Chapter 17: When We Start Anew
Past-Naruto & Hinata
"Dead?" Jiraiya repeats.
Pakkun simply nodded, emphasizing back to the scroll's message with a paw. "A direct hit to the heart with Kakashi's chidori. Going by the state his body was in, it didn't seem like he had much years or strength left in him."
Still, the news doesn't completely register. He recalls Nagato being the quietest of the Ame Orphans group, the one who hated fighting and wished to simply live in peace with his friends…
And yet now he is dead, another one of his former students killed as a result of war and corruptions that had caused him to lose so many family and friends eventually twisting his mind to take the path he went on.
'Naruto in that sense isn't like anyone of my former pupils I've taken on.' Jiraiya notes at his and Hinata's relatively blank expressions.
It isn't a surprise or a shock.
They knew Nagato would die, but perhaps not like this.
"Where is his body at now?" Hiashi questions, breaking the ensuing silence. After all, a team of medic nin would need to properly do an autopsy of his corpse or at least keep it out of the hands of the rest of the Akatsuki and any rogue shinobi he had been working with.
"Before I left, the securing of the body was being handled by both Kakashi and Gai while Genma and another set of jounin worked in securing the area before his backup arrived. By now hopefully they should be out of Ame's borders." Pakkun related.
Jiraiya frowns at that, Konan was sure to already be on their trail from using her paper butterflies to listen in. Most likely she had already laid out a series of traps, ready to avenge the killing of another one of her friends. There was no way she would rest until Nagato's body was back in her possession to prevent any further secrets from slipping out, even if it meant potentially dying herself.
'How many times am I going to hear or watch someone I trained or was close to die?' He briefly wonders.
Ah, well so is the life of a shinobi.
He twisted his gaze upwards, sky beginning to clear of the curtain of smog that's blanketed it for hours only to be halted by a tight grip onto the end of his sleeve.
"Where do you think you're going Pervy Sage?" Naruto asks him gruffly, reaffirming his hold despite Jiraiya's silly grin to try and leave without them.
"Don't look so angry kid! This fight isn't over yet. We need to provide assistance to Kakashi and the others to avoid a potential ambush. I trained Konan alongside Yahiko and Nagato, I should be the one to take her out if things have come to this." He determines.
Naruto simply nodded, reminded of the rendezvous checkpoints they had discussed before Kakashi-sensei had even left; a messenger toad or one of his clones would let him know if anything has gone wrong.
'This must be hurting Pervy-Sage more than he's letting on.' Naruto sighs.
He's read about Pervy Sage's journeys over and over, the students who came before him to his studying with the toads at Mount Myōboku and even who his characters are based off of in his Make Out Paradise series.
But in spite of all that he can sense Jiraiya isn't sure any of his accomplishments have mattered, not when Orochimaru fell into darkness, not when Granny never takes any of his love confessions seriously, and not when so many students have died on his watch…
"You're not in any shape to take on one of the Akatsuki or Konan." Hinata reaffirms, eyes roaming over the extent of the damage his body has already taken.
His dark eyes catch her lavender, moonlight shining on the worse of his injuries.
A sad smile crosses Hinata's face at staring where his right arm dangles, smashed and broken in as a river of red pours down to the ground from where Nagato striked at him earlier. The skin on said arm has already turned into a blotchy purple and black and she bites at her lip at Jiraiya obviously trying to ignore the pain as his skin starts to die and fall away.
"You're bleeding out." She murmurs just as Jiraiya's vision goes hazy.
-X-
Past-Sakura
'Has it really already been 16 hours?'
A glance at the clock again confirms it; yes it has.
Sakura sighs, relieving her tired and sore legs at finding the nearest chair to sit, the plastic of the chair squeaks at her added weight and she hopes it won't snap apart.
'I doubt I would be able to pick myself up off the ground if that happens.' She mused, smiling grimly at her own inner joke.
Her mug of coffee sits unattended by her hands as she rests her head against the table, most likely cold by now after having carried it around doing her unit checks without even taking a sip. The last thing she needs right now is another buzz of caffeine pulsing through her anyways.
Outside the sky is finally clearing, mid-afternoon sun glimmering along the crevices of the Hokage monument down to gold and auburn leaves scattered across the pavements and forests.
Her head is spinning, a result of a lack of food, water, and sleep in her body since the morning and early afternoon of yesterday.
That had been before the influx, before the rush of patients young and old who had come in with the most gruesome injuries she had witnessed since her tenure at the hospital so far.
