Disclamer: I do not own Naruto
-- A Funeral of Broken Promises --
Iruka stared at the Kyuubi with fear as his chakra fealt heavy on his body, he was able to gather his mind and finaly said something,"Naruto, please get a hold of it, I'll treat you to some ramen after this is over, what do you say?" He said with a smile.
The Kyuubi looked at him with eyes bent on killing and an uncontrolable urge to kill. He charged Iruka and disapeared behind him with a new degree of speed and swong his tail on Iruka's back, instantly snapping his spine.With a death scream, Iruka was grabbed by the throat in mid-air by the Kyuubi's claw. Iruka realized how quick it was,to change place in a matter of seconds made it look like teleportation.
"I'm sorry...Naru..to..but that ramen will...have to wait, maybe in the after...life..." He said as he tried to breath when the beast forced it claws into his throat. Feeling his skin burn from the fox's chakra, he knew his time was up.
"Do...not bla..me your...self for my death Naru...to, I'm glad to have once been your sen...sai" As Iruka spoke his final word the beast slammed his head on he ground causing a small crater with a whirlwind of dust.
"Hugh!" The Kyuubi's power was decreasing fast and his form was starting to look like Naruto."WHAT!? HOW CAN YOU SUPRESS MY POWER BRAT!?" The Kyuubi said with anger, not understanding how the feeling of loosing someone could be so strong. With a flash of red light, Naruto was himself again. He was completly crushed by the events, his eyes dried up with all the crying. All he could do was stare at Iruka's lifeless body.
"When someone loses someone close to him, the pain his stronger than anything else and the desire to save that person grows far more powerful than your evil powers you fool."
As he stared with sadness, he saw that Iruka wore a smile, a peaceful smile. Then all the memories of Sasuke and Iruka passed in his mind, then he feeled the tears coming back. He let himself drop on his knees.The clouds of fire was now gone, but the sky was reflecting Naruto's inner self as it started to rain.
The entire group of Shinobi was there in shock as they saw Sasuke's and Iruka inanimated bodies. Hinata was crying her soul out as she watched and felt Naruto's sadness. When Sakura saw Sasuke's body she quickly ran to his corpse with tears coming out from her eyes merging with the rain.Naruto felt a hand on his shoulder. He knew who it was without even looking.
"Why does fate have to be so cruel" He said with a trembling voice.
Kakashi couldn't hold his tear as his student and friend was lying down dead,"It's the way of things, this divides us into the weak and the strong, the ones who stay strong after such events, those are the true heroes."
Naruto smiled with sarcasm, "Yet it is the heroes who dies,the ones who aim for peace are the first one who are shot from their dreams."
Kakashi was shocked and touched by Naruto's words, it must be hard on him, no, he is the one who suffered the most from this, "Yes, peace is something you must fight to preserve."
"Go help Sakura-chan, I need some time alone." Naruto said as he disapeared in a cloud of smoke.
Sakura was crying so much that Tsunade, who was standing beside her and Ino, could create a lake with her tears. For the first time, a tear rolled down Shino's cheek, for the scenes were too much for even him. Everyone was at a loss of word, they didn't know what to say to the pink-haired kunoichi.She stared at the young boy's body, always repeating in her head, 'I wasn't strong enough, did Naruto do this, why, there must be something else.' She tought as she saw the eyeless corpse.
"We better go rest, we've been through alot today Sakura." Tsunade said as she cursed herself for not being able to save her friends.
"Sniff" Sakura as she weeped her eyes, "Please, we need a funeral for Sasuke, please Hokage-sama" She said as she looked straight at Tsunade, "Of course, in two days from now." She stopped as tears started to come down her eyes, "We will honor all of their sacrifices."
Sakura's eyes widened as she saw for the first time her sensai cry, the first time she looked so vulnerable. She knew she lost someone important to her in the past days.
Two days has passed since the tragedy. The rain didn't stop since the battle, all of the chuunins were at home mourning the loss, Sakura didn't want to see anybody. The same goes for Naruto who has been left with an painful fresh scar to the heart. Tsunade and Anbu ninjas were busy preparing the funeral. She was still crying as she saw people starting to gather. All of Konoha and the shinobi was gathering at a quick pace, in a matter of minutes, everybody was there waiting for the announcement of the Fifth Hokage.
