Rated: T (Cause I'm Paranoid like that)
Disclaimer: I wish I own Naruto
Enjoy!
"Last One Standing"
Chapter Four: The Chapter full of Blushes A.K.A. The Dramatic Spectacle
"…Sakura-sama…?"
The said girl didn't move for a while. She moved her head a bit forward, looking at the bandaged man, the sides of her lips started quirking upwards, and then there was a smile adorning her features. She lifted her hands upward to her hood minimizing the length it has. And for the first time in months, her eyes were finally shown intentionally.
Green clashed with brown.
"Zabuza" she nodded recognition in her eyes. She actually looked happy, for once. She was beaming, a contradiction with her dark, shady appearance. Her smile didn't last long, as if she realized something that dampened her seldom joyful mood, she frowned immediately.
"Why are you doing this?"
The question was a mixture of curiosity and disappointment. Everybody sensed it yet nobody in the rosette's company knew why she suddenly asked such a question and what she was exactly pertaining about. The missing nin, on the other hand, understood.
Zabuza bowed in front of Sakura. Kakashi raised an eyebrow at the peculiar scene. Through all the Bingo books that he had read, Zabuza Momochi was always described as a cold-hearted bastard who doesn't bow to anyone, and yet, in front of his own eyes, he is now witnessing the same nin bow in front of a genin, a Konoha genin.
.
Okay Sakura-sama was one thing, but bowing in front of a twelve year old?
That's just plain confusing…
Good thing we have the loud mouth of Konoha… (Cue Uzumaki Naruto)
"WAIT ! WAIT ! WAIT A MINUTE !… SAKURA-SAMA ?'' Naruto exclaimed ''COULD SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT IS HAPPENING?''
Naruto was ignored by well… everyone.
"Why?" Sakura repeated, her gaze on the missing nin of the Mist. The said man didn't hesitate anymore at answering though he looked at the Son of the White Fang, the Kyuubi vessel and the Uchiha. All of them were frigid.
"We are to kill the bridge builder, instructed by Gato" He replied finally standing, giving a slight glance at Tazuna who was clearly frightened "but seeing you here, they'll be no chance that we can complete this" he added, "so what do you propose then Sakura-sama?" he finally finished, a bit of teasing in his voice everybody sensed it though nobody commented.
"Zabuza, I thought you stopped" the green-eyed girl replied frowning.
"We did" He said almost solemnly, "But… I… we… - I apologize" He finally said. He disappeared and reappeared once again a few paces afar to where he recently stood. It seems that the killing intent he had doubled fractions. The kunoichi looked at him with a sad, long gaze. It was apparent to anyone in the vicinity that the nin's thoughts were finally resolved.
He was going to fight them. He was going to fight her.
Zabuza's hands were positioned to make the fire seal. His arm was pointing straight up and water was surrounding him. "Mist...Concealment" he murmured loud enough for all of them to hear, and, just like the name implied, the mist that formed concealed him.
"Who is he?" Naruto asked, beside him, Sasuke who had been quiet so far, also looked at their sensei.
"He is Momochi Zabuza. He was in the Hidden Village of the Mist's ANBU, he was famous for his 'silent killing' techniques." Kakashi answered evenly.
"S-silent?" Naruto said, gulping. Sasuke took out a kunai, Tazuna was frightened and Sakura was still silent.
"Just as the name implies, it's a killing technique that's executed in a flash and carried out in absolute silence," Kakashi said, all traces of aloofness were gone and now replaced with seriousness.
"So, don't let your guard down."
So of course, they just became more nervous.
"Well…if you fail, you're only going to die." Kakashi added, shrugging as if it was no big deal, the three genins had only one thing in mind then,
'No shit.'
"The mist got thicker!" Naruto yelled, shivering a bit.
"The Country of the Waves is surrounded by an ocean, so mists often emerge." Tazuna explained. The bridge-builder was frightened and he didn't bother to hide it.
"Eight points," came Zabuza's voice but his figure didn't reappear, "The larynx, spine, jugular vein, lungs, liver, collarbone, kidney, and the heart. Which vital organ do you want to get struck at?" Kakashi narrowed his eyes before using his chakra to blow away the mist causing Sasuke to take a step back.
