A/N: Well, here comes the Onikage… That's what I'll be using in referring to Orochimaru's position in Otogakure. Whatcha think? Anyways, if you can't visualize Hizachi's attire, you may want to check Arashigakure in Yahoo groups... I drew him and some of the other characters mentioned in this story. The following events are AU, so that it would be different, but the ending is the same.
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Outside the gates of Konoha, Hizachi was facing towards the outer areas of Konoha when Anko showed up behind him.
"Hizachi, are you ready?" she asked while giving a slight pull on his left shoulder.
"Yup! Shall we go?" Hizachi grinned with the Uzumaki smile.
"Yeah…" Anko nodded and smiled at him, but before she knew it, Hizachi was already ahead of her and running. She sighed and prepared to run when Hizachi suddenly poofed next to her.
"I forgot to ask… which direction are we going again?" Hizachi chuckled while scratching his head.
"Well… it is said that Otogakure is located somewhere in the North, while others say that it is in the West."
"In short… it's NorthWest." Hizachi points at the said direction.
"I didn't say it's NorthWest! I said that it could either be at the North or the West!" Anko yelled at Hizachi.
"Alright, you win. Where do you suggest we go?" Hizachi asked Anko.
"Umm… North!" Anko's imaginary light bulb lit up.
"Right! Then North it is!" Hizachi points towards the North and started marching. Anko followed right after Hizachi.
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Inside Otogakure, in Orochimaru's room…
"Kabuto… what's taking them so long? Where is Sasuke?" Orochimaru impatiently asked while tapping the fingers of his new body on a chair.
"Be patient. Sasuke's already running in this direction. He'll probably be here this afternoon or tomorrow morning." Kabuto continued with his PC works.
"What about the retrieval team? Are they still following Sasuke?"
"No. Only Naruto is on his trail. The Hyuuga and the fat kid are already out. So are Jirobo and Kidomaru. The Inuzuka kid and their Chuunin leader are currently fighting Sakon, Ukon and Tayuya. Kimimaru is currently fighting the Taijutsu gennin."
"I see… those are some interesting kids. I wanted to see how powerful they will be when they grow up, but I don't think they'll even live after their fights." Orochimaru chuckled.
"But… they just might make it. A few kilometers away, there were sightings of the Godaime Kazekage and his siblings."
"Kazekage? Well, well, well… an ally turned foe…" Orochimaru smirked.
"It's hard to imagine, but because of the fox kid, the Sand and the Leaf are allies."
"I don't care if they're allies… all I care about is Sasuke… where is he?" Orochimaru hissed.
"He's on his way here. Let's just hope Ramen-boy doesn't stop him."
"Eh…? Ramen boy?" Orochimaru raised an eyebrow… if he had one.
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Meanwhile, on the waterfalls with the two ninja statues, Naruto was knocked out cold by Sasuke. Even though Naruto released a titanic amount of power and chakra, he was fighting based on instinct, making him unstable. Using this opportunity, he was able to defeat Naruto. Now, he was slowly walking towards Naruto's unconscious body with the Chidori gathering strength at his hand. A few more steps and he started running towards Naruto. When he was about to attack Naruto and finish him off, a ball of whirling chakra called Rasengan collided with his Chidori, driving him a few meters backwards. Sasuke recovered from the blow and stood up straight. He stared in front of him and saw an ANBU wearing the orange Kyuubi mask with a hood that covers the rest of his head.
"That Jutsu… it's the same one that Naruto uses…" Sasuke whispered to himself and clenched his fist. Even though it was a whisper, the Kyuubi ANBU heard it.
"You're right, it is the same Jutsu that Naruto uses… try as hard as you want, but it will take you ages to learn it… and eons to master it!" the ANBU pointed a finger at Sasuke, which, of course, pissed him off… big time.
"What do you mean? I have the Sharingan! I can copy any Jutsu I want!" Sasuke shouted at the ANBU.
"Let's just see you try. Even the Sharingan won't help you." The ANBU chuckled, further insulting the Uchiha. Popping the last nerve, Sasuke became so annoyed, he was willing to take on an ANBU in a 1 on 1 fight.
"Let's test that, shall we?" Sasuke asked arrogantly, forming a Chidori. He proceeded and ran towards the ANBU, where he met an even more powerful Rasengan.
"Don't be so arrogant! Kakashi said that you could only use the Chidori at a maximum of three times. This is the fourth time. No matter how good you are, you won't get a full Chidori for the fourth time!" the ANBU said.
The struggle was on. Sasuke's Chidori was starting to blink away while the ANBU's Rasengan just kept growing more powerful, but less stable. Chakra started shooting out of the sphere and one bit of chakra, by chance, hit the ANBU's mask, cracking it and eventually, the mask shattered. The ANBU quickly jumped away from Sasuke and vice versa. Sasuke got a good long look at the ANBU's face before his mouth gaped wide open.
