Wasting Dark (Book 1) [ON HOLD]

[6] Water Clones and Pain

"Courage doesn't always roar, sometimes it's the quiet voice at the end of the day whispering 'I will try again tomorrow'."

-Mary Anne Radmacher

Zabuza was another water clone. The four students watched in horror, as the real one, finally, kicked Kakashi into the nearby lake. The assassin then trapped him within a water prison, claiming he'd finish him off later.

Atsuko looked in terror, as another water clone of Zabuza emerged, to fight them. Them; four Geniin, with no experience.

But didn't she have experience? Her flashback had shown her being attacked...

She shook her head, and then shuddered, as Sasuke attempted to attack, and was easily thrown off.

"You're just kids," the assassin sneered.

The brunette noticed Naruto's headband beneath the foot of the man. The blond himself tried to attack, and was kicked away; but came back with the cloth.

"Hey you," Naruto hissed, "the freak with no eyebrows. Put this in your bingo book: the ninja that will become Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves." The blond stood up, "He never backs down. The name's Uzumaki Naruto!"

Atsuko watched in amazement.

He doesn't know when to stop. She grinned silently. He really doesn't.

"Sasuke, Atsuko, can you hear me?"

"Yeah, I hear you." Sasuke replied.

"Yes I can," Atsuko answered. "I have ears don't I?"

"I have a plan!" Naruto said triumphantly.

He does?

There was zero explanation, and with another yell, Naruto charged forwards, using his shadow clone Jutsu.

... useful.

The brunette was suddenly tugged to one side, and she looked quizzically at Sasuke, who happened to be the one who'd done the action.

"Listen," the ravenette demanded, "you have an advantage. I would think that since you're from a village that is supposedly extinct—"

"— My moves will be unexpected," Atsuko finished.

"Exactly," Sasuke murmered.

The brunette took a moment, before tugging on Sasuke's sleeve. "Now it's your turn to listen," she hissed, "I'm going to take out the water clone; you and Naruto have to focus on getting Kakashi Sensei out of that water prison."

"And just how are we supposed to do that?" The boy next to her asked.

Atsuko shot him a look, "Figure it out, Duck Butt."

With that, she left his side, and slowly approached the Zabuza clone.

"You know," the man sneered, watching her, "you've got the same eyes as me." His own brown orbs narrowed, "The eyes of a killer."

"Shut up," Atsuko stated, before shifting her stance.

Just as she and Sasuke had suspected, the clone was looking at her new position, puzzled.

Instead of the typical open handed knife hand opening, the brunette had one leg firmly behind her, and had her left hand stretched out in front of her, in the shape of a claw. Her other hand was on her waist, in a fist.

"What the hell?" The man muttered. "Where is that move from? Where are you from?"

"You think I'm gonna tell you?" Atsuko snapped back, before running forwards, with her left hand still out in front.