A few days has passed and I have been following Kakashi sensei's orders by resting each day. True to his words, he did help me out with jutsus when the others were out. Sakura would go out with Tazuna each morning, while Sasuke and Naruto would disappear for their tree climbing training and reappear again whenever they want to.
We were all seated at the dining table waiting for Tsunami-san to bring out breakfast for us, well almost all of us. Naruto was missing.
Again.
I barely see him eat with us anymore that I'm starting to get worried if he even eats.
I looked across the table at Inari who was looking down at his plate quietly, not saying a word. Sakura had told me about Inari's story that night, now whenever I look at him I can't help but feel sorry for the kid. He is acting this way because someone important in his life was taken away from him.
"Good morning." Sakura yawned as she came downstairs.
"Morning." I smiled and greeted her.
"Here you go." Tsunami appeared by our sides and placed the last 2 dishes of breakfast in front of me and Sakura. "Thanks."
"Naruto didn't come back last night either?" Tazuna asked, concerned about Naruto too.
"He's a simple guy. He's been out climbing trees every night." Sakura rubbed her eyes before adding on "He might be dead already from using up too much chakra."
"Don't jinx it, having both Kakashi sensei and I collapse from using too much chakra is already enough for this team." I told Sakura off as I ate my food.
"I hope he's alright. To think a child's out in the woods in the middle of the night..."
"Well, you don't need to worry." Kakashi sensei reassured Tsunami, "Although he may not seem like it, he's a full fledged ninja. Well, they all are."
"I wonder..." Sasuke spoke up before taking a sip of his water. "It wouldn't surprise me if he's knocked himself out right about now."
After taking a few more bites, Sasuke had already finished his meal and got up to leave.
"Sasuke-kun? Where are you going?"
"A walk." Sasuke said without looking back.
"Eh? He's already finished eating?! But we were just going to start eating!"
"Tsunami-san, where's Naruto's breakfast? I'll bring it to him." Tsunami pointed to the kitchen counter where there was a bento container on it. "Oh, but are you alright to be going outside Akiko?"
I quickly finished my meal and drank my water before standing up "Yeah, I've been taking it easy these few days, I feel better now. Besides I've been stuck in my room a long time, it'll do me good to get some fresh air." I looked towards Kakashi sensei who didn't make a move to stop me.
Taking his silence as my permission to leave the house, I got up and took the bento and some chopsticks and left the house, running to catch up to Sasuke.
"Sasuke!!!!!" I shouted loudly once I saw his figure, he must've heard that it was me because he stopped and waited for me to catch up to him before he continued walking.
"Baka, you know I would wait for you. You don't have to run, what if you collapse again huh???"
"It's fine, it's been a few days, I've taken my medicine and rested, I'm 75% recovered."
"Tch, if you faint again, I'm not carrying you back."
"You say that, but you know you will." Sasuke didn't say anything to that and we just continued walking.
It's been a while since I last stepped foot out of the house so I took a few deep breaths to really enjoy the fresh air. I looked towards Sasuke and noticed that he had a frown on his face.
"What are you worried about?" It wasn't a question, I've known him long enough to know what that look means, so I said it in a "You can't lie to me, might as well tell me" tone.
"I'm not-" Sasuke started but stopped once he noticed the look I was giving him. He sighed "I'm just thinking about the tree climbing training, Naruto's been catching up to me fast and-"
"And you don't want to lose to him."
"......Yeah." He really was thinking hard about his situation because I could see the wrinkles between his eyebrows. Smiling to myself, I brought up my left hand and tried to smooth out the wrinkles in between his eyebrows with my thumb. I couldn't do it with both hands because I was holding Naruto's breakfast so doing it with one hand was pretty tough.
Sasuke stopped walking and looked up at me, slightly taken aback by my gesture. It had been some time since we did this to each other. We used to do this to each other frequently when we were kids, whenever we frowned because we were unhappy about something, we would cheer the other person up by attempting to smooth out the wrinkles in between our eyebrows.
