XL: The Forest Tower.

Konoha, Forest of Death Tower, One Month Nine Days Ago:

"What Just happened?" Sasuke asked.

"Is that even p-possible?"

"It shouldn't be," Jiraiya muttered with narrowed eyes. "There are only a handful of tri-elemental ninjas in the entire world. There's never been a ninja in history with four elemental affinities. I've only heard of a handful of ninja who've mastered a fourth element, much less someone gaining an extra affinity."

Naruto blinked several times, trying to overcome his shock, and then managed to ask, "Then what's happening to me?"

"Now isn't the time, Naruto. Besides, I'm still not sure. Just…don't tell anyone yet okay?"

Jiraiya wearily sat back down, "Now go, I need to send a message to the Hokage."

Iruka was waiting for them outside Jiraiya's room, "The rooms for the Genin are down this hall. So far, only Team Zabuza and the team from Suna are here. You have the next four and a half days to rest. An hour after the test is over, all teams will meet in the main chamber for further instructions."

Iruka opened a door before continuing, "These are you rooms. There are three individual bedrooms connected to a communal living area, as well as a private bathroom so you can shower without having to worry about another team trying to take you out."

"Thanks Iruka-sensei!" Naruto said, grinning up at his old teacher, "Ramen after the test? My treat."

"Sure, Naruto."

As Team Seven entered their room, Naruto noticed that the doors where incredibly thick and had several locks and deadbolts on the inside. The main area had two couches and a reclining chair around a single coffee table in the center of the room. In the far corner was a small kitchenette, a single counter with a small sink and a single burner in it. Along the left wall were two bedrooms and the third was on the right next to the bathroom.

After they each had a chance to shower, they met in the living area.

"All right Fishcake, why did Orochimaru call you Namikaze?"

"I had hoped you had forgotten about that… I'm not really supposed to tell anyone…"

"That's the last name of the Yondaime…" Sasuke's eyes narrowed, "Now that I think about it you do look an awful lot like the pictures of him in our textbooks."

"It doesn't matter Sasuke, really."

Sasuke rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "In fact, I can't figure out how I didn't notice it before…" Sasuke squinted his eyes and observed Naruto like he was a stranger. "You're the Yondaime's son aren't you?"

"Fine, since you won't drop the subject," Naruto grumbled, "Yes, I am."

Sasuke pouted, looking rather miffed, "Why didn't you tell us? Don't you trust us?"

"It's an SS-rank secret, that's why."

"Aren't you going to say anything Hinata?" Sasuke turned to their teammate, who had been silent, the entire conversation.

Hinata shrugged, "I already kn-knew."

"WHAT?" Sasuke and Naruto shouted in unison.

"How did you find out?"

"Why didn't you tell me?" Sasuke demanded, scowling.

"I f-followed you to the hill where J-Jiraiya gave you the s-summoning scroll," Hinata answered Naruto, nervously poking her fingers together, "I f-figured there was a reason he d-didn't tell anyone… I'm sorry Sasuke."

"Whatever…" Sasuke grumbled. "I understand, but I don't like being kept out of the loop." He pushed himself off the couch he had been reclining on. "I'm going to sleep. See you in the morning."

Naruto and Hinata said good night and went to their separate rooms. Naruto couldn't sleep, not with the effects of the five point seal still fresh in his mind. The way his body wouldn't -couldn't- respond to his commands, the feeling of decrepitness that had permeated his body and mind. It had been horrible and he was sure he would never forget that feeling of utter helplessness.

Two hours later, still unable to sleep, Naruto heard a faint rapping at his door. "A-are y-you aw-w-wake, N-Naruto-kun?"

"Yeah come in."

Hinata entered the room, still wearing her nightgown, her eyes puffy and bloodshot. "I c-couldn't sleep, I k-kept thinking a-about what happened in the woods." She sniffled, "You almost died again…"

"Yeah…I'm sorry, Hinata-chan, I really have to do something about that."

"B-But so did I…" Hinata started to cry softly, "I-it was so scary… You looked like you would d-d-die and there was n-nothing I c-could d-do about it…and th-then everything st-started to g-go black…" Hinata's sobs had become uncontrollable.

Naruto rushed over to her to pull her into a hug. "It's okay we're both fine now right?"

Hinata's sobs died down a little and she asked, "A-Are we…? What if something l-like that happens a-again?"

"Well, we'll just have to get stronger so it can't."

"C-can I st-stay here t-t-tonight?"

"Sure Hinata-chan, you can stay as long as you like."

"Th-Thank you." She sniffled. "I l-love you." She gave him a kiss, before leading him to the bed.

'This is heaven,' Naruto thought as he lay in bed with the Hinata's soft form snuggled into his chest. 'I really could get used to this…' Naruto thought as he listened to Hinata's soft, if a bit wheezy, breathing. 'We should do this more often, I wonder if I should buy my own place with the money from those missions…' Naruto thought before drifting off to sleep.

At seven in the morning, the door burst open and Jiraiya entered Naruto's room, "Naruto! I want to talk to you… about…something…" Jiraiya couldn't believe his eyes when he saw Hinata and Naruto cuddled together in the bed. "Oh-ho-ho! What do we have here?"

Jiraiya's noisy entrance woke both Naruto and Hinata. Hinata 'eeped,' yanked the covers over her head and fell off the bed. Naruto immediately pulled a dozen kunai from the pouch he kept under his pillow and began throwing them at Jiraiya, "GET OUT! You freaking pervert haven't you heard of knocking!"

Jiraiya effortlessly danced out of the way of each thrown kunai. "My wittle Naruto's all gwowed up!" He fake sobbed. "The apprentice has become the master and I have nothing left to teach him…"

Naruto leapt out of bed. "That's it," he growled, "You are so dead."

