A/N: Chapter 39 has arrived!

I don't own Naruto.


Chapter XXXIX: Of Ice and Cherry Blossoms

Naruto trudged out of his room, still wearing his pajamas and sleeping cap. After his training session yesterday, he decided to sleep in. As he made his way to the kitchen to fix himself something to eat, his roommate's head of jet-black hair caught his eye.

"Sasuke? Didja eat anything?" Naruto drawled.

Silence.

Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, the blond stepped over to the couch, checking to see if Sasuke had fallen asleep. He was awake, but he was staring at the coffee table with a far-off look in his onyx eyes. How long Sasuke had been there was anyone's guess—for all Naruto knew, he could have been there for hours.

Seeing Sasuke in his current state snapped Naruto awake. Disregarding his usual morning meal, he waved a hand in front of Sasuke's face.

"Yoo-hoo, anyone home?"

The Uchiha didn't blink or move, instead making a noise acknowledging his roommate.

Naruto stuck his bottom lip out, fully aware that something was amiss. "What's up with you today? I know you're quiet but you're never this quiet."

An uncomfortably long silence passed before Sasuke spoke, his voice barely audible. "Nothing. I'm fine."

The blond frowned, not satisfied with Sasuke's response. "Bullshit. What's wrong?"

"I just had trouble sleeping, that's all," the Uchiha answered.

"Okay. Now what's the part you're not telling me?"

More silence. Naruto heaved a sigh and took a seat next to his friend. He chose his next words.

"Something happened yesterday, huh?"

A tiny nod.

"What happened?"

Sasuke's mouth drew into a tight line. He knew he should talk to someone, and Naruto was one of the people he trusted the most in his life—enough that he trusted the blond with his life without hesitation. Sasuke harkened back to when they were younger; when Naruto stayed by his side and let him sleep over after the massacre.

"I…went to Itachi's trial yesterday," he breathed. "Lady Tsunade called a tribunal, and I was part of it."

Naruto blinked, his mouth agape. He swallowed hard, not quite sure how to word what he wanted to ask. "What, er, how…did it go?"

It was Sasuke's turn to sigh. He closed his eyes, replaying the trial in his mind. "He doubled down on the whole 'following orders' thing." His eyes opened halfway, still staring at the coffee table. "He said Danzō was the one that ordered him to kill the Uchiha. He even went so far as to say that joining the Akatsuki was a mission assigned to him by Lord Third."

"What the hell? Old Man Third? There's no way. I mean, I guess maybe Danzō could have something to do with all that mess, but I seriously doubt Old Man Third would order something like that."

"I and the elders thought the same thing, but Itachi said Lord Third issued them personally."

Naruto made a face. "I mean, still. He could be lying."

"But what if he isn't?" Sasuke turned to face his roommate.

"What're you talking about? You believe him, or something?" the blond questioned, a frown darkening his normally bright features.

"No, it's not that, I just…" The Uchiha's gaze dropped. He turned away, once again staring at the coffee table.

Naruto's own features softened. "Just what?"

Silence.

"Sasuke, please. Talk to me."

Jet-black locks formed a curtain as Sasuke hung his head. His voice was barely above a whisper. "Ever since that night, I've lived my life believing that Itachi was the only one responsible for the murder of my clan and my parents. I wanted revenge, then I wanted answers. Now that…" He swallowed the lump in his throat. "Now that I got answers, I only have more questions. And I just…it feels like everything has been turned upside down. I always thought their blood was on his hands and his hands alone. But even the possibility of him having been ordered to do what he did…"

Sasuke's words hung in the air. Naruto pressed his mouth into a tight line, sighing through his nose.

"How do you feel about everything now?"

The Uchiha let out a dry chuckle. "'Confused' doesn't even begin to describe it."

"Well, what about Itachi?"

"What about him?"

"Just…how do you feel about him?" Naruto knew to tread lightly, not wanting to say something that would make Sasuke clam up.

