(A/N): well dang guys two consecutive chapters huh. I surprise even myself. Enjoy, surprisingly it only took me around three hours. I think the episode was somehow shorter. Warning: slight descriptive mentions of blood and death and the like.

"You were too full of yourself. You're too ambitious for your own good." Kakashi noted, eyes narrowed at Zabuza.

His plan had worked and he had managed to temporarily immobilize Zabuza with his ninja dogs. The biggest one had latched onto Zabuza's back and was biting fiercely with its huge fangs, making blood pour out of his shoulder. Left alone, those wounds would be deadly.

"You assassinated the Mizukage, but failed to pull off a coup. You left the service with a few men under you and became a rogue ninja. Your name soon reached our Hidden Leaf Village. You needed to raise funds to strike back and hide from the Tracking Units'  pursuit and retaliation. Isn't that why you sold yourself out to scum like Gato?" Kakashi continued to prod at Zabuza, right where he knew it'd annoy him;  listing his failures.  "Zabuza, do you really believe I've managed to survive with just the Sharingan?"

Kakashi held back an amused snort. "Here's a technique I din't copy, a jutsu of my own." He said, quickly weaving hand signs. "To enlighten you!" His chakra spiked with a flare at his feet as lightning gathered in his right fist, full of chakra. Blue lightning crackled on the ground uncontrollably. "Lightning Blade!"

Zabuza gulped, unable to move with the dogs' jaws on his body. What the..?! His hand is visibly overflowing with chakra!

Kakashi's lightning shined through the mist brightly, as he narrowed both visible eyes at Zabuza. "You are too dangerous. Tazuna, the man you are trying to assassinate, is the symbol of courage in this land! The bridge he is building is the hope of this land!" Kakashi denounced, as if scolding him.  "And your ambitions will sacrifice countless lives. That isn't how a shinobi is supposed to behave."
Kakashi's cold fury settled in his eyes and throat, as he glared at Zabuza. He knew it was high time to finish this encounter.

Zabuza glared at him, eyebrows furrowed, even as he faced the lightning. "Who cares? I have always fought for my own ideals. And that will never change!"

Kakashi glared at him harder, starting to feel a bit fed up with him. "I'll say it once more. Give up."

