I am so sorry for the late update. Both of us are in school, Thing 2 just got a job, I'm taking Organic Chem (dear lord help me) and I'm suffering from an old head injury that's giving me a lot of problems. We're both a mess. We'll keep trying to update once a week, but realistically it's probably going to be once every two weeks. My head just can't handle it – yay concussions. And Thing 2 is just so busy she can barely write either. But never fear, for we WILL keep writing. It's just going to be much slower. Expect an update once every two weeks. And thanks for being so understanding with the changes. It's awesome that you guys are so flexible.
T.K. Virgo: Thanks for the love. :) As far as writing goes, I know it helps both Thing 1 and myself if we actually have someone to bounce the ideas off of. Being able to verbally describe your story makes a big difference in getting those writer blockers moving, especially when that person can give you new ideas to keep the engine going. If you haven't tried that, perhaps it would help?
Guest: I know riiiiiight! Same thing happened to Black Butler, which was supposed to be a hardcore yaoi. It sucks that writers and artists have to change their work to fit certain standards. I can understand why from a business point of view that mindset is needed but it sucks to never know wht someone's work would have been if society was more open. The good news is things seem to be turning around in that regard. For example, in Seraph of the End. (Spoilers beyond this point) If MikaYuu is not canon and they don't kiss, I will be sorely disappointed. They somehow made it even more gay than in the manga. Thing 1 lost her mind while watching the anime because Yuu 'moaned' while Mika fed on him. LL: SHUT UP OKAY HE DID! AND HAVE YOU GUYS SEEN THE PROMOTIONAL ARTWORK? IT'S SO GAY! GAY GAY GAY –cheers-
poi: (heart) - stupid fanfiction . net wont let us put a heart :(
clio1111: -le head scratch- Sorry for the slow start. ^_^" I promise that the plot will begin to majorly shift during the battle on the bridge. Thank you for the support and the tip. We will try to put it into use to skip over some of the boring parts. Honestly, I underestimated how much information is crammed into manga or anime chapters/episodes. I didn't think we would be this many chapters in at this point, I thought we would be like chapter five. Here we are closer to chapter 10. I must say though, even if it was a slow start, I am happy with where we are and I hope now that things will being getting interesting, you will be too. My apologies to anyone else who shares the same opinion as clio1111. Thank you for sticking around and giving us a chance, we hope to make you happy!
Chapter 8
The Calm Before the Storm
Sasuke's POV
Damn it! Sasuke cursed as he skidded down the tree for the umpteenth time. I HAVE to get higher. Sasuke glared upwards at the highest cut in the tree's trunk. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he growled as he mentally willed himself to try again. And again he fell. Glancing sideways at Naruto's tree, he could see that he was still in the lead. Grudgingly he admitted that at this rate, it was only a matter of time before Naruto caught up. From the corner of his eye he could see Naruto's swipe at the tree and leave behind yet another deep groove in the bark before he fell.
When it came to chakra management, they were complete opposites. Naruto was not using enough chakra and he was using too much. If he could figure out what Naruto was doing wrong, perhaps it would help him figure out how to keep his chakra from overpowering his jutsu.
Once again the bark snapped under the pressure of his intense chakra and suddenly he was falling again. Sasuke had to break his fall so he jumped between his and Naruto's training trees. By the time he landed, Naruto was already powering up for another go. Damnit... Sasuke mentally berated himself. He really regretted what he was about to do. Hey, Naruto?" He reluctantly called, forcing the words out of his mouth. Somehow this caused Naruto to trip over his own feet and stumble forward. Of course.
The pathetic sight he just witnessed only made it that much harder to spit the words out. He couldn't believe that he was about to ask for advice from someone so….so…..so Naruto like. It was an entirely new low for him, but he couldn't let Naruto catch up.
"What is it?" He the blond hissed angrily, his eyes narrowing. "Can't you see I'm trying to concentrate!?" He yelled in annoyance as if he was trying to cover up the humiliation of falling in front of Sasuke for no good reason.
"Well... um." Sasuke choked on the words. It was actually painful to try to say it. Clenching his fists tightly, he quickly looked away and his eyes darted around looking for anything else to focus on besides the blond boy in question.
"What did Sakura tell you when you asked her for help?" He muttered quietly, almost hoping Naruto wouldn't hear.
Sasuke didn't even have to look at Naruto to see the smug look on the bastard's face. Glaring towards the ground he could hear a soft, excited chuckle as the blond took pleasure in the fact he was coming to him for help. This was a mistake. "I'm not telling you." Naruto hummed victoriously, happy to have something over him for once in his pathetic life.
Shock and outrage flooded through Sasuke's veins as he finally turned to glare at the arrogant prick. He was twitching with rage at the nerve of the thick-skinned brat. Sure enough, he was standing there with his arms crossed over his chest, with this giant grin spread across his face.
"Are you kidding?" Sasuke hissed as he turned to face the blond. His question only made Naruto's grin grow wider. Growling he turned away. "Tch. Forget it. So much for being a team." he spat under his breath as walked away from Naruto. This was the second time he asked for Naruto's help and Naruto had turned his back on him. It wouldn't happen again.
"Sasuke...!" Naruto's voice called out, causing him to pause but he refused to look at him. "Wait, I was just joking." He said quietly and somewhat nervously. There was a long, awkward pause before Sasuke sighed and turned to face him again.
Naruto was staring at the ground, almost looking sad for a moment. He hadn't meant for his words to actually get to him, it was just something he said more to himself. To remind himself it was idiotic to depend on anyone, let alone Naruto of all people. He remained quiet and just started at Naruto as he waited for him to continue.