Sasuke heaved a sigh. "Confused, like I said. I know I won't be able to forgive him. But if what he said turns out to be true, then…I don't know."

"How can you be sure if he's telling the truth or not?" Naruto wondered.

"Lady Tsunade is launching an investigation into Danzō's activities and the possible location of his special branch of ANBU."

The blond blinked, cocking his head. "There's multiple branches of ANBU?"

"Aren't you the one who wants to be Hokage one day?" Sasuke deadpanned.

"Don't act like you knew it before all this, either, tomato boy," Naruto retorted. He placed a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder. "Whatever happens, I'm here for you. You know that, right? We're brothers."

A ghost of a smile danced across Sasuke's lips. He placed his own hand over Naruto's. "Yeah. I know. We're brothers to the end. Thanks, Naruto."

With a tug, the blond pulled his roommate into a bone-crushing embrace. Sasuke grunted as the air was squeezed out of him, but returned it nonetheless. As much of a knucklehead as Naruto could be, he was one of the only constants in Sasuke's life. That constancy made Naruto one of Sasuke's most precious people.

Just as the two friends released each other, there was a knock at the door. Clutching his stomach, Naruto grumbled over his hunger as he plodded back to his room to get his sunglasses. Sasuke went and answered the door just as Naruto reemerged.

"Oh, Haku. Good morning."

The ice user offered a small bow. "Good morning, Sasuke, Naruto." He had a paper bag in hand.

"Haku! Come on in!" the blond chirped.

Sasuke ushered him inside. After removing his geta and taking a seat at the table, Haku set the bag down. Naruto offered breakfast, but Haku politely declined. Instead, Sasuke served him some tea.

"Thanks for letting me in, especially so early. Did you two just wake up?"

"Kinda. Haven't had breakfast yet, but tea is fine for now," Naruto answered.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to impose," Haku said.

"It's no trouble at all," Sasuke reassured with a wave of his hand.

"What's the bag for? Did you go grocery shopping?" Naruto wondered aloud.

"No, though I sometimes try and catch the vendors at the market stalls early for deals on fresh produce." Haku reached into the paper bag, retrieving two medium-sized boxes. They were plain, matte white cardboard. One had Sasuke's name, the other Naruto's.

Haku slid each box to their intended recipients. "I wanted to give you these."

"What's the occasion?" Sasuke asked.

"Open them first, and I'll tell you," the coal haired medic answered with a small smile.

Naruto was the first to open his, carefully sliding the lid up and off. Sasuke followed suit. They removed the tissue paper covering their gifts.

Their jaws dropped as they beheld oval-shaped masks, similar to Haku's Kiri ANBU mask of days past, but uniquely colored and designed for the two young men. They both were porcelain colored, save for a triangle that covered the lower half of the face. Naruto's was orange with slanted, slitted eyes that resembled a fox. Emblazoned on the forehead was the kanji for "Samsāra," while the orange triangle bore an alternate kanji marking for the number "one."

Sasuke's mask had a red triangle with perfectly horizontal slits for eyes. They bore resemblance to his own onyx gaze whenever he faced down his opponents. On its forehead was the kanji for "copy," while the mouth had the character for the number "two."

The two roommates gingerly removed the masks from their boxes, examining them. Naruto removed his sunglasses and set them on the table, staring at the mask in his hands. Sasuke ran his fingers over the eggshell-like finish.

"Haku, I really have no words. These are amazing," Sasuke praised.

"Yeah, seriously. Where'd you get these?" Naruto prompted.

"I made them," the ice user answered nonchalantly.

The roommates snapped their gaze to him, staring at him with a mix of incredulity and awe. Naruto glanced between his mask and his coal haired friend. "You made these? As in, by hand?"

"That's right."

"I really don't mean to sound rude, but why?" Sasuke asked.

