Ch. 10 : Revelations
A/N : Another day, another chapter. Read and enjoy. As per usual, more at the bottom.
Disclaimer – I do not own Naruto, Star Wars, or any obscure references to other owned or written material, either official or those of fandom. They are all property of associated parties.
Naruto awoke to the smell of frying rice and the sizzling of pork being thrown on a pan. With a glance at the watch he had taken to wearing, the boy rolled his eyes at the time and threw the light covering off of himself. He had meant to wake up early, around seven, but had ended up sleeping in.
'I guess that fight took more out of me than I thought.'
As though to voice their disapproval at the understatement, what seemed like every muscle in his body screamed in protest as he stood up. With a dry laugh and a quick set of stretches, Naruto eased his discomfort and joined his team downstairs.
Kakashi was seated at the head of the table, next to Tazuna who was drinking from a cup of coffee and reading a local newspaper. Sasuke had a plate of half-eaten toast before him and Sakura was across the table eating scrambled eggs and watching him intently.
"Good morning, sleeping beauty!"
The chipper lead of Team Seven was met with a noncommittal that caused Sasuke to look at him with an appraising eye. Despite his less than enthusiastic response, Tsunami smiled as she unloaded a small plate of eggs and pork in front of the boy.
"Here you go! I made a special breakfast just for the people who protected my father on his way home."
Kakashi just smiled behind his mask.
"Eh, it was no problem at all. It's what we have been paid to do, after all. Right, Tazuna-san?"
The old bridge builder noticeably paled at that, before smiling uncertainly and changing the subject.
"So, usually me and the rest of the guys meet up at the building site around nine. How are you guys planning on keeping us protected?"
The Jonin shrugged his shoulders and continued reading from his little orange book, ignoring the scathing looks being shot at him from Tsunami, Sakura, and surprisingly Sasuke.
"Well it will be at least three days before I am back to the level I need to be to fight again against someone of Zabuza's caliber. I was going to take the time to give Sasuke and Sakura some extra training and send Naruto with you to keep guard."
"The blond one right? Brilliant."
The raven haired lad wasn't exactly sure how he felt about the pleased look Tazuna had when Naruto nodded at the statement, not even bothering to swallow the mouthful of scrambled eggs. He settled for just snorting under his breath and finishing his breakfast as quickly as he could without looking like his blond teammate. Was it really that hard to have a little bit of self-pride?
Kakashi glanced up at the clock, then at Naruto.
"Well Naruto, it's almost nine now. I would suggest you hurry up and finish eating, then get your stuff together. It wouldn't do for you to be late after all."
The man laughed to himself softly at the look Naruto gave him, then went back to his book. At least, he tried to. Once more, his precious reading time was cut down with Sakura's questioning.
"Sensei, why isn't Naruto coming with us? Shouldn't he be getting training as well?"
"True he does need training, but what I am going to teach you and Sasuke, he wouldn't be able to do. It would just be a waste of time for me to train him in Chakra techniques with you two. I will give him more specialized training tomorrow, but today is your and Sasuke's time."
Sakura practically beamed at the idea of getting to spend some 'alone' time with her Sasuke-kun, and the boy shot his teacher a death glare, causing Kakashi to grin like a maniac again.
'I'm just getting all kinds of love today, aren't I?'
"Naruto, do you think you are going to be able to manage to keep all of the builders safe today?"
"Oh yeah, no problem at all. Like you said last night, it is probably going to be at least a week before we have any trouble. I'm sure I can handle it."
"Alright, you other two. Finish eating and get your gear together. We're taking a walk into the woods."
XxXxXxX
Naruto was done and ready before Tazuna had finished his coffee.
"Alright, we're leaving!"
Tsunami stuck her head through the kitchen doorway and smiled brightly as Naruto and the old man left the house.
"Alright Dad, I'll try to bring you lunch in a couple of hours!"
Tazuna chuckled happily as he pulled the door closed behind him. Hefting a carpenter's belt and setting his shoulders, he led Naruto down the main street the way they had entered, returning to the bridge they had passed on the way to his home. By an odd stroke of luck the man lived on the opposite side of town from the site , so Naruto had the opportunity to ask him some questions about the village and some of the people in it.
"Eh, Tazuna-san. When exactly did Gato and his company start taking over the village?"
The bridge builder cast a nervous glance around at the mention of Gato's name, but it didn't stop him from answering.
"Well, he moved in at first about... oh I don't know, say about two or three years ago? From what I've been able to gather, the locals knew he had a weird feeling about him as soon as he started doing business in town though."
"If they knew he was bad, why did they let him stay and gain power?"
"Well it's not like they knew he was going to become a tyrant or anything! He started off as a normal, if greedy, business man. Bought a couple of warehouses here, started trading deals there. It wasn't until the bastard got a monopoly on the docks that we started really having problems."
Naruto caught the sight of a suspicious looking man rummaging through a dumpster and flash a victorious grin before running off into an alley. He ran right past another, slightly older man who was bundled up in a bunch of newspaper pages.
"What do you mean?"
The old man straightened his straw hat and glanced sadly back at the homeless man before standing straighter and with purpose.
"We're a bunch of islands, kid. You've only seen the biggest of them. With no bridges or natural land connections between them the only method of travel is by boat. If he controls the docks, he controls what goes in and out of the islands. The other islands might be smaller, but they all have independently vital resources."
"So why would that be a problem? I would think that all of the islands would be self-sufficient."