Ino had helped her as best she could during the first 8 hours, Hinata resting back at the Hyuga manor.
Tsunade already knew though Hinata wouldn't be able to properly function, not when some of her very clansmen are among the dead and critically injured as a result of Pain's attack…
But the case that had taken the longest beyond the blunt force traumas, poisonings, and fevers/infections had been…Jiraiya.
"You have to save him Granny, even if he loses his arm!" Naruto's voice shouts out from her thoughts nearly jolting her upright.
For exactly 37 seconds, he had been gone on that operating room table; rescued by Tsunade's quick compressions to his heart.
"You're not dying on me here and now! I know you're stronger than this Jiraiya!" Tsunade snaps while Sakura watches his rhythm on the monitor. There's a flurry of voices surrounding them, the circulating nurse Kotoko passing along instruments as fast as she takes away bloody towels from the table.
And then the monitor rings out in alarm once more; his pulse too erratic, blood pressure dropping once more…
"Sakura, get another IV in him to start a bolus of fluids. Now!" She commands.
At hour 10, Jiraiya is finally out of surgery.
Lady Tsunade designates him a private room in the intensive care wing and she wonders briefly if she is still there as she finished up morning rounds for her.
But yet when she returns to Tsunade's office to file her updated patient reports Sakura finds her at her chair, blonde hair in disarray covering her amber eyes.
Next to her are at least from what Sakura can see 5 glasses, the smell of sake lingering in the air.
"Lady Tsunade?" Sakura questions, her figure stretching at hearing her name spoken aloud breaking the quiet of the room. She used up so much chakra over these last few hours, she should be at home resting too.
"Hmm Sakura, you're still here?" Tsunade inquires, lifting her head up to gaze at her properly.
Sakura resists the urge to squirm at how pale she is as she sets down the files, the flush of her cheeks the only sign of color really on her.
"It's a bit early to start drinking, don't you think?" Sakura instead asks, pulling up a chair beside her.
'Actually, you shouldn't be drinking at all after the night we've both had without proper nutrition.' A more barbed thought notes.
Tsunade simply shrugs, reaching for her closest glass and huffing at seeing only a few droplets of liquid remain.
"It's been a long night and morning; I think you can excuse me this time Sakura!" Tsunade laughs, though it comes out hoarse and broken.
Sakura manages a nod, pursing her lips at the dozens of questions she feels burning on the tip of her tongue.
At least Tsunade can see in her expression the biggest one weighing on her mind.
"The pervert is going to be fine. Finally got his damn blood pressure to stabilize. I left Yuma, the charge nurse for ICU to continue with his blood transfusions and antibiotics for the rest of her shift and- "
"Did he wake up?" Sakura blurts out before Tsunade can finish, feeling her face burn at Tsunade's arch of a brow.
The smile falls from Tsunade's lips, taking to swirling at her glass watching as the ice slowly began to melt. "He gazed at me a few times, but he never said anything. I'm not even sure he realized I was truly there."
Sakura stiffens at that, clenching her hands up into fists within her lap. 'I'm sure he knew it was you, perhaps he just didn't know what to say.'
Jiraiya did have a habit of speaking lewdly before becoming serious after all.
"Jiraiya loves you, you know that right?" She whispers under her breath, frowning at Tsunade's snort in return.
She hadn't been quiet enough.
"I know how he feels." Tsunade grunts out, hazel eyes returning back to verdant.
And then a faint smirk returns back to her face, mischievous and teasing.
"Don't worry about my love life Sakura, you're the one who continues to ignore and bottle up your own feelings too! We really are not that different in that aspect."
Sakura bristles at that, slamming a hand down nearly letting a stack of papers and folders fall to the floor.
"What is that supposed to mean?! I don't have time to focus on love!" She growls, before quickly calming herself in realization.
"…Ah, my apologies My Lady." Sakura murmurs, collecting herself properly.
Tsunade's grin only broadens, paying no mind to her student's temper briefly flaring up. She reaches down to her bottom drawer, pulling out two bottles of water Shizune at some point must've swapped in to keep her from indulging in too much liquor.
She tosses one to Sakura, watching as she cracks it open.
"I may not be the best gambler, but I bet you that Uchiha boy cares about you too, even if you don't seem to believe it or are trying to ignore it." Tsunade muses.
Sakura chugs half her bottle down, wiping at her lips before shaking her head.
"No, he doesn't." She scoffs after thinking over her words over for a moment.
