Hollowfied
By: Finn Mertenz
A/N: Banjo the Fox - If I wanted to copy the Bleach characters, Naruto would be much more abrasive, like Ichigo. But instead, I've given him a completely different personality, he's nothing like Ichigo.
Sakura isn't a carbon copy of Rukia, and she isn't the same Sakura from canon Naruto. I'm just using her character design, because the imagery is a lot easier to imagine.
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO OR BLEACH. I DO NOT CLAIM TO OWN THEM.
Chapter 5: Assemble: Friends Of Naruto! The Girl That Was Lost.
Sunday 11:53am, August 21st 2020 A.D.
Dampened by the continuous sound of rushing rain, the tiled roof of Minato's shop was bombarded. Roused by this endless drizzle, Naruto groaned from underneath a blue blanket.
Cold... It's way too cold. Slurring these thoughts, Naruto rubbed one eye.
Resting atop a tan tatami floor mat, Naruto could feel an extensive draft that bore down upon him. Pulling this \boy from his sleep, Naruto was startled by fresh drops of paint, staining his whiskers.
Sitting up, Naruto knocked a bucket of paint from Konohamaru, kicking this substance to the floor. Soaking Naruto's hair, face and the bandages he wore, sky blue paint was on full display.
"Geez, you've been sleeping for days... You could've slept awhile longer." Konohamaru mumbled.
Holding a drenched brush with one hand, Konohamaru anxiously hid this handle behind his back. Freshly doodled by Konohamaru, Naruto's face was covered with various moustache's and swirls.
Gasping in shock, Naruto leapt to both feet, tossing his bundled blanket to the distant wall. Exposing a winding array of bandages across his naked torso, Naruto groaned with pain.
"Don't just go moving around! You took some serious injuries!" Oblivious to this statement, Naruto scanned the room.
Comedically bonked on the head by a wooden cane, Minato instantly appeared beside Naruto. Gripping his wounded scalp in reply, Naruto viciously rubbed his bruised skull.
"You should listen to him... He might not look it, but this kid has decades of medical experience." Minato exclaimed.
Undaunted by this revelation, Naruto frantically searched for Sakura, limping towards the front door. Throwing this sliding surface open, Naruto blushed as Rin, Hinata and Gaara came into sight.
Situated inside the iconic entrance of Minato's shop, this group of students were surrounded by rows of candy. Agonized by a torn wound, blood sprawled across Naruto's bandaged stomach.
"Kids just don't listen anymore." Scratching the back of his neck, Minato sighed with boredom.
"I guess you saved me..." Naruto stuttered with a downcast face.
Placing one hand over his injured stomach, Naruto gazed down at his blood-stained palm. Matching the same tone and color as Gaara's crimson hair, this liquid dripped from Naruto's fingers.
"That tone is unexpected... I thought you'd be happy." Minato hummed.
"From your reaction, it sounds like you wanted to die." Tilting his hat up, Minato caught a glimpse of Naruto's empty eyes.
For his entire life, Naruto was always alone and isolated, because he never understood his purpose. Devoting his recent life to Sakura, the loss of his new friend reminded Naruto just how alone he was.
"O-... Wait! Sasuke was there too!" Naruto scrambled to speak.
"Why isn't he here?! What happened to him?" Ignoring his own stream of blood, Naruto didn't notice the moustache's on his face.
Jabbing Naruto's stomach with his cane, Minato knocked this young boy to the floor, landing on his backside. Yawning with an overextended groan, Minato wiped the sand from his eyes.
"His wounds weren't as severe as yours... He left two days ago." Konohamaru cut in, washing his brush.
Dropping his doodle-covered jawline in response, Naruto glanced at a framed calendar on the wall. Enthralled by the missing gap of days, Rin and Hinata discreetly stared at Naruto's bare stomach.
"I didn't think I was out for so long." Naruto murmured under his breath.
"That's why your classmates are here. They all got worried and came to check on you." Minato proclaimed.
Twirling his cane like a rope, Minato leisurely whistled before sitting down on a wooden step. Massaging the soles of his feet, Minato sighed with exhaustion, obscured by his hat and hair.
