Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto but am having fun writing this story.
Chapter 16 – Reflections
Naruto rushed over and caught Kakashi as he fell. "Guess even jonin over do it." Naruto said with a smile. Naruto carried Kakashi the last few kilometers to Tazuna's house.
After meeting Tsunami and Inari the group put Kakashi upstairs in a bed to rest.
"Okay kids what has Kakashi taught you about chakra control?" Kikiyo asked.
"Well we continue to meditate, if that is what you mean." Sakura answered.
"Do you know how to climb trees?" Kikiyo asked.
"Sure what person doesn't?" Sasuke answered, this caused both Ino and Sakura to swoon. Keiko, Akemi and Takara all rolled their eyes.
"No Sasuke, I mean using chakra to climb a tree. Tomorrow we will work on this exercise. Akemi, Takara go catch some rabbits to supplement the food. Keiko, Ino, and Sakura go prepare the rooms for our stay. Sasuke you are with me." Kikiyo said as she Naruto, Hinata and Sasuke all walked outside.
"Why do they get to go with Sasuke-kun? Why do we have to do chores?" Ino asked almost whining.
"Akemi and Takara seem to have a knack for hunting that is why they are headed out. As for why Sasuke being talked to by Kikiyo, I have no clue. Tsunami-san you have two spare rooms right?" Keiko asked.
"Yes dear, you can have the two rooms opposite each other upstairs. I will start dinner." Tsunami replied.
"Okay girls since we have a lot of girls we will setup Akemi in with the boys." Keiko said.
"Why can't we have Sasuke in with the girls?' Ino asked.
"Akemi is betrothed to Takara, and she is used to sleeping near Takara. Sasuke seems like a loner and more than likely would be more of a distraction than a help in getting us to sleep. Also Akemi knows Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke does not know Kikiyo-sensei." Keiko answered.
Both girls sighed and slumped their shoulders in defeat.
Outside Kikiyo looked directly at Sasuke. "You will fix your attitude mister. I may not be your sensei but you have a lot to learn. You are only a genin, we are up against a jonin and a good one at that. If that hunter nin had gotten involved we might not have gotten away with the draw we did and there maybe more ninja that we do not know about. So take your training seriously. No I am sure that Keiko is going to put Akemi in the room with you boys." Kikiyo said, this caused Sasuke to get a gleam in his eyes. "Don't even think about challenging Takara, he is a Hyuuga and has already had to deal with other would be suitors. Akemi is only interested in Takara. Now you could impress me in taking your training seriously tomorrow."
"I don't take orders from you. You are not my jonin sensei." Sasuke said arrogantly.
"So the famous Uchiha arrogance is showing though. Guess your brother showed you the true meaning of being an Uchiha." Kikiyo said with a smirk.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Sasuke questioned angrily.
Kikiyo got an angry look on her face. "You must kill your best friend to achieve the ultimate eyes." Sasuke turned rigged at her words. "The eyes of the betrayer need only be used to destroy all that is. You have what maybe one tomoe?" Sasuke looked at her wondering why she knew so much about the Uchiha. "You also need to learn how to work on a team. The others will not slow you down if you work with them. If you find their strengths you will learn what is the best way they can help you and in turn how you can help them."
"Why would I need their pathetic help?" Sasuke asked.
"They are your team. For good or bad they are your team. They have strengths you do not. You think you are already strong, you are not. You still have much to learn. Also I do not like your attitude towards women. We may be physically weaker but we have strengths that you do not yet understand and if you keep your closed mind you will never understand. As for not being your sensei, I am from an allied village. You are a student of a friend. I am offering to teach you something you should already know. So if you pass this by your teammates will become stronger and you will just brood here and remain weak." Kikiyo walked back into the house leaving a stunned Sasuke.
Twenty minutes later Akemi and Takara came back with six cleaned and dressed rabbits. Tsunami was grateful for the extra food and cooked it with the meal. The meal was eaten quietly as most of the people at the table were tired. Inari kept looking at the ninja with distain.
Everyone went up to bed after doing the dishes. Hinata checked Kakashi and reported that he was still suffering from chakra exhaustion, and also a sprained ankle. Sasuke looked angrily at Naruto and Hinata as they snuggled up to each other and fell quickly asleep.
The next morning Naruto, Hinata, and Keiko were up helping Tsunami cook breakfast. Sasuke woke up to the smell of food and meandered down. Twenty minutes later Sakura and Ino landed face first at the bottom of the stairs in their race to sit by Sasuke at the table. Everyone downstairs just shook their heads at the girls antics. Breakfast was noisy mainly because Sakura and Ino were arguing while both sat on either side of Sasuke.
