Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Key Through the Heart ❯ Wave Country Arc Part 2 ( Chapter 9 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

By: AJTalon

llIVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura

“Normal Talking”

Thoughts/Sound Effects

“Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words”

“Demon speak”

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart

A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit.

Author's Note: Chapter Two of the Wave Arc. Here's where the changes really begin to become noticeable.

As to the Haku situation… No matter what happens, you'll still be seeing her again. And she is part of the Harem now. In that she'll be one of several girls after Naruto romantically. Yes Lord Raine, you wish has been granted. Try not to let it go to your head, okay? ^__^

And no, Sakura will not be part of the harem.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

After the mysterious hunter nin had taken Zabuza's corpse away, Kakashi had collapsed from chakra exhaustion. The rest of Team Seven had proceeded to carry the unconscious jounin to Tazuna's home, an old inn in the village. A day later, Kakashi had woken up and startled Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura with the assessment that Zabuza was still alive, given that the hunter nin had not disposed of Zabuza's body right then and there.

Kakashi estimated that Zabuza would be recovered and ready to fight within at least one week, so he'd gotten some crutches and began leading the genin into the woods, to begin training in preparation for the next encounter.

Naruto had been hoping for some cool new jutsu or something like that. What he didn't expect though…

“You want us to climb trees without using our hands?” The blond asked incredulously. “What use is that?”

Kakashi eye-smiled, hanging upside-down from a large tree's branches by just his crutches and feet.

“Plenty. Firstly, it gives you the ability to stick to solid surfaces, very useful for a ninja. Secondly, the more chakra you use, over time, the larger your chakra stamina becomes. It's like exercising a muscle-You break it down so it grows back stronger. In addition, this training will improve your chakra control so you don't waste as much chakra.”

“Huh? Waste?” Naruto asked. Sakura rolled her eyes.

“Idiot! It means that you won't keep overloading your jutsus with so much chakra that they fail!” Sakura smiled adoringly at Sasuke next to her, who ignored her and looked on with something close to interest at Kakashi.

“Not only does Sakura understand Chakra, she knows how to control and maintain it as well. We talked about someone becoming Hokage one day, didn't we? Seems like Sakura's got the best chance of that, wouldn't you say? And as for the great Uchiha clan...maybe they're not so great after all,” Kakashi mused aloud. Sasuke and Naruto deathglared Kakashi the whole way down the tree, until he was standing back on the grass.

“So then, remember to gather just enough chakra to the bottoms of your feet to stick to the tree. Too much and you'll be repelled, too little and you'll fall off. So, get to it!”

Naruto groaned, but made the ram seal and gathered chakra to his feet anyway. He chose the same tree Kakashi had climbed, and stuck a foot onto the trunk. He took another step, then another, then kicked off as he felt himself begin to slip. He landed and grunted irritably, before looking over at his teammates.

Sasuke had made it about ten steps up his tree, slashing where he'd made it before backflipping off and landing in a crouch. Sakura was already in the upper branches, swinging about from branch to branch with ease.

“That's about what I expected from Sasuke...and Naruto,” Kakashi said quietly. Grumbling, Naruto pulled out a kunai and started running up the tree again.

Ten… Eleven… Twelve… Naruto stopped and gritted his teeth, focusing on staying glued to the trunk. Unconsciously, the Keyblade flashes into his hand, and suddenly…

“Huh?” Naruto relaxed and stood normally, still stuck to the tree. He grinned.

“Awesome!” The blond laughed, twirling his weapon about with ease on his fingers. Down below, Sasuke glared up at Naruto, and began his dogged climb up the tree once more.

“Naruto! No using the Keyblade!” Kakashi called out. Naruto scowled.

“Aw, c'mon! Why not?”

“Because, if you become too reliant on it, if you lose it you will undoubtedly be defeated,” Kakashi stated flatly. Naruto sighed, and dismissed the Keyblade. Rather than trying to run up the tree once more, he focused on staying right where he was. Without the Keyblade's focusing of his chakra, however, it was a lot more difficult.

