Author's note: Now...I'd like to remind my readers that I'm STILL looking for fanart of this awesome couple. Particularly concerning the part where he's holding her under the window when trying to get her to sleep. HINT HINT!!!! Please?

Thank you beta- Firefly25

And last but not least ronintoturi is letting me use an idea of his from his fic A New Sensei, A New Life. Check it out. It rocks. (No I won't tell you what the idea IS but I will mention which idea it is in the chapter it comes up in) Of course that fic hasn't been updated in a while and he's probably forgotten he was going to let me use the idea in the first place all those months ago. In fact it won't even come into play till chapter 9.

o------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Chapter 5: Journey----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------o

Two days later showed Natuto and Kin both waiting at the Konoha gates. Kin leaned back against a low wall in her real form and new shinobi uniform. She had abandoned the baggy cargo pants for similar pattern but less loose pants. Also she'd inverted the colors. Her vest was now gray and her pants green camouflage. The scarf was still around her neck. She'd trimmed her hair down enough for it to not get in her way. It was still below her shoulders. It was the one thing she still took pride in...it reminded her of her mother.

She turned to look at her goofy friend. The dork...he is an easy target wearing orange like that. I can't believe I couldn't convince him to ATLEAST get something reversible...maybe on the trip That's right. When our #1 idiot ninja had been offered he'd refused letting Kin get him new clothes.

Naruto was pulling on his hair. "GAH!!! Where is that Ero-sennin!!!" He yelled. They'd been there twenty minutes.

Kin sighed. "Naruto..." She was comfortable speaking plainly to him now. She wasn't as tortured as she had been. Mostly over the near-death experience and at least outwardly over the torture. The betrayal on the other hand...that would haunt her for quite some time.

The blond turned and scratched the back of his head with a grin. "Hehe...sorry Kin-chan. I bet he's pulling a Kakashi just to annoy us."

With a poof the Gama-sennin was there with a lop-sided grin plastered on his face. "Rightly so Naruto. Now to business!" THIS IS GONNA BE GREAT MATERIAL! MWAHAHA!!! Ahh...to be young again...those two will make GREAT subjects. With a few subtle pushes in the right direction that is...

As they walked out of Konoha Naruto and Kin both shivered for no APPARENT reason. Weird... They both thought.

Oo--Back in Konoha--oO

And wouldn't you know it, Genma and Izumo had gate duty that day. So, after the trio is out of sight...

"Hey." Genma finished off the slice of fruit, replacing it with the usual almost-ever-present senbon. "Are you pondering what I'm pondering?"

"I think so..." - Izumo smirked - "...but spandex chafes so."

Genma choked on his fruit and after swallowing it down pounded his chest. "No! We are NOT going to help spread Gai's 'youthful teachings'. Except on April Fool's...and Halloween..."

Izumo chuckled then answered seriously. "Five gets you ten Jiraiya-sama writes them into the next Icha Icha." While neither Chuunin read the series, they knew enough about the Gama-Sannin to be certain that a subsequent release might well be based on the, err, adventures of the resident junchuuriki and the onetime Oto kunoichi.

Oo--OMFG A FLASHBACK!!!!--oO

Last April Fool's...

The two Chuunin were seen running around town spouting 'youthful encouragement'. On the side the Green Beast (plural both of them) of Konoha were crying tears of joy.

"IF I CAN NOT JUMP THE HOKAGE TOWER I WILL DO TEN MILLION JUMPING JACKS!!!!" Izumo screamed as he literally launched himself into the air.

"IF I CAN NOT PREVENT YOU MY YOUTHFUL RIVAL I WILL BOUNCE UP THE HOKAGE MOUNTAIN ON MY BUTTOCKS!" Genma hollered as he leapt after his friend and a blizzard backdrop appeared..

Gai and Lee stared in youthful awe.

And nearby, Neji stifled the urge to bang his head repeatedly against the nearest hard surface. Because that was not a thing befitting of a Hyuuga.

