Forgotten

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Naruto (Shippuden). This is a story inspired by the original made up for entertainment purposes only. - Krystal

Chapter 13: Winter's First Snowfall

It often occurred to Yuki that her enemies are not always people she hated. That boy Haku was one that she couldn't help but feel for. He was not intrinsically bad. She was certain of that. As she pondered about Haku, the night came. Yuki decided not to head back right away to where Kakashi and his team were staying. She wanted to be alone for a little bit longer. It was in her nature to be by herself after all. Yuki was also exhausted from these past few days. She sat down under a tree and leaned against its trunk. She closed her eyes and promised herself that she would only close them for thirty minutes or so. Her eyelids really felt heavy, so did all her limbs. Before she knew it, she fell asleep. It had been a while since she was able to sleep so well. The air was quite cold that night, but it did not seem to bother her at all. The icy wind seemed to caress her skin.

Before she knew it, the sun was rising high and warming her face with its rays. She slowly opened her eyes. She looked around. It was already, perhaps, around 9 in the morning. As she began standing up to stretch herself, she noticed that a soft wool blanket was covering her. It was light, warm and had a refreshing scent to it. A small note was attached to it: From a friend to another. Although Yuki had her doubts, she believed that Haku was the one who delivered this blanket to her. It seemed she wasn't the only one who felt like Haku could be more than just the supposed enemy. They could had been friends in difference circumstances. As she stretched and packed away the blanket, she sensed something weird in the air. There was a battle happening nearby. She closed her eyes to focus. There was no doubt about it. She could sense that Team 7's chakra was highly active. She could also sense Haku's and Zabuza's chakras being put into work. Suddenly, she sensed Naruto's chakra being weakened while Sasuke's chakra suddenly increased. It was filled with anger, hate... Yuki bit her lip and started wondering what Kakashi was doing. Without further delay, Yuki teleported herself over to the place of their battle.

Yes, Yuki could teleport herself in proximity of certain people when she placed her seal on them, just like the Fourth Hokage and the Second Hokage. Yuki, as a child and even now, entertained herself by reading many different books, including those that recorded different types of jutsus and how they worked. Although she hasn't mastered all of them, Yuki had a fine understanding of them. At this point, she could only teleport to certain areas that were within a certain distance. Where Kakashi, who was marked with the seal since their ANBU's days, wasn't too far away from where Yuki was.

As she appeared, she could only see a huge ice mirror structure in which she could sense both Naruto and Sasuke's chakra. That structure was, undoubtedly, created by Haku.

"I haven't seen that Flying Thunder God Technique in a long time now... since Minato-sensei..." started Kakashi as he was panting next to her.

"I wouldn't dare to compare it to the Fourth's Technique. There's much limit to what I can do with it." replied Yuki as she was now glancing over to Zabuza who was standing a few feet away from Kakashi. "What happened here anyway?"

"You don't seem surprised about Zabuza's presence. I assume you already knew about his fake death. Over there, Sasuke and Naruto are fighting Haku. That..."

"Yeah, I know. How is Sakura?"

"She's over on the other end of the bridge protecting our client. She should be fine. We are occupying these two for now. If you don't mind me asking you to..."

"Take a look at Sasuke and Naruto? Certainly."

Yuki left right away. She was just outside the ice mirror structure now. She could see from the cracks that Naruto was badly injured, though his life was not threatened. Haku went easy on him. Sasuke was trying to fight Haku from inside. He was moving fast. Yuki caught a glance of his face. Sharingan. Yuki was not aware that Sasuke had awakened his Sharingan. Awakening it meant that he went through a strong pain relating to relationships that he had. It then occurred to her how Itachi's actions might have truly affected him.

Before Yuki could intervene, Haku sent his needles towards Naruto. Sasuke rushed to Naruto and took the blow for him. While the two of them were having their bonding moment, Yuki said to Haku:

"You really don't act like an ANBU. I would've finished them off a long time ago."

Haku stepped out from his ice mirror to talk face to face to Yuki.

"You are a lot scarier than you appear to be."

"Why are you just injuring them? Wouldn't it be easier to just kill them?" asked Yuki with an unchanging tone. At the corner of her eye, she could see Naruto holding Sasuke and glaring at her. His eyes changed color. "Nevermind that question. I have something to deal with right now."

