Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Key Through the Heart ❯ Wave Country Arc Part 1 ( Chapter 8 )

llIVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura

“Normal Talking”

Thoughts/Sound Effects

“Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words”

“Demon speak”

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Key Through the Heart

A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit.

Author's Note: Well, got some of my first truly negative reviews. I'm glad the people in question didn't flame me like retards and offered some valid points. Points, that is, that would be valid were this the kind of story they thought it was.

For God's sake people, can't you read my review replies?! I answer most of your questions there and have a dozen times already! Oi!

Anyway, on the Zabuza Saga/Wave Country Arc: In order to not get bogged down here, I am going to get through it as quickly as possible. Therefore, we are going into rapid exposition mode for all but the important/non-canon scenes.

Overall, the Wave Country Arc will last at most three chapters, if I can't fit it into two.

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“Oh, thank you so much for rescuing my cat!” The Daimyo's wife gushed, rubbing her chubby cheeks against her screeching cat's. Naruto looked over his other teammates.

Sasuke had a surly scowl on his face, and his eye would twitch at regular intervals. Sakura's long pink hair was mussed, her forearms were covered in scratches, and she could not stop deathglaring the cat as though trying to set it on fire with her mind.

That would be a cool jutsu, Naruto absently thought, as the Daimyo's wife placed her payment with the Hokage sitting at the missions table. Numerous aides worked the desk, filing paperwork. Iruka sat next to the Hokage, and gave the blond a smile as he caught his eye. Naruto managed a smile back, as the Hokage looked up from whatever paper he was scrutinizing.

“Well, well, not bad Team Seven. Two missions a week so far. Care to try for three?”

The Hokage rummaged through a stack of papers and pulled out one sheet.

“Ah, this looks good. Little Mihama Chiyo is having her birthday party-“

Sasuke paled even more than usual at this.

“No,” the Uchiha stated quickly. Naruto failed to stifle a snicker as Sasuke glared at the Hokage, then him, then the room in general. Sakura nodded tiredly with her crush.

“Very well,” the Hokage said with a small smile, “the Nabeshin's dog got away and-“

“No! No thank you! Uh uh! HECK NO!” Naruto exploded, the horror of the last time they went to retrieve a pet coming back to him. Sasuke and Sakura nodded furiously as Kakashi eye-smiled.

“Look, Old Man, can't you give us something better? We've been training our butts off for over a month¸ and we're sick of the D-Rank Missions! C'mon!”

I have to agree. These missions are a waste of my time, Sasuke thought.

He has a point, but does he have to yell it so loudly? Sakura mentally sighed.

“Naruto! Don't be disrespectful to the Hokage!” Iruka bellowed, standing up and shaking his fist.

“But these missions suck! C'mon, we can handle a better one! Right, Kakashi-sensei?” Naruto looked to his instructor hopefully.

The Hokage frowned and looked questioningly at Kakashi, who shrugged.

“Well, they have improved… Somewhat,” Kakashi responded, giving Sakura a significant glance. The pink haired girl winced, as the Hokage looked thoughtful.

“Hmm… Well, there is a C-Rank mission available… An escort mission, to Wave Country-“ Naruto whooped.

“OH YEAH! We'll take it, Old Man Hokage!” The blond ran forward and grabbed the mission info packet from the Hokage, while Iruka sighed at his favorite student's lack of manners.

“So, who are we escorting,” Naruto eagerly asked. “A princess? A famous actress?” The blond summoned the Keyblade and began to swing it about excitedly, as the Hokage merely smirked.

“Him,” Hokage pointed to the door. Naruto turned with a grin… Which immediately devolved into a facefault at the dirty-looking old man standing in the entrance.

““Feh… This is my escort? They don't look like much… Especially the stupid-looking midget with the giant toy.”

“IT'S A KEYBLADE YOU BASTARD!” Naruto bellowed. Kakashi sighed and grabbed onto the hood of Naruto's jacket, keeping the cursing blond from running their client through.

“Er, hello,” Sakura said politely, as Sasuke just glared. The old man burped, and took another swig of alcohol.

“This is Tazuna, a bridge builder-“ The Hokage began, but Tazuna interrupted.

“Master bridge builder,” he corrected. The Hokage looked as though he were resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

“Master bridge builder, who is on his way home to Wave Country. Escort him there and make sure he arrives safe and sound.”

“Sure I can't get a few chuunin? I mean, what good are these punks gonna be?” Tazuna complained. Naruto growled, and Kakashi moved to restrain him again.

“That's rich, coming from an old drunk!” The blond taunted.

