Well, here it is. I must say, I got an impressive amount of messages about who Naruto should be paired with. Well, the results are in. Naruto will have a new sensei and new teammates. His instrument has been picked as well. The music part of the story is cheesy, I know, but I'm going to be mixing a lot of things together.
"I wonder where senpai is?" asked Hinata as she picked at her ramen, not hungry. She, Shikamaru, Choji and Teuchi were still waiting at the stand, even though Naruto and Ayame were an hour late.
Strangely enough, the group had been joined by a fourth student, Shino. The glasses clad ninja had been traveling to his clan's compound after graduation when he spotted his three classmates in a ramen shop. Curious, he went inside and was greeted enthusiastically by the trio and was invited to have a bowl.
'Why' was the question going through Shino's mind as he watched the three friends talk about their day. His family were considered outsiders by a majority of the village because of the their silence and unusual jutsu techniques. Nobody had bothered to spend time with him except his own family members. He overheard one the girls in his class that he was cold, silent and creepy. Even though he didn't show it, he felt his kikaichu insects buzz inside him in irritation.
That's the reason Shino was quiet and cold. His emotions were tied to his insects. Whenever he felt happy or anger, his insects would get excited and hurry through his body. It wasn't uncomfortable, but their buzzing could get real annoying real quick. During battle it didn't bother him since he was focused on fighting.
But today, a classmate reached out to him and wished him congratulations. Throughout all of his time at the academy, this was the first time anybody gave him a kind gesture. Shino was confused why this boy was addressing him when he was considered an outsider as well. The blonde pulled pranks, made jokes and was basically only an average shinobi. And yet, Shino felt he needed to study the boy more.
Because for the first time, Shino felt like he could actually have a friend.
"Is he usually this late?" Shino asked.
"When it comes to ramen, Naruto is never late," Choji said. His face was etched in worry. He hadn't even touched his food.
"And what's more, Ayame is late as well," Shikamaru mumbled from his arm-pillow on the counter. It looked like he was just being lazy, but everyone could tell his body was just as tense as everyone else.
"Could she just be late getting the ice cream?" Shino asked.
"She would have to have bought it from the other side of the village," said Teuchi. The nervousness was clearly etched on his face.
The group just sat in silence for a few more minutes. Teuchi cleaned the countertop for the twelfth time. Hinata stirred her ramen with her chopsticks, Choji's foot was tapping against his stool as he stared at his bowl, Shikamaru just slept, and Shino watched the group.
Shino, just by spending a few minutes with, could tell everyone cared about Naruto. He realized that Naruto was not an outcast at all. He had friends like everyone else. It was only a handful, but it was enough.
Seeing the emotion build up, Shino decided to do something.
"Let's go look for them," he suggested.
Everyone in the stand turned to him, their faces written in surprise.
"That's a good idea, but what if they come back while we're looking for them?" asked Choji.
"Leave that to me. It's the most logical choice I should help you with your search."
"How," asked Teuchi.
Shino just stood from his stool and walked outside. He raised his arms from his sides and held them aloft. After a quick moment, a cloud of insects had emerged from both sleeves of his jacket and from around his collar. Everyone walking in the streets just stared with disgust and mortification, while his classmates smiled. They knew what he planned to due and were not at all sickened by his jutsu.
After a moment, the insects swirled in the air before dispersing and flying out over the village.
Teuchi, who watched with fascination, asked, "what did you just do?"
"My insects can recognize every chakra signature from my classmates. It's one of the first techniques I taught to them. If they find Naruto's signature, they'll inform me immediately."
"What about Ayame?" asked Teuchi.
"My observations are not misinformed. Naruto shares a special bond with your daughter, am I correct?"
Teuchi smiled while Naruto's friends smirked.
"With the time he spends with you and Ayame, his scent is probably on the two of you. My insects are not trained as much as a ninken in tracking, but they can recognized scents as well. They'll inform me if they find anything," explained Shino.
"Shino, you're a genius," Hinata said as she sent Shino a warm smile.
Shino was glad his insects were no longer in his body because he felt himself warm slightly at her words.
Naruto sat on the ground, his back leaning against the cabin. When he got done reading the scroll, he just rolled it back up and placed it on the ground beside him. Then, just stared off into the forest, almost forgetting about Ayame.
The truth had finally come out. He was the son of the 4th Hokage, an child made into a sacrifice the moment he was born. The reason he was an outcast and a monster had finally been revealed to him.
Naruto didn't know what to think about himself. Never in his life did ever think he was demon. He didn't have any urges to kill or destroy like what he heard about in the stories thirteen years ago. He felt just like....well....a kid. He got up every morning, went to school, trained, spent time with his friends. That's what a kid did, not a monster.
However, he did know one thing. That his father was the Fourth Hokage and he gave Naruto the burden of harvesting a demon. The Fourth knew his son would be blamed for the demon's attack, despite his final wish for his son to be a hero. What kind of a father would sacrifice the life of his son? A father is supposed to protect his son, to shield him from danger and pain.
His father...no...Namikazee did the exact opposite. For that, Naruto would never acknowledge that man as his father.
A light crack in the woods made him left his head up. It was too obvious to be natural. Naruto realized it must have been Ayame's captor. He pulled himself off the ground, pulled a kunai out of his holster, and got ready. Regardless of the shock he had earlier, he had to be on guard to protect Ayame.
A figure had leapt through the shadows and landed ten meters in front of Naruto. He could see that the figure was garbed in the basic chunin garb with two large shuriken strapped to his back. His headband was wrapped around his hair, but his face was still obscure by the shadows.
That is, until the figure rose up and the moonlight lite his face.
Naruto nearly dropped his kunai in shock. "Mizuki-sensei?"
Mizuki smirked. "I see you actually followed instructions for once, Naruto."
Naruto got back on guard. "Where's Ayame?"
"Oh, she's fine. Just tied up in the woods behind me. You keep your end of the bargain and she'll be back to you and her father."
"How can I trust your word?" asked Naruto. He wanted to believe Mizuki, but the man just betrayed his village.
"My word is a whole lot better than yours, demon," spat Mizuki.
Naruto froze. Hearing that term now seemed to have a bigger impact that it did earlier. Once again, Naruto's doubt began to cloud his judgement.
Mizuki saw this and smiled. "What? That term bothers you? I thought you would be used to it by now?"
"What do you mean?" asked Naruto.
"You mean you don't know? Thirteen years ago, the day you were born, the fourth Hokage sealed the Nine-tailed Fox demon inside you. The demon was too powerful to be killed. You're the Kyubi reborn! You killed all those people, including your beloved brother's parents!"
