#ooooo is peach bout to still his girl
Explore tagged Tumblr posts
Note
Ayeee I just found this blog and I just watched the movie a second time (For English cast and toootally not mainly Jack black Bowser) and it was AWESOME qwq
Can I have either a fic or hcs of a female reader just as obsessed with Bowser as he is with Peach and reader is here to change his mind, maybe even going as far to bring (and by bring I meant steal) the guy back to reader's castle/palace to show him the collection of him and his kingdom in reader's bedroom, look! reader even have a big statues of him in the private music/dance room where reader dream of dance to his music as he plays, or maybe even dance with him
My collection so far, I especially like to tell everyone I met about the story of how I got my Bowser and Junior plushie, I'ma share if interested
YOOOOO, Cool Drip! I Love the collection you have. It makes me lowkey jealous lol. I hope you Like what I made! I try to only make head cannons but it turned into this lol.
Marry Me, My Darling Bowser! (1/2)
You stand at the throne of the Bowser himself, with a confident and determined smile across. Bowser looks at you with a genuine look of disgust and annoyance, but that doesn't stop you from getting on one knee and holding out your hand.
"Bowser, My Dragon King! Will you Marry Me?"
He growls as he tries to hold back the fire that was rising in his chest.
"For the last time Pipsqueak, NO!"
You weren't dejected, not even in the slightest, as you stood back up and patted your dress down. You then let out a loud laughter that made His Majesty's eyes glow red.
"AHAHAH! Always a jokester. Is this any way to treat your future wife?"
"I mean it!!" "Aw, Come on. Don't be shy! I even proposed myself, so you didn't feel like you had to. We were just meant to be!"
Bowser claws at his throne as a bottle of rage was about to erupt inside of him. His minions look at him nervously, backing away ever so slightly.
"Are you dense?! I hate you! I don't harbor anything for you! I Only love Peach. Why can't you just leave me alone!?!"
Everything was coming out of one ear as you slyly grin at him.
"Playing hard to get, huh? I like that in a man." A vein pops on Bowser's head. "Oh please, my darling. Let me make me happy. I'll be the best wife you'll ever have!!......Well,only wife you'll have too!"
Bowser's Flame comes in your direction, The flame barely missing a part of your dress that was scorched when you dodged it.
"........Alright, I understand. You're a little stressed and the proposal was lacking. Don't worry! I'll come back with a better one next week. Get some rest, My love!" As you exit, the Koopa guards quickly closed the door in order to subside the King's anger. With a heavy groan, Bowser turns to Kamek, who jolts in surprise.
"If that Girl so much as steps into this Kingdom, I want her thrown out immediately. Got it!"
"Y-Yes Sire!!"
***
Aw Man!! I really thought I had him with that one!!" You pouted as you stomped around the room in a huff.
"Your Highness, please come down." Your attendant calmly says, watching your miniature tantrum.
Oh Yeah. I forgot to mention an important detail.
You are Princess (Y/N), Ruler of the Poison Shroom Kingdom. Your Kingdom was Known for its vicious wildlife of piranha, the poisonous ecosystem of purple ooze, and not to mention the not-so-soft toads that were under your rule as they were taller stronger, and more intimidating than that of the Mushroom Kingdom, with darker tones to match. Safe to say, you don't get many visitors around here.
But it's not so bad wants you get used to it. It was home to you. The purple theme of the castle was beautiful to those who took the time to see it. It was also home to many rare herbs and medicine for those needing cures for ailments of any kind, with you being an expert on the topic yourself.
This is one of the reasons why the Toads also like you as their ruler. You were very kind to them and actually cared about them, no matter how dangerous a job was. They are extremely loyal to you to a fault. They respect every decision you make. Well, almost.
"Honestly, Princess. I don't see what you see in such a brute anyway. He's such a monster. I don't see how you love such a dangerous creature in the first place."
You let out a dramatic gasp, looking back at your royal attendant who just rolled their eyes at who.
"Toadye!! That is no Monster! That is my Future Dragon King!! He just has a hard time saying his true feelings about me is all! We're soulmates, I just know it!"
Toadye, your most loyal attendant. She is also what you consider to be your best (only) friend as she has been with you for the longest time. She was a tall toad, her mushroom heads a dark violet with black spots at the center, and dark black hair to compliment her look.
"Princess, as your servant and as your friend. He has too many red flags."
"He just a little misunderstood. I swear that I have the charm to break his walls."
Toadye gives you a look.
"Right, you mean that time you 'invited' him to our Kingdom he oh so loved visiting."
Right. So, you maaaaay have 'technically' kidnapped him that one time to get home to your Kingdom. But it was for a good reason!!!
"That was a misunderstanding! I was going to just patch him up after he got hurt by his many battles. He was unconscious so I was sure he didn't mind if I brought him home to heal him."
"Ma'am, he literally tried to burn your face off and destroyed half the village."
"Well....Water under the bridge. :)"
Toadye slaps her face in exhaustion. Man, were you as stubborn as a mule."
"Toadye, I swear. He isn't as bad as he seems to be." You walk over to your bed, picking up a large homemade Bowser Plushie, and hugging it to your body.
"I see something in those large ruby eyes. I just want him to give me a chance. It'll happen soon, I just know it.
Toadye looks at you hugging and swooning for the Plush in your hands and sighs. She doesn't get it, but she'll stand by you in your pursuit.
***
"MY DARLING~!"
Bowser flinches at the familiar voice and groans. Peach looks at him confused in the cage she is being held prisoner in. Mario was the only one that could make his face scrunch up in displeasure like that, but she didn't recognize the voice that entered out of nowhere.
Several noises of struggles could be heard in the distance as the castle violently shook a bit, a red koopa came it sliding on the back of his shell, knocked out and dizzy which made Peach flinch at the chaos that was happening.
She was surprised to see a woman come from the throne room entrance. And a royal too! She's kinda like her.
"Bowser! My Beloved, Please Marry Me! I'd fight a thousand koopas for you!" You say with a love-struck gaze in your eyes that made Peach give you a look. By the chaos that was happening behind you, she could tell you weren't lying.
Well, more or less like her.
Bowser glares down at you. Fighting the urge to throw you out.
"You got a lot of nerve coming back here."
"A wife never leaves her husband alone too long." :)
"I told you to stop calling me that!"
"Why must you push away your soon-to-be wife like so" You put on your best crocodile tears to tease him a bit.
"Grrrr." a low grumble can be heard from his chest.
He rubbed his face, letting out a puff of smoke. He then glances back at Peach for a quick second and gives a smirk back at you.
"As you can see, I am far too busy making arrangements for the actual love of my life. If you can excuse us, I'm busy with my conversation with Peach." The sneered in his condescending tone made it clear that he was dropping huge hints at you.
however, you only look at the cage that he was presenting to you with a blank stare. Peach felt herself shrink at your gaze. If you love Bowser this much, she didn't know what to do if you saw her as a potential threat. It's bad enough that she has to deal with Bowser.
"Peach..." You mumbled softly. As you took a step forward towards her cage, causing her to take a slight step back in the limited space.
But She wasn't ready for the full sprint that you took towards her, jumping into the bars of her cage, griping tight as you cause the cage to jerk in place. Peach jumps back at your sudden movements as she feels her heart in her mouth from your sudden closeness. She almost lost one of her lives there.
"You're Peach! I've finally got to meet you in Person! My Fiancé has talked about you a lot! You rule the Mushroom Kingdom I Believe. You are so much prettier than he ever described you to be! We should hang out! Have you ever seen the Poison Mushroom Kingdom! I could be your tour guide! I'm Princess (Y/N) btw." You rambled to Peach, not taking a second to breathe.
"Uh,....huh....ummm?" Peach could only look at you flabbergasted at the energy that you have leaped at her with. Your forwardness and surprising friendliness made her forget the predicament that she was in. "Hi?"
"Hey! Leave the Princess alone, Pipsqueak!!" Bowser stomped his way towards you, causing Peach to jump again, being reminded of his presence here.
"Relax, My love. I was just making a friend. Sitting in this cage must be so tiring for a Princess like her.' You turn to look back at her. " Hey, wanna get out of this cage and hang? I got some great places to recommend. Do you like Pizza-"
Bowser could be heard behind you. He quickly grabs you in his claws and gives you a slight squeeze to make you stop your rambles. He brings you close to his face, and you see his eyes glow red in anger. "Listen, Brat. I'm tired of your games and your stubborn delusions getting in the way of my happiness. Get out of here before I am forced to burn you to a crisp!!
You noticed the flames that can be heard in his throat and frowned at him with a disappointed look on your face, "So mean.... This isn't how you're supposed to treat your spouse." You whispered but you quickly bring a smile to your face. ".... Alright fine. I'll go." You jump out the bars of the cage and run back to the entrance.
"I'll just wait until the red guy saves you again. I saw him not too long ago. It shouldn't be long. I'll make sure to visit you once you're back home. Bye, Peach!" You run out before Bowser can yell out at you for the backhand insult that you gave him.
Peach found herself slowly waving goodbye out you even though you were already gone.
She wouldn't mind if she saw you again.
Bowser Huffs at you then turns back to Peach, trying to fix face with his 'charming' smile.
"Now. Where were we~?"
Peach Rolls her eyes. Oh brother.
***
It's been about a week after the faithful encounter with Princess Toadstool herself, but you promised to visit her as soon as possible when she got saved.
You stood at the entrance of Prach's Castle. Two of her toads stood up right at the entrance with shields, guarding the door. The toads that decided to accompany you stared at them with an 'unimpressed ' look written on their face, including a dangerous aura that surrounded your toad guards. Toadye was right beside you, making sure nothing funny was happening.
The toads that were guarding the door already looked petrified.
"What...What business do you have here?" The toad on the asked, standing his ground.
You walked up to them calmly, with a big smile on your face.
"Good afternoon, Citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom. My name is (y/n). I have come from the Kingdom of the Poison Mushrooms, and I am the princess of that Kingdom. My business today is to speak with the Princess of this castle. She was rescued not too long ago, and I felt a princess on- on-one would be a nice way for her to relax after the stressful situation."
You greeted as gracefully as you could with your gloved hands held tight to each other in anticipation. the looks on the guards' faces didn't ease up the anxiety that swell inside your chest. They seemed even more on edge hearing your Kingdom's name.
one clears his throat and straightens up. "I'm sorry that you have come this far, your majesty. But our Princess is very busy at the moment. I'm afraid she is not taking any visitors as of now"
Your smile falls a little at this news. Surely she could have enough time to at least speak with you. It has been a while and the path to becoming best friends is to keep in touch with one another.
"A-Are you sure? I don't mind waiting a little bit, but I would be happy to speak with her for just a few minutes. Just to let her know that I'm here?"
"We highly suggest that you come at another time. The p-princess has enough on her plate as it is." The other guard speaks up.
"Are you suggesting that your princess can't handle a few minutes to speak to a guest that has so graciously come all this way to check on her wellbeing?" Toadye buts in, crossing their arms together and glaring at the guards.
the guards' eyes widened in astonishment at her blunt words that they could barely register what she said."
"W-What are you implying?"
"I'm just curious as to why Princess Peach has two of her door guards tell us that she couldn't possibly come to the door for royal company. Are 2 minutes of her time that valuable that she can't tell us herself that she cannot have guests or.....Are you perhaps lying through your teeth?" She says without batting an eye at the two, making the toads hold their breaths.
You step in.
"HEeheh,ummmm, what my advisor is trying to say is that...We just want to see if the Princess is okay. I consider her to be someone I find a connection with, and I just want to bring relief to her Princess life. Someone who understands. But if she is too busy, I guess we'll leave."
the solemn look on your face hits the guards with hard guilt to their chest. they didn't think you would be this ad about it. before they could say anything else, the castle doors begin to open. Everyone steps back and it reveals Princess Peach herself with an elderly toad next to her.
She looks surprised to see your standing there with your own guard and advisor. "Princess (Y/N)?"
"Peach!!" You run up to her and gave her a big hug, but then quickly let go to hold onto her hands, with a huge smile on your face.
The guards, your guards, the elderly toad, and Toadye look with shock at your forward approach to Peach. It was so casual that it seemed like a capital offense.
Peach flinched at the sudden display of affection, but she soon calmed down and actually began to smile as well. She held your hands in hers too. It was actually nice to see you visit.
"Princess (Y/N), I was beginning to worry that you wouldn't show up today. I was starting to think something bad had happened."
"Pfft what no! I'm alright. I heard from your guards that you were too busy today. I was about to leave."
"Really. Is that so?" Peach gave the guards a look that made them look the other way. "No matter. I want to get to know you. I have tea and cake waiting inside the castle. Oh! -"
The princess looks back at the elderly toad by her side. 'Princess (Y/n), this is Toadswroth, he is my royal advisor and has taken care of me ever since I was a baby."
You step back and bow politely, albeit a little clumsily though.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Toadsworth. You look go for your age. You must be a hard-working toad!" He only chuckles and bows back.
"It's a pleasure to meet you too, princess."
You stand back up and gesture to Toadye. "Thsi is my loyal advisor Toadye. We are like two peas in a pod and she's been protecting me since I was young. she may be a bit mean, but she's really a sweetheart! Right,Toadye?
She stares at them for a second and gives a nod in acknowledgment. "A pleasure." As aloof as ever.
Princess Peach breaks the awkward silence with a cough. "Now then, let's have tea shall we?" She gestures inside as you go inside the castle.
You're very first Tea party!
#bowser x y/n#bowser x reader#bowser#super mario#super mario bros#reader#princess peach#ooooo is peach bout to still his girl#find out next time on dragon ball Z!!#i'm still alive#My god I'm tired#I have so many ideas!
123 notes
·
View notes
Text
But I Don’t Want to be a Sensei! Pt 4 (ARCHIVED)
Chapters 14 & 15
Chapter 14: Round 2 with Peach-boy
I nudged Naruto's side with the toe of my sandal. He didn't even twitch. Squatting down I poked the brat's cheek with a rigid finger, “Hey, dumbass...” I said loudly, knowing that a knucklehead like Naruto would react if I called him names. He still didn't move. “Obito Mini-me. Brat. Idiot. Dumb blonde. Dead last. Coward.” When the brat didn't react at all I stood back up with a sigh and turned to the others standing in the doorway.
 “Well either he's dead or out like a light post.” I told them, scratching the back of my head. Hinata gasped a little, her hands going to her mouth as she no doubt thought that her precious 'Naruto-kun' was dead.
 Tsunami looked as equally worried as the little Hyuuga heiress, “You don't think he overdid it in training, do you? He was looking pretty exhausted last night.
 “Hn. He was passed out in the forest yesterday morning.” Sasuke commented thoughtfully.
 I groaned and hung my head, I really didn't need this at the moment, “Fine, Sasuke will be on guard duty today and Hinata will train.” I said defeated. I hated it when people screwed up my schedule! “Hinata you know the rules. If anyone suspicious shows up, head for the bridge and warn everyone.”
