Damn, writing Zabuza has become difficult. I needed to make this a bit more light-hearted just so I could avoid massive writer's block.

Still, I did squeeze out the promised 4k words.

Also, the story's gotten quite a few follows and favs since the last chapter. That's awesome!

"Here we are, Nadeshiko village, the village of Kunoichi." Announced the swordsman, mildly relieved that they're finally within sight range of the damn place. It took two full days of walking through thick forestry, but they've finally reached a clearing from which the village could be seen. It stood spread atop three massive hills sticking out from the near-endless greenery, solid walls of grey brick and stone surrounding the decidedly untraditional architecture. That place, or more accurately, the surrounding forest, would be Zabuza's next training area, the place where he would train to stay his blade and exercise mercy. It would go completely against everything he was taught as a ninja, even against his most lethal ability, but going against his word would be worse.

"We are to walk into the village, or camp out in the forest?" Asked the boy. He didn't mind either of the options. Every moment he got when Zabuza was resting or was otherwise occupied, the boy had used to train furiously, driving his mastery over his ability back up to the level he had before his injury, and then kept pushing. No one could teach him the secrets of Hyoton anymore, all that could have long since died. That was part of the reason why Haku was so determined to directly help his mentor realize his ambitions, because the future of his bloodline was riding on that very endeavor.

"At this distance, it should take you three hours, to reach the village..." the demon trailed off, scanning the area for a distinguishable landmark. Having found one, he continued, "do you see that lake over there?"

"The one north of the smallest hill? I do."

"We meet two kilometers east of its' easternmost point. I hope I don't need to explain why."

"Of course not, Zabuza-sama." Haku knew very well that a landmark that big would naturally be a meeting place for the local populace. While somewhat inconvenient, meeting in the middle of the forest would be a much safer option, much more fitting for a shinobi.

"Very well then. We will meet there every two days on sunrise, starting today. Inside the village, your goal is to procure supplies and information. I don't care about the means you use to do so." Finished the swordsman.

"As you wish, sensei." Said the boy, accentuating with a small bow.

"Hmph." Zabuza grunted, not at all comfortable with Haku calling him a teacher. He was an assassin...

Actually, he wasn't much of an assassin anymore, was he? No...he was a shinobi. He would finish his mission, and the mission required him to avoid spilling blood at all costs. To complete said mission, he would even sacrifice the fearsome reputation of the Demon of the hidden Mist. Who knows, perhaps people would fear him even more, knowing that he could be back at any time to finish what he started.

The boy began walking back into the forest, intending to break through to the main road from which the two had kept their distance for quite a while. They had already gotten their stories straight, covering for a wide variety of potential scenarios. Given that one of those scenarios was Yagura himself visiting the village, odds were that they were as covered as they could get.

"I'll see you soon, then." He spoke, letting the words simply hang in the air as he put an ever greater distance between them. While he was uneasy about having to leave the swordsman's side, Haku knew very well that his worrying wouldn't help anything, so he did his best to suppress it.

Left alone, Zabuza went over his plan one more time. He would set up camp somewhere in the forest, then proceed to ambush a standard patrol and strike fear into them. This would of course rile up the village, sending droves of skilled shinobi tasked with either killing him, or driving him away. It was the next best thing to fighting the ANBU stationed in the Mist itself.

So he began wandering the forest, sticking to the ground rather than jumping around like a monkey...or a leaf shinobi. His mind was quickly occupied with all the possible combat scenarios. He knew how ANBU fought, as he himself was one for a while. He also knew how hunters operated, having been clashing against them for several years now. If push came to shove, which it certainly will, he was fairly certain he would be the one walking away.

As he walked, an idea occurred to him. Would it be possible to simply assassinate Yagura? Technically, it would make everything so much easier for him, not having to fight a tailed beast and all...but such a thing seemed hardly possible. During all these years, Yagura's guard would only grow stronger, more secure. Breaching it would require impeccable intel and a massive amount of luck.

