Dance of the Kitsune

Chapter 08: Birth of a Young Hero

Inari sat on his desk before the window, listening to the sea outside, feeling the early-morning sun, and staring at his father's picture once more. Hearing a soft knock on his door, he softly called, "It's open."

Naruto stepped in and asked, "Ready to give me another try?"

Inari snorted, but sure enough, asked, "How'd you know I was hurting mom and gramps?"

Naruto sighed, and walked over to sit on the desk beside the young boy. "'Cause the Hokage, who's kinda like a grandpa to me, is upset whenever I'm hurt or unhappy, and lately, so's Iruka-sensei. I like to think maybe Hinata, Shino and Hayate-sensei do too, but I'm not too sure yet. I know I would for them, though."

Inari slowly nodded. "I'll try. I don't like hurting mom or gramps, so I'll try. What about your parents?"

Naruto looked away. "I never knew them. I still don't know who they are. I haven't gotten the courage to ask gramps incase they gave me up or somethin'. 'Cause, on top of everything else, that would just hurt too much."

Inari stared at Naruto, slightly shocked. 'Neither parent?'

"Of coarse, that wasn't the worst of it, but that doesn't matter now. See, thing is, I got something worth fighting for, and that keeps me going on even the worst days. I'm going to be the Hokage someday! The best one Konoha's ever had!" Naruto proclaimed with a smile.

Inari grinned weakly back. "Hey Naruto… what's it like to be a ninja…?"


During dinner that night, Inari was tearfully thinking over what Naruto said, and slowly beginning to discard it. There was no way he could be that miserable, and still be so happy now. As Naruto continued to chat and joke with his team, Inari felt the tears well up and spill down.

"Hm? What's wrong?" Naruto questioned, concerned as he turned to look at Inari.

That did it. Inari yelled out, "Why do you wear yourself out trying?! No matter how hard you train, you'll never be a match for Gato's thugs!" 'Though after what you said today, I almost wish you were…' "You act all cool, and you talk all tough… but big, strong guys like that are always too much for people weaker than they are. They'll destroy you!!" He stood and slammed his hands down on the table by the end of his little speech, gaining shocked looks from everyone in the room.

Naruto had shown, at least for him, quite a bit of patience on this whole issue so far. Said patience just ran out. "Shut up! I'm not you, and I'm not gonna lose!" He growled angrily.

"Just watching you ticks me off! You go running your mouth when you don't know a thing! This isn't your town! And you don't know a thing about me! You're always clowning around, and having fun. You don't know a thing about suffering or loneliness or what my life is like!!" Inari screamed, with tears running down his face.

Naruto flinched, before standing up sharply and growled. "So… you figure it's noble to star in your own melodrama and treat everyone around you like guests at you pity party?" Naruto turned what was likely the harshest glare he's ever given in his entire life to the child just then before snarling, "It takes a really big man to sit around and cry… you brat! You big baby!!"

Swiftly, Naruto got up and headed into the other room, where he had claimed his sleeping space, before he could do anything he'd truly regret.

"Naruto-kun…" Hinata whispered, as she and Shino watched Naruto leave worriedly. Hayate watched his student for a moment, before giving a disapproving look to the crying boy at the table.


Later that night, Inari walked outside and gave a small noise of surprise. "Inari? Come over here for a moment, would you?" Hayate questioned.

"Umm, alright." Inari stammered, wiping the last of his tears away, and walking over to sit beside the jonin.

"What has Naruto told you about himself?" Hayate asked, turning to look at the boy.

"Umm, he's told me he never knew his parents, and doesn't even know who they are… he's mentioned the Hokage being like a grandpa to him… and that someone named Iruka meant a lot to him too…" Inari whimpered, thinking back.

Hayate sighed. "Naruto understands better than most people would ever wish to just how cruel people can be. Gato was cruel to you by taking your father away, yes. But did you know nearly our whole village at some point or another has tried to kill him? Attacked him in the streets? Glare at him just for living? As far as he sees it, he has an entire village full of Gatos all around him. And you know what the really amazing part is?"

Inari, eyes wide, shook his head in shock, and a good amount of guilt.

"He wants to become Hokage. He wants to protect all those people, something I find myself unhappy to do on some days. He wants to prove to them he's worth something, gain their respect. And you know what?" Hayate said in amazement.

"What?" Inari nearly breathed.

