Chapter 68

Naruto Interlude

Haku's scream shocked Naruto out of the last of his rage and he stared down at the prone form of the Mist missing nin, reeling from just had happened. When in the next moment the ice user pushed him off to race over to his master Naruto was still too stunned to really do anything. Once the shock began to wear off the blonde scrambled to his feet and turned around to reach Sasuke.

While he had been occupied with Haku Sakura had hustled Tazuna over to their fallen teammate and was now kneeling by Sasuke's side to methodically check him over, the only part of her body that showed how scared she was were her worried eyes. The old bridge builder behind her too looked apprehensive while he now and then sent suspicious and fearful glances at the two Mist missing nin a few meters away.

Naruto ignored all of this while he stared down at Sasuke's slack face.

"He is alive."

Naruto's head snapped up and he stared uncomprehending at a slightly trembling Sakura who continued to speak, "The ice user… Haku… he used the same trick with which he fooled us into believing Zabuza dead."

Her hands were trembling while reached for the senbon needles and slowly dragged them out, one at a time. By the third Sasuke twitched and let out a half suppressed groan. Naruto hiccupped and viciously rubbed his suddenly wet eyes. Sakura herself sniffled wetly while she continued her steady work and then their teme opened his eyes.

Things were going to be okay.

Kakashi Interlude

Kakashi watched their opponents wearily on the floor. Grief stricken comrades with nothing left to lose were always ten times worse than a normal opponent because they were so unpredictable. Not that Kakashi felt remorse for fatally injuring Zabuza; it had been a fair fight after all. Or as fair as a shinobi fight could be and the missing nin had tried to kill Kakashi, their client and most importantly he had put his kids in danger. For that alone Kakashi didn't regret a single hit. His musings over the dying Zabuza were interrupted by the arrival of what he believed to be Gato and a few dozen thugs.

"So you really got yourself killed then, heh." The fat man gloated while he stared at Zabuza's broken body from a safe distance, "Heh, I knew you would be useless. That's why I would have never paid you and your boy toy, even if you had succeeded. Did you know that Mist is always interested where it's missing nin are and pay most generously?"

Kakashi stared incredulous. Was that man really that stupid? Beside him Zabuza's body shook with rage, even in his dying moments, that man's killing intent was potent.

"Haku," He growled out, "I… trust you to show Gato and his people their error." His voice became more and more hoarse with the second.

"Yes Zabuza-sama." The shaking teenager said through silent tears.

"Good." Zabuza pressed out before his hand gripped Haku's shoulder.

"Zabuza-sama…. What am I going to do?"

The last part was whispered in such a terribly lost voice that Kakashi felt pity for the young shinobi. That was what happened to ninja who were raised to live only for one person, they became useless the moment that person died.

"You are going to find a purpose and live…" Zabuza wheezed out with his last strength, blood flowing down his lips before his ribcage finally stopped moving.

"But I don't know how." whispered Haku hollowly, while a single tear dripped from his face onto Zabuza's face bandages.

The black haired teenager then stood up, face wet but calm in his movements and with a burst of speed he had crossed the distance between him and Gato's men and began to systematically eliminate them.

It took less than thirty seconds until the last of the thugs were dead and Gato stood in the middle of his destroyed force.

"No! Wha-what are you doing?" he squealed out before Haku sliced open his throat with an easy swipe.

Once he was finished Haku returned calmly to Zabuza's slowly cooling corpse and sat down beside it. He didn't move and he also didn't seem to be interested in anything else going on around him. He didn't even react to the commotion behind him when Inari came with the other villagers, presumably to fight Gato.

Kakashi sighed inwardly while he sent the villagers home, he really didn't want to deal with civilians around a volatile and grieving ninja that was just asking for trouble.

On that note, with another deep sigh in the back of his mind Kakashi carefully stepped into Haku's field of vision.

"Haku."

The boy didn't react just continued to stare at Zabuza's face.

