A scream rang out through the forest as blood splattered to the floor. You stared down at Sakura emotionlessly as she clutched her chest and glared at you with eyes full of tears.
"How could you?" she whispered. You resisted the urge to roll your eyes.
"Stop being so overdramatic."
"Overdramatic?! I'm being overdramatic?! You killed that poor innocent rabbit!"
"I told you already. It's not dead. Just on the verge of death."
Sure enough, a snow-white rabbit laid in a pool of its own blood on the ground before you. It gasped for breath and shivered under your cold stare. Sakura rushed over and cradled the rabbit on her lap. You groaned internally.
"Sakura, if you don't do anything, it surely will die."
She screeched and began panicking. You sighed and approached her, carefully removing the rabbit from her lap and to the ground. You positioned her hands above it.
"What I'm about to teach you is Iryo Ninjutsu (Medical Ninjutsu). This training could take months to perfect, so don't worry about not being able to revive it on your first try. I'm only going to be teaching you the basics. Someone else could teach you the more advanced parts of it. Iryo Ninjutsu requires precise chakra control, or else you would end up doing more harm than help. The way to revive a dying animal is to stimulate the heart or brain with chakra."
"..."
"..."
"...Nani?! That's all you're telling me?!"
"You learn best by doing."
Sakura groaned but heeded your words. Soon, her hands were engulfed with the same green light that your hands had glowed when you were healing Kakashi. She furrowed her brows as she concentrated.
Needless to say, the rabbit did not survive.
-------
You sat on Tazuna's bridge, spinning a kunai knife around your index finger and watching the men work. Sakura was seated beside you as she attempted to heal a fish that became the next victim to you. Her brows creased together more as she subconsciously added more chakra than needed. The fish exploded. Sakura shrieked as she scrambled backward. You threw your kunai into the water beneath you before hopping over the bridge to retrieve it and the next fish it impaled. You climbed back up and wordlessly presented it to Sakura. She whined in protest, but she took it, nevertheless. You resumed spinning your kunai on your finger.
"What happened to that blonde boy and that stuck-up boy?" Tazuna asked as he walked by with a metal beam resting upon his shoulder.
"They're in the middle of the tree-climbing training," Sakura replied, not taking her eyes off of the fish she was healing.
"You don't have to do that?"
"We finished it so Kakashi-sensei told us to guard you."
The fish exploded again, and Sakura groaned in frustration. You gave her another fish. A man walked up to Tazuna, who was placing down the metal beam on the ground.
"You got a minute, Tazuna?"
"Huh? What's up, Giichi?"
"Uh, actually... I gave it a lot of thought. Building this bridge... will you let me quit?"
"Why so suddenly? Not you too?!" Tazuna shouted in disbelief.
"Tazuna, I've had a bond with you since the old days. I'd like to cooperate, but if we push it too far, Gato will set his sights on us, too."
Tazuna only narrowed his eyes.
"Also, if you get killed, everything is lost! Why don't you just stop building the bridge?" Giichi asked, sounding defeated.
You had long stopped spinning your kunai since this conversation started. Sakura looked up at the two old friends who were working on the bridge, her hands still giving chakra to the fish.
"Not a chance. This is our bridge. This is the bridge that everyone in town had built, believing that it would generate distribution and transportation for this poor Land of Waves that has few resources."
"But if it goes so far as to take our lives..."
There was a tense silence between the two before Tazuna broke it as he stepped around the other.
"It's already afternoon... Let's call it a day."
"Tazuna!" Giichi desperately called after him.
"Giichi, you don't have to come back tomorrow."
The fish exploded again. However, neither of you two girls paid it any mind as your eyes wordlessly trailed after the bridge builder.
-------
You walked a little ways behind Sakura and Tazuna through the marketplace of the village. Sakura gazed around confused.
"Ne, where are we going?"
"I was asked to get some ingredients for dinner on the way home."
A man ambled past you holding a sign that read 'Will do any kind of work'. A faint shout of 'Theif!' was heard as a boy ran away, bumping into you and running into an alleyway. You walked past two kids who sat pitifully on the ground. Your eyes dimmed with sadness. Seeing this on a screen was one thing, but seeing it in person was another.
"We're here..." Tazuna announced as you entered a small store.
"Welcome..."
The shelves were empty, only a few vegetables laid in the otherwise bare store. But even the vegetables were not in a good state. A man walked behind Sakura and reached for her bag which was at her hips. However, Sakura stiffened, thinking he was touching her butt. She spun around and kicked him in the head.
"You pervert!"
"You're... wrong..." he stammered as blood poured out of his nose and teeth flew into the air by the force of the kick.
You barely blinked at the scene. Tazuna quickly bought the items he needed and ushered you both out of the store.
"Man, I was really surprised earlier," he chuckled.
