Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Vortekz A/N: Hey everyone, as you know, this is where we left off from the actual storyline. Once more I apologise for the confusion I've brought with forgetting my account password etc... Anyway, we're finally getting into the first proper arc of this story - the Civil War arc. Just like before, GaleSynch and myself will be writing half of a chapter each, so try and guess who's who and tell us how we're doing with a review.
I hope you see the progression of my skills as an author, because I think I've improved quite a bit if I do say so myself.
Warning: Will contain gendergending, violence, blood and gore.
Kimimaro - 8 years old.
Naruto - 5 years old.
Izumi - 7 years old.
Sasuki - 3 years old.
Haku - 7 years old.
Bone Deep
written by Vortekz and GaleSynch
Chapter 3
The fourth post for the Hidden Mist Rebels was burning.
Well, not literally burning, but in the sense that it was being razed to the ground by an aggressive assailant. With water and lightning. Rather, the fourth post for the Hidden Mist Rebels was being… stormed. Yes, that fit the bill.
Great dragons of aqua pura swept through the camp site, decimating the lodgings below; destroying all in their wake. They devoured anything without pause, sparing none.
They were caught off guard; taken by absolute storm against the Hidden Mist Loyals and were paying the price, dearly.
But they, the Rebels, were simply not ones to give up without a fight – it was in their nature. Battles raged amongst the flora and fauna alike in the form of a collage of destruction that spared none.
And then they came.
A shadow leapt across the clearing as nothing but a blur, slipping in and out of the battles that were already taking place, ripping the lives from the Loyals faster than they could fathom. It cuffed its foot and leapt higher, hefting an oblong blade to its behind before gravity took its toll and it was left soaring unto the soil below.
An explosion rocked the area of his return, ripping the landscape apart in a portrait of eradication, swallowing up many. Shifting the long, explosive note-ridden blade atop his shoulder, Mangetsu's eyes zoomed across the plane. He raised a calloused hand towards the shrubbery, fishing a scroll from within his belt.
A flash of lilac and sterling silver met his call, standing tall – or short, whichever way you looked at it – in the forms of Suigetsu and Naruto, arriving in nought but seconds. Mangetsu eyed them seriously, in deep contrast to the comically easy-to-anger boy they had come to grown used to.
"Suigetsu," he spoke towards his brother, "I've trained you ever since ya could hold a blade. Remember everything I've taught ya and do not get yourself killed, 'right?" he ruffled the boys head after an eager nod.
This time he turned towards Naruto, a look on his face that the bone-using boy couldn't quite understand, "You're a shitty, annoying, talkative brat–" Naruto's head drooped, "–buuut, the place would be pretty damn quiet without ya." He opened the scroll and placed his hand stop of the onyx squiggles. A plume of smoke met his call. In his hands were the two katanas he had given them only hours earlier. They were pretty average looking – dark blue hilt, silver bottoming, equally silver guard, and a finely tempered blade.
A hand came to lay upon Naruto's head, another pushing a katana into his arms. "You've been in battle before, so don't get yourself killed, alright? I'd miss your ugly, polka-dotted head." The elder Hozuki brother pushed the other katana into his brothers arms before making to move, only to be halted by Naruto's words.
"Wait! I don't have anything to do with this," he gestured with his arms, "I don't care about these people. I only care about finding Kimi-nii!"
Mangetsu brought a finger to the bridge of his nose, pinching it. He should have known that the Kaguya brat wasn't going to just volunteer for fighting. Instead, he approached the matter differently.
"Ya know, even if you do manage to find your brother, then what?" he question amidst the battle, "Are ya just gonna' come back to here and get hunted down like animals again? 'Cause that's what'll happen, and before ya know it, 'Kimi-nii' is dead."
Something stirred within him at Naruto's horrified face. The thought of losing Kimi-nii – the unmovable pillar – was simply unthinkable. Nothing could kill Kimi-nii.
"What, don't believe me?" Mangetsu prodded, his lips twisting into an odd line, exposing his serrated pearly whites, "Me an' Suigetsu don't even have a Kekkei Genkai, but we were hunted down for our Suika no jutsu. They killed off our parents, and they'll do the same to yer' brother."
He approached Naruto, snapping the white-haired boy out of his nightmares, "So you can either nip the problem at the bud and kill a few a' these guys," he gestured towards the Loyals, "or you can leave now, come back with 'Kimi-nii' and watch him die. Really, it's not all that hard; they're high Genin with a few mid-level Chunin at best – just fodder."
