Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto nor do I own Zelda, Bleach.
Triforce Legend
Chapter11: Shifting Priorities
Field Country: Fensu Province / Haruno Ranch
After Yugito had used what she called 'Farore's Kaze' to teleport the team out of the cavern the team had returned to the ranch. A solemn atmosphere descended on the team for the rest of the night; most of the team couldn't sleep…not after what happened in that cave. It was early morning when Tenten could be found sitting at the kitchen table with her head resting on it.
Her sideward's gaze looking out of the window though it seemed lost, 'so…the Hero of Time and Princess of Destiny. Mom's story is true after all,' she chuckled darkly. 'Though I never would have pictured the legend beginning again in those two…I wonder if the so-called King of Evil will show himself soon,' she mused with a grin. 'I wonder if either of them have realised it yet…'
Just then she heard what sounded like shouts coming from outside; she knew that all of the boys (besides Sai who surprisingly had taken the most damage during the confrontation with Akatsuki) were out on patrol just encase Akatsuki decided to pay them a visit. Getting up she exited the house and hid behind a corner; she took a peek around the corner and saw both her female team-mates shouting at each other…or more specifically Sakura shouting at Yugito who was walking away from her.
"You need to get your priorities straight girly," our little princess spoke in a condescending tone.
"Kami," Sakura sent a glare at her. "What is your problem anyway?! You may be close to Naruto but you can never be with him! You from another village and he wants to be Hokage!"
Yugito glared back at her, "and what about you huh? You think you can be with him? Ha! I said it before and I'll say it again; you can't give him what he needs".
The pink-haired kunoichi's eyes are hardened at that, "I don't like him that way; he's a friend and team-mate and beside…Sasuke". her whispered the last part.
Kumo's Wildcat chuckled darkly at that, "like I said you need to sort out your priorities; I mean come on girl! The Uchiha betrayed you and your entire village; a village I might add that has bent over backwards for him and praised him for his bloodline. He isn't even in the bingo book yet he clearly abandoned you all and you still love him even after all he's done".
Sakura shook her head and glared angrily, "you don't know him; you don't understand. He was being controlled by Orochimaru's curse seal; he would never betray us willingly; especially not for power".
Yugito didn't say anything for a moment before she spoke up again but this time in a chilling tone. "Your right; I don't know him and he'd have to have some good qualities if Naruto wants to bring him back…or was it his promise to you?" Sakura stiffened when she heard that and her eyes widened, "yeah, he told me everything; including that promise he made you". Yugito let out some killing intent as her eyes narrowed, "don't expect him to be your little slave like he was three years; if you do I'll kill you".
"Who the hell do you think you are?! I'll treat him however I like and as for that promise; Sasuke…he had to have been controlled," Sakura said with tears forming in her eyes.
"…Keep telling yourself that; maybe someday others will actually believe it," the Kumo Jonin just turned and started away from her.
Growing increasingly angry at the blonde's words Sakura shot towards her, "you don't know anything about Team 7 so don't talk like you do!" Her hand glowed blue as she charged, "Chakura no Mesu!"
Turning quickly Yugito's right arm ignited in flame and she raised it to intercept the pink-haired Chunin's attack, "Kaizuki".
There was a loud clang like metal had just hit metal as both jutsu held each other in place creating small sparks that were shooting out. The Chakura no Mesu gripped the hand/blade though both of them seemed to be struggling to hold their own.
Yugito spoke looking down at the ground with her hair covering her face, "if you wanted to fight…you should have just said so". She looked up with an angry glare and with her other hand landed a resounding slap on the Chunin's face, "wake up girly! You don't live in a fantasy where your boyfriend is waiting for you to save him from his darkness!"
"Shut up!" Sakura growled out with her face cheek now turning as pink as her hair. She broke off from their stalemate and ducked before throwing a punch at the blonde's stomach, "you could never understand what I'm going through!"
Yugito skidded away charging a ball of lightning in her hand, "Raikyu!" she shouted as she threw the ball at Sakura.
The Konoha nin narrowed her eyes, 'this bitch will pay for what she said!' she kicked the ground causing it to uproot and she ducked behind it to act as a sort of shield from the attack.
Ignoring it Sakura shot forward faster than Yugito could see and landed a punch to her midsection, 'damn she hits hard'. Yugito grunted in pain as she suddenly found herself flying back and crashed into the ranch wall.
Sakura stood trying to see through the dust cloud that had formed from the impact, "how do you like that cloud girl?!" Suddenly she felt a wave of…she didn't know what the hell it was wash over her and suddenly a large purple chakra-claw shot out from the smoke, 'what?!' Sakura's eyes widened as the claw grabbed her by her midsection.
