Haarii-chan: Ossu! Hey everyone? How is everyone since my last fabulous post? (Dodges and ducks, hiding from the volleys of rotten fruit.) Ah!! Sorry for the late update; really I am. I've just been away for a few months, so I haven't been able to update. Anyway, here's the exciting chapter 3!! ENJOY AND I'M SORRY FOR THE TARDINESS OF MY UPDATE!!!

All: Haarii-chan has returned! Life is normal again!!

Haarii-chan: . . . I missed you guys too. Anyway ::AHEM::

DISCLAIMER: I, AS IN HAARII-CHAN, DO NOT OWN NARUTO IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM OTHER THAN MY RANDOM BURST OF HOPEFILLED IMAGINATION THAT ALLOWS ME TO WRITE ABSURD FAN FICTION AND CRAZY PLOT LINES. THANK YOU.

"Talking"

'thinking'

Flashback no Jutsu!!

Voice talking inside the head (aka Minato, etc)

"Bijuu talking"

Time skip

The next five days were spent on light training and meditation. On day one, Kyuubi finished joining her chakra to Naruto's and Hinata's personal stores, giving the shinobi an extreme amount of power. She also taught the Hyuuga princess several medical Jutsu that would turn Tsunade green with envy.

Hinode and Naruto spent a large amount of time in meditation where they each created a new elemental Rasengan. Naruto finished the fire version, eager to test it out on any person stupid enough to cross his path. Hinode, on the other hand, put the last touches on his lightning Rasengan that would have Kakashi drooling.

On day two, Hinode taught Naruto how to perfect the finishing touches on the Hirashin no Jutsu- giving birth to the second Yellow Flash of Konoha. Hinode beamed with pride when Naruto finished creating the blood seals that would activate his father's most famous Jutsu.

At the end of day three, Gaara's team arrived at the Tower without a scratch on them. Naruto waved cheerily at the red head, inviting him and his siblings to join in the game of Poker. Temari was great for a beginner, but Hinata was definitely the best player, even when she didn't use her Byakugan. Naruto and Hinode where close behind, but lacked the special little je ne sais qua.

Days four and five were the most enjoyable for Naruto and company. Team Gama would regularly have races on the ceiling to improve chakra control and speed. The catch was they had to run on his or her hands and rotate a leaf on his or her nose. Hinode was the best at this exercise because he was definitely the fastest of the three. However, Naruto was the team's powerhouse and stamina monster, so he could compete the longest and against the most opponents.

However, the part where Naruto really shined was when the team spent time coming up with new seals to show Jiraiya. Hinode might have been a seals master when he was alive, but Naruto was, without a doubt, the most creative and soon took over the position of seal master.

Finally, the second examination of the Chuunin Examinations was over. All of the Konoha Genin teams arrived, along with the Suna team and one of the teams from Otogakure. Sasuke, Kiba, and Shino were the last team to arrive. Kiba was heavily wounded, as was Sasuke. Shino buzzed loudly, but remained silent. Kurenai was puzzled at the team's silence and state of being, but allowed her thoughts to remain personal and unspoken.

The Hokage gazed intensely at the aspiring Genin from each village, pausing to lock eyes with Naruto, then Hinata, and finally Hinode. Brushing off the third member's appearance as an altered Kage Bushin, the Sandaime congratulated the remaining Genin.

"Congratulations on passing the second portion of the Chuunin Exams. However, if you feel you are unable to compete, you may leave now. Your teammates will not be affected by your choice. Speak now."

Kabuto, like the filthy beetle he is, (me: sorry if you like him) immediately raised his hand and forfeited. Sarutobi nodded in acknowledgment, and had a Jounin escort the traitor-to-be out of the stadium. Kiba also relinquished his position after Naruto and Hinode sent him a particularly nasty glare. Kurenai blinked, dumbfounded.

'Since when has Kiba tucked tail and run from a challenge? This requires further investigation.'

As Shino was about to raise his hand and forfeit the 'last' Uchiha, as was his duty as a teammate, Sasuke gripped his hand tightly.

"What are you doing?" the duck-butt head hissed. Shino only pushed his glasses up further.

"Sasuke-kun, you are injured and unfit for battle. As a comrade and teammate, it is my job to insure that you are taken care of and your injuries treated. Besides, you might not be very concerned, but my beetles can smell the foreign chakra in your system that needs to be cleansed immediately. Now, forfeit yourself, or I will do it for you."

