In the Wake of Waves

Summary - Naruto and Haku are forced to band together to escape their hunters. They make their way to rain and become entwined with "destiny". How does the world change, with Team 7 gone? Where does their future take them?
Pairings - Dunno?
Rating - M just because I don't like to censor myself. I like to describe gross, gruesome stuff from time to time.
Notes - I have a preference for hopping between English and Japanese in certain places. I try to use Japanese only for its "local color" effect; so if it's annoying in some places, tell me what words need to be translated.

Just for fun, the Chuunin Exams won't be happening in Konoha until much later in the story, delaying the inevitable conflict and resolutions there. Meaning, Konoha's genin teams will be much more mobile and experienced.

Henge - There is a slight change from canon in how the henge works in this story. Here are the rules, which I hopefully will outline at some point in the actual story, but I'm doing this just to avoid reviews telling me I'm wrong about something:
1. The henge academy students learn/master is really good. But any experienced ninja can detect it through the way the image reacts under certain conditions. Well, actually, it's more fair to say that unless you're really careful in constantly visualizing how you look like, you're going to be found out. If someone spills tea all over you? You better immediately visualize yourself with a stain of tea on your clothes. And it probably won't even look real then, because it will just "appear" instead of forming from a drip of tea, even the best genjutsu user would have trouble "animating" their henge like that.
2. The henge does not provide properties or changes to material that does not exist. If you henge a stick into a sword, it's still a stick, even if it looks like a sword. It will snap easy. It won't cut much.
3. Maintaining the henge for long periods of time is exhausting even under ideal conditions. Most jounin can do it easily enough for long-term missions, of course.

These details matter because there's probably going to be a pretty big espionage section of this story, and if people can just henge into anything without even trying, well, that kind of makes writing that kind of conflict silly. Though, as you might expect, the way Naruto's henge works is a little different, for mysterious reasons, let's say for now.

Request - I don't have a beta. So, it'd be lovely to receive some feedback on this. I think I've caught most spell/grammar mistakes, so I don't need something as comprehensive as that.

And yes, this first chapter is crazy long. That's why the notes are at the front.

And yes, chapter two will probably be about as long as this. And it's almost done, to boot.

Thanks - To DLP's feedback on some of this.

Chapter 1: Ripples

He sits on the edge, staring at the rocking waves. Beneath the creaking pillars that sink into the churning flows, rocky water glitters with the rays of the warm salty sun. Brine and urine fill his nostrils - the phantom stench of iron overpowering them.

"Why are you here?" the boy with snow-like skin, long black hair draping over the sides of his face, a blue kimono loosely wrapped around his lithe frame asks, "I thought you were going to help her carry... the bodies back?"

"Sasuke wasn't dead. It's like you said." A young blond kicks his dangling legs, closing his eyes, hearing the sounds of the waves crashing in and out like the gray images playing in his mind.

How nice it would be, to be able to breathe like the waves again. To be like he was when he started this mission. What would he give to do it all over again?

His stomach clenches and twists as he continues, his mind pushing away stupid thoughts like that, his fingers curling into tight fists, "I'm a monster. You saw what I did to your precious person."

"I have no right to be upset with you, as I said, it is because of me Hatake Kakashi is dead." The girlish teen looks away, his lips festering into a scowl, "It was just as fair for you to react the way you did, thinking I had killed your teammate. Then to see..." he trails off, not wanting to provide a description for the way Kakashi was bisected by Zabuza's blade, "You should help your team return. It may be dangerous, even with Gatou's presence here eradicated. I know it's hard, but you should be protecting them now, not wallowing."

Naruto isn't disturbed by Haku's words. They almost seem to pass through him, give the way his feet just continue to swing against the pier, the way his arid lips remain still.

"Sasuke saw it too." His voice rises with the name like a wave, but it falls flat, going hollow, "Sasuke saw everything."

Haku turns and blinks, speaking coolly, "Saw what?"

"The... rampage. I guess he fainted after seeing me chew someone's throat through." He laughs bitterly, "His heart almost stopped when I tried to talk to him, I think. Sakura-chan must've reinforced some idea in his head that I wanted to drink his blood or something." He turns and smiles.

"Oh." Haku almost wishes he could sink to the bottom of the sea, feeling the blond's smile.

"Yeah."

Haku's fingers coil around the tucked blue fabric at his chest, his eyes closing in silence. But he speaks up eventually, tired of the sound of seagulls, tired of watching the blonde shinobi's despondent, swollen gaze into nothingness.

"I do not understand why you are not with them. Have they not left yet? Can you not leave?"

"They're gone." He says after a breath, "We had a fight."

"I see."

"I don't think you do." Naruto turns and stares into those dark brown eyes, Haku meeting them. For a flash, Naruto's are crimson, but it doesn't startle the missing-nin, "I'm a monster, if you remember."

"Yes, you keep saying that. But you defended your precious people as best you could. If you are a monster, then so am I." He says in utter seriousness, "Even with the blood of your teacher on my hands, even knowing my past, even knowing what things I have done in Zabuza's name, I do not believe I have yet become a monster. Zabuza always said it was... holding me back. My heart remains, I would like to think." He swallows, "At the very least, I'm not like Zabuza-sama or Gatou."

It seems like Naruto is willing to argue, but he shakes his head, wrenching his eyes shut, still trying to breathe. His voice twists in agony, "I don't know. I don't know! But I know that I'm a monster." He looks at his hands, "I killed at least... fifty fucking people last night dattebayo!" He shivers, "M-maybe Zabuza killed ten times more than that in his whole bloody life, but..." he swallows, "My technique, Kage Bunshin - because of it - it's like I killed five thousand men."

Haku puts a hand on his shoulder, shaking him firmly, "Naruto, it doesn't matter how many. You did what you did to protect your friends. The people you care about. You killed them for your beliefs. You did it for the right reasons. That doesn't make you a monster. Because then we'd all be monsters. Why do you think I fought with Kakashi? It's because he was going to kill Zabuza. I wanted to save him!"

"Maybe we are then?! You saw me. You felt it. Don't pretend like I'm normal!" When his eyes open, they're blazing crimson again, his eyes bleeding into slits slowly, his lips drawing taut, exposing the edges of his dagger-like teeth, "Do you know what I'm called? A jinchuuriki. That's what I used last night, I used the power of the nine tailed fox to kill those people. I am a demon."

Haku nods dumbly, his soft hands planted on the sides of the damp pier. He leans back, feeling the rays of the sun on his cheeks. Naruto mimics the motion after a while, his eyes slowly returning to their normal shade of iridescent blue.

"You should run away from me, Haku, before I kill you too." He whispers, "I saw him. He spoke to me. Just a whisper, but I heard his voice. I don't even know if I can control him. I went crazy last night. I could have just as easily killed you too."

Seagulls land in a ring, surrounding a small crab on the sandy strand below. Haku's eyes drift to the battle, Naruto watching silently. The white birds snap their beaks forward, the tiny crab defending itself with its hard shell and pincers, but it gets picked apart after a few minutes. Nothing but a husk gets left behind.

"You used the power of a monster, so that makes you a monster, huh?" Haku hums in thought, "Maybe. Maybe if the power were cruel. But you killed those men... so quickly." He shakes his head, "They were unrelenting. Maybe crazy. They all probably did't deserve to die. Most were desperate, like me or you. Probably beggars or common, stupid thieves. Maybe worse off than either of us, but that still doesn't make you a monster. They maybe didn't deserve to die, but they gave you no choice. And it's not like you asked to do it."

A smile blossoms onto Naruto's face, but he's in control of himself - he wipes it off his whiskered cheeks, "Thanks Haku." He says sternly, "That makes things better, I guess, but it doesn't change anything. I may not have asked for it, but I accepted the power the fox gave me. I'm still a monster, even if you might be right. Sasuke and Sakura are gone. They left in the middle of the night, probably fearing for their lives. They definitely hate me. And when they get to Konoha, they will tell Ooji exactly what happened. And then I'll be hunted down and killed for losing control, or something stupid. It's not like people haven't been looking for an excuse to lock me up since I was little..."

Before Haku can say anything, in one sweeping motion, Naruto rakes his left hand up and across his cheek, swiping up past his eye, fingers hooking over his headband. He rips it off his forehead and hurls it into the murky tide with a growl of frustrated fury, watching it sink beneath the waves with an audible plunk, a tiny ripple lasting but a breath before fading away. It's as though all the rage inside the blond rises up like a sudden crashing tide - and just as fast, he is calm again, quiet like the churning waters, a sunken, defeated smile on his cheeks.

Haku stares in awe as Naruto stands up straight, leaning down and extending his hand. He helps the boy off the side of the pier, "I won't become a proud missing-nin." He says, his voice shivering, "But I can't go back. I know it's stupid, I'm s-stupid, I'm... I don't know what to do! Haku, you have no idea what they'll do to me! I feel so stupid, this is all my fault! I-I was thinking, you know? What if I just... just ended it here? What if I just killed myself? I wouldn't have to deal with any of this. But for the same reason I can't go back, I can't do that. I-I have a responsibility to protect others, whether I like it or not. I can't let the Kyuubi roam free!"

Haku nods calmly, his face hard with worry, "You aren't thinking rationally, Naruto-san. Perhaps you should relax. Tazuna-san would be happy to let you stay and rest. Suicide is something everyone thinks of when they fail, even I wished it upon myself last night, for failing Zabuza-sama, but I too have a promise to keep..."

Naruto shakes his head, interrupting him, "They'll get me if I stay here." He shivers, "I've always wanted to be the Hokage, right? I don't want to abandon my village, but I have to. I, I can't face Jiji. I can't look at that stupid mountain. I can't go back and look Sakura-chan or Sasuke-teme in the face. And once they get back, word will spread - everybody will know I'm a demon!" He trembles, "I can't. It would set me back so far. People already think I'm worthless. Most people older than me hate my guts. And things won't change! I want to change, desperately, I was looking forward to this team, to proving to everyone that I am strong, but Kakashi-sensei is dead! They'll probably strip me of my status for failing this mission, for losing my teacher already. I'm hardly even qualified to be a genin!" He paces on the pier, fingers working through his messy hair, "You saw me! be honest. I wasn't a shinobi, was I? I didn't learn all that much at the academy. I barely passed. I barely know anything! I'm a dobe - the dead last. A stupid idi-"

"Naruto. You are strong." He breathes anxiously, "I fought you. You kept up with me. That's no small feat, I have years of experience and a kekkai genka-"

He shakes his head adamantly, "Thanks, but things really are hopeless. My dream, it's gone now. Everything I thought I could make work is gone. There's only one reason to live now... my duty. And I don't want to live like that. I don't want to make everyone - I mean, I want to prove to everyone that I'm not a demon, but I've fucked it up. All I've done is prove them all right!"

Haku watches as Naruto walks back and forth on the sticky pier, his well-worn sandals looking like they might fall apart at any moment, slapping the tiny pools of salty water angrily.

Haku shrugs, "Just don't give up then. Despite facing Zabuza-sama and I, you managed to save your teammates, even if they don't appreciate you for it. I think your sensei would be proud that you protected the people precious to you."

The blond stops in his tracks, his hands shaking for a moment, but he suddenly goes tense, his face hardening, "Yeah. You're right. I did do that much right." He laughs, expelling the vacuum in his soul, "You know, you're... the only precious person I have left?" Haku offers him a gentle smile, proper words failing his cold lips, "I really appreciate you being kind to me like this, but really, it's because of me that we lost. I should have realized Gatou was going to betray you. We could have talked things out. We could have come to a peaceful agreement. Because of me, your preci-"

"No!" Haku admonishes, his voice tight, "Don't blame yourself for Zabuza-sama's death. Please don't. I... I don't think I could go on if you did. I don't blame you at all! What's done is done and I promise Zabuza-sama that I would move forward from this. Please, don't disgrace his memory by letting your self pity consume you."

The wind sweeps by, bringing with it a scent of wildflowers to Naruto's sensitive nostrils. He grits his teeth, grinding the flats of them together, "I'm sorry, Haku. I'm a mess right now. I'm just trying to figure out what I should do. You should just leave me alone. I can't be a... proper friend right now. But I wanted to say, that I don't want you to blame yourself for Kakashi-sensei's death either dattebayo. I feel the same."

He's stunned when the boy takes several lunging steps and embraces him tight, "Naruto, I have nothing left. Alright?" he breathes into his ear, his breath surprisingly hot, "But Zabuza-sama told me to live. To find a new purpose for myself. And I intend to do just that. You can't give up on life, no... no matter what. You have to keep going forward. You can't blame yourself for the past," he releases him, stepping back, "If you really don't believe you can go back and face your failure."

Naruto starts to sag in place, his entire body nearly going slack, feeling completely numb to the sun-kissed air.

"No- sorry- those were poor words." He whispers calmly, "It's not your fault Naruto, not entirely. Nobody is blameless, but you can't blame yourself. It wasn't a failure. The bridge is built. And you learned something many shinobi never have a chance to. Right?"

He huffs, his orange jumpsuit-clad chest expanding and shrinking rapidly, "I guess."

"Then if you can't go back. Go forward. Just like I will." Haku smiles warily, the corners of his lips quirking just slightly, "Don't give up! You're strong, especially if you truly hold that demon inside you. You're more a demon than Zabuza-sama ever was... and I mean that in a good way. You can move forward. You could become stronger, and better..." he sighs.

"Thanks, I guess, Haku." He tries to smile again, realizing he's starting to repeat himself, "I shouldn't try to drag you down, at least. I agree that you- you're strong too. I would hate it if you just gave up."

Haku nods, almost stumbling back as a surprising hug of Naruto's own ensnares him. Haku laughs as he pulls back, the blond boy distinctly awkward in his embrace. He pulls away, laughing nervously.

"I guess this is where we part ways?" Naruto asks timidly, "Do you mind if I ask where you're planning on-"

"Why would we part here?" Haku asks calmly, "Are you in some kind of hurry?"

"Well, I mean, I'm kind of loud, even though I used to be good at avoiding ANBU back in Konoha." He almost smiles fondly, but it wears thin, "If you're going to be by yourself, hunter-nin will eventually come looking for you. And you're going to be a lot more vulnerable without your teacher to help out. We can't really stick together... it won't be long until Konoha hunter-nin are after me too. Like it or not, I'm a nuke-nin now."

"The same could be said of your troubles, Naruto-san." Haku drones, "You will be swiftly captured once people begin to seek you out."

"I guess."

"Naruto," Haku stares challengingly, "You told me you want to change. Thinking ahead is important and you definitely weren't when you battled me on that very bridge last night. If you truly want to move forward, then I think, we should stick together."

There's a distinct dryness in his throat that he can't explain, "I would feel terrible if you got caught because of me."

"Then I will have to train you to move as I do, no? Two shinobi working together always perform better than one by himself."

"I..." For a moment, Naruto recalls Kakashi's speech about abandoning friends and teamwork, "I understand. You're absolutely right." He sighs, "Again."

The blond clumsily reaches into a holster on his thigh, hastily peeling out a black kunai. He turns his palm down to the earth, then twists it up towards the sky, striking across his opened palm and drawing blood. He reaches out and extends his open running grip, "Sorry if it's a little gross, Haku." He grins mischievously, "But I want this to matter. This isn't just talk. I promise on my very blood today that I'll help you, no matter what. We'll stick together. And... I'll find a purpose. I won't give up. That's my new nindo, I guess."

"Don't guess." Haku says, his fingers clamping over the blond's, shaking it, "By your blood, I accept your promise. And I most certainly... forgive you for what you did to Zabuza-sama." He sighs, "Though I admit it's not easy to move on, I can harden my heart for his last wish."

Naruto swallows, withdrawing his hand, depositing the kunai back on his thigh, he lifts up the palm and wipes the blood clean away, "Since we're going to be working together, I should mention that I regenerate because of the Kyuubi. If we have to fight hunter nin, I can cover you from their attacks."

Those dark brown eyes glare in worry, "Don't sacrifice yourself for my sake. I promise not to do the same. We might be precious to each other, but giving up and throwing away your life - I don't want that. We make it out together, or we don't at all."

Naruto sighs, "Alright. I can agree to that I guess, but I'm just saying..."

"I understand." He pauses, "I don't have any notable traits like that. There are a few techniques of mine I haven't shown you, but I'll have time to explain their specifics as we move. You've seen me fight, so you know most of what I know."

Naruto nods, eager to push away the strange feelings ebbing in his throat, his eyes tensing painfully, his skull throbbing as exhaustion overcomes his anguish, "My only jutsu are... shadow clones and henge, really. I can do kawarimi, but really only at large distances. If I try to replace myself with something at close range I tend to just blow it up." He grins sheepishly at Haku's unbelieving stare, "I have way too much chakra for my own good, according to Kakashi-sensei. It probably means I'll only ever be good for really powerful jutsu."

"We'll have to do something about you later." Haku sighs, "It would be best if you disguised yourself before we left, it might make evading difficult situations with Konoha shinobi easier. Come with me, I have to pack anyway."

Naruto follows Haku off the pier, looking out one last time onto the glowing waters, the high sun glaring down at him. In the foggy distance, he sees the bridge. It's like a spectre, the stone edges piercing the lingering mist.

The dark-haired teen leads them out of town and towards a cave by the shoreline. Inside, there's a small bunker with a few bedrolls and supplies. Naruto helps Haku pack away his things into scrolls and bags, arming himself to the teeth with shuriken and kunai, Haku refilling on his senbon.

"But where are we going to go?" he asks quietly.

"I have some ideas. But for now, leaving wave is important. We will move north, it's the only direction we can go, and since Konoha will know that too, it won't be long until they get into a position to ambush us."

The blond nods, his own understanding of geography shaky. Wave is off shore of Konoha, the land of Fire and Wind running parallel to each other between the land of Rivers, the place they will be forced to travel to. It's unspoken that hiring a ship to the Hidden Mist is a death wish. Haku would be killed upon arrival, not that they even have the resources to sail there.

Naruto is forced into Haku's civilian clothes, wrapping a blue kimono about his muscled body. The faux hunter-nin dons his red, high-collared tunic and ragged muted blue and white kimono, tying it tight about his waist with an old brown sash. A white mask slips into place over his pale face, the blond taking a spare mask from him, looking quite distinct with his messy blond hair.

"Whoa, I can see through the mask?" Naruto says in awe, looking at his hands as Haku continues to pack, moving his head around to scan the musty, cleaned-out living quarters.

"Yes, all real hunter-nin masks have a special seal which makes them have one-way transparency. It would be a detriment to fight with them, otherwise. Please be careful with it, they are sturdy, but I only have two. They are hard to replace, even with all the hunters that hounded Zabuza-sama."

Naruto reluctantly leaves his orange suit hidden away in a safe, securing his supplies on his back in a tight napsack, the bedrolls barely stuffed inside. They abandon the hideaway with barely any money, Haku explaining that Zabuza was on his last legs, that even if Gatou had paid them handsomely for their aid, getting a rebellion going would have truly been a decade or more in the making.

"I can see how you two were so desperate to keep fighting, then." Naruto sighs in regret.

"Yes. Desperation makes people do foolish things. So let's try to remind ourselves not to get desperate, ne?" he smiles beneath the mask at Naruto, who feels a strange sense of camaraderie, knowing he now wears the same symbols and trappings as the Hyouton user. It's almost like he belongs.

"Yeah. But I wonder, don't you want to continue Zabuza's legacy, I mean, by eventually leading a rebellion in Mist? It's horrible what happened to you. Those jerks should pay for making innocent people with bloodlines suffer."

The teen just smiles beneath his mask, "I do not take the things that happened to be lightly, Naruto-kun, but revenge is not something I yearn for. It destroyed Zabuza-sama. Besides, even with all of Gatou's money, I don't believe we could ever hire enough nuke-nin to take down the Mizukage like Zabuza-sama dreamed of. He is simply of another breed of man."

The way Haku shivers subtly makes Naruto wish to inquire on it, but he holds his tongue, "You'll have to tell me all about the good things of the Land of Water then. It can't be all bad, if Zabuza wanted to fight for it. I mean, it wasn't all revenge for him, right?"

"It was not." Haku agrees, "Though he and I argued on that very subject many times. I know he cared for its people. In Mist, I know he was respected, if feared for his infamy. Truly he was a demon for killing his classmates in the academy, but it is no secret to me why he did it." He offers a giggle, "You do know that fights to the death are forbidden in Mists's academy now? Ever since, it has been outlawed for fear of crippling the village. Zabuza-sama did a kindness, by being so cruel."

