Author's note – Kishimoto Masashi owns Naruto while Guyver is written by Yoshiki Takaya.
I make no claim to either, I am merely playing in their sandboxes.

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Chapter Twenty-Eight

Preparations

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"Hey, Naruto-kun!" Ino waved from the hottest of the three pools. Beside her, Hinata beamed at him and Naruto nodded back as he headed for the washing area.

"This is a nice setup." Shikamaru said from where he was floating in the middle pool. "Relaxing, and you can watch the clouds for hours."

"Now, if only smoking wasn't banned, it would be perfect." Asuma added, causing Itachi to roll his eyes. "I saw that!"

"We should invite team eight as well." Ino said. "I haven't talked with Sakura for ages. Please, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto paused in his scrubbing and sighed.

"Alright!" He called over the fence and Ino cheered. "Friday, once all missions have been done. Swimsuits required!"

Hinata blushed and Ino cocked an inquisitive eyebrow at her. "Spill!"

Hinata's blush deepened, then suddenly Ino blushed as well.

"Okay!" She called back. "Swimsuits! Got it!"

Naruto frowned, then reached for his connection to Hinata.

#What did you just tell her?#

Hinata's response was a complex emotional mix of embarrassment, happiness and humor along with a couple of images, causing Naruto's eyes to widen.

#Last Thursday?# He thought as he remembered how Hinata had almost lost her wrap while getting into the onsen. Hinata sent back another complicated emotional surge, confirming his realization. Quickly rinsing off, Naruto grabbed a wrap from the shelving in the corner of the washing area and wrapped it around his waist before stepping out.

"So, Naruto-kun, join us!" ino called and Naruto strolled over to the hot pool before walking on to it.

"Show-off." Ino grumbled as Naruto adjusted his chakra output, letting himself sink slowly into the pool.

"Hey, I picked up this trick from Hinata-chan. I already knew how to water-walk, though." Naruto protested and Hinata nodded in confirmation.

"Great." Ino muttered, then she raised her voice. "Sensei! We need to learn water walking! There's no way I'm remaining the only member of this household who can't do that trick!"

"Well. I now know what we're covering tomorrow." Asuma smirked as Shikamaru and Choji turned to glare at Ino. "Itachi, you going to have your team join them or do all of them know how to do it?"

"I taught them last month." Itachi said with a slight shrug.

"I can attest to that." Kakashi added from the middle pool and everyone jumped in shock.

"Where the hell did you come from?!" Asuma gasped.

"Well, when a man and a woman love each other very much…" Kakashi began before he threw himself away from the splash of water that Asuma sent his way. "Hey! You could have damaged my book!"

"It's alright." Naruto sighed. "I gave him permission a few days ago… didn't think he'd try to prank us."

"Meh, meh, that's not very nice, kohai." Kakashi pouted.

Naruto rolled his eyes, then wrapped his arm around Hinata, who simply smiled and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Ino, Hinata, about your armours…" He began and Asuma coughed theatrically.

"Should we be here to hear this?"

"I don't see why not." Naruto shrugged. "I was just going to ask them not to use their armour if they can avoid it."

"What?" Ino burst out. "Why?"

"I am curious as to your reasoning myself." Itachi added.

"If you or your team are actually in danger, then sure, activate your armour." Naruto started. "However, if you can, especially you, Hinata, try to keep it a secret unless you have no other choice. That way, when you do use it, it will be a very nasty surprise for the person you're up against."

"But I used it loads at Wave." Ino proteted, but it was Asuma who responded.

"Yes, but Naruto was there as well. Factor in that most ninja from other villages rarely pay any attention to what civilians are saying and we have a better than even chance that if anyone investigates Wave, they'll simply assume that whenever a civilian mentions someone in armour, they'll think it's Naruto. He has special armour, special armour was seen in Wave, therefore it was Naruto. Simple as that."

Ino stared in shock at her sensei, her mouth moving soundlessly as she tried to come up with a counter-argument. After a long moment, she sighed and shook her head.

"Please tell me you're kidding?" She begged and Asuma shook his head.

