AN:
Yes jj Zabuza is a D, and I really appreciate that you kept his name out of your review. Other characters will become D's, and the relationship between Ds will be a bit more explained and inter connected with the themes of One Piece, Naruto, and this story. Thanks for the review! J
A special thanks to the latest follower/favorite of my story, Sicktundra8, who I was unfortunately unable to thank more personally due to the inability to PM for some reason.
In response to my much more unsupportive reviews: To 'Fail', I really do thank you for the support that you have given my story, and that despite the flaws you've pointed out you still had the courtesy to review and criticize my work. I have heard of separating dialogue yes, but I didn't consider it a problem in this story. I will keep that in mind. I believe that the 'center' format is just a personal preference of mine (I do this because Center looks best when a story is viewed via Cellphone). Thanks for telling me what I got right.
While it does appear that you didn't waste any time in actually reading my story due to its 'headache inducing format' I would say that you haven't wasted anybody else's time. In fact, you are the one who wasted time by saying that my story was a waste of time, space, and effort. I really do appreciate all of the criticisms, I will especially keep the first two in mind, but you effectively lost all credibility you may have had in my mind following your regards of my story as 'waste of time, space, and effort'. No story is a waste of effort because all stories can improve.
No story is a waste of time because people read them. No story is wasted space because when a person reads a good story, that stays with them, it becomes part of their soul. They become something else, usually better because of the masterpiece that has entrenched itself within the audience. That's my goal: just one person, somewhere, being affected by my writing like that.
With 'Fail's criticisms regarding formatting in mind, I will be leaving this chapter as Left-Aligned, any comments or concerns about that will be taken into account in a review.
So thanks everyone for supporting my story, and I hope you enjoy this week's chapter of…
The Way of Heroes
A2 E12/15 Shinobi: Weapons For Leaders and Pirates: Destroyers of Order!
Friends-family, sisters-brothers, fathers-sons, mothers-daughters, nakama. No matter how close the bond, in every relationship there is conflict. Disagreement. Big or small, there is always discrepancy. Most can be ignored as unimportant. But sometimes, words cannot settle such things. Sometimes you must show how you feel with your fists.
Naruto and Luffy are two sides of the same coin. Neither will budge an inch in their ideals, and stubborn as they are, a huge conflict between them was inevitable. But what if both of them are right? What if either of their answers could be done? But if either have their wills tested by the success of the other's idea, their beings will shatter from the weight of uncertainty.
Friends fight, but now Naruto and Luffy; Pirate King and Leaf Hokage, Pirate and Ninja, are going to go to war.
The Way of Heroes
An agitated young brunette in a fisherman's cap and overalls ran across the wooden planks of a dock. Inari shook himself, muttering, "Naruto and the others are fighting while we do nothing! I have to do something!" For a moment, Inari thought to turn back and grab his grandfather's old Navy rifle, but he couldn't bring himself to it. He couldn't touch the thing that had ended a man's life so easily. Couldn't deal with that power, that guilt.
Inari ran up the steps to someone's door, and he pounded on the wooden frame yelling, "Uncle Keechy! Uncle Keechy! We don't have to hide anymore! Come to the Bridge with me! If we all fight together than we can beat Gato!" The Bridge Builder's grandson paused, waiting for a reply from his maternal uncle. In a second, Keechy responded, "No Inari. I've given up fighting. It would be pointless. I don't have my rifle anymore, and I don't want you to go either. Fighting is the way of heroes. Heroes like your father, always fighting for what he thought was right, even if it meant breaking laws or customs. Look what good it did him or your mother or you: isn't one dead hero enough?"
Inari's eyes watered upon hearing his Uncle's words. He put his head on the door as his Uncle barked, "What will more fighting bring us huh? More fallen heroes? When I fought with the Marines I was one of the lucky ones. I got out of there as soon as I realized how bad it was. Your ma was just a kid then, she doesn't remember, so I wouldn't expect you to understand. Your grandad and I, we both had enlisted, he was my Captain even, but he still wants to fight for God knows why. No Inari. I'm not going to fight again just to feel more regrets. My heart can't take anymore, I've already got enough regrets to last a lifetime."
