-AN-

Thinking ahead, I wonder how Diedara will feel about someone else showing him up in his art? Think he'd be impressed with Naruto? Maybe grab some tissues, we're in the wave arc ya'll.

-Story Start-

With a start, Kakashi awoke to a dark but comfortable room. Mind racing it took a few moments before he could piece together what had led to him being laid up in a bed in an unknown place. The mission, the battle, winning, and over using his cursed eye. It all came back to him in a flash and he groaned in half embarrassment. To think he'd exhaust himself to quickly in front on his students. Well, they lived to tell the tale, so he could live with it for now. Though when they got back to the village he was sure to hear it from Asuma and the others when he filed his report. With a tired groan the exhausted ninja rolled and rose to his feet, shuffling out the door and down the stairs where he could hear people.

Downstairs it was three bored genin who were waiting on the condition of their sensei to improve. While Naruto had wanted to train like normal, he figured that since they were in unfamiliar territory that he should probably wait for some orders for once. Sakura was helping Tazuna's daughter Tsunami prepare lunch with what supplies they had. Sasuke was waiting just as Naruto was, not entirely sure how they should proceed. Tazuna had assured them that he wouldn't need protection within the village of wave, but they were all nervous regardless. However As they heard a thumping from the stairs, all three students heaved a relieved sigh as their sensei made an appearance, though slow.

"Well well well, it's good to see everyone up and so chipper." Kakashi was in good spirits at least, seeing his students all happy and in one piece. "Come with me, we have much to talk about." Thanking Tsunami for the help while he was out, he ushered his students out of the house and into a clearing not far away. Arranging all three of them before him, Kakashi got serious for a moment, "I think it's time to get a little more hands on with your training." Seeing each of the kids focus on him a bit more, he nodded with some pride, "I'm proud of you Naruto for taking initiative to learn more of the basics and continuing chakra control and movement techniques, I would have thought our resident bookworm would have done the same." Looking pointedly at Sakura, she raised her hand.

"But Kakashi-sensei, why would we need to continue exercises after the academy?"

Motioning to Naruto, Kakashi hoped that maybe having an example would put things in perspective. "Because first, you should always be working towards improvement. And second, many of these basic exercises have practical uses. Like tree walking and water walking. Notice yesterday how Zabuza and myself continued our fight on the lake, or how Naruto was able to reposition using the trees? You never know what skill will have the most use and when, so it's best to learn all that you can, and practice, practice, practice. Plus, it'll do wonders for building up your chakra reserves. Much like a muscle, using it will build it up." Turning and motioning to the line of trees behind him, he looked mainly at Sakura and Sasuke, "You're goal for the next week is to be able to reach the top of the tree with just your chakra. And not just once, you must continue the training until you can do so so hours at a time without getting tired. This will increase both your control and your capacity." Turning to Naruto Kakashi nodded, "While I understand you have tree walking down, I noticed you're still working on the water walking skill."

"Uh yeah, I can hold it for short times, but varying my chakra still takes some concentration."

Nodding and expecting the answer, Kakashi motioned back towards the village, "Your job this week is to watch over the bridge building, practice the exercise while at the bridge, and make safe use of your clones in the meantime. Got it?"

"Hai!"

Kakashi waved him off as he himself turned and trudged back to the house, "Then I'm going back to bed, chakra exhaustion is no joke, and I need to be in the best form I can be before the week is over."

Not seeing the need for urgency, Sakura again raised her hand, "Why's that sensei?"

Kakashi looked back to them with a gleam in his eye, "Because that hunter nin was a fake. Normally hunter cut off the head and burn the body. Considering also the weapon used to eliminate Zabuza, I have a suspicion that the hunter was actually Zabuza's accomplice." But waving them off Kakashi turned away, "But all we can do it prepare as much as possible and be ready for when they return." So saying, their sensei walked back towards their clients home.

Standing there for a moment, Naruto himself turned to rush off to his assigned task. But it was Sasuke's voice that stopped him. "Dobe-no. Naruto. Any advice about the tree walking technique?" While Sasuke would normally never think to ask the dead last for anything. The last few days had shown that out here, Naruto was anything but. Naruto had the skill and worked three times as hard as anyone else for it and Sasuke could respect that.