"He's actually managing it. One person at a time, but he's managing it. Sooner or later, he'll win over the whole village, I know he will." Hayate smiled proudly. He then murmured, too quiet for Inari, who looked completely shocked, to hear, "I just hope I'm there to see it…"

As Inari shook himself out of his shock, Hayate told him he should head inside. "Can you send Naruto out?" He asked.

Hayate turned back to watching the waves as he awaited Naruto. 'They should still learn the snow-walking exercise before letting them loose on any jutsu learning, but… the chuunin exams are coming up, and I'm almost positive they all have what it takes… maybe I can postpone the snow-walking, not many even bother to learn that stage anyway… and where would I find snow in Konoha in July?'

Naruto walking out shook him from his musing. "Yo, Hayate-sensei!" Naruto chirped. "Wha'd you wanna see me for?"

Hayate just motioned him to sit down beside him, where Inari had just vacated. "I'm proud of how hard you and your teammates are working Naruto. I'm also proud of how you're helping Inari."

Naruto just smiled shyly.

"Now, on another matter, what would you prefer? Learning the last stage of the walking abilities, snow-walking, or learning justu, then going back to snow-walking?" Hayate questioned.

"Erm… I'd prefer jutsu's, but I'd live with the other choice." Naruto decided after giving it some thought.

"That's another thing I'm proud of you for. When I got you as a student, you'd have yelled your first choice without a second thought. You think things through now, and I'm proud of you for it. Alright then. I'm not very good with jutsu's, but I've got some friends who are. I'll talk with them when we get back, alright?" Hayate smiled.

"Alright!" Naruto laughed.

Hayate grinned, and stood, saying, "Let's head in. I've got one last thing to say to everyone before we go to bed."

They got up and headed inside. Once assured the whole team was there, Hayate began. "Alright. When we get back, I'll talk to some friends of mine to get you guys all trained up, jutsu-wise. We can worry about snow-walking later, it's kinda obscure anyway. I want you all to train extra-hard when we get back, I can't tell you why yet."

Seeing the smiles on two of his student's faces, while the third one nodded, he continued. "Now, for the bad news. It's likely Zabuza has healed by now, I'm not sure. Hinata, Shino, you two will go with me to the bridge early tomorrow to guard Tazuna. Naruto, I want you to stay here and keep an eye on things. Every day a different one of you three will stay behind to guard Tazuna's family. Any questions?"

"Why me first?" Naruto asked.

"Because you were training so hard today with your katas, sword fighting, and shuriken, yes I saw you, I figured you could use the slight break. That, and Inari might like you around tomorrow to talk to after what you told him today." Hayate answered.

Naruto smiled slightly. "Alright."


"Wh-What the hell…?" Tazuna gasped, seeing numerous of his workers strewn across the bridge. He ran over to one of them and slid down to his knees beside him as he lifted the man's head into his lap. "What happened?! What… could have…?!"

The man gasped out, "M-monsters…" Before his eyes slid shut.

Looking around, Tazuna realized the few workers that always got to work before even he did were the ones strewn all over the bridge. All of them were likely now dead, if the amount of blood was anything to go by.

Hayate looked around worriedly as he ordered Hinata and Shino to guard and flank Tazuna.


Naruto slowly opened his eyes to the sound of birds; Tsunami's talking, likely to Inari, and the sound of the waves. He took a moment to stretch a second time, lazily; as he reflected on the fact he could grow to love the sound of the waves outside almost as much as the forests back home.

After getting up and getting dressed, he decided to go and get something to eat before he took up keeping an eye out.

"Inari, could you please help me do the laundry?" Tsunami asked, walking past the kitchen with a nod to Naruto.

Naruto waved back as he heard Inari's reply. "Okay, mom, but I'm in the bathroom now!"

After eating, Naruto headed outside to start to circle the house, and keep both eyes and ears attuned for any noise, or movement that may be threatening to the people within the house.

Mid-leap, Naruto heard something rustle along the forest floor. Landing silently on the branch, he cocked his head to listen harder.


Hayate looked worriedly as the mist slowly seeped in. It only took a moment to realize it wasn't natural. "Hinata, activate your byakugan, Shino, you and Hinata will guard Tazuna. Zabuza's mine." Hayate murmured quietly. He saw Tazuna shiver, and Hinata and Shino quickly did as asked.

