Chapter 1.2

"In the dark recesses of the mind, a disease known as fear feasts upon the souls of those who cannot overcome its power..."- Pat McHale

"So I've got another job for you and your partner"

It was a few hours later that Gato once again found himself with a familiar stack of photos in hand as he stared out the window, surveying the scene outside like a king would to his kingdom. Turning around he was greeted by the sight of a patched up Zabuza and his effeminate companion Haku. Striding back to his desk and taking a seat in his comfy chair he addressed the both of them while tossing the wrapped stack of photos to Zabuza who caught them and began examining them.

"I thought you wanted the bridge builder gone?" Zabuza grunted in annoyance at this new delay. Staring at the photos presented to him he wondered what was going on.

"This one takes a bit more importance" Gato admitted, his brow scrunched up in thought "Being the ninjas that you are, I take it you've heard about what was happening to my men in the past few days?"

Still flipping through the photos, Zabuza answered "Yeah, thought it sounded like some masked vigilante to me so I didn't mind it much"

"Well I do!" Gato yelled, slamming his fists into the desk in frustration "He's taking out my best men, and making the rest doubt me! Me! I'm the guy in charge of this god forsaken place and this little thorn has poked my enough!"

Gato quieted down a bit as he collected himself then pointed at both of them and continued.

"I want BOTH of you, and I am stressing the both part again, to find and eliminate this so called Reaper! And I want it done as soon as possible with his head on a platter to be presented to me!"

"And what about the bridge builder?" Zabuza asked again his eyes examining the photo of the flaming skulled reaper. Gato had explained what had happened a few hours back before he asked them to take on this new mission and even he was starting to re-evaluate the threat this reaper had.

"Let us put that aside for the time being" Gato answered "Once you're done with this then you can continue the mission"

"And our payment?"

"Doubled if you can complete both missions"

A double in raise? Zabuza grinned at the thought, more money always meant better.

"Deal, me and Haku will find this reaper and show him some real terror" Zabuza then stood up, knowing the conversation had ended when the deal was sealed "Come on Haku we need to prepare a bit for this"

"Yes, Master Zabuza" Haku answered, speaking up for the first and only time since they entered. Together, the pair of missing-nins made their exit out the door and into the relatively empty hallway of Gato's mansion.

A few minutes passed them in silence as they now found themselves trekking back to their hidden base camp in the forest near the complex. Finally sensing no one else nearby Haku spoke up.

"Master Zabuza?"

"Hmm?"

"Aren't you worried about the reports given the past few days" Haku asked, his eyes showing his worry clearly "Only a monster could work like this and I'm sure..." he would have continued had he not noticed his master's pointed stare.

"A tool doesn't question what it's wielder does" Zabuza growled sternly before turning back to the path ahead "But I am a bit worried as well" he added. Noticing the questioning look he was being given he continued by pulling out the stack of photos given to him by the tycoon "I've checked these things, back to front, and aside from the freaky pictures, I can't find any illusion seal or trap that would do what Gato described"

"What does it mean then?" Haku asked not knowing why this would worry his master

"We're facing something not of this world"

(3 days later)

"Here I come!"

Dodging backwards, Sasuke immediately avoided what would have been a knockout punch. Flipping twice to gain some distance, he re-evaluated his teammate in front of him.

During the Academy Sakura had shown promise in the sea of knowledge. Her amazing memory and capacity to learn quick shot her grades far up but it came at a bit of a cost.

Her physical skills.

To any aspiring ninja this was a big dilemma, and Sakura herself knew it as well. For all the academic grades she could get, it would be pointless had she no power to make use of the knowledge. After one too many losses in the school spars, she decided to join the medical program of the legendary medic, Tsunade. She had been finally returned from her gambling life after the wife of the Hokage supposedly beat some sense into her. It was through the medical lessons that she took and training that she finally got a whole lot stronger, just in time for the graduation exams. Though still learning she really does pack a punch

"Oy! Be careful! Don't hurt my beautiful bridge!" Tazuna yelled out, reminding the 2 fighters where they were at again.

