Twin Snowflakes

By Matrix

Ice. It was everywhere. Haiita searched the rubble of what was once her home, looking for her parents, looking for her twin. They weren't there, nowhere amongst the shattered wood and solid ice spikes. She circled around the back and saw two mounds of freshly fallen snow, two thrown-together crosses marking the graves. On the crosses, two circlets of flowers hung, signifying that the graves were her parents, As it all hit, Haiita dropped to her knees in the snow. From then on, no one noticed the orphaned girl.

No one paid any attention to the 7 year old walking alone and cold down the nearly deserted streets of Kirigakure.
For 6 years, she wandered, alone, looking for her twin.

"I think Master Zabuza will like these, what do you think, Orimi? "the boy asked his bunny. The rabbit twitched it's nose and sat back on it's haunches, it's front paws close to it's chest. Haku smiled, continuing his search for wild flowers and herbs. A rustle in the leaves further back in the trees startled him. Orimi hopped over and hid in Haku's basket.

"Who's there?" Haku called. It raised it's head, the forehead and eyes visible. The eyes were dark brown, just like his. Haku watched, seeing that this must be a girl. "It's okay, I won't hurt you," he said, but the girl whimpered and stepped back into slightly darker shadows.
"Haiita! Come now Haiita!" said a snake-like voice from a little ways down the forest path. "Coming Sensei!" shouted the girl, popping up out of the bushes. Haku looked at her, and noticed that she looked just like him. "Haiita?" he said, staring at her in surprise. Haiita stopped and looked back at him.
Haku watched as her lips started to form his name but the snake-like voice came again and she ran off towards it. "Haiita," he said, having not heard that name in 6 years. "I love you, Onii-san," he could hear Haiita saying so long ago in a house that no longer existed.
"We have to find her, Master Zabuza!" Haku said, almost tearful. Zabuza sighed, "Why Haku, what importance does this girl have to you?" he asked. Haku lowered his eyes and spoke quietly, "She's my twin sister."

Zabuza's eyes widened, "Alright Haku, well find your sister for you, I promise." he replied. Haku beamed and bowed low. "Thank you Master Zabuza!" he said as he bounced off.

"You should not keep me waiting, Haiita, I don't like waiting." hissed Orochimaru with his hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry sensei, I... I got my foot stuck in some weeds." she replied. Orochimaru took a good look at her and shook his head. "You're lying, Haiita, tell me the truth." he said. Haiita stopped arranging her poison senbon and sat back on her heels, head down. "I saw someone, he looked like me, he knew my name. I think he was my twin brother Haku, but I figured he was dead." she said.

Orochimaru watched her thoughtfully as she resumed her tedious work. "Is there any chance you may want to find him?" he asked, watching as she stiffened and slowly turned to look at him. "Would you really do that, sensei?" Haiita asked, eyes brighter than Orochimaru had ever seen. Orochimaru thought for a moment then nodded, a smirk dancing on his lips. Haiita smiled and hugged him.

"Haiita!" Haku called repeatedly through the woods, hoping for any little noise. Off in a clearing he saw a little ember of a fire and what looked like a tent. "Master Zabuza, look!" Haku called, making Zabuza look up from the bush he was looking behind. Haku pushed through the leaves, seeing the small campground with one tent and an almost burned out fire. He saw what looked to be only one adult asleep in the tent.

He made to step closer but was stopped by a needle landing in the ground in front of him. He looked up and saw someone sitting in the trees, who stood from their crouching position and held one hand over their chest, needles pointing from between each finger. Haku's eyes adjusted to the shadows and he saw a kimono like his only it was black and red and the person had on an Anbu mask, one in the shape of a cat with blue stripes. "What are you doing here? Speak or die." the masked person said, standing as still as a statue. "I'm looking for my twin sister, Haiita." Haku replied, watching as the Nin above him stiffened and jumped down out of the tree, landing directly in front of him.
The Nin stood, silent, in front of Haku then, slowly, reached up and pulled the mask from her face. Haiita and Haku watched each other, silent. "Haiita," Haku muttered, "Haku," Haiita said, hugging her brother. Zabuza came through the brush and watched the two, seeing that Haku wasn't lying when he said that they were twins. Orochimaru appeared from the tent, surveying the scene.
"Haiita?" He said, causing the siblings to turn and look at him. He was taken aback by the clones standing before him. "This must be your brother." Orochimaru commented. Haiita nodded, unaware that like before they were separated, she was holding Haku's hand.

As the morning wore on, Haku and Haiita talked about what had happened, how their parents got killed, and what they did after being separated. Orochimaru and Zabuza sat by and watched the young siblings while sipping tea. For the next few weeks, Haku and Haiita saw each other every day. After about the first month, they started growing apart, Haiita was traveling to Konoha and the sound village a lot and Haku stayed with Zabuza in Kirigakure.
For 2 more years, they saw less and less of each other, but still enjoyed the time the could be together. A day came where Haiita was allowed to take a trip alone to Kirigakure and visit Haku. She decided to take the new bridge they were building and hoped it would get her there faster. As she came upon the bridge, she heard a commotion and saw a crowd of people. She started picking her way through the band of rough looking characters.
When she broke through the crowd, she watched a scene that broke her resolve instantly. Haiita watched as Gato looked down at someone on the ground and kicked him in the face. She recognized him as her brother, Haku. Tears welled up in her eyes as she ran across the bridge, blindly yelling her twin's name. She dropped to her knees next to him and put her arms around him.
She felt how limp and cold he was and cried into his chest, saying his name over and over again. "Haku, please, please don't leave me, please don't be dead, please come back!" She cried, her head buried in his chest. "Master Zabuza, please do something, he can't be dead!" she cried, but Zabuza just shook his head. "He's gone, Haiita-chan, he's not coming back, there's nothing we can do." he replied, not looking at her.

Haiita stayed there the whole time Zabuza fought Gato, the whole time the villagers fought his goons. She reluctantly got up when Kakashi helped Team 7 pick up the bodies and bury them. Haiita stayed by the graves for hours, praying and crying. Finally, as it got to be morning again, she left, leaving her mask hanging on Haku's cross.