Thank you.
Chapter Nine
A Giant Problem
"Itachi-san!" Naruto exclaimed on the top of his lungs. Itachi stumbled back, holding his palms over his ringing ears. He had just arrived, teleporting as close to the chakra signatures of the ANBU leader and his younger brother as was safely possible. Thankfully it was not in the middle of the great hall again. Rather it turned out to be the Quidditch pitch. Harry was practicing.
"Uzumaki," Itachi greeted.
"Itachi! Itachi, can you bring us some stuff from home?" the jinchuuriki begged putting on an adorable face.
"What kind of 'stuff?' And why aren't you wearing your cape? It is part of the uniform, you do know,"
"I know," Naruto sighed, "that's one of the things that we'd like you to get. See Sasuke and I both need more cleaning supplies, Sasuke needs another pair of pants and I need a new cape. There was another attack, only bigger this time, and our clothes kinda got shredded,"
"Bet the students enjoyed that," Itachi said with a hint of sadistic sarcasm.
Naruto laughed, "Actually I think we scarred them for life. We came in dripping blood and monster bits all over the floor. And that was after cleaning up the worst of it outside,"
Itachi shook his head, "Do you have the report?" he asked. Naruto nodded.
"I wrote it up a couple nights ago since I didn't know when you'd be here to pick it up," he explained handing over the scroll he produced from one of his many vest pockets.
"Good. I'll bring you the equipment you requested. Is there anything else?"
"Ramen?" Naruto begged, "They don't have it here and I'm dieing without it!"
Itachi rolled his eyes and promised to bring ramen as well. Naruto cheered and vowed his undying love to the elder Uchiha brother. Itachi just left.
Naruto smiled behind his mask and ran his fingers through the fur of one of his befriended foxes. The fox shifted slightly into the touch, tongue lolling out of his mouth.
Itachi returned an hour later with their orders and a couple of packs more. Naruto descended upon the delivery like a child on a mountain of free candy, amusing everyone watching. He rifled through clothes and various weapons with blind glee. After he went through everything once Sasuke managed to persuade him to sort it into two piles: Sasuke's and Naruto's. Naruto got his new cape and supply of instant ramen. Sasuke got several more pairs of pants. They had to split up the shipment of the ever so fun and entertaining pointy objects between them as well as several bottles of bleach and heavy-duty laundry soap.
After watching the Capyain of the ANBU act like a child – not an uncommon sight if you know when to look – Itachi decided to stay for dinner. He sat with Sasuke at the end of the Gryffindor table. Naruto was on hall patrol that evening and as such could not be there as well to enjoy the conversation between two unsociable rocks.
Itachi had to leave after the meal. His wife was expecting him home and there was only so long he could spend away from the Village. He bid farewell to his comrades and left, teleporting out if the great hall with all the magnificence an Uchiha could muster when he put his mind to it. Who would have thought that the reclusive Uchiha Itachi had showoff tendencies. Certainly not Sasuke.
Voldemort peered at the Deatheater before him. "They put the heads on pikes in the forest?" he asked.
The Deatheater nodded. Voldemort stroked his chin. He absently noted that he needed to shave again.
"Do you think that they are trying to tell us something?" he asked, purposefully lacing his voice with amusement. After all, it would not do to look as confused and lost as his minions were. He would kill them before he allowed them to see any weakness.
"It would seem that way, Milord," the brownnoser said. Voldemort frowned.
Time for Plan C
"Hah! Take that!" Naruto taunted as he removed several stones from the Go board. Sasuke gazed at him over the board with his sparkling black eyes. They had set themselves up in the Gryffindor common room like they usually did in the evening, to play any game that tickled their fancy at the moment. The venue of tonight: another heated battle of Go.
Sasuke placed a stone, immune to Naruto's triumphant gloating. As usual they had gathered a sizable crowd of spectators who were constantly trying to figure out how to play the strange game. Some had even transfigured chessboards and pieces into copies of the Go board and stones.
"How're the nieces?" Naruto asked, placing a stone.
Sasuke shrugged. "They haven't died yet even though Itachi's been giving them blunted weapons to play with,"
"Oh? Naruto asked, watching Sasuke place, "What kind of weapons?"
