34Team 7 was waiting for their tardy Sensei as usual. But there was less of a complaint this time, they had finally gotten a C-ranked mission and they were about to depart.
It was a simple mission of escorting a drunkard bridge builder, not the kind of mission where you'd see any kind of real action. But it was an opportunity to see the world and prove that they could do more than just chase cats and paint fences.
For Sakura, this also meant learning how to pack for a mission as she had initially brought too much. But on the light side, it meant getting help from Sasuke.
Sure he had told her: "If you don't repack, you'll slow us all down."
She knew that he actually cared about her.
But by Sasuke's standards of essential, that meant just one book and far from as many clothes as she wished for. And trying to cheese it by bringing one of her largest books didn't work. She'd blame him if she got bored on the trip.
And even with that delay, there was still plenty of downtime for them while waiting, which Sasuke spent on practising his aim and Sakura practised her observation skills by watching him throw countless kunai.
After a half an hour, Sasuke got bored and turned to Sakura. "Why don't you give it a shot, you won't be any use if you don't practise."
Sakura was a bit stunned, Sasuke wanted to see her throw. But she was a bit afraid to make a fool out of herself. Though she'd be looking like even more of a fool if she said no, so she grabbed a kunai from her own pouch and stepped into position.
She looked at the target, aimed and threw the kunai at it.
Right in the middle.
Luck, she thought to herself. She prepared another one and repeated the process.
And by repeating the process, she hit the bullseye again.
Both of them was a bit surprised. They both knew she tended to be a bit rubbish at it. She could impossibly have learnt that much by admiring Sasuke, so it must have been a fluke.
But as she was about to throw another one, Kakashi, Sai, and the bridge builder had turned up.
It was time to go.
-x-
It wasn't just Team 7 that was excited. Team Mangetsu had gotten something even better than a C-rank, an A-rank.
Naruto had a hard time sleeping the night before, he was finally able to go on an adventure with his new best friend. The Mizukage really must have believed in them for giving them an A-rank this soon. Sure, he knew his friend was strong, but still.
Sasuke wouldn't be given this kind of chance he bet.
The wind was blowing through his hair as he stood in front of the boat as the vessel raced through the waves. Yagura and Mangetsu were playing cards while Chōjūrō was by the back of the boat keeping watch.
It was more a training exercise, they didn't expect anything to happen before arriving in the Wave Country. And he didn't say no to the opportunity to get a better watch of the world. Even if much of the trip would probably be just watching waves travelling along the water.
But there still was a chance that some minor issues could arise, from what Naruto had heard, Wave was controlled by a rich shipping magnate who might not appreciate their diplomatic mission. The people there were struggling, so they had with them fish as aid and a token of goodwill. He would have suggested providing them with ramen too, but it was already too late at that moment.
-x-
Naruto had no idea that it was a risky move from Yagura. As the boy was unaware of the dire situation in his new home country. But it was something that kept the innocent looking Mizukage's head occupied. Getting access to a port on the mainland, along with improved fishing opportunities for both countries was vital. While they could easily take it over by force, it wouldn't look great with their neighbours. So diplomacy it was.
Which was why Yagura would rather focus his mind on a mindless card-game. All the official documents had already been written back home. Mangetsu would take care of the talking as it helped to have someone who looked like an adult discuss with the Wave Daimyo.
Zabuza, however, was a problem he needed to solve himself. He had prepared a personal letter for the man. But if needed, he had no issues with defeating the former swordsman. That wasn't an outcome he could be happy with. For some reason, he had hoped for Naruto somehow saving the day as he himself was kneedeep in blood.
The boy adored him.
No one else did.
If Zabuza could see that, maybe he could see that things had changed. He was no longer the Kage he once tried to assassinate.
But back to the card game, he was winning too much to be not suspicious.
"Are you losing on purpose, are you afraid of me?" Yagura asked his pretend Jounin-sensei.
The other man flashed his shark teeth in a smile.
"You got me, I might have let you win a few times, but it's not because I fear you'll punish me for winning. I take a look at you, I see the bags under your eyes, you're under a lot of stress. I'm doing it to cheer you up, if everything else goes badly on this mission, at least you're not failing at this," Mangetsu said.
Yagura sighted. Would he be treated like this if he didn't look like a young boy?
But he couldn't deny he appreciated the thought. It did kind of make him feel better. But it didn't feel exactly right.
"Thanks," Yagura said. "I think I'll nap for a bit."
-x-
For Team 7, things were a bit tense at the moment. It turned out that the bridge builder had lied to them. Two bound up missing-nin had provided more enough proof at the old man's story didn't hold water.
So now they had a decision to make.
There were several thoughts in Kakashi's head.
On one hand, the man had lied to them and put his team in danger.
On the other hand, his worries were real and the man was pushed into desperation. Thw Wave couldn't afford a higher ranked mission.
But he should perhaps believe in his team some more.
Sasuke was a top student and could make good of a challenge.
Sai was a Danzo spy and should be able to hold his own with no issue.
Sakura was the issue. She had a lot to work on as a ninja, and if he could ensure her safety, it would be a great learning experience for her.
Kakashi sighed, he would probably regret it. Both Sasuke and Sakura wanted to continue, while Sai said they couldn't reward Tazuna for lying. So it was up to him to decide.
"We're continuing on. Sai, people may have real reasons to lie, and sometimes we need to let it slide," Kakashi told the team. "But from now on, I want you to be extra careful. Everyone got it?"
The three nodded.
"All right, here is the plan. Sakura, stay close to Tazuna at all times and be ready with a kunai to deflect any attack. Sasuke and Sai, protect them from all sides. If Sakura has to step in, you've not done your job properly. I will go after the enemy. So unless I say otherwise, keep to protecting your target. Understood?" Kakashi asked them.
"Hai," all three of them answered.
"And you," he pointed to the bridge builder. "You're going to be more respectful towards my team or I'll cut off your tongue, you won't need that for finishing the bridge."
The man did not dare say anything, only shut his mouth safely.
-x-
As Yagura started to wake up from his nap, he noticed someone lying behind him. As he turned his head he noticed the yellow mop of hair from his new friend.
It stunned him for a moment and he started to observe the features of the other boys face. Even if he was sleeping, he could still notice that Naruto was without worry. That he'd lied down next to his friends as extra comfort as if that was a natural thing to do.
People who previously knew him would never do that, everyone feared him to a certain degree. Mangetsu might pretend not to, but he knew that it was just a facade. He could feel that the man had some doubts about him, and not trust him to not become a threat later on..
And the same could be said for Chōjūrō. Not only was he aware of his reputation, but he was also a spy and a spy for a faction that would have probably made him an even bigger of a villain. That boy had all the reason to be afraid.
Yet Naruto felt none of it at all. But rather it looked like he couldn't have slept safer next to who he perceived to be his best friend in the world.
Yagura wished he didn't have to trick the boy like that, but it was too late to turn back now.
-x-
Everything had gone bad, almost. They had been expected to be attacked again, but not by someone of Zabuza's calibre.
Though everyone survived, and Kakashi was thankful for that, but he couldn't avoid the sneaking suspicion that something was wrong. That Mist hunter-nin wasn't acting like a hunter-nin should have. Not to mention that it was all too convenient. You wouldn't just send one person after someone like Zabuza. Which meant there would be another fight in the coming days.
Which lead him to this, watching Sasuke trying to learn to walk up trees. Sakura had mastered it pretty fast and Sai already knew how to do it, obviously. So he had sent them to work on water walking while he was watching Sasuke fail, over and over again.
There seemed to be a lack of real drive in the boy, just mindless motions. His teammates had left him behind, and there was no one else to compete with. From going from the top of his class, Sasuke was now dead last on the team, at least in his own mind.
How much easier this would have been if Naruto was here instead of Sai. Then they could challenge each other to reach new heights, both literary and figurative.
"Sasuke, you should take a break, you won't make any progress when you're frustrated like this."
His student quickly pocketed his kunai, as if this was just the excuse he needed.
"People progress at different rates, Sakura has good control due to her low chakra reserves, and I'm sure you've already noticed that Sai is … weird."
"What happened to Naruto?" Sasuke asked while ignoring the lesson Kakashi was trying to teach him.
"It's complicated," Kakashi answered. "Is that's what upsetting you?"
"No," Sasuke answered back, "I just find it strange, I've not seen him since before the graduation. One day he was there, then he was gone. Is he dead?"
"No!" Kakashi called out, "What's all this about?"
"Something is being hidden from us, I just imagined how it would be if he was on the team here instead of Sai. He'd try to climb the tree out of stubbornness. We weren't friends, but I could connect to him. He always challenged me, even if it was impossible. Sakura doesn't do that, Sai doesn't do that," Sasuke sighed in frustration. "My… the man is way too strong for me right now. Challenging him in anything I do is hopeless."
"You miss having a rival?"
Sasuke reluctantly nodded. "It might be pathetic to see the dead last as a rival, but he always put in effort into trying to overdo me, even if he tended to lack in results. "
"I've been trying to get him back, but… I've not exactly had luck in it, but I'm working on it. That's all I can say right now."
"You can't even tell me where he is?" Sasuke asked.
Kakashi shook his head.
"You don't need to do this exercise right now if you don't want to, it's not like we'll be facing any enemy trees while we're here. It can wait until another time."
-x-
Naruto was bored. This boat trip took forever, and not in the way ramen took forever to cook, it had been days. Nothing had happened, it should be a good thing, but he had expected more exciting stuff on a mission like this.
That didn't mean he didn't enjoy playing cards with Chōjūrō. His teammate was friendly and had an awesome sword. Though it looked a bit too big and heavy for him.
Too bad he lost most of the times. But that just meant he had to try harder next time, never give up. Sasuke wouldn't have given up, so neither would he. Though Sasuke wouldn't have lost…
He wondered if he'd see him again.
Of course, he would, they'll meet in the chuunin exam. He had an awesome team, there was no way the Mizukage would hold them back. And with Sasuke's strength, he'd, without doubt, be there too.
"We're there soon, I need you all to be on guard now," Mangetsu-Sensei said.
Finally, in not so long he could put his feet on solid ground again.
-x-
"I have a bad feeling for today," Kakashi told his team. "Zabuza is overdue in striking again. Sai, I want you to protect the house, if they can't get Tazuna, they might go after his family. Sasuke, you'll go after his fake hunter-nin ally and Sakura, stay close to Tazuna."
-x-
While Mangetsu and Yagura were out in a meeting with the local daimyo. It was up to Naruto and Chōjūrō to stay out of trouble.
So that meant waiting outside, and not go around exploring.
-x-
Zabuza regretted everything, it was a stupid decision but desperation pushed him into a corner. He had underestimated his opponent, the infamous copycat. And Haku was struggling with his opponents. They might be a fresh genin, but they were a force to be reckoned with, and it didn't help the situation that Haku was reluctant to go all out against other children.
He hadn't gotten the rest needed, as Gato was impatient and pushed him to act sooner than he was prepared. And his opponent didn't lack effort either. They both had something to fight for.
Zabuza knew he needed to act before it was too late. So he lunged at his opponent with his sword.
That was a terrible mistake, he was becoming more and more sloppy, and now he got punished for it.
Kakashi had managed to hook a kunai inside into his sword and yanked it out of his hands.
An unarmed swordsman could very quickly turn into a dead swordsman. Especially since he had spent most of his chakra on Jutsu that had failed to give him any sort of advantage.
His opponent was preparing his signature attack, Raikiri, the chirping birds was the sound of death in his ears. And he was too exhausted to really move.
He closed his eyes for a final countdown to the end.
3
2
1
But the strike never came and the birds stopped chirping.
Did Haku stop it?
No.
"No!"
It couldn't be happening, he had to open his eyes and look.
And he was completely right. It couldn't be happening. Instead, something even more unbelievable had happened.
He could recognize that green uniform anywhere.
They said as death set in, the brain would be depleted for oxygen and start hallucinating.
But he'd assume it would at least be something believable.
That the 4th Mizukage, the brutal leader of the bloody mist, Yagura was what standing between him and death. No, that was impossible. He was a traitor. He had tried to kill that man, a man that did not handle traitors with any kind of mercy.
All he wanted to do now was close his eyes and let death take him, hoping Haku wouldn't join him anytime soon. He just wished he could have told the boy how much he meant to him before dying, but alas, it was too late.
-x-
Kakashi's eyes were wide, his attack had been stopped right in his tracks. A wooden staff was placed against his chest.
Yagura.
"As a missing-nin for Mist, he's our responsibility. The fight is over," the pretend genin said.
On the other flank a blue haired boy with a sword way to big for himself, and Naruto had stepped in between Sasuke, Sai and Zabuza's apprentice, along with another swordsman from Mist.
The fight was over, his team should, by all means, be safe, he could relax again. The nightmare had reached its end and no one had died.
-x-
Sasuke's eyes were wide. In front of him was no other than Naruto armed with a kunai to keep them at bay.
"Where have you been?" he asked his former classmate.
"Oh hi bastard, look I'm a genin now, I finally did it," Naruto said and pointed to his forehead protector. Four small waves, the same as Zabuza.
"Why did you leave?" Sasuke asked again.
"People don't like me back home, I was going to fail the exam. So when Yagura invited me, I took the chance to get away. Look at this," Naruto said and formed a water clone. "I manage to make a clone and become a genin."
He smiled proudly at him. Sasuke hadn't seen the other boy that happy, not in that way. Yes, he was excited about the pranks he pulled off, but never happiness separated from whatever kept him occupied at the moment.
"So you never missed Konoha?" Sasuke asked.
Naruto paused for a bit before answering. "Not really, I'm sorry. Not even Sakura. Things have changed."
Could Sasuke revive some of their rivalries?
"Do you know how to walk on trees?" Sasuke asked.
When Naruto shook his head, he knew there was a chance.
But all was not over…
Gato had gone tired of waiting for Zabuza to do his job and was turning up with a large group of henchmen. The man looked quite short among the group, but that was just an illusion.
"What do you guys want," Yagura yelled at them.
"More annoying children trying to play hero," Gato laughed along with the men behind him. "We were just going to take out the bridge builder and destroy the bridge. But first, we need to remind people of Wave that you don't get to oppose me just because you're a kid."
"Don't dare to touch my friend!" Naruto yelled out.
Yagura turned around and smiled at him, "Don't worry I can handle it." And started making a few hand signs.
A large wave of water hurled towards the enemy, some tried to run away, some stood steadfast against it, but either approach was pointless. Because as soon they got trapped in the Jutsu, blobs of water gathered around the victims and hurled them over the edge of the bridge. Till everyone was gone apart from Gato.
He had seen that the population had gathered with crossbows under the leadership of a small boy, or an adult looking like a small boy. He didn't know for sure.
So it was only right that he gave them a chance to take revenge on the man that had terrorized their land.
Some were approaching Gato for that exact purpose, while others were approaching him.
Before he could react properly, people had grabbed him and thrown him up in the air cheering. Praising their new hero.
He had just thrown a large group of people off a tall bridge, shouldn't that make him at least a bit intimidating?
-x-
Zabuza turned out to be wrong about his own death because here he was awake. His sword was standing by the wall and he was apparently in a bed. As he tried to raise up, he noticed that his limbs were tied to the bed.
It made a rattling noise, alerting anyone around about his actions.
"I see you're awake."
It was Mangetsu. One of his fellow swordsmen, at least in the past. "I have a letter I want you to read."
His right hand was untied, but he didn't feel strong enough to read right now.
"What's it about?" Zabuza asked, tired in his voice.
"It's a pardon. For both your attempt at assassinating the 4th Mizukage along with your other crimes as a missing-nin," Mangetsu.
"What about Haku?" Zabuza asked.
"He's alive and well. The same applies to him, no charges."
"There has to be a catch, right?" Zabuza wasn't exactly convinced.
"Yes…" Mangetsu said. "But not bad ones. First I need to ask you if you've committed any truly horrible crimes, like sold children into slavery, any acts of genocide or something in that area."
"I've not, my missions might have been far from honourable, like trying to take out the bridge builder and the team from Konoha, but I've never fallen as low as you might fear."
"Good, the sword of yours is Mist property, it is going back to the village. But we hope you'll rejoin the village and help to make it a better place, we're already making progress. Yagura has turned into a fine leader. He says he's been mind-controlled for most of his reign, till recently, or he might just have gone crazy. But no matter the reason, it's better now. Just look out the window, he's being approached as a hero."