Breaking Limits
I've made it clear that I read my own stories. The reasons why I posted two at relatively the same time are:
-I don't like how the scene with Haku and Naruto ended. That would have bugged me for two weeks.
-I don't like number 24. (Strange. I like the number 25, though.)
-What I wanted to establish in Wave in chapter 24 still hadn't happened. Lets hear it for the… Nah, I ain't spoiling my original twist for Wave for B. Limits. I guess the one for L. Twice is original too. Everyone said so. If you found an idea like the one you're about to, lemme know so I can cry about it.
-I guess I love y'all too much. (*sniff*) Love me back by reviewing!
Disclaimer: 'Okay MRAY, just don't spaz out.' "Ahem. I don't own Naruto."
(Flies into a rage and throws his chair through window, smashing the glass.) "Graaahh! Why the fuck do I have to keep doing this damn thing, huh?! Who spends their time going through stories, searching for those who they can sue?! There are almost 400,000 stories for Naruto on this site ALONE! Good luck finding this one! Uraaghh!"
25.
There was a near eternal pause before Naruto broke his stare. "No."
He had very nearly felt like he was drowning when he had looked into her eyes. Nearly dying in fact. But strangely, he felt his heart pounding in his ears and he was suddenly…lucid. The strange thing was, the sensation almost felt enjoyable. He only looked away lest the girl think him touched in the head.
He had missed her smile to herself. She had had the experience of others have that expression when they saw her. "So what's wrong, then?"
"Uhh…" Here he was, out in some Kami-forsaken forest trying to keep his cool and his grief in, then a pretty girl shows up, threatens her to leave and when she does, he has an emotional breakdown. Then she comes back to him, and he didn't know what to say. He supposed he could spare some personal details, but not delving into anything ninja-related. What harm would a little personal information do if it were given to a complete stranger if the person had no use for it? Besides, other people knew in Wave. But the thing was, he had never seen her before. That means that she had come to Wave during his absence.
"I...today…" He stumbled over his speech a little. She nodded to him to continue so he tried to think of the phrase before actually trying to say it. "I found out today that my father died. He was murdered and he was one of the best things that ever happened to me."
"Oh. I'm…sorry for your loss. Although I don't know you, I offer my condolences." The girl replied.
"My name's…Naruto."
"Naruto?" Haku could hardly believe her luck. All she had to do was bury small questions inside her statements and she could acquire some vital information. He wouldn't get suspicious of her underhanded interrogation and perhaps she could even figure out the team's weaknesses. Although she wondered if he was lying to her about the name. His grief was sincere, but what kind of name was 'Fishcake'? Although he did appear truthful. After-all he didn't seem to have enough clarity to lie. If worse came to worse, she could just kill…
She shook her head slightly to dismiss the thought as her companion began speaking again. "Hai. Naruto. I bet you're thinking of a ramen buffer."
"I was."
"It's maelstrom. Multiple meanings but I prefer maelstrom. Turbulence, whirlpool…" He trailed off and sighed. "You said your name's Haku, wasn't it?"
"I did, Naruto-san."
He smiled a little. "Don't people more often than not give that name to boys?"
"Who says I'm not? I am a boy." Haku stated firmly.
"…" Naruto frowned. "I recall hearing someone mention your name, saying that they liked to peek on women in bathhouses. Was it you? I don't like perverts, just so you know."
"Must be someone else. It wasn't me."
"Are you sure?" Naruto frowned even more deeply, also giving him a rather impressive glare.
"Why would I peek on women? I can just jo-"
"Join them?"
'Crap.'
Naruto laughed a little. "Judging by the look on your face, I can see that you realized that you walked into that one. Heh."
Haku became crestfallen and snorted a little, making the Uzumaki cease his mirth. "Why would you lie about your gender? I mean, well…you're uhh…" He blushed a little. "…Very pretty and all that."
"Hmph." She was still upset. Not so because she was unable to fool him, but more-so because he still had amazing mental agility to come up with something like that on the spot. She had never prepared for a pointed question like that, so she had never had a rehearsed answer.
"I'm no expert on this, but if you want to look like a guy, you'd need to, uhh, shave off all your hair, maybe smear some charcoal under your chin to make it look like puberty's giving you stubble or something. Come to think of it, why would you pretend to be a male anyway?"
"I'm always being pursued aggressively by the opposite sex. Almost to the point of fearing for my chastity." 'It's actually because males are more imposing or intimidating.' She thought to herself. 'At least that's what Zabuza-sama says, at least. I need to go back to be the one asking the questions. Think, Haku.'
"What? Well, if it's worth anything, I apologize for my sex's transgressions and obstinacy pertaining to their hormones."
"Um. Arigato. So, I'm guessing that you came all the way out here to grieve?"
"Well…that's part of the reason. Thing is, I got into a fight with some friends and I came here to cool off." He admitted. "He's a real prick."
"So you're a hothead? Wouldn't have pegged you for one." She noted. "Although you did threaten me."
"I'm really sorry about that. I hadn't completely reigned in my anger when you found me. The bastard was…how do I put this? He thinks my privacy was worth about the same as chicken shit."
"Four ryo?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Huh? Four ryo?" He started to chuckle. "Heh. I get it. Garden manure."
She smiled brightly. "Of course. So I take it you're a ninja then? You look like one, with those clothes and your headband."
"Yeah. I'm from the Leaf."
'Alright. Now we're going to get serious.' "You look plenty strong; if I were your friend, I wouldn't have picked a fight with you."
"I'm not one to boast. Besides, there's a shit-ton of people who are stronger than me. I need to train, train, train. If I still have some time after that, I'll train some more." He stated with a grin.
Haku stopped to think, her mind going a mile a minute. 'He got into a fight with a friend, huh. And he thinks he's not strong enough so he needs to train. Right? Hmm. He said that he's not one to boast so that means he knows he's strong but doesn't want to gloat about it. But how am I supposed to know that he's responsible for that fire technique?' Her eyes wandered to the fire that he had built. 'A lot of rain had fallen recently. I doubt that he could start a fire with wet kindling with just matches, or even a flammable substance. Only thing capable is to use a jutsu. That means he can use katon. And there's the key phrase 'came here to cool off.' He must've done it, and then practically marched his way here, still upset. Not to mention there were some deep footprints showing that he stomped…and the fact that a toppled tree was laying on it's side right next to the tracks, with overturned dirt and some roots in the marching tracks. The tree was in his way. A fully mature, completely grown tree.'
