Bright Eyes: The Unsung Ninja: A Naruto Story

by GeneralWildfire

A kunoichi's exploits have gone unsung in the world of ninja...until now! Sara Uchiha is a young ninja in the Hidden Leaf Village, trying to find her place in the world while keeping an eye on her mischievious friend, Naruto Uzamaki.

2. Bright Eyes: The Unsung Ninja: Part 2

DISCLAIMER: Some of the text and characters are from Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto, which I do not own. Only the characters & text that were not in the original manga/anime series are mine.

Recap: Naruto and Sara had just passed their final exam, or so they thought. After meeting with their new squad members Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno, they met their biggest challenge yet, Kakashi Hatake. According to him, their only way to not go back to the Academy is to get one of the three bells he has. When we left, they had just been told that they were not even going back to the Academy, "More training would be useless."

You Failed!

Kakashi said glaring down at them, "Give it up. Not one of the four of you will ever be ninja!"

"What do you mean give up?" Naruto shouted as he jerked in place, since the ropes restrained his movements. "Give me a break! Okay, so maybe none of us got our hands on one of your stupid bells, but why the hell should we quit over that?"

Kakashi stated, "Because not one you of has what it takes!" Sasuke lunged forward.

Within a second Kakashi had him on the ground, his right foot pressed against Sasuke's head. "What you are is spoiled brats…"

Right! Sara thought. That's why I have only leftover pizza in my fridge.

"Don't step on Sasuke!" Sakura shouted. "Get off of him!" Sasuke gritted his teeth trying to lift his head off the ground.

"Are you trying to make fun of the shinobi with your behavior," Kakashi snapped. "Well are you? Did you even stop to wonder for one minute why you were divided into teams?"

All of stared at him blankly, Sakura voicing our opinion, "Uhh…excuse me?"

"Obviously not," Kakashi muttered. "So you missed the entire point of the exercise."

"It had a point…!" Naruto asked, more confused than ever.

"Of course. And that point determines whether or not you would succeed."

Sakura exclaimed, "But…you haven't explained what it is!"

Kakashi turned his gaze on Sara, "I know that one of you understood. Sara, tell them what the point was."

Sara stared at him, shock making her voice disappear as she mouthed, "Teamwork."

"I saw your lips move but I didn't hear anything. Say it!"

"Teamwork," Sara whispered, wanting to desperately be out of the spotlight.

"Say it!" Kakashi snapped.

"Teamwork," she said just above a whisper.

Naruto looked at her sympathetically, knowing that his friend wasn't one for being put on the spot.

Kakashi finally said, "It's teamwork."Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke looked startled. He continued, "If the four of you had come at me together… You might have been able to take the bells.

But… Wait a minute! Sakura thought. "If we were expected to function as a team, why did you only have three bells? Even if we'd worked together, one of us still would have had to go without lunch. You're preaching teamwork, but you played us against each other!"

Kakashi replied, "Of course. This task was designed to cause dissension in your ranks."

"What-?" Naruto shouted from his stump.

"The situation was set up to reveal which of you would set aside you individual interests and propose to the others that you work together for the good of all." Kakashi looked at Sara as he said, "Sadly, only one of did that, and she'll fail right along with the rest of you." He turned his attention back to the others, "Sakura, you ignored Naruto, who was right in front of you, while you focused your attention on Sasuke, though you didn't know where he was. Naruto tried to do singlehandedly, with some small assistance from Sara, what should have been the work of all four. And Sasuke had already decided that the other three just got in his way and was better off playing solo." He stared at all four of them, "You are a team! Learn to act as one! Yes, it's necessary for ninja to have individual skills, but what is even more important now is teamwork!" Kakashi began searching for something in his pouch, "Making a play as an individual is bad for the team and exposes your comrades to unnecessary danger. You might as well kill them yourself… Here's an example." He pulled out a kunai and held it to Sasuke's throat, "Sakura! Kill Naruto and Sara. Or Sasuke dies."

"What!" Naruto yelled as he struggled harder to get out of the ropes. Sara meanwhile was waiting for Sakura to turn on them, knowing full well that she would kill them.

"The day could come," Kakashi said standing up. "When one of you may be taken hostage, and you're forced to make such a choice. When you are on a mission, your lives will always be on the line." He walked over to a stone with many names on it, "Look at the marker… All the names carved in the stone. Heroes of our Village. Ninja."

Naruto's ears twitched catching the word, "heroes", "That's it! I just made up my mind! There's where I want my name to go! I'm not gonna throw my life away! I want to be like them- A hero!"

Kakashi cleared his throat, "But the ones listed there aren't just any heroes…"

"Really? What kind of heroes are they?" Naruto asked eagerly. Sara stared at the sad look in Kakashi's eye. She knew exactly what type of heroes they were.

"Come on! Come on!" Naruto shouted.

Sara hissed at him, "Shut up!"

"Tell us, come on!"

"Shut up!" She snapped at him

Kakashi finally said, "The dead kind. They died in the line of duty." Naruto lost his happy expression, while the rest of the squad gave sad glances to the stone. He continued, "This is a memorial. It includes the names of my best friends…"

All of them looked shocked. Sara thought, and I thought my life sucked. To lose your best friends… She shot a glance at Naruto. She couldn't even think of losing the happy ninja.

Kakashi turned to face them, "Pay attention…! I'm giving you all one last chance. One that will be far more difficult than our last little game with the bells. If you're prepared to continue, you may eat one of the bento boxes. But no sharing with Naruto. He goes hungry."

"Why?" Sara asked, wondering what her friend had done this time.

"He brought it on himself when he tried to sneak lunch for himself." Kakashi stated. "If any of you feeds him, you fail the test right there. My word is law. Do you understand?" He disappeared.

Naruto said happily, "Hey, this'll be a breeze I can go without lunch…" His stomach growled. "No problem."

The rest of them ate listening to Naruto's stomach growl. Sara looked around the clearing warily before she said, "Here." She glared at Sasuke who had said the exact same thing as she did at the exact same time.

Sakura choked out, "Bu..but, you guys, Kakashi-sensei told us-!"

"Who cares?" Sara snapped at her, she said more gently, "He's probably miles away by now anyway."

Sasuke added, "We'll all need our strength if we're going to work together to get those bells." Naruto stared at him, "You're no good to me if you're just going to be a liability." Sakura stared at her own bento box, before she offered it to Naruto.

Naruto stared at Sakura for a few seconds before he grinned, "Thanks…"

Suddenly a huge column of smoke appeared. Naruto shouted, "What the heck?"

Kakashi appeared and shouted, "YOU…" Sasuke and Sara tensed, ready to spring into battle, while Naruto and Sakura screamed. "Pass!" Kakashi finished.

They gave him blank expressions, not comprehending what their teacher was saying. Sakura exclaimed, "We pass! But…why?"

Kakashi was smiling as he said, "You four have just taken a giant step forward. Up until now, all most of you have done is listen unquestioningly to everything I say… Like mindless little drones. A true shinobi seeks for the hidden meanings within the hidden meanings." He continued wistfully, "In a ninja's world, those who violate the rules and fail to follow others are scum. However, those who do not care for and support their fellows are even lower than that."

"Oh!" Sakura said happily, blushing at the thought of caring for and supporting Sasuke.

Naruto was blushing as he whispered softly, "He's…eh… kind of cool."

Kind of? Sara thought glancing at her friend. Master Kakashi's the coolest!

"This exercise is now concluded. You all pass!" He said giving them a thumbs up. "That's all for today, squad seven. Your duties will commence tomorrow!"

Naruto cried out happily, "I… I did it! I did it! I'm a ninja! Ninja! Ninja!"

"Let's all go home," Kakashi said walking away with the others.

Sara stopped and turned around to untie her friend. Naruto had missed this and shouted, "Uh… Hey guys? I'm still tied up here… Guys?" Sara slashed through the ropes and Naruto landed with a thud.

"Ouch!" He complained rubbing his sore rear end. He stood up, "Hey, Bright Eyes. I want to find out what that book's about, want to help?"

"No," she stated bluntly, normally she tried not to pull pranks on teachers she called "master" it was her way of saying that she respected them. The use of the word "sensei" was just giving them their title. That's how it worked for her anyway.

Naruto pouted, "Alright…I'll go all by myself to see what the book is, and I'll get to see what's in it all by myself, I'll get caught all by myself and probably die by MYSELF!"

"Alright already!" She shouted at him. "I'll come along."

Sucker! Naruto thought gleefully.

Operation: Steal Book, Mission: KILL GENIN!

Sometime around 1 in the morning, Sara and Naruto had finally found the right room, where their teacher lived. Sara glanced around uneasily, she knew two other teachers that lived in this area of jônin rooms, Asuma and Kurenai. She kept praying that Naruto's plan would actually work. She glanced at Naruto when she heard a click, signaling that he had unlocked the door.

"Okay, let's go!" Naruto whispered enthusiastically. Sara only nodded in reply. She pushed the door open slowly and flinched when it creaked in protest. They both poked their heads into the room, making sure that Kakashi had not been awakened by the sound.

Sara sighed in relief before whispering, "Naruto, you go to one side of the bed and I'll go to the side closest to the book." She was careful not to step on anything as she made her way across. Naruto waited for her to get to her side of the bed before he made his way across the room.

Crash! BOOM! CLATTER! SHATTER! Sara shouted at him, "Can you…" She whispered the rest, "just be quiet for two seconds?" She only heard more glass shatter in response as Naruto finally got to his position. They both made sure that Kakashi was still sound asleep before Sara began reaching for the book. Naruto gasped and Sara glanced down. She quickly sucked in her mid section as Kakashi turned over in his sleep, his hand an inch away from where her mid section had been. She sighed and moved out of the way. Good thing I'm not as chunky as Ino's mid section is! I would have been in deep trouble otherwise. She reached for the book again and yanked it off the shelf. She shot a triumphant smile at Naruto, who was grinning back at her.

They both made their way back to the door, Naruto making even more noise. Sara shoved the door open, and the door creaked again. Sara and Naruto both froze in terror as they heard Kakashi sit up.

Kakashi looked around groggily, "Wha…? Everything seems to be in order…" He laid back down.

Sara sighed in relief, happy that Kakashi had not been more alert. She tensed in terror when Naruto began going, "Ah…ahh…achoo!"

She flinched as she heard, "What the?" She whipped around and saw Kakashi glaring at them. "What are you two doing here?"

Sara shouted to Naruto as they both bolted, "Naruto, catch!" As she threw the book at him.

She heard Kakashi shout, "Get back here with my book!" She and Naruto sprinted all the faster knowing full well that Kakashi would chase them and probably kill them when he caught them.

As they sprinted threw the Leaf Village, Kakashi right behind them, Naruto shouted to her, "Let's split up!" She nodded. A few seconds latter, both of them having been chased by Kakashi, Naruto shouted as they met up again, "Let's try that again!" They split up once again and came back together a street or two later."

"You…do…not…understand…the…concept…of…splitting…up!" Naruto shouted as he glared at Sara. Sara only shot him a quizzical look wondering how it wasn't both of them that didn't understand the concept.

They bolted through where they had trained that day, and saw Sasuke trying to get away from Sakura, why either was out at the ungodly hour of 2 in the morning Sara and Naruto weren't about to ask. They did stop though.

Sara maneuvered Sakura while Naruto maneuvered Sasuke into Kakashi's path saying in unison, "You two stay right here." Than they took off.

Sakura wondered aloud, "What is with those two?"

Sasuke said as he turned around, "I have no ideahhh!"

Kakashi had nearly collided with the pair. He snarled, "Where did they go!"

Sasuke and Sakura stared at him in terror as they pointed. Sakura had to readjust where Sasuke was pointing. Kakashi nodded as he took off.

"I never want to see him that mad again," Sasuke muttered.

Sakura stated, "Well, I never want to see him in his boxer shorts again!"

Sara and Naruto meanwhile were bolting down an alley, and they collided with Iruka. Iruka grabbed them both by their jacket collars. "What's the rush you two?" He asked showing genuine concern. Sara was the first to break free of his grip shouting, "Run for your life!"

Iruka was staring after her wondering what she meant. Naruto feeling Iruka's grip loosen bolted after her shouting, "He's gonna kill us!" Iruka was still perplexed. He stared in shock as a moving streak shot after the pair. "That wasn't?... Naw… Couldn't be… Just in case, I'd better make sure he doesn't actually kill them."

Iruka arrived on the scene to find, Naruto and Sara cowering in front of Kakashi, whose eye seemed to be glowing red. "Book!" he snapped at them holding out his hand. Sara patted herself down and looked up at Kakashi horror struck as she said to Naruto, "I threw the book to you."

Naruto had taken off his jacket and was flinging it about panic showing in his every move. "I d-ddo-don't have it," he stammered.

Kakashi said in a deadly quiet voice, "Not only were you breaking and entering, not to mention stealing, but you LOST my book!" Kakashi took a threatening step towards them, Iruka intervened, "Now, now Kakashi, you don't really want to kill them."

Kakashi smiled behind his mask, "Oh no! I don't want to kill them, no. Just hurt them within an inch of their lives." Naruto and Sara shrank closer to the ground trying to avoid Kakashi's wrath.