"Kunai, of course,"
"Of course,"
"And some things he picked up from Tenten's collection," he continued.
"How'd he manage to get her to part with those?" Naruto was genuinely surprised. Tenten guarded her collection of sharp, pointy and exceptionally lethal objects with unmatched ferocity.
Sasuke shrugged. "How am I supposed to know, Usuratonkachi," Naruto scowled and placed a stone.
"When will you stop calling me that?" he complained.
"When I have my name carved onto a memorial stone," Sasuke taunted, placing a stone. Naruto's scowl darkened and he viciously attacked the board.
Sasuke stared at his opponent's last move. "I-" he stuttered, "I have nothing," he could not believe it! He had lost the entire game in one move. Naruto had been toying with him the entire time.
"Take that," Naruto smirked, his sky blue eyes sparkling with a malicious inner light, "Shikamaru would be proud,"
"Shikamaru would be wondering why you were playing for so long when you could have ended it sooner," Sasuke shot back mildly.
"And you know what I'd tell him?"
Sasuke raised an eyebrow.
"Why work when you can play," Naruto said triumphantly. Sasuke felt like smacking his forehead. So did a couple of watching students.
"Even when there is the chance that you could loose the battle?" Sasuke asked archly. Naruto smiled brightly, flashing the Uchiha his famous 'it's all good' expression.
"But that didn't happen, now did it?"
"Dobe,"
"Jerk,"
"I will be amazed if you actually survive long enough to succeeded Tsunade-sama," Sasuke shook his head mockingly. Naruto developed a twitch visible only because it moved his eyebrow.
"Snake-kisser," the blond snapped, eyes flashing.
"Fox-lover," Sasuke tossed back, feeling just a little playful in a very wicked way.
"Sound Whore,"
"Transsexual,"
"Frigid stick,"
"I'm not frigid!" Sasuke protested, absently noting that Naruto did not even bother to protest the transsexual comment.
"You got all the girls in the Village panting after you and what do you do? Nothing! That's just weird!"
"They're shallow, talentless, vindictive children who can't take a hint!" Sasuke defended.
"You forgot obsessed," Naruto said pointedly.
Sasuke nodded, "That too,"
"Right. Now where were we?"
"You called me frigid you Dead Last reject," Sasuke smirked grimly.
Naruto snarled. "Look who's talking you failed Avenger,"
"My clan is avenged you piece of fox crap,"
"Fox crap! This from someone who almost became the next skin of an evil snake!" Naruto pushed himself to his feet. Both ANBU were well aware that they were making quite the scene. Too bad they did not care.
"I killed him before that could happen," Sasuke sniffed. Naruto snorted.
"With my idea. How'd you get to his dirty book collection anyways?"
"An Uchiha can slip past anyone," said Uchiha boasted.
"Except me,"
"You cheat,"
"How!"
Sasuke tapped his nose, indicating clearly to Naruto what he meant.
"Hey," Naruto protested, "If the Sharingan isn't cheating then neither is my sense of smell,"
"It should be,"
"You're born with Sharingan. I was born into… other abilities," he trailed off uncomfortably, suddenly remembering that they were arguing in front of the uninformed masses. Sasuke picked it up and covered for him.
"So I guess we're even on the cheating bit?"
"Information gathering. It's only cheating if you get caught,"
"Right."
The ANBU stared at each other. Naruto smiled and sat back down. Sasuke smirked. Now that they had blown off some steam they both seemed completely willing to settle back into the routine they had developed over their months of haunting the magic castle.
"I'll take night shift," Naruto offered, standing again and slipping his mask and cape on. Sasuke nodded and packed up the game board. He would only stay up as long as it took Harry to get to bed since he knew that he had morning shift now.
Naruto wandered out of the Gryffindor common room and performed a quick, small-scale kagebushin. The clones spread out to patrol the halls. He sauntered casually down the corridor to search for the Astronomy tower. It was getting late in the year and the nights – and days – were colder than what he and Sasuke were used to, both accustomed to the constant heat of the Fire Country. This English weather was cutting straight to their bones.
But he wanted to sit in the highest place this castle offered even if he had to brave the cold outdoors. Kyuubi demanded it.
