Naruto's POV (Uzumaki Residence - Hidden Leaf Village)

  Naruto woke up as he often did. He wished he could sleep an ever-increasing bit more, confused about the where, how, and why, and as the most physically active bit, he was just a tad sore. There were certain things different about this morning. Though this morning was a bit different, he wasn't nearly as sore as usual but was twice as confused, even disoriented. His head pounded in waves of pain he had yet to suffer. In short, he was miserable. Tired and even somewhat sickly, Naruto decided that being awake now was a terrible idea. Though he was hot, perhaps he needed to get up momentarily and reposition. His plan was chosen, and Naruto began to enact it.

  The second he moved his body, the pain and nausea grew; even attempting to sit up made him want to vomit. The pain and sickness convinced him to give up. Instead, he shifted, trying to get onto his side. But he had a significant weight on him, which made turning difficult. It was too heavy to be any regular blanket; it was to the touch. The blonde reached forward to see what was weighing him down. His hand reached and touched some kinda warm cloth. His hand slid down, attempting to discover what it was, but he stopped once he felt something similar to skin. Naruto's eyes popped open with an alarm, and someone was beside him.

  The alarm woke up his mind as well as his body. He noticed the head on his chest, obviously female from the messy but well-kempt hair splayed across him, some even tickling his face. Naruto then saw the unconscious face of Ino. Naruto felt panic fly through his body; in a comedy, he'd get beat senseless for this. He needed to remove himself without disturbing her, an on-the-spot, fluid ploy to survive. 'Ino's kinda cute when she is sleeping.' His mind unhelpfully added. 'She also has a known temper!' He countered himself. Dear Kami, he was talking to himself.

  There were many new teammates, but they had gotten along well thus far. Indeed, they recognized this for the absurd situation it was. But she would be awoken to unfamiliar surroundings in the company of a new friend. Escape was his only option…

  Naruto pondered the situation before genius struck him. He slowly lifted a pillow off the floor and slid it between him and Ino. As he did, he slowly lifted her arms and placed them upon herself; success again!

  So far, so good. How would he escape this without Ino beating the tar out of him? Naruto knew he had grown more intelligent with his mother's and Kakashi's training. But he simply did not see a method of removing her without waking her up. The same result would occur if she awoke before he did. He considered a body flicker, but he was new to the technique, and it always produced a heavy cloud of smoke. Ma had banned him from using it inside till he got it down with no smoke. Naruto wracked his brain for three painful minutes.

  His thoughts raced, his heart as well. It offered no aid again; he found Ino was enjoyably warm and soft. It was comfortable and could even be something he'd like to continue. All truthful observations his mind offered but were useless. But his newly discovered peace was disturbed by Ino shifting.

  Her arms wrapped around him as she snuggled closer. Naruto could feel his heart stop. She sleepily nuzzled against his face. His unruly hair poked her nose as she did so. Naruto watched with bated breath as she did this twice. Her nose twitched, warning him of his doom.

  Ino sneezed quietly, her eyes opening after. Blue eyes met blue eyes. The two silently stared, her eyes growing alert to match his own. Ino's eyes held confusion, embarrassment, and quickly growing anger. Naruto's eyes were much more straightforward. They had a primal fear.

  "Now, Ino, I have a perfectly reasonable explanation for this." The blonde didn't get to start his rousing speech, but he was sure he would've won her over. Instead, she locked her arms around his head sweetly. This lasted seconds before she used a shoulder throw to launch him into the kitchen. Kami took some level of mercy on the blonde; his arc was high enough to avoid the bar counter. But he smashed into the kitchen table with a crunch. The wooden table was unable to endure the crash. Naruto groaned pitifully. His mother would kill him.

  "Oh, my bad, I didn't realize where I was," Ino said tiredly as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. "I have the most awful headache."

  "Ditto. But, for the record, I did nothing." Naruto replied as he crawled slowly to his feet. Looking as if he was prepared to flee.

  "Oh, blondie, I know a nice guy like you wouldn't do a thing. You should be more worried about me." Ino said teasingly as she fixed her hair into a ponytail.

  "Stop. Calling. Me. Blondie." Naruto said, annoyed. Boldness returned now that he realized she wouldn't be attacking him. "Wait, if you knew, why did you throw me?!"

  Ino's smirk merely grew as she approached the blonde. She stepped well into his personal space. A giant smile on her face. A nervous frown on his. Their faces were mere breaths away. "One, because I wanted to~. Two, Make. Me." She said defiantly. The tension between the two grew.

