Chapter shout out! Shadowwolf808, anime_insanity, MarianDaniz, otaku_certified377, and QueenJD!!
I don't own Naruto. Only my OC's
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Chapter 56 - Epilogue
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"Well, it seems all you managed to receive were minor lacerations, faint traces of a paralyses poison in your blood, multiple contusions, minor concussion, severe lack of chakra left in your reserve, and minor frostbite on your fingers. You don't have any sprains or broken bones, and no life threatening wounds, though if you hadn't got imitate first-aid like you did the major laceration by your femoral artery in your left thigh would have been fatal. I say you'll make a full recovery in about a week," the doctor said as he looked through the papers on his clipboard before smiling down at me as I sat down on the hospital bed. "Though, it's mostly for your own safety, and just so your body can get over what it's gone through. All your wounds have been healed by the medics. Must have been some crazy training exercise for you to turn out like this, but don't you think you should tune it down a bit? It's dangerous if you keep this up, even as a chunin."
I nodded my head slowly, "Thank you for taking care of my wounds and your advice doctor-san, I'll make sure to remember to not go overboard next time." I told him, before slowly moving my head to look out the window that was to my right
"Well, seeing as you are probably tired right now, so I will let you rest. But I must say, those are some pretty wicked tattoos you got, but do you really think a sixteen year old should have three, especially the one that covers your whole back? Seems a little rebellious to me. Let me guess, everyone you got was after a fight with your parents?" I wanted to either shake my head or slap this man. I could tell that he was both new and was being kept in the dark, both of which I could use to my advantage, but did he seriously not understand the situation everyone had just gone through?!
"Ummm... Yeah, though that one was my first and I was being pretty stupid. Hurt like a bitch. Should have picked something smaller I guess," looking back at him I gave an embarrassed smile. "Actually, both of my parents are out on a long mission, and they'd kill me if they wound out I ended up in the hospital again from training..." He chuckled and made a zipper motion over his lips.
"Okay, I understand Hana-san. This will be our little secret," This time I had to laugh to make it seem like I wasn't appalled by him. 'Seriously, how stupid can you get, even after spilling out all that medical jargon?!'
"Thank you, Doctor-san!" while saying that I was internally gagging for having to use the horrific not once, but twice now, but I need it for the act. I quickly clapped my hands together into a praying form and held them above my face, trying to do puppy dog eyes. "Umm... Doctor-san... If I need any other favor, would it be possible?"
The idiot raised an eyebrow while looking at me, "now, now. Don't get greedy. I already agreed to not inform your parents."
I smiled and shook my head before placing both hands on the edge of the bed, "No, it's not that. I was just wondering if I could have a few pieces of paper and some pens. Drawing relaxes me."
"Well, I guess I can do that," He said with a wink, before handing me his clipboard, blank paper, and pen, now holding all his important papers in one hand. I gagged again when he winked, but luckily I had grabbed the clipboard fast enough to hide part of my face. I could tell he was maybe five to six years older than me right now, but really? Was he really trying to hit on me?!
'You sly little girl. He's already putty in your hands!' I heard Suteki snicker as I generously thanked the wonderful doctor. I made sure to keep a wide innocent smile on my face as I venomously replied to her, watching as he left the room.
'Shut it you. Do you really think I wanted to have to act like this?! I felt like I was going to be sick the whole time!' I stuck my tongue out in disgust the moment the door closed, holding one hand over my stomach, a moment later my other hand was cover my mouth, feeling uneasy.
"Still a flirt. It's just like that time when you were 'joking' around with Lee.'
"Actually, I think I am going to be sick," I realised that it was true and jumped off the hospital bed, rushing over to the joined bathroom, just making it to the toilet in time to bring up the small breakfast I had just had a few minutes ago. After my stomach decided to stop heaving, but continued to roll I lifted my head from the rim and placed my forehead on the cool surface, letting myself settle down. I didn't even move when I felt someone's hand rest on my shoulder.
