Scroll 5; Escorting A Drunk!

"Sasuke here at Point C."
"Sakura in position at Point A."

"Naruto here at Point D."
"Taki at Point B. Naruto, don't take so long to respond!"
"Well…"
"Quiet down or you'll scare the target," Kakashi's voice came through the headset, "Do any of you see the target?"
"Fifteen meters from my position," Sasuke said.
"Twenty from mine," Sakura agreed.
"Ten away from me," Taki said.
"Five here," Naruto said.
"Good, move in," Kakashi ordered.
In a flash their four shadows leapt into the clearing all aimed for their target.
"I've got it! I got it- AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Naruto squealed in their ears.
"Oh God!" Taki winced pulling her headset out of her ear.
"Is that the target?" Kakashi asked.
"Yep, it has the ribbon on its left ear," Sasuke nodded observing their target.
"Good, mission complete!"
"I HATE CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATS!" Naruto's high pitched squeals only aggravating the frightened cat.
"Stop that Naruto!" Taki scolded and reached over, hefting the fat cat up into her arms and softly stroking it's head, "You're scaring the poor thing."
For a moment the cat hissed but then settled into her soothing touch and snuggled into her arms while Taki ran her fingers through the cat's soft fur.
"Looks like you've got a knack with animals Taki, he actually likes you," Kakashi smiled.
Naruto stood up and went to pet the cat but it's hackles went straight up and the cat hissed, launching itself off Taki's shoulder and back onto Naruto's face claws extended.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

~1 Hour Later~
Taki watched with a sweat drop as the cat stared at her with a 'help me' face as it's owner, a very large lady with an obviously large amount of money squeezed it tightly, rubbing her face into the cat.
[Poor cat…] Taki didn't like cats, they smelled and weren't at all sociable, but this poor cat didn't deserve that, [I'd have run away too.]
"Looks like you completed your mission," the Hokage said as Team 7 stood in front of his desk.
"Yeah well when I could do it in my sleep…" Taki muttered.
Kakashi flicked her behind the ear and she winced, turned and glared at her sensei.
"Well we have many more missions for you," the Hokage ignored her, "You could babysit, do gardening, grocery shop…"
"Don't you have anything besides those gay missions?" Naruto yelled.
"WHAT?" Iruka yelled his eyeballs huge.
"The mission our group gets assigned are boring!" Naruto drawled.
"You moron!" Iruka stood up with a growl, "Everyone starts out with easy D-ranked missions and you're only genin!"
"Iruka said it exactly," the Hokage sighed, "All genin start with D ranked missions, as you get to be a stronger ninja you will get C and possibly B ranked missions because they are harder. When you're a jonin you will regularly get B's and A's."
"So yesterday I had beef ramen… and today I'm thinking I should have miso, you know a change of pace," Naruto was saying to the team who were all nodding in agreement.
"Would you listen to me?" the Hokage was getting upset.
"I am so sorry Hokage-sama," Kakashi sweatdropped.
{I am so getting in trouble for this later…} Kakashi sighed.
"Lectures, lectures, lectures! That's all I ever get from you old man!" Naruto yelled, hopping forward until he was a few feet away from the Hokage, "I'm not a little kid anymore, I don't play pranks and stupid tricks, I don't goof around! I'm a ninja and I want a ninja mission!"
Taki took a step forward, "I agree. How are we expected to grow up and be the warriors you'll need us to be soon if you give us nothing more than the chores regular kids our age do."
Naruto looked at her with a happy smile.
"You bakkas…" Iruka growled clenching his fist.
"No Iruka," the Hokage shook his head, "They're right. Naruto's trying to show us that he's grown up and Taki's given a very valid point. How can we expect these ninja, however low a grade they are to be a fighter if we can't let them grow up? Alright you win. I'll give you a C-ranked mission."
Everyone on the Team stared at the Hokage in absolute shock, especially Kakashi.
"You will be escorting someone to the Land of Waves," the Hokage continued.
