010
"Um...where exactly are we going?" Sakura asked as she took in her surroundings.
"You want to eat right? We have to stop and pick up some things for dinner." Tazuna said indifferently as he walked down the road.
"Doesn't look like there's much to "pick up" around here..." Zero Two commented.
Currently, the three of them were making their way through Tazuna's village. The sun was just beginning to dip below the horizon, casting an orange glow across the land. Tazuna had been working on his bridge all day while the two pink-haired girls had been assigned to guard him. Kakashi was busy training Naruto and Sasuke so it was up to the kunoichi to keep the bridge builder safe from harm.
It had been five days now since their encounter with Zabuza and their arrival in the Wave Village. With the threat of the Swordsman still out there, Kakashi had subjected his students to some last minute training to better prepare for their next encounter. For Naruto, he had the blond working to split a boulder using nothing but his wind chakra. Naruto had been able to easily accomplish such a task with a small pebble but an object of greater mass proved to be more difficult. As for Sasuke, Kakashi had him working on improving his proficiency with his Sharingan. So he had Naruto summon a bunch of shadow clones to surround the Uchiha and bombard him with blunted kunai. This would work to sharpen the boy's reflexes while at the same time heightening his speed. Naruto was a bit too eager to help out his raven-haired teammate. Lastly, there was Sakura, who was continuing to work with Zero Two to improve her taijutsu. Kakashi had set it up so that they would work in rotations, with one pair guarding Tazuna for the day and while the other trained with Kakashi.
Tazuna led the two girls into a small shack where he offered a small wave to the owner. "I'll take the usual."
"Sure thing Tazuna-san. How are things at home?"
"Oh you know...same old, same old."
As Tazuna chatted with the man, Sakura looked around the small hut with a somber expression. 'How can someone call this a shop...?' The shelves barren, save for a few vegetables, which were too dry and shriveled up to provide much of a proper meal. She felt a slight brush across her backside and a chill raced up her spine. Sakura spun on her heels and caught sight of a man reaching for the pack strapped across her waist. "You pervert!"
"Wait no!" the man brought up his hands in defense. "It's not what you thi-"
"Shannarō!"
Sakura drove her fist into the man's face and sent him reeling, causing Zero Two to let out a low whistle. "I think he went a good ten meters. Impressive," she commented at the fuming pinkette's display. She felt a tug on her bow and glanced down to see a small child. He had a tangled mop of messy brown hair that reminded her of Naruto's own.
"May I...please?" he asked timidly, gesturing towards the box of pocky in her hand.
"Well aren't you precious," Zero Two smiled. "I don't see why not." She pulled out a wafer from the small container and handed it to the boy. His face lit up with a smile, causing the rosette to mirror his expression.
"Thank you very much ma'am!"
"Oh please, you're making me feel old," Zero Two said as she ruffled his hair. "Now run along," she ushered the boy away. He flashed one last toothy grin before disappearing into a nearby alley.
"This is how it's been ever since Gato showed up..."
Zero Two's head craned ans she saw Tazuna standing beside her, a bleak expression etched onto his withered face. "The children suffer and the adults are too afraid to stand up to him. That's why we have to finish the bridge. It will bring commerce and trade back to this land. But most important of all, it'll become a symbol of courage; One that will restore the spirit of our people," he said resolutely.
"If we can just complete the bridge...this town will finally return to how it one was. And then...just maybe...everyone will start to come back..."
"I see..." Zero Two nodded. In this moment, Tazuna reminded her a lot of Naruto. He was willing to put his life on the line for his ideals and the people he cared about. Even going as far as to request aid from a shinobi village under false pretenses. Tazuna was rough around the edges and an ornery drunkard, but he cared greatly about his loved ones and for that she could at least respect his resolve. "You know, for a sleezy drunk, you're not so bad old man."
"Hey! What's that su-"
"Make sure you finish it."
"Huh?"
"The bridge," Zero Two clarified. "We'll keep Gato and his goons off your back so make sure you finish it. Just don't go having a heart attack on us," She said dismissively before walking away.
"Honestly..." Tazuna smiled as she shook his head. "Kids these days have no respect for their elders."
"Actually, Zero Two doesn't have much respect for anyone really. Except maybe Naruto," Sakura laughed. "Zero Two is carefree, smug, and extremely self-confident. She hardly concerns herself with the welfare of others so take her words as a sign of good faith. Suppose we have Naruto to thank for that. You know, the blond one with-"
"I know, I know!" Tazuna'a shoulders sank as he let out a tired sigh. They certainly were set on making sure he didn't live down the remark he made against their teammate. "Let's just get back home already. I don't know about you but I'm starving."
"I er...I apologize for their lack of manners..."
"No, no, it's fine really," Tazuna wave his hands. "It's been quite some time since we've had such a big meal with guests over. It's actually rather fun."
His words didn't do much to change the clearly embarrassed Kakashi's crestfallen expression. They were currently huddled around a small table in the bridge builder's home eating a modest meal prepared by Tsunami, his daughter. Naruto and Sasuke, in their typical exuberance , were scarfing down their food in the most unholiest of fashions. Zero Two, unsurprisingly, had brought a jar full of honey and used it to drench her own plate. The only one of his students that was showing any form of decency was Sakura, who was already done eating.
"Seconds please!"
