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I DO NOT OWN NARUTO OR AVATAR THE LAST AIRBENDER OR THEIR SUCCESSORS IN ANY SHAPE OR CAPACITY. I ONLY OWN MY FICTITIOUS OC'S.

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Upload Schedule: Sundays and Thursdays

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Glossary: Scene breaks will be denoted by a line of X's

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

"Demonic or summons speech"

'Demonic or summons speech'

Jutsus shall be rendered in Japanese or English depending on which they are. For example, I will not be saying Almighty Push, I will be saying Shinra Tensei, or Rasengan instead of Spiraling Sphere. However instead of Raiton: Gian I will be saying Lightning Style: False Darkness

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"Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world." - Gustav Flaubert

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Just making an announcement. I will be doing no anime arcs, and one confirmed movie, possibly another, for the story line of this fiction. The confirmed movie happens to the Land of Spring movie. I will be, until the second part, mostly following the manga for Naruto. That lessens the amount I need to research to give to the story. If I were to add in each arc in the anime it would possibly take a year to reach Shippuden. With my current goals in mind it should only take me till around Christmas time. If you have any questions you would like to leave out of the comments feel free to message me directly. I will see you in the Epilogue for this chapter.

~Ardent Chronicler

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He suddenly sat up in bed looking around his room. He had been awoken by a noise that he was unsure of. Perhaps he was still dreaming? He thought he heard the cry of a child and sobbing with it but he suppose he could have been wrong. Though that is when he heard it again, soft and barely noticeable, but sobbing. Naruto got up from his bed and pulled his sweat pants on tying their belt around his waist. He left his room and stared out over the apartment. Azula was asleep on the couch, Mai and Zuko were curled up on a futon that Shizune had brought over. He heard it again and he saw it was coming from Ty Lees room, fearing the worst he ran over to the door and opened it. That is when he saw her. She was crying in her sleep thrashing around like she was under attack. Naruto calmly walked over to her bed and sat down on it by her side. He gently took hr shoulder in his hand and shook her softly attempting to stir her. This however, brought a new onslaught of her fight.

"NO! GET AWAY!"

Naruto sighed as he did the one thing his mother used to do for his nightmares. Naruto climbed into the bed and he wrapped his arms around Ty Lee in an awkward hug. She continued to try and fight him until he began to talk softly into her ear.

"It's ok, I am here Ty, nothing will be able to hurt you. This is my promise." Naruto started to feel her slacken in her sleep and then she just began to sob as she groggily opened her eyes. She grasped him for dear life and buried her head into his chest.

"Please, don't go."

Naruto nodded and pulled her closer their bodies touching at seemingly every curve and inch.

"I promise, I won't. Now, you should go back to sleep. I promise I will be here when you wake up." Naruto felt her lean her head against him and turn over. Naruto wrapped his right arm around her waist the other beneath her pillows to give her comfort. Naruto leaned forward closing his eyes his face in the back of her head. He felt his vision blur and he fell back to sleep, though this time, a tad bit more comfortable.

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Warmth, a warmth that filled his being. He had never felt this type of warmth in his life. He opened his eyes and he saw darkness with a few crackles of light. Lifting his head, he looked down and saw the object that brought his warmth. Ty Lee, he remembered last night and he laid back down, but as soon as he laid on his back the girl turned over. Draping an arm over his chest the other curled beside her, she laid her head on his shoulder and Naruto began to smile to her. He had never felt anything such as this, and in his opinion, he never wanted it to stop. However, fate is a cruel mistress. Narutos eyes cut to the living room when he heard the knocking on his door. Naruto sighed softly as he looked down to Ty Lee and he placed a hand on her shoulder and softly shook her.

"Ty, I need to get up." Naruto was greeted with a groan.

"Ty, the door, someone is knocking." Naruto was met once again with unrecognizable noises. He sighed as he softly pried himself from her. Standing up he made his way out of the room and made his way to the door. He sighed stepping around a spread eagle Azula in her nightgown, and he moved around Mai sleeping in the futon. Naruto opened the door and stepped outside swiftly coming face to face with his teacher.

