As usual, Kishimoto-sensei still owns the fantastical rights to Naruto. Just imagine one day you guys open up a chapter from me and I'm all "Guess what, I mfing own Naruto now, WHAT?" lol. That would honestly be the best day ever. I'd go back and change some stuff, and then I'd change little things just to piss people off.
Anyway, if you've been sticking with me so far, thank you. I know it's a bit slow right now because we're just getting started so just to get your curiosity all excited and intrigued, Danzo won't be the big bad of this story. That's all I'll say.
I know this took a while to come out but that was mostly because of me, I have an extremely bad habit of putting things off when I feel there is no pressure to get it done. So, I want to say thank you to 'Guest' who reviewed my little story yesterday to tell me that they find it interesting and that they like where it's going. Thank you, a hundred times, over because it put the pressure on to actually finish this chapter.
Without further ado, I give you—
Chapter 7: I want to understand…
"You'd think he'd be on time today" Sakura complained, looking at her teammates.
Sasuke was leaning against a wall, arms crossed and eyes shut. If he wasn't standing, he would look like he was taking a nap. On his right, Naruto sat against the same wall, one arm resting on his knee, while his other hand fiddled with the pouch on his right leg. He looked perfectly content for once, almost as if he was genuinely happy.
Little did his teammates know, Naruto was only so content because he slept through the night with no issues. Sure, he had a dream about Rias, the dragon mask lady, but it wasn't a sad dream. In a way, what happened with Iruka made him realize that Rias, though he didn't know her for long, cared for him much like Iruka did. Which only made Naruto favor Iruka even more. He'd be sure to tell Iruka that one day, that his favorite instructor hands down, is Iruka-sensei.
Sakura cleared her throat, gesturing for both boys to follow her into the mission assignments office. They did, and while they knew they should wait for Kakashi, they also knew that when the Hokage calls for you, you go.
"Team seven where is your Jonin instructor?" Naruto smiled upon seeing not only the third Hokage, but also Iruka as well.
"He's actually—" "Right here Lord Hokage" Sakura turned to see Kakashi standing with a hand on Naruto's shoulder. The latter of the two squinted up at the cyclops in annoyance. Not only was he late, but he had the nerve to pretend like it was okay.
"Very well, team seven, your mission will be to locate and recover the cat of—" "Lord Hokage!" the doors burst open as a chunin came running in to stop in front of the desk.
"We are in the middle of something, you can't just barge into the Hokage's office and interrupt him" an old geezer that Naruto didn't like the looks of said, but the third waved him off.
"What is it?" Hiruzen calmly asked, turning his full attention to the out of breath chunin.
"You sent team eight to escort the bridge builder Tazuna this morning" the chunin huffed, everyone patiently waited for him to catch his breath a little more.
"They haven't even arrived in the land of waves yet when we just received a messenger hawk informing us that the missing Nin Zabuza Momochi attempted to assassinate the bridge builder. Lady Kurenai and her team were able to fend of the missing Nin but Lady Kurenai is requesting an additional team be sent for support as she is certain that Zabuza will strike again" the chunin finished explaining. Iruka looked shocked to hear this information relayed, and Naruto started to feel apprehensive.
"What's a missing Nin?" he asked, turning to Sakura. She looked at him like he grew a second head.
"Someone who's abandoned their village. They're traitors" she whispered back, urging Naruto to pay attention.
"Lord Hokage, if Lady Kurenai is requesting assistance, I suggest we send a team immediately. There's no way a tracking team will be able to handle this alone" an older woman to the right of the Hokage spoke, her wrinkled face looked concerned but Naruto got the impression it was just a surface level type of emotion for her. She didn't really care what happened to this Kurenai or team eight.
"Hm, yes it would probably be best to send someone right now. Perhaps they can reach the land of waves before Zabuza manages to strike again" another member of the council spoke. Naruto turned to Sakura again.
"Who was team eight again? Was that Shikamaru's team?" he asked, trying to remember if Kurenai was the red eyed woman that showed up.
"No, it was Kiba, Shino, and Hinata's team" Sakura answered, Kakashi went to tell his team they would come back later but stopped when Naruto stepped towards the council.
"Old man, I want to go help team eight" Naruto blurted out. Sakura's mouth hung open, even Sasuke looked a little shocked, but quickly stepped forward too.
"I would also like to assist team eight" he coolly said. Naruto raised a questioning eyebrow at him, but didn't ask why Sasuke was willingly to help. Sakura shook her head in disbelief, but it was Kakashi who was most silent.
"We cannot afford to waste time sending a team with no combat experience at all. You haven't even done a single mission before. Why would we send you?" the old man asked, standing from his seat in frustration. Hiruzen eyed Naruto critically, before reaching towards the old man and gesturing for him to sit. He did as the third instructed but looked ready to argue again.
"Homura makes a very good argument Naruto. I cannot afford to send another inexperienced team on this mission" Hiruzen said. Naruto noticed Iruka sigh in relief, but he wasn't about to give in.