Scratching his neck Naruto nodded, "Well, usually you see me getting a running start at trees right? You have to put the right amount of chakra at your feet to stick as well, to much and you blow off, and to little and you don't stick. But I noticed after a while that if you instead sit at the base of a tree and try sticking yourself first, it takes a little longer but you get a better feel for how much or little chakra you need." Shrugging, Naruto did have the benefit of being able to spam clones for something like this.

Nodding and turning away from his teammate Sasuke got ready to practice, "Alright, just you wait, I'm gonna catch up to you and we'll see who's stays ahead by the end of the week." Maybe having a rival wasn't so bad.

"In your dreams Sasuke." Naruto had a grin on his face though as he set off through the trees, not having a problem navigating towards the large bridge in the distance. Doing his duty as instructed Naruto made good time to the bridge while traveling over the trees and rooftops, before dropping to the ground and landing not far away from the construction team. Raising a hand to wave at a surprised Tazuna, Naruto was still all grins, "Kakashi-sensei finally woke up, gave me orders to come watch over you while getting some training done. Heh."

Waving the kid off but nodding as he was just doing his job, Tazuna turned back to his crew who were waiting for some orders themselves, "Knock yourself out kid, just try not to get under foot alright?"

Leaping towards the side of the bridge Naruto crossed his fingers, "No sweat Tazuna-san! Kage bushin no jutsu!" Pumping more chakra than he probably should have, a few hundred clones all fell to the water below to begin training. Satisfied that they were doing just that, Naruto walked up the support pillar of this section of bridge before sitting and keeping an eye out, completely out of the way like he was asked.

Eyes wide and staring at the slip of a kid who apparently really was a ninja, of of the men whispered to Tazuna, "You really got some ninja to come protect us to finish the bridge?"

Nodding Tazuna slapped the blueprint on their hastily put together work table, "Sure did, and these kids did a super job protecting me and getting me here safe. I trust em, and you should too. Now, here's the schedule for today." Tazuna wasn't worried about the black and orange clad boy who was watching over him, completely confident the kid would protect him just like he said he would, so he would do his own job, and complete this bridge.

Day to night, night to day, 4 grueling days of training and watching their client went by in almost a blink. And through it all team 7 kept their moral up while their teacher regained his strength. This night however found everyone at the dinner table, Naruto contributing by surprise by showing up with a arm load of fish.

"Can't be a freeloader, and clones are useful for more than just blowing stuff up." Tsunami was more than happy to take the extra provisions and cook a much larger meal.

Sitting and enjoying some rice it was Kakashi who warned his high spirited students, "Remember, tomorrow is most likely crunch day, so everyone is to be at the bridge, which means rest and recovery tonight." While everyone on the team knew who that was aimed at, Naruto had the decency to blush and agree.

It was however a ill-tempered Inari, Tsunami's son, that finally had enough, "How can you be so happy! You can't win against Gato, he'll crush you just like he's crushed everyone else! You're going to die, don't you care?"

Pulling up his mask after taking a bite, ignoring the hearts in Tsunami's eyes, Kakashi sighed, "I don't think you'll need to worry about us, I've dealt with worse than Gato in my time."

Frowning as once between the three of them, none of the genin had seen Kakashi's face this time, it was Naruto that focused on the here and now, "Yeah yeah, we're super awesome, there's no way we're going to let some wannabe dictator stop us." Full of confidence Naruto fully believed their team would pull through. They had Kakashi after all too.

Standing up and pointing the frustrated kid was now fully angry, "I don't wanna hear it from some coddled Ninja! I bet you've never suffered once in your life at all, surrounded by your friends and family, never having to worry about if you'll have to eat that night or if some bandits are going to come through your home at night! This is the real world, why don't you try living in it?"

While Sakura and Sasuke didn't know much about Naruto's past, they both knew that he had been treated differently than the rest of them. So even they were a little shocked at just how quickly the happy look drained from Naruto's face, replaced with a cold glacial look that was better suited on an angry hyuuga. "Maybe, you should consider not everyone who's happy actually had a happy life. I know what it's like to suffer, but at least you still have some of your parents, people who love you. That's what's most important, isn't it?" Voice and tone cold, Naruto stood and bowed to Tsunami, "Thank you Tsunami-san, I'll be leaving for a while." No one bothered to stop the blonde as he made for the door, opening and closing it in a fluid motion.

Sakura made to go after him, but Kakashi settled her down with a wave of his hand, "Let him go blow off some steam. He'll be alright."