"Good morning Naruto, is that peach I smell?" Itachi saw Naruto sigh and shake his head looking down. That however, did not hide the faint blush on his cheeks.

"What is the purpose of this visit this morning Master?" Naruto watched the man pull out a single scroll, small but useful enough to convey all known information.

"We have a C-ranked mission, we will need to meet inside of the mission hall in four hours."

Naruto nodded to his teacher as he watched the man turn and leave.

"Have a good morning Naruto."

Naruto watched the older man walk to the window in the hallway, open it and leap out of it. Naruto sighed closing the window, he silently promised himself to never become that sort of person. Doors we good enough for him. Naruto silently reentered the apartment and made his way back to Ty Lees room. He closed the door to the room behind him and saw her with her back turned to the door. Naruto slid into bed behind her and wrapped and arm around her waist closing his eyes hoping to get another hour of rest. Though certain things were just not meant to be.

"You promised."

Naruto opened his eyes and saw Ty Lee had turned over her very red blushing face meeting his own. Naruto nodded softly.

"I did, though I did not mean for you to wake up like this. My Master was at the door delivering instructions for the day. I apologize for waking you." Naruto smiled softly to her, one of his genuine smiles and he watched her nod.

"Never do that again, if you promise me something, do it." Ty watched him nod his head and he pulled her closer and closed his eyes.

"I promise Ty." Naruto closed his eyes once again trying to find sleep, but he just could not sleep with what was going on. Naruto opened his eyes and saw Ty Lee blushing furiously before she asked him a question that made him leave the room quick.

"Could you leave so I can put my clothes on for the day?"

Narutos eyes widened as he quickly left the room, and he realized. Ty Lee was only in her underwear. Naruto cursed himself and went to his room for a very cold shower.

Zuko exited Narutos room and almost ran face first into the boy himself.

"Oh, Naruto, where did you go last night? I went to ask you if I could shower and you were gone."

Naruto cursed internally before he quickly constructed a lie.

"I just came back, I decided to do some night time training."

Zuko was about to ask him if he could join Naruto next time when he heard Azula.

"He's lying, he's been in Tys room since last night." Azula loved watching the disappointed look in her brother's eyes and the absolute velvet Naruto was threatening to turn. From anger or embarrassment, she did not know, but she loved it anyway.

"Quiet Azula, what those two do is their business. Though I do feel I should ask, why try and hide it?" Zuko crossed his arms and looked at Naruto who seemed to give up.

"Look, she has been having episodes of PTSD and as far as Shizune and I can find out, she has claimed me as her anchor. So, last night I heard her having an episode and I went to her room to calm her and I fell asleep. That is all that happened." Naruto cut a glare to Azula who stuck her tongue out at Naruto. Naruto was about to verbally assault the teen before Zuko placed a hand on his head and tossed his hair.

"Just be careful, that girl has been through more than you can imagine." Zuko watched him nod and Naruto slipped past Zuko to his room to prepare for the day.

Zuko padded silently to Ty Lees room and knocked on the door.

"Ty? Are you decent?"

"Oh, Zuko, yeah I'm fine, you can come in!"

Zuko opened the door and saw Ty Lee with her hair down in her white t-shirt and sweatpants. He walked over to her bed and sat on the edge of it and smiled to her.

"So, you and Naruto stayed in the same bed last night?" He watched her light up like a Christmas tree before he chuckled letting her breathe as to relieve her tense feeling.

"Yeah, I was having a bad one last night, and he comes in and snuggled with me."

"Snuggled? That is very unlike him. You know, you impress me Ty."

"How so?"

"I have been his best friend for over nine years, and there are only three other people beside you who can stir him and force him to show vivid emotions."

"Who are the others?"

"Me, Azula, and his family. You have a good heart and a wonderful personality, though you tend to show a mask instead of your true feeling but you show that to him."

Ty Lee nodded as she looked him in the eye.

"What're you trying to say?"

"Give him a chance, he may seem to have the emotional showings of a cardboard box, but he is a passionate person. So, what I'm saying is you told me you like him, well as his best friend I can say he definitely likes you. So, try to push the envelope a small bit, you may be surprised by his actions." Zuko watched her nod as she leaned against him and he hugged her tightly.

