On the edge of Kakashi's vision, just as he drove a Kunai into the chest of his clone, the Jonin spotted the actual Zabuza seconds away from killing Akihane again kami damn the nin, stopped only by a foolish Uchiha jumping right in the way, shoving Naru backwards.
Images flew through Kakashi's mind, ones of Obito shoving him out of the way from a rock before he was snapped back to the present, Sasuke falling forward while Zabuza sneered at his body, blood building around his small body.
"SASUKE!"
Rage and sorrow mingled with an inhumane growl unfurled from Naru's throat, tears slipping past her crimson eyes as Kakashi felt a flicker of dangerous intent, just before Naru was consumed in a raging inferno of Demon Chakra.
I~~~~I
"W-What the hell!?"
Zabuza stepped back as red chakra bloomed from Naru's body, bubbling out to surround her as she collapsed onto her knees in front of Sasuke's downed body. Her hands sharpened to claws, her eyes gaining slit pupils. The girl's hair snapped from its confines, hatred and despair gazing into Zabuza's orbs.
A snarl left the white haired teen's lips, pain twisting within the sound, turning it into a gut-wrenching cry of inner pain. Seconds passed, the girl on her knees at the first, standing in front of Zabuza the second. Her hand shot out as it raked across Zabuza's chest, a shockwave summoned by the force of the hit sending the man flying backward.
Naru's red hair bled to red under the chakra's influence as she rushed at the Jonin, intent on decimating him for what he had done to her brother.
"You hurt him…You hurt Sasuke!"
The kid caught had Zabuza off guard with her hit that sent him off the bridge toward the water.
Ivory-Red hair was raised into sharp ears, the Kunoichi's cheeks sporting whisker marks he hadn't seen before. A tail had formed from behind her, the red chakra spiraling upward as the Leaf Genin gave out a roar.
The sound echoed, ripples forming across the water as Naru attacked Zabuza again, her chakra whipping out in a fury.
From behind the girl Kakashi stood frozen, unable to think as Zabuza was plowed into the ground by Konoha's Jinchuuriki.
The only hope Kakashi had for their safety was the tears still evaporating from Naru's eyes, as well as the chakra left in her wake around Sasuke, seeping into his wounds in order to heal them.
White chakra thrummed about the Uchiha's body, the chakra calm and unlike the volatile red mass thrumming about its owner.
If only barely, Akihane was still holding on just enough to help Sasuke and take care of the threat to their safety.
Sighing deeply, Kakashi moved next to Sasuke, ignoring the battlefield for a moment as he reached down to press his hand to Sasuke's wound. A hand caught his wrist however, Sasuke's eyes snapping open. Burning red met faded black, Kakashi narrowing his gaze on the three Tomo present in Sasuke's eyes.
Both Nin became distracted when Naru's chakra shot upward, spiraling high enough into the sky to turn it crimson, before it abruptly started dying out.
Naru stood in front of Zabuza, panting heavily with the clear intention of murder written all over her, a clawed hand extended just before Zabuza's chest.
Instead of going through, Naru had stopped in front of the small body belonging to Zabuza's Hunter Nin, her breathing shallow even as she kept a steady aim, her clawed hands changing back into normal ones, her eyes going maroon with normal pupils while her hair turned white.
I~~~~I
Shikamaru gazed toward Naru's position, ignoring the shiver wracking his body as the foul chakra that had appeared moments before vanished without a trace.
His brown eyes narrowed at the dying light released from Naru's last spot, the area blocked by the rotating red chakra, keeping anyone outside from viewing in.
"O-Oh no…"
Shikamaru turned, his eyes catching the rare sight of horror drawing across the face of the newly wakened Hyuuga Heiress.
Hinata's throat tightened as she spotted the familiar chakra creating a barrier around the fight between Jonin and Genin. Her heart beat franticly while her hands clenched into fists.
"Akihane-San you are such a Baka!"