"Sorry Tazuna!" Sakura called out in apology, stopping herself before she could hit the place Sasuke had been standing on earlier.

"Sakura, Sasuke, take a breather you two" Kakashi called out. Turning around, the two genins were treated to the sight of a slightly ruffled Kakashi as he trailed a bit behind Natsumi who looked particularly gleeful.

"Sensei what happened to you?" Sakura asked as she instinctively pulled out a first aid kit

"Natsumi" he deadpanned, nodding to his 3rd student who grinned in reply "she's just one bag of hot air"

"Hey at least I managed to get the technique right, right?"

"Yes but turning me into the final target wasn't the plan" Kakashi groaned as he Sakura applied some light ointment.

"Sensei" Sasuke began, watching as Kakashi's lone eye turned to give him his full attention "Didn't you say that Zabuza should be up and about already"

The team quieted down when the reminder came up. Kakashi had explained to them the state of false death and the fake hunter-nin and also that Zabuza should have been fully healed 3 days ago. To know that your enemy was up and running was disconcerting but to not see hear nor tail of him as well was a bit stressful as well.

"Maybe he ran away after fighting us?" Natsumi suggested as she sat down beside Kakashi on the rails of the bridge. "I mean we did say that he is alive, but maybe he also retreated"

"It's not in his nature Natsumi" Kakashi explained "I've read about him in the Bingo Books and he doesn't back down from a job"

"So what do you think happened then?" Sasuke asked as he watched the work go about their duties building the bridge.

"Either he's building up a plan with Gato, which doesn't speak well for us" Kakashi hypothesized "He might have also had a break in the contract with Gato, but that doesn't sound like him as I mentioned. And the last possibility, though slim..." he trailed off as he adopted a thoughtful look

"the last possibility is?" Sakura repeated trying to get Kakashi to complete his thought

"That reaper that has been sighted around here might have gotten to him"

A loud clang echoed in the clearing as the steel came into contact with steel. Sparks flying in between the 3 figures as each lashed out, defended and tried to gain distance.

It was an ingenious plan really, that Zabuza and Haku cooked up. Keep watch over a few groups of thugs with water clones and take note who get separated. A clone would then alert the original immediately who would chase down the person being followed by another clone.

It was crude and many times it was a false alarm but finally now they hit the jackpot.

Too bad Zabuza was right about beings not of this world.

Ducking low to dodge the sickle which would have taken his head off his shoulder. He swung his sword in a wide arc and watched as his opponent backed up and then immediately dodged to the side to avoid a volley of ice needles that would have skewered him. In retaliation the reaper swung the chain around him and sent the sickle towards the tree Haku was in. Zabuza's eyes widened in disbelief as the blade and chain tore into the tree and sent it crashing down. Haku then appeared beside him, catching him as he leaned fell a bit, as he managed to escape the falling tree.

"Master Zabuza, can you still stand!?" Haku asked desperately. He noticed that the reaper had disappeared and immediately jumped back, pulling her master as well before the ground they had been standing exploded forward as the sickle which had been flying through the air ripped into the earth. The reaper then tugged the chain and the sickle immediately flew back to its owner.

Zabuza was panting heavily now, he had not expected the fight to last this long. It had been almost 3 hours ago since they started and the being in front of him looked no worse for wear while they were on their last legs. Slamming his sword down in front of him he could only glare at the reaper who only smiled back as if knowing he would win.

'And he might as well be on the way' Zabuza thought grimly. He looked at his sole companion and noted that he looked worse off 'We need to fall back'

"What are you?" Zabuza wheezed out, not taking his eyes off his enemy. Discreetly, his one hand hidden behind his giant cleaver, he made the signs for a clone and noted in the corner of his eyes as one appeared in the trees behind the reaper.

"Who am I?" the being rasped out in a chuckle, his voice throaty and cold with a slight echo that rang out through the forest "I am a being born from death, a reaper so to speak"

"But the question now should be, what are you going to do?" the reaper continued, his laughter mocking them as Haku dropped onto his knees, dropping Zabuza forward onto his own knees, as he felt his legs give out.

