Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

THE SENSEI IN SPITE OF HIMSELF

Hatake Kakashi closed his eyes, cursed silently, and counted to ten.

If Gai had been there, his 'eternal rival' would have said something about the fires of youth just to help snap Kakashi out of it. Gai was like that-- for all his eccentricities, there were few men Kakashi counted as a closer friend. Which was likely how they knew to push each others buttons so well.

Three days. Three days since things had shattered. A young hunter's ice mirrors, a perfect image of Konoha, a young genin's whole life... and the "cool and hip" exterior dear old Gai was always teasing Kakashi about.

Damn it. Kakashi had gotten so used to failing genin with the bell test, he'd never thought about what would happen when he had them. Now, here he sat-- not, as he told himself he would be, a simple watchdog to keep the Uchiha stable, the village pariah sane, and the pink haired fan-girl alive until she washed out. No, Kakashi found himself getting attached.

He was caring. Not cool and hip, but all too human.

The facts, Kakashi reminded himself, and heard Minato-sensei's approving hum in his mind.

Very well. The facts. While he was dealing with the main threat, the infamous nukenin Momochi Zabuza, the Mist swordsman's apprentice had employed a bloodline technique (later identified by Sasuke as "Makyou Hyoushou") to isolate Sasuke. Naruto arrived and immediately dove in ... or was captured by the Demonic Ice Mirrors as well? Sakura had been less than clear; Kakashi felt it was the shock of battle. Either way, at some point, the apprentice-- Haku-- incapacitated Sasuke with an attack intended for Naruto. He then attempted to taunt Naruto into giving up... at which point... everything went chop suey.

Naruto tapped the demon fox's chakra. That was not totally unexpected, though reason to be wary; the seal should be double checked, especially given what happened after.

While he was well trained, Haku was still the last of his line. He didn't fully understand this manifestation of his kekkai genjai's ultimate jutsu. Apparently, one of Naruto's demon backed attacks had-- denatured the mirrors? Distracted Haku's control over them? Regardless, the mirrors had reflected something that left both young nin screaming, and Naruto had managed to punch Haku so hard the other nin had been knocked clean out of his supposedly unbreakable dome.

Damn tough kid to even try getting up after that hit.

Haku's almost hysterical babbling that Naruto was like him, pleading with Zabuza to save someone they had just been trying to kill--

Hatake closed his eyes. Demon of the Mist. The name had not done the man justice. When Gatou arrived, Haku had tried to rise to his master's defense.

When he awoke, Kakashi felt it was his duty to explain Zabuza's choice to knock Haku out. He told of the man's mad kamikaze run, slaughtering Gatou and the merchant's entire mercenary company without a sound. If the swordsman had paced himself, he might have lived. But chakra exhaustion in the extreme was fatal...

There was a moment of tears of forming, then a wipe at the eyes and--

Kakashi was surprised to find himself biting his lip. Haku's eyes were already too hollow.

The fact that the light had come back, slightly, when he had asked about Naruto... was both heartening and worrying.

As was the state of Naruto.

The young genin was fine. But she was unconscious.

She. That was the rub, wasn't it.

Ah, Minato-sensei, Kushina-sama. There would be hidden layers to your masterwork.

He'd already called Pakkun and sent the reliable old pug off with two messages. He may have been going over the Hokage's head ever so slightly-- but hopefully Sarutobi would understand the need.

He turned back from the window he had been looking out, back to his students. Sakura was, of course, doting on Sasuke... but she kept casting glances at the other pair in the room. And not the annoyed kind he usually saw her gave Naruto. When to her teammate, her gaze was worried. When directed to Haku, it was wary. Maybe there was a kunoichi under the fangirl after all.

Haku sat kneeling by the young blonde woman who lay curled on her side, awake but not reacting. That was worrying.

"Sakura."

The pink haired kunoichi looked up. "Yes, sensei."

"Keep an eye on these two. I must speak to our guest... in private."

Sakura cast a glance at Haku, and there was an edge to it Kakashi had not expected from the girl. "Yes, Kakashi-sensei," she said, rising and moving over to Naruto's side. "I'll switch between them, while you're talking," she told Haku, and her polite but not too friendly tone made Kakashi hold back a smile.

Good girl, he thought. Just right. He is an unknown. He gave her a nod, and she sat up taller.

Haku studied the girls a moment, then nodded. "As you say."

USING THE BRAIN THE SWEET KAMI GAVE YOU

The spare room of a struggling Nami bridge builder, Haruno Sakura reflected, was not her ideal place for soul searching. This mission had rapidly gone from an easy introduction to C ranks to one hell of cluster fuck. Not that she'd say that out loud.

She looked down at Naruto, who had at least closed her eyes. It was... unnerving, seeing the normally loud and lively ninja just... lying there.

That was not all that was unnerving. The young woman with the slender, petite figure, now straight but still short blonde hair, and lithe arms and legs that lay before her... she saw the echoes of the Naruto she knew. But this was another young woman before her.

"Did you know?" Sakura asked.

There was a pause. "There's a lot... too damn much I don't know about myself, Sakura-chan."

The pain in her teammate's voice was rather restrained. Still strained, Sakura thought, but controlled. Which told Sakura the spacing out was... her... trying to deal with it. Alone.

As Naruto had to, Sakura realized slowly. Who had offered their hand to her team mate besides an over worked Academy teacher and a leader who had to divide his attention between far too many things? Even their own sensei was distant, though she did not miss the fact that Kakashi always had some of his attention on the blonde.

All the adults seemed to know something about Naruto. Most ignored him-- her. Some treated her like some sort of pariah.

And a few tried to treat her decently.

She recalled... her mother, chiding her for trying to play a joke on Naruto in class. For calling 'him' an idiot and hitting him. Being told (s)he had it tougher than Sakura thought.

She remembered how... relieved Naruto looked when he had showed her his head band. At the time, she thought the "dead last" had just been glad to finally pass, but... whatever had happened with Iruka and Mizuki... maybe Naruto had been told some of the Why of her life. And had faced it with a smile... and a slight worry in the eyes.

"How do you feel?"

Naruto slowly sat up. "It's... weird. I mean, I felt my body change, sorta like with my Sexy Jutsu. But this feels... more like returning back to my real me then becoming a new shape...?"

Naruto's eyes shone-- at first, Sakura thought they were suppressed tears. Realization hit-- that was the same glint that proceeeded him-- her latching on to the bit of a lecture she actual thought was cool, or planning a prank, or doing something awesome. It told of an intelligence many had failed to recognize.

Including her.

Sakura found herself suddenly ashamed. Teachers had praised her for her intelligence, her book smarts. But Iruka had chided her for not applying them, for taking the easy route over the right one when it came to using that knowledge in the real world.

She'd always taken the easy answer to any questions about Naruto, totally ignoring the most important fact about Uzumaki Naruto-- nothing about... her fellow kunoichi was easy. She was dead last-- and had easily mastered Kage Bushin and applied Henge in ways that stunned people. She was shunned by many-- and faced it with a silly grin, proclaiming her love for their home town and desire to protect it as Hokage.

Her fox grin was not there to ill hide trickery and pranks-- it was hiding other, darker secrets.

Some that the woman quietly considering her lot in life before her obviously didn't know herself.

And Sakura had ignored all that in favour of putting her teammate in the same easy box so many others used.

"Plumbing's a bit different," Sakura noted.

"Yeah... never took the time to manage that while under the Sexy..." Naruto murmured.

Sakura found her inner voice urging her to do something the image she projected would never do. On this day of surprises, Sakura did something amazing.

She did it.

Sakura reached out and drapped an arm over the other girl's shoulder. "Let me tell you a few things..."

GUESTS ENJOY CASUAL CONVERSATION ON WAVE'S SHORES

Hatake Kakashi cursed himself and his life for the fifth-- no, it was the sixth time that day as he stood by the water with the hunter nukenin. Then he cursed himself again for losing count.

"She could go either way with you," Haku said, slowly, breaking the silence. "I saw. She can't decide if you're with that teacher that's like her brother and her Jiijii or more like the old shinobi near the tower that keeps trying to spit on her. She'd like it if it was the first. She hates indifference, though."

Kakashi sighed. The fact that Naruto was already looking to him to be something was... actually rather heartening. The mental health of a jinchuuriki was paramount, after all, and while he still felt ill-suited to a genin team, between his high standards and his past...

But that was secondary to the really worrying word in the Hyouton user's statements.

She.

The form in the house behind him, stripped of her trademark jumpsuit to her black shirt and shorts, was undeniably female. As the Naruto who set out to Wave with them had been undeniably male.

"Your mirrors--" Hatake began.

"Do what all mirrors do," the effeminate nin said with a shrug. "Reflect the truth. Anything else - like using them to hold an image of myself that can attack those within the dome - requires my will to maintain. And when the chakra pulse and killing intent hit me..."

Kakashi sighed. "And what is Naruto's truth?"

"She loves Konoha, despite those within its walls that want her dead because of... what she is."

Kakashi tossed his head back, indicating the house. "They're in there. And not eavesdropping. Speak plainly."

"She was not aware of her jinchuuriki status until recently... she still isn't, totally. It was only after remembering things from my travels with... Zabuza-sama... that I understood what I saw," Haku said, eyes thoughtful, tone formal and respectful and a little sad, as if reporting to a superior. Normally, Kakashi would have told him to drop it, but... when Haku spoke that way, it was almost a balm. "While she dislikes the outright hate and enjoys the care her friends give her-- indifference is what truly hurts her. She will prod and poke until she knows someone feels one way or the other. Indifference-- I think it unsettles her because of its potential, if that makes sense."

"She doesn't want the surprise later," Kakashi murmured.

Haku nodded. "Just so, Hatake-sama."

Kakashi winced. "Kakashi-sama, at least. Or I'll be expecting my sensei to show up from the afterlife to chide me not to get a big head."

"Kakashi-san, then?"

"Thank you. Yes. Your mirrors-- do they affect genjutsu?"

"Yes. But I know the signs of a genjutsu dispelling under their power. And from how you're all acting, Naruto... Uzumaki-kun has been a young man to you for years."

"Maa. I know. A genjutsu would also never hold up so long. And to fool her as well-- she's grown up as a little boy..."

It should have felt odder, talking to someone who had earlier seemed hell bent on stopping, if not killing them. But from the way Haku had looked at the girl in question... it gave Kakashi an inkling. If that inkling was good or bad... well, they'd see.

"A henge?" Haku suggested.

"Yes. That fits. The man that made the seal that's holding her prisoner in was a master, taught by a master, married to an able sealer. I... can see the possibilities there. Perhaps as a protective measure..."

"Mm. A woman, sadly, invites certain attentions a man does not. Stupid as it is, it is a fact of our world. And if one is not prepared..." Haku's eyes lost focus. Kakashi smirked thoughtfully as the young man's hands fisted. Kakashi could tell what was running through the hunter nin's head, taking what he had seen from Naruto's reflections and imagining what might have been. The risks that would be there.

