Floating
Aimless drifting
The absence of everything was carrying him to and fro.
...
...What?
His eyes opened slowly, lazily. Almost as if afraid to do so. He stared up at the emptiness all around him.
This entropy that was surrounding him, felt as if he was lost amidst the stars, or down within the crushing depths of the ocean.
"...!"
As if somebody had flipped a switch, he felt himself fall back down, gravity seeming to hurry back into place. It was all he could to right himself and land onto his feet, wincing when his weak legs wobbled dangerously from the impact.
A figure caught his gaze, and his attention quickly shifted towards the other entity within this blanket of haze.
What are you?
The entity was shapeless, but the sight of it made the boy's heart lurch in his chest, as if it knew to be afraid of this thing.
It seemed to regard him with strange interest, before a piercing noise invaded the boy's head, ringing like metal bolts bouncing around inside his skull
"A-¶/‡·¡›§\←∞∆!°"
He awoke with a start, panting as if he'd come back from a run to Suna and back. Rubbing his eyes, they blearily danced around his room before settling back down on his bed sheets. He closed them once more and hugged his knees to his chest.
What a strange dream.
"Uzumaki-san. Are you listening, Uzumaki-san?"
Naruto's eyes slowly rose up to meet the brown ones of the person sitting in front of him. The man in question rose an eyebrow and leaned back against his chair once he'd finally captured the boy's attention once more.
Oh, that's right. He was doing his mandated psychological evaluation. Or as they called it, "therapy." He must have gotten lost in his train of thoughts again. He'd been doing that a lot lately.
"It's a little hard to progress forward when you hardly speak, Uzumaki-san." The man in front of him sighed and glanced down once more at his nearly blank clipboard. This first session had been somewhat…Fruitless. In fact, his patient had yet to say a word. This past half hour had basically been him talking and the blond remaining silent the entire time.
"Perhaps we should try again next session, what do you say? Same time tomorrow?"
"…"
Naruto wordlessly stood up from his leather chair and made his way to the door making his therapist cast a worried look in his direction. This was definitely concerning, and surprisingly not that uncommon within his line of work. It was still saddening to see it happen to one so young, however. Hopefully tomorrow will work out better.
A knock on his door made him look up in surprise and he quickly stood up to bow once he saw who it was. "Hokage-sama. My apologies, I didn't see you there."
Hiruzen chuckled at the man. "At ease, Makuto-san."
Makuto sat back down on his chair and gestured for the Hokage to take a seat in front of him. "May I offer you some tea?"
"That would be lovely, thank you." The Sandaime said as he sat down. Makuto nodded and placed a cup in front of his lord before filling it up with the hot beverage.
"Tell me, Makuto. How is he?" He muttered wearily after taking a few long sips.
Makuto Taruki frowned and stared down at the green liquid inside of his cup. "He…Hasn't said a word to me, Hokage-sama."
"None at all?"
At Makuto's shake of the head, the third Hokage gave off a weary sigh. "Kakashi has reported the same. Naruto seems to have barely spoken to anyone. I can't help but think that something is amiss, however."
"What's that Hokage-sama?" The doctor asked in interest.
A frown graced his features. "The reports indicate that Naruto was behaving strangely when they succeeded in locating him. A natural attitude given the circumstances" Hiruzen drummed his fingers against the warm surface of the cup. "However, even throughout all of this, there has been no reports indicating any loss of voice or speech impediment."
Makuto frowned. "Are you saying that something happened between his rescue and his awakening?"
The aged shadow sighed and brought his cup to his lips once more.
—
Naruto made his way out of the building and began his trek home, his feet seeming to drag after him. He was able to walk without his IV pole now. It has been three days since he'd woken up from the hospital, one week and a half since he'd escaped that place. These past few days were supposed to consist of mainly food and sleep to assist with his recovery.
He hadn't succeeded in either of those. He had no appetite, and he would have long starved had it not been for Kakashi checking up on him a few times and force-feeding him. And sleep…Every time he closed his eyes…It was like he was back at that place.
Sleep had been his only escape, his sweet dreams the only salvation during his time in hell. Day after day, he'd fall into slumber, wishing that when he woke up, everything would be back to normal. That his team would be there, waiting for him. But it never happened.
He feared that if he woke up again, he'd find himself back there.
He rose his head when he heard mutterings, dull eyes staring through his hair at the gathered students in front of the academy building. Some were sending him weary looks, and others were whispering among themselves.
Tch. What would they know? They had it all.
His gaze lowered again, and he continued on his way.
