Edited 04/08/2015
Ashley's POV
We all stare at Naruto in silence as the smoke wafts away from him, with the blonde throwing one arm up in a wave and winking at us.
"Heheh" Naruto laughs determinedly, placing his hands on his hips and puffing his chest out, "Now that I'm here, everything will be alright!"
"Naruto!" Sakura exclaims happily, her eyes sparkling with hope and relief as she clasps her hands together underneath her chin.
"Ya know how in the movies the hero always shows up at the last second and kicks butt?" Naruto asks everyone rhetorically, not actually waiting for an answer. "Well, that's what I'm gonna do here!"
"You know," I state flatly, giving Naruto a deadpan look, "You would've been more successful in kicking butt if you'd used a sneak attack........But it's too late now that you've announced to the whole world that you're here."
Naruto sweat drops at this, his shoulders drooping slightly at my discouraging words. Obviously a surprise attack had never crossed his mind. Where has he even been this whole time anyway? It's not like him to miss out on the action.
"Not this annoying brat again...." Zabuza grunts in annoyance, as everyone one else just looks at Naruto like he's crazy.....Something that I've long started thinking he is.
"Alright!" Naruto suddenly shouts, new found confidence in his eyes as he looks towards Haku and places his palms together in a hand sign. "You're history! Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
As Naruto is about to perform his Jutsu, Zabuza suddenly flings a handful of shuriken at him, not willing to tolerate the blonde's interruption for one moment.
"Naruto!" Kakashi calls urgently. "Get out of the way!"
I struggle not to slap my hand to my face as Naruto freezes on the spot, unsure of how to react, only for Haku to intercept Zabuza's shuriken with some skilfully thrown needles. All of the weapons clatter to the ground loudly, with Zabuza sending his younger partner an irritated look.
"Wow, they didn't get him!" Sakura breathes with relief, pointing out the obvious, only for her apparent bi polar to kick in. "Naruto you idiot! What are you doing?!"
I send a pointed look her way, though she doesn't seem to notice, too busy grinding her teeth back and forth as she glares at a sheepish Naruto. Who is Sakura to be snapping at anyone? It's not like she's done anything useful here.......Well, I suppose I haven't exactly helped anyone either but.......Hey, at least I got rid of the fog. That's more than anything Sakura has done today!
"Naruto, this is a real battle" Kakashi berates, eyes gliding back over to Zabuza, "Not a talent show. Don't just use your Jutsu without some sort of plan!"
"Uhhhh...." Naruto replies dumbly, not really sure of what to say for himself.
"The Shinobi's art is deception" Kakashi continues lowly. "Always keep your enemy guessing. Even when you're only performing a single Jutsu, distract your opponent's attention to catch them off balance and out manoeuvre them."
"You just made yourself a human target when you burst into the battle like that" I add, casually waving one hand in Naruto's direction.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Naruto apologises profusely, running his fingers back and forth through his hair. "I just wanted to swoop in and save everyone!"
"Haku!" Zabuza suddenly barks in an aggravated tone, making all of our heads swivel around to face the man. "What do you think you're doing?!"
"......Please Zabuza" Haku requests calmly, "I'd like to fight this boy in my own way, if you don't mind."
"Bring it on!" Naruto challenges, clenching his hands into fists. He grits his teeth together in a smile, his blue eyes flashing with determination. I am unable to hold back the frown that etches itself onto my face as my blonde teammate races to meet Haku, eager to save Sasuke and prove himself to everyone.
'What an idiot' I think to myself, shaking my head. 'Haku is way tougher than he thinks. He's about to wipe the floor with Naruto.....'
'You keep saying that you don't care' Hakuba speaks up, sounding both thoughtful and suspicious at the same time, 'Yet it's beginning to sound like you really do. Don't be so stupid you brat....'
'I don't care' I internally sigh, sick of having to repeat myself. 'It's obvious that I don't Hakuba, so buzz off and leave us alone.'
'......Us?'
'Me and Keiji' I reply, to which Hakuba begins to growl.
'You'd better get rid of that insect brat' the Demon warns, sounding highly irritated, 'Or I'm going to do it myself!'
'What, are you jealous or something?' I ask mockingly, smirking to myself. 'Don't kid yourself, you can't do anything while you're trapped inside of me.'
I find myself standing in the middle of a dark room with stone walls, cold water pooling around my ankles. I hood my eyes and lift my head, peering into the huge prison before me, thick steel bars lined up side by side and looming high above my head. A large piece of paper, covered in ancient symbols, is stuck on the two steel bars that meet in the middle of the prison.
A puff of warm air escapes my lips as I look into the darkness beyond the steel pillars, only to see two red eyes glaring down at me, an anger burning behind them. Bending my knees as I sense movement, I swiftly perform a number of backhand springs, narrowly avoiding Hakuba as he throws his arms between the bars and slams his paw down into the ground.
Water splashes up into the air as the ground shakes, with me now poised in a crouched position, returning Hakuba's furious glare with one of my own.
"You would dare mock me?" Hakuba asks quietly, livid. "You think I am powerless, merely because these bars hold me back?"
"You are powerless" I reply smartly, rising to my feet and pointing at the piece of paper high above my head. "So long as that seal is in place, there's nothing you can do to me. Or anyone else for that matter."
The whole room shakes as Hakuba drags his arm back into his prison, sharp claws raking the stone floor. He rises into a sitting position, towering over me menacingly, and pulls his lips back to bare his teeth.
"If it weren't for that damned piece of paper" the Demon hisses coldly, ruby eyes narrowing up at the seal, before flicking back down to me, "I could kill you in an instant. You and the rest of the human race. You all deserve to be wiped from the face of this planet...."
"Too bad you'll never get the chance" I scoff, crossing my arms and turning away, though I am careful to watch Hakuba from the corner of my eye. He stares back at me in silence for a few moments, his anger and frustration silently building.
".......One day" the Demon eventually states, his tone dark and foreboding, "I will break you and get free. On that day, I will make you suffer. Even more so than you already have. So, by all means brat, keep making friends with that insect. Continue to become close with these pathetic Leaf Village Ninja. When I get free, I will slaughter them all right in front of you!"
"I'm not friends with any of them!" I shout back indignantly. "I don't have any friends Hakuba, you know that! I'm not stupid enough to get close to people anymore!"
