DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR ANYONE ELSE!
The Pairing Votes So Far:
Ino- 2
Tenten- 3
Temari- 6
Ino and Temari- 10
Ino and Tenten- 14
Temari and Tenten- 18
Voting Ends In Two Chapters. Feel Free To Vote Again!
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Naruto staggered to his feet, helping Hinata to hers in the process. He quickly reached up, and pulled a needle out of the side of his face. That last attack had happened so fast, he could barely even recall if it was actually will or not. Hinata was hurt, that much was obvious. Naruto had to pull it together now. He couldn't let his "nee-chan" die here, nor could he let himself die here. His mother wouldn't let him hear the end of it if he got whipped in this fight.
"You alright, Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked.
"Yes…" she replied as she climbed to her feet.
"Good…" Naruto said with a grin. "Don't worry, just sit tight. I'll get us out of here in a minute."
Naruto formed several hand signs and smiled. With a large cloud of smoke, several shadow clones appeared wearing the same grin as the real Naruto. Several of them drew a kunai from a pocket on their trench coat, while the rest simply formed fists. Hinata eyes widened at what came next. Before she could warn them or get the real Naruto's attention, the mass of them jumped straight for the many Hakus in the mirrors. Haku smiled as the blondes came forward, and launched another attack. At an almost rapid rate, a blurred form of him began to zip about the mirrored dome, and clones of Naruto began to pop out of existence. Eventually the two Genin found themselves right back in the same position they had started out in.
"Naruto-kun, please stop… We have to think this through carefully…" Hinata said.
"That's well and good…" Naruto replied. "But I doubt if he's gonna give us enough time to think of a strategy! What I wanna know is how the hell he did that…"
"The technique I'm using is part of the art of teleportation. The only tool I need to use it are these mirrors that hold my image." Haku answered. "I can move so quickly, that the two of you might as well be standing still."
"I see... It's a kekkei genkai…" Kurenai said as she listened to what Haku said.
"Kekkei genkai?" Tazuna asked.
"Bloodline limit…" Shino replied. "A skill that can only be passed from one generation to the next. It's a genetic trait which runs through the bloodline of those of the purest shinobi pedigree."
"You got quite a brain on your team…" Zabuza said. "It's a shame that soon he and the others will all be dead."
"Not gonna happen!" Naruto shouted from the mirrors. "I got some things to do still… Ain't no way in hell I'm gonna die yet."
"At one point… I would've preferred that the two of you not force me to kill you." Haku replied. "But when I learned it was because of you that Zabuza was so severely injured, that I stopped caring. I will not hesitate to act as a true shinobi, and kill you all. As you just said, you have your own dreams, and I have mine. My dream is to fulfill the dreams and protect the one I care about most… I will become a true shinobi to do that, and I will kill you all."
"Don't listen to him, kids!" Tazuna shouted. "Get in there and beat the shit outta him!"
"Tazuna-san, please stay out of this." Kurenai said. "Naruto and Hinata are both strong, but they are not a match for either one of these two. Even if we had a way to counter the boy's techniques, neither Hinata and Naruto would be up to the task to defeat him."
"Heh… I see…" Zabuza chuckled. "Konoha doesn't train their new shinobi to turn their hearts to ice, and take another life. While Haku was born into a life that forced him to adjust to the life of a true shinobi in order to maintain his own life, those brats of yours were born into a village of peace and weakness. They grew up in a world without death, or the need to ensure their own survival…"
"Sorry, Zabuza…" Kurenai replied. "I'm going to have to end this fight quickly."
"You may try all you like." Zabuza said as grabbed a hold of his sword. "But I'm not going easy on you…"
Zabuza swung his blade down at Kurenai, who nimbly dodged underneath the attack. She quickly jammed the blade of her kunai into his stomach. Zabuza smiled as he seemed to disappear into the mist, leaving a baffled Kurenai wondering what was going on. She didn't see him make any hand signs at all, and yet the mist that he was able to create was strengthening. Suddenly, he jumped out from behind her with his sword and swung it downward. The blade managed to skim her back as she rolled out of the way. Kurenai winced in pain as she rose to her feet.
"You see, it doesn't matter how hard you try…" Zabuza said. "Even if you should manage to beat me, you won't have the strength to beat Haku."
