Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ If Only You Knew ❯ Unanticipated ( Chapter 10 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Chapter 9 Unanticipated

I wish I could say I woke up refreshed the next morning, but that certainly wasn't true. That little bout with Sasuke had left me physically—and now—emotionally drained. At least I think I was emotionally drained. Gods this uncertainty would be the death of me! There was no physical pain of course, Kyuubi had seen to that, but the pain had yet to cease. And if Kyuubi was correct in its thinking, it wouldn't end any time soon.

Goddamn Uchiha, right now I really didn't care whether that bastard lived or died. His life is in your hands Kyuubi had said. Well fuck him, let him die, at this moment he could die and I would rejoice. You know that's not true, some voice decided to interject.

Arrghhh! I wish I had never wished to feel emotions! This was very irritating. I had to find a way to retain my usual impassiveness, or else parts of my true self would leak into my mask which would not do.

Hey Kyuubi.

What do you want Gaki?

Take away these Godamned feelings away right now!

Why gaki, one would think you weren't happy with your new condition. That Godamned fox actually had the gall to laugh at me.

Kyuubi you know that one of my only goals in life was to gain my emotions and you supported me. In fact you thought it would help in governing future decisions I may have to make.

What of it Gaki? Kyuubi's tone had taken a serious and slightly worried note to it.

I hate it! To my horror more water welled up in my eyes, as they filled up, drops ran down my face. Then the pain that had never completely subsided flooded into my entire being, until it felt as though I was wholly consumed by it. Can't I just go back to feeling nothing? The beatings never hurt this badly! Can you please just make it go away?

I despised myself for the weakness and whining I heard in my own tone.

Gaki…I heard Kyuubi say-its voice filled with what I now knew was regret—I'm sorry, you know I can't do that. I know it will take some getting used to. But in the long run it will be good for you.

When will it stop hurting so much? I had ceased crying, but the pain remained, sharp and resilient.

Eventually, yes.

Kyuubi, how am I supposed to stop this pain from interfering with my 'mask?'

Do the best you can gaki, it will be extremely hard at times. That's really all the advice I can give you. Somewhere along the line you will learn to control these emotions. And then you will finally be ready, and I will be obsolete.

Fear filled me at its words. Kyuubi what do you mean ready? And your being obsolete?

Gaki, you knew the day would come eventually. I can't look after you for the rest of your life.

Yes you can!

Gaki, you've always known that someday that someday I will have to leave.

The damn fox was right for once. It had always warned me that it wouldn't be around forever. But I didn't want to face a world without it. Kyuubi had always been the one constant in my life. The one thing I could always count on, it took me getting my emotions back to see just how incomplete my existence would be without it.

What will I do without you Kyuubi?

You will continue to live. That's all anyone can do, continue to live…no matter how painful it gets. If it's any consolation, I too, will miss you…gaki.

Warmth filled me at its words. Kyuubi was the closest thing to a parent that I had. And like any child was someone (or in this case something) that I had come to love (even if I only just now realized it). When the time came for it to leave I don't know what I'd do.

But right now I had other things to worry about. And that to make sure these emotions didn't interfere with my 'mask.'

After attending to my daily personal hygiene routine I heard Kakashi call all of us out for the daily mission brief.

Once finished, we headed out, Kakashi taking the lead the rest of us following close behind.

Sakura, of course, was directly behind Sasuke, who was brooding as usual. She was trying, without success, to engage him in conversation.

I couldn't help but chuckle under my breath. She was so pathetic.

At the small discreet sound, Sakura whipped around, glaring at me, Kakashi, and Tazuna.

I was surprised that the pink monstrosity actually had it in her to glare at anything. Someone like her needed to stay in a corner and not to speak to anyone, ever.

Then it decided to step it up a notch by speaking.

"Who laughed?" The pink-haired thing snarled. "Shinobi aren't supposed to show emotion. Especially during missions!"

Everyone, including Tazuna, stared at her for a long moment in amazement.

I concluded that Kakashi couldn't let that statement go.

Seconds later I was proven right.

"Ugh…Sakura?" He managed to say. "You do realize the idiocy and hypocrisy of the statement you just uttered, right?"

Her blank stare must have been his answer because he went on.

