"Heh, look, it's the demon kid," a voice shouted, their tone filled with utter disgust and malice. A young girl, around the age of three or four, was walking down the dirt street of Konoha, keeping her head down, her messy blonde hair covering her face, hiding the tears that rolled down.
"Hey, we're talking to you!" another voice called out to her. "Respect your elders, you scum!" The girl found herself cornered by an abandoned building. She gulped, trying to keep herself from sobbing in fear. She was surrounded by faces she didn't know nor recognize. One held her up by the throat, and flashed a smile, their teeth either completely missing or bright yellow.
"Let's teach it a lesson. What do you say, ya'll?" Another voice asked. The group laughed in agreement.
And just like usual, the girl found herself on the ground, being beaten to an inch of her life, feeling blood stick to her clothes, her bones feeling disconnected from her body, and like every single time from afar, she could see a masked man with spiky silver hair, just watching, eyes wide.
"Naruto…" An echo.
"Experiment 011… Open your door." The girl obediently listened, opening the metal door with small, bloodied hands that had to be growing into infections by now. A man stood at the other side, smiling eerily. He had very pale skin, golden eyes with slitted pupils, purple markings around his eyes and fang-like teeth. He also had pronounced cheekbones and straight, waist-length black hair with some locks covering and framing his face and to his shoulders. She looked back at her cellmate, Experiment 025, as if for reassurance. He gave a nod, but looked just as nervous. He looked only about a year older or so from her. The girl took a cautious step out of her cell and the other man began to lead her down the hall where they passed countless other cells, such as experiment 024, one of her captive's favorites to play with. They passed many others, lots of adolescents mainly (very few children close to her own age) who, just like her, had an empty look in her eye, starved and in pain.
"Narumi…" Another echo, more distorted.
"Naru…only… one of us will escape this hell, I'm afraid…" Tomodachi, Experiment 025, softly said, tears welling up in his eyes. The girl felt her eyes do the same, holding the blade in her hands, trembling with every movement she made.
"I-I c-can't do it, Tomodachi…" she whispered, her voice cracking. He gave her a comforting smile, walking towards her. He softly took the wrist that held the blade and guided it to the middle of his chest.
"If you do this, you can finally go home, become the strong lady I know you will be–the kage I know you will be," he whispered. He then pulled her in close, the blade penetrating his chest, impaling him. The girl gasped.
"T-tomodachi! No!" He kept smiling.
"Maybe…in our next life, we can meet someplace better… where… we can sit by the water…" he coughed up blood. "Eat tasty noodles together… c-climb trees…" He slumped to the ground despite the girl's best efforts to support him. "We c-could g-go on the adventures we always wanted… around the world… just the two of us…" Experiment 025 gave her one last quivering smile. "I-I l-love you… N-Naru, my b-beloved sister…" With his final breath, he reached for her hand, grasping it for a brief moment before it slackened.
The only thing the girl saw was red.
"Natsumi!"
Natsumi opened her eyes, jolting. The first thing she saw was Sasuke's face, his dark eyes full of concern and his lips slightly parted. They were still outside, and it was dark, only the moon and stars illuminated sasuke, his hair slowly swishing side to side from the gentle breeze and his pale alabaster skin contrasting the surrounding darkness. She felt his knees below her head where she had laid.
"Did… I pass out, teme..?" she asked, rubbing her left eye. Sasuke nodded.
"Collapsed. Most likely from exhaustion." He sighed, muttering, "Reckless dobe," under his breath. Natsumi rolled her eyes. She slowly tried sitting up, wincing a little. Her muscles felt tense and stiff.
"Just sit for a minute," Sasuke said, rolling his eyes. Natsumi sighed.
"Fine… just… don't let the others see me like this," she muttered. "It's humiliating." Sasuke nodded, seeming to understand how she felt.
"All right, Dobe," he said with a shrug. Natsumi sat next to him, her knees to her chest, staring out at the water. He let out a sigh, looking out at the waves as well. "Are you okay?" Natsumi scoffed.
