A/N: Hey guys, what's up? Now I know you are probably angry with me, so feel free to express your anger all you want. I have no excuses. (But is you want to check them out, they're at the bottom of the page.)
DragonPony022: I'm glad you like my little spin-off. I tried to keep a balance of OOC with canon and I'm quite happy with what I came up with. And you're right about the upcoming Gaara fight. How ever will Naruto succeed this time?
Gamerdue22: Yep, same here.
Jaerskov: That is quite the compliment. Thank you sir/madame!
Story Artist: Well, I'm afraid you're gonna have to read and find out my friend. Sorry, no spoilers!
Dino Jedi: No spoilers! (Unless you're really curious, then PM me.)
Naruto and Haku left the stand after their little fiasco, Naruto having agreed to meet Yoshiharu tomorrow for his lesson. The couple continued through the festival, playing at a few game stands here and there. Eventually though, the celebration came to an end for the night. They walked back to the forest, to their usual spot. The young lovers laid down on the grass, peering up at the night sky. The moon was bright and surrounded by shining stars, illuminating the black of night.
Haku sighed as she laid her head down on Naruto's chest.
"This was a nice night Naruto-san. Thank you again for accompanying me." She said affectionately.
"Of course Haku-san. It was my pleasure." Naruto replied. Haku turned her gaze towards his visage.
"Actually, Naruto-san," Naruto met her eyes. "Could you just call me Haku? Or at the very least, Haku-chan?"
Naruto nodded and wrapped an arm around her. "Of course, Haku-chan." He turned his gaze back to the moon, its luminescence almost hypnotizing him. "The moon is really beautiful tonight."
"It really is." She agreed.
"Then again, it is not nearly as beautiful as Haku-chan." Haku grew flustered at his words.
"D-Does Naruto-san really think so?" Naruto met her gaze.
"Even if my Bushidō hadn't forbade me from lying, I would never tell you anything but the truth."
A moment of silence fell upon the two as they gazed into each other's eyes. Haku slowly inched her face closer to Naruto's and pressed her lips to his.
"Oh, Naruto-san..."
After Naruto had escorted Haku back to her temporary home, he quickly went back to Tazuna's abode, though it was well past midnight. He quietly made his his way upstairs and into his room. Ino was patiently waiting for him on the bed. As soon as she saw him, a wide smile spread across her face.
"Hey Naruto-kun." She greeted. A small frown found its way across Naruto's features.
"Ino-chan, it's past midnight. What are you still doing up?" He asked worriedly.
"I've grown so used to you sleeping with me, I can hardly fall asleep by myself anymore." She gave him the most adorable, pleading look. "Ino-chan can't sleep without her Naruto-kun pillow."
Naruto sighed before getting situated for the night. He climbed into the bed and embraced Ino, who hummed happily in delight. She snuggled into his arms and enjoyed the warmth emitting from his body. She glanced back at him.
"So, did you enjoy yourself?" She inquired.
Naruto nodded. "Yes. Haku-chan and I had a lot of fun."
Ino pouted. "Oh, so it's Haku-chan now?"
"Would it be better if I called you Ino-hime from now on?" He asked wryly.
"May~be" Ino giggled as she closed her eyes, her tiredness now taking full effect. She let out a small yawn. "Mou, Naruto-kun better make sure that he doesn't have a repeat performance tomorrow when he takes his Ino-hime out."
"Of course not Hime. My princess will get a very special treat, just for her."
Come noon the next day, Naruto would be found at Yoshiharu's stand. He had donned an apron and patiently awaited the sushi chef's instruction.
"Now Uzumaki-san, I assume you've had prior experience in the kitchen before?" Yoshiharu asked.
"Yes, I have Satake-san." He confirmed. "I've been living by myself for a period of time, so I've been forced to learn out of necessity. Also, a dear housemate of mine had taught me whatever I had yet to learn by myself."
Yoshiharu nodded in satisfaction. "That is good. And have you ever prepared any sort of sushi before?"
"I've dabbled here and there, but I've never had much luck with it." Naruto admitted. Whenever he tried before, it always came out misshapen and/or loose, making the contents fall out and looking overall inadequate. Yoshiharu let a small smile come across his face.
"Ah, that's okay." The chef said as he laid out several ingredients before them, as well as the tools needed to make sushi. "Now, show me how you do it and I'll tell you what went wrong afterwards."
