When you walk away,
You don't here me say
Please
Oh baby, don't go
Simple and Clean is the way that
you're making me feel tonight
It's hard to let it go
You're telling me too many things
Lately
You're all I need
Don't go
You smiled at me, and Said,
"Don't get me wrong, I love you,
But
does that mean I have to meet Your Father
When we are older you'll
understand
What I meant when I said 'No,
I don't think
life is quite that simple'"
When you walk away,
You don't here me say
Please
Oh baby, don't go
Simple and Clean is the way that
you're making me feel tonight
It's hard to let it go
Hold me. Whatever lies beyond this morning,
is
a little later on
Regardless of warnings the future doesn't
scare me at all
Nothing's like before
When you walk away,
You don't here me say
Please
Oh baby, don't go
Simple and Clean is the way that
you're making me feel tonight
It's hard to let it go
Simple and Clean, by Utada Hikaru
Arashi sat at his son's bedside, sorrowful blue eyes taking in Naruto's sleeping form. Hinata sat next to him, head resting on the side of Naruto's bed, eyes closed. She'd fallen asleep sitting where she was, waiting for Naruto to wake up from his prolonged sleep. Arashi smiled, glad that his son had someone so dedicated to him. Someone who loved him so deeply as to never leave his side.
It'd been two days, if Arashi's memory held true. It'd been two days since that fateful battle atop the Hokage box at the Chûnin Exams. Two days since Naruto had collapsed in exhaustion, his chakra spent and his Reiryoku dangerously low. Was he anyone else he would definitely be out for a whole week, unable to move at all after using so much energy. But Arashi knew better.
Naruto was too resilient and powerful to be unconscious for a whole week. If Arashi knew his son as well as he thought he did, Naruto would be back on his feet tomorrow, eager to get to training or something like that. Then, he'd probably grab Hinata and his older brother figure, Iruka, and drag them to eat at Ichiraku's Ramen stand. There, he'd order twenty-two bowls of miso ramen and one bowl of chicken ramen, the chicken ramen being for Hinata.
Arashi smiled. After that, Naruto would probably take Hinata somewhere else and buy her favorite treat (cinnamon rolls, if he remembered correctly). He'd hand it to her with a wide smile and tell her that she deserved it, after all the hard work she did. She'd blush and thank him, smiling shyly.
Arashi glanced out the window at the village, watching as the sunset painted the buildings in all sorts of reds, oranges, and yellows. In an instant, his lips twisted into a dark frown, his brow knitting together in anger. That's probably what Naruto would do, if he could get around the village without having stones and curses thrown at him.
Briefly, the Fourth glanced towards Naruto's stomach, where the seal that held the Kyubi laid, keeping the beastly fox at bay. He'd given his life to seal the demon within his own son, thinking that his precious village would heed his last wish and treat Naruto like a hero for saving them. He'd sacrificed his soul with his only regret being that he wouldn't be around for Naruto. He had, essentially, killed himself without hesitation, saving his beloved village.
That decision was something he deeply regretted, now.
His last wish had been simple. His last wish had been easy to follow and was, in no way, ambiguous: treat Naruto like the hero he was for containing the nine-tailed demon fox. It was simple, it was clear, it was easy to understand. But they hadn't followed it. They hadn't even paid attention to his last request. They had disregarded it without a second thought. And he hated them for it.
Of course, not all of them were bad, but he could the good ones on the fingers of one hand. Without using his mental capacity or solving it on a piece of paper, he could count the number of people who had acknowledged his last wish and followed it, and a couple of those people didn't even know about the Kyubi. It made him sick, but he could name those people easily.
Hinata was number one. Without regard to her family's prejudice and hatred, without regard to what the village might think of her because of it, Hinata had shown Naruto love. She'd shown him what it meant to love and be loved and she showed him that she didn't care about the Kyubi. She loved him unconditionally, not at all attracted to him for being the son of the Fourth Hokage, and not at all deterred by the presence of the demon fox. For that, she was Number One in his book of people who cared for Naruto.
Iruka was number two. Umino Iruka was one of the first people to acknowledge Naruto as a human being instead of the demon, and he was one of the only people who didn't scorn Naruto for being the fox's host. He treated Naruto fairly, giving him the love only an older brother could give. For that, Iruka held Number Two in his list of people who cared for Naruto.
Sarutobi was number three. As the first person to uphold Arashi's last wish, and the first person to treat Naruto the way he deserved to be treated, Sarutobi held the Number Three position. He'd done all he could to give Naruto a fair and average life, even going so far as to make mention of the truth of the demon fox's death an S-class secret punishable by death. For all of this, for treating Naruto like a grandson, he held Number Three in Arashi's list of people who cared for Naruto.
Kakashi was number four. While he may not have been the nicest person to Naruto, no one could really blame him. Kakashi was pained by the fact that Naruto was similar to Obito, so he tried to keep his distance from his blonde student. But other than that, Kakashi treated Naruto the way he did based on Naruto's achievements, not the evils the fox had committed, and for that, Kakashi held Number Four in the Yondaime's list of people who cared for Naruto.
Shino was number five. Aburame Shino may not have been especially nice to Naruto, but he had disregarded the hatred the adults held for Naruto and judged the boy based upon his own personality. That, and he had helped keep Kiba from interrupting Naruto and Hinata's relationship. For that, Shino held Number Five in his list of people who cared for Naruto.
Arashi stared down at the fingers he'd used to count the people who cared for Naruto, an uneasy feeling rising in his stomach. He could count the people who cared for Naruto on one hand, and it made him sick. Such blatant disregard for his last wish, and he had sacrificed himself to save all of these people.
He knew that Sarutobi was going to step down, and the old man had every right to. He was getting old and would pass away within the next ten or so years. He had every right to enjoy the time he had left. Arashi also knew that the first person the council would come to about being Hokage would be him, and he knew that he wouldn't be able to accept it with a clear conscience.
So who did that leave? He wondered. There was always Jiraiya, and he'd heard that the old man had fended off several of the summoned snakes during the invasion, but the Gama Sennin would no doubt reject the offer. Jiraiya was a man who liked to travel, especially to go 'information gathering', as he liked to call it. He'd be too busy wandering to be Hokage. That left Tsunade, and who knew where she was.
He frowned. Tsunade would be the only one they could hope to have as Hokage, because he and Jiraiya weren't willing. But, from what he heard, Orochimaru would be after the Slug Sennin as well because he'd suffered such severe wounds. With his hands gone, Orochimaru would seek out the only one who had any hope of helping him get them back, and that was Tsunade, his old teammate.
The door opened and Arashi heard some low humming as a man walked in through the doorway. The footsteps that had followed suddenly stopped about four feet from him, and he turned around to regard the silver-haired Jounin that had come to visit Naruto. He smiled.
Kakashi was staring at him with a stupefied surprise, his one visible eye wide open. The book in his hand was quivering and looked as if it would drop any second. The basket of fruits that he'd brought along with him had already fallen to the ground. Stuttering, Kakashi said, "S-sensei, I-I…"
His smile widening a bit, Arashi said, "Hello, Kakashi."
A Simple Change: The Sharingan
Volume 2: Reminisce
By: James D. Fawkes
"Do you not wish to know the truth?"
Chapter Nine: The Aftermath:
Sarutobi Steps Down
— o.0.O.O.0.o —
Sarutobi's face remained drawn into a tight frown, despite the stupefied mutterings of the council. He remained firm, both in his decision and in his position on the nominations for Hokage. He knew Arashi well enough to know that the man would be too upset with the village to take up the mantle again, and Jiraiya was too busy wandering.
So, he was going to take it upon himself to nominate Tsunade, as she was the only one capable of being Hokage. Sure, Naruto could probably fill the position, he had the raw power, skills, and intelligence to be Hokage, but he was still a mere Chûnin, and no one would respect him. The council would do whatever they could to undermine his authority as well, so having Naruto as the village leader wasn't the best idea at the moment.
