The Way To Your Heart - The Long Way Home

by NaruHinaRyu

Hinata was successfully kidnapped at 6, Naruto lost his first true friend. How will this change things? They face new trials & challenges, many Twists. Can they overcome them, find each other & find the way home? What is home anyway? A place,family or one that accepts you. This is how THEY find out & make it home. Ninja AU-Please read 1st AN for more info/FAQ. Give it a chance

10. Chapter 9- New Sensei, New Paths

The Way to Your Heart – The Long Way Home

Disclaimer- I do not own Naruto or anything, yada,yada,yada. Don't own anything, I just take the characters out and play with them for a bit. I do this for fun and not for any profit.

"Characters Talking"

-Characters thinking—

{~Flashback voice/memory~}

~Flashback~

AN: Always thanks to allmy great reviewers and followers! Thanks for the reviews! They make me want to write quickly, so keep them coming please. Even short ones. Thanks to my new followers and people who favorited my story!

Thanks to AlphaMike369, nightwind83, Spontaneousrebell, Guest, neostardustdragon101, Nanashi77, NarHina, luisdox, anime pryncess, jenuzumaki, saiyanvegeta1648, theblueswordsman, Melyin and bh18

PS: Nobody seemed worried for poor wittle little Zabuza. LOL. Sorry it took a bit. Juggling too many knifes. This chapter has my first real fight. Not too happy with it, but did not want to keep delaying the chapter any longer. Please be kind with the fight scene.

Chapter 9: Learning the New Paths

The kunais fell to the ground and Zabuza put his sword on his back again. He grinned.

"Is that it?"

"Uuu, the big guy thinks he's tough, because he carries a big sword" said one.

"Ha, ha. Do you think he's compensating for something?" said his partner.

"Listen here, this bitch belongs to the master and he is anxious to have her return. If you give her back to us, we will let you go nice and easy" Said the third one.

Haku frowned but remained silent. He pulled his senbons out.

Zabuza smirked and chuckled darkly. "Are you done now? I hope you have made your peace with the Shinigami. My Kubikiribocho is ready and hungry"

Zabuza seemed to glide forward. He pulled his sword in one swing and cut the head of the brat closest to him. "I guess he wasn't as scary as he thought he was. Haku, stay here and take care of them. I will take the mercenary squad in the perimeter, my Kubikiribocho is still very bloodthirsty" He jumped out of sight into the woods. In the distance screams were heard. They suddenly heard "Kirigakure no jutsu(hidden mist skill no jutsu)" The forest was suddenly covered in a thick mist.

"Do not worry Hinata. I will take care of them. Just stay silent" Haku moved into the mist. Hinata could hear the sounds of battle. They were close but she couldn't see because of the mist. She heard a scream to the left and couldn't take it anymore. She made a discreet hand signal and quietly mumbled "Byakugan"

The world seemed to explode around her for a minute. The world turned black and white and she could see in all directions. It made her dizzy for a few seconds, due to lack of practice. But she quickly adjusted. To her left Haku was fighting with the two bullies and was holding his own well. He had hit one of them in the shoulder. He was the one who screamed. He then backed away into the mist.

She could see Zabuza in the distance mowing the mercenaries down, cutting them in two with single strokes. She looked away from the massacre and concentrated back to Haku.

Haku kept out of reach and was using his senbons to hold the guy back. Haku was very fast, but so was his opponent. They deflected each other's strike, side stepped and parried again. They clashed and the kunai was held at bay by the metal senbon. Both were concentrating on the other's weapons.

"You should quit. That bitch needs to return to her rightful master"

Haku frowned angrily. "You will regret those words" Haku jumped back then ran forward and engaged him again. They twirled around each other again. Haku easily stopped his kunai strike with his senbon, which he held on his right hand. Haku pulled a second senbon with his left hand and stabbed the guy in the wrist. This guy also screamed and Haku started making one handed signals with his left hand.

Suddenly, the second guy stepped out of the mist and threw a kunai to Haku.

"Haku! Watch out! Move!" Hinata started to run to the second guy before she had time to think what she was doing. Her body just reacted and she tackled him as she hit his tenketsu on his left elbow. They tumbled and she continued her roll and stood up against him. He slowly stood up.

"You will regret that, you little bitch! I will laugh as you scream all the way back"

Haku side-stepped and pulled back, avoiding the kunai, thanks to Hinata's warning. He was furious as he heard the other guy. He twirled like a little tornado and gut close to the guy again. He tried to stab him with his senbon but the guy parried with his kunai again. Haku smirked as their weapons were entangled.

"No reprieve now" He started doing signals with his Lt. hand again. The bully could not believe it. –One handed signals?—

Haku smirked stomped his right foot and said, "One hundred needles of pain" as he stepped back the mist seemed to coalesce into multiple senbons that attacked and hit the bully.

"Let's see who screams now" and repeated the process as the guy screamed and fell to his knees.

