A Simple Change: The Sharingan
By: James Fawkes
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Rurouni Kenshin.
Chapter One: The Legendary Sword: Masamune
o.0.O.O.0.o
Naruto sat down at Ichiraku's Ramen stand, alone for the first time that day. It had been a tiring day, one filled with boring D-rank missions and basic training. If Naruto didn't know any better, he'd say fate was conspiring to make his life hell.
He glanced to his right, catching sight of a strange looking person. Sitting in the seat next to him was a young man, probably in his late teens, with long red hair, resplendent in a rich, sapphire kimono. It was open slightly in the front, showing off a small portion of his torso. The bottom of his ribs and the whole of his stomach were covered in sarashi, the white "warrior's bandage". His hands and forearms were protected by samurai bracers; cloth bindings that were attached to the back of the hand by a thong looped around the middle finger.
The man's violet eyes were sharp and cold, much like Sasuke's had been. A single, diagonal scar traveled down his left cheek, starting just in front of his ear, and ending near the bottom of his chin, beneath his lips. His mouth was a horizontal line, betraying none of the emotions flitting through his mind. He was a wall of solitude. Long red bangs touched his furrowed brow and jaw, the rest, which would have traveled a great distance down his back, tied into a high ponytail, as was common among some samurai.
An average white obi tied the bottom of his kimono closed; wrapped around twice to make sure it stayed on. A katana and wakizashi were strung to his hip, sheathed in plain black scabbards. Naruto thought that such objects would be uncomfortable and cumbersome when sitting, but the man seemed to have no trouble at all. He looked perfectly content how he was.
Naruto's gaze drifted to the man's pants, which were actually gray hakama, the pants of the samurai, most common with rurouni and ronin.
In the man's right hand were chopsticks, held in his dexterous fingers. The man's left hand held onto the edge of his ramen bowl as he calmly and slowly sipped the noodles, a glass of sake sitting not to far away.
Naruto turned his head back around as his own ramen was laid out in front of him, steaming and fresh off the stove, "So you're the one who's been following me?"
The man paused, gulping down the ramen in his mouth before he talked. He certainly had table manners, "Yes. Yes, I have, Naruto."
Naruto broke his chopsticks; the man sounded just as he imagined he would, "Why?"
The man paused again, considering his words as he continued to eat, "I've heard rumors of a cunning prankster who's managed to outwit several elite ninja. Normally, that would be reason enough for me to investigate."
Naruto snorted, "So?"
"But there was more to the rumor," the man said, his voice as even and calm as ever, "I heard that a six year old boy was the one pulling them off."
"Again," Naruto said, arching an eyebrow, "Your point?"
"Someone like that deserves my attention," the man said, ignoring Naruto's sarcasm, "I've never taken on an apprentice, but a Jinchuuriki would make a most interesting student."
"Who told you?" Naruto growled, nearly destroying his chopsticks.
"I know things that many others do not," the man said mysteriously, "And I let my ears open to all things I hear on the street. "
Naruto slurped his ramen, cautious of the man, "So? What're you going to do?"
The man stood, slapping some money down on the table, "I'm going to teach you. Meet me at training area twelve tomorrow after your team's mission. Come alone."
As the man began to walk away, Naruto shouted, "Wait! What's your name?"
The man paused, looking at Naruto over his left shoulder, "Himura Battōsai."
Naruto could only stare as the odd man known as Himura disappeared into the night. His second chance was definitely strange.
o.0.O.O.0.o
The next day, after an infuriating adventure finding Tora, Madam Shijimi's cat…two times in a row…
Naruto walked into the clearing, his hands clenched tightly. He had to admit, he was a bit nervous about what this man, Himura Battōsai, was going to do. He was in uncharted territory.
Himura's expression hadn't seemed to change. His dark eyes were still cold and his mouth was still nothing more than a straight line. His hair remained the same. He turned as Naruto arrived, a katana grasped by the sheath in his right hand. He held it out as Naruto came closer, "This is Masamune. You shall come to cherish it as you do your own life. You'll treat it as if it were your immortal soul."
