The Turning Point
Naruto stared wide eyed at the scene before him. Haku, whom he had promised to kill, had made the ultimate sacrifice. Like the tool for Zabuza he had professed to be Haku was able to make himself useful, a shield from the attack that would have surely ended the rouge ninja's life.
Kakashi Hatake could only watch in horror as the boy attempted to remove the hand from his chest, the last of the Lightning Blade jutsu petering out.
"So my future's all used up huh Kakashi?" Zabuza asked smugly, his eyes unwavering from the silver haired ninja.
His eyes did not even flicker downwards to Haku who was taking in fast raspy breaths.
"You're wrong again Kakashi" he said with a sadistic chuckle as blood began pouring profusely from Haku's chest wound.
"I don't understand… what the hell is going on here?!" Naruto asked horrified.
"Isn't that the boy in the mask?" Tazuna asked but neither Sasuke nor Sakura were listening to him, they couldn't tear their eyes away from the gruesome scene before them.
"The boy threw himself in front of my attack; he saved your worthless life at the cost of his own!" Kakashi said bitterly.
Sakura stared, transfixed, to give one's life so willingly for a person like Zabuza. Her mind couldn't process such a sacrifice for someone so unworthy.
Sasuke appeared to be thinking similar thoughts as he looked upon the hidden mist ninja with disgust and hatred. Suddenly Zabuza gave an almighty yell and reached for the sword on his back.
He'd hack right through the boy to take me down? Kakashi thought in horror as the rouge ninja draw his sword.
"I knew I'd found a treasure when I found you boy!" Zabuza yelled, referring to Haku "You've not only given me my life but Kakashi's as well!"
The silver haired Jounin struggled in vain as he tried to free his hand from Haku's chest, meanwhile the others could only watch as Zabuza leapt into the air to deliver his final blow.
Seeing the enemy ninja charging straight for him, Kakashi thought quickly and took hold of the boy before vanishing in thin air, thus avoiding the sword's blow. Twisting and turning in the air, Kakashi landed gracefully away from Zabuza with Haku in his arms.
"Not bad for having a corpse in your arms huh?" Zabuza said, his sick sense of humour prevailing.
"You'll pay for that!" Naruto yelled fuming but the silver haired Jounin quickly dismissed him.
"No. Stay out of this Naruto" he said as he laid Haku gently on the ground.
He had died with his eyes wide open in fear, after staring at him intently Kakashi moved his hand and closed the young boy's eyes. "This is my battle, Zabuza is mine!" The Jounin said angrily.
Sakura glanced at Sasuke out of the corner of her eye; he had been able to move after sensei had ordered to stay with Sasuke and the bridge builder. He was now standing next to her; unconsciously Sakura did a quick check of his vitals. He had regained some chakra but it was minimal. Her own levels were just as low. They had not spoken since she had tried to leave the bridge.
My job is to protect the bridge builder not to worry about my problems with Sasuke, Sakura thought, although in the pit of her stomach she was glad Kakashi was taking on Zabuza.
The pink haired girl knew that neither she nor Sasuke had much strength left to fight off anymore ninja, as much as Sasuke would never admit it.
"Arrogant prick" Inner Sakura declared.
As it happened, Kakashi's thoughts were not too far from Sakura's, glancing at his team of exhausted genin and the bridge builder he knew he had to finish this and soon.
"Kakashi! I'd stay focused if I were you" Zabuza said drawing the Jounin's attention to him as he ran forward and attempted to slice Kakashi with his sword.
The silver haired man propelled himself upward and aimed a kick that connected with Zabuza's face, pushing him away.
"Why can't I keep up with him?" Zabuza wondered as both ninja landed gracefully to the ground. Kakashi had dodged every single one of his attacks since the fight had begun. His speed was superhuman.
A white hot rage began to flow through him as the rouge ninja picked up his sword once more and with a rush of chakra ran speeding towards Kakashi.
Grasping his sword in his left hand, Zabuza attempted a downward slice but before the blade could even make contact, Kakashi extended his arm and punched Zabuza in the face. The force of the punch sent the Hidden Mist ninja back a few meters, but before he had time to react Kakashi delivered another sharp blow to his right cheek. Exhausted and breathing heavily, Zabuza shot the Konoha ninja a dirty look.