“Why you little brat! If you were a few years younger I'd throw you across my knee and tan your hide!” Tazuna replied angrily. Naruto smirked back.

“Sorry, I'm not into men, you old pervert!”

Kakashi sighed as Naruto and Tazuna continued to bicker, Sakura watched while obviously trying not to laugh, and Sasuke just scowled.

“Right then,” Kakashi spoke, bringing the argument to a halt. “Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura-Go home and pack for a long-duration mission. Meet me by the main gates in fifteen minutes, we're leaving immediately. Oh, and Sakura? Don't bring any makeup. Looking good in battle is not going to help.” The pink-haired girl flushed, glaring at him as a few of the Hokage's aides snickered.

“Not like she needs makeup to look good though,” Naruto laughed. Sakura growled even as her blush intensified. It was all the warning the blond got.

“OWWW! SAKURA-CHAAAN!”

Why does this have `long mission' written all over it? Kakashi asked himself.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Four days later, Kakashi knew the answer.

 

The team's trip had been rather uneventful up to the point they crossed the Fire/Water Country border. Tazuna had been a near-nervous wreck the whole way, alternating between grumbling about his escorts and getting into shouting matches with Naruto.

 

Sakura had stuck to Sasuke near-constantly, chattering happily to her crush about seemingly anything and everything that came to mind. The Uchiha, predictably, had tuned her out as much as possible during the day, while practicing with his new blade at night. Naruto had asked to trained with Sasuke, but the Uchiha had declined flatly, so Naruto had spent much of his time sending out Kage Bunshins to patrol the area, or fighting them.

 

On the fourth day, however, their routine changed dramatically when a pair of Mist ninja attacked, “killing” him and immediately splitting up to strike both Naruto and Tazuna.

 

Fortunately, the two missing ninja weren't prepared for Naruto's new weapons or Sasuke's increased training, and they were able to hold them off for long enough for Kakashi to get in behind them and knock them out.

 

He'd had his genins and Tazuna leave him alone with the two tied up ninja, and after a rather… creative use of genjutsu, they were willing to spill everything about their mission, their boss, and the fact that they were both virgins.

 

That last one, Kakashi hadn't needed to know.

 

Still, the rest of their information had been useful… And Kakashi had confronted Tazuna with it.

 

“You lied about who was after you. Gato, the crime lord,” the silver-haired jounin had accused. Tazuna gulped at the killer intent being directed at him.

 

“I… I didn't have enough money for an A-Rank mission… And this bridge-!”

 

“I hope you're proud of yourself, really, because if my students weren't as good as they are, you would have had the deaths of three children on your conscience,” Kakashi had replied coldly. Sakura had looked a little pale (actually, she'd been pale ever since she'd seen Kakashi “killed”), but both Sasuke and Naruto swelled up in some pride.

 

“Well, look… Please… This isn't just about me! It's about my country, my people! They need this bridge built, otherwise Gato's oppression will continue! You know about it, right?”

 

At Kakashi's nod, Tazuna continued.

 

“Please, I know I can't pay you more but if you do this, you'll be helping an entire nation! Thousands of people are counting on me! If you abandon me…” Tazuna bit his lower lip and backed off, looking away.

 

“So… This bridge is your hope,” Kakashi murmured thoughtfully, before he turned to his students.

 

“Well, how about it? This mission's no longer C-Rank… It's at least B-Rank or more. There will be more missing ninja coming after Tazuna, probably more powerful than those two we faced before. There is a very good chance some of you might not come back alive.”

 

Sasuke snorted, as Naruto smirked.

 

“I'm in,” the Uchiha explained. Naruto nodded, leaning his Keyblade back against his shoulder.

 

“Me too! I mean… This is what we wanted… And I'm not going to back down from a challenge!”

 

Kakashi turned to Sakura, who was wrenching her hands.

 

“You can probably make it back to Konoha on your own from here,” the cyclopean ninja stated, not unkindly. Sakura bit her lip, before shaking her head.

 

“I… I'm in too,” the pink-haired girl said nervously. Kakashi nodded.

 

“Well then… Let's go, shall we Tazuna? I think we both have missions to complete.”

- - - - - - - - - - - -

The hideout of Zabuza Momochi was isolated in the cold bogs of Northern Water Country. The trees grew thick here, blotting out the sun overhead and casting the area into everlasting shadows. The thick mists and dangerous animals roaming the forest added to it's mysterious and supernatural aura.