"Nope. You must remember that most ninja are too busy trying to find a jutsu or weapon that will let them defeat every opponent that they encounter to do things like keeping track of rumors and gossip. Even those that do know the value of espionage tend to concentrate on other ninja."

"It's a pride thing." Kakashi threw in and Asuma nodded in agreement.

"But… but that's…" Ino began, then she huffed and slumped. "That's stupid."

"It may be troublesome, but it'll give you an advantage in the exams." Shikamaru sighed. "Don't knock it."

Ino sighed. "Fine. But you owe me one."

"As opposed to how much you owe him?" Shikamaru snarked and Ino growled.

"Shika, shut it!"

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"Good morning, Naruto-kun." Hiruzen smiled as his favorite orphan stepped into the mission office. "Here for another mission?"

"May as well get them in before things get hectic." Naruto shrugged. "I was thinking doing a few outpost mission runs, if that's alright with you."

"Actually, I have a mission I was holding back for you." Hiruzen said. "You remember how we discussed Uzushiogakure?"

Naruto blinked at the change in subject. "Um, yeah. Why?"

"Because the mission is linked to that." Hiruzen replied. "And they want to re-activate the old treaty between us."

"…wait." Naruto finally managed. "Danzo's serious about this?"

"Apparently so." Hiruzen admitted with a slight shrug. "The signs are all there. Danzo now calls himself the Uzukage and is apparently sending out calls for the remnants of the Uzumaki clan and their old allies to return. He's already assigned an ambassador, but wants her transported to Konoha. By you."

"Why me?" Naruto asked, perplexed. "Sure, I'm the last Uzumaki in Konoha, but I've never been to Uzushiogakure, so…"

"And you won't." Hiruzen said as one of his assistants unrolled a map across the table. "According to the message, Uzu has already dispatched a genin team for inclusion in the Chunin exams, but he wants his ambassador here. Her name is Honoka… Uzumaki Honoka."

Naruto felt his breath freeze in his throat.

"You are to meet at this headland here." Hiruzen continued, pointing at the location on the map. "See if you can discover if she is a true Uzumaki or has simply taken the name to boost Uzu's prestige."

Naruto managed to nod and Hiruzen gave him a sympathetic look.

"You'll go alone, since we don't want anyone outside the village to know that there is more than one Armour, but I expect reports through either Hinata or Ino. If things go bad, I'll send them both to get you out."

"Wait…" Naruto mused. "You'd send… two genin?"

"Of course not." Hiruzen countered. "I'd send two special operatives who have the same skillset as you. Asuma told me about how you taught Ino Uzuken and I find it hard to believe that you haven't given Hinata the same knowledge. "

Naruto tried to reply, but couldn't.

"You haven't, have you." Hiruzen sighed and Naruto blushed.

"I… well, things have…we've been busy!"

Hiruzen shook his head at the weak excuse, then started to scribble a note. "According to Asuma, it didn't take long, so before you head out on your escort mission, give this note to Itachi and take Hinata somewhere to give her the same things you gave Ino."

Naruto accepted the folded note and Hiruzen gave him a stern look.

"Go!"

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"And now, it is time for our daily mission." Itachi said, then he frowned. "Hinata, please use your byakugan, I believe that I can detect Naruto-san approaching."

"You can." Hinata smiled without even bothering to use her dojutsu. "I can feel him."

"Your armour." Itachi realized and Hinata nodded.

"Itachi-san?!" Naruto shouted as he rocketed out of the tree-line, landing in a rolling tumble that ended with him standing in front of the Jonin. "I need to borrow Hinata."

"We are about to take a mission." Itachi commented and Naruto nodded, pulling a small piece of paper out of his pocket. Itachi accepted the paper and unfolded it.

"Very well. Sasuke, Kiba, we will be helping out at Hana's clinic today while Naruto and Hinata deal with a clan matter."

"It won't take too long, so I'll drop Hinata off there to rejoin you." Naruto offered and Itachi nodded his acceptance of Naruto's offer.

"See you at neesan's." Kiba grinned, then he paused. "Wait, we're going to be working for Hana? Oh man, she'll have me doing all the stinky jobs, I just know it."

