A slightly AU-ish fanfic with a somewhat OOC Sakura. This is a mostly Sakura-centric fiction that focuses on her and the decisions she makes. Of course, this is my take on time travel. Sounds cliché, but hey, my brain is telling me to go ahead and write this.
*Warning*: terrible humor up ahead, some bad/coarse language, an out of character Sakura with a very insane and sarcastic but more mature Inner-Sakura, attempts of time travel, maybe some plot holes and things/circumstances not explained by the author, and perhaps some terrible characterization of certain characters, and maybe some cliché references used, using some references from other types of work and literature, and maybe some breaking of fourth walls, and terrible naming of chapters/titles, a slightly CRACK!Fic, terribly written fight scenes, with violence and blood included, and my fail attempts at humor.
Disclaimer*: I do not own Naruto/Naruto Shippuden both anime and manga. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto himself. The story image is not mine, it belongs to the rightful owner. Also, I do not own any quotes directly used from the anime and manga or any other types of work and literature.
~Any similarities to characters, settings, scripts, or stories from other pieces of literature or media are purely coincidental. However, ©This story belongs to me, Whimsical Gypsy.
~~~Anyway, regarding copyright... mind that the disclaimer is present in every chapter. It is right up there before the story, in BOLD. Now, I get it, a lot of stories have similarities in plot and story wise... but, that doesn't mean it's copyright or plagiarism or the author stole it from another author. Some have similar ideas and they coincide. So, some of them are just accidental coincidences, so please DO NOT make any FALSE ACCUSATIONS. Please think and use your head before you post anything. Other authors, like me, might be unaware that there are other stories out there that have the same ideas, plot and other similarities... but it doesn't mean it is plagiarism.~~~
Ch. 10: The Demon and his weapon
Red. Darkness. Fury.
Time is at a stand-still. Sakura cannot feel her shaking hands or the cold sweat pouring down the sides of her face. Numbness. The nine-tailed fox's chakra is too suffocating. It is as if invisible clawed hands are slowly gripping her neck, squeezing until she can breathe no more.
No. She must remain calm. Compose yourself. A small and faint voice in the recesses of her mind chanting something incoherent. She opens her mouth, but no sound came forth and she flexes her fingers. Slowly. Ever so slowly, the numbness fades.
And she finds herself back at the bridge, watching the two figures meters ahead.
"Sakura, hey." A calloused hand drops on her right shoulder and the pink-haired kunoichi flinches. "You've stood there stiffly like a petrified statue. You alright?" she snaps out of her reverie as the glassy gaze in her eyes clears away.
"I'm fine." the coral-haired girl replies grimly, shrugging off Tazuna's hand.
"If you're sure." the bridge builder grunts in reply, letting his aged hand drop to his side.
"...I just killed your precious friend, yet you cannot even kill me?" Haku glares down at the shaking fist centimeters from his nose as blood pours down his chin.
Sakura immediately lifts her head and assesses her surroundings. That's right... we're in the middle of a battle against Zabuza and Haku...
Then she looks beyond the two figures, seeing a dark blue figure lying down on the concrete, unmoving.
"Damn you!" Naruto spits out, rearing back his shaking fist and lands a blow on Haku's left cheek. He sends the boy stumbling a few meters to the ground, coughing up blood.
HAKU'S BEAUTIFUL FACE!
"Gah!" Haku slowly lifts himself up from the ground. "What happened to your killing intent from earlier? Or were you just bluffing? You cannot simply kill me with that."
Naruto pants tiredly, as he stares dumbfounded at Haku.
"There are plenty others who make this same mistake," Haku wipes the blood from his lips and stares back at Naruto, "and not kill their enemies, because out of pity. Letting them off with just measly injuries, but not landing the last blow. Letting them live with their bruised pride."
"You..." sweat pours down Naruto's face as he listens intently.
"Do you―do you even understand..." He cuts off Naruto, "not having a dream... not being needed by anyone... the pain of simply living?"
"...What're you trying to say?" Naruto asks somberly, clenching his fists tightly.
Straightening himself to a standing position, the long-haired boy gives him a radiant smile. "Zabuza has no need for a weak shinobi... you have taken my only reason for living."
"Wait... w-why...?" as if having a sudden epiphany, Naruto shouts angrily at him. "He's a bad guy! He's evil and nasty! He takes money from criminals and he does dirty things!"
Yet Haku did not drop his smile, as he listens to Naruto's disagreement. "..."
"Is that eyebrow-less freak that important to you?!"
Haku shifts his gaze towards Naruto, lifting his chin to acknowledge him. "I used to have... people I love dearly... a long time ago." he says softly, "They were my..."
(...)
"...I think we should leave them be." Sakura whispers to Tazuna, not taking her gaze off the figure from the distance. The old man glances down at her and murmurs in agreement.
The two figures slowly slink away from Naruto and Haku. Sensing the somber mood, Sakura decides not to pry and makes her way towards Sasuke.
"Damn. That's gotta leave a mark." Tazuna stares down at the senbon needles protruding from the raven-haired boy's neck.
"For sure." Sakura decides to humor him, but assesses the damage. She kneels down to Sasuke's side and her hands glowed green.
Hmm... all his vitals are still working. The needles missed his organs as well... and... it seems like only his pressure points were targeted... Haku purposely missed his jugular vein and his heart...
