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Chapter 3.12 [34]
Haku woke with a jolt, gasping for breath. Darkness surrounded her, but the desperation from the battle still clung to her mind. Her heart pounded as she tried to make sense of where she was and she pushed herself up, her muscles aching but not injured.
She remembered the clash of weapons, the heat of the fight, the enemy—or rather, Naruto's relentless advance. If she truly wanted, she could have fought back… fought until he died but she didn't want him dead.
And here she was, a failure. Had Zabuza left her for dead? Was the fight still going on? She couldn't afford to wait and find out after she'd recovered. Her hand fumbled around her, finding the familiar smooth shape of the ANBU mask before she slipped it over her head.
Judging by the acrid scent of charred wood, she was in a cave. A faint noise in the distance snapped her to attention. Haku forced herself to stand, her legs shaking. She needed to move. In the worst case, an intruder was seeking to kill her and she couldn't die yet.
Not until she discovered whether her purpose in life had come to an end.
With the mask securely in place, Haku took cautious steps forward, her senses heightened. The faint glow of fire deeper within the cave drew her toward it, and she followed the sound of crackling flames.
Zabuza's silhouette came into view first, hunched and brooding by the fire. Relief mixed with apprehension surged through Haku; he was alive, but the tension in the air was palpable. She swallowed hard, steeling herself for what was to come.
"Master?" she called out softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
He turned sharply, his eyes locking onto her with an intensity that made her flinch. Without a word, he closed the distance between them and grabbed her by the collar, slamming her against the cave wall. The rough stone bit into her back, pinned against the cavern by his forearm, but she bit down the cry of pain that threatened to escape.
It would only bring her more pain.
"You worthless child," he hissed, his voice cold and merciless. "You had one job, Haku. One job, and you failed… again."
Each word struck her like a physical blow, and Haku struggled to keep her composure. The pain from the battle was nothing compared to the anguish his words inflicted. She wanted to explain but the words caught in her throat. She wrangled against the tears threatening to fall from her eyes, hiding her face by lowering her head because shinobi must not show emotion.
After failing to kill the Hidden Mist ANBU operative hunting was nothing. Until now, her mercy and humanity lacked any consequences—but it was different now. Gozu and Meizu—her very first teachers in the world—had died.
And they died because of her.
"I-I'm sorry, sir," she managed to say, her voice trembling despite her efforts to keep it steady. "I will not fail you again."
"Sorry?" Zabuza released her with a shove, causing her to stumble. "Sorry doesn't fix your mistakes. You're supposed to be my tool, my weapon. A weapon doesn't make mistakes!"
Haku's heart sank.
She had always known her place was to serve Zabuza, to be the instrument of his will. But in that moment, with Naruto's determined eyes and his father's kindness still fresh in her memory, she faltered. She had let her humanity slip through the cracks of her shinobi training, and now she was paying the price.
Perhaps she deserved it.
"I won't fail again," she repeated, more to herself than to him. She had to believe it, otherwise what use was she to him?
Zabuza's gaze bore into her, and for a moment, she saw something akin to doubt flicker in his eyes. It was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by the usual coldness but lasted enough to crush her even more.
"See that you don't," he growled, turning away from her. "Next time, I won't be so lenient. Fail me again and I'll end you myself. Your thing with mercy? It ends here. A weapon that shows mercy has no worth. What do you even have without me?"
He nodded at her for an answer.
"N-Nothing, Master."
"...Maybe it was a mistake to take you in." Zabuza leaned in and lifted her chin using his index finger and thumb. "I don't need empty words and promises. If you can't be of any use to me, I'll toss you aside. Just remember… before me, you lived a meaningless existence, wanted by no one."
She nodded slowly to not let the tears fall.
As he walked away, Haku sank to her knees. She fought to keep her tears at bay, reminding herself that she was a tool, nothing more. Tools did not cry, nor did they feel. Time seemed to stretch as she sat there, the fire's warmth doing little to chase away the cold that had settled in her chest.
She replayed the battle in her mind, every misstep, every hesitation. Naruto's determined face haunted her thoughts, a stark contrast to her master's bitter but rightful anger. In the cold silence of the cave, Haku vowed to bury her emotions even deeper, to become the perfect weapon Zabuza needed.