Fist clenching at his relative's somber words, Inari hooted, "Well I don't wanna live a life of regrets either! And that's why we've gotta fight! I know you care about the people living in this Land! Mom and me and Grandfather… That's why we have to fight!" Waiting for any sign of movement, Inari watched the steel door knob, patience wearing as he watched for a twist. No such thing would come. The door knob went as still as Inari's heart. His blood ran cold, burning with its lack of heat into his veins and he screamed, "All my life I've been a coward! But now, I know that crying and hiding from things that we're afraid of – that's as good as lying down and dying! It doesn't make the bad guys go away. It gives the bad guys a chance to take even more from us. Our pride, our hope. Lying down to die is the worst thing to do."
Running down the steps, Inari abandoned Keechy, as Keechy abandoned him, and hope. Keechy was standing against the door, bracing himself and crying. He was a worker, through and through, but his large calloused knuckles showed a history of fighting. His tanned skin was tainted by blood and pain, with fresh tears stinging the tiny cuts that somehow still remained even after years of retirement from battle. Old scars crisscrossed his hands and arms, and an old weather white hat was covering his face as he sobbed.
An old ghost came to haunt him at a very opportune time. A shallow whisper licked his ears with the cold breeze of death. The voice breathed, Do you really want this for yourself Keechy? Going out there all alone… Without your father to protect you? You're not a fighter anymore… Keechy screamed, "Get away from me ghost! Get away!" He angrily swung his arms wildly at the air, hoping to void his mind of the hauntings that followed him almost every day. One of his regrets, the chilling voice was painfully sweet sounding, like it belonged to a person that very boy grew up next door to, the girl that they all wanted to marry. The ghost repeated, Going out there all alone - Keechy hollered, "GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"
Then when the room was quiet again, Keechy could hear in the distance a door slamming and Inari chanting, "Come to the Bridge if you want to fight! Come to the Bridge if you want to live!" Banging on more doors, the boy sighed, "What should I do now? Not one of them will even open up their doors to listen…" He recalled the words of encouragement he'd gotten from the heroes that he met recently. He remembered everything, then decided, "I'll have to fight on my own! Like Luffy or Naruto!" Setting off for the Bridge, Inari grinned, Time to go be a hero!
The Way of Heroes
Barely standing up, Luffy stumbled as he moved towards Naruto. His chest felt like it was going to burst, and his arms burned like hot coals were pressing against them. Legs hardly able to support his weight, the Rubberboy continued trying to go, even though his body was near complete refusal. But he knew if he stopped, he wasn't going to be able to go again.
Naruto backed away from the unmasked Haku, who ordered, "Go on: finish it! Kill me." Luffy grabbed onto Naruto's shoulders, muttering, "You have to do it. He has nothing to live for." "Why do you hesitate Naruto?" The Fox Ninja looked at Luffy, shocked at the Rubberboy's words. He argued, "There's always something to live for! He has to work for some scumbag like Zabuza, of course he feels that way!"
"He chose his leader, that's his business."
Naruto screamed, tackling the other boy, "How can you say that? You idiot! I can't just kill a person like that! Even after what he did to Sasuke! If I ever killed someone in cold blood, that would make me no better than a pirate!" Realizing he misspoke a little too late, Luffy rolled him off, and now the Rubberboy was on top, steaming, "What did you just say about being a pirate?" A punch laid into the blonde's head, and Naruto yelled, "I'll never be like that!" Throwing Naruto across the Bridge to the other side, Luffy argued, "Ninja are sheep that follow the leader and kill for money! I'm a pirate because I want to be free! That's what being a pirate means, being a ninja means you don't have the guts to do what needs to be done on your own; it means that you're not a real man!"
