Haku opened his eyes to see a never ending beach stretch beyond the horizon. He had no idea where he was or what happened the last thing he remembered was ZABUZA. He struggled around on the ground looking for the man who he lived for, his mentor, Zabuza. How could this be possible, he thought to himself feeling around his chest. Kakashi… he…he… he killed me, the memory of the pain returned to him, the lightning bolt that was the Raikiri jutsu. I need to find Zabuza, where could he be? Nothing but beach either side of me and no site of master Zabuza.

“Young Lady,” came the cry from a boy dressed completely in green with extraordinarily large eye brows. “What are you doing so far up the beach, I am the only one who comes this far and that is only to train.” Haku shrugged thinking that maybe the boy was talking to someone else but he realised that there was no one else around. “Yes you, why are you here?”

Haku laughed to herself as the boy looked puzzled. “I am no girl, young master, I am boy who is very much lost.” The boy jumped back as most people did when they discovered that Haku was not actually a girl. “Please may you tell me where we are?”

The boy shook his head and nodded still baffled by the fact that the figure in front of him was not a women. “This the Konoha beach and I am Rock Lee, what is your name?”

“I am Haku, now can you please point me in the direction of the Land of Waves,” he answered in his voice that is very easily mistaken for a girls.

“What,” said the confused Lee. “I am sorry but you are miles away from the Land of the Waves, it would take you days to get there.”

A shiver was sent up Haku’s spine, he was so far from Zabuza’s last known location; he hadn’t been that far apart from him since the two of them met on the bridge in the land of Water. What am I going to do? wondered Haku to himself. Then it hit him using his simple logic he worked out that Kakashi the person who so call killed him was from the Village hidden in the Leaves which was in Konoha. “Where is the Jounin known as Kakashi, please tell me this is important.”

“What do you mean Guy-Sensei’s rival and the Sensei of Naruto and the love of my life Sakura.” Lee’s eyes lit up with pink arts as he imagined the very sight of Sakura with him.

Haku wasn’t paying attention though, he was to busy remembering the name Naruto. The boy who possessed such an enormous amount of power that was Naruto. I must find him he may be the link to finding Zabuza. Haku looked up at Lee who was still in a trance over the girl Sakura. “Yes Naruto, you must show me to him now!”

Lee nodded. “well I better cut my training short for today Guy-Sensei, for someone is in need of my help,” said Lee waving his hand around in the air talking to no one. “Follow me master Haku.”

The two of them ran down the beach for ten minutes before having to leap from rock to rock to get on to a small level bath which lead to small village. The two of them continued to run down the path, though Haku was weak and out of energy while Rock Lee sped ahead nearly out of sight when he came to an abrupt stop.

“This is Naruto’s house,” said Lee, bowing and moving a hand out in front of him in the direction of the door. “I am glad to be of hel…”

Lee was interrupted by the scream of Naruto as he flew from a window flailing his arms around in different directions as his head quickly headed for the stone road…

Naruto continued to fall at high speed while Haku stood firm on his ground unsure what to do as Naruto was an old enemy. Naruto continued to scream for help when Haku finally decided to help seeing as the two of them where no longer in a rivalling position. But before he could even move the lightning pace of Rock Lee jumped into the air caught him and landed firmly on the ground. Naruto was bleeding from the forehead and his nose and had a great big black eye.

“What is the matter Naruto,” said the worried Lee. “This must have been serious who did this to you?”
Naruto shivered in his arms as he began to slowly slip into a unconscious state. “She…she was,” Naruto muttered quietly.

“And don’t you ever try that again Naruto!” Lee and Haku both Looked up to see Sakura sticking her head out the window with one of the largest veins you would ever see bursting out of her large forehead. Sakura then turned away from Naruto sick of the site of him and faced Haku who she still believed was dead. “You,” she said reaching for her kunai knife.

“Have no fear Sakura,” said Lee glowing red in the cheeks as he did every time he saw Sakura. “This is Haku, he is of no harm to any of us.” Lee laid Naruto on the floor as he obviously did something very wrong and swung his arms around Haku.

