𝙇𝘼𝙑𝙀𝙉𝘿𝙀𝙍. | 𝗡𝗔𝗥𝗨𝗧𝗢

XIII

"WHAT? What is this?!" Tazuna shouted, his eyes wide.

Riki held back a gasp, looking down at the men who lay injured on the floor, specks of blood staining their clothes as they squirmed in pain. This certainly wasn't what she was expecting to see the day after Sasuke and Naruto had finished their training at all. Kakashi, Riki, Sakura, Sasuke and Tazuna stood a little ways off from a small number of men on the bridge Tazuna had been building.

From the situation at hand, it was quite obvious that the person responsible for the scene was Zabuza.

Though she wasn't sure what the right word to use in this situation was, at the sight of the injured and not quite dead men, she forced down the swear word that was a second from leaving her lips. Was Zabuza seriously back to haunt them again? Riki was beginning to think that Team Seven really couldn't catch a break with the amount of misfortune around them.

Well, it was only fitting because being on the team was quite misfortunate for her anyway. But not so fitting because if it really was Zabuza, she knew she'd find her head unfitted from her neck and on the floor. And that would be even more unfortunate than having to spend every working day with Team 7.

Mist began to rise around them, the air quickly thickening. "Sasuke, Riki, Sakura! They're coming!" The sound of Kakashi's voice made her jump. She quickly pulled out a kunai knife and stood to the left of Tazuna, Sasuke to the right and Sakura between Sasuke and Kakashi.

"Say, Kakashi sensei, this is his Hidden Mist jutsu, isn't it?" Sakura asked slowly, pulling out her own kunai knife.

Before Kakashi could reply, an awfully familiar and raspy voice echoed throughout the bridge. "Sorry for the long wait, Kakashi," Zabuza said, "I see you've always got those brats with you. Oh, look, the boy's still trembling. Poor thing."

Riki took a quick side glance at Sasuke, and indeed, his kunai was shaking in his hands, though she couldn't blame him. She quickly turned her attention back to protecting Tazuna.

And at that moment, six water clones of Zabuza appeared around the ninja and Tazuna, all in a circle as if they were blocking them off. Riki took on a sharp breath. She held her kunai higher and moved to shield Tazuna more, waiting for Kakashi's order.

"I'm trembling . . . with excitement," Sasuke stated with fake confidence, a small grin creeping across his face. The clone infront of Sasuke's face screwed up with annoyance behind it's bandages.

"Do it, Sasuke," Kakashi commanded and Sasuke obeyed.

The clone in front of Sasuke drew up its large sword, bringing it down on Sasuke. But in less then a few seconds Sasuke had disposed off all the clones by slashing them at the stomach with his kunai, a puddle of water remaining where each clone previously was. Sasuke stood to the front of the group now, the smirk on his face gone.

"Well, well. So he could see the water clones. That brat has grown quite a bit. That means you have a rival now, Haku." And now, a few metres in front of Sasuke stood Zabuza and the masked boy from the last time they had fought, who Riki assumed was named Haku.

"I guess so," the boy said plainly.

"Well, well, it's seems like my prediction was right on the money," Kakashi said with a carefree tone. As if they weren't in front of a Rougue nin and his partner.

"Your prediction?" Tazuna asked, seemingly having forgotten the conversation they had about Zabuza and the boy in the mask a week ago.

"About that litte boy in the mask," Kakashi said.

"I knew it," Sasuke mumbled, whilst Sakura gasped in realisation.

"So him being an Elite Ninja person was a total lie!" Tazuna exclaimed.