“Grrr… Guhhh… Woah!” The blond waved his arms, before turning and standing with his right shoulder facing the ground. He leaned up, trying to get some more leverage while still hanging on to the tree.

Kakashi nodded to himself at this, and was pleased to see Sasuke also climb up and try to stay in one place.

It's definitely less dangerous that way… Kakashi turned his gaze to Sakura, who had already made it to the top of her tree and was slowly making her way down.

As for her…

“Sakura, that's enough. Come with me, Tazuna should be headed to the bridge by now, and I have some training you can do.” Sakura smiled happily and slid to the ground, waving back at Sasuke as she left.

“Bye Sasuke-kun! See you later!”

“What? No goodbye for me, Sakura-chan?” Naruto shouted back. Sakura scowled.

“Fine. Bye to you too, Naruto!”

“Don't I at least get a kiss?” The blond whined. Sakura snarled.

“NOT ON YOUR LIFE, PAL!”

“Awww,” Naruto sighed. He turned to glare at Sasuke, who was looking almost amused.

“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up Sasuke-chan,” the blond teased. Sasuke scowled.

“Shut up, dead last.”

“Make me, you emo bastard!”

“Bet I can make it to the top before you can.”

“You're on!”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sakura had hoped this `special training' of Kakashi's would be something fantastic.

All the better to impress Sasuke-kun with.

(SHANNARO!)

Hauling sacks of cement with the rest of the work crew, while Kakashi-sensei just read his book and relaxed in the shade, was not what she had in mind.

“Damnit…” She huffed under her breath, groaning under the weight of the twenty-pound bag. She toddled up to the cement mixer and set it on the ground with a grunt, wiping her glistening forehead.

“Hey, little girl, what're you doing here?” Asked a rather large-looking worker with a smirk. Inner Sakura bristled, but outer simply smiled politely while trying not to grit her teeth.

“I'm helping. My sensei says it's good training,” she got out stiffly. The worker laughed, a few other men joining him.

“You? A little girl like you? C'mon, out of the way, we ain't that desperate.” Sakura scowled, and Inner Sakura immediately wanted to punch this guy's lights out…

Then she saw the sixty pound bag next to the worker, and smirked.

If chakra can be used to stick to objects… Can it also be used to push them away? Cracking her knuckles, Sakura walked past the laughing workers and stood before the sixty pound bag. Forming the ram seal, she collected a little chakra into her hands then legs. She gripped the bag, making sure her hands stuck to it with chakra, and then pushed with her legs and chakra against the ground.

The bag came up easily, almost flying out of her hands, but Sakura kept her grip and held the bag up. She turned around at the fact that the laughter had stopped. Now only dropped jaws filled the silence.

“Where would you like this?” Sakura asked sweetly. Tazuna, having heard the commotion (and now as gob smacked as his workers) pointed to the mixer. Sakura nodded and ripped the bag open like she would a bag of chips, before pouring it all into the spinning machine. She discarded the bag, panting a bit as she felt a slight burn inside herself.

What the…? Oh. That's chakra exhaustion. I'm getting close to my limit already…?

Some distance away, Kakashi chuckled at the spectacle.

“Keep at it, Sakura! Five more bags like that one!”

“FIVE?!” Sakura screeched back. Kakashi eye-smiled.

“It's five, or no dinner,” he stated flatly. Sakura, resigned to her fate, walked over to the pile of cement bags and picked up another sixty pounds.

Her chakra control is already exceptional, but her physical stamina is practically zero, Kakashi mused. By learning how to enhance her strength with her chakra, she'll build up her reserves much more quickly and be far more useful in the next engagement.

Which reminds me… Kakashi sighed and quickly made a water clone, which went off to keep a lookout. He assumed a meditative stance and began to focus his chakra into different shapes and sizes. To his developed senses, his chakra coils were severely “imbalanced” due to the Sharingan eye, which he could not deactivate. It drained chakra fast while exposed, which was why Kakashi had to keep it covered.

