asuma reacted.

The bearded jonin's eyes widened and his mouth hung open for a bit as he was asked this question. After a moment, he frowned and closed his eyes as he let himself truly think about the question and his feelings regarding his father. On the one hand, Hiruzen was his father and there was a natural familial love there. However, he found it hard to agree with some of the decisions his father had made, especially when it came to how he handled their jinchuriki, one Naruto Uzumaki.

After a while, Asuma sighed and shook his head. "I...don't honestly know, Hokage-sama. My father did some terrible things, but at the same time, he was still my father. I wanted to patch things up with him, but…"

Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "It's a simple yes or no answer, Asuma-san. Depending on how you answer, it will affect a few of my decisions regarding you and your team."

Nodding slowly, a grimace on his face, Asuma decided to just come out with it. "Yes. Pops and I argued a lot and I'll admit things weren't great between us, but he was still my father. Even if he wasn't the same man I used to respect, it hurts knowing he's gone. So my answer is yes, I'd love nothing more than to have Orochimaru's head on a pike. But I'm not about to make that my life's mission. I've got other plans that don't involve me getting killed trying to exact my revenge on that slippery snake."

The Godaime closed her eyes and slowly nodded her head in understanding. "I see. That's good. I wouldn't permit you to try and exact revenge against Orochimaru anyways. Yes, he's done some questionable things, but killing Hiruzen? Your father was a corrupt bastard that did everything in his power to make Naruto into the perfect weapon. Orochimaru killed your father not just because he hated him, but also to protect his godson: Naruto Uzumaki."

Seeing Asuma's eyes widen at this revelation, Tsunade nodded once more. "Orochimaru isn't an evil person, Asuma-san. He cares for his godson and was quite displeased to learn about all of Hiruzen's carefully crafted plans regarding Naruto. So you see, I couldn't let you exact vengeance upon Orochimaru, my friend. Do you understand?"

The smoker nodded slowly. "Yes, I understand. I doubt I could ever forgive him for what he did, but I won't attack Orochimaru. Though if I may ask, what exactly did Pops do that was so terrible that it warranted his death?"

Frowning at him, Tsunade shook her head. "Not now. If you really want to know, I'll explain it all to you later. Right now I've got a busy schedule and a talk like that would take up far too much time."

"I understand, Hokage-sama. Not to be rude, but are we done? I kind of wanted to take Kurenai out on a date tonight."

Tsunade shook her head. "There's one more thing we need to discuss. I'm altering your team somewhat. I'm removing Sakura from Team 10 and taking her on as an apprentice. In her place, I'm giving you Shikamaru Nara from Team 7. I expect you to train them hard and fix their issues. I expect great things from this new team of yours, so don't let me down. Now you can go."

Asuma blinked in shock once again. "You mean...I actually get the team I originally put in for?"

Nodding her head once, Tsunade replied, "Yes. And I expect you to take this seriously, Asuma Sarutobi. If you screw up again, that's it. I will find another jonin to replace you as Team 10's leader and sensei. Now please leave. Tell Kakashi to get his butt in here on your way out."

"Yes, Hokage-sama. Thank you." he said before leaving the room.

A few minutes later, Kakashi entered her office, his little orange book present in his hand, as per the usual. "Kakashi, if you don't put that book away right this instant, I'm crushing your balls."

Kakashi's lone eye widened and he quickly slipped the book away into his pouch. Taking a breath to calm himself, the silver-haired man looked at her seriously. "What can I help you with, Hokage-sama?"

Tsunade narrowed her eyes at the man before her. "As of this moment, Team 7 is disbanded. Hiruzen should have done something about this before, but it seems I'm left to clean up a mess he created."

Sighing heavily, Tsunade closed her eyes and continued. "You did nothing to deal with Sasuke. That brat needed therapy, not excessive amounts of jutsu that would most likely be used against fellow Konoha shinobi as much as they would on enemies. Sasuke was a flight risk and should never have been able to enlist in the shinobi corps. To top it off, putting Naruto on a team with Sasuke, when they couldn't get along for even two seconds, was a dumb move. There was no way they would be able to work together effectively."