 “H-Hai.”
 Sasuke frowned, “But that was the rotation yesterday.” I glared at him. Like I didn't know that already, idiot.
 “Hinata still needs to train in her stealth and since Naruto is stealing your rest day, you can take his spot on guard duty. Don't complain, Duckass, true shinobi don't protest orders.” Like I predicted, Sasuke snapped his jaw shut and didn't make another sound.
 Really, it was insulting how predictable that kid was.
 “Look, if it makes you feel better, I'll go with you that way you can relax at the bridge.” Everyone but Inari gave me strange looks. I returned their gaze with an unamused look, “Stop staring like calves at a new gate. I'm bored.” I snapped, perhaps just a little too defensively. By Sasuke's sudden smug look I was guessing he knew why I really was going.
 I was worried about the brat.
 With good reason though. There was no such thing as a jounin who didn't have a sixth sense for danger; and I felt more jittery than when Obito accidentally released those rabid squirrels in the house.
 I mentally shuddered at the memory.
 I moved past the miniature crowd and lead them outside. Turning to Tsunami I began issuing orders, “When Naruto wakes up, just tell him to practice his taijutsu; you also have permission to send him on any errands you have. Hinata, I want you to try and sneak up on as many woodland creatures as you can. If you catch five animals in a row then join Sasuke and I on the bridge. Duckass, Grandpa Dunk, let's go.” I turned on my heel and immediately started for the bridge without waiting for the two idiot males catch up to me.
 “Geez, for a woman you walk pretty fast.” Tazuna panted when he and my cousin finally caught up. It was really pathetic that we were almost to the bridge by that point.
 I gave the old drunk an unimpressed look, “Not all women are geishas or civilians who don't have anywhere important to be. The success of a mission could rely on fast feet, I could possibly save a life that would otherwise be lost if I arrive quicker than my enemies anticipate.”
 Tazuna pulled a face, “Hey kid, are all shinobi like this one or is it just her?” He asked Sasuke.
 Sasuke just shrugged and didn't comment. He practically had to jog to keep up with us adults; I couldn't tell if he wasn't answering because he didn't want to or because he was too focused on not falling behind. I was guessing it was a little bit of both.
 “Tazuna, how long do you have before the bridge is finished?” I asked the old man. Now wasn't the time for fun and games. That sense of dread I had been feeling all morning was getting worse the closer we got to the bridge.
 Grandpa Drunk shrugged, “Depends. If I have a full roster of workers, it should only be a few weeks. But with Gatou controlling everything and scaring the people, I keep losing my workers. Just yesterday I had one of my foremen quiet! I don't even have half of a roster now, it could take months with the amount of workers I got.”
 Grimacing, I halted at the entrance to the bridge, “That's what I feared.” I muttered.
 Tazuna gaped at his unconscious employees littering the bridge. I could tell by their chakra levels that the men were still alive, but only just. “What tha-?!” Tazuna exclaimed, his face twitching in horror. I glanced at him then at Sasuke. Sasuke looked back at me, his eyes gleaming with an odd shine of excitement. He was ready.
 A sudden mist blew in from the ocean. I snarled in frustration and stepped in front of Tazuna, “Stay behind me.” I said sharply. Tazuna didn't say anything, but he didn't move.
 That stupid creepy chuckle drifted out from the fog, “Sorry to keep you waiting, Uchiha. I see you still got that brat with you, but what happened with the other two? Did they run off?” I heard a slight clicking behind me, but didn't glance towards my cousin. I knew he wasn't doing something stupid. Of all my genin I trusted Sasuke the most in a fight, even if he had bouts of cowardice when I least expected it.
 Peaches chuckled again, “Oh look, he's shaking again. Pathetic.” The nuke-nin laughed mockingly.
 There was a small intake of air from Sasuke and I felt Zabuza's chakra spike as water clones surrounded the three of us. I tensed and palmed a kunai, ready to throw it at the clone's head that was in front of me if he so much as blinked in a way I didn't like.
 Sasuke scoffed, “I'm trembling with... excitement.”
 The Zabuza water clones seemed surprised at the admission and I only rolled my eyes. Why couldn't the need for dramatics skip Sasuke? It skipped Itachi and me, why not one more generation?! I had enough drama from Naruto, I didn't need Sasuke filling in for that little brat too.
 Speaking of brats...
 I glanced at my cousin out of the corner of my eye, “Play nice.” I said teasingly. That was all the permission Sasuke needed. He twirled the kunai in his hand around a finger so that the blade was pointing at the clone in front of him. With a delightful smirk that reminded me a little too much of Obito's sadistic grin, my baby cousin pounced at the water clones.
 While Peach-boy's clones were busy trying to defeat an Uchiha brat, I ran through the signs for a summoning and slammed my hand to the bridge's surface, “Kuchiyose no Jutsu!” I heard Zabuza growl angrily as a swarm of normal sized hawks flew up from the seal, spiraling into a twister of feathers and harsh cries that surrounded me like a moving wall. I held up my right arm and one of the hawks detached itself from it's flock. “Fly to Hyuuga Hinata and inform her to come as back up.” The hawk dipped its head at my command and took off to the sky, flying out of sight before turning in the direction of Hinata. No need to tell our enemies where an ally was after all. The rest of the hawks dispersed among the cables of the bridge, their sharp yellow eyes watching.
 While I was busy with my summonings, Sasuke finished up his little spar with the water clones. He looked about as cocky as a true Uchiha when he returned to his spot beside me. I mentally whimpered and hoped that I didn't get an arrogant little brat who thought he was God's gift to man. If so, I was going to beat that out of him and suffer Itachi's wrath with a smile on my face.
 “Ooooo, the brat's improving.” Peach-boy said from my right. All three of us turned to see the man with horrible fashion sense giving us a leer. At least I thought it was a leer, it was kind of hard to tell when the lower half of his face was bandaged up. His ally stood beside him, still wearing that false hunter-nin mask. “Looks like you've got competition... Haku.” Zabuza continued.
 “So it seems.” The boy, Haku, murmured quietly.
 Trolling time.
 “Oi oi. Peachy's ally, or whatever the hell your name is, are you a boy or a girl? Because honestly, you're a very androgynous individual.” I asked, intentionally playing the ignorant idiot. Tazuna and Sasuke were giving me looks that could only be described as 'way to ruin the suspense, dummy'.
 Haku and Zabuza exchanged looks and I took my chance to continue, “You know what? It doesn't matter anyway, I think I'll just call you Zabuza's Bitch.” I said with a smirk. Both nuke-nins snapped their heads around to glare at me–well I assume Haku glared, it was hard to tell with the mask–while I cackled in delight of pissing my enemy off.
 “Take care of the brat. I'll take the bitch.” Zabuza growled.
 Haku turned his gaze on Sasuke, “Right.” The kid murmured again. Then he moved. Startled I opened my mouth to shout a warning to Sasuke, but Zabuza was on me before I could utter a single syllable.
 I back flipped away from Tazuna, distancing myself from the client and the man trying to kill him. At the moment Zabuza seemed pretty focused on me, so I didn't have to worry. I smirked as I kicked Kubikiribōchō away from me. “Don't tell me I struck a nerve.” I cooed as I deflected another swing with my kunai. Zabuza snarled like an angry animal and charged at me again. I snorted and ducked under his swing. If I had know pissing Peaches off would make him attack like a predictable wild animal, I would have done it a long time ago.
 Kicking off the ground, I gave myself enough time to spare a glance at Sasuke. My eyes widened as I saw Haku performing hand signs with only one hand. That wasn't something you saw everyday. I wonder if the sharingan could somehow pick it up.
 Before I could activate my sharingan to see if I could, Zabuza attacked again, “You're opponent is me! Let's leave the kids to their game.”
 I shot Zabuza a nasty glare, “Oh, go drown in your own water ninjutsu! I didn't come all this way with a bunch of brats and a drunk old man to hear you blowing steam, ya old windbag.” I snapped, getting irritated. I knew Zabuza wasn't taking this fight seriously. He was just trying to keep me from Sasuke and Haku's fight.
 Peachy paused, “A bunch of brats, eh?” He quoted, sounding oddly interested. “So you don't think that those genin are worth anything either.”
 “Oh I think they're worth a lot of things, I just like calling them brats. They're my brats and I'm the only one allowed to call them that and get away with it.” I snapped back and flung my kunai at Peachy-boy's head to emphasize my point. He easily ducked under the kunai and charged at me, his sword back and ready for a strong strike to my legs. I leaped into the air over his blade and put my hands down on Zabuza's back, flipping over him to land between him and the kids.
 I smirked, “Ya know, some people would think you were compensating for something with that big blade of yours.” I commented sweetly.
 “You're letting that big mouth get away again, Uchiha.” Peachy growled.
 I shrugged, “Well at least I'm not trying to prank you as well as fight you like my brother does. That's just annoying.” I said coolly. From the look in Zabuza's eyes, he thought my inappropriate remarks were a hell of a lot more annoying.
 “Argh!” Both of us whipped around to see Sasuke kicking Haku away.
 Sasuke stood in his spot, smirking, “Seems you're not as fast as you think you are.” He said, idly spinning his kunai around his index finger. Cocky little git, I was definitely beating that arrogance out of his system.
 Zabuza glared at his ally, “Haku. Stop messing around and letting a brat beat you, get on with it!” He ordered.
 The masked boy stood back up easily, “Yes.” He responded in an almost robotic voice.
 Frowning I turned my back on Zabuza to watch what the masked brat was doing. Icy blue strands of chakra haloed Haku and he bowed his head, “I'm sorry it's come to this.” The boy said softly and made a strange sign. The temperature dropped drastically and I uttered a curse under my breath as I automatically regulated my chakra to keep myself warm. Of course our newest enemy would have some kind of tie to cold weather. It wouldn't be hell if he didn't.
 Stupid karma demons and their stupid agenda against me.
 The water around Sasuke and Haku suddenly leaped up into the air to form flat frozen surfaces. Haku stepped into the mirrors, senbon needles in his hands. Meanwhile I gaped in surprise, it was not cold enough to form ice like that. Even the most powerful shinobi with water nature had a hard time creating ice even in temperatures where it was easy to form. That only meant one thing.
 Kekke Genkai.
 Peaches chuckled behind me, “Seems you figured it out.”
 Growling I ran for the ice mirrors, but Peach-boy flash stepped in front of me. “If you're going to fight, you will fight me.” He snapped.
 I glared at him. “Bastard.” I spat out.
 The peachy nuke-nin chuckled creepily, “Oh? Out of your witty comments? I'm crushed.” I could practically taste the sarcasm in the air.
 “You have three seconds to step aside before I really crush you.”
 “How cute. You think you can defeat me. You weren't able to before, what makes you think you can now that we're surrounded by even more water than before?” My eyes widened a fraction and I flung my kunai at the water clone that I thought was Zabuza and leaping away before the real Zabuza could cut me down. He didn't look all that happy when he turned to face me. He scoffed when he saw my sharingan, “That again? Are all the Uchiha so weak that they rely on that silly Kekke Genkai of theirs? How pathetic.”
 Sasuke yelped and I looked over Peaches shoulder to see Haku raining senbon down on my cousin like a vengeful thunderstorm. Anger washed over me, hot and heady, when I landed my gaze back on Zabuza. “Two seconds to move.”
 Peaches sneered.
 “One.”
 He didn't move.
 I held my right arm above my head and brought my left to my mouth. Curling my index and thumb around my tongue I whistled loudly, using a small wind ninjutsu to amplify the sound. My hawk summons, having been sitting on the sidelines forgotten, all took flight. They flew in circles like a roiling thundercloud of brown and black, using my upraised arm as the pivot point.
 “Last chance to move.” I said. Zabuza stubbornly stayed where he was. My mouth twisted in an ugly grimace and I lowered my right arm to point at the Mist nuke-nin. The hawks gave one last turn before following my finger and shooting straight towards Peach-boy.
 He smirked.
 My eyes widened.
 “Hha!” I felt water douse my back and I spun around to see Hinata standing in a puddle of water, formerly a water clone, panting slightly. She gave me a shaky grin, “I-I'm sorry Y-Yanagi-sensei. I c-came as fast as I c-c-c-could.” She stuttered slightly, a blush forming on her cheeks. I didn't blame her, Hinata had suddenly become the center of attention after pulling a stunt like that. Even Haku stopped torturing my poor cousin to stare at her.
 I grinned, “Hey, I'm not complaining. You just saved me from being skewered like a roast pig.” I joked before turning serious, “Guard Tazuna, don't leave his side for any reason.” I ordered. Hinata gave a firm nod and leaped sideways until she was in front of Tazuna, in a Gentle Fist stance. When I turned to face Zabuza again, he did not look amused.
 “Oh... did she ruin your little scheme?” I asked innocently, pressing an index finger to the corner of my mouth like a slut trying to act cute.
 That did it, I could practically hear Peachy's patience snap. He snarled and charged at me, “Shut up!”
 I laughed as I jumped away from him, “Looks like you underestimated my brats, Peach-boy. Sasuke and Hinata are clan kids and having been training with their families since they could hold a kunai right.” I ducked under Peachy's swing and shot my left leg out for a round house kick. Zabuza launched into the air to avoid my leg and I pulled back before he could land on it. “Sasuke is the best in his class and no one can defeat Hinata in taijutsu. She's a Hyuuga after all, it's in her blood.” I taunted as I back flipped away from the Kubikiribōchō.
 Skidding to a halt a few feet away from Peaches I smirked, “And what have you got? A coward with a nice Kekke Genkai. Well, I've got two brats with Kekke Genkai and neither of them are cowards!”
 Zabuza's face twisted unpleasantly, “Haku, stop goofing around and kill that pest!” He barked out, his gaze darting over his shoulder to where the ice mirrors stood. Haku didn't respond, but only started throwing more senbons at Sasuke at a more rapid pace than before; I tried not to flinch when I heard Sasuke cry out. Peachy looked back at me, his gaze deadlier than before, “That big mouth of yours is going to get your brats killed, Uchiha.”
 I only smiled, “I'm confident they can handle one little brat, even one as powerful as yours. Besides, you forgot something.” Peach-boy stiffened as it dawned on him that Naruto had yet to appear. My smile twisted into a sneer, “You know, I think my last student deserves to be called the 'Stupidly Brave Shinobi of Konoha' more than I do. After all, not many genin are brave enough to fight someone like you, Peach-boy, let alone get the better of you.”
 As if planned there was a puff of smoke to the right of Haku's mirrors. Naruto's voice drifted from the white billowing vapors, “I resent that, Frizzy-sensei! Call me the 'Fearless Shinobi of Konoha'! That's right, Uzumaki Naruto is here!” My eye only twitched a little at the nickname. I'd let it slide this one time.
 Peach-boy blinked slowly at Naruto then looked at me, “You think some brat like him can do anything?”