"I'LL SPLIT YOU IN HALF!" the rouge ninja yelled as he charged forward again, attempting a side swipe and downward cut with his sword.
Both of which were dodged by a too quick Kakashi. Zabuza barely had time to register that the silver haired man had disappeared before he felt a hand grabbing the back of his neck.
"Look at you, you're falling apart. I knew you didn't have what it takes for the long haul" Kakashi said, deadpanned.
"What did you say?" Zabuza spat out.
"You have no idea what real strength is" the silver haired Jounin declared as the rouge ninja took in tired breaths, immobilised.
"Well well, so this is how it turns out?" A foreign voice said from further down the bridge but no one heard it.
Kakashi quickly pulled two kunai from his pouch and raised his hand with the intent of plunging the knives into Zabuza's arm. Before Kakashi could make a move, Zabuza quickly pulled his sword backwards to swipe the silver haired man on the left hand side. Refusing to dodge the blow, Kakashi managed to imbed the kunai knives before taking the hit from Zabuza's sword.
Skilfully the silver haired Jounin managed a few backflips and landed on his feet. Zabuza's sword was flung meters away to the edge of the bridge. Sakura, Sasuke and Naruto all looked at their sensei in awe; the speed with which he moved was incredible.
"Now both of your arms are useless, what now? You can't even make hand signs" Kakashi said.
Without the use of his arms, it's pointless to continue this, Sasuke thought as he watched the immobilized rouge ninja.
"Well well, he did quite a number on you didn't he Zabuza? You look terrible. I must say I'm disappointed"
All heads turned their attention to the southern end of the bridge. There stood a man with a walking cane in a suit.
Surrounded by a huge army of men.
So this is the infamous Gatō huh? Sakura thought.
Her eyes surveyed the group of dangerous looking men. All with huge swords and other weapons. It was just the thing she had been dreading. There were at least 60-100 men on Gatō's side and a fight was unavoidable.
Because Zabuza was still a threat, Kakashi would be pre-occupied with him. Leaving her and her teammates to deal with all of Gatō's men and protect the bridge builder. Sakura felt physically sick.
"Gatō, I don't understand. What is all this? Why are you here? And who are these thugs you've brought with you?" Zabuza asked.
"Well you see there's been a slight change in plans, you're going to die on this bridge right here right now" Gatō said with a tap of his walking stick, a smug smile on his face.
"What?"
"You're too expensive, so I've decided to take you off the payroll. Of course even these thugs I brought with me cost something. So if you could manage to slaughter a few of them before they take you down I'd appreciate it. Think you can manage that Demon Ninja of the Mist?" Gatō chuckled sarcastically.
Instinctively Sakura glanced at Tazuna, surely after the men were finished with Zabuza they would come for the bridge builder.
Would Kakashi stay with Zabuza or would the whole team run? Sakura's brain was in overdrive as she tried to imagine all the possible scenarios of getting the bridge builder to safety. Unfortunately none of them were looking good.
"Well well Kakashi, it would seem our fight is at an end. Since I'm no longer Gatō's employee, Tazuna is safe. We have no quarrel" Zabuza said, fixing Gatō with an angry glare.
"Yeah I suppose you're right" Kakashi said quietly, also looking at Gatō 'and his men. Noticing Haku on the ground in front of him, Gatō walked forward with malice in his eyes.
"You, you little brat. You're the one who grabbed my wrist and nearly broke it" Saying this he lifted his walking stick and whacked Haku in the face with it. "Too bad he wasn't alive to feel that"
"GET AWAY FROM HIM YOU SCUM!" Naruto yelled, charging forward ready to exact vengeance when Kakashi grabbed him around the collar.
"Don't be stupid, use your head Naruto" the silver haired man instructed his student referring to the large number of men. Sakura felt the same as Naruto as she clenched her fists together.
"What about you Zabuza? You going to let him do that?" Naruto asked the unmoving rouge ninja angrily.
"Be quiet you fool, Haku's dead what does it matter?" Zabuza said annoyed at the blonde boy.
"But you were together for years, doesn't that mean anything?" Naruto asked.
"You don't understand the way of the shinobi; I used Haku just as Gatō used me. His strength and skill I will miss, but for the boy I feel nothing" Zabuza replied
"You were everything to him! He gave up everything to serve you and you feel nothing? He threw his life away! And for what? You and your dream? You never let him have a dream of his own but he didn't care. And you just toss him aside, like a broken tool. That's so wrong!" Naruto said, tears streaming down his face. Sakura too was upset and Sasuke looked deflated.