Kakashi had woken this morning and agreed with Kikiyo that his team should learn how to climb trees using chakra. Kikiyo took everyone out to a secluded glade near the house and showed Kakashi's team how to climb trees. Sakura immediately got it then proceeded to tease Ino, Akemi and Keiko that she could do this exercise easily. Naruto just shook his head. Ino was close but Sasuke was could only run up the tree for two meters. Sakura proceeded to yell at Akemi saying that she would not be able to do this. Sakura closed her eyes in glee.
"What do you mean? I have been able to do this for months." Akemi said looking down on Sakura from a limb above her holding on to the branch with only her feet and chakra. "We are working on water walking, when you get this down you can come train with us."
Naruto walked down the tree and then left with his team, leaving Kakashi's team with Kikiyo to continue to train on chakra control. Naruto, Hinata and Keiko moved to the water started to stretch out on the banks. They then stripped down to their underwear. Keiko started to walk onto the water as Hinata and Naruto finished undressing. They joined Keiko on the water as all of them sunk to their mid calves. There was a rustle in the bushes as Sakura walked out and saw all three in only underwear and bras for Keiko and Naruto (female redhead) and only underwear for Hinata (male form).
"Oh why are you undressed?" Sakura said while blushing at Takara.
"If we lose concentration we will only need to dry our underwear instead of all of our clothes." Keiko replied.
"Aren't you embarrassed to be seen by Takara-san nearly naked?" Sakura asked.
"No, our team has seen everyone in our team naked so there is no embarrassment. Also Takara-kun is engaged to Akemi-chan so I do not worry." Keiko answered as she grimaced and rose to ankle level in the water.
"You may try Sakura-chan but you need to regulate the flow of chakra out of your feet to stand on the water. We are in about three meters of water now. This exercise is similar but harder than the tree climbing exercise." Hinata explained to Sakura not looking up as she slid to mid thigh in the water.
Sakura took a step into the water and sunk to the bottom as it was only ankle deep.
"Unless you want to get soaked you might want to do two things." Naruto said hearing the splash from Sakura.
"What is that Akemi?" Sakura said annoyed.
"Disrobe to your undergarments and focus your chakra to your feet." Naruto said as he appeared to relax and rose to his ankles in the water.
"Don't look!" Sakura said to Takara.
"I am too busy to look at any other girl than Akemi-chan." Hinata said as her face relaxed and she rose to her ankles in the water.
"Oh and by the way if you get it on the first time, be careful it will be almost like walking on ice." Naruto said with a giggle.
Sakura stripped down to her pink bra and panties. Sakura focused her chakra and stepped onto the water, slid two meters and then promptly fell into the water.
"You did warn her." Keiko said with a smirk.
Sakura swam back to shore. "You did that on purpose. You didn't warn me."
"Actually we did warn you. You can try again if you like or not." Keiko said as she lost concentration and sunk to her waist. She regained control and rose to her ankles.
Sakura walked out into the water this time so that she was mid calf and then focused her chakra. She walked deeper and continued to sink. "Guys I am a little worried that I will sink." Sakura said nervously.
"Push more chakra into your feet. You need to adjust the amount as needed so that you will stay on the surface. What we are working on now is so that we can control our movements on the surface. Also this builds chakra capacity." Akemi (Naruto) replied as she sunk to her chest. "Dang it I lost most of my concentration." She then began to rise to her mid calves.
Sakura was only able to work on her chakra control for another half hour before she had to swim to shore and dry off. Ino entered the area an hour later. "That looks easy. Hey Takara looks good. What are you guys doing?" Ino looked at Sakura and saw she was only in her under garments. "Oh an orgy? What will Sasuke-kun think."
Sakura got an evil idea. "Hey think you can walk on water like them. It is similar to the tree walking just focus your chakra and then walk on the water."
Ino focused her chakra and then performed even better then Sakura did. Ino slipped on the water went three meters and she dove head first into the water. The others noticed and sank to their waists as they giggled and then rose again to their ankles.
--
Zabuza lay in a bed. Haku and Shin both stood near their master. "You should be back to normal in about a week. Shin and I are preparing with Ganju. We should have enough people to take care of both teams." Haku reported.
"Good. When I am fully recovered I will get that Kakashi and those brats." Zabuza said angrily.