Shaking her head in exasperation, Tsunade leaned back in her chair and continued. "To make things even worse for you, you betrayed the Dragoons, of which you were a member up until just recently. You knew their purpose was to protect the world as a whole, not just the village of Konoha, and yet you chose a corrupt bastard like my sensei over a family. That's what the Dragoons are: a family. You were a part of something great, Kakashi!" Sighing softly, she shook her head again and said, "But...I understand. Your loyalty is to the village, rather than the family that took you in and made you welcome. You had a higher purpose, Kakashi. All I have to ask is this: why? Why would you choose that corrupt bastard over the Dragoons and Naruto?"

The cycloptic jonin sighed audibly and casually shrugged his shoulders. "There's a very simple answer to that question, Hokage-sama. My loyalty has, and always will be, to the village and to whomever was Hokage at the time. The Dragoons are not strictly loyal to Konohagakure, but to themselves and their mission. With how things have been, I wouldn't be at all surprised if they chose to leave the village, especially if their mission demanded it. It doesn't help matters any that the village doesn't exactly see eye to eye with them, either. I had to make a choice, then, and it was a simple one for me. I chose the village over them."

Tsunade frowned as she looked into Kakashi's lone eye. "I see. Well, do you realize that by betraying them, you've pushed them that much closer to making that choice? They trusted you, Kakashi. If they do choose to leave, you will be part of the reason for them making that choice." Sighing softly, she shook her head and began tapping her right index finger on the desk. "That being said, I repeat my earlier statement: Team 7 is hereby disbanded. Shikamaru Nara is going to replace Sakura Haruno on Team 10. The Dragoons on your team, however, will go to form Team Dragoon, as I doubt they'd be comfortable working with you any longer. They would if I ordered them to do so, I'm sure, but this course of action is the one I've chosen to take. If you so choose, you may take up another genin team from the next batch of graduates, but right now, I'd prefer it if you went back to work for Anbu for the time being. Is this acceptable for you?"

Kakashi nodded slowly. "Yes, that works for me. It's a shame I won't be able to work with my team anymore, but considering the circumstances, it's understandable. So if that is what you wish, I'll follow your orders. Will that be all, Hokage-sama?"

"Yes. You may leave, Kakashi. Send in Naruto and Ino Yamanaka's family on your way out, would you?" she requested.

The cycloptic jonin nodded once more and left the room without speaking another word. Shortly after he left, Naruto and Ino entered the room, followed by Inoichi and Setsuna. "Glad you could make it. Ino, please take a seat. Naruto and I need to check something real quick and it involves you."

Ino frowned in confusion as she sat in one of the chairs across from Tsunade. "What's going on, Hokage-sama?"

Tsunade looked at Ino's parents for a moment before looking back into Ino's eyes. "My predecessor, the Sandaime Hokage, as well as his student, Jiraiya of the Sannin, placed a seal on you that changed some things. Before I continue, I want you to try talking about Sasuke Uchiha. I just want to see the effects of this seal firsthand."

The young blonde looked back at her parents for a moment, seeing them nod at her to go ahead. Looking back at Tsunade, she began trying to talk about Sasuke. "...-...-..."

Nodding her head in understanding, Tsunade released a heavy sigh. "Okay...now try saying something bad about Naruto. Anything will do."

Blinking in confusion, Ino looked at Naruto and started trying to think of something bad about him. However, try as she might, she couldn't seem to think of anything ill to say about him. After a moment, she looked at Naruto and just tried to say the first thing that came to mind. However, when she opened her mouth to speak, what came out was, "Naruto-kun has wonderful eyes!"

Blinking again, Ino looked at Tsunade with a frown of confusion on her face once more. "That's not what I was trying to say. What the heck's going on?!"

Nodding once, Tsunade closed her eyes and released a heavy sigh. "Ino, do you remember Naruto killing Sasuke in the Forest of Death?"

