AN: A very special thanks to jjcoop95, an incredibly kind and loyal reader of mine that has followed my story since the beginning. Almost to two thousand views!
The Way of Heroes
A2 E6/8 The Battle on the Bridge Begins! Our Heroes Fight Murder Inc.!
It was a bright day, Sun shining and birds chirping, a feminine, petite and fragile looking creature plucked several herbs out of the ground, a slight smile on his face. Haku's happy, brown eyes welcomed one such chirping bird as the avian landed on his shoulder, feet hitting the pink robe-fabric on his body. The bird twisted its head suddenly upon hearing another of its kind chirping to Haku's left. Soon, the bird left and flapped over to the source of the calls, a trio of birds, resting on an unconscious orange clad body.
It was a blonde boy with a Leaf Genin Headband, a kunai in one hand clenched tightly. The boy's head turned, and he breathed sporadically for a moment, and in an instant Haku recognized the Leaf insignia on the forehead protector. Then, upon looking at the features of the face, the flash of fear and anger that had clouded Haku's eyes vanished, as the boy recognized the blonde genin. Haku stood up, walking towards the sleeping Naruto quietly throughout the forest, and his sandaled feet stopped just before the genin. A feminine hand reached out to Naruto's breathing form.
The Way of Heroes
A sleepy Sakura yawned, "Good morning everyone," as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. She was standing in the Tazuna House's kitchen, as Tsunami stood washing dishes for breakfast. Tazuna, Sasuke, and Kakashi sat at the table when Sakura sat down. Tazuna wondered, "Where's Naruto?" "He stayed out all night training," Sasuke answered, and Sakura commented, "He's gone crazy, trying to climb trees in the dark. He could be dead by now for all we know… Used too much Chakra." Inari found his seat shortly thereafter, and his mother brought steaming food over to the table, saying, "I certainly hope he's okay," and gestured to the empty seat beside Inari, "Where's Luffy?"
As if answering the sound of his name, the Rubber-Pirate pranced into the room through the door, howling with delight, "I smell meat!" Tazuna scowled, retorting, "You idiot, have your nose checked. We haven't farmed in decades on this Island, and we don't have the trade resources to build the sailing ships like we used to, so what you smell is fish." "Fish is meat stupid!" Luffy laughed at the Old Man's ignorance, and eagerly plopped down and gnashed his teeth ravenously into the meal.
Sakura scolded, "LUFFY! Where are your manners?" The Rubberboy belched, then apologized, "Yeah sorry, (gnash) thish (slurp) food (gulp) is great!" The pinkette shot Luffy a look that would give a small rodent a heart attack. Overly morbid as usual, the cold Sasuke remarked, "Naruto is such a loser anyway. He's probably out there dead somewhere." The Last Uchiha got up sullenly, and Sakura gasped with concern, "Sasuke? Where are you going?" "I'm going for a walk," Sasuke replied, slightly irritated with having to explain himself. "But we just started eating…" Sakura said, only to be silenced by the slamming of the outside door behind Sasuke. Luffy grinned remarking, "Oh well. More for me!" He stretched his right hand across the albeit short table beyond a normal human's limits, and readily grabbed at the plate full of fish and lettuce that made up the uneaten breakfast. Sakura slapped the Rubberboy's hand away, scolding again, "Hey! Don't touch Sasuke's food Luffy!"
Kakashi sighed, "Leave it be Sakura. It will go to waste anyway. Just let him eat it." Sakura relented, her eyes going to the floor in embarrassment. Luffy, victorious, stuck his tongue out and teased the kunoichi. He scarfed down the food immediately, and turned to Inari, who was staring at the table in deep thought, who hadn't touched his food. Kakashi added, "Even though that was Sasuke's third plate that Luffy just ate, we should still be grateful for what we have, Luffy." The Sharingan Hero eyeballed the Pirate, who pouted but stopped looking at Inari's plate.
The Way of Heroes
The outstretched, pale hand of Haku's grabbed Naruto's shoulder, and shook him gently. Haku whispered, "Hey, wake up. You'll catch cold if you sleep here." Although he was still groggy, Naruto shot up when he saw the stranger in the form of Haku, sitting up straight as an arrow. He rubbed his eyes and yawned, "Who the heck are you?" He blushed, as if suddenly realizing the stranger's pale beauty. He stuttered, "Uh – I mean – Uh – Hi there. What are you doing – uh – out here and all that."