Iruka stated, "There are other ways to punish them…"

While Iruka was trying to calm Kakashi down, Sara and Naruto were making their great escape. Kakashi saw them out of the corner of his eye and he shouted, "Freeze you two." Sara and Naruto stayed frozen for three seconds before they bolted. "Get back here!" Kakashi hollered as he chased after them, Iruka not far behind.

Sara and Naruto found Sakura and Sasuke still in the same spot they'd left them in. Naruto asked them as he ran in place, "Have either of you seen an orange book lying around!" Sasuke and Sakura shook their heads back and forth.

"Ahhh!" Sara exclaimed as she and Naruto bolted past.

Sasuke said to Sakura, "Those to are such lose-arghs!" Kakashi and Iruka bolted past.

Sakura said covering her eyes, "I'm scarred for life!"

Sara saw the book lying in the entryway to Kakashi's room, "It never left the room. Now if we put it back we can say that…" She never got to finish as she went flying threw the window. The last thing she heard before that was, "Thousand Years of Death!"

She hit the ground hard and rolled for quite a distance. She was dazed as Naruto went flying even further than she landed. Naruto ended up in a garbage container and Sara thought, still dazed, ten points!

Kakashi was panting, his fury was still unquenched. He couldn't believe that Naruto and Sara would have been so stupid as to attempt something like they just did. They should consider themselves lucky… I was worn out from yesterday's exercise… I really need to get back into shape!

Iruka asked Kakashi, "So what are you going to do to them?"

"Well," Kakashi sighed as his anger at the pair left him. "I think I'm going to let them rest and I'll punish them tomorrow. I better tell Sakura and Sasuke, that we're not having any missions tomorrow." Kakashi made to leave, but Iruka stopped him.

Iruka said, "You might want to put a few more clothes on." Iruka quickly left.

Kakashi wondered what Iruka was talking about until he glanced down. He had only remembered to put on his mask and headband before he chased after Naruto and Sara; he was only wearing his shuriken boxer shorts. Kakashi felt his anger rising up again. Normally, Kakashi slept in a T-shirt and shorts over his boxer shorts; he had been too exhausted to even think about that when he finally got home. He quickly shucked on his normal everyday wear before he teleported to where Sasuke and Sakura were still standing shocked.

Kakashi cleared his throat and they turned towards him, "Tomorrow, you two have the day off." He teleported back to his room.

Sasuke and Sakura stared at each other wondering if the night's events had really happened.

Punishment

Kakashi walked outside, he couldn't help but smile in satisfaction as he saw Sara and Naruto hadn't moved an inch. He stopped a few yards from where Sara lay. "Come over here you two!" He said, just loud enough for Naruto to hear. Sara crawled over and flopped onto her stomach once she was near enough. Naruto fell out of the garbage and crawled over.

Kakashi rubbed his forehead trying to think clearly as he spoke, "Since it's so early in the morning, I have decided to let you two go home." Sara and Naruto exchanged a look of pure glee. "However," he continued. "I expect both of you to be in the training area at 5 a.m. sharp, do you understand me?" They both nodded. "Good, now go get a little rest." Sara and Naruto walked off, no questions asked. Kakashi walked back to his room, locking the door behind him. He had just gotten under the covers when his alarm clock rang. He turned it off and muttered to himself, "I'm going to kill them…"

Sara and Naruto hadn't even gone back to their own places. They stood waiting in the field from 4 a.m. until 8 o' clock, when Kakashi arrived.

"You two can sit down," he said groggily. "I haven't come up with a punishment for you two yet." Naruto and Sara slowly sat down, not wanting to anger their teacher, who had massive bags under his eyes. Kakashi watched as Naruto and Sara sat on the ground both of them saying "Ow!" numerous times before their rear ends had even touched the ground.(They were sore from Kakashi's jutsu.) Kakashi smiled, "You two can stand up again, I've figured out your punishment." Sara and Naruto got up with sighs of relief. "This punishment is going to be given in three parts, this first part is also a lesson, the first part won't end until you figure out the lesson… Now sit." Kakashi pointed at the ground.

Sara and Naruto both shouted, "Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!"

Kakashi pointed upwards while saying, "Stand up."

Sara and Naruto both stood, relief evident in their every move.

"Sit, and spell it this time."

Sara began saying, "O-w! O-w!" Naruto stood up thinking about it.

"You still have to sit Naruto," Kakashi said giving him a meaningful look.

"W-o! W-o!" Naruto said as he sat down.

"Stand up." Relief washed over their faces.

"Sit."

After ten minutes of the terrible punishment, Sara had finally figured out the lesson, she began smiling as she sat down. If I'm right, I'm supposed to be treating Master Kakashi as an enemy, meaning I shouldn't be showing him my weakness. After a few more times, Kakashi motioned for her to approach him. She walked up to him calmly, taking note that he was still directing Naruto with his gestures.

"Well?" he asked as he leaned over so she could whisper the answer to him.

She whispered, "I think the lesson is never show your weaknesses to your enemies."

Kakashi looked crestfallen, as he nodded, you may stand, or rest in whatever position you find comfortable. He turned his attention back to Naruto.

Naruto meanwhile, had merely been saying "Ow" every time Kakashi pointed downward. Kakashi glared at him, he pointed downward and kept Naruto in that position for a long while.

After an hour of Naruto standing up and sitting down, Kakashi finally said, "Naruto, since I'm amazingly bored with this part of the punishment I'm going to let Sara tell you what the lesson was."

Sara recited, "The lesson was to never show your weaknesses to your enemies."

"Ohhhhh!" Naruto said in wonderment.

Kakashi said happily, "Now for part two of your punishment." Sara and Naruto moaned as they followed Kakashi back to his room. "Part two, is for the both of you to clean up the mess you made."

Sara and Naruto looked around at the destruction Naruto had caused. Broken frames and other assorted objects were strewn over the floor.

That's odd, Sara thought as she looked over the mess. Why are there no pictures lying around? Why would he hide pictures from us? It's not like we haven't seen family photos, or childhood pictures before.

Kakashi handed Naruto a broom and Sara a feather duster. "Get started," he said as he sat down at a small table.

After an hour or so, Sara was almost done with the dusting, and Naruto was still trying to sweep things under the rug, which Kakashi would respond by saying, "Naruto, I don't consider that clean."

"Aw, come on! You won't notice it!" Naruto would say in defense of the big pile under the rug.

"I will when I trip over it."

Sara shook her head back and forth as this same conversation was occurring again. She stopped dusting when she dusted a picture.

"Master Kakashi?" Kakashi stopped glaring at Naruto and looked at her. "Who are these people in this picture?" She held it up.

Kakashi looked it over, "That's my teammates, my teacher, and myself."

She looked at it more closely, "You were taught by the Fourth Hokage?"

Kakashi nodded.

"Cool!" Naruto exclaimed as he tried to shove more glass under the rug.

"Sara, help the dunce over there, or else we'll be here all day!" Kakashi said.

Sara walked over to where Naruto was and began picking up glass pieces, ignoring the shots of pain as some of the glass cut into her hands. (She forgot to put on her gloves before trying to steal Kakashi's book.)

Sara and Naruto kept walking over to the garbage, which was next to Kakashi, as they deposited the glass in there.

"Okay sensei, we're done," Naruto said happily.

Kakashi looked around the room, before he squatted down and ran his finger through a small red puddle on the floor. "Who's bleeding?" He asked sounding genuinely concerned.

Naruto looked towards Sara and exclaimed, "Holy cow Bright Eyes! Look at your hands!"

Sara glanced down, her hands were covered in cuts of various sizes, some still holding glass shards. Kakashi grabbed her by one wrist and dragged her to the nearest washroom.

He placed himself behind her, his stomach touching her back as he examined the wounds in better lighting. He began to explain to her, "I'm going to have to take the glass out, so this is going to hurt quite a bit." He pulled some tweezers from his pouch and began removing the shards. He felt Sara shudder every now and than, as he pulled out some nasty looking shards, he couldn't help asking, "Do you not have enough common sense to wear gloves, or ask me to find you some gloves to wear?" She wouldn't meet his gaze. He pulled out the last shard, and he actually heard a squeak of pain come from her. "Are you okay?" he asked, trying to hide the fatherly tone that kept threatening to enter his voice.

"Yeah, that one just hurt a little more than the others," she said smiling up at him.

"I'm going to have to wash out these wounds now, before I can bandage them up." She only nodded her head, resigning herself to the pain that was going to come.

Kakashi made sure that the wounds were clean, Sara did silent screams of pain more than once. He felt terrible every time he brought one out.

Sara was beginning to wonder if Kakashi hated her, the pain that he kept putting her hands through was immense, even when he dried them, he was only gentle when he bandaged them up.

They walked back into his room; Naruto almost tackled her to the floor, with relief. "You're okay!" he shouted happily.

"No," Sara said sarcastically. "I thought I was dead!"

"Now for the last part of your punishment, "Kakashi said interrupting. "You both need to buy me another window."

"But," Sara said hesitantly. "You broke it."

"I wouldn't have broken it if you two hadn't pissed me off." Sara and Naruto gave no more excuses.

As they walked into the window store, Naruto said, "I can't find my froggie!"

Sara sighed, "Don't worry about it, I'll pay for the window."

Walking back to Kakashi's, while Sara stared at her now empty wolf coin purse, Naruto exclaimed, "I have enough money for ramen."

Sara lost her temper and swung the window over Naruto's head, "GO BUY ANOTHER WINDOW!"

Kakashi stared at the pair as the came back, Naruto wearing a window around his neck. "What happened?" He asked.

Naruto replied as Sara glared at him, "I picked a bad time to find my coin purse."

Kakashi shook his head back and forth as he laughed. He quickly replaced his window and took the other one off of Naruto's neck. He looked at them both and than at the clock, "Well, since you two haven't had lunch and it's almost time for dinner, why don't I treat the two of you to some dinner?" They both stared at him in shock. "Is that a yes?" He asked.

"Yes!" They both exclaimed happily.

Kakashi walked them over to a bar that served numerous dishes, not sure of what one of his two students really liked. "Now remember you two, I'm not made of money," he looked pointedly at Naruto.

A person came by and asked, "May I take your order."

"I'll have miso ramen," Naruto said happily.

Sara looked over the menu and said, "I'll have the grilled fish."

"Make that two," Kakashi said. "I didn't know you liked grilled fish," Kakashi said as the waiter walked away.

"I love grilled fish," Sara said happily, she then mumbled. "I just can't afford it." Kakashi smiled understandingly at her.

"I might treat you guys to some chocolate ice cream, since you two worked so hard today." Sara and Naruto gave him questioning looks. Kakashi stared back at them, "You don't know what chocolate ice cream is?"

"Like we could afford it!" Naruto said.

Sara asked, "What's ice cream and what's chocolate?" Naruto fell out of his seat.

"You don't know what chocolate is!" Naruto exclaimed.

Sara asked, "Should I?"

Naruto almost made another comment when Kakashi said, "I'll let you try some, okay?"

Naruto asked, "Can I just have another bowl of ramen instead."

Kakashi sighed, "Sure."

After there meals, and while Naruto was working on his second bowl, Sara was trying to figure out how to eat the cold stuff on top of a cone. She took a big bite and flinched as her head throbbed. Kakashi tried not to laugh.

"It tastes great," she said, once her head stopped throbbing. She took another small bite and stopped, her eyes unfocused.

Kakashi looked at her concerned, "Sara?"

She looked away from him and murmured, "I've had ice cream before."

Naruto looked at her and said through his ramen, "No you haven't, since I've only ever had it with Iruka-sensei and you weren't there."

"It wasn't with you and Iruka."

Kakashi found his own thoughts on what he assumed she was remembering. He had completely forgotten that the day before he had to stop taking care of her, he had taken her out to have some ice cream, that had been eight years ago.

Sara murmured to herself, "Why did I block that memory?"

Kakashi only looked at her, but inside he flinched, knowing full well why her mind had blocked that memory along with all the others. The memories had caused you too much physical and psychological pain… He said quickly, "Since you guys are done, I'll pay the bill and you two can go home, we'll have some real missions tomorrow."

The Worst Client

The next morning, after squad 7 had performed several missions already, they were now in the forest.

Naruto, Sara, Sakura, and Sasuke all moved into their positions. Kakashi asked them through his wireless mike piece, "How far away is the target?"

Sasuke and the others were squinting while, Sara used her Devil's Eyes and responded, "Fifteen meters and closing."

Kakashi smiled as he heard the others talking. Sakura asked, "How can she see that far away, while the rest of us are squinting?"

"It's just Bright Eyes," Naruto replied.

Kakashi interrupted them, "Are any of you in position yet?" He received a "yes" from everyone. "All right! Go!"

Sara, Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke all leaped into the clearing where their target was. Naruto grabbed the target, a cat, with a huge, "Gotcha!"

Sara sighed as she watched her friend getting clawed by the cat. She listened as Kakashi asked, "Remember our quarry has a ribbon on its right ear that says 'tiger'… Make sure there's no mistake."

Sasuke replied, "Target confirmed.

"Good!" Kakashi said, "Then 'mission: find the missing pet' is accomplished."

Everyone except poor Kakashi yanked out their ear pieces before Naruto shouted, "Can't we get a better mission than this! I HATE cats!" Kakashi toppled over, his left ear throbbing. Everyone else watched as their ear pieces sparked and smoked, clearly broken.

