"So Araiguma and I walk up to the Raikage and just as we're about to challenge him, his brother runs up to us and starts rapping about how awesome he is! I was about to call him an oxtocpus- being the Hachibi jinchuuriki and all- but then this huge group of Kumo nin run up to us and chase us halfway up a mountain and-" I was distracted when I saw the familiar puddle, lying in wait. I sighed and looked at Kakashi through my famous, or infamous, mask, signaling for Sasuke and Sakura to get into a defensive position. "Wow, this is a very normal looking puddle. Not out of place at all in the middle of this dry spell," I said loudly. Seconds past and I grew impatient.

"Maybe there isn't-" Sakura began. I shook my head at her.

"Yo, Demon Brothers! I know you're there! This is your only warning. Get out here and fight, leave in peace, or make me come get you: your choice."

The brothers emerged as they had last time, their confidence gone. They took a look at Kakashi before looking at me, at my mask. I smirked behind my mask as their eyes grew confused then wide with badly hidden fear.

"Didn't expect to see me, did you?" I said, paralyzing them with killing intent before Shunshining behind them and knocking each out with a blow to the back of the head. "Hmm," I said, looking down as they crumpled. "That wasn't fun at all. Kakashi, can you tie them up and get Pakkun? I'm going to make sure they were alone," I said as I took off my mask, getting into the lotus position and stretching my senses.

No reinforcements… We're good to go until we see Zabuza.

"Kuchiyose no jutsu," Kakashi muttered, his hands forming seals faster than my blue eyes could see. Pakkun appeared in a puff of smoke, looking interested.

"What's up?" he asked, glancing around before laying eyes on the Demon Brothers.

"Naruto knocked out the Demon Brothers. Can you go back to Konoha and get some ANBU to take them away? We need to get to Wave," Kakashi explained. Pakkun looked at me impressed before noticing the mask in my hand.

"Hey Pakkun," I said, putting the mask back on. Pakkun stopped, gazing at me before shaking himself, accepting the new information.

"Hey kid. Is that-"

"Kiiroi Kitsune? Kitsune-sennin? The very same; nice to meet you," I said, making my voice deeper. Pakkun rolled his eyes and nodded to Kakashi.

"Leave it to me," he said, running in the direction we had come. We watched him disappear, making a small dust trail. Looking at my team, I saw that Sakura looked scared,

"Don't worry, Sakura. I don't let my teammates die," Kakashi reassured her. I nodded, smiling before I checked the ropes and nodded, signaling the team to get back into formation before we set off again.

Spotting Haku, crouched in a bush, I smiled under my mask, withdrawing a Hiraishin kunai from my belt.

"Kakashi?" The ninja glanced around and nodded. I sent the kunai flying in a wide arc towards Haku. I watched as she formed a substitution jutsu, scaring the poor white rabbit. Like last time, Sakura began to complain that I'd scared her, sending kunai into the brush while Kakashi went to investigate.

The rabbit was, once again, terrified. Sakura began to yell at me when I held a finger up.

"Sakura. This is a snow rabbit: their fur changes with the seasons so that they blend with their surroundings. Which should mean…" I glanced through the trees, searching for chakra with my now red eyes. I counted in my head, letting Zabuza notice Kakashi again. I watched as he lifted his sword, getting ready to throw. Three two one… "Everyone, duck!"

The sword spiraled through the air, slashing where my team's heads used to be. The sword stabbed the same tree and Zabuza jumped onto it quickly.

"He's-" Kakashi began, warningly. I smiled under my mask.

"Momochi Zabuza, Demon of the Bloody Mist. I thought you were still in Grass!" I said, twirling my kunai before I lowered it to my chest. Zabuza glanced at my team before going to study me. "You're looking less grey," I said, commenting on his more human skin. The ninja looked at my height before registering the mask and recognizing me. He jumped down from his sword, leaving it stuck in the tree.

"Kiiroi Kitsune," he chuckled, shaking his head. "Wave must be better than Gatou thinks if it can afford Sharingan Kakashi and the infamous Kiiroi Kitsune."