Haku knew she had to harden herself and let go of any semblance of weakness or weakness. But a small part of her, the part that had hesitated, wondered if she would ever truly be able to. Totsugi was her friend and Naruto was his son. Neither of them deserved to die—no, she didn't want to kill them.
However, her wants didn't matter… not to Zabuza. Tools were not supposed to have wants or dreams. As the fire crackled and the shadows danced on the cave walls, Haku forced herself to her feet. She had no choice but to push forward, to prove herself once more.
She caught up to her master as the early morning light beamed through the sparse trees in their golden brilliance. If he noticed her, he didn't give any indication and continued striding through the forest. Her eyes fell to his waist, where the thick sheathe for the Executioner's Blade met a pouch spanning the length of his lower back.
The end of a scroll poked out through the buttoned flap, marked in the Hidden Leaf's telltale red, yellow, and green. Her mind got to work filling in the gaps based on their conversation earlier but Haku was still left with questions.
But had the anger simmered down enough for her to ask them?
"...Master?" she began, slow and hesitant. He didn't reply—or even grunt—but neither did he stop her from talking so she continued, "What happened after I…"
Zabuza scoffed. "Say it like it happened, brat. You lost, plain and simple—to a kid younger than you—useless is what you are."
She swallowed the hurt as always. Haku was grateful for the mask she wore. For all her expertise in stealth, she had an incredibly expressive face and, were her master able to see behind it, he would spot the conflict churning in her eyes immediately.
"That blond boy—Sarutobi called him Naruto, I think—used you as a bargaining chip. There he was, crapping his pants in my presence, but he managed to make a pretty strong argument."
"What was it?" she asked.
Zabuza grunted. "...You're more important to me alive than killing Sarutobi—at least for now. I'll turn in his bounty myself one day, mark my words."
Haku smiled beneath her mask. Both at his concern for her and at his resolve to try again. Zabuza was never one to take defeat sitting down.
"His terms were that I take Goro's head and we go our separate ways. Seeing that Gozu and Meizu died, I decided to cash in one of their heads too."
Her smile vanished, replaced with a deep, piercing pang in her chest.
Gozu and Meizu—two men she'd come to see as older brothers—were dead. Like her, they were weapons for Zabuza to wield as he saw fit. After all the years they'd spent together, to hand their corpses in for money… it left a bad taste in her mouth.
She kept her thoughts to herself. Zabuza was already furious with her and he disliked her humanity on the best of days.
"Sixty-five million ryo—gone!" He lashed out, sending a small tree crashing to the ground. Haku stopped, afraid he'd turn his anger on her.
After a few moments, he started to walk away, navigating the bushes and brambles with his sword.
Haku caught up to him again. "Are we going to hand in the bounties, Master?"
"Later," he replied. "The corpses won't rot so long as the seal stays, and since we won't be screwing with it, it'll last for months. We're headed to the Hidden Waterfall."
"For?"
His glare was answer enough and their journey to the Hidden Waterfall was carried out in silence. They arrived under the cover of the night; Haku followed closely behind Zabuza, the dense forest pressing in on them from all sides. The towering trees filtered the sunlight into a perpetual twilight, casting long, shifting shadows against the ground.
Haku's thoughts drifted as she moved, her body on autopilot. She replayed the confrontation with Zabuza in her mind, his harsh words echoing in her ears. She couldn't afford another mistake; she needed to prove her worth to him. Her resolve hardened with each step, the weight of her mission pressing down on her.
The forest path was narrow and winding, often disappearing altogether beneath the thick underbrush. Zabuza navigated it with ease, his movements precise and confident. Haku struggled to keep up, her eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of danger. She knew that the Hidden Water Village was hidden behind its majestic waterfall, but little else.
She could hear its rushing water, distant but there, and it grew louder with each step until the trees parted to reveal the waterfall in all its glory. The sheer volume of water cascading down the cliffs created a mist that hung in the air, refracting the sunlight into a rainbow of colours and its roar was deafening.
Zabuza led them to a concealed path behind the waterfall, hidden by a curtain of water. The rocks were slippery, and the mist clung to Haku's skin, making the descent treacherous. They slipped behind the waterfall, entering a narrow, dark path leading into a hidden cavern. Haku's heart raced, the enclosed space amplifying her sense of vulnerability.
