Disclaimer: You know the drill so I do not have to say anything.
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Chapter 13 – Off to play with water
News of their work had spread and more people were smiling at Naruto than looking at him with hatred. Training and missions continued for a couple more days. They were then called back to the Hokage's tower for a rescue mission. It appears that team 7 was sent to the wave country and ran into more problems than they expected. Team 7 appears to have continued anyways.
Team 8 quickly packed and headed out to catch up with team 7, who had a week's head start. They moved as quickly as they could, trying to catch up with the other team trying to make sure they were not too late to help them. They made it to the coast and were able to find passage to the land of waves. As they headed to Tazuna's house they found the sight of a huge battle a partially drained pond and an area devastated by water. They found the house and knocked on the door. Kiba answered. "Good to see a friendly face. Come in Kakashi is under the weather. And Sensei we met Zabuza." Kurenai entered quickly and found Kakashi. They talked for a little bit until Kakashi passed out from exhaustion.
"Ok everyone we have some training to do." Kurenai saying this got all of their attention. "We need to head out and work on chakra control." She led them out to an open area with several trees. "Ok we are going to learn how to climb trees. And before you complain, this will help you learn chakra control. Let me demonstrate."
"How will chakra control help us in fighting Zabuza?" Kiba asked.
"So far you have been guessing how to use chakra. Learning to control it will make it easier and less wasteful for you and as you become more accustom to how much chakra a jutsu uses you will be more efficient with it and have more in the long run even if you cannot build up larger reserves. So watch what I do and try to repeat it. Gather chakra into the soles of your feet so that you will stick to the tree with your feet. As the feet are the hardest place to use and control chakra, this is why I am choosing the feet." She gathered chakra in her feet and proceeded to walk up the tree.
After the explanation only Sakura and Hinata were able to climb the tree the first time. Naruto, Sasuke, and Kiba were able to go about 3 meters up the tree with Sasuke going the farthest. Shino was able to go farthest of the boys on their second try. After showing they had mastered it Sakura and Hinata watched the boys struggle. Naruto got an idea and walked over to the girls and asked a few questions. This surprised Sakura, thinking he was an idiot who would not ask questions because he was too full of himself. He patiently asked questions and attentively listened to the answers.
With the answers he headed back to his tree, and started to climb, he made it to the same level as Sasuke on his first try. Kiba walked over to Naruto and asked him if there was a secret. Sasuke walked over and told him he would also like to know. By this time Shino had the hang of it. Naruto sighed, and then proceeded to tell them what the girls had told him. They took the information and started to increase the height they were able to climb. Hinata and Sakura left to spar with each other. Kurenai was impressed with their improvement.
Sasuke and Kiba seemed to have the easiest time learning from the information. While Naruto gained ground on tree he still had a problem with getting mix of chakra correct. He stayed until late at night. Returning to Tazuna's house late and then he was offered food which he gladly took. Waking up the next day the boys went back to the tree climbing lesson. The girls went on guard duty watching Tazuna, while Shino guarded the house.
Naruto finally got the idea of how to control his chakra on the third day. Sasuke still had a problem but had it mostly under control at the end of the third day as did Kiba. Kiba and Naruto spared for the next two days. Also Hinata spared with him later in the day. Naruto stayed and spared with his clones late into the evening, finally collapsing from exhaustion. He woke up in the morning seeing a beautiful girl walking towards him, the girl smelled funny but he could not place it.
"Good morning." The girl said.
Naruto scratching his head "morning, what are you doing out here."
"I am collecting herbs. Would you like to help me?" Naruto nodded. "What are you doing out here?"
"I am training to become strong."
"May I ask you a question?" Naruto nodded. "Do you have someone precious? Someone you would lay down your life for?" Naruto thought of Hinata, Shino, Kurenai, Kakashi, and even Sasuke.
Naruto nodded "yes there are people are precious to me. My name is Naruto Uzumaki and I am going to become Hokage, leader of the village hidden in the leaves. It was nice to meet you pretty lady."
"Naruto, you will become strong, very strong. Also I am a boy. By the way my name is Haku. Good bye Naruto, we shall meet again." Haku said as he started to walk away.