The guy stood up again. "uhu, uha. No girls are going to stop us. We were trained by the master, repent"

Haku laughed. "If it makes it easier for your ego, I'm a boy. However, it is time to end this" He twirled and approached him one last time. He made similar signals but this time as he stomped his right foot he said. "One thousand needles of death" At least four times as many senbons seemed to appear out of thin air and stabbed him all over. The guy screamed and fell back, looking like a pincushion from all the senbons all over his body. Haku tied him up.

-NH-NH-NH-NH-

At the same time, Hinata had engaged the other bully while Haku fought. She concentrated on him. He had a kunai on each hand but after she hit his elbow, he could not move left hand which was contracted on the kunai. He held onto it uselessly. But kept trying to stab her with his right hand.

"You will pay for this" Hinata bend and twisted out of range. They seemed to dance around each other. He moved forward again and tried to stab her again. She bent sideways to her right ad hit his hand on the Left again making him drop the kunai, while his hand kept contracting painfully. He screamed and turned left to try and stab her.

Hinata kept bending to the right, then pivoted on her right leg as she bend backwards and stretched her hands. Standing on her hands, she completed a backflip and kicked him on his face with her left leg. He screamed and fell back.

He grazed her left leg, but she continued her backflips, away from him.

"Bitch!" He screamed and pulled a sword "I don't care what he wants. You are mine" He ran forward mindlessly. Hinata flipped back. He had range on her now and she could not get close. She continued to turn and flip out of the way. She hid in the mist and tried to move to his back with her byaugan active.

She had advantage at a distance from her byakugan but he seemed to sense her at the last minute of any approach. She kept backing out of the way gracefully and hid in the mist, but could not take him down. Hinata saw Zabuza's dagger where she dropped it in her surprise. She turned and ran to it.

"Where are you, little one? That's what the master says you know?" Hinata shivered as she picked up the dagger. She was not going back. The weight and size of the dagger made it hard for Hinata to try and throw it. She did not want to miss and she had never practiced with this dagger. Up close it would be.

She picked up some little rock and sticks and silently moved to his left side while hiding in the mist. She threw the stones and sticks to his right. He turned right and she silently approached and stabbed him in his left side. He lifted and rolled his left shoulder which turned his arm upwards and inwards. His forearm and hand hung limp but the roll made his elbow stood outwards. She was too close and he ended giving her an elbow blow which made her stumble backwards and fall, as he turned again.

The fall made her loose concentration, deactivating her byaugan. She looked up from the floor as he lifted his right-hand sword in hand and swung downwards. Hinata rolled out of the way into a tree. She not roll out of the way now. Hinata saw everything in slow motion. She looked up mesmerized as he swung again. At least she helped Haku. She saw Haku running in her direction as the mist cleared.

"You, useless bitch. You will serve the master or else"

Out of nowhere, a huge metalic blur appeared and his arm fell to the ground, sword in hand. "How about, or else" said Zabuza.

"Aghhhhh" He fell to his knees.

"I seem to be compensating fine, what do you think? You could always learn to compensate with one hand too, a shame, you won't live long enough"

"You will pay, aha, the master, aha, will never let her go. Aha. You cannot, aha, escape him. He will make you pay, aha" he said as he bled.

"I am quaking in my boots" Zabuza looked to his boots "I am trying to, I really am. But you shitstains did not even give my Kubikiribocho a good challenge, hell not even a good work out. Can't get excited about that"

"You, you…"

"Yeah, me. I know, here let me get your sword and your arm back" Zabuza picked the arm with the sword and tried to put it in his other hand, but he could not grab it and it rolled out of his hand to the floor. "That other arm of yours is pretty damn useless. Can't fight like that. Oh, well it was worth a try. I do need my dagger back" He pulled the dagger out and the guy eyes finally closed. He turned to Hinata.

"Haku is that other guy bundled?"

"Yes, sensei"

"Little lady, we need to talk"

"I…I…I told you, they would come. If you want…." Hinata could not look him in the eyes and looked downwards.

"We have a deal, do not make me repeat myself. I do not renege on deals, we mercenary live on that reputation. And I must say, I am not impressed by the master's help, so far. Hell, I like how you handled yourself. BUT there is more to your story isn't there?"

Hinata just shivered on the ground. –He knows! He must have seen me, he knows. What should I do?—

"I appreciate you warning Haku of danger. But how did you manage to see through my mist. Dumbass' arm here was damn useless. As I got close, your face looked funny too with them veins. Anything else you want to tell me? Like you're originally from say, Konohagure"

Hinata looked up, her eyes were set again. "Yes, I am from Konoha. I was a Hyuga. I have the byakugan. You can have my eyes and kill me, but you will not have my babies. They will not be slaves"

"Excuse me" said Zabuza.

"That was the master's plan to breed the bloodlines and get our babies for a future army. That's why he did not care if that man lay with me. He wanted my eyes, he was going to leave me blind to breed, when he found a new doctor. I won't let you or anyone steal my babies, they will not go through this" The whole time, she kept looking him in the eye.