'What an intense thirst for blood...this atmosphere...If I stay here for an hour, I'll lose my mind!' Sasuke yelled in his mind, his whole body shaking.
"Uchiha-san, calm down. Kakashi-sensei would never get us killed; I would never let us get killed." Sakura said smoothly yet blankly, and if they weren't so nervous, they would have commented on her finally making a complete sentence.
"Sakura's right. I will protect you guys with my life. I won't let anyone on my team die. Never again," Kakashi said muttering the last part before turning and smiling at them.
He sweat dropped when he saw his team giving him a dubious look even at their current situation. They didn't bother hiding their doubt concerning his words.
"I don't know about that," Zabuza said before he appeared between Sasuke and Sakura. The former felt numb all of the sudden while the latter hesitated before making her own resolve.
"This is the end." Kakashi was about to move to defend his team but someone beat him to it. And no, it wasn't Naruto. It wasn't even Sasuke. And if you're guessing Tazuna –which I hope you didn't- you're wrong too.
Everyone was staring wide eyed at the pinkette, who had a kunai deep inside the stomach of Zabuza.
"Gomenasai" She murmured, "But I'm not letting you hurt my friends, my precious people. I'll defend them till I die, that is my ninja way!" She looked at him square in the eyes. It was ironic to see two people who were only having a conversation earlier are now fighting face to face.
Her sudden proclamation eased her team's nervousness. Naruto yelled out a "Dattebayyo! You show him Sakura-chan!" Sasuke smirked before pulling out another kunai; a ghost of a smile was present on his face. And Kakashi felt so proud, he was literally crying tears of joy, manly tears of course.
Shocked was an understatement of what Zabuza felt. A distant memory then replayed in his mind.
"Oi! Squirt, don't wave that kunai too wildly!'' He picked up the child in his arms; the little girl snickered a bit before her face turned serious, as serious as a child's face could be.
"If I ever do stab you though Zabuza-oji, I'll make sure it's in the front!" She proclaimed as if she was taking an oath.
"Huh? And why in the front, squirt?" He asked her, eyebrows raised
"Duh! Because only traitors stab in the back, and I'll never betray you so I'll just stab you in the front, then you'll always know that I'll always love you Zabuza-oji!" Zabuza's ear turned pink because of her blatant display of affection, he quickly regained his composure. Damn it, he was supposed to the Demon of the Hidden Mist!
"How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me Zabuza-oji! Gaki!" He started tickling her, peals of laughter echoed throughout the field
All was well.
Momochi Zabuza disappeared once again from their sight. He can see everybody's rigid posture. He looked at Sakura once again. It didn't surprise him that she was looking directly at him. She was too good for him.
Kakashi cussed in his mind. This was supposed to be a measly C rank where he could just read his beloved Jiraiya-sama's new work whilst laughing inwardly about playing match maker between Asuma and Yuuhi the other day. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. But no, they just had to have a client who lied about the mission making it go haywire.
The white haired man breathed. From his peripheral vision he saw her only female team member. Day by day, he thought that he finally cracked Sakura Haruno. He thought that she was just a little girl who had some kind of past that was not as horrible as her other teammates. Yet just another mystery once again popped up about her. Just how did she know this nin?
Naruto was shocked at the sudden turn of events. He can feel the tense atmosphere. Looking at the teme, he was slightly surprised that he was frightened, because even if he was good at hiding it, he was good at sensing it. The three of them –Sasuke, Sakura, and him- formed a semi circle to hide Tazuna. Naruto wanted to crack a joke or just say something to ease their feeling, his feeling, yet he couldn't, he was aware that he was not the wisest pot in the kettle but he still knew that whatever situation they're in, it was a life or death matter.
Sasuke stared as the two grown-ups fought. Kakashi told them that they shouldn't interfere; it just made him feel useless. He hated the feeling. It was chaotic, how they fought, yet it still had some sort of grace that shows their years of practice. His eyes widened when his sensei revealed the Sharingan. How could it be? He was not an Uchiha, he was sure of it, if he was, then he should have been in his guiding. The thought dampened his mood instantly. But, how and why in the world did he have the Sharingan? Sasuke knew that his question had to wait, for now they were in a battle.
