Happy new year :) I wrote this in my revision breaks, keen I know... Hope you like the chapter!
Chapter 14: Gai's 'Super Secret Technique'!
Four days. That's how long Suigetsu and Sasuke have been searching for their target. Suigetsu hates this city with the relentless beating sun, the dry dust catching your eyes and the freezing nights. During the five years they had been travelling the climate in other countries had been more to Suigetsu's tastes. It was only three years ago when he had encountered his first rain shower.
"Sasuke," Suigetsu pants. "Mind if we rest?"
Sasuke nods and they sit on a bench in the shade of a slightly crooked building. The relationship between Sasuke, Suigetsu, Karin and Jugo is a strange one. All four shared the same desire to escape the city for different reasons. Yet… A sharp, wry grin pulls at Suigetsu's lips. He hadn't expected to find himself willing to protect them yet he had whey they had faced enemies on their travels.
"I can't believe Tsunade's dead," Suigetsu says. "Never met her… But she was supposed to be one of the legendary Sannin."
"The city will be distracted with the funeral today," Sasuke says.
"Do you think our target will be there?" Suigetsu says hopefully.
"No," Sasuke says. "The funeral finished several hours ago."
Suigetsu scowls. Their target is a very… Unique looking man. Certainly someone you wouldn't forget if you saw him on the street.
"Run Lee! Run with the power of youth! If we do not make it to the other side of the city in five minutes then we must run the perimeter two-hundred times more!"
"What… Is that?" Suigetsu mutters as he squints down the dusty road. In the distance, blurred by heat waves are two green figures charging towards them. "Hey Sasuke!"
Sasuke is already up and standing in the middle of the road, his hand on the hilt of his sword. Grumbling Suigetsu joins him.
The green… Things get nearer and Suigetsu can see… Twins? Both have identical shiny bowl cuts and the biggest, bushiest eyebrows Suigetsu has ever seen. Worst of all is the matching and alarmingly tight lycra suits both are wearing.
"Finally," Suigetsu says. "Maito gai."
"His brother is with him, Lee," Sasuke says. "He's a major too."
Gai and Lee skid to a halt several metres before Sasuke and Suigetsu. "Gai… These people are they?" Lee says.
Gai nods. "My name is Maito Gai. People call me the Noble Gentleman of the city and this is my brother Lee, the Green Beast of the city!" Both give Sasuke and Suigetsu a thumbs up and scary sparkly smiles.
Are these guys for real? Suigetsu thinks weakly. He glances at Sasuke whose face remains impassive as usual.
Gai points at them, "you are the un-youthful people who are destroying this city and we will stop you."
"Ah Sasuke," Suigetsu says. "Looks like our cover's blown… I guess they won't join us."
"Hn," Sasuke nods in agreement and his sharingan appear. Gai and Lee however do not look particularly perturbed.
"Uchiha Sasuke," Gai says moving his body into a fighting stance. "Lee has told me that you are a genius just like your brother Itachi, however I will show how hard work surpasses genius."
"Prepare to face Gai's 'super secret technique' to combat the sharingan," Lee says.
"You've already prepared a 'super secret technique' to combat the sharingan?" Suigetsu says slowly.
"To use against my eternal rival!" Gai says.
Suigetsu can't resist. "Who's your eternal rival?" Suigetsu asks attempting to imagine Itachi as Gai's eternal rival.
"Hatake Kakashi, a great man, at the moment he is beating me 51 wins to 50 losses. I will beat my rival one day!" Gai says and his eyes shine with manly tears, as does Lee's.
"Enough," Sasuke says and his sharingan spins. Suigetsu guess it was the mention of Itachi that's upset him.
A serious look crosses Gai's face and he says, "it is sad to see to boys waste their youth… However we must protect this city, for the memory of Tsunade!"
Suddenly Sasuke is thrown backwards. Suigetsu turns his head, his eye widening with shock, as Gai has appeared where Sasuke was standing. So fast… Suigetsu thinks in amazement. Then Suigetsu sees a green flash run towards him. "Nice try," Suigetsu grins as Lee stares at his fist. "But that won't work on me." Lee's well-aimed punch had hit its mark on Suigetsu's stomach… However his hand has gone straight through Suigetsu. Water drips to the ground and the hole in Suigetsu's stomach ripples.
Lee skids back and he says, "Your modification is powerful… I shall enjoy this fight!"