"I have you now little girl," Yugito snarled as the smoke cleared revealing her with her arm extended towards the Konoha kunoichi. She was different however; a large body length cloak of purple chakra covered her body in the shape of a cat with a single chakra tail swishing behind her, "come here!" she pulled her arm back causing the chakra-claw to retract. "Say nighty night girly!"Yugito shouted as she cocked back her other hand into a fist and threw it once Sakura was within range.
Thinking fast Sakura used her still free hands to make several hand-seals, "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" there was a poof of smoke and a medium sized slug appeared just as Yugito threw her punch.
It connected but the slug seemed to split into two and evaded the attack, "Zesshi Nensan!" the two slugs sent a stream of acid at the chakra-claw burning two holes straight it.
Sakura managed to break free and called out, "thanks for the help!" She charged forward with her hand glowing blue, "Chakura no Mesu!"
'That could prove fatal if it hits,' Yugito growled in thought. 'Fine; if she wants to play then so will I,' the Kumo Jonin moved to intercept with bright red flames now covering her arm. "Kaizuki!" the two got closer to each other until they were just a few feet away.
They both extended their hands to land their respective hits and then…
A figure dropped down between them swiping a large steel blade directly in their path; the two shot apart having not sensed anything. They recognized who had stopped them: Tenten had imbedded her Katana in the ground where the two were about to clash.
The weapons mistress pulled the blade out and shot them both a glare "what the fuck are you two doing?! We're still on a mission so settle your differences later! You two are fighting way too hard for a simple spar!" Her two team-mates stared at her for a moment, "do something like this again and I'll inform Hokage-sama directly; understood?" The two remained silent before they both nodded, "good; now I suggest you both start fixing that wall you destroyed before the boys return…I'm sure they've noticed the chakra spikes coming from here by now".
Fire Country: Konoha / Hokage's Office
Thankfully the guys didn't ask any questions after Tenten told them the girls were just coming to an understanding (even Sai knew better than push the issue). Three days later the team had started back to Konoha and made it back with a mere two days. When they returned to the village they had made their way to the Hokage Tower to report on what happened and get debriefed.
"What did you say?" Tsunade asked raising an eyebrow.
Standing in front of her was Team Naruto having finished giving their reports. "The guy was playing us from the start," Tenten grumbled.
Lee remained silent even as Sai continued in a neutral tone, "our strikes appeared to do no damage; as if they had simply passed right through him".
"Nothing we did hurt him," Yamato informed her. "We never really stood a chance".
"He said that my sword could hurt him," Naruto spoke up tapping the sheathed blade on his back.
"My arrows hit him though it didn't appear to do much damage," Yugito stated. "It's like he absorbed the impact or something".
"It was probably another one of his defences," Sakura mused casting a look over at her. "Most attacks go right through him and those that hit are absorbed to prevent any harm".
"Well according to Jiraiya's spies Akatsuki are no' longer in Field Country and your mission was a success regardless". The Hokage sat back looking over a written report.
"There is one other thing I think I should mention Hokage-sama," Naruto spoke and the entire room suddenly chilled.
Naruto never called Tsunade Hokage-sama unless it was serious…ever.
"What is it?" the Hokage asked putting the paper down and paying him her full attention.
"That guy we fought…he's the Mizukage," the room's temperature dropped considerably.
"What?" fear suddenly started to creep into Tsunade's very being.
"During the Elemental Royal Ball the guy showed up as the Mizukage; seeing as he is the only person I know of that wears an orange spiral mask it has be him," our blond hero answered.
"You're sure?" the Hokage saw him nod.
"It was definitely him," Naruto finished.
The room was suddenly silent before Tsunade broke it with a sigh, "I see…this complicates things". She leaned back as her eyes hardened, "I'll have Jiraiya see if he can find anything from his spy network in Kiri". The team nodded their heads and she continued, "now that that's done I'm afraid I have a new mission for you all".
"But we just got back Shishou," Sakura sighed feeling her fatigue.
Tsunade nodded in understanding, "I know but I have no' other teams available for a mission of this scale and as for this specific mission…I think you'll want this one". That got their attention, "Jiraiya has sent me some reports…it appears Iwagakure has been attacked". Everyone seemed surprised at that but what they heard next surprised them even more, "I've gotten reports that it was Orochimaru and his Oto nins that attacked".
The room went deathly quiet…
'Orochimaru? But that means…' Sakura's eyes suddenly hardened as a familiar face flashed through her mind, '…Sasuke'.
Naruto stood silently for a moment before nodding, "understood".
"Your mission is to head to Iwa and investigate what happened; if you find any information on Orochimaru's whereabouts pursue him if you can and send a message to us," Tsunade issued the order.
"It shall be done Hokage-sama," Yamato nodded.
