A Newfound Legacy
I don't remember the writing process for this strange one-shot. I think I was drunk when it happened, or at least, on the verge of total inebriation. Anyway, I found it lurking in the darkest corners of my laptop, decided to clean it up, and now it's been unleashed on the interwebs for all you little kiddies to enjoy.
Have fun!
Naruto stood and stared at the rippling sky with awed silence.
The thirty-three-year-old watched as a rift opened between the blanket of a hundred thousand stars, releasing a brilliant wave of light that dwarfed even the dreaded magnificence of the crimson Infinite Tsukuyomi.
The light descended upon him, bathing him in its golden warmth, a glare so bright his skin began to glow and sparkle.
Sort of like a gay vampire.
Tendrils coiled around him, embracing him with its fiery grasp as it urged him to ascend into what seemed to be a portal into another dimension.
He could feel its magnetizing pull. It whispered sweet promises into his ears, tempting him to let his inner fears go. To just enjoy the ride up into Nirvana itself.
A sudden tug was felt within his body, and soon he was floating upwards. He had no control over his actions, only the words that came out of his mouth. "W-what the hell?!"
As he rose into the sky, the light above became more brilliant. Its searing presence burned through his body, cleansing him and preparing him for what would be a fateful meeting.
Breaking through the light, Naruto found himself on the other side.
He landed on soft terrain. Looking down at his feet, he saw condensed clouds, pink like cotton candy and spread across the horizon in every direction.
In the distance, three looming statues stood proud and tall, breaking through the ceiling that was the clear, blue sky. The first two statues from the left were complete, identical men wearing glasses with inquisitive expressions upon their metallic faces, but the third appeared to have been abandoned half-way through construction.
While the first and second statues were made of bronze and silver, the third was left there standing. Tarnished. Imperfect. Incomplete.
"Where am I?"
A calm but powerful voice spoke from behind Naruto. "You are in a land where the sun never sets."
Naruto turned around to face a man. No, not a man. A god.
The blond shinobi couldn't help but admire the deity standing before him. Tousled, wavy hair. Soul-gazing eyes hidden behind a humble frame of circular glasses. His majestic beard was just waiting to be touched as if it would bring good fortune to Naruto and his descendants for centuries to come.
The man's lop-sided smirk could moisten the panties of a hundred thousand rabid fan-girls, but Naruto was a man. Men did not moisten their panties. Not even to a god.
"A-Are you… kami-sama?"
The godly man's smirk never dropped. "Ah. Nope. It's just me, Gabe Newell. But many know me by my other name: Lord Gaben."
"Lord Gaben," Naruto said, testing the moniker. It was foreign but somehow ran off his tongue with ease. As if it had been destined to do so. "Why did you bring me here, Lord Gaben?"
Gaben stared at the three statues, his smirk turning into a sad smile. "To impart my wisdom onto you, my child. Come. Sit with me."
From the pink clouds, a sturdy, wooden bench appeared. The godly powers reminded Naruto of Hashirama Senju and his unique ability, Mokuton.
As Naruto sat down, Lord Gaben began to speak. "Do you understand what will happen to you today?"
"Huh?" Naruto responded, looking at the god-man with apparent confusion. "What's going to happen today?"
"Your inauguration ceremony."
Inauguration. Inauguration. Naruto repeated in his mind, hoping to jolt his memory. Soon, it clicked.
"Oh shit!" I'm gonna be late for the inauguration! Shikamaru's gonna be freaking pissed when he finds out that I'm –"
Lord Gaben raised a hand, silencing Naruto. He spoke once more, the tone calming down the erratic Hokage-to-be. "Relax, my child. Everything will be fine. Your friends and family will see to that. Now, I will tell you why I brought you here to my realm."
"Naruto, can you tell me something about those statues?" Lord Gaben asked as he gestured towards the three statues. Naruto took a closer look at them. "Umm… I see a bronze and a silver one and wait… Is that supposed to be gold? But, I thought that –"
"That gold never tarnishes," Lord Gaben concluded. Naruto could only nod as the god-man finished his statement. Gold was the metal of immortality. It symbolised a legacy that would be passed down through many generations, never fading away into obscurity.
"That third statue, however, is not made of gold. It is a mineral known as pyrite. Or, as its more commonly known term: Fool's gold."
Naruto stared at Lord Gaben, but not for too long, as it was like staring into the sun. Too little and you would only know the darkness, but too much, and you would burn out your eyes. "What does fool's gold have to do with my inauguration?"
"I built these statues by hand," Lord Gaben replied, his sage-like tone morphing into one of sorrow. "They were my legacy to my world, a gift I would impart. I completed the first two, but I never intended on finishing the third. At the time, the third was something of a passing joke, but now I realise that my mistake was regrettable. There were expectations to be met, yet I failed to deliver. But, it's too late. Too many people have moved on. They have burned the bridge, forging their own paths without me, while I remained idle and left my final legacy to rot."
Lord Gaben sighed, placing a hand on his face in shame. "Despite what you may believe, I am not perfect. And neither are you. But, we can both try to be. That's why I brought you here. My legacy may have been lost and forgotten in my world, but I cannot let this fate occur in another. You are the crux of your world, a legacy that will shine the way for generations to come. Every decision you make, a pivotal one. Every idea you may have, a revolutionary thought. You, Uzumaki Naruto, are the bridge between two worlds, the old and the new. A world where new ideas and technologies co-exist with the honourable values of the olden ways."
