Answers to my Reviewers:
buterflypuss: Thank you.
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Reign of Sorrow: Thanking you, it's great to be back...again.
Tomb Raider and Walking Dead: Don't worry, I won't abandon this story since I know how this story ends so you'll just have to wait for me to put it down on (electronic) paper. About Sakura, as therapeutic it would be to bash the girl it's more realistic for the girl to be called on her behaviour and then work to correct it. Finally, thank you for your review and I hope you enjoy the latest chapter.
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Chapter 8
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO! If I did…*the author sighs dramatically* let's just say, it would be VERY different…Enjoy
"Friends don't let friends do stupid things alone." - Anonymous
Last Time on Scarred
But unknown to both ninja groups, a third party had just entered Wave and thus the game.
A tall man with brown eyes, olive skin, short spiky hair and beard with a smoke in his mouth stood on the dock where Team 7 had stood hours before, the man's own genin around him.
"Tch, this is gonna be so troublesome..." Muttered one of the genin.
It was early the next day when Sakura, Sasuke and Naruto accompanied Tazuna to his construction site of the bridge while Kakashi stayed at the older man's residence to not only rest but to also keep an eye on the man's daughter, Tsunami, and his grandson, Inari because Kakashi wouldn't put it past a business man like Gatou to do something to Tazuna's family to get to the older man. Kakashi had also gotten Naruto to make some seals that they could use as a warning system, a precaution in case Gatou or Zabuza tried something earlier than they'd presumed. When giving his genin the seals, Kakashi explained that the seals would grow hot when chakra was applied so all three of them had to be aware of where their teammates were at all times. The three genin nodded their understanding, aware of the seriousness of their situation.
It was several hours into their bodyguard duties when another builder working on the bridge came up to Tazuna asking if he could stop working on it but when Tazuna asked why the man replied that he was worried about Gatou's retaliation to their continued efforts towards the bridge especially if Tazuna was killed as a result of that retaliation. The man wanted Tazuna to quit building the bridge. Tazuna's response was that he couldn't do that.
"This bridge is our bridge," Tazuna said to the man, "This is the bridge we started building together, believing it would bring resources into our poor country."
"But if we lose our lives..!"
"It's already noon, let's stop for today." Tazuna interrupted the man's outburst before he turned back to the man and stating, "Giichi...you don't have to come tomorrow."
The trio of genin watched all of this silently, the fear affecting the country finally hitting them. It hit them further when they followed Tazuna into town in order to get lunch and saw the unemployment and the starving people on the streets. Sakura followed Tazuna into the grocery store and while the two boys stayed outside, she saw the scarcity of food on its shelves. As she looked around the store, Sakura then felt someone brush against her butt and instinctually she turned to the right and lashed out with her foot. Turning fully, Sakura looked at her so-called attacker laying on the floor with a bloody nose and groaning in pain.
"Pervert." She scoffed as Tazuna came up to her and said he was finished with his shopping so she and Tazuna then left the store after that. Meeting up with the boys, the four of them then started their way to the bridge but not 10 minutes later a little girl came up to them and tugged at Sakura's clothing, begging for food and when Sakura gave the little girl some candy, it made her just...light up.
As the girl ran away still smiling, Sakura turned to their client and asked, "Tazuna, it this what Gatou's done to your village?"
Tazuna sighed heavily at the question, suddenly feeling his age, "Yeah...all the adults have lost hope, that's why we need that bridge. I want it to become a symbol of courage, we need for the people to lose their fear and regain the desire to stand up for themselves. If that bridge...if that bridge can be completed...I know the city will return to that time, the people will return to how they used to be." Finished with his speech, Tazuna walked on and as the three genins followed him they once again looked around them and saw the poverty around them. They could only hope that Tazuna's bridge did just that.
Once finished with lunch, Sakura, Sasuke and Naruto continued to guard their client, while making some small talk, until it was time for them to bring Tazuna back to his house.
"Tsunami, I'm home!" Tazuna called out as all four of them took off their shoes and entered the lounge room but Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura all stopped short as they saw that there were some extra guests in the house - Team Ten and their Sensei to be exact.
"Sasuke-kun!" Shouted Ino, who got up and basically glomped the Uchiha once she realised that the brooding teen had returned. While Sasuke pried his over-enthusiastic fangirl off of himself, Sakura and Naruto said hello to Shikamaru, Choji and Asuma as they made their way over to Kakashi who was resting on one of the couches. Sasuke joined them as soon as he escaped Ino's clutches, basically using them as a shield from the girl.
"Tazuna, meet Team Ten - our back-up," Kakashi said to the client, "This is Ino Yamanaka, Choji Akimichi, Shikamaru Nara and their sensei Asuma Sarutobi." As the cyclops spoke he gestured towards the new team, pointing towards the relevant person as he introduced them. Tazuna nodded to each person in greeting before asking why there was another team here. Kakashi replied that when he had sent the Hokage an update on their mission and thus the complications they had run into, the Hokage had sent out another team in response. Tazuna barely got his grunt of understanding out before the man's daughter declared that dinner was ready.
At that, everyone got up and congregated in the dining room although the genin boys had to eat sitting on the floor since there was no room for all of them to sit and eat at the table. Dinner passed with some rambunctious conversation but once everyone had finished dinner, Sakura then commented on the torn picture on the wall. Tazuna and his family grew quiet at the question before Tsunami finally said that the man torn from the picture was her husband, with Tazuna commenting that he was the man the city had called a hero. At those responses, Inari got up from the table and made his way to the door.
"Inari, where are you going?" Tsunami asked but the young boy didn't respond, instead, he just exited the room and slammed the door behind him.
"Inari!" Tsunami called out but she then turned on her father and just about shouted, "Father! I've told you not to talk about that man in front of Inari!"
The ninjas in the room were quiet before Ino asked, "What's wrong with Inari-kun?"
"Yes, there seems to be some kind of explanation," Kakashi stated, curious about the situation.