He stopped and made a gesture. Looking ahead, she saw two guards sitting across from one another on chairs. In an instant, she hurled senbon at both of the men. They stiffened, heads turning left and right, and slowly sagged to the ground.
If Zabuza was still angry at her, he didn't show it—even if knocking them out was the logical option, she still feared his wrath. "Take off your mask once we've got our money and go look around for anything interesting. I'll squeeze this place of everything it's got before I move on."
She nodded and took the lead this time, tucking her mask away into her robes. They emerged from the tunnel and entered the heart of the village. It was built into the natural landscape, with buildings carved into the rock and connected by a network of wooden bridges and pathways.
Seeing that it was the dead of night, the villagers were nowhere to be found, but their movements were purposeful and efficient. Zabuza and Haku stayed in the shadows, avoiding detection as they made their way to their destination. Their target was the village leader's office, a modest structure at the very back of the village that was partially hidden by the surrounding foliage.
Zabuza led Haku through a series of hidden paths and narrow alleys, avoiding the main thoroughfares and any watchful eyes. They moved with the practised ease of seasoned shinobi, their footsteps silent on the rocky ground. As they approached the office, Zabuza signalled for Haku to stay hidden.
She nodded, attaching herself to the ceiling and following him. Her senses were on high alert, despite the lower calibre of shinobi in a minor village like this one. Zabuza slipped into the shadows, blending seamlessly with the darkness until he entered the office and she joined him.
Inside the office, Zabuza moved with lethal grace. The room was sparsely furnished, with a large desk dominating the centre and shelves lined with scrolls and documents. The village leader, an older man with a stern expression, sat behind the desk, oblivious to the danger lurking in the shadows until he felt the cold press of Haku's curved knife against his throat.
"W-What is this—" Haku felt his pulse quicken. "Y-You're the De-Demon of the Mist!"
Zabuza chuckled but didn't answer.
"What do you want?" the old man asked, mastering his nerves after a long moment, though he couldn't keep the nervous warble out of his voice.
"Why the hostility? I'm here to do you a favour, chief."
Haku kept her blade steady against the leader's throat, feeling the tremors in his pulse. Zabuza's presence filled the room, his aura a palpable force. She could sense the fearful shift in the village leader's posture—his defiance was brittle.
"You trespass into my village, threaten my life, and call it a favour?" the old man murmured, his voice betraying a trace of steel beneath the fear.
Zabuza's chuckle was a low, dangerous rumble. "Your rogue ninja, Goro Tanimoto, is dead. Courtesy of me and my associate behind you." He nodded towards Haku, his eyes never leaving the leader's. "You had a problem. We solved it, and now, you owe us."
The village leader's eyes darted to Haku, then back to Zabuza. "You expect me to pay for a service I didn't request of you?"
Zabuza's expression hardened, and the air grew colder. Haku felt the weight of his killing intent pressing down on the room as a suffocating blanket of menace. The village leader tremoured in his seat and all his bravado crumbled under the assault of Zabuza's dark presence.
"You can either pay us now," said Zabuza, his voice like ice, "or we can discuss what happens if you refuse, and believe me, you don't want to know the details."
The village leader swallowed hard as he reached for a hidden compartment in his desk. He fumbled with the latch, finally retrieving a heavy bag of ryo.
"Ta-Take it," he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. "Take it and go."
Zabuza's gaze didn't waver as he took the bag, the sound of clinking coins a stark contrast to the tension in the room. "Smart man—but next time, you might not be so lucky."
With that, he stepped back, signalling Haku to lower her blade. She did so, but never let her guard down, following Zabuza out of the office with her senses still on high alert.
"Haku," her master called as they neared the exit, "stay here a couple of days undercover."
She tilted her head.
"I want to see what else we can wring out of that old man besides money. Look for dirty secrets, weak spots, the like."
"Where should I find you afterwards?"
"On the way here, we passed a cave due west of the waterfall. I'll be there."
Haku bowed, exchanging a final nod with him before he slipped away to safety.
As the days passed, her mind continued to churn over her failure and her master's harsh words. She had to prove herself when he'd trusted her enough to let her redeem herself. The opportunity came unexpectedly during a foray into the village after settling down in an abandoned building.
