Dutiful Eyes
By Stormlock
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Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. (Who reads these anyways?.)
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AN: Sorry for this chapter taking so much longer. I had something of a block trying to think of how the first parts in this section would go, as my mind kept wandering towards things that would happen afterwards. The bonus to that is that I'll probably be able to do the next couple of chapters fairly quickly though.
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Kakashi arrived with Tazuna in front of the gate a good fifteen minutes later than they were supposed to have left. Before Naruto could call Kakashi on his tardiness again however, Tazuna began gawking at the genin team.
"These brats are my escort? I paid for protection, not a chance to babysit!" Naruto and Neji both glared at clumsy looking man they both knew they could kill blindfolded using only their feet. Hinata on the other hand blushed, embarrassed to have offended their client already. Kakashi's reply to the offensive old coot was nonchalant.
"They're the top rookies this year, and I'm their teacher. Normally a low priority mission like this wouldn't even get a shinobi as highly ranked as me assigned to it, so you should feel lucky."
Tazuna didn't seem satisfied with that answer, but didn't have any logical response to it either, so he kept his mouth shut. At least, until Naruto took a shot at him about how old he looked. After that, Tazuna, Naruto and Neji spent the time exchanging insults. Hinata would have interrupted her teammates, but Kakashi started walking beside her and snickering at them, mentioning how amusing the three were. Before long though, the insults stopped as everyone's eyes turned to Kakashi, who had apparently been turned into hamburger by the two ninjas that had appeared out of nowhere. All three genin screamed out in horror at the sight. Hinata, being so close to him, was their next target.
"Hinata, duck!" Hinata obeyed Neji's instruction blindly, hearing a clash of metal just above her as his kunai and Naruto's shuriken were busily deflected by the chunin that had ambushed them. Coming to her senses, Hinata noticed the nin on her right beginning to dash towards the lone Tazuna, who had tried to take cover on the side of the road. Taking her chance, she rolled forward away from the other chunin still trying to fend off the hail of weapons being launched by her allies. The chunin ahead of her noticed her pursuit and flicked the chain he was carrying away from his partner expertly, causing it to begin coiling around her. Hinata rather ungracefully chose to tackle the nin's legs, where the chain would be off little help. Unfortunately for her, he was significantly faster than she had judged, and he easily spun around in time to ready a kick heavy enough to snap her neck. Unfortunately for him however, Kakashi wasn't actually dead, and entered the fray at that moment. "Yo."was followed by Kakashi removing the chunin's remaining foot from the ground and throwing him aside into a tree (And incidently out of the path of Neji's last thrown kunai), while also causing the chain connected to his gauntlet to yank his partner (Who was charging a weaponless Naruto and Neji) off his feet and into Kakashi's waiting fist.
After explaining to an angry Neji and Naruto why faking one's own death was both useful AND entertaining (and rendering the enemy chunin unconscious and bound a good distance away where a patrol would likely find them before too long), Kakashi turned to Tazuna and gave him a scrutinizing gaze. When Tazuna looked away his eyes bumped into Hinata's glare. He settled on Kakashi, who began to speak.
"You never said anything about being sought after by enemy shinobi. I'm guessing you had some sort of reason for that lie, but you've made things very complicated, and I don't appreciate the danger you might've placed my genins in. This is likely at least a B rank mission. Your explanation had better be a good one."
Tazuna swallowed hard. Neji was glaring at him too now, and it wasn't the creepy calm glare of the other two. The kid looked like he was waiting for the others to turn away for a moment so he could get his revenge without any witnesses. At least the blonde kid doesn't look too pissed. Little brat would probably like having to fight for his life.
Naruto was, in fact, very excited to have had his first real battle. If he hadn't already been accustomed to being on his best behavior while working with his teammates he'd have probably been chattering giddily about it. As it was though, he realized the rest of his team wasn't happy about it at all, and would likely think him a fool for saying so.
"Well, you're right about the danger of this mission; in fact, you might even rate it higher when you hear what I'm going to tell you. I'm being hunted on behalf of Gatou; a wealthy crime lord."
Hinata recalled something when Tazuna mentioned that name, and decided to gather some information herself.
"As in, from the Gatou shipping company? I recall Hizashi making a big deal about not doing any business with them some time ago. If it's the same person, he's an extremely wealthy man."
Kakashi nodded. "I've heard of Gatou, he's said to be one of the wealthiest men anywhere. If you knew you were in danger like that, why didn't you say so?"
"I didn't have a choice. Trust me, I don't have a death wish. That's why I made such a fuss about having kids do the job when we left; I have a family to return to. However, our country is extremely impoverished now. Gatou has been strangling the life out of our economy for about a year now, that is why we are so desperately trying to complete this bridge. All our remaining funds have gone towards it. We don't have enough money to spare for high ranking protection as well. I. . . just want to build this bridge. For my home. They all deserve to be free of that man's clutches."
