Konoha no Senkou Arashi

by Minion of Set

She's finally become a shinobi, after years of acting the fool. Well, mostly acting anyway... FemNaruto. NaruSasu. Please Read and Review. I think you'll be surprised. Indefinite Hiatus.

7. Mending In Wave Country

Flash Tempest of Konoha - Konoha no Senkou Arashi

---

The hospital of Nami no Kuni was a modest facility; it didn't have much space but the staff was qualified to take care of its patients' ailments. The attending doctor looked down in disgust at one of their most recent arrivals, feeling rage at the sight of the still man, knowing the full weight of his crimes. He wanted to leave the man for the elments. His countrymen, working on the bridge, had been attacked like criminals. The patient fortunate the Konoha shinobi, the heroes Wave Country had longingly hurt for, requested that he be kept alive and stable.

The door opened, and the doctor turned his head to shoo away any snooper that dropped by. It had not been a two days since the throw-down at the bridge had occurred and already he had to chase away those itching to see the patient's condition. He could not blame them, given what he and his people had to endure. But if he were to treat this man in anyway that he would not treat every other patient, should his clinical, professional outlook waver even the slightest, he might be tempted to do... something. Some unethical thing.

Instead of a curious nurse or the janitor, a tall, broadly built man with dark skin marched into the room. The doctor inspected the mummy-like bandaging he'd applied to this particular patient; even before arriving at the hospital under the guard of the Konoha jonin, the man's face and neck had been bandaged. When he had attempted to remove the bandaging, the brute actually growled, giving a look not unlike that of a wounded animal ready to bite. The doctor had been happy to leave Zabuza to what would undoubtedly be facial scarring.

Behind the ruffian was the Konoha jonin, Kakashi-san. The man offered him a jaunty wave before falling into a corner and returning to his reading. The doctor did not recognize the book, but assumed it was some sort of important ninja document.

Zabuza grunted at Kakashi before picking up where the doctor left off in glowering at the small room's occupant. "I suppose it's somewhat satisfying to see him like this," Zabuza said. "Still, I'd rather see him turned to chum."

"I wouldn't do that," Kakashi-san chided lightly as he flipped a page. "Hinata left him in that state for a reason... You wouldn't want that cute genin of mine to be cross with you, now would you?" he asked jovially.

The doctor thought Zabuza looked thoughtful for a moment. Then the man grinned. "More trouble than it's worth right now. She's pretty brutal behind that innocent face, especially for a leaf brat." To the doctor, it sounded faintly complimentary. "So when's Haku gonna get here?" he asked gruffly.

"Should be here any minute now," Kakashi-san said in a bored voice. "So how is the patient doing?" he asked conversationally.

The doctor adjusted his glasses. "His vitals are all stable and show no signs of waning. He is, however, completely unresponsive to all stimuli. You say your student did this? Intentionally?" After getting a nod, the doctor furrowed his brow. "That's incredible. To induce a preserving coma like this would ordinarily require advanced medical equipment."

"Ordinary doesn't really exist in our world," Kakashi-san said blithely, never taking his eye off the book in his hand. "Anyway, that's good news. Please continue to administer whatever treatment is necessary."

"Very well. If there's nothing else, I need to check up on my other patients. After all," the doctor said, casting a sharp look at Zabuza over his glasses, "some of our boys were attacked on the bridge."

Zabuza rolled his eyes. "Hey, they ain't dead, are they?"

---

Hinata walked down the street with a purpose. Despite the injuries that Sasuke and herself had inflicted on him previously, Haku kept pace with her rather easily. His quick recuperation from their combined assault irked Hinata ever so slightly, but she ignored the feeling, silently deeming it unimportant. It was better for her plan that he be fit enough. And it meant the medicinal cream she created was working well.

Responsibility for guarding Haku had rotated between the three genin of Team 7. They had all stayed in Tazuna's home during the night, none of them having any knowledge of where Kakashi was guarding Zabuza. Naruto agreed to take the first shift, stating she was having trouble sleeping anyway. Sasuke watched over Hakut in the morning hours. Currently it was Hinata's turn to act as sentinel to Zabuza's apprentice.

The heiress had informed Haku she would escort him to meet with Zabuza, to which Haku, quite anxious to reunite with his teacher, readily agreed. He had rested as Zabuza ordered, but was still quite fidgety throughout his stay, even in sleep.

Hinata lead Haku to the hospital room where Kakashi and Zabuza were waiting. Upon entering, the boy's widened eyes zoned in on the figure lying in the bed. Haku then turned to Zabuza and was by his side, where he had been a fixture for years. The boy subtly scrutinized the dressing of Zabuza's wounds and found them satisfactory. He hadn't had to pick at his own bandages at all, not after Hinata had given him that wonderful medicinal cream. His burns were healing very nicely.

Zabuza glanced at Haku, acknowledging his presence with a nod. He looked at the Hyuuga heiress who arranged the meeting, speaking shrewdly. "Why are you keeping him alive?" Zabuza grumbled.

"He's more useful to me... Ano, that is, he's more useful to Konoha while he sill has a pulse." Hinata loomed over the comatose Gatou, walking her fingers along his chest before jabbing them where his shriveled heart lie beating. "For now, at least." Kakashi's eye lazily oversaw the meeting as he let Hinata enact her plan.

The white-eyed girl paused for a moment as she considered not for the first time how best to articulate her aim. "I'll need one of you to escort myself and my teammate to Gatou's base of operations," Hinata said. "I'm sure you understand it will have to be Haku, of course."

Zabuza narrowed his eyes, looking quite menacing as he did so. "What game are you playing at?"

Hinata's lips formed a secretive smile. "I intend to make Gatou's strength Konoha's strength. Will you comply?"

Haku looked to Zabuza. Though he disliked the idea of separating from his precious person so soon, he was more at ease after seeing Zabuza properly bandaged; he would fulfill whatever purpose was required of him.

After thinking, Zabuza grunted. "Fine. We have supplies to retrieve anyway. Go with the brats, Haku."

"Understood," the boy said without hesitation. He looked to the kunoichi. "It is unlikely even Gatou was foolish enough to leave his headquarters undefended. We may encounter opposition."

"I'm certain they won't prove to be of any consequence," Hinata said, poking her fingers together as she thought. "We'll leave immediately, Kakashi-sensei."

Kakashi nodded. "I'll leave it to you two."

Hinata paused at the door, turning her head ever so slightly. "Ano... One more thing. With Haku-san's help, we've preserved the body for Konoha to autopsy." Hinata meet Kakashi's eye with a silent plea.

"Good work," was all Kakashi said, but he did receive the message. He fully intended to speak with Naruto after Hinata's ambitious expedition was underway.

---

Sasuke quickly grew bored with the monotony of guard duty, whether it was chaperoning a prisoner or watching the locals construct a bridge. It was stationary observation and waiting; he lacked a general fondness for either. It wasn't so bad, though, as he was not quite in the mood to train anyway, an occurrence not unprecedented but extremely rare. Sasuke wasn't sure what to do with himself as uneasiness suffocated him.

Twirling two kunai around his ring and index fingers, Sasuke saw a few workers examining a scorch mark on the concrete, scratching their heads. Sasuke smirked, but it quickly faded.

Naruto had made a kill yesterday. Broke the guy's neck.

At the moment she was reading a book of Tazuna's about the basics of carpentry, doing so while hanging from the bottom of a support beam her feet were glued to. Naruto's whiskered face was buried as deeply in the book as Kakashi's nose was routinely buried in his porn collection.

What was going through her mind?

He wondered often what it would feel like to kill. Some part of him thought of his murderous brother, Itachi, everyday, every time he picked up a kunai or shuriken, or performed a hand-seal. Everything he learned he thought about how best it could be applied to obliterating that twisted man.

During his studies at the academy, when they reviewed the Great Shinobi Wars, Sasuke had been most intrigued by the bloody vendetta's born of those conflicts, that birthed further conflicts. He'd come to the realization that he would probably have to leave a messy trail of enemy bodies on his divine rampage. Itachi wasn't likely to be his first or last kill.

He wanted to ask Naruto what it felt like, how she decided to do it. But a half-dozen or so factors kept him from making such an inquiry, not the least of which was sense.

The girl hadn't said anything about the fight, the first and most obvious indicator that she didn't want to talk about it. After everyone's wounds were patched up, Naruto simply lead her teammate's and Haku from Tazuna's home to the portion of the forest where a cold, dead body awaited them.

A few animals were sniffing around the carcass. Naruto reacted poorly to that, screaming violently, causing the woodland creatures scamper away. Hinata attempted to calm the other kunoichi, but Naruto jerked away and stood at the edge of the clearing with her arms folded. No one attempted to breach the girl's space.

Hinata produced a blank sealing scroll from her equipment pouch. The Byakugan swept through every orifice of Rokusho Aoi's corpse. Haku used his tool-kit to comb through the hair, removing a senbon or two that had been dyed green, and checked the mouth for a cyanide pill.

The fake hunter-nin with real hunter-nin skills realigned the neck to its proper position with a sound Sasuke didn't think he could describe or forget. The two prepared the body for sealing, where it would remain untouched by time, perfectly preserved for study.

After it was done, with the scroll in Naruto's possession, which she had been adamant about, they returned to the house. Naruto softly thanked them for their help, though Sasuke really hadn't done much other than observe and get slightly grossed out by the conversation Hinata and Haku had while handling the body.

The Uchiha had been concerned about Naruto even as he lie down, but was too tired not to fall asleep immediately. She woke him several hours after she was scheduled to, for his shift watching over Haku's sleeping form. Sasuke immediately expressed his displeasure with the liberty she'd taken, more harshly than intended. He regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth, but Naruto didn't seem to take offense.

The girl shrugged her orange clad shoulders. "I know you're about as dainty as you look so I let you sleep extra after your fight. Now get your ass outta bed." Her voice lacked it's usual fire.

Even when she was going through something, she was trying to be kind to him. He really wanted to return the favor but found himself at a loss. Sasuke just couldn't figure out what to say, fearing very much making the situation worse with tactlessness. This was in addition to all the awkwardness going on between them already, which he had caused.

Now, standing on the bridge with workers scurrying about with renewed vigor, Sasuke looked at the upside down blonde and decided to strengthen his resolve.

Sasuke had been afraid of failing to perform jutsu or shuriken techniques, to shrink further into the shadow cast by his ludicrously skilled brother. But he tried anyway, and always managed to succeed... eventually. No one ever accomplished anything by doing nothing, and even with his natural talent Sasuke wasn't an exception. So he braved into the dark unknown of an adolescent kunoichi's mind as he approached Naruto as casually as he could, hands stuffed firmly in his pockets.

He stood directly under her and looked up, expressing his interest in speaking with her. Naruto spared a second to peek down at him over the book, showing her eyes. Then she continued reading.

She wasn't coming down. Sasuke sighed. He jumped and flipped, joining her in defying the impassable limitations that ruled over civilians. She peeked at him from the side of the book now. It didn't appear he was going to get her undivided attention just hanging there.

Sasuke tried to say something engaging to draw her into a conversation. "Hey."

Off to a strong start, Sasuke berated himself. Was that really the best he could do? Though it was one of the rare times he would approach someone else. People usually flocked to him.

"So... I talked to Haku this morning," Sasuke baited, nonchalant. He knew that Naruto couldn't have had much time for conversation as Haku was still asleep when Sasuke took watch. She had to have been curious.

The kunoichi flipped a page. "Yeah? What about?" Naruto asked. She was responding. That was good...

"Ninjutsu. Kekkei Genkai. You know," he glanced at her, gauging her reaction as he said, "guy stuff."

"Guy stuff?" Naruto repeated incredulously, paying less attention to the book. She made an offended noise in the back of her throat that was between a gasp and a scoff. "I wonder how macho the conversation of two girly guy's can get. Hell, Haku's prettier than I am!"

Sasuke would beg to differ if that hadn't left him stumbling over his own words. "What... that is ... so... uncalled for..." He eventually cleared his throat and tried to change the subject as Naruto's sparkling stare bore into him. "Uh, so he's from Mizu no Kuni. His Kekkei Genkai is to use Hyoton, like those ice mirrors he created..." Sasuke's shoulder twitched and he rubbed a bandaged spot on his neck.

"I don't think I've ever heard of Hyoton before." Naruto tilted her head, which made her suspended hair sway. "Can a lot of people in Kiri do that?"

Sasuke frowned in genuine displeasure. "No. Haku's clan, the Yuki clan, was hunted to near extinction after a civil war. Anyone of the Yuki that survived went into hiding."

He thought it was heresy for a ninja village to annihilate shinobi with great genetic gifts.

He didn't think Naruto missed the parallels between himself and Haku, given the pensive nature of her stare. "As long as there's one left, there's hope for a clan," she said.

Sasuke nodded absolutely. She didn't know how right she was. With the Uchiha clan, there could only be one, and it wasn't Itachi.

"Haku said he combines water chakra and wind chakra to create ice... I couldn't have melted them without your help," Sasuke admitted.

Naruto peered at him curiously, the closed book in her hands forgotten. "What, the mirrors?"

"Yeah. They were too strong," Sasuke said, feeling a minuscule frustration. He needed a more powerful jutsu. The one Kakashi was going to use on Zabuza certainly looked strong... "I couldn't even make a dent in them."

"So without me you would have been filleted like a fish?"

"Don't push it, Uzumaki," he muttered. "He wouldn't have been able to keep up his jutsu much longer. But you made victory that much easier. You as well as Hinata."

"Yeah, Team 7 kicks ass," Naruto stated factually, sounding as certain of that as she was of her future as Hokage."Sasuke... do you think I'm a freak?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke looked at Naruto, perplexed by her question. "Do I think you're a what?" he asked sharply.

Hinata's voice intruded, cutting his already tumultuous thoughts to pieces. "Sasuke-kun, we're prepared to depart." He looked down, startled that he'd been too absorbed in talking to notice her arrival. Haku was with her, both looking up at Naruto and himself. Sasuke snapped his head back to the blonde enigma.

"Naruto..." Sasuke called after her, grasping for words.

"No, don't worry about it. I was just being stupid." Naruto released her hold the support beam and flopped to the ground. Sasuke dropped as well, fumbling with his words. "I'll see you guys when you get back from your mission." Putting away the book into her equipment pouch, Naruto laced her hands behind her head and walked off.

Sasuke blinked and closed his mouth with an audible click.

