School! IS! OUT! Yes! WIN!

So this is my version of a returning chapter. Way too shabby . . .

Random rant: The cake is a lie? Then why did I eat it?

Disclaimer: Watashi wa "Naruto" o shoyū shite inai! HAH, Baka Bengoshi!

The scene was quiet, so much so that it might have seemed surreal to Ikotsu, but this was an emergency. Naruto wouldn't wake up and when Ikotsu had managed to break his slumber he had looked at him like he was crazy and then jovially jumped back into bed, refusing to leave it. He didn't know what to do; Ikotsu couldn't just walk up to Naruto and say "heya future father; I know it's kinda late, but I've screwed up the time space continuum and I need you to talk to this girly-looking-boy in the woods."

Was my Dad such a lazy bum when he was a kid? Ikotsu asked himself. Granted, Ikotsu knew that Naruto had not yet fully completed his Nindo and he knew that Naruto was still somewhat motivated, but he still felt the need to curse something. I'm an idiot! Why did I think I could change things-should change things? Did I honestly think it would make things better! Bakabakabakabakabakabaka-Ikotsu!

He hurdled out from the trees and into the meadow of herbs, breathing heavily, still unconvinced as to what he was doing. Dawn was imminent, Future Naruto had said it was just after dawn, so Ikotsu sat. As his breathing slowed he contemplated then and there what his presence here would do, if it would even make a difference to this already screwed up world he created. There was movement in the trees, an unseen presence trying to remain in shadow. Ikotsu felt a chakra signature wafting from the woods and tensed slightly, but relaxed once he realized who was coming.

He's here . . .

Trained feet took tentative steps through the undergrowth, making little inaudible swishes. When Ikotsu turned to face Haku, he felt as if he were standing in front of a legendary portrait in the Konoha Historical Archives. This is where it all began, where Naruto's Nindo was born; Ikotsu was reminded that he wasn't meant to be here. The nostalgia and excitement dimmed and were replaced with the eating feeling of guilt and uncertainty.

What should I say? What should I do?

Ikotsu took a step toward his inquiry. Haku's eyes denoted an air of realization and uncertainty as well. It was true to say that Ikotsu wasn't his father and didn't look as innocent or childlike, which must have been why Haku wasn't trying to mask himself in the act of being a petty herbalist.

The tension in the air was so tight that it felt like the slightest movement would snap it like a strained guitar string.

Ikotsu raised his hand and, just like that, Haku ran!

"Wait!"

he took off after him.

"PLEASE!"

Haku slowed as if contemplating stopping, but sped back up as soon as he started.

"Haku! Stop!"

No answer, only running.

"No!" Ikotsu realized that he was losing him.

" . . . No . . ."

As Haku's figure swept into the distance Ikotsu broke down, crying out in pained anguish. Without "Precious People" how would Naruto find the strength to become better? Stronger? How would he gain acknowledgement?

Why? Ikotsu thought bitterly.

Why does one mistake have to destroy everything?


Naruto awoke feeling like he'd had the best night's sleep in the world, only to realize that the bedroom they were sharing was empty. He smelled food, not as tantalizing as ramen, but food none the less. Then it clicked! They're eating without me!

STOMP-STOMP-STOMP-STOMP-STOMP-STOMP-trip-fling-bubububump!

Naruto landed in a heap at the bottom of the stairs, hollering the whole way.

"TEME! WHY DIDN'T YOU WAKE ME UP FOR BREAKFAST?"

"Well . . . " Sasuke took a bite of porridge, pretending to savor it, and swallowed "You see . . . " he smirked at the blonde, taking another spoonful "No matter how hard I tried, you wouldn't stir."

"The-heck I would've!"

"It's true."

"Nu-uh!"

"A-huh . . . seriously?"

"What's wrong, Teme? Too scared to argue with me?"

Sasuke quirked an eyebrow, " . . . I-"

"It's true, you didn't wake up . . . " a depressed and sleep-deprived Ikotsu droned, dropping hints that only he would catch.

