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The Land of Waves - Part 3
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Kagura and Kisuke were looking at the big ice dome that appeared on the battlefield. Its walls were like mirrors that completely blocked off the view from inside. Naruto and his teammates had vanished inside together with that unknown masked shinobi.
"This is bad." Kisuke slowly straightened himself to get a better view at the dome. "We need to find out what's going on inside."
Kagura was running a finger over her mask, where her lips would be. Her eyes were on the thick fog that surrounded Kakashi and Zabuza instead of the ice dome that trapped Naruto. "It seems like Kakashi really did mess up, huh? I hate it when Komachi is right. Hey, Kisuke, do you know that Zabuza guy as well?"
"You don't look into your bingo book much, do you?" He searched his pockets for his own bingo book, but soon gave up when he couldn't find it.
"Why would I? I have a brat to watch. I never thought I'd actually meet a rogue ninja." There was a smirk on Kagura's face, hidden to her partner underneath her Anbu mask. Naruto was out of her sight and out of her mind.
"What are you waiting for? Hurry and call Komachi over here." His words implied urgency, but his voice was completely calm. Kisuke was a Nara, and like a true Nara, he had a laid-back laziness. But at least his eyes stayed on the ice dome instead of Kakashi.
Kagura sight. "I'm sure Komachi will freak out if she sees this." Nonetheless Kagura cut her finger on a kunai and used the blood to summon a little weasel. She told him to find Komachi, and the weasel scampered away. "So who is that Zabuza guy exactly?" Kagura asked after she'd done what was asked of her.
"He was a catalyst for the civil war in Kirigakure 15 years ago. You know about their graduation customs, right?"
Kagura nodded. "The Bloody Mist."
"Zabuza didn't only kill his assigned classmate. He murdered everyone. The whole classroom, including their examiners. Many people had been against those customs for years. And this event was a clear indication for many to put an end to it, together with the Third Mizukage."
"Huh, guess that didn't work out."
Kisuke shook his head. "It looked like things would get better when the Third was dead and Yagura still a child. Kirigakure decided the title of Mizukage would be passed down to the Mizukage's children when the village was founded, rather than choosing a new one through elections. So Yagura was officially the next Kage, way too young to rule back then. But as he grew up, he simply continued his father's customs. Kirigakure stayed the Bloody Mist." Kisuke finally got up. They had observed the bridge from some trees further away.
"Where are you going? We're not supposed to butt into any fights, remember?"
"We are supposed to intervene when Naruto's life is in grave danger. I'm afraid that time might have come. What do you think that guy who knows ice release is going to do to them in there? Drink tea?"
It only took seconds until they both stood in front of the ice dome.
Kakashi and Zabuza either hadn't noticed them or were too busy to welcome them.
Kisuke put a hand on the wall of ice, while Kagura tried breaking it by hitting it with chakra-infused blades.
"It looks like we'll have to wait for Komachi's fire jutsu to break this," Kisuke said. "But at least they are all still alive."
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Haku looked to the side. He could feel there was someone trying to break in, though he had trouble sensing their chakra.
"I might have to hurry this up. I'll say this one last time, step aside. The bridge-builder will die either way. Let me kill him and I will convince Zabuza to leave. You can live." Haku looked into Naruto's face. The blonde boy was angry, and there was no sign of understanding in his eyes.
He went into his ice mirrors, and almost immediately, the walls filled with mirror images of him. Sasuke tried to melt the ice walls with a fire jutsu, but the walls immediately froze up again.
Ice needles rained at team 7 from all directions. The four kids did their best to deflect most of them, but Sasuke was the only one who managed to at least partially keep up with their movements. The ones they missed they had to intercept with their bodies to block for Tazuna.
But somehow, Haku's needles never hit their vital spots.
"I won't hold back anymore if the four of you choose to die a pointless death, giving your life for a person that means nothing to you."
More needles rained onto them. Naruto used another Shadow Clone so it could take the hits for them, but some needles found their way through regardless. They pierced into their shoulders and legs. Naruto's whole body hurt. The Shadow Clone shielded them with their own bodies, yet he could feel the pain. And then there was the pain in his stomach as well. The seal hurt, burned almost. This was the fifth clone he summoned. And if it wasn't for the chakra of the ninetails leaking into his own, Naruto's reserves would be completely depleted.
Haku's eyes carefully observed his targets. And he soon found a weak spot. Tazuna was sitting in the middle of them, head ducked between his arms. The four Genin had formed a protective circle around him.