"I'm going to ask you another question"

"Ha!" The reaper laughed again, his sickly green burning skull contorting into a wicked grin "On your deathbed and you decide to ask me a question!?"

'Thats right you slippery bastard, keep talking' Zabuza thought as he watched his water clone began sneaking up

"I at least want to know the name of my killer, I can't just call you reaper right?"

The beings eyes gleamed in amusement before he smiled and answered "My name is Thresh, the Chain Warden. You can think of me as the son of the god of death"

Now this got his attention, a name and a claim to an actual god? Was this demon speaking truth or had his power gotten to his head?

"Then why all the theatrics? Why not just reap our souls like the father you claim to be related to?"

Haku added his two cents as he finally caught up to his master's plan and also asked "And what is your purpose with hunting down people?"

Thresh then walked forward, twirling his sickle and chain around him. "It's simple really, to answer your question Zabuza, it's because I like to savour my targets before killing them. To hear their screams of pain which won't do them any good but I tell you, it's music to my ears"

"That's twisted! You're mad!" Haku blurted out, which caused Thresh to stop in his approach and suddenly his body started shacking before full blown laughter echoed through the clearing.

"Me? Mad?" The reaper asked incredulously before his laughter died only to be replaced by a look of malice. Suddenly he was right in front of them, a maniacal grin etched onto his face as he raised his sickle.

"Quite likely..."

Suddenly before Zabuza's clone, which had finally gotten behind Thresh, could even think about raising its sword, A glowing lantern came flying out behind it and burst through it, immediately dispelling the clone, and was snatched up by the reaper whose smile only seemed to just get bigger.

The sickle gleamed in the light as time slowed down.

Zabuza's face turned into terror as he realized he never was once in control of this fight.

Death was in control.

Game Over.

A split second later and an anguished cry echoed out through forest before silence settled in.

"MASTER ZABUZA!"

Haku's felt nothing but disbelief. His master, the one who he thought to be unbeatable, was dead. He fell forward onto his hands as he felt wet tears well up in his eyes. Yet he could do nothing but watch as the reaper who called himself Thresh, pulled up to his master's body and began a rasping noise as if he was sucking something out of the air. He then watched in morbid fascination as the body of the famed demon began drying up, freezing the last horrified expression on his face for eternity. At the end a small green orb rose up from his chest which was grabbed by Thresh who seemed to examine it for a bit before popping it into his mouth.

"Hmmmm" he wondered out loud, not sparing a glance towards the second person "A smoky well-aged flavour"

"You killed him" Haku whispered as his mind began wrapping around the events

"Well, yes I did" Thresh deadpanned as he walked up and knelt down beside the young effeminate boy "That's generally what happens when a sharp pointy thing rips through your heart" he continued raising his bloody sickle to emphasize the point.

"Are you going to kill me too?"

"Look kid, let me ask you this one question. How many kills do you got?"

Haku looked up to regard the being kneeling down before admitting "None"

"Then you are not in causing an imbalance in the afterlife which means I don't have to kill you" Thresh stated in a jovial tone before standing up and started walking away.

"But what about my purpose? You killed my master! What more do I have live for!" he yelled, a look of anger crossing his face.

That statement stopped the reaper as he turned his head around and saw Haku struggling to stand up as he propped himself against the nearest tree. He sighed a bit, a look of deep thought crossed his face. Now that the battle adrenaline had finally washed over, his sanity was returning a bit and countless decisions flew through his mind.

"I'll give you a purpose" Thresh spoke up "But first, catch"

With a slight flick he tossed his lantern at him. Haku gasped as he quickly caught the glowing thing before slumping down again against the tree. Instead of pain as he expected he suddenly felt his wounds starting to close up slowly and his strength returning as well. Questioningly he looked at the death being who had given him life.

"Look I never answered your question during the fight did I?" Thresh admitted as he sat down beside Haku.

