Chapter 19
Even hearing Sasuke in pain I kept going. I had to get out otherwise this would have been for nothing. Feeling pressure spike through my body a needle hits the back of my knee causing me to fall forward from the jolt to that particular nerve.
"Sasuke! Kira!" I hear Naruto before he too shouts in pain. Reaching back I pull the one from my knee and drop it to the ground. So he decided to go for a weak point in the body just to drop me? Why attack just to stop us? Moving to my knees I could feel the needles working deeper into my back, but it seems I'm not in as much pain as when this game started. I guess I must be getting used to the feel of the needles. Hearing Sakura scream I turn my head in that direction unconsciously seeing Naruto shaking as he tries to move. "Sakura... She's in trouble.." He finally summons up the strength to get on his hands and knees. "I'll bust us out of here!" My eyes widen. When did he become so strong? "I'll fake him out." He says as he stands. Rubbing my knee I try to work the nerve around so I too would be able to get up.
"You've exhausted my patience." I watch as Naruto somehow summons up the chakra to try and chakra step. Standing I go over to Sasuke and grab onto his arm to help him stand.
"We need to back him up." I say simply. Though this has proven to be no simple task.
"Naruto! Behind you!" Sasuke yells causing me to look at Naruto in time to see him be struck by a barrage of needles... How did he… I look back at Sasuke wide-eyed.
"Your chance at escaping my house of mirrors. Is zero." Haku says as Sasuke yells Naruto's name. "That is absolute." Running over to Naruto with Sasuke I watch as he kneels to him.
"Naruto are you able to get up?" I watch as Naruto can barely move. "Try not to use any more chakra. That's only going to help him now."
Finally raising himself onto his hands he replies. "I know Sasuke, I know." He then just collapses an almost inaudible sound of cussing escapes from me. We can't go on like this. He's blocking every move we make.
"My eyes have adjusted to his movements." Sasuke tells me before Haku's voice draws my attention.
"Looking for a counter-attack? I'll save you the trouble!" My eyes widen as I watch Sasuke block all of the needles in an attack I couldn't even see. "What?!" Haku exclaims showing as much surprise as I was feeling. A smile curves at my lips. He's something special alright, unlocking his Kekkei Genkai in a battle like this. Seeing him drop to his knee out of exhaustion I glance back to Haku. What I may end up having to do will give Sasuke a chance even at my expense. Seeing Haku appear in all of the mirrors again I pull a kunai out. My blades at this close to Sasuke would not be a good idea right now. The mirrors glow momentarily before another barrage of needles comes down. Running to Naruto's other side I try my best to block as many needles from him as possible. By the end of it, I was looking like a porcupine, to say the least.
The only thing I can do right now is take some of the weight off of him. Picking up Naruto under one arm I continue to leap and dodge as many as I can. From what I had seen to this point Haku's attacks have become pretty predictable to me. Throwing Naruto aside I keep dodging so that Haku's attention is only on me and Sasuke. Finally, the attacks stop and I see Sasuke throw a needle at a mirror. "Impressive, you have excellent moves your attacks are very skill full." I see Sasuke dodge another set of needles. "But you both have reached your limits as well." He begins to pop from one mirror to another. "Motor functions, reflexes, judgment. Your abilities are weakening slowly but surely. Now you're finished." Closing my eyes I focus on my surroundings. Anticipate his next move, feel where will it be. Feeling Sasuke's arm latch around me before my feet leave the ground my eyes widen.
Where I had been standing were left with needles sticking out of the ground. My cheeks go red from his closeness a moment before I push away from him as we touch the ground again. Looking away I feel Sasuke tracking Haku. Whereas since I cannot see every move I can only get glimmers. Where will he strike next?
My breath catches as I look towards our downed teammate. Seeing Sasuke already en route to protect him. Chakra stepping my eyesight becomes darkened with red as a throb of pain in my throat threatens to drop me to the ground. Pushing forward I narrow my eyes to focus more of my attention away from the pain. This has taken too long. I don't care what part of me must be cast aside, I have to protect him!
"I believe in their abilities. I have faith in them. Naruto, the number one hyperactive knucklehead ninja. Kira the best young fighter in the village, and Sasuke, heir to the most powerful clan in the hidden leaf village!"