Hinata's gaze softened when Tazuna he mentioned his family, and hardened again when he mentioned Gatou. She turned to her sensei.
"Kakashi-sensei, we have to go with him and make sure this bridge is finished safely. Scum like Gatou, who prey upon the weak, cannot be allowed to do as they will!"
Kakashi was inclined to agree with her, despite what the rules were. He knew all too well what one got by blindly following rules. Still, if he didn't put up some sort of token resistance it'd be suspicious. "I'm not certain we should do this. This isn't the kind of mission genins should be on, even if we were to do it for such a reduced fee."
Tazuna looked like he'd stopped breathing when Kakashi said that. Until he gasped at Hinata's reply.
"I thought you were a jounin? At any rate, even if you aren't willing to continue the mission, me and Neji are. I'd rather risk my life than let Tazuna be sacrificed to a monster like Gatou." Kakashi glanced at Neji when she vouched for his actions, and noted his complete lack of reaction. She might as well have asked him step one pace to the right for all the thought he had needed to give it. Naruto was looking wide eyed, and more than a little pissed off. Kakashi was about to speak when Naruto interrupted him.
"I'll go with her as well. If this guy is half the scumbag Hinata says he is I want him to go scurrying under a rock. Besides, nobody deserves to be abandoned, no matter what situation they might be in."
That struck a note with Hinata and especially Kakashi. Kakashi visited the Konoha memorial every day he could, and he was sure more than any reasonable share of the names on that stone slab were shinobi that had been abandoned for ' the good of the village'.
Even Neji raised his brows at what Naruto had said. Both Hyuuga children had the same thought at that moment: Naruto. . . was someone important to you abandoned as well? Is that why you're always so alone? Both Neji and Hinata were quite expert at reading character traits from people's body language and behavior, and it didn't take an expert to know something was messed up with Naruto's life. To Neji and Hinata, he was an open book, and one that was painful to read. Neji tried not to think about it too much, but Hinata often worried about him. As long as I have anything to do about it Naruto, neither you nor anyone else in the village is going to be forsaken. Have faith in us.
Kakashi was a little annoyed that he would have to pretend he was caving in to their demands, but decided to give Tazuna a break. The poor bastard had certainly thought the genin's sentiments were heartwarming, but not exactly reassuring without being backed up by a jounin.
"Well, we'll probably get in a lot of trouble for this, but we're going to continue the mission. We should get going right away. It'll be a while before Gatou or whomever he's working through realizes those two failed, but once he finds out he'll send another attack, and probably one much more dangerous. Stay alert and don't slow down." Ugh. This'll probably end up being an A rank mission before we're done. Oh well, that's what a jounin's for right? And I suppose the 'super-jounin' Kakashi deserves a challenge like trying to do an A-Rank mission while protecting 3 rookies as well. Well, at least I don't really have to worry about getting in trouble with Sarutobi about it; he'll probably be afraid to mention it in case I demand my usual A+ payment, hehe.
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Everyone had been edgy after the two chunin had attacked, but so far they hadn't been sensing anything. Once they had nearly gotten to Wave country Kakashi began sensing an enemy nearby, but decided not to give himself away, instead hoping to catch their 'ambusher' off guard. Kakashi hadn't counted on Naruto feeling especially jumpy however, nor did he suspect Naruto was, in fact, aware enough to have discovered Zabuza lurking in the trees before the rest of them.
"There!" Naruto shouted just after launching a kunai at the vague shadow he'd seen out of the corner of his eye. Neither Neji nor Hinata needed any more convincing than that. Before Naruto's kunai even struck the tree Neji and Hinata had activated their Byakugan and Neji had moved between Hinata and where Naruto had thrown the kunai, which he shortly realized wasn't where their incredibly fast and silent attacker was coming from. "Duck!" Hinata had already tackled Naruto to the ground as soon as she'd seen the massive sword thrown their way, and Kakashi hadn't needed the warning either, having knocked Tazuna to the ground as Neji had spoken. Naruto and Hinata got up in time to see Zabuza standing on the hilt of his massive sword imbedded in a tree behind him. Kakashi shoved Tazuna towards his genins and began sizing up Zabuza.
"So, Hidden Mist's missing-nin Momochi Zabuza was hired hmm? You guys stay out of this fight; he's far beyond your current abilities." The genin backed up around Tazuna in defensive positions, Neji staying especially close to Hinata, and all three kept their eyes fixed on Zabuza. "In fact, this might be difficult, unless I do this. . ." Everyone in the clearing skipped a beat as Kakashi lifted up the covering over his right eye. Of course, only Zabuza could see the Sharingan that had been revealed.
"So, it's 'Sharingan Kakashi' that's guarding the old man. I didn't really get payed enough for this, but it's an honour to see the legendary sharingan. I'm sorry, but the old man is still mine."
