Sasuke dodged the senbon. He rolled across the ground towards Naruto, watching Haku seemingly fly by.
"I can see him," Sasuke said. He glanced at Naruto's limp body. "I'm gonna win." He drew a pair of kunai as Haku took off again.
A volley of senbon came flying and Sasuke easily deflected them. One of the stray senbon landed in Naruto's side. Sasuke cursed as Haku advanced, kicking him aside. Haku landed on top of Naruto, inspecting his body.
"Get away from him!" Sasuke threw a kunai, Haku dodged effortlessly. Sasuke lunged, striking with a kunai. Haku caught his wrist and held up a senbon.
Sasuke pulled back, wrapping a wire around Haku's forearm. He gripped the wire in a bloody hand and performed the hand signs.
"Fire style…"
"You won't," Haku remarked. "Not with him right here." Sasuke paused. Almost instantly, several senbon appeared in his arm. The wire fell from his grasp. Haku charged, performing lightning-fast hand signs. Several needles formed from the water around them, flying at Sasuke.
"Fireball Jutsu!" Sasuke breathed a fireball into existence between them. Haku vanished, returning to a mirror. The fire dissolved against the mirrors.
Sasuke panted, looking around. He spotted Haku, once again, standing over Naruto. A red chakra was emanating from his body. Haku and Sasuke stared at him for a moment.
"Better make sure," Haku said. He got a handful of Naruto's hair and pulled his head back. "What?" The senbon had fallen out of Naruto's throat. The injuries were gone. Haku raised a pair of senbon to strike. Sasuke threw several shuriken, knocking them out of Haku's hand.
"Naruto!" Sasuke charged, brandishing a kunai. Haku faced him, raising senbon.
Naruto jumped up with a roar. The chakra grew around him like a cloak. Haku leaped back, throwing senbon at Naruto. Naruto screamed, the chakra spiking around him. The senbon flew off track.
Haku vanished into a mirror. Naruto looked around, his eyes glowing red. He spotted Sasuke. Sasuke stiffened.
"Is that the nine tails?" Sasuke asked slowly. Naruto started for Sasuke. A senbon flew into his shoulder, stopping his advance. Naruto glanced over at Haku.
"You."
Haku lunged from the mirror.
X
Kakashi summoned his dogs. They appeared all around him, sniffing. Pakkun glanced over at Kakashi.
"Let's do this," Kakashi straightened up. A chill came over him, he sensed a familiar chakra. "Naruto!" He cursed to himself. The dogs scattered.
X
Haku dodged Naruto's attack, spinning and returning to the mirror. Naruto roared. Sasuke watched on, stunned.
"What is this?" Haku asked. Naruto replied with a low growl. He turned back to Sasuke. Sasuke tensed. Naruto started approaching him.
"Naruto?" Sasuke asked. Naruto didn't respond. The chakra darkened. "Are you in there?" Naruto doubled over, crying out.
"A jinchuriki?" Haku asked. Naruto spun, lunging at Haku. Haku vanished from the mirror but Naruto was faster. Naruto caught Haku's arm as they passed each other. Naruto slammed his fist into Haku's face, sending him flying through the closest mirror. Haku's mask shattered.
All of the mirrors dissolved. Naruto landed on his feet and started to approach Haku.
Haku grunted, struggling to get up. Naruto stepped on his shoulder, forcing him down.
"Master Zabuza," Haku said under his breath. "I am finished." Naruto raises his fist, glaring down at Haku.
All of a sudden, the red chakra faded.
"Why did you stop?" Haku asked. "Do you plan on sparing me?" Naruto glanced between Haku and Sasuke nearby. Sasuke was stunned. "I've lost my value to master Zabuza. He has no use for a weak shinobi."
"You're that lady I saw the other day," Naruto said.
"Lady? You do realize I'm a-"
"Whatever! Why are you so loyal to that scumbag?" Haku didn't answer for a moment.
"If you won't finish the job…" Haku brandished a few senbon. "I'll have to finish mine."
"Naruto!" Sasuke called out. Haku paused, staring off into the mist.
"No."
X
The dogs had restrained Zabuza. He struggled fruitlessly against them.
"The mist is clearing," Kakashi said. He'd started to approach Zabuza. "I see your future. Your future is death."
"I've had enough of your bluffs!" Zabuza hissed.
Kakashi performed hand signs.
"Lightning blade!" He created a ball of lightning in his palm. Zabuza watched. Kakashi charged.
In a moment, the dogs vanished. Kakashi struck his mark, ripping through flesh. The other one had appeared between them. Kakashi had buried his hand in Haku's chest.