A few paces away, a rotund boy with swirls on his cheeks elbowed his friend, making him grunt in annoyance.
"Hey Shika, doesn't that guy look familiar?"
"Hm?" 'Shika' tore his lazy eyes from the clouds and looked in the direction that his friend was pointing in.
"Yeah, you're right." He was holding himself way different than the last time he'd seen him. While he did seem down at the time, he looked like a shinobi. But now…He looked like someone that had given up.
"Let's get outta here" He said to his friend as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. Chouji blinked at Shikamaru in confusion but followed him regardless.
A young boy with angry onyx-coloured eyes was the next one to come out, soon followed by a group of swooning students. He sent them an annoyed look and was quick to jump up onto a nearby rooftop where they couldn't reach him.
"Seriously, what's their problem…?" He mumbled to himself in an irritated tone. Turning around, he glanced down at the paved road ahead, and his eyes fell upon a familiar figure.
"It's that kid again…"
He didn't quite know what to make of Itachi's request to befriend him. The guy didn't seem all that bad. But coming from Itachi, it could not bode well.
"A samurai's main weapon was his bow, but his sword offered a last line of defence if he ran out of arrows or was knocked off his horse. Yet even as a backup weapon the sword carried a symbolic weight that the bow did not. Weapons like bows and spears were also used for hunting. The sword had a singular purpose: to end a human life."
Samurais were interesting. Within the civilian mindset, Samurais and Shinobis were often mixed up. Though the two held similarities, they were also vastly different from one another. Most prominent was their code of honour, or 'Bushido'
Bushido was a moral code concerning samurai attitudes, behaviour and lifestyle. It was loosely analogous to the civilian concept of chivalry. Samurai never believed in non-honourable fights. They did not use throwing knives, nor smoke screens, nor explosive tags or any other underhanded techniques that they perceived to be dishonourable. The principles of bushido emphasized honour, courage, skill in the martial arts, and loyalty to their Daimyo above all else.
In a way, he respected it. He understood the necessity of Shinobi, but Samurais seemed to be the knights in shining armours.
Oh! That's right, he had his therapy session today. He snapped his book closed and sent a look at his clock. 14:20. He still had 10 minutes to make it there. With a quiet sigh, he got his stuff ready and made his way there.
The villagers were in a good mood today. The sky was clear and the sun was out. Perfect for merchants to sell their wares, and perfect for afternoon walks. It was fairly warm, but not so much that it felt unpleasant.
"Oh, Naruto." A familiar voice called out to him. Looking over at a fruit stand, he saw his masked teacher waving him over. "Are you on your way to your therapy session?"
Naruto nodded slowly as he walked to stand next to him. "Doctor Makuto is a good guy; I've been to see him a few times in the past after some tough missions. Don't be afraid to share whatever's on your mind with him, alright?"
Naruto's eyes fell to the floor. "…" He wordlessly bobbed his head up and down in affirmation. Kakashi didn't comment any further and offered him the apple held within his hand that had just been purchased. The blond stared at the object and hesitantly took it into his own hands.
"Alright, I'll see you later then."
"…"
Naruto looked back up at him and, with a small nod, turned to resume his walk.
It was only 5 minutes later that he found himself face to face with the door to his therapy room again. He placed his hand on the doorknob and twisted it open, where he was once more met with the amicable face of Makuto Taruki.
"Ah, Naruto-san. Just in time, please have a seat!" The nice man said as he ushered him towards the leather chair. The blond obediently sat down and watched as he hurriedly searched around for his pen and clipboard. "Can I offer you some snacks?" He asked with a smile. Naruto shook his head and slowly made his way to the small couch seated in front of the kind therapist.
The session went as usual. Makuto would talk and ask him questions, and the boy would silently reply. A nod, a shake of his head, a shrug was all he could get out of him. And through it all, his face retained the same glum and passive look that he'd been seeing these past few days.
"You know, Naruto-san…" Makuto said in a soft tone. "I've been doing this for a few years now. You'd be surprised how many patients I've had who were in the same boat as you." Naruto looked up at the therapist in small surprise. "Soldiers that come back from the battlefield. While physically, there's nothing wrong with them, mentally…That's an entirely different story."
He offered the boy a small smile. "While there is no real cure for emotional trauma and heartache similar to how one would treat physical wounds, there exists ways to alleviate that pain or make it more bearable, like confiding in someone else willing to listen."
"…"
"Do you mind if I ask you a bit of a sensitive question, Naruto-san?" Makuto questioned suddenly. Said blond remained silent and moved his gaze to the ground. The therapist closed his book shut and crossed his arms, heedless of the boy's lack of response. "Did anything happen between the moment when Hatake-san found you and the moment you woke up in the hospital?"
