Note(s)
Yep, I'm still alive. Anyways, there are some good questions left by some readers that I thought I'd address here in case others wondered the same. In this story, Naruto will stay Naruto. He won't have any Uber bloodlines, magical swords, Shikamaru level IQ or any of that kind of stuff. There also won't be any type of "Uzumaki Clan Rebirth Act" that so many other harem fics use since let's face it, that makes things way too easy and convenient. As always, there are pictures in my profile of these ladies. If you don't know what they look like, check it out.

Disclaimer
I don't own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Not making any money here.

An Unexpected Return

Chapter 2 - Enter Yakumo

By Big-Babidi

Yuuhi Kurenai enjoyed the great outdoors.

It was no secret.

Day in and day out, whether the climate was sunny, raining, sleet, or snowing, it never mattered. The red eyed woman did her best to take advantage of whatever outside condition nature presented, all the while enjoying it to the fullest. Those who've actually bothered listening to the gossip Ino's henchmen have provided the village would've heard all kinds of reasons to explain Kurenai's adoration for the wilderness.

Sure, some remained in the realm of normalcy. Rumors stating that her love for the outside was hot-wired in her DNA weren't too far fetched, but when the village began hearing that Yuuhi Kurenai only loved the outdoors because she was homeless and slept in a box, it became apparently obvious that such information got out of hand. Such rumors, of course, were false. Kurenai was simply an outdoor person. There was simply nothing more to it.

Her apprentice, who was walking beside the jounin, did not. Like her sensei, this came as no surprise, especially since her immensely pale skin served as a dead giveaway. If that wasn't enough, the fact that her only outdoor time was spent training, immediately followed by a hasted retreat back inside should nullify the doubts of any nonbelievers. With that in mind, it wasn't unusual when she halted her steps and questioned her instructor.

"Kurenai-sensei, where are we going?"

"We're heading to the training grounds, Yakumo."

Standing a few inches taller than her instructor, Yakumo raised an eyebrow at her sensei's obvious lie but refrained from commenting. If they were heading for the training grounds, shouldn't they be walking… back home to the training grounds? Instead of marching around Konoha for no apparent reason? Call her a weirdo, but that was Yakumo's take on the morning's situation.

When Kurenai requested to reclaim her position as Team 8's instructor during her mission report regarding Yakumo, Tsunade accepted her request, on the condition that the truth behind the death of the Kurama girl's parents remained hidden from the public. Similar to the Sandaime's law concerning the Kyuubi, this was done solely for her protection. Nothing would benefit if such information were to spread throughout the village.

Yakumo's life was already difficult enough. A village wide discovery that she killed her parents, no matter if it wasn't really her, would accomplish nothing more than add yet another burden to her already heavily troubled shoulders.

And that couldn't have been more accurate.

When Yakumo resealed the Idou monster inside her, she did it in order to save Naruto and Kurenai by shoving her emotions aside during the heat of the moment. Once her anxiety from the battle died out, and the realization of the day's events came crashing down, the pale girl found herself unable to cope with the revelation of how her parents truly died.

Her self loathing only increased further because of it.

She hated the frailness of her own body. The physical condition that caused her chances at becoming a genjutsu user to come into question. Yakumo despised the emotional angst she went through just because the goal placed upon her by her clan became unreachable. She loathed how her own ignorance caused her to place such blame and hatred on Kurenai and Sandaime, who were only trying to help her because she was so weak. She was disgusted towards herself for nearly killing Kurenai and Naruto from her own misguided malice. Above all else, the majority of her self hatred came from the results of the fire in the Kurama main branch's mansion. If it wasn't for her own uselessness and weakness, her caring parents would still be alive.

Reaching an intersection of dirt roads, Kurenai's eyes darted continuously from left to right.

'Hmm… I wonder where he is. I'd better keep my eyes open.'

After a few minutes of unsuccessful surveillance, the jounin stopped looking. Unable to find what she sought, Kurenai pressed on.

Noticing her instructor's demeanor, Yakumo slightly narrowed her eyes. It was obvious their little walk around the village was a disguise to locate something. While she hated being left in the dark, especially outside, she refrained from commenting.

The Kurama girl's next few months were spent locked up in her room, completely isolated from the rest of the world. In her mind, Yakumo believed that leaving the mansion would be the first step in repeating her mistake of harming those she cared for. The girl hardly ever ate, and whenever she did it was only bits and pieces. It also served to greatly reduce her sleep, on the few nights when she actually allowed herself any. The ridiculous notion stemmed from her own belief in being unworthy of such a luxury.