Naruto and Sasuke, having spoke at the same time, glared at one another. The tension between them was so thick Kakashi could've sworn he saw sparks shooting from their eyes. That was until they both visibly gagged and their faces drained of all color. Both boys brought a hand to their mouths before doubling over and expelling the contents of their stomachs onto the floor. Kakashi sighed once more but before he could say anything, an irate Sakura appeared between the two males and smacked their heads together, eliciting a chortle out of Zero Two.
"Don't eat so much if you're just going to spit it back up!"
"Ha! You get a pass this time Pinky because it was funny. I didn't think you had it in you to put hands on Prince Angst. It's only a matter of time until you're feeling him up!" Zero Two leered. It wasn't until that moment that Sakura's mind began to process exactly what she had just done. Her eyes shot back and forth between the groaning duo before finally resting on Sasuke. The pinkette's face was slowly tinted every known shade of red and she started babbling incoherently.
"I need the energy so I can go right back to training," Naruto groaned as she slowly sat back up in his chair. "It's only a matter of time before I leave Sasuke in the dust!"
"Like that would ever happen you brain dead loser!"
"I'll smack you down right now!"
"I'd like to see you try!"
"You're all just gonna die anyway!"
The room fell silent and all eyes turned to the smallest occupant. It was a young boy with black, spiky hair clad in a green jumpsuit with a yellow shirt and a simple pair of sandals.
"Inari!" Tsunami snapped at the boy. "Don't talk to our guests like that!"
"Well it's true! All of this training they're doing won't make a difference. Anyone who stands in Gato's way is just gonna die! That's what happens when you try to play hero," the boy yelled.
"Well I don't know about heroes, but I think we're more than enough to put a stop to that bastard's operation," Naruto countered.
"Gato has a whole army! They'll beat you down and destroy you!" Inari snarled. "No matter how cool you think you are or however much effort you put forth, it doesn't mean anything. The strong always win and the weak always lose!"
Naruto stared at the younger boy, watching as sadness beset in his eyes. The night before Tazuna had filled them in on their family's troubled past. A few years prior, there was a traveling fisherman by the name of Kaiza that saved Inari from drowning one day. Having never knew his biological father, the boy immediately took a liking to the man and Kaiza took a fatherly role in Inari's life, even becaming close to Tsunami and eventually marrying her. He also saved the town during a flood once and became known as a hero to the people. When Gatō took over the Land of Waves, Kaiza tried to stop him, but Gatō decided to use the man to scare anyone who hoped to stand against him. His bodyguards cut off Kaiza's arms and executed him in public, scaring Inari, who could only watch on helplessly. According to Tazuna, the death of his father had affected him immensely. He became sad and angry boy, with little hope or optimism. He blamed Kaiza for what had happened, believing that he, in dying, had broken his promise to protect the land.
"Tch...speak for yourself kid. I'm not like you," Naruto turned away from the boy, waving his hand dismissively.
"Just shut up already! Looking at you makes me sick!"
"Nothing I haven't heard before."
"All you do is sit around, laughing and goofing off. What do you know about pain and suffering?!" Inari berated the older boy. His eyes were beginning to moisten as tears threatened to spill over.
Zero Two was about to say something but Naruto help his hand up in response, prompting the rosette to stare at her beloved incredulously. Without his headband to hold his hair in place, it fell over his face, shrouding his eyes. "He's right y'know. Someone like me couldn't possibly understand," Naruto chuckled dryly. He rose out of his chair and calmly set his utensils down on the table before turning to leave. "I gotta get back to training."
"Darling wai-"
Naruto flickered away, leaving Zero Two's words to fall on deaf ears. Her eyes turned to Inari, bearing down on the whimpering boy with a piercing gaze. "Oi...brat. The world doesn't revolve around you y'know. We didn't come here to take part in your pity party."
"What did you say?!"
"Look at you, whining and sniveling like some hapless victim. You can just sit around waiting for death like the coward you are!" the rosette barked.
"Zero Two!" Sakura snapped at her teammate. "What is wrong with you?! You can't say something like that to a little kid!"
"Tch...whatever." the horned girl scoffed. "He wants to talk like a man then I'll treat him like one. I have to go find my Darling," she sneered before teleporting away. At the same time, Inari jumped out of his seat and ran out of the room, tears flowing freely from his eyes. Tazuna sighed heavily as he watched Tsunami chased after her son.
"Well then...all good things must come to an end I suppose," he said solemnly as he poured himself another drink. "I apologize for my grandson. It's just with the way things have been lately, everyone has given up hope. The others share his sentiment as well. But it only a matter of time. I just need a few more days and the bridge will be complete..."
"Not to worry Tazuna-san," Kakashi reassured him. "We will keep you safe from harm until then."
"You know...I've been meaning to ask for a while now. Why exactly did you stay?" Tazuna queried, prompting the ashen-haired man to raise an eyebrow.
"Hm?"
"I lied to you about the mission, and yet you decided to still help us. Why?"
"It's simple really," Kakashi shrugged. "Those who stray from the path of justice have no courage. But under the wing of a strong leader, cowardice can not survive." His words left the elderly man puzzled.
"huh?"
"It's a teaching from the First Hokage." Kakashi clarified. "And while I'm at it, please accept an apology on the behalf of my students. It would seem your grandson's words resonated with them, unfavorably so I'm afraid."
"What do you mean Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura inquired, her interest piqued.
"You see, Naruto and Zero two were a lot like Inari growing up. They never had a father, or a mother for that matter. They didn't really have any friends either. They were completely alone until they found one another, and even that didn't last long. Until just last month, they had been forcibly separated for almost a decade."