Haku threw an icicle next. It was much bigger than the thin needles, and this time, he threw it straight at Naho.
Naho saw it coming at her, and she did the one thing that came natural to her. She dodged.
The icicle hit Tazuna in the left side of his ribcage. He grunted. It stuck deep, but he was still alive.
Sakura turned around to check on him, so did Naruto.
"What are you doing?" Sakura yelled at Naruto, who was about to pull the icicle out. "He'll bleed out if you remove it!"
Tazuna was moaning in pain, and for a moment, Sakura feared he would pull it out himself.
"I'm sorry." Naho fell to her knees, stared at the collapsing bridge builder. "I'm so sorry."
"Are you sure, Sakura? That thing's totally stuck in him! Come on, old man, you can't die here."
"Careful!" Sasuke screamed at them. More ice needles were flying at Tazuna.
While the Genin were busy deflecting and blocking them once more, Haku moved. He left his mirrors for the next attack. Naruto stepped closer to Tazuna. He couldn't stand the old guy, but he still wasn't going to let him die.
Sasuke took out another kunai. This was the perfect opportunity to land a hit on Haku. Yet Haku was just so much faster than them. Not even Sasuke could keep up. He knew he was supposed to be faster, especially with the Sharingan. If he knew how to use it properly.
It was easy for Haku to dodge Sasuke's attack and suddenly it was only Naruto standing between him and those he wanted to protect. He didn't know what to do, how to fight Haku off. All he knew to do was to summon yet another clone to help. His whole body burned, like his belly was on fire.
But Haku wasn't going for Tazuna like everyone expected. He went straight for Naruto's Shadow Clone. A blade made of ice formed in Haku's hand, and he rammed it in the clone's guts with such a speed that Naruto barely saw it coming. The clone instantly vanished.
Within seconds, Haku was back in his mirrors, watching Naruto crumble in pain. He fell on his knees, his hands pressed onto his stomach. This was the opening Haku had been going for. One more hit, and the bridge builder would be dead for sure.
He threw another icicle.
Naruto grunted. This was a side effect of the Shadow Clone jutsu his teacher had told him about. But he'd never imagined the pain to feel this way, this real. Right now, his body was convinced he was bleeding out, dying.
Yet Naruto still managed to get up again, ready to face the icicle aiming for Tazuna. At least this pain would be real.
But it never reached him.
Sasuke jumped in front of Naruto. The icicle penetrated his right shoulder. Sasuke tumbled backwards, falling into Naruto.
"Sasuke!" Sakura immediately left Tazuna's side to support Sasuke.
"Sasuke, you… protected me? Why?"
"I don't know, idiot. My body just moved on its own." His voice was hoarse, breathless from pain. "You guys need to find a way out of here. Run, maybe I can…" He stood up again to face Haku once more.
Haku immediately sent more needles his way. They hit, and Sasuke instantly collapsed. Sakura caught him, but he didn't respond anymore.
"Sasuke, wake up, please." His eyes were closed. Tears gathered in Sakura's eyes.
"Sakura, is he…?" Naruto was scared of the answer.
"I don't know. I think he's not breathing anymore." She sobbed, while her hand was searching for a heartbeat.
"I'm sorry. I'm really so sorry." Naho was crying.
"Stop apologising!" Sakura yelled at her.
There was silence for a moment.
Naruto turned around to Haku again. There was a weird emptiness inside of him. He could also feel the red chakra filling his chakra system, flooding his whole body. Instead of pushing it back, he allowed it. "You…!" Naruto screamed at Haku.
"It seems like you should have protected that person instead of the old guy. Is this the first time you are faced with a friend's death? This is the way of the shinobi life." Haku's voice was calm, and cold.
"Shut up!" He dashed at an image of Haku in the mirror. He didn't care if it was the real one or not. He would shatter them all until he found the real one.
The ice started to crack when Naruto punched it. Red chakra covered his fist, and suddenly, there was so much energy leaking out of Naruto that the ice dome around them shattered.
The real Haku appeared again now that the mirrors were gone. Naruto lunged at him. The needles Haku threw at him simply got reflected, so dense was the chakra that coated Naruto.
Haku still managed to dodge Naruto's first strike.
"I didn't think you'd get this strong when protecting those important to you. But I see now. You are a Jinchuuriki. You hold powers I will never achieve, no matter how hard I work. … You are a better tool than me."
"I'm not a tool!"
This time, Haku didn't dodge, and Naruto landed a hit straight onto his mask. It shattered, revealing Haku's face.