Deep in the morning market, there was a bright-haired young girl—seemingly her age—being treated with remarkable hostility despite her bubbly attitude. Haku's curiosity got the better of her so she observed from the shadows as the bronze-skinned, blue-haired girl moved through the village.
"Good morning sir—g'day, ma'am!"
The girl's attempts at interaction were met with scowls and cold shoulders. It puzzled Haku. Why would someone so seemingly benign provoke such animosity?
She followed the girl discreetly, her training keeping her well hidden but Haku's curiosity turned into concern when the girl's light skip picked up speed. Her movements were fluid and confident and she even threw her head over he shoulders, flashing a bright grin.
Then, she turned a sharp corner, prompting Haku to chase after her across the treetops. The girl stood in the field, her gaze piercing through the forest's dim light.
"I know you're there. You can come out."
Haku fell into view, her expression carefully neutral since she wasn't wearing her mask. "You're very… perceptive."
The girl's expression softened into a slight smile. "And you're stealthy. I'm guessing you're not here to cause trouble since I hear you've been following me for a while."
She noted the strange phrasing with a nod. "Just curious."
"Well," the girl sat down on crossed legs, spreading her arms wide, "I'm an open book."
"The villagers… why do they dislike you so much?"
"Can't even ask for a girl's name first, huh?" she said with a smile. "I'm Fuu, you?"
"...Rukia," Haku replied, slightly abashed.
"That's a pretty name. I'm guessing you're not from here?"
"...Why do you say that?"
Fuu shrugged. "Everyone here knows about me."
"I see," said Haku, mentally kicking herself for the misstep—she could have at least questioned the locals before following the girl. "I'm new here. What did you do that has them so…"
She trailed off, unsure of how to put it. Their conduct transcended mere dislike; it was something more intense.
"Hateful?" Fuu suggested with another shrug. "It's not what I did but what I am. I'm the host of the Seven-Tails. He's a funny old guy called Chomei." She stopped speaking and tilted her head as if listening to something. "Pardon me, he's Lucky Seven Chomei—happy now?"
"Pardon me?" Haku frowned.
"Oh, not you! I was talking to Chomei, the Seven-Tails."
Aside from the earth-shattering news that weapons of mass destruction were capable of reason, Haku found herself strangely disoriented by the teal-haired girl. Her endless cheer was both intoxicating and shallow—there was a lack of… genuineness that she couldn't quite place.
Fuu continued rattling off in the grass, muttering to herself or Haku—or even the Tailed Beast.
Haku observed Fuu closely, feeling a pang of sympathy for the girl. As Fuu continued to speak, her tone more frustrated with each passing word, Haku quietly knelt in the grass and gathered wildflowers from the forest floor.
"Not like they'd ever change their minds, even if I'm participating in the Chunin Exams for them," Fuu scoffed, waving a hand in front of her face while tugging clumps of grass out of the earth with her other. "Rigid, judgmental, cruel people till the end, am I right?"
Haku glanced at Fuu with a soft smile but said nothing. She continued to pick flowers, selecting the prettiest ones she could find.
"At least you're not like them, Rukia!" Fuu's voice was lighter now, but there was still a tinge of sadness there.
"Thanks for the compliment," Haku replied, her hands working deftly as she wove the flowers together. "You mentioned you were competing in the Chunin Exams?"
Fuu nodded happily. "It's a month from now in the Hidden Leaf village this time, though the last one was in the Land of Tea. My village is sending two teams and I'm on one of 'em." She jabbed a thumb to her chest and tipped her chin up. "Me!"
Her cheer was infectious, and Haku found herself smiling too. "Congratulations, Fuu."
"Thanks!"
Haku finished her work and stood up, holding a delicate flower circlet in her hands. She walked over to Fuu and gently placed it on her head.
Fuu blinked in surprise, her fingers lightly touching the floral wreath. "What's this for?"
Haku smiled warmly. "It's for you. You've been picking at those flowers for ages and I thought it would look beautiful on you—and I'm glad I was right."
Fuu's eyes shimmered and, for a moment, her cheerful facade cracked, revealing the vulnerable girl beneath for a brief but meaningful moment. "...Thank you, Rukia. No one's ever done something like this for me before."
