Chapter 1: Screw up.

It was almost noon in the Land of Fire, the sun was shining bright in the blue sky. Birds chirped as they flew in the air from the trees. A scream of fear echoed through the air and clangs of metal on metal echoed with that scream.

200 miles from the coast line of the land of Fire, a team of three teens and an old male were locked in a battle between two men dressed in black garbs.

Naru POV

I screamed in shock as the enemy ninja who had already sliced sensei into chunks launched towards me, his large claw gauntlet outreached towards me. I cried out as I tried to get my body to move, to dodge it, I fell to the ground but let out a small cry as I felt the stinging pain of his claw catching my hand. I hit the ground with a thud, my eyes were shut tight and shook in pain and fear.

"Stay behind me!" I heard my teammate Haruno Sakura's voice ordered, I wanted to see what was going on, but I couldn't open my eyes, I was too terrified. I felt the ground shake slightly from the running. Suddenly a loud thud and a groan of pain followed it, the shaking stopped and I could feel the presence of someone close to me. I forced my eyes open and saw a foot in a blue standard shinobi shoes, I slowly looked up from the feet up the body and looked at my sensei Hatake Kakashi standing there with the two enemies unconscious in his arms. Sakura and my other teammate Uchiha Sasuke stood in front of our client Tazuna in a protective stance before they relaxed.

I let out a small stutter of confusion, we watched him! How was he alive? He was literally sliced into thick chunks to the ground.

"Hi." He said nonchalantly.

"Wha-?" I questioned and turned to the spot where the attack started, where Kakashi-sensei's body fell, but all that was there was chunks of a tree long, I gulped. 'Kakashi-sensei used the Kawarimi no Jutsu.' I thought and gulped again trying to slow my fast pounding heart.

Kakashi cleared his throat and turned slightly to check on the client and the others before he paused and looked down at me.
"Naru, sorry I didn't come sooner. I didn't mean for you to get hurt … I just didn't think you'd freeze like that." He said and walked over to the others, I felt a strong pang in my chest. "Good job Sasuke very smooth, you too Sakura." He said. I looked down at the dirt and gritted my teeth.

'Dammit, I was useless! Sasuke was so cool like he'd done this a thousand times! Even Sakura did better than me! I was such an idiot!' I cursed myself and blinked rapidly to get rid of the tears in my eyes that wanted to run down my cheeks. I sighed shakily and pushed up but winced as I looked at the deep gash in my hand, I grunted and got up stumbling slightly.

"You're not hurt are you, baby?" Sasuke said with a smug smirk, I glared at him and looked down.

Kakashi-sensei had already tied both of the enemies to a tree and sent a message to Konoha so they could be brought into custody.

"So … who are they?" Sakura asked.
"Gōzu and Meizu, they're rogue chunin from Kirigakure." Kakashi said and turned his sights to our client. He was staring at the ground guilt covering his whole face. "Tazuna-san, we need to talk." He said seriously.

"What?" He asked.

"When you applied for this mission, you asked for general protection from robbers and highwaymen." Kakashi said. "You said nothing about rogue ninja being after you." He said.

"How do you know they weren't after you?" He defended.

"Because I watched as they attacked, they went for you, not for me or the kids." He said. "And by your reaction just now, you know exactly what I am talking about." We all looked at him, he gulped and sighed.

"Okay. I lied." He said. "But it was for a good cause!" He defended. "My hometown is under control by a dark man who uses thugs, money and drugs taking over lands." He said. "And because he controls the shipping our land is dirt poor and is about to go completely under." He said. "So I decided to take a stand in a different way, to build a bridge that would connect our land with the main land and break the hold he has on us." He said staring at the ground. "So because of this, he is after my head. It took nearly all of our money pooled together just to get this C-rank!" He said.

"This kind of mission is more classified as a B rank if not an A." Kakashi said with a sigh.

"Tazuna-san, we can't do this." Sakura said, I looked at her. "We're only genin. This is out of our capability. And I really think we should go back for Naru's wound." She said, I grunted with a frown and looked at my hand, the blood had completely stained my glove and sleeve.

Tazuna looked to the ground and shook, I looked at my team, Kakashi gave a sigh with a slight eye roll, I gritted my teeth.

