Chapter Four
A/N: Minor note, Haku is female in this story (don't like it, too bad since all of my stories that have Haku involved are female). And the way Midna is the way she is... this takes place long after the events in Twilight Princess, or didn't you read the beginning? In Twilight Princess. Midna WAS shady, but as the adventure goes on, she opens up, and soon develops a deep friendship (to me a possible relationship, since I like the LinkMid shipping), but then... well, for those who have beaten TP, well... it's at that part of the story, take a couple years after that the story starts, and then skips to the start of the Naruto series.
Naruto!
There was something going on downstairs.
Naruto! Wake up you idiot!
She smacked him with a fist down over the head, which woke him up.
"Naruto, someone's attacking the house!"
Naruto cursed, when he heard Tsunami's screams, and Inari's cry. He had gotten up, glad he decided to wear the tunic to bed last night, and rushed downstairs. He pried some kunai from his pocket and launched them, sticking the hands of the three thugs. Naruto leapt over and lashes out with a right kick sending one guy crashing through the window. The other two Ronin charge,d but Naruto ducked and sent kunai striking their balls. He grabbed the katana and lashed out, slashing them across the chest. Through the pain, they ran off frightened.
Naruto, look what the kid is holding.
Naruto looked to Inari, who had dropped the other half of the broken Master Sword.
"Inari... where did you get that broken sword?"
"My father had this, and he gave it to me, before..."
Naruto nodded. "Look, it was brave of you to defend your mother. She means much to you, right?" He nods, "well, if you gather your courage, then you can overcome your fears and defeat the tyranny that is Gatou. The entire village can, but only if you overcome your fears."
He grabs the weapon. "I have been looking for this for awhile... you see, I have the other half of this sword, and I really wish to take this, so that I can get both halves mended again, and back in perfect condition..."
"Take it..." Inari smiled softly, "you're right. I need to stand up for myself!"
Naruto grinned, and rushed out the house, and headed towards the bridge.
God, I hope I'm not too late... damn my oversleeping tendencies.
=0=0=
Meanwhile, there was a fight going on. Once again, Kakashi and Kurenai were taking care of Zubuza, but Sasuke was trapped behind Ice Mirrors, fighting against Haku who was well pissing him off, even with his Sharingan having been activated. And to make things worse, Naruto, who still held the katana, had arrived just in time to save Hinata from getting struck by a Mizu Bunshin. Naruto then spun around when the rest surrounded the blond,e and had released a short wave of energy from the spinning attack.
"Hinata, you okay?"
"I'm fine, Naruto-kun. But Sasuke-san is trapped behind those slabs of ice."
Naruto nodded. "I'll take care of it, just keep Tazuna-san safe." Naruto ran towards the ice prison, and he lashed out with a hard lunge, cracking one Ice Mirror. He shattered it with a hard punch, wincing at the pain, before rushing in. As he did however he too became trapped.
"Naruto? You idiot! You're trapped! She can melt in her ice mirrors like water!"
"Shut up, I'm here to save your ass, besides you about to look like a pin cushion."
Sasuke growled. "Shut up, now help me beat this punk."
Naruto held the katana in reverse position, the blade's tip pointing in a upward slant along his right arm. "Got any ideas?"
"The mirrors are indestructible from inside..." The two dodged the wave of Senbon released.
"Stop moving." The Oinin from Mizu smiled sadly behind the mask, but she had a job to do. She launched a Senbon from her position, and Sasuke saw this, and pushed Naruto out of the way, taking the hit. It struck a pressure point, and it had appeared to have killed him. He was simply knocked out cold.
"Sorry, but I have no choice."
Naruto looked up, and frowned. "Why?"
Haku removed her mask, revealing her dark brown eyes.
"I heard your voice and knew who you were. Why?"
"Because Zubuza-sama saved me from death. He took care of me, so I will take care of him. Please, don't make this hard for me."
Naruto simply held the weapon up again.
"No... if you work for the enemy, then... we are enemies."
She smiled sadly, but this time she drops the mask, preparing her Senbon again.
