[X] "Haruno"
"Haruno." You rasp out, keenly aware of your fragility in that moment. Zabuza mulled that over for a moment before dropping you to the ground.
"Haku," He snaps, and the dome of mirrors surrounding Raiza disappear. A beautiful young girl appears next to Zabuza, staring at you neutrally. "We're leaving. The mission was a failure."
You get up slowly and stumble your way to your team. Sasuke looked pale and sickly while Raiza looked like a porcupine as she painfully pulled out senbon. Kabuto had woken up the other girl and sent her off. She was sniffling tears as she passed you.
Zabuza smirked at the sight of your team together. "Better hope you're not entering the chuunin exams this year with that lot, Yakushi. Pathetic."
And then they were gone.
---
Kabuto sensei healed your wrists and Raiza's wounds, but lectured you at length about not retreating to your jounin sensei and that there was no shame in retreating against a stronger enemy. Team Minato showed back up shortly after Zabuza's team disappeared, looking worse for wear but overall intact. Obito had hugged Sasuke, much to his surprise, worried that such a strong opponent like Zabuza had appeared against his cousin.
Sasuke had seemed ashamed though. You guessed it had to do with his performance. You didn't blame him for freezing up against the killing intent, you had barely thrown it off yourself, but you didn't know what to say that wouldn't bring it up or make the situation worse. Fortunately Kabuto sensei quietly talked to Sasuke along the way home and his face cleared up a little.
Nothing else happened after Zabuza's assault fortunately. Rika bowed to all of you gratefully after you got her inside Konoha and thanked you for saving her life, before being whisked away by Sarutobi servants to be fed. You were glad to see the pay voucher of 15000 ryo, that some good had come out of the mission, but Raiza, who had been quiet the entire time, spoke up before Kabuto sensei disbanded the team for rest.
"Kabuto sensei ... are you going to sign us up for the chuunin exams?" She asked, pensively.
Kabuto sensei's perpetual smile twitched. "Ah. That. Well it's a little early to be thinking about that. It's in two months ..."
"That's soon in my opinion." She argued, before folding her arms and looking at him pointedly.
He sighed. "Well they're holding it in Iwa which isn't too bad ..."
What do you say?
[X] I want to go for it!
[X] I want to train some more before the next exam.
[X] Write In