The Fox of Konoha (Silverknight & LadyWolfie)

[LadyWolfie]

Naruko Uzumaki Namikaze sighed as she stared at her reflection in the mirror of the hotel bathroom. Running her fingers through her red hair as she looked at herself. She had grown a lot in the last two years she had spent traveling and training with her Godfather, Jiraiya. Finally they were returning to Konoha, and Naruko was excited, though part of her wished she could do so as herself. Unfortunately she couldn't yet, the world wasn't ready for Naruko Namikaze, besides that everyone knew her as Naruto Uzumaki. It was for her protection that she pretended to be a boy, as well as to keep her hidden. She didn't mind it that much, but she did wish she could just be herself sometimes, as it was getting harder to pretend to be a boy. Looking at her chest in her reflection she sighed, she could usually be herself when it was just her and Jiraiya since he was her godfather, but during the day when they were out it was back to being Naruto. Of course she was excited to be returning home, so that cheered Naruko up as she carefully bound her breasts before changing her hair to her usual Naruto hair style. Then she put on her new jacket, it was much like her old one, but tighter and black instead of blue.

Once she was dressed and ready she smiled in her usual Naruto smile and put on her head band, now black with longer then her original one. Checking one last time to make sure her feminine features didn't show in her new tighter jacket. Of course she knew she couldn't change the feminine and Lilith look of her face, but that was nothing new. After she finished her double checking herself she left the bathroom, "Alright Ero-Sennin, I'm ready so lets go!" she said with a smile. With that Jiraiya chuckled and smiled as they left the hotel, and continued on to Konoha. Naruko was excited to be returning after so long and it showed as they made there way to the village. It wasn't long before they arrived before the gate of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Naruko smiled as they entered the Village and she Quickly climbed a power pole to get a better look.

"Hello Konoha!!!" she shouted with a smile. "Wow it's good to be back... you haven't changed a bit.... Oh they added Grandma Tsunade to the Hokage Monument!" she said with a smile as she looked around. It was then that she sensed Kakashi-sensei near by, and she turned around to see him sitting on a roof that was within her reach. "Yo." Kakashi said as he looked up from his book. Naruko smiled as she jumped over to the roof, "Oh I have something for you Kakashi-sensei." she said as she pulled a book out of her bag. It was "Ichi Ichi Tactics" the next book in Jiraiya's series. "It's new, not even out yet, it's not really that great but I know you'll like it." Naruko said with a smile. Kakashi took the book as if in awe as he looked at it with a shocked and amazed look on his face causing Naruko to giggle a bit. It was good to be home she thought as the pair joined Jiraiya on the ground and began walking towards the Hokage Office.

 

[Silverknight]

Neji Hyuuga was training with his uncle, ever since the events of the chunin tournament and the battle against Naruko, he had been kinder to the Hyuuga branch family member, and his nephew, training him to learn more about the ways of the clan and helping him push himself farther in his natural Hyuuga skills then he would ever before. He was sure that he was stronger than when he battled Naruko, he was sure that cause if nothing else he had advanced in rank two times since the redhead had left to go and train with the great Jiraiya. He didn't want to be lapped by her, he wanted to keep his ground where he was and keep strong and keep up with Naruko basically.

He was training when he heard, the news that Naruko was back, that the hyperactive female Uzumaki member was going to be back. That the redhead was headed back to the village and had already entered at the gate to the village with her perverted teacher. He figured he might as well check up on the redheaded Uzumaki member. The daughter of the former hokage and the former holder of the nine tails was fine. He figured she was excited to be home, but other than that he had no clue what was on her mind as he headed from the Hyuuga home to find her.

He caught her as she handed the book to Kakashi, her other teacher and the copy cat ninja. He was glad that they seemed to have a good reintroduction to each other. He walked up a stoic look on his face as he looked at Neji walked closer to Naruko waiting for a moment to say anything at all to the young woman. He figured he would give her the space that she needed to talk to Kakashi, not wanting to mess up that teacher/student reunion.

