I don't own Naruto.
Chapter 10
Today's the day. The day that Tazuna-san is going to start working on the bridge again.
It's also the day that we predict that Zabuza will show his face again.
The boys have perfected their tree climbing late last night. Naruto was so tired we couldn't wake him up this morning, so he got left behind. I think Kakashi-sensei is a little relieved that he won't have to keep an eye on Naruto to make sure he doesn't freeze again.
Though one more set of hands to help wouldn't hurt.
"I'm sorry, but I refuse. This bridge is putting my life and the lives of my family in danger. I can't continue." These words bring me out of my thoughts and I glance over just in time to see Tazuna's last worker leave.
"Fine! I'll just finish it on my own then!" The old man then proceeds to make good on his word, measuring and cutting wood like a madman.
It's about midday now and the bridge should only take a few more days to complete. Well it would have taken a few days, but since all the workers left it will take a week or more. That's a week longer than this mission was supposed to last. If we're not careful the Hokage is going to send a retrieval team.
Suddenly the mist eclipses the sun, casting us into an artificial twilight. Tazuna freezes and Sasuke and I rush to take our positions on either side of him.
"I know you weren't dead yet, Zabuza, come to finish our fight?" Sensei is taunting him, trying to get him to reveal his position.
Sending out my chakra, I feel for the enemy. After a moment I detect two chakras, one that tastes of the color white and another that tastes of peaches. Both are to my right, side-by-side, unmoving.
I whisper this information to the team in the quietest voice I can manage. Sasuke shifts just the slightest in response, positioning himself directly in front of the enemies.
A kunai comes whizzing out of the mist directly at my stoic teammate, and he bats it out of the air with barely a flick of the wrist.
I prepare myself, ready for a battle, when the enemy gives away their position and starts up a conversation with Kakashi-sensei.
They are having a conversation.
Yes.
About whose prodigy can beat the others.
Yes.
In the middle of a life or death situation.
Yes, Oh wait, somebody is finally fighting.
Sasuke has decided to show off. He's zipping around, taking out all the water clones the enemy created. It's done with grace and agility, and by the look on Sasuke's face he clearly knows that.
Zabuza's partner, introduced as Haku, is as skilled as Sasuke. Their fight begins in a flurry of taijutsu. Punches and kicks moving at such a fast pace, I can hardly keep up. So this is Sasuke's true ability, this is what he looks like when he fights someone other than Naruto. I guess the blonde's immaturity rubs off on others because I have never seen a fight that Naruto was in not turn into a schoolyard scuffle.
The fight breaks away, disappearing into the mists, and I move to help. Only to be stopped by a hand on my shoulder.
"Stay, let Sasuke him. Protect the client, I'll deal with Zabuza." In a flash I'm alone with the client as two battles simultaneously rage on both sides of us.
Clashes from either side are the only sounds that reach us through the mist, but only barely. It's like a blanket was thrown over my eardrums, muffling all sounds. I back Tazuna up to some crates and wait, guarding the client while my teammates fight for their lives.
Stretching my senses, I feel around for the chakras of my team. I find Sasuke's first, it tastes like ozone and is moving rapidly against the one that tastes white. I can feel their determination and focus. They break apart for a moment, to catch their breaths if I had to guess, and Haku's signature flexes. It seems to be growing? Reaching out it swallows Sasuke's signature, completely enveloping yet not hurting it. I wish I could see what was happening.
From my opposite side I sense a battle of epic proportions. The chakra signatures dance around each other, disappearing and reappearing in spilt seconds. Clashing with such force you would think that one would be extinguished.
Wait, off in the distance, can you feel that?
Honing my senses to their finest I lock in on another signature closing in fast. It tastes like…Sunshine? The beach? Happiness? I can't really tell…Oh it's Naruto.
He's heading right towards Sasuke's fight. If he's smart he'll pull one of his famous surprise attacks.
And he ended up inside Haku's signature along with Sasuke.
I have a feeling he just did something stupid.
Turning my senses to check on the other fight, the taste of peaches overwhelms me. The demon of the mist has evaded the Copy Nin and is coming right at me, sword raised high. There's no time to get away so I brace myself. Against my will a scream forces it way out of my throat as I feel the blade start to sink into the flesh of my neck.
But that's where it stops, just barely breaking the skin.
I open eyes that I didn't realize I closed and take in the scene. Kakashi's back is centimeters from my face, his arm blocking the sword from slicing me in half. Zabuza is holding the sword that is buried deep in my sensei's arm, cutting my neck and probably a few inches shy of Tazuna, but I don't dare move to look.