She gulped slightly, wondering how strong he was currently. Was she actually the one in control now? Or was it he? She had better be prepared for an eventuality but he hadn't suspected her yet. Hell, he was warming up to her.
"You don't have any bruises on you, as far as I can see. Does your friend look that good?"
Naruto growled in the back of his throat, slightly unnerving her. "I don't think of him as my friend anymore. Anyway, I've got this, I dunno, some kind of notion that I have to look out for people who are lesser fortunate than I am. I mean, it's a good personality trait and value but somehow, I feel like it's stemming from my own past and…maybe genes. Not sure."
"So…your deceased father raised you that way? Is he a ninja like you?"
Naruto smiled. "Nah. Well, he did have the core values of charity, I mean. It's just that he wasn't my biological father. He adopted me, in a sense. You might've heard about heard about him. He was Kaiza, the 'Hero of Wave'."
Haku nearly broke out in a sweat. She knew that Gato had had the man killed to make an example of him, to snuff out any hopes of anyone willing to cross him. While she wasn't present at the execution, she knew of it by word-of-mouth.
"I heard that some guy named Gato killed him. He chopped off his arms, making my tou-san die from loss of blood." He began growling again in the back of his throat.
"I-"
"So help me Kami, when I find him, I'm going to draw his death out for days. Then I am going to raze all who he is, what he does and where he lives to the ground."
Yuki was badly startled. She could have sworn that his voice sounded demonically-influenced or something, right as he said the word 'days'. His eyes also became distinctly catlike, but was red with a slit pupil. But as quickly as it came, it left and what he said caught up to her.
'He speaks that as if he knows he's capable. But… wouldn't that mean I would get caught up in his quest for revenge?' "I don't think that revenge is a healthy solution." She mumbled.
"Why not?! It would make me feel a hell of a lot better, I bet."
Haku was sure that he already knew who Gato was. If not, then it would be only a matter of time. He came here yesterday, after all. Perhaps by midday tomorrow he would perhaps be burning down Gato supposed fortress to the ground, along with mounting the business man's head on a pike if he were to have his way.
And if Naruto believed himself capable, as she had reasoned him to be the instigator of the fire technique, then what was his team capable of?
She could take a chance. Try and kill Naruto now, with nothing more than her repertoire of Hyoton and Suiton techniques, versus a boy whose fire jutsu eclipsed it. When she had the element of surprise, but not knowing what else he could do. Strength perhaps? Look at what had happened to the fallen tree. What could he do to her? Snap her like a brittle twig?
She made her choice.
"Well, in any case, it was a pleasure to speak with you, Naruto-san. My parents are probably worried for me."
He grumbled something incomprehensible.
"I beg your pardon?"
"That's fine."
"Oh. Well, you're fine now, I hope?"
"Nah. I'm still grievin'."
'He's still upset. I better leave while I still have a decent cover.' "Alright."
She stood up and started to leave, heading in the direction he had seen her emerge from in the first place. 'Hmm.' "Take care. Hope you don't run into any perverts or something."
She turned back momentarily. "I hope so too." She begun maneuvering her way around the mud and loose stones she figured a civilian girl would and soon, the darkness of the forest hid her from his view.
Naruto stared after her for as long as he could see her retreating form, and strained his hearing to listen for her fading footsteps. Finally, there was neither to be sensed and he resumed staring into the fire. He knew it was dangerous; it would make one blind to the outer darkness, making them easy victims. But 'focus' helped with pupil dilation, and for that he was thankful.
'Come to think of it, she only looked at the fire once or twice. She was always staring at me. Like she was scrutinizing me while avoiding making herself blind to the night. Almost as if she was ninja-trained.'
"Nah. But if she is, she's one pretty kunoichi…" He blushed again thinking of her. Almost half-heartedly, he delved back into his memories of her features.
"Oh Kami. Am I being perverse?" He mumbled.
He looked up to his forehead in thought, weighing all of the facts. "Don't think so. It's not like I'm viewing her naked or something without permission, or thinking of rutting with her. I wonder if what I'm thinking is the same reason why she said that she's a boy. It would be a real turn-off. Tch."
=X=X=
Haku appeared out of a water shunshin just in front of the building where her comrades resided. It was nondescript, practically just four concrete walls with a roof on top. The building was just large enough for four people to sleep and perhaps walk around before bumping into one another. It was given to them by their boss to sleep in during their tenure.
She knocked at the door. There was no code or special way of knocking. There was no need for none when it was a building that was occupied by four hardened killers. Three, in actuality.
Besides, the door was never locked. She only knocked to announce that she was entering.
So she did, pushing in the door and taking her sandals off in the doorway. She noted that Zabuza was sitting on the edge of his bed eating a loaf of bread, watching Gozu and Meizu arm-wrestle each other on a small table. The man with the serrated teeth looked up to her.
"Where've you been all evening?"
"I was trying to scout out the Konoha team that came in with Tazuna, master."
Gozu fought desperately to keep his hand up, but lost as Meizu slammed his hand on the other side of the table that shook with the force. "Damn it!" The losing brother turned to Haku while ignoring his brother's gloating in the background. "Did you find out about that katon technique we saw?"
"The katon jutsu?" Zabuza muttered. "Me and the short bastard was talking in his high rise office when we saw it. The damned prick starts going on and on about it was at Tazuna's house. I swear, I was about to take Kubikiribōchō to him myself just to shut him up. But he's paying us with overseas cash, so we still needed him alive. Not to mention keeping up a reputation as reliable employees who don't murder their so-called 'charitable' bosses. Shit."
Haku nodded, but frowned a bit at his rambling. It was a sign that he was getting impatient with the mission progress. "I believe I found out all the details surrounding the jutsu. Even though it almost all theory, I find it to be as close to the truth as I can trust."
"Well, don't keep us in suspense; tell us!" Gozu exclaimed.
"There was a genin named Naruto-"
"Hah! Fishcake?!"
"Maelstrom." She corrected Meizu. But she had no idea why she said that. It was almost as if she was defending him. "He told me that he preferred that meaning."
"You met the kid?" Zabuza bit out. "I trust that you killed him then? Less opposition, of course."
"No. I didn't. I believe that he was the one who did the technique."