As the moment came to a close he stood there calmly focusing himself, his stoic look of course upon his face as he waited. He saw the moment it was over and bowed a bit. "Naruko, welcome back to the village, I hope that your training happened to go well, with Lord Jiraiya." He said with his normal formal style, somethings were not going to go away easily at all if ever at all, he was a stoic man cause of his upbringing and while being around Gai and Lee was slowly breaking him form that shell it was a slow process.

 

[LadyWolfie]

Naruko smiled as she finished greeting her sensei and watched his reaction. It was pretty much what she had expected of him as she ran a finger through the blonde hair she gave herself when pretending to be Naruto. With a sigh she jumped down from the roof top, Kakashi-sensei in tow. Though she hadn't expected to run into anyone so soon and almost crashed into Neji as she had been lost in thought. Stopping herself and straightening up she had to fight the rising blush in her checks. While she had originally hated Naji she had slowly grown to like him, a lot. After their battle at the Chounin exam, where she had to be quite cleaver to hide her true gender from him, it had actually been thanks to Ero-Sennin that she had even come up with an idea. Though it was a slightly perverted one, it had worked, she hoped. Though right now if he used the Byakugan on her there was no way to hide who she really was and her secret would be out. Though from the information her and Juraiya had gathered she hoped that Tsunade would let her stop pretending to be Naruto and be herself, of course she was sure she would either shock or piss off all her friends she had gained as Naruto for lying.

Shaking the thought from her mind she focused on Neji, who was right in front of her at the moment. Her blushing had faded some what, but she was sure it was still present as her cheeks and ears were still burning slightly, "Oh hi Neji..." she started, but stopped as she realized she didn't quite sound like Naruto, but more like her feminine real voice and quickly corrected it, "I-I didn't expect to run in to anyone so soon, how'd you know I was here? I suppose it went okay, as good as training with Ero-Sennin can be I suppose, sometime have to use my Sexy-no-Jutsu to get him to do anything..." she with her best Naruto voice, teasing her Godfather. Of course that bit wasn't true, her godfather had no problem training her, he wasn't that bad of a pervert around her. Bringing her thoughts back to the Hyuuga boy in front of her, she remembered when she started to respect him, and even developed a crush on him. Though she never let it become more then that, as she had also developed feelings for her former Teammate and now traitor Sasuke.

Him leaving had hurt her very deeply, even more then it had hurt Sakura, since it was her chest Sasuke had put a hole in, quite literally in fact. Of course she had to hide any feelings she might have for any of the Konoha guys, since as far as they knew she was a boy like them. As she doubted anyone had figured it out, she had done her best to keep her true self hidden, the only one who had seen her as Naruko was Kiba and it was dark so he never saw her face and had never brought it up again. As for Neji she had developed the crush when they had gone to "save" Sasuke and she realized just how cool he really was, willing to help for Naruto's sake and the village even if he might not like Sasuke. She never really could tell how Neji was feeling, though it was likely for the lack of time spent together. Shaking the thought from her head she took in his new look, he was older then before, of course she was too, and even a bit handsome, but she didn't indulge these thoughts. "So, um how are you?" she asked with her usual Naruto hyper-smile. "I've gotta go see Grandma Tsunade, but maybe after we can catch up over some Ramen after?" she added still smiling. Though she hoped that after her meeting with Tsunade she would be allowed to openly be Naruko, after all the Akaski now thought the blonde haired boy name Naruto was the jinchūriki of the Nine-tailed Fox, so being him was now just as dangerous as being herself.

 

[Silverknight]

Neji nodded his head, it would make sense that Naruto would have to use that trick to make the man known as the Pervy Sage to get to work and train, that would explain why she was dressed as she was. Though honestly, it was of little matter, Neji was a pretty stoic fellow and not so affected by the sexy jutsu as other people it would seem were. He listened to her and nodded his head, "Well it is good to have you back in town. It was much to quiet around here without you," he said to her honestly as he knew the fact was true, with Naruto gone, the village had grown rather quiet, except for the actions of Konohamaru, but even those were not on the same level as Naruto here.

"Alright, well, I have been pretty busy myself, for some reason, they promoted me to Jounin in the last three years," he said calmly and as stoically as ever. "Well, I won't get in your way, the word came in a while ago that you were in town. I am sure that many others will be out looking for you wanting to welcome you back home. I won't stay in the way of their welcomes," He announced as he prepared himself to take his leave from the currently red headed female. "If there is anything that you need, I shall be at the Hyuga compound, I am sure I will be training, it is what I do most of the time anymore," he announced to her as he then waved and let Naruto go off to go announce his return to the others as well as the hokage as well.