"Well, a lot of what she said didn't really make sense..." Naruto began. Typical. "I think what she was trying to get at, was just that you need to stay calm. She said the more frantic you get the less you will be able to focus on the tree or something." he murmured.
Sasuke wasn't sure if his stupidity was hysterical or just plain sad. He asked for advice and he didn't even know what that advice was? "...Is that really it?" he asked doubtfully. He would be suspicious that Naruto was hiding something or lying to him but he didn't think he was that smart at this point.
"What do you mean 'is that it'? I just told you the secret to mastering this jutsu! How about a thank you!?" Naruto yowled defensively.
"If that was really the secret to mastering this jutsu, wouldn't you have mastered it by now?" Sasuke pointed out, satisfied by the angry shade of red his face was beginning to turn. "I'm sure Sakura told you the secret, I just don't think you understood it... Ususratonkachi."
"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME!?" Naruto exploded. "THAT'S WHAT I GET FOR HELPING YOU! TEME!" Sasuke ignored him, having already turned his back to the blond as he was trying to focus his chakra. Relax and focus on the tree? What kind of advice was that, he was already focusing on the tree!
"Naruto! Sasuke-kun!" Sakura's voice called from the house. "Dinner time!" Sasuke scowled to himself, his eyes quickly shifting to the darkening sky. He hadn't even noticed how much time had passed. He had been out here for hours and was nowhere near his goal. Damn.
"Alright!" Naruto beamed, distracted from his loathing by the promise of food. He sprinted off towards the house, eager to dig in while Sasuke lingered behind. His dark, onyx orbs locked onto Naruto's marks on the tree for a moment, before he too silently turned and made his way back towards the house.
"This is nice." Tsunami chirped happily as they all sat around the dining room table to eat. Everyone was enjoying their food except for Inari who was blankly staring at his food. Sasuke and Naruto on the other hand, were trying to see who could eat more as they wolfed plate after plate down. Sasuke ate so much he even felt nauseous.
"It's been such a long time since we've had dinner with so many people, hasn't it?" Tazuna murmured solemnly. "We don't get much company nowadays."
"Is it because of the person missing from that picture?" Sakura asked, her gaze shifting behind her to a torn photograph of the family that was hung on the wall. From the looks of it, someone was purposely removed from the family photo. "I noticed Inari was staring at it before dinner."
"Yes... That's my husband." Tsunami whispered as she stood and began to gather dishes to wash. Her tone, her pained expression, gave away an emptiness in her heart.
"He was once this village's hero." Tuzana sighed deeply as he bowed his head in sadness. It was then Inari abruptly stood and stomped his way to the front door, ignoring everyone's gaze as they watched him leave.
"Inari!" Tsunami called after him. "Inari where are you going!?" She asked, worry clear in her tone. The boys only response was the slamming of the door. Quickly, she turned to glare at her father. "You know not to say things like that around him! You know how upset it makes him!" she berated before she quickly ran after her son.
"What was that about? Did I say something wrong?" Sakura asked, frowning softly as she slowly sat back down. She hadn't meant to cause such a commotion.
"No, it's not you. There has been a darkness in our hearts for a long time. The man missing from that photo, that is Inari's father. Not by blood, but in this world, family means more than just who you are related to." He paused to take a sip of his liquor. Something that Tsunami had been scolding him about since he arrived. "They were close. Like a real father and son, they would laugh together so much, back then. Everything changed the day that he died."
Sakura's eyes widened in horror. She had never lost anyone she loved before. It was probably hard for her to imagine what it was like to lose someone at such a young age. Sasuke, however, he knew that feeling all too well. "Inari's father is.. dead?" Naruto whispered to himself, no doubt thinking back to the time he was spying on Inari in his bedroom. Sasuke had heard his crying, too. Was it because of his father?
"How did it happen?" Sakura whimpered, pity evident in her tone and eyes.
"Before I get to that, you need to know what kind of a man he was. His name was Kaiza, he was nothing more than a fisherman who came here to follow his dreams. The day those two met, Kaiza saved Inari's life. A bunch of bullies had thrown him into the ocean and left him there to drown but Kaiza rescued him before the water took him. The two of them became inseparable." Tazuna sighed. "It was not just Inari's life he saved. Kaiza saved the whole city, too. During a nasty storm, the village was almost under water when one of the floodgates was left open. He swam across raging rapids that could easily have torn him to shreds to close it."
"That's amazing..." Naruto murmured in awe as he listened, complete invigorated by the story. It was hard to tell what was really going through his mind, the only thing that was certain, was he was intently listening to every word.
"That was Kaiza. He was a role model for everyone in the village and he represented and determination. He inspired the villagers to do whatever it takes to protect the ones you love most. Inari couldn't have been any prouder... but when Gatou came to the city…." His voice trailed off as his frown grew. "Kaiza was a pillar of the community and that meant he needed to be put down. So in front of everyone, in front of Inari; he was beaten, tortured, and murdered." Tazuna gritted out, his own eyes watering. His hands were clenching the table so tightly they shook from the memory that was still firmly implanted into his brain.
Sasuke's eyes widen in surprise, the shock registering on the other genin's faces as well. All he could think about was that night he stood in his home, watching the blood of his parent's drip from his own brother's sword. The sickness he felt from eating so much food worsened, pushing him so much closer to throwing up.
"What?" Sakura's breathlessly stammers, trying to get the slightest understanding of what such a tragedy was really like. Suddenly, a loud crash sounded throughout the room as Naruto knocked over his chair in a vain attempt to stand up. "Naruto?" she questioned with glazed eyes, still dazed from the sad information she was jsut given as she watched Naruto struggle to pick himself back up.
