Naruto: Shadowed Light

By Stone Shield

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters involved, though I wish I did.

AN: Yeah, sorry for the lateness. A lot has been going on. Towards summer's end I had to help around a lot. And then when the semester started up, I started writing some other stuff. I'll probably submit a few other stories, just as trial runs. But I'll try to update more frequently. Thanks for waiting.

Hello/Normal Speech

Hello/Thought

Hello/Demon or Summon Speech

Hello/Demon or Summon Thought

Chapter 7

He was a very light sleeper. That said, he was shocked when Kyubi entered his dreams warning him of an approaching figure. It was weird really, instead of suddenly finding himself in a nightmare, he'd just drifted off into a fog. That was the only way to describe it, a world of fog. There was one thing that stood out though, the overwhelming, almost compelling scent. At first he couldn't identify it, but that changed soon enough. Exploring the strange dream realm, he saw a figure in the distance. Yet, no matter what, he couldn't get any closer to it. And it never even occurred to him to wonder why he wanted to get closer to the figure in the fog. His dream was interrupted by his sister's hand on his shoulder, bringing him from his dreams into the area in which she resided.

"Nechan, what is it?" he asked politely, staving off the urge to let out a big yawn. The female kitsune giggled at the portrayed image of her brother in his mind. When he didn't notice, or focus, his image would fluctuate, reflecting the feelings that he normally repressed. She remembered how she'd woken him once in the middle of the night, and even though he was acting polite, the mental image of him was yawning widely, it's eye twitching in a glare. She'd nearly fallen over in laughter at the sight. "You fell asleep and I didn't want to wake you, but someone is coming", she supplied. "Kakashi-sensei?", he asked her, there were few people he knew of that weren't Jonin, that could sneak up on him. With his senses being enhanced, and his sister watching over him, provided he wasn't knocked unconscious he could respond to most any threat.

"No, not him, but it's someone skilled in stealth", she responded slowly, her eyes closed as she tapped into his senses. Biting her lip in concentration, "I can't tell. It's not anyone I recognize…But they seem to have noticed that you're here. They're coming toward you"

Haku's Point of View: She was in the middle of herb gathering to help Zabuza-sama, when a familiar patch of golden hair got her attention. Looking closer, she realized it was the same blonde who had fought with him. Once she'd recovered his body and set him on the path to recovery, he'd made an interesting note about the boy.

-Flashback-

Haku replaced the old bandages around her master's torso. The poultices already healing the exterior damage from the Water Vortex Jutsu he'd caught full in the chest. The former Mist Jonin grunted slightly as she tightened the bandages. "Ugh, always inflicting pain, Haku? Sometimes I think you're a sadist…like me", he chuckled raspily. She just smiled at his comment. He'd often said she was too kind, that she wasn't a killer at heart. "You need to conserve your energy, Zabuza-sama, if you are to fight Hatake-san again", she encouraged. "Next time, I will crush the Sharingan", he intoned in a deadly voice. But she watched as his eyes shifted in thought. "Zabuza-sama?", she asked. "Haku…I want you to be careful when you fight his runts. The girl is easy, and the dark-haired boy could prove an annoyance, but the blonde", he remembered his confrontation with the Genin like it had just happened. When he'd cut into him, his eyes…they weren't the eyes of a child. No…they were the eyes of a predator. The eyes of one used to pain. "Be careful if you fight the blonde. Something tells me he is a greater threat than he seems", the Jonin finished, and leaned back on the bed. Haku stared at him incredulously for nearly a minute, stunned, before leaving to search for medicinal herbs. But here was this same blonde ninja that her master was worried about. In his unconscious state, she could take him out now and he would never pose a threat. "But why does Zabuza-sama consider him to be a threat? He does not look like much…". Senbon in hand, she leaned down silently, preparing to stab through the side of his neck, severing the spinal cord, paralyzing him from the neck down. His brain would stop sending messages to his heart and lungs, and he would die. She nearly screamed in surprise when a hand shot out and held her arm in a vice-like grip. The boy's eyes shot open, revealing twin blue orbs, each as cold as ice. "As normal as it is to find someone trying to kill me in my sleep, I'm surprised to find someone in another village trying to do the same. Though, you should give yourself some credit, there are few who can sneak up on me, even in my sleep", he spoke icily. "Who would want to kill me in Wave?", he wondered, while at the same time Haku was thinking, "It's normal to him for people to try to kill him? But Zabuza-sama said they were new Genin, fresh from the Academy. Is this what he meant about him being different?".