"Must be an aftereffect from the genjutsu you were under, that or your body is just reaction naturally to being under one for so long and under so much stress," I slowly stood and step to the sink, washing my face before turning around and giving Kurenai a weak smile.
"I think it might be the second one... But you’re the expert, so you would know better," I told her, before my smile fell. "How is everyone? I wasn't able to ask the clueless doctor or nurses because they were clearly kept in the dark. And was only able to get limited information out of the medics that found me."
Kurenai looked down with a sad frown, "The mission was a failure. They were able to rescue you, but they were unable to retrieve Sasuke. As you know, Lee and Shikamaru are okay, Kiba and Akamaru will be hospitalised for a little bit, Choji and Neji were the only ones that received fatal wounds, but both made it through and will recover. Naruto was found shortly before you were brought here. He was severely wounded, but he too is healing nicely. Apparently Hokage-sama and Sakura-chan went and saw him around thirty minutes ago. Most likely she'll be stopping by next."
I looked down at the floor, taking it all in. "I... See. Has- has Naruto said anything about what happened during his fight?"
"With Sasuke?" Kurenai asked, but I shook my head, keeping my head down.
"No, with Kimimaru Kaguya... I think it was the one that Lee, and Gaara from what I was told, interfered with, after Sasuke... And I ran."
"No, he hasn't. Still can't remember?" I looked up and shrug, trying to look like I didn't care, even though my voice had broken during my question To once again hide my face, I walked out of the bathroom, waiting for my back to facing her before I spoke.
"No... But I guess it will take time, I mean, it's only been a few hours since I got back. I'm sure it will take days even weeks, so there's no rush." I ended with a tired sigh, running a hand through my still tangled and now bedridden, hair.
Kurenai, along with all the other jounin senseis, were informed about my 'aging predicament', why I was kidnapped, and why I was even gone out of the village when I was, so I didn't have to worry about trying to hide what was going on. Or even my tattoos for the fact, because the hospital gowned I was wearing showed of the one on my arm and part of the one over my heart and back. What she and Tsunade-obasan only knew was what I had told them. I had blanked out shortly after seeing Naruto and getting a splitting headache, and woke up later in the destroyed area, not knowing what I might have done, I had managed to make Suteki her own body for a short period of time, that I was still planning to leave the village for a few years, even more so now than before, and how for the first times in months I hadn't gotten a new 'tattoo' even after receiving a nearly life threatening wound.
The last fact scared me much more than it should have. Each time I had gotten a tattoo it was because Suteki had healed me... But this time I had been hurt to such an extent when I had lost my mind. Suteki had told me that for some reason she couldn't heal it like she usually could, which made me think that the connection the insane founder has in my self conscious was slipping because she had been separated from my mind too soon and for such a long time.
'What I don't want to think about is what might happen when that connection is severed. If what she said is true, than she's really been with me almost my whole life... So how much does having her connected me actually affect how I act? How much more important is it than I originally thought it was?' I didn't want to think about these things right now, so I shoved them into a deep dark corner of my mind to be forgotten till later.
"Anyways, is this all the stuff I had asked for?" I questioned, walking up to my bed, which now had a couple of bags laying on it.
'Oooohhh... Is that make up I spy?! And pills!!! Lots and lots of pills!!! What you going to do with those, huh?' Suteki egged on, trying to get a reaction out of me, but I just ignored her and began to take things out of the bags. Common clothes, wide grass hat, hidden pouches, multiple vials of red pills, a few jars of powdered dye, different shades of makeup and makeup tools, coloured contact lenses, a medical mask to cover part of my face, and a small woven grass backpack that help some dried food and simple trading items. The perfect things to make someone disappear from sight without using any chakra.
'Now all you have to do is become your 'character'... Too bad you’re not a very good actress.'
'I'm a better one than you'll ever be,' I shot back as I lifted up the jar of midnight black powdered dye, shaking it slightly.
"Yes, it's everything you needed, as you can see, though I still don't see why you need to go to such an extreme. You could either do a simple transformation jutsu, or even let me cast a genjutsu around yourself so everyone who sees you thinks you're a different person."