Sasuke only glared and squeezed the bug user's wrist tighter.

"You will do no such thing, bug-boy. I'm fine."

"Lies." With that, Shino ripped his wrist away from the Uchiha brat and raised his hand. "Hokage-sama, my teammate, Uchiha Sasuke-kun, is unable to continue and I request that his spot be forfeit and that he be given immediate medical attention." The Hokage blinked but nodded.

"Very well. Kurenai-san, will you escort Uchiha-san to the medical wing?"

Sasuke saw red. How dare that stupid bug-boy?! How dare he?! Rage tore through Sasuke as he grabbed a fist-full of kunai and charged his teammate. However, he was quickly intercepted and thrown to the ground.

"Move!! Let me go!!" The Uchiha raved, twisting wildly under his captors grip. Angrily, he turned his head to see that Naruto was pressing a knee into his back and had both of his hands tightly bound with a glare that could scare a Hyuuga pointed at his captive. Hinode was two steps away, his tanto and wakizashi poised to strike. Hinata had her Byakugan activated and was preparing to throw several senbon.

"Teme," Naruto growled, "Remember what Kakashi-san said first day of training? 'Those who break the rules are trash, but those who abandon their comrades are lower than trash.' Ring any bells?"

"You got a point Dobe?"

Naruto's eyes narrowed even more before he removed his kodachi and aligned it to his seat's throat.

"Abandonment of a comrade is frowned upon here in Konohagakure no Sato. However, killing a comrade is forbidden and will be dealt with accordingly. Uchiha Sasuke, for the attempt to kill your teammate, you will be punished. Prepare yourself." Naruto pressed his blade to the Uchiha's neck, drawing a small trail of blood to coat his deadly blade.

Sarutobi was shocked.

'Not good. If I don't act now, Naruto-kun will kill Sasuke-kun. Then the council will be screaming for his blood.'

Time seemed to stand still for the slightest moment before Jiraiya grabbed the blonde shinobi and held him back.

"Kitsu," he whispered dangerously, "calm yourself. If you kill the brat, what would Sanshouuo think?"

"Trust me on this one Jiraiya-sensei," Naruto growled out, his eyes bleeding red, "He would approve."

Jiraiya was at a loss. On one hand, he could allow his student to decapitate the prick of a boy, completely unworthy of the name Uchiha; thereby insinuating the council's fury and possibly losing his godson. The other option was that he attempt to stop his student, most likely getting injured in the process, but saving both of their skins. Jiraiya sighed heavily, knowing that option number one was out of the question for the sake of both the Sannin and ANBU, not to mention Konoha.

"I'm sorry Naru-chan. I know that you want to be rid of this worthless piece of flesh, but the rules are that only ANBU can carry out the punishment of rogue ninja, not GENIN. Remember your mission. Think before you act gaki. I can't lose you like I lost your parents."

That struck something within our favorite blonde because he immediately froze and stood straighter. Embarrassed now, Naruto rubbed the back of his head and smiled a fake and cheesy grin that crinkled his eyes.

"Sorry, I guess I wasn't thinking Sensei. I should know better than to act before I think. Forgiveness is pleaded to the highest degree."

"Forgiveness will be granted on the terms that an incident like this never happens again and punishment is given. Is that understood soldier?"

"Hai Sensei."

Hinata deactivated her Byakugan and visibly relaxed, as did Hinode, who grudgingly sheathed his weapons. Sasuke was still furious but kept his mouth shut. As one of the ANBU operatives, Okami, escorted the boy from the stadium, Sasuke tried to come to grips with the feeling stirring within his heart: fear. Sasuke shook his head, convinced that he was just tired, but a small voice spoke to him.

"Don't lie to yourself boy. You are afraid. Afraid of the DOBE who, apparently, is no longer a Dobe. He was going to kill you, and, by doing so, kill your dream. Your duty!! The Uchiha clan must be avenged, and that blonde . . . SCUM nearly ended everything! Face it; you're scared of the dead last."

With the rest of the participants, Hiruzen Sarutobi asked if anyone else wanted to leave. Chouji immediately decided that it would be better for his personal health that he abandon the crazy notion of continuing. Kabuto's teammates and the remaining Oto shinobi also resigned, claiming that they were too injured to continue and their Kage would be pleased with their overall performance. Again, the Sandaime asked if anyone else wanted to leave. Finding no others who would put away their pride, the Hokage again gave his congratulations to the left over shinobi and then explained that the Chuunin Exams were a way to avoid war by putting the best aspiring shinobi from each village against each other to prove a village's superiority.

