Naruto the Sharingan Wielder
Chapter VIII: The Funeral
With Naruto being prepped for surgery, a memorial service will be held here in Konoha to honor Sasuke's family that died during the massacre which happened a few weeks ago. Although Sasuke was attending Naruto was also scheduled to meet him there before his scheduled operation at the hospital. This time, both brothers will tell us everything about their family and what they did to make this place special. This will be a short chapter though but anyway, enjoy
Naruto did take it easy for a few days before his scheduled surgery at the hospital. So, by the next morning, he decided to take a walk in the streets, hoping to regain his strength and trying to ease up on pain. Although he wasn't fully recovered yet, he was still able to move around the village without hurting himself. After his conversation with Tsume and Shikaku last night, the child was able to finally understand the meaning of life and death and gradually, he began to accept the fate that dealt a cruel hand within his own village. But the thought of "Get over it!" would not help with the healing process, the boy knows that Itachi should apologize for hurting his own family, and then he can forgive him. But despite Itachi defecting from his home and not admitting guilt, he wouldn't even dream of giving that lunatic another chance.
As Naruto walked down on the streets, he could notice the villagers eyeing him and they wondered how he had gotten those injuries, but in his mind, they still hate him for having that monster inside of him so he paid no attention to them. But the fact is with him still in bad shape, he wasn't worried at all. However he had a lot of scars after that brutal assault by Itachi, but that doesn't matter to him now since they are taking a while to heal. But he also knows that Sasuke is expecting him to be at his family's funeral because Sasuke will need to give a speech about his parents' lifestyle and what they did for the Village. This is an emotional time for the entire village of Konoha right now since the Uchiha clan massacre, especially for our two brothers that were heavily affected by this tragedy.
Elsewhere, The Hokage was scratching his head after the tragedy that had befallen here not too long ago. As he turned to outside his office, he knows that today was the funeral of Fugaku and Teyaki Uchiha and many other members of the Uchiha clan that died in the massarcre. As the villagers arrived at the site, many of them are paying tribute to those who died, including Naruto and Sasuke. Also present was Shikaku Nara, Tsume Inuzuka, Choza Akimichi, and Inoichi Yamanaka, among other people who were paying their respects for a family that dedicated their lives here in Konoha.
"Your parents were very good people and they took really good care of you, Sasuke." Said Naruto while trying to wipe a tear from his eye.
"Yeah, they certainly did, my brother. This is a very difficult time for all of us after what happened here. My family meant everything to me and they did a lot of special things with me that my former brother couldn't have time to do. Sure, I may not have been the brightest son in this village, but my parents couldn't be more proud of me than they were of you. We both worked hard enough to please them, but still, it's going to be harder for both of us to get through this, but no matter what happens, we will take it one step at a time, all right?" said Sasuke while hugging his brother Naruto.
Naruto couldn't give an answer but he nodded his head as they both stepped forward towards the podium in front of them that overlooks the gravestones of those that died. Just then, the Hokage arrives at the funeral site and sees Homura and Koharu there already, "So, it's time to start the ceremony now. I think it's time that I delivered a few words for everyone here." As he arrived at the podium, he then placed the microphone towards his mouth and said, "Thank you for coming to this funeral everyone, we are gathered here today to remember our friends and family that perished in this tragic event. As we do, let's not forget how these people had touched our lives and the difference they made for this village. While we are mourning the loss of Sasuke's parents, Fugaku and teyaki Uchiha, we shall pray to never forget them, but they were true friends and will be known as true shinobis of Konoha. Let's all take a moment of silence and pray that they will be in good spirits. May they rest in peace. Thank you." The Hokage then stepped down from the podium and ordered the guards to bring out the caskets containing the bodies of Fugaku and teyaki Uchiha
Once the bodies arrived, Sasuke and Naruto rushed towards them with flowers in their hands as they prepared to say their final good-byes to their beloved parents that they've known for such a long time. With tears in their eyes, both brothers hugged each other while holding onto the casket and wailed, "Why did you guys have to perish so soon? You were everything to us, we would not be here without you around, but we will miss you guys very much! We both love you a lot, so don't worry, Fugaku-tousan and Teyaki-baa-san, your spirits will always be with us forever! We brothers will never forget you and what you did for this village!" Once they finished, they placed flowers on the parents' caskets and bid them a final farewell before their bodies are cremated and buried in the Cemetery here in the village. As Sasuke and Naruto stepped back, they allowed their close friends to lay flowers on the bodies and wished them a safe journey to heaven where they could rest in peace.