"You talk too much" Zabuza said, but the tears that fell on the ground in front of him gave him away. "Your words cut deeper than any blade and now I am content that this is the way it must end. Shinobi are human too, as much as we try to deny it. It's inescapable"
Naruto looked hopefully at the rouge ninja.
"Well this is all very touching but I'm a busy man and I need to get my use out of these thugs" Gatō said angrily before pointing to the men on his left side.
"You lot. I want you to get rid of the bridge builder, permanently. Kill the boy and the girl if they should try to defend him" Both Sakura and Sasuke immediately stiffened.
"SAKURA, SASUKE! NO!" Naruto called out loudly but Sakura didn't hear him. All she could feel was the blood pounding in her ears.
"And you lot. Kill the useless rouge ninja, the sensei and his blonde brat. Now."
Hearing this all the men drew their weapons.
"Sasuke! Sakura!" Kakashi yelled as he attempted to move towards his students but in a split second he, Zabuza and Naruto were surrounded.
"Draw your kunai Sakura" Sasuke said, narrowing his eyes at the group of men that had boxed them in.
Sakura reached into her pouch and drew the kunai knife; Gatō smirked at the bridge builder. The idea of hiring thugs was a genius one in his opinion. All of the ninja were now surrounded and sure to die. Plus he still had a substantial group of men guarding him in case things got… Unpleasant.
Naruto and Kakashi looked helplessly at the two members of Team 7 but Zabuza alerted them to the more pressing issue at hand. The fact that they too were completely surrounded, Kakashi quickly drew his kunai knife but Naruto was slow to do so. His attention was focused on the large group surrounding his teammates.
"The quicker we take down these thugs, the quicker we can help them" Kakashi said, hearing this Naruto drew his kunai knife as well.
"Let's finish this"
Thankfully academy training had covered the required formation for when a ninja was surrounded. Although this formation was designed for a team of more than two and didn't take into account the need to keep an eye on an additional person.
So Sakura and Sasuke did the best they could with what they had. Sasuke stood towards the southern end of the bridge, his back to Tazuna, facing off against the men on his half of the circle. Sakura did the same facing the northern end of the bridge.
"Hand over the old man and we'll let you brats go. He's all we want. Then you can go and join your friends, if they're still alive of course" One of the thugs said drawing out a blade in front of Sasuke.
"Tch. You're annoying. Not to mention stupid if you're working for that guy. You don't get the bridge builder" The Uchiha survivor said deadpanned earning a smirk from Tazuna.
That boy's got some fire left in him yet, the bridge builder thought.
"Maybe you'll be more… accommodating than your boyfriend. Let us have the bridge builder and we'll let you go honey" Another man said, leering at Sakura who could only roll her eyes.
"Yeah right. He's not my boyfriend" she said with a jerk of her head towards Sasuke "and you're not getting the bridge builder. Maybe you should listen better next time" the pink haired girl smirked defiantly.
Like hell she was putting up with this, Sakura was tired and exhausted. Sasuke couldn't help but give some credit to Sakura's defiance. She had less chakra than he did and less physical strength but she wasn't intimidated, or if she was she wasn't showing it. And furthermore, what exactly was that twinge when she mentioned him not being her boyfriend?
Mind on the fight. Less chakra equals less physical strength, she'll be a liability, Sasuke thought as he gripped his kunai knife harder.
Tazuna looked at the two children, which is what they are, children. How could he be so selfish? "Sasuke, Sakura. Don't. I will give myself up to Gatō. Your lives should not be lost for me" Tazuna decided.
Sakura's eyes narrowed at the men in front of her who began laughing.
"That's it old man, give yourself up and we won't harm the little children"
Tazuna tried to step forward but Sasuke put his arm out. "Don't move a muscle, our mission is to protect you and if you die we will have failed. Hn, it'll be annoying trying to explain that to the dobe"
Tazuna looked blankly at the boy and stepped back.
Sasuke shot the men his infamous Uchiha death glare and the bridge builder felt a surge of gratitude towards the boy.
"Uh-oh. Wrong answer, guess we'll have to take him by force then" A thug said, reaching for his sword. Quickly withdrawing it he attempted to strike Tazuna but was blocked by a kunai knife.
