Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Lessons in Shinobi Love ❯ Lesson 13: To Be Dependable ( Chapter 13 )

A/N: Sorry about the lack of updates. My best friend's house caught on fire and completely burned to the ground. So sorry for no updating in a while I was dealing with that.

 

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Lessons In Shinobi Love

 

Lesson 13: To Be Dependable

 

By: Melissa Norvell

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone was aghast. Dead men lay everywhere strewn along the bridge like useless pieces of trash, decimated and bleeding. Some were dead, while others were clinging to life.

 

Tazuna rushed over to one of his men, who lay motionless on the ground.

 

The man simply said the word `monsters'.

 

As if on queue, a dense mist began to roll in, and the four jumped into position, each facing a different way, poised and ready for attack if any enemy ninja decided to show themselves. They could hear a familiar voice, telling them it's been a long time since their last rendezvous, and how Kakashi still had the brats tagging along with him.

 

Out of the mist, multiple water doppelgangers of Zabuza appeared and shortly after, they were quickly defeated by Sasuke.

 

“Well, it seems the brats have matured a bit…” The Demon of the Mist spoke. “Into worthy rivals, eh, Haku?”

 

“Indeed.”

 

After exchanging a few words, Haku and Sasuke began to face off, leaving Kakashi, Sakura and Tazuna to watch their battle. Green eyes watched intently as the two faced off, Sasuke matching Haku's speed and proving to be a worthy rival in battle. Then Haku's pulled off a move called `The Thousand Needles of Death', as thousands of needles flew at the stoic boy, Sakura called out to him, fearing that he would be seriously injured, or possibly die. The dark haired boy easily pulled out from the move and landed his enemy a swift kick in the face, sending him flying backwards.

 

“You had that coming…For underestimating my team…and for your name calling.” Kakashi told them. “He may not look like much, but Sasuke is the top-rated rookie from all of Konohagakure Village…And Sakura is our sharpest mind…”

 

The pink haired girl could feel a blush rise to her cheeks. Kakashi had thought her important. She didn't know why, but it stirred feeling deep within her.

 

She had never been too confident in herself, thinking that she was weaker then both Naruto and Sasuke, always seeing them pass her by, and now she was filled with confidence from those simple words. She smiled to herself.

 

“And last but not least…Let's not forget out own comedy ninja…The maverick show-stopper, the one and only Naruto!”

 

Soon after her teacher's introduction, Sakura could hear the name of a jutsu being called out, then her head turned sharply to Sasuke's direction, where she saw a circle of enormous mirrors, each made of nothing but ice. She could barely see between the placing of each mirror. Inside the wall of ice, was the dark haired boy, he seemed to be looking around at something shooting back and fourth between the mirrors with great speed. Sakura assumed that it must have been Haku.

 

She saw her sensei shoot off in order to save him, but Zabuza beat him half way, telling him that he would have no part in their battle unless he went through him first, then a yell could be heard. The pink haired girl's mind went into a sense of paranoia.

 

“Sasuke!” She called out, but received no answer.

 

She stood in silence for a few minutes, and then turned to Tazuna. “I'm sorry Mr. Tazuna, but I'm going to have to leave you for just a little bit.

 

“Go ahead, “ The old man assured. “I'll be fine.”

 

The girl took off, running toward the sight of the battle and flinging a kunai knife into the mirrors. Haku zipped in and out with great stealth and caught her kunai knife in mid flight. Green eyes widened.

 

`He…Caught it…'

 

A sense of worry ran through her mind. Sasuke couldn't take on this masked boy all on his own. What was he going to do?

 

There was a puff of smoke on the other side of the mirrors and Haku was laying on the ground in one swift movement.

 

“Who…?” Sakura questioned, looking a bit confused at her mystery ninja, who soon revealed himself.

 

“Naruto!” She called out. She was actually happy to see the annoying blonde, despite what she thought of him. But soon her look of happiness became a look of surprise as shurikens were thrown in his direction, but they were quickly deflected by senbon needles.

 

She could then hear noises from within the cage of mirrors, worry and anticipation ran through her blood as Naruto joined in the fight. She could hear Kakashi and Zabuza talking from across the bridge and turned her head to hear what they were saying.

 

“I never imagined anyone could master such a technique at so young an age!” She could hear her sensei say.

 

“Such a technique?” She wondered, listening more intently on their conversation, trying to figure out the severity of the situation.

 

“It's a Kekkei-Genkai - A skill that can be passed from one generation to the next. A genetic trait…Running through the bloodlines of those of the purest Shinobi pedigree…Some of the most extraordinary techniques are handed down from generation to generation solely on that basis…”

 

“You mean…” Sakura said, catching on to what he was saying.

