Tempered in Water Chapter 7: Tremors, a naruto fanfic

Tempered in Water

Chapter 7 / Tremors

By HitokiriOTD

"In Konoha, it is unacceptable for a shinobi to threaten or coerce civilians," the Sandaime Hokage opened without preamble, the weight of his cold, calm gaze resting heavily on Haku.

Her ANBU escort had herded her through the village and into the Hokage's administration tower with a quick efficiency that gave her little time to wonder at the summons. Within minutes, she had been ushered into the Hokage's office, only to stand in silence in the center of the room while Sarutobi pointedly ignored her and finished off his morning paperwork, leaving her with all too much time to stew in anxiety. Haku had had tried to take refuge in examining the office around her, but little had changed in the three weeks that had passed since her last visit. The only difference seemed to lie in the size of the stacks of documents on the Hokage's desk. Time stretched, and ten endless minutes had passed before he had broken the silence with his flat statement.

Haku offered no reply.

Sarutobi pulled out a folder from beneath a small stack of paper. He flipped it open and slowly paged through it. "The ANBU reported an incident in a grocer's shop nearly a week ago. Yesterday, a citizen came to me with some very serious accusations," Sarutobi paused and looked up. "Is there anything you wish to say?"

Haku shook her head.

"I believe I made it clear that you were to follow our laws to the letter," he continued. "Yet here," he tapped the folder, "I have the testimony of a Konoha citizen accusing you of assault against her person. The ANBU surveillance reports back up her claims." The Sandaime's balding countenance became grim as he set the folder aside. "This is a very serious matter," he said finally. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

Haku considered her words carefully. She shifted uncomfortably, acutely aware of the Hokage's regard, and forced herself to remain calm despite the clamor of her instincts. Her senses buzzed with a sense of something, not quite chakra or killing intent, but power.

It reminded her faintly of Zabuza-san.

If he wanted to, the old man before her could kill her before she could even twitch. In the end, she decided that honesty was the best course of action. Lying would serve no purpose, and the Sandaime would almost certainly see through any deception she could come up with.

"She would not sell groceries to us because of Naruto-sama's presence," Haku said, her voice emotionless and precise, as if delivering a mission report.

"And you thought that violence would be an acceptable response?"

"Yes," she did not hesitate to reply. Sarutobi lifted a grey, thinning eyebrow. "She had no right," Haku said grimly.

"You have no right to threaten my citizens," the Sandaime retorted coldly. "Despite their appalling behavior, they are still under my protection. The grocer broke no laws. You, on the other hand, have."

For a brief moment, she considered giving in to her instincts and running. Haku swiftly discarded the notion. She would have no chance of escaping Konoha with her life. Besides, Konoha was Naruto-sama's home. She wouldn't leave, not without him. Instead, she lifted her chin and met the Sandaime's heavy gaze squarely. "Naruto-sama did not deserve to be treated in such a manner," Haku insisted.

"No, he did not," Sarutobi agreed, his voice suddenly weary. His expression hardened, reminding Haku uncomfortably of the stone monument Naruto-sama had dragged her to see on her whirlwind tour of Konoha, "But that doesn't excuse your actions."

Haku clenched her jaw and said nothing.

The Hokage studied her for a moment. "In Konoha, we have little tolerance for shinobi who would use their skills to bully civilians," he said finally. "Our laws are very clear on this. If they were not, it would be all too easy for some shinobi to slip from protector to predator. Might does not make right, not here."

Haku stared blankly at the Hokage, confused by his words. They made no sense to her. It was as if the Hokage had said that the sun rose in the west—it was a lie so obvious it felt like an insult. In her fifteen years, Haku had seen a great deal of the world, more than many people twice her age ever would. The strong ate and the weak starved. It was true in the wilderness, where wolves pulled down the weakest of the herd and then starved in turn when they became too old and feeble to hunt, to fight.

It was true in Kirigakure no Sato, where those with power stood on the backs of those weaker than themselves, and those without power… Haku struggled internally as memories of the merciless, indifferent streets rose like a wave, threatening to drag her under. Not now! She couldn't afford to show weakness, not to the gaunt, forbidding figure that was Konoha's Sandaime, whose judgment she faced. The only justice she had ever known had come at the point of a kunai, at the edge of Zabuza-san's great blade, his Kubikiri Houcho. Zabuza-san had shown her that if she ever wanted to be more than trash, more than the gutter filth that lined Kiri's streets, she would have to fight for it. Justice was something she had to reach out and take for herself. Might was the only way to make things right.

"Normally, a shinobi merely threatening a civilian without just cause would warrant imprisonment," Sarutobi paused. The girl didn't flinch. "But in this case, there is someone else who has accepted responsibility for you."

For the first time since she had entered his office, genuine fear flashed across Haku's face as the Hokage's meaning sank in. "It was not Naruto-sama's fault," Haku said quickly. "I was the one who—"

"Naruto assumed responsibility for you," the Sandaime cut her off. "When he returns, he will have to pay reparations of no more than eighty thousand ryou to the village for you indiscretions."

"No!" she protested. "It was my fault! Punish me!"

"Moreover, he will pay a fine of no more than twenty thousand ryou to the village, as a penalty for failing in his responsibilities." Sarutobi forced himself not to grimace. It was unfair to Naruto, but Haku had threatened one of the Hokage's charges. He could not allow anyone to get away with such a thing lightly. The Sandaime would have preferred to send the girl to prison and be done with the matter, but the look in her eyes had convinced him that it wouldn't solve anything.

Haku did not fear punishment, not when it was directed towards her, and the girl didn't seem to think she had done anything wrong. But the moment he had brought Naruto's name up, he had seen the anxiety in her eyes, in her body language, and he knew then what would truly drive his point home. It would also serve as a sharp lesson for Naruto.

Responsibility for another human being was no laughing matter, nor a burden to be accepted carelessly. Sarutobi hoped that Naruto would learn an important lesson from his punishment, and if a fine was all it took then Sarutobi would have gladly fined all of the fresh-faced genin, aspiring chuunin, and cocky jounin under his command. Perhaps he would have been spared the pain of being Hokage, if he had paid such a fine when he was young.

"I am being lenient because this is your first infraction," the Hokage said. "I will not be so kind again," he warned, his tone harder than steel, sharper than a kunai. Sarutobi understood Haku's actions and the motivations behind them, and a part of him was glad. It seemed more and more likely that Naruto had found a precious person after all, and less and less likely that Haku was just using him for her own purposes. The Hokage, however, could not waver in upholding Konoha's laws. To allow one shinobi to get away with threatening one of Konoha's citizens was to embark on a slippery slope. He had seen where that slope led, seen the abyss at the bottom.

Damn you, Orochimaru.

Despite the apparent harshness of his verdict, the Sandaime really was being lenient. Haku's connection with Naruto was slowly becoming known in certain circles. Her position in Konoha, already tenuous because of her status as a foreign ninja, had become even more unstable due to her association with that Naruto. If Homura or Koharu caught wind of his leniency, he would never hear the end of it. By rights, he should be throwing Haku out of Konoha for her actions… after granting her the hospitality of Konoha's interrogation cells for a time to make sure that she hadn't acquired any of the village's secrets.

He watched as Haku struggled to regain control over her emotions. Slowly, her face slid back into an expressionless mask. She stared at him with glacial eyes. "I understand," she whispered tonelessly. "Is there anything else?"

"You are in Konoha because of Naruto," Sarutobi said slowly, enunciating each word deliberately, "and the reason I have allowed you to stay is because of Naruto. Do not give me reason to see you again. Otherwise, Naruto will suffer."

Hot rage broke through her studied calm for a brief moment as she glared furiously at him. In that instant, the Sandaime thought that she would actually attack him. The moment passed, and she was blank-faced once more. Haku nodded curtly and stalked out of his office.

Sarutobi waited until the door clicked shut behind her before allowing his indifferent expression to fade. He sighed heavily and sagged in his seat, feeling inexplicably weary. He glanced at the four portraits of Konoha's Hokage almost beseechingly.

Did I do the right thing?

"Ayame, where have you…" Teuchi trailed off. "What's wrong?" he asked, concerned. He caught sight of her bandaged cheek. "Are you all right?" Teuchi demanded.

Ayame forced herself to smile. "It's nothing, Dad," she waved off his concern.

He frowned. It doesn't look like nothing. "Are you sure?" he asked finally.

"I'm fine," she insisted quietly, her hands busy tying her hair back. Teuchi's eyes narrowed slightly, but he let the matter drop, returning his concentration to the stove. Ayame donned her apron quickly, with the unconscious efficiency born from years of practice. Within moments, she joined him behind the counter and began cleaning away the remains from the day's lunch crowd. Aside from the father and daughter, the stand was empty. Ayame worked, her hands moving methodically as she washed dirty dishes in hot, soapy water while her mind raced.

Haku-san… The appearance of the ANBU squad had rattled her badly, but what truly worried her was the fact that they had come specifically to escort Haku to Hokage-sama. A meeting with the Hokage was not that unusual, given Haku's awkward status within the village, but normally the summons was delivered by one of the battalion of genin messengers. If the matter was urgent then one of Hokage's chuunin assistants would be sent. Having a squad of shinobi from the village's most secretive and feared organization dispatched to do something as mundane as summoning someone before the Hokage could not be a good sign.

Ayame absently chewed on her lower lip, staring blankly into the white, foamy water as she washed off a group of tea cups. The cut on her cheek throbbed faintly beneath the hastily applied bandage. Was she going to lose her new friend? After everything, was she going to lose yet another friend? If so, then the world definitely wasn't a fair place.

Bells jingled faintly as someone lifted the flap that partially concealed the stall. "Welcome," Ayame said automatically, quickly putting on a cheerful, welcoming smile. She looked up even as her father echoed her. "Haku-san!" Ayame gasped.

"Good afternoon," Haku greeted quietly, sliding onto a stool.

"Are you okay?" Ayame asked quickly, worry tightening her brow.

Haku nodded, "I'm fine." But she didn't look fine. Ayame had thought that Haku had looked awful earlier, but now the girl looked even worse. She was still just as pale and haggard-looking, but she looked even wearier than before. Her eyes, already ringed with exhaustion, were even more red and puffy than they had been when the ANBU had snatched her away. Was she crying again? Ayame wondered. What had Hokage-sama said to her?

Why did I come here? Haku wondered. She fidgeted, unable to meet Ayame's concerned gaze, and stared at the worn wooden countertop. She had been allowed to leave the Hokage's tower freely, though she knew that there were ANBU members lurking about somewhere, watching her every move—the Hokage's own words confirmed it, and she had spotted a glimpse of one by a vegetable stand a block back.

Haku had found herself wandering aimlessly. Her first instinct had been to go back to Naruto-sama's apartment… to go back home. But there was no one there, no one waiting for her; without Naruto-sama it had felt more like an empty shell than home. Her feet had taken her past the building before she knew it.

Yet there was nowhere else to go. Haku had a cursory knowledge of Konoha, but she had little reason to go anywhere besides the apartment. She had made her way to Ichiraku Ramen almost unconsciously, carried there more by her feet than her brain. Even though she had said and done all those horrible things to Ayame, Haku still wanted to see the other girl, her… friend. Considering her actions, Haku felt absurdly weak. She had broken down so easily. How could she be of any use to Naruto-sama if she was such an unreliable tool? Now she was at Ichiraku because she wanted to see Ayame, because some small part of her wanted to be comforted.

Weak.

Had she fallen so far? Had she become so feeble that she needed to rely on a civilian girl when things became difficult?

No.

She had survived her father, survived the mob, and come into her power with an explosion of ice. Kirigakure had failed to kill her. It had failed to break her. Haku had been Zabuza-san's right hand for years, and she had survived all of his enemies… she had survived even after Zabuza-san died. She had lived after experiencing the terrible red power of Konoha's jinchuuriki… Naruto-sama's power…

I am not weak.

Haku was not weak. She was a shinobi, a kunoichi, a survivor… a weapon. There was no reason for her to feel helpless or powerless. The cruel giants of her childhood could not reach her, could not cross the chasm of years to grab her, and if they did they would not be able to touch her. She was no longer a child, too small and scared and scarred by her experiences to stand up and fight. The terrors of her past would die in a shower of ice and steel. Haku was strong. Zabuza-san had taught her that, had forged a weapon in place of a broken little girl, and she would not turn her back on his teachings now. Her edge had been honed through years of training, conflict, and hardship. She was no dull blade. There were many that were stronger than her, sharper than her, but that would change.

She had been too weak. Zabuza-san had had no use for a weak shinobi, and she had been too weak. Naruto-sama would not suffer the same fate. When the time came again, she would not be found wanting. There was no longer any time for her to mope or shiver in the protective shell of Naruto-sama's apartment. Haku needed to grow stronger, as a shinobi and as a person. Otherwise, there would be a time when she was once again broken by a superior weapon. No, she thought fiercely, there will not be a second time.

A bowl hit the counter with an audible clunk. Haku blinked rapidly as hot steam stung her eyes. "This is… ramen?" The bowl was filled to the brim with noodles, broth, and extra toppings.

"Dad…?" Ayame looked at her father questioningly.

"The first bowl is on the house," he said gruffly, his back still facing them. He didn't know what was going on, but he knew his daughter better than anyone. Even if she didn't want to talk to him about it, he could tell that something had happened between Naruto's strange new friend and Ayame.

He had always been worried for his daughter. Taking over the family business was a big burden to place on a young girl, and he hadn't been certain if she had wanted it. But she had stuck by him, uncomplaining, even though her friends had moved on to other things. After Eri, Ayame had never had a truly close friend again and Teuchi had worried that she had closed herself off for good. He was glad that it seemed like his worries were unfounded. For the first time in years, his daughter had opened up to someone. A free bowl of ramen was the least he could do for his daughter's new friend.

"Dad…" Ayame breathed. A smile tugged at her lips. Thanks.

Haku picked up a pair of disposable chopsticks and broke them apart. "Thank you," she said hesitantly. "Itadakimasu," she murmured.

She ate slowly. Ramen wasn't her favorite food in the world, but for some reason she felt better after eating. It was warm and filling, but it wasn't the taste or the way it settled in her stomach that made her feel better… it was comforting, somehow. Haku didn't quite understand it, but sitting on the uncomfortable stool, her back exposed to the outside world, eating a food she didn't particularly like was comforting. Haku looked up and saw Ayame's smiling face as she bustled about the stand, saw Teuchi's solid back and the steady movement of his arms as he cooked. There was a kind of warmth present that had nothing to do with ramen.

Suddenly, Haku understood why Naruto-sama seemed to like ramen so much, why he gravitated towards Ichiraku Ramen so often. She knew that he genuinely enjoyed ramen, but even that seemed like a feeble justification for the amount of time he spent at Ichiraku. Even though he rarely stayed beyond a meal, from what she had seen he made it a point to go to the stand at least once a day. The ramen wasn't that good, at least not to Haku's palate, and she had puzzled over why. For a while, she had thought that he really was just obsessed with his noodles. But now, feeling the strange atmosphere of the place, she felt that she knew why he liked the small ramen stand.

It wasn't about food, not really. Naruto-sama came to Ichiraku because it was a place of comfort and warmth, and most likely a place of good memories, given what she had seen of his interaction with Teuchi, Ayame, and Iruka. Home was more than just four walls between you and the world. To Naruto-sama, an outcast, an orphan, the stand was probably as close to home as he could find. She understood all too well how valued such a place could be, when the world around you couldn't—or wouldn't—acknowledge your existence. To have a place where you were treated like a human being, a place where you felt safe and comfortable, a place where people looked at you, smiled at you… it would be precious beyond words.

"Thank you for the meal," Haku said politely. "It was very good," she complimented awkwardly.

Teuchi grunted. Ayame smiled brightly, "Thank you!"

Haku stood slowly as if to leave. Reluctance kept her standing there for several moments.

"Haku-san," Ayame began quietly, "are you all right now?"

Haku met Ayame's concerned brown eyes and nodded slightly, "Yes."

Ayame hesitated visibly before plowing on, "What happened earlier? You know, after…"

Uncertainty gripped Haku. She wasn't sure of what she should say, of how much she should reveal, or even if she should speak at all. Caution also held her tongue. How much did she really know about Ayame anyway, much less her father? Could she really trust these people? Even if she could trust them, there was no guarantee that they would not carelessly let her secrets slip out. They were civilians, after all. Or maybe they weren't. It was entirely possible that they were shinobi undercover. Who knew who they could be working for, or what damage could be done if she spoke carelessly?

Haku turned to leave, but the painful openness and the slow agony of rejection that flashed across Ayame's face stopped her.

"It's okay… That's what friends do."

"I threatened a grocer because she wouldn't sell groceries to Naruto-sama," Haku said quietly, forcefully ignoring instincts born of years living on the run. "The Hokage found out about it. That's why I was summoned to meet with him."

"Then what?" Ayame asked anxiously. The fact that Haku had apparently threatened someone over Naruto-kun didn't really bother Ayame. Haku was a very protective girl, Ayame could tell. Besides, had Ayame been there she probably would have slapped the grocer herself—Naruto-kun had, over the years, become her friend… he was almost like a brother, really. She had lost count of how many times he had made her laugh with his silly antics just when she'd felt that the world was over. But, personal feelings aside, Ayame knew that Konoha was very strict with shinobi who threatened civilians within its walls, and she was almost afraid to hear Hokage-sama's verdict on the matter.

Haku bit her lip, her fists clenching convulsively. She forced herself to relax, shunting her anger and other negative emotions away. "Naruto-sama must pay a fine," she said finally.

"Naruto-kun has to pay a fine?" Ayame echoed, confused. Teuchi turned slightly, unable to hide his interest.

"Yes," Haku nodded, her voice bitter. "Even though I was the one responsible, he is to be held accountable for my actions. It is one of the conditions set forth before I was allowed to stay in the village."

"How much?" Teuchi asked curiously.

"No more than one hundred thousand ryou," she replied. Probably no less, either, she thought sourly.

"That much!" Ayame exclaimed.

"Hmm… That's the maximum amount paid out for C-rank missions," Teuchi observed.

For an instant, Haku's hopes soared. She came back to the ground a moment later. "Even if he gets that much for the mission, he will have no money left to eat or pay his bills," Haku sighed miserably. Because of her, Naruto-sama would starve and become a pauper.

"It'll be all right," Ayame said, trying to comfort her new friend. "Naruto-kun can get a part-time job or something. He'll be fine"

"A… part-time job?" Haku's eyes widened.

"Yeah! It won't be so bad," the waitress said reassuringly. She giggled, "He can even work here!"

"Oi, oi, if that was the case, he'd eat up all of our stock before the customers could get it," Teuchi said, amused.

"Probably," his daughter agreed with a laugh. "Still, you'd let him work here, right Dad?

"Well…" Teuchi crossed his arms thoughtfully, though they both knew that he would if it came down to that.

"Please!" Haku nearly shouted. They turned in surprise to see Haku's lowered head as she bowed to them. "Please, let me work here!" she begged.

"Haku-san…" Ayame breathed, shocked.

"I know how to cook ramen," Haku said quickly, "though not as well as you two. I can clean too, or whatever you want me to do! So please…"

Teuchi squinted at her, his arms still folded. "Why do you want to work here?"

"It's my fault that Naruto-sama has to pay such a heavy fine. I want to help him in any way that I can," Haku said earnestly. "If I work, perhaps I can ease the burden on him, even if it's just a little bit." She bowed her head lower, her hair almost brushing the floor, "Please…"

"Dad," Ayame murmured, looking at her father with pleading eyes.

Teuchi sighed. Can I afford to pay another employee? He looked at his only daughter's pleading eyes and Haku's bowed form. How can I refuse? Teuchi thought wryly. "Fine," he agreed. "Can you start right away?"

Haku straightened quickly, beaming, "Yes!"