"That...that sounds aweful," Sakura gasped, bringing a hand to her mouth. Tazuna's eyes widened in surprise while Sasuke gave no outward reaction.
"However, I've never seen either of them sulk, be timid, or cry about their circumstances," "Kakashi continued. "Naruto is always eager, wanting to be acknowledged by someone. For reasons beyond his control, He's not the most well liked person in our village and his dream is to be respected by all. Something I'm willing to bet he'd even risk his life for. Zero Two, on the other hand, cares nothing for the sort. She wants acceptance from the person she admires most in the world, Naruto himself. I dare say she would do anything for his sake. All those years apart, he was the catalyst that drove a meek little girl into becoming the strong and proud warrior you see today."
"It...certainly sounds like they've been through a lot," Tazuna commented.
"I'll say..." Sakura breathed out.
"She might still be young, but Zero Two knows what it means to truly be strong. My guess is, she finally grew tired of crying and decided to do something about it. Her words, harsh as they were, is probably something she's told herself over and over again in the past." Kakashi reasoned. "But don't let her brash exterior fool you, she's got a kind heart. Something no doubt we have our resident knuckle-headed ninja to thank for," he chuckled.
"What do you mean for reasons beyond his control?" Sasuke suddenly spoke up. When he thought about it, all of the adult in the village seemed to resent Naruto for some reason or another. He had noticed it a couple times before throughout the years, but always attributed it to the blonde just being a pain in the ass and annoying everyone. But his sensei's words made him believe differently now.
'Tch...leave it to Sasuke to catch on. I really need to be more careful with my words,' Kakashi mentally cursed himself. The young Uchiha was shaping up to be just as sharp as his brother. "I am not at liberty to say. If Naruto chooses to disclose such information to you then I can't stop him."
"I see..." Sasuke replied evenly. Now he was certain that there was more to his blonde-haired teammate than meets the eyes. Naruto might be a nuisance at times, but nothing about the boy made him out to be as evil as everyone seemed to think he is. He stood up slowly and made his way towards the backdoor. "I'm going for a walk."
Naruto quietly made his way through the dark forest, his hands nestled away in the pockets of his jacket. Kakashi's training from earlier that day had left him worn out but after hearing Inari's words, he couldn't possibly sit still now. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't fault the kid for feeling that way. He'd been there himself after all. The only difference though was that he actually had the power to make a stand. He'd given up crying a long time ago and had promised to never let himself feel helpless like that ever again. 'Just you wait...next time I see Zabuza I'll kick his ass for sure. Then we'll drive Gato and his goon out of this country for good!'
The blonde pushed through the bushes and found himself in a small clearing, though he was not alone. There was a girl, around his age if he had to guess, kneeling down in a patch of flowers. She had long, silky black hair that was draped loosely over her shoulders. She wore a pink, sleeveless kimono, with pale red edges and decorated with small plum-coloured swirls. Around her waist was a simple white obi tied in a bow, and her feet were covered by a pair of light brown sandals with dark straps. Upon hearing Naruto emerge from the trees, she froze in fear. This prompted the blond to wave his hands in a placid manner.
"Whoa there! Didn't mean to scare you miss. Wasn't expecting to see anyone else out at such a late hour."
"I'm gathering herbs..." The girl spoke, eyeing him cautiously.
"Herbs?" It was then he noticed the small woven basket sitting beside her.
"Yes. For healing injuries and such."
"Is someone in trouble?" Naruto inquired.
"Not anymore. My father was attacked by a group of rogue ninjas a few days ago. I came to gather more herbs to help with his recovery," she explained.
"That sounds terrible...do you need any help?" the blonde queried.
"No thank you, I'm just about done actually." the girl declined.
"Well...need someone to walk you home? It must be awfully dangerous around these parts, especially at this hour. You could get hurt."
"Shouldn't you be more concerned with yourself?"
"Me? I'll be fine," Naruto waved dismissively. "I'm just finishing up some training."
"Hmm..." the girl's head tilted to the side. "Could it be that...you're a ninja or something? or is that headband just a fashion statement?" she gestured to the strip of cloth handing out of the blond's pocket.
"Oh you noticed that?" Naruto said as he pulled his headband out. "Yup, I'm a ninja alright. The coolest one around!" he grinned.
"Oh wow! you must be really great then," the girl exclaimed.
"Weeellll...I'm don't mean to toot my own horn, but I am pretty awesome," the blonde rubbed his nose haughtily.
"If that's the case...why are you training then?" the girl asked.
"To get stronger of course." Naruto replied, as if it were the most well known fact in the world.
"You look pretty strong enough to me," The girl tiled her head once more, earning a small blush from the intrepid boy.
"I wish! I still have along way so go. I have to keep practicing until I get even stronger!" Naruto pumped his fist in excitement.
"But why is it so important to you?"
"Y'know...had someone asked me that a month ago I would've told them so that I could become Hokage. It's been my dream ever since I was little." The blonde said sheepishly as he scratched the back of his head. "But things have...changed. Someone came into my life and I want to protect them, no matter the costs."
"This person sounds quite precious to you," the girl commented.
"That she is!" Naruto beamed as a cheesy grin split his features. "She's amazing and super strong in her own right, even more so than me. But she's always fawning over and trying to protect me though. Makes me feel pretty pathetic at times honestly...I should be the one protecting her y'know."