 I shrugged, “Why not? It was a dead-last like Naruto who helped turn the last shinobi war back in Konoha's favor.” I responded coolly. I should know, Obito was the idiot I was talking about. “I feel Naruto can do the same with this little spat we have. Dead-last shinobi have a tendency to surprise people.” Naruto took a second to gawk at me, not use to my free praise. All I could say was he had better back up my claims or I was going to murder the little sucker.
 Naruto got a really big grin on his face, “You know how the hero always shows up at the last minute and kicks butt? Well that's what I'm going to do, right now! So don't you worry sensei, you can just sit back and watch me beat these guys!”
 I facepalmed.
 The blonde idiot ignored me, “Alright, you're history!” He formed a sign, “Shadow Clone Jutsu!” But before Naruto could form a single clone, Zabuza twisted around and threw a handful of shuriken at him. Like with the Demon Brothers, Naruto's first reaction was the freeze in fear.
 “Move Naruto!” I yelled, my heart in my throat as I watched the throwing stars head for my frozen student. I wouldn't be able to get there in time to stop them, not even my hawks surrounding the bridge would be able to grab the shuriken in time.
 Out of no where, senbon needles collided with the shuriken and knocked them off course. I jerked in surprise and twisted to stare at Haku half leaning out of his mirrors, still in the position of someone who had just thrown something. Zabuza narrowed his eyes at his ally.
 Now that he was out of danger, I felt it safe to yell at Naruto, “You imbecile! This is a real battle not a stupid spar; a shinobi's lifestyle is deception, not a damn talent show! Always keep your enemy guessing, be unpredictable so they can't figure out how to defeat you. So get your head outta your ass and think before someone makes a dartboard out of you!”
 Naruto turned about as red as Hinata did when Naruto got within ten feet of her. He started yelling apologies, but I ignored him to glance at Haku. Everyone else seemed to think that Haku had thrown senbon at Naruto at the same time Zabuza did and their attacks ended up colliding; but I knew better. One look at my cousin-turned-porcupine told me that Haku did not miss his targets. Which could only mean... he meant to throw those shuriken off track.
 The question was why.
 Peach-boy seemed to be thinking the same thing I was, “Haku, what are you doing?” Peachy demanded. His tone was dangerous and angry, he was pissed at Haku for disturbing his attack. In Zabuza's state of mind at the moment, I wouldn't be entirely surprised if he attacked his own ally out of anger.
 One could only hope.
 Haku straightened out of his position and dipped his head towards Peaches, “Zabuza-sama, let me fight this boy in my own way... please.” The brat rasped. Mildly I wondered if all Kiri nins had that smoker rasp, or if it was just these two idiots.
 Naruto glared at the masked boy, “Bring. It. On.” He challenged before I could tell him to not be stupid. I suppressed the urge to hang my head in defeat at the stupidity of the blonde brat and wondered if he knew how powerful Haku was. Sasuke was hardly a match for the nuke-nin, what chance did Naruto have against him?!
 Zabuza chuckled, “As usual you're too soft, Haku. Fine, if that is what you wish.” Soft? What part of that masked brat was...
 I glanced at Sasuke. He was injured but not too bad, nothing that would cause any lasting damage. So either Haku was very sadistic and liked to play with his enemies; or he was soft as Zabuza said and wasn't trying to hurt Sasuke, just stall him. Still, knowing Naruto, he'd piss Haku off enough that the nuke-nin would tear him to shreds. I started to take a step forward to intervene before things got worse, but Peaches blocked my path.
 “Don't even think about it.” Oddly enough, Peachy sounded amused. “You know what will happen if you take on Haku. I'll go after the bridge builder and that little girl.” I stiffened and looked to the left where Tazuna and Hinata stood. There was no way that I would be able to end Haku and protect those two at the same time. Against a long sword like the Kubikiribōchō, Hinata's taijutsu was useless; and without me guiding my hawk summons they couldn't do shit but sit there and look pretty. I supposed I could summon a larger hawk to deal with Zabuza while I took out Haku, but that would cut down on my chakra and possibly put me in a dangerous position.
 Damn.
 Zabuza seemed to know I was in a bind, he smirked underneath those bandages, “Relax, Uchiha. Lets see how our students do... one on one.” I gave him an Uchiha Glare, but he wasn't even paying attention to me. I didn't dare attack, he might not be looking at me, but I know the Peach Bastard was still prepared to fight me. Only an idiot would think otherwise.
 Apparently Sasuke was an idiot.
 While Haku was talking to Naruto, a kunai came flying out of the ice prison that held Sasuke. Haku easily dodged the knife and looked at my cousin, “Don't think I forgot about you, not for an instant.” The masked nuke-nin tilted his head a little, “Some warriors accept defeat gracefully, they know when they are beaten...” Oh great, know I was going to have two idiots who couldn't think straight, “Others do not. So be it, let us finish our battle then.”
 I couldn't help but groan quietly as Haku reentered his mirrors. Zabuza actually snorted and gave me an amused look as if we weren't enemies fighting to the death but two people just watching our students spar. I shot him a brief glare and looked away. I refused to think Peaches was anyone else but my enemy.
 It was torture having to watch my cousin practically being torn to shreds by multiple attacks coming from all the mirrors. With my sharingan I could pick up the real Haku and how he jumped from mirror to mirror to keep the element of surprise. The little pest was fast, even with my sharingan I could just barely pick up his movements as he flashed between the mirrors. But I still didn't know how the mirrors worked.
 “Sasuke, Naruto think! You have to attack the mirrors from the inside and outside at the same time to figure out how they work!” I yelled. Naruto's face brightened with an idea and there was a poof and...
 He was gone.
 It was only when Sasuke started yelling did I realize where he went. My eye twitched and I glanced at Zabuza. The nuke-nin looked like he was on the verge of laughing, I was almost tempted to tell him that I was disowning Naruto as my student after a stunt like that.
 “Katon: Phoenix Sage Jutsu!” Sasuke yelled out and there was a brief glow of orange that surrounded the multiple mirrors at various angles, but none of them melted.
 I could hear the amusement in Haku's voice when he said, “You'll need more firepower than that to melt this ice.” I stiffened slightly. More firepower? I could easily do that, but...
 Peaches smirked at me, easily reading my mind, “If you melt the mirrors you'll incinerate your students. Doesn't that defeat the purpose?” He asked. I shot him a nasty look and mildly wondered why he hadn't attacked yet. Peach-boy didn't have a problem earlier, was he just stalling then to get to this point and showcase his student? He had been hired to take out my client, not show off his student's prowess.
 Once again my suspicions of his involvement with the Mist Rebels surfaced. I eyed the man, trying to figure out his game. I doubted that he was ever fighting me seriously. All he had done was send water clones and swing that big ass sword around. Zabuza had been part of the Seven Swordsmen of Kirigakure, he had gotten the position by being a master of kenjutsu. So far Zabuza had been attacking as if the Kubikiribōchō was just a piece of metal to be swung around and not a great sword.
 Of course it was always possible that he was downplaying his abilities to keep the element of surprise; I had been doing the same by only dodging Zabuza's sword and tossing kunai around when I got the opening. But it just didn't fit Peachy's personality to use deception when he had the opportunity to strike. I glanced at the ice prison as Haku bounded from mirror to mirror, raining senbon down on Sasuke and Naruto. Haku was the same. I knew that that jutsu was meant to trap and destroy an opponent. The positioning of the mirrors and the pure speed of Haku proved that point easily enough. So why weren't my students dead yet? From what I had gathered on Haku, I knew he wasn't the sick twisted kind of shinobi that enjoyed toying with their victims. Not even Zabuza was that way. Zabuza's way of killing was quick, painless, and silent; leaving any survivors baffled and frightened of the Demon of the Mist.
 Naruto's yelling stopped my musing, “I won't quit! Not ever, I'm going to survive and become Hokage because that is my dream!” I didn't know if I should be proud that he still wasn't giving up even after that downpour of needles or still embarrassed that he had gotten himself into that mess.
 What Haku responded with surprised me, “I didn't want to be a shinobi, it's painful. I don't want to kill you, but if you come closer I will have no choice.” What? “I will kill the kindness in my own heart and fully embrace the shinobi way. This bridge will the battlefield where our dreams collide. I will fight for my dream, just as you fight for yours. Please do not blame me, I fight for someone who is precious to me. I live for him and I will face death for him so that his dream will become reality. That is my dream, and for the sake of that dream, if I must I will act as a shinobi and take your lives!”
 I bowed my head and glanced at the silent Zabuza. It was obvious that Haku was referring to Peach-boy, but why? What did Zabuza do that made the kid so loyal to him? And furthermore, just what was Zabuza's dream? The more I listened to Haku, the more reluctant I was to kill the kid, but if he got in the way of my mission then I would cut him and Zabuza down.
 Peaches shot me a haughty glance, “Tell me Uchiha, does that wimpy village of yours still avoid the most important rule of being a shinobi?” He asked as if he were genuinely curious.
 I only started at him in silence. It was a loaded question, so I saw no need in wasting my breath with an answer that was already obvious.
 Peach-boy cackled like a madman, “I wonder what your precious little Hokage will say when you come back with two bodies instead of three live genin... if you survive that is.” I heard Tazuna inhale sharply as it dawned on him just how outnumbered the genin truly were. I glanced out of the corner of my eye to see how Hinata was holding up to the news of her possible death.
 Not too well.
 Zabuza followed my gaze, “She's going to faint.” He observed in a tone that could only be amusement. He looked back at me, “How is it that you ended up with three incompetent brats? You're supposed to be an A-class kunoichi, and yet here you are... babysitting.”
 “Hn.” I grunted. That insult was so pathetic I knew I would lose brain cells just by answering it. One would think that the Bloody Mist would pencil in a trash talk class right after their academy students learned how to gut a helpless victim. At least so they wouldn't kill their opponents from the lame insults flying around.
 Unless... that was their stupid plan all along.
 The damn man didn't shut up though, “Falling back on the Uchiha customary response? How unlike you.” Great now he was adding sarcasm to the list. My eye twitched and I came close to planting my fist in his stupid, bandaged face if only to shut him up; but I somehow refrained... for now. “It must goad you that your precious Hokage would dump a bunch of brats on you. It's such a waste of your skills, chasing after three brats like you're their nanny while shinobi weaker than you take over your missions.” Peachy continued on, not even bothering to see if he was really insulting me or not.
 Finally I got fed up, “Your insults are pathetic. Even my pacifist cousin can talk trash better than you.” I deadpanned. Peachy didn't even have the decency to look offended. He only smirked at me from underneath his bandages.
 I reached into my weapons pouch and brought out a fan. Snapping it open I began lightly fanning myself like a geisha would. I even fluttered my eyelashes at Peaches, “Let's get this over with, ne? I want to leave by dusk.” I simpered like a primping airhead and reactivated my sharingan, having had deactivated it once I realized I would never figure out Haku's jutsu with my eyes.
 Zabuza jerked his gaze away from my sharingan and he reached back into his own kunai pouch. As he charged at me, I made a sweeping motion with my arm so that my fan cut through the air like a blade. When he came into my range, I thumbed the little lever on the handle and fourteen senbon needles shot out of the fan's ribs. Unfortunately due to the large curve of the fan's edge, only five senbons were heading directly at Peaches. He easily knocked them away with his two bladed kunai and jumped back.
 I snapped the fan shut and pointed it at him, “Lesson number one of kunoichi tactics: Everything can be a weapon.” I depressed another button on the bamboo frame of the fan and a three inch blade shot out of the little slot that was embedded into the fan, just to prove my point. Zabuza did not looked very pleased with my Fan of Wonders–as Obito called it.
 In fact, I could swear he was pouting.
 “This won't be like last time, Peach-boy.” I promised him, my smirk melting away to be replaced with the expressionless mask every shinobi seemed to have.
 The bandaged nuke-nin seemed to have stolen my smirk, “You're correct, because this time even if you do defeat me, you have no chance against Haku. When I found him he was just a street rat, but I trained him in the most advanced techniques. I taught him everything I know, and with that Kekke Genkai of his, soon he was able to take on dangerous enemies. Even outnumbered and in total darkness, he could strike with perfect accuracy. He cared nothing for his own life, or the lives of others. Haku became a unique fighting machine, a shinobi. In the end even he surpassed me, with that Kekke Genkai of his nothing can defeat it! I've created a tool that can destroy anyone who stands in my way, unlike those useless brats that follow you around like little lost puppies!”
 I grimaced in disgust at the man before me. Then I glanced over his shoulder at the prison of ice mirrors where the shouts of pain from Naruto and Sasuke were still originating. When I head heard Haku's speech I was ready to put an end to the battle peacefully, just to save the kid the pain of losing his precious person. Now I was ready to roast the fool who dared take advantage of loyalty like that.
 Zabuza laughed as he looked back at the ice mirrors with a crazed look in his eyes, “You think those punks can defeat Haku? He's the ultimate battle tool of destruction!”
 “Would ya shut up already? Geez you sound worse than my uncle when he's talking about Itachi!” I snapped, getting irritated with this 'Haku is so great! You can never defeat him!' bullshit. Was Zabuza Haku's fangirl or senpai?!
 Zabuza didn't understand the reference, so he wasn't offended. Though I had now doubt he would be throwing a temper tantrum if he knew how Fugaku was when he was bragging about my cousin. “Fine, but there is one more thing you should know.” I raised an eyebrow and decided to humor him, not that he needed any encouragement, “Did you really think our last battle was just win or lose? Haku had been watching the whole time, watching every move your made with that sharingan of yours. Haku can see a move once and immediately devise a counterattack; it's one of his... gifts. I've been waiting to see the look on your pretty face when you realize that your sharingan has become worthless!”
 I kept my face blank just to annoy him.
 Zabuza held up two fingers, “Suiton: Hidden Mist Jutsu!”
 Deja vu, anyone?
 The thin mist that had already layered the air thickened to the point of no visibility. I cursed, my sharingan eyes darting to pick up the slighted movement in the mist; but all I could see was Hinata and Tazuna fidgeting around, looking left and right for a thin spot in the thick mist. I pinned Hinata with a look. She was twitching nervously and shaking in fear, “Hinata, stay with Tazuna. Don't leave his side for any reason.” I ordered her in a sharp tone. The Hyuuga girl seemed to get over her fear at the order and nodded firmly before shifting from an offensive to a defensive taijutsu stance. I had noticed over the weeks that she seemed to lose her cowardice when given a direct order. Hopefully she would stand by it even if I went down.
 Shuriken came out of no where and I easily batted them away with my closed fan. I took a cautious step in the direction the throwing stars had come from but stopped and twisted around when I felt Zabuza's chakra behind me. I blinked when I saw that his eyes were closed. Was he trying to prevent looking into my sharingan or was it another reason entirely? I frowned when he started to speak.
 “Next time you see me, will be the last time you see anything.” Okay, for Peach-boy, that wasn't a half bad attempt to be intimidating; but still... even goofy Shisui still beat him by a mile. Of course, goofy Shisui happened to be pretty terrifying when someone did the impossible and actually pissed him off, but that was irrelevant. “Without your sharingan, you're nothing.” Zabuza rasped and then disappeared again before I could attack. I twitched in annoyance. If this was just going to be a hit-and-run tactic I was going to murder someone.
