Disclaimer: No, I don't own Naruto or Charmed.
A/N: Hi guys! Miss me? I'm sorry for the really long wait. I had finals and school's been hectic. BUT! School is over now, so I'll be updating more. And now, the long awaited 7th chapter of Naruto's Guardian Angel. It's actually my longest one yet. Also, to Jmw, yes, I will still do your story idea but like I said, things have been hectic. I will do it soon, however, and I will make an announcement when it is up.
Contrary to Matthew's previous prediction, the next day, and the rest of the week passed un-eventful for Matthew and Team 7. Sasuke and Naruto continued training, while Sakura and Matthew protected Tazuna. Eventually, work on the bridge was almost done, so the shinobi and witch were preparing for the worst. When Tazuna announced that work on the bridge would be finished the next day, Naruto worked late into the night training, and finally made it to the top of his tree.
When Naruto returned from training that night, he immediately collapsed onto his bed. Deciding that he needed to recover his chakra as well as stamina, Kakashi and Matthew agreed to let Naruto sleep in the next morning.
As he was preparing for the day in the morning, Matthew heard to voice of his brother in his head.
Matthew! Wyatt calls, Chris and I are under attack! We need your help!
Hang on Wy, I'm coming. Matthew sends back before focusing on Kakashi, Kakashi, my brothers need my help. I'll meet up with you guys later.
No problem. Kakashi sends back. Do what you need to do.
Breaking the connection, Matthew senses for Wyatt and orbs to his location.
Underworld
When he arrived, Matthew found himself in a cave with demons flinging energy balls everywhere. He looked for Wyatt and Chris and finds them hiding behind a rock. Quickly, he makes his way over.
"Okay," Matthew says rubbing his temples, "Which one of you decided to go demon hunting?"
"It was Wyatt!" Chris shouts, pointing at the blonde, "He made me come with him!"
"That's not true!" Wyatt shouted back, "You said you were bored, so I suggested demon hunting. I didn't hear you make any complaints about it then!"
"Shut up both of you!" Matthew shouts, smacking both boys upside the head as he does so, "It doesn't matter whose idea it was, now we just need to get out of here alive. Jeez you two give me headaches…"
I wonder if this is how mom felt growing up with Aunts Prue and Phoebe. Matthew thought before focusing on the problem at hand. Okay, twelve Mid to Upper-Level demons, in the Underworld, which probably means more will be coming in to see what the commotion is about. As he thought that, Matthew saw ten more demons shimmer in. Ugh, I need a vacation.
"Okay, here's what we're going to do," Matthew sayid before whispering his plan to his brothers. Both of them readily agreed and began to attack the demons.
Matthew flicked his hands rapidly, blowing up demons and destroying all but the Upper-Level demons. Chris proceeded by flinging the rest of the demons into the wall before Matthew froze them. However, they quickly began unfreezing, so Wyatt stepped forward and held out his hands. Golden energy gathered around them for a moment before exploding outward, vanquishing the rest of the demons.
"Yeah, we did it!" cheered Wyatt. His wide grin faded however, as he felt an arrow tip press against his back, and a voice spoke from behind him.
"I wouldn't celebrate yet," the Dark-lighter said. Matthew and Chris moved to help him, but they too felt arrow tips on their backs. Looking around, they saw that they were surrounded by Dark-lighters. Matthew could only think of one thing to say.
"Shit"
The Land of Waves
Sunlight streamed in from the window and struck Naruto in the face. Slowly, he opened his eyes and sits up. Without warning, he suddenly springs to his feet.
"Darn it! I over-slept!" He says to himself as he hurriedly gets his clothes on. He rushes downstairs, only to find Tsunami calmly cooking him breakfast.
"Good morning Naruto," she says pleasantly while placing an egg and sausage on his plate before handing it to him, "You friend and your sensei decided to let you sleep in, since you were out so late training last night. They told me to tell you to meet them at the bridge."
Nodding, Naruto quickly runs out the door, taking to the trees as he goes. Speeding through the forest, Naruto runs to catch up with his friends.