"Don't stress yourself out so much, well it's good that you're taking this to push yourself to reach your goal." I pulled my hand away from his forehead and smiled softly at him "I'm sure you'll achieve it soon. It's not a competition and Naruto's our friend right? Would it be that bad if he did do better than you?"
I thought about how the boys had been competing against each other, they clearly see each others as rivals. I immediately know how Sasuke would respond to what I said, "I take it back, don't answer it. Just don't think too much about it and just do your best."
"....Hmph, don't need you to tell me twice. Don't worry at least I definitely won't end up using all of my chakra and passing out like somebody." Sasuke smirked as he continued walking, teasing me.
"Will you stop bringing that up?!"
We bickered for a while more as we approached the training site and stopped when we saw someone walking towards us.
It was a girl? I think? It must be, the person had a beautiful face with long black hair and was wearing a pink sleeveless kimono with a simple white obi on her waist. She even had a black choker around her neck. She was carrying a basket too, maybe she was collecting some flowers? Or herbs?
We continued walking until she passed us before Sasuke looked back at her, clearly thinking about something or watching her.
Naruto was sitting cross-legged on the ground with both hands folded across his chest, he seemed to be in deep thought too.
"Why? That's strange. This world is full of mystery..." he was muttering to himself, oblivious to our presence.
Sasuke walked up to him and whacked him on the top of his head, "Ow!! Hey! What are you doing?!"
"Did you forget about breakfast, baka?" Sasuke crossed his arms over his chest with an unamused look.
But instead of retorting back, Naruto merely chuckled and gave him a cheeky grin. "Tch."
"Naruto, your breakfast." I walked up to him and handed the bento to him.
"Oh Akiko-chan! You're here! How are you feeling? Are you okay enough to come outside?"
I sat down next to him in a huff "I'm fine, I'm fine. Kakashi sensei didn't stop me from leaving just now, so he agrees that I'm fine. Eat your breakfast, you should be thankful it's me and not Sakura. She would beat you to death."
Naruto didn't say anything more and ate his breakfast while Sasuke started to run up the tree again.
Hmm.... while I'm here, maybe I should train tree climbing too, I'm sure it's fine if it's just a while right?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Naruto???" Sakura's voice could be heard throughout the forest.
I looked down from the tree branch I was sitting on and saw Sakura and Kakashi sensei below, talking amongst themselves.
When the boys found out that I wanted to try tree climbing again they were determined on stopping me. But I managed to convince them to give me 5 tries, I would stop after 5 times or even before if I was satisfied with myself.
Needless to say, I managed to climb higher than the both of them within 5 tries, so I am hella satisfied with myself. I can't wait to see the looks on Kakashi sensei and Sakura's faces when they find out.
I watched as Naruto threw a kunai from the branch he was lying on at the ground where the other 2 were standing, they looked up and were surprised to see it was Naruto.
Naruto was chuckling to himself, proud that he could make it up that high in this short period of time.
Sakura seemed to be saying something, but I couldn't really hear her unless she speaks louder.
"How bout that? How bout that?! As for me, I can climb this high now, dattebayo!" Naruto shouted with glee as he stood up on the tree branch.
He may have stood up a bit too fast cause he lost his balance and started to wobble, "Woahh!!"
"BAKA!!" "Oh no, if you fall from that height!!"
Naruto started to fall off his branch. Sakura was screaming, and I was just about to jump off from my branch to save him when Naruto was suddenly standing on the bottom side of a tree branch, like Kakashi sensei did when he first taught us this. And he was smiling cheekily, like a damn monkey.
That guy just pulled the largest prank one could ever pull on us!
"Gotcha!!! You fell for it, you fell for it!!!" Naruto started laughing to himself, clearly pleased and unaware of how worried we were.
"Don't scare us like that!"
What happened next caught us all by surprise again, including Naruto himself. Naruto was falling. Head first.
His feet wasn't sticking to the tree branch anymore, and he was actually falling headfirst to the ground.
"Ahhh! You idiot, Naruto!! You went overboard!!"
"AAAHHHHH!!!!"
Again, I was just about to jump towards him when I saw some movement below.