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"You were writhing in agony, dobe. I almost got Kakashi," he muttered. Natsumi visibly tensed at the sound of the man's name.
"I don't wanna talk about it…" she muttered, looking down at the sand, hugging herself. Sasuke sighed, and he slung an arm over the farthest shoulder from him. She looked at him, her gaze clearly showcasing her confusion.
"You still look like you're about to fall over, dobe," he said, gazing at her before scoffing a beat after. It was as if he almost forgotten. Natsumi rolled her eyes, but nodded.
"Thanks…" They didn't talk after, but just stared at the ocean waves together under the moonlight.
The next morning, both Sasuke and Natsumi were at it again, both trying to get to the top before the other did. Both were starting to get quite close to the top, both of them at least ninety percent there. Natsumi sighed, trying to gather her breath, and think back to what Sakura told her. She kept taking deep breaths, trying to calm herself and get her heart rate down. She then took off running, Sasuke seeming to do the same, going a bit faster.
They both dashed up their own tree. Natsumi ran, not too fast though, wanting to concentrate on her control. She didn't realize Sasuke reached the top seconds before her until she saw him sitting at the top branch when she just grasped hers. She huffed in defeat.
"Looks like I win, Dobe," he said, smirking.
"I know, I know…" she muttered. "What do you want to ask?" She pulled herself up on the branch, heaving herself over and sat on it. Sasuke thought for a minute, staring down at the grass before he finally answered.
"Why did Itachi give you his scarf?" he asked, looking over at Natsumi, gazing. Natsumi thought for a minute.
"He saw me staring at it, one of the first training sessions we had together. I don't remember too much… That part of the past is…buried in a sense. I think he realized I wanted it just how I stared at it… and he gave it to me." She fidgeted with one of the ends, rubbing the fabric in between her fingers.
"Hn." Sasuke stared down at the grass again, scowling a little. Natsumi got down from the tree, sliding down it. "What are you doing?"
"Gonna keep practicing, obviously,' she said, rolling her eyes. Sasuke rolled his eyes back, sliding down the tree. The two began competing again, each time trying to see who could get to the top first.
The two didn't come back to Tazuna's house until dinner. Natsumi had one of Sasuke's arms slung over her shoulder, supporting him. She just had so much more chakra than him. She wasn't as exhausted.
"What happened to you guys?" Tazuna asked, sipping on a cup of tea. "You're really muddy and wiped out.
"We both…climbed up to the top… a lot…" Sasuke muttered as he raised his head to the rest of the group, gritting his teeth slightly. Kakashi gave a nod.
"Good."
"In just a teeny bit, the bridge will be completed," Tazuna said, taking a bite out of his food. Both Natsumi and Sasuke sat down with everyone else and began to eat.
"Even so, don't let your guard down," Kakashi said.
"I've really wanted to ask you for a long time now…" Tazuna began. "But why are you still here, even after I lied about the mission?" Kakashi thought for a minute, lacing his gloved hands together.
"To see what is right without doing it bespeaks an absence of courage. Like master, like man. It's a teaching of the late Hokage." The Fourth Hokage. Tazuna nodded, and they continued to eat.
The next morning, everyone was assigned to guard Tazuna. As they were nearing the end, they wanted to ensure no interruptions would occur. They chatted casually as they approached the bridge, but stopped and looked in horror at about a dozen bodies laying limp at the bridge, dead.
"W-what the heck is this?!" Tazuna cried out. "What's going on? What happened?!" Mist began to form on the bridge, making it quite hard to see. Kakashi's eye widened.
"Sasuke! Natsumi! Sakura! They're coming!" The three genin instinctively resumed their positions, surrounding Tazuna to protect him, equipping their kunai.
"Sorry to have kept you waiting, Kakashi," Zabuza said. "I see you've got those brats with you, as always. She's still trembling, poor thing." He laughed. Natsumi clenched her jaw before smirking. Suddenly, several water cones appeared, surrounding the group.
