11: The Land Where A Hero Once Lived!

Suiren Uzumaki: The disclaimer: I do not own Naruto cause if I did then Sakura wouldn't be a useless fangirl in pre-shippuden, and Naruto would have his father's smarts while keeping his mother's personality and knows about seals and how to use to them. I do, however, own Ryurama Senju, Yuki Senju nee Miran, Raika Miran (Senju), & the White Tiger Summoning Contract (A/N: If there is already a White Tiger Summoning Contract…then please ignore the last part). Remember to Read and Review to let me know what you think. Also, if you don't like any twist that I might make then stop reading and find something else to read plus don't leave a review that's a flame or I will find a way to block you. Ja ne!

...My Line...

Raika let out a sigh pulled her hair up into a ponytail before she grabbed a tantō and then walked out of the house slowly after making two reinforced Shadow Clones. The Miran planned to trained a little bit in the woods before she finally got the herbs to help Kakashi's recovery.

…My Line…

(3 Hours Later!)

The greenette let out a sigh as she took a drink from her canteen after finishing her Taijutsu katas.

"Miran-chan!" an excitable voice called out. "Miran-chan! Miran-chan!"

The green hair Genin blinked few times as she pulled away her water bottle from her lips before looking behind her to see the mask Uchiha running up to her while waving.

"Tobi?" she asked surprised as he finally came to a stop next to her. "What are you doing here?"

"Tobi came looking for Miran-chan when he found out that she wasn't in Konoha," the man answered.

"Why?" the Miran tilted her head.

The Uchiha ended up blushing under his mask as the confused and slanted head made the hidden Senju look like a lost puppy.

'SO CUTE!' Chibi Obito yelled in the man's head before the mask rogue shook his head. 'Snap out of it Obito and stick to the plan.'

"Huh, Tobi?

"Tobi wants to get to know Miran-chan better," Obito informed her.

This got a soft smile from the young girl.

"Okay, then," she agreed before turning. "I am done with my morning training, so you can also help me with picking herbs while we talk."

"YEAH!" he cheered as he moved quickly to sit next to the greenette. 'Damn Kakashi. He's so lucky to get to train Ryurama's daughter.'

Raika was soon telling him what to pick and what the herb looked like while he asked her questions about herself that she answered, however, she managed to avoid speaking about Naruto to the Uchiha's annoyance.

...My Line...

Sakura sat on the edge of the partly completed bridge while one of the Shadow Clones of Raika helped Tazuna with the building which earned her respect from the old man. The greenette let out a sigh as she walked by Sakura carrying 100 wooden planks just as the Haruno yawned and she wasn't the only one, who noticed the pink hair girl.

"Are you always this lazy?" Tazuna asked. "Where's that weird blond kid and the one with the attitude?"

"Their training," Sakura answered. "Climbing trees."

"What?" Tazuna asked shocked. "Too tough for you?"

"No," Sakura replied back. "In fact, I'm the best, so that's why the Sensei sent me here to guard you."

"Your joking?" Tazuna asked. "I understand Raika." He pointed at her as she shot Sakura a Tobirama Senju like glare. "I mean she's stronger than she looks, so I believe her, however, you. Yeah, right."

Sakura got an anger vein as the green hair Genin placed the wooden planks down with ease just as Tazuna placed his own wooden plank down. As she turned to go get more, she saw a worker walk up to them looking glumly.

"Tazuna," he called. "I need to talk to you."

Tazuna turned to look at the worker.

"What about?" he asked.

"Uh...the thing is I've been thinking about the bridge, and I've decided I've pushed my luck far enough. I want out."

"YOU GOING TO QUITE ON ME JUST LIKE THAT!" Tazuna shouted as Kitsune glared at the worker. "YOUR KIDDING!?"

