"Talking out loud"
"Thoughts"
"Naruto talking with Kyuubi"
"Kyuubi"
"Kit…Kit…otouto, wake up."
Naruto burrowed deeper into the warmth at the sound of the voice refusing to wake.
"Come on kit, you have training today."
Kyuubi said gently nudging Naruto to stand up and get ready for the day. Finally relenting Naruto stood up with a groan of protest as his body suddenly ached. He opened his eyes but immediately regretted them and winced as the light from his apartment window met his eyes. With another groan he pushed himself up and cursed when he opened his puffy eyes.
"Language"
Naruto grumbled at the reprimand but stopped as he hissed when he yawned, his split lip and bruised cheek throbbing in protest and grumbled again.
"Sorry Kit, but stop whining I haven't healed your bruises yet, I had to focus on your internal injuries. It'll take me a few more hours."
"It's fine Kyuu-nii." Naruto murmured before trudging to the bathroom. After taking a long relaxing bath Naruto got out and applied healing salve on his bruises and bandaged them. The bandage covered his whole upper body; it started from his shoulder to his wrist, neck to his shoulders and chest to his waist. He also bandaged his thighs down to his ankles but he could do nothing to hide the large ugly bruise on his cheek and split lip.
Wearing his usual orange attire that effectively hid the bandages from sight he walked to the training fields; he hid his presence and waited for his team mates. It was a routine for Naruto, go there early then when everyone appear tumbling forward then pretend to be late. But for some odd reason he had a feeling that today was different, bad different.
"What's wrong?" Kyuubi asked when he felt Naruto's discomfort.
"It's nothing. I just have a bad feeling about today…" Naruto murmured
"I'm sure it nothing Kit. Maybe it's just your stomach; you didn't eat anything on your way here." Kyuubi reassured hiding his own unease; after all he didn't want Naruto to worry now did he. Naruto nodded in agreement before going went deadly silent when he felt a massive amount of chakra heading for the bridge.
"It's alright Kit. It's just your friends." Kyuubi informed when Naruto tensed greatly. At hearing this Naruto relaxed a bit but then he felt Kyuubi tense when the gang neared them.
"Yeah…Sorry Aniki…I wonder why I'm so jumpy today…" Naruto wondered and shifted slightly when one of his bruises got hit by a branch. Naruto looked at the direction where the voices came from and saw many people coming.
"Why are they here? Is today mission S-class of something?" Naruto wondered before staring at the group nearing the bridge.
"I doubt it. That hentai of a sensei you have said that today would be consisted of D to B class mission. They're probably here to…" Kyuubi stated before his voice faded when he heard the topic the group was talking about. Naruto could hear the distinct sound of talking when Kyuubi suddenly blocked his hearing by covering his ears with chakra.
"Aniki? What's wrong?" Naruto asked alarmed, keeping his voice low. Kyuubi only blocked his senses when he knew something dire is happening. The gang now stood at the bridge and Naruto could see them moving their lips, talking but as they talked Naruto could hear Kyuubi growling furiously. Through their link Kyuubi could feel whatever Naruto was feeling and it goes both ways, but now, all Naruto felt was anger, pulsing through their link and into him.
"What are they talking about?" Naruto asked the pit of worry in his stomach from before growing. Naruto saw every one of his friends there at the bridge talking, Sakura, Hinata, Kiba, Shino, Neji, Lee, Tenten, Chouji, Ino, Shikamaru even Kakashi, Asuma, Gai and Kurenai was there. The only ones missing from the group were Sai, Yamato-sensei, Tsunade-baachan, Ero-sennin, Shizune, and Iruka sensei.
"Something I rather you not know about." Naruto tensed, Kyuubi only got like this when something would hurt him and whatever his friends were talking about were making Kyuubi furious.
"I want to know, besides how can it be that bad? They're my friends right?" Naruto said cheerfully and Kyuubi stiffened
"Kit..."
Naruto signed and pushes his chakra against the ones of Kyuubi, when it broke it cause a small ripple of air to burst forth. Kyuubi tried to once again bring forth his chakra but Naruto enforced the seal, stopping Kyuubi from accessing his chakra outside the seal.
"I'm sorry Aniki, but their my friends…"
Kyuubi flared his presence, which he always did that to cover Naruto's presence, to or to comfort him, letting Naruto know he was with him, not that he needed it, but it was comforting to know that Kyuubi was worried for him but at the same time troubled Naruto more than ever. The conversation of the group continued and he focused on that.
