Chapter 3 – Birth of the Water Dragoon
The day after Kakashi had become the Violet Dragoon, he had agreed to train Team 7 quite vigorously in not just the next step in chakra control, water-walking, but in jutsus that would help them greatly when they next met Zabuza and his apprentice. Not only that, but Kakashi had decided to request help from Naruto in training himself as a Dragoon. Sadly, Naruto did not carry the previous Dragoons' weapons on him, so he was unable to pass Haschel's knuckles weapons down to his ninja sensei. This did not worry Kakashi Hatake however, as he confirmed with his genin student that he could always be given the weapons upon their return to Konohagakure.
So, with a plan set, Team 7 set out to begin their training. Of course, one of them would always have to watch after Tazuna, so they would have to take turns guarding the bridge builder. Seeing as how Kakashi Hatake had recovered the night before, he opted to take the first shift immediately upon setting his team of genin to their training regimen for the day. Due to their individual styles of combat, they would each be learning different types of jutsu. However, he would first have them learn water-walking before they got started on that.
Things continued like this for three days, their stay in Wave Country consisting of training, guarding Tazuna, eating two meals a day, and resting. Sadly, the bridge builder's grandson, Inari, continued to hassle Team 7 every night, treating them like they were stupid for even staying in the country to begin with. On the third night, Naruto finally got fed up with it and he decided it was time to lecture the little brat and shut him up for once.
As he rose from his chair, not even having finished his meal yet, the blonde Dragoon thrusted a finger in Inari's face. "Listen here you little brat and I'll tell you why we stay. We are shinobi, proud ninja that are not only highly skilled and respected by people worldwide, but we are good people as well. We ninja help people by taking the missions we do, and we save lives. The rewards we get are not what truly matter to me. What matters to me if helping as many people as I possibly can. But there's more to it than just that."
Kneeling down so he was eye level with the kid, Naruto Uzumaki spoke a bit softer. "Think about the big picture for a moment Inari. I don't give a damn about the pain you've been through or who you've lost, because, in the end, that doesn't matter." Seeing the kid was about to interrupt, the blonde genin pinched his ear and refused to let go even as he winced in pain. "Don't interrupt me and don't make any noise Inari. Everyone in Wave is suffering right now because of Gato and his men. People are dying, children are starving, and women are suffering in ways best not thought about. Now, imagine what would happen if we gave up on your mission and left. Your grandfather would die and the bridge would never be finished. Gato would continue to make everyone in Wave suffer more and more. Your mother? She's a beautiful woman and I can only imagine that because your grandfather dared to stand up to Gato that he would do such terrible things to her she'd never be the same again. And you? I guarantee that they wouldn't hesitate to kill you Inari. We are the only thing standing between that fate and Gato. So suck it up, stop being such a miserable pain-in-the-ass, and think on that for a good, long while until you understand just how lucky you are to have a family that loves you, to have a roof over your head, to have food! I didn't always have that. I was miserable every day for so long, and…"
Shaking his head at this point, Naruto Uzumaki stood back up, turned around and walked towards the door. "You know what? It doesn't matter. You can't respect anyone and you're too busy wallowing in your own self-pity. I'm going to go train for a while. If I stay here I'd likely pummel the crap out of you, you stupid brat." And with that, the blonde Dragoon left Tazuna's house and ventured into the woods to continue his training.
The Next Morning – Forest
A beautiful young woman was walking the forest, carrying a basket of herbs and occasionally picking more herbs to take with her. As she walked along, this young woman hummed a beautiful tune, though it wasn't one well known to the people of Wave. Eventually, this woman came across a mop of blonde hair, and upon closer inspection, she saw the person this hair belonged to. Taking a few steps forward, she recognized the boy and a frown marred her features.
When the woman came closer, she suddenly found the boy's lance pressed against her neck. Glancing down, she noticed that one of his eyes was open. "Sorry, but one can never be too cautious. I will remove my lance, but don't make any sudden movements." Moving the lance to his side as he rose, Naruto eyed the girl curiously. "What are you doing out here so early in the day, and by yourself no less?"
The black-haired woman smiled softly and knelt down next to the boy, looking him in the eyes as she answered. "I'm gathering herbs for my uncle. He's not doing so well and I'm simply looking after him until he recovers. Now, what are you doing out here? I'm not used to seeing ninja in these parts, nor have I seen any ninja using such a weapon. Who might you be?"
The blonde genin chuckled to himself and tapped his hitai-ate. "Pretty obvious huh?" Seeing the girl nod, Naruto Uzumaki smiled and looked towards the sky. "My name is Naruto Uzumaki, a genin from Konohagakure. I can't reveal why I'm here, but I can explain why I'm using this weapon I suppose." Looking into the girl's eyes, the Jinchuriki grinned. "Let's just say I'm kind of special. Because of that, I've had extensive training in the use of this weapon. It belonged to somebody important from the past, and I'm glad that I can carry on his legacy."
Nodding in semi-understanding, the young woman smiled and patted the boy on his shoulder. "It sounds like you are a good person indeed, Naruto Uzumaki. My name is Haku, and it has been a great pleasure meeting you. Perhaps if we get the chance to see each other again, we could talk longer?"
Naruto frowned at that, but nodded slowly. "You already have to go, huh? Ah well, it was nice talking with you Haku-chan. I would enjoy another, longer conversation with you someday. This one was far too short. You seem like a kindhearted person to me."
Nodding at that, the two stood up and brushed themselves off. As Haku began to walk away, she suddenly thought of something she wanted to ask the boy. Turning back around, the young woman smiled slightly and eyed him curiously. "Naruto-kun, do you have anyone you want to protect, perchance?"
