Amidst the Hate: Chapter 11
"Why didn't you tell us you were a jinchuuriki?" asked the slightly damp Kakashi.
"There was no need for me to tell, and I was hoping to not use that power until after I became a chunin." replied Menma. "I thought you got used to me not telling you guys everything about me?"
"We are, it's just that when the world knows that Konoha has two jinchuuriki-"
"I'm stopping you right there. We can talk about this when the job is done. Tazuna, lead the way." Tazuna complied, and Menma walked away from the rest of the team.
"I think you made her upset, sensei." said Mito.
"...I think you're right. I'll apologize when we get to town. She did save us, after all."
The rest of Team Kakashi soon caught up to the other two, and made their journey to the unfinished bridge.
"T-this is your home? What happened?" asked the young Namikaze. All the town's homes were run down. Many people were malnourished, and what food was for sale looked old.
"Gato happened. He kept rising the shipping costs, and in a few months we couldn't ship our goods. No goods, no money. We slowly lost what little money we had, and only a few day's ago did I have the money to get help." explained the builder, who looked depressed upon seeing his town again.
"How are you able to build a bridge when you have so little money?"
"We have the supplies, I just needed good protection. Who knows what Gato will send next?"
Tazuna then motioned the group to follow him, and after a few minutes they made it to a better looking building.
"Your house, I presume?" Kakashi said in more a statement than a question.
"Yes." Tazuna than knocked on the door. "Tsunami! I'm back!"
The door soon opened, to reveal a young woman with dark blue hair, black eyes, and wearing a pink and red shirt. "Father! You're back!"
"Of course I am! I am the super-amazing bridge builder, and I got the help we needed."
Tsunami, who didn't notice the team, turned to see them. "Oh! Come on in, make yourselves at home! I'll prepare dinner."
Hearing that, Kakashi turned to look at the sun, and noticed it was getting dark. "Wow, I guess it is about that time."
-a little bit later-
"So, will you introduce yourselves? I want to know who helped my dad get here safely." The blue-haired woman asked with begging eyes.
"Well, I'm Kakashi. This is Mito, Menma, and Sasuke." said the jounin, pointing to his subordinates with each name.
"...no other information?"
"I'll let them say what they want to tell you."
Tsunami turned to the three genin, hoping for something.
Mito decided to indulge the woman. "Well, I guess it won't hurt to tell you. I'm the daughter of the Hokage, Minato Namikaze, and Sasuke over there is an Uchiha, and I can't tell you much about Menma. She doesn't speak much about herself."
Tazuna decided to enter into the conversation. "I can tell you one thing Tsunami, if it wasn't for Menma, we might be dead."
"What?!"
"It's true." said the team sensei. "She pretty much beat a missing nin sent to kill your father by herself, when I got trapped by a jutsu."
Tsunami looked at the blind girl, who was currently eating the dinner she was given. "You must be strong."
"I am." Menma continued eating, as if she didn't hear her.
Noticing Tsunami's expression, Mito said: "That's how Menma is. Won't talk unless it's needed, or if she's angry, I guess." Tsunami didn't look as shocked after that.
Kakashi took that as the best time to move to a different topic. "I think that's enough introductions. I have to ask, do you know where Gato is? If we knew where he was, we could help you more."
"No. All we know is that he lives somewhere on this island." said Tazuna.
Before Kakashi could voice his disappointment, a new voice spoke over everyone. "You're going after Gato? You'll fail."
"Inari…" Tsunami didn't look as happy now.
"Okay, I'll bite, why will we fail?" Sasuke decided to ask the younger boy.
"Gato is too powerful. Anyone who goes against him will die."
Mito was not liking this boy's attitude. "So are you a Gato supporter, or did something else happen to make you so sour?"
Inari looked appalled that he could be considered a Gato fan, but continued on his rant. "It doesn't matter. Gato will kill us all eventually, and grandpa over here made our demise come much closer."
No one could stop Mito from grabbing the boy by his collar and raising him up off the ground. "How could you saw something so awful to the old man? He's doing his best to save this town, save YOU, and you spit in his face?!" She let go of Inari, letting him drop to the floor, before going to the entrance.
"Where are you going?" asked Kakashi.
"Letting off some steam. I'll be just outside." Mito opened and closed the door fast enough for the poor door to gain some cracks. Inari scampered off to his room, crying.