Haku was shaking in anger, but remained silent. Zabuza looked back into her eyes. After what seemed like an eternity to Hinata, he turned to Haku and said

"That sounds like a big hassle to me. How much of the gentle fist, do you know?"

Hinata blinked in surprise. "Not much. I knew all the basic forms, but it's too stiff for me. I never was great at it"

"Hum, you seem to have done good enough" Zabuza walked to Haku. "I will be back shortly. Keep going to the original campsite we used on our way in. Next to the river at the base of the mountain"

Zabusa walked to the other guy that was all tied up and full of needles. Hinata recognized Haku's opponent and was surprised to see him twitch. He pulled multiple needles out of his abdomen and put him on his shoulder. He started to walk away. He stopped and turned to Hinata and Haku.

"I don't think, I introduced myself properly. I am a swordsman. Zabuza, one of the legendary seven swordsmen of Kirikagure. A swordsman understands the importance of his sword, his tools. I take care of my sword. You must sharpen them, prepare them for battle. You take care of them and they can take care of you. Otherwise they might break in a fight. Nothing worse than a dull, broken or abandoned tool. A shame on those that do not polish them" Zaku kept looking at her over his shoulder. "If you don't have where to go. If you don't know what to do. Become my tool, like Haku" Haku had a big smile on his face. "I will not lie to you. I will sharpen you to where you can take care of that shitstain of a master yourself. It won't be easy or nice, but I think you will make a fine tool. Think about it"

He started walking and said. "If not, our original deal stands. Just think of where to go. Oh, yeah. You can keep your eyes. My eyes see fine, not interested in changing them. I can take care of myself just fine without them. I prefer to collect special tools, like my dagger. I am intrigued on how sharp a tool they can become" He continued walking and disappeared into the night.

Haku approached Hinata with a big smile. "Please consider it Hinata. I will help you I promise. Zabusa sensei is straight, he doesn't lie"

Hinata was still in shocked and just blinked in silence.

"Come on, we should move. Can I see them?" Hinata looked at his and tilted her head. "Your actual eyes"

Hinata nodded and took her contacts out. She had been taking them out when she bathed, but was afraid to do otherwise. This would help with the upkeep of them at night. She looked up at Haku, who looked mesmerized. She could not help feeling exposed.

"Wow! They're pretty. How unusual"

"They have felt like a curse to me" she shrugged.

"I like them. They belong to you"

Hinata could not help smiling at Haku. He was so nice. Haku pointed to the trees and then jumped. "Want to try?"

Hinata looked at the tree and nodded. She wanted it bad. And Haku was not concerned about form.

"Will I slow you down?"

"It does not matter. It will be great practice. Sensei will be busy for a while, we just need to get away from the corpses and let the scavengers get them. Nobody will know what we did. Nobody is going to report back to him. A clean get away" He pointed to the tree again. "Well?"

"What is Zabuza-san doing?"

"He's talking to that guy. He will get all the information on the master that he can"

"Oh"

"Come on, I know you can do it"

Hinata jumped to the tree and got her balance quickly as she adhered to the tree limb with her feet. It felt great. She smiled and followed Haku to their other hideout.

-NH-NH-NH-NH-

Naruto ran to the hot springs as soon as soon as the classes were done. He looked for ero-sannin until h found him peeping at girls again.

"Oi, ero-sannin! Don't peep on girls! Pervert"

Jiraya jumped, grabbed him and covered his mouth. "Shhh. How many times do I have to tell you to be quiet"

Naruto bit his fingers and Jiraya let go with a yelp. "Pervert! I am here for training, not your perversions"

"No, you are here to take my test. Are you ready?"

Naruto nodded.

"I want you to run around the village twice as fast as you can and then come back here"

"What!"

"You heard me chicken, run or go away and don't come back. I will know if you cheat"

Naruto scowled but turned around and ran. Jiraya smiled. He turned and continue to do his research. Later Naruto arrived winded and sweaty.

"I'm, aha, back. I passed"

"I am afraid that is just the beginning. Now show me the jutsus you know"

Naruto got nervous and said, "I can do that at school, how about something else?"

Jiraya just crossed his arms and looked at him. Naruto just nodded and did them. Or at least attempted to do it in the case of the bushin no jutsu. His henge was ok, not exeptional. Jiraya just raised his eyebrow. Naruto braced himself for the scolding and to be dropped. He did not want that.

"I can do it, just give me a minute" He started to make the signals when Jiraya stopped him. Naruto's face lost all color. He did not want to hear the rejection, his face dropped, his hair covering his eyes.

Jiraya could not have rejected him, even if he wanted to and he did not want to. He looked too much like them and that expression tugged at his heart. Naruto was not behind because he wanted too. "I see, the problem is your chakra control"

Naruto looked up with wide eyes. "Chakra control?"