Naruto's eyes widened. He instantly recognised him.
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Komachi arrived in time to see the big ice dome burst from the Kyuubi's chakra. Naruto wasn't hard to spot either, a big cloud of red chakra surrounded him.
"Komachi!" Kagura called her over. "Is this…? We have to seal it again right away!"
Komachi had never seen Kagura this eager to fulfil her duty. But it was understandable. The Kyuubi's chakra was terrifying.
Kagura grabbed a kunai that had a string attached to it. The first part of their plan was to create a shadow for Kisuke's Shadow Binding jutsu. She was about to throw it, when Komachi grabbed her wrist.
"Wait." Komachi's eyes were on Naruto. "That's not the Kyuubi." She carefully approached Naruto. She could tell that at least Haku had spotted her, but they didn't seem to care. They continued talking.
"You told me to become strong and protect the people I care for. That's not what a tool does!" Naruto yelled at him.
Komachi could clearly hear the pain and anger in Naruto's voice. She looked around, trying to figure out what had happened. She saw Sakura and Naho, both sitting on the ground in defeat, both crying. Sasuke was lying in Sakura's arms. He didn't move.
"I'm Zabuza's tool. I will do what Zabuza asks of me, even if it costs me my life. And that's alright, because Zabuza is that person precious to me. I don't mind being his tool. Because at least, contrary to you, I am serving the person precious to me, not some Kage I have no connection to."
"How? How can that guy be precious to you? He is a killer! Someone you care for shouldn't use you like a tool."
Komachi carefully observed Naruto. There was the Kyuubi's chakra leaking out of his body everywhere. Yet it was still Naruto talking. The monster hadn't taken over. At least not yet.
"Zabuza is precious to me… because he accepts me the way I am." Haku smiled. "I'm from a poor family. Every day my parents and I went to bed hungry. They were farmers, working all day long to feed me. I decided to help, to do all I could do." Haku stopped to look at Naruto. He was quietly listening to him, so he continued.
"I was talented at chakra control and ninjutsu. So talented I taught water release to myself at a young age. My parents didn't like it. But they didn't complain because watering the fields using ninjutsu was so much more convenient and faster. I always worked on bettering my skills to be of more use to my parents. Until one especially cold year destroyed all our crops and harvest. I did what I thought was the only option left, and I became a shinobi. Because missions paid well, and I knew that way I could ensure my family wouldn't starve. Every time I completed a mission, I would send some money to them, and save the rest. Once I'd saved up enough money to be sure to pay for another year worth of food, I returned."
Naruto was still carefully listening. His anger slowly vanished.
"But my parents didn't want me anymore. They were scared of me. Scared of shinobi. Of what I'd become. They called me a killer. Said they'd rather starve than take the money I had made with the blood of others."
And suddenly, all of Naruto's anger was gone, and only sadness was left. More pain spread through his stomach and soon through his whole body. It was darkness. Someone was taking his own body away from him.
Haku carefully watched him. "Are you not going to fight me to revenge your friend?"
Naruto collapsed before he could even think about answering. The red chakra started to burn his skin. The thought of Sasuke seemed so far away all of a sudden. Naho and Sakura too. The world around him slowly went away.
Kagura jumped next to Naruto, drawing her sword. "If he won't kill you, I will." She thrust the sword at Haku, who immediately dodged to get some distance. But Kagura was fast too and closed in on him.
"Naruto…" Komachi kneeled down to him.
"Who are you?" Naruto asked. Another wave of pain hit him.
Komachi took a step backwards. Kisuke nodded at her, signaling her he was close-by and ready.
An evil grin formed on Naruto's face. "Whoever you are, I'll smash your head and break all your bones." He lunged at Komachi, but was immediately held back by his own shadow.
Komachi formed a triangle with her hands. "Don't seal it away yet. Give me five minutes first." She was set on bringing Naruto back her own way.
Komachi found herself in a dark space. This was Naruto's mind, she knew. She had to find his consciousness and bring him back. It had to be locked away somewhere while the Kyuubi took over his body. Komachi opened a door. It was the only door she could spot. She'd been in other people's minds before. But this mindscape looked so much different, like a dark ocean of chakra. The liquid around her feet was red as blood.
As soon as she stepped into the new room, a piercing pain spread in her head. Memories ran past her. Hundreds of years of memories. And Komachi realised these weren't Naruto's. She wasn't in Naruto's mind. It was the Kyuubi's. She saw pictures and scenes of Naruto's childhood, of the First Hokage's whole life, and of so many more people she didn't know. It was like the pictures and scenes around her reacted to her own emotions, and started to show her exactly what she did not want to see.