"I...I'm sorry for my son. He's been like this since Kaiza died." said Tsunami.
"Kaiza?"
"He saved Inari from drowning, and soon after became a father figure to him. Kaiza was one of the first to rise up against Gato, but the midget executed him in front of everyone. It broke the towns spirits." Tazuna explained for his daughter's sake.
"Hmm...so that boy lost someone important to him too. I wage that if Mito knew that, she would have been even angrier." said the silver-haired ninja with a his joking tone.
"Why?"
"Because she lost her twin years ago. She was depressed for a long time, but she got over it for the most part. After becoming part of a team, I think she pretty much lost her depression. Ah well, this has nothing to do with what we were talking about."
"I'll take care of Gato." spoke Menma.
"What? You don't know where he is. How would you find him?" asked the Uchiha.
"I'll find him. Worry about the bridge." Menma went back to eating.
"Okay, we have a plan of action. We'll fill Mito in later." Kakashi was starting to notice that Menma was giving him orders, but decided not to question it. Gave him less to do.
During the week that would be needed to finish the giant bridge, two things happened.
One, Mito did her best to cheer up the town, helping rebuild what buildings she could with the kage bunshin, hanging out with orphans that lost their parents to Gato, and doing whatever that could help others when she wasn't on guard duty. She became something of a celebrity, and the town loved her. Even Inari couldn't help but smile when the spirit that the town lost came back.
Two, Menma came back on the fifth day, with Kubikiribocho dragging from her left hand, and a bag in the other. She called the townspeople to the center of town, and revealed the severed head of Gato, face frozen in fear. She told the town words that would be immortalized in their hearts forever: "You won't live in fear of Gato ever again!" The person most affected by this was, of course, Inari, who then clung on to the bewildered girl as if his life depended on it.
Needless to say, the town had a soft spot for the two girls, and Team 7.
"Do you have to go?" asked the not-so-depressing Inari to Menma, with her team on the bridge.
"Yeah. The mission is done, but I'll visit every now and then, like Mito." Menma wouldn't admit it, but the young boy grew on her. 'I guess I'm a nicer person than I thought.'
"You better. None of this could have been possible without you guys." said the teary eyed Tazuna, who decided to see the team off, with the entire village behind him. "You guys will always have a place to stay at our home."
Kakashi chuckled, "We know, you don't have to keep reminding us. Okay team, let's move."
Menma gave one last pat on Inari's head, and left with her team.
The townsfolk dispersed, some crying all the while, leaving Tazuna, Tsunami, and Inari still at the bridge.
"We need a name for this bridge." said Tsunami.
"Hmmm...how about...'The Great Menma Bridge'? She saved my life twice, and got rid of Gato, after all." Inari seemed to agree with his grandpa.
"Why Menma? Why not Mito? She made the village believe in hope again."
"That's true….we need to pick between the two. This is going to be hard."
Team Kakashi was on their way back to Konoha, leaving the bridge behind just a few minutes ago.
"It'll take a few more hours before we're back home. That bridge certainly made the trip faster." said Kakashi.
"It helps that we're not being attacked every leg of the way." commented Mito.
"It does." The group went back to focusing on the journey...that was until Menma ran into one of the tree trunks.
"Menma? Are you okay?" asked Sasuke. 'Strange, usually she pays attention to everything...'
The bandaged girl didn't respond. 'C-Chomei...do you feel that?'
'Yes. I think we found her...my old container.'
"Guys, I need to go on a quick detour."
"Why?" asked the sensei.
"I don't have time to explain." Immediately, she was covered in the red chakra, with all seven tails being seen behind her.
'You can't handle all this power for long. If that stunt with Zabuza told us anything, it's that you're body just isn't ready for seven tails.' warned the giant beetle.
'I don't care! I can protect her if I get her in Konoha, and I will not lose this chance!' Menma sped off, leaving the confused team behind.
"After her!" shouted the jonin after recovering from the surprising speed boost that was just shown. The ninja went in Menma's direction, but she was already far ahead.
'I'll be there in a bit, just don't do something stupid before hand!'
A.N.: The Wave arc is done, and soon you'll see who Menma's been looking for. You probably can figure it out with the info given. Before you throw out the story, saying: 'How could a jinchuuriki survive having their biju extracted?'...give me a chance to explain next chapter, okay? Might not be very good, but it may suffice.