"No, she can't. To leave she needs to pose a simple slightly sick travelling villager, that way she can leave undetected, seeing as we are sure that Kotori and Orochimaru have ways to know if Harmony leaves the village or not. Even if she let you use a genjutsu, it would alert Izumo and Kotetsu, and it would be a hassle to get her passed them then, and then she might miss the arranged time with Nala. Plus, she needs a slightly lasting disguise, and I don't want her to have to have to start taking chakra pills so soon, she still needs to heal. It would place too much stress on her body and increase the chances of her blacking out again." Tsunade-obasan said as she walked into the room, closing the door behind her. I smiled in thanks for explaining why I've chosen to do.
"It's the only thing Obasan and I could think of in the hours we had since I came back before I passed out again," I said without looking at the two. "And you promise that you will do everything possible to protect my siblings, right?"
"Yes I will. It's already been arranged that Jiraiya will be training Naruto for a couple of years, they will start in about half a year*, so you won't have to worry about him, but I shall make sure to keep Rin safe while she is staying here." Tsunade said, walking over and placing a hand on my shoulder, much like how Kurenai did before. "By the way, you have a visitor,"
I looked up at her in surprise. "Visitor?! But I thought we weren't letting anyone know where I was! That's why you made sure I was in a separate part of the hospital, under a fake name, and being taken care of a medical staff that was kept in the dark about everything! Hell, half of the village still thinks I've gone abroad to train, and the other half didn't even knew I had left yet!"
Kurenai nodded in agreement, "Are you sure having visitors are such a good idea, even after all this secretive action you've taken?"
"Oh, it's okay. What's more, I know they are one of the people Harmony would do anything to see," with that, Tsunade went to the door, opened it slightly, and motioned the small ravenette to come in.
"RIN!" I nearly dropped the dye before I caught it and set it down on the bed, torn between bewildered, scared, and overjoyed from seeing her face. I could tell that she was sad that I was hurt, but hiding it behind a smile.
"Onee-chan!" Rin yelled, running up to me and hugging me and burying her face in my chest. I know she wanted to seem happy and strong, so I wrapped my arms around her quiver body, hugging her tightly, and also hiding her.
"There, there. It’s all okay now. I'm alright, even you can see that. I came back, and all in one piece. I told you I wasn't going to leave you alone." I whispered to her, rubbing her back. She nodded her head, but still buried her head, this time in my shoulder as I knelt down to the ground so she could wrap her arms around my neck.
"Why does it always have to be you who gets hurt, onee-chan? Why?!"
"I get hurt because I want to protect everyone, so I don't mind it when I do,'I told her, though I internally winced while doing so. ’Some protector I am. Couldn’t protect a single one of them!'
'At least you're not the reason why they got hurt so bad.'
I chuckled mentally, 'I might as well be. Remember, I was one of the one kidnapped. If I hadn't been so stupid I could have gotten out of there and helped them! Not act like a helpless damsel in distress and latter lose my mind!'
'Oi, are you insinuating that one losing their mind is a bad thing?' I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at her question.
'Do I really need to answer that?'
'Now that I think about it... Nope! We all know how awesome I am, so the answer is clearly no!'
"Stop blanking out onee-chan!" Rin pouted when she noticed I wasn't paying attention anymore.
"I'm sorry, I guess I'm more tired than I thought I was," I explained to her, but it seemed to have the opposite from the soothing reaction I was hoping for.
"Then I'm going to get stronger and stronger! That way you won't have to go the hospital or be tired anymore!! I'll be the one to protect you next time! Promise!" When she did that she pulled away from me and pretended to punch someone
"Just remember what I told you about your punches. I'll have to check out how much you've grown in a few years. I'm sure you're going to give anyone you go up against hell." She frowned when she heard this.
"Wait, you mean we're still leaving?! Why?! It’s not safe onee-chan!" Rin exclaimed.
"You right, it's not safe, but it's not safe for you to be around me. Nala and I still have to go, but you'll be staying here, training at the academy till we get back." I told her sadly, watching the tears well up in her eyes.