“But he’s dead!” said the battle hyped Sakura leaping from the window and landing in front of Haku Kunai clutched in hand.

Lee backed off. “But he was alive just a second ago what happened to him?” said Lee who seemed to be completely out of the loop. “He is alive what is wrong with you at the moment Sakura? First you nearly kill Naruto and now you think a perfectly health young man is dead.”

Haku smirked. “I thought the same thing as you Sakura when I woke up on Konoha beach this morning,” he explained. “I need some questions answered and I hope that you will be the one who can help me.” Sakura scowled back at Haku and raised her Kunai. “very well if I have to use force, I will, anything to be back by the side of my Master.”

Sakura stopped completely, the knife fell from her hand and she straightened formally. “Don’t you know?” said Sakura sympathetically. Haku shook his head in a confused manor. “I’m sorry but…but he’s dead.”

The blood running Haku shut down and turned into ice the same ice that is used in his unique Jutsu. Sakura placed a hand on his shoulder as he began to fall apart in the middle of the street. Emotion swelled up inside of him until it reached the point where it just couldn’t take it anymore. (Zabuza?). Tear gushed from his eyes and he fell to the floor crying louder than Sakura or Lee had ever heard before. “This can’t be happening,” sobbed Haku.

Naruto shook himself awake and saw the familiar face of Haku crying on the floor. “What is going on here, there is a dead guy who once tried to kill me crying here, outside my house?”

Sakura shot Naruto a “I am going to kill you too in a second, if you don’t shut up” look and he did. The three of them continued to watch as Haku tried as hard as he could to race to the floor while the water works continued to flow. “Who did it?” said Haku with pure evil in his voice instead of his usual peaceful perspective.

Naruto raised his hand in excitement as Sakura still scowled at him. “Well Gato and his men definatly killed him, I was surprised he was stilled walking with so many weapons in his back. But none of that would of happened of course if Kakashi didn’t disable both of his arms.” Sakura stared in amazement as she just watched Naruto sell out their teacher with out really giving a second thought it.

Haku wiped the tears away from his eyes put his hands in front of him ready to make hand signals in order to use a jutsu. “Well,” Haku began sounding calmer than before. “Kakashi must die!” And he vanished into thin air leaving Sakura, Rock Lee and Naruto stunned.

“Sasuke, I know that you can’t stand Naruto but he is getting better,” said Kakashi cheerfully. Sasuke and Kakashi were sitting at the ramen bar even though neither of them were actually eating any. “He is getting quieter, less arrogant and his Jutsu skills are blooming brilliantly. I could even going as far as saying that you and Naruto are on equal levels now.”

Sasuke shot a evil look at Kakashi as he smiled behind his mask. “Don’t compare me to that imbecile,” complained Sasuke folding his arms in disgust. He stood up and left in a strop upset that Kakashi would even mention his name next to Naruto’s. Although he had seen Naruto’s full potential when he faced of against Orichimaru and his staggering amount of Chakra when he single handily beat a squad of Hidden Rain ninjas.

Kakashi sat alone at the bar sipping on some sake while reading his very perverted hentai manga titled “Make Out Paradise” written by Jiraiya who Naruto knew a little to well. A chair was pulled out next to him though he wasn’t to much bothered as he was on an extremely explicit section of his book. “Hello Kakashi.” But when the familiar voice spoke into his here he froze, eyes widened. “My, my Kakashi, you look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“How can this be happening you are dead, it’s impossible, I watched you die on the bridge,” still not looking in the figures direction. “You know I am going to have to hand you into the ANBU black ops.”

“I have no time for this in need your help.” Kakashi turned his head and looked at Zabuza in confusion. “I know I would never ask for your help but this is urgent.”

“What you want my help killing more innocent people huh?”

“No, when Haku gets here.”

“Haku’s alive too,” Nothing was making sense to Kakashi it was all to much for him, he never knew any ninja who could revive themselves let alone two.