"What?!" "What the hell?!" "How can a brat pull off something like that?"
"Just let me speak. Don't interrupt. He found out that his adopted father died only today. He said it was Kaiza, the 'Hero of Wave' that Gato had his thugs kill in a public execution. When he was at home, he had his privacy invaded by one of his teammates. They then had a fight, during which Naruto used the fire technique, probably as intimidation at his former friend. Then he left the house to get some alone time to grieve and gather his thoughts."
"There's a lot of holes in the story."
"I know, Zabuza-sama." She went on to explain in depth how she figured it out and soon the man had caught up to speed, not to mention impressed.
"While it's mostly theory, it is fair to say there's a seventy-thirty chance that he was the one who did the jutsu. Even if anyone were to pull that off, they'd die of chakra exhaustion." Momochi reasoned.
"True. And there was this one thing about him. While he was threatening what he'd do to Gato, I could have sworn that I saw his eyes look like red through and through, with a slit pupil. Not to mention that for that same moment, his voice sounded a bit…" She gazed at her companions, noting their backgrounds and monikers. "…Demonic."
"Demonic you say? Like deeper, maybe sounding influenced? Undertone?"
"Hai! Like that! But how did you know, master?"
"I met someone like that. Eyes didn't really look that way but the personality fits, along with the emotion. This boy must be like Yagura-teme. A jinchuriki." Zabuza answered.
"What's that?" Gozu asked.
"'Power of Human Sacrifice.' Demon containers and all that shit. What did he look like?"
"He was wearing-" Haku began, but was cut off by her teacher.
"Not clothes. Anybody can change that. I mean like hair, face, scars, things like that."
"He had spiky blond hair, blue eyes, looked to be around thirteen or fourteen years old…and he seemed to have these whisker-like marks on his cheeks. Three on each cheek. They looked so uniform I thought them to be tattoos, maybe intentional scarring."
"That must be some kind of indicator what demon he carries. The only demon I can associate with Konoha is the Kyuubi. The attack on the village fits the timeline too."
They all continued their discussion well into the night, trying to figure out their next move, a plan, a strategy. But nothing seemed suitable. All they could imagine was the boy and his team coming to kill Gato and they were all burnt to death.
"Kami. I got no clue what to do. Kill 'em in their sleep?" Gozu muttered.
"We'd be detected before we got inside. It's an old house, creaking boards, not to mention they could be sleeping in shifts."
"What about the brat in the woods. He's the one that complicates things. What if we all storm him at the same time?"
"Probably back with his team at the house. No way is he gonna sleep on the hard ground when he's got a warm bed waiting for him."
"Then what the hell are we supposed to do?"
"I don't have all the fucking answers, now do I?"
Haku listened to the three men banter, with none coming closer to a sound idea. It was then she decided that enough was enough.
"We'll just ask Gato how we can kill Tazuna, or dispose of the team. Maybe he can come up with an idea we can use, because none of ours are good enough to even go on paper."
She truly detested killing, but speaking like that helped to give her a dominating vibe, in which all of them listened. While it did end the discussion, it was not in a way that she imagined,, even though she should have.
Zabuza grabbed his sword to go train in the middle of the night, Gozu went out to drink while Meizu insisted on getting something to eat. At her insistence, the man agreed to bring something for her to eat as well; she was famished.
=X=X=
Morning found Naruto trudging back to his house. He hadn't slept any, but he was still possessed perfect clarity. He had spent long enough from home, but he didn't know if he yearned for it, if he yearned for the seeming safety it promised. A place to get some food to eat, a place to rest his head.
And then there was what happened yesterday.
He chose at that moment, to just get in, get to bed, wake up at dinnertime, eat then, then continue to do his job of protecting his grandfather on his C ranked mission in Wave.
"Without a word. Damn it all. I should have just taken the mission to Taki and get to see Fu-chan again." He mumbled. He resolved then and there not to say a thing until they just realized that the problem was not going to disappear, that he wasn't crazy, that he wasn't a would-be murderer, he was just another human being. One that had a lot of shit on his plate to sort through.
He walked straight to the front door, let himself in and went upstairs to the room he figured he would sleep. All of them saw or heard of his entrance but no one said or asked him a thing. It was in fact hilarious; it seemed that they had decided on the exact same thing.
He created a shadow clone and watched it remove its baton from the back-holster. Swiping it to release the catch. 'Watch over me.'
The clone nodded and took a seat that could watch the window, the door and his creator at all times while Naruto changed into a t-shirt and boxers. Retrieving his sleeping bag, he unfurled it and got inside before laying his head down to sleep. But even in his dreams, he still had no peace.
=X=X=
"That's interesting to know. Knowing you, you probably do everything with your sword, you must want me to come up with a way to kill the pest in an original way."
Gato got up from his luxurious chair and paced to his window. Looking out, he was treated to the sight of a lightening flash that lit up the sky. Around five to six seconds later, a booming thunder was heard and rain began to fall heavily.
Zabuza frowned, trying to think of a way to dance around the issue while still getting what he wanted. Unfortunately, he was going to have to suck up to the man even more. "Just a way to put more control in your hands. You order me to kill him, I let you pick how you want me to off him."
The short business man smirked at the sound of that. "I like your point. He hasn't gone to his bridge even now. I suspect he's hiding out in his house. Burn it down with him inside."
Zabuza nearly kicked his own ass as the man mentioned that. Now there was an idea. But-
"The rain's falling. Never mind. I have a better one. One that will let those insufferable mongrels down there who's really in control. Don't let anyone get out of that house alive. If they try to leave, kill them. That'll make 'em starve to death in the house, or try to end their misery by throwing themselves to you." Gato reasoned. "Starve to death, or try to duke it out with a legendary swordsman of the Mist. In a fortnight, they'll all be dead from starvation and dehydration, and the house will be their tomb."
Zabuza chuckled. It seemed that the damned midget actually had a good head atop his shoulders. This was the best plan. If all else failed and the jinchuriki had amazing vitality, he'd just burn the house down. It couldn't keep raining forever in any case. Besides, he would operate at his best out of doors; the sword wasn't exactly indoor-friendly but that plan…plans that Gato thought up had the biggest chance of success. Zabuza himself now appreciated well thought out strategy and information. If he had had it from the start, Yagura could have been dead already. But now he had learned from his mistakes, and the Konoha team and the Master Bridge-Builder would die.
