I would like to begin by thanking my wife whitemagicpagan and my beta Zore for their help in creating this. Without them this would never see the light of day as I do not feel particularly proud of my grasp of English grammar.
Disclaimer: Though it should be obvious. I do not own Naruto. Rest assured that if I did, Madara's explanation to Sasuke about the past would include his admission of "Sasuke. " Insert thematic heavy breathing here "I am your father's cousin's mother's friend's roommate." Immediately followed by him waking back up in Konoha and thinking about what a strange dream he had.
Prologue- The Great Naruto Bridge
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Haku turned swiftly as an inhuman growl reached his ears. His breath caught in his throat as he saw an orange-clad figure rise to all fours, a faint metallic clink echoing loudly as senbon sprayed from the body. The figure lifted its head to reveal the face of a demon. Red-slitted eyes caught Haku's own and killing intent, greater than any Haku had felt before, exploded into being. His opponent no longer looked like a comical caricature of a ninja, and with a disturbing certainty Haku knew he was about to die.
Even through his ice mirror Haku could feel the pressure of his opponent's chakra bearing down all around him. The sheer weight of its power made the boy wish to run away and the malignancy churned his stomach. Still though, he held his ground. Zabuza-san was counting on him. Haku would rather die than let Zabuza-san down. The ice user readied himself for the attack that was sure to come.
Naruto-kun didn't disappoint. With a roar that could terrify even the most hardened of shinobi and a speed that matched Haku on his best day he charged at Haku's mirror. Almost on reflex Haku threw three of his senbon at the quickly approaching genin. With the speed of his throw and the rate that his opponent was going, the needles were certain to pepper his face. He watched as the needles sped towards their target. It seemed like Naruto-kun was just going to take the hit and keep coming until the blond yelled.
Haku could feel the yell, something that should not have been possible. The force of the blond genin's scream of rage knocked the senbon right out of the air and continued forward to buffet Haku's ice mirror. Worse yet, Naruto-kun was still coming. In an instant Haku disappeared from the mirror he was in and reappeared in another one above and behind Naruto-kun. His orange clad opponent skidded to a halt at the last second in front of the mirror Haku had inhabited a second ago. Haku watched for a moment as his opponent searched with his eyes for the ice user. Well, if coming from straight at him did not work, then maybe an attack from all sides would.
Haku's form shimmered into being in all of the surrounding mirrors. They reared back and tossed their handful of senbon with all of their might, turning their opponent into a human pincushion just like he had been before. Naruto staggered under the attack for a moment as his body was hit and pierced all over with the needles. He bent over for a second as though to catch his breath and then came up with another scream.
Like before the senbon were forcibly shot from the blond genin's body as it healed itself. This time though the power kept on going outward as a shock wave that cracked several of the ice mirrors and destroyed the clones within all of them. Haku was busy trying to ride out the shock wave when he looked up and saw Naruto almost right in front of him.
The possessed blond easily punched through the mirror that Haku was inhabiting, shattering it into hundreds of pieces. Haku had barely managed to teleport out of the mirror before it shattered. If he had been one second slower he would have shattered with it. Choosing to act rather than dwell on that thought Haku reappeared in one of the shards of the broken mirror that had flew above Naruto.
He shot out of the mirror at a downward angle in an attempt to get the drop on his opponent. His senbon were clutched tightly in his hand and his arms were placed so as to put maximum force behind the needles upon contact. It was a brilliant maneuver designed to thrust Haku's needles through his opponent's skull and into the back of the boy's brain. It was an instant kill technique that had proven effective many times in the past. Naruto merely jumped and corkscrewed out of the way at the last second.
Haku was truly feeling scared now. Every one of his techniques had thus far proven ineffective against Naruto-kun. The boy was faster, stronger, and more powerful than any foe the ice user had ever faced before. But he still could not back down and flee. He could not abandon Zabuza-san to fight both Kakashi and Naruto-kun alone. Haku had absolute faith that Zabuza-san could beat the copy-cat nin, but Naruto was another story.
Haku was already up and turning to retreat into another mirror as he thought through this. He was interrupted by an iron grip on his wrist. His heart sank as he realized that he could not break free. The next thing Haku knew was pain all over his body as Naruto screamed again and the boy's red chakra exploded outward. Haku felt as if his entire body were on fire and his chakra coils were being ripped apart. The shock wave hit his ice mirrors and they cracked some more, some of them broke and fell in pieces to ground.
