AN: In case you've forgotten. Here's a recap before the start of the next book. Enjoy.

Princess of Konoha Recap

Recap 1: Uzumaki Clan

"You should all be thankful I'm teaching you!" Naruto complained to his three wayward students.

"You've been teaching us for three months now, Sensei," Inari-kun replied softly.

"Yeah, well, when I was a Genin…" Naruto began, but was interrupted by Hanabi-chan.

"Didn't you fail your exam three times? Isn't it you, who was lucky to even become a Genin?"

Naruto sweat dropped at the comment, "Well, ah," he coughed into his hand, looking away from his students as he struggled to find a good comeback.

"Even the greats struggle, Hanabi-chan," Inari-kun stated, rescuing Naruto from further humiliation.

"Yeah, and bossman was too busy pranking to study anyway," Konohamaru-kun added with a sigh. "It's the plight of all the great pranksters…"

Hanabi snorted, "No, that's just an excuse. There's a reason why you were number two."

Naruto suppressed a sigh, hand running through his hair as he attempted to cut off what would be another round of constant bickering before it began. He really didn't want to hear it again, certainty not this soon. "Hey, hey, hey! None of that or we can do green monster training today."

Hanabi-chan's mouth shut tight, and Inari-kun glared at Konohamaru-kun daring him to open his mouth. Thankfully, he didn't.

"Now, where was I?" Nodding to himself he continued, "When I was a Genin, no, even before I was a Genin, I knew real struggle." He paused, dramatically looking away before continuing with more flare than was probably necessary, "I waited four years to see my Princess again. If not for my youthful pranking, I dare say I would be a completely different person. A boring person because pranking was really the only thing that could pass the time while I waited."

Jumping up and pointing to the sky in another dramatic pose he continued, "But alas, I was rewarded for my dedication to the Master Pranking Rules, and after four long, snooze fest years I was reunited with Hinata-chan. Of course, little did I know that…"

"She wasn't coming to the Academy," Team Naruto replied together.

"Bossman, we've heard this one a thousand times!" Konohamaru bemoaned.

"Hai Naruto-sensei. I thought you were going to tell us about your Genin days," Inari-kun added.

"Well, if you let me get there. As you all know, you must…"

"Have proper build up," Hanabi-chan finished, "We know."

"Good!" Naruto punched the air in excitement. "Now, devastated to hear the Hinata-chan would not be joining me in the Academy, I nearly gave up on life."

"But instead, you planned to train harder so that you could be assigned to her Genin team," Inari-kun replied passionately.

"Which you didn't…" Hanabi added. Sometimes Naruto forgot just how much of a snort nosed brat she could be.

Ignoring her he focused on the more important point of this lesson, "Hai, Inari-kun! But you are missing the most important aspect of the meeting."

"I know, I know, I know," Konohamaru-kun jumped up and down his hand waving wildly in the air. Naruto pretended as if he weren't going to call on him before nodding his head in Konohamaru's direction.

"Go on."

"Your two new goals! To make Hinata-nee laugh and to spread her proper title across the lands so all would know the Princess of Konoha!"

Excited at his student's awesomeness, Naruto high fived Konohamaru-kun, "Excellent work, as always Konohamaru."

"Kiss up," Hanabi-chan murmured under her breath.

"Anyway. Inari-kun was also correct." Inari beamed in Naruto's direction. "This was also when I learned about the legendary Uzumaki Clan, and started my journey to becoming the Sealmaster of Konoha."

"And you trained your seals via pranking!" Konohamaru added in excitement. "And as your greatest, most talented, pranking student…"

Hanabi-chan snorted in reply, "As if."

"Why you! You want to bet?"

"Not again…" Inari interrupted softly, but sternly. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to have an effect as the conversation quickly dissolved into the rather familiar back and forth between Hanabi-chan and Konohamaru-kun.

'This is obviously karma finally getting back at me,' Naruto sighed as he sat back to wait them out. They'd stop eventually...

Recap 2: Genin Exam

Naruto messaged his temples as he two passionate students continued to argue.

"You'd have to be a fool to think that any prank was better and more impressive than the massive Civilian Underwear Transfer," Konohamaru-kun continued.

"Please, while the large scale civilian prank was impressive, it had nothing on the skill and finesse of the Fire Festival Incident. But I really shouldn't be all that surprised that you think that way as you lack both skill and finesse," Hanabi-chan countered.