Seeing the weapon as a trio of senbon needles in her hand, the young jinchuriki's eyes widened in understanding. "Ahh, now I see. You are the Hunter-nin. I thought your smell was familiar". To Haku's surprise, he let go of her arm. Getting up, he brushed stray leaves and dirt off of him. Satisfied that he was more presentable, "What?", he asked innocently, seeing the look of confusion on her face. "Why did you let go? Why haven't you tried to kill me?", she asked, as if it were the most obvious question in the world. "You hesitated. When I was still asleep, I could sense your movements, and, for a bit, you hesitated. Most people, whether on orders or not, would have gone immediately for the kill to get rid of an obstacle", his answer adding to the amazement she felt. "An obstacle? What makes you think that you are that much of a danger to me? And if you must know, I was thinking of the quickest way to kill you, that was why I hesitated", she stated uneasily, hoping to throw him off. "Assume what you wish. But I have learned to read a person's intentions very quickly, as, often enough, my survival depends on it". He locked eyes with her, and for the life of her she was unable to look away. Oh, she tried, but it was as if something was physically holding her head in place. "You are far more innocent in life than you speak. I see pain, but also happiness. And there is more good in you than you would believe", he whispered. She though, was nearly as proficient in reading a person, so taking her chance, she tried to discern an idea of who this was she was talking to. Eyes full of sorrow, loneliness, and pain…but also light and warmth. It surprised her, the emotions she saw in those eyes. Few who weren't skilled could tell what they held within. Finally though, she felt the invisible force locking their eyes together fade.

"I will not harm you, unless you make a move to harm me", he spoke, and sat down against a tree some feet away. She nodded, and began to once again pick herbs. "You are making a poultice for Zabuza's wounds then. Tell me, miss Hunter nin-san-" "Haku, please, and I'm a boy" "Naruto Uzumaki. And don't lie. I can tell, you are female. Tell me, Haku-san, why do you follow Zabuza? Most people would be immediately inclined to run the opposite way when meeting him" It shocked her to find out that he could see through her façade. Most people she met never saw through the fact that she really was a she, and not a he as she portrayed herself to throw others off. As much as she tried to hide her laugh, a small smile managed to slip past her guard and passed over her lips. What he said about Zabuza-sama was true. There were times when some employers had peed in their pants upon meeting him for the first time. "Zabuza-sama…found me. I was a child on the streets and he took me in. He made me feel-" "Necessary", he finished. Eyes wide, she looked to the blonde. Naruto remembered, before the accident, when villagers and ninja alike refused to even acknowledge he existed. "Nothing is worse than having no purpose, no reason to exist". She nodded dumbly, "He knows. But how?", she wondered. "Why would you be treated like that?", her voice faltering. "If I answer, will you do the same?" "Yes" "Because of what I am. I am a…bad memory. A remnant of a nightmare. And as such I was hated and scorned, as if I was that nightmare." She couldn't believe what she was hearing. This boy's past was almost exactly like her own. "And you?", he asked. "I…", she was conflicted about revealing this much information about herself, but he had been truthful, if a little vague. She didn't have to give too much information. "…I was born in the Land of Mist during the Bloodline War. People with bloodlines were being hunted down and killed because of their bloodlines." The blonde, Naruto, nodded as she spoke, "So, he knows a little history", she thought. "So, to stay safe, those with bloodlines hid them. My mother possessed one such bloodline and was able to hide it…until I was born", a tear escaped her left eye. "When I was five, I accidentally activated my bloodline. My mother, she was so scared, she punished me. But my father saw. That same day, my father", she spat the word like it was poison, "He and several villagers killed my mother. And then they tried to kill me. I…I simply reacted. My fear caused my bloodline to activate and everyone was killed. I lived on the streets for two years before Zabuza-sama found me and took me in. He gave me a purpose, a reason to exist."