"Not really, this is my team. I went back to Konoha and took the jounin exam. Wait, what do you mean 'infamous'?"

"Kumo?" he said, chuckling under his bandages.

"I was minding my own business. The Raikage had no right to-"

"To hunt you down after you basically kidnapped the Nii girl?" He cut in. Instead of pressing my point, I sighed and looked at him.

"Do you really have to kill Tazuna? My team is on a mission to protect him," I said. "I'd really rather not have to fight you, but I will if you insist."

"Think I'm crazy? Haku might be a good medic but I doubt even she would be able to patch me up after a round with you," he said. I laughed, remembering our multiple spars ending with Zabuza unconscious. Glancing at my team, I chuckled at their expressions. Tazuna and Sakura still looked terrified, not trusting Zabuza's word that he wouldn't attack us. Sasuke was tense, ready to spring to action. Kakashi was looking at me, probably wondering about what I hadn't told him about my year long trip.

"Do I want to know?" he asked, pointing at Zabuza. I smiled, shrugging.

"Zabuza was one of my kenjutsu teachers. By the way, Momochi Zabuza, meet Hatake Kakashi. He adopted me after my parents died," I explained. Zabuza nodded at the jounin before turning back to me.

"So… This is kind of awkward…" he said. I chuckled and glanced into the trees, looking for Haku. "Haku should come out soon. She worries too much."

"You three can relax," I said, glancing back at Sakura, Sasuke, and Tazuna. The two genin were still playing defense, covering the bridge builder as best they could. "Zabuza's not going to do anything or he'll have Haku to answer to," I smirked. Right on cue, the kunoichi appeared, the Kiri hunter-nin mask still in place. She looked between Zabuza and Team Seven, confused before spotting me.

"Kitsune-kun," she greeted, smiling as she took off her mask. "Where's Araiguma-kun?"

"You don't need to call me Kiiroi Kitsune anymore, I'm using my real name again. As for Araiguma, I took him back to Suna after training. I told his father that I'd only take him out for a year or so."

"Oh," Haku said, sounding a little disappointed. I smiled, knowing the kunoichi had developed a crush on the oblivious redhead. If things don't work out with Gaara and Matsuri, I hope he turns to Haku. I put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, I made sure Kazekage-teme knows that Araiguma is allowed visitors. Just say my name and he'll let you in, provided you don't kill him."

"No promises," she said, chuckling. Gaara had definitely told her of his childhood until I had come.

"Teme?" Sakura asked Kakashi, wondering what the Kazekage had done that was so horrible. I looked at her, serious.

"The Yondaime Kazekage ordered a number of unsuccessful attempts at Araiguma's life. The day I arrived in Suna, when Araiguma was only six, the Kazekage ordered Araiguma's uncle, the man who raised him, to kill him. It took a long time to heal that wound. The Kazekage is no friend to me," I said, narrowing my eyes. Sakura nodded slightly and I shrugged. "Either way, that's in the past. I took him out of Suna and taught him how to protect himself and others so that it doesn't happen again."

"You can't protect all the time," Sasuke said, looking at Zabuza's sword, still in the tree. I shrugged and jumped into the tree, grabbing the sword's hilt before throwing it down to Zabuza. It landed obediently, stabbing itself into the ground inches from the Demon of the Bloody Mist's foot.

"I can try," I replied, jumping back down. "We still have a ways to go. Let's go, I haven't seen Inari or Tsunami in a long time," I said, looking down the road with red eyes. Zabuza nodded, finally understanding my excellent vision, before looking sheepish. I took pity on him: "I think you two should stick with us. Gatou won't be very happy about your… resignation. After this mission, I can pull some strings and get your status as missing-nin cleared. I still owe you one from the kenjutsu lessons."

"No, you took care of that debt when you helped me with my medical ninjutsu. Now you're just being chivalrous," Haku accused. I smiled, scratching the back of my head.

