The Portrait

Disclaimer: Sai will do the disclaimer for this chapter.

Sai: Megumi san does not own Naruto. She wouldn't want to since he has a small –

Megumi: Shhh!!! Stop right there!

Sai: Why? It's true...

Megumi: How on Earth do you know? O.o

Kakashi: Megumi-chan, the disclaimer.

Megumi: Say it Kakashi-kun, since you seem to be the only one who can do it properly without poking or blackmailing of any sort.

Kakashi: Megumi chan doesn't own Naruto.

Megumi: Yup yup. -hugs Kakashi-

AN: Sorry for the really really long wait. I also apologize with the short chapter. I guess I just got bulldozed with school. I'll try and update as soon as I can but the length of time it will take is unknown for the moment. Still, I thank my patient fans as well as those who have read my other stories. Thank you for your support!

Chapter VI

Naruto went to bed early that night, eagerly awaiting another night in the tower. He opened his eyes but realized something was odd. His head lay against a cold, hard surface when usually he woke up on Hinata's lap. He looked up and saw the window in which he jumped out but Hinata wasn't there. Instead, he heard footsteps coming towards him.

A voice came out from the darkness. It's odd mocking and yet weak voice rang throughout the tower.

"Welcome."

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"Where the heck are you?" asked Naruto. He looked frantically around the room. A figure suddenly loomed behind Naruto.

"Don't be alarmed Naruto-kun." Naruto turned around to see a young man with short black hair. A strange awkward smile loomed on his face.

"Who are you?" he asked, his eyes glared at the figure with intense suspiscion.

"I am Sai, you probably know me because of my paintings."

"Are you the one keeping Hinata prisoner? I'll fight you, I'll set her free!" he yelled. A sad smile came on Sai's face.

"Sit down, and perhaps I shall explain a few things," he offered. Naruto glared at the artist and sat down without breaking eye contact.

"So… where do I start?" questioned Sai in an almost airy voice.

"How did Hinata get stuck in this portrait?" asked Naruto menacingly.

"Ahhh… that. Well it all began with…

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It all began with Hinata's illness. No one knew how Hinata got infected with consumption in the first place but her father was convinced that it was my fault somehow. One way or another, I was not going to let Hinata be abused by her father's harsh words any longer. Already ostracized from her family, I brought Hinata to my guardian Danzo's summer home. Both of us were "ruined" in the eyes of society and the house was perfect for Hinata to rest and for me to paint. It was there where we began our existence as a family, as the brother and sister we never had.

Sadly, our lives could not be filled with peace. Society's harsh judgements were constantly looming over us. Many began to say that I kidnapped the honourable Hinata and made her my prisoner; they also began talking of my previous days where I would follow my clients before painting them. But to Hinata and I, it didn't matter. What did concern me though, was how Hinata's cough worsened as days went by. I wanted to cure her of her illness. I tried to find doctors who would help her but none could. It seemed as if no one could help her. I began to be reclusive and hid in Danzo's library. It was there where I discovered a way I could possibly save Hinata.

I remember the day very well. Another doctor had just come and was unable to do anything with Hinata's worsening illness. I usually hid my distress from Hinata by drinking only in my adoptive father's library but that day, I decided to express my rage by throwing books across the room and into the fireplace. It was then that I discovered the spellbook.

My adoptive father Danzo was fanatical about three things: politics, money and for some reason, magic. He had volumes and volumes of books filled with what were supposed to be magic spells, runes and enchantments. In my anger, I threw a book across the room but I missed the fireplace. When I went to retrieve it, I found the contents fascinating and then, I stumbled upon a page that contained a spell to preserve a person. I desperately wanted to save Hinata. She was the only person in the world that liked me for who I was. She was the one person I didn't want to lose. She was my one and only family member. Danzo adopted me for my artistic talent so that he could bring prestige to his family name. He also used me as a spy, for some of my stalking ventures were for information for blackmail and bribery. He nor I considered each other family. Hinata on the other hand became my friend, sister and mother. So I decided to perform the rituals described in the book. Around the same time, I also decided to paint Hinata's portrait.

Then something went wrong. Hinata didn't cough as much when I continued the spell but at the same time, she became more and more tired, eventually she fell into the eternal slumber of death. I had not finished the portrait yet. Nevertheless, a deep sadness settled into me and I was unable to paint. I began to drink even more, yet in my drunken state, my mind was clear. One night, after my bottle of sake, I performed the spell ritual once more. After I did so, I had an insane inclination to paint. It was then when I finished my portrait, as I painted, I felt the last strains of life drain from my body. When the morning light came, I was dead but my soul resided by Hinata's finished portrait. It when then when I finally saw that Hinata's soul was preserved inside but she was trapped and unable to escape.

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"The day you came to the art gallery Naruto-kun was the day I finally managed to dislodge part of Hinata's soul from the portrait. I have no clue how it happened but somehow, something worked and part of Hinata's soul has been taken outside the realm of the portrait. Somehow, it has also manifested itself into a living creature."

"You mean, the Hinata in my world is part of Hinata in this world?" asked Naruto, almost in a state of shock.

"Yes. Lately, more and more of her soul has been taken out of this portrait Naruto-kun, but for a price," stated Sai, now looking straight into Naruto's eyes.

"That's good then!" exclaimed Naruto naively.

"Good for Hinata, yes but it does not leave you in a stable situation Naruto-kun."

"W-Why? Hinata's being freed..."

"Naruto-kun, haven't you ever noticed that whenever you or Hinata have exchanged stories about one another, the Hinata in your world seems to gain be more and more… personality? Not to mention that you have been feeling more and more drained as the days go by?"

Naruto froze. The intensity of real Hinata's sadness had increased as his meetings with portrait Hinata continued… And then there was that day in which he felt trapped in his body… What was happening?

"You see Naruto-kun, whenever you shared your stories with Hinata, your soul entered this realm bit by bit and whenever Hinata told you her stories, part of her soul went into your realm, making real Hinata more… alive. Hinata realized this after your second meeting – that was why she didn't meet you for a week. She was forced to see you again when you threatened her in the real world. She was happy that you seemed to care for her of course, but she knew that you were going to put yourself in more and more danger whenever you came here."

Sai paused and stared intensely into Naruto's eyes. The blonde seemed deeply frightened.

"Now the question is, what will you do Naruto-kun? Will you pour the rest of your soul into the portrait and reside here forever so you can free Hinata completely? Or will you run away from Hinata and let her soul slowly come back to the portrait so you can have all of your soul back and live normally again?"

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What will be Naruto's decision? In the end, who will he sacrifice? Will he ever have ramen ever again???