Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Key Through the Heart ❯ Wave Country Arc Part 3 ( Chapter 10 )

llIVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura

“Normal Talking”

Thoughts/Sound Effects

“Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words”

“Demon speak”

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart

A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit.

Author's Note: Final Chapter of the Wave Arc. Hope I made things a little more interesting at least.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Ino finished her meal with a happy sigh, smiling at her mother across the kitchen table.

 

“Thanks Mom! That was great!” Yamanaka Yuki frowned and raised a pale eyebrow at her only daughter.

 

“You've been eating a lot more lately, Ino-chan. Off your diet?”

 

Ino shrugged casually.

 

“Well, Asuma-sensei says that I'll burn off any fat on missions, so I shouldn't worry about it. May I be excused?”

 

Yuki nodded, gathering the dishes and taking them to the sink with a smile. Personally, she was glad her daughter's sensei was getting through to Ino. All of these silly diets and `fads'-She knew enough about the shinobi world to know that such things would be no help to bringing her daughter back safely. She chewed on her fingernail absently as she listened to her daughter head upstairs to her room, before resuming washing the dishes.

 

That's funny, she thought. I could have sworn I laid out more bowls than this…

 

Upstairs, Ino closed the door to her bedroom. She pulled out a small box from under her skirt, which she set on the floor… And quickly made a handseal.

 

“Kai!” Poof! Several potatoes, a bowl of rice, fish, and dumplings emerged, sitting prettily. The blonde looked around.

 

“Vivi? You there?” She turned to the closet, and frowned. She walked up and opened it, raising an eyebrow at the little mage sitting next to an old, oversized teddy bear.

 

“Vivi, I've got dinner,” Ino sighed. She walked over to the mage and poked him… Blinking in shock as the stock-still figure poofed out of existence.

 

“Eh?” Ino sweatdropped.

 

“Oh, hello Ino,” Vivi spoke behind her. Ino jumped and turned around, glaring.

 

“Vivi! Damnit, don't do that!” The little mage laughed nervously.

 

“Sorry, I just… I was practicing this spell in one of your scrolls and-“ Ino blinked.

 

“Wait a minute… You mastered the bunshin no jutsu… In how long?”

Vivi shrugged.

 

“A few hours?” Ino gaped. Vivi's yellow eyes became crescents as he laughed nervously again.

 

“Er, I just… I got bored and-“

 

“It took me a year to get that jutsu!” Ino exclaimed. She smirked and shook her head, waving her finger at him.

 

“That's not very fair, Vivi-kun.”

 

The black mage blinked.

 

“W-Well, um…”

 

“Now, you have to teach me something,” Ino decreed. Vivi blinked.

 

“Eh? But I already taught you a couple of things…”

 

Ino sighed.

 

“Yeah, but… Seriously, a shrinking jutsu? What good is that?”

 

Vivi crossed his arms.

 

“It lets you feed me… And it's a spell, not a jutsu,” the mage scowled. Ino crossed her arms over her chest and scowled back.

 

“C'mon! I saved you from those… Whatever-they-were! I've kept you hidden in my house for a week now, and fed you! And you know one of my jutsus! Fair is fair, Vivi-san!”

 

The black mage sighed and adjusted his hat.

 

“Yes, but its just that… Well…”

 

Ino looked expectantly at Vivi. The mage coughed.

 

“I just… I have enough trouble understanding how my powers work. I don't know if I could be a good teacher…”

 

“You taught me the `Mini' jutsu-Okay, fine, spell,” Ino corrected at Vivi's look. “And I could make fire without any training. C'mon! It's not like I'd abuse them!”

 

“No, but you're a ninja. You, well…” Vivi sighed. “I just… Don't like using my powers on people. And if I taught them to you, I'd have to accept the fact that you'd be using my spells against other people.”

 

Ino bit her lip, lowering her arms to her sides. This was something she herself was having difficulty with. Originally, she'd become a ninja because, in all honesty, she wanted to be like her father. Sasuke had entered the equation later, but at the heart of her efforts lay just that-She wanted to carry on her family's legacy.

 

She wanted to make her dad happy and proud. And her mother too, though her mother would be happier if she stayed at home and became a florist.

 

Not that she didn't like flowers-She loved them-but at her core, Ino knew she couldn't be happy with just that.

 

“I know… It's just that…” Ino sighed. How can I explain this to him when I'm having trouble explaining it to myself?

 

Ino decided to just go for it. It was how she was taught, after all.

 

“Vivi… I'm the weakest member of my team. Chouji has his strength, Shikamaru's a genius, and me, well… I've got nothing, aside from one family jutsu. One. And for protecting my friends, it's nearly useless,” Ino said quietly. The mage stared at her, glowing yellow eyes for once betraying nothing.

 

“I don't… I don't want to be useless any more,” the blonde went on, matching Vivi's gaze. “I don't want to just… Just stand around, you know?” Ino bit her lip again.

 

Vivi said nothing, for some time, just staring back… Before nodding with a slight sigh.