"Old man, you need a team, and we're here. How tough can this missing Nin guy really be?" Naruto shrugged, showing that he knew little about the ninja world yet again.
"Naruto, you can't honestly expect us to agree to send you guys?" Iruka said. He was trying his best not to sound angry, but Naruto could see it in the way the vein in Iruka's neck bulged.
"I could take this Zabuza guy alone. Missing Nin or not, I won't let him get away with hurting my friends" Naruto shot back, unlike Iruka, he wasn't very good at hiding his anger.
"Naruto, shut up" Sakura mumbled, stepping forward to tug at the boy's arm.
"No!" he yelled at her. "If you're afraid to go, then stay here" he added, yanking his arm free.
"Naruto!" Iruka screamed, but before he could say another word, Hiruzen stood from his seat. Little did anyone know or notice, the entire time Naruto was bickering with anyone, Kakashi and the third were having a silent conversation. One in which the third agreed with Kakashi.
"We will send team seven to assist team eight" the Hokage declared, his eyes locked with Kakashi's. The Jonin wasn't sure if he could actually defeat Zabuza, but knowing that Zabuza was even in the equation gave him a bit of an advantage. He could prepare better, and if Naruto and Sasuke were capable of working together like Kakashi knew they could, then they would have a pretty solid chance of making it out alive.
"Lord Hokage, you can't be serious? They have no experience, this is ridiculous" the old woman now stood from her seat as well.
"Koharu, I will put my trust in Kakashi and his team. You should do the same" Hiruzen instructed. Anyone else who would have argued could already tell there would be no point.
"You have twenty minutes to head out. Normally I'd give you more time, but there is no more time to be given" Hiruzen said, gesturing for team seven to get a move on. Everyone except Naruto bowed, he was already heading for the door when Hiruzen's voice rang out.
"Good luck, Naruto" the third smiled warmly, despite underneath the smile feeling terrified that he just sent this poor boy to his death. He silently hoped they would return, especially since this would be the first time in his life Naruto would even get to experience life outside of the village gates.
Once team seven was out of the room and the council also cleared out, Iruka stomped towards the Hokage.
"Lord Hokage, how could you send Naruto on that mission?" he asked, desperate for an answer that would make him feel less worried.
"Iruka, I know you care for the boy, but you should remember he isn't a normal Genin. I choose to believe that they are capable of handling this" Hiruzen answered. Iruka didn't look at all better.
"Facing a chunin and training with a jonin is not the same as facing a missing nin. Zabuza won't hold back against them. He's a criminal!" Iruka shouted, but Hiruzen remained calm as ever.
"While that is true Iruka, you're forgetting that Kakashi as well as Kurenai will be there, along with some of the most promising genin I have ever seen. Naruto will come back safe and sound. I truly believe that" Hiruzen explained, and it was then that Iruka started to feel better. In his fear, he completely blanked on the idea that two jonin would be there to protect Naruto.
"What if you're wrong though, Lord Hokage?" Iruka couldn't help but still feel apprehensive.
"I choose to believe that I am not" the third replied rather confidently. Iruka didn't appreciate the answer, but he chose to agree. He would choose to believe like the third.
'Come back safe…Naruto.'
Naruto was already at the gate by the time the rest of team seven showed up. Lucky for him he got the idea to store stuff in scrolls from someone he overheard while out and about one day. He never thought of using sealing techniques in a way, but after a little practice, he figured out the best way to store his travel gear in two scrolls at the max. Something that would no doubt come in handy since he wouldn't be weighed down by a bag or anything.
Something that Sakura was quick to point out the moment she approached the blond. "Where's your bag?" she asked, looking around Naruto as if he might be hiding it.
"Don't need one" Naruto said, pulling out his two scrolls. "Everything I need is in here" he explained, just as Sasuke and surprisingly Kakashi showed up.
"Smart to have everything sealed away neatly Naruto. Way to plan" Kakashi complimented. Sasuke eyed the two scrolls with intrigue.
"Not bad" he agreed, before stopping to stand next to Sakura. Turning red at being so close to the raven-haired boy.
"Okay, I know this is our first mission and it's a big one right out the gate. We're going to cover a lot of ground very quickly. Try not to fall behind, try not to overexert yourself, and try not to get hurt on the way. We need to be prepared to face whatever threat there may be, and we have to prepare for the idea that we will do it alone" Kakashi paused to let his team absorb that information.
"What do you mean?" Sakura asked. Naruto was glad she asked, because he also didn't quite understand.
"I mean, we have to prepare for the scenario where Zabuza has already struck again and wiped-out team eight" Kakashi's voice was grim, but it was a truth they needed to face right now before leaving. He knew this, and now…so did they.
"We're moving out" Kakashi ordered, and without another word, without hesitation, the four of them exited the village. Naruto hadn't said anything, but if this Zabuza guy hurt Hinata, he would kill him with no hesitation. He would rather the old man Hokage be disappointed in him for killing someone again than having to live knowing he let Hinata down.
