A/N: Has anyone realized that I'm a total madman? No? Well, you should. SpinLord has once again been raided by abominable plot-bunnies with hand-cannons that fire rocks at high speed, threatening me to make new crossovers. Not that I'd mind, though, but I'm still in the progress of writing other fics, so those bunnies should really lay off the sugar for a bit.
This one is a Naruto-Black Rock Shooter crossover. Forgive the lack of the trademark star sign for Black Rock Shooter, since I can't find a star symbol in my Microsoft Word toolbar. Seriously, it ruins the epic feel.
Also, I'll have you know that this is still a part of the "New Chapter" series, though it may sound like I'm pushing it. At one point, this could be viewed as a path deviating from the other stories if Naruto chooses a different decision. And so, here is the outcome. Enjoy!
Before I forget, let me put my disclaimer here as the proof that I claim nothing. I'll even put it in "red truth" version to finalize it.
[Red] Disc,: I do NOT own Naruto or any other characters from the Naruto franchise, or Black Rock Shooter and Kuroi Mato along with the other essential characters from under the same ownership, or the adjacent manga-version BRS called "Innocent Soul"! I only own the OCs that may show up later on! It is the TRUTH! [Red]
HAH! Try beating that, stupid prosecutors!
One does not simply cry alone
When another bears the same pain
SpinLord presents
Red Gear Blaster
A "Naruto-Black Rock Shooter" crossover
-Prologue-
Naruto's Choice: Journey's End?
Fatigue is weakness.
Or so some high-and-mighty people might say. In reality, fatigue is just proof that you're still human; that you can tire out if pushed to the edge for too long. Of course, depending on the type of pressure exerted on that person, the fatigue can come in two different ways.
Pressure type #1: Physical; otherwise known as bodily torture/tamper. If you're a regular person, the range of how long you can hold out the pressure from crushing you depends on your stamina and power. If you run out of any of these two, then you're done for.
Calling Uzumaki Naruto—Konohagakure's ninja, Toad Sage, as well as the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox, Kurama—a regular person, though, is absurd. Being him means having the near-endless stamina and life force of an Uzumaki as well as near-limitless power coming from his Bijuu's chakra. To be frank, crushing Naruto would like trying to punch your way through a mountain.
However, even with all of these powerful arsenals, he was ultimately still a human being. And, like all humans, he bore weaknesses.
Pressure type #2: Mental; otherwise known as the torturing/tampering of the mind, ultimately leading those who buckles under the pressure into insanity. Fatigue of the mind is even more destructive than that of the body.
Now, while Naruto was practically indestructible on the outside (healing factor, endless chakra, etc.), the feeble and naïve heart he had was what led him to his downfall while fighting for the survival of the Ninja World. No, wait, correction; his Ninja World (as he figured out not so long ago that worlds apparently have parallel twins). Under the stress exacted by Uchiha Obito (by far the worst mind-blowing bastard since Orochimaru) his mind had buckled and lost in the fight; bringing him to the point of insanity for a short period of time.
In the end, he died, and so did the world he hailed from. What's worse was that his world ended not because of Obito, but because he himself had wished for its end. And then, for reasons unknown, God had granted him that single wish before he died. Up until this time, Naruto still regretted having ever made that kind of wish.
But now, after the awakening of his soul, and his arrival in the vast realm where countless worlds from countless universes are observed, he was presented with some choices that he can make out of his very whim. Whether it is to live and forget, to live with his memories forever carved in his mind, or to just stop and go to heaven, it was his choice to make. The presenter of these choices is apparently the Saint of Time and Space, Frederica Bernkastel, who saw it fit for him to be given this chance to choose for himself.
He had been hesitant about it until the very last moment, when both the saint and Kurama helped him steel his resolve to choose.
And now, choose he shall.
"Rika-chan…" Naruto started, once again not addressing the little girl/saint by her proper name (blame the foreign naming, he would say). His tone was as steady as his eyes, as they were to his heart which remained unwavering. "I've made up my mind."
The girl smiled slightly, "Have you, now? So what is your decision?" In her hands, she held three orbs that held different paths; equivalent to whatever became Naruto's decision. Each shone brightly, as if they were stars except with the slightly pink hue covering it.
"I…"
Hesitation crept up the boy's throat at the last minute, preventing him from continuing. He looked like he was going to continue, but at the last moment he shook his head and groaned.
"Forget it. You'll think I'm crazy. I guess it's not the right choice after all…"
"?" Frederica raised an eyebrow curiously. She understood that Naruto would hesitate about a big choice like this, but to cut off an option he had made and mock it for its ridiculousness wasn't something she expected from him.
"What do you mean by that?" the girl asked.
"It's just…I mean, it's a really selfish, unreasonable choice. I don't think it's the right one, considering what I've done," Naruto confessed honestly. He scoffed before continuing, "Hell, I guess you can say I don't have the right to choose that."
"I don't understand. What makes you think so? I already told you that you are free to choose any of the three," Frederica looked at Naruto in confusion.
"I know! I know you said that, but…it just…doesn't feel right."
Seeing him reverting to his indecisive self again, Frederica couldn't help but feel sorry for him. As a saint, she had seen what Naruto had been through and who he could be, and if she were to be honest with herself she was amazed. All the things he did—be it preventing an enraged Shukaku or the diabolical Six Paths of Pain from destroying the village that scorned him so—led her to believe that he might be the most considerate, selfless person.
Until now, she still couldn't understand how Naruto could restrain himself from lashing out to those foolish villagers that viewed him as a monster. Honestly, had she been in his place—even if she was a Saint—her patience would've run out quickly. She would've turned into the monster the villagers viewed him as.
And yet, this boy who was viewed as a monster hadn't done that.
Instead of becoming the monster he was viewed as, he chose to endure all those hatred by himself. And it didn't stop there at all, he even helped others by stubbornly shouldering their pain; pain that wasn't his from the beginning.
Frederica admired that trait. All of Naruto's alter-selves had this trait like it was their second nature.
But now, she had to admit that this pure trait was becoming an obstacle in Naruto's path. That stubborn boy that endured the pain of others refused to make a choice for his own good.
"…I think I know what your choice is," Frederica stated calmly, watching as Naruto gave her a bitter smile and turned away.
"Really?" the whiskered blond asked, "Then you should also know why I don't think it's the right one."
For a selfless person like this knuckle-headed Uzumaki, there would be only one choice that he'd hate himself for choosing. Even though that choice was rightfully his, he would still regret choosing it. Uzumaki Naruto was a ninja first and a human being second; he dedicated his life for others and rarely himself. Yet, the human part of him yearned for a break as it felt he had done enough.
He chose Heaven.
He chose it because the fatigue had gotten the better of him.
"I know…it's selfish. For someone like me, who couldn't even save his own world, I don't have the right to be in Heaven. And I understand that I can't just neglect what I did, but…" Naruto paused. Looking down, his bangs cast a shadow over his eyes.
"I'm…tired."
