18. Right now I tell myself this will go up by the 11th, and I'm determined to keep that promise! Been neglecting Chains too long. If you're willing to read all the way, I hope you'll be willing to read my excuses down below, but, for now enjoy!
Dear Guest (Guest),
Thank you! I aim to please, glad you think it's a new outlook, I'm worried about turning cliché really…
The boat glides quietly onwards, over dark, but rapidly lightening waters.
Oar cutting through waves, and they slow, catching a current that guides them towards an arched gap in stonework.
It's a short tunnel with red lanterns down the middle, respect for superstitions of repelling disease and demons, while guiding all who are lost.
The currents are swirling, and an inexperienced boatman would have led to their boat being tossed against the walls.
For that reason, every so often, the oar is adjusted to catch on the edge of a different current.
Naruto, at the head of the boat, is more than happy to stare out at the literal light at the end of the tunnel, eyes in slits as he would concern himself with something particularly curious.
Both Sasuke and she divert their eyes, wincing.
Sensei merely squints, but Tazuna and the Boatman are used to it, tipping their straw hats down.
And so, this isn't the first time Tazuna-san has snuck out like this for materials.
When they emerge, what greets them is a picturesque sight, but, far from pleasant.
Clear blue waters, a few thriving mangrove trees, and waterside houses upon stilts. All empty.
Sakura won't fool herself into thinking it's market day.
Their inhabitants have all been chased out, further inland, away from their main source of survival.
"This will be as far as I go, Tazuna."
Pulling up by a small dock, a soft crunch as the oar digs into sand and grit, stopping the boat.
Everyone but the Boatman climbs off.
"Thank you, Jin."
The Boatman shakes his head, even as he starts up the engine.
"Stay safe, Tazuna. We're all depending on your bridge."
Tazuna-san turns first, gesturing at the path, "Let us continue."
And they do, down the wooden plank walkway which soon turns to another dirt path.
Dry, hard earth, a contrast to the softer ground across the strait, which rain had kissed.
A wide lake bound by the path, grass creeping along the roadside, trying to get a foothold but failing.
Breeze blowing inland, a thin mist rolls in.
Sensei tenses, and everyone notes it.
Naruto slides out a kunai, Sasuke fingers his pouch.
"Ah as the Land of Waves is surrounded by the sea, we do get a fog occasionally… It's nothing to worry about."
Sakura supposes, that since the visual impairment factor isn't present, Tazuna-san's right.
It's still okay.
They've shifted into defensive formation subconsciously, Naruto and Sasuke at the head, Sensei and her behind their client.
The theory behind this would be that the genin would be attacked first, giving the jonin time to react.
Bloody way of placing the mission first, but then again, what sort of enemy attacks head on?
Something tickling the back of her mind, but her teammates are wound tight and a kunai is sent straight through a bush.
Naruto's eyes widen as his weapon hits something.
With a short nod, Sensei sends Naruto and Sasuke to check out what the 'it' was.
Returning with a snow white rabbit, fur drenched in blood, Tazuna-san sags in relief.
"Don't give me a heart attack like that, blondie!"
In the next moment, Sasuke's flinging shuriken to intercept a projectile, Sakura launching chains to grab the huge blade, and Sensei yells for them to duck.
Metal on metal, soon, they have to dodge reflected shuriken, and Sakura is made to let the blade go lest the sheer force behind it carries her away with her chains.
Tazuna-san cowering on the floor, Naruto pushing Sakura down as she rams her chains against the flat of the sword, adjusting the trajectory just enough for Sensei to trip Sasuke so that he falls backwards, avoiding a premature decapitation.
"The Kubikiribocho," Sensei states, calmly, as if he was making a simple observation.
"From the Seven Swords of the Mist, Kakashi-sensei?"
A remarkable attempt at keeping their heads with death looming, Sakura keeps a conversation running, distracting her teammates.
"Very good, Sakura-kun. That means that our opponent, must be Momochi Zabuza-kun, the defected Demon of the Hidden Mist."
Seated on the handle of the broadsword, surveying them with a cool look.
"Ah, and who do we have here? The Hidden Leaf's famed Sharingan no Kakashi."
Even from behind the bandages that cover his face from eyes down, there's no mistaking a predatory smirk.
Sensei slides his hitai-ate up, "Team 7, Manji formation."
They shift into position even as Momochi-san addresses Sensei.
Sakura sets up a chain grid around Tazuna-san first, then another around the four of them.
With Sensei occupying the enemy, Naruto makes a few clones as a precautionary measure.