"Now, the exams will be taking place in exactly one month's time, so after you are assigned to an opponent, you are free to leave so that you can prepare thoroughly for you battle. We will have the competition tournament style, meaning once you defeat your opponent, you will fight the winner of the next match. However, just because you lose doesn't mean you can't become a Chuunin. If you perform to the best of your abilities, the judges might just promote you."

Shikamaru then shouted out,

"So, it's possible for all of us to become Chuunin?"

Sarutobi nodded grimily.

"However, it is possible that none of you become Chuunin. The possible outcomes depend on your personal performances. Now, the matches are as follows:

Uzumaki Hinode vs. Yamanaka Ino

Hyuuga Neji vs. Sabaku no Temari

Sabaku no Gaara vs. Hyuuga Hinata

Uzumaki Naruto vs. Aburame Shino

Sabaku no Kankuro vs. Rock Lee

Nara Shikamaru vs. Tenten

Please prepare yourselves to the best of your abilities and hope that you prove yourselves to every Hidden Village. Now go!"

The Genin quickly dispersed, leaving the Hokage alone to his thoughts. Jiraiya grabbed his team and escorted them out of the tower. He nodded at the ANBU guards around the parameter of the tower, pausing briefly to speak to Kakashi. The Cyclops only smiled his weird one-eyed smile and patted Naruto and Hinode on the heads.

"Make this village proud Naruto-otouto; you too Minato-sensei. Hinata-hime, I expect that you'll keep these slackers at the top of their game."

Hinata laughed before kissing Naruto on the cheek.

"Don't worry Kakashi-san. By the time I'm done with these two, the Hokage himself will be shaking in his robes!" Hinata declared proudly. Kakashi smiled again before poofing away. Jiraiya then led the group to the Namikaze mansion and had the children (cough cough) help him prepare the afternoon meal of steamed rice, nikujaga*, wasabi broccoli, and hot tea. After the nutritious meal, Jiraiya ordered the twins to go to bed and told Hinata to go home and rest.

"Training will start again tomorrow at 5 am sharp. You guys know the drill. Remember to meditate before bed and congrats on this part of the exam."

Hinata and Naruto kissed good night, followed by Hinode giving the Hyuuga princess a hug. After Hinata left, Hinode became Minato again and squeezed the crap out of his munchkin.

"O…tou…san… can't… breathe!" Poor fishcake (— oops, I meant maelstrom) was turning a peculiar shade of purple before Minato finally release the oxygen-deprived blonde.

"Oops! Sorry Naru-chan! So, I'm going to back into the seal for at least a week or two. Summon me after two weeks and we'll continue physical training. Until then, Kyuubi-chan will be teaching you medical ninjutsu. Remember to do everything that Sensei tells you to and eat plenty of vegetables. You need to be big and strong to become Hokage!" With that, the elder blonde returned to the seal with a soft pop. Jiraiya slowly turned to Naruto, giving the chibi an evil smirk. Naruto sweat dropped.

"Ano, Sensei, what's with that face?"

"Oh nothing Gaki. I just thought of the most evil thing to get Tsunade back here . . . of course, you and your hime's services will be necessary, but it won't be anything too bad. Besides, you get to punish her for not owning up to her title of god-mother."

That got Naruto's attention, his eyes widening at the fact. Tsunade, the slug Sannin, was his god-mother and had never bothered to even see if he was alive. Tears prickled his eyes, but he quickly blinked them away. He would bring her back and force her into the office of Hokage, even if he had to drag her by her pig tails.

"Alright, all evil plots aside, it's time for all good shinobi to rest. I have to go keep up my persona of an idiot super-pervert, so I'll be at the hot springs. Make sure Kyuubi-sama knows that she can't use all of your chakra and remember that training starts at 5 am. I'll be back in a couple of hours."

Naruto waved good bye to his beloved god-father and took a hot shower, washing the forest grime off his still energetic body before he slipped on his pajamas and sat in a meditative pose. Upon entering his mind-scape, Kyuubi cuddled him tightly before setting the boy on the ground.

