Chapter 18

The Funeral-Part 1

Now the funeral begins. NOTE: TONS OF FLASHBACKS! Oh no! This story is almost over! But I already have the next story's first and second chapter thought about! YEP. The sequal will come out about one week after this one is finished. So enjoy this chapter!

DISCLAIMER: If I were Masashi Kishimoto, I would kill Sasuke, make NaruSaku happen quickly, and destroy all thoughts of NaruHina!

Sakura took one last glance in her mirror to make sure she had everything. Her Konoha headband was strapped securly in its usual spot, and she had a different pair of black boots on, more formal. She wore a black long-sleeved shirt, and a long black skirt. Carefully, she secured her headband once more, and headed out the door.

When she stepped out, she saw Sasuke slowly making his way to the funeral, but she didn't want to bother him. Sasuke was hurting as much as she was, maybe even more. Instead, she walked slowly behind him, trying not to get his attention. "How's it going for you?" he asked, and glanced behind him. Sakura just looked to the ground. "Hmph." Sasuke ran ahead, but Sakura just shrugged.

"Sakura-san..." Ino's voice sounded from behind her. Ino ran up to her and started walking in sync with her. "Are you going to stay later than everyone else?" Sakura closed her eyes, and nodded her head. It was only right to stay a little later, with Naruto. "You know," Ino began again. "Konoha is kinda quiet without him around...isn't it?" Again, Sakura nodded her head.

Sakura looked forward and saw Neji, TenTen, and Lee jump down, surprisingly without Gai. "Sakura-san." Lee greeted the kunoichi, bowing.

"Where's Gai-sensei?" she asked, and Neji and TenTen looked at each other.

"He's...somewhere else." Neji answered, and started walking away. "Let's walk together. Hinata-sama, Kiba-san, and Shino-san are up ahead waiting for us."

"So are Chouji-kun and Shikamaru-san." Ino added, and ran up to Neji.

Sakura caught up quickly, and the five shinobi walked together until they saw the remaining five up ahead. "Ohayoo." the others greeted, and they continued walking, looking like an ocean of black.

"So..." Hinata spoke softly. "Who is staying later for Naruto-kun?" Sakura, Hinata, Lee, Shikamaru, Chouji, Kiba, and Ino raised their hands.

"Seriously?" Sakura gasped. "All of you people?"

"Me and TenTen are going to a meeting after the funeral. So we can't stay," Neji stated.

"And I'm going on a mission right after this," Shino added, and continued looking forward. "So I can't stay later."

"Why are you staying, Ino?" Sakura asked the blonde, but Ino just stared at her.

"One, because I want to pay my final respects properly," she answered, and then looked down at the ground. "And because you might need a shoulder to cry on...Sakura-san..."

Sakura smiled at Ino. "Arigatou." she thanked her, but Ino just turned around muttering a 'you're welcome' as she got to the top of the group.

When they arrived at the main building in Konoha, they slowly began climbing up the stairs. There was a Chuunin standing at the top, and gave each of them a white lily, sending them off with a sorrowful expression. The group looked around for a large empty spot, and found one a few meters away from the funeral table. Sakura looked behind her and saw Konohamaru crying. She carefully placed her hand on his head, and ruffled his hair. "It's okay, Konohamaru-kun." she said warmly. "Everything will be okay..." But Sakura knew that she was lying, that everything wouldn't be okay. She looked up at the sky and saw dark gray clouds move over the sun, and thunder roared loudly while the lightning lit up the darkened sky. Tears fell down Sakura's cheeks, accompanied by rain drops.

Sakura felt a hand touch her shoulder, and she wiped her tears to see who was comforting her. "I-Iruka-sensei?" she stuttered when she saw her former Academy teacher. "I-I thought you would be somewhere else up here."

Iruka looked at the pink-haired kunoichi, grief glazed over his eyes. "It's hard to be here you know," he choked. "Exactly how it was for the Sandaime's, Asuma's, and the Yondaime's."

Sadness consuming her, Sakura looked over at Naruto's picture on the table. It was the best picture up there, his smiling face, almost identical to Minato's. "Hai, Iruka-sensei." she answered softly.

Sakura quieted down as Tsunade made her entrance. All the lilies were gone, and the entire village had come to the funeral. "Ohayou, Konohagakure." she greeted the village, sadness tinting her voice. "Today we are here to hold the funeral of one great Konoha shinobi, who had been through much in his lifetime." As Tsunade continued her speech, Sakura looked around for Atsuiiki, but she was no where in sight, nor was Kakashi. "Now will everyone create a line to come lay down your flower of respect for Naruto-sama."

The villagers all got into one single line, and started laying their flowers down on the table in front of his picture. Sakura walked up, and set the flower down on the table, letting the old memories flood into her.

