ᴅᴇꜱᴛɪɴʏ ʀᴇʙɪʀᴛʜ|ⁿᵃʳᵘᵗᵒˣⁿᵃʳᵘᵏᵒ

The wave at its hight! p.2

(Long chapter)

"Hello Naruko-san," Tsunami greeted, "What can I do for you?"

Naruko shook her head with a smile, "Have you seen my brother?" she asked. "He's slightly taller than me, has blonde hair, blue eyes . . ." she added for the woman's reference, which helped as Tsunami nodded in recognition.

"Why yes, I do." Tsunami looked out the window, "He said he went out to do some training, whatever that means. Anyways, he's outside." She supplied with a smile, making Naruko thank her before heading out herself.

A few moments of wandering around trying to find her brother later — which Naruko was still kicking herself for since she can sense his chakra signature easily — Naruko found him standing on the beach outside Tazuna's house, gazing over the horizon with calm azure eyes. Naruto blinked when he noticed her and he turned his head to face her, smiling warmly as he did.

"Hey Naruko-chan," he greeted.

Naruko smiled as she stood beside him, "Hey yourself," she replied cheekily, "What are you doing out here all by yourself?"

The blonde boy shrugged as he continued to gaze at the ocean, watching the waves cascading and crashing against the shore in short, steady intervals. "I thought Tsunami-san already told you?" he responded.

Naruko rolled her eyes. "She did, but she said you were training, but your current activity proves otherwise." She said with a cheeky smile.

Naruto chuckled as he gazed at the moon's reflection on the ocean, seemingly deep in thought. A few moments passed before he spoke again, "We're not ready . . ." he suddenly announced, making Naruko jolt slightly in surprise.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

Naruto ran his right hand through his spiky locks as he frowned thoughtfully. "We're not ready to face Zabuza again, not by a long shot." He stated, "We got lucky today because he underestimated us, but he won't be so foolish next time. Plus, he had that hunter-nin working for him."

Naruko nodded slowly as she processed the information as Naruto continued to speak. "I know Kakashi-sensei can take care of himself, and I know you and I can handle ourselves pretty well, it's Sasuke and Sakura I'm worried about . . ." he explained as he frowned again, "Sasuke's too hell-bent on revenge and doesn't take too kindly about others outshining him, and Sakura, though improving, is still woefully inadequate to even be part of this battle."

Naruko frowned as her brother's word rang true. Sasuke was still too prideful and Sakura was still a bit useless, not totally, but slightly above. Their team dynamics were abysmal, with Sasuke refusing to work with either her or Sakura for that matter, and it irked to blonde haired kunoichi to no end. Naruko knew she needed to knock some sense into the raven haired Uchiha before the unthinkable happens. She shivered at her brother's memories about his Sasuke flashed through her mind.

His Sasuke that betrayed Konoha for power . . .

Shaking her head to clear away the uncomfortable thoughts, Naruko breathed in deep before a determined glint made its way into her violet eyes. She'll be damned if she didn't do anything to prevent Naruto's dark future ever coming to pass. If she had to play nice with the Uchiha, so be it. But, Naruko vowed to herself, she wouldn't hesitate to break every bone in the raven head's body should he decide that power was more important than the village itself.

Naruko sighed as she pulled him into a half hug as she leaned her head on his left shoulder. "What's done is done Onii-chan, we'll just have to hope that it's enough . . ." she said, making Naruto looked at her enquiringly, "We need to have faith in our teammates, faith that they will pull through this and survive and come out stronger than before . . ."