Sakura and Kakashi trudged back into Konoha through the heavy snowfall. It wasn't quite hard enough to be a blizzard, but it was still an annoyingly huge storm. Behind them was Naruto. His hands were in his pockets and he wouldn't look at anyone. His teammates sent him equally worried looks, but he ignored them.
Finally reaching the Hokage's office, Kakashi started talking as Sakura shook off the snow. Naruto didn't move.
Tsunade listened as Kakashi explained. "We failed."
"Is that all you want to say?" she asked.
Kakashi shot a look at Naruto, who was staring at the floor. "I'll explain the details later." Tsunade understood and sent the two younger ninja out of the room.
Outside Tsunade's office, Sakura put her hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Naruto...It's all right. We'll find him again next time will be better."
"Isn't that what we said the last time?" he mumbled. Those were the first words he'd spoken since Sasuke's team had won the fight and left their team bleeding heavily.
"Yeah, but..." Sakura trailed off. "Look how close the fight was. You've gotten so much stronger! All you need to do is get even stronger, like you always say."
Naruto ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know, Sakura. I just don't know what to do anymore." He walked off in the direction of his apartment.
Sakura blinked. It took her a while to realize what was bothering her, and then she knew. He hadn't called her Sakura-chan.
Tsunade and Kakashi exited the office. "That was fast," remarked Sakura.
Kakashi shrugged. "There wasn't really a lot to say. How's Naruto?"
"He's taking it hard. I told him to do what he always does, train hard and get stronger, but I don't think it helped a lot."
Tsunade sighed. "It's not easy for him. He's probably thinking that he trained so hard, and he still failed. It's a difficult thing for him to wrap his head around. Sakura, see if you can round up some of his peers and cheer him up."
Walking through Konoha, she found Team 8, Team Gai, Shikamaru and Ino, minus the senseis, taking shelter in Ichiraku Ramen. They greeted her, and she gloomily ate the bowl of noodles that Ino pushed in her direction.
Nobody bothered to ask how the mission went. The absence of Sasuke, plus Sakura's mood, answered that question thoroughly enough.
"How's Naruto-kun taking it?" asked Lee. Sakura shook her head. "He's depressed. Tsunade-shishou sent me to find you guys to help cheer him up."
"Alright then, let's go," stated Kiba. "Although I don't know exactly what we're supposed to be able to do."
"Wing it," suggested Tenten. "Make something up on the spot. Let's get moving."
The group took a look at the weather, nodded, and dashed out. Running as fast as they could, they arrived at Naruto's place panting and shivering.
Neji banged on the door. "Naruto-kun? Are you there?" There was no answer. He tried again, still nothing.
"The hell with this," muttered the ever-impatient Ino, who then kicked the door down.
Shikamaru gasped. Tenten screamed. Sakura put her hands to her mouth. "Oh no..."
Naruto was lying on the floor, bleeding profusely from his wrist.
Kiba stared, openmouthed. Hinata fell to her knees, her sobs shattering the silent air. Shino took a few steps backwards and ran in the direction of the Hokage tower. Lee swallowed several times. Neji swore under his breath.
Only Ino did what nobody else could. She darted forward and did a medical examination on him as Tsunade, Shizune and Kakashi came running.
The blonde Chuunin looked up at them through reddened eyes. "He's dead," she whispered in a voice that cracked. Kakashi passed a hand over his eyes.
"Oh, my God," murmured Shizune.
"NO!" yelled Tsunade. Hinata screamed and dug her fingers into the ground.
Neji spotted something on the floor. He picked it up and with trembling fingers, he unfolded Naruto's suicide note. He couldn't bring himself to read it, though, so Shizune did it.
Hey.
So, if I know you all like I think I do, Hinata's sobbing, Sakura's doing that thing where she covers her mouth, and Kiba's just standing there...yeah, the rest of you are all too unpredictable. Neji might be cursing.
