Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Lessons in Shinobi Love ❯ Lesson 14: To Be A True Shinobi ( Chapter 14 )

A/N: Here I am with chapter 14. I guess I've not been updating as I should because A lot of this material is not my own and it's general re-capping of the Zabuza Arc, now that I'm coming to the end of it, I can finally get on to my own material and everyone can see what a true and original writer I am.

 

I do have to say, that this is, by far my most popular fanfic. It has 227777 hits and is in 14 C2's has 107 favorites and 112 watches, not to mention the 368 reviews! Everything minus reviews makes it my most popular story so far! I have a few that beat this in reviews, but nothing else! You all are great! Thank you so much! There was a time when I almost quit writing fanfiction. I'm glad I stuck to it!

 

Also on a second note, I have a new fanfic out called Motherhood it's a KakaSaku romance that might catch someone's fancy!

 

NOTES: Probably going to sum up chapters 28-30 and skip right to the main finish. Plus most of 28-30 is based around Naruto and Sasuke being in the kekkai-genkai of Haku and Kakashi and Zabuza's little skirmish outside of the Crystal Ice Mirrors. Don't get me wrong, I love Zabuza as much as I love Kakashi (who is my favorite character at the moment) but I don't feel like completely re-capping anything that Sakura couldn't see. I've just been giving her general opinion on things and developing her relationship to Kakashi. This chapter will probably be longer then most of my chapters in this fanfiction. Please bear with me, especially those waiting on Mission: Freak Out Kakashi or my other works at the moment.

 

Now, enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

::

 

Lessons in Shinobi Love

 

Lesson 14: To Be A True Shinobi

 

By: Melissa Norvell

 

 

:::

 

 

Through viridian eyes, Sakura watched as the two separate battles raged on. She couldn't see anything within the confines of the zero visibility mist that Zabuza put up. She could hear the two ninja talking, and then some odd noises were heard. If she hadn't have been for sure, she would surely think she heard dogs, and a lot of them.

 

But where would dogs come from at a time like this?

 

She could sense chakra in the air; it had to be Kakashi's. There was no mistaken it from the others. After about ten minutes, the thick mist began to dissipate. Her eyes stayed transfixed on the mist, its foggy depths slowly revealing two figures.

 

“I see two people, but it looks like they're just standing there, glaring at each other.” She pointed out.

 

“It's hard to make out…Which one is your Master Kakashi?”

 

“One of them's moving!”

 

Suddenly, she felt a rush of wind coming from someone's attack. The mist was gone and the sight to be revealed sent everyone aghast. Haku had jumped in front of Kakashi's Chidori attack, causing Kakashi to hit the wrong target. Blood was splattered everywhere, the ground, Zabuza and Kakashi, who was shocked at the boy's noble attempt to protect Zabuza.

 

Dread and horror etched itself across the two bystander's faces as Sakura held her hands up to her face in aghast. Emotions were on high as the scene before her played out. A thousand thoughts rushed through her head.

 

Sakura knew that the trials of being a shinobi weren't going to be easy, and this was her first time to witness something of this magnitude. She suppressed the feelings of sorrow and compassion which welled inside of her being.

 

She couldn't cry.

 

It was forbidden by shinobi standards.

 

While Kakashi had been caught up in the moment of the matter, the mist ninja took this as an advantage to attack, since his opponent had been wide open for an onslaught.

 

“Kakashi-sensei!” The girl screamed out, not wanting her sensei to succumb to the same fate as the masked boy.

 

“Naruto…Stay out of this!” She could hear her sensei call out to a figure on the opposing side of the battle field.

 

Naruto?

 

`…Naruto…?' She thought, a gleam of hope spreading across fields of green. “Naruto! You're alive! Huh? What about Sasuke?”

 

Sorrow etched itself across his face, and then worry shot through the pink haired girl. Her mind raced, fearing the worst for her team mate. She might not know how she felt about the Uchiha, but she didn't want him to die. She still cared about him.

 

Though her mind was confused, she grasped Tazuna's hand and led him over to Sasuke, who was lying on the ground, motionless. The stoic boy looked like a human pin cushion, decorated with senbon needles. As they neared a foggy area, Sakura began to tremble. Fear and dread consumed her as she approached her fallen team mate and every inch of her was trying to hold tears back.

 

She touched his face, it was cold like ice.

 

“He's so cold. This isn't an illusion is it?”

 

“Don't hold back for my sake,” Tazuna told her sympathetically. “There are times its right to give in and shed some honest tears.”

 

“Always got perfect scores on all of my tests in school.” Sakura said nostalgically. “I memorized each and every one of the one hundred rules of conduct for ninja and shinobi. I used to write them out with pride. We had a test one day, and the question was…”What was the twenty fifth rule of shinobi conduct?” Just like always, I wrote it down…” Tears began to flood from glassy green eyes. “No matter what happens, true shinobi must never…ever…show their emotions. The mission is the only priority. Carry that in your heart and never, never shed a tear…”

 

She began to sob. Sakura couldn't hold it back. There had been so much death and destruction. Sasuke was gone and Kakashi was out there risking his life against Zabuza. Today was the day when her lessons in shinobi conduct were put to the test, and once again, she had failed.

 

Amidst her crying, she could hear a number of voices behind her, including Naruto, Kakashi and Zabuza, but she wasn't in the right mind to tune in on what was going on behind her. All she could concentrate on was Sasuke.

 

Emotion flooded through her and her body shook with loss and fatigue from exerting herself. Then she heard a voice that provided a small ray of hope.

 

“Sakura…”

 

Could it be?