"What's made you so up-tight?" Sakura asked, taking note that Ikotsu was being rather sardonic this morning . . . at least more than usual.

"Have you ever screwed something up unintentionally?" Ikotsu was surprised at how loose he was being with his secrets. Kakashi perked up.

"It happens all the time," Kakashi said in a knowing tone, lifting his orange book and pointing to it, "even in here!"

"Y'know what! Screw your book!" Ikotsu said irritably.

Kakashi cradled his book like a lover. "He didn't mean it," he cooed before turning to Ikotsu.

"And don't tell me to apologize to it! It's a book!" Ikotsu yelled before Kakashi could even speak. He now had the attention of everyone present; they all stared at him incredulously, wondering what had happened to the polite yet mischievous boy. It was Ikotsu's turn to feel bad, the sickening wave of regret and embarrassment at such an emotional unload churning through his guts.

"I'm sorry," he stood and walked to the door "I take my leave . . . "


The day proceeded quietly. Sasuke and Naruto were already at the bridge, Sakura was inside washing dishes with Tsunami, and Ikotsu was out in the woods thinking.

Maybe I should just disappear? Yeah, that makes sense, I won't be there to screw up anything else . . . But I've already changed so much! I have to fix it . . . but how? Ikotsu didn't know what to do. It felt like he was trying to recreate the world. Where do you start? A twig snapped nearby; Ikotsu jumped to attention, ready for anything.

"Oh, I finally found you," Kakashi stepped into the clearing "Normally I'd commend you on your ability to become undetectable by most means of chakra-perception, but, quite frankly, it's driving me crazy."

"I'm sorry for my behavior," Ikotsu apologized.

"Being a ninja is hard work, and everyone breaks at some point," Kakashi counseled, "Besides, I'm not the one you need to apologize to."

"True," Ikotsu conceded, relaxing a bit.

"You sounded troubled,"

"Obviously . . . Sorry, I'm doing it again." Ikotsu apologized once more.

"Forgiven. Now as I was saying: is there anything wrong?" Kakashi looked at Ikotsu, trying to deduce the cause of his inner turmoil. Ikotsu stared back, trying to find an answer that would placate the man. At last he found his words.

"I feel like something was supposed to happen this morning, but it didn't," Ikotsu started vaguely, his mind making half truths and excuses. "Like it didn't happen because I was there."

"Vague . . . but believable," Kakashi shrugged. That wasn't the end of it. "But you must realize, Ikotsu, nothing is truly absolute. Just because something's supposed to happen, doesn't mean that it's going to happen that way. Take your training of Naruto for example," Ikotsu jerked, "All ninja are supposed to learn the tree climbing exercise, but that doesn't mean that they have to learn the same way from the same person. You got inventive and taught shadow clones, which in turn taught Naruto."

Inventive . . . Ikotsu barely caught the word. He smiled, an idea steadily spreading through his head like a cancer cell.

"Thank you, Sensei!" he bowed, smiling.

Now he had an answer.

I, Ikotsu Uzumaki, will teach Naruto about precious people myself . . .


"Down . . . Down . . . left-left-LEFT! Good. Now down once more . . . little more . . . almost there. Aaaaand it's in! Good work fellas!" Tazuna instructed the genin duo as they placed another support beam. Indeed, the tree climbing exercise payed off . . . for Tazuna. He'd convinced the boys that this would be a form of training, lifting heavy loads while walking on wooden beams to place them. Naturally the two took it as an opportunity to one-up each other; this was a cause of much headache on Tazuna's behalf, but the boys were hard workers and that was better than no workers.

It was then that Naruto took the opportunity to pull Sasuke off the bridge, thinking of how funny it'd be to see him sopping wet. In a quick movement Sasuke delivered a soft kick to Naruto's face, causing Naruto to tumble in, and, in his moment of imbalance, fell in too. The water was not very forgiving at the moment. It was not a soft landing.

Kursplash!

