A/N: So some of you peeps asked my why the teams are set up this way? Naruto/Sasuke/Sakura, since Naruto is probably NOT the dead last and in par with Sasuke? Well, as you may have noticed, I am not going for the usual stuff. I'm trying to roll something new here. Some of you might be bored with the all so usual settings that pop around the corner whenever a fic reaches this point. Always the same damn things just written by a different author. I want to write cannon, but give it my touch as well. Naruto/Sasuke/Sakura is the actual Team 7, but I hope to achieve something more by putting them together. Not just what other authors have.
It's my game rolling here.
Anyways, I hope you enjoy the chapter. I'm not doing this only for myself, I do this for the readers as well =)
The Ashbringer: Shinobi of the Light
Chapter 14: Hide and Seek
The forest was always awfully quiet during nighttime, as if nature itself took a break from the tiring activities of the day.
Today would not be so though. The aforementioned once tranquil forest was now disturbed by shouts and numerous footsteps that rang across its floor, as ninjas run here and there, searching, looking for something…
That something was bidding its time, staying hidden in the shadows, careful to avoid any noise.
So easy it was… so simply could he just sneak past all these panic-stricken Jounins… it made him want to laugh.
Keeping such emotions in check though, he held everything in and still waited for the perfect moment to arise…
XxxxX
"The jounin are swiping the whole western and eastern sides of the forest." Sasuke commented as he looked around, seeing shinobi flying at all directions.
"That's weird… the quickest way out of Konoha from the Hokage Tower is the north gate." Naruto said, heading straight for the mentioned building.
"But the Hokage's Monument is there. Do you honestly believe he could try escaping through there?" the Uchiha's tone was disbelieving. Contrary to popular belief, the Hokage's Mountain was called as such for a reason. Not only because of the faces of each Hokage on the front of the mountain but also…
"The catacombs…" he whispered to himself, and Naruto heard him.
"Yeah, he's probably going to try heading through there and out of Konoha."
"But, only denizens of Konoha know about this refuge…"
"Then we're probably dealing with a traitor, Sasuke."
Soon they found themselves before the staircase that led up to the mountain. They didn't waste much time as they jumped ten steps at a time.
"That's why the ANBU are scouring all the other sides. They don't expect betrayal…" Naruto commented as he took another flying step.
"Softies…" the blonde smirked at his teammate's comment… perhaps there wasn't that much of a gap between them as he had imagined.
"Alright, we're here. Sasuke, you got the Sharingan?"
"Not yet."
"Too bad." Naruto could see the Uchiha wasn't comfortable with this matter. He let it slip for now. Agitating one's allies right before possible combat wasn't smart.
They braced themselves as they took another step forward…
XxxxX
Followed…? Here?? Who could possibly have had kept trail with him? He had already caused enough diversion to the west and east gates, there was no way the ANBU would have managed to find him here.
Yet again, maybe he was underestimating this village a little too much.
He opened the gate hastily, stepping inside and closing it behind him. There should be a few barriers around here… ah!
He picked up the iron logs and placed them on the hitches of the door, sealing it from the inside. Now, this wouldn't hold an ANBU back for long but it would buy him some time, some precious time.
Picking in his pockets, he easily found the map he had stolen, the map that showed the layout of the whole tunnel system of this refuge…
Easy slice. With a triumphant smirk on his face, he moved forward…
XxxxX
"You saw that?" Sasuke whispered lowly. It took him less than a glance to see his blonde companion nod.
"Yeah, someone was there a moment ago…" casual footsteps brought him closer to the entrance, eyes wary for any traps that may had been laid out.
Sasuke was not as much patient though as he moved forward with long strides, hand reaching out for the iron door…
It didn't budge an inch when he pulled, neither when he pushed. The door was locked, in some way or another.
Naruto didn't need to try himself in order to come to this conclusion. He frowned in thought, trying to analyze their chances…
"Well, there's another entrance half a mile from here, but that would take us too long." He said, tightening his hands into fists as the only solution played out in his mind…
"Sasuke…"
"Gokakyou no jutsu!" a massive fireball shot out of nowhere, hitting the iron door head on. The powerful heat seemed enough to melt the concrete material…
But not completely.
Sasuke moved forward and aimed a chakra-powered kick to the weakened door. It budged heavily, but didn't fall. With a few more powerful kicks, the Uchiha brought the door down, it hitting the concrete ground with a loud metallic thud.
Naruto shook his head "You didn't have to use all that chakra up."
"No worries." He brushed him off as he stepped inside "You coming?"
The blonde only grinned in response as he followed suit behind his teammate…
XxxxX
One turn right, one turn left… only about a quarter of a mile before he reached the back evacuation exit. Pretty handy it came, for escaping that is. Grinning to himself, he shook his shoulders, trying to set the weight of the Scroll a little more comfortably. There would also be a large gathering room before he reached the last tunnel that led to the exit.
These tunnels where truthfully a work of art. Complex yet simple at the same time, they here perfect to conceive an enemy in pursue and allow one to escape out in the safety of the large forest that stretched for endless miles behind the backdoor.
The gathering rooms where splendid as well. Large enough to contain numerous people, windows formed high on the walls to allow light in and a ceiling tall enough to allow combat to be taken as well. It was more convenient when you could move around during a fight, that was.
But he doubted there would be much of a fight in here. He only had to take a few more steps…
"Katon:…" the rest of the words went unheard as his instincts immediately took over, his feet forcing his body out of the way on their own as a slew of small fireballs flew towards him with blazing speed… and heat.