"Well it shouldn't. Whenever someone has something precious to them that they want to protect, their true strength emerges." The girl replied sagely. "Perhaps you love her just as much as she loves you."
"Huh...guess I never thought about it like that," Naruto said blankly as he began to reminisce on his time spent with his girlfriend. They had only been reunited for quite sometime now. Even if he couldn't remember their past together, he treasured every moment spent alongside the excitable girl.
"You were amazing Darling~!"
"Neh, neh, Darling, can we stop and get some dango? Pleeeeease~!
"All's fair in love and war Darling~!"
'Love huh?' The blonde pondered the thought.
"Darling~!"
He'd grown so used to having Zero Two in his life now. She was the first person to ever acknowledge him. She wasn't afraid of him and where others bore down on him with hatred and scorn, she showered him with praises and affection. She was always pushing him to improve and better himself. He couldn't possibly imagine life without her now. The very thought made his heart ache.
"Daahliiiiing~!"
Hell, even now he could practically hear her calling out to him in her usual infantile, saccharine tone.
'Maybe she has a p-'
His thought was cut short by an incredible force slamming into him. "Gah!" Naruto grunted in pain, crashing unceremoniously into the dirt. The blonde was left momentarily disoriented from the sudden impact. It didn't take him long to to regain his bearings and he finally noticed the weight on his chest. He look up to see the subject of his most recent contemplation. She was straddling his waist with her arms folded across her chest, bearing down on the blond with a surly expression.
"Eh?! What the hell Zero Two?!"
"Don't give me that! You ran off and left me with those deadbeats!" The rosette huffed.
"You didn't have to crash into me y'know!"
"How else would I show my love for you?!"
"I don't know, like a normal person!"
"But that's so boooring!"
Their lover's quarrel was interrupted by the sound of giggling, drawing the attention of both teens. They turned to see the girl covering her mouth in an effort to hide her amusement. "This is the girl I presume. You two certainly seem made for one another."
"Neh Darling...Who is that?"
Naruto felt his blood run cold. Zero Two's tone was dead and she was staring at the other girl with a blank expression. "I don't know, I swear!" Naruto quickly waved his hands. It would mean bad news for that girl, and more importantly himself, if his girlfriend got the wrong idea. "She's just someone I bumped into on my way to go train."
Zero Two's eyes slowly shifted between the two before finally settling on the girl. "He's mine already so go find your own." She glared.
This elicited another giggle from the girl. "You have nothing to worry about, I promise," she said before standing up. She reached down to collect her basket and turned to leave, but not before sparing one final glance over her shoulder at the couple. "I am a guy after all."
"Eh?!" Naruto stared speechlessly.
"EEHH?!" Zero Two parroted, equally perplexed.
Satisfied with their disbelieving expression, the boy took his leave. 'Oh god...Why the hell was he so pretty?!' Naruto gagged at the thought. His relection was cut short when Zero Two swatted him on the arm.
"So you're into guys now is that it? I'm not enough for you?" She huffed, turning her nose up at the blonde.
"Whaaaat?!" Naruto coughed. "You know what...I'm not even going to give you the pleasure," he replied, causing the girl to pout.
"You're no fun Darling," Zero Two whined.
"What are you doing here anyway?" The blonde queried.
Zero Two's head tilted slightly as she stared down at the boy. "Do I need a reason to come see my beloved?"
"Er...well...no, I guess not," Naruto chuckled.
"Exactly. So try looking more excited to see me next time," she poked him in the chest.
"Alright, Alright," Naruto relented. "But could you at least let me up?"
"But you make such a wonderful cushion y'know."
"Zero Two."
"Fiiiine."
Zero Two slowly removed herself from the blonde's lap and sat down next to him. Naruto sat upright and stretched his arms over his head in an effort to soothe the knots forming in his back. "You really are gonna be the death of me someday y'know."
"You big baby," The rosette slapped his arm playfully. "But seriously Darling, are you okay?" She asked in a much more anxious tone.
"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" The blonde's eyebrow rose in confusion.
"Because of what that kid said. I mean who does that brat think he is!" Zero Two huffed in annoyance.
"Oh that? I mean sure I was annoyed at first, but I'm over it now. Besides you said it yourself, he's just a kid y'know" Naruto spoke plainly.
"You're too nice for your own good Darling."
"And you're too vindictive."
"Well one of us has to be!"
The two stared at one another before bursting into laughter. It was moments like these that Naruto came to cherish. Right now they weren't ninja carrying out a mission or fighting for the sake of their nation's honor. They were simply just a boy and a girl indulging in each other's company.
Zero Two's laughter died down to a low giggle when she notice her beloved staring at her intently. "What? Is there something on my face?"
"Nope, nothing at all," Naruto responded coolly.
"Well stop staring then. You know it makes me uncomfortable," she shoved his arm.
"I was just admiring how beautiful you are."
Zero Two's entire face was now tinted the same rosy shade as her her and a small smile lit up her features. "I take it back. I permit you to stare as long as you like~!" The rosette beamed as she clung to his arm, nuzzling her head against his shoulder.
"God you're so vain," Naruto rolled his eyes, doing his best to fight back a smile and failing miserably.
"Well I'm allowed to be. Im a princess after all~!"
"Yes, yes, the fairest in all of the land."
"And don't you forget it!"
"You're gonna stop calling me a noble steed too. I'm not a taxi y'know!" Naruto grumbled.
"Neh Darling."
