Everyone dropped to the ground at Kakashi’s orders. Sasuke pulled Tazuna down with him. The trio of genin and the man they were protecting watched as a giant blade went spinning past their heads, imbedding itself in a tree. Before they could blink a man dressed in somewhat strange attire was standing on the embedded blade.
“Zabuza of the Mist” Kakashi said, attempting to keep his usual lazy voice.
“Kakashi the copy Ninja” Zabuza replied, staring at the man before continuing “If you just let me kill the bridge builder you and your team would be free to leave” he stated and watched.
“I’m sorry to disappoint, but we’re protecting him” yelled Nami and she stepped forward with a kunai out preparing to attack.
Kakashi resisted the urge to sigh and instead told her “Protect Tazuna, formation D, this man is out of your league.”
Zabuza created a thick mist using a Jutsu and the three genin were left barly able to see in front of their faces. They listened and heard comments on the battle. After a few clashes of blades they heard. “Oh I get to see your Sharingan so soon?” stated by Zabuza, loud enough for the genin to hear. Sasuke raised an eyebrow at this but kept his thoughts to himself. Nami and Sakura wondered what the Sharingan was, although neither asked.
Zabuza appeared between the three genin, poised to kill the bridge builder between then. Before any of the three could do anything more then stare in shock Kakashi had stabbed Zabuza, revealing he was a water clone. Kakashi was then cleaved in half revealing a second water clone.
The three genin froze at the fear caused by the two Jonin fighting. Sasuke nearly stabbed himself luckily Nami slapped some sense into him. They all froze up when the mist cleared revealing Kakashi trapped in a water prison. Zabuza sent yet another water clone to attack, it kicked Nami around a few times then he smirked and stood ontop of her forehead protector. She glared at him, and to everyone’s supprise a wave of killer intent was released by her as she charged and stabbed the clone, dispelling it and picking up her headband. Zabuza sent another water clone towards her and the others, knowing what to expect this time. Nami however put her hands together and formed a group of Kage Bunshins. The real Nami Henged herself into a large collapsed shuriken and hid herself in one of the clone’s backpacks. Said clone stayed back and watched it’s counterparts getting slaughtered.
It decided that moment was the best time to attack and tossed the Shuriken to Sasuke. He realized she was still carrying Kakashi’s pack and instantly knew that she never unsealed it.
Sasuke threw the Henged nami and a shadow shuriken at Zabuza who dogged both and was shocked when Nami released the Henge. She threw kunai at him as she fell into the water and it was enough to make him release Kakashi.
The fight was all downhill from there as Zabuza slowly was beaten back by Kakashi’s copy tactics. He was beaten to the kill however by a Hunter-Nin using Senbon needles.
“I’ve been chasing this missing-nin for weeks” said the masked boy.
Nami surprisingly replied by saying “I could tell, you seem to have his sent on you/”
Kakashi regaurded this but passed out from chakra exhaustion due to overuse of his Sharingan eye.
The group sighed and progressed on to Tazuna’s home. Tazuna carrying the unconscious Kakashi while Sakura carrying the exhausted Nami. Sasuke kept his mouth shut and pondered when the dead last girl of his class became so strong. Sakura attempted to keep the group’s spirits up by chattering on about how they mission clearly was a success.

When Kakashi awoke he noticed three things wrong. One he was alive in a house he had never seen before, now this was of course a minor problem. Two his clothing was neatly stacked in a pile, while missing his Jonin Vest. Three, in said clothing pile was his shirt with the attached mask.
And then he found a fourth problem to add to his list of problems. Sasuke walked into the room and looked at him strangly… then shockingly enough had to hold back from laughing. “Don’t tell me… let me guess, Nami drew on my face didn’t she?” he asked. Sasuke nodded and he shook his head. “Well I was going to teach you all a super cool new technique but now I guess I’ll just have to keep it to myself”

The group had a simple breakfast and after some threats of blackmail and reluctantly handing over a camera with unmasked pictures the three students followed their sensei out into a clearing. They were shocked at their sensei revealing Zabuza was probably alive. The three of them then were more than glad they accepted their sensei’s offer of training.
They all watched with annoyance as he announced “And now I will teach you all… tree climbing.” Following the angry shouts from Nami and Sakura he demonstrated by walking up the tree with his crutches.
The three students all began to practice. Sakura managed on her second try. Nami began to gain distance on Sasuke, until she began blowing herself off the tree on a regular basis. Sasuke eventually walked over and asked Sakura “How did you manage that so quickly?”
She then began a whispered explanation on the subject and Sasuke began walking farther up the tree, although he was displeased the explanation meant he’d have to suffer through a date with Sakura once they returned to Konoha.
Nami found she was falling behind and continued all night. She awoke to a somewhat familiar smell of someone coming into the clearing. She couldn’t place the smell, but she heard a girl say. “You shouldn’t fall asleep out here, you’ll catch a cold” Nami opened her eyes and looked at the young woman in a Kimono. She was around Nami’s age, although probably a year older at least. She couldn’t identify why something smelled familiar on the girl but she noticed the basket of medicinal herbs and assumed it was mixing up her sense of smell.
She helped the girl with herb picking for a while. The girl then asked “Is there someone you hold precious to you?”
“I guess it would be Sasuke… and probably Sakura” then recognition dawned upon her as she looked at the ‘girl’ “You’re that hunter nin aren’t you? You still smell like Zabuza”
“How do you?” he asked
“My nose, I’m probably more of a demon then Zabuza claims he is” she replied, depressing herself somewhat in the process. She now knew what she was, but it didn’t stop all the years of being called a monster from weighing down on her.
“I see… what will you do then?” asked the boy.
“I won’t let you hurt Tazuna, and I heard about this Gato you work for, he supposedly betrayed people before, I’d be careful if I were you” she said, looking at the boy.
“I’ll keep that in mind… but I still have a mission…. I’m haku by the way and I’m a guy” he stated.
“I’m Nami, and I knew that from the moment I recognized you” she said, blushing slightly.
She watched him walk off then noticed Sasuke walking up to the clearing. She looked at him in a dreamy way and was supprised when he helped her up. “Tsunami and Sakura worried about you… and Sakura said she’d let me off that date if I came to get you for breakfast.”
Nami blushed a bit and followed him back to Tazuna’s home. Once there she ate breakfast and looked at Kakashi. He got the massage and went outside to wait for her. She explained what had happened to him and then rushed off to continue tree climbing with Sasuke.

After a few nights Kakashi felt in fighting shape and he noticed his two remaining students had managed to get the tree climbing exercise. He had also hopped Sakura practicing a chakra building exercise would help her catch up to the other two. It was strange how little chakra she had for how precise her control was.
He hoped his training would be enough, although he was left to wonder how bad the situation they were in would become. He could fight Zabuza one on one as long as he had the Sharingan for his advantage. But he was worried about his students. If they had to face the Hunter-Nin with the level of skill they had displayed before it clearly would be a blood bath. ‘I can’t lose another team like that’ he thought to himself. Obito’s sacrifice quickly came to mind, and how he had never seen Rin after the nine tails attacked and their sensei Sacrificed himself to save the village.
‘I need to keep those thoughts out of my mind… if I don’t I’ll hate and ignore Nami just like the villagers’ he thought to himself and looked at the sky from Tazuna’s roof. “Tomorrow’s the day he’ll appear” he whispered to the night sky and attempted to rest somewhat while keeping alert enough to keep watch.