Chapter 29: Preparing in Wave

Wave, outside Tazuna's house

It was early in the morning, the sun just starting to rise, when the members of teams 8 and 11 gathered in front of their Jōnin-senseis. The group gathered together in a wooded area close to Tazuna's home, near a small lake. Naruto had about a dozen pairs of eyes watching the house.

Shisui looked over at Kurenai, who nodded at him. He returned the gesture and looked at the six genin. "All right then," he said. "We have about six days until we see Zabuza again. Possibly less time, possibly more time. It depends on how good our hunter-nin is at being a doctor."

"Regardless of how much time we have, I intend to make good use of it," Shisui gestured over to Kurenai, who was holding onto a crutch. "To the members of team-8, you will be joining my team in the morning for training."

Kurenai nodded at Shisui as she stepped forward with the help of her crutch. "I know this is unusual," she said to her genin. "But given the circumstances, I won't be able to train you guys. We can still work on mental exercises and some chakra control. But for the rest of the training, I'm afraid I won't be much help right now. Do you understand?"

The genin members of team-8 nodded their heads. "Of course, we do, Kurenai-Sensei," Sakura said, stepping forward. "You need to recover."

Kiba had a cocky grin on his face. "Yeah," he said. "Besides, this could be a chance to learn something awesome from another Jōnin. Why pass that up? Who knows, maybe he'll like us better than his own team."

"Careful Kiba," Sasuke said. "We're right here."

"Wouldn't want any unfortunate accidents to happen now? Would we?" Naruto said, giving the Inuzuka boy a devious grin.

Kiba's smile faulted for a second. "Well, it could happen," he said. "So, what are you going to do first?"

Shisui crossed his arms. "First off, I want to see how your chakra control is," he said. "I understand that your sensei is having you guys work on the three climbing techniques, correct?"

Sakura nodded. "Yeah, it was one of the first things she had us do," she said. "Even though we already knew how to do."

Kurenai looked at Shisui. "I wanted to refine whatever they already knew," she explained. "Even had them work on the leaf technique several times."

Naruto nodded to himself. That was what Shisui had been doing with them since the formation of team-11. Though he had managed to throw in a few new things to teach them.

"Then show me," he said. Then he pointed to the nearby trees. "You three pick a tree and climb."

"All right," Kiba said, walking forward, the rest of team-8 close behind. "But I don't get why we have to do this. Why not show us how to do some awesome new technique that will wipe the floor with Zabuza and the fake hunter-nin?"

Shisui smiled at him. "If you behave, maybe I will," he said. "But in all honesty, flashy jutsu are not going to help us here. Zabuza and his accomplish are tough opponents, and you will need every advantage you can get."

"And that means not wasting any chakra," Kurenai said, stepping in. "The less you waste your energy, the more you will have in the long run."

"Yeah, yeah," Kiba said. The genin of team-8 walked up to the trees. Then, one by one, they started to walk up the trunks of the trees. "See, we can do the tree walking technique. Like Sakura said."

"But can you reach the top of the trees?" Shisui asked.

The look on Kiba's face faltered for a second as he looked up at the tree he was on. "Sure, we can do that," he said. "Right, guys., he looked at his teammates, getting no response from either.

Naruto and Sasuke smiled. "What's wrong, Kiba?" Naruto asked.

"Afraid of heights?" Sasuke chirped.

Kiba growled and glared at the boys. "No, I'm not," he defended himself. "I'm just?" Naruto and Sasuke repressed the smiles on their faces when Kiba came tumbling down the tree.

Kurenai shook her head, and an exasperated sigh escaped her lips. "Kiba, what have I told you about losing your focus?" She asked.

Akamaru, the ever-faithful companion, walked up to Kiba and licked the side of his face. Kiba growled. "It's not my fault," he said, pulling himself up. Then he pointed at Naruto and Sasuke. "Those two distracted me."

"What?" Naruto said. "All we did was just talk to you. Right, Sasuke?" Sasuke nodded. "Besides, you're the one that fell down the tree, not us."

"Oh, yeah?" Kiba said. "I would like to see you do better," he smiled, showing some fangs.

Naruto turned his head to face Shisui. "Sensei?" He asked.

Shisui shrugged. "Go ahead," he said. "Might serve as some motivation for Kiba.

Naruto turned his head and nodded to Sasuke. He smirked and nodded back. "Come on," he said, walking forward. "Let's show the mutt how it's done."

"Hey!"

By this point, Shino and Sakura had reached the top of their respective trees. They were watching the spectacle. About fifteen seconds later, they were joined by Naruto and Sasuke.

"How you two doing?" Naruto asked.

"Just fine," Sakura said with an amused smile.

Shino silently nodded. "And enjoying seeing our teammate putting his foot in mouth," he said. Wow, Shino making a joke? Naruto was going to have to check if the world was ending.

Naruto and Sasuke smiled down at the dumbfounded Inuzuka. His mouth was wide open enough that a fly could go in. "Come on," Sasuke said, walking down the tree. "Before Kiba chokes on something."

Naruto snorted but walked down his tree. Moments later, the four genin were back on the ground. "See, Kiba," Naruto said, smiling at the boy. "It's easy."

Kiba closed his mouth and looked away. "Well, I could have done that," he said. "If you two hadn't distracted me."

"Now, now, Kiba," Kurenai said with a smile. "You can try again."

Kiba rolled his eyes and started to walk up his tree slowly. "So, Shisui-sensei," he said. "Are you going to show us something? Or are you just going to have us climb trees all day?"

"That would depend on how ready Kurenai thinks you are," Shisui asked. He turned to face the genjutsu specialist. "So, what do you think? Is your team ready for the next exercise?"

Kurenai sighed. "I would have liked to have given them a little more time," she said. "But given the circumstances, learning this now would help."