 

“… Okay.” The mage rummaged about in his pockets, before pulling out what appeared to be a tiny stick. Holding his staff over it, he mumbled something before it popped into another staff. He handed it to Ino, who looked between it and Vivi's staff.

 

Vivi's staff was like dull bronze in color and texture, curling upwards in a spiral that ended in a wing-like attachment, arcing upwards away from a deep red orb. When she was close to it, Ino could feel the raw power it contained, buzzing the air around her.

 

The other staff, however…

 

“It's… What is that thing anyway?” Ino asked, holding the plain wooden object with some distaste. It's head curled up into itself like a seashell, while it's handle was wrapped in bandages. Vivi tapped it twice with his staff, and Ino was surprised to see it extend nearly twice it's original size, making it more of a quarterstaff to her.

 

“That is my first staff,” Vivi said with a touch of nostalgia to his voice. “It's better tuned to fire-type spells than anything else, which makes it easier to learn on.” Ino blinked.

 

“Huh?”

 

“Well… Essentially, if you use magic-chakra, I guess-with this staff, you can do fire spells without too much effort, because it shapes your magic-chakra, sorry-into fire, until you can learn how to do it yourself.”

 

Ino nodded in understanding.

 

“Like training wheels on a bike?”

 

The mage blinked at her.

 

“What's a bike?”

 

Ino sweatdropped.

 

“Er, nevermind… So… How many staves do you have anyway?”

 

“Every single one I ever learned a spell on,” Vivi said proudly. Ino grinned at this.

 

“Oh? Bit of a packrat, huh?”

 

“Well, when you shrink `em, they don't take up a lot of room,” the mage explained. “Besides, um… My best friend got most of them for me…”

 

Ino frowned as Vivi trailed off.

 

“Best friend…?”

 

The mage nodded.

 

“Yeah. His name's… His name was Zidane. You remind me of him, actually.”

 

“Oh? Was he good-looking, confident, and all together wonderful?” Ino asked with a smile. Vivi blinked.

 

“Er… Yes… Exactly like that,” the mage replied, thinking that a certain blond boy with a tail was laughing at him from Heaven…

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Kakashi had found Naruto konked out after another all-nighter of training furiously, and rather than let him sleep outside (again), he took him into Tazuna's house and put him on the couch. Sasuke and Sakura had finished their morning exercises, and the jounin decided to take them both with him to the bridge with Tazuna. The deadline for Zabuza's counterattack was near.

 

On their way to the construction site, a low mist covering the area, Kakashi could not help but reflect on how pleased he was with their progress; especially in such a short amount of time.

 

Already, he could sense that Sakura's chakra reserves had increased considerably, and the crash-course training was already showing in her improved muscle tone. She'd tied that ridiculously long hair of hers into a tight ponytail, which (while not being as short as he'd like) nevertheless was better than letting it go every which way in a fight. Also, the way she carried herself… She was prepared for battle.

 

Thank God she's a fast learner, the jounin thought to himself… Before mentally facefaulting as she gave Sasuke a lovesick look, which the Uchiha predictably ignored.

 

Not as fast as I'd like though…

 

Sasuke, Kakashi now observed, had also improved. He was already suppressing his chakra signature, and he could tell by the way Sasuke moved that he was sensing chakra far more acutely than before. His hand was already on the hilt of his sword, and Kakashi looked at him. Sasuke looked back.

 

He's here, they both thought.

 

Sakura, looking between them both, frowned as well and discretely got behind Tazuna, looking over her shoulder and listening. She pulled on her gloves as they reached the bridge.

 

The construction site came into view… And Kakashi cursed his instincts as the bodies of fallen workers came into view.

 

“What the-! Dosu! Gin! What happened?!” Tazuna exclaimed, rushing forward while Kakashi, Sakura, and Sasuke kept up, scanning the area.

 

“Za… Zabuza… He said he was…” One of the workers gasped out, as Tazuna fell to his knees and tried to hold up his head. Kakashi looked forward, eye narrowed.

 

The mist parted, just enough for two figures to be revealed. Zabuza stared defiantly back at the jounin, a smirk underneath his face wrappings, while the `hunter-nin' stood at his side, the mask obscuring anything else substantial.

 

“I see you were expecting me,” Zabuza laughed. Kakashi glared back.

 

“Your friend slipped up,” the Copy Ninja observed. Sakura harrumphed.

 

“He's got some nerve facing us again after pulling that trick...” The pink haired girl growled, glaring at the masked ninja.

 

“...and hiding behind a mask,” Kakashi added. “Who does he think he's fooling?”

 

Sakura sweatdropped.

 

“Ahem, speak for yourself, sensei,” Sakura noted. Kakashi gave her an eye smile, before turning back to the missing nin.

 

“Why exactly did you bring the brat pack with you again? They'll just be blood on my blade. The boy is shaking in fear already,” Zabuza gloated.

 

Sasuke smirked, drawing his blade and holding it up.