The sword retreats, cutting both me and sensei a little deeper, and their fight continues, disappearing back into the fog.
Shaking I take up my stance once again. Only to be thrown off once again as a huge evil chakra explodes into existence. It feels like a demon from hell has just ascended, right in the middle of the battle against Haku. Still reeling from information overload, I look for my boys signatures. Sasuke's is faint and unmoving, near the terrible chakra source, but I can't find Naruto's.
Haku's is also unmoving, but it is still strong, standing against his demonic opponent. Tension is high as I feel a killing blow about to be dealt by the demon.
However a sound pulls everyone's attention, a thousand chirping birds. I'm so tuned in to the chakra signatures I barely feel my body turn towards Kakashi. I feel as though I'm a ghost, unable to stop the events that surround me.
The Copy Nin rushes Zabuza, who is bound in place by summon dogs. The lightening screeches from my sensei's hands, clearing out the fog with its intense heat. I can feel the impact before anyone else. The impact of my sensei's chakra hitting another's a few inches before expected, their energies colliding and one extinguishing.
I feel like a ghost, because I knew Haku was going to jump in front of his master. I felt it when he transported himself there, and I felt it as he died. And I could do nothing.
Naruto runs past, lamenting the fate of his opponent and enemy. We watch as sensei lays down the body and proceeds to beat his enemy.
Both of Zabuza's arms are rendered useless in a matter of minutes. I can tell that Naruto thinks that Kakashi just got his second wind, but I know better. I can feel it, the despair that has crippled the once mighty Mist Nin.
Zabuza has given up, and Kakashi knows this and is granting his wish to be defeated.
"Naruto, where is Sasuke?" I don't want to watch another die, yet he just looks away refusing to meet my eyes. I find his faint signature and drag Tazuna with me to check on my teammate.
When we arrive, I gasp. He looks like a pin cushion, senbon sticking out of his body in droves. Instinct drives me to feel for a pulse, even though I can feel his chakra so I know he is alive. Haku really was a kind soul, sparing my teammate even though he was an enemy.
I turn just in time to see Zabuza tearing through a horde of thugs to get to who I'm assuming is Gato. Using only his mouth that holds a kunai he takes out many on his path of vengeance. I missed what happened, so I'm not sure why he's turned against his employer, but Gato sure looks like he regrets it.
I realize I never retracted my chakra when I feel Gato's fear and desperation just before I feel his death. The feel of an unexpected death knocks the air from my lungs and I have no time to recover before Zabuza's own death occurs. I am brought to my knees, tears streaking my face, as he slips away.
Kakashi comes up to me and puts a hand on my shoulder. "Pull back, Sakura. You don't need to feel this, just pull back all you senses."
I do as he says and immediately feel relief as I'm cut off from outside feelings, the relief is so strong I fall unconscious.
Our mission is over, Gato is dead, and the bridge builder is safe.
It takes three days for the bridge to be finished and in those three days we healed. Kakashi-sensei's arm was cut badly but he only bandaged it and said it was all good. Naruto barely got a scratch. Sasuke's body was paralyzed for a few hours so he is still a little sore, but he will never admit it.
And I have my first scar. It's on my neck, only two inches long. First of many I bet.
The Great Naruto Bridge…
Can't believe they named it that…
Is complete, and we were the first ones to travel over it on our way back to Konoha.
The trip was silent as we all got lost in our thoughts over our first 'real' mission.
Its night time by the time we get back to the village and we all head home, planning to report to the Hokage in the morning. I wait until Kakashi and Naruto have left to help Sasuke.
Throughout the journey home I noticed him limping and grimacing in pain and I just know that he must still hurt from the paralysis.
"What are you doing? Let Go." I ignore him and continue to help him home and eventually he shuts up. To think that a few months ago I would die to be in this position.
By the time we get to his house dawn is rapidly approaching. Before I can even get to the door, Sasuke's mother and brother come out of the house. Mikoto-sama takes Sasuke and helps him in the house, thanking me all the while.
"What happened?" His brother's deep voice is a little menacing this early in the morning.
I only shrug tiredly and state "mission" and he nods like that explains everything.
"Don't worry; your brother is just sore. He won't have a single scar." And I turn to leave, but the next words stop me dead.
"But you will." I turn to see The Itachi staring at my neck where Zabuza's sword touched. And I smile a little, ever the observant one he is.
"Ninja" Is the only word I answer with, before going home.
Okay so this was harder than I thought, the ending really stumped me for a while. I knew what I wanted to happen, but getting it on paper was hard. Hope you enjoy it.