"Yeah, you would think that and normally you would be right. Unfortunately, each of these islands are afflicted by different ecosystems and environments. The island to the west of here is rich in fertilized soil. That is where we grow most of the fruit and vegetables for the entire country. The one on the east is rich in lush grass and hay. Perfect conditions for animal life. They have the majority of pigs, sheep, goats, cows, horses... the works."
Naruto nodded and continued taking in the sights of the city around them while listening to Tazuna. All of this was extremely important for him to learn, after all.
"And what about this island? You said it was the biggest?"
"Yup! While not great for livestock or plant life, it is mostly cleared out with sturdy ground of rock and hard dirt. Perfect for buildings and homes. It is also very rich in mineral deposits. Gold, silver, copper, iron are all present here, though not in totally abundant quantities. The few people in the village who call themselves experts about it claim that we have only dug up about two percent of what is available in our current mines. And we've been digging since this city was founded!"
"Oh really? Well that's convenient."
Tazuna laughed nervously and shot the kid a questioning look, but when no explanation was forthcoming, he continued with his narrative.
"Well with the minerals and foundations and stuff, it is obvious why we would choose to make this island in particular the one that most people chose to settle on."
"But wait, if this island is as rich in mineral ore as you say it is, why is the economy so bad? Metal is a precious resource, especially gold. Shouldn't you be selling the excess for a large profit?"
"In a perfect world, kid? Yeah, we should be. Again though, it all comes down to Gato. The only businesses who haven't been shut down or bought out yet are the mining and processing companies. Even then, that's only because they have locked themselves in the plants and mines and are being bull-headed enough to refuse Gato's demands and 'offers'."
The boy winced at the news.
"Yeah, I bet that must make him real happy, huh?"
His response was a bitter laugh and sharp words.
"You have no idea. There are a few people in town who think they should just give it up already, and that they are making it worse for everyone."
"And what do you think?"
Tazuna rubbed his eyes, betraying his fatigue. He looked as though he hadn't gotten much sleep last night, and Naruto was willing to bet that that wasn't far from the truth.
"I think they are doing the right thing. Those companies are the only thing stopping Gato from having absolute power in the entire country. They can't just roll over and give everything over to that tyrant. If they do, it's game over for all of Wave."
"You just wish their resistance didn't bring so much harm to the rest of the people here?"
The look he received was a little wary, but warming.
"Yeah... yeah, exactly. Hey, how do you know that?"
Naruto just shrugged and spread his arms wide, indicating the poverty and negativity around them.
"It's obvious, sir. These people are suffering, and you feel for them. I can sympathize, though I have never actually been in a position to do anything to change something like this before."
"But you are now?"
"As long as I have the support? Yes... yes I am."
For a moment there, Tazuna would have sworn that when he looked at the boy just then, for a split second, that he had a blazing fire around him. Glowing bright blue, but not harmful in any way. Just the proximity between them was enough for him to feel the very warmth the boy exuded. When he looked at that young man before him with his strong body and passionate spirit, he would have sworn to the gods themselves that this boy was something special.
It was gone in an instant of course. He blinked in surprise and the vision was gone, but despite the hangover raging in his mind, he somehow knew that it was real. He had hallucinated before, but this? This was something different.
"You know what kid? I'll be damned if I say this to anyone else, but I believe you. When... if the time comes... you'll have me backing you. Okay? Of course, if you tell anyone I said that, I'll throw you off of my bridge the minute it's done."
Naruto laughed and shook the hand Tazuna offered.
"Heh heh, it's a deal Old man."
Said old man laughed back and slugged him in the shoulder with no small amount of force.
"Hey! Who you calling 'old', you young punk!"
The people on the street watched as bridge builder and ex-shinobi walked down the road together, side by side and laughing like old friends. If anyone had thought to ask the others on that street if they had seen something strange about the boy when they stopped and talked, that person would have admitted with no small amount of trepidation, that for a second? The boy was on fire.
XxXxXxX
- With Team Seven : Outside Tazuna's home -
Sasuke was not pleased. Not pleased at all. Oh it hadn't started like that of course! Good breakfast, woke up at his own rate, was promised training for the day when he was done. Sounded like a all around acceptable day. But then Kakashi had really thrown his training method into effect.
He told you what you were learning, and he showed it to you once. Then he either left you to it, or threw rocks at your head. Sasuke was not pleased. What should have been a simple enough technique made him learn a little something extra today. Simple did not always equal easy. The Tree-Walking technique was driving him insane.
According to their 'Sensei', the larger a person's Chakra reserve, the less natural control that person would have over it. Brute force over finesse, as the case may be. That was why Sakura had taken to the training with an unexpected amount of ease, making it half-way up the tree simply on her first try. By the time he had gotten half that height, Sakura had already made it to the top and Kakashi was having her run up and down the tree to build up her reserves.
Because of his larger than normal reserves however, he seemed to be having a bit of trouble summoning and expelling just the right amount of Chakra to stick to the tree without repelling himself from it violently. His lack of success would have been less humiliating without his fan club yelling at him from the tree branches above him. Wait, hang on a second. It had been a while since the last call, had she gotten bore-
"You can do it, Sasuke-kun!"
Nope, there it was.
...He was not pleased.
Kakashi sat on the branch across from the clearing so he could keep a close eye on his young students while they trained themselves into exhaustion. While he had figured that Sakura would succeed at the technique before Sasuke did, he was still rather surprised by how readily she took to it. With her abnormally small reserves, her control over herself was near perfect, even as untrained at it as she was.