Naruto took it from Himura's outstretched hand, running his fingers over the intricate dragon designs carved into the polished wood. He had been surprised by its weight at first, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle. His weights were at an insane level (at least to him; Lee probably wouldn't think so) and Masamune really couldn't compete.
At first, he was at a loss as to where to attach it to his person, since he figured it would take years to get used to having it hang from his shoulder or slung horizontally on his lower back. Since those were out, he decided to attach it to his unnoticeable belt, sitting comfortably on his left hip.
When he was satisfied with its position, he turned his attention back to Himura, who stood patiently, "What next?"
"Next," Himura said, pulling his own sword from its sheath and grasping it with his right hand, "I'll be showing you the basics of Hiten Misturugi Ryū."
Naruto felt dread slide down his spine like icy water, pooling in his stomach. He had a bad feeling that he was going to go home more beaten than his escapade at the Valley of the End.
In the end, his training was most enlightening, and he truly did enjoy it. But he had been so sore that it wasn't even funny. Well, okay, Himura had chuckled shortly when Naruto had complained of aches and pains. But to Naruto, it hadn't been funny at all.
Naruto knew that his new training would pay off, probably pretty well against Zabuza, too. But that didn't mean he had to like the burning sensation in his muscles, or the sweat pouring off him in rivers.
All in all, Naruto felt that things had been most productive, if quite painful.
o.0.O.O.0.o
In the four weeks since he had met Himura Battōsai, Naruto felt he had an iron clad grasp of the basics of Hiten Misturugi Ryū. They had hit some bumps and other obstacles here and there—it wasn't an easy thing to learn— but Naruto was quickly picking up skill with the sword called Masamune.
After weeks and weeks of chasing the same cat, sometimes more than once a day, Naruto and Sasuke finally decided on something. They were tired of the same old boring mission.
The aged Hokage's gaze traveled down the list of missions in front of him, "Let's see…Team Seven, your next mission is…"
"No!" Sasuke and Naruto shouted in unison. "We're tired of these easy, menial tasks! We want a C rank mission!"
Naruto turned around, "Isn't that right, Hinata-chan?"
Hinata blushed, her head bobbing up and down.
"Very well, Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun, Hinata-chan," the Third chuckled, "Your task is the protection of a certain individual."
The old man motioned to his Chuunin helper, who escorted an old drunk in from the room next door. The drunk looked at the Genin, then took a swig from his sake bottle.
"They look like a bunch of super brats! Especially that one," he said, pointing to Naruto, "He looks like he couldn't even lift that sword out of its sheath!"
He pointedly ignored the eyes trying to bore a hole into his skull, all six of them, taking another swig of his sake, "I'm the super bridge builder, Tazuna, and I expect you guys to give me super protection until I complete my bridge!"
o.0.O.O.0.o
As Team Seven left the safety of Konoha's gates, Sasuke and Hinata asked questions about Wave Country (Nami no Kuni). Naruto, who already knew the answers, ignored Kakashi and Tazuna as they gave the other two Genin the information they sought.
Naruto tensed for a second as they passed a puddle in the road. He knew what to expect, and this time, he would be ready. Last time, he may have frozen and got injured, but he had knowledge and experience on his side this time. He wouldn't be felled so easily as before.
He wasn't disappointed. As soon as Kakashi's back was turned to the puddle, two figures rose from it, odd masks strapped to their faces. Their chain was soon wrapped around the gray haired Jounin and pulled taut, shredding him to pieces.
Out of the corner of his eye, Naruto saw Hinata shiver when they laughed, "Heh heh, one down…"
They quickly dashed towards Naruto, who was grasping the hilt of his sword, prepared to strike him, "Two down, heh heh…"
A shuriken thrown by Sasuke forced one of them to slow for a second, allowing Naruto to unsheathe the Masamune. A quick, almost imperceptible slash shattered the chain between the two ninja, giving Naruto another direction in which to dodge. Naruto's moves were smooth and fluid, as he had been taught by his Kenjutsu (swordsmanship) teacher. Even in the heat of battle, his dodge to the left was graceful.