"He's just mad that I'm right, so childish." Inari chose to speak up again, but the look sent his way by the team seven sensei froze him in place.

"It's not fully my story to tell, but Naruto was an orphan since birth. No parents, no family, no friends. It's only recently that he's started forming any bonds with people. Do you think you could be as happy and carefree as he is, growing up in such a way?" Kakashi of course, couldn't get into the why his life had been that way, or the, worse things, that had happened to him. That was up to his wayward student to bring up himself.

Turning to the door with a contemplative look, Sakura reevaluated her thoughts about her teammate, while Sasuke turned back to his meal. Nothing he could do about it now after all.

Naruto however was venting his frustration in the best way he knew how, creating dozens of clones and pounding away at himself, literally. Long into the night he trained and practiced before eventually the days normal training caught up with him and he passed out in a heap below a scarred tree. The full moon watched over him as eventually the mists concealed him from the rest of the world for the night.

It was in his dreams however, that things began to go all kinds of weird. Normally Naruto would enjoy a wonderful dream involving never ending ramen, or maybe after a particularly stressful day, something that involved ramen and particular classmates from his time at the academy. Tonight however, no perversions, but instead he found himself in a dank sewer, ankle deep in water.

"Well this doesn't look good, maybe I ate some bad fish?" Already feeling guilty about insulting Tsunami's amazing cooking, Naruto began to wander aimlessly through those wet halls. It all felt just slightly off, like a place he didn't know but should. But he walked still, for maybe hours or days, before he found himself in a cavernous space where as far as he could see were bars wider than he was tall. Walking up to one, there was a simple piece of paper with the word 'seal' written on it, but no more. "Just where is this?"

"Come and find out!" A giant red claw reached out, trying to impale him. The bars closed ranks automatically and kept him from being torn to shreds, but Naruto was already looking up, past the claws, past the arm and into the baleful red eyes of a beast of legend that he never though he would see alive.

"You! You're the kyuubi aren't you!?"

Growling low and moving away from the bars, they to opened up as his malice towards his container settled into something barely above annoyance. "So the little monkey can connect the dots. Truly an accomplishment for such a simpleton." The ageless demon was not impressed. So many of his previous hosts were much much more fearsome than this welp.

"Yeah well, I'm not the one who's locked away in this little monkey now am I? Big bad Kyuubi, locked away in a kid!" Naruto was scared, he could admit that, but he would rather spit in the eye of the kami before admitting it to this asshole.

So this kid had fire, just like his mother, "Muahahahaha! So he has teeth after all! Tell me whelp, you've started taking life serious, but is it enough yet? Think you can take me?" He'd love a challenge right now, and tricking this kid into fighting him for control so early would be a boon. Sure they could speak already because the boy's control over his own chakra had improved a great deal, but it was no where near enough to truly deal with his yet.

"Yeah right, I'd love to say yeah but I've got a long way to go." Firming up his resolve, Naruto held out a fist to the beast, "Just you wait though, one day I'm going to be the strongest, and when I am, me and you are going to have it out! You got it?" Challenging the strongest of the tailed beasts, Naruto was if nothing else, ambitious.

"You amuse me. I'll take that challenge, and I'll even help you. You are the container to the strongest Biju in existence! I deserve no less than to have the strongest container. So I will heal you when needed, and occasionally gift you my chakra. But you better continue your training and build your own strength, lest my power consume you." Smiling wide with rows of sharp fangs flashing, the blood thirst in the Kyuubi's eyes was very apparent.

Not looking this gift horse in the mouth, Naruto nodded, "Oh I'll get strong alright, and you'll see, I'm going to prove everyone wrong about me, even you!"

No longer caring and ready to be done with the child, the Kyuubi turned away, "Time will tell whelp, but perhaps you should consider waking. Before your throat is slit."

"Wuh?" And Naruto's mind fell.

Morning however found a new occupant in the clearing, a black haired beauty who stumbled upon the blonde bomber much by accident. Recognizing him however, they waffled between ending the threat or sparing him, before deciding it wasn't his decision to make. So, taking pity on the boy currently soaked in the morning dew, they shook his shoulder, "Excuse me, but you probably shouldn't be sleeping outside here."

"Huh wuzzat?" Through the haze of his dream, Naruto blearily opened his eyes and looked upon the person above him. "Uh, hello there. What's yer name?" Curious about his watcher, Naruto sat up.

