At only 7 years old, Yuki was abandoned by her village at a young age after an act of self defense to save her life was misconstrued for cold blooded murder. Small, alone and defenseless, she would have surely died out in the world alone, but the Ak...
Things almost got sticky when they made to board the boat across the water. I had climbed to the peak of a tree to scout the land and noticed they were nearing water just in time. I had built enough strength back up to completely cloak myself again from everyone plus add in some super speed to make it to where they were just before they took off. It was a small boat with many people already on it, so I couldn't take the chance of getting in it with them. I used the ribbons around my legs to tether to the side of the boat and just enjoyed riding along the waves as I floated on my back and it pulled me along beside it. It wasn't exactly the best mode of transportation, but it helped save my strength by not swimming the whole way.
Once the boat made it to land I separated again and made my way into the trees, this time falling a bit farther than a couple miles since I needed to change back into my casual clothes while my ninja outfit dried. So I had to make absolutely sure I had enough comfortable distance to fully drop my cloaking jutsu while I waited.
I had gained some more strength back, but I still needed to recoup my chakra...especially after what that old man Tazuna told them on the boat...and then went so far as to black mail Kakashi for his protection. This definitely wasn't going to be a simple mission.
"-Get Down!!" Kakashi's voice rang through the trees and I froze. What's happening...no, he's a jonin...he can handle it...but...still I need to...NO, I can't take the chance while looking like this.
I fought with myself for some time on whether to stay or run to his side. But I knew Kakashi enough after all of our fights to have faith in him...I had to for now...or maybe I could just watch...I can't help, but I can watch...and that's when I caved.
Once I made it to their clearing, I waited back in the trees and just watched as they handled the matter for now. A man with bandages wrapped around his face in a similar fashion that I did my own was standing on the hilt of a sword taunting them from where he had staked it in a tree.
"Everybody get back." Kakashi started, holding his hand out to stop Naruto from charging the guy. "This one's on a whole other level. Against him...it will be a little tough...unless I do this..."
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I set down on the branch swinging my legs about after I saw him start to lift up his mask to reveal his Sharingan eye...the other reason I had never used my cloaking jutsu around Kakashi during a battle. I didn't need him copying my best move during a battle and either use it against me or use it to sense my where about. I sweat dropped thinking about what would have happened if I was still by his side trying to mess with him as 'Fig'.
I knew he had it, but I still couldn't help but worry as I watched the two face off... something about this battle felt like it was only prolonging the worse to come. When Zabuza failed to attack Kakashi from behind and he revealed he had managed to copy Zabuza's own jutsu even through the mist I had to hold myself back from cheering him on like it was some game.
But then my worry was back instantly when Zabuza captured him in his water prison no jutsu.
"You guys!! Take Tazuna'san and run away!! You have no chance of beating him!!" Kakashi comanded his students, "As long as he's keeping me trapped in this prison he can' move. The water clone cannot go very far from his real body. Just run away NOW!!"
Kakashi...a jonin...and he's terrified for their safety...if he's worried then...I looked over to the four who just watched with wide terrified eyes. They just stood there frozen in place and I started to worry that this was it. This is the moment the gig is up...I have to protect them...for Kaka-what the hell is he doing?!
"No!! Don't!!" Kakashi yelled out as Naruto wrecklessly ran at Zabuza. His teammates screamed out after him in fright as well.
Zabuza threw him back and he landed back at the feet of his comrades. As expected Sakura yelled at him for his stupid actions, which is exactly what I wanted to do myself as I watched the boy with a giant irk mark on my forehead, which quickly turned to a sweat drop when he held up Kakashi's leaf village head band for everyone to see. And then the little doofus gave Zabuza his infamous Hokage speech.
"Sasuke!! Lend me your ear! I have a plan..." Naruto shouted which made me sweat drop a little more the way he shouted in front of his enemy about having a plan...But maybe...I thought as I saw the determination on Naruto's face...maybe they don't need my help. They are Kakashi's students after all...they just might be able to handle this.
"What are you doing?!! Run away!!! This fight was over the moment I was caught!! Our duty is to protect Tazuna-san!! Did you forget that?!!"" Kakashi continued to urge his students.
If only he had the confidence of knowing that I was watching and ready to save them at a moments notice...or the faith that I did that they were his students which meant they were capable of just about anything.
Maybe this once...since he's trapped with all his attention ahead on them I could try...
I finally cloaked myself again and jumped down from the tree I was hiding in. I focused part of my chakra to my feet and made my way onto the water making sure to keep myself behind Zabuza and Kakashi. Observing the position I was in, for a moment all I could think about was how easily I could change things around and end this now even if it meant Kakashi seeing right through me. But after seeing Naruto's determination I really didn't want to get in the way of his chance unless it looked like I had to.
While Zabuza explained to them the 'blood on his hands', the Hidden Mist Village graduation exam and hundred students he killed I came up as close as I could behind Kakashi before running into his water prison. Just like all the times before I afjusted the jutsu so that just my voice was filtered for him to hear.
"Have faith, Kakashi. They are your students after all" Kakashi froze for a moment and so did I as his shoulders shifted and for a moment I feared he'd look at me with his Sharingan eye. "Look into Naruto's eyes." I quickly added hoping to avert his attention. He hesitated for the briefest second, then returned all of his attention back to the situation before him and I could tell by the shift of his head that he did as I said and looked back to Naruto. "He's got this...just give it a minute and let him show you what he can do."
I stepped back and remained just far enough away to stay out of the line of fire, but close enough to step in the moment i thought I was needed. It made me smile seeing Kakashi listen to my words as he stopped yelling at them to run and watched as Naruto and Sasuke worked out their shuriken shadow clone plan. Then as soon as they had distracted Zabuza enough to break the water prison Kakashi was in I darted with lightning bolt speed back into the trees before giving Kakashi the chance to look my way.
After watching how those kids worked together and Kakashi now back in action, I knew that they had this in the bag; so I ran back to the site I left my belongings. My ninja clothes were now dry and toasty from the fire I had started just underneath the branch I laid them out across. I changed again and dropped the cloaking jutsu to conserve my energy again. Then I just relaxed back against a tree with one of the apples from Kakashi's apartment in hand for a quick meal before I headed back.