  "INO! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? " a male voice bombed, making them launch from the bed. Ino, in particular, seemed fearful, and Naruto was mostly embarrassed.

  "Naruto! You just can't do whatever you want, you know?!" His mother's voice added; now he was fearful.

  Both jumped up as both of their parents called out. Naruto felt fear yet again; he wasn't sure if his mother being pissed or interested was worse. Ino was embarrassed; she knew her daddy well. Despite his raw intelligence, he lost his mind when it came to boys. Indeed, in his eyes, it was romantic! Not that he should have any say, but her father had always been overbearing.

  Kushina and Inochi stood side by side, facing the two as they fell out of his bed. Inochi was the father of Ino and the head of the Yamanaka clan. He had long blonde hair done into a ponytail which reached his lower back. His eyes were similar to Ino's blue eyes, but they held an edge to them Ino lacked. He wore Leaf fatigues covered by a red open sleeveless vest. The two formed a united, terrifying parenting unit. They looked at each other and nodded. Both bodies flickered to the target of their ire. Kushina appeared in between the blondes. Ino fell back into the Living room as Kushina unloaded prominent questions.

  "Are you his girlfriend?"

  "What shampoo do you use?"

  "Was he a gentleman?"

  "Protection?" Kushina smirked inwardly as she saw both blondes' faces become entirely red. She winked at Inochi to spike her set.

  "You better take responsibility for your actions. I won't settle for you treating my princess like anything less than royalty. Also, you may not touch, look at, or think about her." Inochi instructed as he held the blonde in the air by his collar.

  "We didn't do anything!" Ino called out in her unusually shaky voice. "We went out with the other Genin last night and got drunk. I asked him to take me home but couldn't give instructions. He took me to his house and passed out on the bed. I followed shortly after. Nothing happened!" Ino had intended to pretend she couldn't remember to avoid questions from Naruto about it. At least until she figured out how she felt about it.

  "We know." Both parents answered, both smiling brightly.

  "I came to Kushina when you hadn't come home last night," Inochi stated simply. "She had discovered you this morning."

  "I thought my boy had become a man for a second, ya know?" Kushina said, laughing boisterously. Inochi glared at this before adding.

  "For the record, you cannot date until you are thirty," Inochi stated. Ino merely rolled her eyes at this.

  "So we're in the clear?" Naruto asked cautiously.

  "You brought a drunk girl home; you were also drunk. All unannounced, I might add." Kushina answered with her voice containing some level of anger in it.

  "I hate mornings." Both blondes said before fist-bumping quietly.

  "I hate Mondays, ne!" A new voice interjected. The group all looks up to see a man sitting on the couch in the living room. Kakashi, at some point, had joined them.

  "Kakashi! I told you not to come through the windows!" Kushina called furiously.

  "Hahaha," Kakashi laughed nervously. "I was just here to collect my cute little genin for our meeting about a mission we got."

  "We have a meeting with Cyclops sensei?" Naruto stated as he made himself a cup of ramen. "Can it wait? I think I have that hangover thing they talk about."

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  "I second that," Ino replied lazily as she rubbed her eyes.

  "Nope! You don't mind, do you, parents?" Kakashi asked.

  "Work them hard," Kushina replied happily, tossing the pair some clothes and packed bags. They had already discussed this.

  "Like dogs," Inochi growled. Neither could even attempt a complaint before Kakashi picked both up casually. Similar to the way a seasoned farmer would pick up sacks of potatoes. The two tried to struggle, but their sensei was shockingly strong, holding both with an iron grip.

  "Ja Ne~!" The Jounin sang as they all poofed away in a cloud of smoke.

  "Damnit Kakashi! We agreed to smokeless body flickers!" Kushina roared angrily. "AND WHO THE HELL BROKE MY TABLE!" As a seasoned husband, Inochi knew when it was time to leave. It was only polite, after all. Inochi slipped out silently as Kushina raged. He would need to speak to Naruto soon. Preferably away from the defensive mother. Kushina had always scared him.

  Neji's POV (Hyuga Main House Manor - Hidden Leaf Village)

  Neji padded through the halls of the Hyuga manor. The building was large and ornate. Spotless and constantly replaced and remodeled, the reputation and wealth their clan obtained demanded nothing less. Not too dissimilar from the state of the clan itself. The halls were bare, marked with various high-class art, paintings, sculptures, portraits, and artifacts of their past. Long ago, a psychologist of the Yamanaka had diagnosed most members of their clans with OCD, a byproduct of their improved eyesight.