"Tell me, do you have someone that is…precious to you?" she asked. It gave her some satisfaction to see that this time it was she who had caught him flat-footed. "I'm sorry, what?", he asked, confused as to what she meant. A silent giggle shook her body, even though no sound escaped her lips. "When a person has someone that is precious to them, it is then that they are truly strong". A thoughtful look entered his eyes for a second before answering, "I…think so. There are few, but there are people I know who have shown me great kindness, many who have saved my life, some, my soul, and like you, some who have given me a purpose, to protect them", he answered slowly, weighing his words. "It is when we protect that which is precious to us that we are strongest", she added. From his answer, he was close to understanding. It wasn't because of a feeling of debt that you protected them. When he learned the real reason, his strength would know no bounds. "And Zabuza, he is your precious person?" "He is. I must go", she said, her basket full of the healing plants. "As must I", he answered, standing up. For a second the two regarded each other. Each saw a person of great strength and worth. "I wish you well in protecting your precious person, Haku-san", he spoke, bowing to her. "And I wish you the same, Naruto-kun. I hope we will meet again", and turning, she walked away, soon leaving the clearing and out of sight. Tears fell from his face, "For your sake and mine, Haku-san…I hope we don't", he whispered sadly. If they met again, it would be in battle, a battle where one of them would surely die.

"I'm sorry, otouto, that's just how it is. You will meet people in life, some will be allies, some will be enemies. Said titles don't say much about them. You can have an ally that you hate, as well as an enemy that you may love. It's just how things are.", Kyubi spoke up, trying to comfort her otouto. It was unbelievably difficult to get an emotional response from him. But she understood why. The girl was just like him, and like him she'd suffered greatly in life. He didn't want to be the cause of more suffering. "He understood most of what she said. But he doesn't quite understand about 'precious people'. She meant more than just protecting them because you owe them. But he'll figure out soon, hopefully" Part of her wanted to ask Kami why it is that those who are destined for greatness must suffer, but she knew the answer. It is through struggle that they grow and strive. And in her otouto's case, to protect those that have meaning to him. "It's nearly 7am, that sensei of yours will be up any minute now…if his porn doesn't distract him. You'd best hustle back to that old grouch's house".

At Tazuna's, Naruto found the others were still asleep, though Kakashi was just waking up. Sitting at the table, he noticed several odd things about Uchiha-san. He had a slight limp, like his hamstring had gone under considerable strain, and he seemed to favor his left arm, just slightly, and was yawning. He'd been training all night, he guessed. And since Kakashi wasn't hovering over him, he had to assume that the Jonin was responsible. Not that he minded, he was used to training by himself, he just wished their 'sensei' wouldn't leave anyone out. He was a survivor, but Haruno-san was in desperate need to be trained. Of everyone, she needed the most work. She had the stamina and chakra reserves of an infant. Even for a fresh out of the Academy kunoichi, her reserves were small. Incredible control only took one so far. He hated to play the part of the snitch…"…But if this continues, I'll have to add it to my report to Sandaime-ojisan", he thought. He'd warned Kakashi, and for a time the Jonin seemed to take his words to heart, but it seemed that the man had a short attention span. Sure, he'd given him the seals for the Water Dragon jutsu, as well as information concerning it, but that was in exchange for teaching them some attacks. He'd chosen those jutsus for one simple reason, they were flexible. Well, that and those were the jutsu on his reject list. He was proud of the jutsus he'd created, but few found themselves on the official family scroll that was hidden back in Konoha. The jutsu that went on that scroll were ones that seemed to fit him, more than others.

"Good morning, Tsunami-san", he greeted the woman who was serving out portions of the breakfast. "Good morning, Naruto-kun", she replied with a smile at the young man. "Well, I'm feeling better, so starting today we'll be splitting up. One of you will watch Tazuna-san while I train the other two of you", the cycloptic Jonin spoke up in a casual manner. "He'll send Haruno-san", thought Naruto. The Jonin didn't seem to want to let him out of his sight lately. "Sakura, why don't you go with Tazuna-san, today. And Naruto will take tomorrow's shift." "Wow…that's surprising" his sister said wryly. "He knows as we do that Zabuza will return in a few days. This will give him the chance to prep Uchiha-san further and give him a break the day before the attack is expected. But then again, I could be seeing this a little too cynically. He could actually train Haruno-san until then". "Doubtful, bias is a hard habit to kick".

