Zabuza was supposed to be a feared and deadly swordsman...  that was the entire plan, but when he had found Haku, this young boy who was scrounging the streets for food with a powerful bloodline his first thought was to use him... use him as a weapon... but things didn't turn out well when he had grown to love the kid like a son... and the one time he finally got to admit it was after ending the life of that miserable Gato and seeing Haku throw himself in front of a deadly jutsu...

That blond had bested him in a fight, although not entirely as he was holding back, he really didn't expect the kid to break through his sword so easily... so here he was standing before the blond and the kid Damiyo... what a surprise to know that the blond had been engaged to the young lord was quite a shocker, and even a bigger shock was when they had asked for his and Haku's assistance... "Alright, you brats." Haku gave a small sheepish chuckle as the man tried to sound intimidating. 

"You asked for me to train you, so... I will teach what I know best." The man got a dark look with a grin. "KILLING!" Naruto and Ryouichi looked at him as if he was crazy. Naruto voiced his concerns. "So... your silent techniques or... how to wield a sword." The blond asked making the no-browed mercenary twitch. Sighing he looked up and grabbed a scroll, unsealing what was in it, two swords appeared and Ryouichi looked at them with curiosity before his eyes widened. "Those are!" Nodding his head he handed one to each of them. "The twin swords of the mist, Kiba."

Looking at them in curiosity Naruto swung them and hummed. "Wow, so how did you manage to get these? You didn't kill your fellow swordsman?" Ryouichi asked making Zabuza roll his eyes and place them up. "Raiga was deranged after he left the village, so I had to take care of him... anyways these swords are heavily infused with lightning chakra, channeling any type of nature into the chakra would automatically turn it into lightning so don't be surprised if you get shocked," Zabuza warned as he pulled out his massive executioner's blade.

"Now let's get you started on your stances." Ryouichi had learned a little from Asuma about how well you should hold a sword and how easy it was to mask your presence, but he had to admit that Asuma paled in comparison to the legendary mercenary. Looking over towards Haku he hummed. "So why aren't you doing this?" Haku blinked before shrugging. "I would if he didn't already teach me." Ryouichi hummed, wondering exactly when he was taught. He brought out of his thoughts as Zabuza went over every stance meticulously, he seemed to be a perfectionist when it came to his students as every time he or Naruto got something wrong it was instantly swatted at to get into the right position.

It went on simply, they were gaining the knowledge they needed for the fights at hand, although even if they didn't get trained by this master swordsman, they were sure to be fine, when Ryou told Hiruzen that both of them could take down a jounin if they needed to, he wasn't lying, though it pales in comparison to a competent S class ninja... so best to be prepared so they don't deal with another ninja like Orochimaru. Shuddering at the thought he instantly straightened his stance, seeing the sharp look given by Zabuza.

Naruto sighed at the feeling, though he knew this was a lot better training than with his old team... his mind wandered back to them, wondering exactly what Kakashi was doing to train Sasuke... His grip lessened as he remembered the Uchiha with a sad look down at the ground... "You have this power and you don't even use it!" The last verbal conversation that they had before the exams hit him like a ton of bricks... he had known how lonesome Sasuke really was... even though it didn't look like it, he was struggling just as much as Naruto was... even if it was mentally and not as physically violent as what the blond had to deal with.

Naruto relaxed as Zabuza dismissed them, Ryou's arm extended to him to grab ahold of, a concerned look etched his face. "What's wrong, I saw your face earlier. Missing Haruki?" He smiled slightly at the mention and he grabbed ahold of the arm and looped his around it. "I always miss Haru-chan... though it wasn't what was on my mind..." Naruto sighed slightly disgruntled. "Just wondering what Kakashi and Sasuke are doing right about now." Ryouichi rolled his eyes. "Probably the normal stuff I guess." Shrugging his shoulders Ryou hummed in wonder as they passed a few buildings, a fence near them.

"Hehehe." The duo paused at the very ominous giggle, and a bunch of scrawling of ink being scribed into a book quickly. "Oh this is some good stuff!" Naruto and Ryouichi looked up towards a nearby tree to see a familiar face, Ryouichi's eyes narrowed before Naruto growled, he unlooped his arm from Ryou's as the blond walked towards the man, Ryou watching in curiosity and excitement, ready to see what his fiance would do... "Whatcha doing?" Naruto asked feigning innocence. The man didn't even spare a glance. "Nothing kid, just normal research things!" He giggled again, a drop of blood leaking out of his nose before, Naruto took a deep breath with a shrug. "Really!? Cause IT looooks! Like you are SPYING in the WOMANS BATHS!" 

