Hello again everyone! First of all, I'd like to thank you for your answers to my questio nabout if this story should be long or short. I got to say that this isn't my absolute favorite chappie, but...it's not the worst x3 Also, today was the last real say of school, only a week of different activites, and I'm going to work at my old school! xD Can't wait to see all my middle school teachers again! Well, 'nough with the rambling...

Warning: Contains curses, manga/anime copying to a degree and not so excellent fighting scenes...

We all sat down on around the table, chit chatting happily about training and random nonsense. Naruto and the others looked worn-out and there even were a few scratched on their clothes to prove their hard work. "I'm so proud of you all!" I clapped my hands together and grinned with closed eyes. "You're really growing up in terms of skill before our eyes!" I opened my eyes and saw Naruto and Sakura blushing, while Sasuke had the smallest grin plastered on his face. "Naruko, you sound like a mother." Kakashi chuckled and smiled under his mask as I growled. "What? Their my little babies! And they're progressing!" He chuckled again and I sighted tiredly.

"Well let's just eat up the delicious meal and go to bed. We'll need to save up energy." I grinned and stuffed my mouth full… in a discreet way of course. "We don't need to sleep so long! We're strong shinobi!" Naruto bragged loudly as he dragged his plate closer to himself there he lay on the table. "You're gettin' stronger, but there's still long to go you know?" He grinned and filled his mouth with food. "Ow couwse! But, wewe awesome, awen't we!" I laughed heartedly and gulped down some water, shaking my head.

Glancing around the table, I suddenly noticed Inari-kun –Tsunami-san's only son- holding back tears and glaring at the table. "Whut?" Naruto asked, his head once again laying on his hands on the table surface. Suddenly, Inari-kun jumped up, gripping the edge of the table. Tears rolled down his face as he glared at Naruto. "WHY DO YOU GUYS BOTHER TO TRY SO HARD!? NO MATTHER HOW HARD YOU TRAIN, YOU'RE STILL NO MATCH FOR GATOU'S MEN!" I felt my blood going cold and I looked down at my now empty plate. "NO MATTER WHAT GLORIOUS CLAIMS YOU MAKE OR HOW HARD YOU WORK, WHEN FACING THE STRONG, THE WEAK WILL ONLY END UP GETTING KILLED!"

I looked at everyone through my bangs. They all looked shocked, except for Naruto who hid his face in his arms. "Whatever kid... I'm not like you." I sighted silently at my nii-chan's words, then took a shaky breath. "I'D HATE TO BE LIKE YOU! YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS COUNTRY, YET YOU'RE BEING SO NOISY!" I couldn't stop myself from growling under my breath, but thank Kami-sama it was drowned by Inari-kun's shouting. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU KNOW ABOUT ME!? I'M DIFFERENT FROM YOU, YOU'RE ALWAYS CLOWNING AROUND AND ACTING SO CHEERFULL, YOU DON'T KNOW HOW HARD LIFE CAN BE!" I felt my heart fall limp in my chest and my vision got blurred by salty tears. I couldn't help but wanting to jump over the table, at that little brat for saying something like that, but (depending on which point of view you have) Naruto beat me to it. "So it's ok for you to pose as the star of a tragedy and cry all day?" My heart wanted to escape my chest as I heard Naruto lift himself up from the table. "JUST KEEP CRYING FOREVER YOU LITTLE IDIOT! YOU SISSY!"

For a while, only sobs were heard, before Naruto walked away from the table and Sakura jumped up too. "NARUTO! YOU'VE SAID ENOUGH!" After that, everyone silently left the table, leaving me there with Kakashi. "You ok?" I nodded silently as I roughly wiped my tears. "…I guess I shouldn't be surprised… Naruto's been alone as good as from the beginning…" He laid a hand on my shoulder and squeezed it gently. "It's not like anything could have been different-" "It could have… if I weren't that foul mouthed spoiled brat-" He pulled me close to him and held me with an iron grip. "You weren't a spoiled brat, foul mouthed maybe, but you weren't a spoiled brat. You were an anbu and sensei had sent you away for a mission… it's not like you could have refused him, could it?" I shook my head and bit my lip. "No… then mother would have yelled my skin full…" Kakashi chuckled silently and patted my head. "I'll talk to Inari-kun, to make sure he doesn't misunderstand Naruto." I nodded silently, my thoughts drifting away, off the subject.