"Then... I have no choice." She launches them, but Naruto swings in a wide arc, sending the same energy wave out, deflecting them to the ground. She melted into a mirror, only to pop up behind Naruto, but he swung when Midna warned him, and she was caught along the side of her left hip.
She dodged the second sword strike, until they heard Zubuza's cries, and the sound of dogs growling. Kakashi had trapped him, as did Kurenai with her illusions, and then... the sound of birds chirp.
"Zubuza-sama!"
"Chidori!"
Kakashi was rushing Zubuza with the jutsu. Haku dissolved her mirrors, and surprised Naruto by claiming his lips roughly.
"Goodbye..." She vanished, and took the hit of Kakashi's attack.
"HAKU!" Naruto screamed, "NOOOOOOOO!"
"Haku," Zubuza whispered in shock.
Haku only smiled before life left her eyes. Kakashi was stunned, as was Kurenai. Haku had sacrificed her life, just to save Zubuza. Naruto had run to Haku as Kakashi pulled his now bloodied hand from Haku's back, which left behind a hole that had obliterated her heart.
"No... Haku..."
He was cradling her body, not caring that her blood was staining his tunic.
She kissed me...
Naruto... Midna did not know what to say. The dogs and illusion vanished, allowing Zubuza to flip back to his feet again. Then, the sound of a single applause filled the air, as coming from the fading mist was Gatou. Behind him, were armed Ronin with swords or bow and arrows. Kakashi glared, as Gatou sneers at them all. "Well, one annoyance down, one more to go. I never thought my plan would even work... then again, I had a feeling you couldn't live up to your expectations."
"What do you mean, Gatou?"
"I mean, I never intended to pay you at all... after all, it's a waste, and you'll all be dead anyway," he sneers. Naruto released a angry growl from his throat, as he gently laid Haku down to the ground, and stood up.
"You son of a-"
Zubuza brought his arm, blocking Naruto.
"No, this scum is mine!" Zubuza snarls.
Because of this man, he had lost Haku inadvertently. He would pay. With a roar, he charges them, and attacks. They fired arrows; however Zubuza had shown them just why he was known as the Demon of the Bloody Mist. Naruto stood next to Sasuke, who was still unconscious due to having several pressure points nailed by the Senbon. Sakura was cradling the boy close as if he was dead. Hinata stood by Naruto, Shino and Kiba protecting Tazuna, and Kurenai Shunshin next to Kakashi. Gatou was slain down, but Zubuza collapsed next to Haku, showing the battle damage, and from several arrows piercing his chest.
"Haku... I'm sorry..." Snow began to fall. He mused to himself: Haku's tears...
Haku... I love you, my precious...
Zubuza died. It was over... the men were surrounded by the surviving ninja, and behind them, was the townspeople who had gathered their courage, strength, and whatever weapon they could find. The thugs were between a rock and a hard place. No one however in all of the chaos, noticed a parasite working its way embedding itself into Haku until it was too late once the shell was formed fully.
A cold blast of wind suddenly surged around Haku, lifting her body as her outfit fell, revealing her creamy skin, which was blemished with the blood that came from the hole that was directly over her heart. Kakashi and Naruto caught notice of what looked like some sort of giant bug resting within a dark brown cocoon, completely filling the spot. It was a bit big, so it looked like she had a brown orb embedded inside her body. Her hair flew in all directions before changing to pure white and then spike in wild fanged directions (Yami Bakura style). Her creamy skin turned pure white, with a touch tone of an icy blue tint, and when she opened her eyes, they had changed to reveal cold pale pink eyes, with the whites of her eyes a cold ocean blue. A loud inhuman shriek escaped her throat, as water shot up and wraps around her, before hardening into an icy armored outfit, resembling in Midna's mind a humanoid form of that dragon she and Link encountered in the City in the Sky. Soon, a clear blue crystal of ice complete collected around her, forming a giant rupee with two giant clawed hands made of ice which float on either side of the giant rupee. The ice hands (think Omega's hands from Rockman Zero 3) shoots and rips through Gatou's terrified men, leaving none alive. She then turned her attention onto Naruto.
