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Over the course of the week, Zabuza took missions to let Haku adjust to his new home life and eat his fill. Haku got overwhelmed on his first full day with them from the salmon and crab Zabuza promised to get and started to cry. Zabuza didn’t bother to ask, but it was probably a safe guess that Haku had the bare necessities even before being on the streets.
Unlike Ann who grew up into the shinobi world, he would need to slowly introduce Haku into their training. If he went too fast, he might hurt the boy instead from being too intense, not accounting for his weak body, or some combination of the two.

The following week, Zabuza taught Haku basic fighting forms that he could practice with Ann while he continued missions. As much as he wanted to stay to oversee their training himself, he needed to fill in those few weeks Ann needed to recover from chakra exhaustion and the fever. He didn't want Yagura summoning him again if he disappeared for training again so soon.
It also gave the kids time to get into their own rhythm before he stepped in to challenge that by training them either together or separately. So, to introduce that challenge, he was going to take them on a short training session that weekend. It would also double as a check point to see what Haku could handle and to see Ann's control.
Zabuza~Are you holding up okay, Haku?
Haku panted~Mostly…just out of…out of breath…
Ann~You'll get used to it. Zabuza used to carry me.
Zabuza scoffed~I still have to now and again. Come on, Ann. You first while Haku rests. I have a new jutsu for you. Haku, there's food and water in the bag if you need it. Leave the bentos though.
Ann followed Zabuza onto the water.
Ann~What's the jutsu?
Zabuza~The water prison jutsu. It has two different purposes: capturing or drowning. Questions?
Ann~Why would you need to drown someone?
Zabuza~For protection. Moving on then. The prison is a sphere that can either be hollow or filled with water. Hollow is easier to hold but harder to keep its shape from the empty space. Filled is harder to hold because of all the water but it’s easier to keep its shape for the same reason.
Ann~Okay, I think I follow. It’s like a bubble versus a cup of water, right?
Zabuza~Accurate. Here’s the jutsu
He made the hand signs and stuck his hand out to the side. The water lifted and formed into a ball from his wrist.
Zabuza~More chakra means more water. That will also control the size depending on it being filled or not.
Ann~That…sounds complicated…
Zabuza sighed and let go of the jutsu.
Zabuza~Start with a solid water prison. Pace yourself and make it small, like the size of a watermelon.
Ann~How will I know if I made it solid or not?
Zabuza~Make the prison first, then we'll worry about that. It's not like you're trying to catch something right now. Do you need to see the hand signs again?
Ann nodded. She followed him as he did it again for her, then she stuck out her hand like him. The water rose, but warbled and broke apart before reaching her hand. She groaned
Ann~This is the water clones all over again!
Zabuza~Should be easy to fix then. Do the same thing you did for those. Keep practicing. One hour or until you make a sphere, whichever is first.
Ann~What're you going to do?
He was already walking back to the boy.
Zabuza~Haku needs training too.
Ann~Oh…right…Okay, Zabi.
As Zabuza walked away, Ann summoned a water clone to feel what she did to make it solid. She thought for a bit before trying the water prison again.