Naruto nodded and went to work.
...
...
...
"Well, uh, that really is an interesting shape you've got there Uzumaki-san." Yohiharu said hesitantly, a bit baffled at how bad the roll looked. It was bulky in the middle with the ends of the roll being really thin, as if all the contents were shoved into the center. Not only that, but the bulk was also partly angular. One side was completely flat, another was roughly rounded with bumps, and another was creased inward, creating a triangular dip into the roll. The sushi chef then glanced back at Naruto's hands, which had clumps of rice scattered about the skin.
Naruto looked at his work with a solemn smile, knowing that it was completely crap. "... Please help me Satake-san."
Yoshiharu took in a deep breath and let out a sigh. "I hope you're a fast learner Uzumaki-san. For both our sakes."
Naruto certainly was a fast learner. After Yoshiharu pointed out the many mistakes in his technique the blonde almost instantly corrected himself. In about two hours, Naruto had perfected the art of sushi making under the tutelage of a master chef. With a sigh, Naruto removed his apron and hung it on a nearby rack. He grinned as he bowed to Yoshiharu.
"Thank you once again Satake-sensei." The man grew flustered and waved him off.
"Hora hora, there's no need to call me sensei! It was my pleasure to impart my knowledge unto you Uzumaki-san." He said with an embarrassed smile. "Besides, it was only right to teach an Uzumaki to make uzumaki!"
They both laughed at the small pun made by the sushi chef. Naruto turned to exit, but called over his shoulder.
"See you later Satake-san!" Yoshiharu waved at the retreating form of the samurai boy, whose plan for the night was set in motion.
"So where are we going first Naruto-kun?" Ino asked as the two blonds walked to the town. Both were dressed in their usual attires.
Naruto smiled playfully as he answered her. "Oh, you'll see Ino-hime." They continued walking, but never stopped once as they passed by the many game and food stalls. Ino was getting anxious to see what Naruto had in store for her, and was practically bouncing on the balls of her feet.
'Ooooh, I can't wait much longer! Did he plan a romantic dinner? Or is he taking me to a swimming well to go skinny dipping? Maybe it's-' She gasped silently. 'Is he planning on proposing!? Oh my Kami that would be amazing!' As such thoughts raced about in her head, Ino failed to notice that Naruto had led them into the woods, away from the village. The jinchūriki stopped his companion at small clearing, just a mile out from the town.
"We're here Ino-hime!" Naruto's voice shook Ino from her thoughts. She examined the area around her, finding nothing out of the ordinary.
"What are we doing here Naruto-kun?" She asked in confusion. Why weren't they at the party?
Naruto grew a grin on his face. "It's so that no one interrupts us." He replied as he formed a hand seal.
A puff of smoke later, two more Naruto's were standing by the original. The trio each took a scroll from their holsters and, while jumping backwards, unsealed their contents, creating a large smokescreen. Ino waited with baited breathe to see what Naruto had in store for her. After a moment, the smoke dissipated, revealing the Narutos with instruments in their hands, as well as some amplifiers around them. (1) One Naruto had a drum set before him, another wielded an electric bass guitar, and another a regular electric guitar. They all had microphones in front of them. Ino looked on in awe, completely speechless.
The Naruto with the regular guitar smiled at her. "A private concert just for you Ino-hime." (2) And then they started playing.
Owari naki tabi no tochuu tachidomarisou na toki
Fukai tameiki kobosu bokura wa
Tsukamikakete wa mata hanareteita
Demo ima wa mou nanimo osoreru koto wa nai
Kokoro o tsunagu tsuyoi kizuna wa
Keshite hodoke wa shinai sa
Sagashitsuzukete tadoritsuita
Kono basho de period ni
As the solo played out, Ino thoroughly expressed her surprise. Since when could Naruto sing?!
'Kami... His voice is so beautiful.'
Ai ni michita nukumori karadajuu kakemeguru
Nido to kieru koto nai kioku ga
Kanarazu yakusoku hatashite kimi o tsureteku yo
Afureru (yume o) negai (daite) subete uta ni nosete
Genjitsu kara me o sorasazu ni
Tachimukau yuuki o
Kanashimi ikari chikara ni kaete
Unmei wa sugu soba ni
Mukau saki wa hora
Kirameku sekai
Boku o furuwasu kono kansei o
Uragiru koto wa shinai sa
Tomo ni ikiteku mirai no tame ni
Kono basho de period ni
Shinjitsu wa yubisaki ni
With a final strum, the song ended. The Narutos were cheering, feeling the rush that filled them from the performance.