"Hokage-sama!" one of the council members cried loudly, standing up. "Surely you are not going to go through with this!"
"We are too vulnerable!" another called out. "We need your guidance in this time of war, Hokage-sama!"
Others added in their own comments, mixing their words into an incoherent blend of sounds. Solemnly, Sarutobi held up his hands imperiously and all fell silent, "I have not been more serious since the night of the nine-tail's defeat. This recent battle with my wayward student has opened my eyes to the truth: I am simply too old."
Sandaime held up his hands again as the council threatened to burst into loud speech again, "Many of you will question the wisdom of stepping down, but I assure you that I already have my successor planned out."
Despite his attempts to keep them quiet, the council erupted into talk again.
"Is Yondaime-sama returning to office?"
"Has the Fourth decided to take back his position as Hokage?"
Many more questions of similar nature called out at him, but he merely raised his hands again and leaked out a small bit of killing intent. Instantly, the entire room lapsed back into silence, "No, the Fourth has not decided to reclaim his previous title."
A few council members cried out in indignation, angry that the Fourth was shirking his duties and his responsibilities as Hokage. They were short lived, as no one dared to truly interrupt the Third's speech. Nodding, Sarutobi continued his voice solemn, "You may be scandalized by his decision to remain a Jounin, but I have to say that the village brought this upon itself."
Cries of outrage met this proclamation, several members shouting about how ridiculous the notion was. They yelled about how the village hadn't changed since the Fourth had died, therefore there was no reason for him to deny being reinstated as Hokage. Sandaime felt his ire rise.
"Enough!" he raised his voice. "You claim that the village has not changed, and that there is no reason why should not be Hokage. But you all have forgotten!"
He leaned forward, glaring at them angrily, "The man sacrificed himself to save our village. All he asks is that you treat the child he sealed the demon into as a hero. All he asks is that you treat his son as a hero for holding the demon back."
His voice lowered to a dangerous whisper, "And what do you do? You and the entire village decide that the Fourth's last wish is meaningless, and that he hasn't the skills to seal the demon away without the beast affecting its host! You treat his son as if he has the plague! THAT is the thanks you gave to him!"
Gathering himself up again and restraining his anger, Sarutobi addressed the shocked faces of the council, his voice calm again, "Effective immediately, I resign my post as Hokage, and designate my pupil, Tsunade, as the Godaime Hokage. How you contact her is your business, and I won't interfere with it."
Turning around, Sarutobi ignored the stunned silence and walked towards the door.
Those fools. Sandaime couldn't help but feel contempt for the council. They dared to demand things of the Hokage, and they dared to demand that Arashi return to his position? Such fools they were. Sarutobi suspected that Arashi wouldn't be as forgiving as the council hoped he would be. After all, Naruto had been stunted rather spectacularly during his Academy years.
Sarutobi felt a bit of anxiety in his old bones. When Naruto took office, he had no doubt that the blonde would change the village for the better. Under Naruto's guidance, Konoha would flourish and bloom into an amazing place.
— o.0.O.O.0.o —
Zangetsu stared down at the spread-eagled form of Naruto, the blonde's eyes closed. Zangetsu never smiled, not even as he spoke to the boy fondly, "It's been a while since you've been here, Naruto."
Naruto peeked his eyes open, then closed them, a smile on his lips, "It's good to see you too, Zangetsu."
Zangetsu walked up and sat next to Naruto, resting an arm on one of his knees, "I wonder, Naruto. Just how well do you know your Zanpakutô?"
Naruto frowned, cracking open a single blue eye, "What do you mean, Zangetsu? I have achieved Shikai and Bankai, I borrow your power in every single one of my fights, I know your name, and the place you live in. I know all of the abilities you possess, including your most powerful. What more is there for me to know, besides your shoe size?"
Zangetsu chuckled a little at the last bit, "Despite all that you know, Naruto, there is still one thing you are unaware of. Do you know why I shift from nôdachi, to ninjatô, to katana? Do you know why I was able to mimic Benihime's Chigasumi no Tate (Blood Mist Shield)?"
Still frowning, Naruto shook his head, answering, "No, I don't."
Zangetsu nodded, "That is because I have never told you why. You see, Naruto, I am a part of your soul, and you know this. However, when my abilities manifested, they were designed to fit your body. Since your Sharingan was and still is a major part of your physical composition, my strongest power was the ability to mimic other swords, be they katana or Zanpakutô."
"You mean," Naruto started, a small bit of amazement in his voice, "I could—"
"No," Zangetsu told him, cutting off the question. "While I am capable of copying their shapes and abilities, I must remain in one piece. I could copy Shinsô's ability to lengthen incredible distances, but I cannot copy Sakuhime's ability to break into a thousand pieces. As long as I remain in one piece, it is feasible."
"So," Naruto began, "you could shift from katana to nôdachi and back right in the middle of a fight?"
"Yes," Zangetsu answered. "Just as I could transform from wakizashi to scythe right before Orochimaru's eyes."
Naruto face darkened, his voice low and angry, "Orochimaru…"
"He is named after the legendary Yamata no Orochi, the Eight-headed snake," Zangetsu said. "Perhaps, then, you must cut off all eight of his heads in order to kill him."
"Maybe you're right."
"Maybe I'm not," Zangetsu replied. "You must think of all possibilities in order to annihilate such an opponent as him. For now, I have a power I'd like you to learn, one that I have gained from your Hollow side."
Naruto grinned excitedly.
— o.0.O.O.0.o —
Naruto awoke to the scent of lavender filling his nostrils, the harsh sunlight streaming in from the window trying to pry his eyelids open. He tried to sit up, only to discover that he couldn't because a small, lithe form was draped over the right side of his torso. He looked down, his mouth twitching into a smile.
Hinata's head rested comfortably on his stomach, her right arm draped next to it. Her left hand was gripping tightly onto his right hand, and there was an annoying tingle in his fingers, a sort of pins-and-needles sensation. Obviously, she'd stayed by his side the entire time, waiting patiently for him to awaken from his slumber.
A hushed argument met his ears, interrupting his thoughts and observation. Looking up, he could see his father waging a quiet war with the toad sage, Jiraiya.
"I can't go with you!" Arashi insisted, a scowl on his face. "Quit asking! I'm a Jounin, and I'm needed on missions at the moment. While I'm angry at the village for betraying my last wish, I still owe it to Naruto to be loyal to it!"
"But someone needs to come!" Jiraiya told him, waving his arms for emphasis. "She won't listen to me if I go alone! You know how she'll be now!"
"I have responsibilities now! Take Naruto with you! Teach him to summon toads!" Arashi said. Under his breath, too low for Jiraiya to hear, he said, "That's about all you can teach him, anyway."
Naruto tuned out the disagreement as thoughts flew through his mind. In his excitement over the rooftop battle with Orochimaru, he'd completely forgotten about finding Tsunade. The old man had said he was going to step down after the Chûnin Exams, stating that he was far too old to be wearing the Hokage robes, anyway.
At least, that's what Sarutobi's excuse had been. Naruto had a sneaking suspicion that the old man was going to take it easy now that he knew where Tsunade was…and how to con her into the Hokage office. With his successor planned out, he needn't do anything more than sit back and relax. It was a subtle and devious plan, one worthy of Sarutobi. He wasn't called the Professor for nothing.
Naruto burrowed deeper into his thoughts and memories. Shortly after Tsunade took office, the mission to Yuki no Kuni would be assigned to Team Seven. He was more prepared for it this time than he had been the first time, and he had no doubt that Hinata would want to go too. He frowned. She'd be needed here, in Konoha.
Then there was Naruto's biggest problem, Orochimaru. It seemed that, no matter what he did to the man, the Snake Sennin continued to survive against his overwhelming might. Alone, Naruto stood no chance against him, but with Zangetsu, the Kyubi, Skeith, and his Bankai, Orochimaru was about as much a threat as a drop of water.
