I do not own Naruto (i am not that smart).
"Talking" will be done with the normal font.
'Thoughts' will be done by Italic.
Chapter 7- A New Team.
"Ok, Are we all ready to go!"
"Shut up Naruto."
"Ouch Sakura, why do you always have to hit me?"
'It's funny how normal this seems to be for them. The mission that was, reluctantly given to them by Lady Tsunade was to locate Itachi Uchiha. Even though it was only for my benefit. We said goodbye to a few of the people Naruto knew at the village. I got to say hi to Shikamaru and Ino again. They said Choji was at a barbecue joint or something like that. Also I saw Hinata looking at us from afar when we left the gate just now. I waved to her but she hid behind a fence'
"Kazumu? Are you ready to leave now?" Naruto said as Kazumu looked up and saw that everyone was waiting for him.
"Sorry guys!" He bowed, somehow familiarly. "I get lost in thought a lot."
"So that's what happened back in the cave with Sasori." Sakura said like she was putting the pieces of a puzzle together. They started walking down the path together. The team consisted of Kakashi Hatake, Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno and the Akatsuki member Kazumu. "Umm I wanted to ask you something Kazumu."
"What is it?"He was expecting a long drawn question from her.
"How are you able to use wood style jutsu? That's a technique only The First Hokage was able to do."
"I'm not really sure to tell you the truth. When I was training with Itachi, he used these pieces of paper to find out what chakra nature I had and when I held it a tree sprouted up from the paper, and then it burned down. He told me because of the mixture of two elements making wood style that I had water, earth and fire style along with wood style."
"That's amazing." Kakashi didn't believe it either.
"Well I guess you're one great ninja Kazumu!" Naruto yelled. "You will have to tell us more about your powers later."
"I have no problems with that. As long as you tell me yours Naruto." Kazumu was having fun talking with all of them. 'This is so weird. I just told them something and they were genuinely interested. I can definitely say I like them better than the other Akatsuki members, well except for Itachi of course.'
"No problems at all!" Naruto was really excited and upbeat on this mission with Kazumu. He then he walked over beside Kazumu. "So you into any girls Kazumu?" He whispered in his ear.
"What!?" Kazumu's face went red. "Of course not! I don't even know any girls."
"Come on! You must've met someone in the Leaf Village right?" Naruto was just teasing him, trying to have a good time.
"Well there was this one girl who was pretty cute but I wouldn't go as far to say I liked her."
"Ahh! I knew it!" He was then punched really hard in the back of the head by Sakura. His body flew pretty far forward.
"Knock it off Naruto, quit bothering him." Sakura then turned and smiled at Kazumu. "Don't worry about him, he's just teasing."
"Yeah I know. I can take a joke." Kazumu laughed a bit after he said that. Remembering a 'joke' Deidara played on him one day. "I was used to a different kind of joke though. Mainly involving explosives." He laughed again.
"That doesn't sound very funny." Sakura said this with a somewhat worried face.
"Yeah I didn't think so either." They kept on walking and Kakashi approached Kazumu this time.
"So where are we actually heading?" He seemed to be unsettled being this close to Kazumu, who was still wearing his Akatsuki robes.
"Well there are a few spots that Itachi would be after a mission, so I made a route that gets us to these places first." He showed a map that he got from Tsunade.
"Well I guess that makes most of this mission straight forward then."
"Yeah just the way I like it. The mission I had with Gaara was-" He stopped talking, remembering the state he put him in.
"Kazumu." Kakashi had his hand on Kazumu's shoulder. "It's alright. You were just following orders." He said this making Kazumu feel so reassured.
"Thanks Kakashi." The conversation ended and they kept on walking. "Do we have an amount of time that this mission should take? Or can we take our time?"
"Well Lady Hokage would get pretty mad if we took too long, but we have enough time for it so we can walk." Kakashi gave the info pretty quickly. "Well here is our first village we have to go through." They started walking through it and people were giving dirty looks at them, and some people actually ran inside their houses.