"No," the worker answered calmly. "I stayed on because of your friendship, but I'm putting my like on the line every day I stay here." He looked down as Raika glared harden. "Gato and his thugs well show up eventually. When they do they'll kill you and the bridge won't get finished anyways. It's a lost cause Tazuna. Why don't we stop now well we can still get out of this alive?"

'Coward,' the Clone thought with a growl.

"No chance," Tazuna answered.

"Huh?'

"This is out bridge," Tazuna went on. "Our island is poor and it's going to stay that way until the bridge connect use to the mainland. Commoners, traders, and hope that's what we're building here."

"There's not going to be mush hope if we're all dead," the worker told him.

"It's already noon let's break for lunch," Tazuna told him as he walked past.

"Tazuna, let's not end like this?" the man asked.

"Save you breath," Tazuna told him. "And oh, Giichi don't bother coming back after lunch."

...My Line...

Sasuke was still trying to climb trees with his Chakra under the watchful eyes of Kakashi, who was wondering how Naruto and Raika were doing with their own training.

...My Line...

However, at that time, Naruto and his clones were on the water surface fighting each other while the last shadow clone of Raika was off to the side using the leaf concentration as she stood on top of the water and going through her katas.

...My Line...

Raika, Tazuna, and Sakura were walking through the village as the two Kunoichis looked around seeing young kids setting up against walls of the builds and some adults carrying signs saying that they will any kind of work. The greenette looked around feeling sadden by what she was seeing and felt her hatred towards Gato get stronger with the more children they pass by.

"Where are we going?" Sakura finally asked.

"You want to eat tonight don't cha?" Tazuna asked. "I have to pick up some things for dinner."

"THIEF!"

The Miran looked around to see a young kid running throw the crowd as her heart clenched up at the sight.

'What's wrong with these people?' Sakura thought as she looked around.

The shadow clone hardly paid attention as they walked up to a store.

"Here we are," Tazuna told them before they walked inside.

"Welcome."

'This is a store,' Sakura thought. 'There's nothing here.' It was then that she felt some one touch her ass making her to spin around and kick the guy in the face. "You Pervert!"

"No, I was just..."

…My Line…

After getting they needed, they walked out of the store while Raika and Tazuna walked out, but Sakura stormed out of it making the green hair Genin to sweatdrop at her teammate's temper.

'I thought I had a temper,' Raika thought. 'Well, I was wrong.'

…My Line…

"Wow," Tazuna said impressed after they left the store. "You really surprised me back there. Girls around here don't fight like that."

"They should," Sakura told him. "Something is seriously wrong here." Sakura's eye twitched as someone once again touched her ass. 'Again.' She spun around. "Hey, buster..."

The green hair shadow clone looked back to see what made Sakura to stop talking to see a young child standing there with a surprised look before a smile appeared and the child held out her hands.

"Please?" the child asked.

Both Sakura and Raika looked at each other before they looked inside their bags for food to give the child and was only able to come up with candy.

"Here," they both said as they handed the child the candy.

"Ah," the child laughed as she took the candy. "Thank you."

Both of the Kunoichis nodded as tears came to their eyes while they watched the child run off happy to get at least some kind of food.

"This is how it's been since Gato came here," Tazuna told them. "The children suffer, the adults are afraid to stand up to him. They lost all hope that's why we need to finish they bridge. It well bring commoners and trade, but more importantly it's a symbol of courage. We must restore the spirit of our people. When the bridge is finished people well start to believe again. They'll be able to live their lives with dignity. We can't let Gato stop us."

"Introduce me to this Gato and he'll be dead within no time," Raika growled as her fist clenched.

"I don't whither your brave or stupid," Tazuna told her.

"Naruto is both, but I like to think that I actually uses my brain," the green hair pre-teen.

'Sasuke, Naruto,' Sakura thought as she ignores the other two. 'We have to help them.'

...My Line...

"Well, that should do it," the greenette sighed as she sealed up the last of the herbs. "That should last for the week." She than looked at the Uchiha with a smile. "Thanks for the help, Tobi."