"You almost made it that time, Sasuke-kun!"
That didn't make her any less annoying though.
The object of her affections apparently didn't like her attention any more than Kakashi did himself though, judging from the murderous glint in his eye as the boy attacked the tree with Chakra again. Either that, or he was doing his whole 'I-must-gain-power-to-destroy-Itachi' thing again. One of the two.
Despite everything though, the Jonin had no doubt that Sasuke would get it down soon enough. The young Uchiha was simply to strong-willed to let such a minor technique evade him for long. His damned pride wouldn't allow it, even if his body did. Ironic really, he would have made his brother proud.
XxXxXxX
- With Naruto : Bridge -
He had to admit, while he was gaining a lot of important information from asking around the construction crew, he was having fun in the process. Sure there was the seriousness of the situation and the threat of death that hung in the air around the work site, but even then the men were making the most of it. Through the shouts of technical details, calls for supplies, and sounds of heavy equipment running, it was not uncommon to hear jokes and teasing insults being exchanged between workers just passing by.
"Hey Kinji, if you see Shiba tell him his sister was out on the bridge today helping us out in his place!"
"Yo, Hideki! I bet if you gave Hidekazu a penny for his thoughts, you'd get change!"
"Hey Naruto, I once had a friend who always used to say 'Love thy neighbor!', turns out he lived next to a brothel!"'
"Oh yeah? Did you hear about the kidnapping? He woke up."
"Hey, that's not bad, Kid!"
The guy laughed as he continued on his way. Once the workers had learned that Naruto had not only saved Tazuna (kinda) but that he was also one of the people who were going to cover their asses while they worked, they were quick to invite him to join the fun and games. Translated : Manual labor, but good company and all the ice water he could drink. Not a bad gig, beat being bored at least. Especially since it gave him the chance to ask around a bit more.
From what he could gather, while most of the people in the village were all neatly packed under Gato's thumb, there was a small pocket of resistance operating under the radar. Only the people directly engaged in the resistance knew of its existence, and it just so happened that most of the builders on the bridge construction site were either involved or waiting for the right moment to join. 'The right moment' being the moment the fighting starts. This was done mostly by the members who had family they needed to protect. Details would be provided to them only hours before to prevent suspicion being placed on them or their families.
Another thing that Naruto had found interesting was that the resistance was supposedly being funded by some mysterious figure outside the village. Rumors were circling that whoever it was lived in Konohagakure, but it hadn't been proved or discredited yet. Still, it would account for the aid they had been sent. All that was known about the support, from the people he asked, was that a member of the resistance was chosen to meet with an ambassador from the supplier. That person would drop off supplies, relay various orders or suggestions, and then disappear into the night. The only detail that recurred commonly enough to be given any consideration was that the person was supposed to have a really strange voice. One that sounded a lot like a machine.
"Hey Naruto! Any time you feel like paying attention would be good, I need those nails over here!"
Naruto grinned like a madman and ran to where Tazuna was waving.
"Heh, sorry. I guess I just zoned out there for a minute, huh?"
The professional builder took three of the nails Naruto offered and stuck two of them in his mouth, while hammering the last into place. His words were altered by the nails protruding from his lips.
"It looked like you were thinkin' pretty hard there, squirt. Not planning on taking over the world on my time are you?"
"The world? Nah man, I'm starting small."
Tazuna laughed at the response and took the next from its place.
"Well when you are the ruler of the universe, remember you're old friend for all your bridge building needs. A good overlord needs bridges after all!"
Naruto shook his head in amusement, both at the comment and the inside joke that he shared only with those closest to him. The old man was right, he would remember.
"Alright Naruto, I think that will do it. Thanks for your help over here. Why don't you go see what Kinji needs help with?"
He pointed to a burly man carrying a steel I-bean, and the boy nodded before taking off, leaving the nails behind. Giving only a brief moment to reflect on the young lad, Tazuna wiped the sweat from his brow. That kid was something special alright. A loud ringing bell broke the monotonous tones of construction work, and he grinned to himself. Lunch-time!
XxXxXxX
- With Team Seven : Outside Tazuna's home -
"Alright, that's enough. You guys can take a break for lunch. I can't have you two dropping from exhaustion, can I?"
Though he would drop dead before saying it aloud, Sasuke couldn't help but think that perhaps, just perhaps, Kakashi's answer to that question would be a bit different if he asked him. Needless to say, he settled for a grunt.
With a certain lack of finesse that indicated fatigue, the boy grunted as he hit the ground and bent at the knees to absorb the shock of the blow. After a particularly nasty fall earlier on in the day, their Sensei had been generous enough to show him a more efficient way of hitting the ground. It mostly involved not landing on his shoulder, but the the bending to absorb the blow was good too.
Smug bastard.
"That's right! I can't, because then I would have to deal with a god-awful amount of paperwork that revolves around why one of my students decided it would be a good idea to worked until they threw up, and then kept working. Then I would have to evade the suspicions that would inevitably land on me as your instructor. After all, what am I supposed to say when they ask me why you didn't stop exercising to rest up properly?"
"Maybe that you didn't let us rest up properly?"
Despite the words being muttered under his breath, Kakashi turned in his direction with that damned smile on his face.
"I'm sorry, what was that Sasuke?"
