-AN

Woohoo, I finally got some flame mail. And while I have thick skin and I'm old, I gotta tell ya'll, telling anyone to commit die because your favorite character isn't going the way you like, yeah that's a no no. Take a breath, maybe go touch some grass, and go read something else. This is all for fun, meant to be enjoyable, and if you aren't liking it ya can go find a different fic.

All in all, I feel like I've made some progress as a writer if I'm finally getting hate mail, so yay? Anyway, onward!

-Story Start-

Bright and early, Naruto was back to training his physical body while multitudes of clones trained in both chakra control and technique usage. During the exam against Orochimaru and later against Kiba, Naruto puzzled over why it seemed his clones had an easier time of sneaking up on opponents. After some trail and error, he figured out what the big drawback of the shunshin was, and how it was negated with the use of clones. Along with his newest chakra control exercise, the kunai balancing skill, he was doing his best to advance past his limits. Struggling with his current set of push ups after re-installing his weight seals, Naruto thought on what Kakashi-sensei had told him yesterday.

It had been an actual somber Kakashi that had pulled aside his bright student. He had explained that while he could train Sasuke, both because of his sharingan and because of their similar styles and affinities, that left Naruto in the lurch because he couldn't train both of them. However, while his initial thought was to grab the best on paper instructor his could, his sensei instead promised that he would have someone very important train him for the finals. Naruto was beyond bummed out, but realized that if Kakashi sensei had chosen him instead, that would have left Sasuke out too. One or the other, someone would have been without their preferred teacher, and so deciding it was for the best of the team, Naruto nodded and told his sensei it was okay and he wasn't upset. Because his sensei had explained everything to him properly, he wasn't feeling kicked to the curb, or abandoned, which was a plus. Which again brought us to the present. A hot and sweaty Naruto working his body to the bone while clones multiplied his training and control. He had a hole to stomp in Neji's ass after all. Couldn't slack on that.

On the other side of the village and near the bath houses, a silver haired pervert was giggling as he peeped through a hole in the divider fence of the women's bath. Dressed in reds and greens, standing on traditional geta and a horned fore-head protector oiled and shined, Jiraiya of the sannin was doing what his life called out for him to do. And while he would always call it his research, nearly every woman who caught him would never fail to beat the tar out of him and call him the pervert that he was. Though today was slightly different if only because the chakra signature that coalesced next to him was somewhat familiar. Turning away and standind, Jiraiya took in the sight of the masked ninja known as Kakashi. Nodding with a grin and a wave of his note pad, the aging ninja was still in a good mood, "Hey there Kakashi, looking for me to sign one of your books?"

Tempted, but here on a different mission, Kakashi shook his head, "Actually I need some help, if you wouldn't mind."

"Huh." Taking a moment while he put his book away, Jiraiya focused more on the sensei of team 7. "I'm all ears, what is it?"

Kakashi took a deep breath, readying himself for this conversation, and after a quick feel to see no one else was around short of the women in the bath, he continued, "I need your help with Naruto. Could you take care of him this month?"

Immediately losing interest, the old man had his book back out and was turning back to his stealthily made hole, "He's your student, that's your department. I don't deal with brats."

Having a feeling that that was what he was going to start with, Kakashi waved a hand, "It's just a month. Both Sasuke and Naruto did exceptionally well, and I can only train one. Since the sandaime told me you'd be in town for the exams, I figured I could ask for your help."

"For the chunin exams? Kid doesn't need my talents for that, foist him off on that other brat, Ebisu was it? He's got a decent head on his shoulders." Jiraiya was starting to get annoyed with the masked and chronically late ninja.

Frowning and starting to get upset himself, Kakashi folded his hands behind his back, "And yet I'm not asking Ebisu, I'm asking for your help." He knew he was going to cross a line soon, something he never wanted to have to do. But he owed his students the effort. Especially this one.

Tone going cold, no longer writing or seeing the previously wonderful view before him, Jiraiya gave Kakashi a harsh side eye, "And who are you to ask me for anything?" Jiraiya had been around for a long time, and while Kakashi had done well in the war, Jiraiya had to do and survive a lot worse.

"You owe it to his parents, at the least. They made you his godfather, after all."