His arm shaking from the pain, Haku raised it up in front of him and made a half ram seal. Instantly the pain lessened to a bearable level. Haku held back a sigh of relief, a few more seconds and his chakra coils would have burst and killed him. His relief was short lived however when he noticed Naruto cocking his fist back for what was sure to be the hardest punch Haku had ever felt. The ice user was checkmated, he couldn't move away and he couldn't move his arm to block without losing the effect of the ram seal. All he could do was take the hit.
The punch sent Haku flying into the air and through his ice mirrors. They shattered into pieces behind him as he continued to sail a little further before crashing into the ground. His body instinctively tried to roll so as to lessen the impact and he came to rest ten feet from where his body had touched down. His mask cracked as he began to stand and as he looked towards his opponent he noticed the blond boy merely standing there with his head down. Haku's ice mirrors shattered and exploded all around Naruto. Haku shivered as Naruto looked up at him and charged forward once again.
Haku's mask fell to pieces from his face and he stood there and waited for the finish. He had failed Zabuza-san. He was truly no match for Naruto-kun. Haku would have hung his head in shame but was determined to watch his final moments. Naruto-kun was within feet of the ice user, his hand cocked back and splayed out to show the cruel looking claws that his fingernails had become. It appeared that Haku would be slashed to death.
The remains of his mask fell from his face and Haku could only stare in confusion at Naruto. The blond haired genin and stopped himself with inches of delivering the final blow. Naruto's fist shook right in front of the baffled ice user's face for a moment before the Leaf genin let is slowly drop to his side. Naruto looked up and Haku saw that his face was normal again. The red eyes had turned back to blue, the fangs gone, the whiskers once again mere silly looking markings. Haku did not understand what was going on. Why hadn't Naruto-kun finished it?
Haku was broken from his thoughts by the sound of Naruto speaking as though he didn't understand something. "You're the guy from before."
The ice user responded in a flat, emotionless tone with the only thing that could come to his mind. "Why did you stop? I killed an important friend of yours, but you cannot kill me?"
His words seem to jump start the blonde's rage for a moment as he growled and let loose a haymaker punch to Haku's jaw. It wasn't anywhere near the force of Naruto's previous punch but still served to be enough to knock Haku to the ground and make him spit blood. Haku dragged himself back to his feet slowly. Just because that last punch was weaker than before didn't mean the ice user was any less beaten.
"Where did that energy of yours go? You can't defeat me like that." Haku told Naruto matter-of-factly as he continued to get up. He wiped his chin of the remaining blood and his tone turned questioning. "Wasn't he an important person to you?"
Naruto could only look on in confusion. He had never had an opponent that seemed to want to be beaten. It went against everything anyone had ever taught him about fighting. Seeing the confusion written on his opponent's face, Haku decided to explain himself.
His voice took on a sad tone "Have you ever known the pain of not having a dream? Of not being needed by anyone?"
"What the hell are you talking about?!" Naruto asked his question in a confused yell.
"Zabuza-san does not need a weak ninja. In defeating me, you have stolen my reason to exist." Haku continued in a depressed tone, his face a mask of misery for a moment before breaking into a fake smile.
Naruto's face turned from confused to angry as his mind processed what Haku was saying. The ice user wanted Naruto to kill him because he saw himself as no more use to that eyebrow-less freak.
"Why? Why do you fight for that guy? He fights for the wrong people and does evil things! How can he be important to you?!" Naruto began his rant quietly, for him at least, and finished in another full blown yell.
"I had other people that were important to me once long ago. My parents." Haku stated wistfully before continuing on and explaining his story to Naruto. "I was born in a small village in Water Country, where the snow piled up deep. We were farmers and very poor, but my mother and father were happy with it. I was a happy child with kind parents. That all came to a stop one day."
Haku stopped to gather his thoughts and as usual Naruto's impatient nature got the better of him. "What?! What happened?!"
Haku stared forward as though not really seeing anything and answered in a flat tone. "My father killed my mother and tried to kill me."
Naruto stared at his opponent in shock. "What?!"