"That was awesome!"
"I know dattebayo!"
"High fives for everyone!" However, when their hands came into contact, the force was enough to dispel the two clones, leaving only the original. Naruto then turned to Ino, who was slowly approaching him. He smiled at her.
"So, how was th-" Ino didn't let him finish his sentence, quickly smacking him. Naruto held his cheek as Ino began berating him.
"That was for not telling me about your musical talent! And this..." Naruto cringed, bracing for another hit. He was surprised when he felt soft lips press against his own, and soon relaxed under the pleasant warmth of Ino's embrace. The kiss lasted for a minute before they broke off for air. "... Is for such a wonderful date."
Naruto stared into her eyes with a wry smile. "Anytime, Ino-hime."
"Hmm, I hope this wasn't all you planned, was it Naruto-kun?"
"Of course not Hime, we have yet to eat, ne?" It was then that Naruto escorted Ino back to the village, where they enjoyed the festivities the the fullest.
Naruto was back into the meadow, by the side of Kurama. He was laying down on the ground, his eyes scanning the fake sky for unusually shaped clouds. Kurama, for his part, was resting as he usually was, but was casting glances at the boy to his side.
"Naruto." Kurama spoke. Naruto craned his head to look at his tenant.
"Yes Kurama-san?"
"Would you construct something to entertain me? As much as I love lounging about, even I can get bored sometimes." The fox's voice reverberated throughout the landscape. Naruto stood up.
"Of course Kurama-san. Just a moment." Naruto closed his eyes and began focusing. Almost instantaneously, a large rabbit, roughly half the size of Kurama, appeared before them. It sat before the great fox, whose grin grew with each passing second. The two large animals locked eyes, a pregnant pause falling before them.
"Boo." As soon as the word left his mouth, the rabbit began running away as fast as possible. The demon fox rose from its prone position and stretched. "Kit, you are quickly becoming one of my favorite humans ever." Then he gave chase.
Naruto sat back down and observed the chase with a small smile on his face. He was glad that he was able to bring some pleasure to his tenant.
"Hey, Kurama-san-" A splatter of blood smacked him right in the face, drenching the upper half of his body in crimson.
Then again, it was not so pleasant watching the giant fox tear into the rabbit like a blood-starved beast.
It was day three of the festival and with Tazuna having finally finished the bridge all of Team Ten was able to cash in on the fun. Even Zabuza's crew joined the festivities. One could wonder what they were all doing now.
At the local bar...
"Hey, barkeep! Another round!" Zabuza yelled as he stared Asuma down. "I'm surprised you've held this long. Fifteen mugs..."
"And counting." Asuma finished with a smirk. This drinking contest between the two shinobi have been going on long enough to warrant bets on who would win. To be completely honest, he was feeling a bit light-headed, but who wouldn't after fifteen mugs of booze? The bartender placed another pair of mugs on the table, filled to the brim with... With... Well, he couldn't remember anymore.
Zabuza's shark-toothed grin unsettled their spectators. "You ready monk?"
Asuma lifted his mug into the air. "You bet no-brows!"
Gōzu and Meizu stared at the two contestants with amusement.
"You think we should be worried Gōzu?" Meizu asked his brother.
Gōzu took a sip of sake from his dish. "Nah, they'll be fine."
At Satake Sushi...
The shinobi adolescents were currently enjoying a round of sushi prepared by grateful sushi chef and his apprentice.
"Oi, make me another serving of unagi Naruto-kun!" Ino demanded. This earned her a sour look from a certain ice user.
"Don't be so rude Ino-san." Haku scolded the blonde. Then she immediately put on a sweet smile as she addressed her love. "Though another round of unagi would be much appreciated Naruto-san."
"Hai, another round of unagi coming up!" Naruto announced as he went to work.
Shikamaru gave his friends a deadpan stare. "Why exactly is Naruto cooking for us again?"
"He asked for an opportunity to showcase his new-found skill in the art of sushi making." Yoshiharu explained. Shikamaru huffed at the man's words.
"I think he's just trying to one-up me, like he does in everything." Murmured the Nara.