Sakura was holding the cat as a very ticked off Kakashi, walked out of the ninja surplus store carrying new ear pieces for Sara, Sakura, Sasuke, and himself. "Naruto," he said in a menacing voice. "You break one, I repeat, ONE more ear piece and you can buy everyone in the squad new ear pieces!"

Naruto quickly said, hoping to appease Kakashi, "Got it! Right! I cannot break anymore ear pieces!" Kakashi wasn't sure if he should be mad or satisfied with that answer.

Back at the Mission Reception building, the cat, named Tora, was reluctantly being cuddled by Lady Shijimi, who was the wife to the ruler of the Land of Fire. She was saying to Tora, "Poor Tora, Good little kitty-kitty… I was so worried about you, I could have died!"

Sakura thought, with that to look forward to at home, can you blame him for running away?

I don't feel sorry for that mangy fur ball at all! Sara thought, remembering the scratch Tora had given her before Tora had been handed to Sakura, mainly for Tora's safety… Sara would have killed him since he had tried to bite her once more before he had reached Sakura's arm. Kakashi had been the one to receive the bite, since he had removed the cat from Sara's grasp.

After Lady Shijimi and Tora had left, Lord Hokage said, "Now the next assignment for Kakashi's squad seven will be… Hmm… To babysit for the council of elders… to run errands to the neighboring village…to help dig sweet potatoes…"

Naruto quickly interjected, "No way! No thank you-! Borrrring! Give us something different to do. Something important! Something amazing!"

Sasuke thought reluctantly, he's got a point…

Oh… He is such a pain! Sakura thought, her lips pursed angrily.

Sara stared at her friend, idiot! Be more respectful to Lord Hokage! You keep forgetting that we owe a lot to him, including the fact that we're ninja!

Kakashi sighed, be thankful for what you can get!

Iruka snapped at Naruto, "Don't be a fool-! You're only a beginner!" Lord Hokage had lowered his hat with a sigh. "Everyone starts out doing grunt work," Iruka continued. "It's where you get experience. So you can work your way up to the bigger things."

"We've done tons of small stuff. Can't we get some action?" Naruto shouted back.

Kakashi punched Naruto in the back of the head, "Naruto, that's enough. Knock it off!"

Sara thought sadly, I wanted to whack him in the head! That's usually my job!

Lord Hokage said, "Apparently Naruto needs an explanation of just what these duties are." He took a puff from his pipe before he continued, "You see, every day, our village receives many requests. Everything from babysitting to assassinations," he gestured to the scrolls in front of him. "We take that tremendous variety and sort them into categories from A to D, based on the degree of skill they require. We have also divided the shinobi into classes based on the level of their skills. After we, of the upper echelon, have sorted all their requests...we distribute them those of their level of ability deemed most appropriate. And if the ninja in question completes those duties successfully, then the grateful person he has helped pays him a fee." Lord Hokage looked up at Naruto and the others, "Thus far the three of you have only just attained the lowest rank. Level D tasks are the best you could aspire to."

Naruto was saying to the others, "I had pork ramen for lunch yesterday… So I think I'll have miso ramen today."

"Are you listening?" Lord Hokage asked angrily.

Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed, "I…I'm sorry."

"I don't want to hear it!" Naruto shouted. "All the old man ever does is apologize and then give me a lecture. But it's not fair. There's more to me than the trouble making screw up the old man thinks I am!" Naruto turned his back on Lord Hokage and held his breath.

Kakashi thought, I'm going to be in so much trouble for this later… Kakashi heard Lord Hokage's voice in his head as Lord Hokage was looking directly at him; you'd better come see me after your squad's next assignment. Kakashi sighed, thinking he was off the hook for now.

Lord Hokage looked down at Naruto, having finished with Kakashi, "Very well." Naruto turned around startled. "Since you put it that way," All the rest of squad 7 was listening intently. "I will permit you to attempt a C-grade task-usually reserved fro shinobi of the Journeymen level…" Mischief-making has been his only means of self expression… "The protection of a certain individual…"

"All right!" Naruto shouted gleefully from the floor.

Sara looked up at Kakashi who was standing behind her, "Master Kakashi, you can close you're mouth now, I can practically feel it hanging open."

Kakashi, who had indeed been staring open-mouthed at the Hokage, straightened up out of his slouch, which he had gone into from shock, glared down at her.

"Naruto shouted excitedly, "Who is it? Some great lord? A princess? A daimy- owwwwww!" Before Kakashi had been able to punch Naruto in the head again, Sara had stomped on his foot.

As Naruto hopped around holding his right foot, Lord Hokage said, "Compose yourself. I'll perform the introductions straightaway." He turned towards the sliding doors, "Please invite him in…"

The sliding door opened to reveal a drunken old guy still holding the bottle he had been drinking from. The old guy asked, "What's going on here? They look like a bunch of wet-nosed brats."

Kakashi thought curiously, is he including me in that group?

" Especially… the midget," the old guy continued. "He's got the face of an imbecile. It's a joke right? You kids aren't really ninja, are you?"

I'm include... Kakashi thought, feeling annoyed.

Naruto was laughing meanwhile, "Who'd mean?" He asked looking from Sakura to Sasuke to Sara, "Which midget which imbe- wait a minute?" The others, including Kakashi all stepped forward to show Naruto which one was the imbecile.

Naruto shouted as he lunged forward, "I'll kill him!"

Kakashi grabbed Naruto by his jacket collar, "Wrong," he stated calmly. "No killing the old man you've been assigned to protect." Naruto was oblivious as he still struggled and swung, hoping to somehow hit the old man who was a fair distance away.

"I am Tazuna," the old man said, introducing himself. "A bridge builder of ultimate renown. Until I am safely back in my own country, where I'll be completing my next bridge, you'll all be expected to protect me…even at the costs of your lives!"

As they walked through the village, Tazuna with them, he kept glancing at Sara. Finally, he said to her, "So you're the infamous Sheatan, just don't kill us before we reach my home."

Everyone watched as Sara's muscles tensed ready to spring, my turn! "I'll kill him!"

Kakashi leapt forward, grabbing her by her mid section just before she reached Tazuna, "For the last time I said NO KILLING the old man you've been assigned to protect." He glanced down at Sara who was still glaring at Tazuna. "Do you still want to kill him?" He asked.

"Yes!" Sara replied.

"Then I'm not putting you down, until your temper has cooled off." Sara merely sulked as Kakashi carried her with one arm.

Halfway to the gate, Kakashi asked, "Can I put you down yet?"

Sara replied, "What do you think?"

"I take that as a no… You do realize that you're acting worse than Naruto right now?" Sara gave him a raspberry in response. Spoiled, rotten, idiotic genin! Kakashi managed to keep his temper in control, his thoughts drifted to something else, would she have turned out like this if I had been able to take care of her all her life? He looked down as Sara relaxed in his arms, "How about now?" He asked. Sara nodded. Kakashi put her on her feet hesitantly, wondering if she would lunge at Tazuna. Amazingly, she didn't.

Sara glared at Tazuna as she straightened her pack, stupid old fart! She received a glare from Kakashi. "Psst, Naruto!" she whispered. "Naruto looked at her," he had never left her side, even when Kakashi had been carrying her. "Did I say, or mutter anything just now?"

"No," Naruto replied, looking confused. "Why?"

"Just wondering." Why does Master Kakashi keep glaring at me then if I'm not saying anything?

Finally, squad 7 and Tazuna had reached the gate. Naruto shouted, "All right! Road trip!"

"What are you babbling about?" Sakura asked, sounding annoyed.

Naruto couldn't hold still as he said, "This'll be my first time in my life that I've ever been out of the village."

Sakura looked at Sara and asked, trying to make conversation, "Isn't this also you're first time out of the village?"

"Yeah," Sara nodded. "But I'm not about to make a big deal about it." She looked at Naruto and sighed exasperated.

Tazuna asked, "Am I really expected to place my life in the hands of this fool?"

Kakashi sighed, "There's no call for concern. I'm an elite ninja and I'll be along to."

Naruto turned his back on Tazuna; he crossed his arms angrily and thought, this guy has got to be the worst client in the history of our village. And I'm not gonna let him give me any crap. He snapped, "Listen you old geezer! You don't mess with ninja. Ever. Especially not a really good one, like me!" Naruto pointed at Tazuna, "I am the cream of the elite."

Sara thought, since when? You had the lowest scores in the class.

Naruto continued, "In fact, one day I'm gonna be the next Lord Hokage! So remember my name. It's Naruto Uzamaki."

Tazuna took a swig from a bottle, "Hokage eh? The lord of your village? The best there is? I don't think someone like you has it in him."

"Well, you're old and stupid!" Naruto shouted angrily. "I am doing all the right things, and I'm doing them fast. And when I become Hokage you're gonna wish you were a lot more respectful to me right now!"

Tazuna turned away from Naruto as he said, "Respect you? I don't think so. Not even if you did become Hokage."

Naruto's left eye twitched. He lunged, once again for Tazuna, "You are dead!"

Kakashi was very close to losing his temper as he grabbed Naruto by his jacket collar again, "I said NO you little dunce."

After Tazuna had been walking along with his escorts Sakura asked him, "Um… Mr. Tazuna?"

"What now?" He asked, unsure if he really wanted the answer.

Sakura continued, "You come from the Land of Waves, right?"

"What of it?"

"Um… Master Kakashi," Sakura asked turning towards him. "Are there ninja in that country too?"

Kakashi answered lengthily, "No. Not in the Land of Waves. But, as a general rule, even with all the differences that exist in local customs and cultures, most other countries have their own hidden village where a ninja clan resides. For most of the countries on this continent, the ninja villages serve as the military force. They protect their own people and handle the ongoing relations with neighboring countries! Yet, the villages do not answer to the rulers of their native countries. Instead, they are on equal footing with the government. In the case of very small island nations where an invasion would be difficult to mount, a ninja village is regarded as unnecessary. Among the various ninja villages, in particular those located in the Lands of Konoha, Kiri, Kumo, Suna, and Iwa are large-and their strength is immense. Those are called the Five Great Lands of Shinobi. They are also the only places where the shinobi leader calls himself a kage, or shadow… Those legendary leaders, Hokage or fire shadow and Mizukage or water shadow, for example…plus Raikage, Kazekage, and Tsuchikage are known to shinobi everywhere as the five shadows… The ultimate commanders of all the tens of thousands of shinobi throughout the world."

I don't see anything that great about the old fart who's always lecturing us! The Inner Sakura thought. Sakura said, "Really? Lord Hokage is so amazing!"

The others were all thinking that maybe at some point in time Lord Hokage had been amazing; now, he was a long winded old man.

Kakashi said to all of them, "You obviously don't really think so…" Everyone stopped mid step for a brief second. Kakashi smiled as he said to Sakura, "There's nothing to worry about. You won't face any duels with ninja from other clans while you're handling C Level duties." Kakashi patted her on the head.

"So I don't have to worry about encountering any foreign shinobi…?" Sakura asked happily. She was thinking, does he have to pat my head so roughly? I'm not a dog!

Kakashi answered laughing, "Of course not!"

Sara and Sasuke both noticed Tazuna gulped, whether he was nervous or just parched, they couldn't tell. Naruto, meanwhile, was on the verge of pouting since they wouldn't encounter any shinobi.

They walked for a while longer, Kakashi had fallen to the back of the group, Sara glanced back at him, and she slowed down to walk beside him. Why am I doing this!... I know! It's because I'm a stupid kid that likes to hang out with the person they've chosen as role model! Why did I ever pick HIM?

Kakashi glanced down at her, once she was walking beside him, "What are you doing back here?" He asked. "You should be up there with your friends."

Sara replied, "You looked a little lonely back here." Uh! How can I say things like that! She watched as Kakashi's gaze softened into a look that she couldn't identify, it scared her slightly.

Kakashi was overjoyed at hearing her response, and he let his emotions show through. She willing wanted to walk beside me! He quickly hid his emotions when he saw a brief flash of fear come into her eyes. Kakashi, you idiot! She doesn't remember you! He was surprised when she spoke

"Master Kakashi," Sara asked looking at the ground sheepishly. "Can you tell me anything about the ninja that brought me to the village?"

Kakashi looked at her feeling a tad crestfallen. It appears that she just wanted to question me… "I do know quite a bit about him actually." He answered watching her expression.

Her eyes brighten as she asked, "So can you tell me some things about him?"

Kakashi looked thoughtful for a minute before he answered, "No." Sara looked crushed so Kakashi added, "It's not that I won't tell you, it's just that…" Okay, time to lie. "I'm one of his best friends and he asked me not to tell you anything about him until I thought the time was right."

She perked up slightly as she said, "Oh…okay!" Her eyes gleamed mischievously as she spotted a puddle. She made a leap towards it, but Kakashi grabbed her by her collar.

"No splashing the jônin!" He said smiling as he tossed her over the puddle. "Go catch up with the others." Sara threw him a genuine smile before she caught up with Naruto and the others. That wasn't so bad…she thought as she caught up to Naruto.

Kakashi looked back at the puddle and calmly walked on.

Sara was still feeling happy when she heard a startled "What!" come from Kakashi. They all whipped around to find Kakashi being held tightly by chains that could rip right through him. The chains were attached to two claws held by two separate shinobi.

Naruto shouted, "What the?"

