Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Back to the Past ❯ Chapter Eight: Still The Mission to Land of the Waves ( Chapter 8 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

They climbed into the wooden boat with Tazuna and a nervous man who was steering it. After they were on the water, the guy got out a long stick and started to push into the thick fog.

"What a thick fog." Sakura commented.

"Sakura-Chan your right, why is it so thick?" Naruto yelled.

Sakura glared at him and slapped her hand over his mouth. "Shh, you need to be more quiet." Sakura snapped as she lifted her hand from Naruto's mouth.

"We should see the bridge soon." The boat driver said suddenly.

After a few seconds of peering through the thick fog they were able to see the end of the giant bridge just as the driver said. They all gaped at its size.

"It's big." Naruto said loudly.

"Shh, Naruto." Sakura ordered, glaring again.

Kakashi spoke up. "Tazuna, there's something I need to ask you before we reach the shore." Everyone looked at Tazuna. "Tell me the identity of those after you. If you don't tell us, then our mission ends when the boat reaches the land." Kakashi stated seriously.

"Kakashi don't ask him that." Sakura said. Then she looked Kakashi in the eye. "Kakashi, who are the demon brothers working for?"

"Zabuza Momochi." Kakashi answered, then blinked, realizing what he just said. "Tazuna, we're waiting now." Kakashi warned, focusing his one eye on the man.

Tazuna, sweating nervously under Kakashi's unblinking stare, sighed. "Looks like I have no choice but to tell you... No, I want you to know. You're right that this is probably beyond your mission scope. There is a super-dangerous man after my life." Tazuna admitted.

"Super-dangerous-man?" Kakashi questioned.

"Yes," Tazuna said.

"Who?" Kakashi asked.

"You've probably at least heard of his name before, the wealthy shipping magnate, a man named Gatou." Tazuna responded.

Kakashi's eye widened."Huh! Gatou... from that Gatou company? He's said to be one of the world's few extremely wealthy people."

"Who is what now?" Naruto asked Kakashi.

Tazuna ignored Naruto's question, instead answering Kakashi. "Yes, officially he runs a large shipping company, but secretly he sells drugs and other illegal items, using ninja and gang members to take over businesses and counties. He's a very nasty businessman."

They all went quiet as they reached the shore. They all climbed out of the boat and started walking along the path, listening for any movement. They hadn't gone far when Naruto suddenly threw a kunai into the bush. Everyone stopped and stared in that direction and Sakura walked over to it. She saw a white bunny huddled at the base of a tree. She wracked her brain for knowledge on where the blade would come from then disappeared, reappearing in the air catching a long sword. She landed back down in front of Kakashi.

"Sakura." Kakashi whipsered in shock. He was astonishment that she caught that sword and with ease too. She also knew when it was comming, she had to know.

"Kakashi-sensei, do you feel that chakra or not?" Sakura asked while she dropped the sword to the ground.

"So you sense me little girl?" A voice sneered from within the trees.

As they looked around, Sakura felt another familiar chakra nearby, too. 'That must be Haku'

"Hey, You can come out now, I know where Zabuza is and I know there's another ninja watching us." Sakura said to the trees. There was a stunned silence as Zabuza appeared in front of them.

"Really?" A masked ninja asked as he appeared beside Zabuza.

"You're not a hunter ninja. You would have attacked Zabuza instantly, but instead you stand beside him. In fact, I think you and him are a team. You have done this many times over the years and no one has caught you," Sakura said to them. "You really need to get a new disguise. Zabuza, the Demon of the Mist, and his apprentice Haku, last descendant of the ice-users."

Needless to say that Sakura's teammates and sensei were in shock while Tazuna was looking at her with amazement. Zabuza and Haku looked at her with a mix of fury and shock. To them this little girl, younger than Haku, had figured them out within seconds when older and more experienced ninja haven't.

"So, you figured us out." Haku said to her. He took off his mask and dropped it, revealing a shockingly feminine face. His long black hair was tied in a bun on his head and his jet black eyes looked at Sakura with unease.

"You might be smart, girl, I'll give you that, but I still have a job to do. And that is to kill the bridge builder." Zabuza said while he and Haku disappeared from sight.

Sakura looked around to see where Zabuza was going to appear. Her eyes widened and she jumped up and pushed Kakashi away.

Right where Kakashi had just been was Zabuza with his hand raised. Sakura took Kakashi's place, taking the brunt force of his hit with her arm. They all heard the snapping of her bones and watched in shock and horror as Sakura was thrown back near Naruto. Naruto was frozen, staring at Sakura who was cradling her arm and trying to stand up.

Kakashi appeared beside her and helped her sit up. "Sakura are you okay?" At her nod he turned to the rest of his team. " Naruto, Sasuke! Protect Tazuna."