Quirking a brow at the odd question, the young man shrugged his shoulders and nodded without a hint of hesitation. "Of course. I really want to look after Rose-chan and keep her safe. She's my most important person and, after everything that's happened, I don't ever want to see her sad again. I failed to protect something important to her in the past, and even if Jiji and Rose-chan say it wasn't my fault, I can't help but feel kind of guilty over it. After all, it was the only thing she had that belonged to someone very important to her in the past, and it was stolen by some terrible people…"
Sighing to himself, Naruto noticed the look Haku was giving him. She looked saddened, so he quickly waved his hands before him and offered a small smile. "Please don't look so sad Haku-chan. I'll get it back someday. Besides, you asked me if I had somebody to protect, right? Jiji is somebody else I really want to protect, along with my team and friends from the academy…wait…I didn't really have any friends…" Sighing sadly, the blonde genin looked down at the ground and shuffled his feet a bit. "Sasuke really doesn't give a crap about me, but I get along with Shika pretty well, so that's nice. Kakashi-sensei is awesome, and we've spent a lot of time together, sooo…that's cool. Then there's Guy-sensei and Yugao-onee-chan too. Oh! There's Teuchi-san and Ayame-nee-chan too! But…that's kind of it. I…well…things haven't been so great in the village. I'd explain, but they're pretty bad memories for me."
Haku looked concerned for the boy, so she quickly approached and hugged the boy close with her free hand. "Please don't sound so sad Naruto-kun. You are a good person and I know you'll only grow stronger with time. Protect those dear to you and I'm certain you'll become strong enough to do so. Sadly, as much as I would like to stay and talk with you, I really do have to leave. Please take care of yourself, okay?"
Nodding slowly, the blonde gently hugged the girl back before watching her walk off, disappearing into the woods. After a few minutes, Sasuke appeared in the clearing and sighed as he noticed his teammate in a kind of daze. Snapping his fingers for a moment to get Naruto Uzumaki's attention, the Uchiha narrowed his eyes at him. "Damn it dobe, don't zone out like that. I was sent to tell you breakfast is ready. Get back to the house and eat. I'm going to get to training."
Naruto nodded slowly and thanked his teammate before rushing off to get some breakfast. As he rushed off, the blonde couldn't help but think about his encounter with Haku. She really was very pretty, but I can't help but think Rose-chan is more beautiful. Still, their personalities are very different. Haku is really kind, while Rose-chan is strict, but caring. I wonder what it would be like to be friends and to spend time with both.
Three Days Later – Bridge
As they stood on the bridge, having sent the workers home for the day, Team 7, minus Naruto, who had been left to guard Tazuna's daughter and grandson, watched as Zabuza and his apprentice came into view. Some small talk was made, but everyone watched as Sasuke and Haku began to clash. While in the beginning, it appeared that the two were evenly matched, things soon became very, very bad.
Zabuza's apprentice had unleashed her kekkei genkai, or at least one of its main abilities, and trapped her opponent in a dome of 21 mirrors of ice. Needless to say, the battle quickly turned into her favor and the Uchiha was quickly losing the battle.
Kakashi Hatake, noticing this, attempted to reach his genin student in order to save him from his powerful opponent. However, Zabuza Momochi quickly blocked the silver-haired man's way and used his Kirigakure no Jutsu to make the battle that much more difficult for his opponent. When this happened, Kakashi of the Sharingan frowned beneath his mask and began wishing Naruto would make his appearance already. The Jade Dragoon has power over the wind. Naruto could probably easily disperse this fog…
Thankfully, just a few minutes into his battle with Zabuza, everyone heard the Jade Dragoon's voice shouting from the other end of the bridge. Although they couldn't understand what it was Naruto had said, it was evident he had done something. Within an instant, a very strong wind began blowing through the area and before they knew it, all the fog was blown away.
Zabuza's eyes went wide as he looked around in shock. "What the hell?! That shouldn't be possible!" Glaring towards the end of the bridge at the boy clad in green armor, the Demon of the Hidden Mist snarled. "You little punk! Obviously I need to kill you now!"
However, as Zabuza prepared to attack the young Uzumaki, he felt something change in the man he had been fighting just moments before. Turning towards Kakashi Hatake, Zabuza was shocked to see that he, too, had transformed, donning armor similar to the kind young Naruto was wearing. Before the swordsman could so much as move, he was struck by a powerful bolt of lightning that caused him to collapse, his body spasming as he struggled just to stay conscious after receiving such a powerful magical attack.
As Kakashi quickly reversed his transformation, unable to hold it for more than a single spell or attack, Naruto also reverted, still not having the kind of experience in battle required to sustain it for more than a single spell. Quickly rushing forward, Naruto watched in shock as Sasuke was struck down by dozens of ice needles. Shock taking over, the young Dragoon could feel a strong sense of anger and sadness washing over him.
Despite the fact that the two were never close, Naruto still cared for his teammate and honestly didn't think he could be beaten in such a way. As the blonde Dragoon tried to wrap his mind around what had just happened, he felt himself moving forward. In an instant, the young woman that had struck Sasuke down was thrown from one of her mirrors, Naruto's hand around her throat. Squeezing her neck tight, he threw his fist forward and broke the young woman's mask and prepared to punch her again.
What Naruto saw shocked him even out of his attack. Staring into her eyes, the blonde blinked as the strange power left his body. "H-Haku? Why? Why are you here…?"
Haku managed a small smile as she reached up and placed her hand gently upon Naruto's. "Z-Zabuza-sama…helped me. He gave me a purpose…" Seeing she had her friend's full attention, the young woman began to regale him with the tale of her past. She would occasionally have to pause to cough, Naruto's attacks having caused her not just visible damage, but internal damage as well.