"We heard everything from Sasuke... I can't believe Sakura decided to leave." Rin stammered.
Inspired by these words, Naruto tightly clenched each of his fists, magnified by twitching eyes. Stained by the constant blood from his wound, Naruto was too distracted by his mental plight.
Maybe-... Maybe she didn't need me... Empowered by empty eyes, Naruto drifted through his own world.
"Actually, Sakura didn't really have a choice." Minato declared.
"By giving away her Soul Reaper powers, she was instantly condemned to trial." Garnishing Naruto's attention, Minato scratched his nose.
"They planned to leave Naruto for death, but they didn't know about me." Giggling like a drunk child, Minato occasionally snorted.
As this conversation occurred, Gaara, Rin and Hinata were all propped against selves of candy. Shrouded by the shadows of his classmates, Naruto's eyes wouldn't stop twitching.
"So-... You mean all of this is my fault?! She's gone because of me?!" Screeching without delay, Naruto crawled to his feet.
"Yes, actually." Speaking with a causal tone, Minato cleaned the wax from his ears.
Straining to grab the collar on Minato's haori, Naruto was swept to his backside by a wooden cane. Hitting the ground with a hollow thud, Naruto wallowed in a pool of his blood.
"But don't be all doom and gloom, there's a way for Humans to enter the Soul Society." As Minato spoke, Naruto ignored the pain in his gut.
"Then tell me! Tell me how to get there! I can't let her suffer for my mistake!" Unable to stand, Naruto spoke with heavy gasps.
Standing in the background, Hinata held both hands against her small chest, ensnared by Naruto. Staring at her blond classmate, Hinata could see genuine emotion in his eyes.
The same eyes that usually depicted a hazy glare were now awash with regret and autophobia. Despite his near death experience, Naruto's greatest fear was being alone, without any friends or family.
"Don't be in such a hurry. The Soul Society will take a month to schedule her trial." Minato sighed.
Waving his ornate cane through the air, Minato rested this wood atop Naruto's bandaged shoulder. Allowing each of their blue eyes to meet, Minato's expression became stern and rigid.
"I'll gladly tell you... But, you have to stay here and train with me, for one week." Scratching his freshly shaved cheek, Minato yawned.
"Train?! You want me to study? But you're just a weird shopkeeper!" Naruto muttered in protest.
Rushing into sight, Konohamaru kicked Naruto's stomach before crouching down beside him. Examining the reopened wound on Naruto's gut, Konohamaru scurried to clean it.
"I've been around the block a few times, and I've seen a couple of things..." Whispering cryptic words, Minato pulled his hat down.
"Is there anything I can do?" Gaara cut in.
Gathered together in front of their injured classmate, Gaara, Rin and Hinata were on full display. Like Naruto, these children all had their own traumatic backstories, allowing them to see the dead.
"I'll help too, I can't just walk away." Rin exclaimed, enthralled by a burning sensation inside her stomach.
Fueled by the whiskered appearance of Naruto, Rin was constantly enamored by his foxy face. She had no idea why, but this strange attraction was the essence for Rin's strange abilities.
"M-... Me too, I don't want to be left behind." Hinata stuttered.
A quiet and distant child, Hinata rarely spoke, because she felt like no one wanted to hear her. But now, with Rin by her side, Hinata was finally able to grow, speaking her mind for the first time.
Muffled by the agonized groans of Naruto, Minato stood up before strolling forward. Engulfed by the loose sleeves of his haori, Minato pinched the bridge of his fair nose.
"You're all weak, untrained and unskilled..." Slurring this statement with an exhausted tone, Minato tapped the floor with his cane.
"But if you stick with me, in seven days. You'll all become strong." Grinning from ear-to-ear, Minato was obscured by exterior lightning.
Meanwhile.
Walking through the damaged and isolated remains of a charred park, Sasuke stood in a heavy downpour of rain. The location of his previous battle with Naruto, Sasuke cursed his own weakness.
