A.n. I'm having real trouble balancing writing with everything. Work, family, and the convention I go to every year is coming up. I know my beta is feeling the stress building. Mostly from my mad spelling skills. Regardless I press on. Although I might take a small break until April rolls around.
"...This fog." Speech
'...Is really.' Thought
"Getting on my nerves." Bijuu speech.
'Your to predictable.' Bijuu thought.
"Magen: Jubaku Satsu! Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death!" Jutsu call out.
"Wasurete rasen-jō no kattā forgotten spiraling cutter." Non-Jutsu technique.
No snappy one liners. No lawyers. I do not own Naruto. Or any other anime I might reference in my insane haze of writing. On with the show!
-Chapter began-
-wave country shore line early morning-
Naruto hoped off the boat and took a look around. "Its clear." he called out and was soon joined by the others. "Hey boat man stay safe ok." He said with a grin as the man waved goodbye and disappeared into the mist.
"My house is just up the road. We can make it there in a few hours." Tazuna said as his hand rubbed a small bottle of sake. Clearly ancious to get home and crack it open.
As the group readied to start the trek Naruto stared out across the water. His legs now only a slight nuisance. As he watched the fog roll in and out of the small bey he let his mind wander back to the training they had been doing after the bell test.
-"Flashback"-
Naruto panted from his horizontal vantage point from the side of a large tree. His team mates each on there own tree. "Why do we have to do this again? You said we had tree walking down, shouldn't we move onto water walking or something?" Naruto asked with a slight frown, only to be pelted on the forehead with a pebble.
Kurenai, who was tossing a few small pebbles in her left hand smirked at him. "You still need to work on your chakra control. At this point Sakura and Hinata are light years ahead of you." She said and tossed another pebble at his forehead.
"GHA would you at least stop that?" Naruto said with a pout, while holding a ram seal. "Its hard enough to concentrate without getting pelted!"
"And i'm going to keep doing it until its natural for you." She said and let loose another pebble that quickly found its mark on his forehead. "How do you think Ninja can move so fast? While we do train for quick movement we also use chakra. We reinforce our bones so they don't break as easily. Infuse it into our muscles so there stronger and don't tare. We even use it as an early warning system for danger."
Naruto blinked down at her. "So that's how Tsunade does it? Its just massive chakra control combined with the knowledge of what to pump it into?"
"I'm not for sure." Kurenai said with a shrug. "But, it has to factor into her strength somehow. But the more you channel into your system the more it becomes uncontrollable."
"Was that the Yondaime's trick? He used channeled chakra to flash around?" Sakura asked as she walked back down her tree.
"Its not that simple." Kurenai said with a frown. "He used his special kunai, combined with with a strong fuinjutsu." She said before launching another pebble at Naruto. "There are endless theories about how it worked. But what is known is that it was instant, and could be used in a sealed room."
Naruto and the others stayed quite for a short time after that. After two more soft thuds from pebbles smacking against his forehead Naruto spoke up. "So the key would be combining extream speed, while channiling massive amounts of chakra. But even then dad was still faster." He said almost dejectedly before snorting. "I wish mom was around to teach me about Fuinju*smack* OUch!" Naruto rubbed his bumpy, red forhead. "I realy wish you would stop doing that!"
Kurenai laughed to herself before pointing at him. "You don't want to be hit start dodging...Without leaving your tree." She said and watched Naruto's quickly forming smile turn into a pout. "But just so you know." She said with a evil grin. "I'm going to be using Kunai from now on."
-"Flashback end"-
Naruto grimaced as he felt the tendons twitch in his legs. "Come on Naruto." Kurenai said getting his attention. "No day dreaming. Where in hostile territory." Naruto smiled slightly to himself and gave a nod. "Good. Now diamond formation around Tazuna. Naruto take point, Hinata behind and Sakura to the left. And what ever happens don't break formation." She said in a commanding voice. The rest of the team quickly falling into position and pressed onward.
