Chapter THREE
The three of them arrived at the bridge before dawn broke. They were ready and waiting, and the moment the unsuspecting bridge workers arrived, they began their massacre.
Soon, the smell of blood hung in the air. Sakura plunged her kunai into the throat of one of the bridge workers. Haku knocked away the last of the men and they moved to stand behind Zabuza.
"They're coming." Haku announced. "The blonde one's not there."
Zabuza smirked. "Well, we have one for each, though I don't think the girl will put up much of a fight."
"We'll take the Genin together." Haku told Sakura. Sakura nodded.
"Seems like a rival appeared, Haku, Sakura." Zabuza commented offhandedly.
Sakura grinned under her mask. Haku simply shrugged. "Seems like it."
Haku did not want to prolong the battle any longer than it had to be and Sakura would follow his wish, even if she wished different. It wasn't long before he pulled out his trump card. "Hijutsu: Makyo Hyosho!"
In a flash of white, ice mirrors surrounded Sasuke. Haku and Sakura stood side by side, facing the Uchiha. The girl from Konoha was standing in front of Tazuna, though she looked like she wanted to duck behind the man.
"Ready?" Haku asked.
Sakura nodded. Nodding at the girl, Haku slipped into the mirrors.
Sakura had never seen anyone overwhelm Haku in speed and so, she could only watch with widened eyes as Haku was shoved out of the mirrors. She turned to look at the blond who she had overlooked time and time again. Was he even a ninja?
As Haku got back onto his feet, Zabuza threw several shuriken at him. The orange clad boy froze and Sakura watched expectantly for the blood to splatter against the ground, only for her to narrow her eyes as Haku's senbon collided with Zabuza's shiriken.
"Please, let me do this my way."
Zabuza sighed pointedly. "You're too easy on your enemies."
"I'm sorry." Haku apologized.
Sakura tensed but didn't move.
"That mask..." Something seemed to have clicked in the blond's mind. "So you were one of Zabuza's friends. How dare you trick us!" The boy looked at her. "You too!"
Sakura smiled fondly when Haku sincerely apologized. The blond paused, looking surprised.
Haku hadn't lowered his guard at all, though, and he easily dodged the kunai Sasuke had thrown at him.
"I haven't forgotten about you." He said. "Come on, Sakura-chan. Let's finish this."
Sakura's eyes perked at the mention of their continued fight and she eagerly nodded.
"Hijutsu: Makyo Hyosho!"
Having paused to observe the young shinobi's battle, Zabuza and Kakashi's battle once again began with even more ferocity.
"Never thought someone could get behind me." Zabuza sneered.
"Give up, Zabuza. You can't win."
"Oh really? You're the ones who are going to loose." Zabuza turned back to the ice dome. Sakura was stationed outside, eyes closed and listening intently. "You should know. Your brats stand no chance against Haku. With Sakura, those two are unbeatable."
Haku could feel something welling up within him and he forcefully shoved it back down. "I have people I want to fight for." He said slowly. "I'll work for them and I want to make their dreams come true. In order to do so, I will become a shinobi and I'll kill you."
Naruto had a nagging feeling that he had heard something along those lines before.
The girl, Sakura smiled. "I'll follow you anywhere, Haku!" She rolled her neck, an eerie crack echoing around the ice dome. "Shikotsumyaku!"
Naruto gasped as what seemed like bones stabbed out of the girl's arms.
The black haired boy moved quickly and Haku realized with a jolt that something was wrong.
He's matching my movements.
He quickly withdrew back into the safety of hsi mirrors. He saw Sakura move to cover his retreat and she viciously attacked the black haired boy. He needed some time to think. Had he really managed to read his movements?
The boy had picked a few senbon from the ground in an attempt to use them. However, Sakura's bones kept breaking them. She landed a heavy blow on Sasuke and sent him flying.
Haku then decided to try something. He didn't like it but he only had two options and it wasn't much of a choice.
Naruto saw the senbon appraoch him but his feet felt glues to the ground. Suddenly, something knocking harshly into his side, knocking him out of the way. He he quickly looked up and his eyes widened as he took in Sasuke's appearance. He had several senbon sticking out from all over his body, no doubt having used his own body as a shield.
"Why did you...protect me?" He stuttered.
Sasuke smirked. "I don't know."
And just like that, he collapsed. Naruto rushed over to his friend.
"I can't die yet. I can't die until I surpass my brother." He winced. "You...don't die, okay?" And he closed his eyes.
Naruto felt numb and an unexplainable feeling welled up within him. "Sasuke." His eyes blazed. "You'll pay!" Red chakra erupted from him.