So why? Why couldn't he finish the bastard off? His high level Hadô should have sliced Orochimaru to ribbons, yet it had done nothing more than give him a few lacerations and reduce his hands to stumps. To most people, that would seem significant, and most ninja would be forced to quit after that. But Orochimaru was different. In order to destroy Orochimaru, you had to literally destroy him.
That was something Naruto should be able to do with ease, his Bankai easily putting him on par with the combined strength of all three Sannin. Using his Vizard powers in conjunction with Bankai drained him quickly, but gave him a sort of 'godlike' power. It was like opening the Hachimon, a short stay of absolute power. Opening the seal on his right hand would grant him god-hood, if only for a scant few minutes before he exploded.
So why? Why was it so difficult for him to permanently eliminate Orochimaru, the x factor in every one of his plans?
"Hey, brat," Naruto's head shot up, locking on to the face of the one who had interrupted his thoughts, Jiraiya.
Naruto made sure to give the elder man a confused look, then let a flitter of enlightenment flash across his face, "Oh, now I know who you are!"
Jiraiya chuckled in a self-appreciating tone, "Well, I'm not surprised. I am pretty famous, after all."
"You're Jiraiya, the Toad Sage!" Naruto threw the man a disgusted glare. "You're the one who writes Kakashi-sensei's smut! Ero-sennin!"
Jiraiya vaulted face first into the hospital floor, groaning disappointedly. In a flash, he was standing again, finger pressed up against his lips in a silent 'shush!'
"Okay, listen, brat," Jiraiya hissed quietly. "Since there isn't anyone in the village capable of being Hokage that actually wants to be Hokage, I have to go find my teammate, Tsunade, and try to convince her to take the job. Trouble is, she won't listen to me if I go alone."
Jiraiya grinned, "That's where you come in. I'm going to take you with me to go find her, and you and I are going to convince her to become Hokage. We leave two days from now, got it?"
Nodding silently, Naruto watched as Jiraiya backed up quietly and prepared to leave, "Later, brat!"
Just as he was about to jump out the window, Jiraiya seemed to remember something and reached behind himself. He tossed a green flak jacket onto Naruto's bed, saying, "And congratulations on becoming Chûnin!"
— o.0.O.O.0.o —
"Isn't this wonderful, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked happily, searching the flowers in front of her. She was kneeling on the grassy earth of one of the less used training grounds, looking for a plant she had only ever heard about. "It's such a beautiful day outside! The sun is shining, the birds are singing!"
"Hn," Sasuke responded, leaning up against a tree not too far away. He wasn't too sure why he had bothered to follow her out to this place. He could be doing something useful, like training. Kakashi still owed him a Jutsu or two from earlier.
A twinge of pain shot through his neck, making him wince lightly. Faster than many could see, his hand raced up and clamped itself over the Curse Seal of Heaven, the object causing his pain. He rubbed the tender flesh there, willing the hurt to go away. He didn't need the damn thing acting up, not when it had been relatively inactive since the Chûnin Exams.
At the time, the Curse Seal was the primary cause for Sasuke's ire and suffering. It would activate at the most inopportune of times, often when he was tired or feeling weak. It would spread for a few seconds, then he'd manage to force it back down. The one thing he didn't need was for a large red target to be painted on himself, attracting the attention of every Jounin in Konoha.
He wished the damn thing would just go away. He wished it was every bit the hickey it looked like, so that it would fade and disappear over time. Then he wouldn't have to look over his shoulder every day and wonder how many ANBU were following him around, as if waiting for him to crack.
It was impeding on his training, too. Every time he used up too much chakra, the seal would activate, pumping tainted chakra through his system and trying to corrupt his mind. The way things were going, he wouldn't get stronger fast enough to kill Itachi at the age of eighty. He needed the thing to go away, to leave him in peace.
Sakura stood as she found what she was looking for, a strange looking flower. It was unremarkable, for the most part. It was an average color, an average shape, and, seemingly, an average flower. There was nothing about it to suggest that it might hold mystic properties, nor was there anything to support the idea that it was anything but normal.
A smile on her face, she handed it to the scowling Sasuke, saying, "Here."
Sasuke accepted it with a weird look on his face. He stayed silent, observing it quietly for a few minutes. This was what she had been looking for? What was so special about it? What was it? It looked familiar, like he should already know what it was, but the name managed to escape him.
Finally, he asked, "What is it?"
Sakura's smile widened, "It's honeysuckle. A rare plant around the majority of the Elemental Nations, it can be found in abundance around Fire Country, especially right around Konoha."
A memory popped up in Sasuke's head, a solemn feeling of sorrow sinking into his bones. Quietly, he asked, "Sakura…do you know…what honeysuckle symbolizes?"
"Huh?" Sakura asked back, surprised by his query. "No, I don't. What does it symbolize?"
"Sasuke-chan," Uchiha Mikoto looked at the flower Sasuke had handed her, a bright smile on his face. A slight smile, a peaceful one, decorated her face, "do you know what Honeysuckle symbolizes?"
"Huh?" six-year-old Sasuke asked dumbly. "No, Kaa-san, I don't. What?"
Mikoto giggled, "It's usually used by teenagers to express certain feelings, but, above all, Honeysuckle symbolizes…"
Mikoto slowly twirled the flower around between her fingers, "…Devoted Affection."
"Honeysuckle symbolizes…" Sasuke started slowly, holding back his the tears that threatened to come, "…'Devoted Affection'."
"Wh-what?!" Sakura asked, a deep blush creeping up her cheeks. "O-oh. W-well, if you find it offensive…j-just forget I ever gave it to you!"
Sakura flailed her arms defensively, "I-in fact…forget we ever came here! I-I mean, y-you obviously don't want something like that from m-me…a…plain simple girl…like me."
"Sakura," Sasuke whispered firmly, interrupting her rant. He wrapped his arms around her as two tears silently crept down his face, "j-just shut up."
— o.0.O.O.0.o —
Naruto nudged the door to his apartment shut, carrying in two paper bags full of groceries. He knew there wasn't any point to buying more than a few days' worth of food. In two days, he'd be heading off on the search for Tsunade, and immediately after he got home from that, he'd be moving in with his old man. Food for more than a few days would be purely superfluous.
Setting the bags down on his kitchen table gently, Naruto dropped his apartment key next to them. Rolling his shoulders, he turned around and made towards his bedroom, eager to get a nice hot shower. Humming lightly under his breath, he opened the door, then froze in his spot.
Naruto's eyes widened as he discovered that he wasn't alone in his apartment, an irrational fear gripping him as he realized that his guest stood between him and Zangetsu. Slowly, the figure that had been hunched over his bed stood straight, his reddish orange hat bright in the low sun.
Slowly, Azure Kite turned around, his glowing green eyes peering out from a mop of aquatic blue hair. Angular teeth shown from the childish figure's parted lips as Kite let loose a deep, low sigh, "Huuuuuuuuu."
Naruto bit his lip and dropped into a fighting stance, prepared to fight this inhuman warrior a second time. He never had the chance, as blue fire lit up around the creature opposite him, engulfing Kite in an azure aura. There was a flash of light, then Azure Kite was nothing more than an orb of blue flames zipping out Naruto's window.
Cautious of any traps that may have been set, Naruto walked up to his bed, where he noticed something that hadn't been there when he left. A pile of folded clothes sat on the mattress, a piece of paper perched neatly atop it, like a king on his throne. Carefully, mindful of any sudden chakra fluctuations, Naruto picked up the piece of paper.
"'Hello again'," Naruto read aloud, eyes skimming the paper, "'Baka deshi'."
Instantly, the world around Naruto faded into pure white light as a sensation of weightlessness overcame the blonde. There was a rushing feeling, as though he were being whisked away someplace. His vision swam dangerously, making him feel as if he were being tossed around by some higher life form. Then, just as suddenly, it stopped, and Naruto's feet hit solid ground again. Unprepared for such a landing, Naruto collapsed to the earth.
Groaning, Naruto stood uneasily, trying to shake the dizziness and disorientation from his mind. Faintly, underneath all the confusion rushing around in his mind, Naruto registered the sound of rushing water, like that of a waterfall.