"Perhaps I'll start with the Uchiha boy" Hakuba smirks evilly, eyeing me closely as I pause, my scowl deepening. "He has turned out to be rather impressive, despite all he has had to go through. Perhaps it will hurt you all the more to watch him die at my hands, all because you were to weak to contain my limitless pow-"
"Would you shut up about Sasuke?" I snap venomously, now feeling my own temper beginning to rise. "He means nothing, just like the rest of them!"
"....You can't lie to me brat" Hakuba chuckles ominously. "Trapped here in your psyche, I have access to all of your memories and true feelings. I can see everything you've been through, every thought you had and everything you felt. I know there are still people in your heart and the ones that are not yet dead, I will be sure to hunt down and kill them myself once I am free."
"All the more reason to fight to keep you trapped here forever" I state coldly, clenching my fists so tightly, my knuckles are beginning to turn white. I glare up into Hakuba's blood red eyes, gritting my teeth together in a growl at the sight of his taunting expression, neither of our gazes wavering.
"Ahh!" I cry out, being wrenched out of my own thoughts as a kunai knife zooms past my shoulder, slicing the flesh. I close one eye and suck in a breath through my gritted teeth, pressing one hand against the wound.
Looking up, I see that Kakashi and Zabuza are still engaged in quite the battle, each skilfully countering the others' moves with calculated movements. To my right, Sakura has fallen back to protect Tazuna once again, her wide eyes filled with concern as she fearfully watches on. My attention is quickly drawn over to Haku's ice dome however, when I hear Naruto shout Sasuke's name, the panic very evident in his voice.
Removing my hand from my stinging shoulder, I glance down to check the injury and, upon deciding it doesn't look too deep, break out into a run. Making sure to steer clear of Kakashi and Zabuza, though I see the rogue Ninja briefly glance over at me, I skid to a halt beside Haku's icy dome and place a hand on one of the mirrors, peering inside.
My eyes widen slightly when I see Naruto lying on the ground behind Sasuke, who seems to be in quite the sorry state. His body looks battered and drips with blood, so many needles sticking up out of his skin, it's a wonder no one is mistaking the Uchiha for a pin cushion.
Spotting Haku hunched on the ground a few metres away, eyes scrunched closed in pain, I turn on the side and squeeze in between two of the icy mirrors. Cautiously, I make my way towards my two teammates, a faint shivering running down my spine.
Just like the last time I'd been caught in this Jutsu, it's absolutely freezing inside here!
"Huh?" Naruto grunts, tilting his head back and blinking a few times as he sees me. "Ashley? What are you doing over here?!"
Sasuke shakily turns to look at me over his shoulder, one eye closed. Blood drips from his mouth and runs down his chin, staining his pale skin. I stare back at the ravenette through hard eyes, taking in the unfortunate number of needles protruding out of his skin.
Haku really did a number on him....
"What happened?" I ask lowly, looking back to Haku as Keiji flutters into the ice dome and lands on my shoulder.
"H-He got in the way" Sasuke replies weakly, his breaths heavy, "As usual......"
"Yeah!" Naruto chuckles, grinning up at his dark haired teammate. "You beat him Sasuke!"
"Y-You should see the.....the look on your face N-Naruto" Sasuke chokes out, smirking tiredly as the blonde's grin begins to fade, finally seeming to realise just how injured his teammate really is. "You look like....like such a l-loser...."
Naruto hastily pushes himself up into a sitting position, his blue eyes wavering with worry as he watches Sasuke's body tremble in pain, his knees almost giving out due to exhaustion.
I merely stare at the two boys, my interest piqued. It's not that I'm enjoying Sasuke's pain or anything, I'm just curious as to why the Uchiha has even risked his life like that just to save the life of someone else. It just sounds stupid to me. Adding to my intrigue, is the fact that Sasuke and Naruto hate each other......Don't they? They sure act like enemies most of the time, so why would they try to help each other like this?
"Why did you do that?" Naruto asks softly. "Why did you save me?"
"I......I don't know" Sasuke admits, only to cough hoarsely when he tries to shrug his shoulders. "I just did it!
I release a heavy sigh at this, feeling confused as I shake my head in disbelief. I don't get it. Sasuke doesn't even have a good reason as to why he just threw himself into harm's way like that. How stupid! He should've just saved himself and let Naruto get hurt like that! I mean, Sasuke's probably not gonna survive these injuries, so he's basically just thrown his own life away, and for what? Naruto? Any true Shinobi would save their own skin in a situation like this! Survival of the fittest and all.
".....I used to hate y-you" Sasuke smirks again, looking down at Naruto, the blonde's eyes widening. He immediately leaps to his feet, a perplexed expression clear on his face.
"Then why?!" Naruto demands to know. "Why did you protect me?! I didn't ask for you to do that Sasuke!"
"I don't know wh-why I did it" the Uchiha reiterates weakly, his knees finally giving out and causing him to fall backwards. Naruto darts forwards however, catching Sasuke before he can hit the ground.
"My body just m-moved on its own" Sasuke continues, his pride seeming to take a back seat as Naruto allows the injured Uchiha to lean against his knee. "I didn't have time to think!..........He's still out there you know. I p-promised myself that I'd stay alive, just until I'd killed him.....M-My brother...."
My eyes widen at that quiet proclamation, heart thudding against my chest. What had Sasuke just said? He.....He wants to kill his brother? But.....Surely that had to be some kind of joke, right? I mean, I remember him mentioning wanting to kill a certain someone back when we'd all had to introduce ourselves to each other, but I'd sort of just hoped that he'd been talking about someone else.....
"N-Naruto" Sasuke addresses quietly, his eyes beginning to close as he lifts one hand into the air, "Don't let your dream die......"
I swallow thickly as Sasuke's head rolls to this side, his hand dropping back down to the ground. I continue to stare at the now dead Uchiha, really not sure how to feel about the whole situation, as Naruto's blue eyes begin filling with tears.
We remain silent for a few moments, only for me to take a tentative step forwards when I see Naruto's shoulders shaking, the boy's eyes now closed as he sobs over his deceased comrade.
"Uh, Naruto?" I ask, still confused about his and Sasuke's actions towards each other. "Are you-"
"Shut up!" he shouts hotly, not even bothering to turn around. I blink in surprise at this reaction, not even bothered that he'd just yelled at me. While I would normally want to punish someone for disrespecting me like that, I'm more just impressed that he'd actually grown enough backbone to stand up to me.