Hinata hissed under her breath as adrenaline filled her veins, flashes of all Naru had done, all the training sessions, lessons, scrolls, and dinners they remained involved in flashing behind her eyelids as she gathered chakra into her feet.
"Hinata, what are you-"
Shikamaru tried to question the Kunoichi, only to become overwhelmed with shock as Hinata shoved herself up, ignoring her burning muscles. The lavender haired girl shot right over the barrier that was starting to thin.
"Damnit, Hinata!"
I~~~~I
Sasuke's eyes shot open when he felt someone beside him, his ears adjusting to the roaring current that was no doubt Akihane's chakra. The Uchiha's head turned to the side so he could glimpse Kakashi crouched at his other side. The narrowed gray orb met Sasuke's own eyes. A question resided in the lone eye, demanding answers for Sasuke's secrecy.
'Well there goes keeping that skill under wraps…Damn Akihane, worrying both of us like that.'
A sudden call for Hinata had his head turning to the side, a painful twinge spiking at the base of his neck when he did.
"Sasuke-San!"
Hinata's worried voice gave way to Sasuke's thoughts, his eyes meeting her own as the girl rushed over.
"Hinata, Naru's alright…She still has control."
Relief spread over the young Heiress' features as she stopped beside her friend, offering him a hand. The Hyuuga ignored the Jonin watching them both carefully, her Byakugan awakened.
"Then let's go help Naru-San, we need to get this mission done with already."
Sasuke couldn't agree more, reaching for the girl's hand, ignoring Kakashi's sharp gaze as he did so.
I~~~~I
Spots of white still decorated Akihane's form, her hair turned pink in spots as the blood made its way into the normal strands.
A dark emotion had settled in the gaze of the Kyuubi's Jinchuuriki while she took in Haku's shaking form that was on the verge of collapsing, still standing protectively in front of Zabuza even after the man had called him a tool many times. The relationship was quite close to the one Akihane shared with Konoha's villagers. The difference between the two was that Haku's Master cared for her, but Konoha's Civilians had no lost love for its Jinchuuriki.
'So you can see the similarities without denying them.'
Naru's chest grew tight and her mind went blank at the familiar but unwelcome voice of her prisoner. It had been years since she had heard the Fox, years since Jiji had tightened the seal on her stomach. Her rage must have jarred it loose after the revelation she made to Itachi that one night. Her fists tightened at her sides.
"Shut up Foxface…I know we're alike…" Naru whispered harshly under her breath, restraining herself from attacking either of the two nin that had threatened her important people.
The fox did not reply, no doubt pleased over drawing such a reaction from his jailer.
It had been years since the Bijuu got an edge over the young Kunoichi after all.
Behind the Ivory teen, Kakashi had managed to picked up on the mutter that had left his student's lips. The same sentence caused the two Nin ahead of the blonde to grow wary over her sanity.
Click
Naru pulled her hand away from Haku's heaving chest, sighing heavily as the chakra surrounding her vanished with a soft breeze. The weight on her shoulders settled while the shaking seeming to be drawn under her control by earnest will alone.
Clack
Akihane did not stupidly or bravely turn her back on her enemy, but instead turned her head to the front of the bridge, her eyes shifting between violet and crimson. Her fingers were drawn to the back of her hair where she tugged the multi-colored locks back up into a simple ponytail resting on top of her head.
Tap
Akihane gazed around, glimpsing Hinata running toward with Sasuke at her side.
A deathly silence had plunged over the entire bridge after Naru's chakra had been reeled in. Footsteps could now be heard along with the Click-Clack-Taps against the wooden surface of the bridge.
Ahead, walking along the bridge with his head held high despite his tiny stature, Gato the Billionaire Ship Lord stood, backed by hundreds of thugs. Sunglasses covered the man's face, a cane supporting his tiny little legs. The smug Billionaire smirked at the Ninja he had hired, not thinking everything through even as he stared at Haku as the boy held up Zabuza while the two stared at him in confusion.