At the Bridge
Kakashi, Sakura, Sasuke, and Tazuna arrived at the bridge only to find all of the crew members knocked out. Seeing the state his workers were in, Tazuna rushed over.
"What happened to my men?!" he questions as he panics. Suddenly, a thin mist forms on the bridge.
"Sorry to keep you waiting Kakashi," Zabuza's voice sounded throughout the mist, seeming to come from all directions at once. Sasuke and Sakura grip their kunai tighter, drawing Zabuza's attention to them, "I see you still have those brats with you. That one's still shaking in his shoes."
Suddenly, they are surrounded by five Zabuzas. Sasuke, however, just smirked.
"I'm shaking with, excitement," he says before leaping into action. He moves quickly, severing each Zabuza with his kunai, turning each one into a puddle of water.
I can see it! He thinks to himself. Finally, the real Zabuza, along with Haku, appear at the end of the bridge.
"So you could see they were water-clones huh?" Zabuza comments, "Looks like you have a rival Haku."
"So it seems," Haku responds emotionlessly.
"So I was right," Kakashi states, "it was all an act."
"So I'm guessing that the whole 'tracker-ninja' story was a big bunch of bull," Tazuna said, eyeing the pair.
"They've probably pulled that act countless times before," Kakashi responded.
Haku, however, becomes a blur of movement as he speeds towards Sasuke. Sasuke countered, and blocked Haku's attack.
"We want the bridge-builder, not you," Haku states, "back down now, and I won't have to kill you."
"Save it," Sasuke spat back. Haku doesn't respond, but begins flashing through one-handed hand-signs. Finishing, he stomps on the ground, causing large spikes of water to form around him and Sasuke which freeze into ice. Leaping away, the spikes shoot at Sasuke, but he pumps chakra into his legs, allowing him to jump up and avoid them. Landing behind Haku, the two become a blur as they fight against each other. Sasuke eventually ends it by kicking Haku away and knocking him towards Zabuza.
It's not possible! Zabuza thinks. No one is faster than Haku!
"I'm sorry it's come to this," Haku apologized before forming a hand-sign, "Secret Jutsu: Crystal Ice Mirrors."
As Haku activated his jutsu, the temperature around Sasuke drops sharply. Suddenly, the water around him shapes into a dome of mirrors which then freeze. Haku enters one of the mirrors, and his image is then shown on every mirror. Kakashi moves to help Sasuke, but is stopped by Zabuza.
"If you enter this fight," the Demon of the Hidden Mist warned, "you fight me."
Meanwhile, inside the ice-dome, Haku begins throwing senbon at Sasuke. Sasuke quickly finds himself in a world of pain as the needles slice and stab him.
"Sasuke no!" Sakura yells, feeling useless to save him. Quickly, she pulls out a kunai and charges at the ice-dome. When she gets close enough, she jumps into the air and throws the kunai. Haku, however, simply reaches out of the ice-dome and catches it. This proves to be a mistake when a shuriken whizzes by and slams into Haku's mask, knocking him completely out of the mirror and onto the ground. Accompanying the shuriken is a large column of smoke.
That idiot. Sasuke thinks.
Who is it? Sakura wonders.
Number-one, hyperactive, knuckle-head ninja. Haku mentally recites.
As the smoke settles, Naruto appears, loudly signaling his presence to everyone.
"Have no fear! Naruto Uzumaki is here!" He shouts, causing everyone to stare at him. Naruto forms the hand-sign for the Shadow Clone Jutsu, but is cut off when Zabuza flings shuriken at him. He is saved, however, by Haku, who throws senbon at the shuriken and knocking them to the ground.
"Haku!" Zabuza shouted, disbelief shown clearly on his face, "What are you doing?!"
"Forgive me Zabuza," Haku says while staring at Naruto, "but I wish to fight this one in my own way. Please."
"All right," Zabuza chuckled, "do with him what you will."
Sasuke sees his chance and throws a kunai at Haku. Haku, however, merely dodges it, and turns to look at Sasuke.
"Very well," he says, "since you cannot accept defeat with honor, let us finish our battle, to the death!"
Haku walks back into the mirrors, and once again his image surrounds Sasuke. Soon after, Sasuke again finds himself under a barrage of senbon needles.
