Disclaimer: For the fifth time, I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR CHARMED!
A/N: I know, I know, I'm REALLY sorry for the long wait. I was in Canada for a couple of days, and then when I got back, it was late, and then school started. Here is the long-awaited fifth chapter.
To Jmw: I totally agree with you, we really do. I'll think about it, but it'll probably be a yes. I wanna get a little farther in this story first though. But I really like your idea.
Warning: The dialogue and fight with Zabuza is probably horribly off-canon. Again, I was in Canada and had no way of looking up what actually happened in the fight.
Words
Jutsu
Spells
Thoughts/emphasis
Telepathy
Tailed Beast
Several days after Naruto and Matthew's encounter with the Nine-Tails, Team 7 and Tazuna were across the sea and in the Land of Waves. Naruto has had several discussions with the Nine-Tails while he slept, and things were looking good for the two. However, he was also getting desperate to prove that he wasn't inferior to Sasuke, and as a result, was on hyper-alert for any enemies he could use to redeem himself with. Unfortunately for everyone else, this resulted in Naruto throwing kunai at random times throughout the journey.
"Naruto, would you cut that out?!" Sakura screamed for the twentieth time that day, "You're slowing us down, wasting kunai, and alerting any nearby enemies to our presence you IDOIT!"
"Actually Sakura," Sasuke stated coolly, "if anything is alerting the enemy to our presence, it's you and your constant shouting."
"Bu-but Sasuke!" Sakura replied, hurt.
"But she does have a point loser," Sasuke continued, "you are wasting kunai, slowing us down, and telling any shinobi worth his headband where we are."
"But I could've sworn I-" Naruto didn't finish, instead sending a kunai into a bush.
"IDIOT! WE TOLD YOU TO STOP THAT!" Sakura screeched, hitting Naruto on the head.
Sighing, Kakashi walks over to retrieve it. When he comes out of the bush, he is holding the kunai, and a small white rabbit.
"Well Naruto, it looks like you did sense something. A harmless bunny." Kakashi stated while handing the bunny and the knife to Naruto.
While Naruto is apologizing profusely to the bunny, Kakashi notices something odd. Strange. It's the middle of spring, and Snow Bunnies shed their white coat in the springtime. Which means that that bunny was raised indoors, and the only reason it'd be out here is-
"Everyone! Get down!" Kakashi shouts, slamming into the ground, followed by Tazuna, Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto. Just in time too, because a large sword embedded itself in a tree right in front of them. Seconds later, a large man with bandages covering the lower half of his face stood on the handle of the blade.
"Zabuza Momochi, the Demon of the Hidden Mist Village," Kakashi stated, giving Zabuza a critical eye, "One of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, stay back, this one is dangerous."
"Kakashi Hatake, also known as Kakashi of the Sharingan," Zabuza stated, returning Kakashi's gaze, "Rumored to have copied over 1000 jutsu, and formerly a member of the ANBU Black Ops."
Kakashi remains silent, instead pulling up his headband from where it covers his left eye, revealing a red eye with three comma-like marks around the pupil (tomoe).
"Ah, the famous Sharingan of the Leaf Village. I'm honored that you feel its use is needed against me," Zabuza says, "But actually, I'm not here for you or your team. I'm here for the bridge-builder."
"Well then, you'll have to go through me first," Kakashi states before yelling to his squad, "Protect the bridge-builder! Manji Formation!"
Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura surrounded Tazuna, each facing a separate direction and drawing a kunai.
"Hmph," Zabuza grunted, raising one arm to his chest and the other above his head, "So be it. Ninja Art: Hidden Mist Jutsu!"
A thick mist began to form around the area, with Zabuza disappearing into it. Everything was quiet until…
"Kit, look out behind you!" The Nine-Tails shouted inside Naruto's head. Naruto had no time to wonder about that before he spun around and saw Zabuza's sword about to cut through Tazuna. Before anyone could react, however, the ground shook and the wind blew hard, causing Tazuna to lose his balance and fall, and Zabuza's sword to blown off course just a little bit. The spell. Naruto thought before he was distracted by Kakashi shoving a kunai through Zabuza, only for Zabuza to splash to the ground in a puddle of water. Zabuza then appeared behind Kakashi and cut him in half. However, Kakashi too splashed to the ground in a puddle.
What?! He copied my Water Clone?! Zabuza thought before he felt cold steel press against his neck.
"It's over Zabuza," Kakashi stated coldly. Instead of answering, Zabuza simply dissolved into water. Appearing behind Kakashi, Zabuza flashed through a series of hand-signs.
"Water Style: Water Prison Jutsu!" Zabuza exclaimed. A torrent of water rushed from his hand, quickly enveloping Kakashi and encasing him in a sphere of water.
"Guys, run!" Kakashi yelled to his team. Naruto, however, remained still.
