Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, but the Gushikan family and a select few is mine.

Chapter 21~ Gamble

"The bridge will be finished in a matter of days. Thank you. But why did you take the mission after you knew the risk?" Tazuna asked after dinner.

"Those who stray from the path of justice have no courage, under the wing of a strong leader, cowardice cannot survive." Kakashi quotes from the first Hokage.

I nodded, "It wouldn't be right of us to ignore the injustice here."

A moment passed but the words did not reach Inari.

He cried about the weak losing and the strong winning despite the sides.

Naruto tried to calmly disclaim his words, saying it won't happen to him. But... Inari wouldn't give up, saying that Naruto didn't know what it felt like to be dirt. But, of course he did. So Naruto called him a coward and left.

"Inari..." I said quietly.

He was sobbing, perhaps hurt from Narutos words and refused to look up.

The dinner ended awkwardly with Inari slowing getting up and sitting outside.

I twirled my thumbs and stared at the door.

"Takara why don't you go chat with Inari." I glanced at Kakashi before stepping outside and then closing the door.

I didn't bother asking to sit down and just did it anyway.

"Naruto knows what it feels like to be looked down on, to be hated, to feel like dirt."

His sobbing lessened but he said nothing.

"People have never been nice to Naruto, for as long as I've known him and we met when I was six. People always look down on him for... the past that he had no control over. He never had anyone to hold him up, no family that is. He's really trying to be a hero so that no one will look down on him. Is that really such a crime?"

He had finally stopped crying and was glancing at me from the corner

of his eyes.

"You know, me and Naruto have been joined at the hip for many years. Not once did I see him cry because of his problems though. Instead of crying, he did things, rose the ranks, and has gained the respect of a few people."

He stared at me thoughtfully and looked down to his father picture he was holding."

"Narutos still a kid, heck we are all kids, but I think he's a lot smarter and braver than people put him out to be. He understands your situation and him calling you a coward? Well that exactly how he used to think of himself. He's grown, and so will you."

I smiled at Inari and Inari looked much more at ease.

I patted his head and laughed.

"You remind me so much of my little bro! Boy I can't wait to see his smiling face again." I drifted off into my thoughts before standing up.

"I can't make you do anything, after all you aren't my brother, but if it strikes your fancy an "I'm sorry" sure would make Naruto smile."

"Takara get up, we're heading to the bridge." Sasukes voice punches through my sleep as I sat up and yawned.

Naruto was still asleep one bed over.

"What about him?" I grunted as I put on kunai holder and cracked my neck.

"Kakashi wants him to catch up on his sleep."

I shrugged and then headed out with everyone for the bridge.

We got there pretty late but when we did...

The workers were all either dead or injured.

I narrowed my eyes a drew Balance.

It didn't take long for the 'fog' to roll in.

"Sasuke Takara! Get ready." Kakashi shouted as we got in close around Tazuna.

"Back again Kakashi? I see you have the brats too. Look one of them is trembling!" Zabuzas voice filtered over us.

A multitude of his clones formed in front of all of us.

I stiffened ready to attack but Kakashi gave Sasuke that privilege.

"I'm trembling with excitement!" Sasuke replied as he skillfully destroyed all the clones.

"Ooh that is impressive, it seems you have a rival Haku."

"So it seems." Says the tracker ninja boy standing next to the real Zabuza. They had appeared not that far away.

Wait.. that voice...

"You... are you that boy from the other day?" I vocalized cocking my head to the side curiously.

The two looked startled but he eventually nodded.

"I see, then that's a shame." I said sadly and then sighed.

I blocked out the chatter coming from Kakashi about his correctness and the boys phony mask and instead focused on the problem at hand. If Kakashi fights Zabuza and Haku fights Sasuke then I'm left on guard duty. How boring.

Then as if a whirlwind, Haku came forward and Sasuke blocked him.

The two clashed violently before Haku began to use a single hand for signs.

My mouth was agape and I was stunned. I had never seen anyone able to do that. Not even my parents.

