Everyone watched as the battle went on. 

Sakura put her hands up to her mouth and called out. " Sasuke. Naruto. Kat. Take this guy out! You can do it."

"Don't, Sakura," Kakashi ordered. "Don't push them."

She looked at him. "Huh?"

"Even if they somehow found a way to overcome the mirror jutsu, they still couldn't defeat this ninja," Kakashi explained darkly.

"Uh. How can you be so sure?" Sakura asked. Zabuza started laughing. 

"They have the desire to win," Kakashi confirmed. "But they don't have the instinct to kill. That boy is a whole other breed. He lives for pain. He thrives on it." 

"Exactly," Zabuza confirmed. "Your village has become complacent. Your trainees never learn the most important lesson of all, to kill the feelings in their own hearts. To crush an opponent mercilessly. To destroy with no emotion or regret."

"Uh," Sakura gasped. "But then, Sensei, what are they going to do? Please tell us."

***

Back in the ice mirrors, the three were observing what had happened.

"I didn't get to him," Naruto grunted. "Then I'll try it again. As many times as it takes. Shadow Clone Jutsus!"

"Naruto, don't!" Sasuke protested as clones launched out to attack. 

"Watch out for my flames, Naruto!" Katsumi instructed as she started to the signs that Sasuke told her. 

"Just don't light me on fire!" Naruto shouted.

"Fire Ball Jutsu!" Katsumi shouted as she put her hands up by her mouth. Blue hell fire flames shot out, and they started melting the mirrors more, Sasuke was surprised by Katsumi as well as the water in the air had changed from movement. Naruto's clones disappeared, Katsumi was panting and Sasuke got sliced up even more.

"How is he doing that?" Naruto shouted as he got to his feet.

Katsumi saw the mirrors on the bottom were melting faster. "Let's do it again!" 

"Ah. Shadow clone jutsu!" More clones popped out as Katsumi did the fire jutsu again, aiming at the mirrors at the bottom, Sasuke went and kicked at the water, trying to catch Haku as he moved. 

"Don't you see that it's useless?" Haku asked. "No matter how many mirrors you try to melt, you are still going to fail." Naruto's clones disappeared as Sasuke and Katsumi got attacked. They all landed on the ground by each other. 

"Kat," Sasuke whispered. She looked at him. "Instead of using your hell flames, maybe focus on using your ice?"

"Hm?" Katsumi tilted her head. "Like trap him?" 

"Eliminate the mirrors he travels to and from whether by melting or freezing," Sasuke explained. 

Naruto started to run towards a mirror. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

"Now," Sasuke ordered. Katsumi ran towards a mirror, she placed her hands on it as Sasuke shot out fire. The mirror she put her hands on started to crack, and she felt herself get kicked, as Sasuke shot out more fire. She landed right before Naruto's clones disappeared.

"How was that?" Katsumi asked as she panted, she felt something dripping off her cheek, and she looked to see a small puddle of blood. 

"Do it again," Sasuke answered with a smirk, Katsumi looked at Haku carefully and saw the bottom of his pants leg was singed from Sasuke's fire. Katsumi looked to see one of the mirrors reflecting the one that Katsumi managed to crack. Even with the mask, Katsumi could tell that Haku was troubled. 

"I was so close, but I couldn't quite get to him, " Naruto said. 

"Naruto, can you do it again?" Sasuke requested. 

"Huh? Of course," Naruto confirmed. "Nothing can stop me. Believe it." The mirrors started to shine. 

"Naruto, run for it!" Sasuke instructed.

"Huh?" Naruto asked.

"Get out of here and attack from the outside, Kat and I will attack from in here," Sasuke instructed. " Hurry!"

"Uh, all right," Naruto nodded, clenching his fist.  "You got it."

"You can not escape," Haku declared as Naruto ran towards an exit. 

Naruto got blocked, he got back up and started to run for another exit. "You think you can keep me here? Forget it."

"That's it!" Sasuke shouted. "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" Katsumi did the same, as Sasuke aimed at Haku, she aimed at the mirrors away from Naruto. Haku dodged the fire and kicked Naruto, he slip back over to the other two as Sasuke and Katsumi got hit with needles. 

