Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Reflection of Oneself ❯ Reactions ( Chapter 17 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

The Reflection of Oneself

Chapter 17: Reactions

Shock.

There are many definitions of this word, all of which we experience in our everyday lives. Each one of them contains a feeling so profound that it leaves you utterly stunned. You may have felt it when your mother cracked you over the head with a wooden spoon after she caught you stealing cookies from the cookie jar, or you've even leftfelt it when you've just been told that very precious person in your life has died.

Either way, it causes you to freeze. Whether your body is reacting to severe loss of blood or the debilitating trauma of a broken heart, it seeks to separate the consciousness from your physical self in order to avoid or lessen the damage caused by both the physical and mental pain.

For some, they endure. For others, they crumble.

And for the rest of us, we simply live with it and ignore the pain.

The morning had come faster then anyone had expected it too. As soon as both the blonde and the Uchiha had returned, Sasuke had promised to tell Inari and his family everything after they had some sleep. It would happen peacefully, without any fighting, or they would be told here hear nothing. Thankfully for Inari, the frightening redhead had long since gone back to the hotel and had left the two younger males to be interrogated in the following morning.

Although Tsunami and Tazuna would have liked to hear it too, the former had a job in the market and the latter a village council meeting. Since Inari had the week off, he was able to stay behind and listen to everything, which he could relay back to them later.

“So you're telling me that he's nii-san's clone?”

The young brunette shinobi glanced across the table and almost winced. The blonde boy looked away, wearing the dejected expression as if he had just been slapped. The Uchiha, who was sitting next to the boy, gave the kid an encouraging glance before turning back and pinioning him with a glare.

“He prefers being thought of as his little brother,” Sasuke replied curtly. “But yes, Nanikato is Naruto's clone. It was done without anyone's permission, let alone Naruto's. But what is done is done. You can't blame Nanikato for being born the way he way, so there is no point in blaming him for taking Naruto's place.”

“Wait! I didn't say - ”

“You didn't need to - it was written all over your face. How do I know? Because I made the same mistake. When I first met Nanikato, I resented his existence. At the time, it felt like someone was trying to make a mockery of Naruto's death. What I came to realize what that Nanikato and Naruto are two completely different people. They may have the exact same genetics, look identical, and share the same qualities from time to time, but they are different.”

A wide array of emotions crossed the face of Nanikato, the boy that looked almost exactly like his long dead `brother'. It was easy for Inari to pick out the pain, the hope, and the gratitude before it vanished, hidden behind a mask. That was when he realized that Naruto had worn a mask as well, one to keep people from knowing of the pain that was underneath. It was one of the things that made he idolize the older blonde so much, that he was able to put on a smile even though his heart was hurting.

“When did you become so philosophical?”

Sasuke sighed and rolled his eyes. Clasping his hands, the raven haired man rested his chin upon them and stared at him. “I've been like this for a long time Inari. If there is ever a place that someone is given the time to think, it is Otogakure. It is fathomless; the things that are allowed to transpire in that domain, but there are few that escape with their sanity intact. You can either find or loose yourself there - I did a little of both. I didn't have to worry about going insane, because I had already been a little insane since my clan was murdered. I guess it, and was my own regrets that, kept me from going all the way. I stayed as long as I did because I had no reason to leave - my former life was gone. That changed, however, after I met Nanikato.”

Sitting back, Inari complied and let the Uchiha talk. What he learned both eased his mind and sickened him. He gained the in-depth knowledge on which the events that led to Naruto's death took place, no facts left out. It described how Orochimaru preyed on his targets and lured them into his traps. It had been easy, so easy, for the young avenger to be seduced by the promise of power, the curse seal that dimmed his common sense. Thankfully though, during his first few years Otogakure, Sasuke had developed that a jutsu to reverse and stop the corrosive affects on the sanity of a barer of the curse seal.

He couldn't help but shudder as Sasuke continued to recount the things he had done for Orochimaru - the things he had done in order to say alive… so he could find a way to atone for his sins. It only doubled how much harder the older man would have to work for it, but it seemed the only option. Then after all these years, a miracle had happened. He had been handed a task that he could not fail.

With Nanikato's presence in the world, things would change - radically. In training the boy, the Uchiha knew that he would be taking on even more problems then what he already had. Whatever Sasuke did coame down to one thing, and that was that the blonde held the fate of two great nations in his hands. If he sided with Oto, Konoha would fall. If he sided with Konoha, Oto would fall. And that was why Sasuke wanted nothing to do with either of them.

For the sake of a friend and the legacy he had left behind.

Such things, Inari realized, he hadn't thought about before. His rage and pain had overwhelmed all common sense. By all means he still hated the Uchiha, since he had been the one to kill Naruto after all, but now it was different. Like Sasuke, he would have to old feelings dies for Nanikato's sake. The blonde might not be Naruto, but he was his nii-san's legacy. Perhaps, he would be able to finish the things that their departed could not.

Perhaps…

“Is that it?”

Sasuke shock his head. “No. There is more - so much more - but I doubt that you'd really like to know about it. Even I have problems with it, and I experienced every part of it firsthand.”

Not knowing exactly why he did so, Inari found himself recounting his own tale. He spoke about how devastated he, as well as the whole of Sui, had been when they learned of Naruto's death. It didn't take long before he was once again pouring over the memories of his secret training, his longing for revenge and his meeting with Shinju-sensei.