That mark hit home. With Naruto's confusion, he began to wonder more if he was the Kyubi or not. And Iruka did tell Naruto he lost his parent's in the Kyubi attack. Did that make him a murderer if he was the monster?
"No...that can't be....I'm not a murderer....I'm not a demon!!" yelled Naruto.
"Yes!" laughed Mizuki. "You're the monster that almost destroyed our village."
"No!" yelled Naruto. "You're wrong! I'm not the demon! I'm its container! The Fourth sealed it in me to keep the village safe!"
Mizuki'e eyes widened in surprise. "You...You knew? You knew the Kyubi was sealed inside you?"
"I know the truth. And you've just screwed with the wrong ninja!" Naruto chucked his kunai towards Mizuki's neck. Mizuki snapped out of his shock and deflected the kunai with his own. He then gazed at Naruto with rage.
"You made the worst mistake of you life," said Mizuki as he unstrapped on the shuriken. He began to sping around his hand and chucked at Naruto. "Now burn in hell, monster!"
Naruto knew the shuriken was traveling to fast him to dodge. Believing this was the end, he closed his and waited for the pain. He heard the thunk of the shuriken striking its target and a grunt of pain, but he didn't feel any pain.
He opened his eyes to see Iruka standing in front of him with his arms stretched out, shielding him. He could hear his labored breathing and see the shuriken protruding from his back..
"Nii-san!" cried Naruto. He couldn't believe it. After everything he done in the past hour, his teacher stepped in front of certain death to save him.
Iruka, through his pain, smiled at Naruto. "Hey, Naruto," he whispered.
"Why did you save me? I..I killed your parents," said Naruto, beginning to tear up. "I'm nothing but a mosnter."
Iruka began to cry as well. "No. You didn't kill them, anaki. The Kyubi did. You could never hurt anyone unless you had to. A demon doesn't have a heart of gold like you do."
There was a moment of silence before Mizuki began chuckling. "My, my. It seems the monster actually has someone that cares for him. An orphan for an orphan. If it wasn't so revolting, it would be cute."
Iruka slowly turned around to shield Naruto. Every step he took, he groaned with pain. "You're not going to touch him or the scroll, Mizuki. You'll have to go through me to do that."
"With pleasure," Mizuki smiled darkly. He began to walk to the duo.
"Naruto. Take the scroll and get out of here. Get back to the Tower and warn the Hokage what's going on," said Iruka.
"What?" Naruto exclaimed. "I just can't leave you-"
"That's an order, genin!" Iruka barked. "Now go!"
Naruto hesitated for a second, then turned around, grabbed the scroll, and leapt to the treetops. Iruka watched him go, then turned back to Mizuki.
"Now, where were we?"
"I found him," Shino said suddenly. The others snapped out of their dazes and turned to him. They had been waiting for around half an hour for news.
"Where?" Hinata asked.
"The queen inside me heard from one of the soldiers found Naruto's chakra trail. It's in the northwest part of the village, about three kilometers."
"That's Naruto's training grounds," said Shikamaru.
"What's he doing there?" asked Teuchi.
"I don't know, but I'm going after him," stated Choji and took off in that direction. Hinata and Shikamaru followed closely behind him. Shino turned to the ramen cook.
"I'm sorry but my insects have not found you daughter yet."
"I'm sure she's ok. Just follow your friends and help Naruto out."
Friends? The word was so foreign to Shino that it took him by surprise. Never once did he hear that word referred to him and a group of people. Were those really his friends? He didn't know, but a great feeling was warming his heart at the thought of having friends.
Shino nodded and leapt after his friends.
Naruto ran through the treetops and branches with the scroll strapped to his back. Tears blurred his sight and his lungs were about to burst. And his conscience was screaming at him to turn back and help Iruka.
He hopped to the forest ground and sat down against a tree, trying to catch his breath. He had never run so hard in his life, even in training. That jutsu he did earlier must have affected him worse than he thought.
Taking a guess, he figured he was only a kilometer outside of the village walls. Once he arrived, he would head straight to Jiji and tell him what was going on.
But he didn't get up from the ground. He kept staring back over his shoulder, looking towards the area where he left Iruka and Mizuki to their battle. Guilt was gnawing away at his mind. He should have stayed behind and helped fight, rankings be damned. Iruka was injured and in no condition to fight.
Naruto heard a twig snap, causing him to freeze. There was a few minutes of silence before Mizkuki's voice rang out through the woods.
"Naruto! I have you girlfriend and brother! Bring out the scroll and I'll let them go!"
Panic began to fill his chest as he got the scroll from his pack and gripped it tightly to his chest.
"You've got one minute! If I don't bring me the scroll, they're dead!"
Naruto's fear increased. Mizuki was serious. If Naruto didn't do something, the two people he cared about most in the world was going to die. He had to think of something.
But to save what he could, there was only one option. Give up the scroll. Naruto was being torn between his care for his loved ones and his duty as a shinobi. Could he live with himself he gave up the village's most treasured secrets just to save them?
Your Will of Fire....
Naruto froze as the Hokage's words ran through his mind.
To protect that which you love most......you give your life....
The Third was right. If he couldn't protect what he loved the most, how could he be a shinobi.
"Your time's almost up, demon! Are you willing to sacrifice them?!"
"NEVER!!" Naruto shouted and he jumped around the tree. He dashed towards the direction Mizuki's voice. A few jumps and he spotted them.
Mizuki was standing on the branch of a tree, nearly four stories off the ground. He had a sick look on his face as he held his hostages to his sides. Iruka was unconscious and had several cuts and bruises on his face. The shuriken was removed from his back, but he was still bleeding pretty bad. Ayame was bound and gagged, but was unharmed. Her eyes were wide with fear and streaked with tears as she gazed at Naruto.
Mizuki smiled. "So the monster came back to help. How sweet. Now, give me the scroll and I'll let your friends go."
Naruto gripped the scroll. "How about a different trade? You release them and use me as a hostage instead?"
"You think I'm stupid?" Mizuki snapped. "Why should I use you as hostage when I can have the scroll now?!"
"Because if any harm comes to them, I'll pay it back a thousand."
Mizuki laughed. "You fool. What can a little fox like you do?" He then pushed Ayame and Iruka a little farther from himself. "You know what? I've changed my mind. I'll let you choose which one to save and then just kill you afterwards. Who's it going to be? Your girlfriend or your brother? Now choose!"
Mizuki pushed Iruka and Ayame off the branch and to the ground. With they way they were falling, they would land straight onto their heads. Iruka would have landed on his feet because of his skills, but he was still knocked out. Ayame had no ninja training so she was likely to die as well.
Believe it or not, this was what Naruto was hoping for. Naruto charged forward as soon as Mizuki let go of them and ran straight for the tree. Before he got the base, he put his hands together in a cross symbol.
"Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Numerous pops of smoke surrounded the area around him and immediately formed into exact copies of himself. A thousand to be exact. At once, they separated into two groups and formed a cushion to catch the falling Iruka and Ayame.
Mizuki was shocked at the number of clones Naruto managed to create. Not only did he create numerous amounts of shadow clones, they formalized immediately and caught his hostages. He didn't even noticed the original still running up the tree.
Naruto trusted his clones to catch them and went straight for Mizuki. The chunin didn't even know Naruto was there until his fist sank into his gut, lifting him off the branch. While Mizuki was in the air, Naruto twisted in mid-air and slammed his heel into Mizuki's back with a spinning heel kick. The force shot him straight into the ground, the impact causing a small crater.
Naruto landed on the branch and watched Mizuki struggle from the ground. He got to his feet he gazed at shock and fear at the shadow clones who were glaring at him from all directions.
"I told you I was going to pay you back in full, sensei," Naruto smirked.
"Wait! Maybe we can work something out," yelled Mizuki.
"Sorry. I don't take refunds. Get him!"
Mizuki's screams reverberated throughout the trees as Naruto's clones beat the living crap out of him. In minutes, the clones disappeared from the area and Mizuki was unconscious, bruised and smoking.(I don't know how the smoking thing works really)
Naruto jumped down from the tree and went to Ayame, who had been freed by Naruto's clones. She ran up to him and immediately glomped on him. He returned with it with enthusiasm. After enjoying the moment, he pulled away and cupped her face with his hands.
"Are you ok? He didn't hurt you, did he?"
Ayame shook her head smiled, a few, fresh tear leaking from her eyes. "No, he didn't." She then grabbed him into another hug. "I knew you would come for me."
Naruto chuckled. "Of course. You're my girl."
"And you're my knight in shining armor," she replied.
Naruto rose an eyebrow. I'm a what?
A grunt of pain broke his eye contact and towards the sound. Iruka, who was laying peacefully on the ground, was stirring awake. The two broke apart and walked towards the injured teacher, who was beginning to open his eyes.
"Are you ok, niisan?" Naruto asked as he knelt down beside Iruka.
"Considering there is a giant hole in my back, I'm doing just fine," Iruka grinned. "I'm proud of you, little brother. You've proven yourself to be a splendid ninja, even after what you did to Lord Hokage."
Naruto cringed and rubbed his neck. "You knew what happened?"
"Yes, and while an ingenious jutsu, it may end up straight into that scroll you stole."
"Really?"
"Naruto!" a voice called out. A moment later, Shikamaru, Choji, Hinata and Shino leapt out the trees and into the clearing. Hinata rushed forward immediately began looking at Iruka's injuries.
"What happened to you?" asked Shikamaru. He gazed drifted around the forest, ending with Mizuki on the ground.
"Ayame was kidnaped by Mizuki and held for ransom for the Forebidden Scroll in the Hokage tower," Naruto explained while Ayame lowered her head in shame. Naruto grabbed her hand and smiled, assuring her it was not her fault.
"Mizkuki was a traitor?" asked Choji as he poked the chunin's body with a stick. "What a jackass."
"Senpai, we need to get Iruka to the hospital," Hinata suddenly said. She was holding Iruka's back while he tried to sit up. "His wounds are not life-threatening but I'm not positive he's out of danger."
"I'll have my insects contact my family and warn the hospital, Teuchi-san and Hokage what has transpired here," Shino told everyone.
"Thank you, Shino," Naruto said. He put his hands in cross symbol once again. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Four clones poofed into existence, causing his friends to widen their eyes in shock.
"I'll explain everything when we get back to the tower," Naruto stated. He looked at his clones. "You two, help Iruka to the hospital and please be careful," he said to the clones on the left. "You two, tie up Mizkuki and take him to the Tower and ANBU," he told the clones on the right.
"Sir!" the clones saluted and got to work. Naruto turned to his friends.
"Let's get going," he told them. They nodded and took off into the woods, the clones, Iruka and Mizuki right behind them. He turned his back to Ayame and lowered himself slightly. "My lady."
Ayame smiled and hopped onto Naruto's back. Then he leapt into the trees after his friends.
The group dropped Iruka off at the hospital while Naruto's clones took Mizuki to ANBU headquarters. At the hospital, after Iruka got admitted, Naruto was able to meet Shino's father, Shibi. He was there to meet the group that Shino was spending his time with.
"I'm proud of Shino to see that he used his kikai insects to track his comrades down. He's proven himself to be a great wielder of his hive."
"I think after tonight, Shino has become a comrade and a great friend, Shibi-san," Naruto admitted. "I was really grateful for his help tonight." Everyone around him nodded in agreement.
"I'm now even more proud to see that he has friends," said Shibi. He then turned to his son. "Come, Shino. We need to get back to the compound."
"Yes, father," said Shino and began to walk away.
"Hey, Shino, would you like to come with us at the stand tomorrow and continue our graduation celebration that we had to postpone?"
Shino looked at his father, who gave him a nod. "I would be honored, Naruto-san."
"Good. See you at noon then," Naruto said and stuck his hand out. Shino gazed at it for a moment, then grasped it and shook. Naruto and Shino both smiled as they let go. Then the Aburames left.
"Senpai, we should get home as well," Hinata told him. "You can tell us the story tomorrow."
"Yeah, she's right. If I don't get home soon, my mom will smack me upside the head again," Shikamaru groaned.
"I need to get home as well. I'm starving," Choji complained.
Naruto chuckled. "Ok then, we'll meet at the stand tomorrow for lunch."
Everyone said their good-byes while Naruto and Ayame went to Hokage tower. This time of night, the streets were empty. Naruto once again carried Ayame to the Tower. The two were silent throughout the trip, but it was enough. Naruto could feel Ayame's cheek resting against his back. To be honest, he really enjoyed how close she was to him. The warmth he felt from her was amazing.
Naruto jumped to the Hokage's balcony and knocked on the window. Sarutobi saw the couple sticking to the walls and got up from his chair to open the glass.
"Naruto, Ayame. It's really great to see you both alive," the Hokage smiled.
"Ayame!" Teuchi, who was sitting in the chair at the Hokage's desk, got up and hurried to his daughter. She jumped of Naruto's back and jumped in his arms.
"Dad! I thought I wouldn't see you again," Ayame cried.
Naruto could see the tears falling from both their faces and his heart warmed at their reunion. He unstrapped the scroll from his back and laid it on the Hokage's desk. But before he could say anything, he felt himself being turned around and embraced by Teuchi.
"Thank you, Naruto. When the Hokage informed me what happened, I thought I had lost her, just like her mother. Thank you for bringing her back to me," sobbed Teuchi.