 

Was it really him?

 

Sasuke?

 

The pink haired girl lifted her head, still trembling. The tears flowing non-stop down her face as she paused for a moment of silence to recollect herself.

 

“Sasuke! Sasuke! “The girl flung herself upon the wounded boy who fell on the ground.

 

“Sakura…You're hurting me…” His weak voice came out.

 

Sakura apologized, feeling embarrassed. She backed off for a while, allowing the wounded Uchiha to wearily get up. On his way up, he asked her what had become of Naruto and the masked boy, she told him that Haku was dead and Naruto, she wasn't sure about. She informed him that Haku died protecting Zabuza.

 

After a pause, she wanted to lighten the mood by telling Sasuke he did a good job.

 

“You're amazing, Sasuke! You survived a death blow.” She complimented, to which he said nothing. She then decided that she would tell her team mates of the good news. She hopped up and shouted back to Naruto that Sasuke was all right and alive.

 

“Hey!” Sakura could hear an unfamiliar voice call out.

 

Until then, she took in the true carnage of the situation. There were thousands of ninja, armed and ready to fight. Haku was dead. Zabuza was dead. Gato was dead.

 

“Stop where you are!” She heard another voice intone, not so unfamiliar.

 

It was Inari.

 

And he brought the villagers with him. As a bluff to ward off the enemy, Naruto and Kakashi preformed the Shadow Doppelganger Technique, causing them to run off in freight.

 

From a distance away, green eyes watched the tragedy before her unfold.

 

Zabuza lay on the ground, bloody and battered. There were many weapons sticking of his body in many places, and rich red blood dripping from his form, coating the newly laid brick of the bridge with tainted blood. He was still alive, but it wouldn't be long until he faded away like a melting snowflake.

 

“Kakashi…Do me a favor?” The fallen assassin asked in a weak and almost breathless voice.

 

“What is it?” Though casting a sorrowful gaze, her sensei did not shed a tear, his voice remained calm.

 

“I want to…See his face…”

 

Green eyes watched as the whole bridge fell silent. Kakashi carried the wounded man over to the child and laid him down respectfully. Still brimmed with tears, she blinked them back, trying not to break code 25 of shinobi conduct. In situations like this, it was hard to keep her cool.

 

She began to realize that things weren't as they appeared. Zabuza was turning out to not be so bad. He was a real person with real problems that happened to be caught in the middle of Gato's backhanded plans.

 

Now, the demon of the mist, which was so cruel just moments ago, was lying on the ground, tears flowing from his eyes. Sakura couldn't help but think that he wasn't so demonic after all. Perhaps he was just misunderstood. Besides, if he were stone cold evil, how could he cry such pure, crystalline tears? Tears that reflected heartache and sadness.

 

“If I could…If I were able…I would want to go…to the same place…on the other side…As you…”

 

She couldn't help it. The tears began to flow again.

 

Perhaps, if it were another time and place, Haku and Zabuza would have been allies of some sort.

 

She felt something land on her cheek. It was snowing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

Two weeks after the incident, the four of them stood before the small memorial for Zabuza and Haku. Eyes of many colors each with their own sorrow cast upon the graves before the blue ones flickered with a glint of mischief.

 

A hand reached out to the food offerings placed before the graves, but it was slapped away by a firm feminine one.

 

“What sneaky, greedy trick are you up to now?”

 

“Heh heh…” Was the guilty reply.

 

“You eat an offering, you'll be punished by the gods!” Sakura scolded.

 

How dare Naruto be so disrespectful!

 

She turned around and crossed her arms, sticking her bottom lip out a little and making a pouty face. “But still…” She looked thoughtful and in deep contemplation. “Kakashi-sensei?”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“…I can't help wondering. Were those two right about what a ninja should be?” She replied a bit sadly.

 

“A shinobi shouldn't be concerned with a reason for her own existence. It is important that we exist merely as a tool for our homeland to use in whatever they need. That's as true for us in Konohagure as it is for ninja elsewhere.” Kakashi told her.

 

“Is that what's becoming a full pledged ninja's going to be about? Because I don't think I like it.”

 

“Do you really feel that way, Kakashi-sensei?”

 

“Wellll…No. And that's the way all ninja live our lives with that idea always bubbling beneath the surface of our minds, disturbing us….Like it did Zabuza…and the boy…”

 

A wave of silence washed over the gravesite as the four just stared idly at the graves.

 

The green eyed girl wondered if deep down inside, Kakashi did believe that statement. He drew out the word `well'. She cast a gaze to Kakashi, who looked as normal as ever. There was a hint of sadness that radiated from his aura, but nothing outstanding.

 

Was this really the way of the shinobi?

 

She wondered if she could ever make a decision not based on emotion. She knew she was a naturally compassionate person and it was hard for her not to show any emotion, even for her enemies if need there be.

 

“That's it! I've made up my mind!” Naruto finally said voice full of command and determination. “I am going to create my own Nindo - My own Ninja path. My own destiny!”

 

Kakashi looked at him in silence for a few moments, before smiling.

 

 

TBC

 

 

 

A/N: Done recapping manga stuff!! *celebrates* Now I can go my own way with this. I decided to add Sakura's thoughts about Zabuza's death. It may just be me (mostly because I'm quite partial to Zabuza and I myself don't think that he's as bad as he made himself out to be. I'd like to think that Team 7 learned that by the end of chapter 33 of book four.

 

I do think Zabuza was highly misunderstood and wanted to portray him in a believable way, yet still remain true the events from the manga, hope I did a good job.

 

Well, please R&R and tell me what you think! Will update soon!