Folding my arms over my chest, I watch on as Naruto continues to cry over Sasuke, my confusion growing. I don't think I've ever seen somebody so heartbroken over the loss of another person.....Well, that may not actually be true, but still. Why is Naruto crying over his rival like that? Did Sasuke really mean so much to him? Maybe I just don't understand their relationship or something?.....I don't know. I mean, I'm not exactly an expert on friendship or anything like that....
I turn my head as Haku climbs to his feet, also watching Naruto and Sasuke. I think he can tell as well as I can that Naruto has never witnessed a death before, especially one of a teammate. I suppose it must be confronting for him.
"He found a strength that he didn't even realise he had" Haku murmurs, referring to Sasuke. "Why? To save someone precious to him. He rushed right in to protect his friend, even though he knew it was a trap...."
To protect someone precious? There's no way that you can become stronger just because you're stupid enough to get close to someone and want to protect them. It's ridiculous and it doesn't make sense!
........Yet, even Haku thinks this way and he's apparently the bad guy here....
"Is this the first time you've seen a friend die in battle?" Haku asks Naruto gently, stepping back into one of his ice mirrors. "This is what it means to be a Ninja."
"Shut up" Naruto commands darkly, gently placing Sasuke's body on the ground. "I...I hated you too Sasuke, and yet......"
Raising one eyebrow as Naruto rises to his feet, the blonde's face tilted down towards the ground, I can't help jumping with fright when his chakra suddenly surges. Steam shoots up from the ground around him, a hot wind beginning to billow around us and whip at our skin.
"You'll pay for this...." Naruto growls dangerously, as I hold my hair back from my face and stare at him with wide eyes.
"What the hell?" I wonder out loud, only to hear Hakuba growling softly in the back of my mind. "What? What's wrong?"
'......It's him......' the Demon replies mysteriously, a sharp edge to his voice.
"Who?" I ask, only to throw my hands up in front of my face when the steam blasting around Naruto suddenly flashes bright red, his chakra so powerful that it becomes visible. It spirals around the blonde violently, strong enough that the gust billowing through the area stings my exposed skin.
"This feels so evil!" I shout over the roaring wind, having to squint my eyes. I can no longer see Naruto however, as he is now encased in a whirlwind of raging chakra. "It reminds me of your-"
'I imagine it does' Hakuba interrupts with a snarl, growling angrily at the current predicament we are in. 'This is what I was suspicious of earlier, when that brat's hand healed so quickly.......He has the Nine Tailed Fox sealed inside of him. This is its chakra.....My chakra. I don't like this......I want that power back!"
I continue to stare at Naruto in amazement, the malevolent chakra blazing around his body lighting up Haku's ice mirrors and reflecting an ominous red glow. Still holding my hair out of my face, I take a step back and look up, only to see an apparition of the Nine Tailed Fox's face looming high above Naruto. It releases a thunderous roar, sending out a shock wave that almost sends me sprawling to the ground.
Suddenly, Keiji is ripped from my shoulder by the vortex of chakra, his yellow wings flapping frantically as he tries to escape it's grasp.
"Keiji!" I call out, taking a step forwards, only to freeze as the insect's fragile body disintegrates right in front of me. The chakra, too raw and powerful for Keiji to handle, had torn him to tiny shreds in a mere second.....
I stare, wide eyed, for a few moments, before my face drops into a deep scowl. I'm not angry as such.....and yet I do feel strangely disappointed. Maybe even a little bit guilty. Why?
It's just a Butterfly. Who cares if it got killed?...
'I knew I didn't like that child....' Hakuba murmurs to himself, his agitation at the Nine Tails' presence growing. 'I should've known right from the beginning. I want that power back brat!'
'And just what do you expect me to do?!' I shout back in my mind, feeling frustrated and mad as I raise my eyes back up to Naruto, the swirling chakra begins to recede. 'How do you expect me to fight a guy possessed by a Tailed Beast?!'
"I'm gonna kill you......" Naruto promises Haku icily, his now sharp teeth bared. His eyes, previously a bright blue colour, have bled into a deep red, the pupils now thin slits. Those eyes.......They're definitely the eyes of a Demon....
I feel a faint chill run down my spine as the needles in Naruto's flesh are suddenly dispelled into the air, his injuries rapidly healing themselves. Though the red chakra is no longer spinning like a vortex, instead coating Naruto's body as if it were a cloak, I can feel the wrath and blood lust emanating from the Nine Tails' energy.
Releasing an animalistic growl, Naruto throws himself towards Haku on all fours, moving much faster than before. The dark haired male quickly leaps from one mirror into another, flinging a handful of Senbon needles right at Naruto.
They all hit their target, sinking into his skin, only to be immediately repelled from Naruto thanks to the chakra coating his body. The blonde growls again, his red eyes keenly following Haku as he rises onto all fours and smashes his way right through one of the ice mirrors.
I cautiously rise to my feet as Naruto follows Haku, who leaps to another mirror, my brows furrowing. I have a feeling that Naruto can't really control his own power right now.
Haku jumps from his current mirror, his torso entering a different one, only for Naruto to lash out and catch hold of the boy's ankle. Haku lets out a gasp, his eyes widening when he looks back over his shoulder, only to see Naruto's Demon chakra surging once again.
Feeling something land on my shoulder, I tilt my head back and gaze up with a questioning look. Seeing that Haku's ice mirrors have all begun to crack, with some of the shards already falling, I spin around on my heels. Squeezing through two of the mirrors, I continue to run, skidding to a halt when I come face to face with Zabuza.
The tall Ninja glares right at me, though he is currently incapacitated by a pack of what I'm assuming are Ninja Hounds. They have each latched onto one of Zabuza's limbs, sinking their teeth into his flesh and securing him in place.
Gross. Dogs. I'm not really a Dog person, I mean, why use a Dog when you can use something far more reliable? Like a Wolf.
Staring for only a moment longer, I skirt around Zabuza and run towards Kakashi, coming to a stop once I am beside him.
"Hm?" the Jonin grunts, a scroll held between his teeth and his hands pressed together in a seal.
I slowly turn around as I hear Kakashi muttering something, apparently asking me a question, though it's hard to discern what he's saying considering his mouth is full. I'm pretty sure I know what he's after though.
".......Naruto has released some of the Nine Tails' chakra" I inform the man, seeing his eyes widen. I place one hand on my hip, giving Kakashi a suspicious look. "It doesn't seem like he can control that power either. He's never used it before, has he?"
Sighing heavily, Kakashi removes the scroll from his mouth, a troubled look on his face as he shakes his head.
"He doesn't even really know about the Nine Tails" the silver haired man admits, to which my eyes widen once again, shocked.