Once Tazuna and Sakura had left, Kakashi had once more brought the remaining members of Team 7 to the same spot in the forest where they had been tree climbing. Stopping in front of the two, Kakashi rounded on them. "Okay, I think you two need to get a few things off your chests. So, to clear the air, you two will fight a taijutsu only battle. No weapons. I'll decide the winner when I see one of you is unable to continue the fight. Okay?" Looking for the affirmative from them, Sasuke responded with a "Hmmph" and slid into the taijutsu stance he'd been working on with him. After a wordless glance, Naruto nodded his head in assent before moving into a relaxed form of his own. "It seems he wants to test you both", Kyubi laughed at the hilarity of how much they underestimated her otouto. "If that is what he wants…so be it", he would give the Jonin and the Uchiha a small taste of what he could do, and it would be a test for the completed first kata. "Ready?...Hajime!"

Uchiha-san shot at him with fair speed for a genin. It was a precarious start as he had a tough time dodging, due to his weights slowing him down. The dark-haired boy unleashed a series of quick punches at his face, which he barely dodged, and was almost caught in the legs by a sweeping kick. "What's the matter…can't keep up? Why don't you fight back, dobe", Sasuke spat as he chased the blonde all over the clearing. Without saying a word to acknowledge he'd heard his assailant, Naruto kept dodging and parrying, blocking moves that he couldn't avoid. This went on for nearly five minutes before the Uchiha's anger got the better of him. Already puffing from the exertion of staying on the offensive and keeping up with the blonde, he'd made a high kick to Naruto's face, then set up for a donkey kick to the stomach while his vision was full…but to no avail. After six or seven minutes of fast paced movements, there was a big difference between the two. While the Uchiha was red in the face and sweating, Naruto didn't appear to be winded in the slightest and showed no signs of being close to it. "Why…won't you…fight…me?", the boy panted. "I don't need to, Uchiha-san. You beat yourself by tiring yourself out. If there is one thing I will tell you about myself, Uchiha-san. It is that in a battle of attrition…I have no equal. But if it is a fight you desire, I will give you one". Disappearing in a quick burst of pure speed, he appeared in front of a shocked genin, and bashed him in the skull with a rock hard fist. But that was not the end. As Sasuke's head was lowered by the force of the impact. He watched, stunned, as Naruto's left knee came at his face, smashing into his chin. It was a mystery to him how he came through without a broken jaw, as powerful as it felt. As he was jerked straight up, the same leg, still in the air, extended at the knee and the foot shot into his solar plexus knocking the air out of him. "WHOOOOOF!", he heard Uchiha-san gasp as he fell to his knees, struggling to breathe. Deciding to finish it, he raised his hand to chest level and, palm open and exposed, made a sharp cutting motion. There was a pick up of wind in the area, followed by a "clink" of metal. He had made the attack as weak as possible but as precise as he was able and his hit had been true. "Thank you, Gai-sensei", he mentally praised the man who'd helped him perfect his style. And to fill in the gaps he'd added several of his Strong Fist and the Sandaime's Monkey style, which helped to throw off his opponent. "That's enough!", Kakashi barked, shunshining in between the pair and catching the falling Sasuke.

He couldn't believe what he'd seen. Well, actually, he could, but it didn't make it any less unbelievable. Naruto had taken down Sasuke in a series of attacks in under eight seconds. The moves the blonde genin had used were precise and powerful. What little offense he'd used seemed reminiscent of Gai's attack style, but with a combination of dexterity foreign to the style, almost like the Monkey style, both styles he'd seen enough to be able to pick out. And that finishing move, he'd sliced the hitai-ate off of Sasuke's head using a wind attack, without breaking the skin. That took exceptional control and experience with a technique. Sasuke had been to aggressive and wasteful in the fight, using up all his energy in the hopes of keeping his opponent on edge and tiring him out…a bad tactic to use against the blonde. Kakashi doubted he himself could ever really outlast the blonde on a pure chakra and stamina level.

