Demons Thoughts/Speech

Human thoughts

Dreams

Hinata came back from her training session later on in the day and was met by the rest of her team. They talked casually with Anko telling them that they all would be going to the bridge and guarding Tazuna together. None of the younger ninja had a problem with that and soon enough Anko sent them on they way to do some last minute training together before sending them off to bed.

The training mostly went of without a hitch, but once again Anko was hit with the problem of what to do about Tei's and Hinata's condition. The ex-Hyuuga had told her sensei that distance did not help matters and it seemed nothing could stop the pair from feeling and receiving the other's pain and injures. Shaking her head, Anko was at a lost but before she could say anything even remotely to telling them to sit this mission out, both Hinata and Tei stood their ground and told her that they were going to see this mission through to the end, no matter what. The purple haired woman was proud of her students and nodded, assuring them that she wouldn't give up on them either.

That night, once training was over and Anko and Naruto were asleep, Tei had stayed up and was staring at the moon. A small bout of rustling from the bed beside her told the reddish brown haired girl that Hinata was stirring and the dark haired girl soon joined her side and looked at the sky herself.

"Do you really think we'll be okay? I mean, this isn't something we can take lightly. What if..." before she could finish, Tei nudged her, making her stop.

"Whatever happens, we will protect Tazuna and finish the mission, that is what we were sent here to do. We will be fine, if you watch my back, I will watch yours. Okay?"

Hinata looked at the other girl, sighing softly and hoping that her confidence would be proven correct. "Okay."

-Break-

Out in the woods, Zabuza was being looked after by the tracker ninja, the Mist Demon complaining about how roughly the other had handled his "death" "Next time, Haku, a little warning when you're going to jab senbon into my neck." he growled, glaring lightly at the tracker before someone came into their little hideaway. It was their employer, Gato. The short man strolled right into the room, leering at the pair and walking up to Zabuza's bed to prod at him with his cane, tormenting the bed-ridden ninja. That is until Haku reached out, grabbing Gato's wrist with enough pressure that soon the grinding of bones could be heard.

"Damn it, let go of me, you little bastard!" Gato snarled before wrenching free with Haku sneering at him as the older man held his injured wrist close to his chest before giving a last warning and heading out the door.

"That was unnecessary, Haku. If he would have tried anything more, I would have handled it." Zabuza growled, revealing a kunai he held in his hand. "Forgetting about him, soon I'll be back to full strength and I'll make sure to pay Anko and her brats back for humiliating me. All in good time."

-Break-

All of Team 7 were posted at various points on the bridge, close enough that they could keep an eye on Tazuna but space far enough apart they could sweep the are. Anko was closest to the bridge-builder, sticking nearby as he worked. The day was clear, Naruto, Hinata, and Tei were all healed and alert and the work was going smoothly. So why did she feel antsy? Snorting, the young Jonin looked all around her, fidgeting somewhat, underneath the calm Anko could sense danger but she didn't know where it was coming from. Growling softly, Anko narrowed her eyes, she hated this, not knowing and being left in the dark. It was maddening!

With the younger set, the feeling was the same, Naruto couldn't help but look over the edge the bridge, thinking that something would jump out at them while the girls paced back and forth from one end to the other. However soon all movement stopped as a dense mist started to roll in, the Genin all taking their places around Tazune who stiffened up somewhat. Even they know that this sudden bout of mist was uncanny, when the day was relatively clear. Anko felt a glow of pride that she didn't have to tell her Team what to do, but that was for later, right now they all had to focus.

From all around them, a deep laugh came from the mists before a sudden barrage of kunai caused all of them to scatter with Anko taking Tazuna with Naruto following and Tei and Hinata sticking close.

The laughter continued even as the barrage went on until the deep growl of Zabuza was heard. "This time we will settle things here, Anko, you won't be able to slink your way out of this one, as for you're pretty little team mates..." Zabuza trailed off at the mist thickened, even on high alert and trying to see through the dense whiteness, neither Tei or Hinata was able to react to the missing nin appearing in front of them until the last minute. A single swipe from his massive sword was all he needed to get Hinata to try to push Tei away, but because of the mist, her reaction was slow and she received a harsh slash to her right leg, which of course affected Tei as well.

The two skidded to a half a few feet away where there was a single surge of chakra and a dome of ice blocks shaped like mirrors surrounded them. Despite the pain in her leg, Tei scoffed and rose to her feet. "This is the best you can do, Zabuza?" she taunted loudly, trying to keep the pain out of her voice. "This little ice dome won't keep us here, Hinata was I will bust out, no problem!"

Just as she finished talking, the mirrors started at glow and a rain a senbon came down, striking them both in various places. Both girls was stunned and could nothing but try and cover themselves as the needles came down. Once it was all over, the girl resembled pincushions and couldn't really move at the moment. They were snared and was only able to stare as an image came into one of the mirrors, the tracker ninja that "killed" Zabuza.

"Your stories end here, I won't allow you to interfere with Zabuza's purpose. For his dream to come, I must end you here and now!"