  As lovely as it all seemed, Neji had grown to hate it all. To his eyes, it was all a monument to false glory. Paid for by the blood of fellow Hyuga. Justified due to a tradition that only hampered the Side Branch and benefitted the Main. The Side House had served as subordinates for generations. It was no great secret that Hyuga Elders also preferred to keep it this way. It made his blood boil in a way he used to relish. After all, if one is truly helpless, why not rage? If life could be so cold and uncaring of right and wrong, why not show the world your wrath?

  Naruto had been the one to challenge that. Perhaps not directly at first, but even his inherited character challenged it. Neji had deemed Naruto a nobody, a nonfactor. Part of an extended slain clan, from a controversial mother, and known to be an unexceptional shinobi. In other words, according to Neji's own estimation, he was a pathetic fool.

  Neji would admit it was unfair, but Naruto vexed him before simply by being. His confidence, despite his lack of skill, and determination to persevere despite the odds against him. Naruto's burden may not be fully known to the Hyuga, but he could feel his pain whenever the two matched eyes. In some ways, it had felt comparable to his own. Yet he had stood tall, proud, and even defiant. Why did he not rage like him? How dare he ignore the unfairness of the world? Neji wanted to show him the errors of his ways. So he had poked and prodded, attempting to stoke his anger.

  In the academy, Neji had been popular due to his skill. He was known for it; if not for one despicable Sasuke Uchiha, he would've been the best in their grade. His temper was short, and with his known power, most of the student body was careful around him. Yet Naruto, from the start of the team, had merely stood even taller. He was unafraid to come to blows even though his loss was almost inevitable. Neji had thought the blonde's defeat would be fated. He had been sure of it. But the blonde had met him head-on the entire time. Proudly declaring Neji wrong and even offering to help him change it. If Neji had been honest, it would have hurt his pride. And as he now saw he often did, he had intended to make him pay for the perceived slight.

  Naruto and he finally fought. Neji held nothing back; he had even trained in preparation for the brawl. He never was one to entirely underestimate a foe, after all. How wrong he had been all the same, Naruto, who at the formation of the team Neji was sure he could've thrashed. Somehow, this closed the gap between them and displayed a level of skill and battle intelligence that he was capable of. Naruto dominated most of the fight, tanked his best moves, and smashed his "ultimate" defense. In the violent clash, Neji saw some of himself in the blonde. Somehow, he could tell the blonde could relate to some degree. Then he felt the blonde's spirit. Felt the strength behind his hands. Watched as someone he labeled a fool outmaneuver him. It had been… humbling. He now remembered the truth he had known from the start. Fate is merely a concept. It had weight; if one simply lazed through life, they would be subjected to it. But if one fought hard, maintained despite adversity, and was willing to grow, the chains of fate seemed ineffective.

  If Neji was being fully honest, he was unsure what to do with the knowledge. He had already remedied things with his teammates. The two made it so easy. Have been incredibly supportive and inclusive ever since. He supposed, in that sense, he should be thankful. However, it would be even better if they could learn to be silent. But for the rest of his life, he wasn't sure where to go. He could not escape from the Side House. He was already sealed and, therefore, bound to them. What could he indeed affect here? As Neji walked out to a courtyard to mediate, he saw someone who only further complicated his feelings.

  The woman had long blue hair that reached her lower back. She wore a lavender hoodie and black combat pants. Her eyes looked similar to his, though hers had always shined with kindness. A stark contrast to his previous behavior. Hinata, in truth, had never been cruel to him. She had only shown kindness and a palpable guilt. Yet, in his last state of mind, he had seen it as thinly veneered pity. He had told her as such. He truly terrorized her with a glare and a rougher-than-needed spar there. Yes, he had ensured she suffered. Looking at her now, he could see she suffered for the sins of others. He was no fool; the only action would be a sincere apology and polite interactions. But he couldn't swallow his pride and apologize to her. She may not have been complacent to rulers of the clan's treatment, but she was the heir. Meaning she was likely to continue the practice.

  He watched her. For someone meek, she was training hard. She did seem honest in her effort to grow. Perhaps she really could become clan head one day. If only Neji could attempt to explain the plight of the Side House to her. She, as kind as she was, maybe the only House member to understand—certainly more likely than her replacement.

  If he had disdained Hinata, then he truly hated Hanabi. Three whole years younger, yet she seemed to grow quickly. Beating Hinata in their spars most of the time these days. If not for the new curriculum for the academy, Hanabi would've replaced her already. Hanabi was, for all accounts, the next drone for the Main House. It would be a shame once she… oh. Neji allowed himself a small smile; he could work towards forgiveness and improve the Hyuga in one leap! He would train her himself. Allow her to maintain her heir status. And if he managed to sway her over to being more supportive of the Side House… well, that would be fate.

