Chapter 37 - 37. Kindness To Strangers

"Is it tasty?" Shiroken asked with a bright smile.

The little boy, who looked a lot like a girl, nodded his head while chewing the dumplings. His mouth was filled with them and looked bloated like a chipmunk. ​​

"Hehe, good to meet another Dumplings enjoyer." Shiroken patted his head.

He had made sure the kid sees him in a good light this whole time. Now, although Zabuza was still tied with a rope on the side, little Haku was not very agitated.

"Why have you even caught us when you are not going to kill us?" Zabuza asked him.

Shiroken shushed him, "Do you want me to make you unconscious again? You refused to tell me why you have this child with you, and unless you tell me, I won't let you go."

Shisui silently nodded. He was acting like a henchman of Shiroken.

At the same time, Tenken sword was placed in front of Zabuza to keep an eye on him.

"I... I found him by the roadside. That's it." Zabuza finally revealed.

Shiroken glanced at the boy happily eating. He asked Zabuza, "Do you know what happened to his parents?"

"Haku's mother was a wielder of a Kekkei Genkai Ice Release. He is from the Yuki clan, so you can guess what happened to him. Huh... His mother so foolishly hid this fact from her husband, hoping that the love and peace that was shared in their small family would last forever. One day, Haku discovered the ability to manipulate water. Amazed by this, he proudly showed it to his mother, who was horrified by what she saw. She tried to hide it but her husband found out.

"His mother was murdered by his own father who assembled a small mob of villagers when he found out. He also tried to kill Haku, but before he could, Haku used his Ice Release to create several large ice spikes to kill his father and the rest of the mob.

"He was wanted by no one and was forced to take to the cold streets and rummage through trash bins for scraps of food, even sometimes having to fight off the wild dogs that roamed the streets. Then I found him once begging for food. I recognised his Ice Release powers and made him my weapon." Zabuza told him the whole story.

*BONK*

Shiroken smacked his head, "You did well by taking him in but very bad by trying to make him a murderer. He's not a weapon, look at him, so kind. But, strength reign supreme in this world, and for that, he needs to get stronger. Not to kill, but to protect what's rightfully his."

"And I heard you tried to stage a coup in your village? What would have changed after you had won?" Shiroken inquired from Zabuza.

Zabuza spat at the mention of his village. "That's no village. It's a thug house. What village makes its young students kill each other to graduate? I would have banned all the violent practises after winning."

"And become the Mizukage? How would you have gotten acknowledgement from the Daimyo?" He inquired.

"Daimyo is a spineless coward. He knew what was happening in the village was inhuman but he was scared of interfering, fearing that the village shinobi will retaliate and kill him. I would have easily scared him." Zabuza confessed his plan. He was only confessing because he knew that there was no hope anymore as some Shinobi protected the Daimyo now.

"What about the tailed beasts? Does Kirigakure have the 6 tails?" Shiroken asked him.

"No, the three tails was lost in war and the six tails Jinchuriki also defected from the village-like me. But nobody knows where he is." Zabuza answered.

~Tsk... Just when I thought I was one step closer, this hate and violence create problems~

"You are not Mizukage material. You seem more like a selfish person to me, maybe you care about that boy but that's it. If you want to live, redeem yourself for your crimes. Come with me and liberate your village. Or stay here and die." Shiroken announced, this time sounding very serious.

Zabuza gulped. He still didn't know who this man was but he felt a strange power from him.

"What gives you the right to judge me? If you are so supportive of lives, won't killing me be against that?" Zabuza asked him.

Shiroken looked plainly in his eyes, "Yes, but I meant the lives of people like Haku, not you, who make a conscious decision to do terrible things. Your reasoning was virtuous, but your method was awful. And I have tried to be kind to everyone, but it didn't work. Now decide your fate, I need to start moving."

"Huh, you just want to use me as your pawn, right? You talk about virtue when you lack it too. Fine, I will 'redeem' myself."

Shiroken didn't reply and just released him. He went to Haku, "Let's go, boy. Don't you want to go back home?"

"But everyone hates me there." Haku scaredly replied.

*PAT*

"Don't worry, I will be going with you now. And if anybody tried to harm you little Haku, I would feed them so many dumplings that they would burst like a bubble." Shiroken comforted him.

