As Naruto came to he looked ahead of him in shock. In his fury he had taken down his adversary and just as he was about to strike the final blow the mask that covered the young shinobi's face crumbled away and revealed to Naruto's shock a familiar face. The sight stopped Naruto in his tracks and defused some of the rage he was feeling.

"You… the guy from the woods… that was you?"

"Why do you not strike? Didn't you just vow to avenge your fallen comrade? Or were those just empty words?

Naruto looked back at Sasuke and then proceeded to punch Haku as requested.

"No. That won't be enough. You're still holding back. If that is all you have you will never be able to avenge him. Perhaps he didn't mean as much to you as you thought. To show mercy to the adversaries of the one you serve, to allow them to live isn't compassion but a blatant betrayal of the very purpose of your life. What is the reason for you existance then, you are of use to no one. It is mere existence without meaning.

"Yea well speak for yourself!"

"I am speaking of myself. Are you really that blind? This day has shown me that I'm no longer of any use to Zabuza."

"Why him? To devote your life to some rotten scum who doesn't know the meaning of the word honor, well if he is really the only person that matters to you that's the sorriest thing I've ever heard!"

"There were once others that mattered to me… my father… and my mother…"

Naruto's ears perked up as he heard those words as they now held new found meaning to him. As Haku began to tell him his life story Naruto began to feel his pain more and more. The sadness that was slowly growing in Haku's heart. There was a strange feeling to it. It was as if Naruto could actually feel Haku's emotions. The feeling of sadness, regret, and guilt all became tangible. He was feeling his pain in a way he never had before. It was so visceral almost as if they were Naruto's own feelings. Then mid way through Haku's thoughts another emotion appeared. It was fear. The fear he and his mother had for simpling inheriting a kekkei genkai in the land of water. The fear that was justified by the certain death they were exposed to once they were discovered.

Naruto felt Haku's emotions change again. When he mentioned the death of his parents he began to feel despair, remorse, and loneliness. These were feelings Naruto knew all too well.

"I lost my purpose. In all the world there was no one who needed me. I was unnecessary."

'That's just like me!'

"Why is it you are so determined to become Hokage. It is through the recognition of others that you think you will find meaning and self assurance in yourself. You see that only through the eyes of others that our lives have any significance. When there is no one who sees you it is like you do not exist. Then Zabuza came along. He did not look at me negatively because of my strangeness. In fact that is what he was looking for. He made me necessary again.

As he began his story once again his emotions changed but it was entirely different this time. Before Naruto could feel his negative emotions almost as his own but Haku's new emotions were more positive. Naruto could not feel them at all.

"I have failed you Zabuza."

All at once Naruto could feel the guilt and sadness Haku was experiencing again.

"I am like a blunted weapon without further use."

He slowly began to walk towards Naruto.

"Naruto, kill me."

"That's the stupidest story I've ever heard. How can you care about somebody like that. He treats you like a slave. You're a human being not a weapon or a tool."

"For that very reason. When he found me I was without a purpose or reason for living and he gave me both. But now I am a broken tool of no use to anyone with no reason for living. The only thing that gave my life meaning is gone."

As he spoke his primary emotions became sorrow and despair. Tears began to fall from his eyes.

"Go on Naruto, for both of our sakes. Kill me. Do it. Quickly."

Haku's emotions shifted again with Naruto's hesitation. His frustration caught Naruto off guard. He really wanted Naruto to finish him there and then.

"There's a lot more to being shinobi than fighting and killing till there is only one man left standing. There are more ways to show one's strength than that."

"I had a feeling the moment I met you in the woods that we were a lot alike. You know what I mean. I'm just sorry it is you that has to kill me.

"You're sure about this? It's the only way?"

"Yes."

"It's weird i think we could have been friends in another time and place. THIS IS FOR SASUKE, BECAUSE HE ALSO HAD A DREAM!"

Naruto charged finally finding the conviction to grant the young shinobi's final request.