Naruto nods quietly.

"He would never admit it, but I know Zabuza-sama had many precious people, growing up." He sighs, "I do not know their names, but I have met a few. He established contacts with them when we began to raise money. I think we could find them again, perhaps they might help us hide if we are in need of it. But beyond that? I do not know, truly, of Mists's good side. I am sure there is one, but I was simply too young to remember." He murmurs wistfully.

They spend a few moments plotting their last moves in Wave, wondering if they should spend their money on supplies or save it for a rainy day.

"Do you think I should leave a note behind somewhere? Maybe tell them not to look for me?" Naruto wonders as the two of them casually wander from the cave, staring into the wilderness, twisting trees spanning tall in the distance, bloody evening light filtering through them.

"It won't matter either way." Haku murmurs, "If you leave nothing, they will assuredly search. Even if they find nothing, they only need to hear rumors of a blond whisker-faced loudmouth somewhere, and they'll know you're alive." Naruto responds to Haku's friendly jab with a friendly whine of protest, "If you leave a note, no matter what it says, they will search for you. How do they know I haven't simply kidnapped you and forced you to write it?"

"That's true." He hums.

He doesn't leave a note. They return to town. A thankful old man ferries them to the shores of the Land of Rivers, right on the border of Fire Country. Under the cover of darkness, they follow one many narrow tributaries north, travelling all night in silence instigated by Haku, Naruto using his new-found tree-climbing prowess to skate behind his friend, sticking to the outstretched limbs of trees that barely even bend to their quiet, quick snaking.

It's hard for Naruto to stay so silent, the sounds of wild animals shifting through bushes, stalking nightly prey. He's barely able to follow Haku as they quickly dart through the trees and ford across shallow waters. Haku is nimble and has grown up travelling invisibly, he knows many routes through and around Fire and Water, though neither is sure where to travel to, Haku himself whispering that they won't be able to move freely soon. They hope to put distance on Naruto's trackers while avoiding Konoha's allies in Suna. But it won't be long before they begin to scour all routes of traffic.

When dawn comes, they pitch camp in the thick of the wilds, finding a grove by a lump of a hill nestled among the towering trees. It is spring, to the air is drenched and thick with intoxicating scents. Naruto tries to describe them to Haku while they rest.

"Kind of like honey, I guess? That makes sense, since honey is made from flowers right?" he hums tiredly, Haku having already explained they will need to travel one more day without sleep, only taking fifteen minutes to recover their stamina in the cool, moldy early morning shadows.

"Yes, bees make honey from nectar, Naruto-kun." Haku smiles gently, "There is much I should teach you, about herbs and flowers, should I become too injured to gather them myself."

Naruto nods seriously, "Yeah. Definitely. If you get injured, we just can't go find a doctor..."

"You can. If it's terribly serious." He says coldly, "But it is a last resort. Many doctors are willing to betray their patients to shinobi, though some are kind enough to keep things quiet, missing-nin, like us, are seen as worse than bandits."

Although he resists the idea, Naruto ultimately accepts that he is technically a nuke-nin. With or without the slashed hitai-ate, it's impossible to deny it. He has forsaken Konoha, out of fear, out of pride, out of hopelessness, and out of hope.

They spend several hours travelling, daylight shining down on a muddy plain, golden grasses springing up between the sprawling quagmire, the land cradling a deep gash, a whispering brook snaking through it.

They stop there, lightly winded. Haku confessing to Naruto's most frequent question, unable to hide his fears any longer, "I'm sorry Naruto, I think we're lost."

"What?!"

Haku smacks his hand over the blond's artificial face, jamming the folded ends of dry wood into his skin. He looks around the wilds, winding trees reaching high, their fingers spread apart, grassy follicles drooping down, blocking out the sun. They bend silently with a quiet breeze.

Haku sighs in relief, removing his hand from Naruto's wooden visage, looking quite stern. Naruto apologizes quietly, earning an impish smile from Haku.

"My lessons don't seem to be sticking." He whispers to the blond.

"I said I'm sorry. I'm just shocked. I thought you knew where we were going."

"I did. Zabuza-sama and I did come this way, to reach the Land of Waves. But we spent far too much time there, the spring flood has come through - and nothing is more destructive in this world than water, Naruto-kun." He sighs, "I don't recognize any landmarks now." He points to upturned trees lying on their sides, mangled roots in the air, the landscape frothing with bubbly mud, "I'm even a little worried we're nearing Tanigakure. Not that their shinobi would be interested in killing us, but they are very well-off because of their specialty in... selling information. Seeing us together would place some of Konoha's search teams right in the heart of this land."

Naruto swallows, "R-right. Well, we should be careful then, right? But what are we going to do? We don't have a guide. Where are we supposed to go?"

Haku sighs, "Move forward? Follow the river? What else can we do. But we need to be cautious. Conserve our supplies, at least until I see something familiar. If you look here," Haku points, "Moss grows only on the north side of a tree, and we are still heading north, which is where we need to go."

Naruto scans the area for a moment, blinking dumbly as he taps Haku's shoulder, "Hey, uhh, is that a road?"

Haku turns and blinks, noting the trail of smothered grasses and planted dirt, "Indeed it is. It seems the river swept through here, destroying a bridge, perhaps when it recently flooded." He follows the road, seeing another connecting path across the mushy bowing vein of earth, "Come on, let's see if-"

Haku's eyes shoot open. He turns to Naruto and pushes him into the trunk of a skinny tree beside them, throwing himself to the side, just in time to hear the fwoosh of a slender arrow sear the air. Naruto and Haku turn, taking steps back as men emerge from the ground and in the trees, men caked and smeared in mud, all of their faces decorated in pigments of chalk and strawberry.

"Bandits." Haku breathes worriedly, "They're incredibly skilled at camouflage-"

A lanky man with a leering smile climbs up from the limp riverbed, a heavy hand axe in his left hand. His shoulders enshrine his bony, naked chest, his skin oily and brown like the mud, glowing with the slickness of clay and watery silica. Black hide cinches around his muscular legs, high boots on his feet.

"Drop your shit, shin-obi." The man says, the others silent, the men in the trees readied with their bows, the men on the ground clenching sticks, clubs, axes, and knives, "We might let you go, then."

Haku takes charge immediately, placating with his open snowy palms, "We don't yearn to fight. We are indeed shinobi, but we are attending to an important mission. Do not think your numbers will be enou-"

Haku whirls on his heel as a collection of camouflaged leather-clad thugs climb up from the river bed behind them, another dozen joining their brethren, cutting off their way of escape. Several ready their bows from the cover of their buckler-carrying allies.

"You are very organized." Haku murmurs, "And skilled, for bandits. I did not hear you approach at all, just now."

Naruto slowly inches toward Haku, putting his back to him, mimicking the nuke-nin's defensive posture, lifting up his outstretched palms, breathing slow and calm, his eyes surveying his enemies, concentrating chakra in the core of his body.

Their leader, his hair black and stringy, tied into an ugly tail in the back, moves forward, squeezing them in as his allies approach cautiously through the trees.

"Drop it. Everything. Put your hands behind yer backs." The leader says excitedly, his body moving to a thirsty rhythm, his hips swaying, axe-hand shaking, "This is the last time I'll ask nicely."

Haku presses his back firmly into Naruto's, his voice barely a whisper, "They're trained. Some might be former genin or samurai. They're bold, attacking people like us. When they get close, I want as many kage bunshin as you can make."

To his credit, Naruto doesn't make a single gesture, his heart racing. His closes his eyes, swallowing thickly, wetting his lips. Fresh on his mind, he recalls the Kyuubi. He remembers the battle on the bridge. His fangs thick with blood, his fingers like fangs of their own, quenching their thirst in the soggy flesh of desperate men.

Naruto's hands clench into fists.

"Attack! Attack!" one of them cries, his voice shrill, vocal chords splitting apart in a hysterical cry.

"Now!"

Arrows are loosed, piercing the breeze, but Naruto manages to create over six dozen shadow clones. Plumes of acrid smoke surround the missing nin, over a dozen unharmed clones still holding their arms up in an X. Haku hurls several senbon at a time, striking true on archers from the south. They drop from trees and smack against the drenched ground, their eyes swollen wide.

The bandits charge, attacking Naruto with coordinated strikes, strong formations pushing back on his clones who parry and side-step their swift slices and thwacks.

Their leader breaks through their encroaching formation like a berserker, his axe held low like a sword, swinging up with incredible might, the blade aimed to rend right through Haku's torso. Only, a sheet of ice flies up from the soft erath, Haku's left hand holding the sign of a dragon as he concentrates. The bandit's axe ricochets off the crystaline barrier, causing the man to stumble backwards. It also shields four on-mark arrows, the barbed heads plunking into the ice uselessly.

That's when Naruto makes his counter attack. He sticks by Haku, hurling shuriken from an overloaded holster on his thigh, blue kimono swaying in the breeze as he turns gracefully with Haku, realizing he's forgotten to breathe, his heart in his fingers as he makes a dozen more clones.

Shuriken and senbon fly, piercing men in their eyes and necks, ending their lives silently or sending out cries of gurgling agony, crumpling to the floor uselessly.

The tide turns, the reinforcements to the north reduced to quivering bodies, their blood draining down into the trickling stream. Naruto twists and leaps forward, his clones crying out in ecstasy as they tackle and strike at the main force. Bandits start to turn and flee, but most stand their ground, senbon sticking out of their knees, ankles, thighs, and shoulders. They're practically paralyzed, any jerking action sending excruciating, electric convulsions through them.

Their leader's crooked smile is replaced with the very gruesome face of fear. His axe clumsily drops from his hands. He collapses onto the ground after receiving a smart punch to the sternum from Haku, the breath knocked out of him.

When it's over, the once serene land is filled with death. Naruto breathes batedly, fatigued from lack of sleep and the high of battle. Haku is in no better a condition, one hand on Naruto's shoulder, catching his breath. He expended less energy than Naruto during the fight, but is still recovering from battling Team 7 in the Land of Waves.

Mushin, the empty mind of the warrior, presides over them. They are numb, slightly shocked, their minds filled with nothing but void. Haku is quicker to recover, his wits gathering, but they turn suddenly to the sound of clapping.

A man sits atop of a rotten-looking cart, warped, wooden wheels beneath his sandaled feet. He wears an over-sized sky blue yukata, open wide, displaying a sinewy, hard chest. A bright grass-dyed belt hangs lazily from his waist, a wedge of black hair drooping over fair face.

"Bravo." He says calmly, leaning in the front seat of his wagon. It's loaded to the brim with crates, straw lining the back, "Truly the kind of show I would envision for an exciting play. That was dazzling." He drawls, "You made artistic work of those bandits, young Kiri nin. It helps that you are wearing such fine masks."

Naruto grimaces beneath the mask, looking toward Haku, unable to read him with that red and white visor covering his face.

The dark haired teen steps forward, his voice betraying his weakness, "They were foolish to attack us."

"Indeed?" the merchant raises his thin black brows, shutting his eyes, giving a serene smile.

"We told them to back off." Naruto says helpfully, "It's not like we wanted to fight them. They were just... desperate." He looks to Haku, "We did pretty good though, right Haku?"

The teen winces at Naruto casually using his name. The blond swallows at the snapping twist of Haku's head. The annoyed edge in his voice that gives to slight praise, "Yeah. Yeah we did. Thanks for sticking close with me."

"Desperate men do desperate things." The man says calmly, smirking at their exchange.

Naruto nods solemnly, "Yeah."

Haku approaches after a lingering moment, his hand motioning for Naruto to back him up from behind. The blond follows awkwardly, folding his hands over the form-fitting kimono, averting his gaze with a sigh as Haku approaches the man. There's a single splotch of blood marring his loaned garment now, staining Naruto's previously clean facade.

"Where are you headed?" Haku's voice is low, in an attempt to disguise his voice. Naruto realizes he'll have to start doing that too - his voice is very distinctive.

"I was thinking Suna." He says with a calm smile, "Especially now that you kindly dealt with those bandits for me." He sighs unhappily, looking straight ahead, noting how the road is washed away, "Crossing this tiny canyon here looks a tad troublesome though."

Haku nods, "So you're a lone merchant? Isn't that a bit dangerous?"

"Mmmm, yeah." Haku studies the man as he speaks, realizing he can't be much older than twenty, very young for a merchant on his own, though the state of his rickety wagon speaks of itself, "But I go where the road takes me."

Naruto looks at the crates in the back, "What do you sell? We might be willing to trade stuff." He offers.

The man smiles, "Lightening my load would probably be useful." He admits, "But I don't think I sell much you'd be interested in. See, I'm a scholar." He says with an excited hook of his lips, looking over his shoulder, twisting in his seat and holding the reigns of his two tranquil horses calmly in his lap, "I love to collect and deal in literature. Most of the stuff in the back here are epics, poems, histories, encyclopedias, dictionaries, cultural books, classics, and theses. I do have some food and medicine too, but it's just enough for my erring fancy." His lips pucker, Haku notices they're a very peculiar shade of blue, matching his yukata perfectly.

"Oh, that's too bad, I guess. What are you going to do about crossing here then?" Haku hums thoughtfully.

"I don't know, actually. But don't get me wrong, I'm quite thankful to you two. Getting stuck out here, without a way to go forward? I would have been picked off by those bandits, I'm sure. I am greatly in your debt."

"Nonsense." Haku says calmly, "Simply good circumstance."

"Hitsuzen, perhaps?" the young man supplies with a giggle, "I'll allow it. But perhaps we can make a trade after all. Help me carry my supplies across this gulch and I'll treat you two boys to something nice."

"We could use directions." Haku says simply, not giving more than that.

"Where are you headed?"

Haku swallows thickly, "Ame."

"Oh, how dreadful." He says, his voice dripping with a sorrow, "I just read a tragedy written by a beautiful playwright from Ame. Truly, a country of sorrow. The land there weeps. Not that I mind getting wet, not at all, but my books would get soggy and it's a chore drying them out and keeping the ink from running."

Haku nods stonily.

"Well, I can give you directions there. I probably have a book of maps on me, perhaps I could even give you that. Perhaps that would be useful?"

Haku shakes his head, "The terrain shifts too wildly for most maps to be useful to us." Shinobi don't use roads, which are the only consistent feature to most maps, the wilderness rapidly changes elsewhere, trees dying and blossoming everywhere, hills turning to valleys, valleys to hills, mountains to plains, and seas even into deserts. There are many shinobi who even deliberately do this, to hide and protect the assets of smaller hidden villages.

"Ah yes, you're quite right. Shinobi are of another brand of traveler." He smiles kindly, eyes wrinkling shut, "Still, I believe you will find my directions... very useful."

"I don't mind helping him, Haku-san." Naruto murmurs softly, "He seems nice."

"Things are never what they seem to be."

"Indeed." Haku agrees with the man, looking toward Naruto, "But I agree. It's beneficial to us to help him."

"Thank you." He says softly.

Naruto and Haku spend a few hours carefully moving the man's cargo across the muddy slope, climbing up the sloppy mud, Naruto's shadow clones patiently marching up and down, careful not to slip with their ponderous loads. The crates must carry a dozen or more books each, making Haku wonder how two horses can even pull the wagon, which looks like it was bending under the strain.

Finally, they carefully carry the wagon and horses across, the man's yukata getting stained with mud as he croses with them, though he doesn't seem to mind it at all. He isn't very talkative while Haku or Naruto work, but to the blond's utter joy, he does whip out a slender, metal pipe. It is golden, glistening in the light. He plays it expertly, weaving a soft, somber tune. More bizarre, as he plays it, bubbles spring from the wide mouth, carrying up high into the sky before popping.

"You are very talented." Haku says as they finish their work, listening to the young scholar's final song, "I've never heard a song so beautiful..." Naruto whispers, the melody making him think of Konoha for some reason, recalling all the people he met at the academy. He wonders what they're thinking of now, if any of them will miss him. If any of them will even care, or notice he's gone.

"Thank you." The dark-haired, lanky man says, helping them start a campfire, suggesting they spend the night. He cooks a wonderful meal using salted meat and fish. Haku confirms the food is not poisoned, and although he doesn't trust the stranger, he is too tired to argue. Naruto also coaxes him into it - creating an infectious atmosphere of calm relief. It's the first true respite for Haku since he entered the Land of Waves, so he caves.

"Hey, do you think you could teach me how to play that flute thing?" Naruto asks the man, who laughs at the question.

"Do you think anyone can become anything, Hiei-san?"

Hiei is the name Naruto hastily gave himself, after being pressed by the merchant to properly introduce himself. Well versed in Kanji, the man asked him whether it meant, "Sun Shadow", "Flying Shadow", "Sun Glory," or "Water Glory". Of course, when it entered Naruto's mind, he was thinking of Hokage or "Fire Shadow", so he intelligently responded, "Uhh, all four!" much to Haku's utter amazement. He would have to give Naruto some lessons in being discreet as soon as they started moving again.

"Sure they can." Naruto says after mulling over the strange question, "If you try hard enough."

The merchant smiles knowingly, "Perhaps you are right, Hiei-san. Though one can to become a Daimyo through luck and circumstance, being begotten by the right pair of people, it is possible to become a ruler through shrewd political dealing and marriage." He hums a tune to himself, before adding, "The capacity of man is infinite, or at least, that is what I have learned from studying philosophy, more specifically, my favorite book, Kotoba no Konoha - a list of poems written by the Shodai Hokage, compiled by his wife after his passing - truly a read I would recommend for anyone. My favorite poem of his connotes the idea of vast emptiness with vast potential, comparing man to an empty container. However, it must be noted that just become someone can become anything, doesn't mean that they should." He grins at the young blond, "I don't suppose you will become supremely skilled in mathematics just because you will yourself to."

Naruto blanches, nodding exuberantly in agreement, watching as Haku lifts up his mask part way to expose his delicate lips, chewing on the well-cooked meal with all the fine, polite movements of a cultured young lady. Naruto scoots closer to the crackling fire in the center of them, looking up at the darkening sky as he mirrors the action, exposing his tan, whiskered cheeks and nosily chomping down.

"In the same way, I don't think you could play this instrument." He teases, "It is quite difficult. It is not as simple as blowing air. It is an art. An affinity we are born with. That is why some men become shinobi and others become artisans. Why some men rule and why some men are enslaved."

The lanky man is seated on an overturned mossy log, watching with a bemused smile as Naruto twists and grimaces, speaking with mouthfuls of chomping teeth, "Yeah? Well I bet you I could play it."

Haku shakes his head as the young man goads him with a smile, "I'm not so sure." He replies, somehow understanding Naruto despite the blond's cheeks swelling with juicy meat, garbling his words.

Inevitably, Naruto plucks the flute from the man's lap on a dare. It's much lighter than he imagined and he inspects it casually, Haku shaking his head in bafflement, "Naruto, don't you dare. Don't you realize? He was just playing that and he hasn't cleaned it. It's been in his-"

Naturally, Naruto places his lips across the mouthpiece, forming a tight seal with his lips. He blows.

Haku sighs.

And no sound comes out. Not a single bubble, either.

"Hey! What gives? It's not working!"

The man laughs, rocking in his seat, cheeks stretching in animated joy, "Oh, you're just like him!" he slaps his knee, looking over at Haku, enjoying the frown on those pallid lips. Haku reassures Naruto with a limp smile, "Don't listen to him, Hiei-san. You might not be able to play a flute, but I will do my best to whip you into shape." He grins, "You'll be on my level soon enough."

For some reason, that doesn't comfort the blond. He seems to take offense to the whole idea, "Hey Haku, don't worry. I'll play this thing. It's just a dumb flute." He sucks in a sharp breath, blowing hard as he can.

"It's clearly far more than that, Hiei-san." The scholar chides, watching as Naruto's cheeks start to turn blue, "Oi, that's enough. Give it back to m-"

A soft, mellow note penetrates the air, a sudden breeze weaving through the air, the dancing crackle of the campfire bending almost to death against it, bowing like a reed.

"Huh." The scholar says dumbly, "Well, now that's somethin'." He sits cross legged on the log, looking thoughtful, "I suppose I can let you borrow that flute, then."