Twilit Koorikikan: Touketsu no Haku
"Kuso!" Naruto swore.
Grab that giant sword Naruto! I have seen this tactic before; you need something heavy to shatter the ice.
Naruto rushed over, and with a grunt, slowly picked up the sword. The dead Haku, transformed and warped under a dark magical force, charged him, flying through the air. Kakashi intercepted Haku, but the Jounin was sent flying back, now stuck to the ground encased half in ice. It turned to the others, sending blasts of liquid water. The others were also ensnared in the water that had quickly solidified into ice. Once again, the hands flew out, and this time they had captured Naruto. Naruto had managed a grip on Zubuza's weapon, but struggled to get free. Her eyes shined an unholy light as she slowly levitated away from the bridge, and deposits him onto a large floating island made of clear ice. Her Ice Mirrors reformed once again, this time encasing a roof. They were clear for everyone else to see, but inside, Naruto only saw reflections of himself and the transformed Haku.
She released an inhuman cry as she launched several spurts of the liquid ice from the palms of those wicked looking floating hands. Naruto was ensnared in the substance, trapped in the hardened ice. Naruto struggled to get free, but was freed when he was punched into one of the cold mirrors. He cries out in pain, as Midna yelled at him to get up. The ice was slippery enough for him to get good movement, even with this heavy weapon. When the hands were shot at him again, he swung as best he could. He only managed to deflect the attack.
"Damn..."
She cried again, this time her rupee shell glowed and releasing a wave of spiked ice with glowing red spheres for a single eye. Naruto dodged them on Midna's order, as she told them that one touch of those icy creatures would freeze him momentarily. The claws were thrown at him again, but Naruto roared as he swung as hard as he could, as best he could, and deflected them away. The left claw struck the shell, causing a loud sound of a crack to echo within the icy chamber. A crack formed over the surface. Seeing this, Naruto slowly had gotten used to the somewhat unpredictable patterns of attack from the transformed Haku. He launched three kunai, however the claws fired water, encasing them in ice. Naruto cursed and hid behind the sword as the claws clanged against them. He leapt up when a wave of those icy creatures swept across the field, shattering upon wall collision. The hands widen their grasping range, before a blue glow slowly formed. Then, spiraling rings of ice were fired. Naruto was dashing as best he could on this slippery surface, dodging the icy ring attacks. Of course, while one fires in a horizontal direction, the other was firing vertically downward tracking him. The hands slowly returned to the ice shell, and another scream emerged, as the hands charged him, sending him crashing back into the wall with a pained cry.
Naruto! Get up now!
Naruto did, and dodged the hands a second time. He grasped the heavy blade, and when Haku attacked him once more, he swung. The hands crashed, shattering the rupee shell. In a chain reaction, the icy walls all shatter as well, showering Naruto under a cold dust. Haku floated there, still clad in her ice dragon-like armor. Naruto blushed briefly, as the ice was clear, and he could see her female parts.
Concentrate on surviving, you pervert, Midna muttered.
I'm not a pervert!
A wave of her hand, and she formed a long dragon-like snake that flew through the air, and snatched her belt which held her items. It flew back, and she caught it, now strapping the belt around her waist. She formed more ice, forming four majestic-looking wings, and a segmented tail. Horns jut from around her shoulders, and curved around her head as a helmet open from the back and around the front spilling her hair. She took to the air, wings flapping.
"Oh crap!" Naruto yelled, dodging the Senbon she generated from her ice powers. Two clouds of white formed, before shards of ice collect, forming two Chilfos. They were skinny ice creatures, taller than Maito Gai. Each Chilfos summoned more ice forming lances and threw them. Naruto ducked, but they summoned more. Naruto sprinted off, launching kunai, only for them to get deflected away.
Naruto, use the heavy blade. If you had a bow, arrows, and bombs, we could have fired Bomb Arrows to get rid of them easily.
But Haku... I noticed before this shit started. Naruto hid behind the blade as best he could, that she has this brown orb in the place where her heart once was. Like some sort of brown cocoon.