No, trying to win through subtlety and subterfuge never was his style. Going in, sword at the ready, tailed-beast be damned. His odds were shit to begin with, what's adding another miracle to an endeavor that already needs so many? Killing someone like Yagura was simply impossible for him, and the harsh reality of that fact was slowly creeping up on him.

Even if he somehow managed to reach the Mist without alerting anyone, what then? He has no supporters, no way of contacting anyone who might be opposed to the Yondaime's regime. All he has is the sword on his back and the faith of a boy...

Zabuza smiled. Not out of hopelessness, not out of realization that his situation is as bleak as it seems... He smiled because whether or not he dies in his attempt to reach his goal is irrelevant. He would either win, earning that thrice-damned hat, or he would die. There was no in-between, no second chance. And he was okay with that.

Finding a small clearing somewhere in the massive forest, Zabuza marked the location, setting up camp. It seemed clear, no signs of recent movement to be found. It was a perfect staging ground for the assault he had planned. It was remote enough for people not to accidentally stumble upon it, and close enough that he could quickly retreat to it the moment he lost his eventual pursuers. It was a den fit for a predator.

Of all the five standard elements, earth and fire styles seem to be the most common. Virtually any shinobi that can memorize a few hand-signs can most likely use low-rank jutsu of that element. Basic projectile attacks and physical barriers were the easiest to form, due to the shape transformation being so basic. However, given enough practice, one could very easily expand on their skill with any element. Earth style in particular was popular with shinobi of all ranks, due to how convenient it was for forming shelter almost anywhere. With a few quick handsigns, a ninja would have a hole large and ventilated enough to sleep in, hidden enough to be completely hidden with only a few twigs and leaves, and it would come at a nearly laughable chakra cost.

So, after picking an appropriate spot, Zabuza brought his hands together, creating a one-person earth-style shelter. It was barely better than sleeping on the ground, but it served its' purpose. Feeling the call of nature, the swordsman picked himself up, heading into the forest a bit.

Digging a small hole with the tip of the kubikiribocho, Zabuza went about his business, making sure to properly bury it in order to hide his scent. It was a common mistake many rookie shinobi made, leading to many dying on their first serious mission, simply because no one bothered to tell them that they should cover their tracks that thoroughly.

Finishing his business, the demon of the mist turned around, only to face a trio of Nadeshiko kunoichi. Chunin, judging by the vests, with weapons at the ready.

"Well, fuck."

Haku got into the village surprisingly easily. Apparently, claiming that you are a travelling monk will get you through most gates... so long as the guard isn't a shinobi who knows better. Having changed back into his 'civilian' attire, the boy slowly wandered about the village, marking any ninja building he could recognize. While usually well-hidden, armories, lounges and communication stations are much more obvious when you know the signs of one. Lounges are the restaurants or gambling dens with a guard near them, communications are almost always in a multi-storied building, and armories are the buildings with disproportionally large doors, to accommodate for anything that might be brought in or out.

After thoroughly scouring every part of the village he could in a civilian guise, the boy went about gathering information. The thing he most often heard about was the daimyo's upcoming visit. Apparently, the man made annual visits to the village, each time hosting a grand event where both civilians and shinobi can share a night of music, dance and quality food. Some guy even mentioned that the largest amount of newborns is around nine months after said event, earning a smile from Haku.

He even went so far to actually visit the temple in the village, meditating in a garden devoted to an enlightened one, a Buddha. Due to the nature of the shinobi world, there was no one major religion. People gave tribute to the gods, the kami, but otherwise didn't have much in the way of spiritual life. This was somewhat circumvented with the monk's teachings, temples to the enlightened one raised in almost every village, regardless of size. Of course, there were other religious currents, bordering on life philosophies, such as Konoha's 'Will of Fire', or Iwa's 'Will of Stone'.