Jiraiya refused to move, only a solid iron will of control keeping him from grabbing Kakashi and beating some sense into him. Who the hell gave him the right to judge him? Did he have any idea what kind of guilt he lived with, both because of that boys parents and his own roll in leaving him in this village. "That was low, even for you, for this village, that was low."

Kakashi shrugged, uncaring of the guilt surrounding an old man who only wanted to run away from his own sins, "You made a promise. I'm merely asking if you're willing to actually follow through." Yeah, Kakashi knew he was headed straight to hell one day, but he'd gladly go if he could make sure these kids made it.

Still looking without seeing anything in front of him, Jiraiya finally nodded slowly, "I'm assuming he'll be at team 7's training ground? I'll meet him in a few days. Gotta settle some things with the old man." Turning a cold eye to Kakashi, the elder ninja made the younger a promise, "Bring them up again and I'll remind you why I'm so legendary."

Kakashi shrugged and turned away, "It's not my memory you have to live with." He was gone in a swirl of leaves a moment later, leaving an already worn out toad to think on his words.

Back on the team seven training grounds, Naruto had finally finished his physical training and was now working with the oversized cleaver that was his Kubikiribocho. Up and down slashes, side to side, and diagonally. While Naruto did not have a teacher, he had at least picked up some advice from actually users about getting started on some basics, which he would do for hours at a time, until his arms burned and he couldn't lift the sword anymore. But today was slightly different as one of his usual visitors was finally showing her face.

"Yoohoo, whiskers! Long time no see!" Ino had made her appearance, in her usual battle attire and now shorter hair pulled back into a high pony-tail again. Still oddly without her usual bandage wraps, but Naruto assumed that was probably because she wasn't on a mission. But she had a large container behind her in her hands.

"Hey Ino-chan, what're you up to today?"

Ino smiled and help up the large to go transport from Ichiraku's ramen stand, "I figured you'd be here training and probably hadn't eaten anything yet right? So I'm bring the ramen to you." Placing the container under a tree next to where Naruto had tossed his jacket, she was unprepared for the hug she got. Were his arms always so strong and corded with muscle?

"You are a goddess given human form Ino-hime! Thank you!" Looking at the container and letting the girl go, Naruto paused for only a moment before turning to the blushing girl, "Wanna eat with me?"

Somehow her foggy brain at first only hearing 'Wanna eat….me?" and she was very confused though her blush skyrocketed. But she took a moment to think that this was Naruto and put the missing word in there. "Uh sure yeah, I'll have a bowl." Sitting down with the boy as he opened the carrier and spied the 6 waiting bowls of ramen, Naruto took a veggie ramen to give to the girl before taking a pork bowl for himself. Saying a quick prayer, he was off to the races. Ino watched him for only a short while, breaking apart the provided travel chopsticks before a thought entered her mind at the boy being out here all alone, "You're not training with your team? That confident about the exams?"

Naruto shook his head, already halfway through this bowl, "Kakashi-sensei can't train us both, Sasuke and me, so sensei is going to find a new sensei to help me out while he helps Sasuke." Taking a moment to finish off the bowl and drink down the broth, and was already on to the next one. Training always made him hungry.

Ino however saw a flaw in all this, "Well that sucks, I'm sorry you have to give up your sensei for a month. Think you'll be ok for the finals?"

Naruto nodded through a mouthful of noodles, though he did swallow before talking. Ayame-nee had beat him more than once about manners around girls. "It's okay, I'm not mad. And honestly I'm not to worried, I could wreck Neji now, but after a month of intense training? Oh they'll be naming the crater I make with him after me." Naruto knew without a doubt he was going to wipe the floor with Neji. He'd still train however since crazy opponents were always waiting in the wings. Again he thought of Orochimaru and the mountain wide gap between them.

Impressed with the boy's upbeat attitude, Ino calmly ate her own noodles and just enjoyed the time with her crush. The sunny blonde just had a way of brightening the day and making things better. Which, now that she was over the broody Uchiha, she could see as an absolute delight. Sure the edgy boy had his own mystery to him but there was always a cold distance to him. Ino wanted to enjoy the warmth of this blonde before her, unsure however if that would be forever not. They both sat in silence for a while, finishing the food and chatting with each other for the next hour before Naruto groaned and rolled back to his feet, stashing all of the empty bowls back into the carrier.