"The Country of Water has experienced many civil wars and most of them were due to clans with Bloodline Limits. They grew to be hated and seen throughout the country as harbingers of disaster and war. Eventually the families hid their abilities and lived on in secret. My mother was one of those people. She kept her abilities secret from my father and must have believed that an ordinary life could be lived."
Haku took a breath before continuing his story. "But my father found out about our secret. He gathered a group of men together and they killed my mother while I was out gathering water. I came home and they attacked me. I remember blacking out when my father hit me with a staff. When I came too I realized I had killed my father and the men with him. It was after that I realized the most painful thing one can feel."
Haku paused again and Naruto took the opportunity to ask the obvious question. "The most painful thing one can feel?"
"The feeling that you are not needed by anyone in this world." Haku stated his answer in the same flat tone he had used to tell his story.
With a shocked expression Naruto realized that he and Haku were more alike than he could have imagined. They both had felt the same pain and hopelessness of knowing that no one needed them. No one had cared for them. They were truly alone in every sense of the word.
"You said to me, I want to become the number one ninja in my village, and make everyone recognize me." Haku quoted back to the blond genin. "When someone appears that accepts you from the bottom of their heart, they become the most important person to you. Zabuza-san knew that I was from a Bloodline Limit family and he accepted and raised me anyway. He wanted my ability."
Haku paused again for a moment as the memories overwhelmed him. When he spoke again his voice was choked and a small smile found its way to his face. "I was happy again."
Haku stared at the ground for a moment and his next statement was spoken quietly to himself. "I'm sorry Zabuza-san, but I could not be the tool that you wanted." The ice user walked calmly up to Naruto. "Please Naruto-kun. Kill me."
Naruto was stunned speechless for a moment before backing up and beginning to yell passionately. "I can't believe that stupid story! Weapon? Tool? This is your important person? How can you be okay with that?!
Haku answered Naruto's passionate arguments with his own quiet ones. "Zabuza-san had hopes for me. He needed me. But I have lost my purpose and Zabuza-san will no longer need me. That's why I'm asking you this." Haku stared into Naruto's eyes for a second. "Now please hurry."
Naruto wanted to argue, to yell at the ice user. He wanted to scream at him that it didn't have to be like this. That he could find other reasons to exist than merely being strong for Zabuza. One look at Haku's face though and Naruto knew that it would do him no good. Haku's mind was set.
The leaf genin closed his eyes and his face took on an anguished look as he replied. "If I had met you somewhere else, we might have been friends."
A true smile graced the beautiful boy's features. "I know we would have Naruto-kun."
Naruto opened his eyes and caught Haku's. The ice user nodded and Naruto nodded back. Then he drew a kunai and rushed in with an anguished yell to deliver the final blow. Haku watched for a second and then dropped his eyes and spoke quietly to himself. "Thank you Naruto-kun. I am sure you will become strong."
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Meanwhile, a little further up the bridge, Momochi Zabuza wasn't faring any better. In truth things were going fine up until that disgusting chakra had appeared. He worried for Haku but knew that attempting to go help him would only result in him getting found and cut down by Kakashi. No, he had to leave Haku to deal with whatever the hell that thing was. He could only hope that the ice user was capable enough.
The real problem for Zabuza was Kakashi. Mere seconds after the chakra had made an appearance he heard Kakashi speaking to him. "I'm sorry Zabuza. I know this probably goes against your nature but I need to cut this short. This next move will determine this battle."
Zabuza smiled underneath his bandages. He hadn't moved a muscle since his last attack from the mist and was using his ears to track Kakashi. The arrogance of his opponent astounded him. Kakashi couldn't even find him; much less deliver a decisive strike right now. He decided to humor his opponent.
"Interesting. But what can you do in this situation? Show me Kakashi." Zabuza called out from his hiding spot in the mist.
Out of nowhere, a pack of huge wild dogs had burst out of the ground and bit down into the former Mist Nin, holding him in place. He was completely restrained and couldn't move so much as an inch.
Kakashi spoke calmly as he came closer. "If I can't find you with my eyes or ears then I just have to use my nose. My cute little ninken tracked you by the scent of my blood on your sword." The copy Nin paused for a minute. "The mist has cleared. Your future is death."
"I don't care about your bluffs." Zabuza retorted.
