Hot 'N' Dangerous

Chapter 11: I Won't Let My Comrades Die

Sakura released a scream so high that it was almost ultrasonic but her fears were groundless, it had been a water clone. Zabuza had a look of confusion on his face. I helped Liz up to her feet and charged Zabuza again. He flipped his blade in his hand and raised it above his head, ready to bring it down on me. I raised my broadsword up to meet his attack and nearly collapsed as the weight of his halberd fell upon my shoulders. I bared my teeth in a furious struggle, trying to throw the weight back at him but it was no use. Liz ran up behind me and jabbed her rapier at his right arm, just breaking his skin. The halberd ceased contact with my sword and he swung it around to cleave us in half, I pushed Liz back and leaped into the air, landing on his blade as it passed beneath me. I lifted my broadsword up to meet his neck but he flipped his blade before I could decapitate him. I bounded backwards and suddenly, Kakashi appeared behind him.

"Don't move," said Kakashi, dangerously quiet, "It's over," he lifted a kunai to Zabuza's neck.

Everyone smiled hopefully, "Wow!" praised Naruto.

Zabuza laughed mildly, "It's over? You don't get it. There's no way you can defeat me with your monkey-like imitations and your two useless all-beauty-no-brawn back-ups," he declared harshly, "But I'm impressed," he continued, "That time you consoled your own student, you had already copied my Water Clone Jutsu and you had your clone say it to attract my attention while you watched in the mist. Nice plan," he congratulated, "But, I'm not that easy," and the figure exploded in a loud splash.

Another one positioned itself right behind Kakashi, "That's a fake one too?!" exclaimed a confused Naruto.

The two Jounin suddenly burst into action. Zabuza swung his sword in a round about attack at Kakashi. He ducked at the last minute Zabuza's sword dug into the ground, he spun his body around and landed a kick on Kakashi who was sent soaring backwards. He grabbed his sword handle and tore it out of the ground and raced after Kakashi and slid to a stop a few meters inland. There was makibishi scattered all over the ground. The little nail-like pieces almost proved their use but Zabuza hadn't let his guard down. A splash sounded in the middle of the water, I couldn't see the other side of the water body and I was unsure of whether it was a lake or a wide river.

"Foolish," chided Zabuza and he disappeared again.

"Sensei!" cried Naruto, deeply concerned.

This time Kakashi was actually hit, Liz and I bounded up to the water's edge as Kakashi reemerged. He seemed to be having a hard time in the water, as if it were as thick and heavy as tar. We held our hands out to him, trying to pull him out before Zabuza reappeared but we were too hopeful.

"Heh, fool," mocked Zabuza and he formed several seals with his hand, "Water Prison Jutsu!"

We jumped back from the water's edge and watched helplessly as a swirling sphere of water trapped Kakashi within. Zabuza's hand was in the water prison as well, holding it together.

"What!" Kakashi's surprised cry sounded.

"You may have been trying to escape to the water, but that was a big mistake!" he laughed with a sinister edge, "I now have you in my inescapable prison."

Kakashi glared silently out from his containing bubble.

"It makes things tougher when you can move, you know?" he formed a single seal with his other hand, "We can finish things later, Kakashi. First, I'll take care of them," he said a smirk popping up to his lips, "Water Clone Jutsu."

Kakashi watched in horror from his prison as another Zabuza formed from the water and confronted the rest of us. Liz and I took up defensive positions in front of Tazuna and the others, hoping against hope that we would win somehow.