And he had some ideas to assure his success.
=X=X=
Hinata cleaned the final one and placed the plate in the dish-rack. Wiping over the counter twice in conclusion, she stepped back to admire the now clean kitchen. She didn't help the branch family members with their work and chores as often as she would have liked to but out on this mission made her feel more useful, even if it was just a chore. Nevertheless, she would soon have to leave the house to protect the client while he built his bridge.
About said client…
'Strange family. It's like they already knew Naruto, the way they carried on about Naruto. What is it that they know that we don't?'
She could have just easily asked the Uzumaki, but he was upstairs sleeping. If that was the only issue, then she would have just waited for him to wake up, perhaps ask a question or two. He had never hidden anything from her (not that she knew of) and had always been frank or truthful with her. She had to know.
If anything, Naruto's reaction over Kaiza had to be proof that they all knew one another.
She walked into the living room to find Inari quietly speaking to his mother while Shino sat close by. She reasoned that their sensei was upstairs with Tazuna, watching over him.
"Hey Shino, has Naruto woken yet?"
The Aburame looked to her and the mother and son duo stopped conversing to listen. "I don't know, Hinata. And I have no intention of trying to find out."
"Why is that?"
"…" The kikaichu user shifted his gaze. Hinata considered for a moment before pressing on.
"Is this the same reason why Naruto was upset with you yesterday?"
"Leave it alone, Hinata. I nearly got burnt to death; you saw what happened to the tree."
"I'm not defending his actions!" Hinata exclaimed. "While I think it was heavy handed, I don't know any details surrounding why he did it. That's why I'm asking you. You always seem to know about things like this."
Shino let out a long sighing exhale. "And that was the problem. I tried to know about one thing too many, and I nearly paid the cost with my life."
"Curiosity nearly killed you?" Tsunami stated. "That's a bit ironic. Reminds me of the proverb about the cat."
"Curiosity?"
"Hai, Inari. I wanted to find out why Naruto was upset and why the whole household seemed to be on edge. I had realized that it could be detrimental to the mission's success."
Hinata had a look of realization on her face when she recalled Naruto's reaction to Kaiza's fate. But she stayed it, thinking about what her teammate just said. "You spied on him, didn't you?"
There was a long pause.
"…I did."
"So he tried to kill you because of it?!" Inari couldn't believe it.
"Every time I think about it, the trajectory of the fire jutsu was meant to kill the insect that I had planted on him-"
"You breached his privacy?" Hinata felt her face begin to redden with anger.
"For lack of a better term, yes. But it was well intentioned, I assure you. But as I said, the jutsu was meant to kill the insect, but the effect of the jutsu was broadened and I would have gotten caught in it also, if I had not done a replacement technique." Shino defended himself as his gaze changed to each of the three people, scrutinizing emotions.
"I think I should just ask Naruto-kun for his side of the story." Hinata decided after a moment's thought.
"You know that Kurenai-sensei asked that no one speak to Naruto. You also know this is being done in the hopes that he will realize his guilt and apologize."
"I suppose that he should apologize for nearly killing your friend, Hinata." Tsunami argued. "But Shino should also say he is sorry. I have reason to believe that Naruto is going through a difficult time and it's possible he got fed up when he thought that his life was being pried into."
"…" Shino looked up to the ceiling. Above it, he believed Naruto would be. "And why should I break my teacher's rule?"
No one had an answer except for Hinata.
"Shino, let me tell you a story about Kimyō Town…"
Fifteen minutes later, Shino was found going up the steps with Hinata to the bedroom where Naruto was located. Both were lost in thought, yet completely stable mentally as they opened the bedroom door where they all slept.
Shino was the first to step in, and was also the first to find himself on the floor with his left hand behind his back, and a baton wedged in the opening. As the baton turned like a four-way wheel brace on his wrist and shoulder, Shino could barely contain his groans of pain while it felt like his arm was being forced out of the shoulder socket.
"Naruto-kun! What are you doing?!" Hinata hissed in alarm.
"I'm not Naruto. I'm just a welcome mat for people like him." The doppelganger gestured to the sleeping Naruto on his futon, then to Shino as his statement applied.
"Urrrgh…"
"Just let him speak to Naruto-kun. Please!"
"No." The shadow clone stopped just short of removing the boys arm from its joint and yanked him up back unto his feet by the back of his neck. "You're lucky I'm gracious enough to let you go free, you prick. Now go."
Shino fumbled his sick arm with his healthy one and pushed against it, just to make sure the joint was still secure. He couldn't believe he had gotten manhandled so easily by Naruto; a clone even, not to mention was highly expendable, and easily destroyed.
He made as if to leave but Hinata grabbed Shino by his healthy shoulder to prevent his exodus. "We're staying. Now let us speak to…your boss." The Hyuuga heiress insisted. She had experienced seeing him using shadow clones and the one thing that she had noticed was that they tended to call him so. Hence her use of the term now.
"…" The clone crossed his arms while still holding his baton in a forward grip, glaring daggers. "And pray tell why I should?"
"Shino came to apologize."
"Did he want to of his own volition, or was he pressured to? Advised to?"
Shino had no argument; he squirmed his way from Hinata's grasp and left, still clutching his shoulder in pain. The clone shut the door behind the boy before turning to Hinata, his eyes softening a little. "And what business do you have?"
"Why are you so short-tempered?"
"I have my creator's emotions. He still resents Shino…and the fact that you have yet to be assaulted is also proof. Now please leave." He gestured to the door with his head.
'So Naruto cares enough about me to not have me beaten with a night-stick?' "I guess I'll just take a nap then. My sleeping bag's next to Naruto's."
"…" The kage bunshin growled a bit before relenting. "I suppose I can't stop you from doing that. Go ahead."
The girl promptly readied her bag and got in; she was already in casual clothing. "Please wake me up when he wakes up?"
The clone looked away, trying to ignore her.
"Please?"
"Fine. But you should know that he doesn't want to speak to anyone." The clone bit out. He got back to his seat and went back to surveying the room like a watchdog. Hinata didn't really feel the need to sleep, as it was only early in the afternoon. She was actually waiting for Naruto to wake up but the dull drone of the rainfall finally lulled her to take a nap.
=X=X=
It felt like only minutes since she had fallen asleep when she felt like she was being shaken. Lavender eyes opened as she was roused awake, only to find the clone shaking her by the shoulder to get her to wake up.