"I guess that's a no. Sakura you are in no position to criticize anyone's emotional display or lack thereof. You put your emotion right out there for everyone to see."

"Bu-But-." She managed to stutter.

"—No Buts." Kakashi stated firmly, his voice cool and authorative, I was almost impressed, almost. "Until I give you permission, you are not to tell any shinobi what or what not to do. Do I make myself clear?"

At this point, she must have realized her mistake, and how stupid she'd sounded, because she ducked her head and shame and muttered. "Yes sensei."

"Good." Was all he said before he started back at the pace we had been traveling minutes before the little altercation.

Sakura was blessedly silent as we trudged down the road.

Out of the blue I sensed a chakra about the equal of Kakashi's coming at us from the north.

As it got closer Kakashi finally sensed it.

"Meiji formation!" he shouted as he fell into a defensive stance. "Protecting the client comes first!"

Once we'd formed up, he raised his hitai-ate from its normal position over his left eye. Sasuke gasped in shock at the sight, I just smirked.

So he's finally going to use it huh? About damn time, with a Jounin at the level of the one approaching we're going to need it. The 'it' I spoke of was Kakashi's one sharingan eye. It allowed him to copy every jutsu used in its vision. This included ninjutsu, genjutsu, and taijutsu.

Finally the chakra signature was directly in front of us.

At the exact moment it reached us so did the individual it belonged to.

Momochi, Zabuza, was the reputed 'Demon of the Mist.' I immediately recognized him from the hokage's list of rogue nin. The picture I'd seen of him was pretty accurate, right down to the decapitating sword and bandage-covered face.

The thing that surprised me the most about his appearance was the fact that he still wore his hitai-ate. That was a bit odd, why would he need his hitai-ate if he was rogue?

My theory was he was planning to attempt again what had originally made him a rogue. This was to take out the Mizukage.

Not the smartest idea, in my opinion, but hey whatever. I took my defensive position next to Sasuke and Sakura in a defensive formation, with Tazuna to the rear.

The exact moment Kakashi's eyes locked on Zabuza, it seemed he knew immediately who it was. His eyes narrowed as apprehension filled every fiber of his being.

I knew from his body language that any second the ensuing battle would begin.

Sure enough, seconds later, both Kakashi and Zabuza disappeared, seemingly in the blink of any eye.

It was nearly killing me to stay in one position and not fight. Kyuubi had taught me that to not be in the thick of battle was a type of dishonor among the youkai. So you can imagine how I felt, being ordered to stay back.

Eventually, Kakashi the ever so slick shinobi managed to get himself caught in one of Zabuza's traps. Basically it comprised of Kakashi being help motionless inside an orb of water.

Once trapped, he gave up and started yelling for us to run.

All three of us were torn.

Did we stay and help out our superior? Or did run, doing the first duty of a shinobi, which is to accomplish the mission and protect the client.

I was furious that this doubt was filling me. 24 hours ago I wouldn't have cared what had happened to any of these people. I would have made the logical decision, not one based on emotion.

The other two were just as torn as I was apparently. Finally we all looked at Tazuna in expectation. Him being the client, we left it up to him.

With all three of our faces on him, he started sweating profusely. Finally he managed to mumble out.

"Go help your sensei. It's my fault you're all in this mess. If I had been truthful about the situation in the first place this would never have happened."

Now clear on what we were to do I was about to propose a plan, but Sasuke had to be the hotheaded fool he was and rush into it. No teamwork for him, just plunge straight into the fight.

Of course Zabuza had one of this clones take Sasuke down like it was nothing.

"Kakashi." He growled low in this throat. "You might want to warn your comrades." He said this word mockingly. "That if they don't quit annoying me I will kill them."

All right, enough was enough. I was getting a little irritated and the source of that emotion was currently holding Kakashi in his orb.

"Sasuke." I growled. "If you're done being stupid and getting your ass kicked then listen up I have an idea."

Sasuke glared at being called stupid, and I knew he would hate having to actually work as a team, especially considering what had happened between us last night. But he wasn't stupid enough to ignore my advice.

Slowly and painfully he picked himself up off the ground.

I used Kage Bunshin no Jutsu to make about twenty or so clones, then had them surround Zabuza's clone and then attack him in a dog pile. Zabuza's clone of course, easily overpowered all of mine and he dispelled all of them easily.

