A Team of Five
I am truly sorry for the delay. My word processor crapped out on me so that wasn't a whole lota fun. Plus I had a trouble with this chapter, don't know why, just did.
Someone said I should show a little bit of Hinata's home life, so I figured it wasn't a bad idea. So I threw some of that in there.
Chapter 9: The Bridge Linking Hope to Hell
Yawning Naruto crawled out of his covers and walked unsteadily to his clothes and dressed. As he walked into the hall he could hear the voices of his team and the others in the kitchen. The blonde stepped into the room with a big grin on his face.
"Morning guys!"
Everyone stopped eating/talking and turned to face their companion.
Kakashi leaned over to Sasuke. "See? Told ya he wasn't in a coma."
Sasuke dug in his pocket and handed his sensei some cash before he began glaring at his breakfast.
Naruto walked to his seat, eyeing his team like they were speaking a different language. "So uhh what do you guys wanna train in for our last few days?"
The whole table face faulted. Upon resurfacing first, Kakashi looked to his small student like he pitied his ignorance. "Naruto we don't really have time to practice anything. We're all out of time, we need to be at the bridge as protection again." Seeing the look of utter confusion on Naruto's face he continued. "You see . . . well you've been out cold for nearly three whole days."
This time it was Naruto's turn to act over dramatically. "What the hell do you mean three days! Why didn't anyone wake me up!" He yelled, just as everyone had agreed he would.
"And no one woke me up, why?"
"S-Sensei said you w-worked hard so we weren't to di-disturbed you or S-Sasuke-san. He w-woke up only ha-halfway through yesterday." Hinata said from the opposite end of the table.
This seemed sufficient to Naruto. He wasn't about to tell them why he slept so much more, especially since he had caught up to Sasuke. Plus, it helped him to know that his personal rival happened to be out for almost two days himself.
As Naruto sat down and began inhaling his breakfast of fish and rice as well as a little ramen tsunami specially made for him. Hinata returned her downcast gaze back to her bowl of rice. She continued to dwell on the dream that had haunted her the last few days. The interaction with her father and his harsh yet protective words that were spoken on the day they had left for their mission.
The young girls dream played out exactly as that day had.
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Hinata ran home to prepare for the mission to guard the strange bridge builder to is home country of Waves. Kakashi-sensei had given them two hours to prepare and meet and the Konoha's gate.
Upon reaching her home Hinata walked through the gate and up the steps. On the way to her room she was stopped by the voice of her father, which was coming from his study. Turning around Hinata tried to control her slight mannerisms that would allude her nervousness and would be easily perceptible to a Hyuuga of her fathers level.
Taking a deep breath Hinata stepped into the office and saw her father writing at his desk. Hearing his daughter enter, Hyuuga Hiashi looked up from his work with an impassive look, surveying the girl.
"Why are you home so early?"
Most people would be shocked by this question, but when your father can see through walls you can't keep much to yourself. Besides Hinata knew she would have to see her father before she left anyway. Still, it didn't make it any easier.
"T-Team 7 received a C r-rank mission to-today, Otou-sama. We are to guard a b-bridge builder until he re-reaches the c-country of waves." Hinata spoke clearly, though her gaze refused to stay on her father for long.
Hiashi seemed to be digesting this for a moment before he returned to his work. "Stay out of the way, if it comes to a fight then just stay behind and try to learn something. And please don't embarrass the clan or me."
Hinata cast her eyes downward and turned to leave. But before she escaped into the tranquility of the hallway, her father stopped her once again.
"Oh, and Hinata, stay away from Uzumaki-san as much as possible." It seemed to strain the Hyuuga lord just to give Naruto the simple honorific.
Without even turning around Hinata continued to walk out and show as little emotion as she could, though her insides seemed to be tearing apart at the sting to her pride and her Naruto-kun. When Hinata had made it to her room she began packing as she tried to hold back the silent tears.