"Alright Naru-chan, we'll be starting medical ninjutsu now, so I'm going to teach you how to convert your normal chakra into the green medical chakra. First, you . . ."

The next morning at 4:30 am

"Gaki, it's time to get up. I've got breakfast on the table, so hurry up before it gets cold," Jiraiya called from the kitchen. Naruto groaned as he slipped out from under his warm cover and padded into the dining room where Jiraiya was chewing on some rice and sipping coffee. Naruto mumbled a quick 'Itadakimasu' before shoving grilled tuna, rice, and salad down his throat. He then chugged his bowl of tofu miso soup and downed the two glasses of milk in front of him.

"Gochisousama deshita."

"Get dressed. Hina-hime should be here shortly." Not one second after, a soft knock could be heard at the gate of the Namikaze compound. Naruto retrieved Hinata and the two sat patiently, waiting of Jiraiya to give his orders for the day. The toad sage appraised the two before starting his announcements.

"Today, we'll be working on A and S-rank ninjutsu and I've asked Anko-san to come over and finish teaching you the fine art of assassination. Your forms are still a little sloppy and you still get too much blood on the ground. Afterward, if you can still move, we will work on some more aspects of spying as well as a history test. I hope you're both ready for this, because this month is going to be hell."

"Hai Sensei," the lovers uttered as one.

One week until the third exam

Anko and Jiraiya stood back, admiring their hard work. Hinata and Naruto stared back, muscles coiled tightly, ready to spring and attack.

"Alright, I believe that you two should be ready for anything that may come your way during this exam. Remember: if anything out of the ordinary happens or it just doesn't feel right, get my attention as soon as possible. Just flare your chakra- on second thought, make that your youki. You'll need to conserve your chakra. And don't worry about the exam; no matter the outcome of your matches, Sensei will be making sure that the both of you are the first promoted. After that, we'll be traveling to find Tsunade-Hime. Now, get some rest and do me proud."

The teens bowed to Jiraiya, then to Anko, before returning to the bedrooms in the Namikaze mansion. They collapsed onto one of the many king-sized beds and coddled.

"Naru-kun, do you think that we'll be able to find Tsunade-sama? No one has been able to find her for the past several years."

"Worry not my Hime. We have Sensei and he always knows where Tsunade-sama is. That's why we spent so much time learning about his spy network and meeting all of his informants. We'll find her and bring her back, no matter what."

". . . I love you. You know that right?" The boy was startled be quickly smiled.

"For course. We've been in love for so long, I don't remember then time when we didn't love one another."

"Maybe when we first met and you were in need of a mate," Hinata wittily responded.

"Good times, good times," Naruto chuckled, kissing the girl's hair and slipping into his memories.

(Flashback no Jutsu start!!)

Young Naruto had just turned three when Sarutobi decided that maybe Danzo was correct and Naruto needed to be trained, but only so that he could protect himself and Konoha. The only way for Sarutobi to be able to make sure that the blonde child did not become an emotionless monster was to place him under the protection of his loyal Black Ops officers and have them train the child. Danzo might have been right to say that the child needed to be trained, but the Ne project, or Root project, was no place for the son of Konoha's greatest hero.

The still tender boy was removed from his bed at the orphanage, carried down the hallway, and then dropped unceremoniously in the cool October air. Naruto was still rubbing the sleep out of his eyes when the ANBU Tora shushined the pair to the Hokage's office. Tora then forced the boy to bow to the aged leader. Sarutobi smiled at the boy before asking,

"Naruto-kun, do you know why I had you brought before me?"

"No sire. All I know is that I'm really sleepy and Tora-sama is really warm." The ANBU chuckled at the childish words before bowing and leaving the room. Sarutobi then ordered the other ANBU to leave the room.

"Now Naruto-kun, I'm being forced to make some changes around Konoha and one of these changes concerns you."

"Hai. But before you go any further, Nee-sama wants you to place up a privacy barrier so that she can talk to you freely." Sarutobi raised his eyebrows at this and quickly complied with the child-mouthpiece of the Kyuubi no Kitsune. Once the seal was in place, Naruto's eyes turned ruby red and the pupils sharpened into cat-like slits.

"Good morning Saru-kun," a feminine voice floated from the child's mouth. Hiruzen nodded and responded in kind.

"A pleasant morning to you too Kyuubi-sama; might I ask the cause of your possession of your vessel's body?" The queen of the Bijuu giggled before jumping to sit on the human's desk.

