To Write ' I Love You', On Her Heart
Chpt. 3 The Assassin of The Mist. MoMo-Chan?!
" Ettou... I-I'm fine, really, Naruto-kun..." Yura nervously said with a laugh as Naruto sat back in his seat, still unconvinced. Yura still giggled nervously, Mou... That was nerve-wrecking... Yura thought, she glanced behind her to see her Senpai giving her a small grin through the fog, she blushed. What was that? Yura questioned touching her blushing cheek curiously. They sat in a boat heading towards the Land of Waves through a dense fog, Naruto sitting in the front, Yura behind him, Sasuke and Sakura behind her, Kakashi behind them, and Tazuna at the back, with the Rower." This fog is so dense," Sakura commented, " You can't see anything," Yura made an agreeing noise staring straight ahead, but blush remembering what happened earlier.
Of her waking up, finding herself situated in Kakashi's arms...
Strong arms.
Of him teasing of her sleep talking, of Tazuna's teasing of her being in Kakashi's... Strong arms.
And of course, of Naruto persistence of asking her if she's alright, which she repetively reassured him that she was but he still wasn't convinced.
Of Yura's cooing over Naruto's worriedness over her.
And of Sasuke's strange and sudden new glares at the two. In which, Naruto would glare back... Only with a triumphant glare.
Boys these days.
" The bridge isn't far now," The Rower commented, " Our destination is just ahead. The Land of Waves." Then silence. Everyone watched aboved their heads in slight awe, seeing an unfinished bridge hovering over them. Yura especially, " Sugoi..." She whispered loudly, Tazuna chuckled, " What didya expect from a Master Bridge Builder?" " Yura giggled, " Nothing less, Tazuna-san!" " Wow! It's huge!" Naruto shouted, " Quiet! I told you no noise!" Scolded the Rower, " Why do you think we're traveling like this with this huh? Traveling like this, rowing, moving in the dense fog... So they don't see us," Naruto quickly covered his mouth. Yura sighed as Kakashi called out, " Tazuna- san... Before we reach the pier, I need to ask you something," Tazuna looked away, almost in shame, " The men who are after you... I need to know why. If you don't tell us, I'm afraid I'll have to end this mission when we drop you ashore," Yura slouched, " Senpai... That was albeit cruel...."
" I have no choice but to tell you. Iie, I want you to know," Tazuna said looking up at the expectant gaze of Team 7. " Like you said, this is beyond the scope of the original mission, the one who seeks my life is a very short man who casts a very long and deadly shadow..." " A... Deadly shadow..." Yura repeated, " Hmm... Who is it?" Kakashi stated more than asked, " You know him, at least I'm sure you've heard his name before. He's one of the wealthiest man in the wolrd. The Shipping Magnet: Gatou." Yura and Kakashi gasped, " Gatou? Of Gatou Transport?" Kakashi Questioned, Tazuna nodded, Yura shook her head in mild disbelief," He's a business leader though, everyone knows him," Yura reasoned, " Who's Gatou?" Naruto asked excitedly.
" Gatou," Tazuna began, " Is a very powerful tycoon from a famous company that's true, but below the surface, with the same ruthless methods he used to take over the businesses and nations. He sells drugs and contraband. Using gangs... And ninja. It was one year ago... When Gatou first set his sight on the Land of Waves, he came to our island and used his vast wealth to take total control of a transport and shipping. Anyone who tried to stop him simply... Disappeared." Yura warily glanced at Kakashi.
" In an island nation, a man who controlled the seas, controls everything, financing, government, our very lives, But their's one thing he fears, the bridge," Tazuna looked up with albeit more determination, " When it is complete, it will join us to the land and that will break his control." He turned his gaze to the unfinished bridge, " I... Am the Bridge Builder." " So that's it." Sakura said bluntly, " Since you're in charge of this bridge, you're standing in this gangster's way," Yura winced at her niece's bluntness, " That means, those guys we fought in the forest, they must be working for Gatou," Sasuke said. " I don't understand," Kakashi began, " If you knew he was dangerous, knew he's sent ninja to eliminate you, why did you hide that from us?"
" Senpai! That's very rude of you to say!" Yura scolded, " I'm sure he has his reasons not to," " It's alright Yura-san...." Tazuna reassured," It's because the Land of Waves... Is a poverish country, even our nobles has little money," Yura and Kakashi glanced at eachother, " The common people who are building the bridge, they can't pay for an A or B-ranked. It's too expensive. If you end the mission when you drop me ashore, that would be no bridge. They'll asassinate me, before I reach home." Everyone was quiet, Yura was almost moved to tears, " But... Don't feel bad about that," Tazuna said in a slightly more chipper mood, " Of course, my sweet little grandson would be upset, and he'll cry: Grandad! I want my Grandad!" He said in a high voice.