Neji and Hinata were both were wracking their brains as to how Kakashi could have the Sharingan. Sasuke is the only living member of the Uchiha clan; it's impossible for Kakashi to possess the sharingan. And why would he have only one? Where did he get that demonic eye?
"Surround and protect Tazuna, that's your only duty. Zabuza, first, you'll have to fight me."
"Whatever, it's time to end this talking, I need to kill that old man. I guess you're going to have to die first, 'Copy Ninja Kakashi'!"
Hinata recalled that title being mentioned on occasion in reference to some of the most difficult missions Konoha had handled in the last 10 years. Could he really be THAT ninja? Just how powerful is he?
Zabuza dashed off onto the water with his sword and performed his hidden mist jutsu.
"Momochi Zabuza is an expert on silent killing, it's said he kills people before they even realize they've been struck. So, you guys should, 'watch out'" Neji's face betrayed a little of his surprise at the implied instruction, but Hinata registered none. Nor did she have the visible reaction the other three had to the murderous intent in the air between Kakashi and Zabuza. Neji was barely holding himself together by concentrating on Hinata, and Hinata was well practiced at steeling herself against intimidating forces, but Naruto and Tazuna were terrified, like any sane person would be. Especially when they began to hear Zabuza whispering through the mist, listing the 8 vital points of instant death he could strike. Of course, Neji and Hinata had the added comfort of being able to see Zabuza perfectly well, along with his clone. Without turning, Neji threw a kunai with an attached explosive note over his shoulder into a tree near the water clone that was (relatively) slowly approaching them, blasting it and the nearby mist apart. Naruto nearly jumped out of his skin at that, but Hinata kept focused on the real Zabuza, who was approaching with unstoppable speed.
What followed happened so rapidly neither Neji nor Hinata could shout a warning to Kakashi far enough in advance to be of any help. Zabuza formed another water clone which killed Kakashi's water clone that was trying to defend the genins, then Zabuza's clone was killed by the real Kakashi, who was then attacked by the real Zabuza with a simple water blast using the water from the destroyed clones, launching him into the lake.
"I'm not just an expert in silent killing you fool. Unlike a simple imitation monkey like you, I have more than one card to play in a battle."
Zabuza was standing in front of Kakashi before he could get out of the water, and plunged his arm into the orb that quickly surrounded Kakashi.
"What the hell? What is this?" Kakashi struggled vainly against the unfamiliar technique.
"Hmmph, so you really are worthless when you can't copy an opponent's jutsus. Pathetic. This 'Water Prison' jutsu will keep you trapped while I kill off the old man and the kids. I don't know how the hell they noticed me earlier, but they obviously aren't strong enough to take out my water clones head on."
Said water clone had jumped out of the lake from behind Kakashi and was advancing towards the genin.
"Remember your duty you idiots! Take Tazuna away from here! Run! You can't do anything against him by yourselves!."
"Heh, what pointless advice you give your allies Kakashi, obviously I'll simply track them down and kill them after you're dead anyways."
Hinata steeled herself. "He's right. Besides, there's someone else waiting nearby as well. It's probably a trap anyways."
Zabuza would have looked very shocked at that moment if he'd had eyebrows. They even found Haku? What the hell are those kids? "Impressive brats you have Kakashi, but lets see how they fare against steel!"
Zabuza's clone launched his sword at the genin and charged at them at blinding speed. Neji and Naruto dived to the sides while Hinata jumped backwards and tackled Tazuna into the ground again, just barely avoiding the attack. However, she could see the clone closing upon her from behind and could tell she wasn't going to be able to react in time. Is this the end. . . ?
"Kawarimi-Kuchiyose no jutsu!" Hinata began to open her mouth to scream 'no' as she heard Neji speak the name of the technique, but felt herself being ripped away before she could let anything out. She was dumped, temporarily dazed, to the side, where Neji had been moments before.
Neji on the other hand, was ready and waiting when he arrived at his cousin's former position, albeit rather drained. Still, he had the element of surprise against the simple 'minded' water clone, which was suddenly trying to attack an armed genin facing it on his feet instead of a prone one facing away. It slammed one hand onto Neji's face, and attempted to drown him. Barely aware of the water being forced into his lungs, Neji simply began striking the bunshin's most important focal points of chakra over and over again, causing it to collapse into a harmless puddle. Neji then began violently coughing up water as Hinata and Naruto rushed to his aid.
"Neji! Are you alright? I asked you to never use. . ."
Neji waved her off as he finished coughing up the brunt of the water. "You also said I'd never need to use it. I think though, it might be our last chance. Do you think you can-"
Naruto interrupted them with a mass Kagebunshin in reaction to the two additional water clones that were now headed towards the group. "If you've got a plan, just do it!"
