~Alai~
"Well done Haku! I knew I'd found a treasure when I found you, you've not only given me my life, but Kakashi's as well!"
Zabuza's sword came down quick, but Kashi was faster. He pulled himself and Haku's body out of harms way, and across the bridge.
"The boy threw himself in front of my attack, he saved your worthless life at the cost of his own"
"Not bad for having a corpse in your arms."
Kashi carefully placed Haku's body on the ground next to Nema and me. We exchanged a glance and I nodded, with Haku still partly being held up in his arms, he slowly closed his eyes and laid him down. Kalen was still on the other side of the bridge with Zabuza, ready to attack if needed.
"You'll pay for that!" Naruto shouted as he ran down the bridge to join us. Seem's as if he noticed what's happened.
"No...Stay out of this Naruto." Kashi stood up and looked over at us one last time before facing forward with a new determination. "This is my battle, Zabuza's mine." He appeared back in his place next to Kalen and they appeared to be making a plan together just by looking at one another.
'Just like before.' I couldn't help but smile slightly at what I was looking at.
Nema started to lean on me for support, he was exhausted and not to mention hurt, I sat him down and started pulling out all of Haku's senbons. Once that was done I held my hands together, clenching my necklace tight in the middle of them. With my power being concentrated into my hands, I placed one hand on Nema's forehead for a second before doing my best to heal most of the wounds.
"Ha, there you go again." I looked up in confusion for a moment as Nema's remark. He continued. "Worrying about me, I'm fine, ya see I'm a ninja. I've had a lot worse injuries, I just need to rest." He gave me a weak smile before clutching his stomach in pain. "I thought you said you were fine? Well? If you were fine then me poking you like normal wouldn't hurt. Let me heal you silly." I demanded, and gave him a look.
"Well damn, fine then." He tried to laugh but only flinched when the pain came back, I shook my head and went back to healing him.
~Kakashi~
I left Alai to heal Nema and return to my place next to Kalen, as we looked at each other, we knew exactly what plan we could carry out. Before we could actually take any action though, we heard Sakura speak.
"Naruto? ...Naruto! So you and Sasuke are alright!" She said relieved, but as she said it I knew something was wrong, Naruto tensed up, as if remembering something.
"Um..."
"What's wrong? Where is Sasuke anyway?"
"No..." I muttered, knowing why Naruto was suddenly upset, something bad happened to Sasuke, and I can only assume the worst.
"Sakura..." Naruto tried to explain but Kalen yelled. "Kakashi!" bringing me back to the fight at hand, Zabuza was moving towards us. "Kakashi! I'd stay focused if I were you!" He yelled as he tried to take the both of us on, Kalen injured his left arm again, further paralyzing it.
In the distance I heard Sakura crying, meaning that I was right Sasuke was dead, I looked over to Alai but she was focusing on healing her team-mate. 'Good.' I looked back over to see Kalen dodging Zabuza's moves easily, he was too hurt, the demon of the mist could no longer keep up with the two of us. He tried to charge at me, thinking I was caught off guard but I dodged easily and kicked him, when he came back at me Kalen interrupted with a punch to the face.
"I'll split you in half!" The demon screamed, he didn't like that he was now being underestimated. I dodged his sword and appeared behind him.
"Look at you, your falling apart, I knew you didn't have what it takes for the long haul..."
"What did you say?"
"You have no idea what real strength is." Kalen joined in as he stood in front of Zabuza, waiting for the signal. I took out two kunai and held them together, aiming for Zabuza's neck
"Game over, you lose." I said, nodding slightly, giving Kalen the signal. He took his sword and lifted it to stab him in the gut but Zabuza at the last moment swung his good arm in a backward motion, throwing the sword towards my head as a last resort method. I reacted quickly and dodged as Kalen took the opportunity to hit the nerve of Zabuza's arm. Making him unable to now use both arms.
As the demon's sword slid across the bridge I spoke, "Now both of your arms are useless. What now? You can't even make hand signs."
~Alai~
Nema was nearly completely healed and I looked up to see that Naruto was still next to me, which I was happy for, if I can at least keep him out of the fight long enough Kalen and Kashi might be able to beat him. Zabuza's arms were hanging from his sides with a smug looking Kalen standing behind him and Kashi a few feet in front.
Our attention was gained when we heard a cane clicking against the bridge. We looked over to see a small man in a suit, standing in front of a huge group of bandits.
"Did quite a job on you didn't he Zabuza? You look like yesterday's sashimi. I must say I'm disappointed."
"Gato? I don't understand, what is all this? Why are you here and who are these thugs you brought with you?"
"Well ya see there's been a slight change in plans. According to the new plan, you die right here on this bridge."