There was an uncomfortable silence before Tazuna finally answered, "Inari had a father and although they weren't related by blood, they were very close. They were like a real father and son and Inari...he would laugh a lot back then." Tazuna then started to shake as tears started coming down his cheeks, "But...but Inari has changed since the incident with his father. The word 'courage' has been stolen from the people of this island and from Inari...ever since that day, because of that incident."
All the ninja in the room paid attention, curious to what had happened. Asuma was the one that asked, "That incident? What happened to Inari-kun?"
Tazuna didn't answer straight away and instead took off his glasses and rubbed at his eyes, wiping away the tears, "Before I get to that, I first have to tell you about the man who we called the Hero of his city."
"Hero?" Naruto reiterated.
"It was about 3 years ago now that Inari met that man..." Tazuna started and the old man told the story of Kaiza the fisherman who'd saved Inari from drowning and from then on the two were inseparable, like a real father and son. Tazuna then told them why Kaiza was considered a 'Hero' to the city - how he'd saved a whole area of the city from being flooded by overflowing dams during a bad rainstorm.
"But then Gatou came..." Tazuna stated when he again started to shake with grief.
"What happened exactly Tazuna-san?" Asuma asked, saying what was on everyone else's mind.
"In front of everyone, even Inari, Kaiza was...put to death by Gatou!"
Stunned silence filled the room.
"From that day on, Inari changed..." continued Tazuna, "As did Tsunami and the whole city."
Ino and Sakura were crying a little at the sad tale; Naruto, Sasuke, Choji and Shikamaru were blank-faced and trying to keep up a 'not affected' facade but they weren't succeeding entirely; Whereas no one could tell what Asuma and Kakashi were thinking. When no one seemed eager to say or do anything, Naruto finally got up from his seat and made his way to the front door.
"Naruto, where are you going?" a concerned Kakashi asked.
"To train."
The flat reply told Kakashi all he needed to know. The story had affected Naruto more than he had let on and when Naruto felt that his emotions become too much for him to handle, he trains it out. Kakashi remembered asking Naruto why during their first month of being a team and he recalled his otouto's response. 'I do it because it helps me clear my head, to vent my frustrations and when I'm finished and I think through what's bothering me, I can put things into perspective. Being active helps me think.'
That was the only reason Kakashi let his student go unimpeded and when Sasuke got up and followed Naruto out the door, he left the brooding teen alone for the same reason. Kakashi only hoped that by beating the crap out of each other and calling it 'training' that the two could help each other with their inner demons. With Naruto and Sasuke's departure, the rest of the room started to move - Sakura got up to help Tsunami with the dishes, Ino decided it was time for her evening bath, Choji and Shikamaru moved to the lounge room so they could laze about and Asuma got up to talk with Kakashi and the client in order to catch up with the situation of Gatou and Zabuza.
This continued until late evening and when Ino was sure that Tazuna, Tsunami and Inari were all in bed and asleep, her team-mates were otherwise occupied and with Naruto and Sasuke still not back Ino decided it was the perfect time to confront Sakura.
"Okay Forehead, what's the deal?"
Sakura looked at her friend/rival, confused, "What do you mean?"
"What do I mean?'' Ino repeated before she scoffed in disbelief, "I mean, what's up with you Sakura? We haven't fought over Sasuke once since we've been here. And maybe you could also explain the change in Naruto's clothes?"
Sakura shrugged, "I do have a sense of professionalism Ino-pig. And about Naruto's clothes...I don't know, when I asked, the only thing he said about it was that it was time for a change."
Ino raised an eyebrow in disbelief, "Really, a sense of professionalism. That's never stopped you before Forehead."
Sakura crossed her arms in front of her chest and said frankly, "That was different Ino, we were still in the Academy but we're ninja now, which meant I had to grow up. With our kind of career, we have to take things seriously, so I have."
Ino examined Sakura, looking to see if she was telling the truth and when she couldn't tell otherwise, she let it go, for now. Ino knew that if Sakura didn't want to talk about something, the pink girl wouldn't so Ino started up a new line of conversation, catching Sakura up on the gossip back home and Sakura joined in, glad for the change in topic. She didn't want to talk about her newfound maturity since she knew that it would eventually lead back to Jaakuna and that was not something Sakura wanted to discuss anytime soon. The girls stayed up talking for another hour or so before going to bed. While the girls were talking, Kakashi and Asuma were discussing plans with how to deal with Zabuza if and/or when the rogue came sniffing around and what to do with Gatou and what he was doing to Wave.
Sasuke and Naruto didn't return that night.
It was the next morning when Kakashi realised that neither of his male students had come back from their 'training' and concerned about them he sent Sakura off to find her teammates and make sure they hadn't actually killed each other (once she had finished her breakfast of course).
Meanwhile in a forest clearing, Sasuke and Naruto were asleep, exhausted from beating each other to a bloody pulp. The next thing Naruto was aware of was a presence that was hovering above him and acting on pure instinct, Naruto clutched the kunai still in his left hand and with his right hand he grabbed what felt like to be an arm and using the rest of his body, he flipped them over until he had the presence - which he realised was a person - pinned underneath him.
It turned out to be a young woman with long black hair, dressed in a pale pink sleeveless kimono with pale red edges and decorated with small plum-coloured swirls that stopped just above her ankles. Around her waist was a simple white obi tied in a bow, she wore a pair of light brown sandals with dark straps and she also wore a dark-coloured choker around her neck.
"Who are you?" Naruto stated in a calm tone, with the kunai at the young woman's neck.
"I-I live in the village, I w-was out gathering some herbs for a sick friend."