"Take it easy. If you're thinking of training, go get some rest instead. You 've released too much chakra and if you use anymore you could risk serious injury or even death." Kakashi stated, seeming to be the only one unfazed by the situation. It wasn't surprising, Kakashi was a jonin. Ninja live in Death's shadow.
"I... can't." Naruto huffed and puffed as he wobbly stood on his feet. "I have to prove it to him."
"Prove what?" Sakura questioned, confused by what Naruto was rambling on about.
"That Kaiza was right! That Inari was right to believe in him!" Naruto snapped, glaring at the ground and clenching his fists tightly. "Heroes do exist! You said Kaiza represented courage and the determination to protect others and as the future Hokage, so will I! So no matter what, even if it costs me my life, I swear I am going to protect you guys and this village!"
Tazuna, instead of laughing like usual, seemed stunned by what Naruto had said. His gaze slowly dropped from Naruto to the table, where he tried to hide a faint grin. "Kaiza... used to say almost the exact same thing." He whispered, pausing to take a long sip of his drink. Naruto blinked in surprise at what Tazuna had said, but for once he remained silent and kept his thoughts to himself.
Sasuke watched as Naruto stormed out, slowly standing and following after him. "Hey, Naruto." he called after him from the porch, a hand moving to his pocket as he watched the stumbling fool turn to face him. "You heard what Kakashi said." he said simply, warning him not to continue training.
Naruto only grinned before turning and continuing into the woods. "He never listens to anybody." Sakura's voice sounded from beside him. Sasuke glanced over at her from the corner of his eye, resisting the urge to scowl as he quickly looked up at the moon. At least this meant he would get a few good hours to sleep without having to listen to Naruto's loud mouth snoring all night long.
Then again, that just meant the room would be filled with silence. At least while Naruto was around, he didn't have to worry about that. He wondered what Naruto was thinking and what he was feeling that was getting him so riled up. Maybe he was thinking of Iruka. They were not related by blood but they had a clear father-son bond. It could also just be his eagerness to become a hero, something they had seen several times before or even just is sympathy to Inari.
"...Hey, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura's voice interrupted his thoughts. He didn't say anything, but he did give her a slightly more noticeable glance. "Today, when I was walking through the village with Tazuna, I saw how desperately these people need our help. We have to help them and we have to help Inari." she whispered quietly, frowning in the direction that Naruto went.
It was surprising to see this side of Sakura, her compassionate side. Especially when her loudness and violence towards Naruto is usually what he was familiar with. Despite her good intentions, he couldn't help but feel annoyed by her behavior even now. It made him think that if she knew anything about him, she would pity him, too.
Compassion wouldn't make him stronger. Only his hated will. Compassion is something you feel because you are lucky enough not to be directly involved. It is like throwing someone a bone because you have a stack to spare. Hatred forces you to take action and it gives you the desire to fight, to make a difference. Narrowing his eyes, Sasuke started up at the sky as he thought of the villagers. The people here are too weak to hate and too weak to make the difference themselves. All they can do is rely on someone else to be compassionate enough to throw them a life line. And those who tried to fight, well they were still too weak and they died.
Without another word, Sasuke turned and made his way back inside the house to rest and prepare for a long day of training tomorrow. No matter what, he would master this tree climbing jutsu tomorrow. Failure was not an option.
.
The next morning, Sasuke had just finished his breakfast when he heard Sakura yawn from the doorway. "Good morning, Sakura." Tsunami greeted her as she handed her a plate of breakfast, to which Sakura sleepily returned the greeting.
"Is Naruto still out?" Tazuna asked.
"Uh-Uh." Sakura yawned again. "He's been training ever since he heard your story. He's probably passed out somewhere by now... or dead." She murmured dismissively as she began to eat.
"Oh my." Tsunami frowned. "I hope he is alright. Alone in the woods at night is no place for a child."
"Don't worry." Kakashi chimed in. "He might not look like it, but Naruto is a full-fledged ninja. I'm sure he is alright."
"I don't know about that..." Sasuke mumbled under his breath as he laced his fingers together. He took a moment to close his eyes and simply relax, preparing himself for the long day of training ahead of him. "He is more of a moron than he is a ninja."
"Well, if you are so worried about how, why don't you go check on him then." Kakashi countered. Sasuke didn't move and just stared blankly at his sensei but after a moment of Kakashi's overzealous and completely fake smile, he gave in. With a reluctant sigh, he stood and made his way out.
When he found Naruto, he wasn't expecting to find him talking with someone. They were apparently just finishing up their conversation because the stranger was making his way past him. Something about him gave Sasuke a sense of deja vu. There was something off about him, but he couldn't figure out what it was. And he didn't like that.
He eyed the person out of the corner of his eye and watched them pass by him before glancing back at Naruto. The idiot looked as clueless as ever, probably not realizing there was something suspicious about the person he was talking to. "Do you feel good enough to get back to training?" He asked with a small smirk of amusement pulling at the corner of his lips when Naruto instantly became cheered.
"You bet I am! Today is the day I'm finally going to beat you!" He exclaimed eagerly.
Despite their vows to themselves, neither one had accomplished their goals. Sasuke was unable to truly master the jutsu and Naruto was unable to surpass Sasuke. They were at a stalemate and always tied with each other. They were beyond frustrated.
The pair ended up in an almost obsessive cycle of training. Before dawn and until after dusk, the two went at it, competing with one another and trying to see who could improve the quickest. Finally four days later that they decided to take a break. Leaning against the base of the tree, he released a sigh as the exhaustion took its toll on him. Closing his eyes, he prepared to relax for a moment but suddenly he heard voices below the tree branches. Instantly on alert, he slipped out a kunai and tightened his grip on the weapon. Only when he realized who it was did he relax.
