Disclaimer: I still don't know why I put these on all my chapters, it's not like I'm ever going to own Naruto but I can dream :3!
Thank you VicEveSamAlex for your review :3, I can't wait for Kakashi either haha.
AN: Yay, another chapter! I would like to take this time right now to say there is a picture of Minako now on my Deviantart page :D! There is a link to my deviant profile on my profile, :D comments are appreciated!
Btw I have read too much KakaIru in the past few days haha.
-:-
"Naruto…Why would you do that to the Hokage faces?" said a familiar voice from behind the curtain of a ramen place Minako happened to be walking passed at the time. "I mean you know who the Hokage are, don't you?"
Pausing for a moment, the daughter of the Fourth looked at the Ramen bar before she stepped passed the curtain and sat down on the other side of Naruto. Iruka raised his eyebrow in question to his friend as she sat down and ordered a beef ramen but she just shook her head and laughed at the boy who was slurping the last of his noodles.
"Of course I do," answered the boy as he drained the last of the broth. "Everybody knows they were the greatest Shinobi of their time right? The best of the best, undefeated ninja champs. And the fourth Hokage is the one who saved the village from the Nine-Tailed Fox he was the most amazing."
"They why did you-
"Because I'm going to be greater than any of them, me Naruto, the next Hokage a ninja legend and then everyone will have to stop disrespecting me and look up to me, believe it!"
Minako chuckled and looked over at the blonde boy beside her. "You are quite determined; you just might become Hokage one day."
Naruto quickly turned to look at her and frowned. "Oh hey lady, I didn't know you were here."
"Ha Ha you're funny, call me Minako, alright kid?" she replied sarcastically as she broke apart her chop sticks and began to eat.
"Hn." Naruto squinted his eyes and turned back to Iruka. "Uh… Sensei, I have a favour to ask…"
Iruka seemed taken aback by the kid's statement and asked hesitantly. "What… you want seconds?"
"No…. I was wondering if I could try on your headband, please, please, please!" begged the blonde headed boy.
"Oh these?" asked Iruka grabbing his headband and smiling. "No way, you can't wear the leaf headband until you graduate from the academy, you'll just have to wait until tomorrow."
"Fine," said Naruto crossing his arms before turning back to Minako. "What about you, Minako- sensei?"
'Sensei? What the…' thought the woman with her eye's wide and mouth full of noodles. "Nope, Iruka is right kid, you'll just have to wait, besides who knows what my hair looks like without this on, it's got to be disastrous."
"Hn, you guys are no fun!" he said looking to both of them and then to the chef. "Seconds!"
"What?" gasped Iruka staring at the boy. "Man Naruto, you're going to eat me out of all my money."
Minako finished the last of her noodles and stood up, chuckling at the school teacher. "Well, that's what you get for treating a growing boy to breakfast. See you two tomorrow; I'm coming to observe the Graduation Exam!"
"Man, she sure has changed," said Iruka to himself.
"Hmm did you say something Iruka-sensei?" asked the fox boy as he looked up at the man he admired.
"No… say, Naruto… why'd you call Minako, sensei?"
"I did? I don't know I guess it seemed kind of natural to call her that."
"Yea… she'd make a great teacher one day… er… that's if she weren't so harsh when it came to missions and training."
"What do you mean Iruka-sensei?"
"Well you see… Minako has been a Chunin since she was six and a Jonin since she was twelve. She's a well train Kunoichi and deadly, I've had her as a team leader several times for a mission and I'm three years older than, she was harsh and demanding and if you screwed up once, you were pretty much worthless in her mind and she would make you stand back and not let you do anything for the rest of the mission."
"Wow… I'd hate to be one of those people."
"Yea… but she's very respected and not because her father was the Fourth Hokage but because she's a strong ninja and a very good strategist anyone to be put on her team is lucky, and of course they are always chosen carefully so she doesn't try to kill someone," laughed Iruka scratching the back of his neck.
"Nice one sensei," said Naruto laughing along.
"Actually Naruto… that wasn't a joke… she's pretty strict."
"Dang."
-:-
"So, Minako have you decided whether you were going to stay in Konoha and join us again?" asked the Third Hokage when the blonde woman stepped into his office.
"I… don't really know a part of me wishes I never left, and then another part of me wishes I never came back… I don't know what I want any more."
"Can I tell you something, Minako?"
"I'm sure you will anyways, sir," replied Minako with a small laugh.
"From what I saw happened at the Academy today, I'd say you and Naruto are a lot alike. If both of your guy's determination didn't prove it than what happened today sure did," said the old man observing the young woman who sat in front of him. "I'm not going to beg you to stay and nor am I going to tell you what you choose is wrong or right, but I will say having you here could be good for Naruto. Even though you can't outright tell him you're his sister you can still make up for it and still treat him like one, what he needs right now is to know someone believes in him."
Minako stopped looking at the Hokage and was now staring down at the hands in her lap; she had no idea what to say or how to act. She didn't even think she could say anything.
"What he needs… is a family," finished the Hokage after a long pause causing Minako's breath to catch in her throat.