Activating her bloodline, Hinata tried to see him coming through the mist as she guarded Tazuna. As the mist fully enveloped them, Hinata swallowed at seeing numerous shapes heading towards them. "Hayate, c-clones!"

"Back again I see, Hayate… And I see you've got those brats tagging along, just like last time." Zabuza laughed as his clones became visible, circling the trio.

In a nearly invisible maneuver, Hayate drew his sword, twisted and shot through all the clones in such quick precision, it almost seemed like he simply turned in a circle where he stood, pulling his sword around to rest between himself and Zabuza.

"Bravo." Zabuza laughed, "It seems you've gotten even stronger." He then stepped forwards out of the mist, with the young hunter-nin following him. "I wonder if your brats are a challenge to Haku?" He smirked coldly.

"Too bad. It does seem I was right. You lived, and the hunter was on your side." Hayate sighed.

"He has nerve, showing up like this!" Tazuna growled.

"Change of plans. You two will have to take on Haku while keeping an eye on Tazuna. You think you can handle that?" Hayate questioned softly.

Hinata paled, but nodded, Shino simply nodded calmly.

Zabuza laughed coldly. "Time to fight Haku. Go!"

"Hai, Zabuza-san!" Haku answered, launching forwards, as Zabuza went for Hayate.


The doors were splintered as two samurai stormed into the house. Tsunami looked up fearfully as the goons laughed. "Old man Tazuna's daughter, huh?" The one resembling a clown grinned. "Sorry, but you're coming with us."

Inari, out on the other side of the house hanging laundry his mom had finished with, leapt fearfully, and dropped what he was holding to the ground as he heard his mother scream. He tore through the house as quickly as he could to watch his mother cowering in the corner of the kitchen as two samurai advanced on her. The splintered remains of the table offering little to sheild her from the advancing men.

"MAMA!!" Inari yelped, stepping a little further in the room.

"What do you want, brat?!" The scarred samurai snarled, turning to look at the kid.

"Run Inari! DON'T COME IN!!" Tsunami screamed.

"Should we grab him too?" Clowny questioned.

"We only need one hostage." Scar-face growled.

Inari flinched back behind the door. 'Hostage…'

Scar-face laughed coldly. "Too bad… for him!" He started to unsheathe his sword as Inari backed away even further, and started to cry.

"WAIT!!" Tsunami cried out. "…If you dare touch my child… I'll bite through my tongue and drown in my own blood. Then what will you do for a live hostage?"

Inari's eyes went wide over his mother's words. He never thought she was a hero too…

"Heh… be grateful to your ma, kiddo." Clowny chuckled.

Scar-face just growled, pissed he lost the chance to kill the brat.

Inari collapsed to cry as silently as he could, feeling so very useless as he heard the samurai laugh and taunt his mother as they tried to drag her to her feet and drag her outside. 'Mama… I'm so sorry… I'm a weak little crybaby… I can't save you… And I'm afraid! I don't want to die!' Curling in on himself tighter as he heard the samurai get his mother to the door, he remembered what Naruto said as his tears hit his hand.

He opened his streaming eyes wide for a moment in shock as he also remembered what Hayate said in regards to Naruto. He swallowed thickly, and turned his gaze down, to his hands, and remembered his fathers' words last.

Seeing Hayate, Hinata, Shino, his mom, his gramps, Naruto and his father in his mind's eye, he wiped his tears and stood up proud. 'Can I… could I… be strong too… Daddy?! Like you… like mom… like… Naruto…'

The samurai had her halfway down the docks when Inari caught up to them, crying "WAIT!!"

Both thugs, as well as Tsunami, turned to look back in shock at Inari running at them, full tilt, yelling, "Y-You get away from my mama!!"

Shoving the tied-up hostage behind them, the samurai quickly drew their swords with smiles on their faces. As they sliced the kid apart, and Tsunami screamed frantically for her son, the samurai were shocked to discover they had sliced apart a log, rather than the kid.

"You alright, Inari?" Naruto questioned sheepishly. "Sorry I'm late."

Inari just stared at Naruto in amazement.

Naruto laughed. "Way to go, Inari!! When you distracted them, I was able to save your mother!"

The samurai whirled on Naruto angrily realizing that he did kidnap their hostage. As the two samurai charged him, Inari asked worriedly, "Naruto! Will you be okay?"