"Huh?" Naruto says between ragged breaths, recovering himself, "Why? It's yours." Having won, he wears a confused, if triumphant smile and presses his lips to the flute once more, playing a softer, finer note, a second, much more fragile breeze combing through the blond's hair.

"As I suggested, it's not an ordinary flute." He chuckles, "There's only about... nine people who probably play it in the whole world." His laughter becomes more throaty, staring at the blond with an edge in his eye, "Forget what I said earlier, this is truly hitsuzen."

"Uhh, okay."

He smiles, "Perhaps I should entice you a bit?" he says, ignoring Haku's piercing stare, "That flute is called the Shakuhachinagi, or simply, the Lull Flute. It is quite extraordinary. I know of... not another like it. It was forged in Kiragakure and reacts to chakra in the user's lungs. Of course, it was considered a failure by its creator, because it did not seem to work properly..." he goes quiet for a while, "But anyway, it seems your chakra nature is wind, if those gusts are any indication."

"Chakra nature?"

Haku supplies an answer, his voice wary, "Naruto, everyone is born with a affinity to certain nature manipulation with their chakra. I believe you know mine."

"Ohhh! So you're saying mine is wind? Cool."

"Yes. And since you're a shinobi, using that flute should develop your wind chakra as you use it. If you practice long enough, wind ninjutsu should become like second-nature to you."

Naruto makes an "O" with his lips, excitedly blowing on the instrument, his fingers moving randomly on the holes, creating fine shifts in the air as he plays quickly, performing an ugly song.

Haku says astutely, "Then yours would be water, sir?"

"Not quite." He purses his lips tight, "But you are very close."

"I see."

Naruto looks up at the merchant in awe, "Oh thanks a lot, uhh, blue-lips! Can I really keep this? It's awesome dattebayo!"

"You may borrow it." He sighs, "And please, don't give me a stupid nickname like that. My name is... Saiken."

Naruto places the flute in his lap and claps his hands, bowing his head towards him, "Thanks so much! But if I can only borrow it..."

"I believe in hitsuzen." Saiken says calmly, "The fate of circumstance. When we meet again, I will ask for it back. Until then, make good use of it. And don't lose it. That flute is quite... special to me."

"Oh, of course I won't! I promise to take good care of it."

"Good." He snickers, "Try not to drive your companion mad with such poor musicality, however. Perhaps I shall teach you a proper song before I go?"

Haku chuckles, "You are very trusting Saiken-san. There is no gaurantee we will see each other again."

He nods, "Perhaps. But I do not mind trusting you two. You see, Hiei-san is a special person, to be able to use that flute." He lifts up a hand, brushing his stiff black bangs from his forehead, "We share a connection."

"We do?"

"Yes. Though, I think I'll let you figure it out." He chuckles, "We are connected by destiny, probably. I am sure we will meet again." He sighs, "And perhaps I am being a bit foolish. But it's hard for me not to be, at times. I am an enormous fool..."

"You share at least one trait with Hiei-san, then." Haku giggles, earning a glare from the blond.

Naruto finishes eating and slaps his mask down, covering his face once more. He bows to Saiken again and claps his hands together, being oddly respectful, "Thank you again."

"No trouble. Consider it a small token of my appreciation. And also, payment too, perhaps, for my questions. I am curious, so forgive me if I offend, but why are you heading to Ame? What kind of business do you have there?"

Naruto looks over at Haku, who supplies after a sigh, setting down his plate, "There is... someone I know." He admits, seeing a knowing look on Saiken, "There is little point in hiding it I suppose. You are clearly not just a merchant, but a shinobi as well, if that flute is truly molding your chakra." He grumbles as Saiken smiles devilishly, "You probably know we are not actually hunter nin from Kirigakure no Sato."

"Indeed."

Naruto sputters, "What?!"

"Well, I do have a history with Kirigakure." He admits quietly, looking away, "Not one to trouble either of you with, but you do a poor job of impersonating Kiri shinobi. The two of you smile far too often. You are both too relaxed, even for the newer generation. You have not witnessed the horrors of civil war."

The air becomes icy for just a moment, Saiken staring at Haku impassively, "Or perhaps, I misjudged one of you." He says with a shrug, "Be that as it may, it was obvious to me."

"It seems awfully coincidental that we would cross paths."

"I am not out hunting you, if that is what you think. I am a merchant and a scholar, I have not lied to you at all." He says with a huff, "But just consider the wise words of a... world-wise shinobi. Amegakure is no place for youngsters like you two. They are embroiled in a war far... far worse than Kiri, as much as I am loath to admit it." He taps his cheek, "Though, perhaps Kirigakure has decayed since I last saw it. It might be in the throes of a much worser agony." He shrugs.

"Really?" Haku says in awe, "I didn't know that. People don't really know much about Ame, they're very secretive."

"Yes, Hanzou, the rain shadow, is paranoid. Even I do not know much, though I know enough to tell you... that neither of you are prepared for the horrors of that place, if you truly intend to go there." He pauses, "War leads to peace, birth to death, love to hate, agony to bliss, dust to man, lies to truth... this is known as the way of change. It's an absolute you know. Flux is the only thing that's constant in this world." He grins, "But in Ame it always rains. Truly, there is some god that watches over that place. Some unnatural force that prevents the natural way of things. There is no flux; there is always war, always suffering, always poverty... always Hanzou." He hums, "There's no helping a place like that. No matter who you know there, it's simply too dangerous."

Haku and Naruto share a look. Haku can easily tell that Naruto is pretty stubborn, even though he doesn't even have a clue why the location was suggested in the first place. He wants to go now.

"One of the seven swordsmen of the mist dwells there." Haku reveals after a moment of thought, "I have a... unique connection. One that would probably give us shelter in Ame with her. Enough to last us a little while, while we lay low." He adds, "We're going to be pursued by pretty heavily, soon. We don't really have much of a choice."

"Ah." Saiken says, "In that case, I suppose I could lend a hand, though, don't say I didn't warn you."

Naruto and Haku share a moment of silence under the stars until both fall asleep. Saiken watches them for a time, before nodding off himself.

Haku rises first, prodding the blond awake. Saiken is alert, his eyes snapping open under the darkness of the early morning. The merchant provides very descriptive detail on safe passage through the wilderness to Rain. He enters his wagon and the three part ways amicably, leaving Naruto and Haku to dispose of their campsite by the road.

Haku gives Naruto a few choice words, but isn't too harsh on him. He's learning quick, eager to please his friend. Haku details a few strategies, praising him again for his level-headedness during the fight with the bandits. It's important they stick close and aren't separated and picked off. They spend hours travelling under the thick shade of the early morning, Haku giving Naruto tips on how to move more silently, telling him they will need to act perfectly in Rain, that they were lucky to meet such an odd shinobi before. Most would have tried to ransack them while they were weakened after a battle.

They rest several times over the next two days, making great time through the Land of Rivers. Naruto spends a few minutes at each rest stop to toy with his golden present, making very faint sounds with the instrument, careful to keep his ears peeled for hunter-nin. To his displeasure, Haku knows no wind techniques, but promises training once they enter Rain.

"I believe we will be able to receive some aid from Zabuza's old friend."

"Is she really one of the seven swordsmen too?"

"The only woman." Haku says with a smirk, "Though I believe there is a young girl who recently took up one of the blades."

There is no guarantee she will help, but Haku assures him that if she does not, she does not live far into Rain, that they will travel somewhere else after finding work in Rain, using the money to stock up on supplies.

Tall grasses and marshy plains congeal into thick sheets of bamboo and armored trees, Tanigakure giving way to the dense brush of an acidic jungle. There, hidden in the trees, Haku and Naruto make camp and rest, preparing to enter the country once they are fully revitalized, the two teens sharing stories quietly, Haku learning of Naruto's exploits as a prankster in Konoha.

"Do you think it was a good idea to help Saiken after all?" Naruto asks quietly, "I mean, we lost a few hours. We didn't really have time to waste."

"Indeed." Haku says stonily, "But you're not the type to let suffering people make their own way, when you can help it, ne?"

"You already know me pretty well." Naruto admits under the stars.

"You're pretty easy to read." He laughs, "It's kind of looking at myself in one of my mirrors."

Naruto doesn't say anything. He just watches the white lights, shifting restlessly against the worn back of an old, lumpy sleeping bag.

Haku seems insomniatic, even when Naruto quiets down, his eyes sinking, a dark haze overcoming him, a soft murmur rouses him.

"You did not simply prank in Konoha, did you?"

"I should have done more." The blond grunts, "I could have made a bigger difference. But instead I, I don't know. I guess I was single-minded. And for a while, I think I hated everyone. I was a mess? I don't know what I was thinking, looking back. Wasn't think' at all..."

"That's understandable, given the way some of your teachers treated you. It is any wonder you are a shinobi today, with such discouragement."

Naruto shakes his head, his blond hair matting and twisting underneath him, "Don't say it like that."

"Sorry." The Hyouton-user's voice is laced with confusion.

Naruto doesn't say anything for a while again, he just remembers some of the faces of the people who called him a monster. He whispers random words to himself, dispelling the images.

Despite their influence, his failures were his own. It wasn't Iruka's fault. It was his fault, he wasn't the right kind of ninja.

"What do you want to do, Haku?" Naruto yawns.

"Get to Ame. Become stronger. If Ameyuri-san won't help us, then look for a teacher in one of the cities. We'll need to buy supplies soon anyway, I know of one of the smaller industrial towns where trade bustles, we can get some good deals there with the last of our funds, probably raise some money there too."

"No, I mean, besides that.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, what do you want to do? What's your dream? I wanted to be Hokage, but now... I don't know."

"Survive."

"Right. Okay. Because Zabuza told you to. Yeah?"

"Yes, I will honor his wishes."

"But I mean, other than that. Everyone wants to survive. Zabuza doesn't control you anymore. You can do whatever you want now."

Haku's his close, his lips splay into a tight smile, "I will help you then. That is what I decided in Wave."

"So just, help me? That's your dream?"

"Does it need to be complex?"

"I guess not, but why?"

"Why what?"

"Why help me?"

"Because you're my friend. I don't need a reason."

Naruto nods.

"Why? Is there something wrong with just wanting to help someone?"

"No, of course not. I'm just like you said. I like to help people too. I just didn't know if you felt the same way. Or if it even makes sense. We're supposed to be bloodthirsty killers right? True shinobi."

"I admit I haven't helped very many people other than Zabuza." He whispers, "But I think that will be easy to change. And it's not like we have to be like others. We only need to follow our own paths."

"Really? Is it really that simple? But, if you and I want to help people, who do we help? Do we just help anybody?" He crosses his arms, "It's not simple at all. Was helping Tazuna the right thing? Or should we have helped Gatou?"

"Gatou was wrong, Naruto."

"Okay, yeah, I could see that. But was Zabuza wrong? He wanted to raise money to kill another asshole. We should have tried to help you."

"It's not simple. Sometimes, you have to make bad decisions, because there's no other way."

"Sounds like bullshit to me. There was definitely a way to fix everything. To make it right for everyone. I just didn't see it."

Haku nods, "There might always be a best decision, one that makes everyone happy. You won't always find it. At least, I mean, under Zabuza, we didn't usually try to find that solution. So maybe it's simpler than I'm making it seem, but...Naruto?"

Naruto starts snoring, a habit Haku is going to have to break very soon. He just sighs, "What have I gotten myself into?" the teen whispers to the sky.

The room is absolutely immaculate. Potted plants congruently line a great window overlooking four stone heads. The polished desk curves grandly, papers stacked precisely on the upper right corner. A picture of a young woman with warm skin and dark hair admonishes him, a fragile smile on her glossy lips distracting him from the rigid beauty before him.

"We recovered this, Hokage-sama." Yuugao, her wavy violet hair splashing over her shoulders, speaks somberly.

A well-cared-for Hitai-ate is placed on his desk. The face is polished, the strap is slightly wrinkled.

"We were unable to gain any information on his whereabouts, besides a few lingering scents scattered near Tanigakure. No one from the village had any information, however." She hesitates to add, "He could be in Fire Country... or he could have gone to Wind Country. I did not have enough evidence to try
searching there, though I have dispatched two teams to examine the border villages."

Old fingers press into a wrinkled forehead, the Sandaime Hokage nodding grimly, "Write up your report. There is no way Naruto-kun could have escaped your trackers without someone instructing him to bathe frequently, without someone showing him the the winding paths. It is likely he is under someone's...care." He sighs, "He will be labeled as a hostage until otherwise stated by me. Do you understand? I do not care if he tries to lay a finger on anyone, he will not make it into the books until I know there is no longer any recourse."

"Of course." She bows her head, shrinking at her lord's tone, a hand reaching up to rub her neck, "May I ask what you plan to do now?"

Hiruzen stares at her coldly for a while, before he twists in his seat, looking out at the face of the Yondaime, "I thought so." He smiles, "That little assignment I gave you a few years ago." He says wisely, "I did not realize until just now. The way you behaved in the meeting yesterday was very telling."

Her lips pucker, "He was quite adorable, if obnoxious."

"Don't worry about it for now, Uzuki-chan." He chuckles, "I doubt harm will befall Naruto-kun. He is a jinchuuriki, after all. Many would like to have their hands on him. He will resurface. I am simply concerned for his well-being. There are those who would make him into a weapon - undo all the very things I tried to prevent for so long..." he sighs, "I will assign Tenzou on it. Perhaps one of the more sensitive Inuzuka with him. Jiraiya will begin to search too, once my missive reaches him. But hope is not lost just yet, Hayate's team has not reported back just yet, he could still return home with the boy."

"Where did you send him?"

"Closer to Ame's borders. I did not expect them to already be that far north, but I learned early on in my years, to expect the unexpected." He grits his teeth, "That is something young Kakashi learned all too well. It is a shame for him to leave us far before his time. Grief turned that man into a shining example of the will of fire, in spite of his history. I had hoped he might lead this village, someday. But perhaps my faith was misplaced, given the failure of...two students."

Yuugao listens intently, closing her eyes, "I wanted to ask about that... if you don't mind." A dangerous glint fills her eyes, "Hatake-senpai, he, he was very adamant about making sure his comrades never got left behind. For his students to abandon one of their own... I would like your permission to punish them."

A dry laugh explodes from the Hokage's lips. He silences it with a fit of coughing, "Oh, yes, I should have consulted you and all the rest of the silent vigil, before I dispatched their punishment. I apologize, but I'm afraid you won't be getting any revenge. You see, I assigned the girl to Anko-chan."

Yuugao's eyes bulge out of their sockets, a melodious laugh marring her stern expression, "Oh you did, did you? Mitarashi-chan must have been thrilled."

"She is ready to take on a student." Hiruzen says calmly, "Very ready. And she will teach the girl properly, I assure you. Perhaps more than she deserves, for what she did."

"And the Uchiha?"

"Shimura-san tried to take him on as an apprentice, saying he could be stern and educative, eradicating inappropriate behaviors like what he displayed in my office." Hirzuen chuckles, "As if I would let him after what happened to Itachi. No, I was much stricter with that child. He will serve at the academy for three months as punishment. Afterward, I am considering... Maito's team. I believe they could handle one more. Perhaps Tenzou will be formally assigned to him. The man may be interested in teaching him discipline and calm and is much more suited to it than Shimura-san."

Yuugao almost giggles, "Oh, that is terrible Hokage-sama. Perhaps a bit spiteful, even?"

"Perhaps. But I have been far too lenient. I believe it is because of my negligence, my failure to give Naruto-kun guidance and care... that we have failed the Yondaime. Minato-kun's team is finally, no more. All lost to tragedy. I just hope the very last of his legacy has not left us as well."

They walk together beneath the canopies that stretch seemingly to the clouds. The sun does not penetrate, bathing the air in chilly darkness. It is drizzling, water dripping down the grooves in trees. Naruto traces his fingers across the bark as they pass, feeling the wood between his fingers. In his other hand, he carries a makeshift bamboo umbrella made from scraps of treated cloth and ninja wire.

Haku walks ahead, his eyes scanning carefully, also bearing a small umbrella.

"Do you know where we are going?" Naruto asks quietly, his voice rising to hisses in annoyance, "I don't have any idea. There's just... trees. And trees. And more trees! More here than in Konoha! And with all this rain, and so little sun, it's either mist or shadow all around."

Haku's feet slip silently across the grainy, oily soil, his low voice cracked from thirst, "We are close. If you notice, some trees here are marked with seven slashes. It is one of the signs the seven swordsmen use to stay in touch. Well, some of them. Not all of them are so kind."

"I see." Naruto says, trying to sound sagely.

Haku's dark hair is dripping, stuck to his face and neck. Naruto is drier, his hastily-crafted umbrella of better effect, but even he is cold and damp.

"This place is just as blue-lips described. Kind moody. Spooky." He swallows, "Maybe there's a ghost that's making all this rain?"

"Zabuza-sama thought it was the work of the founder of Amegakure, though I never asked him what he meant by that. I suppose it's possible that there is a device that makes this country constantly rain?"

Naruto huffs, his voice hissing in annoyance, "I doubt it. I'd get sick of all this water after a week. No wait, I'm already sick of it, dattebayo! If this rain is made by somebody, they'd eventually just get sick of making it."

Haku chuckles, spotting another tree with seven shallow slashes, moving toward it, "I agree, it's not a very amusing prank, if it's something like that."

They gather in the shadows.

"The jinchuuriki of the nine-tails has gone missing." A somber voice drones, "Konoha hunter-nin have been dispatched to retrieve it."

"How interesting. It's a shame we are not ready."

"Perhaps we should capture him anyway, un?"

"It is not time. You all have your assignments. Do not get distracted."

"I think we're moving in circles." Haku grunts, noticing a familiar slashed tree, "I don't understand. Her signs shouldn't have been tampered with if she's vigilant. Am I just leading us in the wrong direction?"

"Haku, let's just rest for a little while, we're tired and we're lost again." He moans, collapsing against a thicket of bamboo. His boundless stamina is missing because he's not had very restful sleep, not that he would ever complain, but he's just not used to sleeping in the dirt, his heart racing at the phantom sounds of hunter-nin creeping in the trees above.

Haku complies after looking around in all directions for a while, feeling dizzy. Leaning against the tall slashed tree, he lets out a wary sigh. He asks Naruto to toss him a kunai, which the blond does. Haku makes a mark on the tree, tossing it back to Naruto gracefully.

They lift up their red and white masks, Haku dividing the last of their prepared meal from last night. Cooked rabit and vitamin-rich herbs.

Naruto grumbles as he chews on soggy, tasteless leaves for a while, wishing he'd brought more instant ramen with him on the mission to Wave. He'd eat the undissolved powder at this point.

The constant pelting of rain against the earth makes his cold heart beat slow. He can already feel the depression spreading through his body, making him recall Sakura's preening face, Sasuke's prideful smirk at the top of that tall tree, Iruka's lazy comebacks to his requests for "flashy new jutsu".

"Hey, Haku." Naruto asks quietly, his tone just like the night before, "What do you want to do?"

"I thought he talked about that already. Last night, remember?" Haku sighs, his trembling hand so weary, he doesn't want to hold up the umbrella any longer, but he has no choice. It switches hands.

"Right. Yeah. I just..."

"Are you having second thoughts? About us? You can return to Konoha. I will not stop you. I will even understand. The life of a missing-nin is not-"

"No! I can't go back. I don't want to go back. I don't want to see them. I like it here, I guess. Even if it's been crazy these last few days it's... more than I've ever done before. I think I was wrong to want to become the Hokage. I didn't realize how big this world is, what I was even saying back then. And we've already met one interesting guy. And Zabuza wasn't so bad either, even if he was a demon. I feel like... maybe I can find another, better dream, if I meet more people."

Haku chuckles, "I see."

"Even if this forest is stupid, it's kind of interesting too." Naruto looks up, seeing past his drenched umbrella, seeing the trees span into what my as well be the clouds. It's like they've walked into an entirely new universe, "This place isn't so bad. I don't know what blue-lips was talking about. I'd have preferred living here than in Konoha, where everybody hates my guts. Even if this rain is annoying, this place isn't cursed. Nah, it's blessed, compared to my life in Konoha."

They share a weak laugh. Naruto doesn't find it all that funny. But he smiles underneath the mask at Haku, "I think I'm starting to understand what Kakashi-sensei always used to say. Well, I didn't know him very long, but he said it like five times."

"What did he say?"