"...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 full force of a migraine roll over him. It had been two days since he had chastised Haku and Team 7 had just entered the village not an hour ago, returning from their mission earlier than expected.

When Kakashi had requested a private debriefing, something usually reserved for B-rank missions and above—and apparently Team 7—, the Sandaime had once again felt a sense of foreboding. Now, he wondered if perhaps sending Team 7 outside of the Country of Fire was a bad idea. They completed their missions, he had no complaints about that, but the complications that always seemed to arise... Sarutobi sighed again. At least he didn't bring Naruto in with him this time.

"Hokage-sama, about Iwa…" Kakashi trailed off.

Sarutobi rubbed his temples, "I know. The ANBU teams I sent to Taki no Kuni have also reported signs of Iwagakure no Sato's presence, though yours is the only report that has solid evidence behind it."

"Then, it really is…"

"We don't know that yet," the Sandaime flipped a page over and began skimming the next one. The documents Kakashi and his team had brought from Waterfall were mostly useless, but it looked like there were a few hidden gems that could prove very enlightening indeed. "The ANBU will be thankful," the Hokage tapped the sheaf of papers he was reading. "You've just made their jobs much easier."

Kakashi nodded, accepting the compliment quietly. He waited to be dismissed.

"About Naruto…" Kakashi blinked, "How is he doing?"

Kakashi tilted his head thoughtfully. "He's growing quickly," he said after a moment's consideration, "but he may need some counseling."

Sarutobi frowned, "Why is that?"

"His last kill seems to have shaken him up pretty badly. There's also…" the jounin hesitated.

"What is it?"

"Sakura didn't take it well either. There has been… conflict."

The Sandaime winced slightly. He had heard the brief version of events from Kakashi, and he could reconstruct enough of it to know just how badly a young, idealistic kunoichi like Sakura would take what she had seen. "Will they be all right?" he asked. Will they remain combat effective? Is the breakdown in teamwork at a critical level?

"I think so," Kakashi replied.

"You think so?" That's not good enough.

The Copy Ninja shrugged carelessly. "Naruto's quite the kid," he said. "He'll probably work something out. I think they'll be fine, eventually."

Sarutobi nodded slowly. There was something about Naruto's view of the world that spoke even to his jaded old heart, and there was no denying that Naruto's enthusiasm could be contagious. A kind of light shone in Naruto despite all of the hardships he had endured... in his more sentimental moments, Sarutobi likened it to the Will of Fire. Perhaps Kakashi was right; perhaps it was just a matter of time.

But… would Team 7 get that time? "How is the rest of your team doing?"

"Sasuke's fine," Kakashi replied. "He's pretty much the same as always, though he's still feeling a bit stung that he was left behind by Naruto and Sakura, and that they were able to get their hands on that information." He shrugged, "Sasuke will get over it."

"And Sakura?"

"Sakura is… not doing so well. She's shaken by Naruto's actions, and I think she's just starting to realize the potential ramifications of her own," he paused. "I think it'll be good for her," he continued. "Until now, she's never seriously considered what it means to be a shinobi and applied it to herself. Maybe now she'll grow a bit as a kunoichi."

"Or she will break," Sarutobi pointed out seriously.

"That's a possibility too," Kakashi nodded, though he didn't seem very worried.

"I see," the Professor sat back and took his unlit pipe from the top of his desk. He bit down on the end. "You're dismissed," he told Kakashi.

Kakashi nodded briskly and turned to leave.

"Kakashi," Sarutobi called, bringing his subordinate to a halt, "send Naruto to see me, would you?"

His single visible eye narrowed slightly in concern, Kakashi turned back to face the Hokage. "Is Naruto in trouble?"

Sarutobi sighed heavily, "Something like that."

Something in his tone told Kakashi that there was more to it. "…Haku?"

The Sandaime nodded slightly. Kakashi's jaw tightened. I knew there would be trouble, he thought ruefully. He turned around again and made his way to the door. Students are such a hassle. He hadn't even had the opportunity to tease them… much… lately. A casual pace carried Kakashi down to the ground level of the tower, past the reception desk and on to the imposing doors of the main entrance.

He paused, catching sight of an unfamiliar nin sitting patiently in one of the chairs near the reception desk. Kakashi's eye flashed to the man's forehead and narrowed. A Kiri-nin, here? What was a shinobi from the Hidden Mist doing sitting in the Hokage's administration tower? The foreign shinobi looked up, meeting Kakashi's suspicious gaze. A moment later, the Mist-nin's eyes widened in recognition.

"The Copy Ninja!" the man exclaimed, standing. He's tall, Kakashi noted absently, gauging a potential enemy. He was very tall by Hi no Kuni's standards, well over six feet, and broad-shouldered, but otherwise average looking. Still, there was a subtle strength to his movements, and the way he stood… A Swordsman? But the man carried no heavy blade, carried no sword at all, which was not at all like a member of the Mist's Seven Swordsmen. Kakashi tensed anyway, but the Kiri ninja made no hostile moves.

"And you are?" Kakashi asked calmly, politely.

"Where are my manners?" the Kiri-nin chuckled self-depreciatingly. "My name is Takai Kouta. It's a pleasure to meet you!" he smiled affably.

"Hatake Kakashi. Nice to meet you," Kakashi returned the greeting uncomfortably, his mind flashing through the bingo book, trying to put a background to the name.

"Of course," Kouta grinned, "Konoha's number one technician, the Copy Ninja! I don't think there are many people above genin that don't know who you are, at least in Kirigakure."

"I had no idea I was so famous there," Kakashi drawled.

Kouta looked shocked. "Not famous? The man who killed Momochi Zabuza, the A-ranked criminal that tried to overthrow the Mizukage and eluded our hunter-nin for more than half a decade?" he asked incredulously.

They know about that already, huh? Kakashi eyed the Kiri-nin thoughtfully. "It wasn't that long ago," he ventured.

"Oh, you were famous in Kiri before that," Kouta waved dismissively. "But once we got news that one of the Seven Swordsman had been killed, your name was all over the place!"

Kakashi grimaced beneath his dark blue mask. That… doesn't make me feel happy.
"Why are you here?" he asked, careful to keep his voice curious rather than demanding.

Kouta blinked. "I'm here to speak with your Hokage," he said cheerfully. "I'm also here to deliver this," he patted the bag tied to his waist, eliciting a metallic clink, and winked at Kakashi.

The Copy Ninja forced himself not to recoil slightly at the gesture. "Well, that's nice…" he trailed off, at a loss for words. Frankly, he just wanted to extract himself from the conversation. "I need to get going now, so…"

"Oh, I see! Don't let me keep you," the Mist shinobi smiled. "It was nice to meet you!"

"You too," Kakashi said politely, turning to leave.

"How is Uzumaki Naruto doing?"

Kakashi stopped. He turned slowly, muscles relaxing into full combat readiness. Kakashi stared intently into the foreigner's guileless brown eyes. "What?" he asked politely, a steel edge cloaked in velvet. How does he know Naruto? The possibility that this Takai Kouta was an enemy had just risen dramatically.

"Uzumaki Naruto," Kouta repeated, still smiling blithely. "He's on your team, right?"

"How do you know him?"

"Oh, I saw his name on that huge bridge in Wave Country! I mean, any genin that can get his name on a bridge must be pretty special, right? As expected of the Copy Ninja's student!"

Kakashi blinked, startled. He had known that Tazuna hadn't named the bridge by the time Team 7 had left, but… They named it after Naruto? Kakashi wondered incredulously. "I see…" It was possible that the answer was as simple and straightforward as Kouta presented. "He's fine," Kakashi said politely, turning to leave again.

"Hokage-sama will see you now," said a cool female voice. One of the Hokage's assistants, Kakashi guessed.

"Ah, thanks!" Kouta replied loudly.

Bright warm sunlight beat down harshly on Kakashi as he emerged from the gentle shadows cast by the Hokage's red tower. He walked casually down the main boulevard, his single eye directed at the book in his hand. An observant person would have noticed that Hatake Kakashi was not uttering his trademark giggle while reading Icha Icha, nor was his gaze focused on the book. Instead, his dark eye was narrowed thoughtfully as he stared through the worn, well-read pages.

Takai Kouta, Kakashi thought grimly, remembering the Kiri-nin's smiling face and unguarded eyes. I'll remember that name.

"I'm home," Naruto announced loudly as he stepped across the threshold. Silence greeted him, and Naruto, grin fading, closed the door behind him. For a moment, he stood indecisively in the foyer. Finally, he slipped off his shoes and padded quietly into the apartment. "Haku?" She's not here, he realized.

His apartment looked cleaner than he ever remembered it being, his plants looked cared for in his absence—even Saboten-san, a squat, round cactus he had found laying abandoned in the trash, looked greener than usual—, but there was no Haku. Once again, he had come back to an empty home. She's just out somewhere, he reasoned, but it rang hollow. Naruto looked down at his hands and grimaced. A small part of him was convinced that she had run away, that she had somehow known of the new sin staining his soul and decided to abandon him. From the beginning, it had been too good to be true. He had always known that she wouldn't stay by his side forever.

"No, that's not right," he told himself, shaking his head as if to banish his negative thoughts. "I'm sure she'll be back!" She would come back. Why had he been so set on her greeting him as he came home, anyway? There was no reason for her to be waiting for him, especially since she couldn't have known when he would get back. Naruto nodded decisively as he set down his pack. He quickly began unpacking his things, trying to ignore the quiet disappointment that lurked in the back of his mind.

It didn't take him long to empty his pack and dump everything back in its proper place—the floor. Once he was done, he aimlessly wandered around his apartment before finally deciding to settle down on his bed. Naruto sighed and lay down, his arms moving up to pillow the back of his head, his legs hanging off the bed, his feet resting comfortably on the floor. Naruto closed his eyes, letting the faded white plaster of his ceiling fade into a pleasant blackness, and for a few minutes he allowed himself to relax for the first time in nearly a week.

His comfort did not last long. In the still silence, Naruto's mind inevitably drifted. Vivid images danced across his closed eyelids. His skin tingled, recalling phantom sensations, the hot, wet feel of blood splashing across his hands, the sting of Sakura-chan's slap, and even the cold, almost harsh bite of the stream's water as he frantically tried to purify himself.

Monster, Sakura-chan had called him. Naruto thought that she was probably right. It seemed like he was drowning in a sea of blood. Every night, dead faces haunted him, empty, lifeless eyes staring accusingly. How many men had he killed since he had become a genin? Where had his childhood dreams gone?

That's what shinobi do, whispered Kakashi-sensei's voice. Somehow, it all seemed so wrong.

So much death was on his hands. Most of his kills had been made in self-defense, for the sake of his life and for the sake of the lives of his comrades, but even so… In his dreams, back in a more innocent time, he had always imagined himself standing heroically, tall and proud as the bad guys begged for forgiveness and Sakura swooned at his awesomeness. There had never been any doubt about "the bad guys." The line between good and bad had been as obvious as the difference between black and white, and he had always known which side he was on.

Grey hadn't existed in his dreams, not back then… neither had red. But it wasn't so simple anymore. Maybe some of those men had deserved it, but… most of them had had families of their own, dreams and aspirations, people waiting for them somewhere. Naruto had taken that all away in an instant. Was life really so fragile? It was not right, not at all.

Dear Hikari, whispered Katsuo's voice, again and again. Are you doing well?

Naruto's eyes flew open and he sat up, breathing harshly. "No," he whispered firmly, trying to block it all off. "I did the right thing. If I hadn't, Sakura-chan and Konoha would be…" But had he really? What if there had been another way? Naruto bit his bottom lip savagely, sending a spike of pain through it. Blood welled up where one of his incisors had broken through the skin, and his tongue recoiled from the coppery taste. "I did the right thing," he repeated, cradling his head with his hands.

A sharp knock jolted Naruto out of his thoughts. He stood quickly, startled, and looked around. Another knock followed, and then another. The front door, he realized finally. Naruto silently left his room and went to answer the door.

"Yo," Kakashi-sensei greeted casually as Naruto opened the front door.

"Kakashi-sensei," Naruto replied, surprised. "Why are you here?" he asked, confused. Were we supposed to meet again today? Naruto wondered. He was pretty sure they weren't, since they had just gotten back in the village and were supposed to have the rest of the day off.

"I just came back from Hokage-sama's office," his teacher replied, "and he told me to come and get you. So, here I am."

"Me? Why?"

Kakashi-sensei shrugged. "No idea," he lied. "Anyway, he wants to see you, so get moving."

Naruto was already putting on his sandals before Kakashi finished speaking. A few moments later, he joined Kakashi in the hallway and locked the door behind him. Naruto moved briskly towards the end of the hall, where a rusting guard rail was all that stood between him and the long drop to the ground. "You're not coming, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked when his sensei didn't follow him.

"You don't need an escort, right?" Kakashi-sensei shook his head. "I have other things to do, so I'll see you tomorrow."

"Right," Naruto agreed before turning and leaping over the rail.

He made his way to the round, red tower quickly. He moved briskly through the hallways towards the old man's office, ignoring the squawks of the receptionist as he passed her. Just before he reached his destination, the door creaked open and a tall, brown-haired ninja dressed in a strange uniform Naruto had never seen before emerged from the Hokage's office.

That mark is… the same as the one Haku and No-brow wore, right? Naruto frowned, troubled. Zabuza had been a Mist-nin, and Haku was from Kiri as well. What was a Kiri-nin doing in Konoha? A moment later, he shrugged, putting the matter from his mind.

The big foreign ninja offered a cheerful smile as their eyes met, "Hi!"

"Hi," Naruto grunted, passing by the much larger ninja.

A few moments later, Naruto reached his destination and knocked on the nondescript wooden door. Courtesy satisfied, he opened the door and stepped into the Hokage's office, not bothering to wait for a reply.

The Sandaime Hokage stared down at the scroll in front of him, deep in thought. It had been with great surprise that he had received the delegate from Kirigakure. While it had been long indeed since Konoha and Kiri had been enemies, their relations had never been anything but cool. But he had never suspected that the Mizukage would approach him for something like this.

He leaned back in his chair, absently puffing on his pipe. An alliance with Kirigakure… Could Konoha and the shinobi village that had earned the grim moniker of "The Bloody Mist" truly work together? Of course, an alliance would not necessarily mean much; between hidden villages, they tended not to. Even so… What brought this on? Sarutobi wondered.

Zabuza may have been a member of the Mist's infamous Seven Swordsmen and an A-ranked criminal, but his death was hardly reason enough to prompt an alliance. But by all appearances it had, or at least that was the public face on the Mizukage's actions. What game is he playing? The Sandaime didn't know, not yet. It was an occurrence that seemed to be happening all too often lately. First Taki, then Iwa, and now Kiri… What's next? I don't have enough information, he thought dourly. It would have to be rectified, and soon.

Sarutobi looked at the innocuous brown sack on his desk and sighed. "I'll have to summon Kakashi again," he muttered.

The door jerked open and Naruto marched into his office, closing the door behind him. "What do you want, old man?" Naruto greeted the Hokage.

The Sandaime rolled his eyes at Naruto's disrespect, far too used to it to bother chastising the boy. Sarutobi opened his mouth to reply and stopped, uncertain of how to deliver news of Naruto's punishment. He rummaged through the documents on his desk for a few minutes, finally lifting out one from the pile. "Here," he grunted, proffering the sheet of paper to Naruto.

Naruto stepped forward and took the document. "What is it?" he asked curiously.

"Just read it," Sarutobi urged.

Grumbling, Naruto did as he was told. Naruto's eyes widened slowly as he scanned through the document. "What is this!?" he shouted indignantly.

The Hokage adjusted the brim of his hat, holding in a grimace. "You said that you would take responsibility for Haku's actions," he reminded Naruto.

Naruto blinked, taken aback. "Yeah, so…?" he demanded.

"Threatening one of Konoha's citizens is a crime," Sarutobi said bluntly.

"What does…?" Naruto trailed off, his eyes widening. "That grocer," Naruto breathed.

"Yes."

Naruto's eyes narrowed, "This fine… There's no way she deserves all of this!"

"It's not a matter of what the victim deserves," Sarutobi retorted gravely. "The penalty is harsh to deter shinobi from bullying those weaker than themselves."

"Bully?" he echoed. "That's not…!" he paused. Was that what it looked like? Naruto scowled. From a certain point of view, it did look like Haku was bullying the grocer.

"Perhaps there was some justification," the Sandaime allowed, "but I cannot condone it when the victim had committed no crime."

"But she…!" he cut himself off, taking a deep breath to calm himself. "Fine," Naruto sighed. "I understand."

Sarutobi's stern expression softened, "Naruto…"

"I just have to find the money to pay this off, right?" Naruto waved the sheet clenched in his right fist.

"Yes," the Hokage nodded. "Naruto..." he hesitated. It was a lot of money for the boy to let go of all at once. Perhaps... "You don't have to pay all at once," the Hokage said quietly. "I will accept it if you only pay off a bit every month."

Naruto was silent as he stared flatly at the Hokage. "Anything else?" he asked finally.

"No, that's it."

Naruto nodded briskly and turned his back on the Sandaime. "See you, jiichan," he grunted, opening the door and stepping through. He didn't wait for the Sandaime's response before closing the door behind him.

Sarutobi rested his elbows on his desk and leaned forward, resting his forehand on his linked hands. He acutely felt his old age. Weariness stole over him. "What else could I have done?" he asked in a whisper, feeling the weight of his predecessors' disappointed gazes resting on his bowed head.

Uzumaki Naruto stalked down Konoha's main boulevard, which ran straight from the massive front gates to the doors of the Hokage's tower, scowling darkly at the paper clenched between his hands. That's a lot of money, he thought unhappily. His mind worked frantically, trying to figure out how he was going to pay off his newfound debts. The old man had said that he could pay it off in increments, but Naruto had no desire to be in debt for a long time. But the bonus the Hokage had given Team 7 for their mission in Wave was already mostly spent. So how...?

Food for two was not cheap, Naruto had discovered, especially since Haku insisted on fresh produce and meat rather than the bargains and dried or packaged foods he had always hunted for. His utility bills, or at least the ones he had seen before he had left, had increased significantly to reflect the presence of another person in his apartment. A significant amount had been spent on clothing and other essentials for Haku; he couldn't have allowed her to get by on Tsunami and Kanako's gifts forever.

Paying off his rent took another big chunk out of his pay, especially since he had had to cover the months he had been in the Wave—including interest, of course. Re-equipping himself had taken most of the rest. While he could have gotten new equipment at Konoha's armory, even Naruto knew enough to avoid doing so unless he really had no other options. The mass-produced kunai, shuriken, explosive seals, and other equipment sold there was available to all Konoha shinobi for only a token fee, but the quality was generally low enough that only the truly desperate availed themselves there. No one wanted a kunai that would shatter against an enemy blade in close combat.

What little remained of his bonus pay was not nearly enough to cover the fine. His mission payment was a possibility, but it was a slim hope. It was almost certain that he wouldn't earn enough money from it, though he wouldn't know until Kakashi-sensei obtained their payment.

Most likely, he would end up needing a loan. The problem was finding someone that would loan him money. There was no way any of the banks would give him a loan big enough to pay off his fine and keep him afloat financially. He just didn't have enough resources or credit to qualify. He needed to find an individual who might loan him money and could afford to do so, preferably one who wouldn't try to strangle him with interest. One person immediately came to mind.

Ten minutes later, Naruto found himself loitering in front of Konoha's Shinobi Academy. The sun was coming down from its peak, and most classes had been let out for the day, though most of the teachers should still have been working. Even so, Naruto hesitated. Is it really okay for me to ask Iruka-sensei? His pride balked at the thought of relying on others to help him solve his problems. Naruto's own respect for Iruka-sensei also made him uncertain; he didn't want to burden the first person to truly acknowledge him. Besides, it was his problem. He was responsible for Haku. But… I can't do it on my own.