She wept her tears and looked at all the brave shinobi who fought for their home. "Since the foundation of Konoha, there always been sacrifices. People who fought for peace, who fought to protect their dreams, who fought to protect the ones they loved. They gave it their all to keep the flames of the Leaf from fading away." She stopped as tears were gathering quickly in her eyes, "But the world has sick ways of getting rid of the true heroes, even though some of them were missing-nin, their tale will live on as long as the Leaf stands. And thanks to their sacrifices, Konoha has becomed stronger!"She said as she look to the Third's face on the mountain, the only face that hasn't been damaged by the Kyuubi.
Naruto was standing there wich reminded him of when the Third died. It was Iruka that cheered him up, but now it was him they were mourning, 'Kinda sick twist of fate, heh.' He thought. Hinata was standing beside him, shedding tears for Naruto. She didn't know what to say, even less then before, but this time was different, it was from pain.Naruto stared at the ground as tears made their way to the wet ground. Suddenly, his eyes widened as he saw two arms around his body, he turned his face to see Hinata crying, her face on his back. Words were useless right now, he could only hold Hinata's hands closer to him.
Tsunade continued her speech, "Today will be known as the Day of Remembrance, a celebration for the shinobies that died protecting the dreams of peace they had. May they find true peace on the other side" She said lowering her voice and looking at the gray-clouded sky, "I hope you found it, Jiraya. " She said with a low voice that nobody heard. As she gazed at the sky, she was suprised to see that one cloud looked like a toad."Now its time to give your farewell." She said looking with guilt at the three coffins.
After everyone said their prayers to the heroes, they slowly started to walk away to their home.
One week after...
Naruto was sitting on the the Third's nose on the mountain. He hated himself for letting the Kyuubi control him, which led to Iruka's death. He couldn't bring himself to eat at Ichiraku's Ramen shop for the loss of his teacher and the memories of all the time he spend with Iruka there was to much for him to bear. In the last week he was deep in thought about what to do. Madara had to pay, but he knew he wasn't strong enough to face him, then it clicked, he had to leave the village to find a way to seal the Kyuubi's power before it took control. With determination all over his face, he stood up, looking at Konoha still being repared, "I will come back, stronger than before, and I will protect the ones I loved to the very last!"
"FOOL, YOU CANNOT COMPLETLY SEAL ME!" The Kyuubi growled in anger.
"I will find a way, a way to make peace stay, a world without sacrifice!" Naruto replied clenching his fist in front of his face.
"THE MOST POWERFUL SHINOBIE COULDN'T EVEN SEAL ME PROPERLY AND YOU THINK YOU CAN? PEACE IS MEANT TO BE BROKEN, IT'S THE LAWS OF GOOD AND EVIL,
EVEN I CAN'T CONTROL THAT!"
Naruto smiled as he continues to stare at the land he loved, "I will find a way, you'll see."
"FOOL." Was the only thing the fox could say, suprised by his childish ideas.
The idealistic ninja was too focused to feel the prescence of someone that was standing near the cliff eavesdropping.. She only whispered, "Naruto-kun...".
As the night fell, a lone shinobie was looking a last time at the rebuilt Konoha from the top of his house. With his backpack on him, he decided to go see the monument one last time, for no one knew he was leaving.
Before the monuments, Naruto was looking at the names of his friends that was carved on the stone as he tought of all the good times with them, "Iruka." He said with sadness and a tint of happiness, "You were the first adult who never treated me as a demon, ever with your last breath, you never feared me, you taught me how to live and for that I thank you."
He put is pointing finger on another name, "Ero-sennin, you made Tsunade-sama angry, you know. You could' ve at least telled her you love her." He said with a small smile. "You were a great sensei you know, I don't know what I would've done without the Rasengan, it saved my life more than once. I hope that you can rest in peace now."
