A/N: Hey, Terribly sorry for the wait! Finally got my new computer and now I can continue writing. This looks like the last of the chapters. I had a lot of fun writing this story, and hope you all enjoyed it. There will be an epilogue, so keep reading
Chapter 36: Funeral for a God, and Birth of His Creation
Naruto?
Naruto?
"Sakura-chan…"
Naruto can you hear me?
"Sa-Sakura-chan?" The blonde kyuubi container felt a pair of petite arms wrap around him.
"Thank Kami" A pink haired kunoichi cried into his shoulder. Naruto raised his arms and patted her on the back.
"It's alright Sakura-chan. I'm still here." He whispered. "How's everybody else."
"They're all fine." Sakura said between sobs.
"What about ero-sennin?" Naruto asked. No response. "Sakura, how's Jiraiya?" Sakura let go and stared into Naruto's ocean blue eyes. She shook her head and began to cry again. "No…" Naruto breathed. He jolted up and looked around. "Ero-Sennin!!!!" He yelled looking around. His eyes stopped on the dead body of his mentor and teacher.
Next to him was a crying Tsunade and standing above them was a weakened Kakashi. Naruto ran towards the three, almost falling from how weak he felt. His body had not fully recovered even though Kyuubi was once again inside of him. "ERO-SENNIN!" Naruto yelled as he ran towards them. Tsunade and Kakashi looked up to see the Kyuubi container running towards them. Naruto collapsed next to his old teacher and stared at his dead face. He began to cry uncontrollably, grabbing handfuls of the fallen Sannin's clothing in his rough hands. Tsunade walked behind him and wrapped her arms around him, pressing her head into his back. Kakashi closed his exposed eye and pinched the bridge of his nose with his left hand. He felt a hand on his left arm. He looked to see Sakura looking up at him with a tear stricken face. He put his arm around her shoulder, and pulled her into him as she cried as well for the toad sannin.
Naruto stood up, relieving himself from Tsunade's grip. He walked over to Jiraiya's head and took the scroll from him, throwing the sling around hi shoulders. "Now, I shall carry the contract of the toads," He said with a solemn face, "your legacy shall live on, Jiraiya-sama." Naruto turned to see the entire party was there around the corpse. " Everyone, pay your final respects to the Gallant Jiraiya." The whole group bowed their heads for several minutes.
The wind blew gracefully through the battlegrounds, making its cry of sorrow audible for all to hear. For the first time that whole day, the sun broke through the clouds and illuminated the Toad Sannin's body. Almost at once, the group opened their eyes and saw the beautiful display of sunlight on Jiraiya's peaceful form. Kakashi walked forward and stood at Jiraiya's head. He looked towards Yamato and nodded. The ANBU elite nodded back and clapped his fists together. A wooden portable bed appeared underneath Jiraiya, lifting him off of the ground. The team began their walk back to Konoha.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"What a long day." Izumo said tiredly.
"Yeah tell me about it," Kotetsu responded, "ever since Rokudaime-sama came into power—" He was cut off by the sight of a team of ANBU led by Kakashi and Tsunade were returning to Konoha. Both guards' eyes widened at the sight of Jiraiya's corpse being carried by Yamato's well-known Mokuton jutsu. They both sat there gaping as the team walked through, led by the 6th.
"Izumo." Kakashi spoke.
"Hai, Hokage-sama."
"Start funeral preparations, and inform the village of Jiraiya-sama's death." He ordered solemnly.
"Hai." The guard responded, poofing away from his post. The team continued towards Hokage tower, ignoring the stares and gasps from people along the way. All of Kakashi's friends walked out of the bar and noticed the sad parade.
It took the team 15 minutes to reach the tower, but it felt more like 15 hours. When they stepped in, Kakashi ordered six chuunin to take Jiraiya's body to be prepared. The team walked into Kakashi's office and hung their heads low. Kakashi plopped onto his chair, Sakura sitting down in her own, Naruto grabbing some floor, Sasuke, Sai, and Yamato standing at attention. Tsunade sat on the windowsill looking out towards her village. Everyone sat silent, soaking in the events that unfolded before them. They had lost one of Konoha's greatest warriors, one of the Sannin, but most importantly a dear friend and mentor.
Kakashi stood up, turning all eyes in the room to him. "I don't know about the rest of you," he began softly, "but I have a lot of paperwork to attend to." They all should have seem put off, seeing that a very dear friend to them had passed on, but they knew how Kakashi felt and that this was for the best. Sai, Yamato, and Sasuke poofed out of the room. Tsunade left her spot on the windowsill and walked out of the door. Naruto took some time before standing up and walking to the door. He stopped and turned around to half face his former teacher.
"Kakashi-sensei," he said catching his old sensei's attention, "thank you for getting me back to Hinata." Kakashi didn't say anything, but simply nodded. He had remembered the promise he had made Naruto to get him back to his fiancé so that he could get married.
The only two left in the room were the Copy Nin and his assistant. He dropped himself into his chair and rubbed his eyes with his thumb and middle finger. The stress of the job was getting to him. He had lost another companion of his to the enemy and there was nothing he could do about it. Sakura could see the stress and worry in his face, and walked over. She placed her hands on his shoulders and began to give him a gentle massage. He put a hand on her right forearm and pulled her arm across his chest, leaning into her warmth. She felt his muscles relax within her embrace. She crossed her other arm around his chest and pressed her head into his shoulder.
"Don't let go." Kakashi breathed. Sakura eyes welled up at his sorrowful tone. She forced her tears back and tightened her grip.