"Who? Who?" Naruto cried in excitement, "A lord? Or… or is it a princess?"
Taki sighed at his enthusiasm, there were times she wondered why they were friends. He drove her nuts.
"Bring him in please," the Hokage requested.
Everyone turned to the door behind them as it swung open. A man at least in his fifties, his cheeks pink and glasses crooked, swaying as he took a large swig from his sake bottle.
Taki sweatdropped, [You're kidding right? We have to escort this drunkard?]
Sasuke glared at her as if to say 'thanks for getting us into this.'
She scowled at him.
"These brats are bringing me home?" the man growled, "They don't even look like ninja."
Taki felt a surge of anger and scowled.
"What are they going to do? Play with me and keep me entertained for the trip? I'm a bridge builder and I need to be protected while I'm doing my work. They look weak… especially that short one with the stupid grin on his face."
"What stupid one?" Naruto asked with a grin.
Without so much as a word the team lined up, shortest to tallest. Sakura was at least an inch and a half taller than Naruto, Taki was a good four inches taller than Sakura and Sasuke was a tiny bit taller than Takiko.
"SAY WHAT?" it dawned on Naruto he'd been insulted and he looked angry, "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"
Just as Naruto started to run forward Taki leapt forward and tackled him to the ground, sitting on his back to stop him from killing the drunkard.
"You bakka!" Taki growled, "You're not supposed to kill the mission!"

~7:09 P.M~

Taki sat on her rooftop staring at the setting sun. It was beautiful. She loved the way paint strokes of ruby red, grapefruit pink, sunshine yellow and pastel blue would sweep across the sky, moving every time the sun moved down a little more. It was the most beautiful sight in the world for her. Especially with the moon slowly appearing in the sky. According to all the stories she'd heard from friends of her parents her mom and her dad would sit together for hours at night after they'd put their children to bed and talk. Her father would paint while her mother gardened.
Taki loved to look at the sky at night, to close her eyes and imagine her parents were in the kitchen, sometimes their laughter would echo in her ears. She would go downstairs and even though her parents had never lived in this house she expected to see them at the kitchen table sharing hot cocoa or throwing soap suds at each other.
She would think that once she crawled into bed, her father would come in a few minutes into her starting to fall asleep and kiss her forehead and her mother would turn off the lights. Sometimes… she would wake up and walk down the hall towards her parent's room… and she would walk into her bathroom. And all it meant was she was alone in the world. Just like she had been for the past five years. With a loud sigh Taki turned, climbed off her perch and headed downstairs to bed.

~6:14 A.M~

Taki stood by the village gates, pulling her hair up into a ponytail as she did her stretches. For once that morning, she hadn't gotten up early enough to stretch like she did every morning. And since no one else was there and she was hoping for some action on the mission she figured now was just as good a time as any. Just as Taki was dropping down into side splits she saw Sasuke coming down the road.
"Good morning," Taki said.
"What are you doing?" Sasuke asked arching an eyebrow.
"Stretching."
He cringed, "Looks painful."
"Not anymore."
They were silent for a few minutes, Taki came out of the splits and sat on a nearby rock looking at the greenish-blue sky.
[I hope there's lots of action on this mission.]
Not even five minutes later Sakura trotted up the road, perked up when she noticed Sasuke and hurried over to him gabbing at his ear.
Taki smiled slightly at his scowl, [I almost feel bad for him.[
Suddenly Naruto came barreling up the road yelling a voice that would wake the dead.
"A C-RANKED MISSION! THIS IS GONNA BE AWESOME!" Naruto roared.
"Naruto, it's not even seven in the morning, how is it possible to have that much energy?" Taki rolled her eyes and sighed.
Just as Naruto opened his mouth wide to answer Kakashi appeared with Tazuna right behind him, sake in hand like usual.
"Is everyone ready to go?" Kakashi asked looking at the Team.
Taki leapt off the rock as her jaw dropped, "Holy crap!"
