NaruShika

As Jiraiya walked along the dirt road he could almost see the large gates of Konoha, a small smile on his face. It has been almost four years since he had left with Naruko to begin her training, he was used to leaving for long periods of time for his spy network but he knew that she had missed the village. 'Speaking of Naruko' he looked to his right at her. She has changed a lot in four years, her sun blond hair that just went past her shoulders had grown out and now was bellow her lower back and kept up in two ponytails with her bangs framing her face. She had lost the baby fat, her face becoming more defined, her eyes were still the same bright blue and the whisker marks on her cheeks had darkened slightly she was also taller now standing at 5'6.

She wore a black and burnt orange jacket (Like Naruto's in Shippuden) over a black tee shirt, her pants were black ninja pants with dark blue shinobi sandals and her weapon pouch on her right leg. Getting her to get rid of the bright orange jumpsuit was a pain and she refused to give up orange altogether but Jiraiya managed to get her to wear a burnt orange instead of the bight 'HEY COME ATTACK ME' orange she use to wear.

Seeing the look on her face Jiraiya could tell that she was worried about coming back to the village 'She's changed a lot in four years, she grown into a wonderful young women. If only she would tell me what's wrong' he thought.

"So Naruko are you exited to be back?" he asked watching her face for any hint as to how she was feeling, Naruko smiled trying to hide how nervous she was about returning to Konoha "I can't wait to get back I've missed everyone" She said looking up at Jiraiya smiling but as they drew closer to the village gates she started to slow down. Noticing this Jiraiya put a hand on her shoulder giving it a reassuring squeeze. "I'm always here when you're ready to talk kid" he said looking up at Jiraiya, Naruko gave him a small almost sad smile before she turned her head away to look at the ground.

"I know Ero-sannin" her voice was low before she turned to look at him again smiling brightly "Come on let's get back I can't wait to see Baa-Chan" She said her voice loud again as she grabbed his hand and dragged him towards the gate. As she dragged him Jiraiya couldn't help but think of the day that she had asked to come with him to train.

..::Flashback::..

I had just finished packing my bags and was headed to the gate of Konoha ready to leave when I had heard someone calling to me "Hey! Ero-sannin Wait up!" I knew who it was before I even turned around, once she stopped in front of me panting trying to catch her breath, she had her head down so I couldn't see her face. "You didn't think you could leave without me did you? You promised to train me remember" she said looking up at me that's when I noticed two things, one she had a backpack on and looked ready to leave the village, two her eyes where slightly red and puffy like she had been crying.

"What makes you think Tsunade would let you come with me? Hell what make you think I would let you come with me?" I asked purposely not asking her why she was crying, knowing she would just clam up and change the subject. If I want to know I'll have to wait for the right time to ask her.

"I can and will come because one I already asked Tsunade and she said it fine and two you PROMISED you would train me, so either you let me come or I'll just follow you" she said giving me a smug look, Damn it. We both stayed like that for a minute just staring, waiting till her eyes started to tear up her lips forming a pout "Please Ero-sannin, please let me come with you" She said, well more like begged. That did it, Naruko NEVER begs she asks or demands but never ever begs.

"Ok kid, you can come. Let's get going" I said putting my hand on her back as I turned around giving her a slight push forward, once we started walking she reached up to her face to wipe her eyes, she gripped the strap of her pack and stared at the ground as we walked. I looked down at her and sighed wondering what happened that made her want to come with me, for the past three days she's been trying to keep me from leaving then all of a sudden she want to come with me.

As we left the gates of Konoha Naruko looked up at me "So where are we going Ero-sannin?" she asked her head tilted to the side a little, I couldn't help but smile at how adorable she looked doing that. "Well, first were headed to….."

..::Flashback::..

Jiraiya was pulled out of his thoughts when Naruko had slowed down, he looked up to see the gates right in front of them 'Home sweet home' he thought looking over he noticed that Naruko had stopped walking and was just looking forward past the gates and into Konoha. Putting a hand on her shoulder again Jiraiya gave her a small push to get her walking again, nodding at the ninja that were guarding that gate as they pasted and into the village. Once in the village they both took to the roofs and headed straight for Hokage tower.

.:.:.:.:. what's this? A page brake? Yep!.:.:.:.:.:.