"Hey Sasuke," Naruto whispers from behind his friend once the needles let up, "I snuck in here to help you."
"Y-you… YOU ARE SUCH AN IDIOT!" Sasuke shouts, as Kakashi and Sakura merely face-palm.
"Well excuse me for trying to help!" Naruto shouts back.
"That is it!" Sasuke shouts before flashing through hand-signs, "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
Sasuke expels the flame from his mouth, intending to melt the ice mirrors. The mirror, however, are not affected.
"Sorry," Haku says while raising more senbon, "but it will take much more heat than that to melt this ice. Now if you're done, we can continue. Please don't resent me."
Haku again starts his rain of senbon, continuously striking Naruto and Sasuke. After he finishes, they slowly pick themselves up.
I can't even see where the attacks are coming from! Naruto thinks. How do we stop him?
################################################## ############################
Somewhere in the Underworld
Wyatt, Matthew, and Chris are being led by the dark-lighters through a series of tunnels and caves. Matthew, however, is in a great deal of pain as cuts and puncture wounds appear throughout his body.
What is Naruto doing? Matthew thought as another series of wounds suddenly appear on his body. Chris had tried healing him, but the wounds refused to close. They had been gagged to prevent talking and spell-casting, and Matthew's telepathy was being jammed. Finally, they arrive in a chamber with three cages in the center. Each boy is loaded into a cage, which is then locked. After the dark-lighters are sure they can't escape, the gags vanish.
"Let us go!" Wyatt demands, attempting to blast the cage.
"We'll let you go," one of the dark-lighter smirks.
"Yeah, once we get your family down here when they try to save you," the second one gloats.
"After that, we'll kill you all!" the third one finishes.
Matthew manages to stand up and faces the dark-lighters, "You guys are even stupider than you look if you think you can handle the full force of the Charmed Ones."
Their only response is to cackle madly and stare at him. The boys look at them for a minute before Chris states, "You're insane."
It wasn't an insult. They could see it in their eyes. Someone or something had driven these dark-lighters mad, probably the old Source.
The three dark-lighters scowl at him before they retreat to the opening of the chamber. Another wave of pain hits Matthew and he desperately tries to orb out of the cage. The bars, however, simply glow black, and he is sent tumbling to the ground.
Matthew? Matthew! We need your help! Matthew gasps as he hears Naruto's voice in his head. He knows he needs to help his friend, but he also knows he can't leave the chamber. They two desires struggle inside him until suddenly, he collapses to the ground.
"Hey!" one of the dark-lighters shouts, hurrying over to the cage. He looks at Wyatt and Chris, "What's the matter with him?"
Chris looked at Wyatt, and the two of them smirk, "He's astral projecting."
At the Bridge
Sasuke and Naruto have been tormented by Haku's barrage of needles for what feels like an eternity. Naruto has tried calling for Matthew several times, but his guardian has not appeared.
"Matthew Halliwell!" Naruto cries again in desperation. As expected, no response.
Where is he? Naruto wonders. Matthew has never not answered his call before and it was worrying Naruto.
Suddenly, a red light flashed in the center of the ice-dome. When it faded, Matthew was there, but he looked confused.
"Naruto? Sasuke?" he says, looking wildly around, "Where are we?"
"You're inside my fun-house of mirrors," Haku commented, "and you won't be leaving."
Matthew raises an eyebrow at the numerous images of Haku that surrounded him before commenting, "Well, looks like someone's a little full of himself." Suddenly, Matthew doubles over in pain. A larges wound has appeared in his stomach, and he disappears in another flash of red light.
"What the hell just happened?" Sasuke wonders out loud.
In the Chamber
Matthew gasps as his mind forcibly re-enter his body. The next noise he makes is a grunt of pain when he sees the arrow sticking out of his stomach.
"Welcome back," the lead dark-lighter says as he grips the arrow. Matthew turns his head to see that Wyatt and Chris are on their knees with arrows pointed at their heads.
"Now then," the dark-lighter that was holding his arrow said, "You're not going to leave again are you? Good. Now I want you to tell me where you went."