Sasuke whipped around to see Sakura holding her kunai knife above her head; her arms were shaking as she blocked the sword above her.
"How many times do you idiots want to hear it, you're not getting the bridge builder!" Sakura spat at the sword holder through gritted teeth.
In a flash she had removed the kunai knife and kicked her assailant in the stomach. Satisfied that he wasn't getting up, Sakura turned to Sasuke "Are we going to finish this or what?"
The Uchiha boy gave a curt nod of his head before picking up his kunai knife and plunging it into the closest thug.
"CHA! CHA! CHA! IT'S SO ON RIGHT NOW!" Inner Sakura yelled as Sakura aimed another hefty kick towards a random guy.
It was as though she was operating on auto pilot. Kick, punch, kick, and punch, kunai knife, slash, block, block.
But the thugs never stopped coming, it wasn't as though they were waiting patiently in a line to fight her individually. No, they came at the pink haired teen from all sides, Sakura could feel the exhaustion and sheer lack of chakra building but she refused to stop.
Sasuke was in a similar position, except he was exterminating more thugs per hit than Sakura was. The Uchiha attempted to see past the men to find Kakashi or Naruto, but because there was so many of them Sasuke couldn't afford to stray from the task at hand for too long.
Behind him he could hear Sakura's breathing loudly, rolling his eyes mentally Sasuke used his peripheral vision and saw that his pink haired teammate had twice as many thugs left as he did.
"Sakura, you need to hurry up. You're too slow" Sasuke called loudly as he dodged a kick and landed another two punches effectively removing two more thugs.
Hearing this Sakura took a deep shaky breath. Really? Again? A-god-damn-gain? She thought angrily as she twisted the arm of one thug and whiplashed him to another.
"I'm so sorry Sasuke, but as you can quite clearly tell I'm exhausted and low on chakra" Sakura spat out through gritted teeth as she felt a bubbling rage start to boil in her blood.
The strength to her punches became a lot more prominent as she connected her fist with someone's jaw.
Tired? She's tired? She wasn't the one who fought Haku, Sasuke thought bitterly.
"We're all exhausted and low on chakra. Maybe if you'd worked a little harder on your stamina training this would be over by now" The Uchiha prodigy called over his shoulder as he blocked a kick to his face and stabbed his opponent's vital artery in retaliation.
"I've had it with you Sasuke. I don't even think it's worth being a ninja anymore if I'm on the same team as you. I tried to improve myself for ME not for you and I'm still worthless and useless. Since when is it your place to tell me what I should and shouldn't do? I'm not going to grovel and run after you like some love sick puppy!" Sakura yelled angrily, finally all her rage had culminated into one big outburst.
As her anger grew she could feel some of her strength returning and she managed to take out three men at once.
"You're girlfriend's not sounding too happy with you eh?" One man yelled out before Sasuke silenced him permanently.
No one had ever spoken to him in that way before. She made him out to be some sort of spoilt child, not an Uchiha prodigy.
"I never asked you to run after me or even show the slightest concern. I don't need people like you in my life. Why didn't you decide to improve the first day of the academy? You're acting like this is some kind of game. Playing ninja for your own amusement. Between you and Naruto this team is a joke" Sasuke retorted angrily, kicking yet another man in the stomach he looked around, finally it seemed as though the amount of thugs was decreasing.
Sakura's fist began to glow a bright green as her punches became stronger and heavier, thanks to the added chakra.
The pink haired teen shook visibly from anger at Sasuke's words, deciding to improve, playing ninja for her own amusement. Her and Naruto a joke? Had he looked in the mirror? Who did he think he was strutting about like he was the friggen Hokage or something?
"THAT SELF-SATISFIED, STUBBORN, PRICK! HE DOESN'T NEED US? WELL WE DON'T NEED HIM! IN FACT IF IT WASN'T FOR US, HIM AND THE BLONDE ONE WOULDN'T HAVE EVEN PASSED KAKASHI'S TEST!" Inner Sakura yelled at a mind blowing decibel level.
Sakura immediately latched onto the idea, her Inner was right. If it hadn't been for her and the notion to work together as a team they would have never passed the bell test. Really if she thought about it, they actually didn't. She passed the test and got the bells, but gave them willingly over because she made a promise. Hitting a few more thugs hard she decided to share this piece of information.