Naruto had a soft and thoughtful smile on his face as he watched the girl who he had conflicting feelings for, "I appreciate you coming and checking up on me Ino-chan. Don't worry about the carrier, I can take it back after my training."

Ino stood and nodded turning back to the village, "Okay, I'll entrust that to you." Here Ino paused for a moment, an unsure looked on her face that did not look normal to Naruto. But before he could ask her about it, she was looking up at him again with her usual confidence, "Naruto? Would you appreciate someone making you an actual lunch? Not just ramen?"

Naruto was caught flatfooted and nodded slowly, never having someone think of that before, "I mean, I've never had that, so, yeah that'd be great."

Nodding the girl was all grins again, "Then all this month don't you worry about your lunches, if you're here, I'll bring you lunch, got it?" Seeing the boy nod dumbly, Ino raced off, "Good luck Naruto. And hey, I'm gonna go visit Hinata the day after tomorrow, wanna come with me?" Seeing the boy nod quickly, she waved as she left with a wink, "Alright then, till later!" And she was gone, bounding away and through the trees back to the village.

Naruto was grinning as he turned back to his clones with a whoop, "Alright! Time to live up to those expectations! We're gonna train even harder!"

"Osu!" All of the clones chorused with him, and he was back to working his body to the bone.

-b-

Naruto groaned, the last few days on a repeat of wake up, eat, train, have lunch with Ino-hime(no longer simply chan as she expressed she loved being called a princess and she was feeding him for free), train some more, and then head home for dinner alone and pass out asleep. And today would have been no different if not for two things. Kakashi had sent him a message saying his new sensei would be at the training ground today, so be there early. Which that threw him for a loop, but Naruto was happy that his sensei had followed through with what he said he would do. Now if only later he'd get to see Hinata-chan with Ino-hime and the day would be complete. Especially if he was able to show off his latest sealing book to the girls, which he might have left at home.

Adjusting his sword and scratching his stomach, Naruto came to their training ground to the sight of a very tall but oddly dressed old man sitting in the middle of the clearing, a notepad in hand and writing away. As Naruto came closer however, the book snapped shut and their eyes met for the first time. Something odd passed behind the old man's eyes for a moment, like he recognized him or something. Well, Naruto was pretty awesome like that, though hopefully it didn't have anything to do with one of his pranks. Raising a hand, Naruto at least started out polite, "Yo! I'm Naruto. Are you my temp sensei?"

Scoffing at the brat, Jiraiya didn't want to be like his other teammate, but he felt like he was going to need a drink today. "Temp sensei? Temp? Why when I'm done with you, you'll want me full time! For I am Jiraiya!"

Taken aback and scratching his head, Naruto gave the sage a confused look, "And what is a Jiraiya?"

Did they teach these kids nothing these days? This must be corrected at once. Paper fans coming from somewhere, Jiraiya began his dance, "Why I am the ultimate man of mystery! Feared by my enemies from the north to the south, loved by women across the world from the east to the west! Trained by the legendary toads of Mount Myoboku! I am Jiraiya the Galant! Of the Densetsu no Sannin!" With a puff of smoke the old toad sage was posing ridiculously on top of a toad bigger than he was.

Naruto looked left, then looked right, before finally looking at the summon creature with a pitying look. "Did he really summon you just to show off?"

"He does this pretty often, we're used to it."

"Hey, I'm trying to be impressive! It's impressive!"

"Sure sure, keep telling yourself that. I'd be more impressed if I hadn't blown up a sannin once already. Wait-" Thinking about it, Naruto had heard the name Jiraiya from some where. Where was it though. Ah, wait, Kakashi's and Jiji's dirty books! "You write that porn!

"It's not porn! It's erotica and it's art!" How dare this wet behind the ears boy belittle his craft.

"Art!? It's smut! You're just a pervert!"

"A pervert, as if!" Jiraiya puffed himself up, back on the ground and grinning with pride, "I'm a super pervert!"

That was it, Naruto was officially surrounded by perverts. Maybe he should check Sakura's or Sasuke's pouches for little porn books too. With a sigh Naruto nodded in resignation, "From now and forever, you are pervy sage."

"Wah-com'on! At least give me Toad Sage, or Jiraiya-sama, or hey, how about-"

Cutting the old man off, Naruto created 3 clones before performing his orioke no jutsu. He wasn't putting up with a pervert this early in the morning. He'd have to hunt down the Sandaime for training scrolls instead.