 

But this did not matter to Zabuza Momochi. He was the Demon of the Mist, after all. The conditions of Northern Water Country were perfectly suited to his method of fighting and killing, allowing him to turn the forest into his personal hunting ground.

 

Into this place, came Gato. Zabuza snorted at the two samurai at his sides, as he reclined in his throne-like chair. Haku, his partner and apprentice, stood at his side, white hunter-ninja mask concealing the younger ninja's face.

 

“My sources tell me that the two you sent after the old man were defeated,” the rodent-like Gato sneered. “By a group of children and their teacher. Now, what were the words you used to describe this mission to me, hm? `Easy', I believe, was one of the words. `No challenge.' And yet, Tazuna still lives. Exactly what is wrong with this picture?”

 

Zabuza rolled his eyes, shifting in his chair slightly. Hidden from Gato's view, the two Demon Brothers (said defeated ninja) were clearly frightened at the shipping magnate's words. The Demon of the Mist mentally sighed.

 

“I talked with them… And the old man's gotten himself some unusually strong escorts for his money. Have you heard of Hatake Kakashi?”

 

Gato's eyebrows raised.

 

“The jounin of Konoha? Surely two chuunin could handle him! ”

 

“See, this is why I am a ninja, Gato, and you are not. Actually, there are several reasons why, but the point is. Hatake Kakashi is a legend, among the best ninja ever produced by Konoha. They're the superpower for a reason.”

 

“So, he is too much for you, then?” Gato sneered. Haku tensed, but at a hidden signal from Zabuza backed down. Zabuza leaned forward only a little.

 

“No… Merely a rare challenge for me. He will fall, the old man will die, and you pay me. End of story.” A sudden movement from a window caught Zabuza's attention… But, seeing that it was simply a black crow swooping in, the Demon of the Mist relaxed. He was still somewhat puzzled when it dropped a note into Gato's hands and flew off. Gato opened the letter and scanned it, a disgusting smirk emerging on his rat-like face.

 

“Oh, one more thing,” Gato added, folding the note up and sticking it into his expensive-looking coat pocket. “One of the genin with Tazuna… A business relation of mine has an… Interest, in him.” Zabuza raised a hairless brow.

 

“Yeah? So?”

 

“So, in return for his elimination, I am willing to… Oh… Triple your pay.” Zabuza felt like widening his eyes in disbelief, but his training kicked in and kept his face impassive.

 

“Oh? And what's so important about this kid?”

 

“He bears an item of great value to my associate… Get it for me, and I can ensure that you and your crew will live comfortably for the rest of your lives.” Zabuza frowned.

 

“Fine… Who is this brat then?” There was a strange aura from the crime boss, one that caused an emotion in Zabuza. One he hadn't felt in so long, that it took a moment to identify it.

 

Fear. A fear that seemed to tighten around him as Gato grinned and spoke.

 

“His name is Uzumaki Naruto…”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Another day traveling brought them to Wave Country at last, and after the boatman dropped them off on a secluded shore, Team Seven and Tazuna began the trek for the old man's village. As they reached the main road, Naruto froze, hand twitching. Kakashi paused and looked back at his blond student.

 

“Naruto? What is-?” The Keyblade flashed into existence in his hand, just as the Copy Ninja heard a whistle.

 

“DOWN!” Kakashi roared, and the group dropped, Tazuna shoved to the ground by Sakura, as a huge sword flew overhead. It embedded itself in a nearby tree, as a tall, balck and bandage-clad ninja dropped to it, standing with his back turned to the group.

 

“Well, he knows how to make an entrance,” Naruto quipped, pushing himself back up to his feet. Sakura helped Tazuna back up, who was grimacing.

 

“Did you have to push so hard?” The old man complained. Sakura grimaced.

 

“You're welcome,” she muttered. Sasuke merely glared up at the ninja, who was chuckling in a muffled way.

 

“Hatake Kakashi, the legendary Copy Ninja,” the man spoke, turning around and facing them. “This is an honor.”

 

“Momochi Zabuza… The Demon of the Mist. A-Rank missing ninja from Mizukagure,” Kakashi returned flatly. “What business do you have here?”

 

“Nothing personal,” Zabuza replied, “but I have to kill the old man… And the blond brat.” Naruto gulped a bit as he felt Sasuke, Sakura, and Tazuna's eyes fall on him, but he tried to remain calm.

 

“And what interest does Gato have with my student?” Kakashi asked coldly. Tazuna winced and mumbled something about, “not asking about me,” under his breath. Kakashi naturally ignored this.

 

“I don't ask questions. I'm just trying to make a living,” Zabuza explained with a nearly invisible shrug. “Guy's gotta eat, after all.”