Sara wondered, how did they come up on us so- realization struck her. He protected me! Me! The one called Sheatan! The one who has Phoenix within her! Why did he…?

The two shinobi said as they pulled the chains, "One little piggy."

Sara bolted forward, before the chains could rip through Kakashi. She lunged at the nearest ninja, the one on the right. He looked shocked for a brief second before he slashed at her, briefly slackening the chain on Kakashi. She turned her right shoulder towards the blow, so the claws wouldn't go across her chest; she hit the ground on her knees in the process. She watched in horror as Kakashi's eye widened in pain before he was ripped to shreds before her very eyes. Sara heard Sakura scream and Naruto shout Kakashi's name. She tried to stand up as the two shinobi sprinted past her, ignoring her. Stupid! You turn your shoulder to that guy's claws and you don't have enough sense to turn the shoulder with the headband on it to receive the blow! Stupid…

She spun on the spot as she heard the two shinobi say, "Two little piggies…" As they stood behind Naruto.

Target 2

Sara tensed her muscles getting ready to spring into action when a voice in her said I wouldn't move if I were you…

"Phoenix," Sara muttered under her breath. What do you want you stupid bird?

Nothing. I merely want to keep you alive. You may not be aware of this, but they have poison in their claws.

Yeah right… Sara prepared once again to help Naruto but noticed that Sasuke had jumped in and was doing fine. Her mind drifted back to when the shinobi had rushed past her. That would explain why they ignored me…alright…what do I do to get the poison out?

You need to open the wound so your blood will flow, washing the poison out.

Sara sighed resignedly as she pulled out a kunai knife and sliced right through the wound. She gritted her teeth as the blood flowed staining her ripped jacket sleeve. Sara glanced up and watched as the shinobi ran forward towards Tazuna. Sakura leapt in their path shouting, "Stand back, sir!"

Sasuke leaped in front of her determination showing on his face, but before the claws reached Sasuke, the shinobi were both caught by Kakashi's arms. Kakashi looked at them and said calmly, "Hi there."

Sara glared at him, hi there. Is that all he has to say after scaring the crap out of us!

Sakura was beyond happy, Kakashi-sensei! You're alive.

Hmph! He had to butt in! Sasuke thought, since he had wanted to play the hero.

Naruto stared realization striking him; Sensei used the art of transformation!

Kakashi looked at Naruto, "I'm sorry Naruto. I should have moved to help you sooner…before you were injured. It never occurred to me that you would freeze up like that." He turned his gaze on Sara, "Sara… I'm thrilled that you are very team oriented, however you're no good to the village dead." Sara glared at the ground. "Think next time before you act." He turned to Sasuke and Sakura, "Good job, Sasuke, you too Sakura."

Sara was ticked. I try my hardest to defend him and he basically says that I'm only a weapon to the village...is that why Phoenix was put in me… So I would be some sort of invincible weapon… She looked dejectedly at the ground, her shoulder still bleeding.

Naruto was staring at Sasuke, shocked. I…I couldn't do a single thing! But Sasuke, who's never been in a real battle before…acted like it was no big deal. He didn't even break a sweat. But he still managed to save my life.

"Hey…" Sasuke said to Naruto, "Are you okay…you big chicken?"

Naruto took a step towards Sasuke, angered by his words. Kakashi interjected, "Naruto! There's no time now for fighting. Their claws are poisoned…"

Phoenix said to Sara smugly, I told you so!

Yeah, yeah, yeah…

Kakashi continued, "We have to clean that wound as soon as possible. If we cut it open more deeply, the blood flow will wash the poison away." Kakashi turned to Tazuna, "Mr. Tazuna."

Tazuna looked scared as he asked, "Wha…what is it?"

"I need to speak with you," Kakashi said getting his point across. Kakashi tied up the two shinobi before he said, "Our attackers appear to be journeymen level ninja of the Kirigakure clan-mist ninjas. They are shinobi renowned for their willingness to fight on until their goal is achieved, even at the costs of their own lives."

One of the shinobi said, "Obviously, they were watching and waiting for us."

"The sun is out, and it hasn't rained for several days," Kakashi said. "So there shouldn't have been any puddles on the ground."

Sara once again felt ashamed for her lack of observation and she still felt some gratitude towards him, but she was now suspicious of his motives after what he had said to her.

Tazuna asked Kakashi, "If you knew all that, why did you even let those creeps attack you?"

"I could have killed them at any time," Kakashi gave Tazuna a stern look. "But, I wanted to find out who their real target was."

"What do you mean by that?" Tazuna asked confused.

Kakashi explained, "Were you really the one they were after? Or was it one of us ninja? There has been no word of any shinobi seeking to take your life. The request that was relayed to Lord Hokage was that you have an escort to protect you against any roving bands of thieves and brigands. In any case, it's clear this is more than a 'B' rank mission. To protect you from ordinary dangers until you complete the bridge you're currently constructing, would be a simple thing." Tazuna looked as if Kakashi's analysis was dead on. "But if you expected to be the target of a ninja assault then it is beyond question that this would have been classified and priced- as a mission for elite ninja. You may have had your reasons, but it's never a good idea to conceal the facts when you are asking for help. As it is, this task falls far beyond the boundaries of the job we were assigned."

Sakura chimed in, "We're not good enough yet to handle something like this… Can we quit? We'll need anesthetic for Naruto's wound…"

Has everyone forgotten that I'm injured? Sara wondered trying to figure out how they could forget since her sleeve was now literally died red, the blood now flowing in a small trickle.

Sakura continued, "Before we can re-open it and drain the poison. Can't we return to the village and have a doctor look at it?"

"Hmmm…This is complicated!" Kakashi said looking thoughtful. "Do we go back now so we can make certain Naruto receives medical attention…?"

Before any of them could move, Naruto whipped out a kunai knife and stabbed his wounded hand. Naruto turned away from them as he thought, why am I always so different? I hate not fitting in!

Sakura shouted, "Naruto—What are you-? No! Stop that!

By now I should be really strong! But I blew it… Even though I've done tons of extra training every day on my own, trying to build my skills! I swear no one's ever gonna have to save my life again… I'm not going to be the one who hangs back or freezes up… And I'm not gonna be outdone by Sasuke! I swear it…by the pain in my left hand. Naruto said aloud, "With this kunai knife I promise you I will protect the old man. Reporting fit for duty Sensei!"

Kakashi said calmly, "Naruto, we needed a free flow of blood to clean the poison from your wound…" He then smiled as he said, "But you've exceeded the need. You could bleed to death. I'm serious."

Naruto at first looked really pale and he was amazingly quiet, then what Kakashi said sank in. He shouted, "NOOO! Nuh-uh! No way! Isn't gonna happen! I'm not gonna die like this!"

Sara stared at her friend dumbfounded. Big deal! Your hand is bleeding… No one has even noticed my blood soaked sleeve, and I'm not about to complain about a little wound like mine. (As you've probably guessed, the wound isn't that little.)

Kakashi said to Naruto, "Show me your hand."

Sakura meanwhile, was scolding Naruto, "What are you, Naruto? Some sort of Masochist? Do you get off on pain?"

Kakashi was bandaging the wound when he noticed something, his hand… The wound…it's…almost healed!

He glanced up as Naruto said, "It's all right isn't it? I mean…you know…"

Kakashi said to calm Naruto's fears, "It looks like you'll be fine." I should have guessed…it's the power of the Nine-tailed Fox!

Once Kakashi had bandaged up Naruto's hand, Tazuna said hesitantly, "Master… Mr. Sensei, sir…" Kakashi looked at him. "I have something to say…"

Going Ashore

Tazuna was still hesitant as he said, "There's something you should know. About the request for help I made to your village… As you guessed, this job is more dangerous than you and your students were led to believe. There's a real scary man who wants to see me dead."

Kakashi asked sounding skeptical, "A 'real scary man'…? Who is he?"

Tazuna lowered his head, "You've probably heard of him. He's a billionaire in the field of marine transportation. His name is Gatô!"

"You mean Gatô…of Gatô Shipping and Transport? THE Gatô? They say he's the richest man in the world!" Kakashi exclaimed.

"That's the one," Tazuna said. "On the surface he looks like a legitimate businessman. The truth is he's a ruthless, murdering criminal who employs gangs and teams of shinobi, and traffics in drugs and contraband. He starts out taking over companies…and ends up running entire countries. He lives by every low and vicious trade known to man. It was just one year ago…that he set his sights on the Land of Waves. He came under the guise of a business venture. Then the violence began, and in no time at all, he'd taken over our entire marine transportation and shipping industry, and we were all under his thumb! Gatô now has a stranglehold on all forms of transportation, the lifeblood of an island nation, and a stranglehold on all the wealth… The only thing he has to fear is that which has been underway for some time… The completion of that bridge!

Sakura said looking thoughtful, "I see… And as the architect of the bridge and overseer of its construction, you, Mr. Tazuna, are very much in his way.

"That means," Sasuke said. "That the ninja who attacked us were working for Gatô."

Sara nodded her head in agreement, she had kept pace with the conversation, but she had felt that it was best if she hid her intellect for a while longer. (Yes, her shoulder is still bleeding, but it's only a teeny, tiny trickle now. And no one has noticed.)

Naruto, meanwhile, was trying to keep up.

Kakashi said, "But, I still don't understand… If you knew you were the target of a ruthless thug with ninja at his disposal, why didn't you tell us when you asked for our help?"

"The Land of Waves isn't a prosperous land," Tazuna stated sadly. "Even our local lords are poor. And I have no money at all. An elite B-ranked bodyguard would be a lot more than I could afford."

Kakashi remained silent. I'm still not sure if I should put my squad in such danger, especially when we've been tricked…

Tazuna continued sadly, "But if you all turn away from me now, then I'm as good as dead."

"But…" Kakashi tried to say, but Tazuna ignored him.

"But, oh well! That's not your concern! You won't be there to see my daughter and ten-year-old grandson cry all day like their hearts are breaking! Oh! And you won't mind if my daughter vows eternal hatred of all the ninja of your village as she lives her life alone." Squad 7 all stared feeling slightly guilty, but more annoyed. "Heck! Well, it's not your fault!"

All of them stared in shock as Kakashi said, "Well… I suppose it can't be helped. We'll continue to protect you, at least until you return to your country!" This is the worst mission for hire I've ever done!

Tazuna thought happily, suckers!

We've been suckered into something, Sara concluded, noticing the triumphant look on Tazuna's face.

"Let's get a move on then," Kakashi said as he began walking. Tazuna quickly took the lead.

Sara started off okay, but soon she was seeing double of everything and she slowed down. Kakashi noticed that she was slowing down and kept pace with her. Naruto was too busy trying to outdo Sasuke to notice his friend.

Kakashi asked, "Are you okay, Sara?"

Sara tried to glare at him, but she couldn't figure out which one to glare at, "I'm fine! Or are you worried that the village's 'valuable weapon' won't make it back?"

"Wait-what!" Kakashi asked startled. "What makes you think that anyone in the village considers you a weapon?"

"What you said to me after we fought those two shinobi."

"…Huh?" Kakashi said completely baffled.

Sara sighed, "You said, 'I'm thrilled that you are very team oriented, however you're no good to the village dead.'."

Kakashi asked, "And that made you think that the village considers you to be a weapon, why?"

"Well…because…it," Sara wasn't actually sure why.

Kakashi sighed, "I apologize if you thought that I meant you were a weapon. You're not. You are a valuable ninja in the Hidden Leaf Village."

Sara wasn't so sure that she believed him.

Kakashi continued, "You're a good kid," he said as he patted her injured shoulder. He withdrew his hand, startled. He than hollered, "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME YOU WERE INJURED!" Tazuna and the rest of the squad stopped and whipped around wondering what was going on.

Sara cowered in front of Kakashi; she had never seen him so angry. He squatted down next to her injured shoulder and said gruffly, "Take off your jacket." Sara quickly obeyed, not wanting to anger him further. "How did you get injured so badly?" Kakashi asked sounding concerned. Before she could answer he added, "This salve is going to sting a bit when I apply it."

She nodded, "I was injured by one of those shinobi we fought early." Kakashi looked horrified. Before he could say anything Sara continued, "I knew that their claws were poisonous, so I cut my shoulder open to make it bleed."

Kakashi was quiet for a minute as he applied the salve, Sara's eyes widened in shock and pain as the salve touched her wound. Kakashi smiled behind his mask. She finally released an, "Owww!" when he applied a little more. "It's not that bad," Kakashi said, sounding like a parent. He quickly asked, trying to hide his mistake, "How did you know that the claws were poisoned?" Sara refused to look at him. "Well?"

She whispered, so that he could barely hear her, "Phoenix." Kakashi nodded at her and he smiled visibly so she would know that she hadn't done anything wrong.

Sara was startled when he smiled at her, she asked him, "Aren't you going to yell at me or call me Sheatan."

"No," Kakashi stated. "One, you did nothing wrong, and two calling you Sheatan is against the law."

"But we're not in the Hidden Leaf Village."

"That doesn't matter; it was hard fought for to make that a law…" Kakashi stopped seeing her eyes glint with triumph.

She asked eagerly, "Did the shinobi that brought me here try to make it a law?" Kakashi nodded reluctantly, although he was happy that she hadn't caught on to his mistake, not many shinobi had fought for it except Lord Hokage, Enaki, and himself.