Hinata giggled as Itachi led the rest of the team away, Kiba still complaining.

"Come on." Naruto said quietly. "It won't take long, but we need to do it somewhere private, like the base."

"Have you told Ino about it yet?" Hinata asked. "I didn't want to mention it if you haven't… Naruto?

Naruto face-palmed.

"Do you want me to do it this evening if you have a mission?" Hinata asked and Naruto sighed.

"Please. I feel like such an idiot!"

"You can be a baka sometimes," Hinata agreed before she hugged him tightly, "But you're my baka."

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"Hinata-chan!" Ino called as she dashed into the onsen area, followed by five more genin. "I brought them… Hey, Sasuke! How's the second-coolest genin in Konoha?"

Sasuke blinked, then leaned back in the pool with a smile. "At last, I've shed a fangirl."

Ino pouted at him, then directed the boys to the house. "Get changed in there, boys. Sakura, you wearing your swimsuit like I asked?"

"I am, as is Sai" Sakura replied. "Although as an Aburame, Shino doesn't like water so he brought a mat to sit on instead."

Ino paused for a moment, then shrugged. "Come on, to the washing area to rinse our feet, then we can soak!"

"Where's Naruto?" Sakura asked curiously. "I mean, this is his house, right?"

"He's got another courier mission." Ino grumped and Sakura paused in the middle of pulling her dress off.

"Is that because of his armour?"

"It is." Ino replied, folding her outer clothes and placing them on one of the shelves by the washing trough. "He's often with Hatake Kakashi on missions, but when speed is of the essence, like in getting to Wave that time, he goes ahead and everyone else catches up."

"Wave…" Sakura repeated, then she gasped. "That was the mission where you almost died!"

"But I didn't." Ino said with a gentle smile. "And I found out that Naruto-kun's cooler than Sasuke."

"Oh, please." Sakura scoffed. "No-one's cooler than Sasuke. He's the Heir of the Uchiha clan! He's a raiton-user who can knock people out by poking them! How much cooler can you get than that?"

"Armour." Ino countered and Sakua's face went blank for a moment.

"Okay…" She finally admitted. "Naruto may be as cool as Sasuke, but not cooler! I remember that orange jacket of his… what's this?"

Ino smirked as Sakura looked at the picture that she was holding, a picture showing Naruto in his full chunin uniform, flanked by Hinata and Ino.

"I think he's cool." Ino chuckled as she towed the shocked Sakura to the pools where the rest of the Rookie Nine had assembled.

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"Well,that went well." Ino laughed as the last of their classmates vanished round the corner. "I'm hungry, I think it's time for tea."

"Before that, I have something to show you." Hinata said as she led the blond girl back inside. Walking over to the foot of the stairs, she paused. "Ino… you cannot tell anyone other than Naruto-kun or myself about what you are about to see. Do you understand?"

Ino snapped almost to attention at the severity of Hinata's tone of voice. "I may be a gossip, but I know how to keep secrets."

"Good." Hinata smiled, then she pushed at the rock wall. To Ino's shock, a section of it opened to reveal a short passage that curved to the left and vanished.

"This is the secret base and library of Konoha's Uzumaki clan." Hinata said as She stepped into the tunnel, Ino following so closely that Hinata had to push her backwards slightly before they could safely go down the first flight of stairs. "The only non-Uzumaki who knows about this base is the Hokage, not even your father can know about this."

"Hey, Hinata-hime!" Naruto waved from the bottom of the staircase and Ino blinked.

"I thought you were on a mission?"

"Naruto is on a mission." Hinata smiled as they reached Naruto. "This Naruto is a Kage Bunshin left behind to help keep the base clean. Thank you."

The clone blushed as Hinata kissed his cheek. "No probs, Hinata-hime. Hey, Ino."

"Hi." Ino managed, then her gaze was drawn over the balcony railing and down into the depths of the cylindrical chamber into which they had emerged.

"This is the central hub." The clone said with a grin. "It's the tallest chamber with four storeys…"

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Author's note- If you want to see the base layout for yourself, there's a downloadable 3D image on my DeviantArt page.