"Thanks, Zuko, for talking at least. I just don't want him to see me like this."

"Ty, he's seen you at your worst, the only thing you can do is show him your best, no?"

Ty Lee nodded as she stood from the bed and she looked at her ponytail holders but shook her head as she left her room with Zuko in tow.

Zuko looked over to Mai who had her eyebrow raised and Zuko smiled to her and nodded his head. He watched her give him a thumb up and the two's silent conversation came to a close with Naruto leaving his room in his battle garb, arrows at his hip, and bow on his back. Though what made Zuko curious was the change in his war paints formation.

"You changed the paint?"

"I became an adult in the eyes of my clan, so I had to choose a formation all my own."

"So, you finally embraced your scar instead of hiding it. That is good, scars tell stories and show that we have survived." Zuko gently rubbed his thumb over his cheek feeling his burn scar.

"I believe that as well. I will be back soon, feel encouraged to make your own breakfast. I am being assigned a mission and will be gone for some time. If I am to leave the village I will inform you all at once." Naruto began to leave but a voice he knew well spoke with a timid tone he had never heard before.

"How long would you be gone?" Ty Lee shuffled her feet kicking a small piece of rolled up paper across the floor. She watched Naruto walk across the room to her before he removed a binding strap from his hand showing her the scar on his hand.

"I will only be gone for a month at most, C-ranked missions are not difficult, they just include quite a bit of traveling." Naruto placed his palm on her cheek and watched her face glow red.

"I promise I will come back, after all, no bandits could take down the son of Zarehya and Muy." Naruto smiled to her as he turned and left the apartment but before he could close the door he heard Ty Lee one last time.

"You remember what I said, you don't break promises."

Naruto closed the door, making his way down his building till he reached the street. He did not know how much this mission would change him.

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Naruto opens the door to the Missions Office, he stepped in closing the door behind him. He nodded towards Itachi, Sasuke, and Sakura. Falling in line beside his fellow teammates who stood behind their master they listened to the conversation.

"Team 7, you are assigned the Watari Bridge detail. Chunin Umino, please bring in the client.

Now, as Itachi has told you three this mission is simple. You are to escort the bridge builder to his home in wave and until he finishes the bridge you are to remain there as bodyguards. Do you understand?" Shikaku looked over the three Genin.

"Crystal sir." The three Genin said together.

"Very good." Shikaku watched the door to the office open as an elderly drunk man wearing grey clothes, a towel around his neck, and a straw hat on his head entered the room.

"These are the oh so promising ninja I was promised? All four of them are barely out of their diapers."

Itachi was about to address his concerns but his pink haired teammate interrupted his attempt.

"You do know who we are right? Itachi of the Crows the heir to the Uchiha can, S-ranked ninja! Sasuke Uchiha his little brother, Naruto Yu son of Muy of the Yu Yan clan and as of today in the papers, the official heir to the Yu Yan clan! Then there is me, I am the child of two elite Jonin, both of which have taught Itachi. So, still think we are weak?" Sakura watched the man's eyes widen at all of them. HE sighed as he just left through the door.

"Well you 'super' ninja better protect me and my bridge. Meet me by the north gate in three hours."

Tazuna then closed the door.

Sakura felt proud she shut the old bastard up but her only reward was a large slap across the bac of her head courtesy of Itachi.

"OW! Master!"

"Do not Master me Sakura. We do not disrespect the clients, nor do we try to thrash them with silver tongues. You are a professional now, act like one." Itachi saw the female of his team shrink back.

"You three are dismissed, I have one last thing for Naruto." Shikaku watched the three leave on after another. Once the two were alone with Iruka Shikaku nodded.

"I am informing you that as of the last ten minutes before your arrival, a fellow Genin team, Team 8, were assigned to the transfer of your items from your apartment to your assigned home. Your guests will be escorted to the new premises and upon your arrival we will dock the D-ranked pay from your C-rank reward, understood?" Shikaku watched the boy nod then he motioned for him to leave.

