Part 10

-Zabuza's Camp-

Yahoshi kept a watchful eye on the sleeping Haru while twirling his vial of Blue Shader in-between his fingers skillfully and quickly. It's been almost three days since the brown haired leaf genin fell ill after training with his ever aloof teammate, Haku.

He was put off by her caring attitude towards the boy, which she has only expressed towards their sensei and their Mizukage, Mei-sama. Letting out a sigh he ran his hands through his bright blonde hair and wondered to himself.

What did Haru Sarutobi have that he didn't? Wealth and status, that was all the quick witted boy could think of. He was confident in his strength and his bloodline to be sure the boy wasn't stronger than him.

He would ask him, but whenever he was awake Haku was with him and when he was asleep he was constantly murmuring something perverted and or calling out to a Naruko or Konohamaru.

"Mmm, where's my porno mag's? Zzz"

Yahoshi wanted to hit the sleeping boy. Did Haku like guys like that? He thought to himself looking in disgust at Haru. It must've been that, since he was better at everything else.

Huffing in annoyance the platinum blonde haired boy muttered, "Her lost," with tears streaming down his face telling a different story from his words.

Yahoshi frowned seeing his friend and teammate get thrown far out in a lake after failing to stay atop the water by their ruthless sensei and self proclaimed master Zabuza. He shook his head watching Nabo struggle back to the shore where Zabuza sat on a rock sharpening his sword and Haku sitting on the water sticking leaves to her arms.

He watched remorsefully as his friend was looked at as less than dirt by the Legendary Swordsman and, get thrown back out in the water not landing on it but instead sinking in the crystal blue water. He looked at Haku who didn't seem disturbed or interested, focusing on her leaves. Why?

Glancing at Zabuza in poorly hidden fear he watched the man growl and then sit back on his rock polishing his blade, probably finding it more useful than him and Nabo.

Sighing and taking off his shirt he said to himself, "Just quit this dream of yours Nabo, you'll just drag me down too."

Throwing his shirt to where he assumed Haru was. He widened his eyes seeing the leaf genin sprint on the water past a blushing Haku and peeved Zabuza and dive in the water with his ice cuffs still on.

He stood still like that for a single minute until he saw Haru surface with Nabo's shirt in his mouth's grip. Running over to where Haku now stood he waited for the two boys to make it to the shore. Pulling his friend from Haru's grip, his face took on a happy expression seeing Nabo smile weakly at him.

Looking up to Haru with a smile he dropped it seeing the boy get pulled aside and hugged by Haku with an emotion he's never seen on her face, awe. Initially he smiled bigger and brighter witnessing the girl of his dreams show such a positive reaction.

"I felt his chakra calling out to me, to y'all," Haru mumbled, enjoying the feeling of Haku's arms around him.

Yahoshi paused seeing her look over Haru's body almost worryingly. Forgoing his smile for a jealous glare, he watched Haru cough up water and bleed from his nose while staring at Haku's face and then gradually slump over in her open arms with an exhausted look asleep.

"Thanks Yahoshi," Nabo stated kindly, avoiding looking at the blue sea instead opting to look past the hovering face of his friend at the clouds in the sky above.

Yahoshi nodded his head and faked a smile at his weak friend seeing Haku place her green glowing hands on Haru's unconscious chest.

"That Haru guy really is something right Yahoshi?" Nabo asked, smiling brightly at his sleeping savior.

Not trusting his face he stood up and looked towards his sensei who gazed murderously into his beloved blade. "Yeah he sure is something."

He was confused when Zabuza lifted his head and pulled down his bandages revealing his sharp shark like teeth. Gazing at the predator, like grin on Zabuza's face Yahoshi's confusion was replaced with a fierce determination.

He'd just kill Haru simple, that was the Mist way of handling things anyways. How else would he do it?

Zabuza grinned seeing his student's eyes and will fall deeper into despair. He had his tools and was now ready to take on those Leaf ninja.

-Tazuna's Home-

Naruko sat down on her bed with Satsuki sitting on the floor. In her hand was Haru's journal, gulping she opened it and skimmed through its many pages trying her best not to look at anything she didn't know.

Kage Bushin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone)

Stopping on that page she read through the Third Hokage's thoughts on the jutsu and its untold ability. Shared memories and experience. Whether it be physical or mental, the user would gain back whatever the clone or clones learned.

Grinning Naruko placed down the book and crossed her fingers summoning a single clone that poofed into existence laying down next to her with a grin of it's own.

Naruko leaned towards her clone and whispered something into it's ear and then pointed to the motionless Uchiha. With both of their grins growing larger Naruko watched in joy as her clone sprung up and jumped next to Satsuki.

She tucked the book in a nearby monkey faced bag and focused on the clone as it whispered something in the Uchiha's ear only to get punched, bursting into smoke.