"Her hand could become a problem." He said glancing at me. "I guess we have no other choice." He said. I growled quietly and grabbed a kunai from my holster, I slipped my hand from my glove and bit my lip stabbing the kunai blade into my hand.

Sakura cried out with Tazuna, Sasuke jumped slightly and Kakashi blinked in shock, I gritted my teeth panting shaking in pain.

"I'm fine." I growled.

"Are you that stupid?!" Sakura screamed at me, I gave her a nasty glare and looked at the blood gushing from my hand staining my sleeve, I unbuckled the belt around my chest, then unzipped it and shrugged my jacket off and sighed. My hand was swollen and had a purplish color to it, I pulled my pack off and pulled out my medic kit.

Kakashi walked up to me and crouched down. "If you don't clot that you will bleed out." He said and reached to take my hand, I jerked away with a dark glare, I squeezed at the wound before pouring my water on it and drying my hand gently with a towel and awkwardly wrapped it up and tied it tight, I sighed and rubbed the blood from my jacket sleeve. I pulled my jacket back on buckling it shut but left my hand out of the attached glove.

This was a special jacket made for me, it was midnight blue, a mid high collar, long sleeves with attached gloves that I could wear or not, it made down almost to my mid thigh but the front was missing, that ended mid torso it had two red belts on it, one on my hips the other at my chest and zipped up that I left unzipped around my neck. I wore a gray shirt with mesh on the sides and a pair of orange short shorts and spandex shorts under those with knee high silver and black boots.

I got up slowly and pulled my pack back on.

"That was reckless." Kakashi said with a scowl, I looked away and walked past the team.

"Are we going or what?" I asked hotly.

Normal POV

Kakashi scratched his head and sighed quietly. "Sasuke, you're the deciding vote; go home or continue?" He asked looking at the young Uchiha, he frowned and looked down.

"Stay." He said firmly.

"Alright Tazuna-san, we'll continue." Kakashi said, the man sighed in relief and tears pricked at his eyes.

"Thank you all." He said sincerely.

"Let's keep moving." Kakashi said. "Be on guard." He warned, Tazuna walked in the middle.

They reached the coast of fire and looked out at the Kaizoku sea that had a gray look and had thick mist on top of it. "I arranged for a friend to meet us." Tazuna said, in the distant the sound of a boat motor got closer before a small simple boat appeared through the mist and pushed up to the dock.

A middle-aged man sat in the boat, he had short brown hair and wore a pointed straw hat, a long-sleeved gray and black top with the collar upturned, a pair of dark pants and simple sandals.

"Tazuna." He said tipping his hat.

"Kaji." Tazuna replied.

"Let's go." He said looking around worriedly, they climbed in the boat and pushed from shore, he steered them into the thick mist and nearly halfway there he cut the motor pulling out an oar and rowing himself.

"Why turn the motor off?" Sakura asked.

"So we wont be found." He said. "And keep your voices down! I don't want to get caught." He snipped.

"Tazuna-san." Kakashi said quietly, the man looked at him. "You need to tell me everything or else we will drop you off." He said, Tazuna nodded his head.

Naru sat in the front of the boat staring ahead completely blocking out Tazuna and his tale, she looked at her reflection and looked away. 'I'm such a screw up.' She thought and balled her hand into a fist. 'I've got no business being a ninja, freezing like I did, I should be use to people trying to kill me. Why did I have to freeze then? Why then!?' She yelled inwardly. She was pulled from her mental beating by Tazuna's high voice.

"Granddad I want my granddad!" He said, she looked back at the man. "Oh and my daughter will condemn the ninja of Konohagakure, denouncing and blaming you for abandoning her father and will live her life in sorrow." He said, Naru gave a small eye roll.

'The guilt trip.' Naru thought.

"Well, I guess we don't have any other choice, we'll have to keep guarding you." Kakashi said rubbing his head.

"Oh? Thank you very much!" Tazuna said nodding his head and grinning. 'I win!' He thought happily.

"We're almost there." Kaji said. "We're been lucky not to be found yet Tazuna." He said.

"Good." Tazuna nodded.

They looked up in shock at the large bridge that they sailed under. "It's huge." Sakura said.