"I…I'm not done…yet", Sasuke croaked, finally managing to refill his lungs with the precious air that they'd forcibly expelled. Pushing away from Kakashi he'd managed to stand, shakily, on his own. "The fight is over, Uchiha-san. I was fully aware of what you would do before the fight began. Your movements, like you, lack patience, the ability to wait. I used your strength against you, and as we see, you can barely stand", Naruto replied calmly. "That is the reason for the jutsu I taught you being a defensive one. You can't always attack. And if you ever get into a fight where you're in over you're head, you not only have to be able to realize it, but to be patient and think your way through instead of just fighting offensively, and stupidly. It was something I'd hoped Kakashi-sensei would have brought up in your private training".

Pulling away from the supportive arm the Jonin was giving him, Sasuke stared hard at the blonde. All the time there was something about the blonde and how he fought that felt wrong. And now, seeing the cold, calculative eyes, with just a hint of pity…it enraged him, for those were the same eyes that HE had looked at him with. His brother. The one he needed to kill. His fingernails bit into his palm as he reined in his emotions. There might be some proof to what the blonde said. He had beaten him, him, an Uchiha, and wasn't even tired. Was there another way to fight? He'd always thought about how he needed to keep pushing forward, it was his policy for life and training. To train defensively…that would mean that he was weaker than his opponent. But he wouldn't need to be defensive if he was stronger than his opponent. All he needed was power, to hell with defense.

"Ne, wasn't that a bit much, Naruto?", Kakashi mused after he'd leaned the bruised Uchiha against the tree. "Says the Jonin with an unofficial apprentice, whi I might add is too hot headed for his own good", the blonde replied, countering the man. "Listen, Kakashi-sensei, in the next fight, Uchiha-san will be facing someone of unknown skill. To be able to hit the precise points in the neck is not something a genin or most Chunin, for that matter, can do. And with his…aggressive nature, do you want Uchiha-san to face someone like that? You know what would be the end result of such a fight", the ring of truth sounding in the blonde's words. Kakashi eyed the subject of their conversation. "At least he can't hear us, over here", he sighed. "True, but I think Sasuke's natural skills should serve him well. And if he faces that faux Hunter-nin, I don't doubt he'll be able to hold his own. And if he needs help, I'm sure you and Sakura will be there to help him finish the job". It was hard to miss the wince on the normally composed face of the blonde. This confused Kakashi to no end, "Now what's wrong with him?", he wondered. Outloud, "Is something wrong, Naruto?" "No, nothing" he whispered, to him, a horrible lie, "It will be my burden to bear". He could at least guarantee that if it came down to it, he would take Haku's life as painlessly and quickly as possible.

Moving away from the Jonin, he looked for a tree to work against. Kakashi-sensei had ordered him to stay within hearing, but he wasn't planning on doing anything fancy. "This will do", he whispered, looking at the towering giant of an oak in front of him. Cracking his neck, he got into a loose Strong Fist position, and just as he and Lee had done for recent months, began to work the tree over. Extreme physical exertion had always been welcome to him, as the Hokage had once said, "When you look at something with all your attention it can ruin your focus. You'd be surprised how much clearer things look when you train". Naruto understood him wholeheartedly. "Why did it have to be like this?", he wondered. Not that he would ever admit, but as stoic and restrained as he appeared, at times a hurricane of thoughts and emotions was boiling underneath the surface. Haku was the same as him…an outcast. Hated and feared, just for being alive. "I don't understand…if Kami exists, how can he/she/it, whatever, allow this to happen?". He remembered the look in her eyes when she spoke of her past. She had experienced something very close to what he had, and there was no denying how that changed you. Experiences like that…robbed you of all innocence…of your belief in humanity. But they both had found someone who believed in them and their right to live. And now, they would face each other from opposite sides of the kunai. "This was never something you could avoid. Some things happen for a reason, they mold you into the person you will become", Kyubi supplied comfortingly.

