A big hello to SS who wrote very kindly for me an amazing one shot called 'Baby' (I adore Kankuro) and my lovely friend Mad Furry Cheshire Cat. Have an amazing weekend, both of you xxx
Chapter Eight.
As planned, the two men waited until it was dark and everywhere was quiet. Security and military patrols, even here where the military forces were the pride of the Allied Shinobi Forces had become more relaxed. They used their chakra to climb the side of the building to where Chōjūrō's room was located, almost at the top of the building.
The man with white hair spoke to his friend. "I don't suppose I could ask a favour?"
The carrot-top shinobi smiled and transforming his right arm, slammed it through the wall. They quickly jumped through the hole and saw in front of them a blue-haired boy in blue thermals wielding a large double handled sword, wrapped in bandages and was radiating chakra wildly.
"Hiramekarei." Suigetsu called out almost reverently at the sight of his brother's sword. The only sword of the Seven Swordsmen to still be in Kirigakure and out of his possession. "It's time to take you away from here and make you mine."
"Suigetsu-Sama, Hiramekarei is staying with me where she belongs." Yelled threatenly a tufty blue-haired Chōjūrō and as Suigetsu laughed quietly, Jūgo could see the bloodlust shine in his partner's violet coloured eyes.
"What makes you think that a fool like you is worthy of having her?" Suigetsu asked, raising his arms slightly. The carrot-top simply watched the two and now looking at Chōjūrō, seemed slightly interested at what he would answer. Chōjūrō adjusted the spectacles on his face slightly and smiling, looked Suigetsu straight in the eye and replied calmly.
"Firstly, your brother, Mangetsu-Sama, arranged for her to be given to ME. Secondly, I AM a member of the original Seven Swordsmen of the Hidden Mist and not a wannabe warrior LIKE YOU."
The atmosphere quickly became deadly. Suigetsu snarled viciously as Jūgo laughed and Chōjūrō had not stopped his eye contact with Suigetsu, the smile remaining on his face.
This IS very entertaining. Thought Jūgo. This was worth the whole damn journey to get here. Calmly, Jūgo cleared his throat and folding his arms spoke to Chōjūrō.
"You may have balls kid but you aint going to have them for long. I'm stepping back to enjoy the show." He walked over to the living area and sat down on Chōjūrō's baby blue couch and turned it around so he could watch then better.
"You better come and claim her quick before your brain freezes." Chōjūrō taunted and no more was said from that point on. Suigetsu lunged at the swordsman with all his might with his sword. It looked like a butcher's knife but was extremely long and thick. It s then Chōjūrō recognised it as being Kubikiribōchō – the sword of Suigetsu's brother. It was now believed to have been in position of a leaf ninja but it seems that was now untrue.
"How… the hell…" Said Chōjūrō between clenched teeth. "… Did you get your meat cleaver back?" He made an "uh" noise and threw back the white-haired attacker back with force.
"I found it just outside the village near a river." Suigetsu said smiling crazily, lunging back at the man hard. The clang of metal was heard as they jostled again for dominance and the opportunity to find an opening to attack the opponent. "I missed her like missing my right arm but we are back together and nothing's going to get in my way now of killing you and adding Hiramekarei to my collection."
The stood in stale mate for a few moments longer before Suigetsu pushed Chōjūrō back with such force he sent him flying through the air and smashing through a wall and ending up in the hallway. He started to chuckle dirtily and slowly made his way to where Chōjūrō had landed. Chōjūrō was up and back on his feet, his sword changing into that of a war hammer and before he knew what was happening, Chōjūrō had leapt into the air and disappeared. Suigetsu rushed then to the spot, looking to see where his opponent had gone. Above him, at several points, there appeared a row of clouds and pooping from each one, a Chōjūrō rushing towards the ground with a war hammer aimed and ready. Suigetsu looked between the ten Chōjūrō, planning which to strike 1st. He picked the one directly above where Chōjūrō had disappeared and leapt up to attack him, aiming the sword at Chōjūrō's head. It simply went straight through it.
"Wrong one." All ten Chōjūrō's said and the next thing he knew all had landed on the ground, nine of them vaporising to reveal the real Chōjūrō who had been a little further back. He jumped back up towards Suigetsu and swung his hammer, knocking Suigetsu back into the room and sliding on his back from the force, ending up near Jūgo's feet. He was extremely pissed now and Jūgo was smirking at him. This is the most entertaining fight I've seen this skinny runt fight in since we teamed up but man, is he off his game.
Jūgo leant down to face his friend and trying not to sound like a smart ass, nodded to him, trying to encourage Suigetsu. Suigetsu nodded back and jumping to his feet ran towards the swordsman. Jūgo watched Suigetsu go after Chōjūrō and could not but be reminded of his first ever friend, a man with long white hair the last of his clan. It was when Jūgo had agreed to become a test subject for an outlawed shinobi that he met him and seeing this spiky white-haired man kind of felt like looking at his old friend again. That man was now dead but he still remembered him and thought about him every day. He guessed that was why he still kept hanging around Suigetsu, even now. Kimimaro, he thought and trying not to get too lost in his thoughts turned his head to his partner.