Throughout the whole one-sided conversation, Sasuke listened respectfully - something Inari hadn't believed was possible until today - and watched him with fathomless black, but knowing eyes. They had shared similar losses in their days.

That in itself led to how he, Shinju-sensei and the village, had convinced the Navy to join them in building their own shinobi village. He gave no secrets, only speaking of the events that caused such to transpire. The vast majority of Uzugakure's ninja were the Nnavy, trained with seafaring battles while the rest were suited for land battles - a perfect diversity.

“We even decided to name it after Naruto too - just like the bridge.” he was said. “This time we took his last name, Uzumaki, instead, and shortening it to Uzu for Uzugakure. I above all wanted something to commemorate my nii-san. He saved us all and gave us hope, even after his he was gone.”

Sasuke nodded, looking way. “I know - he haunts me still.” Aand then he asked “So… will you let us go, or do you still want your revenge?”

Inari couldn't help but be speechless. Glancing over at the silent Nanikato, he swallowed. Although the man before him had killed his brother, he wasn't completely heartless - as much as he wished he were. No, rather Sasuke had a way to redeem himself. By protecting Naruto's clone - his legacy - Naruto lived on. It wasn't how he would have liked, but it was something he would have to live with.

“I will let you go,.” he replied softly, looking at his hands. “It - it's what Naruto-niisan would have wanted me to do. I still hate you, no doubt about that, but I cannot condemn the boy. It wouldn't be right if I took away one of the few people he considered precious - I would be no better then you were, all those years ago.”

“I can exceptaccept that - I expected no less.”

“Okay, but you're going to have leave soon because we can't have you being seen by any of my comrades. They won't be as… forgiving. You haven't been found out by anyone but okaa-san, ojii-san and myself, right?”

Sasuke nodded.

“Of course. We took our disguises seriously and how discreetly we walked out and about. No one would recognize us.”

“But I did.”

“You've been paranoid for almost thirteen years, waiting for the chance to kill me. I should know - it's the same with Itachi. Sometimes your mind can play tricks on you and you think everyone with small resemblances is the one your you're after. But you always know who it's you're after. Even if their appearance changes with age, it doesn't matter -- it's instinctive. So it doesn't surprise me that you were able to recognize who I was, even through the disguise.”

“But what about Nanikato?” Inari asked. “Someone could have seen him last night.”

“Nanikato knows better then to be seen, right?”

He and Uchiha turned towards the as of yet, silent boy. Only now he was looking back at them with a slightly terrified expression on his face. He looked like a deer caught in the deadlights or having gone from the frying pan and into the fire.

“Nanikato…”

Nanikato proceeded to whimper pathetically, trying to melt into his chair. Inari noticed that Sasuke was glancing at the blonde with what he recognize to be the same look that mothers's worldwide had patented as the `Evil Eye'. Quaking under the raven-haired man's stare, the boy swallowed at a lump that had just bungbegun to form in his throat.

“Nanikato…” Sasuke repeated, his voice deliberately slow this time.

“Gomennasai sensei,.” Nanikato laughed nervous. “I…”

The temperature dropped a couple degrees.

“Tell me what happened.”

“Well… umm… you see…”

“Spit it out already.”

Nanikato sunk deeper into his seat. “I kinda met someone last night…”

“I thought I told you to avoid people…”

Although thoroughly confused, Inari had to admit that the Uchiha playing the role of an angry parent was kind of scary - almost as scary whenever his mother got angry.

“Yes, but - ”

“Kyuuzano Nanikato! What have we just been talking about!?” the blonde flinched at the use of his full name. “There are people around here that knew Naruto - Inari is proof enough of that! If Konoha were ever to catch wind of your existence, they'd be all over you like bees on honey! And do you really think they'd let you live? While there are those with her walls that loved your brother, the Village Council and the Council of Elders are a bunch of biased bastards - the latter ungodly so! They would immediately condemn you to the same fact that Naruto suffered with all his life and more. Just being a clone is enough for them to point fingers and say that you are a blasphemous abomination! But I won't have it! I won't let you experience the same garbage that Naruto did!”

“Well I was distraught after you told me the truth! What was I suppose to do?” the blonde began to babble, waving his arms frantically. “I was frightened, so I ran. I ended up at this side of the bridge before I stopped and well… I… umm… I met someone - someone only I could see. Someone that you met… a long time ago… the last time you were here.”

Inari watched the pair trade off between the pair with even more confusion. He had been unable to believe his eyes when the older man had gone mother-style apocalyptic, and then even more so when Sasuke's onyx eyes suddenly widened dramatically, almost to the point of comical.

“You met Haku, didn't you?” the raven-haired man said in a hushed voice.

It wasn't a question.

Nanikato nodded timidly. “Yes. I-I asked him if he'd like to be a part of my contract. He agreed… on one condition…”

Contract? What kind of contract was the kid talking about?

“And that condition was?”

“That I had to impress his master first…”

“And how are you going to do that?”

The boy gulped.

“Umm… I have to summon him for a fight in ten minutes.”

“NANI!?”