Hinata searched between the two of them, likely trying to determine what had taken place. She looked at Sasuke and all the boy saw was a penetrating stare saying 'What did you do now?'.

Sasuke exchanged a cool look with her. He didn't think this was going to be a tally in the success column.

"Shall we begin our trek to Gatou's hideout?" Haku asked in attempt to clear the discomforting air caused by Sasuke's clumsy exhibition of concern.

The Uchiha narrowed his eyes on Naruto's back before giving his head a light shake. "How far away is the base?" Sasuke asked, shifting focus to their mission.

Haku chewed his lip. "It's located a few miles southeast inland at the center of a swamp. The journey shouldn't take more than a few hours departing and returning."

"Hn. Let's go." The three ninja walked toward the start of the bridge before darting into the surrounding forest, Haku leading the way.

---

After leaving the hospital room, Kakashi trudged through the revitalized streets of the town. People buzzed with life at the news of Gato's downfall. Zabuza remained in his line of sight. Not many were aware of the role he'd played in trying to assassinate Tazuna, so it was probably the sword dangling from his back that caused people to give him such a wide berth.

He was fairly certain that the Demon of the Mist was no longer a threat to the people of Nami no Kuni, but a shinobi could rarely be too careful. Hinata especially wanted to make sure she had access to either Zabuza or Haku, without them interfering with her plans.

The Konoha jonin agreed with his student's line of thinking. Kakashi spent the night in the same hospital room reserved for Gatou, which happened to be the room next to Zabuza's. Kakashi had summoned a few of his cute ninja dogs to preside over Zabuza's whereabouts for the night. He knew they enjoyed playing the role of guard dogs, and they were already acquainted with Zabuza...

These sleeping arrangements allowed Kakashi to ensure Gatou's safety and keep Zabuza out of trouble- two jobs likely to overlap.

But he would admit to doing a rather lax job at the moment, reading his Icha Icha. He chuckled remembering Zabuza reaction when he pulled out the orange book.

Zabuza had snorted in disgust. "The famed Sharingan Kakashi. Believed to have copied a thousand jutsu. Reads porn in his free time. I'll be sure that get's added to the Bingo Book."

Kakashi had responded by happily saying, " Technically I'm on a mission at the moment. So I am in fact being paid to read it."

"Knowing I got beaten by someone who reads that garbage... I think I'd have been better off if you'd just killed me."

"No need to be a," Kakashi then turned a page, "sore loser."

"...I hate you. Sincerely."

"Hm?" Kakashi had murmured, looking away from his perverted literature. "Did you say something?" Inwardly his soul had given an evil cackle.

Zabuza then rolled his eyes. "You enjoy pissing people off," he had said, narrowing his eyes. The cyclops' muteness was admission enough.

Their steps carried them closer to the bridge. "I never would have thought a few genin could have beaten Haku," Zabuza said. "Least of all brats from Konoha."

"Haku certainly is strong, and he has a unique and deadly gift with that Hyoton of his."

Zabuza nodded.

"Unfortunately for him, he happened to be fighting the cream of the crop. Sasuke and Hinata share the title Rookie of the Year. As you must know by now, they are from Konoha's strongest clans."

"So we had ourselves a small war between Konoha and Kiri Kekkei Genkai, huh?"

It was Kakashi's turn to nod.

"What about the loud girl with the ridiculous hair?"

Kakashi's mouth twitched under his mask. "Officially, she's dead last. The lowest marks of any student."

Zabuza furrowed his brows. "You're shitting me."

"That's the official record, but she actually held back a lot. Naruto had all of her teachers duped into thinking she was incompetent."

"What the hell for?"

"To be on a team with her best friend."

Zabuza squinted and shook his head. It was perfectly opposite of what he'd done to 'graduate', so naturally it seemed near-incomprehensible to him.

"Rumor has it Konoha was getting soft, but I can see that was bullshit. Sounds like you've got a generation of monsters crawling out the woodwork."

Kakashi took this as a compliment for his village.

I never wanted Haku to lose, but I'm glad he fought with kids as strong as he was, Zabuza thought. Next time, though, he'll kick all their asses.

"He'd be treated well there, you know."

Zabuza looked at him sharply enough that he may have reopened some of his wounds. "What do you mean?" he asked gruffly.

"In Konoha, bloodlines are highly respected and valued... almost revered. As the bearer of a Kekkei Genkai from a foreign land, Haku would practically be worshiped. I believe the saying goes: 'One man's trash is another man's treasure.'"

"Haku was never trash," grumbled Zabuza, offended on the boy's behalf. "Those idiots in Kiri just couldn't see the value of his blood."

"Is that why you attempted a coup?" Kakashi asked with open curiosity.

Zabuza growled, his killing intent shooing away any civilians not properly frightened by the sword. "That bastard Mizukage ordered valuable shinobi to be wiped out; shinobi whose strength Kiri needed. You're damn right I have a problem with that."

Glancing at the homicidally enraged shinobi, Kakashi said, "I heard there was some kind of civil war caused by a phobia of people with Kekkei Genkai." It was unprecedented for him to discuss anything with Kiri shinobi, given the kill-on-sight order the Mist village issued for him, and Zabuza was being surprisingly forthcoming with answers.

"In Kirigakure, civil wars are the norm," Zabuza said, shrugging. "But this time, someone decided that Kekkei Genkai were responsible. Plenty of clans were wiped out entirely. So I got the wise idea to take out the man responsible: Yagura, the Yondaime Mizukage."

"And that didn't go so well."

Zabuza snorted derisively. "Got most of my subordinates killed and went into exile."

"I certainly don't envy the life of a nuke-nin," Kakashi said, deciding to be direct. "And I suspect you tire of it as well. With Haku's Kekkei Genkai and your skills, I'm certain Konoha would grant you both solace."

Zabuza adopted a stony silence. Then, he asked, "How would that happen?"

Kakashi was somewhat relieved Zabuza's interest had been peeked, but he did not show it. In an offhanded manner, he said, "The Hokage would have to decide to allow your entry into Konoha's ninja ranks. Then the jonin of the village would vote on whether or not to accept you. Think of it as an academic peer review."

"Hmph. You treehugger's wouldn't try and punk me some chump, chunin rank, would you?"

"No, I don't chunin would even be considered for you... Genin may not be out of the question though." Zabuza swiveled to growl at him, the grip on his zanbato promising a third round of combat. Kakashi's eye curved happily. "Kidding."

"Dick." He relaxed his stance.

"You would have a jonin rank, of course. If Konoha has you, you'll be pulling your own weight with difficult missions." Kakashi had a hunch that the promise of high rank missions would further ensnare the carnage loving swordsman.

"As long as no one tries to saddle me with some brats," Zabuza mumbled. "Be straight with me, Kakashi, what are my chances?"

"Pretty good, I'd say. I suspect they would be leery of you, given your attempted coup d'etat in Kiri. But if you explain your reasoning behind it, it will likely put people at ease. Why, you might even be sung as a hero of Kekkei Genkai, savior of the last remnant of a clan."

"Don't make me throw up, I'd have to undo my bandages."

"Obviously you will be under heavy scrutiny, including a probationary period, during which you'll have to be on your best behavior."

Zabuza became a little worried upon hearing that. "The hell does that mean?" he asked slowly.

Kakashi hummed thoughtfully. He began numbering with his fingers. "No intimidating civilians for lower prices on goods. No swinging your sword through a crowded restaurant just to reduce your waiting time. Definitely stay far, far away from the Ninja Academy grounds, lest you scar the students for life. And in general try not being a menace to society."

"You guys sure know just how to take the fun out of living," Zabuza muttered, voice muffled by his bandages. "I'll consider it," he finally said.

Kakashi nodded and left the matter alone.

The elite ninja had made their way onto the bridge.

Kakashi's eye spotted his Jinchuuriki student sitting on the railing, kicking her legs out. "Yo, Naruto!" Naruto ripped her gaze from the ocean and looked at her approaching teacher. Kakashi waved her over.

The kunoichi propped herself up before flipping over onto the concrete. She stood before her sensei expectantly. Something then occurred to her.

"Oh. Uh, yeah, here." Naruto held out a scroll from her equipment pouch. "This is the body. Uh, the scroll that contains the body."

Taking the scroll, Kakashi looked at it, rubbing his chin. "This is your first kill, isn't it?"

Naruto slowly nodded, frowning into the dirt.

"Is it bothering you at all?"

Naruto seemed rather anxious about being put on the spotlight. Likely no one had approached the subject with her. "No, but, yes... I mean... It's kind of weird, Kakashi-sensei. I don't think the way I'm feeling is normal."

"So the girl's strung up over one kill?" Zabuza shook his head in bemusement. "I take it back, you Leaf ninja really are too soft."

Naruto looked at the former Kiri shinobi as if only then noticing his hulking mass. "Oh, Zaby, it's you! And you're still wearing a shirt... What's the occasion?"

Zabuza grumbled something rude under his breath.

Kakashi glanced at Zabuza. "Wait here. And try not to slaughter anyone while I'm gone."

"Yeah, well, no promises."

Shaking his head, Kakashi lead his young charge a ways from the bridge for some privacy. Nestling himself against a tree, he said, "All right, let's hear it, Naruto."

She fidgeted. "Um, where should I start?"

"Why don't you just tell me about the fight? Start from the beginning and don't leave anything out."

Naruto inhaled deeply and breathed out the story in a rapid but detailed account. She credited Zabuza with her opening move of using a clone to distract the enemy before engaging in an ambush. She'd been angry that Aoi had defected from Konoha, angry enough to want him dead. Naruto told him how she had attempted to maim Aoi with a cleverly placed explosion.

Then came the senbon, followed by their melee confrontation. She took the time to lament the loss of her tiger-claw; Kakashi noticed her hand curl violently. Naruto relayed her successful insertion of wind chakra into a kunai that repelled Raijin-ken and distracted Aoi. She concluded her tale by describing the maneuver she applied to end Aoi Rokusho's life by snapping his neck.

It was not uncommon for ninja to use a neck-snap, as it was quick and effective, like slitting the throat. The latter had been the Yondaime Hokage's preferred method of dispatching. Still, Kakashi rarely heard of it being done with the legs, but he didn't make that known to the girl.

Naruto looked at him with abated breath, awaiting his judgement. He wasn't certain what she wanted to hear, but she needed to hear the truth.

"Well done, Naruto." The girl's blue eyes widened. "You were innovative, decisive, and thought quickly. Most importantly you were victorious over an older, more experienced shinobi."

Naruto stammered. "But, but, what should I be feeling about killing someone, Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi regarded her for a moment before responding. "They do still cover the shinobi rules in the academy, don't they? Didn't those ruled prepare you for this?"

"Huh? Rules?" Naruto asked with her face scrunched up. "Oh, well if it was the boring stuff I probably slept through it anyway, so..."

"...Of course you did," Kakashi sighed. "Well then, Naruto, just what are you feeling?"

The kunoichi's whiskered face rumpled as she bit her lip hard. Then Naruto exploded. "Nothing! I'm not feeling anything, Kakashi-sensei! It's like I killed him, and so what? That can't be right, aren't I supposed to be sad or something? Or, shit, Zabuza probably would have been happy! But I care more about my weapon being broken than that guy's neck!"

"Do you think you would be better off if you regretted it, Naruto?" Kakashi asked.

Naruto sighed dejectedly. Looking grave, the girl said, "Anything would be better than nothing. I don't want to be some mindless killer, Kakashi-sensei." Her voice dropped to a harsh whisper. "That would just prove everyone right, wouldn't it?"

Ah, I see now, Kakashi thought. So this is about the Kyuubi... "Naruto, look at me," he said with the weight of his jonin authority. The girl did so. "Tell me, are you feeling uncontrollable bouts of rage?" She shook her head. "Are you eager to kill again?" She shook her head again, scowling now.

"There's no reason to believe that you are being... influenced, Naruto. Ending lives is a large part of being a shinobi. It's what we're trained to do. The actual killing affects each of us in unique ways. Some ninja find the sensation gratifying for all the training they've endured.

"Some simply do it to satisfy their bloodlust," Kakashi said, shrugging, "but are still able to live functional lives. Others are numb to killing, but such individuals are rare. And it isn't unheard of for the first kill to break a shinobi completely."

"What about you, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked cautiously, afraid she might be encroaching upon a taboo subject.

Kakashi shrugged. "Killing is one of many ways to protect and serve the village. It's a burden to carry for the sake of others."

Naruto nodded slowly. "I get it. So, what about the Hokage? It's kinda hard to imagine the old man doing anything more strenuous than calligraphy..."

Kakashi sighed. "Haven't I taught you to look underneath the underneath?" The blonde took the time to scuff her shoe on the ground. "Don't be fooled by his appearance. I assure you, Hokage-sama is the deadliest in the village. A Hokage is the pinnacle of a shinobi, you agree?"

"Of course!"

"Well, each of them must have killed innumerable other shinobi to get where they were. I'm sure each of them had even targeted non-shinobi as well."

Naruto flinched. "Even the Yondaime?" she asked, eyes wide.

Kakashi stared at the girl hollowly, caught up in memories. He blinked his eye. Choosing his words carefully, Kakashi said, "The Yondaime especially. During the war with Iwa, he basically served the role of a living super weapon. I don't have the statistics written down, but it would be a fair guess the Yondaime may have personally ended more lives than any other kage."

Naruto grunted and crossed her arms. A memory flashed in her mind, causing her eyes to widen. "I think I finally understand something. 'The life of a shinobi is one of blood, and the death of a shinobi is a lapse in preparation'" Naruto murmured. "Iruka-sensei said that to the class once, when he was trying to let everyone know it wasn't a game."

Nodding, Kakashi said, "That's correct. When facing an enemy, it boils down to kill or be killed. You killed, and it was the right thing to do." After a moment, Kakashi made a hasty addendum. "Ah, the circumstances with Zabuza and Haku are highly irregular."

"But, it's like... I just feel like, guh! Okay, one second after I kill the guy, uh, Aoi, I'm feeling agitated as hell, but the next I'm calm and focused, like I already brushed it of. I just got over it like that," Naruto snapped her fingers. "Am I losing it?"

Kakashi tapped the left side of his hitai-ate as he looked upon his stressed student. "From what you're describing, it isn't out of the question that this could be an effect caused by your extensive use of kage bunshin."

Naruto stared at him with disbelief. "Your saying my shadow clones are doing this to me?" the girl squeaked.