" Oh, and my daughter would condemmed the ninja of the Hidden Leaves, denoucing and blaming you for abandoning her father and living her life in sorrow," Yura's pulled out a hankerchief to wipe away any tears in her eyes, Th-That's so sad...! " Oh well, it's not your fault, forget it."
N-No! I don't want to forget it! Yura thought with more teary eyes, she glanced at the rest of Team 7 to see their unsure faces, so Yura crawled over to Kakashi and tugged on his sleeves timidly, " S-Senpai... S-Senpai..." Kakashi looked down and nearly gasped. Yura's face was filled with adorableness and cuteness with tears in her jade green eyes, " H-Hai?" Kakashi asked in a slightly hitched tone, which the rest of the team and Tazuna noticed, " We... We gotta help Tazuna-san! Please? He's doing so much and he's asking for so little! Please? Please?"
Kakashi looked away for a moment, nervously scratching the back of his head, " Yura-chan, I know you want to help, but like I said this is beyond the scope of our original mission... And..." He looked back to her face and couldn't help but noticed her small lips turning into a quivering glossy pout, " S-So you don't w-wanna help?" She questioned, The genin and Tazuna watched the scene with much interest.
Sakura was mentally taking notes on how to work that on Sasuke.
Naruto and Tazuna were secretly rooting for Yura, and Sasuke's eye was twitching hoping for Kakashi to decline but was secretly rooting for Yura as well.
Kakashi was basically cornered.
Especially since what's cornering him was Yura's sweet, watery green eye, and her natural glossy lips.
Kakashi sighed. I would somehow regret this... He thought. " Well... I guess we have no other choice, we'll have to keep guarding you." Yura face went from watery to happy and she flung her arms around Kakashi's neck, " Senpai! Arigatou ne! You're really cool!" Kakashi nervously laughed along Yura and blushed underneath his mask, I'm weak around her... Team 7 and Tazuna were thinking the same. " Oh... I'm very grateful," Tazuna said, giving Yura a peace sign, which Yura happily returned.
We win.
" We're approaching the shore," Announced the Rower, Yura clung on to Kakashi's sleeve as they rowed through a dark tunnel, " Yura-chan?" Kakashi whispered, Yura chuckled nervously, " Gomen, still not used to dark places," She whispered back. Kakashi nodded in understanding. As they exited out of the tunnel, Naruto and Yura gave a breath of awe, It looks so cozy... Yura thought, then she giggled, As expected of the Land of Waves... I haven't seen it in a long time. But wehn they approached the shore, Yura frowned, The houses look... Different since last time... Maybe Tazuna-san is right...
Yura and Naruto walked ahead of the group making small talk and jokes. Well... Yura was trying... Every pass twenty seconds or so she'd feel a shiver crawl down her spine, curtesy of Sasuke Uchiha's glare. I-It's such a scary glare... Yura thought warily, As expected of an Uchiiha... Sasuke then walked next to them, immidiately haulting the conversation with his presence. Naruto immidiately glared at Sasuke who cooly shrugged it off. With Yura being in the middle, she tried to smile to ease up the tension, Mou... This is hard! Yura mentally screamed, How can you make two rivals be at least friendly to eachother?! Even Gai-Senpai and Senpai can be mature about it... Half the time... Huh?
Yura noticed Naruto running ahead of them taking a look around with an air of seriousness, " Naruto-kun?" Yura questioned, " There!" Naruto shouted as he threw a kunai at a bush. Everyone jumped at his sudden action. Yura's eyes were big as saucers, her mouth formed into a small upside-down triangle, her hair were sticking on end and her hands were in perfect symetry of eachother, fingers facing oppsite directions. Everyone waited anxiously for Naruto's voice as he got up,"... Heh, it was just a mouse," Naruto said smirking cooly, Kakashi, Sakura and Tazuna scolded Naruto's carelessness... Rather... they exploded in anger, Yura heaved a sigh in relief, " Thank goodness it was nothing," Yura said smiling, Sasuke scoffed. It was then, Yura and Kakashi sensed something amidst and looked in a particular direction.