Squinting as the world stopped spinning, Naruto realized that he was standing on a cobblestone walkway just barely big enough to allow a cart safe passage. Looking down, he could tell that he didn't want to fall off of his narrow strip of safety, because that first step was fatal.
Gazing towards his right, Naruto saw a long, majestic waterfall that stretched on forever framed against a sky painted in all kinds of reds, pinks, and oranges from the sun setting. It was a scene right out of a fairytale, the beautiful horizon that the hero would ride or walk off into, ready to begin his next adventure. Iron spires segmented the waterfall, adding to its magnificent appearance.
The rustle of clothing moving in the wind pulled Naruto's attention to the end of his little strip, where a man stood in a rosy pink kimono, a white obi, and white hakama. Long reddish orange hair was pulled into a ponytail at the base of the man's skull, the bangs let free to frame the man's face. A katana was strapped to the man's waist, his left hand resting at the mouth of the sheath gently.
As the man turned his head to look at Naruto, he could clearly see a cross-shaped scar resting diagonally on the man's cheek, deep, sapphire eyes twinkling with amusement. In a light tone, the man spoke, "Hello again, Baka deshi."
The words and the sound of the voice rung a bell in Naruto's memory, but even as he realized who this man was, his mind refuted it, refusing to believe that his shishou and this stranger were in fact the same person. It didn't seem to compute that the hardened samurai that he had first met long ago could possible be so mild mannered and happy faced.
"And welcome," Himura's voice came from this man's mouth, but it couldn't possible be him, "to the Land of Origin, Arche Koeln Waterfall."
"Himura," Naruto whispered breathlessly, "shishou."
"This one shouldn't be surprised," Himura said calmly, a smile on his lips, "that Naruto-kun came so early, so soon after his message was relayed."
"Relayed?" Naruto echoed quietly.
"Aa," Himura nodded, "Kite-dono was very helpful with that. Once you've crossed out of a dimension, it's nearly impossible to get back."
"Out of a dimension?" Naruto asked, confused.
"Did you not know, Naruto-kun?" Himura asked. "There are thousands of different worlds and dimensions out there. Some of them intersect and coexist, such as your world and Soul Society, and some of them are so far apart, that not even the greatest of the great can cross the barrier separating them.
"My world, Naruto-kun," Himura told him, "is very hard to get to from your world, and vice versa. This one nearly died trying to get home after he had taught you all that he could."
"But," Naruto started, "but I went back in time! I rewound the world so that I could prevent the horrible disasters that had befallen it!"
"Yes, Naruto-kun," Himura answered the implied question, "you rewound time for your world and Soul Society, but all of the other worlds were unaffected. During the time that we were separated, this one finished learning from his master."
"If we're not in my world, and we're not in your world, where are we?" Naruto asked.
"To those who have heard of this place, it is known as the Lost Ground, a place few could ever reach," Himura said, much like he had described the Hulle Granz Cathedral. "To those who know of the existence of other worlds, and to those who have traveled to other worlds, it is known as the Land of Origin, the Arche Koeln Waterfall. It is the nexus point of all worlds and dimensions."
Himura drew his sword, which Naruto immediately recognized as a Sakabatô, a reverse-blade sword, "Now, Naruto-kun, this one is ready to finish teaching you."
Looking down, Naruto saw Zangetsu next to his feet. He picked it up and gripped it tightly, the blade transforming into a Sakabatô as he held it.
— o.0.O.O.0.o —
An orange-haired man stared off into the distant sky as the sun set on the village known as Konoha. A village he had grown found of, even if he wouldn't admit it aloud. As fond memories flitted into his mind, memories of his first experience as a teacher, memories of the students he had taught, he couldn't help but wish it would last longer.
There was so much more he had to teach. So many things he needed to let his students know. So many secrets that needed to be told. There was still a lot he felt he had to do, but his time for doing so had ended, and now, he had to return home, where he belonged.
Silently, he wondered. How long would it be till he saw his students again? Ten years? Fifteen? Thirty? Sixty? A hundred? How much more would they have aged, how much would they have learned without his guidance? What would they have accomplished?
Would they still need him?
That was the question that bugged him. Would his students still need him when he saw them again? He was afraid of the answer. As all teachers know, there is a point where the student has nothing more he can learn from his teacher. There is a point where the student will no longer need his teacher. Where he has surpassed his teacher.
Ichigo knew this well. He himself had quickly surpassed the only one who had taught him in the ways of the Shinigami, or, more specifically, how to fight like one. Within one month of beginning his training with Urahara, Ichigo had surpassed the man, sailing beyond the limits most Shinigami possessed.
So how fast would Naruto and Hinata grow out of his teachings? How quickly would they cast him off when it became unnecessary for them to learn from him? Would they do so quickly, had they done so already? Would they still have things to learn from him when he next saw them? Would they surpass him in that time?
So many questions he had, but he had no answers. Only time could reveal the answers to his questions. He would have to wait and validate the answers himself. There was no one else to do so, so it had to be him.
"Ichigo!" Ichigo looked back at his wife, the lovely Kurosaki Rukia. "Time to go!"
Turning around, Ichigo spared one last glance back at Konoha, then walked through the Senkaimon gate that led to Soul Society.
— o.0.O.O.0.o —
Naruto took a confident step outside of the large Konoha gate, staring at his teacher as the white-haired man started walking down the path in front of him. Fingering the strap of his backpack, Naruto took a second, steadier step in the direction he was to go, a little hesitant about leaving Hinata behind. The Hiashi he knew would have let her come, but he didn't want to risk this Hiashi's ire.
Naruto smirked as his gloved fingers brushed against the silky smooth fabric of his new clothing. Himura had explained it, saying it had come from the world the Azure Knights called home. He'd put it on when he returned to his apartment and looked in the mirror. To a normal person, white wasn't a good color for a ninja. But Naruto knew. The color white had a particular meaning in his world. Death.
A skin-tight, white turtleneck shirt covered his torso, the sleeves nonexistent and the sides above and underneath his shoulders colored black. Thin black lines traveled vertically down his chest, and a strange collar, much like Sasuke's normal high-collared shirts, stretched up from just beneath his collarbone until it was level with the bottom of his chin. It was black, with the exception of a white strip at the very top.
His pants were white as well, but slowly transitioned into black as they moved down his legs. They disappeared into similarly colored bandages at his shins, his sandals remaining the same. His shuriken holster was attached to his right leg, wrapping around his pants tightly. It wasn't too tight, so it was comfortable.
Black gloves covered his hands, two golden bands at the base of each finger. The gloves traveled all the way up his arms, leaving his shoulders bare to the world, tiny belts with golden buckles following their lead. Part of it all was hidden, however, by the strong (Himura had said 'unbreakable') white armor plates that protected the tops of his forearms. It was all topped off by the black belt that traveled the circumference of his waist, attaching Zangetsu to his body, and the small pendant hidden behind his high collar.
Himura had said that the pendant was called the "Empty Eye of Sin", and that the clothing had been dubbed the "Empty Demon Suit". Apparently, the clothing was very resistant to damage, and could expand to fit its wearer. And the pendant…
Naruto smirked.
The pendant made it easier for him to focus, compress, and concentrate his chakra, which meant that he could use more of it without hurting himself. He could use approximately one-third of the chakra hidden behind the seal on his hand without side effects. His time would be limited so as to not overload the thing, but he'd still have access to a large portion of his power.
Naruto fingered the strap of his backpack anxiously, taking a quick step forward. Slowly, he came in line with Jiraiya, grinning up at the man as the pervert hurriedly scribbled in his notebook. Snatching the thing from the elder ninja's hands, he sprinted ahead of the Toad Sennin, laughing as he tried to catch up with him.
"Hey, Ero-sennin!" Naruto shouted back, waving the notebook. "What's so entertaining that you're always writing in this?"
"GIVE THAT BACK!" Jiraiya yelled angrily, chasing after the blonde. "THAT CONTAINS MY IMPORTANT RESEARCH!!"