Kakashi stiffened and looked around him, "What?"
"You're not late! This is some kind of miracle!"
Kakashi relaxed and smiled, "There's no time to relax on a mission like this! Now are you all set?"
Everyone nodded and Kakashi took the lead, the team following behind.
"YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!" Naruto screamed so loudly it hurt her ears.
She popped him in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him slightly and then growled, "Can you shut up? You're too loud!"
"Really Naruto you are!" Sakura agreed.
"How come you're so excited anyway?" Taki asked.
"This is the first time I've left the village!"
Taki nodded and looked away staring at the side of the path.
She could make out the outline of an old forgotten trail covered now in brambles and plants… but it was still there. For a moment she saw a little girl limping down that path, covered in blood with her baby sister in one arm, younger sister's hand gripped in hers and a bloody naginata on her back, the glow of flames lit up behind her. That girl was making her way to Konoha, the only chance of surviving…
"Ryouko," Sasuke said, "Come on let's go."
Taki blinked and it was gone turned to her teammates and saw they were still moving while she'd stopped. Taki ran to catch up, jumping over a little puddle and coming to a stop beside Sasuke. It was quiet for a long time but for once the silence was comfortable.
"Sensei," Sakura said finally breaking the silence, "Doesn't the Land of Waves have ninja too?"
Taki turned her head to look at Kakashi who was bringing up the rear.
"Well no. Although different hidden villages have ninja the Land of Waves doesn't because they are completely surrounded by water and fog. It protects them so there's no need for shinobi."
Sakura nodded and sighed as they all looked straight ahead.
"Ryouko," Sasuke said softly.
Taki looked up from her feet and to Sasuke, "Yes?"
Just as Sasuke was about to say something there was the soft clink of shuriken combined with a loud clang of chains. Taki and Sasuke spun around, each already holding a weapon.
Kakashi was wrapped in a shuriken chain from top to bottom, he struggled to pull free as the men dressed entirely in black grinned.
"One little piggy!" one man shouted.
The two yanked on the chain and in a single move, Kakashi was in pieces and the ninja were gone.
"Sensei!" Naruto and Sakura cried.
[Shit!]
"Next one," said one of the ninja with a smirk.
They appeared behind Naruto and Taki spun but Sasuke was ready he hurled a shuriken catching their chain and forcing it back to the tree and then hurled a kunai into the middle of the shuriken.
"My turn," Taki smirked and leapt forward her feet on either ninja's glove hands against the tree, "Mind I take these off for you?"
She threw her feet back into their faces shattering their bonds to the chain while she dropped to the ground and grabbed a butterfly dagger, Kaji.
The ninja gawked surprised for a moment and then disappeared, one ninja appearing near Naruto, his claw extended.
"Naruto!" Taki cried and raced forward.
She saw Sasuke stop and turn to Sakura and just as the ninja slashed at Naruto with his claws Taki pushed Naruto to the ground, feeling a sharp pain graze across her forearm but just barely. The other ninja's shuriken… Taki spun out a roundhouse kick catching his cheek then dropped to her hands and knees and threw him out with a side kick to the stomach. Then she saw the other ninja racing towards Sakura and Tazuna.
Taki blinked and then moved towards them but she'd never make it in time.
"Sasuke! Help Sakura!"
Sasuke ran in and stood between Sakura and the ninja ready to strike. A mix of instinct and genuine concern too over and Taki lunged, reaching for the ninja's cape but she lost her footing and something knocked her to the ground.
"What the hell?" Taki growled sitting up.
Kakashi was holding the ninja she had been about to grab, while the other one was under his arm unconscious.
"Kakashi-sensei! You're alive!" Sakura exclaimed in relief.
Both Sasuke and Taki looked at each other annoyed at the interruption.
"Naruto…" Kakashi looked over at the blond boy still on the ground, "I'm sorry I couldn't help you sooner but there was something I had to know."