"Step aside! I have to finish him!" Sasuke yelled at the ANBU.
"I don't think I'll let you do that to him. Try and kill him, and you'll find yourself in the ICU." The ANBU chuckled while sitting down in front of Naruto.
"WHAT? You dare protect that dobe? Stand aside! I need to kill him! I need to do it in order to kill Itachi!"
"No way… I'll give you three choices. One, return to Konoha in one piece. Two, be brought to Konoha in pieces if you try to kill Naruto. Three, go wherever you want to go and leave Naruto alone."
"You're making me lose my patience! Stand aside or I'll kill you!"
"Tsk… tsk… tsk… do you really think you'll stand a chance against… a Hokage?"
"What are you talking about?" Sasuke's face got filled with confusion.
"Then, let me tell you a story… once upon a time, a demon attacked a certain leafy village. The Yondaime Hokage fought the demon and sealed it into his newborn son. More than a decade later, the Yondaime Hokage is defending his son against a small fry… the puny Uchiha Sasuke." The ANBU… or should I say Hokage… let out a sly smile.
"Y-Yondaime H-Hokage?" Sasuke stuttered in disbelief.
"What? You don't know me? I've got an extremely large face up on the mountain and you don't know me? How pitiful." Yondaime shook his head, "so, what's your choice?"
'If I go back to Konoha, I won't be able to kill my brother. If I kill Naruto now, I'm toast. I just have to go to Orochimaru.' Sasuke thought while maintaining his guard, although it would be a complete waste since he's against a Hokage.
"Well? What's your decision?" Hokage smiled at Sasuke.
"…Damn…" Sasuke whispered before turning tail and ran.
"I guess he chose the third option." Yondaime sighed as he took a look at Naruto, "Oh my… you're as reckless as your father aren't you?" he chuckled before poofing away. A few seconds later, Kakashi dropped down next to Naruto, with a disappointed expression evident on his only visible eye.
"Sorry… I'm too late" Kakashi said while picking up the forehead protector that Sasuke threw away before Yondaime arrived. He then proceeded to carry Naruto on his back before heading back to Konoha.
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The next day, Hizachi and Anko decided to rest for a bit under a really huge tree. Hizachi lied down and closed his eyes. A little later, he felt something warm on top of him. When he opened his eyes, he saw Anko up to her tricks again.
"Umm… what are you doing?" Hizachi asked while staring at Anko's breasts that were squeezing his face.
"What? Did you forget? I'm just picking up where we left off." Anko gave him a wink.
"Eh…?" Hizachi blinked and blushed.
"So, should we?" Anko asked seductively asked, while moving her face millimeters away from Hizachi's.
"W-Well, we're currently on a mission. I-I don't think it's a good idea…" beads of sweat dropped from Hizachi's face.
"Come on. It won't take more than two hours!" Anko insisted.
"But still… don't you think things are going a bit too fast?" Hizachi's voice squeaked with all the tension. Before Anko gave her answer, both of them sensed incoming trouble.
"What? Why does it always get interrupted when the fun part comes?" Anko sighed as she pulled a pair of kunai out.
"Well… let's worry about that later… right now, we have trouble…"
"What kind of trouble?"
"Wait… Geneigan!" he activated his bloodline limit. Immediately, three additional dots appeared on his eyes.
"Geneigan? I've seen you use it, but I don't know what it's capable of. Care to inform me?"
"Sure. It gives me a 360 vision, but only 3/4 the range of the Byakugan. It also has the same capabilities as the Sharingan, so Genjutsus won't work on me."
"Sharingan… that means you were looking at us when we bought those swimsuits! I used a Genjutsu, and you can see right through a Genjutsu!" Anko yelled while blushing a bit.
"W-Well… I can explain." Hizachi scratched his head while blushing, "It's not a matter of who's coming… it's a 'what'."
"Alright… what is it?" Anko asked while reaching for her kunai holster.
"I get the feeling that you're about to find out." Hizachi looked directly upward. Anko followed and looked up as well. A few seconds later, a Gamabunta sized cat with two tails leapt above them. As it passed above them, storm-strength winds blew in the same direction.
"What the heck was that?" Anko started to panic in the slightest manner.
"I think that was the Nibi…" Hizachi said while jumping upward towards the forest canopy, "From its current heading, I could say that it's heading straight for Konoha."
"What? More than a decade ago, it was the Kyuubi… almost a year ago, it's the Shukaku… now it's the Nibi no Neko…" Anko said while following Naruto to the canopy.
"So, what do we do? Should we proceed with our mission or turn around?" Hizachi asked while turning to face Anko.
"I think you should decide. You are our team leader." Anko pointed a finger at Hizachi.