Sakura lets out a tired sigh as she finishes her assessment and looks down at all the needles protruding from her teammate's body. This is going to take a while...
She carefully pulls out the needles embedded deeply in his neck, then discards them into a piece of cloth beside her.
(***)
"...parents." Haku smiles sadly.
"Y-your... parents?" Naruto gulps.
"I was born in a tiny village in the Mist. I can still remember it very clearly, because it always snows and everything is white. I was happy... I love my father and my mother. They were so kind..." Haku reminiscences. "However...
"All good things must come to an end. As I grew up and learn more of the world around me..."
"What happened?" Naruto inquires.
"..."
"This blood of mine..." Haku swiftly wipes his chin, and stares down at the crimson drop staining his thumb. "..."
"So... what happened?!"
Eyes that hold no life, Haku meets Naruto's lively blue eyes. "My father killed my mother. Then, he too, tried to kill me."
"W-what?" Naruto gasps, staring at him aghast.
"The Mist has a long history of civil wars, and those with bloodline limits came to be hated."
"Bloodline limits?"
"Bloodline limits are those who possess such abilities like mine." Haku explains. "These bloodline limits are special, and thus, clans who possess such abilities were used as weapons in countless battles. As a result... these clans were blamed and came to be feared by others for bringing misfortune and bloodshed to the country.
"That is why... as the war came to an end, those clans went into hiding. They had no choice, but to hide their identity or risk death. Those whose secrets were revealed... they were brutally murdered." Haku lowers his gaze before briefly glancing at the three figures meters away, specifically the raven-haired boy lying on the concrete ground.
"That boy... he too, must have experienced such hardship. Those who possess certain abilities are often feared."
'No way! When Sasuke talked about his dream...' Naruto widens his eyes in surprise.
"My mother came from one of the bloodlines... and when I discovered that my father killed her... before I even realized what I had done..." Haku pauses, before continuing on. "I had killed my father."
"..." Naruto stares at him warily with a mix of sympathy.
"...And at that time, I thought of myself as..." he trails off unsurely, before swallowing down the disappointment and despair from his voice. "No... I had no choice. And at that moment, I realized the most painful thing..."
"The most painful thing?" Naruto repeats.
Haku pushes the hopelessness down his throat and stares back unwaveringly at Naruto, face and eyes blank and devoid of any signs of emotion. "That in this world... I am someone who is not needed."
A sudden revelation snaps Naruto back to reality. 'It's... the same as me...'
"You told me before that you want to become the strongest ninja in your village in order for everyone to acknowledge you. Now, if there is a person who acknowledges you from the bottom of their heart... would not that person become someone who is very precious and dear to you?"
'Iruka-sensei...' Naruto clenches his teeth.
Haku's eyes flutter shut, before switching his gaze towards the dull, gray skies. "Zabuza... was the only one who acknowledged my existence. He took me in, cared for me and trained me to become the person I am now.
"He was the one... who gave me the reason to live. He took me under him, because he desired my blood. That very blood everyone detested."
"Haku..."
"Zabuza... he gave me the reason to keep on living, even in a world where I am unwanted. I was so alone, until he came along. He made me feel useful. He made me feel needed. And he gave me a reason and the will to continue forward." A wistful and longing look passes between Haku's eyes.
Then he stares back at Naruto, eyes filled with sadness and sorrow. "I am his weapon; a useful tool for him to use for his own convenience. I do not care if he throws me away afterwards. I am happy enough to become someone who is needed. Just this once."
Naruto perks up as he sees Haku's shoulders shaking, soft sobs erupting from his lips. Then the boy lifts his head, misty eyes and a watery smile. Tears slowly streaming down his porcelain cheeks as his façade breaks. "I was so happy..."
He briefly closes his eyes and mull over the thoughts currently invading his mind. 'I am so sorry, Zabuza... for I am unable to become the very weapon you have always wanted.'
His eyes dry from the tears he had shed and tear tracts already forming, Haku stares straight at his blue eyes. "Naruto, please... kill me."
(...)
BOOM.
"W-what's that noise?!" Tazuna whips around in alarm, only to see the thick mist dissipating.
Sakura tenses as she feels something stirring in the air and the greenish glow from her hands flicker and disappear. She casually looks down at Sasuke's peaceful and even breathing.
At least his breathing and his vitals are stabilized...
"That was probably Kaka-sensei's summoning jutsu and..." She answers Tazuna's question, before wrapping the bloody senbon needles around with a cloth and tying it with a string of twine.
(...)
"So, hurry and kill me." Haku says, then he shifts his gaze at Naruto's shaking arm. "Why are you hesitating?"
"I-I don't get it! Is... is being strong the only reason for you to live?!" Naruto shouts angrily, frustration clawing up his throat.
"You should be able to understand, Naruto." Haku replies firmly. "I am sorry that you have to dirty your hands..."
"Is this the only way?" the blonde drops his shoulders in defeat.
"..."
Jutting his chin out regally, Haku gives him a rueful smile. "Yes."
"Urgh..." Naruto squints his eyes shut painfully, hand twitching and slowly reaching towards his holster. Swiftly pulling out a sharp kunai, Haku continues to smile.
"Please fulfill your dreams..."