"Good, now get out."

Naruto left the office with a loud sigh. He closed the door behind him and made his way to his apartment walking instead of leaping.

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Naruto had been lost in his thoughts before he was abruptly struck from them by a slap to the back of the head. Naruto began to get off the ground as he recognized the laugh bounding across the area.

"Oh my god, that was too funny." Kiba couldn't help but laugh at what the Fire Lords daughter did to Naruto.

"Oh, that was nothing, you should have seen our prank war when Red stayed at our home. IT was hilarious." Azula watched Naruto stand and brush himself off as Ty Lee brushed past them and picked up th scroll he had dropped and handed it to him. Naruto thanked her quickly and Azul decided she wanted to stir up more trouble went to push Ty Lee into Naruto but a hand on her wrist stopped her.

"Enough Azula."

Azula pouted her big brother was taking away her fun.

"Alright Zuzu." Azula smiled knowing she struck a chord in her brother. When they were in private she used his nickname she had given him as children, but in public it served to embarrass him.

"Azula, stop. Naruto, I apologize on behalf of my sister."

Naruto smiled to his friend and nodded his head.

"I understand, she is a problemed child indeed." Naruto looked to Team 8 and he saw all three of them looking at him in fear, as if he was going to be killed for his words.

"Naruto are you ok?"

Naruto smiled softly to Ty Lee and nodded.

"Just a scrape on my palm, nothing of importance."

Ty Lee nodded as she went back to join her friends. She watched the tall black-haired woman approach Naruto and hold a scroll out to him.

"Here, we packed you the normal traveling kit for a C-ranked mission. Just be careful out there."

Naruto nodded and gave Zuko and Ty Lee a wave before he walked off towards the North Gate.

Azula however, had different plans, she began to follow Naruto. Though her brother and friends tried to stop her she was curious about her red headed toys team. She followed him all the way to the gate before her eyes locked in on his team, more specifically one member. His raven hair and black eyes had caught her attention, though he was very handsome. She had to have him, and he would be her toy for the rest of her life. She was about to make her presence known but Zuko had other plans.

Zuko grabbed his sister and drug her back to Team 8 and Ty Lee against her wishes. The seven of them continuing their journey to their new dwelling in Konoha.

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Naruto enjoyed travelling, seeing new places, and learning just how big of a place this planet was. Naruto enjoyably suffered from a condition his parents called, Wanderlust. He loved to travel, so much so he would pester his parents into letting him join them on their trips, both business and personal. He always had pride in himself for three things, one being his acute vision that was second only to his father. The second had been his accuracy with his arrows, and the third, was his ability to pick out things in his environment. The third of these caught something interesting. Naruto pulled his bow off of his shoulder as the five of them walked past the puddle that laid in the middle of the road. However, before Naruto could tell his Master what he had found two figures dashed past him, wrapping their chain around Itachis body they pulled the chain tight and the blades on said chain rendered Itachis flesh and bone into a pile of gore. Naruto heard the shout of Sasuke and Naruto shoved him out of the way as a dozen kunai tore through the place Sasuke had been.

"One down."

"Four to go."

Naruto watched the two brothers as they ran towards Naruto who began to draw his bow, launching two arrows in fast succession he watched the arrows hit their gauntlets instead of their targets. Naruto barely had time to react as both the brothers were in his face, throwing kicks and punches trying to catch him with their chain. Naruto kept dodging as fast as he could, ducking, jumping, and performing acts of flexibility he did not even know he had. Though an unlucky shot hit him as the gauntlet sliced his arm open in four long marks down its length. Naruto tried to fight back but Sasuke appeared beside him. Sasuke threw an elbow into one of the brothers throats and his foot crashed into the others chest. Naruto saw something that shocked him. Sasuke had used his Sharingan. Sasuke continued to pelt the two with blows as Skura began to dip in and out hitting the brothers in their soft points. The two managed to knock Sasuke back before an arrow hit Gouzu in the throat. Meizu looked to the blonde and ran forward towards him but was stopped by a force he couldn't explain. HE tried to look around the area and he saw Itachi walk from the tree line perfectly fine. He walked forward and before Meizu could even talk Itachi walked past him and Meizu felt warmth running down his throat. He looked to his dead brother and he finally realized, his throat had been slit.