"My name is Haku, this is certainly an odd place to sleep. Why are you out here all alone?"

"Oh uh, I was training. Got a little carried away I guess. I'm a ninja here to protect the bridge builder." Finally rolling to his feet and stretching, his back stiff from sleeping on the cold ground overnight. "What're you doing out here?"

Pointing at a basket full of herbs, Haku smiled, "Collecting herbs for a friend of mine, say, would you like to help me?"

Deciding he didn't have anything better to do at the moment and by the looks of the sun he had some time before he needed to get back, Naruto nodded, "Sure thing, I'll help out, show me what we're looking for?" Looking to take his time, Naruto didn't spam clones for this task. So he set to work, listening to Haku intently as the apparent young woman showed him what herbs were useful and which ones were no more than weeds. It wasn't long before the basket was full and Haku was standing ready to go.

"Thank you Naruto-san for the help."

"No sweat miss, all in a days work for a ninja."

Seeming to think something over for a moment, Haku asked a question, "When I asked you why you were out here, you told me you were training. Can I ask, why are you training so hard?" Keeping their motivation to themselves, they were genuinely curious.

"Well to get strong of course. I wanna be Hokage one day and I have to be the strongest to do that." He answer was quick and truthful. His goal and dream always on his mind.

"Is that strength just for you however? Or for others?" Pausing at Naruto's slightly confused looks, Haku clarified, "To me, real strength comes from defending those precious to you. Strength for yourself is to selfish and can't take you further than protecting those you love. Think of your Hokage, don't you think he loves all of your village? Does he toil that much harder to make sure his loved ones don't have to suffer?" Turning away slightly ready to leave, Haku nodded to the thinking boy, "Something to think about."

"Yeah, yeah it is." Sure, the Kyuubi wanted Naruto to be the strongest of the strong, and Naruto wanted to be strong in order to become Hokage. But was being strong all there was? Or was having someone precious to protect part of the equation too? Unbidden, the faces of Iruka and the Ichiraku's entered his mind. Looking up at the departing beauty, Naruto grinned, "Thanks for the advice, Haku-chan, you're a nice lady."

Able to enjoy a bit a teasing, Haku looked back at the boy with a smile, "No worries." Pausing for effect, and effeminate boy tilted his head, "And I'm a boy, Naruto-kun." Continuing on his way without another word, Haku left a flabbergasted but smiling Naruto. Who, after shaking himself, realized he was now running late.

"Shit, time to get back!" And off like a shot, Naruto was up and into the trees, making a beeline for Tazuna's home. Making great time or so he thought, Naruto was unprepared for the scream that reached his ears. Making a squad of a dozen clones, they all vanished in a swirl of leaves.

Inari was standing in the hallway of his home, trembling but starting down to worn down samurai holding his mom hostage. Scared and worried everything was going to fall apart again, tears were already tracking down Inari's face as one of the thugs held his mom against him, "L-l-let my mom go!"

The unburdened thug came forward, grin on his face, "Normally I'd complain Gato doesn't pay us enough, but with this little treat I think I'll be satisfied with today." Pulling his sword as he turned away from his cohort, he made a show of pointing the rusted weapon at the barely standing boy, "Don't you worry kid, your mom will be seeing you soon, after we're done with her." That'd be a long while from now, but kid didn't need to worry about that.

"Over my dead body!" Before he could turn completely to look at who called out, a sandal clad foot connected with the back of his head. Disoriented and dizzy, he wasn't prepared for two sets of arms to toss him back out the front door and into the yard, where he was immediately pummeled by a dozen waiting clones.

Inari was suddenly in his mothers embrace, both crying and assuring themselves that the other was okay and unhurt. Naruto watched them with an odd look on his face, before turning away and knowing it was time to get to the bridge.

Seeing their last minute savior go, Inari wrestled free and reached out to the boy, "Wait! Don't go, Gato will win. He'll always win! Just run, let's run!"

Scoffing, Naruto thumbed his headband with a wide grin on his face, already mind set in battle mode, "I'm a proud ninja of the leaf. We don't run with things get tough. You've gotta stand up for yourself eventually Inari, or deadbeats like Gato will keep walking all over you! I'll leave some clones, you'll both be safe here." With that Naruto was out and into the trees, leaving behind several clones who were busy tying up the thugs.

"Hey Tsunami-san? Wanna take a turn kicking the shit out of these guys?"