 

“Precisly, it's one of the same order of skill as my Sharingan Mirror Eye, but even my Sharingan can't copy, mimic, or break that boy's Kekkei-Genkai.”

 

This was bad. There was no way to beat Haku's jutsu. While she was thinking about what the boys needed the most, she could hear Haku's words, talking about dreams. She decided that she'd cheer them on from the side-lines. She couldn't do anything but watch them.

 

There she went, feeling helpless again…But she couldn't help it. She wished she were stronger.

 

“Sasuke! Naruto! Don't you dare loose to a person like him!”

 

“Stop encouraging them, Sakura!!” She heard Kakashi tell her.

 

“Huh?” She looked to her sensei.

 

“Even if we knew of a way to counter his technique, your team mates still wouldn't be up to the task of defeating that boy.”

 

He made it sound so bleak.

 

“Wh-What do you mean?” Sakura questioned nervously, fearing the worst for her team mates.

 

A thousand thoughts raced through her mind. She felt a barrage of different feelings from every spectrum, and it was hard to think clearly without being too emotional about any given subject.

 

“Kakashi-sensei…What can we do?” Green eyes looked over to her teacher, seeking advice, hoping he'd have an answer.

 

“If I'd put an end to this…You'd forgive me.” She could hear him say, reaching for his hitai-ate and pulling it up. Sakura knew what this meant…

 

“That Sharingan Eye!” She said in delight.

 

But her delight was short lived as Zabuza plunged a kunai knife in to the jounin's hand. The sound of fluid hitting the ground echoes through the girl's ears.

 

“Sensei..!”

 

She watched intently as she could see her teacher's blood hitting the ground of the bridge. A new sense of worry coursed through her veins.

 

“Sakura! I'm counting on you to protect Mr. Tazuna!”

 

She blinked as she acknowledged her sensei's advice. `He's right…I've got to have faith in Sasuke and concentrate on what I have to do.'

 

She reassumed her position as Tazuna's body guard, placing herself in front of him, explaining to him that the air was crackling with energy and ordering him to stay by her side.

 

Sakura watched Kakashi and Zabuza fight intently. Then the fog rose to a zero visibility and the two could not be seen. Green eyes attempted to stay in focus and keep alert for any impending danger. Suddenly, she turned to see the enemy right behind Tazuna. He had snuck up on them so silently that not even her keen eyesight could keep track of them.

 

She let out a surprised and terrified scream, fearing that the end was near. Sakura had failed her mission. She had failed to protect Tazuna. She clenched her eyes shut, ready to hear the sound of tearing flesh and the pained yell of the old man…

 

But it never came.

 

Nothing came…

 

There was a clean cutting noise and she could hear the dripping of blood, but she was afraid of opening her eyes. She didn't want to open her eyes and be face to face with Zabuza. Fearing the worst, yet wondering why she never heard a body hit the ground, viridian orbs cracked open slowly and unsurely.

 

Finally, opening fully, she could see Zabuza, but she wasn't face to face with him. Kakashi had jumped in front of them, getting cut yet again. This time, it was a deep gash across his chest, going diagonally down his body to the right.

 

“Kakashi-sensei!” She yelled.

 

He had risked his life to save her…again. She stood there, still in shock from what had happened. If it wasn't for him, then she and Tazuna wouldn't be standing. He was her hero.

 

He was ready to sacrifice his life for her.

 

He bled for her.

 

“Sakura,” She could hear a voice, snapping her back into reality and bringing her through her haze. “Don't move an inch. I'll finish this as quickly as I can!”

 

“But…” She started to protest, but then backed down. She wasn't about the make the same mistake she made in the past by leaving Tazuna unguarded. “Oh…Ok…”

 

“I too was once a member of a Ninja Assassin Crops. I'll show you what kind of shinobi I once was…This isn't something I learned with the Sharingan. Let me show you my own true art!”

 

With those final words, Kakashi raced off into the fog, leaving the pink haired girl behind with the old man.

 

Green eyes tried to catch sight of the retreating figure, but lost him as he grew further and further away, being consumed by the fog.

 

She wished him the best of luck.

 

Falling silent for the moment, thoughts reeled through her head. All of her team mates were fighting, facing off against foes of great power…and all she could do was watch in dismay as they each risked their lives for the good of the mission.

 

Naruto and Sasuke battled Haku, while her teacher faced off with Zabuza.

 

But she had to keep a level head. She couldn't let her worry get to her. They all counted on her to keep Tazuna safe. Sakura had to keep confidence, and as bleak as things seemed, she had faith in her teacher….and her team mates.

 

 

TBC

 

 

 

A/N: I actually wrote 6 pages this time…Well, 6 pages in my program. I hope everyone leaves a review. Again, I apologize. The next chapter will come much more quickly.

 

Well, I'm off to update Mission: Freak Out Kakashi. See you next chapter.