 

“Sorry, but it looks like you'll have to go hungry for a little longer,” Kakashi stated, as mist rolled in. The jounin lifted up his headband, revealing his other eye to be blood red and dotted black. Sasuke gasped, as Naruto stared in confusion.

 

Zabuza chuckled darkly, his laugh seemingly coming from all directions as he vanished from view.

 

“Really? And what chance do you think you have against me, even with that fancy eye of yours?”

 

“Defensive formation D,” Kakashi whispered. The genins surrounded the old man on three sides, Sasuke drawing his chokuto and holding it out in a ready position, as Naruto did the same with his Keyblade. Sakura drew a kunai, looking around frantically.

 

The sound of steel clashing against steel filled the air, and the mist rolled a bit enough for Kakashi to be revealed, blocking Zabuza's massive blade with a kunai.

 

“Sensei!” Sakura cried out, as Naruto and Sasuke growled.

 

“You're making this too easy, you know,” Zabuza laughed from all directions again, the eerie echo combined with his killing intent sending a chill down the genin's spines. Tazuna, having faced killing intent like this before, was able to keep standing at least but still trembled.

 

“I'm sure you've heard of the Mizubunshin,” the missing ninja spoke again, and Naruto caught a bit of movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned to Sasuke, and motioned with his head back towards Sakura. Sasuke blinked, looked, and frowned back. Naruto pantomimed blowing fire with two fingers held in front of his mouth like Sasuke. The Uchiha smirked and nodded… Before he leapt up into the air and made handseals.

““Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!”

A massive fireball erupted from Sasuke's mouth and blew through the mist, revealing a surprised looking Zabuza that was instantly hit. At the same moment, Kakashi ducked down and slashed through his Zabuza's stomach, flesh turning back into water or steam in both cases.

“Not bad, for a kid, but not good enough!” Another Zabuza appeared and swung his blade right through Kakashi's torso, ripping a scream from Sakura's mouth… Which abruptly stopped when “Kakashi” turned into water as well. Zabuza chuckled.

“So, this is the power of the Sharingan then,” the missing ninja mused… Just before a kunai was plunged into the back of his head by Kakashi. Again, Zabuza dissolved into water, and this Kakashi too was caught by another Zabuza. The mist began to lessen, enough to see the nearby lake clearly enough…

And another Zabuza, holding Kakashi in a ball of glowing water. Kakashi was struggling to break free, as yet another Zabuza stalked towards the genin, creating a pincer move.

“Is this the best you can do?” Zabuza laughed. “You leaf ninja sure have gotten soft…”

“We'll show you soft!” Naruto shouted.

Kakashi grimaced. He'd been tempted to tell the genin to retreat and leave him, but that was apparently no longer an option…

Zabuza laughed at Naruto's declaration.

“Oh really? When I was your age, kid, I slaughtered my entire graduating class, just to become a genin. You're just a baby pretending to be a ninja. And soon, you'll just be more blood on my blade to wash off.” Naruto growled, looking around. Sasuke was clearly trying to keep up his glare, even though his fear was obvious. And Sakura was trembling so badly she looked as though she might collapse.

Damnit, we should have trained harder… Wait… Naruto thought.

“Oi, Sasuke! Remember that time we fought?” Sasuke glared at him for a moment for his stupidity… Before realization flashed in his eyes and a smirk formed on his face. Naruto smirked back. He quickly whispered a few things to the black-haired boy, who then nodded and turned to Sakura.

“Sakura, stay with Tazuna. You'll just get in the way,” the Uchiha ordered. Sakura gulped, but nodded, pulling Tazuna closer to her point of the triangle.

“Oh, what, you're going to attack me now, little babies? You should have run when you had the chance,” the Zabuzas mocked. Naruto grinned.

“Our sensei taught us that `those who don't follow the rules are considered trash…but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash'.”

“Bah, bunch of touchy feely nonsense,” Zabuza snorted. Naruto snarled, rushing towards the Zabuza between the group and the lake. He formed a single hand seal.

“Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!” Three dozen Narutos appeared and swarmed Zabuza, before Naruto turned around for the Zabuza trying to attack Sasuke, Tazuna, and Sakura from behind.

“Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!” Two dozen Narutos charged the other Zabuza, just as his first platoon dogpiled the first Zabuza clone. A moment later, all of the orange-clad ninja were knocked away, tumbling to the ground or water and poofing away into smoke. This Zabuza charged the remaining Naruto, who stood perfectly still as his other platoon rushed past Sasuke and charged the rear-attacking Zabuza. Sakura's breath hitched as the missing ninja swung for Naruto.

