To Be Hokage

(Listen to 'Man of the World' from the Naruto Shippuden OST. Seriously. It wouldn't be the same without sad music.)

~ Set in future Shippuden ~

To Be Hokage

That's what he wanted. It was his dream. He wanted to be Hokage. One that could relate to his fellow shinobi. One that could stop all war. One that could strive to create happiness not sadness and despair. One that could find peace in the world of shinobi for his master. But, for him, one day, it all stopped. War, sadness, despair. Happiness was what he felt. No more heartbreak. No more tragedy. No more sorrow. Just love and joy. Finally, he could join his father, mother, past friends and be happy.

That was Naruto.

"Itachi is dead because of your beloved village. There's nothing you can save me from. I will slaughter every last citizen of your selfish village."

"SASUKE! If Itachi wanted to save the village, destroying it would be only going against his will! Itachi wanted to protect you, Sasuke. You can still be saved... For Itachi's sake..."

"YOU DIDN'T KNOW ITACHI! I don't want to be saved." Sasuke said adamant: his face enveloped in a cold indifference. Both were barely standing. Both were nearly dead. Both were cut and wounded, "I have abandoned everything for this. You will not stand in my way. I will avenge my brother even if it means killing you."

"I know he cared for you." Naruto rose unsteady on the water slouched and too weak to do anything else, "Sasuke. Why? I thought we were brothers too. I want to save you Sasuke. I want to be your friend again. Your brother..."

"It's been over three years Naruto. It's pitiful you're still trying. Nothing you say can change my mind. It's too late! I HAVE NO MORE BROTHERS! I'LL DESTROY THE LEAF EVEN IF IT KILLS ME!"

"I know... Like the last time... I couldn't stop you... I just want it to be like it used to be. I want to be friends again, Sasuke. 'When will this rain stop'... right? Sasuke?" An immeasurably sweet sadness masked his face with a slow run of tears as he smiled weakly. He'd already given up. He accepted his fate. He knew Sasuke was as stubborn as he'd always been. A weak smile littered his lips. The grey skies wept bitter downpours to the broken ground. The rain mourned ceaselessly as all hope waned. The world was only listening to the lost desolation of happiness as it boasted despair in the grey air.

"Now I know the truth, IT WILL NEVER BE LIKE IT USED TO!"

A murderous look grew increasingly possesive in Sasuke's eyes as he summoned the strength to run through the rain at Naruto with nothing but old hatred.

"CHIDORI!"

Naruto stopped his chakra control and plunged himself into the water and, as he thought back, he smiled.

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I hate a lot of things, and I don't particularly like anything. What I have is not a dream, because I will make it a reality. I'm going to restore my clan, and kill a certain someone."

"You're not hurt, are you? Scaredy-cat."

"You should see the look on your face, you- you look like a total loser."

"Why- Why did you... Save me? Why did you do it?"

"I don't know why. I just did."

"Naruto, don't let your dream die..."

"You are one of the ones I want to fight the most."

"Just shut up for once! What the hell do you know about it?! It's not like you ever had a family in the first place! You were on your own right from the beginning, what makes you think you know anything about it?! Huh?! I'm suffering now because I had those ties, how on earth could you possibly understand, what it feels like to lose all that?!"

Naruto drifted to the top of the water with Sasuke waiting silently. Eyes stained in cold blood, clothes dirt-covered and body shrouded with bruises and cuts: agony.

"You can be Hokage in your afterlife. But not now. You're not getting in my way. This will be your death." Sasuke declared as he unsheathed his sword.

"How could I be Hokage, if I can't even save a friend..?"

"DIE!"

Hm... Why do you have so much hatred... towards me..? This could have been different... Sasuke...

The red essence stained the sword as one of its most memorable victims:

Naruto Uzumaki, Team 7, proud Shinobi of the Leaf.

Sasuke's face was plain, emotionless, distant. He drew his sword back as it dripped with blood of his ex-teammate whilst he walked ahead leaving Naruto's body as it lay. Lifeless.

"NARUTO!" Sakura screamed, "NARUTO!"

Kakashi was quick on her trail discovering Sakura tearfully oblivious to the trauma around her.

"Naruto... He's..."

"He's not dead Kakashi sensei! He can't be! I'm not going to lose another teammate! You're not dead Naruto. Come on... Wake up! I'm not joking you stupid- stupid- Stop fooling around! Naruto... Wake up..."

"Sakur-"

"We need to get him back." Sakura said as she stood with Naruto's arm over her shoulder.

"Sakura... He's..."

"Come on Kakashi sensei!" demanded Sakura with her eyes still scarred, legs trembling but demeanour determined as she walked passed him. He knew all too well. He was too familiar with such a sorrow. As she went on, he stood there with his thoughts vacant and face untainted before following Sakura back.

As soon as she arrived, she rushed to the hospital.

"Naruto, you're going to be fine," she whispered to him desperate.

Tsunade soon recieved word from Shizune from the hospital and hasted to him.

"Tsunade-sama... It's Naruto... H-He's... dead..." Shizune informed. Tsunade peered into the room to see Sakura slouched over him crying uncontrollably. Tsunade felt the tears build up in her eyes but shut them.

"Do not disturb her. She needs to come to terms with his death."

"Yes... Tsunade-sama..."

Tsunade walked off down the empty corridor whilst a few tears rolled down her cheek and soon, Sakura's cries trailed into silent weeps.