Not as unpredictable as me, though. Honestly, how many of you saw this coming? Kakashi-sensei, I bet you did somewhere deep down. Maybe you too, Sakura. I just...aah, I couldn't take it anymore. I know I swore I'd get stronger and help you get Sasuke back, but I trained with one of the best ninja out there, for two and a half freaking years, and look where it got me. Beaten up, much in the same way as before.
Screw it. I think you've already probably lost any respect you ever had for me, because suicide is the coward's way out, right? Well, screw that. Talk to any one of the villagers: THEY'LL all tell you I did the right thing. Never mind that I nearly get myself killed to bring back someone I care about, oh no. All they care about is this godforsaken fox-demon.
Anyway, Tsunade, you'll hate me for saying this, but I might have done you a favor here—the council gets off your ass about me, and Akatsuki won't attack the village now that the Kyuubi Jinchuriki is dead. Happy birthday.
Hinata...I love you, and I'm sorry. That's all I'll say to you, because that's all you need to hear. It's what you've wanted to hear for years.
So, yeah, I got fed up with my crappy life, and I love you all, but I can't deal with all of this mess. I'm so going to Hell for this, right? But what exactly is Hell? I think Hell is seeing your best friend leave the village and there's nothing you can do. Hell is watching your teammate cry for him, and seeing her desperately call out to him, but it doesn't help. Hell is loving someone whom you know loves you back, but you can't tell her because her family would disapprove (freaking Hyuuga Hiashi...). Hell is training hard, giving it your all, for nothing. And Hell is having a malicious monster inside you that begs for blood. I'm a hazard to myself.
I've BEEN to Hell. Where I'm going now is definitely not Heaven, but it can't be any worse than my Hell. Good luck finding Sasuke, and please don't worry too much about me.
-Uzumaki Naruto
Sakura cried.
---
It wasn't raining. Sakura looked out the window at the sky. Instead, the snow sat upon every surface it could, and glittering icicles covered each hanging branch. Dark grey clouds stretched across the sky, threatening snow at any minute.
Rain would have been more appropriate, she thought, recalling the way Hinata's tears had fallen, like rain.
She glanced at her bed, upon which lay the black dress she wore to funerals. Sighing, she changed into it. Glumly entering the kitchen, her mother looked at her, but Sakura walked out the door before she could say anything.
She met up with Ino and Tenten, who were looking at the sky and talking quietly. They looked at her, and she walked with them towards the gravesite.
Neji was already there, supporting a shaky Hinata. "Are you okay?" asked Ino. Hinata looked at her. "I'll start crying the minute the eulogy starts," she said bleakly.
The rest of the Rookie Nine and Gai's team filed in. Kakashi stood behind Sakura. She looked around, There were all of Naruto's friends; Iruka-sensei was there too, and the owners of Ichiraku Ramen, Teuchi and his daughter Ayame.
Also attending Naruto's funeral, Sakura was surprised to see, were Gaara, Kankuro and Temari. Although, she reflected, I shouldn't be. Naruto is...no...was Gaara's best friend.
Tsunade stepped up to the stand. Swallowing a few times, she spoke. "We are gathered here today to remember Uzumaki Naruto, a brave shinobi who dedicated his life to his friends. He made it his way never to give up, and to put his friends before him.
"Although he outwardly lived as a carefree, happy teenager, inside he was being torn apart. He had so many burdens to bear, and there were so many hardships he lived through.
"Eventually, however, he couldn't hold it in any longer. He was overtaken by his emotions, and succumbed to the pain."
Sakura glanced at Hinata, who was clutching her arms, silently weeping. Tsunade continued after a pause.
"Despite his seemingly cowardly way of passing, we should not remember Naruto as a cowardly person. No, he went above and beyond the standards of bravery, putting his life on the line several times to save the people he cared about. He was willing to bring himself to the brink of death if it meant defending something he felt was worth protecting.
"Uzumaki Naruto had a dream. He wanted to be the Sixth Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village. Many doubted him, and told him it was impossible. No matter what, though, he always insisted that he would achieve the recognition he deserved. He was a very persistent person when it came to his dreams. Anyone he met would agree with me when I say that Naruto had a quality about him that made anyone his friend."