Zabuza~Did you have a snack? Are you ready to train?
Haku~An apple. Y-yes. What am I doing?
Zabuza~Leave the core by the bag. I'll show you how to dispose of it later. We're starting with the forms I taught you this week. I want to see how you've been practicing it with Ann.
Haku stood and went through them in the order it was taught. Zabuza nodded
Zabuza~Good. Like I thought, the boy learned it faster than my brat. That'll make catch up easy. Heh, I wish I could be there when she gets to the Leaf. She'll pick up their lessons easily if she isn't already correcting them. Do it again, this time strike at me.
Haku~W-what?
Zabuza~Strike at me. You're going to learn to fight. I want you to be able to hit first.
Haku~Does Ann know how?
Zabuza~Hmm…I guess she hasn't acted up since you started to live with us. Your presence is benefiting her. Ann knows how to fight and can use jutsus. You need to catch up, like I said that first day home.
Haku nodded and struck out at him. Zabuza blocked each attack and returned his own hits to lightly make contact with Haku as they came up in sequence. They ran through that a few times until Zabuza held Haku's punch to stop him and turned to Ann.
Zabuza~Wait here. Why is she building up that much chakra?
He quickly moved back to Ann, still debating whether she needed to be stopped or to see through what she was doing.
Zabuza~Brat, what the hell are you doing?
Ann~Making a water prison. What does it look like?
Zabuza saw that she made a water prison as big as herself and was likely solid.
Zabuza~I left you alone for 20 minutes…
Ann~And I listened that the water clone would help. I thought I did what you wanted?
Zabuza~I also didn't expect you to make this big of a jump.
He sighed and pinched the bridge of nose.
Zabuza~It isn't bad. The amount of chakra is what worried me. Let's go. You made the water prison.
She released the jutsu and staggered. She would have fallen had he not steadied her.
Zabuza~Too much chakra. You need to pace yourself.
They made their way back and Ann sat by the bag and got herself some water. Zabuza went to Haku.
Haku~What happened?
Zabuza~She over did it. 40 more minutes. Then we can eat.

By the time Zabuza allowed the break, Haku had the confidence to throw his full weight into his strikes along with blocking Zabuza's strikes. Zabuza handed the kids their bentos and they ate.
Ann~What are we doing after breakfast?
Zabuza~You two are sparring. No jutsus, no chakra.
Ann~That's…Isn’t that unfair?
Zabuza~Learn to scale back, like how I do for you.
Ann~You’re still holding back for me?
Zabuza~Of course, brat. Otherwise you won't learn anything if I beat you every time.
Haku~Do I need to be worried?
Zabuza~No. She's going to have to learn how to fake weakness.
Ann~But why?
Zabuza~Most 4-year-olds don't have your training or skill. You can't reveal your actual strength when you get to the Leaf.
Ann~Why?
He sighed. It was better to address these questions now, but he still didn't want to. It made it too real that time was ticking down to when she had to leave.
Zabuza~Like how you can't exist here, you can't show our familial relation there. You'll be just Ann. No family, no history.
Haku~Why train Ann at all then? It sounds like it'll take more effort to hide.
He looked to Ann
Zabuza~Anything can happen, but if I'm unable to escort you there when the time comes, I want you to be able to protect yourself if anything happens.
Ann~W-what about Haku? Couldn't he…
Zabuza~Too soon to tell. I'm making as many contingency plans as possible.
Haku~Why can't she stay here?
Zabuza~Things aren't right in the Mist. I'm not in the position to just leave either. Not yet at least
Ann~Have you found any more information on that danger?
Zabuza~Nothing important enough to share. Just observations.
Ann~Will I really be safer in the Leaf? You won’t be there…
Zabuza~You will. Even without me you'll be okay. I can't give you Haku either. The set up doesn't allow for it.
Haku~Because it's her mother's plan?
Zabuza nodded. At least there's some things he wouldn't need to explain to him. It seems that Ann already took care of that through conversation when he's gone.
Zabuza~Finish eating. We spent a lot of time talking. This training session is only for the weekend.
Ann~Why again?
Zabuza~I have to take missions to make up for that time when you were sick. Haku also needs to be eased into the training like I did when we first started coming out here.

