Key
"words" characters talking
words characters thinking or simply italics
(words) author's notes/my thoughts
look at the bottom
January 3. Outskirts of Konoha. 8:12 AM. Reign of the 3rd Hokage (2nd Term)
All seven Naruto's drew their ninja-to and Sasuke and his doppelgangers armed themselves with double-sided battle kunai. This battle would be decided by the blade. Due to their advantage in numbers, Naruto attacked first, with his doppelgangers flanking Shintaro as he attacked from the front. When Naruto had Shintaro surrounded and began his attack, Sasuke moved in.
Shintaro began to grow concerned. One sword from any direction was a cakewalk for him; however, several swords from several different directions were a different story. One came from the left, he dodged it. An overhead swing came at him which he blocked by placing his sword horizontally. One of Naruto's doppelgangers came from the right. Shintaro shifted and spun, the blocked enemy now to his rear. The left side attacker lost balance and fell. Shintaro jabbed his elbow backwards and grabbed the enemy's sword hand. In one twist, he snapped the bone, and the doppelganger disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
This made Sasuke's approach all the easier. He broke through the smoke and drop kicked Shintaro. Shintaro saw the kick en route and raised his hand to block it. Sasuke fazed through him and turned into smoke. "Son of a bitch!"
He was using his doppelgangers to feign attacks. The true Sasuke swept out Shintaro's legs from beneath him and grab the off-balanced Shintaro. He was in the middle of putting Shintaro in a half-nelson when the warrior stretched his back, proving Sasuke's shorter arms to be useless in reaching around him. The foreigner somersaulted backwards and landed on his feet, throwing Sasuke off of him.
In the bout Shintaro had with Sasuke, Naruto moved right up on Shintaro and hit him hard in the back of the thigh with the flat of his sword, temporarily rendering the nerve clusters there useless. While he had the chance, Naruto grabbed his assailant by the hair and smashed the ever living shit out of the side of his head with his knee. Blood was drawn from the temple and his vision was impaired for a short while.
Sasuke recovered himself and leapt at Shintaro in such a way that he barely managed to grab Shintaro's deltoids and turn over him like a hinge before throwing him straight at Naruto. Naruto was quick to draw back and deliver a mighty punch to Shintaro's gut while he was in the air.
He made a mistake. His enemy was now at his feet and he barely had time to recover. Bad luck. Shintaro seized Naruto's shin and held him still while he thrust his sword into Naruto's abdominal area. Naruto's Kyubi-like reflexes were all that saved his life. He was not quick enough to dodge the sword, but he was quick enough to move his vital organs out of the way before the sword made contact. In a last attempt, Naruto kicked Shintaro with his brute force, regardless of losing his balance. This strike allowed Naruto to fall back and recover himself.
Seeing Naruto suddenly injured shook Sasuke's subconscious thought that he and Naruto were "invincible". He'd learned that they weren't. Sasuke dispelled his doppelgangers and blasted a fireball at Shintaro. His target moved out of the fireball's trajectory and launched a counter-attack at Sasuke, the katana whizzing just over Sasuke's head as he ducked. Sasuke took firm hold of the extremity with the sword, moved parallel to Shintaro and threw his enemy over his shoulder, still maintaining his hold on the arm. Finishing the practiced maneuver, Sasuke flipped Shintaro onto his stomach and then fell back on top of Shintaro, causing the arm he had arrested to become dislocated as it was pulled in an unnatural direction.
Naruto tore off his Konoha Chunin vest and inspected the wound. It was deep… very deep. And it hurt far more than he anticipated it would. Oh well, he'd have to deal with the gnawing pain, something he had became accustomed to. As he began to put the vest back on, he heard something out of place. It was the lightest jingly sound… almost yuletide. He spotted the noise-maker on his wrist. He cursed at himself for forgetting about The Hearts Game. It entranced him for a few seconds before he remembered what exactly he was fighting for. He smiled at himself, stood up and retrieved his sword.
Sasuke backed off to let Shintaro up… a rather unorthodox act for a ninja. When Shintaro was on his feet and popped his shoulder back into place, he made sure not to pick up his sword. "If you wish to fight hand-to-hand, then so be it ninja!" Shintaro was a master at one of the lesser known martial arts of this world. The principle to parry and counter-attack, very rarely taking the offensive and seldom forming a fist. All strikes were done with either chops or slaps. It also borrowed several Jujitsu grappling maneuvers.