The blonde glances towards Sasuke and accidentally catches Sakura's hardened stare. He blinks before reluctantly tearing his gaze from her jade orbs. The mist is dissipating and the roaring waves crash harshly against the bridge's footholds, yet the sky remains a bland hue of monochrome.
"If this was a different life..." his hand shakes, "we would have been good friends, Haku." With that, he pushes off his heels and rears back his armed hand. Closing the distance between him and Haku.
"Thank you..."
"H-he's going to..." Tazuna gasps, watching the blonde charging towards Haku with a kunai.
Sakura nods grimly, pursing her lips. I'm so sorry... I'm not strong enough to keep you both safe... Zabuza and Haku...
"I...!" Naruto swings back his arm. It felt like forever before he reached Haku. His blue eyes widen in shock as he stares back into the boy's lifeless, brown orbs.
Haku, you...
He mouths, but no words came forth as his arm swings back reflexively, as if in instinct. So close. Only centimeters away from piercing his heart. Naruto quickly shuts his eyes close.
Waiting for the feeling of something wet against his skin, but none came. Only for a strong grip to take hold of his arm.
"I am sorry, Naruto, but I cannot die yet." Haku grips his armed hand and forms a seal.
"W-what?" the boy sputters out as he stares back at Haku.
Haku did not spare him a glance and vanishes in a swirl of leaves, leaving the blonde dumbfounded once again.
"What just happened?" Tazuna murmurs, watching the boy disappear.
"Wait, don't tell me..." Sakura pushes up to her feet, ready to body flicker as well.
"What do―" before he can finish, Sakura disperses in a frenzy of cherry blossoms. The pink petals scattering furiously in every direction.
(***)
Blue. Electric. Sparks.
That is the first thing Sakura witnesses as she bursts through the dissipating mist, out of breath as she reaches out a hand. Her mouth opens, but she cannot find her voice. Her jade eyes wide as she watches Kakashi charging straight at Zabuza, using his signature move. Suddenly...
A burst of scarlet rain. Blood splatters against Zabuza and Kakashi. The latter widens his eyes in surprise and shock as his dog summons poof out of existence and the summoning scroll embedded with senbon needles are stained with blood. Gleaming rubies dripping down the shattered ice mirrors, glistening with a sinister beauty.
"D-d-don't... t-t-touch..." Haku gasps out painfully as he glares at Kakashi, coughing up blood. They stream down his mouth and down his neck.
Kakashi cranes down his neck and stares at his blood-stained arm embedded through the boy's chest, making a bloody crevice where his heart has once been.
"Z-Z...Za...buza..."
The demon briefly looks down at his weapon and a shadowed expression flickers through his eyes momentarily. "My future is death?" A mocking smirk upturns the corner of his mouth and he sets his gaze ahead of him. "Heh, what bullshit have you been spouting, Kakashi?"
(***)
"Haku!" Naruto runs through the thin mist, but stops in his tracks as he assesses the scene in front of him. "W-what... just happened?"
'He jumped in front of Zabuza.' Kakashi narrows his eyes as he looks down at Haku's hands gripping his bloody arm tightly.
"..."
Zabuza closes his eyes in satisfaction.
"..." Then he opens them again, as if acknowledging the boy who jumped in front to protect him. "Heh... Haku, great job."
'This boy...!' Kakashi watches the blood pouring down his arms and straight into his eyes.
Dull. Lifeless. Glassy.
'...is already dead!' He studies the standing cadaver in front of him and the smile etched across Haku's porcelain face, stained in crimson. The last drops of gleaming rubies fall on the concrete.
"Tsk!" Zabuza, now freed from the restraints, swings back his kubikiribōchō, intent of bisecting Haku and Kakashi. "I sure picked up something useful! Giving me such an opportunity!"
"You...!" Naruto grits his teeth angrily.
He's planning on cutting through Haku and Kakashi?!
Zabuza swings forth his blade and Kakashi grabs Haku, jumping back swiftly to avoid the blade.
The sound of Kakashi removing his hand from Haku and the splatter of blood nearly makes Sakura nauseous, and she lowers her hand down in regret. Shutting her eyes closed and letting her hair fall before her face, she looks down. Tazuna, on the other hand, watches in apprehension and gives her a pitying glance.
"With Haku dead... you can easily dodge my attacks." Zabuza smirks, hauling his sword onto his shoulder.
"How could you...!" Naruto growls, but Kakashi stops him.
"Naruto, stay there." he commands firmly, then looks down at the unmoving body before him. With gentle fingers, his gloved hand slides down Haku's face and closes his eyes shut. He lifts his head and glares heatedly at Zabuza. "This is my battle."
Tazuna perks up as he notices Naruto's figure standing a few hundred meters away and taps Sakura on the shoulder. "Your obnoxious friend is alright, it seems."
Sakura slowly lifts her head and gives Naruto a wavering smile and he smiles back at her before his features turn grim.
A silent understanding passes between the two and Sakura nods her head, and not a second later, Naruto runs past her. Intent on checking on his teammate's well-being, Sakura did not stop him. She can hear the blonde's loud sniffling and sobbing, but did not turn to look back.
(...)
