Chapter 15
Seishou Ichidou
Okay. Here's the plan. I am going to make basicly the ending chapters of this story basicly the epilogue for the sequal to this story. So the ending of the actual book will be about chapter 24, and continue on from there. Maybe chapters 30-36 will be little notes and hints about the actual story, summary for the next story, and little funnies and awards. So here's the basic plan.
Chapters 1-24: The Spirit That Remains Strong story
Chapters 25-30: Epilogue for TSTRS
Chapter 31: Preview for Danger Awakens: Trouble For Konoha (Sequal-About Half-a-Page)
Chapter 32: Hints and Pointers Out on ASTRS
Chapter 33: Little Funnies
Chapter 34: Awards (Best Reviewer, Best Reader, etc.)
Chapter 35: Summary for the Sequal
Chapter 36: Little Notes
DISCLAIMER: I wish I owned Naruto...I bet you don't, but you will when this story is over and done with.
Sakura walked back up to her room, and sat down on the edge of the window sill. Everytime she went there, she expected to see Naruto staring up at the stars, but she knew he would not be there. The half-moon shined down on Konoha, illuminating the ground with a glossy surface. Sakura stared down as the moon reflected off a river near by, and she grasped a golden pendant on her neck. It was the shape of a heart, and Naruto had given it to her one Valentine's Day.
Inside the locket were two pictures, one of Sakura, and the other of Naruto. Everytime she felt bad, she would look at those two pictures, and stare at them for the longest time. When she looked at a picture of Naruto, it felt as if he were there with her, living with her, just being around her. Naruto was smiling in the picture, and at the time the sun was setting, just like at the river bank on her birthday. Her picture though was plain compared to his, but none the less the locket was beautiful with the two pictures inside.
But now, this locket had a crack in it, almost as if it were shattered like Sakura's heart was. Of course, she thought it was just a coincidence, but to have a golden heart crack when yours does, can really freak you out. Sakura let go of the pendant, and just stared out into space again. The stars were twinkling above her, and she thought that there would be one extra star there, but she couldn't tell. If there was another, she told herself. It would be the biggest and brightest star of them all. Sakura took off the pendant, and sat it down on her nightstand. It twinkled under the moonlight, and another memory came into her mind.
Sakura was staring out at the river while she stood on the bridge. Her reflection in the crystal clear water should have looked happy, but there was only sadness. It was Valentine's Day, and Naruto hadn't tried to do anything yet. She saw him give Hinata a purple lily, and a kiss on the forehead. It had pained her to seem him do that, and Sakura thought that he had feelings for Hinata. Sadly, she sighed. Maybe he had nothing for her.
"Happy Valentine's Day Sakura-chan!" Naruto shouted as he ran up to Sakura, who jumped almost in the river.
Out of shock, she flipped around and smacked him on the head. "BAKA! Don't sneak up on me like that!"
Naruto rubbed his head which was aching from the impact. "I guess then I better get going." he teased, and pretended to walk off.
"Wait you." Sakura growled. "What did you want?"
Naruto smiled as he turned around, and held up a golden pendant. "I wondered if you wanted this." he said, and walked back over to her. "Do you?" Sakura stared at the pendant shining in the sunlight as it hung from his hand. Naruto opened the clasp on the pendant, and walked behind Sakura. Sakura felt a cold metal hit her neck as he put on her. She heard the clasp shut, and Naruto walked back in front of her. Sakura stared at his sapphire eyes, and they were filled with happiness. Then he bent down and kissed her on the forehead. "Happy Valentine's Day, Sakura-chan."
Sakura watched as he ran off, waving his hand at her. When he was out of her sight, she touched the golden pendant, then her forehead. "Arigatou, Naruto." she muttered, and turned away back towards her house smiling.
Sakura wiped the tears that were coming down her cheeks. That was the first 'kiss' that she had recieved from Naruto. Even if it was only on her forehead, it still left her tingling the rest of the day. It was now 12:00 according to her alarm, and Sakura drifted off into slumber.
Sakura looked around the forest, calling out for Naruto. "Naruto!" she called, and started running to look through the trees.
"Sakura-chan?" Naruto's voice sounded from behind her. Sakura flipped around and ran over to where his voice sounded from. "How'd you get here?"
Sakura kept looking for him, but she couldn't see his blonde hair. "Naruto, where are you?" she called out, and kept looking around.