Begrudgingly, Naruto nodded. Yes, it wouldn't do well if Kimi-nii was killed. Not well at all. He readied his blade and made eye contact with Suigetsu – who looked thrilled more than anything else – and inclined his head.
Mangetsu watched their retreating forms with a small sigh. Playing on a brats bonds – manipulating them for the better of the country – felt dirty.
Grumpily, Naruto ran along side Suigetsu – the latter cackling to himself. He gripped the katana tighter. Was Shitface dumb or something? He was a Bone user – what use did he have for a length of steel? As if sensing his discomfort, Suigetsu momentarily paused his cackling and turned to the boy beside him.
"What're you sookin' about?" he questioned in genuine curiosity, "Nii-san gave us swords and is letting us kill people! Real-life people!" he shrieked in excitement. At Naruto's bland stare, he grinned, "C'mon, aren't you gonna' kill people for your 'Kimi-nii'?" he probed.
Naruto's grip tightened around the handle of his sword, eliciting a small creak in protest. Was this really for the better of Kimi-nii? Did they even have to come back to Water Country? It was so easy; one short, clipped swing of the katana would bring Suigetsu to a quick demise, and then he would be able to escape, to find Kimi-nii.
There was simply too many bad memories in this cursed country – the neglect, being locked up in a cage for their lives, being living weapons for the clan… He glanced aside, eyeing the supple flesh of the back of Suigetsu's neck. His blade hissed against the sheathe as he drew it ever so slowly. Yes, just one swift swing and it would be all over. For Kimi-nii…
"Why're ya pulling out your sword now?" Suigetsu's question pulled him from his reverie, "Oh, you already want to kill? Picking you ta join our family was a good idea after all!"
His words felt like a punch to the guts for Naruto. Family…? Ah, that was right…
Hey, if ya want to, we can be ya new family!
No! Kimi-nii was his family! He gripped his temple, the blade falling back into the sheath with a soft 'shink' as memories flashed across his mind's eye.
I'd need a new goal in life then. And you know what? It'd be to protect you and all my precious people!
Were these people 'precious people' material? They made him laugh, made him forget about the terrible longing in his heart to be united with his older brother. They were fun to play pranks on…
Yes…
He took hold of his blade once more, drew it and delighted in the hiss of the metal. It gleamed a deadly shine, promising only death. His foot pivoted when it cuffed the tree and he shot forth toward Suigetsu, his sword cocked back, his eyes gleaming.
"Naruto…?" Suigetsu asked wearily as he soared through the air. His lilac eyes caught site of the sword and fear struck his heart. "Oi! What're you doing, Naru-"
He didn't stop at Suigetsu – nay, he soared over the top of the younger Hozuki and brought his sword down, hard. The stainless steel cleaved through flesh and bone alike, bisecting a nameless Kiri genin. Slowly but surely, Suigetsu's horror-stricken face morphed into one of gratitude.
"Whoa!" he exclaimed, "I didn't even see him there! Thanks for that, polka-brow!"
…these are my precious friends.
Yes, these people – he would protect them, just like Kimi-nii. "Sure thing… Fish boy."
It was a fortunate thing the boys had one another – because with all the mistakes they'd made, they would've died had the other not compensated the other's lack of attention. Already, Suigetsu had deflected three death-blows for Naruto and the Kaguya boy had pushed his friend out of the line of fire more than once.
Naruto was not ashamed to say that he enjoyed battling – it was tiring, yes, but his blood rushed in his ears, his heart thumping wildly in a good way. His eyes took in everything in a split second and he liked the way his body moved to respond.
He might have even laughed – cruel and maniac and joyous – as he slaughtered ranks all around him.
The adrenaline kept him going and he didn't realize how tired he was until Mangetsu called for a retreat. Suigetsu and Naruto weren't worse off for the wear; just bruises and cuts, but no doubt they'd be parading about like mummies staight out of the pyramid for days.
Naruto hissed as Mangetsu applied some salve on it. Mangetsu was satisfied with their performance – both boys knew that, despite how much the trained-nin complained about them surviving and continuing on to be thorns in his side, Mangetsu was glad they were alive – but he said there were still room for improvement.