"It's tomorrow already, huh?" It took a short second before Kakashi nodded gravely. "Hai, and I guess it won't be a pretty sight either." I nodded in agreement and ruffled my bangs. "I have a feeling that that boy will become big trouble… do you think we should split up?" Kakashi looked thoughtful, his eyes glancing around. "It's hard to say, it would be ideal if we got the chance, but knowing Momochi Zabuza, he'll retort to dirty tricks to win." I nodded and itched my cheek in thought. "We'll just see how the situation develops tomorrow then?" Kakashi patted my head and nodded, before gently placing me in my chair. "That would be best, but for now, I'll deal with Inari-kun." I nodded and smiled sadly. "Just remember not to let your mouth slip some S-rank secrets while you're at it." Wrinkles in his mask showed a smirk, as well as that eye which shined in mischief. "I'll try." I chuckled with a grin.

But a second later, I jumped up from my seat and ran quietly out and towards the dock (1). In the moonlight, Kakashi and Inari-kun looked like mere black spots. When I was close enough, I heard Kakashi. "-about your dad. Like you, Naruto also grew up without a father." I smiled sadly. Kakashi's voice sounded so painfully familiar, but I somehow found it comical. As I've found out so many times before, I do belong in a coco-house. I made my way to the other side of Inari-kun and sat down silently. He didn't notice me, but Kakashi probably did… well I would be concerned if he didn't.

"Actually he's never known his parents and he's never even had a single friend. The truth is, he's had a rougher past than you." Inari's head jerked up and he looked at Kakashi. I for my part; just shook my head and squeezed my eyes shut. "But I've never once seen him cry or complain. He's always…" I nodded and laid my hand on Inari-kun's shoulder. He jumped slightly before looking at me. "Trying to get people to acknowledge him. For that dream, he'd risk his life anytime. My guess is that he's sick and tired of crying. He knows what it means to be truly strong." Kakashi finished and I smiled as I pictured Naruto. How happy he had been when he finally managed to walk up and down the tree, run on the water and hit all the bull's eyes he had set up in the forest.

"Just like your father, Inari-kun." Inari looked at me strangely, but I continued. "Naruto may understand your feelings better than anyone else." The little boy looked at me and Kakashi, his head moving back and forth. "What?" I chuckled and placed a hand on his head, ruffling his hair. "Actually, he doesn't seem to be able to not be concerned about you."

I groaned as my eyes fluttered open and I heard a somewhat distant voice. It sounded like someone called out 'Naruko-sensei'… "Naruko-sensei!" I jerked up and looked around the room. It had to be long after the usual time when we ate breakfast, the sun shined in from the window and Naruto sat next to me with a rather tomato red face. "Oh… Naruto…-kun." He blinked and nodded, his eyes darting away. I narrowed my eyes and looked down at what I wore. Nope, it wasn't lingerie, neither was I naked. I wore a mash singlet and tight-fitting black shorts. Also I had some bandages running along my arms and one under the top, but… why was he all red? "Why are you all tomato red?" He turned and opened his mouth wide to answer. "Wait, what's that sound?" He looked at me weirdly, but I could hear something… I jumped up, grabbed my pouches, holsters and fastened them on. "Naruto-kun, there's enemies in the house. Get your gear and get outside." He got up and ran over to the door. It was then we heard screams. "But what about you?" I waved my hand and walked over to the window. "I'll meet you there."