"Alright, fellas, no horse play until we're done here. Y'hear me?" Tazuna smiled as he watched the two squelch around in the water, they reminded him of how children in Wave would act before Gato's self imposed reign. This bridge has to be finished, or we'll never see the end! Tazuna thought in grim determination.

"Are we almost done yet?" Naruto gurgled as he came back up from the water again. Sasuke wanted to know too, but would rather have asked when standing next to the man for effect.

"Yeah, yeah . . . come on up and we'll get going!" Tazuna called down to the youngsters. They complied quickly, due to the cold water.


The atmosphere around the table was noticeably better. Sasuke and Naruto had figured out exactly how to appear playful while getting under each other's skin, their twitching smirks masking an epic battle between in their subconscious'. There wasn't as much to eat that night, funds were growing low, another reminder that the bridge needed to be finished.

The bridge was nearing completion: at their current rate it would take maybe a week or so. If the townsmen started working as well, then it might take a week at most. Things were looking up . . . at least they were before Inari spoke his mind.

The words Inari spoke were full of hopelessness. The mood visibly drooped as he claimed the four genin would die under Gato's wrath. They were the words of someone who had stopped trying; Naruto was the only one brave, or foolish, enough to break the hopelessness. "Congratulations, really, good job, you've done nothing but cry!" Naruto had said before storming off, Inari ran in the opposite direction. Ikotsu was tempted to be the one to tell Inari about Naruto, but figured that he should try to fix the problem he had already created. Now was the time to tell Naruto about precious people.

Ikotsu finally found Naruto sitting in a clearing, ironically the same clearing Ikotsu had visited that very morning. The blond looked grim; not distraught, just grim.

"He's not a bad kid, he's just been hurt," Ikotsu started up a conversation.

"I know," Naruto started, showing a different side of himself, "but he's given up on trying. Doesn't he want a change?"

"That's the difference between you two: you gave up . . . " Naruto looked like he didn't understand, but Ikotsu continued the phrase "on giving up."

"That's a cool way of saying it!" Naruto said, taking the phrase into heart. 'Give up on giving up.'

Ikotsu figured that this was the time, "Naruto, in this life . . . um . . . in this life, there are," Come on Ikotsu, THINK! "There are, Ugh, how do I put it?"

"There are whats?" Naruto asked, now confused on a number of levels. Ikotsu, not knowing what to say? That's weird.

" . . . gah! Never mind . . . " Ikotsu said, thoroughly frustrated with himself. He could explain high level genjutsu without so much as a stutter, but he couldn't explain one life-lesson? Preposterous!

"Ano . . ." Naruto began, "It's dark out here, let's get back and get some sleep."

He's right, Kakashi has probably finished talking with Inari by now. It brought Ikotsu a nice feeling, knowing that Naruto had people that would stand up for him.

"Hai, let's go."


"Up and at 'em! Bridge watching time!" Ikotsu yelled at Naruto. The orange blob shifted before settling once more. Good, Ikotsu thought, finding it ironic that it was okay for Naruto to sleep in now. He's supposed to sleep this time, otherwise Inari and his Mother are going to have some unwanted guests that they won't be rid of.

This was the final day of Gato's reign. The steps had been carefully planned throughout the night before. Ikotsu had tried to talk to Naruto again several times, but found that his tongue wouldn't work with his brain at each moment. He called out to his teammates down the stairs.

"Sleeping like a rock, about as easy to rouse too! Let him sleep." Ikotsu said in as convincing a voice as ever. Sakura sighed in agitation, but Sasuke and Kakashi didn't look all that heartbroken.

"Then let's get going," Kakashi said, shouldering his backpack as everyone stood.


"I have a bad feeling about this . . . " Ikotsu said for the umpteenth time that morning. Truth be told, it was pissing Sakura off.

"Just keep working!" Sakura threatened as she helped Sasuke with another beam. After a period of self contemplation Sakura had reached a level of determination to finish the bridge; after days of walking back and forth through the town, she just kept looking at those poor people and couldn't think of how to help them.

"How do you know?"

"I don't, but I believe."

"Just belief?"

"We have nothing if not belief."

