lostmoonchild: Thanks for the reviews! If there's material that I think will offend someone, I will put warnings at the beginning of the chapter. It's not something I usually do but due to the content in this fic it's probably a good idea. Yes, Naruto and Gaara's histories are similar but they aren't going to really be a couple. It's more of a friends with benefits thing so I don't want anybody to think there's purely going to be yaoi. Naruto will have a female lover or two and maybe a love interest. And the "test subject" thing turned out pretty good. We determined which side of my body is dominant (I laughed cause it was my left side and I'm a lefty anyway) so it was painless although it felt weird when the spot where the two halves of the ribcage meets just below the breasts got pushed on. Anyway, here's another chapter for you guys!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

Chapter Twenty

Naruto knew from the advice that his friends' parents gave him every so often that it was hard to watch as a child took their first steps towards independence. As Naruto watched his daughter as she brushed through her dark hair with such care and concentration, he wondered if those feelings weren't increased by the knowledge of the path she was about to walk on. "You know you don't have to become a kunoichi just because I'm a ninja." Naruto said lamely.

"I know, Daddy. I want to."

Was there anything that could make her change her mind about this path? Even if she had chosen a different path he knew there was no way he could let her go without basic chakra control. "Just remember," said Naruto as he knelt in front of the girl, "there's going to be a bunch of different kids. Some of them will have bloodline abilities that focus in their eyes."

"Like Hinata and Neji?"

"Exactly."

"I'm not scared of them."

Of course not. She knew they could see chakra points with their eyes but that wasn't any cause for alarm in the girl's eyes. "I know, honey. Just keep in mind that you might be exposed to some of the stuff you don't like." Naruto told her. "Let's get going or you'll be late."

Hisoka grabbed her bag and held onto Naruto's hand, feelings of excitement and nervousness twisting in her stomach. "Daddy, what if I'm not a good kunoichi?" Hisoka questioned. "What if I'm at the bottom of my class? What if I don't know half the stuff the other kids do? They've probably been around ninja stuff their whole lives and-"

"Hey, you'll do just fine. You're a smart girl so I'm certain you'll do a good job and even if you are at the bottom of your class, it'll just mean that you have to work a little harder."

"But what if I don't understand something?"

"Then you ask a teacher or one of your classmates to help you."

"What if they don't like me?"

"What's not to like? The minute people give you a chance is usually when they fall in love with you."

Hisoka eyed her father for a moment before answering, "Not everybody's going to like me."

"And that's okay. Life isn't exactly a popularity contest. It's just one hell of a lesson all in the form of an adventure."

To anybody else she was fairly certain that her father made absolutely no sense. While he had his idiotic moments, Hisoka knew that it was just his personality. "You can come in with me if it'll make you feel better." Hisoka told him.

While he couldn't deny that he was probably experiencing some parental hesitation, Naruto could see that Hisoka was anxious. "Sure," he replied softly.

Neither one spoke until they reached the Academy, seeing several other parents dropping their kids off. "I'll pick you up after school. Behave and do your best." Naruto told her, ignoring the rude whispers that came from a couple of the more stubborn villagers.

"Demons shouldn't be allowed to have children."

"They say the girl's from the Kairi family."

"Monsters!"

Hisoka glanced over at the two villagers before looking at Naruto with a slightly questioning look. "Ignore them." Naruto told her. "Just remember what I said about life not being a popularity contest."

Nodding slightly, Hisoka gave him a hug before running towards the school to catch up with a couple Hyuuga children that Hinata introduced her to. While Naruto was comforted by the fact that his daughter would know some of the kids, he couldn't help but feel anxious over the entire school thing. Watching for a couple more minutes, the blonde turned and left.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Naruto glanced at Hinata, Sakura, Shino, and Sai, wondering what exactly was so important that the five of them were needed. He knew Kakashi was on a mission of his own and would be gone for a month and Hinata was usually the one that willingly took Hisoka in the event that he was called on a mission. "You five have been requested for a bodyguard mission. It's a B-ranked one that's expected to last three weeks."

"Three weeks?" Naruto shouted. "Baa-chan!"

"Your client will be leaving later this afternoon so that will give everybody a chance to get their things put together and for you to explain what's going on after you find a babysitter, gaki."

"Okay, okay."

As they were told exactly what was going on that would require such care to be taken, Naruto found himself mentally going through everybody that he trusted to take care of Hisoka for three weeks. He refused to leave her with Ino for that long in fear of what his daughter would learn, Chouji was on a mission, and the four people that normally took Hisoka were going on this mission. Hell, even Shikamaru had taken off to Suna. That meant…

The blonde's eyes lit up upon realizing that Kiba could probably take Hisoka for a while. He knew the Inuzuka wouldn't do anything to upset Hisoka too badly other than the dogs but she was getting better with there being dogs around her. "Everybody understand?" Tsunade questioned as she carefully looked at the five shinobi in front of her.

"Yes, ma'am!"

Dismissing them, Tsunade paused a moment before telling Naruto to stay behind. "I trust you've already figured out somebody you can ask." Tsunade told the blonde.

"Kiba. Hi-chan's gonna be pissed when she realizes that I'm heading out on another mission."

"I actually wanted to talk to you about something."

"Hisoka and I are managing if that's what you want to freak out about."

It was never a surprise when Naruto got protective of the girl. "Relax. I've been going over your mission history." Tsunade told the blonde. "I think it's high time you got a promotion."

"What?"