Naruto soon took out the two enemies, only to get struck in the back by the rain of ice. Grunting and cursing, he swung the weapon, catching her off to the side and shattering off some of the ice.
Naruto! Use your kunai when you clear the ice! If I'm right, that brown sphere in her chest you say you saw will destroy whatever is controlling her.
What IS controlling her?
A Twili Parasite.
The routine settled on Haku trying to surprise Naruto, by attacking from the air, attempting risky dive bombs, and summoning Chilfos to attack. However, Naruto had managed to crack the ice long enough to line a perfect shot with his kunai. The sharp black point pierces through spewing white liquid and blood, as the bug was impaled. The brown sphere shrivels up and is whisked away into dust by the wind as the bug is impaled on the nearby tree, seen by Kurenai. The bug let out some horrified shrieks before shriveling up, and exploding into ash and dust which spreads to the wind. Haku's looks slowly began to return to normal, as the ice melted. She crashed onto the ice island as it crashes into the ocean, but still managed to stay intact. Her hair, her eyes, her body, all regained normal color, however her skin was clammy and a bit on the pale side. The belt slipped off, and collapsed near Naruto's feet. It was done... He kneels down to the floor.
Naruto... are you alright?
No, I'm not... Haku... whoever did this... I... Midna, she was innocent. First she sacrificed her own life, and then this bug reanimates her body to try and kill me. It's not freaking alright... it hurts, Midna...
Naruto... I wish there was something I could say that can help you, but please... understand that death is an everything occurrence in the world... look, if you want to hold Haku in memory, take her belt that fell off her.
Naruto stared at the belt, which he slowly pulls into his hands. He stared at the pouch, which held the girl's weapon of choice. He held the item close to his chest, closing his eyes.
(Naruto obtained a Kiri-styled Ninja Pack filled with Senbon. These belonged to Haku, someone who Naruto will cherish in memory.)
Naruto attached the pack to his own belt, before he lifted up Haku's body once he crossed the short distance. Haku was but an innocent soul, and after the defeat of the parasite that reanimated her body, he felt that she deserved a proper burial.
"She was innocent in all of this," Naruto whispered in a soft voice.
Midna appeared next to Naruto, but as a shadow phase. "Naruto... I'm here for you, okay?" She gently caressed his cheek, before wiping away the tear that escaped his right eye. The two stared into one another's eyes, before she faded back into his shadow. Naruto looked down at the peaceful expression of Haku. He closed his eyes, and gently pressed his forehead to her chest.
I promise... not another soul shall fall to evil's hand. Haku... I promise that I will keep your memory alive... a person as beautiful as you shouldn't have left this world so early... please forgive me, Haku.
Midna had tears in her eyes, having heard Naruto's promise. As if answering his wish, a soft wind blew through, caressing his body before the wind died down. A warm smile slowly formed over his lips, as he lifted his head high, and opened his eyes. Of course, the large icy island was out a bit away from the bridge, and he has no clue how to perform the Water Walk trick that Kakashi did in his first fight with Zubuza. He was... trapped.
Midna-chan?
Yes, Naruto-kun? She wondered when Naruto started calling her by that affectionate term she read in the dictionary. Wait, when did she refer him as kun?
Naruto chuckled. You could just see him do a mental equivalence of a head scratch. How do I get back to the others?
Midna face-palmed. "Uh... can somebody help me here?" Naruto yelled out to the bridge. Insert collective sweat drop from villagers and ninja team.
=0=0=
Naruto stood in front of the two graves. It was to honor Haku and Zubuza, two lives who were working for an evil man, but in the end, were innocent souls that were lost in the game called life.
"Naruto?"
"Hm..."
Kakashi looked at his blonde student wearing the green tunic outfit. Everyone else was behind the two, as Naruto stared at the two graves
"This is what the ninja life is supposed to be, you know..."
"I know... besides... I'm supposed to have courage to face the unknown, but... it just doesn't make it right. Haku... she was an innocent soul... she barely had time to fully experience life."
Kakashi nodded softly. Yes, Haku was too young to die, but... life was just like that. You never know when your last day would come.