Nostalgia crept up on Naruto as he found himself walking through familiar halls. He had spent nearly half of his life attending the Academy, and his long absence felt strange once he was back within its familiar walls. Lost in reminiscence, he found himself standing in front of the faculty office Iruka used before he knew it. Naruto inhaled deeply and rapped on the door. A few seconds later, a familiar face opened the door.

"You again," Tanaka-sensei grunted irritably. As the teacher closest to the door, he was usually the one called upon to open it for visitors. Unfortunately for him, that meant that he frequently came face to face with unpleasant people, usually in the form of parents, smart-mouthed students, people that outranked him, and Uzumaki Naruto.

"Hey, Tanaka-sensei," Naruto greeted the lanky, black-haired second-year teacher. "Is Iruka-sensei here?"

"Iruka," he called grumpily.

"What?" came a muffled voice from the back of the faculty room.

Tanaka was already moving back to his desk. "It's the brat again," he answered.

Iruka immediately stood and headed to the door. There was only one person in Konoha that Tanaka would refer to as a brat with that particular amount of venom in his voice. Tanaka and Naruto were old enemies, in a manner of speaking, and Tanaka held all the bitterness of someone who had been on the losing side of the war.

"Naruto!" Iruka greeted warmly, stepping out into the hallway and shutting the door behind him. "How have you been?" His smile faded as he took in Naruto's somber expression. "What's up?" Iruka asked, concerned.

"Hey, Iruka-sensei," Naruto replied. "I need to talk to you," he looked around furtively.

Iruka frowned, worry for his former student rising quickly. "Okay," he agreed. "Let's go to the classroom." Naruto would know which classroom he meant; he had spent years running from it, after all. It would be empty at this time of day. Naruto nodded and the two went up to the second floor to the room where they shared many memories, fond or not.

"What's going on?" Iruka asked once the sliding door had slid shut behind him.

"I need help," Naruto blurted after a short, pregnant silence.

"With what?" Iruka asked immediately. Naruto admitting that he needed help was incredibly rare. Iruka knew that it must have been a struggle for Naruto to ask. It must be serious.

Naruto hesitated before reaching into his right pocket and drawing out a crumpled sheet of paper. "I need a loan," he muttered, averting his eyes as he offered the paper to Iruka.

"A loan?" Iruka echoed, taking the paper. "Why?"

"Haku threatened someone," Naruto admitted grudgingly, scuffing the floor. "Since I said I would be responsible for her, I have to pay the fine."

Iruka frowned when he heard Haku's name. His frown deepened as he stared at the numbers printed on the paper in bold font. That's a lot of money… "How much do you need?" he asked immediately, masking his unease.

"You'll help me?" Naruto asked hesitantly, a barely contained expression of hope on his face.

"Of course," Iruka smiled. He paused. "Why did Haku threaten someone?" Iruka asked, his expression serious. His mind raced as he considered the implications of Haku's actions. Naruto had been fined because of her. Iruka's suspicions about the girl immediately rose to the forefront of his mind.

Naruto looked away again, "It's my fault. I should have left as soon as I saw the look in that stupid old lady's eyes."

"What happened?"

"She refused to sell us groceries because of me and Haku got angry."

"Ah…" Iruka sighed. That explained things well enough. But why did she do it? Was she really defending Naruto, or was there a more sinister purpose behind her actions? "How much do you need?" he asked again.

"I'm not sure," his student—former student, he corrected himself—replied. "It depends on how much I get paid from my last mission. Kakashi-sensei still hasn't visited the paymaster."

"I see. Well, let me know when you get it figured out."

"Okay," Naruto's lips quirked up in a semblance of a smile. "Thanks, Iruka-sensei!" he said earnestly.

Iruka grinned back. "No problem," he scratched his nose in embarrassment at the gratitude Naruto was displaying. They both stood in awkward silence for several moments before Iruka perked up. "Naruto," he spoke up, catching the boy's attention, "you want to go get some ramen?"

A happy grin stretched across Naruto's face. Iruka-sensei… "Yeah!" he replied enthusiastically.

But despite his relief, Naruto couldn't quite forget all of his worries. Katsuo's letter sat heavily like a leaden weight in his left pocket.

Monster.

Naruto's smile faded. It wasn't the first time that someone had called him a monster. Yet, somehow, it was different to hear that word from Sakura-chan. He couldn't forget about that hoarse, horrified whisper, no matter how hard he tried. Naruto had done what needed to be done. He knew it, and Kakashi-sensei had said so as well. If he had done otherwise, the consequences would have been… he didn't even want to consider what could have happened.

"I'm going to follow my own nindo. I'm going to run straight down the path where I'm not going to regret anything!"

Naruto grimaced. Those had been his words. They were his words, his resolution to himself and to the world; he had finally found his path, discovered a nindo to call his own. But he had already violated it. That bright, hopeful nindo, his path without regret, hung in tatters. Yet he couldn't allow himself to regret it. If he hadn't, Sakura-chan would be… Konoha would be… Naruto thought about Konohamaru and his friends, Ayame-neechan's cheerful smile, Teuchi-occhan's ramen, and the sight of the village illuminated by the afternoon sun.

There was no way he could allow Konoha to be drawn into war, not when his actions could prevent it. It was Naruto's dream to become Hokage, and no Hokage would throw the village into a war unless there was no good option left. He had chosen what any Hokage would have chosen, had they been in his position. If he had chosen differently, he would have definitely regretted it even more.

So why did it still hurt so much? Even though he knew that what he had done was for the best… why did he still regret is so much? Why did Sakura-chan's words, the look of shocked horror in her eyes, haunt him? It was a thousand times worse than when she rejected him or insulted him, even worse than after the battle in the Wave, when he had been sure that she feared him.

It hurt because she was one of the few precious people he had, because she was Sakura-chan, because he had made so many promises and given so much of himself to her. But Naruto had decided to let go. So why… why did she still matter so much? He shouldn't be dwelling on Sakura-chan, not when he still had so much to do and so far to go on his road to Hokage, not when Haku's life rested in his hands.

Naruto's hands tightened into fists. I don't have time for this! I need to work hard and get stronger! I can't keep moping about Sakura-chan all of the time! He had responsibilities now, and he had his dreams to consider. All dwelling on Sakura-chan did was suck away his energy and drive to move forward. He had decided to let go, and he needed to do it.

It was hard.

How could he let go of her? She was one of the most important people in his life. There was no way he could just stop caring. Naruto struggled with himself. It was for the best, a decision he made for his own sake for once, but at the same time…

Sakura-chan...

Naruto remembered the warm afternoon sun, the rustling of the autumn leaves, a sandbox and a broken castle, and in the center of it all was a weeping girl with hair like cotton candy.

He couldn't do it.

But… she had called him a monster. Naruto felt the pain scrape through him anew, slicing his emotions with shards of jagged glass. No matter what he felt, Sakura-chan hated him, so didn't that mean…

"Naruto," a voice spoke, piercing through his internal struggle. A tanned, calloused hand rested on his shoulder.

"…Iruka-sensei?" Naruto blinked slowly, his mind sluggishly returning to the present, and found Iruka's scarred face in front of him.

"What happened?" Iruka-sensei asked gently.

"What?" Naruto echoed, confused. "Nothing happened…"

"Liar," was the blunt reply. "You only space out and wear that pathetic expression when something bad happens."

Naruto scowled. He did not have any pathetic expressions. "What the hell are you talking about?" Naruto demanded, folding his arms and screwing his face up belligerently.

"Naruto," Iruka-sensei sighed, "just spit it out already. Maybe I can give you some advice to help you out."

"Nothing happened!" Naruto insisted. "I don't know what you're," Monster, "talking about…" he trailed off, his tough expression faltering.

Iruka's eyes narrowed as he studied the facial expressions Naruto's face went through. "Something happened during your mission, didn't it?" It was the best explanation Iruka could come up with, given the way Naruto's last C-rank mission had turned out.

Naruto's jaw clenched, and for a brief moment he considered spitting out another denial. Iruka-sensei's steady, concerned gaze stole Naruto's protests from his throat. His shoulders sagged slightly as he gave in to Iruka-sensei's demands. "Yeah," he admitted. Naruto studied his sandals intently. "I had to kill someone again," he whispered.

"You really have bad luck with C-rank missions, don't you?" Iruka sighed. Naruto looked up sharply, uncertain if his mentor was making fun of him or not. Iruka smiled wanly, "Why don't you tell me about it?"

"It all started when Sakura-chan woke me up in the middle of the night," Naruto began slowly. "She read something in Kakashi-sensei's scroll—the scroll we got from the camp we snuck into—and she wanted to go check it out. So we went."

Iruka's eyebrows climbed towards his hairline. "You left your team?" he asked incredulously.

Naruto flinched guiltily. "I couldn't let Sakura-chan go off on her own," he protested, trying to justify himself in front of Iruka-sensei's disapproving look. He sighed, "We found the trail Sakura-chan was looking for and followed it to the secret camp. We got in and found a bunch of information, so we took it and escaped…"

"You just took it?" Iruka asked exasperatedly. "I know you didn't listen during the classes about information gathering and espionage, but I expected better from Sakura."

Naruto frowned, a flicker of indignation rising within him. "Why not?" he demanded. "We didn't have any other way!"

"If you just take a bunch of important military documents, it's going to be noticed quickly," Iruka explained briefly. "You're supposed to copy it somehow, if you're able. If you can't do that, you need to at least conceal the theft as much as possible so that it takes them longer to discover the loss."

Naruto scowled, feeling stupid. How many things had he missed out on while skipping Iruka-sensei's classes? He should have thought of that… Why didn't Sakura-chan think of that? Naruto wondered. But what was done was done, and he knew what he should do in the future, should he ever be put in that kind of situation again. "Anyway," he continued, putting it out of his thoughts, "we ran into trouble on the way out."

Trouble, he snorted bitterly. Was that all Katsuo was? Trouble?

"Naruto?"

Naruto shook his head angrily, and plowed on with his story, "It was a guard. He spotted us, and he got suspicious when he saw the package full of documents we were carrying…"

"I see," Iruka murmured when Naruto trailed off. He was starting to see what had happened. "And then…?" Iruka prompted.

"Sakura-chan knocked him out," Naruto said quietly.

Iruka eyes widened slightly in surprise, "Sakura did?"

The genin nodded, his face becoming grim. "But he saw her hitai-ate," Naruto continued dully. "So, I had to…"

Iruka nodded slowly. So that's what happened. "You took care of it?" Iruka asked softly.

"Yeah," Naruto murmured. "I took care of it," he closed his eyes and let out a noisy breath. "She called me a monster."

There was no need for Naruto to explain who "she" was. Iruka winced, "That's…" He floundered. How could he make Naruto feel better about hearing that, and from his crush no less?

"Iruka-sensei… I did the right thing, right?"

"Naruto," Iruka breathed. He reached out and placed both hands on Naruto's shoulders, bending down to meet the boy's gaze at eyelevel. "You did the right thing," Iruka said firmly. "If you hadn't, the repercussions could have been enormous."

Naruto nodded weakly. "I know. I know that. But… still…"

Iruka's grip on Naruto's shoulders tightened. "Naruto," he said seriously, "your dream is to be Hokage. Do you know what that means?"

"What?" Naruto blinked, confused by the non sequitur.

"Shinobi do unpleasant things," Iruka said bluntly. "You can't avoid that, not unless you plan on staying a genin for your whole career. Even then, you probably can't escape it."

"I know," Naruto said solemnly.

Iruka sighed. "Of course," he nodded. "But it becomes more and more common as you advance and take on higher ranked missions. By the time you grow strong enough to become Hokage… well, you'll probably have done a lot of regretful things."

Naruto's eyes dimmed. "I don't want that!" he protested.

"Then stay a genin forever," Iruka retorted, bringing Naruto up short. "Stay a genin forever, and restrict yourself to D-rank missions. Either that, or quit being a shinobi."

"I…" Naruto looked stricken. "But…"

"Do you really think that the Hokage, of all people, can avoid making decisions that he will regret later? He bears responsibility for the whole village. A Hokage that only made decisions that he wouldn't regret would destroy Konoha through negligence." Iruka released his grip on Naruto's shoulders, "Everyone regrets things. The question isn't how to live regretting nothing, but how to make the decisions that you'll regret the least."

"Regret the least," Naruto muttered.

"Would you have regretted it less or more if you had let the soldier live, with all of the consequences that would have entailed?

"More," he replied immediately.

"There you go," Iruka straightened back to his full height. He roughly placed a hand on Naruto's head and ruffled the boy's hair. "Now stop sulking," he advised. "It doesn't suit you."

"Iruka-sensei…"

"Besides, if you keep acting so depressed, I won't treat you to ramen."

"…What?" Naruto stared.

"Well, if you forgot, then…" Iruka shrugged and opened the door to the classroom. He stepped out into the hallway and began making his way back to the faculty office.

Slowly, Naruto began to grin. "Wait, Iruka-sensei!" he yelled, taking off after his teacher. "I want beef this time!"

Thanks, Iruka-sensei.

"No way! You forgot about it, so I'm not treating you!" Iruka laughed teasingly.

No problem, Naruto.

The dead cast long shadows. Even in the warm, clear light of day, their ghosts whispered and moved through the streets. Faded white and red fans marked the way home as Uchiha Sasuke walked through the empty streets of the Uchiha clan compound. Sounds of life and commerce drifted over the wall to his right, but within the compound there was only Sasuke and the dead.

"Sasuke-chan, are you on your way to school?"

Sasuke walked slowly, his eyes fixed straight ahead. His face remained stoic as he passed houses and shops filled with bright memories. Once, they had also been filled with life, until…

"Yo, Sasuke-chan! What did you come here to buy today?"

He stopped. To his right, a worn and faded Uchiha fan was painted on the wall. Through its center was a deep crack.

"My capacity… I've lost all hope for this foolish clan."

Sasuke studiously ignored the broken fan, instead turning right and approaching his ancestral home. When he was inside, he slipped off his sandals and placed them neatly in the shoe cupboard. "I'm home," he announced quietly to the empty house.

"Welcome home, Sasuke."

He walked upstairs and dropped his pack off in his room before returning to the ground floor. Sasuke slipped his shoes on once more and left without a word, only pausing to lock the door behind him. A breeze stirred his hair as he stepped out onto the main street again, temporarily driving away the heat. Without pause, he turned left and began walking.

Five minutes later, Sasuke was standing in a small street-side florist. "I'd like some flowers," he said coolly. The old, stooped woman nodded, bringing out a bouquet dominated by lilies of various colors.

His mother had liked lilies.

Sasuke dropped several bills on the counter and took the flowers. It was a ritual they had played out many times before. He nodded briefly at the old woman and left the store.

Water rippled, sloshing about and lapping lightly against its earthen confines. The pond glittered silver in the bright afternoon sunlight. Sasuke walked along the trail, his eyes fixed ahead. To the left, in the corner of his eye, he could see a small wooden dock.

"As expected of my child."

For an instant, his step faltered.

"Don't follow your brother's path."

Sasuke's pace increased, and soon he had left the pond behind. Eventually, the long, winding path led Sasuke to a gate, flanked by worn marble pillars. Sasuke entered the gate, following the path. Stone markers bloomed from the ground in orderly patterns on either side of Sasuke, extending for a great distance on both sides. It took him several minutes to reach his destination. A massive stone memorial thrust towards the sky, casting a cool shadow over Sasuke.

He knelt, placing the flowers on the small alter. "Mother, Father… I'm back," Sasuke said quietly. It wasn't truly their grave—their bodies had been cremated and the ashes sat above the mantle back at home—but the memorial represented the Uchiha clan's dead. Sasuke liked to think that their spirits could hear him here, where generations of Uchiha had had their names inscribed on the polished granite. "Sorry I didn't come sooner. I went on another C-rank mission…" he trailed off. It sounded so absurd, next to that man's record. When he had been Sasuke's age, he had already been a chuunin for two years and had completed more than a hundred C-rank missions.

"That boy is the pride of the Uchiha clan."

Sasuke gritted his teeth. "We completed it within a few days," he forced himself to continue, "which was lucky, since Sakura and that idiot caused an incident…"

Sakura and that idiot had also gotten the information they needed to complete the mission, but Sasuke hardly felt that was relevant. It wasn't like they had done anything exceptionally difficult. He could have done it, if he had bothered to try. But he wasn't like them. He wasn't the one who had blatantly forsaken his duty to go off hunting a lead like some sort of glory hound. Not only that, but they had gotten caught and sent the Waterfall forces in the area into high alert. What kind of idiots were they?

At least Kakashi had had the good sense to give them a thorough debriefing that had doubled as a harsh tongue lashing. Sasuke would have lost all respect for the man if he had coddled them despite their foolhardy actions. He would be surprised if the two had a shred of pride left between them. As a plus, Sasuke now had a very firm grasp of what not to do during an infiltration mission. Their teacher was surprisingly informative when he was angry.

The sun was already beginning to set when Uchiha Sasuke slipped his hands into the pockets of his white shorts and walked away, the voices of the dead still murmuring in his ears.

"Are you sure you're all right, Sakura? Do you need anything?" her mother's words were muffled by the door, but Sakura could still hear the concern lacing her voice.

"I'm fine, Mom," Sakura replied, exasperated. Her mother was always so anxious about her going on missions, both before she left and when she returned. Sakura understood, she really did, but sometimes it grated on her nerves. Neither of her parents were shinobi, and they weren't familiar or particularly comfortable with Sakura's chosen profession. Her father had eventually accepted Sakura's choice, or at least he kept his worries to himself, but her mother seemed determined to smother her to death.

Sakura grimaced, thinking about her last mission. Perhaps her mother was somewhat justified this time. And the mission to the Wave hadn't turned out all that great either… But if she admitted it, her mother would have a heart attack. Sakura could imagine it well. Well, Mom, we infiltrated an army camp and stole important documents. Oh, and Naruto killed a helpless soldier... again… and I don't know if I want to do this anymore. So, do you have any advice for me? Yeah, that would turn out great.

"Well, okay," her mother said, sounding faintly disappointed. Sakura heard the floorboards creaking lightly as her mother went away. She sighed and flopped down on her bed, burying her face into her pillow.

Not long had passed since Team 7 had entered the village gates and Kakashi-sensei had disappeared, presumably heading off to report to Hokage-sama. Sasuke-kun had promptly left after that, and Sakura hadn't quite been able to work up the nerve or even the desire to ask him out. All she had really wanted to do was go home, take a hot bath, and sleep for a week. She had left Naruto standing in the middle of the street without as much as a goodbye and headed home.

Unpacking her equipment had taken all of five minutes. She had promptly taken a sinfully long, steaming hot bath and endured her parents' imitation of a debriefing after that. But finally, after a week trekking through the wilderness and skulking around, she was back in her own room. More importantly, she was back in her own bed, which felt absolutely divine after what she had endured during the mission.

Sakura sighed again, blissfully, and burrowed herself deeper into her bedding. She was clean, hot food rested comfortably in her stomach, and she was back in a real bed. Now, all that was left was a nice long nap.

Sleep would not come.

White sheets rustled as Sakura rolled over for nearly the tenth time in a half an hour. Her eyes opened and Sakura stared up at the brown wooden ceiling of her room. In the peace of her own room, she had no shield against her own thoughts. Sakura remembered the lanky young guard; she could still feel the crunch of his nose beneath her right foot, could still hear his hoarse gasps of pain and terror. Most of all, she remembered the dark crimson stains on Naruto's jacket.

Sakura nearly flinched at the memory. Her stomach churned, a cauldron bubbling with revulsion and horror. How could he…? She couldn't complete her thought. But… it didn't make sense. Naruto was… Naruto. He was loud, brash, and stupid, but he wasn't… He wasn't hurtful. Sure, he used to play pranks all of the time, but those had mostly just been stupid and occasionally funny—not spiteful. Naruto wanted to be Hokage, had the attention span of a gnat, and loved ramen so much that it was a wonder that he wasn't fatter than Chouji.