He could feel his knuckles busting open, his ankles and legs, bruising down to the bone. Pain…pain was good. It was a constant reminder that he was still alive. He paid no heed though as he was lost in his own internal war. "How is this justified, nechan? If I had met Haku-san in some other place or time…", he stopped there, not knowing what to say. Kyubi understood though. This was the first human he'd met that he could actually relate to. Someone who could understand him, that he in turn could understand and empathize with. "Listen to me, otouto. There is darkness in the world, but there is far more light in it. You met that girl for a reason. You may not know why yet, but someday you will…and then you will thank her with all your soul" "Even if it is me who kills her?", he spat, sending a mental glare toward his sister. Ignoring the look of scorn, "Better you, someone who appreciates the waste of the act, than someone like the Uchiha who will consider it to be just another stepping stone down his dark path. Something I don't think you want Haku-chan involved in" "It isn't fair…it's not right…IT'S NOT FAIR!", and screaming those three words, sent a blast of chakra through his punch, leaving a crater, nearly half a meter across, in the large tree. Clearing his head, "I'm sorry, nechan, I should not have let my anger get the best of me", he stated almost robotically. "I…have been having trouble reigning in my emotions lately". "It's alright, otouto, and I know. You're not training by yourself anymore, you're spending a great deal of time with other people. It's only logical that your repressed emotions would bubble to the surface", and secretly, she was glad. It had been a very long time since he'd shown signs of strong emotion. Though she wished it was a different emotion than sadness. Now, she had an idea why he had been meant to meet that girl. She was a trigger, the initial catalyst in rehumanizing him. The other girl, Hinata, was important too, but it would be this mission that would play a big role. And maybe when it was all done, he would return to the way he was before they'd all beaten the happiness out of him.

That night, dinner was a quiet affair, Inari opting to eat alone in his room. Sakura was giving thoughtful glares at her blonde teammate, after seeing the multitude of bruises on her heart throb. There could only be one reason why her Sasuke-kun was covered in bruises and he, the mute baka, was not. "Cha! That's it. He sneak attacked him! Sasuke-kun must have been holding back and the baka got behind him and-", inner Sakura ranted, Sakura's eyes filling with anger. "Excuse me", the blonde spoke quietly, moving away from the table. "Goodnight everyone", and left, heading for the rooms where they rested.

"'Bout time. Loser was killing the mood", she grumbled, earning looks of distaste from Tsunami and Tazuna. "Oh yeah, feel the team spirit", Kakashi thought sarcastically. He was worried about the blonde, something that wasn't very common. He'd been acting odd since the talk of the next fight with Zabuza and his fake Hunter-nin. What was really worrisome was the fact that he had been able to peek at his training and not only had the boy not even noticed, but he was pulping the side of a tree. And he seemed almost lost in thought. What could be that disturbing? Was it the Demon? Damn, why did he have to have such a troublesome bunch of students? At times like this, the suicidal missions in ANBU seemed almost appealing. He shook the idea from his head. If he had stayed in ANBU he wouldn't have the time to read his book, nor would he risk the precious item at the hands of a missing nin.

The next morning it was Naruto's turn to guard Tazuna. So, while Kakashi-sensei was lecturing her on the need for her to increase her chakra reserves, the blonde and the old bridge builder left. It wasn't much of a walk. The bridge, and a massive one it was, was less than five miles away. Crates and piles of steel littered the construction site. And though the men worked, he could sense the fear and worry in the air, radiating off of them. Creating several Shadow clones, he sent them to watch over the area from key vantage points. The peaks of the bridge as well as the tops of nearby trees, soon were covered in blondes. If anyone tried to get to Tazuna or his workers then he would see.

Finding the amount of men at the site curious, he asked the old man. "Tazuna-san, are these all of the men in the village?" "Hmph, all that were willing to show up" "Excuse me?" "Gato's been leaning heavily on the villagers, threatening anyone who worked on the bridge. The men here are the ones who either have no family to worry about or have nothing to lose. Even still, they're so afraid that I usually lose a couple a day. The numbers have been dropping ever since we started", the wrinkled old man sighed wearily. Cracking his neck to relieve the tension, "This is the risk that needs to be taken in order for our village to survive and prosper once again. I don't care if it costs me my life as long as I know my daughter and grandson can live a better life." Naruto thought on that for a moment. "…Tazuna-san, would you like a few extra workers?" he asked simply, as if he could summon them out of thin air. If Tazuna only knew how easy it was for him to do it. "Well sure, where're you gonna find-" "Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!", the blonde intoned, and soon the end of the bridge was covered in a smattering of young blondes. "Is this enough?" the original, at least the one Tazuna thought was the original, asked. Eyes bulging and mouth agape, the bridge builder could only stutter out "Y-Yeah, th-that'll do." It never ceased to amaze him how many of those things the boy could make. And according to the Jonin, Kakashi, it was a high rank technique, or something.