Yep. My test will teach you control and test your guts. Follow me"

"You aren't dropping me?"

Jiraya turned. "Do you want me to? "

"NO"

"Good, then shut up and follow me"

Jiraya took him to the solitary training ground and pointed to a tree. What I need you to do is climb it, all the way to the top" Naruto jumped and was grabbing for the tree, when Jiraya pulled his hand off the tree and told him. "Without using your hands. Only using your chakra"

"What? That's impossible"

Jiraya stuck his feet to the tree and climbed all the way to the top" He smirked down and said, "Don't bother me until you are finished"

"How?"

Jiraya explained the exercise to him and told him how to do it. Naruto tried and fell of the tree. Jiraya smiled and told him. "The test is for you to get to the top of the tree in 1 day or you will flunk. Let's see if you really have guts"

"I will have this down before then. Just wait, ero-sannin"

"Good, get busy. I have to write" Jiraya stayed writing, then eventually decided to call it a night. "Let's go to bed" He walked with Naruto to the village and waved him good bye. "See you tomorrow, kid!"

Naruto waited until he was out of sight, turned and ran back to the training ground. He had something to accomplish tonight.

-NH-NH-NH-NH-

Jiraya went to pick Naruto up at his home and could not find him. –Where could he be?— He could not have, could he? He went to the training ground where he found Naruto passed out sleeping. He smiled and kicked his sandaled feet lightly.

"Oi, brat. Waking time!"

"Ok, ok. Give me a minute. I'll get up in a bit"

JIraya shouted at the top of his lungs "Listen to me or you will fail! Why aren't you in school?

Naruto jumped up and looked around disoriented. Then he registered what ero-sannin said and got very nervous. "I'm going, I'm going. Sorry, I…"

"It's too late to go to school. But you got lucky brat. There's no school today. Ja, ja" Naruto pouted. "What are you doing out here anyway?"

"Prepare to be amazed! Ero-sannin. I did it! I can climb the tree" Jiraya looked at him amazed. Naruto took off and ran to the top of the tree. "I did it! He did a happy dance at the top and almost fell of the tree.

Jiraya laughed heartily, he could see Naruto was scrapped from practicing all night. "Well done, but you should not sleep outside or mess your daily routine. You would have been in in trouble if you had school today. You promised not to skip"

Naruto looked down embarrassed "I'm sorry, I just wanted to master the technique. I didn't think about it"

"I like your attitude. Giving one hundred percent is great but you should always think about what could happen afterwards. At least a little. Consequences matter to a shinobi. They could hurt your team, yourself in the end. You promised not to skip to be my student. If you miss school, even unintentionally, I would not be able to continue teaching you. Eagerness is great. Recklessness is not. Do you understand?"

Naruto nodded, he had been so focused on completing the test; on impressing his sensei that he did not think of anything else. If he completed the test but lost him as a sensei, everything would have been worthless. He had to be more careful.

Jiraya could see his thoughts reflected on his facial expressions. "Good" he did not want a foolish student. "Ready for more?"

Naruto eagerly nodded again. He almost jumped in excitement, when his stomach growled loudly.

"Someone's hungry? Ha, ha. Let's go. We will discuss seals during breakfast"

"Yes! Ramen!"

"No, we will have a nice breakfast, ramen is not for breakfast" Before Naruto had a chance to protest he added "You want to grow taller and stronger, correct?" Naruto nodded again. "Then listen to me. Ramen is for later in the day. Remember, I taught the yondaime hokage. After breakfast, we will discuss seals. You will tell and show me what you know, I will fill any gaps you have and we will start formal seal training. Afterwards you will exercise and practice your taijutsu, while I research. We will meet for lunch then you will practice chakra control, jutsus and your throwing skills until dinner. Got it?"

"Yes! Will you show me a new jutsu today? Wait 'till I show jiji!"

"We won't have this much time during school days, those afternoons will be mostly for seal training and chakra control. You will have done the rest at school. I will train you to the ground kid, but we will start with some basics before expanding, especially on new jutsus, but you will learn some eventually. Chakra control is basic to all jutsus. It may not feel like it, but it will make you a stronger in the end"

Naruto had a thoughtful expression and said. "Like improving my writing for seals?"

"Exactly" Naruto's stomach growled again and jiraya said "Let's go breakfast awaits" Naruto followed him happily.

-NH-NH-NH-NH-

Haku and Hinata made it to another campsite used by Zabuza.

"Here we are. We used this one on the way to our target. Zabuza sensei likes to scout the area and have choices, backups, if you will. It's not good to use the same route in and out. Zabuza sensei says that's too predictable but they make good alternative in case of emergency. Stealth is part of our life. It is part of the shinobi life. We are wanted too. You can't be predictable, even if we carried a sword as big as Zabuza sensei"

Hinata giggled. But Haku had a point. Wherever she went, she would have to hide. The master would always look for her. If she kept moving with them, she would be hard to find. She needed and wanted to get stronger. Both were strong. She already felt very comfortable with Haku. Yet, she hesitated, should she or should she not.