Naruto just chuckled and rubbed Teuchi's back. "It was nothing, Pops. I would do anything to protect her."
The Hokage and Teuchi smiled while Ayame blushed a cherry-red, but with a grin.
"I'm proud of you, Naruto," started the Third. "You've shown the courage and ability of a true ninja this evening. And not only that, I heard from Iruka that you mastered an A-rank jutsu from the scroll within a matter of minutes. That is truly extraordinary."
Naruto smiled, but then frowned. Memories of what happened afterwards flooded through his mind.
"Is something wrong?" asked the Hokage.
"Yes, sir. There is the fact that my father is the Fourth Hokage and the burden he left me with."
The Ichiraku's eyes widened in shock. Then they realized the truth when they saw the resemblance between the two. It was uncanny.
"Naruto, you have to understand-" started the Third.
"I understand why you kept it a secret, Lord Hokage," Naruto interupted. The Third winced at his force. "The Fourth kept it a secret because of the enemies he made and if any of them discovered who I was, they would stop at nothing see his heritage dead. Even if it meant starting a war."
"I'm glad to see you understand," said the Third.
"No. What I don't understand is what he did the day I was born?"
"So you know of your prisoner?" asked the Hokage with a crestfallen gaze.
"And why the people hate me. I am jinchuriku for the Kyubi no Kitsune. The demon is sealed within my body and everyone in this village believes I'm it reincarnated."
Before the Hokage could reassure him, Teuchi stepped forward and put his hand on Naruto's shoulder.
"You are NOT the Kyubi, Naruto. I've known of the burden you carried since the moment you walked into my shop nearly six years ago. And when I saw you, I saw a boy, not a monster."
Ayame stepped up next her father with a look of sadness on her face. "Everyone is blind to see who you really are, Naru-kun. A man and a strong ninja."
"You're not at all bothered by this?" Naruto asked, his voice breaking.
The Ichiraku's didn't answer, but pulled the boy into a group hug. Naruto could feel the kindness and warmth they gave and it felt like he was a family member already. That was a good enough answer. And for the first time in a long while, Naruto felt his eyes getting moist.
It was a few minutes before the broke up and turned back to the Hokage, who had a smiled on his face. Naruto had actually found a chosen few to actually care about him.
Then he turned back to business. "Naruto, when you became a genin, you automatically became an adult in this village. This means you can have access to your father's family vault, library and estates. You can take up his name and become a clan head of the village, even at your age."
"No," Naruto said simply "I don't want any of that.".
This caused the Hokage's mouth to fall open. He gaped like a fish for a few moments before he found his voice. "No? You don't want....Why not?"
"Because that bastard stopped being my father the moment he sealed the Kyubi within my body. He gave his own son as a sacrifice in hopes that I could harness it's power. The Fourth turned me into a weapon for the village." He felt his hand being grasped by Ayame and squeezed gently in assurance. He smiled. "If I'm going to be Hokage, I'm going to create my own name in the world through my own sweat and blood, not have it jump started because of who my family is."
The Hokage stared at the blond for a few minutes of silence and sighed. "If that is your wish, than I can respect that. However, I will have to inform the council of what has transpired tonight and that includes your heritage."
"Can you ask them to keep it a secret?" asked Naruto. "I don't want the whole village to know about this."
"I can try Naruto. We'll talk about this more in a couple of days. Right now, I think Ayame and Teuchi could use some rest after what happened."
Naruto looked at the clock, which read almost midnight. He turned to the Ichiraku's and saw them beginning to get tired. "I think you're right. I'll come after lunch tomorrow, if that's okay with you Jiji."
"That will be fine. Now you three go get some sleep," said the Third. The trio turned to the door and were outside in the hallway when Sarutobi called out again. "Oh, Naruto. One more second please."
"I'll meet you outside," Naruto told them. He then walked back into the room and shut the door. "Yes?"
The Third pulled a stack of ryo notes from his desk and placed them on the table. "By defeating Mizuki, I've think you've earned a little bonus."
Naruto gazed at the money with wonder. "You serious, Jiji?"
"I'm sure," the Hokage grinned. "It's the standard reward for defeating a traitor. Take it."
Naruto only hesitated for a second before picking up the money and pocketing it. "Thanks."
"See you later, Naruto."
The three walked down the abandoned street on their way to the Ichiraku's house. It was a nice night for a walk, Teuchi noticed, as he watched the two kids in front of him. Even in the light, he could see that they were holding hands. Teuchi smiled at the teens that were finally getting together.
When they arrived at the house, Naruto pulled away. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."
"Good-bye, Naruto," Teuchi waved to the boy, but immediately noticed that Ayame didn't say anything. He looked at her to see a look of fear cross her face as she watched him leave. In fact, she began to tremble a little bit.
Then Teuchi realized she was scared. Scared of him leaving her.
"Wait, Naruto," Teuchi called out. The boy stopped and hurried back to them. "Why don't you stay with us tonight?"
"Really?" asked Naruto with a surprised look. He didn't, however, notice the look of relief on Ayame's face.
"Yeah. We need a strong ninja to protect us. And after tonight, I don't want to leave Ayame unprotected."
Naruto looked confused for a moment before shrugging. "Sure, no problem, Pops."
"Thanks, son," Teuchi said and unlocked the door. He lead the way to the kitchen and turned on the light, illuminating the small apartment that was his. Naruto had only been over a few times, but always enjoyed his visits because of its homely feel. The living room had the basic necessities: a couch, TV, recliner, coffee table while the kitchen was stocked a refrigerator, sink, and cooking stove. Next to the front door was a small staircase that led to the rooms upstairs.
Ayame went straight up the stairs and to her room while Naruto followed Teuchi into the kitchen. Teuchi pulled a bottle of sake from the fridge, pulled the top off and took a hearty swig.
"You shouldn't drink, Pops. It's bad for your liver."
Teuchi chuckled. "After what happened tonight, how could I not. I almost lost the one thing that matters most to me in this world."
"Ayame's fine," Naruto stated. "Nothing bad is going to happen to her as long as me and you are watching out for her."
"That's why I asked you to stay over tonight," Teuchi muttered. "She's terrified. This was the worst thing to happen to her and you saved her from certain death. Don't be surprised if she's going to start being clingy to you."
Naruto blushed slightly and muttered something about not minding, which Teuchi heard and snickered.
"Your head over heels for her, aren't you?" asked Teuchi.
"I am," Naruto admitted. "But we can never be."
"Why not?"
"Because I'm a shinobi and a long life is never guaranteed. I could be alive today and dead next week on some mission. I can't leave Ayame like that."