Jiraiya watched the flawless execution of the clone technique before being floored by the sheer talent of the boy before him. The three beauties that were before him were so artfully placed! Two of them pressed against each other, chests hiding their peaks from view while the third was sitting on the ground. Blonde pigtails hid their treasures from view but the third! Oh the third was slowly opening long luscious legs to-

And in a poof of smoke they were gone, and with them a wealth of inspiration!

"Yup, definitely pervy sage. I'm out."

"Wait wait wait! Hold on, I think we can help each other!" Holding a hand out to stop the boy, Jiraiya chuckled, "Why, I did train the fourth hokage, that has to count for something doesn't it. I do have a lot of knowledge and skill that you don't."

Now sceptical, Naruto frowned, "You trained the fourth? No way."

Jiraiya again pulled out with pride, "No anyone else that can summon toads? Toads are picky, won't let just anyone sign their contract, and right now that includes myself and the fourth." Unsaid was that he was the only one alive to be on the contract, but he'd be working to change that. First, he needed to make sure the kid had the chakra for it.

Now Naruto was interested. There wasn't much in a book that would get him reading for long. But history about the hokage's was one such topic. And the knowledge that the forth hokage could summon toads was in the history books, though the bit about them being picky summons was new. "Okay, fine, I'll give it a go."

Snapping his fingers, Jiraiya was back to smiles, "Great! Now, first we gotta get you trained up. First we'll practice chakra control with water walking and-" And once again Naruto was walking away. "Hey wait a minute, what's wrong?"

Naruto sighed as wordless he walking out onto the stream that meandered through the field. There he stood on the flowing water, letting the current push him before coming back on land. "Yeah, I can do that already."

Pausing and realizing that while the Hokage had been talking about the boy and he may have been spacing out, that might have been a mistake. "Okay, well, if you can do that then you have the control, so next we need to see your capacity."

Naruto raised a bored hand, "Look, a lot of my style revolves around blowing things up. Do you have anything that can help with that?"

Again being thrown off his stride, Jiraiya had to think about that one. While it was much to early to teach the boy the rasengan, he was trying to get him interested in the toads. One of which was still behind Jiraiya and enjoying being ignored for now. Though he felt like he could help out his summoner this once.

"Toads have flammable oil."

That peaked Naruto's interest. "How flammable?"

Seeing bait, Jiraiya made a show of hoping back on the toads head, "Let's aim for the training post, gimme some oil!" And while his companion spit forth a stream of oil, Jiraiya let loose an equal stream of fire, igniting the oil into a yellow red and white stream of heat and death and incinerated the training posts in seconds. Finishing their combination, the toad finally dispelled himself and Jiraiya dropped to his feet with a grin, "How's that for useful?"

Almost literal stars in his eyes, Naruto was looking between the training posts and the toad sage, "Okay, you may be a pervert, but what do I gotta do for sign the contract for toads. Cause I want…no, need that oil. Oh the things I can do with that. I wonder if it mixes well. Can you seal it? Fufufufufu-"

Edging away from the suddenly creepy kid, Jiraiya was a little concerned that he laughed just like his mother when she was scheming. But, the contract was his birthright, so summoning a new toad who vomited forth the contract school, Jiraiya laid it at their feet and unfurled it. And there at the end, just after Jiraiya's name, sat the forth hokage in his glory. Though while Jiraiya's name was glowing, the fourth's was darkened, signifying his death Naruto assumed. Jiraiya motioned to his hand, "Draw some blood and sign your name, then add your fingerprints as shown. From there we will work on the hand signs, speed, and then practice. This takes a lot of chakra, so I don't expect anything impressive yet. But we've got a month to work on it." Seeing Naruto nod as he signed as instructed, the scroll was quickly wrapped up and sent back to the toads.

"So, hand seals?" Jiraiya shook his head and turned to leave,

"Just in case, let's get a little further from the village, there's another training ground we should use."

Naruto nodded, "Oh, okay. Hold on." Crossing his fingers and concentrating, Naruto made a pair of clones who nodded and made themselves comfortable in the clearing. After this was done, Naruto trudged along after the safe.

"What was that about?" Curious use of clones that. Why just leave two?"

