Omake Snow and Swords

"Ugh since when did my bed get so cold?" Zach Ebberman, a high school athlete and secret anime nerd, had this thought after waking up somewhere that was definitely not his room. "Is this a bridge?" He asked himself "The fuck am I doing on a bridge? I wasn't drinking again last night right?"

'Alright Zach think what was the last thing you remember?' Zach clutched his head. His memories were conflicting with one another he remembered spikes made of ice and collapsing in the snow but he also remembered driving to school in his car and falling alsleep in his bed. 'There's something else though... something I just can't remember no matter how hard I try.'

Zach was broken out of his thoughts by an over whelming presence. Zach slowly lifted his head to see Zabuza Momochi staring down at him. He stared at him for a few seconds. "How would you like to be my tool kid?"

"Wh-What?" 'Tool, bridge, why does this all seem so familiar?'

"Hmph never mind kid if your not going to answer I can just find another tool." Zabuza gruffed.

'Zabuza, bridge, ice spikes, snow, Haku!' "No wait!" I called "I'd like to be your tool I was just surprised by the offer is all."

Zabuza nodded in understanding "Alright then get a move on we don't have all day."

I nodded I saw my reflection clearly in Zabuza's ninja headband, although the slash made the picture a bit unclear, there was no doubt about it though I had transformed into Haku. 'Eh might as well roll with it.' I thought 'Worst case scenario this is a dream and I wake up later.' "Name's Haku by the way."

"I don't care girl." Zabuza gruffed.

"Guy" I corrected "I'm male."

That actually managed to startle Zabuza if only for a second "Are you sure? But your hair and your face are so..."

"Feminine I know." I shrugged "Blame genetics, although I am going to cut my hair next chance I get never really liked it long you know."

"Tools shouldn't talk so much." Zabuza said.

"Oh sorry." I said sheepishly.

We had been walking for several hours before Zabuza had finally decided to settle down in the forest. "My Kami" I gasped "how the hell did I let myself get so out of shape?"

"Malnourished" Zabuza noted "unclean, weak, and cold. It will take about a month or two to get you back into fighting condition."

"Actually I don't think that cold part is much of a problem." Effortlessly I created little icy snowflakes in my hands.

"A Kekkai genkai" Zabuza realized "That explains why you were alone on that bridge. It also makes you the perfect tool."

"Eh?"

"I don't like the way Yagura runs things." Zabuza grinned savagely "So I'm going to take his place"

"Sounds reasonable" I deadpanned.

"Disrespectful kids" Zabuza muttered "Go get your self washed up and then come back for dinner. Once your healthy enough to work I'm pushing you to the max."

I gave Zabuza a salute "Yes sir!"

Zabuza sighed as I left "Damn kid" Zabuza wasn't one hundred percent sure why he wanted to bring this kid along with him. He had seen countless other orphans on his travels and yet somehow this one caught his eye. Zabuza shook his head "I'll just have to deal with it." He grumbled "I can already tell the kids gotten attached as troublesome as it is."

Years of shinobi work has taught Zabuza many different life skills. Never start a fire in the woods for it may attract enemy ninja, Never rely only on kunai for most ninja are smart enough to avoid them, Never accept an invitation to a strip club for when no girls catch your eye rumors may come out that your gay, and most importantly never let children get attached for they will never leave you alone if they do. "I really should try to remember that last rule if this tool ever needs replacing."

"Zabuza I froze the lake on accident!"

"When this tool needs replacing." Zabuza amended.

After a couple of weeks of walking Zabuza had finally deemed me ready for ninja training. I'm not quite sure if he was warming up to me or if he was just tolerating me. But I did know that he was happy about my new appearance. Not only did I cut my hair much shorter then Haku did. Not only that but I had replaced the kimono with a simple dark blue t-shirt and black shorts.

As excited that I've been to learn the Shinobi arts Zabuza has grown quite annoyed with my admiration of his sword. Kukakochurupo or whatever it's called.