The whiskered girl grabbed her head at the slight sting ringing in her head before smiling, hearing her clone's and Satsuki's conversation play out in her mind.

"You like the pervert don't you? Ooh you like Sakura-kun then?" The clone asked jokingly.

"Shut up idiot," Was Satsuki's response sending a strong punch to the clone's chin.

Was she blushing?

Smiling widely, Naruko hopped off the bed and ran past the red faced Satsuki and down the stairs yelled, "Satsuki likes Sakura-kun!"

Kakashi who was seated down in a recliner lowered his book and tilted his head at Naruko who had an angry Satsuki drilling her elbow in the girls back. Sakura, who was that again? The Haruno's boy?

Eye smiling he said, "Good for you Satsuki." Raising his book once more he sent a side glance to his wife who had entered the room with Tsunami and Daisuke holding tea cups.

Taking a cup from the summon and handing it to Kakashi, Rin beamed a big smile down at the red faced Uchiha and the layed out Naruko. "Anko-chan says that he's cute and fragile, Satsuki-chan. Be careful with him okay," she teased and laughed at Satsuki's disgusted face.

Tsunami smiled at the group of ninja's elated to see that Satsuki was out of the room and interacting with her friends. She placed two cups down on the table next to her father and son who were drawing on a diagram of a bridge.

Placing a kiss on her son's forehead she looked at the red faced ninja and asked, "Satsuki-san would you like to go shopping with me for a change of scenery?"

Pausing her torture session with Naruko she glanced at the woman who looked so similar to her mother. Looking down at the laughing and yet groaning blonde beneath her annoyingly, she got up and headed for the front door with Tsunami following behind her.

XxLine BreakxX

Frowning at the ground Satsuki walked in silence alongside the older woman holding a few bags of groceries. She scowled at a man who was leering at Tsunami and turned back seeing the man stumble back and run away.

"Stupid perverts," she muttered.

Tsunami smiled and patted the girl's head, finding the texture of her hair to be soft and beautiful like the small blush on the quiet girl's face.

Smiling sweetly at Satsuki's embarrassed flush, she thought back to her younger days when she was first figuring out her feelings.

"Are you having boy troubles dear? This Sakura person?"

Satsuki stopped walking and gazed up at the smiling woman in surprise. How did this civilian read her?

"It's not that pervert Sakura."

"Is it this mysterious teammate of yours?" Tsunami asked softly wrapping her arm around the overwhelmed teen. Seeing her slowly nod, she gently grasped the girls chin and looked into her scarlet face and red pinwheeled eyes.

"It's quite alright, everyone goes through this eventually. Do you really like this Haru person dear?" She asked, noticing the girl clinch the bags tightly.

Nodding again Satsuki let her emotions out for the first time in almost a week. A torrent of tears flowed from her eyes in anger and sadness and a variation of other emotions.

Dropping the bags to the dirt floor, Satsuki grabbed a hold of the older woman and buried her face in Tsunami's shirt hiding her face from the world.

"Do you love him?" Tsunami inquired with a motherly smile. She was confused when the girl didn't nod, but instead peek up at her with a conflicted and confused face.

Nodding her head at her unasked question Tsunami let go of the girl and picked the bags up. Guiding her to a nearby bench and taking a seat after Satsuki sat down, Tsunami gazed at the ocean that was over the horizon.

"There are many forms of love. There's familiar love that would be associated with your family. There's a love that is shared between friends and your bonds. And there's romantic love, that is shared between lovers or a love interest," Tsunami listed hoping that she answered her question.

Satsuki perked up at the second and third definition, but was too scared to say it aloud. She instead just looked at Tsunami's longing gaze towards the ocean and asked, "Have you ever been in love Tsunami-san?"

Tsunami turned to the teenager and nodded her head. Turning back to the endless blue ocean she pictures herself, Inari and Kaiza, her now deceased husband.

"Yeah we met only seven years ago, but they were the most wonderful years of my life second only to my son's birth," Tsunami spoke, rubbing Satsuki's back soothingly.

"Would you like to hear my love story?" Tsunami then asked, keeping her eyes on the calm oceans. Satsuki slowly nodded and leaned closely to the woman who was so much like her mother yet so different. Much more warm and human.

XxLine BreakxX

Satsuki and Tsunami entered the house to see Kakashi still reading his book, Tazuna scribbling something down, Naruko and a clone both doing one-armed handstand push-ups, with Inari, Rin and Daisuke cheering them on.

"Hey guys were back," Tsunami greeted, receiving smiles and an eye smile. Satsuki stalked up the stairs only locking eyes with Naruko for a second.

Facing the stairs Tsunami said, "Satsuki-san dinner will be ready in an hour."

Everyone listened closely for the girl's response not fully expecting anything but was elated hearing a faint "Okay," and a door shutting.

Grinning, Naruko sped up her work out and closed her eyes. Tomorrow she'll beat that ice chick and win Haru back.

-End-