human
It was a beautiful sunrise. A few years have past since the three figures saw Konoha.
One was an older man with white hair and kabuki marks on his dace, dressed in red and green. He was walking with a smile on his face. Jiraiya was happy to see his students go and come back to thei gome, both of them having gotten significantly stronger.
Naruto Uzumaki was walking back, big excited smile on his face. The excited 15-year-old was happy to be back home. While he was still wearing predominantly orange, it now had on somce black. He learned alot the past couple of years. Namely perfecting his jutsus and techniques, though he actually manages to learn a couple of Wind techniques. He was going back to see all of his old friends and so on.
Meanwhile, his older brother was also walking alongside him. Diego Vendrix had improved his bloodline limit, combining wind and lightning chakras to make plasma. He developed more techniques from some of the Wind techniques that Naruto learned while also becoming better defensively with it while also improving his close quarters combat. He was a bit chubby, though nowhere near as much as Choji and he was now 18, his dark colored hair matching his brown eyes.
He had sent one of his cranes to tell Lady Tsunade that they were on their way, however, he also sent it to tell Hinata that Naruto was coming back in order to get the two together
gpt
Hinata had just finished training with her father and cousin. She had changed a bit since she was twelve. While her father still did not consider her worthy to be heir to the Hyuga family he still considered her stronger then he first suggested and he had agreed to train her when she proved herself against her sister. Training had ended early today because he was going away to a meeting for the clan heads and Neji was going on a mission. So that left Hinata resting after taking a quick shower. Her long wet hair resting on her shoulders. Letting out a small sigh she ran her fingers through her hair wondering what she should do with her new found freedom.
Sure she did not mind training but it was nice to have a bit of a break from the harsh training the Hyuuga clan provided. Kiba an Shino were also on a mission so she could not join them in training. All and all she was on her own for the day and she decided that the early morning training had been enough for today. It had been well before sunrise she was awoken by Neji telling her father wanted her in the training ground.
She had become even more processe with her chakra control and was able to use that to her advantage. Also she had been training on her own elemental chakra and combining that skill with her gentle fist. So far it was a work in process but it was coming along nicely in her opinion.
As her mind began to wander about a blond headed ninja that she had not since in nearly three years she spotted the Crane flying over head before landing before her. Hinata knew those cranes anywhere and a small smile came to her lips as the note confirmed it. A light blush coating her cheeks as she decided what she was doing for the day as she headed for the main gates to greet them when they arrived.
human
Diego smiled as he saw his crane return before dismissing back into their sacred land. The cranes were a reclusive summons, with them being picky with their summoners. Diego was the first in a century to be chosen. He discovered it when he heard from Jiraiya how doing the summoning without a contract would allow one to find the best summons for him. One jutsu later and he ended up in the Sacred Immortal Marsh, the land of the Cranes. After a strong test, Diego became a crane summoner. He has one in particular that takes him to fly.
Diego was an oddball. His name was identified by a bracelet and was found as a toddler. He forged a bond with Naruto Uzumaki and was like the older brother he did not have. Of course, things got more complicated when Diego became a Genin. His unique bloodline got the attention of the higher-ups, and wanting to see what they could do, assigned him to Itachi Uchiha (he heard Danzo wanted him, but he refused, feeling an unease at the man.) Diego's relationship with Itachi was complicated. They were close, but also not that close. They would talk philosophy and Diego would pull an occasional prank on the Uchiha with Naruto, but things were all right.
Then Itachi performed a massacre. Diego knew he did not do it power as he told Sasuke. He tried to stop the massacre and it was perhaps their most intense fight ever. Even with Itachi training him, Diego was always good at surprises and he did what he could to get answers out of him. Something happened.
Diego got hit in the back with a dangerous attack and would fall in a coma for a few years. By the time he awoke, Naruto had completed his Genin exam and Diego was trying to catch up. He was still a Genin because of the incident and being comatose. Because of circumstances and upon request, he was on Team 7. However, being older than the others, he commanded respect from them. He would help and advise them on techniques and on teamwork and advice. He helped Sasuke begin overcoming his issues, had Sakura move on from her crush when he asked her soe questions that forced her to re-evaluate herself and more, such as telling Tenten to re-change her approach to combat
He would become a Chunin thanks to his successful fight against Temari where he managed to beat her despite the disadvantage. He was the only other one besides Shikamaru to get promoted. Of course, by that point, Tsunade had arrived and was able to better heal him and later Rock Lee. As such, he spent the next few years training alongside Naruto and Jiraiya to get back up to his full power and then some. In fact, he actually got to do the Jounin exams during a break. He also convinced Jiraiya to let Naruto to go to Suna for the Chunin exams.
They met alot of strong ninja and they managed to save Fu, the Jinchurki of Seven Tails, from Akatuski by coincidence (which let Naruto meet up with his old friend of Waterfall Village). Naruto, like the others, got promoted to Chunnin.
And now they were finally coming home... Diego had chosen to notify one person to greet Naruto... Hinata Hyuga. He was well aware of her fondness for Naruto, but while it wasn't romantic, DIego saw that it could indeed become it. He decided it would be good to help the two get together. It would balance them out.
"I think there's someone there waiting for us," Diego commented while Jiraiya squinted to see.
gpt
Hinata had always admired Naruto and his strength to never give up no matter the situation that presented itself to him. She loved that about him. She had always cared for him in such a way. While it was not exactly love she could not deny that she felt something for the boy and she could not wait to meet him once again.
When Hinata had heard Naruto had been promoted to Chunin as well part of her had wished those were the Chunin Exams her and her team had participated in as well. However she had become Chunin in the exams before those. When Naruto had left to train she had trained herself hard for awhile. Gathering her own strength, first with her team and then with her father and Neji. Not wanting to be weak and useless. She wanted to surprise Naruto with how strong she had become, when she knew for sure Naruto's strength would far surpass hers.
