Letting you know in advance. This is the longest chapter I've written so far, if you don't feel like reading this chapter it's totally fine to skip to the next.
Chapter 11: The Second Battle part 2
Naruto and Kira shot off into the forest jumping from branch to branch. They had to hurry who knows what was happening with Kakashi and Tazuna.
"What happened back there?" Naruto called glancing over at his best friend.
"I-I'm not entirely sure…" she whispered to herself those glowing red eyes the sticky blood felt cold against her skin. She looked like she was murdered. Oh god what was Kakashi going to think?! Her breath hitched thinking of the disappointed look he would give her.
A fight could be seen a few feet away, Kakashi and Zabuza. So he was alive. "Kira throw me!" Naruto yelled. "Got it!" Quickly Naruto transformed into throwing stars. Kira shot her arm out throwing Naruto toward the fight.
"Uzumaki Naruto at your service!" Naruto shouted transformed back to himself. Kira landed beside Sakura and Tazuna. "Here I am, to save the day. You know how the story goes. Things look bleak till the hero arrives, and then pow! Bye bye bad guys!"
Kakashi, Zabuza, Sakura, Tazuna, and Sasuke looked over at the two. Kakashi's eye widens staring at his younger sister. 'Oh no.'
"Naruto!"
"Heh," Zabuza shot many ninja stars directed at Naruto. The Nin from before blocked them surprising everyone when the ice needles blocked the stars path.
"Haku, what are you doing?" Zabuza's gruff voice called across the clearing.
"Zabuza sir, please let me have this boy. I want to fight him in my own way," Haku called softly practically begging his master to fight Naruto.
"So you want me to keep my hands off him, eh, Haku? How charmingly naïve of you as usual." Kira rushed forward to Sasuke's side. "Don't!" Sasuke yelled but it was too late, she was crouching down beside Sasuke, never taking her eyes off Haku. The cool water like feeling ran through her fingers working her way to her fingers.
Sasuke stared at her shocked. She didn't even stop to think of the danger, she rushed to his side. Sasuke felt his heart flutter in his chest, her hands holding his face, her cool fingers felt like magic on his skin. He wished she was touching him under different circumstances.
"Why are you covered in blood?" Sasuke asked softly, she could hear the pain in his voice, but there was also concern.
"I'll explain later." She muttered watching as his wounds started to close.
"Yo Sasuke! I'm here to rescue you!" Naruto yelled crouching down to Sasuke's level.
"You doofus! No stealth, no caution, and you call yourself a ninja?! Now that you've both gotten yourselves trapped in here with me, just do what you want. I don't really care." Sasuke yelled glaring at Naruto. Sasuke screamed, glaring up at both Kira and Naruto. He didn't want to scream at her, but she was being an idiot! She was being reckless! She could get herself killed. She already looked half dead, the dark red blood made her already pale skin look even paler. Sickly even.
The ice mirrors started to reform locking the three of them inside. "Over here."
Sasuke shot up feeling much better than before, giving Kira a nod of appreciation.
"What the hell is going on!?" Kira looked around her surprised what was happening? Water was dribbling down the mirror's They might be made of ice, the mirrors might die down with some fire, it's a long shot but Sasuke was ready to try anything. "Blaze of Glory!" He yelled shooting a ball of fire at the mirrors. The fire stood everywhere but it never made a dent.
"It's not even making a dent!" Naruto yelled.
Kira stood glancing around her, Haku stood in the middle of one of the mirrors taunting the three of us. "That pitiful flame will barely touch my ice mirrors." Soon more Haku's spread through the mirrors. There was no way of figuring out which Haku was the real Haku.
Naruto used his multiple clone jutsu attacking every mirror trying to smash through. Thousands of ice pics spread through the small enclosure destroying every single one of Naruto's clones till he was alone.
"The technique I'm using is part of the art of teleportation, and the only took I need to perform it is the mirrors that hold my image. I move so quickly, the pair of you might as well be standing still."
