Chapter 26: Turn Around
Time seemed to slow as the masked boy pushed Sakura's kunai deeper into her neck. Liquid splattered his covered face as she let out a strangled cry. Suddenly there was a popping sound, like that of a punctured balloon, and Haku's eyes widened in pure shock as the girl he had just killed melted into nothing but a puddle of water.
"This is going to be a very short battle if you could not see through that."
Startled Haku lunged forward, twisting his body in mid air so that he could land facing the person that had come up right behind him. There, standing only a fraction of a step away from where he had just been, was the pink haired girl he had attacked only a few seconds before.
Sakura smirked darkly at Haku as another mizu bushin of her rose from the bridge to stand next to the one Hinata had created while Hinata her self appeared behind the masked boy, her byakugan glaring viciously at his back.
"This," Sakura said. "Is going to be fun."
Hinata simply smirked in return as she dropped into her fighting stance while the masked boy's covered face shot from one girl to the other in complete shock.
"Well," Sakura said. "Shall we begin?"
XXXXXXXXXX
"Naruto?" Sasuke said. "What's going on? I can't move."
"Be quiet teme!" Naruto hissed. "Kyuubi-chan hears something."
Instantly Sasuke was on the alert, straining his ears to hear any and every sound within the house. "Where is everyone positioned?"
Naruto glanced down at Kyuubi-chan and the small kit yipped out the answer.
"Tsunami-san is in the kitchen and that brat Inari is in the bathroom. The two strangers are about fifteen feet away from the front porch."
Sasuke nodded and began to flex his fingers before he sat up gingerly. "They probably think that the two are alone. Good, that will give us the element of surprise. Naruto, can how far can Kyuubi be before you can't hear him anymore?"
Naruto shrugged. "I dunno. Fifty feet?"
Sasuke stared. "Are you serious?" He waved his hand weakly. "Never mind. It doesn't matter. Okay, well, I can only guess that if we're being targeted here the bridge is being attacked too and," He paused for a second to look around. "Since I don't see the girls I'm guessing that they are there alone."
Naruto nodded absently before Sasuke's words sunk in. "AAHH! HINA-CHAN!"
Sasuke and Kyuubi-chan sighed. "(So much for the element of surprise…)" They both said at once.
XXXXXXXXXXX
Zabuza had no idea what to make of this battle. At first it seemed that Haku had had the advantage, which wasn't surprising, but then these girls suddenly turned the tide of the battle with out any effort at all. He watched as the pink haired one launched the first attack. She rushed forward at a blurring speed and stopped short of Haku just in time to throw her right knee at his solar plex. Haku reacted quickly, leaping back so that he was out of range. Unfortunately he had forgotten about the white eyed girl behind him who raised her right hand as she drew the left back for a strike on his mid back.
Suddenly Haku filled the soles of his feet with chakra and launched high above the two girls. He twisted his body into an arch as he began to descend so that he could land in a light crouch facing the white-eyed girl's back.
"Neat trick," The pink girl smirked. "I'm almost not impressed."
Zabuza snapped his attention away from the battling three over to where the old man was being protected by the girls' clones. He smirked. Killing the man now would be far too easy.
The corner of Sakura's eye caught sight of Momochi Zabuza as he made his way over to where Tazuna was. She bit back a curse and shot a look over at Hinata who caught her eye and nodded. Sakura grinned as she began whipping her fingers together in a flurry of seals that was far to fast to be seen.
Haku noticed the pink haired girl's distraction with Zabuza-sama and the old man that they had been sent to kill and he quickly took advantage of it by tossing a fistful of senbon in her direction. The girl's head shot around in surprise before she leaped back wards to avoid them. Unfortunately one struck her in the shoulder and she stumbled back with a cry as a burning pain began to flow through her veins.
Haku frowned behind his mask. He hated that he was forced to resort to poison but these girls where in the way. Perhaps he could find a way around having to kill the second one.
His attention was jerked back to the girl and surprise once again crossed his face as he noticed, not blood, but water escaping the wound the girl grasped. He barely had time to register that fact before she smirked up at him and exploded in a surge of water.
