"But I have to come! Please Kakashi! I'll be good, I'm sorry!" I find myself whining in my current state and decide to jump out of Sakura's arms, down to the ground. I shift to human and look up at the ex-anbu.
"What was that back there? You leaked your killing intent on that man. Naruto was inappropriate as well, but not to that extent. Is there something you want to tell me?" He asked suspiciously. We've stopped walking, Kakashi and I, as he had the rest of the team head to the gate with Tazuna.
"I. . .he. . ." I trailed off.
What can I even say?
Saying it was to scare him will definitely get me kicked off this mission.
Actually. . . why did I take it that far?
Just one shriek would've been enough, but instead I. . .
". . . He smelled like. . . someone I have bad memories of. He was rude, and I just lost my cool. I'm sorry. It won't happen again." I say after a moment of silence.
"The island?"
"Yes. The island."
I hate it when I have to talk about my time on the island. Anytime I have to allude to it, they catch on, and an awkward silence ensues. I'd rather talk about my happy memories with my family, or tell them about stories I've read, act out my favorite movies, sing, dance, anything.
But I can't avoid it forever I suppose.
I know I have to deal with it in a productive way somehow, instead of stuffing it down, but I can't help it. Stuffing it away is an easy and quick fix.
And Kakashi seems to push for me to talk about it with him. I don't mind telling him about a few things, but I feel exhausted after our talks as I try and hold off the memories from resurfacing.
The silver-haired man sighs and kneels down so we are at eye level.
"I need to know that you're ready for this mission. It's been a while since you've been outside the village and---"
"I can control my animalistic urges. I'm part human, remember? I'm not all instincts and aggression. I'm sorry. My momma bear instincts kicked in when he insulted the team, that's all."
"That's the problem. If and when we encounter trouble on this journey, they must be able to fend for themselves and protect the client. You know what's going to happen today, don't you?"
Can't hide it from him either.
". . .Some things, but not everything. I WON'T interfere, but I need to be there. At least on the sidelines. To observe."
"You can observe here, from inside the village where it's safe. You have the ability to watch from here?" Kakashi asks me and I nod solemnly.
"Maybe I should stay here." I give in reluctantly. Kakashi nods, and we resume our walk to the gate.
"Haha, alright! First journey outside the village!" Naruto shouts with glee, looking left and right into the woods up ahead.
"This runt and his two ninja pals are supposed to protect me?" Tazuna grunts in irritation. "Hey Mr. Jonin, you and the ninken are enough, right? As long as you two are coming, I guess I won't have much else to complain about."
Kakashi cringes before scratching the back of his head. "Haha, of course. And I can assure you that this team is more than capable of protecting you on your journey."
Tazuna looks around confusedly. "Where's the d---I mean, the ninken wolf?" He looks at me and narrows his eyes. "Another brat? Strange. . . .eyes. Well, I'm not leaving without the ninken. Scared me half to death, but it seemed more capable than half of your little team here."
Sasuke scoffs quietly as he double-checks his travel pack, and Sakura mumbles something to him that makes his scowl disappear.
Kakashi grabs an angry Naruto barreling for a certain bridge-builder.
"The ninken you speak of has already gone ahead. She'll meet us there."
Tazuna mumbles something incoherently but accepts Kakashi's lie. I glance up at Kakashi, who just facepalms as he scolds Naruto yet again.
"Just promise to be discreet for the duration of the mission and you can come." He mumbles through his hands so Tazuna can't hear him.
"Sir, yes sir!" I gleefully salute him, and he sighs as if the journey ahead will be a long one.
And it probably will. I pat him on the back to console him before heading out ahead of everyone.
"Hey, where's this little girl going? She coming with us? You just bringing along the whole school?" Tazuna says, and I find myself laughing.
This guy isn't that bad. He's actually pretty funny.
He's just an old fart trying his best to help his country.
Why couldn't I see that earlier? Just because he had a little to drink?
Pfft. Get yo shit together, Moriko. I think to myself, taking a few quick breaths.
And lighten up. The man can drink, he has every right to.
"I'm a chunin, hun. And I'm older than I look. Just like you." Naruto snickers at my comment, and I wink at the old man.