"Well, first things first, I wanted to apologize for going after the village, but you have to understand, when Mandara Uchiha summons, I must obey— no matter how much I hate that bastard. Besides, my priestess was here in Konoha and I was on my way to visit her. It's really a shame that she died; however, she left me with a wonderful heir. But I digress. Listen carefully Old Monkey and don't interrupt because I will only say this once: Mina-kun is in the seal with me and the both of us are going to be joining our chakras to the kit's. However, due to the extreme amount of chakra we both possess, the kit will need a mate to share the power with. This is for his protection that a powerful vixen his age is joined to him. Now, because of the seal, Mina-kun and I don't have a lot of influence, but instinct will drive Naru-chan to pick a mate soon. I would suggest someone the kit finds to be very comforting to be with. Now, time is of the essence. If Naru-chan doesn't pick a mate within the next two weeks, he will be forced to mate the nearest female that is close to his age."

Sarutobi sat in stunned silence before his perverted mind latched onto the word 'mate'.

"What you mean by mate?! Kami-sama knows a three year old can't, you know, do anything like that!!" Kyuubi giggled before eying the scarlet Hokage.

"Demons pick mates early and that means placing the bite mark upon the mate's shoulder and taking blood from one another. When this happens, a sign will appear over the heart of the male and between the breasts of the female. This sign is specific to the demon's species and will not allow another to mate with either of them. The mates won't actually engage in intercourse until at least the age of maturity. Since the kit is mostly human, his age of maturity will be range from about sixteen to twenty."

". . . I see. Very well; do you have any criteria for the girl?" Kyuubi was quiet for a while before stating,

"She must be strong, nurturing, and intelligent. Overall, I'll be the judge." Sarutobi was making a list of possible village and shinobi clan girls when Kyuubi spoke up again.

"On second thought, bring Hyuuga Hinata before me. She will be given a test. If she passes, Naru-chan and the girl will be mated before the night is through."

Sarutobi nodded and summoned a small ape.

"Yes Sarutobi-sama?"

"Midori, bring Hyuuga Hiashi and Hyuuga Hinata to me immediately. Tell them there is no time to discuss proper protocol."

"Hai." The summon disappeared in a puff of smoke. Ten minutes, Hiashi, holding a sleeping Hinata, was before the Hokage, Kyuubi-Naruto still sitting on the elder's desk.

"I apologize about the earliness of this meeting, but it is time is short and the village's protection lies in the balance. Now, if you would kindly awaken Hinata-chan, we can begin," the Sandaime stated. Hiashi quirked an eyebrow at Naruto's presence but gentle shook the sleeping child awake. Said heiress awoke silently and rubbed the sleep from her eyes as Hiashi placed her on the ground.

"Good morning Hinata-chan. I trust you are well?"Kyuubi asked, using Naruto's mouth. Hiashi stiffened and was about to shift into a battle stance when Sarutobi put up a hand, signifying that all was well. The clan head straightened but remained ready to attack. Hinata quirked her head to the side at the strange quality of Naruto's voice but answered.

"I'm fine Naruto-kun. How are you? Are you coming down with a cold? Your voice sounds funny." Kyuubi-Naruto smiled before jumping off the desk and standing in front of the heiress. Hinata looked down, blushing heavily at her crush's closeness.

"Hyuuga Hinata, my name is Kyuubi no Kitsune, queen of the Bijuu. The kit you call Naruto-kun is my vessel, my jinchuuriki. That means that I am sealed inside of him. Does this change your prospective of the kit?"

Hinata gasped a bit but shook her head no.

"Naruto-kun is Naruto-kun; nothing else. I'll still be friends with Naruto-kun, even with you sealed inside of him."

Kyuubi-Naruto smiled at the girl before asking,

"Hinata-chan, if you could be with Naru-chan forever, would you do it? Even if it meant becoming his wife?" Hinata blushed again but managed to stutter out,

"Hai." The queen of the Bijuu smiled again before hugging the girl. Hinata stiffened immediately, turning bright red.

"Congrats Hinata-hime— you have passed my test and proven yourself to be worthy of my power and Naru-chan's affection. Prepare yourself because this is really going to hurt."

