A strange new life

2.19

In the morning, before we set out, Kakashi-sensei called me over, away from the others. “I have a mission for you.” He said after we were out of earshot.

That didn’t sparkle my fan-girl like I thought it would. I still thought Kakashi-sensei was train-blocking me. But a mission was a mission. I would do as asked. I nodded.

“You are the most observant in our team, and you can sense chakra, even through the mists.” I nodded, that was a fair assessment. “Between you and the boys, you’re also the fastest if you remove your weight bracelets.” I nodded to that as well. Sensei stared at me for a moment. “Good job on using the shadow clones to get used to moving without the weights, it was an inspired idea.”

My ears burned. Couldn’t very well tell him the idea was his, could I? I was pretty sure Kakashi had been the one to suggest this training method in the original story. I also didn’t fail to noticed he kept tabs on me. Was it just to make sure I was safe or something else? Nor did I missed the fact he knew I had convinced Naruto to teach me the jutsu.

“If things happens how I think they will, Zabuza will attack us today. You’re are on guard duty. Your mission is to protect Tazuna-san and your teammates, but let Sasuke and Naruto fight otherwise.”

I nodded again. I could do that. I wanted to fight, prove I had improved, but keeping other alive was more important. The mission came first, not my personal wants. I took out my seals, stored them. Had to be prepared.

Naruto still slept when the four of us left the house. How many clones did the brat use to get that exhausted? I mean, Naruto’s cheat was infinite chakra and infinite stamina. I poked Sasuke, who looked at me without the usual angst. I showed him my board.

“What did you guys to yesterday? How did Naruto got so tired?”

Sasuke’s sighed, a mix of bitterness and annoyance. “He filled the whole clearing with clones. All day long practiced climbing while keeping the leaf on his forehead.”

Oh yea, that would do it. I got taken out by five clones. Couldn’t imagine the mental fatigue of hundreds of the buggers. Still, Sasuke was strangely polite today. I bowed back. No need to antagonize him.

Sasuke, Kakashi and me followed Tazuna to the bridge. The more we walked, the clear something was wrong. Where on the previous day the bridge had been bustling with workers, we didn’t see anyone. I told sensei just that.

“Good job.” Sensei said, “Keep your guard up.”

Like Tazuna said, the bridge was almost complete. It was to the point I could jump from the unfinished edge and above the cliff where the Land of Fire started. Work had ground to a halt for that day. We found workers. All strum on the bridge. All of them looked dead, save for one.

Tazuna was on the man in an instant. “What the hell happened here?” He asked.

“A monster!” The man gasped.

We didn’t need more than that warning. Mist billowed out, covered everything. It was thick, cloying and uncomfortable. We hounded around Tazuna and the surviving worker. I held my kunai, not the exploding one, unfortunately, couldn’t risk damaging the bridge. Sasuke held one kunai in each hand. He was buzzing. Was it fear? I didn’t think so.

“Long time no see Kakashi.” Zabuza’s voice echoed from within the mists. “I see you’re still with those brats. He’s shaking again. Poor kid.”

Zabuza’s clones popped out of the mist. Surrounded us. I counted six.

“Do it, Sasuke.” Sensei called out.

Sasuke and the clones moved at the same time. Sasuke was faster. He dashed between the enemies, kunai at work. A moment later he was back at his previous place, and the clones burst out like punctured water balloons, liquid splashing around us. I held my own attack. Kakashi-sensei glance telling me to not intervene.

The mist cleared some. Blocking out way out of the bridge, walked Zabuza followed by the same masked hunter-nin who took his body in the previous battle.

“The brat has grown. Looks a rival has appeared, eh Haku?”

Haku had been staring at me, but changed targets. They looked at Sasuke. Nodded. “It has indeed.”

“I’ll fight him.” Sasuke said. “Tricking us with that stupid act. I hate bastards like that the most.”

Couldn’t Sasuke admit he just wanted to fight Haku? Why did he need to come up with such absurd excuses.

“Impressive,” Haku said, their voice melodious, “even though the water clones have only 1/10 the strength of the original. Still very impressive.”

Zabuza interjected. “We’ve gained the first advantage. Go!”

“Yes!” Haku said, before exploding into a leaf whirlwind.

We had seen that jutsu before. A variant of shushin no jutsu. Haku had used it when we first met. I grabbed Tazuna, Kakashi grabbed the still alive worker. We jumped back, clearing the area a moment before Sasuke and Haku engaged on their duel. I was all for it. The more time we wasted, the better. If Gato behaved the same as in the main story, he would try to kill us after the fight. At that point, Zabuza wouldn’t have motive to fight us anymore. Or so I hoped.

Both Sasuke and Haku moved fast. They attacked, countered and parried. None with obvious advantage over the other. Sasuke pushed with his kunai, Haku held back the attack with a senbon.

“I don’t want to have to kill you, but you won’t stand down, will you?” Haku asked.

“Don’t be foolish.” Was Sasuke’s scoffing answer.

“Very well.”

Still keeping Sasuke’s kunai at bay, Haku brought a hand up, with dizzying speed, he went through a gamut of one handed seals, ended up by slapping his feet against the ground. The water around both flew up, transformed into needles, surrounded Sasuke by all sides. The water crashed where Sasuke just was. The boy pumped his legs full of chakra, and escaped by jumping up. A rain of shuriken followed Haku retreating form. Distracted by the attack, Haku didn’t see Sasuke moving behind them.

Both jounin observed the duel. Not interfering.

There was another exchange of blows, one which Sasuke visibly had the advantage. It ended with Sasuke kicking Haku’s face, and the hunter-nin rolling midair, landing nearby Zabuza.

“You can’t underestimate my team by calling them brats.” Sensei threw back the retort.

Watching Sasuke’s fight was the final nail I needed to understand how dumb I had been. My no chakra policy was at my academy years and training, but I was crippling myself by not using chakra to strengthen my body during battle. I really wanted to give past me a few slaps. Even present me for not noticing it sooner.

Zabuza chuckled. It was drawn out and creepy. “He he he he he, Haku, do you realize? At this rate, we’ll be driven back”

Like a switch had been flipped, Haku stood strait. “Yeah, we can’t let that happen.” Chakra built visibly around him. The temperature dropped. Sasuke, even knowing the water had been used against him one time already, hadn’t left the area splashed by the water clones. Water turned to ice, and ice turned mirror, mirrors formed a prison.

“Hijutsu: Makyo Hyosho.” Haku said before they stepped inside the ice mirror.

Kakashi-sensei cursed, dashed toward Sasuke, only to be stopped by Zabuza. “Your opponent is me. If you leave those two,” he said looking at me and Tazuna, “I’ll kill them.”

In the ice mirror prison, things changed. Haku’s movement had accelerated beyond belief. Sasuke couldn’t keep up and with each pass from one mirror to the other, a new senbon puncture wound appeared on him.

I was prepared to interfered when I sensed it. Naruto’s blazing sun of chakra was hidden just around the bridge railing. Was he… waiting for an opportunity? That was pretty smart. I could help with that. I pushed chakra into my arms. They blurred, a kunai flew toward the mirror.

Haku noticed. Popped out of the ice to catch the attack. Naruto didn’t let the chance go. He dashed in, punched Haku out of the mirror. Then, instead of pressing his advantage, the dumb brat took a pose.

“Uzumaki Naruto has finally arrived!!” He hollered.

I wanted to punch him myself.