13 Useless
Zabuza waited in irritation for Shou to speak up. He just, felt irritated. Shou had never, tricked him like this.
"I don't want Tazuna-san to die...".
Zabuza had to close his eyes, massaging his forehead. He wanted to ask why, but he knows why.
'Then where is the real Tazuna-san?'. Kakashi asked the main question.
"Grandpa... grandpa is alive...?". Inari's eyes light up.
"Old man is...?". Naruto also look at Shou.
'He's under the bridge... let me, get him...'. Shou flickered away and walk upside down the bridge. There's a spot where there's some space between some support and beams. Shou also added some Ice Walls as support. He placed Tazuna-san there and he is safe and sound.
Anyways, it's quite difficult to carry a whole man upside down. Shou almost dropped him down the ocean - thankfully he managed to hold onto him with one arm although with struggle. That's why his arm is shaking back then.
Shou carried him with his 2 little hands. It's quite weird how Shou, being a 12 years old kid can carry such a huge old man. He put some chakra into his muscles so this is fine.
'Grandpa!'.
"Old man!!'.
Both Inari and Naruto exclaimed in relief.
Shou went to Inari to apologize to him as well. Zabuza went quiet seeing these.
'When did you switch him...?'. Kakashi had another question. And then he looked at Sakura who's also stupefied at this shocking revelation.
Sakura didn't notice it?? She stood right next to Tazuna all the time and yet she didn't notice?
'The mist is really thick... and so, the clone, with transformation jutsu I made won't be noticed by Kakashi. And I already know where Tazuna-san is, sensing his weakest chakra. I suppressed my chakra the whole time afterwards. I use some medicine to induce Tazuna-san to sleep and just switch him with the clone quickly'. Shou, being raised by a villain also knows how to explain things he did himself.
Kakashi thought about it. Indeed, the mist is really thick that his sharingan is disabled. And he did felt like he was scanned for a second. So shortly after, that was the time when Tazuna-san is quickly replaced.
'Then, how come I didn't notice...? I don't sense anything...?'. Sakura asked because she just can't believe that Tazuna-san was kidnapped and replaced by a clone without her notice.
"I trained them both in Silent Killing. They are trained to walk without making a single sound to kill enemy without them knowing. With Shou suppressing his chakra on top, of course you can't sense it". Zabuza suddenly explained in place of Shou.
Everyone went quiet digesting how its done.
Sakura remembered something amidst the silence.
'Naruto-kun, what about Sasuke?'. She noticed he's not around. Then she look distance away, a body in blue shirt. Her eyes opens wide seeing it.
'Ah... He...'.
Sakura stood and rushed to see Sasuke's body.
She held him, crying.
'He's cold... this... isn't and illusion...'.
Wuuu!! Wuuu! Sasuke-kun...
Uuwaaa!
Silent prevail as Sakura cried. Everyone is solemn hearing it. But Kakashi felt something is off. His intuition tells him so.
Am I...?
Wuuu...
Sakura...?!
THUMP!!
Sasuke's heart starts beating again.
'Sakura... you are heavy...'.
Sakura was stupefied seeing Sasuke opening his eyes and spoke. But, she's really glad... Waaa!!! She cried some more and screamed again.
Few people Sasuke sat up from the ground. Zabuza also glared at Sasuke, then at Haku. Then at Shou. It's a mystery, as to what's going on inside his heart.
'What about... Naruto...?'.
'And that... masked kid...?'.
"Don't move! Naruto is fine! And that masked kid, well, he's fine too. We are, not enemies anymore... I think... there's another masked kid too...".
? Sasuke doesn't get it. Sakura either. From her observation, it seems like... the little kid had betrayed Zabuza. Since he saved Tazuna-san in a way. She does not understand the situation very much.
'Did... Tazuna-san got killed?'. Sasuke heard the part where they were not enemies anymore. It must meant Tazuna-san died... They failed, huh...
"No... It's... the little masked kid saved him. I am not sure, but, he betrayed Zabuza to save Tazuna-san, probably...".
Sasuke turned to look where Sakura is looking. He sees Haku and Shou side by side.
'I see...'. Sasuke wonders about Shou. Just what happened when he passed out?
"Sasuke-kun, I had faith in you! It's impressive that you prevented attacks on your vitals!".
...
Sasuke already noticed it. Haku never intended to kill him.
'Naruto!!! He's alright!! Sasuke-kun is alive!!'.
Naruto turned around in surprise. Sasuke is... alive?!
He sees Sasuke raised his arm to show Naruto he's alive.
Naruto's body shake in relief. He had tears in his eyes seeing his friend is alive. It seems Sasuke survived after all...
After seconds of silence, suddenly Zabuza spoke.
"Shou, Haku".
They both look at Zabuza. Both of them had guilt in their heart, for betraying Zabuza's expectation.
"You guys are... weak". Zabuza said coldly.
They can only look down the ground, ashamed of themselves.
"I don't need... such useless tools".
Badump.
Both Haku and Shou had their heart stopped for a moment hearing such words. They raised their heads and looked at him with anxiety crippling in their hearts.
"If you want be my tool, then...".
"Kill him for me".
Zabuza pointed his Executioner Blade to Tazuna who's asleep on the ground. Inari is startled and quickly stood in front of him to protect his grandpa. Everyone is shocked hearing the words from Zabuza.
'You... You bastard!!!'. Naruto screamed in anger.
'How could y-'. Kakashi quickly stopped him saying more words that may worsen the situation.
"Zabuza-san...". Haku had tears in his eyes. He clenched his fist, and slowly move his shaky hands to take some needles from his ninja bag.