Haku noticed her faraway look, her indecision. "Hey, why don't I fix your hair while we wait for Zabuza sensei?" He smiled.

"My hair?"

"Oh, come on, I can make it look better than that. It's just chopped off without style"

"I cut it during my escape, it doesn't matter"

"Well, I don't blame you. Survival or necessity come first. But a pretty girl, should have pretty hair" Hinata blushed. "Just relax, I will make it nice"

Hinata sat by Haku with her back to him. He got some nice scissors and came back. "I also cut my and sense's hair, so don't worry"

Hinata smiled. "I'm not worried"

"Good. Just sit still" He started cutting her hair. "Do you want to know, how I came to be with Zabuza sensei?"

"Only if you want to. I am curious since you are so nice. But I don't want to make you uncomfortable"

He kept cutting. "The thing is, I want to" He took a deep breath and continued. "I am also from Kirikagure. My mother was from a clan with a kekkei genkai" Hinata gasped. "Yep I have a kekkei genkai too. Please stay still or I might cut you"

Hinata mumbled "eep"

Haku shook his head and continued. "My country went through a large civil war and people with kekkei genkai were employed by both sides. People started blaming them for the war, for everything that went bad. They became symbols of war, hated and hunted. My mother, escaped the strife. She hid in a nice farming village to the north, where she met father. She never used her chakra or kekkei genkai. We were very happy, at least I thought so. My father seemed nice. As I grew, I accidentally discovered my ability to manipulate water. I showed my mother what I could do. Her response was less than enthusiastic"

Haku took a deep breath and stopped cutting. He had moved to her right as he cut her hair. Hinata reached with her left hand, grabbing the back of his hand, giving it a squeeze in support. "Haku"

Haku held her hand for a minute, then let it go. "Thanks, almost finished with your hair, let me get to the front. I want to continue, ok" He returned cutting and continued. He found it easier to talk as he kept busy.

"She slapped me so hard, I fell back stunned. She had never hit me before. I was confused, hurt, I just wanted to show her what I could do. I looked at her and she started crying, she then hugged me and apologized continuously. I hugged her and cried too. She told me about her, no our kekkei genkai. How she hated fighting and had escaped the war. She told me, she wanted to leave it all behind. In the country, she started a new powerless life. She was very happy. Then she fell in love. My father had no idea of her powers, but she grew afraid over the years. Seeing how the villagers, how father reacted to people with kekkei genkai. She loved him, but didn't know how he would react. Turns out she had good reason to be afraid" He sighed, then continued.

"She apologized for hitting me again. Told me she had been petrified during my entire pregnancy and prayed I did not inherent any power. She told me how much she loved me but that she had always been worried I would inherit our kekkei genkai. She thought I did not have it until that day. She told me never to use it again. She made me promise to never use it. She said it was dangerous for everyone, but especially for me" He took another deep breath.

"She was right, as always. What we didn't know was that father saw and heard everything. He then went to the village and told everyone the truth. My carelessness ruined everything. I don't know all his reasons, if he said them I can't remember them. To this day there are some details that I can't remember. I remember mother making my favorite meal in compensation. Her hugs as she apologized one last time. Her last kiss good night as she put me to bed. Falling asleep like the careless idiot I was"

He put the scissors down and looked at her from all angles. He stood behind her again and gulped. He did not want to see her face, when he told her, just in case. "I also remember waking up to screams, argument and loud noises. I realized my parents were fighting, another first. Father had returned with men from the village. I heard mother crying and went to see what was going on. I heard the fight, all the horrible names, the insults my father said. He cursed the day they met and the day they married. He told her, she had tricked and bewitched him. He cursed me and the day I was born"

"My mother cried and apologized. Then she saw me at the door. She told me to run away. He turned and I saw his eyes. I stepped back at the hatred displayed in them. Mother formed ice on the floor and he stumbled. Again, she said run. He turned and I noticed the knife in his hands for the first time. He stabbed her several times as I asked him to stop" Haku's eyes teared up as he remember.

"He turned towards me with the bloodied knife in his hand. I heard the other men encourage to finish me off. They also had weapons and torches. I…I don't remember some details, other like the red are so clear. I was petrified. Glued to the spot. I kept looking at the bloodied knife on his hand. That knife had my mother's blood on it. It was such a deep red, so vivid like she had been. I can remember that red, scarlet or crimson might be a better description. Red that kept coming closer to me as my father came at me with the knife. I was so afraid of the red. Then everything exploded. I..I found myself outside my house, it had huge icicles coming out of it. Stalactites hung from outside the house. It sparkled so pretty in the morning, except for the red splotches at the tips of the ice" He shuddered.