When her preparations were finished, Hinata still had almost an hour before she had to meet the team so she decided to take a walk to the Hokage monument. Leaping from her window the quiet loner began walking to the place that always inspired her with thoughts of the one who always brought her strength.
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The dream would end just as she watched Naruto walking to her at the gate. When thinking about it, the dream ended on a happy note but it still brought her memories of how weak she was, how much her father didn't approve of her, and how Naruto was hated by almost everyone and for seemingly no reason, in her eyes.
Of course Hinata had intended to follow Hiashi's words aside from staying clear of Naruto. But during the battle with Zabuza and Naruto's injury all thoughts of her father went straight out the window. Thinking back on it now, Hinata had been so relieved to see Naruto back on his feet she hadn't questioned it, just how did he manage to heal himself and even manage to free Kakashi after sustaining a near fatal wound.
Little did Hinata know that this question had gone through the mind of nearly every member of her team, aside from Kakashi. No more so than Naruto himself. Whenever the young genin had time to think to himself his thoughts seemed to stray to the door and the dark voice radiating from beyond it.
Everyone was broken from their separate pondering by Kakashi who had risen from his seat.
"I think its time we get going."
Team 7 and Tazuna looked up to Kakashi with utmost seriousness and rose to leave. Tsunami looked on the verge of tears. The time was up and the odds the group would encounter Zabuza, and maybe even the mysterious youth, were very good.
As the five ninja and solitary bridge master made their way to the almost completed bridge, Kakashi sensed something as they were nearly out of sight of Tazuna's home. Turning around the six companions could clearly see three of Gato's men, making their way around the house.
"Dammit, I'd say that just raised the odds of running into the mist-nin now. Sasuke I'll send you back to take care of them. Catch up when your finished, we'll head to the bridge as fast as we can incase Zabuza is there already and," Before Kakashi could finish, Naruto cut in.
"No! I'm going back. If they are there already you'll need Sasuke-teme, I have more stamina so you all stay fresh for the battle ahead." All present were shocked by the level of forethought put into this logic. It was not the same Naruto standing before them, he had taken on a new sense of seriousness but with the same cockiness and confidence he always had.
"No Sasuke is faster and will be able to catch up faster." Kakashi ordered back.
Just as Naruto was about to protest he received support from an unlikely source. Tazuna had walked up to stand eye level with Kakashi.
"The longer we stand here and argue the more in danger my family is. I trust him," the old man poked a thumb in Naruto's direction, "let 'em go. I think it's time Inari sees a real hero again any."
With his trade mark grin and before another word could be spoken, Naruto took off down the slope and back to his home away from home.
Sighing and defeated, Kakashi looked at the rest of his team. "Alright, now that we won't have to worry about them, let's get going."
With that said the Konoha-nin took off at a slow pace, for them, so Tazuna could keep up.
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Naruto reached the house only seconds after the three samurai had entered. As he prepared himself, Naruto could hear the sounds of the house being torn up and then a dull thud, and the sound of a body hitting the ground.
Tearing open the door the young ninja streaked into the house to see two very pissed thugs, a scared Tsunami and a protective looking Inari holding a frying pan and standing over the third swordsman, who was now unconscious. As the two men began advancing on Tsunami, Inari jumped down from the table, which he had used to get the height needed to strike down the man who attacked his mother. Naruto chose this as the time to interfere. Attempting to utilize the art of surprise, he silently summoned a shadow clone which he sent at the attackers.
The clone sped past the other occupants of the room and, while speeding up, bounced off the back wall and with a double close-line, drove the hired thugs through the wall behind Naruto with a puff of smoke.
Standing shakily the men drew their katana and rushed Naruto only to have him puff out of existence, revealing a second shadow clone.
"Up here," was the only warning they received as the blonde Konoha ninja dove from the roof and planted a foot into each of the samurai's faces.