A second flash of steel severed the respirator and the Mist headband from the enemy closest to himself, and Naruto marveled at the strength of his blade. He had not only cut through cloth and plastic, but he had sliced through an iron chain like it was butter.
Using his enemy's surprise to his advantage, Naruto quickly dismantled the claw on Gozu's hand with a third slash of his sword. Then, using butt end of his hilt, he knocked Gozu across the head, rendering him unconscious.
Meizu, the second enemy ninja, made a dash towards Hinata after he dodged Sasuke's shuriken. He was so intent, so focused on what he saw in front of him, that he was unprepared for the harsh kick to the head that knocked him stumbling in Hinata's direction.
Hinata, who had been able to anticipate Sasuke's attack, drove her open palm into Meizu's stomach. With a surprised gasp and a painful grunt, Meizu collapsed onto the girl's shoulder, his body limp and harmless. He was unconscious.
Hinata tried to push his lifeless body off her without flat out dropping him, a disgusted frown on her face, her Byakugan inactive. She found it difficult, his flowing dirty clothes tangling up with her taut, lean limbs and attempting to pull her down with him.
Naruto and Sasuke couldn't help but laugh when she fell backwards, Meizu falling on top of her. It was quite comical, and even Tazuna couldn't help but chuckle. To see sweet little Hinata trying to untangle herself from an enemy she had felled mere minutes before wasn't something you saw everyday. To see Hinata so frustrated was truly a once in a lifetime thing.
Finally, though, Kakashi, who had reappeared shortly after the battle had ended, took pity on the poor girl and pulled Meizu from atop her, laughing quietly.
o.0.O.O.0.o
Naruto remembered the first time he had participated in the Wave mission. He had been wounded, and, upon that wound, he swore he wouldn't run away ever again. He may have been preoccupied by it, but he still heard what Kakashi and Tazuna had talked about. It surprised him, this time, because the conversation (or interrogation) was identical even with all the changes he had made.
As far as Naruto could tell, Kakashi hadn't noticed his eavesdropping, and if he did, he made no mention of it. But as the elite ninja walked over, a distinctly tired look gleamed in his eye. Despite the skill that Team Seven possessed, Kakashi still didn't believe that they were ready for such a hard mission.
"He's wrong," Naruto thought bitterly. He had been training since day one for the eventual battle between himself and the upper level ninja he would be up against. Zabuza and Haku wouldn't be the greatest challenge, but they would be strong. Gaara would be very difficult, but he still wouldn't match up with Naruto, especially taking into account the Kyubi.
Orochimaru would be the biggest challenge. Naruto might be able to get in a serious wound, because Orochimaru wouldn't be expecting so much skill out of the "dead last" of Konoha Ninja Academy, but the worst of the Legendary Three would most definitely trounce Naruto, despite any help the Kyubi might give.
Naruto, as he was sad to admit, wouldn't be able to pull out the Rasengan until the Chuunin Exam Finals. Then, he would have an alibi. Its name: Jiraiya. Sure, it would be hard to explain to the perverted sage just how he knew the Rasengan step by step, but Naruto was very good at lying.
Kakashi's voice snapped Naruto from his musings, "Well, team, we have a choice. This mission is definitely B-rank, bordering on A-rank at the moment. We have the right to drop the mission and go back to Konoha right now if we want. On the other hand, we could continue the mission, but it'd be hazardous to our health. So which is it?"
Sasuke arched an eyebrow, "Are you crazy, Kakashi-sensei? After we've come this far?"
"I-I'll never back down," Hinata said, glancing at Naruto for support, "That's my nindo."
Kakashi's eye swept over to the blonde ninja, who said, "Do you really have to ask?"
"All right," Kakashi sighed, "We're continuing the mission."