"This is my special jutsu I use to assassinate pedophiles. I just happen to be heading out at the same time as you guys. Good luck with your team Kakashi. And take it easy old man, you look exhausted." This time I wink at team seven, who only look on in confused silence.
I run off into the forest, waiting until I'm sure I can no longer be seen before I transform. I've never been to the Land of Waves but have a general idea of where to go thanks to learning how to read the Major Nations' map. Instead of heading there, I decide to head to a makeshift den up ahead on the trail and sit tight.
Sitting in the silence of nature, I begin my meditation techniques, using my visions to spy on the team. This is an ability I discovered after my physical rehab release. The image that Destiny showed me in her starry realm when Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto were reading a scroll together was actually my Japanese to English dictionary and sentence structure scroll that I had been working on. I ended up having another vision later that night at the hospital of them going over it once they visiting hours ended and they left.
As I sit and watch the vision, I see that Kakashi has just finished going over the Five Great Shinobi Nations and each of their respective hidden villages.
. . .
. . .
"ᴄ-ʀᴀɴᴋᴇᴅ ᴍɪꜱꜱɪᴏɴꜱ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʟᴏᴡ ᴄʜᴀɴᴄᴇꜱ ᴏꜰ ᴇɴᴄᴏᴜɴᴛᴇʀɪɴɢ ᴇɴᴇᴍɪᴇꜱ. ʀᴇʟᴀx ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ."
"ʏᴇᴀʜ, ɪ ɢᴜᴇꜱꜱ ɪᴛ'ꜱ ɴᴏᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇʟʏ, ʜᴜʜ?" ꜱᴀᴋᴜʀᴀ ꜱᴀʏꜱ, ᴀɴᴅ ꜱɪɢʜꜱ ɪɴ ᴀɴxɪᴏᴜꜱ ʀᴇʟɪᴇꜰ.
"ᴡᴇ'ʀᴇ ʀᴇᴀᴅʏ. ᴡᴇ ɢᴏᴛ ᴛʜɪꜱ." ꜱᴀꜱᴜᴋᴇ ᴛᴇʟʟꜱ ʜᴇʀ. ꜱʜᴇ ꜱᴍɪʟᴇꜱ ᴀᴛ ʜɪᴍ ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴏᴅꜱ, ᴛʜᴇɴ ʟᴏᴏᴋꜱ ᴛᴏ ɴᴀʀᴜᴛᴏ, ᴡʜᴏ'ꜱ ᴡᴀʟᴋɪɴɢ ᴀʜᴇᴀᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇꜱɴ'ᴛ ʜᴇᴀʀ ᴛʜᴇᴍ.
"ʜᴇᴀʀ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɴᴀʀᴜᴛᴏ?" She asks.
"ʜᴜʜ?" ʜᴇ ꜱᴀʏꜱ ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴀʟᴋ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴍᴀʟʟ ᴄʀᴇᴇᴋ ᴀɴᴅ ᴘᴀꜱᴛ ᴛʜᴇ 'ᴘᴜᴅᴅʟᴇ'.
ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴡᴏ ʀᴏɢᴜᴇ ᴄʜᴜɴɪɴ ꜱᴏᴏɴ ᴇᴍᴇʀɢᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴜᴅᴅʟᴇ, ᴜꜱɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴀᴢᴏʀ-ᴄʜᴀɪɴᴇᴅ ᴄᴏᴍʙᴀᴛ ɢʟᴏᴠᴇꜱ ᴛᴏ ʙᴏᴛʜ ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ʀɪᴘ ᴋᴀᴋᴀꜱʜɪ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴘɪᴇᴄᴇꜱ.
ɪ ꜰᴇᴇʟ ᴍʏ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ ꜱᴋɪᴘ ᴀ ʙᴇᴀᴛ, ᴅᴇꜱᴘɪᴛᴇ ᴋɴᴏᴡɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴇ'ꜱ ᴘᴇʀꜰᴇᴄᴛʟʏ ꜰɪɴᴇ.