'What is your goal with Lady Hinata?' Ko's words echoed in Naruto's mind. What did he mean? What did a goal have to do with anything? He just wanted to see Hinata smile more and be braver. He wanted her to be happy because she was the first real friend he made. Maybe that's what he could tell Ko. His goal with Hinata was to make her happy and protect her. Was that the right answer? Would Ko accept that?
'I will protect you, Hinata' Naruto thought, 'No matter what' he steeled his resolve. He would do whatever it took to protect his precious friends.
Even if it meant breaking promises.
"Naruto?" They'd been jumping through trees for about four hours when Sakura finally broke the silence.
"Yeah?" Naruto, who hadn't bothered to slow down or stop, called over his shoulder.
"I was just wondering, why did you want to take this mission so badly? You know that we can't beat a missing nin, right?" though she was trying to play it off, she didn't do a good job of hiding the fear from her voice.
"It doesn't matter" Naruto shouted over his shoulder. "Anyone who hurts my friends is gonna pay for it."
"But that's stupid Naruto. This Zabuza guy is a missing nin. That means he's dangerous. He's out of our league" Sakura was desperately trying to get Naruto to see reason. Something she was failing at miserably.
"I don't care. If he touched one hair on my Hinata's head, I'll kill him" Naruto growled. So angry in the idea that Hinata was hurt, he hadn't realized the wording he used.
"Your Hinata?" Sakura wasn't the only one to have noticed. Even the usually uninterested Sasuke seemed to find it odd.
"I meant my friend Hinata" Naruto corrected himself. For some reason he couldn't explain, he felt his face flush, making him feel warm.
"Everyone, stop" Kakashi instructed. Having come to a full halt, Kakashi jumped to the ground below. We'll rest here for a bit before we continue. Even at our current pace, it'll take us another day to get there" he explained.
Naruto observed his teammates. Sakura looked absolutely grateful for the chance to rest. While Sasuke looked a little winded. Kakashi seemed to be the only other person aside from Naruto himself who didn't seem worn out or tired.
"Kakashi-sensei" Naruto approached the jonin with an outstretched hand holding a scroll.
"I sealed this for you" he said, handing the scroll over.
"What's in it?" Kakashi asked, examining the scroll. "This is no time for practical jokes, Naruto" he started to lecture. Unsure of what the blond could possibly have sealed away that would be useful to him.
"It's food" Naruto replied, walking away without another word. He wouldn't admit it, but it annoyed him that Kakashi thought that it wasn't a sincere gift. The jonin watched his subordinate walking away, shoulders sort of slumped, and sighed. He shouldn't have been so quick to assume it was anything but sincere.
"T-thank you…Naruto" Sakura said in surprise as Naruto handed her and then Sasuke a similar scroll. He took a seat opposite the Uchiha before making a hand seal; "Release" he mumbled, and out from the scroll came a bento box.
"I picked them up on my way to the gate. Figured no one else would have the time" Naruto explained. He didn't meet any of their gazes and instead took to examining the vegetable sitting upon his rice. He made a face at it, but bit into it regardless. He didn't seem to mind it, because he continued to eat it. The others, realizing they'd been staring at the blond, unrolled their scrolls as well.
The sound of seals being released simultaneously left a dull echo before silence filled the camp. Having been the first to have started, Naruto was also the first to finish. When he was done, he resealed the scroll, sliding it into his pouch.
"Wow, you still have those?" Sakura asked, genuinely surprised to see Naruto holding onto the goggles that he used to wear all the time. He smiled softly at them before returning them to his pouch.
"Hinata…she gave them to me" he stood from his seat and stretched. "I'm ready to go when you guys are" he said, looking over to Kakashi who was also gathering his stuff.
"You really care about her Hinata, don't you?" Sakura's voice was soft and kind for once, and even as she said it, she couldn't help but feel a little jealous that the way Naruto smiled at the goggles was the way she wanted Sasuke to smile at her. She looked towards her other teammate, who was already packed and ready to go.
"I don't know what that means" Naruto admitted. Sakura assumed he was lying, embarrassed at being called out, but she didn't know that Naruto was being honest when he said he didn't know what it means to care about someone in the way she meant it.
"Let's go, Kurenai and team eight will need us if they're attacked again" Kakashi called out, cutting short whatever conversation would have followed. The four of them jumped back into the trees, and quickly made their way through the otherwise silent forest.
"I've been meaning to ask Naruto" Sasuke, who was currently keeping pace with the blond, kept his eyes ahead. "When did you learn to use sealing techniques?"
"When I was a kid, I was forced to learn. If I got it wrong, they would beat me until I got it right" Naruto answered. Sakura, overhearing this, again thought Naruto was not being entirely honest. Kakashi on the other hand, couldn't help but wonder just how much, if any of that, was false.
"You could have just said you didn't want to tell me" Sasuke coldly replied. Jumping ahead to keep pace with Kakashi instead. Naruto, not understanding what was wrong with what he said, simply stared at his teammates back. Was it so hard to believe that not everyone had a happy childhood like they did?