By the time Haku had finished her tale, blood was running from the corner of her lips down her chin and she was beginning to look pale, well…paler. At the look in Naruto's eyes, she smiled softly and weakly hugged him. "Don't look…so sad Naruto-kun…"
"I can save you both, just don't give up on life okay? Please Haku?" Seeing her blink a moment, Naruto stared intently into the young woman's eyes and smiled when she slowly nodded her head. Quickly taking the bag of Dragoon Spirits from his belt, the young blonde reached in, intending to take hold of the White-Silver Dragoon Spirit. Only, he noticed something odd.
Pulling out the Blue-Sea Dragoon Spirit, Naruto watched as it began glowing brighter and brighter. Curious about this strange occurrence, the Jade Dragoon laid the Dragoon Spirit upon Haku's lap and watched as the young woman was transformed, beautiful blue armor now adorning her body. Naruto quickly turned his gaze away with a bright blush taking hold. "T-That armor is p-pretty revealing, don't you think?"
The Dragoon of Water was surprised at what had just transpired. Slowly feeling energy returning to her, the young woman stood up and looked herself over, blushing furiously at what she saw. "I-It is! Oh dear…"
At this point, both of them noticed Zabuza's still form lying upon the bridge a short distance from the jonin sensei of Team 7. Without a thought, both Dragoons rushed over to Zabuza's side and Naruto immediately went to work using the White-Silver Dragoon Spirit in conjunction with his Jade Dragoon Spirit to heal the downed missing nin. Sadly, it was at this point that Gato and his men made their appearance.
Ignoring the wealthy business tycoon's chatter, Naruto looked into Haku's eyes and began to speak. "Haku, I know you don't like killing, and that's okay. But these people are monsters. You have a powerful spell at your disposal. It's hard to explain it right now, but focus your will on the power inside of you and you should be able to find what you're looking for. Focus your magic on Gato. Your magic is more than enough to destroy him. Kakashi-sensei and I can handle the others if you can just take care of that."
The Blue-Sea Dragoon blinked in confusion at that, but nodded slowly as she turned her gaze on Gato. Okay, not much advice to go on, but I think I understand. Alright Haku, focus and pull out your 'magic'. I'll have to ask him more about this later… After a few moments, as the thugs began to charge towards the group, the ice-user suddenly felt something and smiled. Pointing her hands palms out towards Gato, the Blue-Sea Dragoon focused on this feeling and noticed something starting to happen.
Soon, seventeen large spears of ice began spinning around the ice-user, each spear surrounded by a small ring of water. Focusing her spell on Gato and those few surrounding him, Haku unleashed her spell, three spears piercing Gato through and ending his life, while the other spears took down fourteen of the thugs. After watching the light leave their eyes, Haku collapsed to her knees and her transformation reversed. Once more she was her normal self, and she was exhausted just from that one spell.
Whistling in appreciation at this, Naruto finished healing Zabuza and rose to his feet, turning to look at the devastation caused by Haku's magic. "Nice. From what I heard from Rose-chan, your first spell should've just been focused on a single target for some pretty nice damage. But if I had to guess, I'd say your Hyoton (Ice Release) kekkei genkai actually plays a part in your Dragoon abilities as well. That's actually pretty darn awesome. It means you'll only become that much more powerful as you grow as a Dragoon."
Pausing for a moment in thought, Naruto brought a hand to his chin in thought while creating a bunch of seal-less Kage Bunshin to deal with the thugs. "Actually, if that happens to be the case, then Kakashi-sensei's Sharingan might actually affect his Dragoon abilities too. And…there's my burden as well…"
Kakashi created some Kage Bunshin as well before turning to his student. "That would make sense. The question now is: exactly how will these things change our abilities from what the previous Dragoons were capable of? There's a chance we can learn some of these new abilities through training together, but I have a feeling that if we truly want to see what we're now capable of, it will have to be tested in battle."
Haku smiled at this and nodded her head. "I'm not sure what's going on or what a 'Dragoon' is, but if that's what I have become, I want to learn more about it. I could feel such power inside of me when I used that magic! I really can't help but wonder what else I can do now. I wonder if I could make my very own forest of ice…"
Naruto and Kakashi sweat dropped as they listened to the young woman prattle on about various things she now wondered if she could do now that she was a Dragoon. Despite the fact she had just killed when she didn't enjoy doing so didn't seem to even be registering in her mind. In fact, it didn't really seem as if she even registered their existence in this moment as she lost herself to her icicle fantasies.
With a shrug, Naruto turned to his sensei and grinned. "Hey, at least she's happy. It's good that she's like this now, because when she meets Rose-chan, she'll make poor Haku-chan feel like crap. Rose-chan's training is so rough." Sighing, the Jade Dragoon collapsed on his butt and glanced over his shoulder at all the thugs that had been killed by the Kage Bunshin. Shaking his head, blonde hair flapping about as he did, the young man closed his eyes. "I wish we didn't have to kill, even if it's to protect people. It's…painful."
Kakashi Hatake nodded at this point and reached out, patting his genin on his head. He could hear Shikamaru and Tazuna helping Sasuke up after the Uchiha came to, even though he still looked like a ninja pincushion somewhat. Chuckling slightly at the thought of such a thing, the Sharingan-user quickly regained his composure and spoke to his blonde student. "Sometimes there really isn't a choice Naruto-kun. We do what we have to do to complete our missions. I'll try to protect you from having to do such terrible deeds so long as you're on my team, but there may be times where we have to kill to save people. You're handling it well for this being your first kill…kills, but I can tell you're conflicted. Take some time to think on it, and when we get back to Konoha, talk to Rose-san. Oh Kami…"
Naruto blinked at this and looked up at his sensei. "What? Is something the matter Kakashi-sensei?" The look in his sensei's eye had the Jade Dragoon feeling quite nervous. Kakashi Hatake looked absolutely terrified and Naruto didn't really understand why that was.