Right then Minako finally knew what she had to do, standing up Minako headed straight for the door before she left she paused and turned her head slightly to look at the Hokage from the corner of her eye. "I'll be staying in Konoha for now on, please inform the Jonin commander I am returning to my position in a weeks' time, that is, if you don't have a problem with that… Lord Hokage."
"Not at all, Minako, not at all."
'Well…. I guess this is it,' Minako thought to herself after replaying her visit to the old man in her head. "I've finally returned home."
Minako had left the ramen bar twenty minutes ago and had been wondering the streets of her home village lost in thought. 'I should have asked the old man where I was to be staying, I don't know if I can go back to my old place or not, it's not as if they'd have kept it vacant the whole time I was gone.'
"Well, well, well… look who we got here," called out a voice from up ahead of her.
"If it isn't like Minako Namikaze," said another.
"What a pleasant surprise," said the voices together.
Looking up from the ground, Minako narrowed her eyes at the two figures that were now walking towards her when she finally realized who the people were she smirked. "Hello Izumo, Kotetsu, it's been awhile hasn't it? You two still whining about the last mission we had together?"
"Quite a while, seven years to be exact," replied the one known as Kotetsu with the bandage over his nose and was now sporting a goatee.
"Damnit Minako, we thought you were dead," said Izumo going to punch her in the shoulder but she caught his fist in time.
"Sorry about that…."
After Minako let go of Izumo's both the men wrapped on of their arms around her and began walking with her down the street, Izumo had his around her waist and Kotetsu around her neck.
"Well look at you, you're no longer the flat chested mission leader we once had now are you?" said Kotetsu nudging the girl playfully.
"To put it simply you're hot. You look so different," added Izumo.
Minako laughed shaking her head and rolled her eyes. "Thanks guys, but if I look so different than how'd you know it was me?"
"You're the only girl we know who looks exactly like the Fourth Hokage but with a rack," answered Izumo tightening his grip on her waist.
Accidentally on purpose Minako stepped on Izumo's foot and smiled up at him apologetically. "Oops, my bad."
Although Izumo glared at the woman, Kotetsu laughed along with her, after all Izumo did deserve it.
"So where are you headed it's getting late," asked Kotetsu looking down at the girl.
"Uhm, I don't really know, I don't know if I still own my place or not," stated Minako coming back to the thought of having no place to stay, then she smiled sweetly at Kotetsu. "Do you think there's room in your bed for one more?"
Kotetsu and Izumo stopped abruptly causing Minako to stop as well.
"Wh-what?" stuttered both men.
"Yea because Izumo's going to need a place to sleep while I take his bed you know?" she stated as if it were the most obvious thing.
Both men let go of the girl and stood in front of her staring with their mouths open wide.
"What? Did you really think I was asking to sleep with you Kotetsu, boy you too are perverts," Minako laughed.
"You've changed…"
"A lot…"
"But in a good way of course, it's nice to see you joking around, although I kind of wish the last thing wasn't a joke, because I might have taken you up on that offer," said Kotetsu winking at Minako causing her to giggle.
"You guys are flirts, you know that right?" she said as she continued to giggle.
"You're supposed to flirt back," said Izumo smirking.
"Ah, but you see, Minako Namikaze does not flirt, I didn't when I was twelve, and I still don't."
"Well, I guess we can give up one of our beds for tonight," stated Kotetsu as they stopped outside of an apartment building.
"Or she can just sleep on the couch," grumbled Izumo obviously not wanting to give up his own bed.
Minako raised an eyebrow and laughed. "Ah, you were both kicked out by your moms and forced to move in together?"
"Hey! We're letting you stay the night; we could easily change our minds, kid."
"Yea, thanks guys it means a lot."
-:-
The next day Minako woke up early to get to the school for the graduation exams, the only reason she wanted to observe them was because of Naruto. She still felt a grudge against the energetic child and she couldn't change that in a day, but it would be nice to get over it and actually get to know the boy.
As Minako made her way through the village she ran into said boy… quite literally.
"Oh, hey Minako-sensei," said the boy as he looked up at the woman he had ran into.
"Hey Naruto… I meant to ask you yesterday, what's with the sensei at the end of my name?"
"I don't know, I guess it was just automatic, believe it," replied Naruto with a laugh as he scratched the back of his neck.
"Alright," said Minako as she began walking again, Naruto falling into step beside her. "Are you ready for the test kid?"
"I am not a kid, and after today I'm going to be a ninja, believe it!" yelled Naruto crossing his arms and glaring at the woman.
"I'm sure, but I'm twenty and you're what, twelve? You're still a kid to me," smirked Minako.
When they arrived at the Academy, Naruto entered the building first followed by the young woman. Stopping abruptly, Naruto turned and looked up at girl. "Why are you here anyways?"
"Old man Hokage asked me to watch over the graduation exam with Iruka and Mizuki-sensei." It wasn't a complete lie the Hokage did ask her if she wanted to sit in on the exam not that she had to.
