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Team 7 had finally returned to Konoha.

"I can't wait to get home." Sakura spoke. "I'm going to cash my payment and have a big fancy dinner!" She turned to the Uchiha. "Want to join me?"

"No." Sasuke answered.

"You aren't going anywhere." Kakashi declared. "We had a hell of a mission, we need to report to the Hokage."

This earned a collective sigh from the group.


Hiruzen eyed the team before him.

He could already feel a massive headache beginning to grow, as well as paper work piles.

"So you went on a mission to guard a bridge builder." He started. "Faced an A-rank ninja and ended up freeing an entire nation from a tyrant." He looked at the blond. "Then got a bridge named after you." He looked over the reports. "Did I miss anything?"

"Yes." Naruto spoke. "Haku."

The Hokage turned his attention to the young kunoichi.

"It says that you have no village affiliation." He spoke. "Is that true?"

"Yes Hokage-Sama." Haku began. "I was born in Mist, but the bloodline purge forced me to leave with Zabuza-Sama."

"I see." He mumbled. "Well, if wish, we could use your talents here." He looked over the reports. "It says that you're quite skilled."

"I don't think I would have been able to beat her on my own." Naruto admitted.

"What do you plan to do?" Hiruzen asked. "The choice is yours."

"I wish to join the village." She answered as glanced at Naruto.

"Well you are an unusual case, with your background I mean." The elder admitted. "I will take this up with the council. If they agree to it, then we can have you enlisted after a small probation period."

"Thank you Hokage-Sama." She bowed.


Naruto strolled through the village, ignoring the glares, with a small smile on his face. It only grew larger when a pair of small hands covered his eyes.

"What're you so happy about?" A voice asked from behinde him.

"Oh, I'm just on my way to see a certain someone." He answered.

"Hmm, is it a girl?"

"Yep?"

"Pretty?"

"Beautiful."

"Blond?"

"How'd you guess?" Naruto asked, feigning shock.

"Well I see a girl like her everyday and she's amazing."

"Oh, and where do you see her?" Naruto asked with curiosity.

"In the mirror, duh."

"Well, since only one girl fits all of those amazing qualities, you must be Ino."

With their mock game of twenty questions over, Naruto turned to meet Ino's gaze.

"Miss me?" He asked.

"Believe it." She stated.

"...I will pay you to not say that again." He stated as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Oh, and what will you pay me in?" She asked as she leaned in. "Remember, I'm not cheap."

"I will pay you in kisses." He answered as he leaned to meet her.

Their little game was cut short when Naruto felt a pair of arms lightly slide around his shoulders and grab his chest. On instinct, Naruto jumped from the grasp to see Haku.

"And who's your friend Naruto-Kun?" Haku asked.

"N-Naruto..." Ino began in shock. "Who the hell is she?!"

"I asked first." Haku stated.

"I'm his girlfriend!" She declared. "Now, who are you?"

"This is Haku." Naruto answered. "We met on the mission in Wave country."

"Why was she grabbing onto you?" Ino asked, ignoring Haku.

"It's not what you think." He tried to assure. "She and I are-"

"So you do have some kind of relationship!" Ino declared.

"Oh do we." Haku smirked.

"Shut up!" Naruto yelled in anger.

"Naruto, you jerk!" Ino shouted as she ran off.

"Ino!" He yelled as he attempted to run after her.

He stopped when she kept on and refused to look back. He turned his attention to Haku.

"Haku." He began calmly, too calmly. "I know you want to kill me and you're welcome to try." He stated. "But if you ever try to get to me through the few people I care about."

She froze under his glare.

His eyes were red.

It wasn't the bloodline red that she saw. That was a pale red that only replaced the blue and gaze his eyes an empty look. This one was a darker shade of red with a fox like iris in the middle.

There was no hollow emptiness in them.

They were filled with raw hate.

"I'll break you."

With that, he was gone.


Naruto was blowing off some steam on the team training ground.

He was disappointed in himself again. Not only for his lack of control, but also for his lack of mercy.

If he had killed her when he had the chance, he wouldn't be dealing with this. Is it too late, maybe he could...

I need to control myself. He mentally stated.

His thoughts were heading to dark corners, a bad thing for a Shinobi.

That was when his danger senses went off. He turned around with his kunai in hand, intending to maim, only for it to be blocked.

It was a Root Shinobi.