He couldn't hear what they were saying, but he could tell it was Kakashi and Sakura. Naruto on the other hand, he could hear loud and clear. The blond was on a lower branch in the tree beside him. He was lounging on his stomach almost like a cat as he peered down at their teammates.
"KAKASHI! SAKURA! LOOK HOW HIGH I CAN CLIMB NOW! WHAT DO YOU THINK!?" He hollered, grinning and chuckling to himself. He was proud of what he had accomplished and eager for praise. He was also exhausted and clumsy, so when he stood, in a very un-catlike matter, he immediately lost his balance and began to fall.
Sasuke readied himself to jump down and save the idiot, but paused when he realized Naruto wasn't falling to his death but instead handing upside down from the bottom of his feet. A small sigh escaped him as he relaxed, somewhat annoyed by his prank. "Just kidding!" Naruto laughed and smiled down at them. He was just trying to show off. He hasn't changed that much after all, Sasuke thought to himself. A statement that couldn't be any more true as he lost control of his chakra and his feet detached from the tree. "AAAAHHHHH!" he cried out in fear, realizing how badly he messed up as he really began to fall to his death this time.
Down below, Sakura was yelling at him for his antics, not realizing that Naruto was in danger this time. Sasuke paid them no mind as he launched himself down to the other tree branch, focusing on propelling himself after Naruto before it was too late. He barely got there in time, able to grab one of his ankles as his feet glued them to the very branch he had fallen from. "You moron." Sasuke glared at him. "This is what you get for trying to show off."
"Ah!? Sasuke!" Naruto sighed in relief as he looked up at the other genin. He gave a nervous chuckle, obviously at a loss for words given the predicament he had landed himself in. "Eheh... Thanks! I really owe you one." He paused. "Can you pull me up now?"
Sasuke looked at him for a moment, a small smirk pulling at the corners of his lips but he helped Naruto heave himself to the safety of the branch none the less. Naruto immediately leaned back against the trunk of the tree and tried to calm down and catch his breath while Sasuke stood there for a moment, simply staring down at Kakashi and Sakura as they began to leave.
They looked like ants from up here. His gaze slowly shifted up, looking past the branches and leaves to the very top of the canopy. He wanted to see what it was like from up there. Naruto must have noticed where he was looking and followed his train of thought, because a grin formed on his chapped lips. "Hey, Sasuke...?"
"...Let's not stop until we are up there, okay?" His words were somewhat surprising, drawing the Uchiha's attention back to the blond. After a small pause, Sasuke huffed quietly to himself. A small smirk pulling on the corners of his lips.
"Wasn't planning on it." He said simply before he jumped away from Naruto's training tree and back up his own. It was strange, training like this with Naruto. He had never really practiced with anyone before and a couple weeks ago Naruto would be the last person he would have ever wanted to. Now, he wasn't hating it as much as he thought he would have.
As the day progressed, the two of them climbed higher and higher. It wasn't until the crescent moon was high in the sky that they finally reached the top of the trees on their seventh night of training. They were both exhausted, hungry, and covered in dirt and sweat... but they were victorious.
They had climbed to the very tips of the trees, looking out across the forest like they had never seen it before. The soft light of the moon closer than it has even been and the wind that once only rustled the leaves of the tallest trees now washed over them. It was quiet a moment, but one that was short lived. They still had to climb back down.
"Hahaha, we... did it!" Naruto tries to laugh and be excited, but he just sounded tired. Sasuke smirked to himself, amused by the tone in his voice.
"Ready to head back?"
"Yeah!"
Climbing down the tree was definitely harder than climbing up. By the time they reached the bottom, both had nearly collapsed from exhaustion. Sasuke's body was unwilling to move anymore and Naruto didn't seem to be much better off. So the two laid there for a moment, once again catching their breaths as they stared up at the moonlight filtering in through the trees.
"...Hey, Sasuke?" Naruto's gruff voice murmured quietly from nearby. Sasuke remained silent, instead, he simply closed his eyes and saved the energy it would take just to reply to him. "Thank you." He murmured, surprising Sasuke into looking at him.
"For what?"
"I don't really know... I'm tired." He half-heartedly chuckled.
"You're not going all soft on me, are you?" Sasuke snorted, quickly looking away. Did Naruto hit his head on the way down? What was that all about? Naruto has said thank you a couple times before, like when he saved him from falling to his death like he did earlier, but for some reason what he said just now seemed far sincerer.
It was weird.
"No, I guess not." Naruto groaned as he heaved himself to his unsteady feet. Reluctantly, Sasuke did the same. He sure as Hell wasn't going to be left behind now. Together, the two began to stumble and wobble their way back to the house. Each step felt like a thousand to their aching bodies.
"Gah! Watch it." Naruto hissed as Sasuke lost his footing and stumbled into him. In Naruto's scramble to stay top side, he stumbled into Sasuke in return. The two standing there for a moment clinging to each other for balance.
"You watch it." Sasuke shot back. "You're the one who decided to keep bumping into me."
"You're the one who decided to walk so close to me!" Naruto argued. Sasuke snorted in response but didn't reply.
The two just glared at each other in silence. A few seconds passed before they looked away and stood there in awkward silence, not trusting their bodies enough to detach their grips from each other. They didn't have the strength to walk on their own. Right now, they were precariously being held up by the other.
"...Let's just hurry home." Sasuke muttered, taking a cautious step forward without releasing his grip on Naruto's shoulder. Naruto follows suit, and together they walk towards the house, an arm wrapped around each other's back to help keep them supported.