Kakashi turned to face you and Sasuke, "Good job Sasuke, Taki. You two work well together."
From the ground Taki started to scoot away, the thought of working well with Sasuke sent chills up her spine.
"I couldn't do anything!" Naruto yelled.
Everyone looked at Naruto who was quivering with rage, "Why am I so different? Taki and Sasuke didn't freeze up! They didn't even flinch! They fought… they fought together without hesitation or fear… And it was their first battle… just like me…"
"Naruto…" Taki stood up and walked over to comfort her friend, giving him a small smile, "No it wasn't. I've fought before…"
Naruto looked at her for a moment as if he might calm down his blue eyes matching her green ones with sadness.
"Hey…" Sasuke said.
Naruto glanced over at the raven haired boy.
"Are you alright… you big scaredy cat?"
Naruto clenched his fists in rage.
"Sasuke! You didn't have to say that you ass! That was uncalled for," Taki yelled turning away from Naruto to glare at her other male teammate.
Naruto started to lunge at Sasuke but Kakashi halted him by yelling his name.
"Those ninja's claws were soaked in poison, that scratch on your hand means there's poison in your system and we need to reopen the wound and pour it out or it will spread through your body."
Naruto glared at his hand as if it had just betrayed his biggest secret.
"Tazuna, I need to speak with you," Kakashi said as he tied the two ninja to a tree.
"Wait how did you know?" one of the ninja called out.
Now that they weren't trying to kill them Taki could tell they were Chunnins from the Hidden Mist village.
"It was obvious," Kakashi didn't even turn back to them, "A puddle on a sunny morning like this? When it hasn't rained in a week?"
"If you knew then how come you let these brats deal with them?" Tazuna asked swigging his sake eyes narrowed.
[What an ass…]
"I hid so I could see who exactly they were after. If they were just common ninja trying to mess around or if they were actually after someone," Kakashi said his eye staring at the man.
"In our mission description there was no mention anyone was coming after you. If we had known that this would be a B-ranked mission," Kakashi continued, "I'm sure you have your reasons but we'd have sent a higher caliber of ninja on this sort of mission."
"More skilled ninja could have done it," Sakura agreed, "We're not ready for this!"
"Speak for yourself…" Taki rolled her eyes.
Sakura glared and kept speaking, "We're just genin… we can't do this mission!"
"Excuse me, but when did you become the official speaker of this team?" Taki growled.
Sakura scowled but continued again, "Besides we need to get Naruto back. He needs to go to a hospital so they can treat his wounds."
"She is probably right…" Kakashi agreed, "We do need to get back and treat Naruto."
"NO!"
Everyone turned just in time to see Naruto drive a kunai into his right hand, blood squirting everywhere.
"Why… why am I always so different? I should be stronger than this! I stayed up late every night and got up early every morning! I practiced jutsu after jutsu!"
The blood was running down his hand so fast it was forming a little puddle on the ground.
"I'm not ever going to need saving! I am never gonna chicken out again and I won't try to run! I won't lose to Taki or Sasuke! I swear by the pain in my hand I will never back down!"
Naruto smirked, "This mission is still on!"
Taki gave a soft smile, [Such an inspirational speaker…. Good luck trying to beat me though.]
Kakashi slid up beside Naruto smiling, "Naruto, it's really cool how you go the poison out and everything… but if you lose anymore blood you'll die."
"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?" Naruto turned a deathly white and started freaking out running around gripping his hand.
Taki sweatdropped and then smiled, there was something infectious about that boy.
"Ryouko, are you aware your arm is bleeding?"
Taki turned and saw the graze where that shuriken had cut.
"Hm," Taki reached into her medicine bag and pulled out some bandages.
She started to wrap it but one handed wrapping was hard.
"Here," Sasuke took the bandages and wrapped it for her.
She blinked at him.
[Am I dying or something? Why the heck is Sasuke being nice? It's so unlike him.]
"You two ready to go?" Kakashi asked.
