Last time
Zabuza looked at the smaller swordsman and moved aside, Naruto walked passed him*
Zabuza:I'll see you at the end of the month you ronin
Naruto:I look forward do it mist scum...
Now
Night time
It was dark, Naruto was sitting in front of a pair of candles and a small wooden Buddha statue in between them, Naruto was giving a small prayer of success*
Naruto:may the great god Damuncheonwang favor me in this battle, let it get me one step closer to Nirvana
Naruto blew out the candles and took a couple of seals from inside his outfit, he releases them and out came his weapons apart from his blade, his bow and arrows, his spear, and most importantly his tanto blade*
Naruto grabbed the tanto with a soft smile since it used to belong to Emiko, it was a family heirloom*
Naruto:i hope you were able to reconnect with your family emi.
Naruto placed the tanto in the forehead softly as he couldn't help but remember memories of him and Emiko playing together, Naruto smiled and gave a small sigh his ears picking up that he's no longer alone*
Naruto:you know. It's rude to stare at a man preparing for battle young boy, come keep me company. I can tell you must have questions
Naruto said in a kind tone as he turned his head and looked at Inari. Inari for his part walked out of the stairs where he was staring at naruto. and sat next to him who was making the last minute check ups on his weapons*
Inari: didn't you say to die by the blade is to die with honor? How come you have a bow and arrows?
Naruto:hm, allow me to give you a bit of education on the weapons of the samurai
Naruto grabbed on and gave it to the boy, Inarı looked at Naruto confused, Naruto just smiled grabbing Inari's free hand and placing it on the arrowhead *
Naruto:the arrowhead can be considered a blade, same goes for the spear and the tanto. This are the weapon my people have used from before even the great samurai vs Shinobi war
Inari:the what? I've never heard of that war. Are you sure you don't mean the great Shinobi wars?
Naruto had to force himself to keep smiling, he wanted to educate this young boy showing anger and disgust will give him nothing*
Naruto:hm not surprising that you don't know of the war My people lost. The Shinobi don't tell it since they only care about history starting with the Hashirama and Uchiha clans.
Naruto said letting slight disgust show in his face, just thinking of the two clan that began the Shinobi era*
Naruto:And samurai are all in iron country so our history is locked there as well. If I live after this battle I can get you the book of samurai history, is quite common for education in my country
Inari:ok, I still think your insane for helping my grandfather you know
Naruto shrugged with a smile as he grabbed his armor and started maintaining it giving it a good polish*
Naruto;if it's insane to help keep hope alive, then I'll be an insane man till my last breath little one
Inari:i still don't get it why?
Inari said in a shaky tone, since Naruto has been here Inari couldn't help but think on his father more and more, the father that fought back against gato and got killed for it*
Inari: Why help why act as if your some kind of hero?! Heroes don't exist
A memory flashed into Inari's mind remembering the execution of his father*
Naruto for his part sighed, he got closer to Inari and used a handkerchief to clean off the tears on Inari's face. Naruto gave the boy a sad smile*
Naruto:your right they don't, heroes in the shinobi world don't exist. and it's my people fault that they don't
Naruto stopped what he was doing, he got up and bowed to Inari who was taken off guard by his actions*
Naruto:and for that I'm sorry, I'm sorry for what you have lost, I'm sorry my people failed you and failed this once great nation
Naruto sat up straight and showed legitimate sadness in his eyes, not behind his eyes, not hiding no. Inari could hear the sadness even in his tone*
Naruto:if the samurai would've won that war, if the Shinobi wouldn't have gotten our secrets of elemental manipulation, if they would've fought with honor. This beautiful land would've been...so much different...
Naruto looked out the window at the night sky with such promise, Inari honestly thought he was just crazy*
Naruto:imagine it, a world where those with power help and protect the weak not because of money, but because it's there duty. A world with honor, with disciple with hope for a strong and better tomorrow
Inari:but that's nothing but a fantasy
Naruto sighed, sat back down and went back to polish his armor*
Naruto:yes on that you are correct. And maybe in some other life the samurai won that war, and the Shinobi would be the ones dying out of existence. But sadly we don't live in that world. No we live in this one
Naruto placed all his armor and weaponry back to there placed and gave Inari a smile*
Naruto:and in this world I'll fight till I take my last breath and if that makes me insane then so be it, but I'll protect you and your family because that's what having honor is about, that's what having discipline is about, that's what knowing what the word duty means is about Naruto walked up to Inari and rubbed his head, Inari looked up and he saw the same smile his father used to give him almost seeing him inside of Naruto in spirit*
Naruto:and that's what being a hero is about. Now go on grab that drink you were going to grab and go off to bed don't want to get punished by your mother now do you?