After he'd… Received the eye, Kakashi had had to meditate daily to adjust his chakra control to compensate for having the Sharingan. However, after retiring from ANBU, he'd reduced the meditation sessions to weekly exercises. Then monthly.

Rather than beat himself up for his carelessness, Kakashi was determined to get back into `shape'.

The next encounter with Zabuza, the jounin vowed, would be the last.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

The darkness swept over everything. Lands, seas, towns, castles…

Everything, everyone in its path was consumed.

At first they'd thought it was Kuja again, the resemblance between himself and the creatures so close it couldn't be coincidence…

But the monsters knew no limits, obeyed no masters. No army, no spell, no Eidolon could stop them.

And in the end, the little boy mage, out of magic, out of life, fell before the darkness. But, instead of empty, dark oblivion… He heard the sound of birds chirping. Wind in leaves high above him. Scattered sunlight, sprinkling kisses of warmth on his shaded face.

The boy opened his eyes. He saw green… How long had it been that he'd seen green? The darkness had consumed everything he thought…

His blurry vision alerted him to a patch of yellow above a purplish blob, entering some kind of clearing. The scent of wildflowers filled his nostrils as the breeze blew against his face. The being seemed not to notice him, bending over and picking more flowers nestled at the foot of the trees. His vision cleared, and he saw a girl, dressed in purple and fishnet, bandages wrapped around her forearms, legs, and torsoe.

Was she injured? She didn't look injured…

His tired senses soon gave him more information to work with. She had magic-He could feel it from here. Not as great as his, no doubt, but the signature left no doubt in his mind this would and could change. She was physically fit, and by the pouch clanking softly at her side, she was armed.

She seemed like a warrior… Which is why he wasn't too surprised when, as a number of shadows that had destroyed his world emerged, she dropped her flowers and let loose with throwing knives, leaping and gracefully avoiding their hungry claws.

But her weapons were useless-They were only steel. The mage knew what it would take to stop these creatures…

Tiredly, he felt for his staff. Calling out weakly to her, she gaped. He looked like the monsters, true, but she had to, needed to know he wasn't one of them.

So he threw her the spare staff, and croaked out.

“Point and think `Fire!' Quickly!”

The girl caught the weapon easily and, though her face was incredulous, she held out the staff and focused. The boy mage could sense the magic in her being focused by the staff, turning energy into flame as her will merged with the weapon…

“FIRE!” With a roar, a blast of flames issued from the staff and blew apart the creatures, returning them to the darkness from which they came. The girl sagged in shock (and, no doubt, magical fatigue, given what his senses were telling him), before slowly, cautiously, edging towards the mage, staff pointed at him.

“ Who are you?” She demanded. Though clearly shocked and tired, her spirit kept her words harsh. The boy mage was reminded of another blond he'd known…

“Vivi Ornitier. Um… Thank you for saving my life.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ino blinked, staff still held at the little… Boy? Creature? Vivi's head.

“Uh… No problem,” she got out, a little confused. “You okay?”

Vivi nodded, his dark face and glowing yellow eyes dipping slightly under the wide brim of his tan, pointed hat.

“If you don't mind… Me asking… Where am I?”

Ino blinked.

“Konoha… Land of Fire… Eastern Continent…?” She tried. Vivi shook his head, eyes narrowed as though in a frown.

“Er… This isn't Terra, is it?”

“Terra? Is that a… Country? Village?”

“Planet,” the boy said. Ino's jaw dropped.

“Planet?!”

Vivi winced.

“Um, yes.”

“Wait. Wait a minute. You're telling me… Wait… Then that means…! You're space invaders!” Ino gasped. Vivi shook his head rapidly.

“No! No, no, no! No, I'm not! I mean, those things, they are, but not me. I'm not invading anything, really!”

Ino frowned, staff still trained on Vivi's head.

“Oh yeah? Then what were those things? And why did they look like you?”