He made water needles surround them, but astonishingly Sasuke jumped out of danger and knocked Haku over.

"You made a mistake doubting these ninja. That's just going to make them more dangerous. Sasuke is the best young fighter in the Village Hidden in the Leaves."

I pouted angrily and glanced at Kakashi.

"Takara is the most determined and is the strongest ninja in the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

I brightened up and smiled.

"And last but not least our number one hyperactive knucklehead ninja, Naruto Uzumaki."

Zabuza and Haku were silent before Haku stepped forward and made a strange hand sign. His chakra whipping around him.

"Secret Jutsu- Crystal ice mirrors"

Flat ice sheets sprung up all around Haku and Sasuke. Haku stepped into a mirror and melted into it. Once he was in, his image appeared in every mirror.

Kakashi started to go help but Zabuza cut him off.

I took a step forward as well, I want to help him too.

"It's fine." My conscience laughed. "Narutos here. All you have to do is throw a kunai."

I waited a beat before pulling a kunai out of my holder. I'll try to hit a mirror, maybe I can crack one.

I threw it but Haku caught it before it could hit anything. I frowned but that only lasted a second before a shurikan slapped Haku in the face so hard he fell out of his mirror. I smiled.

That means Narutos here.

A smoke bomb went off, with Naruto standing in the middle of it.

"Naruto Uzumaki has arrived!"

I face palmed but laughed. Just like Naruto to do something like that.

I ignored Kakashi scolding him, at least now someone can assist Sasuke. Speaking of Sasuke. I turn and glared at him.

If he has half a brain cell he should be using this time to get out of the ice trap. Nope he's waiting patiently. Fantastic.

Not long after that Haku went back into the mirrors and started to hurt Sasuke again. Naruto of course jumped in too to help.

I shrugged mentally. I can use this to my advantage.

Kakashi and Zabuza were both watching intensely so I start to back up slowly. Tazuna saw me doing so and started to say something but I shushed him and motioned him to follow.

We both quietly walked away as Kakashi and Zabuza basically went into a, "My child's better!" competition.

Once we were off the bridge I took Tazunas hand and pulled him along the beach.

"Are we going back to my house?"

"No, they will look there." I replied smartly. We ran for a few minutes until we got very far away from the bridge but was still on the coast line. We slowed to a walk when we got to a small boat yard.

"Do you know any of these men or boats?" I asked motioning to the sailors.

"Yes I know a few."

"Perfect."

We went to the closest fishing boat guy.

"Hey can you take him on the water for today?"

The guy looked startled but said yes because he knew Tazuna.

"So your plan is to hide us?" He looked skeptical. And he should.

"No my plan is to hide you. I'm going back. If they kill Kakashi, Naruto, and Sasuke then I can't protect you anyway, our best bet is for all of us to fight together. Also Zabuza really wants to kill Kakashi so even when he realizes you're gone he'll want to finish Kakashi first. Finally, they're mist ninja so me hiding you on a boat is like hiding you in plain sight. They will check here last."

Tazuna nodded understandingly.

"If I survive I'll come get you later. If I don't... then you have a choice. Go to the Leaves and hide there, or go after your family. They will be waiting though." He nodded, I could see in his eyes though that he's going after his family.

I stayed on the deck and watched him sail off. I waited a minute, watching for an ambush but then turned and began to run back to the bridge.

When I got back the mist was even thicker than before and I could feel Zabuzas anger in the air. As I walked onto the bridge I searched the white abyss for movement. I felt the air move towards me and could hear the sound of chakra crackling in anger. Out of the mist I saw that executioners blade swinging towards me at a violent speed and I managed do a backbend just in time for it to just clip my hair.

I sprang back up and then jumped over the blade as it came at me a second time. Once I landed from that one a hand flung out and griped my forearm of the arm holding Balance.

Zabuzas face emerged.

"Where is he!?"

I dropped Balance out of my hand and caught it with my other before taking a swipe at him. He dropped me and dodged the swipe.

