Lost in the Echo
Disclaimers I don't own Naruto or RWBY or LINKIN PARK please, support any to all following releases and your local fandoms and community.
Once inside the ruined temple, Naruto and Ruby were walking in a grand empty hall, where the roof had been destroyed allowing sunlight in as rubble laid ruined to further fit the locations aesthetics.
"Ok, we're here, now what" Naruto asked out loud as he was rather unimpressed, "Well Death did say once we're here we're to find out all of our answers here and through these photos he's given us" said Ruby as she felt uncomfortable to address Death for a number of reasons.
"I swear, I don't know if that guy was really Death or some guy trying to punk us" said Naruto as he began to make himself a spot and sat on top of a huge piece of rubble.
"I mean seriously what the hell are we suppose to do here we these blank…" ranted Naruto before he started to see an image appear on these photos, "Photos".
"Hey Naruto, I'm starting to get an image of something or someone" said Ruby, "Yeah, same here" said Naruto as both waited patiently for their images to show.
After a solid minute, Naruto and Ruby's pictures revealed both Yang and Sasuke respectively.
"Sasuke" said Naruto as this got Ruby's attention to take a peek at Naruto's photo, "That's your friend right" asked Ruby.
"Yup, I really wish I could've done more to thank him, instead I died and he probably took that as a 'fuck you' after everything he's done for me" said Naruto.
"I'm sure that if he was here, he'd-""He'd say what" Naruto said as he stopped Ruby for trying to ease whatever grief he had, since she didn't know that he may or may not have killed his best friend, with first case scenario being what most likely happened.
"I'd say it's good to see you Naruto" came the calm voice of Sasuke as Naruto and Ruby looked up to see both Sasuke and Yang standing side by side.
"Sup baby sis" Yang said with a smile as Sasuke smirked at the sight of seeing his friend speechless.
"Yang" exclaimed Ruby in joy as she ran up to hug her sister in forever, and given that they were in purgatory, forever would've ended a lot sooner.
"Sasuke" Naruto said softly as he was starting to overcome with emotion, "I swear you better not cry now" Sasuke said teasingly as both men began to approach each other.
"It's good to see you too" said Naruto as both hugged it out themselves, before pulling away as Naruto examined Sasuke, "Please tell me this isn't some cruel trick the moment I turn my head".
"This isn't an illusion I assure you, but I can't be here forever" said Sasuke, "What" asked Naruto as he was instantly disappointed to hear those words.
"But why" asked Naruto, "I'll explain everything, just not here, I want to at least give those 2 a moment of happiness a little longer" said Sasuke as he was looking at Ruby and Yang.
"Alright, lead the way" said Naruto as he followed Sasuke in a far corner inside the temple and behind some pillars where they could talk amongst themselves.
"So tell me, why can't you guys stay" Naruto asked right away as Sasuke looked down to the floor as he sighed, "Naruto I'm already dead" said Sasuke as Naruto looked at him shockingly, even though he had a feeling he'd be dead.
"No, no, no, no, no this isn't right" Naruto told himself as he shook his head back and forth before Sasuke rested his hands on his shoulders, "Naruto calm down and listen to me" said Sasuke.
"This isn't fair, you shouldn't be dead" demanded Naruto as he began to raise his voice, "You shouldn't deserve to die because of my fuck up in life".
"Damn it Naruto, could you shut up and listen to me already" yelled Sasuke as he slammed his friend into the wall behind him.
"Look, I get this was upsetting to hear, and I should've planned this better in explaining to you in regards to not only my situation, but you tell me, how the hell would you tell your friend that he was dead as well" Sasuke said as he got up in Naruto's face so the blonde could listen and listen well, which he did.
"Now, I'm going to let go, but you better promise me that you'll be calm ok" said Sasuke as he stared into Naruto's eyes, "Alright man" Naruto said calmly as Sasuke began to release his hold and back away.
"So… how did you die" asked Naruto as that was question that's been plaguing him since he found out he died, and only Sasuke could provide the answer.
"How else, by trying to save my best friend who risked his life to save kid" said Sasuke with a smile, which got Naruto to smile briefly.
"But why, I started that fire and almost got someone killed indirectly in the process, why would you try saving me" asked Naruto, "Because that's what friends do idiot, what other reason do I need" said Sasuke.
"And don't you start arguing you don't deserve to be saved cause that's bullshit and we'd be going back and forth on this matter forever" said Sasuke.
"Besides a man who'd risked his life to save someone else's, even a stranger, without a second thought should be valued as a member of society and be recognize for his selfless and heroic deeds and therefore has every right to live" said Sasuke.
"Plus if our roles were reversed, would you have argued that you wouldn't do the same thing for me now" said Sasuke as Naruto was trying to avoid his friends sight, not out of shame, but because he was right and whenever Sasuke was right he'd usually have a smug smile on his face.
"Sigh, you're right" Naruto said frustratingly as he looked to see his friend who had his smug smirk on as Naruto predicted.
"Now that we're at an understanding, it's time for me to go and for you to let go" said Sasuke as his face began to crack as dust fell.
"Whoa hold on you're already leaving" Naruto said as he still had so many questions to ask and so much he wanted to say to Sasuke.
"Like I said, I'm already dead and I'm only here long enough to help you continue to make amends so you can move on" said Sasuke with a smile as his face continue to crack as dust fell and surrounded his body.
"Please don't go yet, I have so much, so many words left unsaid" said Naruto as he began to tear up, "Well you better tear up, cause I got something to tell you as well before I go, which is important" said Sasuke as Naruto didn't need to be told twice.
"Sasuke I want you to know that I'm thankful for you and everything you've done for me, and I mean before I was kicked out by the orphanage" said Naruto as Sasuke's body continue to crack and crumble.
"I want to thank you and Itachi for giving me a chance and to make me have a proper footing in life" said Naruto as Sasuke was starting to lose his footing.
"And I want to thank you for being the greatest person to ever entered my life, cause you're more than a friend to me, you're my brother and I love you" said Naruto as he began to let out tears of sorrow.
"I love you too" Sasuke said with a teary eyed smile as his crumbling body fell over, but Naruto caught him in time to hear his last words.
"Naruto, please I need you to listen to me" said Sasuke weakly as his face continued to crack as his legs and arms were mostly dirt and dust at this point.
"In order to move on and leave this place, you've got to let go of how you felt not only towards the orphanage, but your parents and I'm sorry to say this but you can only do it for yourself" said Sasuke as he looked up his friend who was on the brink of breaking down and crying.
"But what you can do for me, is to look out and take care of that girl, though knowing you, something tells me that you've already gotten a head start" said Sasuke as he was but a head at this point to which Naruto held dearly in his chest.
"Sasuke…sob… thank you" cried Naruto as he wanted to make sure that if this was ever going to be the last time he talked to his friend, he wanted him to hear those 2 words more than anything else.
"You're welcome…Naruto" said Sasuke before fading away entire as his head completely crumbled and fell on and off Naruto, who began to cry into the heavens, not knowing that there were many people who came before him, who's cries and words were lost in the echo's of this place.
But like everyone else, it was another step closer in order for them to finally let go as evident with Ruby in the same state as Naruto as she collapsed and cried in the middle of the area.
Alright guys, another chapter down and not gonna lie this one got me teary eyed a little here and there when writing this, just a little fun fact you know.
While I'm not known for spoiling anything, I will say next chapter will be focused on Ruby's point of view so I'll be posting that in a few hours come tomorrow.
This has been your Humble Narrator Tobi Yaza.