When Matthew didn't answer him, the dark-lighter just grinned before twisting the arrow. Matthew screamed in pain, causing Wyatt and Chris to move to help him. However, their respective dark-lighters shoved them back to the ground. Chris couldn't help the few tears that streamed down his face as he watched his older brother being tortured. Wyatt on the other hand, was feeling rage both at the dark-lighters and at himself. Them for hurting Matthew, and him for getting them all into this situation.
After the pain of the arrow twisting inside him subsided, Matthew noticed a numb feeling spreading through him, and realized he had been poisoned. He also noticed that the drain on his powers was starting, the poison negating his powers one by one. His telepathy seemed the last to go for he could hear Wyatt and Chris' thoughts and concerns. Quickly, he sent them a message.
Guys! Relax, I'm fine. Now listen. We need to work quickly in order to get out of here. Wyatt and Chris both blinked and then looked at Matthew as he relayed instructions.
Now, when I say "now", you both orb. I don't care where, just away from those two. His brothers looked concerned, but gave the tiniest of nods.
"Now, are you going to tell me where you went?" the dark-lighter asked again. When Matthew nodded, he smiled and yanked the arrow out of Matthew. Seeing their chance, Matthew called out, "NOW!"
Immediately Wyatt and Chris orbed to Matthew's side while Matthew squinted his eyes at the dark-lighter that pulled the arrow out of him. It didn't work, but Chris waved his hand and the dark-lighter was flung onto the ceiling where he was impaled by a stalagmite and exploded. The other two launched arrows at them, but Wyatt was ready.
"Arrows!" he called out, causing them to disappear in a flurry of orbs and reappear behind the dark-lighters, burying themselves in their back and vanquishing them.
Seeing that they were out of immediate danger, Wyatt healed the wound on Matthew's stomach, curing the poison as well. However, his other wounds still would not heal.
"Well guys, it's been fun, but I need to get back now," Matthew says, "Please don't do anything stupid again while I'm gone, huh?"
"All right, you got it," Wyatt says, smiling. Chris, however, looks at Matthew hopefully.
"Um, Matt?" Chris asks, "Do you think I could come to?"
"I don't think so Chris," Matthew says, "Naruto's home is a dangerous place."
"Oh come on!" Wyatt says, gesturing around the chamber, "It can't possibly be worse than this."
Reaching a decision, Matthew sighs, "All right fine. Chris, you can come with me."
"Hey! I wanna come to!" Wyatt shouts.
"Fine!" Matthew yells in exasperation, "You can both come! Now can we go please? When I left, the fight didn't look good."
Cheering, Wyatt and Chris grab Matthew's shoulder and they orb out.
At the Bridge
Matthew orbs them directly into the ice-dome to the surprise of Naruto, Sasuke, and Haku. Chris and Wyatt are gawking at Haku's ice mirrors, while Matthew just waves at the three ninja.
"'Sup?" he asks, looking at all of the mirrors.
"Um, Matthew?" Naruto asks, "What happened? Why did you vanish? And why are your brothers here?"
"Well," Matthew begins, "In that order: I astral projected, I was stabbed in the stomach, and they were bugging me to come here with me."
"Oh," was all Naruto said before they were interrupted.
"Hey Matt!" Wyatt asks, "Which one is your charge?"
"The blonde one in the orange jumpsuit," Matthew replied, "his name is Naruto."
Meanwhile, Haku was in turmoil. Who are these new people? They seem to be allies with the Leaf ninja. Should I take them out?
"You could try," Matthew says, turning to look at Haku, "but I doubt you would succeed. And yes I can read your mind, and no it's not a trick."
I've got no choice. I need to strike now! Haku thinks before unleashing another storm of senbon.
Naruto covers his face in preparation for the pain, but it does not come. Instead, he feels a hand on his shoulder and he looks up to see Matthew with a hand on his shoulder and smiling encouragingly at him. His other hand was touching Wyatt's, and as Naruto looked around he saw that they were all surrounded by a field of swirling blue and green light. Haku's senbon were striking it, but they simply bounced off.
"What is this?" Haku asked in shock.