"Look 'underneath the underneath'. I thought he was just being stupid, or whatever, but... I think I get what that means now. It's like, there's always another level. You can always think deeper. You just have to...I don't know. Think. If' I'd thought a little deeper about why people hated me, maybe I could have changed their opinions, without reaching for the impossible."

Haku giggles, seeing the delirious wobble of Naruto's body as he speaks, "Things are a little hectic right now, but once we get deeper into Rain, things will settle down. There's no rush now Naruto."

"Yeah, yeah. There's no rush. If anybody is pursuing us, they're probably lost too. I don't see how anybody could find us out here!"

Suddenly, chromatic birds burst from the treetops. Their long tail feathers swaying blurs, their small bodies merging with the flickering shadows high above. Branches rustle and shake as little leaper animals hurl themselves away from the surrounding trees, navigating branches like great arcing roads.

"Haku." Naruto says with ice in his voice, "It's times like these that we don't look behind us, right? Isn't that one of those shinobi rules I never bothered to memorize?"

Haku says nothing, his entire body frozen solid.

"That was an interesting conversation." A gravelly voice says right beside Naruto, "You're lucky I bothered to wait and listen. I was almost going to kill you for entering my territory. You two are pretty dumb for wearing Mist's uniforms around here."

Haku visibly deflates, the umbrella falling from his hand. Water droplets smash into this head, streaking down his mask.

"It's okay Naruto." He says looking up, craning his head to look at the blond, a woman standing beside him now, one of her dual blades aimed a this neck, "That's Ameyuri-san, one of the seven swordsmen. She's who we're after."

She has long crimson hair that splays towards its ends, draping over her neck and back. Olive skin, only her face exposed, is wet. Shadows play upon her narrow eyes, thin red lips pressed into a tight sneer. A pin-striped brown smock is tied tight at the waist with an ornamental black belt, tight black pants cinching around her skinny thighs.

"I recognize your voice, boy. Why don't you take off that mask? Unless you want this to end very quickly."

Haku is already ahead of her as she opens her mouth, exposing her chipped and bladed, shark-like teeth, the mask falling away from his face. The pretty pale face is revealed once more, dark lines under Haku's reddened eyes. He strains a smile at Ameyuri, who sheathes one sword at her waist, holding the other one at Naruto.

"Ah. Where is Zabuza?"

"Dead." He looks at Naruto, "Take off your mask Naruto. We have to trust her. They won't do us much good in this territory anyway."

Naruto peels his off, placing it in the lap of his blue kimono, still holding his umbrella, face twisting to look up at her.

"So he finally kicked the bucket, eh?"

"Less than four days ago. He is buried in the Land of Waves, if you want to go see him."

"Why would I want to see that trash? Pff."

Haku stares unflinching, his hand reaching out, pointing at Naruto, water dripping from his long bangs, "That is Naruto, a former genin. He is from Konoha. He killed Zabuza."

Naruto's hands rise up, "E-eh! Haku! What are you doing? If you tell her that-"

Ameyuri laughs her other sword sheathing, she turns, exposing her row of sharpened teeth into a beaming smile, "Zabuza, killed by a genin? Oh, I wish I could have seen that! He must be rolling around in his grave right now!"

"To be fair, he was weakened by Hatake Kakashi." Haku explains, standing weakly, propping up his umbrella once more.

Naruto looks at her in awe, "You don't care that I killed your friend?"

"Friend! That guy was an asshole who I only tolerated because I didn't want to piss off his father or Kisame. He barely had an ounce of honor in him, even if he was pretty good with that slab of metal, I wanted nothin' to do with him even when we fought under the same banner."

"Oh."

"You did me a favor by ending him, brat." She reaches forward, slapping his back with her sandpaper-like hand, rough skin rubbing his back through his thin kimono. She smiles at the two teens, sighing nostalgically, "So, so! What are you two doing around these parts? If Zabuza is dead... then wait. Why
are you with her?" she pointed to Haku.

"I am male. Remember?"

"Right, right. You're a bishounen. I remember. That cute little boy who was walking with that pompous asshole."

She puts a hand on her black hip, "You should consider ditch being a boy. You'd honestly make a better girl."

Haku glares at the redhead, "I am not a boy either."

She frowns, smiling at that icy stare, "No, I suppose you ain't. Not anymore." She steps away from Naruto, and now that she has, Haku stares in awe at her. She is completely dry - it's like the rain is bending at her presence, flowing around her like a stone in a river.

Naruto notices it too, water flowing off her and onto him, "Hey! What the-"

The woman smirks, "You two are too dry under the collar to be in a place like this. I'm surprised nobody's killed you yet."

"I'd say we're wet under the collar, lady." Naruto grumbles, "We're here for training." He points at Haku, "Haku said you'd help us."

"I said she might help us."

The woman coughs into her fist, "Training?" She ignores Naruto, staring at Haku, "Kid, you're cute n' all, but I wouldn't train Zabuza's apprentice even if he'd have come here himself and gotten on his knees and gave me his anal virginity. You're just lucky I don't care enough to kill the two of ya."

Naruto steps forward, taking an aggressive stance with his fists, "What! I don't care if you disrespect Zabuza, even if he wasn't that bad of a guy. But telling us to go back - that's bullshit! We came all this way! We can't turn back! Hunter-nin will definitelyuurk-"

Ameyuri whirls on her heel, in a movement neither see. She draws one of her fanged blades, pushing it against Naruto's throat faster than he can blink.

"What's that, you fuckin' brat? You think you can talk to me like that and get away with it?"

"Ameyuri-san." Haku bows deep, "Naruto-kun is right. We cannot turn back. We can only go forward for now."

"You think I give two shits?"

"I think you do. After all, I know why you are here." His head lifts up and he stares impassively, "You are dying."

The blade at Narut's throat loosens. Haku is as rigid as tundra as the woman leaps forward and draws a second blade, forming an X at Haku's throat.

"Haku! Goddamit! Stay away from him!"

"Say that again." Ameyuri hisses coldly, "I dare you. Do you think I don't have it in me to cleave your cute little girly face from your skinny neck? You've got another thing coming."

"Hey! You fucking bitch!" Naruto stomps his foot, his fingers curling, beckoning her to turn around, "Fight me. Leave Haku alone."

"No, Naruto-san." Haku strains, "You can't fight her. We must leave peacefully-"

"Fuck that." The blond growls, the corners of his lips pulling back like a wolf, "She's one of the seven swordsmen, right? If she's as weak as Zabuza, then I can take her."

That got her to pull the blades back, "You little shit." She whispers in awe, "You're quite the little shit aren't you?" she beams excitedly, "I will enjoy killing you. Let's see what Zabuza's little munchkin killer can do, ne?"

Naruto draws two kunai from his thigh, Ameyuri scoffing at him as he clumsily makes a stance, kicking his fallen umbrella away, "How about I make it fair? I'll use just one of my Kiba against you."

Naruto shuts his eyes tight, steeling a heavy breath. When they open, they're a bloody red. A dark aura fills the cold air, giving pause to the woman.

"Ooh?" she coos, "What's this? What a pretty trick. I-" she grimaces as a sick feeling pulls at her belly, "What's this? Fear? Dread? That doesn't make much sense." She studies him, eyes crawling along the way his knees twist and bend, his feet dig into the mushy soil. One of his kunai s held in a reverse the grip, the other pointed toward his nose, "That's a pretty useless stance you've got there. See it in a cinema perhaps? It won't do you any good against just one of my blades. You look pretty pathetic to-"

She raises one of her blades in surprise, meeting the edge of a kunai, stopping it easily, "What the-" she stares into the crimson eyes of a furious killer, "-bunshin?"

The Naruto in front of her is already in flight. It's only because of her speed that she's able to draw her second blade in time, blocking both of his kunai with the flat of her blade. She grunts, holding off two solid Naruto with all her strength, "Fuck kid, what the hell? How are there two of you? Don't tell me that's a clone- there's no way it can be. You're both pushing me with the same amount of-" she grunts, "Gah! What the hell? You've got a lot of strength packed in those scrawny arms."

Naruto slides against the slippery soil, which is just enough for Ameyuri to twist. She throws out her leg and kicks them both in a sweeping motion, one of them dispelling into floating ash. The real Naruto stumbles backward, tripping onto his ass. He looks up to see a blade pointed at his temple.

"Good try." She smiles, "For a brat, anyway. What kind of clone was that?"

Haku answers when Naruto's red eyes bleed back to blue, "A shadow clone, Ameyuri-san."

"Really?" She laughs, "Wow. Are you sure he's a genin?"

"I was." He says quietly, upset as his defeat.

"When did you make one? I didn't even see you perform a technique."

"He's had one trailing us, just incase we were ambushed, or someone caught onto our tail."

"Oh. That's pretty smart. You're both a little more skilled than I give credit." She sheathes her blades, "Alright. I'll train you guys then."

"What?!" Naruto stumbles to his feet as the blade is retracted, "Just like that?"

She smirks, "Of course. You had the balls to insult me and to attack me head on, even if it was with the help of a trick. I like that kind of guts. You didn't even hesitate, with Haku-chan at my mercy. Plus, you're both cute. I wouldn't mind a little eyecandy." She motions for them to follow, leading them through the shadows of the trees, "Not that I wouldn't like to test you brats a little more, but it's not safe to here. The trees have ears, you know."

Her home is barely that. A cabin constructed from the surrounding area's timber, familiar unpolished oak stacked up high. The floor is worn in places, but given the fine cut, Haku notes Ameyuri herself likely cut the wood with her swords.

It's unlit with no windows. When Naruto shuts the door, they're bathed in almost complete darkness (a little light bleeds into the room from cracks in the roof. Water drips from these spots too, plunking into small, well-placed buckets.

"W-what the? What kind of a house is this!"

"Like I need the light to see." Ameyuri murmurs.

Naruto stumbles around in the dark, locating a narrow bed, a few chairs, a hard table (which he painfully rams his shin into), and a bookcase.

"Thank you for taking us somewhere private, Ameyuri-san."

"Call me Ringo." She huffs, flopping onto her bed, "Wait, actually, nevermind. I don't need you two gettin' the wrong idea." Naruto's nostrils flare as he sniffs the air, locating scents of blood, urine, feces, vomit, pollen, dust, mold, musk and bamboo, "Anyway, I'm beat, so excuse me while I lay down. You can jabber all you want. I'm not convinced just yet to train either of you in anything, but I suppose I wouldn't mind it, as I have little else to do." She laughs, tossing in her bed, "You two could bring back food too, so I wouldn't have to get up and do anything."

"That is fair." Haku says calmly, Naruto saying nothing in the darkness.

"You two won't be sleeping in here though. I like my privacy. You can make some mudhuts or lean-tos or something."

Naruto puffs, mumbling, "Whatever. Looks like I won't be getting much rest out here either."

"I can construct an igloo, Naruto-san." Haku chuckles, "It would be good training to retain a structure like that for an extended period."

"And freeze my butt off?"

"You will anyway, in this rain. It's better to be dry and cold than wet and cold."

"Hey, I know. I'll agree to train you if you guys give me Zabuza's sword."

"We don't have it." Naruto grunts, "He's buried with it."

"Buried with it?" she laughs, "What a waste. You dummies! You could have sold it at least, or something."

"It belongs to Zabuza."

"Nah kid, not if you killed him. By right, it was yours."

"Well, I didn't want it."

"Tch. You're a disappointment."

"I'm not afraid to fight you again. Do you want a round two? I won't slip next time."

She laughs, her fist slapping her bed, "Oh that's rich. Do you have a deathwish? You're outclassed, brat. You should be afraid. But I suspect Zabuza knocked the that little sense out of you before you killed him."

"That he did." Haku giggles.

"Haku!"

"Anyway." Ameyuri sighs, "I'll worry about compensation later. I am kinda bored. And after arm wrestling with you, it did give me a few ideas." She looks at Haku in the darkness, the boy stepping into a faint ray of light, illuminating the soft features of his milky face, "You're the last of the Hyouton, right?"

"Yes."

"I can't teach you how to better use that."

"I'm aware."

"Zabuza said he was going to train you to be a tracker and support type. That work out?"

"We managed to avoid Konoha and Tani patrols coming here."

"Haku is crazy fast!" Naruto praises, "Even Sasuke-teme couldn't keep up with him."

"Good. Then perhaps I will teach you kenjutsu. And since you have Hyouton, you may be suited for learning water techniques. I could teach you a few. That should be enough, right? Wait. Why are you travelling with a brat from Konoha anyway? Is he your master now?" she grins, waggling her eyebrows, though neither boy sees it, "One of you the Uke?"

"It's not like that." Haku rubs his temples, "I would have gladly died alongside Zabuza-sama when Naruto-san killed him. But he asked me to live on, so I am. We're friends... and we share a common history."

"My team abandoned me." Naruto adds, "During the mission we fought Zabuza. So... we're friends yeah." He scratches his head, "Don't know what the hell an uke is though." He looks at Haku.

"Naruto, you really don't want to know. Just pretend she didn't say it."

"It's something perverted, isn't it?"

"Friends?" Ameyuri laughs weakly, "Well, I've heard odder stories. Whatever. Why do you want me to even train you? Did Zabuza not teach you enough?"

"No. Not really. I was useful against hunter-nin, but Zabuza was the one who casually dispensed with them. Without your training, I will eventually falter and be killed."

"Ah. So that makes you what, about a chuunin?"

He shrugs, "I suppose. But it's not about ranking."

"Of course not. But your combat skills... where are you weak?"

"Close combat."

"Good. Kenjutsu it is, then."

"What about Naruto-san?"

"I say you lose him."

"What?!"

"Just jokin' kid. But would you shut it? My ears are ringing from you already."

"Sorry."

"Well, what's he good at?"

"Taijutsu." Naruto says when Haku doesn't say anything, "That's about it, I guess. I do have lots of chakra though."

"So you're useless, huh? Interesting."

"Hey!"

"Well, how are you in the basics?"

"The basics?"

"Yeah, like bunshin, kawarimi, henge, that stuff."

"I'm fine with that crap."

Haku chuckles, "He spent many years in the Konoha academy, Ameyuri-san."

"Tch. Well, you can never skimp on the basics and it's not like Konoha produces great genin. But I suppose you're too much of a kid to take that advice seriously. Tell me, what's your greatest weakness?"

"Genjutsu. Kakashi-sensei said I'd probably never use one correctly in my life."

"Good. Then that's what we'll work on."

"What?!"

Ameyuri smiles in the shadows, "My sensei told me this when I was just a foolish lass: Do not rely on your team to compensate for your weaknesses in skill. There will be times they will not be there to help you when needed. My task before you is this - take your greatest weakness, devote effort to it,
strengthen it, and I will show you how it shall strengthen the whole."

"Your sensei was very wise, Ameyuri-sensei."

He laughed, "Yes, it did him little good too. Old fool was frail and he never took his own advice. But I wouldn't be here if I didn't strengthen my greatest weakness - stealth and silent killing. It's one of my greatest assets now."

"So you want me to get good at genjutsu?"

She laughs, "No. Just consider this a test. I know Haku is worth my time, because Zabuza saw him worthy. And that man was an asshole, not an idiot. Stumble around in the darkness for a while. I have some scrolls on a bookshelf in this room. One of them contains some D-rank genjutsu. Learn two of them. When you can desmonstrate them to me, I will train you. If you can't do that much, then you aren't worth my effort."

Naruto says nothing, though his feet move in resolve. He walks noisily toward the bookshelf, his fingers feeling at the old parchment, carefully walking over to the light-cracks in the ceiling to check them over.

The days crawl by. It's painful. Every morning, Ameyuri rises them from a shelter made from some fallen, rotten, bloated, bug-infested (unfortunately protein-rich) logs, sleeping bags, bamboo, and ice. Haku doesn't have the strength to maintain an igloo over night and maintaining even one ice mirror's worth of ice over night is exhausting, so they are kept like dogs; Naruto always filthy with dirt, mud, grime, and sweat and tired to the bone. The constant rains keep his face and hands clean, but Haku's old blue kimono is filthy and rapidly turning an ugly shade of brown in many places by the third day of training.

Haku seems to be a little better rested than him, adjusting to their harsh environment with a stoic expression. He doesn't confide much in Naruto. When Ameyuri gets them up early, he heads a hunt, teaching Naruto how to track wild animals and capture them. He spears them delicately with senbon, Naruto cleaving their heads off with shuriken. They prepare a large breakfast and dinner for Ameyuri each day, the middle hours spent in exhausting practice.

Ameyuri drills Haku in kenjutsu. He doesn't really know anything about it, so she gives him the basic forms and watches him strike the air over and over, correcting slight imperfections in his posture, balance, poise, and targeting.

It feels a lot like Kakashi again. She ignores Naruto completely, devoting all her focus on Haku. It pisses him off, but that only makes him work harder. He spends an hour each day refining his strength, striking tree trunks with his bare fists, pounding out his discontent into the innocent wood. The rest of his day is spent under an umbrella, his poor clone standing in the drizzle or downpour. Naruto spends hours reading and rereading the old smudged scroll. It takes him a day to memorize the handsigns for the first technique. The second day is spent performing it on the clone, who boredly copies everything
the real Naruto does. On the third day, the clone performs the genjutsu on him, causing a grin to emboss his whiskered cheeks.

The genjutsu is simple enough - it's called Bird Viewing Technique. It causes the target to hallucinate colorful or common birds. Naruto isn't skilled enough to manipulate its effects, but it does cause a phantom bird to fly in his field of vision. It doesn't interact convincingly in the environment and his poor chakra control causes the technique to end abruptly, but just seeing it work is enough to make him smile.

When Ameyuri hears of his minor success, she tells him to refine his chakra control before going further. She introduces him to the water-walking exercise in a blase manner, pointing him to a small freshwater pond and tells him to stand on it like he can trees and walls.

One week passes. Naruto begins work on the second technique. He continues to practice with his clone, his copy offering advice and suggestions as they work together. Distantly, he finds it odd, but pleasingly useful that shadow blones are smart enough to help him train. He ends up making a second one, telling it to try and think of ways to speed up the training, to some improvement.

The second technique is much harder than the first. It's called the Euphoria Technique. It's supposed to fill the target with calm relaxation, even in the heat of combat. It takes an entire week of constant practice for him to even feel a tingle in his belly, but on the last day, he makes some leaps with it, causing a gentle, soothing warmth to fill him.

Ameyuri approaches him close to dinner and tells him the deadline is up. There was never any agreed upon deadline, but he acquiesces with a glower, showing her the techniques one after the other.

Ameyuri watches as flocks of birds move through the trees above her. It's more subtle than she imagined he could pull off, the trees even sway with their burst of flight, though that might just be a trick of her own mind. As the technique continues, he actually applies a second layer of genjutsu, a light
tingle of happiness creeping in her chest. The two in tandem could be distracting enough to land a critical blow on a weaker opponent.

Her thin red lips curl into a smile, despite herself, "Well, you did learn the techniques, more or less. You didn't do em' great, but they're good enough for a genin. Alright, I concede. You've improved your greatest weakness. But you know what I'm going to say next, right?"

"Um, no?"

"Shinobi shouldn't have weaknesses." She says with a huff, "It's actually even more subtle than that - shinobi shouldn't have strengths either. A shinobi needs to be god-like. A good shinobi can do everything well. If you have something you suck at, you need to improve it. You can't expect to succeed, or even survive, without achieving harmony and balance."

Naruto nods, surprised by the woman's words, "That... makes a lot of sense. Why don't they teach us that at the academy?"

"Hell if I know. It went the same way for me. Be glad you didn't have to learn this shit the hard way."

She shakes his head, "I expect you to continue those techniques in your free time, all shinobi need to be good at a little genjutsu, but you worked hard, so I won't worry about a lack of diligence. You're not a bum like Zabuza. For that, I'll respect you enough to teach you."

"Yatta!" Naruto thrusts his fist into the air. Two lingering clones start dancing with themselves in the drizzly forest, twirling in circles together, their feet stomping all over old blackened twigs from the winter, "We did it! We did it!"

Ameyuri shakes her head, "I'm probably going to regret this. But whatever. Get yourself together. Bring those two idiots over here. If I'm going to teach you, we're going to need to have a real spar." Her razor-sharp teeth come into view, "I will fight you again like last time, using one of my blades. I will not hold back. Once you are struck three times, the spar is over. If you can hit me even once or survive five minutes without losing, I will teach you something new. If you can't, I will give you a drill to perform until you drop."