Konohamaru-kun turned red in the face, and Naruto could imagine the next twenty minutes. He shivered at the thought. "That's enough!"

His students blinked in response, Inari-kun looking up from the book he'd pulled out from seemingly nowhere.

"I'm sure we can all agree that all my pranks were fantastic," Naruto continued. His students nodded in agreement. "Great! Now, after my pranking years. I eventually passed the Genin exam, went on a bunch of D rank missions and one C rank mission, and…"

"Matte ne, bossman!" Konohamaru-kun interrupted. "You skipping over all of the good stuff!"

"I agree Naruto-sensei." Hanabi-chan added, "You didn't even touch on your failure of the Genin exam."

Naruto pulled at his collar uncomfortable. "Ah yeah, about that. Really, it wasn't all that special. I just passed the secret Genin test, which turned out to not really be a test, but also was enough to pass me for real, so…"

"But that was where you learned the super awesome, super useful, super powerful, kage bunshin no jutsu!" Konohamaru-kun added.

"Yeah, but as you all know that wasn't even the real Genin exam." Naruto growing a little uncomfortable changed the subject. His students nodded their heads seriously.

"Teamwork," Inari-kun replied. Bumping arms with Konohamaru and Hanabi in turn.

"Hai, you guys worked well together, so it was easy to pass you, but Team Kakashi had a bit of a rough start." Naruto sighed, "Honestly, I think, Hinata-chan's exam was way better. Her sensei got his test right out of the way, in a real test of skills. While all we got was a test of how much we didn't like each other."

"But that was the same test you gave us!" Konohamaru-kun added eyes narrowed.

"Well," Naruto replied rubbing the back of his head, "It is tradition. My sensei had the test, and his sensei had the test, and his sensei had the test, and his sensei before him had the test. I couldn't break tradition, now could I?"

His team exchanged a look before Inari-kun broke the silence, "The Hokage test."

"Yeah, now that I'm thinking about it. You could say it's something like that," Naruto replied.

"Does that mean," Konohamaru-kun added looking at his teammates.

"I'm from Wave," Inari-kun countered. Konohamaru's eyes landed on Hanabi-chan.

"I'm a Hyuuga, Konohamaru," she replied rolling her eyes at the obvious answer.

"So…" He pointed to himself, before breaking out into a large grin. "Yoshi!" He jumped up in excitement, "I'm going to be the next Hokage!"

Naruto laughed lightly, as he watched Konohamaru-kun dance around the training field.

Unfortunately, in his excitement he bumped into Hanabi-chan. Naruto swallowed as everyone was frozen in place. There was always a chance...

"You will regret that," Hanabi-chan spoke coldly.

Naruto closed his eyes in frustration as the sound of battle began. This could take a while.

"At least they're not trying to kill each other this time," Inari-kun added as he pulled out his book again, plopping down next to Naruto in the process.

Naruto sighed as he got comfortable. This was probably going to last a while.

Recap 3: C Ranks

Inari's eyes scanned the pages of his book on unique fighting styles of the ninja clans, a gift from Hinata-nee, as his teammates continued their sparring match. Naruto-nii trying in vain to stop them. Although Inari knew that if Naruto-nii was serious, he'd have them tied up on different trees where they could talk out their differences. Of course, Inari also knew that Naruto-nii was trying to use his words more, so…

"Now, Hanabi-chan don't… Hold on… Konohamaru, no kunais!"

Puff.

Inari looked up from his book to find their Sensei gone.

"Ops…" Konohamaru replied softly as he and Hanabi stopped fighting.

"A clone… again." Inari sighed as Hanabi took out her pendant. A clever seal that would alert her sister of the situation. As they'd found out the hard way, it was significantly faster than trying to find another Naruto-nii who could train them. Hinata-nee just seemed to have a second sense for it.

They settled down in a group to wait. "Ten ryo Naruto-sensei doesn't show up for another hour," Konohamaru spoke in the silence as he started balancing a pebble on his nose.

Inari buried his nose in his book in response.

"Only a fool would take that bet," Hanabi added.

"Unfortunately, you are correct Imouto," a soft voice responded causing Team Naruto to look up at none other than Hinata-nee. Hastily standing up, the trio faced their new sensei. It was always a treat when Hinata-nee took off time to train them herself. "Naruto-kun is otherwise occupied along with his clones."