"This team's a joke huh? You and Naruto wouldn't even be on this team if it wasn't for my idea to use teamwork for the bell test! I'm beginning to wish I hadn't made that promise!" Sakura said, her voice raising a few octaves.
Out of the corner of her eye she could see the number of men around Sasuke depleting and even caught a glimpse of Naruto's spikey blonde hair.
They must be almost finished, she thought. Finally it was almost over. The pink haired teen estimated a handful of men were left in front of her.
Tazuna meanwhile was listening to the hurtful words being thrown back and forth between the two teenagers. He had been considering the relationship between the pink haired girl and her dark haired teammate ever since they had arrived. From what he could pick up, Sakura was obtaining increasing strength as evident in her chakra abilities and Sasuke seemed displeased by this.
But it had to go further than that. Sasuke, it seemed to Tazuna, was forever putting those around him down. Perhaps to build himself up, but there was no need for he possessed abilities beyond his years and obviously beyond his fellow teammates.
Sakura, on the other hand, from what Sasuke had said appeared to have changed. Tazuna had no idea what she was before but he could not imagine why this new Sakura was bad. She was bright, smart, useful and the potential to be…. What had Kakashi called it? A medical ninja, he had said she had great potential.
Surely the reason for this much hostility must go deeper than that, Tazuna thought as the argument began to get louder and more heated.
"So you're taking credit for the creation of this team now? You wish you hadn't given me a bell, well I wish I'd never been put on the same team as you in the first place! "
"That's not what I said at all Sasuke and you know it. God! You're so arrogant; you think everyone wants to be on the same team as the almighty Sasuke from the great Uchiha clan. No one is ever good enough for you!"
"Shut up! You don't know a thing about my family so don't talk about them as though you do!"
"So I'm not allowed to mention your family, but you have perfect right to talk about my father and how he should disown me. You think you're the centre of the universe, other people have problems too!"
"He should have disowned you! The way you acted in the academy, running after me and trying to win my affections. I would be disgusted to have a daughter training to be a ninja running after some boy. And to think you're a legacy, both parents' ninja's. How disappointed he must have been!"
Then there was silence, it was over.
No more men to kill.
Every one of the thugs defeated.
Tazuna stood in the middle, watching the two teenagers breathing heavily. Then suddenly, before anyone could blink both Sakura and Sasuke had whirled around, kunai in hand and attempted to strike each other. Both pushed heavily on their weapons, each attempting to drive their knives into the other.
"TAKE. THAT. BACK. NOW." Sakura spat out angrily, fire burning in her eyes.
The urge to kill Sasuke, to hurt him as he had hurt her so many times was overwhelming.
"Never" Sasuke replied in a voice as cold as ice, his own eyes reflecting the anger and determination to hurt his teammate for insulting his pride and running her mouth about his family.
"Sakura, Sasuke! Put your knives down and step away from each other now!" Kakashi called out angrily.
He, Naruto and Zabuza had just finished their fight and were now watching the two teenagers stand opposite each other with the intent to kill.
"Sakura-chan! Sasuke! What are you doing?" Naruto called out confused whilst Zabuza said nothing. The Uchiha boy and the pink haired girl ignored them, staring each other down.
"Well, come on Sasuke. Make a move since I'm too useless to do so myself" Sakura said, mimicking the arrogant way he spoke. The black haired boy's eyes narrowed as he pushed his kunai harder towards his female teammate.
"Look out!" Tazuna yelled loudly and Sakura watched as Sasuke's eyes widened.
They had missed one of the thugs and now he was charging straight for the two teenagers. Before Sakura could even think to turn around and defend herself, Sasuke beat her to it. Pulling his kunai away, he quickly jumped in front of her and took care of the remaining thug with a few quick slashes.
Sakura stood rooted to the spot, watching her teammate breathing heavily. He'd jumped in front of her to save him.
She couldn't even muster a thank you, Sasuke turned around and fixed Sakura with a self-satisfied smirk as if to say 'told you so, you're so useless you couldn't even defend yourself' and all feelings of gratitude she felt towards him disappeared.
Sasuke himself had no idea why he had jumped to save his teammate. After all the things she said to him, why would he?
Because you didn't want to see her die, A voice in his head commented but the black haired boy chose to ignore it.