It took him a decent amount of time to find the right corridors and staircases to get to the tower. Once there he climbed out onto the roof. With just enough chakra focused to the parts of his body the touched the roof to cling to the dangerously sloped surface he allowed some more of Kyuubi's warm energy radiate around him. He had found a while back on a winter mission to the Water Country that if he released Kyuubi's chakra in a thin film that covered his skin it acted better than any amount of layering. He could not do it while in a skirmish or even when moving, even on stakeouts on the chance that someone might sense him, but it was handy for times like this.
The night was clear, he noted with a smile. They were far enough away from the cities that the only light pollution came from the small village on the other side of the forest. Even that was minimal. Although the stars were slightly different from the ones that sparkled in the skies of Konoha Naruto was pleased to find several constellations that he recognized. The turtle, the bear, and the dragon to name three.
"One of these days," Naruto said to himself, "I probably won't have much time to do this," he sighed and reached a hand up to grasp at the stars. His hand closed on nothing. He sighed again.
Something in the wind caught his attention. He glanced down to the Forest. His eyes widened in shock and surprise.
"Holy crap!" he exclaimed, jumping to his feet to get a better look.
Unless his superb night vision was deceiving him, giant people were wading through the Forest, coming towards the school.
"Holy crap," he repeated under his breath. Acting with practiced ease he summoned a toad, "Get Sasuke. Tell him that the castle is under attack again. I'll be in the forest," he instructed.
"Roger!" the toad saluted and hoped away at top speed.
Naruto took a breath and leapt off the tower. He grabbed at another tower, swung himself from tower to turret and down the walls until he hit the ground at a dead run. Red lightening crackled around him as he called upon Kyuubi's aid. He was not about to take chances with the strange creatures that were stalking ever closer to the castle. As he drew closer he almost gagged at the scent of rotting flesh that the giants exuded.
His hands flashed in a series of seals, "Doton: Teeth of the Dragon no jutsu!" he screamed. The earth under the giants rose and snapped at them. The lumbering beasts dodged the hungry stone maw sluggishly. Many lost limbs from Naruto's initial attack. Cries of pain and murderous outrage filled the night, waking people miles around. Naruto held back, not wanting to confront these monsters head on while alone. He ran through another series of seals and bit his thumb, spilling blood and amplifying the jutsu.
"Raiton: Tenchuu no jutsu!" Lightening laced through the clear sky, striking several giants head on. The electrical jolt shorted out whatever they used to think with and baked their bodies from the inside out.
"Kirigakure no jutsu" A heavy mist rolled in and obscured his position from the remaining giants who were casting about desperately for the person responsible. There were still ten living. Naruto crept silently to another position a good fifty feet from his last.
Another series of seals and another bitten thumb, "Suiton: Dassui no jutsu!" The giant nearest him stumbled and swayed as all of the water in his body evaporated. Naruto hit him with a midlevel katon, burning the dried creature before it could suffer too much. He moved again. Nine more to go. He tossed a large Rasengan towards them. The brilliant ball of spinning chakra tore through two leaving lifeless body parts in its wake.
Messy, but effective, was the legacy of his father.
"Mokuton: Dance of Vengeful Trees no jutsu!" The forest lurched to life. Branches swung and impaled many of the giants, killing three more. The others escaped with their lives but every single one was bleeding heavily. They lumbered around, stumbling in pain and abject rage that some unseen foe was getting the better of them. Naruto rolled out of the way of a foot as long as Sasuke was tall.
With a grand leap he slashed one giant's carotid artery and embedded a series of shuriken into its skull. The monster staggered a few steps before falling heavily to the ground, bleeding out its last seconds of life. On his descent he launched an assault on another giant, piercing the creature's eyes with carefully thrown senbon that tore the soft flesh and lodged themselves in the brain. Another giant stumbled to its death.
Two more to go.
And those two were taken care of by an intense "Katon: Hikami no jutsu!"
Naruto stilled, panting a little. He had used a lot of chakra trying to keep the fight from getting out of hand. He spread out his senses, carefully checking the battlefield for any living. None.
Now he had to walk back and Sasuke was going to give him grief for not waiting for him. Wonderful.