Naruto frowned when he took point. He could feel something or someone watching him. "I feel like a big meal after those shrimp earlier." Naruto said idoly while patting his belly. The rest of his team nodded in agreement.
"I don't like this mist. Everyone stay on guard and stay close." Kurenai said as she fingered a Kunai. After a while the sun came up and most of the mist started to clear.
As they walked Naruto's eye twitched. "Hey hold up i have to take a piss." He said and looked Kurenai in the eyes.
She sighed but nodded. "Do what you have to do. Make it quick and don't go to far." She said as the group halted. Naruto smiled and nodded as he ran into the woods. After a short while he came back and they started to move again.
A masked figure silently waited for Zabuza to make his move. As he noticed they had started to move again a sudden pain ripped through his right shoulder. "Ghaaa!"
Kurenai suddenly stopped the group at the noise. "Get close together." She said as she readied herself for an attack and layered genjutsu around the area.
Naruto walked out of a bush with a masked figure. He had a sure grip on its throat from under his arm and a sword through its shoulder. "Come out now unless you want your apprentice to die." He said loudly and griped the figures windpipe drawing a choking sound.
A deep chuckle echoed through the forest. "Why would a care about a tool. Haku trap him and get away." The voice rang out and soon a thick mist started to flood the area.
"Y..Yes Zabuza-sama." Haku replied and griped onto Naruto's arm. "Im sorry but you must die here." Haku said.
Naruto blinked but soon noticed a sound of a sword being launched through the air and tried to move. He noticed His feet had been frozen in place so he couldnt dodge.
"Damn It let go. You want us both to die?" He shouted as he tried to free himself in vain.
Haku smiled under the mask. "I won't but the same cannot be said for you." He said sadly before wincing as his body was sucked into a mirror made of ice below him.
Naruto grit his teeth. "I can't die yet!." He said and drew his katana to his side. As the large cleaver like blade the hidden nin through hit his side it causing multiple loud cracks and blood to gush from his mouth. Naruto fell to the ground clutching his ribcage.
"Naruto-koi/kun" The group yelled out.
Zabuza's laughing got louder and he walked out of the mist and plucked his sword out of a tree. "Pathetic. Thinking your little blade could stop my own?" He said and seared as he turned towards the group. "Now whose next?" He asked mockingly.
Haku stared in shock from his new vantage point at the blond. 'Why did he do that? I gave him just enough room to duck.' Haku thought but was cut off as the blond stood up slowly. His wound slowly started to close and he place a hand on his katana. Before Haku could say anything he felt his arms and legs held tight. A thick branch wraped itself around his mouth. Thinking fast Haku bit his lower lip and broke the genjutsu before replacing himself with a white rabit, that only narrowly avoided a small volley of kunai.
"Ill take you on." Zabuza heard from behind him. When he turned he found a blond with a gash in his Jacket and was breathing raggedly. But non the less he had a smile on his face.
Zabuza smirked. "Not bad." He said and held up a hand sign. "Release." He said but Naruto didn't blur out of existence. Zabuza blinked dumbly for a second. "Release" he said again only for nothing to change. His eyes narrowed at Naruto. "Why aren't you dead Gaki?" He asked.
Naruto chuckled and settled into a stance putting his right hand on his katana. "I guess i just don't know when to die Mr mummy." He remarked back.
Zabuza's eye twitched as he turned. "So you want a Kinjutsu lesson gaki? Know the price for it is your life." He said with a chuckle.
Naruto snorted and looked at the group. "Fresh fallen snow on leafs." He said and refocused on Zabuza.
Zabuza raised an non existent eyebrow. "You take me to lightly gaki." He said and tightened his grip on his sword.
Naruto smirked. "Will see. Now are you going to attack me or just stand there like a ebrowless mummy that you are?" He said and smiled seeing Zabuza's snear.
Zabuza kicked up dirt as he jumped towards Naruto with a over head swing. "To easy brat." He said as his sword came down. When it was just a hair away from Naruto he grinned before noticing Naruto quickly draw his Katana. Feeling the force of his strike halted, and the tell tell danger sense he quickly leaped back into the mist, leaving Naruto with a resheved katana, and a currently being resheved wakizashi. "Not bad. Here I thought all konoha ninja where tree huggers." He said darkly, his voice eccoing out of the mist.