Inari flinched and looked like he's supposed to look. a young child scared of being punished by his mother, he quickly went to the kitchen leaving Naruto there alone, with a small purse of his lips Naruto went outside and sat at the stairs of the porch enjoying the night breeze*
Naruto;I'm not gonna run away, and your not gonna attack me so why are you still monitoring me?
Haku fell without sound next to Naruto and sat with him giving him an orange. Naruto took his favorite fruit, as Haku took his his mask having the same smile he always has on. A smile that never reached his eyes*
Haku:i hope you enjoy the fruit, for the one you gave me
Naruto:thanks, love oranges they taste so sweet and juicy
Naruto said pealing the skin off and offering some to Haku who took a slice, Naruto took another and they both sat in silence for a bit just enjoying the night air*
Naruto:since I might never get the chance, what's your story? Why do Any of this?
Haku:because it's what Zabuza wants, so it's what I want
Naruto:ah, i see so you see yourself as a tool for Zabuza to use then
Haku spared him a glance with his eyebrow slightly raised then returned his gaze to the forest taking another slice of orange*
Haku: I'm surprise I didn't have to spell it out. Tell me do you have anyone that's precious to you?
Naruto;for me? My teachers, my friends, the children in the orphanage, miss Takeda the caretaker of the orphanage, and...the snake
Naruto said with his tone becoming softer on the last name. Haku was curious so he asked it*
Haku:your tone changed on the last one, is she someone special?
Naruto....more then even I'll ever realize. I'm a orphan, left at the steps of miss Takeda institution, but growing up? I didn't care about that, since I was happy. Without money yes, but happy then one day this letter arrives
Naruto took out the a letter and gave it to Haku, Haku held it with care as it was an old paper already yellow from oxidation*
Letter:hey little boy, I'm not good with words I prefer to let my actions do the talking which is kinda hard when all I can do is use my words right now. You don't know me, probably never will apart from letters but uh I want to be your sponsor, hope you make good use with this gift I'll be giving you
From: the snake in the tree
Haku returned the letter to Naruto who placed it in a seal again*
Naruto: thanks to them I was able to have a good life, I was able to get an education in the private sector instead of public, I was able to meet some great friends and I was able to be noticed by the multiple teachers who were also samurai's in reserve. who taught me the way of the Samurai which is now my purpose in live. What about you? What's your purpose your dream?
Haku:my dream? My dream is to protect Zabuza and make his dream come true even if it means that I have to become a Shinobi
Naruto nodded he glanced at the boy with an orange slice in his mouth and he couldn't help but feel sympathy for him*
Naruto:hm, you have a kind heart kinder then most. I've seen how you would leave small pouches of ryo to beggars on the street, you could be so much more then a Shinobi scum why throw away your life for tha?
Haku:i could tell you, but I don't think you'll ever be able to truly understand it
They both grabbed another slice of orange and ate them, Naruto hummed at haku's response giving him a nod*
Naruto:then don't, I understand wanting to keep things for yourself and your heart. You love you don't you? And I don't mean in a romantic sense
Haku gave Naruto a small almost unnoticeable smile but it was there and Naruto saw it*
Haku:i know what you meant. And yes I do love him, he gave me a purpose a reason for being and I hope I'll forever be useful to him so that I can follow wherever he goes. Wherever he goes I'll follow, that's what makes me happy
Naruto:hm. I wish you luck in that, tell me are you gonna attack me with him or will you fight me alone? so that I won't get the chance to harm him?
The both finished the orange and Naruto burned the peel giving the air a nice cirrus smell*
Haku;we shall fight alone just you and me do prepare yourself Samurai
Naruto;l shall, make sure you sharpen yourself tool and may the gods favor who they wish
The door opened and Naruto turned around seeing tazuna there*
Tazuna:there you are kid, who were you talking to?
Tazuna asked, Haku long since banished in to the darkness of the night. Naruto hummed and looked up at the moon*
Naruto:oh no one, just making conversation with myself And the path I've chosen
Naruto got up and stretched, giving tazuna a kind smile*
Naruto:off to drink tazuna Sama? Come I'll offer you my protection
Tazuna nodded and walked ahead with Naruto giving one final look at the fleeting figure that is Haku and gave him a small nod before following tazuna to the one bar that still accepts the two fools that dare go against gato and his demons*
To be continued
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