"And that is what makes you human," Frederica pointed out. Hearing this, Naruto looked up slightly and saw that the blue-haired saint held an unusual expression on her face. She was mostly expressionless, but the creased eyebrows and the lips that were sealed in a tight frown was definitely a show of emotion. Was she…angry?
"You are many things, Naruto. A ninja, a sage, a warrior of peace, a hero, Jinchuuriki to the Nine-Tailed Fox Demon…and dare I say it, a human sacrifice." The last one was the essence of a Jinchuuriki's existence. Like all the other eight, Naruto was instilled with a Bijuu's being (in his case it was Kurama), turning him into a prison to contain the beast. Doing that, however, also meant that he was more or less 'sacrificed' for a better purpose.
Going by that, a Jinchuuriki's existence can be simplified as the 'Power of Human Sacrifice'.
"That's right," Naruto weakly said while chuckling softly, "I am all of those plus a few more. Then, as you said it Rika-chan, with me being a ninja, a sage, a warrior, a hero and a sacrifice in one go, how can you expect me to lay all these titles down selfishly and go to Heaven?"
The blond boy who had once lost everything coughed out a mirthless laugh before continuing, "After all, I'm supposed to be the 'Child of Prophecy' who should've brought about peace, not destruction like what I actually brought. I can't stop here…I never can. With me being who I am…I can never stop."
Simply put, Naruto believed that he wasn't destined to have a happy ending like Frederica proposed. People viewed him as many things; most of them are similar to how Frederica narrated it to him. They had faith that he could become a hero or whatever they look up to him as, and he didn't blame them. If anything, he blamed himself for failing right in front of their eyes.
For him to ignore that and leave to a happier place by himself is just…
"You've forgotten what you really are under all those illusions they viewed you as!"
The sound was definitely Frederica's, but it didn't sound anything like her. Looking up, Naruto peered at the Saint's face. A pair of purple orbs replaced what should've been the sclera, and a pair of small red dots replaced what should've been the pupils, making them look like purple eyes with dilated red pupils.
This was the same face of the saint that sent chills down Naruto and Kurama's back. To make even Kurama, who was nothing short of a demon lord, tremble in fear said enough of that aura's strength.
"You may be all kind things, you may have multiple personas that fulfilled other people's expectations, BUT DON'T YOU EVER FORGET WHO AND WHAT YOU REALLY ARE!"
Stunned by the loud and pressuring voice that Frederica used, Naruto took a step back. To anyone else watching, the scene might be somewhat ridiculous. Every word that the blue-haired saint uttered felt like it had enough power to flatten a mountain.
Straightening himself up, Naruto bravely looked into those fear-inducing eyes and asked somewhat defiantly, "Then what am I, really?"
Frederica couldn't contain her irritation. It was nagging her so much that she walked up to the taller blond and glared up to his sea-blue orbs. Her small hands balled up into fists, trembling as she forced herself to tighten it further.
"You are…" she started, "YOU ARE HUMAN!"
Her voice sounded like it could have rattled the very fabric of reality.
Yet, that same voice was wavering, like a child screaming in disbelief at seeing their favorite belonging broken. It was that lonely, sad voice that one would expect from a mere child, not from a transcendent existence such as a Saint of Time and Space.
Biting her lower lip to silence her selfish mouth, Frederica calmed herself down and let her anger dissipate slowly. Try as she might, though, it didn't disappear completely and left her with an unwanted aftertaste. That taste of bile on her tongue made her scrunch her face in disgust.
Naruto was blind.
That was her only answer to why he asked that stupid question that brought out her absolute annoyance. Naruto couldn't see what the reality was in front of him and continued to wallow in self-pity by trapping himself under all the illusions of who he was looked up to be. He refused to accept the fact that he had a second chance, and that making that choice a reality was as easy as flipping a hand.
Simply put, he thought he should suffer more.
"Enough already…" Frederica's voice lost its earlier hostility and wavered. "You shouldn't hurt yourself more than you already did. You are not the sole cause of your world's destruction, why don't you realize that? You gave everything you had for the sake of protecting it from its demise, so you're not to blame."
Frederica somehow looked…
"Just…stop burdening yourself…"
Sad?
Her glassy-eyed expression didn't fit her at all, in Naruto's opinion. That moment, he couldn't shake off the image of Frederica being a mere little girl rather than an all-powerful saint.
"I'm not burdening myself, Rika-chan. The burden has always been there in the first place," Naruto said as he locked eyes with the blue-haired saint, though his heart sank as he forced himself to look at that out-of-character expression of hers. "Even if you told me to let it go, I…I don't think it's right. I can't shake the feeling in my gut telling me that it would be the same as kicking my friends' graves."
Frederica was trying to tell Naruto that he didn't have to take punishment, even if he does feel like he deserves it.
She was wrong.
That was Naruto's theory that he stuck with in order for him to justify his point of view.
It was true that he might've been ignorant about some things ever since he chose to protect his loved ones. He had neglected his pride, his beliefs…heck, more often than not he had neglected the value of his own life.
However, he stayed true to his nindo. He never went back on his words. He never broke a promise, even if he had to go against all the laws in the world to fulfill it. Calling that resolve a 'burden' was like saying he was lying through his teeth the whole time. It was never a burden for him; it was simply a means to reach his dream. He could never be a Hokage if he can't even stay true to his nindo. Following that, he could never be able to protect everyone if he didn't become a Hokage.
He was a boy who wanted to be someone that can protect everyone.
Somewhere along the way, he tripped and failed to do what he was truly aiming to do.
Honestly, perhaps Naruto had it all wrong. In the end, it didn't matter if he didn't become Hokage. He wanted to become a Hokage because he wished for recognition, but back then he already had the respect of the entire nation. He wanted to become Hokage because he wanted to protect, but he was a mere Genin when he protected his village. Though, of course, he failed to protect the ninja world in the recent war, but that was beside the point.
If so, then what should he become?
"…I have to fight."
Suddenly filled with a burning sensation that spread out to his whole body, Naruto gave Frederica a hard look which was filled with nothing but determination.
"I'll continue to fight."
Frederica heard those simple words, but she couldn't help but feel that it was downright ridiculous. "Fight? Fight what? Why do you have to fight after all that you've gone through? I don't understand… You're not the kind of person who only has fighting in his mind, nor are you someone who fights meaninglessly. What in the world do you mean by 'fighting'?"
"You got it wrong." Naruto shook his head. "It's true that I'm not that kind of person, but fighting is still all I know. I'm not smart, so I can't think to settle problems. All I can do now is fight and hope that I can protect someone."
"But your friends are already dead! Who are you willing to clench your fist for if you don't have anyone to protect anymore?!"
"Screw that!" Naruto roared in defiance. "If not for my friends, then I'll fight for someone else! I won't stop until I do what I have to do. No matter what happens, I'll definitely be someone that can protect someone else!"
Shinobis were originally muscles for hire. They are the forces of darkness who fight and drown themselves in a pool of blood in order to fulfill their mission to their employer.
