Kakashi's Teammate, the Lightning Goddess

Inari and Haku

*edited*

Chapter 11: Haku

                When I woke up, the house was empty. Even Naruto, who had been out late training the previous night, was gone.

                “Oh, Kira,” Tsunami said, smiling at me. “They left about an hour ago.”

                Of course they had. How could they leave without me? “Kakashi has some serious explaining to do,” I muttered to myself, grabbing everything I needed before rushing out the door. I put my hair into a bun as I flew, deciding that air was the easiest and quickest way to get there. As I did, however, I passed two shinobi with long swords… heading back the way I’d come. A bad premonition came over me.

                The last time I’d gotten this feeling, Zabuza had attacked us and had nearly killed one of us.

                I won’t even mention who.

                I headed back toward the house, picking up speed as I went, because this was not right. Something was wrong, and I was going to fix it.

                As I’d suspected and feared, I found the two shinobi at Tazuna’s house. Keeping a good distance above them, I spotted Tsunami, tied up and gagged, and Inari backed up. Soon, he’d have nowhere to go. But he stood his ground, yelling at the men, and I smiled because I knew that after Kakashi had talked to him, Naruto’s words must’ve gotten through.

                Naruto just had that sort of strange power.

                Seizing my chance, I dropped down and easily knocked the two men out, slashing through the ropes binding Tsunami and using them to bind the two men instead. “You guys okay?”

                “Fine,” said Tsunami, hugging her son close.

                “Inari,” I said, and he glanced up at me. His eyes weren’t as dark anymore. “You must have sympathy for others and yet courage to stand up for yourself, and never forget who you really are. If there’s one thing that Naruto understands, it’s that. And I know you can understand it, too. I’m going to go to the bridge where your grandfather is, and I’m going to join the fight. If we win, then we’ve defeated one monster, but they’ll keep coming. Tell me, Inari, what’s the only way we can stop this forever?”

                His mouth opened, and then closed. “Strength?”

                “Yes,” I said patiently. “But what will the strength of one person do against Gato? What do you have to redirect your strength toward, instead?”

                I knew that he understood when he smiled. “I won’t let you down!” he promised, and I grinned at him.

                “Atta boy! See you guys later!”

                I made a beeline for the bridge, my heart starting to pound in my chest. What would the situation be like when I got there? What if my friends were already –

                As if Kakashi would go down that easily.

                That, in itself, was a comforting thought, and I kept it in mind as the outline of the bridge started to come into view. The humidity was bad for my wings, though, weighing them down, and I suddenly realized that yes, this was Zabuza’s hunting ground. I hurriedly disguised my chakra signature.