Kakashi pinched the bridge of his nose as he turned around, tuning out the celebratory shouts and cries. "Even though I have a really bad feeling about this."
o.0.O.O.0.o
"Thanks for everything," Tazuna whispered as he and Team Seven left the boat. He'd laid off the sake since the encounter with the Chuunin duo.
The ferryman shook his head, "Don't mention it, Tazuna-san."
As they headed down the road to Tazuna's place of residence, they caught sight of the bridge. Sasuke let out a low whistle, "So that's the bridge? Wow."
"I-it's amazing," Hinata said, her eyes wide.
Naruto grinned inwardly. He already knew about the bridge and its size. He'd fought on it after all. And how could he forget such an important part of his ninja career? It was where he fought his first major battle, and it was the first time he came close to facing a decisive loss.
A thick fog rolled in as the group followed the dirt path to the little town in Wave Country, hiding the trees and bushes in a translucent haze. The wind was calm, and the only sounds heard were the soft clap-clap of the group's feet on the ground.
Sasuke was the one to toss the Kunai this time, and Hinata had promptly whacked him on the head for nearly killing a "poor, harmless little bunny". Naruto had to stifle a laugh. Hinata was usually quiet and withdrawn whenever Naruto was near, and tried to be the best she could be. It was a change in pace to see her upset about something that seemed so trivial.
The entire group suddenly ducked, Kakashi pulling Tazuna down with him, and the other three dropping to the ground on their own. A large Zanbatou, nicknamed Kubikiri Houcho (Neck-cleaving Kitchen knife) flew over their heads, embedding in a tree. As Tazuna and his entourage rose, a figure could be seen standing on the huge sword's hilt, his back to them.
"Momochi Zabuza," Kakashi hissed, hand flying to his headband. "Jounin of the Bloody Mist."
"Heh heh, you appear to be Sharingan Kakashi," Zabuza said, chuckling evilly. "Sorry, but the old man is mine!"
"You'll have to get through me first!" Kakashi growled, yanking his hitai-ate skyward, revealing the coveted Sharingan eye.
"The Sharingan so soon?" Zabuza cackled maliciously. "It is an honor!"
Zabuza and his sword disappeared and the fog began to thicken. Kakashi backed his group into a circle around Tazuna. "Surround and protect the bridge builder, he's way out of your league!"
"Time to even the odds," Naruto muttered, slipping his weights into his backpack and dropping it. He was careful to set it down lightly; no need to draw attention to himself. His right hand held the hilt of Masamune, his left grasping the top of the sheath. His knees were bent, and his eyes blazing with the Sharingan. He was ready for the Sou Ryuu Sen, the Twin Dragon Strike.
To his left, Sasuke stood, his eyes alight with the Sharingan as well. He held a kunai in front of his torso, grasping it with both hands. His gaze darted around; no doubt, he was having just as much trouble seeing through the mist as Naruto and Kakashi.
"Damn it," he whispered hotly. "Where is he?"
There was a sudden flash of sound from behind them, and Naruto had a good idea what it was. Hinata gasped, her Byakugan picking up on something they couldn't quite see.
"N-Naruto-kun! Sasuke-san! He's— !" she was interrupted by a voice from directly behind them, near Tazuna.
"Heh heh heh, right here!"
Naruto spun on his right heel, chanting to himself, "Hiten Mitsurugi Ryū…"
With a flare of speed, Masamune flew from its sheath, aimed to slice Zabuza's head from his neck. Kubikiri Houcho was brought to bare, blocking the potentially lethal blow. Zabuza was smug.
"Heh heh, nice try, kid."
Zabuza's eyes widened as Masamune's sheath came at him, colliding solidly with his arm, just beneath his right shoulder. He sucked in a breath of air, surprise written across his face.
"Gaauuaaahh!"
"…Sou Ryuu Sen!"
Grasping his shoulder with his left hand, Zabuza dropped his Zanbatou, lashing out with a kick to Naruto's midsection. Naruto, who had expected Zabuza to burst into water, soared backwards, landing on his rear end a few yards away.