There was a moment of silence before Teuchi sighed. "Naruto, I rather Ayame be with you than any other guy in the world. I don't care if the son of the daimyo came and asked for my daughter, I wouldn't give her to him."
"But why me?" asked the blond.
"Because, as Ayame said, you have become more of an adult and a man than anyone's she's ever seen. And you have proven to me over the years that you are filled with the right guts to be always be at her side and keep her safe. That's why."
Naruto gazed at wonder at the man who in no was related to him, was telling him that he was the perfect guy for Ayame. He always thought a father is never supposed to like the guy his daughter was dating. The two actually used to team up and scare Ayame's other boyfriends when they had the chance.
Teuchi put the bottle back into the fridge and snapped Naruto out of his daze. "Now, I want you to march up those steps and get ready for bed. You can use the room on the left."
Naruto, who visited only a few times, never stayed over and never went upstairs. He made his way up the steps and was almost at the top when Teuci called him.
"Hey Naruto? Why didn't you accept your father's heritage? Even if you don't like him, you could have been a clan head and lived at the Namikazee estates. You've could have been rich instead of hanging out with us."
"Because the Fourth was my father only in blood, not by love. And besides, I already have a father."
"Really? Who? The Third?"
"No. You, Pops," Naruto smiled. A look of shock was on Teuchi's face before he returned the smile.
"Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed," Naruto stated as he climbed up the steps to the second floor. "Goodnight, dad."
"Goodnight, son," Teuchi called back. He then filled up a glass of water and walked into the living room and sat down in his recliner, hoping to enjoy some peace before going to bed.
Then, two surprised shouts came from upstairs. Teuchi just closed his eyes and smirked.
"Sorry!" Naruto said as he turned around and faced the wall across the hallway
"Naruto, it's okay. You just scared me," Ayame said breathlessly, holding her hand to her heart. "What are you doing in my room?"
"Your roo...Pops said I could sleep in here. Why didn't he tell me this was your room?"
"I guess he thought it would be funny," Ayame chuckled. "Well, aren't you going to come in? Wait, are you blushing?"
Yes he was. When he walked through the door and saw Ayame, he though she was naked at first due to the skin he saw. But in the glimpse, he saw that she was wearing a pair of short sleeping shorts and a cream-colored shirt that matched her skin.
Naruto never saw Ayame much out of the clothes she cooked and when she did dress differently, it was always a pair of jeans and a long-sleeve shirt. He had never seen her in shorts and right now, he couldn't get the image of her smooth legs out of his mind.
He could hear her walking across the room towards him. "Well if you want, you can stay with me. After tonight, I could use a teddy bear to hug. Whatya say, Naru-kun?" He felt her arms wrap around his neck and her check against his. Right now, he was sure he was glowing red now.
"W-welllll, o-okay," Naruto tried to say, his tongue getting stuck in his mouth a couple of times. He felt Ayame let go and heard her walk back to her bed. Naruto slowly turned around to see her pulling the covers over her. She looked up and saw him looking a little fearful. Ayame just smiled and patted the side of her bed.
Naruto swallowed and slid in beside her after taking off his jacket. He could feel his heart pounding as he laid beside Ayame, the two just staring at each other for the longest time. Brown eyes lost in blue.
Then Ayame shifted a little closer. "Naruto...thank you...for everything. I had no doubt you were going to save me, but I had never been so scared in my life."
Naruto smiled. "Aya-chan, as I said a long time ago, Kami couldn't keep me away from you. You are one of the few people who mean more to me than life itself and I would gladly give my life to save yours."
"I hope you never have to, Naru-kun," Ayame said sadly. "Cause if you go, I'll probably come right after you."
Naruto's eyes widened. "Ayame, why would you-"
Ayame silenced him by leaning in and kissed him. Naruto's eyes, if possible, widened even more. He felt his heartbeat speed up and his brain shut down. He couldn't seem to process that the girl of his dreams was actually kissing him.
The two stay connected for nearly half a minute before Ayame pulled away and snuggled into Naruto's neck. "Because I love you," she mumbled. She then sighed and was asleep in minutes.
Naruto, however, was wide awake. His heart was beginning to calm down but his mind was racing. Ayame loved him? Not in a family sense, but actually love? All of his life, he dreamed of this moment even when he believed it would never happen. At yet, here it was.
A faint smile crossed his face as he nestled his head in her hair. The only thought running through his head as he drifted off he hoped this wasn't a dream.
After about an hour, Teuchi went upstairs to check on the kids. He smiled when he saw the couple on the bed, both of them relaxed and happy.
The next day, seven people were chatting happily in a ramen stand. Teuchi and Ayame were cooking lunch while five genins were eating happily. The main concern on their mind was how their 'tips' jar was suddenly filled with several ryo bills. Shino was observing his knew friends while they talked, Hinata giggled every ten seconds, Shikmaru shook his head and muttered, and Choji and Naruto were once again trying top each other in eating the most ramen. In between bites, Naruto told the story of his adventure yesterday.
"Nice picture, Naruto," said the Hokage. "I like the new clothes."
Naruto smiled. He was now wearing a new outfit, courtesy of his friends. Actually, he looked like a cross between their outfits. He was wearing of black, cargo shorts like Choji's, a long-sleeved mesh shirt, like Shikamaru's, and a dark, gray jacket similar to Hinata's with the sleeves cutoff, but still had the hood and no fur. He still had the weapons and orange wristbands. His goggles were around his neck instead of his head, where his leaf headband was tied.
It was a few days later, after the scroll incident. Iruka had been released from the hospital and spent his free time with Naruto and his friends. He was completely amazed at his little brother's win over his former colleague and his new Shadow Clone technique.
Sarutobi sighed and rubbed his forehead.
"Something wrong, jiji?" asked Naruto.
"I'm afraid I have some bad news. I was able to keep your heritage a secret from the council but it seems that my old teammates have found out."
Naruto frowned. "How?"
"I'm not sure. That secret was limited to only the four people in this room the other night and I know the Ichirakus never told a soul. The only thing that remains is that someone else was listening in that night. Whoever they are, they concealed themselves well for me not to notice."
Naruto nodded and rubbed the back of his neck. "So what do we do?"
"Nothing right now," Sarutobi admitted. "My advisors may be prude, but they'll keep it a secret from the council and keep it within the village. Just be on your guard, Naruto. They may try to persuade you to take your fat....I mean, the Fourth's name. They can be persistent about these things."
"I'll be careful, sir," Naruto assured.
Sarutobi then pulled open the drawer of his desk and grabbed a scroll, which he handed to Naruto. "That scroll contains all the information about the sealing process. I know it's a touchy subject, Naruto, but all the information about the Fuin Jutsu is in that scroll. It's yours if you want."
Naruto frowned again, but pocketed the scroll anyway. "Thanks."