Vivi sighed, going a little more limp.

“I dunno… They… Took my world… Consumed it… And now I'm here…”

“Hey, hey, hang on! Are you okay?” Ino asked, bending down and trying to feel for a pulse. Vivi's eyes closed a little more.

“So tired…” He yawned, before his eyes winked out entirely. Ino yanked off his hat, and gaped at the fact that Vivi's head was all black. It was almost like he was the victim of a horrible burn… Only the skin beneath Ino's hands was smooth and, well… Skin-like.

An alien. He's an alien. Has to be. Damnit, why did I watch those stupid movies with dad? Ino mentally cursed. She could at least pick up a pulse, which (hopefully) meant that Vivi was okay. Ino knew squat about aliens, but that was a heartbeat she was feeling.

“Well… I can't just leave you here,” the blonde decided. She put his hat back on and lifted the small boy onto her back.

“So, if anyone asks, you're a big, stuffed toy I found, allright?” Ino asked, a small smile on her face.

Snore, went Vivi. Ino blinked.

“… Okay… Guess aliens have to sleep too…” She tucked the staff into her belt, fingers lingering on the handle. The sensation when she'd willed fire to shoot from the staff… Her chakra seemed to sing in her body. Ino had never felt anything like it, so amazing, so… Powerful.

And apparently, in the hands of an alien. Wizard. Vivi. Maybe he was a Vivi in addition to it being his name?

“Well… Whatever you are, Vivi Ornitier… Welcome to Konoha,” Ino said quietly, as she set out for home.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Naruto panted, pausing only a moment… Before rushing back up the trunk.

Thirteen… Fourteen… Fifteen… Sixteen…

Naruto felt his chakra become unbalanced, and fought the urge to summon the Keyblade.

Twenty… Twenty-two… Twenty-three-!

He lost control. Naruto slashed the tree with his kunai before falling back down, landing in a crouch. Panting, he looked over at Sasuke's tree and gritted his teeth.

He's still climbing, that's impossible! Naruto thought angrily.

Meanwhile, Sasuke marked off his progress and landed back to Earth as well. Scrutinizing Naruto's tree, he bared his teeth in a silent snarl.

He's catching up to me, little by little…

The two genin glared at eachother.

“You… Damnit, how are you getting so good so fast? Are you using that stupid weapon of yours?” Sasuke demanded. Naruto growled.

“No, I'm not!”

“Then how the hell are you catching up to me?!” Sasuke snarled. Naruto glared right back.

“Because I'm working hard, dumbass! We're not all geniuses, you bastard!”

They resumed glaring at eachother, before resuming the climb. Well into the night, they climbed, until finally, they both reached the tops of their trees. Naruto stared over at Sasuke, who stared back… Before bursting into laughter.

Sasuke just smirked back.

“Looks… Like a tie, huh bastard?”

“Hn…” Sasuke replied.

The two got to the ground, and staggered off, together, in silence. When they got to the inn, Naruto collapsed in exhaustion before being able to have dinner, leaving Kakashi to set him on the couch while the others went to bed.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Whack!

“Damn!”

Whack!

“GAH! Damnit!”

WHACK!”

“DAMNIT!”

CRACK!

The tree had been a very young oak, sitting near the edge of the forest near Tazuna's home. It was broken about three feet above the ground, top bowed to the grass as though in reverence to the one who had felled it.

Sakura didn't notice this. She just winced.

As Tazuna couldn't spare any lumber for this next part of Sakura's training (his daughter Tsunami and his grandson Inari already requiring the wood to survive), Kakashi had directed the pink-haired girl to some small trees and told her to start honing her strength-enhancement. By punching said trees.

Trees. With her bare knuckles. For three whole days now, in addition to the `training' at the bridge! And Kakashi-sensei expected her to do this for a whole week?!

Sakura groaned, collapsing to her spandex-covered bottom, as she tiredly looked at the setting sun. She then looked at her bloody knuckles wrapped in stained bandages dismally.