Kakashi stood. "I have sent a message to the Hokage." He looked at the young man before him. "If he approves, would you accept an invitation to join us in Konoha, if only for a while?"

Haku blinked. "Ha-- Kakashi-sama-- san--"

"Look, I'll be honest with you. I'm worried if we don't welcome you, you'll snag up Naruto for her own good--"

"I would not take her from the place she loves!" Haku said, voice suddenly cold and firm.

"-- or you'll get hurt trying to sneak in to keep her safe."

Haku had the grace to blush. Kakashi didn't stop his smile under his mask. The inkling leaned further to good. "You have some inin training?"

"More my own interests in herbalism and physiology."

"It was useful earlier. Thank you." Kakashi smiled at the slight blush the compliment brought. "Call me if they wake up, or their condition changes. I'll be waiting for my messenger to return."

The boy's raised eyebrow was as good as a gobsmacked look from a civilian.

"After what I've seen of you," Kakashi said, "and what you've seen of her..." Then he smirked as something occurred to him. "And maybe... what she saw in your reflection?"

Haku looked toward the house and then met Kakashi's gaze, nodding. The Copy-Nin nodded in return, and calmly leaped into a tree to keep watch as Haku re-entered the house. Smirking, he pulled out his copy of Icha Icha Paradise.

The inkling was definitely leaning toward good.

EMOTIONAL HONESTY IS AN IMPORTANT MARK OF MATURITY

Haku came in to the tail end of a someone shouting.

"-- didn't know herself, so stop acting so high and mighty and try to live up to your reputation for once!"

It was actually rather humorous, watching the pink haired genin-- Sakura, how appropriate-- leaning that close to the Uchiha's face and gritting her teeth at him. Uchiha looked shocked-- and, Haku thought, a little intrigued.

Naruto looked dazed at this turn.

After a split second, the Sharigan holder leaned back, shrugged, and composed himself.

"Oh, no," Sakura said, leaning even futher forward, almost causing the other nin to fall over. "At least have the guts to apologize. We're shit enough as a team without this making things worse."

Anger and pride warred with the intrigue on Sasuke's face. After a moment, it settled into a calm, slightly superior expression. He leaned to look around Sakura at Naruto. "I admit, I rushed to conclusion and insult. Is that good enough, twit?"

Sakura looked ready to argue Sasuke's... term of endearment, but there was an honest if shaky laugh and Naruto's hand on her shoulder. "N-Nah, Sakura-chan. I'd worry more if the bastard wasn't calling me names! He must be feeling better."

"He will be fully recovered within twelve hours," Haku said, drawing the attention of the trio before him. But after a quick assessing glance, he amended, "No, six to eight. Uchiha-san. You are quite well developed, and not the coddled genius one would expect."

Uchiha was giving his best shot at a good, hard look-- and it was a good one, but he was still young. "I understand your master's dead."

"Indeed," Haku said, keeping to the same discussing the weather tone. "He died destroying our employer when Gato turned on us. And the mercenaries with him. I'm told the kill was as silent as ever."

Naruto came forward. "Uh-- Haku-kun... I'm sorry that... I mean, he seemed cool, if a little scary-- okay, really scary--"

Haku couldn't help but let his features soften at her stuttered apology. He touched her shoulder, gently. "No, Naruto-kun. We both knew the risks. Besides, to die alongside ninjas from the town that inspired him-- Zabuza-sama was honoured, I'm sure."

"Inspired him?" Sakura asked, eyes sharp and focused in a way Haku had yet to see from her. Amazing. He wondered what prompted the change.

"Yes, Sakura-san-- I'm sorry, would you prefer to be called something else?"

"That's fine. The inspiration?"

Haku nodded. "In Kiri... Bloodline holders such as myself and the Uchiha are killed as demons. It is not a sane place, or a safe one. It hasn't been for years."

Uchiha scowled at that. "Idiots."

Haku smirked. "I'm inclined to agree, Uchiha-san. Zabuza-sama found it abhorrent as well, and we attempted a coup to overthrow the Mizukage-- which hurt, because Zabuza-sama considered him a friend. Escaping was how we became missing nin."

This brought the intrigue back to the Uchiha's eyes, a wary look to Sakura's, and wide eyes and a smile as Naruto murmured, "Sugoi..."

"I'm rather eager to see Konoha for myself," Haku added. "Your sensei has informed me he is asking permission to bring me back as a guest."

Uchiha sat up straighter and leaned forward. "Why?" he asked flatly.

"Our experience in the mirrors has given me knowledge of Naruto-kun's which makes it prudent to accompany you."

Sharingan eyes narrowed. "What?"

Naruto spoke before Haku could. "I'm... actually the only one that's allowed to tell. It's... a class-S secret, only me and the Hokage can tell someone. And I didn't know until I graduated and... Mizuki-baka... told me to try and hurt me." She shivered and wrapped her arms around her legs... and Sakura surprised Haku again by wrapping an arm around the other girl's shoulder. He hadn't thought them that close.

Naruto stiffened a moment, then relaxed.

The Uchiha glared at Naruto expectantly, and Haku smirked as Sakura's eyes narrowed. "Why?" she asked, in an almost eerie echo of Uchiha.

NEVER PLAY CHICKEN WITH A GRINNING FOX

The boy scowled. "We're teammates--"

"Don't treat us like it," Naruto muttered. Sakura found herself smiling, and again gave in to that boistorous inner voice; she wrapped her arm around Naruto. The other girl didn't stiffen this time.

"We were assigned--"

"She said treat, Sasuke-kun," Sakura added. Honestly, enough crap had happened to them today, especially Naruto, and now Sasuke was trying to pull his emotionless bully bit? It had seemed oh so cool... until now.

The scowl deepened. "It's a weakness, not knowing things about your team."

"H- he's right," Naruto managed.

"Naru-kun--" Sakura began, but the other girl leaned away from her.

"No, he's right, Sakura-chan," Naruto said meekly. Then...

If there was ever any doubt, the fox like grin that slowly formed on the blonde's face would convince anyone who knew Konoha’s most surprising nin that Naruto was the girl before them now.

"Trade you," the girl with the whisker like marks said.

Sasuke blinked. "What?"

"I'll trade you. Both of you. And you're going first, I deserve advanced payment for my S-Class secret."

Sakura blinked, and burst out laughing. "I'm... afraid I don't have anything that vital to Konoha to share, Naru-kun!"

Naruto waggled her eyebrows. "Yes, but surely you have something that's S-Class embarrassing...?"

"Bitch," Sakura said, without malice. "All right. A secret for a secret."

"I am willing to share as well. To be fair," Haku added. Naruto looked about to protest, but he met her eyes and she blushed. Well, Sakura thought. Interesting.

The other three nin in the room turned to Sasuke. He glared back. "-- I don't believe you really have an S-Class one. You're just the idiot."

"That's fine," Naruto said. "Sakura? Let's go outside. I'll tell you, and Haku can stick the bastard in one of his mirrors if he tries to listen. And you don't have to tell him yours."

"Oh, good, it's kind of embarrassing-- not quite a limit, but... well, I'll tell you outside."

"Oh, dear. You'll have to hurry," Haku said, his voice still cool and causal. "I have no doubt I'll need to use one, and it's quite cold in them-- they are ice and all. Why, the one time I was forced to take Zabuza-sama in one--"

"What," Sasuke said through gritted teeth, "Do you want to know?"

Naruto turned to Sasuke and, with a grave face and serious tone, said, "I know you want to kill him and why, but... What did your brother say to you the night your clan died?"

Sasuke's glare was laden with killing intent. "How-- dare--"

"You ask me to tell you why I have to let the ANBU take care of the occasional drunken nin who wants to kill me, why I have a route I have to take to let them know I'm not pranking and need the guy behind me stopped-- the most likely reason I look like THIS now... and you have the nerve to ask me why I dare? Gah. Sakura-chan, can we put in for another teammate?"

Sakura smirked. Oh, she liked this application of the infamous prankster's skills. Sasuke finally looked like another teenager. "I don't know... most of the other teams this year don't deserve him anymore than we do-- not even Kiba!" she said, as Naruto opened her mouth. Naruto pouted, obligingly.

"I lost my clan!" Sasuke growled.

"Likely because of the S-class secret you think you're entitled to know, Jiijii won't even tell me my parents' names! I know my dad's favorite color, my mom's favorite food... but I don't even know which one I most resemble!" Naruto snarled. "I barely know half a dozen things about my parents, and I've never had even an adoptive family, so I want to know what made you so focused on killing the one member of yours everyone tells me treated you decent!" Naruto glared at him, in a manner she rarely allowed herself. "You want all the power, bastard-sama. And everyone else gets to have power over me. I'm saying no for once. Talk to me when you grow up." The childishness in her voice actually seemed to make Naruto's point stronger. It was an adult, mimicking a child.

Sasuke glared again. then, through gritted teeth. "He told me to hate him."

--

Naruto went dead serious. "Oh."

"He... he said that there was a secret in one of the family shrines, in a secret meeting place. About the Sharingan. And he said..." Sasuke closed his eyes. "'Foolish little brother, if you wish to kill me, hate me, detest me. And yet survive in an unsightly way. Run, run and cling to life.'"

There was silence.

"That bastard."

Sasuke's head snapped up, and joined Naruto's and Sakura's gazes on Haku's set face. "What...?"

"He's a bastard, trying to use his only family to commit suicide," Haku said.

"That's not--"

"Uchiha-sama," Haku said, "shut up, and think."

"Wait-- what do you--" Naruto looked between her new friend and her teammate.

Haku sighed. "He kills all his family but one, and then tells that one a secret of the clan's strength and to master it and hate him? That's someone who's doing something he may find necessary but regrets, who wants to die a 'just' death. Killing Sasuke was just the line he couldn't cross, and he took advantage of it to make sure he wouldn't die by his own hand."

Sasuke blinked, froze... and then his head fell.

Haku leaned his head to one side. "That, or he wants the one person who could stop him weak and confused."

Sasuke looked up at Haku, his eyes burning. "Even if any of that's true, I still want to kill the bastard."

"Sure. I'm not judging your goal, just your method. I'd never deny you vengeance." Haku shrugged. "I killed my father and a mob of villagers after they killed my mother over her blood line."

"You're kidding," Sakura said. Haku's level gaze made her reconsider. "Really?" she asked.

"I was almost five. About two months before my birthday, in fact," Haku said. "I'd just discovered my ice. Mother implored on me the need to hide it... but in the end, my control was lacking. Of course it was, I was four. When he found me making ice, my father... gathered a mob. My father killed my mother in front of me, and I acted on instinct. My ice acted on my feelings. I woke up. Chakra exhaustion, of course. At four almost five, my chakra reserves and coils were not that developed." He met Sasuke's eyes. "All I am saying is, don't let him decide his death. He doesn't deserve that."

Sasuke actually looked thoughtful for a moment before his usual composure returned. "So. There. Payment in full. And Haku gave you something, too."

"Oh, I already knew that," Naruto said, then closed her eyes and silently cursed her mouth for once again getting ahead of her brain.