Sasuke grimaced and made up something on the spot. If this was his Sensei's idea of training, he didn't even want to know what punishment was to him.
"I said I didn't prepare a lunch."
"Don't worry, I think your teammate has got you covered. Good job for being prepared, Sakura!"
Sure enough, Sakura was standing right behind him happily holding up two brown bags, one with her name on it, and the other with a big heart in bright pink. Lovely.
XxXxXxX
- With HK-47 : Gato's headquarters-
HK adjusted his position on the roof he had chosen for his recon. While not the tallest around, it was still tall enough for him to have a clear view of the inside of Gato's base. More specifically, the one room that Zabuza and his subordinates had chosen for themselves. With the aid of a pair of electronic binoculars combined with a listening device, HK would be able to listen in on their conversations. It didn't take him long to get into an ideal pose, especially as comfort had no bearing on it at all.
Of course, now came the part that most people found to be tedious. The waiting. Oh sure, his favorite method of exterminating something or someone was to kick their door open and blast them as the begged for their lives, but sometimes that simply wasn't efficient enough. There were times where he would, and had, need to lie low and wait for that single perfect opportunity. Too many plans by lesser assassins had been ruined simply by a lack of patience. Fortunately for him, HK had patience in spades thanks to his programming. That wasn't to say he didn't get bored though. With nothing but the sounds of the street far below him and the pointless arguments between Zabuza's subordinates to keep himself entertained, he soon found himself searching his memory banks for something to recount. One detail in particular stood out from only yesterday.
XxXxXxX
After the rather intense fight with Zabuza Momochi, HK had been looking forward to his efforts paying off. Before he could execute his Masters enemy as his programming dictated, his satisfaction had been stolen when that damned 'Hunter' had showed up. A quick stab in the neck with a set of accupunctural needles and the man had dropped like a sack of potatoes.
When he confronted the young figure about his interference, his audio sensors started going wild. They were lying to him. Such a foolish thing to do. Again though, before he could act on his 'instincts', his Master had stepped between them and whispered to him that Zabuza wasn't dead, only in a coma. His relief and pleasure wasn't daunted when the tall silver one had intervened and scared the young meatbag away by threatening to execute Zabuza. After all, if the man had some time to heal, he could fight him again. And next time, it would be to the death. Oh how he could hardly wait.
Amidst the minor celebration between his Master's 'team', and the bridge builder, HK had been ordered to leave the party and return to his prior assignment. The simple act of slipping to the back of the group and activating his stealth shield generator was all it took to ensure that his exit went unnoticed by the other humans.
When he finally got back to where he was after he got the call about his nemesis reappearing, HK wasn't entirely displeased to find that his prey had managed to depart while his attention had been elsewhere. A quick scan alerted him that there were no tracks to be found on the ground of the clearing, and he quickly started to get excited once more. Prey that didn't leave tracks? How exciting!
His elation elation ended in disappointment when he picked up the bare traces of dirt and disturbed twigs on a branch about half-way up a large oak tree. All sure signs that his targets had taken to leaping from branch to branch as an alternate method of travel. Strange, but if it was efficient than who was he to judge? Who knew what annuities this 'Chakra' provided?
With a command his vision switched to thermal, and he was able to pick up the residual heat left over from the two young men leaping from branch to branch. Using the tracks as a guide, HK was able to follow them to their leader. Imagine his surprise when the leader turned out to be none other than Zabuza himself.
After their staged disappearance, the Hunter had taken Zabuza to an unassuming patch of forest about two miles away from the combat site. When he finally caught up and was appropriately stealthed and spying on the situation, he watched the proceeding events.
"Hey Haku, what's wrong with Zabuza-san?"
Haku flicked an indecipherable glance at the speaker before turning back to Zabuza's lifeless body.
"Zabuza-sama started to lose, so I put him under and escaped."
"That Kakashi guy turned out to be stronger than he had expected, huh?"
Haku rolled out a mat with a variety of medic tools on it. After a quick expectation, a pair of tongs were selected.
"Kakashi was no problem and would have died had the fight not been interrupted."
"Something took out Zabuza-san, and it was harder than Kakashi?"
"Impossible, what could have possibly done that?"
"I-... I don't know."
The uncertainty in Haku's voice was enough for the Demon Brothers to glance at each other in worry. Haku was never worried about anything, always cold and calculating. Now though? They could have sworn they sensed fear in their friend's voice.
"Now will you two shut up? I need to remove Zabuza-sama's mask and make him spit up blood. I can't concentrate if you two are talking and I don't want to hurt him."
Judging by their reactions, HK guessed that not only had they seen her reaction to such a situation before, they also didn't want to repeat it. They shot each other a glance and silently backed a few feet away, giving her ample space to work. With a slow and steady hand, Haku leaned forward to remove the wrappings that covered Zabuza's face, before the tongs were jerked away.
"It's alright... I'll do it myself."
HK stared on in wonder as the 'dead man' simply batted away the offending instruments and lowered his own mask.
"Did you have to go for my neck? You are so harsh."
With three brutal yanks, Zabuza used his one good hand to remove the needles that were still protruding from the sides of his neck, two on the left and one on the right.
"I could say the same for you. If you pull them out that hard, you really will die. I can't fix everything, Zabuza-sama."
Zabuza only laughed humorlessly in response, as though doubting that such a thing could kill him.
"How long are you going to wear that bizarre mask? Take it off already!"