And soon the room around her filled with pictures of Minato and Kushina, of Kushina's pregnancy, of Minato's death. And of Naruto, who was no older than an hour, crying.
The pain in her head got stronger and stronger. The amount of information overwhelmed her. Red chakra tangled around her feet and slowly crawled up on her. She saw herself walking away from the crying baby.
Komachi stopped the jutsu.
"What happened?" She heard Kisuke before she could even open her eyes again.
She pulled off her mask. Her head felt like it was going to explode. Warm blood was running down her nose and lips. She looked up, straight into the Kyuubi's eyes again. They were different from Naruto's. Full of bloodlust and hate.
Meanwhile Kagura had caught Haku. She dropped a paper seal on his left arm, which instantly caused Haku's muscles to stop working. His left arm dropped down, loosely dangling at his side. Kagura was waiting for him to grab the paper with his remaining arm. She had another ready.
But instead, Haku formed a one-handed sign, and ice spikes rained down at Kagura.
"With one hand?" Kagura had to dodge. Haku used the opportunity to take off the paper seal. She couldn't help but burst into laughter. "You sure are a genius. This is fun."
"I don't know why we're fighting." Haku only looked at her.
"Do we need a reason?" Kagura readied her sword again. But suddenly, Haku's eyes widened, and within a second, he was gone.
Kagura looked around, trying to find his presence again. But all she did find was Naruto, who was losing more and more control over himself.
"Naruto!" Komachi called him, but there was no response. He wasn't there anymore.
The Kyuubi managed to break free from the Shadow Binding jutsu, and slammed his fist at Komachi.
She rolled away. Her temples were still throbbing from the jutsu she'd used. Every heartbeat felt like nails were being hammered into her head.
Kagura appeared to her left, Kisuke to her right. They were both ready to defend their partner. Kisuke used his Shadow Binding jutsu again. It wasn't enough to restrain the Kyuubi completely, but at least it would buy Kagura some time.
"You have to hurry. The chakra is hurting Naruto." Komachi slowly got up to her feet again.
Kagura opened a scroll and pulled chains out of it which she'd prepared exactly for a situation like this. They had sealing formulas written all over them. She dashed around Naruto, who was still covered in the Kyuubi's chakra, and wrapped one chain after the other around Naruto's legs and arms. The red chakra dispersed as soon as she activated the seals with a few hand signs. Naruto screamed, and slowly crumbled to the ground. Kagura used another of her paper seals, which she put on Naruto's belly, and all of the Kyuubi's chakra was gone again. Naruto collapsed. Kagura didn't catch him.
"Phew, that was actually close." She turned around and looked at Sakura and Naho, who were still kneeling next to Sasuke and Tazuna, crying. "What are we supposed to do now? Just leave these kids here?"
Komachi looked around too. She put her mask back on before slowly walking over to Naruto. "Kisuke, see if you can help the boy and man. Kagura, go make sure Kakashi is alright." She freed the unconscious Naruto from Kagura's chain. Part of his skin was red, burnt from the Kyuubi's chakra. If they hadn't sealed it away again, it would have killed him. They Kyuubi would be free.
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Kakashi had always intended to end his fight fast. But the matter became more and more urgent, peaking when he suddenly felt a burst of the Kyuubi's chakra.
He was surrounded by thick fog that made it impossible to see even his own hands.
Kakashi cut his thumb. This was his last plan. It had to work.
His ninja dogs appeared, and immediately had their noses set on their target. It didn't take long until he heard them attack.
The fog slowly dispersed, and Kakashi spotted Zabuza. His dogs had gotten their teeth onto him, pinning him down. They'd smelled Kakashi's blood that still stuck to Zabuza's sword.
Electricity formed around Kakashi's hand again, and the chirping of birds was back. This time would be the last.
Kakashi's hand finally found warm flesh. But it wasn't the right one.
His heart skipped a beat as it dawned on him that the unknown shinobi from before jumped into his way. He looked at his face.
Haku was smiling. But he was already dead.
Kakashi tried to pull his hand back, but it was stuck. Stuck in Haku.
Zabuza laughed, and immediately shook the dogs off to go for a counter-attack.
Kakashi dodged with Haku still in his arms. He eventually managed to pull his hand out again and put him down onto the unfinished bridge. He formed the signs for another jutsu, and a water dragon flew at Zabuza. It missed.