Naruto's eyes widened in surprise but remained firmly fixed to the ground, making Makuto frown at the fearful reaction. 'Ah, so something did happen.'
"If you'd like, you're free to share anything that's been troubling you since then with me. This is a safe area, after all. And if you so wish it, you can request confidentiality. You have my word that whatever is said in this room will remain in this room."
"..."
Predictably, he once more received no reply. The silence seemed almost deafening to the blond, the soft ticking of the clock being the only thing piercing this veil of stillness. Naruto closed his eyes hopelessly and lowered his head further in shame.
Yet despite it all, Makuto did not look angry or upset. Instead of giving him an annoyed frown or harsh words, he merely gave him an encouraging smile.
"It's alright if you don't want to tell me, Naruto-san. But if you change your mind, then you know where to find me. My door is always open."
—
His door gave a small squeak as he pushed it open and made the familiar rattle when it closed shut. It seems Kakashi had been here, he mused when he saw the bag of fresh vegetables on his benchtop. Putting the greens in the fridge, he threw his keys on his kitchen counter and dragged his feet to his bedroom, where he picked up his latest object of interest; 'Understanding the Mind.'
Something was...Wrong with him. Ever since that moment back at Orochimaru's base. He didn't really understand any of it though, so he hoped that picking up a book on psychology would give him a speck of understanding in this labyrinth of confusion. Hopefully. Maybe.
No such luck.
There was no denying that the book was in fact, fascinating. While he didn't find anything helpful to his current condition, he did learn a lot about the human psyche. He had no idea that the mind was so...convoluted. It was incredible to think that such a complex thing existed in each and every living being.
And before he knew it, the sun had already set, which he only realized when he noticed how much he was squinting in his attempt to decipher this book of knowledge in his hands.
Sighing quietly to himself, he placed the book at the foot of his bed and made his way to his bathroom. He wasn't hungry tonight either. Guess he'd miss dinner again.
His reflection looked like a stranger nowadays. Dead eyes stared back at him on the other side of the dirty broken mirror in strange apathy. Perhaps this is what the book meant? What did it call it…Dissociation?.
Thinking about that book made him remember some of the other stuff he'd read in it. Somehow, in some situations, it was possible to trick your own mind. But how could that even happen when the mind was the very thing trying to trick itself? Your mind commandeered your body, your actions, your intents. How could it not know what it's trying to do to itself?
He remembered reading one in particular. Tentatively, he reached up with both of his index fingers and attempted to push the corners of his lips up into a smile.
He stared at his reflection for a few seconds before letting his hands fall back at his sides, his mouth dropping down into its usual listless downturn.
'…This is stupid.'
Mister Makuto was rambling on again. Something about the different faces that people wore every day. Apparently, the general populous had several sides that they would express themselves with, each different depending on the situation or people around them. One that you showed the world, one that you showed to your friends and family, and one that you never showed anyone. Your real unfiltered emotions. The one that you kept within the deepest darkest recesses of your mind. And while the saying came to be known as "The Three Faces of Self", a fourth one was also worn by Shinobi each and every day; the one that had to be put on when you were on the battlefield. The same one that could help you turn into a heartless killer, all for the sake of the village. Could this perhaps be the same thing that Kakashi used to do with his ANBU mask? Being able to completely switch off your emotions on the line of duty was an amazing ability, and one difficult to master.
But while this topic was indeed interesting, his mind was preoccupied elsewhere.
"-And here lies the question; who are you when people are watching? And who are you when people are not?"
…Who are you…
"...Mister Makuto..."
The unexpected sound made the nice therapist stop his little monologue and look at the boy in bewilderment. The small voice was weak and raspy from underuse, and it was all he could do not to pump his fist in joy at finally getting a word out of the blond.
"Yes, Naruto-san?" He asked a bit too eagerly. Could you blame him? This was the first time he'd heard him speak when not counting his usual hums!
Naruto looked down, brow creased as if debating whether or not this was a good idea.
"I...Um." He stopped to clear his throat. "What you said, yesterday...About not telling the old man Hokage...Did you mean it?"
Makuto nodded with a smile. "That's right. In almost every instance, therapy is absolutely confidential. within reason of course. If I feel that what you're telling me would put the village, or anyone else in danger, I would be forced to report it."
He was positive that that wouldn't be the case, so maybe he could tell him, if what he was saying was true.
"You promise?"