"That's not true Shikamaru." Naruto corrected as he placed served the unagi. "I never 'tried' to one-up you. And the last time I checked, I have yet to beat you in any of our shōgi matches."
Ino gave Shikamaru an annoyed look. "Mou, stop being so jealous of Naruto-kun. Maybe if you actually did something beside play shōgi and watch clouds, you could amount to something already!"
Haku nodded in affirmative. "Ino-san is right. Jealousy really is unbecoming of you, Nara-san." Shikamaru just groaned in defeat. Women were troublesome. Just as he was about to drop his head into his arms, a plate of mackerel and kelp was placed in front of him. He looked up and saw Naruto giving him his happy-go-lucky smile.
"Don't mind them Shikamaru. Enjoy yourself! After all, it's a party!" With that, Naruto turned his attention back to the two ladies. Shikamaru stared at the plate in minor shock before glancing at Naruto. He picked up a bit of fish and kelp and placed them into his mouth. As soon as the morsels touched his taste buds, his eyes widened in surprise of the explosion of flavor in his mouth. His eating pace slowly quickened to that of an Akimichi, finishing the plate and quickly calling for another serving.
Despite Naruto causing him all sorts of trouble, the Nara could safely say that is was all worth it.
Zabuza awoke the next morning in a daze. Oh Kami, why was his head hurting so badly? 'Oh, that's right. The drinking thing.' He remembered. He examined his surroundings, noticing that he was back at his temporary base and in his bed. Then he looked down, seeing the Demon Brothers passed out on the floor with several sake bottles between them. On closer inspection, Zabuza noticed a small parchment of paper resting on the back of Meizu's prone form. Groggily, he reached for the note and quickly flipped it open.
His eyes widened. It was a letter from the Kiri Rebels! How the hell did they even know where he was!? He hurriedly read the letter's contents.
'Demon of the Mist,
It has come to our attention that your services are available for hire. We would like to broker a contract with you and your colleagues. If you are interested, please come to the small town of Iwase on the border of Mizu no Kuni. There, go to the tavern and tell the bartender "The mist shall forever remain white." We will arrive shortly afterwards.
T.M.'
Zabuza rolled back into bed with a small frown on his face and closed his eyes. As soon as his hangover was gone, he and his gang were moving out.
Naruto let out a heavy sigh as he and his team crossed the newly finished bridge. 'So it's finally time to go home.'
He turned back, seeing all the townspeople of Nami waving at them.
"Take care now! Comeback anytime!"
"Have a safe trip back!"
"We'll always be in your debt!"
Naruto smiled before also waving back, Ino and Shikamaru joining him. They resumed their trek home with a renewed vigor. Asuma took a large drag from his cigarette, a small smirk on his face. It was then that they were stopped by other arrivals.
"Ah, it seems you're leaving as well." Asuma stated, noticing the mercenary group carrying several storage scrolls.
Zabuza gave the man a mirth-filled, bandaged smile. "Well, I got a new job offer. I got nothing better to do, so I decided to take it."
"Ah, well, I wish you the best of luck. Hopefully you aren't working for another tyrant." Asuma mused.
"Nah, I've learned my lesson." replied Zabuza as he shook his head. "Working for a tyrant is too troublesome. I wouldn't want to run into guys like you for a while yet."
As the jōnin conversed, Haku and Naruto stepped up to each other. Ino and Shikamaru turned their attention elsewhere, so as to let the two have at least some privacy. The young lovers had remorseful looks on their faces, and refused to meet each other's eyes, content with staring at the ground.
"My team is heading home, back to Konohagakure." Naruto announced awkwardly.
"Yes, and Zabuza-sama is joining the Kiri Rebellion." Haku replied calmly.
"Do you want to come with me Haku-chan?" The samurai offered. "I can surely convince the Hokage to allow you to join our shinobi force." 'And that I can see your face almost regularly.' He added silently.
"I'm afraid I can't Naruto-san. As much as I want to, I need to help Zabuza-sama liberate Kirigakure from her tyrant, like how you've done here."
"So... This is good-bye." The blonde stated.
Haku gave him a sad smile. "Yes. It is."
A small silence befell them before they finally looked up and stared at on another, tears welling in their eyes. "I'm going to miss you." they said simultaneously. They stepped closer to each other and grasped hands.
"Haku... I really enjoyed the time I spent with you here."