"What's up with them?" Kazumu didn't understand at all.
"If I had to guess I would say it's you." Kazumu looked at himself, his Akatsuki robe was there in all it's splendour.
"Oh, right. I guess I need new clothes then." He turned to face the other three. "I don't have any money." He said nervously.
"We will front the bill, we cant have you looking so obvious. We will attract way too much attention." Kakashi stated, being very professional about it. "Just don't get anything too expensive." And Kakashi then dropped the professional look.
"Don't worry I wont ask for much, I just need a new cloak without the fear inciting logo of the Akatsuki." They went into the store, firstly scaring the owner before using an excuse that it was for a costume party, then went through what they had available. They came out of the store soon after. "That's much better." He now had a cloak somewhat styled the same way but this one had a hood and was a pale red colour on the outside and white on the inside, with one extra white stripe going down the cloak from the front.
"Yeah it looks good, no one will be scared of you now at least." Sakura looked at him and noticed something still on his left pinkie finger. "You aren't going to take off the ring?"
"Nah, I'm going to think of it as a memento." He smiled to them.
"So you aren't going back to the Akatsuki after all!" Naruto sounded really happy, Kazumu realising what he just said.
"Oops, I didn't say that." He tried avoiding it and they all started walking again.
"So do you like wearing cloaks then?" Sakura asked him.
"Well it's the thing I've been wearing for all my life, well all that I remember anyway." Kazumu then turned away trying not to talk about it further.
"We're staying at this hotel everyone, so in we go." Kakashi lead them all into the hotel. "This will be a great place to relax for tonight." He muttered under his breath. "Ok it's all paid for so off you go." Kakashi said realizing his wallet was getting a little thin.
"Ok Kazumu, we'll be sharing a room right?" Naruto leapt in front of him.
"Yeah sure if you want to Naruto." He said still proving that he isn't used to this. "But we should check out the hot spring first right?" Naruto just now noticed the entry to this hotel's hot springs.
"Oh, I didn't see that there." He chuckled.
"You idiot Naruto." Sakura was always the first to insult him. They split up with Sakura on one side and the boys on the other. They had the springs split by a wooden wall. Kazumu and Nauto got undressed and got in the hot springs.
"Wow this feels amazing. So warm." This was a first time thing for Kazumu.
"Yeah it really is a great way to relax." Surprisingly the only two in there were Kazumu and Naruto. Naruto began swimming over to the wooden wall laughing very subtlety.
"What are you up to Naruto. Sakura will kill you if you spy on her."
"Just one quick peek."
"I wouldn't risk it if I was you." Kazumu turned around to lay his arms out on the edge of the hot spring when Naruto noticed something on his lower back.
"Hey I didn't know you had a tattoo." Naruto looked at it. It said 'No.61' in black text.
"I didn't know either, I cant see it from here. What is it?"
"Just a number, nothing special. 61 is a bit of an odd number to just tattoo there."
"Well don't look at me I didn't put it there." Kazumu was a little shaken from this. 'What could that mean?'
"Oh well, we better get out now, if we stay in too long we will pass out." They got back out and got themselves dressed back into their clothes and headed to their room.
"Uhh, hey guys." They turned to see Kakashi. "I don't have enough money for dinner so..." He then disappeared in a white puff of smoke.
"Hey! Kakashi sensei!" Naruto yelled but it was too late. "I guess we will just head to our rooms then." He said sounding really disappointed. They went up the stairs to their room and sat on their beds. "So what do you want to do, I can't sleep right now, I'm too pumped." He sounded like a child saying this.
*Knock knock knock* "Hey are you two still up?" The door opened and Sakura walked in. "Good it's really boring in there when you're all by yourself." She said as she sat at the end of Kazumu's bed.
"I guess this is a good time to show each other what we can do?" Kazumu said remembering their conversation from earlier. "I would go first but I have a lot to go through so you two go first." Predictably Naruto jumped up first.
