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Dragonheart	By : UmbreonMessiah Category: Naruto > General Views: 1644 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 8
- 9
- 10
A/N:
Not a lot to say here. I hope you all enjoy even more explanations and
expos�. That is the right word for what I�m doing, right?

Dragonheart

Chapter 8

            Naruto�s foot left a deep imprint in the bark
as his weight came down on the branch. Less than a second later his mass
departed the extension as he continued to travel north with his team. He was
just a bit behind the other members of the squad. The speed he had left was
fueled by the desire to return home and spend more time at the side of his
lover. Every time he thought about her sulking in that hospital room it made
his heart sink.
            Feeling another wave of depression threatening
to take him over, Naruto reached into his bag and produced the mission details
along with his map. Observing both extended pieces of paper in his hands
allowed his mind to travel back in time a few hours to when he and the others
had been given the mission. He knew if he simply relived those events in his
head it would calm him down some.

As the rest of the world around
him dissolved into the sheer blanket of imagination, Naruto found himself back
in the Hokage�s office. He recalled himself standing there with Jiyumaru and
Yakusho as he faked a smile. The forgery seemed to go over well with the
others, neither of them realizing that he was still upset over the events of the
last few days. They had all tried so very hard to cheer him up. What would be
the point of making them feel useless? As the scene began to play back inside
his brain the young boy�s reality shifted, as if everything were happening there
and then.
            �You called?� Yakusho barked.
            �Yes I did,� Tsunade replied, the vein in her
forehead twitching slightly. �As I said to Jiyumaru, I have a mission for you.�
            The well-endowed woman proceeded to push
several photos toward the three men. Each one of them picked up one colored
picture, examining the figure portrayed within. He was a man in his
mid-thirties with coal black hair coifed erratically upon his head. The hitai-ate
on his head signified that his allegiance � at least at one point � belonged to
Kirigakure. The final noticeable feature in the photograph was the pair of
curved short swords that were held tightly in his hands. Upon looking at the
blades it became eerily apparent that they did not simply look similar.
Both swords were exactly the same down to the very last detail that it was as if
he were carrying exact duplicates.
            �Damn,� Jiyumaru cursed, �it�s Karimaru.�
            �Who?� Naruto said quizzically.
            �Karimaru,� Jiyumaru reiterated. �He�s one of
the Seven Shinobi Swordsmen from Kirigakure.�
            Naruto�s eyes widened as he carefully took in
the information. �Wait, you mean like Zabuza and Kisame?� he gasped.
            �Precisely,� the ANBU replied. �Karimaru was
one of the few who remained loyal to the Land of Water after the others split
up.�
            �That fact has changed now,� Tsunade announced
matter-of-factly. �We have just received emergency detail from the Mizukage
that Karimaru has defected from Kirigakure�and intends on siding with
Orochimaru.�
            The name Orochimaru spread an eerie silence
throughout the room. The only one who seemed not affected by the news was
Yakusho, which was understandable. He had only recently come to understand just
who Orochimaru was and what it was he had done to Konoha in the past. Jiyumaru
shifted uncomfortably in the dead air before clearing his throat.
            �This is quite vexing,� he said plainly.
�Karimaru has vast knowledge about the bloodlines of Kirigakure. If he were to
defect to Orochimaru��
            �Hence the issue at hand,� Tsunade elaborated.
�The Mizukage has asked us to deal with Karimaru, as a �show of faith in our
abilities�. In all honesty I think he�s just afraid that Karimaru would show up
anyone else he sent after him. Either way, the Mizukage doesn�t want any of the
secrets of his village to leave it, and that is precisely what will come about
if this swordsman is allowed to escape.�
            �And what�s this got to do with us?� Yakusho
questioned.
            �I was about to get to that,� Tsunade
grumbled. �It seems that Karimaru will have to pass through the Fire Country to
reach the location at which Orochimaru will meet with him.�
            �Ahuh,� Yakusho muttered, cleaning his ear with
his pinky finger. �Again�this has what to do with us?�
            Tsunade�s brow furrowed in rage. �Have some
damned patience,� she spouted furiously. �Surprisingly enough, the Mizukage has
called for Jiyumaru by name.�
            �Now why would he do a thing like that?� the
red-vested teen asked. �Sounds kind of funny to me.�
            �It doesn�t surprise me at all, actually,�
Jiyumaru chuckled. �You see�my family makes ninja tools and weapons for a
living. The Kenshin Clan is quite possibly responsible for crafting more than
half of the weapons used in the Great Shinobi Wars.�
            �And more than ninety percent of the ones used
in this village,� Tsunade added ceremoniously. �As well as in the Land of
Water.�
            �Not to mention,� the oldest male of the three
put in, �we�re responsible for making the blades used by each and every member
of the Seven Shinobi Swordsmen.�
            �You�re kidding!� Naruto exclaimed. �Why
didn�t you tell us this sooner?!�
            �I didn�t really see a need,� Jiyumaru smirked.
            �In any event,� Tsunade interrupted, �the four
of you will be headed north to cut Karimaru off before he can reach Orochimaru.
You leave in an hour, so do make your preparations quickly.�
            Naruto didn�t move or speak for a moment. He
was busy doing a bit of mental math. After a lazy silence he rose his finger
into the air with a startled exclamation.
            �Hey, wait a minute!� he said loudly. �There
are only three of us here. Who�s this fourth member?�

            As soon as Naruto had dredged up that memory,
he found himself thrust back into the present. His fists clenched tightly as he
tried to cope with what had befallen him. Naruto was no stranger to life taking
out its miserable moods on him, but things were already bad enough as they
were. Why was it that the universe had suddenly decided to make his existence
even more horrid?
            Something calling his name instantly disrupted
his thought process. The boy scattered his thoughts to the winds just in time
to see the massive branch flying straight towards him. Instinct combined with
lightning reflexes as the shaggy blond propelled off the trunk of a nearby tree
and dodged the projectile. The unexpected detour sent him off course and
straight into a throng of leafs and debris. Thankfully the obstruction halted
his path and left him hanging from the outstretched limb of another nearby tree.
            A loud thud announced the arrival of the
fourth member of their small team to Naruto�s accident. A slightly ragged and
mildly clawed hand reached out to help the poor jinchuuriki from his perch, the
face of its owner scrunched into a vicious scowl.
            �Are you alright, Naruto?� Inuzuka Kiba asked
with no hint of compassion. Akamaru whimpered from a branch not too far off,
displeased with his master�s tone.
            The whiskered teen hissed as he took the
dog-boy�s hand reluctantly. This had been the nightmare he�d been hoping to
avoid. He knew Kiba disliked him thoroughly now, perhaps even hated him. The
fact that Tsunade had put them on the same team for a mission like this drove
Naruto practically crazy. He had protested to the decision, but Tsunade had
explained that Kiba was the perfect accompaniment for the small group. The more
Naruto attempted to get someone else to replace Kiba, the more firmly Tsunade
stood on the matter. Kiba�s skills were just as important as everyone else�s
and the mission would just not succeed without him. When the blond had tried to
state that only three of them would be necessary for the mission, Jiyumaru had
slowly dragged him from the office. There was just no winning the argument.
            �I apologize,� Kiba continued, his voice still
laced with malice, �one of the branches I landed on snapped. I hope I didn�t
scare you too much.�
            Kiba nonchalantly reached down and pulled a
splinter from his left geta. Naruto didn�t need to be a genius to understand
that Kiba had purposely hit the branch hard enough to snap it off. The
�accident� had been a purposeful attempt to cause him bodily harm. Naruto was
not all too surprised by it. Kiba had made it quite clear that if he could,
he�d kill Naruto on the spot. All of that hostility had been created the
previous day when the dog-user had eavesdropped on a conversation in Hinata�s
room. The words spoken between Naruto and the other elite in that room were
supposed to be in confidence, but Kiba had heard them nonetheless. Now things
between the two shinobi were tense. Naruto expected that he could find himself
in a brawl with Kiba at any given moment now.
            There were two other thuds on the branch
as Yakusho and Jiyumaru caught up to the scene of Naruto�s timely escape. The
lightning-quick ANBU member didn�t act as if he understood what Kiba had done
and simply tried to get everyone on their way as fast as possible. Yakusho
however gave Naruto a nod of support as he glared at the shaggy brunet, telling
the young jinchuuriki that the man in red was on his side. What little
spiritual support that gave Naruto was just enough to get him on his feet again
as the small entourage made its way north.
            Naruto knew this was going to be a very long
mission.

            The sound of rushing water could be heard quite
a ways away from their intended destination. Jiyumaru did not let them get
entranced by the roar however, insisting that they make the whole trip before
nightfall. Despite having left at just after noon the four shinobi made it to
the expansive waterfall just before eight o�clock. The sun was just barely
making its exit into nighttime as Naruto burst from the foliage. The energetic
teenager came to a sudden stop as his feet skidded on solid rock. Birds
scattered from the trees at his arrival as his deep blue eyes simply stared in
shock of where he was. He had been so consumed by his personal life that he
hadn�t even noticed where they were going this entire time.
            The Valley of the End, he said gravely
to himself. Who would of thought I�d end up back here of all places?
            �Something wrong Naruto?� Kiba�s voice
caught up to him. Naruto turned to see the Inuzuka clansman fly out of the
trees and land on the ground on all fours. Akamaru followed closely behind him,
panting hard from the long run.
            Naruto chose to not respond to Kiba this time,
turning his attention to the picturesque landscape before him. He tried to
contain the emotions that welled up within him as he revisited the site of one
of his most intense battles. He could feel his pulse quiver and his body
tremble as he relived every jutsu and punch that had been thrown during his
battle with his best friend and brother.
            �Sasuke�� he mumbled sorely.
            �Huh? Wait, you mean that this is�� Kiba said,
his voice trailing off. He scowled once again and turned away from Naruto
before he made his way to the river feeding the waterfall. Reluctantly Naruto
was forced to follow the other shinobi as Yakusho and Jiyumaru finally appeared,
the latter of the two instructing them to set up camp just beyond the first
large statue.
            Those two statues brought back even more buried
memories inside Naruto. Parts of the two massive shinobi were charred and
broken, much like the surrounding backdrop. The earth and grass had not fully
recovered from the damage Naruto and Sasuke had inflicted upon it almost three
years previous. It was here that Sasuke had renounced his ties to Team Seven
and Konoha. It was here that his friendship with Naruto had ended.
            This was the birthplace of what the fair-haired
boy considered his greatest failure.
            �Yo, Whiskers!� Yakusho called out as he
approached Naruto. �What�s up between you and Fangs? I mean, I know you two
aren�t exactly getting along with what happened to White-Eyes, but what gives?
He looks at you like you�re gonna be his next meal or something.�
            �Perhaps I will be,� the Kyuubi�s vessel
sighed. �It might be best.�
            �The hell are you talking about?� the
red-vested ninja grumbled. �Jeez, what did you do to him?�
            �It�s not necessarily him I did it to,� Naruto
sighed. �Listen�it�s personal. It�s not something I can tell just anyone. Do
you mind if we not bring it up like this?�
            �Sure, whatever you say,� the other boy said as
he adjusted his headband. �If you need me I�ll be collecting some water for
Blades.�
            Yakusho made a hasty departure from his current
teammate�s side, descending into the valley below by running down the side of
the cliff. Absently Naruto recalled how he had done something similar once
before, only back then he had done it to deliver a swift punch to Sasuke�s jaw.
            Jiyumaru assisted in assembling their sleeping
arrangements for the night. At the pace they had traveled the ANBU squad leader
expected Karimaru to arrive at the border between the Land of Fire and the Land
of Rice Fields sometime in the morning. When questioned as to how he could
possibly know that he simply replied that experience and careful study were
required of elite shinobi. Naruto made a mental note at the point to peruse the
orders they were given once more to search for any of that information. At the
same time he did his best to keep his distance from the nin-ken trainer to avoid
any unnecessary violence. On top of it all the whiskered blond was doing his
best to keep a smile on his face, belying the inner torment that had followed
him from the village. So far it seemed he had Jiyumaru fooled. He knew somehow
that Kiba didn�t really care. The only real question was whether or not Yakusho
saw through his clever trick or not.
            �Yakusho sure is taking his sweet time,�
Jiyumaru said thoughtfully. �Does one of you want to go down the cliff side and
see if he�s okay?�
            �I�ll go,� Naruto offered. �I know the
terrain. I won�t be long.�
            �Alright, just be careful,� Jiyumaru warned.
�We�re dangerously close to some of Orochimaru�s territory out here. I don�t
want us to get caught with our pants down.�
            �I got you,� the boy grumbled. �Be right
back.�

            Yakusho had left the pail of water by the
river�s edge. It had been his job to collect water, but he found himself far
more interested in the sights the Valley of the End had to offer. Specifically
the young man found himself drawn to the various shattered boulders and burn
marks that littered the area. His gloved hand traversed the surface of a
scorched rock as his nose took in the scent of long-since burned granite. All
around him were the signs of a battle from the past. Mountain faces and
shorelines were scraped and cracked, left for erosion to settle once again. Not
too far from where he was standing were two battered and discarded logs, one of
them having been split halfway down the middle.
            �Jeez,� he muttered to himself, �it�s like a
war broke out here.�
            �Not a war,� Naruto announced abruptly from
behind Yakusho. �Just�two friends, fighting for what they believed in.�
            Yakusho spun around in alarm at Naruto�s sudden
intrusion, clasping his chest with a relieved sigh after determining he was
safe. The brown-haired teenager chuckled at himself as he walked over to the
shorter lad.
            �You scared me there for a second, Whiskers,�
he said deeply. �Just how the hell did you get down here so quietly?�
            �I�m a ninja, remember?� Naruto grinned.
�Silence is kind of what I�m trained for.�
            �How did I forget that?� Yakusho mumbled.
�What�re you doing down here anyway? I thought you were helping Blades set up
the tent.�
            �I was,� the blond said, �but you were taking
longer than Jiyumaru expected. He sent me to check on you.�
            �How thoughtful of him,� the brunet sighed.
�By the way�how do you know what happened here?�
            �Shouldn�t that be obvious?� Naruto said
questioningly. �This is the place.�
            �What place?� the surviving Ryumoto asked.
            �I guess you might not know about it,� the
flaxen-haired shinobi breathed. �About three years ago�I fought a boy named
Uchiha Sasuke in this very spot. He was abandoning Konoha to join Orochimaru
and the Sound. The Hokage sent five of us to chase after Orochimaru�s elite
ninja and retrieve Sasuke. Right here at this waterfall�is where I failed to
keep my promise.�
            Naruto�s face looked removed and distant as he
peered at the raging waters that cascaded down from the cliff. The nostalgia
washed over him as the scene of Sasuke charging towards him on those sickening
hand-like wings played like an old movie. He could see the crackling blackness
of the Chidori racing at him as he thrust the sick crimson of the Rasengan at
Sasuke�s hitai-ate. The entire memory played in slow motion over and over again
against the sound of howling water. He still hadn�t let go of that moment and
probably wouldn�t for many years to come.
            �So that puts an end to that rumor then,�
Yakusho stated dryly.
            �Rumor?� Naruto questioned as he revisited
reality. �What rumor? What are you talking about?�
            �There�s a rumor going around the outlying
countries,� the red-dressed boy continued as though Naruto weren�t even there,
�that in this very spot, Orochimaru killed Uchiha Itachi. Those kinds of rumors
draw the feeble minded�the kind of people who seek to follow great power�to your
every beck and call. Anyone would want to join Orochimaru if they knew he
killed the man responsible for single-handedly eliminating all of the Uchiha
clan save himself and his younger brother.�
            �What the hell!?� Naruto gasped. He was almost
too dumbstruck to form a sentence.
            �Apparently Orochimaru�s been gathering up
forces thanks to that news,� Yakusho kept going. �You�d be amazed how easy it
is to draw in suckers when they think you�re the most powerful thing they�ve
ever seen. He�s been amassing strength and numbers for his twisted experiments
and goals. Of course now that I have this information�and have seen this place
with my own eyes�I can easily say that no such thing happened. Just for the
record though�Uchiha Itachi is still alive, right?�
            �As alive as he can be,� Naruto said with a
glare. �Now just what the hell are you going on about? Are you finally
remembering things?�
            The other teen eased his form onto the cliff
face and sighed, rocking the ever present Dragon Fang in his right hand idly.
The russet-haired adolescent flashed a quirky grin at Naruto as he tried to
suppress some deep laughter.
            �Nah, I�m not remembering anything,� he said.
�Mostly I just lied about having amnesia.�
            �WHAAAAAAAAAAT?!� Naruto shouted, completely
stunned. �Why in the hell would you lie about something like that?!�
            �You don�t get accommodations as nice as the
ones your Hokage has given me by telling the whole story right away,� Yakusho
responded. �I happen to like the cozy village I�m in right now thank you.�
            Naruto took a few moments to absorb this
revelation. If what Yakusho had said was true, then he had been lying all this
time about his circumstances. That simple fact filled the jinchuuriki with a
certain level of rage. He stayed his judgment a moment longer however, feeling
that if someone like Yakusho felt compelled to lie about something like this
then there must be a good reason for it. Naruto stroked his chin once
thoughtfully before lowering his arm, looking over at his compatriot sadly.
            �Wherever you lived before must have been
hell,� he said solemnly.
            �Where I lived before was anywhere I could,�
Yakusho snorted.
            The blue-eyed teen had not expected such a
quick response. His blue orbs met with the rust-colored ones of the other male,
their stares clashing powerfully between them. Naruto felt the uncomfortable
familiarity of an awkward silence coming, though any sort of silence was quickly
eliminated by the rushing flow behind them. Yakusho meant to end the
conversation there, turning his attention to the small bucket of water he had
left near the river�s edge.
            �How long?� Naruto said loudly enough to be
heard over the waterfall.
            �What?� Yakusho replied as he turned to face
the boy.
            �How long have you been wandering around like
this?� the blond lengthened his question. Yakusho seemed to ponder the answer
for a few moments before he turned around to pick up the bucket of water again.
            �Since I was seven,� he confessed. The way in
which it was said left no doubt in Naruto�s mind that his vest-wearing ally was
telling him the truth.
            �Why though?� he asked. �I mean�what about
your parents? What about your other family?�
            �Don�t you ever pay attention?� Yakusho
growled. �My clan was annihilated fifteen years ago.�
            �Hey, I knew that!� Naruto yelled, mentally
scolding himself for having forgotten. Another thought suddenly dawned on him
as he stood indignantly, which he voiced quite readily. �Wait a minute�you keep
saying your clan was wiped out�but you never say how! What on earth could
destroy an entire set of people like you?�
            �The Bijuu with the nine tails,� Yakusho
responded shortly. �The Kyuubi.�
            Naruto�s heart froze and sunk at the exact same
instant. It had never occurred to him that the Demon Fox could have been behind
Yakusho�s isolation in the world. The more he thought about it however, the
more it made sense. Deep down he could almost feel the Kyuubi�s memory of the
day. He knew it to be true not more than a few seconds after the statement had
first hit his ears.
            �I�m�sorry,� the whiskered young man
apologized.
            �Don�t worry too much about it,� Yakusho said,
�I�ve gotten used to it. After my Hidden Village was razed I lived with my aunt
and cousin for a few years. Just a few days after I turned seven, my cousin
drowned. Not long after that my aunt died of illness. Ever since then I�ve
pretty much wandered around taking jobs and living where I could.�
            �It must be�so lonely�� Naruto muttered, his
voice pained.
            �It could be worse,� was the chuckling answer.
�My aunt taught me everything I needed to know about my clan and its jutsu
before she passed away. I�ve met some pretty interesting people in my
travels�you being one of the most interesting. So all in all, I haven�t had it
too bad. With a little hard work and some deceit, I get to have a lot of fun.�
�I�ll say,� Naruto said with a deep smile. �Of
course you know�we�re going to have to tell Tsunade now.�
            �That�s fine
by me,� Yakusho admitted. �I�ve had a good run with Konoha.�
            �Maybe she�ll
let you stay anyway,� the shaggy-haired teen smiled. �You�ve been kind of
invaluable since you got here.�
            �We�ll see,�
Yakusho chuckled, �but don�t get your hopes up. Now, I believe I have a bucket
of water to return to a stiff ANBU?�
            The two
friends shared a laugh as Yakusho picked up the pail of water and headed up the
rock face. Perhaps this mission wouldn�t be so bad after all.

            Naruto awoke
earlier than he had expected to that day. He was prodded to consciousness by
the hilt-end of Jiyumaru�s sword. The member of Konoha�s elite guard told
Naruto to not even think of complaining or asking what the time was. They were
here on a mission and the older man didn�t want any trouble from the blond bomb
today. The words came out just in time for Naruto to notice the sun hadn�t even
risen above the horizon yet. The deep orange that painted the sky signified
that it wouldn�t be too long before day broke. That fact still didn�t make the
boy with whiskers on his face any happier.
            Breakfast was
nothing fantastic. A simple set of field rations was all that Jiyumaru had
brought for them, convinced that they would be enough. Naruto could swear that
something in Jiyumaru�s head must have gone missing since their last mission
together for him to think something like that. Despite his qualms to the meal,
he knew that both Kiba and Yakusho would not voice any complaints. Thusly, he
refrained from whining and simply ate what he could.
            As soon as
they were finished eating Jiyumaru set everyone to work. Their camp was packed
up and concealed as quickly as they could manage before they set the day in
motion. Once they completed their first task, Jiyumaru split the four shinobi
into two groups of two. Jiyumaru teamed up with Yakusho to scour the northern
section for any sign of Karimaru, which meant that Naruto was left with the bad
luck of being with Kiba to look over the southern area. Naruto had stayed his
voice so far, but being forced to survey the surrounding area with someone who
was apt to try and murder him was not something he was just going to sit and
accept. His objection fell on deaf ears nonetheless as Jiyumaru refused to
change the arrangements. Naruto was at a complete loss as to how to save
himself this torment. He couldn�t really just come out and tell the whole story
in front of Yakusho and Jiyumaru. He sighed in defeat and decided that he would
just have to grin and bear it.
            For the most
part Kiba kept quiet. The most he did to create any grief was stare at Naruto
angrily. Akamaru countered his owner�s hostility with strained whimpering,
hoping to diffuse the situation in the only way he could. Akamaru may just have
been a dog, but he was vastly intelligent as well. He understood that Kiba was
being irrational, but at the same time he knew his loyalty was to his master and
best friend. Naruto took the dog�s noises as constant apologies, an idea which
helped him cope with Kiba�s presence for the next two hours.
            Those two
hours went by excruciatingly slow for the poor blond. The sun had only popped
out from underneath its covers a half hour ago to make its slow journey through
the sky and already he and the nin-ken trainer had been back and forth through
their patch of land at least four times. Naruto was beginning to feel the
weight of Kiba�s intense glares more and more as the day hummed to life and soon
he feared he would crack under the pressure. Finally he couldn�t take it any
longer and stopped walking, returning the dog-boy�s intense gaze with one of his
own.
            �Alright,
that�s enough,� Naruto said as powerfully as he could muster. �Just tell me
what you�re thinking already.�
            �Demon,� Kiba
spat.
            �I�m not a
demon,� the demonic container countered defensively.
            �It�s your
damned fault,� the fang-faced teen snarled. �It�s your fault Hinata turned into
that�that thing. You changed her from a sweet innocent little girl into
a rampaging monster who could have killed us all!�
            �You�re
right,� Naruto admitted. He saw no need to try and play innocent. �It is
my fault. Because of me the woman I love is going to suffer for the rest of her
life, most likely. Does that make you happy?�
            The shaggy
blond saw stars the very next second. Kiba had leapt from Akamaru and tackled
his peer into the soil and rock, his claw-like fist slamming into the side of
Naruto�s head. It took a second for the jinchuuriki to regain his senses. When
he did, he was staring straight into the dark eyes of his attacker.
            �Do you think
playing guilty is going to make me forgive you!?� Kiba growled vehemently. He
grabbed Naruto by his collar tightly, squeezing his fists in rage.
            �What the hell
are you talking about?!� Naruto gasped. �L-let me go, you�re choking me damn
it!�
            �I should kill
you right now!� the beastial teenager sneered. �You�ve turned Hinata into a
demon, just like you. You�ve made her a horrible monster!�
            Something
within the cerulean-eyed boy snapped at those words. Summoning an inhuman power
saved for creatures backed into corners by vicious predators, he struck out,
landing a solid blow on the side of Kiba�s head. Akamaru bounded after his
owner and used his body to help the disheveled boy up, whimpering loudly at the
two warring friends. Both young men traded glances as Naruto rubbed his fist.
            �Don�t you
ever say that again,� his raspy voice shot out. �Don�t you ever call
Hinata-chan a demon. Do you hear me?!�
            Kiba seemed to
be at a loss for words. His anger had not vanished, but the things that Naruto
was saying seemed to grab tightly on his conscience. Not satisfied with silence
the adolescent male continued his verbal counter-attack.
            �Hinata-chan
is not a demon, or a monster, or any such thing!� Naruto hissed. �What
has happened to her is my fault. Blame me all you want, but don�t you
dare take your anger out on her. Hinata is Hinata, no matter what happens
to her or what takes control of her. If you can�t accept that then stay the
hell away from her!�
            Those words
stunned the dog-ninja into utter silence. Naruto could only stare into the dark
brown eyes of his lover�s teammate as the quiet continued. He could tell that
the words he had spoken had struck a chord for Kiba and made him slightly mute.
Every few seconds the dark-haired boy would attempt to speak and each time he
would fail to make any noise at all. It was a sight that Naruto would not soon
forget.
            The stillness
was broken quite suddenly as Kiba rushed forward and kicked Naruto to the side.
Pain shot through the young male�s body as he was flung towards the river,
already planning his next move. Naruto quickly twisted his body so that his
hands connected with the stone ground first, allowing him to pivot his body and
flip himself onto his feet. He was about to lunge at the Inuzuka prodigy when
he saw the true reason that his ex-friend had attacked him. Embedded in the
solid earth where the blond had once been standing was a curved blade, its
surface crackling with energy. Kiba stood within a hair�s breadth of the second
attacker�s face before leaping backwards towards his canine ally.
            �I missed?�
the man said rhetorically, running a hand through his thick black hair. His
left hand was draped over one of two scabbards that were strapped to his back in
a stylized �X�. �That�s unfortunate. I was really hoping children wouldn�t
give me such a hard time.�
            �Naruto,� Kiba
snarled deeply, dropping to all fours as he activated his family�s special
ninjutsu, �it�s him. It�s Karimaru. Send the signal now!�
            Naruto nodded
quickly. The signal was a simple device that Jiyumaru had constructed for them
the previous night. It consisted of a kunai with a small package attached to it
by a piece of string. Placed on the package was an explosive note that would
blow the small parcel up in midair. This would trigger the twelve or so
explosive notes that had been shoved into the tiny bundle, setting off a chain
reaction of tiny blasts. The noise � as well as the many clouds of smoke �
would be the perfect signal to draw the others to their location. At Kiba�s
command the blue-eyed shinobi threw the kunai into the air. He kept his eyes
focused on Karimaru, the loud bangs of each note going off signifying that
Jiyumaru�s device worked as they had hoped.
            �Calling
reinforcements already?� the swordsman mocked. �I thought the shinobi of
Konohagakure had more spine than that.�
            �Like you�re
in any position to be talking down to us,� the scruffy Inuzuka snapped as
Akamaru added a bark to his statement.
            �I suppose
there�s some truth to those words,� Karimaru snickered. �Nevertheless�I do have
to kill you now. I hope there are no hard feelings.�
            �Just try it
freak show!� Kiba howled. �Tsuuga!�
            The dog-man
rushed recklessly towards the enemy shinobi, leaving his lifetime partner behind
him. Taking himself into a spin he launched himself at Karimaru as a single-man
drill, his aim dead center on the Mist ninja�s body. The traitor�s response was
to quickly draw his second blade, crossing his weapons in front of himself.
Both swords quickly flashed to life, each one of them emitting a sickly purple
glow. There was no time for Kiba to halt is strike as the thick chakra
coalesced into a large orb in front of Karimaru. The ball of power fired off
from the two blades with a loud bang, hurtling towards Kiba�s spinning form like
a bomb. It connected with a trembling slam before exploding violently, flinging
the feral ninja into a nearby tree.
            �Interesting
attack,� the raven-haired man snorted. �It�s a bit blunt, but it could get you
places.�
            �Kiba!� Naruto
shouted without care for himself. The two of them may have been at odds, but he
at least did not wish to bring harm to the other boy.
            �Oh, you�re
still here?� Karimaru questioned. �I�d almost assumed you�d turned and ran. At
least Konoha shinobi still have balls.�
            �Bastard!�
Naruto hissed. �I�ll make you pay for this.�
            �Let�s see you
try, shall we?� the ninja from Kirigakure taunted.
            Both of the
man�s blades began to glow blue as his words ended. Naruto was not given enough
time to contemplate what the color meant as all of the chakra seeped into the
sword in Karimaru�s right hand, causing the steel to hum loudly. The
black-headed swordsman launched his attack from where he stood, his blade
letting out a wave of energy as he swung it. Its target quickly dropped to the
ground to avoid it, twisting his head to see it cleave through the trunk of a
large tree. The heavy plant shuddered as its connection to the ground was
severed, its body tumbling down over Naruto. The hyperactive shinobi quickly
rolled out of the road as the thick tree slammed down on the spot he had been
but a moment ago, amazed at how close he had come to being flat.
            �You�re faster
than you look,� Karimaru said. �At least I can give you credit of some sort
before I kill you.�
            �Pay more
attention to the world around you!� Kiba shouted out. �Gatsuuga!�
            Karimaru had
not noticed that Kiba had called Akamaru to his side while he had been dealing
with Naruto. He whirled around in time to see two Kibas leaping into the air
before spinning around at high speed. Both members of the Inuzuka clan barreled
down on the treacherous swordsman with their special taijutsu. Dual spinning
drills made to rip into their quarry only to be thwarted at the very last second
as Karimaru leapt to the side. His timing was so exact that even Naruto thought
that the boy and his dog had actually killed him. He soon learned that was not
the case as the water ninja�s voice cackled from behind him. Naruto and Kiba
found their eyes drawn towards the laughter, angling their necks upward to find
the man�s form on a tree branch.
            �Intriguing,�
Karimaru smirked as he sheathed his swords. �It seems I have to stop holding
back if I�m going to finish you off. So sorry to end this so quickly, but I
have places to be.�
            Both shinobi
from Konoha looked on as Karimaru snapped together hand seal after hand seal.
The speed at which he combined his palms was alarming, both of them barely able
to blink before it was finished and the jutsu was in place.    The ends of
Karimaru�s black hair fluttered quickly as the chakra raced through his body and
into the surrounding area, his eyes narrowing sinisterly.
            �Suiton!
Suiryudan no Jutsu!�
            The valley�s
great waterfall suddenly lurched, water bursting through the air from its
rushing surface, the blue liquid twisting and swirling together to form a
slithering dragon, its two aquatic eyes fixing on black and orange. The beast�s
mighty roar was drowned and mixed with the cry of the falls as it raced across
air towards its target. Naruto didn�t have time to counter the attack. His
arms rose in defensive instinct to protect against an attack that he could not
hope to guard against.
            �Katon!
Karyuu Endan!�
            Naruto�s life
owed that russet-headed vagabond a great thanks at those words. The trees to
his right were engulfed in a bright red shine as a dragon made of pure flame
flew by them, crashing headlong into Karimaru�s jutsu. The two chakra-made
beasts collided in midair and exploded in a cloud of thick steam as they
evaporated. Karimaru tilted his eyes to his left as Jiyumaru and Yakusho
arrived on the scene, eyeing the ANBU squad leader with a vicious grin.
            �Kenshin
Jiyumaru,� he snickered. �It certainly has been a while, hasn�t it?�
            �Not long
enough I would think,� Jiyumaru called out. �You still haven�t changed.�
            �Can I really
be held accountable if I happen to detest peace?� Karimaru chuckled. �After
all�without conflict I�m sort of out of a job.�
            �This guy
sounds like a whack job to me,� Yakusho sighed. �Can we just get this over with
and get back to the village? I don�t want to waste any more of my time.�
            �Your friends
keep making the mistake of underestimating me,� was the black-haired man�s sharp
reply. �Don�t they understand who they�re dealing with?�
            �You�re one of
the Seven Shinobi Swordsmen from Kirigakure,� Naruto pointed out. �Big deal.
I�ve seen two of your kind dead already.�
            Karimaru�s
response this time was to raise an eyebrow quizzically. �Is that so? I�d heard
that both Raiga and Zabuza were killed by punks from Konoha. You�re one of
those kids?�
            �I�m Uzumaki
Naruto,� the blond snapped. �Remember that name when you�re spiraling through
hell.�
            �Confident are
we?� Karimaru snorted. �Well, let�s see if that confidence is earned.�
            Another set of
hand seals flashed by as Karimaru prepared yet another assault. A kunai flew
from the crowd of four as Jiyumaru attempted to counter, only to discover that
his target was nothing but a Mizu Bunshin. The real Karimaru was free to finish
the ninjutsu undisturbed, his voice hollering to be heard over the racing water.
            �Suiton!
Daibakufu no Jutsu!�
            Water once
again exploded from the rushing stream beyond, barreling down on the small patch
of forest where Karimaru and the Konoha shinobi were battling. The humongous
gush ploughed over the trees and through the unwary ninja, catching Naruto in
its flow and taking him deep into the forest. The other three shinobi were more
fortunate than the blond as they took to the highest trees to avoid the
ninjutsu. No sooner had the wave passed than Karimaru was upon them, an orb of
sickly violet power taking out the bough that Kiba and Akamaru were perched on.
The Kiri-nin wasted no time after that, his feet splashing across the moist and
dampened earth as he sped towards the two falling bodies.
            �Almost too
easy,� he sniggered dryly, drawing both of his murderous blades.
            He almost
didn�t catch the attack in time. Yakusho lunged at Karimaru from above,
swinging the Dragon Fang straight at the water ninja�s head. The strike missed
as the swordsman chose to fall flat on his back, using his momentum to slide
across the muddied ground and avoid the fatal blow. He was on his feet just as
quickly as he had fallen from them, blocking a well-timed and nearly invisible
assault from Jiyumaru. The brown-haired man looked shocked for half a second
before attempting another attack, this time his sword aimed at Karimaru�s gut.
This attack was deflected unceremoniously by Karimaru, as was the next one aimed
for his legs. Both blade experts traded nothing more than mock strikes for a
few moments before they separated to gain ground. As soon as the black-haired
man landed he spun around, catching the incoming edge of the Dragon Fang in both
of his swords. With a flick of his wrists Karimaru sent the blade tumbling out
of Yakusho�s hands and into a nearby tree before delivering a swift kick to his
crimson-wearing opponent. The brunet was sent eight feet across the wet soil
before coming to a stop. Humiliated but determined, Yakusho rose to his feet,
eyeing Karimaru like a predator would its prey.
            �God damn he�s
fast,� Kiba muttered from safety. Thanks to the quick save made by Jiyumaru, he
and Akamaru were able to take cover in the foliage beyond the battleground. The
big dog, still in human guise, whimpered up at Kiba as they looked on.
            �Relax old
friend,� the dog-boy whispered. �We just have to wait for the right moment. If
we try to attack head on right now we�ll only get in the way.�
            Kiba hated to
admit when he and Akamaru were outclassed. It was the equivalent of admitting
they couldn�t do their job. All too often lately they had found themselves in
situations where their particular style didn�t lend anything to the success of
the mission. Kiba wasn�t about to allow himself or Akamaru to become utterly
useless though. They just had to sit and wait for the right moment to strike.
            Kiba tilted
his head as Akamaru yipped at him quietly. The brunet blinked a few times
before looking back into the forest behind him, a scowl forming on his features
before his eyes returned to the battle at hand.
            �Like I care
what happened to Naruto,� he growled. �Don�t ask me stupid questions like
that.�
            Akamaru could
only whimper in response, turning back for just a moment to face where Kiba had
looked.

            Naruto
sputtered as his eyes opened. He could feel water somewhere in his lungs that
desperately wanted to get out. He quickly rolled onto his hands and knees and
pounded his chest, the muscles convulsing as they forced the liquid from him.
It only took a moment for him to realize that he was soaked from the tips of his
shaggy hair to the toes on his feet. It also only took him a second to remember
what he was doing in the middle of the forest alone as he was. The boy jumped
to his feet suddenly, rubbing wetness off his lips as he took in a deep breath.
            �I�d better
get back,� he said to himself. �I�m not gonna let Yakusho and Jiyumaru have all
the fun.�
            Loud splashing
announced his rapid pace as he raced to rejoin his comrades in combat.

            �I have to
admit,� Karimaru laughed, �this has been far more fun than I thought it would
be.�
            �I bet you
just get off on crazy shit like this, don�t you?� Yakusho snorted.
            �I suppose you
could say that,� the dark-haired man smiled. �We in Kirigakure were pretty much
trained to thrive on death. Killing you would probably bring me more joy than
you think.�
            �I�d love to
see you try,� Jiyumaru said. �It�s two against one, you know?�
            �Well just
have to see how much those odds mean,� Karimaru returned.
            With that
cryptic statement Karimaru once again sheathed his swords. Without any
hesitation he used a single hand to make but a single seal, smiling deviously at
his opponents.
            �Kirigakure
no Jutsu!�
            Jiyumaru
realized the trouble they were in before the second syllable had left Karimaru�s
mouth. Even as he sped across the damp earth to try and stop the jutsu the mist
was gathering, hampering his vision. He struck down on the Shinobi Swordsman�s
silhouette harshly, only to strike nothing but water as the clone dispersed.
The area around them became clouded in thick white clouds, obscuring everything
except the never-ending blanket of fog.
            �Fuck!�
Jiyumaru swore. �He did it again!�
            �Guy�s really
tricky with his Mizu Bunshin, isn�t he?� Yakusho called out somewhere to
Jiyumaru�s right. �This mist doesn�t really help things, does it?�
            �Quiet
already!� the ANBU Jounin hissed.   �He�ll be striking at your voice, not your
body!�
            The warning
came a second too late. Karimaru silently formed from a puddle that was located
behind Yakusho, his face curved in a sinister grin as he drew one of his short
swords and drove it straight into Yakusho�s back. Jiyumaru gasped as he heard
the sound of blade piercing flesh, scared that not only was Yakusho dead but he
would be next. Karimaru let out a menacing chuckle as he drove his weapon in
deeper.
            �That�s one
for me,� he cackled.
            �What�s the
old saying?� Yakusho grimaced. �Don�t count your chickens before they�re
hatched.�
            Karimaru
gasped sharply and rapidly recalled his blade from inside Yakusho. He had
barely jumped back in time when the Bakudan Bunshin exploded. A pillar of flame
shot into the air as the shockwave dispersed the thick clouds of mist, allowing
Jiyumaru to see clearly once more. Karimaru was so surprised by the exploding
clone that he almost didn�t defend himself against the underhanded attack
Yakusho launched on him next. The Ryuuken hummed in the air as one of the
swordsman�s blades just barely stopped the blow, the red chakra claws a mere
inch from the Kiri-nin�s face. Yakusho added to his assault by swinging his
other hand at his adversary, only to have it blocked by the second blade. Using
the split second he had Karimaru separated himself from the Ryumoto shinobi,
getting back on his feet as fast as he could.
            Without
warning he spun on the spot and intercepted Jiyumaru�s next swing. Such was his
speed that it caught the ANBU�s sword and sent him flying into a nearby tree.
Yakusho tried to capitalize on Karimaru�s moment of weakness, rushing in
headlong with the Ryuuken poised to tear the Kiri-nin�s throat out. Instead he
was forced to stop dead in his tracks and plunge his claws into the moist dirt,
creating a wall of flame to block incoming spears of water shot from the puddles
around him. As soon as the steam had cleared a fist connected with his lower
jaw and sent him face first into the mud.
            He�s too
fast for me, Yakusho admitted to himself. I won�t get a hit in like this.
            Jiyumaru
lunged again, swinging his sword in an upward arc. The blow was deliberately
intended not to kill Karimaru, rather a distraction to prevent the swordsman
from killing the red-vested shinobi. Yakusho burst from the mud and joined the
attack, his claws coming down at Karimaru�s face with alarming speed. Both the
attacks were useless as the blade-wielder spun rapidly, knocking both men from
his body. Both of his swords began to glow purple again before another orb of
concentrated energy flew from them, crashing into the ground before Yakusho and
Jiyumaru. The two ninjas were sent flying from the following explosion, their
bodies impacting on two trees with loud smacks. Beaten and bruised, the two
could barely stand as Karimaru hovered over them like the Reaper.
            �The Twin
Blades,� Jiyumaru coughed, blood dripping from his lips, �should never have left
the care of my family. I knew�you would abuse their power if given the chance.�
�Such a pity you didn�t do anything about it, isn�t
it?� Karimaru mocked. �Now the blades your clan crafted will be used to loose
you from the mortal coil. Almost ironic, but not quite.�
            �Gatsuuga!�
            Kiba and
Akamaru struck with violent speed, hurtling from the bushes in unison. Their
attack looked as though it would succeed, twin spirals of death closing the
distance terrifyingly fast. Karimaru�s face did not twitch or falter though as
he rose the Twin Blades, two large spears of water blasting out from the water
around him. The nin-ken trainer and his partner were lucky that their velocity
changed the attack from fatal to merely powerful. The force placed on the
spinning bodies by Karimaru�s counter-attack pushed them off course and into the
ground roughly. Kiba�s grand impetus was only halted when his body collided
with the trunk of a large tree, leaving him sprawled out on the forest floor.
Akamaru came to rest in a thick bush not much further from the others than Kiba
had, whimpering as the jutsu that made him look human dissolved.
            �Admirable,�
Karimaru admitted. �Were I not this fast, I�d probably be dead. Of course all
your effort has done is make me want to kill you first. Do put in a good word
for me in hell.�
            Kiba flinched
as Karimaru raised his sword to finish it. Kiba could see every moment of his
short life begin to replay before him as his existence drew to a close as he
waited for death to come and carry him away. He continued to wait for what
seemed like an eternity, only to realize that he wasn�t dead yet. He turned his
gaze up at Karimaru to see what had postponed his untimely demise, only to be
greeted with shock at what he saw.
            Gripping
Karimaru�s wrist was a malevolent crimson claw of chakra. The owner of that
crimson claw was also the embodiment of a crimson chakra fox, the shell of red
energy, long tails and pointed ears encasing a certain boy dressed in orange and
black.
            �Naruto�� Kiba
gasped.
            Jiyumaru and
Yakusho slowly found their eyes trailing to the blond teenager. They gazed upon
the boy whose eyes were once blue to find nothing but blood red against a sea of
white. Surrounding his body was the facsimile of a fox made out of the
brimming, twisted chakra of the Kyuubi. His voice trembled with rage, almost
matching that of an animal�s growl.
            �My friends
aren�t your death trophies,� Naruto snarled. �You�ll pay for trying to
kill them.�
            Karimaru did
not let his fear of death stop him from trying to save his own life. He swung
his other arm at Naruto in an attempt to behead the boy. The blow was stopped
by Naruto�s free hand, grasping the blade tightly as it dug into his palm.
Ignoring the pain he delivered a swift kick into Karimaru�s gut, pulling on the
sword at the same instant. The combined forces were enough to rip one of
Karimaru�s blades from his own grasp, sending him back several feet with only
one in hand. Naruto disposed of the sword by throwing it into a nearby tree,
lowering himself to all fours as he prepared to deal with the rest of his enemy.
            Karimaru for
his own part cursed his bad luck. A visible bolt of energy originating from his
sword struck his palm, forcing him to drop the weapon entirely. His hand smoked
with the spiteful power from his orphaned sword, leaving him unarmed. Seeing
his opportunity Naruto leapt at the man from Kirigakure and delivered a forceful
punch to his face, sending the water ninja careening into the stream near the
waterfall.
Karimaru skidded to a stop on the water�s surface
only to be struck by Naruto again. The amazing speed and agility the Kyuubi�s
chakra bestowed him with allowed him to close the distance on Karimaru without
any problems, delivering a powerful axe-handle smash to the back of the
raven-haired shinobi�s head. The jolt sent the murderous ninja spiraling to the
bottom of the river so quickly that the water did not have time to replace the
hole that had been created. Before time could catch up Naruto thrust his hand
at the Shinobi Swordsman, the Kyuubi�s chakra extending outward as a large red
claw extended from his arm at a rapid rate. The flying arm grabbed onto
Karimaru viciously before pulling back up and flinging the hapless man into the
air, where he was once again greeted by the demon-possessed teenager. Red claws
dug into the sinister man�s body as Naruto spun his body around, flinging the
sword-wielding Kiri-nin into the ground on the opposite side of the stream.
Several bones snapped as Karimaru�s body impacted on solid rock, creating a
small crater as dust and debris flew through the air.
            Slowly the
blade-wielding shinobi rose to his feet, wobbling slightly as he stood on a
broken leg. Whatever he planned to do about his hopeless situation at that
point became moot as he stared into the blazing form of the Kyuubi-enraged
Naruto. Karimaru found his body being lifted into the air as his collar was
grabbed by the flaxen-headed teen, his breath catching as if he were staring
into the eyes of death itself.
            �As I said
before,� Naruto growled, �my name is Uzumaki Naruto. Remember it when
you�re spiraling through hell.�
            Naruto�s free
hand swung its claw across Karimaru�s throat, slitting it wide open. He could
barely even gurgle as his blood poured out over his clothes and onto the rock
below. The last breath of life left his body but a second later as he hung
limply in Naruto�s grasp.

            An hour or so
later the team finished their preparations to return home. Jiyumaru was
currently disposing of Karimaru�s body through the use of a special scroll
designed to burn the entire body to nothing. Naruto was busy making sure all of
the supplies he had been in charge of were accounted for and in his bag before
they left. Kiba was watching Jiyumaru�s technique carefully from not too far
away, leaving Yakusho standing right next to Naruto as he waited.
            �So you�re the
Kyuubi�s jinchuuriki?� Yakusho asked suddenly. �I�d heard a while back that
he�d been sealed inside some kid�I just didn�t think it was you.�
            Naruto was
taken quite aback by the sudden statement. �Yeah, it�s me,� he admitted.
�And�I�m sorry.�
            �Sorry for
what?� Yakusho asked. �You just kicked Karimaru�s ass. We�d probably all be
corpses if it weren�t for you, even though I doubt Fangs will admit it.�
            �I meant��
Naruto tried to continue.
            �Of course you
meant for what the fox did to my clan,� Yakusho sneered. �I know what you
meant. But you weren�t even born when that happened. So try not to take too
much of a guilt trip over it.�
            Naruto felt
relieved. He had expected Yakusho to be like the rest of the villagers. He had
expected the older teen to hate him for what the Demon Fox had accomplished in
its life, instead of seeing Naruto for who he was. Knowing that he had another
friend who saw him as something other than a monster was refreshing.
            �By the way,�
Yakusho interrupted his thoughts, �don�t ever use that power again. I�ll admit
it saved our asses today, but you�re better than it. It�s the Forbidden Fruit,
you get me?�

            �I think I understand�� Naruto said.

            �Good,� Yakusho smiled. �Because if you use it again, I�ll kill
you. Got it?�
            Naruto gulped
audibly at those words, but nodded his head all the same. Yakusho was a friend,
but he apparently still had his reservations about the Kyuubi.
            �Alright you
two!� Jiyumaru called out. �We�re leaving pronto. I don�t want to be anywhere
near this place anymore. Back to Konoha we go.�
            �Those are
words I never thought I�d be happier to hear,� Naruto sighed.
            The other
three shinobi quickly gathered their packs and began to make their way back to
their home village. As Jiyumaru and Yakusho sped off into the trees Kiba
stopped, petting Akamaru as he turned to face Naruto.
            �You saved
us,� he said bluntly. �There may yet be hope for you, Naruto�perhaps for Hinata
as well. But don�t think that I�ve forgiven you.�
            The statement
was short, sweet and to the point. Without another word Kiba hopped onto
Akamaru�s back before speeding off into the foliage. Naruto took a deep sigh
and sprung up after him, shaking his head sadly.
            At least this
mission was over.

Hurray for Chapter 8!
I honestly can�t wait for Chapter 9, but you�re going to have to wait a bit for
it. I have some other important things going on and they need to be dealt with
first. Until then, have fun!
- 8
- 9
- 10
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Dragonheart

Dragonheart