"This is my brother and I combining our force-fields together to block your attack," Wyatt explains, smirking at Haku. The Twice-Blessed couldn't see the young ninja's face, but he'd bet it was very shocked.
Sasuke was also in shock. He had just awakened his Sharingan and had seen the speed and force in Haku's attacks and he was pretty sure they could puncture reinforced steel. But here they were, bouncing off of this barrier that Matthew and the other boy had created. He activated his Sharingan again and looked at the barrier that surrounded them. He saw it was made of some energy that was different from chakra. It was purer. Stronger.
Haku was getting desperate. His needles were just bouncing off that bubble. Not to mention that he was running out of them. And speaking of things running out, his chakra was at his limit. Haku reached for another senbon, but found that his pouch was empty.
"Out of ammo?" Matthew asks, raising his hands, "That's a shame. I was having fun."
Matthew's hands snap forward, blowing up the mirror directly in front of them. He proceeds to blow up all of the mirrors in front of them, creating a large hole in the dome which they promptly walked out of.
Haku was left staring in disbelief. How? No one's ever destroyed one of my mirrors! What is he?
"I, Haku," Matthew says looking at the mirror he was currently in, "am a witch." And with that, Matthew looked at Wyatt and nodded. Wyatt walked up to the mirrors and threw out his hands. Haku saw the energy coming at him and quickly left the mirrors. As soon as he was clear he watched in horror as all of his mirrors were destroyed. Slowly, he felt his mask break apart and fall off.
Naruto's eyes widened as he realized that it was the same boy that he met in the forest. He stepped forward and shouted, "Hey it's you! The kid from the forest!"
"You've met?" Matthew asked Naruto.
Naruto nodded, "Yeah, he found me passed out in the forest when I was training."
"Naruto," Haku says, looking at the jinjuriki, "Please. Kill me."
Naruto looked at him, shocked, and had no idea how to respond. Finally, Naruto walks up and punches Haku in the face. Haku stumbles but does not fall.
"You'll need much more than that," he says, wiping some blood from his mouth.
"Why do you want me to kill you?" Naruto yells, "That's just crazy!"
"I am a broken tool," Haku says, looking down, "I have failed Zabuza and my worth to him is no more. I have no reason to live. Please kill me, quickly."
"Even if that were true," Matthew says, walking toward Haku, "a tool that has been broken can be fixed. But you Haku, you can't be fixed. Because you are a person, not a tool, and people can't be fixed. They need to be…"
Matthew held out his hand, which began glowing a warm yellow color, and held it out to Haku. He then continued, "healed."
Haku looked at Matthew's out-stretched hand for a moment, his face and his mind a turmoil of emotions. Finally, he took a shaky breath and grabbed it. The healing energy spread throughout his body and Haku felt a comforting warmth within himself as his wounds closed and faded. He slowly let go of Matthew's hand and offered the small group a smile.
"It's time to live your own life Haku," Matthew says, grinning back, "You need to be you own person."
Haku nods at Matthew when suddenly, they hear the sound of crackling electricity. The group turns and sees Kakashi holding what looked like a ball of lightning in his hand. He was charging toward Zabuza and was about to end the Mist assassin's life when Matthew's hands flicked and he, Zabuza, and a speeding Haku froze. Sighing, Matthew moved Zabuza and Haku away from Kakashi and then unfroze the three ninja. Kakashi stumbled, before the lightning in his hand disappeared. He turned and looked at Matthew.
"Why did you save him?!" Kakashi demanded, glaring at the young witch.
"I wasn't," Matthew replied, "I was saving Haku."
Before their conversation could go any further, a voice spoke up from the end of the bridge.
"Well Zabuza, it looked like you failed. Pity, now I'll have to kill all of you myself."
Team 7, the Halliwell brothers, Tazuna, Haku, and Zabuza all looked to the source of the voice and saw Gato standing there with what looked like a small army.
"Gato!" Zabuza cried, "What are you doing here?!"
"I came to see how you were doing," Gato says while looking at Tazuna, "but seeing as you failed I guess I have to take matters into my own hands."
Zabuza moved to confront Gato, but was stopped by Matthew.
