"I see." Kakashi is standing contemplatively with his hand on his chin. "Because you didn't have a lot of money, you put the mission as a C Rank mission, knowing full well that there would be a risk of ninja on this mission." Kakashi looked at the bridge builder full of anger for putting his genin in danger. Tazuna did nothing but stare at the ground. "Well, should we go back?" Kakashi rubs the back of his head glancing at Naruto.

Naruto freezes up, "Kakashi-Sensei," the boy looks up at the man, " ninja never give up, we always complete our missions."

Kakashi thinks, "they were able to handle the demon brothers fairly well." He looks down at the boy to see him turning pale, "Naruto? Are you okay?"

Naruto starts swaying where he stood, "I think I'm sick." He sits down on the ground.

Kakashi looks at the boy and notices a scratch on the boy's leg, "poison, you were cut by one of the brothers."

Naruto looks at his leg, "Kyuubi, what do I do?" Naruto looks to his friend for help.

"I'm fighting the poison, but you're going to need to drain it to stop the spread." Kyuubi looks at the boy apologetically, "you'll need to stab your leg, I will heal the wound." Naruto gets a kunai from a pouch.

"Naruto, what are you doing?" Sakura steps towards the boy ready to stop whatever he was about to do.

"I need to drain the poison," he says matter of factly and stabs the wound. He yells briefly in pain then turns so the blood almost flows like water from his new wound.

"Kakashi-Sensei, stop him!" Sakura looks at the man panicked.

"Naruto is right," but he steps to the blonde anyways, "let me wrap it up." Naruto silently nods knowing that he couldn't tell people that the Kyuubi would just heal him. Kakashi knew of course thus the reason for offering before anyone else.

"Thank you Kakashi-Sensei." Naruto nods to the man and tries to stand up. Instead, he stumbles and falls into Kakashi's arms. "Sorry Sensei, looks like I'm still a little weak." Naruto smiles at his teacher.

"It's okay Naruto, you'll be better soon," Kakashi picked Naruto up onto his back. "Well we can't exactly just leave Tazuna, so lets vote. Who wants to go back to the Village?" No one raises their hand. "Alright, Tazuna, it looks like you still have us, for now." Kakashi takes the lead this time with Naruto on his back. Kakashi instructs the others, "Sasuke take up the rear, Sakura stay close to Tazuna."

After a while of walking Kakashi whispers to Naruto, "how long have you known about the Kyuubi?"

"Since I was 6," Naruto whispers back, being cautious of his teammates. "How did you know?"

"The Hokage told me," he wasn't really lying. He was told the Kyuubi Jinchuriki would be on his team, but he also was there that night so many years ago. "Tell me when you're okay to walk, we are going to reach the outskirts of Wave soon."

"You can put me down here, I think I will be fine." Kakashi sets Naruto on his feet and watches as the boy steadies himself. "I'll walk with Tazuna and Sakura-Chan," Naruto smiles and stands beside Tazuna.

"Alright. just a little further and we will rent a boat to cross into Wave," Kakashi smiles to the group and begins walking. as they round a bend in the road, they come to a small dock with a house. "Alright, you all go wait by the dock and I'll find someone to take us across."

The genin nod and walk to the small dock over the water. Tazuna is starring at Naruto looking like he wants to say something.

"What is it, old man?" Naruto looks at the man with a confused face.

"Well, I was wondering," he scans Naruto's arms that were exposed from his short-sleeved shirt, "with all of those, why do you look so happy?"

Naruto stood in shock looking at the man, "well, my parents died the day I was born. It was the same day the Kyuubi attacked. They died saving the village, so, no matter what the village does to me I will fight to protect it as they did. It also isn't full of horrible people! I have some precious people I want to protect, and I will get stronger for them!" He thought for a moment then jumped up on one of the docks poles making him the same height as Tazuna, "and I will become the strongest Hokage to ever live- Dattebayo!" He held up his signature peace sign and goofy grin.

Tazuna looked at the boy in front of him, "what strength, he makes me want to believe him." He opens his mouth to talk to the boy, but Kakashi comes out of the building with another man.

"This is Botan Funanori-San, he will take us across when the mist comes in." Kakashi walks back up to the group introducing the man behind him.

"How long do you think until the mist is thick enough for us to move?" Tazuna looks at the man, hoping for an answer he would like.

"A few minutes, a few hours, hard to tell," Botan looks to the genin, "if you want I have some space inside where we could wait and have tea!"

"That sounds nice, come along." Kakashi smiles, glancing at Tazuna. He is glad to see the man huff and walk to the house as well.