That's because you're a Quincy! You're supposed to be proud. Shisui's laughter rippled through Sasuke's mind.
During the night of Sasuke's birth, the Quincy were ambushed and exterminated by Soul Reapers. However, this surprise attack was aided by the secret betrayal of Sasuke's older brother, Itachi.
The only reason Sasuke survived was because of Shisui, the guardian that took him to safety. But after years on the run, Shisui was eventually cornered by Soul Reapers, sacrificing himself so Sasuke could escape.
And I'm proud too... I'm proud of you. Inspired by this memory, Sasuke clenched both fists.
If you were here, you would've defeated those Soul Reapers... Focused on Shisui's transparent face, Sasuke grinded his teeth.
But instead. Piercing Sasuke's train of thought, Tayuya's red hair could be seen.
Enthralled by his failure, Sasuke punched a rain-soaked tree, denting the wet bark on impact. Battering this wooden surface without pause, Sasuke struck this tree with a repetitive barrage.
She cut me down without even trying... It's like I was nothing! A victim of Tayuya's rapid speed, Sasuke felt worthless.
For all his training and practice to kill Soul Reapers, Sasuke was struck down like a mere ant. Unable to save Shisui or himself, Sasuke was forced to rely on others, because he was so weak.
With each punch, the bandaged outline of Sasuke's left hand came into sight, drenched with fresh blood. The same hand that Sasuke used to quiver arrow after arrow, these fingertips were gnawed to the bone.
Gritting his jawline with vigor, streams of blood poured from Sasuke's snarling mouth. Tearing at the wooden bark with twitching hands, Sasuke didn't even recognize the feeling of pain.
"In the name of the Quincy! I will have justice!" Shrouded by unending rain, Sasuke was determined to grow stronger.
Meanwhile.
Pulling a tan tatami mat from the floor, Minato revealed a hidden ladder that led underground. Scaling this iron surface below his shop, Minato was trailed by Gaara, Rin and Hinata.
Crawling through a narrow and dark tunnel, these friends were guided only by their blind senses. Stretching on what for felt like hours, Gaara was soon hit by a rustling draft.
Suddenly, Minato clapped his bare palms together, forcing dozens of ceiling lights to turn on. Revealing a rock-filled terrain that was devoid of grass, the ceiling stood at the height of a mountain.
Irradiated by florescent lightning, the ceiling was painted with a beautiful depiction of blue and white. Creating the illusion of a radiant horizon, this fake skyline sprawled across Minato's massive basement.
"This is where I go to rest and relax... It's completely secluded from the living world." Minato hummed, sitting down on a sandy rock.
"Shouldn't Naruto be here? What are we going to do?" Gaara questioned.
Met by a comedic bonk from Minato's cane, Gaara rubbed his sore scalp with both hands, shedding crimson hair. Giggling at this reaction, Rin's painted cheeks began to swell like a squirrel.
"Since he reopened his wound, it'll take some time for him to heal." Minato muttered in reply.
"Until then, I want to make sure that each of you are serious." Twirling his cane with each word, Minato yawned.
Brushing the dirt from his naked feet, Minato smacked his lips with a groggy tone. Pulling a slice of coconut cake from his sleeve, Minato ate this substance without any explanation.
"The Soul Society is a dangerous place for the living... And you shouldn't risk everything for some girl that you just met." Gagging on food, Minato swallowed his cake.
"If Naruto needs me, I won't back away." Gaara proclaimed.
Constantly struggling with his own value, Gaara found purpose in his budding friendship with Naruto. Bullied, mocked and belittled for his red hair, Naruto was the first person that ever stood up for Gaara.
"I can't leave now... It just feels wrong." Rin interrupted, gripping her tense stomach.
Rin didn't know why, but she had a burning desire to stand beside Naruto, too bask in his presence. And with the abrupt disappearance of Sakura, Rin found her excuse to act.
"If I don't go, then I'll be left alone here..." Hinata stammered, twirling her fingers.
Ever since the tragic death of Neji, Hinata always felt stuck in a rut, blinded by her own depression. However, Hinata was slowly pulled from her shell with each day, inspired by Rin.