"I know you are not a boy and I also know that this will not end well for you and Zabuza?" This comment stopped Haku in his tracks. "Yes I know you had to be the ninja helping Zabuza. Gato will betray you."
"How do you know that?" Haku asked. "And how do you know about Zabuza?"
"Well lucky guess I guess on the girl part." Naruto grins as he answers. "But with Gato I have heard what he does to those who fail him and those who do gain too much power working for him. They seem to disappear at least that is what both my Sensei says. I don't want to fight you Haku. Come back with us to Konoha, you can have a better life than running. If nothing think about it, and tell Zabuza about what I have said. Also I can see the loneliness in your eyes. For I know how it is to be lonely. If you will let me I would like to be your friend. You can decide on it, I will see you later."
Haku smiles, "I would like that, but be assured I will protect Zabuza, as he is precious to me."
Naruto nods, "Yah, I understand. We both will do what we need to do. I will try to go easy on him." Naruto chuckled, causing Haku to smile. "See you soon."
Haku waved as he left. 'I like you Naruto. I hope we can be friends.'
The next day Kiba and Naruto are left to protect Tazuna's family. They quickly dispatch the two samurai sent to attack the house and told Tsunami and Inari to go to a neighbor's house. They then head to the bridge.
At the bridge the six found a scene where all of the workers were either unconscious or dead. The Genin surround Tazuna. Suddenly they were surrounded by a dozen clones of Zabuza. Sasuke dispatched of ten of the clones while Hinata took out two. "Is this your doing Zabuza?" Kakashi asked.
"Yes Kakashi it is." Looking at Haku "looks like you have a rival, in that boy Haku." Haku nodded.
"I shall take him out then." Haku commented. He started to spin and head towards Sasuke. Sasuke watched Haku, then with a quick kick sent him flying back towards Zabuza. "He is good."
"I will handle the boy, Kakashi you can have Zabuza." Sasuke said as he ran towards Haku. Sakura was thinking 'You are so cool Sasuke.'
"Are you sure he should go off alone?" Kurenai asked Kakashi.
"He will be ok, and if he gets in too deep we can have one of your students help." Kakashi answered.
Zabuza moved towards Kakashi, suddenly a couple of shapes attempted to attack Tazuna, causing Zabuza to chuckle. "You think I would come alone when I know you had been reinforced?"
Shino and Hinata worked at keeping the new ninjas at bay. Sakura kept close to Tazuna. Sasuke seemed to be getting the upper hand until he slid on a patch of ice. 'I must end this' Haku thought. Making several hand signs with only a single hand, he said "Crystal Ice Mirrors!" A dome of mirrors made of ice started to form and surround Sasuke. Kurenai started to run towards Sasuke but was stopped by another ninja.
Kakashi attempted to move but was stopped dead as Zabuza commented "let them go at it for a little bit. We can see how they do. If you do try to go I will kill the bridge builder."
Sasuke looked around the dome 'how do I break this, I am guessing this not normal ice.' He suddenly saw Haku in every mirror around him. He threw a shuriken at one of the mirrors and it just bounced off. 'Well that was effective.' Suddenly Haku was attacking from every angle. All he could do was block his vial areas. 'Ok, let's see. Could he be using clones? No, the attacks are coming from all directions and clones attacks would not hurt me.'
"If you are thinking they are clones you would be wrong. For I am attacking you from all the mirrors," Haku answered Sasuke's mental question. This attack and banter went on for another five minutes.
Sasuke having had enough made several hand sign 'I am going to break out of here, Fireball jutsu.' Creating a fireball that hit one of the mirrors, appearing to start to melt it but it would just refreeze as it melted. 'Well I can't break out that way.'
"Sasuke catch!" Sakura yelled throwing an extra kunai to Sasuke in the ice dome. Haku intercepted it, turning it from a catch hold to an attack hold looking at Sasuke. Suddenly out of nowhere a shuriken hit Haku in the mask.
Sasuke felt an arm grab him, looking up he saw Naruto. "Let's get out of here" Naruto whispered.
"What the hell are you doing?" Sasuke yelled. This brought attention to Haku as she picked herself up.
