"Yeah, vengeance quests DO tend to cut into one's comfort time," agreed Kronk. "Lemmee see what's on the menu."
"I'll try to keep my expectations reasonable," said Yzma, sniffing at the squallor around her as Kronk left to try and find that menu.
"...an Uzumaki?! You're kidding me!"
"Quiet, you lout!"
Yzma shimmied down two stools towards the speakers.
"Yeah, I ain't kidding. A real main branch member of the Uzumaki clan," said a youth who had the look of a sellsword - and a cheap one at that.
"Uhm, I think I can afford a few flowers for your grave marker," said the other, a slightly nervous-looking guy who had patches of dirt ground into his clothes. Maybe a farmer?
"Don't say that!" said the sellsword. "Half Gato's mercenary force left. He's hiring up anyone who will hire or be bullied into his group."
"Once they hear THAT, they'll be even harder to recruit," said the farmer. "Damn. I thought they were all dead."
"Enough freakin' damn ninja wanted to make sure of that," said the sellsword. "It's been at least a couple of decades, but the ninja that Gato had hired - they're convinced. It's a main branch Uzumaki."
Yzma blinked a couple of times, considering approaches. Something subtle perhaps.
"Uzumaki? Y'mean like 'Naruto Uzumaki'?" asked Kronk, stopped in the process of bringing two plates closer.
"You know its name?" asked the sellsword.
"Yeah," said Kronk. "Huh. So you guys know something about him?"
"Just what we know about the Uzumaki in general," said the farmer. "They're supposed to be experts on fuuinjutsu. You know, seal techniques to manipulate stuff. Vengeful too."
"Damn vengeful," agreed the sellsword.
"Horribly vengeful," added the farmer.
"Imagine the worst thing you can think of doing to someone, then make it a thousand times worse," said the sellsword. "That's what an Uzumaki does FOR FUN."
"Yeah," agreed the farmer. "All the stories agree. If you make it personal, an Uzumaki will make you scream for death until your voice gives out. Just as a way of getting acquainted with you."
"Wow," said Kronk, taking a seat. "I haven't heard any of that. Can you tell me more?"
Sasuke twitched. "He knocked me out."
"Yeah," said Kakashi.
"Where's Naruto?" asked Sasuke, hoping that Naruto was ALSO knocked out.
"Resting," said Kakashi. "When he defeated the missing-nin with a single move, it apparently took a lot out of him."
Sasuke felt as if he was in a cold dark place. "Naruto. Defeated a missing nin. In one move. The same missing nin who..."
"Knocked you out in one move," helpfully supplied Kakashi.
Sakura tried to be supportive. "He ambushed you with some kind of solid-clone technique, Sasuke. He didn't know anything about you, or he would have taken you more seriously."
Sasuke's head was hanging but there was a little muscular twitch. "He didn't take me seriously?"
"No, Sasuke," Sakura rushed to assure her love interest. "He referred to you as 'dead weight' - which means he doesn't know you at ALL."
"Great," said Sasuke, twitching some more. "I'm 'dead weight' on this team."
"No, I certainly wouldn't say that," said Kakashi, trying to think of some positive spin on recent events. "Naruto has that 'hijutsu' angle, and Sakura is currently in a body that's got some nonstandard equipment."
"Whereas I'm just weak and NORMAL?!" began to erupt Sasuke, baring teeth in what was definitely NOT a smile.
"That's not..." began Kakashi, reflecting that he wasn't exactly known for his skills in helping kids through troubled times.
"Sasuke, that's not right, you're great! I mean, I've got this stuff for now," said Sakura, clenching a fist. "Naruto has all those lightning techniques and his hammer. But you're -"
"STOP IT!" yelled Sasuke. "You're just a damn puppet, a doll! Naruto is the stupid dead last of the class!"
"I..." said Sakura.
"Shut up and leave me alone!" growled out Sasuke as he went for the door.
Kakashi winced and glanced towards Sakura, who'd apparently locked in place. Sighing, he reminded himself that this sort of thing was why he had tried to avoid being saddled with a genin team for as long as he had.
"The messages have gone out regarding the Chunin Exams," said tbe Chunin in charge of that detail. "We've gotten back one reply."
The Hokage blinked. "Didn't you release the messenger birds this morning?"
"Yes, sir, it is the Mid-Childan communication device that we've gotten a reply back from," said the Chunin. "Apparently several of Naruto's acquaintances want to attend and are requesting more detailed information."
Haku was a wraith as he slowly let himself into the house. He was quite aware of the dangers involved, yet he could not allow the Uzumaki to continue to threaten Zabuza-sama.
A discrete inquiry among the few members of staff, particularly a very talkative member of the kitchen staff, had turned up a number of tales involved with the Uzumaki. Three things formed a recurrent motif within the tales, and that degree of agreement was indicative of some truth. One, they were reknowned for having a temper. Two, vengeance for their enemies was only matched by their generosity towards those they counted as friends. Three, their talent for Fuuinjutsu - Seal Techniques of such artistry that they made the impossible possible.
Haku was counting on the genin not being able to detect his presence, after all - he'd been trained by Zabuza whose specialty was 'silent killing' - striking a fatal blow before the target knew he was there.
A slight movement caused Haku to freeze, but it was only a cat regarding him lazily from a bookshelf. As he watched, the cat settled back to its rest without so much as a tail-flick to indicate annoyance.
Cursing that he'd lost valuable seconds watching the cat, Haku moved deeper into the house. The jonin remained a danger. Kakashi Hatake was an experienced killer who'd undertaken many assassination missions. If there was even the tiniest slip of control, the faintest noise or leaking of killing intent, the jonin would be upon him in less than a heartbeat.
Haku eased the door to one room open. There were the two genin. The blonde Uzumaki and that black-haired 'dead last' that he could incapacitate but leave alive. Just stop here, kill the Uzumaki, duck into the bridge-builder's room and end HIS life - then out again.
It would be simple.
Haku felt the air movement and twisted but someone was already slamming chakra-laden strikes into his body.
To say Hanabi Hyuga was pleased would be to understate things. She'd slipped back into her cat-form and looked smug and pleased to the point where an actual purr erupted from her on occasion.
The young pretty-boy tied up in the center of the room looked about as dejected as it was possible to get.
"Well, this is an unusual situation," said Kakashi.
"I'm sorry, Zabuza-sama, I have failed you," said the boy.
"Well," said Kakashi, "you were sneaking through a house where there were guardians." Such as a jonin, two genin, a 'B+' rank wizard, and a magical familiar - but Kakashi didn't speak those details.
"Yes, I underestimated you," said Haku.
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(Posted Wed, 17 Nov 2010 15:42)
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