"I never imagined that anyone could master such a technique at such a young age." Kakashi mused aloud. Zabuza only chucked at this. "Such a technique?" Sakura wondered aloud. "It's a kekkei genkai, a skill that can be passed from one generation to the next. A genetic trait running through the bloodlines of those purest shinobi pedigree. Some of the most extraordinary techniques are handed down from generation to generation solely on that basis." Kakashi explained never taking his eyes off Zabuza.
Kira gulped thinking of what to do, if Sasuke's fire ball no jutsu didn't work what else could stop melt these mirrors. "Water manipulation…" Kira whispered holding her hands to her chest, she watched as steam started to form steam. It wouldn't do much, but it could help melt it.
Haku stared at the gray haired girl watching with interest as she started to melt his mirror technique. "I've had enough, so, is this it? It can't end like this! I've got a dream to fulfill!" Naruto shouted glaring at Haku. The water manipulation wasn't working.
"I find it difficult to embrace the full shinobi philosophy. I can't help but prefer that the pair of you, not force me to kill you. However, if you three are going to come at me I shall kill my own heart with my blade just as the word 'shinobi' was originally the words 'heart' and 'blade' and act as a full-fledged shinobi would! The bridge is a nexus of our destinies and all of our dreams and futures balance on the edge of a knife."
Sasuke, Naruto, and Kira watched the mirror image of Haku. "I have my own dreams as you have yours. Please try not to resent me, but I'm willing to do whatever it takes to protect the one I care about most. TO fight, kill, or die to fulfill that person's dreams. Doing so is my own dream. To that end, I will become a true shinobi and I shall kill you three." Kira's eyes widen in surprise. Looking out at Kakashi and Zabuza before looking back at the mirror image of Haku.
"Sasuke! Naruto! Kira! Don't you dare lose to a person like him!" Sakura screamed.
"Stop encouraging them, Sakura!" Kakashi yelled.
"Huh?"
"Even if we knew of a way to counter his technique, your teammates still wouldn't be up to the task of defeating that boy." Said Kakashi.
"Wh-what do you mean?"
Zabuza stared to laugh again before explaining. "Those three haven't yet developed the psychological strength to turn their hearts to ice and take a human life." Kira sat frozen, it's not true. Naruto and Sasuke maybe but he was wrong about her. "That boy has lived with the kind of emotional anguish that prepares him to be a true shinobi. No true shinobi could ever be born of a place like your village, a place of weakness of peace. You don't live with death or grow up needing to kill to ensure your own survival. In you those skills and mindset they require die stillborn!"
"What can we do?" Sakura yelled nervously.
"You'll forgive me if I put an end to this,"
"Heh, going to use the Sharingan? What a vulgar maneuver. So obvious, so lacking in finesse!" Zabuza sneered. Kakashi pulled at his hitai-ate about to reveal his Sharingan. Sakura looked excited! "The Sharingan eye!" she squealed thinking the battle was already finished. Zabuza shot forward intending to kill. Kakashi quickly blocked the blow with his hand, stopping the blade from harming him anywhere important.
"You can sneer all you want about my 'lack of finesse' Zabuza it doesn't change the fact that you're afraid of the Sharingan. And me." Kakashi threatened, of course anyone would be if they had that kind of power.
"Heh, Heh, heh, a ninja's secret weapon should be employed judiciously, not displayed at random to every foe you face!" Zabuza growled pushing harder into the kunai.
"You should feel privileged. No one has ever lived to see the Sharingan a second time. And no one will ever see it thrice!"
"Heh, heh, by all means, defeat me if you can. You still wont have what it takes to kill Haku!" It's Zabuza! Haku would die for Zabuza! "Even in the face of unthinkable adversity, he has always prevailed! He's lost all regard for his own life and became a killing machine, a true shinobi. His skills surpass even my own. And he bears within him the formidable legacy of an inherited kekkei genkai! Thus, I have forged and carry with me a weapon of matchless quality and skill. Entirely unlike the scraps of trash that follow at your heels." Zabuza ripped the kunai away from Kakashi's hand.
"You're protecting Zabuza aren't you?" Kira growled clenching her fists. Her jutsu long forgotten, seeing the steam barely form anymore.