"What's going on with this town?!" Sakura exclaimed exasperated and annoyed. Suddenly, another hand gripped her hip. Sakura stopped with an annoyed expression and whirled around to face the perpetrator. "Hey, you!"
However, instead of a perverted man, she faced a small boy. His hair was unkempt and overgrown, and his face was dirty. But still, he had a bright, hopeful expression as he gazed up at the pink-haired girl.
"Gimme some?" he asked as he stretched his hands out.
Sakura gazed at him sadly and rummaged through her pouch for some food. She pulled out a few pieces of candy and presented them to him. He gasped, delighted.
"Arigatou!" With that, he ran back into the crowd.
"This is how it's been ever since Gato showed up. Here, all the adults have turned into cowards," Tazuna spoke as he walked up to you two. Sakura gazed at him sadly. "So that's why now that bridge is necessary. It's a symbol of bravery in order to restore their spirit, so they don't keep running away. For the people of this land who have set their minds on remaining passive. If we can just... complete that bridge, this town will return to how it once was, and everyone will come back."
Sakura gazed down at the ground with a distant look. Then she clenched her fist in determination. Her head snapped up to look at you with a fierce glint in her eyes. You jolted slightly, taken aback.
"Yosh! I'm going to keep training so I can help these villagers and everyone else! Please keep teaching me!" Sakura shouted as she bowed.
You blinked, not expecting this side of her. In the episodes of Naruto, she was portrayed as a Sasuke-obsessed fangirl. She only got better after Sasuke went defective, and after she started training with Tsunade because she wanted to make a difference. That being said, you had no idea what to do with this starry-eyed girl. You just decided to awkwardly pat her head.
-------
You were all back inside Tazuna's house. The sun had long set down the horizon. You sat on the left of Sakura, quietly eating your food.
"Man, this is really fun!" Tazuna cheered. "It's been a long time since we've had a meal with this many people!"
Naruto furiously ate his food like a rabid wolf. Sasuke wasn't any different. He spooned the rice into his mouth as if he hadn't eaten for days. They both then quickly stood up, raising their bowls above their heads.
"Seconds please!" they declared simultaneously. They then turned to each other and glared, lightning practically sparking between them. Suddenly, they froze, their faces turning blue. Sasuke and Naruto hunched over to the side, throwing up the contents of their stomachs. You paid them no mind as you continued to eat silently. However, you could not say the same for Sakura.
"Stop eating if you're going to vomit!" she snapped as she slammed her bowl down on the table.
"No, I'll eat," Sasuke stubbornly refused as he glared across the table at Naruto.
"I have to eat even if it means enduring," Naruto denied, meeting Sasuke's glare head-on. "I have to get strong as quickly as possible, so..."
Kakashi nodded admiringly. "But vomiting is different."
You all were soon done with your food. You stood from the table, helping Tsunami clear the table. She had tried to refuse but soon relented under your unnerving stare. She then brewed a pot of tea and poured you all a cup. Sakura noticed a picture and stood to get a closer look.
"Ano, why is there a torn picture hanging here?" Immediately, the atmosphere became tense and suffocating, but Sakura didn't seem to notice. "Inari was looking at this all through dinner. This torn part looks like someone who was in the picture was deliberately torn off.
"It's my otto..."
Tsunami was the first to break the silence. You set your cup down gently. Tazuna lowered his head in sorrow.
"He's a man who was once called a hero in this town..."
Inari slid off his chair and left the table without a word. Tsunami turned in panic.
"Inari! Where are you going?"
Inari didn't answer and only opened the door that led outside. He exited the house, leaving the door to click behind him. Tsunami cautiously walked over to the door and pulled it open. She turned to Tazuna scoldingly.
"Tou-san! I'm always telling you not to talk about that person in front of Inari!"
She left with a huff, the door closing with a thud. The room fell into another silence. Tazuna furrowed his brows as he clenched his hands tighter around the cup.
"What're you saying happened with Inari?" Sakura asked quietly.
"There appears there's some kind of good reason," Kakashi added.
"Inari had a father not related by blood. It was like they were a real father and son who got along really well. Back then, Inari was a child who laughed all the time. However..." Tazuna started quietly sobbing. Drops of tears landed on the table. "However... Inari has changed... ever since that incident with his father. The word bravery was eternally taken from the people of this island and from Inari. With that day, that incident, as the trigger."
"That incident? What happened to Inari?" Kakashi gently coaxed.
"To explain the incident, I must first tell you about the man who was called the hero of this land."
"Hero?" Naruto repeated.
"It was around three years ago when Inari met the man... I'm gonna digress, but... Pochi learned how to doggy paddle then. The man, his name was Kaiza and he was a fisherman who'd come to this land from another country in search of his dreams. After that, Inari really took to Kaiza. It may have been because Inari had lost his real father when he was too young to remember anything. But he was very attached to Kaiza. They were like father and son. It didn't take long for Kaiza to become a member of the family. And he was a man this town needed. From then on... the people of this land called Kaiza a hero. And he became a father that Inari could be proud of. It was around that time when Gato set his sights on this land. And then, one night... Ever since then, Inari has changed... as well as Tsunami... and the townspeople..."