"-so stupid!" Sakura exclaimed
"Come on Sakura, give him some slack. It's not his fault he's so stupid." Ino said grinning
"Yeah! He must have acquired it from his worthless parents, whoever they are." Kiba chimed in making Naruto wince and causing a spark of anger in him.
"Tell me about it. You don't know how much I regret spending each day training that idiot." Kakashi agreed, Asuma and Kurenai backing him up.
"You don't mean that…"
"It'll be troublesome for the village if he got any stronger than he is now." Lee said with a look of disgust
"Let's starve him then!" Chouji exclaimed
"He's not like you Chouji." Tenten berated
"No one should be compared to him. It must be just chance that Fate was kind to a freak like him." Neji said and Naruto frowned, Neji hadn't been like this since their fight in the Chunin qualification exam from the Suna invasion.
"Minna…what's wrong…why…"
"I think w-we should j-just ignore h-him" Hinata shared and the gang looked up.
"That should work. I tire of even being near his presence." Shino added
"Make him feel unneeded." Asuma agreed lighting a stick.
"Guys wait. Even if I agree with you, if we don't continue to act the part we can't keep an eye on him." Kurenai said annoyance in her voice
"At least he has been shunned by the villagers! It's good to watch them do what we can't and beat that brat up." Gai exclaimed
"No...That's not true…"
"As disgusted I am to say this, his tolerance is strong! I don't think ignoring him is enough." Shikamaru added
"Indeed it won't."
"No…not him…please…"
"What are you saying Sasuke? Are you siding with him now?" Lee asked
"Never."
"I thought he was your friend?" Kakashi asked mock clearly in his voice.
"I never considered him, even for one moment as a friend. He's a demon in my eyes, nothing but a nuisance in my way to power." Sasuke replied
"Then what do you suggest, Uchiha Sasuke?" Kurenai asked
"No…"
"Get rid of him..." Sasuke replied
"…You." Kyuubi replied
"It can't be…" Naruto thought
"Get rid of Naruto…" Sasuke continued
"Kai!" Naruto screamed, Kyuubi's chakra breaking free when Naruto got too distracted to keep hold of the seal and immediately covering him completely with his chakra silencing his choice.
"KAI! KAI! KAI! KAI! KAI!"
"Naruto…stop…"
"NO! NO! It's just a Gengutsu! Help me Kyuubi! We have to break it!"
"Otouto…Kit…Naruto, that's enough!"
"NO! It's not real! It can't be!"
Naruto couldn't take it anymore and backed away, dashing silently back to his apartment before the next word was uttered, tears flowing unbidden through his eyes. Back at the clearing, Naruto's friends look up at the direction he left, their eyes glowing darkly, shadow similar to the Nara's technique releasing them and backing away towards the opposite direction the blonde shinobi just dashed through.
Meanwhile, Naruto was speeding as fast as he could back towards his apartment, his mind not registering the people he bumped into from the market place before jumping through the roofs, ignoring the few villagers trying to hit him with objects for running on their house. He reached his apartment and entered the bedroom before slamming the doors and all entrances shut. Sliding down to the floor, Naruto allowed more of his tears to leak down his face before an invisible force brought him inside the seal's dimension.
Once Kyuubi saw Naruto just standing in a daze like state tears freely cascading down his face, one of his tails quickly pulled his Kit towards him. For a while the only thing that filled the dark dimension was the sound of Naruto's tears dripping down the floor of his cage as he cried out whatever was left of his heart and tears.
"Calm yourself otouto…I'm here and no one is going to hurt you… Kyuubi repeated this line along with a few others until Naruto managed to stop his sobs.
"I-I can't stop…" Naruto whispered, his tears rolling down his face, unstopping.
"It's alright, otouto…let it out..." Kyuubi encouraged and a few hours later Naruto stopped, finally running out of tears to shed.
"It hurts…" Naruto whispered heartbrokenly. "They think I'm …Am I really a-"
"Don't even finish that thought Naruto. You are nothing and no else but Naruto Uzumaki…Namikaze…"
"They insulted my parents…Almost everyone that's important to me…they hate me…"
"Even if everything in this world hates you, I never will. I'm still here for you, Kit and I always will be…Besides it's not like I have a choice now do I." Kyuubi tried and managed to wring out a small smile from Naruto before it fell back to its saddened state.
"But even if you have a choice, you won't leave me right?' Naruto asked his voice filled with fear.
"Even if we were magically separated I will stay with you Naruto." Kyuubi promised and he wrapped his tails tighter around Naruto. And the blonde teen buried his face into the red soft fur of his brother.