Jumping out of the window, I ran across the outside wall, before I reached the closest house and jumped on the roof. What I saw were two huge men with katanas inside the house. Tsunami-san was grabbed by the one with darker hair and Inari-kun curled together in a corner. Growling under my breath, I watched as they made their way to the docks. "Naruko-sensei." Naruto whispered silently behind to me. "You take Tsunami-san away from those thugs and I'll take care of them." I saw him nodding then whispered a soft 'go' and he was at it. (2)I sighted in frustration when I saw Inari suddenly running towards the thugs who drew their katanas, but as he was about to be cut, he disappeared in smoke, which I knew Naruto had caused. Taking my chance, I jumped down and drove a senbon into each of their necks. Not far enough to kill, but to paralyze them and make them 'sleep' for quite the while.

They fell with loud thumps on the ground and I turned to Tsunami-san, Inari-kun and Naruto. "Are all of you ok?" Hunching down a bit, I helped Tsunami-san up. "We're fine, thank you so much Naruko-san." I smiled, but soon got a serious look on my face. "Naruto-kun, this attack means that they probably has or plans to attack the others on the bridge." He looked at me with big eyes, but I brushed him off. "I forgot to get my sandals, so you can go ahead." He nodded and was about to rush of, when a thought hit me. "Oh and Naruto-kun?" As if paralyzed, he stopped and looked back. "Think about the great advantage you have when you can surprise them. Don't rush into something without thinking either, got it?" He nodded, looking serious for a change. "Good, now hurry, I'll be there shortly."

The sight that met me was frankly terrifying to me. The masked boy had tripped Sasuke and Naruto in a dome of what seemed to be ice. Kakashi and Zabuza fought and Sakura and Tazuna were watching from the side lines. The boy shot out senbons at the boys, and their screams tore my heart. Grabbing one of my scrolls, I ran as fast as I could. Jumping into the dome, I opened the scroll and threw it around me and the boys. They looked bewailed, and I grabbed them and held them as close as I could. "Ninpo: Sukurorushiro, domushiro!" Familiar smoke filled my vision, and I quickly –somehow- managed to get the boys out. I didn't leave, but stuffed the scroll into my pouch, not planning on letting my brother or his friend die just yet.

As the smoke faded away, I got out a kunai and shot it just outside the dome, just where Naruto was about to set his foot. "NO! GET BACK TO SAKURA-CHAN AND TAZUNA-SAN!" The masked boy looked at me, as well as the boys. "B-but Naruko-sensei-" "NO! JOIN UP WITH TAZUNA-SAN AND SAKURA-CHAN!" "Naruko! I got the Sharingan! I can win!" Sasuke tried, but that only made me grit my teeth. "SHUT UP AND GO BACK AND PROTCT SAKURA-CHAN AND TAZUNA-SAN!"

"You're that woman from earlier." He said simply. "My name's Naruko and you are?" I looked around, he was only in the mirror in front of me, but nowhere else, yet I had seen him in all of them just before I stormed in to save the boys. "My name is Haku… Naruko-san I'd like to not kill you, but… you won't let me come out of here alive unless you die, am I right?" I nodded and put my hand in my pouch. "I'd never let you kill Naruto-kun or Sasuke-kun, that's for sure. So, if the only way to get out of here, or keep them alive, then I will kill you." He nodded, but I thought I sensed something sad about it. "I'm sorry, but then I have no other choice then to end your life…" I narrowed my eyes as he got out some senbons, and suddenly he appeared in every ice mirror. But there were blurry, like… after images? A light bulb shined in my mind, but yet I wasn't sure how to win, or get out alive(3).

"That jutsu you used earlier was interesting, what was it?" Haku asked as he threw the senbons. It looked like there were thousands of them. I got out the scroll from earlier and threw it around me. "Ninpo: Mippu sukuroru, buki!" Another thousands senbons flew out of the scroll, and hit almost all senbons that had been shot at me. But I felt some needles that dug themselves into my body. A few in my back, two in my chest and the rest –maybe four- on my arms. "You got a good aim, Haku-kun." I felt the wound on my stomach opening up, and instantly regretted not putting on my west while I got all my scrolls. "Zabuza-sama is an amazing sensei." I nodded, and traced different scrolls with my fingers. "And as for my jutsu… it's my own original jutsu… the different ways to use fuinjutsu are almost endless if you know what you're doing."