Haku didn't hesitate for a moment. A quick tug was all it took to break the wire that connected the wire at the back, releasing it from its bonds and revealing the pale skin that lay concealed underneath. Soft brown eyes and elegant eyebrows flashed at him, smiling softly with pale pink lips.
"It is a relic from the past, and has been useful for trickery."
"Yeah? Well it's still weird. It makes it look like you're a boy without it."
"Yeah, especially with those baggy robes you wear!"
"Maybe there's something about you we don't know."
"Something you want to tell us, Haku-chan?"
"Gozu, Meizu. Shut up."
The two demon brothers stopped talking immediately, killing the jokes made at Haku's expense. Sure they may tease the hell out of her sometimes, but she was still like a younger sister to them and they weren't about to hurt her feelings. Besides, Zabuza could get pretty rough over her. Who would have guessed?
"You know, Haku. Just because you had to knock me out didn't mean you had to aim for my neck. You know damn well that's the most painful place."
"Yes, and I also know that you are going to be numb for the next couple of days, which is for the best. I want you to heal up well before you start trying to move to early and hurt yourself any more than that red monster did." Her smile took on a mischievous hint. "Besides, I didn't want to mark up your immaculate body."
Her joking comment was thrown off by the worry in her voice. Now that Zabuza was out of the immediate danger brought on by the near-death state, she could focus on how much of a beating he had taken during the fight. Surveying the damage clear-minded for the first time, she only now started to realize how severe the damage to her Master's body really was. The severe laceration across the chest and pectoral muscles that would probably leave scar tissue, a dislocated arm that had somehow twisted badly, and a number of lesser cuts that covered his body made for a disconcerting sight. The bloodshot eyes and muscle soreness commonly associated with Chakra Exhaustion was also something she had really hoped not to see. As she had said, there were some things even she couldn't fix.
Zabuza watched her assessment with a appreciative nod. Her methods might not be the gentlest of the arts, but no one could question how effective they were. He could vouch for them personally. His voice lost some of its harshness, instead showing his pride for who she was.
"That's what I like about you, Haku. You're so innocent, smart, and untainted."
Haku smiled at the praise and blushed, before standing and turning her back to the man she had pledged to serve so long ago.
"I am still a child, after all."
"Yeah! You'll always be our Haku-imouto!
"Shut up, Gozu."
"Yes, sir."
Haku shook her head in amusement at her 'family', and examined the horizon. Just beyond the trees and down the path was the crystal water of the ocean. They were close enough to get Zabuza back to their base safely and without endangering his health too much.
"Zabuza-sama, the fog has lifted. I would suggest that we start moving and try to get back to the base before nightfall. We have a couple of hours though, so we should be able to make it easily even with your injuries."
Zabuza eyed her for a moment before nodding his assent. Haku turned to the Demon Brothers, and as one they both went to support him. Each took one of his arms and held it across their shoulders, holding him up enough so that he could do his best to walk with them. As humiliating as it was for one of the Seven Swordsmen to rely on his subordinates for help, he appreciated each and every one of them. He would have died without them, of that he had no doubt.
Unbeknownst to the group, one more had been added to their number as HK followed them discreetly, slipping between the shadows. Sure, the Stealth Field Generator was a sophisticated piece of equipment, but basic stealth techniques only amplified its ability. They would have no idea until it was far too late.
XxXxXxX
The trip to their base hadn't taken too long and was uneventful. With the exception of the location of their secret base and their employer's base of operation, they failed to discuss any major plans that gave away information that his Master might have found relevant, though he tucked away a few useful tidbits. Zabuza being afraid of mustard indeed...
Despite relating past events, HK-47 was paying strict attention to everything going on in the specific room of the corporate building. It was with no little excitement that he perked up when his preparations paid off sooner than he had expected them too. Not an hour after settling down for the long wait, Zabuza's disguised sidekick answered a knock on the door, and in walked none other than Gato himself.
Shorter than the terror associated with his name might imply, Gato stood no taller than five feet and three inches. The business man's hair was pointed back in a lackadaisical manner and his black suit hugged his pudgy frame. Round sunglasses covered his small, beady eyes and he had a vicious and greedy smirk. Behind him on both sides were two samurai-wannabees. Probably mercenaries working for the 'Suit'. HK watched in fascination as Gato addressed Zabuza, who was laid up in a bed with Haku sitting by his bedside tending to him. Gozu and Meizu weren't with them, instead HK had heard Zabuza order them to go back out into the village and find some work to do in order to bring in some more resources. Still, it seemed like they weren't going to need the help of the Demon Brothers, judging by how Haku was handling the situation.
XxXxXxX
"What is the meaning of this? Even you got beaten and had to come back. And you call yourself a demon? Don't make me laugh. You are an embarrassment to everyone in your village if you are the strongest they can produce."
The Droid could barely believe the short man. He had the arrogance of someone twice as tall, and he didn't even have the means to back it up. It was most fortunate that he wasn't HK's employer. He might have had to terminate him.
When Zabuza failed to respond, Haku stood up in his place, which caused the two bodyguards to expose the blades of their swords without drawing them entirely. A sure sign of paranoia. They were expecting an attack.
"Hold on, wait a second. She isn't stupid enough to attack."
At their boss' command they put their swords away and watched as Gato walked right up the bed. From his angle, HK could clearly see the irritation and anger flickering across Haku's face as she tried her hardest to restrain herself. A valiant task that HK was wishing dearly that she would fail.
