Hey there again! First a huge thanks to Jestie Uchiha for your review! Second, well… there's not much to say this time, so just enjoy chapter 12!
Sins and Sunshine
Chapter 12: At home by f(r)iends
The sun slowly rose, the first rays of light heated the ground and the dew on the leaves refracted the light.
"Hawwww." I sighted completely bored. Such a beautiful morning. It would be a shame if on a day like this one would not go outside and make a stroll through the forest, especially on one of those few days when there's actually no mist concealing the sun.
"What is it now?" a really irritated Zabuza asked from inside the room where I was right now starring out of the window.
"Why can't I go out? It's such a beautiful morning." I whined.
"Because you could reveal our location or do something stupid if you just ran off."
"And why couldn't I accompany Haku when he went out to collect herbs?"
"Because I want to keep an eye on you. I still don't trust you."
"Aww, don't tell me you'd miss me." I joked.
"If you weren't Haku's friend, I would've killed you long ago." he murmured to himself.
Some might think it's a bad idea to piss of a dangerous wanted criminal, but believe me, if you were as bored as I am right now, you'd do everything to kill some time. But I always annoy him. Does that mean I'm always bored? Maybe I just have a strange hobby. Who knows…
"Could I go outside if you came with me?" I persisted.
"Why should I do that?"
"So I would shut up and stop annoying you?"
"You'd still do that."
"How did you know that?" I exaggeratedly backed away and pun on a shocked expression. Unfortunately the nuke-nin didn't respond to my little act. I pouted then thought about what I could do until Haku came back. But the only thing that came to my mind that didn't get me beheaded, raped, shredded to pieces or killed was cooking. This way I was occupied for about an hour and on top of it I could get something to eat. Yay, food!
"Hey, Zabuza, can you tell me the way to the kitchen?"
"What do you want there?"
"Blow it up, what else? Forget it I look for it myself." I rolled my eyes and hurried to leave the room to escape his angry glare. Right after I closed the door behind me I could hear something heavy hitting the door. As I looked to the left, I saw part of a blade sticking out of the wooden door. Seems like someone has a aggression problem.
It was surprisingly easy to find the kitchen. I just had to open every door I came across, what took some time 'cause this building has quite a number of doors and behind some of them I found really disturbing things that I won't mention here for the sake of the mental health of the readers.
Anyway I found the kitchen and was surprised of how clean it was. There was a thin layer of dust on the countertops but apart from that it was tidy and easy to overview.
After cleaning I got the ingredients for pancakes from the fridge, that wasn't even as empty as I first thought. I guess this was Haku's influence. I doubt that Zabuza would care about a clean kitchen and balanced nutrition.
20 minutes later the air was filled with the pleasant smell of home-made pancakes. I put them on a plate on the dining table that stood in a corner of the room and used up the remaining batter before I could finally start eating.
Just as I poured the batter into the pan Zabuza came in. He took a plate, put a pile of pancakes on it (my pancakes, mind you!) and began to eat.
"Hey, I made them for myself. Make your own pancakes!" I complained.
"You should be happy that you even get anything to eat." he said and continued eating.
"Pff." I wanted to retort something but the pancake almost got burned so I had to direct my attention toward the stove.
"Why does it smell so good here?" Haku asked as he entered the kitchen and put down the basket with the herbs next to the door.
"Hey, Haku-kun. I made pancakes. Want some?"
"Yes, please." he said and I put two plates full pancakes on the table before we sat down and also began to eat.
"Wait. Why are you sharing with him but didn't want to give me any?" Zabuza complained. Why that hit him so hard I'm not so sure of it myself.
"Because he's my friend and doesn't throw pointy things at me. And he asked."
"No, he didn't."
"But he would've."
"Tsk."
"Pff."
"…"
"By the way, Minari-chan. In the forest I met a blond boy who wore a forehead protector with the konoha-emblem on it. You know him?" Haku asked.
"You mean Naruto. He's a friend and in my team. How is he doing?" I asked while getting my second serving of food.
"Fine, I guess. It looked like he was training all night long."
"Wow, Kakashi-sensei actually teaches us something. Or better the others, I'm not there as one can see." I said to no one in particular. I want to train, too. Why is it, that all we do is doing stupid missions and getting lectured if I'm there?