"What?"
"That's who's most precious to you isn't it!" She growled. Haku said nothing.
"Is there anything duller than listening to someone else brag?" Kakashi growled annoyed, holding his injured hand. "It's show time!" finally revealing his sharingan.
"perhaps you might hold off a moment, now that I've caught my breath. And to borrow your own idiom permit me one more boast. You turned a very pretty phrase at out last encounter. Everyone stared at Zabuza waiting for what he might say next. "Frankly, I've been dying to steal it." Eyes widen in surprise. "Something to the effect of, 'just so you know the same spell won't work on me twice.'" Zabuza quoted Kakashi from the first battle. Kakashi didn't look amused.
"Having had a chance to see it in action I now have a thorough understanding of the arcane workings of your mirror eye. There was far more to our previous battle than the apparently humiliating I permitted you to hand me. Haku who was hiding nearby, observed and studied every aspect of out fight, from the beginning to end."
Throughout this entire speech, Haku never once tried to fight. It was at a standstill, waiting for the first to start the fight. Though Haku did say he didn't want to fight us.
"Haku is extremely intelligent. For him, to see a technique is to analyze and understand it. And with that understanding he can develop effective counter measures." Man. Zabuza talks a lot. I thought the point of this battle was to kill everyone. All he's been doing is talking.
Kira shook her head. "Aw man Sasuke! We've gotta stop reacting and take back the initiative!" Naruto called gaining Sasuke's attention.
"Shut up and get on your feet! I can't fight him and watch out for you, too!" Sasuke growled. "We're both wounded, but we have to suck it up and go on. We'll be fine as long as he doesn't kill one of us. There much be a limit to his chakra. His attacks have been getting weaker." Sasuke announced.
It wasn't long till Haku attacked. As fast as lightning Haku shot ice needles at all three of them. Kira let out a loud yelp feeling the needles dig through her skin. Naruto fell face forward in pain. Sasuke cringed refusing to make a sound as he fell to his knees. Outside the room of mirror's, they heard Sakura scream.
Whats going on out there?!
Sasuke looked over at Kira worried. "You okay?" He asked through grit teeth.
"Fine. I'm fine." She practically growled glaring up at the ceiling of the mirrors. "You move well, but my next assault will take you down!"
Kira and Sasuke were knocked back by the force of the next attack. She could still taste the blood on her tongue, her body ached with pain. Naruto. He needed to get up. He could help Sasuke. Crawling over to her best friend she forced her emotions down, worked past the pain, trying to remove the needles without causing him anymore pain.
Kira let out another yelp of pain feeling more dig into her skin. 'Ignore it Kira! You have to help Naruto! He's more important!' she thought gritting her teeth. "You're…I see, you too share the legacy of a Kekkei Genkai bloodline!"
Sasuke snarled seeing him harming his girlfriend!
"I can't let his fight go on! My own art forces me to expend a great deal of chakra, so there is a limit to how long I can go on using it. And I'm certain that the longer our duel drags on the greater your ability to perceive my movements will become! Especially since, to a certain extent, you can already see me now." Haku commented.
"Time to bring this to an end!" Haku yelled jumping from the mirror directly toward Naruto and Kira.
'What!? He's going after Kira and Naruto! Shit! I have to save her!' Sasuke thought horrified rushing forward. Taking the blunt of the attack.
"Sheesh, no matter how many time I warn you, Naruto, you still keep getting in my way." Haku was down on the ground looking to be defeated.
"Sasuke! You…" Kira and Naruto's eyes widen in fear.
"No…"
Sasuke had needles sticking out of his neck in so many places. "Now get that lame expression off your stupid face, you screw up." He practically whispered starting to wobble.
Kira gripped Sasuke, tears in her eyes, oh god. Oh god. This isn't good.
"W-why?" Naruto stuttered shocked.
"Oh god no, Sasuke hold on! I'll heal you! Just, just hold on!" She yelled, her hands shook as she tried to concentrate on healing him, he wasn't doing good. He's going to die if she didn't do something!
