Insanity's Slip

Chapter Eight

By Boejangles

Team seven was gathered in front of the Hokage. It had been four days since Naruto had been entered the hospital. He had been released on the second day when the wound was gone, but Kakashi told him to rest at home for a couple of days.

Sarutobi eyed the genin squad in front of him. Part of him didn't want to give him the mission the other part felt it was necessary. "Kakashi, do you feel your team is ready for a C-Rank mission?"

The gray haired ninja rubbed his chin as if in thought, but inside he knew he already had to say yes, this was the mission the Hokage was talking about in the hospital. "Hai, Hokage-sama I believe they are."

Naruto looked up at the man surprised. 'A C-Rank this soon? Have we improved that much?'

Sasuke smirked, 'Finally a real mission, now I can see just how far I've come.' He glanced at his brother, 'and how much he's learned.'

Sakura was playing with her fingers looking at the ground then up at her team mates and then the ground again, 'are we really ready for this?'

Sarutobi nodded, "Alright, then you will be taking an escort mission to the land of waves." He looked to the ANBU guard, "Bring him in."

An elder man walked in and it looked as if this man had decided that noon was a decent enough time to get wasted. "These are the brats that are going to be protecting me?" He raised an eyebrow and pointed at the blonde, "That one there looks like he cant be older then nine, scrawny little thing too."

"What did you say?" Sasuke growled taking a step forward.

Naruto grabbed his arm to hold him back, "No, don't, it's fine."

The Hokage watched the scene and got slightly confused. 'Maybe I was wrong, why would he hurt him yet be so protective over him.' "Tazuna, please don't underestimate Konoha's ninja. They may be young, but they are genin and fully capable of protecting you from any bandits and thugs that might attack."

Kakashi smiled at the old man, "Indeed and if anything comes that they cant handle, as a Jounin, I will take care of it."

Tazuna grunted and gave a nodded eyeing the dark haired boy that had just a moment ago looked ready to attack him.

"Alright squad go gather your things for a week long trip and meet at the north gate in one hour." The gray haired Nin said before poofing into smoke.

Naruto waved bye to Sakura before leaving with Sasuke.

Naruto had his bag ready even packing a first aid kit just incase. He closed his eyes, a week away from the village, could Sasuke stay under control for that long.

"Hey, Aniki." The blonde started walking into the kitchen where Sasuke was packing some food for the two of them.

"Hn?"

"You're not feeling angry or anything right? Not feeling weird?"

"No," The dark haired boy answered turning around slightly confused, "Why?"

"Oh, I just wanted to make sure. So you're feeling perfectly fine?"

"Yes." He raised an eyebrow looking at his brother, "Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah, yeah." Naruto said grabbing an apple and taking a bite, "I feel just fine."

Sasuke gave a nod wondering why the younger boy was acting so weird. "Lets go."

Kakashi watched as the two Uchihas walked up. "Ah, there you are." He said before evaluating Naruto closer.

The blonde was grinning and snacking on an apple. "I am really excited."

The Jounin gave a nod happy with the youngest boy's appearance. "Alright lets go."

They started on their journey to the wave, the three genin in front, Tazuna in the middle, and Kakashi taking up the back.

Sakura turned and looked at Naruto, "So how are you feeling, Kakashi-sensei said that you were in the hospital."

The blonde turned to look at his pink haired teammate with a grin, "I'm feeling better then ever!" he a thumbs up to prove his point.

Sakura nodded happy with the answer. "Hey Sasuke!"

"Hn?" He looked over at the girl standing on the other side of his brother.

"Well I was just wondering if it was true that you are learning a bunch of cool fire techniques? I over heard Naruto talking about an old scroll."

Sasuke glanced at Naruto wondering whom the blonde could have been talking to. "Yeah, they're Uchiha techniques."

"That's really cool." Sakura said with a grin.

"I'm learning them too!" Naruto added with a proud grin.

"That's nice too." She added ruffling the younger boy's blonde hair.

Kakashi noticed a puddle from the corner of his eye and then looked at his squad, they were chatting away they must not have noticed. He stiffened when two enemy ninja jumped out of the puddle, and let himself be cut into pieces.

Sakura whirled around and let out a scream seeing her sensei being torn to shreds.

Naruto's eyes widened before he ran to get in front of Tazuna.

"One down." The pair said with a laugh looking at the genin. "Now for two!" They screamed in unison heading for Naruto.

The blonde took in a deep breath before breathing out fire causing the two to jump from their original path.

Sasuke jumping into the air throwing a shuriken and a kunai to cause the two's chain to stick to a tree.

The two ex mist Nin pulled on the chain, but it wouldn't budge. At this point Sakura joined Naruto in guarding Tazuna. The two stuck to the tree released their chained and barred there metal claws.

"We'll cut you to ribbons!" They threatened before charging. Sasuke looked over at Naruto and their eyes met before they each nodded.

The blonde burst into flames and then was gone. Sasuke had jumped in the air again. Naruto appeared behind the two mist Nins as he and his brother both went through the proper hand seals for the fire shuriken.

The enemy ninja were barraged from both sides by flaming shuriken. However they were able to deflect the projectiles with their massive claws. The both ran separate ways each heading for a different Uchiha.

Naruto, who was just landing on the ground, threw up his arms to defend himself from the on coming blow. He grabbed onto the bulky metal and was pushed back but kept himself from being hit.

Sasuke was prepared to block the attack and attack back when the person who was running towards him cut to the side and passed him heading towards Sakura and Tazuna. It was then that he noticed Naruto being forced back by a blow.