Naruto reached up to fiddle with the handle of his sword, loosing himself in thought as he began making plans for toad oil, "Oh Ino-hime usually grabs me for lunch. But I promised her if I wasn't going to be here that I'd leave a clone for her to let her know. I left to today though because we're supposed to go see Hinata-chan in the hospital. She got hurt during the prelims." Not even thinking about the old pervert anymore, he was mentally calculating how much nitro he would need to buy later.

Ino-hime? Hinata-chan? Was the boy already playing the field? He was so proud already. "Well don't you worry kid, I'll make sure to have you back by lunch time. But let's hurry, just in case." He didn't want to stand in the way of young love after all. Nor his research.

Following behind the now tree hopping sage, Naruto somehow felt like he was missing something. But hey, he was getting training and his teacher seemed like he knew his stuff, even if he was a pervert. There had to be some relation between being super powerful and being a pervert.

And after 10 minutes of running, they came upon a training ground behind the Hokage monument. A wide open space that could probably house the Hokage tower, Naruto turned to the man next to him with a grin, "Alright old man, watcha got."

Jiraiya grinned himself and got to work, "Follow along, no chakra for now, just practice. It's only 5 seals. Boar, dog, bird, monkey, ram." Working through them together for a few minutes, Jiraiya sat back as Naruto practiced the seals over and over. And after a few minutes to acknowledge the kid had it down, Jiraiya motioned to the ground. "Perform the seals and place your hand on the ground. When you practice with it you'll get a feel for how much chakra to use in order to summon certain toads. But for now just use as much as you can, again I don't expect much from a kid." Oh ye of little faith.

Naruto however was ready to wipe the smug look off the sage's face, so, tapping on the cage of his mind, Naruto demanded rent, 'wanna show this old bastard what we can do?'

The Kyuubi snorted but relented, 'you've been good on your word, training and relying on your skill and not my power, so for this I will allow it. Try not to lose yourself.'

Naruto felt the odd power rush through him along with his own chakra. If he had to describe it in that moment, he'd sat it was hot, angry, liquid fire. And as he summoned up both his chakra and a slightly high amount of the foxes, it was a wide eyes Jiraiya who noticed to late and failed to stop the boy.

"Kuchiyose no jutsu!" And the clearing erupted in smoke.

Waving a hand and coughing, the old sage was terrified of what he was about to find. Because if the kid just summoned Bunta before he had had a chance to warn him, oh his head might really roll. But as he was looking up and the smoke cleared, there was no giant mountain sized toad.

"Jiraiya boyo! Why'd you summon just me? Where's ma?" Smoke clearing and giving everyone a clear view, a aging white haired toad was sitting comfortably in Naruto's hair, looking just as confused as the boy himself.

"Uh, pervy sage didn't summon you, I did." Naruto was looking up at the toad, not quite sure what to make of it. He had used enough chakra to make him a little light headed, but maybe Jiraiya was right after all, he was just a kid.

Looking down at the boy and hopping to the ground, Pa turned to look him over. "Ooooh you're the Uzumaki boy! I didn't think you'd be able to summon one of us any time soon but this is great! Why, we'll get to your training soon enough you tad pole. Muahahaha." The old toad laughing and croaking, Naruto was at least willing to be polite to elderly that he didn't know.

"Well uh, just curious, can you spit oil like the other toads? I actually wanted to use some for an experiment."

Pa nodded, "Sure can. Hold on a moment." Gathering some chakra and making a few seals, the sage toad slammed a hand into the ground, making a pot of earth that he thin spit oil into. Pot easily half the height of Naruto himself, the small toad still filled it quickly.

"Where does it all come from?"

"Trade secret tadpole. Now. You used a little to much chakra there, skipped right passed the boss and straight to me, one of the sages. So practice some more, get a feel for us, and we'll meet again soon. I'll let Bunta know you're a good kid so he doesn't haze you." With a wave and a cackle, Pa was gone.

"Huh, he was nice." Naruto was already sealing the pot into a scroll. Oh he was so ready to get playing.

Frustrated and now free to explode, the old sage did so, "Wait a minute! I was tested and hazed for days! And you summon Pa on the first go! That's it, me and Sarutobi are gonna have it out, he left a lot out about you!" Turning and making to leave the clearing, Jiraiya turned a hard eye back to the boy, "Meet me here at this training ground from now on in the mornings. If I'm not here start your normal routine. You can invite your girlfriend to." Saying his peace, Jiraiya left in a swirl of leaves.