"W-why can't I...!" Zabuza growls in frustration as Kakashi once again dodges his blade effortlessly. "You―"
The silver-haired man ducks under his arm and slides two kunais directly at his pressure points. Immediately stopping Zabuza's attack and watching the blood drip down from the punctures. Puncturing the nerves in his arms, Zabuza drops his sword and Kakashi jumps back.
"Now, both of your arms are useless. Give it up, Zabuza..." the silver-haired man glares at him.
Sakura observes the swordsman's bloody and twitching arms. He aimed for the nerves in his arms and...
She looks away as she senses a multitude of foreign presence approaching them and she notes that Naruto is slowly walking towards their direction with Sasuke in tow, in the corner of her eyes.
...
...
...
THONK.
APPLAUSE.
APPLAUSE.
APPLAUSE.
"Ooohhh... Lookie here, you're getting your ass kicked. How very disappointing, indeed." The sound of mocking clapping can be heard and that catches both Zabuza and Kakashi's attention. A middle-aged man donning a crisp, black suit and dark sunglasses emerges through the thin layer of mist, followed by a multitude of smirking ninjas.
"Za-bu-za."
Sakura frowns as she observes Gatō and herds of his men behind him as the mist clears.
"Gatō... what are you doing here? And why do you have all your henchmen with you?" Zabuza glowers at him.
The shifty businessman smirks and waves off his threat. "Well, change of plans." he sneers at the swordsman. "Actually... I've planned this right from the get-go.
"Zabuza... I'm gonna have you killed here. I'm not paying you any money, you scum." he waves him off mockingly, clutching the golden cane in front of him.
"What the fuck?" Zabuza grits out.
"You see, hiring ninjas from villages is too expensive and I can't afford to waste my money with the likes of them and they might betray me... so, I hire missing ninjas instead. They're easy to take care of afterwards and I have them battle with other ninjas until they're weakened. Then I kill them off with numbers..." he gestures haughtily to the masses of rowdy-looking ninjas behind him, each donning deadly weapons and evil smirks. "It doesn't cost me anything, good plan, don'tcha think?"
Gatō points his golden cane at Zabuza, "The only problem in my plan is you... Zabuza. Demon of the Mist? Hah, what a joke!"
He ignores the scathing look the Demon of the Mist gives him and the dark and sinister aura radiating from him.
"Hahahaha!" he guffaws, a bandaged arm with a cast clutching his protruding stomach. "You're just a... cute, little, baby devil."
"We can easily kill you now!" the ninjas behind him roared in agreement.
"Who the hell are these dipshits?" Naruto scrunches his nose in disgust as he walks to stand beside Sakura and Tazuna, with Sasuke on his back.
"Naruto... you... carried Sasuke?" the pink-haired kunoichi blinks.
However, the blonde ignores her question as he focuses on Gatō and his men, overtly laughing and mocking Zabuza.
"..."
The swordsman spares the silver-haired Jōnin a glance, "Sorry, but this fight's over, Kakashi." he looks down tiredly. "Now that I don't have a reason to go after the old man, I don't have the reason to fight you either."
"Yeah..." Kakashi sighs. "You're right..." he switches his gaze towards Gatō.
"Oh, yeah... before I forget." the shifty-looking man struts confidently towards Haku's body on the ground a few meters ahead. His golden cane making an obnoxious thudding noise against the concrete and he stops in front of the cadaver. "I owe this little bitch here..."
He inspects the boy's face with the tip of his polished leather shoes with a look of disgust across his malevolent features. "For squeezing my arm until it broke..." he glances at the cast around his left arm and then lifts his right foot.
"You fucking bitch." he lands a bone-crunching kick accompanied with a sickening crack as Haku's neck snaps sideways.
"YOU MOTHERFUCKING BASTARD! I'LL RIP YOU A NEW ONE!" Naruto shouts as he unceremoniously dumps Sasuke's limp form on Sakura and rushes forward.
"Wha..." his coral-haired teammate fumbles as she hastily catches Sasuke and supports him before the boy falls to the ground. Then she fixes the smirking business man with a scathing glare filled with such intense enmity.
"Heh, he's dead." Gatō spits out.
"Naruto! Don't just jump in!" Kakashi chastises the furious blonde and holds him back firmly, yanking the back of his collar. However, that did not stop Naruto and he whirls towards Zabuza.
"YOU! Say something! Wasn't he precious to you, too?!"
"Shut it, brat." he replies monotonously. "Haku's already dead."
"Don't you feel anything at all?! Weren't the two of you always together?!" Naruto shouts back.
"..."
The swordsman slowly turns his neck to the side, but fixes his gaze towards the gray waters beyond the clearing mist. "I was just using Haku, just as I was used by Gatō. In this world of shinobi, there are only two kinds of people. Those who use and those who are used. We, ninjas, are nothing but tools. What I was seeking for is his blood, nothing more nothing less. I don't have any regrets."
Naruto's shoulders drooping in surrender, "But... do you really mean that?"
Then he dislodges himself from his teacher's grip and marches determinedly towards Zabuza. "Naruto, stop! He's not the enemy anymore!"
He stops just a meter beside the swordsman, giving him a look of frustration and points angrily at him. "Shut up! He's still my enemy!" he pants tiredly, unfazed by Zabuza's stare.
"..."
"Who the fuck is this annoying brat?" Gatō asks, but nobody regards him at the moment.
