Akira's POV
I look in their direction shocked. (So... they really are the same person... The shinobi world is really full of mystery...)
My attention quickly turns to the person I was holding. My eyes water again.
"Sasuke..." I whispered putting him on the ground.
(We needed to defeat the enemy...) I thought standing up. I look where are Naruto and Haku-san. (He might be our enemy but he is a shinobi of respect.) I took one glance at Sasuke before I walk towards where Naruto and the enemy is.
I ready a kunai as I run towards them, ready to kill our enemy but a hand grabs my wrist.
"Wait! Akira!" Naruto said holding my wrist
"Why would you stop her Naruto-kun, I'm your enemy..." Haku-san said with a smile.
"I killed your friend, why can't you kill me" Haku-san continued. My hand that was holding the kunai clenched and shake slightly. I look at Haku-san, releasing some killing intent. (I wanted to kill him for what he did.)
"Why won't you let me Naruto?" I said looking at him. I saw him looking at Haku-san frustrated. His fist shaking, he gritted his teeth and punches Haku-san on the face, and release his hold on my wrist... Haku-san falls to the ground. He shakingly tries to sit up, wiping the blood on the corner of his mouth
"Kuso!" Naruto said breathing heavily as he take a glance at Sasuke.
"What happened to the force a moment ago? You can't defeat me with that kind of strength. Wasn't he someone special to you?" Haku-san said standing up. Naruto looked at him, shocked.
"Many people misunderstand. They pity and don't finish off the enemy they ought to fight. They let them survive. To me, that isn't compassion or anything. Do you know? How it feels to not be needed by anyone?" Haku-san said. Naruto hold me by my arm when I attempted to step forward. I looked where Sasuke is, my fist clenched as I avert my eyes to the ground.
(Kuso...)
"To live day to day without a dream. The pain of it all" Haku-san said making me turn to look at him.
"What are you saying?" Naruto asked
"Zabuza has no use for a weak Shinobi. You took away my reason for existence" When Haku-san said that, I drop the kunai I was holding, and I look at him shocked. I remain my self looking at him emotionlessly as I saw him put on a bitter smile.
"Why? Why do you have to serve a guy like that? He gets the money from thugs to do bad things! Is that No Brow the only person special to you?" Naruto said frustrated, releasing his hold on me, feeling that I will not try to attack again.
"A long time ago, I had other people special to me. They were... my parents. I was born in the land of Water, in a small village heavy with snow. My parents work on a small farm. We were very poor, but my parents seem to be satisfied with it. I was happy then... They were loving parents" He said smiling his eyes looking far away. I looked at him and listened intently to what he was saying.
"But... when I was old enough to understand things, something happened" He said as his smile dropped.
"Something? What happened?" Naruto asked voice shaking.
He wipe the blood on his mouth and look at it, looking lost. "My blood..."
"blood?...What happened? Tell me what happened! Go on!" Naruto said frustrated.
Haku-san looked back at us, a sad expression on his face. "My father... He killed my mother, then he tried to killed me." He said making us both shocked.
"After the experience of ceaseless civil war, people with Kekkei Genkai were hated and feared in the Land of Water. It's a special powers or Jutsu passed on through certain clans, from parents to child, or from grandparents to grandchild. Because of their special powers, those of the clans were exploited in all sorts of battles. As a result, all Kekei Genkai were feared as harbingers of disaster and death. After the war was over, they decided to hide their powers. If anyone knew of their secret, only death could be expected. My mother had the Kekkei Genkai. She kept it a secret from my father. However, father had discovered our secret. When I came to... I had to kill my father. At that moment, what I thought of myself was that...no, that's what I had to think. It was the most painful thing." He said looking at the ground.
"The most... painful thing...?" Naruto asked
"That I... that my existence didn't matter to anyone else in the world" He said. I looked at Naruto. He just looks at Haku-san shocked and lost. I hold his hand to remind him... to remind him that his existence matter to me... and there are people that accept him, and cares for him.
"You told me that... You'll be the best Ninja in the village, and make everyone respect you. If someone comes along and accepts you for who you are, no one could be more important to you than that person." Haku-san said as he take a quick glance at me.
"Even though he knew I was from a clan with Kekkei Genkai, Zabuza-san took me in. My power that everyone hated... He wanted it, needed it. I was so happy..." He said with a sad smile, his voice is slightly shaking.
"You must have felt it Naruto-kun, the feeling of wanting to protect and do everything for that precious person in your life" Haku-san said glancing at Sasuke, then he look at us with a sad smile. Naruto squeezes my hand. We both back away from Haku-san when he walks toward us.
"Akira-chan! Naruto-kun!" He said making us both stop
"I want you guys... to kill me." He said making our breath hitch.