It was nice to have a old friend back in town, he wasn't sure why he used the redhead to hide, but maybe there was something there. He wasn't sure, he figured whatever it was, it was important enough for him to do decently enough. He also was just glad to see someone who he felt had changed his life in such a positive way. Naruto showed him the light, and helped him down the new path he was currently on, a fact that made him grateful towards the hyper active ninja.

 

[LadyWolfie]

The Blonde haired Naruto seemed a bit chest fallen as Neji announced not just one but two promotions, "Your a Jounin now?" she said as she looked at the Hyoga then glanced at Kakashi who nodded as if to confirm an unspoken question. "I'm falling behind everyone now...." she muttered before turning to Jiraiya. "This is all your fault Ero-Sennin! Now I have to play catch up with everyone! Well... I guess it's to be expected... we did kind of leave." she said before turning back to Neji. It was a show that had to be put on, or else no one would believe that she was Naruto. Though it did make her actual dream to become Hokage someday seem a bit more out of reach, especially if she was the last of the Konoha 11 to get promoted.

But her mood quickly returned to a happy and excited one, such was Naruto, and even a bit of her real self. "Well congrats Neji! I'm happy for you." she said with the trademark Naruto giggle as she rubbed the back of her head. Then as she heard the Hyuga say he was leaving for his family's compound she again felt a bit sad, but it didn't show and she wasn't really sure why she felt that way. "Oh... alright well then I'll see you later I guess don't work too hard.... I don't want to have to play too much catch up." she said as she smiled to hide any disappointment in Neji's departure.

Hearing him say the others would be looking for her Naruko nodded, "Thanks for the warning, I was hoping to get to Grandma Tsunade's office before running into anyone but I guess it can't be helped, but now I'll be on the look out, Thanks!" she said with a smile as she watched the boy go. It wasn't that she wanted to avoid her friends, but the information she had was important to her and everyone's future. Also she felt if she saw Sakura yet it would being back her own sadness and disappointment at the loss of Sasuke and that was a deep wound she didn't want opened right now. Tears always seemed to form at the mere thought of the young Uchiha, for the hole he had left in her life.

But she locked the thought away as she knew the hurt would show on her face plain as day and as Naruto she couldn't show such pain. However it was to late to hide the change in her face, only quickly change it back to one of Naruto's usual smile. As she looked up once more she hoped that Neji had missed the look on her face so he wouldn't ask, but if he had still been looking in her direction he would have seen the blonde "boy's" expression change, before a smile was forced into place. With one last wave to Neji Naruto set off once more for the Hokage's office and residence. All the while keeping alert for the approach of any of the Konoha 11, so she would be prepared to avoid them, or at least a small delay and conversation.

 

[Silverknight]

Naruto was Naruto as Neji new, the blonde hyper active boy was the same as he was when he left. He looked at him and than nodded his head as he figured that the blonde was busy and would have other things to do and things to handle as well. He nodded his head as he figured that his friend was rather busy, and that was enough to tell him that he needed to get on his way back home to see his clan. He waved as he walked off figuring that he would go and see the hokage and report back in. He then would go and find Sakura perhaps and try to hit on Sakura which was pretty common for him to do. It was always a failure but it was funny to see when he would go after the pink haired young woman. It was just part of his personality someone he was glad now to be able to call a friend.

Neji returned to the Hyuga compound and started to work on his abilities, he was sure that the arrival of a former maybe current rival in Naruto would mean he would see his power and he would know how much he needed to focus on his own training to be able to keep up with Naruto and stay on his level. It was important for him to help a friend and be strong enough to help Naruto was important as well. He had been working with his uncle for some type on his skill winning the approval of his uncle as he was now normally wearing the white robes of the clan which were not allowed to him to wear before. Would he see Naruto the rest of the day, most likely not, but it was rather nice to be able to see his friend again, to say hello if nothing else. He would be busy with Sakura and Kakashi his own team that day, to busy to come by to visit again.