"Sakura-chan? Anyone are you here?" The voice calling them was female, uncertain, soft, and shaky. Nervous, maybe. Sakura and the others watched as Yukimaru walked over to the door and opened it, several people jumping slightly as the door creaked open as the child called out.
"We are here fair queen, humbly awaiting your return." Needless to say Sakura and a few of the others thought the boy was nuts now. The stranger moved quietly, though Kakashi got the distinct impression that she made some noise so that they would know where she was.
She stopped just shy of the door, making sure to keep herself well out of the way. Obviously thinking that some of them might decide to use her for target practice. It was smart of her considering the nasty reality of the situation was kicking in for the group.
Naruto was dead.
It was a terrible thing to accept, but the fact that the stranger was there meant something. Something huge, and profound, waiting just beyond their reach for them to try and grasp it. Hinata, Shizune and Ino were crying. Sai looked as if the world had been destroyed. Sakura had a similar look, though she had a good deal of anger in her too.
How dare Naruto die!
He was the one person that she had most expected could survive anything. Like a cockroach or something, he simply endured. And then this happened! Of couse Sakura was going to be mad! But she was more upset with herself than anyone else. After all it was she who suggested that everyone leave Naruto alone. To give him time to think. If she had'nt have said that, he might still be alive.
Lee was quiet, his expression sad, yet he was the first person to peek out of the door at the person standing there silently. He sucked in a ragged breath as he stared at the teen standing there. His eyes widening in shock. Gods, she looked almost exactly like Naruto! If not for the fact that she had animal ears and a tail, he would just assume that Naruto was standing there, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed while in his female form.
She was beautiful, this creature that he had never seen before. The same distinct facial features of his blond rival were strong in her features though distinctly more feminine. The hair was longer, almost mid back legnth, with red and pink undertones to it. She glanced at him-it was just for a second. Her eyes the same wide and oh so innocent looking ones that Naruto had had, the color was different, a nice red color just a few shades shy of crimson with fushia colored tones to the red.
It made him wonder if her eyes were really red or if they were a off color of dark pink.
She looked as if she wanted to say something for a second, but shut her mouth and walked away. She vaulted over the upstairs railing and fell to the floor below. It had been a mistake to come here. She could feel it in her blood, the air in the cabin had smelled like pain. Sharp and keen in it's depth, cutting her to the quick. Making her heart ache.
By coming right to them she had driven the idea home in their minds that Naruto was dead and would never come back to them again. That had'nt been her intention, but thats what had happened just the same.
It was also very possible that she would never be welcomed by them, but really there was little that she could do about that.
She had nowhere else to go.
Noone to care about her. She was just an outsider created by the real Naruto. The original Naruto, her father, to fill a void that his death had caused. The entire concept behind her creation had to do with the words of the third Hokage.
"Naruto... I don't want to continue living in a world without someone like you in it. I wish to see your smile forever. Make sure that you live a long time...and have some nice kids. More parts of you for me to love. If you don't, it will break my heart."
Naruto had taken a year since hearing those words to creat her, ripping a part of his soul from his body, and giving her a bit of his own flesh and blood to start the process.
It had been agonising for him, but in the end, he had had his prize. Shortly after she was created Naruto had 'borrowed' the Third hokage and taken him to the base and introduced him to her. She had been six days old, and looked as if she were three, her develpment had been sped up by Naruto's need to hold his creation in his arms and give her a name.
Despite his tender age, family, had been a concept that the boy had understood all too well. He had done everything a father should have done. He counted her fingers and toes, read stories to her, had helped train her, and celibrated the day of her creation with presents, ice cream and cake.
She slipped out the door, quietly closing it behind her as tears slipped down her cheeks, her chest ached and it was suddenly very hard to breath as she took off running across the grass towards the lake. Unaware of the pair of eyes boring into her back as Kakashi frowned as he thought.
Damn it Naruto. How could you do this to her... But most of all the copy nin was thinking. How could you do this to us?