Welcome to Gaia! :: View User's Journal | Gaia Journals

As the days passed, the events of the coup slowly faded from memory. Zabuza did his best to set up their new routines, but some things—like Ann's sleeping habits—were hard to break because of how long it's been done. She has her own bed now, as did Haku, but she'd manage to convince him to go with her to Zabuza's room and sleep together.
Zabuza knew he should have been stricter about sending them back to their own beds, but the coup still lingered on his mind and the idea of Ann not at his side in just a few months didn't sit well with him.
She's had only him for her whole life, Haku in the last few months, and he's been caring for someone for most of his adolescence and now into adulthood. He didn't want her gone. So, he let them stay in his bed.

Ann~Zabi?
Zabuza~Yeah.
Ann~Why do we still need to train?
Zabuza~There's always danger. I'd rather you be able to protect yourself than get caught off guard.
Ann~Why do I need to hide my skills then?
Zabuza~Like I said before, most 5-year-olds can't do what you do. Not to mention water jutsus are uncommon in the Leaf Village.
Ann~Why didn't you teach me fire jutsus?
Zabuza~I don't know any.
Ann~Why not?
Zabuza~Because I'm not the damned Copy Ninja.
Haku~Who's that?
Zabuza~A stupid Leaf ninja. The only reason he has fame is because he has a Sharingan eye that allows him to copy any technique.
Ann~You sound jealous.
Zabuza~I am not jealous. He didn't have to work nearly as hard as any of us to get strong.
He scoffed in thought.
Haku~Is something funny?
Zabuza~I'm pretty sure Ann could beat him in a one on one fight. Leaf ninja are soft. He wouldn't scale up against you, brat.
He chuckled at the thought.
Zabuza~Finish up your breakfast. We're going to the beach for some water jutsu training.

As they were gearing up with the door open, Ann sensed something and called Zabuza
Zabuza~What happened? We didn't even leave yet
Ann~I hear two people. They said something about a rendezvous
Zabuza~Oh…I told them not to come here…They don't ******** listen.
He stood outside the door as the Demon Brothers appeared through the tree line, mindful of the traps Zabuza had set.
Zabuza~You two better have a good reason for being here.
Gozu~It's been a fortnight since the coup. We–
Zabuza~I also told you which safehouse to meet at. It wasn't this one.
Ann poked out from behind Zabuza, holding his pant leg. Before Zabuza could shove her back inside, the brothers saw her and stared.
Gozu~Th-that brat…
Meizu~That's the one…She looks just like her.
Zabuza~Both of you shut up. If you value your skin, she doesn't exist. You don’t speak of her to anyone, even in passing, or I'll make you wish Yagura captured you instead.
They both nodded, knowing full well what Zabuza was capable of. If the Demon of the Mist had been raising a child for who knows how long and wasn't any less bloodthirsty because of her, they needed to take his threat seriously.
Ann tugged at Zabuza's pant leg, side-eying the twins.
Ann~Zabuza, can we do that anyway?
Their eyes widened and their stomachs dropped. Even the child was violent.
Zabuza would have laughed at her joke if he wasn't still annoyed that they came here. Maybe he could use them for training to double as punishment for their lack of listening skills.
Zabuza~Sure. You can use them as a warm up. You need fresh meat. Be careful of their gauntlets. They're laced with poison.
He handed her a kunai with a pat to the head, and then she ran out. Haku came beside him.
Haku~Is this a good idea? You just said their weapons have poison.
Zabuza~Probably not, but she needs the practice. Anyways, they still ******** up sometimes, so they have plenty of antidotes. And I want them terrified of her to not speak of her.
Haku sighed and went inside to find the first aid kit. He had a feeling someone was going to get injured.