"Your famous Sharingan… When I was in the Mist's ANBU, you were in our bingo book. Hatake Kakashi, the man who copied over a thousand jutsus."
"Oh? I'm flattered…"
The battlefield is no place for idle talk.
Momochi-san grips his blade at the handle, jumping, before landing on the lake surface.
"He's standing on water?"
Naruto replies quickly, "Chakra control technique. I've been doing the beginner version, Tree Walking."
"I'm afraid that I have to kill the old man, it would convenience me a great deal if you simply handed him over, Kakashi."
Equally pleasant, Sensei replies, "I apologise, but it is our mission to protect him."
The Mist-nin only nods in acquiescence.
"Then we agree to disagree. Hiding in the Mist Technique!"
Water charged by chakra turns to fog, which in turn envelopes all of them.
As the enemy's grey-skinned form fades from view, Sensei reminds them to be on guard.
"Zabuza was part of the Mist's ANBU, well known for his Silent Killing technique. If you're not careful, he may kill you before you even know. The mist is part of his technique, hiding him as he moves."
Not long after, even Sensei fades from view, and vision is limited to only the backs of their own teammates.
"Eight points."
A rumbling, echoing voice in the mist.
"The larynx, spine, lungs, liver, jugular vein, collarbone, kidney… and heart."
Sasuke tightens his grip on his kunai, Sakura takes the opportunity to speak up and cut through the mist.
"The eight critical points of the human body. Of them, the kidney is considered the least critical. A proficient medic can stop a person from bleeding to death."
The pink-haired girl simply rambles on, hoping to distract the people around her from the crushing, oppressive pressure around them.
"Very good, book girl. Does that mean I shouldn't stab you in the kidney?"
Voice blown about in the mist, appearing for a split second behind the three of them, in front of Tazuna, before it disappears again.
Heavy chakra, saturating the mist, weighing down on the helpless genin.
Naruto grits his teeth, and his clones fan out, resolve iron-clad.
Kakashi flares his chakra in response, acting like a homing beacon, trying to attract attention to himself.
He chances a look back at his team, smiling.
"Don't worry. I'll protect all of you with my life."
Sasuke reacts before everyone else, having been closest to where Zabuza reappears, and he barks out, "Back!"
Sakura feels the Swordman's dense frame slamming against her solidified chains, even as she spawns more, yanking everyone around her away from the enemy.
The Kubikiribocho swings around even as it's wielder gives out a displeased grunt, "A shield?"
Those Naruto clones forming the breached outer perimeter are almost all dispersed into smoke, but the one or two who survive charge the missing-nin.
It's a small nick they make that no one notices until the clone is killed by Zabuza.
As Kakashi clashes with the arcing sword, Naruto warns, "It's bleeding water!" and then, their Sensei stabs a kunai through his opponent's chest.
He turns, water splashing out of the wound he's made, attempting to avoid the blade that comes right at his head from behind.
"This is the end, Kakashi!"
Cleanly, said head is lopped off.
While Tazuna gasps, Team 7 has a little bit more faith in their Jonin Sensei.
The clean cut explodes in water, and their battlefield is still once more.
There's a kunai, glinting brightly at Zabuza's neck.
"You're right, Zabuza. This is the end."
[When an enemy smirks, it means either a last ditch try at acting cool, or simply having more things up their sleeves.]
Considering another Zabuza copy soon has Kakashi on the defensive only goes to show that without sleeves, one can still have tricks.
"That one was fake, too?!"
Like a novel with multiple plot twists, Naruto has half the mind to complain.
[There was a scene like the one unfolding, in that book: Tales of a Gutsy Ninja.]
The genin reassemble their formation, on high alert for even more Zabuza clones.
"I have to admit, you are good. Copying my Water Clone Technique with the mist… then having that clone reassure your little party, diverting my attention from you."
With another swing of the huge cleaver, Kakashi is forced closer to the lake edge.
Both hands occupied, preventing the heavy blade from cleaving him in two, it takes but a harsh kick to push Kakashi into the lake.
Now in water, the Leaf jonin is effectively in the Mist-nin's element.
"Your mistake, Kakashi. Water Prison Technique!"
A swirling mass of water rises around, and with Kakashi trapped inside.
[Ill-concealed surprise on a hero's face tells one that the hero has been utterly caught off guard.]
Their enemy chuckles, choosing to gloat.
"I found you pretty darn irritating, Kakashi. But my target's the bridge builder. I'll be killing him, then your team, then you."
With a single hand seal, another a water clone rises out from the lake.
But while he gloats, Sasuke has already created a plan.