"Naruto. I used to hate you, you know." Sasuke spoke so weakly.
"Why, why did you? Why me? You should have just minded your own business!" Naruto yelled horrified.
"How should I know? My body just moved on it's okay fool." Sasuke spat falling backwards into his loves arms. His breathing was starting to get shallow. "Kira…I swore I wouldn't die until I killed him, my older brother though the oath would save me but…but don't you dare die…" Sasuke told her.
Her eyes widen when his eyes closed. "Sasuke! Come on don't fall asleep!" She yelled shaking him. He reached up slowly to touch her face before passing out.
"He struck one blow at me and without any sign of shirking scarified himself for you two." Kira couldn't breathe. Haku started to stand up getting ready for the next attack.
"He was a shinobi worthy of the utmost respect who in order to protect someone he cared about threw himself headlong into what he knew full well was a trap." Haku stared at the two. "Is this the first time a comrade of yours has died? Such is a ninja's path." Haku jumped back into the mirror.
"Shut up. Just shut up!" Naruto growled. Something animalistic snapped in Naruto. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Naruto yelled. Kira stared frozen at Sasuke's unmoving form. Wind whipped around all around from the amount of chakra coming off him.
Sasuke was dead. She couldn't feel his pulse.
Fire. Nothing but fire. She didn't want to attack in fear of this but, Sasuke… he scarified himself to save her. But now, now she just wants blood. Sasuke didn't deserve to die, he might have been an ass but he didn't deserve to die.
Resting Sasuke's head on the ground she felt the blood lust come over her again. She spun around glaring at the masked child. Haku was on the ceiling diving toward Naruto aiming to kill.
Darting forward Kira tackled Haku to the side, just in time for Naruto to jump away. Kira pulled her fist back slamming it into Haku's mask making cracks spread through the mask.
Haku tried to jump away knowing he wasn't safe, quickly Haku kicked the girl back a few inches giving him enough room to run to another mirror. Naruto gripped tight, surprised that Naruto could catch him. Naruto's chakra levels went through the roof, the waves of energy cracking the mirrors, breaking them down.
"Ow…" Haku called trying to get away. Naruto threw his fist back slamming it into the already cracked mask. The force was so strong that the mirror's broke all together freeing them all.
Kira snarled rushing forward to finish him off when Naruto's voice called through the vicinity. "Kira stop!"
She halted confused, what did he mean stop! He killed Sasuke! She glared at Naruto confused. "What do you mean stop!?" She shrieked grabbing the front of his shirt making it so he couldn't escape. She was so close, she could hear his pulse pounding, practically begging to be ripped open.
"It's the kid I met in the forest."
"Why did you stop her?" Haku called softly. "I murdered your comrade, your beloved friend and you still spare me?" Haku asked confused. Naruto gripped Kira's shoulder, she let out a snarl before letting him go. Pushing him backward.
Naruto looked back at Sasuke's unmoving form staring at his friend, making up his mind he slammed his fist into Haku's cheek sending Haku to the ground. Coughing up blood.
"All the power you had before, where is it? You can't hope to kill me with the meager force you put into that blow. Often people have it wrong, mistakenly believing that showing mercy to an enemy is kindness. They spare the foe who's life is in their hands. But don't you see? It's an empty existence, to go on living alone and unloved when defeats already cost you your dream." Haku spoke softly standing from the blow.
"Say what?"
"Master Zabuza has no use for a weak shinobi. You've taken away my reason for living."
"Why waste all that devotion on such a creep?! That mercenary scumbag doesn't care who he works for or who gets hurt, just so someone pays him. Is that browless wonder really precious to you, your 'Beloved friend'?!" Naruto screamed glaring hatefully at Haku for being so stupid.
"Don't you get it Naru, Zabuza practically raised him. Of course he would think of Zabuza as precious, his beloved friend." Kira called staring at Haku.
"You are very smart." He whispered. "Once I was precious. I belonged to my parents. I was born in a snowy, little village in the land of mist. And I was happy…my parents were good, kind people." Haku was reminiscing of his past.
