~Tanoshii's POV~
The mist was thick, but not thick enough to block her veiw of you.
A mistake that you had made that you paid for, painfully, in your own blood.
She ran at you, and stuck a kunai into your gut, causing you to cough up blood all over her shoulder.
"Why do you fight?" She asked in a low voice. "Have you no regaurd for you life?"
You heard something move in the trees and you felt a very familiar presence.
Team 7 was here now.
"It's amazing..." you said, breathlessly, "...our lives are nothing but a complete waste if they're not needed in the eyes of another." You grabbed her arm and twisted really hard, but before you could get it to snap, she released and ran backwards.
"What is it with your family and believing that rule?"
You jumped back as she threw a barrage of Kunais and needles at you.
"Inherited, perhaps? Perhaps we just realize the true nature of human beings. Do you not believe that creed?" Your voice was low and soft, lulling.
Hanka's eyes widened as he heard your voice through the soft mist.
~Hanka's POV~
Zanza was having her fun with you, making sure that her chase was enjoyable.
She was playing with her prey.
You heard Tanoshii's voice through the mist and one word crossed your mind.
Haku...
You jumped up into a tree, sensing another presence.
"Kakashi. How nice of you to stop by." You said, without even turning.
"I didn't even know there was a fight going on here. How lucky am I?" He asked, sarcasticly.
You smiled. "And an interesting fight at that. You've already had the pleasure of witnessing some of the techniques of the mist. Trust me when I say that--"
There was a crackling noise below, like ice hardening quickly.
"Tanoshii..." You said, quickly, cutting yourself off.
Naruto was staying quiet next to Sakura, who was scared, and Sasuke who was observing.
Kakashi smiled. "I can only imagine what we'll see when this mist clears." Kakashi said, smiling benieth his mask of cloth. He had pulled up his headband, his Sharingan eye exposed.
You smiled. "You'll see something great."
"Can I expect less from the brothers of Haku?"
Naruto suddenly froze. "Hanka and Tanoshii are--"
"Yes." You answered. "We are. Tanoshii was raised in the Waterfall but--"
~Naruto's POV~
"You're BORING me!" Zanza said, and her sword flew at Hanka. He threw a needle and it's course was slightly altered enough that it didn't hit anyone. "Hurry up, Hanka, we've got so much unfinished business."
"And the daughter of Zabuza Momochi." Kakashi said, softly.
Hanka smiled and jumped out of the tree without another word.
The mist started to clear, and now that more was visible, it was obvious that there was some odd formation of ice in the center of the battle. It was like a ring that revolved around a planet, and it encompassed Sochii, Tanoshii's adversary and Zanza's special weapon.
Sochii looked worried. It was not of her creation.
All of the sudden, needles launched at her from all sides. She attempted to dodge, but was hit, she fell and the ice ring shattered, leaving behind Tanoshii.
"In the end," he said, softly, "my life is worth more than yours."
Sochii struggled and pushed herself up with one shaking hand.
"Is it really?" She asked, coughing up blood. "Perhaps you are correct."
Zanza froze and her swift attacks that had now been falling on Hanka stopped. Zanza then did something no one could have anticipated.
She ran at Tanoshii, who had a kunai raised, ready to finish Sochii. She swatted him aside with the blunt end of her sword and picked her up over her shoulder. "You're tired." She said, softly.
Sochii smiled. "I did...my job?"
Zanza smiled and nodded.
You were confused.
Kakashi smiled under his mask and closed his eyes. "Zanza, I see you've finally learned." He said, loud enough for it to be directed at her.
She smiled and looked up at him. "Kakashi, Kakashi, Kakashi. My family is stubborn. I'll never learn my lesson. But she's no use to me dead."
"Are you sure that's why? Are you sure it's not that you realize your own half sister is worth your saving?"
Zanza smiled. "I'm out of here." She answered, and jumped into a tree. "But you'll all be seeing me again, mark my words."
Tanoshii held his side, which was bleeding quite a bit, you jumped down and came over to him.
"Are you alright?" You asked.
"I'm fine, Naruto." Tanoshii said, smiling. He looked down at the shattered ice. "What a sight in Konoha, the Land of Fire."
Tanoshii then began to fall.
You caught him.
"He needs to get to the hospital, Kakashi Sensei." You said.
"I'll be fine." Tanoshii rebuttled and jumped from your arms. He shot a quick look at his brother. "Hanka. We must find Lady Koganeiro and Aij--"
There was a swift jumping through the trees and everyone looked up.
~Aijou's POV~
You were carrying Akeru, and you were being carried by Koganeiro as she jumped swiftly through the trees. She suddenly jumped down, and you saw why when she landed. This was where everyone was.
Koganeiro smiled. "Kakashi! What ever are you doing here?"
"Me and my team were just out on a walk. I guess we were lucky enough to run into you...what in the world was going on here?"
She smiled, but he could tell she was shaken. She put you down on the ground. "An old friend of mine stopped by." She said, softly.
You laid there on the ground, trying to push yourself enough to sit up, but then you were suddenly tackled by a head of bright blonde hair. "Are you alright?!" Naruto asked.
You smiled and hugged him back. "I'm just fine, Naruto, thanks for asking. Would you do me a favor and sit me up?" You asked. He nodded and pulled you up. You looked over at Sasuke. "What, no hug?" You asked.
He scoffed at you.
You smiled and looked around. "Is there anyone here who wouldn't fancy a trip to the hospita------"
A gasp resounded from almost everyone when you hunch forward, needles in your back.
~Koganeiro POV~
"What the--"
"Koganeiro dearessssst, did you think I'd left you for good over a little Rassssengan?" A voice hissed. "It's funny how easily minds are minipulated."
You looked around, frantic to find him before he made his next move, but Tanoshii jumped up in trees. His eyes were glazed....
...he must've been under some sort of mind control.
"I'll kill you this time!" You said, and started to run towards the trees you figured Orochimaru must be hiding in, but Kakashi grabbed your arm.
"Lady Koganeiro. I can't let you do that." He said, his voice low and dangerous. "You're in no condition to be fighting Orochimaru."
You witnessed Sakura cling onto Sasuke's arm.
You sighed and looked at Kakashi. "I'm the only--"
"Let me handle this." He said, and shoved you back towards Sasuke and Sakura, who were now joined by Naruto. They knew what it was Kakashi expected them to do, however reluctant Naruto had been to leave the bleeding Aijou.
They made a formation to protect you.
~Aijou POV~
You shook, hurt, and straightened yourself up. You glanced around, scared a little.
And then more needles flew at you. You rolled to dodge them, and more flew down.
"Ha. Pitiful." Tanoshii's voice--sounding just like Haku's but how would you know--rang out from the trees. "Is that the best you have, Uchiha Aijou?"
You shook, angered by that.
"Is this the extent of your clan? Rolling on the floor?"
You stood up on your sprained leg and ran at him, but he just moved with liquid speed.
"If this is the extent of the great Uchiha clan, if this is all your power, it's no wonder you were all wiped out in a single night.
Everyone saw Sasuke tense as well at this comment.
You looked into Tanoshii's hollow-glazed eyes and knew this was not the friend you knew.
But what choice did you have...but to fight him?
"Tanoshii...." You said, softly, "....I don't want to...."
He ran at you an threw a barrage of needles. Your leg hurt too much to move too much out of the way, everyone witnessed Naruto twitch, like he wanted to leave the defensive formation to help you. There was a steady stream of chirps from elsewhere in the forest.
You coughed, blood spilling onto the floor, and Tanoshii walked forward, punching you in the gut with a cold laugh. "You're pitiful. You're not even worth the wasted oxygen on this planet." He punched again and threw more needles, these close-range ones hit hard everywhere and you let out a whimper.
Your eyes flickered closed and you shook with anger. "I...will not...take that...kind of...abuse from you!" You yelled, and your eyes shot open. You heard a string of gasps.
Your eyes were red with Sharingan.
You ran at him with suprising speed--especially for someone who had a sprained leg. You punched him so hard in the chin he flew up. You followed him up there, punching and kicking the whole way up, and once you reached the top, you kicked him into a tree. He dented into it, stuck there, and you bounced off another tree toward the one he was in. You punched him deeper into the wood, and then kicked him so he flew out of the wood. He landed on the ground, and you landed next to him, breathing hard.
You couldn't move.
But he stood. How could he stand? That was impossible!
He threw more needles at you. "You're good." He said, breathing hard. "But not...good enough." He threw more and more needles at you, and you dragged yourself away the best you could from the ground, but he just kept throwing and throwing and all you could do was try to stay alive, try to keep your eyes open and stay conscious.
"Naruto! Don't you dare leave the formation!" You heard Sasuke warn, even though you thought you heard some hurt in his voice. You shot a look over. Koganeiro had collapsed and Sakura was trying desperatly to ressussitate her. Two snake-people ninja were now running for Sasuke and Naruto.
It was obvious from the pain in his eyes that Naruto wanted to come to you.
You dug your nails into the dirt and pulled yourself forward, you felt a burn in your arm.
Pheonix.
The single word drifted through your head and you stopped pulling yourself.
She wanted to fight forward, but you knew that if Pheonix got involved, Tanoshii would die. You fought her back, but the mental struggle made you oblivious to Tanoshii's advancing attack. You felt a foot on your back and Tanoshii grabbed your hair, pulling your head upwards.
You let out a pained scream.
"This is your end." Tanoshii said, softly. "The last female Uchiha standing." He raised his hand, in which was a long double pointed knife, and you heard a swoosh. But no pain befell you.
You looked up, and instead of Naruto between you and Tanoshii--as you would've expected--it was someone else.
"SASUKE!" Sakura called out, abandoning Koganeiro.
"Sasu....ke?" You let out, and the world started to flutter to black. You felt something wet hit you. Sasuke's blood.
His face turned back to you, pale and shaking. You saw something glimmering there on his cheek.
Your eyes widened, but then you shook and you couldn't stay awake any longer. The world faded to black.
~Narrator POV~
"SASUKE!" Sakura screamed and abandoned Koganeiro. But Naruto held a hand in front of her.
"He said not to break the formation." He said, his voice shaking.
"Since when do you take orders from Sasuke?!" She yelled back.
"Tend to Koganeiro!" Naruto snapped.
Sakura had never heard Naruto yell like that. She quickly ran back to Koganeiro.
Tanoshii smiled. "How sweet. Her brother jumps in last minute."
Sasuke reached up and pulled the double-pointed knife out of his shoulder near his heart. "Someone...." he said, softly, "...has to look out..." he shot a look back at his unconcious sister and, for the first time after Itachi ripped his world apart, he felt compassion and love for the small black-haired girl. He had loved her when they were children. But then they sent her away, and he had taught himself not to care about her. And now that love returned. And he had to....
....he had to protect her.
"Someone...has to look out...for her." Sasuke finished, and ran at Tanoshii.
That's when their fight began.
Naruto took out the two snake-nin and then looked at Sakura. "Protect Lady Koganeiro." He said, and ran to the passed-out Aijou.
Sasuke and Tanoshii's fight was getting really intense. Naruto held the dying Aijou in his arms.
He felt the life draining out of her.
He felt tears welling into his eyes.
"Aijou! Stay with me..." He called out.
Clangs from above rang out.
"Aijou..."
"There's poison in the needles..." Sakura observed--Aijou's skin was turning a slight blue.
Naruto shook and tried to pull the needles out with his hands, but they were too small and slippery. "I've gotta get these out of her..." He said, softly. "I've got to."
He thought for a minute and lowered his head to her stomach. He bit down on one of the needles and pulled it out. It worked just fine.
But it was a long process. He continued this, tears streaming down his face.
There was a crashing noise, and then Sasuke jumped down next to them. "I took care of Tanoshii...Naruto, what the hell are you doing?!"
"I've got to..." he started, pausing to pull out another needle, "...get these..." another "...out of..." another "...her..." another still.
Sasuke froze a bit at Naruto's dedication in saving you.
Naruto lowered his now bloody face to your neck to pull the last of the needles, he tugged it out and then lifted you up in his arms, jumping off quickly to get you to the hospital.
Thanks for reading! I hope you liked it! Rate and message please!