Sitting in the garden, Haku cast away thoughts of training, of jutsu, of shinobi in general. He even allowed himself to move Zabuza to the background as he focused on clearing his mind. What he sought was guidance, a subtle nudge towards the choice that would lead him and his teacher to inner peace. As wanderers, they will never be able to know it. He needed to find a way...

Slowly rising up, Haku gave the shrine one last look before finally walking away. Once again slowly making his way through the village streets, Haku caught glimpse of what looked like a training ground. He steered himself towards it, only to be forcefully shoved forward, straight into a kunoichi of the village.

The force of the push, coupled with the weakness the lightning blade had left as an eternal reminder of his time in the Land of Waves, floored the boy after he had collided with the girl. He found himself on his back, starting into the sky. It was noticeably gloomier than it had been in the morning; It looked ready to rain at the first provocation.

"Hey, are you alright?"

The girl had long dark hair and piercing green eyes. She looked to be about the same age as Haku. The flower symbol of Nadeshiko was etched into her headband, slightly concealed by her long bangs.

Haku nodded his head, quickly pulling himself up into a sitting position. "You must forgive me, I am very weak..."

Only when he turned his head did he realize that the girl was flanked from both side by incredibly menacing women, both easily as tall as Zabuza, and almost as wide. Taking in the strange sight in silence, Haku made a motion to apologize, only to get cut off before he even began.

"Weak he says! That's no excuse for interrupting a kunoichi's training! Detain him."

The two women had barely begun to move when Haku started working though hand signs. In a flash, both bodyguards were immobilized, buried up to their necks in cylindrical ice prisons. Speechless, the two women stared at each other and the boy in numb shock, neither finding appropriate words to react.

Taking his chance, Haku bolted back into the main street, intent on losing pursuers before they even began chasing after him. He maneuvered through the crowds, moving far more dexterously than any civilian would, earning him the occasional strange look. He didn't have time to notice them, though, he was too busy trying not to fail his mission not two hours after he had received it.

After a while, he settled down near the town gate, taking a moment to catch his breath. Despite his willingness to go on, his body simply refused to comply, demanding rest. He sighed, realizing that mistakes like the one he just made were simply something he could no longer afford. If he means to fight alongside Zabuza against the Mizukage, he'd need to step up, and quickly.

"Aha! Found you!" It was the girl again, this time without her bodyguards.

Haku made a motion to escape once more, freezing in place as a kunai lodged itself into the wood where his heart would be if he had moved a bit faster. With another sigh, he turned to face his would-be captor, saying nothing.

"That jutsu you used. It was the Hyoton bloodline, wasn't it?" The girl asked, determination still apparent in her eyes. She was completely unaware just how capable a shinobi he was, even with his now limited body.

"How do you know of it?" He answered with a question, keeping a watchful eye in case the bodyguards or other shinobi turn up. By the sound of things, they'll reach them in a matter of minutes.

The girl seemed to realize that as well, taking Haku by the arm, pulling him into the store in front of which he stopped to rest.

"Lady Shizuka? W-Welcome to my store..." The confused shop owner began, completely astounded that the village leader's daughter would barge into his store so suddenly.

"Silence. I am not here to browse your wares, salesman." She answered coldly, not even sparing a glance at the man.

"Now speak, boy. Who are you, why do you have the Hyoton bloodline, and what are you doing in my village?"

Haku looked up at the kunoichi, giving a barely noticeable smile. They had an angle for this exact situation. It was a long shot, sure, but it paid off.

"Well, it's a long story. Could we perhaps move to somewhere more private?"

"No, I think this place is just fine."

The store owner made a motion as if to protest, but quickly shrunk down when the girl blasted him with a dose of killer intent someone her age shouldn't be able to exert. Whoever she is, she wasn't just another kunoichi in a village full of them...