Those words, short, simple, and philosophical, were what made her think: what do I believe will happen?

"Sakura?" Sasuke asked, lifting up his half of the next beam and noticing Sakura's slight daze. Now sufficiently brought back to earth, Sakura began to lift the other half of the beam, as if the pause never happened.

Ikotsu finished dragging his beam to the placement sight by the time Sasuke and Sakura had finished placing their beam. The three picked up the beam and were about to begin placing it when Ikotsu dropped his load, leaving Sasuke and Sakura to pick up the slack.

"What's the big idea-" Sakura dropped her end too. Sasuke heaved, barely managing to pull the beam of wood back onto the scaffolding in time to see it too.

It was noon-day, but the mist was already rolling in, and the daintiest of flapping sounds could be heard in the summer breeze . . . Whoosh whoosh whoosh wh-

"GET DOWN!"

The cold metal of Zabuza's Guillotine blade thrummed with tension as it hummed over the three genins' heads, missing by bare millimeters. Before they could even blink they were flushed to the ground by a blast of water. The blade began its return arc back into the spray; a soft thump could be heard, presumably the blade being caught by its owner.

Flicker . . .

And there he was, already standing on the edge of the bridge, a monument to death itself, holding his blade ready.

"I'm back for my rematch . . . " Zabuza said in a chillingly playfull tone. The cold pressure settled once more upon the area, freezing anyone who dared to take a breath.

"You three! Get back!" Kakashi yelled, alerting the genin of their current predicament: they were practically lying at Zabuza's feet! They scrambled in a most un-ninja-like fashion away from the assailant, but quickly reformed, taking a stance diagonally behind Kakashi; Sakura took a protective stance in front of Tazuna, completing the arrangement.

Flicker . . .

And then there were two!

"Haku,"

"Hai, Zabuza-sama." Before Ikotsu could even blink the world had frozen around him and Sasuke. "Hijutsu: Makyo Hyosho (Secret Jutsu: demonic crystal ice mirrors)!"

Ikotsu stopped moving, mesmerized by the infinite hallway of mirrors that expanded in every direction. A stabbing pain shook his reverie.

Haku rippled through the reflections like a fish through water . . .

How could this possibly end well? Was Zabuza and Haku's survival even possible?

Another slick thump as a frozen senbon slipped into his right shoulder . . .

It was becoming hard to think, too many problems with keeping the two alive, too many emotions demanding their survival.

Through the left arm . . .

What do I do?

Piercing the diaphragm, between the lungs and liver . . .

"MOVE!" Sasuke shouted in possibly the greatest display of raw frustration he could conjure. "Katon: Goukakyu no Jutsu!" the grand fireball crashed down upon the mirrors like a fiery tsunami, but the demonic ice held firm . . .

Time began to move again for Ikotsu, slowly at first, but steadily gaining speed until all of the pain arrived at once. Ikotsu was breathing heavily, finally feeling his injuries. Another senbon slid through the frigid air; Ikotsu went to raise his right arm, but found that it was numb and hanging at his side like a windsock on a windless day. Sasuke took that hit, the needle painfully lodging itself into his forearm. Ikotsu lifted his left hand and carefully tugged on the senbon in his right shoulder, hoping to regain mobility in his other arm, taking a few more hits in his concentration.

Sasuke was beginning to become numb to the needles, covering for Ikotsu and dodging whenever otherwise possible. His vision was beginning to fail, leaving little blotches of black where he needed vision the most. A masked nin here . . . a masked nin there . . . All of the sudden there was full darkness, but then . . . light. A single light, and then a thousand, pulsing in the dark like blue flames licking at a portrait of the current scene.

To Ikotsu it looked like Sasuke's eyes were bleeding out, but just as soon as he was about to ask the broody youth if he was alright the boy's gaze snapped back into the present. Sasuke smiled-no, he grinned . . .

"Yes . . . "

Two swirling tomoe appeared in his eyes.

Behind his mask, Haku's eyes widened. This was going to become problem if he didn't end this fast!