"Well my specialities are the Shadow Clone Jutsu and the Rasengan. Oh and I can also summon the toads of Mount Myoboku." Naruto sounded a little proud of himself saying this.
"Rasengan?" Kazumu seemed a little confused.
"It was the technique Naruto used in the cave." Kazumu then remembered the blue ball that Naruto created from his chakra.
"Oh I get it now, and what about you Sakura?"
"Well I specialise in Medical Ninjutsu learnt from Lady Tsunade. I can also use my knowledge in this to gather my chakra in my hands to deliver earth shattering physical attacks." She also seemed pretty proud of herself.
"Wow Medical Ninjutsu, that requires an insane amount of chakra control." Kazumu got off the bed and stood in front of them. "I think I might do a demonstration to show my specialities." He readied a handsign. "First off with my Dojutsu." He activated the Sharingan. "Would be this one, the Sharingan, but I don't use it very often." He then retracted it. Looking to see the surprise in Naruto and Sakura's faces. "Next is the Byakugan." He then activated it, His eyes going white and veins bulging around them. "I don't really know how to use it at all except for it's massive range of vision so again it's not used very often." He retracted this one as well.
"How do you have those two? They're both bloodline traits of the Leaf Villages clans." Sakura couldn't believe her eyes.
"I've just always had them I guess. Anyway my last one is the Rinnegan." He activated it showing his purple eyes with the ripples emanating from his pupils. "With this I can harness the power of the Sage of the Six Paths and use the Six Paths of Pain. Which include a lot of different techniques." He then retracted his last Dojutsu. "Along with this I have techniques in fire style. water style, earth style and the very special wood style. Although my Taijutsu is a bit sloppy cause I rely on the Rinnegan too much, Itachi taught me everything he knew about it."
"That was an amazing display Kazumu." Sakura said as Kazumu sat back down in bed. "I've never seen so much potential in a shinobi before."
"It's nothing, I'm a bit of a useless ninja right now, nowhere to go but to Itachi to see where I belong." They could see he was pretty down about this.
"Why not come home with us?" Naruto jumped up. "You could have a normal life there as a shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village!"
"I'll admit I enjoyed my time spent there, well except for my run-in with Tsunade, but I'm not sure I could fit in there."
"Of course you would fit in! You're such a great person, almost giving up your life to do the right thing. I don't know many people who would do that." Naruto seemed happy just to be around Kazumu. "And you remind me of someone."
'I could take a guess at who. It's just like Itachi said.' Kazumu's face went completely serious. "Naruto?"
"Yeah?"
"What's your connection with Sasuke?" The two of them wouldn't speak for a bit.
"He was our old team mate, but he went to Orochimaru and became a Missing-nin to the Leaf." Naruto finally spoke up.
"Orochimaru? Wait he was in the Akatsuki wasn't he?" Kazumu remembered Kisame talking about it back at the sealing of the Shukaku.
"Yes, from the intel gathered at the Leaf he was at one stage but left for some reason that was never explained."
"Hmm, not even I know why he left, I don't even know who he is, but that name sends chills down my spine for some reason." Kazumu was slightly shaking.
*Knock knock* The door opened to show Kakashi this time. "Ok guys that enough talking for one night. Lights out ok?" He then closed the door.
"Aww what a let down." Naruto's face drooped.
"It's not like our topic of discussion was all that uplifting Naruto." Kazumu got into bed.
"Oh well, I'll see you guys tomorrow morning." Sakura smiled at them and left the room.
"Well that was interesting." Kazumu said in a sarcastic tone.
"Heh, it's funny you mentioning Sasuke like that. When I said you reminded me of someone he was who I meant." Naruto got into bed as well.
"Yeah I figured that. Itachi said the same thing to me about a year ago."
"Hmm, well I guess we will see how things are between you two when we find him."
"Yeah sure Naruto. Goodnight, I'm a bit worn out from today." Kazumu yawned.