"Hey. Get up."
The clone then dispersed into a plume of white smoke. She looked around only to find Naruto waking up as well and rubbing his eyes. He groaned before getting up, and fixed her with a dead-on stare.
Silence.
…
…
…
"Um. Kon-nichi wa, Naruto."
"…"
"I came to talk about what happened yesterday." 'That's right. The clone warned that he didn't want to talk to anyone.'
"…" He raised his eyebrow.
Finally seeing even a minute change in his facial appearance, she pressed on eagerly. "Shino came to apologize today, but your clone beat him up."
He nodded in response.
She realized that he wasn't going to talk about anything pertaining to what happened yesterday. With a sigh, she changed the subject. "Do you want something to eat? Tsunami-san left you something from breakfast."
"Sure."
They both got out of their sleeping bags and went downstairs to the kitchen. They ignored the stares along the way and once there, Hinata took out a covered dish from a makeshift safe on a corner table. Naruto, had in fact known that leftover meals were kept there, but he let her get it for him. He sensed that she was trying to wheedle him for info but so long as she stayed away from the subject, he'd stay vocal.
He ate in silence, trying to shake the feeling of her watching him. It was unsettling to say the least but somehow, he sensed that there was some other feeling. The same sense of foreboding he had gotten back in the Leaf when he had encountered his grandfather had returned and it was far more potent now than before.
He quickly ate before turning to her. "Do you feel…different?"
She appeared befuddled. "What? I don't understand-"
"Like a sixth sense. Like something bad is going to happen."
"Um... like premonition?" She asked in uncertainty.
He nodded. "Like it, but it's more general. Something's going on, or about to happen." He worried a moment, trying to gather his wits. In a way, the feeling felt a bit like his 'Reflex' keenness, but still completely different. Almost as if it was a warning, but his body didn't know how to react. "Is everyone here?"
"Hai."
"Well…that's good, I guess."
A loud knock came at the front door. Three, rapid and consecutive.
Naruto quickly exchanged a look with Hinata, before the Uzumaki got up and went into the living room. There he could see Tsunami making as if to go to the door, Inari sitting on the floor and Shino nursing his arm.
The blond quickly grabbed his mother away from opening the door. She turned to him as if to argue but Naruto glared at her, while shaking his head. He ushered her back to her seat while he created a clone who then henged to look like her.
"Who is it?" The clone called in her voice.
The two civilians goggled at the sight and listened for the answer. The person on the other side of the door muttered something that the house occupants didn't quite catch. While the clone called again, Naruto quickly went back into the kitchen, retrieved a knife and went back to the door, crouching in a supposed blind spot should the person outside force entry.
"Hello?" The clone called.
"Just open the door." The voice growled.
Naruto nodded to the clone, who in which the 'woman' nodded back. Shino and Hinata in separate places in the living room readied themselves for a fight possibility as the clone opened the door forcefully and quickly.
Through the clones eyes and everyone else's (but Naruto), they took in the sight of what seemed to be a six foot tall man with a sword that seemed to be twice that length on his back, wearing bandages and baggy Mist camo pants. His companions to his sides and just behind him but still in good view were dressed in leather outfits and sporting metal gauntlets, and the last person seemed to be dressed like a mist hunter Nin, mask and all.
"While it's wise to greet me in a henge," Zabuza applauded. "It's still unwise to open a door to someone who still hadn't introduced themselves, brat."
"…"
"My name's Zabuza Momochi, and I've come to inform you that you are all under house arrest." Zabuza chuckled with a sinister-sounding undertone as he continued. "All who tries to leave this house will die." He pointed to the two roughly dressed men. "Poisons, dismemberment." He then pointed to the hunter-nin. "Piercings to all of your vitals all at once." He then gestured to himself with his free hand and at the same time, bandages from around his face sagged a bit, revealing a shark-esque grin which frightened all of the first time beholders. "Or straight up butchering from yours truly."
A foggy and an extraordinarily deep cover mist came from behind the quad group of ninja outside. On impulse, Shino started to release insects from his person and Hinata activated her byakugan. To her surprise, her dojutsu seemed to make everything look like a chakra haze. All too soon, the mist concealed the ninja, but it stopped at the door in an amazing display of control.
"Your first day in you living in your own grave, begins…now."
A hand reached in from outside and pulled the door closed with a resounding 'bang' of finality. All of the house's occupants released a breath that they hadn't realized that they had been holding. The clone dispersed relinquishing its memories to Naruto, who frowned heavily.
"Is he serious?!" Tsunami nearly hollered.
"I should think so."
"Enough of your dry humor, you prick." Naruto got up and replaced the knife back in the kitchen and returned. "We've got enough problems. Where's sensei?"
"Right here."
All eyes turned to the stairs to see Kurenai with Tazuna trailing closely behind. "I was upstairs guarding Tazuna when I overheard. I listened here while readying myself for a fight."
Naruto grumbled. He supposed that made sense; the client came first and if a fight ensued, it wouldn't do for all of them to be visible and ready to intercept at the same time. "So you know him? All I know is his title. A book had him in passing mention."
"Hai. He's Zabuza Momochi, the Demon of the Hidden Mist and master of the Silent Killing." Kurenai stated. "No doubt he's targeting us, but whom specifically? Is it us? Me? The family?"
"Tazuna-san?" Shino added.
"And then there's him. This is a C rank mission to protect him from thieves, common crooks and bandits."
All eyes turned to the bridge builder, catching him in the action of trying to discretely go back up the stairs. Without hesitation, Yuhi grasped the man by his shirt collar and pulled him back, before walking him to a chair and forcing him down to sit in it.
"Tazuna-san? What's this all about?"
"Oh…uh…"
"Tou-san? What did you tell these ninja in the Leaf?" Tsunami's blood pressure was rising to dangerous new heights in direct proportions to her worry. "Didn't you tell them about Gato?"
Naruto's ears perked up at the mention of the name, and started glaring at his adoptive grandfather.
Hinata spoke up. "He told us about Gato when he was telling us why the picture was missing a person."
"All he said was that a business man had his guards kill him. Nothing else." Shino explained while pushing up his shades. "We need more specifics."
"Shouldn't we be focused on people outside keeping us trapped in our own home, threatening to murder us if we try to leave?" Tsunami argued.
"We need to know, Tazuna!" Kurenai yelled. "What aren't you telling us?!"
