Disclaimer: The sound of a thousand birds tore through the air. I own Naruto. (Sasuke: CHIDORI!) Just kidding. Of course I don't. Chibi grabs Sasuke's wrist and throws him from the balcony. The attack burns off some trees in the garden.
A/N: YOU'LL HAVE TO REPLANT THOSE TREES, TEMEE! Chibi sighs. What is it with that boy and destroying property? Whatever.
Anyway, I hope this chapter finds you well. Please, read and review!
Filling the Void
Chapter 10: Sacrifice
"Oh, you're back," Tazuna greeted them.
The bruised, dirty and worn-out boys finally entered the house.
"Hehe… Both of us made it to the top…"
Though he was obviously exhausted, Naruto's smile still shone with such brilliance.
"Dobe… Training until he can't even walk…" Sasuke mumbled, supporting the weight of his teammate.
Kakashi was grinning happily under his mask, taking note of the barely-there blush of the Uchiha.
Ah, young love…
He shook his head wildly when he realized he sounded exactly like his self-proclaimed rival. He shuddered. The mere thought of screaming things about flames of youth at the top of his lungs while doing the weirdest poses was enough to make him blanch in fear.
But horrid thoughts aside, he was glad that the atmosphere of camaraderie was slowly permeating his team. Individually, they were strong in their own ways; but if they learned how to work together, they would surely become a force to be reckoned with.
However, at this point in time, their teamwork just plain sucked.
Granted, they showed good cooperation skills under pressure, but to wait for such situations was like having a death wish.
Sasuke deposited the blond next to their teacher with utmost care without looking concerned. He sat himself across Naruto.
He's so obvious…
The jounin smirked knowingly, remembering what transpired in the pair's training session earlier.
Sasuke and Naruto decided to take a break.
"Phew!" Naruto huffed, letting himself fall backwards on the soft green grass.
Sasuke settled beside him, silent as ever.
Typical.
The jounin waited patiently for something to happen. He knew some entertainment was just around the corner. He had learned to trust his instincts after all those years of depending on them in various missions. His senses tingled in anticipation.
"Naruto."
"Eh?"
A little bit of hesitation and a full minute of silence.
"Temee. If you're not gonna say anything important, stop bothering me… I'm trying to rest here…"
"You were trying to see Kakashi-sensei's face…" He referred to the incident way back on their first day at Tazuna's house.
I'm still bothering him, I see… Heehee!
Of course, Sasuke knew that wasn't the case. Naruto had already seen the jounin's face a couple of days before they got this mission (he failed to remember that particular fact in his bout of jealousy that day). He had to fake it, though. As far as Naruto was concerned, there was no awareness regarding his sneaking around.
"Hehe…" Naruto smirked, "I'll bet you'd want to see his face, too… But no, I was aiming for something else…"
Sasuke cocked an eyebrow.
Not one to stay silent, Naruto continued, "I was planning on drawing stuff on his face using this." He held up a permanent marker from his sleeve. It was a mystery why he even brought something like that wherever he went.
Kakashi was slightly taken aback. It was a good thing he had woken up at the precise moment the prankster decided to do that… It wouldn't do for his other students to see his face; much less him coming home to Iruka with whatever monstrosity Naruto would've drawn on him. Iruka would never let him live it down.
That brat…
"You've seen it?" Sasuke slowly fished for information.
Naruto was too beat to notice Sasuke was acting slightly out of character.
Naruto wore an 'I-know-something-you-don't' fox grin. "Yup!"
"And?"
Naruto remembered the circumstance in which he was allowed to see his sensei's face. He was honored by the trust he was shown. And he intended to keep his word, as his Nindo dictated. His grin softened into a fond smile at the memory.
Sasuke frowned at this.
Naruto's grin went back up. Then he blew a raspberry.
"As if I'll ever tell you!" The blond heartily laughed at the weird expression on the other's face.