Naruto's usual rambunctious energy seemed to match his environment for once, his hyperactivity soothed by Haku's presence. Haku explained, "I'm gathering herbs for some medicine." "Herbs?" Naruto asked, and Haku confirmed, "That's right. They're for curing illnesses and treating wounds." A few minutes went by of small talk, and Haku began picking more herbs from the grass, and after a moment of that, Naruto joined his newfound friend.
Naruto sat in a cross-legged position noting, "You start work early huh Sis." "I like it early, it's calm and quiet. I didn't think I'd find anybody out here sleeping in the woods, but I like the company," Haku smiled, complementing the blonde. Naruto beamed, laughing, "I'm training." Haku's eyes went wide with surprise, but he never ebbed out of the calm flow of the serene wood for more than an instant. Haku asked, "So are you a ninja? I noticed that headband you are wearing, but I thought it might have just been a fashion statement."
"You noticed that? Alright! Only super cool ninja can wear these."
"Oh really? I see, that's very impressive."
"I am impressive…" Naruto chuckled, but Haku asked, "Doesn't that mean you must be training for something dangerous? Like a mission or something?" "I'm just developing my skills so that I can become stronger," Naruto explained, and Haku was taken aback, staying silent for a few moments. "You seem very strong now, isn't that enough?" Haku asked, but Naruto denied, "No I need to get stronger and stronger! I have to keep practicing."
"Is that so? Why is that so important?"
"Because I'm gonna become Hokage someday, the top dog ninja from my Village in the Land of Fire. So then everyone will know who I am and they'll all respect me! There's also a certain person that I promised something to, and I have to prove it to him that Naruto Uzumaki doesn't back down!"
"Is it, someone precious to you?"
"Someone who… What? Whaddya saying Sis whaddya mean precious?" Naruto asked, stunned at Haku's confusion. In his own unmentioned confusion, Naruto thought, What's she thinking at all? It was a few moments before Haku's thoughtful gaze went back to Naruto's eyes, and he murmured, "You see, when there is someone precious that you must protect, then you will become truly strong." Naruto's eyes widened, then he pondered the crossdresser's words. He recalled everything that had happened, everyone strong that he could think of, all the things and people they were protecting when they did that.
When Kaiza saved this Village from flooding, when Kakashi saved us from Zabuza, when Iruka saved me from Mizuki, and when Luffy did it too. The Third Hokage is the strongest ninja around because he's always protecting the Village. So many powerful Marines he heard about, they all were so strong because their beliefs were strong, they were protecting their ways of life. I guess that's why Pirates fight too. They just want to fight for what they believe is right. They're protecting something too. Everyone is… Naruto realized, even remembering his own power when he was protecting Iruka-sensei from Mizuki.
He agreed, "Yeah, I hear ya! I know exactly what you're saying." Haku got up, smiling and grabbing the now brimming full basket off the ground. The crossdresser commented, "You will get strong, very strong. Goodbye, we'll meet again sometime." Starting to walk off, Haku added, "Oh and by the way, I'm a boy." Naruto face-faulted, slamming his shamed head onto the ground, the calm air that Haku's presence had given him gone with the crossdresser himself. NO WAY! He's prettier than Sakura!
As the Last of the Uchiha walked through the forest apathetically, he paused as he was passed by an odd girl in pink, Haku. Immediately the turmoil that usually made up most of his being was calmed, and he felt no need to find Naruto. But only for a moment, as these effects were temporary, and after they wore off, he was utterly distraught. Sasuke craned his neck to follow the girl's movements, but he saw nothing odd. He sensed something familiar about her presence, something, deadly. He shook off the feelings, going back to his retrieval of Naruto.
Soon he found Naruto, who was still talking to himself about the strange occurrence from earlier. "Woah I've seen a lot of weird stuff in my life but this one takes the cake," Naruto said, still shaking his head at the fiasco. Sasuke rolled his eyes and commanded, "Shut up Naruto," and asked, "Did you forget about Breakfast? The Bridge Builder and his family are getting worried. Come on Loser." But the blonde only laughed off the orphan's insults, which served to make Sasuke wince, "Ugh, you could really use a mint Morning Breath."
The Way of Heroes
It was a few minutes later, and now Kakashi and Sakura joined the search for the Fox Ninja. "Where could they be? Sasuke went out almost an hour ago and we haven't seen either of them," Sakura said. "Don't worry, maybe Luffy's having better luck. Even if he hasn't found them, we're bound to run into one of them sooner or later," Kakashi replied. Right on cue, a kunai shot from the tops of the thick brush of tree leaves, landing right in front of Sakura's exposed toes. Both she and Kakashi's heads shot up, then they saw Naruto's sweating form on the top of a tall tree's highest branch resting.