"Show us what?" Kiba shouted from his tree. He was getting close to the top.

"We're going to show you how to walk on water," Shisui said.

A confused look appeared on Sakura's face. "Walk on water?" She asked. "Wait, like you were doing with your fight with Zabuza?"

Shisui nodded. "Exactly," he said. "It's a beneficial technique for more than just refining your chakra control. Once Kiba gets down, I'll show you."

About a minute later, they were gathered by the nearby lake. "Now observe," Shisui said.

Kiba was next to Naruto and Sasuke. "So, can he really walk on water?" He asked in a whisper.

Naruto gave him a pointed look, followed by Sasuke. "Well, yeah," Naruto answered. "Weren't you watching the fight with Zabuza? All three of them were standing on the lake?"

Kiba smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head. "I thought that was just more tricks," he said. "You know, genjutsu and stuff."

Again, Naruto looked at the Inuzuka boy with an even look. "You just walk up a tree," he pointed out. "And I have floating eyeballs." Several flew around Kiba.

"Fair point," Kiba said.

"If commentary from the peanut gallery is done," Shisui said. "I was about to demonstrate the water walking technique."

The genin stood at attention. "Hai sensei," the boys said.

Shisui nodded and took a breath. Then he took a step out onto the lake. Then another, and another, and another. Shisui was about half a meter away when he turned to face the genin.

"The water walking technique," he said. "An advanced form of chakra control training and means of travel over water," he opens his arms wide, gesturing to the lake. "To any ordinary person, this lake would be an impassable boundary. Something to go around, to go across it, they would need a boat or be a good swimmer. But for us, we can just walk across it."

Kurenai stepped up beside the genin. "Now, this isn't anything like with the tree walking exercise," she said. "Unlike with a tree, the surface of water is constantly shifting. Even if you don't see it, water is always in constant change. So, tell me, what do you think you'll have to do to stay on the water? Team-11, you don't have to answer this," she gave Shisui a sideways glance. "I suspect you already know the answer."

Kiba looked at the members of team-11 with surprise. "You already know this?" he asked. "When?"

Naruto didn't turn his head when he answered. But he did have a grin that he knew Kiba could see. "Of course, we do," he said. "How else do you think we got here so quickly? See," he channeled his charka to the soles of his feet and stepped out onto the surface. Sasuke and Hinata did the same thing.

All three turned to face the stunned expressions of team-8, or in Shino's case, a slight head nod. Sakura was the first to snap out of her stupor and had a thoughtful expression. "So, if the surface of the water is constantly shifting, we can't just keep a steady stream of chakra going to our feet. Right?" Kiba and Shino had recovered and were now looking at their sensei.

Kurenai smiled. "Correct, Sakura," she said. "If you were just to do that and only that, you would fall into the water. Shisui, would you mind demonstrating?"

Shisui looked at the water around him. "You sure it has to be me?" he asked.

Kurenai smiled at him. "You're not the one on crunches right now," she pointed out.

"We have three genin out on…" Shisui tried to point to his genin on the lake. They waved back from the land, smiles and all. A frown appears on Shisui's face. "Little traitors," he grumbles. Then he shrugs. "Fine, it's good I know how to swim."

He raises his foot up into the air. "Now watch carefully," he said. The genin could see a faint blue glow coming from his foot. He lowered the foot, moving it forward, where it made contact with the water. It looked like it would hold for a second, but then the foot sunk into the water.

Shisui tried to regain his balance as his foot started to sink into the water, but his foot kept sinking into the water. Then, he fell into the water altogether. His head bobbed to the surface, where he gave the people on the land a smile.

"And that is what will happen if you can't figure this exercise out," Kurenai said, smiling and turning her head to face the genin. "Now, can anyone figure out how you stay on the water and not in it?"

Shino spoke. "So, if the water is in a constant state of change, and the channeling charka to our feet alone is not enough. Then, it stands to reason that we must constantly change the chakra output we are channeling to our feet. Is this correct?"

Kurenai smiled. "An interesting idea, Shino," she said. "What do you two think?"

Sakura had a finger to her lips. "I was thinking the same thing," she said. "With the tree walking technique, all you had to worry about was not using too much or too little chakra. So, keeping the channeled chakra to a consistent level was okay. But with walking on water, it's a little different."

Everyone turned their attention to Kiba. The Inuzuka boy sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, I guess that sounds about right," he said, getting eye rolls from everyone.

The Jonin-senseis had amused smiles on their faces. "Shino was right," Kurenai said. "You must constantly control how much chakra you channel to your feet. Or else you'll end up like poor Shisui here."

"Hey now," Shisui said, climbing out of the water. "I did that on purpose," then he looked at the genin. "That said. It's not as easy as it looks. You must always be the mind of your chakra control while over the water. But with enough time and practice, you can do it unconsciously. Once you have mastered the water walking technique, you can do what Kurenai and I did."

"Being able to fight your opponent while on the surface of a lake," Kurenai finished. "Or a river or the ocean. Really, any body of water. In fact, get enough at it, and you might be able to walk up a waterfall."

Both Naruto and Kiba perked up. Even Sasuke and Shino showed signs they were interested. "Being able to walk up a waterfall," Naruto said quietly to himself. "Now, that would be pretty cool."

He heard a low chuckle in the back of his mind. "Trust me, Kit, what she is talking about is scratching the surface of what you can with enough control over your chakra," Kurama said. "I know techniques and exercises that would have the woman with red eyes drooling like an Inuzuka."

Now, Naruto was intrigued. "Care to tell me any of them?" Naruto asked the Kyūbi.

He heard a snort from the fox. "Perhaps," he said lazily. "But only when I think you are ready for them. In the meantime, try to keep the noise down. I'm trying to get some sleep here."

