THIS IS PART TWO! IF YOU HAVE NOT READ PART ONE, GO BACK AND READ IT!
Saiai: You must be wondering- Yeah, I am having difficulties with Chapter four. So obviously, I decided to re-write chapter three. I won't be able to finish Ch4 for a while though, because of exams T_T
Michiko: She really doesn't want to leave this story unfinished though, so you shouldn't worry too much. She's just a major procrastinator with commitment issues-
Saiai: Why did you tell them that! Just do the disclaimer already damn it!
Michiko: Same as the last three pages: she doesn't own Naruto but this story is entirely hers.
WARNING: Foul language and some violence (unfortunately I can't really write fight-scenes though, sooo not too much violence ^_^)
ENJOY!
It was seven days later, after Naruto nearly fell out of his tree from a very high height and Sasuke saved him, that Kakashi declared that his body had healed. And the following morning found Team 7 escorting Tazuna to the bridge- with the exception of Naruto whom had exhausted his stamina training.
Once they got there however, they found the bodies of the bridge-workers all collapsed on the unfinished bridge- only one of them was left alive. He said something about a monster before the bridge was surrounded by mist.
Zabuza's voice resonated around the area, commenting on how Sasuke was trembling again. Michiko smirked along with Sasuke- while she wasn't shaking, they were both excited. The team was quickly surrounded by Zabuza and many of his water clones and Sasuke effectively decapitated the whole lot of them using only two kunai.
"The kid has grown," remarked Zabuza. "Looks like a rival has appeared, eh Haku?"
The Hunter-nin behind him replied, "It does indeed."
After that, Michiko stood guard with Sakura and Kakashi as she observed the rate in which Sasuke had improved in only a week. He was fast, she saw, and he was able to hold his own against this Haku person. In the end Sasuke beat the Hunter-nin in speed, kicking the boy across the bridge and back to Zabuza's side.
Kakashi declared, "I can't have you underestimating my team by calling them 'brats'. Sasuke is Konoha's number one rookie. Sakura is the brightest in the village. Michiko was trained under a high-ranked ANBU member. And the other one is the show-off, hyper-active, number one loudest ninja in the village."
Michiko stared at the jounin in surprise, He figured out who my father is just by my telling him he died two months ago? But obviously he still doesn't know what to think of me.
And then Sasuke was trapped in Haku's Special Jutsu: Demonic Ice Mirrors. Michiko hated it but she held her ground in front of Tazuna with Sakura even as Kakashi tried to free Sasuke. He was stopped by Zabuza.
There was a scream- "Uchiha/Sasuke-kun!" the girls shouted.
Sakura apologized to Tazuna and chucked a kunai toward one of the mirrors, trying to break it but Haku reached out and caught it. Out of nowhere the boy was hit by a shurriken in the neck. Michiko grinned- Naruto!
And then Naruto got himself stuck inside the mirrors along with Sasuke.
As Haku explained to them what his dream was, "I want to protect someone precious to me. To work for that person. To fight for that person. To make that person's dreams come true. That is my dream," Michiko found herself thinking of her brother and her father. She decided that this boy was alright…now if only she could stop everyone from killing each other.
Michiko flinched- just before Kakashi could reveal his Sharingan, Zabuza attacked him. And then the mist thickened.
"Sakura! Protect Tazuna-san!" ordered Kakashi. Michiko and Sakura stood in a defensive stance on either side of Tazuna, both telling him to keep calm.
However calm she appeared, Michiko's mind was racing. I can't see a thing- Kakashi-sama- No he can take care of himself- Uzumaki-san and Uchiha- No they'll manage as long as they work together- Kakashi-sama must be worrying about them though-
"Kakashi-sama! Don't worry about Uzumaki-san and Uchiha!" Michiko shouted; anything to help the jounin concentrate easier. "Haruno and I can take care of Tazuna-san! Kick this guys ass!"
"Yeah Sensei! You can do it!" cheered Sakura before she abruptly screamed. Michiko whipped around just in time to see Zabuza slash Kakashi across the chest.
"You were too slow Kakashi… Did your desire to save these brats cloud your mind and make the mist even thicker?" demanded Zabuza.
He continued on for a bit before Michiko shouted over him, "Shut the fuck up, you bastard! Kakashi-sama- I told you not to worry about them! They'll be fine- don't listen to this asshole!"