"I guess we should get started then." Minato yawned with boredom.
Snapping his fingers, a distant boulder was casually picked up by Zabuza, displaying muscular arms. Chunking this disheveled rock towards Naruto's friends, these students were forced to scatter.
Meanwhile.
Clapping her naked feet against the wooden floor of an ornate hallway, Tayuya's scowling face came into sight. Framed by loose strands of crimson bangs, Tayuya's headband barely restrained her wild hair.
Draped over the blood red kimono she wore, this attire was decorated with cherry blossoms. Matching the pink sash around her waist, this fabric was an old gift from Sakura, congratulating Tayuya's promotion.
Strolling in front of a bared door, Tayuya used a silver-tinted key to unlock the latch, walking inside. Revealing the distressed outline of a two armed Kidōmaru, this Soul Reaper was struggling to capture a butterfly.
Dressed in the iconic shihakushō that all Soul Reapers wore, this outfit was held in place by a white sash on Kidōmaru's waist. The third seat for Squad Six, Kidōmaru was next in line behind Tayuya.
A fourteen year old boy with dark skin and shaggy black hair, these strands were tied into an topknot. Chasing after a rampant butterfly, Kidōmaru's black eyes were put on full display.
The system for communication inside the Soul Society, butterflies were used to transfer and rely messages. Scrambling to read a freshly delivered message, Kidōmaru couldn't catch this butterfly.
Without warning, Kidōmaru was kicked in the face by a rabid Tayuya, hissing with bare teeth. Knocking her subordinate down the hall, Kidōmaru faceplanted a grey stone wall.
"You idiot! You're a Soul Reaper, act like it!" Tayuya spat out.
"I-... I thought you had the day off?!" Muffled by his smooshed face, Kidōmaru's body was twitching.
Situated inside the pristine compound of Squad Six, Tayuya and Kidōmaru were both inside the Soul Society. The bridge between worlds, the Soul Society was a vibrant mixture of trees, greenery and stone buildings.
"I'm here to check on the prisoner… Is she still sulking?" Tayuya asked.
"I'm not sulking, I just don't want to eat." Sakura declared.
Adorned with the white garb of a prisoner, Sakura was restrained by an array of crimson bars. Seated in an iron chair with her back towards the entrance, Sakura gazed at the ground with a downcast face.
"Is there a problem, Ketchup?" Teasing her childhood friend, Sakura used a mocking nickname.
"Don't call me that! If you weren't behind these bars, I'd kill you myself!" Tayuya snarled.
Gripping the bars of Sakura's cell, Tayuya couldn't see the empty expression that polluted her friend's face. Robbed from her recent life with Naruto, Sakura felt a void that wouldn't go away.
"I'm going to die anyway." Murmuring her words, Sakura's face was obscured by shadows.
"Don't say that, loser! I'm sure Captain Kakashi is already begging for your clemency!" Tayuya argued.
"Once that lame Human dies from his wounds, you'll get pardoned, and everything will return to normal." As she spoke, Tayuya displayed a faint smile.
Normal... A single word echoed through Sakura's mind.
One day later.
Crawling down the last step of Minato's ladder, Naruto reached the entrance to his underground basement. Gazing at the painted ceiling and mounds of rock, Naruto was half dressed in a blood-stained school uniform.
"Woah?! What's this?! A hidden caravan beneath my shop?!" Acting surprised, Minato squealed like a school girl.
"Yea, yea... I'm impressed, can we hurry up now?" Naruto complained.
Standing in the foreground, Gaara, Rin and Hinata were seated atop a bundle of rocks. Each dressed in their school outfits, these clothes were tattered and scoffed with dried dirt.
"If you insist." Minato groaned, scratching the side of his neck.
Without warning, Minato's cane was engulfed by a radiant aura of blue Reiatsu, forcing his haori to rustle. Sweeping this strange Zanpakutō through the air, Minato cut several strands from Naruto's hair.
Staggering backwards, Naruto was kicked in his injured stomach by Minato, knocking spit from his mouth. Hurled across the sandy terrain, Naruto skid, flipped and twirled over various rocks.