"What?!" I exclaim, a look of both horror and bewilderment on my face. "He's got a Demon inside of him and he doesn't even know about it?! How can something like that even happen?!"
"Well, he knows it's sealed inside of him" Kakashi explains pointedly, though I can hear the apprehension in his voice, "He just doesn't know what it can do...."
"Has it even been sealed properly?" I question sharply, folding my arms over my chest.
"........Yes" Kakashi responds after a brief pause, glancing at me from the corner of his eye, "By the Fourth Hokage. It would seem that the seal has loosened though. Not completely broken, but enough for some of the Nine Tail's chakra to seep through......This needs to be dealt with as soon as possible...."
Before either of us can say anything else, Haku's body suddenly comes crashing right through one of the ice mirrors. He slams heavily into the ground and slides along it for a few metres, eventually coming to a slow stop.
He lets out a low groan and pushes himself up into a sitting position, watching on through hooded eyes as his Jutsu is broken, all of the ice mirrors crashing to the ground. Clouds of icy dust rise into the air as the mirrors shatter, with an enraged Naruto looming through the mist, his red eyes flashing.
Growling, Naruto abruptly breaks into a run, charging towards Haku with his hands balled into fists. The dark haired male makes no attempt to evade the attack, merely looking up into Naruto's face as he throws a punch.
The blonde suddenly freezes however, his fist only millimetres away from Haku's own face. I watch on, feeling highly confused when I see Naruto's eyes slowly changing back to their normal blue colour, his Demon chakra fading.
What is that idiot doing? He should hurry up and kill Haku, while he can! He's the enemy after all. Why would he spare the enemy?
"Hey!" Naruto eventually cries, still staring at Haku in surprise. "You're.....You're that guy I met in the woods while I was training, aren't you? I can't believe I didn't recognise you sooner! You look different now....."
"Why won't you strike me?" Haku asks, ignoring Naruto's question and tilting his head to the side. "Didn't you proclaim that you would avenge your teammate by killing me? Perhaps that was just a vow filled with empty words?"
Casting a look back over his shoulder, Naruto narrows his eyes at Sasuke's unmoving body, before whirling back around and slamming his fist into Haku's face. The dark haired male tumbles across the ground, only to wipe his mouth and rise to his feet, shaking his head.
"No, this won't do" Haku sighs. "You're still holding back. You will never be able to keep your word if that's all the strength you can muster...."
Here Haku pauses for a few moments, studying Naruto closely. The blonde, a conflicted expression on his face, raises his blue eyes to meet those of his opponent, unsure of what to do. I don't really understand his hesitation. I mean, Haku just tried to kill him and attacked Sasuke, so it doesn't make sense for Naruto to hold back. Wasn't he just burning with rage a second ago? What happened to that Naruto?
"Maybe he didn't mean as much to you as you pretended" Haku suggests, eyes downcast. "To show mercy to the one who opposes the one you serve, to allow his enemies to live when you could strike them down......That is not compassion, that is a betrayal of your life's very purpose. For what reason do you exist then? You're of no use to anyone, your life has no meaning. It is just mere existence. Day after day of struggling, pain and-"
"Speak for yourself" Naruto interrupts, frowning at Haku.
"Are you really so blind?" the darker haired boy asks softly. "I am speaking about myself. Our fight today has shown me that I can be of no further use to Zabuza......"
"Why Zabuza?" Naruto demands to know, perplexed by Haku's words. "Why would you risk your life for a jerk like him?! Why would you dedicate your life to such a rotten guy?! He doesn't even know the meaning of the word honour! If he's really the one person who means everything to you, then man!.......That's the saddest thing I've ever heard....."
Closing his eyes and smiling kindly, Haku explains to Naruto how he had been hated amongst his Clan for his unique powers. Zabuza had found the boy and taken him in, only to use Haku's power for himself. Being the lonely soul that he was, despised for his Kekkei Genkai, Haku had only been too happy to go with Zabuza and serve as the man's weapon.
A sad existence indeed. Some people just don't seem to understand. You can't rely on others, you can only rely on yourself. Don't fight for anyone else and don't live for anyone else.
"I have failed you Zabuza...." Haku says apologetically, opening his eyes to stare down at the ground. "I am like a weapon that has been broken. I am of no further use..."
Seeming to decide something, Haku raises his head and slowly walks up to a distressed Naruto, smiling as he looks the blonde in the eye.
"Naruto......" Haku pleads, "Please, kill me."
"But you're more than that!" Naruto encourages, unwilling to accept Haku's words. "Why are you so set on helping a guy who only uses you as a weapon? How can you wanna serve someone like that?!"
"For that very reason" Haku answers evenly. "Does that seem strange to you?"
"Well....." Naruto trails off, before nodding. "Yeah, kinda....."
"When Zabuza found me, I had no purpose" Haku says, his smile warm and genuine, "No reason for living. But, in using me as his weapon, he gave me a reason to keep on living. Now though, the only thing that gave my life meaning is gone. I am of no further use to Zabuza and so, I wish to die. Go on Naruto, for both of our sake's, just kill me.....Please......"
Feeling a sudden surge of chakra from Kakashi as the Jonin decides he's heard enough, I turn and look over at him. Having to squint my eyes due to the bright light emanating from Kakashi, I can see chakra sparking in the palm of his hand, so concentrated that it has taken on the form of dangerous looking lightning.
'Wow, that Jutsu certainly has some serious power behind it' I think, slightly impressed, before my brows furrow and I narrow my eyes suspiciously. 'Wait, have I.......Have I seen that somewhere before?....'
"Lightning Blade!" Kakashi shouts, darting away from me and barrelling straight towards the still incapacitated Zabuza.
"Are you sure about this?" Naruto ask Haku uncertainly, bringing my attention back over to them. "Are you sure this is the only way?"
Haku closes his eyes and nods once. "Yes."
"The funny thing is" Naruto chuckles sadly, bowing his head, "If we had met in a different situation, I think we could've been friends"
I sigh, feeling both perplexed and frustrated at the same time. I don't understand. Why is Naruto sympathising with the enemy? Haku attacked everyone and wasn't hesitating when he'd tried to kill Naruto earlier. He actually did kill Sasuke, so why does Naruto feel such unwillingness to take Haku's life? It just doesn't make sense to me at all. Naruto's too friendly for his own good. Someone will take advantage of that one day....