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Coming to a halt, Team 7 and Tazuna, minus Naruto, stood at the completed end of the bridge. Looking out at the stretch of metal and concrete that disappeared into a think mist a hundred yards away, Kakashi, Sasuke, Sakura, Hinata and Tazuna beheld a site that could only be described as brutal.
All around lay the dead corpses of the majority of Tazuna's crew. Some lay slain with needles in there necks, others had been cut clean in half, and still others appeared to have had their heads removed or stab wounds in their abdomens.
The scene was silent, but for the moans of a man who dragged himself, clutching a deep wound in his side, toward the five occupants of the bridges end. Sakura was about to run out the half-dead man, when the near silence was ceased by the sound of something cutting through the air.
Just as the wounded worker made it ten feet from the ninja, his eyes shot open in silent pain and he fell motionless. All eyes went to the source of the dart, which was three figures standing on the edge of the mist, two standing in front of the third, they were visible as Zabuza and the masked hunter-nin.
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Naruto finished the knot on the ropes he used to bind the three intruders together. He stood looking down on the three weaklings tied in front of him.
"Thanks."
Naruto turned around at the small voice he had heard from the direction of the house. Standing slightly behind him was Inari who stared intently at his feet.
"You probably could've taken care of them eh." Naruto laughed nervously, trying to lighten the mood.
"Actually I only got lucky with the first one."
Forcing himself to look up Inari told the loud ninja how he had only gotten behind the first guy because Tsunami had threatened to scream for help. Jumping on the table the small boy had managed to get one good blow before he could get close to his mother. If Naruto hadn't shown up the other two were gonna take his mom to the bridge as Gato's hostage and kill him for sport.
"Look, I owe you a lot. If you going to the bridge then I'll try to get all the help I can. Even if your all as tough as you think, you can't stand up to a small army." Inari was now staring directly into Naruto's eyes. The coldness and hard light wasn't there anymore, making Naruto smile slightly.
"Thanks, I'll see later then." With that Naruto took off. Turning around to look at Inari as he continued running. "Oh and if there is gonna be that many you'd better hurry up gaki."
"Just don't die before we get there baka." Inari yelled back.
"That's the first time I've seen him smile in far too long." Tsunami thought fondly as she watched her son.
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"Welcome back Kakashi, and you even ditched one of those brats."
"Zabuza! I'll give you this last chance before I kill you, abandon Gato, he will betray you. You'll never get your money." Kakashi stood protectively in front of the genin, who had encircled Tazuna in their guard again.
"Fortune telling now Kakashi? This isn't the first time you foretold my demise. You were wrong then and you're wrong now! Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu!"
Ten water clones materialized from the surrounding mist and reached for the giant blade hanging from each one of their backs.
Lazily, Kakshi turned to Sasuke. "Your up Sasuke."
Smirking Sasuke flashed away. Each clone flinched before the Uchiha reappeared in his original spot and the ten Zabuza's all splashed back into the water they originated from. All eyes landed on Zabuza who didn't seem perturbed in the least.
"Even if it is only a tenth of your strength, Zabuza, it's sad a genin could handle your clones so easily." The shadow in the mist adjusted the sword hanging from his belt.
Paying the voice little attention other than a small sneer Zabuza turned his focus back on the battle at hand.
"Well, it looks like you have a rival in speed Haku." The mist-nin commented to his masked companion. Looking back to Team 7, "What say we let the children fight while you and I settle things?"
Without removing his stare from Zabuza's, Kakashi lifted the head band blocking his left eye. "Don't underestimate him."
Just like before Sasuke, and Haku, flashed away and returned to focus in the center of the distance between the two forces, with kunai sparking against one another. Separating and clashing again and again, the two shinobi continued their taijutsu battle. The others hung back watching the almost dance like fight.
Finally the two stopped, once again where they began, and Sasuke heard Haku laugh softly to himself.
"What?"
"Well in our little bout you have given me three advantages." The voice sounded almost feminine but Sasuke seemed able to tell it was a male, while also no older than himself or the others.