'He'll defect from the village. Defect for power.' A sharp voice reminds her, making her heart thrum nervously.
'That was in another timeline.' She hisses internally back at the voice to make it shut up for good.
But it will come back, remind her in her points of self-loathing and doubt that even in this new timeline she wouldn't be able to stop Sasuke or even Naruto from leaving the village if they truly wanted to go…
Her feelings had been a weakness; they won't be again.
Tsunade hums thoughtfully, casting a gaze out to her window as she feels sunlight hit her back. Her office gives her a good view of Konoha's most populous places…
Including who is coming and going from the hospital.
She twists her gaze back to Sakura, beaming. "Care to take it up as a challenge then? You owe me that new premium Sake that's just come out on the market if he's waiting for you at the entrance."
Sakura shifts uncomfortably, well Lady Tsunade generally loses most of her gambles…
The extra ryo she could win could go nicely to getting a new stethoscope!
"Fine, but in the slight chance I lose you can't keep it here in the office!" Sakura emphasizes as they shake hands on it.
Tsunade follows her out back into the hallways, jovial mood ending as they part ways at the stairs.
"Get some rest Sakura. I'm giving you 4 days off to recuperate and relax. Don't spend it all studying and training." Tsunade orders.
And Sakura watches as her heels clack silently on white tiles as she moves upwards, back to the ICU once more…
Her mind drifts then to a warm bath smelling of chamomile and roses before sleeping until it's night, freezing up at the sight of familiar dark hair at the information desk just as she's almost out the front doors.
It's almost as if she can hear Lady Tsunade snickering beside her once more, knowing she saw him coming minutes ago from her window.
'Damn it, well two can play that game!'
Sasuke turns his attention to her at the receptionist's pointing, looking her over and surely noticing her matted hair to the dried spots of blood and mucus lining her uniform. She forces on a weak smile; she must look horrible…
"Your parents became concerned you hadn't yet come home from your shift. They asked me to check on you." He states at her questioning look.
'I told Mom and Dad I was going to have a long shift before leaving, Sasuke would've known that if he had actually spoken to them.'
She isn't sure what to make of this lie.
And before she can fight it down or hear the tartness of her cold mantra boom in her thoughts once more, a fluttering returns back to her stomach.
-X-
Past-Kakashi
He's used to seeing corpses, whether killed by him or another it comes with the territory of being a shinobi.
In Nagato's eyes he saw apparent surprise just before his chidori pierced into him. No time to plan a counterattack or evade him.
"Konan will come after you all. Be ready." He had whispered just before slumping over.
Sure enough just as they've properly secured his body for transport does a torrent of paper rain begin to fall upon them blinding them in white.
"Shit, it's that Paper woman he was describing! How should we counter Kakashi?" Genma questions, wincing as one slices against his cheek.
"She's able to use her weapons at long range and close range distances for offensive and defensive purposes as well. She can turn her paper into any object she desires." Gai adds in, dodging a mix of paper spears and shurikens.
'Her paper abilities are unique, fire jutsus don't seem to affect them too much nor does the rain.' Kakashi considered.
But everyone has a weakness, including her.
"You won't escape from one of my paper prisons, return Nagato's body to me!" She commands, flurry of paper knives targeting the trio from all sides.
Not even the explosive tags attached to them seem to be slowing any of them down.
Hazel orbs darken at Kakashi's clear refusal to her demand and she fights down a sickening sense of panic at seeing Kakashi take Nagato's corpse so pale and fragile now into his arms.
'He's truly dead. Nagato died on my watch without me being able to do anything to help him in his final moments.' Konan frowns, pursing her lips at having let one of her closest friends die.
"I can blow up his body here and now; he is too much a risk to leave behind. The Rinnegan he possesses will be sought out by shinobi from all over once they get news of his death." Kakashi states.
'If they don't know already once Pakkun gets back to the village…' He considers to himself.
It's a warning she'll have to take seriously.
Konan says nothing for a moment, there is but one place she would like Nagato's body to rest. A place only she alone knows of…
"I can take him to my shrine. Nagato…Nagato I'm sure would like to be by Yahiko in death. Please let me at least honor his wishes in that respect." She offers.
"No, his body isn't going to be safe anywhere you take him. Obito will find it and will probably kill you next if you don't tell him outright the location in such a scenario." Kakashi replies sharply.
Nothing she says will get him to change his mind on this.