Suigetsu's grin widens and he pulls the Executioner's Blade off his back. Behind him he can hear Sasuke being beaten to the ground again. Damn it, Suigetsu thinks. That guy really has got a 'super secret technique' against the sharingan.
Suigetsu concentrates forcing the water in his body to surge to his right arm so the muscles bulge. He swings the blade at Lee who easily dodges and sends a kick that only flies through Suigetsu's body. Thinking fast Suigetsu forces his body to collapse into a puddle of water. I can't fight for too long in this heat, he thinks he sends the water skirting around Lee. Taking advantage of Lee's momentary shock Suigetsu reassembles his body. Scooping the Executioner's Blade he hurls it at Gai.
"Gai!" Lee shouts. Suigetsu grins at the blade spins towards the green idiot. Gai ducks as the blade sails over his head. But those valuable seconds have given Sasuke the time to recover, just as Suigetsu had intended.
Sasuke draws his sword and rushes at Gai. Gai only sees Sasuke just in time, raising his forearm to protect him. Suigetsu guesses the cut is deep, hopefully deep enough. "Gai!" Lee yells and he aims several punch as Suigetsu. Suigetsu simply stands there as the hits merely splash through him.
Suddenly Suigetsu hears Gai laugh and Sasuke is thrown to the floor again with a brutal kick to the chest. "Go Gai!" Lee cries. Suigetsu's eyes widen. Why isn't the sharingan working? Is this part of his modification? But Pein said Lee and Gai had the same modification… Freakishly enhanced muscles that gives them inhuman speed and strength.
"You are most likely confused," Gai says to Sasuke. "I shall enlighten you. The sharingan only works if the user has eye contact. All I have to do is avoid your eyes and instead look at your feet to predict your moves. Simple!"
That's… Insane, Suigetsu thinks. How long did it take him to perfect that? But Suigetsu can see it's working.
Sasuke staggers up. "You rely on your eyes too much," Gai says, his humour seems to have evaporated. "That is why the sharingan can be surpassed by hard work."
"Damn it," Suigetsu mutters as he can see that Sasuke is clearly losing. He doesn't want to do this yet his body is moving of its own accord. Suigetsu's body liquefies and collapses into a puddle of water. Lee runs after the water, realising where Suigetsu is heading. But it's to late. Suigetsu's body solidifies and he hauls up the Executioner's blade. The muscles in his arm bulge and Suigetsu charges at Gai from behind.
"Gai watch out!" Lee shouts. Gai whirls round and grabs Suigetsu's wrist with his uninjured hand. Even though Suigetsu has focused the water in his body so both arms are heavily muscled, the blade won't budge.
"Sasuke run!" Suigetsu says. Sasuke looks at Suigetsu and nods, knowing Suigetsu can escape easily via one of the drains.
"Lee!" Gai grunts. Lee sprints after Sasuke down an alley to the left.
"We'll see you sometime soon," Suigetsu says but to his surprise Gai grins because at that moment a fist slams through Suigetsu's chest from behind. "You're not going anywhere," the attacker says calmly.
Suigetsu glances down to see screaming electricity form in the hand. "No..." Suigetsu gasps. He screams as agony runs thorugh his veins, the shock causing his body spasm and jerk. Suigetsu's eyes roll back and he collapses to the ground, smoke rising from his body.
Gai grins, "and that's why Hatake Kakashi is my eternal rival!"
Kakashi gazes down at Suigetsu whose chest is blackened. "Sorry I had to be a bit rough with your cousin," Kakashi apologises to Kisame who joins them.
"Don't worry about it," Kisame says. "He's just a kid, he needed to be taught a lesson." Kakashi kneels down and places two fingers to Suigetsu's neck to feel a faint pulse. Just unconscious, he thinks. Good, Yamato will be happy that there'll be someone to question.
"Was there anyone else Gai?" Kakashi asks. As it happened Kisame and Kakashi had been walking back from the hospital when they heard the commotion. Looks like they had managed to get here just in time.
"Uchiha Sasuke was here, Lee went after him," Gai says, nodding toward the alley.
Kakashi straightens and heads over to the alley but all he finds is Lee, unconscious on the ground. Kakashi lifts up the band covering his sharingan and studies Lee. The illusion that's in place is fairly complicated but with a moment's studying Lee's brain Kakashi can see through it. He kneels down next to Lee, his sharingan dilating.
Then… Lee's eyes flicker. "Wha… What happened?" Lee mutters sitting up.