The twins struggled to fight against her small stature and from pulling their attacks with their gauntlets. If they nicked her in any way, Zabuza would do more than nick their necks.
Ann even summoned a few water clones, making Zabuza wonder how long she's been able to do that as he's only seen one clone until now. Then he realized she made those clones without a water source. He wondered when she practiced that.
The spar ended when Ann pinned the twins to the ground, stepping down on their gauntlets and pushing their faces into the ground.
Zabuza~Alright brat, return. You two, get the hell up.
Ann smiled and returned, releasing her clones on the twins to add insult to injury. Zabuza gave a light smack, not really reprimanding her but still warning her about being cheeky. She stood still while Haku looked her over, searching for any cuts.
Meizu and Gozu got up, exchanging a look. Meizu already got floored by her once, exactly the same way, when he first met her, and now they both had a chance to spar her. Neither twin was going to anger Zabuza. And they weren't going to speak of his brat to anyone, because doing so would lead to admitting they were taken down by her.
Haku~No injuries, Zabuza.
Zabuza~Good. Meet up at the CORRECT location in three days time. I'm busy until then.
Twins~Yes, sir. The correct location.
They quietly left in defeat.
Ann~Did I do good?
Zabuza~Yeah. How long have you been able to make multiple clones? And without a water source?
Ann~I've been able to make two since our first spar where you stabbed me–
Zabuza~Still out of context.
Ann~And am I not supposed to be able to make clones without water?
Zabuza~It's possible, but it's an advanced skill.
Haku~What happened on that first spar? Ann keeps insisting her story.
Ann~That's what happened!
Zabuza~Stupid brat. I lost track of her amongst the clones and threw kunai at her instead grazing her. I took care of you. You can barely see the scarring.
Ann~It still gets itchy though…

When they got to the beach, Ann dropped her things and immediately ran into the sand, throwing it around, and everything else to play around.
Haku~You’re not stopping her?
Zabuza~She'll focus better during training. Do you want to play first?
Haku~I…is it…
Zabuza nodded his head and Haku ran off after her. He quietly smiled. Being away from the Mist has certainly relieved a lot of tension from his shoulders. Months ago, he wouldn't have let Ann run off without having checked with him first.
Being branded as a runaway just gave him a different set of problems, but it was easier to deal with as he had the freedom to take Ann out and not leave her alone at home anymore.
Ann and Haku soon came back, panting.
Zabuza~Ready for training?
They both nodded. Zabuza started with Haku, instructing him to practice his ice release to form needles and more ice mirrors at one time. Then he and Ann went to the shore line.
Ann~What's the jutsu?
Zabuza~A powerful jutsu. There's another one I'll teach you later. I want you to be able to overpower someone if you ever get cornered for whatever reason. They won’t know what hit them.
He made the hand signs and a dragon formed, roaring. Haku stopped and came over.
Haku~What is that?
Zabuza~The Water Dragon Jutsu. It's semi-sentient, so you need to focus to keep control.
Ann~Does it have a name?
The dragon lowered itself to inspect Ann while Zabuza sighed irritably.
Zabuza~Not everything needs a name.
She petted its nose, and it opened its mouth. Zabuza was about to dispel it, then the dragon licked Ann, soaking her and making her fall. Ann giggled
Ann~I'm calling it Zaza.
He rolled his eyes and let water dragon collapse back into water
Zabuza~Haku, go back to your training.
Haku~Yes, Zabuza.
Ann~Awww it was cute though!
Zabuza~That's– Get up. You can make your own then.
Ann got up and wrung out her hair, then started bouncing in front of him.
He flicked her forehead, making her giggle. She stayed still though, so he showed her the hand signs.
Zabuza~It does take up a lot of chakra, so pace yourself. There's a good chance you'll pass out if you're not careful.
Ann made the hand signs and her dragon formed, considerably smaller than his dragon but still bigger than herself. Zabuza was impressed that she made one on the first go, even if it was small. The water clones and water prison still took her time to master. The substitution jutsu probably took the longest to figure out whereas the hidden mist jutsu had been the fastest. Was the fastest. Then the dragon hissed at them
Ann~It's so cute! I'm calling this one Pookie.
She hugged it and the dragon hissed again.
Zabuza took a deep breath and sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He missed her being like this, but her antics were getting to be too much in just a few hours.