Sasuke, who had attempted to tackle the missing ninja, and Hinata, who had tried to incapacitate him with a Juken strike, were both tossed aside like rag dolls. They were no match for the Demon of the Bloody Mist.
Naruto's head shot up when he heard Zabuza gasp again. Naruto's eyes widened. Kakashi stood behind Zabuza, a kunai stuck in the tan man's lower back. Water slowly flowed over the black metal, dripping to the hard ground. Suddenly, Zabuza exploded into water, splashing Kakashi's front.
A second Zabuza materialized behind the leaf ninja, his sword prepared to swing around and cleave Kakashi in two.
"Kakashi-sensei!" the three Genin yelled.
SPURASH! Zabuza's sword cut Kakashi in half. Blood, bone, and flesh soon disappeared, replaced with a familiar clear-ish liquid. The Kakashi clone had reverted to water.
Cold steel pressed against Zabuza's jugular. Another Kakashi stood behind him, Sharingan whirling, "It's over."
Silence reigned for a few seconds, then Zabuza started laughing, "'It's over?' Ha! You're right, Kakashi, it's over!"
SPURASH! Zabuza melted into a puddle, nothing more than liquid. Kakashi's eyes widened. A third Zabuza advanced upon Kakashi from behind, poised to swing his large blade. Kakashi ducked. But Zabuza seemed prepared for that. Using the momentum of his swing, he dug his sword into the ground, landing a roundhouse kick to Kakashi's jaw.
The silver haired Jounin flew into the lake, soaked to the marrow. Zabuza was soon standing above him, making hand seals, "Suirou no Jutsu!"
A sphere of water rose up, surrounding Kakashi and trapping him in Zabuza's grasp. Using his free hand, Zabuza made a seal, "Now to take care of those brats! Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu!"
From the puddles of its predecessors, a Water Clone rose, no different than the real thing. It smirked at the Genin, chuckling, "You little punks don't know what it means to be Shinobi!"
It was cut off as a black and gray blur came charging towards it.
CLANG! KURUSHHIIING! Masamune and Kubikiri Houcho clashed, sparks flying from their surfaces.
KURAUNG! Neither Naruto nor Zabuza's clone seemed to be able to get in a solid hit, too evenly matched.
SWOOSH! The clone's sword cut through air, uninhibited by flesh or steel. Naruto had disappeared.
"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryū!"
Everyone looked up to see Naruto descend upon the clone, his sword's hand guard parallel to the ground. The clone could do nothing to prevent the sharpened metal from sinking through his skull.
"Ryuu Tsui Sen-Zan!"
With a jerk, Naruto pulled his sword free and jumped back, watching as the clone dispersed into water again. Even the real Zabuza would have been hard pressed to dodge such a surprising attack.
Naruto's blazing red eyes turned to the tan shinobi standing in the middle of the lake. In a flash, Naruto was gone again, dashing towards the captor of his sensei. His moist sword glistened in the small amount of light visible through the mist.
As the blonde came upon him, Zabuza jumped a slight bit backward to give himself some room. In a flash of gray, Zabuza's Zanbatou was pulled from his back, swinging down to meet Naruto's Masamune.
KLANG! SHHHHURRAAASHING! The two swordsman clashed, attempting to push one another back. Naruto was putting up a good fight, but Zabuza, with his superior skill and bigger, heavier sword, was gaining an advantage.
SHHIING! Naruto pulled his sword from the introverted tug of war, dashing out of the path of Kubikiri Houcho. Naruto was breathing heavily, but Zabuza seemed only slightly strained.
Using his Sharingan to predict Zabuza's next move, Naruto bent backwards under the thick gray blade. Taking his chance, Naruto stabbed at the opening in Zabuza's guard, landing a painful, but shallow cut on the missing nin's left thigh.
Zabuza cried out, back-fisting Naruto across the cheek. He flew sideways, landing headfirst against a tree at the shore. He was definitely unconscious.