He then stared at the third name, Sasuke. Small tears was being cried by him, is face changed to a serious look with a shade of anger, "I'm sorry that I couldn't save you." His face suddenly turned into a smiling one. "You would probably punch me in the face saying "you're an annoyance" if I continue to say that. But I was glad to have met you, brother." With an expressiion of anger he looked at his open palm, "Madara will pay, even if I must sacrifices myself!" As his said that, his fist closed quickly.
With a few seconds of thoughts, he made his way to the gates, but before the monument was out of view he stopped, waving his hand to his lost friends.
As he continue to walk, he made his way to the villages gates. His eyes widened when he saw a dark figure standing in front of him.
"Who's there?" He said with a frown on his face. He suddenly stopped when he saw the person, "Hinata?"
She was standing there with tears on her face, "N-Naruto-kun." She said while staring at the ground.
"How did you know?" The suprised nija said with a confused look.
Hinata puts he hands to her chest "I-I heard, f-for the k-k-kyuubi too."
In suprise he looked at the ground,"So, you know.You probably hate now." Is eyes wide in shock when he realized ta she was holding him, her face on his chest.
"No, y-you're still Naruto, its not your fault." The shy kunoichie said without realizing that her anxiety she felt when Naruto was close was gone.
"I'm the one who killed Iruka you know!" He said, because no one knew what happened that night, except for Kakashi and Tsunade.She looked at him with agony now that she understand much more on how Naruto feels. To be forced to kill his friend, a normal person wouldn't have been able to surpass that pain. She put her head on Naruto's chest once again.
"I'm sorry." She said with grief, "But you are still the Naruto that we all know, the brave shinobi who has put his life on the line countless time to protect those he love." He heart started pumpimg quicker and quicker as she was felt 'now is the time.'
"Your still the same Naruto, the one I...I..." She now had trouble to breathe, "I..I." She muttered. Naruto started to see Hinata shake." Are you alright"." He said with a look of concerned. He looked at the sky to see that he hasn't much time left before the guards returned to their post, "Sorry Hinata, I need to go, take care." He said as he moved around Hinata and started to walk out the village. He stop as he he heard Hinata saying something, he turned around to see he was face to face. "Did you say something Hinata." She looked at him with tears.
"I...I...I lo-love you.." Naruto was shocked beyond belief as he heards those simple words. For the first time in his life, someone loved him for what he was and she knew of the Kyuubi. He then clicked as why Hinata was always shy with him. Hinata was suprised to see Naruto walking near her, with a smile. She feared to be rejected by her long time crush. Her face went red when his hand touche her left cheeks.
"For how long?" He said, still wearing his smile, while he realised that she was always there for him. He felt butterflies in his stomach as he realized how beautiful she was under the moon's light.
Still red faced, Hinata stared in Naruto's eyes, "S-Since the a-acadamy."
With a suprised face he said, "Whoa! I'm sorry not to have noticed before." He said while thinking how stupid he was. A sound made Naruto look past Hinata, seeing a guard coming this way. It didn't seem to know there were there. He the gave a heartfelt hug to the girl, "I'm sorry, but I need to go, I'll be back." He said as he vanished in a puff of smoke, "A shadow clone." Hinata said looking down as she felt rejected. Then she smiled as she saw something written on the dirt. "I love you too" was written, carved with the nose of Naruto's feet.
Hinata turned around when she heard the guards voice, "Hinata-chan, you should be in bed right now, I don't think your father would like this." He looked around a while, "And why are you here."
A smile came to her face as she replied, "J-Just enjoing the warmth of the night."
In a dark place, two figures stands there, staring at a mysterious pot.
"So the fox has left Konoha, now is a perfect chance, Ayoma." One of the man said
"Yes, go inform him of this, Kabuto, or should I say Orochimaru."
Another figure appeared next to them, "We are not ready yet, but don't worry, my spy I have in Konoha will weaken them from the inside until we are ready."
He removed his hood to reveal an old mans face with white bandage covering its right eye, "Right now, Uchiha Madara is our biggest concern."
So thats it for the second chapter. And don't forget to review.
I will surely do a time skip and introduce what happened during the time he was away as flashbacks.