Once they both made it to the tower before they could go inside the office the bumped into Shizune well Naruko bumped into her making her drop the papers she was holding. "Oh, I'm so sorry Shizune I didn't see you there" Naruko said rubbing the back of her head as she got up before holding out her hand to help Shizune up as well, after Shizune had dusted herself off and picked up the papers that she had drop she finally looked up at who she had bumped into. Looking up she saw a head of long bright blonde hair and a big smile.

"Naruko!" she yelled before she grabbed said girl in a crushing hug

"When did you get back? How have you been? Why didn't you send any letters?" She asked as she continued to squeeze the life out of the poor girl.

"Shizune…can't…breath…..pervy sage…help" Naruko said as she tried to turn her head to see Jiraiya with little luck as her head was being mushed into Shizune's chest. "Oh sorry, sorry I'm just surprised to see you" She said as she let go of Naruko and looking over her shoulder to Jiraiya who had a tick mark on his forehead at being called pervy sage again 'I thought I finally got her to stop calling me that' he thought looking up at Shizune as she walked around Naruko to give him a quick hug.

"It's good to see you two again" She said then motioned to the door they were about to go in before they bumped into her "You two can go inside I'm sure Tsunade will be happy to see that your back"

"Thanks Shizune" said Naruko as both her and Jiraiya went into the room. Once they were in the room with the door closed they both stopped as the others in the room froze 'Shizune forgot to mention that Tsunade was in the middle of a….mission report?' Jiraiya thought, in the room with Tsunade was team 7 in the middle of what looked like a mission report till they walked in and everyone froze.

"Nar…Naruko?" came a voice looking over Naruko saw that it was Sakura, Kakashi, Sai and Sasuke both looked just as stunned to see her though "Hey Sakura-chan, Sasuke, Sai, Kakashi-sensei what's up?" Naruko said waving at them before turning to a shocked Tsunade sitting behind her desk with her eyes wide and her mouth open. "Hey Baa-chan! We're back" she said then was tackled into a hug by Sakura.

As Naruko was hugged by Sakura, Sasuke, Sai and Kakashi walked over to them smiling and welcoming her back. Tsunade smiled at the reunion then looked over to Jiraiya who had walked over to her shaking his head at the others.

"Welcome back Jiraiya how was your trip? I loved reading about it in the letters you sent me, oh right you never sent any letters" Tsunade spoke sickly sweet at first, by the end she was standing with hands on her desk as she was leaning over it and glaring at the white haired Sannin, you could feel the KI (Killing Intent) as Jiraiya gave her a nervous smile rubbing the back of his neck while backing away from the enraged woman.

"Well you see…..the reason I didn't send any letters was….what happened was…." Jiraiya stumbled over his words while Tsunade looked ready to jump over her desk and at the frightened man.

Naruko had felt the KI just like the others in the room who all turned to look at the two Sannin, "Well he's a goner" Sasuke mumbled as they all watched waiting for the slug Sannin to attack the toad Sannin, Naruko just glared at him before she ran around the desk and threw her arms around Tsunade "Baa-chan!" she exclaimed happily stopping her from murdering Jiraiya.

Turning so she could hug the blonde girl back, a loving smile on her face and the KI from before gone "Hey brat, I'm glad your back" Tsunade said as she released the girl from her hug "I'm glad to be back" she said but everyone could see the slight strain behind her smile as she said it. "How have you been Baa-chan? What did I miss while I was gone?" Naruko asked as she walked back around the blonde Hokage's desk and sat in a chair, but before Tsunade could say a word Sakura had sat down in the chair next to Naruko and started talking about everything that had happened while she was away.

Sakura talked about everything from how they were all chunin now and missions they would go on to the latest gossip in the village like who was dating who and what not while skillfully keeping a certain brow haired lazy jounin out of anything she said which didn't go unnoticed by Jiraiya or the others.

As Sakura went on and on Jiraiya set two scrolls on Tsunade's desk for her to read them he pushed Kakashi, Sasuke and Sai out of the office ignoring their protests before going back to get Sakura, after trying to get her attention and failing he settled for hauling the kunoichi (I think that's how you spelling?) over his shoulder making Naruko laugh at the squeak she made before being tossed out the door "You better meet up with everyone later or I'll hunt you down!" Sakura yelled at Naruko before the door was closed in her face.