"But, just as I was getting old enough to really notice the world around me, something happened." Haku's voice took a dark turn.
"Like what? What happened?" Naruto looked like he actually cared about this kid. Having only known him for a few hours.
"Blood. My blood."
"Blood? So what are you talking about?"
"My father killed my mother and tried to kill me." Naruto and Kira's eyes widen in surprise. How could a parent do such a thing to the people he loves most? How could a parents kill his wife and try to kill his son? It didn't make sense.
"Why?" Naruto whispered.
"The land of the mist has been the scene of generations of non-stop war. Among it's people those who posses the kekkei genkai skills that come out of out genetic inheritance, are loathed as abominations"
"Kekkei genkai?"
"The term refers to clans whose bloodlines give them powers like mine. Inherited skills that were exploited ad twisted, used to cause horrible slaughter until we ceased to be looked on as warriors or even weapons, but were condemned as the harbingers of doom." Haku paused letting the information sink in.
"After the wars were over, we who possessed this trait were hunted, only able to survive by hiding the existence of our skills and our bloodline away. Exposure meant certain death. I'm sure the boy I killed, who shared that skill, must also have grown up knowing the pain of which I speak. We are special. We are powerful. And we are feared."
Sasuke. The Uchiha clan was known for having the Sharingan. Like Kakashi. Though Kakashi didn't get his through blood but by his friend. That's all I was told.
"My father learned that my mother came from such a clan and before I even realized what I was about to do, my father had died by my hand. And then it came to me. I knew what I was. And I was forced to accept it, that was the most painful thing." Haku continued taking a sigh having to relive his past to make Naruto understand.
"The most painful thing?" Naruto and Kira asked wanting him to continue.
"Accepting that I was alone in the world. Superfluous. Unwanted. Shunned." Kira saw Naruto freeze in understanding. He knew the pain he was talking about. "Didn't you tell me that you wanted to become the number one ninja in your village and make everyone respect you? If you had someone in your life who did more than that, who acknowledged your existence, even cared for you, wouldn't that person become the most important treasured person in your life?"
Naruto glanced at his best friend, the anger gone from her face, she's always been there for him. Always stood up for him, helped him in his times of need, she always listened to him rant and complain, she never hurt him in any way. Kira was one of his most treasured person in his life.
"Master Zabuza adopted me, knowing I came from a Kekkei Genkai bloodline. The very thing in me that made everyone else hate me, he didn't just overlook it. He cherished it. He wanted it! I was so happy, Naruto please take my life."
Kira held Naruto's hand. No. Naruto wouldn't take a life. She wouldn't let it happen. She didn't want him to live with the guilt. She didn't want it to eat him alive knowing he killed someone.
"Please, Naruto. Kill me now. What are you waiting for?" Haku begged.
"What's with you? You're used to being the toughest. You don't like to lose I get that! But wanting to die just 'cause someone beat you is crazy!" Naruto yelled.
"There's more to life than just fighting. Theres more to you. Your boss must like you for more than just that, right? Doesn't he?" Naruto fought. He didn't want to kill anyone.
"That day I met you in the forest, I remember thinking that we were two of a kind, surely you can understand. You'll have to bloody your hands. Forgive me for that." Haku said weakly already, having given up already at life.
"Is that, is that the only way? No other outcome?" Naruto asked softly growling to himself.
"Yes. It would be easier to let her, having already killed. But it must be you."
Naruto stared at Kira shocked. She cringed tucking away at herself at the memory of the kill. She was a monster. Her anger got the best of her and she ended up killing, she could have stopped. She could have just moved on, tied him up so that someone higher up could handle him. But she killed him.
"I hope you find your dream." Haku said as Naruto clutched his kunai.
"Sasuke, he had a dream too…if we'd met some other way, someplace else, you and me'd probably have been friends." Naruto called before rushing forward for the kill.
"Naruto no!" Kira shouted rushing after him. To stop him from making the same mistake as her.
"Thank you." Haku called a smile on his lips accepting his death.