But as Naruto looked back in the caskets and the bodies, he reminisces about the time he and Fugaku were enjoying time to themselves like visiting friends, playing games together, going out to eat, and star gazing together. But naruto will never forget the training that he did with Fugaku Uchiha in order to obtain the Sharingan because if he wants to surpass Itachi he has to get himself stronger and learn chakra control and other basic movements. But no matter what happens to him, Naruto must obtain true power in order to make himself stronger than Itachi Uchiha.
Elsewhere, as Tsunade looked out the window she could see rain drops on the ground outside. "Shizune, what is going on out there?" she asked her assistant.
"It seems to me that a funeral is going on outside at the moment right now, Tsunade-sama. Everyone is paying tribute to Fugaku and Teyaki Uchiha, Sasuke's parents that died here not too long ago at the hands of Itachi Uchiha. Also, naruto is also there at the funeral as well since he wanted to say his final good bye to a family that he never had in his life. I think Naruto's feeling down about what Sasuke has been going through ever since his former brother left this village so he wants to do what he can to support him during this difficult time." Replied Shizune. Even Ton-Ton seems to agree with her.
Tsunade looked at her with a sad expression on her face and said, "I see, so it seems that everyone here is hell bent on wanting this criminal captured and executed. But their so called criminal organization, the Akatsuki, is still a mystery to us. Have you been able to find any new information about them?" she asked.
"No, nothing so far on the Akatsuki, but their plan remains a mystery. However, we know that Itachi has a connection with their organization since he seems to know the members so well. However, their true goal is to capture all the tailed beasts from their hosts. And I have a suspicious feeling that naruto does possess one of the tailed beasts since he could be a target for the Akatsuki. Anyway, aside from that, how is Naruto's surgery success rate going?" asked Shizune.
"Well, from these medical reports that I got from the staff at the hospital, it seems that his wounds were pretty much from moderate to severe on the outside. But looking at these broken bones in his body, I can say that his success rate is now up to 70 percent. He seems to be taking it easy for a few days and using antibiotics to help heal the scars on his body, I'm actually quite impressed that he could survive something like this. Not many people have that sort of ability to go through a terrible tragedy in this place." Said Tsunade.
"Well, Naruto was just lucky to be alive, if he wasn't, than we would have declared a state of emergency here in Konoha. But Naruto is really hoping for a miracle right now instead of tragedy and despair. If he waits any longer, he won't be able to have that miracle that he was hoping for." Finished Shizune.
That's true, Shizune. But now I think my neck is getting stiff. If you will excuse me, I need to go get something from the Hokage's former office library so that Naruto can be cured of the pain." And she left the office right away while Shizune keeps an eye on things before the Hokage returns.
Back at the funeral, Naruto and Sasuke looks up at the clouds and thinks back on Fugaku and teyaki Uchiha while wiping the tears from their eyes. As they closed their eyes, they begin to pray for good things to happen to their parents and wishing them a safe journey to heaven while keeping their memories of Fugaku and Teyaki alive in their hearts. Although Sasuke has been planning this for a long time, he's always wanted to give his former brother a taste of his own medicine and show him the true meaning of "Sharingan power" when he returns home.
Once the caskets were taken away, Sasuke and Naruto are now being called upon by the Hokage to carry the portraits of Fugaku and his wife. Once they arrived, the anbu guards handed them the portraits while the townspeople took care of the caskets. As they arrived at the cremation site, both Naruto and sasuke helped the townspeople move the caskets inside and were told to step back in order to allow the cremation ceremony to begin. As Tsume and Shikaku watched while embracing Naruto, which in turn, was hugging Sasuke and drying the tears from his eyes. Meanwhile, many friends of the Uchiha clan joined in as they watched the caskets being moved into the fire pits to allow the bodies to be completely burned out and their remains to be processed and laid to rest in the cemetery. Everyone was rambling words all at the same time while saying their final good-byes to the family that made a difference in people's lives and helped to reshape the whole village. As Sasuke and Naruto wept, they will know that no matter how painful it is to lose a family they love, they will remain strong as ever.
