Disclaimer: I Don't Own Naruto

AN: Ok guys so the voting has ended the top 3 girls that will be entering Naruto's harem by popular demand are Samui, Kurotsuchi, and Karin. Female Gaara had the same amount of votes as Karin, but I've decided to use Karin over Female Gaara because some people have expressed their dislike of the pairing. Though I would have used Female Gaara regardless had she had 1 more vote than Karin.

Chapter 4 - Making Waves

Kitsune looked at the blisters on his hand glad he had a healing factor from the Kyuubi. Neko had been training him along the way the to Wave country in the basic forms of Kenjutsu. Kitsune and Neko were currently walking across a body water that separated Fire country from Wave country. As Kitsune and Neko walked toward a half finished bridge they noticed a heavy fog covered the entirety of the bridge.

"Kitsune stay alert there may be enemies ahead." Neko said to her companion.

"Hai, Neko-sensei." Kitsune nodded to her.

As Kitsune and Neko made their way onto the bridge they heard the distinct sounds of a battle. Neko quickly gave a glance to Kitsune. Kitsune nodded to Neko, and they both swiftly made their way to the battle taking place ahead of them. Upon reaching the area just a little ways off of the bridge where the battle was taking place they saw Kakashi suspend overtop of the water trapped in a sphere of water with Zabuza Momochi the Demon of the Hidden Mist standing next to it. The Genin of team seven were standing around the bridge builder Tazuna readying themselves to fight the approaching water clones Zabuza had sent to take care of the bridge builder.

"Kitsune take care of the clones while I free Kakashi-senpai from the water prison." Kitsune nodded to Neko before using the Body Flicker Jutsu to appear in front of a Zabuza clone that was about to hack Sakura in half with it's mighty cleaver. Kitsune instantly drew Shisui and lopped the head of the clone clean off causing the clone to revert to a puddle. The massive blade fell into the ground sticking straight up with the handle in the air. Kitsune flickered out of existence once more just before another two clones dispersed into water puddles. Two of the five remaining clones rushed for Kubikiribocho while the other three attacked Kitsune. No longer having the element of surprise drastically lowered Kitsune's success in battle against the clones even if the clones only had 10% of the Zabuza's strength. Kitsune quickly engaged the three water clones in a Taijutsu bout. It took all of his training up until this point to dodge the attacks of his opponents. Seeing an opening after his dodged a kick the head from one of the clones Kitsune got some distance between himself and the clones. As soon as he was away from the clones he began running through a string of hand seals.

"Haiton: Ash Senbon Jutsu" Twenty senbon made of ash appeared in front Kitsune before launching themselves at the water clones instantly killing them. Turning back to check on the two clones that had gone to retrieve Kubikiribocho. Kitsune saw that Sasuke and Sai had worked together to kill one, but the other had gotten ahold of Kubikiribocho and thrown it toward the real Zabuza that was currently fighting Neko and the recently freed Kakashi. He quickly body flickered over and dispatched the last clone.

Just after she had given orders to Kitsune Neko body flickered to behind the former seven swordsman before trying to strike him with her Katana. Zabuza quickly dodged the blade while keeping control of the water prison that Kakashi was trapped within.

"The Leaf decided to send a couple of ANBU to backup Kakashi's team, huh?" Zabuza asked as Neko poised to attack again. However Zabuza was able to dodge yet another sword slash and followed up with a kick to Neko's abdomen. Neko quickly picked herself up and continued her onslaught, but none the attacks she used were enough to free Kakashi. A few hits did graze Zabuza, but it just wasn't enough and he was able to get a few hits on her as well. Seeing that she wouldn't be able to free Kakashi using normal sword techniques Neko decided to use a Leaf Style Kenjutsu attack.

"Leaf Style Hazy Moon Night" Neko rushed toward Zabuza with a vertical sword slash going at such a speed that an after image was left behind. The attack was fast enough that Zabuza wasn't able to dodged in time causing him to receive a slash mark across his chest as well release the Water Prison Jutsu confining Kakashi.

"Neko let me take it from here." Kakashi said while standing up as Zabuza jumped backward catching Kubikiribocho in the process. Zabuza began chaining a large number of hand seals that Kakashi quickly copied using his sharingan eye. Both Kakashi and Zabuza finished their hand seals at the same time.

