Author's note: Is this really a chapter? Why yes, it is. :D

FINALLY. I have updated with a new chapter for this story. I have not forgotten about it, but I have been in a huge funk of doom caused by the crazy moments called life.

But. I got inspired to write a new chapter earlier this week. So. Wa-la.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. But I have used selections from Naruto Volume 3.

Chapter 14: Preparation

Another night graced the country of Wave, the sea water quiet and smooth. The trees swayed to the gentle seabreeze, the critters of night roamed around. People were tucked away in their beds, snoozing and dreaming for better days. Sleeping to get away from reality. No one was stirring around the broken-down town.

Except, there was one person this late at night. Hidden away in the woods, with only the moon to give him light, was a blond-haired boy.

Again Kyuubi ordered while Naruto cursed. He collasped to his knees, sweating and shaking slightly. He groaned, leaning back on his feet. He wiped his face, only to smear more dirt on his skin. Standing on shaky legs, he breathed out loudly. Then he made one hand-symbol and focused on his chakra. He felt it swirl in his coils, flare slightly before it slowly surround his body.

His blue chakra flickered on and off, but once he had it steady enough, he let out a low breath.

Okay, give my your chakra Naruto said to Kyuubi. Red chakra began to flow out from his body, his skin heating up. He saw both chakra mix and danced around one another, but soon his body was covered in a thin blue barrier, red chakra on top. With very good eyesight, a person could see that their was a very small purple line between both types of chakra.

He moved his arms away from his front, and focused on his target. But before he could move any further, his chakra dispersed widely. He groaned and fell to his knees.

"Damnit!"

Again.

Haku, while picking for a specific plant, smiled as a bird landed on his shoulder. Six days after his encounter with Konoha ninja, and having Zabuza out of commission for a while, it was the first time he finally got out. Dressed down in common clothes and hair down, he did not look like a deadly ninja.

He stood to walk again, glancing around. Suddenly he paused and stared. Several feets away from him was a blond kid, laying falt on his back. Haku could hear the sounds of his breathing, and knew immeditately that he was asleep. He was about to ignore him, but when the boy's head turned towards him, he caught a glimpse of a forehead protector.

Konoha. Haku thought, his face void of emotion. The child looked familiar...

Wasn't he the child that was supposedly dead? Yes, he now remembered the blond. Naruto, or so that's what he heard the boy's team call him. He mused slightly about the two times he has seen the genin, the boy was always laying down.

Haku debated for a few seconds before he came to an decision. He reached for the boy, planning to wake him up. He assumed that Naruto would not know who he was, and someone so young shouldn't be sleeping outside on the ground without proper gear.

What he didn't expect was the hand that was suddenly gripping his wrist, tightly. A deep growl emitted from the boy, and he was in the process of jumping up. His eyes looked deadly, and he was reaching for a kunai. Haku attempted to jerk his arm away, to attack back but it was useless. The boy had a strong grip.

But before the kunai could slice across his throat, it paused in the air. The boy was staring at him with dark purple eyes, silted like a predator studying him. Then, they began to fade to a shade of blue as a sign of recognition processed in his brain. His grip lossened a little before he completely let go. Haku pulled back quickly, on edge.

Naruto suddenly looked embarassed. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to grab you like that!"

"Don't worry about it," Haku murmured, wondering how this boy's personality could change from someone about to kill, to this. "I should have known better then to wake a sleeping ninja."

Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Yeah, you'll never know what could happen."

Haku decided then to get moving. He felt the need to get away from this child. "I must be going," he said, "Becareful about sleeping on the ground next time. You'll catch your death of a cold if constantly do it."

Naruto nodded, then his face went blank. As Haku began to turn and walk away, the boy's voice made him pause. "I know who you really are, you're that hunter ninja my team met."

"I don't know who you are talking about," Haku said innocently, but he prepared himself to attack the boy if needed. Of course, he thought about the blond's words. How could have know it was me?

Naruto chuckled unamusedly. "I know things, things you don't need to know even. But that's beside the point," he stared at Haku, "I also know that Zabuza isn't dead. But nice job trying to full my team."
Haku tensed and moved his hand to start making his signature jutsu. Naruto waved his hand, relaxing his pose. "I'm not here to fight...no. We'll do that in a few days," he said it, as if it was a promise. "I'm going to walk away from here, no sneaks attacks will come from me."

Somehow, Haku knew he meant the truth. But he didn't relax fully. Naruto walked towards him, coming up to his side before he paused.