"I couldn't get past him," Naruto panted as he stood up.

"That was good, Naruto," Sasuke complimented as he took out the needle. "Kat, I thought I was instructed to use ice. You used your fire."

"If you freeze something too quickly, it'll crack," Katsumi explained as she removed the needle from her leg. "The more melted, the more likely it'll crack." Sasuke gasped and nodded. 

"One more time?" Sasuke requested as he got to his feet.

"Yeah," Katsumi agreed.

"Let's do it," Naruto nodded. He ran forward with a yell, Sasuke ran, and so did Katsumi. Sasuke ended up getting struck.

"Sasuke!" Naruto and Katsumi exclaimed. Those two let out a yell as they got struck as well. As this went on, Katsumi could feel her chakra getting low, as well as losing control. 

'Can't afford to lose control at a time like this,' Katsumi thought to herself. They all heard a scream. 'Sakura.'

Naruto started groaning. "Sakura. She's in trouble."

"I'll bust us out of here," Naruto said as he got to his feet. 

"Naruto," Katsumie breathed. "You already used up so much chakra."

"Don't you worry about me, Kat," Naruto smiled at her. "I'll fake him out."

"You've exhausted my patience," Haku growled. 

"Let's go, Kat!" Naruto shouted. "He can only focus on one of us!"

"Right!" Katsumi exclaimed as she got to her feet. He ran in a direction, Haku followed, and Katsumi ran toward the mirrors she started to do hand signs. 

"Naruto! Behind you!" Sasuke shouted as Katsumi shouted as she put her hands on a mirror. "Naruto!" Large cracks started to go through the mirror as Naruto got pelted by Senbon. "Kat!" Katsumi looked up to Haku in the mirror in front of her, the ice mirror completely shattered, Haku exited the mirror right as it was shattering, he kicked her harshly, as she flew back, senbon flew past her, some hitting her. "Kat!"

"Your chance of escaping my house of Mirrors is zero," Haku said. "Even if the impossible became possible. That is absolute."

Sasuke ran over to where Naruto and Katsumi lay. "Naruto, Kat, are you both able to get up?" They both started to move and groaned. "Try not to use any more charka."

"I know, Sasuke, I know," Naruto groaned as he laid his back down. 

Sasuke got onto his feet. "My eyes have adjusted to his movements."

"Looking for a counterattack?" Haku asked as he appeared in a mirror.  "I'll save you the trouble." Sasuke picked up a needle, he used it to block all the ones that were thrown at him. "What?"

"Get up losers!" Sasuke ordered. "We've got to team up!"

"You got a plan?" Katsumi asked as she sat up.

"I know what we have to do," Naruto grunted as he sat up. "Believe it, Sasuke." Sasuke continued to block all the senbon that got thrown. Sasuke pushed Katsumi and Naruto out of the way to avoid getting struck, taking some of the blow himself. 

"He disappeared!" Sasuke exclaimed as he looked around. "Where did he go? How can he just vanish? Kat! Get up!"

"All right, all right," Katsumi grunted as she got to her feet. 

"Naruto, you'd better not pass out again," Sasuke ordered. "Come on, let's go! I can't keep protecting you both like this."

"Well, then, don't," Naruto ordered. "I never asked for your help." He grunted and passed out again. They both gasped and looked at Sasuke.

"You can't revive him," Haku informed. "He's reached his limits."

"Sasuke," Katsumi whispered, he grunted looking at her. "Be careful where you move, I'm starting to lose control." Sasuke gasped he looked down to see ice spreading out from her feet. Sasuke grunted as he threw a senbon.

"Impressive," Haku complimented as he blocked the weapon. "You have excellent moves." He raised his arm. "Your attacks are very skillful." He dodged the senbon thrown at him. "But you've reached your limits as well, you all have. Motor functions, reflexes, judgment, control. Your abilities are weakening slowly but surely. Now you're finished!" As Haku threw his attack, Sasuke grabbed Naruto as Katsumi went toward a mirror, she slammed her foot into completely destroying it, and water splashed all over. 

"Thought you were losing control?" Sasuke asked with a smirk as he looked over at her. 