Sasuke frowned, and Haku hurriedly added, "For the same reason I know her S-Class secret. Which I do believe you owe your teammates now, Naruto-kun...?"

Naruto swallowed.

"Wait," Sakura said. "My turn."

Everyone looked at her. Sasuke looked annoyed, and Haku interested. But Naruto cleared her throat.

"No. Yours is just embarassing. You've earned mine."

THE ERO-SENNIN WITH THE PUZZLING DOUBLE STANDARD!

"And... so... I get this massive reserve of chakra... and some people think I am the fox, and some think I can't hold it, even though the Yondaime was crazy awesome... and some just ignore me, the bastards... But then there's Jiijii, and Iruka, and people like that..." Naruto smiled weakly. "So. Tell anyone, you die, okay?"

Sakura slowly reached out and hugged the other girl.

Kakashi turned to his guest, blinking. The man was grinning broadly. They'd watched unoticed as Naruto spill her darkest secret calmly and meekly. The pride the older man gave off once again shamed Kakashi for underestimating his genin.

Haku was the first to speak. "So... you started at the academy early and just enough of the instructors decide it's better you fail that you get held back by bad instruction and being ignored?"

Naruto shrugged, "I guess. Mizuki-baka was even worse. He used me to get... something Jiijii had hidden, and nearly killed me and Iruka-niisan."

Haku shook his head. "Idiots. If there is a risk of the Nine-Tails escaping, better to keep you happy and ready to keep it in."

"If I had that much power, they'd be tripping over themselves to teach me to use it." Sasuke... actually sounded rather disgusted at this idea. "Or kill me," he allowed as an after thought.

Sakura shook her head. "You're THE Uchiha, Sasuke. Think. They're either trying to keep the Sharingan for Konoha or... keep you from being another Itachi."

"And if clan mattered, then Naruto would get a lot more than she got," the guest said, making the young nin look at them.

The man with long white hair was quite a sight. He had tattoos (or some sort of marks) on his face, and his clothes looked like they might have been in style when the Hokage was a boy. A large scroll was attached to his back. It was really the only indication that he was any sort of Nin. Kakashi knew that the man always made a memorable first impression.

Kakashi watched as the man closed on Naruto, who backed up slightly. "Sweet kami, Naruto, it has been too long."

"Who-- are you?" Naruto asked, her face puzzled.

The man smirked-- then put his hands out in a pose and hopped a little on one foot as he introduced himself.

"I am the sage that shmoozes with toads!" he exclaimed, "I am the insect catcher in the garden of life! I... am JiRAIya-sama!"

Kakashi had to hold back a laugh, and Naruto looked torn between laughing and bolting. Haku's eyebrows looked about ready to levitate off his face. Sasuke had a scowl... this one thoughtful, and obviously an attempt to cover his surprise. Sakura put a hand to her mouth and went wide eyed.

Then, Jiraiya stopped hopping and turned an earnest look on Naruto.

"I'm also your godfather. And I'm here to break laws, risk death, and set things right for you."

Naruto looked like a deer caught in a Light-jutsu for a second.

"I... have to go pee," she finally managed.

Sakura began giggling madly, Haku smirked, Sasuke looked... vaguely offended, and Jiraiya...

"Not the effect I was going for, but we'll work with it," Jiraiya deadpanned, laying a hand on the side of his face.

Chapter Text

SMILE THOUGH I'M BLEEDING

By the time they were done, what had started with blushes, giggles, and chuckles had become a shaking Naruto and Sakura trying to calm the other girl down. It seemed wrong, the usually unflappable "Dead Last" shaking like one of their hometown's emblematic leaves.

"I'm--"

"Naruto," Sakura said firmly, "If you once more tell me you're fine when you're obviously not, I am going to start crying myself."

Naruto bit her lip. "Alright. It's just that--"

"Is Naruto-nii... Naruto-nee-san okay?"

Sakura felt Naruto start to freeze at Inari's voice. "No," she said gently to the bridge builder's grandson. "It's like Kakashi-san told you-- a powerful technique was protecting her, and it wore off while we were fighting Gato.... she'll need time to recover."

Inari walked up to Naruto and she smiled weakly. The boy suddenly leaped forward, hugging her tightly. "You'll be better soon. You're awesome, Naruto-nee-san."

The smile on Naruto's face got stronger as she wrapped her free hand around the boy. "I--I should be fine, Inari. My godfather came here just to help me."

"Is he a powerful ninja?"

There was a hint of the old fox in Naruto's grin now. "Yes. Which of course means he's a full-fledged loon. Like all powerful ninja!"

"Wow," Inari said. Then he frowned. "Does that mean you're crazy?"

Before Naruto could answer, Sakura coughed something that sounded suspiciously like "Yes!" into her fist.

"Hey..." Naruto said. "You shouldn't say things like that to me, Sakura-chan. I'm delicate right now."

"Naru-kun, need I remind you what you did to the Hokage monument?"

"... You shouldn't say things like that to me, Sakura-chan. I'm delicate right now."

"What did she do to it?" Inari asked.

Naruto held up her hand before Sakura could speak. "We need to get back to Sensei and Jiraiya-san, Sakura-chan." Then, out of the corner of her mouth to Inari, "Besides, she never tells it right. It's too awesome for her to express."

"Oi!"

Inari laughed. "Promise you'll tell me before you go back to Konoha?"

Naruto ruffled the boy's hair. "I promise. Now g'wan. Me and Sakura-chan are serious konouchi right now, with serious business to do."

After Inari ran off, Naruto's smile dimmed a little.

"You really try to put on a brave face for people, don't you?" Sakura said.

Naruto sighed. "I don't like worrying my friends. And others are waiting for me to slip."

Sakura's eyes narrowed at that last remark. "They'll have to deal with me, too, then."

Before Naruto could say anything to that, Sakura had led them into the room that the Leaf Shinobi had been staying in. Kakashi and Jiraiya looked up at them. Kakashi rose. "Are you having trouble moving?" he said, genuine concern in his voice.

"My body moves fine," Naruto grumped. "It's my brain catching up to what happened to it that makes it hard."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Sounds about right. Sit."

Sakura helped Naruto sit down. "Where are--"

"Haku is fulfilling a standing wish of his sensei's. Apparently, Momochi-san wish to be cremated with Kubikiri Hōcho. He wanted the sword melted down on the same pyre as he burned, so no one he's fought against might take it as a trophy or trade on its reputation. I thought Sasuke's Fire Release might be able to create the needed heat," Kakashi explained. "Sakura, perhaps while we speak to Naruto, you should join them?"

Sakura almost said yes, until she felt Naruto's hand on her knee, and saw the panicked look on the blonde's face. Setting her mouth in a tight line, she shook her head. "I'm staying."

Kakashi frowned. "Sakura, Jiraiya-sama was trained by the Third himself. He's hoping to use the leeway that gives him to avoid trouble, but I don't know how many of us that leeway will cover..."

Sakura simply leaned her head toward her teammate. After a moment she saw her sensei's exposed eye narrow, the only tip off to one of Kakashi's smiles. "Alright," he said, and Sakura blushed at the note of pride. She'd only heard that before when Sasuke had actually shown some teamwork, or Naruto had finally nailed a kata. Or maybe only now she was paying enough attention to hear it.

Jiraiya smirked as he stood and pointed to a simple but eloquent seal on the room's door. "With our host's permission-- a simple privacy and locking charm." He held up his thumb, a nick in it and tapped it to the seal, activating it. For some reason, Sakura found herself a little annoyed she'd missed him cutting it. Like it or not, part of her loved knowing things, even as minor as how the cut was made.

The sage turned, and slowly sat across from his goddaughter. A glow from outside illuminated his face just then, such that Sakura wondered if he'd timed his actions.

"First things first. You need to understand what, exactly, you are, Naruto."

GOING OUT THE WAY HE WANTED TO

Sasuke looked at the burning pyre. Several of his usually sparkling bits of commentary came to mind, but somehow, with Haku standing stoically beside him... none of them seemed to suit the moment.

Instead, he said, "His death was to save us. You, especially. I don't think he really got mad until Gato suggested he could get a profit selling you to 'interested parties' instead of killing you."

"That would do it," Haku agreed with a small smile. "When he found me on the streets of Kiri, an orphan's fate was to die of disease, starvation, or both. That or the slave trade." He sighed. "And all this time, I thought our positions would be reversed. I was supposed to die for him."

"Planning on following him?" Sasuke said, carefully keeping any snide tone out of his voice. Or as much as he could manage.

Haku seemed to take the question at face value. "No. I think... I have other reasons to live now."

Sasuke turned toward the ice nin and frowned. "Naruto?"

Haku returned the gaze with a raised eyebrow. "I didn't think possessive jealousy suited your hard case persona, Uchiha-san."

Sasuke scowled.

"I remind you of someone," Haku said, turning back to the pyre.

"What makes you say that?"

"I was actually a hunter nin in Kiri, Uchiha-san. You learn to read people. I don't care, and don't care who it is. I am not them. Just remember that."

"Hn," was Sasuke's only reply. The other ninja didn't pursue it. "I'm going to head in--"

"No."

Sasuke blinked, and met Haku's eyes. The word... the thing of it was, it was almost a respectful no. Not a suggestion, not an order. Just information. Sasuke should not go in just now.

"A matter of respect?"

Haku turned back to the pyre. "I have found assuming it is deserved for some reason is a better place to start than not."

FAMILY SNAP SHOT

"The world is full of wonders," Jiraiya said, and from the Sage's look, he believed it. "There are realms that are home to special creatures, cousins of humanity and animals with chakra the same as we have. Some humans have been lucky enough to sign a contract with these creatures for their aid after proving themselves worthy of their friendship."

"Summons," Sakura murmured. "Like Kakashi-sensei's dog pack."

Kakashi nodded. "They are my friends. Jiraiya... well..."

"Toad Sage is very much a descriptive title, yes," Naruto's god father said with a chuckle. "Now, there's more they share with us, but the main thing you have to understand is that they are as varied in beliefs and feelings and view points as we humans. Some are sympathetic, like Enma the Monkey King, or my buddy Gamabunta. And the kings tend to lead their people that way. But there's ones that hate us, or see us like toys-- the snakes, for the most part, are like that."

"So... there are maybe a few snakes that like humans, but most look at us and think..." Sakura trailed off.

"Lunch," Jiraiya grumbled. "And that changes with time, too. Gamabunta's great grandfather hated humanity. The slugs were once a bunch of apathetic bastards. And so on. But, the important bit about them is most just try to live their lives out. Some are extremely caring about the world and the other beings in it. The Queen of Dogs is apparently so busy wandering around these days, helping everyone she meets, she's never formed a direct contract-- and so she gives all her children the chance to become ninken, like Kakashi's or the partners of the Inuzuka. And on the other end...the nine Bijuu."

Naruto looked down at her covered belly.

"Yes. The Bijuu are distinguished by the animal species they are most like, and their number of tails. They were sometimes leaders, sometimes lone deviants, and sometimes just extremists of their kinds' views. But the thing that made humanity consider them demons was the way they hated us. That's one thing they all shared. The other was a common origin.