"You could have just ended him and spared me the trouble of doing it Girly. I should have just hired Konoha's nin in the first place, if a child has that kind of power compared to the infamous Demon of the Bloody Mist." Gato spat at Zabuza, a chuckle breaking out of his chest as he stupidly continued talking.
"More like Cocky Ninja of the Wimpy Mist."
Zabuza growled at the man, Haku glaring at the billionare as hate built up in her chest. The two of them had just gone through hell and this pig decided to betray them. The Billionaire would pay, that Haku swore on the life of her Master.
"Kill the Demon, but leave the boy…I have something I need to pay the runt back for." Gato called out in a voice loud enough for all those on the bridge to hear. The thugs behind Gato grinned and started forward.
A dark chuckle halted them all in their tracks, however, gazes turning toward the still form of Akihane. The chuckle was downright terrifying in its own right, ringing over the entire area with voided amusement and disgust running in every syllable. Teeth clamped down, cutting off the eerie noise while a new sound came about. Akihane drew her blade from the sheath on her back, the tip hitting the wood beneath her, scratching against it as she took a couple steps forward.
Kakashi was once again struck speechless as he heard a noise he had never thought would come from his teacher's daughter's mouth, and that the girl could have such a presense.
"Sasuke-San, Hinata-Hime." Naru's dark voice called out while her head angled to the side as she gazed toward the mercenaries that stood unmoving at Gato's sides.
A black blur dropped down at Naru's right hand side, her left becoming occupied by a lavender blur.
Sasuke had armed himself with several Kunai, while Hinata had visible chakra dancing with hisses across her arms, vanishing into her hands as the three stood united. The three remained together even as Gato laughed at them. He continued sneering as he declared aloud, "The three of you are incapable of doing anything against me since your Sensei can't help and Zabuza is struggling to stay upright with the damned brat's help! Not to mention the girly's power is all used up now!"
None of trio said anything, each their own pillar amongst a sea of broken buildings, standing tall despite the pain they were feeling over what Kakashi knew they were going to do.
Kakashi could not change their minds, however, he could not babysit the Genin that had to become Ninja, had to steal, kill, and cheat. Hinata wasn't his student, and the other two were already deprived of such naiveté. Nothing could stop what would happen next, nothing short of Asuma arriving to do the job for them or the other Genin stepping up to do it themselves.
Shikamaru was still with Sakura, Ino, Kiba, and the Bridge Builder, no doubt shocked with Haku's escape and Naru's display of her inner power just like the others. There would only be more pain after what came next, and Kakashi only hoped that they wouldn't break. For now the Jonin would make sure they didn't have to deal with everything along.
A blood filled calm swept over everything within a matter of moments.
Sasuke was the first to attack, bodies collapsing before him as Akihane launched next. Hinata remained at the back for only a couple seconds before she appeared in front of a thug trying to harm Naru. Seals glowed along her arms, appearing as they were deactivated, the weight previously holding her back vanishing. Each one took it upon themselves to do their job in their own manner.
Sasuke's kunai attacked with deadly accuracy, allowing him to make quick work of his first opponent before he was moving onto the next. Hinata's chakra transferred from her hands to the bodies of those trying underhanded tactics against her comrades, placing a shock to their bodies while she hit them with her gentle fist. Naru's attacks were the most brutal of the three, each slash of her sword drawing more blood from her current opponent until he fell, leading her to her next attacker. As the three danced through Gato's forces they never ceased in their actions.
Sasuke's kunai continued to land hits to necks and skulls of the thugs that had thought of him as nothing more than a child when he was a soldier, a ninja who had seen more blood than any other of the kids his age.
While Sasuke's precise throws took out his attackers, Hinata's palm strikes hit the vital points of hers, keeping the mercenaries taken down by her hand from rising ever again.
Akihane's represented retribution for the people of Wave and for what Gato had done to the land. Her blade attacked the vitals of the mercenaries with swift swipes guided by an only slightly shaking hand. Precision and revenge turned corporeal left the arrogant men to blead on the ground without any hope for their futures.