"What?"
"That's right, your too expensive so I've decided to take you off the payroll. Even these thugs I've hired cost money, so if you could take a few out before they take you down, I'd appreciate it. Think you can manage that, demon ninja of the mist. Look at ya, you look about as demonic as a wet kitten."
All of the 'thugs' behind him started laughing, as if it were a joke between them. I scowled
'How can someone laugh about something like this? It's awful!'
"Well well Kakashi, it would seem our fight is at an end, since I am no longer under Gato's employ, Tazuna is safe, we have no conflict."
"Yeah...I suppose your right."
"But make no mistake Tyiadain, once I've tied up this loose end, I'll be taking your sister with me."
"I don't think so."
Zabuza gave a low chuckle as the 'Gato' man walked up to Haku's body. "That reminds me. You little punk, you grabbed me and nearly broke my arm. I've been meaning to repay you for that."
He looked down at me before stepping on Haku's head and moving it back and forth. Then, before I could react, he kicked him in the side of his head hard. I stood up instantly and was looking Gato directly in the eye.
"Ah!"
"I only wish he was alive to feel that." He smiled at me before I heard Naruto's voice getting closer, I looked back to see him running for Gato.
"GET AWAY, GET AWAY FROM HIM YOU SCUM!"
He ran past Kashi, who grabbed him and held him back as best he could.
"Hey! Use your head!"
Kalen looked at me, silently telling me to back down, but he knew I wouldn't. I turned back to Gato and ignored all of the looks I was getting.
"What's wrong little girl? Got a problem? This is an adult problem, so why don't you sit back down, or better yet, why don't you come with me?" He tried to grab my arm but I moved to the side and kicked his cane out of his hand, taking it into my own possession before wacking him in the back of his knee caps. Nema tried to stand but I had already handled the situation.
'I may not be that strong, but I can at least handle a short mobster.'
"You little brat.."
Before he could say anything else, I looked over to Naruto, who was yelling at Zabuza. In other words I was ignoring Gato, he wasn't worth my time.
"Be quiet you fool, Haku's dead. What does it matter?" Zabuza replied.
"What? You mean your gonna just stand there and let him get treated like a dog? You and Haku were together for years! Doesn't that mean anything!?"
"You don't understand the way of shinobi. I merely used him just as Gato used me. Now it's over, his usefulness is at an end. The loss of his strength and skill, yes that means something to me, but the boy... nothing."
"If you mean that, your an even bigger rat than I thought."
"Ok that's enough, calm down Naruto, he's not the enemy not right now." Kashi intervened, but as he tried to calm Naruto down, he only got more riled up, he stood back and pointed directly at Zabuza.
"SHUTUP! AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED HE'S ENEMY NUMBER ONE!"
Nema finally was able to get up just then, he gave Gato the coldest stare ever before Gato slowly backed away from me.
'Never piss off my guardians..'
Naruto's voice rang through the air, bringing us all back to his attention. "Why you...You ungrateful...After everything he did for you! Haku lived for you! You were the most important thing in the world to him. And he meant nothing to you!? Nothing at all!? While he was sacrificing everything for you, You never felt anything at all for him. And when I become stronger does that mean, I'll become as cold hearted as you are? He threw his life away, and for what? for you and your dream!? You never let him have a dream of his own, but he didn't care. And you just toss him aside like he was nothing!? A broken tool, man that's so wrong, so wrong!"
"You talk too much..." Zabuza replied, I looked over to the demon to see something I never thought I would have, he was crying.
'Haku and Naruto's words got to him afterall.' I smiled, Haku knew all along who Zabuza really was. 'Could that be why he followed him to loyally?'
Zabuza spoke again, through his tears. "Your words cut deep, deeper than any blade. While he fought you, his heart was breaking in two. You see Haku was always too soft and too kind. He felt pain and sorrow, and now curse him I feel them too, and something else. I feel content that this is the way it ends..."
He used his mouth to cut off the bandages that covered up his mouth, revealing a normal human face.
"Well? Cat got your tongue, are you so surprised to discover that I'm human? Even shinobi are human, no matter how hard we try to escape that simple fact, we always fail. Well at least I have failed. Boy, give me your kunai."
Naruto looked down at his kunai for a moment before tossing it in the air toward's Zabuza, "Here.." was all he said. As soon as Zabuza caught the Kunai in his mouth, I turned to look at Gato who had already began to run to his crowd of thugs for protection.
"That's enough of this, take him down now!"
