Tempered in Water

by HitokiriOTD

The difference of a second can mean life or death to a shinobi. How would Uzumaki Naruto's life change if such a difference had occurred? Above the red waves, Naruto's path is forever altered.

5. Welcome Home

Tempered in Water

Chapter 5 / Welcome Home

By HitokiriOTD

"…and that's how it is," Kakashi concluded his report.

"I see," the Sandaime Hokage, Sarutobi, sighed. He pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling the beginnings of a headache coming on. When Kakashi had requested a private debriefing, something usually reserved for B-rank missions or above, the Sandaime had felt a sense of foreboding. When Naruto trailed in after Kakashi, the aging Hokage had been pleasantly surprised. Sarutobi had feared that something had happened to him or his teammates to prompt Kakashi's unusual request.

He was even more surprised, and a little worried, to see Naruto being followed not by his teammates, but by a beautiful girl that he had never seen before. The story that unfolded saddened Sarutobi, but it also made him immensely proud of Team 7's accomplishments. It was an extraordinary feat for a genin team, especially a rookie one, to take on an A-rank mission and not only survive but succeed as well.

Sarutobi studied the girl in front of him, frowning. It was a highly unusual situation, but not an unprecedented one. Nations had gone to war over defecting shinobi, and every nukenin that joined another village was a point of conflict. The protection of a Hidden Village's secrets and techniques was of paramount importance, and it was dangerous to harbor another nation's shinobi, former or not.

Haku was not truly a nukenin, for she had never been a shinobi of the Mist or of any other village in the first place. But she had been the right hand of one of the Mist's most infamous criminals, and she had acted against Konoha shinobi, possibly with lethal intent. That she had seemingly switched sides was suspicious. Moreover, she had aligned herself not with Konoha but with Naruto specifically. To the Sandaime, that was even more suspicious. Any competent ninja that bothered to spend enough time observing the boy would be able to find out how much he craved attention and affection. Naruto would easily accept anyone who provided those things. That made Naruto the weakest link in Team 7 for a potential infiltrator to exploit.

Even if she was genuine in her intentions, there was a host of other problems to deal with. He could not simply grant her citizenship or offer her a place amongst Konoha's military. Konohagakure no Sato was a ninja village, the largest concentration of military might within the Country of Fire, and security was of supreme importance.

And yet… Konoha's Sandaime Hokage had always been a sentimental man at heart, even if war and conflict had forced him to bury it. Just as old age had weakened his limbs and eroded his stamina, it also sapped the ruthlessness that was required of the Hokage. Sarutobi didn't want to cause Naruto any more suffering if he could help it, and the boy had found another precious person. He was at an impasse.

He took a deep, meditative puff on his pipe and eyed the three ninja in front of him. Kakashi stood casually, having long since relaxed from attention, but alertly. Naruto slouched to his teacher's left, his face a mixture of boredom and impatience. The blond had been nervous when he had entered the Hokage's office, a rare sight, but boredom had long since conquered his apprehension. On Naruto's left, and slightly behind, Sarutobi noted, stood the girl. At first glance she appeared demure, graceful, and delicate. But there was a subtle poise, a sharpness about her that screamed shinobi.

"Your name is Haku, correct?" Sarutobi asked abruptly.

The girl tilted her head, sending a sidelong glance at Naruto. "Yes," she replied politely after several moments.

"What do you think of Konoha?"

Haku blinked. "It's very… nice," she murmured. "It's peaceful here," she continued, sounding almost puzzled, "and the people are very different from what I'm used to seeing." Content, she didn't say. Trusting, well fed, prosperous. Kirigakure no Sato was nothing like Konoha and its people seemed to be direct opposites of their Leaf counterparts. Truthfully, she had not imagined a shinobi village could be like Konoha. I'm starting to see why it can produce a ninja like Naruto. She smiled at that thought.

"Yes," the Sandaime agreed. "We operate in a very different manner than the Mist, so it's natural that our villages are so different." He wondered why she was smiling. "Do you like it here?"

Do I like it here? Haku wondered. They had walked straight from the gates to the Hokage's office, and while she liked what she had seen she hadn't experienced enough of Konoha to form a solid impression. Though the Hokage was startlingly nice and approachable, another positive change from the Mist, she wasn't fooled into thinking that he was anything close to weak or soft. The Mizukage was a ruthless ninja whose strength was much like that of the tsunamis that adorned the murals on the walls of his office. He was as cold and indifferent to the plights of his people as the giant, terrifying waves that he was often compared to.

His coldness made him seem cruel, but in truth he simply didn't care whether they lived or died as long as they stayed loyal and supported Kirigakure. If they became disloyal, they were dealt with permanently… and with extreme prejudice, so as to discourage others from following in their footsteps. Zabuza-san had been relentlessly trailed by the Mist's hunter-nin because he had survived despite his failed coup, which angered the Mizukage almost as much as the rebellion itself. Haku remembered countless days spent evading the Mist's hunters, fearing for their lives, fighting desperately to survive against ninja that had the backing of one of the five great powers.

She forced her thoughts away from those memories and turned her mind back to the Hokage's question. Konoha seemed warm, bright, and cheerful for a hidden village. But there was undoubtedly a darker side that she had not glimpsed beneath the sunny surface. All shinobi villages had a dark side; it was simply a matter of scale. There was also something she had seen that bothered her greatly. As they had walked through the village, Haku had observed an oddity. Most of the villagers seemed to look away from them as they passed. Many others just ignored them, as if they could not see Team 7.

Not Team 7, she had realized. Naruto. Then she had seen their eyes. When they did look at Naruto, their eyes were incredibly cold. Those eyes… they're the same. Seeing their eyes had brought forth chilling memories of Kirigakure. It's the same… Naruto-sama… Not everyone had ignored him or looked at him with those eyes, but many had. To Haku, who had experienced much the same thing in the back alleys of Kirigakure, it was painful to see such looks directed towards the boy who had saved her.

Naruto had told her about his burden. She knew that he was the container of the Kyuubi no Kitsune. Perhaps if she had faced the monster during its last rampage twelve years ago, she might have been afraid. But Haku had seen enough of Naruto's inner feelings to know that he was not the demon fox. No demon would have jumped into her ice mirrors to save a rival. A demon wouldn't have hesitated to kill her, wouldn't have shed tears over the death of an enemy. A demon wouldn't have understood her pain.

The prejudice is the same, even here. In the Country of Water, people had hated the bearers of bloodline limits with an unreasoning fervor born of fear, because such ninja had wrought so much slaughter during the most recent civil war. The people of Konoha apparently bore that same inner ugliness towards Naruto, the only living relic of the monster that had caused so much destruction and death. It made her angry to see Naruto being unfairly blamed for something that wasn't his fault, much like she had been held responsible for the sins of her ancestors—people she had never known despite the blood they shared.

Haku took a deep breath and forced herself to relax as she realized that her muscles had unconsciously tensed due to her agitation. She realized that the others in the room were looking at her expectantly.

"No," Haku said quietly. Naruto started and looked at her incredulously. I'm sorry, Naruto-sama, but I don't like the way they treat you.

"No?" Sarutobi questioned mildly. "Why don't you like it here?" Inwardly he was frowning. To a person used to Kirigakure no Sato or a life on the run, Konoha should have seemed very pleasant. Most spies would not answer that question with a 'no,' but if she is not a spy then what reason would she have for disliking the village at first glance?

Haku paused uncertainly. Should I tell the truth and risk offending the Hokage? She looked over at Naruto, only to find him gazing back questioningly. She smiled suddenly, drawing strength from his earnest concern. Naruto-sama has nothing but good things to say about the Sandaime. I will trust him. "When I walked through the village earlier, I noticed the way they looked at Naruto-sama," Haku said quietly. "Those eyes…" she trailed off.

The Hokage sighed wearily and adjusted the brim of his hat. I see. It was a bitter reminder of Konoha's, and the Sandaime's, shame—not Uzumaki Naruto, as many would like to believe, but rather their treatment of him. A total outsider had noticed it within minutes of setting foot in the village. Yondaime, he thought mournfully, glancing at his successor's picture, I've failed both you and your legacy. He was too old, too soft, and he had let too many things slide.

Naruto had not had the proper childhood that Sarutobi had wanted for the boy and much of that was his fault. He had let the villagers and the council get away with too much concerning their treatment of Naruto and it was years too late to fix it. But it looks like this girl is genuine, he thought, turning his mind away from his failure. It was more of a feeling than any real proof, but that was enough for Sarutobi to decide to at least let her stay in Konoha. After all, intuition was an important tool in any ninja's arsenal. "What were you planning on doing after you accompanied Naruto here?"

"I had hoped to remain with him," Haku replied neutrally, but her eyes flashed with emotion.

The Sandaime chuckled. "I understand," he smiled. It was the first time he had seen the girl exhibit any spirit. That stubborn spark in her eyes told him that she was going to remain by Naruto's side, no matter what he told her to do. He still did not have all the pieces to understand why she was so determined to follow Naruto, nor why she seemed to respect him so much, but even so he could see that the two shared a deep bond.

They understand each other, he mused. When she mentioned the contempt in the villagers' eyes, it seemed like she was familiar with it. It made sense. How else could two totally different people seem to bond so rapidly and so deeply? They shared a very unique and very painful experience, and it was likely the first time either Haku or Naruto had encountered someone that they could relate to so strongly. It was that last realization that prompted him to make the decision.

Sarutobi rose to his feet and smiled a grandfatherly smile at Haku. "Welcome to Konoha," he said warmly.

Haku looked stunned, but Naruto whooped happily and slapped her on the back. She staggered forward at the blow, but when she turned to look at the blond it was with a smile. "Thank you," she told the Sandaime sincerely. With the pleasantries out of the way, the Sandaime quickly began to consider the details of the situation.

"Unfortunately, given your past I cannot grant you full citizenship immediately. You will be watched by the ANBU, and your actions will be monitored and recorded. I cannot allow you unrestricted access to the village, so you will need to be accompanied by an escort for the time being," the Sandaime paused and regarded the girl. "Do you understand so far?"

"Yes."

"I don't!" Naruto said angrily. "Why does she have to be watched like a criminal all of the time?"

"Naruto," Kakashi, who had been silent since the completion of his report, sighed and spoke up, "just think about it. Less than two months ago she was the right hand of Zabuza, who was an A-ranked criminal from the Mist. Even worse, she fought against us and tried to kill our client."

"But…"

"You're a ninja aren't you?" Kakashi interrupted sharply. "You should understand how important security is for us. If an enemy nation got a hold of some of the secrets kept in this village, it could lead to the deaths of hundreds of Konoha-nin, if not outright war." The jounin paused and tilted his head slightly. "You of all people should know," he continued, "given how Mizuki duped you into stealing the Scroll of Forbidden Seals."

Naruto flinched. "That was…"

"That was what? What do you think would have happened if he had succeeded in stealing the scroll? He wanted power, but he would not have gotten far alone. He would have taken it and sold it to our enemies, in return for money and perhaps jounin rank. If an enemy nation got their hands on that scroll, they would be able to use some of Konoha's most dangerous and powerful techniques against us."

"I understand," Naruto said finally, his eyes lowered. After a moment, his head came back up. "But Haku's not like that," he said firmly. "She wouldn't do that!"

"Naruto-sama…" The girl in question was touched by his stubborn defense of her. She understood why the Sandaime had to put her under surveillance and accepted it. As long as she could remain near Naruto, she could accept Konoha's suspicion.

"Even if she wouldn't, we can't just risk it," Kakashi told his student, exasperation entering his voice. "Our security would be worthless if we allowed everyone whom we believed to be trustworthy to move unwatched and unchecked."