Naruto felt Lord Gaben's firm but meaningful grasp on his hand. "Promise me, my child. That you will not let your legacy fade, as I once did. Do not let the people forget your past, but do not let it prevent you from making a better tomorrow."
Naruto felt something land in his lap. "Eh? What the hell is this?"
Gaben smiled. "A hat. One you should be all too familiar with."
The blond recognised it at a proper glance. "That's the Hokage's Hat. But what's it doing here?"
The god-man stood. "I believe it's time for you to return. Your people need you, my child."
Naruto stood as well, seeing the man beginning to walk away. "H-hey! Wait!"
"I do not know if we will ever meet again, but I wish you all the best. Farewell, Uzumaki Naruto."
Naruto ran towards him, but he couldn't keep up with Lord Gaben's pace. "Come back!"
There was a brilliant flash of light.
Then nothing.
"Naruto-kun."
The blond shinobi muttered in his sleep, "Not now, Lord Gaben."
"Naruto?" The feminine voice asked in a confused tone. "Who's Lord Gaben?"
"Eh?" Naruto replied, opening his eyes to the sight of his beautiful wife. He sat up, startled. Had it all been a dream? But, it had felt so real.
Hinata stared at her husband with deep concern in her lavender eyes. "Naruto-kun, are you okay?"
Naruto gulped, the loss of Lord Gaben already making its impact. "Y-yes, H-Hinata-chan."
Hinata wasn't convinced, but she didn't probe any further. Her husband needed time to think. That confused frown upon his whiskered face was the telltale sign.
"I'll make you some tea. That sound okay?"
A simple "Yes" was her only response from Naruto.
As Hinata left the bedroom, Naruto stared at his wife. If this had been some other time, he would have admired Hinata's impressive figure, but Lord Gaben's words distracted him, echoing in the mental chambers of his mind.
My legacy has been lost in my world, but I cannot let this fate occur in another. You are the crux of your world, a legacy that will shine the way for generations to come. Every decision you make, a pivotal one. Every idea you may have, a revolutionary thought. You, Uzumaki Naruto, are the bridge between two worlds, the old and the new. A world where new ideas and technologies co-exist with the honourable values of the olden ways.
Naruto glanced around the room, uncertain about what to make of Lord Gaben's words of wisdom. That was until his eyes glimpsed a single ray of light breaking through the closed bedroom curtains. The ray shot at a nearby bedside table, illuminating it and revealing something bizarre.
Strange, I don't remember putting the Hokage Hat there. Naruto thought, staring at the triangular hat. Then the memory of his dream bombarded him.
Naruto felt something land in his lap. "Eh? What the hell is this?"
Gaben smiled. "A hat. One you should be all too familiar with."
The blond recognised it with a proper glance. "It's the Hokage's Hat. But why?"
The god-man stood. "I believe it is time for you to return. Your people need you, my child."
Naruto smiled. So, the dream had been real. All of it. Lord Gaben and his world did exist.
Promise me, my child. That you will not let your legacy fade, as I once did. Do not let the people forget your past, but do not let it prevent you from making a better tomorrow.
As Naruto sat there on his bed, remembering those final words, his expression began to change, becoming one of pure, fiery determination.
"Lord Gaben, I won't fail your promise."
Many Years Later
The lights of New Konoha glittered in the distance. The entire skyline illuminated the dark backdrop of the city with the intensity of a hundred thousand stars. Skyscrapers littered the landscape, reaching towards the heavens; amazing feats of engineering that still attracted the awe-struck eyes of thousands.
The skyscrapers were impressive structures, but it was the creative ideas and technologies of the people of New Konoha that truly differentiated the city from the others.
Innovation was at the heart of this bustling metropolis, and the champion of this city's forward pursuit came in the form of an elaborate system known as Steam, an ambitious project that was thought up by one of the city's first leaders.
It was a technological development like no other, allowing people to access a vast selection of resources and paving the way for convenient, secure distribution channels of ideas and thoughts. It was also a system that built long-standing communities, as people shared their passions and beliefs through Steam.
Every person within in New Konoha used Steam to better their lives. However, while one would assume that its creator would be the greatest beneficiary, the man who had started it all did not reap the benefits of his creation.
Upon a large mountain that stood in the middle of the expansive megacity, the creator, an ancient man, sat in his humble traditional home made solely of wood. His once-blond mane of hair had become a short silver layer, and the taut muscles of his youth had withered away to reveal a frail, elderly body.
He was the last of his generation, his friends and his beloved wife having passed away long ago. The thought saddened him, but at the same time, he was glad that he still lived to witness the beauty of his own creation.
Soon, his time would come to an end. And maybe then, he could once again meet his friends and his wife.
But, until that day came, Uzumaki Naruto would continue to watch over his city, and he would do so with a genuine smile.
Staring at New Konoha, Naruto was amazed at the many years' worth of progress having come to life before him. Whispering the words that had become his nightly ritual, the smile never left Naruto's face.
"Thank you, Lord Gaben."
Somewhere high in the empty night sky, the faint outline of a star emerged between the cracks in the city lights' intense glare. It would soon disappear into obscurity, its short presence a single blip on the never-ending spectrum of time.
However, for just that one moment, it twinkled with a mysterious brilliance, before fading away into the oblivion.
Beyond the sleeping sky of a hundred thousand stars.
The End