Chapter 23

During Mei's meeting with the Konoha council, Hinata and Naruto were taking a stroll around the village, just enjoying their time together.

As the pair continued walking, they soon heard the sound of small footsteps and the scraping of cardboard behind them. The pair stopped walking as they turned to the box behind.

"Come out Konohamaru. I know you're in that box," Naruto stated as he placed his hands crossed waiting for the younger boy to come out of hiding.

A second later, the square rock with eyeholes in it exploded, sending smoke everywhere. The sounds of multiple coughs were heard, causing the Naruto and Hinata to realize that Konohamaru wasn't the only one in the square box.

"I think we used too much gunpowder," said a young male voice from within the box that Naruto identified as someone else beside Konohamaru. Naruto waited tolerantly for Konohamaru while Hinata stood next to the blond curiously, wondering what was going on.

"Your ability of seeing through our disguise is incredible. I really admire and respect you, my rival," said Konohamaru as he leaped from the box. The smoke cleared to reveal goggle-wearing kids, two boys and one girl. They looked up at Naruto before going into a weird pose.

"I'm Moegi, the sassiest kunoichi in school!"

"I love Math! My name is Udon!"

"And I'm the toughest shinobi in the village! My name is Konohamaru!"

"And we are…The Konohamaru Ninja Corps!" The three eight-year-olds chorused.

"Hey Konohamaru, it's been a while since I last saw you," said Naruto while smiling at the kids in front of him.

"Yeah boss it has. Where have you been? You promised you would play ninja with us when you had the opportunity too, remember?" said Konohamaru pointing to his friends and then Naruto.

"Uhm, Naru-kun who are your friends?" asked Hinata curiously.

"This is Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon. I met them at the park a few weeks ago after we arrived at the village. Remember that time I went out for groceries and got delayed?" asked Naruto, as Hinata nodded "Well, I met them then when they tried to fight of a civilian bully twice their size at the park, long story short I saved them and we became friends. Though they started calling me boss after I showed them a few simple moves and told them I was a registered shinobi"

Finally realizing someone was next to their boss, Konohamaru said enthusiastically "Wow, boss you really know how to pick'em. She's beautiful. Is she you're girlfriend?"

Hinata chuckled at the kids innocence and said "Hello there Konohamaru-kun, Moegi-chan, Udon-kun. My name is Hinata and yes I am Naru-kun's girlfriend"

The kids blushed at Hinata's greeting, she was so elegant and beautiful that you would mistake her for a princess.

"It's nice to meet you Hinata-nee-chan" said Konohamaru with a blush.

"Nice to meet you" said Udon.

"I won't loose!" declared Moegi to Hinata as she watched Konohamaru.

"Anyways, I can't play with you guys today" said Naruto while getting a sad face from Konohamaru and the gang "But maybe on my next off, we can go on a picnic and I could teach you guys some low level jutsus"

"Really!" exclaimed the three.

"Yes, really" said Naruto with a smile "Now run along now, since we still have a few places to visit" he said not wanting the kids to ruin his alone time with Hinata.

"Okay boss bye!" said Konohamaru before turning to Hinata and shouting "Bye Hinata-nee-chan!" before he ran at top speed

""Bye bye Naruto-san, Hinata-san"" said Udon and Moegi as they hurriedly followed Konohamaru.

Though not even a few seconds passed when they heard Konohamaru scream as he bumped into someone who was now lifting him up into the air.

Naruto and Hinata looked at each other, nodded and immediately went towards Konohamaru and the kids' location.

"You little brat," yelled the older boy, lifting Konohamaru off the ground. Konohamaru opened his eyes to find he was being held up by the collar of his shirt by a person he didn't recognize. The figure was dressed in what looked like a black cat suit with purple paint on his face and a large...thing...being carried on his back. There was also a beautiful blond Kunoichi with a huge fan behind him who looked liked she was sighing at the cat boys stupidity.

"Put me down! Let me go!" Konohamaru commanded. While the other kids were begging the weird boy as well. Konohamaru struggled in order to get free from his captor.

"You brat! You're the one who bumped into me! I ought to make you pay for that!" said the older figure as he readied to hit the kid.

"Let the kid go, right now!" Naruto commanded as he entered the scene with Hinata following close by.

"Who are you?" the older figure asked.

"The name is Naruto, and the boy you're holding against his will is the grandson of the Sandaime Hokage. I advise you to release the boy from your grasp or face his angry grandfather," Naruto warned.

Kankuro not wanting to let this guy punk him, didn't let the kid he was holding go. "I bet you don't have the guts to-" He couldn't finish as Naruto suddenly appeared behind him with his sword 'that came out of nowhere' drawn and embedded a little on his neck enough to draw blood.

A rock came from the front and hit his hand and made him drop Konohamaru, Kankuro looked to where the rock came from and saw a moon eyed beauty smiling mockingly towards him. "Why you little-" Again he was interrupted by a punch to his stomach coming from Naruto that dropped him to his knees.

"Temari" said Kankuro as if asking for help, but when she didn't respond immediately. He looked towards the beautiful blond Kunoichi's direction and was surprised. He saw her gritting her teeth as she was holding her hands up because Hinata had a kunai close to her neck "Wha- How?" he said confused as he moved his gaze towards the Hinata on the front, suddenly it poofed in a cloud of smoke as he suddenly realized "shadow clones!"

Naruto was waiting for their other teammate who was hiding in the trees to come out, but it looked liked he already planned on showing himself.

"Pathetic," a cold voice suddenly cut in. Everyone looked up to see another figure standing under the branch of another tree next to them. It was a red-haired boy Naruto's age with a large gourd on his back and a red kanji for "Love" tattooed on his forehead.

"G-Gaara," Kankuro said a bit fearfully.

"Kankuro, Temari," Gaara replied dryly, "You're both disgraces to our village."

Kankuro replied, "What? But-"

"Shut up or I'll kill you," Gaara said coldly while looking at Kankuro who cringed on hearing that. Temari was just as fearful as she hoped that Gaara wouldn't hold true to his words and turn on her as well. The red-haired boy then looked at Naruto and said, "I'm Sabaku No Gaara and those fools are my siblings Kankuro and Temari. We are here to participate in the chuunin selection exam"

Naruto nodded towards Hinata as both of them disappeared and immediately reappeared at the front of the children, making all sand shinobi's eyes widen in shock even Gaara, though only for a sec before reverting back.

Naruto felt a weird vibe circulate through his being upon seeing Gaara. He was sensing a form of chakra that was anything but human.

'That chakra, something about it bothers me. I don't know what but I can't help but feel that it's something familiar a Bijuu, maybe? But it's a lot crazier than the others and this boy, I feel that he has an unexplainable amount of longing and loneliness' Naruto thought quietly.

"Who are you?" asked Gaara emotionlessly.

"My name is Naruto" said the blond, while the lavender haired beauty said "Hinata, it's a pleasure to meet you Gaara-kun"

"I see, judging by your age I presume both of you will also participate in the chuunin exam?" asked Gaara with a maniacal grin, which made Naruto narrow his eyes.

"Indeed we are" he said.

"Good" replied Gaara "Mother will enjoy shedding your blood. Kankuro, Temari, let's go." Gaara turned to leave, his siblings following behind him.

Naruto didn't leave the red heads figure even for a second until he finally vanished at the corner of the alley.