Sakura stared at her, Where did she learn such language? You tell him, Michiko-chan! shouted Inner-Sakura in regards to her bashing the nuke-nin.
"Yeah! Sasuke-kun won't be defeated by a guy like that so easily! Naruto too!" the pink-haired girl agreed.
"Exactly," Kakashi finally agreed. "I believe in their strength. Naruto's determination… And Sasuke is an Uchiha."
Zabuza disappeared again and Kakashi ordered Sakura to stay with Tazuna.
Hey, he never once told me to stay with the Old Man, Michiko realised with a grin. She took off after Kakashi- much to Sakura's dismay- and heard him inform Zabuza of how he used to be a member of the Special Military Assassin Team- ANBU.
So that's how he figured out who my father was!
Abruptly Michiko stopped short- Something's wrong! Uselessly she looked about before realising her stupidity and closing her eyes. She sent out her chakra and felt the blood drain out of her face when she couldn't sense Sasuke's presence anymore. But if she did anything or told Kakashi then they'd be at a loss because Kakashi would be distracted again. At least Naruto was still…
They all froze at the sudden the presence of an enormous, evil chakra.
"Is that Zabuza!" wondered Kakashi aloud.
Michiko paled, beginning to feel light-headed. She'd never felt such evil chakra before- she was beginning to get a headache the pressure was so strong. If that was Zabuza, they were finished…
But then Kakashi scared her worse when he muttered aloud, "Could the seal have broken!"
Uzumaki-san! What killer intent- Just what the hell is going on over there!
"Do you think Uzumaki-san will be alright?" Michiko asked Kakashi quite calmly considering the circumstances, as she stood, back-to-back with him in the middle of Zabuza's Hidden Mist.
"I'm sure he and Sasuke will be fine…" He answered her quietly, though he didn't sound like he was sure.
Michiko bit her lip, Uchiha…maybe that's why Uzumaki-san is releasing so much chakra.
No, she wasn't the least bit worried about Kakashi and herself now that she knew it wasn't Zabuza releasing such killer intent. She was the only one who could see through his mist, she realised.
She decided to trust Naruto.
She let her own demon free- the side of her that loves to fight. Her lips spread into a grin that reached almost ear to ear.
"What are you grinning for, Michiko-chan?" Kakashi asked her warily.
"Because this jutsu is pathetic…" she muttered. "I can see through it as if it were a bright and sunny day," she explained with her eyes closed.
"Is that so? Well if that's true, why don't you stop my next attack?" Zabuza's voice came from all around as he attacked her, stabbing her through the stomach. Kakashi paled at the sight.
That was when the girl turned into a log.
"Does this prove my point?" Michiko asked from behind him. She had him in the same position as before with Kakashi: left arm pinning both of his behind him, while her right arm held his enormous knife under his chin. How she could hold such a blade with one hand was a mystery in itself.
How the hell? Were the similar thoughts that flew through both Kakashi and Zabuza's minds.
"Oi, oi! Kakashi-sama! Use that lightning jutsu of yours, already! It'd be humiliating to die by your own weapon!" she shouted to the jounin as the mist cleared.
She stopped paying attention to the battle in front of her, knowing it was finished, and focused chakra in her ears to listen in on what was going on in Naruto's battle.
How does she know about that? Kakashi thought as he stared wide-eyes at her. He began performing hand seals, Lightning Edge!
"You're too dangerous. Tazuna-san, the one you're trying to kill is this country's 'Courage.' The bridge he seeks to build is this country's 'Hope.' Your ambition sacrifices many people. That's not what a shinobi should do," he spoke as his jutsu formed in his hand.
"I don't give a damn. I fight for my own ideals, and shall continue!" Zabuza shouted. Michiko rolled her eyes behind him.
"I'll ask once more. Surrender. Your future is death," Kakashi said loudly as he ran towards him.
"I'm sorry Naruto-kun! I can't die yet!"
Michiko's eyes widened and she cursed mentally. She quickly pressed a pressure point on Zabuza's back, immobilizing him, then she threw him to the ground a few feet away. She grabbed onto Haku when he jumped out of his mirror with her left arm and pressed the same pressure point on his back, while simultaneously grabbing onto Kakashi's arm with her right hand- ignoring the severe burn this action rewarded her. All of this happened in the blink of an eye and when all of the mist finally disappeared, everyone gasped.
