Mists
Chapter 4: Waves of Grey
Naruto jumped from rooftop to rooftop on his way to the main gate. He was meeting his team for their first C Rank mission. As he made his way through the busy shopping district, he thought about the conversation he had just had with Ayame and Tuechi.
Flashback
Naruto was sitting at the bar, for once not stuffing his face but merely sipping some water as he listened to Ayame rant about a customer who had apparently bothered her earlier that day.
"Yeah, Kiba pervs on girls all the time, Ayame-chan. Don't let it bother you." Naruto laughed as she huffed at his nonchalant attitude.
"Fine, but if you know him so well, why don't you tell him to cut it out." She demanded.
"Alright, alright. I'll tell him your off limits, I promise" Naruto chuckled.
Naruto calmed himself down when Tuechi came in from the back. "Hey Tuechi! Listen I have some big news!" he said in a grandiose way.
Tuechi raised an eyebrow at the blonde nin. "Oh?"
"Yep! My team just got assigned our first real mission! It's a C rank! We will be escorting a bridge builder to the Land of Waves." Naruto made a face. "He's kind of a drunk. But after all of the boring teamwork training Kakashi-sensei has been putting us through, this is going to be awesome!"
Tuechi grinned wide at the exuberant young nin. "That's great! Be sure to be on your best behavior, and to do your best. If you do a good job and show your employer that you can be a professional ninja, your career can really take off from here. Remember, your employer will submit an evaluation of your mission to the Hokage and Daimyo council. Word will spread and you can start making a name for yourself."
Naruto thought about this. He didn't really think about it that way, he was just excited to get some real action. He would need to be a bit more serious on this mission. "Thanks Tuechi, that helps allot! I'll do my best!" Naruto grinned wide before a thought seemed to hit him. "Oh yeah! I wanted to know if you would look after my place for me while I'm gone Ayame" Naruto pulled a key from his pocket and handed it to Ayame.
Ayame's face lit up at the proposition. "Of course! I'd be happy to!" She seemed very excited for some reason before she calmed down a bit. "How long will you be gone, Naruto-kun?"
Naruto thought for a moment. "About two weeks maybe. Sensei told us to pack a month's worth of supplies though, so there may be a chance it could take longer."
"Wow, That's a really long mission. Is it going to be dangerous?" Her voice no longer sounded excited but now sounded worried. Tuechi merely stayed silent.
"Well, Yeah it could be dangerous, but don't worry Ayame, Kakashi sensei will be there. He is one of the most famous Jounin in the Five Great Nations. I doubt there will be anything too dangerous with him there." Naruto explained.
That seemed to ease her worries for the most part. Naruto pulled a watch from his pocket and checked the time. "Oh crap! Sorry guys I gotta go! I'll see you later!" Naruto picked up a scroll from the seat next to him and fastened it to his belt. Before he could exit the ramen bar, Ayame's voice stopped him.
Naruto turned just in time to catch a teary Ayame who had lunged and hugged him tightly. Ayame was still slightly taller than him; he rested his chin on her shoulder and returned the hug. "Please be careful, promise me you won't do something stupid." she said into his hair.
Naruto smiled. "Come on, Ayame, it's me. You know I can't promise something like that." Ayame laughed at the attempt to ease her worry.
"I've got to go Ayame." Naruto said as he tried to remove himself from her embrace. "Ayame"
She wasn't letting go. Naruto sighed and then threw a mischievous look at Tuechi. Tuechi palmed his face, knowing what was likely to happen.
Naruto slid his hands down her back to her waist. He sucked in a breath and focused. Gathering his resolve he slid one down to her butt and squeezed once.
Ayame squealed loudly and pushed Naruto back before throwing a devastating punch at his face. Her fist connected and Naruto exploded into a cloud of smoke, in the air where her fist was outstretched was a piece of paper. Ayame, blushing furiously and irritated at his escape snatched it out of the air and examined it. it read: 'See you in a month Ayame!'. In the corner was a doodle of Naruto flashing a peace sign.
Ayame whirled an her chuckling father. "I HATE that Substitution Jutsu."
Tuechi merely laughed harder.
Flashback end
Naruto was still wearing a foxy grin when he landed in front of his team.
"Your late brat!" Tazuna snapped.
Naruto seemed to think hard about a response before he looked to Tazuna and said. "Bite me you old drunk! Sensei isn't even here yet!". 'Forget professionalism, this old fart needs to sober up.'