Crashing against a dense boulder, Naruto cracked the stone's surface with a fierce collision. Unable to rest, Naruto gasped as Minato appeared in front of him, wielding his cane-shaped Zanpakutō.
Slicing this empowered blade towards the earth, Naruto narrowly rolled from its path. Sundering the ground under his strike, Minato forced a geyser of stone to spew into existence.
Launching dirt and debris in all directions, Naruto was overwhelmed by this harsh shockwave. Flung across the tan landscape, Naruto dug his nails into the ground, panting for air.
"Your problem is your lack of patience." Twirling his Zanpakutō, Minato yawned with boredom.
"You keep trying to find value from others, but you can't even find the value in yourself." Sniffling his nose, Minato sneezed.
Exposing the grey tone on Minato's blade, the tip was carved into a duel-edged point on top. Also, the hilt of Minato's Zanpakutō was the wooden curve of a cane, devoid of any sheath.
Tossed through the air by the silhouette of Zabuza, Naruto's Zanpakutō fell to the ground. Hastily grabbing this broken weapon, Naruto sprang onto both feet, ignoring his crippling pain.
Shattered from his previous encounter with Kimimaro, Naruto's Zanpakutō was broken in half. However, because of the large size of his blade, Naruto could still fight with this weapon.
Teleporting behind Naruto with a blinding display of the Flash Step, Minato wasn't even trying. Tapping Naruto's shoulder with his Zanpakutō, this blond student developed a pair of saucer-like eyes.
"You don't even know the name of your Zanpakutō… If you can't protect yourself, how can you protect others?" Humming, Minato flicked his hat down.
Screeching in reply, Naruto shrugged off Minato's blade before sweeping his Zanpakutō through the air. Parrying this attack with ease, Minato's feet sundered the earth on impact.
"If you blindly attack like a rabid animal, you have no control." Cleaning his ear with one finger, Minato didn't have a care in the world.
Screaming like a wild Hollow, Naruto struck at Minato, slicing and grinding their blades together. Obscured by fiery sparks and the sound of metal striking metal, Minato's hat wavered against the wind.
"If you don't understand yourself, than you'll never understand others." Gripping the broken edge of Naruto's Zanpakutō, Minato didn't even flinch.
"To fix this blade, you have to look inside your own heart. To find your deepest desire." Speaking with cryptic words, Minato's eyes were hidden from sight.
Swollen with hatred, Naruto's desire to save Sakura grew with each second that he lost. The only person who gave meaning to Naruto's life, Sakura polluted his daily thoughts.
As Naruto strained to pull his Zanpakutō from Minato's grip, he lost sight of his surroundings. Drifting from the real world, Naruto became lost in his own mind, ensnared by repressed memories.
-Dreamworld-
Slicing at a heavy downpour of rain, Naruto mindless slashed the air, devoid of any opponent or enemy. Running along the side of an iron skyscraper, it took Naruto several minutes to regain his composure.
Standing inside an ethereal depiction of downtown Karakura, the slanted sky was filled with dark clouds. Frequently visited by Naruto, downtown Karakura was lined with dozens of skyscrapers.
"H-... How did I get here?!" Talking to himself, Naruto glanced at his surroundings.
Realizing that he stood on the side of a building, Naruto abruptly freaked out, clinging to a glass window. However, instead of falling, Naruto seamlessly stood in place, unhindered by gravity.
"Over here." The tranquil voice of Kushina spoke out.
A twenty four year old spirit, Kushina was dressed in a Reiatsu-filled red cloak that hung to her ankles. Hidden behind the crimson hood of her attire, strands of red hair were drenched in rain.
Standing on the hilt of Naruto's Zanpakutō with naked feet, Kushina's cloak resembled a shroud of flames. A spirit with more meaning than Naruto understood, Kushina was the physical manifestation of his existence.
"Wh-... Who are you?!" Soaked with rain, Naruto's face was framed by wet bangs.
"Who? What do you mean? It's me..." Speaking with a hushed tone, Kushina's statement became distorted at the last word.