He glared at the one who dared cast that jutsu, one hand putting the map back to safety and the other reaching in his weapon pouch…
His glare though turned into a victorious smirk as he realized just who where his attackers. The Uchiha prodigy of the year and that blonde brat that couldn't even get himself above last in the class.
It would be so easy, so damn easy, that there would be a day in the future that he would laugh about this situation.
Naivety is also a major cause of death in the ninja world…
XxxxX
"You shouldn't warn him of our presence so soon…" Naruto grunted as he took a fighting stance, preparing for whatever the man would throw at them now. The thief turned around to face them…
And both onyx and cerulean went wide at the sight.
"Mizuki…sensei?" was what the blonde whispered at the sight of his teacher. Ok, he knew that all his teachers besides Iruka where assholes, but this?
Sasuke was the first that went over the shock and grunt his teeth, preparing himself to cast another jutsu…
Mizuki smirked full of glee as he shot a few shuriken towards his former students. Both genin dodged the attack with ease. They knew that this was just a small test.
Naruto didn't allow surprise to hold him back anymore. With fists clenched and a wide grin on his face, he prepared to launch himself fully towards the traitor.
At last, at long last, he had the chance to take revenge on him for all these years of torment in that hell-bound academy. Naruto was not one to miss chances. Not the rare ones.
He would not hold back here. Not only because of his personal reasons but for Sasuke as well. There was no way he would take that teme's life on his neck as well here.
He called upon the Light…
Sasuke didn't take that much time to contemplate though. He rushed right forward…
He shot a few projectiles of his own towards Mizuki, who simply parried them all with a kunai, standing still and waiting for the Uchiha to come.
Major mistake.
While Mizuki was busy parrying, Sasuke had already completed the seals for his next jutsu…
"Katon: Gokakkyou no jutsu!" he was so close to Mizuki, that the man's chances of escape from this hit was slim to none…
Thus he was surprised when he felt the man's chakra flicker away from his fireball in a quick movement, appearing…
Behind him?
"Kawarimi…" Mizuki said with a smirk as he roundhouse kicked the surprised Sasuke to the head, sending the boy flying to the stone wall.
Naruto was fast enough to block Sasuke's fall with a shadow clone, keeping his companion from hitting the wall head-first and probably passing out. There was no luxury for that… even with his strength, Naruto doubted he could take him alone.
He never thought for a moment that someone skilled enough to steal such an important document would be a push-over.
And Mizuki proved them right, even though a quirked eyebrow showed his surprise at Naruto's knowledge over a jounin-level technique. The boy had some tricks up his sleeve, he would give him that much.
But it wasn't nearly enough…
The man quickly run through a set of seals as he whispered the jutsu to himself.
How that the blonde not thought of that since now? If you thought about it, it was kind of stupid to yell your jutsus out like an idiot…
The ground under his feet trembled, not a good sign. He immediately left his position, fleeing towards Sasuke's recovering form. Not a moment after his body left that spot, the ground exploded outwards, creating a stony cocoon where he once stood.
Mizuki didn't seem to like this dodge, but it didn't faze him either.
"You quite better than what you tended to show in the academy, demon…" he commented with a sly grin.
Truthfully, while in the academy, Naruto was only good in spars. Nothing else. Not that it mattered much though.
"Don't judge a book by its cover." The blonde smirked. That little plan he had made some time ago was working so nicely now…
Everyone, and that included everone, judged one by his grades. If you where a good student, you where a good ninja. But that was not the point here…
Sakura was a good student. Was she a good ninja too? Hell no. Naruto was a bad student. Was he a good ninja? He liked to believe so. He believed himself quite efficient in combat.
Too bad all his training had to come out now, in the real thing.
Mizuki smirked himself, arrogance and assurance sprayed all over his features. Naruto was holding himself back from laughing hard at that expression. How would he love to rub it off his face. With his own hands.
All this had taken less that a few seconds as Sasuke now stood right beside him.
"We can't take him out like that…" he whispered and Naruto nodded faintly.
"We have to hurry as well. He can simply run down that tunnel and seal the entrance whenever he wants…" Naruto pointed out.
Sasuke smirked as an idea popped in his mind "So here's the plan dobe…"
XxxxX
"What are you midgets blabbering about?" Mizuki wasn't one for patience, and these brats where wearing his thin. He didn't have time to screw around, he had to leave now, or the ANBU would catch up really soon.
With that in mind, the rogue chuunin prepared one of his large shuriken, explosive notes laid everywhere on the metal weapon's surface…
XxxxX
Sasuke frowned as he saw the weapon. He had a very vague idea of what Mizuki was planning to do with it. Either bury them alive, or blow them to pieces.
Of course, he wouldn't let either happen.
Fire jutsus were uncalled for though, just so that he wouldn't set the notes off and kill everyone, including himself.
Thankfully, the plan didn't have any flames in it.
"Go, now!" he whispered to his blonde teammate and Naruto nodded in response, setting his fingers to form a cross…
"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" he yelled and ten clones sprang to life. Sasuke gaped wide-eyed for a moment…
"Where the hell did you learn that?!"
"You said 'Distraction'…" Naruto didn't turn to face him, a smirk on his face.
"Well here you have it." All ten Naruto's cheered as they rushed towards Mizuki, the man visibly sweating as he thought of what to do next.
He used the large shuriken to block and counter, but never released it from grip neither did he ignite the notes. He was waiting for something…
Regardless, Sasuke didn't waste anytime in completing his part as he rushed forward in between the clones, easily jumping above them and behind Mizuki who managed to notice the Uchiha amidst the chaos the blondes created.