Hinata nodded stiffly. Kyuubi-Naruto pulled off the blonde's shirt and pushed the top of Hinata's sleeping kimono off her shoulders. Hinata blushed again and gasped loudly when the vixen wrapped the boy's arms around the heiress and forced his canines into the tender skin on her shoulder. Immediately, tiny fangs pushed through her gums and the girl whose name means Sunny Place repeated Kyuubi's action. Both children gulped mouthfuls of each other's blood, but Kyuubi was allowing her youki to flow through Naruto's fangs and into Hinata's chakra coils. Tears pooled in Hinata's lavender eyes and she choked back a sob. Then, Naruto released her and Hinata crumpled to the floor twitching.

"What have you done, Monster?! If she dies, I'll have your head!" Hiashi screamed, running to Hinata's side. The jinchuuriki only looked on impassively before asking,

"Did you not hear me when I asked if Hinata wanted to be the kit's wife? I'm turning the young vixen into a wonderful hanyou, just like the kit. She'll benefit from this because it means that she'll be stronger, smarter, and more courageous. She'll be fine in the morning. For now, I would like for the kits to be taken care of. If these requests aren't met and you attempt to hurt either of these children, I will personally kill the entire Hyuuga clan. Am I understood?"

Hiashi paled but nodded and bowed.

"I understand Kyuubi-sama. I ask only that my daughter be able to remain clan head." Kyuubi thought this over and nodded.

"That is agreeable. I will be training them both, but there is a strong possibility that my vessel has obtained your Kekkei Genkai. If this has happened, I expect you to train him. Agreed?"

Again the Hyuuga leader nodded and bowed. Sarutobi cleared his throat, gaining the attention of both the jinchuuriki and Hiashi.

"Now that that this been settled, I am going to place both Naruto and Hinata in the training program for the ANBU Black Ops. And no, there is no changing my mind. When both have obtained the ANBU rank, Hinata and Naruto will be returned to the care of the Hyuuga clan. Jiraiya-kun will also be coming back to train them. They shall be under the tutelage of Sanshouuo-kun. That is all. Dismissed."

Hiashi hugged his daughter once more before leaving her in the care of the Hokage.

(Flashback no Jutsu end!!)

Morning came all too soon for the young hanyou couple. Hinata blinked and kissed her beloved awake. Naruto opened his sapphire eyes and smiled lightly.

" G' morning Hime. I trust you slept well?"

"That I did, beloved kitsune," Naruto laughed heartily at the nickname, kissing Hinata's nose, and getting out of the warm bed for a nice shower. Hinata moved to join him, the blonde shook his head.

"Sorry, but until we leave after the exams, we are stuck with the rule of no fun. After we leave with Sensei, we'll be able to engage in all the exciting things you can think of."

Hinata's nose started to bleed as she giggled perversely. Naruto sweat-dropped but continued to the shower. Once he was out of sight, Hinata activated her Byakugan and nearly passed out when she saw the blonde removing his clothing.

The Namikaze shivered but continued his shower. He finished and dressed quickly, waking up Hinata to tell her to bathe. Jiraiya was nursing a mug of green tea and going over the seals that Team Gama had created in their spare time.

"Gaki, these are amazing! You'll be able to be claimed as a seals master in no time."

"Thanks Sensei. Is there anything that you want me to do today, or am I left to my own devices?" Jiraiya thought briefly but shook his head.

"Check out the library and look for some major techniques for fire and earth. Also ask Sensei to let you borrow the Forbidden Scroll. Just tell him I plan on teaching you Hirashin and need Minato's notes and the like. After that, see if you can't get some information on your opponent."

"Hai. Did you need to tell Sandaime-sama anything personal?"

"Already taken care of gaki. Now go; I'm enjoying myself looking at these brilliant works my team has created."

Night before the final exam

Naruto and Hinata were lying in bed, preparing to sleep, when Jiraiya opened the door. The children each raised an eyebrow but held off all questions when they say the look on Jiraiya's face.

"I've just heard some disturbing news. Apparently, Orochimaru is in the village somewhere and will be attending the exams. Because of this, I hate to say this, but you both will need to forfeit your positions to conserve as much energy as possible. Am I understood?"

"Hai. We will still be promoted to Chuunin though, correct?" Hinata asked. Jiraiya nodded again and bid the two good night.

"I've decided that I'm going to kill that traitorous snake Hime. He hurt Sensei so much, I intend to through it back at him one thousand fold," Naruto hissed, his eyes bleeding red.