Nanikato let out a squeal of terror, divinge under the table as Sasuke erupted, quacking as he dared to peek out from the other side, right next to where Inari was sitting. It was completely unlike his normally passive self, but really, who can be calm when Sasuke is going apoplectic, which wasn't normal for him either these days?.

“You mean to tell me that you agreed to fight Momochi Zabuza!”

There was a moment of silence following Sasuke's outburst before Inari jumped to his feet and blurted out, “But that's impossible!? He's dead!”

The Uchiha growled, glaring at him. “That's not a problem for the gaki here,” he snapped, jabbing his index finger at the blonde. “He can see ghosts and if they agree, he can summon them to the physical worldplain like other people can summon snakes, toads, slugs and turtles!”

Inari blanched before turning to look at Nanikato incredulously.

“You can't be serious! Please tell me you're not serious!”

The statement caused the boy to slip further back under the table. “I am,.” he whispered, inching backwards.

“But why!?” Inari thundered from above him.

It was Nanikato's turn to look at him incredulously this time. “If you could have an arsenal of some of the history's of the most powerful shinobi willing to aid you in battle, would you throw away the chance? The fact that I can see the souls of the dead that haven't moved on tells me that there is a whole reason for it. They haven't moved on because they have unfinished buisness, and perhaps by summoning them, I can help them finish that business.”

And with that, the boy stood and stormed off outside.

-.ooOoo.-

“You be careful.”

Nanikato paused in the midst of pulling on his white training gi and nodded.

“I will. But please remember - neither you nor Inari-san is allowed to interfere with this fight, okay? That means even though I might be hurt, you stay out. Zabuza-san won't actually be trying to kill me - that would defeat the purpose - and whatever injuries I do get, I heal ten times faster thanas normal humans do, so don't worry too much,.” he sighed as onyx eyes narrowed dubiously at him. “Look, this is going to be as real as possible. I haven't had much experience fighting others and while you and Tayuya-oneesama do a good job keeping me on my toes, I need a change. Those few missions I got when we were still in Oto were all the field experience I could get.”

Sasuke eyes only narrowed further. “You and I both know what the reason you took those missions was for… and it wasn't field experience.”

The blonde winced.

“Okay, okay - those missions were to keep me from thinking about my curse seal. I was having nightmares., Wwhat dido you expect?. So they helped me rein in my dark side, which I still have in check. I won't over do it, but I'll take this fight seriously. Now do you promise not to interfere?”

His sensei said nothing. “Well…”

“Fine. I give you my word that I won't interfere.”

Nanikato smiled brightly. “Was it that hard? Now don't worry about me - I'll win! Dattebayo!”

He didn't see Sasuke's cheek twitch or the warring look the older man had on his face when he turned and ran towards the center of the field that Inari had chosen for his test. As soon as he was there, he fell into a loose stance, his legs apart. Glancing over his shoulder, he watched as his sensei and Inari stood at the tree line, watching and waiting.

He looked away.

“`Okay… I can do this,.”' he whispered encouragingly to himself.

Taking a deep breath, the blonde brought his right thumb to his mouth and bit deeply into it. Now that his blood was bubbling free of the wound, there was no turning back. It was now or never. Concentrating, his fingers began flying into the choreographed patterns of the seals required forfrom spirit summoning.

As soon as they were done, Nanikato slammed his palm down upon the ground.

“Kuchiyose: Setsuzoku no Seirei!”

Gasping, the air around him exploded, causing dust to spin in a mini hurricane like dancers on the wind. What he saw now left him in awed silence. Three grapefruit sized flames of ghostly fire had appeared out of thin air and then began to orbit around him like moons did a planet. It was completely unlike when he had summoned Tanabata-hime. Since he only had one spirit contracted, there was no choice in which he was allowed to choose.

Of the flames, first was dazzling amber, resembling fresh liquid honey. The second flame was a frosty blue, resembling ice, while the third flame was a misty green that resembleding sea foam or a heavy fog. Smiling, he realized that the three orbiting flames were representinged the souls bound to his contract.

Tanabata-hime's was the amber, Haku's was the blue and Zabuza's was the green. Out of three, Tanabata-hime's glowed brighter, because she was the only one to have totally agreed with the contract - he'd have to win Haku and Zabuza over with this fight.

Cerulean eyes locking on the misty green flame, Nanikato reached out and touched it.

For a moment, there was nothing. Then the air exploded again, displacing, as the form of Momochi Zabuza appeared in the spot his flame had once been. For the first time in thirteen years, the feared Kiri-nin stood in the living, breathing flesh. Towering over his short stature, the blonde was forced to look up at the man he had just summoned.

Zabuza smirked down at him. “You ready now kid?”

“Just about. I have a few requests to make though.”

“Yeah? And what's that?”

“First, you remember that there's no killing?” he gestured to Sasuke and Inari. “I don't think they be too happy.”

“I'll just try to hack off a limb, how's about that?”

Nanikato refrained from rolling his eyes.

“And second, could you refrain from using bunshin?”

The tall man blinked.

“Whatever for?”

Nanikato sighed. “Bunshin are my handicap - I can't create them. I believe it's due to the fact that I am technically a bunshin myself,.” he replied. “It seems that even though I am true flesh and blood, everlasting-till-death-do-us-part kind of clone, I'm still unable to replicate myself like everyone else. That also makes me wonder if I even have the ability to procreate, but I digress. Anyway, since I lack the ability to create bunshin, I ask that of you that do not make them either - the odds are already stacked against me, don't you think?”