The chuunin gripped a kunai and threw it at the onyx haired teen who simply titled his body to avoid it. The man noticed that he didn't use his hands at all…
And then felt his body movements being restricted by an invisible force…
The deem light that entered from the high windows allowed him to see the reflection of wire… ninja wire, around him. He cursed himself for not seeing this coming. Of course a bunch of idiotic, clumsy clones would be a distraction. A distraction meant to give Sasuke time to ensnare him.
Simple. But effective.
He gritted his teeth, trying to push his way out of Sasuke's grip.
It would be fairly easy to muscle his way out of this trap, considering the difference he and the boy had in size.
What wasn't easy though, was to escape from under an army of clones that seemed to descend from the sky and right onto him…
That's what happened, anyway. Naruto had spawned another handful of those damn copies.
Mizuki glared death at the two teens who clapped each other's hands, congratulating each other on a job well done. Oh how he wished he could just get a kunai and shove it down their throats…
XxxxX
Sasuke was reluctant to show his enthusiasm at their success. Naruto could see and understand that much. He wasn't the open type. Shrugging, he turned to Mizuki and smirked evilly.
"Now, now… you have something we want dontcha?" he now grinned widely as he faced the downed Chuunin who struggled (vainly) to overpower the clones that held him down.
"Don't worry Mizuki-sensei" he spat the word "We're not going to do anything. I'm sure Ibiki will be more than willing to have some playtime alone with you." the man, Ibiki, had once visited the academy and narrated them about what the Interrogation and Intelligence Gathering department of Konoha was and what was its purpose, etc etc.
He would forever shudder at the image of Ibiki's sadistic grin when he spoke about how he tortured his victims…
Mizuki spat on the ground, as far as he could at least.
"You think this is over, brat? You think you got me?" he chuckled, then the chuckles turned to laughter. Naruto just poked his ear.
"You sayin'?" Kakashi might have been rubbing off on him… not good.
Mizuki controlled himself "Under here" obviously the pile "is both the scroll and two explosive shurikens that could bring down this whole room. You can't get the scroll while I'm trapped, and if I get my hands free even for a moment, its over." The smirk on his face was an overconfident one.
And Naruto had obviously paled. He hadn't considered that. But…
"Hmm… alright, let's chop off his head then. What do ya think?" he pointed the question to his teammate.
Sasuke smirked, seeing where this was going.
"I don't know… that's too quick. Let's tie his hands, beat him to a pulp and then chop of his head. Slowly…" the Uchiha looked as if he was enjoying some thought that passed through his mind. The Chuunin shivered. Since when where kids this sadistic…?
"Or we could set him on the wall, cut of a few limbs, make him eat dirt, cut his throat open and then burn him alive with a fireball?" even their stomachs twisted at this image. But they kept up their fake grins, just till the right moment…
"Yeah, that sounds good. Okay!" Sasuke looked delighted at this. Mizuki could feel his hands tremble with fear. He didn't want to die, he didn't want to die, not yet!
"Alright, alright! I surrender! I surrender!" he said and one of the clones dispersed, allowing Naruto to know that he had indeed relaxed his muscles, giving up his struggle.
Both teens grinned with satisfaction, this time real.
XxxxX
After they tied the Chuunin up, Sasuke sent a fireball up at the sky, indicating their location. ANBU where sure to arrive soon.
The defeated look on their former sensei's look was priceless. They, together, had defeated a real ninja… and they weren't even official genin yet!
Sasuke didn't hold back in bathing in his smugness, congratulating himself again and again about this feat.
Naruto paid him no mind. He had come to understand that smugness and Sasuke where the one and the same.
"Oh, Sasuke, mind disarming those Shuriken? We don't want them blowing on accident." Naruto pleaded, and Sasuke obeyed with a 'che', murmuring about useless dobes.
Naruto grinned at this. At least he wasn't complaining openly like he normally would.
Draw in their little worlds, both failed to notice the dark smirk on Mizuki's face…
"Well, it seems that I've failed my master… Orochimaru-sama won't be pleased…" his voice sounded reluctant, sad, but delighted altogether.
"If I'm going to hell, I'll make sure to take you two brats with me as well!!" he shouted and laughed, laughed like there was no tomorrow.
Both teens looked at him as if he was crazy before hearing the low 'ssss' sound that came from the side.
Their minds barely managed to notice the explosive notes being set off, shocked as they where.
And Sasuke was right next to them.
Fearful onyx turned to look at cerulean, the same emotion bathing within those sky-blue depths.
"SASUKE!!"
The explosion was so deafening, so strong, that Naruto didn't see anything before the world turned black…
XxxxX
"Did you hear something?" Kakashi said as he looked up from his cards, a lone bored eye looking at the green beast of Konoha. Gai was obviously sweating for some reason.
"The only thing I can hear, my dear rival, is the thumping of my mighty heartbeat as I'm about to crush you under…" "Royal Flush." Kakashi said and dropped his cards on the small table. Gai gaped wide eyed at the hand before tossing his own cards aside and blabbering about what a wonderful opponent his eternal rival was.
Kakashi, on the other hand, had already tuned him out as he shifted on his seat, an uncomfortable feeling settling within him… as if something was going wrong. Terribly wrong.
It had to be something other than Gai.
XxxxX
"And just who the fuck are you?" the woman spat angrily. Purplish hair held up in a spiky bun, a light brown trench coat along with shinobi pants and sandals, a fishnet shirt all that covered her upper body, leaving little to the imagination.
Her choice of wardrobe didn't seem to be what amused the man before her though, as he chuckled sinisterly.
"I…" he began, and thunder rolled on the background.