"Alright then, where to begin? My name is Haku Yuki, and I am a refugee from the Land of Water. I have travelled the lands, trying to find a place for myself in this world. I arrived to your village this morning. I have basic shinobi training, and am a capable user of my bloodline ability."

He omitted the fact that he had much more than basic training, the fact that he was wounded, as well as the fact that he had spent the better part of his childhood following and learning from the man known as 'The Demon of the hidden Mist'.

The girl, Shizuka, nodded as she processed the information, slowly coming to a conclusion. "Alright then. Someone like you would be an asset for this village, if only for your powerful and near-extinct bloodline. I will take you to mother, and she will sort out what we're supposed to do with you." She was supposed to lead this village one day, so making decisions like this one was supposed to come naturally to her...

Steeling herself, Shizuka threw on her intimidating face once more, leading the Yuki boy to the palace. Her bodyguards caught up to them somewhere along the way, but she ordered them to stand down.

Zabuza stood above the unconscious bodies of the two kunoichi that managed to get the drop on him. They must have been skilled for him not to notice them, but then again, ambushing him as he was taking a leak was low, even for ninjas. He was pretty sure there was an international treaty dealing with that sort of crap somewhere out there. Seriously, the situation was ridiculous. And to make matters worse, the last one threw down a trio of smoke bombs, slipping away before he could recover.

That meant his camp was probably left abandoned. Haku would also catch word of the fact that he messed up sooner or later. The whole mess was just another stroke of bad luck in a life full of them. Still, there was nothing else he could do now but brace for the incoming assaults. At least he'd get to bash some heads together, that would probably help his mood. No matter how you looked at it, he became a shinobi for a reason, and that reason was that he simply enjoyed battle.

With a shrug, Zabuza tied the two kunoichi up, then began dashing through the forest, intent on stopping at the first relatively defensible position he comes across. His mission here was simply to terrorize the village for a while. They'll probably figure that his skills grew dull from being on the run so long, and send a bunch of weaker ninja in the hopes that numbers would help. They wouldn't.

Still, he wasn't the same man he was before. He still wasn't sure exactly how he felt about it, but he was bound by his word now, which, while limiting, would ultimately make this training that much more effective. It would be a fun week if he's to fight off wave after wave of Nadeshiko kunoichi. As far as he remembered, they had a penchant for throwing weapons, as well as an unusually high number of wind-style users. And he didn't mind that one bit.

Eventually he had reached what looked to be a source of water, flowing freely from the rocks, forming one of the many streams he had to jump during his time in this forest. It looked good enough, and if he was clever about it, he could set up a new camp nearby without risking getting exposed again. Fighting off dozens of ninja during the day, taking a page from Kisame's book and using a massive water jutsu to get rid of any stragglers, then back away and retreat to camp for the night, collecting whatever wildlife got caught in the traps he'd lay down. So long as he didn't mess up and get wounded or caught, he should be fine.

Remembering where the source is, he picked a random direction, setting up camp exactly a mile from it. Along the way, he left markings, dots and scratches that most shinobi would think was the work of an animal, but was in actuality the code the seven swordsmen used. One of the things the seven swordsmen unit did correctly was cryptography. Unless a member intentionally revealed the contents, their intelligence was nigh-untraceable. Of course, that didn't stop Fuguki from getting greedy and trying to sell the data anyway, getting himself killed in the process. But Zabuza didn't know that.

With a sigh, the swordsman took off his arm and leg warmers, throwing them away. He no longer needed them, and when fighting several opponents, they would do more harm than good, even if they were convenient for stashing kunai or senbon.

"His story is solid, my lady. The boy really is a Yuki with mastery of the Hyoton."

Haku wanted to sigh, but kept himself in check. All these people were so desperate for the power in his blood that they were willing to keep themselves wide open, not even binding his arms. Sure, he didn't show any sign of aggression, but why did no one even consider the possibility that he is a spy? Was the situation in the Mist really that bad, bad enough that this village would so gladly accept any purge survivor, gladly turning a blind eye to normal protocol?