Zabuza was standing in front of him. He was bleeding, but still had a victorious grin on his lips. "That was an awfully small water dragon. Seems like you are running out of chakra."
"And it seems you didn't care much for your comrade, even though he died protecting you." Kakashi was buying time while glancing over to his team. Now that the fog was clearing, he could finally see them again. His heart skipped another beat as he spotted one of the Anbu, picking up Naruto. Another one was leaning over Sasuke and Tazuna who were lying a bit further away. None of the three was moving.
Zabuza now saw them too, and his grin vanished. "Backup? Guess I'll better end this now." He charged at him with his sword.
Zabuza had been right. Kakashi was running out of chakra. He didn't have enough left for another Chidori. But he wasn't completely drained yet. So he rammed his hand down at the ground, which was still wet from the water dragon he'd just summoned. His hand produced more electricity, not enough to create the sounds of chirping birds, but enough to reach Zabuza and send his muscles into shock. Kakashi rushed at him, a kunai in his hand. He was ready to cut Zabuza's throat, thinking once again that this was it, the end.
Yet all of a sudden, waves of water emerged from both sides of the bridge, flooding the whole bridge around Kakashi and Zabuza with water. The water soon vanished again, but it had washed the two men away from each other too. Two strangers appeared from the water and stood next to Zabuza.
Kagura joined Kakashi as well. "Need any help?" she said in a sweet tone.
Kakashi sighed. This mission turned out worse and worse. He checked the two newcomers, wondering who they were. One of them was a woman, long brown hair, around his age. He knew he'd seen her somewhere before, but couldn't quite pin it down yet. A boy stood next to her, maybe a few years older than his own Genin. He wore a weapon on his back that was wrapped in bandages, most likely another sword. It looked like they were Zabuza's backup, yet Zabuza himself didn't seem to recognize them. He slowly backed off, getting some distance between himself and the two strangers.
"How lucky for both of us that we reached you just in time. It seems like you'd be a dead man now had we stayed in those hot springs a minute longer," the woman said to Zabuza.
"Who are you? Did Gato send you?"
Komachi appeared next to Kagura and Kakashi as well, carrying Naruto in her arms. She gave the boy to Kakashi. "You two stay back. We will end this." She knew Kakashi had reached his limit.
"Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto slowly opened his eyes. "What happened?"
The woman with the brown hair and blue dress laughed. "What did you get yourself into, Zabuza? Anbu from Konoha, and… Kakashi Hatake? No need for weapons, we are not here to fight." She looked at the sword in Kagura's hand.
"Who's that?" Naruto asked. His whole body hurt, but he still told his teacher to let him down. He didn't want to be carried like a little child. He spotted Haku's dead body lying not too far away, and everything that had happened slowly came back to him. The last thing he remembered was the two of them talking. "What happened?" he asked again.
"My name is Mei. Mei Terumi. This is my student, Chojuro." The woman ignored Naruto, and was talking to Zabuza instead.
"You are from Kiri? I assume you are here for my head." Zabuza readied his sword to continue fighting.
"Not quite. I intend to reassemble the Seven Swordsmen. And then…" She smiled. "I will kill Yagura, and anyone supporting his system. I will bring a revolution to Kirigakure."
Kakashi and the two Anbu women quietly listened. Information on other villages was always welcome, especially the secretive Kirigakure.
Zabuza laughed. "Kirigakure's ways won't change. The last civil war didn't matter, and another one won't either. But you're ambitious, I'll give you that." Zabuza looked at Tazuna then at Kakashi and the Anbu. Haku was dead, but at least it looked like Tazuna was close to death as well, if not dead yet. Shinobi who were most likely all stronger than him in this moment, less exhausted, surrounded Zabuza. He knew he had to leave, and continue his mission later if necessary. But Mei didn't look like she was going to just let him walk away.
"You are Kubikiribocho's wielder, one of the Seven Swordsmen," Mei continued. "And you had part in Kirigakure's civil war that caused the death of our Third Mizukage. I want you to join us, Zabuza. Help us bring peace to Kiri."
"I'd rather die here than go back to that bloody village. I don't care for your visions even one bit."
Naruto was still trying to piece together what was going on around him. There were two Anbu from his village he didn't know, two strangers, and the man that had attacked them, the man who caused all this. Further down the bridge, Sakura was still leaning over Sasuke. But Naruto couldn't bear to look at them. Once again, he blamed himself for all that happened.
"What happened to him?" He pointed at Haku.
"He died protecting Zabuza," Kakashi said.