They broke through the gray, thick mist and came to a small collection of shacks and docks, Kaji pulled up to one and stopped. "This is as far as I go Tazuna." Kaji said, Tazuna nodded his head as he stood on the dock.

"Right, thank you for taking such a risk." He said.

"Just be careful." He said slightly snippy and pulled from the dock turning his motor on and disappearing back into the mist.

"Okay." Tazuna said looking at the team. "Get me home and I mean get me there in one piece!" He ordered, Naru rolled her eyes slightly.

'Bossy old jackass.' Naru thought.

"Right." Kakashi said.

They began their trek through the forest carefully and on high alert. 'The next ninja they send wont be chunin but a jounin, with deadly skills.' Kakashi thought with a frown, his body tense but not obviously so, he looked completely relaxed as his steel gray eyes scanned the area around them carefully.

Naru perked up as a small rustle in the bushes sounded, they froze getting ready, Sasuke had his hand on the kunai holster, Naru sniffed the air and walked up.

"Naru! You idiot!" Sakura hissed, she walked up and pushed the bushes apart and walked in and bent down. She popped back up with a white rabbit in her arms, she smiled scratching it's head.

"It's just a snow rabbit." Naru said, he snuggled against her and she smiled.

"Phew!" Sakura said in relief, Sasuke relaxed and sighed, Kakashi frowned.

'If that's a snow rabbit then why is it's coat white in the spring? This is used for a Kawarimi jutsu.' Kakashi thought and glanced over, he saw a slight glint of metal in the sunlight before the trees rustled a low whistling sounded.

"GET DOWN!" He ordered and tackled Tazuna down, Sakura dropped down and Sasuke crouched, Naru fell forward as a massive broadsword shaped like a butcher knife that had a large hole cut out and a half hole near the end was embedded into the tree right above Naru. Naru looked as a man landed on the blade and stood there, the white rabbit hopped away and disappeared into the brush, Naru looked up at the man above her head.

The man was muscular with pale skin, short spiky black hair, brown eyes and little eyebrows. He wore bandages over his lower face like a mask, he had a hitai-ate that was on sideways on his head that had the Kirigakure symbol on the metal plate. He wore no shirt but had a belt on his chest, a pair of baggy pants with a striped pattern, some wrist warmers that went to his elbows and matching leg warmers and black shinobi shoes.

He looked over his shoulder at her, she whimpered and scrambled backwards, Kakashi stood up and stepped forward.

"Momochi Zabuza." Kakashi said. "Rogue ninja from Kirigakure." He said.

"Hatake Kakashi of the sharingan." Zabuza said back. "It's too bad on your part." He said. "You're going to have the old man over to me." He said looking at Tazuna who grunted in fear stepping back slightly. Naru got up slowly and sighed, Sasuke shifted slightly getting ready, Zabuza snorted. "This is the Konohagakure teams? A bunch of diaper babies." He said and chuckled. "This'll be too easy." He said. Naru balled her fists up and growled quietly.

'No! Not this time! I'm not getting saved this time.' She thought and stepped forward.

"Don't." Kakashi said, she grunted and glared at him. "This is a battle only I can do. You all protect the bridge builder." He said reached to his mysterious left eye that was hidden by his slanted hitai-ate, he pulled it up revealing his eye that had a scar down the middle of it, he opened it and revealed a blood red eye making them grunt.

"Sharingan." Zabuza chuckled. "Now this will be fun." He said.

"Sharingan?" Sakura asked.

"Hm?" Tazuna asked.

"So I get to see the sharingan in action, this is an honor." Zabuza said turning to face the team.

"What is the sharingan?" Tazuna asked.

"It's a rare power that resides in the eyes, the user of this power can understand any genjutsu, ninjutsu and taijutsu and reflect the attack back on the attacker." Sasuke said first. "The sharingan is rare form of power but there is a lot more to it than that." He said. "A lot more."

"You got it right boy." Zabuza said. "But you only scratched the surface, the sharingan an analyze an opponent's technique and copy it down to the tiniest detail." He said. "You are in our bingo books, we were ordered to kill you on sight." Zabuza said looking at Kakashi who glared back. "The man who copied over a thousand jutsu's, Kakashi the Copy ninja." He said.