'You promise'. The brunet was once again reminded of just how young his patient was. That sounded like something his little niece would say. "Of course, you have word."
Silence filled the room once more. The blond seemed to have trouble coming up with the right thing to say. "Uh...I've been...Seeing things. Thinking things."
"Alright." Makuto said and scribbled something on his note pad. "Could you perhaps be a little more specific? What have you been seeing and thinking?"
Naruto frowned. "...Hard to explain". He said in the same soft tone.
"Hmm." The brunet hummed in agreement. "Can you try to relate them to things that you are familiar with?"
Naruto took in a shaky breath. "Like...Things. Shapes, colors. Equations. Memories and feelings. I remember feeling things that I haven't before, or thinking things that don't make any sense."
"...Hmm." Makuto frowned in thought. Perhaps it was the memories of a clone dispelling? No, that couldn't be it. He knew that his patient was well acquainted with that particular jutsu. A case of dementia? Hallucination? What could be the catalyst for this though? Could it be a result from his time with the snake sannin?
"Can you tell me more about those thoughts and feelings?"
Naruto looked down and slowly shook his head, reverting back to his silence.
The topic was clearly making the blond uncomfortable, which could be why he hasn't been talking at all...Maybe he was afraid that speaking would trigger another one of these 'episodes' that he's been having.
"Sometimes, the best way to face your fears is to confront them head on."
The timer on his clock ran its last seconds and beeped loudly, letting the two know that this session was already over. Makuto ignored it though and looked on towards the younger blond was avoiding his eyes.
"Naruto..." He said after a little bit of silence. "I know that this must be hard for you. It feels hopeless, it feels like that no one would understand, but this isn't something that you have to go through alone. Remember that there are people that would always be willing to help you, no matter the situation.
The Jinchūriki nodded slowly before getting up and taking his leave. Makuto frowned as the door closed, his eyes staring at it as if he could see through it.
"Unknown memories, huh...?"
—
Naruto gave a quiet sigh and stuffed his hands inside his pockets. Was this the right decision? He didn't know why, but every time he tried to think about that moment after he left the lab, he would get filled with a sense of dread and deep sadness. Why was he feeling like this, as if he felt impossibly guilty? As if he was carrying a burden much too heavy for his little shoulders to carry? This was all way too confusing to him.
Why did it scare him so much?
His body went on autopilot as he walked the streets of Konoha, making sure to take the back streets and the rooftops to avoid contact with the villagers. Shaking his head, he landed on another quiet street and stared at his hand in contemplation.
Another strange thing...Despite his muscles having been weakened after the event, his chakra manipulation was now...Better? It was as if he could understand it better. It flowed within his pathways like a cool river instead of its typical raging stream. Channeling the mystical energy to his hand, he converted it into wind and watched the invisible force swirl around in his hand.
Perhaps he should test out his affinity again and see what he could do. He was due for some training anyway.
One week later.
He pushed the glass doors of the big giant building and his eyes were immediately assaulted with the blindingly bright light that he'd come to hate in every hospital. But as much as he hated it, he couldn't run away now. He'd been avoiding it for long enough, and the constant guilt was nearly enough to make him go crazy.
He walked up to the reception where a lady was skimming through some papers and awkwardly stood there, waiting for her to notice him. The receptionist continued on reading until she noticed the little flash of blond poking out from beneath the frame. Leaning forward, she looked behind and was surprised to be met with the whiskered face of a nine-year-old child.
"Oh, I'm sorry." She said, taking her glasses off. "How can I help you?"
Naruto nearly jumped at the volume but did his best to quickly regain his composure. "Um...Which room is Sho Ito in please?" He mumbled out in a quiet tone. The lady flicked through a few pages and read down a list.
"Sho...Sho...Ah! Sho Ito. Yes, he's in room 245. A nurse will have to escort you though, Sho isn't conscious at the moment.
Sho was still unconscious? A part of him felt relieved, but the other part of him, the one that had spent months with him as a teammate overpowered the other half. He was in there because of him, after all...
As he and the nurse made their way to the room, she gave him a brief run down. Sho had to be put into a comatose state because of his critical condition. The majority of his thoracic vertebrae had been cracked because of a particularly brutal hit, though the worst part lied on the T9 and T10 areas. Those two vertebras were broken beyond repair, and nobody, short of the legendary slug sannin were skilled enough to heal him.
The nurse opened the door for him, making him nod slightly in thanks, though he stopped in his tracks when he saw the state of his teammate.