Kakashi was silently laughing with his student. The Uchiha's twitch was getting out of hand.
Teehee! He probably got the wrong idea again…
"Hn," Sasuke clearly felt affronted. He stood and went back to his training. Noticing this, Naruto followed suit.
"Oi, Sasuke! Chotto matte! I can't let you reach the top before I do!"
And so they trained, the diligent genin that they were. It was about seven when they finally finished. The moon was already out, but it wasn't sufficient for reading. Kakashi kept his newly-bought volume of Icha Icha Violence in one of his many hidden pockets.
"Time to go back?" Sasuke asked, even though he knew the answer. Their labor had brought them nice fruits. They had both reached their goal.
"Yeah!" his companion replied enthusiastically. However, he collapsed as soon as he took his first step.
"Hehehe…" he tried to get up. 'Tried' being the key word.
Sasuke sighed, but the watchful sensei knew that the broody teen was probably rejoicing inwardly.
"You really are an idiot."
Naruto opened his mouth to protest, but the words died before they even came out. Sasuke had hoisted him to his uncooperative feet and put the blond's arm over his shoulder.
"Temee."
Naruto smiled and turned his face away, concealing his eyes in the shadows of his bangs.
Sasuke kept his eyes on the pathways, a slight twitch of his own lips and a pink tint the only indication of him seeing the smile.
"Alright… Starting tomorrow, you two will also help protect Tazuna-san."
"OKAY!"
"Heh, I'm also worn out from work today… At any rate, the bridge is almost complete," Tazuna said.
Tsunami had just finished making dinner. She brought it in just in time to see Naruto slump on the table and fall asleep almost immediately.
"Naruto-kun, Father, don't overdo it, okay?" She smiled warmly.
Inari abruptly stood, his whole body shaking. Naruto woke up at the sudden motion, only to see the kid crying.
"What?"
"Why do you guys bother to try so hard? No matter how hard you train, you're still no match for Gatou's men! Because no matter what glorious claims you make or how hard you work when facing the strong, the weak will only get killed!"
Nobody said anything at the outburst. Save for one.
"Whatever, kid… I'm not like you."
"I'D HATE TO BE LIKE YOU!"
Kakashi did not like where this was going.
"What the hell do you know about me? I'm different from you! You're always clowning around, acting cheerful! You don't know how hard life can be!"
The jounin glanced at Naruto. He was sure something had snapped within the boy.
The reply was eerily calm.
"So it's okay for you to pose as the star of a tragedy and cry all day?"
Everyone was stunned. They had never heard him speak with such animosity.
"Just keep on crying, you idiot! You little sissy!"
The harshness in his voice was too much for Sakura to bear. Her fist hit the table as she stood.
"Naruto! You've said enough!"
For once, the blond ignored her and found the strength to stand and walk away by himself.
Sasuke frowned. Sakura moved to follow Naruto.
"Just leave him be, Sakura." Kakashi ordered. You wouldn't understand…
'Tousan…
Even if three years had passed, he still couldn't get over the pain and loneliness: the emptiness in his heart. He still felt numb. The loss of his father put out the flames of his being a little more each day. Everything he had come to believe, everything he held closest to his heart was ripped off from his hands just like that.
And he couldn't do anything about it.
A wave of anguish engulfed him and his tears fell freely. His hero was gone. Kaiza was never coming back. The bitterness of it all pushed him to bury all his principles with his deceased father. And now, he refused to believe in them again. The pain was too fresh: the wounds too deep for any healing.
Damn that Naruto! Why does he have to be so much like him?
The blond's presence didn't help matters any. Every time he saw the ninja, a part of him yearned for what he had lost. And it hurt too damned much to know he'll never get it back.
"Can I join you?"
Inari turned to find the gray-haired man looking down at him solemnly. Kakashi sat beside him on the dock, listening to the sounds of the water below them before speaking.
"Naruto didn't mean any harm by what he said."