"Ah, Zabuza, 'The Demon of the Mist'. Some demon, you got beat by a bunch of kids and their playmates." Gato said annoyed. Gato the shipping mogul, he had basically taken over the Wave country using thugs and his vast fortunes from shipping to accomplish this. He was attempting to rule with an iron hand but had not been able to stop Tazuna or the current leader of Wave from opposing him. He had hired Zabuza to help eliminate Tazuna so the populace would fall in line.
"What do you want Gato?" Zabuza asked angrily from his bed.
"I want to know why Tazuna is not dead yet. You promised me he would be dead." Gato said angrily.
"He will die by my hand." Zabuza said as Gato walked over to Zabuza.
"The mighty Zabuza, brought down by a bunch of kids." Gato said as he reached to grab Zabuza. "Ow! What are you doing? Let go of me you are breaking my wrist!" Gato yelped in pain.
Haku held Gato's wrist tightly. "You will not touch Zabuza-sama or I will kill you." Haku sensed the accompanying samurai thugs were going to pull their swords. Haku disappeared and reappeared between the two thugs holding their own swords to their necks. "You are not shinobi and would be well advised not to aggravate one."
"Enough, we did not come here to fight." Gato said sternly. "I came to find out if you planned to complete the job I assigned you. Kill him before he completes the bridge or I will not pay you. Do I make myself clear Zabuza?"
Haku stuck the swords into the floor and walked back to Zabuza. Both of the samurai were angry but jumped when Shin appeared in between them. "You should feel lucky, I didn't grab your swords. You would be looking at your own bodies right now as you died from your own swords. Haku was being nice when he did not kill you. I on the other hand will not be so lenient. So take your fat boss and leave before I kill you all." Shin whispered just loud enough for the two samurai to hear. Both samurai developed a very heavy sweat.
Gato and his thugs left the room and closed the door.
"You're too soft Haku. Also I had it under control." Zabuza said as he pulled a kunai out from under the sheets.
"No, Zabuza-sama, we need that low life for now so that we don't have to run from the hunter nin for a while." Haku replied.
"Haku, Shin, would you be opposed to not completing this mission? I think I might have found another apprentice that might be worthy of helping us. You know the downfall of the Mizukage is my ultimate goal and I think that girl would be a great addition. Your thoughts?" Zabuza asked.
"She was quite insightful in detecting you. I also think it might have something to do with the Hyuuga boy. They seem to be a good team. The other girl seems to round off the team rather well. I noticed that the girl you are talking about did sniff the air before she threw the kunai at you. That would imply she has enhanced olfactory senses. The Hyuuga has excellent eyes. And the other girl seems to have excellent hearing. I think their whole team including their sensei would make a great addition to our merry band." Haku replied.
"All the girls were sexy to me. Can we just kill that Kakashi guy and the brat with him? We can then keep all the girls and the Hyuuga." Shin replied bringing the ire of Haku.
"Always thinking with your libido eh Shin?" Zabuza joked.
"I do not recognize the headband of the girl and her team you want to have join with us. Do you know what village they hail from?" Haku asked.
"I recognize it from the great war, the village hidden behind the Whirlpool, Uzu. That village was thought to be wiped out by Iwa. Apparently either Konoha or Iwa has resurrected the village or it has reappeared on its own. So are we going to betray Gato before he does it to us?" Zabuza asked.
"I know he will betray us but it is a matter of when. If he is going to pay us for this job we are ok. If he does not we will have to kill him and take his fortune. I figure either way we win." Haku said coldly.
--
After a hard day of training, Naruto and Hinata returned to Tazuna's house with several dressed rabbits. Naruto looked Hinata in the eye and thought. 'I need to be myself at least for a little bit.'
Hinata nodded. 'We can take a bath and relax. Does that sound good?' Hinata replied in her mind to which Naruto smiled and nodded.
They were the first ones back and informed Tsunami that they were going to take a bath. Tsunami was a bit taken aback. "You are going to bathe together?"
Akemi (Naruto) replied. "Yes, we are betrothed and intend to marry. We just prefer to do these things together. Nothing untoward will happen we assure you. We just relax well in each other company."
Tsunami thought for a minute than nodded. "I guess that way you do not keep secrets from each other. I will allow it."
Naruto and Hinata entered the bathroom and disrobed. They broke the henge and started to scrub each other down as they drew the bath. They finished cleaning each other and then entered the bath. They both promptly fell asleep in each other's arms.