"On guard, old man!" a voice called. The door quickly slid open and child jumped through, only to trip over the extremely long scarf he was wearing and fall flat on his face. Nartuo recognized him as Konohamaru, the Hokage's grandson. Naruto had heard the old man talk about how active his grandson was and showed him the picture on his desk. He was often told how the two were so similar.
The boy got up and scowled at Naruto. "It was you, wasn't it? You tripped me using a trap!"
"There are no traps here, honorable grandson!" said another voice from the door. A man garbed in the traditional black, ninja uniform, the headband and was wearing a pair of dark sunglasses, which kept slipping off his nose. Naruto recognized him as Ebisu, Konohamaru's personal teacher.
Naruto picked up Konohamaru by the scruff of his neck and held him at eye level. "You know, it's considered very rude to interrupt a meeting, especially when the meeting consists a genin and a Kage."
"Unhand him!" shouted the man. "He's the grandson of the Hokage!"
Naruto glared at the kid, who smirked. The blond growled and flicked the kid on his forehead, then dropped on his butt.
"Like I actually care," said Naruto, who turned towards the door. "See you later, Lord Hokage."
"Ja ne, Naruto," said the Third. He saw Ebisu's mouth was dropped in surprise at the actions of Naruto while his grandson watched Naruto walk out.
Naruto walked out of tower's gates and towards Ichiraku's. He told Teuchi he would help this afternoon at the stand and he was already running late.
But he got halfway there when he heard quick footsteps behind him. He tried to ignore it, but it followed him whatever street he turned on. After a few minutes, he finally turned around to see a kid holding a blanket with a wood-paneling design against a wooden fence. But Naruto could see the kid's feet at the bottom, his ponytail at the top, and a blue scarf on the ground.
"Konohamru, you really need to work on your stealth and concealment tactics if you're going to be a great ninja."
Konohamaru dropped the blanket and smirked at Naruto. "So, your abilities are a match to my own in greatness. I've chosen well."
Naruto rose an eyebrow. "Chosen? What the heck are you talking about?"
Konohamaru pointed at Naruto. "Train me! Please teach me the technique you used on my grandpa! If I learn it, I can use against him and become Hokage!"
Naruto snickered. Did this kid really believe he could be Hokage at such a young age? He had a big head and big dreams. Naruto could actually see the resemblance between the two now. It was like having a little brother.
"All right. Follow me and I'll show the wonders of my own personal jutsu: Ramen Style."
"Yes!" cheered Konohamaru. He followed his new teacher to their training.
"Lord Hokage! Where's Konohamaru, sir?" Ebisu asked frantically.
The Third shrugged. "I don't know Ebisu. Maybe he went off the find Naruto."
Ebisu gasped and ran out of the office, intent on separating his charge from the monster. Sarutobi sighed and gazed back down at his crystal ball, watching Naruto train his grandson.
This oughtt to be good. Please, for the love of Kami, don't teach him your Sexy jutsu. His mother would kill me.
"This is not training! This is work!" complained Konohamaru. He was currently molding noodle dough, trying to mix his chakra with it while Naruto was cooking with Teuchi and Ayame was making a deliveries.
"You wanted to learn my style and this is how I got started," Naruto assured the boy. He was currently stirring a batch of broth while a clone was pulling noodles from the boiler. "And besides, if you're not working hard enough, you'll never get stronger."
Konohamaru grunted and continued kneading and stretching his batch of dough. Naruto just chuckled and served a bowl to several customers who didn't seem to mind eating at the stand when he was working. Teuchi was praising Naruto for using his ability to use clones to help with the cooking.
After a few minutes, Naruto called a halt to Konohamaru's training and decided to test it. The two walked into streets, spaced about ten feet apart.
Konohamaru put his hands together in the 'tiger' hand sign and channeled his chakra into the dough.
"Ninja Art: Noodle Bind jutsu!" he yelled. He threw the ball of dough at Naruto, who braced for the attack. He felt the dough impact his chest, where the dough stretched around his body.
Konohamaru yelled in victory, thinking he won. But then the dough begin to slack and drip to the ground. When Naruto was unbound, he picked up the dough and put in the trash. "Nice try, Konoh."
"Arrgghh! Why can't I get?" Konohamaru yelled. "I thought this jutsu would be a perfect shortcut to become Hokage."
Naruto frowned and smacked Konohamaru in the back of the head. "If you think this is a shortcut, you're sorely mistaken, you baka. You can't become a strong ninja, much less a hokage, by cutting corners. A ninja becomes as strong as he can be through hard work, not giving up, and keeping your Will of Fire strong."
"Will of Fire?" Konohamaru asked. "You mean that gibberish the old man keeps talking about?"
Naruto smacked him in the head again. "Say one more stupid thing, I dare you. Your grandfather is an intelligent and strong shinobi. Don't you know why the call him 'the Professor'."
Konohamaru shook his head, causing Naruto to sigh.
"Come on," groaned Naruto, pushing Konohamaru back into the stand. "Apparently, that teacher of yours isn't teaching you anything. Let me tell you what it means to be a ninja..."
As the hours passed, the Third watched Naruto taught his grandson the ways and meanings of a shinobi. From past experience to what he learned from Iruka, the Third saw Konohamaru soak up Naruto's knowledge like a sponge. And while Naruto's ways may be a little unorthodox, Sarutobi had no problem with his grandson learning from Naruto.
In the late afternoon, when people began to close up and go home, Ebisu finally found his charge hanging around the ramen stand. He was helping Naruto wash dishes.
"Honored Grandson! It's time to leave! There's no need to hang around these peasants."
"What did you call us?" shouted Teuchi. "I oughta beat the crap out of you!"
"Calm down, Pop," said Naruto as he dried the dishes handed to him by Konohamaru. "It's not his fault he's got his head so far up his ass. Oh, and a bad teacher."
"How dare you! I'm the elite of all tokubetsu jonin. It's my job to train all of the young students of the council the ways of the shinobi. Now let's leave, Honored Grandson."
"No," Konohamaru stated. He dropped his wash rag and walked out of the stand. The boy then faced Ebisu with his hands in the tiger seal. "I'm through with you telling me what's right and what's wrong. From now one, I'm going to make my own decisions."
"Honored Grandson, please stop this fool-"
"Ninja Art: Noodle Bind jutsu!" Konohmaru yelled, throwing the dough ball at Ebisu. It wrapped around the teacher's body and bound his arms tightly. "I finally did it!"
Ebisu struggled for a few seconds before he stretched his arms out to their fullest, stretching the dough out as well. With a yell, the dough snapped from its bindings.
"What?! I though I had it down for sure this time," complained Konohamaru.
"Didn't use enough flour," Naruto told him. "Try more next time."