Whipping out a hand sign at the last point, Naruto screamed, "SHADOW CLONE JUTSU!" Fifty Clones of Naruto all armed with shuriken growled at Luffy ominously. "Figures, ninja are always using cheap tricks to get ahead aren't they?" Though he was already angry, this sent Naruto over the edge, he roared, "How's this for a cheap trick?" The closest Clone threw a shuriken at Luffy's head, only for the Rubberboy to narrowly duck from the projectile's deadly path.
As soon as the weapon sailed behind him, a puff of smoke went by and the ninja star transformed into a copy of the ninja that had thrown it, with Naruto sailing through the air instead of the shuriken. Punching Luffy in the back of the head, the entire gaggle of Fox Ninja mobbed the pirate, throwing him and kicking him in a big crowded circle. Naruto shouted, "Pirates are cowards that rob and steal!" "Ninja are just Government lapdogs that need permission to believe in anything!" Luffy spat, and he screamed, "Gum Gum Whip!" A long stretched kick destroyed ten of the Clones, and then his leg was slashed by a kunai. Recoiling up his rubber limb, the pirate flexed, and growled, ignoring the stings and burns and slices all up his body. He planted his feet solidly, twisted his body around like he was cracking his back, but the motion continued until he looked like a wounded piece of licorice*.
Extending his body towards the sky, Luffy's veins suddenly became translucent, and his skin went a nearly white pale. Adrenaline surged through his tightened body, and a burst of energy overrode the aches, allowing him to fight unhindered. Luffy muttered, "Gear… Shift." A new shot of hyperactivity rocketed up the Rubberboy's spine. Knowing this energy wouldn't improve his speed or fighting capability, Luffy was very aware of the move's uses as a last resort. It would cancel out his pain receptors and his body's need for rest, but it would also cause him to take all the fatigue later when the pressurized adrenaline wore off**.
"How can you believe that Luffy? That that's all there is to it? It's all just fighting and killing until there's one man left standing? For what? Money? Fame? Power? That's not what being a ninja is! A ninja is so much more than a lapdog or a killer!" Naruto defended his dream, but his debate was also aimed towards Haku at the same time. Ganging up on Luffy, blows rained down on him like a raging maelstrom, pounding him into the bridge. "If there's more to being a ninja than that," Luffy said, "Than why did that guy kill Sasuke? Did Sasuke just waste his entire life on becoming a ninja of violence when the real ninja are all peace loving idiots? You have to fight for what you believe in! Sasuke knew that, this ice guy knows that! How can't you? You fight and fight but in the end your words are more important than your fists sometimes. Sometimes it takes more than punching and kicking to make a difference, but if you believe in what you're doing, than that makes everthing even more important to say. A person is what they believe themselves to be if their actions reflect it, there is no denything that."
Naruto threw Luffy away, so now they were a good distance apart again. The blonde turned to Haku shouting, "You could have killed me couldn't you?" Nodding ever so slightly, the nigh imperceptable response was good enough for the Fox Ninja who asked, "Didn't Zabuza order you to?" Now Luffy stopped as well, he watched the genin talk to the suicidal criminal. Haku's brow furroughed, and his eyes locked with Naruto's, nodding again. Naruto shouted, "You should have killed me! You never were a tool! You're a human being with hopes and dreams of your own! You can't rely on someone else like that! You just feel like a failure! He's saved you and protected you, for that he deserves your loyalty, but never your life! No one's life is worth less than anyone else's! You are no slave to any one! I won't let you die for that! I refuse to accept that your life was meant to be Zabuza's play thing! If he was truly your friend than he would value your feelings, he would consider what you thought. You're a human being! I'm with you when you feel worthless; like you have no purpose! But your purpose is given by others, and I see a great person in there, you just need support."