There was chakra that was leaking through Naruto that was not his own. Kyuubi. Yuki rushed inside the mirror prison.

"Naruto, calm down. Sasuke isn't dead. He's just been put to sleep."

"Why... Why would you tell him to kill us?" he asked angrily.

"That's not what I meant."

"You shouldn't be joking about somebody's life like that then!" he yelled.

"Is like that precious to you?" she asked. "If so, let me have a look at Sasuke and you."

He bit on his lip hardly and pointed to Haku who was just standing outside: "What about him?!"

"He won't attack. He's a friend..." said Yuki as she glanced over her shoulder only to see Haku give her a small nod.

Naruto's anger was dissipating. More of the Nine-tailed's chakra was leaking out. Yuki had no choice. She wanted him to suppress that chakra by himself, but she had to do it herself. She focused chakra into her hand and hit him in the stomach to seal the chakra back in. As she did so, the impact made him black out for a bit. Yuki glanced at Sasuke. He seemed fine. There was no urgent care needed. She stepped back outside of the ice prison and looked at Haku.

"Why do you fight?" she asked. "You obviously don't want to."

"I have someone I want to protect. I said the same to those two. They too..."

He stopped and ran towards where Kakashi and Zabuza were. All Yuki saw was a bright blue thunder and then Haku who was struck by Kakashi. He was smiling. He was holiding onto Kakashi's arm to hold him down for Zabuza to make his move. Yuki rushed to Kakashi side to kick Zabuza out of the way before he could hurt Kakashi. Haku crumbled down to the ground. Kakashi released his jutsu allowing Yuki to come and grab Haku before his head hit the ground.

"Is he really worth it?" Yuki asked him. Yuki did not bother with healing. The wound was too deep, Haku also did not have the will to live on.

"Yes..." replied Haku weakly as he coughed up some blood.

"Then you did good." said Yuki with a smile as she could hear her own voice get choked up from wanting to tear up. It had been a while since Yuki felt so worked up so emotionally. "I'm glad I got to have a friend like you."

"I can say the same to you..." Haku said as he smiled. His vision began to blur. "As a friend... can you do me a favor?"

Yuki nodded.

"Zabuza... he... he's actually very lonely. Be a friend to him too..."

"I...Sure."

"And... I have always feared of being forgotten... will you..."

"I will always remember you, Haku. Until the day I die, I will remember your name..."

"I will too." said a small voice.

It was Naruto who was now standing next to them. He was crying. He kneeled down and held Haku's hand.

"I won't forget my first opponent, never. I promise!"

Haku gave them one last smile. His eyes closed. He was gone.

"That Zabuza..." murmured Naruto under his sobbing.

Yuki looked away from Haku. Zabuza was still standing. He was unstable. He was no longer fighting Kakashi. There were many people on the bridge. They were Gato's men. Gato himself was there too. Zabuza ran towards them unsteadily, like a mad horse. Naruto was about to run towards him. Kakashi stopped him.

"It is his own problem. Don't get involved. He needs to do this himself."

The fight did not last long. It was short, brutish and painful to watch.

"Zabuza, look at you! You used to be such a great ninja. Just because that worthless brat died you are acting like a mad man. What a man you are, Zabuza!" yelled Gato despicably.

Zabuza could no longer move from his wounds. He could only bite down on his own tongue and wish that he could kill Gato for badmouthing Haku. Although he never explicitly said that he cared for Haku and how much he wanted to avenge him, Yuki could tell by his body language. Without hesitation, Yuki stood behind Zabuza and threw Haku's needle towards Gato. It hit Gato's vital point and he dropped dead right where he was standing. Zabuza looked at Yuki.

"He asked me to be a friend to you like he was. I couldn't think of a better way to end this by impersonating his skills." said Yuki softly.

Zabuza collapsed to the ground.

"I want to see him one last time." he said weakly.

Kakashi came to his side and brought him next to Haku's body. It began to snow.

"Haku, are you crying?" Zabuza asked before he, too, left this world.

Naruto was crying by their sides. It was his first time experiencing the death of people he knew and grew to like.

"Don't be too sad. They are somewhere much purer now." said Yuki as she looked to the sky where the first snow of this winter was continuing to fall upon them.

End of Chapter 13

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xoxox

Krystal