Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Back to Reality ❯ Breaking loose, and Surprising Revelations ( Chapter 7 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Shadow15 
Kat, Naruto and Sasuke find that fighting Haku isn't that easy, and at the end of it all, Kat comes to a surprising revelation.
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Adventure / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 01.07.2007 | Pages: 2 | Words: 4.6K | Visits: 176 | Status: Completed
Kat, Naruto and Sasuke find that fighting Haku isn't that easy, and at the end of it all, Kat comes to a surprising revelation.
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Adventure / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 01.07.2007 | Pages: 2 | Words: 4.6K | Visits: 176 | Status: Completed
I don’t own any Naruto characters but Katsuki, Sami, Kaiya, and Rei belong to me! ^^
Chapter Seven
Breaking loose, and Surprising Revelations
“So you’re awake…” A soft voice floated through Kakashi’s head and he nodded. “How long was I out?” Tsunami smiled softly at him. “A day and some odd hours…” He grimaced and tried to sit up. “Don’t try and force yourself!” He grinned at her and sighed thoughtfully. “Don’t worry, I…can get up.” He said as he got up shakily. Tsunami came closer to him, being ready to become a crutch if he fell. Laying his arm across her shoulders, he hunched down as she led them downstairs. “Where are Sasuke, Kat, and Naruto?” Tsunami smiled at the thought of his young students. “They’re outside training. After they brought you here, they rested for a while then went into their training right away.” Kakashi was surprised, well not really when it comes to these three. “Hmm…interesting.” Having Kakashi sit down on chair, she brought a crutch to him. “Here. It’ll be of some use to you.”
“Arigato.” he murmured and got up, then walked outside. He was amazed to see a fight going on between all three of his pupils, jutsu and fists flying about. “Fuuton: Kaze No Yaiba!” Kat shouted, destroying three of Naruto’s shadow clones. Naruto’s shadow clones rushed at Kat, ready for an all out taijutsu battle, but shock was evident on their faces when she whipped out four kunai which made the clones disappear.
A small smirk played over Kakashi’s masked face and his voice was heard by Kat, Sasuke, and Naruto over the noise of their training session. “That’s enough for now. I have something else that I wish for you to do.” Naruto cocked his head to the side in confusion. ”What is it Kakashi-sensei?” Kakashi grinned at the bewildered look that was splayed across Naruto’s face. “I want you to climb a tree….but with no hands.” Naruto looked at Kakashi incredulously. “How in the heck are we supposed to do that?!?”
“Well it would go something like this…” blue chakra gathered at his feet, and to the three’s amazement, he had walked straight up the tree. “Wow!! Kakashi-sensei, are you going to explain how you did that?” Naruto asked. Kakashi chuckled. “And you think that I wouldn’t?” He shook his head. “No but….” Kat grabbed his shoulders. “Naru, shut up and listen, ok?” Naruto pouted. “Fine.”
Walking down slowly, Kakashi stood in front of them. “First of all, this exercise is to help your chakra control. You start by gathering chakra at you feet, and mind you that if you gather too much or too little, you will be thrown off balance and fall off the tree. If you can get the correct balance of chakra, you should be able to climb the tree. Now go and try it out.”
Gathering a good amount of chakra at their feet, the trio ran at their designated tree with breakneck speed, and found that they stuck to the tree for a while, and fell down when their chakra fluxed in power. “Hey, I made it up the furthest, but damn, this is hard!” Kat said as she looked at the two boys with a wry grin. “It helps if you concentrate more and try to clear your mind of everything.” Kakashi remarked.
Nodding, Sasuke and Naruto walked back with a kunai in hand, then ran to their tree with the intention of getting to the top. They got further than they did last time but they were still making little progress. Slashing at the bark of the tree, both boys flipped easily as they descended back to the ground.
“Hmm…maybe this’ll work….” Kat’s feet glowed and pulsed with her chakra, and as she controlled it to a point that she felt that her control couldn’t be any more correct at the time, and sprinted to the large, towering tree. A small smile flitted across her face as she easily walked up the rest of the tree. Sitting on a large tree branch, she stared down at the rest of her team with happy eyes. “Hey, I made it to the top!” With ease, she walked down the tree slowly, to the amazement of the two boys. How did she do it before me? What did she do to make it to the top? Sasuke pondered, and stared at kat with a blank expression.
Kat gave him a small smile and nodded as Kakashi told her to sit back and watch the two boys try and prefect the exercise. Smiling, she giggled lightly as the two made some progress, but not enough for their standards. Narrowing his eyes, Sasuke dropped to the ground beside Kat. I can’t believe I’m doing this… “How did you climb the tree?” he asked the serene looking Kat. Kat blinked in surprise and turned to him. “Oh, it’s actually easy if you think about it. All you have to really do is clear your mind as much as possible and focus your chakra at a constant rate in your feet. Well then voila! There you go!” she said and grinned at his slightly shocked face. “What? Don’t believe me? Try it for yourself!” He nodded and did as she said, noticing that he was actually walking up the tree instead of falling down it for once.
“WHAAAAT?!? Sasuke-teme, how did you get up the tree before me?!” Naruto yelled angrily as he stared upward, finding an amused Sasuke walking back down with a smirk on his face. “Something that you lack dobe. Control.” he wasn’t going to tell him that he had asked Kat for help, and if he did, he wouldn’t let him live it down. “Well, it seems that you two have mastered this exercise. Naruto, I’m going to give you a few hints to control you chakra more. Try and clear your thoughts and then focus your chakra at a consistent rate in your feet. You should be able to climb it then.” Naruto nodded and went back at it. “Well, I’m going back to Tazuna’s, you two can do what you wish.”