Naruto frowned. "Lazy furball," Naruto mutters. "Would like to see you do some of the work for once. With the little mental conversation done, Naruto turned his attention back to the training session.

Kurenai was now having her genin making their attempts at walking on water. Naruto was going to enjoy watching Kiba fall into the water.

Later that day, near Gato's hideout

"Well, that's an unusual design," Shisui comments.

Naruto nodded. He had thought the same thing when he saw the building. It looked like a upside down spinning top hung in the air. "So, not only is this Gato guy a thug, but he's also on the eccentric side," he said.

Naruto saw Shisui shrug his shoulders. "Takes all types, I guess," Shisui said.

"So, you think this is where Gato is?" Naruto asked. Following this morning's training, Shisui had taken Naruto to the docks described by Kiba and Sasuke. From there, they followed the road they discovered. That led them to here.

Shisui nodded. "Very likely," he said. "But just to be sure." He looked at Naruto.

Naruto nodded and held his arm out. Channeling a bit of chakra, the seals on the arm started to glow a faint blue light.

Pop! Pop! Pop!

In puffs of smoke, pairs of eyes appeared above his arm. About ten in total, they then flew off towards the strange-looking building.

Shisui had a pleased look in his eyes. "Speaking of," he said. "How are your other eyes?"

Naruto nodded, knowing what he was talking about. On their way here, the two encountered some of Gato's thugs. The thugs were knocked out before they knew about the Shinobis' presence.

When they were unconscious, Naruto took the liberty of taking their eyes and putting them back into their heads. "How are they doing?" Shisui asked. "Any trouble seeing through them?"

Naruto shook his head. "No trouble at all," he said. "I can see just fine. Though I find it annoying that I can't control where they are going," most of them were in the town, some of whom were harassing the townsfolk. One was at the docks doing nothing.

Shisui nodded. "Nothing we can do about that," he said. "But it does offer a handy way of getting your eyes inside other places. Not that it was difficult to start with. Do any of the thugs show signs they might be aware that something is wrong."

Naruto thought about it for a moment. He tried to recall if any of the thugs whose eyes he controlled did anything that suggested side effects to this new technique. "They do rub their eyes a lot," he said. "And sometimes they'll rub their heads."

Shisui nodded. "That would suggest your new ability can cause eye discomfort and headaches," he said. "It's something we'll have to study once we get back to the village."

Naruto nodded. It wasn't something he was looking forward to, and he imagined the condemned prisoners that would be volunteered for the studies wouldn't like it either.

"My eyes are in," he said. His eyes started to navigate the maze of hallways inside the building.

"Good," Shisui said. "Try to find out where Gato is or any sign that he might be staying here.

Naruto nodded. "Got it," he said. They remained silent as Naruto's sights went through the odd building. Every now and then, Naruto would report what he was seeing. Like how many rooms he saw or how many thugs appeared to be staying in it (Which was a lot.)

At the same time, Naruto memorized everything he saw. Quickly creating a mental map of the place. He noted where the barracks for the thugs were, where they kept their supplies and weapons. He saw where they ate, where most of them hung out.

And he saw where they kept their prisoners. A tight frown appeared on Naruto's face. Something that Shisui took notice of. "Something wrong, Naruto?"

"I just found where they're keeping their prisoners," Naruto said, trying to keep his tone even.

"Prisoners?" Shisui said. "What kind of prisoners?"

"Most of them are women," Naruto said. More than a few were girls around Hinata's age or younger. Naruto thought he even saw a couple of young boys. It was hard to tell with how huddled together they all were. Most had vacant looks in their eyes.

A look flashed across Shisui's face. "I see," he said. "I shouldn't be surprised they would do that. Keep looking for Gato. We'll worry about the prisoners later."

Naruto wanted to protest. He wanted to go in there and rescue everyone Gato's thugs had taken. But Naruto knew Shisui was right. They were here for recon and nothing else. To try anything else would risk the mission and the rest of the team.

Silently, Naruto tore his sights away from the prisoners and continued to search the building for Gato. "Found him," Naruto said. "The rat is at the top of the building," sleeping in a luxurious bed surrounded by equally luxurious decorations.

Naruto's blood boiled at the thought that this man was living in the lap of luxury while the rest of Wave starved. While innocent people were made into playthings just below him.

Shisui snorted. "Typical civilian arrogance," he said. "So now we know where Gato is staying. What about Zabuza and his accomplish?"

"Looking," Naruto said. "Hang on, I think I just found them," it was in a room a few levels below Gato's room. A large circular room with a bed in the middle.

A young girl, maybe two or three years older than Naruto, was sitting by the bed. Nursing an injured and very annoyed-looking Zabuza. "Zabuza is here," Naruto said. "He's laying in a bed being attended to by a girl. I think she might be the hunter-nin."

She did seem to match the description of the hunter they encountered. Roughly the same height, body shape, and hairstyles matched. She was even wearing the same clothes.

Shisui nodded. "Good," he said. "Can you get a closer look? See what Zabuza's condition is?"

"Hold on," Naruto said. He moved his eyes closer to Zabuza. The girl stiffened.

Uh-oh, Naruto thought and tried to pull his eyes away. But too late, the girl spun around and threw some senbon into the air. The next thing Naruto knew, his sight in the room went black.

"Shit," Naruto cursed under his breath.

Shisui was looking at him. "Something wrong, Naruto?"

"The girl sensed my eyes," Naruto said. "She just took them out."

A frown appeared on Shisui's face. "Then I say it's time to leave," he said. "Come on, we got more than enough here today."

Naruto nodded and followed after Shisui. He wouldn't forget what he saw today, not with thoughts of Hinata playing through his mind.

Hideout

Haku tentatively picked up the eyeballs she had just screwed. Not something she had thought she would do in her life. She was careful not to crush them.

"What the hell is with you, Haku," she heard her master shout from across the room.