"Your future is... death!"

~~~><With the others><~~

"I want you two to kill me. Please, make it quick."

Haku repeated his plea, lowering his head, as if waiting for a blade to come down on his neck. (Y/N) swallowed and bit her lips anxiously. He is an idiot! How can I spare his life at least?!

"Why are you still hesitating?" Haku asked, his soft features previously cold had turned soft, almost sweet in appearance as he accepted his death. He stepped forward a bit, still on his knees and with his head bowed.

Naruto gritted his teeth a small frustrated hiss coming out of him. "I don't get it! You are only allowed to live because you stay strong?! There must be something other than fighting... another way for you to make others accept you!" He protested, stepping back as Haku stepped forth.

(Y/N) gritted her teeth, keeping to Naruto's side so as not to give to Haku the impression that she even was thinking about it. Why is this sweet fool so stubborn?! "There's always another path to take!"

Haku stared at them, sighing softly with a soft smile. There was something about their sweet naivety and the innocence of the unexperienced children that made his heart soften slightly; he felt sorry for the time when that way of thinking got struck down. It was a shinobi's fate. "Remember when we met at the forest? Do you know what I thought?" He paused minutely. "That you and I are much alike. I'm sure you can relate to me."

Haku looked up, staring in the young Ryudo's (E/C) orbs. "I'm sure that applies to you too." He said, looking deep in her eyes.

(Y/N) shivered in response. He wasn't wrong, of course. Both Naruto and (Y/N) understood quite well how it felt to be unnecessary, unloved by anyone; searching for a way to make others look back at you twice before turning their gaze away. But it was precisely because of that they couldn't just kill him. I know... it sucks.. But.. I have to believe that there are other paths for me to take. I don't want to have to kill someone. This is our first real mission. It wasn't even supposed to be like this...

"I apologize for dirtying your hands with my blood."

(Y/N) growled in frustration at him, pulling at her hair with a deep frown. She was just about done with this week. "Can you really not see another path?" She exclaimed. How can he talk of himself as if he's dirty?!
Naruto's blue eyes were wide and horrified, voice dreadfully quieted as he furrowed his brows. "Is that it? Is there really no other way?"

"No."

"If only... If only we had met under different circumstances we could have been friends." Naruto lamented, looking away and closing his eyes. For a moment there was silence except (Y/N)'s foot tapping the ground. Until there was a small click and Naruto was grabbing his kunai, suddenly having found the determination and was running at Haku.

(Y/N)'s eyes snapped to him immediately and froze for a small moment. What is Naru doing?! We can't! Don't! Then, the next moment, before she could consider how this would affect their report she was running after him, grabbing at his jacket.

Please promise me you will fulfill your dream... Haku closed his eyes peacefully, soft smile widening even as (Y/N) made a clumsy grab at Naruto's jacket with loud protests. Thank you... You will become stronger.

(Y/N) was gasping for breath as she tried to grab Naruto who was, unexpectedly, running faster than her for once. She scrambled for purchase on him, for a moment of mental clarity, momentarily in panic from the situation and the chat they had. Her balance skewed, she stumbled after Naruto with panicked breaths. Not like this! Not like this!

Naruto yelled a battle cry as he got closer to Haku, but then something changed and Haku got onto his feet, stopping his kunai with a sad smile.
"I'm sorry, Naruto."

(Y/N) skidded to a stop grabbing at Naruto's jacket and pulling him back with wide eyes. She looked back at Haku, hopeful for a moment. "Haku?"

Haku smiled at them, weaving signs with his free hand. His eyes softened as he looked at them. That girl.. is still so soft even after her losses. I'm afraid that softness will have to disappear eventually, if she wants to go forward. Maybe in another world there could've been another path for me. But now.. "I cannot die yet!"

In the next second Haku had disappeared, leaving a cloud of icy mist that sparkled in the light for a moment before fading. (Y/N) blinked at the place where he was, still gripping Naruto's jacket harshly, breathing loudly. Where did he go?

Naruto stilled for a moment and looked around, pacing, still rattled and holding his kunai. "Where did he go? I didn't notice before but the fog is starting to lift, believe it..."

(Y/N) squinted through the mist and pointed right in front of them, sniffing. "Over there!" She exclaimed, dragging Naruto with her as she ran and skidded to a stop abruptly.

(Y/N's breath stopped as the distinct sound of liquid gushing out magnified in her ears, louder than everything else. Too familiar. She gasped harshly, short of breath and covered her mouth, closing her eyes. Don't... don't throw up. Just... don't look.

She had already seen it of course, and it was now burned into her eyes. The sweet young boy, not much older than herself bleeding profusely with his hand gripping Kakashi's hand, as if willing him to stop.

Naruto gasped at her side at the sight, wide eyed and shaken. "W-what the heck is going on here?!"

It was his first time seeing death.

Sakura and Tazuna had gotten closer too, standing to the side. "Isn't that the masked boy?" Tazuna asked quietly.

(Y/N) was remarkably still even though her heart felt like it'd burst out of her if she wasn't holding her chest. She distantly wondered if Sasuke would later mock her for it. It wasn't like it was a new sight, an unexpected occurrence. The sound and the smell, oh gods the smell, her senses were full of it, of the blood, and she heard with an eerie clarity as the young boy's heart slowed to a stop and the blood stopped flowing in his body. She sometimes wished she could dial her senses down. This was too much.  She covered her mouth and swallowed the bile that had raised, forcing herself to hold her breath as long as she could.

Kakashi was still, not letting go of Haku yet,  staring at the young face with wide eyes, slightly shaken too by a too familiar sight. "I didn't expect him to jump in to save Zabuza..." Another young one.. "This boy.. is already dead."

Zabuza just closed his eyes at the sight somberly, as if mourning. But the next moment he was chuckling. "You did great, Haku."
Zabuza jumped and unsheathed his sword, ready to slash both Kakashi and Haku down if he had to, never mind his body.

Sakura stumbled and yelled. "Kakashi-sensei!"

He intends to slash me along with the boy?! Kakashi's eyes widened and he was slightly in shock; he had been sure that Zabuza cared for the boy to a degree but this was not in his list of possibilities. Unable to move he tried to free his arm from Haku's hold, but even in death it held strong.

"That was a really great find I made! Even in his final moment he gave me such a great opportunity!" Zabuza bragged, as if he were talking about the newest discount, an object in sale he happened to find, just a thing.

Naruto growled lowly in his throat and suddenly (Y/N)'s nausea subsided as she found something else to focus on, snarling furiously at Zabuza, itching to pounce on him and tear him apart like a chew toy. How dare he?! Didn't he care about him in the least?!

Zabuza ran at Kakashi, slashing his sword in a wide arc. However Kakashi held Haku's body and jumped back, landing on the ground, still holding him.
Zabuza chuckled darkly. "Haku died and you were able to move?"

Naruto gritted his teeth and glared at the rogue, about fed up with his disgusting behavior. "I won't forgive you!"

(Y/N) growled her agreement, an inhuman roar growing in her throat, a low rumble at first. She was breathing too quickly and it was disrupting her chakra, yet her ears still rang with the noise of gushing warm blood and everything seemed too loud. A hot fury in her heart burned with desire of justice, much too reminded of the night five years ago; of the death she had seen. She leaned back slightly ready to run at Zabuza, but Kakashi's shout stopped her on her tracks.

"You two! Just stay there and watch!" Kakashi yelled at (Y/N) and Naruto. Finally managing to pry his arm away, he lowered Haku's lithe body on the ground gently, closing his eyes. He was bathed in the blood of the young boy again and it made a cold fury settle inside him. He glared at Zabuza furiously. "This is my battle!"

Off to the side Sakura gulped nervously and spotted Naruto and (Y/N). "Naruto.. (Y/N)... It's good to see you!" She exclaimed with as much cheer as she could muster. "Where's Sasuke?"

Naruto gulped nervously, scratching the back of his neck. Oh no.
(Y/N)'s roar quietened in her throat as her attention was temporarily taken away from Zabuza. Right. Sasuke. My injured friend. She cleared her throat and took a deep breath, trying to dispel the metallic stench from her nose. "Um..."

(Y/N) took a second to respond and Sakura's eyes widened with fear. (Y/N) sweatdropped, calming down a bit from the familiarity of it. Right Fangirl. She's totally gonna be mad at us. Even though I protected him! "No no no, um, he'll be okay, he's fine. I did my best with the bandages but he lost a lot of blood and is out cold." (Y/N) shouted back at her, waving her hands frantically to calm her down.

Sakura sighed in relief. Oh thank god. She snapped her eyes open. Wait what?! He's injured?! Sakura's green eyes widened in slight fear as she stared at Naruto and (Y/N) both sheepishly looking away. Huh?!

Kakashi exhaled deeply too, closing his eyes thankfully. Thank god someone around here thought to bring bandages.

Zabuza moved quickly then, taking the chance. "Kakashi! You have no time to take your eyes off me!" He yelled coming at him with a wide slash, leaving his torso wide open for Kakashi to kick him back.

Tazuna, reading Sakura like a book, offered, "Why don't I go with you? That way, you won't be going against your Sensei's words."

(Y/N) sighed internally, swallowing through the dizziness and her gurgling stomach. Uh oh. She's coming this way.

Sakura nodded shakily and hummed grabbing the old man's hand. Together they made a run for it going around Kakashi and Zabuza and passed Naruto and (Y/N), reaching the place where (Y/N) had laid Sasuke's mummy body.

Sakura gasped, and resisted the urge to grab at her face. "HUH?!"

It's obvious who did the bandaging! He looks like a mummy!

Sasuke's clothes were bulged and bumpy from the layers of bandages below; not a single part of his pale skin was visible beside his fingertips and head, the rest completely covered with the white cloth. (Y/N) had even gone so far as to wrap a thin strip around the small few wounds on his neck, but she had done it so softly, afraid to choke him, that it was coming off.

In (Y/N)'s defense, she could barely tie up her hair, never mind make her bed every day.

Sakura sighed and facepalmed. I'll fix this, sorry Sasuke. She took a deep sigh to remind herself of patience towards idiots and looked back at (Y/N). "Come on! Get in here! Gimme your bandages and help me wrap them properly!"

Naruto snickered loudly and (Y/N) winced, slumping. Oh dangit. Am I really that bad? She took a quick weary glance at Haku's body, trying to will herself to calm down, to calm down and stop hearing it. She could deal with it later, back at home.
If only I could have...

"I'm coming dangit."