Sakura wondered, Woah! Naruto can climb that high up trees now? From high above them, Naruto grinned and cheered, "Whaddya think? High enough for you guys? I mean, it's a long way down from here haha!" Jumping up excitedly, Naruto suddenly lost his balance, starting to fall off the branch. He screamed, and both the ninja beneath him could do nothing but gasp in shock as their comrade began his descent. Just as Sakura screamed, Kakashi realized that Naruto's foot had never left the bottom of the branch.
Using his Chakra Control, Naruto had tricked the both of them. He shouted triumphantly, "Haha just kidding! I'm not so stupid that I just fall off of trees!" Kakashi shook his head at his hyper protégé's antics, and Naruto joked, "You guys really, fell for it! HAHAHA!" He howled with laughter now, holding his sides because he was laughing so hard.
Sakura scolded, "We were worried about you Naruto!" I'm gonna strange you Dork! Kakashi took a mental note, Why do I get the feeling that this is going to end badly? With an audible pop, Kakashi's suspicions were confirmed as Naruto's feet flew from the tree's bark. "You just had to push it didn't ya!" Sakura screamed, and watched as her teammate started to fall. STUPID SHOWOFF!
Quick footwork up the tree outpaced the falling genin, whose leg was caught by the upwardly mobile Sasuke. Then, out of the brush next to the ground level ninja, the Rubberboy ran out in front of them. He yelled, "What happened? Did someone's meat get poisoned?" He asked, extremely concerned about the possible food toxication, face turning green at the very thought.
"You really are a total loser Naruto," Sasuke chided his comrade, swinging the blonde back and forth. Sakura explained to the late pirate, "Well Naruto was being a showoff, and Sasuke was as cool as usual, so he had to save Naruto." Kakashi shook his head and muttered, "If I'm still sane by the time I finish my training it will be a miracle," Just as he heard Luffy worrying about whether the meat was poisoned, and Sakura's nonstop fangirling over Sasuke, and Naruto's and Sasuke's bickering. It would indeed be a miracle.
The Way of Heroes
"So, Naruto Uzumaki? Monkey D. Luffy? Hokage and King of the Pirates," Inari said, whispering as he was lying on his bed thinking. What am I supposed to believe? Daddy was a Marine, but Naruto's a ninja, and Luffy's a pirate. Grandpa Tazuna's a Marine too, but all the Marines ran away when Gato came. What should I do? Who are the real heroes? Are there real heroes?
The Way of Heroes
Within their secluded hideout, Zabuza snapped an apple into bits with one hand. Haku commented, "You're getting better aren't you Zabuza-sensei." "Just a little longer Haku," Zabuza said, "Then we'll be ready to take on those ninja brats for real this time." He turned, noticing that Haku had gotten into his ninja gear, rather than the pink girl's kimono that the crossdresser preferred. He said nothing, knowing it was best not to piss off his doctor and tool needlessly.
The Way of Heroes
It was Dinner, and the seats were arranged with Tsunami passing out the plates full of steaming food. Luffy gobbled into his food like it was going out of style as he sat by the slower paced Inari. Sakura sat on one end while Tazuna sat on the opposite of the table, with Tsunami's plate designated next to Kakashi's. Two empty plates were next to Tsunami's and Luffy's.
Sakura looked at the time and said, "Now they're both late. I wouldn't have expected that from Sasuke…" Luffy shrugged, "More for me!" A death stare from Sakura stopped the rubber hand from touching Sasuke's food dead cold. Suddenly, the door opened and Sasuke limped forward, with Naruto shakily behind him.
Tazuna yawned, asking, "What have you two been up to? You guys look like something the cat dragged in." Naruto grinned, declaring, "We both made it. We climbed all the way to the top Old Man." Kakashi nodded, "Good." Sakura clapped her hands in approval, then gestured for Sasuke to sit next to Tsunami. Luffy was noticeably unimpressed laughing, "You guys don't even know how to climb trees? I could get to the top of a tree with my head! HAHA!" Sasuke pulled out the bench and sat down muttering, "We don't all have rubber bodies idiot." "Oh yeah, hahaha!" Luffy laughed at his own forgetfulness.
Calming the storm, Kakashi stated, "Now we move on. Starting tomorrow you're both body guards for Tazuna. You too Luffy." Naruto and Luffy cheered, grinning and high-fiving. Sasuke smirked slightly, showing that he was massively excited by this turn of events.