Zabuza's sword rose again, and he dashed towards Naruto's unmoving body. He snarled, "You little brat!"
WHAM! A roundhouse kick landed in his jaw, knocking him backward into a nearby tree. Kakashi stood, a glare fixed on his face, "Don't forget. I'm your opponent!"
o.0.O.O.0.o
"Brat," without even looking straight at the beast, Naruto could tell that Kyubi was upset. "You're not going to loose to that weakling, are you? Even with all the training you did?"
"He's a Jounin," even as the words left his lips, Naruto knew he was just making excuses. "He's a lot stronger than me!"
Kyubi snorted, "That's bull."
Naruto sighed, "So what do you want me to do? Kakashi-sensei can handle it."
"There are so many things I could say to that," the beast grinned. Its eyes gleamed maliciously. "But I'll make it simple. Kick his ass!"
Naruto reeled back. He hadn't been expecting that, Kyubi was usually somewhat calm and regal. He'd never heard it speak such vulgarities.
"I can't!" he said. "I'm trying to keep most things in the same time flow! If I don't, my memories of the future will become useless and obsolete!"
Kyubi blinked, "Future memories? What are you talking about?"
Naruto gaped at him, his eyes wide, "What? You mean you don't know? I thought you would! You're the one who sent me back in the first place!"
"Oh really?" it asked, snarling. "And why would I send you back in time? What purpose would it serve ME?"
"We were dying, fool!" Naruto hissed. "I made a stupid mistake that cost me my life! I trusted someone to follow the same moral rules I did! And guess what? It cost us our mortality!"
"Then what happened to me?" it roared, obviously furious that the boy had survived and he, apparently, had not.
"I shattered the seal!" Naruto yelled back. It was time to vent all his frustrations. "You promised to activate my bloodline and send me back as soon as the seal was broken! Why? Because, either way, you were going to die! The only way to stop it was to prevent it! And how did you do that? You sent me back in time so that I could stop that day from happening! But if certain events change too drastically, then I'll be stuck without any knowledge of what is to come!"
"Then I'll send you back again! I don't care how many times you travel through time, you will not loose to a second rate fighter!" it shouted back. "I don't care! Just get out there and fight!"
"NO!" Naruto said, glaring furiously at the caged beast.
The beast glowered at him, "Then I'll force you!"
Red chakra flooded from beneath the barred gates, engulfing Naruto wholly.
"Gaaaaaaaaah!"
o.0.O.O.0.o
"Suiton!" Zabuza and Kakashi said together. "Suiryuu —"
The masses of water that had begun to form loose, draconian shapes suddenly splashed back down into the lake, destroyed by a lack of concentration. No one paid any notice, though. No, everyone's focus was on the figure by the lake edge, who was surrounded in an angry red chakra aura.
The aura shifted and twisted, morphing into a humanoid, fox-shape. Two tails protruded from the cloud of energy, swaying as though they were real appendages.
"Rrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahh!"
The chakra surrounding Naruto's fists suddenly contorted, changing form and nature. His right hand was engulfed in red flames that licked his skin but caused no damage to Naruto at all. Hinata immediately turned off her Byakugan, the intensity of the attack too much for her sensitive eyes.
Ba–chi–chi–chi–chi–chi! Kakashi gasped as the chakra around Naruto's left hand shifted into the form of red electricity, a mimicry of his own Raikiri. But this one, from what Kakashi could discern, was much more powerful and dangerous. And louder, too.
Naruto, even if only instinctively, knew he could not show anything that would make him seem suspicious. The Chidori and his own Jutsu could be explained as things he picked up with the Sharingan, but things like the Rasengan were too impossible for him to have learned with the circumstances surrounding him and his development.
"Grraaaaaaaauuuaaaaaaaaaaaaahh!"
One of the translucent tails grasped the hilt of Masamune, tugging it from the tree. With a fluid move, it flung the moisture still clinging to the blade into the air. Then, with flourish, it moved the Masamune back into its sheath.