"I'm trembling…in excitement, idiot," she slowly said, smirking still.
"Do it, Natsumi." Kakashi had his hands clasped together. She nodded. She held her kunai and slashed up, moving rapidly. Just a second or two later, all the clones dispersed in a puddle of water.
"Well, well," the real Zabuza said, stepping forward. "So she could see the water clones, eh? That brat grew quite a bit," he said, taking several more steps farther, his body easier to see. The 'Tracker Ninja' also appeared beside him. "This means a rival has emerged, Haku." So that was the person's name.
"So it seems," they said.
"Well, well… It seems my prediction was right on the money," Kakashi observed.
"Prediction?" Zabuza raised a brow.
"That little mask…"
"Big phony, heh…" muttered Sasuke.
"So the Elite Shinobi of the Mist thing was a bald-faced lie!" exclaimed Tazuna.
"No matter how you look at him, he's gotta be a comrade of Zabuza," Kakashi said. "Standing together and all…"
"That's it… I'm taking them out…" Natsumi muttered, holding her kunai up a little more. "With their bad acting… I hate brats who think they're so cool.
"Me too," Sasuke said, sending Natsumi a small nod. Haku then started to run and spin, taking the shape of a whirlpool–a tornado. They headed straight towards Natsumi and Sasuke. Natsumi quickly grabbed another kunai and dashed towards Haku. She forced them to a stop by slashing her kunai. Haku blocked it with their own. Meanwhile, Sakura surrounded Tazuna, making sure to keep him guarded. Zabuza attacked Sasuke.
"I wouldn't like to have and kill you…" Haku quietly said. "I'd like for you to back down…" Both Natsumi's and Haku's arms trembled slightly, each of them trying to block one another's attack.
"Nonsense," Natsumi said, smirking slightly.
"I knew it… But you won't be able to keep up with my speed. Also, I've already made two preemptive moves."
"Two preemptive moves?"
"The first one is the scattered water, and the second one was blocking one of your hands… Therefore, you'll just be able to defend my attack." Haku then brought one hand up to where their mouth would be.
'But they're only using one hand!' They started doing hand signs.
"A Thousand Needles of Death!" Haku then stomped their foot on the ground. Clouds of water slowly rose up before quickly changing into the form of needles.
"Build up chakra in one burst…' Her eyes were closed, her hands clasped together. At the last moment, she focused the chakra to her feet, and jumped high in the air, avoiding the needles. She threw several shurikens at Haku, all of them missing, however. Once again, Natsumi attacked with her kunai, and Haku blocked, but this time, she threw a shuriken right into their stomach. This caused Haku to crouch down in pain, and Natsumi side-kicked them in the face, sending Haku back many yards. Haku stood up seconds later, and suddenly, a blue glow started to emit from them.
"It's unfortunate…" they said.
"Is this…cold air..?" Haku clasped their hands together again. Slowly, walls of mirrors began to surround them.
"Hidden Jutsu! Crystal Ice Mirrors!" Haku then walked to one, putting their head in it, as if the mirror absorbed it, and then the rest of their body. Once Haku stood in one of the mirrors, the rest of them replicated. Natsumi stood in shock.
"Now… I'll show you my true speed…" Natsumi felt something graze her arm–a needle. She then felt another, and another. Soon, there were dozens upon dozens, going all across her body. She winced and groaned loudly. One hit her hand, making her throw her kunai in the air. It landed at Sasuke's feet where he and Kakashi were fighting Zabuza. A small streak of blood ran down Natsumi's face as she shook in agony. Haku partially stepped out of one of the mirrors, ready to deliver a final blow, but suddenly, several shuriken hit her. It wasn't from Natsumi, but from Sasuke instead. He must have been able to get away from Zabuza and leave him to Kakashi. Almost immediately, though, they retreated back in the circle of mirrors. This time from behind in a mirror, having needles ready to throw. The rest of the mirrors filled again. Once again, another wave of needles hit Natsumi. She began to shake in agony again.