Zabuza followed their gazes, but then turned away. "Guess this fight is over. I'm not here to chat, so I'm leaving."
"Wait!" Naruto yelled after him. "What about him? Are you just leaving him here? Are you not going to bury him?"
"Haku? What does it matter? He's dead."
"But… he deserved better than this. He deserved so much better than you." Naruto was still yelling. His body was sore and painful, but it was nothing compared to the pain he felt inside of him. He hurt much deeper. He was angry. Angry at himself, at Zabuza, and at the world. "This is all your fault," he continued. "He is dead because of you. He cared so much for you, and you don't even care. How can you not care? Wasn't he your comrade?"
"Haku was a tool. Just like I am a tool. We are all tools. Every single one of us here. You'll understand it eventually, kid. Having dreams and visions…" He glanced at Mei. "They don't mean anything in this world."
"How can you be like that? I'm sure he had dreams too. Everyone has dreams. But he threw his life away for you and you don't even acknowledge his sacrifice. You don't even want to give him the respect of a proper burial. So what are you going to do with the life he gave you, huh?"
Everyone around them was quietly listening to the boy speak.
"This is just too painful." Tears started to run down Naruto's face. "Is this really how shinobis are supposed to live their lives?"
Zabuza looked at Haku again. He was lying in a pool of his own blood, yet the smile on his lips was still visible. "Everyone has a dream, huh?"
"Naruto, we are done here." Kakashi's eyes were on his other three students again. The fight with Zabuza was over. And what was left was to face the mess he had created.
Naruto shook his head. He couldn't go back to Sakura and Naho. Seeing Sasuke lifelessly lying on the ground just like Haku would make it all too real.
Komachi nodded at Kakashi, signaling him to go.
Kakashi left them. His feet were heavy, and a familiar feeling spread inside of him. He knew it well enough. Loss. Failure.
The third Anbu was leaning over Tazuna, a hand pressed to his chest. Kakashi didn't recognize him, but he appreciated his presence. He was using a healing jutsu on Tazuna.
Sakura looked up when her teacher stepped next to her. Her eyes were red, but she wasn't crying anymore. Kakashi looked past her, at Sasuke. She had his head placed on her lap and was slowly brushing his hair.
Kakashi took a deep breath and sighed in relief. There was an icicle stuck in his shoulder, but his eyes were open. He was alive.
"I'm telling you again, Sakura," Sasuke gasped. "Stop fondling with my hair." He wanted to get up, but the pain stopped him. That and Sakura's hands pulling him back down.
"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura had never been this happy to see her teacher. "That man said we mustn't pull the icicle out yet. Can you do it?"
"I wanted to tend to this man's injuries first, as they are more severe," Kisuke explained to Kakashi. "Pull it out if you want, you'll simply have to stop the bleeding. It's just a flesh wound. But this one…" He looked back at Tazuna. "I'm not sure my healing jutsu is enough. I only know the basics. It seems the icicle damaged his heart."
Kakashi kneeled down next to Sasuke. There was nothing he could do for Tazuna. Part of him was sad that he failed the bridge builder. But most of him felt relieved that all of his students were still alive.
"Naho, bring me your backpack. I need bandages and ointment," Kakashi said, but Naho just kept staring at the ground in front of her. Her whole body was shaking, cheeks wet with tears. "Naho, bring me your backpack," he repeated, louder this time.
The girl winced, but slowly got up to go and get one of the backpacks lying nearby. Kakashi didn't take his eyes off her. It seemed the fight was over. But he couldn't trust all these strangers nearby. Naho soon came walking back, and quietly handed him bandages and ointment.
"Pull it out, Sakura."
"Me? But…" She didn't want to hurt Sasuke. But Kakashi nodded at her, so she went along and pulled the icicle out. Sasuke flinched, but that was it.
Kakashi cut Sasuke's shirt open and pressed some fresh cloth soaked with ointment on the wound. "Naho, take over for me. Press it on the wound until it stops bleeding."
Naho didn't move. They were in no danger anymore, at least no immediate one. Still there was terror in her eyes.
"I can do it." Sakura reached for the cloth.
"I can do it myself," Sasuke complained, trying to sit up again.
But Kakashi didn't let them. "Naho will do it." He urged the girl to sit down next to him and press her hands on Sasuke's wound. "Apply more pressure. That's good." He wanted the three of them to stay as close together as possible.
"Where are you going?" Naho instantly asked when he stood up.
"Don't worry." He patted her head. "I'll go and get Naruto. It seems we should better bring our client to the next hospital." He looked at Tazuna again, wondering if this village even had a hospital, or if he would make it there.