The former Kiri-nin crossed his arms. “Very well - no bunshin. Is that all?”

“Pretty much.”

“You still think you have what it takes kid? I wasn't called the `Demon of the Mist' for nothing, you know.”

The blonde nodded.

“Nice soubriquet and all, but it dealt away with the feelings of intimidations hours ago.”

“A shame. Let's being then.”

And that was all the warning Zabuza gave him as the man's monstrous sword appeared out of nowhere and descended upon him. Inwardly cursing, Nanikato threw everything into making his reflexes react. They did, thankfully, propelling him out of the sword's reach seconds before being cleaved in two.

Continuing to move, the blonde began to form seals at a rapid-fire pace. As he reached the last one, he took a deep breath and shouted, “Fuuton: Daitoppa!”

Ever the master swordsman, Zabuza managed to dodged most of the blast with only his left leg getting clipped and sending him into a tailspin. Almost as though he were dancing, the taller man turned it into a perfect pirouette on his right leg, using the spin for his own purposes as he retaliated against Nanikato's attack by catching the boy with a kick to the stomach as he regained balance, sending the blonde sprawling.

But Sasuke had taught Nanikato much better then that and the sprawl only lasted a second and he dropped into a crouch as his opponent unleashed an attack of his own.

“Suiton: Daibakufu!”

Thinking quickly, the blonde hastily summoning summoned up his divine shield of wind to protect himself from the massive explosion of water that came his way. When the water and the wind clashed, he was driven back a good twenty feet by the initial force, the whirling vortex that surrounded him spun the offending liquid like a mini tornado and sent it flying in all directions.

Unfortunately, however, he became thoroughly soaked thanks to the water that crashed down through the open gap in the crown of his shield.

He'd have to find some way to remedy that in the future…

As soon as the attack was dispelled, he released the shield of wind and went on the defensive. Using only kunai to parry Zabuza's might zanpato, Nanikato was forced to think up a new strategy, and quick. Summoning the former Kiri-nin had used up one third of his charka, while Fuuton: Daitoppa and Kamikaze no Kodate took up almost one quarter. That left him with just under half. If he didn't think of something, hise chakra was going to run out fast and he would be forced to rely on his bloodline limit and start drawing chakra from his surroundings.

There was only problem with that and that was he tended to become intoxicated on chakra that wasn't naturally his, causing him to become delirious and scarily giddy, like a tipsy drunk. So of course, that was the last resort option.

“Suiton: Suichuu Maikyuu”

Unfortunately, he didn't think fast enough.

Cursing his luck, Nanikato watched as walls of water began to form around him, creating a variable maze with seemingly no way out. Then the water rushed in and he found he couldn't breathe. Panicking, the blonde did a few seals and drew enough oxygen out of the water in order to create a melon-sized sphere of air in which to place his lips to and breathe.

Moving forward, he was stopped abruptly by an invisible wall. Cursing inwardly, he began to swim,; feeling along the walls for openings and shimmering that indicated the wall had come to an end. While playing the role of a fish, he was forced to pick up the pace, as Zabuza began assaulting him through the watery walls with his sword, trying to stab him.

Cursing some more, he really began to wish he hadn't agreed with the tall man's proposal to go `all-out' last night. Some test this was - it was murder! Glaring, his purposely gave the man the finger as he dodged the blows and continued to navigate the maze. But soon enough he began to feel lightheaded and sucking deeply on his bubble of air, Nanikato decided to go with that `last resort' option.

Closing his eyes, he touched the power within him and let it connect with all the living things around him. Outside his great maze of water, Zabuza watched in shock as the blonde acquired a multicolored aura, much like that of the rainbow, around him. When his eyes opened, bright silvery blue orbs reflected back and suddenly he moved without traction at all. In a blur he was moving, testing the walls and finding them until which he exploded out one end like a cannonball.

Gasping, he held his head woozily as he retched, blood leaking from his eyes, ears, mouth and nose.

Had Sasuke and Inari not given their word not to interfere, they would have been at his side in an instant. Coughing up some blood, a stupid grin slowly began to spread across Nanikato's face.

“What are you smiling about kid?” Zabuza snapped. “This is far from over.”

Nanikato only blinked up at him, giggling softly and his whiskered cheeks becoming a rosy red.

The former Kiri-nin stared at him a moment before bursting out laughing. “Your You're drunk! How the hell did that happen?”

“Nature chakra tastes good…” he slurred, drawing out his A's as he giggleding hysterically.

“Is that so?”

“Yep! Don't do it that often though - makes my sorta tipsy.”

“You do know that I could easily beat you right now?”

The blonde snickered. “You could try… I can't promise you it would go like you want. I'm kinda unpredictable like this…”

Zabuza raised his eyebrow, though the fact there wasn't really any eyebrow caused the boy to laugh even harder till he was rolling around on the ground clutching his sides. He just rolled his eyes and sheathed his sword, crossing his arms.

“You're odd kid, but I like you. Consider this battle in your favor.”

“Arigatou Zabuza-san!”

The former Kiri-nin only rolled his eyes. “Don't thank me yet. Part of my conditions to allowing you to summon me means you have let me train you in swordsmanship. I can promise you now that you'll never experience anything more brutal.”

