Chapter 12
Process to Waking Up
Congrats! You got the next chapter! It took me a while to do this one, sorry. But I had to get the perfect ending to it, and I promise, it is a tearjerker.
DISCLAIMER: I found a way to own Naruto. If I kill Kishimoto, then I will be able to inherit it! But wait...WHO WILL WRITE THE MANGA?!?!?!?! AHHHHHHHHHH!
Naruto was panting as he took a break near a tree. It was a pain not knowing where he was, but he felt like he was not even on Earth anymore. The place where he was, it didn't look like anywhere he'd been before. Like Konoha had vanished from his sight, as if he wasn't even in the ninja world, and then he knew it. He would have to go back to Aoi, for it was the only familiar place that he knew of in this strange world.
So quietly, he began limping back to the place were Aoi was, whether he wanted to or not. It was a lose-lose situation.
"Ah, so you came back I see," Aoi said in his tiny voice. "Couldn't survive out there?"
Naruto growled at the little boys mockery, and stiffly sat down. "Where am I anyways?" he asked, glancing around the room. "I know it's not Konoha…"
Aoi laughed. "It is Konoha. Just the part you've never seen." He said, and leaned against the cold black wall. "You know what it's called?" Naruto shook his head, and stared again at his surroundings. This place, where he was resting, had an ominous glow to it, a dark blue glow that shined off the rocks into a beautiful moonlight color. "This place," Aoi started again. "Is called Seishou Ichidou."
Naruto stopped looking at the blue glow, and switched his gaze to Aoi. "Spirit Temple?" he echoed, and now understood what the ominous glow was. "So then, this light…it's just other spirits?"
Aoi shook his head. "That light, the blue light, is made up of lost spirits." He corrected with a sad tone in his voice. "They were like you, went into a coma. But they couldn't wake up, so they stay here in Seishou Ichidou, no where else to go." Naruto saw sorrow flash across the violet eyes of the little boy. Was he a lost spirit too?
"I can just say this, I am plainly a guide for these spirits. I was dead from the start…" Aoi said, noticing the look of suspicion across his face. "It's a shame though, I never got to know anyone other than these dead spirits."
Naruto placed a hand on the little boy's shoulder. "It's okay," he said. "When I was little, I knew no one. I was shunned…"
"And you still are…" Aoi finished his sentence.
Naruto stared at the walls again. "So…" he began. "Can you tell me how to wake up?"
Aoi stood up and stared directly into Naruto's eyes. "Do think you are prepared?" he asked, and Naruto shook his head yes. "Very well." Slowly, Aoi walked over to Naruto, and started to float in the air. Carefully, he placed two fingers on his headband, and closed his eyes. "Seishou Suimin."
Naruto felt himself losing conciousness, and his eyes started to close. When they fully closed, he fell to the ground with a thud.
"What do you fear most?" Aoi's voice sounded through Naruto's dream. "What is it?"
Naruto slowly opened his eyes, and saw all the members of Akatsuki in front of him. His body froze, and realized that he was in a large blue ball of chakra. Shaking, he looked down at his body and saw a red color seeping out of him. The Kyuubi's chakra! The Kyuubi was being extracted! I'm gonna die! He thought in his head, for he could not speak. I'm really gonna die!
"You mustn't fear these people anymore," Aoi's voice came back. "You can take care of them, can't you? You are too strong for them." Naruto closed his eyes. I can defeat you, he thought to himself. I'm not helpless. I'm not weak. I can take you on. When he opened his eyes, the vision of Akatsuki was gone, and a blank, white area stood in its place. "Very good. There's one burden gone, about five more to go."
Naruto sighed, and wiped the sweat off his forehead from the fright. "Next. What do you grief for?" Aoi asked.
Again, Naruto closed his eyes, and when he opened his eyes, a vision of the Third Hokage, his mother Kushina, and his father Minato. "I never met my parents…" he choked. "And the Sandaime was what I thought the best person in the world."
