The sun was shining brightly.

Everywhere throughout Hidden Leaf Village, shinobi and civilian alike hurried about their business.

It was a grand and glorious day for almost everyone. Whistling happily, Naruto was making the most of his time off. Kakashi had been sent alone on a mission, a secret assassination that had absolutely no room for error. Sakura was busy working with Tsunade and Shizune this week. He was free to train where he liked.

"I'm just doing what I was told," the village's noisiest ninja said, sitting down alone to eat his bento. "I don't know why everyone is taking it so seriously."

Naruto looked over at the members of Team Gai. They were all making it a point to ignore him at the moment. Lee was busy kicking at one of the large wooden posts, while Gai urged him onward with loud shouts and a one man round of applause. Neji practiced his Byakugan, counting the number of quail in the surrounding thickets. Ten Ten watched him, chewing on a long strip of jerky.

"You'd think they'd have a sense of humor by now," Naruto said, shrugging. "After all, two of their teammates wear these things." He pulled at the fabric of the stretchy green suit he was wearing. It was identical to the ones that Lee and Gai had on. Setting his food aside, he decided to do resume his work-out. "Kage Bunshin No Jutsu."

Naruto took up position in front of one of the posts. He sent a clone to each of the other empty posts throughout the training field. When they all turned to look at them, he struck a pose and saluted, light shining off of his teeth.

"Go for it guys!" He began kicking his post. The clones mirrored his action. "Ohhhh-hhh-hh-h… one… two… three… four… five…" He noticed that both Lee and Gai were staring in his direction, looking kind of sour. "Ahhhh-hhh-hh-h… six… seven… eight… nine… ten…" He smiled, hearing the clones counting along with him. "Ooooo-oooo-ooo-oo-o… eleven… twelve… thirteen… fourteen… fifteen…"

As he began to build up a sweat, Naruto though back to the rest of that day. He had joined Team Gai for practice, seeing that he had already made the round with the other teams, earlier in the week. When he had showed up, both Gai and Lee had been ecstatic at first, seeing how he had dressed. Neji and Ten Ten had simply looked at one another and sighed.

Throughout the morning, he had made it a point to act like one of the other shinobi, taking on their characteristics as best he could. At one point, he took out two large hair buns he had made from a pair of wigs he had purchased. Wearing them, he had worked on his Taijutsu skills. That did not go over too well with Ten Ten.

"Ohhhhh-ahhhhh-ooooo-oooo-ooo-oo-o…" Naruto continued with his kicking and his counting. Neji hadn't been overwhelmed, either. Didn't someone once say that imitation was the sincerest form of flattery? Flattery was a good thing, right? Hah! Earlier, he had tried to perform his own version of Kaiten. He created a large number of clones, and sent them running around him in circles. He had other clones throwing kunai and sickles at him, just the way Ten Ten did for Neji. "Maybe the white contact lenses were a bit much…"

"Naruto!" Gai came over to him, a pained look on his face. "I think it is time that you tell me the reason for your behavior.. Lee, Ten Ten and Neji all listened in.

"Awwwww-wwww-www-ww-w…" Naruto kicked the post a few more times. "I will tell you in a few moments… if I do not complete these two hundred kicks, I will have to do five hundred sit-ups… Oooooo-oooo-ooo-oo-o…" When he finally reached two hundred, he stopped. "Hard work without believing in yourself is worthless", he said. "I must make use of the exploding power of my youth. Sometimes sweet, sometimes sour, it is always strict!" He suddenly leapt at the post. "Dynamic attack!"

"Very good…" Gai smiled, until things sank in. Naruto had been imitating him again. "Sadly, you have spent too much time with my rival, Kakashi. But, even he is more clever in his mockery…"

Naruto shrugged. "You were all there. You heard the Old Lady." He made a face, as if he had swallowed another carton of spoiled milk. He imitated Tsunade's voice. "Uzumaki Naruto!" He held up one finger, the way that the Hokage had. "This is too much! Why can't you act like everyone else? From now on, make sure that you do!" He had been embarrassed, seeing that he had been dressed down in front of everyone.

It all resulted from a mission he had gone on with Kakashi and Sakura. They had been sent to safeguard the delivery of an important treaty to Iwagakure no Sato. In the process, attacked by ninjas from the Land of Rain and Land of Grass, Naruto had gotten carried away. Instead of eluding the enemy shinobi as instructed, he had taken them on and ultimately defeated them. Unfortunately, in the process, he had destroyed the personal residence of the Tsuchikage. That was hardly a diplomatic coup.

