The Path of a Shinobi (Reader x various)

Waterfall of Truth

"How are we suppose to beat them?" Asked Naruto.

"That I don't know," answered Motoi and Naruto tried getting Motoi to tell us more about Bee and to ask for hints to help us, but Motoi declined. We learned from him about Bee's past, their friendship, and how Motoi had once tried to kill Bee.

After hearing all that, Naruto wanted to be alone for awhile.

~Timeskip~

We went in search for him after quite some time had gone by and we were currently by the sea. As we were looking for him, the squid we encountered earlier had appeared again and grabbed ahold of Motoi. Naruto had shown up after hearing Motoi yell and we teamed up to take it down, but Bee showed up and knocked the squid down.

Motoi had safely fallen near us and Bee had joined us. Motoi with his head hung low was curious as to why Bee had saved him despite what he tried doing in the past, but Bee had paid no heed to that and only cared about the friendship they formed as kids.

Hearing their story and witnessing these two together made me learn something. Bee took pride in being a Jinchūriki by accepting himself. He learned to trust himself and those around him.

I need to trust myself before I can start trusting others. And from there, accepting who I am. I'm a Jinchūriki. And that means accepting my dark side as well. That's a part of me and always have been. It's who I am.

We headed back to the waterfall and on the way there, Naruto and I had the chance to formally introduce ourselves to Bee and bumped fists with him.

Naruto and I seated ourselves once again and entered our subconscious.

"Back already, huh? It's no use, you can't defeat me no matter how hard you try."

"I know. I'm not here to fight this time. You should know why I'm here. You're me after all." I stood up from the ground and kept my eyes locked on her.

"What the hell are you talking about?" She growled and I laughed.

"Don't play stupid." I stayed still for a moment and focused on the day the villagers greeted Naruto and I and when we were at Ichiraku's. The events of that day had appeared and were displayed above my head almost like it was being projected on a screen and I pointed at it.

"I've accepted who I am. I'm (Y/n) (L/n), the Eleven Tails Jinchuriki and...I'm learning to accept the villagers," I happily declared.

Maybe back then at Ichiraku's, the reason I was so hesitant was because I was skeptical of them and couldn't fully trust their word yet because of everything that I've been through. But...they trust me now and I need to give them the benefit of the doubt and put my trust in them. I pray that they won't do me wrong like in the past and will be a lending hand.

"Who cares about them! They're merely trying to win you over with words! They don't care about us! They never did! All they ever did was treat us like an outcast! They only care about themselves! That's how people are!" She stomped over to me and I remained standing at the same spot. She roughly grabbed my (f/c) shirt and glared at me although I could feel her hand trembling.

"It was...so painful...everything was...." she dropped her head on my chest and quivered. "I'm the only one who can understand your pain. Don't trust them...they'll betray you...just like that Uchiha..." her voice sounded so broken and it made me realize just how much I've been through growing up and how much I had suffered as a child. From my clans' death to the harsh treatment I received at the Leaf and to the people I have lost recently.

"I know, I know." I placed a comforting arm behind her back and she fell to her knees and brought me down with her. "...But they're people who I need to protect. They're part of the village. They see me as one of their heroes. Something I haven't truly acknowledged."