All drunkenness left Nanikato in an instant as those words sobered him and all he could say was:

“Oh fuck.”

-.ooOoo.-

One Week Later:

“Nanikato - its time to get up.”

The blonde muttered a weak protest and rolled over, burring burrowing his head under his pillow.

“Do you want me to go get Tayuya? I'm sure she'd just love to introduce you to a bucket of ice water…”

Nanikato sat bolt upright, his cover clenched tightly in his hands and his blue eyes wide with fear. He looked up scathingly at Sasuke, who was smirking down at him. But it wasn't like hise glare was very intimidating for the older man, seeing as he was still mostly asleep. Giving his sensei the finger, which caused the Uchiha to reply with a rusty chuckle, he proceeded to get dressed heeadless of his audience.

Thankfully though, that was just enough incentive to get Sasuke to leaive the room.

As soon as he had dressed, packed, and relieved himself, Nanikato exited the room to find that Sasuke and Tayuya were already waiting for him outside. Looking out the closest window, he realized it wasn't even dawn yet. So, grumbling things about mean parents that, he left the hotel behind.

“Inari will be meeting us at the bridge,.” he heard Sasuke say as he yawned loudly, trying to rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as they traversed the fog covered streets of Sui.

“Whoopee…” Tayuya muttered. “Just what I need - to see that annoying little twerp again.”

“Inari-san isn't that bad onee-sama.”

“Is too.”

“Whatever you say…” Nanikato replied whilst cracking his neck.

It didn't take them long to get to the bridge, where Inari, and surprisingly Tsunami and Tazuna, were waiting. After having explained everything to Inari a week ago, his mother and grandfather had come to grow fond of him, like they had with Naruto before him. Once there, Sasuke spoke with the small family for a moment, while Tsunami continually sent Tayuya nervous glances and Tayuya just smirked evilly back.

Finally the older woman grew so nervous that she simply said goodbye, gave him a hug and dragged her father off without a word more, the old man protesting all the way.

“You'd best be going now,.” Inari finally said, looking his way while he did so. “The dawn patrol will be by this part in fifteen minutes to a half hour, so there's no point sticking around just to get caught.”

Tayuya snorted rudely, before marching down the bridge and leaving himself Nanikato and Sasuke alone with Inari.

Nanikato scratched the back of his head. “Umm… thanks for letting us go.”

Inari smiled softly.

“I'm doing this for Naruto-niisan. You remind me so much of him and not just in looks alone. I think he would have been proud of me…”

“I think so too.”

“Here,” Inari reached down and opened his kunai pouch. Reaching in, the young man pulled out a simple bear claw necklace. “I received it as a thank you gift from a wounded Kuma spirit I helped during a mission in Snow Country last year. It told me it will bring good luck to all it's given freely too and I think you'll be needing some good luck wherever it is you're going.”

He handed it to the blonde.

“Arigatou Inari-san…”

“You're welcome. Just be careful, okay?”

Nanikato smiled, clasping the charm around his neck. “I will - you don't need to worry about me.”

“Good. Sayonara Nanikato-kun.”

“Sayonara Inari-san.”

With that, Inari and Sasuke shared a nod and the younger man vanished. Smiling to himself, the blonde followed along behind his sensei as they began walking down the bridge. It was only when they finally caught up with Tayuya that the fatigue of having been woken up so early finally came back to haunt him.

It just had to be his misfortune to have such a long way to go. As planned, he and his little `family' would cross the Great Naruto Bridge and skirt along the boarder of Fire Country en route to Wind Country and wherever else their travels took them, most likely Earth Country.

“Why couldn't you have given me just a few more hours of sleep? I know we had to get out before morning the morning patrol, but I'm still tired. Couldn't we have just stayed here? I know we could have found some place nice that wasn't out for your blood,” he muttered darkly, pulling his poncho closer around him for extra warmth against the sliver hour chill.

Sasuke sighed.

“Because itsit's already mid August and I don't plan on settling in a damp climate when winter comes, not to mention that they've got their own hidden village now. Inari may have promised to keep the knowledge of our having been here a secret for your sake, but I doubt any other ninja is going to be as sympathetic. It would have only been a matter of time before they found us. Besides, I already had to celebrate my twenty-fifth birthday on a boat - I don't want to have anything to do with mass quantities of water for a very long time to come.”

“So what? Do you really think I want to celebrate my thirteenth - no wait, first - birthday on the road? That's only a little over month and a half away!”

The two adults simply ignored him and so they continued on in relative silence, save for a few loud curses from Tayuya every now and then.

Tuning out the rest of the world, the blonde listened to the sounds of nature for any signs of danger. The most he got was were static-like whispers, almost as if he was trying to listen to a conversation through a reinforced steel wall. He didn't know what to think about the odd hum, and so paid it no serious mind.

He would find out fifteen mintuesminutes later that he should have.

It was as they slowly approached the end of the bridge that the fine hairs on the back of Nanikato's neck began to raise. His pulse quickened, his nerves tingling and nose twitching as an odd sent drifted down wind. Glancing at his sensei and his older sister, he knew both Sasuke and Tayuya had reciprocated the sensation. If they were sensing it, then he defiantly definitely had an incredibly bad feeling about this.