"Naruto!" Sakura called as she ran through the trees. "Where are you? Naruto!" The kunoichi searched for the battlefield where she left the blonde shinobi. He had been fighting with Itachi, while Sakura took care of Kisame. After about thirty minutes, the fish was dead, while Naruto had still been fighting for almost an hour. A flash of yellow appeared through the trees, and Sakura quickly rushed to it. In the clearing, lay a blonde with cuts and gashes across his body, and a beaten Itachi lying a few meters away. "Naruto!" Sakura exclaimed, and went to the shinobi's aid. When she flipped him over, Naruto's eyes were closed, as if he were asleep. "Naruto," Sakura started shaking him. "Wake up...Naruto..."

Naruto groaned and opened his eyes slowly. "S-Sakura...chan..." he coughed. "I see. We did it. We-"

"Shush..." Sakura said and placed a finger to his lips. "Don't talk. Let me heal you." Carefully, she unzipped his jacket, and placed her hands over his chest. A green light appeared under them, and slowly began to heal them.

"Hehe..." Naruto chuckled. "Don't worry, Sakura-chan. I won't die for a while. Not until I become Hokage."

Sakura smiled. "I know you won't, Naruto..." she said, and moved on to another wound. "But please be careful. You never know."

Sakura wiped the tears from her eyes and walked away, letting the others place their flowers down. Now it was Neji's turn. He placed his flower down, and thought about the past half-year he had with Naruto.

"Naruto-kun, we're going to the Gun Maruki." Neji instructed the blonde shinobi, who broke into a laughing fit. "Nani?"

"The Country of LOGS?!?! WHAT TYPE OF COUNTRY IS THAT?!?!" he laughed.

"I DON'T KNOW!" Neji screamed back. "I DIDN'T NAME THE DAMN COUNTRY!"

Naruto flinched back and laughed. "I know," he said softly, and Neji calmed down. "I wonder what Sasuke would say if he were here...logs..."

Neji chuckled. "He'd probably go running home screaming like a little girl. Naruto laughed and nodded his head. "Let's go."

Neji bowed to the picture, and made his way over to where Sakura was standing, staring up at the black sky. Lee made his way up to the picture, and set his flower down. Naruto-kun...

"Oi! Lee!" Naruto shouted as they got back from their mission. "You forgot something." Lee turned around and Naruto handed him a load of the Curry of Life. His mouth started watering, he hadn't had this since the last mission here, when they had to bring peace to the Kurosaki family.

"Arigatou Naruto-kun!" Lee exclaimed, and started digging in to the bubbling black curry. "Do you wa-" he stopped short when he realized that Naruto was now near Neji, far away from the spicy food. "More for me!"

Naruto looked behind him and saw Lee devouring the curry, and he smiled. "Lee! We're going to leave you behind if you keep getting father back to eat that curry!" he called over his shoulder, and started walking in sync with Neji.

"Hai!" Lee replied with his mouth full of curry. "Coming!"

Lee smiled sorrowly as he walked away, and wiped the tears coming down his face. TenTen walked up to the flower bed, and placed her lily down. "You always gave me pointers on the shuriken, kunai, and many other weapons. Arigatou, Naruto-kun." she muttered, and bowed to the picture.

"Heeyah!" TenTen shouted as she flung 3 kunai at the tree in front of her. Two of them hit, not on the mark, and one missed.

"You're stance is screwy, TenTen." Naruto said as he walked into the clearing. "Watch. Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" A shadow clone appeared next to him, and he sent it over to where TenTen was aiming. Naruto whipped out a single scroll, and brought out a few shuriken and kunai. His left foot rushed out foward, while his right foot jumped back, and he flung his hand up and over, sending the kunai to hit the clone in the center of the chest. Then he quickly caught the rest of the shuriken and kunai in his hands and repeated many different moves, each hitting the exact same spot over and over, changing his feets' position each time. "See," he panted, and handed another scroll to TenTen. "Try it." TenTen whipped it out, and caught the single kunai the flung in the air, she repeated what she saw Naruto do. The kunai didn't hit it exactly, but pretty close. "Good job!" Naruto cheered. "Just a few more practice ones and you'll be ready for good!"

TenTen got up, and started walking over to where Sakura, Neji, and Lee were talking. There was still a while to go, and many of Naruto's closest friends were beginning to quiver. But one person had vanished from the crowd of people, one who should stay at all times during this type of funeral. Tsunade.

There you have it. Next chapter, MORE FLASHIES! Where has Tsunade gone? And where is Kakashi and Atsuiiki? Find out in the next chapter! Please review!

Yamahato Yokimoko-san