"No sweat." Naruto laughed, pulling out two shuriken and letting them fly at the samurai. It was a simple thing for them to avoid the projectiles, just as Naruto had hoped it would be.

"You expect those toys to affect us?" Scar-face laughed.

"Suckers!" Naruto grinned. The shuriken behind the two samurai turned out to not be shuriken at all, but clones disguised as shuriken.

Each clone kicked the back of a samurai's head at an angle so the two head butted each other after their kick to the head.

Needless to day, they were out for the count. The rope that has been lying around the docks, and the stuff they untied from Inari's mom, was swiftly used to truss the two samurai up like turkeys together.

"Naruto… How'd you know those samurai were coming?" Inari questioned as he headed back to his mom.

"Well, after hearing the rustling, I tried to listen closer and I thought I heard footsteps, so I headed closer. I had to go slow, to be quiet, in case it was Zabuza or someone; I wanted to remain unnoticed if I could. So I got to where I heard the rustling and hit the ground to notice footsteps headed to your place. Of course, trying to figure it out, ninja-like, became kinda pointless when I heard your mom scream. Until then, I thought it might have just been old footprints from friends of your gramps or something." Naruto explained.

"But forget that…" Naruto grinned, catching Inari's still-stunned attention. "Inari… I owe you an apology."

"Why?" Inari breathed.

"Well… um… I'm sorry I called you a baby. It's not true, okay?" Naruto sheepishly grinned, scratching the back of his head.

As he reached out to fluff Inari's hair, Inari whispered. "I was a baby. But… I guess I'm not now, huh?"

Naruto grinned. "Nah. You're a big, strong, boy!"

As he pulled his hand away from Inari's hair, he noticed the kid had started to cry.

"Oh no… I promised myself I wouldn't cry… you'll make fun of me again…" Inari sniffled.

"No way!!" Naruto laughed softly, catching Inari's startled attention again. Naruto once again thought back to the so-far happiest moment of his life, when Iruka had proudly declared his respect for him.

Naruto felt one of his foxy grins slide across his face as he continued, "Nothing wrong with crying… when you're happy!"

Inari burst into fresh tears as he watched the boy he so wished was his older brother head over to lightly kick the ball of rope that the samurai had become wrapped in. "If they attacked us here, it means the bridge is probably a target, too! You can handle things here, right?" Naruto grinned, turning to look at Inari.

Inari wiped his tears and nodded. "Yeah… You bet!"

Naruto grinned, as he turned and once more leapt for the trees. He had to get to the bridge. It was unlikely that a second attempt would occur on Tazuna's family unless they noticed they had no hostage later.


As Haku appeared before the genin, Hinata leapt forwards to counter Haku's advance as Shino had silently requested. She had no clue what he was planning at the moment, but she trusted in her team, and did as asked.

As she countered Haku, the hunter asked her, "I don't want to have to kill you, but… you probably won't leave quietly, will you…?"

Hinata shook slightly, but firmly stated, "D-don't be s-stupid…"

Haku just shrugged as he continued, "Just as I thought… However, you won't be able to match my speed for long… And I've laid the groundwork for two attacks."

"Two…?" Hinata asked worriedly.

"Firstly, there's the water splashed all around us. Secondly, I've trapped one of your hands with parrying this move…" Haku calmly stated, continuing to keep her one arm trapped, "…Which leaves you only one hand free to defend yourself from my attacks!"

As Haku and Hinata faced off, water-needles vs. byakugan eyesight, Shino was working on his own plan to help both his sensei and his teammate. Holding up a single finger before his eyes, he softly communicated with the kikaichu still in his body and the ones that still swarmed within Zabuza's.

Meanwhile, Zabuza had leapt for Hayate and started another sword fight. His massive cleaver vs. Hayate's katana should have had a clear-cut winner, but Hayate was much faster, whereas Zabuza was much stronger. Thus, they were fairly evenly matched.

Hinata continued to hold her own against Haku, nearly keeping up with him, speed-wise. As she managed a swift kick to his chin that sent him back a few feet, she heard the unmistakable sound of metal grinding metal as Zabuza laughed, "Haku… do you understand, if this goes on, you could wind up dying at the hands of the very person you sought to spare?" He was swiftly locked in combat with Hayate once more, as he slipped out of the hold, and scored a shallow slice across Zabuza's side.