Ino nodded slowly, unsure about what the Hokage was getting at. "Yes. Why?"

Opening her eyes again, Tsunade leveled a glare on the younger blonde. "Ino, what I'm about to say may sound pretty farfetched to you at the moment, but it's the truth. You were a diehard Sasuke fangirl. You neglected your training and you went on a diet and did absolutely everything you could to get Sasuke's attention. When Naruto killed his teammate because he admitted he'd turn traitor in a heartbeat if it meant he'd get the power he craved, you vowed vengeance upon Naruto. You planned to incite a riot in the village and planned to make Naruto's life even more of a hell than it already had been. So Hiruzen, the Sandaime, had Jiraiya place seals on you to prevent you from causing chaos within the village. The seals worked a bit too well though, as your affection for Sasuke Uchiha transferred to Naruto."

Ino's eyes widened in shock and horror. "Wait...are you telling me that...that I'm not in love with Naruto-kun?! That...that I was really such a shallow girl that...that would have done something so horrible?! Why? Why are you telling me this? It sounds like I was a horrible person before!"

Naruto frowned as he looked into his girlfriend's eyes. Reaching over, he took her hand in his and gently squeezed it in an attempt to offer her his reassurance. "I wouldn't call who you were a horrible person, Ino-chan. While I admit that who you are now is a much better person, I never thought ill of you before."

Ino felt tears rolling down her cheeks as she looked into her beloved's eyes. "But...I was planning to hurt you! And...I had feelings for that ….-... Ugh! I really can't say anything about that ….-... can I?! Am I really happier now, with these seals on me, than I was before?"

Setsuna stepped up and wrapped her arms around her daughter, holding her close. "Sweetheart, we've never seen you so happy before. Before, when you were interested in Sasuke, you cut off all ties with your best friend, Sakura, all because of that selfish, spoiled little brat. Your whole life revolved around Sasuke this and Sasuke that. And he never once responded to your advances. It hurt you every day to be shunned like that. Now? Now you have your best friend back, you genuinely seem to care for and love your new boyfriend, who returns your affections, and you're in a much brighter mood than we've seen you in a long time. Sure, the seals may have influenced you into liking Naruto, but I truly believe you've developed true feelings for him by now. What do you think, Ino-chan?"

Looking into her mother's eyes for a moment, Ino thought over her words. After taking some time to think on it, she looked at her boyfriend, who was offering her a warm smile, and found herself smiling at him. "I think I have to. I'm...happy now." she said. Looking at Tsunade once again, Ino voiced her earlier question once again. "So...why are you telling me about this, Hokage-sama?"

Tsunade sighed and shook her head. "Because you deserve to know the truth. That, and Naruto and I need to check the seals to make sure they aren't doing anything else that they shouldn't be. You see, Hiruzen, the Sandaime, and Jiraiya did some terrible things, especially regarding Naruto-kun here. I wouldn't put it past them to have included some extra features into your seals as well. But...even if they're truly not doing anything to harm you in some way, I also wanted to give you a choice. First, however, will you allow us to look over your seals?"

Ino nodded her head once and said, "Yes. I hope you don't find anything that doesn't belong…"

Tsunade and Naruto both nodded in agreement as they went about examining the seal on the back of her neck first. After close examination, they found that this particular seal was the one responsible for her feelings for Naruto arising. "Ugh. That perverted bastard!" Tsunade exclaimed angrily.

"What? What's wrong?" Ino asked worriedly.

Naruto sighed and shook his head sympathetically. "This seal is responsible for your feelings for me. Jiraiya must have slipped in this extra bit without Hiruzen knowing about it. It would seem Jiraiya wanted you to go crazy for me. Other than that, the seal works exactly how it should. Mind letting us see the one on your tongue?"

Ino could feel tears building up in her eyes again as she nodded slowly. Sticking her tongue out for them to look at, Ino hoped they wouldn't find anything off about that one too.