"I did," Katsumi smiled looking back at her. She held up her foot to show the hellfire flames. "Nice eyes, Uchiha," Sasuke smirked even more. Sasuke had awakened his Sharingan in battle. Haku left the mirror, he aimed right for Naruto. Both Sasuke and Katsumi ran toward their teammate. 

It happened so quickly.

Katsumi had gotten struck, she fell in front of Sasuke losing full control of her jutsu. Sasuke got in front of Naruto he managed to knock Haku to the ground but was struck by numerous Senbon. The ice mirrors all around them were now frozen to each other, there was no longer an opening to get out. Naruto grunted signaling he was starting to come around.

"Real bad time to lose control, Katsumi," Sasuke grunted.

"I just--I'll just need to melt it," Katsumi grunted, she struggled to get up, she quickly collapsed, she didn't have a lot of chakra left. There was more grunting from Naruto. 

"You always get in the way, Naruto," Sasuke grunted. "It never fails."

"Ah!" Naruto smiled as he started to sit up. "You beat him, Sasuke! Where's Kat?!" His smile dropped, as he saw the state Sasuke was in, and the smile dropped, even more, when he saw Katsumi in a similar state, on the ground in front of Sasuke. Her blood spread out on the icy floor. 

Sasuke looked back at Naruto. "You should see the look on your face. You--You look like a total loser."

"Huh?" Naruto gasped as he sat up. "Why--why did you, uh, save me? The both of you? Why did you do it?"

"You're my friend, Naruto," Katsumi said with a small, weak smile. 

" I don't know why, I just did," Sasuke admitted, he let out a cough. "You. I hated you."

"Then why?" Naruto demanded as he go to his feet. "It doesn't make any sense. Why did you protect me?" Sasuke smirked as he looked up, this made Naruto growl, clenching his fist. "I didn't ask for this! I didn't ask for you to save me! The both of you!"

"I don't know," Sasuke said. "My body just moved. There was no time to think." Sasuke started to fall back. "Loser." Naruto caught him before Sasuke could hit the ground. 

"Sasuke!" Naruto exclaimed. 

"He...he's still out there," Sasuke managed. "My brother...I promised myself...I'd stay alive until I killed him. Naruto, don't let your dream die, help Katsumi's clan be more part of the village." Sasuke's eyes closed. Naruto was in shock.

"Is this the first time you have seen a friend die in battle?" Haki asked breaking the silence, he had looked away. "This is part of what it means to be a ninja." Haku slipped back into his ice mirrors. 

"Shut up," Naruto growled, Katsumi looked at Naruto. He gently placed Sasuke on the ground. "I...I hated you too, Sasuke. And yet.." Steamed circled around Naruto, rising up. "You'll pay for this." Naruto looked at Katsumi, she saw that his eyes were now orange with a slit in them. Naruto grew angrier, more steam shot out, and orange chakra rose up. He growled looking up at Haku, his teeth were pointer. "I'm going to kill you!" The orange chakra spread out, even more, it circled around Katsumi.

'This is Kurama's chakra,' Katsumi thought to herself. 'It's just as Great-Gran described, powerful, and complete anger.' There was so much bloodlust in the air. Katsumi looked up to see a giant fox face forming out of the chakra, the needles on Naruto popped out and his wounds healed.  'Naruto.' Katsumi watched as the chakra filled the lines of where Katsumi's ice was, in between the ice mirrors. The fox roared as the chakra dispelled from sight. She looked back to Naruto to see his hair growing even spikier. The whiskers on his face getting deeper, teeth pointer, he was on all fours, growling. Haku raised Senbon as Naruto charged forward.  So much energy flooded from Naruto, that it was shattering Katsumi's ice. 

Naruto easily deflected the attack, and Haku appeared in all the remaining mirrors. Haku aimed his attacks at Katsumi, Naruto immediately appeared over her, he took the attack and immediately expelled the weapons from his body. He went and broke an ice mirror, Haku left a broken shard to attack from above. Naruto dodged as Haku slammed into the ground. 

Naruto grabbed a hold of Haku, more energy spilled out breaking all more mirrors.