Naruto threw another kunai in the direction they were looking at, " That's it Naruto!" Sakura angrily shouts hitting Naruto over the head, Yura heeded no mind, but instead went over to her Senpai with a cautious look, " D-Demo Sakura-chan," Naruto began, rubbing his head, "Someone really is following us!" Yura decided to look behind the bush to only have her brows rise in mild surprise, Kakashi, who was following her, did the same, " It's... A snow rabbit..." Sakura gasped, " See Naruto look what you did! You almost killed a rabbit!" Naruto worriedly ran to the rabbit and hugged it in apology, " Hmmph, all this fuss for a rodent." Tazuna commented.
Yura narrowed her eyes and hung in the back with Kakashi, " Senpai..." Yura whispered taking a quick glance around the forest, " That's a snow rabbit... But the color... They only have white fur during the winter, when the days are short and there's no sunlight." Kakashi nodded also looking around, " This rabbit... It must've been raised indoors away from the sun... For one purpose," Yura nodded staring into some trees, " A replacement techqinue?" She asked, Kakashi made a confrimed sound, " So they're already here?" Yura asked once more, Kakashi shrugged, " That's a definate possibility."
No wonder the Demon Brothers failed in their mission, it's the Copy Ninja from Konohakagure... Kakashi of the Sharingan, Oh? And who else? Wait... Isn't that...? Well, well, do wonders never cease? It's Yura-Chibi... Haven't seen her in two years... Where's that other ninja she's always with? Kazuhiko? No matter... Time for them to die!
Yura gasped, " Everyone get down! Now!" Kakashi yelled, pulling Yura under him as a giant sword slashed through the air above them. " Yura-chan, are you alright?" Kakashi whispered, Yura nodded though eyed the sword that's now lodged to a tree, That sword... Yura thought with narrowed eyes, Where have I seen it? A dark tall man jumped out and landed on the hilt of the giant sword with his back facing them, glaring menancingly. Kakashi help Yura get up but her eyes were still trained on the masked foreign enemy. Why does he look so familiar? Yura thought," Well, well, if it isn't Zabuza Momochi," Kakashi said taking a step towards the man, " Rougue ninja of the Hidden Mist." Yura gasped, M-Momo-chan?! Then Naruto ran at the man but Kakashi stopped him, " Iie, Naruto-kun." Kakashi said in a serous tone, " You're in the way, get back."
" But why?!" Naruto whined.
" This guy's not like those other ninja," Kakashi explained, " He's in a whole other level. If he's our opponent, I'll have to use this." Kakashi reached for his hi-ate, Yura gulped, she hasn't seen him using ' That', in awhile, watching it again will be like watching it for the first time.
Exhilerating.
" Kakashi of the Sharingan eye. Did I get that right?" Zabuza finally said, " And Yura-Chibi, long time no see..." Yura tilted her head and narrowed her eyes, "... Momo-chan? You work for Gatou?"
Zabuza nodded, " Why?"
" That's for my reasons and mine alone, so Yura-Chibi... Tell me... Where's Kazuhiko?"
Yura winced at his question and remained silent Kakashi mentally cursed, he knew Yura still feels sensitive about Kazuhiko and his death, that she would wince whenever someone mentioned his name, what he wants to know is how Yura knew Zabuza. " Isn't that his katana on your waist?" Yura looked down and placed one hand to the katana, " Hmm... Let me guess... He's dead, right?" Yura looked up with a small gasp, making Zabuza smirk, " Hmm... I hit the mark didn't I? You were always easy to read, Yura-Chibi... It's too bad huh? But you'll have to hand over the old man now." Yura looked away, biting on her lower lip, Kakashi placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
" Now quick! Maajin formation! Protect the Bridge Builder." Kakashi ordered, " And stay out of this fight. I taught you teamwork, and now it's time for you to use it." Kakashi pulled up his hi-ate to reveal a slashed eyelid, holding a red eye with three commas circling the pupil. The Sharingan. " I'm ready." Yura pulled out her Bo'staff and stood in a defensive position, " Me too," " Well... Looks like I get to see the Sharingan in action," Zabuza mused, " This is an honor." Naruto growled, " Hey, who is this guy? What the heck is the Sharingan and how does he know Yura-Sensei?!" " Sensei?" Zabbuza questioned, bemused, " Did his death affect you that much, Yura-Chibi?"
Sasuke explained about the Sharingan in a grave manner to Naruto, and Zabuza mock congradulate on his decription of the Sharingan and added more. A fog suddenly began to form, " As for you, Jounin," Zabuza said glaring at Kakashi, " In the Assassination unit of the Hidden Mist, we had a standing order to destroy you on sight. Your profile's in our Bingo Book, it called you the Man Who Copied Over A Thousand Jutsu: Kakashi, The Copy Ninja."