If it weren't for the fact that he held raw talent that was proving to be incapable of being polished until it shone, she'd send him through a wall. "You heard me. I'm promoting you to Jounin." Tsunade said with a small smile. "Maybe in a few years you'll be ready to make ANBU."

Naruto stared for a moment, his eyes wide as he stared in disbelief at Tsunade. He was another step closer to his dream of being Hokage and he almost couldn't believe it. "Wow." The blonde suddenly grinned. "Maybe you'll have me skip ANBU and just go ahead and take your job!"

"Just get yourself situated!" Tsunade's features suddenly grew sober. "Naruto."

The blonde blinked a couple of times. "Yeah?"

"I'm only asking because nobody wants your daughter to be thrown around but in the event that something does happen-"

"Gaara's her godfather. I asked him when he was here and he said he would." The fact that they were friends with benefits just happened to be an entirely different story and one that she would more than likely figure out in a few years.

Tsunade nodded in understanding before telling him, "Just be sure to be safe."

"I will."

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

"Kiba!"

Kiba stopped and turned, grinning when he saw Naruto running towards him. "What's up?" Kiba questioned.

"You going on any missions?"

"No, why? You need someone to watch Hisoka?"

"Think you can stand my little bundle of energy for three weeks?"

Kiba raised an eyebrow. "How's she going to handle three weeks without you-know-who's chakra?" Kiba questioned as they started walking down the street.

One of the best things about talking and walking was that nobody thought to pay attention. If two shinobi were walking and talking then other shinobi could assume that it was something important and worth keeping an eye on. "I've been doing some thinking about that. I remember before Sasuke took off that Ero-sennin sealed some black flames into a scroll so I've been thinking that maybe I could do that with Kyuubi's chakra. Just seal some of it up for Hi-chan to use." Naruto replied.

"How much?"

"She's dropped down to siphoning three or four times a week instead of every day." Naruto replied. "Even then it's not that much. Just open up the scroll to whichever seal's first and she'll suck it right up."

Kiba nodded slightly before answering, "Sure. I'll get an extra room ready. Still waking up at night?"

"Nah. Sleeps all night."

"Excellent. Freaking out over dogs?"

"She'll pet them then decides she's done."

"Okay. Drop her off before you leave and we'll see you in three weeks."

Naruto grinned. "Thanks, I owe you!" Naruto said before running off.

Grinning down at Akamaru, Kiba laughed a little before rubbing the dog's ears. "C'mon, buddy. Let's get home."

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Naruto was silent as he waited for Hisoka, grinning when he saw the girl walking towards him. Her entire face lit up when she saw him and immediately the girl started running towards him. "What were you doing today?" Hisoka questioned immediately as they started walking.

"I got promoted to Jounin." Naruto told her.

A smile spread across Hisoka's face as she looked up at Naruto, her eyes shining with excitement. "I knew you could do it!" Hisoka cheered. "So what were you doing with Kyuubi's chakra? Were you working on a new jutsu?"

"No. Before Granny Tsunade told me that I got promoted, she told me and four others that we've been assigned a mission."

Immediately Hisoka's face fell. "So you're gonna be gone?" Hisoka questioned.

"Yeah. Sorry, Hi-Hi." Naruto hugged the girl softly. "How was your first day?"

"It was good. Iruka-sensei asked me if you taught me any of your 'stupid tricks' and said that they weren't funny when you did it so it wouldn't be funny if I do it."

Naruto cracked up laughing, his blue eyes dancing with excitement. "I'll have to tell you some of those stories when I get back." Naruto laughed. "If Iruka-sensei doesn't beat me to the punch."

"He gave an example of one way not to use ninja skills." Hisoka told him. "Something about messing up the Hokage Monument."

If it was possible for his grin to get larger, it would have. "Yeah, don't do that." Naruto said with a laugh. "You could hear Iruka-sensei yelling from across the village that day."

"Wow."

"Yeah. So you gotta do your schoolwork and when I get back, I'll teach you one of those 'stupid tricks' he was talking about although I'll tell you now that they were pretty damn good. One of them actually knocked out the Third Hokage."

Immediately the girl's face lit up again. "Really? Can you teach me that one?" Hisoka questioned.

"Hell no. You'll be able to knock out the male species and part of the female species when you're older. I'm not giving you the means to start now."

"But you did it!"

"Yeah, but that's me. In three weeks, I'll show you one of my 'stupid tricks' and you can irritate Iruka-sensei. Until then, be patient and I want you to be good for Kiba."

"I'm staying with Kiba?"

"Don't start, little miss. Kiba's the only one that's available."

The blonde sighed as they entered the apartment, watching as Hisoka immediately took off to her room to get her things ready while Naruto checked to make sure he had all his things. "When will I be old enough to stay by myself?" Hisoka called from her room.

"We'll see what happens when you're ten or eleven."

Naruto waited patiently as Hisoka came out with a bag across her back. "Okay. I'll hold you to it." Hisoka told him.

"Okay." Naruto kissed her forehead. "I love you."

"I love you too, Daddy. Come back safe, okay?"

"Promise."

Taking his daughter's hand in his own, Naruto smiled softly as they left the apartment, locking the door behind them.

lostmoonchild: Personally I think it'd make sense that Naruto's a bit anxious over his little girl starting school but I'm fairly certain that's a common parental thing. Then I started laughing upon realizing that this chapter is coming out just days before school starts here so that's kinda funny timing wise. I also thought that he needed to be promoted finally cause we all know that Naruto's got mad skills as a ninja. Anyway, read and review!