Chapter 8: Naruto's Determination

During the morning Kira and Sakura were told to protect Tazuna while he went back to work on the bridge. So far things seemed to be boring, both were begging for something to keep them awake. They attempted to chat with one another but that just ended within the first two minutes.

"All alone and lonesome? Where are blondie and pretty boy?" Tazuna asked sparking up a brief conversation with the two girls.

"Training." Sakura answered shrugging her shoulders.

"Then why aren't you two with them?"

"I surpassed them. Kakashi told me to stay here and protect you." Sakura said confidently, a smug grin plastered over her face.

"Really?"

"Yeah I'm not that surprised those boys are always battling each other to figure out who's better never actually focusing on the task at hand." Kira sighed stretching her arms out in front of her.

"What about you?" He asked Kira this time, Tazuna didn't think the two girls could be alone with each other for more than five minutes.

"I had already mastered the training Kakashi was teaching. Kakashi said the two of us would be fine to protect you." He shrugged bending over to pick up his beam of wood.

"Tazuna, can I talk to you?" A man called out.

"Whats wrong, Giichi?" Tazuna didn't seem too worried. Barely glancing in his direction.

"I've been thinking it over, this bridge we're working on, I want off the job!" Tazuna sputtered staring at his worker shocked. "Why?! Out of nowhere like this, you of all people!" They must have worked together for years and grown close. It's no wonder why Tazuna feels betrayed but he must have a good enough reason.

"Tazuna! We go back a long way. I want to help you, but we can't take this risk. Gato will take out a contract on us if you don't stop! And if you die, it won't be this one project we could lose everything!" Giichi argued, trying to make his point across to his old friend. "Please, just give it up. The bridge isnt' worth it."

Sakura and Kira glance at one another before looking back at the men. "I can't do that. This bridge belongs to us all. It's everything we've been working toward, for our entire city. When it's finished, it will bring trade and commerce and affluence to us, and put out poor, little lands of the waves on the map!" Tazuna explained so passionately.

"But we're talking about lives here. Your life!" Giichi yelled.

"It's afternoon now already, isn't it? Lets call it a day. Giichi you don't have to come back."

'Wow,' The girls glance at one another unable to speak just yet. Heavy minded form what just happened.

Tazuna and the girls walked through the market on their way home. "My daughter asked me to pick up some things for our lunch on the way home," Tazuna explained. This town was broken. Almost everyone was either stealing, begging for money, or walking to their homes looking thin, very unhealthy.

"Here we are!" Tazuna announced showing the girls inside. Inside there was barely any food at all; everything was overpriced for a bunch of little fish or some tomatoes or vegetables. Thieves were everywhere. One guy tried to take Sakura's pouch only to get kicked in the face while she screamed pervert.

"Well that certainly was a surprise." Tazuna muttered when they finally were on their way home.

"What is with this town?" She finally asked the question plaguing her. A little girl yanked on the back of Sakura's shirt trying to get her attention. Kira and Sakura dug through their bags looking for something little kids love the most. Candy. We each pulled out a couple and gave it to the cute little girl whose eyes lit up. "Wow!" She giggled before running off with a quick thanks.

"It's been like this ever since Gato moved in. We've become a city of slackers, cowards and fools! That's why the bridge we are building is so essential. It will be an emblem of courage. Maybe the people who've taken the path of least resistance will be willing to walk the road of courage and dignity again. If we can only complete it; I truly believe that our city and our people can what they once were again!"

"Don't worry Tazuna. We'll stop Gato for you so you can finish your bridge in peace, after he's gone everything will be as it should be." Kira clenched her fist determined to help these people. Gato was a sick man who needed to be stopped. Having destroyed this once great city turning it into what it is today.

With Naruto and Sasuke:

Naruto and Sasuke were neck and neck running up the tree determined to beat the other. Sasuke was only a foot ahead of him. Naruto let out a growl as he slipped and fell from the tree. Not even a second later Sasuke fell as well. Taking notice that Naruto was catching up.

'Darn it!' Naruto glared at Sasuke's perfect landing. 'Hey wait a minute! I can't let Sasuke distract me. I need total concentration. Now, pay attention, it takes mental energy to generate and manipulate chakra, so if you get all stressed out or distracted you can't do it. Take it easy. Relax and focus on the tree until you can feel how much or how little energy you'll need to center in the soles of your feet.' Naruto thought getting in the zone, his body relaxed. He was ready.