"Damn it Sasuke, why did you have to yell?" Naruto berated Sasuke. "Let's make a break for it." Both ran for the far side of the dome. Both were intercepted by Haku's lighting fast attacks that seemed to be everywhere. Both were thrown back into the middle of the dome.
"Naruto!!" Hinata screams as she slams a palm into the chest of ninja she was fighting killing him. Kakashi, Kurenai, and Zabuza notice her chakra spike. She runs toward the dome, Haku notices this and throws several senbon hitting her in the chest causing her to collapse.
Naruto getting angry yells "Hinata!! Let, ME, OUT!! Shadow clone jutsu!" about fifty Naruto appear. They all jump in an attempt to try to break out of the mirror prison. Haku attacks from all directions and all the shadow clones are destroyed and Naruto is sent back to the ground with senbon sticking out of him. Naruto gets up again makes a hand sign "shadow clone jutsu." Again about fifty clones appear. Again they jump at the mirrors but are also destroyed again. Sasuke notices that Haku has slowed down.
"Naruto can you do it again?" Sasuke asks. Naruto again creates about fifty clones and attacks the mirrors, the clones are destroyed and he is knocked back to the ground. Naruto barely conscious looks at Sasuke who is deep in thought, 'is it my imagination or is he slowing down?' "Naruto, I am sorry to ask you. But can you do it again?" Naruto shakily stands crosses his fingers and more clones appear. They then proceed to attack the mirrors with no more success than they had before. But Sasuke is able figure out the timing and is able to hit Haku with a brushing glance of a fireball jutsu.
Naruto again hits the ground and just looks at Sasuke. "What is going on with your eyes Sasuke? They have turned red." He noticed that Sasuke's eyes had changed and that there was one tomoe in one eye and two in the other.
Haku threw a bunch of senbon at Naruto but Sasuke was instantly in front of Naruto and blocked them all. 'How was he able to block them all? My speed has not decreased. I must stop this fight soon as my chakra is starting to running low, and I will not be able to maintain this much longer.' Haku thought as he threw more senbon while transporting using his mirrors. He was able to hit Sasuke in the legs thus slowing him down. He also noticed Hinata standing and moving towards the dome. He finished disabling Sasuke. Naruto looked up in time to see Hinata hit again and fall to the ground looking like she was not getting up. The mist around then started to thicken and was visibility is getting worse.
More senbon hit Naruto. "NO!!" Naruto yelled as he sees Hinata's breathing slowing. Sasuke has already passed out. Naruto starts to feel his anger boiling inside of him. Yet more senbon hit him. A red chakra starts leaking out of him and starts to surround him. The chakra then starts to swirl around and creates a wind inside of the dome. The chakra then started to condense around Naruto looking like a pillar of fire with a fox face inside of the chakra.
'What is this chakra? It is visible to the naked eye. The killing intent is almost too much to bear.' Haku thought.
Swirling red chakra surrounded Naruto. His eyes turn red and the normal round pupils became slits similar to a cat. His nails became like claws, his canines elongated, his whisker marks on his face darkened and enlarged and his hair grew and became wilder looking. The release of so much chakra did not go unnoticed. Kakashi and Kurenai looked at each other wondering if the seal had broken. Kakashi realized that it hadn't and shook his head to her which relieved her. As the chakra finished gathering around Naruto he takes a deep breath and then roars, sending all the senbon flying from his body and cracking the mirrors.
Kakashi and Zabuza continued to fight as Kurenai uses the demon binding tree jutsu to cut the throat of the ninja she was fighting. Shino is able to finish his opponent when a dog bit the enemy ninja in the leg distracting him as Shino's insects swarmed him taking him to the ground screaming.
"What is that chakra, it feels like pure evil. Where is it coming from? In with Haku?" Looking that dome. "Time to end this Kakashi, Hidden Mist Jutsu." The fog that hung in the air got so thick you could not see even a meter in front of you.