'What kind of jutsu are they using..?' Natsumi clutched at her shoulder. "It's conceivable that he has clones hide in the mirrors and gets them all to throw the Senbons simultaneously… No, they're too fast considering… What does it mean not being able to see even the trajectory of the weapons…?" Another wave of needles. 'Also, if it's a mere Clone Jutsu, I don't see a reason for these ice mirrors. In any case, there's no way to question that these mirrors are pivotal for his attacks. All there is to do is for me to attack the inside and have Sasuke try attacking the mirrors from the outside maybe..?' Before she could think any farther, she heard footsteps–Sasuke's.
"Are you okay, Natsumi?" He asked, cautiously looking at the mirrors that were in all directions, even above. Natsumi scowled and sighed.
"I've had it with your mistakes," she grumbled. So much for her idea.
"And I've had it with your attitude." He scowled at her, scoffing. "But I'm going to destroy these mirrors right now." He clasped his hands together, doing several quick hand signs. "Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu!" Even though the flames were practically made with frozen water–ice, the fire did no damage.
"They won't melt with that level of firepower," Haku stated. Another wave of mirrors came, attacking the duo. They both yelled and trembled in agony.
"We have to find the real body…" Natsumi croaked out.
"It's useless for you to even attempt following with your eyes. I absolutely will not be caught." Natsumi clasped her hands together.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" About a dozen or more clones appeared and each of them went to attack each mirror. Haku sent yet another wave of needles at Sasuke before taking each of the clones out at a rapid rate, too rapid for Natsumi to see with her own eyes before retreating back into a mirror. Sasuke clenched his teeth, seeming to be in deep thought. Natsumi panted a little.
"Dobe…do that jutsu again…" he quietly said. Natsumi shot him a slightly confused look, but nodded. She clasped her hands together again.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Her clones once again targeted each mirror. Sasuke ran underneath them, kicking at a strange splash of water.
"Don't you see that it's useless?" Haku asked, quickly getting rid of all the clones and sending more needles towards the genin. Sasuke got to his feet, thinking deeply.
"Again… do it again…" Sasuke said to her. Natsumi sighed.
"You better be thinking something right…" she clasped her hands together again.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Once again, the clones attacked at the mirrors. Sasuke clasped his own hands together, doing hand signs.
"Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu!" The fire just barely missed Haku. Sasuke smirked to himself. He was clearly figuring something out.
"Damn, we were so close…" Natsumi muttered.
"Natsumi, can you still move?"
"Of course… I'm fine," she said, giving a slow nod. Sasuke didn't seem to believe her, but nodded. She had to be exhausted by now. Another wave of needles hit them, this time penetrating way more of their skin. They both yelled out in slight agony. Natsumi groaned, slowly getting to her feet, as Sasuke was crouched on the ground. Sasuke got to his feet as well.
'Maybe if I can get outside… I could attack the mirrors from the outside!' Natsumi infused chakra at the soles of her feet. She started to sprint to the outside, but Haku unleashed another set of painful needles on her, sending her tumbling to Sasuke's side. She tried getting up, but just slumped to the ground.
"It's about the time I put an end to this for you…" Haku said, readying more Senbon. Just as they threw all the needles, Sasuke himself grabbed one, and slashed it at each attack, blocking all of them, his eyes adjusting more and more. He fell on one knee.
"Stand up, dobe!" He yelled at Natsumi.
"I hear you…" She kept trying, her whole body trembling. She very slowly sat up. Haku released another wave of Senbon, and once again, Sasuke rose to his feet, parrying all the ones heading to their vital organs, fighting to the end to keep himself and Natsumi alive, it seemed. At one point when Natsumi got to her feet, Sasuke shoved her out of the way and jumped up, avoiding all the Senbon. A few landed on his thigh, however.
"Natsumi…! Don't you dare pass out again!" She slowly sat up again. "I can't take care of you anymore than I am now!" He frantically looked around at the mirrors. Haku had disappeared a few seconds ago.
