Childhood
CHAPTER 9
"mi…Naomi," someone called out gently. She opened her eyes slowly and groaned as the sunlight flooded her eyes.
"Naomi." She sat up slowly and saw that she was in her room again and her grandfather was standing next to her bed. "Get up, lazy," he said with a smile. Naomi yawned and glared at him playfully. She sat up with much difficulty and when she tried to stand she couldn't find the strength.
"I-I can't stand up," she said. She winced at the fear she heard in her own voice. She felt his hands grab hers and pull her up.
"Thank you." Her eyes widened in shock when she saw Gaara instead of her grandfather, but as soon as she blinked he was gone. She looked around and saw that now she was in a field and her grandfather was standing in front of her.
"Grandpa?" He turned to her and she gasped when she saw every deceased Hokage's standing next to him, sad smiles flickering on their lips.
"What's going on?"
"Naomi," he started, "I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry, Naomi," he said sadly as he kissed her forehead gently. He turned around and she tried to reach out to grab his cloak as it fluttered past her hand, but her body wouldn't listen to her. She stood there, frozen, as her grandfather walked into the Shinigami's arms.
"Grandpa?!" Naomi shot up from her bed and fell back with a groan. It was dark, but she could still see that she was in a bed. After the nausea passed she sat up and pushed the blanket off herself. She winced when she felt her muscles protest against the sudden movement.
"I see you're awake," said a stranger. Naomi jumped off the bed and reached for her kunai pouch, but found that it was gone.
"Who are you?" she asked quietly. A lamp was lit and she hissed when the light hit her eyes. She blinked her eyes several times and waited for them to adjust.
"Where am I?" she demanded.
"I don't think you are in the position to ask questions." She glared at him, but when he stepped into the light she gasped. She desperately tried to remember his name, but only drew a blank.
"I know you," she said confusion lacing her voice.
"You should. I rescued you, twice," he said amused. She stared at his face and gasped.
"What's your name?" I asked shyly. The man that had saved me took off his mask and I saw that he was just a few years older than me.
"It's Ka-.
"Ka…Kabuto!" She ran up to him and wrapped her arms around him. His eyes widened in shock. He was not expecting that kind of reaction. Awkwardly he wrapped his own arms around her small form. She pulled back quickly and blushed. Kabuto grabbed her arms and held her in front of him. She blushed when she saw his gaze move up and down her body. She blushed even brighter when she saw that she was only wearing her underwear and bandages.
"Do they hurt?" he asked suddenly. She stared at him in confusion, but then understood when she felt him touch the scars on her hands and arms.
"Sometimes," she said sadly. She saw his hands glow a gentle green as they ran over her skin. It stung and she violently jerked her hands from his. She stumbled backwards and held her shaking hands.
"What was that for?!" she shrieked. It had hurt as much as the attacks she had gotten in the past few days.
"It seems the seal is still there," he said out loud.
"What seal?"
"That one." He pointed to her chest and she felt her heart grip in fear. Her hands moved to her chest and she could feel the faint beating of her heart.
"What are you talking about?" she whispered.
"When he was around it always hurt didn't it," he said. It wasn't a question it was a statement. "Whenever he felt anger it would hurt the most. When you were around him it would hurt because of that seal." Kabuto could see the wheels turning in her head as she thought back. "This seal connects you two to each other."
She jumped blindly through the trees trying desperately to get back to her village. To get back to the kind grandfather she knew who would be waiting for her. She stumbled and she landed painfully on a branch below her. She winced when she stood up and leaned on her injured leg. She stared down at her body and grimaced. It would be too suspicious to come back hours after the war has ended so Kabuto had injured her greatly. Most of the blood had stopped flowing from open cuts and gashes and had left ugly red scabs on her skin. She felt familiar chakra signatures coming her way and she sat back down on the branch tiredly.