"Still…" Naruto's protests trailed off as he felt a slim hand on his shoulder. He turned to look at Haku.

"Thank you, Naruto-sama," she smiled gratefully, "but it's alright. I knew that something like this would happen, and I accepted that when I decided to come here with you." She squeezed his shoulder lightly before retracting her hand. "It's alright," she repeated. Naruto still looked ready to protest, but after a moment he seemed to consider her words. Finally, he nodded and allowed himself to relax.

Sarutobi coughed, bringing their attention back to him, "Now that the matter is settled, there are a few more things we need to discus." He turned his gaze to the silver-haired jounin, "Kakashi."

"Yes, Hokage-sama?" Kakashi asked, stepping forward.

"From your report, Team 7's mission evolved from a C-rank escort mission to an A-rank bodyguard mission, is that correct?"

"Yes," the jounin nodded. "Since Momochi Zabuza was an A-rank nukenin in the bingo book, it was definitely more difficult than a B-rank mission that the Onikyodai's attack implied."

Sarutobi sighed. Hidden villages often had clients who lied about the difficulty or the circumstances behind their requests, but rarely was the danger level so dramatically different. Despite detailed evaluations, occasionally there were requests that slipped through the net, but each one seemed like an affront to the Hokage. An A-rank mission slipping through in the guise of a C-rank was like a slap to the face, but it was done and there was little that he could do about it. "Unfortunately, we were only paid for a C-rank mission, so I cannot pay you as if it were an A-rank. I can offer a bonus, but only enough for it to be equivalent to a B-rank mission's pay."

"I understand," was all Kakashi said in response.

Naruto, on the other hand, looked ready to leap into the air and cheer. To Naruto, the pay from a B-rank mission would be more money than he had ever at once. Back when he still had his stipend, the pay would probably have equaled several months' worth of payments. The Hokage smiled at the boy's happy expression, but guilt soon reared its ugly head in his thoughts.

Naruto's stipend had been quite generous for a young orphaned boy, but then most orphans were taken in by other relatives or adopted in short order. Konoha was a shinobi village and it had many orphans. Nearly every family lost members to enemy action at some point, which was why adoption was so common place in the village. Many had lost family members themselves, and most were more than willing to help the children who had lost their parents. That was how it was but for a few exceptions.

Naruto was one such exception. He had no relatives and no one would adopt him. No family that was capable of raising a well-adjusted child would take Naruto into their home, and the older he got the more unlikely the possibility became. Thus, Naruto had become one of the few orphans in Konoha that had to pay for things that most children his age took for granted.

Naruto was now an active duty ninja and had to pay for all of his equipment and training tools. Nor could the Hokage pay for his rent or utilities any longer, since all active duty ninja were considered to be adults in the eyes of the law, no matter their age. Shinobi were not covered by any of the civilian welfare programs. There were some exceptions, but Naruto was not one of them. Becoming a genin had actually set Naruto back financially, despite the pay he had received from taking D-rank missions. The pay from the mission to the Wave would give Naruto's funds a substantial boost and take him out of the red, even after he paid back his outstanding debts.

"Now, on to the matter of lodging," the Sandaime said, once it seemed like Naruto had regained control of himself enough to listen.

"Lodging?" Naruto echoed.

"You will be allowed one week to secure accommodations for yourself," the Hokage told Haku. "Until then, you can stay in a hotel free of charge. After one week, if you have not yet found a place to stay, you will have to start paying for the hotel room." Haku shook her head. The Sandaime raised an eyebrow, "This is not acceptable?"

"No, it is acceptable," Haku replied. "But I already have a place to stay."

"You do?" Naruto asked curiously.

Haku looked at him, surprised. "I don't?"

"You just said…" Naruto trailed off in confusion. "Huh?" he asked finally, scratching his head.

Haku lowered her head, studying her feet intently. "Forgive me," she said finally. "I had assumed that… that I would stay with you." Seconds ticked by in silence. After a while, Haku looked up only to see Naruto frozen in shock, his mouth hanging open. "Naruto-sama?"

His mouth worked, but no sound emerged for several moments. "Are you sure?" Naruto asked finally, quietly.

To Haku, Naruto had an almost… vulnerable look that she had not seen on him before. But why? "Yes," she nodded, smiling uncertainly.

Kakashi, who had been silently watching the exchange, cleared his throat. "It isn't really appropriate…" he said slowly. The jounin struggled to keep his face impassive. Truthfully, he found the entire situation incredibly amusing. The way this is going, maybe I can write my own addition to the Icha Icha series soon, he thought gleefully, his perverted mind reeling with the possibilities. But there was a small sliver of worry in him as well. Haku would have many more chances to harm Naruto if they lived together.

Naruto ignored Kakashi. He stared at Haku searchingly for several more moments. To have someone to come home to, to welcome him, to share his meals with, to share his life with… it was an old, old dream of his, one that had filled his heart with bitter longing. The abrupt possibility that he could have that had suddenly emerged in front of him and he wanted to grasp it desperately, but… Why would she want to live with me?

She had repeatedly stated her intentions to follow him, but he hadn't imagined that she had meant it so literally. There were other places she could stay, places that were close to his apartment, especially since rooms in his building were quite cheap due to his presence there. It was starting to dawn on him just how much Haku clung to him. Already more than two months had passed since Zabuza's death, but Haku still feared to let Naruto out of her sight. He wondered what would happen when he started performing missions again.

Yet, while all of her actions and words indicated that she wouldn't leave him, Naruto still feared, still doubted. It was too good to be true. One day, Haku would realize that he had nothing to offer her, and she would leave. No use worrying about it right now, he decided. "It's all right. If you're sure you want to stay with me…"

Haku's smile brightened, "Yes!"

"Naruto…" Kakashi sounded exasperated.

"I guess that it's been decided," Sarutobi chuckled. Normally, he would have felt the same as Kakashi about the matter. But Naruto had been so alone and the Sandaime felt that having company would be good for the boy. Of course, he hadn't discarded the possibility that the girl was still an enemy. He was taking a gamble that this would improve Naruto's well-being. In any case, the ANBU would be watching.

Naruto himself was hardly helpless, especially since it seemed like the Kyuubi would take an active interest if Naruto's life was hanging by a thread. "That is all for now," the Sandaime said once his chuckles had died down. "Naruto, I trust that you will have no problems showing Haku around?" He phrased it as a question, but from the Sandaime Hokage even rhetorical questions were often taken as orders. Of course, this went completely over Naruto's head.

"Of course!" Naruto gave the Sandaime a vaguely insulted look.

"Then we'll take our leave, Hokage-sama," Kakashi said respectfully. Sarutobi grunted in acknowledgement and watched thoughtfully as the trio left his office. When the door clicked shut, the Sandaime Hokage stood from his chair and moved to gaze out the window behind him. He stared at the stone faces of the Hokage meditatively. Was that alright, Yondaime?

---

Naruto was grinning broadly as he dragged Haku after him. He was enthusiastically showing Haku around the village, starting with his favorite landmarks. Ichiraku was their very first, and longest, stop. "Hey, occhan, two bowls of miso ramen!"

"You're back!" Ayame exclaimed happily. The stand's income had been lower than usual for the two and a half months that Naruto had been away. Besides, the stand just wasn't the same without Naruto's presence. His cheerfulness, his boundless enthusiasm for ramen, his atrocious table manners, and his childish antics never failed to bring a smile to her face.

"Only two?" Teuchi wondered.

"We don't have a lot of time," Naruto explained regretfully. "I have to finish showing her around." Ayame and Teuchi both took notice of the girl standing behind Naruto.

"Who's this?" Ayame asked curiously.

"My name is Haku," the girl in question said politely and inclined her head in greeting. She warily eyed the father and daughter. Rationally, Haku knew that they had no reason to harm her, but her old instincts had been clamoring ever since they had entered Konoha. She hadn't disguised herself again since the day Zabuza died, but now, in a crowded, foreign shinobi village she was dearly feeling the lack.

"She's going to be living in the village from now on, so I'm showing her around," Naruto put in.

"Well then," Teuchi finished filling two bowls of miso ramen, "your first bowl is on the house." Ayame deftly took the bowls and set them in front of the two ninja.

"Ah, really!?" Free ramen was one of Naruto's favorite things in the world. "Thanks, occhan!" Naruto pulled apart a set of disposable chopsticks with an audible crack, "Itadakimasu!" Haku watched Naruto tear into his bowl with amusement and not a little amazement. She had never seen anyone eat so… enthusiastically before. Naruto abruptly stopped eating, noodles still hanging out of his mouth, and turned to look at her. He swallowed the hanging noodles with a wet slurp. "What?"

Haku blinked. "It's nothing," she said.

"Then eat before it gets cold!" Naruto urged. Haku nodded, smiling, and reached for a pair of chopsticks.

"It's good," she murmured quietly after taking her first bite. Naruto nodded happily, his mouth full to the bursting again. The boy finished his bowl quickly and couldn't resist ordering another. By the time Haku finished her miso ramen, Naruto had eaten two more bowls. Haku set down her utensils, wincing slightly as Naruto burped contentedly beside her. His manners are rough. It was another thing she resolved to help him with. A Kage needed to be dignified and diplomatic, and Naruto would need a lot of help to gain those qualities.

Naruto pulled out his nearly bursting frog wallet, or "Gama-chan" as he affectionately called it, and quickly pulled out several bills. "Thanks for the meal!" He hopped out of the bar stool and grinned at Haku, "Let's go!" Haku smiled back, feeling his infectious enthusiasm taking hold within her once again.

"Yes, Naruto-sama." Haku's tour of Konohagakure no Sato accelerated rapidly from there. Even so, it was sunset before they began to slow down. They returned back towards the inner city from the outskirts at a much more casual pace, and deep shadows had grown long across the streets by the time they made it Ichiraku for the final stop of Haku's informal tour of the city.

Naruto gulped down several more bowls of ramen for dinner and Haku had a surprisingly pleasant discussion with Ayame about Konoha's various districts. Her chat with the older girl was a novel experience for Haku. She had never really conversed with other women about normal topics with no hidden agendas. There was no mission to complete, no mission-critical information to be gleaned. For once she was just talking with a girl near her own age for no other reason than to make conversation. It wasn't something she had really done since before the death of her parents and it felt nice.

"Come back any time!" Ayame called, waving after Haku and Naruto as they left the stand.

Haku blinked rapidly, her eyes wet. She couldn't bring herself to call back and instead only nodded. It was an earnest offer, and she had had few enough of those in her lifetime. I'll come back, Haku promised silently. Naruto led her through a winding series of backstreets and alleys until they finally came to a stop in front of a large, red-roofed apartment building.

Naruto paused in front of the main entrance uncertainly. Nervous jitters boiled in his gut. He wondered what she would think of his apartment. It was quite a large apartment for a single person, but for two it would be somewhat cramped. His home was also dirty, chaotic, and sparsely furnished. Naruto knew that his housekeeping skills were sub par at best, but he had never had to worry about it before. Suddenly he felt embarrassed about his own home, a feeling he had never felt before. However, Naruto was quite used to embarrassment and quickly quashed the feeling. He marched up the stairs with Haku trailing after him.

Naruto was unlocking his door with a flourish when his insecurity got the better of him again. He froze with the door only partially open, and through the crack he could see an empty ramen cup lying on the floor. "Naruto-sama?" Haku asked, puzzled by his strange behavior. Naruto turned to look at her.