He said very loudly, and those paper-thin walls of the bathhouse really were filled with shrieks, before a hoard of angry women in towels started rushing out of the bathhouse and most of them were ninjas... chakra dancing around them ready to castrate the called out pervert. The screams of terror echoed throughout Konoha while Ryouichi started laughing hysterically, his fiance walking up to him with a triumphant grin on his face before wrapping his hands around the redhead's torso. "That felt very relieving." His laughter died into a small number of chuckles as he grinned at the blond, "I bet, he totally deserved it though." 

As they were walking away they heard from behind them, "What was that for BRAT!" The teens turned to see a very flustered and bruised Jiraiya. "Call it payment." Ryouichi calmly stated as the man glared at the redhead only for his eyes to widen considerably. His eyes went back and forth between the two as Ryoucihi smirked. "I see you recognize me Jiraiya, your information network really is bustling." The man gulped as he was about to bow only for Ryou to hold up his hand. "I'm currently on a mission so try not to blow my cover if you may..." The Daimyo quickly said as Naruto nodded his head.

Jiraiya looked at Naruto in confusion, wondering just how much he knew... "Payment for what..." The implications were there as Naruto rolled his eyes. "You weren't a very good godfather." The white-haired sannin looked downcast at that. "I thought you were Naruto just because of how you looked but that really hits the nail on the head..." The man said solemnly before he silently put away the 'notes' he had gathered into a scroll. "I wasn't a good godfather, you are right... but I'll do my best to make things right."

Ryou raised an eyebrow at the implications. "You know I'm your godfather, so that must mean you know of your heritage?" The blond nodded as the man looked up at the sky with a sigh, "Your father would be ashamed of me, and your mom would have already castrated me... but the only thing I can do now Is help you..." The man looked towards the blond expectantly. "You wish to become stronger? How would you like help?" Ryouichi grabbed ahold of his hand making the blond looked up curiously, wondering what this was about before he heard the familiar voice in his head. "Accept his offer... he may be an ass but he is strong, stronger than both of us combined, and probably then some."

The silence was deafening for Jirayia but Naruto gave a silent look up at him and nodded his head. "Fine, but try to actually train us." Naruto said with a sigh, he defiantly did not want to deal with another issue running in with the lack of progression on training... his mind roaming back to his team with an annoyed huff. Jiraiya could only hum in wonder, thinking what had happened to the teen... he had heard he became a ninja but now with the headband, he guessed he had decided to go with the daimyo as his own ninja... though the way Ryouichi gently held Naruto's hand and the way his network told him a few weeks ago that the daimyo had announced his engagement... The man could easily put it together.

"Right, how would you like a summon contract-" "I can't have two can I?" Ryouichi shook his head in a silent answer as the man blinked. "You have one?!" Naruto hummed out in acknowledgment. "The fox one, they are very nice." Jiraiya bit his tongue from asking absurd questions, knowing Hiruzen defiantly didn't have that, and wherever he could have found a very rare scroll... he shook his head in confusion, fixing his gaze on Naruto he swore he saw Minato standing behind him with a grin... "Fine, whenever you are free, meet me at training ground nine, I will teach you a jutsu that only I know."

Naruto raised an eyebrow curiously. "Or well, the only person who is alive." He heard the mutter as Naruto shrugged his shoulders, giving a nod in affirmative Jiraiya turned and gave one final peace before he disappeared in a flurry of leaves. "You look just like your father, with that look." Ryouichi had smiled, knowing exactly what impact that had made on his fiance, squeezing his hand in a comforting gesture, he saw the tear that cascaded off of his face.

...

When they had gotten back to their home, Naruto rested his head against the head rest of their bed, staring at Ryouichi who was twisting his body rocking the babe in his arms, singing a short but familiar tune, it sounded interesting slowed down but still very nice. "Once upon the night we wait~ our carnival of life~ the beauty of this ride ahead~ such an incredible sight~" Naruto closed his eyes as he listened to the lyrics. "Last Ride of the day... La la, la la la..." Ryouichi looked down in his arms to see that Haruki had fell asleep, humming the tune he gently laid the babe down in the crib and gave a silent look towards the blond.

Naruto opened his eyes as Ryouichi scrambled into the bed next to him, giving an arm for Naruto to grab ahold of, the blond took it with ease. "The pervert doesn't seem all that bad..." Ryouichi gave a quiet chuckle, silently agreeing with him, though a pervert and he didn't seem to have much contact with the blond when he was younger, it did seem what he said gave Naruto a sense of relief and hapiness that someone knew... someone other then Ryouichi and someone else wouldn't just write him off...

"Ryou." Looking down Naruto's lips met his, Ryouichi blinked away the surprise before closing his eyes and pushed back and pulled away, his eyes giving a curious look. "Love you..." The whisper broke the silence as the redhead gave a grin. "Love you too." The blonds smile bubbled into Ryouichis heart, he fully brought his arms around the blonds form and whispered soft words of warmth into the blonds ear. "Always and forever."

...

TBC

Word count: 1985