Now that They're Gone
Chapter 1
The Loss
"Naruto! Don't!" Kakashi shouted, as the blond ninja charged Zabuza. Naruto screamed as he made a jump.
"Bah... Idiot." Zabuza muttered as the genin lunged. With his free hand he picked up the Cleaver, and in one clean stroke sliced Naruto in two.
For a split second there was silence as Sasuke and Sakura looked on in shock and terror. Kakashi snapped. quickly he formed the Lightning Blade while he was still in the Water Prison Jutsu. The eletric current coursed through both his body and Zabuza's, shocking and knocking the man backwards.
The jutsu still active Kakashi dove for Zabuza while he was still on the ground, his eyes wild. But before he could reach the Mist Ninja a sebon needle appeared from nowhere and stabbed Kakashi's hand. He cried out as the Lightning Blade fizzled out to nothing, looking for his attacker.
"Sensei! Watch out!" Sakura shouted, pointing to Zabuza. A masked ninja was crouched down next to the still down Mist Ninja. After being noticed he picked up Zabuza, made a hand seal, and was gone.
And everything was still... Kakashi pulled the sebon needle out of his hand, wincing only slightly. His eyes turned and fell open his fallen student. Naruto's body lay there, his top half laying in the dirt, his face showing a look of surprise. His legs were lying nearby, and the bloody trail between the two died the ground crimson.
Kakshi pulled his headband down, covering the Sharingan. He looked at Tazuna and the other two Genin.
"We're leaving. We can deal with the mission later... For now..." He looked down at Naruto's body. "We have to get back to the village. They can send a group more suited to your safety then, Tazuna-san..."
The bridge builder said nothing, merely nodded. Sasuke and Sakura couldn't look away from Naruto's body. Finally Sakura fell to the ground and threw up, and Sasuke had to grip his knees to keep from collapsing. Kakashi went about picking up the pieces of Naruto, his eyes dead and emotionless. The group set out for Konoha, no one saying a word to each other...
Few people attended the funeral, if you could call it that. The Hokage, Iruka, what was left of Team 7, and a few others stood by in silent grief. Hinata was there, crying her poor heart out. Tears did fall from Iruka and Sakura.
To the Hokage, it was as if a knife had been stabbed into his back. This was it? Not even a dozen people had shown to pay their respects... Did nobody really care? Did Naruto really not have any other friends? As he looked to the looming clouds in the sky, he felt something in him die. I failed you, Minato... I am so sorry... He thought as it started to rain.
And just like that, after a few moments, life moved on. Written on the Memorial Stone near the Training grounds, was the inscription:
Naruto Uzomaki, Team Seven, Age 12
Died in the Line of Duty
Meanwhile in the Afterlife
Naruto opened his eyes. He looked around. All he could see was a featureless white plain that stretched on forever...
"Wha? What happened?" He muttered, standing up and stretching. He started walking. He really couldn't remember anything.
Then all at once, there was a door in front of him. It kinda of surprised him, because he knew it wasn't there before...
"What the heck..." Naruto looked at the door, then looked behind it. There was nothing, just the same infinite featureless plain. Carefully he gripped the doorknob. Nothing happened. He turned it. It was unlocked. The door swung open effortlessly.
And what Naruto saw inside made his jaw drop.
"Wha? What the heck?"
A/N: I know the first chapter sucks... But right now it's all I got. It gets better! I swear!
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R&R for the fun of it...