Zero Two had snuggled even even closer to his side which made the blonde wary. He glanced down at his companion, eyeing her suspiciously "What is it now?" He was caught by surprise when she shot forward, taking hold of his lips with her own. Naruto couldn't help but gasp at the sudden contact and Zero Two pulled away just as fast as she came.
"You'll always be my hero."
The blonde was at a loss for words as he stared down at the horned girl. Her beryl eyes reflected the silvery light of the moon, making them sparkle with an even greater luster than before and she was flashing him a wide, toothy smile, one that she reserved only for him. At that moment, she couldn't have possible looked more beautiful. "T-There go trying to butter me up again," The blonde stammered. He turned his nose up at the girl in an effort to hide his reddening face but it only made her smirk victoriously. "Don't think it'll save you. I haven't forgot how you cheated in our race the other day," he grumbled.
"Oh you are such a baby Darling," Zero Two giggled. "But I'll take you down any time y'know."
"That a challenge?"
"No, it's a fact."
The two locked gazes briefly before splitting apart in a flash of moment. They reappeared a few meters apart with both settling into exaggerated fighting stances.
"Surrender now. Show you mercy I shall," Naruto spoke with a mocking, low-pitched tone.
"Ohohohohoho~!" Zero Two let out an obnoxious, hearty laugh as she brought a hand to her chin. "You think you stand a chance? Very well, I shall instill discipline in you my love."
"Foolish you are. Saved you can not be. Death awaits!"
"Oh I love it when you talk dirty to me~!"
The callow adolescents began to engage in a frivolous spar, completely ignorant of the smirking figure that was hiding in the shadows making its departure.
"Alright you guys, line up."
Kakashi watched his team groggily assemble in front of Tazuna's house. The lax Naruto stood in a slouched stance, struggling to keep his eyes open. Zero Two was beside him, hanging off of his shoulder in an effort to keep herself up right. The two had stayed out until the early morning and were only able to get an hour of sleep. Sasuke had returned late as well and seemed to be in no better condition than the normally excitable couple. Sakura was the most well rested out of all of them and even she looked drained.
"Starting today we're all going to be guarding Tazuna-san as a team," Kakashi instructed.
"Why are we up so early?" Zero Two whined.
"Yeah the sun's barely even out y'know!" Naruto complained.
"The early bird gets the worm," came a voice behind them. The genin all turned to see Tazuna emerging from the house. "Besides, the more hours of sunlight we have, the more work we can get done and the faster we can complete the bridge."
"Tazuna-san makes a great point. So I need everyone in top form today. Put your game faces on everyone," Kakashi clapped his hands together, flashing a signature eye smile at his charges, evoking a chorus of groans from the juveniles. Zero Two even went as far to pull her eyelid down and blow a raspberry at the jōnin.
"I thought old people were supposed to be all decrepit and lacking in energy," Naruto grumbled. A swift smack to the head courtesy of Tazuna shut the cheeky blond up.
"This "old" man has more than enough fight in him."
The entire group shared a laugh at the blond's expense until Kakashi managed to reign them all back in. "Alright, alright, saddle up everyone. You know the drill: eyes up and ears open. Make no mistake, our enemy is out there and could attack at any time so we must be ever vigilant."
"Yes sir," came another echoes of groans.
As the silver-haired man watched his team move out, he couldn't help but feel a sense of dread rising within himself. 'I have a bad feeling about today...'
"What...what's going on here?"
Tazuna along with the others stared in horror at the sight before them. They had arrived at the bridge only to find it in a state of chaos. The entire platform was bathed in blood with bodies and appendages strewn haphazardly all over the place. A heavy fog began to roll across the bridge, alerting the ninjas in the group. "Everyone form up!" Kakashi commanded. The four teens immediately surrounded Tazuna and took up defensive stances. Zero Two quickly summoned Strelitzia while Naruto and Sasuke drew their swords. "Our enemy is making their move."
"Neh this mist... it's Zabuza again isn't it Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura inquired. Jade eyes stared out into the brume, scanning carefully for any signs of movement.
"Sorry to keep you waiting Kakashi..." a disembodied voice rang out around them. There was a flash of movement and eight Zabazas appeared around the group with their swords drawn, surprising the Leaf-nins. "I see you still have those brats with you. Look, the blond one is even trembling." True to Mist-nin's word, Naruto's hands were shaking. But what the man couldn't see was the impish grin settling on to the boy's face.
"But of course I am. How could I not be," Naruto chuckled. "I'm getting excited over here y'know!" He turned to his sensei, who gave the boy a knowing smirk.
"Alright then. I leave it to you Naruto."
"Ha alright! I'll cut them down to size!" Naruto exclaimed. He dropped his stance and held his sword at shoulder level, pointing it at one of the clones.
"Ko Gasumi No Kamae huh?" Zabuza's voice echoed out again. "Even that stance won't save you from death!" Intent on make an example of the boy, all eight clones converged on Naruto
"Heh, this one outta make Yugao-nee proud," he said to himself. A gale suddenly surged around the blond whilst his blade glistened with a layer of chakra. "Secret Sword: Moonlight!"
"Too late brat! Now Die!" The clones all swung simultaneously, crashing their massive swords onto the defensive Naruto. What they hadn't counted on was their weapons passing through the boy. Naruto's form shimmered before slowly fading away. 'An afterimage?!' Before any of the doppelgangers could react, they were all decapitated. The chakra keeping them together dispersed, causing them to burst and the water that gave them shape sloshed to the ground. Naruto phased into sight a moment later with his sword resting on his shoulder.