"ᴋᴀᴋᴀꜱʜɪ-ꜱᴇɴꜱᴇɪ!" ɴᴀʀᴜᴛᴏ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱᴀᴋᴜʀᴀ ꜱᴄʀᴇᴀᴍ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴘɪɴᴋᴇᴛᴛᴇ ɪᴍᴍᴇᴅɪᴀᴛᴇʟʏ ᴊᴜᴍᴘꜱ ɪɴ ꜰʀᴏɴᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛᴀᴢᴜɴᴀ, ʜᴏʟᴅɪɴɢ ᴜᴘ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴋᴜɴᴀɪ ɪɴ ᴀ ᴅᴇꜰᴇɴꜱɪᴠᴇ ᴘᴏꜱɪᴛɪᴏɴ. "ꜱ-ꜱᴛᴀʏ ʙᴇʜɪɴᴅ ᴍᴇ!"
ɴᴀʀᴜᴛᴏ ꜱᴛᴀɴᴅꜱ ꜱᴛɪʟʟ ᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏɢᴜᴇ ᴅᴜᴏ ʀᴜɴꜱ ᴜᴘ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ʙᴇʜɪɴᴅ.
"ɴ-ɴᴀʀᴜᴛᴏ, ʟᴏᴏᴋ ᴏᴜᴛ!" ꜱᴀᴋᴜʀᴀ ʏᴇʟʟꜱ, ʙᴜᴛ ʜᴇ ᴅᴏᴇꜱɴ'ᴛ ᴍᴏᴠᴇ.
ʜᴇ'ꜱ. . . ꜰʀᴏᴢᴇɴ.
ᴡɪᴛʜɪɴ ꜱᴇᴄᴏɴᴅꜱ, ꜱᴀꜱᴜᴋᴇ ʜᴀꜱ ᴛʜʀᴏᴡɴ ʜɪꜱ ꜱʜᴜʀɪᴋᴇɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴋᴜɴᴀɪ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɴᴀɪʟꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴜɴɪɴꜱ' ᴡᴇᴀᴘᴏɴ ᴛᴏ ᴀ ɴᴇᴀʀʙʏ ᴛʀᴇᴇ. ʜᴇ ᴛʜᴇɴ ᴊᴜᴍᴘꜱ ᴏɴ ᴛᴏᴘ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴄᴏᴍʙᴀᴛ ɢʟᴏᴠᴇꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ᴋɪᴄᴋꜱ ʙᴏᴛʜ ɪᴍᴍᴏʙɪʟɪᴢɪᴇᴅ ꜱʜɪɴᴏʙɪ ᴀᴡᴀʏ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀɪɴꜱ, ʙʀᴇᴀᴋɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇᴍ. ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴅᴏᴇꜱɴ'ᴛ ᴅᴇᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ʜᴏᴡᴇᴠᴇʀ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴍᴀᴋᴇꜱ ᴀ ʙᴇᴇʟɪɴᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴀᴛᴛᴀᴄᴋ ᴀꜱ ꜱᴀꜱᴜᴋᴇ ɪꜱ ᴛʜʀᴏᴡɴ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴏᴜɴᴅ.
ᴏɴᴇ ʜᴇᴀᴅꜱ ꜰᴏʀ ɴᴀʀᴜᴛᴏ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ, ᴛᴀᴢᴜɴᴀ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱᴀᴋᴜʀᴀ. ꜱᴀᴋᴜʀᴀ ᴛʜʀᴏᴡꜱ ᴀ ᴋᴜɴᴀɪ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ᴛᴀɢ ᴀᴛᴛᴀᴄʜᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ɪᴛ, ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴᴄᴏᴍɪɴɢ ᴄʜᴜɴɪɴ ᴋɴᴏᴄᴋꜱ ᴀᴡᴀʏ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜɪꜱ ʜᴀɴᴅ. ɪᴛ ᴛᴜʀɴꜱ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴀ ꜱᴍᴏᴋᴇ ꜱᴄʀᴇᴇɴ ᴀᴛ ᴄᴏɴᴛᴀᴄᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ꜱᴀᴋᴜʀᴀ Qᴜɪᴄᴋʟʏ ᴍᴀᴋᴇꜱ ʜᴀɴᴅ ꜱɪɢɴꜱ.