"As did I Naruto-san. I... I will forever cherish these memories for as long as I live." Tears stated to fall from her eyes. She tried to stem their flow in vain, clenching her eyes shut. She didn't want to leave, didn't want Naruto to forget her. She wanted to stay with the boy she loved.
'But I can't.' She thought remorsefully. 'Zabuza-sama's goal is for the betterment of all of Kirigakure. This must be done, so that no child will ever have to go through what I went through ever again.' Haku suddenly felt arms envelop her, filling her with warmth.
Naruto held her firmly yet gently. "It's all right, Haku-chan." He whispered gingerly in her ear. Haku's sobbing stopped. "I'll never forget you Haku-chan. Always know that you have a special place in my heart, and it will always be there no matter what happens." He placed a chaste kiss on her lips. "I love you, Haku-chan."
"Naruto-san I... I love you too!" Haku quickly shoved her lips unto Naruto's, surprising him with her fervor. The lovers' farewell lasted for a good minute or two before they stopped. They were breathing heavily, their eyes glazed over with a powerful passion. They embraced each other tightly.
"Promise me." Haku started, her voice slightly quivering. "Promise me that we will meet again."
Naruto paused briefly before answering. "I promise, Haku-chan. Be it in this life or the afterlife, I promise that we will meet again." As he spoke, he tightened his hold on Haku's body. They stood there like that for a moment until a small cough interrupted them.
"Ahem." The two broke away from each other and turned towards Zabuza, who had a somewhat content look on his face. "Come on Haku, it's time for us to go." A mirthful smile can be seen underneath his bandages. "After we win the war, you can have all the time you want to make babies with the samurai."
He was instantly gratified with a flustered Haku. "Z-ZABUZA-SAMA!"
As the people of Nami watched their heroes disappear over the horizon, they found themselves a small dilemma.
"Oi, Tazuna-san. What are we gonna call the bridge?" A man called from the crowd.
Tazuna turned to face the crowd behind him and rubbed his neck. "Uh, I haven't really thought of one yet."
The mass of people let out a resounding "EEEEEH?!" before blasting the old man with questions and insults.
"You're telling me you spent months planning the construction, yet you haven't thought of a name!?"
"Shitty old man, are you growing that senile?!"
"What the hell are we gonna call this thing then!?"
Tazuna held up a hand, causing the crowd to pause as they waited for his response. "I have decided what this bridge shall be named." The mass of villagers waited with baited breathe as the bridge builder dramatized the moment unnecessarily. Suddenly grinning, Tazuna struck a pose. "It will be called the Magnificent Bridge of Tazuna!"
All fell silent, nobody moving as they let his words settle in.
"..."
"..."
"... Is that a no?"
"YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT THAT'S A NO!" The people of Wave yelled in unison. Just before the crowd began their onslaught of insults, Inari spoke up.
"How about the Great Naruto Bridge?" The young boy suggested. His words caused murmurs within the crowd, the people agreeing almost unanimously with Inari.
The old bridge builder gave a relenting sigh, though he fought to hide the smile on his face. "Fine. From here on out, this bridge shall be known as the Great Naruto Bridge. Let its name forever inspire courage and hope throughout these lands for the rest of our days!"
Team Asuma made good time in returning to their home. Without Tazuna slowing them down, they were able to get back in about half the time. Soon, they saw the grand walls of Konohagakure as they approached the west gate. Shikamaru let out a groan of relief.
"Finally! Kami, it feels so good to be back!" He said as he picked up his pace.
Ino gasped as she grabbed Naruto's arm. "Hey Naruto-kun, let's go shopping!"
"Ah, I don't know Ino-hime. I kinda just want to rest at home for the day." Replied the blond as he rubbed the back of his head.
"But you pro~mised!" She whined, giving her boyfriend her cutest angry face.
Naruto gave Ino a sheepish look. "Well, I did promise. But can't it wait until tomorrow Ino-hime?" The trip back home had been somewhat taxing, and the jinchūriki had several matters of greater importance to take of first. 'Like having my chest piece repaired.' He thought as he brushed a finger over the gash.
His fellow blond let out an exaggerated sigh as she crossed her arms, a small smile ghosting over her features. "Fine, but you're taking me out for lunch!" As Naruto opened his mouth to respond, she cut him off. "And yes, you're paying for that too!"
With a small sigh, Naruto nodded his head. "Of course, Ino-hime." Naruto never saw the pitiful look his sensei gave him.