Looking it over carefully, Tsunade and Naruto both breathed sighs of relief. "This seal is fine. If we remove it, you could talk about Sasuke again, if you wanted." Naruto explained.

The Yamanaka heiress closed her eyes and thought it over for a moment. It was at this point that she remembered Tsunade had a question for her. Looking into the Hokage's eyes, she asked, "Hokage-sama? What was it you were going to say before you asked to examine the seals?"

Tsunade sat on her desk and folded her arms under her bust. "I'm going to give you a choice, Ino. We can remove the seals for you, if you'd like. Or...we can leave them on. What do you want to do?"

Ino looked down at her lap and frowned as she thought over her options. She wasn't sure just what she wanted to do right now. On the one hand, she didn't want to go back to being that person she was before the seals were placed on her. On the other...she just learned that her feelings for Naruto were forced on her because Jiraiya felt like being a bastard. She didn't want her romance with Naruto to be because of a misunderstanding.

Sighing, Ino looked into Tsunade's eyes as she came to her decision. "I don't care if you remove the seal on my tongue or not. I don't care about Sasuke one way or another, and I like it that way. However...can you please remove the one on the back of my neck? I want to know that my feelings for Naruto-kun are real and not...not because of some seal!"

Naruto nodded slowly in understanding. "Alright sweetie. I feel the same. I want you to love me because...because it's truly how you feel for me. If you don't maintain any feelings for me after the seal is removed...I hope we can at the very least remain friends." he said.

Ino could tell Naruto was worried, and proceeded to hug him tight. "We...we just have to believe that my feelings will prove true. I'm so happy with you and Sakura. I don't want to lose that. So...I'm choosing to believe that my feelings for you are real!"

The spiky-haired blonde hugged her back and kissed her atop the head. "I believe as well, Ino-chan. Now, let's get rid of that seal. Sit back down in the chair and hold your hair up so I can access the seal. I'll have it removed in a jiffy."

The beautiful young woman nodded slowly as she sat back down and let Naruto get to work. Once he had finished drawing the removal seal, she looked over her shoulder at him and said, "I'm ready, Naruto-kun."

Nodding once, Naruto activated his seal and watched as her seal disappeared. Once it was gone, he offered her a small smile. "You okay, Ino-chan?"

Ino blinked a couple of times and looked into Naruto's eyes as calmly as she could. "I...have all these memories rushing back into my brain. I...remember that argument with my mother about ….- ...I remember when they put the seals on me...I remember how I felt when you killed ….-. But...I also remember how it felt to be on that date with you. I feel...conflicted. All that anger about ….- death has hit me again, and...and part of me is saying I should hate you for that. But...but...I still love you, Naruto-kun. It doesn't...it doesn't feel so forced now. It was such an overpowering love and admiration for you, but now it feels...it feels truly genuine. So...can we still be together? I don't want to just be your friend."

Naruto smiled and hugged Ino tightly. "Yes, Ino-chan. We can still be in a relationship, if that's what you truly want. I'm...I'm just happy to know you still feel something for me at all."

"Silly. I told you that I believed I'd still love you. I wanted you to believe it too." Ino said before she leaned in and kissed him sweetly on the lips. Afterwards, she turned to face Tsunade and smiled. "Thanks for everything, Hokage-sama. Is that all you needed from us?"

Tsunade sighed and shook her head. "There's something else you should know, Ino. It's nothing bad, I promise. I'm replacing Sakura on your team with Shikamaru Nara from Team 7. Naruto-kun, Team 7 is officially disbanded, starting today. I'm placing you and your fellow Dragoons on a team that I'm calling Team Dragoon. I had a feeling that you and Haku would find it uncomfortable to continue working with Kakashi, and this seemed like the best idea to me. As for Sakura's fate, I'm going to take her on as an apprentice. I'll still send her out on missions with other teams, so it's not like you won't see her around, but for the most part I'm planning to train her into the ground until she's learned everything I have to offer her."