"Now, stay still or this'll hur-"
"Tetetetetete! It hurts, it hurts! Stop it, you monster!"
Naruto kicked his feet at Mangetsu in an attempt to escape the elder boys patching. Next to him, Suigetsu grinned – still on a high from killing so many people. Seriously, what was wrong with these two, Naruto wondered. They were so unlike Kimi-nii, yet they were almost the same.
The white-haired boy hissed again when Mangetsu rapped him atop the head with his knuckles, "I said stay still ya little shit!"
Ducking, Naruto ran and sought cover across the room – behind row of medical beds, moaning patients laying atop them. "I'm a Kaguya! I don't even need bandages, all of my wounds heal real fast, see?!" he raised an arm toward Mangetsu, flaunting his natural healing factor.
It was a handy thing to have in battle – little nicks healed in seconds, larger wound… took a little more time. However, when using the Shikotsumyaku, the wounds from the bones seemed to heal faster. What was with that?
"Naruto!" Mangetsu warned. "You're breaching the Fourth Wall, stop it."
Nodding his head, he turned away from the Fourth Wall. The battle had gone okay – despite the Loyals having the upper hands, they'd still lost. Because at the end of the day, they were just fodder. Suigetsu had an absolute ball, killing things left right and centre. And himself? He didn't quite love it like the Hozuki brothers, but he certainly had no qualms about taking a life. He barely understood death anyway. He was sure of this though: he liked fighting, not killing.
The battle had raged for an half an hour, before the Rebels managed to pull off a win. In fact, it barely even felt like a win. It was simply too easy. And therein laid the problem. It felt like the Mizukage was testing them – their defence and prowess.
Not that Naruto understood it; Mangetsu was just blabbering about. Pranking Mangetsu and watching Mangetsu fight were two different things in their own. If it wasn't for the elder Hozuki, Naruto wasn't sure if he'd still have his hide. The youngest Swordsman of the Mist had come to his and Suigetsu's aid many times during the battle, decimating any opponent that stood in the way.
It was done with that weird, big-ass paper sword that blew up when it was swung. An ugly sword it may have been, but it was still highly dangerous nonetheless. Apparently Mangetsu had another three in his possession – he'd originally had five all together, but apparently some 'brat from main base' was being trained up to be a swordsman, and had become rather fond of Mangetsu's favourite blade.
They sounded so cool… he wanted one! One of the cool sword! The ruffle of a tent flap caught his attention before he wince, covering his ears from a shriek of disbelief.
"Mangetsuuu!"
A man marched through the recovery tent – he was tall, if not stocky. He donned a kimono-like get-up with two long, papertag earring that were marred with a series of lines, the kanji for 'to hear' embroidered in the middle with thick, black ink. An eye-patch was his most distinguishing feature, though; covering his left eye.
Before he could unleash his wrath upon the boy he sought, he was held back by several nin that Naruto hadn't seen around yet.
"Ao-sama!" they protested, holding back the eye-patched man's fury, "It was a surprise attack; Mangetsu-sama is not at fault!"
Naruto almost laughed at the look that crossed Shitface's visage. Mangetsu-sama? Ha! The man seemed to contemplate the words before sucking in a deep breath, squaring his shoulders and regarding Mangetsu with a dangerous gleam in his eye. "Mangetsu," he started, "you were put in charge of this camp as to prevent something like this happening, and now look at it!" he gestured with his arms, "The place is damn-well ruined! Ruined I tell you! The youth of this age!"
"Oi, oi!" yelled Mangetsu, "It wasn't my fault, ya old coot! It was a surprise attack, meaning it was a surprise. Cut me some slack!"
They butted head, snarling at each other comically before the kimono-garbed man relinquished, holding a hand to his temple and sighing. "There's been a few surprise attacks on some of the bases in these past few days. We tried to send word out to you, but it seems that it was intercepted." he said.
Mangetsu sighed, pulling out a scroll from his belt. "Yeah, I found this when I was doing a sweep after the fight. The messenger had been dead for days – killed by some sort of animal."The animal we ate for dinner last night… He left that part out.
"How unfortunate. Mei-sama has requested your presence at the main base. Get your stuff together and we'll get going." said Ao, crossing his arms over his chest.
Mangetsu looked perplexed. "Get my stuff?" he echoed.
Ao bobbed his head. "She wants you at main base for a little while, so she's sending Zabuza down here to take care of things until you get back."