Naruto's clones come forward, cracking their knuckles.

"I'm also going to limit you to two clones, after I saw how many you made to spar with Haku yesterday. Really, I should have thought of that sooner. That kid's gotten good enough he needs a solid opponent." She shivers, "Didn't strike me you could do it so casually though. I don't know how the hell you have so much chakra for your age, any normal person would be dead after twenty of those things, hell, even twenty mizu bunshin would run me dry. But if you're ever going to get good, you'll have to stop relying on them to cover up your weaknesses. I want to see you at your worst, so I can figure out where you suck."

Naruto says nothing, his clones simply nodding. They spread out, drawing replicated kunai from their holsters. The real Naruto does the same.

"Begin!" she calls out, darting forward, bringing her blade out from its sheath. Naruto hastily blocks it with the middle of his kunai, which actually bends inward from the force of the blow - Ameyuri striking with her blade reversed, the unsharpened side of her blade. "Try not to get nicked by the fang at the top of Kiba, boy. It's sharp enough to puncture your flesh pretty bad. If you manage that, it's a wash for you today."

Naruto grits his teeth as his teacher's surprising strength pushes him back from the successful block.

He lets her force carry him backwards into a tree, flipping in the air to catch his feet on the trunk. He thrusts himself forward, replacing himself with a clone mid-air, the flat of Ameyuri's blade bludgeoning the clone's skull. Naruto instantly replaces it with a cross of his fingers.

He performs the euphoria technique on his opponent, his hands flying through eight seals perfectly, but she simply dispels it with a kai, smirking, "Not a bad plan to try and use that technique on every one of your opponents, but you'll need to be more subtle about it. Genjutsu are only useful when your opponent cannot recognize and cancel them."

The spar doesn't last long. Ameyuri is able to follow the real Naruto despite his ability to replace himself with his clones and his clever use of his surroundings. She taps him on the shoulder, shin, and face with her blade, ending the spar in under five minutes.

Naruto is winded, but not disappointed. His chest rises and falls in the dirty blue kimono, hands working thorugh his messy, sweaty, hair, knowing he'll have to rinse it thoroughly in the icy chill of the night. His teacher wears a playful smirk, though she seems a little disappointed by his performance, her voice dripping with disgust, "I don't know how you survived with Haku with those skills. But I guess you're fresh right?"

"Yeah." He says dejectedly.

"I guess that's excusable. If you were a mist shinobi, you would have never made it through the academy. But for a Konoha genin, you're probably not the worst. Maybe even pretty good! I think I can fix you, you're still young, though there isn't a whole lot of time."

"Time?"

She sighs, "It's nothing. Anyway. Today's drill will be new, so you technically will be learning something new, but I guess it can't be helped. Anyway, your greatest weakness is you suck at being quiet. I can hear every step you take, every breath you make. I can practically figure out the rhythm of your heart from where I'm standing. Your dril is this: you will fight your clones for the rest of the day. You and your clones are forbidden from making any noise. I don't care how slowly you fight at first, but I expect you to work up to an adequate pace. In one week, when I'm through with you, you'll be as quiet as you can be. Because, every time you make a noise, I will fucking shock you."

"Shock me? Wait, how-"

Her hands blaze, fingers blurring, "Kaminari no Jutsu!" he leaps into the air and clamps his hands over his mouth as his body convulses, an arc of lightning travelling through the air. Naruto collapses onto his knees, shaking all over, barely able to endure the attack.

"Look at me." She commands, the boy glazing over, her sudden bolt of lightning sending him into shock. She approaches him and shakes him with her un-gloved olive-skinned fingers, hand reaching up and ensnaring his chin, lifting his face to look her into her black eyes, her crimson bangs framing a pleased smirk, "Do I look wet to you?"

He shakes his head weakly in her grip.

"I'm a lighting user. All lightning users in Ame must perfect some control over water, so they can cause this cursed rain to bend away from our bodies. Because you're wet, your resistance to electricity is greatly weakened. Keep that in mind while you're here. I will not hesitate to remind you either, if I hear a peep from you, I will shock you again. And don't you dare pass out."

"I understand." He whispers, climbing to his feet, pulling his chin from her rough fingertips. He creates one clone.

"Good. If you survive today, I'll give you some tips on how to quit making noise. But for now, figure it out on your own." She cackles, walking over to watch Haku behind her cabin.

That night, Naruto is exhausted and smelling a little crispy. But not exhausted enough to stop himself from practicing that song Saiken taught him. Haku and Ameyuri drift to sleep to the soothing, simple, staccato melody of that odd flute, a cool breeze disturbing the rain.

Naruto and Haku don't say much to each other over the next few days. Training is harsh and saps their strength, leaving neither with much to do at night but collapse on their feet. Naruto feels horrible aches and pains in his body every morning, but to his surprise, he finds himself waking up each day...liking that feeling. The aching agony reminds him of his determination. There's pride in how much pain he finds himself in. Pride that he's endured this far. That he's already more powerful than any of those villagers ever dreamed of him being. That he's succeeding, earning slight smirks from his peculiar sensei, as she watches him in the distance. What? Did she think he couldn't see her. He had eyes all over the place!

With the basics of kenjutsu honed in Haku, Ameyuri teaches Haku two D-rank suiton techniques. Water bullet and water shield - although neither are probably going to be useful in combat compared to his hyouton, Haku practices the techniques anyway, pleased to finally be able to rest his weary arms from swinging around a slab of bamboo all day.

It's on their third week in Ameyuri's care, in the very early morning, that everything changes.

The woman gets up and rouses them very early, blood leaking from her lips. Naruto is shocked to see her gasping for breath in the steady rain, her beautiful red hair stuck to her face and neck. Her baggy clothes are already soaked, clamping to her skin, revealing her womanly features underneath, the bandages wrapped around her neck loose, revealing unblemished flesh underneath. She can barely stand. In-fact, she had crawled some of the way.

"I need to see my doctor." She whispers, "This wasn't supposed to happen yet. You'll have to carry me. I will give you directions."

Naruto and Haku chamber into gear, three clones becoming an improvised stretcher. Under the cover of the drenched shadows, they weave through the trees, coming upon a narrow road, shoots of bamboo growing like the protective walls of a fortress, enshrining the path.

"The town of Gama is up ahead." She whispers to Haku, her eyes staring blankly into the high canopy above, "You will follow this road, then head west when you reach the main street. There is an herbal medicine store. It's run by a woman named Hotaru. Bring me there quickly, she will know what to do."

She goes quiet after that, too weak to speak further, her breaths labored and erratic.

The gates of Gama are seemingly unguarded, thoguh a man dressed in brown robes, wearing a large straw hat, acknowledges their presence with a nod. He stands rigid like a pole, his eyes following as they hurriedly carry Ameyuri past.

The road beneath their feet is made of small grey stones, evenly-rounded by the flow of a river. They are loose and come free, brutally attacking Naruto's feet through his sandals as he walks. There isn't much left to them, the shoes worn through. Wincing as they walk, Naruto's clones keep Ameyuri hoisted carefully in their arms. Haku's eyes roam the streets, noting how all the civilians refuse to look their way. Many cover their faces when he gazes at them. Others bow their heads or tip their hats, hoods, or umbrellas.

The buildings are formed of brick and metal, scabs of shiny aluminmum and flaking iron mending the buildings like they're a patchwork quilt. The air is grimy and thick, Naruto unable to keep himself from coughing as he breathes it in. A horrible scent ignites his nostrils and makes his eyes water.

Haku identifies a small building with smoky windows, a sign that says "Traditional Herbal Medicine" barely legible in it. He motions for Naruto continue, his clones hurriedly ushering Ameyuri inside. An old woman with a face like a water-worn mountain, stands before a counter. Her eyes are small, her wrinkles deep, rings concentric about her eyes. Her cheeks sag, floating low on her face. Chapped pink lips quiver at the strange sight. Three blonds come before her and bring Ameyuri up to the counter.

Haku speaks, "Are you Hotaru? Ameyuri-san said for us to bring her to you."

"This is grave." She mutters, "I am she. I think." She manages a weak but playful grin, "Please boys, bring her into the back. I will do what I can."

The store is black like charcoal, sooty floors and dusty black shelves. She carries hundreds of glass bottles, some are filled with powders, others submerged leaves, others still grasses, weeds. One has a removed eyeball. Naruto keeps his eyes focused straight ahead of him after seeing that.

Haku covers his rear as Naruto follows the woman behind the black counter. There's a cot in the back, a bowl full of crystalline water upon a stool. Rows and rows of unbottled goods stacked on the high walls.

"Lay here there. Do either of you know anything about medicine?"

Haku steps forward, Naruto's clones dispelling to make room, the blond wearing a grimace as the other boy says, "I am trained, though I do not know if I can be of much help. I do not know her illness."

"That is not important right now. I will prepare a tonic for her, I need you to go into the shop and fetch me two ground chrysanthemum seeds, black monarch wings, a red ox tongue, and an aged yolk of macaw. Do it quickly!"

Haku nods with a furrow of his brows, the blond stepping out of the way, watching his teacher with his blue eyes. Her suffering makes his stomach clench. But he knows she doesn't want to hear him get upset.

Her eyes are half-open and he's not even sure if she's there, her gaze faraway, her brow shimmering with sweat, despite being bathed in icy rainwater.

When Haku gathers the ingredients, placing them on a desk against the wall. Hotaru begins to peel away at her clothes, until Haku places the last ingridient there. "Both of you, while I mix this," she turns toward the desk, "I need you to undress her. Take one of the towels off my shelf and wipe her down, then heat that bowl of water with the stove - it's upstairs in th kitchen. There are some towels by the bathroom, drench them in very hot water and hurry down with them!"

Naruto doesn't fuss, peeling away her sticky clothes, revealing her body. It's full of horrible, pink and brown scars and crooked jutting disfigurements. He helps Haku clean her flesh with a towel, one of his clothes appearing nearly on its own. It takes the water upstairs, Haku and himself following him out, the old woman working with a mortar and pestle.

The door closes with a creak. The two teens sit in old chairs against a wall. Naruto looks outside and watches the rain drizzle outside the foggy window.

"You may have saved her, thank you for bringing her to me." Hotaru says, her stout, bony body hidden by a ruby-red and gold kimono, her elbows tiredly digging into the dark counter, her old green pinholes lancing them.

"We would do no less for our teacher." Haku says calmly, matching the tiny woman's smile.

"Ah. I see. I suspected as much. She has aggravated her illness by exerting herself."

Naruto's face falls into his hands, "What? You mean we're the cause-"

"It is her choice, Naruto."

"Wait. What? You knew?"

"Of course I did. Zabuza spoke of her imminent death just months ago. She doesn't have the strength, but she is pushing herself. I knew this would eventually happen."

"And you still-"

"Naruto. I... I mean, I knew what I was asking. But she is the only one who could train us. And I assumed she would refuse. At best, I thought she might give us some material, I didn't expect her to train us a little more directly."

"Oh."

"And if she wants to teach us, why should we stop her? Her illness cannot be cured. She has no one to be there for her and if she is making us stronger, then we can afford to linger here and make sure she... passes honorably."

"It is fine." Hotaru speaks up, "My patient is a stubborn one. She responds poorly to all my treatments, but still continues to endure. What he says is correct, although she will never admit it, she would prefer to die being useful, than die alone in the shadows." She smiles, "Would either of you like something to eat? She will need to rest for a few hours before I can assess her condition."

Naruto shakes his head guiltily, "Ah, I don't even know how we're going to pay you back for helping Ameyuri-sensei." He almost manages a glare at Haku, but he can't, because he finds himself agreeing with his words. Ameyuri had taught him a lot and he wasn't sure where they could go if they didn't want to trouble her.

She smirks, "Oh, you would be surprised. There are many things in this town that I could use help with."

Haku nods in understanding, "Perhaps we should accept your offer for a meal then, and discuss what help you might need? I am a good herbalist - I can collect things for you if you need them."

The old woman puts a "CLOSED" sign on the front door of her shop, smiling gently, "Yes. I could use some help pulling weeds, I think."

The dining room above the shop is far too extravagant for the shape of the building below. The table is circular with a white draping. The room is extremely well polished, red wood glimmering in an electric light in the ceiling.

The woman sits regally at her table, a steaming plate of glazed curry in front of her. Haku eats a plate regally, slowly picking up pieces with his chopsticks, chewing each bite thoroughly, while Naruto inhales his food in about sixty seconds, the woman talking mostly with Haku for the first few minutes while Naruto's hands move like lightning.

"What I'd be asking you to do is a small favor, though it is a dangerous one. If Ameyuri-san has taken a liking to you, I suspect you will have the skills to accomplish it, however."

"I see. What is it you have in mind?"

"I desire...flowers. A kind which only grow here in Gama."

"What do they look like?"

"They're small. Very small. They're usually overlooked. That's why it's a small favor. But I'm...allergic. And I hate it when my eyes water." She giggles lightly, "They sometimes stand in groups of four, but the fourth one is usually bowing low with the wind. It's quite easy to identify the right three to pick, as a result. One is blue. One is green. One is brown. Blue smells sweet with blood. Green smells rancid with age. Brown has many thorns."

"Ah." Haku sips a small white ceramic bowl containing tea, his face furrowed in thought. Naruto chugs the steaming thing down, letting out a gasp of molten pain and bliss.

"Umm, Haku, what is this old lady talking about?" He asks, fanning his mouth.

"Old lady?" Hotaru chuckles, "Please, call me Hotaru, child."

Naruto puffs his cheeks at being called a child. He meets her gaze harshly, but blinks in surprise at her confident look. Despite looking old and frail, he's not so sure.

"Ah, right. Hotaru." He murmurs, scratching his whiskered cheek.

"I'll explain later Naruto. Just pay attention for now."

"Kay." He says tiredly, grabbing the white tea pot and pouring himself another cup of tea. His shoulders droop low. He'd never liked tea all that much growing up, but he was so famished it was the best thing he'd ever tasted. He was sick of drinking purified tablet water, or worse, unpurified runoff.

"Naruto is very charming." Hotaru says to Haku with a smirk.

"He's...different from what he seems."

"I can already tell." She nods, "Anyway, has Ringo-chan told you about the... well, what she is involved in."

Haku shakes his head, "I'm afraid I don't know what you're speaking of."

"I see. I wonder what that means." She shrugs, "No matter. It's better that you don't know just yet."

Haku nods, shifting his eyes to Naruto amd giving a wary raise of his thin brows.

"Can you pull them quietly? Without waking the forest?"

"Yes. I believe I can." Haku says.

"What about him?" she says to Naruto.

"As I said, he's not what he seems. I think we can do it. We do owe you."

"That you do. Good. The flowers bloom soon, close to this time. The best place to pick them would be by the industrial park just south of the northen gate."

Haku stands, his plate empty. He wipes his face with a napkin, gesturing for Naruto follow, "We'll be back in a few hours."

They lean against the building outside, Naruto and Haku having borrowed a more fitting umbrella from old Hotaru, they blend in much more naturally, passerby no longer glancing their way, though they are still dripping wet from the journey to town.

"So what was that about?" Naruto whispers quietly, "She wants us to pull some flowers up somewhere?"

"Remember what you said a while back? Underneath the underneath. Well, think about it. Was she talking about plants, or a particular genin team."

"H-huh? Oh. Ohh."

Haku nods, "This won't be quite as easy as I was making out to be. Do you think you're up to something like-"

"I'm not going to let you do it alone, remember what I promised? We owe Baa-san for helping Ameyuri-sensei. I will help you and we have no choice."

"I think she would understand if we refused her." But he is surprised by Naruto's confident smile.

"Have a little faith in me. I may be an idiot sometimes, but... I'm learning. And I want to be useful."

"Don't become a tool like me."

"Not like that. But yeah. I'll remember."

"Alright. Let's go. Act natural. Let's find these flowers and see if we can even do what she wants."

They make their way through the beating rain and itchy fumes. Naruto, for the sake of being stealthy, does his very best to stay calm and keep himself from hacking and wheezing, his fingers constantly wiping his eyes, breath leaving in and out through his parted lips.

They find a group of head-band wearing teens congregated near the entrance to a bar. They're from hidden rain, except, they wear emblematic white bands on their arms - a small black salamander planted in the center.

"You think those are them?" Naruto murmurs to Haku, the two sharing a glance far down the street away from them. They maneuver behind one of the buildings to talk more freely.

"One has blue skin, another has very wild green hair, the last is dressed in brown. I can't even see his face, he's wearing a big straw hat too, like that guy at the gate."

Haku nods, "The blue skin might indicate a bloodline or special ability. He could even be a former missing-nin from Kiri."

"You think he could recognize you?"

"He looks to be thirteen. I honestly doubt it. But it could be possible."

"So, I should approach them then and get a goof whiff then? She said the green guy should smell nasty."

Haku shakes his head, "I don't think she literally meant that. She probably meant he's got a nasty attitude or a skill we should be wary of."

"Do you think it's them, then? I mean, how can we make sure?"

"We can't. This could be apart of some test."

"Test?"

"Just a suspicion of mine."

"Why would she test us though?"

"Don't worry about it for now, Naruto-san."

Naruto sighs, "I can handle it you know. You don't need to keep it from me. I won't do something stupid."

"It's not that. I do trust you. It's just a hunch of mine. I don't want to tell you useless information that might cause us to make a mistake. We don't know enough about this Hotaru - I should have asked Ameyuri-sensei about her before we left."

"If you insist." Naruto nods, "So are we supposed to kill them?"

"I'm pretty sure that's the request. It would be really, really bad if she intended something else. But she can't expect us to read very deeply into the request. She wants them dead, her expression is one I'm familiar with. She is not the old medicine-woman she presents herself as."

"Do you think this could be a trap?"

"Maybe. But then why would Ameyuri-san tell us to see her? She must trust her."

"I don't want to bail on Ameyuri-sensei." Naruto sighs, "So I say we go through with this. Let's...kill them."

Haku nods, taking a deep breath, "The best way to do it is to lure them somewhere and make it look like a training accident, or something."

"That sounds impossible." Naruto mumbles, "We don't know anything about them. Did she expect us to just run up and kill them? I mean, she didn't give us a time limit right?"

"I don't think there's a time limit, but she probably expects us back soon enough to take Ameyuri-sensei home. This isn't supposed to be a week-long assignment." Haku grits his teeth, "If we can't make it look like an accident, we could blame it on another person. We do have pretty distinctive abilities. The first thing they might suspect is a Konoha or Kiri shinobi being tasked to assassinate them, especially if I turned their bodies to ice."

"I guess. How about I just make a couple kage bunshin and henge them into... hey. Why not Zabuza and the demon brothers? I remember what they look like. And if they get blamed for it, they're already dead. Nobody knows that just yet."

Haku brightens, "That's actually a good plan. But do you think you could pull it off? I mean, you need to kill them quickly. And we don't have Zabuza's sword-"

"That's easy! Watch."

Naruto creates three clones. They all close their eyes and say, "Henge."

Water pours onto the clones, soaking them completely to the bone in about thirty seconds. The drizzling rain has picked up into a full downpour, a common occurence. The rain in Ame is like the tides in Wave.

Haku's eyes are very, very wide, "Naruto... how the hell... your clones they're- they're soaking wet."

"Yeah. Of course. That's how henge works."

"No, no it's not how it works Naruto."

"Sure it is!"

"Naruto, show me the hand signs you did just there."

He shows them again, without finishing the technique.

"Naruto, those aren't the hand signs for the henge. You have half of them inverted, and the other half are... hell, they have nothing to do with it. An inverted-rooster is something I'd only use for hyouton techniques."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying you've got a pretty crazy henge there. I've never even heard of what you just did. Is that how all Konoha shinobi perform it?"

"Umm, I guess so? Iruka-sensei always said my transformations were life-like, even if it took me years to finally get the technique right."

Haku hums in thought, staring down the towering visage of his former master with a bit of awe. He reaches out and touches his scaly skin, fingers then running along the sharp edge of the blade, drawing a little bit of blood at the tip.

"That's pretty incredible Naruto. It's even sharp."

"Thanks." He beams.

"I... I'm at a loss for words. We'll have to have Ameyuri-sensei figure this out. How long can you hold the henge?"