"Kakashi-sensei," Naruto began, "I made a promise to myself that I would never leave my friends to fend for themselves again. That includes you, and I don't intend to break that promise here!"
Everyone was so focused on Naruto's speech that no one noticed the thin web of golden (what looked like) thread slowly moving inwards from the outside of the water-ball.
"Let's go!" Naruto shouted, forming a hand-sign, "Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!" A thousand Narutos then appeared, swarming Zabuza and dog-piling on top of him. Zabuza, however, knocked all of the clones off of him with a roar. During the confusion, Naruto transformed himself into a shuriken, and had a clone throw him to Sasuke.
So that's your plan. Not bad Naruto. Sasuke thought, "Demon Wind Shuriken, Windmill of Shadows!" He then exclaimed, throwing the shuriken at Zabuza. Zabuza, in response, simply caught the shuriken, but was surprised by a second one with Sasuke's Shadow Shuriken Jutsu. However, he merely jumped over the shuriken, which then turned back into Naruto. Naruto then threw a kunai at Zabuza who, much to Naruto's dismay, used the shuriken in his hand to deflect it. Before anything else could happen, the golden threads reached Kakashi, and the water-ball exploded into light. Kakashi was freed, but due to chakra exhaustion and the sheer power of the blast that freed him, was only able to watch as Zabuza closed in on Naruto. However, much to everyone's shock/wonder/disbelief, every slash Zabuza made with his sword was blasted back by a stream of water.
"ENOUGH!" Zabuza roared, sending a huge wave of KI out, along with a surge of chakra. Matthew's spell shattered under the barrage, leaving Naruto defenseless. Zabuza was about to make another slash to chop off Naruto's head when his sword disappeared in a shower of blue and white lights, and a voice called out from a tree.
"You know, trying to kill people isn't very nice Mr. Momochi. Especially children."
"Matthew!" Naruto called out in happiness, relief, and a little bit of worry. After all, this guy had badly beaten Kakashi-sensei. Did Matthew have a chance? Matthew jumped down from the tree, Zabuza's sword in his hand.
"What's up Naruto?" Matthew asks, completely ignoring the looks of incredulity from everyone else present. Even Zabuza was staring at him in amazement.
"Oh, nothing much." Naruto says, grinning at his friend, "Almost beheaded several times today, that's new. But for some reason, wind, water, and earth kept protecting us."
"Really?" Matthew asks with raised eyebrows, genuinely surprised, "Huh, well at least the spell works, but it was never that powerful before. Unless…"
Nine-Tails, were you powering up my spell? Matthew asked the beast telepathically.
"Just a bit," Nine-Tails sends back.
"ANYWAY!" Naruto yells, getting everyone's attention back, "Matthew, not that I'm not thrilled to see you, but how are you here? I didn't call you."
"Oh, I sensed your fear, and that you were in danger, so I orbed over to see what the problem was." Matthew explains, looking at Zabuza from the corner of his eye, "And I think I've found it."
Zabuza at this point had mostly gotten over his shock at the newcomer, and decided to get back to business.
"Look, I don't know or care who the hell you are," Zabuza growled, "but I'm here to take care of the old man, the ninja, and the brats. If you get in my way, I'll kill you."
Matthew yawned, "Yeah sure big guy, go ahead and try. I double dare you."
Matthew's nonchalance towards him infuriated Zabuza, "YOU COCKY LITTLE BRAT! I'LL KILL YOU LAST SO YOU CAN WATCH AS I KILL THE OTHERS SLOWLY-" Zabuza was cut off by a strong punch to his face.
He's so fast. Was the collective thought of Team 7 and Tazuna. Naruto however, smirked. He must have froze us, and then punched Zabuza to make it look instantaneous.
"Never, and I mean never threaten my charge," Matthew said dangerously, as the weather seemed to drop to below zero with the sheer KI coming off of Matthew, "Or I will trap your sorry ass in eternal vanquish."
"Now then!" He continues, tossing Zabuza his sword, "I fight fair, so you can have this. You'll need it."
Zabuza didn't reply, simply raising his arms to re-form the mist after a few seconds, Naruto lost sight of everyone and began to panic.
"Cut the games Zabuza," Matthew called out, "I know you're two feet from Tazuna. Let the object of objection become but a dream as I cause the seen to be unseen." He then chanted, causing the mist to vanish instantly.
Zabuza was in shock, "How did you know where I was, and how did you dissipate my mist?"
"A magician never reveals his secrets," Matthew states, grinning cockily.
Zabuza growls, and then jumps back. Flashing through another series of hand-signs he calls out, "Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!" A huge torrent of water then shot at Matthew in the shape of a dragon. Without at hint of fear in his eyes, Matthew flicks his hands and the dragon explodes. He then flicks his hands at Zabuza, causing him to explode, but into a puddle of water. Cursing, Matthew turns around in time to become trapped in the same water sphere that Zabuza used to trap Kakashi. Matthew however, just orbs out of it, and reappears a few feet away. Zabuza by this point, is enraged.