Everyone nodded in understanding at that. After a moment, however, Ino looked into Tsunade's eyes and asked, "Um, H-Hokage-sama? Could you, perhaps...train me as well? I'd like to remain with my friends on Team 10, don't get me wrong, but I want the option to learn under you as well as Asuma-sensei. Is...is that okay?"

The busty Godaime Hokage looked down at Ino and made a show of thinking over her request. After enough time of keeping them in suspense, she chuckled a bit and nodded her head. "I was actually going to offer to teach you, Hinata, and Tenten as well. If you're really willing to learn from me, then I'll teach you. I just hope you're prepared for my lessons, as I'm not going to take it easy on any one of you. Understood?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama! Thank you! I promise I won't let you down!" Ino exclaimed excitedly. Calming down a moment later, she looked at Naruto with pleading eyes. "Naru-kun, can we go on a date now? We haven't gone on a date yet since you've been back in the village. Pleaaaaase?"

Chuckling softly, Naruto nodded and took her hand. "Sure. Come on Ino-chan, let's go. See you later Tsunade-chan, Inoichi-san, Setsuna-san." he said, waving bye to them before rushing out of the office with Ino.

Once they were gone, Inoichi and Setsuna looked at the Hokage and smiled. "Thank you, Hokage-sama. We appreciate what you've just done for our baby girl." Inoichi said.

Tsunade shrugged. "I'm just glad that her feelings for Naruto proved to be strong enough to withstand even that seal. Besides, I had a feeling something was off with at least one of those seals. I'm glad it all worked out in the end. Now, you're both dismissed. I've got work to do." she said.

"Of course, Hokage-sama. Have a good day." Setsuna said before taking her husband by the hand and walked with him out of the office.

After they left, Tsunade slumped in her chair and turned to stare out the window. There. Now if only I could find a few trustworthy, capable individuals to replace the Civilian Council, I'd have it made.

The Next Day

"Let me get this straight. You want to see if one of the Dragoon Spirits will react to Tayuya?" Rose questioned Naruto incredulously. "What brought this on?"

"I know you aren't her biggest fan, Rose-chan, but I've noticed something strange. Ever since Tayuya-chan came here, one of the Dragoon Spirits has been shining like crazy. I think it recognizes its new master. So if there's even a slim possibility that she's one of us, shouldn't we check?"

The Darkness Dragoon sighed and closed her eyes, nodding her head once. "I've noticed that as well. If you're so sure it's her, then we'll check. But, if it is her, she's going to need to pledge her loyalty to us over her precious 'master'. After Kakashi's betrayal, I refuse to lose another Dragoon in the same way."

"Agreed." Naruto said, nodding in agreement. "We'll just have to stress the importance of our mission and explain things to her as best we can. If she betrays us for Orochimaru...I promise I'll deal with her."

Rose sighed and remained silent for a short while. Eventually, she shrugged her shoulders and shook her head in exasperation. "We both will, Naruto. Now, let's go pay Tayuya a visit and see which, if any, of the Dragoon Spirits has chosen her."

Upon finding Tayuya, they saw she was playing a haunting melody on her flute that seemed to be warping reality in their backyard. Right away, they knew it was an area-of-effect genjutsu, but rather than dispel it, they watched Tayuya to see what she was doing.

Unfortunately, Tayuya seemed to have sensed their presence, as she soon stopped playing and said, "Something I can help you two with, Rose-sama, Naruto-sama?" Yes, Tayuya had gone back to calling Naruto -sama again, rather than refer to him as Shithead all the time. The very moment she heard Tayuya speak such words, Rose had put the fear of God into the younger woman's very soul. The Darkness Dragoon had made it abundantly clear that she was not to curse so much in their shared home. She was allowed to curse occasionally, as everyone did that from time to time, but her excessive cursing just would not be tolerated.

Naruto held up his left index finger, motioning for her to wait a moment. Reaching into the pouch at his side, he pulled out one of the Dragoon Spirits and held it up. Sure enough, it was glowing. Looking into Rose's eyes, he watched her nod before he walked up to Tayuya. "Tayuya-chan, there's something you need to know."