"Well technically you're doing this to yourself," Kakashi said lightly. He dogged the book chucked at his head with deadly accuracy. Bark splintered behind him.

"Geez, Kaka-sensei! My body's already doing all kinds of weird stuff I'm telling it not to! And you know how pissed off I can get!"

Kakashi haggardly ran a hand through his white hair. "I honestly didn't anticipate this. You may not be getting the proper time to process your emotions. Ah, scratch that. You are likely processing your emotions at an irregular speed due to the perception of time your kage bunshin memory bank grants you."

"What?"

"Hm... Well, with your clones, it's like a cluster of minds focusing on the same problem, resolving the issue quickly."

Relief began etching itself into Naruto's face. "So, I'm not a psycho bitch, I just had more time to process..." She recalled receiving her kage bunshin's memories only moments after her battle.

"Yep, that's the most likely reason you aren't feeling anything any longer. You've continued using the kage bunshin no jutsu after you killed Aoi. For you, yesterday could have been last week as far as your emotions are concerned... I guess girls really do mature faster than boys."

Naruto rolled her eyes skyward. A strangled giggle erupted from her throat. "You're so lame, Kaka-sensei!"

"Lame?" Kakashi echoed with feigned hurt, scratching the back of his head. "And here I was thinking of teaching you a new jutsu when we got back to Konoha. But if that's how it is..." he trailed of. Kakashi grinned in anticipation of her typical response.

"What, no! I didn't mean it!" Naruto clasped his hand, hopping up and down. "Kakashi-sensei is the coolest! New jutsu! Gimme, gimme, gimme! Please?" She looked up at him with a pout and puppy eyes, however Kakashi was smart enough to look away before being bewitched.

This girl. I don't think her excitement for training will ever fade... "I don't know. My feelings are pretty hurt now."

"Don't be stingy, Kaka-sensei. I gotta keep training! I told you before didn't I?" The enthused girl released her hold on Kakashi and reached for the sky, goading the heavens to contradict her. "I'm gonna be Hokage someday!"

Kakashi grinned under his mask, glad Naruto maintained her goal. "You may have mentioned it once or twice," he said in his best blase tone.

"Then you know the deal! I'm-" A gurgling noise sounded from Naruto's stomach. Kakashi eye-smiled as the girl's cheeks burned. "I'm... I'm really hungry."

"You haven't eaten today have, you?" His student answered in the negative. "Since the battle?" Kakashi asked.

Naruto scratched her head, looking faintly embarrassed. "Heh, no, kinda busy freaking out."

"The construction crew should be breaking for lunch soon. We'll head to Tazuna's. Tsunami-san has surely cooked something good for us to eat. And we probably shouldn't leave Zabuza unattended any longer," he added.

"Yeah, let's get the troll before he starts gobbling people up."

---

In the bowels of a swamp, Sasuke and Hinata followed their former nemesis, Haku. It became darker as less light penetrated the dense, crowding vegetation.

Haku jumped down from a tree and cautiously peered around the bark at its base. "There it is," he said lowly.

Gatou's base of operations resembled an insect cocoon, wrapped around the base of one of Nami no Kuni's absurdly large trees. Ropes anchored the bungalow to the ground and other trees. Two suspended bridges extended from the fort, latching onto trees; guards patrolled along them. Windows offered vision from several levels, scattered about the fortress. A staircase spiraled to where a pair of guards stood. It was only entry for a mercenary.

"How shall we proceed?" Haku asked.

"That depends on how many guards there are," Sasuke said. "Hinata?"

Hinata activated her Byakugan and proceeded to scan the area. "From what I can see there are guards throughout the base. I count at least forty."

"Fighting them all could be a pain..." Sasuke remarked. "Let's sneak in, take what we need, and get out unnoticed."

Hinata nodded. "Agreed. Haku-san, where is Gatou's office located? Somewhere near the top, I presume?"

Haku nodded. "Mine and Zabuza-san's supplies are on the middle level. The question is how do we get in unnoticed?"

"Perhaps a distraction?" Hinata suggested. The two genin thought of Naruto, knowing she would happily provide a perfect distraction were she present. But Naruto was otherwise occupied, leaving them without the resource of her bottomless supply of chakra and recklessness.

Sasuke turned to Haku, the gears in his head turning. "You learned from Zabuza, so you know how to do at least some of his techniques, right?" At his prompting look, Sasuke added, "The Kirigakure no Jutsu. If you created a fog to cover us, we can get in unseen."

"I do know how to perform the jutsu, yes," Haku admitted reluctantly. "However, it will take a demanding amount of chakra for me cover the area even briefly, chakra I may not have at the moment." He looked at them, smiling bashfully. "You two really put me through the ringer."

Sasuke gave Haku an appraising glance before nodding. "It wasn't an easy fight for anyone."

Hinata softly interjected. "Actually, I didn't have such a hard time since there wasn't an opponent for me to fight solo." She fixed Haku with the intent stare of her Byakugan, her head level with his abdomen.

The boy shifted uncomfortably at the invasive inspection. "Is there something wrong, Hinata-san?"

"My clan specializes in manipulating the flow of chakra," Hinata said, her index fingers gently tapping against one another as she explained. "Usually we just stop the flow altogether, preventing our target from molding chakra. However, if I adjust the technique and redirect the flow of your chakra, I could probably give you the boost needed to create a large enough mist. It would be similar to taking a soldier pill."

"Oh, that sounds good."

"Ano, there is small chance your heart could explode under the strain."

"...Pardon me, what was that last part?" Haku asked, his voice polite yet alarmed.

"Ano... it's nothing important."

Haku's eyes inched over to the Uchiha. "Sasuke-san, I am certain I heard something quite disturbing just now. You heard it as well, didn't you?"

Sasuke locked gazes with Hinata for a fleeting moment. "I didn't hear anything," Sasuke said.

"Try not to move. You'll be fine," the Hyuuga heiress said in afterthought. Haku didn't feel very convinced, but complied. Hinata gently grasped and straightened Haku's right arm, glowing fingertips striking the Hyoton user's torso three times, in the chest, then the stomach, and once more in the chest, directing the flow of chakra.

Haku twitched. A strange prickling sensation clutched his chest. A torrent of chakra swelled inside his body, causing him to take quivering breaths as the bottled energy raged. He placed his hands into a seal. "Ninpo: Kirigakure no Justu!" Haku exclaimed tersely.

A portion of the swamp water surrounding them lifted into the air, creating a dense mist that shrouded most of Gatou's base, leaving only the very tip visible.

Sasuke, Hinata, and Haku raced along the underside of the highest bridge, toward the middle level. No alarms raised as they entered the cocoon. Once inside Hinata checked for mercenaries in the immediate area. Seeing none who could spot them, she turned her attention to Haku, striking him three more times, in reverse order.

The mist outside faded as he dropped the jutsu. Haku took a few shaky breaths as he fought the urge to collapse."That was certainly not fun," Haku panted out.

"But thanks to you we were able to make it inside," Hinata said. Haku offered a tired smile.

Sasuke's Sharingan bounced around as he whispered, "We should pick up your supplies while we're on this level. Then we can raid Gatou's office. Sound good?"

The others nodded.

"Which way is your room?" Sasuke asked.

"My room is located further down the corridor. But this is Zabuza-san's room," Haku gestured to the nearest door, not thirty feet away from them. "Zabuza-san demanded a room close to an exit... It becomes a force of habit when you're on the run," Haku explained.

Hinata scanned the interior of the room with her bloodline. "It's empty."

Haku nodded, quickly stepping inside, and closing door behind the others as they followed. The room remained undisturbed. He hurriedly gathered his teachers belongings, among them many rolls of bandages... and copious amounts of sword polish.

Noticing this, Hinata stared blankly. "I suppose Zabuza likes for his sword to gleam as he decapitates people," she commented wryly.

"Indeed he does," Haku said fondly. He stashed all of his teacher's belongings into a pack that remained under the bed. Haku zipped it closed and attempted to heave the bag. He winced and set it down, a little color making its way to his face. "I don't suppose you have a spare sealing scroll?" he asked sheepishly.

"I'm afraid not." Hinata sighed. " I suppose I'll have to carry it myself," she offered, not sounding excited about the idea. Sasuke might have been offended that he wasn't considered fit for such a menial task, but he wasn't in top form either.

Haku raised a hand. "Please, no, I'll manage."

"It's fine," Hinata said, shrugging the pack onto her shoulders. She experienced a trivial difficulty with the burden, but would never admit to it. "Besides," she looked at him with a strange smile, "you shouldn't put too much pressure on that leg."

"Ah... Arigato," said Haku. "Let's continue on to my room. I am eager to leave this place."

Sasuke glanced significantly in Hinata's direction.

The kunoichi activated her Byakugan."Clear." Sasuke reached for the doorknob. "Wait," Hinata whispered in a rush. "Three men are approaching..." Hinata watched as they stopped.

Her fingers went rigidly straight when they sneered in her direction. She read their lips. They were badmouthing Zabuza. One of them broke from the pack and brazenly approached the door.

"They may be coming in. Get ready to take them out," she warned lowly.

Sasuke fingered the ring of a kunai and Haku summoned senbon into his hands.

Just as the man was about the jerk the door open, one of his compatriots reached out for his arm and shook his head. Hinata could see that the man was nervous. He warned the more daring of them about Gatou 'having their asses cooked' if they went into the room.

Hinata smiled thinly. Little do they know Gatou will never return.

The mercenary attempting to open the door grunted and jerked his arm away. The three men continued down the hall.

Hinata waited to be sure they weren't going to double-back before saying, "Alright, they've passed."

Haku took the lead, stopping at his room.

"Ano... There are two men currently inside."

The boy in the kimono assumed a rigid posture that indicated anger. "What are they doing?" he asked in a detached voice.

"They are... rifling through your possessions," Hinata said, thinking this was not going to end peacefully.

The temperature plummeted. "I see. I'll be out momentarily." Haku opened the door without a sound. With their backs turned, the hired muscle did not take care to notice.

One of the mercenaries was holding up a pink kimono with a design of red swirls. "This looks like it would fetch a nice price," a man wearing an overcoat said. "Must have been that dark haired chick's."

The other man, dressed in a turban, sighed. "I keep telling you, dammit, that was a dude!" He shifted the scythe on his back as he dug through a trunk situated next to the single bed.

"Like hell it was," the man wearing the coat scoffed. "She was a little flat, but I didn't mind. Prettiest little face... Ah well, probably dead by now. Fine by me, as long as that asshole Zabuza got what was coming to him."

"Let's just hurry up before that stingy bastard gets back."

"You shouldn't have trespassed here," Haku said, standing beside the overcoat wearing mercenary. "And you shouldn't touch things that don't belong to you."

The man yipped and twisted, reaching inside his coat for a weapon. Haku did not allow it, grabbing the man's arm, kicking the back of his leg. As the man fell, Haku struck him in the throat with a savage chop, driving him to the floor with a thud.

The other mercenary reached for the scythe on his back as he registered something bad was happening. An asterisk of senbon flew into his throat. His hand fell away from the blade. Blood sprinkled out of his neck, splashing onto the closed curtains. Miraculously none of the red fluid stained Haku's possessions. The man fell never to rise again.

Haku looked down at the gasping mercenary. He grasped the man's throat as he pulled out one of the senbon. Haku placed it against the man's temple. "By the way. I'm a boy." He thrust the senbon in and the mercenary went silent and still.

Haku gathered his things, then hid the bodies. With faint blood stains on his hands and a caged rabbit under one arm, he smiled at the genin. "Okay! Let's pay Gatou's office a visit."

"...Yeah, sure thing," Sasuke said in a drawl, not quite sure what response was appropriate to this transition between ruthless killer and amicable guide. He made a note to never touch Haku's property.

Hinata looked at Haku in annoyance. "I hope those bodies aren't discovered."

"I'm certain they won't be," Haku said.

The three traveled up a few floors. There were a few close calls that were avoided with clever use of the tree-climbing skill and henge, but with Hinata's Byakugan forewarning them, they made it to the top without alerting anyone.

The door to Gatou's office was secured by a lock. Haku offered to freeze the lock so they could force their way in. Hinata usually liked to use more surreptitious methods, but, pressed for time, the quick, dirty method was best. Haku channeled his chakra and encased the lock in ice. Sasuke used the ring of a kunai to smashed the lock.

Smiling in satisfaction, Hinata ushered Sasuke in, but halted the older of the boys."Stand guard out here, in case anyone comes. I'll be too busy to check," Hinata said to Haku.

After a moment of quiet contemplation, Haku nodded, a measuring look in his eye.

Hinata put Zabuza's luggage against the wall, stepped into the office and lightly closed the door behind her. She breathed a sigh. Finally, she could make something happen. She hadn't done anything too spectacular on the bridge; or at least nothing that any other genin couldn't have accomplished. It was her teammates that had faced enemy ninja one-on-one, she merely took advantage of the situation. Here, however, she could work miracles with Gatou's wealth and information. She need only to access it.

The office was centered around a large oak desk. Filing cabinets begged to be looked through.

"We're certain to find a sample of Gatou's handwriting for you to memorize, but also check for anything that might contain valuable information."

"Like what exactly?" Sasuke asked, not liking that he almost no idea what might be important.

"Bank statements, deeds to land, shipping routes, contact information..." Hinata listed, already shifting through a wooden filing cabinet. She sighed upon seeing nothing but personnel files of mercenaries. She lay them out on a table, considering their potential use as she moved onto the next drawer. "Anything with the official seal of a country's Daimyo is crucial. That indicates the range of Gatou's dealings and how much cooperation he's coerced."

"Hn." Sasuke activated his Sharingan and began looking through cabinets as well. He discovered that, while Gatou had been a vile, despicable type of craven vermin, he kept documents in pristine order.

He read through an expansive history of shipping orders around the world dating back years, including scheduled days of departures and arrivals, with little notes to reduce the pay of any crew that did not meet the time frames Gatou laid out. Sasuke could see that the times of arrivals had been renegotiated several times.

The files also listed the official cargo being carried by each merchant ship, usually stating it to be some resource exclusively found in a small town or village where Gatou maintained a monopoly. In recent months there was a large export of fish from Nami no Kuni. A believable story, given fishing was the country's specialty.

However, Sasuke knew Gatou to be a smuggler, but there was no account of his illegal activities, and he certainly must have kept track of his shipments of contraband. They continued searching Gatou's office. The office wasn't very big and a few times they had gotten in each other's way; increasingly frustrated glanced were exchanged, looks bordering on hostile.