"Um. I don't know. Like, a while? I've never held one on a kage bunshin for very long. On my own, most I held a henge for was a two hours - it was an exercise in the academy. Actually, I think I was one of only three people who managed it back then."

Naruto and his companion leave the side of the building, watching briefly as the three Ame genin continue to talk among themselves in the torrential rain. Pellets of water smack the ground hard, a sudden gust of wind drenching them, "Why are they staying out in this horrible weather? Do you think they're just used to it?" Naruto squints, water still managing to peck him in the eye.

"I don't know. Maybe they're guarding something."

"Should I signal the clones to get on with it?"

Haku shakes his head as they walk across the street, hiding behind another building, "We'll look suspicious if we linger here much longer, but we need a back-up plan. If your clones cannot kill those three in the surprise attack, what are we going to do?"

"Well, we can't go after them, right? She said something about not waking the forest..." Naruto grumbles.

Haku smiles, "Correct. And from our vantage point, if you fail, they'll be on guard. We can't afford to fight them in the open. So if we can't kill them. We'll just have to return and report a mission failure."

Naruto nods, "I understand. So this is all riding on me."

"Yeah. Actually." He hums, "Maybe we should wait. There could be a better-"

"No, it's like you said Haku. We don't have time to waste." He looks out at the street, "The weather's pretty bad right now, so no one but those guys are outside, but if things clear up soon, people will notice us. I mean look at us, we're soaked."

Haku nods, "If anyone sees us they'll wonder what we're doing. We aren't dressed like most of the people here anyway. You're a mess. And I am too." He points to the mud and dirt all over their clothes and sandals, "This is a gamble, so let's just go with it."

"Yeah, and those guys don't necessarily need to be on guard." He grins, peeking out from behind the building, he takes a deep breath, Haku's hand on his shoulder pulling on him.

"Naruto-" he hisses, "What are you-"

The blond runs through eight hand seals perfectly, and really focuses his chakra, throwing a long-range euphoria technique on the green-haired genin. He doesn't react visibly to it at all.

Naruto leans back and smiles at Haku, "Calm down. I was just using a genjutsu Ameyuri-snesei made me learn. If it worked, he'll be less alert."

"I hope you didn't just blow it." Haku just shakes his head.

Naruto nods, "Just trust me. Okay, I'll signal them in three...two...one...now."

He gives a thumbs up, Zabuza and the demon brothers emerging from across the street. Water drips from their bodies, Zabuza's hulking sword on his back. The demon brothers each have kunai drawn, but concealed in a reverse grip, the blade flat against the undersides of their slack arms; flails secured on their hips.

They walk up the street like they own the place, approaching the three genin. Each of them come to notice them in their own way. The one in brown, dressed head-to-toe in leather or straw, lifts his hat, turning to face them. The one with ugly green hair spits on the ground and turns around, his hands in his pockets. He's wearing a grass-colored tunic and wind pants, water dripping from his body. The last one, who was absorbed into a conversation with the green-haired one, is the last to be alerted. He's wearing a black hoodie above loose gray water-resistant pants, blue hair plastered to his pale blue face. He turns completely white at the three men standing before them.

"Hey." Zabuza says gruffly.

The blue guy starts shaking in total disbelief, "Z-Za-Za-Za-bu-Zabu-Za-"

The one with green hair looks up and down the imposing man with a cocky grin, smiling lazily, his voice almost teasing, "Hey. What the fuck do you guys want? Can't you see we're trying to-"

The fake Zabuza is slower than the real one, so the genin is able to react just in time as the man reaches up behind him with one of his beefy arms, hurling the razor edge of his blade down with one hand from the strap around his back. The genin's kunai makes a horrible screeching sound as the blade slides against it. He screams out in pain as his wrist breaks under the brunt of the weight. In that same instant, the demon brothers move forward with surprising speed, brandishing their hidden blades.

The other two aren't any sharper. The blue-skinned Ame nin has his throat impaled, the kunai actually pinning him to the building behind. He starts to gurgle and choke. The one with the straw hat deflects the attack, but isn't prepared at all when Zabzua lifts up his blade and makes a second strike in his

direction. Back against the wall of the building, there's no place to move, the blade cleaves shallowly into the genin's neck, his body going into shock as it's pulled out. He slumps, blood mixing with the rain.

The green-haired genin is completely slack-jawed in awe, his dented kunai barely deflecting a third strike, coming from one of the demon brothers. The other one moves through several handsigns and whispers something. He feels strangely calm as he stares Zabuza Momoichi in the eyes. He looks past his body and smiles tenderly, awed by the beautiful sight of a golden bird flying overhead. His gaze lifts up with a smile, watching it flutter past. Just as it leaves his cone of vision, everything goes black, his head tumbling onto the street below.

Blood pours like rain and mixes into the streams gushing from the gutters of the buildings, collecting into a nearby sewer vent.

For a moment, the three shadow clones are completely floored with their total victory. They blink a few times, before sharing a glance, and high tailing it out of the street. They run behind a building and vanish into thin air.

As the third genin's head tumbles off, Haku and Naruto briskly walk away from the scene, Naruto glowing with pride, until the memories of his clones reach him, then his mood sours with the sights of such brutal, coldblooded murder.

Those barely-ninjas hadn't stood a chance. They were almost completely defenseless. And he killed them all without hesitation. None of them saw it coming. They were either really green, or just really bad. Probably both. But that still didn't stave the feelings in his heart. He regretted killing those three, what if they could have been friends?

His heart hardens and he pushes those thoughts away.

Haku puts a hand on Naruto's shoulder, "Thank you Naruto."

The blond looks over at his friend and offers a weak smile, "Anytime."

"You did well."

They freeze and turn, surprised to see Hotaru standing in the rain, a golden bamboo umbrella in her hand,

"Come, let's walk back to the shop. I'm sure your teacher will be happy to hear of your success."

"Oh, um. Sure!" Naruto laughs nervously.

Haku says calmly, "So it was a test."

"Of course." She walks along side them, leading the way, "And you passed flawlessly. Actually, I expected you to fail."

"Did you watch us the whole time? I didn't sense you." Naruto whispers in awe.

"I saw most of what you did, yes. It was very competent. And very intriguing. Your sensei certainly has a knack for talent."

"Thanks!"

Haku frowns in suspicion, "What would you have done if we had failed?"

"That depends upon how badly you would have failed. Had one of them lived, I would have cleaned it up for you. Had you failed to kill all three, I might have created a distraction for you. Had you done even worse than that, I might have let the authorities find you." She laughs playfully.

"Then it's good we succeeded." Haku murmurs, Naruto's prideful smile drooping once more.

When they return to the shop, Ameyuri is still resting, but she's lucid enough to speak. They congregate in the back room, the stripped woman breathing slow, her red hair plastered to the pillow against her.

"You two did good."

"Ameyuri-sensei." Naruto smiles bright, "You're okay!"

"Of course, brat. I'm not dead yet."

"Perhaps you should explain the nature of your illness for the benefit of Naruto-san. He will worry needlessly over it." Haku says calmly.

"Perhaps I should stick a senbon upon your ass?"

Haku chuckles nervously, "Nervermind."

Hotaru laughs, "There there, all Naruto needs to know is that Ringo-chan still has a good prognosis. If you can keep these two little squirts around, you might even live to see Hanzou fall..." she smiles knowingly.

"Tch. I figured you'd get them involved."

Naruto almost blinks at the sound of Ameyuri being called "Ringo-chan" but the mention of Hanzou stops him cold.

"Hanzou. Isn't he like, the Amekage?"

Hotaru looks at the blond dryly, "Yes. He is Amegakure's tyrannical leader. He's also essentially this country's daimyo, with puppet governments installed in all of its territory."

"Oh."

Ameyuri sighs, "I do a few favors for Hotaru-san here, in exchange for her medical expertise, and helping to keep my presence here a secret."

"So Hotaru-san is very powerful here in Gama, I assume?" Haku says calmly.

"She is hidden in plain sight." The redhead grumbles, sitting up with a soft moan, "And she has lived long enough to know everyone and everything here in this town."

Hotaru blushes, "Oh please, you praise me too highly."

Ringo spits onto the floor, making the old woman grimace, her saliva crimson with blood, "Drop the granny act. You've already involved my kids in this. They deserve to know what you're pulling them into."

Naruto smirks at the 'my kids' line, watching Haku's soft face with pride.

"Ara ara," Hotaru croaks, turning to face the teens, "I apologize for manipulating you. I did test you just now, because I was curious. I am always looking for more...willing agents."

"Wait. I'm still confused." Naruto mumbles, "Are you saying you're like, working against Hanzou? Isn't that crazy?"

"Must I spell it out so plainly?" she sighs.

"I will explain." Haku looks at Naruto pointedly, "It seems Ameyuri-sensei is involved in the resistance here. Hanzou has ruled Amegakure poorly for many, many years. Naturally, there are people who would like to see him pass on, and he has grown old. And since Ameyuri's parents hail from-"

"Oi, I don't care about those wraiths." Ringo interjects, tiredly swinging her feet off the bed, "I don't care about this country. It's just, sometimes this old lady has a job that's too good to refuse."

She shares a smile with Hotaru, "Plus, she's one nasty bitch. I'd hate to be on her bad side."

"Again, so much praise. It's like I'm floating on cloud nine. You are making me blush like a schoolgirl."

Ameyuri displays her pearly daggers, "Yeah yeah."

"So what? You want us to help you?"

Hotaru nods, "Well, if you are willing. You aren't native, so your uses aren't that high, but you are both competent. That test just demonstrated that you both work well together. Akatsuki is always looking for potential supports, no matter who they might be."

"Aka-tsuki?"

"Yes. That is the name of our organization. It is the dawn that will approach, when we finally free ourselves from Hanzou's reign of cruelty."

Naruto looks at Haku, "Well, that sounds like a good thing, right?"

"Rebellions are never good things, Naruto-kun." Haku sighs.

"I guess you're right." Naruto sighs, "It's not like we can fight a Kage yet either-"

Hotaru laughs, "Please, I would not send you against the man himself. He is far too paranoid for a direct assault like that, anyway. No, I would send you on assignments similar to that test just now. Gather information. Spy on certain people. Infiltrate Amegakure's ranks, perhaps. There are many uses for you, you are both young, and neither of you are listed in my bingo book."

Naruto shares a look with Haku, "That could definitely change..."

"I suppose. But as Haku-chan pointed out, your henge is quite special, Naruto-kun..." Hotaru chuckles.

"Huh? What's she's talking about?" Ameyuri Ringo says in a daze, peeling the towels off her body, collecting her clothes boldly from the room. Naruto averts his gaze, face turning red at the nude backside of his curvy teacher. In-spite of her hideous blemishes all across her body, she's very distracting while she dresses.

Haku says clinically, "Something we can discuss later, Ameyuri-sensei."

Naruto nods, "So you're saying we shouldn't help them?"

"I didn't say that." Haku sighs, "I know what it's like to live under the reign of injustice. And I'm sure you know, Naruto, what it's like to suffer at the hands of wrathful and narrow-minded people with more power than you."

Naruto nods with a clench of his fists.

Hotaru says dryly, "What if I promise you boys something in return for joining up? It's not as though you would be working for free. However, Akatsuki is not vast in its riches, we do provide personalized incentives."

"What about a really cool jutsu?" Naruto asks with a big grin. Haku laughs.

"That could be arranged." Hotaru chuckles, studying Naruto carefully, "How about you, Haku-chan? What do you desire? Money? Status? Fame?"

"Even if Akatsuki can promise such things, I do not want them." Haku says quietly, "I do wish to be stronger, but true strength does not come from powerful, flashy jutsu." Naruto sighs at Haku's hard look, nodding in agreement, he whispers "Right."

Haku grins, "Joining Akatsuki does not necessarily agree with me. But we do need supplies, so I would agree to assist at first, until we have enough money to operate on our own."

"That is possible. Many of our agents are simple mercenaries. Though the assignments they get are usually very minor. We cannot afford to involve them in much, because of the threat of Amegakure buying their allegiance."

"Perhaps love?" Ringo says after dressing, "We do have many connections with courtesans who get so lonely. Would some beautiful ladies tempt you boys?" She grins viciously.

Naruto shakes his head, blushing, Haku's face is also quite red, "Ah, no thanks."

Ringo just grins wider, "How cute. But I like that answer."

"Love, money, power. There isn't much that Akatsuki can offer, especially if you do not desire those things. But how about ideals?" Hotaru asks calmly, "I think you will have an answer by tomorrow, if I let you go today. If I ask you to stay a night in this town. And learn the way the water drips down its annals, showing you the lowest valleys in this frightful place. The people who starve in the leaking bowels at night. The farmers who tend to our fields every
morning, who slash and burn away at the impossibly thick trees that reach high above our tallest buildings, just to clear enough land to make one handful of maize. To have most of it taken away by the very men that hound their daughters in the evenings..."

Haku smiles at that, "Such ideals are pretty, Hotaru-san."

"Indeed."

"Very well, then. I do not need to be convinced. I think I know what Naruto-san and I need most of. It's experience. Isn't that right, Ameyuri-sensei?"

She smirks, "You're a sharp brat. Yeah. That's exactly what both of you need."

"Then I will accept." Haku says.

Naruto nods with him, "I'm not gonna part with Haku, so if he does, so do I."

Hotaru shakes her head, "You must decide for your own reasons. This is more than working for some hidden village, I caution against-"

"It's fine." Haku interrupts, "Naruto-san isn't the kind of person to need a reason like what you're suggesting. He'll help me just because."

The blond beams, "Yep. I never go back on my word either." Well, that isn't exactly true, but...

"Ah, youth." Hotaru shrugs, "Well, Ameyuri-san, you're free to go. Your boys have done you a favor by paying for your care, so I have no mission for you. If they are convinced to help Akatsuki, then I will send one of our messengers tomorrow with a task for them. Please, train them well. I will consider that to be adequate service to our cause and will send you some free supplies your way in recompense."

"Heh, thanks." Ringo says with a confident swagger, hiding the weakness in her body, a slight wince working its way through her spine as she walks, "Send me some clothes for the brats then. They're kind of filthy looking. Like drowned rats."

Haku and Naruto share a sigh.

"Yes, I was thinking the same thing. Very well. I don't hope to see you too soon, Ringo-chan."

"Same here." She waves, the trio walking out.

"What should I write, Tenzou-senpai?"

"That I've recovered sufficient evidence now to justify breaching into Ame's territory. Just in-case we encounter resistance from Amegakure, I'd like some back-up ready and a good, official reason for invading their lands."

She's quiet when they come back. Doens't say a word. Doesn't even ask about the brief mission. Naruto just watches her move stiffly down the road until they stop and step into the trees, taking a familiar path through them, rain softly patting against the forest floor. He offers his teacher his umbrella, holding it over her. She doesn't comment on that either, nor the fact Naruto is dripping as they travel, soaked now to the bone.

"The soils here are very acidic." Ameyuri comments as they walk, "If you ever need to dump a body, cover it up well. It will get dissolved by the earth very quickly."

"Ah right." Naruto says wearily, Haku nodding at his sensei's left side.

"It's how they make them disappear." She explains, "The police, I mean. You can identify them by the white bands on their arms, the mark of the salamander. When a dissenting voice is found, they usually wind up out here somewhere. Don't be surprised if you trip on such a corpse."

Naruto swallows and nods.

"Tomorrow I will step up your training, Naruto." She huffs, stomping the soil to keep her footing, "You are treading quieter right now, so you're probably ready."

"Oh, really?" Naruto forces a smile, laughing exuberantly.

"Yeah."

"You don't have to. I mean, you're sick."

Her dark eyes shift, her neck muscles tensing, "You're thirteen years too young to fuckin' take pity on me, brat. We're going to make you work hard; that's that."

"It's for the best, Naruto." Haku interjects, "Ameyuri-sensei is kind enough to teach us. Let us respect her wishes. She is just like Zabuza-sama in that she-"

She shoves an elbow into Haku's side, causing him to stumble.

"I'm nothing like that asshole." She moves faster, walking past them. Water strikes her, sliding down her body, droplets forming at the hem of her long pinstriped shirt.

Naruto catches up and holds an umbrella above her, Haku wisely says nothing more, though Naruto doesn't have even a tenth of his dscipline, "Well, you do have that bandage wrapped around your neck. And you also are one of the seven swordsmen. Oh, and your teeth are sharp like shark. Do all the swordsmen do that?"

Ameyuri growls in annoynace, but she calms, too tired to argue with the stupid brat, "It's tradition, yeah. We hide our necks or our faces with bandages - it's a reference to the days when the daimyo of Water Country would use the guillotine on dissident samurai and rounin. As for the teeth, well, I'm not sure. But it's a pretty painful ritual."

"Wait, you mean they... sharpen them?"

"They grind em' down, yeah. I lost two teeth as a result. Got cut right down to the bone."

Naruto shivers, "That's..."

"I didn't scream neither." She adds proudly, "Only 'cause of that the others even took me seriously."

"Huh. W-Why?" He shakes his head, pushing the ugly tickling sensations out of his body, his gums tingling.

"I'm a girl, dumbass."

"A woman, to be more precise." Haku chimes calmly.

"Yeah. Hardly much of a lady though." She laughs.

"That's stupid." Naruto mumbles, "So what if you're a girl? You're already a better sensei than Kakashi was."

Ameyuri just grunts, "Kunoichi are respected from where you come from, kid. But 'round the rest of the world, they're just strong breeding stock. At best, armed courtesans. If Haku were a girl and still in Mist, he'd have his first "kunoichi assignment" within six months of becoming genin. Actually, being a male, he still might have gotten some, considering how much of a girl he is."

"Wow."

Haku glares at his teacher, but holds back comments about his gender, "Do you even know what comprises such a mission, Naruto?"

"Um, I think I have an idea."

Ameyuri stumbles, but moves ahead when Naruto reaches out to hold her hand. The blond grits his teeth - they're almost breaking out into a run now, at their current pace. The forest blurs by, their bodies sliding and swerving between the trees, climbing up steep slippery hills; momentum carrying them across sink holes and ditches. Water continues to stream down the trees, a soft wind whipping it underneath their umbrellas; sprinkling their faces.

"Does that mean... you had to do such missions, Ameyuri-sensei?" Naruto asks.

"Pff, of course. Why do you think I was glad to leave that shitty place? Well, not that I'd done any such missions after I joined the swordsmen of the mist; who wants to kiss a mouth like mine?" she laughs.

"Why, or how did you end up escaping from Kirigakure, Ameyuri-sensei?" Haku asks.

"Maybe some other time, but I left the same time Zabuza did. When he attacked Yagura, the village went into full panic. He'd asked me to help him take the asshole down, but I knew it was suicide. Hoshigaki was still loyal and with Samehada and... everything else, there was no way we stood a chance. I told him to drop the dumb idea. But since he attacked, I left in the chaos. Not like Yagura would have kept us around after that stunt anyway, he was crazy paranoid."

"So you had no choice."

"In a way. But I was happy to leave. Having a good excuse made it better."

Naruto nods, thinking about whether he's happy. Happy to 'escape' Konoha.

"Naruto asked me an interesting question before we joined you, sensei. I'm too young to recall. Can you tell us about the good side of Kirigakure? Or maybe just... Mizu."

They reach their destination in silence. Ameyuri takes a while to think. They stop and rest before her cabin, the redhead slamming her body backwards into the front of her home, head reaching up, looking at the water sliding off the roof.

"Well, for one, Mizu doesn't have even half as much rain as this fuckin' place."

Haku and Naruto share a bemused laugh under the darkening sky, their chins dripping wet. Because of the dense canopy, the forest surrounding them goes completely dark. There's only a patch of cleared ground around Ameyuri's cabin. And Naruto realizes that her choice of residence gives them a stellar view of the full, glowing moon. He sits up against her house, staring at it, not minding the water that drips onto his body from the roof. He's already used to being wet and cold all the time, so it's easier to drown out the numbing sensation.

"Kirigakure... before Yagura." She murmurs, "That place wasn't so bad, I guess. Sure, it was full of assholes. But I made a few friends growing up. It was fun, if fleeting. I wasn't really committed to becoming a shinobi as a kid, since I hated my mother - the one who enrolled me in the first place. But... I guess it was Zabuza, or maybe one of the other assholes, Kiri still had plenty of those back then. They just ticked me off. I remember one time, Zabuza yelled at me. Told me to sit down in my proper place in the back of the classroom. I remember hating him so much... I wanted to tear his throat open. But really, I'm just lucky I ended up being held back a year." She chuckles, "He killed his whole graduating class, you know. I wouldn't have stood a chance."