A breathing machine and several other apparatuses were hooked to him. The sight of it made him look down in shame, and he cursed himself for the hundredth time since he'd been back in the leaf.
'Oh, Sho...' He lamented in his mind. 'Why did it have to come to this?'
—
His next stop was Yuna's house. Even though he dreaded this situation just as much, talking to her family was something that he needed to do as well.
Or at least, that's what he thought, but his frozen hand seemed to have different ideas. His arm was raised, ready to knock on the door but his anxiety was making him hesitate.
'Do they even want to see me...?' He thought. Swallowing thickly, he took a few deep breaths and rapped his knuckles against the wood three times.
The door swung open after a few seconds, an elderly looking lady greeting him on the other side. Her eyes seemed confused, but recognition soon dawned in those dark orbs when she took note of the whiskers.
"Ah...Hello, I'm-"
"Naruto, right?" A flash of amusement made its way on her withered face, wrinkled lines deepened from long days of grieving. "Yuna's told me all about you. I didn't think she was serious when she mentioned the whiskers."
Naruto couldn't help the tiny smile that appeared on his face. That laugh and that directness, this must be Yuna's aunt.
"Ah, forgive me. My name is Yukiko. Come on in." She beckoned the blond inside and closed the door behind him. "Sorry about the mess, we haven't had the time to clean up around here."
"Ah…It's alright…"
She managed to conjure up an embarrassed smile and led him into the living room where another man was sitting. "And this is Jiko, Yuna's father."
Jiko was a man of average height, with short cropped dark purple hair and a stern face. He turned towards Naruto and raised an eyebrow before offering his hand in a handshake, though was confused when the boy seemed to shy away from him.
"What's wrong with you boy, afraid of a handshake?" He asked rudely.
"Jiko!" Yukiko berated heatedly. "How about you make yourself useful and go finish making the dinner?" The suggestion was worded like a question, but the look in her eyes indicated that this was anything but. The violet grumbled under his breath but complied anyway. Good. Naruto wasn't sure he liked the man.
"Please forgive him, he's always been a bit...Particular."
"Right..." Naruto mumbled under his breath.
A few minutes later, the two were seated with a steaming cup of Jasmine tea.
"Yuna spoke fondly about her team, y'know?" She said with a wistful smile while staring into the dark liquid of her drink. "Heh, I still remember the day that she graduated. Even though that girl always had trouble showing it, I could see it in her step that she was ecstatic to finally be a ninja."
Naruto watched her swallow a bit of her tea in an attempt to soothe her frayed nerves and barked out a small laugh. "Only to come home the next day and throw a tantrum about the missions that she's had to do." She looked back towards the quiet blond. "Tell me kid, what did you think about these D-ranks?"
"…Ah…They were…Important for team building."
She took another sip. "Mhm, now tell me what you really thought."
Naruto looked up in her surprise, only to chuckle softly and look back down at his lap. "…They sucked."
"Hahaha! Damn straight they did! They already sucked 20 years ago too when I was a ninja!" She laughed again, this time louder making Naruto nearly jump at the volume. He never would have expected that someone so outspoken would be the one to raise someone as reserved as Yuna.
"You know…" She said after having recovered from her laughing fit. "She talked about you that time you showed up to the exam."
"Really?"
"Oh yes." She hid her smile behind her raised cup. "She was saying how you were this genius child prodigy who showed everyone up. You made quite the impression on everyone.
"A-Ah…I wouldn't call myself a prodigy…"
The two continued the light banter for a few minutes making Naruto feel a little bit more at ease before settling into a comfortable silence.
"I don't think Yuna is dead…"
Yukiko looked at him in surprise and Naruto nearly bit the inside of his cheek. Why did he say that!? He had no proof!
"What makes you think that?" asked the older lady with slight apprehension.
"I…I don't know. It's just a…Feeling?"
"A feeling?"
Naruto chose to keep his lips sealed this time in fear of digging himself in further making Yukiko's gaze turn downcast and look inside her steaming cup.
"I want to believe that as well kid, but…They've already filled me in on the details. If that man catches you, then…" Her voice nearly caught in her throat. "Then there's no way you can escape."
Silence prevailed once more as Yukiko downed the rest of her tea in one motion.
"…I did."
She blinked in surprise at the boy, having been caught off guard by the statement.
"Heh…Yeah, Guess you did." But SHE didn't have an all-powerful demon in her gut now, did she?.
The last statement remained unsaid but hung in the air as if she had shouted it.
"If Yuna's alive, then I'll find her."
The brunette passively stared at Naruto's face that seemed to hold so much conviction. Closing her eyes, she lowered her head and gave a small, bitter laugh.