Blushing, Naruto was shaking a fist in the direction of the departed sage, "Ino-hime isn't my girlfriend!" Not like she'd be interested in an idiot like him. No no, he had his beautiful explosions and that was enough for now.

-b-

A currently without his sword Naruto and a humming Ino both were in quiet moods as they made their way into the Konaha hospital. Naruto was still distracted by what the old pervert had said to him, trying hard not to imagine what it would be like with Ino-hime as a girlfriend. He barely knew what it meant to have a girlfriend anyway. Ino on the other hand was just happy to be spending some time with the blonde. Her own training had taken an uptick since the end of the preliminaries, so she hadn't been able to join him like before. She'd have to find the time later on like after the finals.

They were directed to the ninja wing of the hospital towards the upper floors, where they both were overwhelmed by the smell of power cleaners and anti-septics. It was quieter on these floors as well, not like the lower levels, and that probably spoke to the fact that this was a clan heiress that was injured. Something Naruto didn't think about often until right now as they came upon her room. At least she didn't have any of those stuffy Hyuuga guards here. Opening the door for Ino to go first, Naruto walked in behind her to get his first glimpse of his injured friend.

Hinata was sitting upright at the least while reading from a scroll. Her bed was against the wall with a window that allowed the sun in to give her reading light. Naruto was happy to see that there weren't a ton of machines hooked up to her, but his anger spiked a tad when he noticed that she was breathing rather heavily. Think happy thoughts Naruto and focus on breathing, Neji would get his.

Ino was all smiles however as she swung herself into a chair next to the quiet girl, "Hey there Hinata-san! We figured today would be a good day to come visit and grace you with our bright and radiant presence." Leaning forward with a grin, Ino poked the bedridden girl in the leg, "So how about it, feel better?" Friends first and rivals second. Ino was putting that lesson to good use lately.

Smiling softly and looking up to both of her visitors the injured girl nodded, "I do feel better. It's so boring here all by myself for most of the day." That Kurenai-sensei and her teammates had been the only ones who had visited wasn't something she was going to mention. That would spark a new wave of worries between them.

Putting on a smile and unsealing a set of bright yellow lilies already set in their own vase, Naruto walked forward and put them on the window sill, "It's not much, but wanted to get you something so we could brighten up the place. I've been in here enough to know just how cruddy it can be." Stepping back and admiring his work for a moment, he cocked his head to the side as he saw a blush on the girl's face. "You okay Hinata-chan? Want me to go find a nurse?"

It was Ino who smacked the boy on an arm, "Relax, she's fine. One of the monitors would be going off wouldn't it if something was wrong?" Throwing Hinata a bone, Ino eventually pulled the boy back to stand next to her.

Smiling much more and nodding to the boy to calm him down, Hinata bowed slightly, "Thank you Naruto-kun, they're wonderful." She stared at the flowers for a moment before turning back to her friends with a question, "While I appreciate the visit, don't you need to train for the finals Naruto?"

Shaking his head Naruto raised an arm and flexed, though the jacket hid anything, "I'm all good. I've still got plenty of time and you both remind me that it's good to take a break from time to time." Plus currently he was still pretty wiped out. Summoning that sage toad used a lot of chakra and without the fox he'd probably be passed out already.

Giggling at the boy's antics and relaxing further into her pillow Hinata then turned to Ino, "How's helping Shikamaru-san with training going?"

Ino groaned and threw an arm over the back of her seat, "That lazy bones hasn't changed up much of anything. If he isn't cloud gazing or napping, he's playing go with Asuma-sensei. About the only time I get to have fun is with either of you two, so you need to hurry and get better." While she was joking around for the other girl's sake, Ino was partially serious as well. If she didn't get back to her regular excitement she was going to start borrowing Naruto's clones to annoy her team. "But the real question is how are you Hinata-san?" They were here so they could check on the injured girl after all.

Hinata patted her chest softly, "They healed what they could, but I will need to be on bed rest for a few weeks. I'll be up and on light duty after that." Stifling a cough as this was the most she had talked in a while, the normally shy girl grinned, "Guess that give's you time to catch up."