With speed Kakashi could barely track, Naruto was in front of Zabuza, eyes whirling with the Sharingan. Before the mist ninja had a chance to fight back, Naruto's closed right fist came crashing into his bare chest, scorching it.
Flames exploded over Zabuza's torso, leaving painful burns over his chest and stomach. He stumbled backwards, clawing at his charred skin. "Gaaaaah!"
"Grruuuuuuaaahk!"
Red electricity soon replaced the fire, leaving Naruto with two supercharged hands. With that amazing speed he had demonstrated seconds ago, he was on top of Zabuza again, making clawed swipes at the tan shinobi, fingers alight with lightning.
A wide but shallow gash drew itself along Zabuza's stomach, adding another injury for him to worry about. Zabuza was in too much pain to fully concentrate on dodging the dangerous attacks being thrown at him, giving Naruto a lethal advantage over him.
Kakashi, Hinata, Sasuke, and Tazuna could only stare in amazement as the same boy who had trouble keeping up with the wayward shinobi a few minutes ago was delivering a crushing defeat to the Demon of the Mist; a Jounin enemy who even Kakashi had a bit of trouble with.
A sloppy dodge of Zabuza's left him open to another of Naruto's attacks. A powerful kick landed upon his burned chest, sending him flying into a tree.
"Gah huu!"
In no less than a second, Naruto was upon the motionless man, electrically charged palm reared back, prepared for the final blow. But before he could do such a thing, his head spun around, and he jumped out of the way as two senbon flew towards his helpless victim.
With two dull thuds, the needles embedded themselves in Zabuza's neck, instantly killing him. The electricity gone from his hands, Naruto returned to the corpse, sniffing it to confirm his death. With a growl, Naruto moved away, satisfied that his enemy was no longer among the living.
Naruto's ears seemed to twitch as his head whipped around again, this time followed by his body. His whirling gaze latched onto the Hunter-nin who had thrown the Senbon, wary of this new arrival.
Naruto dropped into a defensive stance as the ninja jumped from his position on tree limb, slowly approaching the dead body of Momochi Zabuza. Naruto growled a warning growl, determined the keep this foreign person from touching his prey.
The Hunter-nin backed up a bit, nervous to be around such an intimidating figure. The growling and demonic chakra were very strong deterrents, coupled with the red Sharingan, long fangs, and thick whiskers, and you had a very scary person. A person that most anyone would want to stay away from.
Naruto was unprepared for the quick chop to the back of his neck, which rendered him unconscious faster than Tazuna could track. The blonde fell forward, caught on the stomach by Kakashi, who had delivered the incapacitating strike.
The hunter-nin cleared his throat nervously, his voice shaky, "Th-thank you. I've b-been looking for the opportunity to kill Zabuza-san for quite a while now."
He picked up the mist ninja's body, hefting it onto his shoulders. He still seemed shaken. "I-I must dispose of this body now. Goodbye."
With a hand seal and a whirlwind, the two of them disappeared, leaving Team Seven and Tazuna standing there, bewildered. Kakashi sighed, pulling his hitai-ate back down over his Sharingan. It had been a very tiring day for him.
As soon as the events had set into their minds, Hinata rushed over to Naruto, checking him for serious injuries and anything abnormal. Sasuke was busy coming to terms with all that had taken place in front of his eyes.
The Hyuga heiress let out a relieved sigh when she could find nothing wrong, other than him being unconscious, and draped his left arm over her shoulders, intent on carrying her most precious person for however long she had to. Hinata wrapped her right arm around his back to support his weight, allowing her more mobility as well. In her own eyes, she was finally being useful to her crush.
Sasuke tried to remind himself that he was still alive by taking deep breaths. He was rattled by what he had witnessed, and, frankly, this new side of Naruto was frightening. He had trouble believing that his best friend could wield so much raw power, and was scared that it would corrupt the blonde. He resolved to ask Naruto what had happened when he felt the time was right. Until then, things would go back to normal for him.