Once the cremation process was finished, the remains of Fugaku and Teyaki are now being buried at the Konoha Memorial Cemetery to honor them and the good they've done for this place. As the two brothers returned to the funeral site, Sasuke decides to speak out about his family life. It was not about how his family died, it was about how they lived that made this village so special to them. Naruto was feeling heartbroken after what happened but he didn't let it get to him. As he wiped away the tears from his eyes, Iruka decides to comfort him for a while as he took him back to the audience area. However, no one noticed that his eyes started to have three mysterious tomoes embedded in them. Soon everyone took their seats as Sasuke took his position at the podium at the funeral with a piece of paper in his hand.
"Fellow citizens of Konoha, we are gathered here today to honor the loss of my family and my entire clan. They were everything to this village, not just me or Naruto. However, my parents were not meant to be used as a tool for death or darkness, they were the people that had earned the respect of everyone here. My father may have been tough on me at times, but it showed me that he cares a lot about me and that he loved me and he pushed me to be the very best shinobi in Konoha. He also told me that even if I don't pass an exam, there will always be another chance for me to work even harder and surpass my brother Itachi. My parents always had high hopes for me and my brother Naruto. My father was a good man, and he would never harm anyone, and he never has set out to kill anyone that he never met before. And he always did his best to look after me and Naruto. My mother on the other hand was too kind-hearted and a sweet person that I loved so much. She always kept us in line and we did what we were told by her. My mother was also everything to me; just like my father and we always would do something fun together as a family. We lead a perfectly normal life together as a family until Itachi Uchiha took it all away from us! How am I supposed to move on with my life without my mother and father? Everyone knows that a mother and father will always be there for you no matter what happens. And I will never forget them, never! Rest in Peace, Fugaku and Teiyaki Uchiha, you will both be never forgotten!" Once Sasuke finished the speech, everyone proceeded to lay flowers upon the gravestones of Sasuke's parents and paid their respects to them. As a distraught Naruto walked up to the gravestones, he laid down the flowers while Iruka helped to wipe his tears away. He then thinks about everything that he did with Sasuke's family and he vowed to keep their memories alive inside of his heart forever. "Sasuke has given a heartwarming speech on his parents, but I am certain that they didn't die for nothing, right Iruka-sensei?" he asked.
"That's what I was thinking too, they didn't die in vain, but they did leave something priceless behind: the Village of Konoha. Their spirits will always be with us forever and they will never be forgotten as long as all of us are here, Naruto. As I said before, when people die, everything that they had is gone, but it will never be forgotten. No matter how much pain you will feel, a hug will always make you feel better. You need time to grieve since Itachi left the village. Also, I know how hard this must be for you and Sasuke, but I can assure you, we will not give up if a family member has lost someone close to them. However as their spirits remain in heaven, you will know that they will still love you and will be proud of you and Sasuke no matter what happens. If losing a parent is not something you can face alone, you have to take it one step at a time, okay? But first you need to get your body back to normal, that is the number one priority here." said Iruka as he placed his hand on the boy's shoulder while hugging each other.
As the rain continued falling in Konoha, everyone in the village knows that the heavens weep for those that died here. But Naruto and Sasuke can't keep crying about it since they know that tears won't help them, but they also know that no matter how painful the situation looked, it made them realize that their combined strength will only make them stronger. However, Naruto and Sasuke will have to work hard in order to protect their loved ones here, but it won't be an easy task since they will have to conquer a lot of obstacles and meet dangerous opponents along the way. Also naruto and Sasuke are both going to have to take a lot of tests and battle in order to meet their ultimate goal to becoming the number one shinobi in all of Konoha.
Once the rain cleared, everyone said their final goodbyes as things finally returned to normal after the deadly massacre. But the memory of it stayed. The compound where the murders occurred was almost completely damaged, but everything outside was still intact. Despite the losses, Sasuke and Naruto are planning to rebuild their lives after what happened here since they both know that Itachi will be coming back to finish what he started. However, the boys will be planning something big for Itachi to give him a warm welcome upon his arrival. But Sasuke has vowed to restore his clan and kill the so called "Former brother" so that he can avenge his parents and become itachi's new successor. Although Naruto had already gotten the mysterious power that everyone talked about he then thinks to himself, "Fugaku Uchiha told me to use this power to protect those that I love, not to kill people, but the only thing I did was cause pain and suffering to everyone else around me. How am I going to face sasuke after this? First I have to go through this surgery, and then a new mysterious power has been planted inside of me, and now Itachi…. God, why does every bad thing have to happen to me!"