"But… that…" Gai shook his head. "That's not what she meant!"

"I know," Naruto said, sticking out his jaw, feeling somewhat belligerent. "Maybe next time she'll be more careful." He grinned, seeing the look on Lee's face. His friend could not imagine any one acting out against the Hokage in that manner.

"Have you been acting like this with the other teams?" Neji asked.

In answer, Naruto performed a jutsu, making himself look just like Hinata. He brought his hands to his chest, squeaked "Naruto-kun," and promptly pretended to pass out.

"The Hokage is going to be furious," Ten Ten said. Under her breath she added, "Not that I'm too happy myself…"

After finishing up for the day, Naruto began marching towards his favorite Ramen shop. Humming a happy a cheerful little ditty, he thought back over the past few days. The day spent with Team Kurenai had been memorable too. He had indeed made it a point to faint every time he ended up face to face with Hinata.

"I bet I looked pretty cool in the shades," he said to himself. He had put on a large cowled robe at one point, and pulled his collar up the way Shino wore his. The sunglasses had topped things off. His one attempt to be funny backfired, though. Putting the ants down his pants and shirt was not his cleverest trick! "Face paint too!" He had marked himself up like he was a member of the Inuzuka clan. "Shit…"

Naruto grimaced. His rear end still smarted where Akamaru had nipped him a few days ago. The dog definitely had Kiba's temper. When he had been running around on all fours barking like Akamaru, the large dog had started growling. When he started spinning through the air peeing on the nearest trees the way he had seen Akamaru do, it had obviously been too much. Even a pooch the size of a horse has a sense of pride.

After placing his order, he put his hands behind his head and smiled. He had started everything off at the beginning of the week off by imitating Sakura. She was not amused at his saying he had an 'Inner Naruto,' and then describing how it was behaving. Stuffing small pillows down his pants to widen his hips had earned him a punch to the gut.

"Choji didn't think it was too funny either," Naruto said, grinning. He had stuffed his cheeks with cotton balls and placed a number of pillows under a large robe he had borrowed. At lunch, he ate with a shovel he had swiped from the road crew. In addition to that, he had gone on to use the words 'bothersome' and 'troublesome' in every manner imaginable. Making certain Ino was watching, he also made it a point to sigh and say "Shikamaru" ad nauseum. "I think I better order something sweet for dessert," he said, making a face. He still had a bad taste in his mouth, after spending so much time with a lit cigarette in his mouth.

It hadn't been all fun and games. At one point, when close to one hundred clones were puffing away at the same time, someone had sent a fire crew over to building Team Asuna had been eating in. He, Choji, Ino, and Shikamaru had gotten doused with high pressure hoses before Asuna told the firefighters to stop. Before he finished reassuring a group of older ninjas who had run in to see what was wrong, the jounin had been knocked down and pushed across the floor by Suikoudan no Jutsu.

"There you are!" Iruka stepped over to Naruto's table. "I was pretty sure I might find you here." The shinobi had a look of disapproval on his face. "The Hokage sent me to find you. She wasn't too happy." He picked up a napkin and used it to dab at his forehead. "Someone should tell her not to kill the messenger…"

"I'll tell her, Iruka-sensei." Naruto said, smiling. "Right after I finish eating and change out of these ridiculous clothes." He slurped down the noodles in one of his three remaining bowls. There was something else he wanted to do.

"Hey! Don't mention my name. I thought I was your friend…" Iruka shook his head. "You better not wait too long. The longer you wait, the more trouble you'll be in."

Eventually, Naruto found himself standing outside the Hokage's office. He knocked loudly on the door.

"Come in!" Tsunade's voice was well beyond annoyed. But, she hadn't seen anything yet. "What the Hell…"

"Uzumaki Naruto reporting as ordered, Ma'am." Naruto walked in wearing a white blouse that matched the kind the Hokage often wore. "I've been following your other order to the letter, too."

"What are you talking about?" Tsunade furrowed her brow. A storm was brewing in her eyes. "This is not a good time to get on my nerves any more than you already have."

"Hey! It's not my fault you said what you did." He reached inside a bag and took out two muskmelons. Wriggling around some, he stuffed them inside the blouse. "This is too much. Why can't you act like everyone else? From now on, make sure that you do. Right?" He put on a long blonde wig and held up one finger.

"Y-O-U-!" The Hokage stood up too quickly, knocking over a stack of reports that had been teetering at the edge of her desk.

"Bwee!" Ton Ton jumped up from a pile of cozy pillows and made a beeline for cover.

Naruto swallowed hard. Suddenly, things didn't seem so funny anymore.

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