By the time team seven got to an open road, the sun had long since set and was beginning to rise. They ran through the night and despite covering a lot of ground, they still had a way to go. Sakura long since gave up whining that they were moving to fast and instead was pushing herself to keep up with her teammates. Sasuke didn't say another word to Naruto, and Naruto, still unsure what upset Sasuke to begin with, hadn't said anything to him either. Kakashi was on alert, as much as he wanted to believe that Naruto and Sasuke were a lot more powerful than even they realized, he wasn't willing to bet their lives on it.
When they finally reached the sprawling river separating them from team eight and the client Tazuna, Kakashi felt even more aware of the task at hand. If it was indeed Zabuza that was the one that attacked team eight, Kurenai alone should have been a decent enough opponent for him, what with her prowess in Genjutsu. The fact that she asked for assistance could only mean something was wrong. Something Kakashi was not eager to find out.
As requested, there was someone waiting at the river bank to take them across where they would then have to walk to town and meet up with Kurenai. They were only half way across the river when Naruto started to fidget with something in his pouch.
"What are you looking for, Naruto?" Kakashi asked him, eyeing the boy with curiosity.
"What…oh, nothing" Naruto lied. In truth, he was looking for the scroll with his new sealing technique on it. Not wanting to explain, he went back to sitting still. Hoping that he hadn't left it on his dresser.
Having finally reached the opposite river bank, Kakashi bid their ferryman a farewell while the rest of the team made their way up the small hill.
"Hey, you guys, over here" someone called out to them. When team seven turned towards the voice, they noticed Kiba waving to them. Akamaru, his puppy, sitting happily on his head.
"Kiba, where's Kurenai?" Kakashi asked, as they approached the two.
"Uh…well, she's sick. She's got some sort of fever or something. Tazuna's daughter has been trying to treat her, but there aren't any medical ninjas in this town" Kiba explained. He was clearly worried for his sensei, and even with the comforting hand that Kakashi placed on the boy's shoulder, it did nothing to qualm his uneasiness.
"And the rest of your team?" Kakashi pressed, turning to look for the other members of team eight.
"Oh, well, Kurenai told us she wanted us to train a bit just in case. I managed to finish the training after Hinata—" "Where is she?" Naruto interrupted stepping in front of Kakashi.
"Hinata? She's helping Shino. He was having a bit of trouble with the training. I think he's getting sick too" Kiba explained. "Oh, Kakashi-sensei, I was told to give you this. It's a detailed report of everything that happened since we left the leaf with Tazuna. Kurenai-sensei was worried that she would get worse before you got here. This is supposed to help" Kiba handed a scroll to Kakashi. He didn't open it right away, and instead instructed Kiba to lead them to where Kurenai was at.
"It's sure good to see you guys" Kiba admitted as he led the four of them towards the edge of town. "It's just up here" Kiba gestured towards a house at the end of a pier. "Just a heads up that the old man is a bit grumpy, the kid is a bit moody, and the lady is a bit quiet" Kiba chuckled, but it was one born from frustration, not amusement.
He pushed the door open and there sitting around a table was Hinata, Shino, an old man that Naruto assumed was the client, a woman, and a kid. The moment the door shut behind the five of them, the old man sighed.
"You guys ask for reinforcements and they send more kids. Just how pathetic is the leaf these days?" he complained, eyeing the genin. His eyes rested on Naruto. "This one's dressed like he wants everyone to know where he is. That's it, we're as good as dead" he huffed.
"Dad, don't be rude to our guests" the woman sighed.
"Come on Tsunami, you can't seriously think we're safe with more kids now" the old man chastised. "Think of Inari. They should have sent the big boys to help us, not some wet behind the ears children" he continued to complain.
"Hey, old man. They sent the best team to come and help you. You should feel grateful that they sent the future Hokage to take care of your problems" Naruto shouted, his anger getting the better of him.
"Future Hokage? Please, you got as much chance of being Hokage as I do" the old man laughed. Before Naruto could say anything, Kakashi placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him.
"Mr. Tazuna, I assure you, we can handle whatever may come our way" Kakashi reassured, his one eye shut in a smile. Tazuna didn't look at all like he believed those words but didn't make any further complaints.
"You're all idiots" the boy, Inari, said. He stood up from his seat and walked off to some other part of the house, where a door slammed shut.
"Forgive my son, he's a bit…impetuous sometimes" Tsunami apologized. She gestured for the four new comers to sit with them at the table, which they did. Naruto sat next to Hinata before Sakura or Kiba could, and smiled when she smiled at him.
"Hey Hinata. Are you okay?" he whispered, giving a quick look up and down. She looked tired, but otherwise unharmed.
"Y-yes, Naruto-Kun. I'm f-fine" she said, growing restless under his gaze. Kakashi, who just finished reading the scroll Kiba had handed him, placed a hand on Shino's shoulder.
"You should lie down" he insisted, seeing Shino trying his best not to slump forward. The boy didn't say anything, but allowed Tsunami to lead him to an empty room where he could rest.
"Shino-Kun m-might be g-getting t-the s-same illness as K-Kurenai-sensei" Hinata informed Kakashi.
"We'll have to keep an eye on him. How is Kurenai?" Kakashi looked towards Kiba and Hinata. They both hung their heads.
"She's been asleep since last night. She's fighting off a serious fever. She was fine when we got here, but I don't know what happened" Tsunami explained as she reentered the room.
"From her report she said that a hunter nin showed up and took Zabuza away with them after killing him…is that really what happened?" Kakashi looked towards the two remaining team eight members who nodded.
"Yeah, Kurenai-Sensei and that Zabuza guy were fighting when Kurenai-sensei used some sort of Genjutsu on him. It looked like she was winning when that hunter nin showed up. He said something about needing to dispose of that creepy guy's body before vanishing" Kiba shrugged. "I don't know where they went. Me and Akamaru couldn't pick up a scent" he added, Akamaru yipped in agreement.
"Hm" Kakashi hadn't said anything in response right away and instead looked over Hinata and Kiba. "What kind of training were you assigned?" he asked, though he had a pretty good idea what it could be.
"T-tree climbing" Hinata mumbled, confirming Kakashi's suspicions.
"Tree climbing? What like, branch to branch or something?" Naruto asked, but Kakashi shook his head.
"Could you show Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke how to do this exercise while I speak with our hosts?" Hinata and Kiba both agreed that they could. "I know you three are tired, but give it your best" Kakashi smiled at his team, before shooing them out the door.
"I think he was just trying to get rid of us" Sakura grumbled as the door shut behind them.
"Trust me, the less time you're around that old man, the happier you'll be. He's a jerk" Kiba scoffed. He already started walking towards the forest.
"K-Kiba-Kun, y-you shouldn't s-say t-things like t-that" Hinata said, but Kiba didn't seem to share her sentiment. Team seven followed team eight into the forest before stopping in a clearing.
"So, the idea behind tree climbing is to get your chakra to be at the bottom of your feet so you can climb the tree" Kiba proudly explained, a smug grin on his face. Team seven didn't seem to think that was a very good explanation because they stared at him; confused.
"Here, I'll show you" Kiba proceeded to walk towards the tree before walking up it. He walked all the way up to a branch and sat down. "Like that" he called down to them.
"Not much help, is he?" Naruto said to Sakura, she laughed at this. Which shocked her and Naruto. He expected her to yell at him, laughing wasn't part of their daily interactions.
"I-I can t-try t-to e-explain it b-better" Hinata suggested, standing in front of Naruto. Sakura couldn't help but notice the slight edge in Hinata's otherwise shy tone. Something that Naruto missed completely.
Hinata did in fact manage to explain it a lot better than Kiba did and almost instantly, Sakura was walking up the tree to join Kiba and her, where the three of them watched as Naruto and Sasuke repeatedly failed.
"This is stupid" Naruto complained as he hit the ground again. Sasuke huffed as he landed on his feet, but even he was beginning to grow annoyed.
"Hey, Hinata, I still don't get it!" Naruto yelled up to the three of them.
"What an idiot" Sakura sighed at her teammate but Hinata giggled.
"I think Naruto-Kun is trying his best" she said, her cheeks glowing a shade of pink as she watched Naruto attempt to run up the tree again.
"Naruto's never going to get this. He's dense" Kiba pointed out. Like Sakura, Kiba also noticed the admiration in Hinata's voice. Even the lack of a stutter was something they couldn't help but smile about.
"Yeah, my teammate is quite the dunce when it comes to those things" Sakura added, realizing that Kiba was purposely speaking ill of the blond.
"Don't say that about Naruto-Kun" Hinata snapped. She quickly realized that she was being far more aggressive than she normally was and apologized for it. Sakura and Kiba roared with laughter at this. It looked like everyone but Naruto knew that she liked the blond. 'I could just die from embarrassment' she thought as her peers continued to laugh.
"Hey, you better not be laughing at us" Naruto yelled, as he and Sasuke were both neck and neck running up their trees. They both marked where they made it to before jumping away and landing on their feet.
"Hey Sasuke, do you get the feeling that this is getting easier?" Naruto asked, looking back the marks that each of them made.
"Yeah, the more I practice it the easier it feels" Sasuke agreed. The two of them watched as the other three jumped down from their perch and walked past them.
"Where are you guys going?" Sasuke asked, which was so out of character for him, that the three of them stopped.
"It's almost dinner and Hinata was telling me that she's been helping Tsunami-San with the cooking. Figured I'd help" Sakura looked smug about this, but it was quickly disregarded as Sasuke huffed.
"Whatever" he said before making another run at his tree. Sakura, feeling defeated followed Kiba back towards Tazuna's house while Hinata watched Naruto make another run as well.
'Give it your best, Naruto-Kun' she thought. She hurried away to catch up with the others, leaving the Uzumaki and Uchiha to their training.
"I wonder how those two are doing at this point?" Sakura asked aloud. No sooner had the words left her mouth did the door burst open revealing Sasuke and Naruto. To everyone's surprise the two of them were leaning on one another, holding each other up.