Neji snapped his focus away from the awe inspiring number of shadow clones he'd just seen produced and turned back towards Hinata. "Just get Kakashi's blood on 'it', that's our only chance."
Hinata nodded as he dashed off towards Kakashi. "Neji don't push yourself too far, I'm still going to need you after this is over." She barely whispered the words before pulling out the dagger with her and Neji's blood on it that Neji made her keep on her person at all times. The pseudo summoning technique he had partially recovered from one of the scrolls from their family library was an odd one; it allowed the user to switch places with someone nearby. In lieu of a proper contract, a special kunai with the blood of both the user and the target had to be kept on the target's person. Additionally, the range of the technique was rather limited; someone of Neji's caliber could only stretch it to perhaps 50 feet in the best of circumstances, and even the 12 or so feet he had just swapped across was intensely draining, since the chakra forming was quite sloppy compared to the intricate control allowed with a standard summoning technique using many seals and a great deal of time, as well as lacking a proper contract using the summoned entity's chakra in addition. However, it could be performed nearly instantly, and was one of the most effective, albeit often suicidal, techniques a bodyguard could possibly have in his arsenal.
Zabuza's clones were pulverizing Naruto's at an impressive rate, but the sheer number of them as well as the decidedly defensive, almost Hyuuga like style Naruto's clones were employing allowed them to last long enough to give Neji a clear path to the real Zabuza.
"Kakashi, I'm trusting you with our last chance, you'd better protect her better than I would."
Kakashi had no time to reply as several things happened at once. First, Neji dodged low to the ground and to the right, which Zabuza couldn't immediately turn to with his right arm stuck in the water prison, and the imperative act of dodging the odd dagger thrown by Hinata being necessary. The dagger buried itself entirely in the thick water behind him, still a good foot away from Kakashi. Zabuza was about to make a snide remark about such a weak attack being unworthy of a ninja when a rough spear of air forced him to resume his dodge. Aiming at the same spot she was already focused on without needing to make it a deadly sharp spear made aiming the technique easy for Hinata, and it served it's purpose flawlessly. The blast of air slammed into the globe of water causing a surge to force the dagger forward and scrape along Kakashi's arm. Before Kakashi could swear he was standing on dry land, with Zabuza turned partly away from him, right hand buried in the water prison that now held Neji.
Of course, Kakashi's reaction and recovery time weren't even in the same league as Hinata's. He launched into an attack instantly, causing Zabuza to drop the prison and jump away, beginning to form the seals to a powerful water jutsu, while his two clones, having bashed Naruto senseless into a tree, turned away from an exhausted Hinata whom they'd been about to kill and began flanking Kakashi. As Zabuza completed his technique, Kakashi leaped over him in a somersault, dodging it and using the same technique to destroy the two clones that had been behind him an instant ago. Throwing some shurikens to ward off a direct attack while he landed, Kakashi and Zabuza both began performing more seals, Kakashi more quickly at first, but then slowing down. Zabuza finished first, calling up an immense water dragon which began rushing at Kakashi. As soon as he did though, Kakashi finished the last 3 seals of his technique at triple speed, causing a massive crescent of water to shoot out of the lake, slicing the dragon in half. The crescent then broke down into 6 smaller blades of water, and swarmed around Zabuza, striking him from every angle. He managed to avoid being killed outright by the assault, but was still grievously wounded enough that he obviously wasn't going to live longer than a few more hours at most without being healed, let alone being able to fight.
"You knew I'd copied over a thousand techniques. . . Did you honestly believe none of them were water jutsus?"
Zabuza didn't get a chance to reply, as a pair of needles fell from a nearby tree and pierced his neck, along with a masked hunter nin who crouched alongside the body.
"Heh, even I suspected that much, otherwise I'd have had to kill Zabuza here before he showed you anything."
"So you were a Hidden Mist hunter-nin, rather than his ally. We'll leave you to your business, we don't have any quarrel with Hidden Mist."
Haku merely nodded as Kakashi staggered off to gather up his exhausted allies and finish the trek into town. Haku vanished away with Zabuza's body, trying to get far enough away so that even the Byakugan couldn't find him, though neither Neji nor Hinata had the energy left to keep that up for the purposes of simply spying on someone that was supposedly an ally anyways.
Haku whispered down at his mentor as he bandaged his limbs. "Zabuza-san, I think those two, they might be like me. . ."
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AN: I love writing Kakashi in fight scenes. Pretty much nothing is off limits for the guy that knows a thousand techniques. For the Naruto fans out there, I'm sorry if he wasn't as shiny in this chapter as you might have hoped. Not having a nasty rivalry to motivate him means he's going to be a bit slower to take off than usual in this fic, but I promise he'll pick up a lot later on. For now, the whole Byakugan vs. Mist technique thing is just too much to ignore.