Kat sighed. “Aw hell, I guess I’ll go back. Are you coming Sasuke?” He nodded and followed her back. Stopping in front of Tazuna’s, Kat turned around and glanced at Sasuke with a smirk. “Wanna have a spar against me? We never really finished our last one…” He smirked at her and slipped into his usual stance. Kat followed and as she launched herself at him, she started out with a flurry of kicks and punches to his abdomen and head, and she smirked herself as he blocked them. “I’m glad that you aren’t weak…normally, people would’ve been on the ground with just my taijutsu.” A smirk was ever present on Sasuke’s face, and her replied with, “It’s something that comes naturally to most of our clan, but being weak is something that I’ve always detested.” Watching as Kat drew a kunai, he drew one as well, and in a shower of sparks they collided, a resounding “Zing.” was heard and they continued to fight once more. Springing apart, Kat had a devilish idea that might just work. She began the seals for a fuuton jutsu, and just to surprise him, she pulled another jutsu out of her arsenal. Finishing the last seal for Fuuton: Kaze no Yaiba, she followed it up with another elemental attack, Katon: Karyuu Endan. She was glad that she had Sandaime-ojiisan teach her some of his jutsu, they were quite useful.
Using kawarmi to dodge the first attack, Sasuke countered her attack with Katon: Goyakuu no jutsu. The two attacks collided head on, and exploded in a burst of flame. Rushing into the dying flames with intense speed, and launched a kunai at Sasuke. Being interrupted again, this time by their sensei, who was clapping in amusement. “Its interesting that you know those attacks Kat. Sasuke, you did a good job avoiding and countering them.” Sasuke glanced at Kakashi with slight confusion. “What do you mean sensei?” Kakashi laughed. “Well, to start, Karyuu Endan is one of the hokage’s favorite techniques. I assume that he taught you that one.” Kat nodded. “Yeah, ojiisan wanted to teach someone some of his jutsu before he was replaced by a new hokage….It’s really cool that he did it too.”
The Sandaime had taught Kat? Interesting….I wonder how strong she really is. Sasuke pondered. Kat grinned and jumped up. “Hey, how about we go and get something to eat…I for one am hungry…” Kakashi grinned in amusement. “Well, Tsunami has prepared dinner for us, and it’s ready. Go and get Naruto, he shouldn’t be pushing himself too hard.” Sasuke and Kat nodded and they found themselves walking back to Naruto’s training spot in a comfortable silence. I…I can actually enjoy her presence? She is unlike any girl that I’ve met…She isn’t fawning over me like the rest…that’s something to be desired for in anyone of the opposite sex…Why am I thinking of her like this?
“Hey Naru! Dinner’s ready!…Naru?” she glanced up and found that Naruto had taken their sensei’s words to heart. “Hey you did it! Good job!” Naruto was quickly down with a huge grin on his face. “YATTA! I finally did it! Let’s go eat!”
Naruto was the first inside, having rushed to the door and sat down. Kat and Sasuke ambled in, surprisingly talking with one another. I wonder if Sasuke has a thing for Kat? I mean it really wouldn’t surprise me…he talks to her more than he talks to anyone. Kakashi snorted and grinned internally. Imagine, Sasuke and Kat together…that’ll be a shock to all of his fan girls…”Kaka-sensei? Are you alright?” Kat asked breaking him from his train of thought. Smiling at her he nodded. “I’m fine.” not really buying it, Kat dismissed it anyways and smiled at Tsunami who had dished out the delicious smelling oden to her. “Arigato!” After dishing out the rest of the food, a chorus of “Itadakimasu” was chimed and they began to eat. After finishing one bowl, Kakashi and Kat watched in amusement at the way Sasuke and Naruto were competing over who would finish first. “More please!” They chimed and glared at each other as they noticed that their rival was finished already. Finishing their fourth bowl, Sasuke and Naruto sprinted outside to train. “…Hmph. Well, I guess it wouldn’t hurt…” Kat walked outside and sat down on a fallen tree to watch their training. “Hmm…I’m so bored…”
Getting up, she walked deep into the forest to meditate. “This should help me clear my thoughts…” Her eyes widened as she heard a soft masculine voice call out, “It isn’t safe to be out here alone.” She smiled at the boy. “I’m not alone, my friends aren’t too far from here. Plus, I can hold my own for awhile depending on the opponent.” The boy smiled and nodded as he continued to gather herbs. “I’m Katsuki, what’s your name?”
“I’m Haku. Nice to meet you.” Kat grinned and nodded at him. “I-I should get going…I don’t want them to worry about me.” Waving back at him, she disappeared into the thicket of trees. Going back to the boy’s training area, she found that they weren’t there. “Probably decided to go to bed….” She muttered and went inside. Indeed, everyone had went to bed, and as she curled up in her bedroll, she sighed sleepily. “Mmm…I wonder if Zabuza will attack tomorrow?”
Kat’s eyes widened as Tazuna and another of the workers came running back to the house. “Where’s Kakashi? Zabuza’s back!” He said loudly. Sprinting into Tazuna’s house, she quickly told her sensei of the problem, and he quickly came out with a ruffled appearance. “Let’s go.”