"am Richard, Chief Warlock of the Brothers of Darkness, Lord of the Thirteen Hells, Master of the Bones, Emperor of the Black, Lord of the Undead, Lord of Dance, Mistress of Magma…" he took a breath, holding out a tour guide.
"…and the Mayor of a little village up the coast"
"Very scenic during springtime, you should visit sometime."
"So, your name's Richard?" the woman asked, bewildered and confused. Anko did not like being confused.
"You where supposed to pay attention to everything after that part…" he said, indifferent.
"Sure thing, dick." She smirked.
"You very awfully remind me of a certain smartass…" the Warlock commented, his hands on fire…
Anko was quick enough to dodge the incoming flames, losing only her coat in the process.
"Shit! My coat!" she groaned.
"Walk it off, you pussy."
"You fucker tried to burn me alive!"
"It's a preferable way, yes. Dead people don't scream, unfortunately."
XxxxX
Why did everything feel so… soft? Like he was touching a pillow, maybe a feather filled one. Soft and warm...
He tried to open his eyes, slowly realizing that the world around him was dark, whether he had said eyes open or not. Gazing around, he was surprised to hear the cracking of stone, the smell of dirt and scorched earth reaching his nose. What was going on…?
Oh yeah. He remembered. He had activated his 'Divine Shield' on impulse, saving himself from the explosion that would otherwise blow him to pieces.
But what had happened to Sasuke?
Naruto's fear reached its peak as he realized his new teammate was probably buried under tones of rock. Dead.
Squashed into nothingness, Sasuke had found an end that he hadn't expected in the least. And the scroll… tears prepared to run down his eyes…
He had failed. Both his teammate and his Kage.
He had failed.
"Oh come on, it isn't worth crying now is it?" he heard a vaguely familiar raspy voice. He could have broken his neck with the speed he wiped around to see the one that spoke.
None other than the dwarf Paladin…
"Gorley…" he didn't know if he should sound surprised or angry. Or anything at all.
"Don't worry about yer little friend." He said, clapping something on his shoulders.
It didn't take long for Naruto to realize this 'something' was probably Sasuke's unconscious body.
"Wh… the… wh…" he was at a loss of words.
Gorley laughed heartily as he let the Uchiha rest on the floor.
"Tirion hasn't taught you the Hand of Protection yet, has he boy?" he laughed again "That old fool!" it sounded nothing like an insult, the wide grin the dwarf had said that much.
"Hand of… what?" Naruto was confused, relieved, sad and all this in a weird mixture of emotions that swirled within him. He had little to no comprehension over the man's words.
"It is similar to your Divine Shield boy. It protects one from any kind of harm for a few valuable seconds. Not from magic though… jutsus, if you will." He smiled as he patted the onyx haired boy, who didn't respond in any way.
"You're a lucky idiot, that I and Poll trailed yer asses here. You would both be dead now and the scroll would be lost as well." He said, grinning and pointing a thump behind him where Poll seemed to study said huge scroll, a thoughtful expression on his features.
"Wait, isn't it forbidden to read it?!" Naruto yelled after a moment. Poll didn't even flinch as he looked up from his readings.
"It is. But no one has to know I sneaked a peak, right?" he smiled and returned to reading silently.
"But how did you get us out of the collapsing rubble?" Naruto asked after a moment. Just how fast where this two, in order to be able to rescue both the two of them and the scroll all in one go?
"Tirion hasn't talked to you about mages either, has he?" the duo grinned at the boy who shook his head in denial.
"Well, we have a lot to talk about then, boy."
"Oh, and sorry about the other day." Poll said as he sheepishly rubbed his head. Naruto only sighed in response.
XxxxX
"What the hell is going on…?" his head was dizzy and his sight blurred for a moment. The world seemed to twist around him in every angle, as if the earth was made of jelly. He gripped his head and supported his weight on the wall, glad that the concrete was sturdy enough.
His blonde teammate turned his head around, grinning widely at him "We just won an epic battle, that's what's going on!" he said cheerfully. Sasuke looked him up and down for a moment.
"You hit your head?"
"No, I'm perfectly fine. Why would you ask?" that cheerful, carefree tone again. It twisted the Uchiha's stomach in more ways than one.
Grunting, he let silence take over. It was easier for his head that way.
Naruto returned to what he was previously doing, studying the forbidden scroll that was. This document contained many a valuable tricks of the trade, tips on how to use jutsus more effectively, high-rank powerful yet risky ones or even assassination techniques. It was perfect!
He was already making a mental copy of it all. Being able to access your own mindscape came in handy in many ways.
"What are you doing…?" he had seen him reading something. How he read in this deem light, he would never know.
Maybe it was the reason he had that shit-eating grin on his face as well.
"Nothing." He said childishly and kept on with his business. Sasuke sighed and didn't push the matter. Naruto seemed to have lost his brain somewhere along the fight.
By the way… how the hell had they survived anyway?
He guessed that asking the blonde would be too much right now. He was too absorbed in what he was doing anyway…
Wait… he had no wounds as well… ok, so they where good enough to beat the chuunin up, but he remembered having a few scratches here and there. Now, his body felt completely fine, as if he had just woken up from yet another night in bed. Minus the headache.
So many questions… he cursed himself for ever waking up…
XxxxX
It didn't take long for the two to find their way out of the tunnel system, trailing the way backwards from where they came. Both teens smirked at the still fallen iron door as they stepped out into the night, the black sky hanging above them, the fresh air a delicacy for their suffocated noses. It smelled like crap in there…
"…naruto…!" they heard in the distance. What was going on?
