Naruto's Dream Come True?

The brush slid easily through the golden locks. It was hair that was the envy of every woman in Konoha: golden, silken, cascading over his shoulders like a ray of sunlight. "Spun Gold" the Kunoichi Newsletter called it. "A living work of Art" claimed Fire Country Monthly.

'Kyuubi-sama was right', he thought as the brush gently caressed his scalp. 'Long hair really is the way to popularity'.

He'd never forget the day he'd finally agreed to allow his tenant to tweak his hair follicles. That had been the day everything had changed for the better. Goodbye to glares and sneers. Now, his former detractors bowed as he passed. No more being ignored by girls, oh no. Long hair had finally revealed his 'Inner Bishounen' and now? Well, the challenge now lay in finding some time alone!

The sponsorship from Fire Country's largest shampoo-manufacturer had solved his financial woes for life, leaving him time to really concentrate on his training. Finally having both the opportunity and the drive to properly establish a firm grounding in the basics had done wonders. He'd made jounin at seventeen, ANBU a year later and was now just a months from finally achieving his lifelong dream. None of the council, not even those formerly his most stalwart enemies, wanted to deny Konoha's Blond God his goal.

A gently chuckle broadened Naruto's smile at that thought, golden hair flowing slightly in the breeze it made. He'd thought at the time that things couldn't possibly get better.

'Only goes to show, you can improve on perfection' he thought. Kyuubi-sama's 'birthday present' had been the final push needed to cement his position as 'Most Revered Ninja of All Time'. And that was just the start!

A knock at the dressing room door brought him out of his musings. "Naruto-sama, the cameramen are ready when you are".

"Thanks Sakura-chan, I'll be right out." Smiling at the young woman's blush, the young Adonis swept his hair into a loose ponytail and strolled to the door, casting one final glance at the mirror.

"You were right, Kyuubi-sama", he murmured, running a hand through the soft, chest-length beard. "Facial hair is the way".

"Naruto-sama!"

"Hai, I'm coming!"

A soft laugh at his wool-gathering followed him as he closed the door and strode off briskly, ready for his first photo shoot for 'Hirsute Hombre' magazine.

"AAAHHHH!!!"

Naruto blasted up from his pillows and frantically pawed at his face. Finding nothing but smooth skin, he fell bonelessly back onto his mattress in sheer relief.

'Ok, that tears it. No more sushi before bed'.

Within the darkened vaults of Naruto's unconscious mind, a pair of red eyes gleamed.

"Hehehe. It's only a matter of time, gaki…"

Author's notes:
Well, loyal readers, here's the second installment. There's something curiously compelling about the thought of Naruto with a beard, isn't there? Possibly because you hardly ever see anime characters with facial hair beyond a basic mustache that aren't either a) Ancient and a bit perverted (think Sarutobi), or b) villains (Ikari Gendo anyone?). And those few good characters with beards tend to get killed off, as well! Grrr... End the facial hair prejudice in Anime!
Ahem...
Thanks a lot for the reviews as well. I think i'll have to have more appearances of Neji the Kitten Freak in my main story, judging from the reader responses.

Anyway, i hope you like this little piece of crazy. I'm working on the next installments of my other stories as well, but it's slow going. Gomen.

Enjoy!

Smylingsnake out.