Tazuna and Naruto began to bicker back and forth about whether or not it mattered if Naruto was late if their sensei wasn't even there. The argument lasted ten minutes into journey, when Naruto finally huffed in exasperation and took position at point.
"Wow Tazuna, You actually wore his nerve down. That may be the first time I've seen that happen." Kakashi noted with amusement.
Tazuna chuckled as well. "That kids all right. He reminds me of my son-in-law, before he died".
Kakashi noticed the mixed emotions that statement held and decided not to comment on it for now.
Team seven had been traveling all day and had finally set camp a short distance off the main road. Everyone had set their tents and where getting ready for dinner. Sakura was setting the fire, while Naruto and Sasuke were out hunting. Kakashi was reclining in a tree overhead while Tazuna was scribbling in a notebook.
Sakura sighed in frustration. She had been a part of team seven for nearly four months now and if she was honest with herself, she was having a hard time. For starters, the gap in ability between her and her other two teammates were abundantly clear. She had been trying her best, but she had a very hard time keeping pace with Sasuke and Naruto. During their exercises she was always first to drop from exhaustion and during their survival training she was always the first one 'killed' whenever their team engaged in combat.
Flashback
Team seven was sitting on the ground as they listened to Kakashi lecture about their new survival training.
"You three have done well learning the team formations and teamwork drills so far. So as a reward, we are going to take things up a notch." Kakashi declared with an eye smile.
"You three will enter the forest outside the east gate. You will have 5 hours to set camp and organize a plan. Your objective is to guard this civilian couple." Kakashi made two shadow clones which henged into a nondescript civilian couple. "You will use teamwork to survive as long as possible. I will create and lead a team of enemy ninja to attack you." At this, 3 Shadow clones appeared behind Kakashi before henging into ninja wearing flak jackets and blank headbands. Kakashi made a sign and henged into a bulky ninja wearing a mask and grey shinobi gear. In a deep scratchy voice that sounded nothing like him he continued. "It will start out easy. My team will fight at the level of average bandits. The longer you survive, the stronger my team will become. You will progress through Bandit level, to civilian militia level (pre-genin level), Genin, Chuunin, and Jounin levels C, B, and A ". At this his team had worried expressions on their faces. "Don't worry, You won't be expected to fight anything higher than genin level for awhile. Certainly not Jounin until much later in your career."
Sakura raised her hand. "Sensei, does that mean you intend to continue training with us even after we are promoted to Chuunin?"
Kakashi gained a thoughtful expression. "Well, ordinarily that would not be the case. But my sensei imposed on my team the importance of keeping our team strong. The highest ranked missions are assigned to teams that work efficiently together and carry a strong bond. When he became Hokage, he encouraged all teams to continue working with their original genin teams as much as possible in order to keep our strongest ninja combinations working effective with one another." Kakashi explained he paused as he gazed into the sky. "Many ninja who are assigned genin teams become very close friends with one another. Some become as close as family, others even end up married to one another."
The three teens blushed at the proposition. Sakura began glancing sideways at Sasuke who was trying very hard to ignore her. Naruto was glancing at Sakura oddly, Kakashi couldn't tell what kind of thoughts he was having though.
"Anyway. We will start your survival training...Hmm. let's see..." The disguised Kakashi rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Now."
Naruto gasped loudly before grabbing and still surprised Sasuke and Sakura by the wrists and taking off towards the forest.
End flashback
Sakura was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice that Naruto had just dropped a sack of fish in front of her and had flopped down beside her. "How about I give you a hand with these?" Naruto said with a small smile as he pulled a fish from the sack and began to skin it.
Sakura looked over at him a blushed slightly. He had hung his shirt and jacket on a branch nearby. She couldn't stop herself from admiring his physique. This was the other problem she was having since she joined team seven. Naruto.
Sakura had fallen in love at first sight when she met Sasuke Uchiha. The Last Uchiha was the most sought after boy throughout the entire academy. Even the older girls fawned over him. That didn't stop her though, she had been trying for years to gain his affection but nothing seemed to work. She had thought she had the perfect chance when she was placed on team seven with him. She was convinced that the harsh training would push them together and he would finally notice her.
Sadly, she had been relatively wrong. He did notice her now, but there was never any real closeness between them. Then she had been surprised by her other teammate.
Naruto had been very kind to her since they joined team seven. He had done his best to encourage her and pick up the slack when she had struggled. They had grown pretty close over the last few months since Kakashi had stepped up their training. Sakura was never really friends with him in the academy. In fact, she and Ino had only really interacted with him when they would tease him or laugh at one of his pranks. Sakura couldn't really decide if they were friends now, or If he was just trying to be a good teammate. There was one thing that she had begun to notice more and more recently however - Naruto was pretty hot.