Finally, Luffy understood where Naruto was coming from. How could anyone abandon the crossdresser in a time like this? This boy was at a point where his soul had already crossed into the next world, but they couldn't allow him to go any further. Naruto dispelled his Jutsu, and Luffy lowered his arms. Both pirate and ninja stampeded over to the struggling rogue, nearly tackling him in a hug. Luffy swore, "I will never allow anyone to throw their life away like that. Ever again." ***
The Way of Heroes
Mounted by nearly an entire pack of dogs, Zabuza could feel the hot slobber trickle onto his bare skin. He almost flinched with disgust, but he knew not to show an enemy weakness in battle. Staring down his opposition fearlessly, Zabuza snorted at Kakashi's technique, either through pride or courage. The Demon grinned, like he was proud of the life that Kakashi had just condemned. He was a man who lived by his own code, and fought for what he thought was right. As men, they had opposed each other in their ideals for so long it felt like saying they were similar was comparing a cactus to a kunai. But the Demon knew that they were much more similar than what Kakashi was willing to accept.
The Way of Heroes
The pinkette stood in front of Tazuna, who held his hand over his face as he had taken off his hat. "At last, I think this blasted fog is lifting," The Bridge Builder noted, and Sakura nodded. She pointed her kunai at two tall shapes in the still slightly obscuring mist, Sakura said, "Look, they're standing still… Like they're squaring off." Vision not nearly as strong as hers, Tazuna grumbled, "I can't see a thing!"
"I can't tell which one's Kakashi-sensei."
"Fog still hasn't gone completely away yet."
"Uh – one's moving!"
The Way of Heroes
Bounding with his ball of lightning towards his prey, Kakashi bounced along the bridge for this final attack. Zabuza smiled as he realized that it was over; that he could only watch as his death flew towards him on graceful legs. Elsewhere on the bridge, Haku's eyes shot open, and the crossdresser vanished from sight. With Luffy and Naruto both on the ground, exhausted from their battle, neither could stop the suicidal assassin.
Zabuza accepted, This is the end… As he saw the Sharingan Hero charge him with the lightning, and Kakashi adjusted his arm so that he could thrust into Zabuza's heart. A brilliant blue-white flash of static electrocuted the air, sizzling the hairs off of Zabuza's exposed chest. He could smell smoke from the metal that smoldered with Kakashi's every step. To the Demon, this took several minutes while to the outside world, this was taking less than a second.
Kakashi hefted his arm back, ready to gore the mercenary. Shooting his hand forward, Kakashi closed his eyes as he felt warm, wet flesh. He felt a heartbeat next to his hand, and he knew he'd done something wrong. Blinded by the flash of light, Zabuza couldn't react fast enough. Blood splattered onto his face, and up Kakashi's arm and face.
The Demon trembled when he regained his eye sight, as even his cold heart skipped a beat when he realized what had happened. Canines vanish around Zabuza, returning to wherever the contract had summoned them from. Dropping to his knees, his keen eyes took on the situation, skipping the part that he knew he wouldn't like. Black senbon that were quickly returning to a natural bleached bone color pierced into the ground of the bridge and the scroll: clearly being the source of the dogs' disappearances.
Blood painted the steel an unfortunate crimson, and the Demon looked at the catalyst. Kakashi shook as his move continued, but it became audibly quieter and quieter as time drew along at a snail's pace. The One Eyed Jonin's mouth was agape behind his mask as he locked eyes with Haku, who fell further onto his arm. Cold, frail skin like pristine porcelain was now flecked with blood. Senbon fell from Haku's hand, and the crossdresser soon followed, Kakashi's hand coming out as the assassin came down backwards. However, unlike his weapon, Haku never hit the ground. Latching onto Kakashi's wrist, Haku muttered, "Za – bu – za." Not seeming to care about his follower's deadly plight, Zabuza snickered, "My future is all used up huh Kakashi? Wrong again Sharingan Killer."