"You mustn't grief for them," Aoi's voice sounded. "They are happier now. Don't grief too much."
Slowly, the figures faded from Naruto's view, as he felt no more grief for them, or at least not as much as he had. "What's next?" Naruto asked, wanting to get this over with.
"Next. Do you know what heals grief?" Aoi asked. Naruto shook his head. "Love."
A figure of Sakura appeared in front of Naruto, and he just stared. "Love heals grief. But what's this?" Aoi sounded, and sadness swept across Naruto's face. "No wonder you grieved so much!"
Naruto sighed. "Sakura doesn't return my love. So how can I expect to feel whole?" he asked himself.
Aoi sighed. "She loves you more than you think…"
Naruto glanced again at the figure of Sakura that was slowly fading from his sight. I doubt it…he thought to himself. "Next please…" he muttered.
"Fine." Aoi said. "What is it that you hate, despise?"
Naruto gritted his teeth. How could he answer this one? He did hate Sasuke, but…he was his friend. One thing, Itachi and Orochimaru, those two were probably one of the most hated people he could think of. A chuckled came from Aoi. "So, you hate them?" he said, as a figure of Itachi and Orochimaru appeared. "Figures. I can't believe I'm saying this…"
"You must not hate these two anymore. They are dead."
Naruto sighed. Of course they were dead! He had killed Itachi, and Sasuke had killed Orochimaru. Realizing that they were dead, sort of relieved that big burden on his shoulders. Before he knew it, the figures had faded, and peace was placed upon him.
"Final. What do you blame yourself for?" Aoi asked, and Naruto froze.
Images flooded into his mind. Sasuke leaving, his parents' death, Iruka's parents' death, many of the villagers' deaths, many things surfaced. "You blame yourself for much. To be expected from the container of the Kyuubi."
Why he had caused everyone so much pain was beyond him. His father was the greatest Hokage ever, and risked his life for the village, by doing the only possible thing. Sealing Kyuubi inside his own son. So many lives were lost that day, and the murder was inside him.
Then Sasuke left, wanting power. Naruto tried to stop him, but failed in bringing him back. That was the very reason that he trained, to get Sasuke back, every little thing was all to get his friend back.
After that day, he vowed to bring back Sasuke, and he did come back. It was the promise of a lifetime, one that he fulfilled. But was the price too great? Had he gone over the edge? Yes, it was his fault that Sasuke left, making it his fault that he's in this state. If he had stopped Sasuke back then, he wouldn't be here. He wouldn't be near death, and many things could have been averted.
"Well?" Aoi asked. "Do you forgive yourself?"
Naruto shook his head. "I can never…" he choked. "So many things went wrong, and it was my fault. All those lives lost, all my fault."
Aoi sighed. "You must forgive yourself if you want to wake up." He urged.
Naruto again shook his head. "I can't!" he spat. "How can I forgive myself for things that can't be undone!" Tears began to creep down his face, and then he felt his body becoming more solid. Wh-what the…he gasped. "What's going on?" he screamed.
"You are dying." Aoi stated. "Your spirit is transferring here. Are you sure that you can't forgive yourself?" Naruto shook his head. "Then I welcome you to Seishou Ichidou. Please enjoy your stay."
More tears flowed down Naruto's cheeks, and he closed his eyes. Goodbye, he silently said. Sakura-chan. When he opened his eyes, his vision was a crisp as ever. I can't go back, Slowly, he began walking away from Seishou Ichidou. I'm going to die. That was it. All hope of waking up was sucked from his soul. He was going to die, and he accepted it with open arms. If this was his fate, then so be it.
NOOOO! Naruto's gonna die! Or is he? I'm soo evil! So, did you like the ending? Please review! Now this time, I want this total at least at 30 reviews! And for all the people that reviewed last chapter, say "Hi" to your character next chapter! I will bring them out. I think some will be alive, and some be dead. Haven't decided yet. But anyways, keep a lookout for your character! REVIEW!
Yamahato Yokimoko-san