While we were traveling to the land of waves, I wrote a letter to Jiji. I told him about the would-be ninja attackers, and explained that we were continuing on anyway. In case he decided to tell us it was too dangerous and to turn back, I wrote that I would keep everyone on team 7 safe, even at the cost of a couple of my secrets. Once I finished writing the letter, I summoned Jade, since Ella was probably still delivering my letter to Tsunade. Kakashi seems to have ceased being surprised by anything when it comes to me, but Sasuke and Sakura both gasped. Summoning isn't that difficult, but few creatures trust humans enough to allow summons. All summoned animals can speak, but when not summoned to this world here they can't. In their own they have no problem. After a while I heard Sakura shout. "THAT BRIDGE IS HUGE!" Tazuna quickly shushed her. The boatperson said, "This is as far as I go." Tazuna thanked him and we stepped foot onto dry land. As we walked along, I sensed a chakra signature ahead. I threw a kunai in that direction. It was a white 🐇 that looked scared out of its mind. Sakura opened her big mouth. "LOOK WHAT YOU DID YOU LOSER YOU AL-" I ignored her and turned to Kakashi. "It's white." In an instant he understood. "DUCK!" He shouted. I dove, pushing down Sasuke and Tazuna, and Kakashi pulled down Sakura. Just then a huge sword came flying over our heads. A man with cowhide boots landed on the hilt. I recognized him from one of Jiji's bingo books. "Zabuza Momochi Demon of the Mist. You're standing the wrong way, dumbass." Zabuza glared. "Looks like your a real smart alec, blondie." I sniggered. "I try." Zabuza stepped down and pulled his blade out of the tree. "I'll handle this." Kakashi said. "He's an A-rank criminal. You three protect the bridge builder." Kakashi looked at me. I could tell what he wanted to say. 'If you think of a way to deal with him, go ahead and step in.' I nodded to show I understood both things. Kakashi reached up and revealed his sharingan. Zabuza spoke. "Kakashi Hatake, the copycat ninja, rumored to have copied a thousand jutsu's. It's an honor." They proceeded to fight, during which Kakashi copied the water clone jutsu. It looked pretty even until Kakashi got caught in one of Zabuza's jutsu's. After that, I decided to step in. I used the Hirashin to get behind Zabuza, and knocked him back, dispelling his water prison. After that Kakashi continued to fight, ending when a hunter nin threw senbon at Zabuza's neck. He took away the body and Kakashi collapsed. Tazuna spoke. "My place isn't much farther now, you can have him rest there." I lifted Kakashi onto my back and we left again. After arriving at Tazuna's place we met his daughter and grandson. Inari seemed to have a problem with us being there, but I was sure he would warm to us. Kakashi and I were to share a room, Sakura would be with Tazuna's daughter, and Sasuke would be with Tazuna. Once our sleeping arrangements were sorted, I was given the task of looking after Kakashi, something I would have done anyway. After everyone had gone to bed, I used medical ninjutsu to restore Kakashi's chakra reserves. After a moment, he opened his eyes. "Did I die, because I'm pretty sure I see an angel." "That's corny on way too many levels." But I was blushing anyway.

Kakashi flipped over his blanket and looked at me. Still blushing, I curled up beside him. "Do you mind if we talk about those secrets of yours?" Kakashi asked. "You remember what I said right?" I answered. "That a secret given requires a secret of equal value." After a pause, Kakashi said, "Your father, Minato, was my sensei." "I already knew that, but points for trying. I've already gotten stronger than both of my godparents, Jeraiya and Tsunade." Kakashi didn't look surprised in the slightest. "And the reason you hold back?" "That's a bigger secret." Kakashi tensed. He let out a breath and said, "I killed Rin, one of my comrades." I could tell what he said carried a lot of weight. "When I was younger, the villagers and some of the ninja didn't see me as the kyuubi's container. They saw me as the Kyuubi itself. They would abuse me almost anytime I left the apartment. It was always worse on my birthday. On my third birthday I met the Kyuubi after a particularly brutal beating. One of the villagers said something that cemented a theory I had. I contacted the fox to try to learn more about what happened. He told me his name, and taught me ways to defend myself. I didn't want to harm the villagers, so instead of using what I learned, I pretended to be an unfashionable, happy-go-lucky, idiot. The beatings were greatly reduced but they still occurred." Kakashi looked horrified. "Who would do something like that?" Seeing Kakashi worried, it felt like a weight was lifted. "Thank you, Kakashi." He looked confused. "What for?" "For caring." That night I fell asleep with my head on Kakashi's chest. Unknown to me, I was smiling in my sleep.