Never Let You Go [Zabuza Momochi]

Chapter 3

"What the hell kind of a job have you signed us up for this time?" Zabuza growled, reading over the details. Lacey glanced over from her place at the stove, wondering what put him in a bad mood. Though, he always seemed to be in a bad mood, she came to realize.

Over the last two months, living with them had been very interesting. Their missions were more than dangerous at times, and she found herself getting involved somehow on a few occasions without meaning to. It bothered the older rogue at times, but Haku was quick to intervene, declaring it could not be helped since they agreed to take her with them.

"One that is in need of a bodyguard," the teen answered.

"I thought I told you to get one that involved killing someone."

"You will be able to if the person we're supposed to protect gets kidnapped or hurt in any way."

"Not enough bloodshed. Besides, these guys are probably weak. They always are."

"Still the same, it was the only mission I knew you would possibly accept. The others only consisted in scouting for thieves and bullies along the road near a small Village."

"Fine, we'll take it. Where is this place exactly?"

"Up North. A Lord is being targeted by the local Missing-Nin, and wants protection for his two daughters and himself."

"What, he doesn't have enough guards or ninjas of his own?" the man scoffed.

Lacey set down their plates, Haku nodding in thanks. "I'm sure he does have enough, but only a Missing-Nin knows how one thinks. He wants to use that against them and hopefully resolve this situation sooner rather than later."

"Whatever," Zabuza answered. He pulled away the wrappings from his mouth to eat. "It's something. I take it we'll be paid a good sum of money?"

"Triple what we're usually paid."

He grinned sadistically. That at least seemed to brighten his mood considering the situation. "We leave at dawn."

When Lacey finally sat down to eat herself, the rogue disappeared. "Zabuza really likes money, doesn't he?" she asked.

"Most of the time all rouges do, but that goes for any ninja. It's our way of getting by."

"But rogues like money for a whole other reason. It's greed."

"We can be. Greedy." Haku took his plate to the sink, washing it. "Tell me, Lacey, why did you dance?"

The room grew silent and she set down the fork to think over her answer. The teen noticed her hesitation, giving the young woman time. "We were so poor," the dancer spoke. "My parents made a bad decision early on in their lives by borrowing money and never being able to pay them back. When I was fourteen, they handed me over to my boss, and he sent me to work as a dancer on the road. Since they couldn't repay their debts, I was forced to dance until I could pay it off for them. I worked hard, gathered as much money as I could so I could be free. But it was never enough... I'll admit, I felt greed in my heart to earn more and more money, yet it was never mine to indulge in. My greed came in the shape of freedom."

"Rogues long for a sense of freedom themselves. That's why they leave their Villages. You're not that much different than we are."

Lacey turned slowly in her chair, a small smile on her lips. "I guess I'm not, huh?"

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"I'm glad you could make it, come in," a butler at the door greeted them.