"This is for Sasuke" Naruto suddenly shouts, pulling a kunai out of his weapons pouch and running towards Haku, "Coz he also had a dream!"
Just as Kakashi is about to run Zabuza through with his Lightning Blade and Naruto is about to kill Haku, the dark haired male reopens his eyes. He reacts quickly, jabbing his hand upwards and catching Naruto's wrist, stopping the attack.
"Huh?!" Naruto exclaims, eyes bulging in confusion.
"Sorry Naruto" Haku apologises, perform seals with his free hand and looking back over his shoulder, "There's been a change of plans. Looks like I'm not ready to die just yet."
Whirling around as Haku abruptly vanishes from sight, I am just in time to see Kakashi throw his lightning covered hand at Zabuza, when an icy mirror suddenly appears between the two men. Haku jumps out of the mirror, taking the full brunt of Kakashi's attack before the Jonin can stop himself. His eyes widen when his hand goes straight through Haku's stomach, appearing out of the boy's back.
Naruto races towards the group of males, giving a shout of surprise when he sees the limp, bloodied Haku protected Zabuza. The lightning fades from around Kakashi's hand, just as all of the Jonin's Ninja Hounds begin disappearing, one by one in puffs of smoke.
Raising one eyebrow, I glance over at the scroll Kakashi had dropped when he'd run at Zabuza, only to see that it has been pierced with one of Haku's Senbon needles. He must have thrown it when he'd appeared between Kakashi and Zabuza, wanting to free his Master from the Dogs.
"The boy threw himself in front of my attack" Kakashi mutters in disbelief, raising his eyes to glower at Zabuza. "He chose to save your worthless life, in exchange for his own."
"Well done Haku" the Mist Ninja chuckles lowly, reaching for the huge sword strapped to his back. "I knew I'd found a treasure when I took you in! You've not only given me my life, but Kakashi's as well!"
"Kakashi Sensei" Sakura screams, looking on in horror as Zabuza raises his sword up with one hand, "Look out!"
The silver haired man tries to tug his hand back towards himself, only to realise that he is unable to get away, Haku's dead hands gripping onto his upper arm. Watching as Zabuza brings his sword down with force, Kakashi takes hold of Haku and dives out of the way, narrowly avoiding being run through.
"Not bad for having a dead body in your arms" Zabuza mocks, laughing evilly.
"You'll pay for that!" Naruto shouts at Zabuza, angry at his treatment of the loyal Haku.
"No, stay out of this Naruto!" Kakashi commands, managing to free himself of Haku's grip. He bends down to rest the boy's boy on the ground, gently closing Haku's eyes. "This is my battle."
"Hey Naruto!" Sakura suddenly calls, waving one arm around. "Over here!"
The blonde male peers over at her and sighs heavily, his shoulders drooping. He's probably wondering how she's gonna take the news that Sasuke's dead.
"So" Sakura asks loudly, a hopeful look lighting up her face, "Are you and Sasuke alright?!"
Naruto doesn't reply however, avoiding making eye contact with the pinkette. He rubs at his arm and bites his lower lip, clearly not sure what to tell Sakura. I tilt my head at the troubled look in his eyes, feeling thoroughly confused. What's going on around here? There's so much emotion and empathy coming from my teammates, I just don't understand it at all...
"What's wrong?" Sakura asks, her eyes widening with realisation as Naruto closes his own eyes, body trembling. "W-Where is Sasuke anyway?"
Sakura continues to stare over at Naruto, tears beginning to fill her green eyes as the blonde keeps on ignoring her, unable to tell her what she's beginning to realise is true.
"No....." the pink haired girl breathes out shakily, hands covering her mouth. "I-It can't be true....."
"Sakura..." Kakashi begins, only to have his attention yanked back to Zabuza.
"I'd pay attention to this fight if I were you Kakashi!" Zabuza advises, swinging his sword at the Leaf Jonin again.
Crouching down, Kakashi places his hands on the ground and swings one foot up, nailing Zabuza in the stomach with a powerful kick that sends him sprawling backwards. Choosing to take advantage of the opportunity, Sakura and Tazuna run hand in hand over to Sasuke's body, making me sigh.
Honestly, in a life or death battle like this, the boy you have a strange obsession with should not be your first priority. Surviving and killing the enemy should be, although I'm sure Kakashi would say protecting your teammates should be first priority. A difference of opinion I suppose...
I see Sakura and Tazuna hesitantly approaching Sasuke's motionless body, with the old man murmuring under his breath. Sakura ignores him, falling heavily to her knees and bursting into tears, crying over Sasuke.
She's so stupid! Shinobi don't cry, especially when there's a fight going on! Will she ever learn? You'd think she would have learned that she needs to keep her emotions in check back when she was at that Ninja Academy.
Unsure of who I should be watching, I turn back around, just in time to see Zabuza charge towards Kakashi again, only to be knocked away by the Jonin's fist. As the Mist Ninja slides backwards, frustration burning in his eyes, I notice a large amount of blood staining the skin on his arm.
'One of Kakashi's Dogs must have seriously injured Zabuza's arm' I muse. 'He's beginning to slow down....'
"I'll split you in half!" Zabuza shouts viciously, using his good arm to swing his sword again.
Kakashi merely takes a step backwards, easily avoiding the attack. Snarling with irritation, Zabuza smashes his sword straight down on top of the Leaf Village Jonin, only to realise that he has disappeared from sight.
The rogue Shinobi looks around wildly, freezing when Kakashi reappears behind him, holding the back of Zabuza's neck.
"Look at you," the silver haired man taunts, "You're falling apart. I knew you didn't have what it takes for the long haul."
"What did you say to me?!" Zabuza demands to know, struggling to free himself.
"You have no idea what real strength entails" Kakashi mocks the Mist Ninja. "Game over, you lose!"
The Jonin pulls out a kunai knife and moves to slash Zabuza's neck with it, only for the muscular Shinobi to swing his huge blade backwards, almost taking off Kakashi's head with it. He does a number of back handsprings to put some distance between himself and Zabuza, coming to a stop beside Naruto.
Zabuza accidentally drops his sword, blood now dripping down his arm from the swift, almost invisible attack Kakashi had thrown at him. I smirk at the furious expression on Zabuza's face, admittedly impressed by how quick Kakashi had been. I hadn't even seen him slice Zabuza's arm open.
"Now both of your arms are useless" Kakashi points out, knees bent and eyes trained on Zabuza. "What'll you do now? You can't even make hand signs anymore."
