Iris [Naruto Fanfiction]

Returning

When we all got up for breakfast, we realized Naruto still wasn't back yet. Sasuke went out for a "walk" but I'm pretty sure he's going to find Naruto. He just won't admit it.

Sakura, Kakashi and I went out looking for them after breakfast.

"Naruto!" Sakura called out. "Knowing him, he could be anywhere. And Sasuke hasn't come back either. I wonder where they are."

A kunai flew out of one of the trees and landed in front of our feet. We look up and see Naruto resting comfortably on a high tree branch.

"Way to go, Naruto!" I yelled cheerfully. "You did it!"

"Yeah, and it was a lot of work!" he yelled back. "Believe it!" He stood up and began losing his balance and fell back wards. Oh dear.

But of course it was just a prank. He used his chakra to stick the branch to hang upside down. "Jesus Christ, Naruto, you nearly gave me a heart attack!" I scolded.

Naruto apparently found my anger amusing and started laughing, and his feet was detached from the branch. Now he's really falling.

Sasuke jumped from tree to tree and caught Naruto's ankle before he fell to his death. I release a heavy sigh of relief and Sakura gushes at Sasuke.

I heard Kakashi sensei mumble, "If I'm still sane after their training, it'll be a miracle."

***

Both Naruto and Sasuke walked in late after they finally reached to the top of their trees. Now that our training is done, we all have to be bodyguards for Tazuna while he works on the bridge.

Now everyone was seated at the table, drinking tea after we finished eating. I was reading the strange book again. I know it was risky after what happened last time but the history of witchcraft and its usage was anything but sinister. Well of course there are a few unfriendly portions of it, but majority of it is good. I think that tragic event all those years ago is the reason why witchcraft was given a bad name, but people should understand something before judging it.

Kakashi was telling some inspiring words or wisdom, but a new title caught my eye. The Seven Wonders, it read. What the hell is that? Before I could read on, Inari smashed his hands on the table, standing up with eyes full of tears.

"All this stupid training is a waste of time!" he yelled. "Gato has a whole army and he'll tear you down. All these cool things you say don't mean anything! Because in the end, the strong always win and the weak always lose!"

"Well it won't be like that for me, you got that?" Naruto replied, seemingly unbothered.

"Be quiet! Just looking at you makes me sick. All you do it laugh and play around. You know nothing about this country, you're just butting in! You have no idea what it's like to suffer and be treated like dirt!"

Naruto's body tensed. "Listen to yourself whining and complaining. he Acting like a sorry little victim. You could complain for all I care. You're nothing but a coward!"

Naruto walked out of the room and Inari continued to cry. I sat there silently and awkwardly, looking back and forth at them during their argument. You see, I get quite uncomfortable when I'm around people arguing and try my best to stay out of it. But seeing Inari bawl like this, I feel like I have to talk to him to make him feel a bit better.

***

I walked on the dock of the family's house that overlooks the ocean. That's where I finally found Inari. I walked up to him and sat beside him quietly.

We sat there for a few moments before I finally spoke. "I don't think Naruto meant to be so harsh on you. He's just a bit... blunt, I guess. I think what's set him off is when you said that he wouldn't understand what's it's like to suffer and be treated like dirt. Believe it or not, he actually does."

Inari looked up at me with tears still in his eyes. "I haven't been at the village long but I've seen the way people treat him and speak to him. And how lonely he is. He really does go through a lot. But I've never heard him sulk about any of it, and he's never given up. I think you should do the same. Don't give up. Be brave. Your father would want you to still have hope."

I turn to Inari, who's face was filled with surprise and shock after what I just told him. I smiled kindly at him and caught Kakashi sensei's figure in the corner of my eye. Even though most of his face was covered, I could tell that he was smiling at me.

***

The next day, we were on our way to the bridge to bodyguard Tazuna while he and his men built the bridge. We had to leave Naruto behind for overexerting himself again.

While walking on the bridge, I kept scooting away from the railings that overlooked the water. I wanted to avoid water as much as possible at this point. I keep having dreams of me drowning replay over and over again. They aren't as severe as the first one I had, but they were all troubling.

As I scooted away from the rails, I accidentally bump into someone.

"Watch it, loser," Sasuke says, sounding irritable.

"Sorry," I reply, still staring intently at the water.

"What, are you scared of the ocean or something?" he asked as if he was teasing me.

"Actually, yes. I am. If you ever experienced the pain and horror of drowning like I have, you'd probably be paranoid, too."

That shut him up. We dropped the topic and continued walking. Ahead of us, the bodies of several men lay seemingly lifeless on the floor.

"What happened?!" Tazuna yelled frantically. "Someone was here!

The air suddenly became foggy, and a very familiar feeling took over me. Sasuke, Sakura and I got into fighting positions with Tazuna behind us.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Kakashi," a familiar voice says. It belongs to the supposedly dead, Zabuza. "And I see you've still got those brats with you. And that ones still trembling."

He was referring to Sasuke. Seven different Zabuza's surrounded us.

"I'm trembling... with excitement," Sasuke said with a smirk.

With Kakashi sensei's orders, Sasuke slashed all seven of Zabuza's water clones, all of them become puddles at our feet.

"So you knew they were shadow clones," Zabuza says, appearing out of the fog with the masked boy we saw before. "Looks like you've got a rival, Haku,"

"So it seems," the boy, Haku, replied.