Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto

Note: For my continuing readers, the word 'ojuzu' was changed to 'nenju' in this chapter. Feel free to read the author's note at the end for explanation.

His last full day at the monastery has finally arrived. Surveying the land, a sense of satisfaction exists in knowing all the hard work funneled into reconstruction has resulted in a giant step in the right direction. The buildings now stand tall, and the garden is in brimming with life again. Still, a part of Sasuke knows that erasing the physical traces of battle are far easier than mending the mental ones. Before anyone can truly move forward, it's necessary to address the deep rooted sorrow. For Sasuke himself, the hardest thing in facing loss, was the healing of his mind and psyche, and now that reparations are behind them, he hopes those affected can now work in getting through their personal aftermaths and make peace with things.

As soon as he sees a familiar form approaching, he quickly puts his thoughts to rest. It's time to put the finishing touches on the few things left to do and prepare for tonight's service.

"Uchiha-san?" Bhanti inquires.

"Hn?"

The monk smiles at his response and together they walk back toward the temple.

"We will soon bury the urns and finally put the dead to rest. On behalf of everyone, I want to personally thank you for your helping hand in handling things after the battle."

Sasuke says nothing but acknowledges him with a nod.

"We are deeply honored the Seventh Hokage will be joining us tonight for the mass burial. The battle has taken its toll and the time has come for all of us to reflect and heal."

Heal. Sasuke pauses for a moment as the word silently rests between them. Then, as if reading Sasuke's thoughts, Bhanti turns to him and puts his hands together in his nenju as he bows. Calm radiates off the monk in soothing waves, and as Sasuke stands before him, something in Bhanti's peacefulness reassures him things really are moving to a better place. The Uchiha inclines his head, and observes him from the corner of his eye. The man standing before him is so different from the shell-shocked, frightened monk of just a few days ago. It's surprising, but it's definitely good to see.

"I've been told the Seventh and Hinata-sama will both be attending the funeral and they are looking forward to coming to see what progress young Boruto is making. I'm sure they'll be delighted to see he's nearly healed and back to his old self. In fact, I think he's now well enough to head home with them."

Sasuke wears a mask of calm, but at the mere mention of Boruto's name, his mood abruptly plummets. The real Boruto still has a ways to go, and it will always hurt to be reminded of this. Bhanti is unaware, but news of Naruto's plan to visit was already shared with Sasuke yesterday via a messenger bird. To everyone's relief, emergent hospital work has slowed, and he knows Sakura is heading over to the the Special Forces Clinic to check on the blond genin. Naruto's clone will be coming to the monastery so he can be there for Shinto and the Shin Clones and to catch Sasuke up on the latest. The real Boruto is now awake more than asleep and his headaches are subsiding but they have still haven't completely gone away. The young Uzumaki's been frustrated with his progress, but Ino reports he's right where he should be. He just needs to take it slow.

Boruto's state has been hard for everyone to accept, and even more so, to keep secret, but for his safety, it's important the rest of the world believes he's well. On the bright side, Mitsuki's managed a convincing job of playing the role of a recovered Boruto, and so far things have still remained quiet with no signs of ill plans to take or harm the Hokage's son. Mitsuki occasionally displays tiny quirks that don't quite match his teammate's persona, but Sarada has subtly corrected them when others haven't been around, and laughed them off as ramifications of the concussion when others have.

Sasuke notices other monks milling around nearby, waiting for a chance to speak with Bhanti, so he easily changes the topic and inquires: "Is there anything else that you need help with before the services?"

Bhanti smiles and nods. "Do you think you can assist with a few things necessary to complete the outdoor altar?"

"Lead the way," the raven-haired responds.

The heat is starting to subside and while making final inspections on the outdoor altar and lending a hand with the incense burners, Sasuke casually observes the monks tending to their duties. The calm that surrounds them is comforting and he finds himself relaxing with the gentle understanding that exists here. Sasuke's traveled far and wide and yet he will readily admit, this feeling is something he's never quite experienced before. He knows death and destruction are never easy to stomach, and yet somehow the monks here appear to have made peace with it all. To his surprise, it's not an act to repress and bury their true feelings, something nin often resort to, but they genuinely seem to have accepted things and moved past it. He's not jealous per se, just curious as to how they have so easily managed to overcome the unbearable sadness that so often lingers with such a tragedy. Deep down, there's a secret part of him that even dares to wonder if Bhanti and his fellow monks hold a special gift that may be useful in helping to restore the mental welfare of the masses. It took him a lifetime to heal from this sort of thing, and because closure is necessary, it would be quite a discovery if he's stumbled across an easier way to get through and cope.

By six o'clock in the evening, everything at the monastery is ready, and as expected, just before seven, Shin Clones from the Orphanage solemnly trudge onto the grounds. As they mill around the courtyard, Sarada can't help but notice how the inky black garments worn by the mourners, reflect the mood. At the top of the hour, a gong resounds throughout the air, signifying the start of the service. Gradually the crowd settles in and sits in seiza position before the altar. Mimicking the monks, all heads are bowed, and Sarada nestles her hands together in her nenju.