"I…" The man looked to both of his grandsons. One looked as if he wanted to cry while the other looked mad enough to eat concrete. "Gato is the business man controlling Wave. As far as I can tell, he's a control maniac; wants to show us that he's got us in the palm of his hand, and everyday, he clenches his fist a little tighter."
"Get to the point!"
"The bridge I'm building will help break his monopoly on all the trades that rely on his shipping. That's why he wants to kill me."
The red-eyed woman sighed before plopping herself down in the sofa next to Shino. "Shit. A C-rank mission which was an A-rank the whole time. Again."
All of team eight knew what she was talking about and didn't speak. In the ensuing silence, Tazuna started to get nervous and continued rambling in an effort to quell the feeling as well as the tension.
"This Gato was…is a real bastard. If he weren't so terrible, I might not have tried to build the bridge, but I made up my mind soon after her started having his people burn down people's homes, ransacking them for valuables, saying that people 'owed' him for taxes, trafficking our women and murdering good people."
"So this Gato murdered Tou-san?"
All eyes turned to Naruto. But only one answered him.
"Hai, my son. He killed Kaiza-kun." Tsunami started to cry in tandem with Inari.
Kurenai, Hinata and Shino all stared at Naruto, who hung his head and went upstairs. Ignoring the eyes that seemed to bore into his back, he soon left their view and he went to his room to change back into his gear and proper clothing.
The eyes snapped back to the family, some questions now answered but now, many more formed now required them. But not one a single one was answered, for none spoke to reply.
Naruto soon came back down the stairs, all of them turned to look back at him but his hood was up and over his head; no one knew what emotion his face was registering. "So this Gato's still here in Wave, I take it?"
"He is." Tazuna answered.
"Where can I find him?"
"Naruto-kun, are you serious? The ninja outside will tear you to pieces!"
'Now there's a thought. Ugh. I can't keep discriminating him like this.' "She's right, Naruto. He didn't get to his rank by just using a sword. As far as I know, the only person he ever lost to was Yagura, the Fourth Mizukage. And he was a Jinchuriki, one with perfect control over his Demon."
"A Demon? He's only second to a person or thing like that?" Tsunami enquired. "But come to think of it, what's a jinchuriki?"
Following an explanation, all were caught up to speed and they all came to grips that the person outside was very strong nukenin, not to mention he had help.
Naruto was slightly unsettled; it seemed almost as if the woman was poisoning his family with facts about jinchuurikis. He hadn't meant to tell them, but the fact still remained that his family was clearly against the practice and the use.
"Well, in any case, I doubt Gato will be expecting me to come for him while I'm here."
All of the heads turned to the blond again as he opened the door and noted the haze that seemed to be like a solid wall at the door. "What are you doing, Naruto! Shut the door!" Kurenai hissed while removing a kunai.
"I dunno. To go kill someone, maybe?" Naruto replied sarcastically. After a moment's hesitation, he silently readied himself for a kawarimi, and stepped out.
Two seconds later, he was back in the house with wide eyes, and two pieces of a large log (what's left of it) fell in through the doorway, riddled with claw marks that had a little purple liquid in the gouges, and covered senbon like a pincushion. The boy hurriedly pushed the log out with his foot and yelled into the mist.
"Don't you think that's a bit overkill?"
The sound of Zabuza chuckling again sent shivers running down everyone's back, and Naruto slammed the door closed.
"Well, to hell with that shit."
He looked around at the others who stared/glared at him. "I'm guessing we're sleeping in shifts, huh?"
=X=X=
Twenty-four hours passed with no outside contact.
As he had asked, the four ninja slept in shifts- each slept for six hours, watching the house in pairs. Naruto and Kurenai watched the house interior and kept their vigil as the others slept and the family tried to find some way to pass the time.
"Kuso. It's like you're a magnet for trouble, Naruto."
Naruto looked up from where he was seated next to Tsunami. "How so?"
"First those bastards, and now this. What's this about these your family members? They're in Wave, and you've never left the village besides these two C rank missions turned A ranked."
"Hmph. It sounds like you missed one."
"What's that?"
"I know you still resent me for what happened to your father. 'Nine' already apologized."
"To hell with that!" Kurenai yelled. "Like I'm supposed to believe that! Do I look like an idiot?!"
"On occasion." Came the dry reply.
"Why I ought to-"
"Please! Stop arguing! It's not improving the dilemma!"
"Kaa-chan, its fine."
Kurenai growled a bit in frustration. She recalled in her mind how she had resolved not to run away from anymore adversities and the irony of which she was trapped in one place. She needed help.
"It's just attrition."
"What does that mean, nii-san?" Inari questioned.
"Do you want the word-for-word definition? Or do you want me to tone it down for you?" Naruto grinned at the last.
"Heh. I get it. 'Memory' huh?" Inari grinned as well.
Naruto's grin lessened slightly. "Yeah, yeah. Hush. Here it is. It's the act or process in which one wears down the adversary by means of constant attacks or continued pressure."
"As usual, I understood nothing."
"Huh? Don't you still go to school? I spoke it at your supposed level." Naruto stated, his confusion increasing.
"Gato burned the school down." Tsunami answered. "But I get it. It's just someone doing something to make sure they outlast the enemy. Right?"
"Yeah. You're still as smart as ever, mom."
"Alright, this is bugging the crap outta me. How are you all family? I know that's he's an orphan. How did you meet?"
They all looked to each other briefly, before Naruto answered. "It's my story to tell, one I refuse to tell you."
He got up, and left them to got upstairs to find Tazuna in his doorway, still drinking. "You shouldn't be drinking. It's a diuretic."
"What the hell's that?" The middle aged man slurred.
"It makes ya piss more." Naruto stated straightforward. "And you'll drink more, waste more. Get it?"
"Can't you just lemme die drunk? It should be easier than when I'm sober."
Naruto sighed. He could feel himself going out of his mind if he stayed cooped up for too much longer.
It had been three days since their lockdown in their own home. The family's hope flagged while the ninja still debated what to do.
"What do we do, Shino?"
"Why are you asking Shino, Hinata-chan?"
The Hyuuga fidgeted. "He always has some good ideas."
Naruto scoffed from his corner. "Always?"
