"You cannot gain without first losing."

Chapter 8

Minato smiled gregariously as he pointed the way to the parlor. Once again, he saw the poorly hidden hate in the parents eyes, and the unmasked excitement in their child's. Why can't adults be as innocent as children? "Thank you for coming," he uttered with as much warmth as he could muster.

"Hokage-sama!" a girl screamed.

Minato whirled around and caught the pink-haired girl that came bounding into him. "What's the matter Haruno-san?" he asked. Every one of his senses were alert. Where is Naruto?! He looked over her, but didn't see his son.

"N-Naruto-kun is f-fighting!" she sobbed, tears streaming down her frightened face. "A m-man in a cloak. . . In the r-rose garden!" She was hysterical. Naruto-kun could be hurt!

Minato's eyes narrowed as he stood up. "Stay here Haruno-san," he said sternly. He began to weave together hand signs to his signature jutsu. Let's see who was foolish enough to attack my son. He formed the last hand sign and disappeared in a yellow flash.

XXX

Minato appeared by wall surrounding the rose garden, next to the custom-made kunai he gave Naruto. A note was pinned to wall by the kunai. He removed it with an angry jerk and scanned it. He gritted his teeth as he balled up the paper and tossed it. Dammit! How could I have been so naïve?! His shoulders sagged as he formed a plan.

Dear Hokage-sama,

You should already know this, but just in case; I took your son. You have made the wrong sort of enemies and will pay for your mistakes. No harm will befall your son as long as you come to this location alone and with chakra restrictors.

"An eye for an eye, and an arm for an arm."

"Is there any clues!" Kakashi asked as he leaped down from the wall. He scoured the area for anything that could help. He even sniffed the air for Naruto or the culprit's scent. "Nothing. . .," he muttered as he picked up the crumpled note and read it. He turned to his sensei and Hokage. "What should we do, Hokage-sama?"

Minato shook his head slowly, showing resignation. He looked at Kakashi with grief-filled eyes. "Kakashi. . ."

Kakashi understood and shook his head vehemently. "No, you can't be serious!"

Minato nodded grimly. "I am. . . He is my son and I will do anything to make sure he is safe. . ." He placed a hand on Kakashi's shoulder. "Just like any father would." He gripped Kakashi's shoulder tightly. "Kakashi, listen to me. Once I leave, assemble an ABNU squad and follow a half hour after I leave. I don't trust them to keep their word once they are done with me. Make sure that-" His orders were cut off as Kakashi delivered a vicious blow to the back of his head.

Kakashi caught him and lowered him to the ground. "I'm sorry, sensei, but do it yourself." He memorized the meeting place and ignited the paper. He watched as the wind took the ashes then leaped over the wall.

XXX

Naruto groaned quietly as he regained consciousness. He blinked his eyes in confusion when he didn't recognized his surrounds. He was laying on a cold stone with a waterfall encompassing his view. What the. . .

His confusion lasted for only a moment before he remembered. How could I have been so lax! He scolded himself as he struggled with the rope that bound his arms and legs.

"Don't bother kid. Those ropes are made from my chakra; they'll constrict you harder the more you struggle." The man that kidnapped him landed in front of him and pulled off his hood chin-length, brown hair hung loosely and his lips were curved in a wicked smile. "Hello, Namikaze Naruto," he greeted like they were old friends.

Naruto glared at him. "Who are you?" he demanded curtly.

"Tsk, tsk," the man tutted, wagging his index finger playfully. "I told you, my name is not important."

"Yuri, shut up and move the Uchiha kid out of the river!" another man spoke up in a deeper voice. "He will be no good to us dead."

"Tai!" Yuri whined like a child. He ran his hand through his hair and chuckled. "There goes my air of mystery."

"There's nothing mysterious about an idiot! Get to it! Before our guest of honor arrives!" Tai yelled from the bottom of the cliff. He was busy gathering firewood and was grumbling expletives. "Babysitting; they don't pay me enough," he muttered.

Yuri sighed heavily before turning back to Naruto, still grinning wickedly. "Now don't be getting into trouble," he said before leaping over the ledge with practiced grace.

Naruto quickly began to free himself when Yuri left. To his ire, Yuri was right and the ropes tighten when he loosen them to a certain point. How am I suppose to escape? . . . He shut his eyes in deep concentration. Come on, Naruto, think!

His concentration was broken by a loud shout. "Do you have any idea who I am?!" a familiar arrogant voice demanded.

Naruto almost laughed as he saw Sasuke being carried like trash. Not so high and mighty now, Uchiha.

Yuri tossed Sasuke roughly next to Naruto. Sasuke glared daggers at Yuri's back as he walked away.

"So you got caught too, Uchiha," Naruto stated nonchalantly.

Sasuke turned his glare at him, then smirked. "So have you, Namikaze. I guess you're not as great as they say."

Naruto chuckled. "You must be the same if you're here with me!"

Sasuke's smirk fell, replaced by a deep scowl. "Watch yourself, Namikaze. I am part of the Uchiha clan, the elite," he snapped venomously. "Why would they even want trash like you, I will never know."

Naruto shook his head, pityingly. "Your name doesn't determine your strength. Relying on a name is foolish." He didn't bother to wait for Sasuke's reply and turned his back to him and blocked him out. Just because you're family is great, doesn't mean you will be.

XXX

Yuri and Tai stood up as they sensed someone coming. "It's time," Tai said grimly, summoning a scythe from a scroll. He gripped it tightly before he leaped into the trees. "The Yondaime Hokage dies for his mistakes."

"Do you always have to make everything sound so grim?" Yuri asked as he summoned his own weapon, a buster sword longer than his body. He hefted it on his shoulders and followed.