"In the beginning of ninja history, centuries before the founding of the ninja villages, there existed one demon, the Ten-Tailed Beast, that plagued the world. It would still be doing so, had not the Sage of the Six Paths defeated and sealed the beast within himself."

Naruto looked up. "Like... the Nine-Tailed beast is sealed in me?"

"Yes. He was the first of what we now call jinchuuriki. Being the first, of course, meant that there was a learning curve to the plan-- the Sage knew that his death would release the Ten-Tails back into the world. But using an powerful genjutsu, the Sage took one big problem and divided it into nine smaller ones. By siphoning the the Ten-Tails' chakra away and dividing into nine parts, he was able to seal its body away in a trap that travels the sky every night-- the moon. Some legends say he created it by doing this, even."

"But... nine smaller problems are still problems," Sakura reasoned.

"And they seem to be, well, still pretty big," Naruto agreed.

"Yes. And the Ten-Tails was worse," Kakashi murmured. "Think on that."

The girls did. Kakashi nodded as Sakura's brow furrowed and Naruto's eyes went wide.

"If one of the Bijuu was akin to a living natural disaster... the Ten-Tail was beyond the most furious act of nature," Jiraiya said. "But we had a solution-- or so Senju Hashirama thought."

"The first Hokage..." Sakura murmured.

"Yes. By the time the shinobi villages came into being, Hashirama-sama was a master of many things-- his Mokuton kekkei genkei, Suiton and Doton jutsu, numerous weapons, and even genjutsu. But foremost among his talents was his ability to control the tailed beasts."

That got a moment of silence. Senju, the First Hokage, who gathered the Uchiha, Hyuuga, and others to create the village they called home.

Jiraiya sighed. "To promote the peace, Senju used the Bijuu he had gathered as treaty elements, and gave one to each of the major villages as a power check. The other Kage, though... didn't fully understand how to control the beasts."

Naruto frowned. "Well, how did the first Jiisan do it?"

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Naruto, Senju-sama died rather young--"

"Yeah, but he was Hokage, just like Sarutobi-jiji. He was everybody's jiji, because that's what a Hokage should be. Believe it!"

Sakura smirked, "Right. So-- how did--" But the question died as Sakura's eyes went wide. "Wait. Wait. Can you... contract with any chakra being?"

Jiraiya looked at Kakashi. "Brains and beauty."

"Mm. She's impressive when she uses them," the jounin said lightly.

Naruto smiled, not her foxy grin, but the one she got when she understood something. "The other villages-- was it like that guy in my building last year that didn't pay his rent for five months, so the Manager kicked him out? She said he was violating the lease..."

"Two beautiful brains. Though I will be sadly biased for my goddaughter on principal. Sorry, Haruno-kun," Jiraiya said with a dramatic sigh. "But yes. For all their bestial nature, the Bijuu respond to the give and take of a contract as easily as the summons. And sadly, a lot of people sought to take more than the contracts allowed, or not homage the beasts their due-- pay the rent, essentially--"

"I knew that," Naruto muttered, hurriedly composing away her confusion.

Jiraiya smirked and went on. "-- or fearing to use the parts of the contract that keep the Bijuu in check. Things the Bijuu itself agreed to."

"Disrespectful in itself," Kakashi murmured. "It's a contract, were they saying the Bijuu wouldn't honor their end?"

"Even so... the villages began to think that instead of letting the beasts loose, the Sage of Six Paths had the right idea. But, thankfully, most of them did not further violate their contracts by putting their plans into motion before Senju died. Since, technically, he held the contracts with the beasts, and the other villages were..."

"Subletting?" Naruto suggested.

"To return to a good metaphor, yes. Even Senju knew this was likely, and had given the other villages the knowledge to seal the beasts with the help of his wife, Mito, a fuinjutsu prodigy. In fact, Mito was the jinchuuriki for the most dangerous of Bijuu... the fox."

Naruto bit her lip. Sakura licked hers. "How many people have held the Nine-Tails?"

"Three," Jiraiya said. "All of the same clan."

Naruto blinked. "The-- Uzumaki?"

"Uzumaki Mito was a kinsmen to the second jinchuuriki-- cousins. She became the container of the Nine-Tails in her late twenties. Because of the special vitality that Uzumaki hold with their chakra, she was actually rather ideal for the role. She lived as long as she could, but when she was old and widowed, and knew the seal may fail if her special chakra did, her cousin, Kushina, was chosen.

"Kushina came with most of the remaining residents of the village the Uzumaki founded, Uza. After a war there lost them their village, Konoha welcomed them. Uzu was our sister town. By the time came to take on the fox, Kushina had grown, adjusted, and fallen in love here. She had the vitality needed to hold the Nine-Tails, and she also had the natural aptitude Mito did for the sealing arts of fuinjutsu. And the idea of becoming the Nine-Tails host scared her half to death.

"She was your mother."

Naruto made an odd, sucking-gulping sound. "I-- I'm part of--"

"My old teacher the Hokage may have hidden your heritage for your own protection-- though why he didn't at least give you the solace of knowing-- but you are no daughter of thieves or whores, Naruto. Your mother was a strong woman, and a shinobi of Konoha, and your father my own finest student."

Naruto blinked, and this time tears fell. "She-- managed to accept the Bijuu... right?"

"Yes. She told me that Mito said that love was the only way to truly counter the Nine-Tails' hate. And your mother... she loved deeply and honestly. Everything she saw that she cared for, she loved. Especially you. Never forget that."

Naruto moved closer to Jiraiya, and then slowly wrapped her arms around his waist. "You're my daddy's sensei."

Jiraiya reached out and wrapped an arm around his goddaughter. "I own the building you live in. I've... got a reputation myself, and I'm essentially Konoha's spy-master. I couldn't be there, but when stupid people and politics tried to shove you in the cold..."

"The gifts. With no name--"

"Yeah. Some of them. You're... I'm a writer. You're named after a character in one of my more... high minded books."

"The Infinitely Gutsy Shinobi," Kakashi said. "It's a good read. Whole series is."

"I have good editors," Jiraiya said, waving his had and blushing lightly.

"What happened to Mom and Dad?" Naruto asked after a moment.

"Naruto. Because of the power being a jinchuuriki can give a person, you need to understand-- they were often from the most important families. Like the wife of a Hokage, or the scion of a respected family. It wasn't just to keep the power close, it was that being a jinchuuriki is a sacrifice, and if that sacrifice was made by our highest ninja... But the hope was, with a few modifications the Yondaime was planning to make to your mother's seal, she would be the last jinchuuriki needed for the Fox. Modifications that were so sensitive, the fox would have to be held tight by some of your mother's special skills... or newly sealed in someone young enough to endure the course of the seal."

Naruto sighed. "What happened to Mom? Why didn't the Yondaime--"

"The Yondaime was a fuinjutsu innovator in an age when most thought the art was static, if anyone could have done it..." Jiraiya sighed. "Then, a bit of Konoha's history came to bite us in the ass. His name was Uchiha Madara."

Naruto frowned. "I... kinda remember that name, from one of Iruka-sensei's lectures..."

"It was him or Senju Hashirama-sama for first Hokage, and the village chose Senju-sama," Sakura said. "I... take it he was not a graceful loser?"

"Putting it lightly," Kakashi grumbled.

"He'd used his Sharingan to copy the arts that Hashirama used to make contracts with the Bijuu. A lot of people think that the skill was connected to Hashirama's kekkei genkai, but if so it would not have been copyable. He came back, managed to unleash the Nine-Tailed Fox from your mother, and made a contract with it to destroy Konoha. He could do this, because as with Mito... Kushina's seals weakened in childbirth."

Sakura gasped. "That's... horrible!" Then her eyes narrowed. "I hope the bastard's dead."

Jiraiya grunted agreement. "The true tragedy came in the Nine-tail's defeat. Your mother-- might not have survived getting the Nine-Tails back inside her seals, let alone the changes to the seal the Yondaime wanted to make. So he went with his back up plan. First, he prepared the newborn child of Kushina for the seal. Kushina died covering him so he could finish the job--"

Naruto suddenly sat up straight. "Wait... who... who was my father? Did he okay this? Did he die fighting the Fox?"

Jiraiya just gave her a sad smile.

"Jiraiya-san?" Naruto pressed, and then she saw Sakura looking at her. Really looking at her, not in disbelief or disgust or... no, just taking her in.

"Where did he say jinchuuriki tend to come from, Naru-kun?"

Naruto scowled. "From respected families, like the Uzumaki were. Well, before Jiijii covered things up to protect me. Oh, or the--"

The silence was thick, and heavy. And then Naruto surprised them all and gave one of her earnest smiles, the ones she gave the people she now knew really hated the thing inside her, or that looked so sad for what had been done to the lively little prankster. "Well. That makes sense. If everyone knew my dad was the Yellow Flash, every second Nin he'd ever beat would come after me, whether or not they knew I was a jinchuuriki."

Kakashi looked at Naruto a moment, eyebrow raised. He snorted, and his eye narrowed with mirth again. "Yes. Minato-sensei had that effect on people who got on Konoha's bad side."

Naruto looked at Kakashi, brow furrowed, then she smiled again. "My dad--"

"My jounin-sensei."

There was wonder in Naruto's voice. "Our sensei was taught by my dad, Sakura."

Sakura had to grin, too. "That's awesome."

Naruto's smile slowly faded, and her face set in that way that said the obstacle before her would fall. Believe it. "... I was the only option," she said. "I was the child of an Uzumaki... and the Hokage. I... have my mother's special chakra, don't I?"

"To a degree, yes. There are... quirks we can talk about later. But your father went a step beyond with your seal, and I don't mean the henge. Naruto... the reason he isn't here is because he summoned one of the very embodiments of death, a shinigami, to consume half the Fox's chakra. Your father will spend the rest of his existence battling that half of the Nine-Tails in the reaper's belly."

Naruto breathed in sharply. "And the other half that he couldn't seal with him--"

"-- he sealed in you with his new seal, yes. It binds the demon so tightly that you would never even notice the presence of it unless you were in extreme distress due to fear or rage-- and then, only altering the seal enough so that the Nine-Tails would help you."

"Why would it want to?" Sakura asked softly. "By what you said, even severed in two,it's powerful and it hates us."

"Because if Naruto dies, it dies."

Naruto's mouth dropped open, but Sakura grew thoughtful. "In order for that to work... the Bijuu are made of chakra."

"Correct."

"... it's... well, mixing? Melding the fox's chakra? With Naruto's?"

"Yes," Jiraiya said, and he seemed as pleased with Kakashi's shock at how fast his konoichi genin had figured it out as the girl's accuracy. "Keep in mind, that's just the chakra fusing. Its mind remain separate. Now, it's only just gotten to that point in its projected progression. "

Naruto curled up into a ball again, this one a comfortable, loose one, and nodded where she sat beside her godfather. "That's another reason they had to keep it low, right? If one of Dad's enemies, or someone who thought they were hot enough to control the Nine-Tails, had killed me or broke the seal... out comes the fox."