Nodding, Mangetsu turned to leave, pausing only to ask the man a question, "I've got the brat to bring along – actually, I've got another brat as well. I'm bringing the both of them."
Naruto couldn't help it; he gawked, unable to supress his awe. The main base of the Rebels was one hell of a site. It was carved into a rocky mountain, shrouded from view with a constant stream of water – a waterfall. The entrance sat in front of a large gulf of water, surrounded by watch posts – trees with platforms built onto them.
It was so… ninja-ish. The outpost that they had just been at had been pretty much out in the open, a sitting duck, basically. But not this – this was an impenetrable god damn castle. They – Mangetsu, Naruto, Suigetsu and Ao – approached the water and walked right through it, not at all being soaked. Naruto marvelled, touching at his kimono-like shirt.
"Cool, ain't it?" Mangetsu questioned, "It parts when it comes into contact with chakra. You can try as much as ya want, but you won't be able to touch it so long as ya have chakra runnin' through your system."
Naruto stopped at his statement and reached back, reaching out with nimble fingers. True to Mangetsu's word, the water simply weaved around his hand. So cool!
"Quit your loitering. We haven't got all day; Mei-sama is a busy woman." Ao said.
The inside of the cave was something else entirely. Upon entering it, Naruto was greeted to a massive body of space. Long, wooden tables sat in rows, Rebels lining them and ploughing through their meals. On the side of one of the walls, a square, box-like shape was carved from one of the walls – obviously used for a window of sorts, Naruto surmised.
They made way for that window, climbing the metal staircase with slow, practiced steps. Mangetsu turned to Naruto and Suigetsu, an odd expression on his face. "She – Mei-" Ao turned to him with a glare, "Mei-sama, acts a little weird around brats. So, don't get all weirded out, alright?"
Both boys nodded. Weird?
There wasn't even a door, just a tarp that hung from the frame to work as something like a door. Parting it, they stepped through, and Naruto felt his face heat. Sitting behind an ornate desk was a woman – young, creamy skinned, auburn-haired, turquoise eyed. She was garbed in a long-sleeved, dark blue dress that did little to cover her generous assets.
There was also a small boy in the corner of the room – roughly both his and Suigetsu's age, clutching a sword that looked way too big for him. A pair of glasses sat atop his nose, just below his tufty blue hair. He bowed at the waist, shakily, facing Mangetsu, "Ah, Mangetsu-sama… I-I've been training, and I think I've improved… maybe…"
Naruto looked at him with an odd expression. He looked as if he was going to fall over and die should someone shout too loudly in his ear. Sheesh, talk about unreliable… Naruto thought he looked like someone who'd hurt himself even when he's asleep, and the Kaguya worried that the other boy would hurt himself, especially with such a huge-ass sword.
"Oh, Mangetsu?" The woman's silky voice pulled Naruto out of his reverie, "Who are these two you've brought with you?" She approached with a slow gait, kneeling down before both boys. "What are your names?" she placed a hand atop both of their heads and ruffled their hair, "Hmm, you look like Mangetsu… you must be his brother he's talked about." she said, looking towards Suigetsu.
"And you, hmm…" She stared at Naruto, scrutinizing him with a verdant gaze, "white hair, two red dots… a Kaguya perhaps? I was told they were eliminated in a clan assault. What's your name?"
Naruto didn't answer at first. What? The floor was interesting… "Hm, what's wrong?" she studied him a bit closer, "Aw! He's blushing!" The ability to breath was no longer a comfort as Naruto found himself assaulted by something soft. "How cute!" she cooed. Mangetsu was right, she was weird!
And then he could breathe. The auburn-haired lady rested back into her seat with a small sigh. "Doing such things… you're supposed to be the leader, Mei!" Ao scolded.
"Anyway," he continued, "four hours ago, a group of Loyals engaged the Rebel in a surprise attack. However, our forces managed to fight them off with mild difficulty."
Engage… Engagement…? Manage… Marriage…?
A shadow encompassed Mei's face, her brow twitching. "Ao," she called, her lips curling upward, "Shut up, or I'll kill you."
"Why?" Ao sulked, "I didn't do anything…"
"Moving on," Mangetsu intervened, "I've got something I'd like ta say,"
Mei bobbed her head, allowing him to speak. "As ya know, I started training to becomes one of the Seven at the age of five," Mei and Ao nodded, "I'd like to offer two candidates for the next generation. Both are already pretty string and can handle a bit of slave driving."
