Chapter 5

                                    

                                          
A groan escaped his mouth as he opened his eyes, it was still night time but he knew that in a few minutes, the sun would come up.
                          
His feet feel off to the side of his mattress, he felt the cold floor of his apartment as he moved to the shower.
                          
Once in his bathroom he turned on the water, it was warm soothing his muscles as he cleaned himself for the day ahead.
                          
Minutes later he was out of the bathroom his outfit already on only missing it's sandals who had taken perch on the cubby near his front door.
                          
He moved to his kitchen his now longer hair sawing as he shook his head and grabbed a mug,  he filled it with coffee and moved to his balcony. 
                          
Next to the door that led his balcony, he found a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. He pooped the pack open taking one of the death sticks out of it.
                          
With an henge covering his face as he drank and smoked his first cigarettes of the day making sure no one was able to see his face.
                          
He had taken to smoking during the month break before the finals seeing as Asuma did it so often, he tried it and found out he enjoyed it.
                          
He glanced at the sun as it rose, the burning star lit up his village as the habitants rose and prepared to start their day.
                          
He brushed his golden locks out of his eyes, and sighed in satisfaction as his cigarette ended using a small Fire manipulation exercise he turned the bud into ashes.
                          
He walked back inside going through several stretches to get his body warmed up and ready for the hard day he knew he would have.
                          
They had learned of the Invasion when he was walking by the streets at night time enjoying his new body improvements, when the distinct copper smell hit his nose.
                          
He followed it to find a swordsman lying on his back a wound bleeding badly, he immediately summoned a wolf to help carry the man to the hospital where when the man was healed told the Sandaime and himself of the Invasion and the fact that Kabuto Yakushi was a spy and that Suna was involved.
                          
Since then they had been preparing descretly towards the Invasion. He knew that one of the changes were the presence of Jiraya of the Sannin as the bodyguard of the Hokage, which was also a show of strength.
                          
He also knew that he had ordered Tsunade back to the village along with her aprentice, but he had never met the women so he did know what to say of her.
                          
He walked out of his apartment his Bo-Staff strapped on his back as he stepped around the village, it was still to early to head to the stadium so he decided to calm his nerves by walking around the village.
                          
He walked calmly and breathed the fresh scents of the village. Taking another cigarette, out of his pocket he put his usual henge around his face as he blew out smoke.
                          
Turning a corner he was met with the form of Kurenai Yuhi and her team, eye smiling at them and waving, he never noticed the darkening of Kurenai eyes.
                          
"Yo!"-he said in an almost perfect imitation of his silver headed Sensei.
                          
"Naruto what's that on your mouth?"-Kurenai growled out, her hands balled into fists.
                          
Naruto having noticed her angry demeanor decided to once again imitate his porn addicted Sensei and replied with a "ugh you say something Kurenai-sensei?"-it turned out to be the wrong thing to do.
                          
Kurenai moved as fast as rank detictated and snatched the death stick out of his hand stomping on it angerly with her foot, as she began to scold the blonde, while pulling on his ear.
                          
When she finished and finally let the blonde go, he quickly left while muttering about overprotective Sensei's and his precious cigarettes.
                          
After the incident he made haste to get far away enough, he breathed a sigh of relief, when he arrived at a familiar street, seeing TenTen with her what appeared to be mother giving the similarities between them. He also noticed that the older women seemed to see him sooner and smiled at him sadly with understanding in her eyes, that became surprised when she saw him move towards them.
                          
TenTen was with her back turned towards him and speaking with her mother fussing about her outfit. She didn't even understand why she dressed up in the first place she was just going to watch the exams. 
                          
"Mom are you even listening to me?"-she said noticing that she was looking away.
                          
"Yes sweetheart, I don't even know why your making such a big deal out of dressing well for the exams."-the older women said.
                          
"I don't know as well, it's just..."-TenTen furrowed her brow in though. Why was she dressing up all of a sudden. It was then that her mind supplied a image of a blonde haired masked boy with the most Azure eyes she had ever seen.
                          
She shook her head trying to will away the blush that had spread on her cheeks hoping her mother missed it.
                          
"So it's for boy I see, could it be that one that came in the store during the month"-she said with mirth in her voice and a smile graced her face when she saw her daughter's growing blush.
                          
The Jinchuriki of the Nine-tails approached, with a eye smile he moved to TenTen who was pink again, she was looking like that Hinata girl who always turned red when near him.
                          
"Well a pleasure to see you again TenTen"-when she heard her voice she turned towards him the color on her cheeks growing, as she took in his form.
                          
"It's good to see you again N-Naruto-kun"-TemTen cursed herself for stuttering.
                          
The older women watched as the pair talked for a minute her daughter's blush staying in a soft pink that contrasted lightly against her skin.
                          
"Hello there young man."-she greeted with a smile.
                          
"A pleasure Megami-sama, I thank you for bringing us all such an angel that his your daughter."-the older women looked at TenTen who was incredible red.
                          
Naruto was also sporting a new blush, that damn book had gotten to him and he actually enjoyed the romance part of it.
                          
"Aren't you a charmer."-she said with a chuckle. "And please call me Yokino"-the young man grabbed the hand she extended and kissed her hand softly with his masked lips.
                          
"A beautiful name. Well seeing as I just came by to say hello I will have to leave you."-he looked around and found a white lily that was on the side of the road, he picked it up and smoothly inserted it in TenTen's hair as the girl blushed once more." You look even more beautiful now. TenTen-hime."
                          
He eye smiled before he left leaving behind a stunned daughter and smirking mother who knew she had found a new teasing material for her daughter.
                          
He walked some more, eventually noticing the time and made haste to the stadium, by his estimation he would be late for 5 minutes. Nothing much.
                          
As he walked in he walked towards the competitors both where he found a smirking Neji as he heard that Kakuro forfeited.
                          
"Will Naruto Uzumaki and Temari no Subaku come down to the arena"-the proctor spoke.
                          
The girl used her fan to glide to the arena as he took the time to walk down to it.
                          
He took a deep breath as he walked in and steeled himself, all this month and hard work would come down to this.
                          
He walked inside and looked at his opponent dead in the eye and smirked, not that it was visible, his plan was already in motion.