"Well, for a couple of reasons, really. Mostly because I wanted to thank both of you for everything you've done for me. If Naruto hadn't stopped me, I'd be dead. I wouldn't be here and I wouldn't have the friends or the life I do now." Haku turned to Sasuke. "I know we don't talk much, either, but the time we spent getting to know each other when I first came to Konoha cemented our initial bond, and the mission to Kumo strengthened it."

Sasuke bowed his head slightly. "Thank you, Haku. This is more than I deserve, really."

"Yeah, thanks a lot. This is seriously cool," Naruto echoed.

"It's nothing, really. I'm glad you both like them."

"What do the numerals on the mouths mean, exactly?" Sasuke wondered.

"That's actually an interesting story. I've been pretty curious about the significance of dōjutsu, especially after that spar you had with Neji, so I decided to look into the subject a bit."

"Mine probably says 'one' because I'm the coolest, huh?" the blond coyly questioned.

Haku let out a chuckle. "Actually, you're half right. I asked around, and Shizune told me about the Rinnegan and how it's considered 'the most exalted' dōjutsu. Though, I have to admit, it was a bit of a toss-up trying to decide which one to mark as number one." He offered an apologetic look to Sasuke. "No offense to you, of course."

Sasuke shook his head. "None taken. Whiskers here knows I'm smarter than him, anyways."

"Hey!"

Another chuckle from the ice user. "Watching you two and Neji spar against each other was certainly something. I'd heard from Sakura how much the Hyūga take pride in their strength, but seeing it firsthand was, well, different." He glanced between his friends. "Not to minimize your strength at all, of course. But I got a glimpse into what you two are capable of when we fought the Akatsuki in the Land of Lightning."

"I have to admit that even I was surprised at what Naruto did," Sasuke added before shooting his roommate a look. "Not in a bad way. I just never expected something like that."

The blond stuck his tongue out before humming and examining the mask again. "Can I try it on?" he asked Haku.

"Go right ahead. I'm interested to see how it would look on you, anyhow."

Naruto flashed a smile. He carefully positioned the mask onto his face. Despite how small the eye slits appeared, he could see just as well as he could with or without his sunglasses. His field of view was restricted, albeit only slightly, clearly a testament to Haku's talent. The blond turned to the coal-haired mask maker once more.

"Can you see my eyes?"

"Not at all," Haku answered with a smile. "It looks quite good on you."

Sasuke examined his own mask before following suit and putting it on. The eye slits on his seemed narrower but still offered nearly unrestricted vision. He eyed his roommate.

"Not bad, whiskers," the Uchiha admitted. "How does mine look?"

Naruto took a moment to appraise him. "Honestly, it really suits you, Sasuke. Like, not even kidding, it fits you pretty much perfectly."

The Uchiha stuck his lower lip out, which was hidden by the mask and its crimson triangle. "That a good or a bad thing?"

"I think it's a good thing," Naruto said nonchalantly before removing his mask. Sasuke did the same.

"They look better than I imagined," Haku said, glancing at the clock. "Oh, look at the time. I'd better get going. I'm sorry to have to leave in such a rush, but I have something to take care of before I report to Lady Tsunade for the day. Thank you for having me."

"No problem," Naruto chirped. "Thanks again for the masks. They're amazing." Sasuke nodded in agreement.

"You're most welcome. I'm so glad you like them. I'll see you two around." With that, he slipped his geta back on and headed out the door.


Haku approached the walled Hyūga compound, paper bag in hand. The gate was open, but a torii adorned with the Hyūga crest stood proud, daring anyone to trespass. Just as he was about to step onto the premises, he was greeted by a pale-eyed, middle-aged woman.

"Good morning. Can I be of assistance?"

"Yes, good morning. I'm here to see Neji." He held up the bag. "I have something for him."

The woman nodded before ushering him in. "Of course, right this way."