"W-why... Naruto...? Why are you so reckless all the time...? You're so stupid... You're so stupid! You always push yourself too far..." she whispered to him, "I am your teammate Naruto. I am here to help you. You can't always do it on your own. Sometimes... Naruto... You can ask for help... I am always there for you... Why'd you have to go and die...?" she paused and forced a smile as she said, "You know Naruto... Worst thing is... We never got to go on that date..."

Hours later, Kakashi arrived seeing Sakura asleep on Naruto's cold body. He sat on the opposite side as he spoke to Naruto, "Naruto... How could you call me sensei when I wasn't there for you... I always taught you teamwork but you never really used it... Teamwork is what keeps us alive. But you always want to do it on your own. Always. But I shouldn't be scolding you now... I told you that shinobi are those that endure and you have endured. You've become a fine shinobi worthy of being Hokage... And, for that, you were a great student."

Kakashi left Sakura alone in the room to sleep on her feelings and, when she woke up, she stood and exited the room with her head slightly lowered and her face obscure indifferent to all. She walked down the street. On and on.

"Sakura! What are you doing out so late?" Ino asked as she ran up to her. She stood there waiting for a reply but Sakura continued, "Sakura...? Are you ok...? Hey! Sakura! Wait for a second!" She caught up to her and asked, "What's going on Sakura? Was it a mission? Was it Naruto again?"

Sakura stopped in her tracks holding back tears, "N-Naruto..."

"What? He's injured? I'm sure he'll be fine Sakura."

"No... It's not like that..."

"You should go home. If you're in this state, you shouldn't be out walking through the village like this."

Sakura carried on. She couldn't say it. She didn't want to hear it ever being said.

"Hey, you guys are here too? I thought it was just us. Maybe it's a joint mission." Kiba said to Shikamaru, Ino and Choji whilst walking to see Lady Tsunade with Hinata and Shino the next morning as Sai tailed them.

"I know, it's troublesome but I hear it's really important." Shikamaru replied.

"Maybe Sakura and Naruto are coming too," Choji said.

"I don't know, I saw Sakura last night and she wasn't in a good mood and Naruto was injured apparently."

Upon entering the roon, Neji, Tenten and Lee were present as well.

"Come in." Tsunade said, "Now you're all here. I'll begin. Yesterday, as some of you may know, Naruto left the village in pursuit of Sasuke,"

"Um-hm, Sakura told me before..." Hinata started, "...H-Has something happened..?"

"Sakura and Kakashi found Naruto at the Valley of the End unconscious and brought him back to the village. However... when he got here... he was already dead..."

"What...?" Lee said under his breath.

"Naruto...?" Hinata whispered with her lilac eyes watering.

"No... Not Naruto..." Shikamaru said. Hinata already had tears streaking down her face, Neji and Tenten were wordless, Kiba and Choji were empty, Shino and Sai couldn't utter a word and Ino was broken...

"That's why... That's why Sakura was so torn up..." Ino began.

"A service will be held at four today. You may leave now."

"Yes, Tsunade-sama." Shino said. They all left and once they went down the stairs, they went their separate ways carrying the violently arduous weight of a heavy heart.

Once four came, everyone gathered at Konoha's cemetery for Naruto's service. People paid their respects to him one by one. Konohamaru was weeping with Hinata and Ino. Kiba, Choji and Tenten too, Shino, Shikamaru, Neji and Sai bowed their heads respectively along with Kakashi, Tsunade, Shizune, Iruka and countless others. They couldn't think of never seeing Naruto's eager face and hear his determined voice. One of the Leaf's respected heroes gone. Forever.

The whole village was draped in the inevitable hues of sorrow and dejection.

After shutting out her emotions and keeping herself strong, when it came to her, she couldn't hold up the act. She broke down and tears filled her eyes.

"I'm sorry Naruto... This wasn't what you would have wanted... You wouldn't have liked to see us crying..." she said.

And, at the end, they all stood silent remembering the things he did, the things he said.

"And my future dream is to be the greatest Hokage! Then the whole village will stop disrespecting me and start treating me like I'm somebody. Somebody important!"

"Don't underestimate me! I don't quit and I don't run! You can act tough all you want! You're not gonna scare me off! No way! I don't care if I DO get stuck as a genin for the rest of my life! I'll still be Hokage someday!"

"I'm not gonna run away, I never go back on my word! That's my nindo: my ninja way!"

"I am strong because I have people to protect."

"That's why we endure… We are ninja. I will never forget. And anyway, that wound means that my friends are still inside me. The real friends are not the ones I created in my dreams not to get hurt… That would be erasing the real ones."

"Dattebayo!"

"Don't you worry about me. Until I become Hokage, I don't care what happens.. I am not gonna die!"

"Goodbye... Naruto..."

To be Hokage. That's what he wanted. It was his dream. He wanted to be Hokage. One that could relate to his fellow shinobi. One that could stop all war. One that could strive to create happiness not sadness and despair. One that could find peace in the world of shinobi for his master. But, for him, one day, it all stopped. War, sadness, despair. Happiness was what he felt. No more heartbreak. No more tragedy. No more sorrow. Just love and joy. Finally, he could join his father, mother, past friends and be happy.

That was Naruto.

~ Please leave a review and let me know what you think! ~

~ Yawny Penguin ~