"You shouldn't make promises that you can't keep, kid."
"…"
The comfortable silence that was present mere moments ago was replaced by an uncomfortable silence.
She's right. Who was he kidding? Half of the base had been destroyed during his rage induced rampage, and the other half had been reduced to rubble during the fight between Kakashi and the two Sannin.
And in the off chance that she was still alive, what kind of hell must she be living through right now?
"I know this is a lot to ask, but…" Naruto looked up as Yukiko began speaking again. "Could you…Tell me what happened? During that mission?
The Uzumaki bit back a grimace but nodded nonetheless. Recalling the mission was the last thing that he wanted to do, but he owed her that much.
He recounted his tale, Yukiko hanging onto every word with her brow tightly knitted together. Once he was done, silence prevailed once more as the lady stared at the wall in deep thought with a frown on her face.
"…Do you mind if I use your bathroom?" He asked after few moments. She didn't say anything for a seconds, then slowly nodded, still staring at the wall.
"Top floor, last door to your left."
Naruto nodded, deciding not to comment on the strangeness of not having a bathroom on the bottom floor and left the woman to her own musings. He made his way up the wooden stairs, idly looking at the pictures hanging on the wall leading up to the second floor. There were quite a few, some of a younger Yuna, some about a younger looking Jiko along with a woman he assumed to be Yuna's mom. The picture that made him pause though was the one with both his teammate and her aunt. She looked...Content there. Much more than the ones he'd seen with her father.
Once he made his way up, he paused when he was met with a door directly to his right with a pair of familiar black sandals in front of the entrance.
'Is this…Yuna's room?'
He debated his course of action, before pushing the door open and walking in.
Immediately, he recognized her smell, and the feeling conjured up memories of her and the rest of his team. Very neat and organized, and surprisingly Spartan. No posters or decorations to be seen, just a bed, a small bookcase and a desk.
Walking to her desk, he took note of every item there. A small lamp and a pencil case, a few books from the academy days, a few ninja tools strewn around here and there, and a framed picture of her and the rest of team 5. Picking up the picture, he looked at it for a minute, eyes taking in every details as a small smile graced his lips before placing it back down.
Moving along he walked to her bookcase and had to stand slightly on his toes to be able to read the names of all the books. There were quite a few there, ranging from fiction, to non-fictions, to biographies. 'The Dragon's Tooth', he whispered to himself. 'Twilight Mysteries', 'Stoicism', 'The Weight of the World'.
He stopped abruptly at the small orange book and shook his head. Interestingly enough, Yuna seemed to be quite the bookworm, though he already knew that from her introduction and her quiet measured way of thinking.
He took one last somber glance around the room before turning to the door and taking his leave.
The blond went back down and after saying his goodbyes to Yukiko, closed the door behind him and stepped back onto the nearly empty streets of Konoha. Looking up at the evening sky, he took in a deep breath and allowed his shoulders to sag.
This conversation could have gone a lot better. He didn't mean to sound rude or conceited, though perhaps this was not the best thing to have said to a grieving woman. But he had meant it, or perhaps his mind was just trying to find a way to comfort him.
But even if today's events hadn't gone so well, he felt a small weight lifting off his shoulders. Since he had been doing something other than therapy and reading, his mind had been too preoccupied to think about his current situation. He was progressively becoming less afraid to speak normally again. Though with these activities done, he was now back to not having anything to do.
'Maybe I should start training again...?'
Yeah, maybe he should.
—
"A waterfall?"
The blond nodded in affirmation to the masked ninja's incredulous question as he stopped his stirring to look at the Jinchūriki. "For your nature manipulation training? Do you have any idea how hard that is?"
Naruto nodded again. "I finished the leaf exercise a while ago..." He mumbled out slowly.
Kakashi scratched his lopsided hair in thought. He was glad that his student was talking again, albeit a lot less and a lot more subdued than he used to, but he couldn't help but think that he was jumping into this a bit too quickly.
"Well...There aren't really any here in Konoha. You would've seen one by now if there were."
"Can't you just make one?"
"I could, but a waterfall can't remain active from nothing, it needs a constant flow, meaning that if it's not a naturally made one, someone needs to stay there and sustain it."
Naruto blinked. "So what's the problem?"
Kakashi sighed in exasperation. "The problem is, Naruto, that cutting a waterfall is much more difficult than cutting a leaf. It would take weeks."
"Oh..."
No one would sit there for weeks on end to maintain a waterfall, even someone that gave enough of a damn like Kakashi. But there had to be some other way, right?