Tsunami knocked lightly and entered the bath with some extra towels. What she saw disturbed her but on in that she saw two different people in her bathroom, not Akemi and Takara. She walked closer and examined them. The boy was blond with whisker marks on his face. The girl had longer than shoulder length black hair and a fine scar running from her left breast to her collar bone. They appeared to be in their early teens. She kneeled down and cleared her throat and woke the two. The boy immediately stood in all of his glory ready to defend the girl, she was behind him ready to attack.
Both let out a sigh of relief when they saw it was Tsunami. "Why did you scare us like that Tsunami-san." The boy asked.
"Well for one. I was expecting a redhead girl and a dark haired boy. I come in and find a blond boy and a dark haired girl. Who are you?" Tsunami asked as she pointed out they were in their natural forms.
Naruto looked down and immediately turned red as he brought his hands to cover his crotch. "Its hard to explain and it is a long story."
"We have time." Tsunami said impatiently.
"The other look is their cover." A voice came from behind them as the door to the bathroom closed.
"Would you like me to explain Naruto and Hinata or would you like to do the honors?" Kakashi said as Hinata shrunk even farther behind Naruto hiding her naked body.
Naruto nodded. Hinata and Naruto sunk back into the bath to sit down. Hinata pressed close to Naruto's back. "You see we are known by two name each. I am both Naruto Uzumaki and Akemi Uzumaki. Hinata is known as Hinata Hyuuga and Takara Hyuuga. We both left Konoha because we were attacked. We were rescued by some shinobi from Uzu, my uncle and his team to be exact. With the permission of the Hokage we went to Uzu to have a new life."
Naruto took a deep breath and then sighed. "It was wonderful, we left a place that ridiculed us and beat us to a place where we were loved and appreciated." He scowled at Kakashi who had a look of confusion on his face. "We also found out that Hinata was betrothed. Now here is the weird part. She was betrothed to me the day after my birthday as birthday present for her when she turned sixteen. Both her parents signed the document and put in notes on how happy they were to make us happy. This was turned in on the next morning and registered with the Hokage. Much later that day Fugaku Uchiha walked into the Hokage's office with a document of betrothal that stated that Hinata was to be wed when she was eighteen to Sasuke Uchiha. Also it would turn the Hyuuga family over to the control of Sasuke, only Hiashi, Hinata's father's signature was on the document."
Hinata spoke up. "My life became a living hell after that. My father would expect the impossible from me and then beat me when I would not achieve it. I could tell something was wrong but could not place it. My mother died in childbirth soon after that and my father got even worse. My refuge was my friend Naruto-kun and the Academy. After a hard beating from my father I went to see Naruto. He arrived soon after me all beaten and bloody. He had been attacked by a teacher from the academy. Naruto was supposed to meet Kurenai-sensei at the park, instead Naruto-kun was ambushed by Mizuki-teme."
"He was a chunin and I was only an academy student. One who was taught incorrect hand signs on purpose. I got to my apartment and found a bruised and battered Hinata on my doorstep crying. I let her into my apartment and started to pack as I knew Mizuki would be after me as he promised to kill me. I told Hinata-chan I was leaving Konoha. Just then a group of Hyuuga branch member break in and say they are going to kill us both, all were chunin. Thinking the world was against us I did the only logical thing, I grabbed Hinata-chan's hand and we jumped out the window. We found more Hyuuga waiting outside and an Uchiha also, they blocked the way to the Hokage's office. So we ran to the gates. The guards told us we were on our own, they would not help. Two kids could not get help from the guards at the gate Kakashi! What were we supposed to do, die?"
Kakashi was dumbfounded and could not reply as his head fell.
"So we ran into the woods outside of Konoha, Hinata-chan couldn't run any more so we tried to hide. There was a battle close by. I Kumo shinobi had run into the Konoha chunin and fought them for us. He was able to defeat the chunin. He returned to collect us and I attempted to defend Hinata-chan, I was stabbed in the gut for what I did. Hinata-chan then tried to defend me and was cut across the chest as the scar will attest to. My uncle arrived and killed the Kumo nin. I was somehow able to heal Hinata-chan enough so that she did not bleed to death and then passed out. We then traveled with my uncle and his team to Uzu to meet with my grandfather. As I said permission was given by the Hokage for us to go to Uzu as there were Uzumaki and Hyuuga in the village, and after the attacks he thought we would be better protected there. We started new lives there loved and cared for." Naruto continued.
"That was until we had visitors from Konoha." Hinata said as she glared at Kakashi.