Naruto was no different. In a way, that shinobi dictum was already implanted in his head, albeit in a more reasonably humane way. In his case, he will fight to protect, kill to prevent slaughter, and die to let one live. His very existence was for the sake of protecting, but the core of his being was made to fight.
It wasn't that he couldn't find any other way; it was because there is no other way.
"If I don't…" Naruto smiled bitterly. "That'll just prove that I was never fit to be a Hokage."
For the sake of his friends, he had to fight. If he couldn't protect them anymore, then he would just have to protect someone else to prove that he was capable of protecting. Not doing so would be like trampling over their grave and mocking the faith they had on him, and he wasn't cold-hearted enough to let it be that way.
Frederica was left shocked at Naruto's barrage of words. Her capability to understand every single phenomena in the universe suddenly left her brain and she was stuck in her dumbfounded state; all because she listened to Naruto's words. She simply could not comprehend him.
He had lost his goal.
He had lost his purpose.
Yet, despite all that, this boy in front of her had no intention to stop. Immediately after he lost his goal, he created a new one with the visage of his old one. Right after he lost his purpose, he found another that can lead him to the right path. He was literally bulling himself through that impenetrable wall of nothingness. It was like a lap runner who kept running even though he already reached the finish line.
"…I…can't understand you, or the choice you're choosing right now." Frederica stated as she regarded Naruto with a pair of confused eyes. "I thought you said that you were tired, that you just want to stop and rest. Yet, even when you know that deep down you want that, you choose the ridiculous option of fighting an enemy that doesn't even exists. Why is that? Is it for revenge? Or is it for the sake of quenching your anger?"
"None of it," Naruto answered briefly. "I'm looking for atonement."
He paused after saying those simple words before turning around, facing the person that had been standing behind him the whole time since the very start.
Kurama the Nine-Tailed Fox.
Or at least, from how the fox appearance looked like, it was Kurama in human form. However, the similarity of his 'human' form to a real human actually suggested that he really turned into a human being. He was taller than Naruto, and had straight orange hair that was just slightly spiky. Kurama retained only a little bit of his feral features as a fox, which were his slit red eyes and three whisker marks on his cheeks. Clad in a red battle kimono, which was bound at with a black obi with nine ends, he resembled a human more than a demon lord should have.
The Bijuu's body had something like an automatic defense mechanism that changed his body from the usual giant fox demon form to a human one whenever he got depleted of chakra.
The reason why Kurama's real form was so large is because he had to maintain a suitable output for the near-limitless chakra he had. He would likely explode if he didn't let bits of that limitless chakra seep out of him. However, his being was comprised entirely of that same chakra, so there was a chance that he would vanish if that chakra ever got too low. To conserve what little chakra he had left in him, Kurama transformed into human form to lower the chakra output to a human's level.
It was the first time Naruto had seen his tenant in the human form.
Shaking the slight awkwardness of finally facing the ominous being on the same level, Naruto gave the fox/man a slight grin.
"I guess I owe you an apology."
Of course, Kurama didn't know what Naruto was talking about. The blond brought up such an out-of-the-blue topic that the humanoid demon fox was caught off guard.
"I'm not sure I follow you, brat. What are you talking about?" With a raised eyebrow, Kurama asked.
"There's something that I haven't told you…either of you, yet." Naruto admitted with a sour look. "To be honest, I might have been too afraid to admit it to you, but keeping it from you is a mistake. That's why I'm apologizing."
"That's why I'm telling you, I don't get it. Would you care to elaborate, brat, because I can't catch the slightest whiff about what you're talking about."
Naruto first answered that question with silence. He looked down and his mouth open and closed, looking as if he was trying to find the right words to say. At the end, he shook his head and looked back to Kurama steadily.
"Back when we were still alive…" Naruto started, gulping a lump in his throat before continuing, "I wished for our world to end."
Hearing it once was enough.
Kurama's senses were sharper than that of a human's, so there was no need for Naruto to repeat what he said. It was already crystal clear the first time he heard it.
But Kurama was still slack-jawed.
"You…what?"
Naturally, he couldn't believe what he was hearing, though he was usually wise enough to trust his senses. For all of his Jinchuuriki's idiocy, there was always a reason behind the things he did. He always believed that, but Kurama couldn't see the benefit of wishing the end of the world.
"Are you serious?"
At Kurama's disbelieving inquiry, Naruto nodded his head. He bowed his head slightly—apologetically—and looked back to the ground. He was ashamed to admit it, but hiding the truth would still be wrong. He had kept it to himself for this long already, so the fair thing to do was to tell the truth.
"It was after you disappeared back to the cage. The Juubi turned out to be alive, and so was Obito. He…they used another Bijuu Dama to blow away the Allied Forces. Then…old man Bee, he…they killed him next. And…I guess that's when everything just went blank."
'That's the moment when he finally went insane under the mental strain,' Frederica concluded mentally. She had seen what had happened in Naruto's deceased world, and him going nuts was one of the scenes that had her reeling in surprise.
"At one point, I had probably activated your chakra again—I don't remember. It's around that time that…I…prayed to God that the Shinobi World never existed." Naruto clenched his fists and gritted his teeth in anger; anger that was directed towards himself. "That's…the whole truth."
"…is that so?"
Kurama's calm response felt even harsher than how his angry roar usually felt to Naruto. He thought that the orange-haired fox-human would break out in rage and claw the shit out of him right at that moment, but the fact that he didn't put Naruto under an even greater stress. He felt like a child getting the silent treatment from his father, though he wouldn't know how that really feels.
There was no other feeling in his chest, other than the numbing guilt.
"If that's what got you so worked up, then you're even more pathetic than I thought you were, you stupid little brat."
All of the sudden, that pressured feeling in his chest just vaporized.
Kurama smirked at him with that same arrogant look he had all those years ago. Faced with the apparent mistake that Naruto made, the ninth Bijuu's expression didn't even turn sour with disgust or hate. It was the complete opposite from what Naruto expected from the fox. The yellow-haired Uzumaki could only stare in disbelief and fall into silence.
"Ka ha ha! It seems like you're thinking that all of what happened to our world was your fault and your fault alone, eh? I find it quite amusing that you'd think that you're so deeply ingrained in the universe's way to function."
"Well, it's not entirely wrong," Frederica interjected Kurama's statement. "If what he said is true, then God might've heard his wish and granted it. Perhaps it was only by coincidence that Naruto's wish happened to be what God was intending to do."
"Even so," Kurama continued, batting Frederica's suggestion with a stronger voice. "The fact that Naruto wished for our world's end alone can't be the only catalyst that brought about the end of our world. In the first place, God has already determined that our world was to be destroyed anyway, right? That means the world would've been destroyed regardless of whether Naruto wished for it or not."
Kurama's words made sense. It took Frederica some time to realize it, but when she did her face looked slightly enlightened.
God is omnipotent. His actions are absolute, and His plans are a certainty. No matter what happens or what someone does, there's nothing that can stop what He does. Even if it was someone like Naruto, they wouldn't be able to do a thing. So, obviously, Naruto's wish couldn't be that much of a cause for God to act. It could've even been possible that God had made it so that Naruto would wish for the end of his world, adjacent to God's intention.