Temari and Kankuro had their hands on Gaara's shoulder. The young Kazekage wasn't crying, but his eyes had a look that was even more distant than his usual one, and his lower eyelids looked distinctly damp.
Soft white flakes began to fall from the sky.
"No one would dispute the enormity of his troubles. His best friend had abandoned him, a group of S-class missing-nins was on the hunt for him, and he had a malevolent demon sealed inside him. Also, he could not tell the one he loved that he loved her, because her family would not approve.
"Naruto would not want us to remember him as someone who gave up, though. When we think of him, we should instead remember all the wonderful things he helped everyone with. Naruto changed lives, affecting each and every one of us in a different way. My friends, I ask you today to remember the name of a shinobi who was more than worthy of the title of Hokage. Remember a friend and a comrade; remember Uzumaki Naruto."
Tsunade stepped down and turned to Shizune, who hugged her. Tsunade lost the fight not to and cried into her friend's shoulder.
Slowly the mourners formed a line to place their white flowers at Naruto's gravestone.
As Hinata let go of the flower, she remembered Naruto's smile and confident attitude, and she cried.
Neji remembered the day that Naruto had beat him in a fight and told him how to change, and let the flower fall.
Shikamaru remembered the way Naruto never gave up during a fight. He put the flower down.
Ino remembered how Naruto was always wondering why Sasuke got all the girls. Giving a brief smile and choking back tears, she set the flower next to his picture.
Choji remembered the times he and Naruto had eaten ramen together. He dropped the flower onto the pile.
Tenten remembered how Naruto would sometimes get cut on his own kunai and then ask her why she never hurt herself, and gently placed the flower down.
Gai remembered Naruto wondering why he was so weird. He laid the flower with the others.
Kiba remembered the friendly rivalry between the two that spurred him on to keep training so that the 'deadbeat' Naruto wouldn't beat him. He released the flower.
Lee remembered how Naruto had always teased him and called him Fuzzy-brows. He smiled and put down the flower.
Shino remembered the time he and Naruto had been on a mission together, and that Naruto was always willing to grasp the faintest lead to Sasuke. He clenched his fist, and let the flower fall.
Kurenai remembered how Naruto was so determined to achieve his goals, and placed the flower next to the picture.
Asuma remembered Naruto asking him for help with the wind chakra. He dropped the flower on the pile.
Sakura remembered the times Naruto had protected and motivated her to new levels of training. She let the tears fall as she let the flower fall.
Teuchi remembered Naruto's joyful insistence that Ichiraku Ramen was the best. He sighed as he laid the flower on top of the pile.
Gaara remembered Naruto's insistence that he begin to accept love. He closed his eyes, and then put the flower down.
Temari remembered how Naruto had been so impatient to reach the Sand Village to save Gaara, and she put down the flower.
Kankuro remembered what Gaara had told him about how Naruto changed his way of life, and he furrowed his brow and dropped the flower.
Shizune remembered when Naruto had trained nonstop for a week just to prove a point. She briefly looked up at the falling snow before letting the flower fall.
Tsunade remembered the day Naruto had convinced her to take the title of Hokage. She rubbed her face, and put the flower down.
Ayame remembered Naruto's attitude and love of ramen. She cried as she placed the flower on the pile.
Kakashi remembered Naruto's endless rivalry with Sasuke and the way he always finished his fights. He laid the flower down.
Slowly the crowd departed, no one talking. Everyone was lost in their own thoughts. The snow piled higher, still falling in the same slow way. Soon the pile of white flowers was lost under the weather.
Except for one. It had just been placed there, long after everyone else had left. The person who put it there stood staring at the picture of the deceased. He didn't cry. Uchiha Sasuke put the flower down, and remembered his best friend. Looking around once more, taking in the grey skies and snowy landscape, he retreated back into the woods and was gone.
Eventually even Sasuke's flower was buried.