Scratching various whiskers in response, Naruto wrinkled his fair-skinned nose, dripping rain from the tip. Enthralled by this silence, Kushina raised her concealed face, exposing her pale chin.
I see, he still doesn't remember. Kushina concluded.
Leaping from the hilt of Naruto's Zanpakutō, Kushina leisurely approached this blond boy. Without any explanation, Kushina held Naruto's whiskered face with each hand, acting like a mother.
"I hate rain... And when your heart is in chaos, this sky becomes clouded. When you're sad, rain falls so easily." Looming over Naruto, Kushina nuzzled his cheeks.
"It's a horrible feeling, to stand alone in this isolated world... Pelted by endless rain." Cradling Naruto with both arms, Kushina hugged him.
"If I could do anything to stop this feeling, to stop this rain. I would do it. I would lend you my strength." Pressing their foreheads together, Kushina's violet eyes were exposed.
Since the night of his birth, the spirit of Kushina lingered inside Naruto's body, watching over him. Infused by the strange manner of her untimely death, Kushina's spirit was enshrined in Naruto's soul.
"If you trust me, I won't let a single drop of rain fall from this sky... Trust me, you're never alone." Embracing Naruto, the sound of rain drowned everything into silence.
-Dreamworld ends-
Staring at the blank expression across Naruto's face, Minato gasped as his Zanpakutō swelled with Reiatsu. Jumping backwards, Minato's bare feet slid against rocky terrain, creating a small cloud of dust.
Engulfed by a red aura, Naruto's black blade grew back into its original shape, a twin-pointed tip. Raising this repaired Zanpakutō towards the ceiling, Naruto's Reiatsu forced nearby pebbles to float.
Meeting Naruto's display with his own, a sea of blue Reiatsu poured out from Minato, resembling dense rain. Crushing the environment, a distant Gaara, Rin and Hinata could barely stand.
"Spiral into existence, Rasengan." Clapping his wrist with one hand, Minato's Zanpakutō began to morph.
Empowered by vibrant Reiatsu, the tip of Minato's blade became slanted at a horizontal angle. Also, his hilt grew a wooden handguard, taking on the appearance of a colonial sabre.
Groaning with a demonic voice, steam poured from Naruto's mouth, evaporating under his fiery display. Colliding with Minato's Reiryoku, this clash of spiritual pressure was like a battle between oceans.
If you can't protect yourself, how can you protect others? Minato's question repeated inside Naruto's conscious.
Sliding his feet across the earth, Naruto's entire body was shrouded by a red outline of Reiatsu. Causing the red thread on his hilt to waver, Naruto's spiky hair rustled under dense wind.
If you're not going to run away... Then you need to fight. Empowered by Sakura's memory, Naruto swept his Zanpakutō through the air.
Unleashing an arrow-shaped blob of Reiatsu, this pulsating orb surged towards Minato with insane speed. Scorching the ground as it approached, Naruto's arrow was met by a spiraling sphere of blue Reiatsu.
His Zanpakutō isn't even released... Is that a gift from his mother? Minato swelled with interest.
Obscured by clashing currents of Reiatsu, mounds of stone and rock were instantly obliterated by this pressure. Consuming everything with a bright light, the kanji on Minato's haori was the last visible sight.
Meanwhile.
Standing at the edge of a rippling lake, Sasuke was focused on a rushing waterfall on the horizon. Standing in the wooded outskirts of Karakura, Sasuke was discreetly training by himself.
Loosing arrow after arrow, Sasuke bombarded the distant waterfall with a relentless barrage. With each shot, the silver cross on Sasuke's wrist violently rustled in the breeze.
Distracted by his own train of thought, Sasuke didn't even acknowledge the black cat behind him. Sprawled atop a sunbaked rock, this fuzzy feline glared at Sasuke with brown eyes.
"You've been training all day... Did Naruto break your heart?" Anko teased, sending Sasuke into a state of alarm.