"You feel worse because of that Uchiha brat" Kyuubi stated and Naruto nodded as he turned back in time and reminisced the day he beat Sasuke and brought him home. The day he trained every day, until he was so drained he landed in the hospital for several days.
FLASHBACK
Naruto and Sasuke faced each other in the Valley of the End both bloodied and beaten from fighting.
Panting Naruto struggled and stood up straight before taking an offensive stance.
"I'll definitely bring you back to Konoha, Sasuke! And I won't give up until I do!" Naruto screamed.
"I told you to give up Naruto. I will not return to Konoha!"
"You already exacted your revenge and killed Itachi! What more do you want?" Naruto asked
"Itachi's not dead, Naruto! He lived! I defeated him but he's still alive and well along with the Akatsuki!"
"The Akatsuki are dead! We killed all of them!" Naruto screamed in disbelief
"Believe me Naruto, they're still out there. Someone revived some of them; Itachi, Deidara, Kisame, Sasori, Tobi, Pein, and Konan, they're alive while the others remain dead." Sasuke said and Naruto's eyes were filled with worry.
"What will you do? Kill him again? Avenge your clan?" Naruto asked
"I'm no longer after his blood! I learned that Itachi wasn't responsible for the death of my clan." Sasuke answered
"Then come back to Konoha!"
"I will not go back there!"
"Then I'll drag you back if I have to!"
"How about we make a deal, Naruto?"
"What deal?"
"If I defeat you, you will give up on bringing me back to Konoha. You never try to interfere with me and you will never look or me ever again."
"Fine! But if I win you'll come back with me to Konoha. You'll stop going after anyone and you'll never try to leave or betray Konoha ever again." Naruto declared and Sasuke looked hesitant before slowly agreeing.
"Give me your word Sasuke! Give me your word as a true Uchiha." Naruto ordered
"You have my word Naruto Uzumaki." Sasuke promised and both thought of one thing.
"There's no backing out now…I have to defeat him!"
And the battle started where it began, it shall end.
END OF FLASHBACK
It has been half a year since that day he brought Sasuke back and everyone was shocked when a very injured Naruto dragged a very bloodied and unconscious Sasuke through the gates, a large grin present on his face before fainting himself. When Naruto reported what had happened, everyone they found it hard to believe that he defeated the Sasuke Uchiha at first but when the said Uchiha confirmed it himself everyone reluctantly believed.
The villagers though were another story. The ones who hated Naruto absolutely refused to believe in Naruto, thinking that he placed a jutsu on Sasuke to make him agree to the jinchuuriki's story.
The villagers, though knowing Sasuke betrayed them, welcomed him with smiles and greetings. The villagers would welcome and prefer anyone, even a missing-nin, so long as it wasn't the jinchuuriki, but Naruto didn't pay heed to what they say, happy that he had his best friend back
Tsunade and the others nins were another story, they found it hard to trust Sasuke again, after all he had hurt and damage he had caused for very long time, but with a lot of pestering from Naruto, they finally relented and allowed him to wonder freely around the village, so long as at least 2 ANBU's or Naruto accompanied him until he was full trustable again.
Kyuubi growled angrily when he felt Naruto's misery coming off of him in waves, his volatile chakra becoming tangible and causing great winds in the seals dimension making it glow brightly, holding the dangerous crimson chakra at bay.
"It's okay Aniki..."
"Nothing is okay, Naruto!"
"No, it's not…but we can't change anything…" Naruto agreed finally sharing what he really feels. "He changed…and not for the better…" Naruto murmured mournfully leaning into Kyuubi even more.
"…Sometimes changes aren't always for the better Naruto."
"I want to leave…I don't want to stay here anymore…this is not 'home'…lets go find home Aniki…"
"We leave at midnight…but for now rest…"
Naruto obediently stood up and lay on his bed. It took a long time for Naruto to sleep, but all the crying and weariness caught up to him, and slowly Naruto fell asleep.
"For hurting you they will pay…they will pay greatly…otouto…" Kyuubi thought to himself angrily as he looked at Naruto. Not even an hour after he slept nightmares began to hunt him and silent tears fell from his closed eyes. Tightening his hold on Naruto, Kyuubi hummed a soft tune that came from his homeland. Naruto shivered slightly before calming down, his tears slowly disappearing.
"Where is that idiot?"
"Calm down Sakura, maybe he overslept."
