A/N: Hey guys, enjoy the newest chapter of 'The Dead Last and the Drama Queen'.
'He thinks I'm beautiful. Noone ever said that I was beautiful.' Ino blushed a bit at the thought while getting herself in shape again after she cried her eyes out. After finishing, she returned back into the house and saw Kakashi and Asuma talking to the shackled demon brother they took with them, while the Genin watched.
„We already know you're working for Gato, Kiri-nin. Tell us who the leader of your squad is!" Kakashi demanded annoyed.
„Screw you. I won't say a word, copy cat!" The demon brother retorted.
„Ah Ino, it's good that you're back. Do you think you're able to read his mind?", Asuma asked his student.
„It depends. On which level is he?"
„Chuunin, I would say. Maybe Jonin."
„I'm sorry, then his mind is too strong for my current level."
„Ugh, great. It's a shame neither your father nor Ibiki is here. It would be easier to have an interrogater with us." Kakashi groaned.
„I can interrogate him.", a voice spoke from behind of them.
Everyone turned around to see Naruto standing there. Ino almost started to cry again by the mere sight of him, but refused to do so. Plus, she was more interested what he would want to do.
„And how, if I may ask?" Kakashi asked curiously.
„Bring him outside, I'll show you." Naruto said, leaving the house again. They complied and led their victim out of the home.
'Help me a little Kurama, ok?'
„Got it."
Kakashi placed the opponent on his knees in front of Naruto, and walked behind him where everybody else stood, waiting for Naruto to start. He closed his eyes and breathed once, then opened them and only revealing his now red eyes to the Kiri-nin. With a low, nearly quiet, and slightly demonic voice, Naruto pierced his victims eyes with his own while saying:
„Tell me, mist shinobi: Do you fear death?"
Everyone felt a chill down their spine, especially said ninja, who didn't answer though. Still, Naruto continued.
„And do you fear the dark abyss?", he whispered, letting each word roll off of his tongue menacingly, causing his foe to shudder in fear.
„If you do, you should do the best choice and tell us everything you know, otherwise you'll regret it.", Naruto finished and waited for the enemies' response. He didn't give any, so Naruto assumed he had to perform his improvised interrogation technique. He took a few steps back, causing everybody behind him to do the same. The blonde put his hands in the air, and created a black ball of chakra, letting it spin and implode, creating a black hole. He slowly let it expand, while the others wondered in awe, or jealousy when speaking of Sasuke, what this jutsu would do.
Still looking deeply into his eye, straight into his soul, the jinchuuriki spoke again:
„It will absorb everything!"
He then fired the black hole into his enemy, which got the feeling of being sucked into the hole ( A/N: ( ͡ ͜ʖ ͡) ).
Naruto moved his hands together, and spoke: „Dead Zone!", completely enveloping his victim into said zone, causing him to shout out in fear.
„In roughly 5 minutes, he'll be back. He'll be a quivering mess, but he'll talk."
„Naruto..." Kakashi spoke softly, his student knowing what his tone meant.
„Guys, I know you have a million questions, and I will give you an explanation for everything. But not now. Let us finish the mission first, and then I'll talk. I don't feel comfortable at all with this topic, and I want to postpone it until we have done our job. Ok?", Naruto looked at the crowd, who nodded with faces mixed of understanding and slight horror.
„At least tell us what this technique does.", Asuma pleaded.
„It lets its victim live 23 times through the worst kind of death it can imagine."
Everyone shuddered a bit at the thought, knowing what it would look like for them.
After 5 minutes, the demon brother came back, and told Naruto that a man called Zabuza was the leader of their squad. Kakashi and Asuma were afraid now.
„Guys, listen. Zabuza is an extremely dangerous enemy, you will recognize him by his gigantic claymore. If he comes across us, you will let Asuma and me take care of him. Don't even think about fighting him yourself, got it?" Kakashi asked, while everyone in the group nodded.
After dropping of the demon brother at a local police station, who send them straight to the office of the Mizukage, the group proceeded to walk, until they heard a voice Kakashi and Asuma had been already expecting.