"Naruto!" Katsumi called out. "Kurama!" Her voice got lost in the wind of energy. Naruto slammed a punch, sending Haku through a mirror.  The rest of the mirrors finally shattered. Naruto immediately charged toward Haku, Katsumi got to her knees, crawled over to Sasuke, and put her head on his chest. He was breathing, but he appeared dead. Haku had put Sasuke in the same state he put Zabuza in when they first met. Katsumi took out some supplies. She ripped the sections of Sasuke's shirt, as she pulled out the needles and tended to the wounds, bandaging them up. She put the needles on a cloth she had laid out.  

Soon the fog around them started to dispel. Katsumi looked up, in the distance she could see Kakashi standing between Zabuza and Kakashi. She heard foots steps, she saw Naruto run up a bit and stopped.

'Looks like Naruto has calmed down.' Katsumi said to herself. Zabuza raised his blade to strike, and Kakashi grabbed hold of Haku and jumped out of the way. He laid the boy down, out of any more harm's way. Katsumi wished she could get closer to hear what they were saying. Her wish came louder and sooner from Sakura.

"Naruto! Naruto! So you, Kat, and Sasuke are all right?" There was silence. "What's wrong? Where are Sasuke and Kat anyway?" Zabuza ran as Kakashi was distracted, Kakashi easily deflected Zabuza with a kick. 

"Kat!" Sakura cried as she ran up with Tazuna. "What happened? What happened to Sasuke?" She collapsed next to him. 

"Oh, Sasuke's going to be alright," Katsumi assured as she removed another needle. 

Sakura placed a hand on Sasuke's face. "But...his body's cold. This isn't just one of his genjutsu tricks, is it?"

"Go on," Tazuna allowed. "You don't need to be brave on my account. Go ahead and let your feelings out, Sakura. It's alright."

"Sakura--" Katsumi began. 

"I was the best, aced every test at the academy," Sakura interrupted. "The perfect student. Did you know there are more than 100 principles of shinobi conduct? I memorized every single one. I used to love it when they tested us on them. Gave me a chance to show how smart I was. I remember so clearly this one exam. You remember when they asked us to explain the 25th principle, Kat?" Sakura began to sob. 

"A shinobi never shows his feelings, no matter what circumstances," Katsumi recalled. "Feelings are a weakness that only cloud his judgment and weaken his sense of duty."

Sakura threw herself onto Sasuke. "Sasuke!"

"Sasuke is going to be alright," Katsumi assured her. "No need to get so upset."

"How can you say that?" Sakura sobbed. "How can you be so calm about this?"

"Haku put Sasuke in a similar state he put Zabuzba from the first encounter," Katsumi explained. "He's stimulated dead, but he's not actually dead." This somehow made Sakura sob even louder. 

There was a cane-tapping sound, Katsumi looked to see a short man with a lot of others behind him. "Well, well. So this is how it turns out, huh?" Kakashi got ready to strike Zabuza. Sword was swung, Kakashi plunged his kunai into Zabuza and then back sprang away. 

Gato stepped forward, he got everyone's attention, and he was loud for everyone to hear.

"Did quite a job on you, didn't he, Zabuza? You look like yesterday's sashimi. I must say I'm disappointed.

"Gato," Zabuza said. "I don't understand. What is all this? Why are you here? And who are these thugs you've brought with you?"

"Hm, well, you see there's been a slight change in plan," Gato explained. "According to the new plan, you die right here on this bridge, Zabuza."

"What?" Zabuza asked. 

"That's right," Gato confirmed. "You're too expensive. So I've decided to take you off the payroll. Of course, even these things I brought with me cost something. So if you could manage to slaughter a few of them before they take you down, I'd appreciate it. Think you can manage that? Do you, the Ninja of the Mist?" He snickered. "Look at you. You look about as demonic as a wet kitten." The men behind Gato started laughing.

"Stay with Sasuke," Katsumi whispered to Sakura. "He should be waking up soon." Katsumi got up, she walked up to Naruto. 

"Well, well, Kakashi," Zabuza said. " It would seem our fight is at an end. Since I am no longer in Gato's employ, Tazuna's safe. We have no quarrel."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right," Kakashi agreed. 

Gato walked up to Haku's body. "That reminds me, you little punk. You grabbed me and nearly broke my arm!" He pushed Haku's face with his foot. "I've been meaning to repay you for that." Gato kicked Haku in the face, and Naruto let out an angry gasp."Huh, I only wish he was alive to feel it. Katsumi gasped, she didn't know he was dead until now.