"Hey... no need to stay silent! Why won't you say something?"
The man reached out to pull back the blanket, and that seemed to be the last straw. With astounding speed that neither HK nor Gato had expected, Haku had reached out and grabbed Gat's wrist, squeezing it until the tycoon was almost screaming in pain. Something about breaking his wrist.
"Don't you dare touch Zabuza- with your filthy hands!"
No sooner had she grabbed him, the two guards drew their swords completely and moved to rescue their employer from the rightful fury of Zabuza's young protector. Again, in a flash Haku had circled around behind them and taken control of their swords, pointing the blade of them to each others throats, ready to kill them instantly.
"Now you guys are starting to piss me off."
It was then that HK decided he approve of her. Judging from the paleness of his face, Gato didn't agree.
"Listen up, you little bitch. If you lose again next time, you better not come back!"
No doubt he meant the threat, but it only seemed like a sad attempt to regain his lost pride before he left in an undignified exit, leaving Haku and Zabuza alone in the room.
"You know that was unnecessary."
Haku smiled as she saw the blade Zabuza had kept tucked under the blanket with him.
"Yes, I know. But we are going to have to be careful. The minute we act out against Gato, the Hunter teams will be all over us, and then we will have to be on the run again. For now we are going to have to just deal with it."
Zabuza gave a weak laugh and shifted his back, readjusting himself on the blanket.
"I know. I'm supposed to be the leader here, and here you are treating me like a child."
Haku laughed softly, happy with the lack of anger or frustration in his voice.
"Only when you act like it, Zabuza-sama."
Even though he stopped talking and his breathing slowed, Haku stayed with him for a while longer just watching him sleep. Even asleep and badly injured, he looked so powerful. But even the strongest of people needed weapons, and that was what she would. She would serve until she could serve no longer. That was her place in life. And for right now, she was content.
XxXxXxX
When Haku finally left the room and pulled the door shut behind her, night had fallen and lights had come on all across the small-scale city. HK packed up his recon gear, but left the waterproof cases on the roof. It was an excellent position, and they were probably going to be in the same place for a few more days, so he decided to return to the same rooftop the next day, and however many after that that was necessary.
Once he was satisfied that no one was going to accidentally stumble across his little stash of spy-toys, he activated his Stealth Field Generator and dropped down to the city street below. The muffled impact was heard only by a single homeless drunk, who look around in bewilderment for a moment before laying his head back down and going to sleep, muttering about space ninjas or some such nonsense. With a full days of recon under his belt to offer to his Master, the Droid returned to the home Naruto and his team was staying through the duration of their mission. He just had a single pitt-stop to make along the way.
A few blocks before Tazuna's family home, HK ducked into a deserted alley and opened the comm link to the main base back in Konoha.
"Greeting : Come in, is there anyone there?"
Static crackled for a moment before being replaced with a man's voice.
"This is Bane, what is it HK?"
"Response : I found some interesting information that you might want to know while performing reconnaissance for the young Master."
"And? Have you told him this yet?"
"Answer : No, Master. I was on my way to, but I felt I should alert you first in case any of your plans have changed."
Bane sighed on the other end of the link.
"Well what is so important that you would call me for?"
"Report : The one who intercepted me on my most recent endeavor, Zabuza Momochi. He is working with Gato and fought with Master Naruto's team. He needed me to intervene and fight in his stead, though I feel that might have just been solely for my own personal satisfaction."
"And what are your feelings on the matter?"
"Opinion : I think he is a good master, and I enjoy serving him."
"Not him, you moron. I meant what changes do you think Zabuza working for Gato is going to bring?"
"Reluctant Admittance : I'm... not sure."
"Then until you are certain that these events will change the most important details of your mission, you will not contact me until the mission is complete. If you do, I will expect circumstances do be dire, do you understand me?"
"Acknowledgment : Yes, Master."
"Then do your job."
The link went dead, and HK was left with the sound of the night and crime. Master Bane was right, he was probably just over thinking it. Despite his self-assurances, he couldn't help but think that he was forgetting some tiny detail that was out of place. Still, it was probably nothing.
XxXxXxX
- With Naruto : Bridge -
"Alright guys, that's enough for today. We made a lot of progress, and things are finally looking up for Wave! Now let's call it quits for the night and we'll meet back here at the same time tomorrow."
The gathering of construction workers and volunteers cheered in exhaustion and satisfaction of a job well done. With the lazy flurry of putting the important things away, covering up the heavier stuff, and gathering together their own personal items, each of the men divided into groups to return to their homes and get a good night's sleep. After a hot shower of course.
Naruto and Tazuna were two of the last ones to leave. The old man had taken it upon himself to see every man under his command off safely, so Naruto took the opportunity to survey the progress they had made. The bridge had been extended at least another three hundred feet. An impressive feat that he hoped would be duplicated the next day.
"Oi, Naruto. You ready to go?"
"Yes, sir."
The boy ran to catch up with the old man, who had already started off on the road that led to his home.
"Then hurry up, I could do with some food. My stomach thinks my throat's been cut."
Naruto laughed and fell into step alongside Tazuna. Neither really spoke on the way home, instead they just reveled in the feeling of satisfaction. Though most of their trip was spent in quiet reflection and was largely inconsequential, something odd did happen. About half way to their destination, they were approached by a rough-looking, hooded man who was looking around anxiously. When Tazuna greeted him, the man shook his head and jerked his thumb towards a dark and abandoned alley. He only looked satisfied when the old man nodded and followed him into the shadows. Once there, the man dropped his hood.
