Chapter 2- The Element of Surprise
Naruto woke up at around 4:30 AM. He definitely did not want to be late for his might-not-even-happen match with Mr. Spiky-Haired-Cool-Guy. He grabbed all his necessary ninja gear, orange jumpsuit included, and dashed off to Training Ground 7.
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No, no no no no no no, no this can't be happening, no no no no no….
Oh but dear, it is happening, and how ever so slowly it will continue…
No, no, NOOOOOOOOO!!!!
Cling to me, and I'll help you through everything. I'll even get that Uchiha back for you so you can be happy again.
But…but I AM HAPPY!
Dear child…everyone can see it. Everyone can see your true melancholy, your true doubts, and your true fears. Did you really think you were that good to make your feelings opaque? No my dear, you are fully transparent….fully…
STOP IT!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Sakura screamed herself awake. She glanced at the clock and saw that it was 4:46. Why hadn't her alarm gone off? As if by instinct, she grabbed her ninja clothing, and put it on. She contemplated on taking her newly completed katana, Senshi, but instead left it behind not seeing any use for it since the waiter may not even show. She leapt out her window, and landed on the wide street below.
Hayate dressed in casual attire, and in turn, was looking forward to his battle with Naruto. The surprising thing was that he packed no weapons, and wore nothing that indicated he was about to face off with the blonde loud-mouthed ninja. He strode through the early business crowd, and made his way to Training Ground 7.
To his shock, he was the first one there, and not surprisingly, assumed that Naruto had forgotten about his match with him. But there he was, emerging from the east end of the training ground, his blonde hair bouncing with every step he took.
"You're exactly two minutes late."
"Shut it, waiter, I'll make up for that time by kicking your ass in two minutes."
Hayate was about to snap back when he caught a glimpse of pink emerging from the trees.
"Hello. You are about three minutes late," declared Hayate.
"Well, it ain't my match, so I don't really care," retorted the grumpy Sakura.
"Hey, Sakura-chan, don't pay attention to this push-over. I'll handle him in two minutes."
"If you think you can that is," replied Hayate.
"Shut it Waiter. Say, what was your name again?"
"Hayate. Kenbo Hayate. Anyway, let us begin shall we?"
"It'll be my pleasure to shut you up."
Sakura quickly leapt from the to-be battle scene, and watched silently from the sidelines.
I wonder what this guy's got that makes him so…calm.
Naruto clenched his fists into a protective position, blocking his face, battle stance ready. Hayate simply crossed his arms in a non chalant fashion, a smirk growing on his face.
"Are you only going to use taijutsu on me? I hope you know that won't be enough."
"One of my fingers is enough to beat you, Waiter!"
"Enough. Let's let our actions speak for our words."
"My pleasure!"
Naruto dashed forward, his fist reared back, and prepared to punch Hayate square in the face.
"Baka," said Sakura from a distance.
He shouldn't be charging head first at a man whom he had no knowledge about.
Naruto was preparing to strike when he heard a voice coming from behind him.
"You're too slow."
"What the f-"
Naruto was cut off as Hayate punched him square in the gut. Any harder, and the knuckle-headed ninja would have himself eaten by his own stomach acids.
"He's fast!" exclaimed Sakura. "Too fast…"
Naruto stood up on both feet, struggling and gasping for air.
What the hell was that? Could he be that fast?
"Sorry about that, I just wanted to prove a point. You can't catch me. You won't be able to hit me. I want you to use your ninjutsu on me."
Naruto reluctantly agreed in his mind that his poor taijutsu would not even scratch the man of unknown skill. He nodded at Hayate's claim.
"Alright then, Waiter. I'll show you just what I've got."
Hayate smirked, and a faint trace of red could be seen forming in his eyes. Naruto formed five shadow clones, each one surrounding Hayate in a star-like pattern. Naruto's clones began their assault.
"U!"
"Zu!"
"Ma!"
"Ki!"
"Naruto-Rendan!"
Hayate was thrown into open air, and then swiftly brought to the ground by the fifth clone's finishing kick. Hayate stood up, seemingly unimpressed by the attack when the dust cleared, revealing the original Naruto coming at him quickly with a blue swirl of chakra in his hand.
"Rasengan!"
Naruto was about to thrust his most prized technique into the body of Kenbo Hayate when a hand gripped his wrist. Hayate had dodged the attack by side-stepping Naruto, and took the opportunity to render his technique useless. The two looked at each other with death glares, hazel treasures meeting the sapphire jewels. Naruto realized that Hayate had the obvious advantage in speed and taijutsu.
"What the hell?!"
"Sorry boy, but you give me no entertainment whatsoever. All I've been doing is dodging. I haven't even had a chance to show you my true power."
"You're not just a waiter, are you?"
"You catch on quick. I'm not. But what I do is none of your concern. This battle was over the minute you let me get behind you in the first place."
Naruto suddenly felt a sharp pain moving up his body and following the pain came a cough of blood.
"Gah…ugh…ooh…" groaned Naruto.
"Naruto!" Sakura screamed as she ran towards the downed ninja.
Hayate, for the first time, showed a sign of emotion, the emotion being concern. He had noticed Sakura's look of extreme concern and protectiveness, triggering a feeling of jealousy.
"Hang on, Naruto, I'll heal you! Tsunade-shishou didn't train me for nothing!"
"Sakura…chan….I feel….like…."
Naruto slipped into unconsciousness, his heart beat slowing slowly but surely. Sakura checked Naruto's back and saw an odd looking mark in the shape of two crescent moons crossing each other, flame pattern in the back.
"What the hell did you do, Hayate?!"
"I….I don't…..I don't know…I just….all I can recall are the events after his clones…and…oh SHIT!" Hayate screamed in realization. "I'm sorry Sakura-san, but something has come up. I swear I will fix this problem, seeing as he is your best friend and possibly more."
Sakura sat next to the knocked out Naruto, dumbfounded at the mysterious waiter's claim.
Something more? Me and Nar- no, what can he mean?
Sakura glanced at Naruto's unconscious face, then at Hayate in the distance, and then back. She began pouring more and more of her chakra into the mark, though it seemed to have no effect. Her efforts in vain, Sakura picked up Naruto and began her trek to the Konoha Hospital.
Hayate ran. He continued to run, even though he ran from nothing. The problem did not come from outside, but within.
So, you finally decide to let me out to play, eh?
I don't understand how you could have gotten out.
You don't? Are you sure? Could it be that girl triggered my little switch?
You know at this point I just need to get to a secluded area to fix your god damn seal.
Interesting. I think you forget that you don't have a seal. Remember?
Shit!
Just face it Hayate, me and you, we're one. The only thing keeping me at bay is your will power, but obviously in the face of that girl, you become weak, and vulnerable.
Shut it, Shozo.
Ah, so you decide to call me by name alas?
Only to make you shut up.
And it did quiet me down a bit. By the way, why did you tell them a fake last name?
I do what I need to.
And that includes lying to them as well as yourself? We both know who you truly are.
Shut up.
We both know our true clan name…
SHUT UP!!!!
…don't we, Brother?