"Regardless of how you two may see it, brat, Bernkastel, I will stick to my belief that our world had no hope of surviving from the start. The way I see it, there's nothing to be forgiven or to apologize for. After all, it's all part of a greater thing that I don't want to mess around with."
The summary was, Kurama didn't feel like there was anything wrong that Naruto had done.
"But…but why?" The question that was filled with puzzlement came from Naruto's mouth. "It may not have been the cause, but that doesn't change the fact that I wished for the world to end! Doesn't that mean anything to you? I've stooped down to the lowest of the low and had been planning to rob an entire world of their only survival! Maybe it was really God's doing, I don't know, but I've actually thought that our world would be better off dead!"
"And I would've thought the same."
"Huh?"
Kurama sighed and closed his eyes as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Had I been I your shoes, there's no doubt that I would've wished for the same thing. We think alike, Naruto, and no matter how much I want to deny it I would've also wished for our world to end. Just the thought of someone like that damned Uchiha ruling the world irks me that much…"
Kurama's words held such a tone of contempt that there was no doubt that he was saying what he was really thinking about. It was clear that the fox hated the Uchiha clan with a passion, especially a particular Uchiha that went by the name Madara.
But that hate couldn't be the only reason.
Even if hate was his powerful edge, it wasn't his only driving force. That was his statement when they fought Obito back in their world. Bijuus were more human-like than anyone would've thought; they have emotions like humans do. And more often than not, the emotion they displayed the most became the symbol of their existence.
Kurama's core emotion was hatred.
Contrary to most people's belief, though, his true strength laid in the trust placed in his Jinchuuriki.
Uzumaki Naruto realized that, of course. Which is why he was wondering this: why would Kurama forgive him when the very Jinchuuriki he trusted selfishly wished for the end of their world?
The answer is this:
"I don't care." Such deceptively carefree words rolled of Kurama's tongue. "The moment you placed your trust in me, I promised myself that I would trust you too, no matter what happens. That's the real bond between Bijuus and their Jinchuurikis."
There once existed a sage that wielded extraordinary powers. He was the legendary Rikudô Sennin, the Sage of Six Paths, who had once defeated the Ten-Tailed Beast and divided its chakra into nine different beings, later on referred to as Bijuu. One of those beings was Kurama the Nine-Tailed Fox.
The sage was the closest person the Bijuus could relate to the idea of a 'father'. They weren't biologically related, nor do they have his blood running through their veins. They were just gigantic beasts that were comprised of huge amounts of chakra.
Yet that sage had called them his 'sons'.
Strictly speaking, the sage was the only human being the Bijuus had trusted fully. It was true for all the others, not just Kurama, that other humans only viewed them as monsters.
Then they met their Jinchuurikis.
Kurama met Naruto, his third Jinchuuriki.
He was different from the Jinchuurikis before him. For once, Kurama felt like he could trust a mere human being and smile. That idea gave birth to a bond even stronger than the first connection he had with his 'father', Rikudô Sennin.
Naruto hadn't realized that until now. He had been thinking that not even Kurama would accept the truth of what he had done.
"…!"
The spiky yellow-haired hero didn't break out in tears upon that realization, but he did smile so wide that it almost looked like he was shining with joy.
Kurama smirked and put his fist in front of him. "Come on, you know I'm not all into that sappy kind of explanation. I prefer to let actions talk."
Naruto finally broke out in laughter. "That's right. If you're anything like me, than you would know that I don't like all the emo shit too."
"I'll forget the insult of you putting me in the same level as a dumb idiot like you for now, you shitty brat."
"Just shut up, furball."
Their fists connected. It was such a menial action, but they felt like it strengthened the bond they already have even further. It lifted the doubt in Naruto's chest, and he suddenly felt stupid for worrying over something like that.
"Keh…I guess all that confession was for nothing, huh?"
"Like I said, I'm not a big fan of sappy soap operas."
"Hah! True, that."
Truthfully, Naruto now felt stupid for worrying over nothing, but he wasn't even in the mood to mull about that anymore. He must be really getting nuts.
Even Frederica looked dumbfounded. For all her accumulated knowledge as a saint, this predicament before her puzzled her so much that she couldn't help but wonder about the reality of it. The restricting atmosphere just now suddenly shifted to a joyful one almost as easily as flipping a hand. So, even if it was out of character for her, she could only stare with a mixture of astonishment and confusion.
"…I really don't understand what's going on with you two."
Frederica sighed, but she hid a smile as she lowered her visage and shook her head. "So I suppose what you meant by 'atonement' was this?"
"It's part of it, yeah," Naruto turned to the shorter girl and gave her a nod. "But I wasn't just talking about that. There are…other things that I still have to do."
"Other things?" Frederica repeated with a curious frown. She put up all the things she had figured out up until that time and gave Naruto a disapproving look. "If this has anything to do with that personal guilt of yours, you better drop it. I told you, you don't have to do anything more just because you failed to live up to other people's expectations."
"…Then what do you expect me to do about it?" Like before, Naruto had no intention to back down. Differently than before, though, Naruto now had no more doubts about the guilt he carried. He now realized that the guilt was there, but he wouldn't have to be afraid of facing it alone.
"I've lost a world because I was too weak to save it; that's the fact. God wouldn't have let my world end like that even if it was destined to end from the start. My world should've lived for at least a short moment of peace before ending, just like the other worlds!" Naruto's eyes looked to be shining with a stronger light, as if his spirit had just gotten a recharge. "I failed on that part… But somehow, I know that there must be a mistake. It has got nothing to do with me being a Jinchuuriki or the 'Child of Prophecy', it's just that I know that I actually had enough power to stop Obito and save the world. That's why…I want to correct that mistake."
Naruto believed that at that time, the only reason he could've lost to Obito was because he was too selfish for his own good. That time, he tried to save the incapacitated Kakashi and Gai as well as the Shinobi Alliance. It was selfish—naïve—of him to think that he could save both.
Ultimately, that was his mistake.
Had he just chosen one, his world might've survived. He might not have to make that wish.
It was vague, but that message finally reached Frederica. She knew that he was feeling guilty, but his feeling of being powerless had just struck a chord in her now.
She felt like she could relate to that feeling. Her memory was vague, but she remembered that she felt powerless like that in the past. But that was the time when she was merely a human known as Furude Rika.
For a moment, she felt grateful that she was no more the same powerless person.
That is why she could relate to Naruto's feeling.
"…So basically, that's how you view your atonement as? By protecting others that need to be, in place of those who you couldn't protect?" the saint asked him.
Naruto nodded affirmatively.
Frederica shook her head and smiled. "In the end, even if it's such a ridiculously selfish wish, you're still doing it to protect others. I can't understand you, really."
"You know how I am. You've seen my alter-selves countless times before, and they're not so different from me." Naruto grinned and jabbed a thumb to his chest. "I'm just selfish like that."