Ebisu grumbled as he picked at the dough that still remained on his shirt. "Honored Grandson, you can't lower yourself to using such childish tactics."
A swift killer intent suddenly engulfed the area. Everyone turned to its source and saw that Naruto had froze. He slowly turned around and glared and Ebisu, who swallowed and got into a defensive position. Naruto then hopped over the counter and stood beside Konohamaru.
"Childish? CHILDISH?! I'll show you just how childish my jutsu is!" he roared. He then fired a dough ball at Ebisu, which caught him in the chest and wrapped around his body twice. Ebisu struggled, pushing all of his strength into breaking the binds, but he barely moved.
But Naruto wasn't finished. "Shadow clone jutsu!" Two clones poofed beside Naruto, each one holding onto a ball of dough. The clones pushed the dough together and then stretched out away from the other. They walked up to Ebisu holding onto a ten-foot long stretch of dough.
Naruto walked up to the teacher pushed the dough his clones had to the dough wrapped around Ebisu's arms. He then grabbed Ebisu and pulled him forward while his clones stood their ground, using chakra to stick and keep their balance.
"If you think my jutsu is childish, you should really see this one," Naruto chuckled darkly.
Ebisu looked at his situation. Two clones were behind him, holding onto the ramen dough as it was stretched to its limit and nearly fifteen feet long. In fact, the only thing keeping it from snapping was...
Ebisu's eyes widened in shock. "Wait a minute. Think about what you're doing."
Naruto smiled. "Don't worry. I am. Ninja Art: Ramen Slingshot!" He let go of the dough and it snapped back to his clones.
Ebisu was knocked off his feet and was sent flying into the air. His screams faded each second as he fly farther away until he landed somewhere in the village.
"Where did you send him?" asked Teuchi, who came out of the stand to watch the flight.
A few seconds after he landed, the three heard several female screams and the distant sounds of punching.
"The women's bath house, apparently."
Naruto and Teuchi chuckled and went back to the stand. Naruto stopped when he noticed Konohamaru wasn't with him and was still standing in the street. He walked back out and grabbed his shoulder. "You ok?"
The boy shook his head. "I really thought I was going to beat him this time. That all the work we did today was going to beat him. I guess I really am weak."
"Konoh, you're not weak. You just started learning the technique and that jackass of a sensei, as much as I hate to admit, is an experienced shinobi. You just need to keep working hard and never give up. Remember, just like every ninja, you need to keep your Fire strong. Only then will you become Hokage."
Konohamaru looked up at Naruto. "Really? I can become Hokage?"
"Definitely. But remember, you're going have to beat me one day to be Hokage."
The duo smiled. "You're on, boss."
"Konohamaru!" a voice called out down the street. The two looked up to see the Third waving at them. "It's time to go home!"
"Coming!" Konohamaru called. He ran down the street after his grandfather, but not before looking at Naruto over his shoulder. "See you later, Boss!"
"Take care, Konohamaru!" Naruto waved back.
The blond watched the grandfather and grandson hug before walking away. He kept watching until he caught a scent of strawberries. A pair of slender arms wrapped around his neck and soft lips on his cheek.
"You're a great teacher, Naru-kun. A great teacher with a great heart," said Ayame.
"Thanks, Aya-chan."
"A jinchuriki is translated as 'Human Sacrifice', meaning his life is now shared with the bond in question, whether it's a jutsu, human, or demon. The lives of two are then tied together in a symbiotic relationship. For as long as one lives, the other stays alive as well."
"When the host is bonded with a bijuu, or Tailed-Demon, it's a better choice if the host is a juvenile with a premature chakra network so the biju can bond with it better. An older host wouldn't work unless he or she has an enormous chakra network. Bijus are entities of pure chakra, so when it's sealed within the child, it can adjust the chakra reserves to suit both the host and the biju."
"The host may find himself bearing some symbols or qualities that relate to his or her prisoner, such as eyes or fangs. All jinchuriki will have a rapid healing factor along with stronger senses. They even share the same nature elements and use the same jutsu as the biju. Maybe even the same behavior. A host's emotions are tied in the biju's and times when the host is under stress, the biju's instincts and behavior can take over."
"But the most important article about being a jinchuriki is the chakra they share. The Dead Demon Consuming Seal is designed for the host to absorb the biju's chakra over a period of time, safely and slowly. After a course of several years, there may be a time when the host and prisoner merge completely and become one being. However, this is only a theory since a host has never lived longer than forty years."
"True, when a host dies, the biju dies as well. However, in certain circumstances, a host will unseal the biju from its prison, releasing it and killing the host. Why the host releases his prisoner is unknown."
"When sealed, the mark of jinchuriki disappears and can only be viewed when the host gathers chakra within his or her body. Altering with seal can have devastating consequences if not properly handled, such as killing both the host and the prisoner."
It must mean this mark thought Naruto as he lifted up his shirt and applied chakra to the seal. A symbol immediately appeared on his stomach. To him, it looked like a sun with a swirl in the middle. The swirl spun around his stomach four times. Around the swirl it had eight points.
I wonder what it means.
He unrolled the scroll a couple of more lengths before he got to the paragraph about the symbol.
"The Fuin Jutsu: Dead Demon Consuming Seal is basically a sealing and summoning technique. For each complete rotation of the mark calls a stronger god from the underworld to help with the sealing. The more rotations, the stronger the god and heavier the sacrifice. Four rotations is the maximum, which calls forth the Shinigami, the Death Reaper. When he is summoned, the sacrifice must be the caster's soul, which belongs to the Shinigami for all eternity."
"Each star point represents each Chakra gate withing the host's body. The host and prisoner are tied by chakra, which fully seals the biju within the host. Therefore, are tied together for both their lives. This may let the jinchuriki to live for a very long time."
"So my father is tied to the Shinigami now," growled Naruto. "I say that it is a suitable punishment for abandoning his son."
Naruto rolled the scroll back up and put it on the dresser beside his bed. He then sat back and leaned against the headboard of his bed. After picking up a book from the floor, he began reading. After about an hour, he sat the book down and pulled a small, black pouch from his bag. Naruto pulled the pouch open and pulled out his gift from Iruka.
It was an ocarina. A hollow flute carved from a block of wood. It was shaped like a potato with ten holes carved into the side. It was rounded, not narrow and straight like a regular flute. It also had a very haunting tone that Naruto enjoyed very much.
He scowled at the book Iruka got him entitled 'Ocarinas for Dummies'. Grumbling, he put the flute to his lips and began to play.
He only memorized the notes and the beat. It was one thing to memorize the notes, it was completely different to feel them. Sure, his rhythm was off and he sometimes misplaced his fingers, but for some reason, the notes calmed him down. The melody, as bad as his playing was, made him forget all about the problems he had.