Obviously, such behavior wouldn't go unnoticed.

Considering what happened last time Yakumo was burdened with immense clan pressure, the other Kuramas knew they had to be very careful when assisting their heiress. Initially, Unkai, who'd been serving as a grandfather figure to Yakumo, had instructed the others on giving her time alone to deal with such traumatizing information. Not only that, but one of the primary reasons she lashed out before was from the entire clan monitoring her every move.

Make the wrong decision, regardless of wonderful intentions and Yakumo might have begun rethinking along the lines of revenge, and that was the last thing anyone wanted.

With that in mind, the next five months were spent in this manner.

In other words, that time was spent watching Yakumo's health gradually deteriorating with minimal assistance. The other clan members gave her food and water, but other than that, the Kurama heiress' alone time was just that, alone. Any exceptions were few and far between. Namely, the rare instances when Unkai or Kurenai would pay her a visit. The two wanted more opportunities to visit her, but with the majority of Unkai's time taken away with duties as the temporary clan head; and Kurenai, who had a gennin team of her own plus an increased mission count from the Sand / Sound Invasion, time was a luxury neither had.

One night, Kurenai decided to give Yakumo a surprise visit. She hadn't had the chance to see her former student in quite a while and knew this would brighten the Kurama heiress' day. What she saw, however, was something the jounin could never forget.

-FLASHBACK-

Opening the door to Yakumo's room, Kurenai noticed the girl seated on the floor, carrying something in her hand. On closer inspection, Team eight's instructor easily identified the object as a knife. Instead of being pointed outward, however, the blade was pointed towards herself while her hands trembled immensely.

Clearly understanding her student's intentions, Kurenai ran towards the Kurama heiress, hoping against hope she'll intervene on time.

Earlier that morning, Yakumo thought about everything that's happened in her life and once again, pinned all of the blame on herself. The girl hit rock bottom, and such self-hatred caused her to make the decision.

Everything would be better off if she were no longer around.

With her plan set in stone, she waited until the other clan members who checked up on her accomplished their task and left. After she confirmed being totally alone, she picked up the knife. Even though the brunette believed she deserved death, Yakumo's hands were shaking furiously, and she couldn't help but hate herself even more at this hesitation to do what she believed was right. The Kurama girl was too lost in her thoughts to have noticed the opening door.

Without further delay, Yakumo closed her eyes and abandoned her reluctance while she quickly shoved the knife into her heart.

Or at least, that was the plan.

Upon opening her eyes she noticed a hand grabbing her own, halting her self destructive action similar to her previous suicide attempt. Unlike last time, instead of a painting / monster's hand that stopped her, it was the hand of Yuuhi Kurenai.

Kurenai easily disarmed the girl, tossing her knife to the side. Afterwards, she knelt down and grabbed Yakumo by the shoulders. "What the hell do you think you're doing? If you honestly believe this will help others, you're sadly mistaken Yakumo!"

The Kurama girl was frightened. She failed in her attempt, and the only thing she succeeded in was pissing off her former instructor. In all her years of knowing the jounin, she'd never seen Kurenai-sensei so angry. The moment Yakumo began to look down in shame, she felt Kurenai rise and was dragged up with her.

The jounin couldn't believe Yakumo would go this far! She would've continued shouting at her former student, but when Yakumo was picked up off the floor, Kurenai gasped. How could she have overlooked this? Not only did the bags under her eyes make her insomnia obvious, but the girl was unbelievably skinny. Kurenai had already heard from the other Kuramas about Yakumo's eating habits, or lack thereof.

Even so, it shouldn't have been that much.

Unfortunately, that wasn't all. Once Kurenai had taken a look at the girl's body, surveying how weak she appeared, the jounin noticed small cuts on Yakumo's arms that were obviously self-inflicted. She did her best to fight back the tears at the sight. To think that such physical and emotional damage could befall her precious ex-student was simply… unacceptable.

Kurenai narrowed her eyes. This had been going on for far too long.

She once again put her hands on Yakumo's shoulders, only this time the contact was gentle. She began speaking softly to the girl, while maintaining a trace of sternness that effectively left no room for debate.