Kakashi interrupted his opponent before he had the chance to continue. "Don't act so tough! There is nothing you can do in this situation. Your death is certain."
Kakashi let that last comment hang in the air as he did three quick hand seals and brought his right hand up while braced with his left. Chakra began to visibly collect in a circle around his body and then into his right hand before immediately turning into electricity. "Raikiri!" the copy-cat Nin yelled.
"This is my first original jutsu. In these circumstances there is absolutely no chance of you surviving it. I'll say it again Zabuza, give up." Kakashi spoke quietly with absolute certainty in the outcome should his opponent refuse to surrender.
"I have fought for my ideals." Zabuza stated back at him. "And that won't change in the future either."
"Your future is death." With that the copy-cat ninja charged forward.
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Haku noticed the surge in Kakashi's chakra signature and its movement as Naruto came at him. It seemed he could still be of use to Zabuza-san. At the last second before Naruto stabbed his kunai through Haku's heart, the ice user caught his hand and held it in place. The blond genin struggled against Haku to no avail.
"I'm sorry Naruto-kun. But I cannot die just yet." Haku stated calmly while quickly running through a series of half seals with his free hand. He disappeared in a flurry of ice.
Out of nowhere an ice mirror appeared between Kakashi and the subdued Zabuza. Haku appeared out of it to guard Zabuza with his body. It all happened to quickly for even Kakashi to react and the next instant his Raikiri shot through the boy's chest and blew up his heart. With the last of his strength Haku grabbed onto Kakashi's arm before he could pull away. His grip stayed true even in death, effectively rooting Kakashi into place and allowing Zabuza a chance to strike.
As soon as the ninken disappeared, Zabuza attempted to do exactly that. He brought his sword up and out to allow for more momentum and then brought it forward in an attempt to cut his opponent in half. Unable to escape on his own due to the dead boy's grip, Kakashi grabbed hold of his corpse and back flipped away with it to safety. Gently he laid the body down onto the ground and then leapt back into the fight.
The rest of the fight was short and brutal, with Kakashi quickly taking the upper hand against the weakened ex Mist Nin. Zabuza fought as skillfully as ever but it was clear that the bites he had received from the ninken had taken their toll. He was visibly slower than before and his reaction time not nearly as fast as before.
Despite Zabuza's best efforts in only a few short minutes he had kunai sticking out of his left arm and Kakashi behind him ready to stick two more in his neck. Zabuza reared back in a hurry, trying to cut Kakashi with the top edge of his blade. The copy Nin adapted and stuck the kunai in his opponent's right arm instead, rendering them both useless. Zabuza's massive sword went flying out of his hand and he was left defenseless.
Zabuza's employer Gatou chose that moment to make an appearance on the battlefield along with a large gang of thugs. He began to gloat and tell of his plan to use the two groups of ninja to kill each other and save him from having to pay Zabuza for killing Tazuna. He arrogantly strode forward to Haku's body during his speech. Upon reaching it he looked down with a sickening smile.
"Oh yes. I owe this guy a favor." Gatou said with that smile still etched on his features. "For gripping my hand until it broke."
He suddenly reared his foot back and kicked the dead boy viciously in the head. Then he lifted his cane and put it on the boy's face and rested it there. The effect was a parody of a hunter's trophy picture. It was a sickening display of disrespect to the dead shinobi and one that nearly drove the recently calmed down Naruto back into a rampage. Without even knowing it, he began to tap into the Kyuubi's power again to attack the fat little man and his thugs. Only Kakashi's timely intervention stopped him.
"Stop! Don't move so carelessly baka!" Kakashi yelled at him as he tried to hold the boy back.
Naruto shook him off and began yelling at Zabuza. Wasn't Haku his companion? Didn't he feel anything about what Gatou had just done?
In truth it was the end of Gatou. The bastard just didn't know it yet. The moment that he kicked and defiled Haku's dead body, his fate was sealed. In truth, Zabuza had been planning on killing the little man anyway both as a matter of course and for the betrayal. The disrespect to the Mist demon's only companion was what finally broke his patience.
"I said this before brat. We ninja are just tools. I wanted his abilities, not him. Just as Gatou was using me, I was using Haku. I have no regrets." Zabuza explained this levelly, but a false note crept into his voice at the end.