'Thank you Naruto.'

In an instant before Naruto could react Haku's emotions changed again. Haku caught Naruto to his surprise. There was a new look of determination in his eyes. Naruto couldn't feel that emotion either.

"Before I go I should tell you that I'm one of the final descendants of the Yuki clan. That information may be helpful to you in the future."

Haku began his one-handed hand seals. He was preparing another jutsu. Behind him a new ice mirror formed. He stepped back into it and disappeared. Naruto was left awestruck. It was not Haku's sudden change in plans that left him amazed, but the fact that as Haku performed his jutsu Naruto saw the whole thing and felt like he analyzed it perfectly down to the hand signs, chakra proportions and control. Then Naruto was in for another surprise as he looked into the mirror. His right eye was not its normal cerulean. It was a dark red with a pattern on it. Naruto recognized the pattern. It was just like Kakashi's left eye it was just missing some of the dots (tomoes).

'The Sharingan! But how?'

The day was just getting stranger and stranger.

As Naruto was trying to process what he was seeing he realized Kakashi was still fighting Zabuza and that's probably where Haku went. Just then the mirror shattered.

'He undid the jutsu? Why?'

Then came a shock wave. Naruto knew where it came from but was unsure what was actually happening. He refocused his thoughts and felt another wave of emotions pouring in. Fear, Surprise, and Worry. Sakura and Tazuna. Astonishment and Surprise. Kakashi. Anger, Animosity, and Astonishment. Zabuza. Finally Guilt and Despair. Haku. They all came from the same direction so Naruto really only had one way to go.

The sight Naruto came upon was a grisly one. Haku now covered in blood stood in between Kakashi and Zabuza while holding Kakashi in place.

"The boy threw himself in front of my attack. He saved your worthless life at the cost of his own."

Zabuza began to swing his blade. He was intent on finishing Haku as long as he could get Kakashi as well. Kakashi leapt with Haku in his arms to avoid the slash, Haku's final moments passing as it all unfolded.

Naruto couldn't believe what he saw. After the way Halu spoke about Zabuza and the amount of respect he had for him, Zabuza would have just as easily killed him as he would have Kakashi. The mere thought infuriated Naruto.

"You'll pay for that!"

"NO! Stay out of this Naruto. This battle is mine."

Kakashi gave Haku the respect he deserved for his nobility before setting him down. In a flash all emotions Naruto felt from Haku were gone and were replaced by anger from Kakashi.

Unsure of how exactly Naruto had shown up Sakura abandoned her previous emotions and became curious as to Naruto's situation. Naruto could not trace her curiosity either.

"Naruto? NARUTO! Over here. Naruto. So you and Sasuke are alright?"

'Sakura'
"Uh…. umm…"

The hesitation could clearly be seen on his face. It quickly turned to grief in a matter of seconds.

"Is something wrong?"

"N… no."

Naruto clearly felt Sakura's emotions. She was anxious. She knew what Naruto's hesitation meant but she didn't want to believe it. Her anxiety quickly began turning into sorrow and grief. Amidst the commotion Zabuza attacked again hoping for and advantage through the element of surprise. Although processing the information from Naruto, Kakashi was ready and countered.

Tazuna saw the look on Sakura's eyes. She had to go see him.

"Let me take you to him, Sakura. As long as we stay together you won't be disobeying your sensei's orders."

"Thank you"

As they ran past him Naruto realised something he never wanted to be a reality. In Sakura's sadness he saw how real and visceral her feelings were. She was hurting. She truly loved him. The reasons as to why she felt that way Naruto would never understand, and there in Naruto realised that Sakura would never really love him. Even with Sasuke 'gone' she would never feel for Naruto the way she felt for Sasuke. Sakura's emotions only intensified as she reached Sasuke and truly saw the state he was in. He could hear her cry and there was nothing he could do about it. He only turned to observe the events in front of him.