"Kakashi-sensei, he's even later than you are! We've already been waiting here since 10 am! It's already weird that we met this late instead of the usual 7am! And do you even know what time it is! It's 3pm! We've been waiting here for 5 straight hours!" Sakura screeched angrily.
Kakashi sighed but his thoughts weren't on Naruto. He was still wondering how he arrived at the bridge this morning, he didn't even remember going there! And to his bewilderment Sakura, Hinata, Kiba, Shino, Neji, Lee, Tenten, Chouji, Ino Shikamaru even Kakashi, Kurenai, Asuma, and Gai was there within the same condition he was in, confused, and for some strange reason they, just like himself, felt worried and guilty but they were suddenly compelled to brushed it off.
"Kakashi-sensei! Kakashi-sensei! We're you even listening to me!" Sakura exclaimed snapping Kakashi from his dazed state.
"Umm…sorry. What were you saying Sakura?" Kakashi asked and Sakura sighed furiously and the two teens behind them silently rolled their eyes in annoyance. Sai was reading a book, arriving by 12 noon from a meeting with the Hokage.
"We wanted to check out Naruto." Sai answered for Sakura.
"We were waiting for your 'okay'." Sasuke added sounding irritated. He really wanted to check on Naruto since this morning but instead he found himself with the others on the bridge with no idea how he got there. He had a feeling that something bad happened.
"Okay then! Let's go!" Kakashi exclaimed and the 4 of them dashed off to Naruto's apartment, which was half an hour away, on the other side of Konoha.
Kyuubi growled when he felt four, familiar chakra's heading their way towards the apartment and a bubble of contained rage threatened to burst. Naruto shuffled awake when he felt a sudden anger rise inside him before looking up sleepily at the nine tailed demon.
"Hat'z wong Kyuui-ii?" Naruto asked, it would have been a cute sight if it weren't for Naruto's hoarse voice from crying. With his tear stained face and puffy red eyes, add the ugly bruise on his cheek, split lip and his forlorn eyes, he looked nothing close to it. And this sight only added more fuel to Kyuubi's anger before he forced himself to calm down for Naruto's sake.
"Your team is heading their way here…all four of them…they'll be here in half an hour…" Kyuubi informed his voice dripping with venom. At this news Naruto snapped awake before a look of sadness and betrayal took over his feature and finally anger.
"I don't want to see them…" Naruto muttered sadly his eyes watering at the thought of facing his frie-team again.
"Then let me…I'll see them for you…" Kyuubi offered but Naruto was reluctant at handing control over his body to Kyuubi, it's not that he didn't trust him, it's just Kyuubi was furious right now it was rolling off of him in waves.
"I won't hurt them…not badly anyway…"
"Kyuubi…"
"I can't just let it slip through! They hurt my kit and they're going to pay..." Kyuubi growled
"Don't kill them…"
"As much as I want to kit, I don't want you to get in trouble before we leave this place…Naruto I'll just handle it. Now rest. I'll pack and handle your things and when you wake I'm taking you away from this hell hole."
With a reluctant nod Kyuubi surged forth and took control of Naruto's body. Naruto's eyes flashed red before turning blue again when Kyuubi took control of his vessels body, only this time Naruto's eyes turned dark blue to an almost purple shade that reflected power, dangerous power. These blue eyes held nothing but hidden and controlled emotions, not the gentle look it had when Naruto was the one in control. It held not soft round eyes instead it held the cat-like eyes of Kyuubi, eyes of a tailed demon.
"Aniki…"
"Rest otouto…we'll leave when you wake…" Kyuubi ordered and Naruto drifted to an uneasy sleep.
Kyuubi got up from bed and went to Naruto's wardrobe. Setting aside all the orange clothing, a small black bag revealed itself at the back of Naruto's closet. Opening the bag, Kyuubi grinned and changed his clothes.
Kyuubi now in control of Naruto's body wore a long sleeved mesh shirt underneath a fitted blue muscle shirt that showed his toned body no one ever got to see behind the thick orange clothing Naruto always wore. The midnight black cargo pants were hanging low on the blonde's body showing his perfectly shaped leg. He had black steel tip ankle high boots. Naruto looked hot, but the purplish bruise on his cheek ruined it.
Kyuubi emptied the back pack and filled it with black, red, and blue clothing before filling it with all kind of weapons and scrolls. When Kyuubi finished packing, he quickly cleaned his Kits apartment, throwing all the garbage in the bin and all the laundry in the basket. In a record of thirty minutes the whole apartment was completely bare and empty of personal items. Grabbing the bag he filled with all of Naruto's orange clothing he went to kitchen before emptying it and dumping all the food inside a bin. Kyuubi went back to the bedroom and grabbed the back pack he filled earlier on, carried it on his shoulder; Kyuubi went back into the living room. He looked up and a glint of light caught his attention. He stared blankly at the photo frame containing the photo of all of Naruto's precious people. Kyuubi growled about to burn the photo…
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
"NARUTO! OPEN THIS DAMN DOOR YOU IDIOT!"
