Chapter One: Noises
Beep, beep. These were the usual sounds of the hospital. The scent was unbearable, yet so many employees and patients survive in the medical building. It may be silent for a while, even through the many quiet sounds of machinery. But sadly, the 'peaceful' moments don't last very long. Soon, there will be a cry of agony, or a sound of urgency coming through the emergency doors of the hospital.
Uzumaki Naruto already made his way through the doors and was on his own bed, his arms at his sides, and a tube taped at the corner of his parted lips. His eyes were closed and his body was still - he wasn't lifeless, but was nearly there if it weren't for the two people hovering his bed.
Haruno Sakura stood, teary-eyed, watching as Naruto was being pumped oxygen into by the blue, plastic tube, that extended to the large machinery in the far left corner of the small patient room for one. Uchiha Sasuke stood as her side, his arm around her shoulder as his partner cried.
Sakura jumped as several doors after their room were blasted open and the peaceful moment alone was broken. Urgent voices and sounds, just like when they were blasting through the emergency doors. Sakura glanced back at Naruto, who was still silent and still, the only part of him moving was his chest, as oxygen was sent into him.
Wake up, Sakura thought depressingly, while Sasuke had no thoughts himself. He stared at Naruto, though, with judgmental and angry questions. You idiot. Wake up already.
But it was no use. Though through Naruto's own spiritual mind, he was indeed dead for a moment. But that all began to change as he found himself in the dark shadows, alone as a child, reliving his childhood as a seven-year old boy…Innocent, needless to say, as well as alone.
This time, I didn't see myself. I was in myself, if that even made sense. Instead of seeing my own self as a child, it was as if I was reliving my dream. Even though I attempted one step forward through the shadows, I felt hollow and cold. I did move, but once I was out of the shadows, I was at a tall figure's side. An arm was suddenly wrapped around me and I was suddenly under strong sunlight.
I flinched at the bright sunlight, blocking the light with my arm. I had tattered clothes and a smelly body, but I still stood close to my father. I glanced from him to the sudden crowd in front of us, that I was revealed to.
I frowned as I met with most of their faces. They were all, disgusted, irritated faces. Impatient - pure hate. I looked at myself, looking down at my bare feet and torn shorts…Why were they looking at me like that? I wondered to myself. Even my mind - I realized - had been turned into a young child's. I felt a nudge on my arm as a warning or a sign…Somehow, I immediately knew what that meant… Don't worry.
Suddenly we were walking, because I found myself stepping along the pavement beside my dad, with my small hand in his gentle grasp. I decided I wouldn't look up - even though I didn't know what was coming up, I still had an idea of what the people looked like around us. As we walked closer to our destination, which I had forgotten completely about, I felt stiff and tight, as if my body was too narrow for my soul. Even though I had casual steps, it felt like I was moving as a robot should've - not as graceful as a human.
I forced to look up, but I had a feeling I had glanced up from the pavement a little bit too soon. As I glanced up, I suddenly felt frightened. I began to shudder, my eyes open wide and my hands beginning to sweat. I crept another inch closer to Dad, who had given me another nudge and brought me along with him. I passed the scary face that had gotten me even more stiff, while I didn't even dare looking back to where possibly more scary people had been lurking with those dead, dreadful eyes.
"Our new home," Dad whispered. We faced a tall building, which I saw as a bigger picture, than the gate I was merely below of. A man, who looked as a stranger but I had a bit of information on them, stood guarding the tall gate. He nodded back to Dad and Dad nodding back to the man. We both entered through the gate, and found ourselves both looking at the place we would be both calling home soon.
Now, I should've been locked in time before the scene, the reason why I had been here. But now that I think about it, I knew exactly how old I was. It was as obvious as it should've been to me a long time ago, but now I knew. I was three, not seven, when I was first introduced to the tall mansion. I was already on my feet, but still had no idea of who was at the gate…That was about how naïve I was at the time.
"Son," Dad said proudly. "Here is our new home. The Hokage's Mansion."
I stood in awe, with eyes wide - not of fright, but with wide eyes of amazement. All the dirty looks I received before had gone away, and now I was completely taken aback, by the huge building we would soon be calling home.
A large garden stood before the building though, which I noticed only later after seeing the big kanji sign I still couldn't read, marked on the center of the building. I ran after the big plants planted into the deep, rich soil, which I couldn't wait to touch and mess around with…Just as I suspected, I was anxious and happy, without a care in the world - the way it should've been up until it should've been…Not a year too late not a year too early.
"Come on, Naruto," Dad called after me before I could stand above the garden. I stopped and nearly tripped, then groaned as I heard his voice. I nodded sadly and followed him in the building, while I couldn't take my mind off the soil I couldn't wait to dig my fingers in. I laughed to myself, while my younger self couldn't understand why I should.
We went up some tall steps, while seeing other new people. These were nicer strangers, much more delightful than the people we met before we stepped into the main gate of our new home. Somehow I felt welcomed, after seeing their warm faces and smiles. I felt proud, too, as I fell for their happy faces, letting myself belong to them, automatically knowing that I would be forever safe from now on.
We reached a larger, much more interesting room than the others we passed by. I was the anxious and first one to open through the room, which Dad didn't seem to mind of. I stormed through, stopping halfway across the room to see the marvelous things that were inside the large room. Although it was dull and empty, I already had plans for this room as well.
"Now, now," Dad warned. "Don't be too hasty. We still have a lot of redecorating to do. Don't you think this looks a bit too empty?"
I couldn't believe he was asking for my three-year old self for an opinion, but played along without myself even thinking about saying anything. I groaned, hugging my Dad eagerly. "Aw…No…I like space."
"Naruto likes space?" Dad said back cheerfully, lifting me up with ease. He gazed at me while I stared around the room. He wiggled my nose with his fingers, then kissed my forehead soothingly. "I guess we could leave the room like this…For at least a day."
"Everything seems to be going well," Doctor Ayame stated reassuringly. She stared at her clipboard and flipped through the pages, gnawing at the tip of her pen as she did so. She walked up to the big machinery and read the digital letters, while Sakura and Sasuke held together close, Sakura relieved of the doctor's notification.
Sakura stared weakly at Naruto, who had seem to be normal and fine. She smiled and sat next to him, brushing his spiky, yellow hair back. He didn't flinch or move, but somehow Sakura could see a wonderful smile through his parted lips.
"Naruto-san…Please wake up."
"Good night, Naruto," Dad whispered soothingly, kissing me gently on the forehead. I laid back down on my new bed, then was tucked in comfortably by him. He played with my hair and laughed, then pecked my forehead again.
"And don't forget that I love you," Dad said. "Good night."
"Good night," I replied.
And that, was the first time, I had ever fallen for the trick, of him actually saying he cared about me, which affected my life forever, once he had shown me he hadn't loved me after all.