„Well well, what an honour. Finally we meet, Konoha-nin. I'm not only blessed with two Jonin, but also the legendary Copy Ninja Kakashi of the Sharingan." A deep voicd echoed out of the nearby voice.
'Sharingan? How the hell does Kakashi-sensei have the Sharingan?' Sasuke wondered.
„And what a strange way to be greeted by someone who claims to be a master of 'Silent' Killing.", Kakashi retorted.
'Silent Killing? Is the Hidden Mist Jutsu from this Zabuza man, Kurama?'
„Yes kit, it is. Be careful, because he certainly is a master of Silent Killing."
„No reason to not have a glamorous entrance once in a while. Someone who killed over 100 contestants for the Genin exams is allowed to have a little show at least, isn't he? And let me introduce you to my servant, Haku."
The Konoha-nin stared at the masked warrior silently, not to keen to exchange pleasentries.
„Ino, Sakura, stay with Tazuna. Naruto, Sasuke, you take care of that Haku kid, Shikamaru and Chouji, take care of the other incoming shinobi." Kakashi ordered, uncovering his Sharingan eye.
„How nice, I get to see the Sharingan right from the beginning. Everyone, attack!"
Kakashi took a kunai and Asuma his chakra blades, already enhancing them with wind chakra. Zabuza stormed into them, and swung his sword, just barely missing the Leaf Jonin. Kakashi hit the so-called 'Demon of the Bloody Mist' into the neck, causing him to dispell into a puddle of water.
'A water clone? Damn...'
He reappeared in another spot, which was already covered by Asuma, who quickly sliced his enemies' throat. He dispelled again, and reappeared behind the two Jonin, one clone and the real one.
He sliced Kakashi in half, who then, too, dispelled into water.
„You already copied me? Screw you, Kakashi!" Zabuza yelled. He reappeared behind Kakashi, and punched him directly into his face causing him to fly back and feel dizzy.
The dizziness of both Jonin was enough to give Zabuza time for his next technique:
„Water Style: Water Prison Jutsu!"
Kakashi and Asuma were caught in the jutsu, unable to move even an inch.
„Now, how do you wish to get killed..." Zabuza said while grinning maniacally.
'Dammit, our sensei's are already unable to fight.' Naruto thought frustrated, which was only amplified by the fight against Haku. The natural long-distance fighter held them at distance thowing his senbons, giving them no opening to close in.
„You think you can handle him on your own, teme?" Naruto asked his brother in arms, Sasuke.
„Pfff, stupid question, dobe." Sasuke replied with a smug smirk.
Naruto smirked back, and ran to Zabuza, whom he attacked with an Omega Blaster, which he was barely able to dodge without dispelling the Water prison.
„Kit, this man is too much, its going to be close even with my marks. You need to turn into the Legendary Super Saiyan." Kyuubi said while Naruto nodded.
„Hahaha, you think you can hit me with such a pathetic attack?" Zabuza shouted arrogantly.
Naruto took off his shirt and coat, causing both Ino and Sakura to blush a little at the sight. Then he let out an allmighty yell, throwing stones and dirt into all directions away from him.
'What's this? He has more transformations?' Kakashi thought.
At the end, they were all witnesses of a very special sight again. Naruto's hair was now coloured green and spikier then before, his upper body was broader and more muscled, and his eyes were pupilless, only white could be seen.
„Naruto, stay away from him. Zabuza is far too dangerous!" Kakashi yelled through the Water Prison.
With a much deeper, and calmer voice, he answered: „No Kakashi-sensei. You remember your words, right? Those who disobey the rules are trash, but those who leave behind their comrades are lower than trash. I refuse to leave you behind."
„You should listen to your sensei, boy. Or do you want me to hurt these pretty girls, too.", a voice suddenly said, causing both girls to jump a bit in surprise.
Besides them now stood a Zabuza with a drawn out sword, waiting to hit them.
„First, they will receive a hit so they lay down on the ground, and then I'm going to slowly puncture their organs until they pass out from pain and die from blood loss. With which organ should I start, ladies?" He asked psychotically, while both of them shuddered in fear.
Naruto just grinned like a maniac, and charged to the Zabuza holding Kakashi's Water Prison. Taken aback by him ignoring his threat, he commanded his clone to hit the girls, while he prepared to deflect Naruto's punches.