"Yakumo, once you learned the truth, I believed you needed time alone to deal with this and I respected your privacy. But after seeing this…, well I'm sorry, but I can no longer continue to just stand by and watch you destroy yourself. You're going to get help and I don't care if I have to drag you there kicking and screaming like a baby!"

-END FLASHBACK-

As the pair turned a corner, Kurenai continued her lookout. Taking a quick glance towards her student, she noticed Yakumo's tongue rapidly rubbing the inside of her cheek, as if attempting to remove some unwanted food stuck in her mouth.

'What is she doing?' She wondered. A few seconds later, the realization came and she had to suppress a giggle.

'Silly girl. Someone had a little too much peanut butter during lunch today.' The jounin smiled at the girl.

'I'm so glad I stopped her that day. I don't even want to imagine what would've happened otherwise…'

Luckily, Yakumo never did kick and scream like a baby. Nor did she have to be dragged, which was a great relief for Kurenai, who was afraid of the embarrassing scene such childish actions would trigger.

The red eyed jounin's initial destination was the medical facility inside the village, where she immediately requested extensive psychological counseling for Kurama Yakumo.

The request was answered quickly, and the Kurama girl immediately began spending the bulk of her time in intensive therapy. Her therapist being none other than Shizune. With such a rare and extensive case, Tsunade believed she couldn't afford having anyone less than her protégé handle Yakumo's situation.

Even with Shizune's immense skills, helping the clan heiress was no easy task. With her work cut out for her, Shizune's approach to diffusing the situation was taking matters one step at a time.

The first order of business was a much needed alteration to Yakumo's living conditions. Her home contained far too many haunting memories. Everywhere she looked, everything she touched served as a constant reminder of her unforgivable sins. Coupled alongside her other dilemmas and it became too much for her to handle.

Luckily, the plan to move Yakumo came at a most opportune time. In less than a month prior, Asuma and Kurenai had gotten engaged. Coincidentally, with their eventual marriage on the horizon, the red eyed jounin was preparing to move in with her fiancé and his nephew, Konohamaru.

Immediately following the Sand/Sound invasion, the Sandaime's grandson was placed in the custody of his last remaining relative, Asuma. Hearing about his uncle's engagement, Konohamaru was ecstatic on having his Aunt Kurenai in their home permanently. With that in mind, Shizune formulated a plan. After all, the only thing that could've made the kid happier than having his mother figure moving in would be a potential big sister as well.

As Shizune expected, convincing Asuma and Kurenai to permit Yakumo into their home was unproblematic.

All she had to do was ask.

When she easily persuaded the Kurama clan into allowing their heiress to leave, it certainly did come as a surprise. With the clan's desire to regain their former strength, effortless agreement was the last thing Shizune expected. She figured there'd be one hell of a brawl before such a request was taken into consideration, let alone agreed upon.

In actuality, Shizune's explanation to the Kurama Clan regarding Yakumo's problems was all they needed. Hearing about their heiress' second suicide attempt took the fight right out of them.

They'd always cared about her.

Even during the incident three years ago those feelings never changed. Unkai and the others did what they believed was right, both for her and everyone else. When Shizune recommended moving Yakumo they conceded. The Kurama clan members knew that it too was the right thing to do.

Needless to say, Yakumo wasn't very pleased with the arrangement. Other than Kurenai, she was moving in with strangers and considering her views acquired during her isolation, that didn't sit well with her one bit. She easily saw herself accidentally harming them or worse once they'd gotten close. If that wasn't enough when she spoke to Kurenai, the red eyed jounin had all but guaranteed she wouldn't be allowed to spend the majority of her time alone.

With enough persuasion from Shizune, Kurenai and the rest of the Kurama clan, Yakumo eventually conceded, marking the first time in Konoha's history a clan heiress moved away from home.

Once settled in, Shizune immediately began the next phase of her plan. Yakumo required gaining weight, so the medic instructed her on simple strategies for eventual achievement. The Kurama heiress needed a massive increase in calorie intake, preferably done with low-volume, calorie-concentrated food. Gathering the entire new family together, Shizune recommended they keep a plentiful amount of the following: peanut butter, powdered milk and eggs to use whenever possible.

Surprisingly, the Kurama heiress went along with it rather easily. While the powdered milk and the eggs weren't up her alley, Yakumo took a certain liking to peanut butter. Spreading the delicious substance on nearly anything edible and compatible became the easiest way to put a smile on the pale girl's face.