"Exactly," Jiraiya said. "One of the reasons Kakashi was assigned as your jounin-sensei was, while he's not the prodigy your father was, he knows enough that he can keep an eye on the seal. The fact he's also ideal for the other two members of your team is a big plus."

"I'm hardly the ideal teacher for--"

"I think Minato would disagree." That shut Kakashi up. "And there's plans for me to take you on a training trip later on, too-- partly so that you can get a chance to understand it as well. A jinchuuriki should understand, so they know what they're guarding. At this point-- well, the fox could get free, but your chakra and its are tied up in a way that would make total separation... dangerous for either of you."

"So..." Sakura said, and chewed on her lip a bit. "So what happens when the... melding is done? When all the chakra is...just one source?"

Jiraiya grew very serious. "Well, that's the really wondrous part." He looked around conspiratorially and leaned forward. The others, even Kakashi, leaned forward in interest.

The sennin looked very grave and thoughtful as he said:

"We aren't sure."

Their shocked looks earned them a roaring laugh from the Toad Sage.

Chapter Text

BECAUSE EVERYOTHER WRITER CHANGES IT, THAT'S WHY

Underneath the underneath, she reminded herself, settling beside Haku who was watching Naruto once again get to the top of the tree. The ice nin was smiling, as if Naruto's success was among the most amazing things in the world.

Oddly, Kakashi seemed to be focusing on Naruto today.

Then again, he does have an extra set of hands, Sakura thought, smiling as she turned to where Sasuke stood. The utterly gob-smacked look on the Uchiha's face was-- well, as little as a week ago, she might have sprang to his defence. But with Naruto's revelations, she had been forced to examine her priorities. And if she wanted to survive to stand beside Naruto as a friend, she needed to get stronger. Sasuke had been a distraction, in blunt light of day.

Really a bit of a idiot, too. Kami, she had been silly.

But Jiraiya-- the Uchiha did not know how to react to a man who not only was willing to bluntly, coldly meet the Uchiha arrogance, he also had no idea how to deal with a man who seemed to understand more about his clan's training methods than anyone else. And also would bluntly remind him of the Uchiha he'd bedded. Jiraiya made it clear from the onset that he didn't care if Sasuke was THE Uchiha-- as far as he was concerned, Sasuke was just another brat.

She was pretty sure Sasuke would attempt to bury the grudging respect that was starting to show on his face, but it was there now.

"You mastered tree walking rather fast," Haku said, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"Ah, yes. Kakashi-sensei says I have excellent chakra control," she said, smiling. Then she sighed. "I just wish I had more to draw on at once..."

"Ah, but with your fine control, you can do things Naruto and Uchiha-san can't," Haku said, raising his left hand with the forefinger extended. "Inverse Law of Chakra and Control?"

Sakura smirked. "Naruto has so much chakra, fine control will always be a problem. The more you have, the harder it is to control."

"Exactly. She can gauge herself with time and help, but she'll always be affected by the perspective that gives her. Uchiha-san needs to work on awareness-- I think his blood limit and breeding predisposes him to acting on instinct, the idea being--"

"He instantly can use what he copies, saving understanding them for outside battle," Sakura murmured. "So... that affects his chakra awareness as well?"

"Possibly. Also, with skills that require constant chakra awareness, such as tree and water walking, the Sharingan is probably less an asset. He can copy a step, but repeatedly copying that step to climb might actually be more draining than using the technique directly."

"Okay. So what advantage does that give me?"

Haku looked at her, appraising. "Well, when you find out your seishitsu henka affinity, and even with other branches of jutsu, you'll have an awareness of exactly how much chakra each jutsu uses they will have to struggle for. And if you know just the right amount for the effect you desire..."

Sakura thought, then nodded. "I can know exactly what I need from my reserves, and what I might need later. I can chain a lot of small effects together while gathering more for the next... thank you, Haku-san."

The young nin nodded. "In fact, you've just outlined why ijutsu is harder than it looks. Successful medical jutsu require finesse on a level that few take time to cultivate if they don't have it naturally."

Sakura licked her lips. "Haku-san... and feel free to not answer if you find this too personal... but you're sitting there in a pink kimono as if it's nothing, and Naru-kun thought you were a girl when you first met..."

Haku pursed his lips a moment, then smiled. "Well. Shortly after Zabuza-sama took me in, the rest of the building we lived in at the time sort of adopted me as well. We lived in the part of town were the red-light girls and boys lived, among others. Some of them took a liking to dressing me up, and a few of the men cross dressed for comfort or clients. So did some of the women, come to think. I grew up for the longest time assuming my tastes were normal-- and when I realized some did not agree, I decided I didn't care. There are ninjas with odder quirks," he finished with a shrug. "Some of us just pull it off better than others-- Takeru and Ryu-san back home could pass as female in a way I envied..." Haku shook his head. "I lost quite a few friends in many stupid ways. They were... forgettable to many, so many died-- and then we had to run when the coup failed..."

Sakura blinked. The answer to her question was a bit more in depth then she expected, and not what she imagined at all. "I... see."

"Why do you ask?"

Sakura frowned. "Now I'm not sure my reason's valid."

Haku smirked. "Zabuza-sama once told me that the only way to learn if a question is worth asking is to ask it."

Sakura thought on this, and nodded. "In your opinion, does wearing bright orange hinder Naru-kun?"

"Not in the least," Haku said. "Anymore than I feel the colours you wear hinder you. I might wonder at the form of your dress--"

"Yes, I was realizing that myself," Sakura murmured. "I think I might agree with you, but part of me is saying no ninja should wear that."

"Ah, yes. You come from a civilian background, correct?"

"Yes."

"Any ninja in your family at all?"

"No..."

Haku smiled. "Then you have much to unlearn. How a ninja dresses is but one method of hiding, and not always the best. If you need to rescue an ally quickly during the day, it might be best to mingle with the crowds. That also is a better way to overhear things on intelligence gathering trips. Besides that, there's the fact we are no longer a specialty troop. We are now the primary armed force in the elemental nations. Stealth is still a part of us, but not our all."

Sakura pursed her lips. Oh, he's so smart, the all knowing ice nin! that inner voice said snidely.

"Say it," Haku said flatly.

Sakura met his gaze.

"Sakura-san. I have no doubt most ninjas could see when you are engaging in your inner dialogues. There is a difference between composure and suppression."

Sakura frowned. "Ma. Just the typical 'someone's saying something that makes me feel stupid, so part of me wants to rant about it.'"

"Ah, yes. I'm familiar with that feeling. I still get-- got it at times after years as Zabuza-sama's apprentice and kohei. It's our own frustration over the teaching progress. We don't want to get mad at ourselves, so we get irritated at whoever had the audacity to teach us what we didn't know."

Sakura returned his smirk. "Sounds about right. Still, why orange? I can see a civilian thinking she might get--"

"It wasn't a gift, and she didn't buy it," Haku said softly. "Nor did she steal it."

Sakura blinked, then her eyes went wide. She looked over as Naruto hung off a branch, showing off-- until her control faltered and the blond was caught by Kakashi. "She made it?" Sakura wondered, as her team mate tucked her hand behind her head and smiled, embarrassed. Kakashi knelt, cuffed her chin playfully, and began to talk, gesturing to the branch and then the blonde's feet. "No wonder she's so attached to it."

"Mm. Though... solid orange does not flatter her," Haku mused. "Maybe if we made the blue black..."

Sakura's eyes sparkled as she imagined. "And extend the black down the sleeves!"

"Oh! That'd be nice. Even down along--"

"The zipper, yes! I was just thinking that! And the sandals..."

"Mm! Yes. They simply must match. And we must keep her away from tank tops at all costs."

"Kami help anyone who tries to get her into one."

THERAPY NO jutsu: YOU KNOW HE SHOULD HAVE GOT IT IN CANON

"Yeah, I never got the tingle," Naruto said as she and Kakashi sat side by side, resting. She'd made it up and down the tree 30 times at various paces (a training method her sensei said her father had taught him, which made her even keener to try it) and also practised balancing on top and hanging under a branch (mainly because she had so keen to try it to show off).

Kakashi looked thoughtful-- at least, going by his one eye he did. "Mm. Do you mind if we stop by one of the shinobi clinics when we get back?"

Naruto blinked. "Uh, why? Is something--"

"No, I just think Hyuuga Sayuri-san might be able to help us figure out the best way to train you."

"Oh, we'd go to Sayuri-chan's office? Yeah!"

Kakashi raised his eyebrow. "You know her, Naruto?"

Naruto grinned. "Jiijii insists on taking me to that clinic for my check ups, and Sayuri-chan always helps with the exam! She's awesome! But... how do you know her, Sensei?"

"She specializes in chakra sensitivity and flow issues. I have to see her once a month about my Sharingan eye. A fellow jonin-sensei, Maito Gai, has a student with no talent for certain branches of jutsu. Rock Lee is trained in... an alternate method that puts a lot of stress on the body, but enhances his considerable natural appitude with taijutsu. You likely need a check up after being under a henge for so long. As to chakra... I think you take after your mother. I was worried you might be chakra insensitive, but I don't think it's that so much as..." Kakashi's brow furrowed.

"She's started with too much to start with a tingle," Sasuke's voice noted, and student and teacher looked up. Sasuke was panting, and keep shooting glances-- not glares, Naruto realized with some surprise, but glances-- at Jiraiya.

Kakashi nodded. "Right. Most of us who get even close to your reserves feel the amount slowly grow from a tingle to the pressured feeling you describe. But you started there. "

"You knew Naruto's mother, Sensei?" Sasuke said, and he tried to sound oh so casual.

"Many people in Konoha knew my parents," Naruto said.

"Oh?"

"Yes. Everyone but me. And I'm just finding out myself."

"So who were they?"

Naruto hated the cold that had crept in her voice. "Knowing who they were won't help you kill your brother, so piss off, Uchiha-san."

"I just asked, dead-last--"

"And I'm not sure if you're playing again," Naruto shot back, standing. "We playing power games again, Uchiha-san? Cause I'm not up to it.

Sasuke's face became hard-- whether at being denied or at the change in address, Naruto didn't know. "Some of us have an ambition--"

"What, killing your brother?" Naruto shouted back, and had to bite back a laugh as Sasuke flinched. He flinched more when she let it out, a bitter yip of sour amusement. "I think if it's the only thing you ever think of, it's an obsession, Sasuke! And now, you know what I am. As it is, I'm worrying that you're gonna run off after Itachi, and the first person to offer you power, you're going to give them my home address!"

Sasuke actually looked hurt. "Why would you--"

"Because you're the worse kind of person to me," Naruto said, and realized she was crying. When did she start? It didn't matter, the tears were coming and so were the words. "I can deal with hate. Really. I can deal with the shop keepers that chase me out screaming, and the fact some of my fellow nin want me dead for things I never did."

"I never-- I mean--"

"And you know, I'm like anyone. I love being around people that care. A bowl of ramen with Iraka-niisan, playing with Konohamaru and his friends... but there's one place I can't stand being in. Not knowing. And with your 'ambition' hiding behind everything, I have to second guess your every word."

