Bad news and worse news. Bad news: Haku is dead. Worse news: I don't own Naruto. Thank the gods for fanfiction.

For the first time, Mizu joined the gennin on a head-to-head. She was smirking, waiting for Zabuza to single her out.

"Sakura, cover Tazuna. Sasuke, you know what to do."

Mizu spun to face Kakashi. "Oh, Kakashi-san, please, let me fight him first," she begged, bowing.

"Have at it, then," Kakashi allowed.

Sasuke returned to Tazuna's side, glowering.

Mizu bowed to Haku, who bowed back.

Zabuza laughed. "I thought I recognized that kitsune mask," he said.

"Love you too, Momo-kun."

"You nicknamed the Demon of the Mist Momo-kun," Kakashi said.

"Yes. Now shush. I'm in a battle." To Haku, she said, "I already know you're good, love. And fast. But, as I'm sure you've figured, so'm I. So a fair fight. No weapons, no special jutsu, no kekkei genkai."

"So a regular fist fight, then."

"No such thing as regular among the best. But yes. A fist fight."

A clatter as all of their weapons fell to the ground.

"What are you doing?' Kakashi and Zabuza demanded together.

"Can't have bloodshed, can we?" Mizu asked, laughing.

And the battle began. Every attack launched was blocked. Finally, the two got close enough to directly attack pressure points. There was a flash of metal.

Mizu laughed. "Stalemate, eh? Better'n I thought you were, lovely."

Her kunai was pressed to his neck, and one of his senbon was pressed to hers.

"Whatever happened to no weapons?" she pouted.

"Follow your own rules, Mizu," Haku murmured.

Mizu laughed. "Three… two… one."

They both dropped their weapons.

Mizu bowed again. "Amazing, Haku. Finally, after a year. Much better than I expected," she murmured.

Haku bowed as well. "Love you, Mizu. No matter what happens today."

"Love you more, Haku. But nothing will happen. I promise. Forever, remember?"

They both straightened. "Not tired, are you?" Mizu teased, skipping back. She quickly gathered her weapons and returned to Tazuna's side. She bowed shallowly to Sasuke. "Your turn."

She shadowed Tazuna, half-listening to Kakashi and Zabuza's conversation, but her main focus was on trying to find Haku. He had trapped Sasuke in the crystal ice mirrors. She watched, her eyes trying to track Haku's movements. She whimpered softly, unable to see him.

"Worried?" Sakura asked softy, her eyes glued to the ice mirrors as well.

"Not at all I can't see. I've never been this blind before."

Sakura, determined now, stepped away from Tazuna. "Sasuke! Catch!"

Mizu hissed. "Mind if I teach her a bit?" she asked Tazuna.

He shook his head. "Not at all."

Mizu slipped up behind Sakura, one hand covering her mouth, the other pressing a kunai to her neck. "Now, if I were Zabuza or Haku, what would happen next?" She growled in her ear.

Sakura, who had been tensed to scream, relaxed.

"Do you know what you've just done? You left Tazuna unprotected and alerted Zabuza to his position. Haku knows where Tazuna is. He can now leave Sasuke trapped in those mirrors and come to attack. Sasuke has no chance of getting out, and knows it now. Inadvertently, you have killed us all. Including me. That boy put me in a stalemate, Sakura. If we actually fought to kill, I would be dead."

"Personal feelings aside, Haku is a good fighter. And I wasn't holding back. Was he?" Mizu pulled away, hit by this revelation. "Was he?"

Mizu was silent a while, listening, searching with her eyes.

"Konoha's number one loud-mouthed hyperactive ninja." She smirked. "Welcome Naruto." The smirk slowly faded, and her eyes returned to the crystal mirrors. "Save Sasuke, Naruto. Haku's just doing what he was trained to do."

MOMO-KUN!!!!!! Yeah. You've got to love it. It's amazing. Reviews and such, s'il vous plait! Don't do it for me; do it for the Momo-kun. Vous connaissez je vous adore!