He swallowed his nervousness, steeling his revolve. He couldn't get chicken at time like this. Then Sasuke-sensei warily slowed his pace, Tayuya-oneesama only a step behind him. With their senses going on high alert, he watched as Sasuke activated his Sharingan for good measure. Oh Kami… this really was going to serious.

Deciding that he'd best do the same, Nanikato activated his Shinzuigan.

`Be cautious…'

The blonde twitched, looking left from right as the soft whisper breathed into his ear the same moment his eyes became that ethereal silvery blue.

`Listen to reason…'

`Do what's right…'

Groaning from the pressure on his eardrums, Nanikato placed his hands over them. It didn't help. The whispers continued, growing more persistent.

`Listen to your heart…'

`Be brave…'

`Stand your ground…'

`Protect your precious people - theymean them harm…'

It was as if Nature itself was warning him of approaching danger… or was it something else?

`We believe in you Nanikato. Stay strong, and never ever give up.'

Shivering, he pulled his hood securely over his head.; Hhe gazed off into the thinning mist. In the distance, he could just make out the vibrant outlines of a quartet of glowing lights. He stopped his progress at the same time that as his sense and as if by some sort of magic, the mist was drawn away like curtain and standing about a hundred feel away, four masked sentinels waited for them.

`Kuso…' Nanikato could help but silently curse. `They feel strong.'

Their colors were a vivid pallet as well. Black hatred waltzed with red passion, blue grief, yellow pride, and pink, which was a mixture of white purity tainted by passion. Just seeing such a collection of colors amassed in one place made him shudder. If one thing was for certain, it was the fact that the black hared was directed directly at them.

Waiting for them like hungry dogs were four Konoha ANBU.

For Sasuke, he cursed inwardly as well. He had been hoping that their sidetracked trip to Lightning Country would have thrown them off their trail. Unfortunately, they must have heard too much of his and Tayuya's conversation that day in Oto to have given up so easily. It was to be expected, he guessed.

But even though they're their respective identities were hidden behind the masks of a Hawk, a Wolf, a Dragon, and Tiger, the young Uchiha knew each one of them.

The whole atmosphere around of the Hawk-masked ANBU screamed Hyuuga to the smallest little detail. With his pale skin, full-length indigo hair, beige battle kimono and a rigid stance that was drilled into all shinobi of the great clans, it could only be Hyuuga Neji.

The twin buns that resembled the ears of some rejected teddy bear adorned the head of the Wolf-masked ANBU was complete dead giveaway to her identity. If it weren't for the hair, then the Chinese style top and billowing pants would have marked her as Atsuigane Tenten.

There was no mistaking the Dragon-masked ANBU, though his whole appearance had surprisingly changed from clothing to hairstyle;, with the unbridled energy he possessed gave him away too. There had only been one other person that Sasuke knew to possess that kind ofjust energy aside from Naruto and that was Rock Lee.

But looking at the Tiger-masked ANBU left Sasuke with a sickening feeling of cold dread in his stomach. It was thewas eyes beyond the eyeholes of the mask that told him whole the last man was. They were brown, ones that he could clearly remember when he was a child, twinkling with light and laughter, but stern when need be. Seeing those eyes baring such a lackluster quality was completely unsettling. Although lots of things could change in nearly thirteen years, he knew that the change of those eyes was his fault.

It made the weight of his crimes all the more heavier.

`Iruka-sensei. Oh dear Kami - I forgot about you…'

The killing intent was nearly tangible, causing Sasuke to unconsciously move in front of Nanikato, protecting him from a furry that he didn't deserve.

Although the team couldn't see the boy's face due to his hood hiding it in t he shadows -, thank heavens -, he had no idea how they would react to his identity. Iruka, who had been like an older brother or a father for Naruto, might very well kill the blonde - believing as he once had, that Nanikato was a mockery of Naruto's memory…

But he'd be damned if he let that happen.

Then out of the corner of eye, he watched Tayuya as she did the same. Inwardly he was thankful for her, but he would never let her know that. Nanikato had Naruto's gift for changing people and had her won her over too.

“S-sensei…” Nanikato whispered, his unease with the situation tangible. “What's going on? Who are those people?”

Sasuke didn't even look back at the blonde. “I want you to get as far away from here as possible…”

“Nani!? But - ”

“No buts Nanikato - those four are ANBU, some of Konoha's best at that,.” he hissed to the boy. “Although I may have taught you many things and that you are undoubtedly strong, you'd stand no chance against them. The Tiger-masked ANBU loved Naruto like a son. If he finds out exactly who you are, there's no telling what he might do to you.”

Nanikato gulped. “But what about you and Tayuya-oneesama?”

“We're big kids now gaki - we can take care of ourselves,.” the redhead replied.

“Now I want you to go find Inari and stay with him,.” Sasuke continued. “He is the only I trust to protect you from those who would undoubtedly use you for their own purpose and throw you away when you're no longer of use - just like Orochimaru would have. If we don't make it back, stay in Wave Country and learn what you can until you are strong enough to protect yourself from the real villains in this world.”

“But - ”

“Please Nanikato.” Aall other protests died in the blonde's throat when he saw the look in his sensei's eyes. They were begging him to leave, desperate for to get himself to safety. He knew, - really knew, that Sasuke didn't want to be reasonable for his death like he was with Naruto's. Remembering what the whispers had said, he decided to listen to reason.

