Nar...to

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NA...TO

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NARUTO

Its time to wake up my son

"Sakura-chan!" Her screams woke me from my slumber. That...familiar bright light was all around me. I looked around for her, for anybody, but there was no one. Only...me. I struggled to get to my feet, I guess even as a dead man I could still feel my wounds. Clutching my supposed wound, I wander through the bright void. I always thought there was supposed to be a gate or stairs. Or at least be surrounded by clouds. "Am I in purgatory?"

"Not quite."

I could feel the hair on the back of my neck stand. A lump formed in my throat. It has been so long that I almost forgot...forgot what she sounds like. I-It can't be...

"Aren't you going to turn around? I know you can hear me."

Slowly, I turned to face the owner of that voice. "M-Mother...?" I saw her once back then. I was fifteen and in the middle of a war. Things were falling apart but her appearance helped greatly. Her red hair moved as gracefully as she. Extending her arms out to me, she smiled as she called to me.

"Come give your mother a hug, hm?"

She seemed so far and the pain is starting to get to me. Still, I wanted to be in her arms, I needed to be. I started hobbling to her. "Mother..." I could feel my pain fading little by little as I get closer. "I couldn't...I couldn't..." My hobbling turned to jogging. "I shouldn't...have been so...so weak..." I ran into her arms and collapsed. The pain was gone...and so was my strength. "I should be with them! I shouldn't have been so weak, so careless! I could've...I should be there..." She held me close and rocked me back and forth. Being held by her, I felt like a child all over again.

"Naruto," I looked at her. The light made her so look majestic. Her eyes shined into mine. "It is okay, I'm here now. You can let go now."

My chest tightened at her words. I know what it means. It's over. I'm dead. And there's no coming back from it. My breathing quickened and that familiar lump reappeared. I didn't know what else to do, so I just screamed. Screaming for my family, my anger, my sadness...I had to let it go. I am dead. And there's no turning back.


I stayed in her arms for a while. I don't know long since though. This...place has no sense of time. Not that it matters anyway.

"My son, are you okay?"

My mother... She looked the same. I guess it is true that your heavenly body appears youthful. Just as beautiful as the first time.

"I wish we would have met again under different circumstances... But it can't be undone." A lump formed in my throat. I couldn't speak, I was sure I lost my voice from screaming earlier. "You are here now. And it's time you start to make peace with it."

"...How can I? My kids...my wife they-" I manage to say with my horse voice. "I can't just leave."

She leaned back and looked me in my tear-filled eyes. I'm sure she could see my hurt, my pain. It once was hers after all.

"I know it's hard. I felt the same back then. You don't have to accept it tomorrow, but at some point, you're going to have to face reality." I stayed silent. "And the only way to do that," She pulled me to my feet and started to fix my clothes. "Is the first step."

"And what is that?"

She half smiled wiping away any remaining tears. "By grieving."

Suddenly, the scenery shifted. A strong gust of wind knocked me to my knees. I witnessed the warm clouds turn to dark grey clouds. Roaring thunder startled me from behind. I closed my eyes and covered my ears from the loud thunder. "Mother what's going on?!" I yelled for her but she did not answer. She just stood there next to me watching. I tried to open my eyes to see but it was too overwhelming, it was happening too fast! Just as sudden as it started, it stopped. I flinched at the water droplets running down the back of my neck.

"Naruto," She touched my shoulder comforting me. It was as if she was preparing me for...something. "What you're about to see is going to be...hard. But I want to remind you, you are here no longer. Stand up."

I hesitated. What did she mean by what I was about to see? I debated for a bit but eventually, I got to my feet and slowly loosened my eyes.

"What the..."

I was back home, my home. It was raining rather harshly. I heard voices...some crying...someone comforting others. Familiar faces passed by but their faces were blurred. It was as if they were shadows. The only consistent thing was the crying. Stumbling, I followed the voice. As I was getting closer, the blurred faces became less and less. I started to make out some of the figures. Shikamaru sat in the corner with his hands over his eyes. I think I saw Temari with her hands around him. Sai and...Yamato talked in the kitchen? What...what is this?

"He's gone Ino!"

I froze. The one voice that could recognize, the only voice I could never get rid of, was my wife, Sakura. My heart quickened. All these people...is this? I looked back at my mother, who in response, turned away from me.

"I need to find her!"

I followed the crowd forming in, what looks like, the living room and weaved my way through to the front. There she was, my wife, my love, my soulmate. She looked... My children were hidden away in Gai and Kakashi's arms who were intentionally facing away from her.

"Sakura-"

"No!" she through a picture frame across the room. "Y-You didn't see it. The look...the look in his eyes...I saw him fading. I couldn't do anything. All I could was just..."

Ino cautiously stepped forward. "Sakura, I know what you're feeling. It's hard I know! But if you could just-"

If looks could kill...

"If I could just what." Ino froze unsure what to say next. "He should be here with me! You were supposed to have his back!" She directed her anger towards Kiba who was sitting in the corner. He looked...thinner. "I put his life in your hands Kiba! And looked what happened! He's here no longer!" She was hyperventilating at this point. I couldn't sit still and watch anymore. It was too painful to watch her be like this! My impulsive thoughts got the best of me and I scrambled to get in front of her.

"Sakura-chan, I'm here! I-I'm here! Please hear me!" I looked into her hurt-filled eyes. I remember when they were pure, full of love and life but not without an equal amount of fire. These eyes... they were...

I fell to my knees. With all the tears I have left, I let them flow. Those eyes were hollow and unmoving. Those eyes didn't see me, they couldn't see me. After all, I am dead. This was my house...and my funeral.

"Everybody, please...leave me be."