 Preferably Peaches; but I would take Tazuna for putting me in this mess in the first place too.
 Fine. If he wanted to play this game, then I would just pull and Uchiha Tactic straight from the Book of Bullshit and own his sorry ass before he could sneeze. I ran through the appropriate hand signs and slammed my palms together with a loud clap, “Fūton: Gale Palm!” In a large ejection of wind oriented chakra, I managed to disperse most of the mist thinning it out enough that I could see Zabuza's faint outline several paces to my right. I turned to face the outline and began a new set of hand signs, “Katon: Great Fireball Jutsu!” I shouted and sent a steady stream of fire at Zabuza.
 I grinned when Zabuza had to leap out of the mist and into my sight, just like I wanted, “I'm sorry, I didn't catch that last part. You left to quickly. Something about me being without my sharingan...?” I said teasingly. Boy, did Peaches look pissed off.
 Somehow that set off a monologue of how Peach-boy had figured out the secret behind the sharingan. I almost started nodding off when he started explaining the piercing eye and the hypnotic eye and how I had used them in battle. Seriously, what was with this guy and explaining things to invisible audiences? Was he so enamored with his own smoker voice that he liked making long winded speeches over obvious things?!
 That would explain a lot of things, actually.
 After he finished lecturing me about things I had grown up knowing, he started talking about his 'ultimate plan to win the day'. Finally I gave up pretending to listen and groaned loudly, “Oh. My. Kami. SHUT UP! At least try to make it harder on me by not explaining your stupid little plan. Dear Lord, do I need to give you the 'a shinobi's lifestyle is deception' lecture I gave Naruto too?!”
 There was a beat of silence when even Haku stopped fighting Naruto and Sasuke, before Zabuza's annoying raspy voice spoke again, “Fine. I just won't give you a sporting chance.” If that was what he called a 'sporting chance' I would gladly go without, if only to keep my ears from bleeding.
 In the back of my mind I wondered who could out talk the other: the Hokage or Peaches.
 The fighting between the three boys resumed with vigor, but something was different about it. I could hear Sasuke using the fireball jutsu as well, which was strange. Didn't he already try to melt the ice and figure out that it didn't work? What could those two idiots possibly be up to? I risked a glance in their direction, hoping that it might shed some light on their plan.
 “Pay attention to your own fight!” Zabuza roared and I snapped my head around with a gasp just in time to feel his foot connect with my jawline. There was a dull crunch and I tasted the sharp coppery twang of blood flooding my mouth; seconds later a wave of pain bloomed from my jaw, momentarily causing my mind to blank. I landed in a heap on the ground, my jaw throbbing painfully. I reached up to cradle it and winced when my hand grazed against the bruising area. The bone was cracked at the very least.
 High killer intent brought my head up and my eyes widened when I saw Zabuza descending from the air, the Kubikiribōchō raised over his head and positioned to bisect me at the waist. Scrambling, I twisted to the side and got my feet under me just as the long blade dug into the ground almost three inches deep. I winced and tried not to imagine what would have happened to be had I been any slower.
 I was really starting to regret pissing Peaches off.
 The Kiri nuke-nin yanked his big ass sword out of the ground and turned towards me, a deranged look in his eyes. “Seems I finally succeeded in shutting up the Uchiha with the runaway mouth. Now to make it permanent.” I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the lame trash talk. This guy was truly pathetic when it came to being intimidating. I was starting to think that awkward Iruka could be more terrifying than this guy. The chunnin might be terrifying to kids, but he was just a socially awkward wimp when it came to adults.
 Peachy disappeared.
 I stiffened and looked around, trying to discern any chakra signal with either my sharingan or my sensory abilities. I swallowed a mouthful of blood, trying not to gag at the overbearing taste of copper, and ran through my options. While the wind jutsu had momentarily cleared the mist, it was back in full force, once again hindering my line of vision. Sight was out, I could deal with that. Peaches was a master of the silent killing technique; he could enter a crowd full of people, kill one person, and be gone before that person even hit the ground–all the while not making a smidgen of noise. That mean I could not hear Zabuza's attacks either and if I did it was probably a distraction. Still I could manage without hearing too.
 That left my sensing abilities and scent. I wasn't a tracker and I was no where near as good at olfactory perception as Kakashi or the Inuzuka clan, but I still had a sharp nose. However, the problem with that was my sense of smell was being overridden by the smell of my blood still filling my mouth. My chances of predicting Peaches next attack were starting to slim down. My chakra sensing abilities weren't the best, it was mostly just raw talent, but I still should be able to pick out Zabuza's large chakra source in the thick mist he had created. It would be like trying to pick out the early morning sun in a thick fog, but it was still doable. Unless Peach-boy suppressed his chakra, I should be able to sense him.
 I closed my eyes and concentrated on spanning my awareness about the bridge. I could feel the chakra of the three boys flitting around inside the ice prison, which appeared to be a thin dome of Haku's chakra, and I could pick out Hinata's still relatively high chakra reserves right in front of Tazuna's stunted civilian level chakra. Wait.
 Hinata.
 Damn it! I had a Hyuuga with me the whole time and I was too caught up in my ego to even think about asking her for help. There wasn't anything that could hide from the Byakugan! And now, I couldn't talk because of my cracked jawbone. Growling deep in my throat I was about to shunshin to Hinata and signal what I needed in my rusty genin hand signs, when the object I was looking for appeared.
 Right where I didn't want it.
  Chapter 15: Not Everything is Black and White
Hinata screamed.
 I gasped as a sheering pain ripped across my chest; blood from my mouth dripped down my chin and joined the splatter of blood already on the ground. I was extremely lucky to have been able to shunshin right where I needed to be in order to take the blow meant for Hinata and Tazuna.
 I reached up to cradle my wound, trying to stop the blood flow, and glared at Zabuza with slow spinning red eyes. Unfortunately he didn't meet my gaze, “Too bad, Uchiha, you let concern for those brats cloud your mind and adding further to the fog that already hinders your sharingan. You're eyes are sharp, but not sharp enough to read my moves.”
 Kami above, why did I have to be injured and listen to Peach Bastard's shitty insults?
 Peach-boy cackled in a cliché villainous pitch, furthering my annoyance with the man. Did Kirigakure hand pamphlets out on how to be a lame antagonist?! “Come on, Uchiha, I want this to be fun!” Can anyone say psychopath? “I want to enjoy myself while I extract my revenge! As for those pest... don't worry. They're at Haku's mercy, no they're breathing their last breaths right now.” Peaches twisted Kubikiribōchō so that the sharp edge of the blade was facing up and he reached behind him into his weapons pouch. I didn't move. “Relax. You'll have plenty of time to weep out an apology when you see them in the next life.”
 Where the hell did he get the assumption I was tense in anyway?
 He started cackling again. My eyes narrowed slightly as he seemed to dissolve back into the mist surrounding us. Peachy's crazed laughter drifted so that it sounded like it was coming from all around us. There was a moment of silence after Zabuza's awful guffawing faded away filled only with my labored breath. Damn this stupid wound, I was going to be in pain every time I got dressed for a month! Not to mention my bruising jaw; I'm not going to be able to eat solid foods for a long time. Plus when Obito sees it, there would be hell to pay.
 Exactly who would pay... that was the question.
 Because I was going to make damn sure that Peaches didn't leave this bridge alive.
 Hinata whimpered behind me and I glanced over my shoulder to see her staring intensively at the ice prison. “N-Naruto-kun... Sasuke-san...” She whispered and took an instinctive step towards the place where her team was fighting for their lives. Hinata stopped and her breath started to shorten with panic, in another moment she would start hyperventilating and I couldn't do shit about it. The one time I wanted to comfort my student and my damn jaw was locked up from the pain.
 Luckily Tazuna stepped in, “Don't worry, Hinata-chan. I have faith that the boys will pull through. That blonde kid... I thought he was just some goofy little brat with the maturity of a two year old. And the one with the attitude, I didn't think he cared about anyone! But I see now that I was wrong. All of you aren't what I expected and, by golly, I know Naruto and Sasuke will beat that masked pest to a pulp!”
 My sharingan eyes darted to Tazuna to convey my silent thanks. The old man smirked at me and reached out to place a hand on Hinata's shoulder. The Hyuuga heiress was looking more confident than she had been, she stood straighter and held the kunai in a tight, firm grip.
 I returned my gaze forward again and I was surprised to see Zabuza's outline among the fog. Maybe he hadn't disappeared as completely as I had thought. Peach-boy laughed sardonically, “You think those punks can defeat Haku? No one has ever stopped his secret jutsu.” Zabuza reached up for Kubikiribōchō and I clinched my fists, wishing that I hadn't lost my grip on my fan when Peaches landed that damn round house kick on my face. I was down to the senbons I had carved out of twigs earlier that week. Against the Kubikiribōchō, they wouldn't do squat. Mentally I ran through my other options.
 When I realized my opponent was Zabuza, I had raided my pack until I managed to dig up my old, worn, and very out-of-date copy of Konoha's Bingo Book. While the brats were out training, I had been cooped up in the room I shared with Hinata, pouring over Zabuza's page. What I had read made me frustrated and ecstatic at the same time. Peach-boy's stats were solid straight across–practically invincible–except for one little detail. Zabuza was below average in genjutsu. As an Uchiha, I was fairly good at genjutsu, but I wasn't the best. Furthermore, Zabuza would be avoiding looking into my eyes which hindered my chance of catching only him in a genjutsu. My best chance was casting an area of effect genjutsu, but that would also endanger my team and Tazuna.
 My other option was that I could also use my hawk summonings that still perched around the bridge, waiting for me to order them around. The downside to that option was that I had to focus my attention on directing the hawks, those small summons couldn't fight by themselves very well as they would attack anyone who wasn't me. I would have to concentrate on making sure none of the hawks went after Team 7. That meant that Zabuza, or even Haku, could bypass me and go for the bridge builder. I supposed I could create a shadow clone to handle the hawks, but I was already low on chakra and that would only eat away at my stores even more. I knew that if this fight was prolonged any longer I would suffer from chakra exhaustion again or worse.
 I needed to end this now.
 My hands rose and I started going through the hand signs for my signature technique, water ninjutsu be damned, when a spike of chakra made me freeze in utter fear. Hot, cold, anger, red... red... red. That chakra...
 vvv FLASHBACK vvv
 “Stay with your cousin, Itachi. I'll be right back.” Mikoto-oba called as she dashed off. I stared wide eyed and frightened as my aunt left. Alarms had awoken me in the middle of the night calling for an extreme state of emergency. Obito-nii was in my room only seconds after the alarm started wailing and dragged me to the Main Branch house, telling me to stay with Mikoto. When I tried to tell him that I was a genin now and I could help with whatever the crisis was, Obito had gotten uncharacteristically serious and ordered me to stay in the house.
 Now the bells were calling for all shinobi ranked above chūnin, retired or otherwise, and Mikoto had left me in charge of my cousins while she ran to respond to the summons.
 Itachi and I sat on the porch, watching ghostly red ribbons float through the sky, and keeping an ear trained on any changes in the constant alarm. Sasuke thankfully was being relatively quite, I wasn't having to try and listen over a brat's soft crying. Itachi seemed surprisingly responsible with his little brother, so I left Itachi was baby duty. I didn't like kids that much; the only kid I liked was Itachi and that was because he was more like an adult anyway.
 My heart dropped when I heard the alarm pick up in tempo and changed to a higher pitch. That was the call for all civilians and lower ranked shinobi to evacuate to the Monument. Whatever was happening in the village it must be bad if it was a village-wide evacuation. I stood, “Come on Itachi, we've gotta-” I cut myself off when I saw my cousin already heading for the compound gates. I didn't even have it in me to be angry at him for leaving me behind.
 I had only gotten five feet when there was a thunderous crash that shook the ground. Itachi and I stumbled, trying to regain our footing and still move fast enough to get to the shelter. Then I felt it. A tangible anger, so hot and violent that I felt sick to my stomach. Sasuke, who had been quietly whimpering until now, shrieked in fear, his small face turning a dark red. I was scared, I wanted to run away and hide, to give into to whatever was attacking. It was the predator and I was the cornered prey, I stood no chance against that anger; that raw, potent Killer Intent.
 Something firm but small tugged at my wrist. I jolted out of my frozen state and stared down at my little cousin. Itachi looked as calm and impassive as he always did, as if he couldn't even feel the Killer Intent infused in the very air–no, it was the air. I was breathing in that powerful anger with every breath until it became my whole being. I wanted to hide. I wanted-
 “Yanagi-itoko, we have to get to the shelter,” Itachi spoke, cutting off my thoughts. To anyone else he might sound bored and indifferent, but I could hear the small lilt of concern in his voice. That seemed to wake me up. I was frozen like a deer downwind of the wolf and here my six year old cousin wasn't even bothered about the attack. He was trying to comfort me! What was worse, I actually needed to be comforted. It angered me, I was weak. A child barely in the academy was more rational than I, the Rookie of the Year, was!
 I promised myself I would never freeze again.
 vvv FLASHBACK OVER vvv
 I concentrated on my sensory ability, trying to determine what would make Naruto lose control. I doggedly ignored the hotredredredthatnightfearmustrun chakra that was the Kyuubi's and instead on the chakra points all over the bridge. Zabuza was a little ahead of me, his chakra thick and languid like honey; there was the smooth, silky feel of Hinata's chakra behind me beside the stunted civilian amount that was Tazuna's. Haku's, hard and sharp like ice yet surprisingly warm, was darting all over the place as he tried to dodge Naruto's crazed strikes. Sasuke's chakra was muted, almost to the point of...
 I snapped my head around and stared as the ice mirrors shattered and Haku came flying out, laid out flat by Naruto. In between the broken shards of the still hanging mirrors I could see a dark lump in the center, not moving.
 ...of death.
 It wasn't the first time I had seen death, and certainly not the last. I wasn't even bothered all that much by it. Except... I was. There was a difference between seeing a teammate die in the course of a battle, when you didn't have time to think or even notice that they had just died; and seeing the body of a child, your own cousin, crumpled on the ground like a thrown away doll.
 Suddenly all the horrible things I had said to him, all the unkind actions and unfriendly glares, all came rushing in like a tidal wave. Like a tsunami. Obito was right, I was a horrible sensei. I had gotten one of my students killed on their first C-rank mission. It didn't matter that it had been updated to an A-rank. I had in essence killed my own student; I had signed his death warrant the moment I didn't withdraw from the mission when it was clear that it was out of Team 7's capabilities. I felt sick, both physically and emotionally. I felt like I was drowning with no life line to pull myself out. I... needed an outlet, I needed to rid myself of all the pent up guilt and anger at myself.
 “Awww... are you going to cry?”
 I found my outlet.