"Tobi is happy to help," Obito chirped.

This made the young Genin to giggle before she waved at him as she turned to leave.

"I have to get going," the Miran said as she looked over her shoulder. "See you some other time!"

The mask rogue watched the Genin run off before she took to the trees.

'I guess, I am going to have to be patient before I can learn anything about Naruto,' he thought as he started to vanish. 'But, at least, learning the weakness of Raika Miran will make it to get to the two she is closest, too.'

He laughed as he finally disappeared.

...My Line...

Later that day, all of Squad 7 were setting at the table eating with Tazuna and his family though Sasuke and Naruto where eating like it won't be there if they didn't take their time making Raika to look at them with disgust.

"This is great," Tazuna said with a laugh. "It's been ages since we've had so many people at our table."

It was at that moment that Sasuke and Naruto stood up at the same time.

"I want' some more!" they said at the same time.

The Miran along with Sakura looked back at forth between the two of them before they turned slightly purple and turned to puke making the green hair pre-teen to push away her food with a scowl on her face.

"Don't eat so much if you're going to puke it up!" Sakura shouted.

"I have to eat," Sasuke told her as he came back up.

"And I have to eat more than him," Naruto stated. "It's the only possible way I can get strong enough to beat him."

"That's true, but puking won't help you," both Raika and Kakashi said at the same time.

They looked at each other before the Hatake cackled while the greenette glared at him as the others just looked at them with raised eyebrows though Tazuna had cackled as well.

...My Line...

After dinner, the Hatake sat at the table trapped inside his thoughts as he sips his tea quietly while the Miran was going through a set of notes on a seal that she was creating though she almost jumped when Sakura's voice sounded from over by the sink.

"Excuse me?" she asked. "This picture is torn. Is there a reason for that?" The Haruno then looked over at the table. "Inari, you kept glancing at it all through dinner. Looks someone else was in the picture, but they were torn out. It's kinds strange, isn't it?"

t looked at the pinkette with disappoint when he felt the tension in the room.

"It's my husband," Tsunami answered.

"They used to call him a hero in this land," Tazuna stated.

Inari then got up making everyone to look at him.

"Inari, where are you going?" she asked as he walked out making her to follow, but at the door she looked back at Tazuna. "Father, you can't talk about him in front of Inari. You know that."

The Jonin let out a sigh as he looked at the Client.

"Inari's so…" the Hyuuga trailed off. "I mean, what happened to him?"

"Hmm," the Clan Head hummed. "Is there a story behind this?"

"He wasn't his real Father," Tazuna answered. "He came into the family later and he brought so much happiness. He and Inari were very close. In those days, Inari use to laugh all the time, but then…" They all looked at him in wonder. "All that ended. He never laughs or smiles anymore. Ever since that day that everything changed. The word courage was stolen from this island. We were left powerless, hopeless, and Inari surfers the most. Ever since that day. Ever since it happened."

"Tell us?" Kakashi asked. "What happened to Inari?"

"First you need to know about the man, his Father," the bridge-builder answered. "The man, who taught us the word courage. Who was a Hero in this land."

"A Hero? Really?"

"You can decide that for yourself," Tazuna answered. "He came here about three years ago."

...My Line...

"Pouchy!" a younger Inari called out as he was held back by two boys. "Pouchy no!"

A puppy started to bark.

"That's not his name," another boy said. "Starting today, his name is Shooting Star. And he's my dog now."

"No, he's not!" Inari argued. "He's my dog and his name is not Shooting Star! I had him since he was a puppy! He's my friend and he doesn't belong to you!"

The kid tried to get out of the hold of the two boys that were holding him.

"Just shut up!" the ringleader ordered before looking at the dog, who whined.

The older boy then threw the dog over the docks into the water.

"POUCHIE!"

"See what happens when you don't listen to me," the boy stated. "Now I'm not going to lift a finger to help him. Okay, you can let him go."