Kakashi asked her, "May I see your jacket for a minute?" Sara nodded and handed it over to him. Kakashi examined the damage, and the bloodstain. "Do you mind if I give it a small cleaning?" Sara nodded once again, wondering why he would be so kind to her. Kakashi used his canteen water to clean the sleeve till it was very close to its original color. "It might be a little wet for a while," Kakashi said as he handed Sara her jacket.

Sara stared at it for a minute before she did a small Fireball Jutsu, drying the wet sleeve. She than put on the jacket smiling all the while. Kakashi hid his smile, that was a resourceful use of the Fireball Jutsu.

Kakashi stopped smiling when Sara bolted ahead to catch up with Naruto. I thought that she'd at least walk with me for a little bit… He sighed as he caught up with the others more slowly.

They were approaching the sea that they needed to cross to get to the Land of Waves. But to get to the spot where Tazuna had said a boat would be waiting for them, they had to go through a cave.

Sara stared around the cave as they proceeded through it. She glanced back at Kakashi. He looked fairly relaxed, but she noticed that his eye kept darting back and forth, looking for the slightest sign of enemy ninja. She watched as his gaze rested on Naruto. Sara stared at her friend, wondering what was wrong, she almost laughed aloud when she saw Naruto doing the rabbit shadow with his hand.

Naruto was beyond happy as he made a rabbit shadow on the wall, he even made it hop. He was shocked when a dog shadow appeared on the wall and it looked like it was howling. Naruto whipped his head around and looked behind him. He only saw Sara and Kakashi. Tazuna and the others were up ahead. Naruto shrugged. It's not like Bright Eyes to interrupt my fun like that…and Kakashi-sensei wouldn't have a sense of humor like that! Naruto went back to making his rabbit shadow on the wall. A few seconds later the dog shadow appeared, this time it moved threateningly close to the rabbit shadow. Naruto whipped around and stared at Sara and Kakashi, both of them looked surprised. Naruto was beginning to wonder if the cave was haunted. He shrugged off his fear and went back to his rabbit shadow ignoring the dog shadow when it appeared. He let out a startled yell, when the dog shadow actually, grabbed him. Naruto stared indignantly at Kakashi, "That wasn't nice sensei!"

Kakashi laughed, "It might not have been, but you really do need to stop."

Naruto waited patiently until Sara caught up to him. He mumbled, "Why didn't you tell me or give me a clue?"

"Because he offered me an ultimatum, tell you and get killed, or stay quiet and enjoy a fairly funny prank," Sara said with a smile.

Naruto snorted at her in disgust, "Some friend you are!"

She gave a hurt look.

"Ah, come on! You know I didn't mean it!"

"I know," she said perking up. "Just think of me keeping silent as payback for all those times you made me act as the distraction."

Naruto agreed to that, remembering exactly how many times he had indeed made her do just that.

A few minutes later, they were all in a boat rowing to the Land of Waves. Sara and Naruto stared in wonder at the waves; they had never seen such an immense amount of water in their lifetimes. The seating on the boat was somehow arranged by a person, who will not be named (Kakashi) who placed Naruto near the front of the boat, Sakura and Sasuke were sitting across from each other and Kakashi was next to Sara, with Tazuna and the row man in the back.

Sara was happily trailing her hand in the water when Kakashi said in a serious tone, "I wouldn't do that."

"Why not?" Sara asked genuinely interested.

"There are sharks in these waters," Kakashi said, a mischievous gleam in his eye. "They might take your hand off."

"Yeah right," Sara responded ignoring him.

Kakashi responded, "You're right, they'd probably take one bite and spit it back out."

Sara glared at him, but didn't yell, since she knew why they had turned off the motor. Kakashi was chuckling silently to himself; he had finally found a few ways to interact with Sara. Teasing and sarcasm seemed to work the best, while acting like an all knowing figure seemed to make her ignore him.

Sakura said looking around, "Wow, this is some fog. I can barely see a thing."

The row man said, "We'll be able to see the bridge in a minute. On the other side of it is the Land of Waves."

Everyone gazed through the fog searching for the bridge. Once Naruto saw it he shouted on impulse, "Whoa! It's huuuuge!"

The row man snapped, "Hey! Keep it down! This mist'll keep us hidden. But it can't hide our voices. We'd be in big trouble if Gatô caught us." Naruto quickly covered his mouth with his hands, looking thoroughly embarrassed.

Sara sighed and pulled her hand out of the water and shook it purposely in Kakashi's direction.

"Hey!" Kakashi said, as he moved over an inch. "No splashing the jônin!" Sara smiled but she remained quiet, I've come to the conclusion that Master Kakashi doesn't like me. He's always using sarcasm and he keeps acting like a know-it-all… Oh well, at least I can give it all back to him one thousand fold!

The row man suddenly said, "We'll be there soon!" He than looked at Tazuna, "Tazuna, so far it looks like we've been overlooked, just to be on the safe side, we'll take an inland waterway through town to a point where we can make landfall under the cover of mangroves."

Tazuna amazingly said, "Thank you." And he actually meant it.

They passed through a waterway that was similar to a tunnel. Naruto said Sara's thoughts as a beautiful looking town came into sight, "Ohhh…woww!"

Within a few minutes they had made landfall and were off the boat. The row man said to Tazuna, "This is as far as I go. Take care of yourself."

Tazuna turned around and said, "Thanks… for taking such a risk. I shouldn't have asked…" The row man was already speeding away, the motor of the boat now in use. Tazuna turned to the ninja, "Ok! Now, if I can just make it home in one piece…"

"Yeah, yeah," Kakashi responded. There's bound to be another attack. And next time they won't send Journeymen. We'll probably face upper level ninjas… Could this be any worse?

Sara watched Naruto carefully; ever since we've been on shore Naruto's been jumpier than a cricket's that's just had caffeine! As if on cue Naruto shouted as he threw some shuriken, "Over there!" Everyone else jumped, including Kakashi. Naruto said coolly, "I…uh, Guess it was only a mouse."

Sakura shouted, "What mouse? Are you out of your mind? There was nothing there, you moron!"

"Please, please don't play around with your shuriken. They can be just a teensy bit dangerous!" Kakashi said as he tried not to pummel Naruto for not only scaring him, but unnecessarily throwing his shuriken.

Tazuna shouted at Naruto, "Hey! Midget! Don't go scaring us! Stop messing with our heads!"

Naruto wasn't paying attention. Instead, he was looking for more danger mumbling to himself, "I think I might have seen someone."

Sara sighed as Naruto once again threw some shuriken saying, "This time! Over there!"

"I told you to quit it!" Sakura snapped as she gave Naruto a punch to the head.

Naruto tried to justify his actions, "I swear—there was someone in there! After us!"

"You are such a liar," Sakura continued to scold Naruto while Sara turned her gaze onto Kakashi, who was investigating. Sara managed to spot a white rabbit, since Sakura had come over to see what it was also. Sakura quickly went back to scolding Naruto, while Naruto was apologizing to the petrified rabbit.

Sara sighed, at least it was nothing dangerous!... So why can't I shake the feeling that something's amiss?

Kakashi was thinking, that's a snow hare… It's spring time, so why is it still wearing its winter pelt? The fur on the snow hare changes color with the seasons. In winter, when there is very little sunlight, the pelt is white. That hare is obviously a decoy that's been kept like a pet, indoors. Where there isn't a lot of sunshine… This is it!

Sara was looking at all of the people around her. No, not Naruto, he's too busy with his rabbit. Her gaze drifted towards Sakura, if I'm sensing anything from her than I'm in trouble. Sasuke…I really hope not! Tazuna, not a chance. Master Kakashi...? Nah! It must be nerves, why would I sense anybody's feelings anyway? Yet she couldn't shake the thought that something was going to happen, something big.

Suddenly, Kakashi shouted, "Everyone take cover!" Tazuna tackled Sasuke to the ground as a reflex, while Sakura did the same to Naruto. Sara felt the wind get knocked out of her as Kakashi tackled her to the ground. She was winded for a second and nothing was making sense. She quickly recovered and realized that Kakashi was shielding her with his body. His arm and head covering her completely. He defended me! Again…why?

Kakashi stood up and didn't offer Sara a hand, but she saw why. A shinobi with Mist village headband was standing on a humongous sword that was impaled into the tree. His chest had no sort of covering and the headband he wore was turned to the side. Sara stood up quickly, her sense of danger had finally disappeared and she was happy that all of her emotions were her own.

Naruto was exhilarated, as far as he was concerned his chance to show up Sasuke had arrived. Ready…steady, he thought, tensing ready to spring at the shinobi.

Kakashi had just said, "Well, well…if it isn't Zabuza Momochi. The kid who ran off and left the Land of the Mists!"

Go! Naruto took a step forward but Kakashi blocked his path with his hand. "Don't interfere," Kakashi said, sounding ready for a fight. "Give me room. This one is on a different plane from our previous opponents." And if I have to face him it had better be… "Like this. This may be a little rough."

Game Over!

Zabuza glanced down at their little group and said, "Kakashi of the Sharingan Eye, I presume? If it wouldn't be too much trouble…could you surrender the old man?"

Naruto was wondering, Sharingan? What the heck does that mean?

The Sharingan—The Mirror Wheel eye? Sasuke thought, as his mind struggled to comprehend those words.

Kakashi said as he lifted the part of his headband that was covering his left eye, "Assume the Manji battle formation! Protect Mr. Tazuna. All of you stay out of the fight. That's the kind of teamwork this situation demands… And now, Zabuza, shall we?"

"Ohhhh!" Naruto said as he stared at Kakashi's left eye. What's up with his eye?

Sara was also staring in wonder at the eye; it looks so different from his other eye. She took in the scar that surrounded it, the scar…I wonder if that eye was surgically put in. The scar looks like had been a nasty wound that would have destroyed an eye.

"Ahh," Zabuza said. "To face the legendary Mirror Wheel eye so early in our acquaintance… This is an honor."

Naruto shouted, "You keep calling it a Mirror Wheel eye, a Sharingan eye… What the heck is it?"

"Shinobi who have the Sharingan eye," Sasuke answered. "Have mastered a form of ocular ninjutsu. It enables them to penetrate and see the reality behind any illusion or spell and to reflect the power of the magic they penetrate back on those who cast them! A Mirror Wheel, or Sharingan eye is one of several types used by the masters. And there's more…"

"Like what?" Naruto asked curiosly.

Zabuza chuckled, "Exactly. There is indeed more. Most formidable of all is the acuity with which the Sharingan can discern and then duplicate its opponent's greatest skill. When I was an assassin for the Mist Village, I possessed the usual Bingo Book—a kind of who's who of our enemies. It had quite the extensive write up on you, including a mention of your impressive record… The man who penetrated and copied over a thousand different techniques, Kakashi, The Mirror Ninja."

Sakura muttered, "But he's…Kakashi sensei is just…he and old man Hokage are only…"

Great, Sara finished in her head. She was beginning to see why Lord Hokage was so well respected. If Master Kakashi is this good, then Lord Hokage must have been better, if he still isn't.

Sasuke was thinking, but…does it mean…the Sharingan eye is only supposed to be unique to only a small number of the Uchiha clan. Could he be…?

Zabuza said, bringing everyone back to reality, "Enough. Pleasant as this conversation has been, the time for talk is over. I'm on a very tight schedule to polish off the old man."

Tazuna flinched as Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, and Sara moved into their positions around him. Sasuke in the front, Naruto on the left side, Sakura on the right side, and Sara in the back.

Oh great! Sara thought as she saw her view of the trees behind her. I won't get to see Master Kakashi in action! She was startled when Tazuna moved slightly over. He's giving me a better view!

Zabuza said to Kakashi, "But, Kakashi, it looks like I'm going to have to kill you first." Zabuza disappeared, sword and all, from the tree. They turned slightly to see him standing on top of the water.

"Over there," Naruto shouted.

Sakura exclaimed, "Is he walking on water?"

Kakashi was watching Zabuza intently, clever bastard… He's built up a pretty fair concentration of chakra.

They all heard Zabuza say, "The finest of the Ninja Arts, the Kirigakure jutsu." With that he disappeared completely.

"He's GONE!" Sakura shouted, shocked.

Kakashi stated, "He will come after me first. Zabuza Momochi of the Kirigakure Assassin Corps is a famous master of the art of silent killing. Letting your guard down around him buys you a direct trip to heaven. I haven't necessarily mastered every aspect of the Sharingan eye, so all of you stay on your toes!"

A dense fog rolled in suddenly, Naruto asked, "What's with all this fog?"

Devil's Eyes! Sara thought, hoping to be able to see through the fog. Oh, would you look at that, mist particles! Great…

A voice said, "There are eight targets."

"Wha-what was that!" Sakura asked nervously.

It said, "Throat, spinal column, lungs, liver, the jugular vein, the subclavian artery, kidney, heart…so many choices, what vital vulnerable place shall I choose?" By now they had distinguished the voice as Zabuza's and they all shuddered as he laughed.

Kakashi made a hand sign making all of them either gasp or flinch.

Sasuke was trembling, this terrible blood thirst…! If I draw attention by even blinking, he'll kill me! I can feel it! I can't stay like this for long! I'm going to lose it. A master ninja, determined to kill, knowing my life is in his hands. I hate it! You start wanting to die, just to end the suspense…

Kakashi said, "Sasuke. Calm down. Even if he gets me I'll still protect you. I will never let my comrades die!"