Haku stood up and walked up to her master's bed. "See for yourself," she said, putting the eyeballs on the side of the bed where Zabuza could see them.

Zabuza raised a non-existent eyebrow. "Eyeballs?" he questioned, looking between them and Haku.

Haku nodded and sat back down in her chair. "I felt like someone, or something was watching us," she explained. "I can only assume these were the culprits."

Zabuza nodded. "I was getting the same feeling," he said. "Thought my paranoia was getting to me."

Haku nodded. It wasn't an uncommon feeling for them. Being on the run from Kiri tended to give one a habit of looking over their shoulders. Even though they hadn't seen any of the hunters for more than a year now.

Haku looked at the eyeballs, three pairs in. Two green and one brown. "What do you think?" She asked. "And do you think there are more of them?"

"I would bet on it," Zabuza answered. "As for what they are, I can't really say. My best guess is they're part of a new technique we haven't seen. Maybe even a genke kenkai."

Haku shifted uncomfortably at the mention of genkei kenkai. It had been years, but her life in Kiri still haunted her to this day. "Do you think it could be the Konoha-nin?" She asked.

Zabuza nodded. "Hai," he replied. "We've heard rumors that Konoha has gotten their hands on a new genkei kenkai."

Haku nodded. They had heard that rumor shortly before coming to Wave. They didn't put much stock into it, as rumors about the major villages always floated around. Sometimes they would be vague, and sometimes they would be more specific. In either case, there was no way they could confirm the rumors.

"So, what do we do now?" Haku asked. "Do we inform Gato of this development?"

Zabuza shook his head. "The little midget would never believe us," he said. "You know how civilians can be. Most of them think the tales of us Shinobi are all made up. No, we keep this to ourselves."

Haku nodded. "Very well then," she said. Haku considered for a moment about relocating her master to somewhere else. Their location had been compromised after all. But then she discarded the possibility. Zabuza was in no condition to be relocated.

Zabuza nodded and looked up at the ceiling. "For now, we'll try to keep any prying eyes from spying on us," he said. "They can have free reign on the rest of the building."

Haku nodded and turned her attention, treating her master. She noticed that they were getting low medicinal herds. She would have to collect more the next morning.

Town in Wave

Kiba decided that he hated patrol. Especially when he was told to do nothing if he saw anything. Walking through the nearby town, he and Shino saw a lot of things.

He and Shino were walking through the street, acting like street orphans. Kiba suppressed a low growl when he saw a thug knock an old man into the street, laughing. Reflexively Kiba's hands curled into fists.

A hand on his shoulder stopped him from doing anything else. Kiba looked over his shoulder, seeing Shino giving him a cold stare. "Remember our mission," he said. "Recon, don't draw attention to ourselves."

Kiba looked at his teammate for a long second before he snorted and looked away. He uncurled his fists. "Yeah, whatever," he said. Kiba looked at the old man as he struggled to get to his feet. The frown on Kiba's face never left when he looked away.

Akamaru tried to comfort him by wagging his tail and licking the bottom of his chin. Kiba smiled and looked down at his partner hidden in his shirt. "Thanks, buddy," he said, petting Akamaru on the head.

The little dog let out a pleased bark. Kiba looked around, feeling his frown returning. "How can anyone be doing this?" he asked softly. Coming from Konoha, Kiba was used to a much different lifestyle. He was used to seeing people smile as they walked down the streets and got used to the noise of conversation in shops and the marketplaces. He was used to seeing children running around and laughing.

He wasn't used to seeing people shamble from one end of the street to the other. He wasn't used to seeing empty shops and stalls. He wasn't used to seeing starving children in the streets.

Wave was a far cry from Konoha. Granted, Kiba knew his home village wasn't a perfect place to live. Konoha had its fair share of problems. He would have to be blind not to see that. Naruto's life before being taken in by the Hyūga was one example. And Kiba had seen beggars in Konoha before.

But never anything like this. "How can Gato be treating the people like this?" Kiba asked. "Shouldn't he be helping the people of Wave?"

Kiba didn't expect an answer, least of all from Shino. "Not all care for the collective," he said. "Some are more concerned with themselves than the well-being of the whole."

Kiba looked at Shino, surprised he would say anything. Then he nodded. For all the differences they and their respective clans had, they had one thing in common. They looked out for their packs.

Kiba looked at the misery around them. "Still, how can anyone let this guy and his thugs walk over them like this?" Kiba asked. "Why don't they fight back?" If this had been Konoha, Gato and the goons would have been dead within the hour. Then again, Kiba had to remind himself that this was not Konoha or the Land of Fire.

"They're afraid," Shino said. "To them, Gato and his men are an invincible army."

Kiba snorted. "They're not," he said. "They're just a bunch of thugs with swords. I doubt they even know how to use those things."

"We know that," Shino said. He stopped at the side of an empty building. "But they don't. And Gato controls this country's only means of getting food and supplies."

Kiba frowned. Tazuna had mentioned something about Wave being unable to support itself, so it relied on trade to survive. "So, Gato can just starve the country out if he wanted to," and already was doing.

Shino nodded and pushed his glasses up. "There is something else I sense," he said. "Something that has felt off about the people ever since we arrived."

Kiba stared at Shino. He had felt the same thing but never could put words to it. "Go on," he said.

But before Shino could answer, a piercing crying ripped through the air. Both boys whirled around to face the source, hands instinctively going for hidden kunai pouches. An angry growl escaped from Kiba, and he could hear a low buzzing sound from Shino.

A woman was screaming as she was dragged away by two men into an alleyway. "Someone, please help me!" Tears were streaming down her eyes as she screamed and struggled. "Please help me. Hmmpth!"

One of the men clamped his hand over her mouth, muffling her cries for help. "Be quiet bitch," he said. "No one's coming to save you. So, just relax and enjoy."

Like hell, Kiba was going to let that happen. He steps up, ready to beat the two men bloody. Yet again, Shino stopped him by placing a hand on his shoulders. Kiba turned his head, shooting his teammate an angry glare. "Shino," he growled.

He was expecting a reminder that they had orders. "We need to be careful," he said. "We can't draw attention to ourselves."

Kiba was about to offer a protest when his mind started to process what he was saying. He calmed down just a little and nodded at Shino. "What's the plan?"

Shino walked up the street. "Follow me," he said.

A few moments later, the duo were on a rooftop overlooking the alleyway the men had dragged the woman into. No one had noticed them getting there.

"Remember, we have to make it look like they killed each other," Shino said calmly.

Kiba nodded. "Gotch you," he said. A part of him, though, felt uneasy. He knew what these men were about to do, and they deserved what was coming to them. Yet, at the same time, Kiba knew this would be his and Shino's first kill. Could they really do it? Well, they'll find out soon enough.

One of the men slammed the woman into a wall. She let out a cry of pain as the man backed away from her. "All right now," the man said with a wide grin. "Little lady, take them off."

The woman scrambled up against the wall. "Nooo," she screamed.

The man and his partner frowned at the woman. "That wasn't a request," he said. "So, I will say this again: take them off."

The woman shook her head. "I won't," she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

The man's frown turned into an angry sneer. "I said," he replied, reaching his hand out. "Take them off."

"Now!" Shino said, leaping off the rooftop. Kiba quickly followed.

The pair landed between the woman and the two men. "What the!?" One said. That was as far as he got.

Kiba and Shino charged at the men. With the short distance between them and the element of surprise, the men never had a chance. Kiba pulled a Kunai out and plunged it into one of the men's chests. The man tried to scream, but Kiba shot his hand out over it, muffling the noise.

The man was sent falling back to the ground from the impact of Kiba's body hitting his. The Inuzuka boy landed on top of the man, keeping his kunai in his chest, and twisted it. The man screamed more, but Kiba held his hand over his mouth.

Kiba kept looking at the man in his eyes. Even as the light left them and, his struggles began to cease. It was something that Kiba would never forget. Eventually, the man's struggles stopped completely, and Kiba stared into lifeless eyes.

Kiba took his kunai out of the man's chest and slowly stopped. For a second, he stared at the man he had just killed. His face was twisted and frozen in an expression of horror and shock.

He was vaguely aware of Shino stepping beside him. "It is done," he said. His voice was shakier than Kiba remembered.

Kiba numbly nodded. He was still staring at the dead man. Was this what it felt like to kill a person? Kiba almost jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked over seeing Shino staring at him.

"Process later," he said. Then he turned around. "For now, we have other things to attend to."

Kiba turned around, seeing the woman staring at them with fear in her eyes. Right, he had forgotten about her. Kiba nodded. "Right," he said.

Kiba stepped up to the woman. The woman let out a startled cry. "Please don't come near me," she said, backing herself up against the wall."

Kiba stopped in his tracks and held his hands up to show he meant no harm. "It's okay. We're not here to hurt you," he said calmly. "You're going to be okay." Kiba stepped a little closer to the woman.

The woman was looking at him and Shino timidly. "You're not going to hurt me?" She said.

Kiba smiled at her. "Of course not," he said. He then gestured to the dead men. "Otherwise, we wouldn't have stopped those men." The last word he spat out like it was an insult.

"He is right," Shino said. "You have no need to fear us. Not fear from those men again."

The woman still looked uncertain. But then Akamaru jumped out of Kiba's shirt and approached the woman. He stopped beside he feet and placed a paw on her foot. The woman looked down at the puppy, wagging his tail and barking happily at her.

The woman looked confused for a second, but then a smile broke out across her face. She knelt down and started to pet Akamaru, who let out a happy whine. "Good little doggy," she said. Then she looked up at Kiba and Shino. The suspicion in her eyes was gone. "Thank you. Without you, I don't know what I would have done."

Kiba felt himself blushing, so he hid it by looking down and scratching the back of his head. "D-don't mention it," he said. "We just couldn't let those guys get away with what they were doing."

The woman nodded and smiled. "But thank you still," she said. She stood up and bowed to the two genin. "I'm forever in your debt."

"You can repay us by getting home safe," Shino said. "Do you need one of us to escort you?"

The woman shook her head. "No," she replied. "I can find my way home safely." Then she looked over the corpses of the men. "What are you going to do about those two?"

Kiba and Shino looked back at the dead men. Kiba had a frown on his face at seeing them. "Don't worry about them," he said, waving the woman off. He turned back to face her. "We'll take care of them."

The woman nodded and walked out from the wall. "Thank you again," she said. Then she walked away, though not before spitting on the bodies.

"You sure she will be safe on her way back?" Shino asked, stepping up beside Kiba.

Kiba nodded. "She'll know to avoid Gato's men," he said. "Plus," he points to the air at a pair of eyeballs watching them. "She'll have someone watching her."

Shino nodded. Then he turned his head to face Kiba. "I didn't think you had it in you," he said.

Kiba pretended he didn't know what his teammate meant. "Had what in me?" He asked, hoping Shino would drop the subject.

Kiba had no such luck. "Chivery," Shino said. "I didn't think you could be so chivalrous around a woman like that. I think Ino and Sakura would be proud."

Kiba blushed and looked away. "Yeah, well," he started to defend himself. Then he sighed. "I just have a lot more respect for women than you guys think. I might not act like it, but I do," it was the truth. He really did have a lot of respect for women. It shouldn't be that surprising. Just look at his mother and sister.

Shino nodded. "We know that," he said. "Even the girls know that."

Kiba snorted. "Well, don't tell anyone I just admitted it," he said. Then he turned his attention to the dead bodies. "Come on, we got a job to do," he added hesitantly.

Shino nodded. "Remember, we have to make it look like they did this to themselves," he said.

Kiba nodded slowly. "Yeah, I know that," he said. It wasn't anything he was looking forward to.

Tazuna's home

That night, everyone was gathered around the table, reporting the day's events. "So, two more of your men quit today," Shisui said.

Tazuna let out a sigh. "Yeah," he said. "They said they didn't feel like they were getting paid enough for the job. But we all know what the real reason was."

Naruto nodded. Gato's men must have threatened the workers or their families. Not that Naruto could blame them. Thugs they may be, they were armed and dangerous thugs. Something that an ordinary person would be smart to be afraid of. Thankfully, Naruto and his friends were anything but ordinary.

"Will you be able to complete the bridge?" Naruto asked. "With so many of your guys quitting like this. Won't it be hard getting the bridge done?"

"Bah!" Tazuna sounded out. "I don't need those cowards. I'll build the bridge all by myself if I have to. I'm a super-bridge builder, after all. The best in the whole world," well, at least he had confidence.

Naruto looked over at Shisui, getting a similarly worried look from him. "While I won't dispute your skill, Tazuna-San," he said. "I don't think it will come to that. You have plenty of brave men under your watch."

Naruto nodded. "He's right," he said. "And while we're here. We'll make sure to protect them. You have my word on that."

Tazuna eyed him warily before a small smile broke out across his face. "Thank," he was cut off.

"Why?" A new voice joined the conversation. One Naruto was already familiar with. A frown broke across Naruto's face. Everyone else turned their attention to the source. Inari was glaring at them like he did the night before. "Why do you even bother? You're all going to die anyway. Gato is too strong."

"Look here, you little punk," Kiba barked out. "You don't know what you're talking about. "We're way stronger than that fat mig," an arm from Shisui stopped him.

Shisui gave Kiba a look, telling him to be quiet. Then he looked over at the young boy. "While I appreciate the concern for us," he started to say. "You don't have to fear for our safety. We have a job to do, and as Konoha shinobi, we will not fail. So, you don't have to."

"What do you know," the little boy shouted. "What do you know about suffering? In your village, all of you live happy, comfortable lives. You don't know anything about hardship."

The air in the dining room grew thick as silence fell over the room. Then, very slowly, everyone turned their heads to face Naruto. The air around the boy seemed to be unsettled. Despite having a blindfold on, he had a glare that could melt the mountains.

Silently, Naruto stood up. "N-Naruto," Hinata said weakly.

But Naruto did not hear her. Then, slowly, and deliberately, Naruto raised his hands and pulled them to the back of his head. "I don't know anything about hardship?" He asked quietly, but everyone could hear him. He undid the blindfold around his head. "I don't know anything about suffering?" He pulled the blindfold away from his eyes.

Three separate gasps could be heard in the room. Tazuna looked like he was going to be sick, while his daughter looked like she wanted to cry. Inari was frozen in place by shock and fear, and Naruto continued to glare at him with empty eye sockets.

"Grow up," Naruto said in a low tone. "You are not the only one who has suffered. There are people out there who have it worse than you. There are people at this table that have known hardship."

"My family almost tore itself apart," Sasuke said. "In the worst way possible. I saw my mother stabbed in the stomach by a cousin. I felt her blood on my face as she fought to protect me."

Shisui nodded. "I had to kill a good number of my clansmen that night," he said. "All to protect my cousin here."

Hinata was the next one to speak. "Half of my family are treated like slaves by the other half," her eyes were downcast. "And I am looked down upon by that half because they think I am weak and too nice. When I was five, I was almost kidnapped by a rival village so they could start a new generation of Hyūga."

"We have a friend back in Konoha," Sasuke said. "Who, until recently, had a literal demon in her mind. It tormented her day and night for her whole life. It threatened to take her mind, body, and soul, leaving her as nothing more than a withered out husk."

That was when Naruto retook the reigns of the conversation. "And me," he said. "Until I was five, I had a shit life. My parents died on the day I was born. Before I was taken in by Hyūga, my village treated me like a pariah for something I could not control. Even today, there are still people who mock and fear me."

Then he pointed to his empty eye sockets. "And the only reason why the Hyūga took me in the first place is because of a debt they owe me," he continued. "And to get that debt, I had to stop a man from taking one girl. That man beat me and took my eyes."

During the speech, Naruto walked up to Inari. The boy was on the verge of tears, snort coming down from his nose. Naruto continued to glare at him. "I won't make light of what you're going through here. But if you think you're the only one suffering, you have another thing coming, brat. There are people out there who have it worse than you do. Be thankful for what you have," he pointed at Tazuna and Tsunami. "You still have your grandfather and your mother. That's a whole lot better than most people."

Then Naruto started to walk past the boy. "Naruto, where are you going?" Shisui asked.

Naruto stopped at the doorframe. "Out for some training," he said. "I need to blow off some steam," then he left.

Shisui sighed as he saw Naruto retreat past the door. "Just be careful out there," he said quietly.

Tazuna's daughter turned over to look at Shisui. Tears were streaming down her eyes. "Tell me," she said. "Is it all true? Did all those things happen? Did?" She glanced over at where Naruto had been.

Shisui nodded. "All of it," he said. "Albeit it was the bare bones of what all happened," he leaned back into his chair. "The members of my team have been through some traumatic stuff," that was putting it mildly.

Shisui looked over to see how the kid was doing. He was gone and must have run out of the room while Shisui talked to his mother. "I'm sorry," she said. "We didn't know."

Shisui nodded. "It's okay," he said. "But if I may ask, how did Inari get like that? It doesn't feel like Gato taking over this country alone would have been enough to put him in that state," the same went for the rest of the town close by. Gato had done something to so thoroughly break the spirits of the people here.

Tazuna and his daughter looked down at the table. Then they looked at each holding a silent conversation. After a moment, Tsunami looked at Shisui. "It has to do with Inari's father," she said.

So, she went into an explanation about Inari's father, or the man that would become his father, Kaiza. She explained how he first came to Wave Country and had saved a younger Inari from drowning. From then on, Kiaza had become both a father figure and a role model for the boy. He had single-handedly saved the nearby town from a flood at one point. From that day, Kiaza had become a hero to many, especially to Inari.

Then Gato came and took over the country. Kiaza had been the first one to stand up to the businessman. From what Tsunami could tell them, the man managed to put up an impressive fight before Gato's men subdued him. Then, she came to the end of Kiaza's story. Angered by his defiance, Gato had Kiaza executed in front of the whole town, including Inari.

"And so, the Hero of Wave was killed," Shisui said to sum up the story. "And Inari and the rest of the town have been left in a broken state since then."

Inari's mother nodded. "I'm sorry about him," she said. "He used to be a happy boy. But since Kiaza's death, he's lost all hope."

Kiba snort. "Still doesn't give him the right to whine like a brat about it," he said.

"Kiba!" Sakura admonished her teammate.

"What?" Kiba said, looking at Sakura. "It's true."

Sakura shook her head. "You still shouldn't have said it," she said, then a worried expression spread across her. She looked over at Shisui. "Uhh, Shisui-Sensei, do you think Naruto is going to be all right? Should someone check on him?"

To everyone's surprise, it was Hinata who answered the question. "No," she said, shaking her head. "He wants to be alone. We shouldn't disturb him."

Sakura gave the Hyūga girl a questioning look. "Are you sure?" she asked. "And how do you know that?"

Hinata started to blush and pressed her fingers together. "I, I just do," she said. "I know Naruto."

A sly smile crossed Kiba's face. "Oh, I know how you know," he said. "We all do."

Hinata's blush deepened. Kiba's smirk grew, and then he jumped out of his chair. "Ow! What was that for?" He said, glaring at Sakura, who had a pleased look on her face. Shisui could not keep the smile off his face as he sighed. "All right, you two," he said. "Behave. We'll worry about Naruto in the morning. Until then, I want you all to get some rest. Understood?"

"Hai-Sensei!"

Shisui nodded. "Good," then he looked at his other genin students. "Sasuke and Hinata, if and when Naruto gets back. Tell him we'll be having a team meeting. I need to discuss something with the three of you," they nodded at him.

Sakura was wandering through the halls when she heard what sounded like crying. It was faint, to the point that Sakura might have missed it if not for the fact she was taking her time. She had a lot on her mind that night.

Sakura traced the noise back to a nearby sliding door. She slid open and looked down. There sitting on the porch with his knees tucked into his chest. Was Inari, the little boy who had gotten a raise out of Naruto. He was holding onto what looked like a photo.

Sakura paused at the door, wondering what she should do. Should she try to console the boy, or would it be better to leave him alone? Then she remembers what she saw back in the nearby town, the suffering she and her friends saw. And she remembers how powerless she felt for being unable to help them.

Taking a breath, Sakura brushed a stray strand of hair back into place. She walked out and closed the door behind her quietly so as not to startle the boy. Carefully, she slid next to the crying Inari and stared at him. She would wait until the boy noticed her.

She didn't have to wait long as the boy suddenly tensed up, slowly turning his head to look at her. A confused expression spreads across his face, still puffy with tears. "What are you doing out here?" He asked.

Sakura smiled at the boy. "Nothing too much," she said. "I was walking by when I heard something. So, I came to check on it."

"Oh," Inari said, looking down at the ground. "I'm sorry. I can go away if you like."

For a moment, Sakura's smile felt strained. "No, don't," she said quickly. "You can stay here and talk to me if you want."

The boy gave her a wary expression. She could understand how he felt. She was a total stranger asking him how he felt. Sakura's eyes wandered over to the photo in Inari's hand. On close examination, she saw it was a photo of him, his mother, his grandfather, and a man she didn't recognize. A hunch formed in her mind.

"That's a nice photo you got there," she said.

Inari looked confused for a second before he realized what Sakura was talking about. He looked at the photo. "Umm, thanks?" He responded.

Sakura scooted closer to Inari. "Is that him?" She asked, pointing to the man in the photo. "You're father, I mean. Kiaza."

The boy looked at her in surprise. "How did you?" He started to ask.

"Your mother told us," she answered. "She told us about him a little bit after you left. How he came to Wave, what he did for you and this country, and what Gato did to him," it was one of the saddest tales she had heard.

Inari stared at the photo in his hands, new tears coming down from his eyes. "He was my hero," he said after a moment. "But then he died. Heroes aren't supposed to die."

Reflexively, Sakura almost agreed with the boy. Heroes were not supposed to die. Then she remembered her history lessons and had to ask herself a question. How many of Konoha's heroes had lived to an old age? Sakura did not like the answer she came up with.

Before she could think further on the subject, Inari asked her a question. "Is it true?"

Sakura blinked and looked at the boy. "What is true?" She asked.

"What he said," Inari said. "What your friend said. About everything that happened in your home village. About what happened to him? Is it all true?"

Ah. Now Sakura understood where Inari was coming from. The pink-haired girl let out a breath and got herself comfortable on the porch. For a moment, she wonders how best to answer the boy's question. She decided that the simple approach was the best way.

"Yeah," she said softly. "It's all true," it wasn't anything she liked to think about a lot. They were reminders that her home was not as safe as she would like to believe it was. "Naruto, Hinata, Sasuke, and Yakumo, that's the other girl mentioned. They all suffered in one way or another."

Inari remained silent as he stared at the photo in his hands. "But what about him?" He asked. Sakura had a distinct idea of who he was talking about. "Doesn't he regret what happened? Does he regret becoming a? A?" The boy trailed off, unable to say the word.

"A hero, you mean?" Sakura finished for him. She brushed her hand through her hair. "I don't think he really does view himself as a hero. But even if he does, I don't think he regrets saving Hinata for a second. If he were to do it again, even knowing what would happen, he would. Just like I think your father would."

Inari looked at her, shocked. "He would?"

A sad smile spread across Sakura's face. "Yes, I think he would," she answered. "Inari," she trailed off, wondering how best to explain this to him. It was something she barely understood herself and had just come to the conclusion. "Heros don't always get their happy endings. A lot of times, they die protecting what they love."

"So, being a hero is a death sentence," Inari said bitterly.

Sakura laid her hand on Inari's shoulder, startling him. "That's not what I'm saying," she said. "I think you think too much about how he died and not enough about how he lived."

"How he lived?" Inari questioned.

Sakura nodded. "Your father, Kiaza. He helped people, is that right?" She got a nod from the boy. "When he saw someone was in trouble, he went out of his way to help them. Is that correct? He even saved you when he could have gone about his own business."

Inari silently nodded. "H-he did," the boy said. The small smile inching across his face.

"And he saved this town by closing that floodgate," Sakura said. "And he was a hero when he went up against the Gato."

"But he died," Inari said.

"But he lived as a hero," Sakura countered. "Back in my home, some of our greatest heroes died defending the village. They died for what they believed in. Just like your father did. A hero is not someone who will live at the end of the day, not always. But they are those who would give their lives for others. So, they can go on."

Sakura looked up at the night sky. "Inari, I know I have no right to say this," she said. "I've never suffered anything in my life. I don't know what it's like to face hardship like you and the rest of the people of Wave. Or like some of my friends," truthfully, she felt that maybe it would be better if Naruto, Hinata, Sasuke, or even Yakumo were here to tell him this. "But they all moved on," she added.

She looked back at the boy, seeing him frown at her. "So, what you saying is I should forget all about it?" He asked. There was an edge in his voice.

Sakura shook her head. "No, never," she said quickly. Then she took a breath. "I'm not saying that you should forget. I said that my friends had moved on, but they never forgot the hardships they faced. I think they will always carry them with them, but they will never let them drag them down."

Inari remained silent for a long time as he looked up at the sky. "But it's so hard," he said.

"Maybe," Sakura said, looking up at the sky again. "But you also have what all my friends had when facing hardships. They had help from people who understood what they were going through. Like you do now."

Inari looked at her, surprised. "I do?" he asked.

Sakura nodded. "You do," she said. "You have your mother and your grandfather. They are both going through the same thing. They can help if you let them. They're your family."

Inari looked away from her and at the photo. "My family," he said. "Their suffering like I am."

"They are," Sakura said. She could see it. Inari's mother tried to hide it, and his grandfather buried it under his drinking. But even someone like Sakura could tell that they were hurting.

Sakura stood up. "If there is one thing I learned from my friends," she said. "Is that you are never alone. Even in the hardest of times, there will be someone there for you," she looked at Inari and smiled at him. "Inari, your father was a hero. I don't think he would want you to dwell on his death like this. I think he would want to live by the lessons he taught while he was alive."

Then she turned around and went for the door. Sliding it open, she stood at the doorframe. "Good night, Inari," she said. "Try not to stay up too late," then she slides the door behind her.

She almost jumped when Kurenai spoke to her. "You spoke well," she was by the wall.

Sakura felt herself blushing. "I just wanted to help," she said. "I'm not even sure what I said will have any effect on him."

Kurenai smiled at her. "It will," she said. "You said what he needed to hear."

Sakura nodded. "I think," she said carefully. "I think I'll go to bed now. I'm feeling a little tired."

Kurenai gave her an understanding look. "It has been a long day for all of us," she said. "Get some rest."

Sakura paused for a moment. "What are you going to do?"

Kurenai looked over at the door. "I'm going to wait a moment," she said. "Then have a talk with Inari. See how he is holding up."

Sakura nodded. "Goodnight, sensei," she said.

"Goodnight, Sakura."

Sakura wasn't sure how much sleep she would get tonight. She had a lot to think about.

Sitting alone in his room, Shisui pulled out a scroll. His genin didn't know it yet, but they had additional orders other than reinforcing team-8. He pulled the scroll open and reread the contents.

Additional orders for Team-11 during their current mission.

In addition to reinforcing the members of Konoha Genin Cell Team-8. The members of Konoha Genin Cell Team-11, under the Command of Jonin Uchiha Shisui, are to execute the following objects upon arrival to the Land of Waves.

Scout the area and identify all assets belonging to or claimed by Gato Shipping.

Obtain and confirm evidence of misdeeds perpetrated by employees and other hired personnel of Gato Shipping.

Identify the individual known as Gato of Gato Shipping.

If identified, proceed with additional orders below.

If not identified, return to Konoha upon completion of Konoha Genin Cell Team-8's mission.

Assassinate Gato. The severed head will serve as proof of mission completion.

Genin Cell Team-11 as until the completion of Genin Cell Team-8's mission, to complete all objects.

Signed Sarutobi Hiruzen, Sandaime Hokage.

Shisui sighed. His team had their first assassination mission. He hoped his genin were up to it.

So, did anyone else think that Zabuza's hideout was a little odd looking? I remember it being weirder looking when I was younger, so I had a look at it now in the anime/manga, and wasn't as odd as I remembered it being, but still, it does look strange to me. Can anyone explain that thing?

Anyway, so the team gets its first assassination mission, and the target his everyone's favorite vertically challenged businessman, Gato. Honestly it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. Not the mention the other preparations being made for when Zabuza shows up again.