As the two of them ran down the road, neither noticed a small figure with pale eyes smile serenely, a small giggle escaping her lips. With nothing but a quiet swoosh, she vanished from her place at the open gates, leaving no sign of having been there to begin with.
Only her words told of her presence, and they fell on deaf ears.
"Good luck, Naruto-kun."
— o.0.O.O.0.o —
Naruto rose from his meditation with an angry sigh, his right eyebrow twitching dangerously as he walked towards the door to his room. It had been nearly five days since he and Jiraiya had left Konoha, and nearly four since they'd arrived in the village the currently resided in. Having mastered Summoning in the first day, Naruto did nothing but follow Jiraiya as he wandered around town, going his own way when the pervert peeped at the Hot Springs.
"I'm coming!" Naruto shouted as a second, much more insistent knock resounded throughout the cozy hotel room.
Taking a calming breath as a third knock pounded against the wooden door, Naruto slowly opened it, a stony look on his face as he stared up at the two figures before him. They were two people he recognized, having not only met them, but having killed them in the previous timeline.
"Hello, Naruto-kun," long black hair, tied into a ponytail at the nape of his neck. Swirling Sharingan eyes. Uchiha Itachi gazed impassively down from his high collar; "We would like for you to come with us."
"Hello, Cousin," Naruto said, noticing Itachi's eyes widen almost imperceptibly. "Why, exactly, should I do that? Are you and the fish man representing some sort of real estate agency?"
Naruto shrugged, doing his best to give off the famous Uchiha cold shoulder, "Sorry, but I'm not interested in buying a home so far from home."
"Heh heh! This kid's got spunk!" the taller, blue-skinned man chuckled. "I think I'm beginning to like him!"
Naruto turned his own icy blue eyes on Kisame, reciting the information he had on the man as if he were reading it from a textbook, "Hoshigaki Kisame, S-Class Missing Ninja of the Village Hidden in the Mist. A former member of the Kiri no Shinobigatana Nananin Shu, the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist."
Ignoring the man, Naruto turned his gaze back to Itachi, reciting the information the bingo book had on him, "Uchiha Itachi, S-Class Missing Ninja of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. ANBU Captain at age thirteen, he is wanted for the genocide of his clan, his younger brother being the only known survivor."
"He sure knows a lot," Kisame commented lightly. "He looks kind of scrawny, though. Are you sure he's the vessel for the Nine-tailed Fox, Itachi?"
"I guess your group hasn't heard yet, has it?" Naruto smirked the famous Uchiha smirk, a small paperback book held in his hand. "It only came out about four days ago, and I just heard myself two days ago, so I suppose I can't blame you."
"What is it, brat?" Kisame asked impatiently. "What do you know that we don't?"
"Sharingan no Kakashi, the Green Beast, the Yellow Flash, the Professor," Naruto rattled off. "All of the powerful ninja have been given a nickname by their enemies and allies. Four days ago, Otogakure released a new version of the Bingo Book, but this one contained a special A-Class ninja, a ninja who Orochimaru designated as 'Flee on sight' for anyone below Jounin…me."
Itachi's eyes widened. Harshly, he whispered, "What?"
"He was even nice enough to give me a nickname," Naruto's eyes gleamed with mischief, "'Konoha no Shinigami'."
"Konoha's," Itachi began softly, disbelief coloring his voice, "God of Death?"
Naruto flipped the Bingo Book open to the page he had marked, reciting its data, "Kazama Naruto, A-Class ninja of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Known for his Kenjutsu skills, his most powerful abilities are hidden behind a seal of some sort. When he utters the word 'Bankai' it is advised that fleeing is the wisest option. Anyone below Jounin is to flee on sight."
"Heh," Kisame reached up to heft his sword off his back, "even if you're in the Bingo Book, you're only A-class. We're S-Class."
Cold black steel pressed up against Kisame's blue neck, drawing a tiny line of blood. Another Naruto stood next to him, on his right, sword drawn and Sharingan whirling, "Really, Kisame, you shouldn't mess with my clones. They have…explosive personalities."
Kisame was stunned, "When did he—?"
Itachi was calm, "When he opened the book. He used it as a distraction to keep our notice from the quick, one-handed Kage Bunshin and Kawarimi seals."
The Naruto beside Kisame smirked, "My, my, you are quick, aren't you? But tell me…"
The tip of a sword pressed against Itachi's back, a third Naruto pointing his blade at the Uchiha prodigy, "…did you notice this one?"
No reply was forthcoming. A silence fell around them as each of them plotted their next move. Kisame and Itachi to find a way to gain the upper hand again, and Naruto to find a method of subduing them without killing Itachi. Itachi was Sasuke's mark, and it was by Sasuke's hand that Itachi would die. Naruto would see to it.
Time stretched on, and all of them remained motionless but for the slight movements of their breathing. Itachi's Sharingan picked apart every detail it could, but found no solution. Each Naruto was completely on guard. With the speed his opponent had displayed, either he or his partner would be dead before an escape could successfully be made. He couldn't make the first move, Naruto or Kisame would have to.
"ITACHI!" a voice screamed from down the hall. The entire group looked up, surprised, as Uchiha Sasuke charged towards the three of them, Chidori crackling around his left hand. "DIE!"
Eyes narrowing, Itachi's hand shot out, safely grasping his little brother's wrist. Capitalizing on Sasuke's shock, he twisted the younger boy's wrist. The Chidori disappeared and a loud snap echoed throughout the hall as the joint broke almost effortlessly, an agonized scream following shortly after.
Without pausing in remorse or hesitation, Itachi brought his knee up into Sasuke's stomach, releasing his younger sibling's wrist afterwards. Surprised and in pain, Sasuke doubled over, right arm over his stomach and left arm dangling uselessly. Itachi remained impassive, his cold red eyes watching him with a calculating gleam.
"Damn!" Sasuke mentally swore. "Damn! Damn! Damn! DAMN!"
Slowly, Sasuke began to fall forward, his body unwilling to support its own weight. "Am I going to lose here? Am I going to lose? After all that training I did. Was it all for naught?"
"Ugh!" a strange feeling coursed through Sasuke's body, threatening to rise to the surface and burst from his body. Sasuke cursed his Curse Mark. Why was it acting up now, of all times?
Naruto, though, knew it wasn't the Curse Mark that was acting up. Bright, glowing pink runes flashed over Sasuke's revealed flesh, fading after a second, only to flare up again. They weren't something he'd seen before, but he'd recognize those marks in an instant. He'd read about them in a badly burned report, one of the few that had escaped Tarvos' rampage through Konoha.
"Shit!" Naruto rushed forward, grabbing onto Sasuke. Making to leave, he paused for a second and looked back, knowing he would regret his next action. "If you value your lives, I suggest you run as far away from here as you can."
With but a soft swish, Naruto and Sasuke disappeared from the hotel, leaving a stunned Kisame and Itachi behind.
They reappeared somewhere in the woods, close enough to the village that they could find their way back, but far away enough that civilian casualties would be at a minimum. Which meant that, hopefully, there wouldn't be any at all.
Setting Sasuke down, Naruto pulled out five paper talismans as the runes flashed more often. Mentally, Naruto did the calculations for his next venture. He'd only seen this happen with Shino when Magus the Propagation had awakened, and the only other reference besides that was the damaged report on Tarvos.
The runes had reached up to Sasuke's face. That meant that Tarvos had already begun to try and force Sasuke to summon it. Nodding to himself, Naruto applied three of his talismans, one to Sasuke's left shoulder, on to the left side of his chest, and one to the right side of his chest. Naruto was relieved to see the runes disappear from Sasuke's left arm, left leg, and right leg. It meant that he had successfully isolated Tarvos' influence to Sasuke's head and right arm.
Pulling out another talisman, he carefully applied it to Sasuke's forehead, watching with his activated Sharingan as a mass of pink energy moved from his cousin's head, to his right arm, only to pause as it seemed to realize it had reached a dead end. Naruto smirked and applied a final talisman to Sasuke right biceps.