"We needa free Sensei, the clone will come after us. He can't move with one hand sustaining the water bubble. Plan, Sasuke?" And Naruto recognises that look in the Uchiha's eye.
"I've got my lightning jutsu Sensei taught me… Naruto, hold off the clone, Sakura support both of us and protect Tazuna."
Sakura solidifies her chain cage, before splitting off more to cover Sasuke.
The water clone runs at them, and Naruto nods, fingers forming his clone seal.
With that sea of orange, dispersing as quick as they are replenished, the smoke provides Sasuke ample cover.
Given the chakra mist is rapidly thinning, he makes a break for it.
He makes eye contact with Sensei, trapped in that water bubble.
Boar-Ram-Snake
Sharingan still active, Kakashi-sensei can easily read his mind, and prepare.
People of the lightning type chakra build up immunity to the burning sensation lightning type chakra causes over time, like a poison user would to their own poison.
Horse-Dragon.
The smoke cloak gives way.
"Lightning Style: Electromagnetic Murder!"
Palms to the water prison, the chakra sparking, and imploding, racing towards Zabuza's eyes.
Sasuke allows himself a brief smidgeon of satisfaction when their enemy curses.
Unless Zabuza lets go, Kakashi is trapped.
Unless he lets go, Zabuza will be electrocuted.
Screaming bloody murder, the Missing-nin uses his free hand to take a swing at him with the huge blade.
Kakashi yelling at him to run, but he holds on, knowing that Sakura will protect him.
Sparks racing up his arm, he's starting to feel backlash from his own chakra.
Sakura's chains grappling with the blade, wrapping around it, and piecing through before solidifying.
He's appeased by the sight of Zabuza's fist in the water clenching.
Watching gritted teeth for any sign of weakness.
There's the splash from behind them, and he half turns.
A horde of Naruto clones dogpiling a disarmed Zabuza clone, Sakura's chains dispelling the water made blade.
Huh. I'm slow.
Giving it a final flourish, he channels more lightning chakra through his hands, enough to surge through Zabuza.
The sphere dissolves, and Sakura's chains grab all three of them, yanking them back to dry ground.
Sensei waterlogged, but alive, Tazuna behind Naruto and Sakura.
Zabuza on the ground, clutching his right arm in agony.
Sasuke knows his hands have been burnt badly, but right now, he's more satisfied than in pain.
Sakura frowns at him, the ends of her chains dissolving into a liquid form.
"Mystic Palm Technique."
Glowing green, taking away the heat.
"I'll heal more once we get to stop somewhere."
Kakashi-sensei assesses his fallen enemy, before taking out a kunai, squatting.
"Well, Sakura-kun, please take the butcher knife."
Chains retracting, the Kubirkiribocho with it, dumping it before them, away from its wielder.
From the trees, a pair of senbon fly out, and strike Zabuza in the neck.
Sensei jerks back, before he takes his enemy's pulse.
A masked ninja drops down, bowing lightly.
"I have been pursuing this criminal for a very long time. I thank you for your aid, Konoha ninja."
"Mist Hunter-nin?"
Long black hair bunned up, framing a white mask. Mist symbol at the top, red waves curling across the base.
"Hai, Sharingan Kakashi. If I may have back my village's historic sword? I must destroy the body."
"I can do that for you. It would make me feel much better to see the corpse turn to ashes by my hand."
Naruto looks curiously at him.
He forms the seals for his clan's trademark, but the grip on his hand is cold.
Firm, "I apologise, Konoha nin. But Kiri has our own method of disposal."
"Gato will not pay anyone."
Sakura's voice is a purely business tone.
An observation.
The coldness he felt…
"I wouldn't pay someone who has failed. But when the person I avoid paying is strong, the best way is to kill that person. Hunter nin-san. How much is Gato paying you to bring Zabuza back dead? Can I counter pay you?"
"I must take my leave."
The Hunter-nin leaves by a mirror, dragging with him Zabuza's body.
He's suddenly seeing double, and he can tell that there's something off about that mirror.
He can't seem to understand what it is.
"That was ice, wasn't it, Sensei?"
Naruto, making observations.
"Correct, Naruto. A Kekkei Genkai, like the Sharingan. That kid probably isn't… a Hunter-nin. Not with the Bloodline purges going on in Kiri. Not with the feared Ice Release."
He feels his world slowly dim.
Sakura catching him.
"Well if you think we're gonna die, I hope you die before that, ungrateful brat! You only think we don't know pain, but like hell if I'm gonna let you whine about your problems when you're just a whiny menace!"
Naruto blows up in front of their client's grandchild.
She finds that she doesn't blame him.