The bridge was empty except for Zabuza and another, a masked boy. “Wait a minute…I recognize that clothing and hairstyle… Haku?” Haku sighed. “It’s nice to see you again Katsuki…just on these terms it isn’t as pleasant.” Kat’s eyes narrowed. “If you’re going to get in our way, I have no choice but to stop you. “Gomen Haku.” Haku nodded in agreement. “It is the right of a shinobi. I do not put it against you.”
Zabuza smirked beneath his mask. “So, you know this kunoichi Haku? Don’t let it get in the way of completing our mission.” Haku nodded and took out several senbon that were hidden in his hair. As Haku did this, Zabuza took this time to attack Kakashi. “Naru, protect Tazuna, your clones will help greatly…” He smirked foxily as he caught the hidden message beneath. Forming the ram seal, he shouted “Shadow clone jutsu!” and thirty clones appeared. Man, I should really tone it down a bit…eh, who cares? The clones surrounded Tazuna while Sasuke and Kat rushed at Haku.
Blocking Sasuke’s barrage of kunai attacks with his senbon, Haku twirled around and blocked a high kick that Kat was aiming for his head. Kat and Sasuke leapt away from Haku and began a set of seals that were quickly finished. “Katon: Goyakuu no jutsu!” Sasuke yelled and exhaled as a large stream of fire was sent barreling toward Haku. Dodging this, Kat saw this opportunity to attack. “Fuuton: Kaze no Yaiba!” she shouted and smirked as it hit. Launching a kunai at Haku who’s back was turned, she wasn’t surprised when he dodged it. “HiJutsu, Makyou HyouShou!” Haku called out and Sasuke and Kat glanced around in confusion as several mirrors of what appeared to be ice surrounded them. Haku’s image flitted between each mirror and what was thought to be hundreds of senbon were hurled at both of the trapped teammates.
“Aaargh!” Kat yelled and as the attack stopped, she found that she could actually move again and she held her arm which was pulsing in pain. “There’s got to be a way to break these things…” She muttered to herself. Her eyes widened a bit, and her eyes flickered in anticipation. She quickly formed a set of seals and called out, “Fuuton: Kaze no Yaiba!” she wasn’t surprised that it hardly made a dent in the ice but it was a start. “Sasuke, I have an idea…Let’s attack together, that should have a higher chance of shattering this ice prison.” Kat noticed that she was forced to be back to back with Sasuke, and cursed loudly as she fumbled through her seals. “Damn, now I have to do it all over again…”
Going through the seals again, she smirked inwardly as she heard Sasuke call out, “Katon: Goyakuu no Jutsu” As she finished the last seal she called out harshly, “Katon: Karyuu Endan.” Both streams of intense fire blasted against the ice prison with great force and both of them were a bit glad that the mirrors cracked slightly. Needs more force in the attacks…Kat smirked as a beaten and charred Haku leapt out from his place in the mirror in front of her and tried to attack Sasuke, but she had deflected the many senbon that were heading towards him. “You’re going to have to do better than that!” she snarled, and watched as he melted back into the mirror above them.
“Well, if you’re not going to come out…” She stopped short as several ice senbon came at them from every angle. “D-damn…you!!” She shouted, and coughed as a smoke bomb was thrown in front of them, obscuring their view. “Looks like you need some help.” Kat glanced at the sunny haired shinobi, confused. “Naru, I thought that you were protecting Tazuna?” He grinned at her. “That’s taken cared of. Now I can help you guys…Really, I can’t let you guys do everything!”
Forming his most used seal, he shouted out “Kage bunshin no jutsu!” and ten clones along with himself jumped at the silent Haku. The clones were shot down by several hardened ice senbon, and Naruto fell to the ground with an “Oomph.” An idea had struck Sasuke and he glanced at Naruto. “Hey dobe, can you do that again?” Naruto grinned. “Course I can teme! Kage bunshin no jutsu!” Several clones had appeared, and they rushed at the iced prison.
Gesturing to Kat as he quickly started a familiar set of seals again, Kat hurriedly began her own set of seals, hoping that this would work. “Katon: Goyakuu no Jutsu!” Sasuke called out harshly, directing the hot stream of fire towards Haku and Naruto. Kat’s attack was sent spiraling towards them seconds after, the large dragon made of fire melded with Sasuke’s attack, and it was sent spiraling towards Haku and Naruto. Jumping out of the way, Naruto launched four kunai at Haku.
The combined Kanton attack had hit Haku dead on, and the ice mirrors had wavered in strength and he had fallen to his knees. Beneath his mask, his brown eyes had hardened, and with his immense speed, he leapt at Kat, who was breathing hard and holding her arm in pain. Quickly throwing the ice hardened senbon, he was surprised to find that the Uchiha had blocked its path to it’s original target. “S-Sasuke? Naze?” Sasuke smirked a little. “I don’t know why…my body just moved…” Lifting his head, he watched as Kat leapt out from behind him and straight at Haku. Naruto joined in the taijutsu battle, and his eyes widened as Kat was thrown back with a hard hit to her stomach.
