Years ago, the outskirts of the hidden Mist village, Kimimaro:

The child sat alone in his cell, absently stabbing at a wall with a short blade, his arm jarring painfully every time the blade caught. He didn't care, the pain was one of the few things that helped him remember he was alive. Perhaps he would talk to mister statue about that later. Mister statue always listened to him, and never minded being stabbed. Mister statue was his very best friend.

A tall figure approached the bars of the cage, fiddling with the lock to his door. "Who's there?" Asked the boy, not quite able to bring himself to feel fear, merely a vague sort of interest. Were they finally going to kill him?

"It doesn't matter who I am, get out." The hulking man replied, pulling open the door and standing back so the boy could step out. As he did so, the boy saw the moonlight at the entrance to his small cavern directly for the first time in years. He had to shield his eyes from the glare. The large man spoke again. "Kimimaro, the time has come for you to be of use, for the sake of the Kaguya clan." So that was it, huh? They wanted to use him for something. The boy did not much care, they could do what they wanted with him, why should it matter to him anymore?

The boy allowed himself to be led by the man to a small clearing, where another figure, this one vaguely recognizable to him, was speaking to a large crowd. The familiar man was telling them all to kill. "Make them realize the ferocity of the Kaguya clan!" The boy considered this. He supposed he could kill, if it was what they wanted of him, it wasn't as though he was unable. The rest of the men began to run, all heading in the same direction. Only the boy and the familiar man were left, the man turned to face him and spoke. "What are you still doing here, Kimimaro? Get going!"

The boy recognized the man now, he was the one who had put him in the cell, all those years ago. "I don't know what to do," the boy replied, it was true enough, who was he supposed to kill? Where would he find them?

The man laughed. "No need to think too deeply about it," he said with a grin. "Just go in that direction and kill everyone you come across!" The man pointed in the direction the others had gone. The order was simple enough, the boy supposed he could do that. He set off into the night.

The boy saw the two travelers in the distance long before they saw him, his eyes far more used to the darkness than theirs were. They were alone, an adult and a child, judging by their heights. The man had told him to kill everyone he came across and so he would do just that. The boy charged the two, his dagger raised. The boy aimed first for the tall one, a masked man with a heavy blade on his back. The boy made it within a few feet of the man before his feet stuck hard to the ground. There was something very cold underfoot. He looked down to see the ice beginning to crawl up from where it had rooted him to the ground, spreading slowly up his legs.

With a small laugh, the masked man hefted his great blade, stepping forwards and swinging with enough force to slice the boy in half. No choice, he had to use it. The boy allowed his bones to shift inside himself, forcing them into new shapes that broke through his skin, intercepting the blade. The pain was not insubstantial, both from the bones forcing his skin apart, and from the sword striking with enough force to shatter several of them. The force of the blow broke the ice that held the boy rooted to the ground, sending him sprawling to the floor. The boy did not mind the pain. He tried to stand, falling on his first attempt; his ankles must be shattered from being jerked free of the ice. No matter, that was fixable. He stood successfully on his second attempt, readying his knife once more, when that great blade appeared at his throat.

"Any last words, kid?" Asked the man. So it was, in fact, time to die. The boy wondered if he should be smiling. It felt like something he should be happy about, but he wasn't sure. The boy decided he might as well, and allowed himself a small grin. It took a moment, trying to figure out how to make his mouth into the right shape. After a few tries, he was pretty sure he was smiling. "God damn kid, that's the ugliest face I've ever seen," said the swordsman, preparing for the killing blow.

"Wait," came a small voice from behind the man. The boy glanced over at the sound, it was the smaller figure, the other one he had tried to kill. "Let me talk to him."

The masked man grunted slightly and shrugged. "Sure kid, make it quick though."

The smaller figure stepped forward, giving the boy a kind smile. Oh, the boy realized. So that's what smiles are supposed to look like.

"I'm Haku," Said the child. "What's your name?"

The boy considered the question. He had been sure he had a name, but he wasn't quite sure if he remembered it. He thought back, the others had kept calling him… something. What was it? After a long few moments, the boy remembered. "I… I think it's Kimimaro," he said quietly.

Haku smiled again. Kimimaro liked that smile. It was pleasant in a way, witnessing what happiness could look like sometimes. "Well, Kimimaro. I think you're just like me."

Kimimaro considered this, it sounded absurd. How could he be like the other child in any way? This child was far better than him, this child knew how to smile. Eventually the boy shook his head, it simply couldn't be true. "How?" He asked.

Haku reached out slowly, placing a gentle hand on Kimimaro's shoulder. The human contact felt very warm, like being thrown a blanket during a cold night in the cell. "Well," Haku spoke. "From the look in your eyes, I think you look like someone who doesn't have a reason to exist anymore. Does that sound about right?"

Kimimaro stared blankly for a few moments, then nodded.

The masked man let out a small grunt of understanding, pulling his sword away. "Oh, so that's where you're going with this. Wasn't it enough that I let you keep the rabbit?"

Haku's head lowered apologetically. "I'm sorry, Zabuza, I thought he could be useful."

The masked man chuckled. "Yeah, sure. If you can manage it, we can keep him."

The soft faced child smiled again, a shining, radiant thing. "Thank you Master Zabuza!" They said before turning back to Kimimaro. "I felt like that too before I met Master Zabuza. He gave me a new reason to be alive. If you come with us, maybe you can find a reason like that too."

Kimimaro felt something wet running down his cheek, some sort of fluid leaking from his eyes. He lifted a hand to touch his face, examining the liquid in confusion. Haku leaned forwards, and Kimimaro felt the other child's slim arms wrapping around him in a hug. Kimimaro wasn't sure why he did what he did next, only that it felt like it needed to happen somehow. He leaned in close, wrapping his own arms around Haku, leaning his face against the other child's shoulder. He began making sounds, similar to those he had heard others make sometimes when they were in pain.

"Ah great," Said the masked man, his voice etched with sarcasm. "He's a crier. Well, whatever. Haku, we need to get moving, now."

"Yes, Master." Replied Haku, gently placing an arm under Kimimaro's legs and, with surprising strength, lifting him as he continued to sob pitifully.

Kimimaro made his decision then and there. This was his new purpose, he would follow Haku, wherever the path may lead, no matter what.

AN: So, I felt I should put something like this in to give context to some of the stuff that's about to happen.

As always, feel free to review, not that I use your comments to measure my worth as a person (cries)