Taki blinked realizing Sasuke was done tying the bandages and just standing there.
She leapt around and stuffing the bandages back into her bag she nodded.
"Let's go!"

Taki had her head laying on the edge of the boat, fingers in the cool soft moving water. She smiled as tiny fish tried to nibble her finger, bumping and nipping with no success.
Out of the corner of her eye Taki saw Sasuke watching her so she sat up keeping her fingers in water and smiled at him.
Of course he just turned to face Kakashi who sat on the other side of him.
Taki rolled her eyes and watched the waves lap lazily at the boat as if they didn't have a care in the world. A huge dark shadow loomed over the bridge, almost too dark to see anything inside of it Taki bet.
"That is a big bridge," Taki gave a low whistle.
"If we pass beyond this bridge we'll be at the Land of Waves," Tazuna's friend who was rowing said.
"ITS HUGE!" Naruto cried out.
"Hey be quiet!" the man growled as they slipped under the bridge, "We're using this mist as cover!"
[Dumb ass…]
Suddenly she felt someone's hand against hers and rolled her eyes, [It's probably Sakura thinking I'm Sasuke. Boy is she going to get a surprise when we get out of this shadow…]
For a moment she considering changing into Sasuke but they were out of the shadow and she looked over at Pinky who's hands where in her lap.
Then she looked at Sasuke, sure enough he was staring up into space not paying attention to where he was keeping his hands.
[Well at least no one's looking.]
"Tazuna, before we reach your home there is something I have to ask you."
Everyone looked to Kakashi as he spoke.
"You have to tell me the reason those ninja were after you or I will call off this mission the moment we reach shore."
Tazuna sighed, "Then I guess I must tell you… No… I want to tell you. A very powerful man is after my life… you may have heard of him. Marine Transportation Gatoh."
"Gatoh?" Kakashi's eye wide, "As in the very Gatoh from the Gatoh company?"
"Isn't he like a billionare?" Taki asked.
"Who?" Naruto asked cluelessly.
Tazuna explained, "He's the president of a large marine transportation… or so he wants you to believe. Gatoh really uses gangs and ninja to smuggle drugs and combatant goods, that and he takes over other companies and countries. A year ago he came to the Land of Waves and using wealth and violence as a shield he took over this country's sea transportation."
"So for a country like the Land of Waves…" Taki pieced it together, "Controlling the sea means you control the country right?"
Tazuna nodded, "You rule over the wealth, politics and people of the island. But the one thing Gatoh fears is completing that bridge."
"Because that cuts off his ability to control," Taki said, "And with you being the bridge builder, you're the number one target right?"
"So those ninja were sent by Gatoh to eliminate you," Sasuke glanced at Taki.
"Exactly," Kakashi agreed, "But I don't understand. He's a very powerful man that uses strong ninja… so why would you hide that information? You would have not only received higher class ninja but Konoha would have been prepared to send many more than us."
Tazuna looked at his feet, "The Land of Waves is a very poor country now, Gatoh hordes the money so we simply didn't have the money to pay for an expensive ranked mission. And if you quit the mission after we land… well I'll be killed almost immediately… but of course it won't be your fault so don't worry… but my eight-year-old grandson will grow up with no grandfather and cry every night. My daughter will hate Konoha for the rest of her lonely life… but don't blame yourselves."
Tazuna put his head in his hands but Taki could see he was watching.
[That old geezer is guilt tripping us,] Taki twitched.
Good thing Taki lacked a conscious.
Kakashi sighed and rubbed the back of is neck, "Well… I suppose we have no choice… we will continue to escort you."
Taki sweatdropped and shook her head.
"Wonderful!" Tazuna grinned.
"We're here," Tazuna's friend interrupted as the bow of the boat bumped shore and everyone but his friend piled out.
"This is as far as I go," the man said smiling at the bridge builder.
"I understand," Tazuna nodded, "Thank you for taking such a big risk."
His friend nodded and rowed away.