His eyes narrowed in anger and then in confusion. He could see things clearer now, and to his amazement he could predict what Haku was going to do next. Could this be the Sharingan? “Dobe watch out!” He was too late, for Haku had already sunk back into the mirror behind him and let out a barrage of senbon towards his prone body. Reacting quickly, he appeared in front of Naruto, his Sharingan blazing. He was able to deflect many of the senbon, but as Haku unleashed another round, he was left panting on his knees in pain. “It’s time to end this.” Haku coolly said, and called out, “HiJutsu, Sensatsu Suishou.” Senbon rained down on The heavily battered Sasuke, Kat and Naruto. From pain and the exhaustion of trying to force enough chakra into her hands to perform another jutsu, Kat collapsed, leaving two angry boys. “Dobe! Get her out of here!” Sasuke shouted and almost cringed as he heard Naruto cry out in pain. “Oi Tazuna-ojiisan, look after Kat for me! Oh, and you guys too.” Tazuna nodded and took Kat gently into his arms. “Sure kid.” Naruto quickly bounded off back to the ice prison and he was shocked greatly when Sasuke blasted through the mirror, unconscious, beaten, bloody, and his body riddled with senbon.
“Teme! Wake up!” he ran to Sasuke, who’s body was cool to the touch. His enhanced hearing couldn’t pick up on his heartbeat, and he shook in raw anger. “…Sasuke-teme…how could you just die like that? Damn, we were always supposed to be RIVALS!!” Crystalline tears slid sown his anguished face and he lifted his head to glare at Haku. Instead of the normal blue chakra that raged about Naruto like a storm, his chakra had at menacing dark red. “You killed Sasuke…Kat….I’m going to KILL YOU!” He roared, and yelled in pain as Kyuubi’s chakra flooded his body. What is this chakra? It seems almost demonic…I’ve never seen anything like it…With incredible speed, he hurtled at the surprised Haku and hit him hard in the face. Feeling the mask crumble under his fist, he leapt back as a saddened Haku’s face. “Aren’t you going to kill me Naruto-kun? After all, I’m only a tool for Zabuza-sama.” Naruto’s face twisted in anger. “No one deserves to be a tool.” He rasped, and howled as Haku disappeared from his sight.
“Yes…what will you do now that your little pet is gone?” Gatou walked up to Haku’s lifeless body and kicked it hard, scowling down in disgust. “Pathetic little piece of trash. You never deserved to live.” Kakashi shook in anger, no one should disrespect the dead like that. Widened eyes stared in shock as Naruto rushed past them with a kunai in hand. Slicing Gatou’s throat, he growled menacingly as he stared at the cowering mob of thugs. “Who’s next?” Cautiously, Kakashi came up and placed a hand on Naruto’s shoulder. “Let’s deal with this without any more killing Naruto.” A grin formed on Naruto’s face as he called out “Kage bunshin no jutsu!” Kakashi also used his own version of the shadow clone, and both of them beat up the mob to where they wouldn’t be walking for a while.
Coming back to his senses, Naruto sank to the ground in exhaustion, and passed out not soon after. Kakashi was close to fainting from chakra depletion himself, but he steeled himself to pick Naruto up and return to where Tazuna was standing. “How’s Kat?” He asked in a tired voice. “She’s still unconscious…” Kat stirred in his arms and shot up quickly. “Naru! Sasuke! That was a great time to fucking be knocked out…” wrestling free of Tazuna’s hold, she ran to the place where Haku’s mirrors last stood. To her horror, Sasuke was face up in the shallow water, and his skin was paling quickly. “I-it can’t be…How?” Falling to her knees before Sasuke, she pounded her fist into the ground in frustration and sadness. “Damn it! I wasn’t there to help you…If I was, this wouldn’t have happened! This is all my fault…” She began to sob, not caring if she was breaking the shinobi’s 25th rule. She never really cared for rules much, but this is one that she has followed ever since she began her training. Falling onto Sasuke in her grief, she sobbed into his shirt. “Why…why wasn’t I strong enough? I could’ve saved you!”
He smirked half heartedly and glanced at Kakashi. “You thought that I would die from fighting Haku? Hn. Like that would happen.” Kakashi was serious as he looked at Sasuke. “That boy Haku was at least jounin level. You’re quite lucky to get out of this battle without any serious injuries. It seems that he wasn’t totally in to killing anyone today.” He mused over his last words and agreed with them wholeheartedly.
“Let’s get you guys back to my house…Can’t have you standing here about to fall over.” Kat helped Sasuke stand up and grinned to herself as Sasuke used her as a crutch. I thought that I’d never see the day…Well, at least everyone made it out okay.
I’d never thought about it but he actually means something to me. I really don’t know what, but seeing him almost die was something that I never want to see again. I wonder what Zabuza is going to do now? Is he still going to be on the run, or would he find a place to settle down and perfect his skills even more?
HiJutsu, Makyou HyouShou-Secret Skill, Demonic Ice Mirrors
HiJutsu, Sensatsu Suishou-Secret Skill, Flying Water Needles
Chapter Seven
Breaking loose, and Surprising Revelations
“So you’re awake…” A soft voice floated through Kakashi’s head and he nodded. “How long was I out?” Tsunami smiled softly at him. “A day and some odd hours…” He grimaced and tried to sit up. “Don’t try and force yourself!” He grinned at her and sighed thoughtfully. “Don’t worry, I…can get up.” He said as he got up shakily. Tsunami came closer to him, being ready to become a crutch if he fell. Laying his arm across her shoulders, he hunched down as she led them downstairs. “Where are Sasuke, Kat, and Naruto?” Tsunami smiled at the thought of his young students. “They’re outside training. After they brought you here, they rested for a while then went into their training right away.” Kakashi was surprised, well not really when it comes to these three. “Hmm…interesting.” Having Kakashi sit down on chair, she brought a crutch to him. “Here. It’ll be of some use to you.”