Naruto was not a killer. He was not a shinobi, not in the way Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke-kun were.

And yet Naruto had killed. The mission to Waterfall had hadn't even been his first time. There was an acute difference though. Uzumaki Naruto was not the type to think with the cold-blooded logic that was mandated by the shinobi code. He wasn't someone who would weigh consequences and courses of action and carry out his duty without passion, without emotion. Before, he had killed in the midst of battle, trying to protect himself and his team. That was the kind of person he was. He would never kill an unconscious, helpless boy, weigh him down with rocks, and drop him in a fast running stream like so much garbage… or so Sakura had believed.

She had been wrong.

After all, Naruto had admitted as much to Kakashi-sensei during their debriefing, speaking in a quiet monotone that had scraped ragged fingernails down Sakura's soul. It had made her want to slap him, curse him, beg him, hit him—anything to make him stop talking. Because… if he hadn't said it, then maybe… maybe it wouldn't have been true. Up until that moment, some part of her had clung to the hope that she had read it wrong. That the soldier had run away… That some wild beast had attacked Naruto and he'd gotten blood all over himself fighting it off… That it was all a stupid prank that Naruto was pulling…

It didn't fit! It wasn't like Naruto at all. What he had done had been brutal, cold, and almost inhuman. He hadn't been able to meet her gaze since she found him in that clearing, his clothes still damp with blood and his hands wet and worn raw. She had seen his hands like that once before, in the Wave, after...

But he had met Kakashi-sensei's gaze when he delivered his report in that dead, emotionless voice that was hardly recognizable as his own. Naruto had made the decision and carried it through, not in the heat of battle but after, while the only enemy lay unconscious and helpless. He had senselessly taken a life, and for what?! She had taken care of the guard. Their escape route had been clear. There had been no need for him to…

"Sakura, what do you think would happen if we were discovered stealing military information from Taki no Kuni?"

"War," she whispered. But we weren't caught!

"Why did you kill the guard?"

"You told me that if anyone discovered us, we needed to silence them."

"No one discovered us!" Sakura insisted to the empty room, defending herself from the silent accusations of her absent teammates. She rubbed her eyes wearily. "We didn't get caught…"

Right?

Before she saw him, she heard him. It was nothing unusual, just the sound of laughter, but it was a sound that she had become intimately familiar with. Haku's heart seemed to skip a beat as she froze at the sound. The empty takeout box slipped from her suddenly nerveless fingers, clattering as it crashed on the ground.

"Haku-san, what's wrong?" Ayame asked worriedly. Teuchi had sent them out on deliveries after the lunch rush ended, and they had been heading back to the stand when Haku had suddenly frozen. The younger girl's back was stiff and her eyes seemed to be slowly widening. Ayame dearly hoped that Haku wasn't going to have another breakdown.

Since that eventful afternoon two days ago, Haku had seemed to be fine. She had thrown herself into work with everything she had, and after work Ayame had tried to spend as much time with her as possible. At first, she had done it simply to keep an eye on her troubled friend but the more time she spent with Haku the more time she found she wanted to spend with her. It was strange to have someone to talk to about such simple things as clothing again. For the most part, Haku didn't talk much, but her quiet, often tentative comments always made Ayame smile. Whatever worries Haku had, she had hidden them well.

Haku's lips, no longer quite so pale now that she was eating, sleeping, and generally taking care of herself properly, parted and she took a hesitant step forward. Her brown eyes were fixed on some distant scene. Ayame tried to follow Haku's gaze, but couldn't spot whatever had transfixed her friend. A flash of color caught her eye.

She blinked, "Is that…?"

"Naruto-sama…" Haku breathed. An instant later, she was gone.

One minute, Naruto was walking along, chattering happily with Iruka-sensei. The next, he was staring up at the blue sky, watching the fluffy white clouds lazily drift through the air. Slowly, conscious thought began to pierce through his sudden acute mental fog. He was vaguely aware of Iruka-sensei saying something. It's kind of hard to breathe, he thought, and puzzled over that for several moments. It was also kind of warm, and for some reason it was hard to get up.

Naruto looked down as distinctive sounds began to differentiate themselves from each other once again to his ears. The throbbing in the back of his head receded as he took in his dark-haired assailant, who was currently sobbing into his chest, arms locked tightly around him like a vice. "Haku…?" he ventured, wheezing as her arms constricted further.

Haku looked up and gave him a watery, trembling smile even as tears fell freely from her eyes. "Naruto-sama..." she sobbed, burying her face back into his jacket. To Haku, it was as if all of her fears and quiet terrors had been washed away. Naruto-sama was back. Everything would be all right. Her life had light again, a purpose for existing beyond waiting and doubting and remembering. The choking darkness that had swallowed her whole, terrorized her for days and nights on end, had been banished as if it never were.

Why had she ever let him go away without her? Naruto-sama could go where he pleased, but she should be with him. What use was she as a weapon, as a tool, if her wielder could not use her when he needed her? The more she thought about it, the more it made sense to Haku. She belonged by his side, in his shadow, not wasting away in a village that had no meaning to her while Naruto-sama risked his life. That darkness, that despair… Haku didn't know if she could survive it again. She was no use to him like that.

Haku tightened her hold on Naruto, her tears beginning to fade as she decided.

I will follow you forever, Haku resolved, looking up and meeting Naruto-sama's confused blue eyes once more. I will never let you go alone into danger again.

Iruka had instinctively drawn a kunai when a shinobi had suddenly appeared in front of them and dive-tackled Naruto. He had already begun moving, ready to wrest the attacker away from his former student with lethal force, when he recognized the black-haired, white-clothed shinobi. Haku, he realized and forcefully checked his advance. Iruka straightened and surreptitiously slipped the kunai back into its holster.

"Naruto, are you all right?" Iruka asked, seeing the boy's dazed expression slowly clearing. Naruto had hit his head on the hard-packed dirt surface of the road after being knocked down by Haku. It hadn't been hard enough for Iruka to seriously worry—they were shinobi, after all. Besides, as his teacher, Iruka could attest to Naruto's hard-headedness. But the boy had been dazed…

"Hey, look at that," someone whispered from behind Iruka. He frowned, looking around to find many bystanders staring at the pair on the ground. Iruka doubted that many of their whispered comments were kind.

"Haku-san," Iruka said urgently, "you need to get off of Naruto." Either the girl didn't hear him or she was good at ignoring him, but she showed no intention of extricating herself from her position. "Haku-san!" he hissed. She ignored him. Iruka switched tactics. "Naruto," Iruka called, drawing Naruto's attention.

"Iruka-sensei?" Naruto muttered, blinking.

"You need to get up," Iruka told him, jerking his head to indicate the many gawkers around them. Naruto's eyes widened and he nodded.

"Haku," Naruto whispered urgently, "could you let me up?" Immediately, the girl let go of him, stood, and began wiping the tears off her face with the sleeve of her white samue. Iruka's jaw tightened at her swift compliance with Naruto's request. Ignoring me, huh? But his annoyance was only partially because of her display.

Haku was a mystery. As a shinobi, that alone was enough to irritate Iruka. But he was also a teacher who cared for his students and… well, he cared for Naruto a lot. The boy was a reflection of himself when he had been younger, and Iruka remembered what it felt like to feel alone. He also vividly recalled the yearning that accompanied it. To have someone appear in his life and make the loneliness go away… he had desired that with all of his heart after his parents had died. If such a person had appeared when he had been at his lowest point, Iruka would have latched onto them with everything he had…

That was why he didn't trust Haku. Naruto had told him how they had met and the events that had followed, but Iruka still didn't truly know much about her. Naruto was susceptible to anyone that would show him attention and affection. Naruto's vulnerability loomed high in Iruka's mind whenever he thought of Haku. It was entirely possible that she was an enemy and that she was using Naruto.

That was unforgivable.

Iruka knew that he didn't have enough information, much less proof, to form a solid base for conclusions. That was the only reason he refrained from having a "talk" with Haku about Naruto. If Hokage-sama didn't think there was a problem, Iruka had no choice but to agree… for the moment. Kakashi had also been flippant about Iruka's suspicions, but then again what did that bastard know anyway?

Naruto stood and brushed himself off. He looked up at Haku when he was done, taking note of her puffy eyes and elated smile, as well as her odd clothing. Why is she dressed like Ayame-neechan and Teuchi-occhan? Shrugging it off as unimportant, Naruto smiled awkwardly at Haku.

"I'm back," he said simply.

What else could he say? Naruto had no idea how he was supposed to reply to Haku's greeting or the emotions she had shown with her actions. Had his absence really meant that much to her? Could she really be that happy about his return that she would cry? If that was true, then he… well… he really had no idea how he was supposed to feel about it. Naruto felt happy that someone might actually care that much about him. It also made him feel a bit scared. If she cared that much, if she relied on his presence that much, what would happen to her if he was gone for a long time or if he got hurt? Naruto had never had anyone place so much importance on him. How could he possibly live up to her expectations, to the responsibility he had towards her? What happened when… if he failed?

Naruto had no answers. That was why he stood there in an uncomfortable silence, smiling in what was hopefully a reassuring way while she regained control over herself.

"Welcome back," Haku said softly, her voice laden with emotion. She hiccupped and blushed in embarrassment.

"Haku-san!" a familiar female voice called. Ayame jogged up to them and came to a halt, her cheeks flushed with exertion and her breath coming out in short gasps. "What are you…?" she trailed off, seeming to notice Naruto and Iruka standing near Haku for the first time. "Naruto-kun!" Ayame exclaimed, smiling brightly. "You're back!"

"Ah, yeah," Naruto rubbed the back of his head, "I just got back a few hours ago."

"That's great!" Ayame enthused. Naruto-kun had returned safely; maybe now Haku would cheer up.

Iruka cleared his throat loudly, grabbing Naruto and Ayame's attention. Haku still seemed deaf and blind to anything that didn't involve Naruto. "We should get going," Iruka said, pointedly gesturing to their impromptu audience.

Naruto glanced around uneasily and nodded. "Yeah," he agreed. His eyes lit on the two takeout cases Ayame was carrying. "I'll take those," Naruto said and took them from her.

"But…" Ayame protested weakly.

Naruto had already turned and begun walking. "Let's go," he called over his shoulder. Haku immediately snapped out of her euphoric daze and hurried after him. Iruka followed at a more sedate pace, his brown eyes focused suspiciously on Haku's back, with Ayame trailing just behind him.

When they reached Ichiraku, Naruto grinned happily and handed the takeout containers back to Ayame. "Yo, occhan!" he called cheerfully.

"Naruto, huh?" Teuchi greeted gruffly, his tone belying the upward quirk of his lips.

Naruto sat down and Iruka soon joined him, taking the stool to Naruto's right against the wall. His smile faded into confusion as Haku appeared behind the counter, her hands busy tying her long black hair back with a white handkerchief. "Haku…?"

She smiled, "Yes? What can I get you, Naruto-sama?"

"What are you doing?" Naruto asked, bewildered.

Ayame moved to stand next to Haku. "Haku-san is working here part-time," Ayame explained.

"…Why?"

Haku's smile withered and she looked down at the countertop, her hands nervously twisting her blue apron. "I don't want to be a burden anymore," she said quietly. "Ever since I came to Konoha, I've just been a burden to you. I wanted to change that, so I asked Teuchi-san to hire me."

"You aren't a burden," Naruto protested.

"I am!" Haku flushed and quickly looked down again, embarrassed by her outburst. "You've fed me and given me a place to stay," Haku continued in a softer voice. "You've paid for everything, and I even went and… that grocer…" she trailed off uncertainly, biting her lip.

"Ah, that," Naruto sighed. "It's all right," Naruto forced a smile. "I'll work something out."

Haku looked up. "You know?" she asked anxiously.

Naruto nodded, "Hokage-ojiichan told me."

"Naruto-sama…" Haku whispered. Abruptly, she bowed low, bending at the waist until Naruto could only see the top of her head. "I apologize," she said earnestly, her tone formal. "Because of my actions, you have been put in this position. Please, tell me how to make it up to you!"

"Haku," Naruto frowned, "stand up." Her back straightened immediately, and she stood stiffly as if at attention. Naruto sighed. "It's not your fault," he said gently. Naruto squirmed uncomfortably, trying frantically to think of what he should say. "I… it's my fault."

"No!" Haku insisted, her eyes wide with horror that he should even suggest such a thing.

"Yes," Naruto countered. "If I hadn't been there, it never would have happened. Besides, I stood by and watched while it happened. I could have said or done something, but I didn't."

She shook her head in denial. "Naruto-sama, I was the one who…"

"Stop," he cut her off. "It'll be fine, all right? So just… stop."

Haku stared at him, her eyes glimmering with emotion. Naruto fervently hoped that she wouldn't cry again. "Yes," she said finally, nodding once in acceptance.

"You decided to start working to help Naruto out?" Iruka asked suddenly.

Both Naruto and Haku blinked, startled. They had nearly forgotten that they weren't alone. "Yes," Haku confirmed cautiously.

Iruka frowned thoughtfully. It could be the action of an infiltrator, seeking to blend into Konoha's society and win more trust and gratitude from Naruto. But then, it could just as easily be something done out of true caring for Naruto. He didn't know what to think. Yet when he replayed her words, heard again the raw emotion in her voice, and her actions, the dismay and fear etched on her face… it was becoming increasingly hard to believe that she might be an enemy. Iruka knew that it was entirely possible that she was good enough to fool him, that his instincts were wrong, but at the same time he felt…

Maybe she can be trusted, Iruka thought reluctantly. Not completely, of course, but perhaps he could give her some of the benefit of the doubt. He was a shinobi, and he was still alive, which together almost had to mean that he was either paranoid or incredibly lucky. Iruka knew that he wasn't very lucky, just like he knew that it would be a long time before he trusted Haku very much. For the moment though, he could accept her presence in Naruto's life. He would still watch her like a hawk eyeing a rabbit, but he could accept her.

"I see," Iruka finally nodded.

"Iruka-sensei?" Naruto asked, once again feeling confused. What does he see?

"It's nothing," Iruka said dismissively. He smiled faintly at Haku, "Take care of him."

"Huh?" Naruto voiced.

Haku looked startled. Slowly, Iruka's words seemed to sink in and she beamed. "Yes!"

"Also, I'd like a bowl of miso ramen."

"Right away!"

Dim white moonlight shone through the glass window of Naruto's bedroom, faintly illuminating the opposite wall and casting long, eerie shadows throughout the room. Naruto rolled over, trying to find a comfortable position to lie in. Sleep eluded him. He shifted his legs, flexing tired muscles, trying to adjust the way the sheets fell across them. Naruto glanced at the clock. 3:39, he sighed unhappily, knowing that he would be feeling his lack of sleep later.

Naruto needed to sleep. He was tired, and he had been looking forward to sleeping in his own bed again after a week of tree roots, rocks, and—one very unfortunate night—an anthill. Yet, at the same time, he didn't want to sleep. Naruto dreaded what he knew awaited for him in his dreams, feared seeing the broken bodies and haunting faces slack in death. He was terrified of hearing Meizu's shrieks of agony, of feeling Haku's warm blood on his hands, of once again hearing a letter, crumpled and stained red, narrated by a dead man in his mind.

Dear Hikari…

Inevitably, he saw Sakura-chan's poisonous green gaze again, as her shock and horror evolved into rage and disgust. Monster, she whispered in his mind, a macabre chorus to Katsuo's own accusing narration.

Naruto shifted positions again, sheets rustling quietly as he moved.

"Naruto-sama?" Haku's voice prompted Naruto to open his eyes. He blinked, focusing his gaze towards the end of his bed. Haku stood, a rumpled white yukata draped loosely over her slender frame. It was one of several items of clothing that Haku had brought with her from the Wave, a gift from her nurse, Kanako.

"What's up?" he asked uncomfortably.

It was odd, having someone else living in his apartment. But it was distinctly uncomfortable for him to share his sleeping space with Haku. It felt strange, almost alien, and a part of him faintly resented her intrusion. No matter how glad he was to finally have someone to come home to, there was still a part of his mind that was weary of being around another person all day, every day.

It was strange. He had spent most of his life wishing for someone, anyone, to be his friend, to laugh with him, to cry with him, to keep the darkness away, and now that he had finally found precious people all he wanted was to be left alone. Didn't they see that he didn't want to talk about it anymore? He didn't want to lose any more precious people.

Naruto had long ago accepted that the world expected… no, wanted him to fail. He had spent many tears while wondering why, wondering what was wrong with him. He hadn't understood it, and then... Naruto had laid eyes on a little girl with the prettiest pink hair laughing and playing alone in a sandbox with nothing but sand and dreams. He had wanted to be her so badly—to be happy and carefree and… Then those other girls had come and stepped on her castles, her dreams given form, and she hadn't been happy anymore. He had known then. There wasn't anything wrong with him. There wasn't anything wrong with the girl weeping alone amidst the crumpled castles.

It was the world that was wrong.

How could it possibly be right, that eyes so bright with simple joy and contentment—eyes greener than the leaves cloaking his secret hiding place, and just as pretty as her hair—should be full of anguished tears?

The world was wrong.

At the time, he had been too scared, too frozen with indecision, to do anything about it. Even then he had known that he could have done… something… to help her. He could have made the world right again, at least a little bit… at least for her. He hadn't, but he had resolved that he would in the future.

He would become Hokage.

Naruto would make the world right. He would make it so that children like him, like that girl, wouldn't have to cry unhappy tears. He had vowed to keep those green eyes from crying. Later, he had vowed to run straight down the path of no regret. He had broken both of those promises. The angry tears on Sakura's face and Katsuo's dead voice haunted him.

Naruto didn't want to be alone again. He had no desire to experience that dark, empty hell ever again. But it hurt. The cold glare in Sakura's eyes whenever she looked at him hurt. Right now, all he wanted was to forget. Forget the blood stained letter on the nightstand. Forget piercing, poisonous green eyes. Forget that he couldn't become Hokage without breaking his promises. Forget everything.

Forgetting was turning out to be surprisingly difficult while dealing with so many other people. Naruto would never give Haku, Iruka-sensei, or Team 7 up for anything. They were his precious people, and their presence in his life meant more to him than he could possibly express.

Still, he occasionally wished he could have a short break from dealing with them all. Naruto had had more time to himself than he had wished for most of his life, but now that he had people to share his time with he found himself occasionally wishing to have some temporary solitude. He didn't understand it at all, but that wasn't anything new.

Naruto didn't understand a lot of things. He didn't understand why others refused to acknowledge the supremacy of the color orange. Or why everyone seemed to be obsessed with Sasuke. Or why Haku had agreed to follow him. He didn't understand why she was now doing her best to become his shadow. She had spent the entire afternoon following him around, adamantly refusing to let him out of her sight, almost as if she was afraid he would disappear.

Her newfound resolve to not leave his side even for a moment applied even after they had returned home. Thus, Naruto was unsurprised to see Haku lurking at the foot of his bed. Normally, she slept on his beat-up brown couch in the living room—he had tried to offer her the bed, but she had stubbornly refused all his attempts to be chivalrous—but tonight she had calmly walked into his room and laid out a futon at the foot of his bed.

Flustered, Naruto had protested, but he had quickly learned that Haku's ability to ignore things she didn't want to hear was formidable indeed. In the end, too tired both emotionally and physically to argue with his usual fervor, he had simply given in, reasoning that it was simpler and less stressful to simply let her have her way. It wasn't helping him get any sleep though.

"You cannot sleep?" Haku asked softly.

"I'm fine," Naruto quickly retorted. "How come you aren't sleeping?"

"You have been restless for several hours now," she frowned. "I am… concerned."

Naruto's lips tightened briefly into a thin line as guilt abruptly reared its ugly head. "I'm fine, really," he repeated quietly. "I was just thinking about some things."