I blink as someone suddenly takes a step onto the bridge, the sound of an unfamiliar voice making all of us turn around. I frown a little, seeing a small man in a suit standing before us, a large group of armed men poised behind him, apparently ready to attack.
"He did quite a job on you, hey Zabuza?" the tiny man sneers, his dark sunglasses glinting in the light. "You look like yesterday's sashimi."
Zabuza sends the man a dangerous look, silently daring him to continue with his taunts. Who is this guy exactly? And what's he doing here? I don't think it's very smart to taunt someone like Zabuza, even if he is injured, unless you've got the strength to back yourself up.
"I'm disappointed in you" the little man sighs, the gang of men behind him all muttering in agreement and sniggering at Zabuza's current predicament.
"Gato" the Mist Ninja growls lowly, "I don't get it. What're you doing here? Why did you bring a gang of thugs with you?"
"Well, though they're all very good questions indeed" Gato replies with a smug grin, his tone rather sinister, "I'm not obligated to answer them. According to my new plan, you die right here and now on this bridge Zabuza."
"What?..." he ask sharply, clearly aggravated by this sudden betrayal.
"That's right, you're way too expensive" Gato explains mockingly, waving one hand. "So, I've decided to take you off the payroll. Of course, even this gang of thugs I brought with me costs something, so if you could manage to hack a few of them down while they try to kill you, I'd be very appreciative. Do you think you can handle that, Demon of the Hidden Mist? Ha, look at you! You look about as threatening and demonic as a wet kitten."
Gato's men break into laughter at the insult, oblivious to Zabuza's growing annoyance.
"Well, well Kakashi" the muscular Ninja speaks up, crouching down, "It would seem that our fight is over. Since I am no longer working for Gato, your bridge builder is safe. We have no further quarrel."
"Yeah, I guess you're right" Kakashi agrees slowly, assessing the situation. We all watch on cautiously, when Gato spots Haku's body and stalks over to it.
"That reminds me, you little brat" the short man spits, "You grabbed my arm and nearly broke it earlier! I've been meaning to repay you for that!"
Lifting his cane up into the air, Gato brings it down on Haku's face and smacks it, a loud crack resounding through the air.
"I only wish he were alive to feel it" Gato smirks, satisfied. He looks up at Zabuza, to see if the move had gotten any reaction, but the Mist Ninja remains silent, a dark expression plastered across his face.
"Get away!" Naruto roars, running towards Gato. "Get away from him you scum!"
"Hey, stop it Naruto!" Kakashi commands, reaching out and catching the blonde back by the collar of his jacket. "Use that brain of yours!"
"Fine!" Naruto snaps angrily, squirming around so that he can face the silent Mist Ninja not too far away from him. "What about you though Zabuza?! Are you just gonna sit back and let him get away with that?!"
"Be quiet, you idiot" Zabuza responds stonily, still staring straight ahead. "Haku's dead, so it doesn't matter."
"What?!" Naruto explodes, outraged. "You mean you don't mind watching Haku get treated like a dog?! You were together for years! Doesn't that mean anything to you?!"
I tilt my head to the side, a troubled look on my face as I stare at Naruto. Why does it bother him so much that Zabuza doesn't care? I mean, it's not like he and Haku were close, so why is he so concerned for the guy? Haku was the enemy! He shouldn't care what happens to the body!
"You clearly don't understand the way of the Shinobi" Zabuza states in a gravelly voice, eyes narrowed at Naruto. "I merely used Haku, in the same way that Gato used me. It's over. Haku's usefulness is at an end. I will miss his strength and skill, but that is all. The boy himself means nothing."
"If you really believe that" Naruto argues, anger just about radiating from his body, "Then you're an even bigger jerk than I first thought".
"Alright Naruto" Kakashi speaks up soothingly, placing a hand on the blonde's shoulder, "It's time to calm down now. Zabuza's not the enemy anymore."
"Shut up!" Naruto shouts, shoving his Sensei's hand away. Whirling around, the blonde jabs an accusatory finger towards Zabuza.
"As far as I'm concerned" Naruto states, his scowl deepening as Zabuza turns to face him, "He's enemy number one! Haku did everything for you! He lived for you! You were the most important thing in the world to him and yet, he meant nothing to you?! Nothing at all?! While he sacrificed his all for you, didn't you feel anything for him?! And...and if I become stronger.....does that mean I'll become as cold hearted as you?"
Naruto trails off for a moment, his eyes beginning to fill with tears. I shake my head slowly, trying to contemplate the blue eyes boy's strong emotions. Why does he care so much for a stranger? A stranger who was the enemy no less?
"He threw his life away" Naruto continues strongly, disapproval in his sharp gaze, "And for what?! For you and your dream! Y-You never let Haku have a dream of his own, but he didn't care....And you'd just toss him aside, like he was nothing to you! A broken tool....Man, that's so wrong....So wrong!"
Here Naruto bows his head, and buries his face in his hands, deeply saddened and dismayed by the whole idea.
"........You talk too much..." Zabuza says quietly, causing everyone to look over at him. My eyes widen in shock, to see the Mist Ninja staring up into the sky, tears filling his eyes and beginning to drip down his cheeks. "Your words cut deep boy. Deeper than any blade..."
Spotting Gato waving one hand towards us, not concerned with the emotional display currently happening before him, I turn my head. A rather large man smirks down at his boss, nodding his head as he begins walking over. He focuses his eyes on me, cracking his knuckles in an effort to intimidate me.
"While he was fighting you, his heart was breaking" Zabuza continues in the background. "Haku was always too kind and soft hearted. He felt pain and sorrow and now, curse him, I feel them too!......I feel content that this is the way it will end...."
I glare up at the man as he stops right in front of me, reaching for the katana strapped across his torso.
"I wouldn't" I advise him coldly. "You'll regret it."
The large man only laughs, shaking his head and raising an eyebrow as if silently questioning me on how I could ever hope to defend myself against him. Well, I'll happily oblige if he's so curious to find out....
"Cat got your tongue there boy?" Zabuza asks Naruto, tugging down the bandages that are wrapped around his mouth. "Are you surprised that I'm actually human as well? Even Shinobi are human and no matter how hard we may try to escape that fact, we will always fail. At least, I have failed anyway.........Now give me your kunai!"
Naruto jumps at the sudden commanding tone, fumbling around with his knife, before hurriedly tossing it over to the tall Mist Ninja. Zabuza catches it easily between his teeth, about to run for Gato, when a loud shout of pain catches everyone's attention.