"Kurenai-sensei… who are you looking for?"

If Kurenai possessed a Hinata-like personality, she would've released an "Eeeep" in shock from her student's perceptive question. Doing her utmost in feigning innocence, she turned towards Yakumo with a sunny smile on her features, hiding her embarrassment from her objective's partial uncovering.

"Why Yakumo, whatever gave you that idea? This beautiful weather were having is practically begging for people like us to enjoy it. All I wanted was to share such a wonderful experience with you."

Once again, Yakumo narrowed her eyes slightly, though the Kurama heiress didn't bother hiding her amusement. "Oh really? So you mean to say you've been looking around frantically for nothing? Well, then I suppose your old age is finally catching up to you, Kurenai-sensei. I'm sorry I accused you of something devious."

The red eyed jounin in question gritted her teeth in annoyance. She was only thirty one, hardly in any position to be considered old. Regardless of the opposition, otherwise known as common sense, Yakumo and Konohamaru declared it their personal quest to make the adults in their home feel as ancient as possible.

"You really shouldn't act so innocent, Yakumo. Don't think I didn't see you pilfering Konohamaru's dessert today." Kurenai chided.

Now it was Yakumo's turn for embarrassment. During lunch, she quickly snatched the boy's dessert while he was distracted. The little runt asked for it though. Taking the last peanut butter cracker in front of Yakumo, he was practically begging her to steal it.

Noticing her student's smile, Kurenai couldn't prevent mimicking the gesture herself while shaking her head in delight.

'Those two. I swear.'

With Yakumo's diet underway, the Godaime's assistant had one more concern that needed to be taken care of. The Kurama heiress had to regain her confidence. There were no if, ands or buts about this. It needed to be done.

Unfortunately, unlike her other procedures, Shizune couldn't just make a recommendation and be done with it. The most she could do was advise her guardians to give her well deserved compliments and include her in any family activities. Basically, she wanted Yakumo to feel valued and wanted in her new home and hoped for the best.

Confidence couldn't be forced. It couldn't be fixed with a healing jutsu or over the counter medicine. Others may have helped, but the decision ultimately rested in her hands. Yakumo had to believe in herself willingly. Anything else was doomed to failure. Luckily, over time her self-confidence managed to return thanks to a most unlikely source.

The Konohamaru Corps.

When Yakumo and Kurenai moved to the Sarutobi manor, the only person the former spoke to was the latter. She tended to avoid the other two and hoped they'd take the hint. Asuma understood, and did his best to give the girl her space while simultaneously providing words of wisdom whenever she appeared to be in need of such a lesson.

Konohamaru didn't.

The kid was overjoyed to have a "nee-chan" moving in at home. As an only child, he was always bored and wanted someone to play with around the house. The Sandaime and Asuma could only do so much and they didn't exactly make the greatest buddies for childish games. With that in mind, he bugged her day in and day out to "play ninja" while she politely brushed him off. Yakumo wasn't a cruel person; she just wanted to be left alone. A couple weeks of Konohamaru-style nagging later, the Kurama girl caved, if only to make the kid shut up.

Befriend one, befriend them all.

Yakumo could've used that lesson before agreeing with the little squirt.

It was quite unnerving to see a kid with a never-ending snot bungee and a little girl with the most bizarre hairstyle evaluating her. They assessed the Kurama girl, determining her worthiness to be included. Realizing she was Konohamaru's new "sister", any reservations toward her value flew out the window.

It didn't take long for them to believe she was the coolest thing since Naruto-nii-chan.

With her disdain for the outdoors on full throttle, she always ensured any possible activities would be conducted in their own training ground. The Sarutobi manor's backyard was gargantuan, and with its perimeter completely fenced in, Yakumo felt safe from stumbling into anyone else.

The Kurama heiress never had much of a childhood. Her younger years were spent training endlessly in an effort to put her clan back on top. Watching the other children, she often wondered how such pointless games and activities could be so alluring.

Playing with the kids felt… unbelievable. She'd never guessed something as simple as running to and from others in a game of "playing ninja" could've brought so much laughter and joy. Her constant frowns were slowly replaced with beautiful smiles further and further every passing day.

While she'd never admit it aloud, the gradual changes in demeanor spoke volumes of her feelings far greater than the most elaborate words.