Suigetsu's eyes brightened, and Naruto's remained neutral. Inwardly, however, he didn't like where this is going…
"And those two candidates wouldn't happen to be the two children you brought along, would they?" Mei questioned, an odd look in her eye.
"Ye-"
"Absolutely not." Mei stated, resting her chin atop of her hands, "I refuse to simply throw out children onto the battlefield to fight in a war they have nothing to do with. Kekkei Genkai or not."
"Mei," Ao intervened, "you're letting your emotions take control. Two trump cards could do us some good." He reasoned.
"Look at them," Mei protested, glancing towards both boys, "they're still babies. You want me to put them both out on the battlefield? To make them kill? Doing something like that would make me no better than Yagura!"
"Actually, I like killing! A lot!" Suigetsu piped in.
"If it makes things easier for Kimi-nii, then I can fight…" Naruto added his two cents.
"See?" Mangetsu tried to reason, "They're both ready for anythin' out there. Ya wonder why the Kaguya brat survived, right? That's because he's good, real good. Take it from me – a Ninja Swordsman. And Suigetsu; I've been training him what I know ever since I can remember. Once upon a time they might'a been children, but not during these times. They're Shinobi, they've earned the right. Don't ya think?"
Mei took a deep breath and leaned back into her seat. Putting children out to fight made her feel dirty, low. Mangetsu had begun his training before the Bloodline Wars had started back in Kirigakure, and she still felt bad putting him out to fight even though she knew of his immense skill. He was usually pretty laid back, so watching him argue with so much tenacity… It couldn't be helped…
"One week," said Mei, "you will train them for one week with the sword. I will oversee it, and, if I deem them competent – then, and only then – will I allow them to begin training for the real thing. Do I make myself clear?"
Nothing could hold down the curve of Mangetsu's lips. "Crystal." He turned towards the boys, a grin on his face. "I know you will, Suigetsu. How about you, polka-brow? Will you lend us your strength?"
He pondered the question whilst rubbing his chin. Hm, it was a tough decision, after all. His cobalt orbs zoomed in on the boy at the corner of the room – the boy who was so quiet it was a challenge to tell if he was even here anymore. Weirdo.
He traced the blade the boy was clutching with a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "Okay, sure!
Mangetsu released a breath he didn't know he was holding, a small smile dancing on his face.
…on one condition!"
Purple eyes swiveled in on the Kaguya boy, an eyebrow raised, "A compromise?" A curtain of spiky white tressed bobbed with enthusiasm.
"Yep, I'll train if you give me one of your special swords!"
"Nani?!"
"What's wrong with that?" Naruto questioned, "You've got four of them, I only want one. Sheesh."
Mangetsu shook his head, "I don't think ya get it – these aren't just your run of the mill swords; they've all got special abilities that make them hard to control. You're still young, something could backfire and you're dead before ya know it-"
"No, it's fine," Mei interrupted. "let him choose one. It'll ease me knowing that he has something to protect himself with. Give one to your brother, too."
"Nah," Suigetsu denied the offer, "I've already got my eye set on one!"
Steel met cobblestone following a plume of smoke. Now, laid on the floor, were seven swords. "How is that even a sword?" Naruto questioned, nudging an axe and hammer connected by string, "That looks like a toiled roll holder," he nudged the Shibuki, "that's an overgrown senbon if I've ever seen one and- Oh," he paused, "Ne, Mangetsu, what does this one do? What's it called?" he picked up a set of pronged, straight-edged blades, and Mangetsu felt his blood drain from his face. Of all the swords…!
"T–The Kiba blades," the boy in the corner piped up, "a–also known as the Thunderswords. They convert the users chakra into natural lightning and allow them to manipulate it freely with little chakra. They're said to be the sharpest sword in existence… maybe…"
Mangetsu nodded his head in confirmation, "Yep, that's pretty much the gist of it. But, they're pretty dangerous, maybe ya should pick anot-"
"I want them." Naruto declared, his eyes gleaming. "See you tomorrow at sunrise, Mangetsu-sensei!" He cackled, running off with both blades. Mangetsu was left to his thoughts.
Just what sort of demon were they unleashing on the world?
Chapter 4 finished! Sorry for the wait, everyone. See you all next time!