It was easier to walk that way, but it had its own discomforts. His body was already burning, but Naruto's felt like a furnace. He was already sweating but Naruto made him sweat even more, not to mention that the close contact was just weird and awkward to begin with.
"Well, it is about time." Tazuna huffed as the two walked in together. "What have you two been up to, you look like something the cat dragged in." he teased, which naturally caused Naruto who was practically limp against him, to get riled up.
"We both made it." Naruto grinned. "We both climbed all the way to the top."
"Good, then starting tomorrow you two can join in as body guards for Tazuna. But for now... see if you two can make it to the bathroom to wash up, next. We're about to eat and you reek. You're ruining my appetite." Kakashi nonchalantly shooed them away.
"Alright! Food! Do you have ramen?!" Naruto beamed, totally missing the insult that just flew over his head. Completely focused on the word food, he cheered and jumped for joy in place. Not realizing how exhausted he was, Naruto's body failed to jump properly and fell sideways, crashing into Sasuke.
"Oof!" Sasuke grunted as he landed on the floor. Not even a second later Naruto crashed into him and his breath left him in a quick whoosh. "Get off me, you idiot!" he hissed as everyone else laughed at their expensive. Shoving Naruto off, he weakly stood up and used the wall for support as he wobbled forward. Kakashi chuckled at his attempt to walk straight. Glaring darkly at his sensei, the jonin just smiled cheekily in response. Annoyed, Sasuke just ignored the sounds of everyone's laughter and Naruto's constant whining. He took another step forward and walked towards the bathroom. He was just looking forward to washing the dirt and the sweat off.
Naruto was on his heels, clearly with the same thought in mind. But before they could leave the room a pained whimper drew their attention. "Why...why?" the young boy sniffled.
"What's up, Inari?" Naruto asked, not realizing it would cause the younger boy to explode.
"WHY DO YOU GUYS BOTHER TO TRAIN SO HARD!? NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU TRAIN YOU'RE STILL NO MATCH FOR GATOU'S MEN!" Inari erupted, tears streaming down both sides of his face as he glared at the pair of them. "NO MATTER WHAT GLORIOUS CLAIMS YOU MAKE OR HOW HARD YOU WORK, WHEN THE WEAK FACE THE STRONG THEY ALWAYS GET KILLED!"
Everyone stared at the child in shock, with disbelief written all over their expressions. Sasuke looked down at him impassively. He didn't particularly disagree with his logic. It was truth.
"Whatever, kid. I'm not like you." Naruto muttered as he turned away, too tired to fight with him again.
"I'D HATE TO BE LIKE YOU! YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS COUNTRY AND YET HERE YOU ARE STICKING YOUR NOSE WHERE IT DOESN'T BELONG! YOU'RE DIFFERENT THAN ME BUT WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW ABOUT ME!? YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!" Inari screamed, his emotions reaching a boiling point. "All you do is clown around acting so cheerful, you have no idea how hard life can be!"
"So what..." Naruto began, his eyes darkening slightly as he stared down the younger boy. "Are you just going to cry all day and be the star of your own tragedy?" Naruto snapped as he glared daggers at him, effectively shutting the child up. "Cry yourself a river all day long, you dumb big baby."
"NARUTO!" Sakura exclaimed in shock. "You've said enough!" she scolded him, but Naruto simply scoffed and continued past Sasuke towards the showers. Inari on the other hand, quickly fled to the porch to sulk in private. Sasuke didn't particularly disagree with Naruto, either. A lot of people had it a lot worse than that kid and he needed to grow up and realize that sooner or later.
That look in Uzumaki's eyes, though... How has he never noticed it before? Until they were stuck on a team together, he never realized how much darkness was inside him. Like Inari and everyone else, he always thought Naruto was nothing but an idiot and a goof. He never took him seriously. When he had that look in his eyes though…. suddenly, he didn't seem like such a goof anymore. He seemed dangerous. Between this and the training incidents and every time Naruto surprised him and got the upper hand in a fight, Sasuke was really starting to believe that Naruto downplayed his real powers. He was stronger than he looked and much darker. This Naruto was cold and it reminded him of himself. Sasuke didn't like it on Naruto. Not one bit.
"What was that about?" Sasuke asked nonchalantly as he made his way into the bathroom, walking towards the shower next to Naruto.
"Nothing." Naruto muttered as he clumsily began to pull off his clothes. "I just can't stand watching someone feel sorry for themselves and do nothing about it..." he sighed as he crumpled up his clothes into a ball and threw them to the side.
"Alright, we'll be off then. Please take care of Naruto. He pushed himself past his limit and I don't think he is going to be able to move today." Kakashi waved to Tsunami as he turned and followed after Tazuna.
Sasuke looked back at the house for a moment, before he too slowly followed after. Naruto was going to lose it when he woke up. Too bad he wouldn't be there to see the look on his face when he realized he got left behind.
Sasuke wasn't expecting much to happen as they guarded the workers on the bridge because Sakura went on for hours about how boring it was. But as they neared the bridge, Sasuke could tell something was wrong. Something was really wrong. He couldn't hear laughter nor the sound of working men. There was just silence. And silence only meant one thing. Eyes narrowing, he glanced towards his sensei whose impassive expression gave away the fact that he was coming to same conclusion. Sakura as always, was blissfully unaware of what they might come across.
It was hard to see the bridge from far away because of the fog, but once they neared it they could see the tragedy that had taken place. Instead of happy workers building a bridge to save their country, the group saw dismantled bodies scattered across the ground. Blood was splattered everywhere like paint and the moans of dying men filled the air. Sasuke wasn't scared. This wasn't his first rodeo. He's seen blood and death before in a much larger and a much more tragic sense. Calm as ever, he kept his face clear of all emotion as he glanced around at his surroundings, trying to assess the situation.