“Arigato.” he murmured and got up, then walked outside. He was amazed to see a fight going on between all three of his pupils, jutsu and fists flying about. “Fuuton: Kaze No Yaiba!” Kat shouted, destroying three of Naruto’s shadow clones. Naruto’s shadow clones rushed at Kat, ready for an all out taijutsu battle, but shock was evident on their faces when she whipped out four kunai which made the clones disappear.
A small smirk played over Kakashi’s masked face and his voice was heard by Kat, Sasuke, and Naruto over the noise of their training session. “That’s enough for now. I have something else that I wish for you to do.” Naruto cocked his head to the side in confusion. ”What is it Kakashi-sensei?” Kakashi grinned at the bewildered look that was splayed across Naruto’s face. “I want you to climb a tree….but with no hands.” Naruto looked at Kakashi incredulously. “How in the heck are we supposed to do that?!?”
“Well it would go something like this…” blue chakra gathered at his feet, and to the three’s amazement, he had walked straight up the tree. “Wow!! Kakashi-sensei, are you going to explain how you did that?” Naruto asked. Kakashi chuckled. “And you think that I wouldn’t?” He shook his head. “No but….” Kat grabbed his shoulders. “Naru, shut up and listen, ok?” Naruto pouted. “Fine.”
Walking down slowly, Kakashi stood in front of them. “First of all, this exercise is to help your chakra control. You start by gathering chakra at you feet, and mind you that if you gather too much or too little, you will be thrown off balance and fall off the tree. If you can get the correct balance of chakra, you should be able to climb the tree. Now go and try it out.”
Gathering a good amount of chakra at their feet, the trio ran at their designated tree with breakneck speed, and found that they stuck to the tree for a while, and fell down when their chakra fluxed in power. “Hey, I made it up the furthest, but damn, this is hard!” Kat said as she looked at the two boys with a wry grin. “It helps if you concentrate more and try to clear your mind of everything.” Kakashi remarked.
Nodding, Sasuke and Naruto walked back with a kunai in hand, then ran to their tree with the intention of getting to the top. They got further than they did last time but they were still making little progress. Slashing at the bark of the tree, both boys flipped easily as they descended back to the ground.
“Hmm…maybe this’ll work….” Kat’s feet glowed and pulsed with her chakra, and as she controlled it to a point that she felt that her control couldn’t be any more correct at the time, and sprinted to the large, towering tree. A small smile flitted across her face as she easily walked up the rest of the tree. Sitting on a large tree branch, she stared down at the rest of her team with happy eyes. “Hey, I made it to the top!” With ease, she walked down the tree slowly, to the amazement of the two boys. How did she do it before me? What did she do to make it to the top? Sasuke pondered, and stared at kat with a blank expression.
Kat gave him a small smile and nodded as Kakashi told her to sit back and watch the two boys try and prefect the exercise. Smiling, she giggled lightly as the two made some progress, but not enough for their standards. Narrowing his eyes, Sasuke dropped to the ground beside Kat. I can’t believe I’m doing this… “How did you climb the tree?” he asked the serene looking Kat. Kat blinked in surprise and turned to him. “Oh, it’s actually easy if you think about it. All you have to really do is clear your mind as much as possible and focus your chakra at a constant rate in your feet. Well then voila! There you go!” she said and grinned at his slightly shocked face. “What? Don’t believe me? Try it for yourself!” He nodded and did as she said, noticing that he was actually walking up the tree instead of falling down it for once.
“WHAAAAT?!? Sasuke-teme, how did you get up the tree before me?!” Naruto yelled angrily as he stared upward, finding an amused Sasuke walking back down with a smirk on his face. “Something that you lack dobe. Control.” he wasn’t going to tell him that he had asked Kat for help, and if he did, he wouldn’t let him live it down. “Well, it seems that you two have mastered this exercise. Naruto, I’m going to give you a few hints to control you chakra more. Try and clear your thoughts and then focus your chakra at a consistent rate in your feet. You should be able to climb it then.” Naruto nodded and went back at it. “Well, I’m going back to Tazuna’s, you two can do what you wish.”
Kat sighed. “Aw hell, I guess I’ll go back. Are you coming Sasuke?” He nodded and followed her back. Stopping in front of Tazuna’s, Kat turned around and glanced at Sasuke with a smirk. “Wanna have a spar against me? We never really finished our last one…” He smirked at her and slipped into his usual stance. Kat followed and as she launched herself at him, she started out with a flurry of kicks and punches to his abdomen and head, and she smirked herself as he blocked them. “I’m glad that you aren’t weak…normally, people would’ve been on the ground with just my taijutsu.” A smirk was ever present on Sasuke’s face, and her replied with, “It’s something that comes naturally to most of our clan, but being weak is something that I’ve always detested.” Watching as Kat drew a kunai, he drew one as well, and in a shower of sparks they collided, a resounding “Zing.” was heard and they continued to fight once more. Springing apart, Kat had a devilish idea that might just work. She began the seals for a fuuton jutsu, and just to surprise him, she pulled another jutsu out of her arsenal. Finishing the last seal for Fuuton: Kaze no Yaiba, she followed it up with another elemental attack, Katon: Karyuu Endan. She was glad that she had Sandaime-ojiisan teach her some of his jutsu, they were quite useful.