Sasuke activated his Sharingan in the case that he needed to mimic his enemy's movement and attacks. He pointed a finger at Shintaro and curled it towards himself, signaling Shintaro to attack. When they met, Sasuke tested this foreign martial art. Sasuke punched at Shintaro's chest. He met Shintaro's open palm had his fist redirected and Sasuke fell forward into a neck chop. This fighting style was useful no doubt.
Let's try and see how he takes a grapple. Sasuke feigned a side kick, and put both hands on Shintaro's forearm as he spun his assailant off balance. Using his elbow, Sasuke hooked Shintaro's neck and knocked him flat. Now he was on his back, Shintaro began his counter-attack. Sasuke's elbow was still near Shintaro's neck meaning that the former was very close to the latter. Shintaro half-rocked backwards onto his upper-back and clenched Sasuke's throat with his feet while his hands pummeled the Genin's face.
He couldn't take much more of this kind of a beating, and he had never been in this situation before, so Sasuke was forced to improvise. He had one simple question for himself. Which way does the body bend with most resistance? The answer was simple. Backwards. Sasuke lifted one foot and crammed it between Shintaro's knees, giving slack on his neck. With a squirm, Sasuke pulled his face away and had both of Shintaro's legs in his hands. He twisted the feet of Shintaro across his thigh, forming an "x" with them, and turned 180 degrees about, forcing him into a half-crouch and Shintaro onto his chest. Quickly, he fell backwards once more and soon lay flat on top of Shintaro, back-to-back. Finishing the complicated grapple, Sasuke tucked the legs under his left bicep and used the crook of his right elbow to gain control of his neck and pulled on the neck and legs.
Naruto sheathed his ninja-to and pulled eight ball bearings out of his pouch. These ball bearings were inserted into accommodating pockets of his combat gloves making any punch he gave suddenly far more fatal. He watched Sasuke get off Shintaro and fall back, letting the warrior arise. Naruto smacked his fist against his other palm, making sure it hurt from the metal balls. Good. He smiled. Nothing's stopping me now!
Shintaro was facing away, and never saw it coming. Naruto hit him twice; a one-two punch to the shoulder-blade and kidney. Shintaro turned… a mistake. Naruto stomped on his enemy's right foot with his left, holding it firmly to the ground. Like a raging storm, he was relentless in his attacks. With Shintaro rooted to the ground, Naruto rammed his knee into Shintaro's gut at full force until he felt the spinal cord. Lifting his left leg, Naruto's left knee connected with Shintaro's ribs. Continuing, the Konoha ninja grabbed a handful of hair and yanked to the side, exposing the neck area. His right elbow connected with the exposed flesh.
Shintaro snuck in a lucky chop at Naruto's abdomen where he stabbed the boy. The result was a near-polar opposite of what he wanted. The pain surged into Naruto's brain, giving him more fuel. Urged on by the pain, Naruto hoisted Shintaro into the air by the neck and slammed him to the earth. Shintaro lost his wind on impact and could do nothing as Naruto picked him up fire-man-style and rolled him back down, but this time into a sitting position. Naruto gripped Shintaro's head by the hair again, and pounded his knee into the back of Shintaro's skull.
Sasuke witnessed in amazement, mouth hanging open, as Naruto pummeled the enemy unto no end. For a nanosecond, Sasuke felt pity for the samurai, but the feeling passed. He bolted forward to join in the fight. Shintaro somersaulted backwards into a handstand and kicked Naruto twice in the face. The Genin fell, but just as Shintaro thought he had the upper hand, Sasuke slid into his legs, one behind the knee, and one in front of the ankle. Sasuke kicked sideways, knocking Shintaro down on his stomach. Sasuke rolled to the side, folding up Shintaro's legs behind him as he did so, and grabbed the neck and pulled.
Shintaro pried loose and thrashed at Sasuke's face, busting the lower lip and causing a nostril to yield blood. Naruto came leaping in a crescent kick. Shintaro caught the leg, turned, caught the other, and used Naruto's forward momentum to spin and let him fall to the ground. Naruto rose with an uppercut which clipped Shintaro's nose. The ninja jumped, spun and kicked backwards, catching Shintaro right in the chest.
Shintaro stumbled backwards, right into Sasuke's sweep. His legs were cleared so quickly that he was suspended in the air sideways for a second. It only took that one second for Sasuke bring his leg up and pile-drive it down. When he hit the ground, Shintaro arrested the leg and twisted the ankle, rendering it useless. Sasuke fell with a grunt.
