The Strength of the Weak {A Naruto Fanfiction}

The Strength of the Weak - Chapter 16

Satomi P.O.V.

My hands shake limply at my sides, the kunai held at my throat not wavering from its position. The burn on my right arm throbs painfully as Zabuza clutches it tightly. Kakashi-sensei's eyes are wide at the predicament, while Tazuna and Sakura watch from behind him in terror.

Zabuza squeezes my burned arm tighter, causing me to cry out pitifully. Gulping, I slowly slide my left hand down to my weapons pouch, trying to find anything to defend myself with. Zabuza feels the slight motion and drops the kunai at my neck, instead pinning my left arm to my back.

"Perhaps you're not as great as your sensei hails you as, kid," Zabuza whispers in my ear, causing me to grit my teeth in annoyance. Flashing my sharingan on, I glare into Zabuza's eyes. He tenses in place seeing the familiar sharingan.

"You... you're an Uchiha?!" he howls, however, he is too late because I trap him in my genjutsu, causing his grip to loosen. I shuffle away from him, gripping my right arm in pain. Kakashi-sensei runs forward and swoops me up bridal style before retreating back beside Sakura and Tazuna, being careful not to jostle me.

"Satomi, what happened?" Kakashi-sensei asks quietly, the distant roar of Naruto's rage traveling through the mist. I bite my lip and close my eyes tight to keep the tears from pouring out.

"S-Sasuke... he's... he's..." I struggle to say, choking on my words. My twin brother was dead. I was left alone once again. Kakashi-sensei's expression darkens as he realizes my implications.

"I see..."

Sakura doesn't take the news lightly, breaking out into heart-wrenching sobs. I grip the back of Kakashi-sensei's jonin vest, burying my face into his shoulder. I never wanted to look weak... but I couldn't stop from feeling so utterly helpless at this moment in time. It was taking everything I had not to fall apart.

"That was a dirty trick..." Zabuza states, awakening from the genjutsu. Kakashi-sensei places me down on the ground to deal with Zabuza, while Sakura cries into her hands beside me. I shakily place my left hand on her shoulder, causing her to look at me, tearily. Perhaps it was my sisterly instinct, or maybe it was my attempt at consoling myself... but I couldn't help but try to help her.

"It's okay, Sakura-chan... everything will be okay..." I whisper out. She sniffles and nods her head, clenching my hand tightly. Sighing painfully, I sit up and look out towards the other end of the bridge, where Haku was fending off Naruto. I needed to help Naruto go back to normal.

"Sakura-chan, watch over Tazuna-san. I'll be right back..." I ask her, struggling to get to my feet. Once I'm up, I jog over to where the commotion is, swaying a little with each step. Naruto was attacking Haku with an onslaught of kicks and punches, and Haku looked half dead.

"Naruto! You need to stop!" I call out, however, one of his tails sends me flying to the side, another burn bubbling to the surface of my skin. I cry out as I tumble across the ground, blood trailing after me with every impact. Rolling to a stop, a take in gulps of air in an attempt of easing the pain on my arms, to no avail.

Stumbling to my feet once again, I limp over to their battle, beaten and bloody, but still ready to take whatever is thrown at me. Right as Naruto is about to deliver the final blow, Haku says something to him that I can't hear, making him stop immediately and his cloak to disappear.

"N-Naruto-kun?" I whisper out a few yards away. He glances at me with wide eyes, taking in my worn down appearance.

"S-Satomi-chan? Did I...?" he questions, looking at my fresh burns. I bite my lip, refusing to answer his question. He looks down in shame, knowing full well what my silence meant.