After an hour and a half Minako was definitely starting to regret coming, the examination was in alphabetical order and of course Naruto had to have their mother's maiden name and start with a 'U'. They had seen about three quarters of the class already and in Minako's mind they were pretty much all average for twelve year olds, and of course the last part of the test was a standard clone jutsu, so far everyone had been okay being able to produce at least three usable clones some were great and others were alright, nothing to write home about. Of course, Minako didn't show she was impressed to any of the students, which some *cough* Sakura *cough* were quite upset about seeing as she was an elite ninja, it would be a great honor to be praised by someone of she status – but really, why would she be impressed after all she was already a Jonin at their age, and was able to produce over a dozen shadow clones never mind just illusions at the age of six.
The Uchiha kid had gone and as expected of him he passed with the top scores next to the pink haired girl and next up was Naruto.
Minako and the two instructors were sitting at a table with a bunch of hidden leaf headbands on them waiting to be given out to those who passed the test. When Naruto walked into the room, Minako instantly could tell he was nervous. On the inside Minako wanted to tell him he'll be fine and to just go for it, but no matter how much she changed in the past seven years, she wasn't about to start giving people calming pep talks now, the only pep talks she gave consisted of her insulting people and just recently yelling at them. Instead Minako just kept to her mildly bored expression and crossed her arms over her chest.
Naruto stood in front of the three older ninja glaring ahead concentrating to himself, a look of determination on his face. Closing his eyes the blonde placed his hand together forming the right hand sign and starting zoning his chakra.
"Clone Jutsu," cried out Naruto as a cloud of smoke appeared around him, but once it went away it revealed a pathetic looking clone on the ground to his right.
Minako's jaw dropped and her eye twitched. 'My brother… is pathetic… he definitely took after mom, she said she was horrible when it came to testing and all that.'
Iruka's face was twitching as well but more out of anger than shock. "You fail!"
Iruka's words caused Naruto to hit the ground.
"Hmm…"
"Iruka-sensei," called out Mizuki gaining both the teacher and the woman's attention. "He's off, but his moves weren't bad and he did hang in there and replicate, this is a third try so you really know he wants to become a ninja, we could cut him a brake and pass him."
Minako's eyes narrowed at the man's words, she didn't trust him, and there was something about him that made her think his words weren't for Naruto's sake of passing.
"Mizuki-sensei, the other students created at least three affective replications," said Iruka with a pause. "But Naruto could only create one, and look at it… it's pitiful I can't pass him."
By now Naruto looked angry his fists were shaking and he was shooting daggers at Iruka's head.
"What about you Lady Minako, what do you think?" asked Mizuki causing Iruka and Naruto to look at her.
"Need you ask my opinion Mizuki-sensei; I was already a Jonin at his age and was able to create over twelve dozen shadow clones never mind these illusions. You should know that," she replied looking at Mizuki before turning to look at Naruto. "If Naruto wants to become a ninja he'll just have to keep trying, true ninja's never give up."
After all the tests were said and done, the students gathered outside of the Academy with their parents, Iruka and the teacher. Only one student had failed this year and that had been Naruto, who was now sitting on the swing under the tree staring at the crowd of people. Quietly, Minako excused herself from the Hokage and walked over to the boy who was sitting on the swing, he didn't seem to notice her when she approached.
"You know, Iruka cares about you that is why he's so hard on you, he wants you to be prepared for what's to come. A shinobi's life isn't easy and it's dangerous. Iruka's just worried about you and doesn't want to send you off until he thinks you're completely ready," said Minako letting her presence be known to the boy. "And let's face it, your clone jutsu pretty much sucks."
"Thanks," mumbled Naruto sarcastically. "I really wanted to pass this time, I tried so hard and I trained and study every day."
"As much as we want to try kid, we can't do it alone, being a shinobi is all about teamwork, and that was my biggest challenge as well, we don't fight to protect ourselves we fight to protect those we care about.
"You know lady, I just met you yesterday and you've said more to me than most people in this village and even my classmates."
"Well, they're missing out," stated Minako giving Naruto a small smile. "I'll see you around kid, alright? Oh and promise me one thing, don't trust anything that Mizuki-sensei says."
As Minako walked away, she didn't notice Mizuki had shown up and taken Naruto somewhere else.
-:-
Later that night there was a commotion in the village as Minako made her way home, she had confirmed earlier that she still owned her old apartment and she already thanked Izumo and Kotetsu for letting her stay at their place the night before.
There was a commotion outside the Hokage's place as Minako was walking by; being curious she stopped just as the Hokage sent the dozen chunin away.
"Alright, bring Naruto here at once."
"Uhm… Old man what's going on?" asked Minako as she stood beside the Hokage.
"It's Naruto; he stole the scroll of sealing."
Minako's eyes widen as she stared at the old man. "The scroll of sealing, how would he even know about that?"
"My thoughts exactly, let's go back to my office and figure out what's going on."
AN: :D Woah! Another chapter, I hope you guys enjoyed it, and oh dear no Kakashi AGAIN haha. Well I promise you all he will be in the next chapter.
Thank you for reading and please review! Like seriously people, I've had several alerts and favourite story's but one review…. That person is now my favourite :3!