“NARUTO!” She shrieked, as the blade ripped Naruto cleanly in two. Even so, the blond boy was smirking as he fell apart… And burst into smoke.

“What the-?” This Zabuza started, but was interrupted as Sasuke Uchiha unveiled two Keyblades in his hands. With a smirk he swung them around and threw them at full strength for the water clone before poofing out of existence himself.

“W-W-What the-?!” Sakura gasped as Tazuna gaped, their attention divided between the new dogpile of Narutos also bursting into smoke. This water clone of Zabuza seemed to smirk beneath his mask… Before noticing that one of the Naruto clones hadn't poofed into smoke, but instead-

“GAH!” This clone shouted, as Sasuke Uchiha leapt up and slammed his chokuto through his chest. Meanwhile, the other water clone had avoided one of the thrown Keyblades, only to discover that another one had been hiding in it's shadow. The second Keyblade changed course to hit the clone and revealed it also had a twin hiding in it's shadow. All three poofed into Narutos and began furiously striking at the water clone, as the fourth and final Keyblade spun for Zabuza.

“Damnit!” He cursed, leaping up to avoid the weapon and still maintaining his grip on the water prison holding Kakashi. The Keyblade spun away, before poofing into one last Naruto, holding the real Keyblade.

“Yah!” Naruto yelled, throwing a chakra-charged Keyblade at full speed for Zabuza. The Water Country ninja cursed as he moved, releasing Kakashi as the weapon sailed past his hand. Naruto fell into the water with a splash, head emerging again as he grinned triumphantly at Zabuza.

“Still think we're brats, huh, you eyebrow-less freak?” The blond taunted. Zabuza would have responded… Had he not had to block a strike from Kakashi. The missing ninja could definitely detect an unpleasant smirk under the Copy Ninja's mask.

Zabuza jumped backwards and started chanting, his hands forming signs faster than could be seen… but somehow, Kakashi was matching them, finger for finger, his red eye peeking from his face like a flame.

“Suiton!” they shouted together. “SuiryÅ«dan no Jutsu!”

Twin water dragons sprang forth from their bodies, coiling around and attacking each other, collapsing into a giant column of water that was gone in an instant as the two ninja rushed in, their weapons clashing against each other.

Strange, though Zabuza. What's going on?

He pulled back and circled around, raising one arm high in the air… and Kakashi had done the same.

My movements, he thought. He's completely

“reading them,” said Kakash.

WHAT? Did he read my mind? That damn

“spiral eye is pissing me off?”

Zabuza halted for just a second.

“All you're doing is copying me,” he said. “No bastard mimic can match the real thing!”

They were his words… but Kakashi had said them at the exact same time. He rallied, and started making the signs again.

“You think you're so smart? You'll never open your copy-cat mouth again!”

He gasped. There, behind Kakashi… was himself.

That's… that's impossible. It… it must be a genjutsu!

Kakashi's sharingan began to rotate around the pupil. “Suiton!” he shouted. “Daibakufu no Jutsu!”

“IMPOSSIBLE!” a great torrent of water surged out of Kakashi's hands, a giant spiral wave the size of a building. “It's my jutsu… but I can't stand up to it!”

Naruto and the others could barely get out of the way in time… and Zabuza found himself pinned to the tree by kunai. Kakashi was already perched on the branch above him.

“It's over…”

“…how?” croaked Zabuza. “Can you see the future?”

“I see… your death.”

Two senbon needles pierced Zabuza's neck and he fell face-first on the ground.

“He was right,” giggled a petite, masked figure in the trees. “You're dead.”

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Special thanks to Captain Sarcasm, my beta reader and editor. He also wrote the ending to this chapter due to my unexpected burnout on rewriting this scene from the manga.

 

Still undecided as to when Goofy and Donald land. Have entertained the idea of having them land and Ino keeping them in her home secretly, in exchange for teaching her magic so she'll be in the Chuunin Exam finals, but still haven't figured out how to do that.

 

I'm also trying to come up with a kenjutsu (sword technique) for Sasuke to use against Haku in the next chapter. If anyone has a suggestion for such a thing, please leave it in your reviews.

 

Special thanks to A-Kun for encouraging me to get through the Wave Country arc as quickly as possible. Don't worry though, there'll be some definite changes here from the canon that I think you all will enjoy. And if you don't, oh well.

 

Preview for Chapter Nine:

 

“But the heart always knows the way home. It's walking the path that's the hard part.”