Itachi looked Tazuna dead in the eye and he reached out placing his hand on the bridge builders shoulder.

"Master! Thank god, we thought you were dead!" Sakura sighed in relief as she fell on her butt smiling to her Master.

"I had to watch who the two were after. Though they did attack Naruto, through most of the fight their attention was on you Tazuna. Now why would that be?" Itachi was about to further question the man but a shout of pain brought his attention to Naruto. He rushed over to his student and eyed the wound, he saw a clear substance leak from the wound and he cursed his luck.

"He is poisoned, Sakura, I need you to search both of the brothers for a vial. Sasuke, come here and hold him still. I am going to extract the poison as best as I can." Itachi began his work taking a small knife that was single edged from his weapons pouch he slide is against each of the lines that labeled Narutos arm. Once Naruto was bleeding profusely he began to softly squeeze the tissues, much to Narutos protest. Itachi ignored Narutos cries of pain and he continued to squeeze flushing more blood and the clear solution out of his system.

"Got it!" Sakura ran over to her sensei but saw Narutos arm bleeding so badly she nearly puked. Sakura handed the vial to Itachi who popped the cork and proceed to force Naruto to drink the solution. He reached back into his pack and brought out a small roll of bandages. He started to wrap Narutos wound up as he looked to his other two students and Tazuna. Itachi was officially pissed off. Itachi tied off the bandages and he placed the remaining amount pack into his bag. Standing he stalked over to Tazuna, he grabbed Tazuna by the throat Narutos blood coating the outside of Tazunas throat.

"Talk bridge builder, you nearly cost me one of my students, and the Hokage his son. Speak before I leave you out here on your own!"

Tazuna looked into the twisted Mangekyou Sharingan in the teens eyes as he nodded. HE began spilling his story to them, about his son in law who had been murdered, about Gato, about the bridge and the hope behind it.

"Please, you can't abandon our country! We need your help!"

Itachi looked at him pensivele and he weighed his options. He knew of Gato and most of the story

Tazuna had told him. HE looked back to his team, Sakura who was helping Naruto stand, Sasuke disposing of the bodies, and Naruto. Naruto was paler than usual and he looked like he was about to keel over, however, he knew the Kyuubi would have Naruto back on track within a few hours. Itachi looked to Tazuna and sighed.

"In exchange for the assistance needed for this mission, you will repay the full amount of the level this mission reaches. You will also talk to your Daimyo to get a trade deal regulated for Konoha and the Nation of Fire. You will also personally reimburse Naruto for any and all medical bills he will be charged once he returns home. IS that understood?" Itachi watched the man nod as he let Tazuna go. Deactivating hi Sharingan he looked to his team and the five people began their journey into the unknown once again.

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Itachi stood on the forefront of the small crowd he and his team created. Itachi stood point in front of Tazuna, with Sasuke and Sakura on his flanks, and Naruto being held up by Sakura. Itachi looked around the area he stood before, a small land bridge that connected the land of waves to the land of fire. Itachi created a sealess Shadow Clone and sent it to cross but it was dispelled by a creature that lurked beneath the waters.

"We cannot safely cross the land bridge, Tazuna, how did you cross safely?"

"Oh, I had one of my old friends give me a ride in his boat. He should still be in the area if ya want to get him."

"Please, do contact him for us. For now, everyone take a rest, you especially Naruto. You still seem to be weak from the poison." Itachi watched Naruto about to protest until Sakura withdrew her body from his side and he fell flat on his stomach. Sakura rolled him over and sighed.

"You're a stubborn jack ass ya know that? Just rest your pretty little head here and let us worry about everything else ok?" She ruffled his head causing him to scoff at her before she went aroun the area making sure there were no deadly animals that would be able to come into their clearing. Sasuke stood on the bank looking down into the waters as he saw a fin surface for a short time then dive back under. He felt his brother step in next to him.

"It's a shark."

"Bull, or Mako?"