'How does he have the sharingan? Only my clan has sharingan … could he be …?' Sasuke thought with a deep frown on his face.

"Cool." Naru muttered.

"Quick! Manji formation!"Kakashi barked. "Protect the bridge builder!" He said, they jumped in front of the bridge builder, Sasuke stood in front of him, Naru on his left and Sakura on his right and they had their kunai in their hands.

Kakashi stepped in front of them ready. "So, I gotta fight you first Kakashi? So be it." Zabuza said with a chuckle. He grabbed his blade pulling it from the tree and flipped in the air landed on the water a few feet from the team.

"He's standing on the water!" Sakura cried out in shock, Zabuza closed his eyes and focused.

'Kirigakure no jutsu!' Zabuza thought, the mist gathered around them growing thicker than normal causing Zabuza to completely disappear.

"He's gone." Naru whispered.

"Sensei!" Sakura cried out in fear to the jounin she could barely see.

Kakashi flared his chakra and the mist slightly cleared around them.

"Relax." Kakashi said. "He'll come for me first." He said.

"But … who is he?" Sakura asked.

"Zabuza Momochi, he use to be the leader of the Kirigakure assassination group, he is the master of the sairento kiringu." He said.

"Silent killing?" Naru questioned.

"As the name says, it happens in an instant without sound or warning, it's so fast you pass from this life to the next without knowing what happened." Kakashi said. "The sharingan can not full neutralize it. Do not lower your guard." He warned, they all gulped and looked around the mist.

"Eight points." Zabuza's chilling voice sounded in the mist around them, they looked around.

"What's that?" Sakura asked shaking in fear.

"Larynx, spine, lungs, liver, jugular, subclavian arteries, kidneys, heart … now which will be my kill point?" Zabuza said, they gasped in fear, Naru's legs shook barely keeping her small weight on them.

Sasuke gulped shaking himself as he looked around.

'I feel like I can't breathe!' Sasuke thought. 'One little twitch will make him come to us! I can't stand this feeling! I'd … I'd rather -' Sasuke thought turning his kunai towards himself.

"Sasuke!" Kakashi barked making the genin jump. "Calm down, I'll protect you with my life, I promise." He said. "I wont allow my comrades to die." He said giving a smile over his shoulder, Naru glanced at Sasuke then out at the mist and sighed.

"I wouldn't count on that." Zabuza said, they gasped and turned as the jounin was in between them right in front of Tazuna. Zabuza slammed his blade in the ground and turned towards Tazuna who cried out and stumbled back, Naru sprung into action without thinking, she jumped in front of Tazuna and took Zabuza's foot in her chest, she cried out and knocked Tazuna back and laid on the ground rasping for air.

"Lucky brat." Zabuza spat then grunted as Kakashi stabbed his kunai into his kidney area, Kakashi blinked as water poured from Zabuza's body instead of blood.

Naru POV

I rasped and coughed harshly struggling to get air in my lungs, my body shook and my head was spinning, and my vision had big black and white dots in them. Tazuna laid on the ground before he moved and groaned in pain, I sighed in relief at least I was able to save him this time.

"Sensei behind you!" Sakura screamed, I looked to see Zabuza standing behind Kakashi-sensei, he roared and sliced his huge blade cutting Kakashi clean in half, Zabuza grunted as Kakashi turned into water and reappeared behind Zabuza with a kunai at his throat. I sighed in relief, he was much too good with the whole fake death thing.

I got up finally stumbling slightly and got Tazuna over to Sasuke and Sakura once again, but we watched in horror as Kakashi was tricked by Zabuza again catching him off guard. Maybe I shouldn't of protested to get a harder mission...

Normal POV

"You're fast … but not fast enough!" Zabuza said and appeared behind Kakashi catching him off guard, he let out a roar and went to slice him in half again, Kakashi flipped in the air over Zabuza who snorted and spun around and his foot connected with Kakashi's stomach. Kakashi cried out in pain and sailed through the air like he weighed nothing and hit the water.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naru cried out in shock.

"Hah!" Zabuza said and shot forward, Kakashi shot from the water panting and coughing, he frowned.

'This water is thick, heavy.' Kakashi thought.