'This time for sure!' Naruto thought shooting off towards his tree. Unfortunately Sasuke decided to distract Naruto at that exact moment. "Hey Naruto!" From Sasuke's shout Naruto fell flat on his face.

"YOU'RE BREAKING MY CONCENTRATION! STOP BUGGING ME!" Naruto screamed. "Well uh…" Naruto crossed his arms over his chest glaring at Sasuke suspiciously. "What? What is it?"

"Wh, What did Sakura say to you?" Sasuke blushed looking away. He felt disgusted that he had to ask Naruto of all people what she said because he couldn't get the hang of it.

"None of your business!" Naruto smiled victoriously. "Whatever. Kira already told me what to do." Sasuke scoffed looking away from Naruto.

"What did she tell you?" Naruto stared confused. "None of your business." Naruto growled glaring at Sasuke. It's not like Kira wouldn't tell him how to do it. Kira was his best friend. He just couldn't believe that Kira would train Sasuke, Sasuke was too proud for that to happen.

"Whatever," Sasuke walked away in the direction of the house.

"'whatever' yeah right like Kira would tell you what to do." Naruto did his best Sasuke voice annoyed. Naruto's stomach growled. Yeah time for lunch. Running back to the house Tazuna, Sakura, and Kira were sitting in the living room speaking with Kakashi about the bridge.

"Since everyone's here I'll whip something up. Boys would you please wash up?" Tsunami asked smiling at the boys.

"Yes ma'am." Twenty minutes later the boys were cleaned up and the food was served and everyone was sitting around the table enjoying the delicious food Tsunami was nice enough to make for the group.

Sasuke and Naruto started to scarf down bowls and bowls of food at incredible speed glaring at one another while doing so.

"Boy, this is real fun! I can't remember the last time I shared a meal with so many people!" Tazuna cried happily smiling at the group. Inari sat silently playing with his food.

"Thank you for the food," Kira called before digging in with her friends. The food that was served was a mixture of rice, some fish, and beans. It might not have been much but it tasted amazing. With what little food that Tsunami had, she was able to create an amazing meal.

"More please!" Naruto and Sasuke yelled showing their empty bowls while scowling at one another. Swallowing the last of the food in their mouths their eyes widen. A green color spread across their faces as they vomited the contents of their once full stomachs.

"STOP EATING IF YOU'RE GONNA HURL IT BACK UP!" Sakura screamed at Naruto her face turning into a monster's again. It was clear she was yelling at Naruto, she'd never yell at Sasuke in fear that he would hate her.

"No, I wanna eat." Sasuke huffed feeling better.

"Because even if we make ourselves sick to do it, we have to eat if we want to get strong!" Naruto smirked tears in his eyes.

Kakashi shook his head giving the others a look that said 'boys will be boys'. Sakura gave Sasuke a dreamy look quite happy at being so close to her crush.

"You two are idiots. If all you're going to do is keep eating and then barf it up, it wont help you get stronger." Kira sighed pinching the bridge of her nose. "Besides, leave some food for Tsunami so she doesn't go hungry because you two idiots ate all the food."

"Sorry," they muttered looking back at the table.

Sakura excused herself and started to look around the small room. Taking notice of a picture frame hanging on the wall. It looked like a family picture with Tazuna, Tsunami, and Inari looking all happy together. Only problem was the picture had torn off the head of the fourth member of the picture.

"Excuse me, why is this picture torn?" Sakura asked either Tazuna or Tsunami. "Little Inari was looking at this the whole time we were having dinner. Someone's face is completely gone. It that deliberate?"

Tsunami's body went stiff. Her hands clenching the side of the sink till her knuckles turned white. She refused to look our way.

"It was a picture of Inari's father."

"Once upon a time, if you will our entire city called him a hero." Tazuna spoke softly the pain in his voice wasn't hard to pick up on. Inari shoved his chair away from the table storming away from the group of people.

"Inari! Where are you going?" Inari slammed the door closed, refusing to answer his mother. "Inari!" She cried. Glaring at her father "Father! I've told you time and again not to mention that in front of my son!" She blamed before running after her child.

