Kaeru no Kaze
By Jack Yarnall
Introduction: The Wind Begins to Blow
KABOOM! The explosion rang through the ears of anyone within a mile radius of the event. As the smoke cleared it revealed a corridor which was previously hidden by the earth itself. Now that corridor was destroyed and its remnants were rubble from the surrounding landscape.
In the middle of the charred area a teenager clad in black rose slowly. He staggered slightly when he stood, because of the explosions effect. Soon his eyes ascended upward to the top of rocky area. His eyes widened in surprise, only for a second, at the sight of the man… no the monster that had created the recent outburst. He tensed, ready for an attack at any moment, knowing the power that just radiated off his attacker.
"Hah… hah….hah." huffed the pink-haired girl as she sprinted throughout the compound to where the loud noise came from. Her boots pounded against the ground as she rounded another corner. She was followed by her brown-haired captain who kept an even pace with her the whole time. One thought raged through her mind, it's him. She finally saw the hallway that would lead her to the one they had been searching for. After taking one last breath she ran into the light of the newly wrecked room. She stopped herself and glared at the other teen in black. How if only she could pound him into the ground with one good punch. Only she was broken out of her thoughts to the other person that was there. That person said, "Sakura… huh." His voice was like smooth leather over her body that rekindled a flame that had long been blown out. All of her past just rushed back to her at once it felt almost overwhelming. She spoke slowly the name that was considered to taboo to her, "Sas…sasu…"
The last member of the team rushed with all his might down the final hallway. He kept running and running but the end of it never seemed to come. His blonde hair fluttered in the breeze and he finally rushed into the room that held that rest of his squad. As he stopped he caught himself before he tripped from his previous momentum. He, along with the rest of his team, looked upward to see their target. Their target said the blonde's name as well, "Naruto." Naruto pulsed with rage as he shouted, "SASUKE!" Their rivalry flashed before his eyes as well as their battle at the Valley of the End and their revelation of the bond the two had.
Naruto yelled again, "Why didn't you kill me?" Sasuke had an emotionless expression and simply stated, "I let you live on a whim and now I will kill you on a whim." With that Sasuke jumped down from his "perch" and almost instantaneously appeared next to Naruto. Sakura, Sai, and their captain Yamato all were surprised by the Uchiha's speed and got ready for any sudden movements. His hand placed upon Naruto's shoulder and his other on the sheath of his chokuto sword. He asked quizzically, "Eh Naruto isn't being Hokage your dream right? Then shouldn't you be spending your time training then chasing me?"
Naruto's head looked downward and said, "How can I be Hokage if I can't even save one friend." Sasuke unsheathed his sword and said, "You should be more careful or you'll lose your life." Sasuke looked into his friend's mind with his Sharingan and found himself within a dark, dirty sewer. He felt a power pulsing through the air itself. He turned to see Naruto in front of a giant cage that held a piece of paper that had the kanji for seal on it. The really eye-catching part was that Naruto was talking to a big blob of red water. Upon closer inspection he saw it was shaped like a kitsune.
Making his presence known Sasuke stated, "Who would've thought that this was inside of you, Naruto?" The Kyuubi and Naruto were both shocked at seeing the Uchiha survivor. The Kyuubi mused, "The Sharingan… eh? You're from that cursed clan." Sasuke frowned and replied, "So this isn't the first time you've seen a Sharingan. Then you must be the Kyuubi no Yoko." The Kyuubi announced, "My, my you have even more corrupt chakra then Uchiha Madara." Sasuke's frown deepened as he gripped the Kyuubi's "form" and squeezed it until it exploded. Sasuke said, "And you… expect me to know that name."
Back in reality Sasuke brought his sword in a downward arc right towards Naruto's back. Sai jumped forward and stopped Sasuke's sword by gripping his sword arm. In return Sai brought out his smaller blade known as a tanto and tried thrusting it into Sasuke. His efforts were futile as Naruto prevented his tanto from going any further with his right hand. Naruto then used his left arm to grip Sasuke's free arm in hopes of stopping Sasuke's movement. Sasuke stated, "This is the right way to block my attack."