-With team eight-
"Fresh fallen snow on leafs." They all nodded as they made there own preparations. From there first day Kurenai had drilled codes and tactics into there heads. Sometimes using the more direct approach with Naruto, that being smacking him with pebbles.
Fresh meant a new plan was needed. Fallen snow meant he needed genjutsu layered around the feild. And leafs identifyed the whole team. Kurenai quickly started layering genjutsu, as Sakura through groups of Kunai seemingly randomly. Hinata fell into her Jyuuken stance as she prepared to do her part.
"Should I go for the main coarse, or have my dessert first?" Zabuza said with a cruel chuckle. "There are eight vital points on the body. Throat, spinal column, lungs, liver, the jugular vein, subclavian artery, kidney, and heart." He said with almost glee. "Which should I cut first?"
Team eights eyes widened as the large blade ripped through them and Tazuna, only for them to fade into nothing. Zabuza narrowed his eyes before an explosive tag went off at his feet, resulting in the surrounding grass to have a thick coat of water.
'Water clones.' Kurenai thought with a scowl from a small grouping of woods. after letting out a sound mimicking a bird chirp more explosions followed. As the mist cleared out slightly a grinning Zabuza was left standing in the middle of the field.
"Not bad." He stated with a snort as he held up a hand sign and formed six more. "Water clones..." He started to say before swinging down on a surprised clone. Instead of water it poofed into smoke. Chuckling to himself he hoisted his sword onto his shoulder. "Dirty trick kid." He said with a gleam in his eyes. "I'm realy starting to like you."
"If you liked that..." Naruto's voice came from behind Zabuza. Spinning on his heals he easily blocked a powerful slash, leaving the two in a lock. Naruto grinned up at the taller man. "Your going to love this." Naruto said before letting go of his katana. He quickly stepped to the side as the mans blade came down. Drawing the Nijato strapped to his back in a blur he planted it on the back of the cleaver like sword.
With the force of his attack now almost tripled Zabuza's blade shattered Naruto's katana and dug itself deeply into the ground.
glaring at Naruto Zabuza was about to comment before another voice caught his attention. " You are within range of my field of divination." Hinata said drawing the masked mans attention away from the blond.
'Where the hell did she come from?' Zabuza snarled as he attempted to pull his sword loose, only to be deniged as Naruto's Ninjato incressed its presure on its back. Looking back up Zabuza cursed when he noticed she was about to make contact.
"two palms!" Hinata said and landed two strikes, one to his side and the other to his left shoulder. "two palms!" These hit opposite of her first, her hands now nothing but blurs. "four palms!" Blurry hands struck the masked mans knees and hips. "Eight palms!" After images struck around his chest and neck area. "sixteen palms!" She shouted out, her hands now untraceable yet clearly hit her target as the large man was launched into the woods, his sword leaving behind sparks as it grind-ed against Naruto's blade. "Hakke Sanjūni Shō! Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms!" She shouted in between deep breaths.
"Did we get him?" Sakura asked as she hopped down from a branch, Kurenai seemingly warping out of the shadows with Tazuna in tow next to her.
Kurenai quickly moved to check on Zabuza, only to find a small impact crater. "He escaped." Leaping back she took in her team. Sakura was fine as she stayed back and prepared explosive notes. Hinata, while being slightly out of breath was fine. Naruto had crouched down and started to pick pieces of his shattered sword off the ground. "You going to be ok Naruto?"
Naruto smiled sadly but nodded. "Just a few cracked ribs." He said and pulled off his torn jacket to reveal his armor. "I'll have to find a replacement for Kaze no hasshin (Wind caller.) though."
Nodding to herself Kurenai looked at a slightly pale Tazuna. "I suppose there are no sword smiths in wave at the moment, thanks to Gato that is?" Getting a nod she let out a sigh and looked at Naruto, who had just finished sealing the broken sword into a scroll. "You'll have to wait till where back in Konoha. Let's move out!"