"He sacrificed his life for you! And you really think nothing of him?!" Naruto's voice cracked and tears poured from his eyes and down his face.
"You were his world! His most important person! He couldn't even see his own dream! All he could see was yours!" The boy's voice was beginning to become hoarse from yelling and a sob escaped him before he could continue. "Dying as a tool is just not right. He deserved better!"
Unknown to the blond genin, he had struck a chord with the ex Mist jounin. Zabuza found himself agreeing with the brat. Living as a tool was no way to live at all. That was the reason he had left Kiri in the first place. He had his own dream and was sick of living as a tool for others ends. The realization that he had treated Haku in the same way that he himself refused to be treated anymore sickened him.
"Kid." Naruto stopped in his rant to look at the ex Mist Nin. "Not another word. You're right." Zabuza managed to choke the words out with tears coming to his eyes. He chewed away the bandages covering his face and looked back towards the boy who was also crying. "Ninja are human too. They cannot become emotionless weapons anymore than anyone else can."
With that said, he turned back towards Gatou and his men. "Kid, give me your kunai."
Naruto glanced at him before pulling a kunai from his leg holster and tossing it in Zabuza's direction. The Demon of the Hidden Mist caught it in his mouth and immediately began to rush towards Gatou. He fought tooth and nail through the greedy businessman's lackeys, receiving many grievous wounds in his quest for his former employer. His body looked like a pincushion of swords, knives, spears, and other weapons by the time he reached the fat little man. Zabuza's eyes gleamed in manic delight at the look of fear on Gatou's face. Then he tossed his head to slice through the little man's throat and kicked the corpse from the bridge.
Truly, Gatou could not have asked for a better escort into hell.
With his task complete, Zabuza let the kunai drop from his mouth and attempted to limp his way back to Haku's prone form. The boy had a peaceful look on his face, as if he were sleeping. If not for the grievous wounds and the absence of breath, one would think that was exactly what the boy was doing. Zabuza knew that he too was dying, his wounds were too numerous and serious for him to survive. Try as he might he no longer had the strength to reach Haku's body.
The dramatic scene was interrupted by what was left of Gatou's mob threatening to kill Team Seven and then begin ransacking the town. As per usual, Naruto immediately began to make a scene. He began yelling at Kakashi about having a technique that could take out the group in one hit. The jounin calmly responded in the negative.
The band of thugs was dissuaded from their course of action by Inari showing up with the rest of the village armed for battle. His confidence in the situation restored, Naruto quickly made a group of Kage Bunshin to help. Kakashi no longer had enough chakra to be able to duplicate his blond subordinate's feat but used the Bunshin technique for a bluff. It worked and the mob of thugs quickly fled to a nearby boat. They were never heard of in Wave Country again.
With the final threat neutralized, Kakashi's attention once again went to the fallen Zabuza whom he sensed was still hanging onto life. Kakashi didn't know any medical techniques to save him, but he knew from past experiences that no one wanted to die alone.
"Looks like it's over." The Mist ninja managed to say after brief silence.
Kakashi paused and sighed. "Yeah."
"Kakashi, I have a favor to ask." Zabuza spoke almost too quietly to hear.
"What is it?" The copy nin asked softly.
Zabuza barely managed to gasp out his next statement and Kakashi had to lean his head a little closer to the dying man to hear. "I" Zabuza seemed to struggle with what he wanted to say. "I want to see his face."
Kakashi's normal eye began to water a little as he reached up and pulled his hitai-ite back over his right eye. "Sure."
The feared copy-cat ninja gently picked up the former Demon of the Bloody Mist and carried his body over to that of Haku to spend his last breaths. Despite the season, snow began to fall as Zabuza was carried those last steps that he could not make on his own. Zabuza looked in wonder as the snow fell around them all. Haku was crying for him.
After a few more steps Zabuza was laid down next to the body of his friend. He looked to his side and saw the peaceful visage of the boy he raised. "We've been together all this time. It's only fitting that I die next to you."
Noticing that Kakashi was about to walk away he called out one last time while he still had the strength to raise his voice. "Kakashi." Hatake Kakashi stopped mid step and listened. "The blond brat. I want to speak with him."
The copy Nin seemed to think for a moment before quietly nodding his head and calling out to Naruto. "See what he has to say Naruto." The boy nodded and walked over to the two missing nin.