And once more his response creates another unleashing of a sea of paper upon them just as he, Genma, and Gai let loose the sprays of Jiraiya's toad oil they brought along lessening the blow of the attack.
Lightning cuts through and burns a pathway through the soaked papers, clenching his teeth at seeing a deep gash to Genma's shoulder before he can hide it as they head back into the main halls. The skin around Genma's wound gains a purple hue, slowly spreading downwards...
'Shit, possibly a poison is in his system now.' Kakashi realizes.
Konan scowls, taking flight with her paper wings to follow. "I refuse to let you all get away."
"Let's keep moving! I can punch my way through these walls no problem!" Gai boasts, fists breaking through the walls until the light of outside finally comes through to escape back into the forests.
Nagato's blood clings to him like a second skin, Kakashi nodding as he avoids open glassy Rinnegan eyes continuing to seemingly stare him down. Those are what everyone is after, the reason more blood will be shed and lives will be lost...
'I need to get rid of them here and now.'
He pulls one of Genma's senbon from his vest's pockets, stabbing them straight through violet orbs until they are no longer are recognizable.
Quickly he moves to create another lightning cutter to the ground setting the room ablaze before they leap and it's then he feels it, gut twisting.
Crimson eyes peer at them from the shadows, unmoving to intercede on the fight. Scarlet orbs briefly flicker from Konan to Nagato and even in the darkness Kakashi can sense his face has morphed into one of disgust at this failed mission…
No jinchūrukis have been caught, the rinnegan has just been hopefully lost for good.
'Obito.' Kakashi can feel his own frown deepening as his heart rate picks up, he hasn't moved to attack them yet perhaps at knowing it will be 3 on 1 plus their reinforcements...
But they have just become his target now too.
-X-
Future
"What's so important you had to leave your home to see me at this time of day? You know you could've just called!" Jiraiya lightly scolds him.
'I did; you didn't pick up!' Naruto wants to snap back.
But that doesn't matter right now, anger evaporating at truly seeing Jiraiya again. Happy, Laughing.
Alive.
"I have a few questions for you, they couldn't wait." Naruto explains, plopping down beside him on the first bench they find away from the crowds and flashiness of the red light district.
Boruto relaxes easily into his lap, resting his head against his torso. Naruto watches for a moment as he tries to stave off sleep, azure eyes drifting open and close before sleep finally wins out.
"He's looking more and more like you with each passing day, not that he likes to be reminded of said fact!" Jiraiya chuckles.
Naruto beamed, smile cracking at staring at where his arm once was.
Flashes of Jiraiya bleeding out abruptly wrack his mind, body sinking down through the waves into a dark abyss...
The images soon switch to him being rushed away to the hospital, of dozens of lines connected to him as his body works to be able to function on its own again.
'Relax. That's all in the past now and timelines that no longer exist.'
"Hey, how come you never use a prosthetic arm? Wouldn't that make things a bit easier when it comes to your writing?" Naruto questions.
"Prosthetic? Why, it's been years since I lost my arm to Nagato. Besides, I eventually learned how to write with my left hand and with the way technology is going who knows if I'll even soon need to use my hands or toes for any writing I do!" Jiraiya remarks.
His eyes narrow in confusion and Naruto squirms, it is a random question after all to ask him out of the blue.
"What's wrong; are you having those nightmares and migraines again? I'm sure Hinata can make you that herbal tea remedy that helped the last time this spell came on." Jiraiya suggests.
Naruto paused, unsure of what to make of that statement.
'Nightmares?'
Jiraiya's death is just a nightmare now, a fleeting pang that disappears by morning.
"I suppose that's one way to call it." Naruto decides after mulling it over.
He stays tight lipped despite Jiraiya's expression of knowing that isn't a full answer. To his relief though, he doesn't push the topic as his attention turns to the night sky.
"The spring meteor showers are common around this time of year. When you next get a break from your Hokage duties you should take Hinata and the kids up into the mountains to view them. Hiashi's been hinting for weeks now of wanting to go camping up there with Boruto and Himawari before summer starts." He muses.
Naruto follows his gaze upward, stars faint dots of white and silver too hard to focus on with the glow of the streetlights surrounding them.
Jiraiya will inevitably ask for more details on these dreams of his at some point, why they continue to haunt him and what he can do to help…
'Not now, only when I'm sure those old memories really are just becoming bad dreams.'
He glances back to Jiraiya and smiles, it still really is him.
And they have all the time now to forget the scars of the past, he knows he and Hinata's younger selves are already slowly making things right.
