Chapter 7- Father and Son

"I don't want to kill you, but I will if I have to," the masked boy was standing before Sasuke, their weapons fending off each other's attacks.

"Funny, it almost sounds like you're afraid, "Sasuke smirked at the boy.

"Tsk," The boy looked back at Zabuza.

"Do it, Haku," the man smiled widely, filled with malice.

When the boy turned back around, the air around him began to drop in temperature. He wove his hands into a sign that was Tiger, but the first two fingers where crossed over each other. "Hijutsu: Makyō Hyōshō," Haku said, sending a chill down everyone's spine. Right before their eyes, panes of reflective ice formed a dome around Sasuke. Haku stepped towards the panel in front of him, the ice absorbing his figure, "now I've got you."

Kakashi ran forward to help his student, but Zabuza flashed in front of him, "don't think I will just let you interfere, Kakashi." Kakashi Tsk-ed and looked over the man's shoulder.

"How about we test and see how fast you are?" Haku's reflection appeared on all the panes of ice, each one holding senbon ready to be thrown, "say goodbye little Shinobi," Haku sent them flying from every direction with deadly accuracy.

Kakashi tried to move to his student again, "if you take one more step, I will kill both the old man and little girl." Zabuza raised his sword to prove his point.

Sakura turned to the old man, "I am going to step away for a moment," she pulled a kunai and moved to a vantage point between two panes of ice, "Sasuke-Kun!" she called throwing the weapon, only for Haku to emerge fro a mirror to catch it. during the moment that Haku's barrage stopped, Sasuke fell to the ground, his skin scratched and ripped from each deadly needle. "Damn," Sakura pulled another kunai and ran back to Tazuna who was holding a stone looking at it with confusion.

Haku threw the kunai at Sasuke, aiming for his heart through his back. Zabuza smiled, "it's over."

As everyone watched the scene unfold, they saw a kunai fly in front of the one Haku threw, and Naruto appears soon after in a blur of orange. Naruto winced as he hadn't been able to block the kunai with his own, but rather it lodged itself in his right arm. Naruto landed beside Sasuke and picked him up then disappeared from the dome, and reappearing beside Tazuna. "You alright Sasuke-teme?" Naruto Layed him down gently pulling out any Senbon still stuck in the boy.

"I'm fine, take me back, you'll need help," Sasuke started sitting up again.

"No, take this," Naruto gave him one of his marked kunai, "you'll know what to do."

Before Sasuke could ask what was going on, Naruto teleported back to the Kunai he left in the dome. "Teleportation Jutsu, and an advanced one." Haku looked at the boy, "You look like you'll be more of a challenge."

Kakashi watched with wide eyes, "I could've sworn that was... but it can't be," he thought to himself.

"What are you looking at, I'm your opponent," Zabuza yelled to Kakashi mid-swing of his sword.

Kakashi blocked his sword and reached for his headband, "I need to finish this quickly."

"Don't you know, you never play the same hand twice, you'll lose," Zabuza brought back his sword again, this time missing Kakashi as he jumped back.

"Well be honored that you are the only person who has seen it twice," Kakashi pulled up his headband and exposed his eye.

"Well, let's do this," Zabuza summoned a thick mist, making it impossible to see, even with Kakashi's Sharingan.

"I thought you said never play the same hand twice," Kakashi didn't move but rather waited for his opponent to make one.

"Don't think that Kakashi, unlike you, I have many tricks up my sleeves," Zabuza's voice echoed from all around. Kakashi tensed as he heard whistling getting closer to him and when he turned, he saw three shiruken flying at his head. He knocked each one away before hearing Zabuza's voice behind him. "That Sharingan is no joke," Kakashi turned and saw the man standing with his eyes closed and his hand in half a tiger sign, "but you rely on it too much," Zabuza faded back into the mist. "Your eye possesses the power to perceive and project, but those powers are useless when you can't see your opponent." Kakashi held up a kunai as he felt a swish of wind, he was pushed back by an unseen hit by Zabuza. "Now you resemble a lost child, oh how the mighty fall." Zabuza tried another attack and sending the ma back another few feet.

"Think Kakashi," he thought to himself, "what is his goal." He heard the small sound of Tazuna's foot shift across the ground, then realized, "Tazuna!" He shunshined just in time to take the blow aimed for the old man.

Both Sakura and Sasuke yelled out for their Sensei, "first it was the kids, now its this old man." Zabuza stood tall with his eyes still closed, "you're getting soft Kakashi." He returned to the mist again.

Naruto and Haku teleported around each other, dodging each other's attacks and trying to outsmart the other. Finally, Naruto was able to brush a hand against one of Haku's shoulders, the brief contact allowing to place his seal. He teleported Sasuke to him with his kunai, "I'm going to teleport us to Haku, then you should have an opening to take him down." Naruto grabbed his friend's shoulder. As they teleported Haku began to enter a mirror, Sasuke threw a Kunai, but it didn't make it in time so it bounced off the pane of ice. "Damn," Naruto landed on the ground and Sasuke right after.