Naruto wiped tears away from his face when he saw Kakashi coming back to them.
"Come on, Naruto. We're leaving. Tazuna… is in a bad condition."
"Sasuke, is he…?"
"He's fine."
"What? Really? But… but Sakura said he wasn't breathing. I thought he…"
Kakashi glanced at Zabuza, who was now carrying Haku's body in his arms. "They said he woke up again as soon as they removed those ice needles."
"Huh, damn you, Haku, disregarding my orders," Zabuza said while looking down at Haku's smiling face. "Maybe he was softer than I thought." He glanced at Naruto, then at Kakashi. "He's Konoha's Jinchuuriki, isn't he? I could feel his chakra earlier. Never would have guessed just looking at him. He's so different from that brat Yagura. … and awfully weak for a Jinchuuriki."
Mei's eyes widened. "Really, that little kid is Konoha's Jinchuuriki?"
Komachi instantly stepped in front of Naruto.
"Get out of the way," Naruto complained. "Who'd you call weak here?" Komachi held him back, which earned her more complaints. "Let go of me, who even are you?"
"Oh, don't feel threatened. We have no interest in Konoha's Bijuu." Mei was playing with a strand of her hair. "On the contrary. Once I'm the Mizukage, I will make sure to foster our relationship."
"Once you are the Mizukage?" Naruto's eyes widened.
"Yes, someone will have to become the next Mizukage once Yagura's dead. And I believe I'm quite fitting for the job." She laughed, throwing her hair backwards. "So, what is it, Zabuza? Help me and I'll erase that bounty that's on your head. You can come back to Kirigakure as my bodyguard, help me rebuild it."
Kakashi took Naruto, and easily threw him over his own shoulder. He carried him away. Naruto complained, but couldn't manage to get Kakashi to put him down again.
"You have to accept her offer. Use that life Haku gave you to do something meaningful. We can be more than just tools," he yelled around. "And Mei. That was your name, right? I'm Naruto Namikaze. One day, you and I will meet again. And you will be the Mizukage and I will be the Hokage. Just believe it!"
Kakashi quietly shook his head, while carrying Naruto away. Kagura and Komachi both vanished again as well. They'd already stayed in the open for too long anyway.
Naruto's words evoked a warm laughter in Mei. "Namikaze? What a scary name for such a cute boy." She turned to Zabuza. "So, are we going too? I'm afraid if you decline, we will have to forcefully take that sword away from you."
Zabuza slowly approached them, Haku still in his arms. Chojuro reached for his sword, but didn't draw it just yet.
"I'm already nothing more than a tool, I might as well be your tool. … At least you'd make a somewhat good-looking Mizukage," he said, walking past them. He had to find a good spot to bury Haku first.
"Did he just call me beautiful? Or was that irony? Does he think I'm ugly?" She pulled out her lipstick to reapply it. "Hey, Chojuro. You think he'd make good marriage material?"
Chojuro blushed at her question, which made Mei smile again.
"Let's go," she told him, and they both followed after Zabuza, into the opposite direction of Kakashi and Naruto.
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It was a quiet journey back to Konoha. No one spoke a word. Not until they set up a camp in the evening. And even then, it was only a few words to assign who would make a fire and who would set up the tents.
Sasuke was playing with dried leaves, making them either wrinkle or light up in flames before throwing them into their campfire. They all sat around it together. Everyone's thoughts were somewhere else.
"He could still be alive," Sakura eventually broke the silence. "If only one of us could use good medical jutsu. That drunken idiot didn't have to die."
Sasuke continued throwing his leaves into the fire. He showed no reaction.
Naho on the other hand dropped her gaze even more. Naruto had reassured her it wasn't her fault, and so had Sakura and Kakashi. But that didn't change the fact that Tazuna was dead.
"Not every mission is a success. And this one turned out way harder than anyone could have expected," Kakashi explained to them again. He didn't want his students to search the blame in themselves. If anything, this was on him.
Naruto was sick of this subject. He felt like he was partially to blame as well for the situation, he felt jealous because Sasuke could light and wrinkle leaves, and he felt sad because Naho looked like she was about to burst into tears again. He was sick of C-rank missions turning out horribly. So he changed the subject. "Hey, Kakashi-sensei, do you think Mei really wants to kill the –"
"Never talk about this again," Kakashi immediately interrupted him. "If what that woman said was true, then this is top secret information."
Naruto sulked. "And what about those Konoha Anbu? Were they our backup? One of them seemed kind of familiar to me."
