Cries from the Heart
(Disclaimers: I do not own the Naruto series. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto.)
Debris covered the vast land that is the battlefield. Corpses and blood adorned the ground. Battle cries sounded through the land.
Temari saw and heard it all. She could only wince at the sight of bloody bodies and injured men. They were losing this war.
She looked up at the huge tree. That "thing" had drained chakra from many of the frontline shinobi. The chakra that Naruto had lent us was rendered useless. The sudden rush of hope was lost in oblivion. And the strongest ones of them all were helplessly standing in front of the tree unable to take action.
Temari felt useless in this state. Her fan was gone from her encounter with Madara and her chakra levels were dangerously low. On top of that, her arm was wounded and immobile. She could only use her legs and right arm to support her now.
She stared up at the trouble-making bastard, the false Madara. He was some phony that fooled all Five Nations into believing that he was the real Madara. Now the real Madara made his entrance. Conflicts seemed to pile instantaneously on top of each other. The pile was probably as tall as this god damn tree.
"N-no…not Shikamaru…" she heard someone whimper.
Temari immediately whipped her head towards the voice. That was the name of her most respected rival, Nara Shikamaru.
She spotted Yamanaka Ino and Akimichi Choji hovering over a body…Shikamaru's body.
Temari felt her heart drop. This can't be…Shikamaru is…dead? Teal eyes stretched wide when she heard from Katsuya that there was no immediate treatment for him. He couldn't be saved.
Immediately, a pang of sorrow struck her…hard, very hard. She jerked her head away from the horrible event that just took place.
She smiled internally. This, however, was not a normal smile, it was a sad smile. It was a smile that would threaten her to run over to his aid.
Shikamaru…I guess that that rematch I hoped for might not be happening. I was glad that I met such a bright strategist like you. I've really grown while being with you. I see you as something more than a friend. I see you as a brother and honorable companion. I wished that our time could be longer but…perhaps destiny had other plans…
Water started collecting at the edge of her eyes. That whole speech in her heart just poured out all of her feelings for Shikamaru. It was just as bad as when she lost her mother, Karura. Shikamaru felt like family…he felt like another brother. This was one of the rare times where she wouldn't dare to speak her mind. The situation was just to pressuring. It plagued every soul and glued together everyone's lips.
She quickly wiped the brief tears without letting anyone know. She was a strong female individual. She could never show her weaknesses on the battlefield or anywhere in general.
She snapped her head up when she heard the sound of hopeless whimpering.
"Hey, don't give in just yet!" she snapped harshly but low enough so the frontline wouldn't hear.
"We have no hope…my sister lost her life in this battle…now we are up against God…" a Chunin shinobi shook with fear.
Temari analyzed all the others around her. Just as she suspected, they had lost all hope in winning. They were succumbing to the enemy's strength. A vile taste rose up to her mouth. She couldn't blame them. The situation was always hopeless no matter how much you analyze it. There just wasn't a good enough strategy that could guarantee their victory.
Still, despite that, Temari had a small flame of hope. They were able to come this far. They've faced so many casualties. Odds were against them at all times. She still held faith for victory and Naruto.
Naruto was the key to winning this war. It was just a matter of finding the lock and grasping victory. For Shikamaru's sake, for Gaara's sake…no, for the sake of the whole world she will continue believing and standing strong. Even if it defied her calculations or logic she would continue to believe.
She then looked up towards the resurrected Hokage and Naruto. He was currently down and drained off chakra. He did a decent amount of work up there. All the others that weren't near their level were told to watch as bystanders.
Uzumaki Naruto…you are a strange person like I've said in the past. You were able to change the likes of Lady Chiyo, fight against the Akatsuki, and now lead this war toward its climax. You've done so much and met many to support you on the way. You better not screw this up…
Just when she was about to close her eyes a sudden ripple of energy burst through her.
T-this is…Naruto's…
Her eyes widened at the series of flashbacks occurring in her head. Naruto's thoughts were being transferred to everyone on the battlefield. Naruto's past…Sasuke's betrayal…the Third's death…Asuma's death…Jiraiya's death…Pain and Uchiha Itachi…Lady Chiyo…Neji's death…they were all there.
Chakra flared around everyone's bodies igniting their souls. Determination and hope lit back onto their faces. Their eyes burned into the tree that stood in their way.
Temari felt her soul smile.
"Let's go…lead the way Naruto!" her heart shouted.