Naruto examined the young woman's expression and when he saw that she was telling the truth, he let her up, apologising for the scare. As the woman accepted his apologies Naruto went to wake up Sasuke and as once his team-mate was awake, he leaned down and muttered his suspicions of the woman to Sasuke. Acknowledging Naruto's words but knowing not to react to them he just stood up and started checking himself over for damage and he saw that Naruto was doing the same. Once they had checked themselves over for damage and besides from some massive bruises and some sore muscles, they were fine. Naruto then turned to the woman and introduced himself and his team-mate to the woman and in kind, she introduced herself as Haku.
"Would you mind some help with picking your herbs?" Naruto asked and at that question Sasuke raised an eyebrow since he knew that he team-mate was suspicious of Haku but he followed Naruto's lead, trusting to see where this lead.
As the two helped Haku, the three of them made small talk until Haku finally asked what the two were during out here and when she got Naruto's reply of training, she asked another question, "Why are you training?"
"To get stronger." Was Sasuke's simple reply. Naruto stayed quiet as Haku asked Sasuke if he has someone important to him and when he saw that his team-mate's face had closed up, seeming like it was suddenly made out of stone, Naruto knew it was the wrong question to ask. When Sasuke didn't answer, Haku went on to say that she believed that when someone has something important to protect that's when they can truly become strong and at those words Naruto remembered how strong Iruka-sensei was when he was protecting him from Mizuki, when he beat the crap out Mizuki for trying to kill his academy sensei, Kakashi-sensei's iron resolve for protecting them from Zabuza and he knew what Haku was saying was true. Sasuke's response to Haku's words was to scoff.
After that, Haku said she was finished with her herb-gathering but before she walked away, she turned to the two boys and said, "By the way, I'm a boy." And she - sorry, he - walked off.
Both Sasuke and Naruto was stunned at that and they turned to each other, both silently asking if they thought that Haku was male. This was the scene Sakura walked in on.
"Okay, what's up with those faces?" Sakura asked as she walked up to her idiot boys and started to examine them and make sure that hadn't seriously hurt themselves. Sasuke and Naruto put up with it since they knew that if they tried to wiggle out of it that Sakura would just immobilise the offender and continue on. It was much simpler just to let Sakura do her thing. When Sakura repeated her question, Naruto was the one that answered her by telling her what had happened in the last 10 to 20 minutes with Haku along with his suspicions that Haku was the same Hunter-nin from before.
"Why do you think that Naruto?" Sakura questioned, with Sasuke next to her basically asking the same thing with just his expression.
"Her- sorry his chakra felt the exactly the same as the Hunter-nin's."
"So why didn't you say anything Dobe? We could've taken out who seems to be an important player in the upcoming battle."
"Well, the first thing that came to mind was that we don't know what Zabuza would do if we take out, who we assume to be, his apprentice. But my main reason for why I didn't do anything was because we don't know enough about Haku's abilities and although we had him outnumbered, we're both exhausted and I didn't want to take the risk of getting in over our heads." Naruto said as he ignored the insult from Sasuke since he knew that his team-mate meant it more like a nickname than an insult.
Sasuke 'hned' at Naruto's good reasons, but didn't say anything else to the matter since it was kind of a mute point as Haku was probably long gone. With that conversation was finished, Sakura finally brought up why she was out in the forest in the first place and when the girl mentioned breakfast it was as if on cue that both boy's stomach's rumbled in clear hunger. Sighing in fond exasperation at her boys, Sakura just motioned for the two to follow her which they did, eager for some food.
The rest of the week continued in the same manner with one team going out to train with Asuma supervising while the other genin guarded Tazuna. Kakashi meanwhile stayed at Tazuna's place to not only continue his guard duties but to slowly test his body to make sure it was healing fine. It was during one of these tests that Tazuna finally asked the teacher something that had been on his mind.
"I wanted to ask you earlier..." Tazuna started as he sat on the jounin's back while the ninja did push-ups, "Why are you still here when I lied to you about this mission?"
"To abandon your duty is not courageous, below the courageous there is nothing." Kakashi quoted, "These are the previous Hokage's words. That is the way of the shinobi, shinobi don't move because of money alone." As Tazuna absorbed his words, Kakashi was glad to find that his body was almost back to normal.
Meanwhile at Zabuza's hideout, an apple was crushed between the missing nin's fingers and he sat cross-legged on his bed with his apprentice stood not too far away.
"You're almost better Zabuza-sama."
"Yeah," Zabuza replied as he flicked the apple juices off of his hand, "We should be going soon, Haku."
"Yes." Intoned the boy.
Unaware of the battle close encroaching, it was another loud night at Tazuna's place. The loudest was Ino however since earlier that day it was Team Ten's turn to train and the appearance conscientious girl was complaining about the sweat and dirt from her training.
"Hehe, I'm also worn out from today's bridge work but at any rate, the bridge is almost complete," Tazuna said in reply to the blonds' complaints.
"Father, don't overdo it ok?" Tsunami admonished her father, who only 'hmmed' in response.
It was quiet at the table then as everyone just sat back from the nice dinner Tsunami had made them. It was then that Naruto noticed that Inari was staring at him, "What?" He asked, raising an eyebrow as he did.
The boy trembled before he seemed to explode, "WHY DO YOU GUYS BOTHER TO TRY SO HARD?! NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU TRAIN, YOU'RE STILL NO MATCH FOR GATOU'S MEN! NO MATTER WHAT GLORIOUS CLAIMS YOU MAKE OR HOW HARD YOU WORK, WHEN FACING THE STRONG, THE WEAK WILL ONLY END UP GETTING KILLED!"
There was a stunned silence in the room at Inari's shouted words and Naruto was the first to break it.
"Whatever kid, I'm not like you." Naruto said flatly and only those who knew him well, namely his team-mates and sensei, knew he was holding back a lot of anger.
Naruto's response just seemed to further set Inari off, "I'D HATE TO BE LIKE YOU! YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS COUNTRY AND YET YOU'RE BEING SO NOSY!" The crying Inari took a deep breath before continuing, "I'M DIFFERENT FROM YOU, YOU'RE ALWAYS CLOWNING AROUND AND ACTING SO CHEERFUL, YOU DON'T KNOW HOW HARD LIFE CAN BE!"