"Doing what?" Konohamaru asked hopefully.

"That's above our pay grade," Inari responded harshly.

Hinata-nee chuckled softly. "Do not worry Team Naruto, I'm sure I will be an adequate replacement until his return." Looking out at the lake next to them she smiled softly, "Why don't we do some chakra control? I believe you are on unique katas, no?"

It wasn't really a question as Inari was sure Naruto-nii shared everything with Hinata-nee. Picking up two leaves, he handed one to Hanabi who nodded in thanks as the two of them stepped onto the water.

"Matte ne," Konohamaru complained. "Naruto-sensei was giving us a history lesson on his time as a Genin! He was just getting to the interesting part too, C ranks!"

"Is that so?" Hinata-nee replied. "Then I believe we will simply multitask."

Inari snorted at Konohamaru's slumped shoulders. He really was lazy, trying to get out of chakra control exercises. Shaking his head, he moved further onto the lake.

"And Konohamaru-kun?" Konohamaru paused at the edge of the water. "I do believe you are on leaves, not pebbles." He turned red in embarrassment as he picked up a nearby leaf.

Hinata-nee waited for them all to begin their katas before she began, "I was away on mission, when Naruto-kun received his first C rank mission."

"Really?" Inari interrupted. He'd heard about Naruto-nii's C rank in detail, had even been there for part of it. But Hinata-nee was too modest to brag about her own.

"Hai, Inari-kun. A standard escort mission to the Fire Capital. It went off without incident. Although, Hyuuga business and a personal request from the Fire Daimyo kept Team Itachi in the city for the entire week."

"Kenji-nii, right?" Inari questioned.

"Hai, with his master."

"Oh." Inari let slip.

"Although Kenji-san was a great asset to the negotiation process."

Inari smiled as he moved through his katas.

"On the other hand, Naruto-kun's C rank was anything but standard."

"Yeah, we know," Konohamaru interrupted.

There was a pause and Inari was tempted to look in Hinata-nee's direction, but it was over quickly, "Then perhaps you would like to tell it, Team Naruto?"

Inari exchanged a look with his teammates, "Well, Jii-san couldn't afford a high ranked mission, so he got a C rank, and Team Kakashi took it."

"Yeah, and they took out the Demon Brothers no problem!"

"Of course they struggled against, Haku-nii and Zabuza-san," Inari added.

"But with Naruto-sensei's admirable skill, Haku-nii was unable to fool Team Kakashi," Hanabi stated.

"Even so, Naruto-sensei's taijutsu sucked so much, Kakashi-sensei had to whip him into shape," Inari continued.

"Yeah, and Team Kakashi trained hard and beat the crap out of Haku-nii and Zabuza-san!" Konohamaru added in excitement.

"Control your movements," Hinata-nee admonished after Konohamaru's kata flared too much.

"Gomen," Konohamaru replied, regaining control over his form.

"Anyway," Hanabi added, "Tazuna-san was able to finish the bridge that pulled Wave out of poverty."

"The Great Uzumaki Bridge," Inari finished.

"It seems you do know the story well," Hinata-nee replied.

"Yeah, but didn't you have a second C rank mission?" Inari questioned.

"Hai, a carrier mission to a Konoha outpost," Hinata-nee replied.

"Nee-san, you can't leave it at that," Hanabi countered.

"Yeah, you have to give us the goods!" Konohamaru added.

"Is that so?"

"Hai!" Team Naruto responded.

"The mission itself was straightforward; however, the Suna ninja retrieving the message was late and behaving in a suspicious manner."

"Because they were plotting to invade Konoha!" Konohamaru interrupted.

"Perhaps. Either way, Itachi-sensei was called away, and Team Itachi was forced to make our way back to Konoha on our own. It was then, that we were attacked by a rogue Kumo team."

"Oh man, what happened next," Konohamaru asked before Inari could.

"We dispatched the team."

Inari sweat dropped at the anticlimactic explanation. It was times like these where he missed Naruto-nii's renditions of stories.

Recap 4: Chuunin Exam

"Please begin shadow clone sparring," Hinata stated, her internal clock informing her that Naruto-kun's team had expended enough energy on simple katas.