"ᴇᴀʀᴛʜ ꜱᴛʏʟᴇ: ʀᴏᴄᴋ ꜱʜɪᴇʟᴅ ᴊᴜᴛꜱᴜ!" ᴀ ᴅᴇᴄᴇɴᴛʟʏ ꜱɪᴢᴇᴅ ᴘɪᴇᴄᴇ ᴏꜰ ʀᴏᴄᴋ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱɪᴢᴇ ᴏꜰ ꜱᴀᴋᴜʀᴀ ʜᴇʀꜱᴇʟꜰ ᴄᴏᴍᴇꜱ ᴜᴘ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱᴛᴀɴᴅꜱ ᴇʀᴇᴄᴛ ɪɴ ꜰʀᴏɴᴛ ᴏꜰ ʜᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛᴀᴢᴜɴᴀ. ᴀ ʟᴏᴜᴅ ʙᴀɴɢ ᴄᴀɴ ʙᴇ ʜᴇᴀʀᴅ ᴀᴍɪᴅꜱᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴍᴏᴋᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀꜱ ɪᴛ ᴄʟᴇᴀʀꜱ, ᴋᴀᴋᴀꜱʜɪ ᴄᴏᴍᴇꜱ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴠɪᴇᴡ.
ʜᴇ ꜱᴛᴀɴᴅꜱ ɪɴ ꜰʀᴏɴᴛ ᴏꜰ ꜱᴀᴋᴜʀᴀ'ꜱ ꜱʜɪᴇʟᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʙᴏᴛʜ ᴄʜᴜɴɪɴ ᴋɴᴏᴄᴋᴇᴅ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀɴᴇᴀᴛʜ ʜɪꜱ ᴀʀᴍꜱ, ᴏɴᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴄᴏᴍʙᴀᴛ ɢʟᴏᴠᴇ ʀᴀᴍᴍᴇᴅ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ꜱᴀᴋᴜʀᴀ'ꜱ ꜱʜɪᴇʟᴅ. ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴄᴋ ᴄʀᴜᴍʙʟᴇꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴏᴜɴᴅ, ᴅᴇꜱᴛᴀʙɪʟɪᴢᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴛʀᴜᴅɪɴɢ ɪᴛᴇᴍ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱᴀᴋᴜʀᴀ ʀᴇʟᴇᴀꜱᴇꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴊᴜᴛꜱᴜ.
"ᴋᴀᴋᴀꜱʜɪ-ꜱᴇɴꜱᴇɪ. . ."
"ʏᴏᴜ'ʀᴇ ᴀʟɪᴠᴇ!"
"ʜᴍᴘʜ. . . ꜱʜᴏᴡᴏꜰꜰ...."
I find myself sighing in relief.
Good. Not too much has changed. Unfortunately, Naruto still froze, but there are several lessons disguised in this mission that they need to learn. I suppose it is necessary.
Doesn't mean I like seeing how upset he looks right now though.
Wish there was something I could do. . .
But I can't interfere. There's so much GOOD that comes from this mission.
ꜱᴀꜱᴜᴋᴇ ᴛᴇᴀꜱᴇꜱ ɴᴀʀᴜᴛᴏ ꜰᴏʀ ɢᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ ʜᴜʀᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ꜱᴀᴋᴜʀᴀ ʀᴜꜱʜᴇꜱ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ᴄʜᴇᴄᴋ ʜɪꜱ ᴘᴏɪꜱᴏɴᴇᴅ ᴡᴏᴜɴᴅ.
"ɪ'ᴍ ɴᴏᴛ ᴇɴᴛɪʀᴇʟʏ ᴄᴏɴꜰɪᴅᴇɴᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪ ᴄᴀɴ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ᴀɴ ᴀɴᴛɪᴅᴏᴛᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜɪꜱ. ᴍᴀʏʙᴇ ᴡᴇ ꜱʜᴏᴜʟᴅ ɢᴏ ʙᴀᴄᴋ?" ꜱʜᴇ ꜱᴜɢɢᴇꜱᴛꜱ.