During this time of bonding, she got to know the little band of misfits as well. Konohamaru and his aspiring dream of becoming Hokage, Udon and his strange fetish for long division and Moegi with her growing desire to become a proficient kunoichi. In fact, her conversation with the corps about dreams was the catalyst for the Kurama heiress becoming Yuuhi Kurenai's student once more.

When Konohamaru asked about her dream, Yakumo answered immediately. No thinking, no wondering, no pondering for the right words. She spoke from her heart and stated what she truly aspired.

Becoming the genjutsu specialist my parents always wanted to restore my clan's prestige.

The words stuck like glue. Even if she desired, Yakumo couldn't deny the truth.

Resurrecting her clan's fallen grandeur had always been her dream.

And she'll be damned before that changed from anything.

After a few weeks of intense internal debate, she approached Kurenai and requested apprenticeship under the jounin's guidance once again. Under normal circumstances, success was impossible. The Kurama heiress' physical condition all but ensured that. Fully aware the odds were stacked overwhelmingly against her, Yakumo found a possible loophole. It wasn't absolute, but it certainly was worth a shot.

Unlike before, the medical specialist resided in the village.

This time around, she'd get proper treatment.

Kurenai and Yakumo were brought out of their musings as the reason behind their walk presented itself. Or more specially, they heard him yelling from atop a gargantuan telephone pole, easily alerting the pair to his location.

"Everyone! Uzumaki Naruto has returned!"

In another side of the village, the princess of Greenery Country, along with her bodyguard were on their way back to their hotel room after picking up groceries. The past seven days had proven to be among the most tedious in Haruna's entire life. A non-Naruto week in a foreign village was certainly not the princess' idea of a good time.

Glancing over her shoulder, the princess' line of sight darted towards the bag of groceries in Yurinojou's hands. Boring as it was, the outing served a purpose. Other than a massive quantity of Haruna's favorite fruit, Fuyu persimmons, she purchased some of Konoha's finest sake along with the village's greatest instant ramen. Obviously, such a meal seemed totally out of place for a woman of her stature. Then again, public imagery was never one of Haruna's top priorities. Especially since she was parading in the same civilian attire as when she met Naruto, all for the sake of keeping a low profile.

Haruna only hoped her hunch was accurate. If she remembered correctly, Naruto's liking towards ramen went far beyond what was considered healthy for a normal, growing boy. During her cold hearted days, Haruna used an example for her strategy to escape the country figuratively using persimmons.

Naruto had other plans.

He all but insisted the princess use ramen instead. If that wasn't silly enough, the blond was seriously amazed by the ultra fast "running-ramen". So much so, later on he asked her for the recipe in an effort to provide him a solid meal and effective training simultaneously. Even if she didn't know him that long, Haruna could tell that was a very Naruto-ish request.

The thought never ceased bringing a smile to her face.

As the pair continued walking, Haruna nearly bumped into a young girl traveling in the opposed direction.

"E-Excuse me."

"I'm sorry!"

Once both ladies made eye contact, a sense of familiarity settled in. It took no time for Haruna to make the connection. Configuring the appropriate growth adjustments, such as height, weight and longer hair; there was only one person she knew with indigo colored hair and white eyes.

"Hinata? Is that you?" Seeing the girl's eyes widening in recognition, Haruna smiled. "It is you! You've grown so much!"

"Um… hello, Haruna-hime," She replied. The Byakugan unneeded to see through her disguise.

"It's been so long! How have you been?" Initiating productive conversation, Haruna needed confirmation. She knew perfectly well that Hyuuga Hinata had a monumental crush on Naruto just like herself. The subtle question asked casually should get Hinata to spill the beans, assuming it was necessary.

"I've been doing very well, thank you. In fact, I'm currently in training to eventually lead the Hyuuga." Her old blush returned momentarily. She never could get used to speaking of her accomplishments.

The past few years had been very generous to Hyuuga Hinata. Following Naruto's departure, her relations with her family improved drastically. On occasion, she would spend an afternoon having tea with Neji, with her father conversing of the past, spending time with Hanabi or sparring with either of them. She finally felt happiness in her own home, a feeling that had become totally alien to her.

Like Maito Gai, once Kurenai's students became chunin she ended up taking on an apprentice.

Hinata felt no ill will towards the situation. If anything, she gained a friend in Kurama Yakumo, whose position of clan heiress gave them common ground for beginning a friendship.