Naruto's eyes leave the pale beauty in the sky, finding a little of it in Ameyuri's pinhole eyes. Water streams down her face, moving around the divets of her eyes. She looks utterly exhausted.

Naruto shares a lingering look with Haku. It's hard to read his friend's expression in the dark, but his skin illuminates his eyes, making them stand out. He mouths to the teen, unsure if he can read his silent lips, "Thanks for today." When his eyes return to his redheaded teacher, he shakes his head.

They're shut. Her eyes, that is. Her breathing is slow. After a minute, she slumps onto her side, hair a messy tail in the back.

They carry her into the house after cleaning off all the mud, stripping off her shoes. They can't see anything at all, but they've already memorized the layout of the tiny living space. They almost leave her alone in there, but Naruto whispers into Haku's ear, "If she has another attack again...she could be too weak to get up. Let's just sleep in here tonight. If she gets mad at us, so what?"

So they do.

The air isn't much warmer. The floor isn't much more comfortable. But it's better than being outside. Naruto sits with his back to the south wall, Haku to the west wall, opposite their teacher. Haku falls asleep after a few minutes, but Ameyuri's words keep Naruto awake for an hour. He ends up walking outside to play his flute, falling asleep on the roof of the cabin, not seeming to mind the constant shower of rain against his body.

For once, it feels like the world is on his side. Despite what Ameyuri wants, he pities her. Until his thoughts fade to black, she's all he thinks about.

The early morning is hectic because of Naruto.

He always has one clone, day or night, rain or...shining rain, patrolling the forest around the cabin. Back and forth, back and forth. It's monotonous and the eventual memories that return make him sleepy. It's cruel. He pities that poor clone. But anyway, the clone spots a stranger heading straight for them, so he dispels. Naruto goes all out, creating a dozen kage bunshin. They fly up the sides of the trees, taking to branches and drawing their copied weapons. All without a sound. The original hides on the roof of the house. He's already roused Haku and Ameyuri in the form of a clone, though they're staying inside.

But Naruto's altertness and panic is all for naught. The stranger is a boy no older than ten. He carries an overloaded wooden crate, barely. He's dehydrated and exhausted, plopping it down on the ground. One of his clones interrogates him, the others lying in wait. But inside the crate is all the supplies Hotaru promised the evening before. Clothes, shoes, weapons, condensed food, preserving salts, survival equipment, the works.

They treat the kid to a small breakfast courtesy of Naruto's clones - scrambled wild macaw eggs and skewered lemur and rain water. Ameyuri is grumpy for having been woken up before dawn, still clearly tired. Haku isn't in a better state. But neither voice too much complaint. It is wise what Naruto did, even if it proved unnecessary. The kid leaves a message before vanishing - that a letter would arrive by evening with details on their first formal mission, working for Akatsuki. Naruto smiles excitedly at that, his imagination cooking up various ideas. Perhaps they'll rob a caravan and give the supplies to the poor? Or maybe go kill more of Hanzou's genin squads that bully the villagers? Perhaps they'll get some intelligence on Hanzou's movements, stalking them in the shadows.

Naruto happily pitches his old sandals for full shoes. His feet have been stinking for weeks, hiding the horrible scent in some good ankle-high boots, the toes reinforced with a metal plate. It's a much appreciated change for everyone. Haku does the same, swapping out his sandals. They're made of brown leather, cured to be water-resistant. They fit snugly, leaving a little room to grow. Next, the two teens find two two-piece fishnet suits and two high-collared black and gray coats.

"It was a common form of shinobi dress, during the Shodai Amekage. Fishnet underlying one's clothes offers little protection or comfort, but is useful in surviving in the humid forests. Sweat build up should be minimal, to prevent fungal infection. Fishnet tears easily and can be used to create traps, as well." Ameyuri explains sterilely, "The coat offers camouflage at night, particularly in the darkness provided by the jungle. Both are very light-weight and should not hinder you in combat."

Naruto doesn't even hesitate to replace the blue kimono with a brown one found inside the crate. He wears the fishnet underneath, the black weave emerging out of the open chest of his new brown garment, as well as peaking out of the cuffs of the long sleeves. He also dons the coat. It's a little too large for his frame, the high collar making him look a little like his old acquaintance from the academy, Shino.

"It's not orange." Naruto sighs, "But it'll do for now." He smiles sheepishly at Haku, "Thanks for letting me ah, borrow your clothes, Haku." Haku's "borrowed" kimono is pretty much useless now. But the thrifty teen considers cutting out bits of its useable cloth for emergency bandages.

Haku does not swap out of his clothes. Although they are relatively dirty, mud and dirt marring the dull pinstripe top, they are not nearly as bad as Naruto's blue rags. He dons the high-collared cloak, the collar hiding his neck and the very bottom of his pallid chin.

"Hotaru is obviously trying very hard to recruit you two." Ameyuri murmurs, not caring as the two dress in front of her, "That party favor is worth a lot more than that little mission you did for her."

"That much is obvious." HAku murmurs, "But I already suggested that I would be willing to join. So it is not much of a gamble on her part."

"Yeah, I have no idea why you said yes. You're dumb. There's a reason why I won't officially join Akatsuki." She scoffs, "You do realize the rebellion has been going on, well, on and off, for at least twenty years now?"

"Wow, really?" Naruto turns in awe, patting his new, pressed cloak with a grin.

"Naruto, that's nothing to be happy or prideful about." Haku shakes his head, "Civil war shouldn't become a tradition, yet entire generations now have grown up under the banner of rebellion. What she means is, that they're unsuccessful and probably burnt out. People are tired of constant conflict, no doubt."

"Just about. Hanzou is pretty good, even being as old as he is. He reguarly kills members of Akatsuki by the dozen. He's turned most of the sympathetic population against them through terror. And he's also disarmed the country, so it's very hard to get supplies. What you're wearing right now is probably "found" on the bodies from slain Ame genin and chuunin."

Naruto grimaces shivering, but he's not disgusted enough not remove his clothes. His jovial expression just dies, "So you're saying it's pointless to fight Hanzou. That we should just give up. Because everyone else has, too."

"Yes. Exactly. Yes! You two are missing-nin, not revolutionaries." She laughs, "There's no reason to involve yourselves. You owe this country nothing. You just owe it to yourselves to survive. That's what I'm doing."

"Then why don't you help Hanzou? He must pay missing-nin like you too, Ameyuri-sensei." Haku asks calmly.

"Who says I haven't? Why, I could be a double-agent, spying on Akatsuki, doing odd jobs for them to get closer."

Naruto's jaw drops, "What?!"

A thin streak of lightning arcs through the air, zapping Naruto. The blond cries out and convulses, barely standing when it ceases. When Naruto recovers, he finally notices his sensei is back to herself, water flowing around her instead of drenching her skin, a healthy pink tinge to her cheeks.

"What did I tell you about being loud?"

"Not to be?" Naruto says weakly, his body shaking as it works out a final muscle twitch.

Haku interrupts, "I don't believe you're a double agent."

"Oh? And how could you come to such a conclusion? You know nothing."

"For one, you lived in Kirigakure. There's no way you would support someone like Yagura."

"Tch, you don't know any such thing. I'm a shinobi. Besides, Yagura and Hanzou may seem similar, but one is a crazy madman, the other is just a power-hungry bitch."

"I don't see a difference." Naruto grumbles.

"Secondly," Haku speaks over Naruto, "You put your life in our hands yesterday to deliver you to Hotaru-san. That is a lot of trust. Why not tell us to bring you to Hanzou's men?"

Ameyuri says nothing as she gazes coldly at the hyouton-user.

"Well, that could just be a trick, right? Make them think she trusts them." Naruto supposes.

"No, I don't believe so. Hanzou has a strong presence in Gama, you saw how quiet it was on the streets, even if we didn't see too many of those police. He must have people there who could help Ameyuri-sensei. But if she were to go to them, if she even knows where they stay, she would be killed."

"I can see why Zabuza picked you up, brat." Ameyuri praises, "Of course, that's not a fool-proof argument, Naruto does have a small point. I could just be desperate enough to gamble on them. They would definitely hear about me seeing Hanzou for medical treatment. But you're right in that I'm not working for both sides." She shakes her head, "I've never been good at games like that. And I know trying to play one like that would only get me killed. I'm in no condition to work for just anybody."

They pick the crate clean, peeling apart the wooden planks as they finish storing the food in the cabin. The wood and nails are used by Naruto to patch up Ameyuri-sensei's leaky roof. The sun is in the sky once more, light scattering through the trees onto the sludgy mottled dirt, when Ameyuri assembles her two students at the front of the house.

"Haku," she addresses him, "You've come far in the basics to kenjutsu. You wield one blade fairly well. If I were to purchase you a katana or a nodachi, it would serve you well. Why do you think that? Why do you think I've been teaching you kenjutsu?"

Haku concentrates a moment before responding, "As you said before, my greatest weakness was close-ranged combat."

"What is your strength?" she presses.

"Hyouton ninjutsu."

"Hyouton is an interesting capability, especially considering how rare such an ability it is now, but from what you've described to me, you are hardly a master yet. It is not your strength, merely a unique tool. Your strengths are your speed and your intelligence. You are light on your feet - Zabuza has honed your reflexes and exploited your natural body type. With a sword, you will be deadly, even if you lack strength. Your intelligence also serves kenjutsu well, you will not throw yourself into battle with your sword drawn. You will keep your enemies at range and surprise them should they think they can take you in melee." She sighs, "Though I admit, your kenjutsu won't be very fun. Maybe I should try and make you into a berserker type?"

"I understand, Ameyuri-sensei." Haku shakes his head, "But please dispense with ridiculous ideas. I will never be a... as you say, a berserker."

"Ch, hai hai."

Naruto watches in awe as Haku bows his head, "That does sound pretty smart. I'm surprised Zabuza didn't try teaching you that sooner."

"It's likely 'cause the asshole thought he wouldn't need any help fighting close-ranged fighters. Zabuza always had a dick problem and he took it out on everyone else. He probably failed to connect the dots as a result."

"A dick problem?" Naruto shakes his head, not getting it.

"Anyway. I don't have a sword for you Haku, so this training is completely worthless for you...right now." She smirks, "I could choose to keep refining your skills, but I don't think one blade will suit you. You lack strength and you lack resolve. I don't think I can train those weaknesses out of you very quickly, it might even weaken you as a whole, if I were to do that. So, instead, I will be teaching you my style - you will learn to wield two blades at once."

"I understand, teacher."

Ameyuri sighs in boredom, "Oh come on, at least be a little more excited. Even that idiot friend of yours is bouncing at the prospect, and I'm not even teaching him it."

Haku giggles, "Very well."

"You're hopeless. Whatever. Go find another solid chunk of bamboo, I'll start teaching you the basics in a minute. Just a warning though: they're a lot different from what you learned these last few weeks."

Haku leaves with the simple command, bleeding into the shadows of the forest.

"And you, blockhead."

Naruto turns and smiles, the insult moving through him, completely ineffective.

"You make a good support." She comments, "With those shadow clones, you can be anywhere at once, know everything there is to know about the battlefield. The genjutsu I've shown you should be a little useful, but you aren't the type to just sit around and think. I know enough not to try and move mountains so..." She laughs cruelly, "So I'll teach you whatever you want this time. What is it? Do you want a shiny stick to slash with? Or maybe one of those "flashy jutsu" you got big puppy eyes for last night?"

Naruto starts to open his mouth, but Ameyuri raises one finger.

"One condition though. I will teach you whatever it is you want, but you cannot back down. If you suck at it, you're not going to give up. So choose wisely. I can't move mountains, that's true, but I expect you to put a little more effort into thinking before you open those fat cheeks. Once you pick something, you learn it, if you can't, then we're through."

Naruto bristles at the 'fat cheeks' thing - they're not fatty - he's been starving these past few weeks, without ramen to boot, and with all the hard training, his body's never been more fit looking.

He's felt sore in places he didn't know existed.

Still, the blond gets his teacher's point. She smirks in pride as she gets the so-called idiot to stand still for a few breaths and think.

After thinking about her proposition, Naruto is shocked. He actually has no idea what to ask for. Sure, he'd love a powerful jutsu, but he already admitted once before that such techniques didn't actually confer strength. He killed three genin yesterday with genjutsu, ordinary weapons and henge, not particularly glamorous skills. And Naruto could remember the first day of his training in the academy.

One of his less spectacular teachers had once told the class that Uchiha Itachi became infamous through his use of D and E ranked techniques. As a genin and chuunin, he was more deadly than most jounin, despite knowing nothing but the basics.

"What do you think I should learn?" Naruto asks quietly.

Ameyuri beams brightly, though it looks more menacing than kindly, "The sound of progress is beautiful." And to think, she had almost called him a syphilic slash degenerative slash impulsive primate! There was still hope for the brat yet.

Naruto hesitates, ready to give a smart response, but drops it. He does want to learn something after all and maybe he is improving.

"Well gaki, if you want my opinion." She smiles wider, because she loves giving her opinion, even when it's unwanted, "Then I think I should tell you what Hanzou the Sandaime Amekage is most known for. Do you know what summoning contracts are?"

"Umm, should I?"

"I suppose not. I never learned about them until I was a chuunin." She looks away, almost losing herself to nostalgia, "They're pretty rare. I don't think Kirigakure had more than eight. Kumo has the most, something like twelve, but they're highly selective about who gets to sign them. But they basically allow you to make pacts with spiritual entities. You pay a toll - blood and chakra - and you gain the aid of an animal spirit for a duration. I guess it's a little more complicated than that, but well, I'm hardly an expert on it."

Naruto nods, lost in his imagination, "So Hanzou is known for summoning spirits?"

"Nah, not spirits. Salamanders."

"Oh."

"Hanzou the Salamander is his nickname. I don't know what they do actually. But I heard one of them took on the Densetsu no Sannin. With Hanzou's help, they pushed them back without breaking a sweat. Mind you, this was over twenty five years ago, when the Sannin were fresh youngsters like moi. But then also again, I suppose you'd know the rest of that story already."

Naruto shakes his head, "No. I don't. What story? Who are the Sannin?"

Ameyuri's temple twitches, "The fuck? Are you sure you're a former Konoha genin? Those guys should be your fuckin' idols."

"Never heard of em'. Are you sure you got the names right? The only idol I've ever had was Oji-"

"Yes I got the name right!" she bludgeons his skull with the bottom of her fist, "Anyway, the Sannin each have their own summons. I think one was a snake, but I forget the other two. Point is, summons are staples of powerful shinobi. They're pretty useful. Lesser summons can usually spy and track targets inconspicuously. Larger summons can provide support or distract your enemies. Since they can't die and are sent back to their... spirit realm when killed, well, you get the idea right? I'm sure you'd rather not have Haku-chan a bloody mess protecting you from your own stupdiity, so having a summon would do you some good. If you get along well enough, the older ones are even willing to pass on special techniques, which is good because I don't have too many skills to pass onto you, even as unskilled as you are."

Naruto nods, "Oh, well that sounds cool! So how do I summon one? You can teach me?"

"Psh, can I teach you? Sure, it's easy. Kuchiyose no jutsu isn't that many signs to memorize. But you need more than the jutsu, you need a contract. You can only summon spirits you are contracted with."

"Ahh." Naruto nods like he completely understands, but his teacher knows he probably has no idea what she's talking about, still.

"It just so happens I have the summoning contract I signed as a jounin. Took it with me when I left Mizu."

"Cool! So can I sign it?" He claps his hands in excitement.

She nods and smiles, "Don't you even want to know what you're signing?"

"Oh. Well, yeah, I guess I do."

"Sheesh. It's as I said, think before you act. If I can't teach you that, I'm a terrible sensei. Well, anyway, I think you'll like them. My contract is with the butterflies. Of course, that term is not descriptive enough. I can also summon moths and caterpillar-Naruto?"

The boy stands completely still.

"Oh? Shocked are you." She says with pride, "I admit, the contract isn't well known. It's been held by my family. Went to Kiri for a while, but it actually originates from somewhere in Ame. Not that I know, family history doesn't interest me too much. But well, let me show you?"

He's completely stiff as a board, staring wide.

"Er, right then!" she smiles with her bladed teeth, a finger rising up to them. She knicks it and performs a few hand seals, "Kuchiyose no jutsu!"

After a plume of ash rises up to the sky, what's left in its wake is a fluttering insect, its large colorful wings dwarfing its tiny body. It turns to acknowledge its summoner mid-air, hanging in the cool breeze, uneffected by the drizzle slapping its wings. It flutters up and rests on Ameyuri's pin-striped shoulder.

For all the progress Naruto has made, it's still not quite enough, it seems.

"Pfahahahahaha! Butterflies?! Pfhahahahaahahahahaha!" the blond starts rolling around in the grass, holding his sides, "The great Ameyuri-sensei summons butterflies?! Oh, now I get why your first name is Ringo! Do you feed your worms apples as a sacrifice? Oh, is that how you spy on people, you put your worms in them, and then you give them apples and-"

The hysterical laughter escaping the blond's throat turns into bloody agony, the summoned butterfly disappearing in a poofing sound. She starts kicking him in the ribs harshly, horrible crunching sounds filling the air.

"Itai! Itai! Sensei! It hurts, it hurts!" Despite this, he's still laughing, gasping for breath between the kicks.

"You fuckin' inconsiderate brat! Don't you dare laugh at me! I offered you a contract and you're going to make fun of me?! I knew it was a mistake to offer you even an ounce of kindness, you brain-dead monkey! You asshole! You're all the same! Die! Die! Die!"

After about fifteen minutes of kicking Naruto around (who eventually got really good at dodging her), Naruto asked for a fire ninjutsu. She almost caved his skull in for forsaking the contract of the butterflies (something she knew would be ten times more useful in the long run than some dumb flashy fire attack), but she ended up giving him what he wanted. She showed him a C-rank fire ninjutsu, Sasuke's Goukakyuu no Jutsu. Naruto regretted asking for it, but couldn't back down. He didn't want to be more like the bastard, but he was determined to learn the technique anyway.

"Well, good luck learning that. It's a common enough fire technique, but in all this rain?" she laughs, "You're just asking to get your ass kicked. Most of the ninja here in Ame utilize water, or at least can manipulate it. And any other enemies you fight in this place will utilze all this rain to their advantage. Fire users in this country are probably close to zero. And it's for a good fuckin' reason."

Naruto naturally takes those words as a challenge, "Yeah, well I'll master it. You'll see." He mutters under his breath, his whole body aching all over, "Bitch."

She smirks, pretending not to hear him, leaving the boy to his devices, "Yeah, well, good luck brat.

You'll regret turning down my offer. After dinner, let's spar. I don't want you getting rusty. After you show me that technique, I'll drill you on your shitty taijutsu."

Naruto and his clones goof around with learning the new fire technique, making little progress. Naruto does a lot of hacking and coughing, breathing awful fumes through his boiling throat. It's worse than being in the smoggy industrial town from yesterday, his eyes' tears mixing with the rain.

Ringo instructs Haku, who wields two uneven slabs of bamboo awkwardly in his hands. She introduces him to some defensive postures, striking at him with a stick of her own. Haku learns how to trap and control a blade, moving it like water across his body.

"You're a natural." She says in surprise, "That's exactly how you do it. You've gotten it down on the first try."

She introduces a few more techniques, demonstrating how to parry with one blade and strike with the other, "Slash my extended wrist with your inner arm, it will deflect the blow and disarm them. At the same time, let your outer arm come in and sever the tendon up here near the shoulder, it'll make this arm useless for the rest of the fight."

They spar for a little less than an hour. Haku is good at playing defensive, but can't match the redhead's technique. Wielding bamboo all her own, Ameyuri demonstrates a high degree of skill, bending and flowing around Haku's guard. Where she finds openings, she taps with the ends of her weapons. By the end of the session, she's struck Haku just about everywhere on his body at least once.

"You have a long way to go, but that's fine progress for today." She chuckles, "It's a shame. If we had Kubikiribouchou, I might have taught you to use that instead."