"Hey idiot, language, she's a lady!"

"Who you calling an idiot, idiot. And she doesn't mind, do you Tsunami-san?"

"You, I'm calling you an idiot you idiot."

Watching clones of the boy literally argue with themselves, it was Inari who was already running out of the door quickly, a plan slowly forming in the boy's mind, "I'm going to get help mom, I'll be back as soon as I can!" And he too was gone.

The absurdity of everything that had happened within the last 15 minutes finally catching up to her, Tsunami decided it might be best to just roll with it. Looking upon the waking samurai, Tsunami came outside hoisting a cast iron pan, "Hold them still boys, I have a lot of frustration to let out." After several identical cheers, only pained screaming was heard.

Naruto had already created another few dozen clones who had spread out as they neared the bridge, and the sight he came upon was not a welcome one. Like Kakashi sensei had thought, Zabuza was up and in fighting form again, holding off the leaf jounin with his massive cleaver. However, while Sakura was protecting the bridge builder it was Sasuke who was fighting against the masked fake hunter nin within a dome of strange looking mirrors, Naruto made a last leap before sliding to watch Sasuke's back, a kunai in each hand blocking or diverting senbon.

"Heh, thought you'd be done by now Sasuke, what's taking you so long with this loser?"

Panting but watching the hunter's movements, Sasuke wanting to be irritated with the blonde but just couldn't. For once happy to see the knuckle head. "Oh you know, wanted to give you a chance to see how much more awesome I am than you." Spinning to deflect a needle from his left, Naruto was already moving to his right to defend his blind spot.

"Uh huh yeah sure. Just admit you missed me." Having a hard time keeping up, Naruto was about to signal his clones start getting explody.

"Before you do anything, know that those mirrors took my full strength fireball and didn't budge. We're going to need something with a lot more power.

"Oh I've got something alright. Figured out how to direct the blast of my clone's wrist bombs now." A creepy chuckle leaving his mouth, Naruto was ready to show off.

Seeing the boys starting to rally, Haku blurred between all of the mirrors again, readying more senbon while a half hand seal formed even more made of ice. "I'm sorry, but I can't let you interfere with Zabuza-sama's plans." Letting loose the weapons, it was with a heavy heart that Haku put these boys down.

Knowing he wasn't going to be able to recall enough clones in time, purely on instinct Naruto grabbed Sasuke pulling him under himself while 3 clones burst into existence. The next moment Naruto knew nothing but pain the vision in his left eye going dark in the same moment. Under him Sasuke barely had time to register what had happened, but the feeling of something wet dripping on his face was a clue that things were not going as planned.

"Damnit teme, why don't you toughen up a bit, I'm not going to always be here to save your hide after all." Left eye a ruined mess from a needle entering through the side of his face, the rest of his body looked like a pincushion. And while the other clones what taken enough hits and dispersed, Sasuke himself was unharmed.

"In the end, he decided to protect you. Truly he must have been a good friend to you. It's a pity that it has to end this way. Goodbye." Conjuring more ice needles, Haku readied to end this.

Feeling something inside of him change and feeling a heat in his eyes that he'd never felt before, Sasuke didn't feel like stopping the hot tears breaking free, "You dobe! You aren't supposed to sacrifice yourself for me! I've been shitty to you, all of us have! You're supposed to be Hokage one day aren't you? You can't die if you're gonna make that happen can you?"

Feeling his clones closing in, a strange calm washing over him, Naruto nodded, "You're right teme. I can't let it end here." Grabbing a fist full of the red eyed Uchiha's shirt, Naruto heaved the boy out and through the gaps in the dome to land at Sakura's and Tazuna's feet, "Cause my job is to protect my precious friends, and that includes you." Starting from his navel, chakra exploded forth from Naruto forcing loose all of the senbon and evaporating the ice versions as well. In an instant every mirror suddenly had a Naruto palming it's surface, volatile seal bracelets glowing. "You want me dead huh? Well you better make it flashy!" The explosions were properly directed this time and blew apart the ice mirrors with ease. One of which held the real Haku who was sent tumbling end over end before coming to a shaky stop on legs that barely supported him.

"What are you? You shouldn't be standing!" Mask cracked but not broken, the fake hunter only had a moment to raise his head. Appearing directly in front of him in a body flicker, was a glowing red ninja with a dark eye reforming by the moment, and his fist was already crashing into his face.