Haku simply nodded, her own eyes soft with understanding. "You're welcome, Fuu. You deserve kindness, just like anyone else."
The blue-haired girl's smile grew more genuine, and she looked at Haku with a newfound warmth. "You're really something, Rukia. I'm glad we met."
"Me too."
As the conversation drifted on, Haku's mind began to race.
Fuu's participation in the Chunin Exams was an amazing chance for her to make a significant move. If she could infiltrate the Chunin Exams under the Hidden Waterfall's banner, it would give her a chance to demonstrate her worth to Zabuza, to prove her loyalty and resourcefulness.
He fled the Hidden Mist after failing to kill the Mizukage, a perfect Jinchuriki and here sat Fuu, a girl her age in cooperation with the Seven-Tails. Aligning with Fuu's team could offer both a strategic advantage and a chance for redemption.
Haku's mind was already working on a plan.
She needed to convince Zabuza of the value of her plan to turn her encounter with Fuu into a path to regain her master's favour. Instead of completing the instructed two days of reconnaissance, Haku snuck out of the Hidden Waterfall the instant she and Fuu parted ways, racing to the designated meeting spot to break the good news.
The dense forest blurred around her as she sprinted through the trees, her breath coming in short bursts. The journey back to the cave near the Hidden Waterfall seemed to take forever, but her determination drove her forward. As she approached the cave, Haku's heart pounded with anticipation. The air was cooler here and, unlike the cave she'd awoken in days before, there was no fire burning.
Zabuza was seated just past the mouth of the entrance, his Executioner's Blade resting against the wall beside him. He looked up as she entered, his expression unreadable.
"Master," Haku said, trying to keep her voice steady despite her excitement. "I have news."
Zabuza raised an eyebrow, a hint of interest in his eyes. "And what's so urgent that you've come here a day early?"
Haku took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm her racing thoughts. "While I was in the Hidden Waterfall, I encountered a girl named Fuu—and you won't believe this—she's a Jinchuriki! The host of the Seven-Tails. She's participating in the upcoming Chunin Exams in the Hidden Leaf."
"Their Jinchuriki? Really, now?" Zabuza's eyes narrowed, his interest piqued.
"Yes, Master." Haku stepped closer, her voice growing more confident. "The Hidden Waterfall is sending two teams and Fuu is on one of them. If I can join the other team from the Hidden Waterfall, not only can we gain valuable intelligence, but also create an opportunity to manipulate the outcome in our favour. It's a chance to show our skills, regain our reputation, and even gather intelligence on our enemies, including those from the Hidden Leaf."
Zabuza considered this for a moment with his gaze fixed on Haku. The silence stretched, thick with tension. "You've thought this through?"
"Every detail," Haku replied earnestly. "If we participate under the Hidden Waterfall's banner, we can blend in, exploit the chaos of the exams, and leverage the situation to our advantage. I don't even have to make it to the customary tournament. I just have to convince Fuu to join us; she doesn't have much love for this place."
This wasn't just about redeeming herself in Zabuza's eyes anymore; it was about helping Fuu, too. The girl was ostracized and mistreated by her own village. Joining forces with Haku and Zabuza could offer her a way out, a chance at a better life like it had for Haku.
Her master's face remained inscrutable but the tension in his shoulders eased slightly. "You have a point. If you can use this opportunity to our benefit, it might just redeem your earlier screw-up."
Haku's heart leapt with cautious hope.
"Very well. It seems I'll have to visit the old man and return his coin!" Zabuza's gaze grew colder, but a hint of approval glinted in his eyes. "If you can secure this position and turn it to our advantage, you'll earn back some of the trust you've lost. But remember, failure will not be tolerated. Do this right… or you'll face the consequences."
"I understand, Master," Haku said, bowing deeply. "I won't let you down."
Zabuza waved her off with a dismissive gesture. "Go then. Make the necessary arrangements. Spend the next day getting to know the Jinchuriki better."
She raced off with renewed purpose until his voice echoed behind her.
"And Haku… don't disappoint me again."
She left the cave, her mind already working on the next steps. The Chunin Exams would be a chance to prove her worth both to her master and herself—and Haku would not fail.
Not again.