"You should come too if it's a family event."
-X-
Past-Naruto & Hinata
"How do you feel?!" Naruto repeats, rolling over to her anxiously.
This bed wasn't made for two people, bodies knocking together each time one of them turns or shuffles to get comfortable.
Hinata shakes her head, giggle tumbling out in spite of trying to stay quiet as her bed groans from the increased weight. She hopes the manor remains silent like this if only for a few more hours until the morning rush begins. If an attendant were to pass by now they would surely think they were doing other unscrupulous things at hearing their hushed bouts of laughter and sighs.
The thought makes a renewed blush spread across her face.
'We aren't doing anything wrong!'
Except being a bit noisy…
Most everyone should still be asleep, triple checking before letting Naruto in through the window. A soft mix of pink and fuchsia hues tries to filter in through her shut blinds, sliding against the wood flooring up to her desk. Scattered thunderstorms from overnight gave her only just a few hours' rest, watching the bright flashes of lightning as droplets crawled against her window.
It's in those flashes she sees her slaughtered clansmen, the horror and fear in their eyes now frozen with death…
"I should be the one asking you that!" Hinata whispers back, sitting up to hopefully stop the bed from creaking once more.
"I heal fast though, you know! Granny said that cut to your leg was deep. You've been stuck here at the compound for nearly a week now, Kō and the other guards kept saying it was best to wait but you know how impatient I can get!" Naruto smirks.
Hinata nods her agreement at his typical antsy behavior at times, grin widening as Naruto leans down back into her. She reaches a hand up to trail through his blond locks as he presses a kiss to her cheek, hair damp from sweat and brushing against the dew of the trees to get here.
"It's nice to see you smiling again too." Naruto adds in softly by her ear, reminded of the last times he saw her she was either teary-eyed or exhausted, drained from the burials of the dead from Pain's attack, the injuries she sustained herself, and the need to still train to be ready for the rest of the Akatsuki and any other dangerous shinobi on the move.
"You still want to leave before the week is over, right?" Hinata breathes out, unable to hide the tinge of nervousness in her voice.
Maybe Jiraiya will think this is a bad idea; that Naruto will become too distracted by her presence coming along on his training trip.
"Ah, I haven't really had a chance to ask Pervy-Sage properly yet. He's supposed to be discharged by the weekend Granny says if he behaves or at least be moved from intensive care onto a medical floor for observation when I checked in yesterday." Naruto notes, knowing she wanted to ask if he's recovering properly.
He clasps their hands together, grinning as another thought came to mind.
"Hey, you should come with me to visit him today you know! I'm sure Pervy-Sage would be glad to see you doing okay too!" Naruto proposes as he pulls them to both sit up.
"Okay, as long as he's feeling alright to have visitors. Hopefully he's out of the ICU when we come by." Hinata considers as she follows Naruto in pulling off her sheets to get ready.
-X-
What would be a good 'get well soon' gift for Jiraiya? She definitely wasn't going to go the route of getting him any dirty magazines despite knowing he would be extremely grateful for such a present…
A card and perhaps some homemade karaage-fried chicken would hopefully be a good alternative!
"Ah Jiraiya, the man has been interesting to say the least since he's awoken properly. He's been moved from ICU to a medical/surgical floor now. Room 326." The receptionist states, handing the pair their name stickers before switching to help a confused group asking for directions to the cafeteria.
"That's a relief. I'm sure Yuma was getting tired of Jiraiya's antics back in the ICU." Naruto chuckles as they carry on down the hallway.
"Not just in the ICU though, everyone recognizes his name no matter their title." Hinata muses, waving to a few staff members she recognizes.
Both a man and a woman neither know are in his room upon arrival, Jiraiya seemingly asleep as they give report over his case.
"He's a transfer from intensive care from early this morning around 4:00 am. Vitals have been stable except for when his phantom pains return which makes his blood pressure and heart rate spike up. He's been doing well currently with alternating the IV morphine and pain pills. He received 3 units of blood yesterday and plan for the rest of today is for the surgical team along with Lady Tsunade to look over his wounds and any dressing changes needed around 1:00 pm." Akari reads aloud before glancing back to Riku who nods his confirmation.
They nod to Naruto and Hinata waiting outside the door, introducing themselves.
"I'll be taking over Jiraiya's care from now until around 8:00 tonight. If he needs anything once he awakens, his call bell is by his left hand." Riku explains before heading back to the nurse's station with Akari.
