Chapter 9: Lightning Near the Homefront

"Hahaha, Arashi…remind me again, whyyyy are we going to the Waterfall Village?"

"Humph, you would forget…wouldn't you? We're going because, one: I need to restock on a few items I have back home, and two: I just have a feeling that we'll get a lead on the guy we're after if we go there."

"OH! That reminds me, who ARE we after by the way? Huhuhaha!"

*Hmm…that's a good question, who is this guy anyway? I don't even know this asshole's name. All I know is that I can't let him live after what he did…* "I…actually, I don't know his name. He's this pale bluish fellow. He wears a long blue coat, about the same length as mine. He also wears fish nets on his arms and under his black shirt I think. He's obviously from the Hidden Mist Village, because he was wearing a headband from there. Oh…and he also had this really long sword, like an uchigatana or something."

"Hmm, what type of moves did he use? Haha."

*Another good question, this guy…he…he used water. I assume that was his specialty. Humph, Saiko will make easy work of him if that's all he's got.* "He used lots of water style jutsu. He shouldn't that big of a challenge for us."

"Hahaha, oh yay! That sounds like fuuuun." said Saiko while tilting his head. "So uhh…just one more question…where the HELL are we, Arashi? Huhuhaha!"

"Uhh…I…" I paused, I couldn't answer Saiko directly. I-I remember where we are, we weren't too far from the Waterfall Village from where we were, but…something just didn't feel right. The area we were in felt too…lifeless for this time of year. It was summer, and yet…all of the trees around us looked dreadful and lifeless. "…don't know. Keep your guard up though, I don't like this place."

"Huha, yeah, it gives me the heebeegeebeez."

I kept a firm grasp on my kunai, expecting some kind of assault. "Hmm…maybe I'm being too paranoid…I mean, what are the odds of—" just as I was about to finish, Saiko launched an ice spear past my head, only to deflect an incoming kunai.

"Wha-What? Who's there?" I asked hesitantly

"Humph, pathetic…" said a random voice from somewhere around us.

*Ugh, get it together Arashi…* "Show yourself!" I commanded.

"Very well…It's your funeral bud." Said the voice, just before a figure appeared not too far ahead of us. The person was wearing a white, open-ended shirt, followed by this purplish rope thing that held up some kind of blue waistcloth. He also wore some black pants with a pair of black open-toed shoes. His hair was black and short, leading up to the back of his head in a spiky fashion. His eyes were dark and soulless. This guy…he meant business.

"Who are youuuu? Haha!" asked Saiko anonymously. The person paused with his eyes closed for about a minute. Then looked at Saiko and announced.

"The name's…Sasuke…Sasuke Uchiha."

*Uchiha Sasuke? Wait…that name…I think I might have heard it before somewhere. Maybe he was wanted, yeah…I remember seeing a poster with his name on it, it said they wanted him alive though. If that's the case then I have no choice…* "You're coming with me!" I announced, raising my kunai.

"Humph…I don't have time for the likes of you. Suigetsu!" He said, just as another suspicious character appeared next to him. He had white hair and…purple eyes…weird. He wore a purple shirt and had dark blue pants on. He also wore purple shoes and had…sharp teeth? On his back he carried a huge buster sword and on his side he had a water bottle attached to his pants.

"Oh great…who are you?" I asked annoyingly.

"I'm Suigetsu. Suigetsu Hōzuki. Might I ask who y'all are?"

"Oh, I'm Arashi Setsudan, a famous bounty hunter. And he's…"

"I'm Saiko! Haha! Saiko Tōketsu!" Saiko interrupted

"Ah, I see…say Sasuke, do you think that the bounty hunter guy could be after you."

"Possibly." said Sasuke with his eyes closed, before slowly opening them. Suddenly his eyes changed into a deep red with black markings. Just after this, he announced. "Let's go!" Sasuke and Suigetsu both rushed towards us with obvious violent intent.

"Saiko, you take care of Suigetsu!"

"Roger doger! You know what they say…'Tis the season for a beatin'. Haha!" With that…weird remark from Saiko, the fight began. I rushed toward Sasuke while making a few hand signs. *Wind Style! Gale Force Claws!* Huge claws of swirling wind form from my hands and I slash at Sasuke as fast as I could. With a flash, he doged my attack and appeared behind me, followed a solid blow to my head with a powerful kick. I'm sent flying into the ground with incredible force. *Ow-Owwww…How could he dodge my attack. Unless...his eyes let him see my every move. That must be why they changed color. Hmm...interesting.*

"Fire Style! Dragon Flame Jutsu!"

My eyes open with shock. *Crap, move dammit!* I dodge the fireballs just in time as they hit the ground. I revert my attention back to Sasuke as I see him making several hand signs and then put his hands in a locked position as electricity starts forming in his hands. Then he grabs his sword and rushes toward me. The sword was sparking with electricity, and realizing that I have to act fast, I start forming a few hand signs myself.

"Wind Style! Severing Wind Blades!" Swirls of wind form the blades in my hand as I launch them at Sasuke. He slashes straight through them and slashed me with his sword. Electricity start coursing through my body as I go flying back into a tree. My vision is blurred as I faintly hear Saiko shout.

"A-Arashi!" Saiko kicks back Suigetsu and freezes his arms and legs as he rushes over to me. Sasuke stops his second assault on me and he goes to Suigetsu as he hits the ground. Sasuke breaks open his frozen arms and legs that are encased in ice and then dashes away. "Arashi? Are you okayyy? That guy got you good didn't he?"

I was unable to reply to Saiko in my current state. My vision slowly fading and Saiko's image slowly dissipating. As my vision fades to black, all I can hear is Saiko shouting, "Arashi! J-Just hang in there! Haha!" And all I can feel is being picked up and carried toward what I hope is the Waterfall Village

*D-Damn you…Sasuke Uchiha…*