"I lost everything that day. The first person I ever hurt was my father. I killed him. I killed my father"

Hinata turned around quickly and saw him with his head down. Looking at his hands. She got up and hugged him. He also hugged her and cried on her shoulder. "I know he was mad, but I figured he would still love me. But he found me disgusting"

-He knows what it's like too. He is just like me—Hinata cried too. "The last time, I saw my father he called me many horrible things. Said I should be disowned and how disappointed he was. I guess they don't always love you"

Haku nodded. "Some men should not be fathers. I wondered around for some time. I did not want to stay there anymore, even if I could have. I wondered around homeless, alone and hungry. I scavenged for food and survived as best I could, until he found me. What caught my attention was he had the same eyes as me. Just like you do too"

"He saw me. He accurately told me I was unwanted, unneeded. He was harsh, but his eyes were as lost as mine. He acknowledged me. Even with my kekkei genkai, he took me in. He needed and wanted this power that everyone hated. He gave me a purpose and I happily became his tool"

"I am indebted to him, my most important person" Haku smiled. "My eyes changed again and don't tell him, so did his. He is a harsh task master, but you will get stronger. He is blunt but he will never lie to you. I hope you join us. We will stage a coup in Kirikagure and help all those like us"

"Your eyes are like my old eyes, that is what attracted me to you" Hinata took a deep breath and he continued. "That is why I helped you, why I could not leave you alone. Forgive my selfishness but I want you in our team. Please think about it"

Hinata nodded. "I will. You have given me a lot to think about. Thank you for trusting me and telling me your story" She smiled. "You have made me feel so welcome since you picked me up. I don't have the right words to thank you"

Haku smiled. "And you haven't seen yourself yet" Hinata tilted her head. Haku laughed and pointed at her hair. "Moment of truth" Haku extended his hands and concentrated making two hand sized ice mirrors. He held one to her face and one to the back of her head. "A pretty hime cut with long side bangs to frame your face. As promised a pretty cut for a pretty girl"

Hinata looked at herself and tears formed in her eyes. She looked good. She did not think she was pretty, but she looked like a normal girl. How could she refuse Haku, he had done so much for her. She smiled happily.

They chatted for a while and then Haku told her to go to bed. He was going to stay on guard until Zabuza got back. Hinata begged to let her stay on guard. Especially with her byakugan. She promised to call him if she saw anything strange. Haku hesitated, but she insisted. She told him to rest, he could fight if anything happened. "Please, I can't sleep now. I have too many things to think about. Please" That convinced him. She promised to wake him up.

She thought about everything that happened. She had nowhere to go. She needed to learn how to fight, since the master would follow her. They were strong and she owed them so much. She knew what she wanted. She had only one concern.

She stayed on guard until Zabuza came back. She saw him coming in the distance. She waited until he got comfortable.

"Zabuza-san" He looked at her. "I thought about what you said. I would like to go with you. I will become your tool too. I would like to help those in Kirikagure that are like Haku. I don't know if I will be any good. I have only disappointed my previous teacher and about killing that is, I…

"Let me decide that. As a sensei, only I can determine what is valuable or not. I don't give a shit what my predecessors thought. My tools, my rules. I will let you know if you are doing bad. Don't overthink things. Now go to bed. Your turn to watch Haku"

Hinata turned and saw Haku with a big smile. He seemed very excited. Hinata wanted to say more, but took a deep breath. –Don't overthink things. I should do what my sensei says. Don't overthink it—She turned, nodded and laid down.

"Good night sensei. Good night Haku" She grabbed her stone. -Good night Naruto-kun. I will do my best—

-NH-NH-NH-NH-NH-NH-NH—

Jiraya mused as he watched Naruto practice his water walking. He just showed it to him and Naruto was advancing with it nicely. Truthfully, he was progressing at a great rate on all the basics. He would soon be ready for more. His new regimen, improved diet, physical training and taijutsu training were paying off. His proficiency with seals was truly impressive. Jiraya smirked. It was in his blood.

"Ero-sannin! Pay attention. I will have it down in no time. You will have to teach me a jutsu now"

Jiraya admired the kid's determination. He gave it his all until he passed out from exhaustion or he got it. And most of the time, he got it. He did everything he asked. He had a bad habit of being too loud and would grumble the whole way, but he still did it. Specially if he explained why it was important in a fight and how it would help him be a hokage.

He soon realized, the kid had a lot of gaps in his knowledge. He was smart but he had no structure. His social skills were poor. He's coping mechanisms were not helping him either. He was loud to get everyone's attention. But that same loudness turned people away. No doubt he got his temperament from Kushina. But his impatience also worked against him.

It was painfully obvious the kid needed attention. He felt guilty for leaving, but he honestly had no idea, the kid was growing up mostly alone. He shuddered to think how Minato and Kushina, specially Kushina, would receive him in the afterlife. He was a terrible godfather but he was determined to do better.

Although the kid tested his patience specially where hot springs were concerned. He was so annoyingly vocal, he made it almost impossible to peep. He was doing it on purpose too. He went on and on about perverts, he was not that bad, was he? Besides he liked to look at pretty women.