It wasn't until the wind changed and the scent of something sweet hit his nose did an audible gasp escape him. Feeling light on his feet, he swayed in his spot as a wave of dizziness crashed through him. Whatever he was smelling was so sweet, yet it burned his chest and nostrils making it hard to breath. Clenching his fist, he tried to calm himself as he stared at the ground with his eyes roaming around aimlessly until they focused in on a dying man laying nearby. Blood dripped through his fingers as he clutched his hand to his side in a vain attempt to seal his wound. Every time he coughed even more blood would spill out. Sasuke's eyes were drawn to the small red rivets that streamed down his hand and dripped down his arm. Blood.
"No!" Tazuna hollered as he moved over to one of the twitching and groaning bodies. The man's cry of utter agony snapped Sasuke out of his trance. Again? Again this happened? What is wrong with me? He angrily growled at himself. Willing himself to focus he watched as Tazuna gently cradled the man in his arms, his eyes wide in horror as he watched his friend and co-worker bled to death. "What happened here!?"
"M-... Monster." The man whispered hoarsely. Sasuke's eyes widened slightly, his stomach clenching with dread. Could it be...? As if answering his thoughts, the mist begins to thicken and take on a familiar feeling of chakra. It was him, it was Zabuza!
"Here they come!" Kakashi warned, the three ninja instantly taking guard of Tazuna's back, kunai at the ready. This familiar, overwhelming chakra. There was no doubt about it.
"Kakashi..." Sakura's nervous voice stammered from beside him. "This mist... This is his Hidden Mist Jutsu, isn't it?" She was terrified too. A fear that grew in both of the genin as that demonic, gravelly voice spoke up.
"Long time no see, Kakashi." Zabuza's purr echoed. "I see you're still with those brats and oh look, that one is shaking again. Poor kid." He laughed patronizingly. Suddenly, several of Zabuza's water clones emerged from around them. A small smirk pulled on the corner of Sasuke's lips.
"Sasuke!" Kakashi called out, but he didn't need to. Sasuke was already jumping into the air and tossing several kunai at the clones as he had practiced a thousand times.
"I'm shaking from excitement!" He smirked as he corrected Zabuza, landing in a puddle of the clone's destruction. You can't fool me, Sasuke thought to himself, this time is not going to be like the last!
"It seems I was right." Kakashi murmured quietly as they peered through the mist at the two figures in the distance. "Standing beside Zabuza and everything, they are working together."
"That coward! He should stop hiding under that mask and face us!" Sakura huffed, taking a page out of Naruto's book and getting a bit riled up herself. It seems like the both of them were handling the fight better than they did last time. This time, he was going to redeem himself.
"I'll fight him." Sasuke said lowly, his grip tightening on the kunai left in his hand. "I can't believe he tricked us with that stupid act of his. I hate bastards like him the most." He gritted out. Deception... It made him think of the last person who had mistakenly put his trust in.
"Sasuke-kun..." Sakura whispered in amazement before giving a small smile. "I'm sure you can do it!" she encouraged him, but he ignored her. His sole focus was on the masked boy before him. He wasn't expecting for his enemy to suddenly disappear and reappear in front of his face.
His eyes widened in shock and immediately, he used his kunai to block a stab from one of the masked attacker's needles. Still sticking with the same weapon? Even if it was made for nonlethal purposes, anything was deadly in the hands of someone who knew how to use it. The fact he used these isntead of a more tradistional weapn made him feel as if he should be extra careful.
He's fast, Sasuke thought as their weapons continued to clash, but I'm faster. "I don't want to have to kill you." The boy behind the mask murmured. "You're not going to stand down, though, are you?"
"You ask stupid questions!" Sasuke grunted as he lunged forward but his attack was blocked as well.
"I see." he murmured, keeping a steady contact on their sharpened utensils. "Even if I told you, you are already at two disadvantages?"
"Two?"
"You won't be able to keep up with me. The water on the ground and now, one of your arms is occupied." he comments, Sasuke's gaze shifting to his hand holding the kunai. "You will only be able to run from my attacks." the stranger said as he began to sign with one hand. Sasuke's eyes widened in surprise. He didn't even know that was possible!
The water from the clones surrounded him and formed thin, pointed spikes. Crap, this isn't good. There was only one way out. He closed his eyes for a moment, thinking back to his training as he focused his chakra in his legs, then jumped upwards. Like a rocket, he was soaring through the air, even knocking his attacker back a few steps from the force of his ascent.
The water needles collided into the ground and each other with an explosion. He paid no attention what was going on below, and instead, threw shuriken at his unsuspecting target. He didn't seem to realize where he had gone.
Multiple shuriken lured the masked boy into position, forcing him to dodge or to be hit. "You're pretty slow." Sasuke murmured, having landed behind the boy. "It seems speed is my advantage. From now on, you will only be able to run from my attacks." he said as he slashed at him. The boy tried to drop down to avoid getting cut, but lined himself up perfectly for a strong kick directly on his chest.
Sasuke's kick was successful, the impact sent the boy flying back to Zabuza's side. A victorious smirk pulled at the corner of Sasuke's lips, as he joined back up with Sakura and Kakashi. He hadn't been paying attention during his fight, but it seemed like Sakura was on official guard duty and that Kakashi trusted him enough to deal with the masked kid.
"Now, I can't have you underestimating my team like that." Kakashi hummed patronizingly. "Sasuke is the number one rookie ninja, Sakura is the brightestrookie, and the other one…" His voice drawled off. "-is the show off, the most hyperactive, and loudest ninja in our village. We are Team 7 of the Hidden Leaf and you stand no hope of beating us."
