The Uchiha Clan ~ The Clan of Love

Chapter 64

HOTARU'S POV ~ THE LAND WHERE A HERO ONCE LIVED

Sakura and I were set to watch over Tazuna at the bridge, since we had already mastered chakra control.

Sakura yawned.

"You sure do look bored over there." Tazuna said to her. "What happened to the blond boy and that stuck up kid?"

"They're in the middle of the tree-climbing training." I said. Sakura was currently sitting and I was next to her standing.

"What? To tough for you girls?"

An anger tick appeared on my forehead.

"We've already mastered it." Sakura said.

"Really?"

An that caused Sakura's anger tick.

We watched as Tazuna was pulled aside by a worker, and shortly after an argument broke out between the two, with Tazuna raising his voice.

LATER

"So, where are we going?" Sakura asked.

"I was asked to get some ingredients for dinner on the way home." Tazuna said.

As we walked I could see all the signs of poverty and how desperate the village people were for help, but also too afraid.

"We're here!" Tazuna said as we stopped in front of a small store.

"Welcome." We were greeted by the cashier.

Looking around, you could hardly call this a store. There wasn't really anything to chose from.

"YOU PERVERT!" Sakura yelled.

I turned around and saw Sakura kick a man in the face. I face palmed. "And that's our que to go."

WALK BACK

"Man, I was super surprised earlier." Tazuna said.

"What's going on in this town?!" Sakura complained.

"Hey, you.." I saw Sakura's anger disappear when she turned around and her sentence trailed off.

I saw it was just a little boy.

He held his hands out. "Gimme something!"

"Oh, here." Sakura gave him some candies.

"Oh wow! Thank you!"

Sakura nodded.

The little boy left, and we continued back to Tazuna's house.

"This is how it's been ever since Gato showed up. All the adults have turned to cowards. That's why, especially now, that bridge is necessary! It's a symbol of bravery to restore their spirit, so they don't keep running away. It's 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!" Tazuna said.

I looked down sadly. 'These people have suffered so much.'

DINNER

I watched as both Naruto and Sasuke rushed to finish their food.

"Seconds please!" They both yelled at the same time while holding up their bowls.

After locking eyes in anger, both boys threw up the food they just consumed.

That causes an anger tick to appear on my forehead. "Stop eating if your going to vomit!" I yelled.

"No. I'm gonna eat." Sasuke said.

"And I need to eat more than him!" Naruto said.

"Mmm-hmm. But vomiting is a different story." Kakashi said.

LATER

"Excuse me, why is there a torn picture hanging here?" Sakura asked. "I saw Inari gazing at this during dinner. It looks like someone was torn out deliberately."

I noticed the atmosphere in the room change completely.

"That's my husband." Tsunami said.

"He was once called a hero here." Tazuna said.

Inari got up and left the room with a slam to a door.

"Father! I keep telling you not to talk about him in from of Inari!" Tsunami said as she left the room after her son.

It was silent for a few minutes.

"What happened to Inari?" Sakura asked.

"It seems there's a story behind it all." Kakashi said.

"Inari had a father, but they weren't related by blood. They got along super well. It was like they actually were. Back then, Inari was a child who laughed all the time. However, Inari's changed ever since that incident with his father." Tazuna started crying. "The concept of bravery was taken away forever from the people of this island and from Inari on that day. Triggered by that incident."

"That incident? What happened to Inari?" Kakashi asked.

"To explain the incident, I first have to tell you about the man who was called the hero of this land."

"Hero?" Naruto said.

"It was around three years ago, when Inari met this man..." Tazuna said as he proceeded to tell us the story about Inari's dogs and the bullies, and how Gato had Inari and a group of people watch Kaiza's execution.

"That's so cruel." I said as I wiped a tear away.

Naruto got up to leave, but fell down from chakra exhaustion.

"What are you doing, Naruto?" Sakura asked.

"You've had enough training for today. You've infused too much chakra." Kakashi explained. "You'll die if you move any more."

"I'll prove it!" Naruto said.

"Prove what?" Sakura asked.

Naruto struggled, but stood up. "I'll prove that, heroes exist in this world!" Naruto vowed.