The Ice Warriors

Chapter 9- Intimidation and Motivation

Haku's pov
Everyone was looking in my direction. All had different expressions on their faces..Some looked bewildered,
some confused, some smiling politely though some just looked irritated..
I smiled nervously at them..They turned to each other, all were talking amongst themselves
I felt like somehow I had done something wrong agreeing to go to where the Captains were..I looked down, worried
I didn't know what else to say..Had the captain made a mistake in bringing me along? Had I been at fault for coming?
I wasn't sure if I would belong in the Thirteen court guard squads..
"QUIET!" shouted Yamamoto to the other captains..He was clearly irritated and turned to Captain Utikate, indicating for him to come forward..
Utikate moved forward slowly, looking directly at the head captain..
"Come closer, Captain Ukitake, if you wouldn't mind" said Captain Yamamoto, calmly, but there was clear frustration in his face..
...It was just like before..my presence was a burden to everyone there...just like before I met Zabuza...Zabuza-san..he gave me my purpose...my reason to live..my..
"Haku.."
The head captain and Captain Utikate were stood together, and it was Utikate who spoke..
"Please come forward.." I walked forward, ignoring the looks the other captains were giving each other and me..clearly they didn't know what to do or where to look, or how to react to the situation..
I looked down..Would I be of use? What were the captains going to tell me..? What were they to do with me?
Utikate's pov
Clearly I could tell by the look on Haku's face that he felt extremely anxious about the whole situation..Walking into a hall full of captain level soul reapers can be quite intimidating if you've never been in that kind of environment before..I bet he felt like he was about to be interrogated...I sighed..
I looked over to Captain Yamamoto who had a pretty intimidating look on his face..he had asked me to talk to him after the meeting had finished about Haku. It was clear there was something about him that troubled him..
I didn't understand why that would be the case..He seemed to be a really nice kid with ice powers who had had a pretty sad ending to his life..

"Captain Yamamoto wishes to ask you a few things.." I explained to Haku once he reached where we were..
The eyes of the other captains widened..Of course they would be surprised..but Shunsui just smiled..My old friend was as laid back as ever..I wasn't sure what he was thinking but he probably had realized Haku's anxious feelings and wanted him to feel welcome..
As did I..but it was proving difficult..

"Yes..Young Haku..could you explain a little about your background and how you came here..?" asked the head captain..
"My background?"...asked Haku, nervously..He hesitated and then spoke again.."Well..I came from a very unique clan...

Naruto's POV..
It had been quite a few months since I had that run in with Haku and Zabuza and we had been assigned pretty bog standard missions with Kakashi sensei..
Sasuke was as cold as ever and Sakura was still crazy about him...What was it with her and her obsession with Sasuke? I really didn't understand..I'm way more interesting than that jerk..I thought to myself
When Kakashi sensei told us we could apply for the chuunin exams, Damn I was so excited Datebayo..

I was getting closer to becoming hokage!!!!!

I'll enter and become the hokage and throw the old man third off his hokage position..He was getting old after all..he should have retired by now..I thought

When I win the chunnin exams, he'll be begging me to become hokage!!! Datebayo!!!

I jumped up and down in excitement..
Kakashi's POV..
Naruto seemed even more motivated to do his best nowadays, ..Maybe it was his encounter with Zabuza and Haku..? I had never expected him to talk Zabuza down like he did..how was it possible that a 12 year old kid could make a grown man cry like that?
That kid..Minato sensei..your son..he may not be as talented as you..but he definitely is a special one.., I found myself thinking
But..he still had a long way to go..He may not even become hokage..but he definitely had the right mindset now..

Haku's pov
"I see..." said the old head captain..One eye opened...from what I had seen and what captain Utikate had told me, he didn't get surprised easily because he was a very experienced man..and when he was surprised, he opened one of his eyes..
I had just told him my whole backstory, how I met Zabuza,my meeting with Team 7, Naruto Uzumaki, and my death...
He looked down..."Young man..you really have been through a lot. Are you sure that joining our squad would make you feel purposeful?"..
"Well...that all depends on what you think, sir..."..I bowed my head and continued to look down, avoiding his gaze..
The captain sighed..He had a hard decision to make...