"Tazuna-san, the herald says to prepare, for our time draws near."
The old man's face was alight with dawning excitement and apprehension at the same time.
"Are you sure? Are we even ready? There is still much we need to do and we hardly have enough people on our side to do what must be done."
The messenger glanced back and forth, as though afraid to be overheard, and nodded.
"He says that the one to bring us our victory is already in our midst, and is making the final preparations as we speak!"
The worry Tazuna portrayed disappeared, replaced with a rekindled hope.
"Finally, we are so close to being free from that bastard's rule again! Did he say when this person was going to announce himself to the rebellion?"
"No, only that he would do it when he felt it was time. Until then he will remain undercover and continue to make the final preparations."
"Alright, very well. Thank you for bringing me this message. I know how risky it is for you and your family."
The man stood taller and nodded proudly, though the pain in his face was still obvious as he no doubt thought about whatever family he had waiting for him.
"Yes, it is. But they aren't safe as long as Gato sits on his throne of suffering. The day he is cast down is the day my daughter can grow up safely."
Tazuna took a step forward and placed his hand on the man's shoulder, smiling.
"Words we should all remember, friend. Don't worry, that day is closer than any of us could have hoped. Just stay strong until then, it will be over soon."
That was the last verbal exchange and after a quick handshake, the man had left to return from wherever he had come from. Like his mysterious friend, the aged builder looked around before leaving the dark alley and continuing on his way with Naruto tagging behind.
"Hey Mr. Tazuna, what was that?"
The old man glanced at him like he had forgotten that he was standing there, lost in his thoughts no doubt.
"That? Well... You've probably noticed that the majority of Wave have just given up. They aren't doing anything to fix their situation, instead being content to sit and suffer. That isn't an option for some of us. The rest of the people in this village, mostly younger men and those with families that need protecting, are doing what we can to overthrow Gato."
Naruto saw where this was going, but decided to play along in the hopes of gleaming some extra information that his Masters hadn't told him.
"I see, but Gato has practically unlimited funding and a supposed army of mercenaries supporting him, as well as those ninjas we saw on the way up here."
"I know the situation might seem really bad, but there's an upside. By some miracle we, the rebellion, got a message from someone outside of this village. They said that they have the supplies to help us reclaim our heritage, provided we follow their instructions."
"And they are?"
"Well so far they have been pretty simple. Recruit more people to our cause, meet with someone he sends to relay orders to us as well as drop off supplies. Medical equipment and food mostly, though their have been hints that in the next couple of days a big shipment is supposed to come in with exactly what we will need to take the fight to Gato once and for all."
Naruto nodded, wondering what that last shipment was going to be. Neither Bane nor Kyle had mentioned anything to him about it. And who was this messenger?
"You mentioned a messenger, this 'herald', who is he?"
Tazuna shrugged.
"No one knows, not even the people ordered to meet him. He never calls for the same person twice, and everyone that has met with him give the same details. Long black coat, dark hood, strange mechanical voice, and..."
"And?"
"And glowing yellow eyes. Plus the herald is said to be attracted to violence, as though he is looking forward to the fighting during the uprising. It has been a concern for some of us, but as long as he is on our side I don't see what we have to be worried about."
Naruto had to actively hide his surprise behind a laugh of agreement. Was it possible that HK-47 had been the herald this whole time, and never told him? He was definitely going to have words with the Droid when they got back to Tazuna's house. For some reason, the thought of his second concealing anything from him, even on the orders of his Masters, caused his temper to spike. Strange.
"And what do you think? Are you guys ready to fight?"
Tazuna removed his hat and drug a hand through his hair, accompanied with a grunt.
"To be honest lad, I'm not really sure. It's not like we have a choice of course, but none of us are fighters. We've never really had to train a militia for anything since all the businesses here would hire their own defenses. Still, we are ready to do what we need to when the time comes. For our children, we have to."
Naruto wasn't exactly sure what to say to that. The conviction in the man's voice was all it took to assure him that he wasn't lying. Then and there the young Force user swore to himself that he would do whatever it took to free these people from Gato, even if he had to stay behind after his own team left to return to Konoha. One way or another, these people would be happy again.
The rest of their trip back to Tazuna's home was spent in quiet reflection, both having their own thoughts as eerily similar as they might be. Tazuna was worrying about the future and making plans on who to contact with the news, and Naruto was making a list of questions he was going to ask HK-47. Most importantly, why he hadn't told him what he had been doing in Wave.
XxXxXxX
Team Seven's training seemed to have ended before their work on the bridge, as Sasuke and Sakura was both sitting at the table eating everything within arms reach. Whatever Kakashi had them working on, it must have been tough. Naruto had never seen the Uchiha as enthusiastic as he was about that fried rice.
"Hey Tsunami, we're home!"
"Alright, dinner's ready so go ahead and have a seat, I'll be down in a minute!"
The young woman's voice came from the upstairs bedroom that Kakashi rested in, so it was likely she was helping Kakashi eat. An act both Sasuke and Sakura would agree was entirely unnecessary. The two only spared a quick glance to their returning teammate, opting instead to continue to satiate their aching hunger.