Zabuza gasps as his eyes widen upon the barely visible silhouette of Kakashi. "You mean?"
"Yes, his full name is. Sasuke Uchiha, the unique powers of the Uchiha clan runs through his veins. The Kekkei Genkai is his birthright."
"I had heard one lone boy survived that night. No wonder he advances so quickly. But, so does Haku, no one can match him. No one has ever stopped his secret jutsu. Even the most skilled jonin fall before him." Zabuza vanishes into the mist before proclaiming. "Just as you will fall before me!"
Naruto begins to stir as Sasuke kneels before him. "You... Always... Get... In.. the way Naruto... It never fails." Naruto sits up happily seeing Haku on the ground unmoving.
"You beat him! Sasuke! huh?" His eyes widen as he sees Sasuke covered in needles realizing he hadn't been speaking strongly.
With a movement of his head, he stares at Kira's unmoving form on the other side of Haku before closing his eyes. Sasuke's body trembles recalling moments before when he had used his last bit of chakra and rushed in to protect Naruto, and Kira had put herself in the way. Yet with her last conscious moments, she had tried to make it so she would take Haku down with her. In the short time that she had slid in between him and Haku, she had thrust her arm out at the incoming attack. Her hand would have gone through the boy's heart if he hadn't dodged at the last moment, causing her to only pierce through his shoulder as she took his needles head-on. Looking back to Naruto with blood starting to trickle down Sasuke's chin he fights to continue talking.
"You should see the look on your face… you look… like a total... Loser." Naruto raises up more with his eyes wide he tries to make sense of all of this.
"Why, Why did you?"
"I didn't... Kira…. protected us both… When I had rushed in to protect you. My… body... Just moved on its own."
Sasuke raises his head remembering all of Naruto's annoying points and Kira's playful banters. The times on the roof after the long days of training. How she would lay silently on the rooftop staring up at the moon with a lonely yet pain-filled expression within her dark eyes. The very eyes that were usually as cold as ice. Remembering her raising her knife with blood running down the blade, the look on her face showed how she lusted to draw more. Yet, the softness of her face when she told him she would protect him. A smile creeps along Sasuke's features momentarily. If it wasn't for Naruto she wouldn't have had to do what she did. "You… I.. Hated you."
Standing Naruto clenches his left fist. "Then why, it doesn't make any sense. Why did you protect me?" Sasuke smiles as he silently realizes why he had jumped in to protect him. - "I will protect everyone on my team as if they were family, that includes you… Sasuke." - "I didn't ask for this, I didn't ask for either of you two to save me!"
"I don't know... I just.. couldn't stop myself... My body moved on its own. There was no time to think." Sasuke's eyes faze out as he falls. Naruto catches him before he would hit the ground too hard.
"Sasuke!" Naruto yells looking down at him.
"He, He's still out there… My brother. I promised myself. I'd.. stay alive... Until... I killed him." Sasuke's eyes waver with emotion as he tries to reach up to touch Naruto's face but can only make his hand raise so far. "Naruto, don't let... Your dream die." Naruto's eyes widen with pain striking against his blue irises as Sasuke's hand falls limply to rest at his side.
Tears form in Naruto's eyes as he hugs Sasuke after his final breath. "You guys, both of you... Protected me..."
Haku stands and watches Naruto's quiet goodbye to the friend he had watched die and the friend who he had lost before he regained consciousness. "Both of them had similar hearts. He found a strength he never knew he had. Why? Because of a certain person who was precious to him. She followed because there was not only one person but two who were precious to her. They both rushed in knowing it was a trap. They were true ninja. Worthy of honor." Haku turns slightly, he subconsciously touches his shoulder now sporting a hole in it, pausing as Naruto moves. His eyes following the orange-covered blonde.
Laying Sasuke down gently Naruto stands moving over to Kira's small form and picking her up as if she would break just from his touch. He looks down at her blood-covered form and notices how she looked peaceful as if she had taken comfort in her final moments as Haku hadn't moved from where she had struck him. Walking her over to Sasuke, Naruto lays her gently next to him.