 

“I'm not trembling in fear… I'm trembling in excitement,” the Uchiha returned smoothly. Sakura sighed happily, before coughing and quickly assuming a fighting stance. Zabuza laughed at this, as Kakashi shook his head.

 

“You've made a big mistake, Zabuza,” the jounin stated.

 

“Oh really? And what was that?” The missing nin leered.

 

“Insulting these ninja and calling them brats. That's sure to bring out Sasuke's attitude, and he's the best young fighter of the Hidden Leaf Village,” Kakashi spoke, and Sasuke's smirk widened. He moved forward ahead of the others, sword held in a ready stance.

 

“Sakura here is our sharpest mind, and much stronger than she looks,” Kakashi indicated next, and Sakura smiled unpleasantly, cracking her knuckles.

 

“And last, but not least, our number-one, hyperactive knucklehead ninja… is Naruto Uzumaki.”

 

Back at Tazuna's house, a certain blond ninja sneezed, groggily beginning to wake up.

 

“Now then… Shall we begin?” Kakashi asked, kunai already in hand. Zabuza smirked.

 

“Certainly…”

 

Leaping over the sides of the bridge, six Zabuza mizu bunshin appeared, surrounding Sasuke. Two more came at the Leaf ninja and Tazuna from behind, swords swinging in unison.

 

Kakashi turned back, but Sakura was already in motion. The pink-haired girl grabbed Tazuna and (despite the old man's screeching protest) tossed him into the air, before she leapt forward, landing on the dull edge of the first Zabuza clone's sword. In its surprise it didn't react in time to stop Sakura's chakra-enhanced fist smash through it's face, dissolving the whole thing into water.

 

The next clone charged from the side, but Sakura leapt away, catching the shrieking Tazuna in mid-air. Kakashi dispatched this clone with a single kunai as it gaped, wide-eyed, at the spectacle, and Kakashi turned back once he was sure Sakura had landed with Tazuna safely.

 

Sasuke had leapt up and taken down one Zabuza clone easily, getting within it's defenses and slashing it's water-filled head off, but not before using it's falling torso to spring back at the one behind him. A kick to the throat crushed this clone's neck, returning him to water once more.

 

The last three clones charged Sasuke as one, to which Sasuke quickly detached the sheath of his sword and swung it around in his spare hand. Catching the first bunshin's blade and forcing it down, Sasuke jabbed it through the chest, leaping up and back-flipping, landing a twin kick to the faces of the two remaining clones, snapping their necks with a bit of chakra-enhancement to his speed.

 

Sasuke landed with a flourish, smirking at Zabuza.

 

“Huh… Not bad, brat,” the missing ninja stated. “Haku… Take care of him.”

 

“Yes, Zabuza-sama,” Haku stated. With that, the ninja produced two senbon needles and leapt forward, stabbing at Sasuke. Sasuke knocked back the blows, slashing back furiously. Haku evaded or blocked the attacks, backflipping away and throwing additional senbon. Sasuke blocked them, leaping away and landing on the side of the bridge, kicking off and plunging his sword for the missing nin's heart.

 

Haku leapt away and ran away on the side wall of the bridge, Sasuke pursuing, as Zabuza made his attack against Kakashi.

 

Clang!

 

“I hope you said goodbye to your student… Because he's not coming back,” Zabuza laughed, pulling back and swinging his blade for Kakashi's head. This blow was also blocked by Kakashi's kunai, and the white-haired jounin spun away, making handseals.

 

“I wouldn't count on it!”

 

Zabuza grinned beneath the wrappings.

 

“No one can match Haku! The most skilled Jounin fall before him...just as you will fall before me! RIGHT NOW!” The mist grew even deeper and Zabuza vanished. Kakashi cursed.

 

“Sakura! Keep Tazuna safe!” Sakura grimaced, but nodded.

 

“Right!”

 

“You're not going to throw me into the air again, are you?” Tazuna grumbled. Sakura didn't answer as she herded him off the bridge. She didn't like being surrounded on two sides by water-One side would be much better.

 

Meanwhile, Kakashi moved forward, baring his Sharingan. The chakra drain began in earnest, but the Copy Ninja adjusted his coils to compensate. While the drain was still fairly significant, it would not limit Kakashi's endurance as much as before.

 

He's right; it's time to end this, the jounin thought grimly, but he is the one who will fall!

 

Unnoticed by anyone on the bridge, a black crow circled high overhead, yellow eyes on the battle…

- - - - - - - - - - - -

I've had some bad mornings, but this…! This is definitely one for the record!

 

Naruto rushed out of the house to the sound of Tsunami screaming. The Keyblade had already appeared in his hand, which was as good a sign as any that something very bad was going on.

 

He'd tracked the screams to the dock near the house, and saw Inari running right at two samurai, holding a bound Tsunami between them. The little boy was screaming as he charged, and the two goons merely grinned, blades coming up to cut down Inari.