 Slowly I turned to stare at Zabuza, That Bastard, all my emotions draining away and leaving nothing behind. I didn't take joy in seeing him jolt in surprise at my flat gaze, or the way he when white under his tan skin when my Killer Intent washed over him. All I cared about was beating the shit out of that bastard for putting my cousin in the position that killed him. I raised my hands slowly and, almost in a trance, I ran through the hand signs, never breaking gaze with that bastard. I stared straight into his soul and found it... lacking.
 Zabuza's death wouldn't bring back Sasuke, but it would sure make me feel a hell of a lot better.
 I could only hope.
 Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Jutsu. I thought, since my injured jaw prevented me from saying the jutsu. Zabuza's eyes bugged out when he felt the imaginary genjutsu stakes driving into his body, pinning him where he stood. I dropped the last hand sign and started another jutsu. I kept my eyes on Zabuza the whole time, letting him see my cold indifference to him. I wanted that bastard to know that I wasn't killing him because he was my enemy or because I hated him.
 I was killing Zabuza just because I fucking felt like it.
 Katon: Great Fireball Jutsu. I didn't channel too much of my chakra into the fire. I didn't want to incinerate Zabuza on the spot. That wasn't good enough, I wanted to slowly roast him alive. I wanted him to die a slow agonizing death, covered in third degree, maybe even fourth degree if I was feeling merciful, burns for even thinking of harming my baby cousin. I took a deep breath and brought my fingers up to my mouth. I watched dispassionately as Zabuza tried to evade the oncoming fire, I didn't feel the pleasure of watching my prey squirm before I killed them. All I could think was 'how dare you.'
 I noticed Haku too late.
 vvv 3rd POV~ Hinata vvv
 Hinata was frightened. She stood there shaking on spot as she watched the plume of red chakra spiraling out of the mirrors. With her Byakugan activated, she had seen all that had happened. She saw the spike of chakra in Sasuke's eyes and saw the glint of red–the sign of the sharingan. Hinata saw him fall, saw his chakra sputter like a candle before dying out. She saw Naruto lose control, she didn't need her kekke genkai for that. That violent red chakra was clear from even the distance between the boys and Hinata.
 Hinata saw Yanagi-sensei freeze up when she spotted Sasuke's body. Afterwards, Hinata saw Sensei take on a whole new personality. Hinata shivered, with her Byakugan activated there was no missing that cold look in Yanagi's eyes. There was a saying in Konoha: 'The four things any Konoha nin fears are an angry Aburame, a focused Inuzuka, a motivated Nara, and a bereft Uchiha.'  Until now, Hinata had never realized why.
 The Hyuuga heiress clung to her kunai as if it were a religious symbol, she wasn't ready for this. When she had graduated as a genin, she knew there would be death and fighting, but... not like this. She hadn't expected to see her first death so soon, and definitely not her own teammate! Hinata would happily go back to doing D-ranked missions if she survived.
 She hoped she survived.
 But that hope was dwindling into an unattainable dream. If Sasuke, the strongest genin of their class, couldn't survive, then what hope did she have?! Yanagi-sensei had promised she would protect them with her life when they first fought Zabuza, but she had failed. Yanagi had broken her promise. There was no guarantee that Sensei would protect Hinata if Zabuza came after her, Yanagi didn't even protect her own cousin.
 A sentimental fool, that's what Yanagi-sensei called Hinata. Was this what she meant? Sasuke had ran to protect Naruto from being hurt, Hinata saw that, and in turn the Uchiha boy had gotten killed. “If you live past your Chunnin Exam I'll be amazed” That's what Yanagi-sensei had said, had she been right? Were emotions really a hindrance to a shinobi? From the way Yanagi-sensei was going after Zabuza, it seemed like she was right. Emotions were an obstacle to a shinobi, they got in the way of the fight and clouded the mind. Hinata remembered that there was a rule about emotions, Rule 25: A shinobi must never show their feelings. It was one of the only rules she actually knew by heart because it was the rule most shinobi strove to achieve.
 But... did Hinata have what it took to get rid of her emotions?
 Movement behind Yanagi-sensei alerted Hinata and she opened her mouth to call out a warning, not even thinking about it, but she was too late.
 vvv Normal POV vvv
 I stumbled back a step, caught off guard by the sudden body in front of me, cutting of the steam of fire to only a small fireball barely bigger than a cat. Time seemed to slow as I watched the small jet of fire fly from my mouth and connect with Haku's chest perfectly. Surprisingly, he didn't go flying back from the force of the fire. It should have sent him back twenty feet minimum, but he didn't budge a single inch. I stared straight into the kid's brown eyes for the first time, his mask was gone– probably Naruto's doing– as my ninjutsu hit him.
 He looked... peaceful.
 It was Sasuke all over again.
 I had killed many people in my career as a kunoichi, I've even enjoyed it at times. Many of those kills had been children, kids who had gotten in my way; but I never liked admitting to those kills. I always felt ill when I watched the light go out in their young eyes. But... it was necessary for Konohagakure to keep going, so I swallowed my disgust and soldiered on. I didn't look back and reflect upon my kills, I didn't find pride in the high number. I knew that if I did I would never be able to live with myself again. Haku though... he did it willingly. He jumped in front of my fireball to protect the bastard he found precious to him.
 Haku, a Kiri nuke-nin, had the Will of Fire.
 And I almost killed him.
 Almost.
 There was still a chance to save the boy.
 The question was: would I take it?
 He was my enemy, he killed my cousin.
 But he was only a boy... barely older than Team 7. If I let him die, it would be just another Sasuke. A death of a child saving someone precious to him.
 No, I would not let that happen.
 My decision made, I wrapped my arms around Haku and leaped back away from a shell shocked Zabuza. Once the demonic illusion fell, the bastard would no doubt come after me, regardless that Haku was now in my possession. I knew the Peach bastard didn't care for Haku, his sordid little speech of Haku being the ultimate tool was enough evidence for that. I needed enough time to try and heal the kid, at least enough that I could leave him to destroy Zabuza if he attacked.
 I laid Haku down gently and ran a diagnostic jutsu to check how injured the boy truly was. Deep second degree burns across the chest, as well as minor second degree on the right arm and shoulder; but fortunately no internal bleeding or ruptured organs. Not as bad as I thought then. I sighed and allowed my eyes to close a brief moment; I was glad that I had intended to slowly roast Zabuza alive, it had probably saved the kid's life. Haku would need help beyond my capabilities, but I should be able to heal him enough so he would last until I got a medical nin.
 Reaching into my pack I withdrew a kunai, intending to use it to cut open Haku's haori and shirt. Zabuza, however, jumped to the wrong conclusion. “Get away from him!” The Demon of the Mist shouted. It surprised me how desperate he sounded.
 Was... his speech about Haku just a ruse?
 No, I shook my head, I couldn't think like that. It was bad enough that I was healing the boy. I couldn't start going soft on Zabuza. He needed to die, otherwise Tazuna would always be in danger. Haku... once I healed him I would take him prisoner and turn him over to T&I when Team 7 returned to Konoha. This kid was a gold mine of information about the Mist Rebels, and being partners with the infamous Demon of the Mist and one of the rare Kiri nins to have a Kekke Genkai meant he probably had a high bounty.
 I stubbornly ignored the disgust I felt.
 I fingered the pinstriped collar of Haku's bodysuit to determine the patterned stitch. Luckily it was a downward weave, which would make slicing through the fabric much easier for me. I raised the kunai to Haku's neck...
 ...and hissed when a shuriken embedded itself in the back of my hand.
 Zabuza was charging towards me when I looked up to see who had thrown the shuriken. I was shocked that he was even able to move; Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes was a powerful paralyzing genjutsu. Only the most powerful were able to move under it, and even then it wasn't without struggle. So how the hell was Zabuza moving as if he was never under the genjutsu?! Genjutsu was supposed to be the nuke-nin's weakness! No time to think about it, Zabuza was already swinging his sword, trying to behead me. I barely managed to duck under the Kubikiribōchō and rolled away from Haku. Zabuza snarled at me and placed himself between the boy and I. His blade raised in a defensive position.
 Interesting.
 So Peaches didn't attack Tazuna, even though he had the perfect opening... again. Zabuza had had the element of surprise. I hadn't known that Shackling Stakes had ended, which meant he should have assassinated Tazuna, and possibly Hinata, before I knew what had happened. But he didn't. Zabuza came to the rescue of his fallen comrade, had even warned me by shouting. And when he had managed to separate us, instead of going for Tazuna or me like one would expect him too, Peaches continued to guard Haku from me. He totally ignored the bridge builder who stood behind him. It was a perfect opportunity to attack, there would be no way I could reach Tazuna in time, both Zabuza and I knew that. And yet, there wasn't a twitch from Peach-boy to indicate he meant to attack.
 Only defend.
 “Yanagi-sensei!” Someone landed beside me. I jolted and looked down at Naruto in surprise. I hadn't even thought of him since he smashed that ice prison to pieces. I was too focused on making Zabuza pay for Sasuke's death, and then saving Haku's life, to even think about the other two genin.
 Naruto was staring at me, “Sensei, what happened to you?!” That's right, the blonde didn't see me get my ass handed to me by Zabuza. He was too busy with the Ice Princess.
 I grunted and pointedly looked at Zabuza, trying to convey my meaning since my jaw was still out of commission. Unfortunately, the Kyuubi brat was too dense to get my meaning. He squinted at me, “Hey, I asked you a question!” I was really really tempted to kick him off the bridge. I was trying to think and-
 “HEY, WHAT DID YOU DO TO HAKU?!”
 That did it, as soon as this fight was over, I was murdering Naruto.
 Zabuza growled at Naruto's demand, but didn't take his narrow eyes off me. The man was finally serious about the fight. This wasn't some little show anymore where we threw a few half assed attempts of trying to kill each other. We were fighting for our students now, and that meant there was no holding back. In the shinobi world, students were considered the last straw. If someone went after a student, they had better prepare to fight for their lives against the master.
 Zabuza was guarding his one and only dying student.
 I still had two students to protect. No matter how much I wanted to strangle one at the moment.
 Tazuna be damned, this was no longer about a bridge builder and some petty shipping company. It was personal now. It became personal the minute Sasuke died, and I sure as hell wasn't letting my cousin and student go without being avenged. Even if I didn't kill Sasuke's true killer, I would damn sure take out the master. If it was the last thing I did, then so be it.
 “What the hell are you doing?!”
 There was a beat of silence before Zabuza and I turned to look at the new speaker. There were very few brave, or stupid depending on how you looked at it, souls who would willingly speak when two jounin level ninjas were releasing large amounts of Killer Intent. It was a well known fact that shinobi weren't mentally stable, and in the height of battle one could easily turn on some idiot who opened his big mouth. I deadpanned when I spied the little midget standing in front of a large crowd of thugs, all leering as if they were something special. Honestly, quantity did not equal quality. Every shinobi knew that, but it seemed that civilians forgot that little fact constantly.
 I could already tell where this was going.
 The midget piped up again, “You're supposed to be attacking the bridge builder, not playing ninja with a whore.” My flat expression turned to one that screamed, 'do you have a death wish?!' Zabuza wasn't even injured and here the idiot was mouthing off to an A-class nuke-nin. What an arrogant little dwarf. I didn't think it was possible, but I had finally found someone more arrogant than the entire Uchiha clan and Zabuza combined.
 Zabuza did not look amused, “Gatou,” Boy talk about loathing, I could feel just how much Zabuza hated the man by the levels of contempt in his voice, “what is all this? Why are you here and who are these thugs you brought with you?”
 This Gatou tapped his cane against the ground. “Well, you see there's been a change of plans.” Called it! But still, this guy was an Idiot, with a capital 'i'. Betraying a nuke-nin who was already pissed off... how did the little dwarf become one of the richest men in the world? “According to the new plan, you die of this bridge... Za-bu-za.” Oi! That was my plan, the little bastard.
 Peaches didn't look all that surprised, “What.” It wasn't even a question. More like a 'Really? You're actually trying that shit?' statement. If I wasn't still burning with adrenaline and anger I would find this whole thing hilarious.
 Gatou leered, as if he thought he was something special. “That's right. You're too expensive, so I decided to take you off the payroll.” See Zabuza? That's what you get when you're greedy. Your rat bastard employer pulls the most cliché move in history on you. “Of course, even these thugs with me cost something, so if you could slaughter a few of them before they take you down, I'd appreciate it.”
 Seriously, how was this guy still alive? Betraying a nuke-nin was one thing, but asking said nuke-nin to kill a few of his hired thugs who were standing right behind him before they 'killed' Zabuza was just asking for it. All it took was one of the thugs to stab the midget bastard in the back and then they could go loot his no-doubt richly furnished home for payment. They'd probably get a lot more money that way.
 But of course, male egos would prevent them all from thinking clearly and they would just battle to the death.
 Delightful.
 Gatou went even further and started adding mockery to the list, “Think you can manage that, Demon of the Mist?” The midget chuckled condescendingly. “Look at you, you look about a demonic as a wet kitten.” Apparently Gatou had never faced a wet kitten before. Especially when they're called 'Tora'.
 I turned to look at Zabuza. Of the both of us, I was the one who was more injured. In fact, Zabuza didn't even have a scratch on him. The only thing to his disadvantage was that he was mentally fatigued from the genjutsu I had cast on him. But like all good ninja, Peaches didn't show signs that the genjutsu had bothered him. I could tell Zabuza wasn't going to last much longer under the insults and blood would soon spill, but he didn't move. He thought I still meant harm to Haku.
 Even if I did, I would be willing to call a truce if only long enough to shut Gatou's damn mouth.
 I struggled to a stand, feeling slightly dizzy which meant that the blood loss was finally getting to me. This fight would be over for me soon, but I still had enough chakra in me to at least heal Haku so his life was no longer in danger, maybe even a little more. I swayed a little as I walked towards Zabuza. The man tensed and tightened his grip on the hilt of Kubikiribōchō. I stopped just out of reach of the big ass sword and forced myself to speak, “Heal...Haku.” I manged to push past my aching jaw, though it was so garbled that even I barely understood it. I really hoped Peach-boy got my meaning, because it was obvious that I couldn't explain in depth. Damn man, why couldn't he break my ribs or something?!
 The Kiri nuke-nin stood there for a moment, I could see in his eyes that he wanted to trust me but didn't dare. Not that I blamed him, until recently we were ready to kill each other. But like every experienced shinobi, we both knew that situations could change in an instant and enemies could become close allies in the blink of an eye. The problem was if those allies would return to enemies once the fighting was done. If I did, which I wouldn't dare, then I would be in the perfect position to off Haku without any intervention from Zabuza.
 By pure luck, Haku whimpered quietly at Zabuza's feet. A small reminder of how close to death the kid was. I couldn't wait around for Peaches to decide, Haku might be dead by the time Zabuza made up his damn mind.