"I won't. I promise." She replied.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
It was around noon 4 days later, and the sky was gray with large clouds. It looked as if it was going to rain, but the clouds were holding back their tears for the moment. The entire village stood around the white gravestone, mourning the loss of one of the village's strongest warriors, and greatest citizens. Kakashi, Tsunade, and Naruto stood in front of everyone else. Tsunade did her best to hold back, but couldn't help but cry. As the first tear slid from her cheek to the floor, a raindrop hit her forehead. The sky began to cry for the fallen warrior. Naruto bowed his head and kept strong. Jiraiya had been like a second father to him. He taught Naruto how to be the great ninja he had turned out to be. The Kyuubi container clenched his fist, fighting back the pain. He felt a soft hand on his shoulder. He turned his head to see his wife with a slightly tear stricken face. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and let her cry into his.
2 days after they had returned home, Naruto had a small court wedding, not wishing to hold a big celebration. It is how both him and Hinata's family had wanted it. Once the wedding had taken place, Hinata moved in with Naruto in his two-bedroom apartment, and had officially settled in. Naruto's, however, had been too set on helping out with the funeral. Hinata understood fully and did all she could to help. The couple stood there staring at the white gravestone in each other's arms.
As Kakashi stood before the grave, he had thought back on the times he had with Jiraiya, back when he was still a chuunin. Jiraiya would often visit Minato and his team, checking on their status and poking fun at how Kakashi looked in his mask. Over the years they grew distant, and then Jiraiya was gone. It was only 6 years ago that Jiraiya had retured to Konoha and seldom visited Kakashi. Kakashi will never forget the last talk he had with the toad sannin just before he left on his two-month mission.
"Kakashi," Jiraiya began, "have you given any thought into it?"
"Into what, Jiraiya-sama?" Kakashi inquired.
"Mastering that bloodline limit of yours." Kakashi focused on the tea in front of him.
"Here and there."
"You know that it could be a wonderful asset to you if you learn how to master it." Kakashi looked up from his tea.
"I know but…my mind has been occupied with other things lately."
"Have they involved that apprentice of Tsunade's?" Kakashi blushed slightly.
"Shizune? No, she and I haven't spoken in months." Jiraiya leaned in.
"I was talking about Sakura." Kakashi almost spit up his tea.
"How…"
"I may be old Kakashi, but I am not blind. I see how much you care for her, and I see how much she cares for you. I will tell you this once. Do not let the one slip from your grasp. You only get one chance at a good life. For us shinobi, a single chance is a gift from Kami himself. Don't let anything else get in your way." Kakashi looked up at the sannin and smiled through his mask.
"Thank you, Jiraiya-sama." The old sannin waved his hand.
"Don't mention it. Just make sure you invite me to the wedding." Kakashi spit up his tea again, glaring as Jiraiya slapped his knee laughing.
"I guess I won't be able to invite you to the wedding after all, ouji-san." Kakashi whispered. He bowed his head in respect, and the rest of the crowd followed in suit. The rain halted, and sun broke through the clouds to cast a ray of sunshine on the village.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"So where do you plan on going for your honeymoon?" Kakashi asked Naruto. They were both outside the local teashop with a plate of daiko and two bottles of sake.
"On my travels I came across a lovely resort in Grass village, so maybe there." The blonde responded. Kakashi nodded and drank through his mask. "What about you and Sakura?" Kakashi looked to his former student.
"What do you mean?"
"C'mon Kakashi. Tsunade knows about the deal now, as well as your other close friends. We all know how much you love her and how much she loves you. So when will you pop the question?" Kakashi looked out into the distance.
"The day she turns 21," he replied, "which is also the day I will step down from Hokage." Naruto's head shot up. Kakashi turned to face his former pupil. "Be ready in 3 years Naruto." He poofed away from the table, leaving behind some bills. Naruto sat there dumbfounded for a minute, processing what Kakashi had just told him. Something struck him as he thought about it. "3 years?" He got up and started to run. "I gotta start training!"
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Sakura opened the door to Kakashi's bedroom door, hoping to find him in there. She walked in and looked around. "Kakashi?" She called out. No response. She sat on his bed and sighed.
"It's impolite to invite yourself into someone else's room." Kakashi spoke, appearing behind the startled kunoichi.
"Don't do that!" She whined punching him in the shoulder. Kakashi chuckled and kissed his lover through his masked lips.
"Come with me." He said, grabbing her hand and poofing from the room. The two reappeared on Mount Hokage. Sakura remembered this place well. It was where Kakashi had first told her about his proposal 3 years from that point. He slid his arms around her waist. "Look over there." Kakashi whispered motioning to her left. Sakura was awestruck at the beautiful Sakura trees at full blossom.
"So pretty." She breathed. Kakashi rested his chin on top of her head, taking in the smell of cherries from her soft locks.
"Reminds me of a certain someone." He said gently. Sakura melted into his soft touch and let out a relaxed sigh.
"I love you Kakashi."
"I love you more, my little cherry blossom."
The two stood in that spot looking out toward the sunset. A lot had happened within that one week. From the death of a man equivalent to God, to the birth of nature, Kakashi and Sakura finally found the time to enjoy each other's company. They had fought side-by-side countless times, and finally they were together in peace rather than battle. What the future held for them, neither of them knew. However, both knew that this was the start of a new beginning. They overcame all obstacles and rode every storm. Countless times, it seemed like goodbye, but they both knew to Never Say Goodbye.