"Okay," Tazuna turned to the team, "Take me home safely."

3:14 P.M

Taki watched her feet as the group walked, what more was there to do? She was already tired of walking and was praying that they would reach Tazuna's house very soon.
[They sent chunnin and Sasuke and I stopped them easily… does that mean we've got chunnin skills? I mean sure I fought Iruka-sensei but it wasn't life or death, he was holding back.]
Suddenly Naruto barreled past Taki and Sasuke stopped, looked around with his hand against his eyebrows and suddenly jumped.
"Over there!" Naruto yelled hurling a kunai into the bushes.
When nothing happened Naruto shrugged, "Oh it must have been a mouse."
"You moron!" Taki yelled, "There's nothing there!"
"Naruto please don't use your weapons so carelessly, they can be a teensy bit dangerous," Kakashi reasoned.
"You stupid little dwarf," Tazuna grumbled.
For a moment they were silent and then Naruto did that weird jump again and threw another kunai.
"I sense someone!"
"Bakka!" Sakura punched Naruto in the head, "I told you to knock it off!"
Taki blinked and walked over to the bush, [Well he did sense something.]
She hefted the quivering white rabbit up and into her arms, noticing how fat the thing was.
"Well done Naruto you moron. You sensed a rabbit."
"Oh!" Naruto cried snatching the rabbit and cuddling him, "I'm so sorry Mr. Rabbit!"
Taki blinked at the bunny. Her father, besides being a brilliant mathematician and commander had a passion for animals and had taught Taki at a young age about all of the animals. She had carried on studying them through books and such, considering she wanted to do what most Ryouko did when they felt they were ready, find a wild animal and turn it into a companion.
Winter was gone, it was already March and there was no way that rabbit should have been white. They lost that color as spring came so they wouldn't stand out… unless…
"DUCK!" Kakashi ordered.
Everyone did as he commanded except Taki, she turned and saw a giant metal spinning thingy flying at her. In a second she dropped backwards, feeling her body hit the ground a little painfully as the object flew over her. She hopped up as her sensei did and looked, a giant sword was stuck into a tree but now with a man standing upon it. Taki held Mizu in one hand and Kaji in the other, ready for battle.
"Well, well, well," Kakashi stood in front of Taki but off to the side, "If it isn't Momoichi Zabuza, the exiled ninja of the Land of Waves."
[That name… why is it familiar?]
Naruto ran forward ready to fight but Kakashi put his arm out stopping him, "No Naruto. This man is a totally different league to all of you. Stay back. All of you."
Everyone was silent, taking the standard defensive position around Tazuna.
"Well," Kakashi finally spoke, "If I must face you I might just use this."
Kakashi grabbed his headband and started to lift it from his eye.
"So you are Kakashi, the Sharingan user…" Zabuza smirked.
[The Sharingan?] Taki looked over at Sasuke, [Only the Uchiha have that… how does Kakashi…?]
Zabuza looked past Kakashi and towards Tazuna, "Say if you hand over the geezer I'll spare your life."
"Everyone," Kakashi commanded, "Stand your ground. Do not join the battle, protect Tazuna."
Everyone watched as Kakashi lifted his headband revealing a scarred eye, blood red in iris with three black commas… Taki had been around the Uchiha's all her life until four years ago and she knew the Sharingan when she saw it.
"I'm honored I finally get to fight the Sharingan ninja I've heard so much about," Zabuza smirked behind his bandages.
"You guys say continually say 'Sharingan', 'Sharingan' but what is it?" Naruto cried.
"The Sharingan is a power in the eye that is generated through the pupils, some ninja who use the Sharingan are said to see through all genjutsu, taijutsu and ninjutsu and cancel their affects… but that's not the only ability the Sharingan possesses," Sasuke explained his eyes on Kakashi.
[I can't help but notice he didn't mention that it only ran through the Uchiha clan…]
"You're quite right… but you only scratched the surface," Zabuza chuckled, "The frightening part of the Sharingan is that it can understand how the opponents technique works and then copy it."
