Chapter 36

"Why are you hesitating?" The two were at a standstill, the Leaf Ninja trying to comprehend why the rogue would want to take his life so easily.

"I don't understand! Is being strong the only reason for you to be alive?" Haku didn't answer. "Something other than fighting… you could have been acknowledged for something else."

"The day I met you in the forest I thought you were like me. You should be able to understand. I'm sorry that you will have to stain your hands."

"And you believe this is the only way?"

"Yes." Teeth gritting, Naruto drew a Kunai ready to strike. Lacey… His mind drifted to the young woman, someone he had grown to care for deeply as a friend. And maybe even possibly as a sister or a motherly figure. I am so sorry. Please forgive me.He would miss seeing her kind smile. "Please fulfill your dreams."

Zabuza gritted his teeth in anticipation watching the copy cat ninja in the mist. His hand itched to rip through every Leaf Ninja that opposed him. "You're right, Kakashi let's end it-!" Suddenly the ground around the young man broke apart as multiple dogs sprang up out of the ground and latched onto the rogue's body and held him in place. "What the hell?"

"I realized if I couldn't see you, then I could smell you out," Kakashi stated. The wound he had acquired from the swordsman's weapon had stuck around, leaving the lingering smell for his animals to track. "Falling into my trap, I'm disappointed. The mist is lifting, and I see your death."

"Are you trying to talk me to death?" he grunted, trying to pull away.

"With one order they will rip you apart. You are always pushing too far. It's time to introduce you to my own Jutsu."

Energy surged in his palm, the electrical currents growing with every passing second. "Lighting Flame!" Zabuza's eyes widened. "I won't allow you to kill Tazuna because you don't care about anything."

He smirked, ready to take the blow head on and rip his opponent in two. "Your right, I don't care. I have my own dream."

"To have a dream, you need a future, and you don't. It's all used up."

As Naruto rushed forward and the rogue awaited his impending death the surging Chakra on the other end of the bridge drew his attention causing Haku's mouth to snap open in shock. Just before impact, the teen stopped the blade, startling the Leaf Ninja. "I'm sorry… I can't die just yet." And with that the rogue disappeared.

"What?" Naruto exclaimed. "Where the hell did he go?"

Kakashi was rushing forward with the Lightning Flame aiming right for the young man's heart. It would all be over within seconds. First the fingers, then the whole hand up to the wrist passed through the skin and out the other side piercing the organ along the way. However, it wasn't his main target that had been hit causing the Jounin to freeze in shock. Even Zabuza had faltered staring down at the body that separated them. He didn't even jump away the moment the dogs released him, the summoning time up.

"Za… bu… za…" Haku gasped, gripping the jounin's arm.

The child, the boy, the teenager that he had saved from starving on the streets had thrown away his life. And there was a part of Zabuza that couldn't quite bring himself to face. What would Lacey say? But the man internally reeled at the thought. He couldn't be worrying about her right now. This is what it meant to be a ninja. A rogue. Always in a battle between life and death. All of them knew of the chance no one would return alive. There was blood everywhere as Haku's lifeless eyes stared at Kakashi with a cold smile. The teen was already dead suspending from the hand. Zabuza had to pull himself together. Rogues couldn't show any emotion, especially when facing their enemies.

"Heh. Well done, Haku." Breaking from the shock, the young man gripped his weapon tightly. "So, my future is all used up, huh?" Zabuza laughed. "Wrong again, Kakashi!" Moving quickly into an attacking motion the Leaf ninja was startled to find that the rogue meant to cut right through the teen's corpse. "I sure picked up something useful giving me this final chance!"

However, Kakashi wouldn't allow it, using his other arm to grip Haku tightly and retreat to a reasonable distance. "You'll pay for that!" Naruto snapped.

"Stay out of this, Naruto!" the jounin shouted. He laid down the body gently and closed the eyes out of respect before glaring at the rogue. "This is my battle! He's mine!"

The two clashed in a whirlwind of attacks the two countering the other until Kakashi managed to gain the upper hand slamming a foot into the shoulder and shattering the bone. "Damn you. I'll split you in half!"

"Look at you, you're falling apart. You don't have it in you."

The rogue growled. "What did you say?"

Within seconds the Jounin had broken the other arm, rendering both limbs incapable of fighting back as the blade dropped to the ground. "You don't understand what true strength is. Game over, you lose. Now both of your arms are useless. You can't even make hand signs.

"Well, well," a voice spoke from the end of the bridge that was not finished. "So this is how it turns out." Everyone turned their attention in that direction, spotting a large group of people. "Did quite a number on you, Zabuza, you look like crap. I must say I'm disappointed."

"Gato?" Zabuza questioned, confused. "I don't understand, what is all of this? Why are you here? And who are these thugs you brought with you?"

There was a rather large crowd standing behind him. "Well, you see there's been a slight change in plans. According to the new plan, you die here and now."

The rouge's eyes widened slightly, not liking the fact he had been played. "What?" Zabuza growled.

"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 that. Think you can manage that, Demon of the Mist?" He laughed at the ninja mockingly. "Look at you. You look about as demonic as a wet kitten."

The thugs laughed along with him, wanting to kill something.

"Well, well, Kakashi. It would seem that our fight is at an end," Zabuza stated. "Since I am no longer in Gato's employ, Tazuna is safe. We have no quarrel."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right," the Leaf ninja agreed.

Gato walked forward before stopping in front of Haku's dead body. "That reminds me, you little punk," the boss growled. "You grabbed me and nearly broke my arm. I've been meaning to repay you for that." He kicked the dead body roughly, a murderous look coming to Zabuza's eyes. "I only wish he was alive to feel it."

"Get away from him!" Naruto yelled, running forward.

"Stop!" Kakashi ordered, grabbing his student. "Use your head!"

"Oh, and by the way, Zabuza, I decided to collect while you were away," Gato added, smirking. The front line of thugs open, revealing a very beaten up Lacey, hunched over on the ground. The Ninja's eyes widened.

"Wake up!" a thug ordered, pulling the dancer up by the hair. She grunted in pain. Blood was everywhere, clothing ripped, gashes and cuts in multiple places. Zabuza had never seen Lacey in such a horrible state.

"I think I'm going to keep her. So loyal, I like that attribute in my men… and women, which is so hard to find in that area. Besides, she's free, isn't that right, Zabuza?"

A/N: I don't own anything