Michiko had stopped Kakashi's attack because Haku had jumped in front of it to save Zabuza. She'd not only heard Naruto's and his conversation, but she sensed the same wave of chakra as his Crystal Ice Mirrors from before appear beside her.
The blonde kunoichi held Haku up by the back of his clothes and looked at him in the face.
"You… You were really going to sacrifice yourself for him…" she whispered. "I admire people like you," she smiled genuinely at him to show her admiration.
With the two of them unable to move and the mist nearly gone, Sakura could see Naruto across the bridge.
"Naruto-kun! You're alright!" she cheered. "Huh? But what about Sasuke-kun? Naruto! Where is Sasuke-kun!"
Naruto flinched and looked away while Michiko sighed. Sakura started shaking. She and Tazuna ran passed Naruto only to find Sasuke's body on the ground not too far away. Her cries were horrible to listen to.
Michiko made her way over to Naruto, guilt fresh in her emerald eyes- she could only imagine how he was feeling.
"Uzumaki-san… I'm sorry… I should have… I could have helped you but…" She couldn't admit to the amount of guilt she felt for not helping them. "Uzumaki-san, I…"
"It-It's okay, Michiko-chan," he muttered. "There's nothing-"
"No! Uzumaki-san- You don't understand! I've been in situations like this before- I've beaten people stronger than Haku-kun before! I could have helped you! But I- I'm too much like- like my brother- I-" Michiko choked on the amount of emotion trying to escape her throat.
Naruto looked up at her, expecting her to continue, but what he saw in her eyes made his blood run cold. Fear. Her head whipped around just as a loud and gruff voice spat,
"Ooh, you got your asses kicked. How disappointing. Zabuza."
They all turned (with the exception of Zabuza and Haku) toward the voice and saw to their dismay…
An army. The leader whom had spoken was wearing a suit- Michiko recognized him as Gatou…
Zabuza had managed to regain the use of his vocal-chords, "Gatou- What are you doing here? And all these men…"
"I'm going to have you killed here…"
"…he really loved you!…"
"…Sasuke-kun…"
"…he was trying to sacrifice his life for you!…"
"…Sakura…you're heavy…"
"…did he really mean nothing to you at all?…"
"…Naruto is fine- and that masked boy is dead…"
"…Dead! Did Naruto kill him?…"
"…I'm not sure, he tried to protect Zabuza, but the mist was so thick I couldn't tell…"
"…don't say anything more…we're still human…Haku is too kind…"
Michiko listened to the conversations going on all around her and her vision oh-so-slowly began to turn red.
This man… This…Gatou person- He's the reason this town is so afraid… He's the reason Uchiha nearly died... He's the reason Haku-kun tried to save Zabuza-san… Michiko's sights centered onto the offending figure of Gatou. He's going to pay…
The demon Michiko had let loose reared it's ugly head and the blonde took off across the bridge like a bolt of lightning with a furious war-cry, Zabuza's Kubikiribocho still in her grasp.
I'm going to kill that son of a bitch!
"Michiko-chan- No! Don't!"
The blonde ignored everything but Gatou, whose eyes widened in fear before he hid behind his army of mercenaries. Michiko's face lit up with a demonic grin as she tore through the mass of overgrown men, dodging most of their blades with apparent ease. The ones that hit her she ignored as she hunted the bastard down like an escaped Hell Hound.
"Are you ready!" she yelled as she came closer and closer to her target, Zabuza's weapon held tightly in her hand. "Because I sure as hell am! You're finished Gatou!
"DIE!" the blonde genin brought the Decapitating Carving Knife horizontally through his torso- she cleaved him right in half!
Kakashi didn't know what to think about this girl anymore. She was only a genin and yet she showed not even a hint of hesitation before killing!
The demon was satisfied now and retreated back into Michiko as she danced her way out of the horde of mercenaries and back to Naruto and Kakashi's side. She had kunai and other types of knives protruding from her back, she was panting a little and sweat beaded on her forehead but she appeared completely calm now that Gatou was dead.
"Naruto! Sasuke-kun is alive!"