Zabuza ran after him, cutting down only the thugs were in his direct path to his target. I stepped forward a bit, my hands together against my chest before Nema stopped me. I saw the thugs throwing their spears and swords into his back as he ran through them. He never stopped though, not once. He just kept moving through the crowd until he reached Gato. Once he got there, he managed to stab the gang leader in the right part of his chest.
"You crazy fool! If your so eager to join your friend then go ahead, but your not taking me with you, not this time!"
"I won't be joining Haku, where he's gone I cannot follow." Zabuza stood upright, ignoring all the weapons sticking out of his body. He slowly made his way closer to Gato, who was backing away again, scared.
"Stay back!"
"No my friend, it's the other place we're going to, you and me both Gato, I can't think of a more fitting place for a demon ninja can you? I'm told there are many demons down there of all shapes and sizes. Oh yes I should fit right in. You on the other hand Gato, I fear your in for a very long and very painful eternity!"
Zabuza manages to get the Kunai in his mouth again and lunges at his former boss, he cut him multiple times before giving him the finishing blow to the throat. The last attack managed to send Gato over the edge of the bridge and into the water. Zabuza turned around to look at the group. They instantly made a path for him to get back to Haku's body, he looked at me before saying something. "Come here Alai." I listened to him, I knew there was no longer any fear of him, I walked through the group of gang members before stopping in front of Zabuza.
"Is there any hope for the likes of us, in that place?"
"Of course, now wait here for a moment, I'll be right back." I ran away from Zabuza toward the bridges edge. I tried to locate Gato's body but it was no use.
'The current must have taken him away already.' I couldn't help his spirit if I couldn't locate his body. So instead I looked back to Zabuza who was trying to make his way back to Haku's body. When he collapsed I ran to his side.
"Haku...so this is goodbye at last, not once did I ever thank you. Haku, forgive me for that."
"Zabuza, hold on. I can help you over there."
"It's no use, go back to your lackeys. The bounty on you is only good if your safe."
I smirked down at him as he lay down on the path of the bridge. "If I did that, than Naruto might call me a rat too." I tried to pull the swords and spears out of his back as Kashi spoke to Naruto.
"Don't turn away, when you live like a warrior, this is how it ends.." Kashi told him, it was true, no matter how much I wanted to disagree.
~Sasuke~
I started feeling pain in my arms, it was confusing. I didn't know what was going on. If I was dead, shouldn't I not feel any pain?
'Where am I? am I alive? or? Sakura? can it be? it is..'
Sakura was leaning over my body crying her eyes out. She hadn't noticed me looking at her yet, she suddenly looked over her shoulder and gasped before I managed to speak.
"Sakura, it's hard to breath with you on top of me."
Her attention immediately went to me as she registered my voice through her head. She cried some more, but it was out of joy instead of sadness.
"Sasuke! Tazuna, he's alive, alive!"
She threw her arms around my neck and lifted my closer to her, pulling me into a tight hug. Sending pain through my limbs again.
"Ow Sakura that hurts." I mumbled as I shoved her off of me, trying to get up in the process, I couldn't lay down anymore. I had to stand. She protested of course.
'Still annoying.' "No! No what are you doing? You shouldn't move!" I ignored her as I thought about what was happening before I passed out. Naruto and that girl...
"How's Naruto? And what happened to that guy in the mask?"
"Naruto's fine, but the one in the mask, he's dead.." My head snapped in her direction as she said that last part.
"Dead!? How did Naruto do it?"
She shook her head. "I came in late, I don't know what happened, he was protecting Zabuza. I had faith in you Sasuke. I knew you'd pull through, your too cool a guy to stay down for long."
'He never meant to from the beginning...' I thought as I looked past Naruto and Kakashi-Sensei to see Haku's body, he looked peaceful.
"What about the girl?" Was my next question. She looked slightly hurt that I ignored her, but I could care less, I needed to know what happened while I was out.
"She was safe when I saw her before, but I haven't seen her since."
'So she got out of those mirrors? Probably when Haku died.' Sakura looked over to Naruto and waved her hands in the air as I stood to my feet, I wouldn't accept her help.
"Naruto! over here! Sasuke's alright, look he's alright!"
I waved weakly to Naruto who looked amazed to see me alive.
"But how?"
"Well well, what wonders never cease...Amazing" I heard Kakashi-Sensei say before something caught my attention. A group of thugs were standing at the end of the bridge.
"Hey! Don't go getting too comfortable!"
"This party ain't over yet, Who's gonna pay us now that Gato's gone?"
"No way we're gonna leave here empty handed, so we'll just have to hit that village to see what they got!"
The group behind them all started shouting 'Yeah', Kakashi-Sensei was next to Naruto kneeling on the ground, he was weak from his battle with Zabuza obviously.
"Not good"
'No kidding Kakashi-Sensei'