"W-Why?..." I ask us we both started to back away again. (Why is he surrending...? Compared to us he is a lot stronger...)
"I have lost my purpose, I wasn't good enough, I wasn't the tool he was looking for" Haku-san said. He grabs the kunai I was holding earlier.
"Please, kill me!" He said holding the hand that Naruto and I holding each other. He position the kunai in front of us as he guided our hands to hold the kunai. We looked shocked at him. Both of our hand shakes.
"I'm sure you both can relate to me. I apologize for dirtying your hands with my blood." Haku-san said.
"Is that it? Is there no other ways?" Naruto said as his hand clenched in my hand that was holding the kunai.
"No" Haku-san said as he remove the hand holding our hands.
(I want to kill him earlier... But, It feels like all the strength I have fades...) I remove my hand holding the kunai and make it fall on my side and clenched it.
"Akira-chan..." Haku-san said but I didn't look at him and averted my eyes to Sasuke.
"I-I can't..." I said my tears threatening to fall. I squeeze my eyes shut. I heard Naruto groan, frustrated.
"Please don't take pity on your enemy... that is what a shinobi should do..." Haku-san said grabbing my hand again.
"You really wanted to kill me earlier. I killed your friend. Kill me. Take my life." He said as he finally position my hand on the kunai. I looked at him and squeeze my eyes shut again.
(We needed to... I needed to kill him, he killed Sasuke. This is the only way...He is our enemy)
I open my eyes and looked at him. I clenched my hand on the kunai. He smiled at me and remove his hand once again.
"If only... we had met under different circumstances, we could've been friends" Naruto said as his hand shook. We both position the kunai on his throat, just a few steps, and Haku-san will be dead. We ready ourselves and both swing our arms forward. We were about to slice his throat when he grabbed the kunai, making us both look shocked at him.
"Forgive me, Akira-chan, Naruto-kun... I can't die yet" He look somewhere and formed a hand sign. We tried to push forward again but he disappeared making us both fall to the ground.
A lightning sound can be heard. I look where it came from and run towards that direction.
"Akira!" Naruto shouts.
"Whats that?" I said as I get closer and closer, seeing two images. The fog is already lifting making me able to see it slightly. Naruto followed behind me, we both stop as there was a wind wave and the ground shake slightly making us both closed our eyes as we try to balance ourselves. We both open our eyes, the fog is almost gone. We looked towards the two forms earlier. I look shocked at the scene. Sensei's hand is crackling, the Jutsu passing right through someone's chest, lots of blood falls on the ground and the blood spat out everywhere.
(That Jutsu...)
My attention quickly turns to the person that was hit by the Jutsu. My breath hitched seeing who is it.
"Haku-san..." I mutter as my eyes never leaves his form. Zabuza chuckles and holds his sword, intending to slash Sensei along with Haku-san's body.
"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura shouts.
Sensei jump away from the sword, with Haku-san's body. Zabuza chuckles again.
(How could he still laugh when his comrade just sacrifice his life for him). My hand clenched.
"I won't forgive you!" Naruto said as he tries to step forward. I grab his hand and looked at him, he looked at me.
"Naruto, just stay there and watch" We heard Sensei say
"Naruto, just stay here" I said sternly, as he still tries to pull his hand. He averts his eyes to Zabuza, I just continue to hold him. I looked at the ground, the hand holding Naruto tightened.
(What is it? Akira, calm down...) I said in my head, feeling like my body was going to fall at any moment.
Their fight started again, making me look up.
"Akira! Naruto! It's good to see you!" Sakura shouts making me look at her
"Sakura..." I mutter as she waved her hand at us
"Where's Sasuke-kun?" I looked at Sakura as she look back and forth between Naruto and me. Her hands falls on her side when we didn't respond. I looked at the ground and clenched my fist again.
"Sorry, Sakura..." I whispered. I let go of Naruto's hand feeling it clenches. I reach my hand to my eyes and wipe the tear that forms in the corner of my eyes. Sakura passes us dragging Tazuna-san with her. I follow her with my eyes, as she gets closer and closer to Sasuke. I put my hand on top of my chest as if I will be able to remove the pain I was feeling in my heart as I heard Sakura cries.
(I'm sorry, Sakura...) I tried to calm myself and wipe the remaining tears from the corner of my eyes.
I looked up hearing loud footsteps.
"Who is that?" I mutter seeing a small old man, with a broken arm, and a group of people with weapons behind him.
"Don't tell me that's Gato..." I mutter as Naruto looked up at the old man. I am frustrated (Why does this fight takes too long, we're still not even finish, and here comes another one.)
Third Person's POV
They all looked at the newcomers. Gato smirked and looked at Zabuza, mocking him.