"Kubikiribōchō" Zabuza corrected "and stop staring at it I'm not going to give it to you."

"But you will give me a sword right?" I said hopefully.

Zabuza sighed "I'll get you a katana after I can bring your Taijutsu up to my standards."

"I won't disappoint you sir!" Swords were what originally what brought me into anime. In my personal opinion swords are the best weapons in anime and embarrassingly enough when I was a kid a swing a stick around in my backyard more times then I could count.

"Alright lets start off simple." Zabuza said "Three laps around the forest."

"Yes sir!"

Zabuza smirked "No matter how many times he does it I never get tired of being called sir."

"Lunge, parry, block, strike" Zabuza instructed "If you want to use a sword then you have to learn the basics." I nodded Zabuza reminded me a lot of my old coach. She would always push us as hard as possible while giving us some pretty solid advice. We never realized how good the advice was until after practice though. We were to busy trying to stay alive at the time. The only difference here is that staying alive most likely isn't a hyperbole this time.

I quickly jumped away from Zabuza's sword slash. "Keep your head out of the clouds Haku! In battle you should never let your guard down."

"I'm not the only one that's going to learn something today sensei." I smirked Bird Snake Ram "Ice Release Freezing Droplets" Zabuza's eyes widened as he felt his arms and legs get stiffer. "Don't underestimate those younger then you Zabuza sensei."

Zabuza snorted "Not a bad idea kid. Once your enemy gets sweaty you can freeze their sweat and stiffen their movements. That may be enough to take a chunin or low level jonin off guard. It may even win you a fight against lower leveled opponents."

I beamed "Thank you Zabuza sir."

"Now I wonder what else that kekkai genkai of yours can do." Zabuza mused "Solid clones are always an obvious thing to try, but a ninja always has to get creative."

"Creative?" I asked "How so?"

"Most prominent ninja have a certain trait that makes them special." Zabuza explained "I've mastered the arts of assassination and am most known for my use of the "Hiding in the Mist Technique" which while not a completely original fighting style no other ninja has been able to utilize the jutsu the same way I have."

"Oh I get it I have to find some great technique and brag about how good I am at using it." I said.

Zabuza slammed my head into the earth "No you idiot! I'm saying you have to find new and innovative ways to use your own techniques."

"Sorry sir..." I muttered.

Two years that's how long I've spent with Zabuza. It was strange how different life was with him then it would be at home. Sleeping in the trees became the norm, Walking and training took up almost all of my time, and we got into fights almost daily. I sighed 'I swear Zabuza is just trying to get caught at this point. 'If I take out enough hunter nin my threat level will rise from A to S' give me a break.'

"I heard that brat!" Zabuza growled "Your thinking out loud agian!"

"Sorry Zabuza sir!" I said insincerely.

"I should have left you on the streets!"

"I know" Zabuza may say that I'm just his tool but I think we both know better. I mean I'd be easy for him to get rid of me but I'm still sticking around.

Zabuza stopped in an open clearing "Alright kid." He said "We've been stuck in the woods for the past week and I don't want you to get rusty it's time for sword practice."

I grinned widely "Yes sir" Bird Dragon Snake "Ice Release Frozen Smith" In my hand appeared a katana made completely out of ice.

Zabuza nodded "We'll keep going until you can keep that sword formed for ten minutes while fighting or you run too low on chakra."

Sword training would always be my favorite part of the day. Zabuza never used practice swords so every fight was for your life. In his own words 'If you die while training you'll die in the field too might as well be by my hand then some random douchebag.'

I saw that my ice blade was starting to crack under Zabuza's huge cleaver and created a second one in my free hand. When the first blade cracked under Zabuza's pressure I quickly switched it out with the spare.

Zabuza nodded approvingly "Smart move, not only did you replace your blade when the original cracked but you changed it's shape to better handle my blade."

I grinned "You pick up a thing or two after fighting the same opponent for two years."