"B-But you just told me you weren’t going to let me be all alone again!" She cried, shaking her head rapidly.
"I know Rin, I know," I told her, trying to pull her into another hug, but she pulled away.
"Then why?! Why are you leaving?! Leaving and making me be all alone again?!"
'Ouch... Kid knows how to tug on the heart strings, doesn't she?'
'And you know how to ruin a moment, don't you?' I placed both my hands on Rin's shoulders, making her stay still and look at me. "I'm not leaving you all alone, pequeña flor. Our family is so much bigger than what you think it is. You're safer here in the village, surrounded by people who love you. I know for the fact that the people here in this room are only two of the people that will make sure that you are happy. And remember the three friends you made at the hel- academy I mean? I don't think you would want to see your friends and fellow classmates to be sad, because they will be if you think that they won't be there for you. You need to be strong, and willing to trust the people around you. Can you do that for me?" Rin looked away from me, still crying.
"Okay, how about I make a compromise?" I said with a tired sigh, like she had won. Rin looked back at me confused, along with all the other rooms occupants. “One, I will send you letters every week, but only if you reply back. Two, I'll try and visit every few months, and when Nala and I do get back, we'll stay for a few weeks, and train you if you want. Three, I let you keep my goggles, along with my old journal. Don't deny it, I've seen how you've try to sneak a few peeks." Rin was still looking at me, but I could tell that she still wanted something else, and if that mischievous smile was enough of a hint, I knew what it was. I sighed again in defeat.
"Okay, you got me. And finally four, when we come back for good, I'll let you and Nala take me out shopping, even for dresses if you want. I'll need new clothes, and lot of them when we get back. I'll do all that if you promise to stay here and train to be the best you can be. That sounds good to you?" Rin threw her arms around me, now laughing.
"Okay, deal! But you have to keep you word!" I chuckled and nodded my head.
"Alright, alright. I promise I'll keep my word. Now shoo you. You have school,” I told her, standing up and slightly pushing her to the door.
"Here Harmony. I'll walk her, " Kurenai offered, smiling as she placed a hand on Rin's shoulder. I couldn't help but smile suggestively at her.
"You're so good with kids Kurenai. When you and Asuma finally get together I think you're going to be a wonderful mother," her cheeks flushed as red as her eyes before she composed herself, setting her other hand on her hips.
"I'm sure you'll be an even better when you and Kakashi become a couple after you get back. You'll be in his age range at that time," glaring darkly, I turned away, huffing.
"Like that will ever happen. That stay can just stay in the alleyway where he belongs." I heard her laugh and begin to start walking away with Rin.
"Says the girl that is now wearing a fang necklace. One that looks exactly like the one that he’s wearing right now!" I whipped around and pointed a finger at her back, knowing my cheeks were red like her's where a few seconds ago.
"Shut it before I freeze that mouth of your shut for you! Rin, make sure to take her on all the back roads to the academy! AND make Iruka make her help teach a class as pay back! Also, when you do get together, get Asuma to quit smoking! It’s not very attractive!!" I heard the two laugh after they had closed the door behind them, so I couldn’t help but chuckle lightly under my breath as I walked back to the bed and towards Tsunade.
"You know, I didn't hear deny the fact that you’re now wearing the same necklace as Hatake," Obasan said to me, making my good mode waver slightly as I sighed.
"Not you too Obasan. You know what; I think this is a good time to start working on this disguise." Tsunade-Obasan smiled when I changed the topic of conversation, but picked up the clothes, holding them in front of my body.
"You right. ‘Hana-san' does get released today, so we better get started." I nodded and once again picked up the dye.
"Well, I guess if we have to start with something, I would have to guess that it should be this. I hope that thing is potent enough to cover up all the red"
'YOU'RE FINALLY DYING YOUR HAIR BLACK LIKE I ASKED!! WOOOOO!! NEXT TIME DO IT PURPLE WITH BLUE TIPS!!!
'HELL NO SUTEKI! AND BUTT OUT YOU OLD HAG!!!!'