With Tarvos isolated, Naruto stepped back and wiped the sweat that had gathered on his brow. Stretching lightly, he took off his gloves and set to work, preparing to seal Tarvos much the way he had sealed Magus and Skeith. It would be a hassle, of course, and Sasuke would probably be annoyed that he now had a total of three seals on his body, but berserk Avatars were not to be dealt with lightly.
— o.0.O.O.0.o —
"This is Tanzaku-Gai?" Naruto asked, staring at the destroyed area in front of him, the remains of a decimated castle. Jiraiya nodded solemnly.
Had a larger area been affected by the carnage, 'natural disaster' might have been a believable excuse for the destruction that had occurred, but such wasn't the case. The castle was all that had been razed to the ground, so the culprit could only have been a summoned animal of some sort, or one of the tailed beasts.
Naruto knew, though, he didn't even need the rancid stench in the air to tell him. He frowned, "I smell a snake. The pedophile has been here recently, and he seems to have brought a corpse with him."
Jiraiya glanced at Naruto, "What do you mean?"
"The scent that sticks with Orochimaru's…" Naruto scowled, "I know that stench. I killed the traitor it belongs to."
Naruto took in a deep breath, a particular smell tickling his nose. He shot Jiraiya a look, "I smell alcohol. It's faint, and stale, but it's there. Is Tsunade an alcoholic?"
"Yeah," Jiraiya nodded, a serious look on his face. "She drinks sake almost religiously. Think you can pinpoint her location?"
"I think so," Naruto headed off in the direction he knew her to be in, sniffing every now and then. "She's a big drinker, all right, but she was sober when she met with the Snake Perv."
"That's not necessarily a good thing," Jiraiya muttered.
"Mm," Naruto responded as he walked into the pub, Jiraiya following close behind.
Instantly, Naruto was assaulted by the quiet noise of the pub, no one seeming to notice his entrance. He might as well have dropped a pin during a full-scale battle, he probably would have gotten more attention. That, of course, not really what he wanted.
Naruto took a tentative sniff as the pervert came up behind him, then pointed to where she was. Jiraiya was immediately excited and waved, "Tsunade-hime!"
The two of them sat down across from Tsunade and her apprentice, Shizune, ordering their own food (though Naruto never touched any of his. He knew there wasn't a point to it).
For a while, the entire group was silent, eating their food quietly. In that little corner of the room, you could have heard a needle hit the floor, as Tsunade inspected Naruto suspiciously. She was probably wondering why he was wearing white.
"Today…" Tsunade broke the tense quiet. "I met with someone who brings back a lot of bad memories."
"Orochimaru?" Jiraiya asked, before Naruto could make his comment. "Did anything happen?"
Tsunade's wordless command to Shizune about keeping quiet went unnoticed by the Gama Sennin, "Nothing much…just a little greeting."
Naruto threw her a suspicious glance; with his inactive doujutsu increasing his perception, he'd easily seen the glare that had been tossed around.
"You're here, too," Tsunade pointed out. "Why? What's the reason for this unexpected reunion?"
Jiraiya fixed her with a serious stare, "Konoha's Elder Council has issued a request for you to become the Godaime Hokage."
Tsunade and Shizune's eyes widened, a surprised look on both their faces.
"The Third…" Jiraiya continued. "Sarutobi-sensei is…"
"I heard," Tsunade said, regaining her composure. A semi-sad look crossed her face, "Orochimaru told me…it was his doing."
"Oh?" Jiraiya smirked. Tsunade's right eyebrow twitched, thinking he was disrespecting the Sandaime. "Then you haven't heard anything but a fabrication. Sensei came out of that battle without a scratch."
"What do you mean?" Tsunade questioned, disbelieving.
"In his little fantasy world, I have no doubt that Orochimaru killed Sarutobi-sensei," Jiraiya grinned, "but the fact is, he couldn't handle the back up that came in time to stop his evil plot. Naruto here was the one who cut off Hebi-teme's hands."
"His escape was pure luck," Naruto added. "I miscalculated, and didn't have the energy I needed to take out the bastard's troop of girl scouts."
Tsunade arched a curious eyebrow, "Who is this kid?"
Jiraiya grinned, "Kazama Naruto, A-class Chûnin and future Rokudaime Hokage. So, what do you say?"
There was a long pause, in which Tsunade seemed to consider the offer, then, "No."
Naruto sighed impatiently, "Damn it, old lady. Don't you understand? You're only one capable. Ossan quit because he was getting to be too old. You're the only one who can be Hokage."
Tsunade chuckled, "Jiraiya, this brat is worse than your previous student…in terms of looks, speech, and intelligence."
"It's hard to compete with the Fourth…" Jiraiya started. "Especially when—"
"My father," Naruto hissed, interrupting his unofficial sensei, "is a better person than you'll ever be. He's a better ninja than you'll ever be."
"But even the Fourth died quickly," Tsunade didn't seem to have heard Naruto. "He sacrificed himself for Konoha…but life is different from money. It can't be risked so easily. Whoever does so is a fool."
Jiraiya frowned, not even mentioning the Fourth's resurrection, "You've changed, Tsunade."
"Age changes people," she commented offhandedly. "But only a fool would be Hokage."
Plates and food jumped off the table slightly as Naruto's fists collided with the wood. He glared at her fiercely, scowling deeply. He shrugged off Jiraiya's hand, which had tried to pull him down by his shoulder.
"Don't mess with me, Jiraiya," Naruto growled. "I don't care if she's a woman or some funky transvestite, I'm going to pummel her."
"You've got some guts," Tsunade said calmly, her eyebrow twitching as she stood. "Let's take this outside."
— o.0.O.O.0.o —
Tsunade smirked, standing about ten yards from Naruto, "I've been one of the Sannin since before you were even born. I don't have to take this seriously. One finger should do."
"I wouldn't be so quick to judge, Tsunade-hime," Jiraiya warned her as Naruto seethed. "He shows even more promise than Arashi."
"If you won't take me seriously," Naruto said, his voice frigid as he yanked his sword from its sheath. "Then I'll just have to force you!"
In an instant, he was upon her, his sword flashing in what seemed to be nine different directions simultaneously. She was frozen, unable to move as he called out the name of his attack, "Kuzu Ryû Sen!" (Nine-headed Dragon Flash)
Then, as he landed behind her, she could breathe and move again. She looked herself over, but could neither see nor feel any damage on her body. She looked back at him, his icy blue gaze locking with hers.
"Had I intended to kill you…you would be dead," he told her bluntly.
"You little punk!" she rushed towards him, growling her anger.
He disappeared again and she ducked under his attack, a few blonde hairs floating down in front of her face. They'd not escaped the sharp blade of his sword, she knew, and it could have been her head instead of a few strands of her beautiful hair, but she wasn't one of the Sannin for sitting around on her ass.
She turned around and flung a hard punch towards his unprotected back, but he was already gone. A shadow blocked out the moonlight and she looked up, eyes widening as Naruto fell from the sky. She never knew that a human could jump that high unaided by chakra.
"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryû!" Naruto cried as he came down. "Ryû Tsui Sen-Zan!"
Tsunade jumped back out of the way, delivering a crushing blow to Naruto's face. To her surprise, he didn't go flying, but latched his hands onto her arm and smirked at her, mouthing a single word that she would begin to dread.
"Boom."
An explosion lit up the night as the Kage Bunshin detonated itself while attached to Tsunade's arm. Mere seconds after it had gone off, Tsunade appeared out of the cloud, miraculously unharmed, but panting as if she had just run the sixty-mile cure for cancer. It had obviously taken a great deal of effort for her to escape the explosion.
"Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"
Tsunade jumped out of the way again as a fireball came barreling at her from out of nowhere. She seemed to barely escape the hot flames, but was tensed and ready for whatever attack was thrown at her next. She wasn't a Sannin for sitting around on her ass.
