It's the last chapter everyone… so it's the last time for shout outs. Many thanks go out to fennecfox03 and Hiei's-Little-Dark-Phoenix. Though it's the last chapter, I hope that you guys will still review. Just so you know, I might be doing some author notes as the next update. It's just to give you guys some insights into how I felt about the story and why I did the things I did. If you have any questions about Zi or other things, send me a PM and I'll try to answer them to the best of my abilities. You might even see them in my Author Notes.

As for that sequel or Rurouni X Naruto I was talking about… well I do have a sequel planned out, but I want to get some of my other stories in order first. So it might not appear for a while. Please do remember that I have another Zabuza fic up, Siblings in the Mist... I can't believe I'm adverting my own story... I'm so pathetic.


Chapter Fifteen

Thought the day was victorious, it still felt… hallow. The people of the Land of Waves were finally free for Gato's grip, but at the loss of two ninjas… it seemed to be a high price.

There have been higher prices paid to protect others, but for some odd reason this one bothers me, Kakashi thought to himself.

He looked over to where Zabuza and the boy laid.

"Huh," he couldn't help exclaim.

The figure of a young woman was standing over the two bodies. She bent down and placed her shaking hands on their heads. She started to gently stroke their cheeks.

"Oh Haku… Zabuza…" she whispered.

"Hey look there's another ninja," one of the villagers yelled.

Kakashi held up one of his hands, "stop, she isn't here for a fight." He started to slowly approach her, "excuse me miss?"

She stood up and looked at him. Her grey eyes were filled with tears; strains of her black her wafted about her face. She looked like she wasn't in the best shape.

Even if she wanted a fight, there's no way she could, Kakashi continued to walk up to her.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Kakashi said with sincerity, "I know that you must be…"

"Sorry…," she looked back at the two dead ninja, "thank for your sympathy… I know you truly mean it. But there are no words that can possibly fix the way I feel right now… please do me a favor… do them a favor."

"Yes," Kakashi asked, though he knew the favor.

"Could you bury them… I don't have the strength," she put her hand on heart, "my heart is pounding like crazy and I'm surprised that I haven't dropped dead yet," with that she fell to her knees, gripping her chest in pain.

Kakashi ran over to her, "we need to get you to a doctor. Please just relax and I'll…"

She put her hand up to his mouth, "a doctor might be able to repair the physical, but they could never fix the emotional. It's better this way. My time on this world might be ending soon and I would rather spend it in the sun and fresh air… thinking about my short time with that innocent child and that Demon of a man. If I should die doing so, than that would make me happy. Do you understand?"

Kakashi nodded his head, "I do. Will you at least let me help you up?"

He put his hand out; she willing took it. Gently, he pulled her up to her feet. She let go and turned back to Zabuza and the young boy. Bending down once more, she kissed both of them on the cheek. Without saying another word, she disappeared from sight.

"She's gone," Naruto came up behind Kakashi.

"Kakashi Sensei, who was that," Sakura asked.

"She was a ninja that Zabuza that taken in and watched over," Kakashi looked down at Zabuza, apparently, you didn't lose everything Zabuza, Kakashi thought about Zabuza's final words, you still had someone else that loved you deeply.

Two weeks later…

The sun was getting high in the sky as Kakashi and his young team started on their way home. Their mission was over, lessons were learned and feelings were stretched to their limits.

It was a hard first mission for this team, but, Kakashi looked over his shoulder at his three young charges, it taught them many good lessons about the world they have entered. They have only seen a fraction of what it is like to be a true shinobi, but hopefully they have decided to follow the path they believe is the correct one.

"Hey Kakashi Sensei," Naruto called out, "isn't that the ninja we saw a couple a weeks ago?"

Looking a little further up the path, Kakashi saw what Naruto was pointing at. The young ninja from before was lying in the shade of tree. It didn't look like she was moving.

Poor thing, she must have died, Kakashi thought as he came up to the body.

"Is she… is she dead Kakashi Sensei," Sakura asked as she ducked behind Kakashi.

"I think so," Kakashi started to grab the kunoichi's wrist.

"It's not nice to disrupted people when they are trying to nap you know," she grabbed Kakashi's hand.

"Sorry, I thought you were dead," Kakashi pulled his hand away.

She sat up slowly and yawned. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying. But she seemed to be more together than the last time he saw her.

"To tell you the truth," she stood up gingerly, "I'm surprised that I'm not dead." She started to brush off any dirt or grass, "I just needed to rest for a few moments. I'm still very injured you know."

"If you could please tell me your name," Kakashi asked, "and what you were doing with someone like Zabuza?"

She turned and smiled, "I suppose I could tell you why I was with that Demon, but I think you probably already know, as you already know my name."

"I guess I can't hide that fact, now can I," Kakashi scratched his head. "It's an honor to meet you Byunia Zi. You've grown up since the last wanted poster came out."

"Wanted poster?!" Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke asked at the same time.

"Don't worry you three, she's not wanted like Zabuza was," Kakashi assured them, "she's wanted for other reasons…"

Kakashi looked to see if she wanted him to say the reasons. She understood and shook her head no. Kakashi nodded his head.

"What other reasons," Naruto asked.

"It's too complicated for young genins like you to understand," she smiled. "All missing-nin have reasons why they are hunted down and mine are a little unusual. When you have grown and start to see the true nature of what it is to be a shinobi, you will understand."

"The true nature of a shinobi," Naruto huffed, "you mean the fact that Ninjas are tools and are meant to be used… then I already no that… Zabuza made that clear."

"Naruto be nice," Sakura scolded.

"It's ok little girl," Zi smiled, "that is a truth, but only one truth of many. Many ninjas through the years have developed many truths… Zabuza came to his truth… Haku came to his own… and I have yet to decide on my mine." She looked out beyond the horizon, "you have decided you Ninja Path and that will lead you to your own truth… just as I hope that the path I'm choosing now will lead me to a truth." She started to pull something from her obi, "it was Zabuza's last gift to me and it's going to lead me to the truth of my past. He actually made the Demon Brothers go get if for me."

"A scroll from the Village hidden in the Clouds," Kakashi asked somewhat surprised.

"It is a mission… from twelve years ago…" her voice trailed off as she placed the scroll back in her obi.

"You'll be killed…," Kakashi thought for a moment, "I understand… you have chosen your Ninja Path. I guess all I can say now is good luck."

"Thank you Kakashi of the Sharingan Eye of the Hidden Leaf Village," she pulled a metal fan from her obi.

"You keep everything in there don't you," Kakashi pointed to the crimson obi.

"Just about," she smiled, "farewell… and thank you."

With that she lifted her fan and brought it down with a gust.

"She's gone… again," Kakashi sighed.

"Is she going to be alright Kakashi Sensei," Sakura asked.

"It's hard to say. She's survived for six years now and she somehow managed to get along with Zabuza…," Kakashi trailed off, "but I think she'll do just fine."

That was his final wish for the young kunoichi. That is all he could do for her. The rest she would have to do on her own.

The End