Naruto whips out a hand and gestures towards Haku. "He... really, really loves you!"
'Do you... have someone precious to you?'
"He loves you that much, can't you see?!"
'I believe that when someone has a person they want to protect... that, is when they can truly become strong.'
"..." Zabuza turns away silently, refusing to answer Naruto's question.
"Do you really not feel anything?!" the blonde continues to shout, tears forming in his glassy blue orbs.
'...Becoming a true ninja is difficult.'
"D-do you... really not feel anything at all?!"
'For that, I can become a ninja. Capable of killing you.'
"I-if I-I can become as s-strong as you... t-then can I also b-become a s-strong person, like y-you?!" Naruto sobs, letting the tears fall.
'...And to make that person's dreams come true. That―is my dream.'
"H-Haku t-t-threw his l-life away f-for you...!" Naruto cries.
"..."
"W-w-without fulfilling h-his own d-dream..."
'I was so happy...'
"T-to die... a-as a... t-t-tool..." Naruto continues to sob loudly, tears and snot dripping down his face. "T-that's... j-j-just s-sad..."
"..."
"Hey, brat." Zabuza speaks up after a long silence, his voice low and raspy. "You don't... need to tell me anymore." His eyes watery and a lone tear slides down his cheeks and falls to the ground.
Naruto widens his eyes in surprise as he studies his enemy's face.
His usually demonic gaze filled with bloodlust is replaced with tears and his features contorted into pain with a look of painful melancholy. Haku's splattered blood across his grieving features have long dried up and his saline tears washes away the red crusts.
"Ya know..." he breaks the silence, and Naruto perks up. "It pained him to fight you... Haku didn't just fight for me, he fought for you guys too." Gritting his teeth in frustration and anger, Zabuza bites the bandages covering the lower half of his face. Tearing the thin cloth apart with his sharp canines, he stares at Haku's unmoving form. "I'm glad that I get to fight you guys in the end... and maybe you're right, brat..." he takes a few steps forward.
"Huh?" Naruto stares at his back.
"A ninja is still a human at the end of the day. We may not be able to fully become emotionless killing machines." He gazes at Haku. "Hey, let me borrow your kunai."
"S-sure..." Naruto looks down sadly and wipes his eyes before tossing a kunai at Zabuza.
KA-CHING.
He catches the sharp weapon between his sharp teeth, glaring furiously at Gatō and his henchmen. Without any warning and catching everyone off-guard, he charges forward with such speed.
"W-what the fuck?!" Gatō sputters out and fearfully backs away.
High-tailing it out of there, he runs back to his band of approximately fifty something low-ranked ninjas. "That's it! Kill those fuckers!" he shouts frantically.
He runs past a ninja and he smirks. "Sure thing."
"An injured ninja like you can't do shit against all of us!"
"Yeah! Think ya stand a chance―"
They stiffen in fear as they sense Zabuza's demonic chakra, shrouding him with such malice and malevolence. Enough to shaken their wills and shatter their guards.
"A-a-a d-demon...!" one of them shouts in fear.
They're definitely screwed.
Sakura did not tear her gaze away as she watches Zabuza charge straight through the ninjas with all of their weapons aiming at him. He pushes them back effortlessly, easily knocking several of them back. She watches as gushes and spurts of crimson flies into the air, like glistening orbs of gems. The screams of pain and agony and sharp weapons tearing into flesh mixed with the roaring waves, Sakura continues to witness everything in her own eyes. This is what it means to become a ninja. A life filled with pain and sorrow and hardship.
"Y-you...! D-demon!" Gatō shrinks back in fear as Zabuza breaks through the hordes of ninjas, covered in blood and with blades of katana protruding from his back. "A-AAAAHHH!" Coughing up blood as Zabuza successfully pierces his stomach with the kunai.
"I-if y-you're... that d-desperate e-enough to go t-to t-that s-same place a-as your f-friend... t-then go." Gatō gasps out in pain.
"Hahahaha..." the demon's shoulders shaking with mirth, "Unfortunately... I don't plan on going to the same place as Haku..."
"G-gah...! W-what're you t-talking about? Y-you won't s-survive... ugh..."
"You and I..." Zabuza digs the kunai deeper into Gatō's mid-section, "...ARE GOING TO HELL."
With one swift motion, he pulls out the kunai and slides back. "Even the infamous Demon of the Mist can welcome death with open arms and become a demon in hell..."
"GAH!"
"This will be fun!" Zabuza roars in amusement, voice dripping with scorn. "We'll have plenty of time together to test if I'm such a cute, little, baby devil once we're down in hell!"
Clutching the kunai tightly between his teeth, Zabuza charges forward with such malice and wrath, "We're spending all eternity in the fiery depths of hell together, you fucking trash!" In one clean-cut, the sharp projectile slashes through Gatō's neck.
LA REVOLUCIÓN! VIVE RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE! THY BRING FORTH THE GUILLOTINE'S WRATHFUL FURY! LET THE BLOOD STAIN THE BEAUTIFUL STREETS OF PARIS! LET THE ANGRY MOB OF THE THIRD ESTATE STORM THROUGH THE BASTILLE AND LET THEM BITCHES EAT CAKE, SAYS MARIE ANTOINETTE. LET THE REIGN OF TERROR RAIN UPON THE BLOOD-STAINED STREETS OF PARIS!