Shooting each other dirty looks, the teammates failed to register the presence of a very angry Kakashi and a confused Naruto. Before Kakashi could even begin to rip into his two students, Zabuza spoke.
"Boy, give me your kunai" the rouge ninja said to Naruto, his gazed locked with Gatō's who was still surrounded by his men.
Slowly the blonde ninja withdrew his knife and threw it to Zabuza who caught it easily in his mouth. His eyes zeroed in on Gatō who realised what was happening.
"That's enough of this, do it, take him down now!" Gatō yelled loudly, running back through the group of men to take shelter behind them.
The thugs cheered in agreement as Zabuza came charging at them.
"He must be out of his mind, one against all of us what's he thinking?" One of the men said, but Zabuza charged straight past him, cutting him with his kunai knife.
He continued at break neck speed past all of the men, wounding those who got in his way.
However, the fight with Kakashi as well as the inability to use his arms did not prevent him from receiving wounds. One of the men took the chance and plunged a sword into his back. Finally the rouge ninja reached the end of the large group of men and found his target. Gatō.
The business tycoon watched in horror as the deadly ninja charged towards him as if in slow motion. Zabuza ran right into Gatō and struck him on the chest with Naruto's kunai knife, pushing the knife in harder Gatō coughed out blood and staggered.
Team 7 and the bridge builder looked on in horror as the group of men came up behind Zabuza and drove their swords and spears into his back causing him to fall forward.
"You crazy fool, if you're so eager to join your friend go ahead! But you're not taking me, not this time!" Gatō said through raspy breaths due to his injury.
"I won't be joining Haku, where he's gone I cannot follow" Zabuza said, shakily standing upright with the swords in his back.
He began slowly advancing towards Gatō who yelled out "Stay back, stay back!" Zabuza moved his face inches from the tycoon.
"Where Haku's going, we wouldn't be welcome. Hell's where we're going Gatō. I can't think of a more fitting destination for a demon ninja, can you? I'm told there are many demons down there of all shapes and sizes. Oh yes I'll fit right in, you on the other hand Gatō I fear you're in for a long and very painful eternity" Zabuza said in a sadistic voice.
He grabbed the business man and slashed him twice with the kunai before stepping on his glasses and driving the kunai into him once more, effectively knocking him off the bridge and to his death.
An eerie silence fell over the bridge, the genin of Team 7 as well as Tazuna stood shell shocked at what they had just seen.
The remainder of Gatō's men were silent as well, none of them moving an inch until Zabuza turned around and looked at them, his eyes wide and demonic. Some dropped their weapons and all parted like the red sea giving the rouge ninja a clear view of Team 7 and the bridge builder but more importantly Haku's body.
Dropping the bloody kunai from his mouth, Zabuza gradually staggered towards Haku's body. His vision blurring and steps uneven due to heavy blood loss, he didn't get very far before he fell to his knees.
"So this is it? The final goodbye, Haku I never got the chance to thank you. Forgive me for that" Zabuza said as he envisioned the fake tracker ninja before hitting the ground.
Watching the rouge ninja fall to the ground Sakura felt physically sick and Naruto began to turn away. "Don't turn away, when you live like a warrior this is how it ends" Kakashi said as all of Team 7 looked on sadly as well as Tazuna.
"But with the right training you could be powerful, more powerful than any of these fools" Sakura recalled the words Zabuza had spoken to her, even he as sadistic and mentally messed up as he was, believed in her.
Suddenly everyone was drawn out of their reprieve by the loud tapping of the sheath of a sword on the bridge.
"Hey, yoo hoo!" Don't go getting too comfortable, this party ain't over yet" one man said angrily.
"Who's going to pay us now that Gatō's gone? Don't think we're going to leave here empty handed. We're just going to have to hit that village and see what they've got for us" another man said and this was met with cheers of approval from the rest of the group.
Kakashi surveyed his team. Everyone was shattered, and he didn't especially trust Sakura and Sasuke not to turn on each other again.
Mentally he reminded himself to have a chat with them later.
"Not good" he said aloud bringing the team's focus to him.
"Come on Kakashi, you must have jutsu that can take care of this bunch of losers!" Naruto said loudly, determined as ever.
"Not right now, I used too much of my chakra" Kakashi said.