Zabuza caught the water clones destruction from the corner of his eye, only just having enough warning to move out of the way of the side kick the real girl sent his way. His eyebrowless forehead furrowed in confusion as the pink haired girl grinned smugly.
"Kawarimi no jutsu," She said. "You gotta love it."
XXXXXXXXXXX
Hikari's sobs filled the small room as she clung to Itachi like a drowning woman. Itachi held his wife close as he rocked her back and forth. His chin was resting on the top of her head but his eyes were focused unseeingly on the wall in front of him. He wasn't sure if he should be grateful of the information Orochimaru had given them or completely broken. Instead he settled on being numb. Simply, blissfully, numb.
"Wh-what are we going to d-do-o?" Hikari choked out. "I c-can't let th-that s-s-SNAKE have my son! I c-can-n't!"
"We still have a while before he's born Hikari," Itachi said. "We'll think of something." Gently he eased her away so he could cradle her tear stained face in his hands. Slowly he brushed aside a falling tear with his thumb before he leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her lips. "It'll work out. I promise."
Hikari nodded slowly and leaned her forehead against Itachi's chest. "I know. You have never let me down before…" She said and soon after her breathing slowed and she fell into a dreamless sleep.
Careful not to wake her, Itachi lowered the white haired girl to the bed and brushed her long bangs from her closed eyes. "Oyasumi…Hikari-chan…"
XXXXXXXXXXX
"Oi, Ichi-chan, you awake?" Gaara said as he glanced at her
Ichigo opened her eyes and sat up, absently combing sand from her hair. "Aa Gaara-kun. What is it?"
"….How do you think the…others…are?"
She lowered her head to the sand. "……I don't know…." She said focusing on the feel of the water against her bare feet.
Gaara nodded and looked over the lake where the sun was sinking below the mountains.
"Gaara-kun?" Ichigo said. "Do you think we'll ever see them again? I can't even feel Sakura-chan anymore."
"Aa," Gaara said. "I think that we will." He stood up and grasped Ichigo's upper arm to help her stand as well.
Ichigo nodded with a grin. "You're right. Besides," she smirked. "They gotta come back and kick that snake-teme's butt!"
Gaara chuckled. "Aa."
XXXXXXXXXX
"So, so, so?" Mitsu said as she poked the unconscious nin with one of her claws. "Is he dead or what?"
Jeiken rolled her eyes at her sister and pushed her aside. "Move over you idiot or you really will kill him."
Mitsu scowled at Jeiken and pushed back. "I can stand here if I want to. You're not a medic nin so you can't say I can't. So there."
Heitsun sighed and pushed both girls aside as he knelt next to the dark haired ninja and layed his palm on the man's forehead and lifted his left eye lid with the other hand.
"Fever, loss of consciousness, and dilated pupils," Heitsun said. "Jimson weed poison."
"You sure?" Kaemon said as he watched his friend pull out his medical pack.
"Yes." Heitsun turned to Kisho. "I need you to help me make some medicine."
Jeiken raised and eye brow. "Ehh, you want…Kisho…to help you?"
"Come on Jeiken, Mitsu," Kaemon said. "Let's go make sure that other guy hasn't had a heart attack from being left alone."
"I say we let him," Mitsu said. "He's just an idiot; a total waist of air and space."
"Oh yeah," Jeiken said. "You're one to talk."
"Hey!"
XXXXXXXXXX
Inari fought back the burning tears in his eyes as he stood squarely in front of his mother, trying to hide her from the sight of the two men that had suddenly appeared in their kitchen.
"Y-you leave my momma alone!" He said.
"Inari no! Run!"
"Heh, you should listen to your mom brat," Zouri said. "Unless you wanna die."
Waraji smirked and drew his sword from his side. "Can I cut him up?"
"No!" Tsunami said. "Leave him be or I'll-!"
"HINA-CHAAAAN!"
The two men jerked their heads towards the right in surprise as a black and orange blur sped down the stairs.
"I'm coming Hina-chan!" Naruto shouted as he rushed towards the door. "Get outta my way you jerks! Hina-chan needs me!"
As he spoke Naruto struck the two strangers hard in the throat with his forearms knocking them viciously to the floor before he continued to speed out of the house and into the direction of the bridge.