“Okay…”

“Good.” Sasuke preformed a few seals and a portal the size of sewer manhole appeared on the stone between them. “Go. This will take you a good fifty feet - a good head start - and don't slow down for anything. You got that?”

“Yes. But before I go, you are going to need more help.”

But first heHe would make sure that his precious people were safe. Without another word, Nanikato bit his thumb and formed the seals required for summoning spirits. Although he had exponentially raised his large chakra reserves in the last week since his fight with Zabuza, he was going to have only a little over better then one quarter left after this.

With the familiar blast of cool air, the three glowing fire orbs emerged into existence around him. This time he reached out and touched both Haku-niisan's frost blue and Zabuza's misty green, soul flames. With the whirling sound of air being displaced, a solemn faced Haku and Zabuza appeared, dressed the same way they had been when they had died thirteen year ago.

He nodded gravely to the pair and pointed towards their opponents.

“I need you fight in my place Haku-niisan, Zabuza-san. Sasuke-sensei doesn't want me to fight them, but they need the help. Please help them.”

The feminine brunette smiled softly at him, and then pulled him close in hug. “Of course. You just stay safe for us, okay?”

“I'll do my best.”

With a short glance at Zabuza, Sasuke and Tayuya, Haku gently shoved him towards the portal. Stepped forward, Nanikato allowed himself to be swallowed up by the portal.

But just before he disappeared completely, he heard Zabuza say,. “Looks like another battle is to be fought on this bridge, huh Uchiha? Hopefully we don't `die' this time too though.”

Rolling his eyes, he didn't really think he would ever be able to understand why ghosts had such odd senses of humor…

-.ooOoo.-

They had been ready for them at the other end of bridge on the side of Fire Country. It had been Lee's idea that they make camp there and await the arrival of they're their preay. During that time, Iruka and Neji were busy sending mission reports back to Shikamaru in Konoha via carrier hawk.

They couldn't help but relax a little knowing that their Hokage knew of their `extra' mission and the knowledge of Yakushi Kabuto's cloning enterprise. Shikamaru had made only one request and that was that they try and make it back as quickly and safely as possible. Since Uchiha Sasuke and Mateki no Tayuya's desertion, Otogakure had begun to amass its forces again and sooner then later, the war would begin anew.

But the Nanadaime Seventh Hokage also knew the importance of keeping the two S-rank nin and the clone out of Orochimaru's hands, and thus had given them the nodded ok for the continuation of their mission that would hopefully lead to their capture. As of now, only Shikamaru, the ANBU and the Oinin forces knew and were prepared for the possible capture and return of the infamous Uchiha Sasuke.

With the coronation festival of Uzugakure a week ago, they knew it wouldn't be long for they're praytheir prey to come to them. Lee andLee, and surprisingly Tenten, had expressively adamant about working them all to the bone in preparation.

And today, as they stood in wait like they had for the last several days, a trio of chakra presences began making their way across that bridge that stretched across the sea and connected Fire Country with Wave Country.

“Get ready…” Iruka spoke softly, but it was infused with the underlying tension that they all were feeling.

Slowly, the mist began to clear and before them was were the objectives of their mission.

Uchiha Sasuke stood on the left, dressed in charcoal gray battle kimono, a katana securely tied to the black obi. Mateki no Tayuya stood to the right, dressed like a lecher's (cough-Jiraiya-cough) favorite wet dream in red corset halter-top and black formfitting leather pants, her customary genjutsu flute twirling anxiously like a baton. As for the clone, Nanikato, he stood between the two, dressed in brown cargo pants and a dark gray poncho with the hood drawn - which to their shared ire, concealed his identity.

All they could see was a pair of hauntingly silvery blue eyes that gave them all the willies, no matter how apathetic or battle hardened each of them were.

At the same time they glanced at the boy, the Uchiha and the flute wielder moved to stand protectively before their young charge, like a pair of vicious hawks protecting their chick. The shrouded youth peeked nervously around the Uchiha and then began whispering. The raven-haired man spoke too, his calculating Sharingan eyes never leaving them. But then he did turn to the boy, an almost pleading looking look on his face.

Then there was a feel of resignation coming from the boy as he nodded and the Uchiha preformed some sort of jutsu. Since they were just totoo far away to see, they didn't know what he had done. But then the boy started talking again, and biting his thumb, preformed a familiar sequence of hand seals.

“Kisama! He's summoning!” Neji hissed, tensing and preparing for a fight.

Lee and Tenten followed his lead, while Iruka simply continued to watch. He was wondering what exactly the boy could have the power to summon.

“It can't possibly be anything of worry,.” he replied. “Surly Orochimaru wouldn't have let the boy learn how to summon snakes, and even if he had, there could be no way someone that was only technically a year old could produce anything that could pose a threat to us.”

Iruka was soon forced to eat his words.

Air exploded around the boy as three shimmering flames materialize out of nowhere to surround him. Without waiting a beat, the boy reached out and touched two of them. Moments later the air was displaced and two people appeared. Since when was there a summoning contact for people? Then something stuck him as odd. The taller of the two summoned ninja looked exactly like the first real opponent Team Seven had fought. He remembered Sakura telling him stories of the battle for Wave Country with A-rank missing-nin Momochi Zabuza. But this was impossible - the man was dead.

