Blood for the Blade's Granddaughter (Naruto X Dream SMP Fanfic)

Chapter 22

"Goodness! I can't remember the last time I had so many people eat with us!" Tazuna laughed.

Tazuna's family and Team 7 were all gathered in the family's small dining area. By this point, Naruto and Sasuke were thoroughly exhausted from training all day. Yet that didn't seem to stop them from stuffing their faces with the food that Miss Tsunami had made. Sakura sighed. For as much as she cared for her boys, they were annoyingly competitive.

They're gonna puke in three, two, one-

As if on cue, the two of them suddenly gagged. Sakura face palmed as she heard her boys empty their stomachs. "Don't eat so fast if you're just going to puke it up! Do you know how much time Miss Tsunami spent making this for us?!" She shouted.

"Sorry, Sakura-chan..." Naruto grumbled as Tsunami passed him another bowl of rice. Sakura was grateful that Miss Tsunami wasn't bothered and kept feeding the two. Both Naruto and Sasuke were way too skinny for her liking. 

Now that she thought about it, everyone at this table was criminally underweight, including Sakura herself. Curse her fast metabolism.

As she prodded at the slightly undercooked rice in front of her, her eyes scanned the room around her. While certainly in need of repairs and upgrades, the house looked lived in. Like a home. Barely living potted plants in the corners that had probably been around for years, a torn picture on the wall- wait, what?

Sakura took a second glance at the wall. Only one picture frame was hung up, and someone was torn cleanly out of it. Either this family didn't have a good history with them anymore, or...

A tragedy happened. Ask.

Sakura tried to brush off her curiosity. It must be a sensitive topic if this person wasn't around anymore. Not to mention she saw the way Inari kept looking at the picture. She didn't want to drive the little boy further into isolation.

It seemed her curiosity was clear as day to Tazuna however, because he seemed to catch her glancing at the picture once more. "Oh...are you wondering about the picture?" He asked.

Sakura hesitated to answer, but before she could speak Inari abruptly stood from his chair and stormed out of the room.

"Father, I've told you time and time again that we shouldn't mention that around Inari!" Tsunami yelled.

"I'm very sorry, Miss." Sakura hurried to apologize. "I just-"

"No need. I knew the topic was gonna come up sooner or later." Tazuna said. "I can tell you the story, but it will not be a pleasant one."

And so, Tazuna told them a story. A story that began three years ago, with Inari and his puppy. The story that began with a rescue from a kind-hearted man who brought inspiration to all he met. The story of a man who became a father to a little boy who had none. The story of a hero who lived for his village.

The story of a hero who died for it. 

By the end of the story, Sakura had tears and her eyes and her bloodlust had never been higher. If the voices didn't like Gato before this story, they sure as hell didn't like him now.

We're gonna help these people, Sakura. Promise.

They will be free.

Gato's doomsday is coming.

It seemed like Sakura wasn't the only one driven to help this place, as Naruto suddenly stood from his stool, nearly collapsing as he made his way back outside.

"Naruto, don't even think about it. You're exhausted." Kakashi warned though he made no move to stop him.

"I'm gonna prove it to 'im..." Naruto slurred. "I'm gonna prove that heroes do exist!"

Sakura believed in him wholeheartedly.