"Naomi!" She looked up and smiled weakly at
The gates that protected the village had large holes in it and buildings were crumbling or struggling to stay up. Various ninjas were still running around the village helping the villagers carry their loved ones to the grave. The names of the ninjas were quickly jotted down on a scroll and quickly forgotten by the ninjas. The weather depressed her even more. Dark storm clouds hung over the village and it seemed like at any moment it would burst open and flood the village in grief and sorrow
'Why?' Suddenly something dark erupted. She didn't remember what she did or what happened, but when she came to she was in her room. Tears were running down her face and the broken pieces of her bracelet were stabbed into her bleeding wrist. Her door was thrown open and Konohamaru launched himself into her arms.
"Naomi!" he cried as he hugged her tightly. She winced in pain and he quickly pulled back.
"You're bleeding?!" he cried as he gently held her wrist.
"Konohamaru, why do these things always happen to us?" He didn't answer and began to pull out the broken pieces of metal from her wrist. She quietly observed him and saw that his body was shaking when he had put the last piece away she hugged him tightly.
"I'm sorry," she whispered sadly. Konohamaru began to wail and Naomi's hold on him tightened as he cried into her shoulder.
"Grandpa died!" Even though she knew he had passed on she didn't want to believe it.
"I know," she said as she continued to calm her distraught brother. Tears silently rolled down her cheeks and fell on his back. Soon his even breaths were the only sounds she could hear. She picked him up and gently set him on the bed. As she stood up Konohamaru grabbed the hem of her shirt.
"Don't leave me," he cried unconsciously after saying that he let go.
"I would never leave you," Naomi said. She kissed his forehead and fell asleep next to him.
The next morning the sky was dark with clouds that seemed so heavy, but not one drop of rain fell. Naomi silently changed into a black kimono for the Hokage's funeral and as soon as she was done she walked out to meet Konohamaru. The village was eerily quiet as they made their way to the wake in silence. Many people were already waiting for the funeral to start. Only the ninjas had gathered for the funeral and all of them just stood there. No one cried and Naomi wanted to scream, yell, and cry at them for not protecting him. She had lost her grandfather and it hurt so much. Her grip on Konohamaru's hand tightened and he squeezed back in reassurance. She smiled sadly behind her mask as they walked to the front. She could feel the curious stares aimed at her as she walked to the front. She stood next to Naruto, but they did not greet each other. Underneath the monuments of the past Hokage's was a picture of her grandfather along with pictures of other ninjas that had died fighting to protect Konoha. Everyone stood in silence to mourn the death of the Fourth Hokage and one by one rain fell as if the world wanted the tears the ninjas couldn't.
"The funeral for the Third Hokage who lost his life in this battle as well as the other ninjas, who gave their lives, will begin now." The bells rang to signal the beginning and one by one genin's, Chuunin's, Jounin's and other ninjas placed a single white flower in front of his picture. Konohamaru began to cry into his hand and Naomi felt helpless. What could she say when she was hurting just as much as he was. Iruka bent down and placed his hand on Konohamaru's shoulder and hugged him. She took a glance up at the sky as the rain began to fall. Rain fell onto her face and a few tears soaked into her mask. She walked behind Naruto and when she was standing in front of his picture she held the carnation to her heart before setting it down. Naomi went back and stood next to Naruto again.
'Why?" Naomi stared at Naruto as he repeated the question she had been asking herself.
"Why do people risk their lives for others?"
"When one person dies…he disappears along with his past, present and future. Many people die in missions and wars. They die easily and in surprisingly easy ways. Hayate was one of them. Those who die have goals and dreams, but everyone has something as important as those. Parents, siblings, friends, lovers…people who are important to you; they trust and help each other. The bond between the people important to you ever since birth and the strings that bind them becomes thicker and stronger as time goes by. It's beyond reason. Those bound to you by that string will do that because it's important…"
'I think I understand, somewhat, but, it still hurts when someone dies."
"Yes, it does hurt," Naomi whispered quietly. She placed her hand to her heart and bowed her head as a lone tear fell to the ground.