 Unfortunately our conversation drew attention from that grub Gatou, “Ha! So that little brat is dying, eh? Serves him right for trying to break my arm! Do us all a favor, dear, and kill the runt for me, would you? I'll pay you handsomely for your troubles!” The little man asked me. I shivered in disgust and shot the midget a dark look over my shoulder. I hadn't noticed that his left arm was in a cast until now. My respect for Haku rose several notches. Too bad Ice Princess didn't slay the cretin when he had the chance.
 Zabuza narrowed his eyes at Gatou and I mentally laughed at the midget's stupidity. Insulting a man was one thing, but insulting his student when the kid was on the doorstep of death was something else entirely. Peach-boy looked at me with murder in his eyes, but I knew it wasn't directed at me. “You're in luck, Uchiha, our fight is over now” Zabuza rasped. My mouth twitched into a brief smile, but I let if fall when even that hurt. Peach-boy raised his voice so the rest of the people on the bridge could hear him, “since I am no longer in Gatou's employ, Tazuna is safe.”
 Gatou twitched, obviously infuriated that his little display of audacity was backfiring on him. Did he honestly expect that Zabuza would still go after Tazuna after he cut Peach-boy's pay? That was just arrogant in the extreme. And I was an expert on arrogance.
 I was an Uchiha after all. The trait for arrogance was in our blood just as much as the Sharingan was.
 Quietly I knelt beside Haku again and nicked a small cut in his collar before ripping the shirt open. I grimaced when I saw my handiwork. The skin across his thin chest was warped and yellowish. White bubbles dotted the skin like small snow capped mountains; some were as round as coins and others barely bigger than the head of a pin. The burn continued up Haku's neck, fading to a pale rosy pink as it curved up his jaw line and half way to his right eye, looking no more superficial than a sunburn. Haku's upper right arm was a glossy vivid red with sparse clear blisters running along the inside of his arm. Further down the arm, just below the elbow, the burn faded into the same rosy red color that marred the poor boy's cheek. It was honestly a surprise that Haku was still alive at all. The shock alone from the jutsu should have sent him into cardiac arrest.
 I felt Zabuza's heavy gaze on my back and looked up to meet the nuke-nin's glare, “You harm one hair on his head and I will end you.” Zabuza said and for the first time since I clashed with him, I felt intimidated by the Demon of the Mist.
 Wordlessly I nodded and activated the Mystic Palm Technique. I wasn't nearly as good as Rin was, but she taught me the basics of medical ninjutsu. That would be enough to keep Haku alive. He would be horribly scarred for the rest of his days, but it was better that he be hideous than dead. Besides, those who truly loved the boy wouldn't care what he looked like.
 vvv 3rd POV vvv
 Naruto didn't understand at all what was happening. One minute Yanagi-sensei and that peach guy were glaring at each other with the intent to kill, then the weird short guy with the weird hair showed up and started insulting Zabuza and all of a sudden Zabuza and Frizzy-sensei were friends! It was all so confusing and Naruto couldn't keep up. He wanted to scream and make them explain, but Yanagi-sensei would probably knock him upside the head again. And she hit hard!
 Yanagi-sensei was kneeling down beside Haku. She was... healing him. Naruto frowned at his sensei. He remembered what she said to him when she refused to give anything to that sick boy, “I don't see the point in wasting resources to a lost cause when there are more likely cases around that can live.” Naruto didn't know how Haku had gotten hurt, but it looked bad. Almost like Haku-san wouldn't live, even Naruto would admit to that no matter how much he didn't want to. So why was Yanagi-sensei healing a lost cause?! Sasuke! If Yanagi was willing to heal Haku, then shouldn't she try to heal Sasuke too? Naruto looked over to where the body of Sasuke laid, why wouldn't Yanagi heal Sasuke? He was her cousin, and Haku was the enemy; so shouldn't she focus on Sasuke and not Haku? Naruto wanted Haku to live, sure, but he wanted Sasuke to live more!
 “Yanagi-sensei, what about S-Sasuke?” Naruto asked. He wanted to yell, but he could barely even bring his voice above a low mumble. He didn't like the way Yanagi's shoulders stiffened, Naruto's sensei was normally more reserved than that. Naruto could hardly ever figure out what Frizzy-sensei was thinking unless she was mad, so for her to act out of character didn't bode well for Sasuke.
 Zabuza hefted his large sword up onto his shoulder and looked at Naruto. The nuke-nin's voice was surprisingly soft when he spoke, “Kid... your teammate is dead.”
 “Then why...?” Naruto started to ask as he turned wide eyes on his sensei's back. Why was she healing Sasuke's killer?! His blue eyes turned up to Zabuza, wordlessly demanding answers.
 Zabuza only looked away, unable to meet the kid's gaze. Death normally didn't bother him, he enjoyed killing and enjoyed seeing the survivors' fear when he took credit for his kills. But... there was something in that blonde kid's eyes that made him almost feel ashamed of it all.
 The short midget laughed harshly, “Look at you! So soft! Awwww, are you going to cry?”
 Naruto couldn't take it any more. He spun around and leveled a harsh glare at the scruffy little rat, “Shut up!” The Kyuubi container roared. He couldn't stand it! Not anymore! If Yanagi-sensei was going to be a coward then fine, Naruto would take care of those thugs by himself! Screw the shinobi code or whatever bullshit Yanagi spouted at him, Naruto would just follow his own code then!
 Naruto charged forward before Zabuza or Yanagi could stop him.
 vvv Normal POV vvv
 I tried to grab Naruto as he shot off, but I wasn't in a good position. He had been standing behind me and I wasn't at my best so my reaction time was off. I twisted awkwardly and landed on my stomach, my arm stretched out before me. I didn't even come close to grabbing the blonde. Grimacing I pushed myself off the ground and was preparing to run after my hot headed student, when a blur of grey shot past me. I fell back in surprise.
 “You heal Haku, I'll get the brat!” Zabuza ordered over his shoulder. I blinked after him; it was common that enemies would temporarily call a truce to deal with a mutual foe, but it was always an uneasy truce. The way Zabuza was acting... it was like we had been allies for a long time. And that, I did not understand.
 “S-sensei!” I turned to see Hinata and Tazuna coming forward, Hinata's lavender eyes landed on Haku and she swallowed audibly. Even Tazuna looked horrified at the warped mess that was Haku, and I was sure he had seen many nasty injuries during his career in construction.
 No time to think about that. I couldn't deal with those two, not while I was dealing with Haku. In quick succession I ordered Hinata to retreat and continue guarding Tazuna–even if Zabuza said he would no longer go after the bridge builder that didn't mean he would stop any thug going after my client–through basic genin hand signals. There was a chance she didn't know even one of them; the Academy never really went into depth with hand signals, which was stupid in my opinion. It was inevitable that one day all shinobi faced a situation where silence was the difference between life and death. It was at those times that hand signals were an essential tool to a ninja. I would be damned if another one of my students died because I didn't teach them something basic and easy In the back of my mind I added teaching Naruto and Hinata all the levels of hand signals to the growing list of things I should have done.
 Luckily, Hinata seemed to understand me. She nodded a bit shakily and backed up, pawing at Tazuna's sleeve. The old man stood frozen, his eyes on the boy that was slowly dying. I ignored them both as I activated the Mystic Palm Technique again and spread my palms out just inches above Haku's chest. Green chakra seeped into the affected area and I mentally twisted it so that the chakra spread through the skin, going no deeper than the burns. I was in my own little bubble, completely ignoring all that went around me as I laboriously worked to save my cousin's murderer.
 vvv 3rd POV~ Naruto vvv
 A heavy hand landed on Naruto's shoulder before he could get within two meters of the first thug. Furious the blonde kid spun around, expecting to see his cowardly sensei, but was surprised to see the no-brow nuke-nin Zabuza. A small twinge of fear shot through him and he wondered if Zabuza was going to take him out. Naruto could barely hold his own against Haku, he knew there was no chance he could even make Zabuza sweat. Sure there had been that time before, when Yanagi-sensei was captured, but that was with Sasuke. Sasuke was gone now, and Naruto honestly couldn't think of any way he might stand against Zabuza on his own. All his plans included Sasuke.
 Whap!
 “Ouch! HEY!” Naruto yelped and glared up at Zabuza, the person responsible for smacking Naruto upside the head.
 “Stupid. What do you think one little pest like you can do against them?” Zabuza grouched as he grabbed the blonde by his hideously orange jumpsuit and dragged him back a few steps. “You're nothing but target practice to those bastards.”
 Naruto didn't want to hear it, “Shut up! This is all your fault! If you... If he hadn't... Then...” He didn't know what to say, all he knew was this whole mess, from Sasuke to that creepy short guy, was somehow Zabuza's fault.
 Zabuza's answer wasn't helping matters, “Haku is nothing but a tool to me, just like your friend was nothing but a tool to your sensei. You shouldn't linger over his death, it makes you soft. A true shinobi-”
 The blonde growled, “You shut the hell up! I don't give a damn was a true shinobi does. Haku thought the world of you, you were one of his precious people and Sasuke...” Naruto trailed off for a moment, unable to push away the image of Sasuke dying in his arms.
 “Aniki... he's going to be mad at me. He made me promise to... try and surpass him. But...”
 Naruto shook his head fiercely to clear the image of a senbon-riddled Sasuke, his friend, “Sasuke died because of me! And Haku is dying because of you!” Naruto finished with a shout, pointing a rigid finger at the silent Zabuza, “You and Haku were together for years, doesn't that mean anything?!”
 Zabuza's eyes didn't change from their cold flat gaze, “You don't understand the way of shinobi, you're still just a child who knows nothing. I merely used Haku as Gatou used me. He is nothing but a broken tool now, one that will never be the same. A broken tool is a useless one.”
 The anger roiling inside Naruto's gut boiled down to utter disgust. He couldn't understand how someone as loyal as Haku could get mixed up with a rat bastard like Zabuza, “If you really mean that, then you're a bigger rat than I thought. You're worse than Gatou!”
 Zabuza simply watched the kid.
 “Yanagi-sensei said that she wouldn't waste resources on a lost cause, but she's over there right now trying to heal Haku for you; and you say you don't care about him! Haku wanted me to kill him when I defeated him, he didn't want to dishonor you, damn it! He thought the world of you, so much that he was willing to die for you! While he was sacrificing everything for you, you never felt anything for him? What does that mean for me, huh?” Naruto's voice started dying down as the grief he had felt for both Haku and Sasuke began overwhelming his anger, “If I become strong, does that mean I become as cold hearted as you are? Haku almost thew his life away... and for what?! For you and your dream? He never had a dream of his own, but you don't care, you just tossed him aside like he was nothing...” Thick tears began streaming down Naruto's cheeks. “It's just... so wrong...”
 The Kiri nuke-nin looked away, unable to face the genin. “You talk too much...” He muttered under his breath. Naruto looked up, surprised at the tired tone in Zabuza's voice. The blonde kid was nearly shocked to see tears gathering in the nuke-nin's eyes. “Haku was always too soft for this life, and curse you I refuse to let him throw away his life on one as worthless as I.”
 Naruto stared at the man in silence, unable to even think of what to say. He had never meant to actually change Zabuza's mind or anything. He just wanted Zabuza to see how wrong the shinobi way was.
 The man seemed to be smirking under the bandages covering his mask, “What, cat got your tongue, gaki? Or are you so surprised to discover that I'm human? Even shinobi are human, no matter how much we try to escape that fact. That's what your sensei was trying to teach you... but we always fail. Or at least... I have.” Zabuza reached back and wrapped his fingers around Kubikiribōchō's hilt, “Stay back, kid.  This fight is between me and Gatou.”
 There was a brief pause, a small moment of silence, before Zabuza suddenly charged forward with the speed only a shinobi could achieve after years of training. Naruto watched the nuke-nin in awe and horror as he met with the numerous thugs of that Gatou guy and, like a wave breaking on a rocky shore, blood pieces of thugs went flying into the air. Arms, legs, torsos, heads, it didn't matter what it was; but some appendage would go into the air every time a thug thought he had a chance against Zabuza. Naruto suddenly knew how out of league he was, a simple genin, against someone like Zabuza; and he was immensely glad that Zabuza wasn't against Team 7 anymore.
 “Rah! Damn it, I'm not going to sit this battle out like a coward!” Naruto suddenly shouted and made a hand sign, “Kage bushin no Jutsu!” Three other Naruto's popped into existence, drawing the attention of a few thugs that Zabuza left alive to go after Gatou. Their eyes lit up at the sight of an easier target.
 One thug snickered as he took a step towards the genin, “Awww, look. A little brat thinks he has a chance against us. What'chya say, boys? Shall we teach him a lesson?” There was a collect of evil chuckles as each thug brought out their weapons and turned to face the boy.
 Naruto was not amused, “Don't underestimate me!” He snapped and two shadow clones charged forward. While the thugs were busy taking care of them, Naruto concentrated on the jutsu Yanagi-sensei had taught him. He had mastered it, but he didn't even have a fan to concentrate the chakra. Naruto doubted that the jutsu would work without a fan or something to concentrate his chakra, at least that was what Yanagi-sensei had told him. However this was a live or die situation and he didn't have a choice. “Fūton: Wind Blade!” Naruto shouted and prayed to kami that this worked.
 It didn't.
 The thugs laughed at him when nothing happened, “Look at him, you're a long way from home, little kid. What a pathetic-” The thugs' self proclaimed speaker was suddenly cut off when a hawk shot past Naruto's shoulder and slammed full speed into the man's face, its wings smacking the man upside his head. The thug's laughter turned into screams of pain as the hawk raked its curved talons down his face, carving deep bloody grooves in his cheeks, and pecked at his eyes with its sharp hooked beak. He reached up, trying to pull the bird off, but it only fell back for a moment before swooping back in and digging it's talons into the man's neck. The thug fell backwards and laid prone, dead, underneath the now calm hawk as it cleaned it's blood spattered feathers. The whole thing had only lasted a short moment.
 Naruto spun around, his blue eyes going wide as he saw Yanagi-sensei walking towards him. A swarm of hawks flew around her, a cacophony of shrieks and caws. The hawk that had clawed at the thug took flight and landed on Yanagi-sensei's shoulder, looking utterly smug with his perch of honor. The rest of the hawks spread out among the bridge work, each of their sharp yellow eyes seeming to pick a victim to claw the face off of.
 Even though the blonde really didn't like his sensei all that much, he was glad to see her. “Frizzy-sensei! How's Haku, did you heal him?” Naruto asked when his sensei stopped beside him.
 “I don't know,” The tall woman said blandly as she shrugged, “Taicho is healing him.”
 Naruto blinked at her, confused before looking over his shoulder at where Haku was. He was surprised to see another Yanagi still crouched over the older boy's body, green chakra pouring out of her hands and into Haku's chest. Naruto twisted to face the Yanagi beside him, “You're a shadow clone!” He exclaimed.