"So...Where's the closest one to here?"
"...You're not going out to train now are you? It's dark out."
The Uzumaki looked out the window and back at his teacher. "I'll go out tomorrow."
Kakashi sighed again. "Fine. There's one about 10 kilometers south west from the main gate, you should be able to see it if you follow the river stream back up."
Naruto nodded and turned to leave, which prompted Kakashi to quickly call out to him again. "Wait, Naruto!"
The boy paused and looked back at the scarecrow. "Since you're here already, do you want to stay for dinner? It's nearly done."
Naruto blinked and awkwardly averted his eyes. "Thanks, but I lied."
"What?"
Before he could stop him, the blond had already scurried out the door.
"Oh."
—
Slash!
After having sneaked out of the village, it only took him a few minutes to find the stream that Kakashi had been talking about. He used a kunai to cut the remaining branches out of his way and traveled upwards, where the faint roaring of water could be be heard I'm the distance.
The place was beautiful. Moss covered stone and the crystal-clear rushing water gave the area a magical feel under the moonlight. The waterfall wasn't as big as he expected, being only 10 meters in height and 5 meters in width, but it was perfect for now.
Glancing down, he picked up a stray leaf and held it between two fingers. With merely a thought, the leaf was bisected cleanly in the middle and fluttered to the ground like a butterfly's wings.
'The wind change in chakra nature splits chakra in two and grinds them together' He thought thinking back on his studies. Taking off his sandals and removing his shirt, he dipped his feet in the river and attempted to suppress a cold shiver. 'Then you build up the two chakras by steadily honing them...'
He stopped in front of the torrent and squinted his eyes to shield them from the tiny water droplets falling like rain. 'Steady and sharp...' He brought his hands up and plunged them into the waterfall. Taking in a deep breath, he closed his eyes and molded his wind nature inside his core before shooting it out from his hands. The impact hammered into the water, though all it did was make a barely perceivable splash.
An idea came across him for a brief moment, but he quickly discarded it. He wanted to be able to do this by himself, without the help of his clones. He refused to have to rely on that technique whenever something became too difficult to handle. He needed to figure this out on his own.
'This is going to be harder than I expected...' He thought glumly. His face now set with determination, he plunged them back in and pushed forward…
Glancing from left to right, he found himself in that white world again, where he'd met that strange presence in his dreams. But this time, the terrifying figure wasn't there anymore. There was a more human looking shadow, along with a copy of him.
He walked around the two in puzzlement. Who was he talking to? Why was he a spectator? His eyes moved from his clone to the other figure. There were no discernable features, though somehow…He had a feeling that this person was immensely important to him.
He saw his replicant turn away out of the corner of his eye and diverted his attention back to it.
'What are you doing!?' He thought as he watched himself walk away from the figure. The shadow extended an arm towards his retreating form, like it was pleading him to stay, but his clone ignored it and continued on.
No! Don't leave them! Don't leave them behind!
But his cries remained unheard.
He woke up with a start once more, just like a few weeks ago. Panting, he looked out the window and saw the sun's first rays filtering in through his blinds.
What a strange dream.
He stood up and started his morning routine. He brushed his teeth, showered and untangled his messy hair, heated himself a cup of instant ramen while blissfully ignoring the fruits that Kakashi had left in his home and put his non-sleeping clothes on. Unfortunately, his comfy form-fitting clothes that he'd grown attached to had been discarded and destroyed back at that man's base, along with…
'Mom's scarf…' He thought miserably. He no longer wore the blue patterned scarf that brought him great warmth and comfort, hugging around him like a parent would their child. Even after more than a month, he still wasn't over it and the thought of it stung his heart greatly.
His mood now considerably soured, he put his black cargo shorts on and attached his ninja took bag to his waist.
Today was the day that he would resume his duties as a ninja. Tomorrow would, to be precise. He needed to report to the Hokage now and show his compliance to his leader in order to be regarded as fit to continue on.
He opened his window and hopped onto the streets below before beginning his short trek to the tower. He'd been making good progress with the waterfall cutting technique. It was tough; what with nobody there to correct him and set him on the right path, but still. He enjoyed it. Being able to figure it out on his own was rewarding in its own right.
His training made him think about the old man at the ramen stand and Ayame. He hadn't seen them ever since he'd been back, they were probably worried sick about his sudden disappearance. Though to be fair, he hadn't really been able to face anyone recently, much as he hated to admit it. He really owed those two a visit.