"Bull, definitely Bull with how aggressive it was and also taking into consideration its size and shape. To strong of a predator to just eliminate, and I believe we are in its territory." Itachi looked down to his brother and nodded as the two came back to camp they saw Tazuna using his hat to collect smoke from a small fire then would release it. After five puffs of smoke Tazuna kicked the fire out and nodded to Itachi.

"If he saw that, he will be here in a few minutes."

"Very good." Itachi took up post near the bank and closed his eyes letting his senses wander over the area as they waited.

Sakura was sitting down changing Narutos blood-soaked bandages talking with him about his bow.

Sasuke sat next to Tazuna with his eyes closed as he sat there patiently.

"So, you're the older brats little brother eh?"Sasuke cracked his eyes open and looked at Tazuna.

"Yeah, why do you ask?"

"You both look alike, just wondering."

Sasuke sighed before he went back to his silence, before it was interrupted by the noise of a motor on a boat.

"He's almost here, everyone come on and get ready." Itachi helped Naruto stand and they patiently waited for the boat to bank on the shore line.

"OI ya old bastard! The fuck does you want now?"

"Oh, shut yer yap Daichi! We need a ride across!"

"Across, are ya fucking blowing me? No, no way, not on your life." Daichi restarted his motor and had been about to leave before his boat rocked and he turned back to look over to the shore only to see the tall black-haired teen standing in his boat.

"We need your assistance, and we will be able to pay you."

"Ows about, you get the fuck outa my boat and stick your thumb up yer ass. You might find a ride that way, ya fucking ninja prick."

"We are leaving on your boat, one way or another. Only question is, will the bull shark in the river have a full stomach tonight? Or an empty one?"

Daichi paled considerably and he rapidly nodded.

"Yes sir, whatever you say sir. Errybody on the boat now! We leave as soon as you nob heads get on."

Itachi hurried everybody onto the boat and he helped Naruto stand and sit down in the boat. Itachi sat next to Naruto allowing him to lean on him.

"The fucks wrong with that one? Looks like he had a bad cup of milk from his mom's teat before his diaper change today."

Itachi looked sharply to the man using his Sharingan to scare the man into silence. The next three hours crossing the river and swamps were spent in silence and Naruto sleeping. They had a few close calls, river dolphins bumping the boat, some carp jumping. Though Itachis confusion started once they came close enough to the bridge to see its construction, Daichi cut the motor using a long single paddle to push and steer the boat.

"Why did you shut down the motor?"

"Cause Gatos men patrol every fucking where. It's almost to the retarded point."

Itachi nodded as he briefly shook Naruto awake. The blonde looked better, more color in his face and he seemed more alert.

"Were coming up on our drop off. Are you well rested now?" Itachi watched Naruto pick up his bow, he took aim and drew the string with no arrow and Itachi could see the shakiness in his hands but Naruto just nodded.

"I may be a tad off kilter, but I should be fine if we should run into any opposition." Naruto repositioned his bow to his back as he stood with his master. The two looked at the bank and they scanned the coastline to see if there were any camps in the area. Once the boat came to a stop the ninja and Tazuna piled out of the boat and onto land.

"Now fuck off all of ya. Fucking bastards."

Itachi went to pay the man but Daichi was already paddling back onto open water. Placing the small sack of money back into his pouch he took point. Sasuke and Sakura stood at Tazunas sides while Naruto stayed fifteen meters back with his bow drawn so he would be prepared for anything.

Their trip had barely started before a mist settled in the area.

"Tazuna, is this mist common for the area?"

"No, it's not, we don't get mist till early morning."

Itachi looked around and he heard a whooshing noise, and before he knew saw a large blade spinning towards him. Itachi ducked under the blade grabbing it by its hilt and swung it upwards and then stabbed it into the ground. Itachi looked up as a man materialized out of the mist lashing out with a right hook kick that landed into Itachi's side tossing him from the sword. Zabuza pulled the sword from the ground and placed it on his shoulders looking to Itachi, Tazuna, Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto.

"It seems you're a little bit better than I thought, Itachi of the Crows."