"Get em boys!" One of the thugs yelled and the whole group charged forward. Sakura drew her kunai knife once more but she was exhausted. Mentally and physically they were all drained.
Sasuke drew his knife as well, hating himself for being exhausted and disliking Sakura even more as he blamed the fight on his mental exhaustion. Naruto was last to draw and the three genin stood between Tazuna and the large group of men.
Something flew through the air and landed right in front of the small army, stopping them in their tracks. Turning her head, Sakura saw Inari holding a crossbow and behind him a whole army of people from the village, including Tsunami.
Behind them Sakura could even see Reiko and her husband Atsushi looking healthy and well, the pink haired teen smiled. Naruto grinned at Inari and even Sasuke couldn't hold back a smirk. Kakashi breathed an inaudible sigh of relief.
"There's one little thing you're forgetting about. Before you set one foot in our village you'll have to go through us!" One man yelled out and all of the villagers cheered in agreement raising farm tools and other make-do weapons.
"They've all come, the whole village" Tazuna said smiling, tears forming in his eyes. Gatō's men looked completely shocked as they all took a step backwards in fear.
"There's no way I'm missing out on this! Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Naruto yelled and produced five shadow clones.
"Hn, like I'd let you take over" Sasuke said with a smirk as he produced the same number of clones.
"I just might have enough chakra to help you out." Kakashi said as he produced a ridiculous number of shadow clones.
Immediately the two boys and Kakashi turned to Sakura. "Well, you're a part of this team too Sakura. Let's see those clones" the silver haired man said looking expectantly at his female student.
"Come on Sakura-chan!" Naruto said with a big smile. Sakura gave a half smile as she felt Sasuke's heavy gaze on her.
"You have got the best chakra control" the Uchiha boy said, a small attempt at a peace offering. Sakura sighed; it was something. She then proceeded to make the same sign for the shadow clone jutsu, outstripping both Sasuke and Naruto with fourteen clones. Tazuna couldn't help but grin at this last effort by the Konoha ninja to save his village.
Pleased with Sakura's clones, Kakashi turned to the remainder of Gatō's men.
"Okay still want to fight?" said the silver haired ninja and all of his clones.
Sakura's clones all cracked their knuckles, Sasuke's clones twirled kunai effortlessly and Naruto's clones were ready with the shadow clone hand sign to produce more of themselves.
"No thanks!" Gatō's men yelled as they ran to the end of the bridge and quickly tried to board the boat they had come on.
Some slipped and fell in the water as they all bid a hasty retreat.
"Victory!" Inari yelled and all the villagers cheered and began to celebrate loudly. Tazuna raced over to hug his daughter and grandson. Removing all their clones Team 7 stood still and watched as their sensei walked over to Zabuza's body.
"Sounds like it's over" Zabuza said quietly, still face down on the ground.
"Yes it is" Kakashi said quietly.
"Kakashi, I have a favour to ask" the rouge ninja asked in a raspy voice "Take me to him, I need to see him one last time" he said referring to Haku.
The genin looked on silently as Kakashi began to take the swords out of Zabuza's back and pick him up. The villagers had now stopped celebrating and had turned to watch as well. Kakashi staggered under his weight a little, but began to walk slowly back to where Haku lay carrying Zabuza. Everyone looked to the sky as it suddenly began to snow.
"Impossible, snowing at this time of year?" said one of the villagers and some talk broke out about the oddity of the weather.
But Sakura didn't hear him; she along with her teammates looked up at the falling snow quietly. Reaching Haku, Kakashi knelt down and laid Zabuza next to the boy ninja and walked back towards his team.
"You were always there beside me Haku, the least I can do is be beside you at the end" Zabuza said quietly as he used the last of his strength to reach over and touch the boy's face.
"I wish I could go to where you have gone; I wish I could join you there" The sun began to break through the clouds, illuminating Haku's body.
Naruto began to weep openly "He told me where he was from it was always snowing, all the time"
Placing her hand on Naruto's shoulder, Sakura blinked back tears. Quietly Sasuke too placed his hand on Naruto's other shoulder, he knew all too well the pain of death.
"Of course, his spirit is as pure as the snow, you never know Zabuza maybe you will join him there. Who's to say" Kakashi said quietly placing his hand on Sasuke's shoulder.
In that way, Team 7 stood together as Zabuza breathed his last.