Dinner was a quick affair, though after the team's rush had calmed down they shared the details of their day with quiet 'hnns' of agreement from Sasuke. After a good round of laughs, the four separated for the night, though Naruto stopped Sasuke before he went up to their shared bedroom. HE doubted the boy would still be awake by the time he got through with HK, and he wanted to say it before he forgot in the chaos of what was to come.
"Sasuke, when we get back to Konoha... we need to talk."
"About what, Dobe?"
"A lot of things. Mostly Konoha."
Sasuke shot Naruto a appraising look before nodding slowly. That was the entire conversation, and Sasuke closed the door behind him when he went into the bedroom. That was Sasuke taken care of, for now at least. Now for HK-47. He wasn't looking forward to this.
With Tsunami and Sakura doing dishes and tidying up after dinner, Sasuke already retired for the night, Kakashi laid up upstairs, and Tazuna doing... whatever it was he did, Naruto found it easy to slip out of the house without being noticed. With a secluded destination already in mind, Naruto took off for the dense forest close to the village. With no one around for miles and the sound muffled by the layers of trees and foliage, it was a great place to be in case the conversation got... loud.
XxXxXxX
Nodding in satisfaction at the location he had picked out, Naruto kicked his comm link into action and signaled to HK.
"HK, are you there?"
"Answer : Yes, Master."
"Trace the location of this signature and report here immediately. I want to talk to you."
"Affirmative : Yes, Master. I will be there momentarily."
With the Droid on his way, Naruto took the moment to relax. He hadn't been able to just stop and take a deep breath since the mission began, and he needed it more than he had realized. Slipping into the Force trance that was becoming steadily easier, Naruto tapped into the life energy and enjoyed the feeling of peace that came with it. Though it didn't last for long before he felt the Droid's energy signature fast approaching, the peace and quiet did wonders for his frayed nerves.
"Query : Is there someone you need killed, Master? The annoying pink one, perhaps?"
"No, not right now. I just had some questions."
"Excitement : Ah, so you wish to conduct an interrogation? Excellent. Do not restrain yourself Master. Pain is the only way to extract information, or so I see it."
"Look, when I say I want to ask you some questions, it means I am going to do it without torturing you."
"Resignation : *Sigh* Very well, Master."
"Good, now why don't you explain to me why you thought it was a good idea to hide the fact that you have been giving the rebellion orders?"
"Surprised Response : Uhm... err... How did you find out about that, Master?"
"I asked around, and there has been a messenger from Master Bane or Kyle that refers to himself as the 'herald'. Now I'll ask you again. Why did you hide that from me?"
"Answer : Well... Master Bane ordered me to hide it from you until you found out yourself. When you did, I was to give you all the information I had about the situation here, as well as call for the last batch of supplies to be dropped off. Excuse : It was his order, you see!"
"You know what? I don't care. From now on you will listen to Bane's orders and follow them through unless they counteract with mine. You serve me now Droid, not both of us. Do you understand me?"
A small part of Naruto's mind, the part some called 'self-preservation' was going nuts. Screaming that he was an idiot for saying those things to a highly efficient killing machine. As well as one that belonged to the man who had taken him in and given him things he had almost given up dreaming for. But while those thoughts were raging, another part of him was calm and steady. A darker place that told him to stand his ground and to make the Droid fall at his feet, just like all others who would come to stand before him. With that voice came a flash of an image, of a tattered cloak, gnarled hands and a yellow smile. Despite knowing the danger that lay behind that voice, Naruto had no intentions of drowning it out. At least, not yet. Right now he was welcoming his inner darkness.
"Proud Acknowledgment : Yes, Master. I am yours alone to command. Admittance : You make me proud to serve."
"Remember that, the next time you think to betray me. Now, what supplies were going to be delivered once I approached you?"
"Recitation : The supplies included a large number of suits of combat armor and vibroswords. Also, some stimulants were to be added along with them to give the rebellion the edge they might and most probably will need during the fighting."
"Alright. You will send word for the supplies to be delivered, When they are, you will distribute them to the rebellion in whatever way you already had planned. While you do that, inform them that they are to wait until they get the signal, and then they are to start the attack on Gato's fortress."
"Affirmative : Yes Master. Query : Is there anything else you are going to require from the Base?"
Naruto thought about it for a moment, then grinned cruelly.
"Yeah, bring Alpha and Omega with you. I think they would want to be a part of this."
HK's eyes lit up with excitement and he nodded before taking off into the night, eager to start the slaughter that was to come. It had been far too long since he had killed, and he missed it so.
Naruto meanwhile, watched his companion go, leaving him in the silent darkness of the forest. While examining his environment, he noticed that it was the perfect place to practice on his meditation for a little while. He had some things he wanted to think about after all.
As he sank into the trance of life, he heard a now-familiar voice laughing.
"Ah, and so the prodigious student returns."
A/N : Well, as promised here is Chapter Ten. Well before Thanksgiving as well, I surprise even myself! Things are starting to heat up for the situation in Wave. The rebels are getting ready and HK is getting restless, which is never a good thing.
As many of you have noticed, Naruto is starting to exhibit signs of a lurking darkness within himself. Is this only the influence of the pure dark energy that is the Kyuubi? Or is it something more sinister that lies in Naruto's heart himself? Only time will reveal these truths. Until then, I hope you enjoyed this latest installment and please, don't be a stranger.
Shout-out to my Beta-Reader PheonixMasterOfTheSevenSwords. I appreciate your help, D-bag!
Stay Frosty...
- Nikolai Carpathia