Haku recoiled. What a Killing Intent. He's completely different from the boy before. He turned to look at Sakura. Though I'll be defended to some extent through the mirrors, will she be okay? He threw a handful of senbon at the blond, and was not very surprised when he deflected it with chakra. He threw another handful from every reflection.
Sakura raised her arms but was unable to block the wave of chakra that sent her crashing into a mirror. Naruto then flew at the mirror in front of him and it shattered when his fist made contact with it. Haku slipped out of a shard and flew at him.
The blond dodge the blow and Haku realized with a jolt that the blond was gaining. This is bad. Haku jumped back, trying to slip back into a mirror. The effort was in vain and Naruto harshly grabbed his arm.
"Haku!" Sakura's scream pierced the air.
Naruto's chakra enhanced fist collided with his face and he was flung back. He smashed through a mirror and the rest shattered along with it. The blond made no move to follow through and shoving away the pain, Haku slowly got to his feet and felt his mask shatter.
Naruto came at him again and Haku felt something weighing him down.
Zabuza-san. I cannot defeat him.
He felt a rush of air and suddenly Sakura stood in front of him, arms spread.
His eyes widened and he opened his mouth.
And Naruto's fist collided with Sakura.
The girl flew back and Haku managed to catch her. They stumbled backwards and landed heavily on the ground.
Naruto stood there, not moving.
Haku got to his feet, helping Sakura up. Sakura turned to look at his mask less face and took off her own. Her henge shimmered and vanished, revealing pink hair.
"You-you're the boy and the girl from before..."
Haku staggered to stand in front of Sakura. "Why did you stop?" He asked. "I killed your important friend, but you can't kill me?"
"Damn it!" Naruto's bare fist hit Haku across the face.
Haku slowly got to his feet again. "Were did all your previous energy go? You can't kill me like that. Isn't he someone important?" He gritted his teeth. "Some people make a mistake. The let the enemy live, and think that they are showing mercy." Haku said. "Do you know the pain of living without a dream? Knowing you're not needed by everyone?"
"What are you trying to say?" Naruto barked.
"Zabuza-sama doesn't need weak shinobi." This time, Sakura said. "You stole our reason to exist!" She screamed.
"Why... Why do you work for him? He gets money from the bad guys and does evil things! Is that eyebrow-less guy the only important person you guys have?"
Haku held back a laugh. "I once had more important people. My parents. We lived on farming and we were very poor, but my parents were happy. But when I first realized something, something happened."
"What happened?" Naruto asked.
"This blood."
"Blood? What happened?"
"My father killed my mother and tried to kill me." Haku said. Naruto's eyes widened. "The land of the waves had suffered from many civil wars and those with a Kekkei Genkai were hated."
Sakura tuned out the story, having already heard the sad tale once. She didn't want to hear it again. It reminded her of her own clan.
"I then realized what the worst feeling in the world is. The feeling that you are not needed by anyone." He paused and placed a comforting hand on Sakura's head. "Sakura-chan's clan was massacred by the village they lived in." Haku said.
Sakura knew that this wasn't the complete truth, but she kept her mouth shut.
"You said that you wanted everyone to recognize you. When someone recognized you for who you truly are, they should become your important person." Haku said. "Zabuza-san knew that we had a Kekkei Genkai, and yet, he raised us. He wanted the powers that everyone else hated."
'Pledge your loyalty to me and fight only for me. Give your everything to me. From now on, your power belongs to me.'
'Come with me.'
"I was happy." Haku whispered and looked apologetically at Sakura. "I'm sorry, Zabuza-sama, Sakura-chan. I cannot be the tool you wished for me to be."
Sakura opened her mouth but Haku cut her off with a look.
Haku stepped towards Naruto. "Naruto-kun, please kill me."
"Wha-I can't just believe a story like that? How can you call someone like him a important person?"
"He needed us for who we are! He wanted us even though he knew what kind of power we possessed!" Sakura said.
Haku's eyes flashed to her. "Sakura-chan-"
Sakura stopped him with a light elbow jab. "I'll follow you forever." She repeated. "If he doesn't need you, he wont need me either."
As if in a trance, Naruto brought up his kunai. However, before anyone could react, Haku vanished.
Sakura realized what had happened a second too slow.
She whipped around and ran towards Zabuza, knowing that she would never get there in time.
Blood splattered across the ground.
Sorry if it seems a little...cut up.
We don't know exactly what went on (As we haven't watched it). Things also changed slightly due to the fact that Sakura is there.
Hope you guys didn't mind too much.
Read and review!