Okay guys sorry i've taken so long, been such a confusing while for me but i hope to update more regularly now it's summer though i should really get a job . . . and i'm away for two weeks in a week adn a bit, so i'll try and update a lot before i go. thanks for all teh comments and support, you guys are awesome :P
Tsuki stood in front of her wardrobe, clutching the towel to her chest as she tried to decide what she was meant to wear. Black, obviously, but what? A dress, a mission outfit, a suit? This was as bad as after the Uchiha massacre.
A red dress bag at the back caught her attention and she bit her lip, remembering buying it with Konohamaru. The small reminder of the boy caused her great sadness; she couldn’t even hope to understand what he was going through these days.
“Well I think you should get it, it’ll look really pretty.”
Nodding to herself, Tsuki laid the dress on her bed and brushed her fingers over it. It was just like she remembered; black and strapless with a tight bodice, white wrappings from the hip up to the bust, the front of the skirt stopped about mid-thigh while the back would drag a few inches on the ground and had a sort of ripped-look hem. Yes, that was what she’d wear.
‘I’m sure the boy will be happy,’ Jūbi commented, sounding solemn in her mind.
‘Mmm, I hope he will be okay.’
Just as she finished putting on her ankle high black zori, there was a knocking on the door.
“Tsuki, you ready to go?” Sasuke asked.
“Hai.”
The door opened and he came in wearing a black shirt and trousers. The two of them headed out through the village, it was quiet and dark clouds and thunder rumbled overhead. They met up with Naruto, who had on the same as Sasuke, and Sakura who wore a long sleeved top and skirt, black as expected. Neither said anything, but stopped a few feet past the blonde and Pinkette as a gust of wind blew, then carried on, the other two running to catch up.
Everyone was there, dressed identical to either Sasuke or Sakura, so Tsuki stuck out quite a bit, she didn’t mind, that happened anyway since her long red hair was loose. No one said a word, and soon the rain began to fall, splashing the ground as if even the heavens were crying for the loss of the Hokage and the others.
Tsuki pushed her hand into Sasuke’s pocket gently, and relaxed a little as she felt his fingers curl around hers, gripping them tightly to comfort her.
“The funeral for the Third Hokage who lost his life in this battle, as well as the other victims who gave their lives, will begin now,” an elderly man stated gruffly, Tsuki had no clue who he was, nor the woman he stood with.
Tsuki blinked the rain off her eyelashes and had a quick look around, frowning slightly. Kakashi wasn’t there, but surprisingly, Daichi and Miki were. They bowed their heads in her direction and she returned it, glad to see they were safe.
There was a sob and she looked around again, to find Naruto looking down at Konohamaru sadly. Iruka put his arm around the boy’s shoulder, comforting him as best he could. One by one, people laid down white roses for the fallen, saying their own goodbyes privately.
Tsuki took the stem in her hand and pricked her skin several times before squeezing the white flower, smearing it with her blood. Sasuke laid his rose down and stepped back, instead of getting back into line as he waited on Tsuki. She laid her bloody rose down and dropped her still bleeding hand to the side, droplets of crimson splashing on the ground, mixing with the rain.
She and Sasuke moved back into line, but after a minute, she let go of his hand and walked over to Konohamaru who was clutching Iruka in a hug.
“Konohamaru,” she said gently, crouching down and the small boy turned, trying to rub away his tears. “It’s okay to cry,” she said, pulling his hands down to let the tears fall free. She tilted her head on the side and gave a sad smile. “Hokage-sama would be very sad if you didn’t cry at his funeral, to cry in front of so many people at such a sad time takes a lot of courage.”
Iruka smiled slightly as well, and watched the small boy let his tears pour out as Tsuki had said. She ruffled his hair a bit and tapped his nose.
“You should always cry for your lost loved ones, otherwise you’ll always hurt.”
“Iruka-sensei,” Naruto said sadly, Tsuki looked up at him, then realised Kakashi was stood behind him. They nodded at each other in greeting. “Why do people risk their lives for others?”
“When one person dies . . . he disappears . . . along with his past, current life style and his future. Many people die in missions and wars. They die easily and in surprisingly simple ways. Hayate was one of them. Those who die have goals and dreams. But everyone has something as important as those.”
Tsuki stood up and headed back to Sasuke’s side, but she could still hear Iruka’s words as he finished. She linked her hand with his again and rested her head on his shoulder, watching the graves.
“Parents, siblings, friends, lovers . . . people who are important to you. They trust and help each other, the bond between the people important to you ever since birth . . . and the string that binds them becomes thicker and stronger as time goes by. It’s beyond reason. Those bound to you by that string will do that for you. Because it’s important.”
“Mm, I think I understand . . . a little, ttebayo,” Naruto said, “But, it’s painful when someone dies.”
“The third didn’t die for nothing,” Kakashi spoke up. “He left something important in all of us. You’ll find out what eventually.”
“Mm, I think I understand that too, ttebayo.”
“The rain stopped,” Sakura said, from Sasuke’s other side.
He and Tsuki looked up as the sky cleared of all the dark clouds and let the sun shine through, as if giving hope to the land. Eventually it was time to leave, and Naruto said goodbye to Iruka before joining his team, but they didn’t get far before they were stopped by Daichi and Miki.
“You-” Kakashi started, recognising the headbands they were wearing.
He looked at Tsuki, and then back at the two boys. What they wore were the headbands of Chi no Kuni, a four point star over a swirl with a blood drop in the centre.
“We mean no harm,” Daichi said, bowing his head a little, “We just came to say farewell to Tsuki.”
“It was good to finally meet you short stuff,” Miki flicked his hand in a sort of salute. “Dai, here wouldn’t stop talking about you taking Shouta-teme’s beating. but you were amazing in the exams.”
“Urusse Miki,” Daichi said with a roll of his eyes. “We’ll be going now, it would be good though, to have you visit us one day.”
“What about them?” Tsuki asked.
“They are loyal to Otogakure now, they haven’t set foot in Chi no Kuni in ten years, you would be very welcome.”
“I intend to come home, one day,” she admitted, “Besides, I have a debt to you I need to repay.”
The two boys bowed, before darting off quickly, Sakura and Naruto gaped, confused at Tsuki, Sasuke just rested a hand on her lower back.
“We’re going home,” he said, “Tsuki still isn’t fully healed.” she opened her mouth to retaliate but she was already being led away.
Naruto and Sakura yelled their goodbyes and Kakashi waved, but soon, Sasuke and Tsuki were out of sight.
“What’s going on, Sasuke?” Tsuki asked.
“Nothing, I just want to go home,” he told her.
As they neared their home, Tsuki’s skin prickled and she looked over her shoulder. There on the rebuilt Konoha wall were two figures in dark cloaks. The taller she didn’t recognise at all, but the scent of the second hit her like a tidal wave. Unknowingly, her nails dug into Sasuke’s hand as he opened the door and he yelled out in shock.
“What was that for?!” he snapped.
“Gomen, I thought . . . I saw something,” she said, sighing, “Gomen.”
Sasuke rolled his eyes and stepped into the house, as Tsuki closed the door she looked up at the wall again but the two figures were gone, the scent however was not.
Uchiha Itachi had come home.
Okay, sorry it's short but i wasn't really sure how to continue, and i kinda like the ending :3 hope you guys like it
Roxyblack <3