Ikotsu ripped a needle from Sasuke's back, extorting a painful grimace from the awakened Uchiha, then pulled at another. The boy knew his way around senbon, Haku observed, he would be first in line . . .

"IKOTSU, SASUKE-TEME! I've come to rescue you!" a certain orange clad Ninja hailed as he slipped under the wall of mirrors. Ikotsu and Sasuke, despite their dire straights, twitched . . . as did Haku.

"Dang it, Naruto! When someone's trapped in a cage of mirrors you're supposed to say 'I'll get you out of there' and then break the mirrors from the outside!" Ikotsu joked, sliding another senbon from Sasuke's neck. Sasuke, still reveling in his newly found eyesight, winced, but at least feeling was returning.

"One last one . . . geh . . . grr . . . HA," Ikotsu muttered as he pulled the last needle out of Sasuke arm, "now for me . . . "

Shlrck!

" . . . OWCH!" Ikotsu clawed at his back, feeling for the puncture.

"Never take your eyes of an opponent . . . " Haku stated, throwing another hail of senbon.

"DUCK!" The genin scattered, somewhat avoiding the frozen needles.

The feeling of pressure had returned again, the fight was serious once more.

"Sasuke, what can you see?"

" . . . He's . . . slowing,"

"Whoa! The heck happened to Teme's eyes?"

"Sasuke's Sharingan has awakened."

Another onslaught of frigid projectiles . . .

"Who can still move? Sound off!"

"I can!"

"I as well."

"Well I guess I ate that, I can't feel my leg!" Ikotsu complained, trying to dodge and pull out senbon AND balance on his working leg. Needless to say he tumbled to the ground. "There we go!" He said, tugging out the right needle, standing once more while favoring his leg.

Haku was getting a little winded, his chakra reserves were nearly spent, yet these genin would not fall!


The battle outside the ice mirrors was not much better. The two masters of death were locked in a battle of endurance, fighting over every inch they gained on each other.

Sakura watched in curious horror. She could hear bits and pieces of conversation exchanging within the frozen cage. They must still be alive right? She turned back to watch her sensei. Would this be her in ten years? Fighting to the death in battles where making a mistake spells out death? She was scared all right. This was the future?

"Give up, Kakashi. You're almost spent,"

"As are you."

"Give up, let me kill the old man, then me and my tool will leave. We'll even let you and your pathetic genin live!"

"They're stronger than you think! Raiton: Raikiri (Lightning style: lightning edge)!"


"You sure you're okay, Ikotsu?" Naruto asked, panting after another volley of needles. Ikotsu looked like a cactus, needles poking out everywhere, and yet he still was pulling out senbon. The three genin were all sporting their own sets of stab wounds.

" . . . Never better . . . hah . . . heh . . . grh . . . " Ikotsu felt even worse than he looked, his vision was blurring at the edges, his body burning with the frozen needles, his hands fumbling tiredly with pin after elongated pin. " . . . hrn . . . does anyone know . . . any high powered techniques?"

"My Goukakyu no jutsu had no effect," If that didn't work . . . then what will? Sasuke wondered, pouring over every jutsu learned in his life, reliving terrible memories while doing so. Itachi, that's right . . . I have to live . . . I have to kill him!

"Ooh, Ooh, pick me! Whoa!" Naruto dodged to the side as a new set of projectiles headed his way.

"Naruto, Kage . . . bunshin don't count,"

"No, it's not-" he ducked under a stray needle "-it's not kage bunshin!"

"What?"

"I have another technique that I learned! Hehe!" Naruto grinned, taking a needle for his carelessness.

What could he have . . . ? Then it dawned on Ikotsu: the forbidden scroll . . .

"Do it!" Ikotsu said in a slight burst of invigoration, another few needles killed that burst. Ugh, it hurts . . . v-vision is crooked . . . neck . . . Is he trying to kill us for real?

"It's gonna take a little while!"

"Me . . . 'n Sasuke . . . will cover you . . . " Ikotsu cocked his head to Sasuke, who nodded.