Then other summoned nin, a boy no older then the clone Nanikato - who name was Haku if he could remember correctly - hugged the hooded boy and pushed the boy him forward, in which he vanished by dropping through a hole in the bridge and appearing out of thin air fifty feet behind them!

An instantly later, they were engaged in battle.

“I get the Ookami!”

Frozen for a moment, as the world seemed to move past him in slow motion, Iruka watched as the swordsman with the massive zanpato accosted Tenten. The two weapon's users squared off, fighting an evenly matched battle. He continued to watch as the feminine boy, who was surprisingly, just as fast as the taijutsu master, engaged Lee. From there, Neji took up battle with the redhead, Tayuya. Out of all the opponents his teammates had, the Hyuuga seemed to have the better hand.

That left him with Sasuke.

“Hisashiburi dana… Iruka-sensei…”

-.ooOoo.-

Further Down the Bridge:

Due to the battles they were fighting, there was no one to go after the clone. Knowing that it was imperative that the boy be taken captive or at least killed, someone was going to have go after him. That left Iruka with the task of sending some reinforced Kage Bunshin after him. Out of the seven he had produced, all but two had been dispatched.

That left the survivors to follow their target with the grace of a predator. Because simply, there was no way they could let the boy escape. But the boy was fast, never slowing or faltering as they raced back towards the village of Sui on the other end of the bridge. Once they clone was capture, they would take him back to the original Iruka, who would then take their prisoner back to Konoha. Although they didn't normally execute children, this boy might prove to be an exception.

He was the abominabley creation of Yakushi Kabuto and Orochimaru, not to mention the protégée of Uchiha Sasuke. There would be much discussion once the interrogators had their way with him, discovering the secrets and brainwashing he held in his head that could be potentially dangerous to the village. There was always the chance that they could `rehabilitate' the child and have him work for them. The chances of that were immensely slim, but still possible.

Then the boy vanished suddenly and before the two bunshin could react, he appeared above them and proceeded to give to give the closest one a brutal kick to the back of the head a he descended into an elegant crouch. The kick, which would have killed him had he been real, caused the bunshin to vanish - leaving only one to take care of the task at hand.

“Give up now and you won't harmed,” the remaining bunshin said tonelessly.

The clone snorted. “You really think I'm going to believe that bullshit?” there was something about familiar about his voice that the bunshin couldn't place. He passed it off, believing it to be nothing more the native accent of the people of Rice Country, seeing at were he was born and learned to talk. “And from a Kage Bunshin at that?”

The bunshin frowned, crossing his arms.

“You're no better yourself, child.”

“Did I say I was? No. All I have to do is make a decisive hit and you go bye-bye.”

“Want to try me?”

The boy stretched like a cat. “Not particularly.”

“Why.”

“Because Sasuke-sensei told me you were out of my league, even if you are just an analogue of the original. I don't fancy the thought of being killed, thank you very much.”

He couldn't help but feel particularly incensed by the boy attitude. It wasn't that he was smug, but that he was confidant in his belief in the Uchiha traitor.

“But…” he continued. “I won't let you kill my precious people.”

“Precious? Those two are bloody murderers! Your sensei murdered my little brother!”

The hooded boy flinched slightly.

“That changes nothing. Sasuke-sensei told me of his actions that day and I have forgiven him - you should too.”

“Never! I'll never forgive that bastard for killing Naruto!”

“You know ANBU-san, letting your emotions get the better of you is a critical flaw in battle. Tengoku-taki no Tsurugi: Seijun Kaze Kaisen!”

Feeling the variable burst of potent chakra, the Iruka-bunshin leapt back as the clone's back began to glow pure white. Leaning forward, his hand going went behind his back and pulled out a magnificent katana.

Standing straight and pointing the katana directly at him, the poncho's hood fell backwards and the boy's face was finally revealed. The bunshin gasped, stumbling backward as a pair of glaring blue eyes burnt holes into his already wounded soul.

The face, he realized, belonged to Naruto.

-.ooOoo.-

Translations/Original Jutsus:

Suiton: Suichuu Maikyuu/Water Release: Underwater Labyrinth - lower to mid B-rank ninjutsu. In context, this attack is much like Suiton: Suiro, as it acts as a prison of water that traps its victims. This technique creates a complex maze of chakra-enforced walls that stretches a distance of 25x25 feet. In order to survive, the victim must successfully find their way through the labyrinth before running out of oxygen. Although the survival rate is low, those that do make it out unfortunately suffer the aftereffects of lack of slow depressurization - very painful…

Tengoku-taki no Tsurugi: Seijun Kaze Kaisen/Celestial Sword: Pure Winds of Revolution - upper B-rank semi-summoning ninjutsu. Once Tengoku-taki no Yaiba Soushi' has been used to create a blade that represents its creator's soul,this jutsu allows it to summoned into battle. When not in use, this celestial weapon is stored within its creator's body, waiting its moment to be summoned. The name of the jutsu in which to summon it forth is different forever sword and comes instinctively to its creator when needed. Nanikato's sword in particular is a katana, a blade forged from the sides of his soul that represent both wind and purity.