Workers all over the bridge stared in shock at the shear numbers of the blondes before them. It was a veritable army of blondes! Several even poured out the contents of their canteens, figuring someone had put something in their water.

The day sped up as the blonde army went to work. There was much to be done, but mostly they simple did the heavy lifting, moving equipment and supplies for the workers to save time and energy for them.

Unknown Location: Zabuza grabbed an apple and with a little effort, grunting at the exertion, crushed it. Tossing aside the pile of pulp that was once an apple, he looked to Haku. "Tomorrow" he growled in anticipation, resolute in a faceoff. Haku merely watched from her position across the room. She would do as Zabuza-sama required, but deep down she was afraid of what she would find at the bridge. The boy she'd met in the woods, the boy who was like her, Naruto. "Tomorrow, Zabuza-sama", she responded robotically.

Meanwhile, in his office, Gato was meeting with a select group of bandits and thugs. He had called this meeting in anticipation to Zabuza's next fight with the Konoha ninja. "Zabuza already failed once. If he manages to win this time, kill him, and you'll each receive ten percent of what I was going to pay him. But win or lose, I want you to kill anyone and everyone on that bridge, you got me?" "Yes, Gato-sama", the gathered mercenaries chorused.

At Tazuna's, the Following Morning: Kakashi looked down at the blonde still asleep. Tazuna had informed him of the extent to which he had been helping him. It only made sense that the boy would suffer from heavy chakra drain as he used the chakra intensive jutsu so repetitively. Closing the door to the room as quietly as possibly, he turned to look at the gathered group. "Alright, from this point on we need to be wary of Zabuza showing up. Sasuke, Sakura, you guard Tazuna's sides, I'll lead." "But, Kakashi-sensei, what about the mute baka?", asked Sakura pouting at the earliness of her wakeup call from Kakashi. She didn't see how he got to sleep in when they had to leave so early in the morning. The cycloptic Jonin sighed shaking his head. "Naruto burnt himself out the other day from using too much chakra, he wouldn't be much use in his condition. So, we'll let him sleep. Come on, let's get going."

Naruto waited as long as possible. He needed the other members of Team 7 to think he was out of the picture so he could leave a guard behind for Tsunami and Inari, and it would be best if no one else knew about the protection. Exiting silently from the window, he leapt to the water below, landing on the surface with barely a ripple to show for his drop. Dashing off he headed to the edge of the woods near the house. Looking back at the building, he went through the short handseals. "Summoning Jutsu!" he called out in a hushed voice, a plume of smoke covering the immediate area. As the smoke dissipated, instead of one figure, there were now five. "Naruto-sama?", one asked curiously. He was still very new to the summons so there were few who recognized him. Fortunately, Kado was one to gossip, and word had gotten out among the kitsune and their bosses. "I am. Are you the ones Kado recommended? Tika, Gora, Nobu, and Hitaa?". In response, all four foxes nodded. Each stepping forward to confirm their names. Tika, a vixen, was a sleek kitsune with golden fur, and nearly the size of a fullgrown wolf. Gora, a hulking, scarred, male red fox, who was nearly twice the size of Tika, almost at the same size as Kado was. Nobu, a solidly built, rust brown male, had a nedium build but the look of someone who knew exactly what you were thinking. And finally, Hitaa, a vixen with silvery grey fur a little bigger than Tika, but with a slender frame. Something about her reminded him of a Jonin from Konoha, Anko Mitaraishi, a sadistic fighter.

"I'm expecting someone to try and hurt the people in this house. If anything like that happens, kill the attackers. But make sure nothing happens to the woman and child in the house, understand?" "Yes, Naruto-sama", the quartet chimed. "Thank you" and like a shot he was off to the bridge, somehow he just knew that today was the day. The day that Zabuza would return to finish his attack. The day where he would have to face off against Haku. Bouncing from tree to tree dreading the encounter, but if it was that kind of fight, there was no one he'd be more honored to fight against. Looking like a blur among the branches, leaving behind gashes in the bark where his chakra dug in. "I'm coming", he whispered to the wind.

AN: Again, I'm sorry this is put out so late. I hope you enjoyed it. Please review. And if they're out, read/review my other story(ies).