Chapitre 106: Haku
Upon their arrival in the Wave Country, Tazuna immediately offered Ryomaru a space in his home to recuperate. The exertion from using the Lightning Chakra Cloak left Ryomaru battered and fatigued, with lacerations adorning various parts of his body. But his physical pain was momentarily overshadowed by the emotional torment that wrestled his conscience.
He had defeated Zabuza, yes, but the encounter left him with a series of memories—ones that weren't his own. In the intrusive visions, a younger version of Zabuza brainwashed a boy named Haku. Ryomaru recalled a time when he had first experimented with the Ice release technique. Back then, an ethereal voice had guided him, mentioning the name "Haku."
Laying on a futon in the dimly lit room, Ryomaru mused aloud, "Why am I seeing these memories? Who was this Haku to Zabuza, and why does he seem familiar to me?"
The weight of Zabuza's presence, even in memory, was a heavy burden. The unsettling compulsion he felt to blindly obey the rogue ninja, the first time they'd met, had been downright infuriating. And when Zabuza had insulted his beloved mother, Miori, it was the final nail in the coffin. There was no forgiveness after that. But Ryomaru was left puzzled. Why did these memories, ones that clearly weren't his own, haunt him? What connection did he share with Zabuza and this mysterious Haku?
"Why am I seeing these memories? Who was Haku to Zabuza, and why does he seem so familiar to me?" he muttered, lost in his tangled thoughts.
At that moment, the sliding door to his room quietly opened, revealing Hanabi. She held a basin of warm water in one hand and a clean cloth in the other. Without a word, she approached him and knelt beside the futon, her eyes filled with concern.
"You're deep in thought," Hanabi remarked, gently dipping the cloth into the water. "Want to share?"
Ryomaru softly murmured, "Nothing." The memories playing in his mind were bizarre, eerie even. Sharing them could make others wary, with some thinking the worst: possession. He determined that some secrets were best kept alone.
Hanabi, with her gentle and observant nature, looked at him skeptically but didn't press the issue. She wrung the cloth out before applying it to one of his gashes, cleaning the wound.
The sensation of the warm cloth against his skin momentarily distracted Ryomaru from his troubling thoughts. "Thanks, Hanabi," he said, offering her a small smile. Even though he had been in Konoha for only a short time, Hanabi and her sister Hinata had been some of the first to offer friendship. They, along with Temari, had been supportive and kind, making his transition smoother.
Hanabi hesitated for a moment. "Ryomaru, is it something about Zabuza?" she ventured softly, catching the sudden flicker in his ice-blue eyes.
Ryomaru nodded, offering a deceptive half-truth, "Yes." It was easier to let them think that his emotional turmoil was a result of taking Zabuza's life. The palpable air of concern that circled him made him wonder if they perceived this as his first kill. A small part of him felt guilty for misleading them, but these were secrets he wasn't ready to share.
"I can't even begin to imagine how that feels," Hanabi whispered, her eyes a mixture of sympathy and understanding. She continued to tend to his injuries, her fingers deft and gentle.
The room was silent save for the muted sounds of the outside world and the occasional rustling as Hanabi worked. Temari stood by the window, looking out. She too wanted to tend for Ryomaru.
After dressing Ryomaru's wounds, Hanabi left, and the room was enveloped in silence. The warm touch of her hands and her silent understanding lingered in his thoughts, but it was clear to Ryomaru that he needed to grapple with the memories and emotions on his own.
Lying on the futon, Ryomaru stared at the wooden ceiling, tracing the intricate patterns with his ice-blue eyes. He briefly closed them, only to be flooded with the invasive memories again. His breathing hitched as the ghostly presence of Zabuza and the boy, Haku, played out in his mind.
Alone in the dim room, Ryomaru allowed the weight of his emotions to sink in. The wooden ceiling above seemed to close in on him, trapping the whirlwind of memories and questions that swirled within his mind. The room's silence only magnified the intensity of his thoughts.
His fingers curled into the futon beneath him, gripping it tightly. The very mention of Haku and Zabuza evoked a visceral reaction, a maelstrom of images and feelings he didn't fully understand. The frigid touch of the Ice release technique, the ethereal voice guiding him, the name "Haku" whispered with such familiarity—every fragment converged into a confusing tapestry of memories that weren't his.
A soft knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.
"Ryo?" It was Hinata's gentle voice. "Can I come in?"
Without waiting for a reply, she slid the door open slightly, her lavender eyes filled with worry. "I brought you some tea," she said softly, stepping into the room with a steaming cup in her hands.
Ryomaru nodded in appreciation, sitting up slowly. "Thanks, Hinata," he replied, accepting the cup. The warmth from the tea seemed to spread from his hands to the rest of his body, offering a brief respite from his internal turmoil.
Hinata settled next to him, her knees tucked under her. She hesitated for a moment, then spoke, "I can't pretend to understand what you're going through, but you're not alone, Ryo. We're here for you."
Ryomaru took a sip of the tea, letting its warmth spread through him. "I appreciate that, Hinata," he admitted, his voice low.
The days that followed Ryomaru's recovery found Tazuna deeply engrossed in his bridge construction. The crucial structure would provide Wave Country with much-needed connections and resources. Most of Team 8 was on rotation, protecting the bridge-builder as he worked. Time blurred, days into weeks, and soon, Ryomaru's injuries had healed sufficiently for him to join the others on the bridge, with one team member always stationed at Tazuna's home for additional security.
On this particular day, the sunlight kissed the glistening waters surrounding the nearly completed bridge. Temari remained behind at Tazuna's residence, standing guard, while Ryomaru, Hinata, Hanabi, Samui, Mabui, and Tazuna were stationed at the bridge. Ryomaru, still contending with the mysteries of his visions, took solace in the team's routine.
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État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone