Kitsune no Akuryō

Fashion Statement: From Cow Print to Fūma Shuriken!!

Kun'nichiwa minna!! So inspiration for this title goes to almost every other fan fiction that revamps the Naruto story-line and has the showdown between Team 7 and Zabuza, at least the first time (obviously I haven't read every other revamping Naruto story-line fan fiction, so I'll just go with almost). Almost everyone makes a point of pointing out Zabuza's fashion choice in cow prints on his pants and arm warmers. While I never really thought much of it as far as characters making a big deal out of it themselves, I still feel like joining in as an author as a homage (I guess) to all of those who have gone before in this fight scene. I hope you enjoy! Tazuna has lied!?!! This basic C-rank mission is apparently so much more. Kakashi-sensei is willing to grill Tazuna for all the details to evaluate whether or not this mission is safe to continue.

Naruto Uzumaki's P.O.V.

    If looks could kill, Tazuna would be dead. Luckily, they didn't, and we still hadn't failed our mission. However, that was just it, we still had a mission, and despite our dire situation (sort of), I didn't want it to end.

     "So," Kakashi said calmly, "Gatō of Gatō Company is hounding you."

     He didn't even wait for Tazuna's nod, which came belatedly, before continuing, "He is known for a career of smuggling goods, and he's known for being rich. Who else has he sent after you?"

     "I-I don't know."

     "You don't know, hm?" Kakashi-sensei's voice sounded like he was talking about the weather, but his demeanour showed that he might, just might, rip Tazuna to shreds. It was unnerving.

     "I have half a mind to cancel this mission here and now," Kakashi-sensei spoke in a deathly calm voice. My eyes shot towards my sensei. All my hope was burning up in that one sentence. Please don't send me back to pulling weeds for the next year. I'll go insane.

     Kakashi-sensei looked at me and sighed, "But we are contracted to finish this mission, and no one is terribly injured."

     I sighed in relief.

     Tazuna looked like he was about to do the same, but Kakashi-sensei turned on him, "But you better thank my students because we would be going straight home if any harm came to one of them. We will be ending this mission if harm comes to any of them. Am I understood?"

      Tazuna nodded vigourously before we set off for the next leg of our journey.

      As we walked, the group was rather silent. Sakura was looking around terrified, and Sasuke was looking around with caution. Kakashi-sensei didn't look like he had a care in the world, but his eyes roamed the path and the woods on either side. Tazuna was busy keeping his head down and trying not to catch Kakashi-sensei's eye, or glare for that matter. I was actually taking point this time. I sent out wave upon wave of thin chakra, surveying the area. Who would have thought that absolutely nothing happened.

     The next part of the trip we took by boat. Again, silence reigned supreme until I nearly jumped out of my skin at a shriek nearby. I looked in surprise to find Sakura with her mouth open and breathing heavily.

     "Hush! why do you think that we're going through thick fog in a boat with no motor?" Tazuna whisper-yelled.

     "It's so that we aren't followed," Sasuke said non-chalantly.

     "Exactly," he gave Sakura a severe look.

     "Gomen. Gomen-asai," Sakura whispered, "This silence is so oppressive. I feel like we're going to die before we even get there."