Some of the papers Hinata had stacked fell out of the manilla folder. The Hyuuga heiress seethed at the papers before deciding to leave them for later. Sasuke would have ignored them easily enough, but a photo attached to the dossier caught his attention. He recognized the man as one of the samurai that Naruto defeated. He was being held prisoner by the people of Wave Country. Sasuke picked the papers up, glancing at them before setting them beside the folders they belonged in. At least he hoped that was so, things were getting a little hectic in the medium-sized office.

"Find what you were looking for yet?" Sasuke tiredly asked over the pile of folders.

"No," Hinata said flippantly. Things were not going as intended, and she had begun to fear that her expectations of plunder had overstated themselves.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes on her. He still remembered how she has told him off just before Zabuza attacked. Anger for Hinata simmered inside of him for a while now, and it started to creep out of his throat like smoke; his words were saturated with it. "How much longer is this going to take?" he asked.

Her head poked up and turned to him. "I do not know. It depends on how much longer you intend to complain instead of looking."

They entered into a staring contest. Sasuke had a slight glare on his face, he could feel it in the narrowing of his eyes and the scowl his lips twisted to accommodate. Unlike him, there was absolutely nothing on Hinata's face. Her mask was near inhumanely polished, like a china-doll.

Sasuke closed his eyes before she could creep him out thoroughly. The boy rolled his shoulders in a limbering way. "Okay, just what the hell is your problem?" he asked in an uncaring tone. "I'm here to help you, remember? I don't need the shit."

Hinata blinked for what seemed like the first time in an hour to Sasuke.

"My issue with you is not professional, Sasuke-kun. You perform your shinobi duties admirably. It's your failings as a man I abhor. You kissed Naruto-kun. You confused her." Hinata allowed herself to frown angrily. "And you never owned up to it, hoping that time would wash it away. That is my problem."

"Bullshit," Sasuke said. "Bullshit! This started way before I kissed her."

"Oh?" Hinata asked with a delicately raised eyebrow.

Sasuke nodded firmly. "From the moment we were on the same team. You've always tried to keep me out of the perfect little world you share with Naruto. You still have your own little club."

"You do remember that it was my idea to bring you to lunch on that first day, don't you?" Hinata asked curiously.

"I remember," Sasuke said. "But you only included me... physically. You're nice to Naruto, you care about her. But to me you were just... polite. You didn't bring me along so you or Naruto could bond with me. You've kept me close like you would an enemy. So you could..."

"Observe you?" Hinata supplied. Then she smiled, congratulatory. Sasuke knew nothing good was coming. "Yes, I was studying you. I have been for three years now."

Sasuke's eyes widened. "What... does that mean?" he shakily. This was very different than the unwanted admiration heaped onto him from his fans. That had been annoying. This felt threatening.

"You are truly excellent, Sasuke-kun," Hinata admitted. "You were able to keep up with me even without the Sharingan, and share the title Rookie of the Year. Even if I had beaten you, you would still be the top shinobi of the class. But even if you had beaten me, I would still be the top kunoichi. And no matter what, Naruto-kun would be the dead-last. No matter what, the three of us were going to be on the same team.

"You were so good that I concluded the only way I could have kept you off the team was to maim you in a spar and let Shino-san take your place as the top shinobi."

Sasuke felt a shiver go down his spine as he stared at her. He knew Hinata had a dark sense of humor, but this seemed beyond anything that could be called a joke.

"Oh, don't make that face," Hinata chided, her voice light. "I never considered it. You did nothing to deserve it. Therefore, such a measure would be quite extreme, don't you agree?"

"I... wouldn't have made it easy for you," Sasuke said, but his own voice was far off as he recalled having taijutsu bouts with Hinata in the Academy. She had handled him with infuriating ease every time. Sasuke dimly realized the truth in her words. She could have struck him down.

"No, I'm sure you wouldn't have," Hinata said, indulging Sasuke. "Naruto-kun and I knew the three of us would be placed on the same team." She smiled briefly as she thought about how Naruto had bemoaned their fate. "Naruto-kun accepted this with the grace she could summon. I, however, decided to take more... proactive measures."

Sasuke did not like that sound of that at all. He felt indignant when Hinata gave him a look that resembled pity far too closely.

"I've tried not to judge you too harshly, Sasuke-kun. I know that you have endured great suffering... But I have determined that for you to grow close to Naruto-kun is the worst case scenario."

"And why is that?" Sasuke drawled. He smirked cockily. "Afraid she'd rather spend time with me? So the mighty miss Hyuuga is a girl after all?"

Hinata gave him a half-lidded stare before closing her eyes. She sighed before looking at Sasuke seriously. He saw her tense ever so slightly and noticed that if he were to get into a fight with her in this enclosed space, he would be doomed.

"Mangekyo Sharingan," Hinata said, pronouncing the syllables carefully.

Sasuke's heart stopped as he heard those dreaded, foul words that had been banished to the darkest corners of his mind. "How do you know about that?" Sasuke snarled, his face pinched in anger.

"I researched information of your family's bloodline in my clan's private documents," Hinata said dismissively. "Evidently, every one of your damned ancestors was spamming that thing before the Senju proposed the alliance that built Konoha. And the other clans that fought against the Mangekyo settled in villages. If it's suppose to be a secret, it's a badly kept one."

Sasuke seethed. He hated the idea of his clan's dirty laundry being aired for the world of shinobi to see. It was private, a secret that was supposed to die with him long after he killed Itachi and left descendants to continue rebuilding the Uchiha; none of them were to know of it.

"Our scrolls described it as a cursed power that every Uchiha is destined to seek out," Hinata said. She could see faint traces of shame on his face. "Don't fret, Sasuke-kun. It's mostly water under the bridge now. After all, one of the conditions of the alliance was that the Uchiha clan would no longer seek to obtain the Mangekyo. Knowledge of it probably faded into rumors which faded into obscurity before disappearing. I doubt there are more than six people in the village who are aware. Not including the Hyuuga, of course."

Sasuke's fingers curled into a hard fist. "You told her, didn't you?" His voice carried anger and dread but was barely a whisper.

Hinata ignored the question. "Aside from mentioning the power was cursed, there was no explanation given as to what the Mangekyo was or what it did. I asked my father about it. He wanted to know why but I didn't want him to intervene with my plans."

"So you lied?" he asked spitefully.

Hinata shrugged. "By omission, perhaps. I told him it was because you were in my class. That's true enough." Her forehead creased slightly. "Unfortunately, Father told me not to raise the issue again and that he would tell me more if it ever became relevant...

"Which it apparently did once I informed him that you were on my team. He instructed me to observe whether or not you had awakened your Sharingan. I told Father the night after the bell test. That was when he finally revealed to me a truth I was not prepared for... Father told me the key to unlocking the Mangekyo Sharingan."

"Shut up," Sasuke said quietly. Itachi flashed in his mind, more vivid than usual, taller than humanly possible. An unbeatable, untouchable figure cloaked in shadow and blood, towering over the bodies of their mother and father.

"In order to awaken this power-"

"Shut up!" he shouted, voice growing more desperate and afraid than furious. "Don't say it!" But the fury was there.

"-you must kill someone close to your heart."

Sasuke screamed wordlessly and lunged at her. He tackled her over the desk and they tumbled to the wooden floor. Hinata twisted so that he landed on his back with her on top of him. There was pain in his abdomen. She must have struck him. Then the pain hit his shoulders and he couldn't move his arms. He felt her hands clamp on his neck.

The door flung open. Haku jumped in, senbon ready. He paused at the sight of them. "Um, is everything okay in here?" he asked as if approaching a cornered animal

He saw Hinata sitting on top of Sasuke, looking very much like a praying mantis about to devour her mate. Her white stare bore into Haku. After a few heartbeats, Haku decided what he needed to do was obvious, and he thought that Zabuza would agree. Careful not to make sudden moves, Haku backed out of the office and quietly closed the door behind him.

Let the crazy team handle its own affairs. He was injured enough as it was.

Hinata turned her attention back to Sasuke. "So was that your attempt to obtain the Mangekyo? I didn't know we were that close, Sasuke-kun. I suppose I should be flattered."

Sasuke glared up at her hatefully. He could try to kick her, but... Somewhere in his head, something was reminding him that she knew perfectly well how to dispose of a corpse. He was at her mercy... Why did that always happen when he was around the kunoichi on his team?

Hinata leaned her head down to his and for a moment Sasuke feared she would kiss him; he didn't know what kind of sick sexual fetishes Hinata might have. Fortunately she merely locked eyes with him.

"Now do you see why?" Hinata asked without a hint of humor. "Why I fear for Naruto-kun's safety? Of all the people in Konoha, she is the one closest to your heart. Her murder is your key to the highest level of Sharingan."

Sasuke was certain his urge to throw up wasn't caused by Hinata's attack. "I wouldn't! I would never do that!"

"Never?" Hinata repeated incredulously. "You cant picture yourself ever trying to obtain the Mangekyo?"

"I am nothing like Itachi!" Sasuke said defiantly, spitting his brother's name.

"That simply isn't true," Hinata purred. "I know you have that hurting hero appeal going for you, but I'm not blinded like the other girls. I've had time to see all of your psychological scars." Hinata smiled humorlessly. "You're damaged goods, Sasuke-kun."

Something crumpled in the pit of his stomach when she said that; her words reached inside him, clenched a fistful of organs and yanked. "You... are a cold-blooded bitch, you know that?"

Tilting her head, Hinata looked more amused than offended. "And you are a paper-bomb with a short fuse. I wonder what's going to set you off, and who will get caught in the ensuing explosion?"

Sasuke's eyes strayed from Hinata's to stare lazily at the ceiling. He shut his eyes tightly. "Maybe if I were desperate," he admitted quietly. "If there was nothing else for me in this world but avenging my clan." Sasuke snorted. "Not too long ago, that's just how it was for me. Maybe it was a matter of time." He locked stares with Hinata once more. "And then two troublesome girls barged into my life. You, the cutthroat bitch."

Hinata smiled wanly.

"And that crazy loudmouth. And Kakashi... You three have helped me get much stronger. You guys are... my friends. It's because of that... that I also have something else, something other than my ambition." Sasuke looked at her with resolution. "I won't follow Itachi's path. I don't need his kind of power."

Hinata looked down at him a long time. She had studied his face with the Byakugan as he had spoken, looking for the subtle facial twitches to indicate he was being dishonest in any way. She detected no deceit. The veins around her eyes receded to dormancy.

"I believe you," Hinata said. She sat up and began to tap Sasuke's body in certain areas, reopening his tenketsu.

She sighed. "I had to be sure. Honestly, I kind of freaked out when Father told me. I had thought you might be dangerous before I found out. It's been nagging at me for a while."

Sasuke sat up, looking decidedly unhappy. "So how does Naruto feel about it?" he asked in the most offhanded manner he could manage.

Ah, of course that's it, Hinata thought, smiling to herself. "You'll have to let me know once you tell her."

"You haven't?" Sasuke asked, too relieved to be bothered hiding it.

"I didn't share any of my findings with Naruto-kun. I thought it would be best for her to form her own opinions, independent of my pessimism." Hinata frowned. "But you should know by now that she wouldn't care either way."

Sasuke smiled. It was a tired smile. "Hn. She'd probably say something like... 'Try it anytime, bastard, I'll just kick your ass.'"

"That does sound like her," Hinata said, a small giggle trailing her words. "But she would accept it. Accept you."

Sasuke frowned. "I know she wouldn't hold it against me," the boy muttered, more to himself than to Hinata. "I just... hate it."

Hinata nodded. The swastika of the Branch Family's seal came to her mind. "I understand. I won't force the issue; I trust you to handle this however you see fit."

"Then... are we alright?" Sasuke asked hopefully. They still had to work together and he would rather Hinata not be tempted to turn his organs into jelly.

"Absolutely not," Hinata corrected primly, surprising Sasuke. "I apologize, Sasuke-kun, but I can't forgive you until Naruto-kun does." Hinata smiled secretively. "It's a girl thing.

A smirk of amusement fought its way onto Sasuke's face. "Yeah, whatever. It's not like I would get it. I'm 'just a stupid boy', remember?" His smirked widened when he saw her face redden at her own words from just before the bridge battle. "Well, I was planning to talk to her anyway. I'll settle matters with Naruto later."

Hinata gave a nod of approval. "But, Sasuke-kun, I must warn you," Hinata said with her usual casual and confident demeanor. "If you were to enter into a relationship with Naruto-kun, and you broke her heart, that will be the end of the Uchiha clan."

"Why? Because you'd kill me or she would?" Sasuke asked, half jokingly. With the girls, it was difficult to tell.

"No," Hinata replied with a narrow stare. "Because I will make your testicles explode if you do."

"...Right," Sasuke drawled, feeling the phantom pain of the injury she once inflicted on his crotch with her elbow. He shivered and sighed. "What is this obsession you have with my testicles?"

"I'll put them in a jar, Sasuke."

"Well then. For now, let's hurry and find those documents"

"Hai."

"Have you found anything useful so far?"

"Ano... Yes. I've begun to piece together a pretty good picture of how vastly Gatou's network stretches. I know which countries he has under his thumb in a complete monopoly, as he had Nami no Kuni, and which businesses he's taken over."

Sasuke quirked a brow. "Isn't that good enough?"

"No," Hinata said, trying not to lapse into whining. "I need names, who's being paid off to look the other way, who knows what, where the money's going and where it's coming from. I'm missing the underbelly of his criminal empire: the people who can be exploited. All the personnel files I've found are only of mercenaries he's recruited, and they aren't likely to know anything."

"Hn. Not to mention what he's really shipping on those boats of his," Sasuke murmured. He leaned on the main desk the room was centered around, crossing his white bracers as he thought of where they could find what they needed. The bottom of his foot tapped against the desk to prop up his thinking stance, and a hollow thunk rang.

Sasuke and Hinata shared a glance. Hinata activated her Byakugan and examined the center of the desk. "Sasuke-kun, it's a false panel. There's a safe hidden inside," the Hyuuga girl explained, trying to suppress her suspense. She knelt before the desk as Sasuke stepped aside.

Hinata placed her fingers on top of five hidden dimples built underneath the wooden surface. They could only be otherwise known through memory; the placement of the depressions would fit a hand as small as hers because it fit Gatou's dwarf hand. Hinata pushed and twisted, rewarded by a clicking sound as the front portion of the desk opened like a door, welcoming the intruders.