"Sasuke must have trapped you in an illusion," Kakashi says, pulling his band down. He helps Lee to stand and they walk back over to Gai and Kisame.
When Gai sees Lee he cries, "Lee!"
"Gai!" Lee says. "I'm sorry, Sasuke defeated me!"
"It does not matter Lee," Gai says as tears fill both brothers' eyes. "You have to gift of perseverance, with that and the full power of youth, you too are a genius!"
"Here we go," Kisame mutters.
"Gai!" Lee says openly sobbing now.
"Lee! Let's run towards the sunset!" Gai says. Kakashi sighs. Seeing Kakashi's expression Gai says, "Kakashi what's with your attitude? We'll never be young like this again!"
Kakashi decides to go for the old standby. "… Huh? Did you say something?" He says.
"Gah! Why do you have to be so cool Kakashi?" Gai says. "Next time I shall win."
"Anyway…" Kisame says scooping up the Executioner's Blade from the ground. "What now Kakashi?"
"We'll take Suigetsu back to Yamato," Kakashi says. "Kisame you'll be the one who can probably get the most information out of him if we still can't contact Sasori."
"What do you think happened?" Kisame asks.
Kakashi frowns, "I'm not sure… Gaara said that he left them to fight Deidara… But after that he failed to meet up with them again. And he didn't turn up to the funeral today… There are only two options."
Kisame's face darkens. "Deidara wouldn't have killed Sasori. They've known each other since the tower."
Kakashi nods, "That's what I thought but you know what the alternative is… Which doesn't make sense…" They fall silent.
"The others should be at the police station by now," Kakashi says. "We'll reconvene our plans there… Coming Gai?"
Kisame scowls but doesn't say anything as Gai gives Kakashi a thumbs up and a sparkly smile. He grabs Suigetsu's unconscious body and hauls him over his shoulder.
"Lee let's race to the police station!" Gai exclaims and the two brothers sprint off leaving Kisame and Kakashi in the dust.
Kisame and Kakashi exchange exasperated looks and follow. The dust stings Kakashi's eye so he pulls down Obito's goggles. It's time to find some answers.
Sasuke sinks down in the tunnel panting. He had managed to ambush Lee in the alley, allowing him to use the sharingan and escape. Suigetsu should be fine… Sasuke shakes off the faint feelings of worry.
"I see you failed to kill your target," a voice says. Sasuke looks up to see Obito leaning against the wall opposite.
"You haven't even started looking for yours," Sasuke accuses.
"That's not true," Obito says and he offers a hand, helping Sasuke up. "I know exactly where he is… I'm just waiting for the right moment."
Sasuke snorts not believing him. "We have a new member," Obito continues. "Akasuna Sasori. Pein seems to trust him-"
"Do you?" Sasuke interjects.
Obito laughs his humourless laugh. "Who knows," he says cryptically. "More importantly… I think it's time you see your brother again."
Sasuke smirks, "about time… But isn't Pein going to notice, cousin."
"Pein will be preoccupied with his next target… Uzumaki Naruto." Obito tilts his head slightly, studying Sasuke's reaction.
Sasuke forces his face to remain impassive. Concentrate… Concentrate on your goal, he tells himself. As long as I succeed to killing Itachi, I don't care what happens to Naruto. "Aren't you worried about your friend?" Obito says.
"Aren't you?" Sasuke counters. "After all… Kakashi will also surely refuse."
Obito stiffens and strangely he touches his mask. After several seconds, his hand drops and Obito relaxes. "Hatake Kakashi will be dealt with," Obito says coldly. "Karin is not far away in one of the tunnels. Find her and deal with your injuries. Then find Itachi." With that Obito vanishes.
Sasuke stares at the opposite wall hard. The black sheep of the Uchiha family. Wasn't that what his parents had called Obito? Yet here he was… Acting like a loyal, cold Uchiha. Sasuke knows that although it may be Obito's body behind that mask… It certainly isn't his cousin. But right now… He has more important things to think about.
Sasuke's eyes narrow, his fists clenched. Itachi.
I think I know what I'm going to write next after I've finished Eventide, probably either another AU Naruto story but AU as in it takes place in actual Naruto world but one of those 'what if this happened?' stories. Or a Naruto-Fairy Tail x-over... Because I've been planning on how to make a x-over that logically plausible... I'm saying this like Eventide is finishing soon ha ha. At a guess probably five or six more chapters? But then my estimation skills are terrible..