“Damnit,” she muttered again. She'd asked Kakashi-sensei if she could kick the trees, but no-He'd said she had to “toughen up first”.

And how was she supposed to attract Sasuke's attention with bruised, oversized knuckles?!

“Damn that…” She seethed, imagining driving her fist into that smiling, masked face. That was one benefit to going through this training, she reflected evilly.

“Um, Sakura-chan?” Sakura jumped back to her feet, prepared to defend herself… Then relaxing, as she saw it was just Naruto.

“Yeah, Naruto?” She bit out, fatigue making her words sharper than usual. The orange-clad boy was holding something behind his back.

“Um, it's time for dinner… Tsunami-nee-chan made rice and fish,” the blond went on. Sakura frowned. Why is he so quiet?

“Right…”

Naruto fidgeted again, before pulling his hands back in front of himself. He held out a package. Sakura blinked as he grinned.

“Hey, Sakura-chan! I almost forgot! This is for you!” Sakura took the package gingerly, before opening it. She blinked and picked out the back, rough pieces of fabric contained within.

“What…?” Naruto grinned as she held up the fingerless gloves.

“I got `im from a worker while I was on shift guarding the old man. Old leather gloves, guy said he'd used to box with them. I thought, since Kakashi-sensei's had you training like this, you'd like them!” The blond moved forward, and opened up one of the gloves. Sakura made no move to stop him as he slipped them onto her fingers, one by one, as though playing a baby game with her digits.

The warm, tough leather felt good around her aching knuckles, and she made a fist, smiling as her joints loosened just a bit. Sakura turned her smile to Naruto, who blushed and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

“They're… Well… Thank you, Naruto,” Sakura spoke, a bit awkwardly. After all, it was Naruto. The loud, brainless, insensitive moron who just had to have a crush on her…

Who had just given her a very thoughtful gift.

Naruto beamed happily.

“I'm glad you like `em! So, c'mon! Otherwise Sasuke'll eat everything before us!”

Sakura scoffed.

“He will not! He's not the one who slurps up ramen like a starving man all the time!”

Naruto darted away, as though to keep out of range of her fists, and grinned foxily at her.

“No, but ramen is the food of the gods! It MUST be indulged in! To not do so is a crime, I tell you!”

Sakura snorted, but still wore a smile as she followed the energetic blond to dinner.

A dinner marked by Inari, Tazuna's grandson, shooting his mouth off as Tsunami served the meal. The boy had apparently suffered in silence long enough.

“Why are you training so hard?! Gato'll just kill you all! It's pointless!” Inari stated shrilly. Naruto finished his bowl of rice before glaring at the small boy.

“You know, you're getting pretty annoying, brat! I'll have you know I'm Uzumaki Naruto! A ninja legend in the making, pal! And I'm not afraid of some sniveling crime lord!” Inari glared back, tiny fists at his sides.

“What would you know about hardship, huh?! You're always laughing and smiling! You don't know what it's like to live a rough life! You've got it easy!”

A deathly chill fell over the table, as Naruto slammed his chopsticks down. Sakura felt fear grip her heart, and some part of her mind noted analytically that this was killing intent.

Sasuke, Kakashi, everyone stared at Naruto as he glared so hatefully, so angrily at Inari, the little boy was shaking violently, eyes wide. A hint of red seemed to emerge from Naruto's eyes, as though the irises were trying to decide on a color.

“I've had it easy? I've had it easy?! You don't know squat, you little brat. Listen to yourself whining and complaining like some sorry little victim. You can whimper all day for all I care! You're nothing but a coward!”

With that, Inari got up from his chair and ran off, leaving a seething Naruto.

“That little…!”

“I'm sorry about that,” Tazuna spoke. “It's just… His father…”

After Tazuna and Tsunami told all assembled about Inari's father Kaiza, Naruto shook his head and muttered something about more training as he walked out. Sasuke said nothing, just stared at the empty chair and plate the blond left behind.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Naruto had summoned the Keyblade quite some distance away from the house, in a small clearing, and proceeded to create as many Kage Bunshins as he could.