"ᴡᴇ ᴍᴀʏ ᴏʀ ᴍᴀʏ ɴᴏᴛ ʜᴇᴀᴅ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴅᴇᴘᴇɴᴅɪɴɢ ᴏɴ ᴡʜᴇᴛʜᴇʀ ᴏʀ ɴᴏᴛ ᴛᴀᴢᴜɴᴀ ᴛᴇʟʟꜱ ᴜꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡʜᴏʟᴇ ᴛʀᴜᴛʜ." ᴋᴀᴋᴀꜱʜɪ ꜱᴀʏꜱ ᴅᴀʀᴋʟʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʙʀɪᴅɢᴇ-ʙᴜɪʟᴅᴇʀ ɢᴏᴇꜱ ᴘᴀʟᴇ ʙᴇꜰᴏʀᴇ ʜᴇ ɢɪᴠᴇꜱ ɪɴ, ᴛᴇʟʟɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴇᴀᴍ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ʜɪꜱ ᴛʀᴏᴜʙʟᴇꜱ.
ɴᴀʀᴜᴛᴏ ᴄʀɪɴɢᴇꜱ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ɪᴅᴇᴀ ᴏꜰ ʟᴇᴀᴠɪɴɢ, ᴛʜᴇɴ ᴛᴀᴋᴇꜱ ᴀ ᴋᴜɴᴀɪ ᴀɴᴅ ᴘʟᴜɴɢᴇꜱ ɪᴛ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ʜɪꜱ ᴡᴏᴜɴᴅ.
Oof.
Looks even worse than I remember. . .
. . .
. . .
I end the vision, opening my eyes back in the den.
"Welp. Time to head back." I mumble to myself, as I get up from my sitting position and run out of the den, towards the road Team seven is on.
I make it there in about 6 and 1/2 minutes, since I didn't go very far ahead of them, and Kakashi has just finished wrapping Naruto's hand while Sakura looks on in worry, scolding the poor blonde.
"Sakura. Make sure you brush up on commonly-used poisons when we get back to the village." Kakashi mentions, and Pinkie nods.
"Of course! I brought a book with me actually." She turns to Sasuke and walks up to him. "And you Sasuke? Any scrapes or--"
"I'm fine." He answers curtly, then softens his tone. "Thanks." Sakura damn-near swoons at the gratitude.
"Hey, it's Moriko!" Naruto calls out my name as I run up to the group of travelers.
"I thought you said it went ahead and would meet us there?" Tazuna asked suspiciously.
"She came running when she heard trouble, obviously." Sakura says matter-of-factly, then quickly covers her mouth for fear that Inner Sakura came off too harshly.
". . .yes, I did say that." Kakashi gives me the side eye, and I cringe. "But what Sakura says is also true. Plus, she wouldn't have been able to swim across the water by herself."
Not only that, but I've never been there before.
"Hmm. . ." Tazuna seemed suspicious of me still.
"How about we tell you everything you need to know once you start telling us everything we need to know?" Kakashi glared at the man with his lone eye. The old man cracked at last underneath Kakashi's glare.
"Yes, but. . . not here. . ." He whispered.
*******
*******
*******
Aboard the boat as we cross the foggy waters of Tazuna's country, he lays the truth out to Kakashi and the rest of the team.
"So. . . Gato, huh?" Kakashi ponders the team's next moves as he rubs his chin.
"Yep. And there's a good chance I'll die if you end this mission at the docks. What will my poor grandson say. . . and my daughter. . ." The old man guilt trips us as expected. I let out a yip-laugh accidentally as everyone sighs.
"Guess we'll have to keep on guarding you then." Kakashi determines.
"Not like we have much of a choice. . ." Sakura grumbles and Naruto nods his head in agreement.
Tazuna expresses his gratitude most animatedly, then narrows his eyes at me.
"Now then. . . that ninken you got there. . ."
Whoops.
Should've kept my mouth shut.
"Is not of genin status. And is a special breed of wolf ninken bred only in the forests deep within the Land of Fire." Kakashi says without missing a beat.