"How did you get in here?" His voice called from above Sakura. She looked up and saw him floating gently with a shocked look on his face. "Only the dead can come here..."
"What do you mean Naruto?" she asked him. "I just went to sleep a few minutes ago."
Naruto stared wide-eyed at the kunoichi. "Wow. It amazing that you can even come here..." he muttered. "Come with me," The blonde spirit began to go a little away, and Sakura followed curiously.
"Where are we?" she asked, glancing at all the clouds everywhere.
Naruto kept an expressionless face. "This is Seishou Ichidou." he answered. "Where the dead spirits go to regenerate. There's some people I want you to meet." Sakura kept staring at the scenery. It looked so peaceful, yet it pained Sakura to see how sad Naruto looked here. She knew that he shouldn't be dead, and he that he didn't want to be dead either. "Sakura-chan," Naruto said and stopped moving. Sakura looked ahead of them and saw a few people standing in front of them. "These people are some of the people from my family."
Sakura gaped as he looked at them. She immediately noticed the Yondaime who was standing next to a red-haired woman who had an amazing complexion. "You must be Haruno Sakura," the Yondaime said, and smiled much like how Naruto does. "Naruto-kun tells me and Kushina alot about you."
Naruto blushed and looked at his mother. "This is my mother," he stuttered, and pointed at the red-haired woman. "Uzumaki Kushina."
Kushina bowed to Sakura, and smiled. "Konichi wa," she greeted the kunoichi. "I am from the Whirlpool Country."
Sakura gaped at her. "Then how did you meet the Yondaime?" she asked, curious about why someone from another country was infatuated with Konoha's Hokage.
"Minato was on a mission, and that's how we met." Kushina answered, and pulled an old woman up. "This is Naruto's grandmother, Houshiouru."
Naruto smiled. "Konichi wa, Houshi-baachan." he greeted his grandmother, and Sakura slapped him on the back of his head.
"Don't you call your grandmother by her name?" she growled, and Houshiouru shook her head.
"No one in Konohagakura has ever called me by my whole first name." she said, and laughed. "It's way to long."
Sakura laughed. "Right, Houshi-baasama."
Naruto stared at Sakura with curiosity in his eyes. "So still, how did you get here?" he asked again. "You have to have a very strong bond in order to do this."
Sakura sighed. "You know that I love you Naruto," she said and gazed up at him with peace in her eyes. "Very much."
Naruto smiled at Sakura and looked over at his parents. "No." he answered bluntly, and Kushina frowned. "Don't do that! You know I hate it when you do that!"
"Please Naruto-kun..." she pleaded. "For me?"
Sakura stared at Naruto confusingly. "What?" she whispered to him.
Naruto sighed. "She wants us to kiss."
"So why not?" Sakura asked, and the blonde shinobi stared at her.
"Knowing her, she'll take a picture and send it to everyone."
"Oh..."
Naruto sighed. "I've got to go, Sakura-chan." Slowly, he began floating over to his family. "Come back if you can!" The Uzumaki family disappeared, and Sakura stared with sadness as she saw Naruto leave.
Sakura woke up as her alarm went off. She jerked the covers off, and got dressed. Today, she would have to talk to Atsuiiki about bringing Naruto back, because she knew it would happen. After she put her headband on, the kunoichi ran off to go find the blonde Jounin.
"Oi! Sakura!" Lee's voice sounded from behind her. Sakura turned around and stopped slowly. "Sakura-san, where are you going?"
"To see someone." she answered, and started running off again. She couldn't deal with anymore distractions. Sakura needed to talk to Atsuiiki soon, she couldn't wait any longer to see Naruto alive again.
When she got to Atsuiiki's house, it looked terrible. "Ano?" Sakura muttered, and looked at the house. It looked okay for not being taken care of for a long time, but still. "Atsuiiki-san?" Sakura walked up to the door of her place and saw a little note.
Dear Sakura-san,
If you see this, it means I have gone to hunt down a few scrolls for the supplies to get Naruto back. Don't worry. Just talk to them about bringing him back. I'll be back in time for his funeral if he has one. Don't worry.
Shikyo Atsuiiki
Sakura growled and carefully folded the note into a little piece, sticking it in her boot. "I guess I can wait a little..." she growled and started going back to Central Konoha. "Or not..."
The story is coming to an end! Only about 9 more chapters! Will Naruto survive? Will I bring him back? How is NaruSaku gonna be? R&R!
Yamahato Yokimoko-san