"I'd say…at this point…the two of us are doing great" Naruto smirked. Something that Sasuke mimicked as the two of them took a seat. "We got that tree walking down after you guys left and started training with each other too. Sasuke is way strong" Naruto gushed, punching Sasuke in the arm. Normally the Uchiha would complain about such a show of affection, but he returned the gesture.
"And Naruto is no push over either" he complimented as the two of them started to laugh. Everyone from the leaf watched this interaction as if they were in a bizarro world.
"Teammates that grow stronger together are teammates you can count on" Kakashi said, snapping everyone from their stupor.
"It doesn't matter how strong you get, there's no way you'd be a match for Gato's men even if you train. No matter how much effort you make, the weak always lose against the truly strong!" Inari yelled. Naruto felt as if he might have missed something while he was out but the kid shouting at him annoyed him.
"Shut up, I'm nothing like you" Naruto dismissively said, resting his head on the table.
"You shut up! Looking at you makes me sick! Sticking your nose in even though you know nothing of this land!" Inari shouted, tears streaming down his face.
"Hey, your beef was with me kid—" Kiba started to say, but Inari slammed his palms on the table.
"You shut up too! All of you came here, acting tough and cool like you can do anything when you know nothing about pain!" Inari's voice started to crack, but it wasn't Kiba who said anything. Everyone sat quietly as the boy vented. Everyone except Naruto, who had yet to lift his head.
"So, you're just going to cry all day and give up? Let everyone around you suffer because you rather whine like a baby. Well, go ahead you crybaby!" Naruto growled, the intensity in his eyes made Inari take a step back.
"Naruto! That's a bit harsh" Sakura said, but Naruto wasn't hearing anything she had to say. He stood up and walked away from the table, leaving Inari crying, and everyone else stunned.
Naruto had wandered into the woods in desperate need of a way to calm down. He walked for a not sure where he was even heading and it wasn't until he saw a pretty girl gathering something that he realized how far he actually walked.
"Hello" she said to him as he approached. He was wary of her at first, but so annoyed with that brat from before that he kneeled down next to her to help her.
"What are you doing out here?" Naruto asked her, she smiled at him.
"I'm gathering herbs for a precious person" she answered, picking another plant and placing it in her basket.
"Precious…person?" Naruto repeated, handing the girl another plant that she pointed to.
"When there's something precious a person wants to protect, they become genuinely strong" she
explained, her smile never faltering.
"How do you know you found something precious?" Naruto asked, confusion written all over his face.
"You don't get it?" the girl asked, tilting her head to one side.
"No, not really. I want to understand…I want to know what it means to have a precious something" he admitted, folding his arms.
"Do you think of anyone when you think of someone to protect?" Naruto thought about Hinata and Iruka. He thought about the old man Hokage and even Sasuke, Sakura and Kakashi. Then he remembered not being able to help Rias. Something that he never wanted to happen again. He nodded.
"So, you do get it" she stood up and brushed off her kimono.
"Yeah, I know exactly what you're saying" Naruto agreed. The girl gathered her basket.
"You will get strong. Very strong. Goodbye for now. I'm sure we will meet again" she abruptly said before walking off in the opposite direction that Naruto came.
By the time Naruto had got back to the house, he was still annoyed about what Inari had said, and chose to sit outside on the balcony instead. He could hear what was going on inside, but he wasn't sure he wanted to be part of it at the moment.
"Naruto didn't mean any harm with what he said earlier. He's just…a bit rough around the edges. He doesn't know any better." Kakashi started to say. Getting Inari's attention. "Tazuna told us a bit about your father…what happened to him and everything. You know, like you, Naruto never had a father as a young child. Actually, he doesn't know either of his parents. Not only that but he didn't have a single friend because he grew up in…a very bad place. But you know, from what I've seen, he's never sulked, be timid, or cried about it."
"Sure, he's a little bit odd, but I think that in his own way Naruto cares more about people than even he understands. He's rude. He can be loud or thoughtless, but he's willing to risk his life for what he believes in. I think Naruto is probably tired of crying, which is why I think he knows the true meaning of the word strong. Just like your father. Naruto might understand your feelings the most honestly. What he said earlier, I'm sure he's said those same words to himself countless times" Kakashi's words seemed to not only affect Inari, but everyone at the table.
Hinata held a hand to her heart, burdened by an overwhelming sadness that she couldn't shake, while Sakura couldn't help but feel bad about all the nasty things she had said to her teammate. Even Sasuke looked downtrodden by Kakashi's words.
"Naruto's harsh and sometimes he can be a bit weird. But Naruto is one of those guys that just doesn't give up as long as he's breathing. You can see it in his eyes" Kakashi added. Little did Kakashi know that Naruto was listening from outside, and for once…he felt seen.
The next morning arrived quicker than any of them would have liked, and despite it being a nice day out, bad news quickly followed at every turn of the way. Kiba was now also sick, Hinata was feeling sluggish, and all of Tazuna's men had up and quit the build site in fear of the gangster named Gato.
That didn't stop Tazuna from heading to the build site anyway. He would do it alone if he had to. Something he was determined to make team seven and Hinata understand.