Turning around, Sasuke frantically searched from side-to-side, observing his lush surroundings. Catching a glimpse of Anko's fuzzy body, Sasuke continued to search, looking for a Human.
"Who said that?! Show yourself!" Screeching these words, Sasuke's heart was racing.
"I'm right here." Anko meowed, raising one paw to the sky.
Startled by Anko's moving mouth, Sasuke's bow dispersed into thin air before screaming like a girl. Pinning both hands against his face, Sasuke rubbed his black eyes, checking his vision.
"A ca-... A cat?! A talking cat?!" Gasping for air, Sasuke could barely breathe.
"What's the big deal? Haven't you seen a talking cat before?" Anko sighed, licking one paw.
"Stop acting like a wimp." Leaping from her rock, Anko strolled across the ground.
Walking past Sasuke, this fluffy feline crouched down before drinking water directly from the lake. Creating a distinct ripple across the water's surface, Anko's tongue slurped this refreshing liquid.
Waving each hand in protest, Sasuke swallowed a wad of spit while standing behind Anko. Towering over this soft cat, Sasuke reached out to pet her, promptly bitten on his finger.
"What do you want with me? I've never seen you before." Sasuke grumbled.
Five minutes later.
"I see... Naruto's determined to rescue Sakura." Sasuke exclaimed.
Seated on the grassy embankment beside a sparkling lake, Sasuke's voice was muffled by a waterfall. Illuminated by rays of sunlight, swirling clouds drifted through the blue sky.
"Yes, and he needs all the help he can get." Anko replied.
"The Soul Society is a dangerous place for living beings... If you're his friend, you should help." Swishing her tail, Anko scratched the back of her ear.
Scoffing in response, Sasuke crouched down before grabbing a grey colored skipping rock. Tossing this stone across the water's surface, this glimmering liquid reflected off Sasuke's black eyes.
"Me? Friends with a Soul Reaper? As if." Sasuke spat.
Frozen by his own choice of words, Sasuke glanced up at the vibrant clouds overhead. Shrouding his face with overcast shadows, Sasuke was fueled by the smiling memory of Shisui.
"But... If I go, I might get to kill a few Soul Reapers." Speaking with empty eyes, Sasuke was defined by a blank expression on his face.
Six days later.
Plunging his wooden cane through the fabric of reality, Minato unlocked an unseen door in midair. Phasing into existence, the outline of a Senkaimon slid open, resting atop rocky terrain.
"Usually. this passage is used by Soul Reapers to enter or leave the Soul Society..." Minato explained.
"But, the living can pass through aswell." Yawning with boredom, Minato pulled his hat down.
Dressed in a black shihakushō with a white sash around his waist, Naruto's Zanpakutō was strapped against his back. Standing between Gaara, Rin and Hinata, these friends all wore their school uniforms.
Rubbing his white shoes against the ground, the iconic Quincy attire of Sasuke's outfit could be seen. Draped with white fabric and cloth from every angle, Sasuke resembled a Catholic monk.
"Then let's go! I don't have time to waste!" Naruto argued.
Rushing forward, Naruto was stopped at the last moment by Minato's cane, held in front of his chest. Allowing their blue eyes to meet, Minato gazed down at Naruto's whiskered face.
"Before you leave, I have one final thing to tell you... And if it changes your opinion, I won't blame you." Minato proclaimed.
"If a living Human dies inside the Soul Society, your spirit will never cross over." Tilting his hat down, Minato was hidden by shadows.
"You'll never find rest, you'll become a damned soul that's banished to hell." Lowering his cane, Minato waited for a reply.
Instead of responding with words, Naruto continued to stroll forward, followed by his friends. Stomping his cane in protest, Minato garnished everyone's attention, exposing Anko's furry face.
"Are you listening?! Are you trying to throw your life away?! Do you want to die?!" Minato questioned his student.
"I'm not going there to die... I'm going to find out if I'm really alive." Naruto declared.
Charging into an opened Senkaimon, Naruto was trailed by Gaara, Sasuke, Rin and Hinata. Followed by Anko, this wooden door snapped shut in front of Minato, revealing the regret in his eyes.
