Summary: Recca, Kagero, and a SI are placed in the world of the Nine Tails
Crossover: Flame of Recca, Naruto
Disclaimer: I don't own what other people do. I do own me, though.
Feedback: Sure thing... I like hearing how I can improve :) I also like hearing people's opinions on things.
Pre-fic Comments:
ranma hibiki: in fairness to Naruto and Sasuke, in the fic Matora scared the cat towards them, and Naruto caught it. As for the zanbatou... can't go around playing with everyone's head.
Alex DarkFire: At a guess, I'd say that Kakashi and Itachi stole Kage Bunshin through Sharingan. But the Library did seem like a convenient plot excuse.
C.M Aeris Queen of Insanity: Don't worry, Sakura-chan will be turning up eventually. She isn't present in this part as the teams aren't interacting... well, not from Team Seven's point of view. I like her, apart from her Sasuke-idiot tendencies, as she isn't cute, like the manga-ka said in one of the early volumes... I'm sure Recca and everyone else teased Naruto for her :) Thanks for the compliments... I don't have the URL for Sleepingbear; could you send it to me at all?
Kakashi clotheslined the two freaks, knocking them out. Just in time, too - one of them had started to charge towards me, gauntlet outstretched.
"Naruto, sorry I didn't save you immediately," Kakashi said, "I got you injured - I didn't think you'd freeze up like that. Good job, Sasuke."
Naruto was still wide eyed as he rose to his feet. His left hand was still bleeding from where one of the gauntlets had scratched him.
"You alright, scaredy cat," Sasuke asked Naruto, disdain dancing in his eyes.
"I'm afraid we didn't have the luxury of experiencing death up close and personal before now like you, Sasuke," I bit out.
He winced at that. It was a low blow, but I didn't care.
"Naruto, Matora, save it for later," Kakashi commanded. "Their claws are soaked in poison - we have to remove it quickly. We must open the wound and remove the poisoned blood from your body. Don't move much - the poison will spread. Tazuna-san?"
The bridge builder looked up. "What?"
And with that, Kakashi questioned him as to why the Mist-nin had attacked. While we had been told that the mission was a C-Rank, meaning only bandits at worst, encountering enemy nin had bumped it up to a B-Rank mission, something Genin were not supposed to be involved in.
"We should try and get Naruto healed first," I said. "Maybe we should go back to Konoha and regroup."
"This might be too much," Kakashi admitted. "I guess we should return to the village to treat Naruto."
The quiet sound of flesh being torn slashed through the small clearing, and we all turned to find Naruto stabbing a kunai in his left hand, causing blood to flow quickly from the poisoned wound.
"You moron," I roared, aware of how I probably resembled Iruka-sensei but not caring. "What the hell are you doing!"
"With this kunai," Naruto began quietly, turning with an evil look upon his face, metal point still in his hand, "I'll protect the old man. We're continuing the mission!"
We all stood quietly as Naruto glared at all of us. From the corner of my eye, I saw admiration flicker on Sasuke's face for a moment.
"Keep that up and you'll get iron poisoning as well," I said eventually.
"Aaaaaa," Naruto yelled, breaking the spell of silence as he took out the kunai and began waving his bleeding hand about. Blood splattered on the ground. "No! That's bad! I can't die from something like that!"
"Let me see your hand," Kakashi said, bringing out a roll of bandages. He paused as he rolled bandages on Naruto's hand.
"Um... hey, am I going to be... okay," Naruto asked uneasily at his pause.
"You're too stupid to be hurt by something like that," I said.
"That's right," Naruto said, realising exactly what I said after he responded. "HEY!"
"You should be fine," Kakashi reassured him.
Sasuke looked irritated at the hold up now. Good to see that some things remain constant.
"Sensei... I... have to talk to you," Tazuna said, standing apart from the group a bit.
I sighed, as Tazuna went on to explain that a wealthy shipping magnate slash crime boss did not want him to finish the bridge, as that would stop a lot of profitable 'enterprises' the criminal had going. This world needed The Punisher, stat. I guess it would have to settle for Shi Shichi-san.
And then came the guilt trip. Somehow, Tazuna managed to be completely gleeful while psychologically attacking pervert-sensei. I wish I could have taken notes, but that would have earned me a hundred push ups or something.
I think it was mentioning the daughter hating Konoha after he died that convinced pervert-sensei to cave in and continue the mission.
The ferry to the Wave Country was fun... not. I hate boats. I hate water. I hate being in a boat on top of a hell of a lot of water.
Strange, that. Tigers normally love swimming, but I hate it. Unless, of course, it's too damn hot not to.
Once we got past the straits, and through a canal-tunnel into the Wave, the ferryman tied up his boat, and let us off. All the buildings at the small port were ramshackle, and were falling apart.
"Okay! Get me home safely," Tazuna commanded as we left the port for his house.
"Yes, yes," Kakashi said. It was obvious that he was tired already of this mission.
Naruto was a little black stormcloud as we walked along, and glared at an uncaring Sasuke from time to time. I just knew he was going to do something stupid - he normally had that expression right after one of the villagers were mean to him, and right before he did something to them or their house.
"There," Naruto yelled, making everyone jump as he threw a shuriken into the bushes.
A notable lack of ninja failed to leap out at us.
"Heh... just a rat," Naruto said, eyes closed in a cool pose.
"If you do any more stupid shit," I said, eyes narrowing, "'Kaasan is gonna know."
"Hey, stop using shuriken please," Kakashi asked. "It's seriously dangerous."
"Midget," Tazuna chimed in. "Stop acting like a moron!"
"Hey, I think I see a shadow," Naruto said, unabashed. Another shuriken made it's way into the bushes. "There!"