Haku gave a shudder, fear spilling over his face. Catching Naruto's wrist from the stab. "I'm sorry Naruto! I can't die yet!"
Haku poofed out of nowhere escaping his certain death with Naruto. "What?"
"Where'd he go?" Naruto asked confused looking around for Haku. Expecting another blow. Nothing came. The thick mist that had been surrounding the area, they weren't sure when it happened started to disappear. Showing Kakashi and Zabuza. Kakashi's hand plunged deep inside Haku's chest.
Kira's eyes widen in surprise staring at her brother. He took Haku's life. Intending it to be Zabuza, Haku must have known, sacrificing himself for his master.
"That was brilliant Haku," Zabuza almost sounded sad. "I really did find a treasure in that gutter. To think he'd grant me this marvelous chance in the end!" Zabuza yelled swinging for the next attack. Kakashi pulled himself and Haku away from the blade to a safer spot.
Ripping his hand free from the boys chest Zabuza continued. "so you were able to get away because poor Haku was already dead."
Naruto shook with rage at how disrespectful Zabuza was being. Haku loved him. And Zabuza was acting like all Haku was, was just a tool. Nothing more than to be a meat shield.
"Naruto stay out of this! This is my fight." Kakashi yelled closing Haku's eyes.
"NARUTO! KIRA! YOU'RE ALIVE!" Sakura yelled happily.
"What about Sasuke?" She asked nervously. "Naruto! Where's Sasuke?" Naruto didn't know how to answer. He knew Sakura loved Sasuke, he didn't have the heart to tell her.
"Kira?" Kira's bottom lip quivered before shaking her head. He didn't make it. Sakura's eyes widen, gasping fearfully. Tears already in her eyes at the idea of Sasuke being gone.
"Focus, Kakashi! Don't let yourself be distracted!" Zabuza taunted. Sakura was trembling with the idea.
"I'll stay with you, so that you wont be disobeying your master's orders." Tazuna said softly gripping Sakura's hand as they ran to where Sasuke would be lying.
Zabuza was having trouble keeping up with Kakashi, they were fighting so fast that you could barely keep watch. Kira and Naruto held hands. Needing the touch of another to help somehow. Kakashi reached out grasping Zabuza by the neck making sure he couldn't escape. You could see the fear in his eyes.
"Now there's no way you can beat me."
"What?!"
"It's over. You just don't know it yet." Kakashi sounded so cold. So mean. Kakashi snapped Zabuza's arms, breaking the bones. He wouldn't be able to use that either. The two weren't sure what he did but now Zabuza was practically down for the count.
"Now you cant use either arm. No spells. No katas. No chakra." Kakashi explained.
"Well he's certainly made a fine mess out of you! What a pity." Gato spoke entering the clearing. Surprising everyone. Gato had a whole army of men behind him. "Zabuza."
"Gato. What are you doing here? And why did you bring all of them?" Zabuza growled them in a deep dark tone.
"Heh, heh, heh, there's been a slight change of plan, Zabuza. Or of your plans anyway. This was what I had in mind all along. You're going to die, 'demon' here and now."
"What?" Zabuza said deadly calm.
"You must have guessed. I never intended to pay you. It's such a bother hiring a skilled shinobi affiliated with one of the top villages. It's expensive and they tend to have friends who object when I betray and kill them. Its so much simpler to hire ukenin renegades like yourself. No one cares what I do to your kind once the job is done. All of you ninja are so eager to fight each other. Once you've worn each other down, common thugs can finish off the rest. It's a great business plan, efficient and inexpensive." Gato drawled giggling to himself.
"My only mistake was hiring you in the first place. Calling yourself the demon of Kirigakure is just plain false advertising. Heheheh, you're no demon. More like a baby demon if that." Gato mocked, very pleased that everything happened his way.
"The shape you're in, we'll take you down without even breaking a sweat!" someone in the mob yelled laughing mischievously.
"Who the heck are they? That's some crowd!" Naruto mused staring at the crowd.
Kira let out a growl as soon as she saw Gato. That bastard was going to pay. All the pain he put Inari through. Her blood boiled at the thought of making that bastard pay.