Yamato took this chance to form a handseal. In result he shot a tendril of wood towards Sasuke. Sasuke activated his Sharingan. Next he moved his arms to throw Sai and Naruto off-balance. This proved successful as Naruto was off his feet while still latched onto Sasuke's arm. After gathering his chakra Sasuke released a small blast of lighting from his body that repelled Sai, Naruto, and Yamato's tendril. Sai lost consciousness once he hit the ground. Naruto on the other hand was paralyzed by the electricity and could barely move.
Sakura knew she had to act now or one of her teammates would get hurt. Charging chakra to her fist she rushed toward her ex-team-member. His Sharingan perceived what she was going to do and starting running toward Sakura with his blade in hand. Yamato thought this kid's dangerous and drew a kunai. He intercepted Sasuke and his kunai met Sasuke's chokuto. Sasuke's sword began to channel lighting chakra and easily broke Yamato's kunai. The Uchiha proceeded forward and pinned Yamato to a boulder. Sasuke stated, "This is the wrong way to block my attack." His sword pierced Yamato's chest. Sasuke calculated, two down two to go. Sasuke's thought proved to be right as Yamato struggled against Sasuke's sword, but was unable to move.
Naruto felt the feeling that utterly destroyed him… being helpless. Why can't I do anything right, he thought. Even with all my training… damn it! No I can't let it end this way not after all my friends and I have done.
Kakashi looked at his team and said, "I won't let my comrades die, I promise."
Haku asked, "Do you have something precious to you? When you defend that which is precious you become stronger."
Hinata told Naruto, "What I really admire about you is how you have the ability to pick yourself back up after falling."
Neji said, "Your eyes are better then mine, Naruto. Sasuke is in the darkness and you are the only one who can save him, because it was you who saved me from the darkness."
Gaara proclaimed, "I will follow Naruto's path and will defend Suna. I will protect what is precious to me as the Kazekage."
Sakura stated, "Next time we will get him together. I promise I won't be useless and I will train hard just to beat you guys."
Jiraiya looked at his traveling companion, the 14-year old Naruto, who just fainted from mastering his new rasengan jutsu. After a good slap to the head Naruto was up and screaming, "WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!" Jiraiya had a serious face on and said, "I have something important to tell you." Naruto asked, "What?" Jiraiya answered, "Next time you see Sasuke he won't be your friend." Ignoring Naruto's protests Jiraiya continued, "Sasuke is officially an enemy of Konoha and won't hesitate to kill you. So if you want to bring him back fight him not as a friend but as a ninja with no attachments. Fight him as a proud Konoha ninja and win!" Naruto pondered what Jiraiya said and made a small smile. Naruto responded, "I won't give, because I will be Hokage and I promised Sakura-chan." Jiraiya smiled and declared; "Now that's the spirit!"
Naruto rose to his feet slowly with every one of his friends' faces passing through his brain. Sasuke looked to where Naruto was standing and his eyes widened slightly. He pondered, was my Chidori Nagashi too weak? No it knocked out that ANBU with one blow. Naruto raised his head and a large gust picked up blowing back and forth. His chakra started leaking out giving Naruto a blue aura, which got bigger every second. Naruto yelled, "Sasuke! Let's do this!" Sasuke removed his sword and jumped back from Yamato, while Sakura rushed over to treat his wound. On the way there she couldn't stop herself from looking at Naruto. She thought he's like a hurricane of chakra! True to her word he looked like the eye of the storm.
Naruto thought, I have to use every jutsu Ero-Sennin taught me even those few that I didn't really master. He threw a lone shuriken and thought; it's now or never. He ran through a few handseals and shouted the technique's name, "Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" The lone shuriken turned into dozens and rapidly approached Sasuke. Sasuke frowned and said, "That can't be all you have is it?" The shurikens all turned into regular kage bunshins. Sakura was surprised by her teammate's ingenuity, but Sasuke was only more disappointed. Sasuke's hand blazed to life with lighting and he whispered, "Chidori… Senbon." Dozens of thin lighting-needles shot toward the horde of clones. They all disappeared as quickly as they came leaving a big smokescreen.