He was led through the surprisingly quiet compound. The only sounds heard were some chirping birds, the crunch of his geta against the gravel, and the soft footsteps of the woman leading him. Despite the silence, Haku could make out figures moving about behind the paper windows of folding screens and sliding doors. The many verandas were spotless, albeit a bit lonely. Just as lonely were some trees and various shrubs that decorated the courtyards.

The Hyūga compound didn't feel quite as sterile as the hospital rooms that Haku spent time in on a semi-regular basis. It didn't feel quite as inviting or cozy as other homes he'd visited, either. Even though he was out in the open air, Haku couldn't help but feel there was a stuffiness about the compound. Perhaps it was the reputation of the Hyūga that he'd heard about.

As the woman led Haku through the compound, the sound of two people training reached his ears—one male, one female. He surmised that Hinata had joined Neji in his training. That, or he agreed to be her training partner.

Haku was proven right as he rounded a corner into an open training yard. There were Hinata and Neji, sparring with each other. The veins around their eyes bulged, a sure sign their dōjutsu was active. The two younger Hyūga stepped back after exchanging blows.

"I apologize for interrupting you, Master Neji, Lady Hinata," the woman spoke.

"It's no problem at all, Miss Sachiko," Hinata responded, albeit a bit short of breath. She flashed a small smile towards Haku. "Good morning. It's good to see you."

The ice user returned the smile, bowing. "Same to you, Hinata." He turned to the person he was there to see. "And good morning to you, as well, Neji."

Neji gave a nod. "Good morning."

Haku cleared his throat, reaching into the paper bag and retrieving a box exactly like the ones he presented Naruto and Sasuke with not even half an hour ago. "I know we haven't really spoken much, but I wanted to give you this."

Puzzled, Neji stepped forward and took the box. "Regardless, I thank you for your kindness."

"Oh, please, do open it," Haku implored.

Neji hesitated for a moment before removing the lid. His pale eyes widened. Hinata let out a soft gasp as they saw a mask similar to those that Haku gave Naruto and Sasuke. This mask, however, bore a triangle that almost exactly matched the color of the Hyūga's characteristic eyes. Within the triangle was another unique numeral marking, this time for the number "three." The eye slits resembled Haku's own old mask, with a lazy sideways "S" shape about them. The forehead was emblazoned with the kanji for "white."

The elder Hyūga blinked. "I've…never seen anything like this before." He ran his fingertips across it, taking in the texture of the material. "This is exquisite. Thank you, Haku." Neji bowed, which Haku returned.

"I'm very glad you like it," the ice user said with a smile.

"I don't mean to pry, but where did you find this?" Hinata wondered.

"Oh, I didn't buy this. I made it," Haku answered nonchalantly.

The two Hyūga stared at him, their eyes resembling pale saucers. They glanced back to the mask, still nestled in its box.

"You made it," Neji echoed.

"This really is incredible," Hinata marveled. She turned to her older brother figure. "Try it on, Neji."

The older Hyūga hesitated for a moment before he carefully removed the mask from its confines. He took a moment to examine the rather unassuming interior. As he slipped it on, any preconceived notions of obstructed vision disappeared.

"This is surprisingly easy to see out of," Neji remarked.

"I tried to keep that in mind. I based it off the masks that Kirigakure's ANBU uses. Actually, I used to have a mask that looked rather similar to that one. The eye slits are pretty much identical," Haku explained.

"Well, I can tell you put a lot of care into this," Neji observed.

"Try your Byakugan," Hinata suggested.

The brunet hummed and activated his dōjutsu. Despite it being completely concealed by the mask, Neji had an unobstructed view of his surroundings. Satisfied, he deactivated his Byakugan and nodded before removing the mask and turning to Haku.

"I sincerely thank you for this, Haku. Truth be told, I can't quite remember the last time someone gave me anything like this, if ever."

"It's nothing, really. Consider it a token of friendship. I know you and Naruto have had a couple of run-ins, and any friend of Naruto's is a friend of mine." A small smile graced his features. He glanced at the sky, noting the sun's position. "Well, I really don't mean to be rude, but I'd better get going. I have my shift at the hospital soon. It was good to see you both."

