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Zabuza benched Ann from training for almost two weeks to give her wounds proper healing time. During those two weeks, he took up more missions when he wasn’t teaching her how to read, write, or do math. It bothered him how easily she was picking up the lessons now. Either she’s putting in the effort that wasn’t there before she wanted to be strong, or she’s analysing things differently since their sparring session. He still suspects she was making at least two clones after he made her stumble that first time. Either way, she’s changed. She hasn’t asked for her bottle yet and he wasn’t about to offer it either. Ann couldn’t keep using that for comfort when things got tough.

Zabuza came home from a mission to find Ann eating at the table. Since he taught her how to use the microwave and boil water on the stove for instant noodles, it’s been easier to leave her for longer periods of time. He still avoided missions longer than two days though.
Zabuza~Still hungry? Do we still have food?
He put his things down and fixed the jutsus back up.
Ann~We still have stuff. I'm almost done eating, Zabi. Did you eat?
Zabuza~Not yet. Just need to clean up first.
Ann made a noise and watched him head down the hall. She put her dishes in the sink and peaked in the bathroom. Zabuza didn’t turn to face her as he removed his shirt
Zabuza~You’re getting a bath if you stay.
She pouted and closed the door to go to the bedroom.
Ann~He always hears me. How does he do that? What kind of jutsu is it?
She pulled out some clothes for Zabuza and set them on the bed before going back to the kitchen. She wanted something sweet. Ann was about to climb the counter again when Zabuza lifted her and set her down.
Ann~Zabi!
Zabuza~Start paying attention to where I am even when you can’t see me. Spatial awareness training will be soon. What do you need?
Ann~Something sweet. We’re out of fruit.
Zabuza~I’ll get some the next time I'm out. There’s dates.
Ann~Those hurt my stomach…
He raised a brow
Zabuza~How many do you eat?
Ann~I dunno…ten pieces?
Zabuza~You’re small. You should only have two or three pieces tops, daily. That explains those random extended bathroom trips. Don’t think even think about spacing ten pieces throughout the day. It’s the same thing.
Ann~Oh…What else is there?
Zabuza~Nothing sweet is left.
He grabbed a protein bar, not feeling the effort to make a meal.
Ann~How was the mission?
Zabuza~It’s fine. It was a capture the target type.
Ann~Can you tell me more?
He stopped mid-bite and looked at her. Ann would normally make passive-aggressive remarks for being left alone.
Zabuza~Grab some paper and a pencil
Ann gasped in excitement and ran off. Zabuza wasn’t sure if he should be proud or worried about her sudden interest, but he’ll keep the explanation tactical and theoretical all the same. She didn’t need to know how many people he killed because he got impatient.

They spent over an hour on the diagram. Zabuza even had her grab some blocks so the movement of the enemy and himself were tactile because Ann started posing hypotheticals. Ann was proving to be Ane’s daughter again. This time, glaringly obvious. And if Ann started to physically jump as fast as she has intellectually, she just might become the youngest assassin the Mist had ever seen.

And yet, that thought bothered him more than being his sister’s spawn.