"Please Zabuza," he said glaring at Gato and his men, "allow us."
Matthew, Wyatt, and Chris walked in front of everyone and stood in the center of the bridge.
"What," Gato says, clearly amused, "you think three kids can stand up to my men? Guess they'll learn the hard way. Get them!"
Roaring, the assembled thugs charge at the three brothers. The Halliwells, however, just close their eyes and begin to chant as one.
"The Power of Three will set us free. The Power of Three will set us free. The Power of Three will set us free."
A circle of light forms around the brothers as the thugs continue their charge.
"The Power of Three will set us free."
The thugs slowly stopped and doubled over in pain while the Second Charmed Ones continued chanting.
"The Power of Three will set us free. The Power of Three will set us free!"
With the final shout, the entire mini army Gato brought with him was vanquished, exploding with shouts of fear. Gato looked on in terror as the brothers closed in on him.
"Your turn," Matthew said coldly before once again chanting, "Time now for amends and a victim's revenge. You've caused great pain, so you're life-lines we sever. Asshole you are gone forever."
Gato's skin turns a bright red before he explodes into dust.
Matthew lets out a breath of relief, "Well that's done."
Walking back over to the ninja, Matthew has to stifle a laugh at the expressions on everyone's faces.
"Y-you just…" Sakura begins.
"Destroyed a horde of thugs…" Naruto continued.
"Without even trying." Sasuke finished.
"Eh," Matthew says shrugging, "We actually probably went a little over-board."
"Regardless," Kakashi says, turning to look at Zabuza, "we still need to figure out what to do with you two."
"Actually Kakashi," Zabuza replies, "I have no quarrel with you now. My employer is dead, so I reap no reward for killing the bridge-builder. Let's go Haku." Zabuza turned and started to leave but spun back around when he noticed that Haku wasn't following him. "Haku?"
"One moment please Zabuza," Haku responds before turning to Matthew and Naruto, "Thank you both. I am forever grateful for what you did for me."
"You don't have to go with him you know," Naruto says with hope in his eyes, "you could come with us."
"I'm sorry but I can't," Haku says with a sad smile, "my place is with Zabuza. And while I'm ready to lead my own life, I can't simply abandon him after all he's done for me."
"Well than the answer is simple," Matthew says before calling to Zabuza, "Hey Zabuza! You wanna move to the Leaf Village?"
There was a collective gasp from the assembled people. Even Zabuza looked a little shocked.
"What?" he asks, completely dumbstruck.
"Matthew!" Kakashi scolds, "You can't just offer a rouge ninja a chance to live in the village!"
"And why not?" Matthew asks, returning Kakashi's glare, "I'm sure the Hokage won't mind having someone who has intimate knowledge of the Land of Water and the Village Hidden in the Mist living in the village. Besides Kakashi, we've been over this. You have no power over me."
Kakashi just stood there, flabbergasted, as Matthew, Wyatt, and Chris orbed everyone back to Tazuna's house.
Three Days Later
The Bridge was finally done, the celebrations were through, and Team 7's mission was officially over. The team, along with Haku, Zabuza, and the Halliwell boys were preparing to return to the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Kakashi had finally accepted the idea of Zabuza and Haku joining the Leaf, around the same time that Zabuza had definitely agreed. Naruto was so happy that he actually hugged both Zabuza and Kakashi.
"Thank you," Tazuna said as he shook hands with Kakashi, "the people of this land are forever in your debt."
Kakashi accepted Tazuna's thanks as well as payment. Naruto, in the meantime, was saying good-bye to Inari. As they were leaving, they heard Inari shout "Believe it!"
Matthew stopped dead in his tracks.
"Oh no," he said, looking very alarmed.
"What is it?" Kakashi said, looking for any threats.
"This is terrible!" Matthew cried, putting everyone on alert.
"Bro! What the hell is it?!" Wyatt yelled, shaking Matthew by the shoulders.
"I-Inari's been infected," he said, confusing everyone, "Naruto! You infected poor little Inari with your stupid catch-phrase!"
Everyone just paused for a moment before laughing and continuing on their way.