"That's fine, goodnight." They both started to fall asleep.
'Itachi, what happened to you in the Leaf Village.' Kazumu thinking of this fell asleep.
"..."
'Another dream? I just hope it isn't like the last one.'
"Why's that Kazumu, don't you like seeing me?"
'Well if a creepy guy came into your dream would you be happy?'
"That's not a nice thing to call your owner."
'You don't own me! No one does! I am my own person!'
"Wrong again little boy. You just think you are."
'Just leave me alone! I'm sick of hearing that voice of yours.'
"Well that's too bad, because I'm never leaving. I'll always be here to remind you of your purpose."
'My purpose? What do you mean?'
"See you next time Kazumu. Hehehehehe."
'No! Get back here! Tell me what you meant by that!'
"Next time little boy."
"Get back here now!" Kazumu jumped awake just like last time, waking Naruto up next to him.
"Are you ok Kazumu?" He looked pretty worried and he noticed something dripping out of his eye. "Are you crying? Wait no that's blood!" Just like last time Kazumu had a cut on this but this time it was across his forehead, blood was flowing down his face. "Wait here I'll go get Sakura!" Naruto bolted out of the room.
'Why does this keep happening? Is something wrong with me? And who the hell is that man? My purpose huh? I'm not going to let someone else tell me what my purpose is.'
"I'm here, what happened." Sakura had entered the room followed by Naruto. "How did that happen!" She started healing it the same way Ino healed the cut on his back.
"If it wasn't for you and Ino I'd be in terrible shape right now."
"You mean this has happened before?" Sakura was starting to close the wound and Kazumu had stopped bleeding.
"Yeah on the way to see you guys with Shikamaru and the others. Ino healed me that time though."
"Well that should do it then." Sakura had already healed up the wound.
"That was quick, you must be better at this than Ino is." Just then a massive grin appeared across Sakura's face. 'Oh no what have I started.'
"Well of course I am! I was trained by Lady Tsunade herself you know!" She was really proud of herself now.
"That's pretty impressive th-" Kazumu then passed out, only hearing bits and pieces of the other two talking.
"...too much blood!"
"Is he...be ok?"
"I hope so." After hearing the last part he fell asleep again.
"..."
'Please no more dreams.'
"...passed out last night."
'Oh it's Sakura. Thank god.'
"...try waking him up, we'll be late."
'Looks like Kakashi's here too. I need to get up.' Kazumu using every ounce of strength he had managed to get out of his sleep.
"Kazumu don't rush yourself. You lost a lot of blood last night." Sakura was holding him up.
"I'll be fine. I'd never let something like this stop me from finding Itachi." He got out of bed, struggling to stand.
"Don't be so reckless." Sakura put his arm over her shoulder. "You need help, you don't need to do it alone." Naruto did the same with his other arm.
"I said I would get you to Itachi and I never go back on my word!" Naruto smiled at Kazumu as they both helped him walk out of the hotel.
"Thank you so much guys." Kazumu was overjoyed from having their help.
"It's no problem at all Kazumu." Naruto said as both him and Sakura smiled at him. They began walking down the path out of the village and kept going.
"Our first stop is near here Kakashi." Kazumu said letting him know of their arrival.
"Ok, lets head in then." They had arrived at a run down temple like place. The Uchiha symbol was branded on the entrance. "This is it guys, be ready for anything." With this last warning from Kakashi they tried to head inside
"Don't bother Kakashi, only Akatsuki members are given the seals for these hideouts." Kazumu got out of Naruto's and Sakura's arms and performed a few handsigns and the door revealed a seal tag that then burned away. "That should do it." Kazumu started falling again and was caught by Naruto and Sakura.
"Don't worry, we've got you." Naruto said as they walked him inside.
"Thank you again." The went inside to see the inside was run down just like the outside. "And now we wait."
"What are we waiting for though?" Kakashi asked.