It's been ingrained in his upbringing: A ninja is not supposed to cry and should never reveal his inner emotion, so Shinto and his brethren wear a mask of indifference. None are strangers to death. They were bred and raised to die for Shin after all, but never before have they been so attached to those who have passed on, and perhaps because of this, the foreign sense of sadness they feel, is overwhelming. Shinto desperately wants to avoid a breakdown in public, so he focuses on the rhythm of the chanting voices and the rise and fall of his own breaths. The distraction by no means allows him to forget his sorrows, but strangely, the pain ebbs for just a bit, and for a briefest of moments, he absorbs the sense of calm and quiet peace that surrounds him.

Behind him, Sarada happily sits beside her father, and 'Boruto' for once wears a smile as he's sandwiched between Uzumaki-san and the Seventh. Secretly henged, Mitsuki revels in this momentous occasion. He's always wondered what it would be like to be a part of a real family. The Seventh has often warmly greeted him and made him feel welcome, but today he feels extra special as he plays the role of the Hokage's son. Mitsuki loves how The Seventh ruffles his hair and asks him how he is doing, taking time to really hear him out. The love the Hokage exudes is genuine, and Mitsuki can't help but think how lucky Boruto is. He wonders what it would be like to be a part of this wonderful family, and knows in his heart, it must be amazing.

Once the chanting draws to a close, a reading of a sutra is made toward the urns, and Bhanti rises to address the audience. All eyes then shift to the monk.

"On this twentieth day of the month, we gather here to pay our respects and remember our dear loved ones. As we solemnly reflect, there is no doubt, our lives are forever changed for having known them." He pauses as murmurs of "Na Man Da," fill the air. Once the mantra subsides, he bows deeply to the audience and continues. "On behalf of myself and my brethren, we send our deepest condolences to each one of you. I know with certainty, each friend and comrade we remember today will be dearly missed." Sniffles are repressed but the silent tears are felt. "I realize, we will each have our own personal way of remembering those who have passed on, and not everyone here is Buddhist, but I am very honored to have been allowed to follow our traditions and bestow Buddhist names to each of your comrades. My sincerest thanks to Shinto, your agreement to go forth with this ritual has meant a lot to me and brought peace to my heart. For those who are unaware, this tradition is undertaken to recognize our dearly departed's ascension into the world of the Pure Land. Once our time on Earth has expired, we believe beings ascend into the Pure Land, an infinite world of peace and happiness. Each name given is carefully chosen to reflect their spirit as they take this momentous journey into the next realm. Thank you Shinto for enlightening me about their lives during the time they existed in this world. I hope each of you find the Buddhist names selected are suitable for your beloved as we reflect on who they were and the spirit they've now become. I know we all thank them for what they've given back to us and for all they leave in their legacy."

As Shinto's attention drifts, his mind wanders to Kai, and though comforting words about the freedom from suffering and rebirth into the Pure Land are shared, he can't help but feel sad. Kai was a true friend, and though they had their differences, in the end, Kai sacrificed everything to stand with him on a cause. A part of him still can't believe, Kai was swept into battle and taken from him way too soon. Tears threaten to spill, but before they can, the front row of monks, rises to stand, and brings his attention to the altar again. It's a moment ingrained in time, and he listens astutely as Kai's name is read with his newfound Kaimyo, or Buddhist name, and his calligraphy card is held up reverently and placed next to his urn. He pauses for a moment remembering Bhanti's words to him just after he was cremated.

"Kai will always be special to you," Bhanti had assured him. "And in his next life I believe he will play a special role as well. His Buddhist name means: one who leads others to the path of the Dharma. Kai has undoubtedly deeply touched your life on personal level and something tells me great things will become in his memory."

The fact that Bhanti cared about each individual Clone, touches Shinto deeply. Naruto kindly gave them individuality when he helped Kabuto choose names for them at the orphanage when they first began their new lives as Konoha citizens and now Bhanti has provided them with new Buddhist names as they continue onto the Pure Land. He isn't sure what the path of the Dharma is, or how it relates to Kai, but Bhanti's recognition of Kai's individual spirit this way is indeed truly special and heartwarming.

A last reading of a letter titled "White Ashes" by Renyo Shonin brings the service to a close. It speaks of the inevitable impermanence of human life. One moment we may be full of life but in the next moment we may find ourselves as white ashes. It shares that life on Earth is transient but what's most important is birth in the life yet to come. He thinks about the promise of the world of enlightenment Bhanti speaks of and together with everyone puts his hands together.

"Namo Amida Butsu," Shinto recites in unison with the crowd, and though he's weighed down with his own sorrows at the moment, a small part of him feels a sense of peace in knowing there is a promise of freedom from suffering for Kai as he moves on from this world.

Author's note:

At long last I posted my Kizashi one shot, so I was finally able to get back to this story. Thank you everyone for your patience.

I gave it some thought, and I changed the word 'ozuju' to 'nenju' in this chapter and went back to change it in it prior chapters too. Both words represent the string of beads placed around the hands but I recently read an article that suggested it be referred to as a nenju instead of ojuzu, since nen (mindful or thinking) + ju (beads) = beads to keep us mindful of the Buddha. I rather liked the discovery of the additional meaning this explanation held, so from here on, I plan to refer to it as such. (Please note: The drawback is making changes after the fact can sometimes lead to mistakes, so as a favor, please notify me if I missed changing any of the words so I can remain consistent, and/or if you ever notice any typos or inconsistencies, don't hesitate to speak up. Extra help with this is always appreciated.)

I'm excited to know a few new readers are reading his story. As always I enjoying hearing your thoughts, so please consider reviewing. Now that the funeral is over, who can guess what will happen next?