Before Naruto reached him, he disappeared, and reappeared between Zabuza's clone and Sakura and Ino, startling both of them.
'Impressive, he's really fast. And what's with that transformation?', the mist demon thought, narrowing his eyes at the green-haired ninja.
Naruto received the hit fully in the face, and closed his eyes in slight pain, while the girls gasped at his action. While falling backwards head first, he opened his eyes and pushed himself off of the ground with his right arm, while kicking the water clone straight into the chest, causing it to dispell. He landed back on his feet, and charged a gigantic Omega Blaster, firing it into Zabuza's direction. Giving up Kakashi's Water Prison, he jumped out of the way, while the Omega Blaster connected with a tree in the woods, eradicating everything in a 10 meter radius.
„Okay brat, now you've made me angry!" Zabuza growled, while he did a few handseals, placed his right hand im a 'shush' position and his left into the air, shouting:
„Hidden Mist Jutsu!"
Mist enveloped Zabuza, Kakashi and Asuma, spreading into all directions.
„You want to dance, mist demon? I'll show you how a real demon fights!"
'What does he mean with 'real demon''? Sakura silently wondered.
Naruto did the exact same handseals, took the same stance and shouted:
„Hidden Mist Jutsu!"
Even though it was not as thick as Zabuza's (A/N: I really need to be careful with my expressions, they are kinda always too sexual when they're not supposed to..), he still enveloped himself in a similar mist, mixing it with Zabuza's.
„Another copy cat? I can't stand you Leaf shinobi!" Zabuza yelled, while trading punches or sword swings with each other. Only they were able to see each other, while the others weren't even close to being able to follow the extremely fast movements, and certainly not through the thick mist.
'Now is the chance'
„I've got you! Kurama Fist explode!" Naruto roared, while his right fist was enveloped by a fox looking similar to the Kyuubi, only completely in red.
„Yeah, in your dreams! Demon Blade!" Zabuza yelled, while his blade was enveloped by a red demon.
The attacks collided, and caused an explosion which threw everyone back and cleared the mist.
Again, Naruto and Zabuza stood in front of each other, panting a bit. The jinchuuriki's hands glowed lightly blue.
In a millisecond, Naruto stood directly in front of the mist demon and punched him straight in the face, causing him to turn around. After he spun 180 degrees, Naruto was there again, repeatedly slamming his knee into Zabuza's face and doing a backflip on the same spot, kicking him in the face and sending him backwards.
Naruto took the high ground on a little hill, and charged another gigantic Omega Blaster, firing it into Zabuza who used his sword to deflect it.
Zabuza stood his ground, but certainly felt the force of the unknown technique pushing him into the ground.
„MWAHAHAHAHAHA" Naruto laughed maniacally, pushing more and more little Omega Blasters into the original one, causing the ground to crumble under Zabuza's feet.
„Let me put an end to your misery." Naruto calmly stated, charging another greater Omega Blaster in his hand, still grinning like a psychopath.
'What is this, this is not Naruto! He's not such a basket case, he's much happier and sweeter than that. Wait, I didn't just think that, did I?' Ino thought.
„You will not defeat me, gaki!" Zabuza yelled.
Naruto's grin widened, looking truly malicious. He prepared firing his last blast from behind his back, filling the air with its horrifying sound, saying:
„Struggle all you want, in the end, you're still dead!" He yelled, firing the blast, its sound intensifying. When it connected with the original blast, it detonated and created a huge crater, throwing Zabuza back, covered in blood and bruises, with a shaky breath.
„Sensei, you can have him now! I'll go back to Haku, save the teme's poor ass!" Naruto said, still grinning smugly and appearing behind Haku, who was just about to pierce Sasuke with another senbon.
They were surrounded by Ice Mirrors, Haku's signature technique which let him jump from mirror to mirror incredibly fast. Even after Sasuke activated his Sharingan, he was not able to follow Haku's movements, and was pierced by so many senbons he looked like a hedgehog by now.
Before Haku pierced Sasuke with another senbon, he felt the presence of someome behind him. Turning around, he was met with a fist into his face, sending him back through five trees and breaking his fake hunter-nin mask. Recovering fast, he went back into the mirrors, and proceeded to give Naruto the same treatment he gave his teammate a few seconds before.