The following morning they headed out to train again. They walked in silence until they got to the lake, like they always do, because he didn’t want anyone to ask questions. He set their things down and led Ann to a tree.
Ann~You’er not making me fight a tree again, are you?
Zabuza~No. Chakra control training. Since learning the water clones, you’ve been guessing how much chakra to use. Even during our sparring match you’re using too much just to make sure you have enough for one.
Ann~So how does a tree help?
Zabuza~You’re gonna climb it by running up the trunk. If you don’t use enough chakra, you’ll fall. Too much…
With his hand he forced enough chakra into the tree to make the bark splinter.
Zabuza~Questions?
Ann~Why do I have to run up a tree? Why can’t I just climb?
Zabuza~By running you’re forced to focus chakra to your feet, the toughest place to do that on the body. If you can do that then you can focus it anywhere.
Ann~What’s the goal?
Zabuza~Get as high as you can.
Ann~If I fall?
Zabuza~Expected.
Ann~Will you catch me?
He studied her. She wasn’t backing out from the challenge, but she was worried about something.
Zabuza~Until you learn to fall without me.
She nodded then eyed the tree
Ann~So…do I just walk up the tree?
Zabuza~Do a running start. The momentum will help you.
She made the tiger seal to gather her chakra like she was making a clone but pushed it down to her feet. After a few moments, she ran towards the tree he stood next to, and made it up three steps before falling down. Zabuza still let her fall but he caught her by the neck to lessen the impact.
Ann pouted~You still let me fall…
Zabuza~How else will you learn? I still slowed your fall. Try again.
When she got up she hit his side before running back to try again. He couldn’t help but smirk. So it’s begun. He watched her gather her chakra and run at the tree again. Ann made it further up, this time splintering the bark, and jumped to grab the branch above her.
Zabuza~You’ll need to drop down.
Ann~It’s too high!
She adjusted her grip
Zabuza~I won’t let you hit the ground from there.
Ann~But…It’s scary…
She tried to swing her legs to wrap around the branch as well, but she didn’t get high enough and the weight shift made her hands slip and she dropped. Ann yelped and braced herself to hit the ground, but she thumped softly against Zabuza instead.
Zabuza~What’d I say? Did I let you hit the ground?
Ann pouted~Isn’t there another way?
Zabuza~Water walking is too advanced. Tree climbing first. Try again.
He set her down and pushed her off. She was less scared of the kunai he threw at her two weeks ago.
Zabuza~Watch where you fall. It’ll be easier to recover. Try to roll.
Ann scoffed~Easy for you to say…
Zabuza~I heard that, brat. Start running.
He watched her run. Then just before she got to the tree, he called her name. Ann ran into the trunk.
Ann~What the hell?!
She hit him, and he automatically hit her back
Ann~Why did you distract me?!
Zabuza~You need to learn focus. Learn how to ignore distractions.
Ann~Learn to ignore you. Got it.
Zabuza~You know what I said, brat. Be mindful of how you fall. I don’t want you breaking yourself. Two hours, then break.
He continued to watch Ann the whole two hours, acting as her net when he spotted a bad fall, letting her fall, and distracting her randomly. Zabuza started to escalate from calling her to swinging and throwing things at her.

By the time two hours had passed, Ann figured out how to get down from high up and to ignore and avoid Zabuza. It wasn't graceful, and he still had to catch her a few times, but Ann was learning to fall.
Zabuza~Let’s go, Ann. Otherwise you’ll pass out from exhaustion again.
Ann~If I do?
Zabuza~You weren't able to push through like I thought.
She pouted and hit him. It wasn’t a new line from him. And yet it hurt this time, but she didn’t know why.
Zabuza~Move it.
He gave her a nudge and they went to their bag. Ann pulled out two bentos and some water
Zabuza~What is it?
Ann~Nothing…
Zabuza~is it actually nothing or you don’t want to tell me?
He took a bento and started to eat with her.
Ann glared~It’s nothing. Why does he keep underestimating me? I’m not that weak. Why is passing out from pushing weak?
Zabuza~Sure. Take a nap once you finish eating.
Ann~I’m not tired! Why should I nap if you just said you didn’t want me passing out?!
Zabuza~That’s why she’s mad. I can use that against her to teach control. Passing out isn’t restful in any capacity. Pushing past your limit is fine but to continuously do that and falling unconscious each time doesn’t do anything to help you.
Ann growled and raised her arm to throw her bento, but Zabuza flicked her forehead
Ann~Zabuza!
Zabuza~Control yourself, brat. You can’t keep throwing a tantrum every time you hear something you don’t like. That’ll get yourself killed. Steel yourself and listen first.
Ann pouted again and went back to eating.
Zabuza~If you choose to rest, it’s more beneficial to your growth and recovery. Understand?
She rolled her eyes so he flicked her again.
Zabuza~Try again
Ann~Yes, Uncle.
Zabuza~Better. Don’t call me uncle.
Ann huffed and finished her breakfast. She pushed the bento away and laid down away from him, quickly falling asleep.
Zabuza~She’s getting more volatile. Ann will need to redirect that energy to more training. We can’t afford to leave that unchecked.
He watched her sleep. This was the first actual tantrum that could have gone bad.
Zabuza huffed~She should probably learn another jtusu…One that’s meant to redirect…Substitution should do it. That way I don’t ******** up and injure her again too.