At least it made his job easier. With access to the leadership, as limited as it currently was, Haku would easily be able to gather solid intel. And besides, if they were this careless, it was fairly unlikely that Zabuza would have too much trouble staying hidden.

"My lady! I bring news!" Came in an exhausted looking ninja. Strangely enough, he didn't even wear a chunin vest.

The woman sitting behind the leader's desk only glared at him, displeasure at the interruption fairly obvious. "Yes? What is it now?"

"The demon of the hidden Mist, Zabuza Momochi was spotted near the village. A team of our kunoichi engaged him, and only one managed to get away, she's delivering her report as we speak. Teams were sent out to determine the status of the other two." The man quickly listed, doing a good job keeping his cool under many unfriendly gazes.

Haku blinked in surprise. Zabuza was already discovered? What had happened to lead him to make the decision to reveal his presence this early? What did he have to gain with a longer exposure time? Perhaps the panic would get the village's leadership to try and streamline the integration of the newly arrived bloodline user now that there was a threat looming? What would that mean for the daimyo's upcoming visit?

"Very well, you are dismissed. Double the patrols and send word to the daimyo that he should not cancel the visit. We will not appear weak, and we will hunt down this demon. As for you boy, you are Shizuka's responsibility."

The girl, who stood just a ways' off from Haku, nodded her head. "I understand, mother."

With that, both teens were escorted out of the leader's office, and out into the palace yard.

"Alright then, Haku Yuki. I'll show you to my chambers."

"Why?"

"Well, you're my responsibility. What better way to keep an eye on you than to keep you close at all times?"

"For all my travels, I have never run into a village this hospitable. To be invited into the princess's own home..."

"Yes, you are quite the lucky one, Haku Yuki."

"Please, just call me Haku, Shizuka-sama."

"Then you just call me Shizuka."

"So I will."

They made their way through the palace yards. The architecture of the Land of Sea wasn't that different from the style of the Land of Water. Large, cylindrical buildings, made to endure both sieges and unpredictable weather patterns. While he wasn't quite sure, Haku figured that it had something to do with the fact that the Land of Water was significantly larger at the time it was formed, probably encompassing the current Land of Sea.

However, unlike the heavy and often extreme weather of the Mist, Nadeshiko currently only had a thin layer of grey clouds in the sky. The two made their way through the last garden, approaching one of the many towers of the palace complex. Shizuka unlocked the door, leading them up the tower, showing that quite a few floors were specialized training fields for shurikenjutsu, sparring, bukinjutsu of all sorts...

"And this is where we will sleep."

Haku looked around the room. Sure, it was a girl's room, as evidenced by the occasional esthetic detail. It was also a shinobi's room, judging by the general emptiness of the room itself. However, the thing that caught his eye above all, and the thing that truly concerned him, was the fact that there was only a single bed. It was a queen-sized bed, with dark red covers that ended in flowing frills.

"I see only one bed. Am I supposed to sleep on the ground? Not that I'd have a problem..." however, before he could try and worm his way out of the very, very unusual situation, Haku was cut off.

"Nonsense, you are going to sleep right next to me. That way, I can keep an eye on you and make sure you don't do anything suspicious." The girl declared, still wearing a straight face.

Haku slowly shook his head... at least Zabuza didn't have to deal with this craziness.

Zabuza ducked another swipe by a kunoichi that wielded a sword as large as the kubikiribocho. Another one swung what looked like a morning star at him. He cursed under his breath, wishing that he could switch places with Haku. He hated fighting kunoichi, especially now when he couldn't kill.

There it is... Damn, this is getting harder the closer I get to their arrival to the Hidden Mist...

On the other hand, I have two chapters of Book 2 done, as well as the first chapter of Book 3. :)

And please, please, I really would appreciate OC's. Just shoot me a PM or review.

That's all. Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Do leave a review, it's a writer's drug!