"My reason for hunting these people is because the afterlife is losing balance"

"Balance?"

"Think of life and the afterlife like water and a container" Thresh explained "Life is the water, the afterlife is the container. Pour too much into the container and it overflows since it can't hold all the water"

Suddenly Thresh stood up as he walked towards Zabuza's cooling body before stopping beside it.

"The Shinobi of this world constatly kill, kill, kill and kill without considering the repercussions. The life to death ratio in this world is now at 1 life to an averaged 57 deaths and now my father, the Death God, made me to correct this imbalance"

"How?" Haku questioned

"I just go where I hear death"

Feeling a tugging sensation, Haku let go of the lantern only to be surprised when he examined himself that he was healed up quite a bit. Still aching but nowhere in danger anymore.

"Ironic isn't it?" he heard, eyes snapping up towards the direction of Thresh's voice only to see him now walking away again "To save life, the world needs a few more deaths. Look kid, go be a doctor or something, save lives"

Thresh continued walking down deeper into the forest until he heard a few footsteps behind him.

"Then let me be the tool to attain your dream, from one master to another I go" Haku stated, before turning around and staring at his dead master a bit "I was master Zabuza's tool to achieve his dreams. He gave me my purpose but now he is gone and I have no direction to be pointed at."

"But I just killed the man who most likely was the closest thing you had to a father!?" Thresh exclaimed not believing what was going on

"He wasn't a father to me, he was my master, my wielder, my purpose." Haku countered "He says a weapon cares for it's master, it's only purpose is to fulfill the master's ideal"

"A Shinobi must not show attachment, for bonds are easily broken" Haku recited calmly "But be careful not to lose your own emotions lest you lose sight of your goal"

"So does that mean if I die, you would not shed tears for me but rather for yourself?" Thresh asked "What a twisted tool you have become, happy to care for its owner until they die and then you desperately seek the nearest hand to give you purpose once more"

"It was the only purpose I was raised for"

"And I just gave you a better purpose! find a life, live for what you could've been" Thresh stated exasperatedly turning around "Look my job is to kill those who kill too much like Gato or those missing-nin"

"And I can help!" He begged, a few tears welling up in his eyes "From one Master to another, give me a purpose! Just please don't leave me alone again"

'You won't leave us again, right mister?'

All was quiet before Thresh turned around and continued walking away. Haku was about to call again to try and convince him some more when he heard something that made him smile a bit.

"Do what you want"

And so he finally started walking forward.

And here we go with the end of this chapter, the wave arc still continues but now without a few extra things.

I apologize for throwing this out a bit late but so you know, elections are finally heating up here in the Philippines so I've been busy helping one of my relatives in her campaign to become a chancellor for her district. That coupled with my friend pointing out that I kept referring to Haku as she or her, made me go over this chapter and make a few changes.

Also a friend of mine questioned my portrayal of Haku as it was essentially different from cannon. If you haven't noticed, duh this has gone way out the window. I tried to think of him like a scalpel, a common medical tool that was made to save lives. Haku is essentially like that, trained by Zabuza primarily as a medic, but this being said Zabuza isn't quite father of the year awards. Giving a kid full adult shinobi training with no easy introduction into the ways of a ninja is asking for a disaster in progress, hence the broken tool mindset. A scalpel cannot do its duty to save lives if there is no hand to use it, but even then the user can turn to killing with the same scalpel and it wouldn't complain. It will rust given enough time and then be essentially useless if not used.

Sorry for the long explanation but my friend suggested I add this part for once as some people might be confused. This is a plot point and the subject will come up again later but I can't explain any further without spoiling the story. One hint here is the title, who is the angel and who is the devil

Here's a teaser for those who might have noticed. Thresh absorbs the souls he can scavenge around him, the italicized quote at the end, the fact that he has children's souls sealed in his lamp.

Think on that.

Anyways hopefully so to give me a bit more leeway with my readers, I'll release the next chapter sometime next week so look out!.