"Alright. But...think you can tone down the lightshow? It's getting kinda hard to see." Tayuya complained.

Naruto nodded once before he put the Spirit back within the pouch. "Tayuya-chan, we are Dragoons. Rose-chan can explain everything to you in a bit, but the important thing to note here is that the Dragoons are special beings meant to bring peace to the world. In the long, distant past, the Dragoons fought against our oppressors, the Winglies. Melbu Frahma specifically."

"After the defeat of Melbu Frahma, the Dragoon Spirits went dormant, for lack of a better term, and Rose-chan went into a deep slumber which she didn't wake up from for tens of thousands of years. She only awakened four years ago because I was...thrown into her crypt by villagers trying to get rid of the evidence after they beat me severely. They damn near killed me that night."

Sighing sadly, Naruto soon shook his head and resumed his explanation. "Anyways, Rose awakened because of my presence in her crypt. And...the Dragoon Spirits began to awaken as well. We've been searching for our purpose, because the Spirits wouldn't have awakened if there wasn't a threat to the world."

"Anyways, Meru-chan helped us tremendously. A veritable goddess known as Kaguya Otsutsuki, the mother of the Sage of Six Paths, is sealed in the moon. The Akatsuki, or rather one member in particular, wants to revive Kaguya. In order to do that, they need to gather the nine bijuu. But, more than that, there is a key to Kaguya's cage, so to speak. The Moon Child."

"Without the Moon Child, they cannot awaken Kaguya. Sadly, we don't yet know who the Moon Child is. All we know is he or she is someone in this very village. The Moon Child needs to be found and protected. Same could be said about the jinchuriki, myself included."

"Anywho, the reason I'm telling you all of this is because, well...you're a Dragoon yourself, Tayuya-chan. But, before we can hand over the Dragoon Spirit that has chosen you, we need something from you." Naruto said seriously.

Tayuya blinked as she took in all of this information. "Sounds like you've got a pretty important job. And you're saying I'm one of these Dragoons? Weird. Alright, what do you need? If I can help out somehow, I'll do my best."

Rose stepped forward at this point and glared at Tayuya. "You must pledge your loyalty to us above all else. From now on you're with us. You aren't Orochimaru's lackey, you are a Dragoon. Naruto will remove Orochimaru's curse mark from you so he'll no longer have any control over you. You'll be free to choose your own path in life. However, as I said, you are meant for something greater than being a member of Orochimaru's forces."

"If you are unable to pledge your loyalty to us, rather than Orochimaru, then we'll just have to find someone else to fill the role you were meant to play. Kakashi used to be the Dragoon of Thunder, but he betrayed us and therefore relinquished his right to be one of us. I hope you realize that we won't tolerate someone that refuses to offer their loyalty to us." Rose said sternly.

Tayuya stared hard at the both of them for a good while. After a period of silence, she began to speak. "So let me get this straight. You're saying Naruto-sama here can remove this cursed hickey for me? On top of that, I'm this Dragoon thing and you want me to switch loyalties from that pedophiliac bastard to you and your fellow Dragoons? That's really all you're asking of me? I thought that I'd have to suck someone's cock or something to get this damned thing off of me! If I do this...you have to promise me one thing first!"

Rose narrowed her eyes, but nodded her head. "Speak. What do you want?"

The redhead sighed and closed her eyes for a moment. After a few short moments, she opened her eyes again and looked hard at Rose. "You must help me get my friend, Kin Tsuchi, from Otogakure and Orochimaru. I refuse to just leave her behind. Oh! And if possible, there's this girl called Karin. She's an Uzumaki, like you and me, Naruto-sama. I'd like to get her out of his clutches as well. Karin's kind of a bitch, but it just wouldn't feel right to leave family hanging like that. So...deal?"

The Darkness Dragoon frowned at hearing this. While Orochimaru is Naruto's godfather, that didn't mean she trusted him. He may care about Naruto, but she just couldn't bring herself to trust the man. Sighing, she closed her eyes and shrugged her shoulders. "That's acceptable. We'll have to make it an official mission with Tsunade first, but we can go collect those two quite easily, I'd imagine. Unless you think Orochimaru would part with them if Naruto asked him to?"