"Are you going to place Zubuza's Sword as the marker?"
"No... For some reason, I believe he would want a strong warrior to carry his weapon."
"Are you sure, Naruto?"
Naruto nodded. "Yes, and if I get a sign that tells me I should accept the weapon and treasure it, then let it happen."
Poot.
A bird cawed as it flew by, having just taken a dump mid-flight on Sasuke's head.
Naruto blinked. "... I'll accept that."
Sasuke snarled, while Sakura was growling at the bird that now landed on a branch, to preen itself. Sasuke chased after the bird with a kunai, his Sharingan blazing.
(Naruto obtained Momochi Zubuza's Kubikiri Hocho. This large Heavy Blade-class weapon is hard to swing, however it can easily shatter hard objects with ease... just don't drop it on your foot.)
"I'll be back; I just... need some time alone, okay?"
Kakashi nodded, placing a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder. "Don't take too long, we'll be leaving soon."
Naruto nodded, as he soon stood there by himself. He gave the two short prayers of peace, before he turned around. Standing in his path was Zubuza. He blinked, but this Zubuza had suddenly come charging at him... then a field of white blanketed his vision......
...
...
...
"Where am I?"
"You're at Kiri."
Naruto turned around. There was Zubuza.
"You're not dreaming, yes it's me, kid... besides... I can see how experienced you'll be."
"What do you mean?" Naruto questioned.
Zubuza chuckles softly. "When I was little, I once read this ancient book about a warrior in green who will arrive. So, I think that my spirit would wish to depart with this skill that made me who I was."
Naruto blinked, as he caught the katana tossed to him.
"Now kid, I'm going to teach you how to use my special skill. The Gokumonken (Jail Gate Sword)."
"Jail Gate Sword?"
"It's a defensive Kenjutsu technique, one that can lay surprise to your enemies if they're overzealous in their skills. They will never expect their attack to be parried, until they feel the pain when you counter with the Back Slice movement."
He then showed how to do it. Naruto understood, as Zubuza prepared himself. With the weapon, Naruto waited, until the man charged. Naruto blocked the attack, sprung forth, and struck with the Back Slice......
...
...
...
"...ruto... Naruto! Naruto, wake up!"
Naruto groaned, as he slowly pushed himself up off the ground. Day had turned to night suddenly, and he was surrounded by Teams Seven and Eight. It was Kakashi who was trying to rouse the boy awake.
"Wha? A dream?"
"Naruto, are you okay?"
"I... I think so... all of a sudden I was attacked, and then I found myself surrounded by a haze of white, and there was this land of trees, snow falling from the sky, and I was standing next to the gate with the symbol of Kiri on it. Then I saw Zubuza standing next to me... or, I think it was his spirit."
No one knew what to say. Naruto however knew all of that he experienced was all real. Hero's Shade, as Midna calls it. There was also what his spirit had told him: Keep the weapon. The mission was over, and they now had to return to Konoha. The village bid them farewell, as the bridge was christen under Naruto's name. The Great Naruto Bridge. Now, there was the object that was Zubuza's weapon, which was heavy. And Kakashi told Naruto ti would be good weight training, to catch up while running. Yes, Kakashi can be a bit sadistic.
Hidden Skill) Gokumonken / Jail Gate Sword: A useful defense Kenjutsu that involves Naruto parrying a physical attack, and immediately countering with a Side to Back Slice motion from the left or right direction (mostly it is the opposite direction of the incoming attack). Taught by: Momochi Zubuza
-- Naruto's Status --
Collection: [Gama-chan - 3,000 Total Ryo] [Broken Blade - Top] [Broken Blade - Bottom]
Sword: [Kubikiri Hocho]
Shield: None
Costume: [Hero's Clothes]
Ninja Inventory: [Ninja Pack - Kunai x10] [Ninja Pack - Senbon x30]
Other Inventory: [Relic Spinner]
Hidden Skills Learned: [Gokumonken]
Jutsu Skills Learned: Kage Bunshin, Sennen Goroshi, Kawarimi, Oroke, Harem