"Tell me, Zabuza." Kurenai said. "Is the boy really all that strong?"
"I've beaten fighting skills into his head ever since he was a toddler." Zabuza said. "In the process, he has completely given up any and all regard to his own life and safety, becoming a true shinobi in the process. To this day, no matter how great the adversity, he has always managed to prevail. His skills pass mine in everyway, and his kekkei genkai only make him stronger. The little pieces of trash that follow you at the heels will have no chance in defeating my ultimate weapon."
"I'm tired of hearing you brag…" Kurenai said as she drew another kunai. "It's time to fight."
"Damn it… We gotta take back the initiative, Hinata…" a battered Naruto said to the equally wounded Hinata.
"B-but how?" she asked.
"Your eyes…" Naruto replied. "They're the only chance we have now, Hinata-chan!"
Hinata nodded, and began to go through the series of hand signs needed in order to activate her Byakugan. Haku's eyes widened and he shot forward, launching forth a barrage of needles. Naruto realized what was happening and he jumped right in front of the girl, taking the attack for her. Hinata was stunned at the sight causing her to lose focus as Naruto fell to his knees in front of her.
"Quite a noble maneuver…" Haku said. "However, focusing so much on saving the girl may cost you your own life."
"Then it's worth it…" Naruto said. "She is one of my precious people, and I'll do whatever the hell I have to in order to protect her."
Haku smirked and shot another barrage of needles forth. Naruto rose his arms in front of his face in order to defend Hinata from the attack. However, before any of the needles could hit, Hinata tackled the blonde out of the way, causing them all to hit the ground. Naruto's eyes opened wide and stared at Hinata, who was bent over top of him, right into her Byakugan eyes.
"Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked.
"I can't let you do all the work, Naruto-kun…" Hinata said with a smile. "I won't get any stronger… If I keep relying on you to protect me…" She rose to her feet and stared Haku straight in the eyes. "This time, it's my turn to protect you…"
"Those eyes…" Haku thought. "I see… Byakugan… So this girl is a Hyuuga. This changes everything. I have to take this girl out before this goes on much longer. She may not be as physically strong as the boy, but she posses the biggest threat now…" Haku looked at Hinata and smiled a little. "I see… You too have a kekkei genkai like myself. This means that I must end this fight now. The technique I'm using consumes a great deal of chakra, so there is a limit to how long I can use it. I must show my amazement that both of you were able to last this long, but it all ends now."
Haku lunged forward with a mass of senbon needles in his hands. Of course, this caused all the reflections of him to do the same. Hinata stared in horror as all of them were heading straight for Naruto, who was trying to pull himself to his feet. They all flicked their wrists and threw the needles straight for the boy. Hinata gasped in horror and ran straight to the boy.
Kurenai ducked underneath the sword as it swung out of the thick mist. She wasn't sure exactly how much longer she could keep this up. With Zabuza having the ability to literally appear anywhere out of the mist, and strike, the Genjutsu Mistress was at a huge disadvantage. She breathed heavily as she awaited for the swordsman's next strike. His ominous laugh filled the air, sending chills down her spine.
"It's over woman…" Zabuza said. "Nothing can save you, there is no hope, surrender now!"
The swordsman's blade swung down through the mist, aimed straight at Kurenai. She prepared herself for an attack. The attack never came. Zabuza looked behind him to see none other than Shino Aburame behind him. A mass of bugs was flying out of the sleeves of jacket, and attaching themselves to the sword, using themselves as a rope of sorts to hold the blade back. As the bugs held the sword back, some of them had worked their way down the sword, and attached themselves to his hands.
"That's enough of that…" Shino said coolly. "I think it's for the best if we give Kurenai-sensei a fighting chance to strike when she can actually see the person.
As the bugs moved down the blade and attached themselves to Zabuza, he began to feel strange. It was best described as if his power was leaving him. His eyes widened as the mist began to dissipate, and his sword began to grow heavier. He turned his head back to the bug ninja with anger and hate in his eyes.
"What the fuck did you do to me?!" he asked.