When the song was over, he put down the flute and actually felt his eyelids dropping. He didn't expect to fall asleep as soon as he was done, but he couldn't help it. He just pulled off his sandles, jacket and closed his eyes. The last thought running through his mind was his new, favorite lullaby.
Lugia's Song.
Naruto woke up more refreshed than ever. He ate breakfast, eager to begin a new day. Why? Because this was the day teams would be chosen.
He hurried to the Ramen stand, meeting all four of his friends. He got a good-luck kiss from Ayame and the group leaped across the buildings towards the academy.
"How do you think the team's will be arranged," asked Naruto.
"The usually pair up teams so each member can contribute to each other," explained Shino. "I hear it was rumored that they'll pair the top shinobi, the top konoichi, and the genin with the lowest grades together."
"Hear that, Shikamaru?" asked Hinata. "You might get paired with Sasuke and Sakura."
"Troublesome," Shikamaru muttered. "I thought I might get paired with Choji and Ino."
"Reform the old Ino-Shika-Cho trio, huh?" asked Choji. "I kinda like that. By the way Shika, did your dad tell you what was happening?"
Shikamaru nodded, confusing everyone.
"What's going on?" asked Hinata.
Shikamaru sighed. "Our dads signed up for a team this year."
"Really?" asked Naruto happily. "That's so cool. It would nice to have Chouza or Shikaku as a sensei." They were one of the few adults who treated Naruto like a ninja.
"Says you. It would be a drag if dad became my sensei. He trains me enough as it is."
"I would like dad to be my sensei," said Choji. "I would get to spend more time with him."
The group arrived in class and took their usual seats. They arrived just in time to see the usual Ino vs. Sakura fight to get Sasuke's attention. While entertaining, it reminded them just how pathetic some of the konoich could be.
"Sit down and pay attention!" yelled Iruka from the doorway. Everyone sat up straighter and sat in their seats. When they settled down, Iruka smiled at his class.
"Today, you'll venture out with your teams. Protect yourself, your teammates, and your village with all of your strength, heart, power, and spirit. Remember, you're the heart of this village."
Iruka then raise a clipboard to his eye level. "Now, team selection. Team one will consist of...."
Naruto and his friends listened intently as Iruka named off each team member. Each one was hoping they would be at least one friend.
"Team seven will consist of Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, and Inuzuka Kiba."
Kiba groaned, but it was barely heard over Sakura's loud claim of true love conquers all and Ino's cries of distress.
"Team eight will consist of Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Choji, and Hyuga Hinata."
Naruto couldn't help but cheer for his friends as the three were paired up. He knew they would watch out for each other and be reliable ninjas.
"Team nine is still on the active roster. Team ten will consist of Yamanka Ino, Aburame Shino, and Uzumaki Naruto."
"Nooo!! Not the dummy and bug-boy!" a certain female cried, who then banged her head on the desk and began to sob.
Naruto groaned at Ino's complaint, but sent a smile at Shino, who nodded back. It would be good working with Shino, who had become a good friend over the past week. Even if he was quiet and creepy, Naruto believed that Shino and the rest of the Aburame clan were just misunderstood.
"That concludes the team listings. You now have an half hour for lunch before you meet back and be paired with your jonin senseis. Dismissed."
The class sat up and made their way outside. Some of them had already began to pair up with their teammates.
"Oh, Team 10. Stay behind for a moment," ordered Iruka.
Naruto looked towards his friends, who stayed behind to see what was going on. He waved his hand, assuring them he and Shino would be okay. They nodded and left. Naruto, Shino and Ino stepped in front of Iruka's desk.
"Tean 10, your jonin sensei has asked to meet him at training field five for your meeting. You are to meet with after your lunch is over."
Naruto and Shino's eyebrows rose. Training field 5 was the field the Hokage gave Naruto for the past few years. Now he was meeting his sensei there?
After having lunch with his team, in which Ino spent the entire time complaining about how unfair it was for her not to be placed on a team with her precious Sasuke-kun. Naruto and Shino spent their time ignoring her and talking about who their sensei might be.
When their lunch was over, Naruto sat up. "Ok, let's get going."
Shino nodded while Ino huffed. The trio then chakra-hopped their way across the rooftops, outside of the village and into the training fields.
When they arrived at Training field five/Naruto's grounds, they stopped at the sign marked '5'. This is where Naruto spent most of his time training. It was a big, open field, nearly 10 acres across with a small river running through it. They were surrounded by several acres of trees, but if they looked closely, they could see the outlines of buildings in the village.
Ino scoffed and put her hands on her hips. "Well, where's our sensei?"
Naruto wondered that as well. He did a full turn of the area when he spotted something really weird near the riverbank. He motioned to his friends at the figure. When they saw it, they all looked confused.
Naruto walked to the riverbank, he teammates following behind him. As they got closer, the figure became more clearer. They could see it was a man, lying on his back with his hands behind his head. And the closer they got, the more familiar this man became.
They were only a few meters away when Naruto stopped. His teammates stopped as well, confused. Their confusion grew when Naruto chuckled, walked and sat down a few feet from the man on his right. Naruto then stretched out on his back and laid his hands on his head. Shino observed them for a moment, confused at their actions. However, he walked up and sat down on the man's left side, only a few feet away. He then laid down on the grass and placed his arms on his chest. Ino huffed in annoyance and sat down where she was. She didn't bother to lay down, but only glare at the males who were obviously not taking this seriously.
For nearly ten minutes, no one said a word. They just enjoyed the sound of the flowing river and the wind blowing in the trees.
Then the man spoke. "You know Ino, you need to learn to enjoy the little things. Like clouds."
Ino scoffed. "Daddy always said you were a lazy shinobi. I didn't take him seriously, though but I can see it with my own eyes now."
"Well, your father can be a stuck-up, know-it-all sometimes. Like father, like daughter."
"What?" Ino squawked. Naruto and the man laughed.
"Well, we might as well get started," said the man as he sat up. Team 10 was finally able to get a good look at him. He was dressed in the usual ninja sandles and shinobi pants. He was wearing a jonin vest, but was also wearing a very torn vest underneath it and a mesh shirt. His face was covered in a few scars and had a very stern look to it, but it had a smile right now. Lastly, his hair was tied up in a familiar ponytail.
"Team 10, I'm your jonin sensei. My name is Nara Shikaku."
Well, what did you think? Did I make the choices my reader's wanted to hear?
And for everyone that made a suggestion, I thank you. You all had very good suggestions and I apologize to you for not using them.
For future references, I'll try to keep Shino and Shikaku's personality like it is in the manga/tvshow. I can't make any promises though.