"You don't understand, do you? You can't defeat me with just your indiscriminate imitations, I can assure you that. But you're pretty good. I see you copied my water clone and by making your clone speak as if he is the real one, you diverted my attention to the clone while the real one used my Mist Concealment technique to hide and observe my movements. Smart, I knew this wouldn't be easy," Zabuza said, commenting on how the Sharingan Kakashi lived up to the rumors.
"However," Zabuza grinned, turning into a puddle and suddenly appeared behind Kakashi, "I'm not that easy to defeat!"
Kakashi quickly ducked and the sword embedded itself in the ground, Zabuza quickly turned and switched the hand that was holding the sword before kicking Kakashi to the lake.
'Now..!' Zabuza thought getting his sword and running towards Kakashi but stopped when noticing something on the ground
"Cal traps. How idiotic." Zabuza muttered before disappearing and Kakashi fell into the lake
'What is up with the water? It's heavy for some reason,' Kakashi thought before Zabuza appeared behind him doing hand seals.
"Hydro-prison technique!"
'Shit!' Kakashi cussed before he found himself trapped in a water prison.
"KAKASHI-SENSEI!" Naruto yelled worriedly.
"Your guys aren't real ninjas!" Zabuza said, suddenly appearing in front of Naruto and kicking him, throwing his headband on the ground and stepping on it.
"Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura grab Tazuna and run!" Kakashi shouted desperately, he was trapped. He lost a team once, a family. A sinking feeling in his stomach is telling him that it just might happen again.
Sasuke suddenly charged to Zabuza trying to land a hit but that was deemed useless because he was just kicked away. Naruto dived after but got the same results as Sasuke, he grinned though, because he still got what he wanted. In his hands were…
'His headband?' Kakashi-sensei thought. Naruto was struggling to stand. Even though this action surprised Zabuza, there was something that puzzled him more.
'Why isn't she helping her teammates?' He thought when he saw Sakura remain beside Tazuna and stared at him eye to eye, which he broke instantly.
"Hey you…freak with no eyebrows..." Zabuza frowned and snapped his gaze back to the Uzumaki.
"Put this in your bingo book, the ninja who will be the best Hokage in the Village Hidden in the Leaves. His name is Naruto Uzamaki!" Naruto said tying his headband much tighter.
"This kid has guts..." Tazuna thought while staring at Naruto.
"Sasuke, can you hear me?" He whispered –a very rare occurrence- to his "rival"
"Yeah…" Sasuke said, a bit curious about what his usually obstreperous teammate is planning.
"Good, cause I have a plan..." Naruto said grinning. Sasuke glanced at Naruto and smirked. Before they talked, they glanced at Sakura.
"Sakura-chan just stay put all right" Naruto grinned, "We'll take him down for you" Sasuke added with a smirk.
It was a surprise to Sakura to see these two agreeing on something. If this was another situation, she would have probably been insulted because to an outsider it would seem that they implied that she wasn't strong enough to fight for her own. But it wasn't like that, far from it actually. They knew that she had some sort of relationship with this missing nin. Something that made her smile, which was a feat they have yet to do. They didn't want her to have to fight someone she loves. Because Naruto knows, and Sasuke sees that it was breaking her heart to even point a kunai at him.
And they were trying to look macho and impress her.
Pfft Boys.
"Thank you." It was a simple reply from the hooded girl but it was enough to make them blush.
'Kawaii! Sakura-chan is so kawaii!'
'Am I blushing? Damn it, she's making me too soft'
"Alright, let's bring this guy down!" Naruto said eyes shining with determination when suddenly Zabuza chuckled.
"You think your plan is going to keep you in the game?"
'This isn't good...' Kakashi-sensei thought morosely.
"What are guys doing?! I thought I told you to run?! This fight was over the minute I got caught! Now take off! Your mission is to protect the-" Kakashi ranted which Sakura cuts immediately.
"...Will you shut up sensei? Read your porn or something," Sakura said, it was apparent that she was trying to ease his nervousness, "You're too tense, I'll guard the client, don't worry too much. Have you forgotten already? Those who don't follow the rules are trash, but those who abandon their friends are worse than trash," Sakura said finally taking out some dango, there was a tiny quirk in her lips.