 

Just as they slashed Inari to pieces, however, they found something strange had happened. Tsunami stopped screaming as she saw, instead of the bloody chunks of her son, chopped pieces of a log clattering to the deck.

 

“You know,” began a familiar voice behind the two samurai and single woman, “there are a lot of things I can abide. But killing kids…” The two samurai turned around, to see a single, orange and black clad ninja, smirking at them from underneath blond bangs.

 

“Just really pisses me off!”

 

The samurai felt blades slamming through their backs, and screamed as they were kicked in the heads into the waves on either side of the dock. Inari looked up in aw as Naruto strode forward, dismissing his kage bunshin with a grin as he knelt down and untied Tsunami. The woman hugged her son and Naruto closely, sobbing happily.

 

When she let go, Naruto turned to Inari and grinned at him.

 

“You know, that was really dumb… Brave, but dumb. Good work,” the blond complimented. Inari grinned.

 

“Thank you, Naruto-nii-san!”

 

Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

 

“No sweat…”

 

“Naruto, where is your forehead protector?” Tsunami asked. Naruto felt his forehead, and cursed. He searched his pockets, triumphantly retrieving it from his pants.

 

“Found `em!”

 

Tsunami smiled.

 

“Well, I have to say Naruto… You look very handsome with it off.”

 

Naruto blinked.

 

“Really?”

 

Tsunami laughed.

 

“Yes, really!”

 

Naruto shrugged, before tying it onto his right bicep. He grinned as Tsunami nodded encouragingly.

 

“Thanks Tsunami-nee-chan! Now, I've got to get to the bridge!”

 

And with that, Naruto was off.

 

He followed the sounds of fighting he heard through the mist to their source, and the first thing he spotted was an undeniably strange sight.

 

“The hell? Floating… Mirrors?” Naruto mumbled. As he got closer, he could begin to hear Sasuke and another person talking…

 

Hey wait… I know that voice…

 

Naruto's musings were interrupted as a fireball erupted in the center of the ice mirror dome.

“Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!”

The fireball hit all of the mirrors, trying to punch through the dome, but to no avail-The mirrors held fast. Naruto kept running, and made several kage bunshin, which all leapt through the gaps in the mirrors into the dome.

“Sasuke!” Naruto shouted, as he mentally directed his clones to attack the nearest mirrors. The raven-haired boy was in bad shape, senbon needles sticking out of several spots on his body. His eyes had turned dark red, and glared at Naruto as he approached.

“Oh, brilliant. Coming inside the mirrors. Great idea, dead last!”

“Hey pal! Show some gratitude! I came to save you after all!” Naruto retorted. Several poofs alerted him to the fact that his clones had been dispatched, and the blond dodged-rolled forward to avoid a barrage of senbon needles. He looked up and scowled.

It's the same ninja from before…! Indeed, every mirror had one of the `hunter-ninja' who had spirited Zabuza to safety after their first encounter. Each image began throwing more senbon, and Naruto made several more kage bunshin to try and divide their fire.

Sasuke tiredly tried to deflect several projectiles coming from one side, but more hit him in the back, making him cry out. Naruto put his back to the Uchiha and began spinning the Keyblade at high speed to shield himself and Sasuke from that angle.

“So, any ideas?” Naruto asked.

“Think that Keyblade of yours could punch through one of those mirrors with chakra imbuement?” Sasuke replied, Sharingan eyes narrowed. Naruto frowned.

“Not sure… What have you got in mind?”

“If you can take out enough of this guy's mirrors, I can track his movements and nail the real one,” the Uchiha got out. Naruto grinned.

“Gotcha! Leave it to me'ttebayo! Kage bunshin no jutsu!” Half a dozen more Narutos appeared and spun up their Keyblades, spinning them to deflect Haku's projectiles in a circle around their creator and Sasuke. Once all of the clones' Keyblades were powered up with chakra, they shouted and let them go at the same time, driving each weapon deep into one of Haku's mirrors. The original Naruto leapt and struck a random mirror, while Sasuke tried to track down the real Haku.

Almost… Almost… The Uchiha thought, leaping into the air. Got him!

“Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!”

Another massive fireball left Sasuke's mouth, slamming into a cluster of mirrors Sasuke's Sharingan eyes had tracked the real Haku to. The ice splintered and cracked under the assault, and as the flames died down the senbon barrage stopped.

 

But not for long, as Naruto's yelp indicated that Haku had escaped again. Sasuke cursed and tried to block more needles, but even with the Sharingan he couldn't stop them all.

 

“OW! DAMNIT!” Sasuke turned around and saw the real Haku among the mirrors facing Naruto, who had already been struck several times. The Sharingan gave Sasuke less of a view of Naruto's chakra pathways so much as his overall chakra signature-And right now, Sasuke could tell Naruto was significantly weakened.

 

All that training last night, plus the moves he's had to pull off now… Sasuke caught the blurs of several senbon headed for Naruto and moved.