"Who asked you to take care of me…? Just take care of yourself…" Natsumi gritted out, croaking before she fell back, losing consciousness.
"It seems that kid has reached her limits," was the last thing she heard.
Natsumi sensed only a few minutes had passed when she awoke again. She trembled, raising her head. Her vision was slightly blurred at first but it didn't take long to find Haku on the ground in front of them, and Sasuke directly in front of her.
"For God's sake, you… just won't quit… dragging my feet, will you?" It was Sasuke that spoke, his voice weak with fatigue. Natsumi gasped at seeing Haku down. They were beaten.
"You-" Natsumi gasped, seeing the countless Senbon in Sasuke's body, blood splattered on the floor directly below him. He looked back at her and that's when Natsumi saw his eyes. They were red with a single tomoe. It was the Sharingan, level one. She stared at Sasuke in disbelief, seeing the blood dripping down his mouth.
"W-what kind of expression is that… you…idiot…! You…dobe..!" Natsumi sat up quickly.
"W-why?! You protected me..?!"
"How the hell…should I know? I just did…" his Sharingan slowly faded out and his normal eye color returned. He smiled a little to himself before coughing slightly, grunting in pain. "Hmph… you… I hated you…" Natsumi got to her feet.
"Then why? Why..? Why me?!" He stared ahead again. Natsumi was unable to read his expression. She clenched his fists. "I didn't ask for your help!" She felt her voice slightly crack.
"I don't know… my body moved… on its own accord… there was no time to think… fool…!" With a pained groan, he fell to his knees and fell back. Natsumi quickly scrambled to him, catching him and landing on the floor with him.
"Sasuke!" His eyes looked sad, almost.
"That man… he's still out there… until I defeated my brother… I absolutely refused to die… That's what I decided, but…" He raised a trembling hand up, close to her cheek. "Natsumi, you don't die… don't let your dream die…" Something moved within Natsumi and Sasuke's hand slackened. His head fell back, and his eyes shut. Haku was just getting to their feet again. Natsumi felt her heart pound, staring down at Sasuke with wide eyes. She felt like her breath was taken from her. Haku turned to the side.
"Is this the first time you faced a friend's death? This is the way of the shinobi…" Haku disappeared in the mirror again. Natsumi could hear her ears ring.
"Shut up! Just shut up!" Natsumi carefully laid Sasuke down on the ground. "Even though I… hated you too…" she said to Sasuke. Steam surrounded Natsumi and Sasuke in a circle. "I won't forgive you…" she growled out to Haku. The steam slowly turned into a swirl of fire, creating patterns in the mirror circle. Her eyes turned even more red and her whisker-like scars became more pronounced, and she grew fangs. "I'm gonna kill you!" She stared at Haku. The flames grew more intense. The chakra felt like evil itself. Natsumi got to her feet again, and the Senbon fell off her body, and her nails grew longer, her wounds healing. She started growling uncontrollably on all fours and started running towards the nearest mirror. Haku threw Senbon her way, but the flames of the chakra itself deflected them. Haku possessed all the mirrors again and sent a wave of senbon towards Natsumi, this time hitting her. She growled louder, enraged, and ran to the one mirror Haku then possessed and jumped up, throwing a punch; the mirror shattered. Haku tried stabbing her back, but she dodged. She grabbed their wrist and spun her around. She was enraged, desperately wanting to kill Haku—to torture them to death. Natsumi then winded up a punch for several seconds, growling and then striking Haku's face, another mirror shattering in the process as Haku went flying back many, many yards. All the mirrors broke after that. Natsumi screamed, and charged towards them again, dashing as fast as she could. Half of Haku's mask fell off, and the rest seconds later. Their eyes were full of longing, thinking thoughtfully. Just as Natsumi was going to throw the final punch, she stopped inches before reaching Haku's face. It was the first time she got to see their—his.