Tayuya shook her head. "No, that wouldn't work. Orochimaru likes to keep his recruits on a tight leash. He wouldn't just let them go, even if they didn't have any particular use to him. We'll have to pay a visit to the bases they're located at and free them that way." Tayuya sighed sadly and shook her head again. "If it wasn't for me, Kin would be another of that fuckwad Kabuto's test subjects. That little fucker's one sick, twisted son-of-a-bitch. As for Karin, she's left alone for the most part. She's in charge of overseeing everything at one of his bases off the coast of Nami no Kuni. It's often referred to as the Southern Hideout, and he keeps prisoners there to be experimented on and crap. He doesn't visit that particular base too often, so getting her out of there shouldn't be too much of a hassle."

"I see." Rose said quietly. "We'll talk to Tsunade about setting this up as a mission. I can't guarantee when we'll be able to head on out to free them, however. It could take a while. Are you okay with that?"

The redhead nodded her head. "Yeah, so long as we're able to go and get them, I'm fine with that." Looking at Naruto now, she offered him a smile. "So, think you can really remove this frickin' mark from me? If you can, I'll gladly swear my loyalty to you Dragoons. That is what you're called, right? Just wanna make sure I have that shit right."

Naruto nodded and smiled brightly at her. "Yep, that's right. And as for the curse mark? Just give me some time to look it over and I'll be able to form a counter seal easily enough. I just need to see what makes it tick. Heck, if nothing else works, I can always ask Kiyoko, the Kyuubi," he said, seeing Tayuya's confusion at the name, "to destroy it if I can't. She's the one that handled the hickey of doom that was placed on me."

Tayuya blinked and nodded slowly. "Wow, so the strongest bijuu's a chick? Nice!" she exclaimed, a grin on her face. "Um, anyways, whatever works, I'll be cool with it. Now lemme see that Dragoon Spirit. I wanna see what it's like to be one of you guys."

Rose sighed and nodded her head. "Go ahead Naruto; give it to her. Don't make us regret this, Tayuya Uzumaki."

As Tayuya nodded nervously at the ominous feeling she got from Rose, Naruto withdrew the glowing Dragoon Spirit once again and held it out for the pink-haired girl to take. When she took hold of it, she was shocked when she suddenly transformed. Looking herself over she saw that she was covered in red armor. Well, she wasn't completely covered in the armor. Her lower half was covered by some kind of armored skirt that went down to just above her knees. Tayuya's top, however, was like a corset made of plate armor. It covered her down to her waist and cupped the lower half of her breasts, barely covering her nipples as well. On her arms were what appeared to be long, armored gloves that stretched almost to her elbows. The fingers were tipped in dangerous-looking claws. On her legs, covering up to her knees, were armored greaves. All-in-all, she looked like quite the badass, if she said so herself.

Seeing what Dragoon Spirit had chosen Tayuya, Rose scowled. "So, the Red-Eyed Dragoon Spirit has chosen you, hm? I swear to God that if you betray us after my previous lover's Dragoon Spirit has chosen you...I'll murder you. Do you understand me, Tayuya?"

Gulping nervously, Tayuya slowly nodded in understanding. "I swear, Rose-sama, that I'll remain a loyal member of your group. It'll be nice to have a higher purpose. I never really thought I'd be anything all that special, least of all something like this. Just...swear you'll help me free my friend and family member?"

Rose sighed and nodded. "Yes, yes. We'll free them, don't worry. It'll just take some time. For now, I need to fill you in on the history of the Dragoons and get you Dart's old weapon. We're going to train you into the ground."

"Whatever it takes to bring me up to snuff. I don't want to let you guys down." Tayuya replied as she followed after Rose and Naruto as they led the way inside.