Zabuza gave a small smile upon seeing Naruto's face. "You've got a strong heart brat. That much is certain. You're going to need more than that though if you are going to avoid being a tool for others." The boy looked at him in confusion, causing Zabuza to chuckle and then wince from the pain brought on from moving.
"You are a shinobi boy." The former Mist Nin growled. "No matter what you do there will be those who will attempt to use you for their own ends. You will need to become far stronger than even Haku and I to keep them from succeeding."
Naruto nodded, understanding beginning to show on his face. "But." The blond looked to Zabuza questioningly. "How?"
Zabuza grinned, showing his sharp shark-like teeth. "I can still help a little with that."
The boy looked at him with pure confusion written on his face. "How? You're about to die."
The boy's statement caused Kakashi to practically face-fault on his way back to Sakura holding Sasuke's body. Zabuza merely frowned at the idiot. Truly the blond genin was as sharp as a blunt ax.
"My sword you baka." Zabuza growled. "Take Kubikiri Houcho and use it to fulfill your own dreams. Use it and make yourself into a strong shinobi. One that is not a tool for others desires."
Naruto stared down at the ex Mist jounin. "I don't understand. Why are you giving me your sword?"
Zabuza looked at the boy and realized that for once the easy answer wasn't going to work. Naruto was seeking to know the real reason why the ex Mist jounin would give him something as precious of Kubikiri Houcho even on the verge of death. "Your words brat. To put it simply, you and I have a lot in common. Neither you nor I ever wished to be a tool to others. I failed though, I grew arrogant in my powers and forgot my original ideals. I used Haku throughout his life and was used in turn by Gatou."
Zabua stopped for a moment to take a gasping breath. One of those bastard thugs had caught him in the lung with a katana. "I failed, but you still have a chance to succeed. Your youth gives you the chance to learn from the mistakes of people like me. So take the blade brat, and use it achieve your dreams in my place."
A tear slipped down Naruto's cheek as he nodded. Zabuza gave the boy a small smile and motioned with his eyes for him to leave and go get the blade. Naruto slowly walked away and Zabuza turned his head to look towards Haku. The end of the Demon of the Bloody Mist's life was spent speaking softly to his one companion throughout the years.
Naruto left the two missing Nin to try and retrieve the Kubikiri Houcho. In truth he had no idea how to even begin wielding the blade. It was massive and he was admittedly rather small. Actually the sword was a good foot or so taller than he was and he was sure that it weighed close to the same as he did. He though that he could probably lift it, but doing so would take a good portion of his strength and a little bit of chakra too. Not to mention that it was likely that if he did get the sword up, the weight was likely to overbalance him and make him fall. He was pulled from his thoughts by a cry from Sakura.
Sakura was probably crying over Sasuke's body. Naruto resolved that he should go help her first. Kubikiri Houcho wasn't likely to go anywhere and it wasn't like anybody on the bridge other than Kakashi had the strength to lift it. His head still bowed, Naruto began to think about Sasuke. Despite their rivalry Naruto had never held anything against the raven haired boy. Oh he wanted to take him down a peg or two but never anything like actual physical harm, and certainly not death. He let out a sigh as he heard Sakura make another sound. Truly Naruto was not looking forward to trying to console Sakura.
He lifted his head to call out to the pink haired girl and was greeted with the sight of Sakura helping their teammate up to his feet. Naruto blinked, and then blinked again. Then he rubbed his eyes and took another good long look. No, his eyes weren't deceiving him. Sasuke really was alive. Haku had only made it appear as though the genius rookie was dead. Tears sprang back to his eyes and he called out to them and waved.
Sakura waved back quickly with exclamations that Sasuke was alive and well enough considering his condition. Sasuke merely stood there and seemed to sulk a little at the circumstances. Naruto chuckled a little inwardly as he realized that Sasuke's pride had probably taken a hit from his defeat and Naruto being up and about before he was. Right then though the blond haired genin couldn't care less. He ran forward to check with the rest of Team Seven including Kakashi-sensei to see that they were all alright. Kubikiri Houcho lay where it was for the moment as Naruto looked to his own precious people. Now was the time to celebrate their victory and their lives. There would be time to gather the blade and deal with the fallen later.