Thnx evry1 4 d reviews! U guys make my day! BTW, I am trying my best to make the chaps as long as possible. I had no idea 1000+ words could be so less! Anyhow, crisdslasher: thnx for the correction, n I did hav 1 of dem signing d contract in mind, nt sure if I'll go wid that idea (Mayb nt). Please review!

Chapter Five:

After completing fifteen D-ranks in four days and five exhausting training sessions in which the genins learnt tree-climbing, Team Naruto finally got a C-rank.

"You have to protect a certain merchant from bandits and below-chuunin-level shinobi." Tsunade told Naruto, "What do you think?"

"It's perfect. How long?"

"For four days. Two days getting to Iwa, and a two-day stay until the fair is finished."

"Iwa? Fair?"

"There's a fair near Iwa, in which your merchant will be participating. It'll be a popular spot for bandits and such. There's already security, but you know…"

Naruto nodded, "Two days for getting there, and…"

"You can Hiraishin back, of course." Tsunade smirked.

Naruto sighed, "Fine. What do you say, guys?"

They nodded.

"Meet up at your training ground for your team photo, and then I want to see you all tomorrow morning at the Konoha Gates."

"Right. Let's go, team." Naruto smiled.

They strolled out, and Naruto smiled fondly.

'They've really gotten closer over time. Katashi actually speaks up and argues with Fumio and Hanako. Makes me think he isn't a quiet guy, just reserved. Fumio's still a little quiet, but confident. Hanako's… well… I guess, the 'Naruto' of the group.'

They reached the training ground, where Tsunade stood with a photographer.

"Poses, please."

Katashi crossed his arms over his chest. Fumio scratched the back of his head and grinned. Hanako slung both arms around the necks of Katashi and Fumio, and Naruto made two horns on Hanako's head, grinning foxily.

There was a flash, and the moment was saved forever.

Naruto went to see Hinata first.

She was teaching at the Academy, as usual, so he had to interrupt her class.

"Excuse me, Hinata-san," He winked, "I need to talk to you."

Hinata blushed faintly, but nodded.

"Do not make noise. I'll be right back."

"Hinata-sensei, I'm pretty sure fifteen minutes are guaranteed!" A girl called back.

Hinata blushed furiously, stepping outside.

"Gomen." She said meekly, "You wanted to see me?"

Naruto nodded, "Mission."

Immediately her arms wrapped around his neck. Smiling, he put his own around her waist.

"One of my students has a younger sister." Naruto nuzzled her cheek, "He's very… careful about her. You think you can…?"

"I'd love to take care of her, Naruto-kun." She replied.

He smiled, "She had paralysis, so she's a little weak. You'll have to be gentle around her."

"Oh, poor girl."

"You're the kindest person I know, y'know that?"

"Nope. You are the kindest person you know." She replied and then reached up to kiss him, "Be careful?"

Naruto held her lips for a few seconds in a kiss, sealing the promise.

"Naruto-kun!"

At the fangirl squeal, Naruto groaned. The merchant's daughter had to be a Naruto-crazy teen (Most teenage girls were nowadays).

"Oh my Gawd, you guys are so lucky to have him as your sensei! Naruto-kun, I'm your biggest, biggest, biggest fan! I can't believe you're going to be my knight."

Team Naruto sweat-dropped.

"Um… actually, we all are protecting you." Fumio put in uneasily.

"Can you sign my kerchief please? Please, please, please?" She made puppy-dog eyes at him.

She was a fourteen to fifteen year old girl with light brown long hair knotted at the nape of her neck with sticks, and light brown eyes. She was dressed in a kimono-like black shirt on green pants. She waved out a kerchief at him.

"Onegai, Naruto-kun?" She batted her eyelashes at him.

Naruto sighed, and smiled, "Sure."

He whipped out his new signature on her kerchief: Naruto, with the N double-traced, and a swirl in the place of the O. Somewhat like: Narut

"Nice sign, sensei." Hanako said, impressed as she checked out the sign.

Naruto smiled sheepishly.

"Thank you so much, Naruto-kun!" She leapt up and kissed his cheek.

Naruto grimaced, "I would appreciate it if you don't do that again. My girlfriend doesn't really like fangirls."

"Ironic, considering she was a stalker herself." Katashi put in.

Naruto glared, "No bad-mouthing Hinata."

With a subtle cough, Tsunade got their attention.

"This is the merchant, Antonio."

"Honor to meet you." Antonio grinned.

"And his daughter, Emi."

She waved merrily, winking at Naruto, who groaned inwardly.

"Hey, sensei, you're gonna have to endure that flirting for four days, y'know." Fumio whispered.

"Kill me now." Naruto moaned.

"Nu-uh. It wouldn't do us good to have our sensei killed on our first C-rank." Hanako replied, grinning.

Katashi smirked, suppressing a chuckle. His teammates' antics seriously cracked him up sometimes. He and Fumiko laughed at them a lot when he told her about them at home..

"Shall we go then?" Naruto asked.

Tsunade nodded, "Take care."

"Always, baa-chan."

Naruto smiled at his companions, "Ready to go?"

"Of course, Naruto-kun." Emi said happily.

Team Naruto was halfway to Iwa, on their second day of travelling, when a group of low-level bandits attacked.

They had been walking calmly, chatting and talking. Only Naruto had noticed the chakra. He kept quiet about it though, but took action as soon as the first kunai hit the ground in front of them.

"Stay where ya are an' surrender the merchant!" A voice yelled.

Fumio rolled his eyes, Katashi smirked, and Hanako said, "Please."

"Team Naruto, formation B."

Naruto did the shadow clone jutsu. Three clones formed a barrier around the merchant and Emi, while he stood facing the bandits who stood in front of them, having leapt out of the bushes. Hanako stood in the center while Fumio and Katashi formed a triangle in front of Naruto.