He shakily held it and look at Tazuna.
Kakashi gulped his saliva. He could at least flicker one more time to save Tazuna. No... If Shou decides to kill him, no one can stop him.
But... its no need...
Seconds passed. Shou can only look at the floor, while Haku, have not make any move despite him holding the needle.
"Heh. It seems that I had been mistaken. I thought you both can be a true shinobi. I thought you both can be useful to me. But it turns out you can't. What a waste. I don't want to keep useless waste with me. Your lives are your own now". He said coldly while glaring at them both.
Zabuza turned his back away and simply walk away.
The needles from Haku's hand dropped to the ground, making a clinging sound. Everyone is stunned hearing Zabuza's words.
He... he abandoned them? It hits everyone what is happening.
Naruto felt enraged. He looks at Haku and Shou, both of them had tears in their eyes. How, how could he do this to them!? Just because they can't kill that old man, he simply throws them away!?
Naruto knows how it felt to be unwanted. Haku had told him how much he loved Zabuza. Even a dumb person can see it from their tears!
"YOU BASTARD!!!". Naruto stood and screamed at Zabuza.
"HOW COULD YOU ABANDON THEM JUST LIKE THAT?! WEREN'T YOU GUYS FRIENDS?!".
Zabuza stopped his steps.
'Shut up kid. They were my tools. But they are no longer useful. It's natural to throw useless things away'.
"DON'T YOU FEEL ANYTHING AT ALL?! WEREN'T YOU THREE ALWAYS TOGETHER?!!"
'As I was used by Gato, I used them both. That's all it was. We shinobi are simply tools...'.
'What I wanted were their blood, and their abilities, not them. But they proved themselves useless'.
"Hey... Do you really mean that?".
Naruto is about to rush to him. But Kakashi stopped him.
"Stop Naruto! We are not fighting anymore... plus...".
'SHUT UP!!! My enemy is still him!!!'.
Zabuza just turned his head a little to see the yapping brat.
"THEY, THEY REALLY LOVED YOU!!!".
"YOU ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO THEM!!!"
"DO YOU REALLY FEEL NOTHING AT ALL!?!?".
"THEY BOTH CHERISHED YOU. THEY BOTH HAD WORKED HARD FOR YOU. THEIR DREAM IS TO FULFILL YOUR DREAM! AND YET YOU CAN ABANDON THEM JUST LIKE THAT!".
"That's just... just too sad...". Naruto himself cried.
Shou and Haku had tears flowing down their cheeks. It's really... painful...
Zabuza had stopped his steps and turned his head around.
'Kid... you don't have to say any more...'.
Zabuza turned his body a little more and see Shou and Haku for the last time.
Everyone is stunned because he too, had shed tears. Zabuza too had his own feelings.
'It pained them to fight you. They fought not only for me, but for you guys too. It pained them to work for, bad people like me, like Gato...'.
Zabuza turned his head to look at them both.
'You are too kind'.
'Zabuza-san...'. Haku look at Zabuza, who is blurry in his vision as his tears covered his eyes.
Zabuza had realized the uneasiness and sadness he had in his heart. That, he already know it pains them. All these years working for him, killing innocent people at his command, or leading him to kill them, destroying good people for the bad ones; it must have pained them.
Seeing Shou and Haku trying so much to trick him and everyone, makes him realize it. Those masks that they wear is nothing but a lie to appear like a heartless killing machine. In truth, they really had been hurt underneath those masks. Zabuza felt, guilty. He cannot, make them work for him anymore. His own heart would be in pain. But he can't say it to them.
'They are... useless to me'. Zabuza said his last sentence and turned his head away.
Naruto wanted to say more but Kakashi stopped him quickly.
"Naruto... Zabuza wanted to relief them from their burden...". Kakashi can conclude that much.
Huh? Naruto felt like he somewhat gets it hearing Kakashi put it that way. But still... Its... its so sad...
Shou stood up and walk closer to Zabuza.
Zabuza stopped for a moment to see what he wants.
"Zabuza-san... thank you, for all this time. Thank you, for saving us. For raising us. For training us hard. For depending on us. For everything... thank you... I am forever grateful to you".
Haku also stood and walk closer.
'Zabuza-san... I am sorry that I failed you... and... thank you for everything... that you can accept us, I was... I was really happy...'.
Zabuza shed some tears but hide it away. He keeps walking forward, afraid that he would show more of his emotions to them if he stayed.
Shou quickly flickered fast and held Zabuza's hand from behind. He placed the bag of money that Zabuza forgot into his hand. And then, he also place a piece of folded paper along with it.
"Zabuza-san... I hope, your dream come true".
Zabuza didn't bother to look back and just walk forward, eventually leaving them out of their sight.
Zabuza take a look a the piece of paper Shou gave him.
"Yagura is controlled by a genjutsu. A hunter-nin with byakugan would be able to prove it and dispel it. Mei Terumi can support you".
Zabuza frowned. This...?
How do Shou know this? Has he been investigating? No... how did he know Ao; who is a hunter-nin and have Byakugan; and that he could dispel that genjutsu even if its true? As for this Mei Terumi, she is his senior.
He felt its quite weird how Show know all this. He didn't tell them much about Kirigakure nor its inner workings. He can only assume that Shou had been doing things behind his back, for his own dream...
He felt even sadder. He trusted Shou and so he can only try. As for contacting hunter-nin, they would love to meet him anyways and it would be easy to meet with them.
Thank you, Shou, Haku. This is goodbye...
Zabuza had made up his mind. Perhaps, someday, they can meet again. No. He hopes they can meet again, not as tools and its user, but... as something more than that.
...