With every slash, parry, and attack, he tried to forget the feeling that had risen inside him at Inari's statements.

It had felt… Like pure rage. Not quite his own. It just seemed like anger turned into liquid, bubbling up inside him. The memory of what the Third Hokage had told him came to mind:

“Naruto… The Keyblade is tied to your soul, and life force, and therefore your chakra. And, right now, the Kyuubi's demonic chakra is boosting your own, just as the seal was designed to do. But… In time, its influence on you may grow.”

“Great… Stupid furball,” Naruto cursed. After slaughtering the majority of his clones, he had the remaining ones and himself start climbing the trees again. He may have been exhausted, but he pushed through it, all the while Tazuna's story about Kaiza, the country's hero, echoed in his mind…

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Haku sighed, brushing her long black hair out of her eyes as she picked through the forest. It had been a long night. Zabuza-sama had suffered some complications from the technique she'd used to put him into a coma, and she'd used up all their medicinal herbs and potions to heal him.

What was worse, Gato had come (again) to berate Zabuza-sama (again). Haku had been so tempted to put senbon through his eyeballs. His samurai bodyguards barely qualified as meat shields, they'd be dead before they could…

Hm? Her senses detected a rather low-level chakra signature. She frowned, analyzing it as she stealthily headed towards the source.

Her eyes soon came into contact with a blond, orange and black clad boy, lying unconscious near a tree. In one hand, he held a kunai. In the other…

Its him, she thought. The boy they'd been assigned to eliminate. Uzumaki Naruto…

Haku reigned in her excitement, and carefully considered the situation. He was alone. He was exhausted. The Keyblade was right there…

No other significant chakra signatures were nearby. She could kill him right here and the Keyblade… The mission…

She approached, kneeling down next to the boy. She frowned, mentally tracing his features. He was somewhat small for his age, tanned, and a slight baby-face. Whisker-shaped scars decorated his cheeks, three on each side. His spiky yellow hair looked fur-like, and with his ninja headband having come loose at some point in his sleep, gently fell over his forehead.

Her pale fingers slowly reached out, stretching towards the boy's neck. Her training coldly reminded her that a quick snap of the neck, and the boy would die painlessly.

He grimaced, and Haku froze, hand centimeters from his throat.

“I'm sorry… Please…” He murmured in his sleep, and Haku bit her lower lip. Part of her tried to will her fingers forward again…

“I'm not… A monster… Please… I'm sorry,” he murmured again, and Haku took a deep, silent breath. Her hand shook once… Before she pulled it back. The anguish in the boy's voice…

“You'll catch a cold if you sleep here. Wake up.” Haku spoke. The boy stirred, and opened his eyes blearily.

“Who the heck are you? Oh!” The boy blushed at seeing Haku's face.

“Hi there. Who are you? I mean what are you doing out here and all that?”

Haku smiled cheerfully.

“I'm gathering herbs.”

“Herbs?”

“Yes, for treating injuries and illness.”

“Ah,” the boy acknowleged. “I'm Naruto.”

“Haku,” the girl returned politely.

“So, starting work early, huh onee-chan?” Naruto asked.

“I like it early. It's calm, and I didn't think I'd find anyone sleeping out here in the woods,” Haku chuckled. The blond smiled.

“I was training… All night… Guess I got carried away,” he laughed, rubbing the back of his head.

“Hmm? So are you a ninja? Because I noticed that headband you're wearing. Or are you just trying to make a fashion statement?” Haku asked, slightly teasingly. The memory of Naruto's involvement in the battle against Zabuza came loud and clear in her mind.

“You noticed that? Cool! Well… Only real ninja get to wear the-Hey, where'd it go?!” Naruto felt his forehead and his eyes widened. Wordlessly, Haku handed him his handband. The blond chuckled again, as Haku joined him.