"If that will be all Obachan?" Naruto asked getting a bonk on the head from Sakura, Tenten and Yugito.
"Will you ever learn respect?" Yugito sighed.
Tsunade sighed and leaned back in her chair. "Dismissed," she waved them away.
'Sasuke…' Sakura's thought trailed off sadly but her eyes suddenly shifted in determination as she looked over at Naruto, '…if you're not the same man I remember then…we'll be forced to kill you'.
The team bowed before exiting the room; they didn't know it yet but this mission would change the team in more ways than one…
Rock Country: Iwa / Western Gates
Iwagakure no Sato was said to be many things but right now it didn't appear to be so; the entire village surround by hundreds of rocks that offered natural protection from invaders had been all but destroyed. From where they stood at the large stone gate Team Naruto could see smoke floating up into the sky and civilians running around trying to put out some fires.
"Guys? Shouldn't we help them?" Tenten asked pointing to nearby collapsed building that had seemed to bury several people under it.
"Yeah; our villages are neutral towards each other if not allies," Yamato spoke up. "Though do not let your guard down while we're here; maybe we can find out some information".
The rest of the team nodded and proceeded to help survivors out of the debris; after doing this for about an hour several Iwa Anbu dropped down around them.
"You will come with us," the man who was clearly in the leader of the squad spoke as a demand more than suggestion.
"What did we do?" Tenten asked taking a step back.
"Two teams of foreign ninja entering our village after an attack…seems suspicious". He raised his hands in a non-threatening manner, "you will not be harmed but you have to brought in for questioning".
"We're on a mission; we just gotten word about the attack and Hokage-sama dispatched us to investigate," Lee answered.
"Nevertheless; you have to come with us," the Iwa Anbu said leaving no' room for argument.
"…Alright we'll come quietly, for now at least," Naruto spoke getting a nod from the Anbu.
--
An hour later the team find themselves in what appeared to be a council room similar to Konoha's where numerous seats around the central chamber were filled.
"What are these Konoha scum doing here?" a particularly snobbish looking man asked I annoyance.
"We're on a mission," Sai said simply.
"For the snake no' doubt; you probably attacked those people! Guards! Arrest them!" the councilman ordered…
…Only to be stopped by the Tsuchikage entering the room, "you will do no' such thing!" Akira walked up beside the seven-man team and continued, "These are the ones sent by Konoha to pursue Orochimaru you old fools!"
"But Tsuchikage-sama the blond one is-" Akira cut the village elder off with a glare.
"I couldn't give two fucks who he is but they are the ones assigned to clean up your mess council," she growled and waved her hand. "Guards; get them out of my sight".
The council tried to protest but it was to no' avail, "you can't just-".
"I can and I have," she cut in as the council members were taken out of the room. Turning she looked over the team and chuckled lightly. "Sorry about that; the council have been running things since my predecessor was killed and they don't like the idea that their power has been taken away from them".
Naruto held up his hand, "don't worry about it; I get it all the time from the council back home".
The Tsuchikage shook her head before she looked over the team, "if you're looking for Orochimaru then I'm afraid he's already left". At this Naruto's eyes hardened and Sakura clenched her fists, "I can tell you where they're going though. They fled north towards the old Temple of Earth near the now dormant old volcano".
"Then that's where we're heading next," Naruto nodded.
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu," Sakura placed her hand on the ground and in a poof of smoke a rather small slug appeared.
"What do you require of me Sakura-sama?" the slug asked lightly surprising the Tsuchikage.
"I need you to send a message to Shishou for me," the pink-haired Chunin explained. "Tell her that we've located Orochimaru just north of Iwa and are pursuing".
The slug appeared to nod before asking "will that be all Sakura-sama?" She nodded in reply "then I will be off" the slug disappeared in a poof of smoke.
"I'll have one of my Chunin show you the way," Akira said getting their attention as an Iwa Chunin appeared in the room. "Take them to the northern gates," she ordered.
"It shall be done Tsuchikage-sama," the Chunin bowed and led the group out.
'God speed'
Author's Notes:
This chapter did not want to be written; seriously. I had to rewrite the thing twice because I couldn't get it to work and in all honesty I still don't think its good enough even if the most of it a filler. It seems just bit too…rushed. Well anyways next chapter should be up sooner if I can get it down right. Sorry for the delay on this one by the way; like I said it didn't want to be written. Please stay tuned…you won't want to miss the next chapter (grins insanely) believe me.
Translation
Futon: Rasen = Wind Release: Spiral
Nayru Ai = Nayru Love
Kuchiyose no Jutsu = Summoning Technique
Chakra no Mesu = Chakra Scalpel
Kaizuki = Fire Blade
Raikyu = Lightning Ball
Zesshi Nensan = Tongue Tooth Sticky Acid
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See Ya Later…