"Oh yea, and what would those be?" Sasuke asked smugly, thinking it not much more than an attempt to distract him.
"Well first off, you've shown me your power early. We're surround by water. And finally, I've occupied one of your hands." Haku finished with a grin, though it went unnoticed behind his hunter-nin's mask.
At the inquisitive look on Sasuke's face, Haku's smirk only grin and he raised his free hand into a handle seal. Everyone fell into shock, except for Zabuza who only laughed and the figure behind the mist who's feature's were still hidden from view.
Without a word of warning or even calling his jutsu, Haku activated his technique and the puddles around them shot out in the form of razor-sharp needles that streaked for Sasuke's vitals.
The dark Uchiha dove forward taking Haku into a roll to avoid the projectiles. After the tussle they leapt apart and stood squaring off again, until Haku decided to end things.
Flipping through one-handed seals again, Haku performed another strange technique. At this time Kakashi, who had been observing the battle with his Sharigan, now realized Haku's strange abilities were actually a bloodline and his hope for helping Sasuke was dwindling.
"Demonic Ice Mirrors." Haku said softly as the water shaped into several large mirrors around Sasuke.
As the young ex-mist ninja stepped into the mirror behind him, Kakashi launched himself to help his student, before being stopped by Zabuza.
"Sorry Kakashi but I need my chance for revenge. I've dissected your eye and know it holds no power over me." With that Zabuza disappeared into an ever thickening veil of mist.
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Naruto could sense the tension and killer's intent hanging in the air as he grew increasingly closer to the bridge. There seemed to be a blanket of almost impenetrable mist hanging over the air. Leaping up, the young ninja soared through the haze and coming out into a clear spot with strands of fog trailing behind him, Naruto landed on all fours.
Naruto absorbed the situation rather quickly and ran to get to Sasuke and help him out as he was being turned into a human pincushion. Though the Uchiha managed to keep moving and was slowly being able to dodge more easily.
But just as Naruto was within distance of the strange ice mirrors, that projected the image of the masked ninja, he ran straight into something that wasn't there before and tumbled back to land on his feet.
"I am sorry, Naruto-san, but I cannot allow you to interrupt the battle between Haku-san and Sasuke-san and dishonor the both of them."
Naruto looked up at the imposing figure before him. It was a classic image of a samurai. From bottom to top he wore sandals, a gray hakama and brown obi. His eyes were both lazy and piercing, a deep grey almost black that held no warmth but no malice.
The feature that truly stuck Naruto was the swords hanging at the strange mans side. He carried the two traditional swords of a samurai the short stabbing blade and the killing sword. What awed Naruto was the energy that seemed to pulsate from the katana. It almost seemed to pulse as the tall mans hand reached for the hilt.
As Naruto slipped into his attack stance the man didn't move an inch, he just continued to stare straight into the eyes of the konoha ninja.
"Please Naruto-san I will ask you only was more not to try and interfere with their fight." The unknown man said in the same low eerily calm monotone.
"Who the hell are you! And what right do you have to keep me from helping Sasuke!" Naruto yelled as his body tensed up, ready to attack at a moments notice.
"My name is Ronin. And it's my duty to defend their honor but keeping you from interrupting their fight. My right is Tetsu-ko here." The samurai now know as Ronin said, as he drew his sword with a fluid motion, slipping into his own stance.
They stared, sizing each other up before Naruto took off like a spring luanching straight for Ronin. There were no emotions visible on the face of Naruto's opponent but his eyes seemed to show disappointment, but at the same time a great sense of respect.
"There's a lot of honor and loyalty in this one. I can't tell if its courage or stupidity that lets him go on like this."
"Very well then. Come to my blade the lady thirsts to drain your blood!"
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So Tetsu-ko means lady of steel for anyone who cares :P and I'm again sorry for the huge delay but all my ideas keep coming for later in the story instead of the part I'm currently writing so that's a pain.
Anyway read a review.