Shikon

Tanuki

Hinata rubbed Naruto's new ears, the blond patiently let her as he could smell her stress melt away. Life has been a bit harder than before ever since he gained his new appendages. The saving point was that it's obviously a dog's ear and not a fox. His tail on the other hand looked too fluffy to belong to a dog but there're dogs at the Inuzuka kennel that has tails like a fox. One example was the Yuki Spitz.

He sighed, "The missions have been a lot slower lately, dattebayo,"

Hinata pull her hands away, "My team t-too,"

Naruto looked at her, "Your stutter come and go a lot since graduation. Are you okay Hinata?"

Hinata smiled, "I'm okay,"

Naruto offered his tail, "If things get too tough, you can play with my tail, okay?" He beamed, "It may be a chakra construct but I bet it's softer and fluffier than Akamaru's, dattebayo!"

Hinata giggled while Akamaru whined over Kiba's head. Naruto looked at the puppy, "Don't worry Akamaru, you'll grow big...but you won't ever be as fluffy as me!" He would know, just look at Sesshoumaru! There's a reason Kagome called him Mofumofu-sama.

Kiba grumbled, "Why are you here anyway, Naruto? Don't you have your own team?"

Naruto pouted, "Sasuke's been unbearable since coming back from Nami so unless it's a mission, it's too awkward around them," He's bee griping and stressing on getting stronger ever since meeting Haku. Naruto don't mind the sense of competition but he kept picking a fight with the blond, much to Kakashi's amusement. Naruto on the other hand worried about not killing him.

Oh the unfairness!

Meanwhile Hiruzen had been most confused when Naruto came back. Not only was the new bridge named after him but he came home looking less human. Luckily as a Shinobi he no longer answer to the Civilian Council who would be baying for his head on a pike just for looking different. On the other hand the Shinobi Council were split. The Elders looked ready to dissect him while the Clan Heads were curious as it looked like a new Kekkei Genkai. Inuzuka Tsume even claimed him as honorary pack member, saying that he felt like family.

Considering who his ancestor was, it made sense. Kuromaru, Tsume's partner, took one look at Naruto and rolled over, baring his belly in submission. Naruto's tail just wagged in approval at the sight. It really baffled the room.

Naruto sighed, "I just wants the Elders to get off my back,"

Shino nodded, "Understandable. Why? They are unbearably close minded,"

Hinata nodded as she ate her cinnamon bun. Her own elders have been trying to stop her from 'playing' with Naruto but after she honestly thought that he was poisoned, she didn't want to regret. So she have been rebelling against them in her own way. But sometimes their callous words cut deep and her self-confidence took a hit, making her stutter return. But spending time with Naruto always help her in that issue and she feared that should she be separated from him, her outlook would be bleaker and drearier. She didn't want to just watch him from afar. If getting stronger was the only way she could stay around him, then she would improve herself.

To Hinata, Naruto is like her personal sun...

Naruto dragged his legs to the meeting point of his team. He sighed, his ears drooping as he wondered if he was Naraku in his past life or something. Kurama huffed, "If you were Naraku, I doubted either Sesshoumaru or Kagome would let you hold the stupid bauble,"

Naruto looked up to see his team fuming at him. Sakura growled, "Where were you?! It has been 2 hours!" Naruto looked around and she scowled, "What are you looking for?"