Disclaimer; I Do Not Own Naruto
Summary; Naruto reflects on the lesson he learned at the bridge as a Genin. One-shot. WARNING! Spoiler alert.
His movement was so fast there was no possible way for Kakashi to stop his Chidori anyway. Preforming hand signs with only a single hand was a supposed to be a impossible feat, but his skill allowed him to make an ice-mirror just as Kakashi pulled his chakra infused fist back for his final, devastating blow.
It was difficult to see the blood at first, the Chidori strike caused everything to be a mess of confusion. There was only a flash of pure, blinding chakra and the splatter that could have be mistaken as the water that pooled around their feet. But after the pulse caused by the power of the blow had passed, all that remained was his impaled body.
Haku was dead.
Kakashi stared in absolute shock, it was clear he had not meant to hit the boy who now stood before him. He froze as Haku's blood splatted across his face and spilled in a grotesque pool at their feet. His loyally summoned dogs disappeared in poofs of smoke, releasing Zabuza from the grip that was intended to be his last. The Chidori was still blazing as Zabuza finally realized that the boy had taken the blow that was meant for him. And it still rang in their ears as the rest of them saw his tall form slump against Kakashi's fist.
It seemed, he was not yet dead. In a last act of loyalty, Haku grasped Kakashi's wrist with both of his small hands, willing him to stand so that his master could deliver his final blow. And with his final breath he managed to choke though his blood-filled mouth,"Zabuza-san..." for the last time. Nothing was left of the soft kindly voice he had carried even through battle, what replaced it was choked and raspy.
The Demon of the Mist's sadistic grin was visible even through the bandages wrapped around his face. The fresh blood across it only added to his fearsome appearance.
"My future is death?" His voice held no emotion or remorse for the boy he had just used and tossed aside.
'Heh...You're wrong again Kakashi."
Naruto spun around in confusion. Mere seconds ago Haku had explained that his existence was over. Because he had failed to become the tool Zabuza sought he lost his will to live. He had begged Naruto to kill him. "Where...where'd he go?" The question was mostly to himself. The mist around them began to clear as Zabuza's jutsu weakened. Naruto spotted the figures ahead of him and ran towards them.
'Who?..." His blue eyes widened with shock and horror as he gazed at the scene before him. Haku's arms shielded the sight of Kakashi's hand meeting the area over his heart. If not for the blood that was still falling in sickening splats into the pool at their feet, one might believe that the teenager was merely holding Kakashi's hand away in defense of his master.
"What's going on here?" Naruto's question seemed to be on all of their minds. What had happened? If Haku was the true Shinobi that he had been praised as, would he not have allowed Zabuza's fate to play out? Would he not have been free to kill the bridge-builder and finish the mission they had been paid to carry out? That was the Shinobi way, the mission always came first. But it seemed in the end Haku's love for his master was the fuel for his decision.
"That's the masked boy... " The bridge-builder's voice was just above a whisper "He jumped in to protect Zabuza."
Zabuza himself nodded in satisfaction. Kakashi's narrowed both of his eyes, but turned his gaze back to Haku. Wide-eyes stared forward, frozen in surprise and maybe even pain. And though was facing Kakashi, he wasn't looking at him anymore. Haku was staring with clouded eyes over his shoulder at the sky like a child lost in a memory, or a dream.
"This boy," Kakashi said "is already dead."
"Great job, Haku." Zabuza's praise to the dead kid brought Kakashi out of his revenue. And he turned back to his opponent with a disgust-filled glare.
The swing started faster then he thought. Sakura's scream echoed across the bridge as Zabuza's blade moved towards them. As Kakashi tried to pull out of the boy's grasp he realized that Zabuza planned to slice clean through them both.
"I sure picked up a useful thing" The blade was still moving as he spoke "Giving me this chance at the end." It seemed even after Haku was dead Zabuza still could find a way to brag about him.
"Bastard!" He screamed as he brought his blade down upon...air?
Kakashi's jonin speed brought both of them away as Zabuza spoke. He landed away with Haku's limp body still in his arms. The was no humor in his voice as Zabuza laughed. But his demonic under-tones were maniacal as ever. "With Haku dead, you can move." The emotion was still absent as he spoke.
"Unforgivable!" The boy whom had been temporarily forgot screamed. Kakashi turned his attention towards him, "Naruto! Watch from there!"
Kakashi's attention turned to the boy in his arms. He looked into Haku's frozen eyes, before raising a blood-covered, calloused hand and gently closing them for the last time. Unable to help the fact that he left even more of the boy's blood on his pale face.
He narrowed his eyes "This is," He turned to his opponent, "My fight!"
Naruto gazed at the spot where Haku had lay slain on the bridge.
His features had sharpened with age. His soft child-like eyes were colder, but still as blue as they had been the day team 7 was on the bridge. Over two and a half years had gone by until he returned to his home in Konohagakure. He was now older than Haku had been when he gave his life away. He was much stronger and faster by Jiraiya's training and much more matured by Sasuke's betrayal, almost old enough to be called a man.
He had learned an important lesson that day. He and Haku had been the same on many levels, both were orphans. Both were superfluous, unwanted and feared by others. Both strove to be recognized, to know that there existences were not meaningless. And both had something precious they were willing to protect with their lives. In Haku's case, had protected with his life.
Would that become him? Would he die to protect something precious to him? If he truly wanted to become Hokage he would end up like all the rest of them.
Gaara gave his life to defend his village, even after he had spend most of it being feared and hated. If not for Chiyo-baasama giving her life in exchange for his, the existence he strove so hard to prove would have been over just as it had truly begun.
Not even the Third got to die peacefully, he was attacked by his own former student as an aging old man.
Naruto raised his head towards the sky. There was just one place left for him to visit before he left. Sparing the spot a single more glance, Naruto turned and walked toward the end of the bridge.
"He told me...he told me where he came from.." Naruto's sobs were becoming less and less. "...it was aways snowing...all the time."
"Of course." Kakashi's voice was sorrowful, it may have been the most emotion he showed during the entire mission. "His spirit was as pure as the snow."
Naruto stood before the graves of the two fallen Shinobi completely lost in thought.
Reliving what happened that day was harder than he thought. Haku and Zabuza were the first Shinobi he had seen die in battle. Both had died before there time, they choose to end it the way they had...
The more Naruto thought about it, the more he came to realize that there just wasn't a better way for him to die than to protect his beloved village.
He turned his attention back to the graves. "I hope that the both of you are together, wherever you are"
The flowers adorned at their graves were meant to respect the lives of the ones he and his team had once fought against. Having fulfilled his reason for coming, Naruto turned to leave.
"You'll catch cold if you stay out here."
The soft voice startled Naruto so much that he reached for the kunai strapped to his leg and spun around to face whoever was behind him. A soft breeze ruffled his hair and clothing, but no one else was there.
Turning back to face the grave he whispered "That you Haku?" The wind swept by him once more.
With a sad smile Naruto walked away as it began to snow.
I had to get the quotes from both Japanese and English versions of episode 18 and 19. So sorry if they are slightly off.
Memories Faded