"What now?" Sasuke looked to Naruto, surprising him a little, "What?"

"Nothing, I'm just not used to being the one that makes the plan," Naruto scratched the back of his head.

"What do you think you've been doing the whole time?" Sasuke facepalmed then looked at the boy. Behind Naruto, he saw Haku pulling back an arm to strike Naruto while he was distracted. As Naruto opened his mouth with a retort, he was shoved to the ground my Sasuke, who was then rained upon by senbon.

Naruto caught Sasuke's falling form, his face full of shock as he laid the boy on the ground, "why?" That was all Naruto could muster.

"Cuz you're my teammate, Dobe," Sasuke chuckled softly, "go get 'em."

Naruto watched Sasuke's eyes roll into the back of his head and his form go limp. He teleported back to Tazuna, before standing up and looking at Sakura, "watch over them both." He went back to where Haku was waiting for him.

"This the first teammate you've lost?" Haku looked at the boy with amusement. "That's the Shinbi world, it's dark and harsh. It doesn't care if you're a child, it will still take everything from you." He watched Naruto stiffen.

"I know that already," Naruto looked at Haku, hatred boiling in his eyes, "I think it's time you meet the Kyuubi of Konoha." Naruto snarled as Haku felt the heat start to swirl around Naruto and begin to melt the ice mirrors. A large blast of hot wind and red chakra emitted from Naruto, pushing away all the mist on the bridge.

"What," Zabuza turned to see what was the source of the chakra, overflowing with hate, to see Haku standing before Naruto. He looked at Kakashi, "what is he?"

"He is the Jinjuriki of the Kyuubi, and his name is Naruto," Kakashi brought up his hands signing Ox, Rabbit, Monkey, then holding his hand steady, he poured chakra making wild strings of electricity erupt from his hand. "A Jutsu of my own creation, Raikiri. Let it be the last thing you see," and Kakashi charged at the man in front of him.

Naruto's anger erupted from him in another wave of red chakra, then he charged the boy on all fours. Haku defended the best he could, but he isn't as fast without his mirrors to teleport to. Naruto slashed and kicked using his claws to shred Haku's flesh, he jumped and teleported behind Haku and drove his clawed hand at the base of his neck, and struck nothing.

Kakashi stood in shock, his hand through the boy's chest. Naruto looked and saw Haku smiling at Kakashi, "I'm glad to be useful to you, Zabuza-san." Haku grabbed Kakashi's arm, holding it inside his chest.

"Good job Haku," Zabuza looked past the boy with a wild smile on his face. He drew his sword and brought it down on the two standing before him.

Naruto teleported to Haku then teleported both the boy and his Sensei to the rest of his team. Turning around, his anger, his sadness, his chakra passed its tipping point. "It's time for me to kill you."

"Huh? What is some brat like you going to do?" Zabuza flung his sword on his shoulder.

"Naruto, stand down," Kakashi stood up and placed his hand on Naruto. When the boy looked back, he couldn't recognize him, it was like looking at a human Kyuubi.

Naruto growled deeply and crouched on all fours, "I'm the Kyuubi of Konoha!' He roared and charged Zabuza. He teleported right as a swing of the large sword aimed for his head. He kicked the man in the back and sent him flying a few feet forward until Naruto appeared in front of him and slammed his fist into Zabuza's head. Zabuza landed on his face and had no time to react before Naruto started throwing blow after blow at the man. Beating him bare-fisted and flinging blood everywhere, Naruto drew back one arm and brought it down, pushing his claws through Zabuza's chest. The red chakra faded around Naruto and he stood over Zabuza, he wasn't dead yet but he was dying.

"Why aren't you finishing me off?" Zabuza looked at the boy covered in his blood.

Naruto looked the man in the eyes as he said, "I want to look you in the eyes as you descend into hell for what you've done." He then looked at Haku who was laying peacefully beside Sasuke dead. "he sacrificed himself for you. He cared about you till the end, and now here you are, not regretting a single thing." Naruto turned back to Zabuza again with hatred and disgust, "you make me sick."

"You make me sick as well, Zabuza." Further down the bridge stood a short man in front of a sea of men with swords. He looked to the dead body of Haku, "I wanted to kill that Haku brat. Oh well, it's all the same in the end." He shrugged and looked to Zabuza, "and it looks like you're not too far behind."

Gritting his teeth, Zabuza stood up with his sword. Naruto repaired himself for another fight but was stopped by Kakashi. "Gato is his fight," he said, looking at the man then nodding.