The Way of Heroes
"You foolish boy! You are not going to the Bridge all by yourself!" Tsunami scolded, but her son ignored her as he put on his brown sandals. Inari couldn't match eyes with his mother, and he adjusted the gray helmet on his head, "I have to go by myself because none of the others will go with me. I have no choice," He explained solemnly.
"You shouldn't go at all."
Not responding at all now, Inari picked up the rifle beside him, and got up from the stool he had been sitting in. Readying his gun, Inari marched toward the doorway where the two swordsman had broken in. Tsunami ordered, "Stop this! You're only a child, what do you think you can do?" Grinning, Inari turned around, "You're right. I am just a kid, and I may not know who I want to stand behind when I'm older, I know what it means to stand and fight!" Stunned by Inari's confident words, the Waves woman failed to reply. "I'm my father's kid," Inari declared.
Rotating back toward the open doorway, the sudden resemblance between her former husband and her son was uncanny. Tsunami murmured, "… Kaiza…" Walking with his back to his own mother, Inari marched out with his head held high, eyes closed to shield themselves from the bright burning Sun. Stuttering as he bumped into a large mass in front of him. Inari bumbled, "Uh – S – Sorry… Mister," Then he realized that he was surrounded by at least eight people, all wearing broad cone straw hats.
The Way of Heroes
Hands tightened around Kakashi's wrist in the death grip, blood sloshed out of Haku's wound almost unnaturally. Tazuna could barely breath his chest was clenched so tight. But he had to be sure, so he asked, "Isn't that – the young man in the mask?" Sakura didn't answer, but as the Bridge Builder looked at the kunoichi, he knew the answer even without it being said. It was written in the pinkette's disgusted, terrified stare.
Kakashi's eyes widened and he fully understood the situation, The boy jumped in the way. He knew that attack would have killed Zabuza… But now both of them are still alive – Shoving his master's killer away, Haku howled in pain like a wild animal. He fell onto his knees, clutching his gushing chest. He turned his back on the One Eyed Jonin, bowing, "Master Zabuza, please forgive me. I have been unable to kill Naruto Uzumaki or Sasuke Uchiha thus far. Akame has been taken down by the Rubberboy as well."
Fatigued beyond compare, Kakashi's hand flopped onto his side, and he grumbled, "You're still alive because this boy took a fatal shot for you. Your worthless life is still on the table now Zabuza." The Demon didn't react to Kakashi's words, instead pointing to the Living Legend of the Leaf and ordering, "Haku, hold him still." Moving faster than either of the jonin, the crossdresser latched onto Kakashi's arms with nigh unlimited strength. "Well done Haku," Zabuza commended, "You not only secured my life… But Kakashi's as well. That wound won't kill you for another few minutes, just long enough for us to slaughter these insects and take Gato's money. But if you don't dodge this, this will kill you."
Heaving his humungous blade for what would be Kakashi's last time seeing it, Zabuza grunted as he got into position. Haku coughed, "I am yours Zabuza. I am your weapon, a tool to be used as you see fit." The boy's chilling words brought a horrible knife into Kakashi's chest, and he stared at the gaping wound he had left in the loyal creature. Twisting around so that Kakashi's back was to the now swinging blade, Haku scowled at Kakashi, knowing that the Sharingan Hero would soon be just another dead obstacle.
As the sword sung, Kakashi jumped high into the air, mimicking an impressive rocket. But despite being gravely wounded, Haku wasn't done yet. He adjusted his grip, and threw Kakashi into the ground while both of them were in the air. Zabuza's sword smashed into the bridge, embedding itself in the metal. He yanked it out, and charged the stunned Kakashi. But then he stopped, pointing, "You take him Haku. As a gift to you,"
Haku landed gracefully in front of his mentor, bowing and begging, "Please forgive me Master. I will not fail you this time." In an instant, Haku was in front of Kakashi, senbon black and sharpened to the point that when he appeared, sparks flew as Kakashi's kunai was brought up to defend himself. While this happened in an instant, the keen Sharingan focused on the spot where the needle met the knife, and a midnight aura took hold in that spot, creating a black stripe.
