“THERE!” Naruto shouts, chucking a kunai knife into a bush. I jump, even though I expected that, and stare at the kid.
“Naruto, you missed.” I shake my head, trying to hide my smile.
He looks up, blinking. “How’d you know?”
I wink.
“Naruto!” Sakura shrieks, jabbing a finger in the small boy’s direction. “What on earth do you think you’re doing?!”
“Those are kunai knives.” Kakashi scolds, glaring at me. “They’re dangerous.”
“Hey! Is someone hiding over there?” Naruto peers into the woods surrounding us. “No wait! There’re over there!” I step away from the kid, out of his throwing range.
“NO WAIT! OVER THERE!” Naruto throws another knife, the blade sinking into the thick tree trunk to the hilt.
“That’s it Naruto!” Sakura runs over and bonks him upside the head.
“What?! Why’d you do that? Someone really is following us and they were really over there!” Naruto holds his head.
“Yeah right!” Sakura shouts, hands resting on the flare of her hips. “Quit lying!”
Kakashi walks over to the tree and I follow him, wheedling my way through the undergrowth and brush to stand beside him. A small white rabbit quivers beneath the knife blade, paralyzed with fear. Naruto rushes over and picks up the animal.
“A rabbit! Ahh! I’m so sorry little bunny!” He rubs his cheek against the poor rabbit’s head.
“All this fuss over a rodent?” Tazuna scowls. Kakashi looks to me, frowning. I scan the trees, looking for a certain someone, and touch the silver haired man’s arm.
“Over there?” I point.
“GET DOWN!” Kakashi shouts.
Someone slams into me, knocking me back into the dirt. I gasp, breathing in gritty sand and dirt, and push against the bone crushing weight that holds me to the ground. “You’re so fat!” I croak, pain shuddering through my backside. Kakashi climbs off of me, looking to the thick sword that is now lodged deeply into a tall tree-the very one that tried to take our heads. I sit up, my head aching and ears ringing.
“God damn.” I groan, rubbing my temples. “Was that really necessary?”
Sakura runs over to help me up.
“Well well.” Kakashi states coldly. “If it isn’t Zabuza Momochi, rouge ninja from the Village Hidden in the Mist.”
“MAH COW LOVE!” I squeal loudly, jumping up and down as I wave frantically. “It is so good to see you!!”
Everyone, except Kakashi, turns to look at me. Zabuza’s eyes widen and he turns fully towards me. “It can’t be.”
I press my palms to my lips and blow him a kiss before skipping up next to Kakashi’s side. Kakashi sends me a sideways look, stiff with anger. Naruto runs forward, ready to kick Cow Man’s booty, but Kakashi holds his hand out to stop him.
“Alex, stay back.” He says to me, eye trained on Zabuza’s shocked form.
“Pshh. I don’t think so.” I send him a strange look. “I wanna see you lift up your headband.”
Now he turns to me, glaring. “Stop being difficult.”
“Then get to it, pretty boy! Don’t make me wait all day.” I snap, flipping my wrist.
“Well if it isn’t Kakashi of the Sharingan eye and the Artist.” Zabuza growls, watching my movements carefully. “Did I get that right?”
“The Artist?” Both of Kakashi’s eyes widen as he looks to me.
I shrug. “I dunno what the hell he’s talking about?”
“It’s too bad, huh?” Zabuza continues, “But you’ll have to hand over the old man.”
“Protect the bridge builder!” Kakashi yells back to the kids. “You too, Alex. All of you need to stay out of this fight.”
I frown. “But.”
“Get back.” He fixates both eyes on me, a strange sense of urgency swirling beneath their depths. Muttering profanities, I move back until I am in front of Tazuna and behind Sasuke.
“Wait!” I call, crossing my hands into a T for timeout. “First explain to me what an Artist is?”
“The Artist.” Kakashi growls. “An ancient title passed down from generation to generation, given to one select ninja who surpasses all the rest in her clan. There is only one in existence per millennia and they’re extremely powerful.”