Sara felt a strange yet welcome feeling spread through her, like an old friend coming home. He said all of us! Including me and Naruto! He's not even thinking about the things we have in us! (Naruto had told Sara about the Nine Tailed Fox, as soon as he had the chance, as you can imagine, she hadn't cared.)

"I wouldn't bet on that…" Zabuza said as he appeared in the midst of their formation. "Game over!"

Kakashi teleported and knocked everyone out of the way of Zabuza's sword…everyone except Sara. Sara instead watched as a hand appeared from the mist and yanked her out of the way. What the hell?...

Kakashi had managed to stab Zabuza, but instead of blood leaking from the wound, it was water. Sara watched in horror as Zabuza appeared behind Kakashi, she opened her mouth to shout out a warning as she stood up, but Naruto beat her to it, "Sensei! Behind you!"

Kakashi glanced behind himself too late. Sakura screamed as Kakashi was sliced in two. They all watched as he dissolved into water. Kakashi had appeared behind a startled Zabuza, "Don't move," he said as he held a kunai to Zabuza's throat. "Game over."

"Awesome!" Naruto shouted relieved. Sakura giggled like a little girl.

That's what a jônin is really capable of! Sara thought mystified and in awe of her teacher's skills. Not only did he have his clone act the part, he managed to get me out of the way of Zabuza's sword without revealing where he was! Sara focused on what was going on in front of her as Zabuza laughed.

"You think it's over?" Zabuza asked. "You just don't get it. It will take more to defeat me than mimicking me like an ape. A lot more." He laughed again, "But you are good."

Ninja

Zabuza said to Kakashi, "In that short time you duplicated my water doppelganger technique. And by making your doppelganger say something you'd have said yourself…you ensured all my attention would be focused on it, while you yourself used the Kirigakure technique of hiding in the mist, watching my every move! Too bad for you…" Another Zabuza appeared behind Kakashi, "I'm not that easy to fool!" He held a kunai to Kakashi's throat as the one in front of Kakashi dissolved into water.

Naruto stated, "Zabuza was a water doppelganger too!"

Kakashi turned as Zabuza began to swing his sword. Kakashi flattened himself to the ground, letting Zabuza's sword swung harmlessly over him. Zabuza switched arms and kicked at Kakashi, Kakashi sailed straight into the water. Zabuza made to charge forward but stopped quickly, before he disappeared again.

"Sensei!" Naruto shouted, worried about Kakashi.

His Taijutsu skills are…amazing! Sara thought.

Sakura was worried about her teacher, uh… did Kakashi-sensei really get kicked all that way…?

His physical techniques are fantastic! Sasuke thought in awe.

Sara tensed suddenly feeling uneasy. Why am I feeling like this? I'm not worried, with Master Kakashi's skills…so why?

Kakashi had appeared and was struggling out of the water, the water…why is it so heavy…?

Zabuza appeared behind him, "You gullible fool!"

Kakashi whipped around, damn! He rose up and shouted, "What?" He was still surrounded by water, yet he could breathe. I thought I could go underwater and regroup, but it was a tactical error!

"That prison is inescapable. You're trapped," Zabuza said, he looked at Kakashi, "You running around free makes it too hard for me to do my job. I'll finish you later…after I've dealt with all the others…

Kakashi stared in horror as a water doppelganger appeared in front of his students, I knew he was good, but not this good…

Naruto was the closest one to the clone and he swallowed nervously.

The clone laughed, "Little ninja wannabe. Trying so hard to fit in. You even wear a headband. But a true ninja is one who has crossed and recrossed the barrier between the lands of the living and the dead. Clothes don't make a shinobi. You need skills good enough to rate a listing in my Bingo book of enemies, before you deserve to be called ninja. We don't call your kind 'ninja'. We call them." Zabuza disappeared.

Naruto looked around wildly, he vanished again! Naruto went flying as Zabuza kicked him in the head, knocking off his headband.

"Naruto!" Sara shouted worried about her friend. Sakura also shouted Naruto's name.

"Brats," the real Zabuza finished.

"Unh," Kakashi murmured. He shouted at them, "Everyone listen! Take Tazuna and go! It's a fight you can't win! If he wants to hold me in this water prison, he can't leave this place. If his water doppelganger gets more than a certain distance away from his real body he loses control of it. So get out of here!"

What's his point? He'll be killed if we run, just so Zabuza can chase after us. Running is NOT an option. Sara thought as she tensed herself ready to spring into action, she stopped when she realized that Naruto was trembling in fear.

Naruto was indeed trembling as he slowly backed up on the ground away from the clone. He's an elite ninja, a real elite ninja… I have to get away, I can't just lie here. There's no doubt of it! I'll die if I don't! He'll kill me! Naruto put weight on his injured hand. Ow! He stared at his hand and remembered the oath he had made to himself and Tazuna. He also remembered everything he had gone through to become a young ninja. Naruto glanced at Sara, she nodded slightly, her eyes glimmering with excitement. Gotta keep in mind how I got to this. I'm a ninja now… I swore I'd never freeze up or run away again.

That's it, Naruto, I'll fight beside you to the bitter end as long as I see a purpose to my life, that's my promise to you… Sara tensed once again, waiting for Naruto to signal, she had a feeling that he had a plan.

Naruto charged at Zabuza shouting. Kakashi shouted at him, fear showing in his voice, "Stop, you fool!"

Sasuke said, "He's…"

Sakura interrupted him, "Naruto! What are you thinking?"

"Hah, imbecile," Zabuza said before he sent Naruto rolling back with a good kick.

Naruto lay still for a few seconds, giving Sakura enough time to yell, "What were you thinking, tackling him by yourself! You think you're so cool, but junior ninja like us can't…" Naruto staggered up, clutching his headband with his injured hand. The headband? That's what he wanted? Sakura thought, feeling very confused.

Naruto said as he panted, "Hey… You… What's life like without eyebrows, freak?... Got a new listing for your Bingo book right here! A guy who is gong to be the next Lord Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village." Naruto lifted his headband up to his forehead and began tying it as he said, "Naruto Uzamaki! Leaf Village school ninja!"

Kakashi stared at Naruto in amazement, …Naruto.

Naruto didn't glance back as he said, "Sasuke, Bright Eyes! Listen up. There's something I want to tell you! I have a plan."

Now he has a plan? He hmphed, "So, it's time for some teamwork?"

Sakura was staring at Naruto, a blush rising to her cheeks, I feel…strange… This is so… Naruto is so…

Naruto glanced at Sara, "Bright Eyes, when I give the signal you distract him."

"What do you have in mind?" She asked him.

"Well…uh…" Naruto looked uneasily at her.

She hissed at him, "You've thought of everything but one of the most important aspects of the plan?"

"I figured you'd come up with something."

"Thank you so much!" Sara said sarcastically.

Naruto turned to face Zabuza again, "OK, let's get busy."

The Secret Plan

"Time for us to rock n' roll," Naruto continued as he wiped a bit of blood from the corner of his mouth.

Zabuza laughed at him, "You're very sure of yourself, but do you really think you stand a chance against me?"

Darn it! Kakashi thought, he shouted at them, "What's the matter with you? I told you to run. It's over…it was over the second he caught me! You have to do your duty. Keep that in mind. We're here to protect Mr. Tazuna!"

Naruto turned to look at Tazuna, "Gramps…?" He asked hesitantly.

Tazuna sighed before he asked, "What?" He continued without pausing for anyone to interrupt, "Let's face facts. The truth is, I got us into this mess by lying. I've had a real long life, and it would be wrong to let you five kids get yourselves killed trying to save me. So you go ahead. Give this fight everything you've got."

Sasuke said to Kakashi, "You hear that?"

"We're not running," Sara added as she came up to stand beside Sasuke and Naruto.

"Are you ready for this?" Naruto asked Zabuza.

Zabuza began to chuckle again, "Apparently you don't care whether you live to get any older."

"What?" Naruto shouted indignantly.

"Playing at ninja like it's a child's game," Zabuza continued. "I, however…by the time I was your age had already dyed these hands in my enemies blood." They all swallowed past the fear that had risen up in their throats.

Kakashi said, "The Demon, Zabuza!"

"It would seem my reputation has preceded me," Zabuza said.

Kakashi said, "Long ago, in the Village Hidden in the Mist—also known as 'the Village of the Bloody Mist'…the final step toward becoming a full-fledged ninja was the most inhumanly difficult test imaginable."

"So," Zabuza interrupted. "You've heard about our little graduation exercise."

"Graduation exercise?" Naruto questioned. Zabuza began to laugh again. "Wh-what 'graduation exercise'?" Naruto tensed waiting for the answer.

Zabuza smiled as he said, "It's a kind of 'killing spree' among classmates."

Say what…? Naruto thought, feeling the fear from earlier trying to take over again.

Zabuza continued, "Students who'd been friends, eating from the same dish as undergrads were divided into pairs who were forced to fight against each other to the death. Think of it. Comrades who had trained together, lived together, shared each other's every hope and dream…"

"That's terrible," Sakura said as she held her hands close to her mouth in a defensive position.

Kakashi took over, "Ten years ago, the elders of the Village Hidden in the Mist were forced to enact a sweeping reform of their barbaric graduation ritual…because of the appearance, during the previous year of a human fiend who made reform essential."

Sakura asked, "What kind of reform?" No one answered her. "What are you talking about? What did the fiend you're talking about do?"

"Without a moment's hesitation," Kakashi continued. "Without any hint of a qualm…a boy, who hadn't even qualified yet as a ninja, butchered over a hundred members of the graduating class."

Zabuza was smiling wickedly as he said, "Ah, yes. Good times… I used to have such fun." He shifted his gaze to Sasuke, Naruto, and Sara who all flinched and braced themselves. Sasuke wasn't quick enough to block Zabuza's blow and Zabuza slammed him into the ground with his elbow and then smashing him deeper into it with his foot. Sasuke coughed up blood.

"Sasuke!" Sakura screamed.

"Time to die," Zabuza said.

Naruto shouted at Sara, "Now, Bright Eyes!"

Sara stepped forward slowly, her eyes met Zabuza's a demon's eyes meeting those that looked like a cat's. Sara lunged forward when she heard the appearance of Naruto's clones.

"No!" Kakashi shouted as he watched her run directly at Zabuza, "Think it through!"

I am! Sara thought a split second before Zabuza began swinging his sword at her. Everything seemed to move in slow motion to her, as her eyes saw threw the movements. She judged where the sword was going to end up. She leaped into the air.

Kakashi felt like everything was moving in slow motion as he watched Sara jump, her mid section still even with the sword. No! He wanted to shout, he wanted to rip Zabuza apart, yet he could only watch, as she was about to be sliced in two. He blinked in astonishment as Sara propelled herself higher using chakra, she's mastered the art of the double-jump?

Sara landed nimbly behind the clone while the multiple Naruto and his clones began to take on the clone Zabuza. She rushed forward towards Zabuza's real body as she heard Naruto's clones tackling the clone trying to hold him down. She threw some shuriken at Zabuza, he blocked them easily as he said, "Ordinary shuriken don't work against me. She was within striking distance of his sword as she came to a screeching halt. She could still hear the clones struggling to hold Zabuza down, a little longer Naruto! Zabuza swung his sword at her, she ducked spinning around, hoping to be facing to one of the sides, but she ended up facing Zabuza. Argh! That's not what was supposed to happen…oh well, here goes nothing! She flung herself at Zabuza her fist aiming at his face. Zabuza caught her hand. She stared in astonishment as she dangled from his grip. She barely heard Naruto and his clones being thrown off of Zabuza's clone. She flinched as Zabuza threw her towards the water. She shouted, "Flight of the…" As she hit the water Phoenix flew from her body and missed Zabuza by a hair, Zabuza didn't even flinch. When Phoenix was back in her body, you missed! How could you miss? He was right there!

Sorry, Phoenix said to her. I had bad aim since you were, and still are underwater. Sara was ready to make a sharp reply in her head when she saw the tip of Zabuza's blade hit the water.

After Phoenix had returned to Sara's body, Zabuza shouted, "I've had enough of you!" He stabbed the water with all his might.

Sasuke had just shouted, "Demon Wind Shuriken,! Windmill of Shadows!"

He had been prepared to throw the shuriken when he saw Zabuza stab the water. Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto, and Kakashi watched the red water anxiously.

"Sara!" Sakura screamed as tears of shock filled her eyes, as Sara's body floated to the surface, a stab wound in the back.

Naruto choked through his tears, "Bright Eyes… No!"

Sasuke stared in horrified amazement while Tazuna, who had also been watching choked back his own tears.

Kakashi, who had found it difficult to move in the water prison, made his hand into a fist as if he had been on land. He glared at Zabuza, his heart cold.

Zabuza picked up Sara's body and held it up for all of them to gaze at, "Here's what will happen to the rest of you!" He threw her body. It landed with a loud splash in the water that was hidden by the fog.

Sasuke shook off his shock and leaped into the air, he threw the shuriken at Zabuza with all his might. The clone said, "As I told your friend, shuriken are useless against me!" The shuriken sailed past the clone heading for Zabuza's real body.

Zabuza said, "At least this time you've had the sense to zero in on my true form." He caught the shuriken easily, "Amateur!" Zabuza looked down in horror as he watched a second shuriken come towards him, "A second shuriken in the shadow of the first!"

