Chapter Seven

"Well, well, well. No wonder the demon brother's failed. Sharingan Kakashi."

"Momochi Zabuza, Kirigakure's Akumano Kiri."

Sasuke frowned slightly at Zabuza's appearance, able to feel Haku's presence hidden at the edge of his senses. Beside him, Naruto was tense, blue eyes hard as they watched the two jounin square off in front of them.

Mist slowly clouded the area and he felt a small hand wrap around his wrist, slender fingers tapping the underside gently.

'Be on your guard. Protect Sakura.'

He tapped back an affirmative reply, and just as suddenly as the hand appeared, it was gone and the mist stole his view of his master.

Behind him, Sakura let out a quiet whimper, her fear thick in the air around them. The air shifted a bit to his right and he snarled soundlessly as the mist cleared to show his lover's blade locked with Zabuza's, kunai to sword.

The nuke-nin was smirking, his gaze feral and he jumped back with a taunting chuckle.

"So the brat wants to play ninja. Tell me, how many people have you killed?"

Naruto smiled, and Sasuke shivered.

That was not a smile one wanted to be on the receiving end of. It was the smile of the new Kyuubi, of the Rokudaime that slaughtered any and all in his path to protect those precious to him. It was dark and dangerous, full of malicious intent. If they weren't careful, Naruto would kill the nuke-nin before he had a chance to redeem.

"Momochi Zabuza," The hanyou purred silkily, breaking the strike. His eyes flashed a deadly crimson.

"Have you ever met a true demon?"

Zabuza's eyes widened and he flew back as the blond landed a solid kick on his chest. Before he could move to return the attack in kind, Kakashi appeared in front of him blocking the brat from view, his sharingan spinning wildly.

"You will not touch my student. Naruto, back in formation."

Arctic blue eyes flashed once more as they slid from Zabuza to Kakashi, then without a word, Naruto did as he was bid.

Sasuke sighed in relief, blushing slightly as his master raised an eyebrow at him. He looked away.

So, what if he didn't want Momochi's attention focused on the blond? Who could blame him? The last time they'd met the man his apprentice had turned him into a fucking pincushion! He could be protective.

Fingers tapped his wrist lightly, yanking him from his thoughts.

Pay attention. His master warned and he scowled, turning back to the jounin's fight. Lips curling into a snarl, he watched as Kakashi got himself trapped in Momochi's water prison jutsu.

How could a man so smart be so damned stupid?

"Sasuke, Naruto, Run! Take Sakura and Tazuna and get out of h-"

"Shut up." The raven intervened coldly, ebony eyes glaring at his teacher.

"We're a team. We're not just gonna leave you to die." Kakashi looked stunned and Momochi snorted amused.

"You think you can take me?"

Sasuke smirked and stepped back.

"Don't kill him."

Naruto's eyes flashed an eerie violet, a slight sway slipping into his gait as he moved forward. Zabuza ignored it, sneering at the Uchiha Heir.

"Begging won't stop-urk."

He was cut off by a powerful fist to the stomach, courtesy of the blond he'd fought before.

He'd never even seen the brat move.

Kakashi gaped at his youngest student's strength, having never known that the child was hiding such monstrous strength. Zabuza released the water prison as he flew back and the scarecrow was left gasping for air as the blond moved after the criminal.

"Fight back!" Naruto snarled, tone low and brutal as the nuke-nin staggered to his feet. Claws bared and fangs elongated, he looked as much a demon as the villagers had always claimed. It sent Kakashi's pulse racing.

Was Kyuubi taking over?

A gentle but callous hand landed on his shoulder and he looked up to find Sasuke standing beside him, onyx eyes focused on the fight between Zabuza and Naruto.

"He better not kill him." The raven muttered helping him to his feet and Kakashi frowned.

Even now, his two male students were acting strange and he was sick of it. The second Zabuza was dealt with he would be getting answers.

A loud smack echoed throughout the air and he turned in time to see Naruto fly into a tree courtesy of a backhand from Momochi. Sasuke's eyes flashed in rage, darkening with each passing moment as the elder shinobi taunted the blond about being a kid and not having what it took to be a ninja.

Naruto took it all in silence, clawed hands clenching as he struggled to his feet.

"I don't have what it takes? I don't have what it takes?!"

"Fuck." Sasuke cursed lowly, knowing that Zabuza had set his master off with those words and he moved forward to intervene only for Kakashi to do it, sharingan blazing.

"You don't know anything about me, you stupid demon façade! I am the future Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato, dattebayo! Tell me again, I don't have what it takes."

"Enough, Naruto."

The blonde turned his glare on his teacher, but subsided, moving back into formation as Kakashi took over against Zabuza.

"You almost ruined your cover." Sasuke stated softly and Naruto hummed, violet eyes softening back into their natural blue.

"We need to tell them…everything. If we trust no one else, we can trust Kakashi and Sakura."

Sasuke nodded, both watching with lidded eyes as Kakashi and Zabuza's battle concluded much like it had the first time, with Haku coming to take the latter away and their sensei collapsing from chakra exhaustion. Both taking hold of the man's unconscious form, they followed Sakura and Tazuna in the direction of the bridge builder's house and tried to formulate a plan.

How the hell do you explain to your new teammates that you're from the future? A future where they're all dead and their home lay in ruins.

How do you explain the horrors of war to an innocent girl, who only became a shinobi to get close to a crush that didn't like her?

Most importantly…how do you begin to explain the atrocities lurking around the corner to people that have no idea of the truth of the deceptions they lived in?

TBC…