Chapter 17
"Sakaki no!" cried out Tomo as the tall girl rushed towards Zabuza on her own.
"Looks like you'll literally see what your students are made of Kimura" said Zabuza.
The man laughed as he drew his vast sword and waited for the girl to arrive. Her two friends stood away from her, the target just about within range. They'd been kind enough to underestimate the distance over which the clones he produced could work. Kimura watched, unmoving, not saying a word as Sakaki lunged towards Zabuza, who swung out with his sword.
Shwwing!
He gasped in surprise as his sword halted, stopped by the small knife the girl held in her hand. Keeping one hand in the water prison he tried to force the sword down towards her face, veins bulging in his neck as he strained to pass the girls defences. How could a Genin be this strong? He kicked the girl back. She merely climbed back to her feet and walked towards Zabuza across the water.
"I'll kill you!" he yelled, slashing down with all his might. Sakaki softened the blow with her knife before stopping it with a hand, now gloved with a thick metal penchant that stopped the top of her hand being cut. "What?!"
He glanced to the prison and gasped as he saw the girl inside. The figure in front of him changed, Kimura blocking his attack. Zabuza couldn't believe this. Was it a trick to get him to release the real Kimura, or had he been tricked all along?
"Surprised to see me out here on this beautiful day?" asked Kimura.
"What are you doing here?" asked Zabuza.
"Sakaki happens to possess a great deal of skill in transforming, and I like to think I do too. You've been wasting your time keeping a Genin trapped in that water prison of yours. I could have destroyed your clone with ease- but I wanted you."
"Then I guess I have to finish you off now" said Zabuza, pulling his hand out of the prison, and kicking Sakaki back, the girl landing with a large splash in the water. She surfaced, looking across at the two adults. I helped.
The two men stood across from each other, resting upon the calm surface of the water, their footsteps barely causing a ripple. Kimura held his knife in his right hand, his left hand bleeding where he'd stopped the blade. The metal on his gloves had prevented major injury, but so much force had been used with such a large weapon. He'd have to end this soon. With every minute that passed, the Sharingan would remove more energy from him. He might have to fight without the aid of the Sharingan- or faint.
"You are some cheap copier of Jutsu. One true slice from my sword will end you" yelled Zabuza charging Kimura. He watched the man approaching, placing one foot back on the water to brace himself. Zabuza slammed his sword down upon the knife thrusting with all his might. Kimura grimaced. This man was strong, very strong. He hoped he could defeat him. Tomo, Sakaki, Osaka. Team Five. The names of the students he had promised to train, and had sworn to protect.
"You take care of them Kimura" growled Yukari as the man stood inside her office. "I don't know what they're thinking assigning someone like you to their team."
"Well its not like I want anything to happen to them Miss Yukari."
"I don't know if I can trust you with them…but I'll have to. Take care of my students. Tomo…Osaka…Sakaki. Take care of all three of them. And you'd better bring them back alive!"
Kimura bowed his head. "I can't say they won't get hurt. But I'll bring all three of them back alive from their training. Now how about going out for some dinner huh?"
"Not a chance in hell."
Kimura yelled out to the moon above him. "Nooooooo!"
"You have some spirit Kimura, I'll give you that. But I'll crush it."
"Shut up now" growled Kimura. Everyone now sees me as nothing more then some sort of pervert. Nothing more then a joke. "You won't harm my team and you won't harm Nakasone!"
"Nakasone? Who ever said I was interested in him?" asked Zabuza grinning wildly. "Has the master ninja Kimura got it wrong?"
"What?" gasped Kimura, his eyes widening in faint shock. "But if not Nakasone then who…?"
Keeler slowly crawled away from the still figures of Osaka and Tomo, who were busy watching Zabuza attempt to break through Kimura's defences. Keeler had spotted a group of sharp rocks, and hoped he'd be able to cut through the rope- escape while their attention was distracted. No bloodshed needed. His attention was distracted from the rocks as the air around him shimmered slightly.
"W-what the hell is this?" he asked aloud.
He suddenly thought what it could be…
"That Zabuza has no interest in the fat man at all" he muttered to himself as a clone of Zabuza appeared in front of him, standing above the bound man. No chance of defending himself. "Shit" said the man as the clone glared down at him.
Slowly it drew its sword, and held it above its head before slashing. Keeler closed his eyes, waiting for a blow that never came. Instead his was shocked back into opening his eyes as he was splashed with water. His wet fringe covered his eyes, and he shook his head. One of the girls- Tomo, that was her name, stood looking at him, holding a knife. She almost seemed shocked at having attacked the clone- before grinning wildly.
"Wh-what?"
"I just saved you life" said Tomo, making a V-sign with her free hand. "I am Tomo, defender of those in need of…well defending. A clone of a giant assassin isn't something I can easily miss. And I was fast enough to get over here" she said proudly.
"Thank you" said Keeler bowing his head. He'd attacked them, thought very little of them- and they were still willing to save his life.
Tomo dragged the man, explaining she was getting him out of range of the water clone attack. She gently let go of him and stood up smiling dreamily. She'd saved him. Surely the handsome man would notice her now? He'd said thank you to her. She sighed lovingly before turning back to the man, who was busy attempting to reach out and cut the ropes on her abandoned knife.