The other two boys did as told allowing Inari to walk forward looking angry.

"Why did you do that?!" he asked angrily. "My dog is going to drown!"

"If he's your dog then jump in and get him," the older boy stated. "Be a big Hero and save your friend." Inari's angry look turned to a frighten look. "After all that big talk, you're not going to let him go under, are you?"

Inari walked towards the edge of the docks before he froze as the other three boys moved to stand behind him.

'I've got to jump in and save him,' Inari thought. 'I've got to, but…'

"He won't even help his precious little Pouchy," the ringleader of the boy laughed as he walked up to the younger kid.

'I can't swim,' the young boy thought. 'And I'm scared. I'm sorry Pouchy.'

"Hey, you made such a big deal about it then go get him," the older boy said before he kicked Inari over the edge and into the water.

"I think you went too far Kayne," one of the other boys said as they walked up. "He could really drown or something."

"HELP!" Inari yelled. "PLEASE!"

"Forget about it."

"I don't know."

"You say one more word and you're going in next got it!?"

"I don't want to die!" Inari yelled in fear before he turned to see his dog swimming. "Pouch…" The young boy kept trying to keep his head above the water. "Pouch!"

...My Line...

"Interestingly enough, at that exact moment, Pouch learned how to dog paddle."

...My Line...

The dog managed to get to shore before it shook itself out and then took off.

"HEY! SHOOTING STAR IS RUNNING AWAY! GET HIM!"

The three older boys took off completely leaving Inari in the water without a second thought to his life.

'Oh, no,' Inari thought as he went under. 'Can't breathe. I...'

...My Line...

"They sound like a much of jailbait brats," the greenette snorted.

Sakura nodded her head in agreement.

...My Line...

However, Inari soon find himself walking to the sky and a roaring fire.

"Waking up, huh?" a voice asked. "Finally." The boy gasped as he sat up before looking over to see a fisherman. "I had a talk with those kids. They won't be bothering you again." He then held out a fish. "Here. Eat."

'Am I alive?' Inari thought. 'Is this for real?' "Did you pull me out of the water mister?"

"Have a bite to eat first," the man told him. "And then we'll can talk all about it." The boy did as the older male said and as he eat, the kid explain about what happened. "I see. So, your dog abandoned you, too, huh? In my country dogs are very loyal. They stand by their masters. Then again, you abandoned the dog first, what can you expect?"

Inari stopped eating and looked down at that.

"I really wanted to save him, but I just froze," he informed the older male. "I was just so scared. I guess that I just don't have any courage."

"Hey, come on," the man said as he placed a hand on top of the kid's head. "Don't be so hard on yourself, you're a kid. When I was your age, I was scared, too."

"Huh?"

"It's no big deal," the man told him. "But, always remember this. Live your life, so that you have nothing to regret. If you care about something protect it no matter how tough, no matter how sad, you've got to keep trying. Even if you have to put your life on the line protect it with both arms. Never give in."

Inari stared at him in awe.

...My Line...

"He's name was Kaiza," Tazuna told them. "A simple fishermen, who came here from another land, to follow his dreams. After that Inari and Kaiza were inseparable. The boy has never knew his real father, so you can imagine what it meant to him to have Kaiza in his life. He looked up to him and followed in his footsteps like a real Father and Son. Kaiza spent more and more time with us until he just naturally became a member of our family. And then when this town needed him, he became something more."

...My Line...

"Big trouble Kaiza!" a townsmen yelled as he slammed open the door of the house. "The flood gates are open, and the waters are rising!" Kaiza stood up from the table where he was talking with Inari. "If we don't stop it then the lower distract will be flooded!"

"What?"

"Father!"

"Inari get me some rope! Hurry!"

"Right!" the boy agreed as he ran to do just that.

...My Line...

Both Naruto and Raika shared a look before looking back at Tazuna as he spoke.

...My Line...