Naruto took to the air, aiming a kick for Shintaro's middle. His opponent rose and dodged nimbly. Shintaro didn't attack when he had the opportunity, and Naruto saw this. It was curious, but Shintaro explained. "Your friend is hurt. I have enough honor to let you tend to him. Make it quick."
Naruto surprised even himself when he bowed and said, "Thank you." Sasuke was on one knee, his other foot off to the side, and the ankle in an unnatural direction.
"Sorry Naruto. I got careless." Sasuke gritted his teeth but tried to smile as he began to bring himself up. Naruto forced him down; none too easy a task.
"Sit your ass down. You're not fighting anymore. I can handle this guy."
Sasuke eyeballed Shintaro. "Naruto, you know that man is beyond us, even though by just a small margin. An advantage is an advantage no matter which way you look at it. Let me help."
"No! I know he may be beyond on us. But I also know he can get cocky. I'm going to play my cards right this time. And I have a trick up my sleeve." Naruto tapped his nose.
"And if it doesn't work?"
"Hmm…" Naruto hummed. "Then I guess we fought the good fight. But trust me, it will work."
Shintaro took whatever little precious time he had to find the Ritoren sword. He found it under a pile of dust, and placed it back in its scabbard. By the time Sasuke and Naruto were done talking, he had the sword hung near his back, away from Naruto's vision. Shintaro drew his katana from the sheath that was in Naruto's vision and entered his sword-fighting stance.
"So you wish to go back to the blade. Suits me fine…" Naruto unsheathed his own sword and pointed it at Shintaro's chest. "You're going down anyways."
"That's what you think fox-boy!" Shintaro yelled and ran headlong into Naruto, sword first. Good. Naruto thought. Now he's getting cocky. Just a little more and my plan just might work. Steel clashed with steel and the air rang with the sounds of their contact. Naruto played the defensive as much as possible, but took random counter-attacks to keep Shintaro guessing half the time.
Back at the camp, Hinata was sitting by Neji's side, having a nonchalant conversation with him. "And then he kissed me," she said, finishing her recollection.
Neji frowned. "I feel evil for having woken you from such a pleasant dream."
Hinata waved it off. "Ha, it's nothing now. It's all history."
"That makes me feel better." Neji sighed and stared at the white ceiling of the medical tent. "They say I'll be able to function like normal again in a couple weeks."
"That's good. I bet you can't wait."
"You can say that again," Neji clichéd.
Hinata smiled. "I bet you can't wait."
Neji chuckled. "I never knew you had a sense of humor. Since when?"
Hinata opened her mouth to speak, but Neji interrupted her. "No, don't tell me. Ever since you met Naruto, right?"
Hinata started laughing for a reason she didn't know, but didn't care about. Neji looked puzzled at her laughter, but soon joined in after a few seconds. Their laughter reverberated out of the medical and into the rest of the encampment, causing curious heads to turn.
The advantage of having a shorter sword is having a lighter sword, and having a lighter sword means it's far quicker than a katana. However, Shintaro was trained in the way of the sword while Naruto was only trained partially on sword combat. But Naruto learned with each footstep, sword stroke, and parry made by both himself and Shintaro.
If I'm always on the defensive, I can discover Shintaro's pattern. Naruto thought to himself as he blocked yet another overhead strike. He'll tire far sooner than I will. He moved to the side and fell back into a defensive stance. Just give it time.
Shintaro's muscles began to burn with the sign of exertion. He dared not call a timeout or let up on the attack. He would break the seams of Naruto's block and finally be open to the kill which he so greatly deserved. In just a few more sword strokes, Konoha will be mine!
A nurse walked over with a tray of udon in a ginger dressing and fresh spring vegetables. She chided him as if he were her son. "Make sure you eat the vegetables too Neji. They're good for you."
"As if udon wasn't bad enough" Neji murmured. In fact, he loved vegetables. He just couldn't stand the bitter taste of the crunchy noodles. Reluctantly he picked up his plastic hashi and chowed down. He grimaced but covered it with a smile and spoke to the nurse around a mouthful of noodles. "Yummy!"
The nurse gave a disgusted look and walked away briskly. Hinata, who had been sitting in a stool next to the bed and watched the scene unfold, bit her lip as a bubble of laughter passed her lips. Neji's chest shook with laughter as he tried hard not to choke on the already-revolting noodles.
