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A few weeks had passed since Zabuza told Ann about his past. She took it well enough, but the first few days were rough.
Ann didn’t mean to be cold, but she still avoided him. She moved to another room if he stayed longer than a few minutes.
Zabuza didn’t force her to stay anywhere he was nor did he linger in the same room she was already in if he didn’t have to be there long. It annoyed him that she couldn’t voice what was wrong, but her hands were scratch free and there were no obvious markings of her picking at anywhere else. At least he didn’t need to intervene that tic while she was trying to hide from him.
The breakthrough with her coming back around was when she had a night terror. He was at her side in seconds and she clung to him all night. Zabuza didn't get much sleep, but she slept through the rest of the night and that's all that mattered to him.
The next morning and the following days, Ann wouldn’t tell him what she dreamed about, using the excuse of she didn't remember, but she had finally stopped changing rooms when he was present, so he wasn't going to make it into a big deal.
Haku on his part helped the two Momochis speak to each other. They didn't realize it, but they were speaking through him when they needed the other to do something. It was tense, but they weren't hostile with each other at least. Zabuza also seemed to relax a little when he clung to him because Ann wouldn't until that night terror.

Now that they were close enough to their normal again, Zabuza decided he could teach Ann one more jutsu.
They were at the beach, and Ann and Zabuza were at the shore while Haku was training to use his ice mirrors.
Ann~Am I practicing to use Pookie again?
Zabuza quietly took a breath. He still didn't like the name she chose for her dragon. It wasn't that she named the dragon, she did that with anything she played with, it was the name she went with. She's named pancakes with vague faces with more normal names than pookie.
Zabuza~No, brat. One last jutsu to protect yourself with.
Ann~The last one? But…
Zabuza~Yeah. Last one that I can teach you that's useful in a fight.
Ann~So, what about outside of a fight?
Zabuza~There's one that you might find useful. Remind me when we go home.
She nodded.
Zabuza~This jutsu is going to be the toughest one yet. The dragon takes up a lot of chakra as it is, but this one might use all of your chakra because of how powerful it is.
Ann~Will it use all of yours?
Zabuza~Depending on how big I decide to make it, yes. It has the potential. I'll make a small one. This jutsu is called the Water Vortex. Watch the signs.
Ann followed along and copied the hand seals he made, then watched the water gather together until it was as big as a house before jutting out.
Ann~That's small?
Zabuza chuckled~Yeah, so it has a lot of potential for destruction. Use it as a last resort otherwise you could hurt yourself too.
Ann~Then why teach it to me?
Zabuza~Because if someone stronger than me attacks you, you can always get away if you catch them by surprise at knowing this kind of jutsu.
He patted her head.
Zabuza~Give it a try. If you can make it as big as yourself, that's mastery enough. If you make it any bigger than me, you over did it.
Ann nodded and built up her chakra as she made the hand signs. When she released the jutsu, her vortex was barely half her size and didn't go more than a few feet.
Zabuza~Not bad for a first attempt.
Ann~That was so much effort…Why is it so hard?
Zabuza~Like the name implies, it's a vortex. The water is supposed to spin. You're not making it do that.
Ann~How do I make it spin?
Zabuza~How do you do that in the bathtub?
Ann~Oh…huh….
She thought for a few moments before trying it again. This time, the vortex spun a little bit, but it was enough to go a few feet further than her last attempt.
Ann~That was still hard…
Zabuza~But was it as hard as the first one you made?
Ann~Not to push it out. But gathering the water is still hard.
Zabuza~Does it feel like prison jutsu?
Ann~Oh! I can do that.
He smacked her head.
Ann~What?! I didn't do anything!
Zabuza~Don’t overdo it like the prison jutsu. You used too much chakra that time.
Ann~I wasn't gonna…
Zabuza~Sure you weren't. Keep practicing. I'm going to check on Haku's progress. If you overdo it, you're doing book work until you recover. You're not exhausting your chakra again. Ane might do more than visit you in your dreams to pass a message to me again…