"See where the gate is," a male townsman stated. "We need to get a line out there to pull it close."

"A line?" another asked. "You'll have to swim out there to do that! It's impossible. No one can make it through that current!"

"If we don't do it then the whole distract will be whipped out!" a third townsman added. "It's the only way!"

"I'll do it," Kaiza spoke up as he walked over to them.

"Kaiza!?"

"Don't be foolish!"

"You'll never make it."

"Father?"

"Don't worry," Kaiza told Inari. "Nothing can stop your Dad. This is our village, so have to do everything that we can to help."

The older male soon took off his hat and tied one end of a rope around his waist while moving to stand on the edge.

"If you care about something protect it. Even if you have to put your life on the line. Protect with both arms. Never give in."

Kaiza then jumped into the raging waters and started to swim through the current as the kid was watching.

"FATHER!" Inari called out. "I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT!"

He then pulled himself up on top of the dam's gate panting before tying the rope around it.

"He made it! He tied the rope on!"

"Alright, let's pull it close!"

"Everybody come on!"

They all grabbed the rope on their end and started to pull it.

...My Line...

"After that, Kaiza was considered a Hero in this land," Tazuna informed them. "He taught us all the meaning of courage and Inari was so proud to be his Son. But, it wasn't long after that Gato showed up and took over. He terrorized the whole village. Only Kaiza stood up to him."

...My Line...

Inside of a warehouse, the sounds of something was hitting the back of a person was heard while grunts were also heard.

"Gato couldn't have a local Hero getting in the way. It took his whole gang to stop one man."

"You over played your hand, Kaiza," Gato stated. "All that talk about how you going to protect this island with your two arms." The short man laughed. "Those arms aren't much good are they?" Kaiza was once again hit in the back with wooden pole of some kind. "Still that got that definite look in your eye though." He smirked. "Will, my men will get rid of that." He then moved his head at the two much taller and heavier men slightly behind him, who smirked, before they lifted up a pair of mallets each. "Get to work."

"Get down there," a thug ordered as he kicked Kaiza down.

They then walked over to Kaiza, who looked up at them, before the two thugs then lifted up the mallets and then brought them down on the man's arms making him to cry out.

...My Line...

The blonde glared quietly while the greenette's eyes narrowed in anger.

...My Line...

A group of people were showed standing behind a fence as Kaiza was tied to a wooden cross with his arms looking like one big burs.

"Listen up!" Gato called out. "This man has defied the Gato Corporation. He has disturb the order of this land. His punishment is execution." This made everyone talk in still anger about Gato. "Let this be an example so that no one will stand in our way again."

"FATHER!" Inari yelled as he sobbed.

"Inari, don't."

Kaiza looked at the young boy and gave him a small smile.

"Do it," Gato ordered.

The one of the bodyguards pulled out his sword.

"Father, no," the kid cried. "DADDY!" The sword was brought down on Kaiza, ending his life. "You told me...that you'll protect me and this land...with both your arms. You made me believe that you could do it...but, it was all just a lie."

...My Line...

"Since then Inari changed," Tazuna told them. "So did Tsunami and all of our people. We've lost our will."

Naruto's eyes were narrow as he thought back to when they meet Inari and after.

...My Line...

"Ha," Inari laughed. "There's no such things as Heroes. Only stupid kids believe that!"

...My Line...

The kid sat on a desk looking out over the ocean crying while holding a picture frame.

...My Line...

With a growl the blonde goes to stand up only to fall flat on his face.

"What are you doing down there, Naruto?" the pinkette asked as Raika got up and went to make sure that he was okay.

"You better take the day off," Kakashi told him. "No more training. You use to much Chakra." The male Uzumaki struggles to get up. "If you push any hard it could kill you."

"I'm going to prove it."

"Prove what?"

"I'll prove that it's true," the 12-year-old male Genin answered as he stood up. "That in this world...there are real Heroes."