It was with these words that tipped Naruto's anger over the edge and with a cold tone Naruto said, "And you do? Please. Yeah, you lost your Father in a horrible way but you still have your Grandfather and your Mom to support and love you. You try living on your own with your entire village against you before you come crying to me about how hard life is. But no, go on and pose as the star of a tragedy and keep crying all day. An idiot like you should just keep on crying! You little sissy!" And at Naruto's cruel words, the crying boy just further dissolved into tears.
It was only sound in the room before Ino seemed to snap and she stood up and shouted, "Don't say things like that Naruto!" But before Ino could say anything else, her sensei pulled her back down and silenced her. Asuma ignored Ino's struggling since he knew where Naruto's anger-filled words were coming from. Both Shikamaru and Choji stayed quiet, reading the underlying tension in the room. Naruto's team stayed silent for different reasons - Kakashi knew exactly where his little brother was coming from, Sasuke agreed with Naruto since he felt that Inari deserved the kick to the arse with how he was acting and although Sakura wouldn't have been that brutal to the young boy she knew that what Naruto had said was what Inari had needed to hear. Life wasn't fair, it could be mean and sometimes downright cruel. Because if you didn't pick yourself up and face what life was throwing at you, facing your problems, you'll just spend the rest of your days sitting around and whining and crying at the unfairness of it all. That was no way to spend your life.
Finished with his speech, Naruto walked out of the house so he could work off his anger. Inari, with tears still running down his face, ran out the back of the house to sit down on the verandah where Kakashi found him, not a minute later.
"Can I join you?" The jounin asked and when Inari nodded yes, Kakashi sat down beside the boy. "Well Inari, you really knew what buttons to push, you inadvertently managed to find all of Naruto's sore spots." When Inari didn't respond Kakashi tried something else, "Tazuna-san told us about your dad. Like you Naruto also grew up without a father, actually, he's never known either of his parents and for a long time he hasn't had a close friend to turn to. The truth is, he's had a rougher past than you."
"Huh? But I've never once seen him cry or complain." Inari said, turning his head to Kakashi.
Kakashi smiled gently under his mask and one could hear that when he spoke, "He's always trying his best to get people to acknowledge him, for that dream he'd risk his life at any time and Naruto learnt early on that crying won't get him anywhere. He knows what it means to be truly strong...just like your dad, so Naruto may understand your feeling better than anyone else."
"What?"
Kakashi eye-smiled at Inari, "He doesn't seem to be able to not be concerned about you." Inari seemed stunned at that, so Kakashi decided to leave Inari to think about his words.
The morning after Inari's outburst and everyone got ready for the day - aware that their 7-day deadline ended today and although it was Team Ten's turn to guard Tazuna, Kakashi and Sasuke would accompany them. While Naruto and Sakura stayed behind in order to guard Inari and Tsunami in case Gatou tried something with the client's family.
Which was a good thing they did because Gatou had prepared for Zabuza and Haku to ambush them at the bridge while he sent his team of bodyguards to kidnap the man's daughter and grandson. It was a backup plan in case Zabuza was taken out before he could kill Tazuna, Gatou was planning to use the two as a way of forcing Tazuna to stop building his bridge and if the old man refused...well one more chop to the family tree.
So when Tazuna, Team Ten, Sasuke and Kakashi arrived at the bridge, it was to the few workers that were brave enough to still support the old man either severely injured or dead.
"WHA-WHAT IS THIS?!" Tazuna shouted in complete shock at the scene before running over to one of the men that still seemed to be alive and lifted the man until his neck and torso was supported by Tazuna's arms when he asked, "What happened?!"
The injured man managed to choke out, "A m-monster..."
The answer put the ninja on their guard and when Asuma and Kakashi noticed the thickening mist, he and his team went to surround Tazuna with Sasuke and Kakashi surrounding them.
"Here they come!" Asuma stated calmly, causing the genin to nod and take out some kunai in response.
It was dead quiet on the bridge for almost a minute, causing Ino and Choji to grow visibly nervous while Sasuke and Shikamaru kept their game faces on. The only reason why no one jumped when Zabuza's voice came growling out of the mist was because they were expecting it.
"Well, well, well - I see you've brought in someone new, Kakashi. It's Asuma Sarutobi, correct?" But before either jounin could respond, roughly 8 to 10 copies of the rouge-nin appeared surrounding the group.
"Now, Sasuke," Kakashi said with an eye-smile. In response to the order, the last Uchiha vanished in a clear show of speed, 'killing' all of the water clones in less than 5 seconds with the two kunai within his hands.
The only reason Ino don't go all fan-girl over the cool moment as because she knew how serious the situation was...she'd make up for it later.
It was then that the real Zabuza showed up, with the Hunter-nin by his side. "Hmm...He saw through the water clones, that brat has grown. It looks like a rival had appeared for you...eh Haku?"
"It does indeed."
"It seems our thinking was right on the mark," Kakashi commented as the group turned to fully face the two rouge ninjas. "That masked one, he's obviously Zabuza's comrade, what with him standing right next to him and all..."
"I'll fight him," Sasuke stated.
"Tch, so troublesome." Shikamaru groaned, "I'll fight him as well."
Sasuke turned his head and looked at the lazy genin, locking eyes with the Nara. When he saw that his fellow genin wasn't going to back down all Sasuke said in response was, "Fine. Just don't get in my way."
While the Leaf ninja talked, Haku stated to his companion, "An impressive young man, even though the water clones only had 1/10th the strength of the original. Still, very impressive."
In response to his apprentice's praise, Zabuza only said, "But we have gained the first advantage. Go!"
"Yes, Zabuza-sama," Haku replied as he vanished in a whirlwind of water and reappeared in front of Sasuke. Although surprised at the sudden attack, Sasuke countered Haku's senbon swipe with one of his kunai.