"Not knowing?" Sasuke said, and for once her arrogant team mate looked utterly confused.

"With you, it's worse than-- not being acknowledged. Some days I think we're becoming friends, Sasuke. Others... you look at me like an insect. And I wonder what's home under there. And whether anything to be friends with will be left after you fill your 'ambition', If I'll be telling my kids that you could have been the start of a new Uchiha clan, but..."

She had to look away. She felt drained, and a strange tightness in her chest made breathing hard. Her stomach felt worse than after drinking bad milk. "I can't not try, Sasuke. But right now, I can't take the pushing."

Haku's hand was on her back, then. She knew it was the Ice nin, and that was creepy and cool all at once. Actually, his touch was rather cool, and it was a comforting coolness. She'd have to ask him about that. Sakura stood nearby, and seemed primed to-- do something painful to Sasuke if he went off on them.

"Excuse me," Naruto said, turning and walking away.

She was vaguely surprised that Sasuke didn't try and stop her, and only realized Haku still had his arm around her shoulder after they were some distance away.

Pakkun look annoyed. In his long time with the ninken at his side, Kakashi had learned this was never a good thing. Pakkun was usually quite easy going, with only old Bull being more tranquil outside of battle. If Pakkun was annoyed, it was not a good thing.

"Jiraiya tell you I found him first?" Pakkun said

"No," Kakashi said warily.

"Shame. I hoped the shouting would be done before I got here."

Kakashi picked up his usual messenger gently, and they faced each other nose to nose. "Shouting?"

"Mm hm."

"Why would there be shouting?"

"It's inevitable."

"Oh?"

Pakkun gave a little yip of resignation. "Remember what happened with that report he wanted to 'go over' back when Minato was in charge?

"JIRAIYA!"

"Uh-- Tazuna-san--"

"Ninja business, leave them to it."

"Right."

"... Hatake-san can be rather loud, can't he?"

"Can I go watch the ninjas fight, Mom?"

"I think it's best we stay out of their way, Inari-kun."

A sigh. "Okay."

"The fact I've only just met Ero-sensei and it doesn't surprise me that he ticked Kakashi-sensei off... should I... "

"Mm. You may just be better at reading people than you let yourself know."

"Oh. Heh. Uh, should we head back and--"

"Let them settle it. They're adults."

"..."

"Officially."

"Kakashi! And your messenger! I take it our message got to the Hokage, then?"

"Your message," Kakashi said through gritted teeth, "Which you replaced mine with. That one?"

"That's the one!" the toad sage said happily.

Kakashi palmed his face. "And we used to wonder why Minato-sensei always asked Kushina-samma for the willow bark extract pills when you turned up... What did 'we' tell him?"

"Oh, well--"

"WE SAID WHAT?"

"What did Tazuna-san say--"

"Ninja business, leave them to it."

"Right."

"... oh, my."

"Naruto-nee-san did say her godfather was a powerful ninja, and that has side effects."

"... meaning...?"

"He's nuts!"

"Will I still have a godfather in a bit?"

"Yes. That was an 'I want to kill him' shout, not a 'You're already dead' one."

"Ah."

"Really, it's perfect! It gives Haku an in to the village--"

"Jiraiya-sama," Kakashi said with as much decorum as he could manage.

"-- allows Naruto an excuse to get closer to her new friend-- though not too close if he knows what's good for him--"

"Jiraiya-sensei," Kakashi tried again, pleading a bit.

"-- although, I wish I'd met the Uchiha before then, I could have started working on getting him off duty if he becomes an issue--"

"Ero-sensei," Kakashi said firmly.

"Oh, come on! I'd let Kushina get away with that, and the brat just stumbled into it--"

Kakashi raised his eyebrow. "And have you asked how the children feel about this?"

"Kakashi!" Jiraiya chided. "Where's your sense of romance? Besides, after that mirror thing, it's destiny. They shall fall in love, and one day revive two clans in the marriage of fire, water, and wind...Oh, Hiruzen-sensei and I are gonna spoil those kids! And Tsunade. You know the joy of grand babies will bring her back!"

Kakashi looked at Pakkun as Jiraiya went on. "It's like he's plotting one of his damn books."

"At least the 'research' doesn't feature you dragging him away from lady's bathing houses," Pakkun murmured.

"Point..."

DISPOSITION, REFLECTION

Uchiha Sasuke did not like being forced to think over his ambition. Thinking lead to doubt, and he had at a very young age convinced himself doubt was weakness.

Which was why he wondered why all the Kami had cursed him with Naruto as a team mate. The... girl seemed created to make him doubt. Either his Sharingan made his body move to defend her, or...

And now she had him doubting him ambition.

"Want the help of the most intelligent one in class?"

Sasuke blinked. Sakura sat on the tree branch next to the one he was on.

Sakura. That was another problem. The way she was acting now put her in the same league as Naruto-- the way they acted made it hard to file them in the right slot in his head. And until he'd safely filed them so he could pretend he understood them, he couldn't ignore them.

The fact Sakura had busted out of the fan girl slot into the unknown to bang around his brain made it even worse.

He thought about just giving a "Hn." and rising, but being in the open part of his mind allowed the curiosity he tried so hard to control to bang around and force his mouth to say "I thought that was Shikamaru?"

"Most intelligent with motivation, then."

What are you suggesting?"

"After mission dissection."

Sasuke frowned. "Shouldn't that wait till after we report to the Hokage?"

"Not for this mission. For the night your brother killed the clan," Sakura said, and her hand was suddenly a vice grip on his arm. "Because isn't that the best way to make sure you aren't just dancing to Itachi's flute?"

"Why do you care?" Sasuke spat.

"Naru-kun's not the only one worrying," Sakura said, far too evenly.

And that was when an icy little worry gripped Sasuke's guts. Because what he saw then in Sakura's eyes reminded him of a time he had seen Hyuuga Hinata protecting her sister, the suddenly not so shy girl driving bullies away just by activating her blood limit. It reminded him of the legendarily lazy Nara Shikaku offhandedly backhanding a Rock-nin who had infiltrated the village and thought to come back with the head of the shadow master's wife and son as a way to curry favour.

It reminded him of Itachi before.

"When were you first aware something was happening?" Sakura said, in a clinical, alert tone.

And damn her, Sasuke found himself replying in kind.

A SWEET MOMENT AND A HYPOCRITICAL TOAD

The silence became slightly uncomfortable, so Haku spoke.

"Are you going to tell them who else was reflected?"

Naruto bit her lip. "Not yet. I want to... get a handle on it, first. I won't talk to him without telling them, though. I promise."

Haku smiled lightly. "You don't owe me that--"

"You stayed."

Haku was the one biting his lip now. "I..."

"It's enough," she assured him.

The silence was a lot more comfortable then, and they stared out over the waters that gave Wave its name, sitting side by side.

Jiraiya frowned from the slightly distant trees. They were sitting a little too close and comfortable for his liking. After all, his goddaughter was quite young. And despite what many assumed, Jiraiya knew damn well most cross dressers were straight and perverse as hell. He needed to step in>

Jiraiya felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned and smiled. "I was just--"

Kakashi smiled-- and from the angle of his exposed eyebrow, it wasn't a nice one. "Ruin this moment for them, and I'll ruin The Reveal."

Jiraiya gasped. "But-- no-- that'll ruin the whole plan!"

"Yes. C'mon, let's give them some privacy."

"But what if he--"

"He's a man of honour and grace."

"He's a cross-dresser. He's likely as bad as I was-- as YOU were at that age!"

"May I remind you who gave me the Icha-Icha at that tender age, therefore warping me for life? C'mon!"

"But-- my god daughter's honour!"

"Is in good hands."

"I don't care if you tell them!"

"Then I'll tell her all your pen names."

"... all of them?"

"Yes, Echii Gamma. All of them."

"... you win this round, Hatake-kun."

"... No summons either."

"I am damned sure Gamabunta--"

"Would be annoyed you summoned him for no good reason? Yes."

"Maa."

"Many of his kids are married already, aren't they?"

"Yes, but--"

"C'mon, Kotoha Kawaii."

".. you'd really tell her that?... okay, okay."

Chapter Text

BUILDING TRUST

Haku blinked at the young woman who so easily gave her trust to him and vowed not to break it. The story she had told him set his mind rushing, but he focused on that for now-- Naruto, who had seen so much of his soul bared, trusted him.

"That... seems a lot to absorb," he said softly.

"It is, kinda... but it's nice, finally knowing. I'd be okay if they were just a couple of nin, you know? And there's a danger there, so... Yeah, I wish Jiijii had told me, but it turns out okay."

"Mm. Hopefully, your return will be the shock some of your fellows need to see you as you truly are, without the need to see you through your parents."

Naruto smirked. "I know who I am, Ha-kun. That's enough for me."

"Doesn't mean the rest of us don't care."

The two looked up at Sakura as she approached where they sat near the bridge. She smiled slyly, and Haku wondered why-- he and Naruto were sitting rather close, of course, and he supposed she might be reading into that. Let her. The fact that Naruto's blush was entirely over their concern and not at all for being caught so close to him was welcome.

"Naru-kun, you need to be sitting on one of the branches near the top of the trees about, oh, half a mile that way in about five minutes," Sakura said, pointing.

"Oh?" Naruto said. "Why is that, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura leaned close to Naruto, a rather unsettling grin upon her face. "Because your dear nee-chan has arranged a way to make things a bit more tolerable in our little group, and if you do not take advantage of it... she will knock you out, and carry you to Konoha to be tied down in front of Ichiraku's Ramen in the middle of lunch rush with no hope of partaking in the savoury noodles you so love!" By the time she was done, Sakura looked down-right demonic, and was shaking her fist rather heavily.

With an 'eep'-- perhaps the most girlish sound he'd ever heard Naruto make-- and a hurried "SorryHakunGottaGo!" the blonde was off.

Sakura smiled at Haku. "I'm trying to take what you said about suppression to heart, Haku-san."

"Admirable."

Uchiha Sasuke's head was swimming as he walked across the ground. Which in itself annoyed him. He wasn't good enough yet at tree travel to do it while so... unsettled.

Damn Sakura for getting out of her box. Damn the Ice Nin for shaking things up. Damn Kakashi for actually teaching and thus, not letting things slide. Damn the great Toad Sage for oh so conveniently being the dead-last's godfather, and damn the dead-last for being unsettled enough to be honest with him.

Most of all, Sasuke damned himself for being thick headed and arrogant. The Perfect Uchiha, as his father had it.

His blonde team mate was where Sakura had said, sitting on a tree, swinging her legs and occasionally stretching or making little gestures. The fidgeting, Sasuke could see now-- it was just an outward sign of her strong vitality and massive chakra Uzumaki Naruto simply could not sit still.

It was a quick climb, with all their practice as of late. Sasuke sat beside Naruto. "I like being up high like this," he said, a little haltingly, and stomped down the cries of "weak," part of him was giving.

