Book 1: The Scarlet Thread (Kakashi Love Story)

Naruto The Movie: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom, Part 5

Izayoi's P. O. V:

Later that morning, my teammates, the soldiers, Hikaru and I hide out in the woods. The young Prince sits in a patch of sunlight with his bent knees pulled to his chest and arms folded atop them while his face is buried in them.

Sakura, Naruto and Lee sit on the floor and I lean against a tree with my arms crossed as we wait for Kakashi to return from his scouting mission.

We look up when there's a rustle of bushes, to see the silverette beside me.

I ask, "Kashi-kun, how'd it go?"

He responds, folding his arms over his chest, "The security's too tight; I couldn't get close. One thing's for sure: time is running out." We all let out heavy sighs of defeat.

The soldier leaning against the tree suggests, "Maybe... Maybe we should surrender after all." Hikaru presses his face further into his arms.

Another soldier jumps to his feet and grabs the first by the front of his jacket, demanding angrily, "Coward!! What are you talking about?!"

The first soldier shoves him back as he questions hotly, "Well, what do you suggest, then?! Look at us!! How few of us there are!" He throws his arms outward before gesturing to me and my teammates. "I don't care how strong these strangers are! It's hopeless!" The man shakes his head as they all look down.

The bald man murmurs, looking to the boy, "At least... we must get Hikaru-sama out..." Here, Hikaru begins sobbing, making the soldiers gasp.

"I want my father...!" Hikaru cries as he wipes the tears away from under his glasses.

Hikaru keeps crying as Naruto gets to his feet. We glance at him as he says decisively, "Well, okay then. Let's go get him!"

The bald man says, "But it's impossible!"

Naruto retorts determinedly, "We can't just do nothing! We gotta try!"

"It's too late!" Hikaru exclaims, shaking his head. "You heard them: it's hopeless. My father will be killed! It's too late to save him now!"

Hikaru falls forward and cries into the grass. Naruto walks towards Hikaru and stops before him.

"Hikaru," Naruto addresses, but the boy doesn't look up. "Hikaru!" Hikaru hiccups. Naruto bends and picks him up by the front of his shirt, as the rest of us stand up, tensing. Hikaru seems to brace himself. "Are you just gonna... throw everything away again?" This causes the boy to snap his eyes open with a gasp. He turns his head to the blonde. "Is that it?! You're... You're just gonna abandon him?!"

Naruto releases Hikaru so he slumps on his knees on the grass. "What happened? Was I wrong? I thought... you were better than this! You'd just let it all go? Your father?!" Naruto waves his hands about as his eyes begin to get wet. "Even your courage?!" Here, the Uzumaki squeezes his eyes shut briefly. "The promise we made each other...! You'd throw it all away..." Naruto gazes down at a stunned Hikaru with saddened eyes. "You still don't know... what really matters!"

Naruto's tears drop down the hazel brown eyed boy's face. Then his mouth sets in a firm line before a spark of determination lights up in Hikaru's eyes. He slowly gets to his feet.

Hikaru declares, "Alright, let's go! I'm ready! Let's go save my father!"

Naruto grins, happy with Hikaru's decision. "You're on!"

The bald soldier reminds Hikaru as he stands up, "Hikaru-sama! Don't be hasty—!"

"Relax!" Naruto interrupts, a hand on Hikaru's shoulder. "Don't worry. He'll be okay! No harm will come to him!" Here, the blonde turns to the soldiers, a fist clenched in determination. "I'll see to that—trust me!"