“Ah ha, heh… Thanks…”

“So, why are you out here training, Naruto?” Haku inquired. Naruto shrugged, tying his headband back on.

“To get stronger, I guess…”

“Oh? You aren't strong enough?” Haku asked. Naruto shook his head, expressing turning melancholy. Unbidden, Haku felt her heart go out to him. She quickly stamped it down.

“No… Maybe the problem is… Um… I have too much strength… And I don't know how to control it,” Naruto spoke, holding the Keyblade up a bit. He glared at the weapon, and Haku regarded it covertly herself.

Odd, it doesn't look sharp… But it clearly focuses chakra, and with how he can summon it…

“Too much strength? I'm not sure I understand,” Haku spoke quietly. Naruto sighed.

“… I mean… I've been given, well… This great responsibility. This power. And its something that's been used for good, but also… evil. If I don't learn how to control it, it'll… Well, I have no idea what it could do…” Naruto grit his teeth, and Haku bit her lip.

“… You're afraid… It will destroy those precious to you,” Haku spoke. Naruto blinked, and turned to her again, nodding.

“Yeah…”

Haku smiled gently, and placed a hand over Naruto's. The boy blushed at this, as Haku locked eyes with him.

“I have found that… If you focus, not so much on your power, but why you use it, and for whom… It's much easier. If you use your power for the protection of those you love, who are precious to you, then controlling it becomes easier. And, more than that, you become stronger for it.”

Naruto frowned.

“I… become stronger?”

“Power by itself is only power,” Haku spoke, “but power with a purpose, combines with that purpose. For people who are precious to you, you will fight harder and longer to keep them safe, because they in turn give you strength. Understand?”

Naruto nodded, and smiled happily.

“Wow! Thanks, nee-chan! You're really smart!”

Haku nodded and smiled. She rose and turned to go… Before looking back over her shoulder.

“Oh, and by the way… I'm really a boy.”

Naruto's jaw dropped.

“No… No way…” He murmured in disbelief, as Haku giggled.

“Just kidding!”

Naruto immediately relaxed, and chuckled.

“That wasn't very nice, nee-chan.”

“It was funny though, wasn't it?” Teased Haku. Naruto smirked.

“Yep… One prankster to another, I can definitely appreciate it… So, can I walk you home, nee-chan?”

Haku smiled and shook her head.

“No… My heart knows the way.”

“Huh? Your heart…?” Haku turned away, her smile becoming sad as she departed.

“The heart always knows the way home. It's walking the path that's the hard part…” She replied quietly, leaving Naruto to stare at her back as she vanished.

Some time later, she arrived back at Zabuza's base. Immediately, she sensed a presence in the hideout, and created a senbon with her bloodline limit as she entered.

Zabuza was sitting up, facemask off. She started.

“Zabuza-sama! You shouldn't-!”

“Shut it, Haku,” Zabuza stated flatly. He smirked as he held up some oddly-shaped bottles. “That partner of Gato's sent some medicine. Relax, I checked it for poison. This stuff works wonders… Called it an elixir, or something… Anyway, get ready. We've got to start planning for the next attack.”

Haku thought of Naruto, and her heart felt heavy.

“Very well, Zabuza-sama…”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Next chapter is the showdown and end of the Wave Country Arc.

I decided that, in order to make Ino become a mage, I couldn't introduce Donald or Goofy because then I'd have to cut out the Tsunade Arc entirely. They'll be appearing at either the end of the Chuunin Exam arc or the Battle at the Valley of the End.

On Ino and Vivi: Expect lots of ET references. Sure, it's not Disney, but it's one of my favorite films and the situation fits it.

Tell me what you guys think of my changes to Sakura and my efforts to render her less useless.

Hope Naruto isn't too OOC, but considering his changes and the Keyblade's influence I think he's still pretty much the same hyperactive blond ninja we all know and love.

Preview for Chapter Ten:

“You didn't think it'd be THAT easy, did you? You pitiful insects!”