 Let be known that, shadow clone or not, Yanagi-sensei's hits still hurt. “Idiot. Of course I am.” She cracked her knuckles and made a strange hand sign that Naruto didn't recognize, “You take care of these buzzards, I'll take the rest of the stragglers that Peach-boy leaves.” The hawks seemed to respond to Yanagi-sensei's hand sign and like a storm cloud of feathers and sharp talons, all shot forward after any thug standing still.
 Naruto decided to ignore the horrible screams that were now rising from the masses.
 vvv Normal POV vvv
 Haku groaned quietly under my hands and I sighed in relief. That he was responding meant that Haku was out of danger. I could quit healing him if I had to and not worry about him dying regardless of my efforts. I was already dangerously low on chakra again after I had created that shadow clone to offer some protection and assistance to Naruto. I didn't really trust Zabuza to watch out for the blonde kid and there was no way in hell that I would let another student die on this mission, especially since the two more dangerous opponents were out of the fight. Naruto could handle civilian thugs easily one on one, but no one could survive being overwhelmed. Even by wussies like Gatou's so called bodyguards.
 “Otou...san...” Haku wheezed. I frowned at the boy as he lolled his head away from me, his eyelids fluttering uselessly. Who the hell was Haku talking- I looked behind my shoulder where the training dummies were getting their asses handed to them by Zabuza. Did Haku think of Zabuza like a father? That would explain his suicidal behavior when it came to protecting the kenjutsu master.
 The boy's eyes suddenly snapped open and he tried to sit up. I cut the healing chakra to pin him to the ground and gave him a wordless stern look in hopes to convey my meaning. Haku's chocolate brown eyes glared back at me. I noticed that his right eye was blood shot from capillaries that had burst when I hit him with the fire ball, and felt a twinge of guilt at the reminder that I had almost killed the kid. Had I not wanted Zabuza to suffer painfully, I would have killed Haku. Strange to think that my thirst for revenge had saved someones life.
 ...I was signing up for therapy when I got home after this.
 Haku looked away first. He looked strangely unhappy. I blinked down at my impromptu patient, confused as his change in mood. I had been expecting anger or... something other than sadness. “Let me die...” Haku rasped quietly.
 I raised an eyebrow and leveled a flat look at Haku. I wasn't going to let the kid die, not after going through everything to keep him alive. I was almost at the point of chakra exhaustion again, damn it! And this little brat had the gall to ask me to kill him. I got it that Zabuza basically raised the gaki only think of himself as a tool, but every human should have some self-preservation. And if this was Haku trying to get away without having to face the fact that he killed my cousin then I say he could go screw himself.
 Instead of answering, since I really couldn't anyway, I reached into my weapons pouch and brought out a roll of bandages Rin forced me to keep on my person at all times. Without meeting Haku's gaze, I gently lilted his head forward and began wrapping the slim bandages around his skull so that they covered his right eye. I didn't have the medical talent to heal capillary blood vessels, his eye would have to heal naturally, or at least until he got better help.
 The ice user reached up and grabbed my wrist with a surprisingly strong grip. I paused in my work and met Haku's single uncovered eye. “Kill me.” He hissed. By his grimace I guess that the boy's vocal cords had been damaged as well. With my free hand I activated the diagnostic jutsu and laid my palm against Haku's throat. Despite his pleading for me to kill him, Haku tensed when he felt my touch. I couldn't help but smile inwardly at that. Any good shinobi didn't like having their neck exposed, it was a sign of helplessness and defeat.
 Withdrawing my hand after scanning the damage, I went back to work wrapping Haku's eye up. It wasn't serious, something more like a sore throat than an internal burn. Haku's grip on my left wrist tightened almost to the point of breaking it. I glared at him, if he didn't let me go I was going to make him seriously regret it. There was only so much touching a jounin could take before their temper snapped.
 The boy quelled under my full glare and he released my wrist in a hurry. I might not be able to talk at the moment, but I could easily get my point across with glares.
 “I'm useless now...” Haku whispered after a moment of silence. I rolled my eyes and contemplated the consequences of knocking the Ice Princess out. Since Zabuza was a little busy at the moment he might never know, but there was always the risk of Haku tattling on me.
 Best not risk it.
 “Shutit.” I ground out, not even bothering to enunciate my words clearly. I hated the kid for killing my cousin, but it wasn't Haku that I wanted to kill in revenge. It was Zabuza for taking such an innocent child like Haku and twisting his rare loyalty into something ugly. But if it was that manner of thinking then I couldn't blame Zabuza either, I realized. It was Kirigakure for creating so many monsters like Zabuza, for teaching children that death wasn't just a part of life, it was something to enjoy.
 I loathed the Bloody Mist.
 Haku started begging, “Jounin-san... please.”
 I shook my head. I would not give in to his demands. I refused to kill the child, if only because I didn't want to see my work and efforts to keep him alive go to waste.
 “Frizzy-sensei! Haku!” Naruto's joyous yelp sounded from further down the bridge. I shifted to look at my blonde student bounding towards us. Behind him Zabuza followed at a more sedated pace, Kubikiribōchō on his shoulder gleaming red with blood and gore. My summonings were scattered among the dead, feasting upon their reward for helping me. I couldn't suppress the grimace at that. I had always been slightly revolted at the contract I held with my summons: that anytime I called them into battle they got the remains of any flesh left.
 My shadow clone was crouching even further back, close to the edge of the bridge where a small lump that no hawk touched laid; I was guessing it was the remains of Gatou. I had given her orders to get something with Gatou's writing for purposes I intended to use later.
 A soft scrap of someone's sandal against the rough ground brought my attention back to what was in front of me. Zabuza stared down at me passively, his face bandages splattered with the scarlet blood of his enemies. He glanced at Haku laying beside me, who looked away, then back at me, “I suppose you held up your end.”
 I wasn't going to try and ask what he would do if I hadn't.
 Instead I looked at Naruto where he knelt beside me and jabbering endlessly to the silent Haku. The kid had seemed to forget that the ice user had killed his teammate, but I wasn't going to point it out to him. I wasn't that cruel.
 Placing a hand on the ground, I slowly got to my feet carefully concealing any sign of struggle from Zabuza. We might be allies now, but until I could secure the alliance it would remain unsteady and must be treated as if it were a wild animal. I did not trust Zabuza in the slightest and I could only expect the same regard he had towards me.
 Besides, I didn't want that bastard's help.
 My shadow clone was coming back towards us. Our eyes met, her red against my black, and she nodded before turning to Naruto, “Hey, bratling, go find Hinata and make sure Tazuna is secure.” Naruto twisted around to stare at the shadow clone then at me standing beside her. I narrowed my eyes at him in a silent threat. Clone Yanagi was still his sensei, just as a copy of me. The brat had better get used to taking orders from my clones just as much as as he took orders from me.
 Naruto quickly scrambled to do my bidding, leaving Zabuza and Haku alone. I turned my back on the nuke-nin pair and brushed passed the shadow clone, dismissing her as I went. I had another matter to attend to, and it wasn't a pleasant one. I did not wish for either of my remaining students to be around as I stored Sasuke's body in a storage scroll like he was a common bounty.
 The area where Sasuke had died was further back on the bridge, away from where the fighting had taken place. My little cousin laid where Naruto had left him, senbon needles still sticking out of him like some sick attempt at a porcupine. He looked like he was still in pain, his pale face scrunched up and etched with fine red lines from stray needles grazing his skin. I stared down at Sasuke, feeling empty.
 Uchiha do not show sadness; they use their grief as a tool to fight. We were the strongest clan in Konoha, we must lead by example. That was what every Uchiha child was taught long before they even entered the Academy. Emotion was a liability and a hindrance. Tears are a sign of weakness. Something Kakashi-nii pounded into my head at an early age; further cementing Uchiha teachings. I never really bothered with it all though. My short temper was an emotion and one I readily applied to almost every situation I came across. I used it to my benefit though, instilling some small level of fear among those I could. On that small foundation I built my entire reputation. I was ruthless, vulgar, quick tempered, and more arrogant that most Uchihas on a good day; and I was proud of that.
 I wanted to feel sad that Sasuke was gone forever, but I couldn't. Regret, yes. Regret that I hadn't taught him more to keep him alive. Disappointment in myself for living up to Nii-san's prediction and being a horrible sensei. Anger that I wasn't tearing Zabuza and Haku apart right now for killing the boy. But no grief. I had seen too many children die already, what was one more?
 Even if he was my cousin.
 Slowly, I knelt by his body and pulled out a premade storage scroll used exactly for this purpose. I had no talent for fuinjutsu, so I relied on other people to make them for me. I mildly wondered if Nekobaa would be sad to know that one of her body storage scrolls was being used on her favorite little Uchiha and if she would be disappointed that Sasuke would never complete that Paw Encyclopedia she always talked about when I visited her.
 I unrolled the scroll and laid it down beside Sasuke's corpse. There was no time to ponder useless things. With a gentleness I knew Mikoto-oba would expect, I lifted her dead little boy and laid him on top of the seal's focus point. I sat back and studied him before absently pulling a senbon needle from his shoulder. I knew that his family would not appreciate seeing the weapons that killed him, I should pluck them before sealing Sasuke's body. I reached for the senbons in his neck, feeling that those were the most demeaning. After all, good shinobi didn't like having their neck exposed.
 There.
 I froze, not sure what the hell I was feeling. Not a heartbeat, Sasuke's heart had long stopped, that was sure of it. But... warmth. Chakra. Life. Like a small ember still clinging to the warmth of flame, determined not to burn out and become a lowly lump of coal. Steady, waiting for that extra push to turn back into a brilliant fire. There was still a chance to save my baby cousin. I was low on chakra, what I gave possibly couldn't help, but if might keep that ember flickering for just a while longer until someone could stroke it alive again.
 Screw it.
 I laid my palm flat against Sasuke's chest and pushed what remaining chakra I could spare into his coils. It wasn't much, but I felt his heart flutter beneath my fingers like a caged little bird. Good, then he no longer needed help, Sasuke could make it back to us on his own.
 Which was excellent, since I was passing out again.
1 note
·
View note
Text
[SF] End of Days Part 2.
Please leave feedback!!! We make it to willstown. Barely. The two day drive turned into a five day walk. After about a day of driving the truck gave out. It wouldn’t have mattered anyway way. Gridlock. Abandoned Cars for miles and miles. So we walk and walk and walk. Our food and supplies dwindled down to nothing. We haven’t in almost two days. To make matters worse Lucia and Jr are starting to get sick . The rain and the weather Change has everyone rundown.
As we approach the gates a sign reads “trespassers will be executed”
That’s comforting - Maria
We haven’t eaten In almost two days, we need to rest. Only two days till the ship reaches Bayonne it will all be over soon - jr
Everyone stay close and follow my lead - me
Heavily armed guards, line the top walls.
What’s your business here? - says a guard at the gate.
We are here to trade- I reply.
Let me see what you got boy. - guard.
I open up the back pack and show him the pills.
We have two more bags just like this - me
Alright, looks good. He says and takes the back pack out of my hand
What are you doing ? I question and go to grab it back
No funny business now . Consider this an entrance fee . I Wouldn’t want to have to hurt a pretty face like hers- he says as he stares at Maria
The antibiotics. The most important bag. I need to get this bag back.
I’m reaching down to my hip to grab my pistol before I can. Maria grabs my hand
“It’s not worth it “ she whispers in my Ear
The guard whistles and the gate opens
It’s just like a shanty town. Run down buildings. Some bigger buildings toward the back. Looks like an old apartment building. There’s one sign . It reads Willstown
Behind the sign is a massive bulletin board of pictures with the word MISSING written in red. It’s pictures of Men, women, and children. From all walks of life. The end of times doesn’t discriminate. We were all effected the same way.
Mommy I’m tired - Lucia says as we walk through the compound.
Here get on my shoulders - I say as I bend down
I can’t help but notice a massive make shift stage in the middle of the compound separating it into two sides.
Maybe they host a nightly talent show - JR says
We all laugh.
A tall man dressed in a black trench coat appears on the stage.
Attention ladies and gentlemen . Boys and girls would you please Make your way to the stage - he says into a mega phone
I hand lucia to JR
you take Lucia and Maria to apartment building in the back I’m gonna check this out with Josh. - me
Alright captain - Jr says sarcastically.
As you know we don’t have many rules here but we do have two! - the man continues to say.
And what are they ? - he questions the crowd
No stealing and no killing! They reply.
Josh and I look at each other and people begin to pour in to the front of the stage.
Well today we found a thief! He smirks
The crowd boos
Two men dressed in military fatigues drag a man on to the stage.
Now this man was already caught stealing and was punished - the man says
Fortunately I’m a merciful man. - man
the guard pulls up his sleeve and his left hand is gone.
The crowd begins to Cheer loudly
But today not so much - the man
Another man comes to the stage and hands the man a massive Scythe.
It clicks in my minds. Holy shit it’s the grim reaper.
I think that’s Gary - josh says.
I thought it couldn’t get worse but it did,
The man who gave him the scythe rolls out a pillory... a freaking pillory.
The other two men strap the thief in.
Please no please I’m sorry. I’ll never do it again.
The crowd begins to boo and throw things on to the stage.
It’s a mob mentality. It’s sickening . These people are almost like savages.
The reaper approaches the thief.
Please I’ll do anyt - thief
In one fluid motion he slices the mans head clean off his body.
ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED!!! He yells into the mega phone as loud as he can.
The crowd absolutely loses it. They are going nuts.
Joshes face is white. Whiter then the purest snow.
I shake him
Snap out of it man- I say
He just stares at me.
I grab his arm as we make our way out of the crowd
We keep walking and we can still hear them in the distance.
We reach the run down building and see JR, Maria and Lucia , sitting on a old couch with the springs sticking out.
I got one room follow me - Jr says
We gather out stuff from the front and walk down the hall.
What did it cost? I asked . Three bottles of Vicodin for the night the lady drives a hard bargain - Jr
Jesus - I rub my forehead .
I know but we need this, look at everyone. We are barely holding it together - Jr
I know I know . Good job.- I say as we walk up to our room .
We open the door to a medium sized room. It’s dusty with cob webs everywhere. It’s illuminated by one lightbulb in the center room. Two cots, a table, and a broken couch.
Well it’s certainly not the presidential suite- JR says
And um what’s wrong with josh ?- Jr
Josh is standing in the door way with a blank expression on his face
Here drink this - Maria says as she give Josh a bottle of water.
He’s in shock- I say
What did you see out there? - asks Ricky .
The grim reaper- josh finally speaks .
Here lay down - Maria puts him on the couch with a blanket.
Lucia go sit on the bed while we talk - Maria says.
This place isn’t safe. The reaper just executed a guy in front of everyone. - me
We can’t just leave we have no food and barley any water left - Maria
And just like that . We hear a roar of thunder and it begins to pour.
Well we definitely aren’t leaving now - Jr says
Let’s work on the food and water situation, JR stay here with Lucia and josh. Maria and I will go out and look for Something to eat and what ever you do don’t open this door until we’re back . I need you here , Josh can’t watch Lucia by himself - me
I got it - Jr says as he takes out the AK and begins to load it
As we leave the apartment and go out into the Compound, people are standing outside trying to collect rain water. They have buckets, cups, some are just cupping there hands together to collect as much rain as possible.
