At the Leaf Village
It was mid-afternoon, as the rain was slowly falling from the skies. The cemetery was filled with people paying their respects. The Hokage stood up and moved to the grave.
"Today we celebrate the passing of one of the village's most loved ninja. We have come to this grave for the past four years, and even though we may never find his body, we know that he is still alive in our hearts. We stand here and give our respects to the one man who inspired us to keep fighting, to never give up even when everything seemed hopeless. The One man who wished to be Hokage more than any of us. Today we celebrate Naruto Uzumaki." Tsunade then stepped down as others came forward.
"I can't believe it has been four years since I have heard him laugh. He was always pulling pranks. I never thought for a second what life would be like without him, right Shikamaru?" said Ino as she gazed down at the grave.
"Yeah, hard to believe." Shikamaru said trying to add little emotion to his voice as he could.
"Oh here she comes, I can't believe she is the last member of the original squad 7." Ino said in a low whisper as Sakura made her way to the grave.
In Sakura's mind Oh God Naruto, why did you have to run off? Why couldn't you have just stayed with the group? You had to have known that it was a genjustu. Why, why, why did you go? Tears started to fall from her cheeks as she stared at Naruto's name written on the grave.
--Flashback--
"Hmm, I can't wait for some RAMEN. Hey Sai you will be buying right? Yes, of course you will. Now what will I order? No HOW MUCH I'm going to order. Oh God, I miss ramen." Naruto was practically shaking with glee.
"Hey, why do I have to buy, you buy it if you want it so bad. I'm not going to spend any of my money on you. You would lead me to bankruptcy. And shut up. We still could be attacked. Do you have to act like a child? When will you grow up?" Sai said, sending a glare back over to Naruto
"Hey, I'm grown up, there is just some things in this world I just don't want to be all serious and strict about. Hehehe." Naruto chuckled
"Why don't you both shut up and I'll pay, okay," yelled a furious Sakura.
"Man, to be coming home. I just can't wait. Huh, what was that?" Naruto said as he swung his head around. He stopped and listened for any trace that someone else was near by.
"What, I can't hear anything?" said Sai "And we need to keep on moving. I thought you wanted ramen."
"Yeah, come on Naruto." Sakura said encouragely.
"You guys head off without me, I think I need to go this way." Naruto said as he moved off in a different direction.
Naruto thought what is this sound. It's like a song I haven't heard in a long time. As lf I won't survive if I don't follow. Is this a genjutsu? No it can't be. I have not seen anyone and nobody has been able to sense anyone near. It can't be a Genjutsu. But why is it so inviting. I just have to follow it then. Naruto thought as he ran faster through the trees.
"Naruto wait up!!" screamed Sakura. "Sai, he is going to fast, we can't keep up."
"We have to Sakura, as long as the Akatsuki are still out there, we have to follow him. Damn, why is he running so fast. Is he under a Genjutsu?" Sai replied.
"He must be, but it has to be strong for him to completely focus on it. Its like he cant even see us." Sakura said. She was starting to worry.
Suddenly Naruto vanished in front of their very eyes. "Where did he go!" cried Sakura
"I don't know but we have to find him soon." Sai said his eyes started to worry. Come on Naruto, stop being stupid. Sai thought
As they broke through the trees they saw Naruto run of a cliff and fall into a river far below, to the jagged rocks.
"NARUTO!!!!" screamed Sakura. She went to the edge and looked over. No ripple. No movement. Nothing. "Come on Sai we have to go down and find him!" Sakura kept screaming, tears falling rapidly down her cheeks.
"Sakura, you know he couldn't have survived that fall!" Sai yelled back. He couldn't believe the words that were coming out of his mouth. Naruto can't be dead.
"We could still find a body. What the hell happened?" Sakura said still screaming. Naruto can't leave her, he just can't. They were friends. Teammates. He couldn't have abandoned her. He was supposed to be Hokage.
Five hours later, Sakura and Sai trudged back to the village. They couldn't find his body. He ran off a cliff and fell to his doom. What was everyone going to say? He didn't kill himself, but was murdered. But by whom. The Akatsuk? No they need him alive. But who else can it be? Sakura thought
Tsunade was walking out of the Hokage building when she ran into Sakura and Sai. "So how was the mission? I hope everything went according to plan." She said, her smiling soon falling from her face. "Say, where is Naruto? Is he already pigging out on ramen? I swear his stomach is a black hole." Tsunade said trying to cheer everything up.
"Lady Hokage, Naruto is not with us." Sai replied. His face was pointing down. A shinobi must never show his emotions. A shinobi must never show his emotions. Sai kept telling himself.
"Tsunade-sama, may we speak with you privately?" Sakura said, her voice shook.
Later…
"What do you mean he was murdered?!" Tsunade said.
"He ran off the cliff, but before that it was as if something was calling him. We figured he had a genjutsu on him. A pretty powerful one to." Sai replied. No one talked for a long time.
"I won't accept that answer, you will take five other shinobi to track his body down. If he is still alive I want him found and if he is not alive," Tsunade's voice shook," I at least want a burial for him. Now move!" Tsundae said, turning her back to them as she looked out the window as the others left. Oh Naruto. Oh God, not Naruto. Her body heaved as the tears fell.
--End of flashback—
Everyone had searched for over two months with no luck. Sakura had written a letter to Sasuke telling him of Naruto's death but he never showed for the memorial. He was still so consumed with finding his brother. Sakura knew he had come close but never really got a good enough chance to kill him.
A ninja suddenly appeared right next to Tsunade. He stood up and whispered into her ear.
"WHAT!!! What in hell is he doing here? Sakura, grab some shinobi and come with me. NOW!" Tsunade yelled. She than ran off.
"Sai, Shikamaru, Kakashi, Hinata, Kiba! Come with me!" Sakura yelled. Suddenly everyone was following Tsunade. When they reached the clearing, Sakura was taken back. She hadn't seen this man in over six years and suddenly here he was, standing near the entrance of the Village on the day of Naruto's memorial.
"Sasuke, what are you doing here?" Sakura asked, surprised that her voice showed almost no emotion.
"I have some information that Itachi is heading this way. I hoped to intersect him and finally kill him. To avenge my clan." Sasuke said his eyes searching. "Karin sense the area, tell me what you find."
"Yes Sasuke, ugh , this place is so drab. You know-"
"Shut up and sense!!" yelled Sasuke
"Ooh, I love it when you yell. You better watch out tonight. I might just jump you. Hehehehehe." Karin said, her voice almost sadistic.
"Naruto is dead!" Sakura shouted "And if you like it or not you will help me find the Akatsuki so I can kill them!!!"
"Just don't get in my way, and I don't care what you do." Sasuke replied, his voice unmoving.
Why doesn't he care "You might still hate him, but I know he always thought about you. He kept trying to get stronger for you." Sakura said. Sasuke was still for a moment then he went off. The other members of snake followed him. Only a few leaves flouted in the wind. Why do I feel this sudden chill go down my spine. Is this a bad omen? I hope not, I cannot take it anymore if something else bad happens. Sakura thought. Up above, the sky mirrored her thoughts.
