Naruto landed gently, feet making no sound on the soft ground. He glanced up to Jiraya who was leaning against a tree a distance away from the fence surrounding the Forest of Death. Naruto looked at him in a studying manner.
"You were the one that gave Akira the message from Sarutobi."
"Yes." Jiraya answered easily.
Naruto met his eyes and for a moment they just looked at one another.
"For that I shall partly forgive you for knocking me out."
There was a tense moment as the air between them seemed to drop a few degrees.
"I'm leaving to find Tsunade today." Jiraya remarked, finally breaking the silence.
"…I'm going to find Tsunade for a personal reason."
Jiraya's lips twitched.
"How about we travel together then?"
Naruto watched him a moment. Orochimaru would most likely go after Tsunade because of his arms and because the intelligent man probably knew she would be the next Hokage. Naruto needed to stop him. If only to spite the missing-nin. Jiraya would probably be targeted also by the snake Sannin. At one point all three Sannin would probably meet on this journey. Naruto would be there when they did. Jiraya also probably had more of an idea where she was.
"Accepted."
Jiraya grinned and straightened.
"Let's be off then!"
.--.
Naruto gazed around the hotel room and let out his breath in a sigh like manner. Perhaps it had been a mistake to travel with Jiraya. The man had stopped for the first pretty woman he'd seen. Naruto move to the window and threw it open. He leaned on the sill and closed his eye in the sunlight. He found himself only enjoying a few seconds of peace before he was interrupted.
"Gangu."
Naruto's eye snapped opened and he looked down. Zabuza stood two stories below him on the road. He scowled then blanked his face and raised a brow at the man.
"Hello Zabuza."
"What are you doing here?" The man asked, voice gruff, but a smirk on his lips behind the mask.
"I'm travelling."
"Huh. Me too." Zabuza said almost brightly. "Back up."
Naruto took a step back. Zabuza was in the window sill a moment later and slipping in.
"Where is your vassal, Haku?' Naruto asked.
"Somewhere shopping. Boy's too feminine for his own good." The man grunted, flopping down on one of the beds.
"Hmmm." Naruto said.
Zabuza watched him closely as he sat down next to the man.
"I heard Konoha recently suffered an invasion." He grunted.
"True."
"I also heard the Hokage was killed."
Naruto's fists clenched and the bed frame he'd been holding splintered. Zabuza eyed wood.
"True also, I suppose." He said. "You still staying there?"
"…Yes."
"Any reason?"
"He asked me too protect it."
Zabuza didn't ask who 'he' was.
"Hmm."
An arm tugged his shoulder down and he was pulled fully onto the bed. Zabuza rolled to kneel on all fours over him. The man had already removed his mask. He licked his lips, grinning widely as he looked Naruto over.
"You've gotten more beautiful since I last saw you Gangu."
Naruto gave a slight smirk. Zabuza nipped at his jaw and kissed him roughly. Naruto reached up and tangled his hand in the man's short wild hair. Zabuza dominated the kiss viciously before pulling back. He pushed the coat off of Naruto's shoulders where they slid to catch in the crook of his elbows. A twitch of his hand and Naruto's shirt was ripped off. Zabuza gripped Naruto's hips until they bruised and pulled him up flush against him, lavishing attention on his collar. Naruto tilted his head back and closed his eye arching into the man.
He ignored the first knock at the door. Jiraya could let himself in or get lost. He ignored the second knock also. He couldn't ignore it though, when the door opened. Naruto glared at the opened door, hoping Jiraya would get the hint and leave. He blinked in surprise as he saw a tall man with long black hair and red eyes. Beside him was an even taller man with blue skin, blue spiky hair and black eyes. The second resembled a shark while the first resembled Sasuke. Both wore black cloaks with red clouds.
Both paused at the sight of Zabuza straddling Naruto and ravishing his collar and neck. The shark's mouth dropped open and even the other man's eyes twitched. Zabuza scowled and looked up at the disturbance. He let go of Naruto's hips and leapt back in a flash, grabbing his sword. Naruto followed his example, dropping his torn shirt and straightening his jacket before summoning his spear in an instant and sliding into a defensive position.
"What the hell!? Zabuza?!" The shark blurted out.
"Tch. Kisame." Zabuza greeted with a sneer. "You're interrupting."
"I can see that! But what the hell was that?!" the so-called Kisame growled.
"It appears they were going to have sex." Kisame's partner said bluntly.
Kisame's eye twitched.
"Friends of yours Zabuza?" Naruto asked icily.
"Tch. They're S-class criminals Gangu."
"I knew that. I asked if they were friends of yours."
Zabuza gave a gruff chuckle but shook his head.
"Gangu?" Kisame asked in disbelief. "You call him toy?"
"He doesn't care." Zabuza shrugged. "Now get lost. You're interrupting."
Kisame shook his head as if to shake the thoughts away before he hefted a giants blue sword onto his shoulder.
"Sorry, no can do. We came for the kid."
Zabuza glanced at Naruto and they made eye contact. Before the other two move Naruto and Zabuza darted out the window and leapt to the roof across from the inn they had been in. As they did so a feminine boy in a kimono landed beside them, ice needles tucked between his fingers.
"Zabuza-sama." He greeted. "Uzumaki."