"What things?" Haku promptly queried.

He winced. I really set myself up there. Naruto had done his best to avoid the subject of his latest mission all night. If he was honest with himself, he could acknowledge that he was a bit—just a bit—scared of how she would take his actions. It was a stupid fear; he knew that. Haku was one his precious people. She would understand, just like Iruka-sensei had.

Sakura-chan didn't understand, a voice within him whispered.

Thinking logically wasn't always one of Naruto's strong suites, but he was trying hard, even for things as mundane and trivial as his own emotions. Still, he couldn't quite get over his hesitation. But… looking at Haku, seeing her brown eyes gazing at him full of what he thought was concern, the wrinkles in the pale bridge of her nose as she frowned… He could practically feel the guilt tightening its grip around his stomach, a constrictor coiling around its prey.

Damn it, Naruto thought wearily. "I was thinking about my last mission," Naruto admitted with a sigh, resigning himself to telling Haku the truth.

Haku remained silent, waiting for him to continue, but Naruto could see her lean forward slightly in eagerness. For a moment, he could have sworn that he literally saw her curiosity reflected in her eyes, but that could just as easily have been the moonlight.

Naruto hesitated, swallowing the lump in his throat, before continuing. "We found this scroll," he began slowly. He stumbled through the explanation he had given Iruka-sensei earlier, all the while looking down at the rumpled white sheets of his bed. Haku didn't interrupt him, didn't make a sound, but Naruto still couldn't quite bring himself to look at her.

When he was finished, he sat still in the silence that followed. The chirruping songs of the cicadas suddenly seemed very loud in the quite of his bedroom. Naruto finally mustered the nerve to look up. Haku was looking at him with an oddly gentle expression on her face.

She smiled slightly as their eyes met. "Was it the first time you've had to kill in cold blood, Naruto-sama?"

"I… what?" Naruto stared at her. Of all of the things he had expected her to say, of all of the reactions he had considered, he hadn't thought of this. The look on her face was regretful, but it was also somewhat wistful. Naruto thought that she seemed slightly proud for a moment, but he must have been mistaken.

He considered her question. It was true. Before, no matter how bad he had felt afterwards, he had been able to claim self-defense. He had protected himself and defended his team. But while Katsuo might have caused Team 7 and Konoha a great deal of anguish if he had lived to tell his tale, he hadn't been an immediate threat to either Naruto or Sakura. Moreover, there might have been some other way to solve the problem.

That was the problem. There might have been… It was a phrase that haunted him. 'What if' and 'might have been' hounded him, determined to drag his mind down and tear him to pieces with guilt and loathing. There might have been another way. That was true. However, in the end, it had come down to Naruto to make the decision. He had weighed the situation with all of the gravity and thoughtfulness he could muster, and he had chosen what he felt was the best course of action.

There was nothing and no one to blame except himself. There had been no interference from the Kyuubi, no demonic, bloodthirsty influences pressuring him. No poison had clouded his thoughts or impaired his judgment. Uzumaki Naruto had placed Katsuo's life on the scales. He alone had decided that Katsuo's life had been worth less than the trouble he could cause if he had lived. Then… he had followed through.

The circumstances alone made it more horrifying than anything he had ever done before. Even worse for Naruto were the memories he carried, etched into his brain with blood that burned like fire. Unlike his previous kills, there was nothing to shield him from the full force of his actions. He had made the decision and carried out the deed while in full control of all of his faculties. It's for the best, he had reasoned grimly, and it was that thought that kept him sane.

It had been for the best. It had to be. If it hadn't… Naruto didn't know if he could take it. He hated what he had done, loathed the way blood was irrevocably stained on his soul, and despised the way his dreams had become so dim and fragile. But it had been for Sakura-chan, for his team, for the Konoha represented by Iruka-sensei, Ayame-neechan, Teuchi-occhan, and Sandaime-ojiichan. It was for Konohamaru and his two new friends, for all of the stupid, laughing little kids just starting the Academy, still full of dreams and determination and ignorance, just like he had been not so long ago.

Just like he wished he still was.

"Naruto-sama?" Haku asked, her worried voice breaking him out of his introspection.

Naruto blinked slowly and recalled her question. "Yeah," he agreed softly, nodding. "It was my first time… like that." He looked down at his hands contemplatively.

"Becoming a true shinobi is difficult, isn't it, Naruto-sama?" Naruto started at Haku's quiet question. Her words immediately brought back memories from a time that seemed so far away, despite the fact that not much time had passed since that battle.

"A true shinobi?" he echoed.

She nodded. "It's hard for me, too," she admitted. Haku looked right, gazing out the window for a long moment. "Zabuza-san was always disappointed with me for that," she said softly, nostalgically. "He said that I was too kind, too soft, to be a true shinobi. I didn't want to be killed, but I didn't want to kill either. But… the shinobi world isn't kind enough to allow that kind of thinking for long."

"Haku…" Naruto trailed off awkwardly, uncertain of what to say. She was in a strange mood, one that he couldn't quite pin down, and the subject of their conversation made him distinctly uncomfortable.

"To be of any use to Zabuza-san, to make his dreams come true, I had to learn how to kill my heart. I could not afford to be kind. For Zabuza-san's sake, I was able to become a true shinobi." Her eyes dropped to the floor, her hands fisting in the cloth of her yukata, "But… it was hard."

Naruto took a deep, shuddering breath. "Yeah," he agreed. "It's hard."

"Even so…" Haku whispered. "Even so… I can do it. For my precious people, I can kill." She looked up, the tension flowing out of her muscles, and smiled at Naruto. Her eyes glimmered eerily in the moonlight. "Naruto-sama, for your sake, I would…"

"No," Naruto said quickly, cutting her off. He didn't want to hear it. "I don't want that," he looked away, unable to meet her gaze any longer.

He heard her sigh softly, and then the bed creaked as she crawled up to him. Startled, Naruto's head whipped around to look at her, only to find her right in front of him. He flinched at her closeness.

"Naruto-sama," she whispered, holding his gaze earnestly. "You are my most precious person. My dreams, my hopes… I want to protect you. I want to help you. I want to fight for you," she continued quietly, sincerely. The intensity in her voice held Naruto still and silent. A chill gripped him, as he recalled her words on the bridge. She smiled. "I want to make your dreams come true," she murmured. "For that, I can become a true shinobi. For your sake…"

Don't say it!

"…I will kill."

Naruto stared into her eyes, goose bumps crawling up his arms. Abruptly, he realized that having Haku as a follower meant far, far more than he had ever considered. Shaken by her words, all Naruto could do was nod. Haku smiled brightly, apparently satisfied by his acceptance, and returned to her futon.

"Goodnight, Naruto-sama," Haku murmured. "Please try to get some sleep."

"'night," he said quietly, settling down on his back and wrapping his sheets tightly around himself. He stared at the ceiling, feeling colder than he had in a long time.

It was a long time before he finally fell asleep.

Dawn came and went. The sun made its steady climb into the sky with its usual plodding, inexorable pace. The morning chatter of birds slowly trailed off. Oppressive rays of sunlight beat down on the genin of Team 7 as they waited in various positions on top of the bridge at their usual meeting place. Even though they had just returned the day before from a C-rank mission, Kakashi's genin cell received no break. Uchiha Sasuke scowled, his arms crossed as he leaned against the red railing of the bridge. Kakashi… It was a thought filled with venom.

"He's late!" Sakura complained angrily, far too close to him for comfort, for what must have been the twenty-third time. Not that he would bother counting how many times his teammates made inane comments.

Unusually, Naruto didn't seem inclined to echo her. Normally the two were like a duet of irritated bears being stung by bees for hours on end, slowly simmering with rage as they were poked and stung until they exploded with very loud and very vocal displays of displeasure. Today the dobe was being quiet, which was in itself rather disquieting. Sasuke couldn't remember anything good happening while Naruto was quiet, aside from the silence itself.

But then, Naruto had been oddly reticent around Sakura ever since they had come back from their stunt in Waterfall Country and begun heading home. Sakura had taken to actively avoiding her blond teammate, a striking reversal of her recent attitude towards the dobe. A few times, Sasuke had thought that he had seen genuine animosity—as well as a slew of other emotions, none of them good—in Sakura's eyes when she had looked at Naruto, but he must have been mistaken. Irritation, yes, he had seen and heard that plenty of times from her, but actual antipathy towards Naruto was not like her, especially given the way they seemed to have grown closer since the Wave mission.

Sasuke had been, and still was, curious about the cause behind their strange behavior. He wasn't curious enough to actually ask them, of course, but if they ever happened to let something slip he wasn't averse to listening in. It didn't matter, though, as long as the change in their dynamics didn't affect him. They could do whatever they wanted, as long as they kept from interfering with his ambition.

He sent a sidelong glance at the third—or fifth, to be accurate—wheel of Team 7. The biggest downside to returning to Konoha was that he once again had to endure Haku's presence. Despite the several months that had passed since their battle, Sasuke still couldn't quite contain the instinctive flash of frustration that surged through him when he thought of her. Recalling his defeat always left him with a bitter taste in his mouth. If he was so weak as to lose against Haku, how much stronger had he really become? What was he doing wrong, if the gap between him and that man was still so wide?

The Sharingan was his biggest step so far in crossing that gulf. Extensive practice, and a few off-handed comments by Kakashi, had allowed Sasuke to evolve the second tomoe in his left eye. Sasuke knew that he was still a long way away from mastering the Sharingan, but his eyes had at least reached the intermediate level, even if he still needed more practice to utilize them to their full capacity. He was eager to test his eyes in battle, and he was sure that if he had obtained the Sharingan earlier he would have been able to beat Haku. Unfortunately, he hadn't been able to prove that. All of his attempts to challenge her to a rematch had been politely rebuffed, if not outright ignored.

His skin tingled with phantom pain, recalling being pierced and torn by dozens of cold needles. Sasuke had earned dozens of little scars from that battle, the first true marks of combat to adorn his body. They were little more than pale patches on his skin, mere shadows of the bloody holes and gashes they had been, but he felt their presence acutely. The scars were a permanent sign of his failure, his weakness, and they would never let him forget his defeat.

No. Sasuke shook his head, purging his mind of thoughts of defeat. He was still alive. As long as he lived, defeat would turn into victory one day. As long he was alive…

"If you want to kill me, despise me, hate me, and survive in an unsightly way. Run, run, and cling to life… Then, one day…"

…he could still kill that man.

"Yo, everyone," a cheerful voice called down from above. Kakashi was crouched atop the nearest red torii gate to Sasuke's left, his left hand raised casually in greeting.

"You're late," Sakura growled. Naruto twitched, probably containing an outburst of his own.

"Sorry, sorry, but I forgot to eat breakfast this morning, so…"

"It's after noon, sensei," Sakura said flatly.

Kakashi ignored her, leaping down from his perch. "Anyway, here," he thrust out his right hand, which was clutching three nondescript brown envelopes, "is your pay for the mission."

The dobe darted towards Kakashi. "Really!?" Naruto asked excitedly. He snatched an envelope and opened it eagerly. Naruto's expression fell as he finished counting the bills. Sasuke snorted at his greedy antics and walked forward to collect his share.

When their pay had all been distributed, Kakashi cleared his throat, bringing four pairs of eyes to focus on him. "Also, I got this," his eye closed in good humor as he reached into one of his pockets and pulled out three more envelopes. Kakashi proffered them to his students, who eyed them suspiciously for several moments before cautiously accepting. None of them believed that Kakashi was above pulling a prank on them.

"What is it, sensei?" Sakura asked, voicing their collective thoughts.

"Maa… just open it and see," he replied happily.

Reluctantly, they opened the envelopes. "Kakashi-sensei, this is…!" Naruto was too overcome with emotion to properly articulate his thoughts.

Kakashi hesitated, glancing briefly at the silent, smiling Haku standing several paces behind Naruto. His good humor faded.

"Sensei…?" Sakura prompted questioningly.

"Well… it's a payment from Kirigakure," Kakashi explained somberly. Naruto's expression of glee vanished. Behind him, Haku started and focused intently on Kakashi.

"What for?" Sasuke asked curiously.

Kakashi sighed. "It's a reward from Kirigakure for killing Zabuza, split four ways," Kakashi said quietly, feeling fairly awkward at discussing what was essentially blood-money for Zabuza's head in Haku's presence. He wasn't completely tactless, despite what Sakura and Naruto might have said about him.

Naruto stared at the envelope in his hand, at the profusion of bills and zeros peeking out of it, his elation drained away. With this, combined with the mission payment, he would have just enough to pay off his debts. Somehow, he didn't feel happy about it. Zabuza may have been an evil bastard, but he had also been Haku's most precious person for many years. Because of him, Naruto had been able to meet her. How could he feel good about taking money for that No-brow's death?

"Sensei," Sakura spoke up, "shouldn't his bounty be bigger than this? I mean, he was an A-ranked nukenin, right?"

"It should," Kakashi acknowledged, "but that's not his bounty."

"Why not?" she asked, feeling somewhat indignant. Hadn't they risked their lives against Zabuza? Didn't they deserve the bounty?

"Konoha doesn't accept bounties from other nations," Kakashi explained. "That way, our shinobi aren't tempted to clean up some other village's mess rather than focusing on our own missing-nin."

"So what is this then, if it isn't a bounty?"

"It's…"

Naruto tuned them out, frowning. Just because it wasn't an official bounty didn't mean they weren't being paid for killing Zabuza. Hesitantly, Naruto turned and looked at Haku. Her face was set in a neutral expression as she stared at Kakashi. Haku's eyes flickered to rest on Naruto after she registered his movement. She struggled to put a smile on her face despite the turmoil she felt. The corners of her lips turned upwards.

Zabuza-san.

Team 7 was being paid by Kirigakure for killing Zabuza-san. Hatake Kakashi was being rewarded for killing Zabuza-san. It was almost incomprehensible. A horrible, dark rage boiled inside of Haku. Her fingers twitched and her wrist flexed as she unconsciously readied herself to launch senbon that she didn't have. All Haku could think about was the infuriating masked ninja standing before her, clutching his reward for Zabuza-san's head with his greedy, bloody fingers. He was smirking at her behind his mask, taunting her, trying to goad her so that he could finish the job. But she would not be easy prey for him.

She would kill him. Zabuza-san would be avenged.

"Haku?" Naruto asked uncertainly, sensing the fury rising behind her eyes.

It was as if he had thrown a bucket of ice water at her. Haku's eyes widened and her back stiffened. She shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself. "Naruto-sama…" she murmured finally. "I…" Haku trailed off, shivering again.

Naruto eyed her, uncertainty changing into concern, "What's wrong?"

"It is… nothing," she answered softly, looking down to study her feet. What had come over her? She had come within a hair's breadth of attacking Naruto-sama's jounin-sensei. If she had not come to her senses, she could very well have died for a sudden whim and a fit of paranoia. Worse, her actions would have put Naruto-sama in even more trouble. What is wrong with me? Haku bit her lip. I need to gain control over myself. I cannot keep doing this… I am no use to Naruto-sama if this keeps happening to me.

Kakashi studied Naruto and Haku thoughtfully. For a moment, he had been sure that Haku would attack him. The girl had been ready to spring for his throat before Naruto had spoken. If he had known that Zabuza was still such a touchy subject, he would have tried harder to sidestep the topic.

Kakashi's dark eye rested on Naruto. He was worried about his blond student. Of the three, Sasuke was arguably the most fragile mentally, but Naruto had been under the most pressure ever since the Wave mission. The recent mission had definitely affected the boy significantly, and not in a good way. Naruto was clearly in emotional distress, but Kakashi wasn't sure what he should do about it. On top of that, Haku seemed to be more unstable than a lit explosive seal.

But there wasn't anything Kakashi could really do about it. Naruto had already dealt with his first kill and its aftermath. In time, he would get over the death of the guard. The problem was Sakura. Whatever had passed between them had scarred them both. Sakura still wasn't speaking to Naruto, but that didn't worry him too much. Sakura had always been a bit spirited as far as Naruto was concerned—it had often kept him entertained over the last few months. What worried him was that Naruto had started avoiding her in turn. That, more than anything, spoke of changes within the blonde genin, and Kakashi wasn't at all sure they were for the better. Worse, it was affecting their teamwork.

Every team had its pair of trouble makers, had ninjas who just couldn't seem to get along. That was fine as far as Kakashi was concerned. Bonds built that way tended to be the strongest. Kakashi's eyes lidded for a moment in remembrance. The Copy Ninja sighed and pushed the tide of memories back, centering his thoughts back on the present. He had pegged Naruto and Sasuke as such a pair, but perhaps Naruto and Sakura would have been a more accurate guess. Kakashi had held high hopes for their training sessions. For a while, he had started to believe that they were really starting to understand teamwork and take their jobs seriously.

The mission to Waterfall had destroyed all of that. Naruto and Sakura's teamwork was worse than ever and Naruto's downcast state was just depressing. Without Naruto's enthusiasm, Team 7 had plunged into a gloomy mood… again. Their half-hearted responses to his jokes weren't helping either, and Sakura hadn't even twitched when he had playfully suggested a way she could 'help out.'

If anything, Sakura was making things worse. While Naruto was depressed and conflicted in the aftermath of Team 7's latest mission, Sakura was almost traumatized. The girl was getting even less sleep than Naruto was, given the way the improvement in her endurance that had so impressed him on the way to Waterfall had been replaced by dark circles under her eyes and sluggish movements on their journey home. What little sleep she was getting seemed to be plagued by nightmares. Kakashi had caught her lying shivering in her sleeping bag in the nights that followed the aftermath of her foray into glory. Naruto had nightmares too, but he hardly ever woke from them anymore, and he had been dealing with them ever since the battle on the bridge—and perhaps even longer, given what Kakashi knew of his life before Team 7. Sakura having nightmares was new; it bothered Kakashi.

Her teammates hadn't noticed, but it was Kakashi's job to watch for such things. Sakura may not have killed anyone, but her actions had directly led to Naruto's own, and Sakura was no doubt grappling with that fact. Kakashi's own words to her probably hadn't helped her inner turmoil. Kakashi thought that it was most likely a combination of crippling guilt, self-doubt, and revulsion for both Naruto's actions and her own, based on his own training and experiences with young shinobi and Sakura's psychological profile.

His team was in a precarious situation, given that two out of three of his genin were being consumed by doubts and recriminations. They would probably start second-guessing themselves soon, which could become deadly if they didn't recover quickly. That wasn't even accounting for their teamwork. If things didn't start improving soon, he might have to reconsider recommending them for the Chuunin Exams.

Kakashi had no idea what to do. He had already said all he wanted to say to them. Sakura wouldn't recover—couldn't be allowed to recover, really—until she came to terms with Naruto's actions and her role in them. Being a ninja, a soldier, of Konoha was not a game, and it was time she stopped playing at it. Naruto probably wouldn't truly get better until Sakura tried to bridge the chasm that had opened up between them. Sasuke would be no help at all with that. His pride and tunnel-vision towards his goal left him incapable to approaching his teammates honestly on his own, and in any case he had all of the emotional sensitivity of a snake.

Sasuke could sense and identify fear and hatred, as well as other negative emotions, but outside of that he was largely useless with emotions. He wasn't honest with himself, he was too proud to take the first step even if he acknowledged that he wanted to, and even then his ambitions left him with little regard for such "frivolous" pursuits. Sasuke was an avenger, and all of Kakashi's understanding of the boy pointed to the fact that he wouldn't be of any help with the team's current crisis.

Well, neither am I, Kakashi thought sardonically. He sighed. In the end, it would be up to Naruto and Sakura to solve their own problems. Besides, if he interfered successfully, when would they learn to stand on their own? As shinobi, they would face many internal conflicts; it was best for them to learn how to deal with them now, while they were still genin. The longer it took for them to learn that lesson, the more dangerous it was. It was far better for them to learn it now, rather than on a mission where their lives and those of their teammates hung in the balance.

