The Jinchuuriki Alliance || REWRITE ||

OH, BROTHER...

I DO NOT OWN NARUTO

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'Um... how did my negative-emotion-senses not detect him?' Naruko asked her tenant, who shrugged. 'Well aren't you helpful,' she grumbled as she prepared to defend herself.

Kakashi was quicker as he launched himself at Zabuza, driving a kunai into his gut and eliciting a cry of surprise and pain. But instead of the thick, coppery scent of blood filling the air, the only sound was the trail of water that was leaking from the stab wound.

Another Zabuza appeared behind Kakashi, and Naruko quickly called, "Kakashi, behind you!" as the one in front of him turned to water.

"DIE!" Zabuza roared as he swung his sword through Kakashi's torso, cleaving him clean in half. However instead of blood and cloth and skin, water splattered to the ground, leaving Zabuza stunned.

'The Water Clone Jutsu,' Zabuza realized. 'It can't be... even in the mist, he saw through my illusion and copied it in an instant.'

A kunai was suddenly against his jugular, and Kakashi ordered, "Don't move. Now it's over. You're finished."

Dark chuckles erupted from deep in Zabuza's throat. "Finished? You really don't get it, do you? Your technique is nothing but a crass imitation. I'll never be defeated by a copycat ninja like you. You are full of surprises, though. You'd already copied my Water Clone Jutsu when you made your little speech. Very skillfully executed... you made your clone say those words to draw my attention while you hid in the mist, waiting for me to make my move. Nice try—"

Kakashi's eyes widened as Zabuza was suddenly behind him again.

"—but I'm not that easy to fool!"

Once again the Zabuza he had cornered fell into a puddle of water, and Kakashi barely ducked in time as the Kubikiribōchō swung horizontally with an aim for the Jonin's head. It struck deep into the ground, but Zabuza swapped hands and flung himself in the air with a kick straight for Kakashi's head. It connected, and Kakashi was sent flying.

"Now," Zabuza said seemingly to himself as he grabbed his sword out of the ground and ran towards the Jonin with such speed that he became a blur of colour. His eyes widened when all he saw was makibishi spikes. "Trying to slow me down... how foolish." He turned and jumped upwards just as Kakashi landed into the water headfirst.

"I can't believe Kakashi-sensei got kicked through the air like that," Sakura whispered, a little terrified at what the rogue ninja could do.

"I can," Naruko said bluntly.

"How can you say that? Isn't he your brother?" Sakura exclaimed.

Naruko shrugged indifferently. "Yeah, but he's not invincible, you know. At some point he was bound to get his ass kicked."

"He has great physical strength, too," Sasuke appraised.

"Who, the cowprint man or our one-eyed sensei?" Naruko asked humorously, though her eyes were searching for any sign of her brother surfacing.

"Zabuza," Sasuke deadpanned with slight amusement tinging his voice.

Kakashi finally surfaced, his gravity-defying hair looking very... well, non-gravity-defying. He lifted his arm, confused. 'This isn't just normal water. It's dense — heavy.'

"Fool..." Zabuza appeared behind Kakashi and started weaving hand signs. "Water Prison Jutsu!"

'No!' Kakashi shifted to send a jutsu back, dodge the water prison, anything. But the water was stopping him from moving too much; he was in his enemy's element.