The Way of Heroes
After everyone had finished dinner, Tazuna was talking to the group, "In just a few days, the Bridge will be complete, and I have you to thank for that." Tsunami made sure her father didn't sell himself short, "We've all done our fair share Dad. We all worked hard to see that bridge finished." Tazuna went on, "I've been meaning to ask you all this, but I never found the right time until now. Why did you stay and protect me after you found out I lied to bring you here?" "'Those who stray from the path of justice have no courage. But, under the wings of a strong leader, cowardice cannot survive,'" Kakashi answered.
All but Sasuke and Sakura were dumbfounded. He explained, "That was a quote from the First Hokage. I thought it suited the situation nicely, and it answered your question right Tazuna?" The Bridge Builder nodded, and they all turned to see a nodded off Naruto drooling onto the table. Inari wondered, Is this guy really a hero? Does he follow the 'path of justice'? Tazuna added his own quotation, "My Captain once told my squad before we went into battle, 'As Marines, we are the White Blade of Judgement, the curtain that closes on the days of criminals and the unjust. We will never bow to tyranny or corruption, for when we do: evil triumphs.'" Sakura added shyly, "'A time when everyone's hearts will be together regardless of their countries. That's my… dream of the future. A time when only through justice and righteousness are people together, not for petty reasons or politics. For peace. For love. That's what being a Ninja means. That's why we fight.'" Sasuke put in his own words, "'It is on the battlefield that the winners are decided. Justice is wrought out through bloodshed and life energy.' – Madara Uchiha*."
"Wait wait wait," Luffy asked, "Do ninja actually poop?"
The Way of Heroes
As Naruto was sleeping in the guest room, Kakashi and the rest stood outside with Tazuna and Tsunami. Tsunami asked, "Are you sure you're alright Kakashi? You're still recovering from your last battle." Kakashi chuckled, "Why do you ask that? Do I look wobbly? Besides I've got Sakura, Sasuke, and Luffy here with me too." On that note, the group left Tsunami, who sighed tiredly.
The Way of Heroes
Gato picked up the silver expensive Transponder Snail, scolding through it, "I thought I was paying you to do a job but you're still licking your wounds from the last time you failed?" On the other end, Zabuza's eyes bled hatred as he and Haku stared at the angrily dancing and shouting green Snail in front of them. "HEY! Are you listening Zabuza?" Gato asked angrily, only for Haku to shut down the call. Zabuza looked up, asking Haku, "You ready kid?" The masked ninja nodded to the swordsman-assassin. Their boat gently brushed through the blue water beneath them, and they both saw that they were very close to the Bridge; so close in fact they could hanging the clanging of hammers against metal and workmen's grunts. Haku asked his mentor, "Why did you change your ninja headband Master Zabuza?" Noticing the difference in the now black forehead protector, Haku wondered what the point was. "I wore the genin headband in order to protect my identity, a ninja must be as subtle as possible. The same reason I don't carry my sword around all the time Haku."
The Way of Heroes
Finally waking up, Naruto rubbed the drool tiredly off his lips. He yawned, then realized that he was alone. He yowled, "Why didn't somebody wake me up?" He ran out into the kitchen where he saw Tsunami calmly washing dishes. Tossing his sleeping cap off his head, Naruto asked, "Where is everybody?"
As he waited for an answer, the blonde genin began changing into his orange jump suit. "Naruto? You're awake? Your Sensei wanted you to rest. You got the day off." Naruto groaned, "UGH! I knew it, they ditched me!" The boy excitedly ran out the door, yelling, "See ya!" Just before slamming the door behind him.
In his room, Inari heard the commotion, but he didn't know whether to fear for Naruto, or to respect him. He thinks he's with the good guys because he's a ninja, but that would make him the same as Zabuza. They're with Marines too, so why did the Marines leave and the ninja had to fight for my Village?
Now deep in the forest where he'd been training for several days, Naruto bound through the trees easily. He moaned, "They could've woken me up!" He jumped onto two more trees, "They even took Luffy today!" Just as he said that, Naruto turned to see a dead boar in the forest, blood gushing from fresh wounds. Distracted by the bizarre happening, the Fox Ninja failed to stick the landing, hitting his head off of the branch he meant to land on. As he hit the ground, he jogged over to look at the swine's corpse. Deep sword slashes cut into the pig's thick brown fur, and both of its tusks seemed to have been cut off completely barring the nubs that remained.
The Way of Heroes
Having finally made it to the Bridge, Tazuna shouted in surprise, "Hold on!" They all saw the groaning and injured forms of Tazuna's work force laying on the ground, all soundly beaten. All appearing to be alive, Tazuna ran to the nearest one, "What happened?" But the bleeding figure passed out in the Bridge Builder's arms. "Someone was here, someone got to them," Tazuna said, now worried and sweating profusely. Kakashi stared at the injuries, taking into account the style that had to have been used, and the precision of the blows, Could it be?
