Okay, I've had this idea floating around in my head for a while, and I finally decided to work on it. No, my OC will not even be mentioned in this fic, as he does not exist in this AU. I will probably alternate between this and HOTB. Anyway, this starts when Haku tries to save Zabuza, and goes from there.

0o0o0o0o0

"I'm sorry, Naruto, but I can't die yet," Haku said as he teleported away.

"No, Haku, you can't die yet," Naruto said, trying to stop him. He took one step forward when suddenly time seemed to stop.

"Do you want to save your friend?" a voice echoed. Naruto looked around, but couldn't see anyone. "Oh, sorry. You can't see me, can you?"

A figure fazed into being. The person was blond with blue eyes and had a blue crystal on his right cheek. He wore a high-colared beige jacket with chain mail at the shoulders and extending halfway to his elbows, a brown shirt under it, blue jeans, and black shoes.

"Who are you?" Naruto asked as he backed up a bit, wondering if this was a trick of the Kyuubi.

"I am Layle, one of your ancestors, Naruto Uzumaki," the figure responded. "But you didn't answer my question."

"Yes, I do want to save him," Naruto said.

Layle smiled. "Good. Now hold still for a second."

Naruto tensed as Layle raised his left arm and a blue and purple sphere seemed to surround it. The sphere detached from Layle's hand and shot towards Naruto, slamming into him.

Naruto cried out in slight pain and shock as another crystal sprouted from his right cheek and a second formed on his breastplate.

"What was that?" Naruto asked Layle.

"I only unlocked your powers, Naruto," Layle explained. "Your 'Kekkei Genkai,' as it's called today."

"But what about Haku? He's probably dead by now!" Naruto said as he realized how long he had been talking with his ancestor.

"This is only happening in your mind, Naruto," Layle explained. "It's real, yes, but all of this is only a split second in the real world."

"Okay, so I can save him!" Naruto said excitedly.

"You can, and I'll be telling you how to use your powers the whole time," Layle confirmed. "Now go!"

Layle faded as time restarted. Naruto summoned the same sphere Layle did and moved, determined to save his friend.

0o0o0

Kakashi charged Zabuza, his Lightning Blade chirping. Suddenly, a figure appeared in front of him as he tried to stab Zabuza.

'The kid!' Kakashi thought as his eyes widened. 'Damn, I can't stop in time!'

Suddenly a sphere of energy encased Kakashi, and he shot back a few feet. 'What the hell?' thought everyone who saw the strange event.

The sphere vanished from Kakashi and reappeared on Haku, who shot in the direction he came from and landed as Naruto walked out of the mist, his hand raised and encased in a smaller sphere.

"Naruto? How-?" Kakashi stuttered, then gasped as he saw Naruto's cheek. 'What the hell happened?'

Naruto shot him a look that said "I'll explain later" and turned to Zabuza. "It's over, Zabuza. You've lost."

"He's right, Zabuza," a voice said. "I'm so disappointed in you."

Everyone turned and saw Gato, the criminal who terrorized Wave, standing in front of what looked like a thousand bandits as the mist dissipated.

"So you did betray me, Gato," Zabuza said as he glared at the man.

"Of course I did," Gato said, then noticed Haku. "Heh, I need to repay that brat for breaking my arm. Men, kill everyone!"

Some of the bandits raised guns and fired in rapid succession, only to see the bullets freeze as they hit a strange purple and blue wall.

The shinobi looked at Naruto to see his hand raised and encased in energy.

Naruto gestured and the bullets flipped over. He getsured again and sent the bullets back at Gato and his men.

Gato ducked as the bullets came flying back and shouted, "Men! Whoever kills that blond brat gets a 50% bonus!" He ran to his boat as the bandits charged.

Naruto panted as the bandits charged. He didn't think he had the energy to help.

'Give me control for a minute, Naruto,' Layle said in his mind.

'Alright,' Naruto agreed.

Naruto started to fall forward but Layle, who was now in control, stopped him.

"Naruto, are you okay?" Kakashi asked as he somehow consumed a food pill without taking off his mask, making even the bandits wonder how he did that.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Layle responded, knowing that the ninja wouldn't understand that Naruto's ancestor was in control of his body. "I'll deal with these guys."

He encased both hands in energy and rose them as the weapons of all the ninja near him, including Zabuza's sword, rose off the ground and floated between the shinobi and bandits, pointed at the latter.

"Still want to fight?" Layle asked.

The bandits considered it before one started to back away, then more. Soon, all of the bandits were running as Layle encased Gato in energ then brought the businessman in front of the shinobi, still floating.

"Now, Gato, I believe you have some checks to write," Layle said, sweating a bit. 'Man, I'm getting rusty,' he thought. 'Oh well. I guess this is to be expected after who knows how long I've been gone.'

"Never!" Gato screamed.

"You sure? I could turn you over to Zabuza. Right?" he shouted the last part at Inari and the civilians, all of whom had just arrived at the bridge, armed and ready to fight. They roared in approval.

Gato's eyes widened as he took in the civilians, then glanced at Zabuza. "Alright, I'll do it! Just put me down!"

Layle obliged with a smirk.

As he set the man down, his vision blurred for a second. 'Damn, I thought I had more time,' he thought.

'What happened?' Naruto, who had seen everything, asked him.

'I guess I wasted a lot of your chakra,' Layle thought at Naruto. 'Sorry.'

That was the last either of them thought as Naruto collapsed.

0o0o0o0o0

A/N, part two: Well, that's the first chapter! Like it? Hate it? Either way, review! I know it's short, but this is just the opening! Don't worry! The next chapters will be longer!