Tazuna was…awed. There were few better ways to describe exactly how he felt. When he had first set eyes on the small, spiky haired boy, he had thought this Naruto kid was a push over. He had feared that the boy would be the weakest link in the Team Seven chain. But after seeing the boy mop the floor with an elite, he knew he was in good hands. So, his heart lighter, he set the pace for the trek to his home.
Kakashi could only lament on the events of the day as Tazuna led them to his home. He had picked apart every detail about the fight and had come to the conclusion that the Kyubi had not been in control of his student. Naruto's movements had been wild and instinctual, his body acting on reflex and impulse alone. The Kyubi would have done much more damage, and the Kyubi would certainly have torn Zabuza's corpse to shreds in its bloodlust. Naruto had done no such thing, having backed off as soon as Zabuza was confirmed to be "dead."
That was another thing on Kakashi's mind. He knew that Zabuza had survived. He didn't do anything because he didn't have enough energy left to tackle a Hunter-nin who was half his age and probably twice as strong. Had he had enough information to assume that the Hunter-nin was Zabuza's accomplice, he would have let Naruto handle the problem. But, until the ninja had left with Zabuza's body intact, Kakashi didn't have enough data to declare the young boy an enemy. Thus, Zabuza and the boy had escaped and fled to fight another day.
Kakashi shook his head. This was why he had quit the ANBU black ops. He had wanted to get away from the tangled web of lies and foul play that had plagued his missions. He had wanted to get away from the two-pronged deceit and the vicious half-truths that could cripple entire nations at a time. It was too tiring and pointless.
"It seems that bad feeling of mine was not unfounded. I hate it when I'm right."
o.0.O.O.0.o
A/N This is not a sequel to ASCTR. This doesn't have anything to do with ASCTR.
Taiyoushin Ittou Tansen — Sun God's Single Strike Edge
Naruto's first original Jutsu (during his second chance, anyway). A sort of mimicry of Kakashi's "Raikiri". Consumes an ungodly amount of chakra. It turns the chakra concentrated to one's fist into hot flames. The user remains unharmed, but anything else that touches it will feel as if they had been stricken by the sun. Thus its name. It is also very much advised that you have the Sharingan as well. If you miss and can't keep Taiyoushin Ittou Tansen active, you're a goner.
Sessha— I'm going to steal this little tidbit from Rurouni Kenshin. It means "This unworthy one". Naruto will use it during the beginning of his relationship with Hinata. Since Naruto is the "Bane of Konoha", he will feel he isn't worthy of Hinata's affection.
I have heard many arguments against the Naruto/Hinata pairing. I'll address the biggest one right now. Listen up, non-believers, because your reasons for hating Naru/Hina aren't worth jack.
The biggest argument about a romantic relationship between Naruto and Hinata is that they're twelve, and that their crushes are just that, infatuations that won't last. Another part of this argument is that they're too young to really fall in love, and that them being married would eventually end in divorce or annulment. The people who present these arguments would have VERY valid points if they were talking about normal teenagers.
But guess what, non-believers. You're not, and neither am I.
Naruto and Hinata's professions involve danger unlike any we'd see in the modern day and age. These twelve-year-olds are fighting life and death battles nearly everyday. They recover from injuries that would probably cripple a real person for life. They're forced to mature earlier than the rest of the world, an adult in a child's body. One day, they could be fighting together, kicking butt. The next, they could be buried side by side in a cemetery, their names carved on the memorial stone. Relationships might not ALWAYS work out, but it's more of a 50/50 chance than anything. And, when you look at it objectively, aren't all new relationships a shot in the dark?
So tell me, non-believers, is it so impossible for these child soldiers to have a serious relationship? Take a look at their life expectancy, then think long and hard before telling me.
Updates will be slow for all my stories, due primarily to the new school year.
Steadfast, my friends, and good luck.
James Daniel Fawkes
James Daniel Fawkes (Signature best viewed in Wendy Medium font style)