Carrying Sasuke with incredible speed, he laid him down next to Sakura and Ino, and joined Haku again.
Haku jumped into his mirrors, and sped around with a speed that clearly surpassed even his own. He got hit by a few senbons he was too slow to evade, wincing from the pain.
The new Legendary Super Saiyan gave up on trying to follow the movements, so he set his gaze into the sky, focusing chakra into far away stars. When he felt them falling down, he shouted:
„PK Starstorm!"
„What is that? Attacking with stars, how's that even possible?" Sakura wondered in awe, with Ino nodding quietly. Even though the rain of stars looked beautiful, she could only imagine how devastating it was. She remembered all the unknown techniques, and just wondered:
'How was he able to learn something like that, and hide it, too? I think I really don't him at all, not even the Gossip and Drama Queen of the academy.'
Strangely, that thought made her sadder than she would've expected.
Haku was not fast enough to dodge the sheer amount of stars, and when he was slightly grazed by one, he lost his momentum and was thrown back from one star to the next, causing his mirrors to break.
He was far away from giving up, though, and was still fast, even without his mirrors. Knowing it would still be a waste of time to try and follow his movements, Naruto enveloped himself in a storm of darkness, until he slammed his fist into the ground. Grinning like a psycho again, he yelled mightily:
„Black Hole!"
The darkness now spread around the ground, creating a large circle. Not knowing what else to do, Haku tried to outrun the ability while throwing his senbons into Naruto. He missed the vital points due to the hits from the PK Starstorm, but the hits hurt, and they hurt 10 times more than normally.
Unable to be faster, Haku was sucked into the ground. Naruto absorbed all of the darkness, and unloaded it into a gigantic rock neabry, shooting Haku with enormous speed. The green-haired fighter slowly walked up to him, preparing to land the killing strike while pulling senbons out of his body. He hesitated though, because of two things:
1. The thought of killing still unnerved him
2. He saw something in Haku's eyes
It was something he wouldn't have guessed: Guilt, sorrow, sadness, and shame. Haku saw the hesitation, and spoke for the first time:
„Please kill me. I was unable to fulfill my service to Lord Zabuza, I have no will to live anymore."
Naruto's pupilless eyes widened.
„Why? He is a psycho. The only thing I heard him say was insults, how exactly he was going to kill my teammates, and how many people he killed before he was even a Genin. Why would you want to live for someone like him?"
„Because he gave me a purpose."
„What?"
Ino, Sakura and Tazuna were close enough to listen due to the direction Naruto shot Haku into, so they did.
„Back at my old home, I was hated because of my Kekkei Genkai. We were persecuted, and then, my father killed my mother and I had to kill him. I was all alone and had no purpose. But Lord Zabuza gave ma a life, and I was happy again, to have someone to care for me. To me, Lord Zabuza is the most precious person in this world.
The most precious person in the world
The most precious person
Precious Person
Precious, precious, precious
This sentence ran through Naruto's mind countless times. He was exactly like him. He found his precious person, and defended him. He could not kill Haku.
„I can't do it, Haku. You're...you're to much like me. I can't kill you." Naruto said, turning back into his normal form, tears threating to roll down his cheek.
Haku actually smiled at that. „Yes, I recognized the same glint in your eyes that I have. You were all alone too, right? And what would you do, when you failed someone, your precious person? When you knew you failed your purpose? Would you sacrifice yourself to make up for it?"
Naruto didn't say anything, just turned his head down and closed his eyes. The listening trio teared down at the sad story, and Sakura and Tazuna wondered what Naruto meant with them being 'too much alike'. Ino knew it exactly, and already cried softly.
Haku smiled again. „So please, grant me my last favour, and end my life. Please, I beg you."
Naruto looked up, and reluctantly charged an Omega Blaster in his right hand.
Before he was able to fire it, he heard something, as if thousand birds where chirping. Haku's eyes widened, and he said: „Maybe I still have a purpose" He then disappeares from Naruto's eyesight.