"Suiton: Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu" They both exclaimed at the same time as two dragons made of water barreled toward each other. The two dragons canceled one another out causing water to rain down over the whole battle field. Kakashi and Zabuza then clashed kunai to giant sword with Kakashi perfectly copying Zabuza's every move.

'It's as if he knows what I'm-'

"going to do next." Kakashi said finishing the former mist ninja's thought for him.

'Is he reading-'

"My mind. Yes." Said Kakashi approaching Zabuza.

"All you're doing is copying me like a damned monkey." Zabuza growled out before beginning a set of hand seals. Kakashi began doing the same seals as Zabuza, but even faster than him.

"Suiton: Great Waterfall Jutsu" Kakashi said as a vortex of water swept Zabuza onto the land and into a tree. Kakashi walked over to the immobile ex-mist ninja.

"Can you... see the future?" Zabuza asked weakly.

"Yes, your future is death." Suddenly senbon out from a tree and pierced Zabuza in the neck causing him to fall limp. A mist hunter ninja came from out behind the tree that the senbon flew out of.

"You were right his future was death." The hunter ninja said as he/she jumped down and picked up Zabuza's body before body flickering away. Kakashi and Neko made their way back over to the Genin.

"Thanks for the assistance Neko and Kitsune, but might I ask why you're here." Kakashi asked because he had not expected ANBU to show up.

"Ah yes. The Hokage sent me and my apprentice Kitsune here to backup your team because Kitsune here is still a Genin and cannot take any missions above D-rank without any other Genin." Neko explained.

"What! He's a Genin but he was able to take out almost all that Zabuza creep's clones without help!" Sakura yelled while Sasuke eyed Kitsune suspiciously. Before anyone else could say anything though Kakashi collapsed. They decided to take him to Tazuna's house to rest.

"So you're Kakashi's team. You may call me Neko and that over there is Kitsune." Neko said while gesturing to Kitsune.

"Yo." Kitsune said with a wave.

"My name is Sai and these are my teammates Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno." Sai introduced himself and his teammates. Sasuke gave a hn and Sakura a quick nod.

"You said on the bridge that Kitsune was a Genin. I was unaware that Genin are allowed to join ANBU." Sai questioned.

"Yes, Genin are unable to join the ranks of ANBU, but Kitsune is an exception the Hokage has allowed due his unique bloodline and the fact that he will most likely become a Chunin in the upcoming Chunin exams. Missions of C-rank and above that he takes are to be considered ANBU training for him." Sasuke was fucking pissed at that revelation. That should be him, he had the fucking Sharingan the most powerful bloodline ever. Sakura was a bit awed by Kitsune and Sai narrowed his eyes slightly after Neko finished explaining.

"I see, well thank you for helping us earlier." Sai said with a creepy fake smile plastered across his face.

"Dinner's ready!" Tsunami yelled from the kitchen. Everyone headed into the Kitchen to get their food and sat at the dining room table. Neko and Kitsune used a small Genjutsu to appear as if they were eating through their masks. Sasuke was silently seething while eating his food. Sai was making mental notes to give all the information he can get about this Kitsune to Danzo-sama after they returned to the village. Sakura was sneaking peaks at Kitsune while blushing and thinking about how cool and mysterious he was. Both Neko and Kitsune had noticed a small, very depressed, boy come down and get some food before heading upstairs, but decided not to say anything. After having finished eating everyone had decided to go to bed for the night.

The next day the Genin were at the dining room table enjoying their breakfast when Kakashi, on crutches (where he got them no one will ever know), and Neko came down stairs.

"Ok, guys Neko is going to be guarding the bridge builder while I train you." Kakashi said. Sasuke had a glint him his eyes and small smirk. He was finally going to get some real training. Sakura was looking forward to being able to see Sasuke and Kitsune train. Sai was actually surprised that his prediction of having to face an A-class ninja to get Kakashi to train them that he had made after being on team seven for a week came true. Kitsune was slightly nervous to be training with his old team again, but he was able to put it at the back of his mind. After finishing up their breakfast the Genin headed out with Kakashi to a small clearing in the woods behind Tazuna's house while Neko and Tazuna went off to the bridge.

"Ok guys I need to tell you something very important that Neko and I discussed earlier. Zabuza is most likely still alive." Kakashi said with a grim look.

"What, but we saw that hunter ninja kill him!?" Sakura all but yelled.