"Oh! you really got it this time. You disappoint me, Zabuza."
Naruto and Akira looked at the man and all his allies behind him, frustrated.
"Gato, why did you come here? and who are those henchmen?" Zabuza said looking at Gato
"Our strategy has changed a little... I'm sorry about this Zabuza, but you will die here." Gato said making Zabuza shocked.
Akira just watch the scene as Gato explained it to Zabuza. She heaved a sigh and look at the ground, she balance herself as her head pounded again. Just like what she was feeling earlier when fighting Haku. She took a deep breath and tries to dismiss the pain. She can't pass out at a time like this, she needed to bear with it.
Naruto looked at his side noticing Akira standing beside him shaking slightly. He holds Akira's hand to catch her attention.
"Akira, are you okay?" He said making Akira look at him and smiles a little
"I'm okay, Naruto. We should focus at the enemies..." Akira said squeezing his hand and she looked forward at their enemy, hoping Naruto would just dismiss it. She will be fine, it's just a simple headache, she tries to convince herself as the pounding in her head is all she can focus at.
Naruto looks at Akira worried. She might say that she's okay, but he knows that there's something else. She can try to cover it but he can see the pain in Akira's eyes, she's looking at the enemy but her eyes show otherwise as if she's looking lost, looking like she's trying to control something. Naruto wants to believe Akira, she always believes at her, but the slight shaking of her body just makes him more worried
"Are you really okay, Akira-ttebayo?" Naruto asked again squeezing Akira's hand. Akira looked at him startled and nodded.
"I'm really okay, Naruto. Don't worry" Akira said to him giving him a smile. Naruto wanted to frown at Akira. What does Akira think of him, he might be not observant as her but he still can see something like that, especially when it's Akira.
Naruto looks at their Sensei, he can't let Akira get hurt, anymore. Naruto and Kakashi locked eyes, Naruto looks at the enemy. Then he walks towards their Sensei seeing the enemies are occupied, he dragged Akira with him.
"Naruto..." Akira said shocked by the sudden seriousness she can see on Naruto's face. What could make Naruto's expression like that, did something happen, she didn't notice. She was too focused on figuring out what the hell is happening to her...
Kakashi looked at Naruto, his not going to stop Naruto, Zabuza isn't their enemy anymore. Kakashi looked confused at Naruto having such a serious expression. He glanced at Akira, and look confused at her too.
Akira looked at their Sensei confused as their Sensei examines her, looking at the whole of her body. She wanted to poke her Sensei's eyes as his eyes look at her, as if she did some magic. But she's going to save it for another time, her head wasn't cooperating at the moment.
"Just stay here..." Naruto said pushing Akira beside their Sensei.
"Ehh?" Akira said dumbfounded. Really did something happen? She was about to say something again but immediately stop, as her vision swirled. She balance herself again and tried to blink her eyes a few times.
"Akira..." Kakashi said putting one hand on Akira's back. Akira didn't hear her Sensei as her head pounded more painfully, her body became numb, and falls to the ground. She can't fight it anymore, the tiredness in her body. She must have reached her limit after all. She can feel the hand that holds her before she lost all of her consciousness.
Kakashi catches Akira and carefully put her on his lap. He examines Akira's body again not seeing any wound, he will dismiss the questions in his head in the meantime.
Naruto didn't react when Akira collapsed, he knows it after all. He looks at their Sensei. He didn't know but he has the feeling of bringing Akira to their Sensei before she pass out, he trusted their Sensei when it comes to Akira, even though he didn't want anyone that is not close to them to touch Akira. He looks at Zabuza hearing him smirk, his frustration coming back.
Zabuza look at the brat Kakashi is holding. He would have won if the brat collapses more early. He sees it, the more caring side of the Copy Ninja when it comes to the brat, Kakashi might be all worried about his team but Kakashi's demeanor is different when it's Akira. Zabuza looked at Akira again. She amazed him truly, it's unfortunate they weren't enemies anymore.
"Seems like that girl, reach her limit. Ohh, what a pretty creature, she might be useful to me" Gato said mocking them. They all turn their head to the old man. Gato observes the kid that is on the lap of the shinobi, and chuckles. She really will be useful to him...
Then his gaze averts to the body infront of him. Gato walks towards the body in front of him observing it.
Naruto looked horrified seeing Gato happily kicks Haku's body. He wanted to punch the old man, how could someone be so cruel?!
Kakashi looked at Gato, his eyebrows knit. He holds Akira tighter, securing her. He looked at where is Sakura and Sasuke, he looks sadly at Sakura seeing and hearing her cry, he looked back again at Akira and released a frustrated sigh, they needed to finish this soon.