The boys jumped into action as they placed themselves around Tazuna. Sakura gasped in pain as she set her bones back together, startling Kakashi. Her hand glowed green and Kakashi and the rest were in shock that she knew healing jutsu.

Haku looked intrigued and he smirked, turning to Zabuza. "I'll take the girl on."

"No, you'll watch." Zabuza ordered.

"Oh no, you and me will be fighting." Sakura told them while she rapidly did some hand seals before biting her thumb and slamming her hand on the ground. "Summoning jutsu."

Smoke appeared all around Sakura as four tigers appeared. They went to Sakura and she gave each of them a quick scratch. "Get Tazuna, Naruto and Sasuke out of here," She ordered the one on her right.

The tiger went over to Naruto, Sasuke and Tazuna and guarded them as they all made their way down the path. Sakura addressed two of the remaining tigers. "Get them." The tigers seemed to grin as they charged at Zabuza and Haku. She looked at Kakashi while hopping on the back of the remaining tiger.

"Kakashi, get on." Sakura said, getting cut off as several of Haku's ice needles hit the tiger she was on, making it dispel and sending Sakura to the ground. She looked up to see Zabuza dispel his tiger while Haku's left him to head over to her.

Sakura started as she was suddenly plucked from the ground. "You and I are going." Kakashi said, running over to meet the remaining tiger. "And maybe you can explain to me how you can summon animals."

"As long as you promise not to freak out." Replied Sakura as they met up with the tiger while dodging the constant attacks. Unfortunately, Zabuza got in a lucky hit and the tiger was dispelled. Kakashi put Sakura down and moved to stand in front of her.

"Yeah maybe you can fill us in too, girl." Hissed Zabuza. "Haku get the girl and get back to the base."

"Hai, Zabuza." Haku said before he raced towards them to get Sakura.

Sakura moved out from behind Kakashi, shaking off his hand. She gathered her chakra while keeping an eye on Haku. When he was where she wanted him she punched the ground, destroying it up to where Haku had stopped in shock.

"What?!" Zabuza yelled.

Sakura smirked. "You know, if you had just asked nicely I might have told you, but not anymore." Sakura stopped to do more hand seals and everyone's eyes widened as they recognized them. "Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu!" said Sakura as she directed the water dragon to wash away Zabuza and Haku. As everything settled around them Sakura suddenly fell to the ground.

"Sakura." Yelled Kakashi as he ran over to her.

"Kakashi, you okay?" asked Sakura tiredly as Kakashi gingerly picked his student up.

"I'm okay, you not." Kakashi said as he walked around the damage to follow the path to Tazuna's hosue.

"Kakashi, can you put me down?" asked Sakura.

"Why?" asked Kakashi.

"So I can heal myself." Answered Sakura. Kakashi nodded and set her down, letting her lean against him as she healed her wounds. She sighed in relief as the pain faded. "That's better."

"Okay, Sakura, tell me now." Demanded Kakashi as he picked her back up and continued walking.

"No, Kakashi, I'll come to you when I'm ready. You'll just be pushing me and it's too soon. Ask me later, please." asked Sakura who pouted to add more affect.

Kakashi tried looking anywhere but directly at her but he eventually gave in with a sigh. "Fine but I just feel out of the loop."

"You find out soon enough." Replied Sakura as she succumbed to her growing exhaustion and fell asleep curled against Kakashi's chest.

"I hope so, Sakura." Said Kakashi looking up at the sky.

"KAKASHI-SENSEI!, SAKURA-CHANNNN!" Shouted Naruto as he ran out of Tazuna's house towards them.

"Naruto be quite, Sakura is asleep." Kakashi snapped.

"Hey Dobe be quiet." Said Sasuke but he was inwardly thinking, 'Thank god, she's okay, but how did Sakura know that that hunter ninja wasn't who is he said he was, same with the sword, she caught it before even Kakashi-sensei could sense it?'

"Hey Kakashi take her in my house, Sakura can sleep up stairs." Tazuna said as he stepped out. Kakashi nodded and all of them went inside. They were stopped in the kitchen by a little boy going up to Tazuna and hugging him.

"Grandfather." Inari said.

A beautiful woman came out from another room and worriedly looked at Tazuna."Father, are you okay?" asked Tsunami.

"Yes, I'm okay, this is the team of ninja that has accompanied me home." Replied Tazuna.

"Thanks for looking after my father." Said Tsunami, bowing to them before noticing the pink haired girl unconcious in the silver haired man's arms. "Oh dear, is she okay?"

"Oh, Sakura. Yes, she just used a bit too much of her chakra. Some good rest is all she needs." Replied Kakashi.

"Okay, here let me set her up in a room and get her changed into some PJ's." said Tsunami.

"Sure." Replied Kakashi handing her over to her.

A/N- I hope you like this chapter. TTFN Bye