'Poor boy. He hadn't even gone through puberty before becoming whipped.'
"Hey, would you guys hurry up? I want to end this troublesome mission already!" Shikamaru called from the entrance. Ino and Naruto snickered.
"I think this is the first time he ever told us to hurry up." Naruto whispered. As requested by their teammate, they hurried over to the gate guards. 'Izumo and Kotetsu, if I recall.'
"Ah, Asuma, welcome back!" Izumo greeted. "How was the mission to Nami no Kuni?"
"Hello Izumo, Kotetsu. The mission was a success, though I can't go into detail about it."
"I understand. Just hand me your papers and you'll be free to go." With a quick exchange of papers, Team Ten merrily went on their way to the Hokage Tower.
As they walked past, Kotetsu looked at the three genin, notably Naruto, and whispered to Izumo. "Oi, it seems that whatever happened sure took a toll on the samurai. Look at his armor Izumo." His friend turned his gaze towards the blond boy. "See that gash?"
Izumo stared at the damaged chest plate. He saw the opening from the front as well, and it mirrored the one they now see on his back. "Kami... What do you think caused it?" Izumo asked his fellow chūnin.
Kotetsu shook his head. "I don't know, but whatever it was, it was big and sharp."
Team Ten stood before the Hokage for their team's mission report. The genin stood straight, as did their sensei, though Asuma held a cigarette between his lips. Hiruzen did not mind his progeny smoking in his presence, he did it himself during mission debriefings. And from what his son has told him, it would seem that the nicotine would be the only thing keeping his son from starting a yelling match with his father.
"So, it is to my understanding that you have not only engaged and defeated The Demon Brothers, a pair of C-ranked missing-nin, but also the A-ranked missing-nin Momochi Zabuza as well as his B-ranked accomplice. That is excluding the fact that you have in a sense liberated Nami no Kuni from the tyranny of the shipping magnate, Gatō, of Gatō Company. Was I at any point wrong in my summary?" the Hokage asked his son.
Asuma deeply inhaled before removing the cigarette from his lips. "Yeah, that about sums it up." he replied. The Third gave Asuma a hard look.
"You do realize that not only did you unnecessarily put yourself and your students in danger, but you have also disobeyed protocol by not sending for reinforcements after encountering a ninja of A-rank status." Hiruzen scolded. "You should have returned immediately after encountering The Demon Brothers."
The younger Sarutobi took another drag before answering his father. "In hindsight, you are correct. By all means, we should have reported back to at least request a more suitable team to carry on the mission. However, it was not my idea in the first place. My genin were the ones suggesting that they could carry on with their own power, and after their thrashing of two C-rank missing-nin, I was inclined to believe them."
"So you listen to three children who have only just begun to gain field experience over the instruction that has been drilled into you since you were a chūnin?" Hiruzen inquired, his tone clearly admonishing the jōnin.
"Yes. At the time, I was quite impressed with their performance, and believed that I could handle whatever came next."
"But you didn't. You encountered Momochi Zabuza and were defeated. Not only that, but young Naruto-kun almost lost his life because of the encounter."
"If I may, Hokage-dono," interrupted Naruto, "It was not Asuma-sensei's fault for the outcome of that situation. I had voluntarily engaged Zabuza so as to help rescue Sensei. I knew what I was getting into. Besides, I doubt that anyone could have predicted that someone of Zabuza's caliber could have appeared on our mission."
"Naruto's right!" Shikamaru joined in the defense. "The odds of something like that occurring are more than a million to one. There was no way that we could have known that we would encounter someone as dangerous as Zabuza."
"Yeah!" Ino popped in as well. "Besides, who cares what happened then? We're all here safe and sound and the people of Nami no Kuni are free."
"It is not as simple as that, Yamanaka-san." the Hokage retorted. "This may be, as Nara-san has said, a one in a million chance occurrence, but so long as there is at least a possibility for something to go wrong, I cannot allow this act to go unpunished. If anything, this instance will be used as an example to all others that something can go wrong on a relatively simple mission." The genin of Team Asuma stepped back and bowed their heads low.
"Our apologies, Hokage-sama." they chorused.
Hiruzen let out a quiet sigh. "As the Hokage, I am to treat even the smallest of dangers with great caution. However... " He took off his hat and placed it on his desk, revealing much more of the older Sarutobi's wizened features. "As a old man way past his prime, I can understand your actions. I can even say that I would have done the same at your age."