While the battle at the bridge started to heat up, two armed men with samurai swords barged into Tazuna's home, surprising Tsunami as she was cleaning up in the kitchen/dining room from breakfast.
The two men, one with eye make-up similar to a clown and the other with an eye-patch, started closing in on Tsunami
The clown-eyed man spoke up first, "Are you Tazuna's daughter? Sorry, but you're coming with us." Sounding not very sorry at all.
In response, Tsunami tried to run away but was stopped not soon after as the man with the eye-patch split the dining room table almost clean in half, causing her to fall to her bottom.
"Kyaaa!" Tsunami screamed in fear as she backed into the kitchen cabinets.
Not ten seconds after Tsunami screamed, Inari came running into the room but stopped short of the doorway when he saw the situation. "Mom!"
Seeing her son and knowing he was in danger, Tsunami shouted at him, "DON'T COME! RUN AWAY INARI!"
The man with the eye-patch asked, "Should we take him too?"
"We only need one hostage." His partner replied.
That response caused the eye-patch man to grin with glee, "Then...hehe...Should I kill him?"
Inari shook in fear from the bit of wall his was hiding behind. Tsunami's reacted the only way a loving mother would, "Wait! If you touch that child, I will bite my tongue and kill myself. You want a hostage right?"
The two men turned and looked at the woman for what seemed to be ages before they both smirked and the clown-eyed man said to Inari, "Heh...Thank your mom kid, you get to live."
"Damn..." His partner muttered, "I wanted to cut something."
The clown-eyed man scoffed, "Give it a rest, you just cut up a bunch of stuff. Let's just hurry up and take her."
As the two men took a hold of Tsunami and dragged her out of the house, Inari just curled up behind the wall and started to cry.
'Mom, I'm sorry...I'm so sorry...I'm only a weak kid and I can't protect you...and I don't want to die...I'm afraid...' Inari's morose thought were interrupted when he recalled Naruto's words from the night before, the ninja's face scrunched up in anger. 'You little Sissy! Crying like an actor in a tragedy.'
Kakashi words then came to mind. 'Naruto learnt early on that crying won't get him anywhere.' And again Naruto's words sounded in his head, 'An idiot like you should just keep on crying! You little sissy!' Again Kakashi's words came in response, 'He knows what it means to be truly strong...just like your dad.'
As Inari pictured his mom's smiling face, his Dad's motto came to mind, 'If it's truly precious, even if you lose your life, you must protect it with these two arms.' Inari stopped crying as he pictured Team Seven, Team Ten, his Mom, his Grandfather and then finally, his Dad. Those faces were just what Inari needed to finally wipe away the last of his tears and become prepared what he had to do.
Outside the house the two thugs were leading Tsunami away, leering at her as they did so, giving the woman creeps.
"Hehe, looking at that pretty skin makes me want to cut it." The man with the eye-patch said with a disturbing amount of dark pleasure colouring his tone.
"Walk faster." Was all the man's partner said in response.
"WAIT!" Inari yelled at the two men.
The two men and their hostage turned around at the shout words, the eye-patch man was the first to speak, "Huh? Oh, it's that kid."
"INARI!" Tsunami screamed in pure terror for her child.
"Get-Get away from my mom! UAAA!" Inari shouted before running right at the two thugs.
"Geez, stupid kid..." The eye-patch man muttered.
"Cut him." Ordered the clown-eyed man, as he started to draw the sword from his hip.
To which his partner replied, "Sure," as he too drew his sword.
"INARI!" Tsunami screamed again, hoping against hope that her child would stop. But it seemed to be too late when the two thugs ran straight at Inari with their blades drawn and ready to cut when all of a sudden she was pulled away and then all she could see was pink. It took a minute or two before Tsunami realised that the pink she was seeing was Sakura's hair.
"Hey Sakura, could you check them over while I take care of these two idiots?" A male voice asked and Tsunami realised it was Naruto speaking. Tsunami couldn't describe the amount relief that flooded through her, even more so when she saw that Inari was safely beside her. As Tsunami looked over Inari to really see if he was alright she vaguely heard Sakura telling Naruto she would look after them and once Naruto had that confirmation he turned to her kidnappers with a clear intent to hurt them, badly.
As Tsunami worked through what had to be shock, she finally had the mind to ask where the two ninja's were when the thugs entered and took her out of the house. Without stopping her check-over, Sakura replied that the only reason why they had let the thugs take her outside was because they didn't want to get a battle to break out within the home since it could've resulted in either Tsunami or Inari getting injured from potential debris or from the Samurai if they slipped past either Naruto of herself. Tsunami accepted this, honestly just glad that both Inari and herself were fine.
While Sakura was answering Tsunami's question, Naruto was beating the idiotic thugs.
Who had only just realised that Naruto had swapped Inari out for a log.
"Damn Kawarimi justu." The clown-eyed man muttered as Naruto walked a safe distance from his team-mate and clients, staring them down as he did so.
"Well, well...If it isn't one of the loser ninjas Tazuna hired." Said eye-patch man, snorting at the diminutive ninja. Then on an unspoken signal, the two samurais dashed towards them, deflecting the two ninja stars Naruto had thrown.
"Heh, like that will work against us!" Eye-patch man said, getting overconfident.
Naruto snorted in derision, "Idiots." And as he spoke, two Naruto clones came up behind the two thugs and gave them both a kick that knocked them clean out. As the Naruto clones tied up the idiots, the original Naruto walked back to Sakura, Inari and Tsunami.
"Is everyone all right Sakura?"
"They're both fine Naruto, those two idiots didn't lay a hand on either them."
Naruto gave a sigh of relief, "That's good..." Before he turned to Inari and said, "Hey Inari, that was a good job you did, distracting them like that enabled Sakura and me to take them out without getting you or your mom hurt."
Inari could feel his face blushing at what Naruto was saying.