"I notice that," Frederica replied.
From the start, there was part of Naruto that yearned to end his journey by entering the final goal that is Heaven. That part of him wasn't selfish, it was merely humane. It was humane because that part of him wanted the equal payment in return for the deeds he had done when he was alive. Frankly, someone like him would have been granted access to Heaven with no problem.
However, there was also another part of him—a stronger one—that stubbornly wanted to prove that he could still protect others. That part of him had its pride torn by his recent failure, so it desperately wanted to regain it. The part of him that unreasonably wanted to protect others like it was the sole reason for it to exist. It was selfish, irrational and unconventional.
Yet, that selfish part of him won.
He rejected Heaven to fight once again.
"If it were in some other circumstances, I would've called you a heretic. It's so ironic that the one person that has the best reason to go to Heaven rejected it for another purpose."
"Hey, it's not like I don't want to go to Heaven or anything! Only a stupid idiot wouldn't want to go there! Besides, I do want to swim in a river filled with ramen and have a bishoujo angel feed me fruits!"
"That's…a rather convenient way to describe Heaven."
"Of course it is! Heaven's all about having what you want being granted, and I've always wished endless supply of ramen and a girl that I can date!"
Hearing Naruto's passionate words, Kurama couldn't help but respond, "You sound really pathetic when you mentioned 'a girl that you can date'."
"Shut up, Kurama! You don't know the feelings of a teenage boy that can't even take a girl to a date without being punched on the face!"
"Is that a stereotypical tsundere character, or is it just Sakura?"
The banter continued. The atmosphere shifted—no, tilted—to a cheerful one that anyone would've been left slack-jawed at the absurdity of the change. Frederica succeeded in keeping her mouth closed, but she let herself chuckle in return.
Here in front of her was the boy that rejected Heaven in exchange for a reason to fight once more. Yet she, despite the fact, found herself believing that the path he chose wasn't wrong at all.
She mentally mocked her naivety and turned her attention back to reality, before beginning to arrange the facts.
'So, in the end, none of the three paths I prepared suits him. These Orbs of Time, these three entrances that I prepared for him…he didn't choose any of them. I guess I should've predicted that he'd choose his own path like the stubborn person he is.'
Now that there was no need for the Orbs anymore, Frederica sent them anyway back to where they belong. The orbs flew away at moderate speeds, slowly accelerating as they got further and further away.
As she kept an eye on those orbs, Frederica narrowed her eyes with worry.
Those orbs were the safest path she could find for Naruto. They were chosen rather carefully so that the boy would have the safest start points when he chose one of them. Now that they were discarded, that meant there were no more safe routes for Naruto.
He would really have to fight harder.
"Seeing as you didn't find the three options I gave you preferable, I can only suggest one other path that you can take." Frederica stated, gaining the two's attention.
Naruto was the first one to react. "What's this path you're talking about? Is it some other world you have in mind?"
"No. At this point, none of the worlds of the living will have the thing you're looking for. Not all worlds are as war-torn as yours, and sometimes they are peaceful enough that you'd only disturb their peace if you wish to fight."
"Then what exactly do you have in mind?"
Frederica smirked playfully, "It is very obvious. You just have to go somewhere where fighting is the sole reason for existing."
"Eh?" Naruto let out with an unintelligent tone. "That kind of place exists?"
"Yes. Though, if anything, it's less of a world and more of a realm. The size of that realm is dwarfed in comparison to mine, but its structure is still not that of a world."
"Uh…I don't really get the otherworldly terms, so…" Naruto sounded and looked pretty dumbfounded. He really had no idea what differentiates a world and a realm, so he couldn't do anything but balk at those terms.
"In other words, the place I have in mind is not a world at all. If you go there, you will exist not as a reincarnated, but rather as a soul you currently are. There is actually another realm where this law applies as well, but if you pass through that realm then you will be reincarnated in a world connected to that one realm. Since that isn't what you want, I'm not going to explain the details.
"But anyway, there's another thing I'd like to explain. The universal law states that a realm should be connected to at least a world, else it wouldn't exist. Like how a world has Heaven and Hell, there are other realms that are called differently. Of course, both Heaven and Hell are examples of a realm connected to multiple other worlds, like this realm of mine that enables me to manage Space and Time."
Frederica inhaled softly before continuing. "I think using Heaven and Hell as examples isn't very effective. Let's say…that Heaven and Hell are major realms that exist for the sake of all worlds so that every inhabitant of the worlds can go either one regardless of the world they originate from. So, major realms can exist even when they aren't connected to a world."
"Okay…I think I can understand that much," Naruto said with a nod. "But you're not sending me to Heaven or Hell, aren't you? If so, then what other place could there be? You said that a world only havs two major realms…Or three, if we count yours too."
In truth, Naruto had a hard time trying to grasp the intergalactic concept Frederica gave him, but understanding even a miniscule part of it was already a feat. Normal humans would already have their brains exploding trying to think about it.
"Just because a world only has the three major realms doesn't mean they are limited to only that." Frederica explained. "In this case, I'm talking about the minor realms, the ones that can't exist without being connected to a world. It's not a certainty for a world to have one, but a minor realm will certainly need a world to exist. The realm I mentioned before is classified as a minor realm as well. They are realms that have the same structure as Heaven, Hell and my own realm, but they are much smaller in size."
"Exactly what is the similarity factor between realms? What is the structure you're talking about?" Kurama asked out of curiosity.
"Realms can only be entered when in the form of spirits," Frederica answered. "This is true for both major and minor realms. More importantly, that may be the only thing that differentiates a world and a realm. Seeing as you two are in spirit form, entering a realm is much easier for you."
Frederica shrugged her small shoulders and chuckled, "Of course, with me here, it's not impossible for you to enter a world. However, I can't just recklessly let you reincarnate in another world without calculating the effect of that action. Worst case scenario, I might disrupt the flow of Fate that God implanted in those worlds."
"You sound like you have that kind of thing planned," Kurama said with suspicion.
"Oh, but of course, I do." Frederica eyed Kurama with the slightest bit of playfulness. "In fact, one of the options I presented to Naruto would've led him and you to enter a world and reincarnate. I've spent half an eternity to calculate the effects of bringing someone from another world into that one, and I'm sure that it wouldn't have such a horrible effect."
Naruto looked awed. No matter how you see it, half an eternity was a long time. He didn't know how long that is, but that is not a period where a normal human would be able to live through normally. It just reminded him how the little blue-haired girl in front of him was no normal girl.
"Hm… I'm getting a bit off topic here. Well, anyway, back to our initial topic." Frederica continued without a hitch. She noticed Naruto staring at her with a strange look, but she ignored him for the time being. "In any case, the one realm I have in mind is also connected to a single world. The world itself is nothing special, so our main attention is the realm it is connected to. Obviously, it's a minor realm. This one doesn't have the reincarnation attribute like the one I mentioned before, but it is still connected to its world rather uniquely."
"Uniquely?"
"How should I put it…? It's like a purgatory, but it's nothing that grandiose."
This time, both Naruto and Kurama looked confused. They exchanged glances, wondering if either of them had an idea of what Frederica was talking about, but neither of them seemed to know. Seeing the bewilderment, Frederica sighed tiredly.
"For you two, I think it's better to show you firsthand."
After saying that, Frederica raised her right hand to the side. Her palm was open wide as if she was reaching out to grab something. Her fingers seemed to clutch onto something invisible, but Naruto and Kurama didn't know what it was. Then, suddenly, she swung her hand down.
No, rather than swinging her hand, she looked like she was swinging open a curtain.
That should be enough to explain what actually happened.
With just a swing of her hand, Frederica made a tear at the empty space beside her. It was truly frightening; to see an empty space that supposedly had nothing in it tear open to reveal something else. Even though she said she was a Saint, Naruto had a hard time picturing Frederica as anything else but a magician.
"This is merely a peek, but let me show you what kind of place it is." Frederica let go of the curtain-like part of the space, leaving the hole gaping open as it was. "This realm is the place where impure souls of its world transcend to, the Threshold!"
The world…no, the realm that Frederica was showing is difficult to be described in words. Or, at least, there was no definition in human language to picture it perfectly.
The place was teeming with life, but those lives belong to the dead.
It was both light and dark at the same time.
The feeling of that realm that crept up to Naruto's skin, even through that small gap, was mysterious.
Alive but dead.
Light, yet dark.
Pure, yet at the same time, impure.
"Wha…what is this feeling?"
Frederica's eyes narrowed at what Naruto said. "Is the aura that potent for you?"
"You're kidding me…it's practically as thick as a brick wall that reeks of death, and you're not even affected?! I guess you really are a saint."
"Well, I've gotten used to it." Frederica shrugged her shoulders as if to say it was no big deal. "It's normal that you feel uncomfortable in your first exposure to the Threshold's aura. After all, this is a place reserved for impure souls who can't go to Heaven."
"And I'm pure?"
"In a sense, yes," Frederica answered. "But you're a pure soul that has enough regrets that normally would have turned you into an impure soul. How you're able to avoid turning into one, even I don't understand, but thankfully it works in your advantage. That's primarily the reason why I chose the Threshold as your next destination; the condition of your soul right now is in the middle of pure and impure."
Being in an ambiguous state like that didn't sit well for Naruto. It was strange not knowing what you really are, even though you knew that you're technically a dead man's soul. He seemed to be classified as a 'pure' soul, which was probably a good thing… But then again, he wasn't all that knowledgeable about it.
"Is being an impure soul really that bad? You made it sound like some sort of disease."
"Impure souls are the souls of people that have too much lingering regrets for them to pass over to Heaven. Their selfish bonds to the world prevent them from peacefully passing from the world of the living to any major realms." Frederica exhaled softly. "Of course, that is a bad thing to happen to anyone. The inability to transcend to Heaven is an extended torture for those poor souls. Oh, but here we have someone who rejected Heaven itself!"
"…you really have ways to make a guy feel guilty, don't you?" Naruto grumbled with discontent.
Frederica giggled rather girlishly at the jab. Now, her giggling was something that was supposed to be a rarity, but she just couldn't help herself at the time. The boy in front of her was that kind of person.
"Well, I have my moments." Frederica then straightened her back and looked at both Naruto and Kurama. "So what do you think? Is this path the one you're looking for?"
"…I honestly am worried about what will happen to us once we enter that realm," Kurama suddenly spoke up.
"Why is that?" Frederica asked with a curious look.
"In the first place, such a place that smells like death all over isn't a place for humans. I'm a Bijuu, so it may not be that troublesome for me, but it could be different for the brat." Kurama crossed his arms and frowned. "Moreover, my instinct tells me that it's a lot more dangerous than you let on. Or at least, I feel that the options you proposed before were safer than this realm you're showing us."
"You're not wrong," Frederica answered calmly. "The options I gave you before were paths where I can help you out whenever you're in need. On the contrary, the Threshold isn't a realm under my jurisdiction."
"How come?"
"As a Saint of Space and Time, I was given the privilege to rule over this realm of mine and manage the transfer of memories between parallel worlds. You can say that I'm a being that has been given that power." Frederica paused. "However, even a Saint can never rule over more than one realm. Each realm can only have one existence as its 'ruler'. Of course, God is an existence that ruled over all these realms, that goes without saying."
"So you're saying that you have absolutely no control over the Threshold?"
Frederica shook her head. "None whatsoever. The best I can do is to keep an eye on you, but I can never enter the Threshold by my own will."
"That's freaking reassuring…" Kurama muttered under his breath.
Frederica gave an apologetic smile, almost as if she herself was regretting that she couldn't do anything more. "I'm sorry. There's only so much I can do once you choose this path. The one and only thing I can do now is…to send you away to that realm. I can no longer help you after you enter the Threshold." The blue-haired girl then turned around to look at the still gaping hole she had created.
"Knowing that, do you still insist on going into this place? Do you really want to risk your lives to find what you're looking for, as opposed to the other option of ending your journey once and for all?"
What she meant to say was this: It's okay if you want to back out, you know. It's not like your obliged to do whatever you're intending to do.
She wasn't disrespecting the two, nor was she mocking them. In fact, she actually cared for their well-being. That was why she actually hoped that Heaven would be their final choice. They deserved it, after all, since they were heroes.
Then again…
That isn't the type of person Uzumaki Naruto was.
"What're you talking about, Rika-chan?" the boy asked with a silly grin. "I know what I'm doing, I wouldn't have been so sure if that's not the case."
Naruto grasped the area around his chest where his heart should be. "Thing is, I know I'm missing something here…something that prevented me from saving my world like my other alter-selves. I believe that I can find that something if I have something else to fight for, and win for. Once I find it, well…I guess that's it. Maybe I can finally go to Heaven."
Frederica raised an eyebrow at Naruto's peculiar confession. "You know, curiosity usually kills the cat."
"Well, do you know?" Naruto shot back with a smirk. "That's exactly the reason why cats have nine lives."
They all already knew, but she should've known better.
This Uzumaki wasn't someone that takes no for an answer.
Amidst the aura of death coming from the unknown realm that would've made most brave heroes recoil in fear, Naruto and Frederica shared a laugh. The saint didn't know why she joined in the laughter, nor did she care actually. She thought that she might've really lost her mind then.
"You can be quite the stubborn one, Naruto." Frederica stated as she covered her mouth and regained her breath. "Fine, then. If you're so adamant about it, then I have no objections. The Threshold will be your next destination. I can only assume that you already have something planned for when you reach that realm of the dead."
"Actually…we don't," Naruto admitted sheepishly. "I haven't thought up anything at all, actually."
"And when did that ever stop you, you brat?" Kurama asked with a knowing grin. "You're the type that thinks on the fly. It won't do us any good if you try to plan ahead."
"Yeah..." Naruto said, hesitantly at first. "Yeah! I think so too!"