Kakashi cleared his throat. "Well, that's it for today," he announced. "We'll meet again tomorrow at…" he trailed off, tilting his head thoughtfully. Maybe it would be best to give them another day of rest. "Tomorrow at noon," Kakashi continued generously. He waited for a beat, expecting a display of gratitude. "Dismissed," he said finally, slightly disappointed with the reactions, or lack thereof, of his students.

Sasuke grunted and walked away, his hands stuffed casually in his pockets. Sakura silently followed a moment later, her gaze distant. Soon only Naruto and Haku were left with Kakashi on the bridge. Haku was still studying the cracks in the cement of the bridge, while Naruto alternatively watched her worriedly and considered the money in his hands.

Slowly, Kakashi approached Naruto and tapped him on the shoulder. Naruto started slightly. "Kakashi-sensei?"

The jounin hesitated, uncertain about his intent. He glanced at Naruto's haggard face, at Haku's pensive expression, and sighed. "Here," Kakashi said, handing another envelope to Naruto.

"What…?" Naruto stared at him, confused.

Kakashi smiled, "It's my share. I'm giving it to you."

Immediately, Naruto thrust the envelope back. "I can't…" he protested, shaking his head.

"You've been fined, right?" Kakashi interrupted him.

Naruto looked away, "You heard about that?"

"Maa… just take it, Naruto. It's a gift."

"Kakashi-sensei…" Naruto trailed off, speechless. Abruptly, he felt a swell of gratitude towards his sensei. His previous dissatisfaction with Kakashi-sensei seemed even pettier in light of the man's generous gift. Kakashi-sensei was lazy and a pervert, he never seemed to really want to train Naruto, and occasionally he favored Sasuke… but he looked out for his students. He did care, in his own strange way.

"Thanks, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto said earnestly, grinning.

Kakashi's eye curved, "You're welcome." He stepped past Naruto and began to walk across the bridge. His eye met Haku's suspicious gaze and he nodded to her as he passed. "See you tomorrow," he waved a hand casually, not looking back. Kakashi strolled off the bridge.

Haku watched the masked jounin go. She glanced at Naruto and the large amount of money held in his hands. Why did he do that? Haku wondered uneasily. Most likely, he had some sort of ulterior motive, but… Could he really have done it out of concern for Naruto-sama? Haku chewed on her lower lip, pondering the Copy Ninja's motivations. Was Zabuza-san's murderer looking out for the boy who had saved her?

"Haku."

She looked up, shaking free of her troubled thoughts, "Yes, Naruto-sama?"

"Let's go," Naruto said, nodding towards the center of Konoha. "We're going to see Hokage-ojiichan." He grinned at her, his relief at being free of the shadow of debt clear on his face.

In the face of his happiness, Haku couldn't hold onto her own troubles. "Yes," she nodded. Naruto turned around and began walking. He paused and looked over his shoulder, waiting for her to follow. The corners of her mouth quirked up into a faint smile as Haku stepped back into Naruto-sama's shadow, and the two of them left the bridge behind.

The heavy wooden double doors of his office were thrown open. Naruto entered the room briskly, a bulging paper envelope clutched tightly in his left hand. Haku followed him through the door a moment later, moving at a more sedate pace. She quietly shut the doors Naruto had thrown open and stepped into place behind him. Sarutobi's eyebrows lifted slightly as he took in her plain white outfit. He had known that she had gotten a job at Ichiraku—he did read the surveillance team's daily reports—but seeing her dressed like a waitress or a cook was strange.

Sarutobi took the unlit pipe from his mouth and set it aside on his desk. "Well, what do you want?" the Sandaime asked grumpily. He had just been about to sit back, light up his pipe, and maybe even take a quick nap afterwards. He wasn't happy to have Naruto interrupt one of his rare breaks.

Naruto marched up to the Hokage's desk and thrust the envelope in his face.

"What is this?" Sarutobi asked, despite having a good idea of what it was.

"My payment," Naruto said flatly, folding his arms and staring at Sarutobi with a scowl.

Konoha's Sandaime Hokage opened the envelope and began to count the bills, setting them aside in a pile on his desk. When he was finally done, the envelope was considerably thinner and Naruto's left eye was ticking madly in irritation. Coming into so much money only to have it taken away again was infuriating to Naruto. Still, he contained himself and merely watched as the Sandaime took out the fine from Naruto's hard-earned windfall.

Sarutobi offered the remainder of Naruto's money back to him. "Here," he grunted. Naruto snatched the envelope back and hastily fed it into an emaciated Gama-chan, all the while glaring at the Hokage accusingly. Haku merely stood behind Naruto, blank faced, and watched the proceedings intently. The Sandaime sighed, "You can go now, Naruto."

"It's done?" Naruto demanded. "There's nothing else, right?"

"No, there's nothing else. The matter is over with."

Naruto nodded and turned on his heel. "See you, jiichan," he said flatly before marching out of the room. Haku bowed her head slightly and quickly followed him.

Sarutobi reached for his pipe again, staring at the neat stack of money on his desk. He frowned as he contemplated it, remembering Naruto's irritation, the anger in his eyes. Naruto had never behaved so coldly towards him before. The Sandaime closed his eyes as he remembered a small boy, exuberantly pleading for the Hokage to treat him to ramen again. Naruto's numerous pranks throughout the years flooded into his mind.

"Hey, hey, jiichan, let me wear your hat, just for a little while?" Naruto begged eagerly, clasping his hands together in a show of humility.

"What, this?" Sarutobi laughed. "I'm afraid I can't do that. This hat is one of the symbols of the Hokage, after all. Until you're ready to take my seat, I can't let you wear it."

"Ehh?" Naruto whined. "Stingy," he complained, his small face screwing up petulantly. Abruptly, he grinned brightly at Sarutobi. "That's fine, old man! After all, one day I'm going to be Hokage!"

Sarutobi chuckled, "I'll be looking forward to it."

Was it worth it? Sarutobi wondered, troubled, as he considered the won money on his desk. Naruto and Haku may or may not have learned the lessons Sarutobi had tried to impart upon them, but teaching it had left a bitter taste in his mouth.

I want that, was Sakura's first thought upon catching sight of the dress. It was green and minimally styled, but she could tell just by the way it sat on the mannequin that it was silk. It was impractical, really. Sakura couldn't even think of a time when she would get to wear it, except maybe if Sasuke-kun actually went out on a date with her. The chances of that were slim at best.

Besides, she bit her lip lightly, it looks expensive. The money she had received earlier from Kakashi-sensei suddenly felt heavy in her wallet. Maybe, I'll go in… just to try it on.

Sakura stepped off of the bustling avenue and pushed the glass door open. A bell tinkled as she stepped inside. She sighed slightly, feeling the cool, temperature-controlled air of the store wash away the afternoon heat. Sakura glanced around the boutique, taking in the racks of designer clothes, the well-dressed sales attendants, and the fashionable young women perusing the aisles. Suddenly, Sakura felt incredibly awkward in her plain, worn red dress. Her kunai hostler sat uncomfortably on her right leg, and Sakura had to resist the urge to reach up and adjust her hitai-ate.

"Can I help you?" a sales attendant asked, smiling perfunctorily at the only kunoichi in the store.

Sakura forced herself to smile back. "No, I'm just…" she trailed off, glancing left towards the display window. It looks so cute, she thought wistfully. She wondered what it would feel like against her skin. "Actually, I'd like to try on that green dress," Sakura gestured towards the window.

The woman's smile warmed as she sensed a paying customer, "Of course! Come right this way…"

A completely different girl looked back at her from the mirror. Had she ever looked so sophisticated, so pretty, so… mature? The silk shifted against her skin as she moved to look at herself from another angle. It was so soft, so delightful against her skin. She had never worn anything like it. Sakura really felt… different somehow, just by wearing the dress.

The girl in the mirror didn't look like she had ever gone on a mission in her life, calloused hands aside. Sakura wasn't sure whether she liked that or not. An image of Naruto, blood splattered all over him, danced across her mind. Maybe I do like it after all.

There was no doubt in her mind that she wanted the dress. But when will I wear it? Sakura couldn't think of any time soon when she would have a reason to wear the dress. The expensive price tag weighed heavily against it. To buy it, she would need to spend a great deal of her pay, money that would be better spent on equipment or saved for a rainy day.

Sakura frowned unhappily, torn between practicality and temptation. I shouldn't… She knew that. Her brain, the one part of her that she took unreserved pride in, was telling her that she should spend her money on weapons and equipment rather than a pretty dress that she might never have a reason to wear. But she still wanted it. She didn't want to spend money on equipment, didn't want to buy weapons…

Weapons killed.

Weapons were made to kill people. Ninja used weapons to kill people. In a way, shinobi were weapons. Sakura knew that, had known it for years, but for the first time in her life, Sakura also completely understood it. The blood crusted beneath Naruto's fingernails, the dark stains on his clothes, had taught her that.

Sakura didn't want to be like that. She never wanted to see the dark, crusty remains of someone else's life beneath her fingernails. She didn't want to end up like Haku, nothing more than a broken, murdering doll that was unable to live without a puppet master to pull her strings. But, if she didn't want to end up like them, how could she possibly remain as a shinobi? She was a soldier of Konoha, a faceless tool for the fat daimyo in the capitol to use for his dirty work.

There was simply no avoiding it, not as long as she remained a ninja. But that wasn't what Sakura wanted. Was Sasuke-kun worth it? Her pursuit of him hadn't advanced since day one. Even if she eventually won his heart, would it be worth it if her hands were stained red with sin, like Naruto's hands were?

Her fists clenched, her nails digging painfully into her palms. No, Sakura told herself firmly, shaking her head. Don't think about it.

She couldn't think about it. Sasuke-kun was Sasuke-kun. Why did she doubt him, doubt his worth, after all of this time? It was ridiculous. Of course he was worth it. Why else had she come this far? If not for him… What was she doing with a hitai-ate, with a pouch full of weapons and the tools of the trade, if it wasn't for Sasuke-kun? Why had she started training so hard, pushing herself beyond her limits until her body screamed with agony, if it wasn't to gain his respect?

Why was she a shinobi?

To be with Sasuke-kun, right? If not, then what? To make her family proud? Neither of her parents particularly liked her choice in careers. Was she a shinobi to accomplish something great, to prove something to someone? She had no great ambition or goal; she wasn't driven like her teammates were. Sakura didn't want revenge on anyone, not like Sasuke-kun. She wasn't even like Naruto with his ridiculous dreams.

Why was she a shinobi?

Did she really have no other reason than Sasuke-kun? What had happened to her dreams from before she had even heard of the Uchiha scion? Sakura didn't even remember them. She couldn't recall why she had chosen to become a shinobi in the first place. There had been one, she was sure of that. Once, she had had dreams for herself that didn't involve Sasuke-kun in any way. Where had those gone? When had they slipped through her fingers? Why had she ever stepped on the rocky, bloody road called "ninja" in the first place?

Sakura felt strangely empty. What am I doing with my life? Did her whole life really revolve around one person?

At first, Ino had been that person. Ino had been Sakura's first friend, the girl who had lifted Sakura out of the mud and shown her that she wasn't just her forehead, and she had quickly become the brightest point in Sakura's childhood. Ino had become her best friend and her goal, the bar that Sakura wanted to reach. She had spent the first half of her time in the Academy striving to catch up to Ino's distant back.

Then she had met Uchiha Sasuke, and she had found a new goal. If she could win him, then she would be able to show Ino that she had become Ino's equal. Somehow, things had gone wrong. Ino liked Sasuke-kun too. Their friendship had crumbled to ashes, and they had become rivals. Sakura knew that it was her fault. She had been the one to truly end their friendship. But she hadn't been able to help it. Sasuke-kun had become too important to her. All of her dreams and aspirations had become bound to the mysterious, tragic Uchiha heir.

For a long time, most her life really, she had been content to base her life off of others, to revolve around people that shone brighter than she did. But… did she really want to stay like that forever? How long would she remain behind, watching the backs of others as they walked ahead of her? Would anyone ever watch her back?

Did she really want anyone to watch her back? A ghostly image of Naruto's orange-clad back rose before her eyes, the normally bright fabric stained dark, rivulets of crimson dripping from his fingers. Do I want that?

Why was she a shinobi?

"Miss, are you all right?"

Sakura blinked, startled. The strange, not-quite Sakura in the mirror blinked with her. "Ah, yes!" Sakura replied through the curtain. "I'll be right out." Slowly, regretfully, she removed her dress and put on her regular clothes, wincing as the comparatively coarse fabric slid across her skin.

When she was done, Sakura stared down at the green dress in her hands. Absently, she rubbed the soft silken fabric with her thumbs. Sakura turned and opened the curtain swiftly, startling the sales attendant. Sakura smiled at the dapper young woman.

"I'll take it."

Naruto stepped out of the shadow of the administration building and into the sun. Warm rays tickled his face as he grinned. It was over! Naruto felt as if a great burden had been lifted from his shoulders. It felt like he was light enough to walk on air. Absently, he wondered if there was a jutsu to do just that; maybe he'd invent one... But it was over! The senile old man keeping his seat warm had said so, and no matter how mad Naruto was at the geezer, he wasn't about to doubt the Hokage's word. He was cleared of his debt, and Gama-chan was pleasantly plump again, which meant… ramen!

…use it to buy your medicine.

Naruto grimaced, his steps faltering. Hikari. A sickly young orphaned girl, who just happened to the little sister of Katsuo, the man Naruto had killed. A girl sick enough that she needed money for medicine from her brother… money that would never be sent.

And I'm responsible, Naruto thought bitterly. Abruptly, Naruto turned and began walking in a different direction.

"Naruto-sama?" Haku asked, curious but otherwise unfazed by his sudden change in direction.

"There's something else I need to do," Naruto said somberly. It wasn't a smart decision. The money would be very useful in supporting the two of them, and the old man at Ichiraku had told Naruto that he wouldn't get anymore ramen until he'd at least made a down payment on his tab – even if Haku was working there. They had laughed about it afterwards, but Naruto took threats to his ramen very seriously. A colder, more logical part of Naruto's mind told him that he needed the money to replace all of the equipment he had used up in Taki no Kuni.

But now that the shadow of one debt was no longer hanging over his head like an executioner's blade, the other felt that much heavier. Guilt and his feelings of responsibility had effectively double-teamed logic and convinced Naruto of his course of action. Screw logic, Naruto thought. What did it ever do for me anyway? Logic dictated that a goofball like him, hated and despised by much of the village for the thing he carried, would never become Hokage.

It occurred to him that he had no idea of how much money he should send. How much does seeing a doctor cost in Taki no Kuni? Naruto wondered. He didn't even know what it cost in Konoha, much less Fire Country as a whole. On top of that, he didn't know what illness Katsuo's sister had or what medicine she needed.

Naruto considered the money he held in his hands. It probably isn't enough, he thought glumly. He might end up having to send her money over a period of time, rather than simply being able to take care of it right away. I should find out what a doctor's visit costs here, though. Maybe I can get an idea that way…

Once again, his feet took him in a new direction. Haku followed, silent and uncomplaining, as Naruto headed towards Konoha's hospital. Naruto stopped outside of the front gates of the building and frowned. He hated the hospital, and getting information from some of those medical ninja would be like pulling teeth... for both sides.

"Haku," Naruto said aloud in realization.

"Yes, Naruto-sama?"

He turned to face her. "Will you do something for me?"

Haku's eyes widened. "You… want me to do something for you?" she asked slowly, a quiver rippling through her.

Naruto watched her cautiously, unsure of what to make of her reaction. "Yeah," he nodded.

"What is it?" Haku asked immediately, her voice sounding almost breathless. She was staring at him with an intensity that was almost disturbing.

Naruto eyed her for another moment before shrugging slightly and dismissing his concerns. "I need you to go to the hospital and find out the cost for an average doctor visit," Naruto said. "And ask how much it costs to treat a serious illness," he added after a moment. He had no idea what he, or rather Haku, should be looking for. Naruto almost growled in frustration; he just didn't know enough. "Just… things like that," he said finally, feeling fairly stupid.

Haku nodded crisply, her eyes bright with emotion. "Of course," she said calmly, though her body was tense and trembling with excitement, like a bloodhound catching the scent of its prey. "Is there anything else, Naruto-sama?"

Naruto's eyes squinted thoughtfully as he considered her question. "Not really," he said after a few moments of contemplation.

"Then I will be back shortly," Haku murmured before turning and walking briskly towards the hospital's front doors. Naruto watched her go, feeling slightly concerned. He hoped that the ANBU watching wouldn't take her going in alone badly. She's just going into the hospital for a bit, and I'm right here, so it should be okay, he reasoned. He would have been a lot more worried if he could see the icy mask that had fallen over Haku's face as she walked towards her target.

Naruto-sama had given her a task, had told her that he needed her to do something for him. He was finally making use of her. He had entrusted her with a duty, given her a goal to fulfill, and she would strive to accomplish it with every resource that she had, no matter how seemingly mundane it was. She would not let anything stand between her and her goal.

Naruto-sama had given her a mission.

She would not fail.

Naruto felt his earlier lightness begin to return as he watched Haku march into the hospital. He was Uzumaki Naruto and he paid his debts. He kept his promises. He would become Hokage. To reach that lofty height, Naruto knew he had to train. He would train until he couldn't move, until his strength gave out, until his bones broke from the strain. He would train until he was strong, so strong that there would always be a way, always a path to do things right…

…Until he was strong enough to make the world right.

Summer in Konoha was hot. The hidden village rested near the center of Hi no Kuni, a country named for its scorching summers and raging wildfires. Sometimes it was all the shinobi of Konoha could do to keep the fires at bay as brush and forest turned into tinder, dried out by the merciless sun. It was a brave fool who carried an open flame through the forests of Fire Country when summer drew to its height, as more than one invading force had found out. Hi no Kuni lacked the impassable mountains of Tsuchi no Kuni or the treacherous mists and deadly currents of Mizu, but it had some of the most accomplished flame-elementalists in all the Five Great Countries—shinobi who could make raging firestorms dance to their whims.

The oppressive heat reached even into the shaded clearing a little ways west of the village. It was a pleasant spot, a small opening in the forest surrounded by ancient giants and bordered on one side by a giggling brook. The stream was surprisingly deep, reaching nearly all the way to Naruto's shoulders as he tried to keep up with his sparring partner. Sweat ran freely down his neck and face despite the cool water rushing past him.

This water sparring thing is impossible! It wasn't fair. Haku seemed to meld with the water, flowing freely through it as if it was air. No, Naruto corrected himself. She flowed through as if the water itself was guiding her movements. It just wasn't fair! He had asked her about it and she had tried to explain, but that had just confused him more. In the end he had waved her off, grimly motioning for her to resume sparring.

They had been repeating the same ritual for nearly three weeks. Three whole weeks, and Naruto could count the number of times he had actually hit Haku without resorting to fingers.

Not that he really wanted to hurt her or anything, but… Naruto dived, trying to let the current carry him away from another one of Haku's lightning fast strikes. He didn't quite succeed, but the blow missed its intended target. Early on in their training Naruto had learned the wisdom of dodging, or trying to anyway. Suisetsuken was designed to break through guards and defenses, and even though he was stronger and tougher than Haku, it did just that. The first day, Naruto had tried to block and shrug off her attacks and had been left with a dislocated shoulder and a couple bruised ribs. The horrified expression on her face and endless apologies had been incentive enough to learn to dodge.

Slightly altering the way chakra flowed through his feet to get a better grip on the soft streambed, Naruto launched himself forward, trying to intercept Haku before she could strike at him again. So what if he couldn't cut through the stupid stream like it wasn't even there? So what if Haku was ten times faster than him? He was Konoha's Number One Most Surprising Ninja! If she didn't expect the unexpected, then it wouldn't matter even if she was a hundred times faster than him. And no one could expect Uzumaki Naruto!