"Fool!" Zabuza said appearing behind him, Kakashi gasped and turned.

"No!" Kakashi cursed but couldn't move fast enough, Zabuza ran though hand signs rapidly.

"Suirou no jutsu!" Zabuza said, Kakashi cried out as he was lifted out of the water into a ball of water above it, Zabuza put his hand in the bubble, Kakashi struggled to move but couldn't. "Can't move?" Zabuza mocked. "Heh heh, this is made from water but it's harder than steel." He said. "It's hard to do anything when you can't move." He said. "Now, I will save you for last, I think I'll make you watch as I kill your brats!" He said, Kakashi gasped and growled, he looked at him team they stood shocked that he had been captured.

"Listen to me!" Kakashi barked. "Take the bridge builder and run! You can't win this fight!" He ordered.

"But sensei!" Sakura protested on leaving him behind.

"Forget about me! Run! Your job is to protect Tazuna, not to show how brave you are! Now take off!" He yelled.

Sasuke POV

I frowned as I stared at the captured Kakashi, this Zabuza was no joke, he was fast, skilled and powerful. My frown deepened as Kakashi ordered us to run away! How could he think we'd run? I've had enough of being scared and not face obstacles and demons. First my brother, now this guy? No way was I going to be the scared little boy again I had a goal and nothing was going to stop me, I was an avenger! I let out a quiet growl and stood forwards, I glanced at Sakura who looked terrified. It seemed like it was going to be up to me to do this again. Sakura was terrified and since the dope was useless last time there was a good chance she'd be this time. I blinked as she walked up and stood next to me glared at Zabuza.

"No way." She said, I looked at her shocked. "We're not running." She said, I smirked and looked forward. Maybe she wasn't so useless after all...

Normal POV

"You idiot! I gave you a direct order! Do as I say!" Kakashi snarled to Naru, she gritted her teeth. "Tazuna is the mission!" He said, Naru looked at the bridge builder.

"Old man?" She questioned, he gulped.

"Well …. this all happened cause I'm a liar and cared for my life more... go on! Forget about me! Save your sensei!" He said, Naru smirked and stepped up.

"Hear that? We're coming for ya!" Naru said.

"Pathetic." Zabuza said, Naru gasped as a clone pulled from the water puddle in front of her, he brought his knee up into her stomach, she coughed and shook in pain slumped over his knee, he bucked her up and gave a solid roundhouse kick, she sailed in the air and slammed into the trees on the side and slumped down, Zabuza's close rippled harshly before he stepped back and became solid again.

"Naru!" Sakura cried out.

The clone spotted Naru's hitai-ate on the ground, he walked up and stepped on it smearing it in the mud, Naru watched shaking.

"You're not ninja! You're babies!" Zabuza barked. "You know nothing about being a ninja!" He said and chuckled. "Konoha is such a soft village. When I was young than you all now, I already killed hundreds, I bet you struggle to kill a fly!" He laughed.

Naru growled and twitched trying to get her body to stop shaking, she glanced at Kakashi who was growling in anger, he looked at her then at the team.

'I swore I wasn't gonna be a screw up anymore. I'm a ninja.' She thought and looked at the hitai-ate under Zabuza's foot. 'I have to get an opening and figure out a way to free sensei, he then can take on Zabuza.' She thought and looked around carefully and nodded her head.

"Alright." Naru said and stood up dropping her pack on the ground. "Sasuke!" She called, he looked at her. "D!" She said, he blinked then nodded, she nodded and they ran forward and criss-crossed quickly, Zabuza watched as they jumped in the air flipping over the clone a few times. As they passed over the clone again Naru threw two smoke bombs down and it created a dark gray cloud of smoke around him, Zabuza and Kakashi watched confused and interested.

"Katon: Gokakyu no jutsu!" A large fireball shot out from the smoke and it barreled towards Zabuza and Kakashi, it began to die out which make Zabuza chuckle, he stopped as Naru appeared from the the fire and went to kick at him, he focused and created a new clone. Naru gasped as it grabbed her ankle and spun her around and let her go, she cried out and slammed into a tree and slumped again.

"Pathetic!" Zabuza sneered.