With the majority of her sensei's time spent for another, Hinata found herself the assistance she needed from her family. While initially shocking, she quickly eased into a training regimen alongside Neji and the two have shown great improvement under Hyuuga Hiashi in both combat and diplomatic situations.

"Really? That's great!" Even with her hidden objective, Haruna felt happy for the girl.

Hinata nodded. "What about you Haruna-hime? I mean no disrespect, but what are you doing in Konoha?"

Haruna wasn't quite prepared for such a question. "Well, I um…" Quickly, she cleared her throat, gaining lost composure. "I came to attend the village's Chunin Exam. Back then, the three of you did an amazing job so I wanted to see how your current genin fared in combat whenever we may need the assistance of shinobi again."

She finished beating around the bush. The princess went in for the kill.

"Speaking of you three, I was wondering Hinata, have you heard anything about Naruto lately? Rumor has it; he should be coming back soon." Noticing the white eyed girl's shock, Haruna began regretting her words.

'Son of a bitch! Great going Haruna, you know this girl likes Naruto just as much as you do. Are you TRYING to start trouble?'

"N-Naruto-kun's coming back?" Hearing news of her primary source of admiration made her stuttering resurface for only a second.

Haruna chuckled nervously, "Well, that's what I heard. Didn't you know?"

The Hyuuga heiress shook her head. "No I haven't. Haruna-hime, have you heard anything else about Naruto-kun?"

'Crap!' Haruna nearly panicked. She hadn't received the answer she sought and with a question like that, she wasn't sure how to answer.

Before she could reply, Hinata spoke again. "I'm sorry, Haruna-hime, I must be holding you from whatev-."

Raising a hand, Haruna quickly interrupted, "Hinata, please don't be so formal. Besides, I'm in disguise. To answer your question," She pointed to Yurinojou, "We're on our way back from doing a little grocery shopping."

The princess' eyes darted back and forth, "And I don't mean to insult your village or anything, but I've been pretty bored these past couple days. Being alone in a village I've never been to is fun for only so long."

Hinata smiled, "Well, in that case, why don't you come with me back to the Hyuuga manor and we can talk there? I always do enjoy having company and I could get someone to take your groceries back to where you're staying."

Relief shone quickly through Haruna's eyes. "That'd be great. Just lead the way."

The pair changed direction with Yurinojou following behind, intent for some change from the monumental boredom.

Kurama Yakumo felt her heart accelerating.

Three years. After three long years, she finally saw him once again.

Uzumaki Naruto.

The boy's first impression in her mind consisted of a loud, disrespectful kid, totally unfamiliar with minding his own business. A view that only strengthened when he broke into her home. Regardless of the intentions, he had no reason to follow her around like a crazed stalker.

That opinion, however, changed soon enough, as he adamantly defended both Kurenai and herself against Unkai. Not only that, but his concern and a surprising understanding of her situation fascinated her in ways she couldn't begin to describe.

Kurenai gauged her reaction. The pale girl's slight blush revealed plenty. 'Perfect. Hopefully, this will turn out nicely.'

"Well Yakumo, how about we go over there and say hello?" She asked, gesturing to the two well-known returning shinobi.

Her apprentice's surprise lasted for a moment, then ceased as she nodded.

He sighed in relief. His travels took him nearly everywhere these past few years and while there were certain places he'd never seen, none compared to this village. Despite childhood experiences, Uzumaki Naruto enjoyed being home.

Watching below, Jiraiya smirked. He assumed his apprentice would pull certain silly antics upon reaching Konoha's interior. Not that he blamed him. His student had certain people awaiting his return and understood Naruto's desire to see them. The old pervert had no idea how truthful the thought truly was.

He planned on meeting with Tsunade for the sake of both procedure and his safety, as taking Naruto anywhere before the Hokage's Tower was detrimental for his health. Afterwards, he wanted to check if she arrived in the village safely.

"Jiraiya-sama?"

He turned around, noticing Yuuhi Kurenai and some girl that desperately needed time in the sun.

Smiling, he responded, "It's been a while, Kurenai."

As Naruto dropped down, curious about the commotion below she bowed slightly, "The pleasure is mine."

It took the blond shinobi little time to recognize them both. Kurenai's appearance hadn't changed, making her identity obvious. While Naruto's last encounter with the other female occurred when she was a good deal shorter, he only remembered only girl with such light skin: Kurama Yakumo.

