05x31 - Bringing Back Reality

[bunniefuu]

Fly into the wavy and twisted sky,
into your hands

The distance created between us
became too big,

because we were always together

Your honest reply, "See you..."

coming from that brash mouth
makes it sadder.

If you are in an unfamiliar town, crying

Then I want to deliver you a smile,
even if I'm not by your side

Fly into the wavy and twisted sky,
into your hands

I can feel it so close,

Our two hearts

His music is a Ninjutsu?

Yeah! Awesome Chakra started bursting
throughout my body.

My power goes up like crazy!

That's a rare Jutsu, isn't it?

Shizune, have we identified the one
who att*cked the villagers?

No, not yet...

Menma. I've once heard of
a Jutsu similar to yours.

- What?!
- Is that true, Grandma?!

I seem to recall that
the Land of Rice Paddies has a Jutsu

that use musical instruments as
the catalysts.

Land of Rice Paddies?
You mean that Land of Rice Paddies?

Come to think of it,

the upper part of the mountain stream
where Naruto found Menma was...

Land of R ice Paddies?

Please allow me to go there!

But infiltrating another land
without cause is...

No, we do have cause!

There might be hints there
about Menma's lost memory.

I'd also like to make that request.

Very well.

Excellent, Grandma!
Now you're talking!

Thank you.

Bringing Back Reality

And so we'll be heading out for a bit.

R ight, got it.

The special pickled bamboo sh**t
should be ready

by the time you guys get back.

I can't wait. Bye!

Really, there's no real need
for you guys to come.

We have no choice. It's a mission.

Our mission is to accompany you guys!

Now that it's settled...

Let's get to the Land of R ice Paddies!

R ight.

- Naruto.
- Huh?

You stay here.

Huh?

What do you want, Grandma?

If you're any kind of sorry excuse
for a Shinobi, you should know.

What?

I'm talking about Menma.
If that kid is a...

No way is he a bad guy.

I know he's not a bad person.

But can you state flatly that
he's not an enemy spy?

What're you driving at, Grandma?!

You couldn't have forgotten.

The Village Hidden in Sound
in the Land of Rice Paddies

is the place where Orochimaru
once hid himself.

Well, I...

I... remember that, but...

Menma's Jutsu is strikingly similar to that
of the opponent Shikamaru fought

when Sasuke was taken away.

There's no denying there's a chance

he's affiliated with
the Hidden Sound Village.

And if he remembers something and
that was to become a thr*at to this land...

No way could Menma be an enemy...
That just can't be!

We'll leave you behind if you dawdle!

Naruto, I'm going on ahead!

Are you hurt?

No... Thanks for the help.

You were going a bit too fast.

Let's take a break.

What the heck's wrong?!

Who in the world is he?

We're going to investigate
because we don't know that.

I was running at full speed earlier.

Losing my footing on the branch
after that was on purpose, though...

What?

Not only did he keep up with my speed,

but he even showed
the composure to save me.

He is better than us in terms of speed.

He'd be a troublesome opponent
if we end up fighting.

Wha?
Hey, hey, wait a minute.

He's not an enemy!

He risks his life to rescue babies.

And he's the kind of guy who,
if left on his own,

would help those in trouble all day!

That's a nice sound.

I still hadn't thanked you
for fixing this for me.

Don't worry about it.

Hey!

Stop playing that right now!

If you don't...

Neji. What's the big idea?!

You keep quiet!

What?!

It's as Neji says.

That might've been
a signal to an enemy!

A signal?

Lady Tsunade approved this mission
because the suspicious person

who entered the village the other day
still hasn't been caught!

If that intruder has followed Menma...

he should be close to us now.

No way...

As of this point, he hasn't shown
his presence, though.

Our mission is to accompany Naruto,

verify his identity and
to capture the intruder!

Sorry, but I don't trust you!

That's right...
It's natural I'd be thought of like that...

I think about this
from time to time...

What kind of a person was I?

What would I do if I were
a bad person...?

Naruto, what kind of person would
you want to be if you were reborn?

Wh What's this all of a sudden?

I'm speaking figuratively...

I've never thought about it.

I see...

But why do you ask
something like that?

Oh, no special reason...

What is it?

What's this smell?

Now that you mention it,
it smells like something's burning.

Over there.

Let's go.

The smell came from here...

Was there a fire or something...?

Is something wrong?

No...

It's nothing.

Don't move. I'll fire if you move.

What's the deal all of a sudden?

Are you their minions?

"Their?

You'll die here if
you're comrades of theirs.

For crying out loud, who are they?!

If you say you're not,
then show me some proof!

Proof, why? We're Leaf Shinobi.

Hidden Leaf Village?

See? Look at this.

Indeed that is...

What do Leaf Shinobi want
in a place like this?

Well, we just happened
to be passing through and...

As you can see, there's nothing here.

If you don't have business here,
just b*at it.

If you don't,
we can't guarantee your life.

What's with him talking all big?!

Here, he was the one
who picked the fight.

Once we've had our breather,

let's blow this joint and go look
for Menma's memory.

R-R ight...

What? Did you remember something?

No...

Who's there? Come on out.

Hello.

Y You guys are Ninja, right?

I heard what you were talking
about earlier...

Oh, well, I don't want to brag, but...

If you're talking about Naruto Uzumaki
from Hidden Leaf Village,

I'm pretty well known.

R eally? I'm sorry, I didn't know.

Why did you go to the trouble
of following us?

Umm... I had a favor to ask...

My older brother said
what he did earlier, but...

Older brother?!

That jerk from earlier?

We need someone to save our village!

A person to save your village...?

What do you mean?

This was the border of
the Land of R ice Paddies.

