Naruto
Petals in the Wind
Chapter IV
Team Seven was breaking down camp; they had made it to the shore where they would be smuggled into Nami by a fisherman. They couldn't afford to be caught entering Nami but they knew once they were in Nami they would no longer be in their home country. They also knew that the next opponent they would face would be stronger than the Demon Brothers.
The ride from Hi no Kumi to Nami was rather short but only made longer by the fact they couldn;t use the engine on the boat they were riding in. Once in Nami Team Seven began to walk once again their destination was still a bit ways off nothing too long but the bridge wasn't actually in Tazuna's village. It was only an hour away but that hour could make all the difference.
Naruto was in front of the group once again and on guard he knew that they weren't safe yet not until Gato had been dealt with. Naruto already made up his mind that once they reached Tazuna's village that he would be going to hunt down Gato and kill him. However before he could do that he had to get to Tazuna's village with Tazuna and his team.
As the group was walking Naruto heard a rustling in the bushes to the side of the road and signalled for everyone to stop. Going to investigate, Naruto found a white snow hare. Picking the snow hare up, Naruto questioned its place here. The snow hare didn't run away or bite him; it was calm and docile like a pet.
'I don't like this. This snow hare acts like a pet, not a wild animal. Plus this time of year snow hares are brown not white. What's its real purpose for being here?' Naruto thought to himself.
"Naruto what is it?" Kakashi called over to him.
"It's just a snow hare." Naruto replied to the question.
Just then a whistling sound could be heard. Kakashi was the first to act by tackling Tazuna to the ground and calling for his genin to hit the dirt. As everyone hit the ground Kakashi looked around and saw a massive sword embedded into a tree with a man standing on the grip, Momochi Zabuza.
"I see. So that's why the demon brothers failed. Who can compete with such a fearsome foe as Sharingan no Kakashi." Zabuza said calmly.
Sasuke heard the title and looked at his squad leader in confusion. Kakashi wasn't an Uchiha so how did he earn the title?
"Momochi Zabuza Demon of the Mist. While I could have dispatched the Demon Brothers it wasn't I who killed them. In fact it was my Genin who did them in." Kakashi said to Zabuza.
"Heh you expect me to believe three brats beat hardened shinobi." Zabuza taunted.
"Believe what you want I will not take what is rightfully theirs." Kakashi said not rising to the bait.
"Hand over the old man and I'll spare you and your genin." Zabuza ordered.
"That won't happen." Kakashi said, reaching for his Hitai-ate and pushing it up to reveal his Sharingan eye.
"So soon? I don't know if I should be honored or insulted." Zabuza said, mocking Kakashi.
"You should feel honored. I don't use the sharingan for everyone." Kakashi said. "Naruto, Neji, Sasuke protect Tazuna and leave Zabuza to me."
What no one knew was Naruto wasn't there he was following something else. Naruto had felt someone in the trees watching the events unfold. The person was a masked shinobi with a Kiri symbol on the mask.
"Who are you?" Naruto questioned not sure if this person was friend or foe.
The masked shinobi turned to Naruto with widened eyes hidden by the mask. She hadn't felt Naruto approaching; she didn't even know he was there until he spoke.
"I am Haku, a hunter-nin for Kiri. I was sent to kill Zabuza and bring back his body." the masked shinobi said.
"She's lying to you." a voice sounded in Naruto's head.
Naruto's eyes narrowed for a second at both the strange voice and Haku.
"Who are you really?" Naruto questioned.
"I am Haku. A hunter-nin…" Haku started to repeat before being cut off by Naruto.
"No you're not, I can sense your lying to me." Naruto said cutting Haku off.
"I see." Haku said, removing her mask. "My name is Haku, a shinobi under Zabuza-sama's command. I will protect him with everything I have and ensure his ambitions come to fruition."
"Kill her." the voice told Naruto.
Naruto ignored the voice for now, it wasn't something he could deal with right now anyway he needed to focus on Haku.
"If you're a threat to my team and Tazuna I will have to fight you." Naruto said to Haku.
"Then fight me, you will. But I should warn you I am not easily beaten." Haku said getting ready to fight Naruto.
Naruto got ready to fight as well. He knew this would be different from fighting the Demon Brothers, something was different he could feel it. Haku knew she couldn't hold back against Naruto. Something about this boy made her uneasy.
Haku threw three senbon at Naruto who dodged them with ease. Naruto was the fastest on their team and Haku wasn't fast enough to hit him. Haku saw him dodge her senbon and her eyes widened slightly this boy was faster than her without her mirrors.
Naruto rushed Haku. He knew he was faster but did he really want to kill Haku?
"Do it, kill her." the voice said again.
Naruto paid the voice no mind he wouldn't kill just because a voice said to. Naruto knew he was the Jinchuriki of the Kyubi but he didn't know if this voice was the Kyubi or something else. Naruto reached Haku and thrust his right arm forward ready to make the first strike of his seal. However Haku jumped back and made a hand seal summoning a dome of mirrors.
Haku slipped into one of the mirrors and was instantly duplicated on all the mirrors. Naruto looked around him and saw Haku in each mirror, this could get difficult he thought. Instantly Haku began to throw senbon at Naruto seemingly from all angles.
"I can make you faster, unleash me." the voice said.
Naruto now knew the voice was the Kyubi. It wanted him to use its chakra but was it safe to trust the Kyubi?
The rain of senbon continued, each senbon hitting Naruto each systematically hitting key points in his body pressure points. Haku was trying to wear him down without killing him, but could Naruto do the same?
Naruto focused his chakra flaring it in a manner to push the senbon out of his body; he didn't need the Kyubi, he wasn't a monster.
Haku saw Naruto push her senbon out of his body and regain his momentum this shocked her no one had ever shown this kind of skill.
Naruto looked around the dome while it seemed Haku was in all the mirrors. Naruto knew this wasn't true not without the use of clones and Haku hadn't made any clones, no she was being reflected in all the mirrors and was actually only in one of them. Naruto had to give it to Haku though her speed was beyond that of his own.
Naruto made a hand seal of his own and instantly made four clones effectively making this a five on one but Naruto knew a well placed senbon would dispel his clones but the clones were a diversion. Naruto drew a single kunai but this kunai was special. It had a seal wrapped around the handle, a seal that made his father famous in the third shinobi world war.
Haku threw senbon from all around Naruto each hitting its mark on both Naruto and his four clones. The clones dispelled upon being hit but that was ok Naruto never intended them to last long. Naruto threw his kunai and made his seal again.
"Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto yelled.
Instantly the single kunai duplicated into a hundred each kunai embedding into a mirror. Haku was surprised by this as nothing had ever been able to pierce her mirrors. However a loud sound could be heard from the waterside where Kakashi and Zabuza were fighting, the sound of a thousand birds. Fearing for Zabuza Haku dispelled her mirrors and went to protect Zabuza by taking the Chidori in Zabuza's stead.
"Well done Haku." Zabuza said as he brought his sword down aiming to kill Kakashi through Haku's body.
However Zabuza felt two pricks on his body, one on his chest and one on his back in the exact same spot. Then the seal activated and instantly killed Zabuza.
A/N: Hey everyone Azrael here with a new chapter in Petals in the Wind. This time we see Zabuza and Haku. Yes I killed them in their first appearance but hey I have plans for the climax of the Wave Arc. Also we see Kakashi's Chidori sooner than in canon. Also there is no bonding moment between Haku and Naruto this time around instead we get to see Kurama talking to Naruto for the first time even though Naruto doesn't respond to Kurama. Anyway until next time, ja~ne.