Naruto appeared from within the smoke of the explosion, already starting another Jutsu, "Katon: Housenka no Jutsu!"
Tsunade expertly dodged the fireballs that flew her way, flinging her fist into Naruto as he charged toward her. He disappeared into smoke, another Kage Bunshin as far as she could tell. Her senses became hypersensitive as she waited for him to show himself again.
A cold, menacing voice spoke up from behind her, "Cero."
Her instincts going haywire, Tsunade ducked under the explosive ray of energy that would have likely torn her head off, rose under the figure's guard and punched him right in the face. Instantly, the skull like mask he was wearing fell to pieces, revealing Naruto's face. It was obvious, from the slight quirk of his lips, that he'd let her have that hit.
Flipping in midair, Naruto bit his thumb and flashed through seals, pulling down the glove on his right arm. Tsunade, from her distance, couldn't make out what it was, but there appeared to be a sort of tattoo on his arm.
Eyes widening with alarm, Tsunade hit the ground as fast as she could, sending out a tremor that knocked Naruto off balance and interrupted his technique, which she strongly suspected was summoning. Angry, she turned to her teammate, "Jiraiya! How could you do something so foolish? Teaching summoning to this brat!"
Jiraiya shrugged, "It was the only thing I could teach him. The brat already knew everything I might have thought to teach to him. The only other thing he really needs help on is seals, and he's already got a better teacher for that subject."
Tsunade's eyes narrowed, "And who might that be?"
Jiraiya shrugged again, "You'll have to see that for yourself when we get back to Konoha."
Tsunade smirked, "Nice try, Jiraiya, but I'm not going back with you. My curiosity isn't so great that I'd simply follow you back to that God forsaken village."
"Hey, old lady," Tsunade turned her attention back onto Naruto, whose clothing was back to normal as he stood with his arms crossed, "let's make a bet."
"Oh?" Tsunade arched an eyebrow. "Now you're speaking my language. What are the terms?"
Naruto grinned foxily at her, "At the end of the seven day period Orochimaru gave you, when he comes to see what your decision is, I'll beat him up single handed. If I win, you come back to Konoha and be Hokage."
"And if you lose," Tsunade said, smirking at him. "You have to give up your foolish dream of being Hokage and quit as a ninja. And…if you win…" she fingered the necklace hanging from her neck, "I'll even give you this."
Naruto's grin widened, "You better enjoy that pendant of yours while you can, because, a week from now, it'll be hanging from my neck."
— o.0.O.O.0.o —
Tsunade stood against Kabuto, Orochimaru's assistant, and Orochimaru himself. The fight had only begun a little while ago, but a tie seemed imminent. Orochimaru, without use of his arms, was almost useless, but with Kabuto helping him, they made a powerful team.
Shizune, a drugged and sluggish Jiraiya, and Naruto all arrived on the scene, skidding to a halt a score of yards away from the battle. Naruto narrowed his eyes as he caught sight of the silver-haired boy standing next to the snake Sennin. Tsunade was frozen, covered in blood not her own.
"Kabuto," Naruto growled. "I could have sworn I'd killed you."
"Oh my, yes, Naruto-kun, you did," Kabuto adjusted his glasses, smirking. "I do believe I owe you one for that."
In a flash, they were at each other's throats, starting a battle to the death. With his resurrection, Kabuto had an opportunity he hadn't had when he'd been killed. He had the chance of a fair, straight fight. He'd been denied that the first time, when Naruto had assassinated him atop one of Konoha's roofs.
Naruto's black sword flashed, swiping at Kabuto's neck. Kabuto ducked beneath the onyx blade, lancing out with a heavy palm strike to the bottom left side of Naruto's ribcage. With a forced cough, air left Naruto's lungs as he was flung backwards, where he landed on the ground with a hard thud.
In an instant, Naruto was on his feet again, rubbing his now sore ribs. They were sore, but he'd be fine. Kabuto hadn't been using his Chakra Scalpels during his attack, so there hadn't been any damage inflicted to his internal organs. And even if there had been, Kyubi would heal it faster than it had been dealt. He took a deep breath. He needed to calm down to face against this opponent, one who had been brought back from the dead.
"My, my, Naruto-kun," Kabuto smirked, adjusting his glasses again, "you're not quite as invincible as I remember. Have you gotten weaker since our last encounter?"
With a growl, Naruto struck the ground with his sword as hard as he could. Rocks and chunks of earth flew away from the point of impact as Naruto jumped, heading towards Kabuto, "Do Ryû Sen!" (Earth Dragon Flash)
As Naruto knew he would, Kabuto dodged the debris as if it were nothing, moving right into the line of Naruto's next attack. With gravity pulling him down, Naruto fell on his opponent, sword poised to strike, "Ryû Tsui Sen-Zan!" (Dragon Hammer Strike-Tragedy)
Again, Kabuto dodged out of the path of Naruto's sword, but was not prepared for the increase in speed as Naruto pulled off his next technique. From Kabuto's point of view, it was as if Naruto was attacking from nine different places at once, with nine swords, "Kuzu Ryû Sen!" (Nine-headed Dragon Flash)
Naruto spun around as the clone disappeared, flashing through one-handed seals as though it had been his plan all along. Stopping on the seal for 'tiger', he took in a deep breath, then let it out in the form of fire, "Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"
As Kabuto dodged out of the path of the huge ball of flames, Naruto was already finishing the hand seals for his next Jutsu. Again, he stopped on tiger, took in a deep breath, then let it loose, "Katon: Housenka no Jutsu!"
As Kabuto dodged the five fireballs, Naruto prepared his next technique. As his Housenka died down, he flung his first tool, an ordinary kunai, then, seconds later, flung the other materials he'd gotten ready. Before he even realized what had happened, Kabuto was captured, special steel wire binding his arms to his body. The kunai and Fuma Shuriken that he'd dodged had transformed into Naruto clones, each of which held the end of a length of wire between his teeth, "Sōfūshasan no Tachi! Naruto-ban!" (Windmill Triple Blades-Naruto Version)
Faster than he could follow, all four Naruto, the three clones and the original, went through the seals for another fire Jutsu. Simultaneously, they stopped, taking in a deep breath, then breathed out the flames of their attacks, "Katon: Ryûka no Jutsu!" (Dragon Fire Technique)
Four streams of fire traveled up four different lengths of wire, converging on their target, which was soon consumed by the burning flames. The figure in the center of the blaze fell to his knees, then to the ground, his features obscured by the flames eating away at his body. No one could have survived such a brutal display.
Naruto dodged out of the way of a kunai, twisting around in midair. He landed, facing his opponent once more, "I didn't think that such an attack would kill you, Kabuto. It would have been far too easy."
Kabuto remained quiet as he attacked, striking forward with his Chakra Scalpels glowing ominously on his hands. Naruto ducked underneath a particularly vicious strike aimed at his heart, lashing out with a powerful Juken palm strike that landed squarely in Kabuto's own heart. He'd been so forceful, that he could see the excess chakra expel itself from the back of Kabuto's torso.
Time froze, and it seemed as if Naruto had won, because Kabuto was unmoving and wasn't breathing. Then, a wicked grin spread over the silver-haired teen's face as he struck out with an attack that Naruto just barely dodged. Cursing himself for his stupidity, Naruto panted at the exertion. He was beginning to tire.
Calming himself down, Naruto prepared for his next move, one that would ultimately end the fight. Then, as Kabuto rushed towards him again, Naruto disappeared in a swish of Shunpo. He reappeared in front of his enemy, and, before Kabuto could react, thrust his sword into his enemy's gut. He gathered energy into his blade, looking into Kabuto's eyes with his own icy blue ones.
"Getsuga," he intoned quietly, "Tenshô."
There was but a moment in which Kabuto seemed to realize he had lost, in which he said, "Oh."
In an explosion of blood, flesh, and silvery goop, Kabuto vanished from the world for the second time. This time, hopefully, it was permanent, and Orochimaru wouldn't be able to resurrect the silver-haired ninja.