„Raikiri!" Kakashi shouted, aiming for Zabuza's heart, and piercing right through it. Or so he thought, because afterwards, he saw a maskless Haku, smiling almost like an idiot, with a now bloody chest. Kakashi pulled out his hand, and let Haku drop to the ground.
„Huh, that's how my servant is dying? Pathetic." Zabuza said distastefully.
Naruto actually wanted to kill Zabuza for that comment that he heard very well. He felt though as if he had to do something more important before it.
Hearing footsteps from beside him, Zabuza watched warily as Naruto stepped towards Haku, waiting for him to turn around and press the attack again.
Naruto didn't. He just walked over to Haku, eyes glued on his lifeless, smiling corpse. When he stood directly in front of him, he dropped himself to his knees, his normally lifely cerulean blue eyes dull and full of pain.
„Naruto, what is it?" Kakashi asked worriedly. Naruto didn't make any sense at the moment, though one other blonde knew what he must've been thinking.
The jinchuuriki silently took of his hitai-ate, and reattached it around his neck. He then took of the blue bandana, and held it into Haku's open wound, colouring it red. He infused it with a little chakra, so that the colour wouldn't be lost.
(A/N: Guess where that scene's coming from)
By now, a panting Shikamaru and Choji returned, too, who defeated the rest of Zabuza's squad, and watched the scene without a word.
Naruto stared into Haku's dead eyes with a determined look, and wrapped the now red bandana around his head. He closed Haku's eyes and turned to face Zabuza.
The mist demon still watched him warily, with a tiny pang of pain seeing Haku like that. He went back into defensive stance again as Naruto now walked over to him.
He stopped exactly in front of him, his eyes now fuming with hate and rage, turning red. Then, after nearly a minute of utter silence, he spoke, or rather yelled.
„Is that all?! Is that everything Haku was to you? A fukcing servant?!?" Naruto roared, startling Zabuza a bit.
„Pff, please, I don't need to listen to the words of some brat who can't handle death." Zabuza said while turning around, staring into the horizon.
„You meant everything to him, you meant the whole world for him! He died still worshipping you like a madman, happy to save you! And all you say is he didn't mean anything to you?"
Everyone stayed silent and listened, including Zabuza and a reawakened Sasuke who had been treated by Sakura.
„He didn't have anyone, he was hated for something he had no control over. You saved him and gave him a purpose, but here you stand next to his corpse, and you tell me it doesn't matter at all?"
Kakashi, Asuma and Ino knew now that Naruto wasn't just talking about Haku anymore.
„...you talk too much, kid." Zabuza whispered quietly, but loud enough for everyone to hear. Naruto focused his gaze from the ground to the back of Zabuza's head.
„Your words cut deep, deeper than any blade." Zabuza's hoarse voice cuntinued, while he dropped a few tears, causing Naruto to drop some, too.
„You see, Haku was always too kind to be a ninja and to fight. Going up against you broke his heart, he felt deep sorrow until his last breath, and curse him I feel it, too."
Naruto dropped a few more tears, happy that Zabuza did care for Haku, that your precious people would care for you if you do it, too.
„Aww, well isn't this sweet?"
Everyone turned around to see a little, half-bald man with sunglasses and a squad of armed bandits.
„Gato, what are you doing here?" Zabuza asked confused.
„What do you think, getting rid of unnecessary, and expensive, ballast." Gato said, smirking victoriously.
„So you were going to betray us." Zabuza rather concluded than asked, eyes narrowing.
„It's nothing personal Zabuza. It's just good business."
„Konoha-nin, give me the honour to send two demons into hell today." Zabuza said, pulling down his bandages and stuffing a kunai into his mouth, while running towards Gato and his men, slicing through them like a warm knive through butter.
'Huh, this guy sure is something.', Naruto thought, until he was pulled back into reality by a sobbing sound. Everyone was astouned to see Ino still crying.
„,Hey Ino, what's wrong?" Naruto asked softly, with a gentle smile on his face. When Ino saw that, she couldn't take it anymore. She ran up to Naruto and tackled him to ground into an extremely tight hug, startling him along with anyone else.
„*hick* Oh god Naruto *hick* I'm so sorry *hick*."
„Hey hey, calm down Ino. What do you mean? You didn't do anything wrong." Naruto asked, confused.