"Just wait here for a sec'," Naruto ordered quickly before darting in his apartment and yanking the door shut behind him. Haku stared at the scratched wooden door uncertainly. What's wrong? Haku wondered. Several loud noises sounded in quick succession behind the door, and then Haku could hear Naruto curse and heard the sound of Kage Bunshin being created. Worried, Haku set her hand on the door knob. She paused. He told me to wait, she remembered. It does not sound like a battle, Haku reasoned, and he wanted me to wait outside. Her hand fell from the knob. The sounds—the result of Naruto conducting his cleaning operations, which he would later come to name as the War on Dust—continued unabated for several more minutes.

The commotion stopped as abruptly as it had started and a panting Naruto threw open the door to his apartment. Haku flinched back slightly, startled, before meeting Naruto's triumphant gaze. "Come in!" Naruto made a welcoming gesture.

"Yes," Haku assented, stepping forward. She hesitated at the threshold. It had not really occurred to her that she would be sharing a home with Naruto. She had known from the very beginning that she would follow him wherever he went, but it suddenly occurred to her that she hadn't really understood all that implied.

Home.

It had been so long since there had been a place that Haku could truly call home. Home had been wherever Zabuza-san had been, but even so there was an undeniable allure to having a place to come back to. Her first home had been with her parents, in the farmlands of the Country of Water. There had been a stream nearby, and the hills had teemed with wildlife. Some of Haku's happiest memories were of roaming the hills, chasing rabbits and climbing trees. But at the end of the day she had always returned back home, to the small house—more of a shack than anything else—that she had shared with her mother and her father. The home they hadshared, until that fateful day. It was surely long gone now, destroyed by the icy explosion that had marked the full awakening of her bloodline.

She nearly jumped when a hand came down upon her shoulder. Haku looked up, shaken from her reverie. Naruto smiled at her reassuringly, "It's all right." Haku nodded, blinking back tears for the second time that day. She took a deep breath and stepped across the threshold. There was no sense of meaning or feeling that hit her as she stepped fully into her new home, yet…

"I'm home," she whispered to the dull white walls. A potted plant rustled, limp and half-dead, stirred by some unseen wind. Beneath her feet she could hear the soft squeaks of the floorboards and beneath that the deeper voice of the building groaning. The apartment smelled like cleaning chemicals, dust, and Naruto. The door clicked shut behind her and a moment later she could hear the sound of locks sliding into place. Naruto padded around her to stand in the kitchenette before turning around and grinning at her. Haku found herself grinning back, even as the wetness in her eyes overflowed and spilled down her cheeks.

"Welcome home."

---

Naruto woke to the sounds of sizzling. Sleepy befuddlement clouded his mind for a moment before alarm set in. Slowly, cautiously, he reached for the kunai hidden beneath his pillow. The moment he felt the hard, weathered grip Naruto leapt out of bed, prepared to fight for his life. "Eh?" He was not prepared to see Haku making breakfast in his kitchen.

"You're awake," Haku noticed. "Good morning, Naruto-sama!" Naruto couldn't help but grin in response. He had never known that a simple 'Good morning' could sound so sweet. That's right, the events of yesterday flooded back into his mind, I don't live alone anymore.

"What're you making?" Naruto asked curiously.

"Eggs," she replied. Haku frowned at him. "I noticed that there is hardly anything to eat here, so I had to go out and get some." She still wasn't used to being amidst so many people without her disguise, and she had half expected to be accosted. Luckily, there was a grocer right across the street, but even so her outing had been an uncomfortable one. Naruto's reassuring presence at her side yesterday had made more of a difference than she had thought.

"Sorry," Naruto said sheepishly. He had been gone for two months, yet it hadn't occurred to him that his food situation would need addressing. Cup ramen lasted for a long time. Naruto retreated to the bathroom, shaking his head at the strange morning he was having. He paused. It was a strange situation due in part to how normal it was.

Is this what it's like to have a family to greet you in the morning? Naruto wondered wistfully. All his life, he had yearned for that kind of normality. Finally, it seemed as if it was close enough to grasp. Maybe, just maybe, he had found someone precious that he could call family. Naruto smiled at the thought as he began to wash up in preparation for the day ahead.

Naruto nearly wept tears of joy as he tore into his first homemade breakfast made by someone other than himself. He gobbled up the plain breakfast as if it were the most delicious thing ever. Finally he laid his utensils down, burped in satisfaction, and hopped to his feet. "Let's go!"

"Eh? But… the dishes…" Haku protested.

"Who cares!? Your tour isn't finished yet!" With that said, he grabbed the girl and dragged her from the apartment.

"Wait!" she yelped, flustered.

Naruto skidded to a halt just outside his front door, "What?"

Haku blushed. "I'm not dressed," she whispered.

Naruto blinked and looked at her white yukata. "What's wrong with that?" he wondered. Haku gave him a look that was eerily similar to the one Sakura gave him when he said something even stupider than usual. "Okay…" Naruto said cautiously, "maybe you should change your clothes." Haku nodded, smiling, and Naruto relaxed. Five minutes later, Haku was dressed in the pink kimono that Tsunami had given her and the two set out to see the sights once more.

Naruto's frantic enthusiasm had cooled a bit since the day before, which meant that Haku's second tour was relatively leisurely in comparison. Naruto led her around the city, pointing out various things that he thought might catch her interest. He also tended to have an amusing tale regarding nearly every place in the city, and his wildly exaggerated stories kept Haku smiling for the entire duration of her tour. At lunch, they once again backtracked to Ichiraku. They had just finished ordering when the flap to the stall was pulled aside.

"Welcome!" Ayame and Teuchi said automatically.

"Hi, occhan!" said the newcomer. It was said in a tone so eerily like Naruto's that Haku couldn't help but turn in her seat to regard the speaker. "Ah!" the young boy pointed in surprise, "Naruto-niichan!"

"Konohamaru!" Naruto greeted happily.

"When did you get back?" Konohamaru demanded. "How was your mission? Did you fight? Did you beat up any ninja? Did you…"

"Maa, maa, slow down, Konohamaru," Naruto interjected, smiling. Haku studied him. Suddenly, Naruto seemed more… mature, somehow. Is it because he is dealing with younger children?

"The mission was a success!" Naruto grinned, flashing a 'thumbs up' at Konohamaru. "But, more importantly, who are those two?" There were two children, a boy and a girl of about Konohamaru's age, shyly lurking behind the curtains.

"Huh?" Konohamaru blinked. "Oh!" the Hokage's grandson reached through the curtain and grabbed the two by the arms. "This is Moegi," he said, pulling the auburn-haired girl into the stall. "This is Udon," Konohamaru continued, repeating the same process with the boy who wore glasses.

"Hello," Moegi said shyly.

"Hi," Udon sniffed wetly as he greeted the genin.

Naruto smiled widely. "So Konohamaru finally found some friends, huh?" Naruto asked cheerfully, ignoring the boy's indignant glare, "That's great!"

"Ano…" Moegi smoothed out an imaginary wrinkle in her skirt.

"Anyways, take care of him, okay?" Naruto winked at the girl.

She blushed. "Right!" Moegi agreed.

"Un," seconded Udon.

"Hey!" Konohamaru protested. "I don't need-!"

"Who's the pretty oneechan?" Moegi blurted.

Haku blinked, taken aback. "Ah, I almost forgot!" Naruto exclaimed, looking apologetically at Haku. "This is Haku," Naruto introduced her. "I met her during my last mission, and now she's my friend!"

Haku smiled at the children, "It's nice to meet you."

Naruto leaned forward. "She doesn't look like it," he whispered confidentially, "but she's a really strong ninja." The kunoichi blushed at Naruto's praise, and the Academy students stared at her wide-eyed.

"Really?" Konohamaru asked skeptically. "She doesn't look very strong." Moegi glared at him.

"Really," Naruto asserted.

"Then let's play ninja!" Naruto and Haku were both confused by Konohamaru's abrupt shift in attitude.

"Huh?"

"You've been gone for so long," Konohamaru complained. "You can play ninja with us, right Naruto-niichan?"

"Uh…" he looked helplessly at Haku, who smothered a giggle and nodded. "Fine," Naruto sighed, glancing longingly at the uneaten bowl of ramen sitting on the counter. Why does a ninja have to play ninja?

"Great!" Konohamaru cheered. He was echoed by Moegi and a far less enthusiastic sounding Udon.

Naruto and Haku ended up playing with Konohamaru and his two new friends for the better part of an hour, during which they fought many fierce battles and eventually triumphed gloriously over the evil Tsuchikage. In the process, Haku became Moegi's lifelong idol as she displayed some of her skills and Naruto narrated a grossly exaggerated—and mostly false, since Haku was within earshot—story about the mission to the Wave. Three impressionable young minds were shocked and awed by Naruto's grand tale of courage, and he gained the title of 'Leader' for the first time in his young life.

"That reminds me," Naruto said as they were walking away from the scene of battle, leaving three exhausted ninja-wannabes behind.

"Reminds you of what?" Haku asked.

"I should visit Iruka-sensei." Haku perked up. She had heard a great deal about Iruka and she was eager to meet the man that Naruto so admired.

"Shall we go now?"

"I guess," Naruto shrugged. "Classes are out for the day, so he should be free." Naruto paused thoughtfully. "Don't you want to continue your tour?" Naruto asked.

"We have plenty of time," Haku murmured. "I have plenty of time to learn about the village, but you should see your precious people while you can."

"Ah…" Naruto didn't know how to reply to that, "yeah…"

Haku looked at Konoha's Ninja Academy with interest. It looked surprisingly peaceful and utilitarian, more like a civilian school than a shinobi one in appearance. "It looks nice," Haku said wistfully as they walked onto the grounds. A part of her wished that she could have learned in a place like the Academy.

Naruto's head lowered. "Yeah," he agreed quietly. It was a nice place, for most. Naruto didn't have too many good memories of the Academy. He had some, but the bad outweighed the good by far. For every happy memory of Iruka or Sakura, or even just messing around with Chouji, Shikamaru, and Kiba, there were a dozen more full of mocking laughter, cold eyes, rejection, and bitter failure. Still, this was the place that he had learned to become a ninja, the very first stepping stone on the long road to Hokage. "It is a nice place."

"Naruto-sama?" Haku's worried voice snapped him out of his melancholy.

Naruto grinned, though there was a touch of nostalgia in it. "I used that swing a lot," Naruto pointed to the old, battered wooden swing that hung under the tree dominating the courtyard. "Whenever I failed the exam, I would sit on that swing and watch as all of the other kids were led away by their parents."

"Naruto-sama…" The loneliness that he exhibited was palpable, and so very familiar. She did the only thing that came to mind. Haku wordlessly stepped behind her savior and wrapped her arms around him. Naruto stiffened in surprise.

"Wha-?"

"It's okay," Haku whispered into his hair, "you're not alone anymore."

Naruto was silent for a long moment. The tension left his shoulders, and he gently broke her grip and turned to face her. "I know," he replied, and smiled a small, genuine smile. "Let's go in!" he said after a moment, all traces of negative emotion gone. Haku followed Naruto as he marched inside. She was treated to a rushed tour of the building as they headed towards the faculty offices. "…and this is where I painted the windows orange," Naruto gestured, "and that's where I had class in my third year. Oh, and this is where the toilets are," he paused thoughtfully. "I blew those up twice, I think… Ah! We're here." Naruto came to a stop and knocked on a wooden door. There was a rustling noise inside, and then the door was jerked open.

A tall, dark-haired chuunin glared down at them. "It's you," the man said in a faintly accusing tone. "What do you want?" he asked suspiciously. Haku narrowed her eyes, irritated by the man's clear contempt for Naruto.

Naruto grinned mischievously. "Hey, Tanaka-sensei," he greeted cheerfully, causing the chuunin's left eyebrow to twitch, "is Iruka-sensei here?"

Tanaka stared warily at the grinning boy for several seconds before turning sharply on his heel. "Hey, Iruka, the brat is looking for you," he called grumpily.

