Training and Believing in Others
At Tazuna's house Kakashi-sensei finally woke up and was slowly recovering.
"Hey Kakashi-sensei, the Sharingan is great and everything, but if it put so much strain on your body you need to be more careful," Sakura said.
"Well you defeated the strongest of Gato's men so we should be safe now," Tazuna said.
"I don't know about that," I said, "I have this feeling to not trust that hunter ninja."
"Well they are known for dealing with the body," Kakashi said.
Meanwhile the mask boy was about to remove the bandages from Zabuza's faced.
Zabuza stopped him.
"Its alright I'll do it myself," Zabuza said removing the cloth from his mouth.
"So you already come back to life," the boy said.
"How long are you going to wear that mask Haku?" Zabuza asked.
Haku removed his mask revealing to be a rogue ninja as well.
They planned their next movements the moment Zabuza recovers.
Kakashi woke up from resting all of the sudden catching us off guard.
He had a feeling that Zabuza wasn't dead yet.
"Naruto, did you happen to smell something odd about Zabuza's body when the tracker ninja took off with it?" Kakashi asked me.
I thought back and did noticed one.
"I didn't sense a dead body," I responded.
"What do you mean Naruto?" Sakura asked.
"I can sense when someone is dead even in human form," I answer.
"Which means if Naruto didn't sensed death from Zabuza, he's not dead," Kakashi said.
"You checked his pulse thought," Sakura said.
"If you hit a certain pressure point you can temporary stop a heart," Kakashi explained, "All trackers knows that, not to mention they're suppose to dispose the body right away which the one we encounter did not."
"So mask guy was working for Zabuza," I responded.
I was glad about it because I want to show them what I really can do.
"I'm going to increase your tree walking training, to improve your stamina," Kakashi said, "Naruto, you need it the most."
"What do you mean by that?" I responded rather annoyed of Kakashi-sensei.
"I'll explain later when everyone is ready," Kakashi said.
"What's the point?" Someone said.
We turned to see a small boy who just entered the room.
"Inari where were you?" Tazuna asked.
"Welcome back grandpa," Inari responded and came to Tazuna.
"Inari these are the ninjas that helped your grandfather," Tsunami said as she was Inari's mother.
Inari look at us, mainly at me over all.
"Mommy they're going to die," Inari said, "There is no one who can stand a chance against Gatto."
I just snickered at what Inari said.
At the same time I felt I could relate to him.
Little did I know that was the case.
"Hey kid, just so you know, I'm not like some ninjas you might of known," I said, "I'm the only son of the nine-tail fox. Making me a true demon ninja."
Inari look at me with the same look as before.
"Please, you're just a mere human, and you won't last long against Gatto," Inari said.
Inari left as I glare at him.
My anger didn't last long though considering that I was in human form so he didn't know that I was telling the truth.
Although something in the kid's eyes seem like he was upset about something.
Later I passed by Inari's room and heard crying.
I look in and saw he was facing the ocean but was looking at a picture.
"Daddy," Inari said.
I didn't understand it all, but it made me feel bad for the kid.
The house had a faint scent of fourth person that use to live in the house, but considering it was faint I didn't think whoever it was, been gone for a long time.
The next day we were in the forest for training. Kakashi was using crutches to stand.
Kakashi toss us each a leaf.
"Use your chakra to keep the leaf on your forehead while at the same time maintains chakra control to your feet," Kakashi said, "There will be times where you need to focus different amount of chakra to different parts of your body. As you know the feet are the hardest part to focus chakra but you don't need the same amount of chakra to keep a leaf on your forehead."
"Are you done yet?" I asked.
While Kakashi was giving instructions I already was trying it out and now was using my tail to hang on a tree while a leaf stayed on my forehead.
"Looks like Naruto has the hang of it," Kakashi said, "I want 10 laps at least a day with this exercise."
Sasuke and Sakura started and found it just as simple.
"Naruto get down, I have something else I want you two do," Kakashi said.
My tail disappeared as I landed on my feet on the ground.
"So what am I going to do?" I asked.
"I noticed that you could only do a small percentage of what your father was able to do," Kakashi said.
"Yeah and…" I responded.
"You only have half the strength and speed of a demon," Kakashi explained.
"So what is my training?" I asked again.
"Transform into your true form and I'll show you," Kakashi said.
I took out my scroll and bit down on it and made the hand sign.
"Fox-demon transformation jutsu," I shouted.
