Lotus Of The Leaf ~Book One~

Chapter 16! The Demon In The Snow!

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I got up after crying myself dry, and limped over to Kakashi. He gazed at a horde of people at the end of the bridge. I clasped onto his shoulder as I neared him, feeling his muscle relax.

"Look at you," Gato sneered to Zabuza, a smug smirk on his mouth. "You look about as demonic as a wet kitten." The crowd behind him began laughing.

"Well, well, Kakashi..." Zabuza started, staring into the mob. "It would seem our fight is at an end. Since I am no longer in Gato's employ, Tazuna's safe. We have no quarrel..."

"Yeah..." Kakashi agreed. "I suppose you're right."

Gato stepped forward. "That reminds me...." He started, looking creepy as hell. "You grabbed me and nearly broke my arm! I've been meaning to repay you for that!" Gato hums, nudging Haku with his foot. He reared back his leg and kicked him. Naruto and I gasped in horror. "I only wish he were alive to feel it."

My anger swelled. "Hey! Don't touch him!" I snarl, trying to attack him. Kakashi wrapped an arm around my midsection, holding me back.

"Get away!" Naruto screamed. "Get away from him, you scum!" Kakashi grabbed at Naruto.

"Stop, the both of you!" Kakashi reprimanded us, holding on tightly. "Use your head!"

"Well, what about you Zabuza!" I growled at the tall man.

"You gonna let him do that?!" Naruto adds.

"Be quiet, you fools." Zabuza growled, not even looking at us. "Haku's dead, that doesn't matter."

"What?!" Naruto and I screamed. "You mean you can just stand there and watch him get treated like a dog?! You and Haku worked together for years, doesn't that mean anything?!" Naruto screamed.

"You don't understand the way of the Shinobi." Zabuza started. "I merely used him just as Gato used me. Now. It's over. His usefulness is at an end. The loss of his strength and skill, yes, that means something to me. But the boy... nothing."

Naruto exhaled. "If you mean that... you're an even bigger rat than I thought."

"Okay, that's enough." Kakashi said, putting his hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Calm down, Naruto, He's not the enemy. Not right now."

Naruto smacked him off. "Shut up! As far as I'm concerned, he's enemy number one!" He shouted, pointing up at the demon. Zabuza started right back at him. "Why you... you ungrateful.... after everything he did for you! Haku lived for you!" Naruto screamed. Kakashi tightened his hold around my waist. "You were the most important thing in the world to him!" Naruto shouted again, pointing at Haku's body. "And he meant nothing to you?! Nothing at all?! Well, he was sacrificing everything for you! And you never felt anything at all for him?!" His voice cracked. "And if I become stronger, does that mean...." He spoke softer. "I'll become as cold hearted as you are?! He threw his life away! And for what! For you and your dream?!"

Tears started pouring out of his eyes, mirroring my own anguish. "You never let him have a dream of his own..." I whimpered, gazing down at Haku's pale face. "But he didn't care... And you just toss him aside like he was nothing! A broken tool.... man, that's so wrong.... So wrong!"

"You talk too much...." Zabuza commented, hiding his face. We gazed up at him. Tears dripped down and onto the pavement below him. "Your words cut deep... deeper than any blade. While he fought you... His heart was breaking in two... You see, Haku was always too soft and too kind... He felt pain and sorrow... And curse him, I feel them too! And something else..... I feel content that this is the way it ends...." Zabuza says softly. He bites into his faces bandages and tears them away, revealing his face to us. "Well? Cat got your tongue?" He asked. His teeth were like daggers.... "Are you so surprised to discover that I'm human? Even Shinobi are human... No matter how hard we try to escape that simple fact... We always fail... Well, at least... I have failed." He admitted, going silent for a moment. "Boy! Give me your kunai!"