Hokay, here we go! I only own the plot and my OC, as always.


Opening: Daia no Hana (By Yoriko, Black Cat First Opening)

Japanese Lyrics:

Hajimari wa itsumo sou gunjou no sora no shita
Chikai wo tatete ima boku wa aruki dasu

Yeah, kin iro ni hikaru sabaku (moeru kaze)
Daia no hana wo sagashite (samayoi tsuzukeru)
Hajimete dareka no tame ni ima boku wa ikite iru

Mamoritai mono ga arun da
Mou nido to nido to ushina wa shinai you ni

Yeah, kono mune ni aru negai (yurameite)
Kanaeru tame nara boku wa (ikura demo kizu tsukou)
Waratte ite hoshii kara ima boku wa yaiba wo nigiru

Kirisaita kioku no naka afuredasu
Akai akai kage wo kiru
Kono tsume ga hibiwaretemo tsukamitore
Mamoritai taisetsu na mono nara

Dareka wo omotte naita

yoru ni saita daia no hana

Mamoritai mono ga arun da
Mou nido to nido to ushinai wa shinai
Nari hibike dare yori chiisaku hakanai
Dare yori tafu na kono kodou


Chapter 9: Takuya: A Walking Contradiction

Takuya was almost motionless, his irregular breathing the only sign that he was alive. He was still gripping the sword tightly in his left hand, despite the blood flowing quickly from his injured shoulder.

'How did he do something like that?' thought Kisame, almost close to panicking. 'Why didn't my Samehada absorb the fire chakra from that sword?'

"There he is!" Kisame spun around, to see Yamato and Sai with some twenty Konoha shinobi. "I'll take care of this!" said Yamato, launching wooden tendrils from the ground at Kisame, who quickly leaped out of the way.

'With this much damage and this many opponents…ugh, I'll have to report back to Pain-sama and Madara-sama!' Kisame swore silently, and leaped away, slinging his sword on his back.

The battered Uchiha carefully pushed himself into a sitting position to see Naruto and Sakura rushing up to him.

"It's about time you guys got here," said Takuya, clutching his wounded shoulder, legs splayed forward.

"Yeah, and not a moment too soon," said Sakura, starting her medical jutsu on his bleeding shoulder.

"You look like you got thrashed," said Naruto, his arms crossed, looking amazed. "Your nose is even more messed up than before."

"Well, it would have helped if you could have gotten here a little earlier," shot back Takuya, a new warmth in his voice. "I shoulda been more worried about myself than you guys, I guess."

Naruto and Sakura looked surprised, and Sakura paused her healing. "So with what you said earlier about Naruto not being important for Kisame to capture…?" said Sakura slowly.

Takuya grinned awkwardly. "I lied."

The two stared at Takuya until he shifted uncomfortably, asking "Can you get back to the healing? This scratch in my shoulder kinda hurts."

Sakura smiled sheepishly, complying, while Naruto chuckled.

"Sai, take half of the others and chase after Hoshigaki," Yamato said to Sai, who nodded quickly and leapt away with ten other ninja in pursuit of the fleeing Akatsuki. Yamato turned around and walked over to the three Konoha shinobi, Takuya's shoulder now healed. "So you're the Uchiha that Kakashi-sempai told us about? You've done well to hold off a member of Akatsuki like that."

Takuya nodded. "Thanks. That jutsu you just used was the First's wood style, wasn't it?" At Yamato's nod, Takuya hesitated for a second, then held out the sword he had gained. "In that case, can you make a temporary sheath for this? Because I don't want to look like a maniac when I'm walking around like this."

Yamato nodded and took the sword by the flat of the blade, making a few hand signs, and wooden tendrils began to entwine from his hands around the blade. Takuya turned around to see Sakura with a surprised look on her face and Naruto with his jaw hanging slightly open. "What?" he asked.

"I've never actually seen an Uchiha joke like that before…," Naruto explained and Sakura nodded in agreement.

Takuya wore a comical grimace on his face, a drop of sweat on his forehead. "Well, I guess there's always exceptions…"

"That was absolutely inspiring!"

Startled, Takuya whirled to see Guy and Rock Lee behind him.

"Your youthful determination!" exclaimed Guy, tears flowing down his face and small sparkles glimmering around him, as he clasped both of Takuya's shoulders, making him jump in surprise. "Your inspiring courage! Truly you are not just an Uchiha, but also a great ninja!"

"Indeed!" Lee joined in. "You must join us in training! Together, we will reach the peak of youth!"

Naruto and Sakura had to bite back their laughs as Takuya, looking very much freaked out with a large sweat drop on his face, said, "Uh…thanks…I think."

Takuya's eyebrow twitched as Naruto and Sakura burst out laughing at the predicament Takuya was in. "SHUT UP!" yelled Takuya, his eyes round and white with anger and a vein throbbing on his forehead. He immediately winced slightly.

"Are you all right?"Sakura said quickly. "You still have so many other injuries…"

"I'll tough it out…save your chakra for those others who need it more. I'm sure that there are others who were injured in shark-face's assault."

Sakura hesitantly nodded as Yamato walked back to Takuya, holding Takuya's sword in a simple sheath. "Here it is," Yamato said, handing him the sword.