"My insects feed on chakra." Shino replied. "All I did was send some into find you in the mist, attach themselves to you, and begin to drain your chakra. This not only effects the mist you've been using to hide yourself in, but your strength as well. I imagine that the blade of yours has gotten a tad heavier than before…"
"Thank you, Shino…" Kurenai said. "Go back to Tazuna, I can handle him from here."
She ran forward and managed to kick the swordsman in the head. Zabuza flew to the ground and skidded across the ground. Slowly he picked himself off the ground, the mist becoming even more useless as it faded out of sight. He cursed under his breath as he grabbed his sword with both hands and ran forward. He took a sloppy swing, which Kurenai dodged with ease. She followed through by making several hand signs, causing roots to wrap around Zabuza's feet. A tree grew out of the bridge, trapping the swordsman in the branches.
"There is no escape for you this time…" Kurenai said as she began to walk towards the tree. "Death is certain for you this time."
Naruto opened his eyes wearily. He wasn't sure how he was alive. It made no sense. He had seen Haku coming straight for his weakened body. In all fairness, he should be dead now. Slowly, he managed to get on his hands and knees. His vision came into focus, and he saw what he recognized as the bottom of Hinata legs. Across from her, lay a tired Haku on the ground, breathing heavily.
"Hinata-chan!" he said happily. "You did it, you beat…"
He froze at the sight in front of him. Hinata was covered in blood. Needles were sticking out of her body like a pin cushion. The Hyuuga heiress's breathing was heavily restricted and painful, as if it was taking everything she had to do so. His eyes widened as her legs gave out from underneath of her. Quickly, he managed to catch the girl as she hit the ground. He shook in fear as he held her battered and bloody body in his arms.
"Naruto-kun… Are you alright?" she asked.
"Hinata-chan… Why?" he asked back. "Why did you do that?"
"I had to protect you Naruto-kun…" she replied. "I was tired of being the one that was watched over. You've done it so many times for since we met… It was my turn to do it for you… To be strong…"
"Hinata-chan…" Naruto whispered.
"Naruto-kun… D-do… Do you think I changed… Maybe… Maybe a little… little bit?" she asked as her body fell limp in his arms.
Naruto looked down at his adopted nee-chan's body in his arms. He was feeling so many things at once. His eyes were burning. His lips were dry. His fingers were tingling. He held her close and cried on her shoulders. Haku rose to his feet and watched as the blonde shinobi cried for his fallen ally. Naruto still sat there, holding Hinata. His body shaking in anger and sadness.
"She struck me with a single blow." Haku said. "She risked it all and sacrificed herself to save you. A true shinobi, worthy of the utmost respect. She did it knowing full well it was a trap…" He paused as he watched Naruto set Hinata's body down gently, still looking at her lifeless form. "Is this the first time you've lost an ally?"
"Shut up…" Naruto said as he bit his thumb. "SHUT THE FUCK UP, YOU GOD DAMN BASTARD!" He turned around and rose straight to his feet, his blue eyes filled with nothing, but hatred. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!!!"
Naruto slammed his palm into the ground. Haku's eyes widened with fear as chakra began to pour out of Naruto, and straight into the ground. A rumble began to be heard through out the bridge. Outside of the mirror dome, everyone stopped as they began to feel the hate and chakra. Suddenly, the mirrors exploded in a blast of power. Haku fell straight to the ground, rolling a few feet, but managing to catch himself as he rolled along the ground. He stood up and gazed in awe, as Naruto stood atop a giant red snake. In his arms was Hinata's limp body.
"Amazing…" Kurenai whispered. "To think that he's already able to summon… Just what all has Anko been teaching him?"
Haku drew several senbon needles and prepared himself. Naruto only smirked evilly as the giant red snake shot forward, tackling right into Haku. The attack knocked the boy up into the air, which he quickly managed to right himself as he flew upward. He tossed the hand full of needles at Naruto, who smiled as the red snake simply swiped his tail repelling all the needles away from the blonde. He then swiped his tail back, which plowed straight into Haku, smashing him into the ground. The bridge shook violently as its tail pulled back. Haku moaned in pain as he managed slowly stagger to his knees. He screamed in pain as he attempted to move his left arm, but it didn't move at all, with the exception of a simple sway. It was broken. He felt the pain in his ribs, at least half of which were also broke, and the rest were cracked at the very least. The snake shot forth again, making another attempt to slam its tail into the boy. Haku barely managed to dodge the attack, but was hit by the recoil, as the snake slammed its tail back in the other direction, sending Haku back into the air. Naruto watched in hatred as he plummeted to the ground. Naruto jumped off the snake which disappeared in a puff of smoke and set Hinata on the ground. Haku managed to pull himself to his feet just in time to find Naruto holding him from behind, with a kunai pressed firmly against his neck.