Hinata offered to stay behind to help Tsunami tend to the ill, something that Tsunami was grateful for. Naruto had yet to get up for the day as he hadn't slept much through the night. Hinata also offered to fill him in once he did wake up, something that Kakashi agreed to as he, Sasuke, and Sakura escorted Tazuna to the bridge.
"That Naruto, I can't believe he would be sleeping at a time like this" Sakura yawned as she and Sasuke stood guard. Tazuna was busy hammering something down while Kakashi was keeping an eye out for anyone unfriendly.
"Did you know any of that stuff about Naruto?" Sasuke asked, a surprising gentleness in his voice.
"N-no. I just thought he was ill-mannered" Sakura answered, feeling guilty again about knowing nothing about her teammate.
"Me either" Sasuke admitted, falling silent once again. Before Sakura could say anything else, a thick mist began to creep over the bridge.
Meanwhile, Hinata was tending to Kiba and Shino when a scream from the kitchen caught her attention. She ran out to investigate, and stopped when she saw two men cornering Tsunami by the door. Inari was shouting for them to leave her alone but the two men brushed him off.
"Unfortunately for you missy, Gato wants you as insurance that Tazuna won't finish his bridge. If he knows what's good for ya, he'll leave it alone" one of them said. It wasn't until Inari tried to attack them that Hinata made a move to intervene. However, the moment she did, a third man appeared and wrapped a muscular arm around her neck.
"Looks like we have a little mouse here. Grab the woman and we'll take this one here just in case" he ordered. Inari hunched in a corner, crying at the idea that he could do nothing to help his mother. The door slid shut behind the retreating thugs and the sound of them laughing made Inari angry. It reminded him of Naruto's anger. How he told him to just be a crybaby then.
Inari ran into his room and grabbed the crossbow his father had left behind and went running after his enemies. He wouldn't let them get away this time.
"Hey!" he shouted, letting his arrow fly. It whizzed past the leader of the three's head, cutting his cheek in the process.
"You should have stayed in hiding you little brat" the silver haired one hissed as he charged towards the boy, his two swords drawn. Before he could attack though, he was face planted into the pier with a sickening crack.
"Which one of you tied up Hinata?" Naruto demanded. The venom dripping from his voice was enough to make a smarter man run, but the two thugs, thinking that a kid would be no match for them; laughed.
"I guess there are mice and rats everywhere in this town" the leader took a step forward.
"Inari…sometimes, being a hero means you have to be willing to face your fears for the sake of others, just like your dad" Naruto said, looking back at the boy stricken with diminishing courage. The leader of the three took another step forward, drawing a sword from his waist.
"I heard about your dad, and he sounds super cool" Naruto praised, giving the boy a thumbs up. "Never forget that" Naruto charged forward and in the blink of an eye, the leader as well as the remaining thug hit the pier with a dull thud.
"Inari, take care of your mother and Hinata for me, would ya? Something tells me that the rest of my friends need my help too" Naruto's grim expression left no room for argument from the boy as he kneeled next to Tsunami and Hinata.
"Naruto-Kun!" Hinata shouted, the moment Inari removed the gag on her. It was too late though as Naruto was already speeding towards the bridge.
"You know…Naruto…is kind of cool, isn't he?" Inari said in awe as he stared at the spot the boy in orange disappeared at.
Hinata wanted to gush and praise her crush but fought the urge; "Inari, help me take your mother inside, I need to go help Naruto as well" gone was the stuttering, shy girl. Hinata was determined to help, not only Naruto, but the rest of team seven anyway she could.
Once Tsunami was safely inside and Hinata checked on her teammates and sensei she was running out the door as well. Inari, feeling that he could be doing something too to help, gathered his crossbow and was running out the door as well. Though he ran in the opposite direction of the Hyuga, he was also determined to help anyway he could.
"Sasuke, Sakura, protect Tazuna" Kakashi called out. The two of them jumped to Tazuna's side and Kakashi came to stand in front of the bridge builder.
"Well, well, well…they sent the copy ninja Kakashi here too. I guess killing you would prove my skill, wouldn't you agree?" a chilling voice rang out from the fog. A man with bandages on the bottom half of his face appeared not more than twenty feet from team seven, a boy next to him in a white mask with red markings.
"So, the whole hunter nin thing was a gimmick?" Kakashi asked, making Zabuza laugh.
"I didn't expect the Genjutsu mistress to be able to actually catch me with one of her illusions. Haku here was my insurance if anything went wrong" Zabuza replied, nodding towards the boy next to him.
"I guess there's no way to talk this out, is there?" Kakashi suggested, but Zabuza drew the giant sword from his back.
"Nope. I'm here for the bridge builder. If you get in my way, I'll kill you all too" as soon as the words left Zabuza's mouth, Haku charged forward to attack but it was Sasuke who intercepted him. With a swift kick to the chest, he sent the boy skidding back.
"Oh, not bad. You were able to keep up with Haku. Not many people are capable of that" Zabuza praised. "I wonder just how long you can do that for."