"So you're talking about what it is that makes Inari act so strangely?"

"It sounds like there's a story there." Kakashi spoke for the first time since they sat down.

"The man in the picture was not Inari's birth father, but they were as loving and close as any biological father and son could have been. Inari was such a happy, laughing child back then. But Inari changed after what happened to his father."

Tazuna let the few tears fall. "Our people and especially little Inari were robbed of the very meaning of courage because of what happened that day." The memory must be hard to speak of. Though we were all curious for answers Kakashi was the one to speak for us. Asking Tazuna in the best way he could without hurting him more.

"What happened? What was it? What could have changed Inari so much?" Kakashi spoke softly, glancing at his younger sister he saw she was worried. Her bright crimson eyes clung to the old me. Biting her bottom lip out of nerves.

"I'll start at the beginning and tell you about the man who our entire land called a champion and a hero." Tazuna pinched the bridge of his nose wiping the fresh tears away.

"Champion?" Naruto muttered confused.

"It was about three years ago that Inari and the man first met. Tazuna went into detail about how Inari was trying to get his dog Poochie back from three bullies. How the leader of the bullies had kicked Inari in not knowing that he couldn't swim. Inari had cried out for help, begging for someone to save him while Poochie got away. He had thought he was done for.

When he woke up on land he was disoriented and confused. The man had saved him, giving him fish to regain his strength, and words of encouragement to make the boy feel better. Whatever the man said to Inari stuck with the boy making him happy, staring a wonderful relationship for a father and son.

"His name was Kaiza. He was a fisherman who came here from abroad to seek his fortune. From that forward, Inari's affection for Kaiza grew and grew. "It probably had something to do with Inari's real father having died before the boy was old enough to remember him, even so the boy stuck to Kaiza like white on rice. They were always together, like any other father and son. In no time at all, Kaiza was like one of the family."

Naruto smiled to himself thinking of how cool it would be to have someone to call a father as a kid, he was envious of Inari for having such a wonderful family and mad that he would take it for granted like this. Not even realizing what it was like to be alone.

"He was just the kind of man this town needs more of," Tazuna thought back to when the big flood hit. Kaiza being the only one brave and strong enough to protect the city. Kaiza had saved the city form being flooded.

"People had started calling Kaiza a champion and a hero. With a father like that, Inari could hold his head up high. Until Gato came to town."

"And the incident you've alluded to took place." Kakashi assumed. Tazuna frowned staring at the table. "So what happened?"

Tazuna gave a shudder, shaking at the memory. "In front of the entire city, Gato had Kaiza put to death."

"What?" Sakura gasped with the rest of the group. Eyes wide with shock. They knew the story would end badly but they never thought he would be publically executed. Kira gasped onto Naruto's hand tightly thinking of just watching something like that.

What Inari must have felt to witness the death of the person he called a father. "Ever since then, Inari has changed and Tsunami and everyone in the city's changed, too."

"No wonder Inari has changed…" Kira whispered staring at the table shocked. She felt numb at the thought of going through what he went through. No wonder he doesn't think heroes are real. Why he was crying in his room that day.

It made perfect sense!

Naruto shot out of his seat in an attempt to run off; but he fell flat on his face.

"What are you doing, Naruto?" Sakura asked annoyed, rolling her emerald green eyes at the blond idiot.

"Don't even think about training anymore today. If you try to work your Chakras anymore with getting some rest first, it would probably kill you." Kakashi informed him.

"I'm going to prove to him that he's wrong!" Naruto promised.

"Prove what? To whom?"

"I'm going to show Inari that there are still Heroes in the world!" Naruto stormed outside in the dead of night determined to get better.

Kira stared at the table thinking things over before standing up. "Where are you going?" Sakura decided to ask.

"I was going to go to the bathroom, but if you're that worried about me you can come." Kira replied with a soft sigh shifting her head to look at Sakura tiredly.

"No thanks, I don't need to be alone with you." Sakura murmured looking away. Kira nodded before walking up the stairs away from prying eyes. She walked through the halls till she heard Inari's soft sobs and Tsunami's soft voice trying to comfort her child.