For some reason, that baseless answer held a lot of confidence behind it. Even if it wasn't enough to ease Frederica's worry, it was enough to convince her. She simply sighed while wondering how such a reckless person could be so amazing in reality.
"At least you sound confident. That might save you in the future, I suppose."
Frederica then grabbed hold of the edges of the gap leading to the Threshold before spreading it wider effortlessly. Now it was as wide as a shrine gate, showing the Threshold's grayish sky. The realm looked sort of depressing, but the three of them were feeling so anxious that it barely registered to them.
"Before you enter this realm, let me warn you again. In this place, I may not be able to help you no matter how much I want to. Unless I can somehow gain access into this realm, you two are pretty much on your own. And don't take this realm lightly; it's still dangerous in its own right. To be honest, I can't shake off my worry, but as long as you two stick together there will be nothing you can't overcome."
Naruto nodded, "Got it."
"Also…" Frederica paused and looked at Kurama. "This is just my presumption, but you better be prepared to see Kurama in a different form."
"What do you mean by that?" the Bijuu asked with a quirked eyebrow.
"As far as I know, human souls that enter the Threshold should retain their original forms. However, that might be different in your case."
"Eh? Isn't Kurama in human form now?" Naruto asked with a confused look.
"I'm still originally a Bijuu. No matter what form I am in now, that won't change." Kurama then turned back to Frederica. "If that's the case, then what kind of form will I end up in? My original fox form?"
"Who knows? I never actually saw a Bijuu's soul enter a place like the Threshold, after all."
"…hmph. We'll see what happens when the time comes, I guess." Kurama shrugged his shoulders and dropped the subject. He wasn't really worried about trivial things like that. As long as he didn't have a case of soul-disintegration, he didn't mind.
"All right…" Frederica said with a nod of agreement. "If you already have that in mind, then you're good to go."
The preparations were complete.
In order for Naruto and Kurama to enter the Threshold, Frederica needed to conjure an entrance that was relatively safe enough for them to go through. While it seemed like she had only ripped open an empty space, calculations had been done in her mind to determine the size, compactness, as well as the transfer speed of soul matter between her realm and the Threshold, all so she could construct a safe entrance.
However, essentially it was up to Naruto to decide. No matter how much Frederica prepared, all would've come to a waste had Naruto decided to end his journey and go to Heaven. From the very start, that was what she had been preparing for Naruto; a straight entrance to Heaven. But he rejected that offer in fear of trampling the hopes of those he failed to protect.
More than anything, more than Heaven itself, he wanted to be free of his guilt.
In the end, he truly had a steely heart and stayed true to what he wanted.
At that moment, Frederica sort of felt like a mother letting their children go off on a journey. It was confusing, but that feeling made her smile sadly. She honestly couldn't comprehend why she felt like that.
'It's hilarious when I think about it. To think that there's a human being that would choose something else over Heaven…it's unthinkable. I suppose he's just that kind of person.' Frederica thought before chuckling to herself. '…heh, look at me. Now I'm getting humanly sentimental. I don't know whether I'm turning soft or it is all his convicted words at work. He's…really similar to that boy.'
An image fleeted across Frederica's mind. Memories that belonged to her for longer than a millennium flooded her thinking pattern and reminded her of that moment when she was human. She slightly shook her head and rid herself of that memory, focusing at the matter at hand.
'No,' she mentally denied herself. 'I can't. My days as a human being ended the first time I stepped into this realm of greater power. I can't selfishly turn back to that world and force Naruto to do what he doesn't wish for.'
Frederica was the Saint of Time and Space.
However, initially, she was a simple human being. By pure chance, she had happened to be the reincarnation of a certain deity and had resided in a mysterious world that was trapped in an infinite loop. She died again, and again, and again, until she finally got tired of it and stopped herself from getting revived, which in turn gave her an even greater power that she couldn't have acquired as a human.
From a human to a Witch of Miracles.
From a witch to a Saint.
Time and time again, she put her hands in the realm unexplained by the laws of human and slowly had her humanity eroded. She retained her human ideals, but she felt less like a human as time passed by.
Then came Naruto, the boy who held the right of a second chance.
It was at that moment that Frederica had the chance to feel humanity again firsthand. It was such a refreshing feeling of being someone that she had not been for a long time. And now, she would lose that feeling and go back to the inhuman daily life as a Saint who manages the transfer of memories between worlds.
In short, she might've regretted that Naruto chose what he had chosen.
"Wait."
The one who said that wasn't Frederica. It was Naruto, who was still standing on the spot he had been standing before.
Confused, the blue-haired girl turned around and looked at him. "What is it, Naruto?"
"I…" Naruto hesitantly started. He clicked his tongue as if he just stumbled upon a dead end in his train of thought. Seconds later, he spoke up again, "Thank you."
It came so suddenly that Frederica couldn't help but flinch in surprise. "Why do you say that?"
"Eh? Are you seriously asking me that?" Naruto asked with a disbelieving tone. "I owe you for this, Rika-chan. I mean, all of this, it's not possible without your help. And…I just want to thank you, for the second chance and everything."
"Oh…if it's regarding the second chance, you should be thanking God. He was the one who gave it to you."
"Yeah, I know that, but…" Naruto once again paused, this time with his mouth still opened. He wasn't the smartest person when it came to putting his thoughts into words, and now he came up with a blockade. He continued to mouth out what he was trying to say, but no sound came. At Frederica's inquisitive stare, Naruto buckled under the pressure and yelled.
"AAAH! To hell with it!"
Actions speak louder than words. Naruto believed that law is always true.
So he came up to the little girl and gave her a tight hug.
"Eh? Eh? EH?!"
"Just shut up! I can't word out my gratitude like I planned to, but I can't leave without showing my thanks!" Naruto exclaimed with fervor. "SO JUST LET ME HUG YOU AND GET DONE WITH IT ALREADY!"
It was idiocy and plain thick-headedness at their very best, rolled into one to create the person called Naruto. One would've palmed their face and laugh at the predicament. Kurama did just that, and he laughed like he had never laughed before.
"GAH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA! What?! I didn't see this one coming! Nice one, brat!"
Meanwhile, Frederica was more embarrassed than confused by this sudden turnout. She looked lost, like someone who was left out from a conversation where the speaker was telling a joke. Even her knowledge as a Saint didn't help her to think through the current situation.
"Eh…uh…um, so…"
She would've flailed her hands around in distress, but her body of a small girl wasn't capable of doing so as long as Naruto was holding her.
This wasn't what her daily life as a Saint usually progressed. Certainly, she met many souls of countless heroes passing through after they died. They were some of the limited amount of people granted with the same 'second chance' Naruto had. Of course, those many heroes were grateful for what was given to them, even though not all of them took the chance to reincarnate in another world.
However, this was the first time anyone ever showed their gratitude so…physically.
When Frederica was still drawing a blank, Naruto had pulled away from the hug and gave her a silly grin.
"There. At least that much is enough to show how much I want thank you, right?" he asked innocently.