"Hai!" Team Naruto replied as one. Hinata watched as they each formed Naruto-kun's favorite hand sign and summoned one shadow clone each. The taxing Jounin level jutsu was an impressive feat for these Genin. But they were Naruto-kun's student so she wasn't surprised. 'Naruto-kun has trained them well in chakra control,' she thought with a nod. They were in no danger of harming themselves.

"Nee-san, will you continue?" Hanabi-chan asked as she dodged a well-placed juuken from her shadow clone. "Naruto-sensei's lesson was going to include up to his Chuunin promotion."

Hinata paused at the innocent question. She doubted seriously that her Naruto would have given a specific time frame for his 'history' lesson, but she didn't see any harm in continuing. "Team Kakashi arrived at the examination room for the Chuunin Exam several minutes after Team Itachi; however, I am sure this was due to Naruto-kun's tardy nature and not from any struggle to get passed the genjutsu on the second floor."

Hinata observed their forms closely as she continued, "We passed the time before the start of the first test by catching up after a minor misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding?" Inari-kun questioned softly.

"Hai, Naruto-kun was unaware of my latest training method, and believed that I had been blinded in combat. A simple misunderstanding that was easily cleared up."

"Really?" Konohamaru-kun questioned skeptically. "That doesn't sound like the bossman."

"Hai," Hanabi-chan agreed, "He normally goes off the handle if someone so much as looks at you funny."

"Indeed, but Naruto-kun also knows I can handle myself." Team Naruto nodded in agreement. "By some fate, Naruto was seated next to me during the first test."

"Akira's blessed luck," Inari-kun whispered as he performed an excellent series of katas against his clone. Haku-kun had trained him well.

"As it was a written exam, Naruto-kun, through kindness and skill, switched his completed exam with my own blank one before the rest of Team Itachi could enact our own plan for such a situation. After which, our second proctor arrived. Mitarashi Anko."

Team Naruto visibly shivered at the name causing a soft smile to ghost across Hinata's lips in response. Clearly their training sessions with Anko-san had left some mental scars.

"Let me guess," Konohamaru started.

"Survival training," Team Naruto finished together.

"Hai, the second test was a type of survival training. Anko-san was kind enough to give us a short time to prepare. Properly equipped, Team Itachi completed the objective promptly, allowing us time to clear the field of additional combatants."

"What about Naruto-sensei?" Hanabi question, her form shifting from the familiar gentle fist to the more fluid variation Hinata had been showing her in her still limited free time.

"To repay his kindness, we located Team Kakashi to give them a pair of scrolls, which was, of course, as unnecessary as the help he'd given me during the first test. Of course, Naruto-kun insistent we stay for lunch, where I learned that Naruto-kun was an excellent chef." Hinata smiled in memory.

"What next?" Inari-kun asked, the hum of chakra just beneath the surface as he refrained for invoking the water element that was more second nature than anything else. "Did you guys finish the test together?"

"No, however, we did spend the wait time together until the start of the preliminary tests," Hinata answered easily. "Since you are all aware of the results, I won't go into details. Although I was pleasantly surprised at Naruto-kun's victory over Neji-nii."

"No, no, no," Naruto-kun appeared beside her hands in the air as he shook his head in castration. "Hinata-chan, you're skipping all of the good stuff," he whined, a pout on his lips that she was hard pressed to ignore. "You can't just skip the Sakura vs Sasuke fight!" A clone appeared next to her Naruto as he began to reenact some of the fight.

"And then there was Ino against that sound girl. Man, I thought she was going to win that one. She just open her up like whoosh," they continued, the clone stumbling backwards as Naruto-kun faked the motion. "It was nasty."

"And don't forget your fight! We can't forget that. It was… bam!" Naruto-kun added his own sound effects as he and his clone poorly reenacted her preliminary bout with Kiba. "And back breaking aerobatics! Wham!"

At this point, every member of Team Naruto was adequately distracted, six mirrored expressions staring unwavering from the spectacle that was her Naruto. Hinata allowed it to continue. A break, after all, was a useful recovery and growth tool. Naruto-kun had taught her that.

"And you can't skim over my epic battle against Neji-kun!" Hinata watched as Naruto-kun made up a fight that wasn't even close to the real thing. A small smile slipping past her lips as she allowed it. The best part of Naruto-kun's storytelling was his embellishments.