"Heh, that trick of yours is getting pretty old y'know!"
"Oh? So he managed to stop all of my clones huh?" The mist began to clear up slightly and revealed the real Zabuza standing not to far away from them group, but he wasn't alone. Beside him stood a young person, most likely in their early teens. They wore a light-brown pinstriped outfit that was standard of Hidden Mist ninja that stopped at their knees. Over this they wore a green haori with white trimmings and a brown sash with a fringed trail wrapped around their waist twice. They also wore light-brown platoon sandals with straps in the same colour as the kimono as well as the nail polish coating their fingernails and toenails. Their hair was gathered in a white bun holder, while two locks of his hair fell loose framing their face, bound with metal hair cuffs at the ends. Lastly was the hunter-nin mask covering the person's face. It was white with thin, curved eye-holes and a red wavy design in place of the mouth, as well as the Kirigakure symbol etched in the top.
"You might even have a worthy rival now Haku," Zabuza nodded to his androgynous companion with a smirk.
"So it would seem..." Haku replied in a soft masculine voice, revealing himself to be male.
"Well it would seem that my prediction was right on the money," Kakashi stepped forward.
"Prediction you say?" Zabuza's eyebrow rose.
"Indeed. You forget these "brats" are the same ones that left you knocking on death's door just a week ago. There was no way possible you could've gotten away unless you had an accomplice," The cyclops jōnin casually pointed out, earning a growl from the swordsman.
"Be that as it may, they're still no match for Haku. You should have cut them loose when you still had the chance," Zabuza retorted.
"Tch...this guy never shuts up does he? He's almost as bad as Naruto" Sasuke clicked his teeth.
Naruto grinned as he shrugged the stiffness out of his shoulders. "Heh, We'll just have to kick his ass again- Oi!"
"They certainly are spirited youths." Haku spoke up once more. "Even though those water clones only have a tenth of the original's strength, he took them out effortlessly."
"Be that as it may...you've already made the preemptive move. Finish it," Zabuza commanded.
"Right." Haku took a hard step forward and started to spin on his heel, confusing the leaf-nin. The masked boy began to steadily pick up speed as he advanced toward his targets.
"Alright, things are finally starting to pick up!" Naruto proclaimed excitedly. He moved to intercept, only to be pushed aside. Naruto quickly recovered and his eyes flashed to Sasuke looking back over his shoulder, a smug grin marring his features.
"You're in the way loser."
Naruto's eye twitched slightly as he stared at the raven-haired boy's back. "Goddamn it Sasuke I swear I'm going to beat you like a fucking taiko drum y'know!" the blonde cursed before chasing after his teammate.
Sasuke ignored the curses being thrown at him and readied his sword. His Sharingan spun to life as he drew closer to the gyrating Haku, analyzing the boy's posture for an opening. With a smirk, the Uchiha flourished his blade and lashed out. It collided with the senbon Haku held in his hand, completely negating his momentum and surprising the boy. "Heh...you're slower than you look."
"Out of the way pretty boy, this guy is mine!" Naruto barked as he flipped over Sasuke's head, aiming to take out his opponent with an axe kick. Haku pushed away from the duo and slid backwards to a safe distance.
"Oh man there's no way I'm missing out on this action y'know!" Zero Two proclaimed, readying her weapon.
"No," Kakashi put his hand out in front of her. "Let Naruto and Sasuke handle this. You and Sakura form up around Tazuna and stick close to me."
"Whaaaaaat?" the horned girl whined. "But that's boring y'kno-"
"I'm counting on you Zero Two."
The rosette was caught off-guard and left stunned by his words. Her response came in the form of a scoff as she turned away from the older ninja in order to hide the faint blush creeping onto her cheeks. "Alright I got it..."
Naruto and Sasuke pressed on with their two-fold attack. The boys rained down steel on Haku, assaulting him with a barrage of blows from every direction. Kakashi was amazed that the young mist-nin was able to defend himself against such an onslaught. It spoke volumes of his speed, dexterity, and skill. 'This kid is dangerous. Naruto and Sasuke need to keep their wits about them or this fight could turn fatal at any second,' the ashen-haired man thought grimly.
Naruto sliced at Haku's side but the attack was easily deflected. Haku flared his chakra, causing the puddles around him to freeze over. "Eh?!" Naruto cried out as he helpless slid towards the railing that lined the bridge. The ice user quickly turned around to block the sword aiming for his neck. Sasuke's eyes narrowed when we found himself locked in a stalemate.
"I'm nothing like that loser. Your cheap tricks wont work on me."
"I don't want to have to kill either of you..." Haku said in a low voice. "It would be best for you both to just stand down."
"Nonsense," Sasuke snorted at the thought. He had promised himself long ago that he would never run away again.
"I figured as much. Just know that from now on you won't be able to keep up with my speed. I've already made two preemptive moves," Haku spoke once more.
"Is that so?"
"The first is the water scattered all over the ground. The second was blocking one of your hands," Haku enlightened the Uchiha. "Now let's see if you can defend against my attack." Using his free hand, the older boy began rapidly forming hand signs, much to leaf-nins' surprise.
'One hand?! there's no way in h-'
"Secret Technique: A Thousand Needles of Death!"