"Now what were the signs again? Bird-rabbit-no no no no . . . bird . . . tiger . . . " as Naruto continued, Sasuke shot Ikotsu a glance.

We have to make it through this!


"Haku should be just finishing up . . . " Zabuza muttered as he swung his great cleaver of a blade at Kakashi, who barely dodged. The two jounin were tiring, and fast!

" . . . we need to wrap this up soon." Kakashi grunted, driving a kunai into the back of Zabuza's shoulder. The enemy nin grunted in pain, but could still move his arm.


Haku was dead tired. Try breathing out as far as you possibly can and then some, that's what it felt like, except everywhere. They are preparing a technique, he noticed that the Uchiha boy was catching on to his speed, It's now or never . . . The blue-haired one would go first, an easy incapacitation, if otherwise left alone he could fix himself. Then the technique user, the blond, the chakra building up in the boy's palms didn't look good for Haku. And finally, Haku would defeat the last Uchiha, the one who was just like him, but loved for his mutation rather than scorned . . .

The blond was almost ready! NOW! Haku sprung . . .

And just like that a hundred and eight senbon were thrown in less than a second, from virtually every angle, and all aimed perfectly for their targets. None of them would be able to dodge this!

Haku saw the the bluenet and the black haired genin exchange a last minuted nod. What are they . . . the two boys took up defensive positions around the blond, bluenet in front and Uchiha in back, arms crossing over their chests and necks for protection.


T-t-t-t-thump! Ikotsu fell to his knees.

"Ikot-"

"Naruto, don't stop that technique . . . I've finally found my words . . . " Ikotsu interrupted, his vision sprawling and his words slurring.

"In this world . . . "

A quick bout of coughing and a deep breath

"You will find . . . people that are precious to you . . . "

Haku practically froze in his mirrors

"Protect them . . . that . . . is the secret . . . to beco . . . ming . . . th . . . strongest . . . "

The world was numb. All feeling of pain and exertion gone, replaced with satisfaction and self contempt. You're an idiot Ikotsu, not so tough now that you're in . . . the real world . . . Ikotsu's body went limp and he fell to the wooden floor of the great bridge . . .

.

.

.

Naruto felt like he was watching a glass fall in slow motion: first the realization of what was happening, then the sputtering attempt to catch it, and then noticing the beautiful sound the glass makes before it shatters. He almost lost control of his jutsu, tears jerking at his eyes.

Ikotsu was dead . . .

He looked around, noticing his own expression in the mirrors, seeing Sasuke's eyes wide with both the shock and the realization of what was just said. Even the masked boy had stopped to look down at his handywork. Naruto bared his teeth.

Ikotsu was dead.

Protect my precious people . . . Naruto reaffirmed his concentration on his jutsu, rage building with each mental replay of the past thirty seconds!

Ikotsu was DEAD!

"I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"

. . .

School . . . is . . . in . . . Dang it! I wAnT A rEfuNd!

Authors notes:Okay, okay, I feel like a jerk for promising that I'd update over the summer and then never updating (translation: I was playing tf 2 and Left 4 Dead with my friends.) I apologize with every fiber of my being!

Truth be told I didn't like writing this chapter, it was hard not to jump straight into the action and have done with it. And it was hard not to make a happy ending where Ikotsu explains everything to everyone and no one questions him (some fanfiction do that.) But then the chapter would only have been like two pages . . .

Anyway, this is the longest chapter I think I've ever written in my life, which is sad because I've read fanfiction with over fifteen thousand words a chapter (at that point it gets a little boring though.)

Ikotsu: you're a freaking jerk! I'm practically the main focus of this story, yet you killed me off!

Ragna: Meh, I was getting tired of your happy-go-lucky attitude anyway . . .

Ikotsu: Since when have I had that attitude? I've been mentally debating practically this entire story!

Ragna: Ah, touche!

Anyway, review with any thoughts, grammatical errors (I know that there are some), constructive criticism, ideas . . . you know the drill.

Danka! Auf wiedersehen!