Haku shakes his head, "Sensei, that thing would have been ten times too big for me. I'd look ridiculous - and be completely ineffective. You said it yourself, I'm good at speed."

"Yeah, but you could work on your strength some. No harm in learning to use it and toughening you up a little bit, scrawny brat." She sighs, "But you guys left it in a ditch somewhere. Gods! You're just as fucking stupid as your blond buddy."

"Hey!" Naruto shouts in the distance.

Time slithers to a slow crawl, Haku and Naruto almost forgetting their status as homeless, nearly aimless nuke-nin. Ameyuri Ringo has warmed up to her students as the atmosphere is playful, even if the woman is harsh and uncouth.

At five, mellow orange light in the sky, a black magpie with white splotches under its wings lands before the tersely-dressed Ringo. The woman takes a small rolled up slip of paper from its leg and it flies off.

[b]DAWN, SLEEPING CLOUDS SAIL
FROGS AND SALAMANDERS RUN
AS MOON AND RAIN BLEED[/b]

"Wh-What." It slips from her fingers, but she picks it up, "What are they planning? A fucking bloodbath? Holy shit! Why didn't- Hotaru should have warned me- unless she didn't know?" her fingers crawl through her tusseled lockes, "Naruto, Haku! Get the fuck over here!"

The haiku is shared among the three. Naruto just scratches his head at it, "It doesn't make sense, sensei."

"Haku." Ameyuri looks at the boy, "I'll explain this to Naruto. But you can figure it out right? I want you to go into my cabin and gather my things. Pack them. We will not be able to hide here any longer.

If they're doing what it says they're doing, Hazou will scour these woods for some hidden base. We will need to get as far away from here as possible."

"I understand." Haku nods calmly, disappearing into the shack.

Ameyuri snarls, glaring at Naruto, "Listen good. I'm not repeating this. The word dawn, you see that? It means Akatsuki, but it also means they're moving tomorrow morning. Gama means toad, right? So they're going to attack Gama, most likely. The last stanza suggests tomorrow night is when they will strike."

"Oh. But I thought we were getting a mission...?"

"Nevermind that. Look, always read messages like these backwards, they sometimes contain multiple meanings. Vertical readings can also reveal more of the message. But what you don't know, that I do, is that when Akatsuki attacks, it attacks. This will not be a bank robbery or a dinky bar brawl, but possibly an full-scale tactical strike on the entire government. Possibly attacks on key industries too. They may try to kill every single major Hanzou supporter in that town, to send a message."

Naruto nods, "Okay, but why are we running? They sent us a message for a reason right? Don't they want us to help?"

"Naruto, not only are you nowhere near skilled enough to be helpful in a situation like this, but they obviously sent us this message to keep you away. You will just attract attention. If Hotaru sent this, she is warning us. We have no idea what they're going to do-"

"But Haku said he wanted to help." He crosses his arms tight over his chest, glaring with those watery blue eyes, "To get more experienced. I need it too, you know. And I mean, Hanzou's a jerk. If we can help weaken him, why not? They'll need our help if they're going to do something crazy!"

"Have you paid attention to anything I've said, you little shit? You aren't a super hero, you're a dumb kid. Even if you could help, even if you could be of any use, helping a civil war is... it's not a game, fuckin' brat." Her body stiffens, fists clenching. As if to make a point, she slowly draws her blade and brings it close to Naruto's cheek, meeting those deep eyes, "Don't you get that? Or did frolicking in Fire Country for a decade turn your brains to mush? The real world is not black and white. What Hanzou does is cruel, but at least there is some semblance of peace. Have you encountered any bandits yet? Merchants are also highly regulated in Gama - sure - it doesn't help the poor, but there's a middle class. There are famliies. And schools. It's hardly paradise here, but people do better in Ame than the rest of the shinobi world gives credit. Trying to change things for the better... the amount of sacrifice required is immense. You're better off not getting yourself involved. Just leave them to their games, let them die worthless deaths. Let them bring Hazou's wrath, we don't need to trouble ourselves with it."

"Ringo-sensei." Naruto is unflinching in his stance, not perturbed by the blade at his face at all, "Why do you sound like a coward? Why are you afraid to help? I get that we'll have to kill people. And people will get hurt. And I know what all that means. I think I know it better than- Have you any clue what I've gone through? I... I did not have a pretty life in Konoha, unlike what you seem to think. I am an orphan. One that people would go out of their way to torment. Why do you think I even left?" He sighs, "Maybe I don't have a clue about this country, but why are you afraid to stand up? You're... you're dying, right? Why wouldn't you want to go out doing something? I mean, if I were dying, I'd do my very best to...make people remember. To make people know who I really was."

She almost hits the boy when he calls her a coward, almost drags the edge of her blade against his cheek as he speaks with cock-sure insolence to his teacher, but the blade at his face slackens as he continues to speak. And when he finishes, she sheathes the blade, her clenched hands trembling .

"I'm a coward?" She says, looking at her reflection in a small puddle behind Naruto, "Damn. That hurts. A brat like you... it hurts. Because it's true, huh? Noticing something, something-" She laughs, "-well it's right. I'm a fuckin' coward! Always have been! I never wanted to fight the Mizukage with Zabuza. I never wanted to acknowledge my feelings, why I even wanted to become a swordsman of the mist. Hell, I never even..." she sighs, "Nevermind. It doesn't matter. That's all in the past."

Naruto nods, "Ringo-sensei, you're strong." He says simply, "I know you're strong. You're dying, yet you could kill me and Haku in a fight without even trying. Hotaru-san must see it too. It's why she helps you. I don't think she'd care about you if you weren't useful to her. You're a tool for her, just like Haku was."

"Yeah."

Just then, Haku emerges. His arms are full - two sealed wooden crates are dropped in front of the blond and Ringo.

"I can fit these in my storage scroll, they're just small enough to fit. Unless you two have more for me to take?" He explains, pointing at the first crate, "That has enough food to last us about a month."

He points to the other crate, "That contains the stuff on your bookshelf, Ameyuri-sensei. It also contains the rest of our effects."

Ameyuri nods, "Good. Thanks Haku. Seal them up. We need little else. We don't have the time to gather more shit anyway."

Naruto deflates, looking away from his teacher.

Haku complies, fitting the crates in his scroll, they disappear into plumes of smoke, the scroll disappearing into his hunter-nin outfit. Naruto blinks as Haku retreats back into the house quickly, returning with two masks, he tosses one at Naruto, donning the watches the scene in silence, watching as Naruto somberly dons the red and white hunter-nin mask. She can see the shadows upon his spectral blue eyes.

"When are we leaving?" Haku asks after a beat.

"We will go to Gama and see Hotaru-san." Ameyuri says after a breath, causing Naruto's eyes to swell.

"Ringo-chan!"

"Oi, don't call me that."

"Sorry."

"I don't understand." Haku murmurs, "Why are we-"

"We can't stay here anymore. That is a fact." Ringo explains, "Whatever happens, win or lose, even if we hide in these hidden groves forever, they will eventually find us. Hanzou is meticulous. When I said Yagura is crazy? Hanzou is too, in his own way. He has compulsions to check everywhere. He's never
satisfied until there's a scapegoat."

"However, Naruto brought it to my attention... that I am behaving without any honor. When I was younger... honor meant everything to me. Now, it is just a fleeting pang in my chest at times. It feels like my illness has destroyed my honor, infecting it like a cancer. But I can't- I can't shame myself any further. I will fight and show my pride as the only Kunoichi among the Seven. I will leave a name for all to remember, or at least die trying." She grits bitterly, still meeting Naruto's challenging gaze, "Happy about that, know-it-all brat?"

Haku gawks at the blond, whose smile soars underneath the mask.

"That's... admirable, Ameyuri-sensei." He smiles, thinking of Zabuza many unshakable statements about reclaiming his honor and slaying the Mizukage, "You know. You're more like Za-"

"Don't you dare even think of finishing that statement Haku." The air crackles around one of her hands.

"R-right."

Naruto throws his fist into the air, a motion which is unbecoming of his current attire. To Ameyuri's gaze, Naruto looks like a trained killer. The long dark coat hides his features well, the red and white mask obscuring his face. If he wore a hat or a full hood, the last vestige of his ideneity, his messy blond hair, would be lost. His short stature is unusual and actually a warning sign for many seasoned shinobi - the young who are competent tend to be extraordinarily so.

But it's more than that. The blond stands with a proper posture, his weight evenly distributed between his legs, his center of mass low with his loose knees. His hands are open as he stops his little victory dance, eyes and ears alert.

"I've trained you well, I think." Ameyuri murmurs, checking Haku out - the teen already perfectly poised for combat, ready to slip into the shadows at any moment.

Both of them display healthy amounts of confidence for genin, hell, even chuunin. Ringo knows she never managed the amount of skill either of them possess at their current age, even if the blond is a bit of an idiot...some of the time.

"You two will come with me." She says finally, "We will meet Hotaru, si-lent-ly, after the moon has risen. She should be in her home. We'll have to sneak into Gama, but that shouldn't be hard. That means both of you need to be perfect tonight. All that I've trained both of you needs to stick. If we mess up, I might just abandon you. As honorless as that might be..." she chuckles, "I'm not going to save your sorry skins, even if you're my stupid, sorry-ass pupils."

"Hai." Haku nods.

Naruto nods quietly as well.

"Very well. We will meet up with Hotaru-san. She should have some assignment to give us. How could she not? Ameyuri Ringo, one of the seven swordsmen of the mist, will be at her command. Come with me quietly, I don't want to disturb even a single bird on our way to the town.

And so they leave, abandoning Ameyuri's makeshift home.

And just in time it seems, as night falls, just hours later, a young man descends upon the rotten wooden structure, a slew of intruiging scents mingling in the cold, sticky night air.

"This looks worthy of investigating," he murmurs, returning to the unit to report.

Hotaru can be found dressed in a vibrant yukata, the garment doing well to soften the imapct of old age. She drags a hand through her thin gray hair, smiling as three familiar shinobi climb in through a window left open by the kitchen.

"Hello." She says calmly, seated at her lavish table, expensive china set for four, "Are you here for a late night snack?"

There is only a single candle on the table. The only source of light in the entire and Haku shrug, taking seats. Ringo follows last. The old woman pours hot tea for them, sweet bread placed on each plate. Ringo doesn't touch the stuff, Naruto gobbles it up, lifting up his mask to do so. He steals Ringo's bread after a look.

The woman just shakes her head in total shame.

"You were expecting us." Haku says airily, "I suppose I shouldn't feel surprised."

"I did not get old because I was a fool my entire life, darling." Hotaru murmurs, "Akatsuki does not trust its plans to imbeciles without foresight."

"I see."

"Good." She stares down the old swordswoman, "What do you think, Ringo-chan?"

"I'm wondering why I'm here, is all." She says calmly.

"Ah, I figured as much. But then again, I know, truly, the cure to your illness is not my medicine. And, you have always been dependant on its cure." She smiles cryptically, "It was obvious to me that you would return here after reading that note."

For once the redhead is stumped, "What do you mean, my cure?"

She chuckles, "Are you sure you don't know?" she makes a lopsided smile, "Perhaps your illness simply stems from the loneliness of the heart?"

"Uhuh."

"Everyone dies eventaully." She says with a shrug, "I lived far longer than I expected to. You have lived longer than any of your doctors expected you to. I wonder, even if you suffered through your illness for the rest of your life, would it be a cure to say that you continued to live on, anyway?"

"I'm not sure what you're getting at."

"Maa, maybe I don't know either. Anyway, time is short, as usual. You're a tad later than I expected, but that's fine. Your orders are simple. I imagine your young wards are aware of the situation?"

"Why don't we dispense with as many pleasantries as possible. My kids are not exactly experts on Akatsuki's ways, like I am."

"An expert, ne? I suppose you are. It's a shame you are such as you are. You could have been one of the ten, I think. You are certainly worthy."

"Er, what?"

"It's nothing. I was just testing you." She smiles more softly, shutting her eyes, "This town is full of many wonderful people. I'm sure, if the circumstances were different, we could all be friends.

However, it has come to the point where we will either lose our foothold here, and thus the entire southern border region, a critical access for trade with Konoha, Tani and Suna trade routes, without a single disruption to Hanzou's control... or, we will lose everything and cripple Hanzou in a way that has not been seen for over a decade."

Ringo's hands tremble, "Wait. What? You're... you're not-"

"Yes. Yes, we are. Akatsuki has leapt in strength this last year. We have amassed a terrible amount of wealth. If Hanzou were sloppy enough, this town could lay quietly in the eye of the storm. But sadly, the Salamander is as competent as ever. He knows our numbers here are large. He knows we are lining our pockets here. He knows our intentions. He knows we are resurging. And he probably knows what we're already planning to do. That's why this plan is a bit hasty. That's why we've even alerted the civilians here. Tomorrow, we will go out with a fight."

"So instead of just fleeing..."

"We cannot flee. Hanzou will reinforce this place, knowing it was a grave error on his part to let us fester here. We have siphoned off more tax money than he will likely ever know. Our supporters here are immense in number. We have the upper hand, there is no reason to give him a free win this time."

"Why did you warn the civilians? Won't they tell Hanzou?" Naruto asks softly.

"Akatsuki does not harm the innocent. We always warn the innocent when we can. This time though, we know most will not flee their homes - pride, love, or fear motivating them - this is a town, with a history. A culture. A beating heart of its own. But tomorrow, we will raze it to the ground and cripple Hanzou's empire, even if it weakens Ame's future as a result."

Naruto blinks, feeling gravity in the room, a strong pressure emanating from Ameyuri and Hotaru. Haku too, seems to be very serious. Uzumaki Naruto, contrary to popular belief, does grasp certain things. It's like a sixth sense- a priori- a senseless intuition- he can read the writing on the wall. It's why he's managed to survive being the jailer of the fox. It's why he survived against Haku and Zabuza. It's why he had tingling sensation when Mizuki had ordered him to steal the scroll - something here is not right. Now that he's looking underneath the underneath, the feeling in the back of his head is even more pronounced.

"I don't think I understand." He says, "Not all of it, but what you're describing... is horrible."

Hotaru nods, feeling the weight in the blond's saliva-slick words (he's still salivating from the delicious sweet bread, after all), "You are correct. I grew up in this town after all. I have attended all of its festivals, seen the lights in the summer, visited the wakes during the inquisition. And tomorrow, this town, the town that I love, will be bathed in blood. I will be in part, responsible.

Many, many innocents will die. It is something reprehensible, something Akatsuki strives to avoid at all costs. We do not involve innocents, even when Hanzou goes out of his way to bring them into the crossfire. This attack will cost us what we have fought to earn, the hearts of the people, but we will pay that cost to strike a deadly blow."

Naruto is simply slack in his chair now, Hotaru's voice undulating as she speaks, like a wave. From passion to apathy.

"The ends do not justify the means. But the commanders and I agree with this plan. One of the ones above us knows about it. He has yet to intervene, so he must too agree. We are not blessed to do the deeds we do, but if we do not strike Hanzou a crippling blow, we will have lost years of work here."

"So you're basically saying, you'd rather kill innocent people than give up years of work?"

Hotaru shrugs, "They are... human sacrifices. Not chosen willingly, I admit. But-"

Naruto stares at his cold hands, "Human sacrifices, huh?" he murmurs.

"-I would like to believe they would agree with us, if circumstances were different. I believe it is entirely likely Hanzou will do great harm to the innocents here anyway, after we are expelled from this area, he will see their silence as treason and indiscriminately kill them. So if innocents die in the name of peace, this time, we will endure it."

"That's- that's-" he wants to say she is evil, a monster, that it's bullshit what she's saying, "-cruel." He whispers instead. If what she says is true, if people are going to die anyway... whether they do anything or not...

"Indeed. Humans are very cruel creatures." She stares Naruto fiercely in the eye, "That's why I will not burden you boys with a mission I do not feel comfortable giving you. My assignment is that once the battle begins, I want you to protect and escort as many innocents as possible from the town. You will direct them to the north, we will have a few helpers there with wagons and supplies they can take. We will avoid senseless slaughter when we can, but we can no longer fight with both hands behind our back any longer."

"I understand." Haku interjects, "That is a worthy mission. I will accept it."

Naruto nods reluctantly, "I'm with Haku."

"Hurh." She hisses, "Lame if you ask me. But whatever, you two pansies can play sacrificial hero or medic if you want. I want something more...substantive."

"Huhuhu. Of course, Ringo-chan, I thought you'd never ask. I will be happy to send you after the commander of Hanzou's forces here. He resides in the central mansion, but of course, you know that already."

"Will he really be cooped up in his little fortress during a direct confrontation with us?"

"He is a coward with no honor, Ringo-chan. You understand those types very well. He likes to order his men around like pieces on a shogi board."

"I'll enjoy slitting his throat then."

"Very good." She brightens, "After you kill him, you may take your students and leave. I would not recommend assisting in much else. I imagine Hanzou is already sending an entire army here to quell this little show."

"I'll be sure to kill as many as I can on the way back, then."

"But wait, Hotaru-san." Naruto says in concern, "After this, how will we...I mean, where are you going to go?"

"It is entirely likely that I will die, young one. I maybe good for my age." She chuckles, "But I'm nothing like the mass of gloryhounding youths Hanzou leads. If I am not struck down, I will find my way to one of the northern cities, perhaps Akuten or Itaten. Your sensei should know of a good place in the

wilds to keep you safe, but if you must take refuge somewhere, the town of Inu is north east of here - far enough to keep you from the coming chaos, but close enough to our operations that one our...recruiters should find you." She chuckles, "I've recommended you three, which is a high honor. We do not let potential escape us. We need all the help we can get. Do not worry, Akatsuki will stay in touch, even if I should perish. Just like Hanzou, our ear lies close the ground."

Naruto feels his stomach clench. The old woman before him is trembling inside, he could feel it. Yet, she burns. Her eyes burn. In another world, she could have been his grandmother. Yet here, she is willing to die nearly in vain for a struggle that wasn't even close to ending.

"Why do you fight, Obaa-chan?"

"Hn? Why do I fight?" she parrots, bemused by the question.

"I would lie if I said it was for a better future, young one. The youth are the future of this country, no one can make it better without changing them. Hanzou has already poisoned them. So, I do not believe Ame will ever have a future. Or if it does, my actions will bring it about."

"Then why...?"

"Maybe it's just futile hope? Could it be hope, I wonder? But as a mother, I would always chastize my children..." she trails off, "For having hope. Because having hope is having fear. Hope is simply ignorance. It is simply replacing fear with bliss. That is what I told them. If you hope, you fear. There is no difference between them. And no one should fear death. Yet, the only answer that makes sense, is that I want to try. I have no choice but to call it hope. Ignorantly, I wish for this country to recover."

Haku nods, "Zabuza-sama spoke of similar desperation, Hotaru-san."

"Then you may understand me. Perhaps better than I do."

Ringo huffs, "Enough with the serious shit. I don't give a damn. As long as I get to kill the bastard and make a bloody mess in my name," she grins, "That's good enough for me."

Hotaru laughs happily, "Oh, you're fiery today Ringo-chan. I look forward to hearing the demoralized cries of Hanzou's forces, when their cowardly general has fallen inside his impenetrable little play room."

Haku interjects, "If that's all, I suppose we should not trouble you further Hotaru-san, you need your rest."

Naruto shakes his head, "Wait. Shouldn't she tell Ringo-chan about this general guy? What if he's super strong?"

"His name is Yakushi Yusuke. One of the "noble" houses in Amegakure, his grand father probably helped bring Hanzou to power. He received the basics of ninja training as a child, but joined the samurai school in the capital under the behest of his father. He never stopped honing his skills as a ninja and never quite understood Bushido... so he is the worst of both worlds, I suppose." She laughs, "A fine match for Ringo-chan, though he really stands no chance, even with his guard. He has never fought an opponent of Ringo-chan's caliber, even with her illness, he will die."

"My, such praise." The redhead tugs on the bandages about her collar, "I am feeling confident, however I never underestimate my opponents."

"Of course. I would expect no less."

Haku stands, followed by Naruto and his sensei. Hotaru says it would be unwise to seek shelter at an inn, "Stay on the third floor. There are some blankets you may have, get some rest. Sleep in. Prepare yourselves. We will strike far before the moon rises, perhaps around supper. But by the time this battle is over... it will likely be a new dawn."

A very red one, too.