"Just remember, I want a piece of him as well. Sensei deserves so much better than that retched hebi-teme." Killing intent filled the room as the lovers fell into shared dreams of snake skinning and massacre.

The next morning, Hinata and Naruto woke in each other's arms. Blushing lightly, Maelstrom snuggled into his Sunny Place. She laughed and kissed his lips gently before removing herself from his grip and padding off to the shower. Naruto shook his head before summoning Minato. The Yondaime blinked but quickly hedged into Hinode and dressed accordingly.

"I take it you heard what Sensei said right?" Naruto asked his father. Hinode nodded briefly before saying,

"I know how much you wish for revenge, but I cannot allow you to engage Orochi-teme alone." He was rewarded with a bit of killing intent and a nasty glare. Hinode only smiled. "That is why Hina-chan and I are going to assist you. That freak won't know what hit him."

Naruto blinked before starting to snicker, eventually succumbing to tear-streaked, belly gripping laughter and Hinode quickly joined in the hysterics. Hinata returned and took one look at her laughing teammates before shaking her head and leaving the room.

At the Chuunin Exams

Hinode and Naruto were sitting side-by-side as Hinata was napping lightly on Naruto's lap. Shino was as expressionless as ever and Ino was currently thinking of ways to get into Hinode's pants.

Meanwhile, up the in Kage box, Jiraiya, under the hedge of the Hokage, was chatting with the Kazekage, aka Orochimaru.

"So, Kazekage-sama, who are you placing your bets on this fine afternoon?" Jiraiya asked. The other man tilted his head to the side before deciding.

"I believe that my children and the Hyuuga boy will be the first promoted. I have no interest in any of the others. It's a shame that the Uchiha was unable to participate."

Jiraiya narrowed his eyes a bit before retaliating.

"Perhaps, but his teammate decided that his personal well-being was more important than a promotion at this current time. The matches will start soon, so I hope that you enjoy them," the pseudo-Hokage finished with a grin.

"I'm sure I will."

Down in the stadium, the matches were about to begin. The current proctor of this part of the exams was the Jounin Genma, who was chewing on his ever present senbon needle as he awaited the Hokage's announcement. He was rewarded shortly as he heard the elderly leader's voice booming over the roar of the crowd, congratulating the Genin who had made it this far and welcoming all the visitors to Konoha.

"Let the matches begin. However, do to certain circumstances, Team Gama, also known as Hyuuga Hinata, Uzumaki Hinode, and Uzumaki Naruto, have been removed from the matches and are immediately promoted to Chuunin. Therefore, will Yamanaka Ino and Aburame Shino please report to the stadium floor."

The crowd was obviously upset and roared in protest. Genma cringed at the sound and was lost in thought.

'What is Hokage-sama thinking? Sure, they were trained by Jiraiya-sama, but even the Sannin had to go through the Chuunin Exams completely before they could be promoted.

Ino was in total shock. She was hoping that she would be able to prove her worth to Hinode, but his team was removed from the exams and promoted instantly. Shikamaru narrowed his eyes and his brain worked overtime on this particular problem. It made no sense that three Genin, even if they were trained by a legendary shinobi, should be promoted without even a thought. Something was up, but it was far too troublesome to figure it out. Shino buzzed in annoyance, Temari and Kankuro began to sweat lightly, thinking the same thing.

'Did they figure it out?'

Gaara said nothing, but he was upset that he would not be able to challenge the blonde who had saved him from Shikaku's terror. Neji was beside himself with anger, cursing Fate that he wouldn't be able to battle, and hopefully destroy Hinata.

Hinata brushed off her cousin's meager killing intent and focused on kissing her fellow Chuunin teammate. Naruto smirked lightly but allowed the Hyuuga heiress to ravage his mouth, just barely containing his pleasured growls and purrs.

"I said, will Aburame Shino and Yamanaka Ino please come to the arena floor?!" Genma shouted. Ino was broken from her musing and took one look at the buzzing Shino before she forfeited her position.

"NO WAY AM I GOING TO CHALLENGE BUG-BOY!!!! I GIVE!!!!"

The other Chuunin hopefuls and recently-promoted-yet-still-undercover-so-it-wasn't-really-a-promotion team sweat-dropped. However Shino couldn't buzz any louder in irritation, so he surprised everyone and face palmed and screamed in annoyance.