"…Sasuke…!" it wasn't just one. Numerous voices where echoing throughout the forest in search for them. They both shrugged at each other and walked forward towards the source.
"Naruto-kun!!" the blonde would recognize that voice everywhere, tinted with fear and worry as it was. It made his features grin and his heart ache at the same time. He didn't know why.
"Oi! I got their scent over here! It's rather…"
"Shut up Kiba." Naruto complained as the Inuzuka was practically yelling right next to them, not having noticed their presence being so close in between his yells.
Needless to say, the moment the words left his mouth he was pounced to the ground.
By his two friends that was.
Sasuke on the other hand had the pleasure of being ambushed by a very frantic Sakura. If you could call it 'pleasure', that was.
While the trio of idiots wrestled on the ground, Sasuke barely managed to get Sakura off him before she bit his head off, out of love of course.
"Come on guys! Get off of me!" Naruto said in between fits of laughter. His long-time friends where probably trying to suffocate him. But he would die happy, at least.
Finally they relented as they dropped the blonde and slowly stood up, laughing at his messed up image and dusty clothing. He grunted as he dusted himself off.
"I saved the village from total annihilation and that's what I get… great." He said with sarcasm and all laughed.
"You baka! How dare you go out there on your own!" Kiba was grinning as he threw a punch Naruto's way, who sidestepped it and launched one of his own. Kiba parried and retaliated…
"We wanted to have some fun too!" he said and laughed.
"How did you know we where out here anyway?" Naruto asked as he stopped another of Kiba's punches and dropped the match, letting his stance loose.
Kiba pointed a thump to the glued Sakura "Me and Hinata where going to call you over for some dinner together when we found Sakura running around screaming" "I wasn't screaming!" she objected "Alright, screeching around about you and Sasuke running off to find the thief of some kinda scroll." He explained and breathed.
Naruto grinned as he patted the item on his back.
"Holy crap! Dude, you actually stopped him?!" Kiba was clearly awestricken. Naruto nodded "Yeah, me and Sasuke taught him a lesson he will never forget." He laughed and rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment, a trademark action for when he felt shy enough.
"Awesome! Now you can get a fat reward for stopping the rogue and treat us all to dinner!" he grinned more widely as Naruto's expression turned into one of annoyance.
"Like hell would I pay for your meal… you'll drop hair in my food." He commented and smirked when he noticed Kiba's temper flare.
"What did you say?" the Inuzuka pounced and Naruto laughed as he tossed the scroll towards Hinata, who stumbled yet managed to catch it despite the fact that the item was nearly her size. By the time she looked over the document, Kiba and Naruto where already chasing each other around.
"He's an idiot…" Sasuke commented, finally managing to keep Sakura off bite-distance.
'But he's my idiot…' Hinata smiled but didn't voice her thoughts. She didn't dare voice them, not here, not yet.
XxxxX
"Well, well, who would have expected this?" Sarutobi's smile was clearly reaching his ears. He patted the forbidden scroll and grinned back at the group of young nins.
"Quite the achievement you have done today, both of you." He nodded towards the two in the front who nodded back.
"But saddened I am that Mizuki chose this path…" he sighed and puffed his pipe, placing the scroll behind his desk, probably to hide it again later on, somewhere safer this time.
"Anyways, Naruto, Sasuke, you have both done an excellent job today in keeping Konoha's secrets safe. For that, I will pay both of you a sum equal to an A rank mission." Naruto barely held his grin from reaching his ears. Sasuke looked bored.
As Sarutobi handed them the money, Sasuke stared them down for a few moments.
"Take it." He said and tossed the small pack towards his teammate. Naruto looked at him wide-eyed for a moment. "But Sasuke, that's your reward! It isn't fair…"
"Do I look like I need money, dobe?" Sasuke glared at the blonde who sighed and shook his head.
"Good. See you tomorrow then." And with these words he walked off, leaving four stunned teens behind. Count three as Sakura quickly recovered and run after him.
Sarutobi shook his head, not able to help the smile that touched his lips once more. Sasuke was so easy to read… if you knew where to look, that was.
"Alright guys, guess I am treating you tonight!" he said with a wide grin towards his friends. Kiba seemingly drooled and Hinata giggled. Maybe it was the spur of the moment, maybe something had possessed her, but Hinata nonetheless leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss on the blonde's cheek, resulting to a yet again stunned blonde. She fight hard not to blush from embarrassment herself. Thankfully, Kiba had noticed nothing as he salivated over what he was going to eat. The Hokage seemed indifferent.
"T-that's my congratulations, for your good job, that is." She smiled innocently and quickly turned around, walking outside with Kiba swiftly behind, probably on instinct. Naruto stood still for a moment before touching his cheek, smiling at himself, then the Hokage, and run after his friends. Well, one friend, to tell the truth. Hinata was probably something more already...
The Hokage smiled once again. Hiruzen was an old man that had lived many things in his life. Yet he still couldn't stop being amazed by young people…
XxxxX
Bold… try and be bold.
She mentally encouraged herself over and over, repeating the mantra like a lifeline. Naruto didn't seem to notice anything as he chatted with Kiba about what they where probably going to face in the real-deal tomorrow. She had drifted her own mind to a place much further away though…
They where about to begin their careers as ninjas now. They where going to be out there in the field one day, fighting for their lives and the lives of those they wanted to protect. Those precious to them. And when you where out there in the battlefield, it was victory or death, most of the time.
How much more time would she have with him? How much time would her training under Kurenai-sensei take up? What would happen after they became actual genin?
Was there time? Was there a chance? She wondered… pondered, and rolled the thought around in her head, trying to find something satisfying.