But...

as our land had caused trouble
for other lands,

this area was turned into
a demilitarized zone.

Are you talking about
that thing in question?

It must be the incident
involving Orochimaru.

That's how things were settled
with all the neighboring lands, huh?

But if it's a demilitarized zone,
there won't be any territorial dispute, right?

That's right.

It's not like that.

There's a small mine
in the hills behind the village

and a little bit of gold can be dug up.

Once it was discovered that mine is not
being supervised by a proprietary land,

bandits started coming with
their eyes on the gold...

No matter how often we asked
the feudal lord,

he would insist that, "Agreements between
fellow lands must not be broken."

And the village...

It was att*cked by bandits, right?

They withdrew in the middle of it
due to a terrible storm before.

But they'll definitely be back.

I beg you. Please save our village.

You guys could fight them!

All right! Got it...

I'm sorry.

We can understand the situation,
but we can't cooperate.

Huh? What're you saying, Neji?!

We're in the middle of a mission!

We can't act unless
we have an official order from the village!

But...

Besides, we don't know
when the bandits will be back.

We can't just strand
ourselves here forever!

Damn it...

I see...

What're you doing Ran,
even bringing Fuki here?

Big Brother...

Don't get involved with them.
There's no such thing as a good Ninja.

Say what?!

I just stated the truth.

The rumor has it that the guys who
att*cked the village were Rogue Shinobi

from the Hidden Sound Village.

Huh? The bandits are Ninja?

Come this way.

Look at that.

Wh What's this?!

One third of the villagers were k*lled
in the att*ck the other day.

Half of the rest abandoned
the village and fled.

Then you guys should also evacuate...

Where are we supposed to flee?!

This is ancestral land
that's been handed down to us

and that we've cultivated.

Why should we have to flee from that?!

Each time the hooligans
brandish their power,

we have to accept it like
a natural disaster and do nothing?!

Are we to just flee from place to place?!

Don't shout, Big Brother.

Fuki will get scared.

I'm sorry I shouted...

Her parents were k*lled by bandits
and she lost her ability to speak.

There's no place for us to escape.

If that's clear, then b*at it already.

We have no choice.
Let's hurry on ahead.

I'm staying here.

Huh?

I want to be of use if
those people are in trouble.

Menma!

Hey, you don't even know
the scale of the bandits.

If you want to help them,
no matter what,

then w e should go back
to the village and...

We don't know when they might att*ck.

We don't have the time
to return to the village!

Then, I'm staying, too!

Naruto! Anything further than this
is beyond the scope of the mission!

This isn't beyond the scope
of the mission!

I get the feeling I'll be able to
remember something if I stay here.

Don't say irresponsible things!

You couldn't remember anything
just a moment ago...

That's too convenient!

It can't be helped, right?
Menma himself is saying so.

He's good -natured to a fault!

Naruto...

Let's go, Menma.

R ight.

Hey, Naruto!

We'll deal with the bandits.

Y ou guys go on back
to the village ahead.

What do we do, Neji?!

Leave them be.

It's unlikely the villagers will
accept Naruto and Menma.

You've got a point...

It seems the settlement on the other side
has escaped damage, huh?

But how're we supposed to protect
the village just the two of us?

Let's build a wall along this creek.
This river will play the role of a moat.

Ultimately we'll make a temporary bridge

and have the entrance to the village
in just one location.

I get it...

I don't know how effective it'll be,

but let's just do the best
we can now.

R ight.

What're you doing? I told you to get out.

We won't get out!

What did you say?!

We decided to protect
the village on our own.

Nobody asked you to do that.
It's none of your business!

You may say that,

but you can't b*at them off
by just hiding in your houses!

All right, let's stabilize it with a stake.

Got it...

Jeez, what can they do
just the two of them?!

I'm ready...

Okay.

Tenten! You're still here?!

Can't you at least say thanks first?

Thanks, Tenten.

Come on, Naruto. Hold it down right.

R-R ight...

You are...

For me?

Then I'll help myself.

Have this, too.

I'll help out, too.

You're mine!

Not yet!

That technique!

It's from that time!

Neji! You...

It's our mission this time around
to catch this guy.

Heh! This guy's formidable.

Damn it!

He's quick to escape!

Naruto!

The sound waves pierced my whole
Chakra Network all at once

and amplified the flow of Chakra?

I won't lose to the likes of this guy
if I have this Jutsu!

This is to avenge everyone.

Eat this!

You're in my way!

Menma!

Menma! Menma!

Carry him to the village.

Manma! Hang in there!

Boiling water and alcohol!

All right.

Are you going to treat him?

I may not look it,
but I've played at being a doctor.

We'll save you now, Menma.

What's the matter?

I cannot treat this guy...

Wh Why not?!

This mark...

He's a comrade of a guy
who att*cked here...!

The Key to the rusted heart's door

Will always be smiling right near by

Even if rains of spears were to fall,
I will run through it

Because I want to find the joy
without a shape

This big dream of mine that
cannot be translated to words,

I will make it come true,
even if it were to deepen my wounds

We stand here today because of
what we believed through,

That is why I will continue running forward,
never looking away

Even if I'm told that
there is no bright future

I'll change it right away,
lighting it with all my feeling

The wind is probably testing our hearts

In my heart, I gently grasped my hands

You are probably searching for
the answer to your tears

Your dream is always waiting near by,
with the answers in its hands

The Key to the rusted heart's door

Will always be smiling right near by

Menma is not a member of the bandits.

I mean, he loves helping people!

He's a type of guy who would even risk
his own life in order to save a kid!

For this villagertoo,

he has worked hard, so hard,
even though no one really asked for it.

He's got to have some kind of reason.

So please save Menma!

Next time: "A Past to Be Erased"