Sasuke was faster than me, he was already running up another tree, jumped off that tree and planted his feet on the same branch Naruto was falling from and grabbing Naruto by his ankle, just barely saving Naruto from a concussion.
"Whew..." I sighed in relief, thankful that Sasuke was closer to him.
"Kono baka...."
"Unnhhh..... Sasuke?" Naruto was still swinging in mid-air since Sasuke only grabbed one of his feet.
"Yay!!! Sasuke!!! You're the best!!!!"
"Wait, where's Akiko? Is she with you?" Kakashi asked loudly enough that even I could hear him.
Sasuke and Naruto then each pointed a finger and looked at my direction. I stuck out my tongue playfully and made a peace sign with my hand when Kakashi sensei and Sakura spotted me.
"Sugge!! Akiko, you climbed up that high already??!!!" Sakura shouted for me to hear and I nodded.
"Come down, all of you before anyone falls down!" Kakashi sensei ordered us so I made my way down by jumping from branch to branch.
"Akiko, you shouldn't be doing that. You're not fully recovered yet."
"That's what we told her! But she insisted on giving her 5 chances!" Naruto whined
"5?"
"She climbed that high with just 3 tries, since then she's just been sitting there while watching us." Sasuke added on so that Kakashi sensei would understand better.
Even though Sasuke told him that, Kakashi sensei still gave me a strict look. "Well, now that you've made it up that high. No more tree climbing for you until you're absolutely fine okay? But good job on making it that high Akiko."
"Got it, I won't do it anymore sensei."
"Good job to the boys too." Kakashi sensei shifted his attention to the boys. "But I doubt you're satisfied with your results now, still don't push yourself too hard and Naruto, make sure you come back to the house to actually eat."
"Okay-"
Kakashi sensei added on before Naruto could finish "Aaaand, no more fooling around like that anymore. If Sasuke hadn't gotten to you in time. You would definitely be removed from this mission because of the injury you would sustain. Got it?"
"Got it sensei...."
After Kakashi sensei's lecture, we walked back to the house to eat our lunch. And as expected, the boys both rushed out of the house immediately after finishing their meals.
I didn't want to follow them anymore and since everyone was getting up on my case on me resting more, I did just that and went back to my room to rest for the rest of the day.
~~~~~~~~~
It was dinner time and Sasuke and Naruto still hadn't returned since this afternoon.
I sighed. "I'll go get them once I'm done with dinner." I announced to the rest.
"Oh, I'll come with!" "Thanks, Sakura!"
The door opened, everyone looked up to see who it was. Turns out it was the boys, exhausted. Sasuke had Naruto's arm around his shoulder as they shuffled in.
"You guys are back!" "What happened to you guys? You're really muddy and wiped out."
"I'll get their rice!" I quickly stood up and went to the kitchen counter where the rice cooker was and scooped out a generous amount of rice into 2 bowls.
"Hehehe... we both... climbed to the top."
Woah!! That was fast! They even surpassed me! Guuhhhh I know I just told Sasuke this morning about how it's not a competition but.... damn it I was in the lead!!!!
"Yosh. Naruto, Sasuke, Akiko, starting tomorrow... the 3 of you will also help to protect Tazuna-san!"
I smiled as I brought the bowls of rice to the table, "Got it!" The 3 of us shouted.
"Whoa!" Naruto was cheering and lost his balance, falling to the ground alongside Sasuke.
"You idiot!" Kakashi, Tazuna-san and Tsunami-san laughed as Sakura and I went to help them up and walked them to the table, they were like old people now.
We had finished eating our dinner when Tazuna-san announced "In just a teeny little bit, the bridge will be complete."
"It's thanks to you guys."
"Even so, don't let your guard down." Tsunami reminded him. "And don't overdo it, all of you, especially Naruto-kun and father." She looked at Naruto who was slumped over the table, ready to knock out once he's in bed.
"Why....?" Inari asked softly, he was looking down and tears were falling down his cheeks onto the wooden table.
Naruto heard and looked up "Hm? What is it?"