Naruto glanced at him then at the two criminals who had followed them out the window. Naruto nicked his fingers and ran it down his arm as he dodged a blow from Kisame's sword. Kisame went past him though and engaged Zabuza and Haku. Naruto was left facing the other man.
"Uzumaki Naruto."
"…Uchiha Itachi."
Naruto nodded curtly then swiped his bloody finger over his arm. In a large cloud of smoke Akira appeared.
"Take him down." Naruto said curtly.
Akira growled at Itachi and launched at him, Naruto right beside him spear ready. As they attacked Naruto noted Itachi was very, very fast. Almost as fast as Naruto himself. And Naruto's muscle structure and bones had been enhanced by a demon specially for speed. Naruto dodged a slice of a kunai and went for the man's right. He was skilled alright.
Naruto stopped dead, body frozen like as he stared into the man's eyes. They were spinning and oh-so alluring. Everything faded black.
Naruto blinked again. He was standing in a couple inches of water and in a dark hall. A rustle beside him made him spin. His eyes met Itachi's. Though this time, they were blacker then night. He dodged a punch and leapt backwards. He blinked as he back met bars. He leaned away from a kick. Then suddenly a large red paw made Itachi leap back. The paw closed round Naruto loosely, in a defensive manner.
"You get into the worst trouble Boy." Kyuubi growled, eyes glowing from his cage.
"Hn?"
"This man has the power to pull people into his mind and manipulate and torture them. Luckily I'm here. I decided to pull you both here instead."
"…You can do that?"
"Of course. I just reversed his own jutsu." The Kyuubi sneered.
Then the fox turned his attention to Itachi. The energy of the Kyuubi flared for a brief moment. Itachi's eyes flew wide and he gasped, stumbling back a step. The Kyuubi stared at the boy. Suddenly he started to chuckle. His chuckles soon turned into full blown laughter. Naruto glanced at him, but kept his attention on Itachi.
"Oh this is amusing. Look at this, Boy." The Kyuubi grinned far too widely, addressing Naruto but keeping his eyes on Itachi.
Naruto was suddenly bombarded by memories. But they weren't his own; they were Itachi's. Naruto panted as he was released form the constant stream. He stared at Itachi in brief shock. Then he blanked his face and gazed thoughtfully almost respectfully at Itachi.
"You killed your clan because Sarutobi ordered it?"
Itachi didn't show any reaction, just gave a brief nod.
"Not for Konoha or the council?"
There was a brief pause.
"No." Itachi said lowly. "I did it for Sarutobi-sama and my brother Sasuke."
"Hmm. I don't care about Sasuke, but I do care that you listened to Sarutobi. You've earned my respect." Naruto said with blunt apathy.
Itachi didn't get a chance to reply as both of them were shoved from Naruto's mind. Naruto barely flinched from the abrupt change and finished the attack he had been in the middle of. Itachi rolled away, right to Kisame's side. Zabuza lay off to the side unconscious, chest bleeding slightly. Haku stood protectively over his body. Kisame hadn't escaped unscathed. He was bleeding from both a head wound and an arm full of senbon.
"Damn kid was better then I thought. And Zabuza isn't as rusty as last time." He tch'ed.
"Hn." Itachi said softly. "Let's go Kisame."
"Huh? Why?"
"Jiraya has arrived."
Sure enough Jiraya stood to the left, the woman he had followed swung over his shoulder. He set her down gently and scowled at the two Akatsuki members. (Itachi's memories had been quite helpful in learning a few things). Itachi glanced at Naruto before the two vanished.
Naruto sent an irritated look at Jiraya who was sighing as the newly arrived Gai leapt onto the roof. Akira had expertly positioned himself so as to block Zabuza and Haku from the two. Jiraya would know they were there but that wouldn't matter. The man wouldn't say anything.
Naruto crouched by Zabuza and cut open his finger mixing it with Zabuza's blood. He also added some of Akira's blood. Then he drew out a couple complicated seals on the man's head and over his heart. He'd read up on the Hiraishin. It was mostly instructions on how to summon yourself. Naruto already knew how to summon someone else using a complicated scroll like in the Chunin exams. Both contributed to what he was doing now. With a quick word to Haku he did the same seals but with his and the boy's blood. When he was finished he straightened.
"Grab onto Akira. I'm going to send him home. Those seals will allow you to hitch a ride with him."
Haku stiffened.
"To Konoha?" He asked suspiciously.
"To my tower. No one from Konoha can get to it unless I let them. I haven't let anyone. You shall meet a man named Kimimaro and a woman named Saiai there. They will not be a threat to you when they see the seals I drew on you. Make sure you wash the seals off quickly. They tie you to Akira's summoning seals and if they're left, the next time I summon him you will be dragged with him."
Haku slowly nodded. He swung onto Akira's back with Zabuza and Naruto dismissed the tiger. All three vanished with a cloud of smoke. Naruto turned to find Jiraya sending Gai and Sasuke off. He sneered at his team-mates back. Of course the boy thought he could run off and take on his S-class missing-nin brother.
Jiraya sighed and rubbed the back of his head.
"Come on Naruto. Let's get some rest and head off early. By the way…what happened to your shirt and collar?" He grinned lecherously.
Naruto didn't reply, just resealed his spear and swung from the roof back through the inn window. He shut it right behind him and smirked cruelly as Jiraya, who had been behind him, hit it and fell two stories down to the ground.
.--.
End of Chapter 21.