In which tragedy occurs and children are scarred for life.
The air seemed to crackle with tension the longer time went on.
Kakashi was teaching them water specific jutsu's-so even if they couldn't do them they still knew about them.
Sakura took to them like a fish to water. With her control and what not.
It was only a matter of days now. People at the bridge jumped with every clang of the hammers and Kakashi had stopped taking her everywhere. She was basically on house arrest. She suggested for Naruto to leave two clones at all times, and that helped lesson his anxiety.
It was the day when all of them except her, Tsunami, and Inari headed out she knew it was round two.
Inari had been unusually passive since Kakashi had pulled him aside for a little chat and was in his room. The two Naruto clones were by the front door and the same boy was training while the other three guarded the bridge.
"Tsunami?"
"Yes Haruhi?"
"Can you...lock the front doors? No reason in general, they can knock when they get back."
She stopped sewing. She slowly got up and turned the lock. It was a false sense of security for sure, but whatever could help. Would the men come to kidnap her like in the show? Would the heads up she gave the two clones help?
Tsunami sat back down and all was quiet.
"-Hey! Who're you!" A clone shouted. Her heart hammered in her ears. They exchanged startled glances, before bolting to the windows. Or trying to on Haruhi's part. Shouts were heard as the Naruto clones fought with the goons outside. Snatching Haruhi up, Tsunami grabbed a kitchen knife and kicked a couch in front of the door. She ran to Inari's room.
Crack.
"Come out, we know you're here!" A rough voice shouted.
Haruhi spotted the kid hiding under his bed. Frantically pointing, she put the knife in between her teeth and grabbed her son. Crashes were heard as the dishes were knocked over. They took off down the hall.
Inari grabbed the knife from his mother's mouth and jumped from her arms.
"Inari!" They both shouted. She didn't love the kid but that didn't mean she wanted him to die! He ran down the hall straight towards the chuckling hulking men. Haruhi jumped down as Tsunami ran after her son. What could she do? Against two giant hostiles-that was besides the point! She need to focus!
She kept to the sides and gasped in horror. One of the thugs had Inari by the throat.
"Listen lady. You're Tazuna's daughter right? Well if you don't want this boy dying you better come here."
Haruhi ran unnoticed outside what might have once been a door frame but was now just a hole in the wall. She knew Naruto and Kakashi set up traps around the house, in fact, she was there watching him.
She scanned the treeline.
There! She climbed the tree with difficulty, sweat trickling down her brow as she used chakra, and shimmied onto the branch. She took one of the shuriken from another trap and aimed it at the rope holding back a barrage of kunai. She looked inside. Tsunami was holding a knife to her throat.
"Get your hands off my son or I'll-"
Not at all encouraged, Haruhi aimed the kunai at the thugs back and fired.
"ARGH!" He dropped Inari as kunai buried themselves into his shoulder. Blood sprouted like a fountain and Inari, who instead of running like his mother was shouting to, grabbed the knife he dropped and stabbed the man's foot.
"ARGHHH!"
His partner was whipping his head around not know who to go for first. Let her clear that up.
"We are Ninja, from the village hidden in the leaves! And if you do not back off right now, we'll launch a barrage of kunai instead of one!
Her bellowing had provided a distraction, Tsunami grabbing her son and running to the back of the house. Haruhi readied the other kunai-this time attaching them all. They were scanning the treeline, looking for multiple full sized nin instead of one Thumbelina. She fired.
They screamed again but were able to block most of the kunai. She jump down into the thick foliage, bringing the small shuriken with her.
"Hey! I don't see any ninja! They were bluffing!"
Uh oh.
Faster than Haruhi could move to the next trap, the two dashed after the mother and son. Shit! Their wounds would slow them down but not enough!
"Hey Haruhi-sensei!"
She was scooped up.
"Need a hand?" Naruto grinned, covered in dirt from training. He must have come as soon as his clones popped.
"No." Her voice wavered. "But a hero would be nice."
Naruto grinned putting her in his pocket before taking off at inhumane speeds after them. Her eyes watered but she clenched her jaw. Naruto followed the bloody footprints and they arrived to see Inari with his mother behind him and the two thugs closing in fast.
He made shadow clones and opened his mouth.
WHAM.
"..."
"Yo-you k-knocked him out..." The man with the injured foot gasped. Indeed, Tsunami had grabbed a frying pan and knocked out one of the thugs in one fell swoop. A glare of maternal protectiveness sat on her face, and it was leveled in thug number two.
Naruto, in a series of jumps, knocked him out from behind.
Tsunami sobbed her thanks, clutching her son close to her. Inari didn't push away, but was staring at Naruto in awe before snapping out of it.
"Mother, I have to go!"
"No!"
"Mother, I need to get the other villagers, and stand up to Gato! Naruto did it and so did Haruhi! And shes small!"
Tsunami shook.
"Please...not you to." She moaned. Inari stiffened.
"Ma'am, Inari is right! Gather as many villagers as possible and go to the edge of the bridge!" Naruto said.
Haruhi stood on Naruto's shoulder. This needed to be heard from one woman to another.
"Tsunami, look at what you just did. You saved your son and knocked out a dangerous criminal-with a frying pan. Look what you were able to do even without us!"
Tsunami looked up, realization dawning on her features.
"Now fight for your village like you fight for your son, and you'll be amazed at what you can do!" Haruhi shouted. Naruto nodded his agreement. Tsunami looked up, and a spark was in her eyes. She nodded, her son grabbing her hand and they ran towards the village.
Naruto grabbed her and darted towards the bridge. Jumping on trees she had to steady her glasses with one hand. She saw the bodies splayed out on the bridge, but the rises and falls of their chest reassured her they were still alive.
But then the mist cleared and everything was all wrong.
Kakashi was facing off against a badly wounded Zabuza's who shoulder still wasn't fully healed. A giant pack of dogs growled like thunder. Haku was on the ground behind him, mask broken and coughing up blood. The entire side of his body was burned with what looked like the fireball jutsu this time instead of one hand. He lay defeated on his side.
Sasuke eyes were swirling, blood red. He was shaking and senbon lined his body. Shards of broken mirrors lined the bridge. He stood guard in front of Tazuna who was leaning down-over the broken and bloody body of Sakura.