A/N: This is a sequel to the Curiosity's Child because some readers were angry at me for finishing the said fanfic. Even I know that it was rushed. Hehe, so here's the sequel! Hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I… I… I do not own Naruto!!!! (runs away with precious diamond-like tears flowing from my eyes)

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Curiosity's Child II

Chapter 1: Hokage

It's been 10 years since the extinguishing of the 9 Bijuu. Everybody was living peacefully. Shikamaru and Ino's child, Mihana, who is already 8 years old, will be graduating from the academy this coming March. On the other hand, Sasuke and Naruto's first boy, Akira, who is already 9 years old, will soon be taking the Chuunin exams despite his young age. He's like his nee-san… Well, what else can you expect from an Uchiha and Uzumaki?

"Sasuke, I'm being called by Tsunade-baa-chan. I'll be back after lunch." The 31-year-old blonde said as he tied his shoelace.

"Sure, I'll be waiting for you here." Sasuke smirked as he sat down on the couch and turned the T.V. on with the remote.

"Don't you have some appointment? I mean, you're still the ANBU captain afterall."

"Today's my day-off so I'm expecting you to come back early." Sasuke looked at Naruto demonically. Oh, yes, Naruto knew what he meant.

"Oh, I've changed my mind; I'll be coming back tomorrow morning." He sneered as he rushed out of the front door of the Uchiha main house.

"Naruto!!!"

-At the Hokage's office-

Naruto slammed the door open. "Hey, baa-chan!! You were calling for me?"

Tsunade sighed from his bursts of energy… the same with Shizune who was standing by her side. "Such informality… Is that the right way to act as a future Hokage?!"

"Huh…? What do you mean??" Naruto felt confusion and excitement simultaneously.

Tsunade stood up from her chair and walked towards the window. She gazed at Konoha and sighed again.

"Baa-chan?"

"I've reached the age beyond retirement… so I want you, Uzumaki Naruto, to take my stead as Hokage. If you agree, you will be the Rokudaime."

"Still straight to the point as usual, eh?"

"So?"

"I'll think about it." He said as he slightly bowed and went off.

"Tsunade-sama, did you just see Naruto bow? And did he just say that he'll think about it? I mean, it's his dream since childhood to be a Hokage." Shizune asked.

"Shizune, he has a family now." He smiled as he gazed back at Konoha.

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"So, what do you want to talk to me about?" Asked an exquisitely beautiful woman with a long obsidian hair tied into a high ponytail as she walked.

"Ko-chan, I want to ask you something." The other one said as he walked with Kokishin.

"What is it, Dad?"

"You see, Tsunade-baa-chan wants me to be Hokage after her. Would you want me to accept her offer?" Naruto asked.

Kokishin smiled happily and hugged him tightly as they stopped walking. "Of course, Dad!"

"Thanks." He said as he hugged her back.

"Hey, Naruto, Ko-chan!" A pink-haired medic-nin called towards them.

"Hey, Sakura-chan!" "Hi, Aunt Sakura!" They said simultaneously.

"At first I thought Naruto was cheating on Sasuke, let alone with a very beautiful woman!" Sakura giggled.

"Oh, yes, Sakura, I think I'm falling inlove with her." Naruto teased.

"Dad!!"

"Haha, just kidding, babe!"

"Hey, Ko-chan, would you want to go shopping with me?" Sakura asked.

"Sure."

"I bet that's for your dinner date with Lee tonight." He teased.

"N-Naruto! W-What are you talking about?! L-Let's go Ko-chan!" She blushed hard as she grabbed Ko-chan's wrist and stormed off.

"Hey, Sakura-chan! I was just kidding!" Naruto whined.

-At the Ichiraku's Ramen-

Slurp!

Slurp!

"Hey, Dad, what were you about to tell me?" The 9-year-old raven-haired genin asked as he slurped the noodles again.

"Tsunade asked me to take her stead as Hokage after her retirement."

Akira choked on his ramen and coughed hardly. "Hn."

"Don't worry, son; you could be the 7th." Naruto exactly knew what was going on in his mind. Sigh… the same reply as Teme…

"So, when will you be accepting the offer?" He asked indifferently.

"Hm… anytime soon." He replied before gulping down the ramen broth.

"I was hoping for a more precise answer."

Naruto left the payment on the counter and started to leave. "You know, you're really like Sasuke-teme."

"Hn." And he slurped on his ramen again.

-At the Hokage's office-

"Baa-chan!" Naruto banged the door open as usual.

