Meeting Yondaime

Chapter 24

A/N: This picture was just too cute... And I have a cat over my shoulder playing with my hair and clawing me. Her purr is too cute tho. The song is one of my favorite naruto song rappers, it's really good.

Naruto and Sasuke currently shoving their faces into food glared at one another. Sakura just sighed at their antics. "You guys, are idiots."

"Fourths please!" Minato just sighed. Naruto and Sasuke turned their heads back and threw up. Tsunami just stares before giggling. 

"Stop eating if you're gonna vomit!" 

"I need to eat so I can become stronger." 

"Yeah!"

Kakashi rested his hands on his chin. "Eating until you vomit, doesn't make you any stronger." 

Tazuna smirked. "He's right you know. I may not be a ninja, but I do know how to get stronger and hard work." 

"That's right, and You're not getting fourths," spoke Tsunami, looking up from the dishes she was washing. 

"You can't beat Gato."

"You brat!" Naruto lunged at Inari, Minato flashed behind him and held him down. 

Sakura was looking at a picture. "Who was the other person in this picture? It seems someone was ripped out. Why?"

Everyone went silent for a minute. Finally, Tsunami spoke.  "He was My husband."

Tazuna sighed. "He was a hero in this land."Inari suddenly got up and shouted. "There is no such thing as heroes!" He walked out of the room, and up the stairs and slammed his bedroom door.

"Father! You know Inari doesn't like you talking like that!"

Tazuna had his face buried in his hands.

"What happened?"

"Sakura," Minato had a serious face. "It may be an upsetting topic. Best not to bring it up."

"No, it's alright."

"His name was Kaiza. It all started when Inari...

One year ago

Inari was running towards the dock, his puppy following. Catching up, three boys grabbed the dog. 

"No, Pochi!" 

Inari tried to grab the dog from the boy holding him, Akane. "His name is Shooting Star now!" 

"No! His name is Pochi and he's my puppy!"

"Not anymore!" Pochi bit Akane. "Ow!"

Running, the three boys chased after him. Inari following. They caught him, but one of the boys tripped and fell into the end of the water. "Give him back!"

"Stupid mutt! If you want him so much," Akane paused, walking towards the end of the dock. "Go get him!" He dropped Pochi into the water. 

"Pochi!" Inari started crying. 

'I need to help him...' He got close to the water, pausing and crying more. "I'm sorry Pochi... I'm too scared!" 

"How lame..." Akane pushed Inari into the water. 

Inari waved in the water helplessly, trying to swim. He hadn't learned how to yet. 

"Akane... What if he can't swim? I think you screwed up this time." 

"Shut up." 

Inari continued to flap his arms in the water.  Looking at Pochi, who learned to doggy paddle, and swimming to shore, he sank underneath the surface of the water, 15 feet under. 

'This is it...'

Inari's vision went blank. 

-An hour later- 

Inari woke in a sleeping bag. A fire was crackling next to him, fish roasting. Sitting up, Inari sat up, looking around. He spotted a man with black hair and a white headband. 

"Did you save me?"

The man looked up and smiled. "Yeah, and I talked to those kids too, they won't be bothering you anymore."

"Thanks... Pochi is gone isn't he?"

"When you didn't save him, you betrayed his trust. Dogs are loyal creatures. They will help you as long as they have your trust. When you betray their trust, they will try and find someone more reliable, or become violent. Not always, but many times." 

Inari slouched, looking at his hands. "I'm sorry P-Pochi... I was scared..." 

"You need to learn not to let fear control you. Face your fears." 

"H-how?" 

 "However, you can." 

flash forward

"Kaiza! the river is flooding, and the gate is on the other side! If it's not closed the town will flood!"

"I'll be there."

"But Dad!"

"If I don't do it, no one will." 

Running to the river, Inari and Kazia made their way through the crowd. Tying a rope around his waist, he got ready to jump into the water. 

"Dad," Inari paused and Kaiza squatted in front of him. "Good luck." 

Kaiza smiled and stood up. "Thanks, Inari."

Kaiza jumped into the water, started swimming towards the open gate on the other side of the river. 

Kaiza's body was pushed under the waves, strong currents pushed him with the current, pulling the rope tied around him with it. His head resurfaced, he gulped down air, fighting for breath. Once regaining it, he swam diagonally towards the gate, water splashing in his face. 

After minutes of anxiety, Kaiza was able to grab onto the gate and threw the gate rope across. 

"He's done it!" and "Pull the rope!" Inari heard. 

Many villagers, including Inari, started to pull on the rope, closing the water off from flooding. Locking it, Kaiza got off. 

"He's a hero!" Inari smiled and hugged his father.

"Since then, Kaiza has been known as a hero in this land," Tazuna said, chin resting on his hands. 

"What happened to him?" Naruto asked, leaning forward on the table. 

"Gato came and took over this land. He had captured Kaiza and beat him, broke his arm."

Naruto's eyes widened, hands curling into a fist. 

"This Man has crossed me! For punishment, he shall die!" Gato signaled for his guards to start stabbing the tied up Kaiza. Inari stood there crying, not bearing the pain, or being able to watch more than 2 seconds. 

"Let this be a lesson. There is no such thing, as heroes." 

Present time

"That's harsh... Poor boy..." Sakura said, face towards the table. 

"Yea... I'm going to show him that heroes are real!" Minato chuckled, and Kakashi's face was just blank. 

"Hn." 

Walking towards the door, Naruto opened it and headed upstairs. Heading down the hall, he heard quiet sniffles and the sounds of crying.

"Dad, you lair... You lied to me!"

Inari

He looked out the window facing towards the ocean. He'd been holding the picture of his family while staring at the moon. Recalling the memories he had with him, tears rushed down his face, staining his cheeks temporally. 

"You lied to me..."

Naruto

Through the door, Naruto had a feeling of sympathy and understanding. He walked away from the door, leaving the boy to himself and his thoughts.