"Haku, we have to bury Zabuza."

That at least made him tighten his fists for a moment before he returned to his apathetic staring, just great. Kakashi knew why he had left the comforting of traumatized ninja to other comrades, he had no idea how to act around them. And even worse in this situation he was directly responsible for the death of Haku's master and anchor.

While Kakashi continued to contemplate the best way to get Haku moving Naruto walked up to them.

Kakashi wasn't very happy about that, Haku was too unstable for him to be anywhere near his kids but sending Naruto away would be difficult without giving away his true feelings and that would only be detrimental for the whole situation. The silver haired Jounin could really forgo another enemy that was out for his and his loved ones blood.

"Haku?" Naruto asked tentatively but there was no response, "Oi, Haku!" the blonde than said louder.

This at least produced some reaction, Haku's head turned a bit and he looked tiredly and emotionless at Naruto.

Kakashi could practically see how Naruto deflated at the sight of that expression.

"Come on," he said softly, "Let's bury Zabuza."

Haku didn't answer but he also didn't try to stop Kakashi when he came closer and picked up Zabuza's body. A few meters behind them Sakura was helping a shaking Sasuke to walk. He was visibly tired and hurt from the fight but he soldiered on just like Kakashi was used from him.

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Naruto's shadow clones dug a grave on one of the cliffs overlooking the sea and the bridge a few hundred meters to the left from said bridge. Haku's silence continued through lowering Zabuza's body into the grave and then burying his sword with him. It lasted until Kakashi and his Team took a few steps back to give him privacy. Tazuna had already left to go home, now that the threat was over he felt safe enough to walk around without ninja escort.

When the first tears fell Kakashi was almost relieved. Internalizing pain like that wasn't the healthiest, he knew that all too well. And he felt strangely responsible for the young shinobi in front of him. The silver haired ninja had killed his whole world while the ice user had been merciful and restrained himself from seriously harming his students, Kakashi couldn't say what he would have done if one of them hadn't survived. And additionally Naruto had this determined stubborn look in his eyes that Kakashi knew by now. They would end up taking Haku back to Konoha, one way or another.

Shiori Interlude

Shiori looked up when the front door was opened and Anko's voice rang through the house. Smiling slightly to herself she switched on the water cooker and started to drag out her traditional tea ceremony tools. Anko hadn't had the time to really sit down and drink tea with her in a long while, apparently her students were more work than she had expected. That and the department change that she had vaguely spoken off kept the snake summoner busy.

"Ohayo Shiori-chan." Anko called cheerfully once she had walked through the staircase room.

Shiori watched her amused as Anko walked with a certain spring in her step through the living room; it looked like somebody was in a good mood.

"Is there a reason why you are gleefully bouncing through my house?" she couldn't help but ask.

Anko grinned as a response and just sighed happily before settling down on one of the bar seats.

"Well… I got laid last night."

Shiori snorted and sent her teasing glances "I presume he was worth it?"

"Well actually it was a she but yes, damn it!" Anko laughed while she was clearly still floating on an endorphin high.

Shiori sighed deeply and then pouted "Yes please rub it in that you are getting laid and I'm not."

Anko waggled with her eyebrows before asking "Kakashi is still not here? How long has it been since he left with his brats?"

"Nearly a month…" Shiori sighed.

"Getting antsy?" Anko asked sympathetically.

"That's not it… or well not only… I… just miss him." Shiori admitted.

"You know a month is nothing… sometimes shinobi get deployed for up to a year… or even longer."

"I know, and I'm probably acting spoiled, it's just…" Shiori sighed again while she arranged everything the two needed on a tray.

"You miss him." Anko grinned.

"Yeah…" then Shiori smiled, "I really do… so… where do you want to have the tea ceremony? In the house or the garden?"

"Let's go outside, the weather has been really nice in the last few days and I'm sick and tired of being cooped up inside." Anko answered before she took hold of the water cooker and then followed Shiori outside.

