Mind, Magic, and Sword…wait what?
Chapter 6
Note: I realized that I never covered what Team 7 wears outside of civilian garb, so just imagine them wearing their canon outfits.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and the original idea belongs to Christopher Scott.
After the battle on the lake, Tazuna brought the group to his home in Nami no Kuni so that Naruto could rest and recuperate from the final technique he had used against Zabuza. When he knocked on the door, an attractive woman in a pink dress greeted them and helped them inside, quickly setting Naruto up on a futon in a spare room so he could rest.
"Everyone," said Tazuna while Naruto was resting, "this is my daughter Tsunami. Tsunami, these are the Shinobi that I've hired to protect us."
"Thank you for all that you have done," said Tsunami with a respectful bow.
"It's nothing really," said Kakashi, "my students were quite adamant that we finish the mission despite some complications."
"Speaking of complications," said Tazuna as he glanced towards the guest room where Naruto was resting, "what happened to the kid back there? What was that strange power and why didn't he use it from the get go?"
"The power that Naruto used was something he cannot draw upon under normal circumstances, as it is dangerous to not only his enemies, but himself as well, as shown by his current injuries," said Kakashi, "as for the origins of said power, it is something I am unable to discuss."
"What do you mean?" asked Tazuna.
"The circumstances behind Naruto's powers were classed an S-Ranked secret by the Sandaime Hokage," said Sakura, "if anyone divulged it, they would be sentenced to death."
This caused Kakashi's visible eyebrow to rise as Tazuna regarded them quizzically, "Sounds like you know what this secret is."
"We do," answered Sasuke, causing Kakashi's other eyebrow to shoot up to join the first.
"Tazuna," said Kakashi evenly, "is there someplace I can speak to my students in private?"
"Sure, I guess," said Tazuna with a shrug, "you can use the side room over there."
"Thank you," said Kakashi, guiding Sasuke and Sakura into the side room before setting up some basic privacy seals.
"So," said Kakashi as he turned to his two students, "I assume you know what I want to ask you."
Sakura and Sasuke glanced at each other before nodding, "Yes," said Sakura, "we know Naruto is a Jinchuriki."
Hearing this, Kakashi couldn't help but sigh. He had managed to read some of the reports the ANBU had compiled when dealing with 'overly talkative' Civilians and Shinobi, and hoped he wouldn't have to add another name to the list of those that were executed for violating the Sandaime's law.
"Who told you two?" he eventually asked.
"Nobody," said Sakura, causing their sensei to look up in surprise.
"I beg your pardon?" said Kakashi in surprise.
"Nobody told us," said Sasuke, "we knew all about it from the moment we met him."
"How?!" pressed Kakashi. The Yondaime's seal should have been enough to prevent that, with the only sign being the whisker shaped birthmarks he inherited from the Kyuubi's power affecting him while in Kushina's womb.
"My varied mystical grimoires detail the Biju and their various powers and effects they have on a human host," said Sasuke, "it was a simple matter to detect the Biju's power within Naruto while in his presence."
"As for myself," said Sakura, "my psychic powers could detect the Biju's mind within him, separate from his own. The conclusion thereafter was rather obvious."
"I see," sighed Kakashi before muttering something about needing to update academy profiles.
"In any case," said Kakashi, "drawing upon that power is what put Naruto in this state, so we must be vigilant, as we now need to protect not only our client, but our teammate as well until he recovers. We'll work in shifts. One of us will be on hand to protect Tazuna and another of us will rest here and monitor Naruto. The remaining member will use their free time to train and prepare for whatever Gatō has for us next."
"If you two would be able to take the first shifts, I may have some ideas to help Naruto recover," said Sasuke as he reached into his Kunai pouch and pulled out a small tome that still seemed rather large to have fit in that small of a pocket, "according to my tomes, this land's flora includes several plants that I can use to brew an elixir that will hasten his recovery."
"Be careful," said Kakashi, "we can't afford to have you incapacitated too. Though I'm sure Gatō wouldn't mind."
"Heh," chuckled Sasuke, "they'll have to beat me first."
xXsceneXx
Upon leaving Tazuna's home, Sasuke made his way into a nearby forest where he began to scavenge for various plants and fungi that could either be used as ingredients for the medicine he was going to brew for Naruto, or as ingredients for various potions and catalysts that he could make use of. He had already gathered a decent assortment of the local flora when he noticed a figure crouching nearby, gathering several plants into a basket.
"Greetings," said Sasuke when he walked up, causing the figure to turn, allowing him to take in this unknown person.
Said person appeared to be a young woman with a petite build, with long, black hair, light skin, and a pink kimono, and when she faced Sasuke, the mage in training couldn't help the light dusting of pink that came upon his cheeks at how attractive she was.
"Oh hello," said the person, "I didn't expect to see anyone this far from the village."
"I could say the same," said Sasuke, "what brings you out to these parts?"
"Forgive me," said the person with a slight smile, "but isn't it polite to introduce oneself before inquiring as to their intentions?"
"True," said Sasuke as he smirked as well, "but isn't it also polite to introduce oneself before asking another's name?"
"Very well," said the figure with a smile, "my name is Haku."
"Uchiha Sasuke," said Sasuke.
"It is a pleasure to meet you Sasuke," said the now named Haku.
"Likewise," replied Sasuke, "and to answer your previous question, I'm collecting ingredients to make some medicine for a friend of mine that has fallen ill."
"Oh?" said Haku in surprise, "Are you a physician then?"
"I'm a mage actually," answered Sasuke, "and thus I am quite versed in various healing elixirs."
"Then perhaps we can help each other," said Haku with a smile, "I am also looking for various healing herbs to treat the injuries of someone very close to me."
"I don't see why not," said Sasuke before pointing to a plant in Haku's bundle, "though you'll want to be careful about that one. The White Jade blossom is known for causing a lethal rash if ingested."
"I definitely would not want that," said Haku with a nod, "if it is not too much trouble, perhaps you can help me collect more plants that I need?"
"Only if I can ask the same of you," said Sasuke with a small smile, causing Haku to chuckle and nod.
The two of them then worked together as they gathered various plants to use in their respective healing medicines, not speaking much, until Haku broke the silence with a question.
"Uchiha-san," said Haku, causing the two to pause in their work, "do you have anyone that is truly precious to you?"
This surprised Sasuke and he paused, thinking of his deceased clan, but before he could answer, his thoughts turned to his new friends on Team 7, "…yes," he said after a moment, "yes I do."
"That's good," said Haku with a smile, "I find that a person is at their strongest when they have something important that they want to protect."
"You really think so?" asked Sasuke.
"I do," said Haku before rising, "when a person has something important they want to protect, that's when they can become truly strong."
"I'll remember that," said Sasuke.
"Well," said Haku, "I believe these will be enough to suit my means. Thank you for the help, and the company."
"It was my pleasure," said Sasuke, "we must do this again sometime."
"Perhaps," said Haku with a smile that seemed somewhat amused, "though there is one thing."
"And what is that?" asked Sasuke.
"You know I'm a boy, right?"
Sasuke's jaw hit the ground in a rare loss of composure for him and Haku couldn't help but laugh, his oddly musical laughter echoing as he walked off, leaving Sasuke to compose himself.
It took him a few moments, but Sasuke was able to pick his jaw off the ground and compose himself, gathering his collection of plants to take back to the house.