 

He raised his chokuto to block the projectiles, but the Sharingan showed all too clearly he was late. Sasuke gagged as he felt needles hit his neck and stumbled, blade falling out of his suddenly numb hands. The Uchiha lost his balance as his vision darkened, and could barely feel himself fall into Naruto's arms. The blond's face looked down worriedly at him.

 

“SASUKE! SASUKE!”

 

“Damnit, idiot… Don't scream… In my face,” Sasuke choked out, taking a shuddering breath. A part of his brain noted that these sensations… His darkening vision…

 

“C'mon Sasuke, what's wrong? You're not going to let a couple of needles take you out, huh? C'mon!”

 

Sasuke felt himself be shaken, and managed a wry smile.

 

“You know… I hated you…”

The shaking stopped, and Sasuke made out Naruto gaping at him in disbelief.

 

“You… I… Why did you…?”

Sasuke coughed, and felt blood drip out of his mouth. Odd, he kind of thought he should be angry as he felt his heart slow down… Instead he felt this unusual tranquility come over him. Itachi's face flashed in his mind, and a sad chuckle left his lips.

 

“Because… That man...I swore I woudn't die until I killed him, my older brother… thought the oath would save me,” Sasuke choked out. Naruto's grip tightened, and Sasuke had to fight the growing numbness to gasp out:

 

“But you Naruto...don't you dare die! You've… Still got… A dream…”

 

“SASUKE!”

 

Darkness.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Haku stared down at the blond boy, clutching the Uchiha to him, head bowed in sorrow. She prepared another senbon barrage… But paused. Again, she felt her heart go out to Naruto, and decided to speak from it.

 

“He found...he found the strength that he didn't realize he had. Why? Because of a certain person who was precious to him. To save that person, he rushed in, knowing it was a trap. He was a true ninja, worthy of honor,” she spoke softly, mournfully.

 

Naruto let go of Sasuke's body, and it slumped to the cold floor of the bridge. He began to shake. Haku spoke again.

 

“Is this the first time you have seen a comrade die? I'm sorry, but this is part of the shinobi way. I have killed my kind heart to kill your friend… And if you do not withdraw, I will kill you as well.”

 

“Shut up…You… You bastard… You killed Sasuke…!” Naruto snarled, and as he did, Haku's chakra senses began to scream something was not right. The Keyblade began to glow bright red, as though a flame were consuming it from the blond's fist gripping it's hilt up. As the flames spread, the Keyblade changed shape, the single blade enlarging, widening into a cruel, curved blade. From the hilt sprouted eight smaller, but no less deadly curled blades, two wrapping around Naruto's hand to form a new hilt.

 

From the pommel of the new Keyblade hung a single chain with a spiraled emblem, which shook as Naruto's aura flared with deadly, red chakra and a horrifying killer intent filled the air. Haku shuddered and held up an arm to shield her face from the backlash, an almost paralyzing fear filling her heart.

 

This chakra… Its so dark… I can barely breathe!

 

Naruto stood up straight, face becoming visible once more. Haku was shocked to see his formally blue irises burning blood red, the whisker marks on his face deeply defined, and his canines extended and sharpened in his bared, gritted teeth.

 

His wounds… They're completely healed…! What is this boy?!

 

“I'LL TEAR YOU APART!” Naruto roared, leaping right for her mirror. Haku leapt to another, barely escaping being sliced in half. Naruto kicked off the remains of that mirror, shattering it, as he continued to follow Haku, smashing and destroying every one with his Keyblade.

 

His chakra continues to grow! I must strike now! Haku thought desperately.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Kakashi paused only for a moment at the familiar chakra spike, and equally familiar killing intent, of the Kyuubi no Kitsune. It was just long enough for Zabuza to nick his arm, and Kakashi cursed at the pain. He leapt away, putting some distance between the two combatants. Zabuza laughed mockingly as the mist obscured him once more. He moved to try another flanking strike on the Konoha jounin.

 

“What's the matter, Copycat? Worn out already?”

 

Damnit… If the seal is breaking… No, it's only a glimmer of the Kyuubi's power. Even so, I need to end this now, Kakashi thought. Good a time as any…

 

“Zabuza, I don't mean to spoil your fun. I know how you like to stretch these things out, but how about we put an end to this now? Come on, whaddya say? We're both busy people,” Kakashi spoke, with a nonchalance he did not feel.

 

“Hmm...tempting. I'm curious to see how you intend to back up such brave words! Show me, Kakashi!” Zabuza spoke. Kakashi produced a scroll from his pouch, gathering some blood from the wound on his arm and sliding it down on the paper as he unfurled it.

 

“Gladly… Kuchiyose no Jutsu!” Zabuza felt and heard a rumble that grew stronger. Looking about, the missing nin could see no enemy… Until he felt and heard a gigantic mass explode from the ground behind him. He tried to turn and see what it was, but a massive weight, transferred by two giant paws and an animalistic snarl stopped him. He grimaced as he felt two more eruptions from the ground, and sharp teeth grab his ankles.