"I see you too have the Armament Power Kakashi…" Zabuza noted, spectating on the fight. If Haku hadn't taken such a heavy blow before this fight, it would have been over already. All three of the powerhouse shinobi knew this. Pulling away, both ninja stabbed at each other and became locked again. Both arms shook as the other tried to get an edge, but they would bounce off the other weapon as both had an equal amount of armor and pointedness.
Kakashi went for a slash, only for the skilled and silent Haku to parry the attack with his own weapon of choice, the senbon. Evenly matched, Kakashi and the prodigy were locked. Haku shakily brought up a second hand however, and made a couple Hand Signs, followed by two additional images of the Crossdresser to appear at Kakashi's sides. Each pulled half a dozen senbon – three in each hand – and they laid into the Sharingan Hero for a split second, just before returning to their original watery states; as Haku ran out of Chakra to provide them with. Kakashi's sides bled from several new wounds now, but he wasn't to be done in so easily.
Knowing his defeat would come soon if he didn't act fast, an animalistic presence took over as the jonin entered survival mode. During an attempt to tackle the rogue, Haku simply stepped to the side, and drove a sharp needle in between a set of Kakashi's ribs. Blood spurting out, Kakashi fell onto the ground and groaned in pain. Hunched over and coughing up blood, Haku saw only easy prey. Treding over to his now vulnerable victim, Haku victoriously approached with a single blackened needle in his hand. Stiffening from a sense of danger, Haku's shallow smile vanished before he could react, as Kakashi whipped around, stabbing him in the gut with a kunai knife.
Only able to scratch his attacker's masked cheek, Haku fell onto his back, deeply wounded. Losing a lot of blood now, Haku figured he was done for. Zabuza, on another side of the bridge ordered, "Get up you ungrateful boy! I'll tell you when you're done fighting! You have the power to destroy that ninja where he stands!" Bowing, Haku pulls six senbon out, and whips them at Kakashi, who succeeded in defying them with a knife, only for Haku to slam himself into Kakashi, bleeding all over the jonin as they both fell onto the bridge. Haku rained blow after blow on Kakashi's arms which protected his head, each getting weaker every punch, so the dying killer reached for a kunai off the ground. As he stretched, the knife in his own stomach clanged onto the ground, forcing him to drench Kakashi in more of his life blood. Haku's eyes rolled back in his skull, and he fell onto the bridge reaching for the knife.
Blood caking both exhausted fighters, Kakashi watched as Haku bled dangerously quickly onto the bridge. He set the knocked out assassin onto the steel gently, and he called, "Sakura! Bandage this boy, hurry up he will die very soon if we do nothing!" Standing up, Kakashi wearily took on an aggressive stance, eager to end this more so than ever. No more messing around, I'm too tired and low on Chakra for anything fancy at this point. Let's just hope Zabuza hasn't recovered a whole lot yet.
The pinkette ran towards Haku, but as she got down onto her knees next to the killer, she looked up at Kakashi. The jonin didn't look at her, instead keeping his stare locked on the Demon, but he hissed, "Do it now Sakura!" Immediately she got to work, wrapping the gushing stab wounds and attempting to clean them as fast as she could.
"This battle is between you and me now. No more students, no more tricks. You and I are going to go head to head right now," Kakashi stated, a dark calm loomed around him. The Sharingan scanned Zabuza, who merely stretched and readied his massive sword for an attack. Kakashi held a kunai high in his left hand, and a shuriken in his right.
Coughing up blood, Haku's swollen shut eyes shot open as far as they would. He murmured, "Zabuza…" The Swordsman grinned as he saw life return to his student, and he ordered, "Haku, slaughter the girl and the Bridge Builder." Ready to comply, Haku attempted to sit up, only to fall back down. Hitting his head off the bridge, now the ninja was completely gone.