"Forgive me Kakashi, our fight is over. I no longer have any reason to want to assassinate Tazuna. Which settles our differences." Zabuza glanced at Kakashi. "Yeah, you're right."
"That reminds me, I still have a score to settle." Gato looked down at Haku's dead body. "You crushed my arm until you almost broke the bones." He kicked Haku aside not caring about who it might bother. "Ha. Dead meat. Carrion."
"WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING, YOU CREEP?!" Naruto screamed feeling the pain for Haku. Knowing what he went through, finding someone who he cared about.
Naruto shot forward wanting to beat Gato into a bloody pulp.
"Cool down. Think. There's a lot of them." Kakashi grabbed Naruto by the scruff of his jacket halting him in his dash.
"Hey!" He looked at Zabuza yelling "Hey, why don't you do something?! He worked for you! He was practically your slave!" he yelled hoping Zabuza would do something to honor his comrade.
"Like what? Haku is dead."
"But you should care! That fat scumbag is desecrating him! He was your comrade, your partner, he worked for you for years!" Naruto shouted.
"Gato's been using me and I used Haku. Weren't you listening? It's a shinobi's lot. All of us are either users or tools, or both. I didn't value Haku for himself, but for the taint his blood carried. And for what his talents could do for me. I apologize for nothing." You could hear the pain in his voice. He might be putting on a tough guy act but he did care for Haku.
"You…do you really mean that?" Zabuza said nothing.
Naruto ripped free of Kakashi's hold storming over to the man. "Stop it Naruto! Leave him alone. Our quarrel is over. Besides which…"
"SHUT UP! HE'S STILL MY ENEMY!"
"Who is this obnoxious brat? He's been making a nuisance of himself!" Gato called annoyed. Kira let out a growl throwing one of her stars, letting it graze his cheek. Watching as the blade inbedded itself into one of the guys behind him. It pierced the one goon's shoulder making him let out a yelp.
"Shut the hell up. Say one more word and I'll make sure it actually kills you. My beef with you hasn't been settled." Gato gasped clutching his cheek glaring at the gray haired girl.
"Why you little." She pulled out another three stars, he shut up.
Naruto glared at Zabuza ready to teach him a lesson. "He, he really cared about you!" Naruto pointed to Haku's body. "He was devoted to you, but you think that's just nothing, that he was nothing. You don't feel a thing?! Are you really that heartless? Is that how you get when your powers are as strong as yours are?" Naruto started to cry. "HE GAVE HIS LIFE FOR YOU!"
Naruto wept thinking of Haku's last moments. "HE died, without any of his dreams ever coming true. To die as his tool…that's too much, too cruel."
"Kid." Zabuza looked back at Naruto, showing the tears falling now. "Not another word." Over time Zabuza cared for Haku, loving the boy just as much as Haku loved him. It killed him seeing Haku died for him.
"Kid. What Haku did for was not just for me. While we fought, he broke his heart over you, and your friends that's the truth. He was too kind, too gentle. I'm glad my last battle was against you boy. You're right you know. Say what we will, do what we will. In the end we shinobi are still just people after all. With feelings all too human, and I've lost everything." Zabuza whispered heartbroken.
"Will you lend me your Kunai knife?" Naruto nodded tossing Zabuza his kunai. Amazingly Zabuza caught it in his mouth. As soon as it was in his possession Zabuza shot forward. Gato yelped running backwards screaming 'What?'
"That's enough! What are you waiting for? Kill all of them!"
"Yeah!"
"Lets go!"
"Even if you're a ninja, you're half dead against all of us! You don't stand a chance!"
Members of the mob yelled looking excited for an excuse to kill. It made Kira sick to her stomach. It was insane. Zabuza was able to fight off a majority of the mob not caring if he was injured or not. He was hellbent on killing Gato.
When Zabuza reached Gato he moved away just in time as his minions stabbed Gato by mistake.
"If you're in such a hurry to be reunited with your little friend, go alone! I have no intention of going to the same place as Haku!" Gato yelled.