Grinning at the challenge was an Ino who was happy to still see some fire in the girl, "Oh just you wait, I'll be bouncing you around the training field in no time." After she figured out how to counter the gentle fist.

Feeling like he was suddenly forgetting something, Naruto proceeded to pat himself down while both girls look at him curiously. After another minute of this and a frantic look growing on his face, Naruto finally turned to the door, "I forgot I had something else I wanted to give you! I'll be right back, I swear!" Before either girl could stop him Naruto was out the door and gone, footsteps echoing down the hallway.

Ino sighed and shook her head while turning back to her friend, "I think all the clone usage is scrambling his brain."

Nodding Hinata smiles, "He tries really hard at everything he does, that's all." Hands again resting on her scroll and drawing Ino's attention, the other girl asked about it.

"What's on the scroll? Looks intense."

Hinata held it up for Ino to see, a great line of names scrawled on it, "Recently something has been bothering me. And with all this time I have on my hands I decided I could start looking into it." Bringing the scroll back into her lap with a sigh, Hinata traced the names, "I was looking into the Uzumaki clan."

"Wait wait, hold up. Uzumaki clan? Like Naruto's clan?" At Hinata's nod, the blonde sat back in confusion, "Why go through that?"

Hinata began to fiddle with her fingers while searching for the correct wording, "Naruto-kun obviously didn't come from no where. He had to have had parents, and I know it bothers him that he doesn't know anything about them. So I thought, maybe I'd look his family up, put together a family tree for him so he could at least know the history." It was now however that a frown began to grow on her face, "Except the records for the Uzumaki suddenly drop off about 150 years ago." Throat dry, Hinata reached for a glass of water that had been provided for her when such a need arose.

Ino pondered over the problem as well. If Naruto was actually an Uzumaki, and the Uzumaki were a clan that was a part of the Leaf village then why did their history just stop all of a sudden? That didn't make sense at all. "But. 150 years would mean not just his parents or at least one of them, but also a set of grandparents are missing at least as well. Why would a family line be scrubbed from the records?"

Hinata had finished drinking and was putting her glass back, "I don't know. It was Naruto that gave me a partial clue of where to look next though. You know the training scrolls in the library?" Seeing Ino nod she continued, "Apparently Naruto has found a few with the donators last name either partially or fully deleted, which isn't normal procedure." Hinata's voice grew quiet as she put forth her real worry, "Something big is surrounding Naruto's family past. Possibly big enough to scrub everything about them from every record office in the village."

Ino now picked up on where this might be going, "The only other clan that has happened with, or at least close to it, was the Uchiha clan. Sure we know who they are, but that's because it happened so recently. But you can already see some information regarding them has been scrubbed or concealed." Looking up with wide eyes was an Ino who wasn't sure how to continue, "Do you think someone wiped the Uzumaki out?"

Hinata shrugged, "I don't know. The fact that Naruto was completely alone, just like Sasuke, and had such a close relationship with the Hokage which was usual as well….I think Naruto's clan was a lot more important that we know."

"It's all guessing though."

Nodding and conceding the point, Hinata rolled up her scroll, "Yes. But if it's true, it's where my current idea is forming."

Waving a hand Ino leaned forward, "Well, don't leave a girl hanging. Lay it on me." Village conspiracies were fun, but creepy. She needed something more light hearted.

But the quiet girl shook her head, "I don't want to say it out loud, just in case I jinx it." Here she looked at her love rival with a smirk, "So for now you better work hard, because I'm going to monopolize Naruto when I get out of here." While the shy girl was still herself, Ino was slowly bringing out more of an outspoken personality in her.

Pausing before laughing a little louder than polite, Ino grinned and flicked her hair, "Oh you're on. I'll have Naruto wrapped around my finger before you get out of here."

As the two girls proceeded to trade barbs back and forth before an excited Naruto finally returned with a sealing book signed by an Kushina Uzumaki again. Their afternoon would continue with some peace until the two healthy teens were forced to leave. And while both Ino and Naruto felt like they had done a good job of cheering up their friend, it was a frowning Hinata that wasn't completely satisfied at the new piece of the puzzle that had been dropped on her.

-AN-

Oh ho, a clan princess may have stumbled onto a village scandal. Will she get to learn what was special about the Uzumaki's, or will someone else beat her to it? Training continues as we approach the finals with a pervert actually putting in some effort this time.