None came to mind. There wasn't as much as they wanted to believe.
Today even, the blonde had risked his life to catch a rogue. She had seen the tunnel collapse with her Byakugan, she had seen everything happen and even felt it. Through him, through their connection via the Light. She had felt the fear, the sorrow, the anger, the satisfaction, all these emotions mixed amidst the field of combat that was Naruto's soul.
She had felt him using his 'Divine Shield', so she knew that he had survived the collapsing. But how had Sasuke escaped…?
She let that thought linger for just a moment more before turning back to her previous thoughts.
A glance at the blonde let her know that he still had his attention turned to Kiba.
How much more time was there, really…?
XxxxX
"Paahh! I'm stuffed…" Kiba murmured in satisfaction. He had managed to down ten whole bowls of ramen. Naruto remained relentless on his record of twenty one and a half though.
Hinata had taken only one. She was pretty sure that her friend's would love to celebrate again when they all became real genin, so there was no need to be greedy now, was there?
"Thanks for the meal, Ayane-nii-chan! Teuchi-ojii-san!" Naruto said and put down the stack of Sasuke's reward, probably enough to pay for them all.
Teuchi counted the money and was surprised from the amount "Well, well, you finally earned yourself some coin, eh Naruto?" he grinned and gaze him back his change. Naruto grinned widely and nodded "Yep!" he didn't elaborate further as he waved goodbye and stepped outside, Kiba and Hinata following suit.
"Phew! Thanks man! I really needed some good food today." His tone was laced with bliss as he gently rubbed his stomach. Hinata wondered how did he not feel uncomfortable with so much food in there…
"No worries, Kiba. It was on me today. It will be on you tomorrow." He grinned and Kiba gave him a laugh and a friendly punch on the shoulder "Yeah, sure thing. And maybe Hinata will fall in love with Sasuke." He said and laughed even harder when he saw his friend glare at him, a little blush accompanying. She knew that he was doing it on purpose.
Naruto grinned and laughed himself "Nah, Hinata's too smart to fall for a chicke-head." He assured and the girl lowered her head now in embarrassment. Kiba chuckled as he began walking away.
"Alright guys, I'll be off then. G'night." He waved and started walking down the street. Naruto waved himself and started walking the opposite direction.
Hinata glared at Kiba's shaking from withheld laughter back and was sure that he was doing this on purpose as well. She knew damn well that his house was the opposite way. She wondered how Naruto could not notice, since they had all been leaving from the same way when they got off Ichiraku's. For a long time now.
Or had he, and was just pretending…? Damn you, Kiba…
XxxxX
"Well, I'm dead tired for one. Kicking ass this late at night ain't good for one's health you know." He commented dryly. She smiled as he flexed his hands, stretching muscles and such. He could be such a show-off at times…
"You could try kicking the hay for a change" she smiled even more widely and he grinned back. "Nah, just some holy Light to heal myself and I'm ready to roll, brand new." He smiled and gave the thumps up. She giggled in response.
They had finally reached the entrance to her home, the prestigious Hyuuga compound. Truly, its size never seized to amaze Naruto beyond belief. He's own block of flats was merely a quarter of what grounds the Hyuuga took! But now you'll say, it's a whole damn clan, they have to live somewhere.
And it pained him to see Hinata walking inside this house, every time they parted. It felt like saying goodbye each and every time She thought he didn't know, she thought he didn't understand what was going on behind these walls, what pain she was experiencing when she walked in there. He could feel it, see it in her eyes, hear it in her words. He didn't need the Light to know that she was sorrowful in there.
She also greatly reclined to speak of the few days she had left the academy and him alone for some obscure reason. Every night, every painful night that came and went, he could feel it. He could imagine her sobbing in a velvety blue silk mattress, crying for things that she had not, crying for things that she yearned for…
The smile she wore now though, that gentle expression that she held here, outside, for him. That was an expression he always wanted to see on Hinata. He wanted her to be happy. She deserved it.
"Naruto-kun, I think it's time to…" her words slowly died in her throat as they both noticed how close they actually where. He could just lean in and…
"Tsk, tsk" someone snickered "Touchy moment." both children froze at the new voice. It was chilling, low, threatening. Deadly…
Both of them managed to dodge at the last moment as a wave of frost and snow shot right at their positions. Naruto glared upwards to their attacker and his eyes nearly bugged out at the sight.
"A… a…" he couldn't force out the word.
"Who are you?" Hinata asked before the blonde could finish his broken sentence. The man smirked under the dark hood that concealed most of his face, his dark armor glimmering in the moonlight. Hinata's Byakugan flared as she prepared herself for combat…
Yet what she saw shocked her beyond belief. So much, that Naruto had to push her away from the man who came descending from the sky, his sword slashing the ground with bestial force.
"Dead men tell no tales…" the man chimed and turned to face them again. Naruto grinded his teeth as he mumbled a spell…
The man simply titled his body to the side as the surge of Light shot by him, hitting nothing. Naruto cursed… his aim never was off.
"Just give me the sword boy, and it will all be over…" he said, motioning the blonde to come closer. Naruto did anything but obey, pushing the still shocked Hinata away from the assailant.
"He's… he's…" she mumbled "He's dead…" she managed to say. Truthfully speaking, she could see his 'chakra' as a concentrated, purple force within his body, rather than the light blue rivers that usually flowed within ones system. She couldn't make out any heartbeat nor any body factions…
The man was freaking dead.
Naruto nodded, not as much surprised as she was.
"He's a Death Knight…"
XxxxX
"Foolish little Paladin-wanna-bes…" he chuckled darkly, his hand extended and fist clenched. Hinata's hands shot for her throat as she felt something blocking her very breath.