Within the desk rested a square safe of black metal with a combination lock. It was child's play for Hinata to open it, being able to see the tumblers. Inside were two leather bound books, one was quite an old brown, the other a more fresh black book simply entitled 'The Dirt'.

Hinata snatched up the black book more quickly than she could perform a Juken strike. She bolted upright, almost knocking over one of the numerous piles of paper as she stepped from the safe with shaking shoulders. She handled the book as if it were a burning ember she was not certain how best to hold, but incapable of putting down. The kunoichi was captivated, feeling that, upon looking at the contents of the ledger, she might turn to a pillar of salt. Or a goddess.

Hinata slowly opened and began reading. It contained everything. Where Gatou was shipping his illegal goods, what type of contraband he was transporting, who was going to receive the shipments. Where he kept his stores of money and treasure that weren't accounted for on any of his books. Who controlled his finances, a compartmentalized task taken up by a number of people, each of them watched over closely, none aware of each other's existence.

But above all was the complete list of officials on Gatou's payroll, and all the nasty little secrets he had to ensure these people could never turn against him or their lives would be forfeit. Some of them were in Hi no Kuni. Some were in the Fire Daimyo's court.

One name in particular made her heart beat with exhilaration at the leverage it granted her.

Hinata smiled deliriously. I win.

Sasuke peeked over at the kunoichi as she grabbed a book and turned her back. When her shrill laughter reached his ears, he thought it best not to disturb her. Picking up the other thick, leather bound book, Sasuke flipped through it with his Kekkei Genkai active. Reading the entries, he realized it was Gatou's personal journal, and the handwriting undoubtedly belonged to the tycoon.

This book was an infuriatingly unapologetic admission of every sin Gatou had committed to amass his wealth. Selling local men into slavery, owned by the highest bidder. Addicting women to drugs and forcing them to become sex slaves. Even child prostitution rings, composed mostly of orphans.

The last depravity in particular threatened to allow Sasuke's growing rage to overwhelm him. Doing such a thing to children was inexcusable. Old enough to learn lethal techniques, certainly. But there was a reason the age of consent was sixteen. Condemning hundreds of minors to a fate of being molested and raped... was there anything worse?

Gatou got off way too easy. The bastard should have been strung up by his thumbs and skinned alive, left for the birds to pluck out his liver.

When Sasuke became certain he could stomach no more, an entry dating back several months kept hm reading. It concerned Wave Country.

Today was a day worth cheering for. Maybe not for the ungrateful snots who call this dump of country home, but they learned a valuable lesson: Never Cross Gatou! We finally got our hands on that troublemaking Kaiza. Gathered up the whole damn city to watch as we made an example of him with a public execution. His brat was there, bawling his eyes out. Better they learn young, he might have been unsalvageable after a time. Finally all that horseshit Kaiza preached about saving the city is over. Hah! I'd like to see him handle anything after we cut off the arms he seemed so proud of. Zouri finished the job, didn't bother watching. I must have looked badass walking away.

Hopefully those ingrates will settle down now. I don't want to have to put down any more merchandise, it's not good for business.

Sasuke glared at the passage. Inari's father was executed right in front of his eyes... and that miserable fuck, Gatou, made sure the kid was watching. Just as Itachi's Mangekyo Sharingan forced Sasuke to watch the slaughter of his clan for hours on end. Sasuke wanted to carve Gatou to pieces... No, that would be too merciful.

The worst he could do to Gatou now was to follow Hinata's plan and rip everything away from him, everything he gained through slaughter and cultural genocide. Sasuke hoped that Gatou would wake from his coma one day, only to find all his precious money had slipped through his stubby fingers.

As Sasuke shut the book, the personnel file he had examined earlier flashed through his mind. His Sharingan had captured the document in its totality, and a minor detail he had ignored was coming into focus. The name underneath the photo was...

Zouri.

His outer pupils swirled. The samurai Naruto defeated had murdered Inari's father. Sasuke clenched his shaking fist. Only one thought was going through his mind, one that he was more familiar with than any other.

Vengeance.

Hinata, once finished swooning over her new favorite reading material, used the sealing scroll she'd brought to secure every document in the room. She decided to personally carry the two ledgers, and Sasuke made no objections; he'd seen more than enough. He warned Hinata of its contents before handing her the book. The scheming kunoichi made sure that Sasuke grabbed every one of Gatou's pens, then, in a pleased tone, announced that their mission was complete.

They reunited with a bored looking Haku in the hallway. He was apparently surprised they were each still in one piece. "I'm glad to see you've resolved your differences without coming to blows," the Haku remarked. The genin both looked mildly abashed, but said nothing of it.

"Hn. So what do we do about this base?" Sasuke asked. "It could be a problem if we leave it as is."

Hinata thought quietly, trying to reel her mind into the present rather than her future. "Ano... I'm tempted to say it's probably best if you burn it down. But they'll likely stay put for at least two more days. We can have Kakashi-sensei decide. For now, let's head back to the house."

Sasuke and Haku nodded. The three ninja exited Gatou's stronghold using the same method by which they had entered. A veil of mist shrouded the area once more, shielding the night warriors as they slipped away, leaving none aware of their presence.

---

Kakashi shook his head as Naruto downed her fourth bowl of rice. "You usually only give training or ramen this kind of attention."

Naruto threw her head back and laughed. "There's just no substitute. Man, I can't wait to get back to Konoha. I'm gonna eat Ichiraku Ramen until I puke!"

"What a charming young girl you are," Tazuna said dryly. He had been visibly uncomfortable throughout the meal. This was attributed to the man on the other end of the table having previously attempted most veraciously to remove the master bridge builder's head from his shoulders; the instrument Zabuza would have used to do so was nowhere in sight, but Tazuna remembered the sword very clearly.

Zabuza's earlier apology had done little to ease the old man's nerves.

"Sorry about that whole trying to kill you thing. No hard feelings, right?"

Yeah right, Tazuna scoffed in thought. But Kakashi assured him that his former assailant posed no threat, which Zabuza probably took as an insult.

Zabuza picked his abnormally sharp teeth. Naruto leaned forward and asked, "Are those genetic?"

Zabuza snorted. "Are yours?"

Naruto gasped and slapped a hand over her mouth, blue eyes inching over to her teacher. "Kaka-sensei, my teeth aren't weird like that, are they? Tell me they're not!" Naruto said, words hovering between pleading and threatening.

The Copy Ninja paused. A kunoichi was asking, er, demanding, his opinion about her physical appearance; the wrong answer could lead to a slow, painful demise some years later.

"They certainly aren't as... noticeable," he answered honestly, hoping to placate the blonde. Naruto folded her arms, face set in thinking mode as she nodded in acceptance. Kakashi breathed a sigh of relief.

"And just what deformity are you hiding, Kakashi?" Zabuza said, glowering at the silver haired ninja. "Fish lips? Beaver teeth?"

Kakashi shrugged. "I can only show my face to a ninja who's defeated me."

The swordsman lost most of the coherent words he knew. "You... dick."

A large bowl of rice slammed down onto the table. Tsunami crossed her arms. "There won't be any swearing in this house, least of all during meals," she said sternly.

Zabuza chuckled, making a mock attempt at appearing chastised. "Yes, ma'am," he said, and grinned like a fool. Tsunami gave a 'hmph' and went back into the recently repaired kitchen. Zabuza watched her go with little subtlety in his gaze.

Tazuna narrowed his eyes. "Don't even think about it," the craftsman warned.

"What? My thoughts are completely innocent."

"Uh, bullcrap." The kunoichi sucked in a breath, and slapped a hand over her mouth.

"What was that I just heard, young lady?" Tsunami's voice asked.

Naruto laughed nervously. "Heh, nothing, just... saying what a wonderful meal it was."

"I see. Thank you very much."

Naruto noticed Zabuza taking amusement in her predicament, and, accordingly, made an appropriate face at the ninja who far outclassed her. Zabuza rolled his eyes.

Haku walked in, Hinata trailing behind him. The boy gravitated to his teacher with a learned compulsion. "Zabuza-san, I've gathered all our materials."

Zabuza nodded approvingly. "Good. You saved me a trip of having to see that place again." He then gruffly said, "Mind handing over my stuff, girl?"

"Oi! Her name's Hinata, ya troll!"

Haku snickered. "Troll?" he inquired laughingly. Zabuza couldn't decided who to aim more of his glare at, Haku or the blonde brat.

"Shut it."

Hinata looked up from the ledger, blinking in surprise that she'd arrived at her destination. She cleared her throat and tried to regain her composure as she dropped Zabuza's pack. It was quite unbecoming to be lost in thought while in the presence of others.

"Kakashi-sensei, I need to speak with you right away," she requested.

Kakashi took note of her distracted state before nodding. Standing, the cyclops said, "Well, thanks for the meal, Tsunami-san. And you," he turned to Zabuza, "behave yourself."

"I never butcher after a meal," Zabuza said in dismissal.

"Not unless we're attacked," Haku gently corrected.

"Well of course there's that."

"Don't you worry, Kaka-sensei," Naruto assured, giving her best salute. She pointed to herself, then to Zabuza. "I got eyes on him." Kakashi eye-smiled before leaving to speak with Hinata.

"I am so threatened," Zabuza said sarcastically. "Remind me not to get on her bad side," he muttered to no one in particular.

"She does have more chakra than you, Zabuza-san," Haku said matter-of-factly. The Demon of the Mist gave Haku a dirty look.

Naruto searched the immediate area, perplexed. "Hey, where's Sasuke?" she asked.

"I believe he went to speak with Inari-kun..."

---

Sasuke approached Inari as the young boy sat on the outdoor walkway, near where they'd had their chat a few nights ago. Inari was facing the ocean as he examined his kunai. The shinobi made no attempt to mask his presence, allowing Inari to notice when Sasuke stopped next to him. The water below them was still.

The Uchiha stared down at him, contemplative. "I heard you used that to try to protect your mother."

Inari nodded, trying to decipher Sasuke's unreadable expression. "But... It didn't do much good. If Naruto hadn't been there, I probably would have been killed."

"Probably," Sasuke agreed passively. "Yet you tried anyway. Your willpower overcame the fear," Sasuke said, sounding mildly congratulatory. He faced the water; a somber young ninja stared back at him expressionlessly. Sasuke was strongly reminded of the day he swore to obtain enough power to kill his brother. "When faced with the same decision... I failed. I ran away."

Dark eyes wide, Inari asked, "You... ran away? You were afraid?" he asked skeptically, unable to imagine Sasuke as anything but collected and strong.

"My entire clan was ripped away from me in one night. The man who did it, I was too pathetic for him to even kill me. Once I realized the gap in our power, I did nothing but cry." His reflection sneered at him somewhat before its face melted back into impassivity. "That man is still out there; he is the evil that haunts every dark corner of my mind. I haven't learned enough to defeat him. But someday I will be ready, and I will avenge my clan," the Uchiha vowed.

Inari listened, rapt.

"That day is far away for me," Sasuke said, a forlorn gleam in his dark eyes. The coal orbs fast came to life, exploding into red. Sasuke stared down at Inari, the full weight of his intent almost enough to make the boy's knees buckle. "But for you, vengeance is now. Are you ready to use that kunai?" he asked intently, towering over Inari.

"W-what for?" Inari questioned shakily.

"Vengeance for your father," Sasuke said. "Come with me," he ordered solemnly.

Inari found his legs following of their own accord as Sasuke walked deep into the forest. His home shrank away into the distance. Soon there were only trees, leaves, and the crest of a fan on Sasuke's back in sight. Inari clutched the kunai tightly as they traversed into darkness.

Sasuke stopped. "This is it," he said with a finality that made Inari nervous. Sasuke stood aside and presented Inari with a sight that burned into his young eyes.

Gagged, blindfolded, and bound to a tree was the white haired samurai that had attempted to kidnap his mother yesterday. But Inari new this man had already taken someone precious from him. This was the man that killed his father, Kaiza, in cold blood.

Sasuke approached and ripped the blindfold off his captive. Zouri was fully conscious, and seemed not to have been harmed any, other than the injuries he'd sustained from Naruto. He glared at Sasuke's disinterested face.

The Uchiha returned the stare apathetically. "Do you recognize him?" he asked rhetorically.

Still gagged, the hired sword could not answer. Zouri's gaze scanned the area; he noticed Inari's presence.

Inari watched as the helpless man's eyes widened upon seeing him, the clown-like markings underneath them creased. He followed Zouri's gaze as he glanced fearfully between the two boys and the sharp tip of the kunai Inari held. Inari saw all the fear he had felt now belonged to this murderer.

Inari looked at the confined swordsman with blurry vision. Kaiza's last smile flared from his memories. His body began to shake.

"Why did you..." Inari said in a quivering voice. "He saved my life. He protected me. He taught me so much," his breath became wracked with sobs, tears falling down his cheeks. "And you took him from me," he said, voice growing in strength, growing in anger. "All he did was help people and you killed him!"

"Now, Inari," Sasuke commanded softly. The younger of the two looked up, teary eyes locking with the swirling tomoe of Sharingan. "Take the kunai. Avenge your father. Prove your allegiance and kill his murderer."

As he looked into hypnotic red eyes, Inari saw himself dauntlessly stabbing the swordsman. Inari breathed heavily from the anger and adrenaline coursing through him. The young boy tore his eyes from Sasuke's and stared down the captive. Zouri looked at Inari, the fear in his eyes more palpable as he struggled.

Screaming in fury and pain, Inari charged. Zouri gave a muffled cry of terror, quite unlike his previous reaction to the boy's attempt to assault him. Sasuke watched, engrossed. Inari screwed his eyes shut and thrust the kunai. It sank into the bark, just below the bodyguard's crotch.

Inari yanked the ninja tool out of the tree and backed away, panting. Zouri went slack, urine dribbling down his trousers. Neither the Konoha shinobi or the bridge builder's grandson paid it any heed.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "What are you doing, Inari?" he demanded severely. "Stop playing around and finish him!"

The boy turned to him with pain-filled eyes. "Aniki, I don't want to!" he shouted imploringly.

The Uchiha blinked dumbly, his higher brain functions impaired by what he'd jut heard. "You... don't want to?" Sasuke repeated, staring at Inari as though he had blasphemed all of the gods and goddesses with one breath. "How could you not?" Sasuke demanded. "Don't you want to avenge your father's death?"