“And you think I’m ‘The’ Artist? How would you know?” I shake my head. That’s ridiculous. There’s nothing about an artist on Narutopedia.
“The newest Artist is a neko and looks exactly like you.” Zabuza nods towards me. “But the only way we’ll be able to find out for sure is to see you fight.”
“Which you won’t.” Kakashi growls.
“Boyfriend’s a little over controlling, eh?” Zabuza nods towards. “Looks like I’ll have to take him out first.” A dense mist begins to creeps in around us, making it harder to see. “Enough talking.” Zabuza snaps and disappears from view.
“He’s over there!” Naruto gasps.
“Standing on the water!” Sakura points.
Zabuza stands on the water, the side of his right index and middle fingers pressed to his lips while his other hand is stretched out into the air. The fog grows thicker and the water’s surface begins to shudder. “Ninja Arch: Hidden Mist Jutsu!”
I can hardly see my hands. I hear the kids gasp. “He vanished.”
“He’ll come after me first.” Kakashi says, stepping farther away from us.
“But who is he?” Sakura asks.
“Zabuza Momochi, the ex leader of the Hidden Mist Assassination Unit. He’s a master of the silent killing technique.”
“S-silent what?” Naruto squeaks.
“As the name suggests, it happens in an instant without any sound. It’s so fast, you pass from this life without really realizing what happened. The Sharingan cannot fully neutralize it so don’t’ lower your guard.” He turns to look at me from over his shoulder. “Be extremely careful.”
The mist gets thicker.
I can no longer see Kakashi. Something strange twists in my gut, churning my stomach. Anxiety courses through me, zapping through my veins like a laser gun. “Kakashi!” I call worriedly.
“Eight points.” I hear Zabuza say. “Larynx, spine, lungs, liver, jugular, subclavian artery, kidneys, heart. Now which will be my kill point?”
“You touch him, Cow-boy, and I’ll be trying out one of my new torture techniques.” I shout, fingers curling into fists. Nobody gets to kill Kakashi but me!
A blast of blue wind whips against me, the blue lightning circling the ground surrounding Kakashi. I exhale in relief and notice Sasuke shaking in front of me.
I reach out and touch his shoulder as he grabs the kunai knife tighter. “It’s okay, Sasuke. Breathe.”He freezes and looks back over his shoulder. I dip my head in a small nod. “I’m right here.”
“I’ll protect you all with my life.” Kakashi calls back. “I won’t allow my comrades to die.” He turns to smile at us over his shoulder.
“Trust me.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure.” Zabuza smirks, appearing right behind me. “It’s over.”
The sword is suddenly swinging towards my head. There isn’t enough time to gasp, to think or process the information my eyes are sending my brain. My hands move automatically, the heel of my palm jutting out to shove the blade aside long enough to duck my head under. Sharp pain sears through my palm as the blade tears into the skin and I lash out with my right foot. Kakashi is there in an instant, a kunai sticking into Zabuza’s abdomen. I jump back, towards Sakura and Tazuna, cradling my palm to my chest.
Clear liquid trickles out around the hilt of the knife and forms a small puddle beneath Kakashi and Zabuza.
“Sensei! Behind you!” Naruto shouts, pointing behind Kakashi as the real Zabuza materializes behind the silver haired jonin.
But the sword is already moving. “DIE!” Zabuza shouts, slicing Kakashi in half.
I smile slightly as water splashes Zabuza’s face and falls to the ground around him. Cow-man’s eyes become wider than saucers as the sharp blade of a kunai knife is pressed to his throat.
“Don’t move.” Kakashi growls.
Plot twist!!!! Well the begining of one anyways :D I can’t completely explain anymore about the artist thing until later chapters, so keep reading-cuz all will be explained eventually. So Dragon it is! Next chapter you’ll see why. For some reason I can’t find episode eight part one on youtube -.- so until I can watch it this is all I can write.
----Cloud<3