Sakura looked up from her patient, and saw Naruto and Luffy lying side by side on the ground beyond Zabuza and Kakashi's standoff. She ran towards her friends, shaking Naruto and asking, "Are you okay?" The blonde yawned, "Yeah so is Luffy, we're just exhausted. Is everyone okay?" Luffy snored loudly, making Sakura cringe but she answered, "Yes. Kakashi-sensei defeated Haku, now he and Zabuza are going to finish this."
Searching around her, Sakura asked, "Where's Sasuke?" Naruto closed his eyes tightly, grinding his teeth in anger. He refused to accept the truth around him. He couldn't answer her. He couldn't answer himself. Why did it have to be him to save me? If I hadn't been so stupid this wouldn't have happened! If I was stronger… He tried to respond, but he started choking. Sakura's smile faded, and she realized, "No…" Kakashi ordered, "Stay with Tazuna Sakura! Protect the Bridge Builder no matter what!"
She shook, tears welling up. Her teacher looked at her for the briefest of moments with worry. But then he heard Zabuza charging at him, "Kakashi I'd stay focused if I were you!" Flying like a jet towards his hopeful victim, Zabuza swung his blade again but was knocked away by a solid kick to the neck. He fell onto his butt, sword clanking against the metal of the bridge as it fell from Zabuza's limp grasp.
Tazuna put his hand on the girl's shoulder, whispering, "Let me take you to him Sakura. As long as we stay together we won't be disobeying your sensei's orders." Sakura hadn't even noticed that the old man had gotten behind her. So distraught, she could barely react as the Bridge Builder patted her neck. He'd seen soldiers lose loved ones before, but not like this, not when they were just kids. It wasn't natural. Thick mucus swirled around Tazuna's stomach as he took Sakura's hand. Barely audible, Sakura murmured, "Thank you." They started running, Sakura barely able to hold back the tears.
Still feeling the sadness that Sakura's tearful reunion with him had brought, Naruto grinded his teeth as he loathed his own failure. "Sasuke…" Naruto whispered, "I know we fought, but we never got into it like Luffy and I just did. You would've stopped both of us, called us idiots. But you could've stopped this from happening. All of this." He closed his eyes, unable to turn to see his teammates together, while even the world reminded him of his loss. His shortcomings; his failure. He'd lost a rival and a friend, and it was all given up for his life.
Warm tears spun freely from her eyes like a melancholic spider web, weaving a tragedy in the wind. The thin pinkette could only sob as she looked over Sasuke's marred and bloodied body. Tazuna's face twitched as he took in the horror show. He could hardly breath, let alone tear Sakura's traumatized visage from the scene. Sakura fell roughly onto her knees, her hand quickly feeling the boy's cut cheek. She shivered, "His body – his body's so cold…" Tazuna knew how she felt, he'd seen grown men break down in her position. She just lost something more precious than a lover, a friend, or a teammate. Sasuke and Sakura were born to be together in a bond stronger than the most unbendable steel, a relationship untarnished by team, instead growing stronger for it. Words could not describe the loss that Tazuna saw when he looked at the two. "Go ahead Sakura. You don't have to be strong for me. You can let it out," He coaxed, and the pinkette took him up on his offer.
Eyes still refusing to leave Sasuke's cold face, Sakura muttered, "I was the best. I aced every test at the Academy. The perfect student. Did you know there are 100 Principles in the Shinobi Code? I memorized every single one. I used to love it when they tested us on them –" She choked at the last part, as if remembering the Uchiha's skill in academia matching hers. She stroked Sasuke's caked, stiff black hair, and continued, "It gave me a chance – a chance to show how smart I was. I remember this one exam so clearly: they asked us what the 25th Principle was. I got it right of course, 'a shinobi never shows his feelings, no matter what the circumstances'." She broke after that, "But – but - now, none of that matters. Just because you're smart - doesn't make you strong – not strong enough to protect you, or to protect your –" She couldn't do it anymore. She rested her head on Sasuke's bloody shirt, soaking it in snot and tears. "SASUKE! I'M SORRY!" She called, but her cries were muffled by his cloth fabric.