Haku was jumping between mirrors in an attempt to evade Naruto. As Naruto's speed had increased to a point where he was able to track and start to catch Haku. Haku had to abandon an attempt at one mirror for another as Naruto's increased speed nearly caught up with him. She moved to another mirror as Naruto smashed it with his fist. As she was moving from the third destroyed mirror Naruto caught him by the arm and punched her through the mirror sending her a dozen meters away. Naruto chased her on all fours. Haku landed hard on the cement rolling into a heap. Haku began to stand as her mask chipped and started to fall off her face. She began thinking 'I am sorry Zabuza I am just a broken tool now.' Her mask finally fell away from her face. Naruto approached and grabbed Haku by the collar but was barely able to get control of himself from throwing the killing punch.
"Haku, did you talk to Zabuza? What is your decision?" Naruto asked with a grizzled voice.
"Naruto, I am just a tool for Zabuza. If he calls an end to this it will end otherwise, you will have to finish me. For I am only a broken tool and am now worthless." Haku answered.
While Naruto and Haku were fighting Kakashi and Zabuza fought. Zabuza went for the bridge builder and found Kakashi blocking his way. Zabuza swung his sword and was able to hit Kakashi across the chest causing a nice wound on his chest and then disappear into the fog. Kakashi then grabs a scroll and rubs some of the blood from his wound on the scroll. He starts to spin the scroll around him then rolls it up and then places it on the ground. "Earth style: Tracking fang technique" the ground breaks and heads in an unknown direction. There are growls and a man screaming in pain. The mist then parts revealing Zabuza has been captured by a group of dogs.
With Zabuza captured, Zabuza laughed. "Kakashi, I surrender to you. If you will take me to the Hidden Leaf, I will swear my loyalty to it for the safety of Haku and myself. The one named Naruto offered it to Haku if we surrendered. I also will agree to answer any and all questions your people ask. Killing me would kill Haku, and I could not have that on my conscious. She is too precious to me."
The mist cleared and Naruto threw Haku to his left as he was hit in the chest with a crossbow bolt. He collapsed holding his chest. "How cute, you betray me Zabuza. I will kill you and the entire village." Standing near the end of the bridge was Gato and about a hundred thugs. Haku angered at Naruto being hit and the betrayal of Gato he threw several senbon at Gato hitting him and driving him off the bridge.
The thugs were angered at having lost their paycheck and started to stalk towards the ninjas. Naruto stands up and pulls out the bolt from his chest wincing in pain. Naruto made a hand sign "shadow clone jutsu." About fifty clones appeared.
Kakashi, looking at Naruto 'I have just enough chakra to maybe do it', "shadow clone jutsu." About fifty Kakashi clones appeared. The thugs decided they might be able to take on the injured clones when a crossbow bolt hit in front of them, fired by Inari, who had the whole village behind him. The thugs decided to run seeing that they are outnumbered, they either jumping off the bridge or climbing down to a waiting boat.
"Hinata!" Naruto dispersed his clones and ran to Hinata, while Sakura ran to Sasuke. Both were breathing vary shallowly. He carefully removed the senbon, and held her laying her head on his lap until she regained consciousness. Tears rolling from his eyes "you worried me there."
The next week Naruto used his shadow clones to help with finishing the bridge. Zabuza, Kakashi, Sasuke, and Hinata recovered, though Hinata recovered more quickly than the others. After the bridge was completed the teams said their goodbyes and found out the bridge was going to be named the Great Naruto bridge, which made Naruto and Hinata happy, annoyed team 7, and the Sensei thought it was an interesting anecdote. Sasuke was only a little annoyed as he now had an active sharingan.
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A/N: Sorry it took so long my beta readers found some holes in the plot and my writing of fighting scenes lacking. So I had to do some revising and they did say it was much improved. Yes Haku is female, that will help with further plot twist later in the story. Also I am of the opinion of Haku being a girl fits the story better and being the author of the AU what I say is law. :D
I will continue to work on chapter 14 and other chapters, I have written all the way up to chapter 20 but still need to proof read and get them ready for you guys. Again sorry for the late posting, enjoy. Also Sasuke is as strong as cannon, also he will rely on his sharingan to let him become faster and stronger but this in itself is lacking as it will copy jutsu but not give him the training and the stamina to be able to use what he learns for very long. So remember this when I post the other chapters. Well hope you enjoyed.