Sakura brought up a kunai ready to block the attack. She silently hopped that Sasuke would catch the guy before he reached her. Her green eyes went wide when she saw him running away from the man coming towards her. 'What!'

Naruto had an iron grip on the claw; he knew that was the dangerous thing he could see the poison dripping off of it. The mist nin jerked his arm back tugging the blonde forward before connecting his fist to the boy's face causing his head to be pushed back. He however would not let go of the bulky metal. He could take a beating; he had gone through much worse. The older man continued to punch the kid shaking his claw trying to get the kid off.

Sasuke was running towards his brother ready to take the man out but paused and looked back when Sakura screamed out his name. It was in the next minute that Naruto was thrown in the air when the mist Nin jerked his arm real quick and landed a mean kick to his stomach.

Kakashi caught the ninja racing towards Sakura in a headlock before grabbing the other in the same fashion choking each of them until they passed out.

Sasuke only took a moment to register what happened before running off to where Naruto had landed. The blonde was getting up onto his feet again, but accepted Sasuke's offered hand.

"You alright?" Sasuke asked.

"I'm sorry I let you get hurt Naruto, I should have stepped in sooner." Kakashi spoke looking over at the two.

"Why didn't you!" Sasuke growled.

"I said I am sorry, but I had to see who their target was, us, or Tazuna." He said looking over at the man whose eyes went slightly wide.

"It's alright, I'm fine." Naruto said to both his brother and sensei.

Sasuke looked at him before wiping the blood off his cheek. "Why didn't you let go?"

"I think I would have gotten more hurt if I did, but I told you already I'm fine."

"Tazuna, I think you have some explaining to do. We were hired for a C-Rank mission, we were not informed that there were enemy ninja after you." Kakashi spoke looking at the man before tying up the two mentioned ninja.

The bridge builder looked down at the ground.

"I am sure you have your reasons, but one of my students has already been injured, this is at least a B-Rank mission, and I will not put my team in danger."

"Kakashi-sensei," Naruto said coming over, "I'm not hurt, barely at all. Let's stay on the mission, I don't want to quit now."

The gray haired Nin looked at the blonde seeing that the bruises already seemed to be fading and the cuts were closing, 'that's impossible, it must be the nine tailed fox.' "Naruto, you understand that this mission has just become very dangerous? There are probably more enemy ninja and its possible that someone might get hurt."

Naruto looked over his shoulder at his older brother, "I understand, and I want to finish my first real mission."

Kakashi looked at him and his mask hid a small proud smile before he looked at his other two students, "How about you two?"

Sasuke smirked walking up to his brother, "Of course it might even be fun."

Sakura bit her lip nervously, "I want to stay too."

"Alright." The gray haired Nin said before turning to Tazuna, "However if we keep this mission I expect a full explanation."

Tazuna bowed his head, "I suppose I owe you that, I will explain as we move."

Tazuna had explained all about the Wave being a poor nation and not having enough for a higher-level mission. He went on to explain how Gato had taken over and was trying to kill him to stop the bridge from being built that would ensure his nation's freedom.

Kakashi sighed, "This is a B, possible A-rank mission and I expect that to be paid once you have the money."

"Yes," the old man said with a nod, "Thank you."

They were currently in a boat crossing the water through a thick fog.

Naruto dipped a cloth in the water before wiping off his face that was now completely healed.

"Here we are," The person rowing the boat, said when they reached the pier, "This is where I leave you."

"Thank you for taking us this far." Tazuna said tipping his hat before leading the group to where they were supposed to go.

As they continued walking Naruto made his way into the front if only by the slightest while Sakura tried to make conversation with Sasuke. Kakashi was in the back directly behind Tazuna.

The blonde stopped looking to his left, 'huh?' He took a step towards the bushes before noticing it was just a white rabbit. He had an urge to pick it up and he did. His mind went to his rabbit freckles and then he froze stuck in a trance remembering what happened.

Kakashi looked over at the blonde when he stopped moving, "What is it?" He then noticed the rabbit in the boy's arms. 'A rabbit? Wait a minute a white snow rabbit in summer time.' He looked around searching for someone. "Everyone duck!"

Sasuke went to the ground and Sakura pushed Tazuna to the ground. Naruto however, was still inside his own head his body trembling, but his eye's clouded over.

A large blade was flying through the air spinning at a fast rate. The edge of the handle caught the blonde's shoulder and caused him to fall before clutching his arm.

Sasuke looked over scared when he heard the blade made contact, but glared after noticing the blonde wasn't seriously hurt.

A man appeared on top of the blade's handle after it embedded itself into a tree. The man was wearing no shirt and had camo arm warmers and dark pants. Bandages covered the lower half of his face. "My, my, if it isn't Kakashi or the Sharingan."

Naruto looked over at his now standing sensei, 'Sharingan?'

'How can he have Sharingan!' Sasuke's mind raced a slight anger building inside of him.

"Zabuza Momochi, demon of the hidden mist." Kakashi responded in the same cold voice the now named Zabuza had used.

"Didn't think I'd get to fight the copy cat ninja." Zabuza said with a smirk, "Or you can always step aside and let me kill the old man."

"Not going to happen. Squad surround the bridge builder, protect him and stay out of this fight."

A/N: There You go, hope you liked. Leave a review and tell me what you think.

If you are also reading 'Crimson Tears' I am sorry for the long wait. I am having a writters block and cant get it to where its good enough to post. Maybe my standars are to high, but I just cant get the next chapter right. Sorry but I am trying.