Once the funeral was over, Naruto and the others returned to their normal lives as everyone else returned to their duties in Konoha. Although Naruto hasn't seen the last of Itachi Uchiha, he know that this isn't over and as long as he is under the protection of Sasuke and the entire village, Itachi wouldn't be able to stand a chance now. But the thought of seeing the return of that monster only infuriates the entire village, but even so, Konoha needs to tighten security long enough in order to keep the place danger-free and minimize casualties. But with the Akatsuki threat at an all time high, the village doesn't seem to be out of the danger zone yet and Naruto hasn't fuller covered from his wounds yet. Furthermore, everyone in the village seems are on high alert now. As the sun came up, Naruto and Sasuk looked at the buildings around them and said, "It sure is peaceful here after the nightmare that occurred here not too long ago, right Sasuke?" he asked
"Yeah, it does get peaceful around here now, but don't get too comfortable, little bro. There are many more dangerous opponents out there that are still waiting for us, so we both have to do our best if we want to succeed and fulfill our goal to take down that madman that joined the akatsuki. However, before you are able to fight again, you still need to get your operation taken care of. But don't worry, we will guarantee that you will pull through this." Said sasuke as he placed his hand on Naruto's shoulder as a sign of comfort.
"Thanks for the words of encouragement, Sasuke-nee-san! I really appreciate it! I am glad that you could help me go through this very difficult time that we both are having together." Replied Naruto.
"Anytime, Naruto! That's what brothers are supposed to do. They are supposed to look out for one another and support them if needed. I am just glad to have met you. You are my best friend and nothing will take that away from us, especially not some maniacal killer who is not of this village. However, you cannot blame yourself for what happened to my family and you are not responsible for their deaths. Now, I know how upset you are right now but you need to take it easy. This surgery is very important to you and if you don't go through it, your chances of survival will be very limited. As your big brother, its time you take the first step towards recovery, now go to it, buddy!" replied sasuke as he took Naruto back to the hospital while jumping from building to building in konoha as the sun begins to set.
Meanwhile, back in the Hokage's office, The Hokage was busy working on plans to figure out how to bring Itachi back in here to answer for his crimes when he heard a knock at the door, "Come in!" called the Hokage.
As the door opened, one of the Anbu guards entered the room and asked, "Sir, request permission for us to interrogate the last surviving member of the Uchiha clan since he seems to have witnessed everything that has happened so far in konoha. He was the only person present during the murders so I think he might know what Itachi had been doing on the night of the murder. If we can get a statement from Sasuke, we might be able to nail down the culprit and whoever else was involved in the murders."
" Are you sure? I don't want Naruto to get involved in this mess, but go right ahead with the interrogation of Sasuke. He seems to be very close to Naruto than he is to Sasuke. But somehow. I don't think they even supported the protégé because he has become a bigger threat than before. I feel that this could complicate things even further if naruto becomes a target of your investigation. Even now, everyone is worried about Uzumaki naruto after the recent events here, but tread lightly, okay? I don't want to jeopardize the lives of two young ninja that are in desperate need of help. However, Sasuke should be at the hospital about now since I saw him carry Naruto there. "Finished the Hokage.
"Right away sir. But we really hope naruto will pull through this fiasco. After all, he is just like you. And besides, Sasuke always seems to be able to fill the empty void inside someone that is close to him." Replied the Anbu as he disappears from the office in an instant. As the Hokage leaned back on his chair, he decided to contact the council members and tell them to bring the clan heads in here immediately so that Sasuke can tell them exactly what happened that night in order to find out who exactly perpetrated this heinous act and why. He was also suspicious of those two bodyguards that worked for Itachi on the night of the murder so they needed to be questioned as well.