"Better." Danzo stated from the side. "You're making progress." He motioned to the Root. "He's one of my best in stealth."

"Thank you." Naruto spoke. "Not like you to make check ups though."

"The girl, Haku." He began. "I read the reports, what do you plan to do with her?"

"She could be enlisted in Konoha ranks, she's more than qualified." Naruto began. "Though I must warn you that she has a vendetta against me."

Naruto began retelling the events of the mission.

"Interesting." Danzo stated.

"What're you planning?" Naruto asked. "Think she'd make an excellent Root?"

"She would, but no." Danzo stated. "Her bloodline would draw too much attention. Plus her vendetta makes her unstable, are you sure it was wise to bring her?"

Not after that stunt she played. Naruto thought to himself. "Yes."

"Very well." Danzo spoke as he turned to leave but stopped. "You will be summoned for a council meeting about the mission, so prepare yourself."

"Understood."

"..."

"Is there anything else?" Naruto asked.

"That Yamanaka girl." Danzo spoke. "You like her."

At this, Naruto began to blush harder than ever.

"I might." Naruto stated as he scratched his cheek.

"Then go after her." Danzo ordered.

"...Aren't you against emotions in Shinobi?" Naruto asked suspiciously.

"In most, but you're a different case." He stated. "You are a host, meaning your emotions are tied to your Tailed Beast. We can't have you in an emotional strain." He pointed his cane at the blond. "You're also a teenager, meaning you have little control over yourself, even as a Shinobi."

"So what should I do?" Naruto asked.

"You're not on a mission, so feel." Danzo stated. "Otherwise, you might become a threat."

The elderly man made his exit with that statement.


After awhile, Naruto had finished his training and preparations. In the end, they were all distractions, he had bigger things to take care of.

That was why he was standing in front of the Yamanaka Clan compound.

"You can do this Naruto." He spoke to himself. "You fought rogue ninjas and just freed an entire country, you can do this."

"Hey, who's out there?" A voice asked from an upper window.

Our blond didn't answer, he just ran. He had no idea as to what he should be doing!

Screw this!

Naruto decided to do this the ninja way.

As soon as the sun set, he had made his way back to the clan compound.

Using his bloodline, he found Ino's chakra. In the upper part of the compound with a window near a large tree. She was alone.

Good. He thought. Makes this easier.

He decided to climb with his hands instead of chakra, he didn't want to alert anyone. It wasn't difficult thanks to his ninja training, too easy.

Shouldn't a ninja clan make their home more difficult to-Focus! He couldn't afford to be distracted.

He made his way to the window and saw her inside. She was sitting on a stool brushing her hair in front of a vanity mirror.

Naruto silently opened the window, slowly so it didn't make any noise.

"Ino." He began.

Ino had thrown her hair brush at Naruto, catching him by surprise, but he managed to catch it. When he turned back to her, she was holding her stool like a weapon.

"Naruto, what the hell are you doing here!?" She asked angrily.

"I came to apologize about Haku." He stated as he placed the brush down. She's been practicing.

"Hmph, why would I care about her?" Ino asked as she turned her head up. "It's not like we're a couple or anything."

"...What?"

"We went on two dates in one day." Ino stated as she sat down to her mirror. "It doesn't really make us official."

Naruto was at a loss. What she said was true, there was nothing official between them, they had literally been together for a two days before he went to Wave.

What should I do? He really liked her and wanted to be with her.

He could throw a tantrum and fight for her.

No, that wasn't him anymore. It was her choice, he wouldn't force himself on her, he wouldn't be a sad fanboy like with Sakura.

"There is nothing between Haku and me, except hate." Naruto stated. "She just wants to hurt me." Ino didn't turn around. "Goodbye Ino." Was all he said before jumping out the window.

Ino watched him leave from the reflection of her mirror.

"Naruto." She mumbled, too low for him to hear.


Naruto landed with a thud, no longer trying to hide himself.

His mind was in turmoil, his girlfriend had basically broke up with him. All because of a stunt pulled by Haku!

Control yourself. He ordered.

The Danzo's words echoed in his head.

"In most, but you're a different case." He stated. "You are a host, meaning your emotions are tied to your Tailed Beast. We can't have you in an emotional strain." He pointed his cane at the blond. "You're also a teenager, meaning you have little control over yourself, even as a Shinobi."

"So what should I do?" Naruto asked.

"You're not on a mission, so feel." Danzo stated. "Otherwise, you might become a threat."