Kyuubi frowned glaring at the photo before turning his back against it and growled as Sakura banged at the door demanding entry. Hiding the bags Kyuubi went and opened the door in an angle where everyone can see him but the bruise. Kyuubi would have grinned at the shock faces Naruto's team mates had when they saw him dressed in something not orange if it weren't for the circumstances they were in.
"What do you want?"
"What happened to you?" Sakura asked backed as she looked at Naruto with disbelief. "You're not wearing orange!"
"It's none of your business…"
"What are you hiding?" Sasuke asked, glaring at Naruto who, surprisingly, glared back.
"I'm hiding nothing Uchiha."
"Then come out idiot." Sasuke ordered and Kyuubi growled but stepped out. The team gasped when they saw a dark swelling bruise that was turning a dark shade of purple. The bruise took up Naruto's entire right cheek causing his right eye to narrow that only his blue pupil was seen.
"Who did this?" Kakashi asked with a harsh whisper. Kakashi became like a father to Naruto when he started dating Iruka a few months back and he became quite over protective with his blonde student as he(Naruto) changed his(Kakashi) point of view about his past so he no longer blamed himself for the death of his comrades. He made a move to grab Naruto's chin and inspect the bruise when his hand was slapped away.
"Naruto! That's rude!" Sakura screeched!
"Come inside. I don't want to attract attention."
With that said team 7 entered the apartment. Sasuke stared, concerned, at the blonde. Sasuke has treated Naruto like a brother and he loved him as a brother so with Naruto acting like this brought him on the edge. Sai and Kakashi took on a contemplative reaction at what happened to his friend while Sakura was just pissed.
"How did it happen?" Sai asked still standing behind the blonde. Kyuubi contemplated on how to respond, Sai was not part of what happened earlier.
"Hurry up and answer baka! We have things to do!" Sakura screamed
"I didn't ask you to be here now did I?"
"Stop stalling! Who did that to you? Why didn't you fight back?" Sasuke exclaimed
"Like I said, It's none of your business."
"Yes it is! We're your friends and we have the right to kno-" Sakura screamed but Kyuubi cut her off. Voicing out all of his anger, Kyuubi used this moment to speak his mind for his Kit.
"Friends! You call yourself my friends and you don't even know what I'm going through!" Kyuubi screamed, startling everyone in the room with the sudden outburst.
"What are you talking about? We-" Kakashi began but was cut off when Kyuubi stared right at them with Naruto's eyes. The team gasped silently when they saw Naruto, or so they thought, looking at them with such hatred and anger even more so than what Sasuke had when Itachi murdered their clan.
"Tell them…" Kyuubi heard the soft whisper
"What am I talking about? Of course you never know what I'm talking about! You never knew me at all! Do you even know that I'm being beaten to a pulp at every corner when I'm alone! 13 years of my life were filled with nothing but pain! Then I met you, my friends!" Naruto spat and the team flinched at the venom Naruto stressed.
"I was so happy that time thinking that I finally had people who would love me and see me for who I am! But you didn't see me for who I am! You only saw the loud and obnoxious boy you see every day! The knuckleheaded idiot of Konoha! The vessel of Kyuubi no Kitsune! You never really did look for more!" Naruto screamed and the people in the room stared at him in shock and shame at the sudden revelation
Inside his consciousness Kyuubi saw Naruto with tears falling down his eyes. Of course, whatever Naruto felt whether he was in control or not, his body would react to it, and now Naruto only felt sadness, nothing but darkness settled in his heart.
"Leave…" Kyuubi murmured feeling his rage boiling
"We didn't know!" Sakura pleaded her eyes watering.
"Leave…now…" Kyuubi murmured again.
"Naruto-" Sasuke began
"LEAVE! GET OUT! GET OUT NOW!" Kyuubi screamed as tears fell down from Naruto's eyes.
Team 7 excluding Naruto reluctantly left the apartment and Kyuubi slammed the door lock behind them before retreating to his cell where Naruto sat in the corner crying. Kyuubi wrapped on of his big and fluffy tails around Naruto and gently pulled him. Kyuubi lowered his enormous head and nuzzled Naruto trying to comfort him.