"Well…" Hizachi cupped his chin to think for a while, "… I think we have to head back."
"Are you sure? Well, what about our mission?"
"Our mission can wait… right now, Konoha's safety is our first priority. Let's go back." Worry was written all over Hizachi's face.
"Alright… it's your call… but you'll do the explaining to the Hokage." Anko smiled at Hizachi.
"That could be arranged." Hizachi smiled back, "shall we go?"
Anko nodded her head. Then, they started to reverse their journey and went on their way to Konohagakure.
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Back in Konoha, inside the Hokage's office, an ANBU poofed into the room.
"What are you doing here? Aren't you out on a mission?" Tsunade growled at the ANBU.
"Yes, I am, Master Hokage, but I have an urgent report to deliver." The ANBU bowed a bit.
"Alright…" Tsunade sighed, "…report up!"
"Y-Yes!" the ANBU coughed to clear his throat., "… we spotted the Nibi no Neko a few kilometers away from Konoha. One of us suggested that we stop it, but since it is virtually impossible, our team is currently slowing it down. Our leader sent me to report this matter."
"Very well… call all Chuunin and Jounin to the front of the Hokage tower. I have to make an important announcement. You also have to find the other ANBU leaders. Tell them to take their team out and slow that thing down."
"Yes, Master Hokage… Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" a small crowd of ANBU bunshins appeared and poofed out of the office…
A little later, outside the Hokage tower. A crowd of Jounins and Chuunins gathered in front of the tower. Above them on the balcony, Tsunade ordered on the top of her voice.
"Listen up! The Nibi no Neko has been spotted a few kilometers outside Konoha. Currently, a small team of ANBU is slowing it down, but as far as I know, they may already be dead."
She paused for a while. Murmurs and whispers erupted among the crowd.
"SILENCE!" Tsunade shouted, gaining herself the silence she wanted, "Anyway, I have a mission for all of you. All Jounins are to form a line of defense outside Konoha. Once the line of defense is completed, all the ANBU that are currently on their way to slow that thing down will join the defense. All Chuunin are to head out in different directions. You have to recall all Jounin and their teams back to Konoha. Some of you should also head for Sunagakure. Tell them that we need immediate assistance. Am I making myself clear?"
A shout of affirmation erupted from the crowd. Soon, silence crept in and all of them disappeared in a poof of smoke. Tsunade went back into her office when she found Naruto sitting on her desk.
"Ramen-boy! What are you doing on MY chair?" Tsunade shouted.
"You called for me. I got so tired of waiting that I wanted to try sitting here." Naruto grinned at Tsunade. She just sighed at him and gave him a small smile.
"Alright… you can sit there."
"So, granny, why did you call me?" Naruto asked. Tsunade, being Tsunade, was already accustomed to Naruto's constant name calling, so it didn't bother her when he called her granny.
"Actually, the Nibi was sighted outside Konoha and the ninjas except Gennins are on their way. You, however, are an exemption. Uzumaki Naruto…"
"Y-yes?" Naruto stuttered, sensing fatal trouble up ahead.
"You will be our last line of defense. If all ninjas fail, Jiraiya and I will take care of that monster. If, for some reason, we fail, you and the Kazekage have to stop it."
"You mean Gaara?"
"Yes. When it's your turn to fight, don't hold back. If possible, fight as the Kyuubi. I'm pretty sure that Gaara will let the Shukaku take over in the worst case scenario."
"Letting loose the Kyuubi and the Shukaku? Isn't that far more dangerous than the Nibi?"
"Under normal circumstances, it is twice as dangerous. However, these are not normal circumstances. As Lee reported, he said you 'became' the Kyuubi in your fight with Kimimaru. Seeing that you still have some degree of control, you should maximize your 'transformation'. With Gaara, you only need to wake him up. After the Kazekage told me of what happened at the Chuunin exams, I believe that the two of you can pull this off. Even though you just came from a mission that nearly killed you."
"Isn't that risking too much?" Naruto asked worriedly.
"It may be, but if it somehow succeeds, it will be the only way to stop the Nibi."
"I suppose…"
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Later, in Naruto's head…
'Come on, Foxy! Help me out here!' Naruto begged.
'For the 200th time, No!… it's your fight. You handle it.'
'Come on! If I die, you'll die as well! Besides, don't you want to fight that cat?'
'Well… if you put it that way… Fine! I'll let you use all of my power. In exchnge, promise me that you won't die, because if you died, so will I! Besides, since I'm stuck with you for the rest of your miserable life, I might as well help you.''
'Yeah, Yeah. Whatever, Foxy!'
'Stop calling me that!'
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A/N: Well, that's that…
Next on Future Hokage…
All out war! Leaf and Sand vs. Nibi… and Sound?
Please review… and give suggestions on why the Nibi attacks Konoha.