The Way of Heroes
Back at the Bridge Builder's house, Tsunami called for her son, "Inari? Could you give me a hand here?" Just outside their wooden walls, two swordsmen walked the path to the door. Yu shook with excitement as Qi put a hand on his blade, nodding towards his partner. The scarred mercenaries knocked on the door, hearing Inari answer his mother, "Coming, I'll be right there!" Both readied their swords.
The Way of Heroes
A thick fog rolled onto the Bridge, enveloping the ninja and the Bridge Builder in its blanket like entirety. "Sakura, Sasuke, get behind me and on either side of Tazuna," Kakashi ordered, "Luffy, get in front of him." The teens were compliant, each going to their respective side of the old man, while Kakashi took up his back. Sasuke and Sakura pulled kunai knives out of their pouches, while Luffy began limbering up his stretchy limbs.
Kakashi confirmed to himself, I knew he was still alive. He just couldn't wait for Round Two, his pride wouldn't allow that. Sakura asked, "Kakashi-sensei, it's Zabuza isn't it? This is his Hidden Mist Jutsu." Meanwhile Sasuke remained silent, as his cold eyes attempted to pierce the veil of vapor. Luffy disagreed, "No, if the Mist was Hidden we would be able to see it stupid!"
But through the fog, Zabuza's voice vibrated through the ninja and the pirate, "Sorry I kept you waiting Kakashi. I see you've still got those brats with you," Zabuza commented, "That one's still trembling," True to his word, Sasuke's knife hand shook. "So pitiful," Zabuza said, and with that, fear swept through Sasuke's body, as if Zabuza was already inside Sasuke's head, and was cleaning up shop.
All motion was replaced by a cold knife that cut through everything within Sasuke's being, all he knew was hate, but for that brief moment, all he was was fear. But only for that briefest moment, as the brunette's terrified eyes shook, he whipped his knife into his leg, forcing himself into motion. He smirked as the fog lightened, then four Zabuza surrounded the convoy of protectors surrounding the Bridge Builder. "I'm trembling with, excitement," Sasuke explained, and the closest Clone in front of him seemed stunned for a second, shifting the heavy sword a quarter of an inch. That's when Sasuke knew he had that particular Clone beat.
Kakashi encouraged, "Go on Sasuke." The clone nearest the Uchiha charged with a fearsome roar, and Sasuke hefted his kunai to meet the clone in a tangle of might. Using both hands, Sasuke heaved against the heavy sword that the Clone used, pushing until they were nearly even. Realizing he had to quit messing around, Sasuke gave it all he had, and the sword sliced into the water's Chakra-infused form. With a splash, Sasuke knew he had the Swordsman beat.
Luffy cheered, "That was so cool! Now it's my turn!" The Rubberboy was excited, running toward the three remaining clones. He yelled, "Gum Gum – " and he got his arm ready, "PISTOL!" Then his super powered fist smashed through all three of the assassins, reducing them to blue puddles. Then behind Luffy, a more recently created clone charged, only to be gored by Sasuke with a kunai, before the orphan made a few hand signs and shouted, "Fire Style – Fireball Jutsu!" And a gout of flame shot out of his mouth, incinerating the form of the vapor. I can see the Clones even through the Mist… Sasuke thought to himself, and Kakashi noticed this too, His Haki is finally starting to develop. That Chakra Training was just what Sasuke needed to reach the next level.
"So you could see that they were Water Clones huh? Even through the Mist. The brats improving," Zabuza noted as he and Haku stepped forward and allowed the fog to dissipate. "Looks like you've got some interesting prey Haku," Zabuza said to his apprentice, who merely nodded silently through the obscuring white mask.
From across the Bridge, the opposing forces stared each other down, with Kakaskhi's hands still tucked in his pockets, Sakura nervously eying the masked tracker, Sasuke breathing heavily, and Luffy grinning broadly next to the pinkette. Zabuza cracked his neck and pulled out his huge cleaving blade, while Haku readied a senbon in each hand. Someone is going to die on this Bridge today, both the jounin realized at the same time, but didn't mention it to their respective students.
*That was my only completely original quote there actually.
Thank you to everyone who has viewed my story thus far, and I think that the best has yet to come…
Thanks for the view and remember, to read, review and get your game on!
NEXT CHAPTER: Secret Technique and A Child's Power. Inari faces his fears while the genin face Haku's fearsome secret technique and Naruto fights the swordsmen of Murder Inc.!