"I've been worried but Sasuke is also alright. That's good," Kakashi muttered while Naruto wiped his relieved tears away. Blood dripped from the corners of Michiko's mouth even as she smirked at the good news.
"Hey! Hey! Hey! You guys are too at ease!" The horde of mercenaries were pissed at Michiko for killing their boss. They charged as Kakashi and Naruto tried to figure out what to do.
Michiko hated to admit but she had lost a lot of blood…
Inari showed up with an army of armed villagers claiming to be the hero that always shows up at the last second. Naruto created a couple Kage Bunshins and Kakashi did the same, creating a couple dozen of them. Michiko sighed and used up the last of her stamina to create three dozen different kinds of Bunshins. [Shadow Clones]
The effect was perfect: the mercenaries panicked and ran away. The villagers cheered uproariously.
Michiko silently walked over to the frozen forms of Zabuza and Haku. Curling into a crouch beside the older shinobi she pulled out a cloth to wipe the blood from the Kubikiribocho.
"I'm sorry for getting that bastard's blood on your sword, Zabuza-san, but you know how it is. It's a lot easier to kill someone with this thing than a kunai," the blonde explained airily as she placed the cleaned blade on the ground. "So. Now that you don't have any reason to attack us, I can assume that if I free you, you won't, right?" Without waiting for an answer she reached out and poked the man in the neck, then leaned over him and did the same to Haku.
"So here's the deal: you two can either get out of here now or stay and help the villagers finish the bridge. After all, the reason it's been taking so long is because that asshole had you out for Tazuna-san's blood, ne?" Michiko smirked.
"Zabuza-san?" Haku asked quietly as he stood up and stretched. Zabuza stood as well, re-attaching the Kubikiribocho to his back with bandages.
The nuke-nin sighed in irritation and muttered, "Alright Haku. We'll stay." The smile he got in response was brilliant and Michiko turned away to hide her own pleased smile. These two… What an unlikely pair.
Michiko felt light-headed suddenly, and she realised with a vague hint of amusement that one of the weapons stuck in her back had probably been poisoned. Swaying on her feet, the blonde eventually tumbled forward, unknowingly being caught by Haku whom yelled for Kakashi to help.
It was two weeks later that Team 7 found themselves saying their farewells.
They were on the completed bridge, saying goodbye to everyone in the village, and also saying farewell to their enemies-turned-friends.
Michiko was not one to get all touchy-feely and quite frankly still sore from all the half-healed wounds on her back. Despite all of that, she ran up to Haku and hugged him, whispering, "Keep your dream alive, Haku-kun. Never give up. Promise me."
"I'm glad you're feeling better, Michiko-chan," he laughed and they both let go.
She gasped, "Oh, I almost forgot." She pulled out a scroll and handed it to Haku who tilted his head in curiosity. "Promise to keep in touch, alright, Haku-kun?" she demanded quietly and he nodded, smiling. The blonde smiled over at Zabuza next, "Take care of yourselves, 'kay?"
The two took their leave; despite them helping finish the bridge, the villagers obviously still weren't too fond of them.
Michiko took a few steps back and stood beside Naruto as they both shouted, "Goodbye! Good luck to you both!" while waving.
The villagers were next. Tazuna sighed, "Thanks to you we've completed the bridge but this is super sad."
"Thank you for everything," smiled Kakashi.
"Yes," Michiko agreed, "and thank you for curing the poison for me! I feel great now."
Inari and Naruto both ended up crying, making the rest of Team 7 shake their heads at the similarities between the two boys.
As she followed her team away from the villagers, out of curiosity Michiko focused chakra to her inner eardrums and listened to Tazuna as he named the bridge.
Michiko smiled, "The Great Naruto Bridge, huh? Fitting."
Saiai: THERE! Much better! I like it sooo much better now because you learn a bit more about Michiko-chan this way! I hope this chapter was okay though...
Michiko: You never had me explain what I meant, though, Saiai-sama! "I'm too much like my brother"? What is that supposed to mean- What are the readers going to think! You're such a-
Saiai: *coughs abruptly* That's enough from you!
Michiko: I was only going to say "dunder-head"...
Saiai: Suuure... Anyway! Please tell me what you guys think, okay?
Michiko: She means "Review! Review! Review! Please!" right Saiai-sama?
Saiai: *nodnod* That's right! See you guys in the next chapter!