Last time :

Tightening his grip slightly, the blonde muttered, 'You're in my way. . .Move.'

Obviously the nin couldn't move due to the grip 'round his neck. The blondestranger's face crinkled in to a tiny frown before swiftly tossing a full grown man over his shoulder. The nin landed on his neck - breaking it.

There was another dead silence - they were all shock.

The over nin abandoned his spot, going straight for the blonde. Unfortunately for the nin, the blonde had him gutted within seconds.

Meanwhile, Sauske was in total shock. This kid has to be about my age. . .but - how. . .?! How can he be better than me!? How?!!

Turning to Kakashi, the stranger said, "You should be more careful. Instead of watching from distances, you should have been saving your student..."

Now assured that the silver-hair Jounin knew where he had wronged, t he blonde turned to leave. It was as he watched the boy's retreating back that Kakashi realised two things. One, that he recognised the blonde's face from somewhere and two, he had to have come from someone's village – there was a chance that he was the Leaf Village.

"HEY!!! WAIT!!" Kakashi called out to the blonde.

The stranger half turned, "Yes?" He said softly.

"I -err- We -umm-," Kakashi fumbled for half a second before just asking out right. "What village are you from?"

The boy turned full, "The Leaf Village."

Kakashi almost signed in relief. "Then as a fello Leaf Villager, I request your assistance in order to complete this mission – successful or not."

The blonde glanced at everyone there, his eyes lingered on the Builder. And for the first time the group met the blonde stranger, they saw him express an emotion besides disinterest.

With a smirk-like grin that showed way too many slightly pointed teeth, the blonde agreed but on one condition.

"Which is!?" Sauske demanded, not liking being left out of the conversation.

If possible, when Sauske spoke the stranger's grin became more demonic, more evil. "If I agree to help you complete this mission – successful or not –, you take me to the half built bridge..."

The Bridge Builder perk. Despite knowing that he had cause a nin's death and endangering others, he couldn't help but be happy someone capable was going to protect him. "You're in luck! That's where we're headed!!"

Looking over the builder once more, Naru couldn't help but mutter, "How convenient..."

A Few Hour Later

Sakura couldn't believe that Sai was dead and they had left her body behind because it was too risky to take with them or send back. Glancing at her blonde savour again, she couldn't help but think why he saved her. 'We don't even know his name...'

"Umm -?" She attempted to 'Ahem' loud enough to get the smaller boy's attention, but – 'Dam it!! I'll just have to try the direct approach...'

Blushing uncontrollable, Sakura stuttered on, "Umm, Hi!! My name's Sakura! And over there's Sauske -err- and that's our Sensei, Kakashi! I don't think anyone's told what our mission actually is, so -umm- we're protecting that man." She pointed at the Bridge builder. "And umm..." She left it open for the blonde to say his name, but she was only met with silence.

"And I care why?" He muttered dully, loud enough for Sakura and the others to hear.

Kakashi chuckled at Sakura's silly attempt to get the boy's name. "She just wants to know your name."

Naru stared at the pink-haired girl long enough to creep Sakura out. "Naru...Hotaru Naru," he said simply.

Kakashi fell over in shock. 'HotaruCould he possibly be related to Arashi-Sensei?!'

After a few minutes, Naru - who was ahead of the group – suddenly stopped. Turning to the left-side of the road, he just shoated in to the forest : "SHOW YOURSELF! I KNOW YOU'RE THERE!! THERE IS NO POINT IN HIDING OR TRYING TO PRETEND THAT YOU'RE NOT THERE!!! COME OUT NOW OR I WILL COME IN AFTER YOU AND THEN YOU WON'T STAND A CHANCE!!!!"

The Jounin was stunned that the blonde would just shoat out like that! He could have given their position away. But as he listened to the small boy shoat he began to sense two very strong nins in the forest close to them. 'What!?How could I not have sensed them before this!!?'

Meanwhile in the forest, Zabuza was also completely shocked. 'How could some Leaf Village punk sense us when we have our chakra so well guarded!?' It was only after looking very closely at the boy that Zabuza realised three things. One, the blonde was the only one besides the builder that wasn't wearing a head band, two, that Hatake Kakashi was with them and three, that he knew the blonde.

Jumping out of the bushes, Zabuza and Haku approached the angered blonde. "Naru!? What are you doing here!!? Why aren't you with Gregor and Lilith!!?"

Time seemed to freeze. Kakashi was shocked [yes again! to realised that Naru actually knew Zabuza, the Demon of the Mist!

Whilst, Naru was shocked to realise it was his 'Uncle' Zabu. "Zabu!? Zabuza, is that you!!?"

A/N : And that's it for now!! I wanna thank all you out there that have reviews my little story!! Okay, I'm thinkin' Naru/Kakashi or Naru/Itachi. Tell you opinion, kay!!! And remember, REVIEW!!!!!!