I bare my sharp teeth up at the man before me, gripping his wrist tightly in my hand. His face pales, sweat dripping down the sides of it.
"Y-You broke my wrist" he babbles fearfully, his arm shaking.
"I told you that you'd regret it" I sneer. "Breaking bones is a hobby of mine."
Releasing the man's floppy wrist, I drop down to the ground and spin around, swinging out my leg to sweep him off of his feet. As he falls, I quickly jump up and jam my knee into his stomach, causing the man's eyes to bulge in pain, drops of blood spurting from his mouth.
Not allowing my opponent any time to recover, I pull my right fist back and focus chakra into it, before pounding the man right in the face. His head wrenches to the side from the hit, eyes rolling back into his head as he flies backwards, eventually sliding to a stop at the feet of his fellow henchmen.
"Who's next?" I encourage ominously, cracking my knuckles this time, to which a few of the men behind Gato jump backwards.
"She's crazy!" one of them yells, inspecting the damage I'd so easily inflicted on the other man. Judging by how quickly that fight went down, I'd say these guys aren't even Ninja. Maybe they're fighters of some kind, but they're hardly a match for people like us.
Grinning in dark amusement and placing my hands on my hips, I turn my head, only to notice that Zabuza is eyeing me cautiously.
"Be my guest" I offer flatly, waving my hand towards the thugs. "I wasn't trying to steal your thunder or anything."
An evil grin slowly spreading across his face, giving him an evil appearance, Zabuza takes off, charging towards Gato and his men at an impressive speed. For someone who can't use his arms anymore, he sure can move!
"Aaaarrrgghh!" Gato screeches in fear, turning and running through his men like a coward, trying to hide behind them all. "Go on, do it! Take them down! Now!"
The thugs all cheer as Zabuza runs towards them, brandishing their numerous weapons.
"He's a maniac!"
"What's he thinking, taking on all of us by himself?"
Their taunting shouts soon turn to cries of pain and terror as Zabuza disappears into the crowd however, easily slashing at and killing them with his small kunai knife. He leaps and flips over some of them, clearly just wanting to get to Gato. One of the henchmen manages to stab Zabuza in the back with a giant spear and although he is severely injured, Zabuza pushes on, determined to kill Gato before he dies himself.
The short man runs to the end of the bridge, almost tripping right over the edge as he skids to a stop. He stares down into the water far below, before spinning back around, eyes widening behind his sunglasses as he watches Zabuza speedily making his way closer and closer.
"H-he's the Devil!" Gato cries in terror, only to freeze as his heart is pierced by Zabuza's kunai. He coughs up blood, the red liquid staining his suit. "You c-crazy idiot! If you're so eager to die and join your friend over there, then be my guest, but you're n-not taking me as well!"
My eyes widen slightly as at least five more spears are thrown at Zabuza's back, the spiked tips tearing through his flesh and causing him to stumble forwards.
"I won't be joining Haku" Zabuza replies seriously, rising back to his full, intimidating height despite his immense pain. "Where he's going, I can't follow."
Leering down at Gato, Zabuza walks right up to the man, his eyes flashing dangerously.
"S-stay back!" the tiny man yells in fright. 'Stay back!"
"Haha, no, it's the other place we'll be going to!" Zabuza promises Gato coldly, a dark look in his eyes. "I can't think of a more fitting place for a Demon Ninja to end up! I've heard there are all kinds of other demons down there, so I should fit in just fine, but you....Sounds like you're in for a very long and painful eternity!"
Fear now stricken deep down into Gato's heart, Zabuza suddenly slashes at him again, sending the man tumbling to his death in the ocean below. Seeing Gato's fallen sunglasses resting near his foot, Zabuza crushes them and turns around to glare at the remaining thugs, his menacing appearance causing them all to drop their weapons.
Dropping his kunai, Zabuza collapses to the ground with a pained groan, blood pouring from the horrific lacerations on his back. It won't be long now...
"Haku..." the Mist Ninja says softly. "Not once did I ever thank you for what you've done for me. Forgive me for that..."
Naruto turns his head away and bites his lip again, not wanting to watch Zabuza die. I see him swallow, struggling to keep his emotions under control.
"Don't turn away" Kakashi tells the blonde. "When you live like a warrior, this is how it ends."
Naruto sighs deeply, reluctantly raising his innocent blue eyes to Zabuza's weak form, lying in a slowly increasing pool of blood. I also watch the rogue Ninja through hooded eyes, when some movement from behind catches my attention.
Frowning in confusion, I turn my head, only to see Sasuke slowly rising into a sitting position, blinking his dark eyes and looking around. So........Haku didn't really kill him. We considered him the bad guy, when all he really was, is a bleeding heart....
Sasuke turns to a bewildered Sakura and says something that I can't hear from here, which results in the pinkette wrapping her arms around his neck and breaking into a fresh set of tears. Poor Sasuke.
Pulling a strained face, Sasuke spots Haku's dead body and stares at it in a daze for a few moments, before raising his eyes to me. I stare back at him, a smirk tugging at one corner of my mouth as I glance over my shoulder.
"Hey Naruto" I address, catching the blonde by surprise, "Turn around."
His brows knitting together in puzzlement, Naruto does as I say, only for his eyes to grow round when he sees Sasuke sitting up, Sakura smiling over at him through her tears.
"S-Sasuke?!" Naruto calls in disbelief, his blue eyes shining and his mouth curving up into a relieved grin.
The Uchiha quickly looks away, closing his eyes and raising his hand in a lazy wave. Naruto begins to laugh with delight, clearly happy that Sasuke is alright.
"Well, well" Kakashi sighs, also sounding relieved, "Will wonders never cease?"
I tilt my head at everyone's reactions, eyes flicking between my team curiously. They were all so devastated when they thought Sasuke, the arrogant, unfriendly Uchiha, was dead. Now they're all so happy that he's alive and well. Why does he mean so much to them? Why do they all means so much to each other?
I don't understand how being close to someone can have any possible benefits. It's been a long time since I allowed myself to care for another person, because all it does it lead to pain and heartbreak.......Seeing this scene though, it seems these sorts of bonds can also bring happiness. What did that feel like? I can hardly even remember now days......
'Don't even entertain that thought brat' Hakuba advises me immediately, not happy.
'.......Don't worry' I internally sigh, shaking my head, 'I'm not going to be like them. I know what it's like when that happy bubble bursts....'