"Also Inari...I want to apologise for calling you a sissy, so forget it yeah?" Naruto said with a small amount of embarrassment before reaching out to ruffle the boy's hair. "You're strong!"
Inari seemed stunned at Naruto's words before he started to cry again, "Damn it. I decided I wasn't going to cry anymore, you're going to make fun of me and call me a cry-baby..."
"...What are you talking about?" Naruto said, a little confused at Inari's words.
"Huh?" Inari uttered, looking as confused as Naruto was as he wiped away his tears.
Naruto folded his arms behind his head and grinned brightly as the young boy, "It's alright to cry when you're happy!"
Inari looked at Naruto in disbelief as the ninja's words sunk in and when they finally registered, Inari again cried but this time in joy.
With Inari encouraged, Naruto then turned to Sakura and asked his team-mate if she was alright with holding the fort here while he went to the bridge as back-up.
"It'll be fine Naruto, I'll make sure nothing happens here so just make sure things are covered at the bridge," Sakura told her team-mate who only nodded and gave her a salute before he took off in a ninja's jog.
While Naruto made his way towards the bridge turned battle site, Haku and Sasuke were still going head to head - their senbon and kunai clashing loudly.
As the two students fought, their teachers watched for a moment before Kakashi went into action. "Ino and Choji guard Tazuna-san and when you see an opening get him out of here. Asuma and I will make sure that Zabuza's occupied." And with those orders, Kakashi dashed off to meet Zabuza for their second battle but, this time, he had Asuma as back-up.
Meanwhile, Sasuke and Haku were finally at a stalemate, with Haku's left arm locked with Sasuke's right. It was silent between the two ninjas before Haku broke it, "I don't want to have to kill you but you won't stand down will you?"
Sasuke smirked before stating, "Don't be foolish."
Haku sighed, "I see...but you won't be able to keep up with my speed the next time. Plus, I've already gained two advantages."
"Two advantages?" Sasuke asked.
"The first is the water on the ground and the second is that I've occupied one of your arms. You'll now only be able to run from my attacks." And as soon as Haku was finished speaking, he started jutsu signing with his remaining hand.
'What?! With one hand?' Sasuke thought, shocked but before he could think anything else, Haku slammed a foot down on the water surrounding them, causing it to rise up and form sharp, needle-like shapes. But as the deadly water descended towards him, Sasuke focused his chakra to his legs and leapt upwards, avoiding the attack.
Haku leapt back, also avoiding the justu but as he did so he saw that Sasuke was gone. Looking around for the ninja, Haku noticed incoming ninja stars and dodged once, twice, thrice, four and five times before sliding to a stop.
"You're pretty slow...From now on, you'll only be able to run from my attacks." Sasuke's voice said, shocking Haku at the boys speed. Sasuke then attacked again, not giving Haku anytime to think, so Sasuke swiped out with the kunai in his right hand which Haku blocked with the left forearm. Haku then had to duck as Sasuke threw the kunai right at his face, dislodging their arms and it caused Haku to grab at the ground for balance. Taking advantage that position, Sasuke then kicked out which caused Haku to slide back, disorientated from the blow.
Then Shikamaru, who'd been waiting on the edge of the battle for just this opportunity, activated his family jutsu and watched his shadow reach and lock onto Haku's.
"Kagemane no justu* - complete," Shikamaru muttered as he slowly stood, keeping a clear focus on his jutsu.
Seeing that Shikamaru had a hold of the Hunter-nin, Sasuke then casually walked towards them with ninja wire in hand. Once Haku was securely tied up, they dragged him close to where Tazuna was standing, stood guard and watched Kakashi, Asuma and Zabuza duke it out.
The only way to describe the battle between the three jounin was pure chaos. To the genin's eyes, Zabuza was having trouble keeping up with two elite jounin - the missing-nin might have been an even match for Kakashi but with Asuma as back-up, it tipped the odds in the Leaf ninjas favour. This went on for a few more minutes before Zabuza took a hold of his large sword swung it in a large arc, causing both Kakashi and Asuma to leap back to avoid the lethal weapon and in that brief pause it gave Zabuza enough time to activate his mist jutsu, making it even thicker. So thick actually that neither jounin could see their hand in front of their face.
This is the situation Naruto entered upon as he stood landed right in space between the two groups - Sasuke, Shikamaru, their hostage Haku and Choji, Ino and Tazuna.
"Yo." The ninja uttered, making everyone but Haku jumped in surprise at the sudden voice.
"Log dammit Naruto! Don't do that!" Sasuke hissed in annoyance, keeping his voice low even though he was aware that the battle of the jounin was pretty far down the bridge.
Naruto apologized for the unintended scare before he asked for the run-down of what had happened at the bridge so far. Once he was updated on that front, Naruto then informed his fellow ninjas and client of what went down at Tazuna's house. Once everyone was caught up, Naruto then said, "Okay, now that I'm here, would you mind if I took over guarding the hostage while you and your team get Tazuna out of here Shikamaru?"
Shikamaru considered the request and then replied, "That's fine, it'll be less troublesome that way anyway." And with that, Shikamaru, Ino and Choji quickly but quietly got Tazuna out of the battle zone.
The four were gone almost 20 minutes before things started snowballing.
One moment Naruto and Sasuke were observing their surroundings and the next, Haku had gotten free from his bindings and had thrown half a dozen senbon needles at Naruto, aiming right for his vital points.
It would've been certain death for Naruto if Sasuke hadn't jumped in the way, landing a blow on one of Haku's arm with the kunai he still had in his hand.
Naruto stared, in shock, as Sasuke coughed up blood, the senbon in either his neck or chest before he started to fall backwards and seeing that, Naruto dashed forward to catch Sasuke before his team-mate could collapse onto the hard ground.
As Naruto cradled his team-mate, he could hear him trying to say something, "I hated you...you know."
'What?' Naruto thought before saying, "Then why-?"