Sasuke twisted around and stabbed another Nin, adrenaline causing his blood to pump faster while she Sharingan caught the gaze of other nin. Several of his opponents fell to Genjutsu alone, finished off by the Uchiha or the other Kunoichi. His gaze drifted off toward Hinata's steal features, her eyes unwavering as she brought her hand down on another mercenary. Only the grimace across her lips and the gulp running down her throat showed her displeasure over having to kill. Naru's hands had a faint tremor when he spotted her, but she still continued.
Another body entered the fray, a swordsman flying across Sasuke's vision while ice needles imbedded themselves into the necks of other enemies.
Haku danced between the now frantic mercenaries, his movements fluid, agile, and precise.
A scream sounded off to the side, followed by the sound of splattering blood and another brunch. Zabuza's cleaver was sent across the heads of other fighters, ending their lives rather quickly.
Sasuke, Hinata, and Naru all drew back so they stood back to back, their gazes meeting before they looked toward the others joining them. Zabuza and Haku's help had left a rather small amount of Mercenaries standing, the five men shaking at Gato's sides.
The clouds cleared from the sky as the nin turned their gazes toward Gato. Naru, Hinata, and Sasuke were all panting, Naru for once as tired as her comrades.
"F-Fifteen…." Hinata's soft voice broke the silence, her eyes returning to their normal lavender.
Sasuke grunted to the side, his sharingan fading away as he answered. "Fourteen…"
Akihane laughed quietly between them, a bitter edge dancing across her tongue.
"Sixteen."
From the sidelines, Haku hummed under his breath, walking toward the three. "Think I got Twelve…Zabuza-Sama must have gotten the rest."
Zabuza grunted, dragging Kubikiribocho along the bridge behind him.
"Isn't a competition brats." The Mist Nin called out, drawing a look from his apprentice while he stopped in front of the three Genin, holding his hands up in a show of good will.
Once Haku was sure he wouldn't get attacked, he started looking the three over, ordering them to sit down.
Behind them, they heard Gato trying to scramble away, but Zabuza was already walking toward the despicable traitor.
"You should have never doubted my strength or double crossed me, Gato. Now…I get to do what I wanted to since I first met you."
Zabuza spoke up, just as he raised his blade with little effort over Gato's head, the man squealing like pig as the cleaver was brought down.
Kakashi's eyes drifted closed and he let out a deep sigh as the deed was done.
Sasuke turned his head along with the two girls beside him, his emotions contained rather forcefully against the pain in his chest.
His hands settled on Naru and Hinata's shoulders, pulling them close after Haku finished his diagnosis.
Hinata gave in before Akihane did, shocked at being included but also over what she had just done before. Each of the three wrapped their arms around the other two, huddling close, their bloodstained clothing mingling together. Parts that hadn't been covered gained new stains, while the heads of the three locked together so that their eyes all met in the middle.
The trio did not seem to notice Kakashi approach them or Haku walk away, their bodies held still and in silence as they took a moment to truly allow their actions to sink in.
The action brought Kakashi back to the dinner at Naru's, the comfortable silence that the three had delved into right before eating.
Only now did the seemingly odd ritual become clear to the Copy Nin, its meaning blazing in front of his very eyes.
Silence was for those lost, for the souls of the departed. Silence was an unending memory that brought back some of what you wanted and everything that you didn't. Silence was the respect that was held by the three Genin standing in front of Kakashi, the three soldiers that would do anything for their village.
The silence was their compensation, their way of never losing their sanity to the occupation they had chosen for themselves, to never lose what made them human.
Silver spikes tilted downward, and across the bridge, each Ninja bowed their head alongside their comrades, never noticing the tears slipping down into the middle of the three.
I~~~~I
Kakashi pressed his hand down against the hands attempting to attack him with practiced ease, the hushed cries leaving his students lips settling as a heavier weight on his own shoulders.
Akihane's blurry lavender eyes stared into his singular onyx, attempting to find something as she fought to breathe.