Approaching Kurenai's student, he stopped just in front of her, "You're… Yakumo, right? If so, then wow, you really grew!" He exclaimed, arms in the air indicating said growth came from height as opposed to weight. His assessment rang true, as she stood a good two inches taller.

She beamed at his familiarity, pleased to know he easily remembered her. "Thanks, you've… grown too." As someone rather inexperienced in speaking to a member of the opposite sex near her age, she wasn't sure what to say. In addition, unlike speaking to Kurenai or Konohamaru, she regrettably didn't feel the same comfort speaking to Naruto just yet.

Kurenai noticed her plight as she cleared her throat, getting down to business. "We heard you were coming back, Jiraiya-sama, and to be honest, we were looking for you two."

Three eyebrows rose at her statement. Yakumo knew nothing of such arrangements, but figured nothing of it. Perhaps Kurenai-sensei needed some advice from the esteemed Jiraiya-sama.

The famous man in question grinned, sending Naruto a look. A certain knowing look. "Well, whatever can we do for you?"

Ignoring the suggestive tone she responded quickly, lest the old pervert get any ideas. "I'm sure you've already heard about this, but the Chuunin Exams are not only coming soon, but also hosted here. With Naruto still being a genin, I was hoping he and my student Kurama Yakumo could be teamed together for the Chunin Exams as she's of the same rank. And I don't mean to impose, but I was also wondering if Naruto could help with her taijutsu, as that's her worst area in combat."

Yakumo barely prevented blushing. So that was her plan. Kurenai must've realized her… appreciation for the boy that saved her. While Kurenai helped, that was always how she viewed that event. Even when her instructor was reluctant, Naruto didn't hesitate in telling her the truth back then, and she needed to hear that. She figured that must've been the first clue Kurenai picked up. The rest must've come later while being painfully obvious, especially if her teacher went out of her way to make this offering.

She wasn't sure whether to thank Kurenai or smack her all the way to next Sunday with a large painting.

Naruto turned to face the jounin. "Eh? You mean a team with me, Yakumo and Sakura?

Now the eyebrow-raising belonged to Kurenai, "You didn't know? The others in your class have already passed their exam."

"What!" His eyes widened, as Naruto experienced a sudden urge to rip his hair out. Taking the exam alongside friends was something he hoped for during the time away from the village. He calmed down quickly enough. Uzumaki Naruto wouldn't be defeated so easily.

Laughing, the master couldn't help poking a gibe at the student, "Sucks to be you, kid. All your friends will be saving the world while you'll be saving old ladies from dealing with their puppies. Hahahaha!"

Keeping quiet, Yakumo smiled apologetically in his direction.

"Hey, wait a second. Why can't you train her, Kurenai-sensei?" The blond asked.

Placing a hand on her stomach, the jounin smiled. "I would if I could, but I'm actually five months pregnant. I haven't been able to accomplish any real hands on training with Yakumo for a while now." The thought of her pregnancy always made the woman a bit intoxicated with happiness. Saying it aloud only furthered additional impact.

Both Naruto and Jiraiya gaped at the news. "Holy crap! Who's the lucky man?" The perverted hermit asked, "Is it Kakashi?"

There was no doubt in his mind. Only Kakashi, the fanatical follower of Icha-Icha could land a catch as nice as Yuuhi Kurenai.

"Not a chance!" She fumed. Both Kurenai and Yakumo glared at the pervert. The latter heard more than enough stories of the porn-obsessed jounin from her guardians. Just the idea of someone as creepy as Hatake Kakashi living under the same roof and sharing her best friend / instructor's bed was enough to make Yakumo's blood boil.

Jiraiya put his hands in the air, hoping to appease their wrath. "Alright, alright, I'm sorry! I couldn't help it." Noticing the ladies beginning to relax, he smirked.

Against his better judgment, the older shinobi asked, "Was it Gai?"

The old man gulped as the ladies' killing intent soared to new heights. If matters became worse, Jiraiya was fully prepared to escape their feminine fury alone. He'd trained Naruto well. Surely the young Jinchuuriki could handle himself at their tender mercy.

"Kurenai-sensei. Can I use my genjutsu on him?" Yakumo asked innocently.

The pervert blinked. "Genjutsu?"

Naruto, on the other hand, began to sweat. He most certainly remembered the pale girl's genjutsu capabilities. If she'd been trained by Kurenai, he'd rather not discover what kind of scenarios Yakumo could force his mind to believe. While his concern for the perverted Sannin was anything but immense, he'd rather Yakumo not extend her anger towards him as well.