I seemingly dug in my pack and found a shuriken. I then threw it to Sasuke who caught it.

He glared at me as my plan finally dawned on him and I saw a grudging respect enter his eyes before he threw the shuriken.

Zabuza's clone braced itself or the impact the shuriken would have. When it didn't come its eyes widened and it followed the path that the shuriken was taking.

It was aimed at his real body that couldn't move as one of his hands was in the orb of water keeping the jutsu active.

Still he caught the shuriken easily enough with his free hand and smirked at all us…until a second shuriken came flying out of the shadow of his first and once again aimed at his real body.

This time he jumped over the shuriken and looked at the three of us.

"I cannot be touched with something as simple as a common shuriken!" he growled at us as if to berate us for even attempting such a foolish thing.

"What about a kunai?" my clone shouted at him as it dove towards his face. Zabuza hadn't given the second shuriken a glance after he'd jumped over it. My clone managed only to scratch his face with it as Zabuza pulled away.

But the desired result was still achieved. At his surprise at the unexpected attack Zabuza had jerked away, inadvertently dispelling the jutsu as he did so.

Kakashi now stood wet, but free…and he looked more than just a little pissed.

It was probably his bruised ego. He didn't like the fact that we had had to rescue his sorry ass.

I guess he decided hurt pride could wait because he turned towards Zabuza.

"All right Zabuza." He said coolly. "Time to die. I don't fall for the same thing twice.

I could already see it was over. Every time Zabuza attempted a jutsu, Kakashi was there with his sharingan to counteract his every move. It really was a no-win situation for Zabuza.

Soon Kakashi had beaten him at his own game.

But before Zabuza could be finished off someone else apparently wanted to do the honors.

Just as Kakashi was about to deal the final blow, a senbon embedded itself into Zabuza's neck. He fell where he stood.

A masked figure in green came out of the mist that was starting to dispel, since Zabuza was no longer in any condition to sustain it.

Kakashi went to the body and felt for a pulse.

"He's dead." Was all that uttered.

The masked figure nodded in agreement and then spoke.

"I need to dispose of the body. You know the routine."

Kakashi nodded in understanding, exhaustion evident in every movement he made.

The figure in green put the body on his shoulders and disappeared as quickly as he had appeared.

I watched him go, knowing something was up. Kakashi missed this, being as tired as he was.

Moments after the masked figure left, he collapsed.

"Oh dear!" Tazuna gasped. "We need to get him to my house. There I'm sure we'll be able to make him as good as new.

Sasuke and I were made to carry Kakashi's unconscious body. I barely noted the weight as I thought about that supposed ANBU that had taken Zabuza's body. Something just didn't add up. There were too many anomalies with how quickly the green character had appeared when Zabuza was cornered. Suddenly it clicked.

I smiled as the realization dawned on me. Good, we'll be seeing the masked guy again. I don't like people who think they can fool me. This will be fun.

Eventually we got to Tazuna's house. Kakashi was laid in their guest bed. I couldn't' help but notice how shabby the place looked. Hopefully they did get that bridge built, otherwise they were screwed.

Sympathy had unexpectedly filled me as we'd walked through the village on the way to our destination. Fear and poverty had been evident on everyone's faces.

Sakura had accomplished the impossible and did a good deed by giving one of the local children candy.

All of this because of one human male's greed.

Anger filled me.

This would not be allowed to continue.

Now you know why gaki.

Know what?

Why I wanted you to regain your ability to feel. It's not just the youkai I want you to aid. Anyone who suffers when they have done no wrong should also be helped.

I guess I can't argue with that particular point. I conceded. But I'm still having, well, mixed emotions about the whole emotional thing.

You'll get used to it after a while.

Later that night as I lay in bed I thought about Kyuubi's words. It was right. But Gods sometimes I wish I'd just been born as someone other than who I was. Before I fell asleep my last thoughts were on Sasuke. I was too tired to be angry at myself for this. But I couldn't help but think about his dark eyes and how they had looked as he came. Knowing I would curse myself for this in the morning I let my body carry me into that so-called peaceful place, but for me, was a painful oblivion of unconsciousness.