"I'll always miss my dad!" Inari said, wiping away his tears. "That pain will never go away... But that's not all. I remember the good times, what my dad taught me: to protect what's precious to me with both my arms!" the boy in the hat exclaimed.

Now it was Sasuke's concentration being held captive.

Inari looked at the metal weapon in his hand. "This kunai is a tool for protecting." He glared at the helpless mercenary, who flinched. "I could kill this bastard a hundred times," Inari said before his anger quenched, "but it would never bring my dad back," he said, sounding dismayed... but not beaten. "I just have to honor his memory by living the way he taught me."

As the minutes dragged by without Sasuke speaking, Inari looked up meekly. "I'm sorry, Aniki. You're probably really disappointed in me, aren't you?"

Sasuke's black eyes met Inari's as he mentally digested the young boy's pitiful stare. His hand reached on its own accord, brushing down Inari's hat over his eyes. Sasuke's hand rested there. "Kid... you don't have to apologize. I'm the one who was wrong." Inari managed to peek at him from under his cap, surprised by Sasuke's rueful expression.

"I thought that you needed this to be satisfied... I thought I could offer you closure. But maybe I was only trying to gratify my quest for vengeance." Sasuke shook his head. "I'm sorry I put you through this, Inari."

"Don't say that, Aniki!" Inari admonished as he pulled away, much to Sasuke's surprise. "I actually, well," Inari gripped his shirt over his heart. "I actually feel relieved," he assured Sasuke. "I always wanted one of those guys to know what kind of person my dad was."

Seeing his alleviation as genuine, Sasuke nodded. "Then I'm glad for you." He wrinkled his nose and leveled the captive samurai with a unfriendly stare. "I should get him back before he defecates as well." Sasuke rearranged the bindings around Zouri, separating him from the tree but not freeing him for an instant. With precise chakra control, he created a single shadow clone to escort the samurai.

Watching the mercenary and the clone depart, something occurred to Inari. "Hey, how did you get him here, anyway? I thought he was being held prisoner."

"Told the guard I was going to interrogate him," Sasuke answered. "Let's head back."

Inari nodded. The two left the scenery that had almost become much bloodier. "You, um, haven't eaten yet, right? I think mom saved some dinner for you and Hinata."

"Hn," Sasuke grunted in the affirmative. He really enjoyed eating home-cooked meals everyday; anything he produced just wasn't on par. He'd miss it when they returned to Konoha.

On their way to the house, Inari decided to pester him a little. "Hey, Aniki."

Sasuke glanced at the boy, unsettled by the familiarity of his form of address. He often considered himself an only child. "Yeah?"

"That guy you mentioned... the one that murdered your clan?"

Sasuke's expression must have betrayed his darkening temperament, because Inari looked like he wanted to backpedal the conversation. With an inward sigh, Sasuke relented that he owed the young boy answers. "What about him?" he returned neutrally.

"Is he strong?" Inari asked, sounding almost afraid for Sasuke.

"Yes," he said simply. But Inari wanted him to elaborate.

"How strong?"

It was easy for Sasuke to list his elder brother's accomplishments; they were recited to him numerous times in his youth, and he often reflected on them .

"When he was your age he had already mastered a technique I could only recently access. A year before that, he graduated from an academy I left only months ago. At ten, he achieved a rank above mine. And at thirteen, he was one of Konoha's most powerful shinobi." All of this Sasuke said in a detached manner. "He could only be stronger now."

"He sounds like a monster," Inari said in a hushed breath.

"He is."

Inari made an irritated noise and ran ahead, cutting Sasuke off. "But you know what? You're strong too. I know you'll definitely beat him!" Inari said, his fists raised. "And then you can get closure too!"

Sasuke was slightly taken aback; never in his life had anyone claimed that he would surpass Itachi. Konoha's last Uchiha had been called a genius and a prodigy, but no one had stated he was even as good as his bother. Though Inari's opinion held little weight as a strategic viewpoint, Sasuke found himself smirking.

He patted the boy's head. "Thanks, Inari." This earned Sasuke a pleased grin.

"Hey, can you tell me about your clan?" Inari asked as they continued walking.

Struggling to keep a straight face, Sasuke answered, "Sure." He was actually a bit of the nerd when it came to history, especially that of his clan. He thoroughly studied the scrolls he'd inherited. He could relay some common knowledge without compromising the secrecy his ancestor's coveted.

"The Uchiha clan is one of the world's oldest ninja families. We actually helped to found Konohagakure, the first ninja village," Sasuke said proudly. He didn't think many people gave that as much thought as they should. He'd even heard quiet rumors that his great clan was the bastard offspring of the Hyuuga. Ridiculous. If anything it was the other way around.

"We were the strongest clan in Konoha, and produced the village's most elite ninja. By and large our success as shinobi is thanks to our bloodline: a visual jutsu named the Sharingan."

"That thing when your eyes turn red?" Inari asked, sounding squeamish.

"Hn. It's an invaluable tool; it allows those who posses it to see through any jutsu, and copy other ninja techniques instantly. It's a genetic phenomena that doesn't manifest in every member of the clan, but when it does, it's a force to be reckoned with. The Sharingan is supreme to all other bloodlines." Sasuke did not consider his words to be arrogant or boastful. His Kekkei Genkai was truly superior. Centuries of war proved it.

"But," Inari began. He gulped. He would certainly hate to burst Sasuke's bubble. "But if the Uchiha were the strongest, how could they be killed by one person?" he asked, already thinking he would regret it.

Sasuke scowled, considering his answer before saying, "The best counter to the Sharingan is another Sharingan."

Inari blinked as the dots connected, eyebrows jumping under his hat. "What kind of psycho would turn on his own people?" he asked, horrified.

My brother! a voice in Sasuke's head snarled. "How many kinds are there?" he asked dourly.

Inari could only shake his head. Killing your own family was inconceivable to him. "Whatever he gets is too good for him."

Sasuke nodded in concurrence.

"But you must have some good memories, too, right? Like I have with my dad?" Inari asked in a hopeful tone.

"Remember the good times, huh?" he muttered. Sasuke could remember plenty times that he had thought were good, but were really just an illusion Itachi had woven around his naive, young perception of reality. He allowed his mind to delve back into a memory from his childhood.

Sasuke thought back to the day his father coached him on the Goukakyu no Jutsu. His first attempt had been a sorry joke, a depressing wheeze of fire as opposed to the dragon's roar it should have been. Sasuke was no replacement for Itachi's brilliance.

But he kept trying. He worked hard to master the Katon jutsu, earning his father's praise.

"As I expected, you are my child."

A smile lifted Sasuke's mouth, and his spirit. "Yeah. I've got some good memories."

Inari smiled and nodded, not inquiring what the older boy was thinking, happy that Sasuke seemed happy. "And we can still make more good memories! I've got my mom, and my grandpa and the rest of the village. You've got your team, and a pretty cool girlfriend too!" the child said sinlessly.

Sasuke started nodding before he caught himself, whipping his head down at Inari. "Girlfriend?" he asked sharply.

Inari blinked innocently. "Well yeah, isn't Naruto your girlfriend, Aniki?"

"What makes you say that?" Sasuke asked in a drawled slur, providing no answer.

Scratching under his hat, Inari answered, "It's kinda... obvious. Is it supposed to be a secret?"

"There's nothing to keep secret," he stressed, annoyed. "Our relationship is completely professional!" Sasuke's jaw ached from such a lie.

"Oh." Inari seemed let down. "You mean you don't like Naruto?"

"...She's my teammate."

"Then there's some kind of rule against dating team members?"

"No. Er, yes. I don't know!" Sasuke was beginning to unravel. He tried to explain clearly, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Look, it doesn't matter, alright? There's no time for that sort of frivolity, I'm too preoccupied with avenging my clan. I have to become powerful enough to kill that man before I concern myself with anything else. Priorities, got it?"

"Okay," Inari accepted. His eyes shuffled back and forth from Sasuke. He couldn't help adding, "But I thought Naruto helped you train."

Sasuke's eye began to twitch as Inari continued questioning him. Was having a younger brother who badgered you endlessly what drove Itachi insane? He had to find some way to get the kid to drop the subject.

Despite the ingenuity his occupation in life demanded, only one thing frothed in his mouth, and Sasuke let it fly. With an air of wisdom, the Uchiha said, "You're too young to understand."

Though it wasn't like he himself had it figured out...

Inari crossed his arms and sulked at the response. Sasuke smirked, glad that was enough to quiet the boy. He again brushed down Inari's hat, forcing a reluctant smile from him. They arrived at the house shortly after.

---

"Kakashi thinks we could join the Leaf," Zabuza suddenly said. The bridge builder decided to sleep off his drunkenness, and Kakashi's blonde brat was in the kitchen with the craftsman's hot daughter, leaving only Zabuza and his apprentice. The girl's omnipresent shadow clones were watching, he could sense them, but they were out of earshot.

Haku paused, the spoon inches from his mouth. "Does he now?"a disinterested sounding Haku asked before chewing gracefully.

He should have known he wouldn't be able to startle Haku, he'd trained the boy too well. It was damn annoying sometimes. Perhaps fruitlessly, Zabuza continued studying him for a reaction. "He seems to think they would treat you like royalty. You know, throw money and women at you."

Haku came within inches of rolling his eyes, but restrained himself. "Hinata-san did mention it," he confessed. "She claimed that she could guarantee her clan's sponsorship to protect me from 'those who would take advantage.'" He continued eating.

Zabuza became resigned to ask. "What do you think, Haku?" This question did startle the boy.

Abandoning the meal, he focused only on his precious person. "I will follow you anywhere, Zabuza-san," Haku said with utter devotion.

Zabuza nodded. "But I'm asking what you think of joining Konoha."

Haku fell silent, observing the facts unbiasedly. "I suppose there are numerous tactical advantages," Haku acknowledged. "We would no longer have to search for employment as missions would be readily available. Our clientele is unlikely to betray us if we belong to a village." His eyes narrowed as thought of Gatou. He hoped the corrupt businessman was enjoying limbo.

"Of course," Haku continued, "the greatest relief is... the hunter-nin will finally desist in our capture and execution. If Konoha granted us asylum, it would spark international incident for us to be targeted by an official military deployment of another village."

"Disadvantages?"

Haku was scrambling to answer. Ordinarily he would say that it was an attempt to collect Zabuza's bounty, but Kakashi and his team had trounced them, passing up numerous opportunities to see them both dead. Haku could think of no strategic pitfalls in becoming shinobi of Konohagakure.

But he had a strong personal reason to see that this did not happen.

"What about your dream, Zabuza-san?" he implored desperately. "Even if you were to overthrow the Mizukage, you would never be accepted as the new leader after joining a rival village."

Heaving a defeated sigh, Zabuza said, "Time to wake up; that dream is dead, Haku. With Gatou's cash a successful coup was a long shot. Without it, it's impossible. Better we live to fight another day."

The boy felt his insides scooped out by those words. He had lived for Zabuza and the sake of his ambition. "I'm sorry, Zabuza-san," Haku said morosely. "I failed as a tool. I was too weak to help you accomplish your goal."

Seeing the anguish in his words caused, Zabuza grimaced, suddenly finding the house's chipped paint quite interesting. "Forget it," he grumbled. "No matter how hard we try to escape the fact, Haku... even we ninja are human. Sometimes even a shinobi cannot do the impossible." Haku stared at him in shock. Zabuza shrugged it off with a grunt. "Besides, you're my surefire ticket into that den of wusses."

This calmed the young man. He still fulfilled a role, still useful to his precious person. Haku nodded. "Understood, Zabuza-san, I will cooperate fully with Konoha."

"Figured you'd say that. Just don't tell anybody yet. I want Kakashi to squirm a little."

This time Haku gave into the temptation, rolling his eyes at Zabuza's pettiness. He continued eating. Levity bubbled in him as he ate. A life constantly on the run would be ending. They'd have a home. Not a camp, or a hideout. An actual home. Any life with Zabuza in it was fine with him, but he would not miss the cold nights of uncertainty.

Finished with his meal, Haku returned his dish to the kitchen, where he kindly thanked Tsunami for her hospitality, complementing her cooking. His mannerisms seemed to disarm trepidation their hostess initially held. It was understandable given what they had been contracted to do, and Haku doubted Zabuza's... rugged edges were going to win her over.

As politely as he tried to ignore it, Haku couldn't help being very aware of Naruto staring at him unashamedly, inspecting his face with what he could only perceive as fascination. She did not appear enamored, rather she looked stumped by something. Perhaps she was gauging his character? The girl began shaking her head, mumbling about how something was 'unreal'.

Haku smiled and backed out of the kitchen, careful not to make any sudden movements.

The table gained two more occupants by the time he returned. The Copy Ninja managed to prevent Hinata from barricading herself in a room with all the wonderful files and documents she collected. Though it must not have been a full victory, considering Hinata was still in the midst of reading a book, protectively hugging it to her chest, as if for her eyes only.

Kakashi glanced at him but said nothing. He must have been waiting for his team to gradually assemble.

Sasuke and Inari finally reentered the house, exhibiting a remarkably chummy air about them. Sasuke seated himself on the other side of his teacher. Inari took a place next to him, similarly to Haku as he sat beside Zabuza.

The konoha jonin nodded as the table nearly filled up. His head turned to the kitchen."Naruto," Kakashi called mildly, "would you kindly join us?"

Naruto poked her head out of the doorway, surprised that all of the other shinobi had gathered. She was also surprised to see Zabuza sitting still for so long. She would have thought nothing short of the grievous injuries Kakashi-sensei bestowed on the nuke-nin in their first fight could make him stay in one spot.

"Okay, Kaka-sensei!" Naruto said, approaching the crowded table. She caught Sasuke's eyes as she searched for a place to sit. He didn't look away, but held her stare as if trying t convey a message. Naruto couldn't tell what it was, but she thought Sasuke was more at ease than she'd ever seen him.

The kunoichi sat beside her best friend, who barely spoke two words to her all day. It wasn't like they were having a tiff, at least Naruto didn't think so. Hinata could get spaced out when reading and she seemed really into her book.

Kakashi's lone eye overlooked the room as he addressed the genin under his command. "Team, I didn't get a chance to say this yesterday, but, good job! From the start of this mission you three performed commendably, and because we each fulfilled a crucial role, our first mission outside of the village has been a total success."

"First mission outside the village?" Zabuza repeated numbly.