"Yes, I do…" Haku sighed, standing back up. "What a pity."

Hinata looked around worriedly as the air grew suddenly colder. As the water across the ground quivered, then splashed up as it seemed to freeze, Hinata looked around the mirrors fearfully. They were all around her, even above, and her byakugan couldn't see through them.

As Haku stepped into one of the mirrors, Hinata knew she was in trouble. She couldn't even tell which mirror held the real Haku.

Taking a deep breath as the attacks started to come at her from every angle, Hinata closed her eyes and prayed. "Kaiten!"

It was imperfect, and only deflected about half the attacks, but it was something, and she couldn't have been more grateful in that moment.

Watching both fights from where he was guarding Tazuna, Shino finished explaining to his Kikaichu what he wanted done, and turned to watch Hinata's fight worriedly. Watching her imperfect Kaiten spring up, he launched a barrage of kunai towards one of the mirrors, at the very least, hoping to shatter it and give Hinata a small opening.

Haku had other plans, however, as he stepped from within the mirror and countered the kunai. However, he was completely unprepared for the shuriken from his other side. Especially when said shuriken turned into Naruto and kicked him upside the head.

Both fights going on seemed to pause for a moment, as the clone 'poofed' and Naruto was revealed, standing between Hinata and Haku.

As Haku lay on the ground, dazed, for a moment, Naruto turned to ensure Hinata was alright, then turned to Shino. "Keep watch on the old man, alright Shino? I think Hinata and I have this one!"

Shino nodded. That suited his plans just fine. His kikaichu were hard at work feeding off of Zabuza's chakra, leaving him soon with nothing more then taijutsu and kenjutsu against their sensei once more. Once Zabuza was drained, if the fight with Haku was still going on, he'd drain Haku's reserves… If he had enough bugs left able too. His hive wasn't very big yet, and each bug could only eat so much chakra at a time…

As Zabuza turned, and let a barrage of shuriken fly at Naruto, Haku, surprisingly, leapt to his feet and countered them all with senbon. "Haku?" Zabuza grunted in confusion, as he tried to make sense of his tool's actions and keep Hayate from dismembering him at the same time.

"My apologies, Zabuza-san. But let me deal with him." Haku proclaimed.

Zabuza laughed, but concentrated on his own fight once more.

As Haku slid back within the mirrors, Hinata swiftly informed Naruto to her near-blind state when it came to finding Haku within the mirrors.

"Not good…" Naruto murmured, thinking fast.

As Shino continued to keep an eye on both fights simultaneously, he got word from his kikaichu that Zabuza's reserves were empty. He heard Zabuza's confused yelp as the bugs swiftly exited and came back to him, and Hayate's laugh of understanding, before turning his attentions on Hinata, Naruto, and Haku again.

Requesting the same of his kikaichu, to drain Haku of chakra and disrupt his ice mirrors if possible, Shino watched his kikaichu spread out and head over. He was confused, and worried, when they accepted trying to feed from the mirrors, but that they wouldn't touch Haku's chakra… much like they refused to touch Naruto's, in fact…

Haku, within the ice mirrors, caught Hinata and Naruto's attention by proclaiming, "I… find it difficult to embrace the full shinobi philosophy. I can't help but prefer that the pair of you… not force me to kill you. However, if you two are going to come at me… I shall kill my own heart with my blade – just as the word 'shinobi' was originally the words 'heart' and 'blade' – and act as a full-fledged shinobi would!" He paused a moment, to watch Hinata tremble again, but still stand tall, and Naruto continue to watch him defiantly. "This bridge is a nexus of our destinies… and all our dreams and futures balance on the edge of a knife. I have my own dreams… as you have yours… please try not to resent me, but I'm willing to do whatever it takes… to protect the one I care about most… to fight, kill, or die to fulfill that person's dreams. Doing so is my own dream. To that end, I will become a true shinobi… and I shall kill you both."

Zabuza snorted, and bashed Hayate away from him for an attempt to call up a clone, and froze in shock when he realized his chakra was totally depleted.

"Like Shino's chakra-eating kikaichu?" Hayate grinned, surging forwards and managing to give Zabuza another slice as the mist-nin leapt backwards and brought up his sword again.

Hayate spared a worried thought for his students. This wasn't a fight where a knock-out was the most likely, and safest, ending. He didn't think his students had what it took to kill another.