"You are slower than I thought, Demon of the Mist, Zabuza Momochi." Itachi took a guarded stance as he looked to Team 7 only to see two figures leap from the water.

"Behind you!"

Sasuke turned in time to dodge a whip of water, Sakura getting hit by a large wave sweeping her into the forest.

Naruto took one look and knew who these two were. These two were part of the Northern Water Tribe, warriors of the Water Nation.

"Give us the bridge builder now and we won't kill you three. Maybe we will kill the Yu Yan there, but not you two."

"What my partner, Kai means is that, if you two leave us the bridge builder and the archer we will leave you two in peace."

"Kara, you do not speak for me woman!" Kai was quieted by a fist in his cheek courtesy of Kara.

"Quiet you imbecile. Now what will it be?" Kara watched the teens and saw Sasuke move forward, Kai charged forward to meet with him. Kara moved her hands to bend water into a sword but was stopped by a sharp kick to her jaw followed by a leg sweeping her feet from under her.

"Take that ya bitch!" Sakura leapt backwards avoiding a whip crack that surely would have left her with a nice sized bruise. Sakura ran forward and clashed with the woman. Sakura punched with her right hand, but it was caught by Kara who used her waterbending to bind their hands together. However, what she was not expecting was an arrow to tear through her elbow.

"Dammit, my aim is still off." Naruto continued to shoot arrows between the two fights, pelting Kara and Kai with arrows. Naruto could see how Sakura and Kara were a match and so were Kai and Sasuke. Naruto reached to his ankle and he pulled out a folded arrows body, pulling it out straight he looked to the curved bore head and he pulled his bow back taking aim at Kai.

Sasuke stayed in Kai's face the whole time. Kai went to bend and Sasuke punished him with right crosses, left hooks, and elbows. Kai would attempt to fight back and Sasuke would meet him at every turn blocking and matching the taller man blow for blow.

"Enough games!" Kai managed to create some distance between the two as he began to bend a water whip forming in both hands, he spun with an unknown grace the whip striking Sasuke twice knocking him back several feet.

Kara was not faring any better. She thought binding the weaker girl to her arm was a good idea, it had turned out to be deadly. Sakura had been trained in several martial arts by her mother, but her and her adoptive fathers favorite past time. Rope boxing.

Sakura landed blow after blow, a kick to the ribs, head butt, strong right cross to the woman's jaw line. Kara had responded with her own blocks and counters but this girl seemed to know how to fight cornered like this. Her voice was taken from her as another arrow ripped through her body except this one left her feeling cold and shakey. She looked don not seeing an arrow in her body, but a two inch hole bored through her chest cavity through her heart. She fell to her knees the water leaving Sakuras arm. Kara looked into Sakuras eyes the light fading from within her own, Karas last few words chilled Sakura to her core.

"I, I don't want to die. I don't want to die." Kara fell over blood pouring from the hole in her chest and her mouth.

"NO KARA!" Kai turned up the heat as he used his water whip to wrap around Sasuke throwing him at Naruto. Kai charged at Sakura and in her shock Sakura looked up in shock before she took a hard kick to her neck followed by a fist to her solar plexus. Spinning around and using his momentum the water bender lashed out with his leg sending her flying. HE used his water whip to grab her body before yanking her back his way. He grabbed her and turned as he felt the arrows approach and into Sakuras chest Narutos next arrow tore into. The broadhead lodged into her diaphragm her eyes flashing in pain as she cried out. KAi tossed her to the ground the arrow snapping at the entry wound.

"SAKURA!" Sasuke charged forward intent on ending the man, he dodged whip after whip. Sasuke pulled a kunai from his weapons pouch and he cut through the whips trying to hit him before he made a few hand signs, now in the benders face there was no more room to escape.

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" Sasuke spat the fire at point blank range into the benders face who screamed in agony. Sasuke felt a hard fist into his chest as he was flung backwards. HE looked up as three arrows impacted the flaming body before Kai grabbed KAras body and dove right into the swamplands water.

Naruto tore ass over to Sakura slidding to his knees as he turned her over. He saw the entry wound and he took her hand as he tore the small hole a tad bit larger.

"Naruto, please, it hurts!" Sakura was not used to this pain. She could take punches and kicks, broken bones. Something lodged into her bone that was causing grinding and seperation with each breath? This was agony to her.

"I know, I know, just hold on! Everything will be ok. This, this is going to hurt Sakura. SASUKE,

I need you over here now!" Naruto looked to the small hole and directed Sasuke to hold Sakuras shoulders to keep her down.

"I am so sorry Sakura, please, just stay still." Naruto had to dig his fingers into the wound her screams of agony increasing as his finger brushed the broken shaft piece. Naruto grabbed ahold of the small piece of arrow and he looked to Sasuke and nodded. Sasuke pushed her shoulders to the earth as Naruto pulled the arrow head and shaft out of her wound. Sakuras scream was animalistic, it spoke of an agony she had never felt before and her eyes started to dim. Naruto used his palms to put pressure on her wound.

"Sasuke, I need you to tear her shirt open, and remove it from her arms."

"Naruto, that's.

"Do you want to save her life or not!"

Sasuke nodded and using his Kunai he tore her shirt from hem to collar. He pulled it open and had to fight back his pubescent mind as he started to remove her arms from the sleeves leaving her nearly bare for the world to see.

"Now, in my pack there is a small pouch, I need you to open it and get the small bag from it. When you do I need you to hold her shoulders again." Naruto continued to put pressure as Sasuke reached into his bag, digging around he found the pouch and handed it to Naruto. Naruto opened the small pouch as he looked to the wound still bleeding. Naruto took a pinch of the powder and e drizzled it into the wound before he covered it with his hand, the reaction almost immediate. Sakuras cries renewed at a louder rate. Naruto heard a noise from the bushes as he saw his sensei come in with several shallow wounds on his chest and one good gash on his arm. ITachi ran over to the four people as he saw Naruto treating her. After a minute Sakuras screams receded, Naruto let his hands up and saw the powder had worked. It had cleansed the wound and coagulated the blood flow. Naruto looked to Itachi who kneeled down and used a diagnostic Jutsu to check on her status. Sakura would survive, but this wound would take over a month to heal. As of this moment, Sakura was out of commission.

"What happened?"

"Two benders came from the swamp land. They engaged Sakura and Sasuke as I provided fire support. I managed to catch on of them off guard and kill her with a shot. In his rage the other brutalized Sakura before he moved her into the path of one of my arrows. Master, I am so sorry. I should have." Naruto did not get to finish as Itachis undamaged hand laid on his head.

"There is nothing you could have done, you cannot control an arrow mid flight. You are not to blame. Now come, we need to get Sakura to Tazunas house." Itachi removed his shirt and Pulled Sakura into it. Itachi looked to Naruto ho lifted her up and held her as they continued their journey unimpeded. However, Itachi could not stop thinking of his fight with Zabuza, he knew Zabuza still live. Who was that young man who saved Zabuza?

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Itachi sat in Tazunas living room as Naruto bandaged his arm and torso. He thought over the events of the day. With benders and Zabuza involved, this would make his personal mission extremely hard to conquer. He did not doubt he could do it, however, if the bender or Zabuza decided to attack the children when he was gone Itachi could not guarantee their health. H thought back to his fight with Zabuza, and remembered the Missing Ninjas words.

"You will not escape this mission alive. You and your brats will die, I assure you."

Itachi scoffed as he made a few hand signs before holding his palm out. He used his Sharingan to stare into the bird's eye as he pushed with his hand the crow flying out of the open door.

"What was that Master?"

"I am calling in a favor from an old friend and mentor of mine."

"Who?"

"General Iroh."

Narutos eye widened in shock as he remembered his first meeting with the man.

"You know Iroh well enough to call him here?"

"Indeed, he trained me and he also owes me a favor. He will be here." Itachi looked out the window and smiled thinking back to his master.

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I know you all want to see how Itachis fight with Zabuza went, however, let me put it this way. I will be showing it later on in this arc. I am bringing Iroh in, he will be a supporting character, and I can only hope I do him justice. Till we meet again,

~Ardent Chronicler