Both Jiraiya and Naruko turned to Tsunade when they heard her gasp and saw the look of shock on her face at what she was reading "Hey Baa-chan what are you reading?" Naruko asked, when she didn't get an answer from her Naruko walked around her to look over her shoulder at what she was reading. Naruko made an 'ahhh' sound when she saw what it was one scroll was from hidden mist village saying that she past the jounin exams and the other was her stats as a ninja and all the mission she's been on in the past four years that she's been gone.

"Jiraiya are these right?" Tsunade asked not really believing that Konoha's dead last, number one knuckle headed ninja had managed to not only successfully complete all these mission but also surpass all the other rookie nine, plus Gai's team. Well almost all of them Neji and shikamaru were jounin now too.

"Of course, there right, god Baa-chan I thought you had more faith in me than that" Naruko said in a deadpan tone her arms crossed and a small pout before Jiraiya could answer her. "I know Naruko I'm sorry I just didn't think you'd learn this fast that's all" Tsunade said putting down the scrolls then resting her elbows on the desk and lacing her fingers together resting her chin on her hands. "Now based on what I'm reading I think you're ready" Tsunade said a smirk on her face.

"Ready for what?" Naruko asked cautiously not really liking the look on her face. "To become an ANBU, that is if you want to" Tsunade said she really believed that Naruko was ready for this based on everything she had accomplished while she was training with Jiraiya.

"You really think I'm ready to become an ANBU." Naruko said jumping up and down a huge smile on her face, she had always wanted to be an ANBU (her dream is still to become Hokage but you can have more than one dream) Jiraiya laughed at his student's actions, he put a hand on her head to keep her from bouncing again while he ruffled her hair "of course we think you're ready" Jiraiya said a proud smile on his face as he watched the girl he thought of as his granddaughter's face light up.

Tsunade then left as Naruko calmed down and sat in the chair again with Jiraiya standing behind her, they waiting about five minutes before Tsunade came back holding two boxes, the first one she set on her desk and the second one she handed to Naruko who gave her a questioning look.

"Well, go on open it" Tsunade said shaking her head at the girl as she sat on the edge of her desk.

Opening the box Naruko looked inside to see an ANBU outfit and her smile came back as she pulled it out. "Go on and try it on" Jiraiya said pointing over to a door, Nodding her head Naruko got up and took the box with her to change into her new ANBU gear.

The two Sannin waited a few minutes before Naruko came out wearing black ninja pants and a black sleeveless turtleneck shirt, a grey vest and black gloves with grey arm guards, tall black shinobi sandals with bandages around her right leg and her weapons pouch.

"So, how does it fit?" Tsunade asked as Naruko came back out to stand in front of the two Sannin "Great!" Naruko said smile never leaving her face, Tsunade grabbed the other box off of her desk as Jiraiya put his hand on Naruko's shoulder and made her sit back down in the chair.

"Now for your ANBU tattoo" Tsunade said as she pulled the ink and needle out of the box her smile turned into a grimace, she hated needles.

"Yeah, tattoo right…" Naruko said swallowing, Jiraiyas hand still on her shoulder keeping her grounded in her chair. "You ready brat?" Tsunade said once she was finished getting everything ready, nodding her head Naruko gave the blonde Hokage a small smile, she really does NOT like needles. After getting the nod from the girl Tsunade started.

….:::::::Look! Another break line!::::::::…..

Thirty minutes later the blonde Kunoichi was walking out the Hokage tower a smile on her face, all of her new ANBU gear in a bag over her shoulder and thanks to kyuubi's power the redness and swelling in her arm has already gone down a lot, her jacket was back on hiding her tattoo from everyone. Walking through Konoha on her way to ichiraku ramen Naruko thought to herself how much she had missed Konoha, she didn't relies how much she missed it till she stepped through the gates.

Once a familiar ramen stand was in sight Naruko picked up speed to get to it, when she got to it she saw some of her friends sitting on two of the bar stools Kiba Inuzkua and Hinata Hyuga her best friends before she left. Smirking Naruko crept up behind Kiba then she put her hand on his shoulder shouting 'BOO!' and started laughing at his scream as he jumped in his set.