"I believe that hunter ninja may have been Zabuza's accomplice. He used senbon to kill Zabuza, but senbon are usually used to incapacitate an enemy. It is actually quite hard to kill an enemy with senbon. Plus the hunter ninja took his body, but it's standard protocol in all of the ninja villages to have the body destroyed on site with something brought back for proof." Kakashi explained.

"B-but what are we going to do if he shows up again? You're still recovering Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura asked scared.

"Don't worry even if he isn't dead, he'll be out of commission for at least a week with his wounds. I'll be fully recovered by then, so Neko and I will be able to take on Zabuza." Kakashi gave an eye smile and the Genin nodded.

"Now let's begin training I'll be teaching you guys tree climbing." Two of Kakashi's three students had deadpan looks and the other had a blank stare. Kitsune wasn't at all surprised learning that Kakashi hadn't even taught them tree climbing after he had left the team.

"But Kakashi-sensei we already know how to climb trees even academy students can do that." Sakura kinda whinned.

"Ah but Sakura you aren't going to be using your hands." Sakura was about to ask how that was possible, but quickly shut up when Kakashi started walking up the side of a tree.

"Ok so all you have to do is push chakra to your feet and use it to stick to the surface of the tree. I suggest trying a running start. Use these to mark you progress." Kakashi said throwing kunai at the feet of the Genin. Kakashi's students got started on the chakra control exercise while Kitsune picked up his kunai and walked over to Kakashi.

"Um, Kakashi-sensei I've already finished the tree climbing exercise." Kitsune said a little nervous while handing the kunai back to Kakashi. Sasuke having heard Kitsune seethed with anger and pushed himself to complete the tree climbing faster.

"You have, hm, guess I'll have to teach you the water walking exercise." Kakashi said looking up from the orange book he had begun reading as his student practiced while he took the offered kunai.

"Uh, I've also already completed the water walking exercise too." Kitsune said as Sasuke's spite for Kitsune increase. Sakura was thinking about how cool Kitsune was being the same age as them but also being so much further ahead of them as a ninja. Sai was making mental notes of Kitsune's skills.

"What about the waterfall walking exercise?" Kakashi asked being mildly impressed that a fresh Genin had already known both tree climbing and water walking.

"No, I haven't learned waterfall walking yet." Kitsune said.

"Ok, so I'll teach you the waterfall walking today and tomorrow you can go to the bridge with Neko to guard the client while my students continue working on the tree climbing." Kakashi said while leading kitsune over to a small lake with a waterfall near the clearing that his students were practicing in. Kakashi gave him the instructions for performing the waterfall walking exercise explaining that it was a combination of the tree climbing and water walking exercises and that most wouldn't be able to learn it until they became a Chunin. After finishing up his explanation Kakashi decided to return to looking over his students, so he didn't notice the large amount of shadow clones Kitsune created to work on waterfall walking while he worked on improving his physique.

It had been four days since Kitsune had learned waterfall walking. Every day after the initial day of training with Kakashi Kitsune accompanied Neko to guard Tazuna. After a Builder had quit on Tazuna Kitsune had used the Shadow Clone Jutsu to give Tazuna more workers, so that the bridge may be finished faster. He had also been practicing Kenjutsu with Neko while guarding Tazuna. Now Kitsune was on the porch of Tazuna's house watching the stars that had began shining in the sky.

"You're going to die." Kitsune turned and saw a kid staring at him.

"Why do you think that?" Kitsune said slightly annoyed by the kid.

"No one can stop Gato he's too strong." The kid whinned with an emo look on his face.

"I see, do you know what a ninja is?" Kitsune asked.

"What kind of question is that of course I know what a ninja is! I am not an idiot, you're just weak! Gato can't be beaten!" The child exclaimed.

"Explain what a ninja is to me then." The child was confused a ninja was... what was a ninja?

"A ninja is someone who is never afraid to lay their life on the line. We protect our village and everyone inside it. No matter what we don't give up. We will always fight for what we hold precious. We may use some tricks and we may not play fair, but no matter how strong an enemy is the Will of Fire will always burn within us." Kitsune said resolutely.

"The Will of Fire?" The young boy asked.

