Announcement: Sorry it has taken so long to get this out. This has been a very hectic time, I am still writing this but I am also trying to fix things in the story that I accidently wrote like Mebuki's hair she isn't supposed to be the pink haired and I know that. I also messed that up and am slowly working on fixing it here and on my other naruto fanfiction and another fanfiction I have that is this story being watched by the past. I haven't decided if I want to upload it yet or not but I might. Thank you to everyone for being patient and I will get another chapter uploaded soon. This is not abandoned I promise.
Arriving at the gates with 15 minutes to spare, the old drunk and Kakashi were both missing. Sasuke and Naruto were standing by the gate guards stand, Izumo and Kotetsu(the village's two eternal gate guards that look lazy but could kill you if they really wanted) approached us as we got near asking about whether we were excited to be going outside the village. We mainly chatted about the fact that we were headed to the wave and the temple that Sakura had gotten us permission to visit on the way back to the village. Izumo and Kotetsu looked deep in thought with smiles on the faces. "You be careful in them ruins. Your momma didn't think anything was left standing, so she never went. She also said that everything is done with seals Naru, when in doubt nick your thumb. There are seals like that everywhere from your parents, I don't even know all of them even. Your mother did say that's where the pranking nature comes from" Hiashi said his voice low making the gate guards jump.
Chuckling I bowed my head to him in greeting, "Who all knows we're going to the ruins" I asked looking at Sakura. "Hinata informed me, I was lucky to catch you before you left. But knowing your sensei... Any way Neji also had a clone of yours looking for him as I was leaving the compound" Hiashi said a small smile on his face. "She will be looking awhile. Neji is normally with his team. I wonder how long it will take her to figure out that all she has to do is look for his chakra" I said with a smirking Sakura beside me. "I will be on my way. Come by for dinner when you get back Naru. Be careful" Hiashi said continuing on his way. "Wonder what he was really doing" I mused to myself.
Kakashi appeared 5 minutes before our meeting time with a cleaned-up bridge builder who seemed to freeze when he laid eyes on me. Izumo and Kotetsu the gate guards raised their eyebrows at me in question and I just shrugged as Sakura snickered behind her hand. Sasuke was smirking as we bid goodbye to the two and left through the gates taking up a formation with me in front and Kakashi in the rear.
We traveled like this for a couple days with no problems, our topics always varied but Naruto kept Sasuke busy and Sakura the ever one with a thirst for knowledge always was asking something. On our fourth day of travel Naruto and Sasuke had made their way back to the topic of swords while Sakura was reading a medical textbook from a scroll on my arm. I was making random rude anbu signals to Kakashi who was smirking while signing back about my mom whopping my ass if she were here while he pretended to read.
Sasuke and my clone were discussing the different pros and cons about a sword once again as Kakashi smiled and told them that he used a tanto once upon a time. This got both of their attentions and they engaged in a discussion with Kaka nii about his use of a tanto and how well it worked. By the end of the conversation we were approaching a puddle of water off to the side of the road, looking at the puddle then looking at Kakashi. He nodded at me telling me to leave it for now. Sakura and Sasuke both followed my line of sight as we gathered closer to the bridge builder whose name, I had discovered was Tazuna as he and Sakura had talked. The water puddle held two signatures within. 20 seconds after we passed it these chains erupted from it wrapping around Kakashi. Winking at us he was ripped to shreds and a male voice said "one down" as two bodies materialized that I recognized.
Smirking I pulled my Naruto clone over to stand by Sakura who had taken up her defensive position and Sasuke had withdrawn a kunai. The demon brothers of the mist headed after the four of us and Sasuke pinned their chain to a tree engaging one of them. Approaching the other I hit the pressure point in one of his arms rendering it useless and pulling the other behind his back. "Is he near? Who is he working for" I asked my voice low in a whisper as I held the man still, "Don't know what your talking about girlie. I just need the bridge builder" the man said swallowing quickly. Claws extended from the arm between the two of us pressing against my abdomen "Retract your claws or I will show you what a true demon looks like that makes Zabuza look like a speck beneath my foot" I said calmly making the man sweat. The brother in my arm was shaking so bad his clawed hand began to jerk near my stomach, I could feel Kakashi's watchful worried expression from within the trees on the side of the road. Rolling my eyes, I used chakra coated fingertips and pressed pressure points in his neck knocking him out. I took his chain from him with his claws and his brothers placing them in an empty storage scroll.
Kakashi appeared taking both brothers under his arms looking at me for injuries, the claws never even penetrated my clothes thank kami for that. Sakura sighed in relief looking me and Sasuke both over. He had run in front of her as the other brother had tried to evade him and attack her instead, there was a crater in front of Sakura and a very shocked Tazuna. Smirking I high fived Sakura as Kakashi began praises. "Good job Sasuke, Naruto. You two work well together. Sakura I am impressed in your ability to utilize your chakra and your quick thinking to check your teammates over for injuries as soon as the battle was over. Naru I am proud of you and your sense of protecting others has come in handy while battling". Sasuke smirked and my Naruto clone fist bumped him. They went back to talking about swords as Kakashi laid in to Tazuna about lying to us and that we really should return to the leaf, but Sakura approached him, and he decided we were staying on. Kakashi summoned Pakkun who rushed to me after saying hi to Kakashi briefly. Sakura snickered as he introduced himself "I'm Pakkun you should touch my paws they are soft" he said laughing to himself. She fell for it and touched his paws talking about how soft they were, "We keep her" he deadpanned to me as I laughed. Kakashi called him over and sealed the brothers in a prisoner scroll and gave him a letter for Jiji to read when he got there. Pakkun nodded telling us goodbye as he took off.
We continued forward reaching the edge of water by nightfall, a boat was waiting on us when we arrived. Pulling out a scroll we ate and fed the ferryman as Kakashi got the story from Tazuna. I briefly heard him mention Gato and I rolled my eyes as Kakashi talked about him being a businessman. He didn't want Sasuke and Sakura to know about his time in ANBU, it wasn't a secret but it wasn't something you went around announcing either, "I know who will show up next" I said smirking at Kaka Sensei. He raised his eyebrow at me as I pulled out a bingo big and opened it to the page of Zabuza Momochi. "Kiri missing nin Zabuza his known allies are the demon brothers of the mist" I said closing the bingo book and sealing it away. "I seriously have to talk to the Hokage about the lax security ANBU have about themselves" Kakashi said as an excuse for why I have the book. "Took it of Anko when she stayed the night last weekend with the girls" I said smirking while shrugging. "She's not missing it" Sakura muttered making Kakashi focus on her now and he eye smiled at us "If he is who's next then we really should travel back home or ask for back up" Kakashi said shaking his head.
"Jiji will send back up once Inoichi goes through the demon brothers' minds. We'll be fine" I said as a partly constructed bridge came into view. "Okay then" Kakashi said as we got off the boat and I ignored Tazuna entirely freaking him out. Smirking we continued forward with Kakashi more on guard and I was using my sensory abilities to scout the area. Zabuza was near us as was another chakra signature that was further away, I threw a kunai just barely missing a white rabbit hidden in some bushes. Naruto pulled the rabbit out of the bushes and showed our group, Kakashi's eyes narrowed and Sakura studied it while realizing the animal was raised in captivity. "Get down" me and Kakashi yelled together while Sakura pulled our client down. I jumped up on instinct while Kakashi pulled Sasuke and my clone both down. Focusing chakra to my feet I landed on the sword of Zabuza Momochi. It spun around a few times before embedding itself in the side of a tree, Zabuza eyed me looking shocked and Kakashi was staring holes in the back of my head. I could feel the glare and killing intent radiating from his body.
"Naru" Sakura screamed, I jumped off the blade landing beside her as we formed our formation around the bridge builder. Kakashi and Sasuke were seething as his posture straightened and Zabuza eyed us wearily. "Kakashi the copy-cat ninja. No wonder the demon brothers didn't stand a chance" Zabuza muttered darkly. Ignoring him I looked at my team rolling my eyes and they snickered while Sasuke smirked, Kakashi had explained to our team where he had gotten his sharingan and Sasuke brought Kaka nii a picture that Obito had left behind. Kakashi and Zabuza talked while they began their fight and Zabuza attempted to scare us. He also attempted to attack the four of us and the bridge builder. Closing my eyes, I focused on the chakra around me trying to pin-point the faint chakra. The chakra was well concealed just beyond the tree line of a dense patch of forest, whoever it is was waiting. Watching their flux in chakra I completely ignored the battle of Kakashi copying Zabuza. A scream from Kakashi sensei caused a headache behind my eyes. Growling I realized Kakashi got caught in a water prison jutsu. There was the chakra of Zabuza laced through the water surrounding Kakashi. "GO! Get out of here and take the bridge builder. Your mission is to get him home" Kakashi yelled. "No! My mission is to never abandon comrades Kaka baka. You know this, running is not an option" I stated calmly my voice like ice while watching the chakra scoot closer to the battlefield.
Opening my eyes Zabuza made a clone and kicked a charging Naruto away from him, knocking off his village headband making him angry. Naruto started mouthing Zabuza about putting his name in the bingo book, the missing nin froze up when Naruto said my last name. "You're an Uzumaki" he asked surprised, "I am. What of it" I asked my voice cold as my clone scampered back to us with his headband back in place. "Well little girl. Do you know of your ancestors" Zabuza asked eyeing me up and down, "They are the reason you have the 7 deadly swords man of the mist? Or the fact that a trained Uzumaki can defeat all 7 swords man in battle as we forged your blades" I asked raising my eyebrow at him curious. "Both. But a 7 swordsman is never allowed to raise its blade against an Uzumaki except for training. Unless we wish for death" Zabuza said eyeing me softly.
"Kakashi what happened to the red-hot habanero of the leaf" Zabuza asked his real body facing Kakashi who looked down and away from my eyes. "My mother died the day I was born protecting the village. Just hours after giving birth to protect our home" I said touching a seal on my wrist lightly.
"You have blonde hair and blue eyes child. How are you so sure you're an Uzumaki" Zabuza asked critically. "Will this convince you" I asked holding my right arm up and unsealing my mother's whirlpool katana with her Uzushiogakure headband tied to the sheath. "The whirlpool sword of the Uzumaki clan" Zabuza said wide eyed, "It is, and while I am vastly knowledgeable in seals and kenjutsu. I am not the red-hot habanero. I prefer to use a different katana she left me" I said as Kakashi nodded his eyes sad. "Girl I can't fight you. Are you and the boy both Uzumaki children" he asked looking between me and my clone. My entire team burst into snickers, and the bridge builder stopped and stared at us confused, "I guess you could say that, but I let you in on a secret. One of us isn't real" I said smirking as the second person hiding just out of sight shot senbon needles into Zabuza's neck releasing Kakashi who had already pulled down his head protector over his eye saving chakra. Walking to the hunter ninja's side I leaned down over his shoulder "You tell him that he shows at the bridge in 10 days time I will give him his rematch. But if he goes to aim to kill any person on my team, I will unleash Konoha's orange fox ANBU on the both of you. Understand me ice user" I whispered mixing the kyuubi's chakra in with mine, making the fake nin sweat. "Hai" the voice of the nin said softly but fidgety. The hunter min left immediately with Zabuza proclaiming he was going to dispose of the man.
"We get back to the village you are so grounded Naru. You landed on his sword! On the damn sword! Do you know what could have happened to you" Kakashi Sensei said taking a deep breath as we started towards the bridge builders house. "Nothing would have happened and seriously why would you tell Inu. I don't want to be grounded dattebayo. It was instinct, I know I should have dropped down but jumping up happened first and well it's not like he can actually raise his sword to me with the intent to kill me, without giving me his life in the end. The 7 swords man did not help the fall of Uzushiogakure because of their agreement, to break the agreement meant sudden death" I said rolling my eyes.
"That was not the same member of the seven swordsman that signed the oath back then Naru" Kakashi said looking me over. "But he has signed the oath. He was a member within the hidden mist village before becoming a missing nin obviously and as such Zabuza has signed his life over to Naru and the Uzumaki clan" Sakura said. "Once he signed and took the oath the sword placed a seal on the user of the blade unknowingly. Should one become a member of the swordsman by taking a sword they are marked unknowingly. Had he struck her with the blade he would have been frozen and ultimately he would have died, there is an entire section in the sword book I've read from her" Sasuke said rolling his eyes. Kakashi sighed looking ten years older than he is. "Fine but you do something so reckless like that again Naru and I will have you grounded" Kakashi said giving me the look. Sighing I closed my eyes and nodded, he was afraid I would die like everyone else had... "I will try not to do something like that again" I said softly, and he nodded his head accepting my words.
Tazuna led us to his house and we ate before I retired to mine and Sakura's room leaving my clone and team downstairs. Laying down I went to bed leaving my clone awake to do whatever it wanted hanging out with Sasuke. The night was filled with missions that I was afraid Kakashi wouldn't make it home and I would be all alone then, he didn't have to stay with me anymore since I was older but he chose to. I awoke at 2 am covered in sweat and pale, Kakashi was sitting up looking out the window, he opened his arms towards me never looking in my direction. Getting up I launched myself into his lap and cried, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you. I didn't think. I remember when you were late and hospitalized and I...I'm sorry Kaka-nii" I whispered as he just shook his uncovered face and kissed the top of my head lightly. "It's fine Naruto but I am serious. I don't want to lose you were all we have from before and we have others with us now. They rely on us and want to be apart of our lives, we can't be as reckless as the two of us are unfortunately used to" Kakashi said.
Nodding my head, I relaxed against his chest, "Like Gai Sensei" I asked quietly making him gasp in fake shock and hurt. "You wound me." Giggling I just shook my head in silent laughter as I drifted off to sleep again this time a content dreamless sleep. The last thing I remember hearing was Kakashi humming a tune he said my mom used to sing all the time from Uzu.
We got up the next day for training and Kakashi had us go to the bridge so that we could watch over Tazuna and practice. I made a couple hundred Naruto clones to help with building while we all began practicing jutsu for awhile standing atop the water. I could feel the looks of my teammates directed at me every so often in contemplation, "What did Naruto do that you guys won't quit looking at me" I asked Sakura quietly. "He went off on Inari the grandson of Tazuna about there being real heroes. Tazuna told us about the man Inari looked up to as a father figure that died for this country in front of Inari's own eyes. Naruto stormed out the house proclaiming that he would show that there were heroes still left in this world" Cherry said softly. "Oh kami help us. Why do my clones take on their own personalities" I whined at her a scowl on my face. Sakura chuckled and smiled "What do you mean" she asked while looking out at the water, "Well there's my Naruto clone of course. But when I make a lot of clones like for cleaning the compound one of them pops into existence and she takes charge like a foreman. If any of them are sleeping or doing something they aren't supposed to, she pops and replaces them, I have one that keeps others on track when they are reading. It's like there is one to take charge of every situation I put them in except battle that's my time or training" I said getting the attention of Sasuke and Kakashi.
"Shadow clones are not supposed to have their own personalities Naru" Kakashi said his eyebrow raised as he gazed at me. "Tell them that. Like really" I said pointing to the Naruto clones on the bridge being directed by one sole clone who turned towards us as if sensing the conversation around them. "Hey boss what's up" the clone asked me. She was leaning over the side of the bridge "Nothing we were discussing the unusual personalities that you guys have when I create you" I said shrugging. "It's probably because of how much chakra you actually use and the fact that you make us with a task in mind. When you make the group to do reading ask the main one she knows more ya know" the clone said shrugging like she couldn't be bothered to think before throwing a kunai at one of the many clones and dispersing her. "Did she really think she would get away with not doing anything" I said to myself as I sifted through the clones memories. Kakashi laughed at the weirdness of it all "Only you could have independent clones" he said ruffling my hair.
We continued this routine for a few days sometimes focusing on the water until Inari spoke up one day at dinner. "You're all just going to die! Why fight someone when you know you wont win" Inari yelled hitting the table. "Stop" I said my voice calm but extremely low and I locked eyes with Inari, "You can sit there and whine and cry all you want kid but that won't change a damn thing. Try walking a day in my shoes, my village hates me for living. Its something I can't control and unlike you my parents passed away when I was just born. I didn't have anyone until I made bonds between me and others myself. You still have your mother and your grandfather. Who came all the way to our village to hire us so that he could give you a better and Gato free life. You don't have to believe but we won't leave until the bridge is complete kid" I said turning and walking away from the table. "I'll be back Sensei" I said before walking out the door and into the forest, making dozens of clones we began a free for all fight as I let the emotions of what I had gone through out.
Sakura was standing at the edge of the forest smiling over at me as she watched the last few of us spar. Beckoning her over we began to spar after I downed a water and calmed my breathing, "I am going to introduce you to Uzumaki style training" I said looking Sakura over. She nodded her head at me as I made 500 shadow clones, Sakura looked at me then the clones several times. "We will be fighting together. Our objective is to use everything at our disposal to obliterate the clones. None of them are reinforced and they know better than to reinforce themselves. Are you ready?" "Yes" Cherry answered determination filling her eyes as she met my gaze and I smiled "Good then let's go" I replied as a couple hundred of the clones disappeared from sight waiting for their turn.
Two hours later found the two of us laying beside each other laughing while catching our breath as well. "Why don't we normally conduct our training like that. Your clones are sporadic with their moves I never knew what was next" Sakura replied from beside me breathing heavy. Tossing some seals out around us and activating them I could feel sleep pulling me into its depths, "I don't think Sensei wants to overwhelm people with my clones. Makes for a heck of a workout though" I said breathing deeply. "I can't believe my mom convinced me to ever diet while pursuing the life of a kunoichi. We burn everything we eat off especially if we spar like that" Cherry said her eyes dropping heavy with sleep before she passed out. I fell asleep just seconds after her smiling softly.