"What if I am? I've been chased around before, it's not a good way to live. That's one of the reasons I went back to Konoha and got a team. Stability," I pointed out to the two ninja. Zabuza nodded, and Haku stared at me with gratitude. The group, now seven people, began to walk to the bridge builder's home. Haku began to talk to Sakura about how great medical ninjutsu was and I could see the light in the pink haired kunoichi's eyes. Sasuke was talking to Kakashi about the Sharingan, a now familiar topic with those two. I glanced at Zabuza, chuckling to myself as he apologized for almost killing him.

Could my life be any stranger?

Well, you could have a demon lord sealed in your- wait, already have that, Kyuubi joked, pacing my mindscape. You could always summon me… he said, trying to be suave.

Did I just use the word suave? Kami, I'm going insane. But no, I'm not going to summon you. Sakura and Sasuke don't even know which summoning contract I hold, let alone who the boss is. I don't think they realize I can talk to you. They probably assume that you stay quiet in the back of my mind, giving me chakra whenever I need it but staying out of my life.

Well that doesn't sound very fun. You know what would be fun? Summoning me, right about… NOW! … Now this is just awkward… Kyuubi muttered, cutting the connection between our psyches. I chuckled, still hearing muffled growls and complaints inside my head.

I kept my mask on until we saw the house, wary of any stray thugs that had thought twice in the last timeline. Stepping to the front door I put a hand on my mask, ready to remove it just as a shape flew towards me, tackling me in a hug. I fell backwards, laughing as I unsuccessfully tried to pull Inari off of me.

"Naruto!" he shouted, pinning me down. I chuckled in surrender. Zabuza took one look at me and scoffed, teasingly bitter.

"Sure. Two dozen Iwa nin? Easy, piece of cake. Haku and I? Not a chance. A seven year old kid? Now you're in trouble, Kitsune," Zabuza said before he introduced himself to Tsunami. "I'm an old friend of Kitsune, Naruto. I was one of his kenjutsu masters."

"Hello," she smiled, her eyes drawn to the huge sword slung on his back. "Dinner will be on the table in a few minutes." The woman walked back into the kitchen, followed by Tazuna.

"Hey, I'm eight!" Inari shouted at the Demon of the Bloody Mist. The jounin glanced at the kid before messing up his head.

"Sure you are," he said, cracking his neck. I chuckled at my old teacher's antics.

"Just think, Zabuza. If I can beat you up, but not Inari, what does that say about you?" I countered. Inari beamed while Zabuza clenched his fist. "That's not a good idea, Zabuza. Maybe we can spar later in the forest, where we can't break anyone- I mean, thing."

"Nah, you'll just go easy on me," he shrugged, releasing his fist.

"Only because I'd rather not kill you," I retorted. I turned back to Kakashi. "Are you up for a spar? You, Zabuza, and Haku against me? It might be learning experience for Sasuke and Sakura, watching four high level ninja fight."

"Why not," Kakashi shrugged. Zabuza and Haku nodded.

"Dinner's ready!" Tsunami called from the kitchen.

Sitting at the table, washed up and ready to eat, Kakashi turned to me.

"When are you going to tell them?" He was vague, but I knew what he was talking about.

"After the spar. By the way, you might want to leave the Hiraishin kunai behind when we fight," I said as Kakashi nodded, remembering that he carried my kunai. "I'll take the seal I have on your vest too," I said, chuckling as Kakashi turned, confused, to his back.

"When did you-" he said, finally noticing the seal on the back of his flak jacket.

"Back with the Demon Brothers. I put my hand on your shoulder when you summoned Pakkun," I explained. Kakashi nodded, impressed.

"You're getting good at putting them down unnoticed," he commented. I nodded, pointing the seals on Zabuza's sword and on Haku's shoulder. "Are you going to tell them about it?"

"Nah, I'll let them find out," I winked. The rest of the meal went quickly, hurried by various stories and conversations. By the end of dinner, I was nearly growling at Zabuza; the man had a sick fascination with recounting each time I'd fallen on my ass during my training with him. I bit back a complaint, watching Inari and Haku laugh, surrounded by friends.