~~~><With Kakashi and Zabuza><~~~

Zabuza panted on his knees, trying to catch his breath. Why? Why can't I keep up? His arm was still bleeding and two kunai stuck out of his shoulder, keeping the bite wound open. He straightened up, leaning on his sword. "Damn you!"

He slashed at Kakashi, but his movements were read easily and he was punched right in the face. He staggered back and Kakashi struck him again on the face.

Zabuza growled. "Damn you!" He yelled and slashed at Kakashi again in vain.
His sword fell, striking the concrete. Kakashi appeared behind him, grabbing his neck as if he were a disobedient mutt.

"You can't possibly defeat me the way you are now." Kakashi declared. "You still don't know... what true strength means!"

Zabuza's breath hitched confused and outrage at the claim. However, Kakashi held him strongly and spun two kunai in his hand, ready to stab him.

Zabuza saw this as an opportunity and slashed backwards, regardless of the awkward angle. But Kakashi caught him midway and changed his trajectory; he stuck the kunai in Zabuza's other arm.
The rogue's sword's blunt side struck Kakashi and sent him flying backwards. The sword itself spun away with the momentum, the wielder no longer able to hold it.
Zabuza's muscles had been throughly torn.

Kakashi caught himself, flipping backwards and landing on the ground. "Both your arms have now been disabled. You can't even weave a sign."
Naruto gaped in awe at his mentor, mouth slightly ajar. Whoa... He's not that bad!

Zabuza growled lowly in his throat, barely a rumble. He was tired and bleeding with two certainly useless arms. Even he had to admit it didn't look good for him.

The clack of a shoe on the cement caught their attention, and they followed the noise.

There stood a short man dressed in a suit and leaning on a cane, one of his arms in a huge cast. He had a dirty beige mane that grew uncontrollably, while the hair on his face grew sparsely, allowing only a thin mustache to show up; or more specifically, two strands of dirty beige hair. He stared at them smugly through his round sunglasses.

"Oh! You really got it this time. You disappoint me, Zabuza."