I'm Not Alone {--Kakashi Hatake--}

{Chapter 4}

A clone formed in front of our group, the nearest person to it was Naruto. Zabuza spoke scornfully, “Heh-heh-heh…little ninja wannabe. Trying so hard to fit in, you even wear a Hitai-ate headband. But a true ninja is one who had crossed and recrossed the barrier between the lands of the living, and the dead. Clothes don’t make a shinobi. You need skills good enough to rate a listing in my bingo book of enemies…before you deserve to be called ninja. We don’t call your kind ‘Ninja’. We call them…” He vanished, and then kicked Naruto, the Genin’s Hitai-ate falling off his head. I immediately took a step forward, “…Brats.”

I gritted my teeth, “Bastard.” I muttered under my breath, my revulsion barely contained.

Kakashi then shouted, “Everyone, listen! Take Tazuna and go!!! It’s a fight you can’t win!!! If he wants to hold me in this water prison, he can’t leave this place. If his water doppelganger gets more than a certain distance away from his real body, he loses control of it. So get out of here!”

I stepped as close as I dared to the edge of the water, and the Zabuza clone, and shouted, “What do you mean, ‘get out of here’?! You say you won’t let any of your comrades die! I’m not going to leave mine!” I gripped my kunai tightly in my hand, “Not again.” I said quietly before charging at the clone, but I disappeared halfway, and reappeared behind him.

I wasn’t fast enough though, and the clone caught me by the neck with one hand, and lifted me clear off the ground. I heard Kakashi yell something along with the other cries from the Genin, but I couldn’t focus as my lungs burned from the lack of oxygen. The kunai in my hand slipped, and fell to the ground with a small thud. 

Zabuza chuckled darkly, his face a couple inches from mine, “Like I said, brats.”

He took a kunai, and stabbed it into my stomach, then threw me away from him, and I landed on my back some feet from him. Probably the same distance he had kicked Kakashi. I coughed violently, each cough racking my body, and managed to sit up somehow, putting a hand to my neck, and the other to my stomach. With a grunt, I pulled the kunai out, blood seeping from the wound, staining my shirt and hands. The oxygen seemed to force itself into my lungs.

Before I realized what was happening, Naruto charged at Zabuza again, Kakashi yelled, “Stop, you fool!” Zabuza sent the blonde skidding backwards on the ground.

Sakura started to shout at Naruto, “What were you thinking, tackling him by yourself! You think you’re so cool, but junior ninja like us can’t…” Then we all noticed he had something in his hand. His Hitai-ate. I stood up slowly, the taste in my mouth metallic, like copper. Blood, I figured out quickly.

I joined where the others were at as Naruto stood up as well, blood dripping from his mouth as he spoke,  “Hey…you…what’s life like without eyebrows, freak? Got a new listing for your bingo book right here!! A guy who is going to be the next Lord Hokage of Konohagakure Village,” He raised his headband, and fastened it back on, “Uzumaki Naruto! Konoha-school ninja!” He paused, “Sasuke! Listen up. There’s something I want to tell you!”

“What is it?” Sasuke responded as Sakura looked slightly astonished.

“I have a plan.” The blonde replied, and Sasuke’s lips curved into a small smile.

“Hmf…so, it’s time for some teamwork?”

“Ok. Let’s get busy.” Naruto said confidently, turning to look back at the Uchiha. “Time for us…to rock n’ roll…!” He exclaimed after a while, wiping the blood from his mouth.

Zabuza spoke, “Heh heh…you’re very sure of yourself, but…do you really think you stand a chance against me?”

Kakashi immediately shouted, “What’s the matter with you? I told you to run. It’s over…it was over the second he caught me! You have to do your duty. Keep that in mind. We’re here to protect Mr. Tazuna!!”