Chapter 4: Face to Face

- Konoha Streets -

"HEEEEEYYYYY, Naruto!!" Lee shouted as he, Shikamaru and Sakura ran towards him.

"ah, hey guys…" Naruto whom just had been let out of the Hospital, (which he had to spent to much time just because of exhaustion he had complained) hadn't faced one of his friends since they was told about his secret. He didn't know if he had imagined the smiles and concerned looks upon him before he collapsed 2 days ago so he took his distance watching the three warily.

They smiled warmly against him. Naruto frowned and stepped back. "how can you.."

"can what..?" "Smile at you, talk whit you, be whit you because what I can recall we have been doing that for the last years and no monster will ever change that!" Shikamaru stated looking at his friend trying to catch his gaze but Naruto wouldn't meet it. He didn't answer them.

"Naruto-kun if anything you are a hero, the jailer of a fearsome threat. You are no Monster." A seriousness that was rarely heard in Lee's voice made naruto flinch and glance up at them.

Sakura walked up to him and placed her hand around his necks and hugged him while whispering in his ears, his words of salvation; "we will always be there for you Naruto…".

She released him and looked him straight in the eye; "remember that, never ever forget it, never ever doubt it!"

"I… I'm… sorry…" he stuttered

"you have nothing to be sorry about" Shikamaru protested "we have a messag e to you from Tsunade-sama, you are to meet your new teammates about the exams in the afternoon."

"yeah… but it's like ages until then for the youthful so Naruto-kun why don't we head over to the ichirakus for some ramen, I suppose you haven't had time to go there since you return?" Lee said smiling brightly at his friend whom seemed to have put most of his insecurity behind him.

"no I haven't!!" Naruto shouted and started racing towards the ramen stand whit Lee. Shikamaru and Sakura stared at the two while walking slowly after them. "I'm glad he's back, to Konoha and to his rightful self" Sakura said smiling after the two boys. "yeah, it is" Shikamaru agreed.

-Ichiraku ramen-

Naruto had just finished his tenth bowl whit ramen and had 5 pair eyes staring at him as if wondering if maybe his stomach worked somewhat like a cows, whit all four stomachs but all his fore Ramen. Lee looked in defeat at his pile whit empty bowls they were nowhere near Naruto's level, they had decided for a competition of who could eat the most ramen. Lee was now forced to reach the conclusion that not even he could beat the hyperactive blond in the art of Ramen Soup. Tenchis eyebrow twitched as he looked at the bowls, he had promised that he would not charge Naruto for his ramen today since it was the first time in 2 ½ years his old customer had come for his daily ramen, he had completely forgotten about Narutos huge appetite.
"Well I guess I should head up to baa-chan's tower then, dattebayo"
He said his goodbyes and left for his meeting.

-Hokage tower –

The Hokage eyed Naruto when he stepped inside her office, to see how he was keeping up after recent events.
"Yo, baa-chan!" he said loudly alarming everybody that he had arrived. Late for that matter.
Tsunade whom saw Naruto seemed to be back to himself started scolding for his lack of respect, coming in late and making such a ruckus, which was not acceptable the Hokage lectured the blond ninja. Konohamaru and Moegi looked relived at their new temporary teammate was back to his old self.

"so anyways the Chuunin exams is only one week away."

"whaaat?!" 'that's like no time at al" Naruto thought to himself.

"Ha we will make it, Naruto-niichan" Konohamaru said

"yeah, I can't let something like this come in my way of becoming Hokage! Dattebayo" he said rasing his fist in a haughtily way.

"Me neither!!" Konohamaru shouted

"yeah, yeah!, will you two qu-" Tsunade started but before she could finish her sentence both of here victims had already been kicked hard in the head, sitting on the floor clutching their heads.

"what the- Moegi!" Konohamaru complained

"Listen carefully to Tsunade-sama, we don't want to hear your damn blabbering!"

Both Naruto and Konohamaru stood up slowly glaring at the kunochi.

Tsunade smirked at the three, good thing she is there to keep the two in check during the exams. "… as I was saying, there is one week to the exams and I wish for you to train your teamwork whit Jiraya during this time, is that understood?"

"of course baa-chan" Naruto exclaimed

"Good. you will start immediately.. Jiraya you can come in now"

Through the window hopped the tall white haired toad-sennin.

"Yo, Naruto, seems you do cannot escape my training for more than a week.

"yeah, it sucks." Naruto admitted looking slightly disappointing

"wha- What the hell of a response is that, ungrateful brat…" he muttered.

"well if we were to swap roles you would surely act the same. You only paid attention to those girls leaving me by myself training my ass of!"

"Yeah, Yeah, whatever" Jiraya said lazily waning his hand "let's head out"

"To a proper training ground I hope. We aren't going to be in a miles radius from a hot spring" Naruto demanded.

Jiraya didn't answer; he just smiled an evil smirk and stared at his student.

Naruto let out a long sigh.

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Autors Notes: Jiraya the pervert is back! (: YEY!

Ahhhh, I want to write something exiting. This sooo booring. Maybe make a little skip whit al this Jiraya training and go straight to the first exam, and shorten that up a bit sp we can finally get to the action… we'll see :D.

Disclaimer: The series Naruto does Not belong to me (obviously)

R&R