Frederica, who was still frozen in shock by his earlier action, didn't reply. She was busy trying to steady her heart which was strangely beating erratically. When she succeeded, she sighed and gave the brash boy a pointed look.
"Was that really necessary?" she asked with a pout on her lips. She knew full well what that hug was for to him, she just wasn't sure if he had needed to go to that length just to show his gratitude.
"What's with that look? You're the one who complicated things by rejecting my thanks." Naruto shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "It would've been easier if you just say 'you're welcome'. And besides, you hugged me too before, didn't you? Consider it a payback or something."
"I don't understand your logic, really…" the blue-haired girl muttered.
"Hear that, brat? Even a Saint can't understand you." Kurama said, nudging Naruto with his elbow. The human-formed Bijuu still had a grin on his face after the laugh he let out, and he was even holding in another laugh at that moment.
Naruto grumbled, "I can't help it…"
"So deep down, you're actually a lolicon, huh? I never knew. So that's why you didn't hit on girls your age."
"Hey, I so hit on girls my age! AND STOP USING UNRELATED TERMS FROM ANOTHER WORLD! You might as well have broken the fourth wall with that!"
They were just impossible.
Such was the thought of Frederica Bernkastel, the Saint who got worked up by a hug from a human boy.
"…anyway, the pathway is ready for you to use." She cleared her throat, hoping to catch the bickering duo's attention. "You can go whenever you're ready."
Naruto was the first to turn away from the argument. He looked towards the gap as wide as a shrine gate and felt a shudder going up his spine. There was still that strange aura coming out from that realm, and it did give him a bad feeling. However, the whisker-marked boy inhaled deeply and steadied his heart.
"Right! We'll be off then!"
Putting his fears at the furthest part of his mind, Naruto walked closer towards that gap in space. It was strange for him to actually walk on nothing; not even air, just empty space.
Kurama followed afterwards. However, just when he was about to pass Frederica, he stopped walking forward. Kurama folded his arms to his chest, chuckled, and then spoke, "Are you still worried after all that?"
It was clear that the Bijuu was talking to Frederica, even though he wasn't looking at her. The girl glanced at the tall form of human-Kurama and sighed. "A little bit, yes. The Threshold isn't really a preferable option for anyone to use their 'second chance' on. It's a realm where souls fight each other just to exist, and it's a place where those impure souls are stuck in. Personally, I think Naruto is pretty daring to choose that realm of all places."
"Do you think he made the wrong choice then?"
That question made Frederica think.
"…no," she then answered. "There is no such thing as a wrong choice. There is only a slight difference between choices. What's important is how someone acts in accordance to their choice."
The girl looked towards Naruto, locking on the red spiral symbol on the back of his black-and-orange jumpsuit.
"Do you think he made the wrong choice, Kurama?" Frederica asked back.
"Who knows? I haven't lived long enough to differentiate the right and wrong choices." Kurama nonchalantly answered. "After all, it won't matter to me whether the brat chooses the right choice or the wrong one. I've decided that I'd help him out no matter what path he chooses, and I'll stick to that decision of mine."
"Is that so?" Frederica let out with a soft smile. She exhaled and put her right hand above where her heart was.
"Take care of him, Kurama."
"Keh…you really sound like them, for some reason."
"Who?"
"The brat's parents. I'm pretty sure they also wanted me to do the same thing the first time they sealed me in him." Kurama said. He stepped forward once, twice, and continued walking forward.
"It's not my style, but you can count on me."
Naruto and Kurama.
Both of them died in their world and received the 'second chance'.
Now, both will enter another realm, the Threshold.
xoxoxo
And then they were gone.
As soon as Naruto and Kurama entered the gap that lead to the Threshold, the gap closed like an elevator's automatic door.
Frederica stood there alone as she watched the spot where the two heroes were last seen before they left. She stared at nothing in particular, but at the same time, she only had her attention at one specific spot. It was like being in a hypnotic trance.
On her face was a melancholic smile that she didn't know she had.
Rolling off her cheeks were straight lines of tears that she didn't realize she had released.
She wasn't exactly feeling sad. After all, her emotions were mostly corroded after the umpteenth years she had lived through. Somehow, though, those tears just fell.
"…" The Saint was silent as she wiped off her tears with an elegant swipe of her small hand.
"From this moment on, I can't selfishly help them in their journey, huh?" Frederica said to herself. Finally, she turned away and went to another direction. After all the things that had happened, she now needed to point her attention to other worlds in need. Her duty to safely transfer memories between worlds once again became her priority.
She could not interfere with whatever happened in the Threshold.
That's why…
"I'll leave him in your hands…Ram."
A/N: September 21st 2013
Aah…I finally made it. Whew, finishing this prologue really took time. My image of a writer is really being degraded by my slow-updates. I can only thank the people patient enough to wait for this little slowpoke.
So, this is the second fanfic that branches off from the bridge fic "A New World, Prequel to A New Chapter", the so-called 'Heaven route' as opposed to the 'Amnesia route' that leads to my other fic "Place to Try". Though, calling this fic the result of taking the 'Heaven route' might be pushing it, because Naruto didn't really choose Heaven at the end.
This prologue hasn't really touched the Black Rock Shooter dimension other than the reference of the Threshold. I want to keep the suspense so that I don't spoil it already, since it's still only the prologue. In this fic, I intend to base off the Threshold from the Black Rock Shooter: Innocent Soul manga as well as the BRS anime. No, I'm not going to mash it up into one chaotic world, but rather something else.
I've been thinking, and I concluded that this Naruto-Black Rock Shooter crossover will have a sequel after this one is done. In other words, I'm intending to create two series. This first one will mostly be based off from the Innocent Soul manga, since I assume it's the prequel of the anime series. After this fic is done, I might make a continuation fic that will mostly be based off from the BRS anime.
It's a long shot, considering the countless other fics that I'm still working on, but I'll give it a try!
Ah, before I continue, I'll put in a trivia corner first.
Trivia Time!
[1] The Frederica I pictured here might look more emotional than the one I pictured in my other fic, "Place to Try". I myself had no idea why that happened, but I kind of liked it better this way.
[2] Naruto and Kurama's usage of otaku-like terms like "tsundere" or the other is purely for humor relief :D
[3] I think the realm that has a reincarnation attribute is already pretty obvious for the readers who have read "Place to Try", but just to make it clear, Frederica was mentioning the Afterlife from Angel Beats' universe.
[4] A little bit of quiz here. What do you think Ram's position is if Frederica mentioned her in the end of the chapter? *grin*
Lastly, I want to make a declaration. My NaruSaku fanfic, "You are Everything" will probably be deleted after its long hiatus. I seriously lost the motivation on that fic, and since there's not much attention on that fic, I've been considering deleting it. Unless of course, there's people who want me to continue it. It's up to the readers, in my case.
Oh boy, I'm beginning to rant…
Anyway, thanks for reading! Stay tuned for the next chapter, but be patient on the slowpoke known as SpinLord!
R&R, please!