Inner, what nonsense are you spouting? We're not in France. And how'd you even know about one of the most explosive eras in history? I'm sure Iruka-sensei didn't even go over the French Revolution nor did we ever get to read Charles Dickens.
Screams of horror erupt from the mouths of every henchmen as Zabuza decapitates their boss's head from his shoulders. "AAAAAAAUUUUGGGHHH!" They shriek in fear as Gatō's head rolls aimlessly across the blood-stained bridge.
"H-h-holy shit..." Naruto gulps, shrinking behind Kakashi.
"God damn... mother of Kami... Bless thy soul." Tazuna drops his jaw at the sight before him and Sakura nods in agreement.
Zabuza lifts his head and glowers at Gatō's henchmen, sending them all into bouts of fear and frenzy. "AAAAAHHHH!"
'At least... just this once... let me stay by your side...'
Bloody and exhausted, the swordsman unclenches his teeth and lets the blood-stained kunai drop to the concrete.
CLANG.
'This is goodbye, Haku... Thank you for everything... and, I'm sorry...'
With his final and lingering thoughts of Haku, Zabuza drops to the ground, unmoving. With several katanas protruding on his back, a pool of crimson slowly forms around his rigid form.
Naruto lets out a startled gasp and turns away from the sight.
"Don't avert your eyes away, Naruto." Kakashi speaks up softly. "Bear witness to the demise of a man who lived a very difficult life."
Sakura looks down as she clutches Sasuke tightly and Tazuna grips her shoulder sympathetically. Kakashi shifts his gaze towards her and regards her as well, "You too, Sakura."
Stirring from his deep and numb slumber, Sasuke reaches out to the nearest object he can find. Which, by the way, is Sakura. "Ugh... S-Sakura...? Y-you're s-suffocating me..." he grunts.
"...Oh. You're awake?" Sakura loosens her hold on him and accidentally releases her grip on her teammate, and he plummets to the center of the earth as a result. Gravity pulls him down to the ground, nearly crushing his tailbone in the process.
"FUCK!" the Uchiha genius bellows in pain, rubbing his behind and Sakura rolls her eyes.
"Up and at it, Uchiha. You missed a lot." her expression changes into seriousness as she offers a hand towards him.
"What... the hell happened?" Sasuke reluctantly takes her hand and pulls him up as he glances around.
Sakura sighs and decides to humor him, "You're asking a rhetorical question. Look around you, Uchiha."
"Well... it seems like Sasuke is alright. I was worried." Kakashi smiles and Naruto perks up.
"Sakura! Sasuke!" he waves eagerly at them, sporting a crooked grin and his teammates waved back.
Only for their beautiful moment of happiness to be interrupted by the party-poopers.
"Hey, hey, hey! You fuckers are too relaxed!" A rowdy thug interrupts their blissful reunion.
Well, fuck you too, buddy.
"Damn you, ninjas! You killed our meal ticket!"
"Ya'll are dead!"
"We gonna take over this city!"
"And take everything!"
"YEAH!"
They all chorus in agreement, thrusting their weapons into the air.
"Well, this is bad." Kakashi sighs tiredly.
"W-what're we gonna do?!" Naruto panics, then turns to his instructor. "D-don't you have like a, super awesome jutsu that can beat them all?!"
"I can't. After using my Sharingan, Summoning and Chidori... I used up too much chakra." he deadpans and Naruto shrieks in panic.
The blonde watches in horror as the hordes of low-class ninjas charge at them with evil smirks plastered across their faces. Way too eagerly.
BOOM.
A single flash grenade drops in front of the horde and explodes into a blinding flash of light.
"AARGGGHHH!" Screams of pain and agony can be heard once more and Tazuna widens his eyes in surprise.
"IF YOU COME ANY CLOSER, WE WILL STOP YOU WITH EVERYTHING WE'VE GOT!" The proud citizens of the Waves stand tall and strong even in the face of adversary. Aiming their bows and arrows, spears, halberds, and clubs at the enemies. Inari, donning a black helmet and a crossbow, stands in front of his people.
"I-Inari... you..." Tazuna tears up and Sakura grins at him, giving him a thumbs-up.
"Inari!" Naruto gushes out gleefully.
"Hehe! The hero shows up at the last second, am I right?" the boy grins, mirroring Naruto's gleeful expression.
Oh Kami, he's turning into...! This is Inari's slow transition into Naruto.
"Okay! I can do this! Shadow Clone jutsu!" Naruto forms the seal and ten clones of him poof into existence.
"W-what the hell?!" The flabbergasted hordes of thugs stutter in surprise.
"This should work..." Kakashi closes his eyes and forms his own clones, about twenty of them, each glaring down the thugs.
"THERE'S SO MANY OF THEM!"
"...And, let's not forget about me." Sakura winks at Sasuke and with a quick set of seals, a gigantic pillar of water forms, rising from below the bridge and looming above them. A fifty meter tall water dragon, opening its jaws and letting out a great roar, piercing through time and space.
"NO THANKS! LET'S SKEDADDLE OUTTA 'ERE!"
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Let's show them who's the boss around here! Run bitches, run!