  Ino's POV (Leaf Main Gate - Hidden Leaf Village)

  Team Seven arrived at the gate that same morning. Once he had rounded them all up, Kakashi announced their first mission. Naruto and Ino reacted poorly, believing it to be the arrival of the "D-Ranks" they had done in the academy. To their pleasant surprise, Kakashi had announced a C-Rank mission. They express confidence in their abilities and wish to begin garnering experience.

  After the briefing, they immediately headed to the main gate. The group stood prepped to leave their home. Neji and Kakashi looked like trained killers, presenting themselves cleanly and confidently. The two blondes next to them seemed more like zombies. Their eyes were red, their posture was low, and their mood was down.

  "Welcome to the joys of alcohol. HANGOVERS!" Kakashi shouted jovially.

  "Gah, my ears!" Naruto screamed as he covered them desperately.

  "Kakashi-sensei, I will kill you," Ino muttered darkly. Her father would be insufferable when she got home. Asking her a question that frankly made her even more confused. She had been drunk, and she knew it made you act differently. But she knew it merely made you act a bit more earnestly. And she had been all over Naruto… after being exposed for thinking he was attractive too! Embarrassing did not even begin to describe it. So, she would stick to the side until it didn't hurt to think about it. Add to that one of the worst headaches she had ever experienced, and she was having a day.

  "Why are you both so down?" Neji asked curiously.

  "HOW ARE YOU NOT!" The two screamed furiously.

  "I don't get hangovers," Neji replied simply. His teammates merely glared at him.

  "Now, let's focus," Kakashi chided. Let's run over our mission again." He looked at Neji, knowing the other two would be less than cooperative.

  "There is a bandit camp outside of the Fire Country capitol. They had discovered this due to the bandits boldly attacking merchant routes. In response, the Lord of Fire had sent a trained squad of militia experienced against bandits to the camp. He had hoped they would crush them. But they had never arrived back. They wanted a Genin squad to scout and destroy them as long as it was inside their scope. Furthermore, the Hokage suspected this may be the Lord of Fire's way of testing a new genin team." Neji recited effortlessly.

  "Show off." Naruto teased.

  "Doesn't take much when you're the competition," Neji replied simply. The two started glaring at each other. But it was downright friendly in comparison to before.

  "Shut. It." Ino said simply. Oddly enough, the men did, silently striking out to complete their newest mission.

  ?'s POV (?)

  A man with a red mohawk marched into a cave. He wore a black, tattered cloak and some prison garb underneath. He had two hatchets on his belt. As he got deep inside the cave, he seemed to be shadowboxing. Not a second went by that he was still. It was an odd sight to behold. The sight became even more bizarre as another man emerged from the ground as if breaching regular water. The two stood before each other, tense and unsure. Before suddenly, the stranger of the two men spoke.

  "Hello there, friend! He's no friend, merely a pawn of Ikam…" The two halves of the monster said to the strange, bouncy man. He looked vaguely human, one half of his body being pure white. The other half is black. He had hair and could pass for a painted man if not for the giant protrusions covering his head. It looked as if a Venus flytrap was growing out of him. The two halves of the man seemed to speak and think independently.

  The other man suddenly stopped his airboxing. "I'm no pawn. I'm a killer playing a messenger." He growled. "I'm known as the berserker shinobi! Wielder of these powerful blades! I am Leifazu Uzumaki! " He drew his axes and started to swing wildly.

  "Oh wow, he seems quite powerful! Stop wasting our time. Why did you reach out? Our master was quite surprised to hear from you."

  "It seems the leaf is making a move on us. My boss would like to suggest an alliance to repel the threat. See, the leaf has mobilized some troops my boss thinks you'd have a vested interest in capturing." Leifazu explained impatiently. Clearing from a script he had memorized.

  "Interesting, Orochimaru-sama has always loved capturing people! Who are you fooling? Your theatrics hold no weight here. Unless these men are exciting-"

  "Itachi and Obito Uchiha."

  "Now you have my attention. Now you have my attention." The sides started in unison.

  "This is what bossman is thinking," Leifazu said with a manic grin locked in place.

  AN

  Remastered: Sorry for the late chapter; I injured my hand and have only now regained full use of it. Though I have developed a primarily one-hand method, it shouldn't delay me much more. Will remaster another chapter tomorrow.