"Hehehe..." Zabuza chuckled. "Haku, do you understand t this rate we will be driven back? Stop playing around." He murmured as the boy picked himself up. So his name is Haku. Not only that, but now there was a sudden chill in the air as Haku's chakra began to spill over.
Once again, the water began to come to life around Sasuke. He was preparing for the same attack as last time but instead, it turned into a dome of mirrors that entrapped him. Sasuke's eyes widen in surprise and shifted around as Haku's reflection seemed to shine from inside the mirrors. He had never heard of or seen a jutsu like this before. What is this?
"Shall we begin? It's time I show you my real speed." Haku said as all of the reflections raised their needles and ready to throw the attack. He was not expecting for what seemed like an onslaught of needles from every angle to cut up his body. He couldn't even see what direction they were coming from because they were coming from everywhere. Was this like a multiple clone jutsu?
"Gaah!" Sasuke hissed out in pain as his body was sliced and his blood splashed onto the ground. What was he even supposed to do against this? His body was being torn to bits, he couldn't even stand anymore and quickly collapsed on the ground.
"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura cried out. He turned and tried to peer through the gaps in the mirrors, just to see a kunai heading towards back of one of the panels. Was that the key, then? Did he have to break the panels to break the jutsu?
He had a moment to catch his breath, as Haku stopped his attack just long enough to partially morph outside of the mirror and grab the kunai before it could shatter a mirror. The masked boy was not prepared to stop a shuriken that came flying towards him from a different direction.
The ninja tool landed a hefty blow right across Haku's face, almost slicing the mask in half. While it failed to actually severely hurt him thanks to his face protection, it did knock him out of the mirrors.
The shock had all eyes focused on a cloud of smoke that had suddenly appeared. the idiot, the show off, the most hyperactive, and loudest ninja ever to exist has finally arrived. Sasuke thought with a small, painful grin.
"Naruto Uzumaki has finally arrived!" He hollered with a fire in his eyes. He was eager to jump in and fight with a determination that rivaled Sasuke's."Now that I am here, everything will be fine!" He promised with an overly goofy grin.
"Nartuo!" Sakura cheered in relief. As relieved as Sasuke was for some back up, and annoyed by it as well, he honestly couldn't help but think that Naruto talked too much. He could have just jumped in and helped without the flashy entrance. He really was more of a moron than a ninja.
From the ground, Sasuke could see Zabuza throw a handful of shuriken towards Naruto, while Haku threw just as many needles. At first, he was sure Naruto would be finished right there. As he watched the ninja tools collide with each other and clatter to the ground, his eyes widened in surprise. That was the most shocking thing to happen so far. Haku saved Naruto?
"Haku... What was that about?" Zabuza asked lowly, not sounding the least bit pleased. He no doubt still held resentment towards Naruto for what happened during their last fight.
"Zabuza... These kids. Please let me fight them my way." Haku murmured quietly as he rose to his feet.
"So you don't want me to interfere? You're as soft as always." Zabuza snorted. It was then the realization hit Sasuke as he forced himself up as well. His eyes scanning over his injuries. Soft? He is right! All his cuts seemed to be mostly superficial. He was attacking with needles but not aiming for any vital points. Is he really trying not to kill me?
Sasuke ground his teeth together in confusion. Even if he wasn't trying to kill him, he still couldn't lose here. He still had to figure out what was going on with this jutsu. It had to be more than just a cloning jutsu. The mirrors had to serve some purpose, he just wasn't sure what that purpose was. Not that it mattered, with him on the inside and Naruto on the outside, they could break-
"Psst! Sasuke!" Naruto whispered from beside him. "I've come to rescue you." He... He just walked inside the trap!?
"YOU MORON!" Sasuke erupted, overcome with disbelief and anger at just how idiotic Naruto actually could be. "If you want to be some great ninja than use your head! Why did you come inside the mirrors!? Damn it, I don't even care anymore!" He growled in frustration, as the headache Naruto just gave him was far stronger than the pain he felt from Haku's cuts. Now he had to deal with Haku's attacks and protecting the nim-wit. "USURATONKACHI!" He spat, knowing how much being called 'useless' annoyed him. He was worse than useless, honestly. "DOBE!" He was dead weight.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY!? I COME TO SAVE YOU AND THIS IS WHAT I GET!?" Naruto roared back in anger. The two were distracted by Haku, who materialized back into the mirror. He couldn't afford to just stand around anymore; it was more than just his life on the line. Tch, so there is the real on- he began to think as his hand reached for a kunai.
"Over here." Haku's soft voice sounded from behind him. His eyes widened and his body stiffened as he quickly looked over his shoulder at what seemed like another Haku. He can move from the mirrors, so they just had to break the mirrors. If the mirrors were made of ice then...
"What's going on!?" Naruto asked, looking around like the clueless idiot he was. Sasuke ignored him as he formed a hand sign to focus his chakra. Fire Style: Grand Fire Ball Jutsu!
Sasuke breathed a ball of fire like a mythical dragon, but as the flames began to dissipate he could see that the ice remained untouched. Damn it! He swore. "You can't melt my ice with that level of fire." Haku murmured, causing Sasuke to grit his teeth in anger.
"It didn't do anything!" Naruto gawked in surprise.
"I realized that, thank you captain obv-" Sasuke began to snap in frustration but was cut off as needles began to slice at their skin of every direction. Ow...That hurts!
"Waa!" Naruto cried out, his eyes flickering from mirror to mirror. "Where is the real one?"
"Trying to follow me with your eyes is impossible. You will never be able to catch me." Haku told them. Naruto wasn't taking no for an answer though.