Looking slowly back down at his genin student, Kakashi raised his Dragoon Spirit and watched it shine brilliantly for a moment. "I'm a Dragoon…" Seeing Naruto nod slowly, but obviously still not understanding the point, the silver-haired jonin sensei could feel a tear welling up in his eye. "This means that I have to spend more time in the company of Rose-san. I respect the woman, but she scares me! She's going to somehow beat the pervert right out of me, I know it!"
Naruto Uzumaki sweat dropped at this, but didn't even bother commenting on how stupid that sounded to him. Instead, he looked to Haku and frowned as she was currently quite confused after returning from her little fantasy world of ice and bunnies, or whatever it was she had been rambling on about. Quite honestly, Naruto had tuned her out during his conversation with his sensei. "Personally, I'm more worried about Haku-chan. She has never met Rose-chan, and I'm not sure how Rose-chan will react upon meeting her. I doubt she'll be mean or anything, but she could very well drag her off to start training. This pretty much means that she won't even have the time to relish in being a Dragoon or to get used to anything…"
Sighing, the young blonde rubbed the back of his head and closed his eyes. "Yeah, I don't think Haku-chan is even going to be able to absorb all the information she's going to have to take in about what a Dragoon is and what our purpose is in the world. Heh, both of you are going to have to sit through one hell of a lecture about the history we Dragoons are now a part of. Good luck with that. I had to ask her a ton of questions when she told me about everything, and she didn't look like she enjoyed being interrupted all the time to have to explain it all. She didn't get mad at me or yell or anything, I just felt like I was disappointing her, you know? It wasn't a great feeling."
Haku Yuki frowned at this as she reached over and gently grasped her friend's hand, effectively making him blush at the contact. After all, he hadn't really had much physical contact of any kind any other woman besides Rose, let alone one quite as beautiful as the ice-using Haku is. Making him look in her eyes, the Blue-Sea Dragoon smiled and lightly kissed the boy on his forehead. "Naruto-kun, I'm sure she wasn't disappointed in you. From how you talk about her, I'd say you and Rose-san are very close. If I had to guess, I'd say she probably cares a great deal about you. Now, try to cheer up okay? Don't worry too much about Kakashi-san or myself. The two of us will be fine, and we'll gladly take on the mantle of the Dragoon. If we have been chosen, then I'm sure we are meant to serve an important role of some kind, although I'm really not sure what that is at this moment in time. I do hope to learn more from yourself and Rose-san upon returning with you to Konohagakure."
At this, Zabuza opened one of his eyes and chuckled a bit. "Just admit it Haku, your main reason for wanting to go with them is because you think he's cute." As soon as she blushed and began yelling at the swordsman to shut up, all the while denying that what he said wasn't the true reason, the Demon of the Hidden Mist broke out into a fit of laughter. "Ahhh, you are just so much fun to tease Haku. I couldn't resist." With a shrug, the man sat up and looked into the Jade Dragoon's eyes before turning to look into the eyes of the Violet Dragoon. "So, if Haku's coming, I plan to come as well. That alright with you One-Eye?"
While Naruto snickered at the nickname given to his sensei, the silver-haired Dragoon sighed and shrugged. "I suppose. If we inform Hokage-sama that you are Haku-chan's guardian, that would probably do the trick. Hokage-sama knows of the Dragoons and has been assisting Rose-san and Naruto-kun since my dear genin became a Dragoon four years ago. I do not know the full purpose for the Dragoons, nor do I know what the full power of one is like. I do know that they, we, are very special and very important. Then again, that's pretty much all I know about all that." Blinking at the fact he lost his train of thought, Kakashi looked down into Zabuza's eyes. "What was your question again? I think I kind of lost myself there."
Facepalming at that, Zabuza stood up and asked his question again. As the two jonin-level ninja talked amongst themselves, the Jade Dragoon glanced towards the end of the bridge where a crowd had gathered. Smirking to himself, Naruto waved his lance in the air and listened as they cheered for the heroes of Wave. "Heh, that feels kind of nice."
1 ½ weeks later
As the group of six stood on the bridge saying their good-byes to the villagers, Haku couldn't help but feel like teasing her blonde friend a little. They had grown closer as friends and had developed a good relationship with one another as such. In fact, they could often be seen talking together after Naruto finished training Kakashi and Haku for the day in the ways of the Dragoon. The blonde did the absolute best he could with said act, but he was still just a student compared to Rose, the Dark Dragoon.
Seeing as how her blonde friend would often blush should Haku do anything even a little physical with the boy, such as holding his hand, kissing his cheek or forehead, or even showing a little skin from time to time, the ice-user just couldn't help but want to tease the poor boy. So, as the group began to walk away from the village, moving across the finished bridge, she snuck up on Naruto and grabbed hold of his hand. Only this time, she wrapped it around her waist before slowly moving it down to he was effectively grabbing her ass.
As her friend turned completely red at this act and began to stammer out some kind of response, most likely attempting to tell her that they shouldn't do that kind of thing, Haku began to giggle cutely at his expense. "You are too easy to tease Naru-kun. You're going to have to get used to having me around if we're going to be living together."
When his female friend winked at him, Naruto somehow managed to turn even redder! Then it registered: live together! "Wait…what do you mean 'live together'?"
Smirking at this, Haku placed his hand back on her ass and laughed a little more at his expression. "Well, it wouldn't make much sense for me to live elsewhere when I need to learn from Rose-san as well, would it? I'm sure Kakashi-san might have to move in with you as well so we can begin our training right away upon waking up each day. Well, after a shower and breakfast of course." Shrugging, the black-haired lass looked into her best friend's eyes and poked his nose. "If you want, you can release me now. I just wanted to 'talk' for a while."
Walking just behind them were Shikamaru and Sasuke. Sasuke was simply grumbling at the idiotic display of affection being shown between the two in front of him. Shikamaru on the other hand sighed and shook his head. "This is just one of the reasons why I say women are so troublesome. I do not envy you Naruto, not at all."