Zabuza laughed "Your forgetting that your opponent is one of the seven swordsmen of the mist!" Effortlessly Zabuza destroyed my claymore and held his blade to my neck.

"No fair" I mumbled.

Zabuza sighed "We're ninja kid"

"And ninja never play fair." I finished "trust me if there's any lesson that you've pound into my head it's that one."

"Yet you still complain." Zabuza deadpanned.

"Alright brat!" Zabuza said "We're going to stop here for the day."

"Alright Zabuza sir." I nodded. "What level opponent are we going after today?"

"A small group of Chunin." Zabuza answered looking in his bingo book "They left Suna about a year ago and they should be on your skill level."

"So I'm guessing you want me to take care of them?" I asked.

Zabuza grinned "try not to die."

"Whatever just let me rest my legs a bit." I sighed "It isn't often we stop at one of these bounty stations you know."

"Fine But we aren't staying long." Zabuza took a bag full of storage scrolls "I have to hand these bounties in anyway we'll leave once I'm done."

"Have fun." I said sarcastically as I sat on one of the many benches.

A few minutes later a silver haired man sat on the bench next to mine. "Damn miser" he muttered "Can't do anything until get gets his shitty money. I'm tired of just sitting around waiting for him."

"Sounds like your living the high life." I sighed "All day it's just walking and fighting walking and fighting. It's ridiculous I tell you."

"You kidding?" The man said "That sounds like my kind of life. Your partner sounds great."

"Yeah I guess your right." I conceded "I can imagine doing nothing all the time would get boring. Especially since he has the conversational skills of a piece of cardboard."

"That sounds just like my shitty partner." The man sighed. "The names Hidan by the way."

I stiffened if only for a moment but I could tell that he noticed. "I'm Haku I have no bounty."

Hidan laughed "Yeah that's probably how you should introduce your self to my shitty ass partner."

Suddenly Zabuza shunshinned in front of me "We're leaving now."

"What did you do?" I asked.

"Kakashi saw me he wants my bounty." Zabuza said.

I gulped and glanced over at Hidan. "I'd run now kid." He advised "I'd say you have exactly two minutes before we start to chase after you. I'd start running if I were you kid."

"Thanks for the advice nice to meet you!" Before I could even finish the sentence me and Zabuza were long gone."

Kakazu appeared in front of Hidan a few seconds later "Hidan we've got another bounty we're leaving."

"Just give me a second you fucking miser." Hidan grumbled "I just sat down."

Hidan the felt his head get detached from his body "There's no time" Kakazu said "we'll leave now."

"The hell we will!" Hidan yelled "Put me back in my fucking body."

"I'll put you back when we're done." Kakazu said.

"Like hell you will!" Hidan growled.

Two weeks later

Ever since we ran into Kakazu and Hidan Zabuza has insisted we stay on the run for two whole weeks after the fact. We had both silently agreed to stay the hell away from that bounty station from now on.

"Here's a lesson for you kid." Zabuza said "No matter how tough you think you are NEVER mess with S-rank missing ninja unless you have a damn good reason too."

"Don't worry I don't plan on it." I reassured.

"Good Yagura wishes he could be as threatening as those guys." Zabuza muttered.

"I'll let you know if I see any black cloaks in the future." I said.

"You better" Zabuza muttered.

Midnight later that night

I sat alone looking up at the stars. Zabuza insists that one of us is always keeping guard each night. Which was fine by me I never get tired until late at night anyways. I took a stick and started to draw in the dirt. "My memory is still a bit fuzzy but I do remember most of what happened. Before... the incident there were five of us." I drew five circles in the dirt. "Since I ended up here in Naruto it only makes sense that the other four did as well... I can only recall four names though..." As I spoke I wrote the names I could remember under the circles with a question mark under the fifth. "There's me Zach, Simone, Mrs. Michelle, and... the idiot that started this whole mess... Ryan."