-later that night Tazuna's house-
Tazuna knocked on the front door loudly. "One second." A female's voice rang out and the door opened to reveal a woman with long dark blue hair. "Father your back so soon? And whats with these children?" She asked as she looked around.
Tazuna smiled "Ill explain everything inside. Right now i need a drink Tsunami." He said as they filed in. As Naruto passed her he looked at her with pain in his eyes before he smiled brightly and passed by leaving a slightly confused Tsunami to be greeted by Kurenai.
An hour later and Tazuna had explained the story to Tsunami who looked at Hinata and Sakura who just nodded. "So then you'll be staying in the village?" She asked.
Kurenai nodded. "The contract states that we stay until the bridge is completed. And i don't think Naruto-kun would leave till hes taken out Gato." She said and looked up to the room Naruto had retired early to.
-spare room-
Naruto smiled fondly as he wrapped the shattered blade into a white silk cloth, carefully treating each piece as if it would turn to dust at the lightest touch. When he was done he unsealed a small vase with sand and pulled out incense. After lighting them he clasped his hands together. "Thank you, for protecting me, my hime, and my precious people." He said and prayed softly. His mind wondering back to the words of his mentor.
'Everything has a soul. This is true most of all with swords. Its your protector. At your side when you need it most. Treat it with respect and it will never fail you. And if it breaks, treat it like you would an old friend.'
Naruto smiled as those words bounce through his head. "Thank you..." A whisper of a voice called out in Naruto's mind as he finished his prayer. Smiling softly he resealed the sword, wanting to return it from where it was forged later on. After cleaning his mess he plopped down on the bed and thought about the mission so far. Kurenai had mentioned it would take about a week for Zabuza to recover. Naruto grimiced as his mind kept retreating into the darker recesses. 'Why do we have to stay here for a week. Her name...it sounds so much like yours Nami.'
Tilting his head towards the window he spotted the moon. "Kami help me be strong for just a few more days.." He said and slowly let sleep take him. A single tear rolling down his cheek.
The days went by quickly for most. All except for Naruto who contently made clones to scout out Gato's base and learn the finer points of bridge making. As they where setting at a table chuckling over training and control exercises Tsunami's son Inari slammed his hands to the table. "How can you laugh. If you stay here you'll die. There are no hero's you know nothing about pain!" He shouted but jumped as Naruto's fist hit the table.
Naruto looked into the young boys eyes. "Nothing of pain? Hinata's mother died when she was three and later that week she was nearly kidnapped. Kurenai-sensei's family died when she was still a teenager and there was nothing she could do. And some, some never got to know what its like to have a real family. To even live past six years old. We know nothing of pain? Perhaps we come from a protected village but we all suffer pain the same way." He said got up and walked to the door. "At least you still have a mother." He said before slamming the door behind him.
Tsunami looked at kurenai. "He has suffered a lot hasn't he?" She asked with a sad look on her face. Inari looked at his mother with confusion winning over anger.
Hinata looked at the floor along with Sakura. "Yes." Kurenai said getting Inari's attention. "On the day he was born he lost both of his parents. And the majority of the village only sees him as a demon sense his first day for something he had no control over. Something his father did to him only an hour after he was born." She said sadly. "For the first three years of his life he was starved and neglected by the Orphanage matron who sworn to protect him. After some interrogation we learned he was also beaten while he was there." She said catching Sakura's attention. "It was also learned that the only child who actually tried to help him and treated him like family was sold off to a slaver. imagine never being held or loved till your two and then someone starts to talk to you. Holds you and tells you that your going to be ok. Only to have that person torn from your arms and sold away like some property."
Inari's face softened and Tazuna sat down his drink. "Hes one tough kid to keep going along with that smile of his. And to care about others pain instead of his." Tazuna remarked.
Tsunami who was crying nodded. "Did you ever find out anything about his friend?" She asked a bit hopfully.
