The Legend of Konoha's Shooting Star

Your Future is...!!

"My future is death? I'm sick of your bullshit!" Zabuza growled vehemently.

"Don't be foolish..." Kakashi told him. "There's nothing you can do in this situation. Your death is certain." A bead of sweat rolled down the side of Zabuza's face as the two jōnin continued to glare at each other. "Zabuza, you went too far..." Kakashi said, deepening the crease in his brow. "Your ambition was too great. You abandoned the Land of Water and became a missing-nin; your story even reached the village of Konoha. Your attempted coup d'état and your attempt at assassinating the Mizukage both failed. You needed money for revenge, and you also needed to avoid the hunter-nins. That's probably when you attached yourself to scum like Gatō." Kakashi made the ox, rabbit, and monkey hand seals as he molded chakra for his next attack. 'Lightning Blade!!' he thought, bracing his right wrist with his left hand, as his chakra lit up and crackled like electricity in the palm of his hand.

'What!!?' Zabuza thought, astonished by what he was seeing. 'There's so much chakra that it's visible around his hand...'

"You are too dangerous," Kakashi continued as he prepared to attack. "Tazuna-san, who you're trying to kill, is this country's 'courage'. The bridge he seeks to build is this country's 'hope'. Your ambition sacrifices too many people. That's not what a shinobi should do," he finished sternly.

"I don't give a damn..." Zabuza retorted defiantly. "I fight for my own ideals... and that shall continue!!"

"I'll ask once more..."

"Hm!?" Zabuza said, furrowing his brow.

"Surrender," Kakashi said grimly. "Your future is death."

"Please, kill me," Haku repeated. Naruto gritted his teeth but didn't move. "Why  are you hesitating?" April looked down and tightened her grip on the kunai in her hand as she stood up.

"!" Naruto said, surprised when she stepped forward.

"It's all right, Naruto," April said calmly as she approached them. "You don't have to do it... I will."

"Wha–What!!?" Naruto yelled, startled by her sudden declaration. "How can you..."

"... Because I understand," she answered seriously, furrowing her brow. "I don't like it... but I understand. Besides... I said I'd kill him if anything happened to you or Sasuke..."

"..." Haku studied her face, which was set with grim determination. Her tired blue eyes were steady and placid she looked at him. There was no hate or bitterness, just a firm resolve to do what was needed. Looking at April, Haku knew... This girl, she really did understand what was going on, and she could do it... She could kill him if it meant protecting her precious friend. She was strong enough to take it on. But she wasn't the one he had wanted to face at the end...

"Ergh!!" Naruto exclaimed, furrowing his brow in frustration. "I don't understand!! Is being strong the only reason for you to be alive!!?" he shouted at Haku. Haku was silent. April waited patiently for him to finish. "Something other than fighting... You could have been acknowledge for something else..." Naruto said, looking down as he clenched his fists.

"The day I met you in the forest... I thought you were like me..." Haku told him. "You should be able to understand... That's why... I wanted it to be you, because we're alike..."

"!" Naruto gasped. He bowed his head and clenched his fists. He did... He did understand. "... Stay back, April."

"..." April frowned as the crease in her brow deepened. She was concerned, but she knew better than to get in his way. Naruto had found his resolve. He was determined to be the one to see him off now.