"Which brat?" a muffled voice asked. "There's—ah! Naruto!" Another chuunin had walked into view. Haku studied the brown-haired man with a scar across his nose. He looked average on the whole, but his eyes were warm.

"Yo, Iruka-sensei!" Naruto greeted, folding his hands behind his head and grinning widely.

"I heard you just got back," Iruka said, grinning back at the boy as he walked out of the faculty room.

"Just yesterday!"

"Hmm… you're looking well," he commented, but Haku could sense the older man's relief. The chuunin looked at her, as if only just noticing her presence. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend, Naruto?"

"This is Haku," Naruto introduced her. "Haku, this is Iruka-sensei."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Haku said politely, bowing her head.

"Ah, thanks," Iruka replied, rubbing his index finger across his nose in an embarrassed gesture. "It's nice to meet you too."

"I was showing her around today, and we stopped by to say hi," Naruto explained. He shifted back and forth on the balls of his feet. "Ano sa, ano sa, can you take us to Ichiraku's tonight? Your treat!"

Iruka laughed, "I see your first real mission hasn't changed you much." He patted Naruto's head fondly. The boy quickly backed away, embarrassed. Haku couldn't help but be happy for Naruto, despite the pang their interaction brought to her own heart. Seeing Naruto talk happily with Iruka brought a smile to her lips, especially after all of the cold looks she had witnessed directed toward the boy over the past two days. But it also brought up bittersweet memories of her own, of Zabuza patting her own head in a similar fashion. "I guess I could take the time off," Iruka continued.

"Eh!? Really?" Naruto was bouncing with eagerness.

Iruka's smile softened. "Sure," he said. "I'll even help show Haku-san around."

"Great! Let's get going then!" Naruto quickly began herding them towards the nearest exit.

Iruka sighed, apparently resigned to Naruto's behavior. Haku laughed quietly. "Is he always like this?" she asked the older man. To her, Naruto's energetic, childish behavior was new. She knew Naruto as a young ninja who sought to be the greatest in his village. She had seen Naruto with blood on his hands and a haunted gleam in his eyes. Haku knew what he looked like when he killed and she had seen the monster within him.

Seeing the child in him was refreshing, but it was also somewhat jarring. It was like seeing a bloodied wolf become a playful pup. She had only seen glimpses while they had been in the Wave, but ever since they had entered Konoha Naruto's carefree side seemed to have come forward almost permanently. It made her glad to see that he could still remain so innocent, but at the same time she missed the strong, wise-beyond-his-years side that she had grown to know.

The chuunin blinked in surprise, still unsure of what to make of her presence. He was happy that Naruto seemed to have made a friend, but… "Naruto? He's pretty much always like this," Iruka admitted.

"Like what?" Naruto asked, annoyed by the fact that they were talking as if he wasn't there.

"Like that," Iruka said, grinning again.

Naruto grunted in irritation, but he didn't say anything more until they reached the exit. "Ah, that's right!"

The other two stopped. "What is it?" Iruka asked.

Naruto pointed. "I used to have lunch there, right under that tree, in my first year," he confided to Haku. "Ah! And that's where I first learned to throw shuriken," he gestured wildly towards a set of target posts.

"Naruto! This is supposed to be tour of Konoha, so stop messing around!"

"What? That's what I'm doing! I don't see you doing anything!"

"You little brat-!" Haku giggled as the two glared at each other fiercely. At some unheard signal they both broke their glares at the same time, as if by mutual consent. "Hmph," Iruka grunted. Naruto folded his arms, his face screwed up into a stubborn expression. Haku noticed that the corners of their mouths were quirked up slightly. "This Academy was built nearly three decades ago, by the order of the Sandaime Hokage," Iruka adopted a lecturing tone. "It was done in order to replace the old Academy, which was…"

"Look!" Naruto flung his hand out, pointing upward. "That's the room where I kicked Sasuke's ass on the day that the teams were assigned!"

"Naruto!"

The rest of their tour followed a similar pattern as they made their way around the city. Finally, at the end of the day they stopped at Ichiraku Ramen. "Welcome!" came the greeting from the father and daughter pair that ran the stand.

"Ah! Haku-san, Iruka-san, Naruto-kun, good evening!" Ayame exclaimed.

"Why am I last?" Naruto grumbled quietly.

"That's a nostalgic sight," Teuchi commented. "It's been awhile since the two of you have been here together."

"More than two months," Iruka agreed.

"Yeah, and I'm starving!" Naruto slid into his seat between Haku and Iruka. "First, I want a bowl of pork, occhan!" Iruka surreptitiously checked his wallet and winced. He knew from past experience that by the end of their meal it would be empty.

"Miso for me," Iruka said.

"What do you want?" Naruto turned his head towards Haku.

She tilted her head thoughtfully. "I'll have what you're having," she said finally.

"Another pork," Naruto called. Iruka watched their interaction curiously from the corner of his eye. The girl named Haku was clearly a shinobi, and just as clearly not from Konoha, but beyond that Iruka didn't know much about her. He hadn't had the opportunity to find out much more about her or her relationship with Naruto except for vague details, at least so far. That was unusual in and of itself—Naruto was hardly the type to be secretive or closemouthed about anything.

Iruka was worried. What is her relationship with Naruto? How did they meet? What does she want? Frankly, he was becoming a bit paranoid about the whole matter.

"So how was your mission?" Iruka asked casually, seeking to hide his worries behind conversation. Naruto went still for a brief second, causing Iruka's worries to soar through the roof. "Did something happen?" he asked quietly.

A shiver rippled through Naruto as he stared down at the countertop. It took more effort than usual for him to stretch a smile across his face as he turned to face his very first precious person. "It went—" he began, only to look down in consternation when a soft, slender hand gently touched his own. Naruto turned to look at Haku quizzically. He met her earnest brown eyes. Slowly, she shook her head, her eyes never leaving his. Iruka watched in amazement as Naruto seemed to sag slightly in his seat at whatever it was the girl was communicating to him.

Seeing the two communicate without words did nothing to relieve his growing confusion and worries. It amazed him that they seemed to have an understanding that went beyond words; it implied a closeness that Iruka had only seen a few times in his life. Shinobi who had worked, fought, and risked their lives together for years developed a similar understanding of their teammates. His parents had been like that too. One look from his mother had more meaning to his father than a thousand words, and the reverse had also held true. It implied a closeness that Iruka could hardly believe was possible for Naruto, and he had formed the bond in such a short period of time, with a foreign shinobi of all people.

"Naruto?" Iruka prompted. He shot a quick glance at Ayame and Teuchi, who were ostensibly busy preparing the food. He was sure—reasonably sure, at least—that they could be trusted. Still, he wasn't sure that the ramen stand was the best place for the conversation this was quickly shaping out to become.

"Iruka-sensei," Naruto began quietly, apparently having collected himself. The teacher snapped his attention back to the pupil that had reminded him so much of himself. Naruto turned to look at him with a haunted expression. "What was it like?" Naruto asked.

"What was what like?"

"Your first kill." Iruka sucked in a startled breath, and he could distantly hear the sound of Ayame gasping in shock. That means… Naruto…

"Naruto… you…" Iruka shook his head, collecting his thoughts. He gave Haku a hard, suspicious look, but there was only gentle sadness in her eyes. If there was anything more, Iruka wasn't skilled enough to divine it. "My second Chuunin Exam," Iruka said in a low voice. "It was a ninja from the Hidden Grass," he continued distantly. He could still hear the strangled, panicked pleading of the other genin as he realized that his life was forfeit. He could still remember the smell and texture of blood as it splashed across his face. "I caught him in a trap and killed him with steel wire," Iruka sighed. It was the exam that had led to his promotion from genin to chuunin. "And you?" Iruka asked gently.

Naruto looked down at his hands, unable to meet his teacher's eyes. He shot a quick, furtive glance towards Haku. Iruka frowned, his suspicions deepening.

"Mercenaries," Naruto said finally, "a lot of them. With a kunai and my bare hands." His fists clenched convulsively. "A nukenin," he whispered. Meizu, the name whispered through his mind. Naruto clenched his jaw. Haku's hand once again came up to find his, and she gently pried open his tightly clenched left hand, tracing the angry red marks his nails had dug in his palm. Cool, pale fingers intertwined themselves with his, and she held his hand in a reassuring grip. He relaxed. "And one civilian," he murmured. Strangely, it was the last death that bothered him the least. He hated Gatou with a fury that scared him, and while on some level he regretted that he had killed the man, most of Naruto felt entirely justified in slaughtering the cruel billionaire.

Unsaid, but unforgotten, was that he had nearly caused the death of two more by his actions. The sight of Sasuke falling limply to the ground, his breathing seemingly stopped forever, flashed through Naruto's nightmares. He could still see—and feel— Haku's warm red blood as it gushed out onto his hands, and he remembered how the light had faded from her eyes as she had slowly collapsed.

Iruka stared at Naruto in abject shock. It was a C-rank mission! How could… The chuunin frowned darkly as he contemplated the events that might have forced Naruto into such a situation. Naruto had left Konoha as an innocent with high aspirations, but he had come back soaked in blood. A disturbing thought occurred to Iruka. I didn't notice, he realized, horrified. Somehow, he had spent nearly half a day in Naruto's company without noticing the tell-tale signs. Was Naruto's mask that strong, or had he just been too negligent?

Iruka took a deep breath. Naruto came first; he could worry later. "Naruto…" Iruka began, only to stop, at a loss for words.

"Iruka-sensei, am I a monster?" Naruto gripped Haku's hand tightly, waiting to hear the answer. Despite Kakashi's and Haku's reassurances, Iruka's opinion was something he both desperately needed and dreaded to hear.

"Naruto," Iruka sighed. He gently placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder, causing the boy to flinch before meeting Iruka's gaze. "Of course not," Iruka smiled. Relief immediately flooded through Naruto. "I know you're not a monster, and you never will be," Iruka said forcefully, causing Naruto to smile weakly. Iruka's faith in him was humbling. The older man had no doubts about Naruto's true character, and the boy was more grateful than words could convey for that fact.

A bowl of steaming ramen was set before Naruto. It was piled high with extra toppings, and it smelled incredibly good to the hungry and emotionally exhausted boy. He looked up questioningly. "This is…?"

Ayame smiled gently, "You just came back from your first big mission, right? Eat up!" Teuchi grunted in agreement.

A smile slowly spread across Naruto's face. "Right," he agreed, picking up a pair of chopsticks. "Itadakimasu!"

Dinner flew by quickly, and the mood grew lighter with every bowl of ramen Naruto gobbled up, which was quite a few. Iruka could practically feel his wallet growing thinner with each bowl, but he couldn't bring himself begrudge Naruto his ramen, especially after Naruto's confession. When they were done, Naruto burped happily.

"Thanks, Iruka-sensei," he said sincerely, and Iruka could tell that Naruto was thanking him for more than ramen.

"You're welcome," Iruka replied. "Come on, I'll walk you home."

"Eh? I don't need…"

"I still haven't heard the whole story about your mission," Iruka cut him off.

"Oh," Naruto blinked, "okay." The walk back to Naruto's apartment was filled with small talk as Iruka and Naruto traded stories about trivial events that had occurred in the two months Naruto had been gone. Naruto was still laughing from Iruka's complaints that he preferred Konohamaru's old temper tantrums to the amateurish pranks that he had begun pulling recently when they finally reached Naruto's apartment. Iruka turned to Haku as they stepped into the kitchen area.

"Shouldn't you be getting home?" he asked. He was still wary of the girl, and he wanted to hear the story from Naruto without her interference.

Haku blinked innocently. "I am home," she replied.