She felt so bad that Inari and Tsunami had to witness that, his dad seemed like a great guy and that he truly cared for the family.

Knocking on the door softly Kira slowly opened the door. "You doing okay Inari?" Her voice wasn't loud but it wasn't too quiet.

"I'm fine go away!" Inari snapped glaring at the gray haired girl. She gave a soft smile to the still distraught boy.

"I know, I just wanted to say sorry for making you upset earlier. We didn't know." Inari glared at the floor, his fists turned white for how hard he was clenching them.

"Thank you Kira, I'm sorry about what you and your friends had to see." Kira gave the woman a smile that tried to look convincing.

"No need to apologize, I understand completely now why it happened. How Inari feels. I just wanted to check in on him and make sure he's okay." Inari buried his head deeper into his mothers stomach. Kira closed the door and walked outside to find her goofy blonde haired friend.

She was worried he'd get himself killed training so hard. It didn't take long to follow the grunts, curses, and pants. Naruto had dashed up higher than before marking where he made it before falling. "Please be careful Naru."

Naruto frowned throwing his Kunai to the ground annoyed. "I just cant seem to get it." He plopped to the ground. Rushing to sit beside him Kira hugged his right arm.

"Naruto, you're the only one of this group who I believe will surpass everyone." Naruto gave a half smile having heard her encourage him all his life.

"Why do you say things like that? Giving out false hope, making me feel like…" Naruto started staring at the ground disappointed.

"You idiot. You're my best friend. I know you can do this, it's just like a prank you haven't successfully finished. Besides you're smarter than you give yourself credit for, brave, one of the bravest guys I know…I know you'll show Inari what a Hero is again."

Naruto gave a half smile while staring off into the distance. Slowly Kira linked their fingers together, watching the animals return to the clearing going back to their normal routine.

"How am I supposed to be Hokage if I can't even master standing on a tree?" Naruto grumbled staring at all the marks in the tree.

"You will be Hokage, and you will master this. Even if I have to help you by adding training wheels." Kira encouraged.

"Training wheels?"

Nodding Kira pulled Naruto to his feet dragging him over to a new tree smiling excitedly at the blonde. "What do you mean 'Training Wheels' Kira?"

"Activate the Chakra in your feet." Naruto started at his best friend suspiciously before doing as asked. Looking up he noticed Kira had as well. "Start walking up the tree." Kira said grabbing onto Naruto's shoulders.

Slowly but surely Naruto stated to walk up the tree, Kira not far behind him. Her hands pressed into his back so that if he falls she'd catch him.

The Chakra in his feet soon vanished causing him to fall into her. Though Kira was anticipating the fall, his weight was what confused her. His big feet stepping on hers, some of his hair shoved into her face. "Sorry!"

Kira only laughed pushing him to the limb where they could sit. "You did great for just walking! Soon enough you won't need me."

"You know I'll always need you. The next great Hokage is going to need the best advisor." The two linked hands and stared at the sky. The moon was half full but the stars were so bright. The air was crisp and the crickets chirped loudly around them.

"You really think I can prove to Inari?" Naruto asked again, obviously it was still bothering him. "No doubt in my mind. I'm positive you'll change his mind." The two kids rested their heads against one another staring off into the sky.

Kira's heart pounded extra fast, even though she could feel the sweat gliding off Naruto and on herself she couldn't help but feel happy that Naruto was holding her. Since the first day they met Kira knew she would love Naruto forever. Even if he didn't feel the same.

He was so kind, he defended those he cared about, his determination, his consistent love of Ramen, heck he didn't even know Inari that well and now he's trying to prove to the little boy that Heroes are real again and that sitting around crying isn't going to solve anything. Hard work and determination. With everything Naruto's been through she just wanted to make things better for him somehow, even if it was as much as buying him Ramen, anything to make his day better.

She loved him so much but knew deep in her heart that he would never feel the same, that they would always be friends, the best of friends and she was okay with that. As long as he was in her life she'd be happy. It kills her to watch him go after Sakura when all she does is yell and hit him.

"Thanks Kira, I don't know what I'd do without you." Kira was sure he'd be just fine without her.

"I'll always be here to help you Naru. Now you ready to try again?" Naruto nodded determined to master this technique.