But politely, he thanks said child's mother for the tea, apologising.
"Thanks for the tea, Tsunami-san. Sakura-chan, I'm gonna go take a walk."
He levels a final, angry and mixed expression at the child, eyes flickering to apologetic as he walks out the door, past Tazuna-san.
Sakura's not so hurt by the child's assumptions.
She hasn't experienced her loss quite the same way.
She drinks more tea, even as that turns his angry and defeated gaze to her.
Kakashi-sensei is resting upstairs, next to Sasuke.
No doubt had Sasuke been awake he might have blown.
If Sensei had been awake, he might have apologised on behalf of the team.
Sakura smiles softly from behind her cup.
"Is Gato a monster, Inari?"
The boy, child – she reminds herself, doesn't have to reply.
"If Gato is a monster, then there must be a hero to kill him, right? If a monster has minions, then a hero has friends. Since Gato is the monster, can't we be your heroes?"
"You'll die…"
Because the child doesn't hate them.
The child wants a hero.
He's scared that they'll die.
She reaches over, hand settling on his head.
"We'll be okay. But heroes need people to believe in them. That's where the strength of heroes come from, protecting. We're protecting your grandfather, Tazuna-san. We are Konoha Ninja, and we're not afraid to die to complete our mission, Inari-kun."
The strength in her voice tapers off at the end, as her conviction wavers, but it's a proper note to end on.
Tsunami-san looks ready to cry, Inari-kun has his fists balled up and head down.
Because Yuurei believes that pain is a personal thing. That life being hard is a personal thing. And that just because other people may feel more, or have a harder life doesn't mean one loses the right to feel pain and helplessness.
"It doesn't take away your right to feel upset, or complain, or wish better and for more. It doesn't."
She spares the Kubikiribocho in the corner, left behind by the fake hunter-nin, a glance, before retreating upstairs to look over Sasuke and Sensei.
Sakura isn't surprised at all to find Naruto and Inari talking later that night.
In quiet tones, with numerous sighs, forced laughs, ending in a tight hug.
"Sensei, are you hurt anywhere else?"
An eye smile, "All patched up. Thank you, Sakura-kun."
Bruising of the abdomen, lightly scorched skin. No internal injuries.
But he shifts, eye creasing again in that deceitful fashion.
"May I run a final diagnostic?"
Permission.
She's going for a 'yes'.
He waves her off.
"I just need a bit of bed rest to regain chakra."
He didn't faint like Sasuke, she leaves him be.
"Please rest then, Sensei. The Ice user may not come after us, after seeing how Gato turns on his hirlings."
Kakashi lies back on the thin mattress, "The Hyoton user may have been Zabuza's partner, rather than Gato's tool. Senbon rarely kill."
Naruto's up bright and early, before even Sasuke, which is rare.
He's half-awake though, not near catatonic like yesterday.
"Oi Sasuke, Sakura-chan and I are going out to pick herbs for ya. You better be 'wake when we get back! For now, rest up, Sensei's in the house, if you need anything, holler."
His friend only rolls over, groaning.
Naruto snickers.
"Sakura-chan, did you know, that Sasuke has bed head hair?"
The pink haired only raises an eyebrow, "Really? Well, if we pick herbs fast enough, we might catch him just as he wakes up. We'll be able to see for sure then."
He gives off a restrained cheer.
"Man, won't he be pissed hehe."
And Sakura never scolds him for such things, like the rest probably would.
She only smiles, turning for the door, laughter in her voice, "He won't see what we see, Naru-chan."
He should squawk in indignation at being called -chan, but he knows it's her form of endearment.
They pick a random path and start to walk into the shaded area.
"The plant we're looking for is called aloe vera, it's to help Sasu-chan with the burns on his hands. I've healed some of the damage, but his hands have the burn marks, and they'll hurt until his skin naturally replaces those cells."
"The spiky cactus plant thing Old Man Matsuda has in a pot? The one in that crazy heavy pot?"
Sakura blinks, as if trying to recall.
"It's mostly green, with white dot patterning, and little teeth along fleshy leaves."
"Mhm! Sounds like it."
She rubs the back of her neck, forehead creasing in thought.
"Huh. Why have I never noticed it?"
He grins good naturedly, "'Cause you're always taking care of those temperamental plants he has in the back."
Sakura recognises his implied complement, and she lets out a quiet giggle, "And Naru-chan's always being slave labour, but watching and learning carefully."
Her laugh makes him happy, reminds him that she's his precious person, to keep her close and protect her, always.
He bounces on, chattering as they walk on and on.
"Oh! I think I see it!"