At the back of the group was Kakashi, who couldn't help but giggle perversely at the situation his student was now in. Naruto-kun, you really don't know how lucky you are to be living with two beautiful women. One who clearly wants you and the other…ummm…how the heck does one describe Rose? Beautiful, but highly sadistic? Wait, now that I think on it, is she a dominatrix? If so, she takes that just a taaad too far for my tastes. Still, imagining her like that is enough to make a man grin. Hmm, I'll have to ask her at some point if she happens to have an outfit like that…
One week later – Konohagakure
It hadn't taken that long to return to the village, and from there they didn't waste any time in visiting the office of the Sandaime Hokage. After discussing the mission results with him, Kakashi Hatake, Naruto Uzumaki, Zabuza Momochi, and Haku Yuki remained behind while Sasuke Uchiha and Shikamaru Nara left with their pay for the mission to do whatever it is they wanted to do for the day.
After the Sandaime put up the privacy seal, he nodded at Naruto. "Okay, now tell me exactly what happened. You said that you four needed to speak with me in private, so I assume this has something to do with the Dragoons?"
The blonde nodded slowly and motioned towards Kakashi and then to Haku with his right hand. "I feel really stupid for not even thinking to try this before, but it turns out that Kakashi-sensei is the Violet Dragoon, the Dragoon of Thunder. And during the battle on the bridge, after defeating Haku-chan, I went to heal her and, well…she turned out to be the Blue-Sea Dragoon, the Dragoon of Water."
Nodding in understanding at this, Hiruzen Sarutobi looked between the three of them before looking into Zabuza Momochi's eyes. "I assume that Zabuza's presence here indicates he would like to join the village with Haku?"
Kakashi nodded at this point and looked square into the Hokage's eyes. "Yes, Hokage-sama. We discussed it before returning to the village, and we think that if Zabuza were to be named Haku's official guardian, there wouldn't be any true problems with him remaining in the village and living with his apprentice. Of course, due to the 'unique' circumstances, we also believe that it would be best if the two of them lived with Naruto-kun in his home. There's plenty of room, and Haku could easily get to know Rose-san and begin learning from her regularly without having to make some kind of schedule in order to do so. In fact, it has been suggested that I move in as well, buuut…"
Hiruzen found himself chuckling at this and shook his head. "Yes, you fear for your manhood should you spend too much time with Rose-san. I more than understand that Kakashi-san. However, because you have become one of them, I must ask that you move in with them. Not just because of the fact that you are one of the legendary Dragoons now, but because of what happened four years ago. It would be best if more people were living there to prevent such an occurrence from ever happening again."
The silver-haired jonin nodded slowly, looking absolutely defeated at this point. At this point, Naruto decided to speak up again. "Are we going to be able to make similar arrangements for the future Dragoons we encounter? We need to stay together. It wouldn't work if all the Dragoons happened to be split up, unable to contact one another and, in essence, not being able to help each other or work together. The reason I ask this is because, well…" Sighing, the young Jade Dragoon rubbed the back of his head. "I know there's a chance that some of the Dragoons might be from other Hidden Villages. I don't feel comfortable just handing the Dragoons their Dragoon Spirits and saying: "Okey dokey, here ya go. You're an official Dragoon now, now head on back and enjoy the perks!" or something of that nature."
Zabuza chuckled at that before adding in his two cents. "The gaki's right. I mean, look at Haku. We aren't from your village and she became this Water Dragoon thingy. That's pretty solid evidence that you might need to explore a bit in order to find every one of these Dragoon things you're looking for. If they happen to be from a rival village, say Iwagakure, what the heck are you gonna do?"
The Sandaime rubbed his brow in frustration at the mere thought of having to deal with such a thing, but nodded his head in clear understanding of the situation. "Rose-san would most likely not give them any choice in the matter, regardless of the kind of political backlash involved. I think what it will come down to is whether or not Naruto-kun can persuade these other Dragoons to stay here with him or not. If he can convince these other Dragoons of the important roles they carry and explain to them effectively that they need to stay here with him…I think we can work things out. After all, it would be that ninja's choice at that point, not the choice of the village they were from. Of course, said ninja would have to explain to their Kage about the importance of their decision to stay, hopefully without having to explain about the Dragoons in the process. Agh, this is just too much to think about right now. Let's just deal with that when the time comes, if the need arises."
Zabuza chuckled at his expense and shook his head. "In other words, hope everything goes well and doesn't result in another big war, correct?" Seeing the old man nod, the swordsman walked over and gently patted Hiruzen on the back. "No worries. The kid's pretty convincing…I think. Meh. I think everything will work out fine, sooo…yeah. Damn. I am not good at this 'instilling confidence' thing, at least not when it comes to politics."
Haku found herself smirking at this point and decided to make a playful jab at her father figure. "No, Zabuza-sama. You're actually much better at instilling fear in people." Giggling to herself at his reaction, a flabbergasted and disbelieving face, the ice-using Dragoon looked into Naruto's eyes and smiled. "So, do we get to go see your home now? I want to meet this Rose-san and see how I 'measure up'." Giggling a little more at Naruto's confusion, the Blue-Sea Dragoon looked to the Hokage and saw him nod, signaling that they were free to leave as he deactivated the seal.
As the two younglings left, Zabuza and Kakashi turned towards the Hokage once again. "Zabuza, here are the forms you'll need to fill out to legally adopt Haku-chan. Kakashi-san…" Looking into the jonin's eye, Hiruzen shook his head. "I'm afraid you'll likely have to go without Icha Icha for an indeterminable amount of time. You can keep a hidden stash somewhere off Naruto's property, but, should you bring it into his home, you should expect a rather large bonfire made from your books. Good luck my friend." As the jonin went teary-eyed, Zabuza blinked a moment before he shrugged his shoulders and got to work filling out the forms for the adoption.