"Itachi creates clones that activate upon entry to these places. It's one of his main jobs to get information to the other members."
"That would be correct." They all turned to see Itachi standing behind them. "It's good to see you again Kazumu. Even if it's not the real me."
"My thoughts exactly." Kazumu looked like he was about to cry of joy from seeing his friend again. "I needed to talk to you again."
"So I've heard. Pein thinks that you switched sides you know."
"Yeah I know, I received a warning from him through a few rouge ninja he sent my way."
"Actually I was the one who sent them. It was the only way I could get the message out to you without Pein finding out."
"Well it worked I guess, but a warning would have been nice."
"But you didn't need the warning." They both then smiled, remembering the same conversation coming up in their training. "I need to talk to you alone Kazumu."
"I had a feeling you would say that." Kazumu got out of Naruto and Sakura's arms again. "I should be ok walking for a little bit by myself. Just wait for me outside please?" They all nodded and left the temple. "So what is it you need to talk to me about?"
"You have been to the Leaf Village correct?"
"Yes, I has there after I almost killed myself using the Rinne Rebirth on the One-tail Jinchuriki."
"Hmm, that sounds just like you Kazumu." Itachi smiled again. "I haven't been this happy in a long time."
"Same here. I needed to see you to ask what I should do now. Do I return to the Akatsuki and beg for Pein's forgiveness? Do I stay at your side? Do I stay with the Leaf Village? I just don't know what to do, and I knew if I talked to you I would have my answer." Itachi stayed silent for a moment.
"Did I ever tell you why I left the Leaf Kazumu?" His face was suddenly filled with sadness.
"No Itachi, you just said it was to protect your brother."
"Well that's true, but the cost was great."
"What do you mean?
"Well back when I was a child and my brother was a baby. There was an event that was the darkest hour of the Leaf Village. The Nine-tailed Fox had attacked the Leaf village. It was eventually stopped by The Forth Hokage and sealed within Naruto."
"The same one that attacked the village? Really?" Itachi nodded and continiued his story.
"But this event was far from forgotten. They found out that it was most likely an Uchiha that made the Nine-tails attack that day. So the council for a long time had planned to eradicate the entire clan to avoid this dilemma from happening again. So in the end I was given a choice. To stand by my clan and be wiped out with them."
"Or?"
"Kill my entire clan myself to save the life of my brother Sasuke." Kazumu's eyes widened.
"How could they make you do that!"
"It's just how it was, there was no other choices. The clan was trapped in a corner and the order was given."
"Does anyone else know this?"
"Besides the high ranking officials that ordered it and me, no, and that is how it has to be."
"Why is that."
"The Uchiha clan must be redeemed by Sasuke." He talked no further into that topic. "Kazumu?"
"Yes?"
"I have a request for you."
"What is it. I'll do it no matter what it is!"
"Protect the Leaf Village for me." Kazumu was shocked by this.
"Why would you want that after what they put you through!?"
"Just promise me Kazumu."
"...ok Itachi. I'll do it." Kazumu seemed to regret saying this. "So I guess this means you want me to return to the Leaf?"
"Yes. Please try and live the life I can no longer live."
"I will Itachi." Itachi started to walk towards him. " What are you-" He was cut off when Itachi hugged him.
"Just promise me one last thing?"
"Yes?"
"When that day comes, don't do anything to stop it." Kazumu felt a tear hit his shoulder,
"What do you-" Suddenly Itachi began to turn into a group of crows and faded away. "Goodbye brother."
End of Chapter 7.
Well I came to my decision as you can see. Kazumu will become a part of team Kakashi as a replacement for Sasuke or Sai if you want to be technical. Are any of you beginnig to piece together Kazumu's origin? Well it will be revealed near the end unless you can figure it out before then. If you want to know what Kazumu's new outfit is like look at Edo Itachi or Edo Nagato's clothing. It's exactly like that. Again if you have any suggestions for the story give me a message or review.
Anyway thank you for reading and see you next chapter.