Kurenai looked at the floor. "We launched an investigation after it came to light. By the time we started looking she was already outside the boarders of fire country. From what I hear...the ring she was sold to, specialized in..." Kurenai stopped to regard Inari before continuing. "A specific type of slave. She was presumed dead" She said and sakura started to sob a bit along with Inari. "We kept the information away from him but he somehow found out. After that night everyone who helped the Old matron was found beaten to within an inch of there lives. Most of which where still in locked and guarded Intergation rooms. It still baffles us how he did it all undetected." She said and stood up. "I better go find him before he decides to take down Gato tonight." she said and left out the door.
Sakura got up without a word and left leaving Hinata behind. She put on a sad smile and looked at Tsunami. "Ill help with the dishes. Koi will be fine he just needs to vent a bit. Losing Nami-chan is still a painful memory for him." she said and started to collect the dishes wiping her tears from her cheeks.
Tsunami blinked a few times. "So thats why he looked at me like that." She said sadly.
Hinata nodded. "He told me your name reminded him of Nami's. He said that your kind and caring like she was and that it hurt knowing that He couldn't save her. He also told me he felt she was like his mother." She said with her back facing them. "But he said he's glad Inari has such a good mother." Hinata finished as she walked into the kitchen.
"im sorry." Inari said with a choked voice.
Tsunami blinked back her tears and held him tightly. "Its ok soichi. His death was hard on all of us. You don't need to apologize to me or grandpa." She said as she wiped his tears.
Inari nodded. "I need to apologize to Naruto. I want to be like him. Able to stay strong to protect you and the village and no matter how much pain i feel to keep smiling." He said and put on a watery smile as his mom messed his hair.
"Thats my boy. Ive missed you." She said with a smile.
-Forest out side of town-
Kurenai came up to a clearing full of downed tree's. At the middle was a sobbing Naruto wailing his lungs out with shouts of why to the heavens. She walked next to Sakura who was in tears. "How did he do this?" She asked as she to fought back hers.
Sakura looked up at her. "He had a swirling ball in his hand that made a strange humming noise." She said with a choked voice. "He kept crying out to Kami why. Why did she have to die. Why he couldn't protect her."
Kurenai let out a stuttered sigh as she watched Naruto beat on the ground with bloody fists. "It was the rasengan. One of his fathers techniques. He must have learned it from a scroll." She said and watched on sadly.
Sakura "It hurts so much to see him like this. He never told me about the beatings. About his friend. I never knew the pain he hid behind that goofy grin or why he trained so hard." She sobbed and wiped a few tears from her cheeks. "He does it so he can protect us. Like he would have protected her." She said and got a sad nod from kurenai. "I..I think i see now. That I was using him as a replacement for Sasuke." She added in a soft, ashamed voice. "He's more like a brother...always looking out for me. I think..." Looking back at Kurenai her features hardened. "I know I want to be strong. To protect him." She added and looked back at Naruto who was standing wobbly screaming silently to the sky with a voice that had long sense left him.
Kurenai nodded. "We will." She said as Naruto fell on his back passed out. "Now lets get to work." She stated and they moved as one.
-Chapter end-
A.N. No Omake's this time. Thanks to my epic skills at procrastination, combined with my hectic life my Beta couldn't help with this one. That and I'm highly sleep deprived. *Looks at clock.* AAaaaand I have about six hours before I have to be at work. o.O lovely ain't it. Well regardless i hope you enjoyed this chapter. I would like to go on record that I suck badly at fight scenes. I would like to think i found a happy medium in this fight.
On another note I have decided to post on this story once a month, at least. This will give me time to smooth out action bits, and plot thingamajigs. The once a week seemed like a great idea when work was slower, and my life sucked less. Regardless I refuse to give up just yet.
I do not own Naruto, or any other thing I might have referenced, or will reference in the future. Be it offhandedly, blatantly, or if i'm just beating a dead horse. And that was just a phrase. I would never beat a horse. Peta is the last thing i need on my ass.