He sighed. He had a sneaking suspicion the real reason was attention. It always came back to that. The kid did not want to share attention with anyone or anything. He wanted people eyes and attention on him and him alone. He hoped his presence helped tone that down some. Attention grabbing and shinobi work did not mix.

It didn't help that he was hyperactive and a kinesthetic learner from what he could tell. He learned hands on, not from books. Trial and error worked the best. He would never be great in a sitting class environment. He was glad he had a teacher looking out for him in school. He met this Iruka sensei and approved. Of course, he met him in disguise as Naruto's new guardian. It was obvious the man cared for Naruto and had reached the same conclusions as him. He was an empathic teacher but he had a full class to teach and could not dedicate himself to Naruto only.

–That is my duty—thought Jiraya. Iruka was also an orphan which helped him understand Naruto as well. Hopefully the two of them could undo some of the kid's issues. He was also worried that Naruto did not seem to have any tight friendships with his peers. He hung out with several of the clan's heirs, funnily enough, but Naruto never shared anything serious with them. He always acted tough and did not like to show any weaknesses.

That bravado was also something he would have to work on. Some bravado was ok for a shinobi, false bravado and overconfidence not so much. He did not need to share everything with everyone but he needed a real friend his own age badly. It just had not happened yet.

"Ero-sannin, ero-sannin!" He sighed.

"Yes, Naru-" He blinked. Damn, he did it again. He was walking on water.

"Ero-sannin is speechless, ha, ha. Speechless. I told you. Now teach me a jutsu"

"Not so fast, kid. I'm the teacher"

"I got all this down. Even the leaf chakra control exercise. I want to learn something more exciting"

"Naruto"

"How about if I surprise you and make you speechless again"

Jiraya looked at the kid. "No prank can do that, but I have been thinking of teaching you a new jutsu after you completed all these exercises. Alright, I will teach you a new jutsu at the end of the week if you can get my wallet. If not, I will delay it another two to three months while you work your butt off"

"Deal!" Jiraya suddenly had a bad feeling, alarm bells were going off. The kid had a look in his eye like the cat that ate the canary. Jiraya's senses were telling him to run. Before he could do anything else, Naruto screamed.

"Oroike no jutsu" In place of 12-year-old Naruto was a very sexy, very naked blond woman with clouds covering her privates. She looked at him and batted her eyelashes.

"A…A…A" Jiraya just pointed at him, speechless. Blood started dripping, then gushing from his nose.

"Why is ero-sannin so mean to me. I really like ero-sannin, but he just ignores me" Jiraya was frozen on the spot. Naruto kept batting his eyelashes as he had seen girls do and slowly got close to him. With one hand, he touched his arm while his other arm reached to his back pocket and his wallet, as he batted his eyelashes, pouted and said "Ero-sannin…GOT YOU! I WIN!"

Naruto fell backwards laughing with the wallet in his hand as he transformed back to himself. Naruto had seen enough of the pervert and his peeping to know that would work. It was awesome.

Jiraya just blinked, then could not help himself and started laughing as he wiped his nose. The damn brat got him good.

After a while he said "Fine, fine you brat. But not today. We will have plenty of time this weekend.

"Ne, ero-sannin. Can I ask you something?"

"As long as it is not about that jutsu" Jiraya noticed Naruto got quiet and gave him that odd fake smile of his. Jiraya had to concentrate not to frown. Something was up.

Naruto was very nervous. Ever since he accidentally discovered the ink, no the seal, that was what it was. He wanted to know why it was there but did not know who to ask. He tried asking Jiji the same question, but Jiji got very serious and evasive. He asked him why he wanted to know. Naruto just told him he had read it in a book, and barely got away with it.

He hoped ero-sannin would answer his question. He respected him and seemed to be a good person. He had not gotten that mad at his prank, so he really hoped he gave him an answer. If he did maybe, someday he could ask him the big question. Why he had it. Why he had a seal on his belly. He would have never noticed, if he had not been practicing his seals in front of a mirror. He noticed when he used his chakra a seal would become visible on his belly. He had never seen one like that. He tried researching it to no avail. And he really had no one to ask. Jiji was a bust and Iruka did not know much about seals.

He took a deep breath and nervously did his fake smile. "Ne, ero-sannin, can people get seals on them? What would they have a seal for?"

Jiraya thanked kami, he had been a spy and a shinobi for so long. Otherwise he would not have been able to control his reaction. His face looked calm while he was a mess inside. Damn it. Naruto had somehow discovered his seal. That was the real question. This was just a test question. He did not want to lose Naruto's trust, but knew the hokage had forbidden mentioning it until he was older.

He looked Naruto in the eye and said "Yes Naruto, people can have seals in their bodies for many reasons, I might add"

"Really, like what reasons"

-Tread carefully, I need to tread carefully—Jiraya looked at Naruto and shrugged. "Many reasons Naruto. For containment, like storage seals, to increase power, to restrict power. Some have suicidal explosive tags, it could be anything. Can't say until you look at it. Why do you ask?"