"How was I supposed to know that Kodai would attack you." Kakashi replied defensively.
"He had orders from the Konoha Hyuuga clan council to kill both of us on sight. That is why the chunin Hyuuga attacked both of us in the first place. That is why we worked on this particular style of transformation. It is an actual transformation instead of a genjutsu. Talking with our families we decided the safest way to protect ourselves from gallivanting hoards of Konoha nin would be to hide in plain sight as the opposite of what we were. I would become a girl and Hinata would become a boy. And I tell you being a girl isn't easy." Naruto said with a chuckle. "There was another attack near graduation. Mizuki had arrived in town and we did not want to get noticed so we changed into our alternate forms. Little did I know the rules of marriage in Konoha, where rape is an acceptable form of entering a family." Naruto paused as he showed his anger.
Tsunami gasped. Kakashi looked surprised. "He didn't?"
Naruto nodded. "Yes he tried to rape me in my female form. He nearly succeeded but ultimately did not, now you understand some of the reasons I do not like Konoha or the males from it. And you keep on pushing the false marriage contract Kakashi, she is mine, and I am hers. We love each other and do not care what the contracts say. Also according to Uzu and Konoha laws our betrothal comes before any claim that Uchiha brat has. Oh and by the way, Mizuki died for his crimes. Also I swear if Sasuke does not leave me alone I will castrate him." Naruto said angrily.
"Konoha would not be happy as he is the last of the Uchiha and that might cause a war." Kakashi replied.
"Between Kodai, Mizuki and Danzou Uzu is on the brink of war with Konoha, and Iwa is in agreement. Look Kakashi we know that our lives as shinobi will be difficult but this is ridiculous. Do you know that I came in second in my class at the academy, where in Konoha I was dead last, thanks to the teachers who did not want to teach me." Naruto said.
"How could they do that to the son of the Fourth Hokage…" Kakashi covered his mouth as he realized what he said.
"Is that true?" Naruto asked surprised by the possible revelation.
Kakashi sighed. "Yes you are the son of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze. I am sorry I told you, not Iwa will want your head as retribution for what he did during the war."
Naruto shook his head and smiled. "Nope, already talked to the Tsuchikage. He said even if I was the son of Minato all Iwa shinobi will not attack me period. That was after a drunk Iwa nin attacked me. So I am safe from Iwa, but I am not safe with Konoha. The place I was born. I know why also."
Kakashi was surprised by this. "When did you, and how did you find out?"
"When I healed Hinata-chan, we talked. She is actually rather nice. I know she is up to something though." Naruto said as he smiled.
"What? I know Hinata-chan is a nice person but what is she up too?" Tsunami asked.
Naruto and Hinata blushed. "No, Hinata-chan is up to something but that is not what I am talking about." Hinata blushed even redder. "Let me introduce myself. I am Naruto Uzumaki, son Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki, Nephew to Ichiro Uzumaki and grandson to Takashi Uzumaki. I am also the container to the Kyuubi no Yokou, the nine tailed demon fox. I am what is called a jinchuuriki, a human sacrifice. The Kyuubi attacked Konoha because she was ordered to, so to defend the village my father sealed her within me. So do you think I am a monster Tsunami?"
Tsunami chuckled. "No child you are not a monster, Inari is a monster. He is a wild child who misses his adopted father very much."
"What happened?" Hinata asked.
Tsunami sat down on the chair and proceeded to tell the tale of Kaiba and how important he was to Inari. Naruto offered to talk to him. Tsunami agreed it might do him some good.
"So Kakashi do you understand why I am a little hesitant to go back to Konoha? Do you also understand why I will not let Sasuke have Hinata? He only wants her for breeding stock and to get rid of his fan girls. Believe me I know what it is like to have them but I will not give up my love for his or any council's selfish purposes." Naruto asked.
"I understand Naruto. You have proven your point to me. I will get Sasuke to back off and have him look at his life. I will also try to get the girls to look past his status and good looks and try to work harder." Kakashi said as he left the room.
--
A/N: Now I you understand why Kakashi has had the stick up his butt. He is coming to realize that Naruto has had a hard life and should be left to his own devices. He also realizes that Hinata will not marry Sasuke. Heck she is sharing a bath with Naruto. He also got the hint that Fugaku was duplicitous with the marriage contract.
Naruto is tired of being chased by Sasuke and will more than likely will hurt Sasuke. So the threat of losing the Uchiha line is set. Are you guys happy.
Next chapter battle for the bridge.