"Likewise, Haku. I hope your shift goes smoothly," Hinata said sincerely.

"Thank you again, Haku," Neji added with a bow.

Haku was escorted out of the compound and made his way to the hospital. Back in the courtyard, Neji stared at the mask for several more minutes before getting back to his training with Hinata.


Tsunade took another sip of coffee, letting out a sigh as she reveled in the strong flavor. Despite her habits, she knew better than to drink in the morning, and she wasn't one to spike her coffee. At least, she hadn't reached that point quite yet.

Shizune hadn't come in yet, which meant there was nothing urgent for Tsunade to take care of. Truth be told, as much as she cared for her adoptive niece, she relished these quiet moments. No paperwork meant nobody was breathing down her neck. She took another sip just as there was a knock at the office door.

The Hokage arched a brow. She wasn't expecting anyone this early. "Enter," she called.

In peeked a familiar head of pink hair. "Lady Tsunade? I'm so sorry to disturb you, but do you have a moment?"

The older blonde set down her mug. "As a matter of fact, I do. My day doesn't really start until Shizune brings me my first mountain of paperwork."

Sakura let out a giggle, approaching the desk, her haori flowing as she walked. "I've been doing a bit of reading, and I wanted to ask you something, if that's alright."

"What've you been reading up on?" the Hokage asked.

Sakura tucked a stray pink lock behind her ear. "Well, I was looking for some materials on Sage Mode. I didn't find a whole lot, so I wanted to ask you if you had any information? Maybe something that would point me in the right direction?"

Tsunade hummed, bringing a hand to her chin. "Sage Mode? What got you interested in that?"

"Well, honestly, Naruto kind of inspired me to ask Lady Katsuyu about Senjutsu. That's how I learned that acid spitting jutsu."

"So, Lady Katsuyu taught you that, but it isn't Senjutsu, right?"

The younger medic nodded. "Right. I haven't asked her about Sage Mode yet, since I wanted to ask you first. You are my teacher, after all."

The Hokage pursed her lips, sighing. "I appreciate the sentiment, Sakura, but I'm afraid I really don't know much. I never learned Sage Mode, since I never needed it. I've only ever seen what the toads teach and heard whispers about how the snakes go about 'teaching' Sage Mode. I can't say I've ever heard anything about the slugs, though. Then again, I never bothered asking."

Sakura's face fell into a small frown. The Hokage held up a ruby red finger. "But. That doesn't mean you shouldn't ask at all," the blonde reasoned.

"Well, I did ask someone else about it. I actually asked Naruto if he could help me, but he said he's still pretty new to the whole thing, and he didn't really have a way to mitigate the side effects of absorbing natural energy," Sakura explained. Her face fell once again, a small frown darkening her normally bright features. "I don't mean to be rude, Lady Tsunade, but are you sure you don't know anything?"

"It's alright, don't worry. I can tell you're determined to find out more about this. Though, to answer your question: I'm afraid I don't know much outside of how difficult it is to learn Sage Mode. I never ventured to even begin to attempt to learn it, to be honest. Aside from Naruto, I've only ever known three people that even attempted to learn Sage Mode, and only two were successful in learning it."

Sakura's brows rose. "Can I ask who they were?"

Tsunade laced her fingers together, resting her hands on her desk. "One of them was my grandfather. The other was…" She swallowed the lump in her throat. "The other was Jiraiya."

"Oh, I see," the pink haired girl said in a small voice.

"Jiraiya learned from the toads," Tsunade explained. "My grandfather, well." She scratched her head, sighing. "To be honest, I don't really know how he learned Sage Mode. Matter of fact, I don't think anyone does."

"You don't seem like you were very close with your grandfather," Sakura commented.