"That's it! You die now!" He screams, and flashes through more hand-signs, "Water Style: Giant Vortex Jutsu!" A huge wave of water approaches Matthew, who just closes his eyes, and doesn't move. When the wave is about to reach him, his eyes flash open, he waves his hand, and with a yell, sends the wave back at Zabuza. Zabuza lays defeated against a tree, and Matthew moves in for a kill. However, before he can blow up Zabuza, a senbon needle implants itself in Zabuza's neck. He falls over, dead.
"Thank you," says a hunter-ninja that landed next to Zabuza's body, "I have been following this criminal for several weeks now. I was going to intervene, but it looks like you had it handled." The hunter-ninja then lifts Zabuza over his shoulder and forms a hand-sign.
"My orders were to take his whole body," The hunter-ninja explains, "Thank you again. Perhaps we'll meet again one day." And with that, the ninja, and Zabuza vanish.
"Well, that was anti-climactic wasn't it?" Matthew asks, causing everyone to sweat-drop. "And I didn't even get to blow him up!"
"Umm, Matthew?" Naruto asks, pointing at Kakashi, Sakura, Sasuke, and Tazuna, who were all gaping like fish, "I think you're scaring them."
"Eh, they'll get over it. Now let's see: Kakashi right? I remember Sasuke and Sakura of course, so the fat old guy must be Tazuna." Matthew states.
Please tell me that Sasuke and Sakura have changed since the last time I've met them. Matthew thinks at Naruto.
Yeah, Sasuke's much less obnoxious, but Sakura is still infatuated with him. Naruto sends back, although Matthew can sense the hidden jealousy for Sakura's affection.
Unbelievable. Matthew thinks to himself, while shaking his head. He's still in love with her. Although I'll never understand why.
"Who are you, and how do you know us?" Kakashi asks, while signaling Naruto to get away from him. He tries to look threatening, but Matthew just laughs.
"Really Kakashi?" Matthew asks, "I just took out a guy who even you had trouble with without even breaking a sweat. You really think you can intimidate me? But don't worry, I'll explain everything."
Sasuke, however, felt he needed to butt in, "You need to teach me those moves and techniques! And how did you become so strong in the first place?"
"Oh Sasuke, still conceited as ever I see," Matthew says while chuckling.
"Hey! You can't talk to Sasuke like that! He's the greatest person ever!" Sakura screamed.
"WOW she's annoying," Matthew says as he freezes Sakura, "there, now that's better. Oh, hang on." Matthew's eyes glow gold for a second as he releases the memories Sasuke has of him.
"You!"
"Yup!" Matthew says, popping the "p", "Now then, let's begin…."
For the next hour and a half, Matthew tells the story about how he met Naruto, how it is his job to protect him, and a little bit about himself and witches in general.
"Wow," Kakashi says, stunned. Sasuke, however, is still un-happy.
"How come I don't have a white-lighter?" He asks arrogantly.
Matthew sighs before replying, "To be perfectly honest Sasuke, I have no idea. White-lighters are assigned to those who are in the deepest danger, or who desperately need someone to guide/protect them. It may just not be your destiny. I'm sorry though." He said, sounding genuinely sympathetic. Sasuke was shocked.
"Well, that's all nice, but now we have to decide what to do next," Kakashi interrupts, bringing back the problem at hand.
"I'd have thought that simple," Matthew says, confused, "We continue to Tazuna's village so he can finish the bridge."
"Great, more brats," Tazuna grumbles. Matthew ignores him, simply squinting at the water and causing it to splash in his face.
"That's what I meant," Kakashi continues, "Where did this 'we' come from? I never agreed that you could come along." Kakashi tries to use a subtle genjutsu, but it shatters.
"Don't insult me with those pathetic attempts at mind control. I'm a telepath, remember?" Matthew says, looking offended.
"Of course he can come! What are you talking about Kakashi-sensei?!" Naruto yelled, glaring at Kakashi.
"Calm down Naruto," Matthew says, placing a hand on Naruto's shoulder before turning to Kakashi. Kakashi looked into his eyes and saw something dangerous and powerful lying beneath, "besides, it's not like you can do much about it Kakashi."
Looking defeated, Kakashi sighs, "Alright, fine. He can come." He immediately claps his hands over his ears to drown out Naruto's shouts of joy.
"Okay, fine." Matthew says, looking happy, "I'll just orb home to tell my mom." And with that, Matthew orbs out.
Things are getting interesting really fast around here. Kakashi thinks as he drifts off to sleep.
A/N: PLEASE REVIEW! I'm sorry for the wait!