Using kawarmi to dodge the first attack, Sasuke countered her attack with Katon: Goyakuu no jutsu. The two attacks collided head on, and exploded in a burst of flame. Rushing into the dying flames with intense speed, and launched a kunai at Sasuke. Being interrupted again, this time by their sensei, who was clapping in amusement. “Its interesting that you know those attacks Kat. Sasuke, you did a good job avoiding and countering them.” Sasuke glanced at Kakashi with slight confusion. “What do you mean sensei?” Kakashi laughed. “Well, to start, Karyuu Endan is one of the hokage’s favorite techniques. I assume that he taught you that one.” Kat nodded. “Yeah, ojiisan wanted to teach someone some of his jutsu before he was replaced by a new hokage….It’s really cool that he did it too.”
The Sandaime had taught Kat? Interesting….I wonder how strong she really is. Sasuke pondered. Kat grinned and jumped up. “Hey, how about we go and get something to eat…I for one am hungry…” Kakashi grinned in amusement. “Well, Tsunami has prepared dinner for us, and it’s ready. Go and get Naruto, he shouldn’t be pushing himself too hard.” Sasuke and Kat nodded and they found themselves walking back to Naruto’s training spot in a comfortable silence. I…I can actually enjoy her presence? She is unlike any girl that I’ve met…She isn’t fawning over me like the rest…that’s something to be desired for in anyone of the opposite sex…Why am I thinking of her like this?
“Hey Naru! Dinner’s ready!…Naru?” she glanced up and found that Naruto had taken their sensei’s words to heart. “Hey you did it! Good job!” Naruto was quickly down with a huge grin on his face. “YATTA! I finally did it! Let’s go eat!”
Naruto was the first inside, having rushed to the door and sat down. Kat and Sasuke ambled in, surprisingly talking with one another. I wonder if Sasuke has a thing for Kat? I mean it really wouldn’t surprise me…he talks to her more than he talks to anyone. Kakashi snorted and grinned internally. Imagine, Sasuke and Kat together…that’ll be a shock to all of his fan girls…”Kaka-sensei? Are you alright?” Kat asked breaking him from his train of thought. Smiling at her he nodded. “I’m fine.” not really buying it, Kat dismissed it anyways and smiled at Tsunami who had dished out the delicious smelling oden to her. “Arigato!” After dishing out the rest of the food, a chorus of “Itadakimasu” was chimed and they began to eat. After finishing one bowl, Kakashi and Kat watched in amusement at the way Sasuke and Naruto were competing over who would finish first. “More please!” They chimed and glared at each other as they noticed that their rival was finished already. Finishing their fourth bowl, Sasuke and Naruto sprinted outside to train. “…Hmph. Well, I guess it wouldn’t hurt…” Kat walked outside and sat down on a fallen tree to watch their training. “Hmm…I’m so bored…”
Getting up, she walked deep into the forest to meditate. “This should help me clear my thoughts…” Her eyes widened as she heard a soft masculine voice call out, “It isn’t safe to be out here alone.” She smiled at the boy. “I’m not alone, my friends aren’t too far from here. Plus, I can hold my own for awhile depending on the opponent.” The boy smiled and nodded as he continued to gather herbs. “I’m Katsuki, what’s your name?”
“I’m Haku. Nice to meet you.” Kat grinned and nodded at him. “I-I should get going…I don’t want them to worry about me.” Waving back at him, she disappeared into the thicket of trees. Going back to the boy’s training area, she found that they weren’t there. “Probably decided to go to bed….” She muttered and went inside. Indeed, everyone had went to bed, and as she curled up in her bedroll, she sighed sleepily. “Mmm…I wonder if Zabuza will attack tomorrow?”
~@~
Loud crashes were heard throughout the morning air, and Kat sat up quickly with an annoyed look on her face. “Who in the hell is making that racket? Wait, never mind…I already know. Sasuke and Naru…” Leaping out of her bed, she smirked as she saw the open window and leapt through it “What in the hell are you guys doing? Its too early to be making this kind of noise…And if you really wanted to train, you should’ve woke me first…” Naruto grinned as Kat came up to them. “Sorry that we didn’t wake you up…You looked exhausted so we decided to let you sleep.” Sasuke scoffed. “He just forgot about waking you up and rushed headfirst into a sparring match with me…”Kat’s eyes widened as Tazuna and another of the workers came running back to the house. “Where’s Kakashi? Zabuza’s back!” He said loudly. Sprinting into Tazuna’s house, she quickly told her sensei of the problem, and he quickly came out with a ruffled appearance. “Let’s go.”
The bridge was empty except for Zabuza and another, a masked boy. “Wait a minute…I recognize that clothing and hairstyle… Haku?” Haku sighed. “It’s nice to see you again Katsuki…just on these terms it isn’t as pleasant.” Kat’s eyes narrowed. “If you’re going to get in our way, I have no choice but to stop you. “Gomen Haku.” Haku nodded in agreement. “It is the right of a shinobi. I do not put it against you.”
Zabuza smirked beneath his mask. “So, you know this kunoichi Haku? Don’t let it get in the way of completing our mission.” Haku nodded and took out several senbon that were hidden in his hair. As Haku did this, Zabuza took this time to attack Kakashi. “Naru, protect Tazuna, your clones will help greatly…” He smirked foxily as he caught the hidden message beneath. Forming the ram seal, he shouted “Shadow clone jutsu!” and thirty clones appeared. Man, I should really tone it down a bit…eh, who cares? The clones surrounded Tazuna while Sasuke and Kat rushed at Haku.