The boy had stopped crying and had wiped his tears away.
The jounin chuckled, "Sometimes, he just doesn't use his head…"
Then he continued in a more serious tone. "Tazuna-san told us about your dad, and like you, Naruto also grew up without a father."
That certainly got his attention. Inari said nothing and just listened attentively.
"Actually, he's never known his parents and he's never had a single friend… The truth is, he's had a rougher past than you."
"Huh?" he couldn't imagine that. The loud genin was always annoyingly cheerful.
"But I've never seen him cry or complain about it, not even once. He's always trying his best for everyone to acknowledge him, and he'd risk his life anytime for that dream… He's probably sick and tired of crying."
The wind blew the clouds away as the crescent moon shone down on them.
"He knows what it really means to be strong, just like your father. And Naruto probably understands your feelings better than anyone else."
Inari blinked.
"What?"
He assumed the masked nin smiled at him. "He doesn't seem to be able to not be concerned about you."
"KYAAAAA!"
Inari ran as fast as he could to the sound of his mother's scream.
"'KAASAN!"
His voice caught the attention of the two swordsmen.
"Don't come, Inari! Run away!" Tsunami desperately called out to her son.
The eye-patched thug considered taking him as a hostage. The other one shot it down, saying they only needed one. The former thirsted for blood.
"Should I kill him?"
"Wait! If you touch that child, I'll bite my tongue and kill myself!" the desire to keep her son safe overruled her fear.
"You want a hostage, right?" she defiantly glared at them.
The pair of ruffians sneered at the boy.
"Heh… Thank your mom, kid."
He slumped on the floor, shaking. He was afraid: for his mom, for his grandpa, for himself.
Mom… I'm sorry…
Sobs wracked his frame as hopelessness wrapped its wretched cloak around him.
I'm so sorry… I'm too weak to protect you…
He wound his arms around himself to ward off the coldness creeping in his heart.
I don't want to die…
His tears traced paths on his face and dripped on his trembling hand.
You little sissy!
He's probably sick and tired of crying.
He knows what it really means to be strong, just like your father.
The whispers in his mind grew louder.
Naruto… Kakashi-sensei…
If it's truly precious, even if you lose your life…
You must protect it with those two hands...
Dad…
They're all so incredible…
Kakashi, Sasuke and Sakura came to his mind.
So cool…
His mom and grandpa smiled at him.
So strong…
The determined faces of Naruto and Kaiza came into view.
Inari stood, his resolve strengthening.
Will I also become strong… Dad?
He caught up with them.
"WAIT!"
I can…
"GET AWAY FROM MY MOM!"
I CAN!
He ran straight to his mother's captors, a foolhardy yet brave attempt.
"Cut him," the swordsman ordered.
"Sure…" the other replied.
Dread swam in Tsunami's heart. "INARI!"
I won't run away!
He closed his eyes, waiting for the blade to cut right through him. He never felt it though.
"Sorry for being late, but the hero usually shows up at the last second…"
"Hey! I came to save you!"
Sasuke's heart hammered in his chest, the sound of the voice was too close for his liking.
Naruto! You're supposed to be outside!
His fear made him lash out, "Usuratonkachi! You're a shinobi: use your head, dammit! You know what? I don't care anymore! You're such an idiot!"
Naruto looked hurt for a second before he yelled back.
"What did you say? I came to save you, and this is what I get?"
Haku entered one of the mirrors, effectively grabbing the attention of both shinobis.
Sasuke followed the enemy's movements with his wary eyes.
Okay, so there's the real one…
"Over here," Haku called out to him.
Sasuke was stunned. He moved?
His genius mind worked overtime as he came up with the most logical solution.
Then I'll just destroy all the mirrors!
"KATON: GOUKKAKYUU NO JUTSU!"
A blast of fire erupted from Sasuke's mouth, and the flames licked at the ice mirrors.