Kakashi didn't say anything. It wasn't his place to tell Naruto of the invisible guardians he'd had all his life. Neither did they give him much choice though. They couldn't just appear in front of Naruto and not expect the boy to ask questions. "Yes, they were backup," he tried.
"Then why didn't they go back to Konoha with us? Man, I never expected the grandpa Hokage to send Anbu members. Was that Zabuza guy this dangerous?"
Kakashi sighed. He didn't have the energy left to have this conversation. He got up and went to his tent. "Sorry, there are some things I need to think through. You guys should get some rest too." He summoned one of his ninja dogs to keep guard before vanishing in the small tent. Kakashi ran through everything that happened the last few days again. He reevaluated every decision he'd made, counted every jutsu he'd used in his fight against Zabuza, thought about their effectiveness, about alternatives he'd had. His body was resting, but his mind was working flat out.
Again and again, Kakashi's thoughts drifted off, and he imagined what could have happened. All those scenarios that were even worse. He pictured his students dead. His head showed him all sorts of ways it could have happened. He knew it wasn't productive to wallow in what-ifs, but he couldn't stop. The sheer thought of losing even one of them terrified him, more than he thought it would.
He eventually rolled to his side. There was only one thing to do. Two things. He would have to become better, and so would his students. He would have to make them better. The best.
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When team 7 arrived back at the gates of Konoha, Kakashi called his students to him again before they could all run off in different directions. He scratched his head, not really knowing how to start.
"Well, first of all, I want to tell you all again that you did a good job on this mission, despite its outcome." Naho still only stared at the ground, and the other three didn't exactly look happy either. So he decided to move on. "I'm going to give you guys three days off so you can recover before we continue our training. We'll focus on your ninjutsu more. Naruto, you will write the mission report this time."
Naruto instantly rejected the idea. "What? Why me? Come one, Kakashi-sensei, you know I'm not good at writing these stupid reports."
"Which is exactly why you should appreciate the opportunity to practice it. If you hate pen and paper this much, you should seriously reconsider your dream of becoming Hokage. Because let me tell you, it involves a lot of paperwork."
Naruto scowled, but didn't complain anymore.
"Also, I want a written essay from every one of you handed in."
Naruto almost stumbled over his own feet at the news. "More writing? Are you serious?!"
Kakashi ignored him and went on. "In the essay, you will analyze your own strengths and weaknesses. I want to see how well you can judge your own abilities so far. Make a list with up to three jutsu or skills you think would fit your fighting style and that you believe you are capable of acquiring now or in the future. If I agree with your list, I will try and implement those into your training."
Naruto was still not convinced. Choosing their own jutsu sounded exciting, but he couldn't quite see the point in having to write it all down. Sasuke on the other hand had a faint smile on his face.
"So I can choose any jutsu I want to learn?" Naruto asked again.
"It's not that simple. I want all of you to really think about yourself and in which direction you want your training to go. You are good with the basics already. You guys are halfway through your first year as Genin, you should start figuring out what you want to do with your life afterwards." He looked into the blank faces of Naruto and Naho. Those two obviously had never given this any thought.
"Well, anyway. I'll see you guys in three days, and I want those essays by the end of the week." He hesitated. This was the moment he'd usually vanish into thin air and tend to his own business again, but he wasn't sure if he could really leave them alone just yet. It felt wrong after everything that happened.
He left. After all, he was their teacher, not their family.
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Sakura slowly walked down the streets of Konoha, her backpack still on her back. She wondered if Ino had been on any missions too, and if she'd ever been in a similar situation. Her feet got heavier the more she thought about it. She'd been taken hostage, nearly died, saw people die, saw Sasuke die, and saw Sasuke come back to life after all. It all seemed surreal to her. She couldn't quite wrap her head around any of it yet.
Sakura suddenly found herself in front of her parent's house. Her feet had somehow taken her there while she was lost in thought. Time passed as she just stood there and stared at their front door. Eventually, she knocked.
Her mother opened the door. Her eyes instantly widened, and she pulled Sakura closer to wrap her arms around her. "I'm so glad you're back," she said. "I asked Ino's mother about you today and she said you were still away on a mission. How was it? Did you get hurt?" Her hands were still wrapped around her head, softly stroking her hair. "… Sakura?"
A tear ran down Sakura's face, and another, and another. And soon she couldn't hold them back anymore. She buried her face in her mother's chest, crying.
Her mother didn't say anything, just quietly held her in her arms.