"WHY KAMI-SAMA?!?! I ONLY WANTED TO PROMOTE TO CHUUNIN!!! IS IT REALLY THAT HARD TO EARN A STUPID PROMOTION?!?! HUH?!?!"

"Wow, I didn't know Shino had it in him," Naruto whispered to Hinata. She could only nod, along with the rest of the rookie Genin.

"Okay . . . ? Will Sabaku no Temari and Nara Shikamaru PLEASE report to the stadium floor?!" Genma had chewed through the metal needle and proceeded to glare at the holding area. Shikamaru muttered a brief

"Mendokusee. Hey, Ref, I gi—" he never finished as Naruto had innocently pushed the lazy genius over the railing and onto the arena floor. The crowd cheered in approval as the Suna kunoichi floated down to the ground on her large fan. Gaara took a position beside Naruto, seemingly at peace when he was beside the blonde jinchuuriki. Hinata wished to resume her ministrations, but with the added audience, she settled on a deep tissue massage and Naruto grunted in appreciation.

The match lasted for two hours, ending when Shikamaru managed to catch Temari unaware, but promptly gave up. A majority of the crowd booed, but the shinobi in attendance nodded with approval. Ino grudgingly handed Hinode and Shino 1500 yen each, cursing her pineapple-haired teammate.

Neji and Rock Lee battled gallantly, but in the end, Neji's ability to use chakra won him the battle. Hinode assisted Lee to the infirmary, laughing lightly when he hurt Kankuro forfeit when he was paired against his younger brother. Gaara's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing as TenTen and Shino battled. Shino defeated the weapons mistress immediately as he had released his beetles to drain her chakra, thus rendering her useless and she gave up quickly.

Genma announced at a half-hour break to allow the remaining contestants to refresh themselves. However, before the other shinobi knew what had happened, pure white feathers began falling from the air. The members of Team Gama released the genjutsu and jumped to the Kage box, kneeling before their master.

"Well, Orochi-teme, it looks that my team has officially assigned to whip your sorry, scaly ass into the Nether World. Say hello to Shinigami-sama for us," Jiraiya smirked. Orochimaru only cocked his head to the side I amusement.

"You think that three gaki and a Dobe like yourself could possibly defeat me? You still think too highly of yourself Jiraiya-kun."

"Don't. Call. Me. That!!" Jiraiya growled out and snapped his fingers. Instantly, his younger team members drew two swords of his or her personal choice and commenced their attack on the pale-eyed Sannin. Orochimaru barely had the time to blink before he was disemboweled. However, the victory was short-lived as he melted into a pile of mud. Jiraiya sneered before barking an order for the twins to assist the Konoha shinobi.

"Hinode, Naruto, kill any Suna of Oto shinobi that stand in your way. Hina-hime, I need you to locate my former bastard of a teammate."

The boys nodded and rushing into the battle, laying waste to the rival forces that so foolishly attempted to ransack their village. Meanwhile, Hinata and Jiraiya were leaping over the rooftops of Konoha, the raven's Byakugan blazing.

"Sensei, he's hidden himself very well if he hasn't already left the village. I can't find him anywhere. Do you know of any technique that could do this?"

The Gama Sennin pondered for a bit before smacking his head loudly.

"Of course, reverse summoning. I had hoped that the slimy teme would be unable to perform it, being that his summons have no hands to perform Jutsu, but I had overlooked the possibility that he could have done an assisted summon. Come on, let's head back before those baka steal all the fun."

The white-haired man and his student quickly turned around and headed back to the stadium, supposedly unaware that they were being watched be the Hebi-Sannin's best spy.

Several Hours Later . . .

Sarutobi sat in his leather chair, smoking his favorite tobacco, and reading the damage reports from the attempted and failed invasion of his beloved village. Before him were Jiraiya's team, as well as Anko, Kakashi, and his two advisors, Homura and Kohan. His aging eyes lifted and settled a hard gaze on his former student. The man never even blinked.

"Jiraiya, I have a mission for you and your team. By order of the Sandaime Hokage, you are to track down Senju Tsunade and bring her back to the village of Konohagakure no Saito, be it by choice or force. You have one month to complete your task before I send a team of ANBU. This is an A-ranked mission and will be paid as such. Do you understand?" Said team-leader and his pupils clicked their heels together and saluted the old man. "Very well, dismissed."