"Suigetsu, I'm coming to join in. I'm getting bored sitting here and the sooner you get your sword, the sooner we can leave this damp, soggy country." He got up to join his friend but stopped when he heard a quiet, polite male voice from the hole they had originally knocked through to get in.
"Excuse me," looking at the hole, he saw squatting there a shinobi wearing an Anbu outfit with a black mask, a leaf forehead protector slanted over one eye and spiky white/off-grey hair. "I was looking for my sword and as I was walking along I heard a few raised voices. Sorry to interrupt but have you seen a long sword that looks if it were shorter that you could cook a meal with it?"
"Huh?" Jūgo said, scratching his head. "Suigetsu! Get in here now. We got company!" Suigetsu broke away from Chōjūrō after another stale mate situation as they fought and ran after towards his comrade.
"What's wro- oh! Kakashi Hatake? This is interesting situation."
Kakashi looked at the sword in Suigetsu's sword. "I see you found the sword." Kakashi was still squatting in the opening, his eyes closed and you could see from the way they were wrinkled slightly that he was smiling.
"Yeah, it was just lying out in the open. Is if it were waiting for me." Suigetsu said, smiling proudly.
Chōjūrō charged in, his war hammer poised at Suigetsu when he noticed Suigetsu was not ready to fight him back. Chōjūrō paused, extremely confused and then noticed that Suigetsu was talking. He looked over towards the direction of the other voice and saw Kakashi.
"Hatake-Sama?" Chōjūrō called out startled. "We were not expecting you to arrive for some time yet."
"Well, I had actually left for a walk with Guy-Sama before I received a message to come here." Kakashi explained. "I was looking at a butterfly that had flown beside a rose along the river. It was only after a few hours I realised I had lost my sword. I had put it down so I could watch the butterfly better and couldn't track it. So I made my way onwards here and hearing the sounds of fighting, found myself here."
Struck at the fact that the infamous Kakashi Hitake had lost his sword due to butterfly watching made Suigetsu guffaw and Jūgo giggle like a school boy.
"I'm sorry Hatake-Sama," Jūgo said. "This has just been an incredibly fun day and just the image in my head was too much. Besides, the sword now belongs to my friend and if you interfere, I will be forced to get involved."
"It sounded just now you were going to involve yourself anyway." Kakashi said. "Hardly fair, huh?"
"Do not lecture me." Warned Jūgo. "I hate it when people do that and you do not want to make me angry."
""Now, just because you got repeatedly beaten by children by the past, many of whom I had taught, doesn't mean I'll go easy on you." Kakashi said.
Jūgo's body shook and began to shoot scales everywhere. Kakashi's smile remained and slowly he moved into the room and nodding at Chōjūrō, prepared a Chidori. A ball of pure electricity elegantly controlled and continuing to grow in Kakashi's right hand. He nodded at Chōjūrō but the young man simply looked confused. At this time, a small group of ninja's entered the room and gathered around Chōjūrō. A girl with dark blue hair, a man with insects buzzing nosily around him and another man with red marks on his face, riding a large white dog. Kakashi nodded at the group and they nodded back. Akamaru leapt into the air and Shino jumped onto his back. Hinata grabbed Chōjūrō and helped him rise into the air to join her teammates. Kakashi slammed the Chidori down into the floor, sending electricity pulsating through the floor. It quickly hit Suigetsu and Jūgo, the current travelling up their legs and causing them to land hard on the floor, smoke coming from them.
Everyone had then safely landed on the floor and seeing their Kakashi-Sensei take out the intruders made them smile.
"Kakashi-Sama, Hinata-Sama… everyone!" Chōjūrō called and span around to look at everyone in turn, before looking back at Kakashi, bowing with a wicked grin that showed his shark teeth. "Thank you for saving me."
"It didn't look like you needed saving to me." Said Kakashi with even more creases appearing around his closed eyes. He then opened them and looking at Hinata, focused upon her. "You did well."
She blushed slightly and started to fidget. "Kakashi-Sensei, it is so good to see you. It's been a long time."
"Indeed." He said, eyes twinkling crazily and then looking around at the other males in the room. "It's good to see all of you again. Kurenai is going to be ecstatic to hear how well her former team still perform and work together. You three have always been close."
A large bark came from Akamaru and Kakashi, realising his mistake, rubbing the back of his head with his left hand. "Sorry, Akamaru-Sama. I meant four." Akamaru's tail wagged wildly and Kakashi closed his eyes back into another smile.
"We have a room ready but I must confess we were not expecting you to arrive so soon. I am so sorry." Chōjūrō added.
"You have nothing to apologise for, but perhaps we better get your military police here to help with these two… visitors."
"Of course." Said Chōjūrō, laughing slightly at having forgotten about them. He then sped out to sound the alarm and Kakashi then decided to sit onto the couch and taking out his book, started to read. The small group of young Shinobi then shared a look together and smiling, looked at their Kakashi Sensei.