Zabuza glanced over to Yura, " And for you... I don't believe they actually have your real name but you were widely known as the Aoi Ke no Kuchinashi Konoichi*, even now I can smell your sweet flower on you." Zabuza chuckled, " Just like old times, only, without Kazuhiko." Yura winced again and Kakashi glared at Zabuza who happily returned it. " Wow! Sugoi!" Naruto shouted, Sasuke stared at Kakashi in suspicion, and Sakura stared at Yura's back in wonder, Are they really that important? Sakura thought. " Enough talking," Zabuza said crouching, " I need to exterminaste the old man, now." When they didn't respond Zabuza continued, " So, I'm gonna have to eliminate you two first? So be it." Zabuza jumped out of the tree and on top of the water, his sword behind his back and hands raised for a jutsu, I know this jutsu! Yura thought in alarm. This is bad...
" Ninja Art- Hidden Mist Jutsu!" And Zabuza disappeared.
" Minna-san! Whatever you do don't put your guard down!" Yura yelled, " Not even for a second! He'll come after one of us first, so please don't worry." " But... Who is he?" Sakura questioned, Kakashi answered while his eyes darted from one area to the next, " Zabuza Momoichi: The ex-leader of the Kirikagure Assassination Unit. He's the master of the Silent Killing Technique,"
" S-Silent Killing?" Naruto repeated.
Yura nodded, " As the name suggest, it happens in an instant... Without sound or warning of any kind. It's so fast, you pass from this life without knowing what just happened." Yura gripped her Bo'staff alittle tighter, " The Sharingan cannot fully neutralize it, listen to what Yura said before." Kakashi states, " Don't lower your gaurd." The genin and Tazuna gave a shaky breath, " But if we fail, we only lose our lives." Kakashi states, Yura slouched at his bluntness, " How can you say that to a bunch of genin Senpai?" He shrugged. " Lightening up the mood?" Yura shook her head, " That's not funny then..." But she cracked a small smile, That's what Kazuhiko-kun would do...
The fog grew more thick, Yura had to strain her vision, " It's getting thicker and thicker," She heard Naruto commented. " The Land of Waves is surrounded by ocean," Tazuna said, " The swirling mists are ever present."
" Sensei! Obasan!" Sakura called out.
" Just stay there Sakura-san!" Yura shouted behind her, " You too Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun! Just gaurd Tazuna-san!" Then silence. Darn... Yura thought, I can barely see anything, as expected of Momo-chan... I'll just have to rely on Senpai and my other senses... " Eight points." Zabuza said trough the mist, " Larix. Spine. Lungs. Liver. Jugular. Saclavian artery. Kidneys. Heart. Now... Which will be my attack point?" " Senpai..." Yura whispered with a small and worried smile, " I've only seen this once before... Just please... Be careful?" Kakashi inwardly smiled to himself, She's always caring... " Ah... Now let's clear this fog up alittle shall we?"
Kakashi and Yura each formed a similar handsign, and a certain amount of chakra emitted out of both of them blowing the fog away, Kakashi glowed a pale blue as Yura glowed white outlined with pale green. Yura looked behind herself and saw Sasuke's tortured filled face, clutching to his kunai and was about to stab himself, Yura felt her heart pinch, " No Sasuke!" Yura yelled holding his tense hands down, " Calm down, we'll protect you with our lives, right Senpai?" " Yeah, trust us."
" I wouldn't be so sure," Zabuza mused. He appeared right inside the group, his giant sword ready to kill Tazuna. " It's over," Zabuza said. Kakashi ran to him and stabbed Zabuza right in the stomache, " Ah, S-Senpai!" Yura yelled cringed upon hearing the sickening drops of blood. Or so she thought, the real Zabuza appeared behind Kakashi, " Sensei! Behind you!" Naruto yelled but it was too late, Zabuza had already sliced Kkashi in half. "... Senpai... SENPAI!!!" Yura shouted, She grabbed her still sheathed kantana, tears threatening to fall down her suddenly flashing green eyes. " Yura," She gasped when Kakashi whispred to her, squeezing her shoulder lightly, " Senpai..." He grinned, " I'm alright it''s a water clone, excuse me." He ran behind Zabuza pulling a kunai to his neck.
" Don't move." Kakashi warned, " Now it's over." Yura smiled and sighed, Trying to act all cool... That wan't nice Senpai... Just like... Kazuhiko...
To Be Continued...