"Sakura…" Kakashi murmured, it seemed that he was a loss for words, "You.. you.." He started sniffling, "… finally completed a sentence!"
Naruto and Sasuke andZabuza promptly fell backwards for a moment before regaining their composures.
"Alright, you heard that, Kakashi-sensei? She'll be beside Tazuna-san...Naruto, ready?" Sasuke said, still not believing how comical their sensei could be even in the worst situations.
"Yeah! Believe it!" Naruto grinned widely
Zabuza started laughing, "You really haven't learned anything have you?! Still playing your little game; pretending to be ninjas. When I was your age this hand already killed many opponents!"
"Zabuza, you demon," Kakashi-sensei muttered, he knew all too well what he was talking about
"Oh? So I was in your bingo book too, huh?" Zabuza said, almost mockingly.
"Long ago in the Village Hidden in the Mist also known as Mud-Mist village before a student can become a ninja, there is one final test they must do." Kakashi-sensei started.
"You know about the graduation exam?" The Demon of the Mist asked somehow tauntingly
"What's the big deal?! We had a graduation test too!" Naruto yelled. Zabuza, once again, chuckled, this time because of their ignorance.
"Did you have to kill the other students to pass?" Everyone minus Sakura, who found the ground interesting all of the sudden and Kakashi, who was glaring, gasped, "Just imagine young ninjas like you -eating together, training together and then comes the final exams, the rules: Kill or be killed. You can't stop if your opponents still breaths. He was your friend, you shared your dream! Now, it's him or you!" Zabuza said, to most of them, it seemed that he was proud of this, but Sakura knew better. She knew that it was still a nightmare for Zabuza. She knew.
"So…cruel," Naruto breathed out, not wanting to believe that such a thing existed.
"Ten years ago in the Village Hidden in the Mist, a student who wasn't even a ninja came inside the classroom and killed almost a hundred students…" Kakashi said, everyone already knew who he was talking about.
"It felt so...good!" Zabuza said before rushing towards Sasuke and knocking him down and using his elbow to deliver a blow on his stomach. Sasuke spat out blood from his mouth before coughing
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Naruto yelled making a bunch of Narutos appear, all of them started surrounding Zabuza.
"Oh? Shadow Clone Jutsu and there's quite a number of them," Zabuza said, counting them mentally.
"HERE WE GO!" the Narutos charged at Zabuza, each having a kunai in hand. With a simple swept of his blade, the clones flew away.
"I'm not done yet! Sauske!" Naruto said throwing something at Sasuke.
'So that was your plan' Sasuke thought, twirling around before the huge shuriken opened and he jumped.
"DEMON WIND SHURIKEN!" Sasuke shouted, throwing the shuriken at their enemy.
"Ha! That's not going to-HUH?!" Zabuza asked as the Shuriken passed by him.
"So you passed the clone and aimed for the real one. Smart. But not smart enough!" Zabuza said catching the shuriken.
"HUH?" He said noticing another one coming towards him.
"A second shuriken. A shadow of the first! A Shadow Shuriken Jutsu!" Zabuza thought.
"YOU CAN'T CATCH THIS ONE!" Naruto yelled.
Sasuke smirked before the shuriken Zabuza dodged poof-ed into Naruto.
"EAT THIS!" Naruto yelled, throwing a kunai at his hand and Zabuza had no choice but to withdraw it and stop the prison jutsu.
"I'll destroy you!" Zabuza said, spinning the shuriken he had in his other hand to throw at Naruto but a hand stopped it. Kakashi-sensei growled bringing his head up to glare at Zabuza.
"HAHAHA! He didn't know what hit him! Dattebayyo!" Naruto said scratching behind his head.
"Hmmp...I got distracted," Sasuke whispered –quite loudly- something that sounded like 'Liar!' and Zabuza's eyebrow twitched, "And lost my grip of the water prison." Zabuza finished as if he wasn't interrupted.
"Don't even think about it. You were forced to let go," Kakashi said. The shuriken suddenly closed and Zabuza was pushing more of his weight to the shuriken, trying to push Kakashi back but Kakashi swapped the thing away. Both jounin-level ninjas jumped back and Zabuza started doing hand seals whilst chanting. The white haired jounin quickly followed the hand seals and chant. They continued until the last seal was finished.