"What was that about training again? It sounds like a good idea to me." Lightening the mood, Naruto saved his ungrateful sensei's hide from a monumental mind-raping.

Jiraiya sighed, "I'm fine with it. The kid needs to stop being a genin anyway, though the decision's really up to Tsunade." No way would he decide for his short-tempered teammate. He preferred keeping his head above his shoulders.

"Alright, glad to hear it. Right, Yakumo?" Smiling, Kurenai was just glad her request went smoothly. If all went well, Yakumo's life could improve even more.

The pale girl nodded and was about to speak when another voice beat her to the punch.

"Naruto?"

Facing the source, Naruto's fox-like grin emerged full force.

Like Yakumo, her appearance was far too unique to forget. Few people had bandages wrapped in such an odd formation, allowing Naruto to easily put a name to the face. "Isaribi-nee-chan!"

The former fish girl smiled brightly towards the Kyuubi container. She couldn't contain her joy as she sprinted towards him, showering the boy with a massive bear hug. Her head resting on his shoulder, Isaribi loved the sensation of embracing Uzumaki Naruto. "I missed you."

He sheepishly scratched the back of his neck, his other arm touching her back, "I missed ya too, Nee-chan."

Grinning, Jiraiya noticed the girl's reactions immediately. For reasons unknown to him, both Kurenai's student and this new lady seemed to have feelings for his student. That in mind, he had no intention of interfering. His game plan consisted of getting comfortable, watching and enjoying immensely.

Yakumo couldn't help but feel extremely uncomfortable at the sight. Considering the form of endearment he used with her, she doubted he felt any romantic attachments toward the girl, but she was unsure of how to react. Lacking in experience as she was, Yakumo still had a hunch that slugging the hussy in the eye wouldn't help matters in the slightest.

She'd think of something.

Once they separated, Naruto pointed at her clothes, "Eh? What's with the apron?"

She looked down and immediately regretted it. In a futile attempt with her hands Isaribi quickly covered her apron, embarrassed beyond belief, "Oh crap! I was in such a hurry to see you I forgot to put this away."

Seeing an opportunity, Yakumo cleared her throat. "If it's alright with you Naruto-kun, could we start heading towards the Hokage Tower now to solidify our bond? I wouldn't want your… friend to get in trouble for skipping work."

The pale girl's wording ignored, Isaribi wasn't deterred. She started Yakumo directly in the eyes. "That's ok. I'm sure Ino won't mind."

His face lit up at the mention of a fellow classmate, "You work with Ino? How's she been?"

"She's good. Enjoys gossip as much as ever." Isaribi replied, eyes never leaving the Kurama Heiress', making Naruto's second attempt at breaking tension a failure.

The girl's staring contest continued for a few more minutes until Kurenai spoke up. She had no intention of seeing this escalate any further. "Sorry guys, but I'm in a bit of a hurry, so can we get going to Tsunade-sama? I'd really appreciate it."

Luckily, her plea apparently did the trick as Yakumo broke eye contact. While she remained near Naruto, her body language towards Isaribi was no longer hostile.

Naruto nodded at Kurenai, waving towards the former fish girl, "I'll see ya later, Isaribi-nee-chan. Oh, and say hi to Ino for me."

Nodding in return, Isaribi blushed while waving back. "Sure."

She continued watching their backs until they left her line of sight.

On the way, Naruto had the strangest feeling. An indication he hadn't seen the last of such confrontations.

A/N

I actually wrote most of this a while ago, so it might not be as good as some of my latest work (and no, I'm not saying this just to sound like an emo bitch). Moving on, since I know people are going to ask, I'll say right now that Hinata is not a part of the harem. Now that the fillers are over, this is the harem roster (at least for now). The only possible addition I can think of now would be the lady from movie 4, Shion. After seeing some of the spoilers/previews, she could make an excellent addition.

Sasame / Age: 15
Tsubaki / Age: 27
Suzumebachi / Age: 20
Toki / Age: 21
Isaribi / Age: 16
Hokuto / Age: 16
Haruna / Age: 19
Fuku / Age: 16
Yakumo / Age: 17
Ran / Age: 17
Matsuri / Age: 14
Kujaku / Age: 30
Koyuki (Yukie) / Age: 20
Karenbana / Age: 25

Well, I hope you enjoyed this. See ya around

Big-Babidi