Zabuza smiled, then looked at the shorter man, "how dare you grace your lips with his name," he sluggishly marched at Gato. "He was a sweet boy, one this world didn't deserve." He started to quicken his pace, "and more than that," he raised his sword, "Haku was my son!" Zabuza charged Gato and his men, swinging wildly beheading and maiming everyone in sight. Standing over the pile of dead bodies, Zabuza dropped his sword and started wobbling to where Haku was, falling before he could make it. Kakashi picked up the boy and laid him side Zabuza. He reached out, "I may not be going with you Haku, but I know you will be happy." Kakashi and Naruto left the dying man to finish his goodbyes to the boy.

The group stood around Sasuke in silence, not knowing what to say. Sakura knelt down and placed his head in her lap.

"I'll leave you if you need it," Tazuna said beginning to leave.

"In the academy," Sakura started, making the man turn back," we are taught hundreds of shinobi rules and codes. Number 4, a shinobi must always put the mission first. Number 25, a shinobi must never show their tears during a mission. Number 27, A shinobi must never show any weakness." Sakura looked Tazuna in the eyes, nothing showing in her face, "A shinobi who breaks the rules is scum, but those who leave their friends are worse than scum."

He closed his eyes and thought, "the life of a shinobi, I don't wish this upon any child."

Everyone froze when they heard something from Sakura's lap," shinobi basics, always watch your back and be prepared for anything." Sakura looked down to see Sasuke pulling up his shirt to show wrappings around Sasuke's torso and underneath was extra cloth, just enough to keep the senbon from striking anything vital.

"Sasuke-Kun!" Sakura smiled and hugged him.

"Sakura that hurts," Sasuke groaned in her arms.

"That's it!" Naruto spoke up. He was standing with his group overlooking the village and the new bridge.

"What now, Dobe," Sasuke looked at the boy.

"I don't like this world. It's filled with sadness and hate. So, I've decided, I will forge my own shinobi path. One that I will look back on without regrets- Dattebayo." He spun around giving a thumbs up and a wide grin.

Kakashi smiled proudly, "we should go pack and return to Konoha."

The group nodded and hiked down the hill to Tazuna's house. "Naruto-Kun, where is the Kyuubi?" Sakura looked around, noticing the fox was nowhere to be seen.

"Ah, well on our way over to the bridge, he kinda fell in the lake." Naruto looked at Sakura with a look of embarrassment. "He apparently never learned how to swim so I undid the Jutsu to keep him from drowning." Everyone looked at him, unable to believe what Naruto had just said. "I'm serious! Look I'll summon him and he can tell you himself!" Naruto created a kagebushin that transformed into a mini Kyuubi. "Tell them Kyuubi!" Naruto pointed to the team behind him.

The Kyuubi looked at Naruto, then the group, "why would I need to swim when I always was bigger than lakes or could walk across it?"

"Pft," Sakura let out.

"Why are you laughing? I never thought I would need to learn to swim!" Kyuubi glared at the girl.

"Oh, nothing." She looked away from the fox, just imagining the great Kyuubi bested by a lake is all." Sakura giggled as she ran to catch up with Sasuke.

After the packed and said their good bye's, they began the walk back to Konoha. Naruto thought of the trip, and how his life had changed yet he was returning to his personal hell. He sighed and his walk slowed till he was behind the group. Kakashi noticed and walked beside his student, "stressed about returning home?" He asked the boy while reading his book as usual.

"Yeah. This trip, it..." He looked at the ground thinking, it changed me, and I don't only mean physically," he gestured to his ears, "but there's so much I know now, and I just have to go back to letting the village try and kill me every day."

Kakashi was quiet before putting his book away. "I was going to wait till we got back to the village to ask you this," Kakashi stopped walking and looked down at the boy. "Iruka and I have been in a relationship for almost three years now."

"What?" Naruto looked up at his Sensei surprised, "how did I not know this?"

"We don't talk about it with people much," Kakashi looked at Naruto with surprise. "Is that weird?"

"No, I'm happy!" Naruto put his hands behind his head. "I'm also happy that you're both happy." He flashed a large smile.

He looked away and scratched the back of his head, "well one of the things we've talked a lot about is having kids."

"Kakashi-sensei, I like you both," He took a step back, "but I don't want to know how you two are gonna have a kid."

Kakashi looked at the blonde before blushing red, "No! I mean, we want a kid. And since we are both men, it's not in the cards biologically speaking," he watched as Naruto grew more confused and backed away more. "What I mean to ask is, who would you feel if Iruka and I adopted you?" Kakashi looked off away from the boy waiting for a response. Moments passed, seconds seemed like years and Kakashi was starting to get fidgety.

"Yes!" Naruto yelled to Kakashi. "Yes, Yes, Yes!" He started bouncing around and yelling with joy. "When will it happen, how long?"

"We will need to talk to Iruka but hopefully it will be soon." Kakashi looked down at Naruto with a huge smile. "Let's catch up with Sasuke and Sakura then finish getting home."

Naruto jumped and cheered almost the entire way back to Konoha.