The man ducked to avoid an ethereal golden hammer as it flew right above his head. With a snicker, he gripped his blade and slashed full-force towards the blonde interrupter of his fun. Naruto dodged the attack to the side, already chanting his next spell…
The man's one hand extended again as a wave of coldness shot out…
Naruto felt his mind go numb for a moment. He felt the whole world around him growing dizzy and disoriented for a few seconds. It felt as if he had just downed a bottle of ice and his very brain was freezing.
The death knight seemed intent on taking advantage of this as he went for the boy's head.
Yet he felt his whole body freezing, growing numb and weak under an unbelievable weight. He glanced at the side to see that blue-haired girl panting, glaring at him. He grunted as he fought the power back, braking the spell.
"Your hammers are useless… you're just kids. Now, for the last time, hand me over the sword!" he growled at Naruto, who seemed to recover from his haze, only to glare at the man.
He smirked at the unrelenting look in the boy's eyes. That's what he wanted in the first place… to see this look being buried to the ground, to see his despair flare under these confident gaze.
Hinata saw the energy within his body surge outwards once again as he launched another spell.
Yet this time neither of them had time to react as a purple hand of power flew for the girl and violently threw her towards the death knight's awaiting hands…
The man grinned wickedly as he set his sword in place to impale her. Hinata had no time to dodge, Naruto was too far to intercept her path…
The sound of flesh being pierced hovered in the air for a moment.
XxxxX
What should I do… there's so little time…
Time, time…it's always about time, is it not?
How should I know… I don't know…
She's going to die. Vanish. Lost. Never found again.
Do… it…
… Tirion…?
Do it, Naruto…
No… I can't lose… I can't lose both of you!
Worry not about an old, dying man my boy. Worry about a young life about to be lost…
I can't! You… her… what's the choice! What can I do?!
Take on… grasp… your destiny…
What is my destiny?
Paths concealed by darkness… travel them, find the light…
… where will I find that light?
Inside you, my boy… your heart, your soul… the light is everywhere… embrace it…
Embrace the light…
Make it your own…
Guide it will my hand.
Down the right path.
But what is the right path?
That is… for it to know… and for you to learn later on.
You're breaking the mood here…
Enough… grasp the blade, Naruto… use it. Call upon it and it will heed…
But you will die!
No Naruto… I will always be there, in your heart…
… Tirion…
Go now… Ashbringer…
XxxxX
Seconds. Mili-seconds. Somewhere along those lines, something within Naruto snapped as he shot forward…
The death knight's sword indeed hit its mark. In the last possible moment, Naruto had jumped in the way, finding himself in the way of the sword and blocking a killing blow to Hinata…
Yet letting himself being killed in her place.
The man chuckled as he grabbed the blonde's unmoving body and threw him aside. Hinata's eyes where wide with shock as what had just happened dawned on her. Naruto… the death knight… no…
Instead of fear, instead of despair, instead of rage, there was only the void. She didn't feel anything as the man slowly approached, probably to take her life as well. All she could see was Naruto's fallen form… all she could think about was to scream at him to get back up…
All she wanted was to join him, wherever that would be. Heaven or earth… it didn't matter.
Nothing seemed to matter anymore.
XxxxX
"Tsk" he grunted. The silent anger burning in her eyes was annoying. He wanted to wipe those damn tears off her face… along with the rest of it.
She had suddenly sprang up and faced him with puffy redness around her lavender irises and tears running none stop down her cheeks. Wow, that was some damn deep shit love she had there. Most midgets didn't get this sad or enraged when a loved one fell.
Not that he cared. The more the pain, the more the satisfaction.
His gleeful grin intensified as she vainly tried to Jyuuken her way around. The Light wasn't strong enough for him, and she thought that some lousy ninja technique could bring him down?
Amusing, the naivety of a kid, that was.
But there was as much amusement he could get out of something like that before it became annoying. She had actually made his fuckin' hands numb with all these chakra strikes. He felt his sword getting heavier…
It was very easy to parry her tiny palms with either his sword. His hands where out of question as he knew that as lousy as the Jyuuken was (in his opinion), it still was annoying to have your hands numb.
He used an open opportunity and kicked her in the abdomen, sending the girl flying into a wall. The crush was music to his ears. Her pained yelps and gasps for air the high of the song.
He extended one hand, the purple colored hand of death reaching out and this time slowly pulling her towards him. He held her to eye level, bathing in the glory of her agony.
He almost felt bad that he hadn't taken the sword from the blonde… oh well. At least it had vanished along with him. And now it was her time…
Pulling his sword back, he prepared to finish this once and for all and get damn over with it.
Too bad though, he's plan wasn't to come true as a shockwave of power hit him in the side. He lost control of the hand, letting the girl drop and he was crushed head-first into the wall of the Hyuuga mansion.
Looking up, he glared at the damn brat. How the fuck could she cast such a powerful spell when he had her restrained and tired?
No wait, it couldn't be her. Her powers were nowhere near the level of the attack.
Glaring at the side this time, where the blonde had fallen, his eyes widened in sheer amazement, fear, and another mixture of emotions that one couldn't possible comprehend.
There was no Naruto on that spot anymore.
XxxxX
The man before them was dressed in a red-black armor, the legging hiding his feet like a robe would, white lines running down the armor with inscriptions on them…
Shoulder-plates made of gold with red outlining, the emblem of a scale on each side, small decorating daggers on top of each shoulder. Inscription lied there as well.
A black-red hood hid his face while an iron mask made of the same colors as the rest of the armor concealed his features. Where the eyeholes should be, only blazing light shined through.