"You are home…?" Iruka looked around Naruto's apartment in confusion, "But this is…" Iruka trailed off, realization dawning on his face as he put the pieces together. "You're living together!?" he bellowed. Naruto winced.

"Y-yes?" Naruto replied hesitantly.

Iruka took a deep breath. He counted backwards from ten. He took another deep breath. "Why?" he asked finally. Iruka glared at them both and folded his arms expectantly.

"Well…" Naruto began. A long, convoluted explanation tumbled out of the genin. Iruka remained ominously silent as Naruto narrated the series of events, with a few helpful interjections by Haku, which had led Haku to Naruto's house.

"I see," the chuunin instructor said when Naruto finished. He stood abruptly from the chair he had commandeered. "I'll be back to check on you," Iruka said tersely. He stopped. "Naruto."

"Yes?" the boy asked nervously.

Iruka turned and smiled, "I'm glad you're back." He turned again and began walking towards the exit.

"Iruka-sensei…" Naruto relaxed, relieved. "Let's go for ramen again soon!" he called.

"Yeah," Iruka agreed before closing the door. There was silence in the apartment.

"He was nice," Haku finally commented.

"Yeah, he's great, isn't he?" Naruto grinned happily. It looked like Haku and Iruka had both accepted each other… somewhat, anyways.

Iruka stalked off towards his own apartment, muttering inaudibly under his breath. Tomorrow, he was going to go to the administration building and have a long discussion with the Hokage—the senile old bat. Then he was going to hunt down the irresponsible jackass that called himself Hatake Kakashi and have a very unpleasant conversation with the man, which could very possibly end in violence. Iruka smiled grimly, pondering skipping the conversation all together and going straight to violence.

---

Uchiha Sasuke glared. Haku continued to smile blithely as she watched Naruto spar with Sakura. Well, it was more like Sakura was chasing Naruto around the training grounds as Naruto did his best to stay away from her without resorting to ninjutsu. Haku sitting in on Team 7's training sessions was new and Sasuke did not like it at all. Why is she here? Sasuke grumbled bitterly to himself. But he knew the answer to that, and its name was Naruto.

Haku followed Naruto around like a starving puppy that had been given scraps. Now that she had come to Konoha, she had been given a legitimate reason for doing so. The girl was to have a constant escort and Naruto had been a shoe-in for the job. Since Naruto was a ninja in genin cell seven, that meant that Sasuke saw far more of Haku than he wanted to—which was not at all.

His rage had lessened over time, but that didn't mean he found the older girl in the least bit tolerable. Seeing her smug smile gave him violent thoughts, but he was able to control himself enough not to act on them… so far. Sasuke had experienced three humiliating defeats in his life. Uchiha Itachi had handled Sasuke like a kitten that night four years ago, Hatake Kakashi had left him buried with only his head left above the ground, and Haku had neatly cut him off from consciousness with her barrage of senbon. Of all of those, Haku was the closest to his level and his age, which just made it sting more. Nothing could ever top Itachi's beating, but Sasuke's defeat at the hands of the kunoichi was humiliating nonetheless.

Unlike the other two, Sasuke was not so far behind Haku in terms of skill, which meant that he shouldn't have been handled so casually. She was also a kunoichi, making his defeat even more infuriating. Sasuke's experience with kunoichi was admittedly limited, but he had seen few examples of competence from them. Of course, a large measure of his experience was based on the behavior of the aspiring kunoichi at the Academy. Logically, Sasuke knew that there were competent female shinobi out there. He had just never seen one. In the end, it boiled down to the fact that Sasuke hated losing and he hated losing to a girl even more.

But the worst offense that Haku had committed against Sasuke was losing against Naruto. Somehow the dead last had managed to overcome an opponent Sasuke himself could not. It ticked him off. How had Naruto managed to beat her in the first place? The details Sasuke had managed to work out seemed sketchy at best, which led him to the conclusion that she must have done it on purpose. He had no idea why she would do such a thing, but it made sense to Sasuke. Naruto could not possibly have done it by himself. Therefore, Haku must have facilitated it.

That conclusion gave Sasuke mixed feelings. A part of him grew even angrier with Haku over her seemingly duplicitous behavior. But mostly he felt relieved. Naruto had not surpassed him, and his victory over Haku was indeed a fluke. Much of the tension that he had been feeling for the past two months drained out of Sasuke. Haku may have been a kunoichi, but she was also a genius with a bloodline limit, and that served to lessen the sting of defeat. Sasuke hated to lose, but losing to another genius was far more palatable than losing, even indirectly, to the dead-last, all-time idiot named Uzumaki Naruto. To think, I almost challenged the dobe to a fight. The thought that Naruto might be a worthy opponent now seemed laughable in hindsight.

"Enough!" Kakashi barked, bringing Sakura and Naruto to a stop. Sasuke began walking towards his teacher and the other two did the same. When they were all gathered, Kakashi looked over them with a critical eye. "Naruto..." Kakashi began casually.

"Huh?"

"When I told you to spar with Sakura, I didn't mean run away from her! How are you going to improve your taijutsu if you don't work with your partner?" Kakashi demanded.

"But…!"

"But what?"

Naruto looked to the ground, blushing. "She's Sakura-chan," he whispered. Naruto shivered. It was true that he was reluctant to fight Sakura because… because… well, because she was Sakura-chan! But it was also true that Sakura's rage was something he feared more than almost anything else. He knew from painful experience that Sakura's right hook was bone-crushingly painful to get hit with—as was her left, not to mention what her legs could do to his fragile constitution—and there was no way he wanted to get into close-combat with the pink-haired girl if he could help it.

"Naruto," Kakashi began, his tone scolding, "it's an insult to your sparring partner if you don't take them seriously." Naruto looked up, wide-eyed. "Not only are you setting back your own training, you are refusing to help Sakura improve by goofing off like that." Naruto lowered his head, shamefaced. "Besides," Kakashi's tone became cheerful again, "if you want more evasion training, I'm more than happy to help!" Naruto blanched and another shiver crawled its way up his spine.

Kakashi turned to his other student. "Sakura…"

The pink-haired, pink-faced girl panted for a moment, catching her breath. "Yes?"

"You spent the whole time chasing after Naruto, rather than thinking up a plan to corner him. Considering that you are supposed to be one of the most intelligent shinobi of your generation, I can only conclude that you let your annoyance with Naruto cloud your judgment."

Sakura winced. It was true. Naruto had been getting on her nerves all day with his clumsy flirting, and Haku standing behind him, studying her with all too knowing eyes had only deepened Sakura's bad mood. When Naruto had gotten into a spat with Sasuke, her temper had reached the end of its fuse. Sakura had been wholly focused on catching Naruto and wringing his neck during their sparring session. It had not occurred to her to devise a plan.

Kakashi sighed, exasperated. "If you let your emotions cloud your judgment in the field, you'll get killed," Kakashi said bluntly, causing them both to flinch. "Not only that, you'll get your teammates killed too," he paused and looked them both in the eyes in turn. "Remember that," he cautioned. "Now, Sakura, your taijutsu form is textbook perfect," he praised, causing the girl to preen slightly in pride, "but your speed, strength, and stamina are all abysmal. And you should remember that you aren't the only one who read the textbooks."

Sakura drooped. It was something she had heard before, but having it pointed out so bluntly, in front of her crush no less, was bruising to her ego. She fervently hoped that Haku had not heard the comment, but looking at the smiling girl dispelled those hopes. I bet she's laughing at me, Sakura thought bitterly. Sakura's self-doubt skyrocketed whenever the older girl was around. To Sakura, Haku's presence was like a magnifying glass under which her own faults became all too clear. Kakashi seemed oblivious to Sakura's growing depression as his uncovered eye stared expectantly at her.

"I understand," Sakura muttered glumly.

"Naruto," Kakashi addressed the boy, who looked ready to spring to Sakura's defense, "you're pretty much the opposite of Sakura. Your taijutsu form is awful, and frankly you suck at it." Naruto turned red and he glared at his teacher.

Unlike Sakura, Naruto was not the type to take criticism lying down. "But…!"

"You're faster and stronger than Sakura, which is why you had no trouble keeping your distance and fending her off, and your stamina is even greater than mine." It was Naruto's turn to puff up in pride. "But Sasuke is much faster and better at taijutsu than you, so don't let it go to your head," Kakashi quickly punctured a hole in Naruto's pride. Naruto turned to glare at Sasuke, who gave self-satisfied smirk in reply.

"What about Sasuke?" Naruto asked, pointing angrily at the other boy.

"Hmm…? Well, out of all of you his taijutsu is the most balanced, so he doesn't have as much work to do. His skills are higher than either of you, and he's faster as well. His stamina is less than yours, but he has better control than you do, so it evens out. Really, about the only thing that you're his equal at is physical strength." Naruto's fists were tightly clenched, and his eyes burned with humiliation and anger.

Normally Kakashi wouldn't have made such a blunt comparison between his genin, especially in front of the others, but he felt that Naruto and Sakura both needed to increase their training and smooth out some of their more blatant faults. He was thinking of entering them into the upcoming Chuunin Exam, and Naruto and Sakura needed more work.

He felt that they would probably do well enough for the first two tests as they were now, since those were largely tests of teamwork and determination. But the third round was always a tournament style competition where individual skills were more important than teamwork or willpower, and Naruto and Sakura would be hard pressed to match the other genin that made it that far. If dragging their flaws out into the open would make them work harder to correct them, Kakashi was all for it.

Besides, Naruto deserved it for putting that damned chuunin on his case. It had taken three days to get his apartment door replaced.

"Are we done for today, sensei?" Sakura asked.

Kakashi nodded, "We'll stop here for now. Tomorrow we'll start taking D-ranked missions again, so be ready. Later," he waved. White smoke exploded around Kakashi and when it cleared the jounin was gone. Sasuke shoved his hands in his pockets and began walking towards the village. Sakura hesitated, staring at Sasuke's retreating back, but her feet remained rooted to the ground as the prodigy drew further and further away.

Naruto, who had snapped out of his own angry thoughts, stared at his crush in amazement. What's wrong with Sakura-chan? Naruto wondered, too worried to be ecstatic about her behavior. Normally he would have taken her not chasing after Sasuke as a good sign, but his new habit of trying to, as Kakashi phrased it, 'look underneath the underneath,' told him that Sakura was not her normal self.

"Sakura-chan…?" Naruto hated how hesitant and small his voice sounded as he addressed the pink-haired girl. He was still uncertain of how to behave around her, and it made him timid in his dealings with her. Naruto had been able to successfully conceal it with his usual bravado, but on the inside he was afraid of the new directions his relationship with Sakura might take. Sakura still wasn't completely over her uncertainty regarding him and Naruto knew it. One wrong word, one misperceived action, and what little relationship they had could flounder forever.

"Naruto?" she asked, blinking in surprise. For a moment, Sakura had forgotten the other boy was there. It was rare that he was so silent.

"You're not going to go after Sasuke?" Naruto winced at his tactlessness. The moment the words had left his mouth he knew that he was in for a punch to the face.

Sakura glared at him, confirming his suspicions. Naruto shut his eyes. After several moments, he opened them in surprise. Sakura had not punched him like she normally would for questioning her devotion to Sasuke. Instead, she was staring at him with a vaguely horrified look. Naruto scratched his head, bewildered.

Sakura had felt a flash of righteous anger when Naruto had questioned her behavior, but it had quickly dissolved into horror when Naruto's eyes had shut in terror. Realization swept her anger away and she felt sickened. Naruto was afraid of her retaliation for asking a simple question. He had fully expected her to hit him and she almost had. Worse was that it was more than just annoyance. She had almost hit him out of reflex.