Naruto nodded enthusiastically. Because her eyes were closed, she didn't notice Kakashi's subtle hand gesture to stop talking. "This was our first C-rank mission!"

"C-rank?" Zabuza demanded. Haku's ungodly beautiful face cracked into a smile at his teachers indignation and the general hilarity he found in being beaten by such green genin. "Protecting someone from me is not a C-rank mission!" the nuke-nin boomed.

"Actually," Kakashi cut in before Naruto could say anything cheeky, "Tazuna-san wasn't completely forthcoming with the details of his situation, so it was only labeled C-rank. I assure you all, the difficulty of this mission was A-rank," Kakashi said wearily. His voice picked up slightly as he added, "Which of course means each of you will each be rewarded with A-rank pay."

Naruto twitched at the thought of being paid more money. "How much is that, Kakashi-sensei?" she asked thirstily.

"At least 150,000 ryou," he answered lightly

Some hybrid of squeal and scream shot from her throat before she could restrain it. Hinata didn't react while all of the males looked at her strangely, causing Naruto to flush from embarrassment. She couldn't help it! Unlike Sasuke and Hinata, she wasn't from a wealthy clan. Every ryou in her budget mattered.

Kakashi blinked. He mentally debated telling the girl that there was a bounty on Aoi's head for her to collect. He decided against it; Inari was still present and Naruto might not appreciate having her mortal confrontation brought up. Besides, nothing good could come from exciting her further.

"We'll be returning to the village once construction on the bridge is completed," Kakashi informed them. "Tazuna-san is certain that it shouldn't take more than two weeks."

"You're leaving that soon!" Inari cried. His eyes looked desperately at Sasuke, but of course there was nothing the Uchiha could do about it. It was Kakashi's decision.

The jonin scratched his head. "Well, you see..." he began, sounding apologetic. "We've already been gone far longer than originally intended. If we don't get back to Konoha soon, they'll probably think we've gone awol."

Inari nodded in surrender.

"What?" Naruto yelped. Her dream of being Hokage would be out the window if she were declared a missing ninja. "I don't want to end up like that bum!" she said, pointing in Zabuza's general direction but looking at Kakashi.

Zabuza grinned, brandishing his razor-sharp teeth. "You should be so lucky, girl."

"Oh, of course. I'm sure deep down every ninja dreams of being an enemy of the state," Naruto said snidely.

"Hopefully we'll get back before that happens," Kakashi said. "Onto other matters, Zabuza and Haku may be accompanying us. I've offered to propose their inauguration into Konoha's ninja ranks."

Naruto's face lit up. "That is so awesome! Haku, you've got to try Ichiraku Ramen. It's the best in the world!" She gave Zabuza a glance. "You can come too... I guess."

"I haven't yet decided to grace Konoha with my presence," the former Mist ninja said.

It was Naruto's turn to grin. "You will if you want to bail out the Demon Brothers," she said coyly.

Zabuza's eyes widened. "Oh. Crap. I totally forgot about them." Haku shifted uncomfortably. They had slipped his mind as well.

Chuckling at his student's cleverness, Kakashi said, "You could probably get them pardoned... if you join Konoha."

"Kakashi, what will we do about the base we visited today?" Sasuke asked. "It's filled with mercenaries. Leaving it unchecked is begging for trouble."

"Do my cute genin have any suggestions?"

Zabuza gave a bark of laughter.

Scowling, Sasuke said, "We could round them up in a few days, send them out of the country like we did with the others. Naruto's shadow clones could keep watch until then."

Kakashi nodded in approval. "That seems like a solid plan. Since there's no other business to discuss, you're all dismissed."

"Are we gonna keep watch over these shifty looking guys, Kaka-sensei?" Naruto asked

"I don't believe that will be necessary," Kakashi said, checking over the rebellious Zabuza and friendly Haku. "They've both behaved themselves, and we have to start trusting them to some degree if we're escorting them to Konoha. As I told Tazuna-san, they no longer stand to gain anything from violence against us. Unless anyone has suspicious behavior to report?" None of his students answered, although Hinata was only half listening. "In that case, I've cleared it with Tazuna-san and they'll be staying here with us until we depart for Konoha. Dismissed."

Sighing, Sasuke stood, heading for the kitchen to scrounge together some food.

Naruto apprehensively watched him step away from the table. Their earlier conversation hadn't ended spectacularly, and she wanted to speak with Sasuke again. But her tongue tried to deter this by tying itself in knots. "Hey, Sasuke," Naruto quietly called, partially hoping that she wouldn't be heard. Sasuke tiredly paused and turned his head. She fidgeted for a moment. "Um... Can we talk?"

Kakashi looked up from his Icha Icha; he knew those words could either spell doom or paradise for a man.

He was exceptionally hungry, but Sasuke nodded. It was past time to clear the air between himself and his blonde ally. "Yeah." He noticed Inari staring with a knowing smile. Sasuke gave him a look that clearly told him to shut up as he followed Naruto out the door. They didn't travel far from the house, just behind a few trees.

Naruto didn't face him right away. The kunoichi had spent some time thinking of what to say to her often aloof teammate, but her carefully constructed words crumbled and chipped away with each step. She couldn't say that because it was stupid, or this because he would only scoff. But Sasuke was standing right behind her, waiting for her to say something! She rounded, opening her mouth, having no idea if she was going to curse him or kiss him.

Sasuke held up his pale hand unoffendingly. "Wait. Before you say anything, I want to answer your question from earlier."

Naruto seemed ready to speak, but, looking thoughtful, consented to listen quietly

"You asked me if I thought you were a freak." Sasuke locked eyes with her. Naruto found it hard not to twitch, anticipation shooting in her bones like firecrackers. "Of course you are."

Naruto blanched. She glared at the Uchiha. "What the hell!"

"Is it even in question?" Sasuke asked with a casual shrug. "There are so many factors to consider. For starters, your jumpsuit."

"What about my clothes?" Naruto demanded, unconsciously folding her arms as her body tried to shrink in on itself.

"They're orange, Naruto. Orange," he emphasized, rolling the word on his tongue. "Do you understand why safety cones are the same color? Because the color is conspicuous, highly noticeable," he said plainly.

"Well you practically have a bull's-eye on your back!" Naruto growled in retaliation, her face hot and angry.

"And then there's your hair," Sasuke said, ignoring the jibe at his clan's crest with ease that surprised him.

Naruto's hands magnetically clamped onto one of her golden twin-tails, wringing it with worry. "What's wrong with my hair?" Naruto asked, afflicted with unfamiliar insecurities. The girl found herself questioning an established tradition of simply combing her hair and tying bands around them. God, what was he about to say!

Examining the fidgety kunoichi, Sasuke shook his head. "It's too much, Naruto. It's just too much. Your hair is already bright enough as it is, but the style is completely impractical."

Releasing her hair and snarling, Naruto shoved him. "I don't have to take that from someone with a chicken's ass on his head!"

"Ah, yes. I was getting to you're violent temperament," Sasuke said, brushing his shoulders. "I believed kunoichi were taught feminine arts, but you really don't display any such aptitude. Girls are normally demure and compliant, but you're ready to throw a punch at the slightest provocation. Not exactly ladylike behavior."

"Hey, I know how to be 'ladylike!'" Naruto protested stubbornly, using air quotes. "But sometimes people need a good pop in the jaw."

The inference of an immediate harm to his face did little to deter Sasuke; he continued expressionlessly. "And you actually aspire to become a Hokage, a title granted to the strongest ninja in the village." He eyed her hitai-ate meaningfully. "I doubt any other kunoichi had the audacity to even consider themselves a worthy candidate."

"Oh, excuse me for not knowing my place," Naruto hissed.

"So yes, Uzumaki Naruto, you are most definitely a freak," Sasuke concluded, nodding to himself in a content manner.

Blinking back the stinging in her eyes, Naruto took several deep breaths. She was not going to cry, ever again. But she wouldn't give the smug bastard the satisfaction of lashing out either, despite that the urge to smack him was beyond measure.

"Glad I know how you feel about the matter, Sasuke," Naruto said as coldly and impersonal a manner as she could manage. "Here I was stupidly thinking you might actually accept..." She cut her sentence off, biting her tongue. "Forget it. That certainly cleared things up for me, asshole. You're not the first or the last, but it won't stop me. I believe in myself. I will fulfill my dreams, no matter what," Naruto said unwaveringly.

Witnessing the fire in her eyes, Sasuke tilted his head. "I know you will," he said smoothly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world to him.

"...Say what?" Naruto asked, blinking. She shook her head furiously, donning a glare. "Look, make up your damn mind! Are you gonna be nice, or an asshole?"

"I didn't say any of it was a bad thing. Those are simply the facts. By the standards of society, you aren't normal." Sasuke shrugged, rather stiffly in Naruto's opinion. "Personally, I really... like those things about you."

The shore of her anger was ebbed away by waves of surprise and bewilderment. "You do?"

Sasuke nodded in the affirmative, sure to keep honest eye contact. "I like your hair." Sasuke reached up and lightly pinched her untouched pigtail, running his fingers down the strands of hair as Naruto shivered. "It's," he paused to think of something appropriate. Sasuke glanced around, making certain they were alone. "It's cute."

There wasn't a mirror on hand, but Naruto could tell she was blushing badly. She felt a strange kind of joy that was new to her, and found herself in possession of an unusually quiet smile.

Naruto recalled a rumor discussed by other girls in their academy days. No one talked with her about it, what with her status as a pariah. But she couldn't help overhear a brazen conversation or two. "So you really do like girls with long hair?"

Black eyes rolled. Sasuke was unsure of how that rumor had spawned, nor did he care. "I like your hair," he repeated, emphasizing the subject of his affection.

Naruto reddened further. She felt lightheaded from all the blood rushing to her face. This must be how Hinata-chan felt when she was younger, she thought dazedly.

"And I like that you aren't the same as other girls. At the academy, they were all so busy trying to impress me with their looks that they neglected their training." Sasuke shook his head in disgust. "I can't fathom what they were trying to accomplish."

"They were probably counting on the chivalrous Sasuke-kun to save them," Naruto quipped.

The Uchiha boy sighed. "I was fortunate to have you and Hinata as teammates. You two always push yourselves to excel. Especially you, Naruto," Sasuke said, smiling faintly at the blonde.

"Great things were always expected of me because of my clan, same with Hinata. But even as an orphan, you didn't accept a low place. You aim for the top everyday by training as hard as I do. You're such a strong kunoichi, I think I respect that the most."

Naruto was very much unaccustomed to having such praise heaped onto her. That it came from the most important boy in her life increased its potency. Sasuke acknowledging their equality made her feel awkward and scuff her sandal on the ground, but Naruto wasn't about to tell him to stop.

"I guess what I'm really saying here is, if I had the opportunity to pick my team from anyone in Konoha, I wouldn't change anything."

"Not even our tardy, perverted sensei?"

"Sadly I'm not capable of imagining our squad without that weirdo."

Naruto smiled. Her skin tone was returning to normal, though a blush was still quite apparent. "Sasuke. Thanks. All that stuff you said was really sweet." Naruto and Sasuke shared a smile with one another. She broke her stare, snorting. "You were kind of assholish about it, but you wrapped things up nicely," Naruto said approvingly.

Shrugging, Sasuke said, "That's my style, I can't apologize for it."

Naruto caressed her hair nervously. There was one major issue the two of them had been dancing around, and Naruto was a person who liked to cut straight to the matter, even if she felt a little hesitant. "So, um... What the hell, I guess I'll just ask it. What's the deal with you kissing me?"

Sasuke froze briefly. He sighed. "I don't know. Temporary insanity?" the Uchiha offered. "You just looked so... in that apron... my body moved on its own," Sasuke said in way of explanation, clenching his sweaty palms. Giving up on explaining, Sasuke's face burned as he ducked his head apologetically. "I'm really sorry, Naruto. Please forgive me."

Startled by his display of humility, as she did not know Sasuke had any, Naruto begged him off, waving her hands. "Don't worry about it. It's okay..."

"It's not okay!" Sasuke said viciously, snapping his head up. "I had no right to..!" He looked away, angry with himself. His lack of control was sickening. Of the flocks of girls that adored him and attempted to monopolize Sasuke's attention, even the boldest of them never dared to try and force a kiss on him. Fangirls had more restraint than he, and that was truly upsetting.

Naruto swallowed heavily, her words trying their best to stay lodged in her throat. "Well, you got my first kiss... and my second..." She blushed, her gaze sliding away from the Uchiha. "You'll probably get the third too." Sasuke mechanically turned his head to look at her with increasing surprise. "And maybe even the fourth." She paused to glare at him, offended. "That would probably be it though! You're a terrible kisser!"

Sasuke blinked, his mind jarred from her emotional 180. "What? What!"

"I mean, seriously, Sasuke! You didn't stroke my hair or touch my face or nothing!" Naruto shook her head dramatically. "What poor form. But I suppose even the Uchiha genius can't get everything right away."

Sasuke frowned. Hell, had he been that bad? It wasn't like he had a reference. This ran through his head before he found reason to smirk wryly. "I'm sure you know from experience there's only one way to improve a sloppy technique." He was quite unaware of where his words lead Naruto's mind.

Naruto thought of the shadow clone training method she used to best improve her skills. She began giggling uncontrollably, cupping her lightened cheeks. "Sasuke-kun, you pervert! I didn't know you liked that kind of thing..." the orange clad girl ended shyly.

Sasuke stared at Naruto as he inwardly questioned her sanity. I'm not the one giggling like Kakashi, am I? Sasuke thought. So how am I the pervert?

"Man, if the girls in the village heard what you were saying, I think they'd try even harder to snatch you up." That sentiment left a bad taste in her mouth. She scowled, feeling quite territorial at the idea of Sasuke being chased by girls.

"Don't even joke about such things," Sasuke dourly said, suppressing a shiver.

Grinning, Naruto said, "Not to worry, Sasuke. If any of those loons harass you, I'll get 'em off your back!" she promised, flexing her arm.

"I'll hold you to that. I'm not really sure what they're chasing, though. To be honest, I don't really think I'm good boyfriend material. I'm kinda self-absorbed," Sasuke said with a one shoulder shrug. "Besides, anything like that would have to wait. My foremost responsibility in life is to avenge my clan."

Naruto nodded empathetically. "And I'm pretty hung up on being Hokage. It's kind of a big deal for me."

"But..."

"But?" the girl prompted, leaning forward ever so slightly, blue eyes locked onto Sasuke.