Uzumaki-Namikaze Estate
As Naruto burst through the front door of his home, he looked around and began to giggle excitedly at seeing Rose again. Creeping around, he eventually found her in the kitchen eating a small meal. "Rose-chan! I've got some good news! But first…" Rushing over, the blonde threw his arms around Rose and nestled his head into her bosom. Of course, whether he realized that he was doing or not was anyone's guess, but everyone voted for the latter option.
Rose laughed lightly and hugged the Jade Dragoon close, gently running her fingers through his hair. "It is good to see you Naruto. I was starting to become a little worried about you." Glancing up upon sensing somebody else, the Dark Dragoon narrowed her eyes before noticing the small orb in the young woman's right hand. "I see. So this was your good news? You've found the Dragoon of Water then?"
Naruto took a step back and nodded happily. "Not only that, but Kakashi-sensei turned out to be the Violet Dragoon! I can't believe we never checked him before. I felt so stupid when I found out he was a Dragoon too."
At this, Rose's left eyebrow twitched and she had to take a deep breath to calm herself. "So, the Pervert turned out to be a Dragoon, did he? I didn't want to check him for a reason: he's a creep. Still, I suppose it's not that surprising to find out he's the Violet Dragoon of all things. Haschel was a perverted old man too."
The young blonde chuckled at this. "You never told me that before. Haschel, this amazing martial arts master…to think that he was a pervert as well is just…that's kind of funny in its own way. It really does make a strange kind of sense then for Kakashi-sensei to be the holder of the Violet Dragoon Spirit then, doesn't it?"
Rose nodded slowly and took a bite of her toast before she glanced towards the girl watching them nervously. Getting the message, the Jade Dragoon grinned and pulled Haku into the kitchen to stand beside him. "Rose-chan, meet Haku-chan! As you've already surmised, she's the Blue-Sea Dragoon. She and her legal guardian, and Kakashi-sensei as well…they're going to be living with us from now on!"
At this, a strange sense of death and foreboding seemed to erupt around the Darkness Dragoon. Looking down at her favorite blonde, she began to chuckle darkly. "Oh will he now? If Kakashi dares to try anything or even thinks to bring a single copy of that series into our house, I might just castrate the pervert. You do realize that, don't you Naruto?"
Naruto Uzumaki's eyes widened at the thought of such a thing happening and slowly nodded. "I-I kind of figured you would say that. But I'm sure it'll be okay! He's already kinda scared of you, so I don't think he'll give you any problems Rose-chan." After a few seconds, the blonde's eyes lit up again as he remembered something important he needed to tell his best friend. "Oh! Rose-chan, guess what!"
Seeing her eyebrow raise in curiosity at this, the Jade Dragoon continued. "Thanks to Haku-chan, I found out that certain kekkei genkai and other special things about us Dragoons can affect our abilities when we transform! When Haku went to use that magic spell you told me about, her Hyoton kekkei genkai really changed it. Lots of ice spears surrounded by small rings of water instead of, well, what you told me about the spell."
Shrugging, the young blonde looked into her eyes more seriously. "Kakashi and I think that his Sharingan might affect his Dragoon Abilities somewhat, but we don't know in what way. And then…there's my 'problem'. If I were to tap into the Kyuubi's power, how would my abilities be changed?"
Rose looked into Haku's eyes at this point and found herself smiling. "Well that certainly is an interesting piece of news Naruto. From the sounds of it, this young lady is an ice-user, is that correct?" Seeing Haku nod slowly, the Dark Dragoon nodded in turn. "Meru had some talent with ice as well. Despite being the Dragoon of Water, ice had been incorporated into some of her spells and attacks as well. So, I'm not really surprised by this turn of events. Although, are you sure you should be mentioning the Kyuubi in front of her?"
Haku chose this point to interject. "U-Um, firstly, I'd like to say it's a pleasure to finally meet you Rose-san. Naruto-kun has talked about you a lot and it sounds like you have been really good to him. For that, I am most glad. As for mentioning the Kyuubi, Naruto-kun took Zabuza-sama and me aside while on his mission and, figuring that it would come up at some point during our stay with you two, told us about the Kyuubi being locked away inside of him. If it helps put your mind at ease Rose-san, we do not hold any prejudice against him for being a Jinchuriki, and we most certainly do not think of him as a monster of any kind. In fact…" Smirking, the ice-user looked at Naruto and gave his butt a quick squeeze, much to his embarrassment. "I found that he's pretty fun to tease."
Seeing this young woman do such a thing to Naruto right in front of her caused Rose's left eyebrow to twitch dangerously. "If you would, I would ask you to please refrain from engaging in such acts with Naruto. I do not mind if you take an interest in him, but I would rather you not act on these 'impulses' of yours. Now, I am going to finish my breakfast and then I will teach you about the Dragoons. I warn you, I am a strict teacher and you will not enjoy your training."
Naruto's and Haku's eyes widened as they both came to the same conclusion. Holy crap, she seemed jealous just then! Of course, Naruto's train of thought proceeded even further than this conclusion. I fear for Haku-chan now. If Rose-chan is jealous, just what kind of hell will she put poor Haku-chan through?!
The only thing that seemed to temporarily save Haku Yuki was the fact that the two men walked through the door right at the moment the Dragoon of Water was being dragged off for her 'lecture'. Eyes landing on Kakashi, Rose gained a dangerous glint in her eyes and walked up to him, temporarily releasing Haku. "You. Empty your pockets and any luggage you brought with you. If I see even one of those books, I'm going to start breaking toes! If you've decided to try and bring a whole case full of them, I hope you're ready to lose your 'manhood'."
