The Red Clouds

Chapter 5: Setup

Kasumi watched, amused, as Kakashi, who was on crutches, instructed his students on how to walk up a tree.

"Control your chakra carefully, stop running." Kakashi yelled at Sakami who continued trying to run up the tree without focusing her chakra. She only got a few steps up before falling back to the ground.

Sasuke, on the other hand, would lose control and fall after making it a few steps up the tree. The two were on equal ground.

"How did you learn this? My teaching methods obviously don't favor these students." Kakashi asked and Kasumi stared with disapproval at Sasuke's failures.

"I copied it with my Sharingan." Kasumi stated blankly. She had copied the chakra flow that the instructors had shown her.

"You shouldn't rely on that eye of yours. What if you come across an opponent that your eye won't help you against?" Kakashi asked and Kasumi's eyebrow raised with interest.

"My eye can see through genjutsu, predict techniques before they are even used, and even see chakra. What can weaken them?"

"Itachi told me the story of his fight with Naruto right after the massacre. He said that Naruto flooded chakra into the air leaving Itachi's Sharingan useless as it acted like a smokescreen."

Kakashi continued to tell the made up story that Itachi came up with. However, it was true that the Sharingan couldn't see through chakra or objects. Kakashi knew from his fight with Zabuza.

"I was told you fought against Zabuza while I was unconscious. Is he dead?" Kasumi asked and Kakashi shook his head before two thuds sounded out simultaneously. Sakami and Sasuke both hit the ground at the same time. Kakashi let out a deep sigh of annoyance at the thought of fighting Zabuza again.

"He's alive, I'm sure of it."

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Three days passed, and the bridge's progress began to show. The bridge's support structures had already been completed and the workers just had to lay out the actual bridge. Kakashi's condition had slightly improved to the point where he could now move without the crutches.

Kasumi had began teaching (taunting) Sasuke to rile up his emotions. Kasumi purposely chose exercises that Sasuke would struggle with but Sakami and Sakura would easily complete. However, Kasumi soon realized mere frustration wouldn't awaken his Sharingan.

"Let's go to the town. Maybe we can find some herbs to boost Kakashi's recovery." Kasumi suggested when Sakami and Sasuke began fighting. Although they were trained decently, she was sure that they were not ready for Zabuza. She had a hobby for reading the Bingo Book, Zabuza was considered more skilled than many Jonin.

"We can make him eat chakra pills." Sakura suggested. Kasumi considered the possibility, she did have a few inside her pouch. The side effects wouldn't be ideal though.

"If he eats chakra pills, his actual chakra recovery will slow down considerably for a while. It's better to use herbs that stimulate his chakra recovery." Kasumi explained as they approached the shopping district. Kasumi's eyes instantly locked onto a candy shop.

"I see a herbal stand over there." Sasuke called out pointing to a small stand off in the distance. Kasumi was pulled back into reality as she remembered why they were there.

"Let's get some food for the workers on the bridge afterwards as well." Kasumi suggested pointing towards a food stall. "Sakura, Sakami, could you two go and buy as many meals as you can? We will bring them to the bridge later."

Kasumi and Sasuke approached the stands and Kasumi's eyes landed on a root. She remembered that she was taught by Kakashi himself that the root can stimulate chakra coils to open up. If she combined it with a small dosage of chakra pills, she perhaps could help recover Kakashi's chakra without temporarily disabling his recovery.

"I'll take the root." Kasumi and another's voice said at the same time. Kasumi turned to find a woman, the same age as her students, pointing to the same root.

"Since the root must be boiled in water, perhaps we could split it?" The woman suggested and Kasumi stared at the root in consideration.

"She is right, that root needs to be boiled to loosen chakra coils. Kakashi just needs to replenish chakra, not reopen his coils." Sasuke commented and Kasumi reluctantly agreed. With a swift, almost instant, motion, Kasumi drew her tanto and cut the root in half. The two parties paid their share and went in opposite directions.

"By the way, I'm a guy." The man commented before walking off with his half of the root. Sasuke with left in shock and Kasumi didn't care enough to respond.

"I think this is enough!" Sakami yelled and ran over with a large amount of food.

"She tried to buy a hundred bags of instant ramen. You made the right call sending me with Sakami." Sakura commented leaving Sakami annoyed.

"Thank you for making sure our money doesn't go to waste. Bring some food to Kakashi, boil the root and add in half of a chakra pill." Kasumi explained handing a bag of pills and the root to Sakura. The girl nodded and headed back to the house leaving Kasumi with the two troublemakers.

"We have some food to deliver, let's go." Kasumi cheerfully called out and the remaining members of Team Seven argued on their way to the bridge.

—————

"This place seems empty." Sasuke commented upon reaching the bridge. The bridge had a light layer of mist and tools were strewn about.

"Perhaps they are on break?" Sakami questioned and glanced at Kasumi who's eyes glowed red. Kasumi's Sharingan took in the scene, there were tools scattered on the floor, half eaten food was left out, and the occasional plank of wood would fall off the bridge and into the water.

"Whatever happened, it was recent. Some items are still tipping over and swaying." Kasumi stated watching a rope swing back and forth on the bridge. When Kasumi was about to shift her focus. An object caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. Kasumi only saw a gray blur, but it was enough for her to draw her tanto and raise it to block her head. A large blade ricochet off her sword and imbedded itself into the ground behind her.

"You deflected it. It seems that I am not in my peak condition." A voice called from behind and Kasumi turned to see Zabuza standing on the blade. Kasumi was unsure of when the man had gotten behind them. "I learned not to look into your eyes. How are you going to fight me now?"

Kasumi gripped onto her blade and prepared herself for another attack. Her Sharingan caught sight of a shadow moving on the ground and the Uchiha rolled away narrowly dodging the Executioner's Blade. Kasumi turned in shock to see the Zabuza she was talking to collapse into water.

The mist quickly thickened and Kasumi lost sight of Sakami and Sasuke. She kept her eyes focused on Zabuza who held his arm high into the sky. When the mist eventually swallowed him as well, Kasumi weaving hand seals of her own.

"We need to help her." Sakami yelled preparing to charge into the mist but was pulled back by Sasuke.

"You can't see in there, all you will end up doing in getting hit by a stray attack." Sasuke explained and looked at the forest. "Let's make a run for it. If we can get Kakashi, he could change the fight around.

"He's weak right now though, and we can't just leave Kasumi here alone."

"Do we have another option? We can't help, the enemy fought Kakashi on even ground. She can hold him off long enough for us to get Kakashi."

Sasuke's determination swayed as he watched Sakami's eyes filled with guilt for leaving Kasumi, but he knew it had to be done. They could get Kakashi and return within five minutes if they ran at full speed.

"Alright, let's go." Sakami wiped her tears and prepared to run. However, when she took her first step, the air started freezing.

"Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals." A calm voice called out as a giant ice block formed in front of Sakami and Sasuke causing the two to slam into the mirror.