This prompted Team Asuma to stare at the Hokage with gratitude. "So, what will be our punishment?" Asuma asked.
"Team Ten will be put on temporary probation from any mission higher than D-rank for a one-month period." Shikamaru grimaced at this announcement. He could complain, but the punishment could be a lot worse.
'Doesn't really change how troublesome it will be though.'
"Considering that the briefing is over, you are dismissed." he continued. "That is, except Naruto and Asuma."
Sensei and student sighed. They figured that Hiruzen would further question Naruto's miraculous healing. Ino and Shikamaru, however, were not so keen about leaving without sating their curiosity.
"H-Hey, what's going on?" Ino asked.
Naruto gave her a stern gaze. "I'll explain it later."
"But Naru-"
His gaze hardened, leaving no room for argument. Shikamaru grasped Ino's shoulder, prompting her to look at him. Her pineapple-haired friend shook his head and gently escorted her out of the room. Ino stared at Naruto, a look of wonderment gracing her face until the door shut her from his gaze. As soon as the two left, Hiruzen quickly performed several hand-seals before slamming his hands on his desk. The room glowed a deep purple before returning to normal.
"Now that we are safe from prying eyes and eavesdroppers..."the Hokage started. "Tell me about your interaction with the Kyūbi, Naruto-kun."
Naruto stepped forward and bowed. "Hai, Hokage-dono. After my grievous injury..."
The adolescent samurai explained everything to Hiruzen, from their first encounter to last night's interaction. At several points in time, Hiruzen's expression suddenly changed to startled before becoming cool and calculating. After Naruto finished he stepped back to stand next to Asuma, who in turn stepped forward.
"Could you explain to me what you saw of Naruto's wounds after he woke up, Asuma?"
"Hai. As soon as Naruto woke up, he showed clear signs of dehydration and chakra exhaustion. I would think it due to the immense damage he sustained during battle that the effects were so severe. After I removed his armor to check his wounds, I saw that he was completely unmarred. Not even a scar remained."
As Asuma finished his explanation, Hiruzen stood up from his seat and stared out the window behind him. All was silent for a few moments before he began speaking once more.
"So it would seem that the Kyūbi is not all what we thought to be." Naruto slightly smiled. It was good to see other people see the goodness in Kurama.
"But..." Naruto's smile disappeared. "I would still advise caution when dealing with your tenant, Naruto-kun. For all we know, it could just be getting you to let your guard down. " Naruto wanted to speak up in defense of Kurama, but kept his lips sealed.
'A samurai must obey his master to his dying breathe. To do anything else would bring dishonor.' Naruto recalled.
"Hai, Hokage-dono. As you will."
"Then, without further interruption, you are dismissed Naruto-kun. Have a nice day." Naruto bowed and promptly left the room, eager to get some rest. As soon as the door shut, both Sarutobis met each other's stare, a silent message passing between them.
'Keep an eye on him.'
Next time on Return to Prominence...
"What!?" Ino yelled "What do you mean you won't come in with me?!"
"It's better this way Ino. You won't get as much flak for hanging around 'The Demon Brat'." Naruto replied, abashed.
Ino had a incredulous look on her face."That's ridiculous! Come on, don't be so asinine!" She forcefully dragged Naruto inside the store, Naruto silently following her with a depressed smile.
As Ino rummaged through the clothing section, Naruto noticed they were getting an increasing number of stares.
"Oh, how cute! Love at such a young age!"
"Oh my, what a handsome young man. I could eat him up!"
"Hey, wait, look at his cheeks..."
And not all of them were positive.
And cut! God this chapter was a pain in the ass! Ugh, sorry about that guys. But hey, I did say no promises right? And now school is so close too. My god procrastination is so evil! And if you guys have noticed, I'm sorry for such a short chapter, but I felt like you guys waited long enough for an update.
1. Now before any of you start lynching me for bring technology like this into Naruto, keep in mind that there are computers, trains, and even mentions of cellphones in the canon. Don't believe me? Look up the Naruto Wiki.
2. The song is call Period by Chemistry. If any of you have watched Full Metal Alchemist, then you have probably heard this. Give it a try if you like Japanese music
Please, if you liked it, leave a review! If you have any criticisms, please also leave a review. If you have any questions, please PM me! I'll see you next time. Ja ne!