Fine! He thought.

He let his anger out. He punched the tree that led to Ino's room.

Half of it shattered into splinters under his force. The other half toppled over from not being able to support itself. It fell into the ground with a loud crash, missing the home by inches.

He looked at the damage he had done, his hand was already healing.

That felt...good. He though.

He decided to go and blow off some more steam.


He made his way to the nearest training ground, fortunately it was empty.

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

Or so he thought.

He turned to see a girl about a year or two older than him. She wore a Chinese top with green pants, a practical outfit.

"I'm just here to blow off some steam." Naruto answered. "And you?"

"This is my team's training ground." She answered.

"I apologize, I'll be leaving." Naruto stated as he walked away.

"Wait, no need to leave." She spoke. "I could use a sparring partner if you're up to it."

Naruto thought about it, he did come to blow off some steam.

"No thanks, don't want to hurt you." He mumbled.

He was shocked when a kunai flew by his cheek, giving him a shallow cut, drawing a trickle of blood.

"You think I'm weak?!" She asked angrily. "Is it because I'm a female?!"

"Gender has nothing to do with strength." Naruto stated.

"Then you're just arrogant!"

"I came to blow off steam, I don't want to lose control." He explained, hoping to reason with her.

"Then you're the one who should be worried." She stated with a smirk. "A Shinobi who doesn't have his head on straight in battle will only be a hindrance to himself and team."

"...It's nice to see a Kunoichi that's taking this seriously." Naruto stated. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki."

"I'm TenTen, just TenTen." She stated. "About that spar."

"...Fine." It was his intention after all.

Naruto saw her back up and pull out a scroll, from it she summoned a katana. There were other seals for holding more objects, as well as another scroll on her hip.

"A weapon specialist?" Naruto guessed.

"Yep, all sorts of bad boys in here." She stated as she raised the scroll. "But this sword will be enough to beat you."

"Confident." Naruto smirked.

He drew his W.C blade.

"Oh my...Is that the White Chakra Blade!?" She squealed. "Where did you get that?!"

Naruto was taken back by her sudden change. Gone was the Kunoichi, replaced by a fangirl.

"It was a gift from my Sensei." He answered.

"Let's see how good you are." She spoke.

They charged each other, weapons out.

Their blades met when they collided and held a small power struggle before backing away.

TenTen swung for a blow that would have done a lot of damage had Naruto not grabbed her by the arm. It didn't stop her, she gave a high kick to the face that forced him back.

She swung for his head diagonally which he ducked. With her wide open, he slammed the butt of his weapon into her stomach.

He moved in for another attack, but she jumped back. She pulled out another scroll.

"What happened to beating me with the sword?" Naruto asked.

"It seems your too good at close range." She stated. "Only a fool would push on if outmatched, even in a spar."

"You think your outmatched by a few blows?" Naruto asked. How would she know that?

"You're not familiar with weapon combat, are you?" She asked.

"No, I don't have many decent training buddies." He admitted. "Care to fix that?"

"Sure." She smiled. "Would be nice to have a weapon buddy."

While they had been talking, TenTen had been unraveling a scroll.

When done, she jumped high into the air and aimed the seal towards Naruto. It fired several kunai and shurikens in a rapid barrage.

Damn!

Naruto threw a few shuriken of his own and began sealing.

Shadow shuriken Jutsu

The jutsu multiplied his weapons enough to match hers. Each clashing and knocking the other out of the way. When it was over, there was nothing but a field of metal.

Where is he? She asked herself. She had taken her eyes off of him for a fraction of a second, bad move in the Shinobi world.

TenTen felt a finger on the back of her head.

"I win." Naruto states.

"What, do you have-" He fired at the ground by her foot, silencing her. "You win!"

"Ten-Chan." He spoke, gaining a blush. "Would you like to have dinner with me?" He asked. "I'm told I'm a good cook."


Review-Give me everything you feel!

What do you think? If you read 'Mirage Fox Blade' then you know I don't like people falling in love in only a week, there needs to be passion!

P.S. Now, some of you may be wondering why Haku would hate Naruto. In canon, (S)he dies saving Zabuza, only for him to still die. This Naruto stopped Haku from fulfilling her purpose, a tool without a master. Her hate is what's keeping her going. Just not emo hate. (COUGHSasukeCOUGH) Sorry, had something in my computer.

For the sake of plot! (Not a brony reference.)