XXX

Naruto stiffen, sensing a familiar chakra. He sat up quickly, looking around. What's he doing here?! Determination flooded into his when he realized why he was captured, and he began to struggle against his bonds. It was so obvious I didn't think of it! They're using me as bait!

"It's useless you know," Sasuke muttered. He was laying on his back, staring up at the starry sky.

Naruto grimaced as the ropes constricted until they cut into him. I have to help Kakashi-senpai! As his struggles become more desperate, he felt a dark power spill into him.

"Be grateful brat. . ."

With a roar, he snapped the ropes off. He stared in amazement as the cuts healed instantly. Wow. . . What happened? A huge boom brought him out of his stupor and he started running in the direction it came from.

"Wait, free me!" Sasuke's voice was lost in another explosion.

XXX

Kakashi slammed into and through a tree. His henge had been dispelled with the first attack. He flipped in mid-air and landed on his feet, already revealing his sharingan. They can hide their scent as well as their chakra. . . Just like that earth nin.

Yuri appeared in front of him and swung his giant sword around. Kakashi neatly avoided it.

"Dressing up like the Hokage. That's a serious crime, Hatake Kakashi," Yuri said with a savage grin. "We were planning on killing the Hokage, but his student will suffice. After all, what kind of teacher won't try to avenge his student?"

"My, aren't you confident," Kakashi mocked. He ducked nimbly, barely dodging the scythe that came flashing out of the trees. There's the second one. He ran through hand signs and inhaled. "Fire Style: Grand Fireball!" He exhaled a boulder of flames at Yuri's partner.

"Water Style: Shark Missiles!" Five vicious sharks pierced through and extinguished his jutsu.

Kakashi cursed as he leaped away. Their teamwork is flawless. . . I think I'm in trouble. Yuri appeared in front of him, his sword poised to strike.

"Die!" Yuri cut Kakashi clean in half, only to discover a log. "Substitution!"

"Lightening Blade!" Kakashi burst from the ground, lunging at the helpless Yuri trapped in the air. I got him! he thought triumphantly as he saw the fear on Yuri's face. That fear turned to horror as he drew near.

"Wind Style: Hurricane Barrier!"

Dammit! Kakashi's hand smashed into a wall of wind chakra, blowing him back and interrupting his jutsu. Now I know I'm in trouble. Wind beats lightening.

Kakashi jumped back to put distance between the enemy. "You two are pretty good," he commented.

Yuri and Tai both stood haughtily, both smirking.

"Yup! We're the best in the business," Yuri gloated, grinning wickedly. He rested his buster sword on his shoulder.

"And we don't make mistakes," Tai added, twirling his scythe in circles by its chain. "Unfortunately, this time we did. You are not our target. Leave and we will spare you."

Kakashi chuckled and prepared another lightening blade. Last one, I better make it count. "You think I'd let you keep my sensei's son? No, I don't think so." His eyes harden as lightening crackled all around him. "And you're wrong about another thing. . . Your mistake. . .was messing with my little bro!" He charged forward, almost a blur.

"Here he comes." Tai pulled back the chain and caught his scythe. "You know what to do," he said before going to meet Kakashi.

Yuri's grin grew wider. And the famed copy nin dies! he thought gleefully.

XXXNaruto leaped down and into the battlefield. I'm too late! He watched as Kakashi and Tai came within striking distance. Tai hurled his scythe at Kakashi, which he ducked under.

"Lightening Blade!" Kakashi roared, lunging at Tai's exposed chest.

Hope rose in Naruto as he continued to watch. He's going to win!

"Too slow, Kakashi!"

Despair quickly replaced hope as Yuri's sword intercepted Kakashi's hand. No! The sword gave under the jutsu and split neatly in two, but it was enough. Tai pulled back his scythe sharply and slashed across Kakashi's chest.

"Nii-san!" Naruto shouted, running to help.

"Pft, that was close," Tai sighed. Kakashi's hand was touching his chest, but was harmless now. He shoved Kakahsi away, grinning a little as he landed in a heap.

"Nii-san!" Naruto called to Kakashi as he reached him. "Nii-san, are you alright?"

Kakashi's eyes curved as he smiled. He "Run little bro. . . Your father . . . is waiting. . ." he uttered with effort. "Don't . . . keep him . . . waiting."

No! No! No! No! NO! NO! Naruto screamed inside his head as saw the light fade from Kakashi's eyes. He shook him violently, as if to wake him. "Get up Nii-san! We'll go back together with the teme! Get up!"

"Man, who would have thought the Hokage's son was such a crybaby," Yuri chuckled.

"You have no respect," Tai scolded Yuri with a scathing glare. "Kakahsi was a fine shinobi, more than I can say about you."

Yuri frowned. "You sound like you respect him."

Tai nodded, never taking his eyes off them. "In a way, I do."

Naruto huddled over Kakashi's body, crying silently. Those who knew Naruto, know that he never cried. Not even when he hurt badly or felt the pain of isolation pressed down in him. It took a lot to get a single tear out of him.

"Come on brat, he's dead. Leave him be and we'll be on our way!" Yuri sealed away his sword. "Come on, he was a tool, nothing more!" He cringed as an enormous amount of killer intent was directed at him.

"Shut up!" Naruto brawled.

"Fool, look what you have done!" Tai hissed.

Naruto rose slowly to his feet. The air around him was disturbed. "Nii-san was never a tool. . ." His voice was gruffer than any seven year old. "He was a ninja of Konohagakure no Sato and. . ." He turned around, tears streaking down his face. His eyes were slits and a brilliant red. Red chakra crackled around him, taking form in fox. "HE WAS MY NIISAN!"

They both braced themselves as Naruto's chakra lashed out at them.

Sorry about mistakes, too tired to edit.