Tazuna watched as Sakura sobbed and screamed and scratch and sneeze and choke. What an unbearable weight to put on such a young girl's shoulders… If that's the Shinobi Way, you can have it! No hero would allow such trauma to run rampant in this world if they could do something about it. Marines, they abandoned us, forcing us to bring in – to bring in children! The World Government gladly turns a blind eye to scum like Gato, so long as he makes them a profit. Ninja scar themselves in the mind, forcing shackles onto their souls in order to become ideal weapons for their leaders who are no better than the heads of the Government. And pirates! Pirates threaten to bring not only freedom, but also chaos to the world with their very existence. And these poor children, they're caught in the middle of this terror.
Away from the rest, Naruto shook furiously. He looked at Luffy, who snored on the ground, but the blonde knew not to wake him. Their battle had done a number on the both of them, but Luffy also fought several opponents before him, and was even forced to use a technique that would slowly destroy his body. But the Rubberboy's sacrifices and fatigue didn't matter to Naruto right now. Right now the Fox Ninja clutched his chest angrily, edging closer and closer to howling with pain each time Sakura choked on her own mourning. Hearing the sobs forced Naruto to accept what he'd done. To consider the real consequences of his own stupidity and weakness.
The Way of Heroes
Sparks flew across the bridge as kunai met huge sword. Slashing against each other, both Zabuza and Kakashi jumped away from one another. Zabuza wondered, Why can't I keep up with him? Charging the Sharingan Hero, Zabuza swung his massive blade at Kakashi, only for the gray haired elite to spring out of the way and punch the Demon in the head. Zabuza screamed, "I'll cut you in half!" Waving around his sword as easily as a normal man would a pocket knife, the rogue stabbed, but again Kakashi dodged, this time sliding under the attack and delivering a hard uppercut to Zabuza's chin. Falling onto his back, Kakashi held a knife to the Demon's throat and whispered, "I knew you didn't have the strength for the long haul; that you couldn't last for another minute of this…"
The Way of Heroes
On the bridge, a scarred man in a torn suit was shaken out of a deep slumber. Purple poison trickled from scratches on his arms, and his veins visibly pulsed with deadly dosages. An angry cane lashed out as Akame's eyes fluttered. Immediately the killer was up and atom, crimson iris burning in his eyes. A well dressed, sickishly grinning and pointing over. Akame shot up to his feet, ready for battle. This time his scarlet orbs locked onto his fallen prey with a new kind of hatred, a prideful revenge. Luffy was still on the ground, snoring away innocently. But if Akame had his way, it wouldn't be for long. Gato ordered, "Now quit messing around and finish that kid off. We're gonna finish this now…" He gestured around him, showing his small army of men all dressed in various gear, all clearly thugs. This was his weapon, his platoon, his ideals. He was killing for his dream, wealth more vast and potent than even a king's.
The Way of Heroes
AN:
*This was visually inspired by Spongebob in the episode about his stint as a standup comedian, where he bags on himself about having no bones.
**How Luffy came up with this move will be touched upon in later chapters.
***Yes I did cut out the scene where Haku talks Naruto into killing him, as I did not like that direction with Naruto at all.
Thanks to everyone for reading my story, we're at the last chapter of this saga next week, and we're almost at 3,500 views, while we've got 16 Reviews, 15 Favorites, and 15 Followers. My goal is 25 Reviews, and at least 20 Fav's/Follows by the time I complete this saga.
NEXT CHAPTER: The Demon in the Snow! Gato's Forces Make Their Final Assault! Luffy's ideals put the squad in danger as Akame is revived and brought back into the fight, and Zabuza angrily fights against Gato's betrayal.
Remember to read, review, and get your game on!