“Yes. Now I am being followed by a clan who revived me and Haku to do a job but I refused saying that I was a changed man after me and you, Kakashi, both met. I need you to tell him to meet him by our old graves in the Land of the Waves, you got that.”

Kakashi sighed quietly. “Sure, seeing as you’re a changed man and all,” said Kakashi sarcastically knowing that it wouldn’t last long.

“I got to go,” announced Zabuza looking around for the people who were after him. “They will be here soon, make sure you tell him Kakashi.” Kakashi nodded back at him as Zabuza ran into the very unpopulated streets heading for the nearest exit from the village.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Haku had been scouting from the roof tops for at least twenty minutes now with still no luck of finding his new worst enemy Kakashi. Though he was being very careless not using his powers of stealth and had picked up an ANBU black Ops member tailing him. However Haku didn’t notice him and wasn’t likely to as he was putting all his attention into finding Kakashi Hatake. Then he saw him walking out of the ramen shop chuckling away at his inappropriate reading material. Haku fished into his ninja equipment pouch attached to his trouser leg and pulled out three senbon and took aim. A sound of footsteps sounded and he turned taking his eyes away from Kakashi and saw no one. He turned back to try and get Kakashi a second time around but only saw the face of a ANBU black ops ninja who knocked him out with a hard elbow to the face.

Haku felt a splash of water hit his face which put him back into reality from the blackness he had felt for who knows how long. He saw a table in front of him with a cup of water on it and on the other side of it a ANBU black Op wearing his trade mark mask. Haku tried to move his arms and legs but found that they were bound to the chair he was sitting on. It would take him at least a minute or two to wiggle his way out of the binds but with the man on the other side of the table watching him, he would have been stopped before he even started.

“Nice to see you have finally woken up, Haku Shiranai,” said the black op in a surprisingly high voice for a person of his job description. “I am Kironi…”

Haku looked into his eyes and with a slow movement of his tongue he a gave a long, large tut. “I am sorry to be such a pain Kironi,” replied Haku being polite while also being sarcastic. “Would you please let me go I need to find my master.” Kironi shook his head behind his mask and tried again to convince Haku to cooperate. “If you stand between me and Zabuza, I am afraid I am going to have to kill you.”

Kironi sat back in his chair, laughed to himself and put his legs up on the table knocking over the cup of water. “How are you expecting to do that, your taijutsu skills are useless seeing as you are tied up and ninjutsu and genjutsu are impossible because you need two hands to do the hand signs.”

“I will ask you again and this time I hope you make the right choice.” Kironi shook his head once again. “Very well then, I am sorry for what I am about to do,” said Haku warming up his right hand. And in the blink of an eye he was making different hand signs with it before saying the name of his jutsu. “Needle of Death.” The water which had spilt had turned into ice and formed a very long, very sharp needle and before Kironi could do anything it shot through his neck sending blood over the wall behind him.

Now that Haku was on his own he began to untie himself from the binds which he had been taught many times by Zabuza. But then a knock sounded at the door with no one to answer he had to move quick removing the final rope from around his left ankle he grabbed Kironi’s kunai from his holster and watched as the door opened.

“Hey Kironi, you done with the kid yet,” said a much more mature ANBU agent wandering in through the doorway. He stared as he saw the lifeless body of Kironi lying on the floor blood still draining from the entry and exit wound of the ice needle. “What the hell happened, where is the kid?” Mist filled the room and the door slammed shut with the new agent trapped inside with no way of seeing Haku at all. “Where are you, you little brat?” he shouted drawing his Kunai also ready for a hand to hand combat if needs be. Sounds echoed around the room but Haku was toying with his prey fooling him with sound as he was unable to use his sight. “That’s it, here I…” his sentence was muffled by the load sound of a gurgle as blood began to fill his mouth. Haku hand found his way around his enemy and by using the Silent Homicide Technique, which he had copied off of Zabuza after many of his battles, slit his throat making sure that death would be the only option.