"You can't melt this ice with that level of fire."
Damn…
Haku retaliated, senbon needles slashing at them. They cried out, the sheer force of the attack driving them back to the middle of the prison.
Naruto seemed to have the same thought process as his teammate, as he raised his hands into a familiar seal. But right now, Sasuke knew better.
"Naruto, don't!"
But it was too late. Shadow replications attacked each mirror, only to face their impending doom.
Such was the power of Haku's bloodline limit.
"I DON'T CARE!" Naruto burst out, "SO WHAT IF YOU HAVE A BLOODLINE LIMIT?"
He continued, determination shining in his eyes, "I can't die here… I have a dream I must fulfill…"
I'm going to be Hokage…
Their masked adversary spoke.
"It's not easy for me to become a shinobi… I don't want us to kill each other… However, if you come at me, I can destroy my kind heart and become a true shinobi. We fight now on this bridge to connect our dreams… Me, for my dream; and you for yours."
And with that, Haku charged mercilessly. He didn't spare them any more chances and attacked the vital areas.
Sasuke stood and glanced at his fallen teammate.
I have to do something!
He could see it—the battle—in a whole new light; the way each strike came more slowly than the last, the way his eyes could follow every miniscule movement. He still got hit, but those instances lessened as time passed.
Just a little more…
"I see… You also have that bloodline limit... This only means that I have to finish this fast… If your eyes are going to catch me, then…" His gaze flicked to Naruto.
I'll use the other kid to get him…
"THIS IS THE END!"
Sasuke readied himself for the coming onslaught, but something was amiss. The enemy's trajectory was way off-course. He followed the movement and found, horrified, that the finishing blow was meant for…
Naruto!
His body pushed itself to the limit as he moved to protect the other boy. He heard his heart thumping in irregular pulses in his ears, the dread settling at the pit of his stomach.
Please... please let me make it in time…
It seemed the heavens heard his call, as he felt his fist connect with another body. He barely registered the pain inflicted by the needles through his neck, arms and legs.
It wasn't long before Naruto came to. Sasuke decided a greeting was in order.
"All you ever do is get in the way…"
"Sasuke! You—"
Blue eyes widened, terrified at the gruesome sight. Sasuke was there with all those senbon embedded in his body… Senbon that were meant for him…
The black-haired genin smiled morosely, "What's with that face, you moron?..."
That expression doesn't belong there…
Naruto looked confused, hurt… As though his emotional stability was in a precarious balance, ready to tip any which way. As though the fragments of his being would fall apart at the slightest breeze.
"Why?"
How can a simple question sound so complicated?
"I hated you…"
I hated you then… But now…
"Why? Why me? I never asked for your help!"
But now…
Sasuke, drained of his strength, finally collapsed. Naruto gathered him into his arms.
"I don't know…"
I…
"My body moved on its own, Idiot…"
I know for sure…
"That man… My brother…"
For me to give this up for you…
"I told myself I wouldn't die until I killed him…"
I care too much about you…
"Don't die."
Naruto…
Sasuke felt his vision dim, his remaining senses following suit. The pain slowly melted away, replaced by a numbness that crept its way into him. A numbness that never reached his heart; there where that warm, bittersweet feeling resided. A hand cupped his face, an arm pulled him in an embrace.
He opened his eyes one last time. Though blurry, he saw an angel crying. Its blue eyes so sad, shedding tears for him…
It was but a fleeting moment, and everything was no more.
A/N: Whew! Finally had this up… Please don't kill me… I know this isn't much of an update, but this is all I can shell out for now… I barely have time to write nowadays… Schoolwork and more schoolwork… And did I mention schoolwork? But don't worry, I'll never leave this baby unfinished. Anyways, replies to my dear reviewers are below…
Replies:
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demon-flying: Chibi also tackles, hugs and clings. Thank you! I'm glad you liked it! Here's more, but the last part was kinda angsty…
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