"Hey!" a harsh voice suddenly calls out, causing all of us to look back over at Gato's henchmen. "Don't get too comfortable there!"
"This party ain't over yet" a man towards the front of the crowd warns, brandishing a short blade. "Who do you think is gonna pay us now that Gato's dead?"
"No way any of us are gonna leave here empty handed" a third guy adds, to which a number of them shout their agreement.
"Let's just call this an act of charity then, huh?" I suggest boredly, waving one hand back and forth as Naruto chuckles quietly. "We're sure not giving you creeps anything."
"Watch that smart little mouth of yours girl" the first man growls, "Or I'll wipe that smug smirk from your face!"
"One, I'm not smirking" I reply pointedly, "And two, do you really think you can do anything to me? Don't you remember how easily I beat up your friend earlier?"
The man grinds his teeth back and forth as he mulls this over, before he shrugs one shoulder and turns to his fellow henchmen, raising his arms in the air.
"Let's go men" he urges loudly, "On to the Village! We'll see what they've got for us down there!"
Just as the crowd of thugs brandish their weapons and move to run at us, an arrow lands at the feet of the man in front, causing them all to freeze in place. Unsure of who shot the arrow, I turn around, only to see a huge crowd of villagers from the Land of Waves, armed with all sorts of different weapons.
"You'll have to go through us first!" one of the villagers announces, causing the others to cheer.
"Inari!" Naruto cries happily, waving at the young boy.
"Heroes always show up at the last minute Naruto!" the brunette replies with a grin.
Grinning to himself, Naruto whirls around to face Gato's men, performing his Shadow Clone Jutsu to add some numbers to the crowd of villagers.
"Hmmm, I may have just enough chakra to help you out" Kakashi muses, pressing his hands together in the exact same sign. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
I blink a few times as, in an instant, about fifty copies of Kakashi appear before me, making the crowd of Villagers look even larger. It annoys me slightly that Naruto of all people knows a Forbidden Jutsu like the Shadow Clone Jutsu and I don't, but now Kakashi knows it as well? How unfair is it that everyone around me seems to know this Jutsu?! Next thing I know, I bet Sakura will be able to do it too!
"Okay!" the Kakashi clones all shout in unison. "You still want to fight us?"
"No thanks!" one of Gato's men yells in reply, with the whole crowd of men turning tail and fleeing as fast as they can.
"Victory!" Inari proclaims brightly, to which everyone raises their weapons into the air and cheers with excitement.
'They didn't even do anything.....' I think wryly, sweat dropping.
Kakashi, releasing his Jutsu, walks over to Zabuza and exchanges a few quiet words with the dying Shinobi. Everyone watches on in silence as Kakashi carefully removes the spears from Zabuza's back, before picking him up and gently placing him down next to Haku.
I almost jump as small flakes of snow suddenly begin to drift down from the sky, making me feel very at home. Snow was a constant thing in my homeland during the cooler months, but it shouldn't be snowing here. Not at this time of year anyway.
"Is that you Haku?" Zabuza asks weakly, his voice so soft, I can barely hear it. "Are you crying?........Thank you Kakashi."
"Don't mention it" the silver haired Jonin replies kindly, stepping back to give Zabuza some room.
"You were always by my side" the Mist Ninja says to Haku, turning to look at his young partner's face. "The least I can do, is stay beside you at the end.......I know it's not possible, but I wish I could go where you have gone....."
"He told me that in his home" Naruto sniffs sadly, his blue eyes wavering, "It was always snowing..."
"His spirit was as pure as fresh snow" Kakashi says with a nod, tilting his head back to look up at the darkening sky. "You never know Zabuza, maybe you will join him there."
"So is that really it Kakashi Sensei?" Sakura asks dully, leaning down and looking at our makeshift graves for Haku and Zabuza. "Is it really the Shinobi way to use and be used, like tools?"
"All Shinobi are tools in the hands of destiny" Kakashi explains wisely. "There's no point trying to figure out if it's wrong or right. That's just how it is."
"Well if that's what being a Ninja is all about" Naruto comments stubbornly, not agreeing, "Then something must be out of whack. Is that why we go through all this training, just to end up like them?"
"What's the reason for that?" Sasuke asks, causing Kakashi to sigh.
"Well, that's really a question without an answer" the Jonin replies seriously, turning around to face all of us, "And we Ninja have to deal with that everyday of our lives. Though we all have to discover our own destinies, as Ninja, there are just some things we can't avoid."
"Okay!" Naruto announces with determination. "I've just decided on something! I'm finding my own ninja way from now on. A way that's straight and true and that has no regrets! From now on, I follow the way of Naruto!"
Kakashi chuckles softly, as I just stare at the blonde curiously. How does one stay so positive in the face of such adversity?......
"We could never have finished the bridge without you!" Tazuna exclaims, delighted with the outcome of his dumb bridge. "I can't tell you how much we're going to miss you."
"You guys be careful now" Tsunami says kindly, smiling at us.
"Thank you very much" Kakashi replies, waving over his shoulder as we turn to leave.
"Now, now, don't get all choked up" Naruto urges Inari, the two struggling not to cry as they say their goodbyes. "We'll come back and visit you all real soon!"
I roll my eyes at the two of them, looking forward to getting back to the Leaf Village. While it certainly doesn't feel like home yet, I just can't wait to lock myself in my house and have a break from these guys. They wear me out....
As we head back towards the Leaf Village, Naruto begins going on about how he's going to get someone named Iruka to treat him to ramen. If I remember correctly, I'm pretty sure that was the guy with the scar across his nose that was there when we received this mission....
"Hey, Sasuke?" Sakura asks, a faint blush colouring her cheeks. "When we get back to the Village, do you wanna do something together?"
"No thanks" is the Uchiha's short, uninterested reply. I almost laugh at the way her face drops with disappointment, green eyes downcast. What is it about him that she likes so much anyway? It's not like he's particularly nice to her or anything.
"Hey Sakura" Naruto offers hopefully, "I'll do something with you if you like!"
Naruto's selfless offer seems to infuriate the pink haired girl however, her eyes suddenly blazing as she whirls around and punches the blonde upside the head, almost knocking him out.
"No way!" she screeches, throwing Naruto over the side of the bridge and down towards the water. "That was a private conversation anyway idiot, so get lost!"
I peer over the edge of the railing through hooded eyes, merely raising one brow as Naruto disappears below the water's surface with a large splash. I've been trying to come up with reasons why he may like Sakura, but so far, I'm struggling to come up with even one.....