These two had become closer than he ever could have hoped to be with her. Their possibly similar pasts and plans for the future brought them an understanding of each other that Naruto could never have. Tears dropping from his eyes he remains kneeled by his friends in silence. In the days of training, he was able to see things that no one else in the squad could. He knew that they would slip into the window of the room together from the roof when they believed everyone else to be sleeping. He was even able to watch their actions together in the forest. It was possible that they themselves didn't realize the feelings shared between them that Naruto himself could see. Before slipping back into his ice mirrors Haku decides to ask. "Is this your first time seeing friends die in battle? This is what it means to be a ninja." He says before completely entering his mirror.
...
I start coming around to hearing the sounds of crying. My body felt like a thousand-pound brick was pinning me down as my breathing came shallow and painful. "S. S... Sakura... You're heavy." I hear Sasuke say before more sounds of screaming and crying erupted from her. Sad, she loves Sasuke but he doesn't like her in the least. "K. Kira?" Sasuke questions causing Sakura's cries suddenly to fall silent. I could feel my heartbeat was slow as if it was struggling to pick up speed. A memory flashes through my mind. Reminding me of the last time I felt this weak. Light had to carry me back to my place so I could feed from him just so I could regain my strength. This fight had pushed my body too far right? I question myself before suddenly I felt the effects slowly wearing off. Did... Haku put me in a state of death? He did it with Zabuza, right? If this was my thirst, the effects wouldn't be lifting. Maybe I didn't push myself to the point of incapacitation.
"She.." I hear Sakura begin before I could finally manage to open my eyes. The tendrils of my hair covering my eyes shadowed the world around me. Letting out a sigh I try to make it even slightly easier to breathe.
"I. I'm H. Here." My voice sickeningly cracked as I tried to speak. Pushing myself to a sitting position was enough to cause me to gasp just before I felt arms wrap around me. "W. Wha..." I go to question but suddenly the arms move from me before I feel hands take a hold of my right arm and help me to stand. "Th. thank. Y. You.. S. Sasuke..." I mutter as his shoulder wedges itself against me. Taking most of my weight just to keep me standing. Only successfully causing me to gasp from the sudden intense burn reigniting in my throat at full force.
"Naruto! Over here!" Sakura yells happily. "It's Sasuke and Kira! They're alright!" Silence followed, I didn't quite know what was happening at this time though I could hear some feet moving. "Turn this way you two, I'm going to get the needles out." Sakura says quietly as I begin hearing needles hit the ground and Sasuke grunting in pain, flinching every now and then.
"I'll help as well." Tazuna's voice comes until I feel a needle being yanked from my side causing me to yelp.
"Do it more gently Tazuna, you can cause more damage if you're not careful." Sakura tells him. Though I think a part of him enjoyed causing me to yelp from all of the times I was rude to him. From then on the needles departing from my body didn't hurt as bad. Though don't get me wrong, they still hurt like hell.
"From the beginning, he never wanted to kill us." I say quietly mainly to get my mind off of the pain. Surprised that I was actually able to speak fluently even if my voice was still weak.
"No, he constantly avoided vital spots."
"Though, I didn't realize it until after I woke up to Sakura's crying." I gave a giggle and a shake of my head.
"Kira.."
"Yes, Sasuke?"
"Thank you for saving me… and Naruto." Nodding to him I close my eyes as I give him a smile of understanding. Deciding to not fight through the pain to talk needlessly any longer, that and if I do comment I know it would only end badly. Sasuke isn't the type of person to thank someone so by him doing so it was already difficult for him. If I comment or react more than I already have he'll become moody. We were soon surrounded by people. I could hear all of them moving and their voices rising into the air. Something had to of happened when they started hooping and hollering for joy as if they had done all the fighting. There was happiness all around us. My ears were buzzing from their yells and I had begun being pushed around from them not being careful, at least until Sasuke led me out of the group. My body was sore and aching but the more movement we did it seemed to lessen a bit. A bit of time passed, I had felt something cold fall on my skin soothing the fire burning within me. Raising my head towards the sky I let my hair fall from my face so the cold wet flakes could touch my all too hot skin more freely.
Now we were walking away from the graves the others had set up for Zabuza and Haku. I had managed to be left alone long enough to withdraw a blood packet and drink from it before now. So I could stand on my own and have my bangs forming around my face. Being able to clearly see my squad walking in front of me. I couldn't help but slightly smile at the group in silence. Were these guys actually growing on me?
