The Kids of Yesterday {Various!Naruto X Reader}

11. Crystal Ice Mirrors

Making your way through the forest and back to Tazuna's house, your clone rushes through the trees. Your clone hums a small tune as the wind whips through your hair, wondering how things are going back on the bridge.

As your clone moves through the forest, you start to notice some trees with unnecessary slashes on them, and even a skewered boar. Moving past the scene quickly, you think it odd, considering all of this appears on the way to Tazuna's house.

You barely make it more than a few feet when you spot Naruto standing in a tree in front of you, taking in the scene before him like you have just done.

"Doesn't look good, does it?" Your voice manages to pull him out of his thoughts.

"Wha- (Y/n), what are you doing here?" He asks, somewhat surprised to see you. "Anyways, that's not important right now. Somethings wrong, I can feel it."

"Well, you'd be right about that," you smirk, motioning to the wreckage behind you. "We should hurry back.

"Right," he nods, the two of you rushing back down the way he had previously came from.

You manage to make it back just in time to see Inari charging at two thugs who are holding his mother captive. You slow your pace to assess the situation, but Naruto immediately springs into action. You decide to see what he does before stepping into action yourself. After all, this is a chance for him to put some of his training to good use, and those thugs don't seem too tough.

You bite your lip as you see one of the thugs knock Tsunami unconscious, both preparing to draw their swords soon after. You let out a huff as you sense Naruto moving swiftly, preparing for what he's about to do.

The two thugs swing their swords, seemingly slicing through Inari in a swift motion. Surprise crosses their features as they watch a log fall onto the deck in place of the kid, their swords now sheathed. Staring blankly at the log behind them, they stand there, taking in Naruto's substitution jutsu.

"Sorry, I'm a little late," Naruto's voice draws their attention to where he kneels, laying Tsunami safely on the deck with Inari in his arms. 

You grin. Nice going, Naruto! Just in time.

"Huh? Who's that?"One of the thugs exclaim as the both of them turn around.

Landing on the deck beside him, you watch as Naruto stands up to his full height. The two of you stare down the thugs as Inari gasps behind you.

"You know," you begin.

"Heroes usually show up at the last minute," Naruto finishes, the both of you standing tall and staring down your opponents with a smug look on your faces.

"Naruto! (Y/n)! It's you!" Inari gasps once more, eyes wide.

"Who else?" You reply, shooting a wink at the kid from over your shoulder.

"Inari, you did great," Naruto says, sending him a smile from over his own shoulder as you nod along with Naruto's words. "When you charged, they forgot about your mom for a minute. That gave me the chance to use a cool jutsu to get her away from them."

You see realization cross Inari's features as he stares down at his mom, soon looking up at Naruto in awe.

"Naruto, how did you know these samurai guys were coming here?" Inari asks, wonder clear in his voice.

"I can answer that one," you grin as Inari shifts his gaze to you now. "We both noticed that a bunch of trees in the woods had been slashed apart, as well as a wild boar looking like roadkill in the middle of the path. We figured something bad was happening so we rushed back here as fast as we could."