"I'm such a cry baby…no wonder you didn't like me before…" Naruto murmured and Kyuubi just listened. Naruto leaned against Kyuubi, burying his face in the soft red fur. "Arigatou…"
"I did what you would have done, but if I had it my way they wouldn't be breathing right now…"
"Did I make the right decision?"
"It was only right to tell them, leaving unfinished business would only make leaving this hell hole difficult. They should know what you've been through, are going through…make them carry the guilt on their shoulders…they deserve it…after what they said about you…"
"How about the others?...Sai, Yamato-teicho, Tsunade-baachan, Ero-sennin…Iruka-sensei…"
"They are still you're family otouto…but you cannot stay here…they will be happy as long as you are…"
"Aniki…Lets leave…"
"Let's leave."
With that Naruto came to reality and stood up from the floor, noticing it was past sunset, Naruto grabbed the 2 bags hidden and with one last look around his apartment he slammed the door close for the last time. The photo on the table cracked, cutting Naruto's figure in half passing through his chest and smile breaking it.
He heading towards the gate, Naruto took his time in visiting all of his favorite places in Konoha; the memorial stone, the forest, the training ground, Ichiraku's, the moonlit cliff, and the Hokage monument where he stared at the fourths carved face on the stone. Reaching the end of Konoha Naruto headed for the gate, ready to leave the one place he once called home.
"Naruto?"
Naruto looked at the caller and saw his father figure, Umino Iruka.
"Naruto! What on earth happened to your cheek?" Iruka exclaimed in worry before placing a glowing green hand on Naruto's bruise. A few minutes later on a faint and almost invisible patch of purple was left.
"I always told you to never get involve in a fight! Goodness gracious how did you even get a bruise as big as that!" Iruka screeched
"It's nothing Iruka-sensei…" Noticing Naruto's avoidance of the topic Iruka reluctantly let it go and changed the topic.
"Okay…What are you doing out here so late?" Iruka asked the blonde. Naruto shook his head and replied.
"I'm leaving, Iruka-tousan…" And Iruka snapped to attention.
"He hasn't called me that in years…" Iruka thought and smiled before ruffling Naruto's hair like he did when he was still a student at the academy.
"Where are you going? Out on a mission?" Iruka asked and Naruto was slightly hesitant to reply not wanting to lie to his father figure.
"I'm leaving…" Naruto replied and Iruka frowned in concern. "Alone? How about your friends? Won't one of them accompany you?"
"I'll go alone. Not that I have friends in this village anyway." Naruto replied keeping the bitter tone at bay, feeling guilty for misleading Iruka.
"…Be…be careful out there ok?" Iruka said and Naruto nodded
"Can you keep this for me...until I…come back?" Naruto asked holding out the other bag with all of his orange clothing. Iruka raise an eye brow at Naruto's hesitant behavior.
"Ok, come back soon. And don't get injured to badly."
Iruka took the bag and slightly frowned. "Why is it so heavy?"
"Iruka-tousan…" Iruka looked up only to stumble back a few steps when Naruto grabbed him into a long and tight hug.
"I'll miss you tousan and take care of yourself…" Naruto murmured and Iruka smiled, hugging back tighly
"What has gotten into you? You act like you're not coming back for a long time."
"I'll come back for my things…Wait for me…"
"Of course I will."
"Aisiteru otou-san…"
"Aishiteruyo musuko…" Iruka replied he's eyes tearing up
"Sayonara…" With that Naruto let go and headed towards the village gates. Nodding at Izumo and Kotetsu's direction, Naruto passed the gate and headed into the forest at a walking pace.
"Naruto!" Iruka called and he ran as far as the village gates. Naruto stopped but didn't turn, knowing that if he did, he wouldn't be able to leave.
"Come back you here!"
Iruka watched as Naruto raised a hand in acknowledgement before continuing on his way. Iruka felt a tug on his heart when he saw Naruto disappear into the distance. With a feeling that Naruto won't be coming back for a long time and as a feeling of dread and sadness overcame him, Iruka tightened his grip on the bag and whispered silently into the night air.
"Come back …"
Realizing that he was being silly, he shook his head and went back home, while trying to push the feeling of loneliness back inside him. Little did he know, Naruto heard him with his enhanced hearing, heading straight forward Naruto didn't look back as he bid farewell to Konoha.
"Sayonara…"
A cold wind passed by Konoha and everything seemed to darken, almost as if a piece of sunshine from the world disappeared, leaving everything behind in a cold and dark night…