"Oh? Is that so?" Tazuna's suspicious glare turns into a curious look. I puff my chest out with pride and wag my tail. Sakura smiles and pats my head.
"Oh, yeah! And she's been taught the entire alphabet! She understands just about everything we say, don't you good girl?" I bark in agreement, but the man rowing the boat shushes me.
"Yeah, Moriko's awesome! She can even--" Sasuke and Sakura both whack him on the head.
"Ow! Geez, I get it, I get it. That's enough to tell, I know."
"Shhh!" The boatman warns.
"So this wolf pup is some sort of. . . valuable, trade secret you're keeping hidden from other countries with hidden villages?"
"The less you know, the better." I say, and the boatman freezes as well as Tazuna.
"Moriko." Kakashi says in his warning voice.
"He already knew I could talk." I argue.
"Not that. What. . . information were you able to gather when you. . . went ahead?"
Silence engulfs the boat as all eyes settle on me.
"This mission is a dangerous one, Team Seven. Stay on your toes. The next batch of shinobi to come after you are not likely to be chunin." I say, afraid to say too much about the upcoming battles. "But Kakashi and I believe in your skills. You can do this. Together."
The group of genin nod at my words, although Naruto doesn't meet my eyes still. Kakashi gives me a look, like what I said wasn't enough, but I shake my head no at what his gaze asks.
The boatman reaches shoreline at last, and after Tazuna says his goodbyes and gratitude to him, we head towards his home.
The team is quiet for awhile, only speaking to go over battle formations. It gets kinda boring, I'll admit, and Naruto starts looking for a way to stick out in the next fight.
Here we go.
"I'm sorry, bunny rabbit!" Naruto squeezes the poor thing half to death to console it.
"Naruto, you moron! Stop scaring Tazuna or he'll keel right over!" Sakura yells.
"I'm not that old!" The bridge-builder argues.
"Enough. Everyone stop and pay attention. The small things are important too, remember?" I say, and the three genin look at me weirdly.
"Huh?"
". . ."
"What's wrong Moriko-nee?"
"What's wrong is that there's a snow-white rabbit in this forest." I answer, and the team slowly puts it together.
"Right, a white rabbit. And it didn't run from me when I came up to it. . ." Naruto trails off.
"It's not wild." He says quietly, letting the bunny go.
"And it's summertime. The fur shouldn't be white. . ." Sakura adds.
"It's from a replacement jutsu. There was someone there." Sasuke finishes and pulls out a kunai. The other two genin gasp in realization.
"Sakura. . ." I call to her, and she perks up, a little anxious at taking charge of her position.
"D-defensive positive everyone! The Manj---"
"Look out!" Kakashi yells, as Zabuza's sword comes flying in above our heads. I push Naruto and Tazuna down as it flies over.
"Zabuza Momochi. . . rogue ninja from the Hidden Mist. . ."
"Kakashi Hatake of the Sharingan eye. It's nice to be known, isn't it? Now hand over the old man."
Naruto decides it's his time to shine, and I grab his pant-leg with my teeth and growl the same time as Kakashi puts out his hand.
"Don't move. You will only get in the way. Stay back." Kakashi puts a hand on his headband.
"But--"
"Listen to him, Naruto." I growl. "Remember your mission, what is it?"
The blonde grunts in frustration before giving in. "Old man Tazuna."
Zabuza laughs darkly, looking down at the three of us from his position on his sword that's lodged in the tree. "Quite the circus show you got here Kakashi. Even a little talking dog."
I ignore him and try to pinpoint Haku's position. He's too good, though. I can feel his presence with seismic sense, but his scent is masked, and he keeps moving his position.
Why is he moving? Is it because of me, or is that originally how it was intended?
"別の人が隠れてる この戦いの後でも警戒してください." Naruto and the other two genin nod, taking the Manji defense position and Zabuza gets pissed off.
"Speaking in code now, huh? Enough talk." Zabuza and Kakashi lock eyes/eye, and he laughs once more.
"This'll be a fun battle, Kakashi of the Sharingan eye."
"Not for you." Kakashi fires back.
"Hmph. We'll see."