Apparently, Haku didn't know that. His sluggish charge was met with a kick to his chin that sent him flying backwards. He landed with a splash, sputtering as he sank back into the creek. He had half expected that. Haku hadn't been kidding about being able to sense movement through the water. He had been diligently practicing the skill for an hour each day; that his training involved catching fish for dinner was not at all a coincidence.

"Naruto-sama! Are you all right?"

The words were lost as Naruto violently expelled chakra from his feet, exploding back towards Haku. If he hadn't mastered whatever it was Haku was doing with the water, he had mastered using chakra to push of the ground. That this particular ground was underwater just made it a little trickier. The only problem with the technique was stopping. He couldn't, not with the soft, sandy streambed as his only break. At least, he couldn't stop before he ran into Haku, but that was part of the plan.

They collided with a loud thud that was lost in the spray of water that followed Naruto like a comet's tail. Naruto's momentum carried them into the shallows, where they lay panting, Naruto's arms wrapped around Haku halfway between a bear hug and a submission hold he had learned in the Academy.

"Well done, Naruto-sama."

The words jerked Naruto off of Haku and had him staggering to his feet. "You okay?" Naruto asked, laughing nervously, a blush creeping onto his face.

"Yes, Naruto-sama," she looked slightly surprised at the question. "However, I think that is enough water sparring for today."

Following Naruto's example, she regained her feet and—a little reluctantly—led the way out of the water. The stream was a blessing, the only thing that made the heat bearable.

Konoha's weather was not something Haku was used to—the Country of Water was an island nation and truly hot days were a rarity even in the height of summer—and even though she had traveled a fair amount, Zabuza-san had rarely ventured far from the coast, preferring to remain close to large bodies of water. But even for Naruto, a shinobi born and raised in Konoha, the day was hot. Sweat glistened on his face, illuminated by the sun's glare. For Haku, it was pure misery.

She considered calling upon her bloodline to cool the air around her. She would have done so, since the heat affected her more than the minor chakra drain the technique required would have, and Haku found getting sticky with sweat to be… distasteful. She refrained, mostly because Naruto-sama couldn't be included in the effect. After all, his sufferings were her sufferings.

Three weeks had passed since Naruto-sama had returned from his mission to the Country of Waterfall. In that time, the weather had grown steadily warmer as July, the peak of summer for the Country of Fire, inched ever closer. Her work brought no relief, since the open air ramen stand tended to be hot even on cool days as what little relief the shade brought was completely overshadowed by the hot stoves and steaming ramen. How Naruto-sama could crave hot noodles in the summer heat was beyond her understanding.

Still, she continued to work hard for several hours each day. Haku took her self-imposed duty to help Naruto, to not be a burden, very seriously. She thought she was succeeding too, at least somewhat.

Ever since Naruto had sent that worn letter and the leftover money from his mission payment and the… bounty… off several weeks ago, the two of them had essentially been living paycheck to paycheck. It was a precarious financial situation, but between her wages and Naruto's D-rank mission payments, they were somehow managing to survive. The only reason she wasn't working full-time was so that she had plenty of time to train Naruto-sama… and herself as well.

Haku had grown rusty ever since the battle on the bridge. Zabuza-san would have been ashamed. She could no longer afford to loiter around. She had failed Zabuza-san and he died for it. She had failed Naruto-sama and he had almost been ruined because of it. She would never, could never, fail again.

Training with Naruto-sama was a good opportunity to hone her own taijutsu skills. What he lacked in skill, speed, and finesse, he made up for in sheer endurance. She had noticed it while observing him, had noticed it while fighting him on the bridge, but it wasn't until they had started sparring that she truly understood how massive his reserves were. He could train for hours on end without stopping. When she knocked him down while sparring, he forced himself back up.

His determination was contagious, and while she couldn't quite keep up with him, neither did she waste time. While he trained alone, 'fishing,' running through kata, or practicing with his own ninjutsu, she had returned to tinkering with her own bloodline. It was her curse and her blessing, the reason she had been hated and hounded, and the reason she had met Zabuza-san and Naruto-sama. Her bloodline was a burden Zabuza-san had taught her to bear with pride. But with no one to train her in her clan's techniques, she had been forced to reinvent them with nothing but what little Zabuza-san had been able to uncover and her own imagination and skills.

"Already? But we were only sparring…"

"It has been three hours, Naruto-sama. I thought we would try a full match now."

Naruto's petulant frown turned into a grin, "Right!"

Haku waited patiently for Naruto-sama to renew his attack. She didn't have to wait long. Naruto darted forward, closing the distance between them quickly. Haku leapt back to maintain space between them. A cloud of dust rose as Naruto quickly sent chakra into his feet. He exploded forward, and in nearly the blink of an eye he was right in front of her, his left fist lancing out at her face.

She had to contain a smile as she almost lazily guided his punch aside to her right, opening his right side to attack. His punches were still sloppy, but they were improving. She had noticed it while watching him train against a group of Kage Bunshin—Naruto hadn't been aiming or chambering his punches properly, just throwing as many as he could. With a dozen Kage Bunshin it had looked fairly impressive and effective, but the reality was far different.

Dispelling a Bunshin or even a Kage Bunshin required little except a solid hit; even sloppy punches and glancing blows would do the trick. Against a real shinobi, the same blows and the dangerous habits behind them would become a dangerous liability. Naruto-sama had just looked at her blankly when she tried to explain it to him, so she had been forced to demonstrate.

She had punched him in the side and shoulders, emulating the way he hit his clones, and smiled as he just shrugged the punches off while still looking confused. Then she had punched him in the solar plexus with a lightning fast blow. She had worried that she had overdone when his eyes had bulged out and the breath had left him in a wheezing rush. But understanding had quickly flashed across his face. "Speed and precision, huh?" he had wheezed, grinning weakly.

Since then she had taken to creating ice training dummies for him to practice on. They were simple sculptures, not real Bunshin, but they were serviceable and easy to replace. The fact that they were free, except for the chakra they cost her to make, and she got some extra practice in by creating them was only icing on the cake.

Her right foot slid back and she pivoted, bringing herself parallel with his extended arm. Haku lashed out with her left fist, digging a knuckle deeply into his right side between two ribs and twisting her hand with the impact. Naruto yelped and stumbled, but was able to maintain his composure and fell smoothly into a forward roll. Haku pursued, and when he came back to his feet she was there to meet him with a savage slap to the back of his head, sending his brain bouncing forward into the front of his skull.

Naruto pitched forward to the ground. A log bounced awkwardly.

Haku leapt aside just in time to avoid a trio of shuriken… and right towards a hurtling Kage Bunshin—at least, she thought it was a shadow clone. It was always difficult to tell. She accelerated, darting straight for him. She caught his punch with her forearm, guided it aside, and gripped his wrist with her other hand. An instant later, she brought her free arm down.

His elbow snapped and she was rewarded with a fresh cloud of smoke. She smiled slightly. Naruto-sama's timing is improving, she thought happily. Naruto's ability to use his Kage Bunshin in combat had been improving ever since his training with Sakura had started in earnest. The way he had efficiently herded her towards a waiting Kage Bunshin with shuriken was proof of that. As were the two Kage Bunshin rapidly closing in behind her, if the sound of grass whispering in the wake of their quiet footfalls was any indication.

Haku turned. A small cloud of white smoke exploded into existence violently a moment later as she her knuckles dug into the windpipe of a clone. In normal combat, she could have easily altered the strike slightly and pierced all of the way though the neck, puncturing the spinal cord or an artery, depending on the angle, in the process—she didn't fight empty handed against her enemies.

She whirled only to find the other clone gone. Right? Left? The growing shadow on the grass told her otherwise. Haku leapt forward and pivoted around to see Naruto's orange-clad back, the red spiral on his jacket shifting as the cloth moved. Naruto quickly whirled to face her… or tried, at least. He turned right to meet Haku's fist with his temple.

Naruto was sent sprawling to the ground, dazed. Immediately, Haku's mind-set shifted gears from combat to frantic worry.

"Naruto-sama!" she cried worriedly, kneeling by his side and quickly checking his vitals with trembling hands. As much as she tried to remain objective and firm while she was teaching him, Haku couldn't stand to see him hurt. It was a thousand times worse when it was her fault. If she had hurt him, even if it was because of training… Her stomach flipped over and began twisting itself into knots.

Relief filled her as he pushed her hands away and pushed himself up into a sitting position. He was conscious and he didn't seem to have a concussion. Even so, self-loathing burned within her chest for being so careless.

"Are you all right, Naruto-sama?" Haku asked apprehensively.

Naruto continued to rub his head for a moment. "Fine," he grunted finally, blinking as he tried to get his blurry vision to focus correctly. "I'm okay," he repeated a minute later, once the dark spots had stopped swimming across his eyes. His head still a bit dazed and his head throbbed painfully, but he had experienced worse before.

"I'm so glad," Haku breathed. She stood, brushing off the grass stains on her white pants—one of several pairs in her wardrobe that Ayame had given her, doubling both as her work clothes and training clothes—and offered her hand to Naruto. Grimacing, he staggered to his feet with Haku's assistance.

Once he regained his footing, Naruto swayed in place for several moments before he began to regain his sense of balance. "Let's continue," Naruto said once he could stand without threatening to fall over.

Haku hesitated visibly. "Maybe you should rest," she said tentatively.

"Eh?" Naruto blinked at her in astonishment. "I'm fine!" he protested, only to wilt slightly when he saw the pained expression on Haku's face. Suddenly he brightened up again. "Then… then… teach me a new jutsu! Something super cool!"

She bit her lip thoughtfully. She had little more than two hours before she had to go to Ichiraku and report for the nightshift. Naruto-sama clearly hadn't completely recovered from her blow, and she was still feeling jittery about sparring with him again so soon after her lapse in control. But what else could they train in that wouldn't be too taxing on him?

A soothing, gentle breeze washed over Haku, tousling her long black hair. Trees stirred all around them. All too soon, the cool breeze was gone and with it went the quiet whispering of leaves. In the still silence that followed, the soft sounds of the burbling creek filled Haku's ears. Her eyes drifted to the stream that ran through their training area, watching the flow of the water as the surface glistened brightly in the light of the early afternoon sun.

"Suiton," Haku murmured to herself abruptly. Her arsenal of Suiton ninjutsu was small in comparison with the number of water techniques that Zabuza-san had known, but it was not insubstantial. Naruto-sama didn't know any elemental techniques.

It was perfect.

The only problem was that before she could teach him water-based ninjutsu, she had to teach him elemental manipulation. The process would most likely be long and difficult for him, especially since there was only a small chance that his elemental affinity would be water. Still… it would not be bad to start, Haku reasoned.

"Naruto-sama, today I will teach you something new," Haku announced softly, instantly bringing his full attention on her.

"What is it?!" he asked eagerly, throbbing headache and dizziness forgotten.

"Elemental manipulation."

"Elemental… mani—what?"

"Manipulation," Haku repeated.

Naruto frowned thoughtfully. Where have I heard that before? "What's that?"

Haku tilted her head, pondering how she could explain it to him. "Most ninjutsu are performed using two different chakra controlling techniques. Elemental manipulation is one of those techniques. It is what allows shinobi to control the elements."

"So… to do elemental jutsu you need elemental manipulation," Naruto said, nodding sagely.

She smiled, nodding again, "Yes."

Naruto's eyes widened in excitement as a thought occurred to him. "Can you teach me how to do those cool ice techniques?!" Naruto half demanded, half pleaded.

"Ah… no," Haku frowned unhappily, not enjoying the disappointed look on his face at all.

"Why not?!"

"My hyouton techniques require a combination of wind natured chakra and water natured chakra," Haku replied. At Naruto's blank look, she elaborated, "Combining two different elements together to form a new element to manipulate, like my ice natured chakra, requires a bloodline limit designed to do so. That is my kekkei genkai: the ability to combine wind and water elemental chakra to create ice."

"Huh? But…" Naruto mumbled, trying to keep from showing his disappointment. After a moment, he perked up in renewed curiosity, "You said there was another chakra thing, right?"

"Yes. The other chakra manipulation technique is spatial manipulation, which shapes and controls chakra outside your body. It is spatial manipulation that gives most elemental techniques their shape. Elemental chakra alone is not very useful…"

"How come?" Naruto interrupted.

Haku paused. "Elemental manipulation without spatial manipulation is like…" she tilted her head thoughtfully, "…being able to summon lightning, but being unable to direct it. The lightning becomes effectively useless to a shinobi. Spatial manipulation lets you shape elemental chakra, determining the strength and scope of the jutsu."

Naruto grimaced as he struggled to force himself to concentrate on Haku's explanation. Why did everyone have to bore him with useless explanations? Why couldn't they just get on with the cool bits?! With a supreme effort of will, Naruto pushed his impatience aside, chiding himself for his inattention. He knew Haku was doing her best to teach him something, and he had a feeling that as a Hokage he'd probably have to listen to longwinded explanations all of the time. But…

No!

He couldn't afford to tune them out anymore. Hadn't he decided that he needed to do better if he wanted to become Hokage? Hokage couldn't be ignorant; they couldn't ignore people trying to tell them important details. Naruto shuddered slightly as his mind returned to the mission in the Country of Waterfall. Because of his ignorance, Katsuo had died and Konoha had nearly been… Naruto still cringed when he remembered Kakashi-sensei's chastisement over abandoning his post. But his perverted sensei was right. Naruto had been stupid, and he hadn't even thought about the consequences of following Sakura aside from some vague thoughts of punishment in the distant future.

I should have listened to Iruka-sensei more, he thought regretfully, not for the first time. Kakashi-sensei had pointedly stressed that Naruto and Sakura should have known better, since it was something that was taught and re-taught throughout the Academy. It was yet another thing Naruto had missed out on. His bad habits had left him embarrassingly, and even dangerously, ignorant time and time again. It was time that he stopped messing around. He could no longer afford to take any aspect of his training lightly.

Concentrate, Naruto told himself fiercely. Listen. He realized that Haku had paused and was looking at him. "So why am I just learning elemental manipulation?" he asked.

"Because you already know the basics of spatial manipulation," Haku answered.

Naruto blinked, "What?"

"Bunshin no Jutsu and all of its variants require spatial manipulation to perform properly, though elemental Bunshin like the Mizu Bunshin also require elemental manipulation. Most ninjutsu techniques make use of spatial manipulation, to varying degrees."

"Oh…" Naruto absorbed that. "Well, whatever. Let's get started on elemental manipulation!" he said eagerly. "What element am I learning?"

"Water," Haku said promptly.

"Eh?" Naruto's enthused expression faded a bit. "Can't I learn something… I don't know… cooler? Sasuke can already use fire techniques. Can't you teach me that?" That Sasuke had apparently already learned how to manipulate an element, and one as flashy and destructive as fire at that, chafed Naruto to no end. He didn't want to lose to Sasuke, and water seemed kind of… boring.

Haku shook her head. "I don't know how to create fire natured chakra," she said regretfully. "I do know how to use water chakra and wind chakra, and of the two I'm better with water. Besides, I don't know any Fuuton techniques, but I do know some Suiton techniques."

"Huh…" Naruto drawled, once again disappointed. "Why are you better with water?" he asked after a moment.

"Most peoples' chakra naturally leans towards a specific element," she explained patiently. "That's what is called an affinity. I have an affinity for water, so it's easier for me to manipulate water natured chakra than it is wind."

"Ah! Then what's my affinity?" Naruto asked excitedly.

Haku hesitated, "I… do not know."

"How do we find out?" he asked, undeterred.

"Zabuza-san had me channel chakra through some kind of specially treated paper," she answered slowly. Naruto squinted in concentration again. "But I don't have any such material, and I don't know how to make it or where we could get any."

"Then… is there another way?"

"Not that I know of," she murmured apologetically. Naruto's shoulders sagged slightly. Haku hastily went on, "Still, that doesn't mean you can't learn water manipulation."

"Eh? But you said…"

"An affinity just tells you what element you are naturally the most talented at. You can still learn other elements. It is simply more difficult to do so."

"So… if I don't have a water affinity, it will take me a long time to learn water manipulation, right?" he asked thoughtfully.

"Yes," she answered cautiously.

"And if I do…"

"It will be easier to learn."

"Then there's only one way to find out!" Naruto said energetically. "Let's get started!"

Haku smiled at his enthusiasm before pausing, a frown creeping onto her face. How can I show Naruto-sama? Haku wondered. Water manipulation had always come naturally to her. As far as she could remember, she had always just stretched out and it had been there. Sometimes she had to stretch out farther than others, but it had always been there… Haku had a faint recollection of a hunter-nin attack that had happened years ago, when Zabuza-san had taken her into the Country of Wind. The water almost hadn't come then. Haku remembered stretching out desperately, her chakra reaching for something that wasn't there.

Naruto watched her, befuddled. What is she doing? His eyes widened and he gaped as he saw the slowly growing ball of water floating just above Haku's open right palm.

"You need to learn how to change your chakra into water natured chakra before you can learn any Suiton jutsu," Haku said quietly. The ball of water, now fist sized, glittered with crystalline brilliance in the amber glow of the afternoon sun.

"Wow," Naruto breathed, awed, as the ball flexed, elongated, then split into two and reformed again.

It hung there, gently rotating above Haku's palm as she continued, "The limitation of Suiton jutsu is that they cannot be performed without water. The amount required varies from justu to jutsu, but it is always needed. Fortunately, water can be found nearly anywhere. It is in streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans, but it can also be found in the ground, in the clouds, even in the very air itself. All you need to do is stretch out with your chakra and pull it together." Which was easier said than done, of course. Only the greatest masters of water manipulation could pull water out of the air to fuel their techniques.

"Right!" he exclaimed, closing his eyes in concentration. Stretch out with your chakra. He began to channel chakra outwards in a steady flow, almost as if he were water walking. Forcing more and more chakra out of his body, Naruto tried to stretch out his chakra to gather water.

A bead of sweat rolled down his temple. After a few moments, Naruto began to frown. Within minutes, he was scowling. Finally, after ten minutes, Naruto opened his eyes and looked at Haku, who had been watching him patiently. "How do I do it?" Naruto asked finally, exasperated. He had no idea where to start. How the hell am I supposed to stretch my chakra out? How do you change the nature of chakra, anyway?

Haku tilted her head and considered his question carefully. She had never really consciously thought about it before, and she wasn't sure of how to explain it to someone who didn't know how to do it. "When manipulating water chakra," Haku began slowly, "I imagine my chakra stretching out, spreading out like a net. Then I… I attach it to water. I merge my chakra with the water, make it a part of chakra." As she spoke, a second ball of water formed above her left hand, flexing and contorting in tandem with the one over her right.

"Uh…" Naruto grunted thoughtfully. Merge chakra… with water?

"In the end," she continued, "I pull my water-saturated chakra back, letting it all flow together."

Naruto stared at her blankly.

Haku flushed slightly. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "That's the best way I can think of to describe it."

"No, I get it," Naruto said glumly as the two balls of water splashed to the ground. The problem was that it sounded immensely difficult and complicated. Not that long ago, he hadn't even been able to perform the Bunshin no Jutsu. Could he really do all of that? Naruto's fists clenched.

Yes. I can do it, he thought firmly. I can do it, he repeated to himself, forcing himself to believe that. Naruto took a deep breath and grinned confidently. "All right!" he exhaled. "I'll do it!"

Of course, it didn't go nearly as simply as he had hoped. Determination or not, his chakra stubbornly refused to comply with his attempts to force it to follow Haku's directions.

After several more minutes of silent struggle, Naruto looked up. "Can you show me again?" he asked sheepishly.

"Of course," she smiled. "Follow me," she murmured, heading towards the stream. She knelt at the bank and brought her hands above the water, palms down. "Watch," she instructed.