After eating, Ann and Haku went some ways away from their things to spar.
Zabuza~Remember Ann, no jutsus and no chakra. You take a hit as well. No substitutions.
Ann~That's a lot to remember…
Zabuza~I know. That's why I'm making you do it. You need to know when to listen to instinct and muscle memory and when to ignore it.
Ann sighed and took her stance, as did Haku. She went to strike first when Zabuza called out.
Zabuza~I said no chakra
She missed and fell.
Ann~I wasn't!
She got up.
Zabuza~Don't argue, brat. You’re going through the motions. You need to mask your chakra.
Ann~Why didn't you say so?!
Zabuza~I shouldn't have to.
Ann turned to face him. Zabuza saw her intent
Zabuza~I will ground you faster than you can come at me. Do not challenge me.
Ann~You told me to fight back though.
Zabuza~You're interpreting it incorrectly and out of context.
Throughout their whole exchange Haku stood awkwardly as they argued. He knew he needed to say something, but he didn't feel he was allowed to interrupt their bickering. It wasn't until he shifted his feet that he was remembered
Zabuza~Back to sparring, brat. Remember what I said. Haku, don't worry about hurting her just because she's smaller. A bruise isn't her worst injury
Ann~Because you stabbed me!
Zabuza~Out of context. Impalement is not the same as being stabbed.

Ann and Haku sparred for a short while. It did take some adjustment for either of them to be confident in each other and their own skills.
Ann had to be verbally corrected a couple more times early in their sparring session. Zabuza finally backed off once Ann was able to match Haku's level, and she only had one instance of a substitution.
Haku on the other hand took a little longer to accept that he wasn't going to hurt her. It wasn't until he saw that she didn't get as winded as he did when punched in the solar plexus that he became convinced that Zabuza wasn’t playing with nepotism.
When they finally got into that rhythm, Ann started to deviate from the forms Zabuza taught them to coax Haku into experimenting movements.
Zabuza stopped them when Haku struggled to stand after Ann swept his feet.
Zabuza~Help him up.
Haku~N-no. I can do it.
He looked to Zabuza and he nodded. Ann took a step back as he pushed himself up. Haku staggered again so Ann helped steady him and they walked back to Zabuza.
Zabuza~Good, both of you. Ann, think you can last a bit longer?
Ann nodded. Zabuza got up and patted Haku's head after the boy sat down.
Zabuza~Rest, but don't sleep. I want you to observe Ann.
Haku~Yes, Zabuza
He watched the two get started, Ann making the first move again. She dashed towards Zabuza, trying to hit his legs. The man kicked back, but it went through her as she substituted away.
Haku was amazed at her skill, and a little intimidated as well. Because in the last two weeks he's known her, Ann has never once overpowered him with her strength when she easily could have. Zabuza's also proven that he doesn’t plan on abandoning or hurting him either. And both people have shown some sort of restraint that almost defies the strength they have.
Haku~They have a lot of control. I can see why Ann needs to pull back. And Zabuza matches her easily, but still pushes her…Can I really catch up to her as quickly as he thinks I can?

Ann and Zabuza went on for almost two hours. Near the end, Ann kept pushing herself even though she was struggling to get up.
Zabuza~Didn’t you learn what happens when you push too much?
Ann~That’s just for chakra though, right?
He sighed as she came at him again. When Ann was close enough, he redirected her to the ground and pinned her for a moment.
Zabuza~You need to listen to your body and stop BEFORE you burn out. Otherwise, you’ll get those tingles again.
Ann~Okay…
He pulled her up and pushed her towards Haku and their things.
Zabuza~Both of you, get settled and take a nap. You'll get more to eat later.
Ann~I'm not tired…
Zabuza~Shut up and lay down.
She pouted and slowly drank her water first, but as soon as she laid down she fell fast asleep.
Zabuza~Haku.
Haku jumped~Yes?
Zabuza~How are you holding up? What did you learn while observing the brat?
Haku~I-I'm alright. It's just different. Ann is skilled and can show restraint, but she has too much raw power. I also think too much pride.
Zabuza hummed and nodded. Haku was on the nose about her.
Zabuza~Get some rest now. You're doing better than you think.
He watched the boy lay down as well. It was interesting how naturally observant Haku is, so he'd need to think of ways to further hone it. He might also need to break Ann to keep her from being overconfident else she might blow her cover from lack of caution when she gets too comfortable. Zabuza grumbled at the thought.