Shino sighed. His face sagged a bit and for the first time, his face showed emotion. He looked honestly repentant. "Naruto, I'm very sorry for invading your privacy. Gomenasai. I had no idea that you were going through a grievous phase and it was wrong of me to pry."
"…"
"Can you forgive me?"
Naruto looked away, before looking back to him. "Yeah. Sorry for nearly killing you and nearly breaking your arm, I guess."
"When did that happen?" Kurenai asked, indignant.
"Doesn't matter." Shino replied. "Anyway, I'm at a loss. I've tried to send kikaichu out to the Leaf to contact my clan and send help, but the buzzing of their wings gives them away and they're killed. Not to mention they're bloated in the mist. It's made with pure chakra-"
"So Hinata well and truly can not see through it?"
"That's right, sensei. Even if I send my insects out in the rain in the hopes that it will muffle the sound of their wings, the wings get wet and they can't fly. Sooner or later, they drop to the ground and drown in rain water."
"So…" Naruto began. "How much longer can we last?"
"We're each down to one ration bar, and the family has about one meal left for their own. No more rain has fallen since yesterday, so the hole we made in the roof to collect water through is only letting in the wind at this point. All in all, one more day, then we'll all degenerate."
"Just to be clear, how do you know the fate of your insects?"
Shino turned to the Uzumaki. "There's a reason why we Aburame listen more than we speak. Our ears have to be sensitive enough to listen to the kikaichus' language of wings flapping, legs shaking and buzzing. And of late, it almost feels like I hear their screams when I send them out. I cannot doom them anymore."
There was a minute of silence.
"That sounds a bit dark. So sensei…"
"Hmm?"
"I guess that means we have to act tomorrow, or we'll soon be too weak for attempts after that."
=X=X=
"Alright. We all know what to do, then?"
"Hai." Kurenai whispered back.
"Hinata-chan."
"Hai, Naruto-kun?"
"Please take care of my family."
"I will."
"Shino?"
"Hai, Naruto?"
"If you make it out of this alive, stop being an intrusive bastard. If I make it out of this alive, I'll stop antagonizing you about being an intrusive bastard."
Shino did not answer.
"Go!" Kurenai shouted.
Hinata backtracked into the house and stood in front of the family in her standard jyuuken stance while Shino grasped the door and pulled it open savagely. Kurenai readied her camo genjutsu and cast it on herself while Naruto formed the cross handseal.
"Tajuu Kage bunshin no jutsu!"
Clones started poofing into existence in the living room and as fast as they appeared, they ran out while pulling out batons and tantos. Kurenai dashed out as well in the confusion and Naruto did as well, yelling as he did.
"Go, GO, GO!"
"Let's go, Shino." Hinata said to the Aburame.
Shino nodded and joined her at her side. They took their places at the fore of the family and lead them to the back door. Upon opening, they tread silently outside. They hadn't even walked five feet from the house Shino actually bumped into someone.
"Shit." He started releasing insects that stormed whoever was in front of him, but they dispersed into water, dousing the kikaichu in the liquid which incapacitated their flying capability.
"Hah!" A voice rang out. "Zabuza said it'd work on 'im! Kill 'em all, Meizu!"
"Get out of here!" The Hyuuga yelled to the family behind her. She had no idea what was coming, but she realized that it would be a foolish mistake to remain still. She leapt to one side and barely dodged…something… and heard a man swear colorfully. Absentmindedly, she listened to the pitter-patter and thudding sounds of the family's footsteps as they left. She also heard a roaring shout coming from the front of the house and recognized it to be Naruto's. Shaking her head, she took out a kunai from her pouch and threw it to where she heard the cursing coming from and was disappointed to hear it ricochet off some kind of metal before planting itself in the earth.
A second later, she deactivated her byakugan as it was getting her nowhere, as well as using up chakra. She listened for any telltale sounds of anyone who was a threat and nearly Gentle Fisted Shino when he backpedaled into her. He collapsed into her arms and coughed; a truly harrowing sound.
"Shino!"
"Scratch one brat ninja!" A voice laughed somewhere in the fog.
She felt someone deeply inhale her hair. "Can we keep this one, Gozu?!"
"You sick pedo! Kill the girl, you idiot! I'm trying to find the bastard bridge builder!" The first voice yelled back. "Damn it! Where the hell did so many people come from?!"
Hinata looked around in a sense of panic and disgust and could barely tell the outline of a man that stood behind her. On impulse, she held Shino in one arm and lunged forward in the short distance between her and the man. It failed to touch him as he backpedaled.
"It's *hah, hah, ha!* damn hilarious. She thinks she can take me on!"
The form lifted what looked like a massive arm and started to drop it in an axe handle attack. Flinching momentarily, she jumped backwards and cursed in her mind. She couldn't fight with the byakugan, she couldn't see the enemy, Shino, for all she knew was mortally wounded, held in her arm and hampering her even further. She was seriously considering going back into the house with Shino but the man was in the way of that.
"Die!"
"Graaah!" Another figure seemingly tackled the ninja in the stomach with a head-butt. "Everyone get back in the house!"
"Tazuna-san?!"
"Get inside!"
Feet ran and slipped in the mist, thundered and flashed into the house to return through the back door. Hinata started pulling Shino past where the two men were scuffling it out on the ground.
"Just go!"
She ran to the direction where she felt where the door was, fighting to maintain a hold on Shino. She ran headlong into the wall; hurting herself but she realized that it was a good thing. Strafing along the wall, she found the open door and hurled herself and Shino through it.
"Where's Tazuna-san?"
"I don't know!" Inari yelled back.
Her eyes snapped back to the mother and son and gasped as she saw them cut and bloodied in many places. "What happ-?"
"Save Oji-san! Please!"
Said grandfather stumbled into the room and slammed the door behind him. He, like his daughter and grandson was covered in cuts and his forehead was bleeding heavily down the side.
"I don't need savin' brat. Ugh! That bastard tried to knock me out with some kind of iron on his hand!" He bit out, before groaning loudly in pain. He walked shakily past the others further into the kitchen and slumped on the ground with his back on the counter.
"Where's Naruto-chan? And Kurenai?" Tsunami asked, extremely worried.
"Katon: Gokakyu no jutsu!" A voice yelled outside. (Gokakyu is the flamethrower. The Gokakyuu is the large projectile fireball. Forgive the note, though, I wanted to be specific.)
"FUUCCCK! Haku, get outta there!"
"They're still fighting!" Inari said in wonder.
