Another path

The end of the mission : the bridge is complete !

< Hi everyone ! In the next chapters, I'm going to introduce a lot of (not-so) new characters so if you want anything in particular regarding them, just comment !
Just for good measure : Kishimoto still owns Naruto, I don't... >

Kakashi currently found himself in a peculiar position. Truly, being in the mindscape of one of your students being stared at by a giant fox whose teeth are as large as you are is not the kind of thing you'd experience everyday.
However, the jônin didn't feel scared at all. He wasn't confident, far from it, but somehow he felt some sense of familiarity within the gaze of the Kyūbi. It really puzzled him.

After staring at Kakashi for a long time, Kurama eventually spoke.

" - Greetings, human. Am I wrong to assume you do not know why you are here ?

- Greetings, and your guess is right. What do you want from me ?

- Remember what happened when you were about to kill Zabuza ?

- Yes, that Anbu from Kiri killed him and took the corpse away to... dispose ... of it...

- It seems as though you understand.

- I do not, Mom. Is there a problem with this ?

- Does nothing look strange about it to you, Naru ?

- Well... It's more like a feeling of unease... What could it be... - suddenly, Naru's face lightened up - The weapon ! Needles are more for medical purpose than for killing, as striking a fatal blow with them is extremely difficult !

- So what do you conclude from this ? - Kurama watched with great interest how her little girl pouted as she was thinking -

- ... They must have stricken a nerve, rendering Zabuza limp and making his heart stop. This way, it would appear he was dead while he in fact is in some sort of vegetative state.

- Well done, Naru. Moreover, Anbu always dispose of corpses on the spot. It prevents scattering "information" and possible attack while moving the body.

- This kid was by no mean a shinobi from Kiri. At least not one still affiliated to it. They must have returned to Gato's hideout. Suzu, how long before they come back to try to kill Tazuna ?

- Considering Kakashi-sensei is a previous Anbu, it would take a near death state to fool him so I'd say about a week.

- You've taught her well, that's exactly it.

- Humpf, of course human, who do you think I am ? She won't become one of those half-assed shinobi that kept sprouting since Tobirama died.

- I hope so.

- What do we tell the others ?

- Not much, just that I realised Zabuza is still alive and you three will have to train. - Kakashi thought for a second and realised something - By the way, how advanced are you in your training ?

- I know my father and my mother's taijutsu styles, Raiton, Suiton, Fūton and medical ninjutsu, fuinjutsu and kenjutsu kata though I don't own a sword so it's useless for now.

- Then that means the exercise I'll be teaching Sakura and Sasuke is useless for you, you already must have excellent chakra control.

- Don't worry about this, I'll supervise her training. Just make up an excuse to explain to the other two why she won't be training with them and it will be good.

- Very well then. Anything to add ?

- No ? Then go back to the real world.

- Goodbye, Mom!