Sasuke's thought was cut short when his adversary suddenly stomped his foot down. The large puddle of water beneath them rose into the air around them and the droplets formed into sharp needles. Haku pushed away from Sasuke and directed the myriad of needles towards the defenseless Uchiha. But he was put off by the boy's presumptuous leer, which was further enhanced by his glowing dojutsu. Time seemed to slow down for the raven-haired boy as the chiliad of projectiles converged on him. Sasuke began channeling chakra throughout his entire body and spun his blade into a reverse grip. 'I can see it!'
Haku stared in bewilderment as he watched Sasuke's body seemingly blur out of existence and deflect all of the needles. Even Zabuza was left astonished by the display of speed. 'To be able to keep up with Haku's speed is one thing, but this is inconceivable!' He was starting to realize just how dangerous of a technique the Sharingan really was. The ice user was too distracted by the spectacle to notice the figure approaching from behind.
"You didn't forget about little ole me did you?"
Haku's eyes widened beneath his mask and felt a sharp pain across his lower back. Naruto had reinforced his leg with chakra and sent the unsuspecting mist-nin flying with a spinning back kick. Haku grunted in pain as he sailed through the air. It felt as if his back was broken and it most likely would have been had he not been able to coat his skin with a layer of ice. He moved to right himself mid-flight only for Sasuke to appear behind him.
"Now let's see you defend against this!" He intercepted the mist-nin with a spinning roundhouse that sent him flying back towards the ground. "Naruto!" He called out to the blond before running through a series of hand signs. The blond immediately picked up on his intentions and began forming hand signs of his one.
"Fire-Style: Dragon Falme Bullet!"
"Wind-Style: Unrelenting Force!"
A flaming dragon exploded from Sasuke while Naruto spit out a violent gale. Haku watched as the massive elemental projectiles closed in on him at breakneck speeds. 'It seems I've underestimated them too much. I'll have to start getting serious.' The two jutsu slammed into Haku, trapping the boy as they coalesced into a single massive fireball and exploded in a dazzling display. Sasuke landed beside Naruto and the two bumped fists whilst admiring their handiwork. That was at least until the smoke cleared an revealed a block of ice. Given its rectangular shape and reflective surface, it was more akin to a mirror.
The many puddles of water lining the surface of bridge sprang into the air around Naruto and Sasuke, casuing both boys to take up defensive stances. A second block of ice similar to the first began to take shape, followed shortly after by a third. In mere seconds the ice mirrors formed a dome around the two genins, trapping them inside. Sasuke glanced around and counted twenty-one in total. Twelve remained at ground level, eight floated just above them angled downwards, and the final one was above the rest facing parallel the ground.
"What the hell is this?" Naruto eyed the mirrors suspiciously.
"Nothing good that's for certain," Sasuke scoffed.
"This is your downfall." Haku appeared in the mirror just in front of them, alarming both boys. "Now that you're imprisoned inside of my Crystal Ice Mirrors, your only escape will be death." Soon after the ice user's visage appeared in all of the mirrors, each armed with a hand full of senbon.
"That can't be good y'know..."
"And now I shall show you true speed."
Sasuke noticed a glint in his peripherals and quickly spun his blade, knocking away a senbon needle. Almost immediately after, he felt something sharp tear across his abdomen. Naruto let out a pained grunted after another volley sank into his back. In an instant the air inside the down was filled with needles. The duplicates were all attacking at once, pelting the leaf-nins with senbon. Naruto and Sasuke stood back to back, deflecting what needles they could using their swords but there were just too many. Haku continued on relentlessly with his assault, slowly turning his opponents into pin cushions.
Upon hearing both boys scream, Zabuza couldn't help but chuckle.
"Neh Kakashi...those boys are done for now since that jutsu has appeared."
Kakashi tried his best to ignore the swordsman's taunt but he was actually starting to get worried now. 'This isn't good...He's on a completely different level than before. And that jutsu of his...I can't make sense of it with my Sharingan. Could it be a kekkei genkai?' Another series of pained cries from his students shook the jōnin from his thoughts. 'Shit...Naruto and Sasuke won't last much longer at this rate.'
"Darling!" Zero Two cried out, grounding her teeth in frustration. She couldn't stand to watch any longer. Her beloved was in trouble and she refused to standby idly. "Sakura, take Tazuna and go hide. I'm going to back them up." the rosette commanded. Sakura merely blinked at the older girl, surprised that Zero Two used her actual name for once. The pinkette quickly shook herself out of her stupor before giving an affirmative nod.
"Sure thing! Come with me Tazuna-san!" Sakura took the elderly man's hand in her own and he offered no resistance. Now was the perfect opportunity to slip away and retreat back to the village. Their mission and the bridge builder's hard work would all be for naught if he kicked the bucket now.
"Don't have to tell me twice! Let's make like a tree and get the hell out of here!"
"S-Sure thing..." Sakura nearly fell over at his response. She went to activate her Chameloen Jutsu, but not before turning back to her fellow kunoichi-in-arms. "Give 'em hell Zero Two!" she pumped her fist.
"Count on it!"
Zero Two waited until she could no longer sense Sakura or Tazuna before making her move. She began by steadily channeling chakra through her arm and into Stretlitzia. The blade heated up rapidly and started to glow bright orange from the searing heat. Her eyes fell on prison of ice mirrors, locking on to Naruto and Sasuke who were still trapped within and at the mercy of Zabuza's protege. "Just hold on a little longer Darling." Zero Two spun the glaive in her hand as she took aim. Mustering all of her strength, she launched Strelitzia at the frozen bastille.
"Not so fast girly."