After a few hours, Zabuza woke Ann up. She groaned and swatted his arm.
Zabuza~We have more training Ann.
Ann~I’ve been the only one doing work…
She rolled away, but he lifted her to her feet instead.
Zabuza~New jutsu. Maybe you can use it if you figure it out.
Ann~You’re not gonna teach me?
Zabuza~It’s slow if there’s a hand seal. It’s better without one.
He motioned her to follow and they went to the edge of the lake.
Ann~What’s the jutsu?
Zabuza~Substitution jutsu. You didn’t make me use it during our first spar. I’ll show you just once. You figure it out from there.
Ann~That’s hardly fair. Why can’t you tell me more?
Zabuza~You need to know the feeling and it’ll be different from me.
She pouted and went to hit him. Zabuza splashed into water and reappeared behind her.
Ann~That’s what it does?
Zabuza~That’s your one. Now you try
Ann turned around before getting knocked down.
Ann~How can I figure it out if you hit me?
Zabuza~Figure it out faster so you don’t then.
He didn’t wait for her to get up before he knocked her further away.
Ann~Cut it out!
He chuckled
Zabuza~Cut it out? You don’t get that
He went for another attack but Ann scrambled away before he made contact
Ann~You’re not giving me a chance!
Her chakra flared for a moment. Zabuza noticed the change, but let it be for now.
Zabuza~I am giving you a chance. I’m going slow. You got three hours to figure it out or until you can use it three consecutive times before we stop.
He went at her again. She blocked him and he followed up by kicking her away.
Zabuza~Use that anger from earlier. Maybe that’ll get the results you need

Zabuza continued knocking her over and slowly escalated to actually striking her with punches and kicks. He saw she was getting closer to using the jutsu. Her chakra was starting to get to the right shape, and she needed a bit more time. But they were at the three hour mark already.
Zabuza~That’s it. Time’s up
Ann~No! I almost have it!
Zabuza~Not even close. You should rest.
Ann~No! We keep going!
Zabuza~Hmph. Very well. No complaints
He went to grab her to throw her, but she finally collapsed into water and appeared a few feet away
Ann~I did it?
Zabuza~Again.
He jabbed her and knocked her down. She can celebrate later.
Ann~But I did it!
Zabuza~Conditions were three hours or three consecutive uses. You declined the first.
Ann~What does consecutive even mean?!
Zabuza went to kick her next, and she successfully used the substitution again
Zabuza~Use it three times in a row without getting hit in between. This is one.
Ann~No, it’s two!
Zabuza~You used it twice, but the count resets because I hit you in between.
Ann groaned and she charged at him again.

A few more hours passed. She continued to get better at using the jutsu but not enough to do it three times in a row. Ann did manage twice in a row, but not the three. Zabuza was even finding this unfair, but Ann continued to push even as she struggled to get up. And he waited for her to get on her feet as time went on. He’d rather not accidentally knock her out if she continued.
Zabuza~Calling it quits doesn’t mean giving up. You’ll burn out if you continue
Ann jumped into his kick and got knocked back rather than phasing into water like she hoped.
Ann~I’m so close!
Zabuza~I should stop you
Ann~No!
She struggled to get up, but her hand slipped from the wet grass.
Zabuza~You ready to rest? That actually would've been funny if you didn’t look pathetic.
She hadn’t moved. He approached her slowly in case it was a feint.
Zabuza~Ann?
He brushed her hair back to check if she passed out. Instead, he saw her grinning straight at him. She grabbed and pulled his hand, intending to headbutt him, but he substituted away and soaked her in return.
Ann~Zabi!
Zabuza~Not bad. Get up if we’re still continuing.
Ann~Does a headache mean anything?
Zabuza~Yeah. It means rest
She forced herself to get up again. Ann staggered to get her footing but soon stood steady and watched him for another strike. Through the stars, she saw him approach with a right hook. Ann raised her arms to block, and she used the substitution. Just before blacking out and dropping into the mud, she thought it was weird that she felt his fist pass through.
Zabuza~That was probably the last of your chakra, huh brat?
He picked her up and carried her back. She was soaked to the bone and shivering hard.
Zabuza~You need a change of clothes and a fire. I swear to ******** if you get sick after only one training day I’ll drown you.