Naruto turned his gazed onto the stunned Orochimaru, then smirked at the Snake Sennin. Knowing what he'd have to do, Naruto pointed his blade skyward, gathering energy for what he was going to do next. He grinned foxily at the alarmed look on Orochimaru's face as storm clouds gathered in the sky, "Bankai."
A bolt of blue lightning soared from the clouds, striking Naruto and illuminating the area in a bright flash. Everyone closed his or her eyes to prevent from going blind. When it was safe to look again, the ones who hadn't seen this before gasped in surprise.
Translucent red goggles covered Naruto's Sharingan eyes, the strap disappearing into his spiky hair. The sword in Naruto's hand had transformed, now a regular-looking katana made of black steel. Diamond-shaped rubies were inlaid in the hilt, which was still wrapped in white. The hand guard was now spiral-shaped, with three thin spires. A ragged-looking black coat was fitted over his body, tight on his torso and forearms, but flaring out after it reached his waist. The inside was a bloody crimson, and the hem was ripped and rugged, hanging in strips near his ankles.
"Shinkû Shinkirô Zangetsu," Naruto's voice was calm and confident. "Shoki: Raijin."
As everyone stared, stupefied, Naruto disappeared, and his voice came from a place that only Orochimaru expected, "It is the accepted norm that Bankai increases a person's power by five to tenfold."
Gasping, Orochimaru backed away as fast as he could, but the effort was futile, for a deep cut formed on his back. In the instant that Orochimaru had tried to move away, Naruto had reappeared behind him, slashing at him with his deadly sword. For Orochimaru, it was a nightmare come true. For Tsunade, it was the impossible becoming possible.
Once more, Naruto stood in front of Orochimaru, Zangetsu poised to administer the finishing blow. Fear, no, terror crept into Orochimaru's serpentine eyes, his mouth wide open in horror. Then, with a large amount of strength channeled to his arm, Naruto swung downward, intent on decapitating the Snake Sennin.
It was not to be.
At the last second, someone barreled into him, shoving him out of the way with the force of a speeding train. He was flung away from his target, landing a far enough away from Orochimaru and with enough force that he'd take a few seconds to stand up again.
Groaning as the Kyubi repaired the damage he had just taken, Naruto sat up slowly, watching as the wheezing form of Kimimaro Kaguya picked up the injured Orochimaru and headed off towards the forest. Growling he stood and made to follow, but a wall of bones rose up to stop him.
With but a swing of his sword, Naruto unleashed another Getsuga Tenshô, which crashed into the wall soundly, but did not destroy it. Scowling, Naruto prepared to unleash the technique Zangetsu had recently taught him, but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. The world froze.
"Stop, Naruto," Zangetsu told him, hand firm. "You may want to annihilate him now, but think first about the repercussions of killing him."
Naruto paused, and nodded for Zangetsu to continue. A ghost of smile quirked at the man's lips, "If you kill him now, Akatsuki will know, and they will be able to devote their entire group to finding the tailed beasts. They won't have to worry about Orochimaru interfering. That wouldn't be good, because not even you can take down nine S-class criminals simultaneously.
"However, if you leave him alive, Akatsuki will still have to be wary of him, and it will make it easier for you to pick them off one or two at a time. With their attention diverted, it will be as though they were handing you victory on a silver platter."
Naruto mulled it over for a minute, then, sighing, his Bankai faded away. He nodded resolutely as Zangetsu faded from view.
As time returned, Naruto looked back at Tsunade's surprised face. With a cheeky grin, he held out his hand expectantly, "I win."
— o.0.O.O.0.o —
Next time…
"Man, what a hassle. Why did we have to watch this movie again? I don't get what it has to do with the mission."— Naruto
"Good luck, Naruto-kun. I know you can do anything you set your mind to." — Hinata
"It's good to know that some of my changes finally did some good. Hinata-chan…I look forward to our future together."— Naruto
"Peace has finally returned. Hmph. Don't get used to it. The best laid plans of mice and men…" — Kyubi
"Hey, guys. Ready for your next mission? Your fantasy has finally come true, Naruto, we're escorting an actress." — Kakashi
"Damn it! Ugh! This Curse Mark…this Curse Mark hurts!" — Sasuke
"I hope we're finally rid of that disgusting silver-haired traitor. I don't want to waste anymore energy trying to kill him." — Kyubi
"I think I understand, Zangetsu. Until such time as Akatsuki is no longer a threat, Orochimaru must remain alive." — Naruto
"Grr! Damn that brat! What can I do to defeat such a monstrous ninja? Tayuya! Jirobo! Sakon! Kidomoaru! Go get my next vessel…Uchiha Sasuke." — Orochimaru
Escorting an actress and her employers and coworkers back to her homeland doesn't sound like an A-Rank mission. But add in a greedy uncle, a conspiracy to take over a country, a precious gem that unlocks the treasure of Yuki no Kuni, a princess, and a group of Snow ninja, and then you'll have what you're looking for. The remake of the Naruto movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow.
Now that Tsunade has been instated as Hokage, she has some missions to dish out. The one given to Team Seven is a mission that Naruto recognizes quite well. Escort Fujikaze-san back to her home village to shoot the next part of a movie series. Things will get complicated, Naruto knows, when Fujikaze-san turns out to actually be Kazahana-hime. It's time to save another village.
Next time, "The Black Moon Rising."
— o.0.O.O.0.o —
A/N
Wow! It's been, what…three months? Two? At any rate, it's been
a while. Here's Chapter 9!
Sorry this took so long to get out. I just didn't have much inspiration. I'd start it, then my inspiration would run dry a few minutes later.
Yay! Kenshin came back!
If anyone has the lyrics for "Your Gentle Smile", the ending theme for the third GU game, I'd greatly appreciate it if you sent them to me.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Rurouni Kenshin, (Dot) Hack, or Bleach
.::."Peace…It feels good, doesn't it? After years of bloody war, we are finally at peace." — Naruto
"Do you see it, Sakura? Our future…it's so bright. Under the Sixth Hokage, we shall flourish, and the tree of Konoha will bloom." — Sasuke
A bright light, shining over all the land. A statue, erected to honor the leader of the village and its greatest hero. The Will of Fire burns brightly.
"Tou-san! Tou-san! Guess what I did, Tou-san!" — Kazama Kaworu
"Now, now, Kaworu-chan. Your father is very busy, your Sharingan can wait." — Kazama Hinata
"Good job, Kaworu-kun! Hokage-sama will be very proud!" — Umino Iruka-sensei
"Ugh, Kaworu-baka can do it, why can't I?" — Uchiha Shishiô
"Come back to bed, Konohamaru. Hokage-sama can wait till morning." — Hyuga Hanabi
"Brother…I wish you could see it. I wish you could see the splendor Hokage-sama has brought to our clan." — Hyuga Hiashi
"Yuki…I wish you could be here. I wonder…have you watched our son from your place in Soul Society?" — Kazama Arashi
"Can you hear it, Tenten? It's the sound of a thousand flying birds, freed from their cages." — Hyuga Neji.::.
A Simple Change: The Sharingan Volume 3: Redemption…Coming Soon, December 2007/January 2008
The release of Chapter ten…erm, I'm not sure about when that'll be. I need the inspiration to write it first. And reviews.
Wow! Thirty four pages!
Bankai (It is the accepted norm that Bankai increases a Shinigami's power by 10 fold): Tensa Zangetsu (Heavenly Chains Cutting the Moon): See Chapter Five Author's Notes.
Shinkû Shinkirô Zangetsu (Empty Mirage Cutting the Moon): See Chapter Five Author's Notes
Mugen Enbukyoku Sakuhime (Endless Waltz of the Flower Princess): See Chapter Eight Author's Notes.
Hyôteiken Benihime (Frozen Imperial Sword of the Crimson Princess): See Chapter Eight Author's Notes.
To Love is to glimpse Heaven…
James Daniel Godric Fawkes
James Daniel Godric Fawkes(Signature best viewed in Wendy Medium font style)