"You look like you've quite a sense of humor too…" Hinata said as-a-matter-of-factly.
Neji smiled back. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Oh… I think it went something along the lines of:" she held her hands up, imitating Neji. "'No. Don't tell me. Ever since you met Naruto, right?'"
Neji acted like he still didn't get it. Hinata slugged him in the arm for it. "Yow! Don't hit the handicapped ninja! I'm no punching bag."
"Handicapped my ass!" Hinata retorted in mock anger.
Neji drew back in defense. "Okay, okay, you win Hinata. Now come here." Hinata leaned in to hear the name Neji whispered into her ear.
Naruto couldn't have care less about Neji's muse at the time. He was too busy putting the last pieces of Shintaro's fighting pattern puzzle together. Except the prize for being the winner wasn't a teddy bear or a check, but rather the grant to live on. Naruto awaited for the final strike, to confirm his suspicion. It came; a swipe to the head. The circuit finished, and began again. The fight turned from a guessing game into what appeared to be a choreographed duel between good and evil. The only problem was identifying who represented which.
Naruto predicted the overhead swing to the left shoulder, blocked the katana from the outside, spun that way, and slid his ninja-to past the katana towards Shintaro's stomach. The blade could have been no more than a centimeter away from its mark when Naruto felt the searing pain of the katana slicing half of the skin on his back open.
Shintaro laughed in the same fashion as a hyena. "You thought you had me all figured out, didn't you little boy?" Shintaro fell at ease. "You're wrong. I am far beyond anything you could ever be. I suggest that you resign now and live with the shame of defeat. What do you say?"
Naruto scrunched his shoulders together, opening the wound to its full extent. He basked in the adrenaline as it fled to his nerves. "Do you really want to know what I say?" Naruto turned about, his teeth bared at Shintaro. "I think that you should stop playing with that little toy of yours and show me what you're really made of."
Shintaro nodded. "If that is how it shall be. Then so be it!" He sheathed the katana in a flash, placed the scabbard on the ground and unsheathed the Ritoren Sword. He pointed at Naruto. "Come get it!"
Naruto shrugged to himself. What have I got to lose besides my life, love, reputation, Hokage-ship, and future? Sounds like a good deal! He sprinted at Shintaro, sword poised for a quick slash. Shintaro chopped horizontally at Naruto's chest. The Konoha Genin rolled, spun, and lashed out with the sword. He missed the target by no more than an inch. Shintaro ducked and rose backwards into Naruto's chest, lifting him off the ground to fall heavily to the ground.
Shintaro stabbed at Naruto's prostrate body, but missed due to the ninja's roll to the side. Naruto was on his feet before Shintaro could attack again, and had gone for a killing stroke aiming to decapitate the samurai. He stopped the ninja-to in its path and grabbed the blade between his fingers and palm. Naruto wrenched on the sword, gouging Shintaro deeply on the underside of the knuckles. The pain was surprising, but didn't stop Shintaro. He backhanded Naruto across the face. The young man reeled back from the blow, using the distance to re-enter a fighting pose.
"You can't be serious!" Hinata gasped. "You can't!"
Neji smiled broadly and took another bite of udon. "To each his own. Think what you want Hinata. Fact is fact. Nothing can change that."
"But she's…"
Neji glared at her. "She's what?"
"But…"
"But what?"
Hinata was silent for a few seconds. "Nothing. There's nothing wrong."
Neji changed subjects on a dime. "So, what's this I hear about you seeing Kakashi's face?" He said, chewing on a slice of carrot.
Naruto backed up several more feet, trying to judge the distance. This should be fine. "Is that it? A little slap?" He mocked Shintaro. Shintaro wasn't stupid, but he wasn't one to take an insult lightly.
"Hold your tongue amateur, or I'll cut it out of your mouth."
"Try it!" Just to have a little fun, Naruto stuck his tongue out at Shintaro. He advanced and Naruto held his ground, waiting for the right time. Shintaro struck down, hitting the ground as Naruto dodged right around Shintaro, now facing his back. He didn't bother attacking, but rather waited for Shintaro to shoulder-ram him. Shintaro did. Just as Naruto felt the wind leave him, he transferred a huge amount of chakra to his feet, the result, his flying backwards to land face down on top of the target he marked out before. Perfect. He thought.