"Don't even think of trying to escape!" yelled Tomo kicking him in the mouth. Hopefully he'll still like me.
Kimura saw the look of anger pass across Zabuza's eyes. His clones hadn't got the target- Tomo or Osaka must have helped Keeler. Under his mask he let out a strained smile as he tried to repel the strong Zabuza. They weren't merely hanging on his every word- they could look after themselves in the right situation. He was glad of that. But why didn't they get out of here? He hoped it was because Sakaki was still trying to get out of the river- and not because they didn't want to leave him alone.
Zabuza relieved the force on Kimura's small knife as he pulled back, standing on the water. He looked towards Kimura. Kimura observed Zabuza with both of his Sharingan eyes.
"I'll end you now Kimura" said Zabuza, placing his sword in its support on his back and holding his hands up. The tomoe in both of Kimura's eyes began to spin around and he started mimicking Zabuza's hand seals to perfection, chanting every word.
"Tori!" calmly stated Kimura and Zabuza in unison, the final movement. "Water dragon Jutsu!"
Sakaki watched in astonishment as bulges appeared in the water. Kimura had performed the large number of hand seals at the same time as Zabuza without one incorrect movement. The bulges continued to raise, Sakaki feeling the water getting more turbulent. Slowly the bulges became elongated stretching up into the air and curving around one another. Jagged teeth and dark black eyes were formed as the water took the image of two long dragons. The surrounded one another, crashing into and 'biting' one another. The two high level ninja stood still as the giant creatures fought above them, drenching them in water. They ripped one another apart, disappearing into nothing but droplets of water.
Zabuza stood, watching Kimura. For the first time he felt a faint waver of doubt. He had performed a difficult jutsu with several hand seals- yet Kimura had copied the moves exactly.
"They both occurred at the same time" he mused to himself. Kimura stood waiting, brushing his wet black hair off of his headband.
Zabuza moved to one side, Kimura copying him. He paused confused, Kimura stopping too. He joined his fingers together- as did Kimura. Zabuza growled. This isn't right…
"He follows…"
"My every move correct?" asked Kimura.
"Damn you. He has a look…"
"Of deep anger."
"You can't beat me! You're just some cheap imitation" the two men said in unison.
"Cheap copier of tricks. I'll shut you up once and for all" said Zabuza, beginning a new sequence of hand seals. He paused, fazed as an illusion of himself appeared behind Kimura. The time and doubt was all Kimura needed as his Sharingan continued its work. His hands joined together forming several signs.
"Water style! Great waterfall technique" said Kimura, looking at Zabuza smugly.
"No" said Zabuza as a great spiralling vortex of water formed. He copied and completed the Jutsu just from the first few hand seals I used.
Sakaki tried to keep herself afloat as the water shook violently. Zabuza yelled out as he was pushed along, caught in the centre of the water. He swam desperately, trying to escape. Osaka stood watching as a great wall of water approached her. Tomo yelled out as the water engulfed Osaka. It passed by, smashing Zabuza into a tree. Osaka still stood, now soaked, looking straight forward.
"Wow" she said slowly and unworriedly.
Zabuza stood as knife ripped into his arms and legs. Kimura slowly approached him. But before the man could speak, needles flew through the air, piercing the assassin's neck. Before he fell to the ground he smiled under his mask. Good job Haku. Tomo yelled out and looked up to see a masked figure. She pointed at him.
"Hey! What did you do that for?"
Kimura approached the fallen man. "He's dead girls. Kim-Kims did alright" said Kimura winking.
"Don't do that! And that still doesn't explain who he is!"
"A ninja hunter from the village hidden in the mist if my memory of signs serves me right"
"That is correct Master Jonin" said Haku bowing. "I have been searching for this man. Thank you for your help- but I wished to finish him myself."
"Huh, what?" asked Tomo still missing the point. "You took all the glory!"
"Just leave it Tomo" said Kimura feeling shaky.
The hunter suddenly appeared beside the still body. "I must dispose of this body in the correct way so no secrets are revealed. Goodbye Master Jonin."
With that he and the body disappeared. Tomo was still confused, Sakaki was drenched and Osaka still stood looking forwards, finally shaking having been run over by a giant vortex of water.
"Well then" said Nakasone interrupting the uneasy silence. "Why don't we get moving?"
"I agree" said Keeler. He was soaked, and Tomo's protection had resulted in a deeply bruised face.
"Well onwards and forwards" said Kimura wobbling forward. Sakaki looked at him concerned before he collapsed to the floor. "Crap" he muttered as he tried and failed to move. "Could one of you put my glasses on please?" he asked as Tomo and Sakaki rushed to him.
---
Haku stood over his comatose master and pulled out the first needle.
"I'll do that butcher!" cried out Zabuza gripping Haku's arm. "Why the neck you sadistic kid?"
Haku shrugged. "They would have killed you without my intervention."
"I know" said Zabuza yanking out one of the needles. "But I'm going to find Kimura again. And this time I'll kill him and Keeler."
This story is now on hiatus