"I could take or leave it," Naruto admitted, putting a hand behind her head. "But Sakura can be really persuasive, even when she's not hitting. Believe it."

Sasuke snorted. "Yes. I'm discovering that," he said. smirking. He looked out over the Land of Wave and sighed. "Sakura spent all afternoon yesterday... forcing me... to go over some things. No," he corrected, nodding to himself. "Forcing me to go over it the right way."

"How'd she manage that?"

"Mostly rejecting any of my usual attitudes. Managed to get me at kunai point. Twice."

"Whoa..."

"I was surprised, too. She's proving a better sparing partner than I thought. Actually made contact. Had to step up my technique."

"Heh," Naruto chuckled. "She's been practising more, that's all."

Sasuke had his own suspicions as to the why behind Sakura's new found focus, but he withheld them. Not because he didn't think Naruto could take it, but because it would... derail things. He settled for a "Hn," before continuing. "We... took apart the night my brother... killed everyone," he said.

"Oh," said Naruto, and it was in the same "I'm not sure what to do here" tone she had when he'd told them what Itachi had said as he left. Which actually pleased him, in a way. Why should he be the only one?

"Yes. And..." Sasuke sighed. "Haku was right. I still want him dead, but I'm... dancing to his tune too much. He..." Sasuke licked his lips. "dead-last, it's so damn obvious. He tells me to hate him, and tells me how I should do it? It's... I know lectures were never your favourite thing, but do you remember any of Iruka-sensei's talks on psychological warfare?"

"One or two. My... things that happened as a kid made more sense after one, even if I got it in my gut the first time. Remember the mind inin that gave us the one on one sessions our second year in Iruka's class? The first one, I mean?"

"Yes..." Sasuke said-- then his eyes narrowed. "What did she tell you?"

"Oh, just a bunch of crap about how I'd find killing easy, and... other stuff. It didn't sound like me, you know, and Jiijii took me out for ramen that day and I asked him..." Her hand went behind her head again.

"That's why they changed counselors," Sasuke murmured. It occurred to him then that if anyone understood what he was going to say, it would be Naruto. The fact that such understanding had been so close while he asserted he was alone-- he was no Aburame, but the lack of thought to his actions, how easily it seemed he danced for his brother--

"I guess," Naruto said.

Sasuke nodded. "Bits and pieces of that night, what I can remember... It seems like Itachi... he was my hero, you see? He was the clan's prodigy-- and he took the time to be my brother, even when my own father was cold to me."

Naruto slowly nodded. "Someone like that... they can really screw with you if they want to."

Again tones of experience resonated in his team mate's voice, and Sasuke cursed the voice inside him insisting that no one, no one could understand his very special, unique hatred into silence. Part of him, a part he had long dismissed as weak-- a part that was like Itachi was Before-- was pointing out for someone who was constantly annoyed by special treatment, he sure was fixated on being special.

Sasuke's jaw tightened. And damned if he was going to follow his brother into losing that and becoming a monster.

And then something else clicked in his head, between what Naruto had said yesterday and what she was saying now.

"I won't do that to you. I don't care if you never trust me with all your secrets or settle on just working with me. I will not be my brother. And if someone tells me I can be a god if I betray Konoha... they can go to hell. I may not... like everyone there. But hurting it would hurt you, and... and my team. And that would make me a bastard. Like Itachi. " He snorted. "I'd really rather not join him on the tour of Yomi he's due. It's really very selfish, actually..."

"Heck, I'm pretty selfish too," Naruto said, smiling that small smile.

"Oh?" Sasuke said with a smirk.

"I want to see your children."

Sasuke blinked.

"You shouldn't be the last Uchiha, Sasuke," Naruto said, reluctant to meet his eyes. "I mean, someday, I wanna look across the Hokage's desk and see your kids in front of me complaining about all their 'D' Ranks, and how Dad won't tell them how to turn on their eyes... I mean, do you really want to be the last Uchiha? Your brother doesn't count right now, so it's up to you to make the clan something... something amazing! Believe it!"

"Hn," Sasuke grunted, but he was smirking again.

"I mean... I don't want to be the last Uzumaki," she said, then paused and bit her lip. "Or Namikaze."

PLANNING IT OUT

Kakashi held back his smile at the look on Sasuke's face as the Uchiha lead his team mate past where Sakura was getting her form corrected by Haku. This-- it was not the blankness of before, a boy playing at being a hardened older nin. This was a ninja with a goal and a need to carry it out.

For a second he was reminded of the only Uchiha he'd ever known worth the reverence the clan once had. If this kept up...

"Team meeting. Now," Sasuke said. "You too, Haku."

Sakura raised both eyebrows. Haku settled for one, but as he followed, so did Sakura.

"Where's Jiraiya-sama?" Sasuke said.

"Uh-- around, I'm sure--" Kakashi said. Doing Kami knows what with or while watching Kami knows who...

"We need him here. Now," Sasuke said bluntly.

Hands flew into seals. "Pakkun," Kakashi said, slamming hand to ground. The ninken appeared. After a moment, Kakashi repeated the hand seals and the palm slam again. "Bull," he said, and the large bulldog appeared at Pakkun's side. "Find Jiraiya. Drag him away from whatever he's doing."

"If he's busy, fine," Sasuke said. "Just imply it's about Naruto, and let his imagination go."

The two dogs looked at Sasuke. Bull lumbered forward.

"Let him sniff your hand," Kakashi said.

Sasuke offered his hand, abruptly, and Bull sniffed it. He turned his head to Kakashi, and he knew what the ninken had smelled. "Uchiha Sasuke. One of my genin."

Bull accepted this with a huff of air, and turned to find Sakura's hand out. "I'm Haruno Sakura."

The dog sniffed in her scent, then raised his head and easily licked her face. Sakura giggled. Then she looked at Naruto, who stepped forward-- and was instantly tongue lashed.

"I, uh... was on guard duty once or twice as an ANBU," Kakashi said quietly. "The pack helped. You still smell like you, anyways."

Naruto was chuckling as Bull gave her a through sniff down and licking. The big dog butted Naruto back gently, and turned to the Ice nin.

"I am Fabuki Haku," Haku said. "My body is cool even when I'm not fully using my Hyouton, so my smell may be muted..."

Bull sniffed at him, then his eyes darted between the Hyouton user and the blonde girl. His mouth dropped open in an amused pant the younger nin missed but his human partner knew well, and he turned back to Kakashi and Sasuke, kneeling down so Pakkun could leap on his back.

"Get the ero-jii. Blackmail with suggestions about Naruto having problems if needed," Pakkun said. "Gotcha."

Bull turned, and lumbered off, giving a low growl at Pakkun's complaint of the bumpy ride.

Kakashi turned to Sasuke. "Sorry," the Uchiha said evenly. "I was-- challenging you as Alpha...?"

"Maa," Kakashi said with a wave, letting the smirk show in his eyes. "Bull just likes knowing who he's talking to."

Sasuke nodded.

"Why the meeting?" Sakura asked.

"We need to plan," Sasuke said.

"Honestly, Sasuke, what's the big--" Naruto started.

Sasuke turned to her. "You are the Fourth Hokage's daughter. If me being the last Uchiha is a big political flag, you're a full parade waiting to happen."

"He's right," Kakashi said, cutting off Naruto's protest, and again hiding pleasure. If Naruto was trusting Sasuke with that, this team might hold together long enough to see if he could be the teacher others saw the potential for. "The second it becomes open knowledge, people will be after you to make alliances-- even the ones that are treating you like dirt now. People... project things onto the children of great people."

If anyone read into that, they were letting it slide. Sasuke just nodded once and continued. "And that's just the people that don't know now. There's got to be a few people who already know and are keeping the Hokage's Law. Granted, some are likely just waiting for the day they can openly help you as a child of a friend or respected leader... but when I was the only Uchiha left..." Sasuke's eyes gained their traditional hardness a moment. "Maybe they were being sloppy because I was young, but so many people came expressing concern with shadows in their eyes, plans..."

Naruto's bottom lip jutted out. Sakura laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Naru-kun. I can see why they are worried."

"Mm," Haku said. "Prestige brings its own worries. As a oinin, I had to be careful not to stand out too much, as that would lead to being noticed. You would not have that option."

Naruto blinked. "People will try to... suck up to me?" She said, as if the concept was foreign to her. And it likely was. "Because of my dad? Even after... everything?"

"Not everyone," Kakashi said quietly, eyeing Sasuke, who frowned. "Some people will honestly reconsider you, as a person. Some people who are your friends now may be a little puzzled about how to react to you. The henge dropping alone will do that, no matter how comfortable you seem with it. Me..." And here he reached out, capturing Sasuke under one arm and Naruto under another. "I know my cute little genin too well to be impressed."

Naruto's "Oi!" and Sasuke's sigh bordering on growl was a sweet reward indeed. And also a sign things were changing just fast enough.

"VAGABONDS! UNHAND MY GODDAUGHTER THIS INSTANT OR I SHALL SUMMON GAMABUNTA THE GREAT KING OF ALL TOADS TO METE OUT wait, Kakashi? Where's-- but Pakkun said-- I thought-- Bridge workers-- Seduction-- Dragging off--"

"White Lotus Tiles," Haku deadpanned. Everyone looked at him, even Naruto looking faintly puzzled. "Sorry. Old gag from a book that's popular in Kirigakure. Carry on."

"What. Is. Going. On?" Jiraiya said in a manner that promised much ass-kicking even if he liked the answer.

"We needed you here for a meeting. My intelligent messenger obviously tried all other means first, and Bull's got that look that says I'm wrong, you just wanted to amuse yourself, didn't you Pakkun?"

"Meh," was the ninken's elegant defence.

Kakashi released Naruto and Sasuke, placing his face in one hand.

"It's okay, Sensei," Naruto said, patting his back, "You can give him dry feed for a month when we get home."

Bull growled.

"Two?" she amended, and smiled at the affirmative huff.

"Worth it," Pakkun said, and he and Bull vanished with a puff of smoke.

"We," Sasuke said, "are having a team meeting now that you are here. What were you doing, anyways?"

Jiraiya pursed his lips. "Research. For a book."

"Oh, one of your serious works as Gama-sennin, or another Icha-Icha?" Haku said.

Jiraiya turned to the ice nin in shock. "How'd--"

"YOU write the damn books?" Naruto said, eyes wide. "You really are an Ero-sennin!"

"Naruto mentioned the book she was named from, and I had heard GS and Echii Gama were one and the same," Haku said calmly.

Kakashi leaned over. "Do you know his other pen names? I'm using them to bribe him," he murmured.

"Those are the ones I know, bribe away," Haku said.

"I'll have you know, all my works are serious ones! Why, the Hokage is on the exclusive list for first runs of all my books!"

Naruto looked thoughtful. "Icha-Icha too?"

Jiraiya chortled. "He's been pubic hair continuity consultant since I started."

"Must unhear, must unhear," Sakura murmured.

Naruto nodded. "That explains why he's weak against one of my kinjutsu."