Naruto struggled to get up, but fell right back down onto his face. As he pretended to have a hard time bringing himself to his feet, he looked forward, away from Shintaro and towards Sasuke who was trying to say something to him with his lips. Naruto read them: "He is jumping." Naruto's hands shook as he propped up on his left hand and grabbed Shintaro's dropped katana with his right. In the reflection of the metal on his gloves, Naruto could see Shintaro falling, drawing closer and closer, Ritoren Sword pointed down.
Sasuke bore witness to Naruto's willing transform from his normal self to Kyubi-Naruto. Naruto had been practicing for days on end how to willingly transfer states of mind and body from himself to that of the Kyubi. Now was his ultimate test. There would be no second chance like there was on all of Iruka-sensei's exams. The outcome would be etched in stone for generations after him to see. Shintaro was less than a second away from plowing Naruto into the earth with his sword when it all happened.
Kyubi-Naruto shifted onto his back, facing Shintaro. The Konoha ninja handled the katana with as little skill as it took to ram it hilt-deep into Shintaro's ribs, cross-cutting upwards into his heart and lungs. The end of the blade protruded from Shintaro's back, smeared in red blood. All men that day were as silent as death itself as they looked on at the outcome. Shintaro had been defeated.
Sasuke was half-way pumping his fist into the air when he saw where Shintaro's blade had ended. His heart sank, and for the first time in several years, Sasuke felt the wet trace of a tear cascade down his cheek. He choked on a sob and bit on his lip until blood was drawn.
"No!" he cried. "No god damn it! No!"
Naruto may have found his mark with the katana, but Shintaro had also scored a hit. The Ritoren Sword's blade was in Naruto's hand. The only problem was that it went a half of a foot through his hand, held only inches from his face.
Naruto smiled. Maybe his plan didn't work quite as well as he projected it in his mind, but he came close enough. Konoha was the only side with a still-standing fighter.
Kakashi was at Naruto's side in a flash, heaving Shintaro's carcass off his student. When his morbid task was complete, Kakashi looked into Naruto's red eyes. "You fought amazingly. Now I'll get you patched up, and we'll get back to camp where you'll meet Hin-"
Naruto started to convulse. From his throat was ripped the most horrendous, guttural roar that any man or animal had ever heard. Kakashi knew he could do nothing for his suffering student as he began to slack and tense at a stupefying rate. As another scream emitted from Naruto's mouth, Kakashi winced and looked away, two streams of tears flowing from his eyes.
Hinata turned on her stool as she saw a mob of Konoha people running to the eastern side of the encampment where the fighters would be arriving. Hinata's heart leapt with joy at the thought of seeing Naruto again. "You want to meet Naruto with me Neji?"
The nurse by the bedside answered for him. "He will not! You go along meet this 'Naruto' on your own. Neji still has resting to do."
Hinata squirmed her way through the mass, shoving people aside as she fought to be the first to welcome Naruto home. Being away the whole day as he fought and not being able to see him was more of a stress than she expected. Finally, after a few more people shoved aside, Hinata broke through the line. What she saw on the other side caused her to scream.
Kakashi carried the bloodied, limp form of Naruto draped across his forearms. Behind his mask, Hinata could hear Kakashi's supportive voice, strained by a sob. "Hinata." He spoke. "Naruto's… he's… he was killed by… I'm so sorry."
Hinata's hand flew to her mouth as she collapsed to her knees, the scene too much to take in. She hiccupped, trying to hold tears back. She shook her head slowly at first, then faster. Kakashi knelt in front of her, still cradling Naruto.
"Naruto defeated the enemy, we won."
Hinata's white eyes penetrated into Kakashi's. He looked away. "And for what price!" She screamed. "What god damn price!" Furiously, she slapped him across the face on impulse.
Kakashi continued to look away, stood up, and spoke before leaving. "I see how it is Hinata. All I can say is that I'm sorry."
Sasuke walked by on a crutch. He sat down next to Hinata. He avoided eye contact, but conversed like it was a normal day. "Naruto never ceased to amaze me." Hinata was silent. Sasuke continued. "Even as he knew he was going to die, he smiled. It was almost as if he was smiling death in the face."
Hinata grumbled. "Go away."
Sasuke took an impolite tone. "No." He said firmly. "Don't you fucking realize what he died for? He didn't die for Konoha, he didn't die for me, he didn't die for Lord Hokage, he didn't die for Kakashi-sensei, and he most certainly didn't die for his pride. No, Hinata, he died for you! So that you wouldn't have to face a future of pain and suffering under their rule. And god damn it, I'm sure he didn't sacrifice his life so you could sit here and bawl your eyes out."