He arrived at the tower and made his way up. After waiting a few minutes for the Hokage to be ready, the secretary let him in and closed the door behind him.
"Naruto." Hiruzen acknowledged with a warm smile. "How have you been my boy?"
"Eh, you know…" He replied after a short pause.
"Mmh." Hiruzen hummed in agreement and set his pipe down. "It brings me great happiness to see you back on your feet again. I trust that you have sufficiently recuperated?" After receiving a nod, the Sandaime continued. "Excellent, then let's get to business, shall we?" He picked up a sheet of paper and handed it to Naruto, who wordlessly took it.
"These are the list of this term's newly graduates. As we speak, a class is undergoing their Genin exams and will be assembled into teams tomorrow. You will be placed into one of them and-"
'Blah blah blah, I'll be in a new team, we get it.' He thought while internally rolling his eyes. The thought left a bitter taste in his mouth, though. His previous team had been like his family, and now he would just be joining a new one as if nothing had happened? It felt wrong, but such was protocol.
Old man Sandaime continued on for a while, explaining correct conduct and procedures while he pretended to pay attention. After what felt like an eternity, he was finally handed a new leaf headband before being dismissed.
As he exited the office however, he came face to face with Kakashi and two other Chūnin that he didn't recognize.
"Naruto?" The masked man said, equally as surprised to see him as he was. He took note of the new headband wrapped around his forehead and resisted the urge to frown. "You're back on duty huh? When are you starting?"
"Tomorrow." The blond replied.
That was not enough time. If Kakashi had his way, the boy would be getting a few more months. The death of your team had to be one of the most traumatic experiences a Shinobi could go through.
"Wait for me outside okay? I have a mission briefing but afterwards I can accompany you home." He said as the Chūnin made their way into the office. Naruto nodded without another word, and Kakashi joined the two inside.
Leaning against the doorframe, he snapped his pouch open and double-checked that all of his equipment was accounted for. Kunai, check. Shuriken, check. Conductive wire, check. First aid kit, check. Explosive tags, check.
'I wonder what my new team will be like…' He thought to himself.
"I t…s… th… …ou …ll k…p … c…n…d…t…al?"
Blinking at the hushed words, he turned back towards the door and recognized the voice to be the Third Hokage's. He sneaked forward and quietly stood on his toes while pressing his ear against the door.
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
"Good. Following the events concerning Naruto Uzumaki, word has begun spreading around the Leaf and even beyond. Villages are on high alert for more of Orochimaru's bases, and one has been reported close to the village in the waterfalls, Takigakure.
Naruto's eyes widened in shock. Another one of that bastard's hideouts?
"What's the situation?" He heard Kakashi ask in a serious tone.
"The laboratory is currently abandoned and has been so for a long time. Takigakure was advised to remain clear and await our arrival. You three will be tasked to rendezvous there and investigate."
And no one was inside either. Could this…Could the mask be there? The chances of it were incredibly slim, and he wanted nothing to do with that man anymore. But what other leads did he have?
"Right. Kakashi, you will be the leader of this mission and will be bringing-"
"Naruto-san!"
The boy nearly jumped out of his skin and whirled around when one of the Chūnin that helped out around the tower called out to him in a heated hushed tone. "Eavesdropping on a confidential meeting is strictly forbidden you know? Now run along before I drag you out by the ear!"
The Jinchūriki hurried out of the building, fearful of the older woman's wrath. He'd prefer to leave this place with his ear unabused thank you very much.
After a few minutes, the door to the Hokage's office opened once more and both Chūnin walked out, shortly followed by the masked Jōnin.
"Kakashi."
He looked back at the aged Hokage who was looking at him from behind his steepled fingers.
"Not a word to Naruto, hmm?"
"Of course, Hokage-sama." Kakashi bowed and took his leave.
The next day.
"Alright, is everybody ready?" Kakashi asked the two Chūnin, who nodded in reply. "Good, let's move out."
"Where are you going?"
Kakashi looked to the side and was surprised to see Naruto slowly walking towards them.
"I was assigned a mission, so I'll be gone for a few days."
"…What kind of mission?"
The Jōnin averted his eyes and fixed them onto the horizon past the gates. Those blue eyes seemed to stare right into his soul.
"Sorry Naruto, that's classified. But I won't be gone long."
The blond watched as his teacher signalled to his two teammates and, like a gust of wind, were gone in an instant. His eyes remained transfixed past the massive village doors before glancing up at the burning morning sun.
'Takigakure, huh…?'
"…"
'…I know how to get there.'
AN: Alright, put the reviews in the bag and no one gets hurt!