"I'm gonna be the next Hokage! And I'll be damned if I watch anyone in front of me die!" And if fresh chakra coursing through him his fist crashed into and through Haku's face mask, shattering it and tossing the now barely conscious boy on his back in a heap. Seeing his opponent down, it took a few moments for Naruto to heave a few breaths before finally calming down, the angry red chakra slowly leaving him as well. He was tired, and his eye ached, but he was happy to note his loss of vision was only temporary. Guess the bastard fox was good on its word. Walking up to the groggy boy, Naruto frowned, "So it's you. What about protecting your precious people?"

Sighing and spent, Haku had for all purposes seemed to give up, "Zabuza is my most precious person. He raised me, gave me a home, saved me from the loneliness crushing down on me from the savageness of this world." Looking at Naruto, at something deeper in him, he sighed, "You know it as well, what people are willing to do to others who don't fit in, who don't belong. My mother was a victim of the bloodline purges in the mists. I only lived because I killed my father to save my own life. All I have is Zabuza who I considered like a real father, and so I became his tool to repay that. And now I'm broken. And a broken tool can only be thrown away." Ready to bite his own tongue if needed, Haku was ready for his end.

"Well screw that! You said only the truly strong get so in order to protect their precious people right! Well if Zabuza is so precious to you, you've got to be just as precious to him. As a person, not as a tool! And someone like that wouldn't want you to give up so easily! You aren't just a tool, you're special to him!"

Not far away and deep in their own fight, Kakashi and Zabuza were both tired and nearing the end of their limits. They were however listening to a very impassioned blonde. "You're brat needs to learn when to leave well enough alone. Little shit."

"You don't know the half of it. He has a way of getting under people's skin. How about we end this then, with one last original move?"

Barking out a laugh, Zabuza nodded, "An original move from you! Why I'm honored, let's see what you got Kakashi!" Breaking away to ready his blade, Zabuza was met with what sounded like thousands of birds chirping.

Crouched and holding his right arm, Kakashi had wreathed his hand in lightening, Sharingan eye blazing for the extra reaction time, "Meet my one original move, the Chidori!" Lunging forward at breakneck speeds, Kakashi was aiming straight for the heart this time.

"Hah! So simple! I'll cleave you in two!" At least, that was what Zabuza wanted, but that was thwarted by several dogs latching onto his extremities. "What's this?"

"While I may get tunnel vision with this move, I've learned to work through that weakness. This is goodbye Zabuza!" Thrusting his hand forward Kakashi was unprepared for the body that came in between the two.

While Naruto had been focused on his teacher, amazed at the special technique he was using, it was Haku who was watching the scene while Naruto's own voice was ringing in his head. Mustering up the last of his strength and making one last flicker, he interposed himself between Kakashi and Zabuza, taking the attack to his chest.

Silence reigned in that moment. All of the team 7 genin surprised that the broken boy could still move enough to sacrifice himself in an attempt to protect who he considered his father figure. But, it hadn't been enough, Kakashi's hand and arm piercing far enough through Haku to also break through Zabuza's sword that he had raised in defense and into his own heart as well.

"You idiot, you were supposed to stay down and live. Not die with an old failure like me." Tears tracking down his face, Zabuza limply fell to his knees, pulling himself free from Kakashi's hand.

Pulling his arm free and recognizing the battle was over, the leaf jounin covered his Sharingan eye and laid the dying boy in Zabuza's lap. Turning away, Kakashi could respect a worthy opponent at least in the end, and started walking away. Naruto however had come to stand next to Kakashi, face stuck somewhere between sadness and rage, not at his sensei, but at the unfairness of the world they came from. "Why does it have to be this way."

"Heh kid, you're a useless dreamer, got more guts than brains." Using what strength he had left, he tossed the handle half of his giant cleaver to the boy who awkwardly caught it. "That blade is meant for useless dreamers like you and me. Why don't you try succeeding where I failed, and change this shitty world of ours?" Pausing the lean down and cradle the boy in his lap, Zabuza's voice fell to a whisper, "Now like me sleep with my son, I think I deserve the rest."

Eye clouded by tears and cradling the surprisingly light blade, Naruto did as his sensei and turned away, allowing the two not so enemy ninja their peace. At least until a crossbow bolt landed not far from their feet, and a cackle met their ears.