"My body...just moved on...its own," Sasuke said, cutting off his team-mate, "That...Man-" Sasuke coughed up some more blood before he continued, "My brother...I told myself...I w-wouldn't die until I killed him...Don't you die too..."
And then right before Naruto eyes, Sasuke just...stopped. He stopped speaking, stopped breathing and for the life of him, Naruto couldn't keep the tears from overflowing.
"I was aiming for you, you know," Naruto vaguely heard from the Hunter-nin, "He landed a blow on me and then without flinching...he died to protect you. He is a shinobi that deserves respect." When Naruto didn't respond, Haku continued to speak as he got into a more defensive position, favouring his injured arm, "Is this your first death of a friend? This is part of what it means to be a shinobi."
"Shut up."
And then to Haku's shock, he then felt an oppressive, dark and feral intent press down on his senses. 'Wha-What...? This chakra is...?!' And then to cement his further shock, he could see his opponents chakra take shape into what looked like a...fox? 'It's impossible for chakra to change like this! And such an evil chakra...!'
That's when Naruto looked right at him and Haku saw that the boy's appearance had changed to look more feral - he eyes were now slitted and the whisker marks on the boy's cheeks had thickened. Haku felt that things had definitely gone from bad to worse, especially when Naruto laid his team-mate out on the ground and then leant forward until he was crouched down on all fours.
Kakashi tensed in surprise, the Nine-tails chakra finally reaching his senses, distracting him from where he'd just captured Zabuza by using his ninken to first sniff out the missing-nin and then when they had a lock on the mist ninja's position, they were to bite and hold the man there.
"Asuma!" Kakashi called out to his comrade, "Secure Zabuza. I'm going to check-" Kakashi cut himself off before he said something that could endanger his student.
"Sure, Kakashi," Asuma grunted as he made his way to where Kakashi's voice was coming from. He too had felt the Fox's chakra leaking out, but he left to Kakashi to deal with since the scarecrow wouldn't be the boy's teacher without knowing how to handle occasions just like this one.
Haku got out some more senbon, preparing for an attack, but he knew that he was at a disadvantage here with one of his arms out of commission. 'Here he comes!' Haku had time to think as Naruto dashed right at him.
'What killer intent! He's totally different from before!' Passed through Haku's mind as he threw some more senbon but they were easily deflected with a roar of chakra. Haku's next move was to jump behind the feral boy and attack him from behind while he fisted half a dozen senbon.
Naruto seemed to sense this since as soon as Haku was close enough Naruto braced himself against the ground and then took a spinning leap to the left, just avoiding Haku, Before he came to a skidding stop. Then before Haku could attack for the third time, Naruto was suddenly there, grabbing Haku's injured arm in a tight grip. After releasing a huge wave of Nine-tail chakra and then concentrating that chakra into his clenched his fist, Naruto then brought his arm back and then swung it forward in a straight punch.
The force of the blow sent Haku flying, shattering the Hunter-nin mask to bits in the process, as Haku rolled and then used the momentum to flip to his feet. Haku then just seemed to just shut down, 'Zabuza-sama...' Thought Haku as Naruto charged him with one of his fists pulled back, 'I can't defeat this boy...Zabuza-sama...I'm sorry...'
Haku just stood there, prepared for the end, as the feral Naruto came closer before the boy just...stopped.
The familiar face had snapped Naruto out of his uncontrolled rage, "You...you're that boy from before!" Naruto asked, his fist still drawn back for a punch.
"Why'd you stop?" Haku asked with his face still blank, "I killed your precious friend...yet you can't kill me?"
The comment about Sasuke brought back the feelings of rage he'd pushed aside in the face of his shock, causing Naruto to swear as he followed through with his punch to the face.
The force of the blow caused Haku's head to snap to side, coughing up blood as a result, "What happened to your intensity? You can't kill me with that." Haku said as he wiped the blood away from his mouth, turning his face back to Naruto before he continued to speak, "There are people who make that mistake. Not killing their enemy out of pity, letting leave with just their lives. Can you understand not having a dream? To not to be needed by anyone?...the pain of simply living."
"...What are you trying to say?"
"Zabuza has no need for a weak shinobi," Haku answered the ninja, "You've taken away my reason for existing."
"Wha-Why do you do these things for a guy like that?! Is he that important to you!" Naruto just about shouted at his opponent.
Haku then tells Naruto about is parents and how happy they were before Haku discovered his bloodline ability which, in the country of Mist, were hated and killed just for the blood that ran through their veins - all because people believed that the endless civil wars that plagued Mist was the fault of the Kekkei Genkai* clans. When Haku's father found out about Haku, and thus his mother's abilities, the man killed his Mother and when he tried to kill Haku, Haku killed him before he could. From then on, Haku explained, that he realised he was unwanted and he ended up on the streets, just trying to live day by day. That's when Zabuza appeared and took him in, even when he knew of his advanced abilities, but he did so anyway just because he wanted to use them.
And Haku went with him, just to feel needed, to feel wanted. Finished with his story, Haku then asked, "Naruto-san, please...Kill me."
Shock didn't describe what Naruto was feeling as he processed what Haku was asking. Thinking it through, Naruto knew that if he didn't kill Haku, the boy would either come after him in another attack or go after someone else and Naruto couldn't let that happen.
So he made a decision.
Palming a kunai, Naruto ran right at Haku in a feint move while a clone he had made before even entered the bridge came up behind his opponent and knocked him out with a clean hit to the side of the neck. The Naruto-clone then caught Haku as he fell and laid him out on the ground. Naruto was unsure of what to do next but before he had time to ponder, he heard footsteps come up behind him. Turning at the sound, Naruto spun to face his teacher, looking as lazy as usually did. The familiar posture calmed Naruto more than he'd like to admit.
In less than 10 seconds Kakashi had taken in the scene before him - Naruto and a clone, their clothes bloody and damaged from battle, with a beaten up Haku laid out in between them and then there was Sasuke, also on the ground, but the boy was on the ground with half a dozen senbon in his body.