I transformed into my true form with all nine tails.
Kakashi made special weights with some seal on it.
"I want you and try to pick these up with your tails," Kakashi explained.
I tried and found it heavier than I thought.
"That seal is made specifically to adjust the weight base on the strength of your tails," Kakashi explained, "Your father's had the power to cause mountains to collapse with one whip of his tail, right now however one whip of your tail can only cause an earthquake strong enough to knock someone down."
"So you want me to lift weights?" I asked.
"No, actually you're going to carry these weights while climbing on a tree," Kakashi said, "And don't try to lighten them with your chakra because the seal is design to make the weights heavier every time you add chakra."
I started my training immediately and found it harder than I originally thought.
At the same time I caught onto Inari's scent as he was watching me.
At the end of the day I barely made it to the first branch with the weights.
Few days had past and I was given time off to protect Tazuna.
"So where are the other two?" Tazuna asked.
"They're training," I answered.
"You didn't have two?" Tazuna asked.
"I was basically doing weight training to increase the strength of my tails to make them more powerful, but since I could do that anytime, Kakashi-sensei asked me to protect you," I said.
One of the men working on the bridge call it quits, fearing of the chance of being killed.
They also fear Tazuna being killed.
I couldn't quietly understood humans being scared to die.
Then again, I never quiet understood the struggle a normal human goes through before now.
When we went into town to pick things up for dinner, it was hard not to notice the land of waves' struggle.
People having signs requesting for a job, humans stealing from humans.
Before I had to make a human friend, I was the one causing people problems with my pranks at Mt. Oinari.
And even after that I still didn't see the kind of struggle these humans had.
We stop at a store when I noticed a boy in rags outside.
Inside there were hardly anything there to buy.
Leaving the store one boy snuck up from behind me.
I look at him and couldn't help but feel sorry.
I gave him some candy.
The boy left with thanks.
"You have to be the first demon I heard about that shows sympathy to humans," Tazuna said.
"I wasn't always like this, at one time I was a prankster and could care less," I said.
"Hopefully the finishing of the bridge will bring hope to everyone," Tazuna said.
At the house Sasuke and I had an eating contest.
Sasuke loss when he pukes after eating too much.
After dinner Sakura was looking at a picture.
"Hey why you have a torn picture on the wall?" Sakura asked.
"Inari was staring at it earlier," I pointed out not mentioning that I had an idea where that corner of the picture was.
"Who was it in the picture?" Sakura asked.
Tsunami Tazuna and Inari were silent with the answer.
"It was my husband," Tsunami was the first to break the silence.
"And the man called a hero in this city," Tazuna said.
My ears twitch when Inari scooted back got off the chair and went to his room.
"Father I told you to not talk about him in front of Inari," Tsunami responded.
Tazuna started explaining the story.
"He wasn't Inari's biological father, in fact Inari never knew who his real father was," Tazuna explained, "That man and Inari was very close though and Inari look at him like a father. But since that day Inari changed…"
"What happen?" I asked.
"Before I tell you, you need to know the full story," Tazuna said.
…Flashback Normal POV…
Some bullies were holding Inari back as Inari's puppy was being held by the leader.
The leader dropped the puppy into the water and then the other two push Inari into the water when neither of them could swim.
Surprisingly Poochie, the puppy suddenly learn how to swim and went to shore as Inari was drowning.
The three bullies went after the puppy leaving Inari in the water.
When Inari regained conscious he was on land as the men who save him was sitting nearby.
"You finally awake kid," he said, "I taught those kids a lesson so doesn't worry, here eat."
The man offered a cook fish.
"You save me," Inari said.
"You were sure being picked on. And your dog didn't help and in my country they're loyal," the man said, "Then again you didn't save him so what do you expect."
Inari at the fish disappointed with himself.
"I was scared I couldn't move," Inari explained, "I wanted to save him but I didn't have the courage."
The man placed his hand on Inari's head.
"A kid your age would be scared but remember this, if you're a man choose a life of no regrets," he said, "If something is precious to you protect it with both arms."
Inari agreed with him.
The man's name was Kaiza.
Kaiza and Inari grew close together.
And in time Kaiza became part of the family.
One night a man came in and told Kaiza that the rain was over flowing the dams.
"Inari get me some rope," Kaiza ordered.
"Yeah," Inari agreed.
Once there people needed to tie a rope to the gate and pull it in or D-area would be flooded.
Kaiza was the first to volunteer.