Inner-Sakura laughs maniacally as she watches the low-lives turn and run with their tails tucked between their legs. However, Sakura on the other hand, struggles to maintain the jutsu. Feeling her chakra slipping, she uses the remaining of her control to direct the water dragon towards the hordes of ninjas gawking at the dragon.
OH SHIT.
WROOOOAAAGGGHHH.
With a mighty battle cry, the dragon surges forward and swallows all of Gatō's henchmen, drowning their muffled screams. The pink-haired girl tries to regain control and uses her chakra to push the tumultuous waves forward, preventing her and the rest of her team along with Tazuna and the citizens from drowning as well as to keep Haku and Zabuza safe. The huge torrents overflow and spill out of the bridge, returning to the waters below, taking all the thugs along. Soon, every single drop of aqua disperses and falls back to the ocean. At the same time, they can still hear the thugs shrieking and trying to swim back to shore.
...
...
...
"Well, I'll be damned." Tazuna tips his straw hat to the side, a newfound respect for the pink-haired kunoichi.
Damn right!
"WOOOHHHH! We did it!" Inari and the citizens drop all their weapons and rejoice in their sweet victory.
"S-Sakura... you..." Naruto stares at her in fear, before a wide grin stretches across his face. "THAT WAS AWESOME!" he jumps into the air and Sakura chuckles sheepishly.
"Haha... yeah." she looks away from Sasuke's scrutinizing stare.
'D-did she just... performed Zabuza's jutsu? How?'
The raven-haired boy cannot believe his very own eyes. First, the bell test, catching Zabuza's sword, and now performing a high-leveled jutsu? Just who is Sakura Haruno?
"H-how did... you..." he glances back and forth between her and the ocean.
"Welp," she turns away from him, "water's my element. Remember that, Uchiha."
Kakashi chuckles lightly as Sakura body flickers beside him. "You've overdone it, Kaka-sensei."
"Looks like our training finally paid off, didn't it, Sakura?" he playfully ruffles her head, but Sakura moves back.
"Careful, sensei. These needles are not just for show." she smiles at him, gesturing subtly at the senbon needles protruding from her up-do.
Giving her one of his cryptic, eye-crinkling smile, he reaches out his hand and sets it atop her head. "I know, Sakura. I know."
(^.^)
Stopping in front of Zabuza's body, Kakashi looks down at him. After a few moments of silence, he carefully removes the blood-stained katanas on Zabuza's back. Watching the ruby red liquid flow from the open cavities, Kakashi discards the blades off to the side, clattering noisily against the concrete.
"...Looks like it's over, Kakashi..." the swordsman whispers.
"Yes."
"Kakashi... I have a final request."
Reaching for his headgear, Kakashi lowers his eyes. "What is it?"
Craning his neck upwards, "I... want to see his face..."
"..." The silver-haired man pulls down his headgear, concealing his left eye and masking the devastating expression across his solemn features. "Alright." He crouches down and gently lifts Zabuza from the ground.
Sakura blinks as she feels something cold and wet touch her nose. However, it was fleeting and she throws her head back to stare up at the monochrome skies. Tiny white spheres floating gently and softly in a swirling waltz across the skies.
"It's snowing!" Naruto yelps, watching flurries of white flutter gracefully to the ground.
"It's cold." Sasuke mutters, standing close to Sakura. She nods in agreement, switching her gaze towards the figures ahead.
"Snow at this time of the year?" a confused citizen stares up at the sky. The others murmur their agreement, staring at the gray sky.
'Haku... are you crying?'
Zabuza stares blankly at the dull skies, watching as millions of snowflakes fall gently to the earth.
"Thank you, Kakashi..." he mutters as the silver-haired man gently sets him on the ground, beside Haku. Then, ever so slowly, he turns to stare at Haku's sleeping face. He studies the young man's porcelain-like features and reaches out a shaking hand to cup the side of his face.
'You have always been there for me... I would like to be by your side at the end...'
His fingers softly caress the side of Haku's face, turned towards him. So cold. And dead. He watches the snowflakes melt against the boy's face.
"I-if only I could... I'd like to... go to the same place as you... Haku..."
Just the two of them in a field of white. Zabuza studies Haku's face intently and a solitary snowdrop falls on Haku's eye, melting and turning into water. It slowly streams down the boy's cheek and to Zabuza's still hand.
"H-he was... b-born in a s-snowy v-village..." Naruto sobs, clinging to Sakura. In turn, she pats him soothingly on the back as Sasuke stands closer beside her, her boys flanking her sides.
Kakashi watches the two figures on the ground. "I see..." he lowers his gaze. "He is a boy as pure as snow."
'Zabuza... I'm sure... that you'll be able to go to the same place as him...'
Sakura gently lifts her chin and stares into the snowy skies. 'Haku... are you watching this? Zabuza loves you too. I'm sure of it. That's why... I'll continue to support Naruto and his dream. Help him in fulfilling his dreams...' She closes her eyes as a lone snowflake lands on her cheek. She feels the biting cold for a fleeting moment before it disappears and melts. A single tract of tear falls down her cheek, and Sakura could have sworn she heard Haku's voice in the back of her mind as well as a fleeting touch of softness and warmth surrounding her.
'I have no doubt that you will. I am certain that you will become a strong kunoichi one day.'