 

“What the-? Dogs?!” Zabuza snarled as he looked down. Kakashi smirked under his mask.

 

“I'm sorry, did you think you were winning? I realized that if I couldn't see you, I'd have to smell you out. That was a summoning jutsu. I was calling forth my ninja hounds. They can track a scent anywhere. When you attacked me, I let you get past my guard. I wanted you to cut me. You see, it's the scent of my blood on your blade that led them to you. Surprised? Looks like I'm not the only one who was blind. Falling into my trap. You disappoint me, Zabuza.”

 

Zabuza tried to struggle free, but the large hound on his back gripped his arms more tightly, as did the ones biting into his legs. Zabuza ignored the pain and deathglared the leaf ninja.

 

“You bastard…”

 

“Aah, the mist is finally clearing. And do you know what I see? Your death!” Kakashi stated. Zabuza snorted.

 

“Talk, talk! Do you mean to talk me to death?!”

 

“In a way, yes. Right now my hounds are just playing with you, but one word from me and they'll tear you apart!” Kakashi quickly began making handseals.

 

“Alright, Zabuza, time to finish this, but it won't be with Sharingan, imitations of some other ninja's tricks. No, it's time I introduced you to my one and only original jutsu…”

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Haku emerged from one of her mirrors, trying to hit Naruto from behind, but the enraged ninja spun around and slashed her senbon to pieces. Haku leapt away, forming more senbon and flinging them, but to no avail-Naruto blocked each and every one. Trying to buy more time to think up a counter-attack, Haku leapt back into her mirrors and reformed them, noting grimly that she was almost at her limit.

 

“You'll pay for this...I'm gonna kill you!” Naruto screamed. He spun up the Keyblade as he had before, the red chakra infusing it with os much chakra it seemed on fire. When it was only a blur Naruto flung it with bestial strength, the weapon blasting right through one of her mirrors and shattering it completely… Before it flashed out of existence and reappeared before another mirror, smashing through it as well before teleporting again, and again. So quickly Haku barely had time to blink, all but one mirror had been shattered into oblivion, and her vision was suddenly filled with the chakra-blazing fist of the blond-

 

SMASH! Haku was thrown out of her mirror, her head snapping back painfully from the force of the punch. She spun in the air, the blow turning her back to Naruto-And she screamed as she felt a white hot sword blow across her back. She crashed to the pavement of the bridge, shaking in agony, and felt herself being kicked in the ribs. She rolled with the blow, barely avoiding her ribs being shattered, but she was still virtually paralyzed from the waist down. She looked up fearfully as Naruto lifted up his blood-red Keyblade, eyes narrowed in rage…

 

The red chakra seemed to wink out, and the red flew from Haku's vision. Naruto's red, angry eyes became wide, blue ones. His snarl a gaping mouth. Most telling of all, the Keyblade reverted back to it's original, almost comical state.

 

“Ha… Haku…?” He whispered, shocked. Haku struggled to get up, but found herself stopped by the pain of her injuries. She took a deep breath.

 

I have failed you, Zabuza-sama. I am like a weapon that has been broken and is of no further use.

 

“Naruto… Kill me.”

 

The blond gaped in disbelief. Haku coughed.

 

“Why'd you stop? I murdered your best friend, can't you kill me?”

 

Naruto just continued to stare. Haku narrowed her eyes.

 

“Why do you hesitate? To show mercy to those who oppose the one you serve?”

 

“I… I just…” Naruto stuttered. Haku's glare grew, and Naruto wondered how she could be so intimidating, lying on the ground, helpless before him.

 

“To allow his enemies to live, when you could strike them down? This is not compassion, it is a betrayal of your life's very purpose. For what reason do you exist then? You're of use to no one. Your life has no meaning. It is mere existence. Day after day, the pain and struggle, signifying nothing.”

 

Naruto growled.

 

“Speak for yourself, you bitch!”

 

Haku laughed weakly, sadly.

 

“Are you really that blind little one? I am speaking of myself. This day has shown that I am no longer of any use to Zabuza.”

 

“Zabuza? Why that guy anyway?! To devote your life to a rotten skunk who dosen't know the meaning of the word honor! If he's the one person that really matters to you, man that's the sorriest thing I've ever heard!” Naruto shouted. Haku sighed.

 

“There were others that mattered to me… My father, and my mother,” she said quietly. Naruto blinked, breath hitched in his throat.

 

Her eyes… They're so full of pain…Just like mine…

 

“Hyoton. That's what they called my bloodline. The senbon, my mirrors… All of my bloodline. A very powerful one. So powerful, the people of my village feared anyone wielding it. My parents died because of my bloodline: My mother because she had hid our bloodline from my father, and my father because he killed my mother, and tried to kill me… After that…” Haku breathed shakily, wincing at the pain that resulted.

 

“After that… In all the world, there was no one who needed me. I was...unnecessary,” she spoke, biting her lip. Naruto was silent. Haku then smiled, sadly.