Naruto watched. At first, nothing seemed to be happening, but after a few moments he noticed that the water beneath her hands seemed to be moving oddly. Haku stood gracefully; suspended between her hands was a large globe of water. Naruto's eyes widened at the bizarre sight.

"First, imagine your chakra as many small pieces." Suddenly, the globe of water rippled and seemed to explode outwards. Hundreds of miniature globes of water floated in its place. A second later, the globes scattered, leaving Haku standing in a patch of mist.

"Wow," Naruto breathed in amazement.

"Let your chakra merge with the water. Let it mix until there is no water, no chakra, only water-natured chakra. Then, draw it all back, let it flow together." Golden sunlight sparkled as the cloud of mist contracted, slowly reforming back into large droplets of water that glittered like liquid diamonds. Within moments, the mist was completely gone, replaced with what looked like rain frozen in time. Sedately, the rain flowed towards Haku's outstretched hands, flowing together until only a slowly spinning globe of water floated in front of her.

"So that's what it looks like," he muttered.

"Yes," Haku agreed, panting slightly. Abruptly, the mass of water fell to the ground beside the stream with a splash.

"If I learn this, will I be able to do stuff like that too?" Naruto asked.

"Perhaps…" Haku allowed, frowning slightly. In truth, her bloodline gave her a huge advantage when it came to manipulating water, even without elemental chakra. Few shinobi would be able to match the display she had just showed Naruto, even if they could technically use superior Suiton jutsu.

In actuality, her own abilities with water manipulation and spatial manipulation weren't at that level either… at least, not unless she cheated. She had frozen tiny bits of water, and the tiny chunks of ice in each droplet had allowed her to smoothly manipulate them all. But she hadn't lied to him. However, only a true master of spatial and elemental manipulation would be able to do what she had displayed so casually with her bloodline abilities.

Haku stiffened abruptly, feeling a tiny, all too familiar flare of… something. Years of evading hunter-nin had taught her to trust her instincts.

They were being watched.

"…Haku?" Naruto-sama's voice caught her attention. He was looking at her, his expression grim. "What is it?" he asked quietly. Any other time, Haku would have felt happy that he knew her well enough to read her so well. Not now. A glacier carved through her mind, leaving behind only ice and frost. No one was going to hurt Naruto-sama.

Her right hand completed the seal sequence. In a blink, the puddle at her feet froze over, accompanied by the sound of cracking ice. It was all she needed.

Haku lunged out of an ice mirror in the next eye blink, her hand flinging several senbon that had been concealed up her sleeves. They pierced only wood.

Silently, the log made the long drop to the ground.

Haku was still staring down at the log when Naruto dropped down by her side, almost half a minute later.

"What happened?" he demanded briskly, his eyes roving the trees for threats.

Haku closed her eyes, "We were being watched."

Naruto turned to look at her. "You didn't just attack an ANBU member, did you?" he asked, anxiety suddenly filling his voice.

"No," she shook her head. "I did not recognize them." She hadn't even caught real glimpse, only a dark blur and then a log. But she was certain that it was not the ANBU assigned to watch her. After more than a month of being observed by them, Haku had decided that her guards were mere trainees, green enough to let their presence be noticed. Whoever this had been, it had not been a trainee.

Her Makyou Hyoushou let her travel nearly instantly between her ice mirrors, utilizing her reflection. She had lost valuable time creating multiple mirrors because she hadn't had direct line of sight, but she had still made it before most could even react to her disappearance.

It seemed that Naruto-sama's would-be assassin had avoided notice by the ANBU watching her, and had escaped her bloodline assisted speed with little trouble. It was likely that their observer was more skilled than she could cope with, if it came down to it. A chill passed through her that had nothing to do with her bloodline.

Still…

Haku's jaw clenched as she stared at the fallen log. She ignored the sudden appearance of a masked nin at Naruto's side, recognizing the chakra as one that had been following her on and off ever since she had arrived in the village.

I will protect Naruto-sama, no matter what…

Kakashi slouched, his hands stuffed into his pockets, as he stood before the Hokage. Behind him, several dozen jounin and chuunin talked in low voices. The meeting room had no chairs, only stone flooring covered by a wide red carpet with yellow fringes running through the center of the room. Wooden planks crawled up the walls, leading into faded white plaster. Green curtains hung from the ceiling. The Sandaime sat behind a dark wooden desk, adorned with a cloth bearing the symbol of Konoha, in a large, overstuffed purple chair.

Had Kakashi possessed any sense of aesthetics, he probably would have described the room as "ugly" or "extremely tacky." But there were few ninja that could be accused of possessing such a thing, and he certainly wasn't one of them. Kakashi idly wondered if he had spent too much time around Gai.

The Sandaime Hokage cleared his throat, silencing the room. He reached up, adjusted the lit pipe clenched between his teeth, and began to speak, "I called you all here for only one reason. You should all know it by now, given the faces around you."

"So it's already that time…" Kakashi murmured thoughtfully.

"It's already been reported to the other countries," a voice drawled from behind Kakashi. Is that… Genma? Kakashi wondered. He wasn't very familiar with the special jounin, so he wasn't sure, but it sounded like what Kakashi remembered of the man. "I've seen a few in the village."

"So, when is it?" Kurenai asked, less than a meter to Kakashi's right.

"In one week," the Hokage answered.

Kakashi straightened slightly. "That's sudden," he commented.

The Sandaime removed the pipe from his mouth and sighed, blowing out a curling stream of white smoke. "Then I will announce it properly," he said, raising his voice. "Seven days from now, on the first day of the seventh month, the Chuunin Selection Exam will begin."

The crowd around Kakashi stirred and began murmuring. Kakashi remained quiet, his eye fixed on the Hokage.

Hmm… What should I do? Initially, he had planned on entering his genin into the exam. He had faith that they would be able to make it through the first two exams, which were usually tests of teamwork and determination no matter what form they took. Even in the third round, Kakashi felt that Sasuke could go far. It would be a good experience for all of them, no matter how far they reached.

The problem was that the teamwork that had let them take on Zabuza, however briefly, just wasn't there anymore.

Given the state his team was in, did he really want to enter them into the exam? There was a very real chance of death in the Chuunin Exam, and if Team 7 continued to be divided… the chances of one of his subordinates dying increased dramatically. No matter how annoying they could be, they were still his students. He had no desire for them to be killed, especially not while he was responsible for guiding them. He owed that much to them… and to his own teacher.

He would not fail them like he had failed his own genin squad.

"Now," the Professor's voice cut through the mutters of the gathered shinobi, "those who are in charge of the new genin, step forward."

Kakashi stepped forward; to his right, Kurenai and Asuma did the same.

If they took the exam, how would his team do? He had faith in their abilities, but could they compete against all of the other genin taking the exam? Sasuke was highly capable for a genin, and the Sharingan would give him a strong advantage over nearly any opponent he might face. Even without it his skills were very balanced, and he was skilled—for a genin—in nearly all shinobi arts except genjutsu. But even his lack of skill in genjutsu was largely nullified by the Sharingan. One on one, Kakashi didn't think there were many genin that would hold a decisive advantage over Uchiha Sasuke.

Naruto… Naruto was far more difficult to quantify. His abilities were not straightforward. In some ways, Naruto wasn't ready to be a genin, much less a chuunin. His basic skills were all over the place, he lacked critical knowledge of the shinobi basics, and he had no talent for controlling his chakra. He was also hot-headed, prone to making decisions based on passion rather than logic, and thought that the shinobi code was meant to be broken. Naruto's taijutsu was sloppy and easy to read, and his ability with genjutsu was nonexistent.

Yet… for all of the flaws in his training, all of the gaps in his knowledge, Naruto had something that made him a better suited to be a shinobi than many Jounin Kakashi had had to work with. He had the sheer determination to bull his way through anything and the stamina to survive it. Frankly, Kakashi was amazed at some of the things he had been able to pull off. Naruto endured where most others would have fallen. There was a reason Kakashi had dubbed the boy the most surprising in Konoha.

In some ways, Naruto was also the most dangerous member of Team 7. Of the three, he was the only one who had killed, both in the heat of battle and in icy cold necessity.

Still, it was unlikely that they would make it very far without teamwork. But Naruto had proven that he could work with Sasuke. No, Kakashi had no real worries about those two. They both were more driven than any genin—more than most shinobi of any rank, really—he had ever seen, and Kakashi honestly pitied any genin that got in the way. It was Sakura that worried him.

She was smart, but she also knew that she was smart and had a tendency to think she was smarter than her opponent. Her chakra control was simply amazing for a genin, but her stamina was too low for her to really take advantage of it. Her taijutsu was solid, but uninspired. She had a lot of potential, but it was going to waste. Worst of all, she lacked the burning drive that characterized her teammates.

As far as he could tell, the only reason Sakura was a shinobi was Sasuke, and that wasn't good enough.

But…

"Kakashi, Kurenai, Asuma. Are there any genin that you would like to enter into this Chuunin Selection Exam? I shouldn't have to remind you that any genin that has completed at least eight missions is eligible to be entered into the exam, as long as they are nominated by their jounin-sensei." He paused and inhaled from his pipe, blowing out another stream of smoke before continuing, "Of course, completing more missions than that is normal."

Iruka nodded in agreement. There's no need to ask. It's still too early for them.

"Then, starting from Kakashi…"

Kakashi hesitated, still uncertain what course of action to take.

"Sasuke, lend me your ear for a bit."

"What is it?"

"I have a plan."

They'll be fine, he thought with renewed conviction, his mind replaying the events of the Wave mission. Back then, their teamwork hadn't been very good either. Nonetheless, they had risen to the challenge in the face of extreme danger. Compared to Zabuza and Gatou, the Chuunin Exams would be nothing. As for Sakura… she needed to find her own path. The only thing he could do for her was offer her the opportunity.

Kakashi raised his right hand. "From the Kakashi-led 7th squad: Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura. Under the name of Hatake Kakashi, I nominate these three to take the Chuunin Selection Exam," he announced briskly in a formal tone.

Back amidst the rest of the gathered shinobi, Iruka's eyes widened. What?

"From the Kurenai-led 8th squad: Hyuuga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino. Under the name of Yuuhi Kurenai, the same as to my left."

"From the Asuma-led 10th squad: Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Chouji. Under the name of Sarutobi Asuma, the same as to my left."

"All three of them gave recommendations," someone whispered to Iruka's right.

"It's been a couple of years since rookies have appeared in the Chuunin Exam," another shinobi agreed quietly.

"Hmm…" the Sandaime murmured. All of them… How rare…

Iruka's fists clenched. They're not ready! Those kids… they'll get crushed! What are they thinking?! He took a step forward, his jaw tight with anger.

"Iruka-sensei…" Naruto's voice whispered, bringing Iruka to a halt, "What was it like?"

"What was what like?"

"Your first kill."

Iruka looked down, grimacing.

"Something happened during your mission, didn't it?"

"Yeah… I killed again…"

Naruto.

Naruto was growing up. He was already a full-fledged shinobi in more than just name. Who was Iruka to say whether he was or wasn't ready? The boy was no longer an Academy student, no longer his student, and maybe… maybe he was ready.

"…Now, does any other jounin-sensei wish to recommend their students?" the Sandaime asked, startling Iruka out of his thoughts. Iruka bit his lip and forced himself to relax, pushing his protests back down his throat. Naruto was a shinobi of Konoha. Iruka wouldn't interfere with that.

He remained silent, and the meeting continued on.

Naruto stared groggily and perhaps a little bit hatefully at his palm. It had been a week since he had gotten his introduction to elemental manipulation, and he still hadn't made any progress. He hadn't even been able to summon a single tiny drop of moisture, aside from a droplet or two of his own sweat every now and again. Of course, he wasn't going to let some stupid ball of water beat him, and Naruto knew he could do it. It was just a matter of time.

It was just a very long matter of time, apparently.

He hadn't neglected any of his duties or skills—even his daily training with Haku remained focused on the Suisetsuken, since it was up to him to master the first step of elemental manipulation. Still, Naruto had taken to practicing pretty much anytime he didn't have anything else to do. The exercise had even supplanted nightmares and self-recriminations as the main culprit behind his lack of sleep. He had no more time for self-pity or regret, not when he had a new taijutsu style to learn and a new jutsu—sort of, anyway—to master. He reasoned that if he had time to stare awkwardly at his ceiling for hours for one reason or another, he might as well put it to use rather than wasting it on things like regret.

Thus, Naruto stood on the red bridge that was Team 7's usual meeting spot, leaning against a worn red guardrail, glaring at a very conspicuous nothingness in his palms with bloodshot eyes. He would beat the damn thing if it was the last thing he did! The absent ball of water did not appear to be intimidated; in fact, it didn't appear at all. No matter what he tried, he couldn't get it to sweat.

Naruto, however, was sweating. The sun's rays seemed to be doing their best to light his hair on fire, and constantly channeling and warping his chakra in a so-far futile attempt to alter it into water natured chakra was tiring after several hours of continuous effort. Naruto had never considered that Kakashi-sensei's tardiness might be a good training opportunity before, but he did now.

That didn't mean waiting for the man was pleasant. Naruto was eager to give their terminally late teacher a piece of his mind… if the man ever showed up. In the mean time, he contented himself with experimenting with his chakra, hoping against hope to see small beads of water form.

Sakura sighed heavily, slumping miserably against the railing on the left side of the bridge. She hadn't had much sleep the night before, and to top it off she had woken up late and had to rush out of the house. She felt decidedly icky—she had barely had time to take a shower and not enough to blow-dry her hair. Breakfast had consisted of a granola bar, snatched on her mad stampede out the door.

After all of that, Kakashi had kept them waiting for more than two hours, according to Sakura's count. She should have known better than to hurry. She did, really, but somehow Sakura couldn't quite work the punctuality out of her system. There was always the off chance that Kakashi-sensei would show up early, and she didn't want to be the one to show up after him. Irritation bubbled within her mind.

Damn him, she thought, acutely annoyed. Why does he ask us to meet and then make us wait?! It infuriated her to the point where she just wanted to scream sometimes. At the very least, she wanted to voice her complaints and release some of her tension.

Sakura snuck a glance to her left. Sasuke-kun leaned casually against the railing, barely six steps away from her. His elbows rested on top of the chipped red-painted railing, and he was gazing off into the horizon. She sighed longingly. Unfortunately, Sasuke-kun certainly wouldn't take her complaints well.

That left… Naruto. Sakura's eyes narrowed as she glanced to her right. Naruto had been acting even more strangely than usual for the past four days. For some reason, he had spent the hours they waited for Kakashi-sensei every morning staring at… well, his hands, as far as she could tell, with a constipated look on his face. He's still doing it, she observed.

At least Haku wasn't around. Apparently, she had gotten a job and had to work every other morning. Good riddance, Sakura thought. She could do without Haku's presence, especially since they had returned from the Waterfall. Occasionally Sakura would find Haku watching her with an expressionless look on her face and a strange glint in her eyes that sent ominous chills down Sakura's spine. Sakura found herself wanting less and less to do with the strange kunoichi with every passing day and kept a good deal of distance between herself and Haku after catching the older girl watching her.

Not that she needed any reason to avoid Naruto. Even though close to a month had passed since their arrival home, Sakura still couldn't stomach the thought of actually striking up a conversation with Naruto. Just because she was irritated and wanted to vent was no reason to talk to him. Sakura couldn't see any reason to have a casual conversation with Naruto again, not after…

Sakura shook her head slightly and sighed unhappily.

Damn it, Kakashi-sensei! Hurry up already!

Sasuke watched his two strange teammates from the corner of his eye. He had always known that Sakura had problems, and his conviction of that only grew after they had been put on the same team. Talking to herself wasn't a sign of stability. Her wild mood swings didn't help either, and the way she could switch emotions so quickly, seamlessly, and often always made Sasuke wonder. When she looked at him, her expression was that of a simpering moron mixed with that of a lovesick puppy. The instant her eyes caught sight of Naruto, her expression changed, became dark and brooding.

Those two still hadn't solved their problems. Whatever it was, Sasuke had become convinced that it was something serious. There was no way Naruto would act so strangely for nearly a month otherwise. The dobe just didn't have the attention span to do so. Sakura's flighty nature led Sasuke to think that she would probably get over things quickly unless they were serious.

He wondered if he should do anything about it. Their teamwork was suffering, even Sasuke could see that, and he knew that if things continued the way they were his two conflicting teammates would only drag him down. Sasuke couldn't allow that to happen. But that brought up the question of what he could do to knock some sense into them. It occurred to Sasuke that it was Kakashi's job to handle things like that anyway. Why should he do anything? It wasn't like he needed their help or anything—if they slowed him down, he would just have to leave them behind.

A faint noise caught Sasuke's attention and brought his gaze up to catch a few wispy, dispersing puffs of smoke. Kakashi crouched easily on the top of the torii gate at the end of the bridge to Sasuke's left, smiling down cheerfully at his students.

Kakashi raised a hand. "Good morning, everyone," he greeted.

Immediately, Sakura and Naruto both whipped around to face their jounin-sensei.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto crowed in annoyance.

"You're late!" Sakura growled ominously.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, looking at the two of them. It had been a while since they had chided Kakashi in tandem. Then, realizing what they had done, Naruto and Sakura's gazes met. After a moment, they both looked away simultaneously. An awkward silence fell.

"Sorry," Kakashi said, his tone unrepentant, as he hopped down to the ground. "Today I got lost on the road of life, so…"

Sakura's head turned and she glared fiercely at him. "Liar," she muttered.

Kakashi continued as if he hadn't heard her, "Anyway, it's a bit sudden, but I've nominated you three for the Chuunin Selection Exam."

Silence answered him as his genin stared blankly at him. "Huh?" Sakura voiced their collective thoughts.

Kakashi reached into his equipment pouch and grabbed the three application forms. He held them out, "Here are your applications."

"Kakashi-sensei, what's the Chuunin Selection Exam?" Naruto asked, still puzzled. The term sounded vaguely familiar, but Naruto couldn't remember it. But if the name meant what he thought it meant… Naruto felt a stir of excitement.

"It's an exam that determines your promotion to chuunin," Kakashi explained, his tone bored. "If you can pass all of the way until the end, you might get promoted. If you get that far, that is."

Sakura stared at the form in her hands as if it were a live snake.

Sasuke considered the form thoughtfully, the corners of his mouth twitching upward as the implications of the exam set in.

Chuunin.

The word rang resoundingly throughout Naruto's entire being. If he became a chuunin, he would have to be acknowledged as more than a no-talent loser. If he became a chuunin, he would be able to take higher level missions and earn more money to support himself and Haku… to help Hikari…

If he became a chuunin…

…he would be another step closer to his dream.

Chuunin.

After that, there would be another great hurdle. Naruto had no illusions about that. But after that…

Hokage.

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.

Author's Notes:

Well, here's chapter 7 of Tempered in Water. I hope you enjoyed it.

Samue: The outfit that Ayame and Teuchi wear while working, minus the apron. Basically a cotton or linen set of shirt and pants, originally worn by Japanese monks (usually Buddhist) while performing labor (like cleaning). In modern Japan, it's often used as casual or work clothing (according to my sources, at least).

Torii: The red things that run along the road at Team 7's meeting place. They are traditionally gates to the entrances of Shinto temples, though they've become very common in modern times. Basically a torii is just a construct consisting of two pillars bridged by two crossbars on top, and they're usually painted red.

Kekkei genkai: Bloodline limit.

Elemental manipulation and spatial manipulation are known by a variety of names, mostly based on differing translations; I just picked the ones that I liked best. Before anyone mentions it, I know that the explanation is a bit different from the one in the manga—it's intentional. The water manipulation stuff was made up by me and Duke Bonez, and it will be explored more as Naruto continues his training.

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), or 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.

Once again, Duke Bonez proofread this chapter. His assistance as an editor and a sounding board was, once again, invaluable. Thanks!

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!