Black clothing concealed his forearms and gauntlets protected his hands. A pair of plate boots held his feet firmly on the ground.
But what amazed the death knight, and scared him beyond belief, was not the armor the man wore.
It was the weapon he carried.
The Ashbringer…
XxxxX
So much… power… it was… intoxicating…
He had never wielded so much strength in one go before. Never had he felt such cleansing might course through his veins, like the pulse of the Light itself. Every part of this armor, of the blade itself, felt like an extension of his body. It felt as if it was him, not something apart.
Redemption.
Cleansing
Might
Protection
Retribution
Sanity
Tranquility
Those who step into the Light know true strength. Those that cower from its gaze know only despair.
Such were the inscriptions that scarred his armor. Such were the blessings that the Light gave.
He glared through his helmet at the now standing death knight.
He couldn't do it before, but he could now. He could feel the taint in the man's soul, the corruption of darkness. This man was the enemy…
"You…" his voice sounded different, very different. Aside from the fact of his dual chord, it sounded stronger, more pure…
It was the voice of the light, combined with his.
They were one.
"Wanted the blade…?" he raised the sword and titled his head to the side, almost playfully, an open challenge.
Yet his stance changed as he set it in front of him, the Ashbringer becoming ablaze with the might of purging fire…
"Come 'n get it."
XxxxX
This Omake is written in honor of the festival that's now taking place all around the American world… Halloween! No, we don't have such a celebration here in Greece but I do know what its about ;p Enjoy.
OMAKE: Hallow's End
"Excitement abounds, I almost can't wait! Mhmm mhmm gently kill…" Richard hummed to himself as he danced around the wooden floor. Anko looked up and glared at his never seizing to move form.
"What the fuck is wrong with ye, Warlock?" she asked politely. The lack of other more colorful adjectives was proof that she wasn't really angry… for now.
"Oh, so you don't know?" he smirked behind his hood and giggled. Anko arched an eyebrow. "Know about what?"
"It's Hallow's End, silly! Or Halloween, as you people call it." He dismissed with a wave of his hand and continued humming and dancing…
"So…? What's so good about Hallow's End anyway?" she referred to it with the weird name he supplied. Richard froze for a moment as he stared wide-eyed at the snake-mistress.
"You really don't know…?" it sounded like he questioned her very sanity. If she had any.
"Hallow's End…" his eyes flared with flames
"Is all about stealing candy from babies, burning people alive (for the festivities), Tricky tricking children to chop their heads off and of course… the Pumpkin Lord…" he whispered the name with glee. Anko raised an eyebrow. The only thing that bewildered her seemed to be that last weird name.
"The Pumpkin Lord?"
"Exactly! He creeps under your bed late at night, when the darkness has befallen upon everything…" he came closer, creeping like a thief.
"When you sleep, he ever so slowly slips into your dreams and turns them into horrible nightmares filled with gore and pumpkins! Lots and lots of pumpkins…!" his wide yellow eyes stared right into hers. It gave her the chills, nonetheless.
"And when he's done burning every inch of happiness from your soul, he will cut off your limps and the pain will make you wake up only to see him tearing them off. You will scream and scream and he will just…"
"Are you talking about yourself…?" she asked, pushing him away.
"Shhh! None's supposed to know…"
"That at night you turn into a sadistic pumpkin?"
"It's not necessarily night. I can kill people whenever I want. And I'm not a sadist." He defended, crossing his arms over his flat chest, looking away in denial.
She smirked "Then what do you call it when one likes seeing others in pain?"
"Mirthful amusement." He replied evenly, grinning at the idea of slaughter.
Anko shook her head yet grinned nonetheless. "Too bad you fucker can't feel any pain." She said and licked her lips, wondering how a tortured expression would look on his face. Not that she had ever seen it anyway… the guy was like Kakashi, aside from the headband and with a hood to hide his head. None knew what lied under it.
"It's one of my 245.351 traits."
"Is one of these traits focused on decoration? 'Cause my whole fuckin' house is filled with walking skeletons, laughing pumpkins and ghosts wondering around." As she said these the ghost of a chubby man crept from under the floor, its bored eyes looking at the two in wonder.
"Will you two shut up…? I'm tryin' to sleep down her… ahhhh!!" he didn't finish his sentence as he was lost in a pyre of flames and kunai.
"Wasn't that the merchant around the corner?" she asked and glared at Richard. He shook his head.
"I'm guilty until proven otherwise." He stated.
"Tseh, you'd kill the whole court whether they found you innocent or not." She replied evenly.
He seemed thoughtful for a moment "You're right."
XxxxX
A/N: Ok, ok, so if you've read my other stories, you probably already know I'm a sucker for cool voices ;p maybe I'll give Hinata one too… hehe.
On a crucial note, I'd like to inform everyone that I'll be currently focusing on the Ashbringer alone! As of late I've come to understand that the more time I spent on ONE fic, the less confusing it becomes inside my head and the better the quality of my writing can be. When I'm done with this fic in who knows how long (probably gonna be some time), I'll resume writing and finishing whatever I have left of the other ones -.-
Oh, and sorry but no Omake for now folks. I've got some tight schedule here and I hope the extra length of this chapter makes up for the absence of an omake ;p I'll see if I can update this chap with an Omake a few days later as well, if I'm able to do so.
Till we meet again,
HoNdeR All Mighty.
PS: If you're wondering about the armor, to all WoW players: Yes you've guessed right. It's the T2 Retribution set, my favorite ^^ to those that don't know what it looks like, check the link in my profile =)