As Kakashi frantically tried to prove he wasn't going to do anything to get on Rose's bad side, well…anything to give her a reason to destroy him, the other three stood together in the kitchen, Haku looking absolutely terrified and, oddly enough, for Naruto at least, depressed. "Are you okay Haku-chan? I'm sure she'll come to like you given a little time. Just relax, okay?"
Haku sighed at this and shook her head. "She doesn't want me to get any Naru-kun snuggle time. I was so looking forward to sneaking into your room at night and cuddling up against you too. It would be so much fun to see your reaction when you woke up."
Naruto and Zabuza both sweat dropped at this before slumping their shoulders. This was going to be a very strange and very trying time for them. If this strange, new family couldn't work past these odd differences with one another, how in the hell were they supposed to work together to fulfill whatever the heck their purpose was in this world?!
Two Months Later
Over the last couple of months, not only had Naruto, Haku, and Kakashi been trained vigorously in the ways of the Dragoon, but Rose had actually allowed certain things from the Water and Thunder Dragoons. The four Dragoons had actually sat down and had a discussion about teamwork and building trust, and Rose had eventually managed to give in and come to a decision regarding a few different things as a result of this discussion.
Firstly, Kakashi was allowed to keep one of his books in his room to read as he'd like. However, he could not read the book anywhere but in his own room. Second, the Violet Dragoon was allowed to take this one book and swap it for another from his stash at his old residence as he liked. Finally, Kakashi Hatake was not to ask anymore stupid and/or perverse questions! After being questioned about some kind of dominatrix outfit and whether or not she possessed one, the silver-haired Dragoon nearly lost a leg. Needless to say: lesson learned!
As for Haku, seeing as how she just would not stop her flirtatious behavior with Naruto, Rose had decided to make a compromise of sorts. The Dark Dragoon would allow one date a month for Haku and Naruto, but they were not to do more than hold hands, talk, hug, and perhaps kiss each other on the cheek. At least not until Rose deemed it was okay to do otherwise. In the house, Haku was to behave and not get all touchy-feely with the blonde Dragoon. This wasn't much of a compromise for the Blue-Sea Dragoon, but she really couldn't do much about it until Rose started coming around to the idea of 'sharing' Naruto.
Naruto, on the other hand, seemed completely confused by this whole situation. He wasn't exactly sure how he felt about Haku, but he was certain of one thing: he definitely had feelings for Rose. After spending four years together, how could he not have developed such strong feelings for the woman that had helped him through so much?
Finally, after a week in Konoha, Haku had been placed on Team 7 with Naruto, Shikamaru, and Sasuke. This was done in an attempt to keep the three ninja Dragoons together. They needed to look after one another and keep an eye out for the other Dragoons as well. Well, there was that, and the fact that Haku and Zabuza practically insisted on it to the point Hiruzen Sarutobi was starting to go insane.
Despite the added power to Team 7, the Sandaime had informed the four of them that there might be some extra challenges presented to them as a four-person team in the coming Chunin Exams. Regardless of this warning, Team 7, their jonin sensei, Zabuza, Rose, and others were quite confident in their ability to overcome any challenge presented to them.
Currently, Naruto was out on his date for the month with Haku. They had already received the news from the jonin sensei of Team 7 that they had been signed up for the Chunin Exams that started the next day, and had decided that today was the perfect day for their date. As he walked with the young woman, Naruto Uzumaki had to admit that he found his friend to be very attractive, and that he got along very well with her, despite all her teasing and playful behavior. Frowning, he stopped and gently grasped the ice-user's hands after turning her to face him. "Haku-chan, can we talk for a minute?"
Haku frowned at this, worried about what he might say, but nodded anyways. Upon seeing this, the blonde Dragoon began to speak. "First, I want to admit that I do have something of a crush on you Haku-chan, so don't feel upset okay?" Seeing her smile, the blonde gently began to run his thumbs in circles on the backs of her hands. "But, I'm confused. So, please just hear me out?"
"Naruto-kun, I'll listen to anything you have to say. You know I care about you, and I always enjoy spending time with you, even if Rose doesn't really let us do much of anything." Grumbling under her breath, Haku soon heard Naruto laughing lightly at that. Pouting cutely, she looked into his eyes and kissed his forehead. "It's not funny Naru-kun. She's so controlling!"
Chuckling a little more at that, the Uzumaki nodded slowly. "That she is. But Rose-chan is also what I want to talk about." Seeing that he now had her full attention, Naruto nodded again. "I've lived with Rose-chan for four years and…well…I have to admit that I have deep feelings for her. I don't think she feels anything like that for me, and I know there's quite the, erm…age difference, but…I can't help how I feel. This is why I'm so very confused. I care about both of you, and I do enjoy spending time with you as well Haku-chan. I'm just…unsure of what I'm supposed to do."
Haku Yuki nodded slowly, but she smiled, understanding his pain. "It's okay Naru-kun. I figured you loved her. It's honestly alright." Sighing, the young woman gently squeezed his hands. "There is something known as the CRA that you can ask about with Hokage-sama if you really wanted to." Seeing the young man's confusion, Haku decided to elaborate. "The CRA, or Clan Restoration Act, is something used when a clan is in danger of, well, going 'extinct'. It can also be used to create more users of a certain kekkei genkai if the 'need arises'." Sighing at that, the Blue-Sea Dragoon shook her head. "As you are the son of you-know-who and a member of a near extinct clan, the Uzumaki's, you would most certainly 'qualify' for the CRA. In essence, this means you would be able to take on multiple lovers or wives. Of course, this is only if you wanted to participate in such a thing."
Looking carefully into Naruto's eyes, the black-haired young woman smiled softly at him. "Before that, however, I think you need to take some time to sort out your feelings. Decide on what you truly want. You also need to try and figure out how Rose feels about you. As you said, there is the issue with the age difference, but love can conquer that particular problem if she feels anything more for you than the bond of a mother and her child, or perhaps a sibling-like relationship, or whatever it is she might be feeling if it's not romantic love." Sighing again as Haku thought of something, she decided to throw in one more tidbit of information. "Of course, if you do go the CRA route, we'll have to figure out what to do about Rose-san. If you want to be with the both of us, she's going to need to come around and understand how this new world works. Or, at the very least, respect you and your feelings. A person can't really fight how they feel about something or someone, after all."