"Naruto-chan! Come back inside!" Tsunami screamed. Hinata, the upset woman and Inari ran to the living room and saw the outside mist take on a bright yellow colour.
"God-DAMNIT! Are you dead yet, you bastards?!" Naruto yelled as the light faded.
"Naruto! Get in the house!" Kurenai hollered. No sooner had she spoken there was a tumble in the room before the woman came back into view. The woman grasped the door and yelled again. "HURRY!"
"Damn it! I'm coming! Just don't close it! Kage Bunshin Daibakuha!" (Shadow Clone Great Explosion)
A half second later, Zabuza screamed for the person named Haku to run, before his footsteps indicated his running as well. Another half second, Naruto dashed into the room, wrenched the Kurenai's grasp of the door and slammed it closed.
A millisecond later, through the cracks of the house doors, wall and windows, one could see a flash of white light and a thunderous explosion. Naruto laughed in relief. "Aw, fuck me! I'm alive!"
"Naruto! Language!" Tsunami stalked over to him and walloped him in the head. "Now apologize!
"Damn it, Kaa-chan! Now's not the time-"
"Say it!"
"I'm sorry! Now can we just get a head count, maybe someone would explain why everyone's still here…where's Shino?"
Hinata gasped and ran back into the kitchen with Kurenai and Naruto hot at her heels. In the kitchen, they found Tazuna slumped against the counter, fighting for consciousness while Shino lay face down on the floor.
Naruto quickly turned him over to reveal him with blood seeping from his side. A puddle was starting to form beneath him. Kurenai pushed the blond out of the way and cut open the boy's shirt with a kunai. She worried over him a moment before she sighed.
"He's only unconscious. It's not a vital spot. It's-"
"A flesh wound." Naruto sighed in relief as well. "He must've passed out from shock and blood loss." Quickly creating a shadow clone with low reserves, the clone started looking over Shino before using a Mystical Palm technique in an effort to close the wound. In a minute, it was sealed and the clone dispelled, much to the amazement of Tsunami, Inari and Tazuna who still struggled to keep his eyes open.
"Hey brat. Would you mind using some of that voodoo on me?"
Naruto sighed. "Only you, Oji-san. Hinata, can you please patch him up while I take care of Kaa-chan and otouto?"
"Of course, Naruto-kun."
"What the…Hinata knows-…For the love of Kami, I want some answers!" Kurenai demanded.
"Maybe in an hour." Naruto replied. "When we're all done healing."
=X=X=
"…And that's how she knows the Shosen."
"So you taught her that while you were suspended?"
"Uh huh."
"And where did you learn it?"
"I read a book. So how did you all get cuts all over you Inari? Oji-san? Kaa-chan?"
"Well, we started running away like Hinata told us." Inari explained. "We didn't get too far when we all tangled in a barb and razor fence."
"A fence? They put up a fence?" Hinata asked. She turned back to her efforts over Tazuna but his head wound was stubborn. "How come?"
"They must've done it to make sure that if everyone ran at once, they'd still cage us in." Tsunami answered.
"We still tried to go through, but the lengths were really close. It was as if trying to go through a full on wall, but one that cuts you to pieces." Inari continued sadly. "We can't escape."
Kurenai sighed in defeat. "I'm all out of ideas. And tomorrow is the start of all of us dying slowly of starvation and thirst."
"I'm at a loss as well." Shino answered. He had woken up fifteen minutes prior to their discussion and did nothing but listen; he was taking it easy.
They were all silent until Hinata's Shosen flickered out. "I'm all out of chakra, and I can't mend the damage properly, Naruto-kun. Maybe you should do it." She stated in despondence.
"You did great, Hinata-chan." He walked over and looked over his unconscious grandfather's head. "Your control is better than mine, and I have to handicap a clone in order to do it." He quickly created another shadow clone and watched him work. "In any case, we're all sitting ducks. They can just storm the house and kill us in our sleep, but they're content to let us die on our own. Maybe they're under orders, or something."
"More like a sick joke. And the catch? No one in the Leaf's expecting us for another month." Kurenai frowned, before sighing in defeat. "I'm all out of ideas. And tomorrow is the start of all of us dying slowly of starvation and thirst."
Another moment of silence prevailed before the Shino spoke up. "My kikaichu can't do anything more to expel the poison."
"What poison?!"
"Even though I wasn't fatally injured, my kikaichu have been trying to purge the poison in my body, but they failed to get the last of it. The bulk is gone, but I will soon be incapacitated, and likely dead in forty-eight hours."
"Damn it all! What next!" Kurenai pounded the table in frustration.
"Tazuna's got a concussion. He's out, and I can't really help. He practically has a crack in his skull." The shadow clone stated. "At his age, all I can say is that this has gone from bad to worse."
The family looked worried. "Will he be alright?"
"I can't guarantee it. Boss, we need Doc for this one. For Shino too."
"Doc? Who's that?" Hinata wondered.
Naruto sighed. He had thought about it for days and hoped that he wouldn't need to call his brothers; Higher-ups could figure it out. There was a chance that everything would be shot to hell before it even began, but as Narkaze liked to say-
"Oh well. I guess you gotta mess up early to get it out of the way."
"What are you going to do, Naruto?"
"I'm just going upstairs to meditate, Hinata-chan. Just to meditate. That's all."
Well, that's it. It feels rushed but let me tell you this: I felt like I was deleting more than typing this chapter. At first, the 'Haku & Naruto meet' scene felt right, but everything else just…collapsed in on itself. At the very least, you can just call it a half, call chapter 24 a 'one', and you got 1 ½ in one night. That's a win…right?
So for the Wave Arc, we got to see a War of Attrition. I haven't seen anyone else do (or write a fic) on this before, and that counts for Originality, I guess.
As for the tiny fight scene, please don't judge me. I felt really handicapped writing that; I mean, everything was based on just sound and heaps of panic in the moment. And I had scenes from everyone's point of view but they were just useless details, so I threw it out and kept Hinata's, seeing that she should be the most handicapped for being 'blind'. Wave's overdone with Kakashi because of the sharingan and the only person to duke it out with ol' Zabuza is either Kakashi himself, or a super strong Naruto who can fight while he's blind. I also hope I kept everyone in character. But don't let me tell you that. Instead, tell me what you think. All reviews welcome.
Valete omnes,
MRAY 4TW.