"Even though I killed your dear friend, you still can't kill me?" He bitterly asked. "Or was that vow just empty words?" Natsumi growled and punched him in the face. He went back again, falling onto the ground, coughing blood before slowly sitting up. "What happened to the force a moment ago? You can't defeat me with that kind of strength." He wiped his mouth. "Wasn't he someone special to you?" Natsumi's one eye was slowly turning blue again. "Many people misunderstand." He stood up. "They pity and don't finish off the enemy they ought to finish. They let them survive. To me, that isn't compassion or anything. Do you know how it feels to not be needed by anyone? To live day to day without a dream. The pain of it all."
"What are you saying?"
"Zabuza has no use for a weak shinobi. You took away my reason for existence."
"Why? Why do you have to serve a guy like that? He gets the money from thugs to do bad and horrid things. Is that No-Brow the only person special to you?"
"A long time ago, I had other people special to me. My parents… my father… he killed my mother. He almost killed me. The greater your power…the more you're feared. People fear what they don't understand after all. "You told me that… you'll be the best ninja in the village, and make everyone respect you. If someone comes along and accepts you for who you are, no one could be more important to you than that person. Even though Zabuza knew I was from a clan with Kekkai Genkai, he took me in. My power that everyone hated… he wanted it, needed it." His face grew sad. "I was happy…" He took several steps towards Natsumi. "Natsumi… I need you.. to kill me." He stared at her, pleading.
"That's…that's ridiculous. You're a weapon? Just a tool for him? How can you call him special to you? Are you really okay with that?"
"Is that wrong? Tell me, what is wrong with that?"
"Well, yes."
"Zabuza counts on me, even if I'm worthless. He made me feel needed. But now, I've lost my usefulness that affirmed my existence. Zabuza no longer needs me. That's why I am now appealing to you. Please, make it quick. I want you to kill me." Natsumi felt a terrible sense of Déjà vu… Haku took another step forward. "What are you hesitating for?"
"I just don't get it. The only reason you're allowed to live is because you stay strong? There must be something other than just fighting. There must be another way for you to make others accept you."
"I apologize for dirtying your hands with my blood."
"Is there…really no other way?"
"No."
"If only…we had met under different circumstances, we perhaps… could have been…better acquainted—friends." She then took out her kunai and dashed towards Haku. "He also… Sasuke also had dreams of his own!" Natsumi kept rubbing, but at the last second, Haku grabbed Natsumi's wrist, stopping her.
"Forgive me… there has been a change in plans." He glanced to his right,doing several hand motions with a single hand. "I cannot die yet." He then jumped up and over to Kakashi and Zabuza.
Kakashi was charging towards Zabuza, a ball of lightning in his hand, aiming for his heart. When his hand contacted, it wasn't Zabuza's body; it was Haku's, impaling right in his heart. He coughed up blood.
"Zabuza…" he croaked out. Haku gripped onto Kakashi's wrist, so he was unable to move.
"Did you say my future was death? You're off the mark again, Kakashi!" Zabuza said. Natsumi stared in shock at the scene ahead of her, slowly walking over. "You did great, Haku…" Zabuza jumped up, equipping his giant blade, aiming it at Kakashi's head. Kakashi jumped back with Haku, dodging. "Not bad for having a corpse in your arms…"
With a tender breath, she turned around, going back to Sasuke's limp body. She stared down at him, feeling tears well up in her eyes, seeing the Senbon at his heart. He really had to be dead. She sat down on her knees, limbs shaking. She felt his cheek with the palm of her hand.
"His body has gone cold…" she whispered to herself, swallowing hard, desperately trying not to do anything unnecessary.
Shinobi Rule 25: A shinobi never shows their true feelings despite the circumstance; the mission always comes first. A ninja must have the strength of character, never to shed any tears.
"I've failed once again…" she whispered under her breath, feeling a tear drop on his clothes. She quickly rubbed her eyes, trying to get rid of them. "First Tomodachi, and now you."
"D-dobe…why are you crying..?" Natsumi gasped slightly, looking at his face. His eyes were open. He was breathing. He was alive!