Hinata stared at the ground as the crowd left. Sasuke stood up with the help of his crutch and hobbled off, leaving Hinata in the dust. When he turned the corner, Sasuke felt like stabbing himself. He didn't want to say those things to Hinata, but he had to. It was for her own good. He stemmed a tear away and continued to the medical tent.
"That was some young man." She murmured. Takarashi threw down his odachi and turned to the east and started walking in the direction of the ocean.
"A village with a boy like that deserves to thrive and be independent. We need not to attack them." He raised his voice so everyone could hear him. "I am heading home."
January 3. Konoha Encampment. 6:36 P.M. Reign of the 3rd Hokage (2nd Term)
It took several hours, but Hinata managed to stand and drag herself to the medical tent where Naruto had been washed, cleaned, had his wounds dressed, and re-outfitted into a ceremonial funeral suit.
Only a select few were allowed within a certain distance of Naruto's body. With the exception of medical staff, there was only Hinata, Sasuke, Sakura, Hokage, and Kakashi. For several seconds, the tent was as silent as a crypt.
"I remember," Sasuke said. "the first day I met Naruto. He seemed like such a character. Full of energy and willingness. Hell, I actually envied his optimism. Looking at him now, I realize he had changed into a totally different person."
Sakura chuckled. "He was such a klutz. But he was so adorable. That same energy and optimism was the first thing I came to hate in him. But over time, he begins to grow on you." She sniffled. "There's nobody quite like Naruto."
Hokage couldn't find any words to say. Kakashi saw he was up next. "Definitely not my best student, but my best influence. It may sound odd, but he was and inspiration of sorts. When others would doubt, he would believe. When others would run away from a burning building, he'd run into it. He was the kind of kid who kept his wits when all about him lost theirs."
Hinata reached for his half of The Heart's Game and attached it to hers. Reflecting on its perfect symmetry, Hinata clipped it around his neck. She stepped back and smiled. "He was my hero, and I love him."
January 3. Konoha Encampment. 8:59 P.M. Reign of the 3rd Hokage (2nd Term)
That night, Hinata sat at the outer rim of the encampment. It was not long before Sakura joined her.
"Chilly night." Sakura said without enthusiasm.
"Never been so cold." Hinata replied just as emotionlessly. She watched a shooting star fly across night's velvet quilt. The moon was full and cast its light on the two girls' silent situation.
"I'd suggest we go in before we freeze to death." Sakura said with concern.
"Sasuke should be expecting you anyways. You should go. I want to enjoy the night some more." Hinata rest her chin on her knees.
"If you're staying, I'm staying." Sakura said. She studied the stars for several moments before speaking again. "I'm sorry this had to happen."
Hinata shook her head. "Don't be."
"I cared a lot about Naruto, too." Sakura said, a little more unfriendly than she wanted. "And if I could change the past, then I would prevent his death. But I can't Hinata, and neither can you." Sakura's voice broke over a lump in her throat. "I'd suggest you find something to pre-occupy your mind. Otherwise, you'll sulk in your own misery."
Hinata looked up into the sky. "I've never seen such bright stars. Have you?"
Sakura tried to smile, stood, and patted Hinata on the shoulder. "Good night."
Morning light peeked through the break in the tent seams, falling on Hinata's eyelids. Without so much as a peep, she straightened up and sat on the bed, eyes fixed on the ground at her feet. She heard someone stir the flaps to the tent behind her. She moved not and continued to stare. After several minutes of silence, Hinata noticed the figure's shadow played on the ground next to her. She could have sworn the hair was Naruto's.
"What do you want Kiba?" Hinata asked. She knew he tended to wear a hoodie whose outline was virtually identical to Naruto's hair. "Is it important?"
The person didn't respond. In fact, nothing met Hinata's ears. Nothing…, save a light jingle. The jingle was familiar, but far off. Hinata's head jerked up. There was only one thing in the world that sounded like the jingle she just heard. But she knew it couldn't be. Naruto was dead.
Hinata stood and turned. Despite the sunlight at his back, Naruto's features were as clear as day. He pointed at Hinata. "I know you…"
Please excuse any grammatical, spelling, or scene flow mistakes (the scene going to fast to be reallyeffective). Iam writingthis afterHurricane Wilmawhile I have no DSL. It will be posted via a 26.4 kbps phonedial-up connection. (Woohoo...)