Inari slammed his hands down onto the table which jolted us and stood up shouting. "Why do you desperately work so hard until you become like that?! There's no way you'd be a match for Gatou's men even if you train!"
He pointed a finger at me "You tried to go against them didnt you?! And what happened?! You're no match for them, and you came back almost dead!"
"Ggh..." I bit my lip as I held back a retort, he was right. I could say that I was out of chakra but even so, I wasn't strong enough. Yet.
"No matter what cool things you say or how much effort you make... the weak always lose out... against the strong ones!"
Everyone was in shock, they didn't know how to respond to Inari's outburst.
"Shut up."
"I'm not like you." Naruto said flatly.
"SHUT UP! Looking at you makes me sick!" Inari was crying even harder now, "Sticking your nose in this even though you know nothing of this land! I'm not like you who's always clowning around and not knowing one thing about pain!"
"You're wrong!" I shouted, cutting Inari off who looked at me, surprised that I interrupted him.
He's wrong, there are 3 people in this room who knows about pain. He just doesn't know it.
But before Inari could say anything else, Naruto spoke up. "So you're just going to cry all day like that star in a tragedy? An idiot like you an just cry forever! You crybaby!"
That made Inari stop crying momentarily as he stared at Naruto.
"Naruto! That's a bit harsh!" Sakura scolded him as he stood up, he didn't say another word and went upstairs.
"Naruto....." "It's okay Sakura, I'll talk to him later." I placed a hand on her arm comforting her, knowing that she must've felt bad instantly as Naruto didn't even say anything back.
Inari's sobbing could be heard throughout the room while Tsunami tried to comfort him, talking to him quietly and hugging him.
The rest of us just looked at each other, unsure what to do or say.
Eventually everyone dispersed and I went back to our room with Sakura.
Sakura went to take a bath but I just sat there on my futon thinking over what had happened just now, I then got up and went to the boys' room.
I wonder if Naruto is in his room, he's never like that just now. Maybe I should talk to him, cheer him up or something.
I knocked on the door before entering, Sasuke and Kakashi sensei weren't there but Naruto was standing by the open window, looking out at the sea.
"Oh, it's just you Naruto? Where did Sasuke and Kakashi sensei go?"
"Huh? They're not here, no idea where they went... sorry." Naruto assumed that I had come to search for either one of them when in fact this time, I had actually came to find him.
I closed the door behind me and walked over to him, standing next to him "It's fine, actually I came to find you."
"Eh?" Naruto turned to face me, he didn't sound as surprised as I would've thought he would, he was probably still affected by just now. "Me? Why?"
I shrugged "No reason, just... I thought you might want some company right now" I thought about it before adding on quickly "Am I wrong? Should I go back?"
Naruto broke into a small smile, thanking me "Thanks, Akiko-chan."
We both continued to look out at the ocean, enjoying this comfortable silence between us before he spoke up "I'm not going to apologize to him.....yet I guess."
"I'm not telling you to, but that's good." "And... you didn't had to speak up for me you know."
"I wasn't speaking up for you only..." I thought of the 3 of us and our background "I was speaking up for us. You, me," I pointed at him and myself "And Sasuke."
"Heh..." "The 3 of us know how it feels like to be alone, we know that pain, how could I just keep quiet after hearing him assume that?"
"Oh.. that's right, the both of you know that feeling too...." Naruto muttered softly but loud enough for me to hear.
"But, we didn't experience it as long as you did. You're strong for being able to go through that, and not ending up like Inari you know? Thank god, I don't think I can handle that." I tried to lighten the mood, Naruto laughed a bit at that comment.
It's good that he can still laugh, honestly Naruto is something else. Living 5 years without my family is painful.... and I only managed to move on and accept it a few years ago, but living your whole life as an orphan.... tough.
Silence again before I spoke "We'll prove it to Inari."
He turned to look at me, waiting for me to continue "We'll show him that there are heroes in this world, we'll give hope to this village."
"Hehe, dattebayo!"
The door opened again and Kakashi sensei walked in together with Sasuke who had obviously just came out from a shower.