 

“Then… Then Zabuza found me. He gave me a purpose… To be his tool, his ultimate weapon. For this… For giving my life meaning, I owe him everything.” Haku paused and looked at Naruto, who was staring at her incredulously.

 

“That's the most ridiculous story I've ever heard! I mean, he treats you like a slave! You're a human being, not a weapon or a tool! How can you care about someone like that?!”

 

“For that very reason,” Haku replied calmly. “Do you find it so strange?”

 

“Well, yeah!”

 

“When he found me, I had no one… He gave my life meaning, purpose… But now, my usefulness is over. The only thing that gave my life meaning, it's gone. I am a broken tool, a blunted weapon, of no use to anyone. Go on, Naruto. Do it, for both of our sakes. Do it, quickly.”

 

Naruto took a deep breath, and kneeled down next to her. Haku stared at him.

 

“I know… I know what it feels like,” Naruto said, quietly. “To be… Unnecessary. A monster… They called you that, didn't they? Same with me.”

 

“Because of…? That chakra…?” Haku asked. Naruto nodded grimly.

 

“And I also… Have people precious to me… Who gave my life meaning…” He sucked in another deep breath. “Just because you failed Zabuza though… It doesn't mean you have no purpose! Maybe you just need to find another one! Another person to give you one!”

 

Haku laughed bitterly.

 

“Naruto… Your heart is too bright for it's own good.”

 

“So is yours,” Naruto retorted. Haku blinked at him questioningly, and Naruto blushed.

 

“Er… The Keyblade… I don't know how, but its telling me that… That Sasuke's not dead.” Naruto smiled sadly. “You couldn't kill your heart either, huh?”

 

Haku smiled back, the shared burden lifting the atmosphere if only by a little.

 

“No… I suppose not…”

 

The Keyblade flashed out of existence, and Naruto was about to lift Haku up…

 

“NARUTO!” Naruto jerked at Sakura shouting his name, and he looked up.

 

Behind him, Naruto saw Sakura holding Sasuke, tears flowing from her eyes, as Tazuna stood awkwardly nearby, guilt all over his aged face.

 

“I'm sorry,” the old man began. Naruto coughed.

 

“It's okay, he's alive and-!” The blond trailed off as the mist cleared, revealing the rest of the bridge. On the bank nearby, two figures stood, confronting eachother. Zabuza, being restrained by several large dogs, and Kakashi staring him down, lightening crackling from his left hand.

 

But on the bridge itself stood several men, all lead by a small, squat fellow with sunglasses. Haku's breath hitched, and Naruto looked questioningly at her.

 

“Its Gato,” she whispered. Naruto shuddered as he felt something… Wrong, dark, with the sneering man, all the way from here. The Keyblade appeared back in his hand as he watched and listened.

 

Gato spoke to Zabuza about how he was hoping he'd find him dead, stating that the Demon of the Mist had become a liability. He then said that he'd brought these men with him to take down Zabuza and Tazuna, and get the Keyblade, for a much lower price. Gato at last leered at Naruto and Haku on their section of the bridge, and spoke the final straw.

 

“I was hoping to find your tool alive, Zabuza… She and I will have some fun before I off her for good,” he chuckled. Naruto snarled, but before he could act…

 

“Kakashi! I say we call a truce,” Zabuza shouted. The copy ninja nodded, the electricity fading from his hand, and with a whistle the ninja hounds backed off. Zabuza stood shakily, his arms limp at his sides.

 

“Sorry, my dogs paralyzed your arms,” Kakashi stated apologetically. Zabuza shook his head.

 

“Nevermind that, just give me a damned weapon!” Kakashi tossed him a kunai, which Zabuza caught by biting through his face wrappings and catching it in his teeth. With that, Zabuza rushed the mob, slashing his way through.

 

“Zabuza-sama!” Haku cried out as he vanished into the crowd, but even from here Naruto could tell the missing nin was not fairing well. The henchmen turned and converged on him, ignoring their fallen comrades and vanished into the mist. For a few moments, there was only the sound of weapons clashing and men screaming…

 

Then, a LOT more screaming. Gato's men began running out of the fog bank, panicking as they leapt into the river, clambered up the bridge supports, or rushed to the bank.

 

The reason soon became apparent, as a massive black blob emerged from the mist, yellow eyes narrowed over a sickeningly familiar smile.

 

“You didn't think it'd be THAT easy, did you? You pitiful insects!” Roared the massive Heartless in a distorted version of Gato's voice. Long, grasping claws emerged from the mass, pulling it along as it crushed or ripped apart numerous henchmen. A long, blue tongue snapped out of the thing's mouth like a frog's, snagging more men and bringing them screaming into Gato's mouth.

 

Naruto ran ahead, ignoring Sakura's shouts, and stood at his sensei's side. Kakashi glanced at him with a frown under his mask.

 

“Naruto, go back. I'll handle this.”

 

“Kakashi-sensei, trust me when I say I know what I'm doing,” Naruto said grimly. Kakashi sighed.