"You missed again, Kakashi," Zabuza raised his blade. Kakashi was stunned. For a moment he simply stared into Haku's empty eyes.
The boy was already dead.
"I really did find a treasure in that gutter!" Zabuza roared. His blade was approaching fast. "To think he'd grant me this marvelous chance in the end!"
I'm your weapon. Your tool.
Kakashi grabbed Haku and leaped out of Zabuza's reach. He pulled his arm free and set the body on the ground.
"Don't get distracted!" Zabuza hadn't wasted a moment. He was charging at Kakashi. Kakashi struck fast, kicking Zabuza in the torso. Zabuza stumbled back but lunged again. Kakashi effortlessly backhanded him aside.
"There's no way you'll beat me." Kakashi appeared behind Zabuza.
"Well, isn't this a sight!" A man had appeared further down the bridge. As the fog cleared, he became visible. Gato. Zabuza glanced over at him.
Kakashi drew a pair of kunai. Zabuza swung but, again, Kakashi was faster. He drove the two kunai into Zabuza's arm.
The blade fell useless to the ground.
"He's made quite a mess of you, hasn't he," Gato said as he approached. A crowd of armed crooks had gathered behind him.
Zabuza slumped to his knees.
Naruto and Sasuke came running.
"Where did he go?" Naruto asked. The two of them noticed Haku's body just as Gato reached it.
"It seems you finally got yours," Gato sneered. He pressed his boot against Haku's head and kicked it a few times.
"Who the hell is that?" Naruto asked.
Zabuza watched on, silent.
X
"My parents tried to kill me."
"From this day on! You belong to me! Body, soul, and blood!"
The two of them stood just outside of the Mist village.
"I'm going to leave this land," Zabuza said. "Tonight." Haku gave him a solemn look. "I've sworn an oath. I'm going to return… A conqueror. A conqueror who will crush them under my feet." Zabuza turned to Haku. "To do that, what I need isn't love or affection. I require—"
"I understand," Haku interrupted. "I am your weapon. Your tool. Keep me beside you and I will strike where you tell me to strike. I will kill whom you tell me to kill."
"Good."
X
Zabuza looked up at Kakashi.
"Our fight is over." He lowered his head.
"Yeah."
"What are you doing!" Naruto came charging at Gato. Kakashi stuck out his hand, catching Naruto's shirt.
"Calm down," Kakashi ordered. "There's quite a few of them." Naruto pulled free of Kakashi's grip and turned on Zabuza.
"Why don't you do something? He was your slave!"
"He's dead," Zabuza said. Naruto balled his fists.
"He was your partner, wasn't he?" Naruto demanded. Gato raised his head, curious. As if egging Naruto on, he kicked Haku a few more times. "I said stop!" Naruto yelled. A few men snickered from the crowd.
"He was a tool," Zabuza spoke up. Naruto spun on him. "That's all any of us are." Naruto was silent. Zabuza raised his head, meeting Naruto's eyes. "I didn't value Haku for myself, but for the taint his blood carried and what his talents could do for me. I apologize for nothing."
"You're serious?" Naruto asked. He started for Zabuza, raising his fist.
"Naruto," Kakashi warned.
"He cared about you!" Naruto lunged, striking Zabuza in the chin. Zabuza fell backward. "Devoted to you!" Naruto jumped on Zabuza and grabbed his face wrappings. "You think that was nothing? His feelings... He was nothing?" Zabuza didn't respond. "Are you really that heartless?"
For a moment, no one spoke. Naruto got off of Zabuza.
"That's... That's too much." Tears filled Naruto's eyes. "That's too cruel."
"Not another word," Zabuza whispered. He rose to his feet, tears running freely. Naruto watched, silent. He turned to face Gato.
"What?"
"You're right." Zabuza's wrappings started to fall from his face. "It's too cruel." Zabuza's eyes landed on Naruto again. "Would you lend me a kunai?"
Naruto was taken aback by the request. He acted without thinking, tossing a kunai at Zabuza.
The demon of the mist caught the kunai with his teeth. Without another word, he broke into a run, charging Gato and his men.
"K-Kill him!" Gato screamed, fleeing into the crowd. Zabuza gave chase, ripping through everyone in his way. Soon, he found Gato. With a swing of the kunai, Gato's head was ripped off.
The goons parted around Zabuza. He hadn't noticed the weapons planted in his body. The kunai fell from his mouth.
Thank you for everything. I'm sorry.
He collapsed onto the ground.