"It's over…" Haku whispered.
"What?" Naruto asked. "What the hell are you going on about?"
"I failed Zabuza-sama… I've failed myself…" Haku said. "Please, finish me. Kill me?"
"Wait, what?" Naruto asked. "You want to die?"
"I told you before…" Haku said. "My goal in life was to protect Zabuza-sama, and do whatever I had to in order to make his goals come to life." He paused as he looked up at Naruto. "In my current state, there is no way I could do either. I'm useless if I can't do this. Kill me…" Naruto froze as he looked back up at Hinata's lifeless body, and then back down at Haku. He put the kunai away and kicked Haku away. Haku looked up at Naruto, confused at his actions. "I just killed your friend… One of the people you care about more than anyone, and you don't kill me? What happened to that pure killer intent that was coming from you before?"
"You didn't beat me, and now you want to die because you may have let Zabuza down in one fight?!" Naruto asked. "What makes that browless wonder so great, huh? He doesn't care who he works for, who gets hurt, or anything!"
"You said you were training earlier to become stronger, correct?" Haku asked. Naruto nodded. "Why was the real reason you were doing that."
"My reason… To gain respect." Naruto said. "To be able to show the village I live in that I'm not just some monster or a loser, but…"
"I see… Tell me, Naruto… If you had someone who did more than that. If there was one person in particular who acknowledged your existence beyond what the others did, and even went as far as to love you and care for you, wouldn't that one person be the most cared for and important person in your life?" he asked. Naruto's eyes widened as images of his mother started to show up in his head. Anko was that person, even before he became a Genin, before he even trained to be one, she was that person who cared that much, even after he learned he had Kyuubi in him, her thoughts of him never changed. "I can tell from the look on your face that there is someone like that to you. It is the same for Zabuza-sama and I… He took me in and raised me, when no one else cared. When everyone else hated me because of my kekkei genkai… He overlooked it… Cherished it… Wanted it… I was so happy!"
"Haku…" Naruto whispered.
"Please, Naruto… Take my life!" Haku said.
"There's no other way?" Naruto asked. "I have to kill you?"
"I'm sorry, because of me, you'll have to bloody your hands." Haku replied.
He watched as Naruto pulled a kunai back out and held it tightly in his hands. Naruto took a deep breath, and began to run forward towards the boy. It was then that Haku gazed up at the area where Kurenai and Zabuza were engaged in battle. The Genjutsu mistress had returned her attention to the swordsman, and was running towards him with ready to stab him in the heart with a kunai. Haku's eyes widened as he grabbed Naruto's arm at the last minute.
"I'm sorry, Naruto. I can't die yet!" Haku shouted.
He shot forth and dashed straight for Kurenai and Zabuza. Naruto realized what was going on and chased straight after him. He made several hand signs and shot his arms out as two snakes shot out of the sleeves of his trench coat. The long snakes managed to grab a hold of Haku's arm, causing him to stop dead in his tracks, and grabbed on to the arm that held the kunai on Kurenai, causing her attack on Zabuza to stop as well. Everyone gazed at the blonde who held both snakes in his hands, pulling both the shinobi hunter and the Genjutsu Mistress back.
"Naruto! What are you doing?!" Kurenai asked.
"I don't know who is right, and who is wrong…" Naruto said. "My oka-san told me though, that killing for the sake of killing isn't right. I don't think that Zabuza or Haku want to kill anyone here, and I know that you and Shino don't either."
"Naruto…" Kurenai whispered. The tree disappeared and Zabuza dropped to the ground.
"That's real cute, kid…" a voice said from behind them. Everyone turned to see Gato and his army waiting behind them. The short, ugly business man smirked at them. "I see you and Haku failed again… Looks like I was right just to come and take care of this myself."