I realised what he was doing - trying to compensate for freezing when the Demon Brothers attacked. "For the last damn time, stop being a retard!"
"Someone is after us," Naruto protested.
Kakashi held up a white rabbit by its ears.
"Oh yes, but luckily we have Naruto the Great to kill all those carniverous goddamn rabbits," I spat. Sometimes, my adoptive brother really got under my skin.
"Oh, just a rabbit," Tazuna said, unimpressed.
"I didn't mean it," Naruto cooed. "I'm sorry, lil' rabbit."
"You couldn't even hit it," I continued. I was tired, sweaty and well and truly tired of this mission.
"Everyone, get down," Kakashi yelled from where he was thinking.
Since pervert-sensei didn't talk that much, and almost never raised his voice, we all got. Sasuke made sure Tazuna was also gotten down.
A dull, helicopter like whumpwhumpwhump sounded as a huge blade spun above our heads, slamming into a tree ahead of us. A man with stripy pants, no shirt, bandages covering his mouth, camo patterned arm covers, and camo patterned boots stood on the handle of the immense sword.
"Well well, if it isn't the Hidden Mist's missing-nin Momochi Zabuza-kun," Kakashi said lazily, holding a hand in front of Naruto to stop him jumping forwards. "Everybody get back. This one's on a whole other level."
I grinned stupidly. I knew this was dangerous, I knew the man was a killer, but... "This is so cool..."
"It will be a little tough," Kakashi said, left hand going to his eye-covering forehead protector, "unless I do this."
"You appear to be Sharingan Kakashi," Zabuza said. "Sorry, but the old man is mine."
"Ewww," I cryed out. "I don't wanna know if you're gay like Sasuke-teme over there!"
Sasuke glared at me, all over again. I felt so loved.
"Surround and protect Tazuna-san," Kakashi commanded. "Do not enter the fight. That's teamwork, here. Zabuza, first, fight me."
With that, he uncovered his Sharingan eye.
"Ah, I'm honoured," Zabuza said. "I already get to see the famous Sharingan."
"Sharingan," Naruto asked. "What the hell is that!"
"Moron," I said affectionately. "It lets the user steal techniques after seeing them, and also lets them read your moves."
Sasuke, who never liked me to begin with, glared again for the 'steal' crack.
"When I was a member of the Hidden Mist assassination team," Zabuza said, "I kept a handbook, it included information on you. And this is what it said. 'The man who has copied over a thousand jutsu... Copy Ninja Kakashi."
"You might want to add that he can't teach worth nuts," I cheekily spoke up, earning an absent backhand across the back of my head that stung from Kakashi. It was worth it.
"Now... let's end all the talking. I have to kill that old man."
That was about when it really started to suck.
Zabuza appeared, pulling a Jesus on top of the nearby lake and creating a thick mist that covered everything. I couldn't see far, and if I wanted to be able to detect him I'd have to change to hybrid form to smell him. And I didn't want knowledge of that little advantage to get out.
Us three Genin surrounded Tazuna, but Zabuza appeared in our midst with his huge sword. Kakashi appeared just as swiftly, stabbing Zabuza and showing that body to be a water clone. Zabuza reappeared behind Kakashi, and showed Kakashi's body to be a water clone too, as he bisected it with his sword.
I really, really hoped that I didn't get stabbed because I was sure that I wasn't a clone.
Kakashi reappeared behind Zabuza. I'd be willing to bet money at this stage that that Zabuza was a water clone. Half a second later, Zabuza proved me right as he appeared behind Kakashi who was behind the original Zabuza clone. Kakashi dispelled the clone in front of him by dispelling it, but this was still a pain to keep track of.
At my prompting, the three of us moved away from the two fighters, keeping ourselves between them and Tazuna at all times.
"Matora," Naruto hissed at me. "Do that genjutsu!"
"It's too damn misty and I need to protect Tazuna," I hissed at Naruto.
"Can't you take him through the shadows to a safe place," Sasuke asked.
"Where's a safe place," I asked helplessly.
Naruto closed his eyes and hmm'ed briefly, thinking.
"Okay, I've got a plan," he hissed.
Zabuza swung his sword around at Kakashi, who promptly ducked. The large sword was planted in the ground, and Zabuza used the end of it as leverage to swing a kick at the silver haired Jounin, who got hit and fell back several meters, kindly leaving caltrops on the ground for Zabuza to step on.
Unfortunately for Kakashi, he landed in the lake and the figure of Zabuza making handseals appeared in front of him.
"Heh, fool. Water prison no Jutsu!"
"What," Kakashi said, both eyes wide open. Somehow, he managed to be able to breathe while caught in Zabuza's globe of water. I guess that's why it was called Water Prison, and not Water Coffin.
"You may have been trying to escape into the water, but that was a mistake. I now have you in my inescapeable special prison," Zabuza gloated. "It makes things tougher if you can move, you know?"
Naruto, Matora, and Sasuke moved back from the shore, Tazuna still guarded behind them.
"It makes it tougher if you can move, you know? Now... Kakashi, we can finish things later. First, I'll take care of the job. Water clone no Jutsu!"
A pillar of water rose from the lake, shaping itself into the figure of Zabuza as it gained colour and texture, complete with his large sword. Zabuza-clone opened his eyes, and threw the large sword at the group along the ground, forcing them to jump. Tazuna, being an old man wearing a pack, could barely jump high enough.
Running forwards, Zabuza-clone leapt over the three of us, pulling a kunai out of one of his arm sleeve and throwing it directly at Tazuna's head, who seemed frozen in fear. Naruto, Sasuke, and Matora were still sprawled on the ground.