The Hebinomura (Sasuke x OC)

The Land Where a Hero Once Lived

"He wasn't his real father, he came into our family later and he brought so much happiness. He and Inari were close."

Mashi watched Tazuna, curious as to this man named Kaiza. But her eyes widened upon seeing Tazuna taking his glasses off, wiping tears that had bubbled within his eyes.

"Back in those days, Inari smiled all the time. But then...all that ended" Tazuna said, glaring as if it could erase the tears that dropped upon the table. "He never laughs or smiles anymore. Ever since the day everything changed. The word courage was stolen from this island. We were left feeling powerless, hopeless, and Inari suffered the most. Ever since that day. Ever since it happened."

"Tell us, what happened to Inari?" Kakashi inquired.

"First, you need to know about the man we called Inari's father, the man who taught us the word "courage," who was the hero of this land" Tazuna wiped his eyes yet again.

"A hero? Really?" Naruto asked.

"You can decide that for yourself. He came here about three years ago" Tazuna began his story.

It started when Inari was pushed into the water by bullies, who had thrown his dog into the water as well. Kaiza had been the one to save him and Tazuna explained that since Inari had not known his real father, he gravitated towards the man. And just like that, he became part of their family.

He became a hero soon after by closing flood gates, swimming through dangerous currents to do so. But not long after, Gato had arrived and for standing up to him, Kaiza had been executed.

Inari had watched with a crowd.

Mashi looked into her cup, her reflection staring back. Suddenly, the reflection stared back, an expression of firmness.

"Mr. Tazuna..."

The man looked up and Mashi did as well.

"We will make sure Gato is finished once and for all. We will make sure Inari smiles again."

She stood up and Naruto grinned.

"For sure!"

She walked out the door, soon followed by Naruto, though they walked their separate ways upon reaching the dense forest.

"Dokuga, we need to make sure this works."

The snake tangled around her neck and Mashi closed her eyes, concentrating.

"Snake Style: Snake Bomb!"

Snake, Dragon, Snake. Mi, Tatsu, Mi. Three simple hand signs with plenty of hard work behind it. And hard work was exactly what she intended to do.

She raised the circled fingers of hers to her lips and blew, the pale green snakes of chakra hissing loudly, shooting out.

She stared hard at the tree trunk that sat thirty feet away, her pupiless eyes focused upon one spot.

The sound of the explosion reverberated throughout the forest and the smoke cleared, Mashi frowning.

Too far left and too far down.

"Come on, Dokuga, help me out here" she said and the snake balanced, it's small face beside hers.

Mashi focused and raised her hand to her mouth yet again, listening to the creature whispering in her ear.

"Snake Style: Snake Bomb!"

She asked yet again and waited for the dark smoke to clear, finding the tree tipping over, crashing into the ground. She hurriedly walked towards it, examining, but sighed.