"Didn't Kakashi train you before?" Zabuza asked suddenly interested.
"Not really. All he did was lecturing us or explaining things. But I never listened because either I didn't care or I already knew." I mean, seriously, who cares Kakashi's jabbering?
After dinner used Haku the herbs to make medicine and ointments which he then used to treat Zabuza's wounds. After that he changed all his bandages. Only now I noticed how severely injured Zabuza actually was. I mean, practically his whole body was bandaged!
"You look like a mummy." I commented while watching Haku treating the nuke-nin.
"Another word and you'll look the same." Zabuza growled. Okay, I should be careful with my next words or better just shut up.
"Omigod! The mummy's alive!" I thought. Oh shit, did I actually say that out loud?
"Just you wait, you little…!" Yep, I did…
Zabuza jumped up, ready to rip me into pieces, but Haku held him back. Yay, I can keep on living!
"Wait, Zabuza-san, I'm not finished yet." he said calmly.
"And Minari-chan, please try not to provoke Zabuza-san so much, otherwise he'll really kill you."
"Okay, Haku-kun, if you say so." I replied happily and saluted.
"Some day… some day…" the kiri-nin kept murmuring what frightened the hell out of me, so I made a run for it.
Meanwhile somewhere in the forest…
"Damn it!" Naruto cursed after falling off the tree he was trying to climb for the nth time and landing on his face.
The boy sat there and starred at the tree as if this would help to climb it. Sasuke, too, lost his grip but unlike Naruto landed gracefully on the ground.
"You know what I'm thinking right now?" Naruto asked him.
"Hn?" the other answered without any interest.
"I wonder how Minari would cope with this training."
"Hmh." Now Sasuke also started wondering.
Since yesterday they didn't hear anything from their teammate, so they were worried if something might have happened to her. Even Sakura was worried about her – when she wasn't too busy being happy about now having Sasuke all for herself.
Kakashi-sensei would often search for her but without success. When she returns he would lecture her about how bad it is to randomly disappear without saying anything. In this moment Minari had a premonition that something horrible would happen to her, but couldn't explain where the feeling came from and so kept annoying the nuke-nin.
Poor Minari can't even guess what torture awaits her when she returns to her team and Kakashi could finally give her a lecture that gets longer every minute that passes.
Few days later at Zabuza's hideout…
Zabuza has recovered very fast from his injuries and was now completely back to normal – much to my chagrin. Because now I couldn't piss him off anymore without having to run for my life every time. Which didn't stop me from doing it nonetheless.
The good thing is, all this running for my life made me faster and my stamina got better. Who would have thought that playing with one's own life was such effective training?
Moreover did the nuke-nin finally allow me to go outside without anyone monitoring me. Of course I grabbed the opportunity straight away and ran off before he'd change his mind. Now with my newly regained freedom I went and looked for Gatou to spy on him. In my opinion he's the real enemy and not Haku and Zabuza, so if could somehow stop him, he would have to fight the two anymore, right?
It wasn't even that difficult to find his hideout. I was a huge estate in the midst of the forest with view onto the sea and a giant protective wall surrounding it, that not even someone like me could overlook.
In front of the wall were many bandits and thugs assembled and I wondered what business they had there. So I waited and waited and waited and finally the giant elegantly ornamented gate in the wall opened and Gatou stepped out with some bodyguards to announce his evil plan to the thugs.
Interesting… I have to warn the others!
I rushed back to Zazuba's hideout.
"Zabuza! Haku-kun!" I shouted as I stormed in but all that followed was silence. I concentrated to feel any trace of chakra in the building. But again there was nothing. Where the hell were they?
An uneasy feeling overcame me. So he had his reasons why he'd let me stroll around on my own today. They wanted me out of the way, or at least busy for some time. But that would mean they are-
"I must hurry!" I rushed out of the building and set off to the bridge to stop them from whatever they were going to do.
Uhm… How do I get to the bridge again?
Okay, this was chapter 12, hope you enjoyed it. Next chapter is the last one of this arc. I have to admit I'm a bit happy about it.
And the most important thing in the next chapter: Will Zabuza and Haku survive? The answer is: wait and see! Mwahaha I'm evil!