Ino took a deep breath and buried herself further into the crook of his neck, accidentally letting her breath brush his neck. This caused Naruto to flush a slight red, until she spoke again:
„Yes, I did. I was the biggest bitch to you ever. I've seen everything Naruto. The picture you carry in your coat, the truth about your parents, 'it' inside of you, everything."
Naruto's eyes widened upon hearing this.
„B-but how..."
„I saw the picture after our first fight, and also what it said on the back side. I heard you talking to Inari, and I...I kinda went into your mind and listened a few of your thoughts."
Naruto chuckled a bit. „Kinda went into my mind? How does that kinda happen?"
Ino blushed a bit and hit Naruto in the shoulder playfully while muttering „jerk" and wrapping herself tighter against him.
„Doesn't it bother you to know that. Aren't you...scared of me?" Naruto asked with a shaky voice, remembering the kind of reaction he expected from someone finding out his secret.
„No, no, no. Don't say that, I'm not. I'm surprised, and yes, I was a little afraid. But it doesn't matter to me. You are you, same old annoying punk, and 'that' won't change anything."
Naruto chuckled again, and finally hugged her back, burying herself into her neck as well. He could smell her strong but incredibly alluring perfume. Flowers. Of course.
„You don't know how much this means to me, Ino-chan" Naruto said, not realizing he used the suffix normally reserved for Sakura on her for the first time. Ino blushed a bit, and sighed contently.
„Dobe, what exactly is she talking about?", Sasuke asked curiously, finally wanting to know the big secrets his secret rival had.
Not bothering to break his first hug a girl his age would give him, he spoke loud enough for Sasuke and everyone else to hear him well.
„Not now, teme. Really, not now. I will tell you once we leave this godforsaken place, which hopefully won't be one too long."
Naruto then noticed Kakashi carrying the corpse of a more than once stabbed and punctured Zabuza, lying him next to Haku.
„It was his last wish to see him again before dying. At least in the end, Zabuza did the right thing." Kakashi said, feeling heartbroken at the duo's end, but relieved that everyone was save again.
„Gato..." Naruto began.
„...dead. Zabuza took care of him, more than thoroughly." Kakashi said and smiled at the sight before him. Everyone had different thoughts running through their heads when they saw the two blondes holding onto each other for dear life.
'Should've been obvious, troublesome blondes finding each other. Hopefully.' Shikamaru thought.
'Please, take him, Ino. One bag of chips for every time I hear Sasuke-kun this, Sasuke-kun that...' Chouji thought, while trailing off, thinking about chips.
'Finally starting to open up, Ino. I'm proud of you.' Asuma thought smiling.
'Maybe training together was the best thing happening to you. To really get over Sakura, and maybe, who knows, find someone else, is what you need.' Kakashi thought eye-smiling.
'I think I just know who to name the bridge after.' Tazuna thought smiling.
'Dobe, what are you hiding that makes a girl crush you like that?' Sasuke wondered.
'Naruto...' Sakura thought, with a strange, ugly feeling in her stomach.
„I don't want to be the ass that stops the friendly get-together, but we need to get back into Tazuna's house. You can cuddle there as much as you want though." Kakashi interrupted, enjoying the looks of embarrassment they were having now on their faces. Reluctantly, the blondes stood up, Naruto went back to the spot he threw his clothes to, took one last glance at Haku and Zabuza, and went to the retreating group of Konoha-nin.
Today, for the first time, Ino joined the lively conversation of Naruto and his friends/her teammates, all three gladly accepting her into the round. Kakashi and Asuma planned their report to the Hokage, and had happy faces whenever they saw the four friends happily talking to each other.
Meanwhile, Sakura wondered why Ino didn't try at all to get Sasuke's attention, which left Sakura all alone with the avenger. Now without Naruto bugging her and Ino competing with her, she had the most unfulfilled feeling ever, trying to get more than a 'Hn' out of the brooding emo. Looking at Naruto and how happy he was to talk to Ino triggered this strange feeling in her stomach again, which she tried to ignore. Tried.
A/N: That's it for the chapter, guys. Please vote for the next pairing, and I'll see ya around!