Running onward, only seeing his target, accidentally knocking into someone.
"Naru-chan, wait up!"
Her blonde teammate crashes into a young teen crouched on the forest floor, but he tucks his legs in, landing in a roll, and no worse for wear.
They both hurry back to the newest person they've met, apologising.
"Not at all! I'm okay, but are you? You took quite a fall!"
Large brown eyes looking up at them, open at first, shuttering the moment the fall on their hitai-ate.
Naruto carries the conversation with an amount of bashfulness.
Sakura waits to be introduced.
"I see! I'm Haku, and I'm gathering herbs too, for my precious person."
She should have noted how cold Haku felt.
She takes in the petite figure, dressed in pink, paired with a pretty face and a kind smile.
Naruto waves his hands in front of her, "Sakura-chaan..!"
"Pretty."
She claps her hands across her mouth as Naruto looks amused, and the teen blushes.
A soft voice in reply, tone conveying how flattered and embarrassed Haku feels, "I'm a boy, Sakura-san."
"Sakura's a girl, Haku!"
The, 'Don't misinterpret her remark,' goes unsaid this time.
"Herbs?"
She shakes off fleeting thoughts, stupidly, things tickling the edge of her mind, unnatural grace, finesse, this kid's a killer-, "What sort of herbs are you collecting, Haku-kun? Naruto and I are looking for aloe vera."
And with a happy smile, he directs them.
"I've been in the area for a while, this is probably the best spot for herbs! There're so many, almost as if someone planted this garden in the middle of paradise."
With a back-forth of reciprocal aid, the hour passes quickly.
"Ne ne, Haku, is this the right one?"
"Sakura-san, how do you tell what leaves to pick?"
"Naru-chan! Don't squish the poor rabbit!"
a snow white rabbit.
"That's my rabbit, my second rabbit died a while back…"
"Aw, that's sad, I like rabbits!"
"Sakura-chan! We needa hurry back, if not we won't catch Sasuke's bed head hair!"
Promises to see each other again.
"We'll see you again, Haku-kun!"
"Yeah! Hope your precious person gets better!"
"I hope Sasuke-san gets better as well!"
They burst through the guest room door with an unnecessarily high amount of noise.
"Sasuke!"
He takes to shooting them death glares to convey his unhappiness.
Argh…
Sakura only gives him an out-of-breath smile before tending to the burns on his hands.
With a plant. A cold and slimy plant – huh what
His head is pounding, and he's too tired so he just lets the ramen addict yammer on.
"We met a pretty guy called Haku!"
After a while, Sensei's grey head pops around the door, just checking up on them.
"Look who's finally up! We can begin training tomorrow then."
Aw please no.
"I'm going back to bed, please don't stop me."
It wasn't like anyone could protest the sleepy bed head kid plopping back to bed.
Sliding shut, breathing evening, hands stroking his hair in a soothing motion, letting healing green chakra wash him over.
Time stamping this guys, it's 11 December, 1.02 a.m. for me, and I have finished writing, as promised!
I'm happy with how it turned out.
Naruto – Observant, Sakura – Understanding, Sasuke – Quick (Physically and mentally), Kakashi – Laidback, Haku – Loyal, but swayed, lastly Zabuza – Task-oriented.
I'll be concluding Wave Arc in 2-3 chapters max.
I've cut some things, and I hope everyone manages to pick up the main differences between canon and this, alongside (hehe more sneakily) the difference between most SI Wave's and mine.
Never read any writer making Sasuke faint, but lol might just be me! I wanted Sakura to faint, but then I figured it would be making it far too coincidental.
Onto excuses! I've been away from Wi-Fi for about half the prior week, and I started a new series :)
Plug here - (Add in flashing red lights) If anyone likes D Gray Man, do check out my latest fanfic, The Theory of Utilitarianism. General Yeegar was one of the influences for Sakura's chains. If I could say so myself, his naturally caring and teacher-like atmosphere is the kind of character I want to develop for my Sakura.
The teacher not so much, but devotion, mental strength and caring, yes.
(Kayo frowns sadly) Sadly, I don't think anyone really has much interest in where I'm going.
My writing's still the same style so… please?
But other than that, I do need motivation and a good kick to get started, feel free to review and talk to me about anything and everything, even if just to ask for another chapter!
Almost forgot to add, but I have a tumblr now for quotes and stuff! It's on my profile, I'm looking to do a request fic set (sorry am I being too ambitious?) so do go over and request fic/ficlet/pairing/rare pair, from any of the fandoms I'm in!
Feeling happy, and hopeful,
Kayo