"Have you made up your mind, Naruto?" Tsunade asked as she rested her chin on her hand.

"Yup! I've talked to my family about it."

"So?"

"I decline."

"What?" Tsunade stood up from her chair abruptly in surprise. "I thought it's your dream since you were a child!"

"Well… Since I've had kids and Sasuke, I realized there are more important things than being a Hokage. I also realized that I can protect the ones I love without being a Hokage. But the most important reason as to why I'm declining your offer is…"

Suddenly Shizune entered the room with a shipload of paper on her arms.

"… paperworks." He smirked and then left.

"Naruto!" Tsunade called, but he was gone.

"What's up with him again, Tsunade-sama?" Shizune asked as she dumped the shipload of paper on Tsunade's desk.

"Oh, I think I'm sick."

"Stop faking sick and get to work!" Shizune scolded.

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"Sasuke, I'm home!" Naruto called as he entered the mansion.

No reply.

"Sasuke?" He called again, but now, louder.

Still, no reply.

He darted towards their room as his heart pounded against his chest.

As he opened the door, he could only gape at what he's seeing again.

"WTF?!"

"Hey, Dobe."

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"Uncle Naruto, why are you limping? Did you injure yourself?" 8-year-old Mihana asked innocently.

Naruto just sweatdropped, not wanting to tarnish the sweet little innocent girl, replied, "That's something you don't want to know until your 20's." OMG, Shikamaru and Ino will kill me if I tell her…

"Is it something brutal?" The little girl winced.

Naruto sighed. "Well, somewhere along those lines."

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Naruto was back again at the Uchiha mansion… what a boring day without a mission. Sasuke was also nowhere in sight since he had a mission with the other ANBU members.

"What a boring day…" He sighed as he dumped himself onto the couch and turned the T.V. on. He kept on changing the channel. There were Barney, Dora, Blue's Clues, Lilo & Stitch T.V. Series, and other more. What irritates him the most is the Barney song ringing through his mind. Damn that Barney song!! I'm going into a Last Song Syndrome!!

No missions, no Sasuke, no kids, and that annoying gay Barney song… it's driving him crazy!

Suddenly, there was a ring on the door chime. At last! A life saver!

"Coming!" He said as he opened the door.

"Uzumaki-san, Hokage-sama wants to meet you."

"I'll be there in a sec." He replied and the random ninja vanished into smoke.

-At the Hokage's office-

"Hey, Baa-chan!" Naruto, once again, slammed the door open.

"Naruto, please lower your volume!" Tsunade hissed.

"Hmph! Still mad that I declined your offer?" Naruto teased.

"You have a mission."

"At last, a mission! That's what I've been waiting for!" Naruto grinned as he stretched his arms. "So, what's the mission like?"

"There's this abandoned laboratory on the north of Otogakure. I want you to investigate that lab and tell me everything about it. Since Konoha and Oto are still in conflict, I will ask Shino to accompany you."

"Nah, I'll be fine by myself and in fact it'll be more dangerous for me to be with that guy."

"Alright, alright. Just be careful. Shizune, show the location of the lab on the map."

"Yes, Tsunade-sama." She replied as a map magically appeared. "North of Otogakure is a huge lake. At the other end of this lake is an island where the laboratory is situated, understood?"

"Yep!" He said as he went off.

-Next day-

Naruto came back from his mission on the Oto area. He was really quiet and absent-minded. Some became very worried as to what happened to him during the mission.

"Naruto, is something wrong with you?" Sasuke asked.

"…"

"Naruto?"

"…"

"Dobe!!"

"Oh, ah! Teme! Don't shout at me like that!" Then he became quiet again. Judging by his looks, he really does seem to be thinking deeply. Everytime he opens his mouth to say something, he hesitates and nothing comes out. That's totally annoying Sasuke.

Every single passing day seems like hell for Sasuke. No loud-mouth, no annoying brat, and, hell, no 'sessions.'

Something really is wrong with Naruto. It's so not like him. It's as if the Naruto he's looking at right now is not the real Naruto.

But every physical appearance is Naruto-like… from the very top of his head until the tip of his toenails.

Whenever they meet eye to eye, all Sasuke could see is the dull spark on Naruto's eyes.

Something really wrong with Naruto, and Sasuke's sure of it.

TBC

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A/N: Hey, just finished! Pretty short, eh? Hope you like it and review! I also hope that nobody's offended with the Barney thing. Hehe. Anyway, R&R and ja ne!