Moments later, Tsunade arrived at the Hokage's office and asked, "Are you sure that you want to interrogate Sasuke? If he is actually behind the murders of his family, then we are looking at him as an accomplice. We cannot allow him to be framed for murder! I hope your decision wasn't too hasty, Sarutobi-sama because I don't want you to jump the gun here." She said with a worried look on her face.
The Hokage looked at her for a moment and said, "I can understand what you are saying, okay? Stop beating around the bush. Do you really think that Sasuke would be capable of killing his own family? His former brother demonized him and did the killings to make it look like a suicide. But somehow, Itachi managed to cover his tracks when he left the village so I am hoping that Sasuke is not a killer. We are only doing this to clear his name and prevent him from being incarcerated at the correctional facility. We do not wish to allow Sasuke to endure any more pain and the same shall apply to Naruto as well. You realize that with two brothers' lives on the line, we cannot guarantee their safety? This entire village is in an uproar right now and we are all upset and angered over Itachi's killing spree but that doesn't help change anything for us now. And you know how Sasuke and Naruto both feel about this because they just want this whole nightmare to be over and I…" He then paused for a moment to wipe the sweat from his forehead and then rubbed his head to avoid a splitting headache.
Tsunade looked at her former teacher and said, "Sarutobi-sensei, are you all right? You seem to be very worried about Naruto the most, right? But let me tell you something, I despise Itachi more than what this whole village has to offer. Believe me; I am already in a state of shock. However, as you said, we can only hope for a miracle in Konoha right now. I am also worried about the two boys because all their life, they've been thinking about having a family to look after them, but it never did happen for them, did it? I know what they are going through right now because when Naruto was little, he was always looked down by people and mistreated because of that mysterious monster inside of him. Now we got Sasuke without a family either. Now, this is not what the village had in store for the boys, but those two deserve justice and closure too, Sarutobi-sensei. I do have a feeling that if we want to see justice done, Sasuke should be the one to do it since he knows that this is personal." She replied.
"Thank you for your input, Tsunade. You know, one of these days when I step down as Hokage, you will have to take over the position for me because this office won't be vacant for very long. And yes, I do agree that what happened with Sasuke's family was a personal affair and that Itachi should not have gotten naruto involved. They do deserve justice and closure after this, but right now, naruto needs you to take care of him since his surgery is crucial if he wants to have a speedy recovery. However, I feel that Itachi's assault on him has left scars that may never heal, but after the events here, it could impact their future as ninjas here in Konoha. Also, if you could please bring Sasuke in here because it's important that we talk to him in order to figure out who actually did the killings and who his accomplices were? I am sure Sasuke will be more than obliged to help with the investigation." Ordered the Hokage.
"Hai!, Sarutobi-sensei!" called Tsunade as she leaves the office right away to fetch Sasuke. As she did that, she heads over to the hospital to prepare Naruto for surgery that only he can pull through. So once she locates Sasuke at the underground training hall near his home, he immediately heads over to the Hokage's office and hopefully put this whole thing to bed at all costs without thinking about it. Back in the hospital, naruto was still waiting in his hospital room hoping to get this surgery out of his mind, but he was still a bit upset after everything that has happened so far. However, Naruto knows that crying won't help solve any of his problems, but he decided to come to terms of accepting the loss of a family and move on. But even so, he would have a hard time of coping with this loss since he was mentally and physically scarred, especially Sasuke because he was just like Naruto: unable to cope with the loss of the family he loved for such a long time and getting over it. But nonetheless, no matter how much anger and pain that these two friends had endured, they would not rest until the killer is brought to justice.
Elsewhere, Kakashi was looking at the grave stone of his best friend Obito and wonders if he had been haunted by the memories of all the people that he had lost and why he couldn't save him from his demise. The thought of Obito's death was just too much for him to handle alone. "Obito, the only reason why I dropped by for a visit was for you to please tell me why it is just us losing people that we love so much? What exactly did we do to deserve this? I was a fool to have abandoned you back when we were younger and if you had just about a few more seconds, you wouldn't have met your demise. And I know that Sasuke will always have a part of you in his heart, I just know it. I hope you can understand that he also had lost a family that he loved so much, but the thought of losing a family just spurs painful memories for me. But I have already accepted the death of people and moved on with my life. I know it's hard for me to get over it, but I am trying. Forgive me Obito." He thought to himself as he removed his head covering and moved the headband up to his forehead to do some praying while paying his respects to his deceased friend. "Naruto, no matter how much pain you are in, we are going to get you through this, you hear me?' he thought to himself.