"Get away!" Naruto shouted angrily and ran forward. "Get away from him, you scum!"

"Hey, stop!" Kakashi ordered as he grabbed hold of Naruto. "Use your head."

"Well, what about you, Zabuza?" Naruto asked as Katsumi went and stood on the other side of Kakashi. "You're gonna let him do that."

"Be quiet, you fool," Zabuza ordered. "Haku's dead. What does it matter?"

"What?" Naruto growled. "You mean you can just stand there and watch him get treated like a dog? You and Haku were together for years. Doesn't that mean anything?"

"You don't understand the way of shinobi," Zabuza said. "I merely used him just as Gato used me. Now, it's over. His usefulness is at an end. The loss of his strength and skill, yes, that means something to me. But they boy--Nothing."

"If you mean that, you're an even bigger rat than I thought," Naruto said. 

"Okay, that's enough," Kakashi ordered as he grabbed Naruto's shoulders. "He's not the enemy. Not right now."

"Aah!" Naruto yelled as he pushed Kakashi's hand away. "Shut up! As far as I'm concerned he's enemy number one!" Zabuza stared down at Naruto. "Why you...You ungrateful--After everything, he did for you. Haku lived for you! You're the most important thing in the world to him. And he meant nothing to you? Nothing at all? While he was sacrificing everything for you, you never felt anything at all for him? And if I become stronger does that mean? Does that mean, I'll become as coldhearted as you are? He threw his life away. And for what? For you and your dream!" Zabuza was no longer looking at Naruto, tears were in Naruto's eyes. "You never let him have a dream of his own. But he didn't care. And you just tossed him aside like he was nothing. A broken tool. Man, that's so wrong. So wrong!"

"You talk too much," Zabuza said after a second of silence. Naruto looked up as tears fell from Zabuza's eyes. "Your words cut deeper--Deeper than any blade. While he fought you, his heart was breaking in two. You see, Haku was always too soft and too kind. He felt pain and sorrow. And now, curse him, I feel them too. And something else, I feel content that this is the way it ends." using his teeth. Zabuza ripped the mask off. "Well, cat got your tongue?" He turned to Naruto. Are you so surprised to discover that I'm human? Even Shinobi are human, No matter how hard we try to escape that simple fact, we always fail. Well, at least I have failed. Boy! Give me your kunai."

Naruto looked down, he pulled out the weapon. "Here." He tossed it. Katsumi watched it spin through the air; Zabuza caught it with his mouth. 

"Aah!" Gato cried as Zabuza charged forward. "That's enough of this! Do it! Take him down now!"

Yeah!" the men shouted.

"He must be out of his mind! One against all of us, what's he thinking!"

Katsumi was amazed Zabuza cut through the crowd of rogue shinobi, and only with a kunai in his mouth. 

"Finish him off!"

"Get him!"

Zabuza cut through, going right for Gato. "He--he's th-the devil!" Zabuza stabbed Gato with the blade. The rogue shinobi stabbed clades into Zabuza's back. "You crazy fool. If you're so eager to join your friend, go ahead. But you're not taking me! Not this time!"

"Uh-uh," Zabuza denied. "I won't be joining Haku. Where he's gone, I cannot follow." Zabuza turned to Gato.

"Stay back!" Gato wheezed as he backed up. "Stay back!"

"We wouldn't be welcome where Haku's gone to," Zabuza smiled. "Hell's where we're going, Gato!" Gato whimpered. "I can't think of a more fitting destination for a demon ninja, can you? I'm told there are many demons down there, of all shapes and sizes. Oh, yes, I should fit right in. You, on the other hand, Gato, well, I fear, you're in for a long and very painful eternity!" He grabbed the knife, and sliced up Gato, Zabuza slipped on the glasses he managed to knock off Gato. With a final blow, Gato plunged into the water below. Everything was silent, Zabuza looked at the other men, they backed away in fear. Zabuza dropped the kunai in his mouth and started to make his way toward Haku. He dropped mid-way. "Haku...So this is goodbye at last. Not once did I ever thank you, Haku. Forgive me for that." He fell forward, Naruto closed his eyes looking away.