The agent fell to the floor and the mist began to vanish and Haku became visible again though there was no one their to see him. “Thank you Zabuza for teaching me your techniques,” he said as he took the mask from the dead ninja and placed it on his own face. Haku now looked exactly like a ANBU and was ready from his daring escape from custody. He slid open the door and peeked out to see a long empty corridor, after seeing this he left the room and slowly made his way to the end of it where it lead to a stairway. Knowing that the exit was down he began to descend but after the sound of other agents carried its way up he decided against it and headed up instead. He passed three floors until he go to the roof; he must have been out for long as it was pitch black except for the large signal light on top of the building. It was at least a five floor drop from the roof so he looked for another way though seeing none. An alarm sounded and Haku began to panic. (They have discovered I am missing that was fast, what am I going to do now?) he thought. The sound of loud footsteps came from the stairs he used just a while before and it was four shin obi’s at the very least. Seeing as there was no other way except for going back into the hands of the ANBU he decided to go for it. He took a run up and leaped off the roof, using the techniques that Zabuza had taught him he manage to soften the blow by rolling when he reached the floor but that didn’t stop the large cracking sound coming from his ankle as he hit the grass. Knowing that more agents would be surveying the perimeter he limped away into the darkness of an alleyway. “Now I have to find Kakashi,” said Haku to himself determined more than ever to kill his enemy.

A voice came from behind him “You just found him…”

Chapter V: The Green Beast & The Genius

Haku sat in the tree as he watched Rock Lee and three other characters which he had never seen before, one who looked like and adult version of Lee, another a boy who possessed the byukugan and a cheerful girl. They were sitting around a campfire in the middle of the forest, looking extremely tired after a long days training. Haku remembered seeing Rock Lee training at the crack of dawn and if he was doing that must training, he must be a great ninja. Haku thought back to what Kakashi said in the alleyway.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“If you even want a chance of finding Zabuza,” continued Kakashi after telling Haku the story of meeting Zabuza at the ramen bar. “You will need to form a team because ANBU will be searching for you everywhere.”

“But I only work with my master,” complained Haku still in pain from his bad landing.

“I know. But if you even want a chance of seeing him again you will have to make yourself a squad. I suggest you ask Naruto because as you surely know he is a strong kid, along with Sasuke who possess the Sharingan.”

“No, Kakashi,” said Haku interrupting halfway through his talk. “I am not willing to take the risk of releasing the amount of power I saw in Naruto again and as for Sasuke, he’s dead I remember killing him on the bridge?” Kakashi shrugged sending Haku the message that Sasuke was still alive. “But anyways I have already found someone who I believe will help me find Zabuza, Rock Lee, have you heard of him? He has amazing speed and reflexes.”

Kakashi sighed as Haku would rather use his rivals student than his own. “Well Guy does over train that boy, though I can admit he is a superb shinobi though I advice you not to let him open the 5 Chakra gates he can already unlock.” Haku’s eyes widened in amazement. “I know he is a true genius, he will be a great ninja when he matures, it won’t take much to convince him to join you though my final recommendation will take a lot of persuasion…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Haku’s wound had now healed thanks to a mixture Kakashi had kept in a pocket of Jacket and now he was able to jump from tree to tree again. The group by the fire began to scatter, moving over to their own sleeping bags and slowly began to fall asleep. Haku waited until they were all into slumber land before he made his move jumping down from the tree he was hiding in. He walked over to Lee and shook him awake.

“Guy-Sensei?” mumbled Lee still half asleep. “Is it morning already?”

“No Lee,” said Haku placing his finger over his mouth. “It’s me Haku, we met this morning remember.”

Lee shook himself awake and looked into the eyes of Haku, the same ones he mistaken for a girls that same day. “What are you doing here it’s late.”

“I really need your help,” replied Haku looking around after every word to make sure he hadn’t woken anybody. “I need to find my master, who is very dear to me and I believe you can help me do so.” Haku of course left out the part about him and Zabuza being wanted by the ANBU black ops and an unknown clan.