Omake:
Team 7 stands atop a cliff, overlooking the vast expanse of glittering blue. The tempestuous waves crash against the craggy coast loudly, sending sprays of salty water into the air. There, stands two burial grounds for Zabuza and Haku. Two wooden crosses draped each with a wreath of pure white snowdrops. Zabuza's kubikiribōchō stands guard behind his grave, glinting under the sun's rays.
Sakura looks up at the breathtaking sunrise, clutching a cloth with a twine tied around it.
"Heheh... taking one wouldn't hurt..." Naruto smirks evilly, slowly reaching out towards a plate of peach buns set in front of Haku's grave.
SLAP.
"OOOOWWW! Sakura!" he whines, clutching his swollen hand and Sasuke snorts in amusement.
"Naruto, that's not proper funeral manners and it's bad karma." Sakura chastises him gently. Then she turns towards Haku's grave and sets down the cloth in front of it. "But... Kaka-sensei..."
"Yes?"
"Were they right about being ninjas? Like, their values and beliefs of what it is like to be a true ninja." Sakura asks, curious as to what her teacher's response would be.
"Well, a ninja is not supposed to pursue his own goals out of selfishness... becoming a country's weapon is a priority. Basically, duty comes first and our pleasures and desires are second." her silver-haired instructor replies in that same bland and monotone voice. "Same goes for the Leaf Village."
"Is that what it means to be a true ninja? I don't like it!" Naruto scoffs.
"Do you believe that, too?" Sasuke asks out of curiosity.
"...Every ninja has to deal with that same issue for as long as they live... just like Zabuza and that boy..." Kakashi replies.
"..."
"Whatever! I've decided! I'll just become a ninja in my own way!" Naruto stubbornly proclaims, refusing to believe the set values of what it is like to live the way of a ninja.
Kakashi smiles at his student's strong set of beliefs and reaches out a hand to ruffle Naruto's head. "I'm sure you will."
"I'm right behind on that, too." Sakura grins, giving her blonde teammate a peace sign.
(***)
Team 7 stands at the exit of the completed bridge, facing the village of the Waves and Tazuna's family along with Gīchi.
"Thanks to you guys, we've managed to finish the bridge, but farewells are always sad." the bridge builder smiles wryly.
Kakashi smiles and bows in return. "Thank you for everything as well."
"It's okay! We'll visit!" Naruto beams.
"Y-you... better..." Inari shakes with watery eyes, trying to stifle back a sob.
"..."
"Inari... y-you're sad, r-right? It's okay to cry, ya know!" Naruto smiles through the tears threatening to escape from his eyes.
"I'm not going to cry, but you can cry, Naruto!" Inari shouts back.
"Fine..." the blonde abruptly turns away, "Later, Inari..."
Kakashi and his two teammates watch him slowly walk away and Inari reaches out a hand. "Waaahhh..." Finally letting the tears fall, both Naruto and Inari let out a deafening cry.
Gross sobbing intensifies.
Tazuna, along with Inari, Tsunami, and Gīchi watch Team 7 disappear ever so slowly from the distance. "That boy... changed Inari's heart and in turn, Inari changed the villagers' hearts as well. That boy gave us a bridge to hope and courage..." he trails off wistfully.
"So, grandpa... what will be the name of the bridge?" Tsunami asks as she hugs Inari close to her. The boy buries his face on her stomach and clutches her waist tightly, muffling his loud sobbing.
"Well..." Tazuna sweat drops as he gives his friend a furtive glance. Gīchi grins sheepishly as he rubs the back of his neck. "...It's, uh... t-the pink-haired lady wanted me to name the bridge this, so..."
"Well, what is it?" the dark-haired woman smiles.
"..."
"El puente grande del Equipo Siete."
...
...
...
"That sounds... very unique. I've never heard of something like that..." Tsunami muses and Inari continues to sob loudly, clutching his mother tightly.
"I-I suppose... she told me it meant The Great Team 7 Bridge or something like that..." Tazuna sighs and his friend agrees.
"How cheesy, but I like the sound of it." Tsunami grins.
"Same here." Gīchi adds and Tazuna lets out a sigh.
"Yeah, there's a nice ring to it. El puente grande del Equipo Siete it is!"
Thank God I finished this chapter! I think this is one of the longest chapters I've written! Sorry if it took so long to post this up! I've been very busy lately with so much homework and stuff... uh... and I still have clubs to attend and I barely have time to write...
Anyway, thank you for all the likes, favorites, and reviews so far! It shows your support and I appreciate it! It makes my day a little brighter and makes school a little more tolerable!
Welp, I hope you all forgive me for such cheesiness and lameness in this chapter. I didn't mean to name the bridge in Spanish, but... as you all can see, I was listening to Ruth Lorenzo and Enrique Iglesias the whole time and... I also have to write MUCHOS ENSAYOS for Spanish AP. It was random and sometimes I tend to write in Spanish. Subconsciously. It's weird, then I look down at my English Literature/Composition and US Government notes and unknowingly wrote an entire sentence in Spanish. I would leave it at that, since I'm too lazy to erase everything I've written so far.
Anyhoo, look forward for more future updates! And for more terrible humor up ahead and terribly written fight scenes and perhaps some OOCness! Auf Wiederseh'n... Adiós!