Kakashi stared at the second shuriken in amazement; he used the Art of the Shadow Shuriken!

There was a second shuriken in his blind spot…? Sakura thought gazing in awe at the scene unfolding before her.

Zabuza leaped up into the air at the last second saying, "Still an amateur!"

Sakura was stunned, he dodged it!

Sasuke, however, smiled slightly as the second shuriken transformed into Naruto.

Everyone, except Sasuke, stared in amazement. Here goes nothing! Naruto thought as he threw a kunai at Zabuza.

Return of the Sharingan

Zabuza dodged the kunai, ripping his one hand out of the water prison. Zabuza glared at the falling Naruto, and began spinning the shuriken he held, aiming at Naruto, who would be unable to dodge.

Uh-oh! Was all Naruto could think.

Zabuza was in the process of throwing the shuriken when something stopped the shuriken from spinning. Kakashi glared up at Zabuza, his hand bleeding slightly, from the shuriken's blade. Zabuza's eyes widened in terror as he gazed into Kakashi's cold eyes, eyes that wanted revenge.

Sakura shouted happily, "Kakashi-sensei!"

Naruto, who had fallen into the water, came up sputtering. Kakashi turned his gaze onto Naruto, his eyes now holding warmth, "Naruto…your scheme was brilliant…" Kakashi let his gaze travel over Sasuke, Sakura, and the spot in the water that was tinted pink, Sara's blood having been washed out of that spot by the waves, for the most part. "You've matured…all of you…"

Naruto couldn't help himself, he laughed, "The doppelganger spell wasn't meant to take down Zabuza at all. It diverted his attention away from me." Naruto stopped sounding so cheerful, "Bright Eyes, kept the real Zabuza's attention away from me…I transformed myself into the second wind shuriken! Of course I didn't think that form alone would be enough to defeat him, but I was at least able to free you from his water prison."

"Heh," Zabuza said. "So, you made me fly into such a rage that I unraveled the spell holding the water prison together…"

"Don't flatter yourself!" Kakashi snapped. "It was broken from without." Kakashi's eyes had turned cold again, and he said to Zabuza in a deadly voice just loud enough for him to hear, "And for killing one of my students, I'm going to make your death as painful as possible." A drop of Kakashi's blood hit the water, finally, signaling to someone, that he was free.

Sara shot up out of the water coughing as she shouted, "Bout frickin' time, Naruto!" She hacked some more.

Sakura shouted, relieved, "Sara! You're alive!"

Sasuke stared in amazement, how did she avoid the sword?

Kakashi stared down in wonderment at Sara, who was only inches from his leg. Before Kakashi could ask anything Zabuza shouted, "I got you with my blade! How did you…"

"I never said you didn't get me," Sara said as she held her right arm up out of the water, a gash showing exactly where the sword had struck.

Naruto shouted happily as he began swimming towards her, "Bright Eyes!"

Sara whipped out a kunai and snapped, "Come anywhere near me and I'll kill you!" Naruto stopped, knowing that she meant it. "Next time," she shouted. "I get to come up with the plan and YOU get to make up a distraction off the top of your head!"

Kakashi smiled inwardly, he was relieved that she had escaped with minimal injuries; they could all hear her story later. He glared up at Zabuza, "Just so you know, the same spell won't work on me twice. Your move." Sara shot underwater, as Kakashi and Zabuza leaped apart, Kakashi's leg just missing her head. She came up in time to grab some air and get swept up onto the shore by a Water Style Jutsu she wasn't familiar with. Sakura helped her up, hugging her once she was on her feet.

Sara said awkwardly, "Can we skip the hugs?" Sakura let go, blushing. Yes, amazing you've hugged the one called Sheatan. She thought sarcastically.

Naruto, meanwhile, was being tossed around by the powerful jutsu Kakashi and Zabuza were throwing at each other.

They all stared in shock when Kakashi said, randomly, "Through them all!"

What the? Sara thought, wondering if her teacher had lost it.

He said, "Got that sickening evil look in his eye, right?"

Sara was beginning to understand, he's using psych out warfare! His Sharingan, when his headband isn't covering it, must allow him to see into Zabuza's mind.

Zabuza said to Kakashi, "Feh, you're a pale imitation." Kakashi said in complete unison with him, "I'm the genuine article. No mere copycat stands a chance against me." Zabuza continued, "You mimic me like a parrot! I'll close your beak for good!" Zabuza stopped the hand signs he was making, allowing Kakashi to easily create a jutsu. Zabuza shouted, "Wh-what?" Before he was swept away by a giant vortex of water, Naruto was thrown up onto the shore, where he clung to a rock.

Kakashi threw several kunai at Zabuza as he leapt onto the branch, of the same tree Zabuza was now pinned against. "That's that…" He said calmly.

Zabuza looked up at him, terror showing in his eyes, "…What… Can you see into the future?"

"Why yes," Kakashi said evilly. "I foresee…your death." He pulled out a kunai knife. Before he could throw it, two senbon, went straight through Zabuza's neck and he fell to the ground.

They all stared at a ninja, wearing a mask, who was standing in a nearby tree. He said, "Your prediction came true."

Who Are You?

Kakashi leapt down from his branch and felt Zabuza's neck, searching for a pulse. Way dead… He concluded as he stared at the ninja.

The ninja bowed his head as he said, "Thank you for your help. I hope you don't mind my interfering, but I wanted the satisfaction of putting Zabuza out of his misery myself!

"The mask is familiar," Kakashi said to the ninja. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't you a shinobi hunter from the Village Hidden in the Mist?

"Well aren't you the smart one?" The ninja said.

Naruto skidded to a halt in front of Sasuke, Sakura, and Sara, "A shinobi hunter?"

The ninja said, "I am indeed a member of the elite tracking unit from the Village Hidden in the Mist. It is our responsibility-and our art-to hunt down and deal with rogues and the outlaws.

Kakashi gazed up at the ninja. Judging by his size and the timbre of his voice, he couldn't be much older than Naruto or any of my other students, yet, he's already a full-fledged shinobi hunter! He's not your average kid, that's for sure!

Naruto looked from Zabuza to the ninja for a moment before he shouted, pointing at the ninja, "What's going on here? Who are you?"

Kakashi rose from where he had been squatting next to Zabuza's body, "Relax, Naruto he's not an enemy."

"That's not what I asked-!" Naruto shouted at him, "I mean… What I mean is- He killed Zabuza, who wasn't exactly a pushover, but still got taken down by a guy who's only about my age! Like it was nothing! What, do we suck or something? What's up with that?"

"Oh," Kakashi said as he walked up to stand beside Naruto. "Well...you do have my sympathy. I can see where a thing like that would be hard to accept. But it's a fact. You'll have to live with it. This probably won't be the last time we run into a kid who's both younger than you…and stronger than me." He placed his hand roughly on Naruto's head and ruffled his hair.

I'm not sure I can accept that just yet, Sara thought as she watched the exchange.

The ninja teleported down from the branch he'd been on. "Your battle is over, for now," He said as he scooped up Zabuza's body. "And the remains must be disposed of, lest they give up secrets to our foes. Well then, I must be off." He disappeared in a column of smoke.

"He's gone!" Naruto shouted in disbelief.

Kakashi lowered his headband over his Sharingan eye with a sigh. "Now," he said turning to his students. "Let's put our best feet forward!"

Tazuna laughed at the exhausted Leaf ninja, more from nerves. "You poor kids, you must be so humiliated! But never mind, you can lick your wounds at my house." They all watched horror stricken as Kakashi crumpled to the ground.

"Wha-what's happening?" Sakura shouted as she stood rooted to the spot.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto yelled also rooted to the spot.

I can't budge… Kakashi thought wearily. I must have used the Sharingan too much…

Sara bolted forward and slid onto her knees beside Kakashi, she began shaking him, "Master Kakashi!" She shouted. "Master Kakashi!"

"You're not supposed to shake an unconscious person," Kakashi muttered wearily.

Sara pointed out, "You're not unconscious."

"I'm…going…to…be…" Kakashi murmured as he drifted into unconsciousness.

"Well," Sara said staring at her teammates. "Is anyone going to help me get him up?" They all scrambled to help, Tazuna offering to carry Kakashi (theoretically) on his back.

As they trudged to Tazuna's house, Sakura asked Sara suddenly, "How did you manage to dodge Zabuza's sword?"

"Well," Sara began as she tried to remember exactly what happened. Before she could say anymore Kakashi interrupted.

"Remind me to have someone look at that arm of yours," he murmured his eye half closed.

Sakura and the others were looking at her expectantly, "Anyway," She continued. "My Devil's Eyes helped me to see the blade and…" She stopped as she saw all the confused looks. Even Kakashi had roused himself enough to look interested.

"Devil's Eyes?" Sakura asked.

"It's…" Sara tried to think of a way to describe it. "It's like the Sharingan, except it can't copy jutsu to memory, only instantaneously. It also helps me to see things that are a decent distance away."

Kakashi asked, "How long have you had this…ability?"

Sara paused, "I stumbled upon it when I got mad at villager for something that I can't remember, and I somehow got the words 'Devil's Eyes' right next to each other, and I was shocked to be looking at the wood grains in the counter I was sitting at." Kakashi looked thoughtful. Sara added quickly, "I don't know everything about this technique yet, though."

Kakashi nodded, "It sounds like you have a Kekkai Genkai."

"A Kekkai-what?" Sara asked.

Kakashi smiled slightly under his mask, "A Kekkai Genkai, or bloodline trait, is a skill that can be passed from one generation to the next! A genetic trait, running through the bloodlines of those of the purest shinobi pedigree, some of the most extraordinary techniques are handed down from generation to generation solely on that basis, and I believe that your Devil's Eyes, may be in that class."

Sara stared at him, almost hoping that he was right, since that would mean she came from a pedigree different from the Uchiha.

Sakura said suddenly, "That explains how you could see things so far away, when the rest of us couldn't."

Sara nodded.

Sasuke asked grudgingly, "So…How did you dodge the sword?"

"Oh right, well…I saw the sword and twisted to the side, since the water slowed me down, my right arm was hit. Thinking quickly I touched a rock and used the substitution jutsu on it, so it would appear that I was dead, so Zabuza wouldn't continue to stab the water."

"Wait!" Kakashi said lifting his head slightly, "How did you get a rock to float?"

Sara stared at him blankly before she began muttering, "That and that…swung that way…one carry the two…why I'm a doing math…? Uh…let's just say it was the spur of the moment kind of thing!" She said smiling.

"You don't remember do you?" Kakashi asked her. She shook her head back and forth. Kakashi sighed and his body went limp making Tazuna stagger.

Tazuna said angrily, "Don't lean on me any more than you have to! You're heavy enough as it is without you going limp on me again!"

Kakashi snapped, "I weight less than you probably!"

Sara's eyes glimmered with interest, why is he so touchy about his weight? She didn't ask him than, she would wait for the right moment.

At Tazuna's house, a modest little home on a dock near the edge of the beach, Tazuna and his daughter Tsunami got Kakashi settled onto a mat.

Tsunami asked him, "Are you all right, Teacher?"

Kakashi replied, "No, but I will be in about a week."

Sakura said as she sat next to Kakashi on the floor, "The Sharingan eye is an incredible power, but doesn't the strain it puts on your body make you wonder if it's worth it?" Sakura turned to Sara, "Does your…Devil's Eyes, do this to you?"

"No," Sara stated. "I've used it in longer skirmishes than the battle Master Kakashi was in and I used more chakra, but I've never ended up like him."

Tazuna had ignored Sakura's second question and said addressing them, "So, we can probably relax for a while."

"I can't get my mind off that masked kid," Sakura said, looking thoughtful.

Kakashi said, "That mask is worn by the most elite and most secret ninja from the Village Hidden in the Mist. The shinobi hunters all where them, their unit is code-named the 'Undertaker Squad', because they dispose of corpses so thoroughly, it's as though they never existed. Even after death, a shinobi's corpse may yield up its secrets, exposing the secrets of the skills it had mastered as well as retaining the aura of the chakras it was steeped in the ninja's native lands… Even after the ingredients of any drugs or potions that the body consumed become an open book. In the same way, when I die, if an enemy were to take possession of my remains, the corpse would reveal all of the anatomical idiosyncrasies unique to possessors of the Sharingan eye. In the worst case, the enemy may gain enough information to be able to duplicate and master that power. Ninja corpses tell too many tales. Basically, shinobi hunters specialize in tracking down and eliminating rogue ninja and obliterating their remains in order to protect the secrets of their home villages from the rest of the world. Silently and without a trace, that's how ninja leave the world…"

Sakura shuddered, "So Zabuza's corpse will be dismembered and destroyed? That's so creepy-!"

Kakashi smiled, "Now all of you get out of here and let me rest." Tsunami quickly shooed them all out, save one.

Sara walked over to Kakashi and asked tentatively, "Master Kakashi?"

Kakashi, who had just closed his eyes, opened them again, "Yes?"

Sara swallowed past the lump of nervousness in her throat, "Master Kakashi, I-I noticed that your hand had not been attended to. So I was wondering…if I could fix it up for you." She waited to hear him scold her, but he only sat up with an effort, almost falling back over.

"Okay," he held out his injured hand.