"Yoshi!" Two Konohamaru voices replied as they jumped in excitement, playfully copying Naruto-kun's moves.

At that Hinata refocused the group. "Konohamaru-kun, I do not believe I said you could stop sparring," she stated, the chastisement to Konohamaru-kun but equally effective in refocusing the rest of Team Naruto as well.

"Ops, gomen."

"Oh, come on Hinata-chan. That was a pretty epic fight."

"I suppose it was," she replied softly as Naruto-kun's story came to an end. Surveying the area, Hinata nodded once before turning to leave.

"Matte, matte. You can't go yet." A single glance back and Naruto-kun was in front of her, "Come on, Hinata-chan. It was only just getting good. You've got to stay for the Chuunin Exam Finals! That way we can tell our fight together." Naruto gave her his biggest doe eyes, but she'd become immune to that look.

"Given that you have been hiding amongst the trees for the past twenty minutes, I believe it is time for my departure," Hinata stated simply as Naruto-kun looked away sheepishly. "Another time, Naruto-kun."

"Matte," Naruto whined, "But that wasn't together. And we're always better together..." Hinata sighed, knowing she'd cave if he kept this line of argument. "Yatta!" Turning back to his students Naruto continued. "Enter training montage!"

Recap 5: Chuunin Exam Finals

Ducking his clone's punch, Konohamaru admitted to himself that it was harder to train and listen to Naruto-sensei's story. He just knew he was missing the best part of Naruto-nii's reenactment.

Turning his head in an attempt to catch another look, his clone decked him sending him skidding across the water.

"Yeah, just like that Konohamaru-kun, Hinata-chan's hit sent me flying!" Naruto-nii stated. Konohamaru could feel his excitement from his spot lying atop the water's surface it was so strong, but that was the bossman. "Which was fine because it sent blood everywhere," Naruto-nii continued as Konohamaru climbed back to his feet.

"And that was you plan the whole time, the blood seal." Inari added between soft grunts of his own.

"Bingo!"

Konohamaru focused against the onslaught of punches and kicks from his clone, but behind him he heard a stutter along the water.

"Inari-kun, focus please." Hinata-nee's voice sounded from behind, "No jutsu of any kind."

"Gomen nasai, Hinata-nee," Inari replied adequately chastised.

'Serves him right,' Konohamaru grumbled to himself before refocusing on his clone. This time his clone looked away briefly, finally giving Konohamaru the opening he'd been waiting for. On the attack, he had half an ear out for Naruto-nii's story.

"But it wasn't happening fast enough!" Naruto-nii continued, "I'd been expecting a bloodbath."

"Because of the extreme disparities between you and Nee-san's abilities," Hanabi added slightly winded. Konohamaru smiled knowing he wasn't the only one having trouble multitasking.

"Hai! Hinata-chan was wiping the floor with me, but she was also letting my clones run loose below our feet!" There was a pause and Konohamaru dared a look back to see part of Naruto-nii and his clone's reenactment. "Bang! Whoosh!"

"And then, we tricked Hinata-chan right into the middle of the…"

"Five Sense Seal," Team Naruto said together. It was one of the seals, Naruto-nii had yet to teach them no matter how much they begged.

"Attention to detail, Imouto," Hinata-nee soft voice chastened Hanabi, but Konohamaru also turned back to work.

"Gomen," Hanabi replied along with Inari. "But what did it feel like?" Hanabi continued.

"Nothing. It was nothingness. The ground beneath me had vanished, the wind no longer touched my skin, and all sound disappeared into an empty vacuum. It was a very thorough seal befitting the Seal Master of Konoha."

"We thought it was over after that," Naruto-nii's voice sounded, but Konohamaru was sure it was his clone answering.

"Hai, but then…"

The dramatic pause pulled his focus, causing his own clone to take advantage. Activating the familiar seal, Konohamaru switched places with Inari on instinct. And suddenly he was fighting Inari-kun. 'Kuso…'

"Wham!" Naruto-nii continued, "It was one of the most beautiful things I'd ever seen. Hinata-chan was all, you are in my range, and I nearly crapped myself."

"Naruto-kun."