"When I was a little girl, I was, but as I got older, I suppose we just grew apart," the Hokage hummed. "The standoffish one was my great uncle. But I digress. Why exactly do you want to learn Sage Mode?"

The younger medic twirled a lock of pink. "I just thought I should take every opportunity I can to get stronger."

"This has something to do with Naruto, doesn't it?" Tsunade deadpanned.

"N-no! of course not! What would make you think that?" Sakura stammered.

The Hokage took a sip of coffee, her tone still deadpan. "You're blushing, first of all. And you tripped over your words. You hardly do that."

Sakura pouted. "You should already know the answer then, Lady Tsunade."

"Of course. You want to be as strong as him, and able to protect him and Sasuke if the time ever came that you needed to."

The younger kunoichi nodded, her demeanor shifting. "I just feel like I'm falling behind them, is all. Especially after all this stuff that's happened with Naruto's eyes."

Tsunade stared at her pupil. Sakura suddenly felt very small under her master's intense gaze. She fidgeted as a thick silence settled over the office.

Finally, the Hokage relented, letting out a sigh and softening her eyes. "Why?"

Sakura straightened. "I beg your pardon?"

"Why do you feel like you're falling behind?"

"I mean, they're both strong, and they have really powerful dōjutsu. Naruto's a sage, Sasuke's a kenjutsu specialist. They're just on another level, and I'm, well, me," the pink haired medic dejectedly explained.

Tsunade stared at her student, who fidgeted with the sleeves of her haori. With a sigh, the Hokage got up and stood in front of the younger kunoichi, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Sakura, I know how you feel. Really, I do. But you can't keep comparing yourself to them."

"How can I not? They're my teammates and my friends. I want to be able to help them, not just sit by while they do everything or get in the way."

"Weren't you the one who took down Sasori?" Tsunade probed.

Sakura stuck her bottom lip out. "Lady Chiyo helped me."

"You and I both know that if you weren't there, she would have been outmatched," the Hokage retorted. "Weren't you also the one that developed an antidote for Kankurō when he was poisoned? In a matter of hours, no less?"

"It was just an antidote, it's not like it was anything important," the younger kunoichi said dismissively.

"Sakura, you saved his life. Had I or Shizune been in your position, I'm honestly not sure we would've formulated an antidote in time."

The pink haired medic blinked. "R-really?"

"Really. As much as we know about various toxins and how to neutralize them, homebrewed poisons can get tricky. It would have taken I or Shizune at least a day working tirelessly to figure out what we were dealing with, much less formulate an antidote," Tsunade said, hints of pride in her tone.

"Well, when you put it that way…"

"You also held your own against Kisame Hoshigaki. That's not an easy feat in the slightest. You read the briefing that Konan gave us on him. Most people don't face him and live to tell the tale."

Sakura tucked an errant pink lock behind her ear. "But Naruto was the one who finished him off. All we did was keep him busy."

"Stop selling yourself short, Sakura. You did a splendid job holding your own against him."

The younger medic sighed through her nose, finally conceding and giving a small bow. "Thank you, Lady Tsunade."

"Oh, I'm not finished yet."

Sakura couldn't help but wince internally. She almost felt like she was being scolded by her mother, but this scolding was more of a mildly irritated pep talk.

"You also were part of the team that defeated Kakuzu, one of the most notorious missing nin to have lived," Tsunade pointed out.

"I had help with him, too!" Sakura fired back.

The Hokage leveled a firm gaze at her student. "Sakura, I don't think you quite understand what sort of significance beating Kakuzu carries."

"I remember the briefing, Lady Tsunade. He had that kinjutsu that improved his vitality by taking hearts and stuff," Sakura dismissed.

The older kunoichi shook her head. "That's not all. Don't you remember? Him having those hearts meant he didn't have to worry about old age catching up to him." She paused, gathering her thoughts. "I know I haven't told you much about my grandfather, but that's only because he's talked about enough as it is. One thing that isn't mentioned much is that an attempt was made on his life, and not just by Madara, either."