"Suiton Suiryuudan no Jutsu!" Two water dragons came out from the lake and attacked each other. While that was happening Zabuza and Kakashi were fighting with their own weapons, a sword for the former and a kunai for the latter.
They both landed perfectly, then suddenly Zabuza starting circling Kakashi, who mirrored every action of his opponent perfectly. Zabuza stopped and positioned his hands the same way he did the first time he used Mist Concealment. Kakashi did the same thing at the same time, Zabuza's eyes widened.
'My movements… It's as if...It's as if he knows what I'm going to-'
"Do next?" Kakashi-sensei said finishing the sentence Zabuza was thinking, making him widen his eyes.
'What? Is he reading my mind as well?' Kakashi-sensei was just staring –glaring actually would be a more appropriate word- at him.
'He looks at me with such eyes...' Zabuza thought positioning his hand to a circle, Kakashi mimicking it perfectly.
"It makes you furious, doesn't it?" Kakashi said as if reading his thoughts. Zabuza growled in fury.
"The only thing you're doing is copying me! Like a monkey! You can't beat me with cheap tricks! I'll crush you!" Kakashi and Zabuza said the last sentence in unison.
"Argh! When I'm finished with you, you'll never be able to imitate anyone again!" Zabuza shouted while doing hand seals when suddenly a figure was forming behind Kakashi.
"What is that?" Zabuza widened his eyes when the figure formed him.
"It's me! But how! Is it genjutsu?" but while Zabuza was thinking that, Kakashi took advantage of it and finished the hand seals.
"Suiton Daubakufu no Jutsu!"
"What?! Impossible!" Zabuza yelled before he was swept by the water.
Zabuza grunted in pain when his back met a tree and sensing Kakashi on the tree, he looked up.
"This is your last battle Zabuza Momochi. Ever." Kakashi was about to finish him off when suddenly, two senbons were thrown and embedded themselves in Zabuza's neck.
"You were right. It was his last battle," A figure said from the tree beside Kakashi. The jounin jumped down the tree and checked the pulse.
"None…" Kakashi said before looking at the Hunter-Nin.
It was a man with a moss green, striped turtleneck sweater and a split skirt in matching color that reached down to his knees. He wore a green blue short kimono with white edges, and around his waist a green brown obi, in the same fabric as his sweater, with a fringed trail. He also wore light brown platoon sandals with straps in the same color as his kimono and nail polish on his fingernails and toenails in matching blue green color. His long hair was gathered in a white bun holder, while two locks of his hair fell loose framing his face, a white mask with thin, curved eye-holes and a red wavy design in place of the mouth, as well as the Kirigakure symbol on the forehead.
"I have to thank you. I am tracking him for quite some time now." He said evenly.
"Judging by your mask, I'm guessing you are a Hunter-Nin from the Mist." Kakashi said looking at him, inspecting him.
"You are correct." The man replied stoically
"A Hunter-nin!" Naruto said, coming in front of Tazuna.
"Naruto, you don't even know what that is," Sasuke said looking at Naruto with annoyed eyes. Both are quite carefree now than they were a minute ago.
"I am a member of the tracking team. It was my duty to eliminate Zabuza." The masked-Nin said.
"Judging by his height and voice he must be the same age as Sakura, Sasuke or Naruto, and he is already an assassin. He's no ordinary kid," Kakashi thought deeply.
"What is this?! Who do you think you are?!" Naruto yelled, angry all of the sudden
"Easy Naruto, he is not our enemy," Kakashi said, but he was certainly aware that this kid could not really be an ally
"That's not the point! Did you see what he did?! He killed Zabuza just like that! This kid, who is probably the same age as us, brought down Zabuza with just ONE move!" Naruto yelled, not accepting, that someone killed the missing nin in a flash while it took them hours just to survive the battle they've just gone through.
"Even if you don't accept Naruto, it did happen," The Jounin said rubbing the Naruto's head. The Hunter-nin disappeared, only to reappear beside Zabuza to pick said man's body.
"Please excuse me. Farewell."
.
"Wait."
.
Everyone paused and stared Sakura who was holding the sleeve of the Hunter nin. Nothing happened for a while before she shook her head, going back to her senses, she instantly let go and murmured "Nothing".