"If there is someone truly precious to you, I suggest you stay out of this fight." then the boy was grinning, waving at someone from a far. "Hey teme! Are you ready for training!"

Haku barely heard their vocal exchanges and when he glanced back, he saw 'Sasuke' studying him, as if he was wondering why his teammate was talking to this stranger.

Their voices faded as Naruto dragged his teammate away, chatting away happily. Once they were gone, Haku then moved and disappeared.

It had been an interesting day, at least, Naruto thought it was. After he trained all night long, completely wearing himself out until he passed out cold, he never expected to get up a-oh-kay. He assumed that one of his teammates would have found him and dragged him back to Tazuna's house.

Instead, he got woken up by Haku. Of course, he didn't act like he normally would have when he woke up. He shuddered at the idea that he almost killed Haku. He assumed that using Kyuubi's chakra all last night, he was carrying a few of the demon's traits. Heightened senses, he heard Haku's steps in his sleep-induced state and he had tensed up. He didn't know if it was really Haku or someone else...

He had been dreaming last night, and he had thought that he was back in his time - a time where you couldn't sleep at all unless you had one eye open. And they were all catnaps, not enough hours for a normal person to sleep and what made a lot of them crabby in the mornings. He was dreaming out enemy ninja attacking him from all directions - a never ending cycle of flashes for him.

Go figure that Haku, who is pretty much his enemy at the moment, would get almost murdered from being near him while he was still in his dreams...

But after his exchange with Haku, Sasuke appeared. So instead of going back and relaxing, hoping to get more sleep, he ended up training with his teammate. Sasuke had progressed well with the tree climbing trick, getting further and further up in the tree. Naruto threw up his offer again with teaching the Uchiha a 'cool new jutsu' and the dark-haired boy took him up on it.

By dinnertime in Tazuna's house, Naruto was practically stumbling to the table while Sasuke walked behind him, hands in his pockets. Both of them were coated in soot, dirt and bruises. Kakashi studied them, an eyebrow raised. But he didn't questioned them. If they were having productive training, then he wasn't going to stop them. And for once, he didn't have to hear the two argue and if this training was making them start to get along...

"What's this? You guys look super dirty and worn out," Tazuna said from his seat at the table, sounding amused in his gruff way. Naruto grinned tiredly.

"Heh, both of us were training hard. Sasuke made it to the top of the tree, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto said as Sasuke took his seat next to Inari.

"All right!" Kakashi said, "Naruto, Sasuke...starting tomorrow you two will also help protect Tazuna-san," Naruto threw his arm up in the air, only to groan at how sore his limps felt.

"Okay!" the blond leaned forward on the table, arms folded under his head. He was so worn out from training all night long and all day too. For the first time in a long time, he wasn't in the mood to eat. Instead, he wanted to curl up in his sleeping bag and sleep.

Tazuna chuckled, "I'm also worn out from today's bridge work. At any rate, the bridge is almost done."

"Naruto-kun, father. Don't overdo it, okay?" Tsunami asked, coming near the table.

Naruto was starting to snore quietly at the table. Sakura shook her head, but kept her mouth shut. While Naruto brought it on himself, she wasn't mean enough to throttle someone that needed sleep. Everyone talked around at the table, and eyes occasionally looked at the blond - some with an amused expression.

However, Naruto wasn't asleep long. Feeling like someone was staring at him, he started to wake. He lifted his head up and across from him was Inari, tears streaming down his face.

"What?" he grumbled out, rubbing his eye. Oh man...I don't want to deal with drama right now...

Inari slammed his hands on the table, lifting up in his seat. He started to shout,surprising his family with his words,"Why do you guys bother to try so hard? No matter how hard you train, you're still no match for Gatou's men! No matter what glorious claims you make or how hard you work, when facing the strong, the weak will only end getting killed!"

"Shut up, kid. I'm not like you," Naruto said, trying to keep his temper at bay.

"I'd hate to be like you! You don't know anything about this country, yet you're being so nosy!" Inari yelled, "What the hell do you know about me? I'm different from you, you're always clowning around and acting so cheerful, you don't know how hard life can be!"

"So...it's okay for you to pose as the star of a tragedy and cry all day?" Naruto spoke quietly, a tone that felt eery from the knuckleheaded ninja. "So noble of you to treat everyone around you to your pity party?"

He stood up, growling, "It takes a really big man to sit around and cry..you brat! You big baby!"

"Naruto! You went too far!" Sakura shouted, but the blond ignored him, walking away from the group.