I've hit Naruto so many times it's become a reflex? It was a disturbing thought. Was she really so temperamental and abusive? Naruto's clear puzzlement at the punch that did not come only served as an unwelcome confirmation. When had she become such a cruel girl? Had she seen her own behavior in another girl, she would have been disgusted, but somehow it had worked its way into her mind that hitting Naruto every time he annoyed her was perfectly acceptable behavior.

It was perfectly acceptable behavior, Sakura realized even as her disgust mounted. Nobody liked Naruto. Everyone shunned him, looked down on him, and acted in ways that suddenly seemed very cruel to Sakura. No one cared if she hit Naruto besides Naruto himself. Sakura knew that she would have been reprimanded for casually belting any other Konoha citizen. But in the end, no matter what anyone else thought of her actions, it came down to her. She was the one who physically and verbally lashed out at Naruto on an almost daily basis. Her actions were the most despicable, because she was the object of his affections and she knew it.

If Sasuke-kun behaved like that towards me… An awful, cold feeling clawed its way up her esophagus. Just thinking about it sent shivers up her spine and caused a cold lump to form in her throat. She would be devastated every time he insulted her or lashed out at her, but she would never abandon Sasuke-kun. It would become a vicious, never-ending cycle… just like her relationship with Naruto had become.

"Naruto…" Sakura was at a loss for words. What should I say at a time like this? How can I apologize?

"Huh?" Naruto was still standing awkwardly nearby, looking more confused than ever. Sakura hesitated. "What is it, Sakura-chan?" Naruto smiled at her, making Sakura feel even worse. How can he still smile at me?

"I… that is…" Sakura abruptly realized that they were not alone. Haku still had not moved from her perch beneath a tree near the stream. The other kunoichi was watching her intently.

"That is…?" Naruto stared at her expectantly.

"Training!" Sakura blurted. What? Sakura asked herself.

"What?" Naruto echoed her inner thoughts.

I don't know! Sakura thought desperately. What about training? Suddenly she remembered Kakashi's criticism. "Will you train with me?" Sakura asked, feeling more confident. Naruto gaped in abject amazement and Sakura blushed. "I just…" she trailed off. I just want to apologize, Sakura thought, but the words would not come out. She was all too aware of Haku sitting not far off, studying her every action. Even if they had been in total privacy Sakura would probably not have been able to work up the courage to apologize to Naruto for her behavior. With Haku watching it was impossible. "You're stronger, faster, and have more stamina than I do," Sakura hastily explained. "I have better form and chakra control, so we can both learn from each other!" She had made up her explanation on the spot, but it worked.

Comprehension dawned on Naruto's face and he beamed at her. Sakura feared she would be blinded by the force of his grin. "Right!" Naruto exclaimed happily. Sakura smiled weakly in reply. She had to forcibly will herself not to glance towards Haku, but she could feel the older girl's heavy gaze on her as she began to work out the details of their new training arrangement with a bubbly Naruto.

---

Haku waited patiently for Naruto and Sakura to finish their sparring session. She didn't know what the other girl's motive for proposing joint training sessions with Naruto was, but it had actually started to work out for the best. The two genin had been training with each other in the afternoon, after Team 7's official training ended, for more than a week. At first, things had been awkward and unproductive, but gradually they had started to relax and actually help train each other.

Sakura was quick with tips of chakra control and molding, and she could always spot the flaws in Naruto's bastardized version of the Academy's standard taijutsu style. Naruto gradually came to terms with the fact that he was training with Sakura, without the rest of Team 7 around, and his naturally driven spirit came out. He worked feverishly to correct the flaws that Sakura pointed out. He began to fight her seriously in their spars, forcing the girl to improve her own taijutsu as well as cope with his occasional bursts of innovation. Her stamina started to gradually rise as a result.

On Haku's part, the training sessions just meant further opportunities for her to analyze Naruto's strengths and weaknesses. She had been doing so even before they had fought each other, but her observation had truly begun in earnest the moment she decided that she would lend her strength to help Naruto achieve his dreams. To become Hokage, Naruto would need help, and she planned to give as much help as she possibly could. It was for this reason that she had thoroughly observed Naruto's abilities and fighting style. After watching Team 7's missions around the village, their training sessions, and Naruto's own individual practice, Haku finally felt like she had gathered enough information to start helping him.

A sharp, metallic clanging noise caught Haku's attention. Naruto and Sakura were locked together in a battle of strength, with their kunai struggling against each other. Sakura was losing, but rather than allow herself to be overpowered by Naruto she lashed out at his knee with her foot. It was risky, since it dangerously undermined her power and stability, but Naruto was not fast enough to capitalize on the opening. He was fast enough to evade it though. He sprang backwards, narrowly escaping the range of Sakura's kick. A kunai pursued him, but Naruto was able to bat it aside with his own blade as soon as it entered his reach.

Naruto and Sakura stared at each other. Naruto was sweating and his clothes were dirty and scuffed, but other than that there was little sign that he had been training for nearly two hours. Sakura was panting harshly. She was clearly far more exhausted than Naruto, but Haku noted that her legs were steady beneath her. On the first day, Sakura had barely been able to stand by the end of training. She's improving already, Haku thought approvingly.

Haku smiled proudly. Knowingly or not, Naruto had set Sakura on the path towards becoming stronger and he helped her with it every day. Naruto had set a fire in Sakura, a drive to train and become better than she was. It was something Naruto could be proud of, and Haku felt proud of him for it. His accomplishments were hers, and the opposite also held true. Naruto didn't understand yet, but one day he would. She would show him.

Haku watched Naruto and Sakura begin to wind down. The training sessions between the two was changing their relationship. What had been forced comradeship on Sakura's part and puppy love on Naruto's was slowly beginning to transform into genuine friendship. Haku had never seen the two talking as casually as they were now. Haku frowned when Sakura giggled at something Naruto had said. Naruto liked Sakura; this much Haku had gleaned very early on. But as Sakura began to warm up to Naruto, the possibility that she might come to like the blond grew.

Sakura was obsessed with the Uchiha boy, and that made the chances of her returning Naruto's affections slim, but they were there nonetheless. Haku's frown deepened. She was Naruto-sama's loyal follower; it was her goal to make his dreams a reality. So why does it feel so uncomfortable? When she thought of Naruto and Sakura getting closer, it brought an uncomfortably lump to her throat.

It wasn't quite jealousy, since she had no romantic aspirations towards Naruto, no more than a dog had towards its master or a tool towards its wielder… it was more like fear, or loneliness. But why was that? Haku knew that Naruto would keep his promise to her. She knew that he would never abandon her, no matter what happened. So why did she feel an almost instinctive dislike towards Team 7's kunoichi for getting closer to him?

It was not a question she was able to answer by the time Sakura had left the training grounds. The afternoon sun cast molten rays over the forest and the trees threw deep shadows. A battered but energetic Naruto eagerly led the way back into the village for dinner.

She scanned the cupboards intently, as if careful investigation would turn up edible foodstuffs other than ramen. There were no vegetables to speak of, the bread was moldy, and every dairy product Naruto possessed was far past freshness and heading into overly ripe. Haku had known that their food situation was bad, but she hadn't realized just how bad it was. Naruto had taken her out to eat every day so far, perhaps because he was so excited about his mission-pay.

But eating out constantly was an expensive hobby, made even more so due to the fact that he was feeding two people rather than one, and Haku bore witness to a new aspect of Naruto that she had never seen before. Naruto's financially conservative side had taken over, which was why Haku was fruitlessly hunting for something to cook other than cup ramen.

Naruto cheerfully stomped out of the bathroom and into the kitchen. "Let's eat!" he exclaimed boisterously, his blond hair still glistening and damp from his shower. "What?" he asked a moment later, defensively. Haku was staring at him expectantly, her hands over her hips. He met her stare with a bewildered look. Is she mad?

Haku sighed. "Please get dressed, Naruto-sama," she requested, as unfailingly polite as always.

Naruto blinked and looked down at himself. "I am dressed," he replied, pulling on his baggy white shirt and loose pajama pants.

Haku shook her head. "We're going out to get groceries," Haku told him, "so please get dressed."

Groceries? Naruto was confused. Why? Still, Naruto knew from his experiences with Sakura that when a girl used that tone it was far less painful to just do as he was ordered, even if it prickled at his pride. Haku probably wouldn't hit him like Sakura-chan would, but he didn't want to disappoint the former nukenin. He tramped back into the bathroom to retrieve his normal clothes.

Though now that I think about it, Sakura-chan hasn't been hitting me as much lately. I wonder why? It was puzzling, but Naruto felt that it was a case where it would be best not to look a gift horse in the mouth—in case it bit off his head and trampled his corpse.

He led Haku to the nearest grocery store that was still open. The grocer was a middle-aged woman that Naruto didn't recognize—he didn't normally frequent this store—and when Naruto and Haku entered she looked up to give her customary greeting.

"Welcome—" the woman's face, and words, froze as she caught sight of her customers. Haku either didn't notice or didn't care as she strode purposefully into the store, her eyes sweeping the various shelves. Naruto, in a curious reversal of their usual roles, trailed after Haku quietly. He was sure that any moment the shopkeeper would get up and refuse to offer him service, but surprisingly she stayed silent as Haku glided through the store and filled her basket.

Naruto winced at the profusion of vegetables that Haku was procuring, but she was also grabbing all sorts of other foodstuffs. Her basket was soon overflowing, and Naruto was forced to grab another. They filled three baskets worth of food up and placed them at the counter. Naruto stared with silent dread at the baskets. Already he could hear Gama-chan crying out in agony. The shopkeeper stared at Naruto silently and made no moves to ring up their purchases.

"We're done," Haku smiled politely at the grocer. She frowned when the woman only looked at her. "Will you tell us how much everything costs?"

"We're closed," the woman said finally. Naruto scowled. So that's why! The reason she hadn't tried to kick him out in the beginning was so that they would have to waste time finding what they wanted before she refused service.

"What?" Haku stole a quick glance at the window. "That says that you will still be open for another two hours," Haku pointed out mildly.

"We closed early today."

Haku's normally warm brown eyes grew cold, "Your doors were unlocked."

The woman scowled, her puffy cheeks growing red with anger. She pointed to a sign behind her. "I refuse service," she declared.

Haku was incredulous. "Why?" she demanded.

The grocer glared. "You've been rude," she huffed, but her quick, venomous glance towards Naruto revealed her true motivation. Abruptly the temperature in the store seemed to drop by twenty degrees. Goosebumps broke out on Naruto's arms and he resisted the urge to rub warmth back into them.

"I see," Haku's voice was no longer heated. Instead, her tone had become glacial. Her eyes bore into the grocer's and the older woman flinched back fearfully. "What you are doing is wrong," Haku told her quietly. "If you wrong other people, it will surely come back to you one day." Naruto suddenly realized that Haku was directing a highly focused spike of killing intent towards the shopkeeper. I have a bad feeling about this.

"Haku!" The killing intent vanished as suddenly as it appeared.

The girl turned towards Naruto questioningly, "Yes, Naruto-sama?"

"Don't threaten her," he said sharply, gesturing towards the cowering grocer. He sighed, suddenly weary. "It's not worth it," he said quietly.

Haku stared at him, her eyes wide in surprise. "I understand," she bowed her head. She took a calming breath before turning her gaze back to the old woman. "Do you see?" Haku asked the shopkeeper quietly. "You refused him service because of an ignorant prejudice," the grocer's eyes widened in fear and indignation, "but he protected you." Haku tilted her head slightly. "If he had not, who knows what could have happened." A small mirror cracked loudly, its polished surface cloudy with frost. Naruto frowned and the woman stared in horror at the mirror.