 

“Fine… Use Kage bunshin to draw his attention. I'll take him out.”

 

Naruto nodded, and formed a handseal.

 

“Kage Bunshin no jutsu!”

 

Amazing, Kakashi thought, seeing the dozen Narutos standing at the ready, Keyblades held in a ready position. He can still make that many even now?

 

“CHARGE!” The lead Naruto shouted, and they did, rushing Gato. The monster grinned and whipped out his tongue, catching a Naruto and drawing it into it's mouth. The rest of the Narutos continued attacking, so Kakashi assumed it was only a clone. He made hand seals again, his palm filled with lightening once more. With the Sharingan at the ready, Kakashi charged the monster.

 

“RAIKIRI!” Kakashi roared, slamming the Lightening Blade through the Gato monster's head. The monster screamed and reared back, beginning to shake as smoke poured from the gaping hole in it's forehead. Kakashi prepared a fire jutsu, but found he didn't have to. A familiar silver key slashed through the top of the monster, followed by an equally familiar orange-clad ninja.

 

“TAKE THIS!” Naruto shouted, leaping up and plunging the length of the Keyblade through the monster's body. He dragged it down Gato's face and leapt away, as Gato shook and wobbled like a giant, black gelatin mold. A massive, glowing heart-shaped object burst from Gato and rose into the misty air, vanishing, as the rest of the beast dissolved into shadow, leaving the corpse of the mafia boss lying in a sad heap before them.

 

For a moment, the two shinobi simply stared at the empty bridge.

 

“You let yourself get eaten?” Kakashi asked, incredulously. Naruto shrugged and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

 

“It worked, didn't it?”

 

The sounds of cheering reached them, and Naruto and Kakashi turned to see a mob of villagers, applauding them wildly. Naruto sheepishly rubbed the back of his head and grinned, thrusting his Keyblade into the air in victory, while Kakashi merely eye smiled.

 

In all the noise, it was understandable that no one noticed that Haku had vanished from the bridge. Unable to find a trace, Kakashi suggested they let her go-Sasuke still had to recover, the bridge wasn't finished yet and Zabuza deserved a proper burial at least.

 

Naruto agreed, though he couldn't help staring at the place Haku had laid, Keyblade in hand…

- - - - - - - - - - - -

“Haku… Haku… Dearie, wake up…”

 

Haku blearily opened her eyes, a stone roof coming into focus. Scattered memories and images darted in her mind, and as though directed from the outside, they came into alignment.

 

She looked to her side and saw a familiar, smirking, light purplish face. It was female, with chubby cheeks and artful makeup, underneath a mop of pure white hair that floated in the water.

 

“Yes, Mistress Ursula?” Haku replied, running a hand through her loose black hair. Out of habit she looked down, checking her body. Only the usual scars across her pale skin and deep blue tail. She flicked her flippers just to make sure.

 

“I was worried! You really shouldn't practice so hard!” The sea witch said smoothly, running a perfectly manicured claw down her cheek. Haku smiled self-deprecatingly, and ascended.

 

“I'm sorry, Mistress. Is there anything I can do?” Everything fell into place for Haku, nothing out of turn. She was pleased she had not fallen too far behind on her training, being Ursula's apprentice was very demanding and-

 

-A blonde boy with blue eyes peered down at her, a soft, sad smile on his face-

 

Haku blinked.

 

“Haku, dear? Are you sure you're allright?” Ursula asked, oozing sympathy. Haku shook her head and smiled.

 

“Yes, Mistress. Please excuse me.”

 

The mermaid swam off, leaving a smirking Ursula behind. The sea witch rubbed her hands together.

 

It worked, even better than I imagined! I must hand it to Maleficent… And that Orochimaru fellow…

 

“Everything, according to plan,” the sea witch cackled quietly.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Author Notes: And so ends the Zabuza Saga. In my longest chapter EVER, wow! And my most popular story to date! Thank you everyone who has reviewed or faved this story, it means a lot to me!

 

Yes, I know most Heartless can't talk but Gato basically became part of one, so he kept his brain.

 

I hope Haku becoming a mermaid is not too cheesy for you guys, but there were few other Disney worlds I could really see her in. Plus, this will make her eventual rematch with Naruto VERY interesting.

 

I can't give away too many details, but I hope the little hints I've left about the future chapters encourage you to keep reading, rather than making you grow frustrated. As always, I'm happy for your suggestions and input on the story.

 

Sorry NaruSaku fans, but Naruto and Sakura will just be close friends here. Though to be honest, there won't be much “real” romance occurring. Attraction and growing closer in friendship and other bonds comes first. The Naruharem will happen, but definitely not immediately.

 

For better insight into where the story is going, check out the “Key Through the Heart” forums on my profile! Post ideas, questions, and comments!

 

Also, check out my deviantart page (my homepage, linked on my profile) for my (badly drawn) fanart for this story!

 

See you next time!

 

Preview for Chapter Eleven:

 

“Oh, BIG mistake, emo boy…”