So, between Sasuke's indifference and the increasing closeness with Naruto, Sakura was becoming frustrated with her feelings that had seemed to have lost all semblance of order and had descended into a whirlwind of chaos in her mind.
Sasuke entered the clearing carrying a stack of small logs in one arm and a bundle of sticks in the other. He set them both down nearby and flopped down at the base of Kakashi's tree.
Camp was quiet for the most part. Naruto was telling Tazuna about some of his grand adventures. Most of which were tales of him running from people after pranking them. Everyone laughed right along with him, and Sakura even re-told a few of the stories from her point of view. Tazuna seemed to really lighten up after he had sobered up and eaten a decent meal.
"You know, Pinky" Tazuna began. "you remind me so much of my daughter when she was your age. Let me show you a picture" Tazuna rose and crawled into his tent. "Tsunami had quite the temper as well." Naruto snorted and rolled to the ground laughing at that comment. Sakura was about to pound him when the camp erupted into chaos.
Kakashi was about to take a bite of his fish, when a chain coiled around his body and yanked him through the air. He slammed hard into the bark of a large tree.
Kakashi gained a panicked expression and began wildly looking for the attacker. "Naruto! Protect Tazuna! Take him and get out of here!". Any further instruction would never be heard, because Kakashi was silenced when a wicked looking shuriken struck him in the face, spraying gore everywhere.
Sakura had frozen in fear a what she had just witnessed. The world went into blur around her, Her shocked state was broken when a two ninja wearing breathing masks dropped into the clearing. One of the nin yelled something she couldn't quite hear.
Sasuke had snapped into action the moment Kakashi had been pinned to the tree. He had rushed to his sensei's aid but had been unable to reach him in time. Gritting his teeth, he rounded on the two ninja who had just revealed themselves.
The ninja closest to him withdrew a handful of kunai, "Not so fast!" he yelled before throwing them and making a handsign. Sasuke's eyes widened in horror when he realized that the kunai weren't aimed at him but were directed at the tent where Naruto had just dived into. Sasuke launched himself at the distracted nin and dispatched him with a devastating roundhouse kick to the temple. The masked nin crumpled to the ground instantly.
Sasuke had rolled out of his attack and prepared to attack the other assailant. His focus was disrupted by Sakura's high-pitched scream. "NARUTO! NO!"
Sasuke felt it before he saw it. The tent containing Naruto and Tazuna had erupted into a fiery whirlwind of detonating explosive tags. Something had snapped in that moment, he had just witnessed the death of one of his only real friend. Growling in anger he launched himself at the other ninja.
The remaining ninja was unprepared for the attack by the younger ninja. With speed beyond the norm, Sasuke had snapped his fist back and drove a downward strike into the ninja's face. His mist headband clattered to the floor. The mist ninja rose clutching his eye with one hand, blood was flowing freely down his face and his wild black hair hung loosely over the side of his face. "You stupid brat! I'll KILL YOU!" he roared.
Sasuke was forced to move as the ninja lunged at him, threatening to impale him with his claw gauntlet. Sasuke continued to dodge strikes. The mist ninja was very skilled, Sasuke was beginning to worry if he could keep this up for much longer. He watched each strike flow past him as he deftly maneuvered around the camp ground. It was when he noticed the chain still attached the fallen mist-nin that he came up with a plan.
Leading the ninja a short distance away, Sasuke suddenly jumped back. Flipping in the air he landed next to the unconscious mist-nin. He leveled a kunai to the ninja's neck, "Stay where you are! or your partner dies!". It was a bluff, but he was certain it would work.
"Foolish Child!" the mist-nin yelled as he threw himself at Sasuke. Sasuke was so shocked by the action that it was all he could do to raise the kunai to deflect the attack. Then suddenly, the mist-nin stumbled back from the force of the deflected blow. Sasuke took the advantage and made lunging sweep with his kunai at the ninjas neck. The ninja twisted his body to avoid it, but ended up taking the strike across the chest.
Sasuke rolled away from the ninja who he had just struck. Panting in exhaustion he found himself next to a still stunned Sakura staring blankly where the tent still burned wildly.
Sasuke kept his focus on his target though. He had just landed a lethal blow, he could get them out of this yet. However his thoughts were broken when the ninja did something he had worried might happen.
The remaining mist-nin began to go through a series of hand signs. Sasuke prepared himself for what ninjutsu he was sure was coming. He never saw what jutsu was coming though, because a dozen figures fell from the treetops and converged on the mist ninja.