"OMG! That was to good" Naruko laughed clutching her sides as the two turned to look at her Kibas hand over his heart his eyes wide, "God Kiba you scream like a girl" Naruko said between laughs.

"Jezz Naruko are you trying to give me a heart attack!" Kiba yelled at her before turning back to is ramen, Hinata however just looked at her with wide eyes "N-naru-chan your b-back" she said just as Kiba realized just WHO had scared him and spit out his mouth full of noddle's before whipping around again yelling "NARUKO!" as he did his eyes wide as well, straitening up Naruko gave them both her bright smile "Hey guys, did you miss me?" she asked them before Hinata could say anything Kiba had jumped out of his set and hugged Naruko.

Once Kiba had let her go Hinata got up to give her friend a hug "When did you get back?" Hinata asked, all three of them siting down on the stools and Naruko ordered a miso ramen for herself before answering.

"Today, came here right after I saw Baa-chan" Naruko was stuffing her face with ramen by the end of her sentence, the other two just smiled at that 'same old Naruko' Kiba thought, once they had finished their noodles with Naruko ordering more saying how much she missed ichiraku ramen on her travels. Kiba and Hinata filled her in on everything she missed both trying not to mention Shikamaru, only them and Sakura knew about what had happened between them before she left with Jiraiya, she knew that both Jiraiya and Tsunade had been worried then and still were sometimes but she never could bring herself to tell them. She might be mad at him but she doesn't want him dead.

..::FlashBack::..

Naruko was walking down the street back to her little apartment, she had a big smile on her face she had just finished having dinner with her boyfriend of one-year Shikamaru, it had surprised everyone when the lazy boy had asked out the hyper girl, they had been best friends before they got together.

They were both very different but just clicked from day one. Shikamaru was quiet and lazy but very smart, he could keep a level head in any type of problem while Naruko was loud and could never sit still for long, she was easy to rile up and often rash never really thinking about what she's doing till it's done but she's smarter than people give her credit for.

Naruko was half way home when she realized that she has left her wallet at his place, she thought about leaving it till tomorrow but knowing her she would forget it till she really needed it and couldn't find it. So, she turned around and started back to Shika's house it was just starting to get dark out and it shouldn't take long for her to get it and head back home again. Five minutes later she found herself back at Shikamaru's, she walked into his house thinking about where she set her wallet down, not having to knock as Shika gave her a key to his house two months ago she walked down the hall going to his bedroom.

Once she opened the door she froze a gasp escaping her lips at what she saw, Shikamaru was standing by the wall kissing a girl –WHO WAS NOT HER- he had his back on the wall, his hands on her hips. Her hands were tangled in his hair, they both jumped at her gasp breaking apart Shikamaru looked over the girls shoulder at the door and a look of horror crossed his face as he saw who was standing there. Naruko his girlfriend who he has been with for one year and who he loves, the girl had turned to look at who saw them but Naruko didn't recognize her.

Shikamaru tried to push the girl away from him and explain himself to Naruko, but before he could she had already turned around and bolted home as fast as she could. Naruko could barely see where she was going because of the tears in her eyes, she tried to wipe them away but more just filled her eyes and ran down her face. She thought she heard someone call her name but she ignored it and just kept running until she made it back to her small apartment.

After a few minutes of crying to herself on her bed Naruko heard someone knock at her door, at first she was just going to ignore them thinking it might be Shikamaru until she heard a voice call her from the other side "Naruko? Are you ok? Come on we know you're in there please open the door, it's just me and Sakura" The voice belonged to Hinata, Hinata and Sakura had been getting closer since the chunnin exams.

It took a second but Naruko did get up and let the two girls inside, once inside both Sakura and Hinata started asking her whats wrongs and who they should beat up(Sakura) so Naruko told them what just happened with Shikamaru. Both girls were extremely mad at Shikamaru and very confused because he really doesn't seem like the kind of guy that would do something like that It would be to 'troublesome' to him.

The three girls talked for the whole night doing what they could to keep Narukos mind off of what happened when Naruko decided to leave the village with Jiraiya, she told the other two about it and they agreed that it would be good for her so, now all she had to do was pack her bag and go talk to Tsunade about it.