"T-teme, what's wrong with you, almost dying like that?" She hissed, voice cracking slightly, wiping her eyes again, trying to cover it up as much as she could. He slowly sat up, wincing. Natsumi quickly steadied him.
"W-what happened.. to the guy in the mask?" Natsumi swallowed.
"Dead. Sacrificed himself for Zabuza, and—" she looked over to the side, eyes widening. "Zabuza is too, and Gato," she said in surprise. Sasuke slowly got to his feet. Natsumi looked closer at the Senbon at his heart and her eyes widened. It was only just below, and not deep enough to puncture.
'All this time, did Haku really not intend… to kill us?'
"Natsumi! Sasuke! Over here!" Sakura called, waving. Sasuke took a step and winced.
"Dobe…mind helping me out?" Natsumi nodded.
"Put an arm around me." Sasuke nodded, slinging an arm around. The two walked over to the rest of the group. Gato's men were still there, and they looked very, very unhappy.
"Damn ninja! Killing our source of money!" One of them said. "Now that it's come to this, there's no choice but to attack the whole town and take everything valuable." The group cheered. "Here we go!" They started to run across the bridge, but suddenly, an arrow came flying down right in front of them. It was Inari. He shot at them.
"Enemies who come any closer to the island… with all the might of the island's people… will not be allowed to live!" a villager yelled. The crowd cheered, raising their hammers and pitchforks in the air. Gato's men looked terrified, yelling in fear, running off at the sight of the villagers and ninja, retreating back to their boat.
"Victory!" someone yelled. Everyone cheered, including the genin and Kakashi.
"Kakashi…" croaked Zabuza. So he was alive after all… "I need to ask you a favor…"
"What is it?"
"His… I want to see his face…" Kakashi nodded, almost seeming to smile behind his mask.
"Sure." He picked Zabuza up, a hand under his neck and knees, and stood up, walking over to Haku's dead body as it began to snow, a rare occurrence at this time of year.
"Haku…are you crying…?" Zabuza asked, looking up at the sky. Kakashi then crouched down, laying Zabuza next to Haku. "Thank you…Kakashi…" Zabuza said, now turning his head to look at Haku. Kakashi said nothing, taking several steps forward. "You were always at my side… At the very least… I can be at your side in the end…" he weakly said. He grunted, his hand reaching to hold Haku's. "If it's possible… I'd like to go… to the same place… as you…" he whispered, cupping his cheek with a trembling hand. Everyone watched in silence, a few people close to tears.
"You'd be able to go, Zabuza…" Kakashi quietly said to himself. "The two of you…together."
The three genin and Kakashi were at a hill, the sun setting. They were in front of two wooden graves, newly placed. They were for Zabuza and Haku.
"But you know, Kakashi Sensei…" Sakura began.
"Hmm?"
"I wonder if the way a ninja should be is really as these two were saying." She looked back at him, sitting in front of Haku's grave. The others stood behind her.
"Shinobi are all merely tools in the hand of destiny. No point in wondering whether it's right or wrong. It just is. It's the same in the Village Hidden in the Leaves."
"I wonder if that's what it really means to become a real ninja. Is that why we go through all this training? To become like them?"
"Well… that's why all ninja live… trying to figure that out without realizing… Like Zabuza… like Haku…
"Then I'm going to find my own ninja way…" Natsumi said, staring at the sunset. "A way that's straight and true and without any regrets." Kakashi gave a small eye smile at that.
The genin were at the village entrance a few minutes later.
"Thanks to you, the bridge was safely completed, but we will miss you very much," Tazuna said.
"Thank you for everything," Kakashi said, giving a nod.
"I'm sure we'll visit real soon!" Sakura said. They all said their goodbyes and Kakashi and the genin went on their way now that the bridge was completed.
That bridge became known as The Great Natsumi Bridge.
AN:
What did you think? Please leave a review!
Also, from here on out, the story is finally gonna veer off more and more from canon :)