Oo-------------------------------------------------------If we showed the rest people's eyes would burn out...no joke----------------------------------------------------------oO

Oo--With Sasuke--oO

As if stepping out of the Uchiha district had set off some manner of alarm, Sasuke found Sakura at his side. He wasn't so much startled - at least, he told himself that - but he was surprised that she had done so. Now why couldn't she apply this to missions...? That train of thought was, inevitably, interrupted.

"Hey Sasuke-kun! What're you doing tonight?" Sakura smiled hopefully. "Naruto's gone, along with that girlfriend of his... freak.. what does she see in him anyway...?"

"Cha! Don't look a gift horse in the mouth!" Her inner self fumed. "Anyways, want to do something?"

The last Uchiha shook his head. "No, I have something to do."

"What're you doing tonight?"

"The same thing I do every night, Sakura..." said pink haired kunoichi could have sworn she saw flames dancing in her crush's eyes. "...try to get strong enough to kill... Itachi!"

"O... okay... Can I help?"

"No." Shrugging her hand off of his shoulder, Sasuke stalked off. He had a meeting to attend.

Oo--Elsewhere that night--oO

It was poker night with the Jonin of Konoha and those that weren't out on missions always attended. Special Jonin were allowed too. This has been an institution among this group of jonin for some time, we fade in on them comparing notes on what their teams have been up to in the aftermath of the chuunin trials. They were chatting it up. But the main topic of the night: Naruto Uzamaki and his new 'girlfriend'.

Anko chuckled. "I talked to her before she met up with him this morning!"
Kurenai sighed from her position leaning against Asuma. "You idiot...what did you do? You better not have suggested she wear fishnet!"

Anko paled in mock horror. "HOW DID YOU KNOW?! Anyways I asked her if she liked him." She grinned. "Then when she blushed I took it as a yes and told her how to seduce him! With fishnets! But those were only optional..."

Ibiki raised an eyebrow. "Anko you've been corrupting the children again?"

"Yes! Too bad Kin left before the tailor finished making fishnets and shin-guards in her size." She grinned. "I got her an overcoat too! Think she'll be my apprentice?"

"NO!" Came the group response.

Kakashi sighed. And once again the Copy Nin found himself again confronted with the depressing realization that Naruto was the only one of the trio who seemed to have taken his most important lesson to heart. A very important lesson for any shinobi, much more so for one who wished to earn the title of Hokage. It was no surprise, then, that he was so concerned about Kin's well-being. "Well atleast Naruto has another person who cares for him..." Kakashi said quietly.

At this some of the instructors that had come to know Naruto personally bowed their heads. It was a sad fact. Not enough people knew the real Naruto.

Gai spoke up with his normal gestures. "I find it HIGHLY youthful that Naruto-kun has been protecting this young woman! It is the EPITOME OF YOUTH to be CHIVALROUS!"

The group face-faulted with one thought in mind: Yes it is Gai but you RUINED it.

Asuma looked up from his cards. "So, Kakashi, what do Naruto's teammates think of all this?"

"I doubt Sasuke really cares one way or the other. As for Sakura..." He sighed, "...I could have sworn she was glad he'd be out of town..."

Asuma winced. "Ouch...dissension amongst the ran-" He growled as he broke off. "ANKO YOU CHEATING WHORE!" At this Kurenai elbowed him. "DON'T CALL MY FRIEND A CHEATER OR ELSE!!!"

Kakashi blinked. "So does that mean?" And as the poker game broke out into a shouting match chit chat was forgotten...

Oo--At Sasuke's 'meeting'--oO

Sasuke frowned as Danzo neared. "What did you want old man." The Uchiha spat without looking at the ROOT leader.

The 'old man' smiled with his scarred face. "I have a proposition for you Uchiha."

Sasuke smiled a cold heartless smile. "Oh really now? Humor me with elaboration..."