Naruto shot up from the table, drawing everyone's attention to him. He tripped on nothing and fell facedown onto the hard floor.
"What are you doing, Naruto?" Sakura asked.
"You had enough training for today. You've used up too much chakra," Kakashi lectured.
Naruto pushed himself off of the ground, his exhaustion clearly shown by the shaking of his arms and legs. "I'll prove it."
"Prove what?"
"I'll prove that there are heroes in this world!"
With that, he ran out the door to train some more.
-------
It was the middle of the night, and everyone was asleep. Naruto was still missing. Only you lied awake in your futon. Moonlight trickled in through the window. You lay there for a few more moments before silently sitting up. You reached for your weapons pouch and pulled out a piece of paper and a brush. Using the moon as your source of light to see, you began to write.
I'm here in the Land of Waves.
I have already met both Haku and Zabuza.
We have less than a week to prepare for their arrival to you know where.
After that, we have a few months before the next step commences.
I'll see you then.
Be ready.
- (Y/n)
You signed the letter with your real name, as the person you were writing to already knew your identity. They knew your plan as well. With their assistance, it would go smoother, and you would have to worry about less. You can only hope they don't betray you, but then again, as long as you prove that you're trustworthy and doing the right thing, you doubt that would be a problem.
You carefully made your way to the window and slid it open. It gave a small squeak, and you froze. No one stirred. You inaudibly sighed with relief. Slipping out of the small gap you created, you landed on the land under the window. You bit your finger hard enough to draw blood and slammed it down on the ground, summoning one of your dragons.
The dragon which you summoned was pale gold in color. He was one of the smallest dragon summons you had, only stretching to about 5 inches. His name was Raiden. Raiden was also the fastest dragon. His speed could go up to Mach 20. You don't know how he isn't dead yet. Even so, Raiden was the type of dragon who would be perfect for stealth missions, infiltrations, or just carrying your messages. However, he was extremely impatient and had a short attention span, so the first two jobs were off the list. Therefore, you mostly used him as a messenger.
You knelt in front of him and held out the paper. "You know who to give it to."
"Aye, captain!" he cheered before clamping his mouth around the paper and flying off in a gust of wind.
As he took off, you heard another animal take off into the air in a flutter. You caught a glimpse of a certain black-feathered bird soaring through the air. You huffed through your nose but leaped back into the room anyway. Your feet created a small thump as they landed on the wooden floor, and you eased the window shut.
"(A/n)?" A sleepy voice called to you. You stiffened and shot around, facing the person who spoke. It was Sakura.
"S-Sakura!" you yelped. "H-How much did you see?"
She blinked at you confused. "I just woke up," she replied slowly. "But are you okay? You're a little out of character."
Your face flushed slightly in embarrassment, and you thanked Kami-sama that it was the middle of the night and your back was turned to the moonlight so that Sakura couldn't see your face. You quickly composed yourself.
"You should go back to sleep," you stated, your voice regaining its stoic tone. Sakura frowned slightly.
"I should be telling you that."
You nodded at her words and crawled back into your futon. You turned your back to Sakura, trying to get a comfortable position. The room was silent, and you assumed that she had fallen back asleep; however, she started talking again.
"You know... you're not as bad as I thought you were," she confessed quietly. You blinked in confusion. "At first, I thought you were an arrogant stuck-up and another love rival for Sasuke-kun. You were so confident in your abilities and so strong that I envied you. But... you proved me wrong these past few days. You don't care about Sasuke-kun, and you went out of your way to help me improve. You taught me Iryo Ninjutsu, too. So... you're not that bad. I think... I think I'm gonna keep practicing. I want to get stronger. Strong enough to catch up to you. Strong enough so you could be proud of me."
As Sakura rambled on, you smirked in the darkness. At first, you had done it to speed up some of the events in order for your plan to work. But you supposed that this was a good outcome too. She would be less Sasuke-obsessed and more focused on training.
"And if I keep training, maybe Sasuke-kun would look at me. Ne, (A/n)?"
You deadpanned. Even so, she was still a fangirl at heart.
"Yeah," you answered.
You weren't able to see it, but Sakura smiled timidly at your back, a soft blush spreading across her cheeks.
-------
A/N: Happy (early) Valentine's Day! Sakura's a bit OOC in this chapter, but personally, I think it makes sense. Everyone's entitled to their own opinion though.
Look at this amazing fanart by XxAzulxXel
(Y/n) w/out the Shinwagan:
(Y/n) w/ the Shinwagan:
It's absolutely beautiful! I squealed so loudly when I saw this.