We continue to walk.
Is everything all right guapo ? - Maria looks at me and knows there’s something wrong.
I want to tell her everything and come clean about my illness but there’s a lump in my throat and I can’t seem to do it. Im scared. I don’t want her to judge me, or leave me, or think I can’t protect her and Lucia. I’m becoming more and more unstable as the days past . The depression and anxiety combined with no sleep and the delay in the medication is taking a toll on me. But I need to keep it together. Just a little longer. Once we make it to safety everything will change for the better.
I’m fine baby I’m just tired - I say as I kiss her on the forehead. It hurts to lie to someone you care about. But I can’t let her know the truth
Let’s go in here - I say as I change the subject
There’s basically just random things all over the place on make shift counters and tables . But I do spot a toy doll. It’s perfect for Lucia.
I grab the doll and go up to the man at the front . I take 3 pills out of the bottle before I get up there I don’t want him to know how much I have on me.
I’ll give you three of these for the doll.- I say
Them brand name pills you got ? He questions
Yes brand name -I reply
Well you got your self a deal. Pleasure doing business with you . He says and shakes me hand.
I give him the three pills and he immediately puts them in his mouth, walks out of the store and looks straight up for a few seconds then swallows the pills with the rain water.
Well that’s innovate to say the least - maria says to me as we walk out.
Desperate times call for desperate measures I guess - I reply
I spot a store with canned goods. We walk in.
As we look through the cans most of the stuff is expired but we do find a few hidden gems . Canned peaches , beans , carrots , and last but not least canned Tuna. I hate fish but then again, got to get my calories in.
Ooooo look! - Maria says as she grabs two boxes of chocolate chip cookies off a shelf
And there only expired by a month - she laughs
Could be worse - I say as I look for more cans.
I gather everything up and approach a woman at the front of the store.
I’ll give you two bottles of pain pills for all the supplies -me
She looks at me and then looks at the supplies
No thank you I got enough pain pills, what else you got - the lady asks
How bout these ? I pull out a bottle of uppers. We don’t have much to play with considering 1/3 of are stash was taking at the gate .
She takes the bottle from me. Reads the label.
Fine, now get out of here.
Maria puts everything into her back pack And we leave.
The rain is starting to pick up so me and Maria run back to the apartment building.
I’ve had a enough of that - Maria says as she puts he hair in a pony tail
I know hopefully it stops before tomorrow or it’s gonna be a long walk - me
We walk down the hall to our room and the doors open.
JR I told you to keep the door shut.. - I say as I walk in only to see The reaper standing in the middle of our room. Jr was sitting on the bed holding Lucy and josh is no where to be found.
Before I can even think about it my hand is on my pistol.
I wouldn’t do that if I were you - the reaper smiles
Two men with shotguns come in the room and stand behind us.
I’m here to thank you for the donation you made to our compound. Antibiotics are very hard to find these days - the reaper says as he walks around the room.
My daughter is sick and we need those pills - Maria pleads
Listen I’ll give you this whole bag of pain killers for half of the antibiotics- I say to the reaper
The reaper looks at Lucia and turns around to face us.
Well I appreciate your offer but I have to politely decline. I am a fair man though. I will give you a chance to win them back. - he stares at me.
What do you mean ? - I question .
Come to the pit at sundown. It’s on the left side of the compound. You’ll know it when you see it. - the reaper gives his guards a nod and they all leave.
Lucia are you okay ! Maria yells as she runs to Jr to take her.
I’m okay mommy - She says as she hugs Maria
You were very brave Lucia. I have a present for you - I say as I give her the doll.
Thank you Mr Michael - she says with a smile on her face
Let’s lay down Lucia - Maria says as she takes her to the bed.
What happened ? I ask JR.
Josh woke up and said he needed some air, he got up and left . I locked the door behind him. 20 minutes later . Boom! The doors fly’s open and the reaper is here. Then 5 minutes later you guys arrived - Jr explained .
What the hell - I say as I struggle for words.
We need to leave now - Jr looks at me
We need those antibiotics, you and Lucia are sick - I say.
I know I know- Jr replies .
Lucia is very warm and she’s still coughing - Maria says as she walks over.
I’ll go to the pit, i let Josh leave it’s on me - Jr responds
No . Your too sick. We can’t afford anything to happen to you. We are almost to safety. I’ll take care of it . I say as I look at Maria and then JR .
I can see the concern on there faces .
I’ll be back . I need some time alone. - I say as I walk out of the room and into the hall.
As I walk outside I see a store front that resembles a bar so I walk in
My breathing becomes very short, my chest is tight, I feel like I’m gonna pass out . Shit another panic attack. They are becoming more and more frequent.
I sit on a stool and count to 10 to try to get my heart rate back to normal.
What are you having ? - the bartender asks me
The strongest thing you got - I respond
My heart is still beating fast Bottoms up - he says and pours me a shot
Something to calm the nerves. I say to myself . I take the shot and immediately I can’t breath , my lungs are on fire
What is that! I say as I struggle to breath.
That’s moonshine, my secret recipe - He laughs
On the house - he says as he passes me a soda
My mouth and lungs are still on fire but the good thing is my anxiety is gone. I chug the soda and the pain subsides.
So what is the pit I hear everyone taking about - I ask the bartender.
That’s what keeps everyone sane - another customer says and sits at the bar .
It’s the reapers source of entertainment - the bartender says
What do you mean ? - I ask
Well you see there isn’t much to do around here. No tv, no internet, no movies . But there is still one activity that’s entertained humans for centuries. Fighting - the bar tender responds.
Every other night at sundown, everyone shows up to the fighting pit. 4 people volunteer to fight the reapers champion. And If you win, you get anything you want in the entire compound. It’s his sick form of entertainment. It gives the citizens something to look forward too. Without something like that this place would implode. Like that old saying an idle Mind is the devils workshop. - the customer says
Has anyone ever won - I ask
Ha! I’ve been here for about two months and I’ve seen one person win- the customer laughs
Blood sport. It keeps everyone entertained - says the bartender.
If your thinking about entering that fight , your gonna be in a world of trouble. We don’t exactly have the best medical care and they don’t treat the losers too kindly. - the bartender warns.
I think someone died two days ago - the customer chimes in.
Thanks for that- I say as I leave a few bullets on the bar for the bartender.
As I leave the store I hear the bartender say “ good luck”
I walk back to the apartment building and the rain begins to lighten up
Well that’s a plus- I say to my self
I open the door to the room.
No sign of Josh. Maria is sleeping on the second bed holding Lucia. She’s wheezing heavy. I feel her forehead and she’s on fire. JR Is sitting in a chair facing the door he looks sickly.
you don’t have to do this - Jr says to me.
We are a family . We take care of each other- I respond to him.
I’m sorry - Jr says as his eyes fill with tears.
Don’t wake them. I’ll be back. - I say as I look outside the window and see the sun is almost down.
I leave the room in silence and walk outside.
A herd of people are walking and talking so I follow them to the other side of the compound.
I reach the pit.
The pit is about the size of a boxing ring . It’s all dirt surrounded by four waist high wood walls. It’s illuminated by two big lights.
The crowd brings to settle in all Round the ring . I move my way to the front .
The reaper is in the center with his mega phone .
“ Are you ready” he yells into the megaphone .
the crowd screams and beings to chant CRUSHER CRUSHER CRUSHER.
Someone taps my shoulder I turn around and it’s one of the reapers goons .
Come with me - he says.
I follow him out of the crowd and we walk around to the right side of the ring. It’s blocked off to the rest of the citizens.
I catch my first glimpse of crusher.
Oh shit . Hes huge. Looks like he’s about 6’5 and at least 300 pounds. He’s shadow boxing in his corner.
Your number four. When it’s your turn I’ll bring you out - the goon says to me.
Our first contestant is Dave from Virginia- the reaper Announces
The boos ensue.
If you win you get your choice of anything In the whole Compound. What do you want Dave? The reaper asks.
Dave. Looks like he’s in his mid thirties not a big guy but not a small guy.
I want Unlimited beer!!! DAve yells and pumps his fists and jumps around.
Jesus. I say to myself.
The crowd begins to cheer
Settle down everyone. Thank you Dave. Make your way over to the blue corner. It’s almost show time.- the reaper says
Now out of the red corner, weighing at at whopping 350 pounds, standing at 6ft 6 inches. With a record of 250 wins and 3 losses I present Yuri The Crusher kholechk. - the reaper screams
The crusher joga the ring to the roar of the crowd.
Tonight the only rule is No rules. We’re fighting prison style. Boys and girls . Let’s fight. - he yells.
A bell rings and the fight begins.
They meet in the center of the dirt ring. People from the crowd begin to throw objects in the ring, Dave swings at the crusher and hits him right in the face . The crusher looks at him and laughs. Crusher cocks back and plants a left hook on Dave and he goes down immediately.
The crowd begins to laugh and cheer.
Crusher walks around the ring and picks up a bottle of beer that was thrown into the ring .
Dave begins to get back up and the crusher just kicks him back on to the ground .
Crusher takes the beer opens it and chugs it.
The crowd goes wild, they are screaming and banging on the wood corners of the ring .
The crusher takes the empty bottle. Smashes it on the wood and it’s shatters In half . Dave finally musters the strength to get up and charge forward to the crusher .The crusher turns around at the last second, takes the broken bottle and Jams it into Dave’s stomach. Dave goes down with a screech . We are watching him bleed out to his death .
The crowd cheers CRUSHER CRUSHER CRUSHER.
The reaper enters the ring, grabs The Crushers hand raises it in the air and yells WINNER BY UNANIMOUS MURDER THE CRUSHER.
Yuri bows and the crowd continues to cheer.
Let’s take a 5 minute break! Don’t forget to place your bets!!!. The reaper says into the megaphone.
I sit in silence. It’s scary knowing that I’m most likely going to die. But In a way I’m almost not scared. At least I know how and when it’s going to happen. And it makes me feel noble knowing that i am doing this for the people I love.
Look who decided to show up - the reaper says to me with a smirk
Looks like another perfect day for the crusher - he laughs and walks away.
Fight two begins and ends almost the same as the first. Another body dragged out of the ring. This time a snapped snack.
Fight three takes an interesting turn. The crusher looks tired, the guy he’s fighting now is running around the ring to tire him out. But it only worked for so long . The crusher gets his third win.
And our final victim of th..... Excuse me folks . I mean fighter of the night is Mike from Florida. - the reaper announces
The crowd boos
Showtime.
I’m trying to keep my anxiety under control. I’m focusing on my Breaths and trying not to hyper ventilate .
I step into the ring and go to my corner. Broken bottles, glass, and blood cover the dirt. The crowd begins to cheer as the crusher goes to his corner
Let’s fight - the reaper yells into the megA phone
The bell rings and immediately adrenaline courses through my veins. My flight or fight has kicked in. I have tunnel vision and everything is in slow motion.
The crusher sprints at me, my reflexes take Over. My body won’t allow me to die that easily. I move to the other side of the ring. He changes directions and comes at me again. I’m trapped in a Corner. He swings , I duck and counter with a right to the face. It doesn’t phase him. I see some daylight and slip out the of corner. Now were in the center of the ring . I throw a right hook and he grabs my fist .
Fuck, I’m in trouble . He Takes my arm and bends it backward.
It snaps. But I don’t feel it, I only hear it. I’m in shock. Then a brutal headbutt . I feel my nose explode. I’m on my back. The crusher is standing over me . I look to the right And try to move my arm to protect myself. Nothing. I’m pretty sure my arm isn’t supposed to bend that way. I’m trying to blink the blood out of my eyes as I struggle to breath from the blood that drips in to the back of my throat from my nose.
This is it. The crusher gets on top of me. The worst possible scenario. He raises his fist and I feel my face breaking after each punch connects. I can barely hear the crowd cheering anymore. another punch . I’m starting to fade in and out of consciousness. I look to my left I see Maria crying and screaming as JR holds her back. I don’t know if this is real or my brain is short circuiting from the trauma . I reach my hand hoping she pulls me out from underneath the crusher. Another punch and the crowd screams.
I am a god - the crusher yells to the sky
As my left hand drops to the ground I feel something . It’s sharp it must be shard of glass. I grab it. I look up and the has both of his fists clenched together as he raises them over his head. The kill shot. But before he finishes me I see jugular is exposed. With the rest of my strength and will I throw my left arm across my body with my shard of glass in my hand I go in for the kill.
Silence .
He grabs his throat and chokes for air. The blood pours out onto me. He keels over. My body isn’t being crushed anymore I can breath again. I roll back over on to my back. There is another figure standing over me. I can’t really see who it is but My only guess is the reaper coming to finish the job.
You did it guapo- Maria whispers into my ear. As her and Jr pick me up from the dirt .
I look into the crowd and they are stunned. They are still silent. In shock.
Put your weight on us - JR Says as him and Maria walk me out of the ring I see the blood stained sand and the crushers dead body.
I just killed a man. I took another mans life. I’ve been afraid of death my whole life and I just became what I’ve fears the most . Death.
I’m awake now. Im back in the room. I don’t remember much about the walk back. My left eye is swollen shut but out of my right eye I can see Maria and Jr staring at me.
Whoa whoa whoa Relax take it easy - JR Says as I try to get up.
Water- I try to say but my mouth is so dry.
Maria brings me a bottle and helps me drink.
My organs are thankful for that .
Bravo Bravo Bravo. The reaper says as he walks in the room
I am very impressed with that performance. He smiles
Please can we have the Medicine now - Maria pleads with him.
Of course - he says and goes to hand her The backpack.
But I think I have something else you would be more interested in- he says and pulls the bag back.
I struggle to sit up to look at reaper
He nods to one of his men. They drag josh into the room and throw him on the floor his mouth duct taped shut and hands cuffed behind his back. I can see the fear in his eyes.
We found your friend sneaking around the prison cells trying to break out the other prisoners and you see I can’t have a rebellion on my hands . So I have a new proposal . Your friend or the bag of medicine your choice - he says and looks directly into my eyes.
And I forgot to mention an act of treason is met by death. - the reaper laughs
Josh begins to whimper and cry. I see the tears roll down his face
I look at the horror in Maria and JRs face. Both their jaws are dropped.
I look at Lucia . Laying in the bed next to me . I can hear her wheezing and laboring to breath.
I have to make this decision. No one else will be able to live with the guilt. I promised Maria when we first met that I will take care of Lucia no matter what.
I’ll take the medicine - I say and Look right back in to the reapers eyes.
He looks shocked but hands the bag over to JR. He gives his men a nod and they pick josh up. They drag him out of the room as he’s cries and flails.
Before he leaves the reaper turns around and says You are one sick son of a bitch - then shuts the door behind him .
submitted by /u/mikechello34 [link] [comments] via Blogger https://ift.tt/2K05Nnn
0 notes