Zabuza came to where Haku was training. He saw there were a dozen mirrors, almost double than the last time the boy summoned them.
Haku slipped out of the mirror closest to Zabuza.
Haku~Yes?
Zabuza~Your chakra control has improved substantially compared to when we first started training. Faster than Ann and better than her as well.
Haku blushed. He knew that, but he didn't expect Zabuza to verbalize it.
Zabuza~Is this the most you can make while maintaining your speed between the mirrors?
Haku~For now, yes.
Zabuza hummed at his response, then summoned a clone.
Zabuza~Let's see it. Give me your all.
The clone walked into the mirror dome, and Haku stepped back inside the pane of ice. Within seconds Haku took out the water clone and exited his ice mirror.
Zabuza~You move faster than a normal person can react, however I can still see how you're moving and the feedback from the clone confirms it. You’re too linear and you don't utilize all of the mirrors you made.
Haku~I…I am?
Zabuza nodded and pointed at the mirrors.
Zabuza~You go between these three and the ones directly across, completely ignoring the others on the side and the ones at the top. If you have multiple enemies trapped, one is bound to escape.
He patted Haku's head.
Zabuza~Just because you can overwhelm someone with speed, that doesn't mean you can solely rely on that gimmick. I'm trying to make Ann realize that same thing with her strength. That's why we train.
Haku~Yes, Zabuza. I'll do better.
Zabuza~I know. What do you hear from Ann?
Haku~Sounds like she's frustrated…Is she doing the water prison again?
Zabuza~New jutsu, the Water Vortex. What's her complaint?
Haku~She's having a hard time gathering and…spinning? Spinning the water? Huh?
Zabuza~A vortex is like a whirlpool. It needs to swirl.
Haku~Ohh. That– That makes sense…I should have known that. It's in the name.
Zabuza~How easily can you form your ice needles now? Do you still need a water source?
Haku~No, but I'm still limited on how many I can make.
He raised his hand and closed his fingers around several ice needles that formed in his hand.
Zabuza~That's still good for when you run out of your needles. How about your other jutsu? What was it…a Thousand Flying Water Needles?
Haku~Yes, that's right, Zabuza. I still can't make enough needles yet, even with a water source…
Zabuza~You don’t have to literally make a thousand, you know…No one is gonna count your needles
Haku~I know, Zabuza…But I…I want to be able to have that many.
Zabuza smirked at his ambition. Even a few hundred needles was impressive with how old he is and the kind of control that was needed to form each one of them. He didn't doubt that Haku could do it either. He just wants him to pace himself in growth, otherwise he could burn himself out and end up like Ann when she exhausted her chakra.
He turned a bit and saw her fire off another vortex, going even further than before, before dropping on her butt. He called to her.
Zabuza~Take a 15 minute break, brat. You'll use too much chakra again.
He watched her wave her hand and flop to her back. Zabuza rolled his eyes.
Haku~It's a relief that she's returning to herself again…
Zabuza grunted in agreement. However, things were going almost too smoothly. Hopefully he didn't just jinx anything for realizing that.

They trained for a few days at the beach, mainly working on their jutsus. They even sparred in different combinations to test their skills as pairs and solos with each other.
Zabuza noticed that each of the kids complemented his own skills in their own way, but they also complemented each other in their own way. At some point he would need to see them fight with no restrictions, just to see what their potential could be now.
On their way home, just before getting to the perimeter, they were approached by the Demon Brothers, and Zabuza brandished his sword before speaking
Zabuza~There had better be a good ******** reason to be seeing your ******** faces right now.
Meizu~Have you been to the town recently?
Gozu~Fish market has spoken about figures on the shoreline commanding large bodies of water and seeing slabs of ice.
Zabuza~It can be passed off as rumors if you don't say anything. What makes it important?
Meizu~Gossip made it to the bar. Civilian mercs heard. And since the only ninjas the town knows are the Leaf patrols, the mercs are planning to investigate for possible recruitment or confirmed intel for sale
Zabuza~When did you hear about this?
Gozu~Rumor has been going for four days. The mercs were a day and a half ago. You weren't present either time.
Meizu~We patrolled the perimeter for a day the first time. We stayed longer this time because of the mercenaries.
******** hell…Alright, let's go. Keep talking. What more do you know?
They walked into the perimeter and avoided Zabuza's traps to get to their home as the twins gave as much information as they could about the mercenaries. Ann and Haku even threw in relevant questions that Zabuza had to order the twins to answer.
By the time they got to the safehouse, Zabuza had the twins wait outside as he led the kids inside to get settled.
Zabuza~You two get cleaned up. Mind the sand.
Ann~Are you going to do something to those people?
He was going through their training bag to get extra weapons.
Zabuza~We'll see. It's just gonna be recon. I'll be gone with those two for only a few hours.
Haku~What if you're outnumbered?
Zabuza~Depends by how many. It sounds like there will be 10 at most. Doable as they aren't ninja mercenaries.
Ann~What's a mercenary?
Zabuza~People for hire not affiliated with a ninja village.
Ann~What's affililated?
Zabuza~Af-fi-li-ated. Meaning associated or known to be partnered with someone or an organization. Like how the Seven Swordsmen is affiliated with the Mist Village.
Ann~Would you still be a Seven Swordsman even though we're no longer in the Mist?
Zabuza paused from going through the bag. He hadn’t considered the label, and didn't really care for it.
Zabuza~Doesn’t matter to me. I don't care much for titles.
He took out a few more kunai knives and packed them into his holster and pouch before standing up.
Zabuza~I should be back before nightfall. There's plenty of food and ingredients for you guys to make for lunch and dinner if I happen to run late. Questions?
Haku~How long do we wait if you don't come back tonight?
Zabuza~One week, or until the food runs out. Whichever happens first. Do you remember what to do?
Haku~Go bags and travel north to the Leaf.
Zabuza~That's right. Stay with Ann if that happens.
Ann~But…If that can happen, why can't he stay with me even if nothing wrong happens?
Zabuza~Easier to allow one child in than two without question. The younger the better too. Leaf ninjas are soft and will pack-bond with anything.
Ann~Who will Usa-chan stay with?
Zabuza~Not relevant to the current situation. Go clean up, and stay inside until I return. I'll be back soon.
Ann~Okay…
She hugged him tight.
Haku~I'll keep watch. Stay safe.
Zabuza grunted and patted each of their heads before leaving. Ann sighed
Haku~He'll be alright. He said he's doing recon anyway. That means no combat.
Ann~He gets impatient though…
Haku~If you can figure out how to be patient, Zabuza can too. Come on, we can bathe together.

Outside, the twins led the way to where the civilian mercs were supposedly staying.
Meizu~Are your brats the ones using those jutsus?
Zabuza~Don’t ask questions you don't want violence as the answer to.
Gozu smacked his brother.
Meizu~Right, boss.