The Avarice Prince: You know it is your fault for making The Ice Maiden so likeable.

Captain Blues: *sweating continues*

Emerald Eyed Spirit Detective: I just came into existence, what is going on?

The Bubbly Grim Reaper: *checks book* It seems the fate of one Momochi Haku of this universe is in the balance and some of the crewmates are anticipating murdering the captain. This is quite the situation to be born in Beastboy.

Emerald Eyed Spirit Detective: You got that right Botan…Well while the good Captain is figuring things out, I am here to promote my story. Like Teen Titans? Like Yu Yu Hakusho? Well you folks are in luck because The Captain's new fic Yu Yu Hakusho: The Emerald Eyed Spirit Detective was posted today! Go check it out and enjoy this chapter!

The Avarice Prince: Meanwhile I will…Start to prepare to become Captain…

Ansatsuken
Chapter Ten: Her Decision

[Theme of Somberness:
Ally Cat From Persona 5]

How could she have been so stupid?

How could she fall into this trap?

She had been careful, hadn't she?

She had to have been and yet…All she could is imagine his lips against hers, the breathtaking sight of his smile that reminded of glimmer gold and the look of warm adoration in his sparkling blue eyes. She had done missions like this before.

Infiltrate.

Weaken.

Sabotage.

And defeat.

And she had never allowed herself to get attached and yet she has. She has attached herself to him. Somewhere along the line, she had given him the most precious thing she had and now she was a compromised weapon.

It had been two days since her kiss with Naruto and she was unable to face her master like this. She was unable to look him in the eye as her stolen heart beats for the golden hearted shinobi. But at the same time, she could barely look at the object of her affection either.

She was sent there to sabotage betray him…To hurt him…

And if that was not a poor decision, she made another one with Emi. The small and sweet orphan girl with glittering blue eyes that matched Naruto's. She had captured her heart in a different way. She wanted to protect her and care for her and as she watched Naruto chase the squealing girl around, she felt even worse.

Because she was happy.

She should not allow herself to be happy like this.

She was going to hurt Naruto with her eventual betrayal. She was going to hurt Emi by Naruto's death and the further subjugation of her village due to working with the man actively trying to use them for his own profits like slaves.

Her employer hired her master and herself to intentionally shred the last bit of hope that this small village could have. She was actively working against what Naruto was here to stop. She should not be here with her enemy and this small girl.

She should not be happy nor rewarded with her treachery…

And yet, this happiness persisted within her. The more she looked at Naruto and Emi, their bright blue eyes, she slowly began to imagine a life with them.

It was through this feeling that Haku finally understood why her mother fought so hard to keep their family together.

For moments like this…

And it only made the pain in her heart grow. Because while she loved the thought of being a family with Emi and Naruto. She was her father's daughter. She was going to betray Naruto…

And she would soon after.

And Emi would be alone again…

Just the thought made her sick to her stomach.

"Haku-nee! Help me!" Emi shrieked happily. Haku looked up to see Naruto with Emi on his arms, her face beat red with laughter as he tickled her.

"You better help her Haku-chan," Naruto laughed out as the girl managed to escape from his attack and run to her. Despite her growing guilt, Haku could not help but open her arms as Emi leapt into them and hid against her as a smiling Naruto approached.

"Aww. You got to safety right on time Emi-chan," Naruto said as he sat down beside Haku.

"Tickling is like torture," Haku chided softly but sweetly.

"Yeah! Torturing," Emi agreed with a pout, although Haku could see the sides of her tiny mouth was turned upward.

"Okay, okay. No more torturing," Naruto promised with a smile before both his and Emi's stomachs began to grumble in hunger. Despite her somber mood, Haku let out a gentle laugh and leaned to the side and pulled out a picnic basket.

[Theme of Love:
Family from Boruto: Naruto Next Generations]

"Here is lunch you two," Haku told them. "Six sandwiches, a small bundle of strawberries, and a little leftover of the apple pie you two couldn't finish yesterday."

"Strawberry? What is that?" Emi asked as she looked up at Haku with her big blue eyes shining with curiosity.

"They are another type of fruit. Like Apple or Lemon," Haku explained as she lifted one out and placed it in Emi's hand. "This is a strawberry," Haku said.

"It has grass on top of it. I don't like it," Emi said with a pout.

"It's always weird trying out new things," Naruto said with a nod. "I myself hated the leaves on the strawberry too when the old man tried to get me to eat one…But watch this," Naruto said as he took the strawberry and plucked it off. "And would you look at that? It's gone!"

"Whoa…Haku-nee, did you see?" Emi asked excitedly.

"I sure did," Haku replied.

"The minute I learned about that, I had all the strawberries I could afford," Naruto said as he gave the small girl a smile and the strawberry back. "Try it now."

Emi looked at the strawberry and took a bite then gave a wide smile. "It's delicious!" Emi exclaimed before she continued to eat it.

"Now, now, slow down," Haku chided softly as she grabbed a napkin and wiped the red juice from the young girl's face. "Don't want you to get too messy now…" Haku murmured until the girl's face was clear.

Emi beamed up at Haku before she opened the picnic basket to get more strawberries and when she found the small baggy, she held them out to Naruto with big blue eyes. "Can you make other leaves go?" Emi asked.

Haku laughed as Naruto grimaced at the large amount of strawberries that were in the baggy. He looked to her laughing and asked, "You find it funny, don't you?"

"Very much so," Haku replied through her laughter as she looked up at him. Despite his grimace, his eyes were practically glowing with happiness and it nearly took her breath away.

"Please!" Emi asked, which caused Naruto to look down at Emi.