Back in the hospital, the medical team was already assembled to get Naruto's surgery done, however Tsunade and Shizune were out at a nearby restaurant checking out the databook on the shinobi's combat statuses. She noticed that a lot of them seem to be still low level genin and some might still need room for improvement. But as she took at Naruto and Sasuke's statuses she was amazed at how his combat skills have improved since his training started. But due to Itachi Uchiha's interference, Sasuke's training is being postponed until he is assigned to a squad, especially for Naruto. His fate is now in the hands of the doctors now after the brutal attack left him with broken bones, cuts and other severe injuries that left him almost paralyzed. But he was still as strong as ever and he will fight to survive anything. But there is nothing more painful than what these two friends have suffered in their childhood lives.
"Naruto Uzumaki, if you can hear me, please forgive me for trying to experiment on you, but I promise that a miracle will come your way but I know that you will pull through this. You just need to have more faith in yourself. We all believe in you and our hearts will always be with you bothers forever. Don't give up hope okay? You are one tough guy and I will get you both through this," thought Tsunade as she looked at the sky and the face of the blonde inside her head. She then packed up her things and headed towards the hospital where the medical staff greeted her and said, "Naruto Uzumaki is ready for you, Tsunade-Sama. I hope you are prepared for the challenge of a lifetime?" said the medical ninja.
"Yup, I am ready for this challenge, my friends. If Naruto wants a miracle, I will be the first to give it to him. Although I cannot guarantee that the recovery process will take less than a week for him, Naruto will have to go through months of therapy and possibly weeks of rest at home before he can be back to a hundred percent fighting form. We all know he will be in a lot of pain after this is over." Replied Tsunade as she and the team gathered their equipments to begin the operation which could change Naruto's life forever. As naruto looked at her and the other people around him, he slowly said to her, "Grandma….. Tsunade! I just hope that I don't develop complications during this delicate operation, but do what you can to make me better…. Okay?"
As the others looked at naruto for a moment, Tsunade turned to him and said, "Well, we will do what we can to make you better okay? Now, the medical staff will give you some medicine to keep you relaxed and sedated okay? Don't worry, naruto, everything will be fine and we will all get you through this, do you hear me?" Naruto then nodded his head as the medicine went into the Intravenous tube and he started counting backwards from 10 before he closed his eyes and went to sleep.
"All right, looks like we are ready to begin, Tsunade-sama. Said the medical staff.
"Okay, let's make this operation as painless as possible for Naruto, okay? I don't to put him at risk of death, I mean it." Ordered Tsunade. The others agreed with her as Operation: Life saver begins.
Meanwhile, as Sasuke was walking around the streets of Konoha, he could notice the Anbu guards surrounding him and said, "I presume the Hokage sent you here to take me in for questioning right?"
"You are very observant, Sasuke Uchiha! Since you are the lone survivor of the massacre, it is important that you cooperate with us since we need for you to tell us exactly what happened in the night of your parents' murder. Please come with us." Said the guards while escorting Sasuke to the Hokage's office. He was reluctant at first, but then he agreed to go with them on the condition that Naruto would be guaranteed protection from Itachi. "It's really not up to us to decide on the fate of Naruto, you will have to talk to Hokage-sama about that." Continued the guards.
"All right then, but I hope that we will agree to each other's promises okay? We don't want naruto to become a sacrificial lamb for the Akatsuki scums." replied Sasuke. And with that, the fate of Sasuke's former brother now commences in order to see justice done here in Konoha.
And Stop that will do it for this chapter. Mainly the funeral part was a bit longer than I thought when I did this chapter but still, it was well-worth writing it. Also Naruto is already in surgery and the fate of Sasuke's former brother Itachi will be decided since the lone survivor will be sending a message to all of Konoha and the other villages about Itachi's traitorous acts he committed against humanity. Will he be able to expose Itachi's full reason for the murders and exact vengeance upon his family? Will Naruto's safety be guaranteed? Find out in the next chapter: "Investigation and Interrogation" Be sure to R &R and I will see you all next time.
NarutoandBleach