"Well well well, so much for the Demon of the mists. More like a kitten if you ask me." Getting cheers and shouts from a crowd of mercenaries and thugs, the shorter than average shipping magnate known as Gato held up a hand. "Listen up, leave the girl but kill the rest, a good bounty to who ever brings my the ninja's heads! They're worth a lot of money after all." His proclamation getting cheers, the crowd started across the bridge.

Rage building in his chest, Naruto didn't spare any thought to what he was about to do. But it was a gentle hand on his shoulder that had him looking up at his sensei, now mismatched blue and purple eyes looking at the older man accusingly.

"I won't tell you not to kill them. Just. Remember this moment, and what we all that carry the will of fire hope for one day. Rage will leave you empty once spent. I know." To many memories to count, he and Naruto would be having a sit down after this.

"I'll remember this. And Don't worry Sensei." Turning back to the approaching mod, summoning more than 100 clones before him, all of their faces grim, he uttered one last thing quietly, not noticing the townspeople showing up. "This is just pest control." Forgoing the blade in his hand as these scum weren't worth it's edge, Naruto silently commanded his clones forward. The explosions and fire would at least give Haku and Zabuza a flashy send off.

-b-

Another week, full of construction and rebuilding and raiding Gato's mansion, found at the end of it a completed bridge and a tired team seven saying their goodbye's to Tazuna and his family. Shaking the hand of the elder Ninja Tazuna himself was happy things had turned out as well as they had, "Thank you. For everything."

Nodding, Kakashi motioned down to his team, "They're the one's who believed in continuing, and I'm proud of them for what they've achieved. It had taking a few nights of quiet talks to work Naruto through what had happened on the bridge. Killing so many all at once a very large burden, but Naruto was working through it, and have promised that if he was affected that he would see a Yamanaka therapist back in the village right away.

Grinning and listening to Inari tell him again, how he rallied all the townspeople together to come fight with them, Naruto was a bit more subdued by still happy to be heading back home. Little more than half of the giant cleaver strapped to his back, he felt like they had really done some good here, even if things could have gone better. But he learned some important lessons, more than just fighting or techniques. Something that he'd stick in his core for a long time. Feeling Inari finally break down and hug him tightly, Naruto returned it just the same.

"You take care of your mom okay? And next time you gotta come visit me in Konoha, got it?"

"Sure thing bro, mom's got nothin' to worry about with me around!" Backing away and standing next to Tsunami, the entire town was out to wish the team goodbye. And with Kakashi signaling the quiet teens, the turned and walked back home, over the newly completed bridge and back to the lives they knew.

Looking to her father Tsunami smiled softly, "Do you have a name for your bridge, now that it's complete?"

Grinning and adjusting his glasses, Tazuna laughed, "Well at first I was going to call it Tazuna's super awesome bridge of salvation!" Getting a few chuckles from the crowd, instead Tazuna watched the influential team of Konoha ninja walk away, the loudest of the group waving at Inari as they left. "But I'm thinking instead, the Great Naruto Bridge, after someone who inspired all of us, to rise up for ourselves, and was willing to risk himself for nothing more than knowing it was the right thing to do."

Down the road and now out of sight, it was that very blonde who had a tired grin on his face, "Oh I'm so ready to be back home. I've got so much to tell the Ichirakus!"

Looking at his teammate, momentarily forgetting about his unlocked doujutsu, Sasuke could help but smirk along with the blonde, "Well, with as much as you talk about their ramen, guess I'll join you this time around, and to make sure you don't butcher the story to much."

"Hey I resent that! I was gonna make you look good too, but now you can forget it!"

"Well I better come along too then, just to make sure both of your ego's don't get in the way." While Sakura had a long way to go to fix her mentality about Naruto, this mission had really put a big rip in the image she had of the blonde. While she still wouldn't date him she could now at least see him as a capable teammate.

Looking left and right at his teammates(friends?) the now heterochomic blonde grinned, "Alright then! Team seven is gonna pig out on ramen when we get back! Believe it!

It had been a long and surprisingly difficult mission, but every member of team seven was happy to be making it home, each one with their own valuable experience nestled in their heart.

-AN

I had considered saving Haku in some way as a lot of fics do, because I felt like he got a shitty deal and deserved to live. BUT, Haku dying was a major turning point for Naruto, and in this fic, it needed to stay this way. Enjoy a two update kinda day.