"How could I say no to that?" Naruto replied softly as he took the strawberries and summoned a clone and said "Go play with Clone-nii while I work on these. Okay?" Naruto asked.

Emi nodded and shuffled off Haku's lap and ran over to the open area as the clone chased after her. "I'm sorry Naruto-kun. Had I known she was going to dislike the leaves so much, I would not have picked so many," Haku explained sheepishly but Naruto shook his head, a smile forming on his face.

"Don't be. Really…I am glad to do this for Emi-chan," Naruto replied as he began to pick the leaves off a strawberry. "I've been thinking…About what you said the other day," Naruto told her. "About taking Inari's sadness and adding it onto my shoulders…"

Haku remained silent.

"All my life, I've been alone," Naruto admitted softly. "I'm used to that. I know that I can handle it. But seeing Inari that night…Seeing him so heartbroken and scared…It reminded me a lot of me when I was his age. Same with Emi…" Naruto looked ahead to watch Emi and let a soft sigh. "I just couldn't bear to see it again…"

"Naruto…" Haku whispered softly.

"I know that I throw myself into things. Things that I should not do…But I do not want anyone to suffer the sadness and loneliness that I have. I want everyone to be happy and smile. I want there to be a world with no sorrow…I know that is impossible and I know I'm just one person but…I've seen what a smile can do…Emi is the prime test of that."

Haku and Naruto watched as Emi screamed with happiness as the clone tossed her up and down in the air with the utmost gentleness. "When we met her, she was shy and dirty and alone…Btu since then, we've made her smile so much…" Naruto laughed softly but Haku could see his eyes watering.

"I made that little girl happy…And to me, that's worth more than being the Hokage. Hell, being a shinobi," Naruto said with a wide smile of his own. "As long as I can bring a smile to anyone, all the pain that I go through would be worth it."

"But with that said, I take your words into account," Naruto told her. "I want the world to be happy, but I don't want my own goal to hurt those I care about. I don't want to see you, or Emi be brought to tears due to worry if I over-trained or even sadness if I was hurt or even killed…"

Haku flinched at the word "Death" and murmured "Emi would be crushed if anything were to happen to you. I would too…"

"I know," Naruto said as he took both of her hands. "I know that saying this now after knowing for a while is dumb and reckless but I cannot help but feel this way…I already told that I never had anyone that really cared about me until very recently with Iruka-sensei and maybe the old man…But You and Emi? You two did not shun me or turn me away or anything. You both like me for me…And I've never had that in my life…It may have been a short time but you and Emi mean more to than anything…The Hokage's chair, being a shinobi. Hell, even Ramen. You two trump all of those things and while I know the village doesn't like me all that well, as long I have you two, I can face anything this world throws at me…"

Haku did not want Naruto to say those words.

She absolutely hated that he did.

Because she could feel her heart soar at them but she could also feel it break as well.

"Naruto…You…" Haku breathed out shakily, tears building in her eyes.

"This mission is almost done. Kakashi-sensei believes when it's near completion, Zabuza and his accomplice will come and fight us…" Naruto told her.

Haku felt her heart break even more.

"I know we can beat them, so I'm not worried about that. I am worried about what comes next…I will be leaving Wave and going back home. I know that much…But II don't want to leave without or Emi…" Naruto whispered softly.

"W-What are you asking?" Haku asked him, begging him not to say the words she knew he would because she knew in her heart that she would not be able to refuse him…

"When this is done, I want you both to come back with me," Naruto told her with earnest blue eyes. "This is…This first time in a long time I've been this happy…That I felt like I…Like I had a family…But I don't want this to be just a onetime thing. I want this to be every day. Just the three of us…And if you do, I promise that no matter what happens in the future, I will always come back to both of you…"

"I-I…" Haku finally broke down and began to sob heavily.

"Haku! I didn't mean to make you cry!" Naruto said in a panic. "Ah. I'm sorry!"

"I would want nothing more," Haku told him through her tears before she found herself in Naruto's arms. She wrapped her arms around him and held him tight as she buried her face into his neck. She knew from the moment she said those words that it was true.

She wanted to be with Naruto and Emi. She wanted to be with him…

She made her choice.

But had Haku paid attention, she would have noticed a figure watching in the distance and was rapidly approaching.

It was not until she heard Naruto's gasp before she pulled away from him in confusion.

"Naruto-kun?" Haku asked with concern.

"So, this is where you've been…Playing family…" a low, commanding voice said, which caused her blood to run cold.

[Theme of Zabuza:
Battle Time From Yu Yu Hakusho]

Slowly, Haku turned around and saw her master, his face hidden by the straw hat that casted shade over his face, along with a long-tattered cloak that hid his body.

Haku paled considerably as that sick feeling came back to her stomach as tears spilled from her eyes.

Without hesitation, Naruto moved stood up and placed Haku behind him.

"You…" Naruto whispered darkly.

"Surprised to see me Gaki?" Zabuza asked.

"Haku, get Emi and get far from here," Naruto told her.

"No, she will stay right here," Zabuza commanded.

Haku began to shake violently.

"Haku, what are you doing? Get Emi and go!" Naruto yelled.

"Haku remain," Zabuza commanded. "Because three of us are going to have a very…long…chat…" Zabuza said before he let out a low laugh.

Captain Blues: The Wave Saga is reaching its end. Two chapters at least. I've decided to do something different in the climax of Wave and believe me…None of you want to miss it because that will tell you what I plan to do with the Haku.

Also another note, I've also decided on Tenten and Samui and the winner is Samui. That one will not be happening for a long time, however. Which means Sasuke/Tenten is a go! Now keep in mind, I have plans for Sasuke and I think you guys will like the journey he goes on as well so give it a chance, alright?

Two more chapters. Until then, let's set sail!