"Oh, Akiko is here? Well never mind that, to bed all of you. It's late and Tazuna leaves early to work."
"Hai sensei." I pushed myself off from the window ledge and turned around to leave. "Oyasumi." I bid them goodnight.
"Oyasumi." The 3 of them said in unison.
~~~~~~
We were getting ready to leave the next morning when I noticed that Naruto wasn't downstairs.
"Is Naruto coming? Did he oversleep? Should I get him?" I asked Kakashi sensei.
"No need." He bowed slightly at Tsunami "Please take care of Naruto, Tsunami-san. He's pushed his body to the limit. I don't think he'll be able to move today." he explained.
Ah, so that's what happened.
"Kakashi-san, Akiko-chan, are you both feeling alright?"
"I'm feeling just fine Tsunami-san, don't need to worry!" "Yes, somehow."
"Alright then, we'll be going!" Tazuna-san waved goodbye to his daughter as we left and headed for the bridge.
Disaster met us when we arrived.
"W-What the heck is this?!" We were greeted by Tazuna-san's men on the ground, all of them injured.
"What is going on? What happened?" He quickly ran over to the closest person nearby and helped them sit up.
"A monster...." he mumbled weakly.
I noticed that the mist was starting to pick up, just like when we got ambushed by Zabuza that day.
"Kakashi-sensei... the mist..." I started, "Sasuke, Sakura, Akiko! They're coming, get ready!" He quickly stepped in front of us and we formed a circle, just like back then. Keeping Tazuna-san in the center.
I quickly pulled out my kunai and gripped it hard, reminding myself to breathe and to not let my nerves get the better of me.
"Stay calm.... stay calm...." I was saying it to the others but more to myself.
"Kakashi-sensei, this is... this is his Hidden Mist jutsu right?" Sakura confirmed. But nobody answered her because the answer was obvious.
We could suddenly hear Zabuza's voice again "Sorry to keep you waiting, Kakashi. I see you've got those brats with you as always."
"He's still trembling. Poor thing."
Trembling? Who?
I looked down at my hands to make sure he wasn't referring to me but my hands were surprisingly still. I looked to my side and noticed that it was Sasuke who's trembling.
!!!!!
Zabuza's had appeared in front of us. We were surrounded by a few of his clones, and they all gave a menacing glare, ready to kill us.
"I'm trembling.... with excitement." I looked over to see Sasuke smirking, and I thought he was afraid!
"Yare, Sasuke." (Do it, Sasuke)
"RAAAAHHHHH!" The Zabuza in front of Sasuke let out a battle cry and swung his huge sword at Sasuke.
I braced myself for the clone in front of me, waiting for him to attack.
But it never happened, Sasuke had sliced every clone in an instant. The jutsu was released and the clones became water again and fell to the ground.
"Well well. So he could see the water clones, eh." There were footsteps as Zabuza and the masked boy who saved Zabuza before appeared before us.
"That brat's grown quite a bit. This means a rival has appeared, Haku."
So that boy's name is Haku.
"So it seems."
But Sasuke isn't the only one who's grown a bit.
This chapter is slightly shorter compared to the previous ones which hit over 4k words, sorry about that. But since the next part would be the fighting scenes, I didn't want to divide it into 2 if I can. And I would need some time to figure out Akiko's role in this upcoming fight too so the next chapter might take a while, or it might not. I always seem to breeze through an entire chapter in a few days once I'm in the mood.
Thanks for reading and voting! I've realized that more and more people have started to read this and I'm just so thankful and happy! Hope y'all are starting to see that I've been including some scenes of my own here and there into the story. And I do hope that I'm keeping the characters true to themselves.
Sasuke seems friendly to Akiko but obviously that's just because of how close they are, I'm trying to show that he's just friendlier to her and cares about her too but that doesn't change much in how he talks with her and the others. But also remember, that Sasuke is not as cold to others yet as compared to the Sasuke later on. So hopefully I wrote him just fine. But I'm also trying to get my character closer to Sakura and Naruto so it wouldn't seem like Akiko's just stuck to Sasuke all the time!