"But Hinata, I thought you'd been using your Byakugan the whole time!" There was a pause, but Konohamaru didn't dare look away. Inari's fighting style was still new to him, and if he wasn't careful he'd be sipping his ramen from a straw. 'Damn his excellent use of pressure points. I don't even care if it only last a couple of hours. I want ramen after this!'

"Fine, fine, fine. Anyway, that's when the real battle began. Hinata-chan mopping the arena floor with me, painting it in my blood."

"Any normal opponent would have passed out from blood loss," Hanabi added from behind him, too close in fact. 'Don't you dare move your fight into mine,' Konohamaru thought. It was a tactic Hanabi liked to use. Citing a Pranking Rule out of context, using the environment, him, in her own fight. He hated it, but only because he couldn't figure out how to do it himself yet.

"But your amazing, super awesome, Sensei, is anything but average!"

"I said normal," Hanabi spoke under her breath, and Konohamaru knew she was about to use him to win her fight. Trying his best he started moving his fight away from her.

"So there we were," Naruto-nii's voice sounded. "Bang! Dodge, dodge. And then I wasn't sure I'd make it."

Konohamaru knew he was missing some of the best parts, Naruto-nii's stories being half dramatic reenactments, but he'd be damned if he missed out on ramen for lunch again.

"That's when you fell into the Gentle Fist, right Naruto-sensei?" Inari's voice added unhurried.

"Hai. There we were, gliding along the battlefield as I put the finishing touches to the blood seal below our feet."

"How were you able to use Nee-san to write the seal? I've always wondered."

"Keen study of the gentle fist." There was a pause and Konohamaru cursed his luck. Naruto-nii was reenacting something! Something great! "I knew her movements even better than she did."

"As you always have, Naruto-kun."

"Then wham!" Konohamaru ducked under Inari's clone's fist, his own fist hitting the clone near a pressure point as Naruto-nii continued, "Hinata-chan threw me clear across the arena."

"Right where you wanted to be," Inari added.

"Hai, right next to the edge of the seal." There was a dramatic pause after that, the silence stretching longer than any of the previous pauses as Konohamaru continued to press his advantage. He was getting pumped just listening to the fight.

"Boom!"

Konohamaru punched the clone dead center, sending him skidding across the water. "Yoshi!"

"All went silent. I managed to knock myself out, but when I came to, there was dust everywhere. Slowly we waited…" Konohamaru turned to watch as Naruto-nii lay motionless on the ground, his reenactment as accurate as he could make it.

"And when it cleared, Nee-san was the only one left standing," Hanabi added. Konohamaru turned to find she'd finished too. 'Dang I wasn't first.'

"Hai, Hinata-chan stood in the center of a stone flower thingy still posed in the perfect opening form of the gentle fist."

"But she was unconscious," Inari commented. Konohamaru turned to find Inari standing next to his clone arms useless at his side. 'Dang, I was last…'

"Indeed. Naruto-kun had won." Hinata-nee replied.

"That was one of your most dangerous seals, right Naruto-sensei?" Inari questioned.

"Hai, devastating. While I knew Nee-san was fine." Hanabi added quickly, but Konohamaru knew that for the lie it was. Hanabi had her tells just as much as Inari did. Still, they were friends, so he changed to the topic for her.

"Hey, didn't that fancy guy make it a statue?"

"Yeah, yeah. Anyway, some other fights happened while I was resting after Hinata-chan beat the crap out of me."

"Naruto-kun."

"Okay, I'll watch the flare, but that takes half the fun out of it!"

"You beat the Uchiha after that," Konohamaru added jumping up and down in his excitement. "Handed him his butt with the Gentle Fist, and everything."

Hanabi commented under her breath, "Child's version at best. Not that it matter against an Uchiha."

"Anyway, other people fought, and I won some more, and finally I made it to the finals!"

Konohamaru watched enthralled as Naruto-nii summon a couple more clones to reenact the fight.

"Zing! Zing, zing!" The clones dodged and jumped over each other, "Bang!"

"Sand everywhere, but Gaara didn't stand a chance!"

"And I was kicking his butt, but then he started summoning Shikaku and his siblings intervene disqualifying him. And that's when shit hit the fan."

"Naruto-kun," Hinata-chan admonished.

"What? It was messy. Just like when Hanza-chan has bad diarrhea," Naruto-nii shivered. "Really messy."