“What about my team?” asked Lee, looking from Neji, to Tenten and finally his sensei Guy. “Do they know about me and this mission you are setting me?”

Haku smiled politely and nodded and even though, he was lying his smile could make just about anyone believe him. “Kakashi has sanctioned this mission as an A rank mission and highly recommended you above many other ninja.”

Lee’s face lit up with excitement. “You mean I was chosen over Neji!” Haku didn’t know who know who Neji was but seeing as Lee was already so excited he nodded and continued to play along. “I was chosen over Neji Hyuga of the legendary Hyuga clan, what an honour. Haku, I would love to accompany you on this task.”

Haku had lied his way into getting Rock Lee to join him and although he was usually against lying, if it was to get Zabuza back it was worth it. “right,” followed on Haku. “Now just need to find the last member of our team…”

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“Hurry up,” shouted a man with a low husky voice from the bottom of the stairs. “Your going to be late, your team is waiting for you at the ramen bar.”

“Man this is such a drag,” sighed Shikamaru completely annoyed that his mission had to begin at midnight. He had only been sleeping for just under fourteen hours, which was a short time in his case and was forced to wake up and head out a mission with Choji and Ino. What made it even worse was they were travelling a cross a continent to head up to the land of snow and Shikamaru hated snow. The way it would get into your sandals and freeze your toes off, along with the terrain being incredibly poor to camouflage himself with his trademark green vest.

A rustle of sound came from outside his window where a large pine tree stood tall and proud which he would usually climb down if he was in trouble with his “bothersome” mother. Shikamaru smiled as he wiped the sleep away from the corner of his eyes. “What are you doing here, Bushy Brow?” he asked, eyes sharper than ever.

Rock Lee jumped in through the window shortly followed by the masked Haku whom Shikamaru had never seen before. He turned and stared at the mysterious figure from the mist insignia on his mask to his shoes and back up again to his large black bangs. “I Have come to ask you if you would join us on our most secret mission to recover a missing ninja?” said Rock Lee standing tall and proud like usual.

Shikamaru gave a long, loud grunt of disapproval. “I have tried this before and look how that ended up,” he said referring to the failed attempt of returning Sasuke to the village. “And why should I, for one thing she isn’t from Konoha and she’s a girl, I shouldn’t be restricted and put on the same level as her.”

Haku was getting fed up of being confused with a women it was seriously getting on his nerves. “I’m a boy,” explained Haku yet again. Shikamaru coughed and looked up into the masked face of Haku checking to see if this “girl” was trying to pull a fast one. “I know I look like one but I totally assure you I am a guy.”

“prove it,” said Shikamaru without a single hint of sarcasm in his voice.

“your kidding,” interrupted Rock Lee with one large brow raised.

“Not a bit!”

Several hours had passed since Kakashi had his discussion with Haku about locating Zabuza and he thought it was about time he should be telling the fifth. He walked down the dust roads of Konoha with his Sharingan out from under his headband reading his MakeOut Paradise Hentai with it while viewing his surroundings with the other. He has walked past bookstores, restaurants, bars along with seeing Asuma and Kurenai together again. Until he saw the Fifth Hokage sitting at a bar next to a drunk looking Jiraiya and a sober Lady Shizune.

“Hey Kakashi,” shouted Tsunade at the top of her voice. “Just the guy I wanted to talk to.” She was hanging on the edge of her seat, gulping down a full bottle of Sake in less than five seconds. Jiraiya was doing the exact same thing except for an out stretched arm which was wrapped round Shizune’s shoulder. Shizune was doing her best not to hit Jiraiya outside the head but his hand moved closer and closer to her chest ever gulp he took of his Sake until.

“Holy Shit,” blurted Jiraiya as he fell off his chair backwards from a strike to the face by Shizune. “I didn’t do anything I swear,” he mumbled between a couple of loud hiccups.