"Thanks, I appreciate it." Takuya shoved the sword through the back of his belt with the hilt sticking out from his left side.

"Well, you still seem to be on your feet." Takuya turned around to see Kakashi with his hands in his pockets. "Rather impressive to last against Kisame like that, to say the least," Kakashi continued, then in a more serious tone, said, "Don't tell anyone that you don't trust with your live that you're an Uchiha; the less people know, the better."

Takuya scratched his head sheepishly. "Right." He reached into his pocket and handed an envelope to Kakashi. "Here, my sensei wanted me to give you this."

"Your sensei? Does he know me?"

"Yes, very well." Takuya handed Kakashi the envelope, then walked over to where he had dropped his headband and turned to Naruto and Sakura. "You know, I don't think we finished that Konoha tour of yours."

"Huh?" Naruto and Sakura looked confused.

"Since I'm a fellow Konoha shinobi now, it's a good idea to know the layout of the village, right?"

"…Right."


The three Konoha shinobi walked through the village's streets, Sakura gesturing to the various shops, and Naruto walking with his hands in his pockets and Takuya with his hand resting on the hilt of his new sword. Takuya still had not put his headband back on and his dark bangs still hung over his eyes.

"It's good to know that there's another genin here who's my age," remarked Naruto, looking up at the sky slightly.

"What, you're still a genin?" asked Takuya, glancing at Naruto. He was oblivious to the number of stares he was getting from the surrounding people.

"Yeah, Naruto and now you are the only genin your age in the village," said Sakura. "All our friends who were genin two or three years ago are all chunin or jonin."

"Maybe," said Takuya wryly. "A shinobi could have the rank of a genin, and be equal to an entire squad of ANBU."

"Maybe," replied Sakura, flashing a grin at Naruto, who looked back at her, confused.

"Hey, Sakura!" The three of them turned around to Ino running up to them from her family's flower shop. "I heard there was just an attack made by Akatsuki," Ino said. "Is it over yet? Is there some way I can help?"

"Yeah, it's over," said Sakura to the blonde kunoichi. "ANBU is already pursuing Kisame, after he was held off long enough to get reinforcements."

"Held off? Was that you Naruto, or Kakashi-sensei?" asked Ino. Her gaze shifted to Takuya and her light blue eyes widened. "Who's this? And why's he all beat up?" Her eyes traveled over his bruised and bloodied form.

"I'd like to ask the same thing to you," replied the raven-haired teen, his black eyes friendly but wary.

"We've got a lot of stuff to tell you about, Ino," said Sakura, her lips quirking upward slightly.

"Huh?"


Kakashi stood in the old Team 7 training ground, in front of the three stumps where, around two years previously, he had passed three stubborn genin. Those same three genin had been through a lot in those two years. 'In a way, it's almost like the old Team 7 has been reborn,' thought Kakashi, allowing himself a small smile behind his mask. He looked down at the unmarked envelope that Takuya had given him earlier. "Now what exactly is this about?"

The silver-haired jonin opened up the envelope to reveal a folded piece with a single name written on it. Kakashi's uncovered eye widened in shock at the name and sweat trickled slowly down his brow. "Impossible…it can't be…but that's his handwriting…but still…I thought he was dead…"

'My father… Hatake Sakumo…'


Ending: FIRE! (by Wada Kouji, Digimon Frontier Opening)

Japanese Lyrics.

Kusubutteta mune ni nage irero fire!
Chiheisen e kokoro tobasu nda

Kara mawari no kimochi o keri agetara
Saki ni iku ze Tsugi no furontia

Kanau sa Kanau Hakkaten wa mou sugu da ze
Dekiru Dekiru sa Bakuhatsu shite miseru nda
Burn up'n go!

Gomibako o tobi koeta saki ni aru mirai
Hikari o matotte get a fire power!
Giragira to moe agare Hitomi no chikara
Kesenai yuuki de get a fire power!
Michi ga michiteru furontia e
Hashiri tsuzukeru nda "Kimi o tsurete"

Housoku nante hatsumei surya ii ndaro?
Jibun katte mo tama ni hitsuyou sa

Iu koto kike! Nige dashita kunaru my heart!
Hitori datte yara nakyanannai ze

Doko kara Doko e Toki wa nagareteku ndarou?
Wakaru Wakaru sa Gimon wa yamanai kedo ne
Get up'n go!

Kaidan o kake noboru saki ni aru jidai
Takamaru kodou de get a fire power!
Giragira to teri kaese Hadashi no taiyou
Makenai atsusa de get a fire power!
Michi ga michiteru furontia e
Hashiri tsuzukeru nda "Kimi o tsurete"

Gomibako o tobi koeta saki ni aru mirai
Hikari o matotte get a fire power!
Giragira to moe agare Hitomi no chikara
Kesenai yuuki de get a fire power!
Michi ga michiteru furontia e
Hashiri tsuzukeru nda "Kimi o tsurete"


Alright, time to get the next chapter up!

Takuya: You're really getting your shit together, aren't ya?

Kinda. I'm still kinda lazy.

Takuya: You gonna talk about Sensei later on in the story?

*shrugs* If people are interested.