Then their was Diego. While she cared for him as well. He was more like a brother figure to her. He seemed to always be there when he needed to be. Almost pushing the two of them to be friends. She could remember back when Diego had fallen into that coma when they were young and how Naruto came crying to her. Worried that he would not make it. They had only just begun talking at that point and she had been unsure how to react. Hinata had simply wrapped her arms around the crying boy to comfort him.
Hinata had arrived at the gate moments earlier, activating her Byakugan to see if they were almost there. To her surprise they were only a few minutes away. Blushing lightly she rocked on her heal, part of her wanting to go hide from them but she simply leaned against a tree to relax a little. Her cheeks had a light dusting of pink but she also had a smile upon her lips as she deactivated her Byakugan.
human
"Hey Naruto! Look!" Diego pointed out. Naruto squinted his eyes for a bit before he beamed. It was Hinata. "Hey Hinata!" Naruto exlaimed with a loud voice as he went to see her. It had been a long while since they last saw her. Nearly two years ago, after the Chunin Exams in Suna. With Sasuke away as part of a secret assignment and as a way to do things a bit different, the teams for the Chunnin Exam were done in pairs (Naruto/Sakura, Ino/Choji, Kiba/Shino, Rock Lee/Neji & Hinata/Tenten) as part of a way of making things interesting. All 10 of them passed and did well for themselves to say the least. They also met some new friends, which included Fu, the Jinchuriki of the Seven-Tails, whom he helped rescue when a nearby crane alerted them to save her.
It was one hell of a fight to try and deter Akatsuki enough for Jiraiya to arrive and chase them off.
"What are you doing here?" Naruto asked her with a smile yet also looking surprised to see her. Diego simply gave a shushing motion to Hinata, signalling to her the whole thing was a surprise for him.
Diego then began leaping over to the Hokage offic so he and Jiraiya could talk to Lady Tsunade and report everything that had happened and so on.
gpt
"Hello Naruto." SHe responded with a smile as he greeted her. Her face had a gentle expression that was full of care and happiness that he had finally returned to the village. When asked why she was there she noticed the Diego was motioning for her to keep it a secret how she new they were arriving in the village. Running a hand through her hair she shrugged a little. "I...I was finishing up training...and s-saw your c-chakra signatures coming c-closer and I came to g-great you...." Which if she had looked in this direction she would have noticed them as they got closer.
The Hyuuga compound was not far from the gates of Konoha.
Shaking her head from her rather lame excuse she watched as Diego started to head over to the Hokage's office. Leaving Naruto and Hinata relatively alone at the moment.
"I-I've missed you Naruto." Hinata admitted with a small...somewhat shy smile. While they had been friends of sorts she also knew she spent time watching him from afar more often then not before they started to really talk.
However Hinata could not deny she felt the most comfortable whenever Naruto was around, She felt safe, and felt as though she could be more of herself. It had been a couple of years since they had last seen one another however she felt just as she always had. Nothing had changed with the time that they had been apart. It was comforting.
human
Naruto smiled at seeing Hinata's smile. While he thought of her as a bit strange at her, he always viewed her as cool and always tried to impress her. At the same time, she was one of the few people that Naruto felt he could be more like himself around. She seem to understand him the best, at least when it came to peers (since Diego was older than him after all.) So he was happy to see her. He always felt at ease and such with her.
"Oh wow! I bet you must have gotten really strong! I remember when we were at the Chunin Exams back in Suna! It was crazy!" Naruto told her with a big smile on his face as he was recalling the memories they had. "Oh man! The village must have changed so much! I gotta see! But first, Ichiraku Ramen," Naruto told her before he grabbed Hinata's hand and began running inside the village, all while somewhat dragging Hinata to the ramen stand that was his sceond home.
"You're the best, Hinata-chan," Naruto told her with a smile, truly appreciative that she was there to greet him back and make him feel welcomed.
While Jiraiya was informing Tsunade of the news, Diego was taking some time to look around the village. He would be meeting up with the others tomorrow with Kakashi and so on. Apparently, Naruto and Sakura would be testing their mettle against him. Diego smiled at how far Sakura developed. He took an early interest to help with her development, especially as she became a medic-nin. The exercises were mainly to increase the amount of chakra in her body along with having her learn a few Earth Style techniques, given it was her primary chakra nature. Besides making the basic Earth Wall, Diego had Sakura learn make basic Earth structures, huts almost, both as a form of extra protection, but so she could be able to make makeshift clinics to operate in. Lastly, he had her learn the Rock Gun technique and the Flying Thrown Stones technique so she could fight long range better.
"Hey Diego, long time no see," Diego heard a familiar voice and he waved at Shikamaru. "Hey Shika, on a date I see?" Diego said with a smirk. Shikamaru blushed a bit while the girl next to him giggled. "Hey Shiho-san," he said to her with a smile. Diego knew Shiho as a friendly aquiantance and introduced Shikamaru to her in the hopes of giving him an intellectual peer and someone to push him. It seemed to have worked, though her affections for him came first before Shika's did. She was a very capable Chunin, good at analyzing, puzzle-solving and cryptography. He remembered acting as her sempai for a bit back when she was a genin, namely in teaching her better kunai throwing.
"Well kinda yeah. That and I was giving Temari a tour, but she vanished," Shikamaru said while Shiho was also looking around. Diego smiled some more. Temari was one of the biggest challenges back in the Chunin Exams years ago and he found her to be an attractive and capable kuniochi. So seeing her again would be fun. "What a drag. Maybe you can find her," Shikamaru noted.