“Kakashi,” Continued Tsunade. “You have been put on probation.” Kakashi’s book fell to the floor and even though a mask covered his mouth Tsunade could tell that his jaw had dropped too. “You failed to give us the information on the two missing-nin who passed through here recently. So for that you will be given a month probation and be restricted from your favourite section in the book store.”

“You can’t do this,” said the flabbergasted Kakashi. “How did you find out?”

“That was me Kakashi,” whispered a voice in his ear. Kakashi turned and saw a tall, muscular man around 5’9 wearing the ANBU black ops uniform that Kakashi used to wear. His hair was pitch black and medium in length and flattened down over his right eye in a strange fashion. “I’m Isamu Masaru head of the ANBU tracking unit and you must be Kakashi, I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“This guy,” laughed Kakashi. “He’s nothing, he’s not even wearing the leaf headband.” Kakashi had a valid point as everywhere he looked he couldn’t see it anywhere, not on Masaru’s forehead like most ninja, on his arm like Shikamaru, around his neck like Hinata or around his waist like Gai.

Masaru gave put on a smug grin. “I don’t have a headband , I have something I can never remove.” He lifted his hair away from his right eye to reveal…

“My God,” murmured Kakashi. There was no eye, the eye socket had been burnt over and the Leaf insignia had been moulded on to the skin.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Haku’s face was still bright red even when the three of them reached the gate of the village. Rock Lee was also slightly flustered seeing as he never really seen an event like that happen before in his life time while Shikamaru was calm and relaxed.

“I had to see,” explained Shikamaru, hands behind his head as if resting on a bed. “Nothing personal it’s just that I don’t work well with women.”

“You made him take his trousers off,” shouted Rock Lee.

“There are many ways to find out if this Haku is a guy but the easiest and quickest way was taking his trousers off,” replied Shikamaru.

“Couldn’t you of just taken his word?” protested Lee pointing at Haku who was a few feet ahead of them. He was still flush red from embarrassment but he was slowly going back to his calm self. He had been listening to the two of them argue for the whole time but just chose to ignore it and stay out of their way.

“This was the first time I’ve ever seen this guy, I don’t know if I can trust him yet, can you?” said Shikamaru setting up a very sensible question which hadn’t yet been answered.

Haku stopped and turned around to face Shikamaru and Lee who had also stopped in their tracks. Haku’s face was back to normal and he felt as if his pride was slightly restored as the topic changed to whether he was trustworthy. “That’s the problem,” he began. “There is no way for met to prove myself but I sure you my intentions are fair and noble. Neither of you will be put in mortal danger, I really only need you two for help and advice so I would really appreciate if you would join me.”

“I’m with you 100%,” said an enthusiastic Rock Lee

Shikamaru shrugged. “Well I suppose I can trust you,” mumbled Shikamaru still half asleep. He held out his hand which Haku received and shook sealing the deal. “Also,” continued Shikamaru a little grin appearing on his face. “It’s rather big if you ask me,” he said pointing down below before walking ahead. Haku’s face grew redder than it had ever done before, he placed his mask over his face and continued onwards still amazingly embarrassed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You are the finest I have at my disposal,” Said Masaru addressing his fellow ANBU members. “You are going to be sent on a A/S rank mission to recover Haku and Zabuza of the village of the mist and return them here.”

The room was dark except for one light hanging about a large table which Masaru sat next to along with four other figures. The room was almost the same as the interrogation room Haku had recreantly been held in but this one was far darker. The four ANBU members nodded in agreement ready to hear the rest of the missions criteria.

“Haku and Zabuza are wanted dead or alive though two leaf shinobi are with them Rock Lee and Shikamaru Nara. I believe that Haku has taken them hostage in order to flee the village or lied to them for their ninja skills. Those two leaf ninjas are wanted back alive and without harm.”

“But what if they have agreed to work for Haku for personal reasons and have become missing nins?” asked a silver haired women on the end of the table. She was rather short and was very skinny not much muscle or chest on her at all which suggested that she spent more time on Genjutsu than Taijutsu.

“If that does happen,” replied Masaru. “Kill them too.”