"Well, after we've each accomplished our goals, who knows?"

"Oh, that's right. You also mentioned reviving your clan," Naruto said with a playful grin, attempting to rile Sasuke. "I bet you need a strong kunoichi for that."

The raven haired boy looked at her, completely blank-faced. "Are you offering?" he asked in flat monotone.

"..." Naruto bit her tongue. She definitely lost that round.

Sasuke smiled at Naruto appreciatively. His mother had been quite beautiful in his opinion, but he doubted his parents would have married had she not been a jonin. "It's good that we talked, Naruto."

"Yeah," Naruto agreed. But the young girl wasn't quite satisfied with just talking...

Sasuke could feel his stomach begging for food. "I think it's about time we go back," he said. God only knew what was running through Kakashi's sick mind with each passing second they were gone.

He turned, only for a hand to gently clasp his own.

"Hold it, Sasuke-kun." The boy faced her. Naruto grinned at him salaciously, crystal eyes sparkling. "That third kiss... I want it now."

"N-now?" Sasuke stammered, his meticulously crafted poise compromised.

"Uh-huh," she said in a predatory tone. "We should at least share a kiss before we put this on hold, right? Or is that you can't smooch a girl without sneaking it on her?" Naruto asked coyly.

Sasuke was easily provoked by the challenge and afforded her his undivided attention. Back straightening to draw himself up to his full height, Sasuke squared his shoulders. Looking her body over, he was unsure of what areas were safe to touch intimately without getting punched in the face. Every inch of orange presented large warning signs to him. "Hn..."

Naruto rolled her eyes at his indecision as she took hold of his other hand. "Your hands go, here," she instructed, guiding them down to her hips. Sasuke instinctively squeezed, making Naruto inhale sharply. He smirked down at her as she pouted. "M-my hands go around your shoulders," Naruto said, guiding her palms over toned arms to rest at the base of his shirt's high collar.

He felt surprisingly relaxed considering the emotional ninja could start strangling him at any moment. It sort of tickled, but her hold was invitingly warm.

Thinking about their embrace, Sasuke was compelled to ask, "How do you know this? Do you spy on couples or something?" Sasuke asked, giving her a funny look.

Naruto's nose crinkled. "No, you jerk! I'm not one of your sick fangirls! I, uh, may or may not have read a thrashy romance novel or two in the past," the kunoichi said evasively, averting her eyes. She glared as Sasuke made a sound that indicated contained laughter. "Shut up! They weren't even my books and I was bored!"

"Whatever you say, Naruto." All traces of humor vanished when he thought her hands were creeping toward his throat. Thankfully, they passed his windpipe. Fingertips wove into his hair as Naruto's hands clasped onto the sides of his face with a delicate touch he'd never known her to have. She softly turned his head so they were looking directly at one another. Sasuke drank in her expression: it somehow conveyed both vulnerability and danger, daring him not to be gentle.

It was happening. For the third time they were going to kiss.

Sasuke found it unforgivably absurd how nervousness rooted itself inside him. The boy's legs were as shaky as his breathing, as if he were blanketed by a heavy killing intent. He had now fought a ninja almost to the death, but this anticipation was overpowering. Naruto had such a cute expression and she smelled so nice... He leaned in.

Uzumaki Naruto was every bit as jittery, her scarlet blush fierce. As Sasuke's face closed in, she guided his mouth to hers. Centimeters apart, Naruto shut her eyes.

"Bastard," her warm breath wafting against his skin.

"Idiot," his arms encircling her.

Their lips connected and it was blissful. It began as a chaste peck that offered a small taste of each other, but Sasuke impatiently deepened the kiss, his mouth hungrily devouring hers. Naruto happily reciprocated his advance, her head tilting so naturally, giving him better access to her. Soft hands slipped away from Sasuke's face, sweeping down his chest until they grasped the sides of his blue shirt.

Remembering Naruto's earlier critique of his lacking aptitude for kissing, one of Sasuke's hands raised to her face, caressing her cheek. He ran his thumb over the whisker-like birthmarks, finding the grooves distinctly rough. Naruto made a sound that gave him little other choice than to pull her closer with the arm around her waist.

Sasuke's lungs were burning; he realized that breathing had slipped his mind during the exchange. Naruto was having the same problem, unable to breath while lip-locked. Even knowing they needed to break apart for oxygen, it was tempting to remain as they were, wanting the sensation to last.

The kiss ended with great reluctance, Naruto and Sasuke both pulling themselves back. They stared into each other, panting heavily, more so than even sparring warranted. The girl looked up at Sasuke almost desperately before burying her head in his shoulder. Sasuke rested his chin atop golden tresses, absently strumming fingers through one tail of hair as they hugged.

"Awesome," Naruto murmured breathlessly into his chest. That was easily the most fantastic experience of her young life. Naruto couldn't help but want more. Face flushed, she lifted her head and stood on the tips of her toes to plant another kiss on Sasuke.

Sasuke stared at her advance. Something slipped from his mouth. "So it's fish and rice for diner?" he asked in haste. His face soured when his voice reached his ears.

Naruto shoved him away before she doubled over from breath-stealing laughter, bracing her hands on her knees. "Sasuke! There you go killing the mood!" she said, voice raspy. Having the air rush out of her body after just regaining it left Naruto a little dizzy.

Arms locking behind her, Naruto arched her back and sighed. Staring up at the leaves and branches, she was a little embarrassed to have gotten so carried away. Discreetly she glanced at Sasuke, grinning when she noticed his gaze. She sprang up like a blade of grass. "Okay, I suppose I did say just a third kiss, so you'll have to earn the fourth, pal."

The boy scoffed and looked away. If they had continued any further he wasn't sure he would be able to rein in his urges. He wasn't ready for that, not yet. But sometime in the future... Sasuke smiled. "Hn, now I definitely have something to look forward to," he said warmly. His kunoichi companion smiled prettily in return.

Sasuke's face warped into a conceited smirk. "I'll be waiting for you to become Hokage, Naruto."

"Yeah right! I'll be waiting for you to catch up!" Naruto said haughtily.

A promise was been made between the kunoichi Uzumaki Naruto and the shinobi Uchiha Sasuke.

"Okay, now we can head back," Naruto said. She grabbed Sasuke's hand, tugging him along. He didn't protest; there wasn't a problem with them holding hands, at least until they got to the house. Naruto swung their arms back and forth in an exaggerated fashion, humming a chipper tune, eyes closed. To think that she was going to be an immensely feared ninja one day...

"You know, I was surprised. You had me thinking there wasn't any girl that could hold your interest, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke glanced with an intrigued brow. "Like I said, you're no ordinary girl."

Naruto made a happy sound. "I know. But still, I thought if anything you'd be more into someone like you. You know, quiet, stick in the mud... Like Shino." Sasuke stood stock-still, planting his feet into the ground.

"What?" he said flatly.

Naruto chuckled nervously. "Funny thing is... You'll laugh, really. See, I thought..."

---

Sitting on the roof, Kakashi halfheartedly read his favorite book. He couldn't quite enjoy it the way he liked. Two of his students had walked off into the night to discuss personal matters, which left him on the fence: should he intervene with his ninja or leave the adolescents be?

Teammates becoming romantically involved was a story as old as the system of three-man squads, even when a team was comprised solely of one gender. Small infatuations were inevitable between hormonal teenagers forced to spends hours a day together, although it wasn't exclusive to genin. Throughout Konoha's history many jonin found their spouses in one of the teams to which they were assigned in their careers.

But these budding romances between comrades didn't always have happy endings. Sometimes there were love triangles that could tear apart an otherwise stellar team. And it didn't always last between two ninja. Fallout from a relationship that went south could deteriorate a lengthily forged unity in months or minutes. There were no acts of betrayal, but not everyone could recover from heartbreak or put aside their emotions. Shinobi were still human, after all.

If everyone involved was fortunate, appropriate reassignments would be made. If not, the team could be killed due to personal problems.

Konoha didn't have a standing policy against its military personnel dating amongst themselves, but measures were taken. Individual cases were left at the discretion of the squad's leader. Kakashi could enact his right to forbid fraternization, and would do so without fail should he feel that romantic entanglement would compromise the team in any way. Should the need arise, it was his responsibility to protect his students from themselves.

He did trust their judgement, however. Naruto and Sasuke were each fairly mature concerning their careers. And Sasuke at least was the type to keep his private affairs separated from his work, excluding his vendetta. Naruto, on the contrary, would have the whole of Konoha's female population between ages six and twenty trying to woo her boyfriend, so she would likely be more vocal about a mutual relationship with the Uchiha. Kakashi merrily wondered if that would lead to a scandal...

Ah, but that would be outside the scope of his responsibilities. Kakashi nodded to himself as he decided to recuse his person from the issue, unless it mandated attention.

"NO I AM NOT GAY!" Kakashi sat up sharply as he heard Sasuke's bellow. The irritated youth stomped into the house.

"Sasuke-kun, wait! I didn't mean it!" Naruto implored, likely chasing after him. A door slammed inside the house.

Kakashi chuckled. Besides, it could be entertaining to watch this centuries old feud laid to rest.

---

Two weeks later, Team 7 stood on the finished bridge that connected Fire Country and Wave Country. Zabuza and Haku were going to join them, the gruff nuke-nin having finally given a definitive answer.

The family that played host to the ninja was present to see them off, as well as one of the builders, Giichi. Inari was teetering the edge of bursting into tears, but managed to prevent any leaks from his eyes.

"We're super sad to see you go," the master bridge builder lamented. He gave the group another once-over, eyes lingering on Zabuza. "Most of you, anyway."

Kakashi nodded as the swordsman made a face under his bandages. "Thank-you for your generous hospitality and patience," Kakashi said. His students and Haku bowed.

"Oh, it was no trouble at all," Tsunami assured. "I'm actually going to miss having so many people stay with us. Here's a few bento to take on the road." Tsunami presented them with a neatly tied bundle.

Sasuke stepped up with impressive speed. "I'll look after those, thank-you." He securely placed them into his pack, taking out a few kunai and shuriken to make space, stuffing them into his equipment pouch. Kneeling down he was unable to ignore Inari's watery stare. "We'll visit if we can manage it," Sasuke pledged.

"Yup!" Naruto chirped.

"I'm certain things will have improved a great deal by then," Hinata said. She wondered if it was too audacious of her low rank to recommend an outpost on the island nation. "Please be sure no harm comes to Gatou," Hinata requested. "I may still have use of him."

He didn't like it, but Tazuna nodded. "You have my word."

Inari hiccuped. "I'm gonna miss you, Aniki."

Sasuke felt several stares on his back. Up until this point he'd been able to keep the kid from calling him that in front of others. He tapped Inari's head. "See ya later. Stay strong."

Inari nodded stiffly.

"Can we hurry up the teary goodbyes?" Zabuza said agitatedly. "I'd like to get to the road today."

"Zabuza-san," Haku said. Though in truth he also felt restless from staying in one place for so long. Hopefully the feeling would not persist once they made it to the Hidden Leaf Village.

Kakashi eye-smiled. "We're off! Take care of yourselves and your country."

Tsunami crossed her arms under her chest. "Promise to do the same, Sensei," she said sternly, but with a soft undertone. The jonin scratched his head and nodded before leading the group of six down the bridge.

The Nami no Kuni residents watched with an amalgam of joy, sadness, and pride as the travelers' backs shrank into the distance. Tazuna eyed the red spirals on Kakashi's and Naruto's backs. It had been prodding something in his head for a while, but he couldn't remember what it was.

"It was all thanks to them that we were able to complete the bridge," Tazuna said fondly, as if recalling a distant memory, already missing Squad 7.

Giichi said, "You know, we still haven't gotten around to naming the bridge, Tazuna."

"Oh yeah! I knew I forgot something," Tazuna grumbled, scratching his goatee. "Hm, what to call it..." The red spirals kept popping up in his head for some reason... and then his brain unearthed the memory. Tazuna chuckled. Of course, that was perfect. "You all might not be aware of this, but a long time ago, one of the islands was home to a ninja village."

Inari looked up at his grandfather with a face that could only be made by a fascinated child. "Really? A ninja village, here?"

Tazuna nodded, smiling sadly. "But it was destroyed in the age of shinobi wars. I only remember the name of one clan in particular that belonged to the village, a greatly feared batch of shinobi." He strained his old eyes to look at the tiny speck of orange in the distance. "They were called the Uzumaki clan."

"No way!"

"Father, is that true?" Tsunami asked, suspicious he was pulling their legs.

"You bet it is. Don't you see? It can't be coincidence! That girl returned to her ancestors' home to restore peace to the land. That's why the perfect name is: The Great Uzumaki Bridge!" Tazuna declared grandly.

Giichi shook his head. "Unbelievable."

Tugging on the hem of his mother's dress, Inari said, "Mom... I think I wanna be a ninja."

---

Without a civilian in their midst, the group was able to travel quickly through the trees, jumping from branch to branch. Kakashi was setting a somewhat demanding pace.

Probably doesn't want to get court-martialed, Naruto thought cheerfully. Bout time his tardiness bit him in the ass.

She couldn't wait to sleep in her own bed again. And the payday that was waiting for Naruto spurred her onward. Between the mission pay and the bounty, she wasn't sure what to spend it on. She flipped acrobatically in air, letting out a laugh.

"Hey, dumbass," Sasuke called from her side, looking ahead stiffly. The blonde scowled in his direction, not slowing at all. "Hn, you actually looked. There are three bento... Wanna share with me when we stop for a break?"

Naruto smiled. "If you insist, Sasuke-kun. I won't make you beg. This time."

---

I HAVE RETURNED!

See? I told you I didn't abandon the story. Thank you all for your patience. I've hopefully improved my writing during my absence from fanfiction. In fact, I know I've gotten better. Maybe I've even "grown the beard," as they say on tv tropes.

I want to give a big thanks to Flash Tempest's beta, Psalm of Fire, who put a tremendous amount of time and energy into helping me refine and improve this chapter and my writing style. Thanks Psalm, much appreciated.

Important: I've made several edits to the previous six chapters. All changes are noted at the bottom of each chapter. They don't have an impact on the plot, they were made mostly for clarity's sake. After all, it's not like it's a published book, so if I can fix mistakes, I should. I'd just like you all to be aware that the changes were made.

I've learned my lesson about making promises with updates. I'm so sporadic I have no idea when I'll complete a chapter, but let us hope it is with due haste.

It's good to be back.