Well... that could have gone better, Naruto thought as he collapsed in the room Kakashi and he were borrowing from Tanzo. First some sword swinging psycho with compensation issues flung a blade easily longer than Kakashi was tall at them. Then the psycho showed up wearing his puffed-out pajama pants. And enough belts to put your average Justicar to shame.

And the oiled skin... oh god why couldn't he forget the oiled skin?

So Kakashi and he got into this huge fight, with whips, water, paddles, water, blades, water, lightning, water, fire, water, and did he mention WATER yet? Cause there sure was enough of that sloshing about, zipping through the air like crazy. Then again, what could he expect from a rogue Master out of the Mizu no kuni?

Land of Watersport more like it!

Speaking of Justicars, just as Kakashi was about to lock Zabuza into a scroll, one of them from Mizu arrived to arrest Zabuza. There was something about her that bothered him though. She had the right outfit, and the black scrolls on her belt looked official. But once she sprang away with Zabuza the feeling of something not being right settled into his gut and began gnawing away at his mind. He just couldn't place it.

Pulling out one of his own scrolls in thought, he finally figured out what it was. "There were no seals on it... they were just black..."

"Noticed that did you?" Kakashi asked from where he had been laid out after using his Sharingan eye for so long. "So... that means..."

"We're not done yet are we?"

"Not likely... and I'm in no shape to pick it back up..." Kakashi mused while staring at the ceiling above him tiredly. "I don't even have the energy to release a couple of slaves to help out around here... We're going to have to get you some training... but I need to think about it tonight... Get your four hours of sleep in, and then keep watch or something, just let me rest."

"I'm not ready to go to sleep yet..." Naruto answered while levering himself up off the ground. "I think I will see if I can't find out more about the situation here while you rest... I'll keep my gear with me... but I'm going to try and just slip into the people..." Pulling out his scrolls he flicked his wrist and was lost behind the swirl of parchment and chakra. When they disappeared Naruto was standing before Kakashi in the rattiest, most dingy clothing anyone could imagine.

"Not bad Naruto... take care and don't get caught..." Kakashi ordered tiredly before passing out.

Naruto smirked as he slipped out of the room's window, securing it shut with a master's seal after he got through. Anyone trying to force their way in was going to be in for a rude surprise when they were bound in a large rubber bouncy ball. Satisfied that Lord Master Kakashi would be safe and secure for the time being.

It was far easier than he imagined to disappear into the crowds, keeping his head down and just blending in came almost second nature to him. All he needed now was some local to talk to... Okay, the line of naked youths tied together by their necks were out. As were the obviously rich foriegners looking them over. But... there, that girl right there... she was looking with pity on the slave line. She could be the right one to help him out. He just had to talk to her.

"Excuse me ma'am... Do you know someone there?" Naruto asked curiously while settling in next to her. After all, she seemed to be local as well, if just a bit cleaner than most, and that would be a likely guess for why she was watching the slave line with pity, and Naruto could see just hints of disgust, and fear in her eyes.

"W...what? Oh no sir... I... I'm familiar with lines like these..." the woman his age answered while reaching up to rub her neck nervously. "I'm Haku, and you are?"

"Naruto..." the blonde offered, smiling warmly as he observed her quietly. "I'm glad you escaped your line... they're kinda disgusting aren't they? Treating people like nothing more than flesh bags..."

Haku's eyes widened as Naruto's voice took a hard tone, turning to follow his eyes to where the sign posted that the auction would be next week. "A true Master would show these filths the end of a whip... or bring in a Justi..." she whispered before she realized what she had said. To her relief Naruto seemed to have completely missed it while he judged the line before them.

Naruto for his part was silently agreeing with Haku about that assessment, his hands twitched to go for his flogger, and hunt down the slime Gato that was running this ring. But he had to play the part of a local, not the Master right now. There was several things he took in about the line, but the one thing he failed to notice was Haku's soft brown eyes looking into his, and seeing the true power the short blonde held. It was daunting, dominating, and... magnificent...

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Naruto asked suddenly, and the dominant entity that she'd seen was gone, replaced by the curious man that had started talking to her. But she could see it still lingering in the back of his eyes, behind the mask of curiosity.

"I was just saying, I wish someone would do something..." Haku answered softly as she pulled back into the shadows. Naruto walked with her, keeping her shielded by his body as much as he could. He felt that she needed to remain away from the line as much as possible. She was a good target to be taken into the line and sold to the highest bidder without someone watching out for her. She'd already been through it once before, and that's more than enough.

Haku was thinking about the dominant feel Naruto gave off, oh how she wished she could have that type of power. But she couldn't submit to him, not now, not ever. She had her mission, and he was the enemy. He hadn't broken any of the rules, so she couldn't act against him but she could use him. "I should get the herbs I was looking for..."

"What herbs are that?"

"Uh... Flame root, and lung wart..." Haku answered, getting surprised when he didn't look completely lost at the names of the plants, in fact he looked more like he was deep in thought.

"I think I saw good ground for them to the north of town, there's a corpse of pine trees that you can see from the southern grove, they're usually a good signal of the ground they prefer," Naruto explained while guiding the girl out of town towards the north. "I'll help you get some..."

For some reason, Haku couldn't even figure out a way to get Naruto to leave her be. In fact it felt nice that she was staying with him, it was safe, warm, and comfortable. She also knew that he would protect her, should any of those slavers attempt to come after her. A small smile spread over her lips as she realized just how nice it was to be with Naruto as they looked for the herbs.

The rest of the trip was spent in companionable silence as they wandered in the woods. Naruto was deep in thought about what he'd seen in town, and the deplorable conditions those slaves in line were in. Half of them looked starved, one of them had a split lip that was still healing, and most of them had whip and cut marks over their bodies. He had to report this back to Kakashi so they could plan their next move.

Haku on the other hand was thinking about her own mission, and how Naruto was making it harder by just being himself. Not an evil, heartless Master that would sell their slaves for laughs. Why couldn't he be evil? That would make it so much easier to know that she would have to break him for Master Zabuza. Maybe... maybe Master Zabuza would allow her to keep him as a slave of her own?

Haku was surprised when Naruto reached down and clipped the flame root with his two fingernails, after all, it had a thick wooden stem, and he pinched it off like it was butter. "H... how..."

"Oh that? The stem segments, so if you pinch it right above that, it'll pop apart easily," Naruto explained while pointing to the part of the plant that he'd pinched off, barely showing any stress at all. "It's all about knowing the the pressure to use, and the right time to act... not too hard, and not too soft..."

Naruto turned to look at the sun curiously, before he sighed and shook his head. "I have to go... I hope your friend gets better soon."

Haku blinked as Naruto ran off, finding herself having only one question to ask. "H... how did he know about Master..."