"Friends of yours?" Kurenai asked back to Zabuza.
"Hardly…" he replied while shakily grabbing a hold of his sword.
"Zabuza-sama?" Haku asked.
"No more, kid." Zabuza said. "You ain't in the shape to handle this."
"Neither are you…" Kurenai pointed out.
"True…" Zabuza said as he prepared himself to run forward. "But I'm older. Much older. Haku's got a life ahead of himself, so I figure it's my job to be the sacrifice…"
"No… There's got to be…" Haku began only to be knocked out from behind.
"Lady…" Zabuza said. "Take care of him. I won't be coming back from this alive…"
He said not another word. He simply charging forth straight towards Gato. The business man turned and ran to the back of his army, but that didn't stop Zabuza. He began to hack through the men. His attacks didn't go unnoticed though, in fact, he took several deadly blows to his already wounded and exhausted body. Kurenai realized that it was pure hate for Gato that was keeping him alive now. Eventually, Gato ran out of places to run, and found himself trapped against a wall. Zabuza smiled as he swung his sword one final time. Gato's body was sliced in half, and he fell to the ground dead. Zabuza dropped his sword to the ground afterwards, he closed his eyes, and died right afterwards.
"Zabuza-sama…" Haku whispered. He fell to his knees as he looked at his dead master's body.
"That freak killed Gato…" one of the men in Gato's army said.
"They killed our pay check!" another said.
"What are we gonna do now?!" another asked.
"What else?! We kill these guys, and then go loot the town for anything we can find!" the last one said.
"I think not…" Shino said as he walked forward.
"What are you going to do kid?" one of them asked as they laughed at Shino.
The boy did nothing, but simply extended his arms forward once again. A mass of bugs began to fly out of his sleeves, crawl out of the collar of his coat, anywhere. The sight of so many bugs coming at them at once began to drive them into a panic, especially when they began to drain the life force of the people they attached themselves too. The army began to charge for Shino, only to be surrounded by a massive red snake. Naruto smiled as the snake dove for them, causing them to literally piss their pants, and run, never to be seen again.
"It's over…" Naruto said with a sigh of relief. That was when he caught eye of Hinata. His eyes widened as he noticed a slight breathing motion. "She's alive…" he whispered as he ran to her. "Hinata-chan, you're alive!" He hugged her tightly, causing her to moan a little in pain.
"Naruto-kun… Too tight…" she managed to whisper out.
"Hinata-chan!" he cried as he sat her down carefully. "I'm sorry!"
"It's… It's fine…" she said with a faint smile.
"So you didn't kill her after all…" Kurenai said to Haku.
"I couldn't…" he replied. "Naruto reminded me so much of myself… I couldn't bring myself to do it…"
"Haku, about Zabuza…" Kurenai began.
"I will take care of him…" he replied as he walked towards the corpse. He arms began to glow with a green chakra, and suddenly he was able to move his arms once more. He gently lifted his corpse up and sighed.
"Haku…" Shino said. "Where will you go now?"
"I need to think for a bit." he replied quietly.
"You could come back to Konoha with us…" Naruto replied. "Your skills would be awesome to have there."
"Maybe…" Haku said. "But not yet. There are things I need to think about."
"But---" Naruto began, only to have his mouth covered by Kurenai.
"Go on, Haku." Kurenai said. "Take all the time you need, and when you are ready, know that Konoha will be there to welcome you." Haku nodded and disappeared into the fading mist. Naruto watched as he left before looking up at his sensei confused. Kurenai put a hand on his shoulder and smiled at him. "His life has taken a huge turn, Naruto. It is not our place to choose what he should do for him. Haku needs time to grieve, and to think things through. When, and if he's ready, we may see him again one day. But not before or after."
The team stayed in Mist long enough to fully recover, and for the bridge to be completed. The team had completed their first high ranked mission, and had definitely become stronger during it. She smiled to herself as she thought about an upcoming event in Konoha soon… Her team just maybe ready for it…
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Fun, fun, fun! I got the flu in the middle of writing this chapter. (Sneezes) Anyways, the next chapter begins my favorite story arc in the series, so read, review, and I'll see ya next time. DON'T FORGET TO VOTE!!!