The young blonde Dragoon nodded and smiled at Haku before kissing her cheek. "Thank you Haku-chan. Not just for saying that, but for being so understanding and respectful of me. You're really sweet to me, and I can't help but like you more for that. But you're right, I do need to talk with Rose-chan and figure out how she really feels about me. If it turns out that I really don't have a chance with her, I won't pursue her due to my selfish desires. I don't want to ruin the friendship she and I share just because I can't take 'No!' for an answer." Sighing, the blonde ran his fingers through his hair and shrugged. "I think I'd probably need some time to recover though, depending on how she was to react…"
Haku chuckled softly at that, but as she went to speak, the two of them heard a commotion from a nearby alley. Curious, they rushed around the corner and frowned at what they saw. Konohamaru was dangling in the air as he fought against the grip some black-clad young man had him in. Near the entrance of the alley nearest the Dragoons was Konohamaru's 'teammates' as they were.
Frowning, the two Dragoons stepped forward with Naruto speaking up to get the assailant's attention. "Put the boy down now and I'll let you leave in peace. If you insist on hurting the Sandaime's grandson, however, you will regret your decision." Taking his lance off of his back, the blonde twirled it around a moment before pointing it in the direction of the black-clad ninja.
As the odd ninja was berated by his female teammate, the two Dragoons couldn't help but notice their teammates and somebody else in a nearby tree. Shrugging it off, the Jade Dragoon quickly moved forward behind the black-clad ninja and slammed his lance into his back, forcing him to drop the Sandaime's grandson. As this happened, Haku collected Konohamaru and put the boy behind her for his own protection.
When the black-clad ninja, known as Kankuro after the kunoichi berated him for picking on the Sandaime's grandson, attempted to rise and retaliate, Naruto pressed the sharp end of his spear against the young man's neck. "You'll stay right there if you know what's good for you Kankuro. Besides, I think that guy over there's in a bad mood. He a friend of yours?"
As the two Suna ninja looked up, they froze and began to sweat nervously. Sure enough, the redhead that had been watching the events unfold was their teammate, and he did not look happy. When the boy disappeared in a Suna-Shunshin (Sand Body-Flicker Technique) and reappeared next to the three, Naruto removed his lance and tapped it against the ground as he turned to face the boy. "Hey there, good to meet ya. I'm Naruto Uzumaki, and you are?"
The redhead looked into the blonde's eyes for a moment before looking to his teammates. "Kankuro, Temari, stop causing problems. Do you want me to kill the two of you?" As they went to speak, Gaara turned his attention back to Naruto and looked him in the eyes. "My name is Gaara. I look forward to seeing what you can do, Naruto Uzumaki. Prove your worth to me before we meet in combat. I don't want to kill a weakling." And with that, Gaara turned and left, his teammates following after him shortly after.
Blinking at that, Naruto turned around to look at his date. With a shrug of his shoulders, he walked over to her. "Well that sure was weird. I sure got some bad vibes from that guy, but that doesn't matter right now. Are you three okay?" The Jade Dragoon asked as he looked down at the three children. Seeing them nod and listening idly as they sang his praises and thanked him over and over again, the blonde turned his attention to Haku. "We have one more stop before we need to head home, right?"
Haku smirked and nodded slowly. "I'm glad you remembered Naru-kun. Let's go take care of that and get home. We're going to need to get plenty of rest tonight so we're ready for the Exams tomorrow." As the two waved good-bye to the three kids and walked off, Haku linked her arm with Naruto's and smiled as she leaned her head on his shoulder. "I'm sure we'll be just fine Naru-kun."
Later that Night – Uzumaki-Namikaze Estate
Naruto had arrived home with Haku a couple of hours ago and had waited patiently for everyone to go to sleep. Rose had sensed that the young blonde had wanted to speak with her alone, so she had remained awake and took care of dishes and other menial chores until the others had gone to their individual rooms to get what rest they could.
Sitting beside the Jade Dragoon, Rose took a sip of water and looked into his eyes. "Naruto, are you okay? You look like you're almost afraid of something. Is there something you need to talk with me about?"
The blonde Dragoon chuckled nervously at that and nodded his head slowly. "It's…something I talked about with Haku-chan today. She convinced me that I really needed to talk to you and figure something out. I know that if I don't do this now, I'll just end up distracted by these thoughts and feelings tomorrow and it'll just screw me up and ruin my concentration. So…" Naruto looked into Rose's eyes at this point and found himself blushing slightly as he stared into her dark blue eyes. "Rose-chan, we really do need to talk about this. H-How…do you feel about me Rose-chan?"
A/N: Okey dokey, leaving you at a mean cliffhanger. I honestly couldn't resist pulling this one. lol. As you can also see, Haku is a female in this fic, and some of the characters might have little quirks that might seem a little unusual. *shrugs*
I do hope this chapter is alright. Been working my ass off trying to get things packed, get stuff moved into storage, etc. etc. It's been so hot lately that it has only made me feel that much more exhausted. I could go on and on, but the message should be pretty clear: I haven't been able to think very well from exhaustion, the heat, etc. On top of that, personal/family issues have been pissing me off, soooo...yeaaaaah. I really hope this chapter is to your liking.
Finally, I want to let you know that, thanks to Dragon and Sword Master's insistence and suggestion, that I am putting up some information on my profile for both this story and The Legend of Naruto regarding new Additions and the current Dragoon Levels of each character. *nods* I will try to update this information after every chapter, sooo...check often? lol.