Naruto did a quick headcount. Three bandits. Perfect.

"Yer not gunna make it with tha merchant, ya hear?" The burly man in the center called. He had strange tattoo-like marks on his face.

"Team Naruto, whip their asses!"

The three genin bounded forward, each taking a bandit.

"Shadow clone jutsu!" Fumio muttered, creating fifteen clones. All of them threw down smoke bombs.

"That ain't gonna work with me, kiddo!" The ground shook and a huge boulder erupted from the ground like a mountain, the bandit on top.

All the Fumio's, except the real ones, leapt forward at the bandit and started attacking him expertly, while the real one hid. When all the clones were close enough, he made a seal and…

BANG! The explosion was quite impressive, casting a burnt bandit down on the ground.

Fumio grinned, rushing over to tie him up.

Meanwhile, after a quick taijutsu battle, Katashi ended things.

He leapt away, making sure his opponent was cornered, and quickly formed the Tiger seal.

"Water style: Gunshot!"

Bullets quite big for his size escaped his mouth and hit the bandit, hard.

"KO!" Katashi murmured the word Fumiko would have said.

Meanwhile, Hanako was doing a spectacular taijutsu dance with her opponent, who was long-range and sucked at close combat. Hanako didn't let him get far away enough to do a jutsu, ending things quite lazily with a stab to his side with her sword.

The bandits tied up, Emi and Antonio applauded, awed, while Naruto smiled proudly at his team.

"You guys did great!" He told them.

Smiling happily, his team seemed proud of themselves too.

"I'll keep watch first today." Hanako told them.

Naruto nodded reluctantly. He had been thinking a lot about Sasuke and the war today. He was sure he would get nightmares.

"Okay. Fumio, the food was excellent as usual." Naruto complimented the young boy, who flushed.

"Arigatou." He mumbled.

"Seriously, sometimes it seems like everyone except me is a great cook."

"I can cook too, Naruto-kun." Emi winked at him.

Naruto ignored her, "Akira-ne-san's a great cook, you being a kid can cook up some great stuff, and nobody can beat Hinata-chan's food."

"Missing her already, huh?" Fumio asked.

Katashi snorted, "I bet he's wet with his thoughts about her."

Hanako, Fumio and even Katashi (after realizing what he had said) blushed furiously. Naruto just went a little pink, having heard coarser remarks.

"Shut up!" Naruto bonked him on the head, a smile playing at his lips.

He pulled out his sleeping bag and got in.

"G'Night, guys."

"'Night, Naruto-kun!"

Hanako froze when she heard a rustle. She was seriously feeling creeped out by the quiet. She instinctively reached for her sword when she heard another rustle.

She frowned, turning back when she heard a groan.

Naruto was in his bag, twitching and turning, sweat trickling down his face, grimacing.

'Is he having a nightmare?'

From what Konohamaru had told her, she would never have imagined her sensei would have such a flaw.

But as she thought that, the battles and fights Naruto had been in came to her mind.

'If anyone has a right to have nightmares, it's Sensei.' She decided.

Just then Naruto sat up with a gasp, breathing heavily.

She tried not to look as he wiped off his sweat, taking off his shirt to cool off, trying to regain his composure.

"Sensei, you all right?" She heard someone ask, and whipped around immediately.

"Katashi, what are you doing awake?" She hissed.

Naruto smiled shakily, "I'm fine, Katashi. Why are you awake?"

"Had a nightmare too." He replied, "Get them a lot when I leave Fumiko."

Naruto nodded, getting up and stretching, "I don't think I can go back to sleep now. Hanako, you want some rest?"

"Sure." She stood up, yawning, "Arigatou, sensei."

He ruffled her hair with a smile, "No problem."

She got back in her sleeping bag.

A few minutes later, Naruto called softly, "Katashi, you can come talk now. She's asleep."

Katashi looked impressed as he came out and sat next to Naruto.

"I'm… worried about…"

"Hinata-chan's taking care of her." Naruto replied, "I promise."

Naruto nodded.

After a quiet silence, Katashi spoke up.

"Sensei?"

"Hmm?"

"About what you said… about true strength?"

Naruto nodded.

"I think you were right."

Naruto smiled, "That's the one thing in which I can confidently say that I'm always right."

As Katashi started to go back to bed, Naruto spoke up.

"Katashi?"

"Yes, sensei?"

"I'll sacrifice my life to save you. You can trust me with your life."

"Arigatou, sensei." He whispered back.

Naruto just smiled.

It was in Iwa that Naruto finally found the perfect ring for Hinata. Antonio had taken them to a friend of his who was running a jewelry store in the fair.

"Naruto-sama, it's an honor to meet you!" The man, named Ken, bowed.

"Please, don't bother with the sama stuff."

"I've heard you're dating the Hyuuga heiress. Is that true?"

Naruto nodded, "Sorta ex-heiress. Hinata gave up her position, and started training Hanabi, a while ago."

"A little bird also told me you've been meaning to propose."

Naruto glared at his team.

"What!? Emi said he has the unique-most jewelry in the entire country!"

"No, I said world." Emi corrected.

"I think I have just the thing."

After seeing blinding, huge diamond rings, Naruto finally found the perfect one.

It was an empty silver ring, for now, with a yin-yang symbol on it.

"What stones do you want me to put in?" Ken asked, gesturing to the display.

Naruto pointed.

"Lavender and orange chalcedony." He smiled, "Interesting choice."

"Brighten the other one up a little, please." Naruto said, "How long?"

"Take it later today." Ken signed a receipt, "Free of cost, of course."

Despite Naruto's protesting, Ken did not take money for the beautiful, unique and absolutely perfect ring.