"I saw it in a book and was curious about it"

Jiraya saw him relax and knew he passed the test for now. He needed to talk to sensei. If Naruto needed answers, he wanted to give them to him.

Naruto smiled. He had answer his question. He almost asked about his seal, but he was scared. He did not want to listen to a lie. But he did not seem like a liar. Perverted but not a liar. Naruto smiled again, this time for real. Today had been great. He was close to getting his answer.

Naruto was glad Jiraya was his sensei. He smiled contently. He was learning so much. Jiraya and even Iruka acknowledged him. He felt happy. He had a lot to tell Hinata this week. He forgot to be wary. He forgot the world would not let him be happy that easily.

-NH-NH-NH-NH-

Mizuki was mad. He reported to his boss on the Uchiha's development as usual. But his other project was not going well. He needed the demon brat and wanted to destroy it. But the demon boy seemed to be making progress and worse lately he looked happy all the time. He was less troublesome in school.

Iruka kept helping him too. He needed him to stay in trouble and at the bottom. He would have to do something. He saw those stupid bullies and an idea formed in his head. He smirked as he approached the boys.

He would make the demon brat pay, get to his goal yet. "Hey guys, How are you doing?"

Another evil cliffhanger no jutsu!

Hinata will work for Zabuza. Naruto invented the oroike no jutsu. Mizuki is plotting against Naruto. Lots of bonding for our protagonist. What did you think? Did you like it? Please let me know. As always PLEASE REVIEW!

I hope you liked the fight. I am not super happy with it, but it is the first one I wrote. It did not have many jutsus, yet.

Random notes. Haku's jutsu is the 1000 needles of death, but since everyone wanted them to pay. I invented the 100 needles of pain. More of a pain causing jutsu and then finishes them of with the 1000 jutsu. That fight was based of Haku's fight with Sasuke.

Haku looks like a stylist guys. You know it.

Naruto is doing most of his physical exercise or taijutsu with Lee, while Jiraya peeps(he can never stop) and at school. He specifically developed the Oroike no jutsu to use against Jiraya and hasn't used it on anyone else yet.

Again, thanks to all my reviewers. They do keep me motivated!

AlphaMike369: Thanks as always. I'm glad you are liking the story that much. I still tried to keep them IC in these chapter. Team 7 will remain. You will see.

Nightwind83: Thanks for the review. They probably were uncomfortable but we will say, fear made her leave them on. Haku made one suffer, but Zabuza took care of business, he's just too strong,

Spontaneousrebell: Thanks a lot for your review! I really appreciate it. Hoped you liked this one as well. Naruto only pranked Jiraya today.

Guest: Thanks for the review. She is wearing contacts. But she could not fool Zabuza for long.

Noestardustdragon101: Thanks a lot for your review! I really appreciate it. I hope you like this one as well. Let me know.

Nanashi77: Thanks for the review. Yep, things are getting better. What did you think?

NarHina: Thanks for the review! Did you like how they continue to develop? The bullies were destroyed. Hinata fought back and Haku made the one he fought suffer. But Zabuza was the main exterminator. The reunion is coming up. They need to study and get stronger.

Luisdox: ¡Gracias por tu review! Muy apreciado. Zabuza fue quien más repartió dolor, pero Haku puso de su parte. Ahora van a ponerse fuerte. Muchas gracias. Se acerca ese re-encuentro.

Anime pryncess: Thank you very much for your kind review! I really appreciate it. Really thanks. I'm blushing. Hinata is in the process of getting stronger. I will have to check that story later(after I'm finished). Ps. Not a sir. LOL. I'm a girl.

Jenuzumaki: Thanks for the review! Zabuza found out her origins on his own. Zabuza wants another tool. Hinata like other kidnapped children does believe the kidnappers lies. She believes the family threw her out or abandoned her. Specially after Hiashi's harsh words (still more twists there). Although she bonded with Haku. Naruto and Hinata are getting stronger for now. The reunion is coming soon.

Saiyanvegeta1648: Thank you very much. Thanks for your review! Yep Zabuza found out and he is getting close to his tools.

Theblueswordsman: Thank you very much! Thanks for the review! Hope you like this one as well. They officially got their sensai's. Did you like Jiraya? The Hina-Haku bonding? I have a devious mind. Mwuhaha!

Melyin: Thank you very much! Thanks for your review! Here it is. Hope you liked this chapter.

Bh18: Thanks for your review! Thanks for the constructive criticism. I was trying something more stylistic but it does read weird. I will check it again. Thanks for still following the story anyway. Yep, lots of Haku and Zabuza on this chapter. Jiraya too. The meeting is coming up. There will be fluff. How did you like this one?

That's it for today! Thanks, everyone! Keep reviewing. Tell me what you liked or hated on this chapter. Will try to develop better fights.

Next: Walking down the paths and struggles.