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto yelled as he ran towards both Sakura and Tazuna. "Naruto, Sasuke-kun? How did you get out!?" She asked with a look of pure awe. "Naruko-sensei got there, and used this crazy jutsu, then suddenly just pushed us out of there and ordered us to get back here!" Naruto looked over at the dome, smoke appeared and a rain of senbons got outside of the dome of ice. "B-but why did you leave her!?" Naruto looked down and Sasuke looked away. "She yelled at us, and even threw a kunai at me to get her point across…" The blonde mumbled sadly. Suddenly a series of screams made them freeze on the spot. Their minds didn't register whose voice it was, but the possibilities as to what could have happened were many. "T-Tazuna-san…" Sakura said in a broken voice, the two boys looked pale and somewhat terrified. "C-can we… go to where… N-Naruko-s-sensei is?"

I gasped for air. My body fell to the ground limply. Every limb on my body ached, but I smiled widely. I had started to doubt myself big time during the battle with Haku, who just happened to have a kekkei genkai and speed almost unheard of. I could barely feel my head smashing into the bridge stones, and my eyes started to feel heavy. In the distance, the sounds of fighting started to fade away, and pants and feet against the stones came closer by the second. Managing to keep my stone filled eyelids open, I saw Sakura, Sasuke, Tazuna-san and Naruto running towards me. "Naruko-sensei!" Sakura fell to her knees beside me and grabbed my hand, her eyes red from crying already. "I'm ok… just… so tired…" My voice sounded rough and shaky. I probably didn't look too well either, though. "Heh… I'm so damn tired… I'll sleep…just for a while…" With a dry chuckle, I closed my eyes, ignoring Sakura's weak words of disagreement.

So what'cha think!? Some may seem out of place, but I thinkI got the most outstanding ones under here... if there's something you don'tget or I didn't exsplain, please do review or pm me, kay?

(1)- Well, I couldn't resist letting Naruko join Kakashi, talking to Inari, simply couldn't xD

(2)- Ok, she might seem kinda evil or mean, but she's actually in full anbu mode... or that was my intension anyway... but the only way I could exsplain how she sometimes acts old and stuff, the 'exscuse' is that she's in her anbu mode... plan to clear out more black holes and blurrs in later chapters

(3)- You got to remember that Naruto originally got powered up with kyuubi chakra, then distroid the mirrors and stuff, and that it actually was Kakashi who killed Haku. With Zabuza saying Haku's even stronger than him (an A-rank missing nin, former mist anbu and one of the seven swordmen of the mist; wich makes me think hewas pretty damn strong), which makes Haku somewhat an A+-rank nin or something? (Sorry if it makes no sence, probably the algebra we've had at school the last month) And I think that most anbus are A-rank somewhat on the edge of -S-rank ninjas. And considering their different fighting skills (Naruko and Haku) makes me believe that Naruko should have had a hard time fighting him with 'only' fuinjutsu. So I believe that the outcome would have been somewhat like this... but I'm not Kishimoto-sama either...

Jutsus used this Chapter :

1. 'Ninpo: Sukurorushiro, domushiro' or 'Ninja art: Scroll seal, dome seal'. A scroll, controlled by chakra, makes a dome around the user, and seals whatever weapons or jutsus thrown at the user. Uses middle amount of chakra and is ranked a powerful C-rank jutsu, though it can backfire if the user don't have enough chakra or bad chakra controll. The jutsu is reserved only for the anbu or jonins specialisted in sealing. (Made by writer)

2. 'Ninpo: Mippu sukuroru, buki' or 'Ninja art: Sealed scroll, weapon'. A scroll with specially sealed weapons is unsealed at the same speed and power as at the they were sealed. Uses little to middle amount of chakra (depends on the amount of wepons) and is ranked as a C-rank. Can backfire if the userdon't have enough chakra. The jutsu is reserved only for the anbu or jonins specialisted in sealing. (Made by writer)

Well, that's all for now, but btw, what do youthink about the 'Jutsus used in this chapter' and above all, the chapter itself?

Anyways

Ja ne LittleMyOwO