"Sensei... Sasuke, he-" Naruto said, trying to explain things but now that the adrenaline and battle focus was draining out of his system, the grief of losing his team-mate and friend was hitting him hard.
Kakashi didn't say anything in response as he walked closer, kneeling down when he reached his student's body, examining the boy in closer detail, he wanted to really see if one of his students was dead. As he was doing this, the mist finally cleared and hearing footsteps coming towards them Kakashi turned his head and saw that it was Asuma, with a cigarette in his mouth like usual.
"Zabuza?" Kakashi asked as he stood up from his crouch, not moving from his students side.
"Dead." Grunted Asuma around his death stick, before he went on to explain that Zabuza had asked that if Haku was still alive if they could bring his apprentice back to the Leaf.
"We'll have to run it by the Hokage before we can agree to anything."
Asuma nodded at Kakashi's non-answer, "That's what I told him."
As the two teachers were talking, Naruto had knelt down beside his team-mate and started to remove the senbon from Sasuke's body. Just as he was removing the last of them, an overconfident and mocking voice reached their ears.
"Oh, how disappointing...Zabuza failed."
Naruto, Kakashi and Asuma focused on where the voice was coming from and they saw a small man with puffy brown hair, wearing a small pair of black sunglasses and he was dressed in a black suit with a purple tie, he also had a broken left arm holding a cane with both hands. The man also had a small army of wannabe samurai and low-level ninja behind him.
"At least, I won't have to pay him...Well, I wasn't going to do that anyway, but at least, he managed to get one of you." Said the businessman as he looked right at Sasuke as he did, not seeming to care that he pissing off some powerful ninja. They could pretty much assume from his words that this small man was Gatou.
Naruto was seething at what this small man was saying and what Gatou said next just pushed him over the edge.
"Kill them. And when you're finished here, kill the others in the village as well." The orders caused the man's small army to shout out their agreement with glee.
This-this ridiculously, overconfident and egotistical idiot wanted to hurt his precious people, He. Won't. Allow. It. That was the last thought to run through Naruto's mind before everything went blank.
Asuma and Kakashi, although tired, were preparing for the battle to come when they again felt the fox's chakra. Turning towards the source, they saw that Naruto had basically gone feral, even crouching down on four limbs as he snarled in rage. Then in a blink of an eye Naruto was right in front of Gatou and his forces, who were frozen in terror at the demonic energy pouring off the boy.
What happened next could only be described as a mass-mauling. Naruto started with Gatou, his clawed hand piercing the man's heart before he could scream out in fear. Once Gatou was dead, Naruto pulled out his bloody hand and then turned to the group of men next and, like a hot knife through butter, attacked each and every one of them like the animal he currently was.
It was a blood bath.
And it was over in less than five minutes.
That's when Naruto seemed to come back to senses and he was pretty much horrified at the scene surrounding him. "S-sensei?" Naruto stuttered out, instinctively wanting his big brother/teacher.
Hearing that tone Kakashi was instantly beside him, calming him down. While Kakashi did that, Asuma turned around and tied up Haku before the boy could wake up.
"Asuma-sensei?"
The man turned at his name to see Sasuke sitting up, looking tired and sore. Asuma called out to Kakashi, who, with Naruto cradled in his arms, came over to see Sasuke alive and well. Thankful that both of his students were alive, Kakashi decided then that it was time to get everyone back to Tazuna's place to recuperate.
Seeing that Naruto had gone into shock and basically clung to his body like an octopus, Kakashi decided to carry Naruto back with one arm while his other arm wrapped around Sasuke's shoulders as the boy leaned into his other side. They definitely made an odd image.
As Kakashi supported his students back, Asuma went on ahead, mostly to check on his own students but when he caught up with his students he had to spend a good 5-10 minutes explaining to the mob of people that Inari had managed to gather that the threat of Gatou had passed.
Once convinced, the mob dispersed to tell the rest of the village the good news. By the time night had rolled around, the village was in full celebratory mode. Merrily rejoicing their new found freedom from their oppressor.
The only ones not enjoying themselves were the Leaf ninja.
Sakura had tended to any wounds Kakashi, Asuma, Sasuke and Naruto's had gotten earlier and then she had sent them all off to rest and recover. So by the time that all of the villagers was in full party swing, the only ones still up were Kakashi and Naruto. Asuma and his team had gone to bed early, seeing as they leave early the next morning to go back to the Leaf and give their report. Team 7 would follow once the bridge was finished.
Kakashi had stayed up to talk to Naruto about what happened at the bridge - specifically about the usage of the Kyuubi's chakra. He had sent Sasuke and Sakura to bed earlier just so he could have this discussion in private, he knew that Naruto didn't want his team-mate to know of his burden.
However, unaware to the both of them, Sasuke and Sakura was both still awake and determined to know what their teacher and team-mate were hiding.
TO BE CONTINUED...
A/N: I'm so sorry! I didn't want to leave it at a cliffhanger, but I wanted to get this chapter up by today/tonight. But at least, I'm updating?
Yay!
"..."
Please don't kill me! I'll try to update some more but I make no promises since I'm started back at Uni soon so my school work will take priority.
Anyhow...please either review or PM me if you have any questions, concerns or if you noticed a digression in the above chapter, I'm the one who proof-reads my work so if I missed something please tell me.
'95 out.
*Kagemane no jutsu - Also known as the Shadow Imitation Technique is a signature technique of the Nara clan which allows the user to manipulate their shadow.
Kekkei Genki - Which literally means 'Bloodline Limit' are abilities passed down genetically within specific clans. These Limits vary - they can either work via the user's eye, i.e. the Hyuuga; Or by mixing one type of elemental chakra with another which is unique to the users but is usually impossible for normal ninja, i.e. Haku's ice abilities; Or finally, other bodily manipulations that are usually unachievable by normal standards.