The second night since staying in Wave had passed with only Naru waking up from night terrors, Hinata and Sasuke still sleeping under the large covers of the futon they normally shared with Naru as well, if not for the girl's drifting after training.
Kakashi sighed and tugged Naru into his embrace, his hands carding through the girl's hair as he waited for her to calm down.
Regret tugged at the Copy Nin, tearing him apart as he looked out toward the rising sun. Emotions caused the air to become thick, Akihane's very presence stifling to those not used to the guilt that came with the profession.
"Sleep Akihane-Hime…Sleep."
The girl did not realize what she was doing, too lost in the memories of those moments to be lucid. Her friends were kept easily under a simply sleeping Genjutsu, but Kakashi found it rather hard, even harder than Sasuke, to keep the jutsu working with Akihane.
All the Jonin could do was hope that Naru was able to get a grasp on her emotions before the mission ended.
I~~~~I
The next day, Naru spent her time helping Haku and Hinata find herbs while the rest of the Nin watched Tazuna finish the bridge.
Zabuza was trailing behind the three medics, still healing from his bought with the Kyuubi's chakra. He made note of how comfortable to three seemed to grow with each other, as well as Haku's childish nature showing through his normally impassive façade.
"Say, Hinata-San, why do you call Akihane-San Naru?"
Hinata glanced toward Haku after the Kekkai Genkai user had commented, her head tilting slightly in confusion.
"Naru-C-Chan's middle name is N-Naru…Her full name is Uzumaki Akihane Naru."
Haku's gaze drifted to Akihane, who had paused in her collection of a small purple flower when she heard Haku's question.
"Uzumaki?" Haku's voice dipped into confusion, while Zabuza's thoughts rearranged themselves.
"So you're an Uzumaki?" Zabuza cut into the conversation, directing the gazes of the three teens toward him.
Akihane in particular looked rather surprised at him speaking up, or knowing about the Uzumaki in general.
"Yes, my mother was a full Uzumaki. As far as I know I'm one of the only ones left."
Naru replied to the Mist Nin, her eyes glazing as she glanced toward the open ocean through the branches. They all were gathered at the beach edge, trees their only barrier between the ocean and forest.
The Ivory haired teen continued speaking while drifting into her memories. "How do you know the Uzumaki?"
Zabuza debated over his words for a moment before deciding on telling the young Uzumaki the truth.
"A friend of mine is actually an Uzumaki. She's full as well. Her grandmother was one of the guards during the Second Shinobi war, but she left with her husband before Uzu was destroyed."
Naru's eyes widened a fraction as she turned to Zabuza, the Nin meeting her gaze. "W-What's her name?!"
The Uzumaki demanded of the Momochi, gaining an answer in turn, despite her rudeness.
"Terumi Mei."
I~~~~I
That's a wrap. I decided on keeping Zabuza and Haku alive, for now anyways. I may kill one or both of them off in the future. For now Zabuza serves the purpose of informing Naru that she has family in Kiri. The whole 'Meri is Uzumaki' thing can be overused, but I already have her as one in the Oreshizoku Universes, so it's easier to add her in. Next chapter will more than likely be a filler, since my mind is drowning in un-cannon points and damned KakaNaru One-Shots, as well as the Oreshizoku Universe.
Testing begins for me on the 24th-28th…I absolutely loather PARCC Testing, but I have to get a checkmark to graduate so whatever. After that is EOC's, so I don't know how that'll go. I have a lot to do after all.
Addon-The Bridge.
Wave wasn't sure what to call their new bridge, completely ignoring Tazuna's suggestions of 'The Great Tazuna Bridge'.
The people wanted a name to remind them of those that had helped save them.
They wanted a name that reminded all those who opposed them they sided with Konoha.
And so, the name was decided on after one little boy spoke up.
A name that had many meanings, and represented more than a few people.
The name of the Bridge of Wave, the hope of the country.
The Bridge where history was made.
The Bridge that danced on the Leaf's Shadow.
Hanokage Bridge.