"Sasuke, you handle the boy. I'll handle Zabuza. Sakura, you protect Tazuna at all costs" Kakashi ordered. With their assignments given, Kakashi reached up to his headband and pulled it up. "I'll fight you seriously Zabuza Momochi; demon of the hidden mist village" Kakashi called out. Sasuke's shock was evident as he studied the red eye of Kakashi.
"So, that's the fabled Sharingan" Zabuza admired the eye just as much as Sasuke did. Before Sasuke could ask anything about the eye however, Haku charged forward again. This time though, when Sasuke went to attack, Haku captured one of his hands with his own.
"Looks like a stalemate here" Sasuke scoffed, but Zabuza couldn't help but laugh. "Sorry kid, but Haku isn't your typical ninja" he said. Haku went through hand seals one handed, shocking both Sasuke and Kakashi. He then stomped his foot to the ground, right in a puddle that Sasuke was standing in.
"Secret jutsu: A thousand needles of death" Haku called out. The water underneath Sasuke's feet rose into the air before forming into needles made of ice. They shot down leaving Sasuke very little time to dodge. He jumped back in time but not before a few needles managed to graze him in various places.
"Oh, definitely not bad kid. Being able to keep up with Haku and being able to dodge one of his most deadly attacks. Impressive indeed. But no more games. Haku, I'll leave that brat to you" Zabuza called out. Haku slowly led Sasuke away from the rest of the group. Something that Kakashi would have liked to stop but knew better.
As soon as they were far enough from the rest of the group, Sasuke went on the offensive. Haku was good at dodging and countering, something that frustrated Sasuke. Whenever he thought he would land a hit, Haku would jump out of the way almost as if he knew what Sasuke would do before he did it.
"Fire style: Fireball jutsu" a massive fireball erupted from Sasuke's mouth, but Haku was just simply faster than it, dodging it easily.
"It looks like you're not as good as you thought you were" Haku taunted, striking a nerve with Sasuke. "Allow me to show you the difference in our power" Haku added. He went through a series of hand seals before stopping in a sign Sasuke had never seen before.
"Secret jutsu: Demonic mirroring ice crystals" Haku called out. Sasuke watched as Haku stepped into one of the ice mirrors. Whatever this technique was, he could tell the odds were not in his favor now.
"I hope you know that kid's as good as dead" Zabuza informed them. Sakura made a motion to run after Sasuke but Kakashi extended his hand to stop her.
"No. Your top priority is protecting Tazuna" he reminded her. Sensing she was about to argue he smiled at her; "Trust in Sasuke" he said. She let out a breath that was hitched in her throat but nodded in agreement.
"It's too bad for you that I'm your opponent, copy ninja Kakashi. The rumors about you and your Sharingan are almost that of legend. Which isn't a good thing for you. I know how to counter your ocular jutsu" Zabuza said. He shut his eyes as the fog around them started to grow thicker.
"You can't place me in a Genjutsu using your Sharingan if my eyes are closed the whole time" he added, but Sakura laughed.
"Then you can't see either" she pointed out, but the sinister growl that escaped Zabuza silenced her.
"Foolish girl, with the hiding in mist technique I don't need my eyes. I can kill you based solely on sound. This is the true power of an assassin" he explained. Sakura felt a chill run down her spine as Kakashi pushed her and Tazuna out of the way. Zabuza's sword cut across the Jonin's chest as the sword crashed into the concrete.
"Not bad. To be able to sense where I was and save them at the same time…your reputation is well earned" Zabuza praised. Kakashi huffed as blood slowly started to stain his vest.
"This isn't going to be easy" he mumbled to himself. Before he could think about his next step, Sasuke's scream drew all their attention.
"Well, sounds like Haku is using his demonic ice mirrors to toy with that kid. You should have said goodbye. Looks like my weapon is better than yours in the end" Zabuza's voice froze Sakura in fear. 'Sasuke…is gonna…die?' she couldn't move her legs even though she desperately wanted to.
"Sasuke!" she cried out, but he didn't answer. In an act of cruelty, Zabuza lifted the mist just enough that a dome of floating ice mirrors could be seen. In the center, Sasuke was curled up on his knees, senbon needles were sticking out of his body almost covering him completely.
"Poor kid, looks like he didn't stand a chance after all" Zabuza was about to turn away as Haku moved in to finish Sasuke off, but just as he leaped towards the injured Uchiha, a blur of orange went rocketing into the dome landing a straight left to Haku. Sending the boy rolling limb over limb before skidding to a stop.
"Sorry I'm late but…Naruto Uzumaki is here!"
AN: Oh ho, Naruto is finally on the scene. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter as it was a lot of fun for me to incorporate team eight into this scenario. Yes, I lied. I said no more NaruHina stuff for at least ten thousand words but I couldn't help myself. I refused to do that whole demon cat Tora thing, and I wanted to jump right into Zabuza and Haku. Sorry for the cliffhanger, but at the same time, think of it as the end of the episode. When we next pick up, there will be blood. Ohhhh there will be blood. So, until then, take care.