Blocking Sasuke’s barrage of kunai attacks with his senbon, Haku twirled around and blocked a high kick that Kat was aiming for his head. Kat and Sasuke leapt away from Haku and began a set of seals that were quickly finished. “Katon: Goyakuu no jutsu!” Sasuke yelled and exhaled as a large stream of fire was sent barreling toward Haku. Dodging this, Kat saw this opportunity to attack. “Fuuton: Kaze no Yaiba!” she shouted and smirked as it hit. Launching a kunai at Haku who’s back was turned, she wasn’t surprised when he dodged it. “HiJutsu, Makyou HyouShou!” Haku called out and Sasuke and Kat glanced around in confusion as several mirrors of what appeared to be ice surrounded them. Haku’s image flitted between each mirror and what was thought to be hundreds of senbon were hurled at both of the trapped teammates.
“Aaargh!” Kat yelled and as the attack stopped, she found that she could actually move again and she held her arm which was pulsing in pain. “There’s got to be a way to break these things…” She muttered to herself. Her eyes widened a bit, and her eyes flickered in anticipation. She quickly formed a set of seals and called out, “Fuuton: Kaze no Yaiba!” she wasn’t surprised that it hardly made a dent in the ice but it was a start. “Sasuke, I have an idea…Let’s attack together, that should have a higher chance of shattering this ice prison.” Kat noticed that she was forced to be back to back with Sasuke, and cursed loudly as she fumbled through her seals. “Damn, now I have to do it all over again…”
Going through the seals again, she smirked inwardly as she heard Sasuke call out, “Katon: Goyakuu no Jutsu” As she finished the last seal she called out harshly, “Katon: Karyuu Endan.” Both streams of intense fire blasted against the ice prison with great force and both of them were a bit glad that the mirrors cracked slightly. Needs more force in the attacks…Kat smirked as a beaten and charred Haku leapt out from his place in the mirror in front of her and tried to attack Sasuke, but she had deflected the many senbon that were heading towards him. “You’re going to have to do better than that!” she snarled, and watched as he melted back into the mirror above them.
“Well, if you’re not going to come out…” She stopped short as several ice senbon came at them from every angle. “D-damn…you!!” She shouted, and coughed as a smoke bomb was thrown in front of them, obscuring their view. “Looks like you need some help.” Kat glanced at the sunny haired shinobi, confused. “Naru, I thought that you were protecting Tazuna?” He grinned at her. “That’s taken cared of. Now I can help you guys…Really, I can’t let you guys do everything!”
Forming his most used seal, he shouted out “Kage bunshin no jutsu!” and ten clones along with himself jumped at the silent Haku. The clones were shot down by several hardened ice senbon, and Naruto fell to the ground with an “Oomph.” An idea had struck Sasuke and he glanced at Naruto. “Hey dobe, can you do that again?” Naruto grinned. “Course I can teme! Kage bunshin no jutsu!” Several clones had appeared, and they rushed at the iced prison.
Gesturing to Kat as he quickly started a familiar set of seals again, Kat hurriedly began her own set of seals, hoping that this would work. “Katon: Goyakuu no Jutsu!” Sasuke called out harshly, directing the hot stream of fire towards Haku and Naruto. Kat’s attack was sent spiraling towards them seconds after, the large dragon made of fire melded with Sasuke’s attack, and it was sent spiraling towards Haku and Naruto. Jumping out of the way, Naruto launched four kunai at Haku.
The combined Kanton attack had hit Haku dead on, and the ice mirrors had wavered in strength and he had fallen to his knees. Beneath his mask, his brown eyes had hardened, and with his immense speed, he leapt at Kat, who was breathing hard and holding her arm in pain. Quickly throwing the ice hardened senbon, he was surprised to find that the Uchiha had blocked its path to it’s original target. “S-Sasuke? Naze?” Sasuke smirked a little. “I don’t know why…my body just moved…” Lifting his head, he watched as Kat leapt out from behind him and straight at Haku. Naruto joined in the taijutsu battle, and his eyes widened as Kat was thrown back with a hard hit to her stomach.
His eyes narrowed in anger and then in confusion. He could see things clearer now, and to his amazement he could predict what Haku was going to do next. Could this be the Sharingan? “Dobe watch out!” He was too late, for Haku had already sunk back into the mirror behind him and let out a barrage of senbon towards his prone body. Reacting quickly, he appeared in front of Naruto, his Sharingan blazing. He was able to deflect many of the senbon, but as Haku unleashed another round, he was left panting on his knees in pain. “It’s time to end this.” Haku coolly said, and called out, “HiJutsu, Sensatsu Suishou.” Senbon rained down on The heavily battered Sasuke, Kat and Naruto. From pain and the exhaustion of trying to force enough chakra into her hands to perform another jutsu, Kat collapsed, leaving two angry boys. “Dobe! Get her out of here!” Sasuke shouted and almost cringed as he heard Naruto cry out in pain. “Oi Tazuna-ojiisan, look after Kat for me! Oh, and you guys too.” Tazuna nodded and took Kat gently into his arms. “Sure kid.” Naruto quickly bounded off back to the ice prison and he was shocked greatly when Sasuke blasted through the mirror, unconscious, beaten, bloody, and his body riddled with senbon.
“Teme! Wake up!” he ran to Sasuke, who’s body was cool to the touch. His enhanced hearing couldn’t pick up on his heartbeat, and he shook in raw anger. “…Sasuke-teme…how could you just die like that? Damn, we were always supposed to be RIVALS!!” Crystalline tears slid sown his anguished face and he lifted his head to glare at Haku. Instead of the normal blue chakra that raged about Naruto like a storm, his chakra had at menacing dark red. “You killed Sasuke…Kat….I’m going to KILL YOU!” He roared, and yelled in pain as Kyuubi’s chakra flooded his body. What is this chakra? It seems almost demonic…I’ve never seen anything like it…With incredible speed, he hurtled at the surprised Haku and hit him hard in the face. Feeling the mask crumble under his fist, he leapt back as a saddened Haku’s face. “Aren’t you going to kill me Naruto-kun? After all, I’m only a tool for Zabuza-sama.” Naruto’s face twisted in anger. “No one deserves to be a tool.” He rasped, and howled as Haku disappeared from his sight.
~@~
Kakashi and Zabuza stopped in their tracks as they felt the oppressing chakra of the Kyuubi. It can’t be…the Kyuubi? Naruto must have lost control…I have to end this now. forming three hand seals fast, he grasped his right arm as chakra began to form in his hand in the shape of a blade. “Chidori!” He yelled and ran at Zabuza with the intent to kill. But to both their surprise, Haku had appeared within the chidori’s path, and Kakashi’s hand was thrust through Haku’s abdomen, dangerously close to his heart. “I-I’m sorry Zabuza-sama, I’m of no use to you now.” Zabuza stared at the bloodied Haku in shock. “Haku doushite? You were such a great tool…But to waste everything now?” Haku smiled softly as he took his last breath, and whispered “Gomen.” as he died. With as much dignity as he could, Kakashi freed his hand from Haku’s bloody and torn chest and glanced at the somber looking Zabuza. “What will you do now Zabuza?”“Yes…what will you do now that your little pet is gone?” Gatou walked up to Haku’s lifeless body and kicked it hard, scowling down in disgust. “Pathetic little piece of trash. You never deserved to live.” Kakashi shook in anger, no one should disrespect the dead like that. Widened eyes stared in shock as Naruto rushed past them with a kunai in hand. Slicing Gatou’s throat, he growled menacingly as he stared at the cowering mob of thugs. “Who’s next?” Cautiously, Kakashi came up and placed a hand on Naruto’s shoulder. “Let’s deal with this without any more killing Naruto.” A grin formed on Naruto’s face as he called out “Kage bunshin no jutsu!” Kakashi also used his own version of the shadow clone, and both of them beat up the mob to where they wouldn’t be walking for a while.
Coming back to his senses, Naruto sank to the ground in exhaustion, and passed out not soon after. Kakashi was close to fainting from chakra depletion himself, but he steeled himself to pick Naruto up and return to where Tazuna was standing. “How’s Kat?” He asked in a tired voice. “She’s still unconscious…” Kat stirred in his arms and shot up quickly. “Naru! Sasuke! That was a great time to fucking be knocked out…” wrestling free of Tazuna’s hold, she ran to the place where Haku’s mirrors last stood. To her horror, Sasuke was face up in the shallow water, and his skin was paling quickly. “I-it can’t be…How?” Falling to her knees before Sasuke, she pounded her fist into the ground in frustration and sadness. “Damn it! I wasn’t there to help you…If I was, this wouldn’t have happened! This is all my fault…” She began to sob, not caring if she was breaking the shinobi’s 25th rule. She never really cared for rules much, but this is one that she has followed ever since she began her training. Falling onto Sasuke in her grief, she sobbed into his shirt. “Why…why wasn’t I strong enough? I could’ve saved you!”
~@~
His body feeling heavy, Sasuke could hear the faint sound of sobbing. …Who is that? trying to shake himself out of this ‘sleep,’ Sasuke’s eyes opened slowly. His vision was clouded by silver strands of hair. “Hey Kat, could you get off me? You’re heavy. There’s no reason to cry for me…I’m not dead.” He said softly. Kat shot up in surprise. “Sasuke, you’re alright! Gods, don’t scare us like that!” She helped him sit up and he was greeted with the sight of a battered Kakashi holding an equally battered and bloody Naruto. Tazuna grinned at him. “It’s good to see you’re alright.”He smirked half heartedly and glanced at Kakashi. “You thought that I would die from fighting Haku? Hn. Like that would happen.” Kakashi was serious as he looked at Sasuke. “That boy Haku was at least jounin level. You’re quite lucky to get out of this battle without any serious injuries. It seems that he wasn’t totally in to killing anyone today.” He mused over his last words and agreed with them wholeheartedly.
“Let’s get you guys back to my house…Can’t have you standing here about to fall over.” Kat helped Sasuke stand up and grinned to herself as Sasuke used her as a crutch. I thought that I’d never see the day…Well, at least everyone made it out okay.
I’d never thought about it but he actually means something to me. I really don’t know what, but seeing him almost die was something that I never want to see again. I wonder what Zabuza is going to do now? Is he still going to be on the run, or would he find a place to settle down and perfect his skills even more?
~@~
Katon: Karyuu Endan-Fire Element; Fire Dragon Flame BlastHiJutsu, Makyou HyouShou-Secret Skill, Demonic Ice Mirrors
HiJutsu, Sensatsu Suishou-Secret Skill, Flying Water Needles