"It's a testament to the village, for as long as the Will of Fire carries on the village will not be destroyed. Even though this village's will has burned out all you need to do is rekindle it." Kitsune explained.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU KNOW! YOU'VE PROBABLY NEVER HAD A HARD TIME IN YOUR LIFE!" The child yelled upset at Kitsune.

"You know I'm an orphan." The young boy stopped. "I had no family, no friends, no one wanted me. I was thrown out of the orphanage at the age of five and forced to live on the streets. I would get beat on my birthday. I've had to dig through the garbage just to find food. I pay thrice the price for food, clothes, and even medicine very rarely do I get anything at regular price. I never whined instead I decided to show them that I'm not the monster they think I am. I became a ninja to prove them wrong and gain their recognition. I will not die, I will keep fighting, so when you say Gato is too strong know one thing you can't make me give up. Because frankly I don't give a shit." Kitsune said before stalking off into the forest.

Inari now sat in his room as he kept thinking about what the fox mask ninja said.

'The will of fire? He had been through all of that and he still had said he would do anything for his village? Had he even been telling the truth? Why couldn't he get those words out of his head?'

"The Will of fire?" Inari said as if questioning himself.

"Wake up." Kitsune heard a feminine voice as he slowly opened his eyes.

"You'll catch a cold if you sleep out here like that." Kitsune looked over to see a girl wearing a pink kimono.

"Thank you, I um..." Kitsune fought down a blush as the girl giggled.

"My names Haku. So, what are you doing out here at this hour?" Haku questioned.

"My names Kitsune. I'm training to get stronger." Haku raised an eyebrow.

"Are you a ninja?" She didn't remember seeing him among the ninja that fought Zabuza earlier.

"Yeah I am." Kitsune said with a foxy grin, but then realized that his fox mask had fallen off. "Oh crap, oh crap!" Kitsune rushed to his mask that had fallen off during training. Haku giggled at the boy's antics while remembering the ANBU she had seen with that mask. She quickly realised that this boy had been that ANBU.

"I see, why do you need to get stronger? You already seem strong to me?" Haku asked.

"Yeah but I'm not nearly strong enough. I want to be the next Hokage. To do that I need to get stronger." Kitsune answered.

"I see, do you have any precious people?" Kitsune blinked behind his mask.

"Precious people?" Kitsune thought for a minute. As he did the images of Iruka the one who actually taught him, the ramen vendors who were the first to accept him, the third Hokage who helped raise him, Yugao the one who taught him, and Konohamaru who now saw him has a rival and a sensei passed through his head.

"Yeah I do." Haku smiled.

"When you protect those precious to you is when you are truly strong." Haku said.

"So what are you doing out here?" Kitsune asked.

"My father is sick, so I'm picking herbs to help him." Haku replied with a smile.

"Can I help?" Haku nodded as Kitsune got up to help her. Kitsune and Haku began to pick herbs in a comfortable silence.

"You know you're very pretty miss." Haku had a little blush and spoke.

"Thank you." She said, but then smiled inwardly. "But I'm a boy." Kitsune's eyes widened as she laughed inwardly. Works every time she thought. Of course it was a lie, but the face people made when she told them she was a boy was always priceless.

"Kitsune." Kitsune turned around to see his sensei.

"Hai Neko-sensei." Kitsune said getting up.

"You need to get to the bridge and help the bridge builder." Neko informed him.

"Hai Neko-sensei." Kitsune turned to Haku as she spoke.

"Thank you for helping me. I will be able to insure my father gets better, thank you Kitsune-san." Kitsune nodded as he and Neko left using the Body Flicker Jutsu.

"I see, so you were able to retrieve all the needed healing herbs." Zabuza said from his bed.

"Hai Zabuza-sama what should we do now?" Haku asked.

"We have to move up the time of attack before anymore Konoha ninja can arrive." Zabuza said surprising Haku as Zabuza had yet to fully heal.

"But you're still wounded." Haku said with concern in her voice.

"I know that's why I'm going to have to get a favor from him." Zabuza said a little disdainfully.

"You're talking about your old apprentice aren't you?" Haku asked hoping to be able to see him again.

"Yeah, he can take care of the brats for us. While you and I take care of Kakashi and the two ANBU." Zabuza said.

"But he has forsaken us? Why would he aid us?" Zabuza looked at a scroll.

"Because I have something he wants." Haku glanced at the scroll Zabuza was looking over and everything clicked into place.

"You can't mean?" Zabuza nodded.