The clone walked towards Naru with it's blade out, Sasuke roared and ran forward and tried to do an upper spinning kick but the clone grabbed him and slammed him to the ground, he cried out in pain and coughed up blood as Zabuza stomped his foot down on his chest.

"You babies can't handle me. But you are entertaining." Zabuza said. The clone reared his foot back and gave a punishing kick to Sasuke's back, he yelled in pain and rolled along the ground and slumped shaking.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura cried out.

"Will you get out of here!" Kakashi snarled. "Leave. Now!" He barked.

Sasuke groaned and sat up slowly and groaned in pain.

"Tagu kage bushin no jutsu!" Sasuke watched as hundreds of Naru's shot from the trees and jumped on the clone covering him, Zabuza's clone spun around knocking all the clones off and they began to disappear.

"Sasuke!" Naru yelled as she skidded back with her pack, she threw a giant shuriken to him, he caught and blinked, he spun around opening the weapon.

"Kage shuriken no jutsu!" Sasuke said, Sakura let out a dreamy cry at her crush.

Sasuke launched in the air and threw the weapon. The clone smirked waiting but blinked as it flew past him and headed to the real Zabuza.

"Very smart, pass the clone and come for me." He said but caught the shuriken with his free hand. "Not smart enough though." He said then blinked as another shuriken flew towards him, Sasuke smirked.

"A second shuriken in the shadow of the first." He said and growled trying to figure out what to do without freeing Kakashi. As the shuriken reached him, he jumped above it.

"It missed!" Sakura cried out, Sasuke smirked still.

A pop sounded behind Zabuza, he and Kakashi turned to see Naru there, she yelled and threw a kunai first that cut Zabuza's cheek then a handful of shuriken, Zabuza dodged then growled in pain as one became embedded in his arm, his blood flowed into the water ball.

"YOU!" He snarled as Naru hit the water and came up coughing, Zabuza ripped his hand out and flew through signs. "Suiton: Daibakufu no jutsu!" He yelled, Naru screamed as the water shot to her and slammed her away, she disappeared under the water with the fast current, Zabuza pulled the giant shuriken back about to throw it towards the location but grunted as Kakashi's hand stopped the blade, he glared at Zabuza who shook in fear staring into Kakashi's red sharingan.

"That's enough." He growled lowly and flung the weapon out of Zabuza's hand and jumped back as they stood across from each other and began a large scale battle.

Naru POV

Everything slowly began to come back to me, I was laying on the ground, I coughed and felt the water I swallowed when I went under come up. I panted and forced my eyes open, I looked at a blurry figure standing on a lower branch above me, I blinked a few times but they were gone. I groaned and sat up slowly, I was in the forest away from the lake but I could heard water splashing and metal clanging. I shifted and cried out in pain as a sharp pain shot through my chest, I unbuckled my jacket and lifted my shirt to see a good size bruise on my chest. I groaned and put my hand on the spot and poured chakra into it from my hand and felt the pain go away. I got up slowly and limped through the trees to the lake, it was thrashing around wildly, I walked along the lake and finally found the team sitting to the side, Sasuke looked pissed off and Sakura looked relieved, she had Sasuke's arm around her shoulder propping him up, Tazuna was sitting on the ground looked relieved, he saw me first.

"There you are." He said, I nodded and looked at Kakashi who sighed.

"Not that I'm not grateful, but from now on all of you, listen to what I say. If I tell you to run, you run. Don't do what you want." He said looked at me and Sasuke. I gritted my teeth and sighed trying to keep myself from yelling at the man. "You could have been killed." He said. "You've grown up a lot, but I mean it. If you do not listen to my orders again there will be consequences." He said. "Am I understood?" He asked.

"Yes sir." Sakura said.

"Hmmph." Sasuke nodded, Kakashi looked at me, I looked down and sighed giving a slight nod.

'You're welcome for me saving your ungrateful ass.' I thought.

"Let's get moving before anyone else shows up." He said, I turned in the opposite direction and got my pack, I picked up my hitai-ate and rubbed the mud from the plaque.

'It's useless.' I thought and headed back to the team. 'It seems no matter what I do, I'll always be a screw up to these people.' I thought bitterly.

I walked behind them silently as we headed to Tazuna's house.