He had deep sympathy for all the orphan kids since he knows how sad it can get sometimes. For him, he had spent many nights, looking at stars and wondering who his parents were. He never got the answer to it and just learned to live with it.

But, it was worse for kids like Haku, who saw his loving family being destroyed due to some stupid hatred. Haku had seen his dear loving father suddenly kill his mother and try to kill him, making him an orphan to live off on the streets, begging for food. If this didn't make any man's blood boil then mankind needed a lesson in how to be a human.

"Really? Can I also go to the school there?" Haku asked.

"No," Shiroken replied. He knew how long it could take for the current generation to forget the hatred and the next generation to correct the wrongs.

Seeing Haku sad, he added, "Because you will go to another best school in my own country, it is far in the south-west, beyond the sea. Do you want to go there with me? You can have many friends there."

"Really? Umm... but I don't have money to pay for the school... and the food." He said with a saddened face. He then turned to look at Zabuza.

"I... I will stay with my big brother Zabuza. I don't want to live on the street again. Nobody gives me money and they kick me." Haku said, remembering his past experiences. His eyes were on the edge of tearing up. Shiroken had no idea what this child had experienced, but he hoped that he wouldn't ever face that again.

Shiroken sat down on the ground cross-legged. He held Haku's both hands gently and looked him in the eyes, "I promise you with my life that you will have friends there, a warm bed and home to sleep in and tasty food to eat every day. But, you must promise only one thing in return."

~Tsk... Here comes the slavery part~ Zabuza snorted.

Haku was delighted to hear this offer, "What promise?"

"You must study with all your heart and be among the best in school. Can you do that?" He asked. Shisui also smiled silently on the side, sitting while resting his back on a tree.

"YES! I will be the FIRST!" Haku jumped in excitement. This promise was too easy to keep.

Shiroken was happy and laughed, "Haha... yes, now, do you want to fly?"

"Can I? Only sages can fly I heard. Mom used to tell me stories about sages... Ah... she said sages have white hair. Are you a sage too?" Haku asked in shock.

"HUH! Of course, he's a sage. He has me after all. I am the great Snake Sage, TENKEN! HAHAHA!" The sword spoke loudly.

Shiroken scoffed, "Huh, there's nothing great about it. Haku, from now on, call that sword Chinchinmaru."

Haku nodded like the cute little behaved boy he was. "Hello, Chinchinmaru."

Tenken was left speechless. "W-What? But... didn't you say Chunchunmaru before."

"I changed my mind. Don't you like this new name, Haku?" Shiroken asked.

Haku nodded, "Yes, Chinchinmaru is cute."

The sword turned pale in colour somehow, "This... C-CHINCHIN means a male reproductive organ... right?"

Shiroken nodded with no reservations.

"NOOOOO! It can't be. I demand to be thrown away at this very instant." Tenken shouted.

"Fine then," Shiroken lifted him up and prepared to throw it away in the air.

"Yes, throw me away, it's better to be in the hands of some random person than you." Tenken babbled.

"Shisui, isn't there just sea in that direction?" Shiroken asked his assistant.

Shisui nodded, sensing which direction Shiroken was facing. "Yes, a vast sea is in that direction."

"Fine, here you go, Tenken. I will tell the White Snake Sage that this was your choice to live in the sea." Shiroken said his last words.

"YAY... sword will fly..." Haku was waiting to see how far Shiro could throw it.

"1"

"2"

"3"

"G..."

"WAIT! FINE! Chinchinmaru is fine. I will be your humble Chinchinmaru from now on, master. If this is what you are naming me, then I will be the best Chinchin out there in the world goddamnit, I promise. I will be strong, tall and wild, all at your command." Tenken voiced in determination.

"Pfft..." Shisui fought hard to hold his laughter. Even Zabuza was holding a snort. Haku was just confused.

Shiroken threw the sword on the ground. He knew Tenken was saying this on purpose to make fun of him.

"You disgusting sword."

"MASTER! DON'T GO... Don't leave your precious little Chinchinmaru behind..."

"HAHAHAHA..." For the first time, Shisui laughed out this loud in his life.

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STONE ME TO PLUTO!

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Special thanks to *Douglas Flower* *Umar Latif* *Julian Rocamora* *Darrien Steely* *Franklin Walley*

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