Snow White

"You have, for the third time, failed a mission, increasing the village's debts! You are well on the way to being demoted, Naruto!" The Fifth Hokage's wrath was inescapable. "The client has sued for your clumsy mistakes and all you have to say for that is-"

"- It wasn't my fault that she was so fa-"

Before he could finish the word, he was thrown (quite literally) out of the Hokage Tower, and landed, sprawled, in the dust below. Sighing, he decided to head for Ichiraku Ramen- it was time for some comfort food.

Sakura was sitting at the counter, reading a book as she idly ate her meal.

"Hey, Sakura-chan!" Naruto greeted, but Sakura noted that he lacked his usual enthusiasm.

"Hey, Naruto- what's wrong?" She asked. "Are you okay?" she put down her book on sedatives and looked at him.

"It's nothing; I just got an eviction notice today, and the old lady up there yelled at me for that failed mission with the opera singer."

Ayame and Sakura sighed sympathetically.

"Your first bowl's on the house today, Naruto." She said, patting him on the shoulder.

"Thanks, Ayame-nee-chan!" the blonde said enthusiastically, as he began to eat his meal. Finding it a little bland, he sprinkled some pepper onto it.

"Hey, Sakura-chan," Naruto began as he ate. "What's that book about?"

"Mmm… nothing much, just things about sedatives and natural medicinal painkillers and the like." She shrugged. "It's just a bit of light reading."

Naruto stared at the thick tome. It was about a hand's width thick. Light reading didn't come close to whatever was in that book.

"Whatever you say then." He muttered.

"Right now, I'm looking at this one untraceable herb which suppresses the appetite and makes them unconscious…"

"How is that important?" Naruto asked.

"Well…" Sakura looked at her watch and gasped.

"Oh I forgot! I have to go and train! See you later, Naruto!" she left the table, stowing some things into her bag, including her book.

Naruto, finding himself suddenly alone, rested his head on his hand as he stared at the menu.

"Ayame-nee-chan?" he called out. "What would you do if you were in my position?"

"Well," Ayame said, coming out from the back room. "I'd keep working, but stay at a friend's house, or try negotiating with the landlord about the eviction. Do you know why you're getting kicked out?"

Naruto grinned sheepishly. "I can't pay my rent because I kept getting fined for failed missions."

Ayame sighed and shook her head as she handed her next customer a menu.

"Naruto…" she said. "You need to start being a bit more organised."

Naruto was already gone when she turned around, and frowned- his bowl was still half full or empty- whichever way you saw it.

------

Hinata was jogging briskly through Konoha, her bangs fluttering away from her face, the cool air on her skin. She smiled, and looked beside her- Hanabi was tiring, she could see, so she waved, as if to say, "you don't need to keep going if you don't want to," and Hanabi smiled but pressed on until they reached the ramen stand.

Hinata looked for the distinctive blonde, but he was no where to be seen. Hanabi ordered an iced tea, and sipped at it, offering some to Hinata.

"Hinata-san!"

Hinata looked up at the sound of Ayame's voice.

"Good morning, Ayame-san." She greeted softly.

"Have you seen Naruto? I'm worried about him?"

"Why? What's wrong?" she asked.

"He's been having a bad day; I was figuring no one would be better at cheering him up," she winked, and a rosy blush swept across Hinata's cheeks.

"I'll look later," she said, and waved farewell to Hanabi, who would be meeting with her team to train later.

Continuing on her jog through the park, Hinata came across a distinctive orange jacket lying on the ground. She picked it up, and looked around. Ten metres ahead, lying on a park bench, Naruto appeared to be sleeping.

Cautiously, Hinata approached him, and gently touched his arm, trying to shake him awake. He didn't respond, so she shook him a bit harder, but he didn't move.

"Naruto-kun!" she said in his ear, and repeated herself. "Naruto-kun, can you hear me?"

Sighing, Hinata activated her Byakugan and checked his body for signs of poison. He was not, as she had thought, asleep, but unconscious. Checking his pulse, she found it slowing and faint. Biting her lip and blushing, she gathered her courage and pinched his nose and brought her lips down to his. When nothing happened for a few minutes, she did something Neji had once done to her when she'd been on the verge of fainting. The jolt from it had energised her, and she'd continued fighting.

Forming a seal, her hands became engulfed in chakra and, in a deft move; she touched a tenketsu on the nape of his neck.

Naruto bolted up, and Hinata gave a cry, trying to start back, but the damage had been done- if it could even be called damage.

Naruto's lips were gently resting upon hers.

They both froze, unsure of what to do next.

Naruto could feel the heat from her cheeks that were currently glowing a predictable shade of red.

At that moment, however, a certain sixteen year old Hyuuga walked past and froze.

"Hinata-sama?"

Hinata turned and blushed profusely.

"Neji-nii-san?" she squeaked.

"Please detach yourself from Naruto."

Hinata instantly did so, much to her chagrin, and Neji approached Naruto, who paled and gulped. Hinata grabbed Neji's arm, and pulled him away from Naruto.

"Neji! You don't have to do this! I can look after myself. Besides, aren't you meant to be meeting Tenten for something?"

"She'd understand." Neji said dismissively.

Hinata gave him a sceptical look.

"Touch her again, and I will be forced to make sure you never do it again."

"We both know how things will turn out if I fight you," Naruto replied smugly.

"Thanks for that."

Hinata smiled sweetly.

"Anytime."

------

Meanwhile, Shizune met with Sakura.

"Good job. I take it that Naruto was given the herb?"

Sakura nodded proudly.

"Affirmative."

"The landlord?"

"The rent was taken care of." Sakura said.

"Very well. Mission success."

-The End-

If anyone is having trouble comprehending how each story kind of relates to the original fairytale, tell me, and I'll explain.

LOL SHIZUNE'S A FAIRY GODMOTHER.