"Bah! Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Smoke erupted isnide the dome as dozens of Naruto lunged for the mirrors, hoping to crush them with his fist. "Then I'll find the real one by crushing them all!" Before a single Naruto could land a single punch, they disappeared and Naruto was sent skidding back to where Sasuke was crouching.
"It's pointless. This jutsu uses the mirrors reflections to transport me. From my point of view, you are moving in slow motion." Haku murmured, almost as if he was trying to discourage them from fighting anymore.
"So what!?" Naruto hissed, gritting his teeth in anger. "I can't die here; I have a dream to fulfill." Sasuke clenched his own jaw in anger as well. He too, refused to let it end here. That still left the question of how they were going to defeat their enemy.
"I don't want to be a true shinobi..." Haku murmured quietly. "If possible, i do not want to have to kill you or you to kill me. If you come at me though, I will destroy my kind heart with a blade, to make sure that my own dreams are fulfilled as well." He warned. "I want nothing more than to protect someone precious to me and to make that person's dreams come true. If this bridge is the place where we must all fight for our dreams then please, don't hate me. For that one special person, I can become a true shinobi. To make my dream and their dream come true, I can kill you."
"SASUKE-KUN! NARUTO! DON'T LOSE TO THAT GUY!" Sakura's voice shouted from the outside.
"Sasuke..." Naruto murmured from beside him. "What are we going to do? All we are doing is running around?"
"Be quiet and get up! I can't watch over you, too. Just try to avoid getting a serious wound, we can't avoid getting hit. There has to be a limit to his jutsu, he is already slowly- Here he comes!" he managed to call out just before the needles pierced into his body. Before, Haku's attacks were superficial cuts. Now, the needles were lodged deep into his body and some were even coming out from the other side.
The two were in bad shape and Naruto couldn't even stand. He was close to falling over as well. In the distance he could hear a shrill shriek break through the sound of fighting. His eyes widened in horror. That was Sakura's voice. What was happening, was Kakashi losing? Damn it, I have to do something before it is too late!
Sasuke slowly staggered upright, his intense gaze focusing back on Haku. He was starting to get used to it and he was starting to see Haku's movements. "Ugh..." Naruto gtroans as he pushes himself up. He was slowly becoming warn down, which wasn't surprising. They both had lost a lot of blood and were in a lot of pain.
"You move well." Haku praised. "This time, though... I'll stop you." Haku promised as he held up his needles. Sasuke remained unwavering, his gaze only intensifying as he tried to absorb every movement. He couldn't let his body or Haku's threats get to him. He had to calm down, concentrate, and see through it! He's coming!
Quickly, Sasuke jumped to the side, tackling Naruto over as well since he obviously wasn't going to be able to move on his own. Painfully, he stood up. His eyes locking with Haku as Naruto mostly laid limp beside him. I can see, Sasuke realized. Just a little bit, but I can see!
"So, you are also from an advanced bloodline, then. Then I won't drag this out any longer. This is the end!" Haku said as he lunged. Instead of attacking him like he thought, seeing as he was the one who posed a threat, Haku lunged for Naruto.
What!? Damnit, he wasn't prepared for this. Please make it in time! Sasuke willed his body to move faster, his heart racing in fear as he watched Haku edge closer and closer to Naruto's crumpled form. He had to make it in time. His mind retraced back to the worst night of his life. He had been too late to save his family; he wouldn't have been able to help them even if he had gotten there in time. This time... This time had to be different!
Sasuke knew he should be feeling pain, but at that moment as he stood, staring across at Haku's body on the ground... He only felt numb. He could hear Naruto groan and stir behind him, even hear him give an excited gasp. "Sasuke-kun! You did i-" he began to praise, but he must have seen the blood dripping down and stopped.
"Geez... Naruto." He choked, watching as the dark spots began to cloud his vision. "All you ever do is get in the way." He rasped, giving a half chuckle as a small smile pulled at the corner of his lips. He made it in time.
Sasuke forced himself to look over his shoulder at Naruto, actually finding amusement at the horrified expression on his face. "What's with that face?" he whispered. "You're not hurt or anything are you, scardy cat?" he half chuckled again, only to end up coughing up blood.
"S-Sasuke..." Naruto whispers hoarsely in shock. "Why?" he whimpered as his eyes began to water.
Why? Why did he do it? Slowly, the darkness and numbness grew and he could no longer see what was real in the world but instead, he saw his memories. Memories of Naruto, the time they shared. "How should I know?" He whispered, his voice growing distant. "Heh, I even used to hate you." he mused, mostly to himself at this point. Was this what they meant when they said that your life flashes before your eyes when you die? Was he dying?
Guess it meant he'd never complete his task.
"S-Sasuke... Why? Why!? I NEVER ASKED FOR YOUR HELP!" Naruto cried out, distressed by Sasuke's state. "WHY SAVE ME!?"
"My body... just moved on its' own." he remembered murmuring before he lost the ability to stand any longer. He toppled over, falling backwards but he felt no pain. For a brief moment, he could see through the darkness up at Naruto shocked and emotional face. His face was always full of emotion. "I told myself that I wouldn't die until I killed that him. That man, my brother..." he whispered, his blurry gaze focusing on Naruto's features as best he could. "Don't you die, too." he managed to say with the last ounce of strength he had left.
Alright, guys! Let us know what you think, as always! The next chapter is going to be where we break away from the canon, can anyone guess how? What do you guys think? What twists do we have in store or what twists would you like to see?
Once again, super sorry for the late update but being the freaking messes we are, it's the best we can do. Also just curious, would anyone be interested in darker themes in this story as well? Like detailed blood and gore and emotional roller coasters? Just curious. Because that's always fun to write. XD
