To the Stars and Back
Part 2: The Blind Radio Operator and The Observatory
Sasuke and Naruto ran as fast as they could to keep up with Mizumi who was moving far faster than they thought possible. Something isn't right with her, something is really different, Sasuke thought when he arrived onto the train and found her sitting by the window watching as they left the station. He waited until Naruto caught his breath and took him to one of the secluded places of the train. "There is something wrong with Mizumi-chan, she isn't acting like her usual self." Sasuke whispered this to Naruto who nodded.
"Well, let's just sit down and stay with her, she might tell us what is up when she's ready to," Naruto walked back to his seat and smiled at her.
The train went dark like they had gone into a tunnel and then it was light again, that was when a door opened at the far end. An elderly man walked out and slowly talked to someone that Naruto and Sasuke knew quite well, Haku. The boy was helping the man toward a door. "Are you sure you don't want me to translate it for you?" The boy looked at them and smiled.
"Haku!" Naruto rushed over and blinked as the old man went into the office and shut the door, then came out with a message for the boy.
"Oh, right, thanks," the boy nodded and went on to read aloud to the old man. "The Stars of Scorpio are bright tonight," he read and smiled. "As the tail of fire burns all the brighter from the observatory," he looked at the two of them and put the paper into Naruto's hand. "You'll need this later, at least the both of you will." He went back inside the room and shut the door. "If you don't mind, I have work to do."
"Haku!" Sasuke reached out to stop the boy, but his hand passed through the boy's shoulder and the boy turned around.
"Just have a seat, you'll reach the destination soon," Haku smiled at them and then the door shut. His voice was heard a few minutes later announcing the next stop. "The Aboreo Observatory, ticket check in one hour."
The car was soon lit with bright lights, there were people that none of the two Ninja noticed until now. Sasuke blinked and noticed that Mizumi was standing her eyes on the strange looking dome of a planetarium. He gaped at it as well, it was beautiful, he turned around heard the sound of the star festival from home. "Wow, they're having it here too," Naruto whispered and looked around, he turned his gaze back to Sasuke who nodded.
The darkness was welcoming, Sasuke felt exhausted, he never felt this tired in his life. He pulled his hands up and started to stare at Naruto who was dozing off. He noticed though that Mizumi was sitting staring out the window, her eyes watching for someone. "I am happy you two came with me, I felt scared going by myself," her voice was distant. "Do you think about them?"
"Who?" Sasuke whispered.
"Your parents, I think about them all the time, I hope I didn't disappoint them," her eyes were again down.
"I doubt it," he never thought much on it until now, something was distant and he could not think about his mother and father without thinking about Itachi. Now though he was sitting on the train, he thought about his mother more and more. He looked over at Naruto who was sleeping soundly.
"I envy Naruto-kun, he doesn't remember his mother or father, so he doesn't cry when about them," her voice was softer.
"Don't think about it like that." Sasuke wished his voice was forceful, but somehow he felt tired. He turned to look over and noticed Haku walking from the operator's room, the boy sat down nearby and was staring out a window.
A man in a black robe walked by and smiled. "Haku, I brought you a treat, I bet that old man never gives you candy!"
"Crow, I don't need it," the boy blinked as a strange looking bird appeared. "Come to think about it, you should give my friends some candy," he walked up to them and brought a leg of a bird up to Sasuke. "It isn't bad, believe me."
Taking the strange looking bird in his hand, he took a small bite and his eyes widened, it was the sweetest candy he had ever had. "See, I told you, you would like it," Haku blinked and looked at Naruto. "Still lazy."
"You have no idea," Sasuke whispered and saw Haku smile. "Aren't you…?"
"Hai, I'm dead and this is where I like to be. This train is forever my home, I don't mind, I nearly made it once to the Southern Cross, that's when he left me. But when the old operator needed an assistant and guide, I decided to remain here. I don't mind, and I don't think he minds either."
"You mean…"
"Hai!" Haku looked away and brought his knees up. "He didn't want me to come with him. He didn't want me to suffer his fate, so he pushed me back on the train when we arrived at his destination."
"Where are we going?"
Haku looked over at Mizumi. "Wherever she has to go, you and Naruto-kun are supposed to make sure she gets there. She wanted to say goodbye to you."
Sasuke blinked and wondered though why he felt scared. "Where is she going?"
"Didn't you figure it out? Mizumi died, her soul has always been attached to you and Naruto-kun. She is like your baby sister, you always protected her, right? Even when her uncle was abusing her and she was just taking it, you couldn't stand it. So you had to do something for her, that's why she feels like she has to say goodbye because if she doesn't, you and him might get angry with her."
That makes sense, no matter how I look at it, I have always been able to be like a brother, but it is Naruto who earns the right to call himself her brother. Sasuke looked away. "She's mistaken, I only did her a favor once, I just…"
Haku vanished after that.