Giggling like the perverted old man he was, Jiraiya ran out of the room, "Chase me if you want, but I'd put some clothes on first! Running after a grown man in nothing but your boxers is going to send the wrong message!"

"Damn pervert…" Naruto grumbled while hastily pulling on his pants. "Are you okay Hinata-chan?"

Hinata was curled up on the floor with the blankets over her head, "I-Is he g-gone?" she asked, her voice muffled by the blankets. "I f-fell on my ribs…"

"Yeah, and if I catch him, he'll be gone for good."

"I-In that c-case," Hinata shakily stood up, "I'm g-going to get d-dressed." Hinata wobbled out of Naruto's room in her rumpled nightgown and into her own, clutching her side.

Naruto hastily finished pulling his shinobi sandals on and rushed out of the room after Jiraiya. He found him moments later whispering something in Iruka's ear that was making the poor man blush. When Iruka saw Naruto storming down the hall, he gave the blond two thumbs up.

"GAH! What are you telling him?!"

Jiraiya sprinted off, giggling madly, "Just the truth!" He ducked under a barrage of kunai, "Hey! Watch where you're throwing those!"

"Sorry! I missed! I was aiming for your fat head!"

"What's with all the noise?" Zabuza grumbled as he poked his head out of his door, "Can't a man get some sleep?"

"I'm gonna kill that stupid freaking pervert, that's what the noise is about!" Naruto shouted as they ran past.

Zabuza rolled his eyes at the antics. "Eh, Good luck with that." Zabuza shut his door with a snap.

Naruto sped up, trying to close the distance between him and Jiraiya, "EAT THIS!" Naruto formed a Rasengan the size of his head and swung himself at Jiraiya, thrusting the Rasengan out in front of him.

Jiraiya spun out of the way and the spinning ball of chakra smashed into the floor, leaving a good sized crater in the hallway. 'That would have hurt…' A bead of sweat trickled down Jiraiya's back, 'I think I might have pissed him off a little too much…'

Taking advantage of Naruto's loss of momentum, Jiraiya leapt out of an open window and onto the side of the tower. Naruto sprinted after him again; he barely caught up in time to see Jiraiya jump through a window.

"Hold still so I can kill you damnit!" Naruto threw a handful of kunai at the fleeing Sannin.

There was an awkward silence in the sand siblings' room Kankuro and Temari ate their breakfast noiselessly, lest they disturb Gaara, who was quietly sipping his tea while staring out the window.

Suddenly, the window exploded and a large white haired man jumped into their room and half a dozen kunai sailed in after him.

"Hold still so I can kill you damnit!" An angry voice shouted from outside the tower.

The blond haired boy they had met at the entrance to the village leapt in after him, wearing only a pair of bright orange pants and ninja sandals. Temari felt her face heat up in a blush.

The white haired man jumped over Gaara, whose sand defense had been activated by the window shattering followed closely by the blond, who had formed a large spinning ball of chakra the size of his own head.

The white haired man slid under the table, narrowly avoiding the ball of chakra as the blond crashed into the spot the white haired man had been in moments before. Barely losing any momentum the blond launched himself over the table after the man.

The man formed his own, smaller, spinning ball thing and smashed it into the door, shattering it in one blow.

"Um…" Kankuro said as soon as the odd duo had left, "What just happened? Aren't those doors supposed to be unbreakable? Baki said they were unbreakable…"

"There are rocks in my food…" Temari sighed.

"Quiet, or I'll kill you."

"Of course, Gaara!" Kankuro replied.

"And make me a new tea-this one has sand in it…"

Half an hour later, Hinata was sitting, fully dressed, at their living area table when Sasuke woke up. "H-How'd you sleep Sasuke?"

"Terrible, the screaming kept me awake all night…"

"Sc-screaming?" Hinata felt herself blush.

"Sounded like some poor team was getting ripped to pieces outside the tower all night…"

Jiraiya walked in with Naruto slung over his shoulder, bound and gagged. "This is yours I think." He dropped Naruto in the chair next to Hinata. "How are you today? "

"St-stil a l-little sore…"

"Oooooh?" Jiraiya winked at Hinata, causing her blush to deepen.

Hinata glared at Jiraiya, "Y-Yes I have s-seven b-broken ribs… It hurts to just b-breath."

Jiraiya looked skeptical, "Well, tell me when he's feeling less homicidal so I can talk with him." Jiraiya winked at Hinata again, "Be safe…" He walked away, laughing at Hinata's tomato red face.

"What was that all about?"

"N-Nothing Sasuke, N-nothing at all."

Jiraiya's Camp' Present Day:

"Did they really…?"

"Did I say they did?"

"Well…no…"

"There's your answer. I don't know. I was just giving them a hard time." Jiraiya shrugged. "Definitely went a little too far though, the kid left craters throughout the entire tower…."

"So when did you get around to telling Naruto…"

"Not for a while, it took ages for him to calm down. Anyways, the next four and a half days were pretty uneventful, well, at least for them-Naruto booby trapped all the entrances to their room… that really made my week a week to never forget, no matter how hard I try."

Location: Unknown, Date: Unknown:

"M-my fault?" The man gasped, "You were on a rampage! What choice did I have?"

"You could have let her do it," the beast growled, "If you did none of this would ever have happened."

"None of what? Why is the seal crumbling? Where is MY SON?"

The beast shrugged its massive shoulders and held up the object it had been cradling. "Right here."

A/N: Sorry for the long delay I had no internet for the majority of the last month. That coupled with another bad case of writers block means my buffer hasn't even grown… it's like June never happened :(

Anyways I hope to return to my normal update schedule from here on out. No more delays I Promise! Well… I hope… possibly… probably not. More delays to come! Wait… why would I promise something stupid like that?

Beta'd by TheCookieMonster77