Naruto sighs, overhearing Akari's relief that a male nurse is taking over Jiraiya's care.
Not even near death could stop Jiraiya's typical behavior it seemed.
He moves to flood his room with sunshine as he opens his windows while Hinata closes back the door. This room is much bigger than the tiny space that was his ICU bed, tan colored sofas and floral décor decorating the sides and walls respectively.
"Okay Old Man, you can stop pretending to be asleep now! They're gone."
And indeed once Jiraiya's sure they're all alone does he pull down his blankets off his face, wincing at the sudden brightness surrounding him.
"Seems most of the female nurses are getting nervous around me; probably shocked by how handsome I am in real life!" Jiraiya hums proudly.
Naruto rolled his eyes, shaking his head as he pulled up a chair for himself and Hinata. "Right."
"So kid, you're here earlier than usual today and you brought Hinata along too!" Jiraiya beams, noticing the gift bag in her hand.
"I made karaage styled chicken if it's okay in your diet to eat that." Hinata states as she sets the food down on his table. It's not even noon yet, but she imagines the dietary team will soon be around to get Jiraiya's lunch and dinner orders for the day.
Jiraiya snorts, straightening himself up in bed. "Don't worry about my meal plan with how terrible the hospital food has been! I've been having food snuck in for me by some of the toads!"
"Oi, that's not a good reason to summon them!" Naruto reprimands him, Jiraiya ignoring his scolding by pretending to flip through channels.
Hinata giggled at the sight, this would just be an everyday conversation between the two if not for the bandages and ice where his right arm once was, the faint beeping of his heart monitor in the background…
"Don't think just because I'm in the hospital you can slack in your training kid. Once I get the all clear from Tsunade we need to get heading out." Jiraiya advises.
"Speaking of which, Hinata and I were wondering…would it be okay if she came with us for just the first year or so?" Naruto questions.
Jiraiya pauses, dark eyes shifting between the duo. "You know woman is one of the 3 vices Naruto."
'Yes, a vice you break all the time!' Naruto wants to gripe back.
"Ah, it would only be to travel a bit with you two to better connect with the other nations and prepare for the re-dos of the chunin exams." Hinata adds in quickly, feeling herself starting to ramble as her cheeks grow warm.
Jiraiya's continued neutral look makes her nearly fidget, resisting the urge to pick at the loose threads of his white sheets to stay busy.
"If your Father is okay with it Hinata, then it's fine. But only for a year. There is one on one training I must do with Naruto to help him control the Fox's power before the rest of the Akatsuki come." He clarifies.
Hinata nods her understanding, Naruto looking equally relieved.
Riku returns with Jiraiya's scheduled pain medication and it appears this time Jiraiya really will fall asleep as he rests his head back against the pillows.
In the light the beads of sweat upon his forehead are more visible, clinging to the ends of his white hair. Naruto frowns at seeing his heartbeat briefly jump into the 100s on the monitor, clearly Jiraiya has been still trying to ignore his pain or hold off on the medications at times…
"Let's go." He whispers to Hinata, moving to stand.
Hinata twists them in the direction of the rooftop before they leave the hospital, guiding them up a series of stairs until the reach the metal doors that lead them to a view of the village overhead.
"I'm glad he said yes." Hinata murmurs as the breeze picks up. The days are becoming warmer, trees sprouting fresh green buds as spring gets closer and closer.
Naruto nods silently, Hinata tracking his stare to the Hokage monument. He still had much to learn before the day he could accept said position.
Blue meets lilac eventually once more, they had so many places left to cover and people to meet. Once they hop down from this rooftop it will all begin…
'I can't wait to start this trip!' Naruto reaffirms to himself excitedly.
He squeezes at Hinata's hand, her smile telling him everything he needs to know.
"Ready when you are." She whispers as if answering his thoughts, squeezing his hand back.
-x-
End of Part 1!
Happy Super Bowl Weekend (if you're a fan of football!) Oh my gosh, we made it to Part 1's conclusion! So much crazy stuff happened (i.e. Nagato dying early I didn't want to revive the people he killed, they live in war times still and changes had to be made to at least to keep some sort of realism; I know some of you asked about that).
Be prepared for more chaos, excitement, and romance in Part 2! (Which will focus more on Naruto and Hinata's past selves coming of age from the lessons they gained of the future). I'll be taking a mini break as I work and edit the beginning chapters, so give me some time to get back to you guys! Let me know your thoughts as always or send me a PM!
Enjoy. Review. Favorite. Follow!