Suddenly the beautiful sunny sky started to cloud up, fog surrounded them in a thick haze.
"When I was in the Hidden Village of the Mist's assassination squad, your information was listed in a bingo book I carried that asked for your capture. The man who had copied over a thousand techniques… Kakashi the mirror ninja."

Taki looked at Kakashi in disbelief.
[Our sensei?]
"Wow!" Naruto exclaimed with a smile.
"Enough with the chit chat… I'm here to kill the old man and I won't spend all day doing it."
The genin tensed, Naruto who was guarding the left grabbed a shuriken, Sakura at the back gripped a kunai, Taki at the right held Mizu tightly while Sasuke stood at the front kunai also in hand.
But Kakashi stood in front of all of Team 7, body obviously tensed and ready to guard the team.
"It looks like I'll have to kill you first Kakashi," Zabuza chuckled.
With a single pull of the arms Zabuza yanked the sword from the tree and leapt backwards, doing a double flip in the air to land upon the water in the lake in front of the clearing.
"He's standing on water!" Sakura gasped.
"Thank you Caption Obvious," Taki's sarcasm dripped from her lips.
Zabuza made a handsign with one hand, his right arm straight up, water beginning to circle around him like a sandstorm made of water.
{He's embedding his chakra into the water,} Kakashi obvserved.
"Mist concealment."
The fog thickened abruptly, suddenly the air felt heavy and Taki lifted her hand in front of her face but she could only barely see the outline.
"Sensei… who is he…?" Sakura whispered.
"His name is Momoichi Zabuza, he was once part of the ANBU team for Hidden Village of the Mist and is a master of the 'silent killing' techniques," Kakashi replied.
Naruto muttered something Taki didn't quite hear.
"It's a killing technique that is executed in a flash and completely silent. You'll be dead before you realize what happened. I cannot use the full power of my Sharingan against him so I advise none of you let your guard down. But if we fail all we lose is our lives."
Taki glared at Kakashi, "Thanks sensei. I feel so much better now."
Suddenly Taki realized the mist was even denser now. It felt like she was swimming in water and she couldn't see her own feet. Sasuke's arm brushed hers and she could feel he was shaking, as much as she was, except she kept it inside a cool interior mask.
"Eight points," Zabuza's voice surrounded them.
"Wh…what?" Sakura's voice quaked.
"Spine, liver, collarbone, jugular vein, larynx, kidney, lungs and heart… which vital area would you like to be hit at?"
Taki felt a rush of chakra sweep over their team and someone suddenly grabbed her wrist. Taki turned her head and saw Sasuke holding her tightly, his shaking hand causing her arm to shake also.
[Sasuke…] Taki pulled her wrist free and grabbed his hand, giving him a soft reassuring smile.
He looked at her and she could see the fear in his eyes, but what scared her was the way he pointed the kunai at himself.
"Sasuke!"
The two of them broke their gaze with each other and looked at Kakashi.
"Don't worry, I'll protect all of you with my life, I won't let anyone on my team die."
Taki's fingers threaded into his and squeezed his palm tightly, his body steadily stopped shaking and she made her own body relax.
"Don't be so sure!" Zabuza taunted.
In a second Taki felt Zabuza's chakra behind her and she spun but it was too late, he stood between them and Tazuna.
"This is the end!" Zabuza roared and swung his sword.
Taki leapt back, breaking her grip on Sasuke's hand but Kakashi moved a moment faster stabbing a kunai into Zabuza's stomach, but only water leaked out.
[A water clone?]
Taki turned to her sensei.
"Sensei look out!" Taki warned.
Kakashi turned as the Zabuza clone turned into a puddle but the real Zabuza was behind their sensei and slammed him with his sword.
"Sensei no!" Sakura cried.
Taki however held her breath and stood straighter as water splashed against her leg.
"This is the end," Kakashi smirked appearing behind Zabuza, kunai at his neck.