Naruto bursted forth from the smoke with a rasengan held in his right hand. Sasuke charged his sword with a chidori once more and brought it up to block the spiraling sphere. The two attacks met and a shockwave was the result. Chakra was burning off the attacks like a wildfire until Sasuke pushed his chokuto forward. The shockwave ceased and the two were blasted backwards, Naruto more so then Sasuke. Naruto grinned saying, "You won round 1 Sasuke, but I got an ace up my sleeve." A clone popped into existence and together the two Narutos formed a rasengan. But the rasengan kept growing in size until it was double, possibly triple, the size of the original. Naruto shouted, "Odama Rasengan!" With that Naruto ran toward Sasuke once more.
Sasuke was no fool and his eyes saw the massive amount of chakra the rasengan was giving off. The idiot would destroy this whole area to win, dobe. Sasuke utilized the best of his speed to warp behind the Narutos. Yamato thought, the boy can use a jounin-level shushin unbelievable. Sakura shouted, "Naruto behind you!" It was too late Sasuke had his chidori ready and then it stretched. The chidori soon formed an extending sword that pierced the real Naruto. Sasuke muttered, "Chidori Eisou." The sword went through Naruto's chest and it forced him to release the rasengan. The clone uttered 'henge' and turned into a fuuma shuriken. He hurled the large shuriken at Sasuke who turned off his chidori and nimbly dodged it. It didn't matter the damage was done.
Sasuke sheathed his sword and again reappeared in proximity to Naruto. Sasuke sent his right fist out toward Naruto in a jab. Naruto caught the blow, but received a knee to his unguarded gut. Sasuke followed with a strong kick to the chest that sent Naruto into the wall. Not giving Naruto any breathing room Sasuke rushed in again. Naruto ducked down to the ground as Sasuke's leg went into the wall and missed Naruto's head. Naruto brought his two hands together to make a quick rasengan, which was promptly delivered into Sasuke's chest. Sasuke was soon airborne from the blue orb. The rasengan lacked its usual power since it was made in a quick amount of time, but hurt never the less. Naruto staggered a little from his previous injuries, he still had enough power to hurl three shuriken at the Uchiha. The avenger twisted in mid-air and avoided the shuriken. Sasuke then heard three pops of smoke and cursed. He brought his arms up to block. He was still sent down into the ground from three axe-kicks. Sasuke crashed into the ground, but quickly got up to his feet.
Naruto held his side and thought; damn these wounds and Sasuke's numbing electricity hurt like shit. But I can't and won't give up. Naruto used his left hand to bring up a kunai for defense. It was useless, because Sasuke's sword easily slashed through the knife. Sasuke then brought the weapon in an upward arc and grazed Naruto with the top of his sword. Naruto coughed up some blood in response. Sasuke jumped out of their battle arena and flashed through some handseals. When he finished he shot his hand upward and channeled chakra through it.
A hand grabbed Sasuke's arm and said, "That's enough Sasuke-kun." Sasuke removed his arm from Orochimaru's grasp and glared at him. Kabuto made his entrance and chided the Uchiha, "Sasuke-kun we need them to fight off the Akatsuki." Sasuke merely 'hnn' and turned away. Orochimaru looked at the Konoha ninja and said, "Until next time kukukuku." With that the three nuke-nins left in an advanced shushin.
Naruto fell to his knees and punched the ground. He felt tears in his eyes. His anger couldn't be contained and he yelled in anguish followed by some cursing. He failed and worst he was defeated… utterly defeated. Sasuke could've ended it and he didn't, because of Orochimaru. Naruto had been saved by the snake. Why am I always behind him? He was pulled out of his thinking when Sakura said, "Shut up." Naruto looked at her. She was crying just as bad as he had and she felt just as worse for not being of use to him. Sakura wiped her eyes and said, "We can't give up Naruto together we can keep trying until we win." She made a smile when she finished. That smile was contagious as the newly recovered Sai and Yamato were smiling too. Last but not least Naruto made a small grin and whispered, "Yeah… I'm going to get stronger and show Sasuke how strong I am." Naruto's world turned to black after his final declaration. He couldn't even hear Sai's untimely remark, "First you have get strong not just have a small penis." This lead Sai to meet Sakura's fist once again…
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