Realization crept in as Sakura put two and two together. "You don't mean…"

"Kakuzu was sent to assassinate my grandfather, at one point."

Tsunade's words hung in the air. Sakura could only stare at the Hokage slack jawed. By now, the blonde had released her student's shoulder, instead resting it on her own hip.

"Sakura, you can't compare yourself to Naruto and Sasuke all the time, otherwise you won't be able to see all the progress you've made yourself," the older kunoichi said with motherly concern, finally breaking the silence. "Naruto is Naruto, Sasuke is Sasuke, and you are you. That's all there is to it. Truth be told, I fully expect you to surpass myself and Shizune as a medic and as a kunoichi someday."

"Oh, Lady Tsunade, I couldn't—"

"I know you want to be humble, Sakura, but it's true. Neither of us were anywhere near the level you're at when we were your age." The Hokage gripped Sakura's shoulder once more, giving it a gentle squeeze. "You're a splendid kunoichi, and you're a splendid young woman, too. Don't doubt yourself."

A small but genuine smile crossed Sakura's features. When her shoulder was released, she gave another small bow. "Thank you, Lady Tsunade. That means the world to me."

"You're most welcome. Now, was there anything else you wanted to ask me?"

Sakura tapped her fingertip against her bottom lip. "Well, only what you would recommend I do as far as actually learning Sage Mode goes."

"To be honest, I think you should ask Naruto again. I know he couldn't really help you all that much, but see if he can talk to the toads. Try asking Katsuyu as well. Never hurts," the Hokage responded sagely.

"Of course," Sakura said with another bow. "I'll go ask Naruto right now. He's probably at the training ground by now, anyways," she said.

"My my, in a bit of a hurry to see him, aren't we?" Tsunade coyly teased.

The younger medic couldn't stop her cheeks from flushing pink. "Wh-what do you mean by that?" she stammered.

"Oh, nothing. Just that I can tell you're eager to see him, is all," the Hokage responded nonchalantly. Sakura opened her mouth to retort, but no words came.

The pink haired kunoichi could only stand there and blush. "It's not like that. I just want to learn this as quickly as possible so I can refine and master it."

Tsunade smirked. "I never mentioned anything about it being 'like that', Sakura."

Sakura's face practically glowed the same shade of red as her top. "That's— I mean—" She let out a frustrated noise. "Never mind! Thank you, Lady Tsunade!" She stormed out of the office, her face still burning.

As her student left, Tsunade couldn't help but chuckle.


A/N: Progress. Tsunade giving her star pupil a pep talk is good soup, if you ask me. Alright, so, a couple things. Firstly, for those that might not know: geta are wooden flip-flops, essentially. Jiraiya wore them, and since I think they'd fit his overall look, I decided to have Haku start wearing them. Secondly, the masks. Their overall appearance is similar to Kushimaru's mask. He's one of the resurrected Seven Swordsmen; specifically the one who uses Nuibari, the Sewing Needle. The differences between his and the ones Haku made are the colors of the triangle, the shape of the eye slits, and the Mist emblem on his forehead being replaced. Additionally, the kanji that are on the foreheads and mouth triangles are as follows:

Naruto's forehead has 輪廻, while the numeral marking is 壱.

Sasuke's forehead has 写, while the numeral marking is 弐.

Neji's forehead has 白, while the numeral marking is 参.

As for why I chose those kanji as opposed to 一, 二, or 三, I just felt they looked better for this. Now, I read that the above kanji are called daiji, and are used mostly in legal and financial documents, but I think they work for this case, as well. Watch for those masks in later chapters, by the way.

One more thing! Seeing as how the holiday season is upon us, updates will be on a bit of a hiatus for now, but don't worry! I'll be sure to keep working on this as much as I can! Keep on the lookout for the next chapter! Thanks so much for reading and Happy Holidays to all!