The nin stared at the female for a while longer before nodding and disappearing. The males glanced at Sakura, who averted her eyes and looked at the opposite direction.
"Let it go, Naruto," Kakashi said when Naruto growled.
Sakura then finally faced Team Seven and their client. Because the tense atmosphere were now finally gone, they were finally able to really look and take in her appearance without her hood covering her eyes. Her green eyes made her somehow… shine. Her eyes contradicted the black garments she wore. Her face now is much exposed and her hair is now the only thing unseen. And well Naruto and Sasuke did the only thing expected…
They blushed. Again.
Sasuke felt it again, that sensation, he felt as though his soul is taken away from him. Looking at her, he felt happiness. An eternity of happiness, that's what it is. He didn't want to leave her gaze.
Naruto on the other hand felt amazing. This was the first time the blonde saw her eyes. He saw the little moments. The first time he ate ramen, the first time someone smiled at him, the first time he touched his hitai-ate, every single first time. Her eyes, those lovely, benign green eyes are just… amazing.
Kakashi remembered. Her eyes made him do so. He remembered another Uchiha, a prankster unlike the one beside them. But most of all she made him remember a certain girl who loved him. So in the end, he remembered the feeling of love, of the bond of friendship. He blinked taking it all in. He narrowed his gaze it felt like he was trapped in her gaze for hours, but only seconds have passed.
'Who are you Sakura Haruno?'
"Ahem" Kakashi took his team's attention before his eye stops at Sakura's, but he took extra measure so that he wasn't really looking at her eyes "Would you mind explaining? Sakura-sama? How in the world did you know Zabuza Momochi Sakura?" he raised his eyebrow for further emphasis.
"No" she replies icily, she was getting defensive, something her sensei noted. And he really thought that he finally broke her, with the "Those who leave their friends behind are worse than trash" thing she said earlier. It feels like they were back to square one.
"I wasn't asking Sakura, I'm commanding" the white haired Jounin replied with a much stronger tone. He sighed internally,
'She's as stubborn as his teammates after all'
"You're a sensei, not a commander" she tells him with her own force, her eyes much darker, a proof she was angry. That made him sweat drop, if she was blither, like Naruto, she would've probably been the most onerous in his team, or in other words, more "troublesome".
Naruto was actually silent beside Sasuke who was actually not brooding for once; on their right was the bridge builder who looked confused at the current happenings
"Fine then" he replied "I still need to know everything about you Sakura" he added "I'm your sensei, I have every right to know"
"And I have every right to refuse" she turned her heel, a sign she was done talking, leaving her sensei sighing.
'I really need to retire'
The spectators comically released their breath at the same, all of them thinking the exact same thing.
.
That was freaking intense.
.
"We still need to finish our mission." But when he took a one step his world went black. Sakura quickly caught the body. She positioned him behind her back and sighed. She looked at her company.
"He's exhausted. Lead the way, Tazuna-san."
Sakura Haruno looked at the path where the Hunter nin took Zabuza, she then looked at the clouds, thinking only one thing.
'The battle's not yet over'
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
I know, I know, I'm just so sorry. I can't believe how long I didn't update. I know that this is probably the most used excuse in the world and not the most believable one, but I just never had any time. It's the truth! Swear! But hey, at least it's longer than my other chapters and its vocabulary is much wider. Sigh. Between balancing school (Hey! I'm in three freakin departments, we're only supposed to have one!), home (I still have chores you know and I take care of my sister at the same time 24/7) and my social life (Pft. Not like I have any), I just get lost. I don't know anymore. My life's a bit different from others. I know, I know, I have time to read but I don't have time to write. The saying; "Easy to read, hard to write" really comes in. Lack of inspiration is another reason why I didn't update. Ugh. I'm a senior now, which means I have to prepare for University tests, which also means less time for writing. I could notstudy, but I rather have a future. So Ugh. I hate reality, it continues to ruin my life.
It's April Twenty-nine today, which means: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! So Review ;) And I do hope you forgive me for updating this so late :))
I was supposed to finish the whole arc in this chapter but I decided to divide it in the end. HOHOHO. XDD And I was also supposed to add an extra but I'm in a rush so I'll just put two in the next chapter.
Ja.