He has to learn, one way or another. Trying to make people feel sorry about how hard your life is just makes you an asshole brat. Naruto grumbled in his head, washing his face and skin clean from dirt. Then when he changed into a clean pair of shorts and shirt, he laid in his sleeping bag, going to sleep right away.

After the incident at the table, Kakashi found himself seeking for Inari, wanting to clear up a few things with the boy. Naruto may have went to far, but the blond never means to actually hurt someone. When he spotted to Inari on the docks, he walked carefully up to him.

"May I join you?" he asked, the little boy glancing up at him. When Inari nodded, Kakashi took a seat near the boy, looking out to the ocean. The moon was glowing over top of them, lighting up the waves that gently crashed against the dock's posts.

"You know, Naruto's kind of a brat, but he wasn't trying to be mean or hateful...he just...lacks finesse..."

Inari stayed slightly, arms wrapped around his legs. He didn't look at Kakashi, still upset at Naruto's words.
"Tazuna-san told us about what happened to your father...," Kakashi said, "Naruto grew up without a father, same as you." This suddenly grabbed Inari's attention as he turned his head to look at the jonin. "Actually, he grew up without any parents. He...doesn't remember either one of them. And he never had a single friend."

"Really?" Inari asked, and Kakashi nodded.

"In all of the time I've known him, I have seen him cry, or use his troubles as an excuse to sulk or be a coward. Not once. He always..." flashbacks of the blond, grinning, exclaiming he was to become Hokage one day...the day that he stabbed his hand, yelling about how he wasn't going to turn his back on this mission...The intense look he had on his face during his bell test... "tries his hardest, hoping someone will notice and give him a kind word or a pat on the back. That's his dream..and he'll risk his life for it.

"I think one day he got fed up with crying. He knows what it costs and what it's worth to be strong..just as your father did. He probably understands you better then the rest of us."

Kakashi turned his head to smile at Inari, "He doesn't seem to be able to not be concerned about you. You've gotten under his skin,"

"We're off Tsunami!" Tazuna said, as his daughter waved him and team 7 a goodbye. Naruto had his hands folded behind his head, staying a good distance from Sakura. This morning, she didn't look too happy to see him and it had probably been what happened last night. So instead he stood near Kakashi, who was leading the group to the bridge.

Today is the day...the big battle on the bridge...Naruto thought, I hope we can stop Haku and Zabuza from dying.

Somethings you can't change everybody's faith, you'll have to let some of them play out. Kyuubi said.

I know that, Kyuubi. But what then is my point in coming back to the past if not to change faith?

Soon team 7 was at the bridge, and Naruto knew it was time for a battle.

"Wh-what the hell?" Tazuna shouted, running towards one of the fallen men, "What happened? Who-"

"M-monsters..." one of them said before he passed out. Team 7 spread out, eyes searching the area.

The mist...Kakashi thought, becoming alarmed, "They're coming!" The team moved into a circle, back to back. Sakura and Sasuke each pulled out a kunai, while Kakashi and Naruto prepared themselves with performing a jutsu.

Sasuke began to shake.

"Long time no see Kakashi," Zabuza's voice surrounded them, along with heavy mist. Naruto glanced to his side, staring distantly.

"I see you're still with those brats..the little boy is trembling again, poor thing," Suddenly they were surrounded by copies of Zabuza. While it caused an alarm between Sakura and Tazuna, Kakashi, Naruto and Sasuke were calm headed, the latter smirking.

"I'm shaking from excitement," Sasuke said, which caused Kakashi and Naruto to grin slightly.

"Go ahead, Sasuke," Kakashi said, and soon Sasuke was dashing around them, slicing through the water clones with ease and grace. Naruto mumbled, "Showoff," amusedly, and once he water clones were gone, the team could see the original Zabuza several feets away.

"Well, my water doppelgangers were no obviously no match for you!" Zabuza said, "It seems the brat has matured a bit...into worthy rivals, eh, Haku?"

"Indeed," Haku agreed.

Author Note 2: I'm a little disappointed in Haku and Naruto's first meeting in this chapter, I wanted something cool and interesting...but. Oh well. I'm not really proud of this chapter, since for a long time..I haven't been in the fanfic flow.

But now, I am hoping I will. NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE BETTER. The battle on the bridge coming up! Yay!

THANK YOU! To all of the readers that have reviewed, put this story in their favorites and/or their alerts. Thank you so much! You guys are the best and it is because of you, that I tell myself to stop la-la-gagging and update.