Kakashi appeared next to me.

"He's safe, where you won't find him." I said calmly.

"Takara, now that you're free, go help Naruto and Sasuke please."

I nodded and then ran in the direction of the ice mirrors... I think... I can't really see...

I could hear Kakashi stalling Zabuza for me.

I continued to run forward until I smashed face first into an ice mirror. I fell back stunned .

A hand came out of the mirror and grasped my shoulder and spun'n flung me into the center of the mirrors. I landed dazed.

"Takara?" Naruto yelled.

"Ya? Hey I'm here to help." I smiled weakly.

I made eye contact with Sasuke and grinned.

"You two look like shit but you have Sharingan!"

Sasuke smirked proudly.

It didn't last long as we were blasted with senbon needles.

I managed to dodge some but my companions were getting tired and getting hit a lot. I tried to think of a way to get out of this but I was at a loss. I mean sure there were three of us and I guess I could make a run for it but I don't know if it would work. I'm out of ideas.

I racked my brain desperately but moments later Naruto collapsed.

Then Haku concentrated his hits on Naruto, obviously to pull us into harms way. It worked.

Sasuke jumped in front of Naruto and I jumped in front of Sasuke. Our relationships are way too sacrifice-y.

I got nailed hard. I could hear Sasuke yell my name as I fell to my knees.

Haku aimed behind me again and I could hear the sound of Sasuke being hit too.

I turned to look at him and held back my yelp.

Pincushion.

I was fading as I watch Naruto begin to sit up.

I fell face first onto the ground. I had fainted. I guess all it took was one direct stabbing with senbons.

Anger, evil, yelling...

Red chakra.

I sat up and gasped.

The mirrors were down and Naruto was chatting with a mask-less Haku.

I started to pull out the senbons that littered my body when I heard something...

"Kill me Naruto."

"We've missed too much!" My conscience hissed.

I stood up and glanced at Sasuke. He's breathing.

So I walked to Haku and Naruto.

"I'm not going to let you die, not now that is."

"Takara your alive!" Naruto shouted but I ignored him.

Haku looked confused. "You don't want me to die? I'm your enemy."

I laughed.

"I had some time to think, since you knocked me out, trust me we have the same enemy."

I heard the chirping of a jutsu Kakashi was using near by.

"Stop everyone now!" My conscience screamed.

Haku looked off the where Kakashi and Zabuza are.

"Wait. I'm sorry, I have one more use."

I took a deep breath and spun around him and kicked out his knees making him fall over and then took that extra few seconds to run next to Kakashi and Zabuza myself.

"STOP!"

Kakashi froze, thank kami, and everyone stared at me.

"Zabuza-san, we are no longer your enemy, I bet by now Gato won't pay you and is banking on you dying here. In fact I bet that in eight minutes Gato will be here with his own legion of goons in hopes of finishing us off."

I was met by silence.

"Takara we can't just stop fighting because you bet on something." Kakashi muttered.

Zabuza began to laugh.

"What did you call her earlier? Determined? Ok kid lets gamble. I won't kill anyone, no one will die, and we will all wait eight minutes. What do I get if I win, if no one shows."

He thinks I'm crazy, he'll use the eight minutes to find a way out of the predicament Kakashi put him in. Fine.

"All my money?" I offered.

He chuckled. "How about your life. Final offer."

Of course he'd go there.

"Ok."

"Takara!" Kakashi yelled.

"Haku can even hold a kunai to my throat so I can't run. But if I win, then you can't kill any of us, Haku can't kill either. Just leave the Land of Waves peacefully."

He was smirking.

"Takara what do you think you're doing?! Just stay back. Don't make bets with the enemy!"

"Deal?" Offered Zabuza.

I nodded and took off my weapons pouch and set Balance down in front of me.

"Deal."

Authors Note:

Hey, thanks for all the support! It all just makes me smile!

Sorry it's latish!

Thank you and have a nice day!

~ToL

P.s

Don't gamble Takara! My gosh, such a bad influence.