In the end, they got their groceries. The grocer had nearly fallen over herself trying to ring up their purchases as quickly as possible. Haku had smiled a strange, self-satisfied smile watching the terrified shopkeeper. Naruto and Haku had left, burdened by several plastic bags full of food. Naruto was subdued as they walked back to his apartment. They had gotten the groceries—at normal prices, no less—and no one had been hurt.

Haku had threatened a Konoha citizen for his sake. No one, apart from perhaps the Sandaime, had ever called anyone to task for their prejudice against him. Yet Haku had stood up for him. He was happy for that. But he didn't want his happiness to come at the expense of others. Naruto didn't want to give people even more cause to hate him, and threatening civilians would not help. Besides, even though it was nice that someone had stuck up for him, Naruto preferred to fight his own battles.

"Please don't do that again," Naruto quietly told Haku as they approached his apartment building.

"Eh?" Haku frowned at the anxious look in his eyes. She stopped and turned to face the genin fully. "I will not let anyone treat you that way," Haku said firmly. Naruto's eyes widened. "Naruto-sama, you saved me from the darkness within me. I cannot stand by and let people abuse you without consequence." She took a deep breath before continuing, "But… I will try not to resort to threats."

Naruto stared at her in wonder, speechless. His mouth worked for several moments, but no sound came out. His eyes were bright. "Thanks…" Naruto whispered finally, "that's all I can ask for."

Haku smiled. "Let's go home," she murmured. She reveled in that statement for a moment. "I'll make a delicious dinner for you!" she said cheerfully, trying to lighten the mood.

Naruto grinned. "Really!?" he asked eagerly.

She really did, at least if the way Naruto patted his bulging stomach and sighed in contentment was anything to go by. He hadn't liked the amount of green that had sprouted on his plate, but Haku made a delicious tonkatsu even with all of the cabbage and other leafy things.

"Was it good?" Haku asked, her hands supporting her head as she gazed at him from across the table.

"Mmm… It was great!" Naruto exclaimed enthusiastically. He had never eaten home cooking besides his own before. It was definitely something he could get used to, especially if the cook was as skilled as Haku seemed to be.

Haku beamed. She had been afraid that her skills would be rusty, but apparently they were still sharp. She had learned cooking from a family-owned restaurant in Lightning Country as a part of her training with Zabuza-san—it was standard for kunoichi to be trained in what were traditionally considered women's skills as a part of their infiltration training—but it had been rare for her to actually use those skills. Suddenly she had good reason to practice those skills and she was surprisingly happy about it.

Haku stood and began to clear off the table. Naruto quickly joined her, waving off her protests as he did so. Between the two of them they quickly cleaned Naruto's small kitchen and the dishes left over from dinner. When they were done Haku glanced at the wall-mounted clock. It's late, she realized unhappily. She had hoped to get started earlier, but it would have to do. "Naruto-sama, can we go back to the training grounds?"

"Why?" he asked curiously.

Haku smiled enigmatically, "There's something I would like to show you."

---

Team 7's training ground was bathed in the silvery light of the waning moon. Naruto and Haku stood next to the stream in silence for several moments. "What did you want to show me?" Naruto asked. As far as he could see, there was nothing out of the ordinary that warranted a late night trip.

"I wanted…" Haku paused uncertainly, unsure of how to explain. She took a deep breath and let it go with a sigh. "Naruto-sama, your dream is to become Hokage, right?"

"Yeah," Naruto agreed. What does that have to do with it?

"What is a Hokage?"

Naruto stared at her for a moment. "The strongest ninja in Konoha!" he said enthusiastically. His smile faded and he looked back towards the village and the monument. He bit his lip, thinking about the battle with the Demon Brothers. "A Hokage is a sacrifice," he murmured. "He leads the village and protects it. When the village is threatened, the Hokage will give his life to defend it," Naruto's hand drifted over his stomach. "He accepts all of Konoha's burdens and takes responsibility for everything."

Naruto stared at the moon, feeling oddly melancholy. For a long time, all the title of Hokage had meant to him was strength and respect. It still meant that, but he now knew that the Hokage was so much more. The luster of his dream had been dulled and Naruto now saw that the road to Hokage was drenched in blood. But that only made him more determined than ever. The Yondaime had turned Naruto into a living sacrifice for Konoha's sake. Naruto had mixed feelings about that, but he felt that it was only fitting that he should carry the title of Hokage and bear the burdens that brought. After all, he already was Konoha's sacrifice.

Haku was surprised by Naruto's answer. She knew from her own experiences and Zabuza-san's words that the Mizukage would have laughed at the idea of a selfless Kage. And Zabuza-san… Haku frowned uncomfortably at the thought. She knew that he would have disagreed as well. To him—and until recently, to her—a ninja was nothing more than a tool, and even the villages themselves were nothing more than tools for the daimyo. A tool should die for its wielder, not the other way around. Before she had met Naruto, this was what she had believed. What she still believed, really.

Life had beaten such naïve views and pretty words out of her a long time ago… For a long time all she had left of them were dreams and the idea of a 'precious person.' Yet now… now, as she basked in Naruto's light, in the strength of his spirit, she wanted with all of her being for him to be right.

To protect one that is precious… that is true strength.

Haku had clung to that one idealistic belief, even when blood had threatened to drown her soul. Konoha was known among the other shinobi villages as soft, yet Haku was starting to see that they grasped what truly made a ninja strong better than any other village. Perhaps it was because Konoha's Hokage were like Naruto had described.

"Yes," she agreed softly. "To be Hokage, you must be truly strong in all respects," she paused, confirming that she had Naruto's attention. "This includes all of the ninja arts."

"I know," Naruto nodded.

"Right now, what do you think your biggest weaknesses are?"

Naruto looked down. He remembered all too well the humiliation that Kakashi had put him through last week. "Taijutsu," he said softly. He clenched his fist tightly. "Genjutsu," Naruto continued, "chakra control, and speed." He sighed unhappily. I've trained so hard! Why is that list so long? Why am still so far behind Sasuke? "I don't think things through enough," Naruto said quietly, "and I don't know a lot of basic stuff I should've learned in the Academy. I can't control my emotions very well and my accuracy with kunai and shuriken is the lowest in Team 7." Naruto's eyes stared dully at the dark mass of grass and dirt beneath his feet. "The only thing I'm good for is my stamina," he finished darkly.

He had thought long and hard about his own weaknesses ever since the battle on the bridge. It had taken him a lot of time to overcome his reluctance to face his own faults, but he had always known that they were plentiful. Even so, he hated his own weakness. Naruto felt humiliated every time Sasuke's superiority was ground into his face, which was often. No matter how hard he worked he could never seem to close the gap between them. Naruto knew logically that it was not a huge gap, but after years of watching Sasuke's back it seemed like a wide bottomless chasm separated them.

"Naruto-sama," Haku murmured, placing her hands on his shoulders. Naruto looked up to meet Haku's warm gaze. "Even if you have many deficiencies in your skills," Naruto winced, "you are not weak." Haku smiled wryly, "I know that better than anyone else." Her smiled grew. "You are the strongest person I have ever met," she said firmly.

Naruto's eyes widened, "But-!"

"Not all strength is measured in physical skills," she interrupted. "Your life has been as harsh as mine in its own way, yet you still have the strength to smile. You wish to become Hokage and protect your village, despite their hate. Even though you fail often, you always get back up." Haku dropped her hands from his shoulders and reached down to take his hand, "I believe that you are truly a strong person."

"I…" Naruto trailed off, his voice hoarse. "Thank you," he whispered, for the second time that day.

"You are welcome," she replied, smiling happily. "With that said, I believe that you can become as strong in the ninja arts as you are as a person. I will help you do so."

Naruto looked up, a hopeful expression on his face. "Really?" he asked.

"Yes," she affirmed. "I am not a great shinobi or a great teacher, but I will help you as much as I am able to."

Several months ago, Naruto would have exploded with joy at the notion of training with a dedicated teacher and honing his skills. Instead, his joy was constrained to an earnest smile. "Thank you," he said yet again.

Haku began to walk towards the stream. Naruto followed, curious and eager to begin training. She stopped and knelt at the edge of the creek. "How do you cut water?" Haku asked abruptly.

"Huh?" Naruto scratched the back of his head. "With a blade?" he guessed.

Haku shook her head, "You cannot. Not truly, anyway."

Then why'd you ask? Naruto wondered.

"Watch," Haku said. Her hand slashed through the surface of the water in a swift motion. Water sprayed away from the point of contact. "Do you see?" she asked. "Even though my hand cut through the water, it had no lasting effect. Immediately after my hand passed, the 'cut' disappeared. The nature of water is fluid. Even should you apply incredible force to water, it will only retreat and reform. So how do you cut water so that it leaves a lasting impression?"

Naruto was even more bewildered than before. "You just said that you can't," he pointed out.

Wordlessly Haku rose to her feet and abruptly stomped a foot down on the surface of the stream. Water shot into the air in response and Haku exploded into motion. Her hands blurred in motions too fast for Naruto to track, and the airborne water seemed to explode in all directions away from Haku. Naruto gaped in amazement. His eyes widened even further when he found a glistening senbon precariously close to his face. A single droplet of water clung on the tip of the large needle.

"To cut water means to separate water," she said softly. "A large body of water will always reform, so you have to make it smaller. Break it down into smaller pieces and it becomes easier and easier to separate large bodies of water into smaller bodies of water." She paused and gestured to the small puddles that had gathered as a result of her demonstration. "But," she continued, "to cut water, one must be fast." The droplet fell, and Haku's arm blurred again. Two noticeably smaller droplets of water hit the ground.

Naruto gulped. His eyes couldn't keep up with her speed. She had been even faster before, when she had used those strange ice mirrors. It occurred to him that the battle on the bridge would have gone very differently had the Kyuubi's chakra not come out.

"Awesome!" Naruto grinned in excitement.

Haku's lips twitched in amusement. "Speed is the essence of the Suisetsuken," she continued.

"Suisetsuken?"

"Yes. The Water Cutting Fist is one of the oldest taijutsu styles in the Country of Water, and it was one of the original styles practiced by the first Mist ninja. It has mostly faded out of use in Kirigakure, but there are few nin that still practice it." Haku paused for a moment. "Zabuza-san used it, before he began to use swords in combat," she said, her manner subdued.

"Haku…" Naruto murmured uncomfortably. Zabuza was an extremely touchy subject, and he still didn't have a clue about how to deal with it when it came up.

"It's alright, Naruto-sama," she smiled sadly. "As I was saying, the Suisetsuken is an offensive style based around speed and precision," Naruto winced. Speed and precision were two of his bigger weaknesses.

A question occurred to him. "Precision?" Naruto asked.

Haku nodded and knelt by the burbling stream again. "When I tried to part the water earlier, you saw that it immediately reformed, right?"

"Yeah."

Haku stiffened her hand and slashed the water again. Her arm had already completed its motion ahead of the spray kicked up from her slash. For a brief second, it seemed like the water was motionless, the canyon carved by her hand standing out starkly in the moonlight. The second ended and the water's surface was once again whole.

"Faster," she said softly. Her hand blurred into motion again. "Faster." Another slash sliced the water's surface. "Faster." Again and again her hand cut the water, moving faster each time. "Do you see?" she asked finally, her arm a blur of motion. "Water will reform… if you give it time to reform. You must cut, and you must cut fast. You cannot stop cutting, but you must attack the same exact spot if you want the water to remain parted. To do otherwise will disrupt the effect. Thus, precision." She stopped and looked at Naruto seriously, "Suisetsuken uses speed to breach an opponent's guard to attack vital and vulnerable points. Since the truly vital points will be well guarded by the opponent, attacking nerve endings and certain sensitive points first helps to break an opponent's guard, opening the way to attack vital organs or attack and destroy the enemy's ability to move and thus fight."

"Hah…" Naruto sighed. It certainly didn't sound like it suited him.

"Naruto-sama, I believe that the Suisetsuken is suitable for you," Haku asserted, sensing Naruto's doubt.

"I'm slow and sloppy and not precise at all," Naruto retorted glumly. "How can it be suited to me?"

"It is precisely because you are those things that it is suited to you," Haku countered. Naruto gave her a disbelieving look. "A ninja should be balanced, and the Hokage must be skillful in all fields of ninja ability. To become stronger than you are now, you must turn your weakness into strength. Do you understand?"

"Turn my weakness… into strength?"

"Yes. If you are slow, train and become fast. If you lack skill, you should train and gain skill. If you are not precise, then practice until you gain precision. A shinobi must be adaptable, but adaptability is not always a natural ability. A ninja gains adaptability through training and experience. You must train your weaknesses as well as your strengths, since you cannot always rely on only on what comes naturally to you to survive a battle. You understand that, right Naruto-sama?"

"I understand." He did, even if he had never put it into words. He would never have put so many fruitless hours into practicing the Bunshin no Jutsu if he hadn't understood. "Let's get started!" Naruto said excitedly as the prospect of learning new techniques fully took hold. Once I learn this, I'll be able to kick Sasuke's ass! A happy vision of a bruised Sasuke kneeling at his feet while Sakura clung to his side filtered through Naruto's mind.

Haku was happy to see that he was so enthusiastic, but she had a feeling that he was getting the wrong idea. "Naruto-sama, this will take a long time to learn," she cautioned.

"Eh…?" Naruto made an unhappy noise.

"It will take a significant amount of time to train your speed to the point where you will be able to use the Suisetsuken to its full potential. Learning the intricacies of the style itself and honing your skills will take just as long, if not longer," Haku explained. She hesitated before continuing, "Your progress may be further slowed by the lack of a skilled teacher."

"What do you mean?" Naruto demanded. "You know it, right? Then you can teach me!"

"I know the Suisetsuken," Haku acknowledged. "However, I am not very skilled. Taijutsu is not only your weak point… it is mine as well." An awkward silence developed, and Haku felt a sense of failure envelope her as she looked at Naruto's disappointed face. "I can teach you the basics," Haku broke the silence, "and I can help you hone your speed. But beyond that, you will have to continue on your own or find a more skilled teacher."

Her main focus had always been on honing her speed in close combat, a focus that both the Suisetsuken and Zabuza himself had encouraged. Her speed made her formidable—she could match many jounin in speed—but if she was caught by a faster opponent or forced into a position where her speed was limited her lack of skill became a liability. It was not the first time she had cause to regret not honing her taijutsu skills further, but it was the first time she felt so disappointed in herself because of it. I've failed Naruto-sama, she thought despairingly.

"I don't care," Naruto spoke suddenly. "It doesn't matter how long it will take me. I'll master the Suisetsuken, even if it takes me my whole life!" Haku's eyes widened at Naruto's abrupt emotional shift. "But, you know…" Naruto grinned at Haku, "I'll master it faster than anyone else!"

Haku stared in amazement. Time and time again Naruto's enthusiasm and determination took her by surprise. His resilience was an incredible thing in Haku's eyes. "Yes!" Haku agreed cheerfully, believing it with all of her heart.

Naruto's grin grew wider. The happiness he felt at Haku's sincere belief in him was almost indescribable. Never before had anyone believed so strongly in him, not even Iruka-sensei. "Let's start!" he said excitedly.

Haku nodded and gestured toward the stream, "To begin we need to get into the water."

"Why?" Naruto could understand getting on the water, since that would help his chakra control in the long run, but in the water?

"As I said, the Suisetsuken demands speed. One of the ways we practice is submerged in water. That way your muscles must constantly fight against the water to move."

Naruto shrugged and waded into the center of the stream, shivering as the cold water washed over him. It was not a very deep body of water, but by the time Naruto reached the center he was chest deep in water. The rocky, uneven footing below made Naruto wary. It would be all too easy for his foot to get caught against a rock.

"Hey, how can I learn the footwork if we're in the water like this?" Naruto demanded.

"I will teach some of it to you on land," Haku explained as she reached the center of the stream. Unlike Naruto, the cold water seemed to have no effect on her. "The rest, you will have to work out for yourself, based on my movements and the currents of water beneath the surface."

Naruto boggled. "Why!?" How am I supposed to do that?

"Determining movement by sensing the shifts in the flow of water around you is a chuunin level skill in Kirigakure, and it is extremely useful when you find yourself fighting in water. It also serves to provide the foundation for an even higher level skill, which becomes essential when you reach a high level of skill in the Suisetsuken."

"A higher level skill?"

"Yes. At high levels, the speed of a Suisetsuken user is tremendous, to the point where the eyes alone are no longer enough to keep track of the enemy. You must be able to sense an enemy's movement through the disturbance it causes in the air."

"Is that possible?" Naruto wondered skeptically.

"Zabuza-san told me it was," Haku said quietly. "But since you plan on fully mastering the Suisetsuken, you will undoubtedly find out for yourself."

"Right!" Naruto agreed. Inwardly he was chuckling gleefully at the prospect of having such a cool skill. "Let's get started!"

"Then…" Haku's body shifted subtly, causing Naruto to tense, "let us begin."

---

"Naruto," Hatake Kakashi eyed his normal rambunctious student curiously, "what happened to you?" Morning light shone warmly down upon the bridge that was Team 7's regular meeting place. The birds were still chirruping and the sound of water flowing beneath the bridge subtly filled the air.

"Nothing," Naruto replied quickly, smiling. It might have been more reassuring if his swollen, bruised face hadn't contorted so horrifically at the gesture. His whole body ached from his introduction to the Suisetsuken the night before, but there was no way he was going to say that. He was going to surprise everyone with his kick ass skills, and he couldn't do that if everyone found out before he could actually learn them.

"Uh huh." Kakashi looked at Sakura and Sasuke, the two most likely culprits, but they looked as curious as he was. Seeing that the boy wasn't eager to offer the details, Kakashi shrugged and began walking. "Well, let's head to the administration building."

"Are we going to do a mission today, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked.

"Yes," the jounin muttered distractedly. He was already engrossed in his book. Sakura's fists clenched angrily and she stalked off after her teacher. Sasuke followed leisurely, his hands stuffed in his pockets. Naruto groaned and limped off after his teammates. Haku walked behind the genin as he shuffled down the street.

Maybe I overdid it? Haku wondered worriedly. She had been very enthusiastic to teach Naruto—apparently a bit too enthusiastic. She wanted to apologize and help him, but she knew that Naruto's pride wouldn't allow him to accept either her apologies or her aid in walking.

"You're slow," Sasuke commented, smirking at Naruto as they reached the mission room.

"Shut up," Naruto snapped back reflexively.

"Oho," the Sandaime smiled as Team 7 came into the room, "here for a mission, are you?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Kakashi replied, snapping his book shut.

"Hmm…" the Hokage grunted thoughtfully, shuffling through the various scrolls and papers on the table before him, "let's see…"

"I hope it's not something lame again," Naruto muttered. Their last mission had been a quick D-rank mission to walk an old woman's dogs. Naruto had ended up stumbling into a training area and setting off a series of traps that had left him singed and sore for two days. Sakura and Sasuke rolled their eyes at his comment.

"Ah, here it is," Sarutobi smiled and lifted a scroll labeled with a big 'D'. Naruto frowned.

"Hey, old man, not another D-rank mission!" he complained. Sakura promptly hit him over the head.

"Are you an idiot?!" she yelled. "Look what happened last time you said that!" Sakura shook Naruto, "What are you going to do if it happens again, huh? Huh?!"

"But, Sakura-chan…!" he whined.

"Naruto," Kakashi sighed, "we just got back from an A-rank mission not long ago. You want to take another C-rank mission already?" Plus, we can't afford to get involved in another long mission, not with the Chuunin Exams coming up, Kakashi thought. Of course, he couldn't tell his students that. It would spoil the surprise.

"I need money," Naruto protested. My pay from the last mission won't last much longer, and then I'll have to dip into my savings. That was something he wanted to avoid if he could. Years of dealing with his own money—mostly due to the fact that he couldn't trust anyone to deal with it for him—had taught him enough for him to realize that he was in a precarious situation financially. Two people consumed more resources than one, after all. "D-rank missions don't pay well," he complained. Team 7 stared at their shortest member in surprise, and even the Sandaime's mouth opened in surprise. Haku raised a hand to her mouth, horrified at the implications.

"You're just being greedy?!" Sakura exploded in disbelief. "What if we die this time, just because you want more money?"

"That's not it," Naruto shouted back. He looked down at his sandals, shamefaced. "I need money," he repeated. Sakura drew back, her anger draining out of her. She knew that Naruto was an orphan, but she had never considered what that meant. Her parents had always been around to support her financially, so she had never really thought about monetary matters too much. The money she earned from missions served as a supplement to the allowance she received from her parents.

Naruto was on his own, especially since he had become an active ninja—and Sakura was aware of the fact that active ninja could no longer legally draw money from support and welfare programs. After she had realized that Sasuke-kun had been orphaned, she had thrown herself into research about the issue, daydreaming that she could sweep in and save her beggar-prince from the streets. Eventually, she had found out that Sasuke-kun was the sole inheritor of the Uchiha clan's assets, which made the boy incredibly rich—even if the most of the money could not be accessed until he was eighteen.

But Naruto had no inheritance at all. There was nothing to support the blond genin, except for the missions Team 7 did. Sakura shuddered, wondering how much she took for granted.

The Sandaime considered Naruto and Haku. He sighed heavily and reached for the C-rank mission scroll. Wordlessly, he scanned the scroll for an appropriate mission. "Kakashi," the Hokage said without looking up, "is your team prepared for another C-rank mission?"

The jounin glanced at Naruto, who looked back at him pleadingly. Huh, Kakashi smiled wryly, how can I refuse and end up starving my student? "Yes," he told his superior. It was true, even if he hadn't wanted to accept a C-rank mission. His students had survived what was essentially an A-rank mission, after all. Their mettle had been tested and proven.

"In that case," Sarutobi said and tossed a small green scroll to Kakashi, "this is your mission…"

---

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto is the creator, and owns the rights to Naruto and all the characters and situations contained therein. This is a non-profit work of fiction.

Techniques:

Suisetsuken – 水切けん – Water Cutting Fist – An old taijutsu style originally developed in the Country of Water. It places an emphasis on swift offense to overcome foes, with 'first strike' being one of the core principles. More will be revealed as Naruto continues his training.

Author's Notes:

Well, thank you for reading chapter 5. I hope you enjoyed it.

Tonkatsu is basically breaded pork cutlets, usually served with shredded cabbage and tonkatsu sauce. There are many other variations, including chicken, beef, and fish alternatives.

As always, comments and/or criticism are welcome. However, if you're going to criticize, please do it in a constructive manner (in other words, don't just tell me that I fail as a writer, tell me why I fail). I'm still very much an amateur writer, so any help is appreciated.

Check out this story's forum at www . fanfiction . net/f/51642/ (remove the spaces). If you're too lazy to copy, paste, and remove the spaces you can follow the links in my profile. You'll find my review responses there, as well as more detailed progress updates than the one you can see in my profile. If you want to discuss anything about this story, that's the place to do it.

I'd like to thank Duke Bonez for his help with this chapter, both as a sounding board and as an editor. His help was invaluable.

I'd like to thank everyone that took the time to read this story, and especially those who took the time to review. I appreciate it.

Thank you for reading Tempered in Water!