Recap 6: Invasion

Now that Konohamaru was finally finished, Hanabi conveniently forgetting that she'd finished only seconds before him, they could stop for a break.

As a group, they dismissed their clones, the soft familiar pops filling the air before they made their way back to shore. Hanabi felt the rush of her chakra returning as the memories of her clone flooded her mind. She shivered. She didn't know how anyone could get use to the feeling, but Naruto-nii seemed mostly alright.

Inari-kun joined her just before she reached shore, walking next to her as she watched Nee-san interact with Naruto-nii. It always surprised her that Naruto-nii could speak in anything other than shouts, but with Nee-san, he somehow managed, the two of them speaking in voices so low Hanabi couldn't catch the words even as she approached.

"...I'll see you tonight, Naruto-kun," Nee-san spoke a hand gently gliding down Naruto-nii's arm before she turned to leave. "Do remember to be on time for the evening meal, dear."

Naruto-nii groaned, "That was one time!"

'Yeah, one time when you were two hours late,' Hanabi thought grumpily remembering the bad mood her sister had been in for the entire wait.

"Konohamaru-kun, you are, of course, welcome to join us," Nee-san finished, nodding once to her annoying teammate before disappearing from sight.

Naruto-nii stared wistfully after her, lost in his own thoughts as he often was.

"Naruto-sensei," Hanabi called out softly.

"Huh?"

"Won't you continue to enlighten us about you extraordinary feats during the Chuunin Exam Finals?"

"Oh, yeah, yeah!" Naruto-nii replied, obviously responding to the flattery like she'd anticipated. Hanabi had practically grown up around the blond. She knew how to manipulate him to get what she wanted. "So, where was I?"

"I believe you were just about to talk about what happened after the stadium was placed under a strong genjutsu," Inari-kun clarified plopping down at the base of a nearby tree.

Hanabi followed her friend's lead as Naruto-nii began again. "Oh, right, right. So, I was still on the stadium floor, but everything above me was utter chaos! I'm talking bodies going everywhere and explosions! And I was mostly just really confused. That was, I was confused until I saw Hinata-chan. Of course, I still didn't know what the heck was going on, but followed anyway because…"

"Together you're unstoppable," Team Naruto said in unison, more than use to the saying by now.

"Yoshi!" Naruto leapt into the air in his excitement before chattering on. "My beautiful students, so passionate!" Naruto-nii said with stars in his eyes.

'At least he isn't as bad as he is when he's talking about little Hanza-chan,' Hanabi thought with a shake of her head.

"Anyway, so Hinata-chan and I took on the big baddies, saving the day," Naruto-nii continued, fist in the air as he held his favorite power stance.

'Yeah, and the rest of Team Itachi,' Hanabi added mentally correcting her Sensei.

"Oh, and Sakura took a team to stop those Kumo guys from blowing up TOWER ONE!" Naruto-nii paused for a moment, hand on his chin as he thought. "Now that I think about it, I guess Sakura's team kinda failed at that. You know 'cause the Tower still exploded even if it didn't come tumbling down. Which was, of course, do to my absolute brilliance. Really, I think the Hyuuga Police still owe me a metal, or a plaque, or a statue! I did them a favor."

Hanabi shook her head at the statement. That was certainly not how Commander Daichiko told the story.

"And I think old man Hizashi blew up the village gates and I guess there was a bunch of other stuff that blew up that day too, but the most important thing is that we won." Naruto-nii paused again, his mood darkening along with her own as she remembered just what they'd won. "Yeah, we won, but we also lost a lot of good people that day."

'Hai, we lost a lot of good people,' Hanabi thought as she remembered the loss of the man she barely knew, her father. She'd never mourned for the man himself. Couldn't if she wanted to because she just hadn't known him. But she had mourned for her sister. Nee-san had been devastated by his death.

Silence filled the space between them until Naruto-nii clapped his hands drawing their attention. "Okay, well enough about that. Back to work!"

"But what about everything else?!" Konohamaru exclaimed. "Your Jounin promotion? The War!? Everything!"

"Well… You haven't done a lot of training today, and I'm starting to feel like a horrible Sensei so… ON TO D RANKS!"

And with that Naruto-nii disappeared.

The team sighed as one. "I was hoping we might get out of that today," Hanabi stated before she led the way to the center of the village and the Hokage Tower.