"I knew it."
The bridge builders were strewn about the bridge. Kakashi inspected one of the bodies.
"Are any of them alive?" Tazuna asked. "Who could have done this?"
"M-monsters," one of the men whined.
Naruto and Sasuke stood nearby, watching. Sasuke perked up.
"Kakashi sensei."
Kakashi had already noticed the mist rolling in. He slowly backed away from the body. He and the boys quickly surrounded Tazuna.
"He's coming!" Kakashi warned.
Suddenly, a group of Zabuzas appeared. They had the team surrounded, each swinging their blades.
"Boys!" Kakashi ordered.
Naruto and Sasuke reacted quick, easily dispatching all of Zabuza's clones.
Kakashi turned his attention to the real one, standing a few paces away. Zabuza and the masked man were standing together. Kakashi's worries had been validated.
"Not bad, Naruto," Sasuke remarked. Naruto snickered.
"Looks like those brats of yours have matured a bit," Zabuza said. "What do you think, Haku?"
"I think their training was wasted."
Haku moved like a blur, charging at the group.
"Mine!" Sasuke jumped forward, clashing with Haku.
Haku performed quick hand signs with her free hand. A volley of senbon generated in the air around them.
"Crap!"
The senbon converged around Sasuke. In a swift motion, he vanished, leaping into the air. Haku jumped back, dodging a few shuriken.
Sasuke landed and rushed in, aiming a kunai at Haku's back. Haku blocked Sasuke's arm. He twisted into a kick, knocking him away.
"Holy shit!" Naruto exclaimed. "Sasuke's wrecking shop!"
"Naruto," Kakashi said. He started for Zabuza. "Take care of Tazuna."
"Sure thing… Wait what?" Naruto complained. "You gotta be kidding!"
Sasuke glanced at Naruto before focusing on Haku. The air felt cold around him.
"It's unfortunate," Haku said. He performed a hand sign. The water rippled around Sasuke. Several large mirrors formed in the air around him, closing him off from the outside.
"Damn!" Kakashi took a step for Sasuke's prison. Zabuza appeared, swinging his blade. Kakashi dodged his attacks, trying to get past him.
"What's that masked freak doing?" Naruto yelled. "Sasuke, get out of there!"
Sasuke ignored Naruto's remarks, scanning his surroundings. Haku appeared in the reflection of every mirror, watching him. Something whizzed past his arm, cutting his sleeve and his skin. He winced. Then, more came. Hundreds of senbon flying from every which direction. Sasuke covered his head, crying out.
"This is speed!" Haku's voice came from all around him.
"I'm gonna have to leave you alone, old guy," Naruto said. Tazuna glanced down at him.
"I'll be fine."
Sasuke hit the ground, grunting. Haku appeared between two of the mirrors. No vital points were hit. Haku was killing him slowly.
Sasuke couldn't figure it out. Was it clones? The mirrors had to have something to do with it! Sasuke slowly got up. He performed quick hand signs.
"Blaze of glory!" Sasuke blew a flamethrower into existence, sweeping it across the mirrors. It had no effect. He noticed a blur. A movement between the mirrors. Haku appeared within one of the mirrors.
Naruto appeared, driving his fist into the mirror. He simply passed right through, rolling across the ground.
"What are you doing?" Sasuke demanded.
"I'm saving you, duh!"
"My movement is so swift," Haku said. "The two of you may as well be standing still."
"Can you fight?" Naruto asked. Sasuke cursed, pulling a few senbon out of his arm.
"I don't know," he admitted. "I'm not sure we can win." Naruto groaned.
"We have to win!" Naruto snapped. Sasuke rubbed his eyes. His head was throbbing. Naruto glanced over his shoulder. "Sasuke?" Another volley of senbon came, cutting them up. The two of them collapsed.
Sasuke cried out, ripping a senbon out of his hand.
"We need to get out of here!"
"Shut up!" Naruto summoned a dozen clones. They scattered, charging at all of the different mirrors.
"Useless." Senbon tore through all of Naruto's clones, several hitting the real Naruto. He spun through the air, throwing a kunai at a mirror.
Haku caught the kunai. Naruto landed and rolled across the ground with a grunt.
"Why did he catch it?" Sasuke asked. Naruto slowly got up, groaning.
"I'm starting to figure it out," he said. "That guys moving between the mirrors! We have to attack while he's between the mirrors!"
"What?"
"Even so," Haku remarked. "You're still too slow!" Another volley of senbon. Sasuke flinched, covering his face, but no pain came.
Naruto collapsed with a thud. He lied still on the ground. Several senbon were buried in his throat. Sasuke's breath caught, he broke out into a cold sweat.
"N-Naruto?"
X
Kakashi drove his fist into Zabuza's chin. The mist thickened as Zabuza stumbled away.
"Naruto, Sasuke!" Kakashi called out. A few kunai flew from the mist, Kakashi easily deflected them. "Say something!"
A pair of Zabuza's charged at Kakashi, raising their blades. Kakashi ducked out of the way, cursing.
"You can't save those boys!" A fist appeared from the mist, striking Kakashi. "Even the girl back in the village!" Zabuza appeared, kicking Kakashi in the chest before vanishing into the mist. "Gato's goons are taking care of her and the bridgebuilder's family!" Zabuza's voice echoes around Kakashi. "You Leaf Village ninja made a mistake coming here!"
"I'm getting tired of this," Kakashi remarked. He performed some hand signs. "Summoning Jutsu!"
X
"Are you okay, Naruto?" Sasuke called out from a tree branch. Naruto was face down on the ground below. He groaned. Sasuke smirked and glanced up at the dimming sky. "We should probably head back," Sasuke said. He hopped out of the tree and walked over to Naruto grumbled complaints.
"Why can't I figure this out!" Naruto sat up, wiping his face. Sasuke sat down next to him and dusted himself off.
"What kind of kage are you gonna be if you can't even climb a tree?" Sasuke asked. Naruto shot him a look before lowering his head. Sasuke watched him for a moment.
"I have to focus," Naruto grumbled. "I need to focus my chakra to my feet like Kakashi sensei said." He noticed Sasuke watching him. "You make it look so easy."
"You have to find the balance between—"
"Don't tell me!" Naruto cut Sasuke off. "I'm gonna be the Hokage! I don't need help from anyone!" Sasuke crossed his arms.
"Fine then."
The two of them sat in silence for a few minutes.
"What were you going to say, anyway?" Naruto asked. Sasuke perked up.
"I think you're putting out too much chakra," Sasuke said. "You use up your stock as soon as you start, you need to spread it out over time." Naruto nodded, considering this.
"I think I understand."
X
"Naruto!" Sasuke called out. The throbbing in his head grew. Naruto wasn't moving. Blood dripped from his neck. Sasuke stumbled over to him, trembling. He fell to his knees. The world spun around him.
Suddenly, Sasuke was in a street. A man stood a few feet away, illuminated by moonlight. Itachi Uchiha. Sasuke looked down at his hands, then up at Itachi. Itachi turned away.
Sasuke screamed. The world snapped into focus. Haku was moving, flying from one mirror to another while throwing senbon. Sasuke moved. He threw a few kunai, deflecting the senbon. Haku was reaching another mirror.
"What? Sharingan?" Haku hesitated. He leaped from the mirror. "No matter, I'll finish this now!"