Zabuza suddenly materialized with Kubikiribōchō in hand and intercepted Strelitzia, easily knocking it aside. He shouldered the massive blade before leveling a glare at the kunoichi. " I won't let you interfere. Besides, I still have to return the favor for breaking half of my ribs." Zero Two clicked her teeth in annoyance and summoned Strelitzia back to her hand once more. She bore down on the pale man with a hard, defiant gaze.
"Shame. I was aiming to break all of them. Guess I'll just have to hit you even harder this time y'know."
"Ha!" Zabuza snorted with laughter. "Such a staunchly girl. This will make watching the life drain from your eyes all the more worthwhile!"
"I'm afraid I can't allow that to happen." Kakashi landed beside Zero Two and pulled up his headband. His Sharingan spun to life as it locked onto the rogue swordsman. "It's over for you Zabuza. You won't be leaving here alive this day."
"Is that so?" Zabuza chuckled. He formed the ram seal and the mist blanketing the area grew even thicker. "Let's just see which of us makes it out of here alive."
Sasuke dropped to a knee to steady his breathing and collect his thoughts. 'Damn it...I can just barely see him but he's still to fast!' he ground his teeth. Using his Sharingan, he was able to determine that their opponent wasn't in fact using clones. He was able to move in and out of his mirror freely and he moved with such speed that he appeared to be in multiple places at once. But even with his Sharingan, there were just too many projectiles and they were coming from all directions. They had tried destroying the mirrors but the ice they were comprised of proved to be astonishingly resilient. Even his strongest fire jutsu didn't leave a scratch on them. Sasuke cast a sidelong glance at his teammate, who look a lot worse for wear than he did.
Naruto was hunch over with his hand resting on his knees, struggling to catch a breath. His body was littered with senbon all over, making him look like a human porcupine. He had long since stopped pulling them out. It seemed like for each one he did, another two took it's place. It also didn't help that he was actually starting to run low on chakra for once. He had been summoning shadow clones nonstop in an effort to catch Haku when he emerged from his mirrors, but the ice user was just too fast. Sasuke was the fastest out of all of them and even he couldn't keep up with his Sharingan. The situation grew more and more dire by the second. They had to come up with a plan to deal with Haku and his mirrors before it was too late.
"Don't suppose you have any bright ideas?" Sasuke queried as he removed a needle from his shoulder, keeping his eyes lock on Haku. There was currently a lull in the action and the boy was hiding in his mirror, watching him.
"I'm just gonna grab him as soon as he slips up and beat him into the dirt y'know!" Naruto spit out a glob of blood and wiped away the small trail running from his mouth with the sleeve of his jacket.
"Tch...I should've known better than to ask," Sasuke scoffed in annoyance. While Naruto did have his shining moments, he was still too straightforward as ever. 'Then again, the loser might be on to something. A jutsu of this scale and complexity must expend a lot of chakra. There has to be a limit to how long he can keep this up.'
"Give it up already. Your lives will be spared if you just hand over the bridge builder. I'd rather not kill you if I don't have too," Haku spoke up. Truth be told, he was nearing him limits. He had spent years perfect the Crystal Ice Mirrors, but maintaining this many at once was extremely draining on his chakra. It also didn't help that the raven-haired one was slowly starting to keep up with his movements. 'The Sharingan truly is terrifying. He's already grazed me once and its only a matter of time before he lands a solid hit. He only had maybe another five minute before his reserves were completely exhausted so this next strike would have to end it once and for all.
"Ha! Sorry to burst your bubble, but I ain't dying here today," Naruto flashed a grin at the androgynous boy. "There's someone counting on me and I refuse to let her down y'know!"
"For once, we can agree on something," Sasuke smirked. "Mostly." If he lost, then he would never be able to take down the person that wiped out his clan. All of his effort and training over the years would go to waste if he died here and now.
"I see...you intend to continue this folly then?" Haku inquired.
"You can give up on me giving up!" came Naruto's enthusiastic reply.
"Then your fates are sealed," Haku said dejectedly. His hands ran through a short series of hand signs that ended in the dog seal. The temperature inside the dome dropped significantly, which didn't go unnoticed by Naruto and Sasuke. Naruto glanced down and was shock to see that the puddles that had previous covered the ground had all been frozen solid. But what made him worry was the fact that their feet were also encased in a thin layer of ice.
"Shit!" Sasuke cursed as he tried to move his legs but to no avail.
Alarms started going off in Naruto's head. Haku was still staring down at them indifferently and the blond could sense that something bad was coming. Growing up in a village where everyone despises you can give one quite a heightened sense of danger. 'Crap he's going to take us both out...I have to do something!' Without giving it much thought, Naruto turned to Sasuke and grabbed him by the arm.
"What the hell are you doing?!" The raven-haired boy exclaimed. He didn't have time for the idiot's shenanigans.. "Let go of-"
"Sorry Sasuke, but this is where you get off." Naruto interrupted him as he started channeling chakra into his arms.
"Huh-"
Sasuke's words caught in his throat when he felt himself suddenly snatched off of his feet. His legs were freed from the ice and he found himself being spun around unceremoniously. With a one final spin, Naruto heaved his teammate toward one of the openings between the mirrors. The sailing Uchiha looked back to throw a glare at the blond but his eyes widened in horror. There were a multitude of ice spears springing forth out of the ground and mirrors, all converging on the defenseless Naruto. And even with the encroaching danger, the blond never stopped grinning. "I leave the rest to you Sasuke."
"Naruto!"
SQUELCH!