"What are you babbling about?" Zabuza laughed "I'm taking you with me, to hell. Even an ogre in name only a washout from Kirigakure village can become a real demon in how he meets his death. Once we're in hell, I can show you over and over, who is, or who is not, 'A Baby Demon'!"
With one giant swoop Zabuza cut Gato's head clean off his neck. Gato's head bounced around a few times like a soccer ball while Zabuza panted. Taking his last breaths. Growling at the other mob members who jumped back frightened. Zabuza spit the kunai out of his mouth, falling face forward to the ground.
Naruto and Kira look down sad by this. They weren't bad guys. "Don't look away. This was the end of a man who lived full out.
"Yeah…"
"They deserved better." Kira whispered staring at the dead man before her.
"NARUTO! KIRA! It's Sasuke! He's alright! He's alive!" Wide eyed they spun around shocked to see Sasuke standing on his own, alive.
"Sasuke!" Kira shrieked rushing over toward her companion while Naruto stood there smiling to know he was okay.
"Oh my god you're okay!" She cried hugging him tightly. Sasuke blushed a bright red looking down at Kira surprised to see her holding him.
"Easy…everything hurts." He said softly. She pulled away nervously looking him over. "I'm so happy you're okay." He nodded looking away trying to act all cool.
"Sasuke's okay! I'm so happy!" Sakura squealed.
"I've been worrying since the fight began, but, Sasuke made it after all. Fantastic!" Kakashi sighed knowing his student was okay.
"Hey!"
"Aren't you sweethearts forgetting something?"
"You Ninja killed our meal ticket!"
"And now you're gonna die!"
"The only way we can even break even more is to overrun the city and loot every business and home!"
"Oh yeah!" the mob yelled getting antsy.
"Lets go!"
"This isn't good." Kakashi mused aloud nervously trying to think of what to do.
"Isn't there some technique we can use to take them all down at once?" Naruto yelled nervously. "I'm afraid with the lightning blade, the illusions and conjurations, for the moment, I've exhausted my chakra." Kakashi muttered explaining the gravity of this situation.
"STOP WHERE YOU ARE. THIS ISLAND IS OUT STEP FURTHER YOU'LL DIE WHERE YOU STAND!" Inari's small voice yelled surprising everyone. Inari had gathered everyone who could fight, dressed them all in armor for a battle.
"Inari!" Naruto yelled happily.
"It's being a hero, you know? All that nick of time stuff!" Inari snickered.
"Good one, kid. Mind if I join in?" Naruto asked forming a few shadow clones.
"Wait I want in on this action!" Kira yelled making a few clones of her self as well. Though she knew she couldn't completely, she had enough in her to get a couple down.
"Yipe!" one of the mob yelled surprised.
Kakashi made probably twenty of himself putting the fear into the mob. "Now shall we?" Kakashi called.
"Never mind!"
"Run away!"
The village screamed with joy! Everyone canceled their clones happy that they didn't have to fight anymore.
Sakura was clutching onto Sasuke's arm telling him how much she's glad he's okay. Naruto ran over to Kira picking her up, spinning her around. "We did it!" He yelled happily. Kira's heart fluttered in her chest hoping that Naruto would kiss her.
She knew it would be a long shot but in her brain she just wanted him to kiss her. He spun her around one more time before placing her on the ground, giving her that big cheeky grin.
She felt her face flush at the closeness.
Sasuke watched Naruto pick up his girlfriend and spin her around excitedly. He was worried he would do something stupid like kiss her, but he just put her down and smiled.
'When did I start calling her my girlfriend? Sure, I want her to be my girlfriend, she's beautiful, she's smart, she risked getting killed for the sake of healing me…I love her for that. She risked her life to save me.'
Snow started to fall, confusing everyone in the village.
"In the middle of summer?"
"This is insane," Kira muttered staring at the snow amazed. "He was born in a village where it snows a lot." Naruto muttered letting the tears fall.
"I see, he was a pure spirit. As true and clean as newly fallen snow." Kakashi called staring at Zabuza and Haku's lifeless bodies.