"Don't turn away," Kakashi ordered, this got Naruto to open his eyes. "When you live like a warrior this is how it ends." Naruto looked back at Zabuza. 

"Naruto! Kat!" Sakura called out. "Over here! Look, it's Sasuke!" they both looked back to see Sasuke back on his feet. "He's all right! He's all right!"

"Just as I thought," Katsumi smiled as Sasuke raised his hand, he kept his head down. Naruto grew happier.

"But how?" Naruto asked as he looked back at Haku. 

"Well, well, will wonders never cease?" Kakashi asked. "Amazing."

"Hey, yoo-hoo!" a rogue ninja shouted, he banged the other end of his sword on the ground. They looked back at them. "Don't go getting too comfortable. This party ain't over yet. 

"Who's gonna pay us now that Gato's gone?

"No way we're gonna leave here empty-handed. So we'll just have to hit that village."

"Yeah!"

"Come on, let's go!"

"Will they give it a rest?" Katsumi asked.

"Come on, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto encouraged. "You must have a jutsu that could take care of this bunch of losers!"

"Not right now," Kakashi denied. "I used too much of my chakra."

"Get 'em, boys!"

The men started running towards them, they stopped at an arrow that landed before the first guy. 

They looked to see all the villagers, Inari was in front, it was clear he was the one to launch the arrow. "There's one little thing you're forgetting about. Before you set one foot in our village, you'll have to go through us."

"Yeah!"

"Inari!" Naruto cheered. 

"Heroes usually show up at the last minute, you know?" Inari quoted. 

"They've all come," Tazuna teared up. "The whole village."

"Shadow Clone jutsu!" Naruto shouted, and four other clones show up. "Well, Katsumi?"

"Yeah, let's team up," Katsumi as she held up a sign, she made two clones, and all got in a fighting position. The rogue ninja became alarmed.

"Hm, I might have just enough chakra left to help you out," Kakashi admitted. "Shadow Clone jutsu." About a thousand Kakashi showed up. "Kakashi Style! Okay, still want to fight?"

"No, thanks!" a man shouted as the rogue ninja quickly abandoned what they set out to do. They went overboard all trying to get on the boat below. Everyone looked over to see the ship setting sail as fast as it could. 

"Victory!" Inari cheered. 

"All right!" the villagers cheered. The cheering stopped, they all watched Kakashi remove the weapons from Zabubza's back, then carry him.

"Huh?"

"Impossible." Everyone grew amazed that it was snowing,

"Snowing at this time of year?"

"Is it you, Haku?" Zabuza asked. "Are you weeping?" Kakashi put Zabuza next to Haku. "Thank you, Kakashi." Kakashi went back over to Naruto, he turned to watch and Naruto grabbed onto Kakashi's jacket. "You were always at my side. The least I can do is be beside you at the end." Zabuza shakily moved his hand to touch Haku's face. "I know it cannot be, but I wish I could go to where you have gone. How I wish I could join you there...Haku." The sun shined through the clouds.

"He told me..." Naruto cried. "That where he came from...it was snowing, all the time."

"Of course," Kakashi said. "His spirit was as pure as the snow. You never know, Zabuza, maybe you will join him there. Who's to say?" By the end of the day at sunset, Team 7 was paying their respects to Zabuza and Haku's graves. They had a sword on Zabuza's grave and Haku's headband. Both posts had a ring of flowers.

"Is that really it, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked. 

"Hm?" Kakashi asked. 

"Is that the ninja way? To used and be used by people like tools?" Sakura got up from Haku's grave.

"Shinobi are merely tools in the hands of destiny," Kakashi explained. " No point in wondering whether it's right or wrong. It just is. It's the same in the Village Hidden in the Leaves."

"Well, if you ask me if that's what being a ninja's all about, something's out of whack," Naruto said. 

"Is that why we go through all this training?" Katsumi asked. "Just to end up like them?"

"What is the reason?" Sasuke asked. 

Kakashi let out a sigh. "Well, it's a question without an answer. And that is something we ninja have to deal with every day of our lives, like Zabuza and the kid. "

"Okay," Naruto asked.

"Hm?" They all asked.