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"So how are Yukiko-chan and Sai-kun?"

Anko chortled undignified behind her tea cup.

"Yukiko-chan is probably starting to curse me right this moment. I have sent her to a camouflage and disguise specialist to polish up her natural skills. That man I'm talking about is a bit of a hard ass."

"And Sai-kun?"

"Now that I have nearly gained back my old abilities I could convince him to relax his guard duty a bit… by the way I'm really sorry about last time."

Anko looked properly apologetic while she said that but Shiori noticed the twinkle in her eyes.

Shiori snickered, "No harm done, but next time you really should introduce me to Sai-kun before he guards you on our property. I only saw his back and hair before Bull dragged him into the woods."

Anko just groaned "Yeah, that's what you get for trying to sneak up on a paranoid shinobi's wife with dog summons… I'm really sorry… I completely forgot to warn you and the ninken that Sai would follow me that afternoon," then she burst into laughter "You should have seen how flustered Sai was afterwards. You remember that I told you that he was emotionally stunted during his childhood right? I have been testing him on emotional triggers and trying to get a reaction out of him, until that incident with Kakashi's dogs nothing worked."

"Isn't that a bit mean Anko?"

"Nah, that's actually pretty important. I have to know how Sai reacts in certain situations or things could go very wrong very fast on a mission. Yukiko is easier in that regard, she was raised in a semi normal environment and knows what is socially acceptable and what not. Her triggers are a lot easier to predict than Sai's… so to know that that brat can feel professional embarrassment is really important."

Shiori started to laugh again and this time her giggles wouldn't stop, not even when she spoke "I'm sorry, it's just… the idea of Kakashi's ninken taking down your bodyguard is… the mental picture is going to stay with me for a while."

"Yeah… me too." Anko smirked, "I'm actually surprised that they could sneak up on him and take him down like that. Sai isn't a slouch concerning his abilities. I'm actually a bit curious how Kakashi trains them to make them this effective."

"Searching for inspiration for your two kids?" Shiori asked teasingly.

"Hey what works, works." Anko admitted without shame before she took another bite out of her dessert, "Say have you seen Kurenai and Yugao lately? I just keep missing them."

"Yugao actually just left for a mission three days ago, she couldn't say anything about when she will return and Kurenai visited yesterday after she got back from her second C-rank with her team." Shiori answered while rearranging the tea ceremony tools.

"Those brats are also already on C-ranks?" Anko asked incredulously.

"She told me they were doing short ones in the near vicinity of Konoha that shouldn't take too long… apparently a request from Hinata-chan's father."

"Ahh… yeah Kurenai has the Hyuuga heiress doesn't she? That can't be easy for Kurenai. That's her first Genin team and then already such a high profile student." Anko mused while her eyes wandered over the bushes that lined the edge of the wood.

"Though Hinata-chan is not the problem, she is a sweet girl… she just needs more confidence." Shiori stated firmly.

Anko winced at that "Yeah well, I'm just glad that I don't have her, that would be a too big personality clash, let Kurenai deal with that… so anyway do you have anything special planned for Mariko's during the Chunin exams? I have heard a curious rumor that you had a meeting with the Hokage."

Of course Anko would fish for information Shiori thought amused while she looked at her friend with a mildly interested expression.

"Oh?"

Anko stared at her and Shiori stared back, waiting patiently. The black haired civilian was actually interested in how long she would be able to resist Anko's non violent interrogation techniques.

"You won't tell me?" Anko asked neutrally.

Shiori grinned and then said "Let's make a game out of this; I have to admit I'm a bit bored."

Anko snorted before a butter-won't-melt grin settled on her face "Oh, I'm game! Just don't tell your husband about it, in interrogation circles this is considered foreplay." The purple haired kunoichi continued while wiggling with her eyebrows.

Shiori just snorted at that, why was she not surprised?