Sasuke watched with relief and shock as twelve Naruto's fell into the clearing before quickly, and rather brutishly knocking the ninja unconscious.
The clones quickly began subduing the fallen assailants with ninja wire as Kakashi dropped down next to the two genin. "Great job Sasuke, you fought very well." he praised with an eye smile.
"Kakashi sensei! Your alive!" Sakura exclaimed with surprise and relief. "But we saw you-" Looking over near the tree Kakashi had been pinned, they saw a log with the shuriken lodged tightly into it.
"Sorry for worrying you guys". He said sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck. "But I needed to see who their target was. Whether this was merely ninja attacking ninja, or if they were after our client." At this Tazuna walked into the tree line looking very shaken, but otherwise fine.
"Sensei, it looks like these where missing-nin" Naruto reported as he approached the group. His clones had already dispelled, and both mist ninja where tied to a tree a short distance away. "Take a look". Naruto handed the headband that had fallen off of Sasuke's opponent to Kakashi upon closer inspection Sasuke noticed the slash cut into the Hidden Mist symbol.
Kakashi took it and nodded. "Yeah, I know of these two. They are the Demon Brothers. C-rank missing-nin from The Village Hidden in the Mist. Specializing in poisons and assassination. Chuunin-level. Bounty around 200,000 ryo". he recited as if he were reading it straight from the Bingo Book.
Naruto's eyebrows rose is surprise. "We just took down two Chuunin level missing-nin?"
"Well..." Kakashi pointed to Sasuke. "Sasuke took down one and had the other on the ropes before you jumped in."
Naruto waved off his point. "So it was a team effort." he slapped Sasuke hard on the back. "Good job, teme."
Sakura looked downcast at her feet. "I didn't do anything...I was completely useless."
Naruto glanced at Sakura, it looked like he was going going to say something encouraging, but Kakashi beat him to it. "You're right Sakura. You froze during combat and couldn't help your team when things appeared their worst." Sakura's eyes began to tear up at his honesty. "But that is normal the first time you experience real combat. It happens to most genin on their first real mission. You have experienced real shinobi combat now, and next time you will be ready for it." Kakashi finished with a tone that expressed complete confidence.
Sakura wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled at her sensei. "Thanks...Ill will be ready next time, I promise" she declared with renewed spirit.
Kakashi put a hand on top of her head. "I know you will."
Turning to his other genin, he addressed them both. "Again, great work Sasuke. But keep in mind you were fighting fully trained, veteran Chuunin that have made a very ruthless record in the Bingo Book. You were very fortunate to have caught one of them off guard. Their strength relies solely on double-team tactics and combinations. By removing one from combat, your put your enemy at a great disadvantage. While very skilled together, they are very weak alone. Do not become overconfident in your abilities Sasuke, If this were any other Chuunin team; you might not have managed so well." Kakashi then directed his attention to Naruto. "And where were you while your teammate was fighting a dangerous enemy?"
Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Honestly sensei? After I moved Tazuna a short distance away. I was kind of just waiting up in the trees. I was certain that there was a third or fourth member of their squad that was waiting to ambush us if things began to heat up. So I made some clones and was preparing to jump in when they attacked...", Naruto got a frustrated look. "But when Sasuke landed that last blow and nobody jumped in to help, I knew I was wrong. So I dropped in to end it before things could get too messy."
Kakashi thought for a moment, before he nodded. "That was a good decision Naruto. Excellent analytical skills in a very chaotic moment." You and I will need to work on some effective tactics to make use of you clones. Swarming your opponent with overwhelming numbers won't work once you encounter an enemy at a certain level." Kakashi then changed his tone to a much cheerier one. "I'm very proud of you both."
Kakashi then rounded on their client. "Tazuna, I think it's time you told us what's going on here."
A/N: Thanks for reading! This chapter begins Wave arc, and as you can tell, things are already different from canon. The mission to wave will be bit longer in terms of how much time passes over the course the mission. I'd love to know what you think about this chapter, if you got some time. drop a review. Also, Im not certain how this usually works, but it would be great to see this story in one of the communities. If you know how I can make that happen. please let me know!
A/N 2: I would also like to do a bit of plugging. to those who are interested. With this chapter I am publishing the first chapter of Mists: Beyond the Veil of Death (tentaive title). This is the Bleach-Crossover part to this story. Along with this story, I am also publishing my HP fanfic; Immortals (Again, Tentative title). So if you are interested, please check them out.