"I've just come to a decision," Naruto smiled as he looked at the sun. "From now on, I'm finding my own ninja way. A way that's straight and true and without any regrets. From now on, I'm following the way of Naruto!" Everyone smiled. They stayed bending and helped with the bridge. 

Katsumi walked up to Kakashi, she had some tools in her hand.

"Something on your mind?" Kakashi asked. 

"It's about Naruto," Katsumi answered. "Is he going to be alright?"

"Whatever do you mean?" Kakashi asked as they started to work on the bridge more. 

"When we were fighting Haku, some of Kurama's chakra appeared," Katsumi answered, Kakashi looked at her in surprise. "I know I'm not supposed to know, but Great-Gran always told us stories of nine tails when we were younger. I know the village is supposed to really talk about it...is Naruto going to be alright?"

Kakashi let out a sigh. "Naruto will be alright...the seal was loosened not broken." Katsumi smiled happily. "Though will come a time when Naruto can no longer ignore that the nine tail--"

"Kurama," Katsumi corrected.

"Naruto will need to acknowledge that Kurama is inside of him when the time is right," Kakashi said. "If he continues to ignore it, he'll never be able to come to his full strength, and he's already strong without knowing." Katsumi nodded. "You need to focus on getting stronger as well, you did lose control a couple of times during the battle...perhaps...another round of bells."

"I'm sure when I tell Lee, he and Gai-sensei will have me doing 3,000 pushups," Katsumi groaned as she hung her head, Kakashi laughed lightly.

Soon the bridge was finished and Team 7 was going home. 

"We could never have finished the bridge without you," Tazuna said. "I can't tell you how much we're going to miss you."

"Do be careful," Tsunami instructed. 

"Thank you for everything," Kakashi said. 

"Now, now, don't get all choked up," Naruto said. "We'll come back and visit real soon. "

"You swear you will?" Inari asked as he started to tear up. 

"Of course," Naruto said as he teared up, Tazuna put a hand on Inari's head. "You know, Inari, it's all right to cry if you want to. There's nothing wrong with that. Go for it."

"Who says I wanna cry?" Inari asked. "Anyway, if there's nothing wrong with it then why don't you go on and cry?"

"No, you first..." Naruto insisted. They stared each other down. "Forget it!" Naruto turned around, he sobbed just as Inari did. Without looking back, Team 7 started their journey home. 

"It was all his doing," Tazuna said. "That boy made you stronger, Inari. And you, in turn, made the rest of us stronger. It was thanks to that boy, we were able to build a bridge to a place we've never known, a place where we found our courage, a place to fulfill our dreams."

"Say, speaking of the bridge, now that it's finished, uh, shouldn't we name it?"

"Yes, of course," Tazuna agreed. "Huh, and I know just the name."

"You do? What?"

"We'll call it the Great Naruto Bridge," Tazuna answered. 

Tsunami laughed. "That's a very good name."

"Ha, ha! As soon as we get back, I'm gonna let Iruka-sensei fix me up a whole mess of ramen to celebrate a mission accomplished," Naruto smiled.

"I'll probably tell Lee about it when I train with him," Katsumi said. "He's gonna wanna hear all about it, Tenten and Neji as well."

"Oh, and just wait till I tell Konohamaru about all my adventures!" Naruto lit up even more. "The kid's gonna worship me!"

"Hey," Sakura greeted.

"Yeah?" Naruto asked. 

"Not you, Naruto," Sakura grunted. "Sasuke, when we get back you wanna go out and do something together?"

"I don't think so," Sasuke denied. "Thanks."

"Oh, okay," Sakura gloomed as she stopped walking. 

"Sakura, I'd do something with you if you want," Naruto offered. 

"What?" Sakura growled as grabbed him. "Hey, that was a private conversation!" She threw him off the bridge. "Beat it!"

"I hope Naruto knows how to swim," Katsumi said as she looked over the edge.

"You sure about that name, Tazuna?" Kakashi asked in worry. 

Tazuna chuckled. "It's a name that brought us good luck. It'll do the same for the bridge. I think the bridge will stand for a long, long time. Perhaps it will be famous one day. The name Naruto, known throughout the world. That would be something, wouldn't it?"