Meanwhile - Hokage's Office

"So, let me get this straight. You heard that Jiraiya took on a new apprentice and are here to test him? Do I have that right?" Tsunade questioned the person sitting across from her.

"Yes. It is my duty to uphold the promise that was made some time ago by Jiraiya of the Sannin. If he has taken on a new apprentice, then I will challenge him and stick to my village's ways. If I win, he forfeits his life. If I lose, he is to become my husband. It is as simple as that." the young woman said seriously.

This woman was a beautiful young woman with long, black hair and green eyes. She was a fairly tall young woman, considering she was only 15 years-old. She wore the headband of Nadeshiko Village on her forehead, hidden away underneath her bangs. This young woman's name was Shizuka, and she was the leader of Nadeshiko Village.

Tsunade sighed and shook her head. Already she could feel a headache forming. "I'm sorry to inform you of this, but Jiraiya was killed for his crimes. To top it off, he hadn't taken a new apprentice before his death. Whoever informed you of his taking an apprentice, their information was off. You've wasted a trip, I'm afraid."

Shizuka frowned at this and shook her head. "May I ask who this rumored apprentice is, before you completely dismiss me? Or was there someone he planned to take on as an apprentice? I'd rather my trip not be completely wasted." she stressed.

The busty Godaime Hokage sighed and shook her head. "I know who he planned to take as an apprentice, yes. However, he's in a relationship with several women already. And before you question such a thing, he's been placed in the CRA, or Clan Restoration Act, and has to take on multiple wives. So you see, I cannot allow you to fight him. You've wasted your trip."

Shizuka's frown deepened as she heard this. Thinking it over, she nodded her head as she came to a decision. "If that is the case, then I'll simply have to move here if he beats me. I refuse to leave empty-handed."

Tsunade scowled at the girl. "No. Naruto has been through enough and he doesn't need you complicating things any further. I'm afraid you're going to have to find someone else, Shizuka-san."

"But…" Shizuka tried to say, only to have Tsunade's intense killing intent press down on her. Sweating under the pressure, Shizuka struggled against it for a time, trying to stand her ground. When Tsunade finally let up, the black-haired girl gasped as she tried to catch her breath.

"No but's, Shizuka-san. You don't have to uphold a promise made years ago by that perverted asshole. Plus, your village's tradition is sick. The man loses either way! I'm all for the power to the women aspect, but men have rights too damn it! Naruto is a valued member of my forces and he's happy as he is. I refuse to let you make his life worse! You don't even know him and you're talking about making him your husband!" Tsunade exclaimed angrily.

"I-I'll admit that my village's tradition is a bit...outdated, but…" Shizuka sighed and shook her head. "Can I at least meet him and see what kind of person he is?"

Tsunade sighed and leaned back in her chair. "I suppose that's fair. However, if you even think about challenging him, I will chase you out of my village. You can talk with him and get to know him as a person, but I will not tolerate you threatening one of my villagers. You'll see that he's truly a special person. Besides that...he's had it rough growing up here. I'll leave it up to him if he decides to tell you why. Now follow me. I'll take you to see him."

Shizuka nodded in understanding and followed Tsunade out of the office. As she walked along behind the woman she couldn't help but frown in thought. I wonder just what kind of person this Naruto is. If he's like that wretched pervert that made that promise...I'll make sure to save those women from him, even if it costs me in the end. No woman deserves to be some man's plaything!

A/N - Okey dokey, that's the chapter! Like I said before, this was something of a filler chapter. I tried to make it as interesting as I could though.

As you can see, a lot actually happened in this chapter. The teams have been changed around a bit, Team 7 has been disbanded, Team 8 has two new members, Shizuka showed up, the mission to Yuki no Kuni is coming up soon, etc. Also, Tayuya's the Fire Dragoon! Yay! lol.

Anyways, I'm not sure what I'll work on next. I know I've been asked to update a number of other fics, but I really dunno what I'll be working on next. Sorry. Still, hope you're looking forward to whatever's up next!

Okey doke, I think that's everything said. So with that, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and are looking forward to more! Ciao!