Tsunami and Inari stared in confused awe at the two men that where groaning on the ground. Their confusion quickly morphed to shock as a small red fox kit leapt from the bottom step and landed on the smaller man's face before leaping out the door after Naruto yipping wildly.
"W-what…?" Tsunami said.
"Hn. Moron."
Inari jerked around to look at the stairs where one of the ninja boys, Sasuke if he remembered right, stood leaning against the wall.
"What happened?" Inari said.
Sasuke's blank black eyes turned from the door to face the smaller boy that stood next to his mom on the floor.
"Hn. That idiot is worried about his girlfriend."
"His-?" Inari didn't get to finish as the two men behind him quickly stood.
"Hey! That's enough talk!" Zouri rounded on Tsunami. "You! Wench! You're coming with us!"
"I think not."
"Huh?" Zouri and Waraji turned to look behind them and spotted Sasuke glaring at them. Confused they turned to look at the stairs and saw that he was no longer over there; he had somehow managed to move behind them in less then the second it took to stand.
"Morons."
Zouri and Waraji suddenly doubled over grasping their gut as they coughed up a large amount of blood onto the old tatami mat floor.
"W-what?" Waraji said between coughs. "He-he didn't even touch us."
"No, but Naruto did."
Both men froze as the memory of the blond boy striking them resurfaced. He had hit them in the throat yes, but only after he struck three points on each of them. Zouri glared up at the smirking boy from where he kneeled on the floor. His punk friend had used pressure points.
"You-."
"Shut up," Sasuke said as he tapped them both on their foreheads. "You're annoying."
The two men suddenly keeled over sideways, unconscious.
"T-that was awesome!" Inari said. "How did you do that?"
"When you spend six years training with a jyuken user and an expert healer you pick up a few things," Sasuke said as he limped to the door. "You stay here and watch your mom." He tossed the boy some rope. "And tie up those idiots."
"W-where are you going to go?" Tsunami said finally coming out of her shock.
Sasuke paused in his step long enough to toss a glance over his shoulder. "I have a party to crash." With that said he shook off his weary limbs and disappeared in a puff of smoke.
"Those guys…" Inari said. "…So cool…"
"Yes," Tsunami said. "They really are."
End Chapter 26
Kaliea: Aaah! I can't stand this! This writer's block is totally killing me! I have got to get through this arc so I can get to the one I want to write about! Jeez!...Okay, I'm done. Please review!
Review Answers:
Susa-chan: Petrified with reason. I'd be scared of that creepy snake too. Anyway, I'm glad you're reviewing again. I missed your comments.
Silver Warrior: Oh he will defiantly use Kane to his advantage if he lives.
Yukia: Kyuubi-chan is adorable isn't he? (squeezes) Kyuubi-chan: (I hate you onna) Kaliea-chan: "yeah, I know."
Tears like Crystals: I'm sorry if you're confused. Maybe it will get better as I write.
Danny-171984: Matsuri-con didn't happen for me unfortunately. I had to stay home and baby-sit that day. Totally bites. Aw well, that's life.
A Crazy Girl of Many Names: Lawyer. Cool. I wish you the best of luck!
BasicallyAnIdiot: Don't worry about it. I'm just glad that you read it at all! ;)
kellyvan5543: Oh yes, I'm sure that Kane…er…the 'un-named baby' will be fine…probably…
Suki dah Turdle: Ehehehehe, yeah. Maybe, that one's got some W-B too. Not as much but still a bit.
Shinobi Darkbeak: Thanks! I'll do my best.
Jays Arravan: Uhh. Oh man. What a spoil filled bunch of questions and comments. Sorry, but I really can't say anything about this review at the moment. Gomen!
Dragon Man 180: It would probably only make him freakier…yeah. Anywho, the boys and the girls should meet up again in the next chapter but I don't know for sure yet.
So-kun: Thanks, although my updates really are very slow.
Kaliea: And yes. That whole jimson weed thing was a total rip from Rurouni Kenshin. Sorry about that but I don't know any poisons…next time I'll look something up. Till next time! Ja ne!