The First Part Last ~Naruto Fan-fic~

Chapter 7

Every single person in that clearing looked upon Kakashi as he held the kunai to Zabuza's throat. Minari, still shaken from the fact she thought she had just lost her Father, slumped to the ground in pure shock. Had Kakashi seriously just won? How did he do it? She hadn't even been able to keep up with the movement of his chakara and body, which means he must have analized the water clone in a mear second! He stoo there, knife possitioned, ready to end his life in nothing flat. "You're finished." He said dangerously.

Sakura and Naruto both smiled and cheered at this small victory. But Minari stood, and reached out her senses. She knew that if her team even came close to cutting Zabuza down... HE would step in and save him. She had to be ready for anything. As Minari searched, she thought it a good idea to maybe prepare her special move. The one that Zabuza had not seen in full.

Zabuza began to chuckle. How asanine, they think they won? "You think it's over? You just don't get it." Kakashi was surprised and Minari realized she needed to hurry. "It will take more to defeat me than mimickin me like an ape... a lot more. But you are good! In that short time Minari crossed the attention to comfort that kid, you duplicated my water clone. And by making the water clone touch Minari as she spoke, you ensured all my attention would be focused on it while you yourself used the Kirigakure technique of hiding in the mist, watching my every move! Too bad for you..." The real Zabuza finally reveiled himself behind Kakashi with his sword ready. "I'm not that easy to fool!" His clone disinegrated.

Naruto yelled out in surprise as Sasuke watched them silently, still feeling the crushing tension. He couldn't help but be overwelmed slightly. But Minari's words still sounded in his head. 'We'll protect you with our lives. Trust me.' He decided to trust her. Sasuke had made that concious decision and he wasn't about to make himself look weak.

Zabuza swung his sword, Kakashi hitting the ground to dodge the giant blade. But Zabuza saw this coming and expertly dug his blade into the ground, using the hilt as a support as he spun with inhuman speed to kick at him. He made contanct and sent Kakashi flying into the water. As Zabuza ran to him with the full intention to end this and kill Kakashi, he noticed a nice line or caltrops on the ground, blocking his way. Foolishness, he thought.

Kakashi attempted to drag himself out of the water. But he notcied something very strange. The water... was heavy. Like it was made of liquid glue. "You gullibal fool!" Zabuza's menecing form was suddenly right behind Kakashi, standing on the water. Minari watched them, wanting to run out there and stop Zabuza. But she knew she had to do everything in her power to keep, not only Tazuna safe, but her friends as well. She promised Sasuke... Zabuza had Kakashi in his water prison, pretty well dystroying what little hope Minari had of everyone getting out alive. "That prison is inescapable. You're trapped. You running around makes it too hard for me to do my job. I'll finish you later after I've delt with the others. Water clone jutsu!"

True, when the clone formed in front of the young ninja, everyone was just freaking out. Naruto in particular stood wide eyed as the clone sauntered on the land and chuckled. Sakura didn't know what to do! She thought about several things she could do to maybe help, but none of them really sounded worth it. Not even Sasuke had the smallest incalling of how to flip this around. The only hope they had was Minari's tenchnique. But even that had a high rate of failure.

The Zabuza clone continued to laugh at the young ninja. "Little ninja wannabe. Trying so hard to fit in, you even wear a ninja village headband. But a true ninja is one who has crossed and recrossed the boarder between the lands of the living and the dead so many times it doesn't even faze them. Just look at the one you call teammate. Minari made a technique out of it. Isn't that right... Merciless Minari!" Minari took in a sharp breath and growled lowly in warning. He just laughed again. "Clothes don't make a shinobi. You need skills good enough to rate a listing in my bingo book of enemies before you can deserve to be called ninja. We don't call your kind ninja. We call them..."