He jumped into the water and swam against the current and tied the rope.
They pulled it in and since that day Kaiza was a hero.
Not too long Gatto took over and had his men capture Kaiza and beat him up.
After that Gatto had Kaiza put to death in front of everyone including Inari.
Since then Inari thought he was a liar about what he said about protecting everyone.
…End of Flashback Naruto's POV…
I remember what Inari said about heroes when we arrived and his suffering when I passed the room.
I could understand what the kid was going through.
After all my father was killed when I was really young.
The chief really was the closest thing I had to a grandfather considering he was the one who tried to teach me to live amongst the humans.
Then I remember the day I met Kurodo and his apprentice Takashi who was killed.
"He's just lost the will to believe," I said, "Just like how Kurodo at one time lost the will to trust others."
Kakashi heard and understood what I was saying.
"What are you mumbling about Naruto?" Sakura asked.
"Nothing, just something that happen to an old friend of mine that reminds me of what happen to Inari," I answered.
Days later I was training hard to work on my tail strength.
Haku was picking herbs when he saw me take out my scroll.
I stopped when I when I heard something.
"You can come out now," I said.
Haku came out.
"Sorry I was picking some herbs," Haku said.
"Ah, cool can I help," I said.
Right now I had my sense of smell downgraded to one of a human so I wouldn't be able to tell if he was the same mask boy, but I knew he was a boy because something about him is familiar.
I started searching for some herbs.
"So why are you dress like a girl, I mean I kind of sense you're a boy," I said.
"Well it's actually accustomed in my family," Haku said.
"Oh," I said.
"What were you doing out here anyways?" Haku asked.
"Oh I was doing some weight training," I said.
"Weight training?" Haku asked, "Are you trying to increase your speed?"
"No not that kind of training. Don't take it the wrong way but I'm actually a son of a most powerful demon called the nine-tail fox," I explained, "In fact I'll show you one of my tails."
I got up and focus my chakra so that my tail appeared.
"Impressive," Haku said.
"Not really, you see I'm not as powerful as my father was yet, and this weight training is supposed to strengthen my tails," I explained.
"So that headband, are you a ninja two?" Haku asked.
"One of the kind," I answered.
"Sounds like you had the good life," Haku said.
"Not always, you see at one time I played pranks on a lot of people and no one trusted me," I said, "It wasn't until I was able to find a friend that I can trust that it started getting better. That's why I want to return the favor to the chief who made me go look for a friend in the first place, by becoming the first REAL demon ninja. And even though I'm a ninja now, I still want to work my way up the ranks to prove it."
"So you have someone important to you," Haku said.
"You could say that," I responded.
Haku headed his way after they talked.
I thought he look familiar.
On our seventh day passed with a charm.
Kakashi was recovering nicely as he started doing push-ups to keep in shape.
Sasuke and Sakura were done as the three of us were ready for anything.
That night Inari look at me with a glare as I seem to remind him of his father Kaiza.
"Why bother and train so hard, you're just going to die at the end. The weak only gets killed by Gatto's men," Inari shouted at me.
"You don't know what I'm capable of," I said.
"You discuss me, you don't know this country yet you're being nosey. You don't know how hard life can be at all," Inari responded.
I got up at that point.
"Let me tell you something kid. I grew up most of my life with no one to trust but myself. I was accused of murdering the first person who was willing to trust me. Even had someone take my punishment until I found the real murderer and painting he stolen. I even was threaten by those responsible," I said, "Now before you go off saying I don't know what it's like to suffer, let me tell you it was the suffering that made me a better person because I learn to trust those who trusted me enough to call me their friend."
"Did Naruto really go through that?" Sakura thought.
Inari was outside when Kakashi came in.
"Naruto grew up being raised by humans," Kakashi said, "It took 9 men to kill his father, and 8 of them died at the process. The last one was about to kill Naruto when he was just a cub but took pity."
Inari look down as he learn more about Naruto.
"Naruto doesn't show it, and even though everything he said is true, in reality he's still learning what it means to trust and believe in someone," Kakashi said.
A/N: I think I'm getting better at the character POV for each chapter. But how about you tell me by ranking it from the scale from 1-10. 1 being the worst, 10 being really good. I say I'm not a 10 yet but at least I'm getting better. One rank per chapter from this one on.
As for what Kakashi said at the end, in a way Naruto is still learning to trust and believing in others. He does learn with every human friend he makes.