Kakashi looked at his genin with some degree of respect. "You used the Sexy Jutsu on Hiruzen-sama-- That's how you got the Kage Bunshin jutsu! I wondered where that blood came from."

"You've heard of my hentai technique, Sensei?"

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Hentai...?"

"Indeed," Kakashi said, with obvious admiration. "After you hit Konohamaru-kun's watcher with the Harem variant, it was the talk of the jounin."

"Harem variant?" Jiraiya's voice was dangerously sharp.

"Team meeting," Sasuke reminded.

"To what end? Why do I have to be here?" Jiraiya griped. "And why are the words 'hentai' and 'harem' being linked to my goddaughter!"

"Our goal is protecting your goddaughter from political opportunism," Sasuke said.

Jiraiya sank to a kneeling sitting position with a grace his character made seem all the more amazing. "Sit. We have a meeting."

Sasuke smirked. "Item one: How are we getting Haku into town with a minimum of fuss?" He noticed Jiraiya begin to grin. "In detail."

Jiraiya huffed. "You should trust your elders."

"It's not a matter of trust," Sakura said. "How can we follow the plot if the author isn't clear about where we're going?"

"I technically out rank you--"

"Kakashi-sensei's first lesson," Sasuke said, and a little of the arrogance crept back in. "Those who break the rules and codes of the ninja world are called trash… but if you don't take care of each other, you're worse than trash." He met Jiraiya's gaze, and Kakashi found himself impressed.

Everyone went on and on about projecting killing intent, but it was when a ninja could project (and rein in) other things that you really noticed. Right now, the Uchiha was projecting determination and protectiveness, and on purpose.

He'd have to needle Sasuke about it later.

"You raise a good point, Uchiha-kun," Jiraiya said, and smirked at the collective eye roll from the others.

"We're engaged!" Naruto broke in.

Jiraiya turned to his goddaughter, and smirked. "Betrothed, actually, is the correct term."

Naruto blinked. "Wow, really? That was just an idea..."

Haku nodded slowly. "It's a good one. Was our meeting planned, or by chance?"

Jiraiya smiled. "You were heading toward Konoha to meet your intended-- to announce you are in fact still alive, since events in Kirigakure made it hard to formalize the agreement. Luckily, I, as Naruto's god father, have a copy of the contract."

"How are we going to forge that well enough to get past Sarutobi-sama?" Kakashi wondered.

"Ah, but I actually do have Naruto's marriage contract," Jiraiya said, drawing out a scroll. "Minato and Kushina left it blank so that I could fill in a suitor Naruto and I found agreeable later. They wanted her to have the same chance they had, to meet and get to know each other..." Jiraiya let his mind wander a moment, and smiled, picturing the girl from Whirlpool smacking his favourite student on the back of the head.

"So... Haku's Sensei was heading to Konoha with him to say, 'Hey, my brat's alive, where's the Hokage's brat?'" Sakura worked out.

"Correct," the Toad Sage said, focusing back on the present. "It was partially to secure young Haku's future, and partially because he was hoping to use it as a in to join our village. Being a missing nin, he still needed a job for money until then--"

"Did you give all these details to the Hokage?" the Uchiha interrupted.

Jiraiya frowned. "What are you thinking?"

"Sakura was wrong in thinking of you as the sole author. And if he reads your work, won't the Hokage smell a story exclusively of your design a mile away?"

Jiraiya nodded. Kid had a point. "Right. What I have said is that exposure to Haku's kekkei genkei has removed the henge that only I knew Minato put in the seal, and that there are some after effects, including a chakra bond."

"Chakra bond?" Naruto said.

"You're inclined to be close," Kakashi said. "There's more, but, that's the gist."

Jiraiya grunted. "Okay, so what's wrong with my epic romance?"

"We don't get along well enough with Mizu no Kuni," Sasuke said. "Unless Zabuza attempted his coup while Haku was a toddler--"

"He did not," Haku noted. "I did not meet him until I was old enough to officially apprentice."

"-- then the timing stinks for Yondaime-sama to have met Zabuza."

"Zabuza was one of your spies," Sakura said suddenly.

Jiraiya turned to Sakura. "You are a smart one... I set up the marriage! Carrying out a duty Minato left to me! Of course!" He started to rise, but Kakashi set a hand on his arm.

"Please. No hopping. Not until we're done."

Jiraiya gave him a pout, but turned to Sakura. "A trusted informant on the run from Water brings his charge to Wave for a job, and on realizing who he is facing, orders Haku to keep her out of the fight. Cue unintended side effects, and of course Zabuza--"

"Zaza-san," Haku said. "Close contacts and friends called him that."

"Dear old Zaza-san showed he is only a demon toward true threats and betrayers!"

"Mm. I can give you some information Zabuza-sama might have relayed-- and more, since no matter how much he trusted you--"

"He was a missing nin who lived longer than five seconds," Hatake finished. "Obviously, you extended an invitation to Zabuza-san, but he choose to give Haku a future without the shadow of the Demon of Mist hanging over him."

"There. Just as epic, not as... Jiraiya," Sakura said.

"... Jiraiya-jiji?"

Jiraiya turned to Naruto. The fact the girl hadn't called him "Ero- something" brought a smile to his face. "Yes, Naruto?"

"Who were my parents' friends? I don't mean who Dad had to deal with to get the Hokage stuff done, I mean the people he and Mom really enjoyed being around. Things may have changed, but maybe-- maybe once they know--"

"Good question," Sasuke said. "If Father hadn't been such a clan first type, I might have had more people I trusted around me."

Jiraiya smiled. "Well, you know me, and Sarutobi-sensei. Kakashi is your father's only confirmed surviving student, sadly, but he's exactly who your father and mother would want teaching you..." he smirked as Hatake turned away. "Let's see... Ah. There was nothing your father liked more at the end of a long day than tearing it apart with the help of Hyuuga Hiashi..."

FORMING MEMORIES

Naruto found herself constantly gaping at all the people her father and mother called friends.

Her mother loved ramen as much as she did, and was among Teuchi-san's first customers, eating thirty (thirty! Twice her average!) bowls a sitting.

Her father would often talk with the man who was then ANBU Torture and Interrogation's brightest light, and was now its head-- and made it a point to treat Orochimaru's sole surviving student well. Mitarashi Anko now held the unofficial but vital post of head of Infiltration and Reconnaissance.

Both her parents often invited Maito Guy over for dinner, and her father would spar with the then young jounin who had already declared Minato's student Kakashi his eternal rival.

And on and on, and some of the names she recognized, and smiled, and told how even without knowing who her father was, they treated her well. And some made her face fall. Seeing how that made Sakura frown and Sasuke scowl, she started simply holding her peace on them. That seemed to make Sakura match Sasuke's scowl.

Then Sasuke asked if there was anyone else who ostracized her-- cast her out, was the amended statement. Abused her. She wouldn't answer that, so Sakura asked if there were any friends they'd missed.

She told them about Hatsumi and Riyouki, who owned an out of the way but loved bakery, and how their daughter Akane was good at helping but often ended up covered in dry ingredients and laughing on the floor. Or the grocer, the one near the tower who honoured competitors' coupons and always outwardly treated her with the same professionalism as anyone else... and yet, somehow, she always had extra ramen and some fresh vegetables (even if she'd... ahem... forgotten them) and even, sometimes, some fish. Oh, and the businessman, Kogami, who always had something off his shipments for her.

Kakashi had frowned. "Gaki, you do know Kogami-san is Yakuza, right?"

Naruto's bottom lip jutted out. "Yeah. The Yakuza Jiijii lets operate in Konoha."

Kakashi's exposed eye had dozens of slightly different looks when he smiled. The one it curled into now was the proud smile. "Of course. How silly of me."

Naruto knew she was blushing.

TEMPERING BLADES

That evening, Kakashi looked at his genin and frowned, both thoughtful and a little annoyed at himself. At first, he had seen himself as merely a babysitter, not wanting to get too attached.

There was also a bit of anger that had been lurking in the back of his mind that he finally had a name for.

Now... if his sensei had lived, he would have wanted Kakashi to teach his daughter. And damn it, he was going to. Naruto would get every chance to learn, and he'd teach the others just so that the team would work. Team Seven would not be jinxed this time.

"Naruto," he said, and hoped he spoke with the right gravitas. "You have the makings of a good taijutsu style and the potential to be a great ninjutsu master. Also, Jiraiya is intending to take you on a training trip in about a year. However, we need to take care of somethings before then. Some of your basic stances are sloppy as hell, but then you'll pull one move with perfect form. It's a reflection on the spotty training you got through the academy. Between people making you uncomfortable being there, your own natural need to move-- your mom was the same way-- and the quality of training varying wildly. Also... the way you learn, you learn best by doing."

At her nod of acceptance-- though that lip was jutting out again-- Kakashi smiled. "Luckily, Jiraiya has enlightened me about some of your skills in a way that should truly help your training."

"Oh? What is it? Is it a super awesome jutsu--"

"We'll get to it," Kakashi promised, holding up a hand for peace. He looked at Sasuke. "My teammate, Uchiha Obita, died in the battle he gained the Sharingan I now own. He was the one who taught me what was important. If I had remembered before then, he might still be alive, and I'd know if Rin..." He sighed. "I will teach you more than the Sharingan. And I won't teach you the Sharingan if that is all you'll learn."

Sasuke met his gaze. "I will not be Itachi. I will not be what Itachi wants."

Kakashi gave him an appraising look. "Good. Now, what will you be? Think on it."

Sasuke scowled, but there was a thoughtfulness to it Kakashi found encouraging. He turned to Sakura.

"I would like training to catch up my taijutsu," Sakura said, listing off requests on her fingers. "Find my nature affinity. Begin training in ijutsu. And I want clearance for that section of the library I hear is only allowed with jounin rank or sensei approval."

Kakashi considered her carefully. "Done, I'll get the paper, as soon as I find a inin with the time to spare, and maybe."

"Maybe?" Sakura said, and there was that promising edge to her voice again as she met his exposed eye.

"I want to see improvement and progress on the other three before you get to indulge the scholar again," Kakashi answered.

Sakura frowned, then nodded, slowly, and her face was that of a young woman swallowing a bitter pill she knew she needed to take.

"We start for Konoha once the bridge is done and I take care of a few loose ends," Kakashi said. "For now. Naruto. Produce... three Kage Bunshin."

"Hai!" Naruto said joyously, and with a single sign and declaration of the technique, the shadow warriors appeared.

"Spar," Kakashi said. "Naruto, any time a bunshin is dispelled, replace it. Sakura, Sasuke, remember how robust Naruto's bunshin are-- and that Naruto can take quite a bit herself. Begin."

He watched them spar, making notes in his head. He had resources to draw on, favours to call in, and people to chide.

His sensei's daughter wanted to follow in her father's footsteps. And she deserved all that Minato-sensei and Kushina-sama had wanted to give her to help her reach that goal.

Hatake Kakashi found himself angry at his Hokage and those that advised him. And he had a plan to deal with that anger.

Hatake Kakashi with a plan was a dangerous nin.