"Well, there's a problem," she said looking at him.

He looked at her curiously, "What?"

She was embarrassed as she said, "I never learned how to fix up wounds, I was sick when they taught the others how to."

Kakashi sighed, his gaze drifted to her right arm, "I'll fix up your shoulder, than you can fix up my hand, this is going to be your crash course in fixing up small wounds." Kakashi motioned for her to grab his pouch, which was lying out of his reach. She quickly got up and grabbed the pouch handing it too him. "Okay, he said as he pulled out some salve. As I said before this will sting." He applied the salve and Sara flinched, feeling the salve working. "When you deal with any type of wound, you make sure that you clean it as best you can. It's always good to have a salve on you in case you're unable to wash it out with soap and water." She nodded to show that she was paying attention. He pulled out some gauze and wrapped it around the wound on her shoulder, he pulled out bandages next, "Now, when you bandage up someone's wounds, you need to make sure that the bandages are not too loose or not to tight." He wrapped the bandages around her arm. "How doe that feel?" He asked when he had finished bandaging her arm.

"Great," she said.

Kakashi held up his hand, "Now, take your time. You're going to have to remove my glove from my hand carefully, make sure that the fabric isn't imbedded in the wound."

Sara nodded as she began to ease the glove off his hand. Kakashi flinched as some of the cloth caught in the wound tugged free. "Okay," Kakashi said through clenched teeth. "You're going to have to ease the fabric out."

Sara eased the fabric out as gently as she could; she held back numerous flinches every time Kakashi grunted in pain. She was relieved when all of the fabric was out.

"All right, now what do you do?" He asked her.

"Apply the salve?"

"You don't sound so sure of yourself."

"I apply the salve."

Kakashi nodded, signaling that she should do so. She applied the salve and smiled when he flinched. "What's the matter?" She teased. "It doesn't hurt that much." Kakashi glared at her. "Sorry," she murmured.

Kakashi smiled at her, "It's fine, now what do you do next."

"Wrap some gauze around the wound."

He nodded and she wrapped the gauze snuggly around the wound. She began to bandage the wound. Once she was done she asked, "How's that?"

"A little tight," Kakashi said as he tried to move his hand…he didn't succeed.

She quickly undid the bandages and put them on again. "How about now?"

Kakashi lifted up his hand and flung the bandages off.

She sighed in exasperation as she put the bandages on for a third time. She didn't even ask how the bandages were. Kakashi flexed his hand and smiled at her, "Well done," he said, not sounding like he meant it. She lowered her gaze. "What's wrong?" Kakashi asked concerned.

"It's nothing," she replied as she stood up. "I'll let you rest now." She left before Kakashi could call her back.

Kakashi eased himself, as best he could onto the mat. What did I do wrong this time?

An hour or two later found Naruto and Sakura trying to take a peek at what Kakashi looked like under his mask. Sasuke and Sara were watching from a distance. Naruto had asked Sara if she wanted to help but she had declined, since she still wasn't happy with her mentor's attitude towards her, she once again thought angrily, it's not my fault that I have Phoenix in me! Just like it isn't Naruto's fault that he carries within him the Nine Tailed Fox!

She was startled out of her thoughts as Naruto "whumped" to the floor as Kakashi sat bolt upright, having just awakened from his little reprieve. Tsunami asked as she hurried into the room, "Oh, Teacher, are you awake?"

Sakura glared at Naruto and was thinking, idiot! Don't be such a klutz! We almost got to see what's under the mask!

It's odd, I know that Zabuza's dead. But I can't shake the strongest feeling, that there's something I've overlooked…something big! Kakashi thought.

Preparations for Battle

Sara was trying to get rid of the feeling that something wasn't right. She knew that it wasn't one of her feelings, it felt foreign, yet almost welcome. She was jolted out of her thought as Naruto asked Kakashi, "Kakashi-sensei, what's wrong?"

"Hmmm, of course," Kakashi muttered, seemingly ignoring Naruto's question. He finally answered, "The shinobi hunters who manage corpse disposals are supposed to destroy the bodies of those they kill at once, right on the spot."

"So what?" Sakura said.

"Don't you get it?" Kakashi asked. "How did the kid in the mask dispose of Zabuza's corpse?"

"Huh," Sakura said confused. "How should I know? He took the body with him."

"Yes he did…even though all he needed to take home as proof of the kill was the head!" Kakashi said. "And there is a mystery surrounding the weapons that the hunter used to dispatch his prey."

Senbon…acupuncture needles, "No way," Sasuke said as realization struck him.

"Yes…way!"

Tazuna asked, annoyed, "What the hell nonsense are you mumbling on about…?"

Kakashi stated bluntly, "That it's likely Zabuza is still alive!"

Naruto shouted, "What the heck are you talking about?"

"But, Kakashi-sensei—you checked to be sure Zabuza was dead didn't you?"

"I made sure of it, but…a deathlike trance could have created a very convincing illusion of the real thing. Those acupuncture needle weapons that shinobi hunter used can be deadly if they hit a vital spot. If not, the mortality rate is surprisingly low. And remember, they were originally designed as medical treatment tools. Shinobi hunters and all members of the village's disposal squad must possess an intimate and thorough knowledge of human physiology. It would be simple for one of them to place a person into a near-death state. First of all, the masked boy went to the trouble of lugging off Zabuza's heavy carcass. Secondly, the acupuncture needles he used as weapons, while potentially deadly, can also be used to inflict non-mortal injury. These two points suggest that the kid's objective was to give the illusion of killing Zabuza, while he rescued him. Things may be just as they seemed, but we have to consider the other possibility."

Tazuna muttered darkly, "Aren't you just complicating things by over-thinking them? Shinobi hunters are supposed to hunt outlaw shinobi, right?"

"Uuuusually, but ignoring something that smells this fishy is a great first step to being caught completely unprepared and preparation is a shinobi's most important skill! Oh well! Whether Zabuza is dead or alive, there may be still be more and even deadlier ninja in the service of your enemy, Gatô." Naruto quivered with anticipation. Interesting…Naruto seems excited by the possibility that Zabuza survived.

"Sensei," Sakura said anxiously. "You said 'preparation is a shinobi's most important skill' but right now you can't even move. What are you going to do?"

Kakashi laughed, before he said, "I'm going to increase your training schedule!"

"What?...Training…? But, Kakashi-sensei, what will a little extra training now matter with what we're up against? Our opponent is a ninja so powerful that even with your Sharingan, Mirror-eye power, he almost defeated you!" What are you trying to do? Get us all killed? Thought the Inner Sakura.

Kakashi countered, "And when I was beleaguered, Sakura… Think about who it was that rescued me… You four are all maturing, progressing rapidly; your powers are growing exponentially…Especially yours, Naruto! You've grown the most!" Naruto was beaming from Kakashi's praise.

Sakura looked at Naruto. Naruto…? Well, he seems a lot more grown-up than he used to, but…

"But, that being said," Kakashi said. "The skills I teach you now will be an interim thing only to tide us over until I recover enough to take over."

"But, Sensei," Sakura interrupted. "Even if Zabuza is alive, how can we just train without knowing when he may return and strike again?"

"An excellent, question," Kakashi said. Sara scowled, always good job Sasuke and Sakura, never good job Naruto or Sara! Kakashi said, "But once a person has been placed into a near-death trance it is quite some time before their body returns to its previous state of health and readiness. So we'll train while we're waiting."

"Could be fun," Naruto said happily. "Right, Bright Eyes?"

"Whatever," Sara replied. Naruto looked away but he kept glancing at her, wondering what was wrong.

A new voice said in a haughty tone, "It won't be fun for you."

"Who the heck are you-!" Naruto shouted at the boy who had spoken.

"Inari! Where have you been?" Tazuna said happily as he held his arms open for the boy. The boy ran up to him taking off his sandals.

Inari said, "Welcome home, Grandpa…"

"Inari, greet our guests properly," Tsunami scolded. "They're the esteemed ninja who brought our grandfather safely home!"

"But, Mama, they're all gonna die," Inari said to his mother as he pointed at the Leaf Ninja.

Naruto had lost his temper, "Listen, you little, twerp-!"

"No one can beat Gatô," Inari stated.

"You brat!" Naruto tried to lunge forward, but Sakura wouldn't let him. Sara was beginning to get annoyed with Inari as well, but she figured she wait and see how things turned out.

Sakura had managed to calm Naruto down, "Right. Hey, pay attention, little guy. I'm a superhero who'll someday become the most extreme ninja," Naruto said happily. "My name will be Hokage, the Fire Shadow! Gatô? 'Gateau'? This guy's name is 'chocolate' you can't seriously expect me to be afraid of that."

Inari snorted, " 'Hero'? You're dumb! There's no such thing!"

"Wh-what?" Naruto shouted trying to get at Inari again.

Sakura was holding onto to him, so he wouldn't cream Inari, "I said, quit it!"

Inari turned his back on them, "If you don't wanna die, go home now…"

Tazuna asked Inari, "Where are you off to, Inari?"

"I'm going to watch the ocean from my room," Inari replied as he shut the door behind him.

"Please forgive him…" Tazuna said quietly. Naruto stormed upstairs for some odd reason, but came back down a few seconds later.

"I'll give you three a head start," Kakashi said, once Naruto was back downstairs. "Pick a decent sized clearing that we can train in and I'll meet you there."

All of them moved slowly trying to keep Kakashi, who was on crutches in sight; they soon left him in the dust.

They finally managed to find a clearing but, for some odd reason, Naruto and Sakura noticed that Sasuke and Sara both seemed ready for a fight. Sasuke said to Sara as she sat down, "Why do you always flaunt the name, Uchiha?"

Naruto felt Sara stiffened beside him, "Why do I do what?" She asked in a voice similar to a snarl.

"You heard me," Sasuke replied.

"I flaunt the Uchiha name? Don't make me laugh! I'm not the one who flaunts it, you are!"

That was all that exchanged between the two before they were fighting. Naruto and Sakura tried to break up the fight, but they were snapped at and were left crouched on the ground doodling.

Sakura watched in dismay as Sasuke threw a kunai at Sara who nimbly dodged it. How long before one of them is injured?

Naruto perked up slightly when Kakashi walked into the clearing. "What the-?" He said as he approached them. "What started all of this?"

Sasuke and Sara, had jumped away from each other, and were slowly going around in a circle looking for an opportunity to strike.

Kakashi turned his attention to them, waiting for the slightest indication that they were going to lunge. They finally did, and Kakashi managed to catch them by their mid sections and he held them apart as best as his weakened body would allow. "Okay," he said as he tried not to fall. "I'm going to put you two down, only if you've gotten, whatever it is you've got, out of your systems? Are you two cool?"

Sara and Sasuke didn't respond. Kakashi set them down and stared in dismay as they leapt away from him, to face each other again. Kakashi had left his crutches near Sakura, he shouted at her, "Sakura, hand me my crutches." Sakura didn't respond, she continued to look at the ground. Naruto looked at Kakashi and tossed him the crutches. Kakashi caught them and leaned against them as he watched Sara and Sasuke again; they were still circling each other. When they did lunge, Kakashi caught them once again, but instead of keeping them apart he threw them both against the trunk of a tree, knocking the wind out of both of them.

"That's enough!" He snapped at them, as he hobbled over. He took in with satisfaction, that the pair of them seemed more concerned about his wrath, then whatever had started their quarrel. "You both will do, five hundred push-ups, five hundred sit-ups, and five hundred jumping jacks, in that order, now!"

Sara and Sasuke started their push-ups immediately, Kakashi turned to face Naruto and Sakura, "Let's discuss the basis of your ninja powers, the body energies known as chakra." He sighed when Naruto called it "cattra". He allowed Sakura to explain chakra to him, while he watched Sara and Sasuke. They were both going very fast as they did their push-ups trying to beat the other one. He almost laughed aloud as they went into their sit-ups and they were still even, both of them looking peeved at the other.

As Sara tried to beat Sasuke she thought, why does this always happen to me? I should be able to do this faster yet I still can't get out of the pace that's being set!

They finished their punishment as Sakura finished her speech about chakra. Naruto said, "Yeah, yeah, whatever! I don't do so well with long explanations, but if you could just show me, my body can learn it!"

"Naruto's right," Sasuke said grudgingly as he got up off the ground. "We all already employ the ninja arts and techniques."

"Wrong-!" Kakashi stated bluntly. "None of you, yet, has full mastery over your chakra!"

"What?" Naruto shouted.

Kakashi continued, "Now, listen…As Sakura said, manipulation of the chakra refers to summoning physical and mental energies and combining them within your own body. Depending on which technique you wish to employ, the amount of energy you need to absorb would vary as would the makeup of elements you'd need to combine. Right now, none of you are using your chakras effectively! No matter how great the amount of chakra you summon and manipulate, if you can't maintain your balance, whatever the technique, not only will the effectiveness of your maneuver be cut in half, but you could blunder so badly the spell may not be released at all. And because you end up squandering your energies you not only lack the stamina for a protracted fight, but you also develop significant vulnerabilities."

"So…uh… what do we do?" Naruto asked remembering the disastrous clone he had made for his final exam at the Academy.

"You learn to control your body through the hardest training… Go out on a limb and learn from the experience!" Kakashi said.

Sakura asked, "How do we do that?"

"How?" Kakashi said, "We climb trees!"