-----3rd POV-----
"Thank you so much, Hokage-sama. There is no possible way I could ever thank you enough for the treatment you have given me here in this lovely village," a young women said in front of the hospital bowing to Tsunade. Her back hair and eyes were covered by the shadows her grass hat casted, and her lower face was covered by a medical mask that muffled her voice slightly. She wore a large grass basket on her back and a bandaged hand held onto the strap to keep in place.
"It was nothing. I hope you have a safe trip back to your hometown, and I can't wait for you to come back and sell me some more of the good luck charms you make, Hana-san," Tsunade replied, waving casually. Hana stood up but bowed her head slightly again.
"Of course, Hokage-sama. It was a pleasure doing business with you. I shall take my leave now," after she said that, she turned and began to walk away the hospital and towards the large village gates. As she walked she kept a casual pace, looking all around, almost like she herself was a tourist.
'This is never going to get easy, is it?' Harmony wondered as she walked nearer to the gates.
'Why would it? You're leaving your home? But you did say so yourself, you're coming back every few months, so that should ease you heart a little,' Suteki told her as Harmony pulled out some folded up fake papers from her dull green yukata that she wore.
'But it doesn't, because I know after I come back, I must leave again.' She replied back as she walked over to Izumo and Kotetsu, handing them her papers and answering a few simple questions, like what was her full name, where did she live, what was her occupation, what was her bossiness her in the village, was she planning on coming back, if so, when, and did she have any family here in the village. Her answers was her name was Hana Matsui, that she lived near the land of waves, she was a travelling trader, she comes the Hidden leaf to sell her good luck charms and trade a few things, yes, she was planning to come back, in a couple of month, and no, all of her family lived back home.
The looked over her papers again before handing them back, believing the lies that she told, and wished her a safe travel as she passed them. She bowed her head and wished them good luck before she continued on the main road. After a few miles of walking to make sure no one followed her, she veered off to the west, now running through the trees to make up the time she had lost.
'Sure took you long enough! I was starting to get worried about you!'Nala exclaimed when she finally reached our meeting spot and jumped down out of the trees. Harmony lifted up the grass hat and lowered her mask, revealing her face and hair.
"I'm sorry. I was passed out for a couple of days, and it took Obasan and I a full day to make up a plan to get me out of the village. But I'm here now, and the others are safe, so we better get going and put some distance between us and the village." She nodded and jumped up so her tiny body was rested on Harmony’s shoulder and partly on the pack.
'Where are we going to go first?' She asked as Harmony began to start walking, now to the south
"Let's head to the Land of Waves. That’s where I said I was from, and I've been wanted to check up on a couple of people. After that we might travel to the Hidden Sand for a brief visit. I want to thank the siblings for their help. After that we're going to mainly stuck to the Land of Fire, unless Obasan needs us to go a few other places."
'Alright, Land of Waves first it is then!'Nala cheered, her tail twitching. ’We are going to eat so much fish while we are there!!!'
"You and your fish," Harmony said with a laugh, while Nala replied with a cat-like shrug
'What do you expect? I'm a cat. Cat's love fish.'
'Hey Harmony, if you won't dye your hair purple, could you at least dye it blonde next or something?' Harmony sighed and covered her face with her palm.
"No Suteki. I am not dying my hair blonde either."
'Why not? I think you would look good with blonde hair Harmony,'Nala pointed out, making Harmony groan and hang her head.
"I don't think I have to worry about my mind making me slowly going insane if you guys are like this the whole time, because if will just make my mind go all the faster!' she groaned out, making both Nala and Suteki laugh.
'You know you love us!'
"You're wrong, at moments like these I really hate you two. Mostly you Suteki." Harmony replied back. Even though she was joking around, her mind was in turmoil.
'I hope these next few years pay off,' she then looked up at the sky through the trees. 'No, I'm sure they will. When we come back we'll be stronger, and no longer have to worry about the things that we are worried about now.' With a nod of her head, she lowered her hat again, and continued her way through the forest, determined to do what they had planned to do.
---The end of Melody of Time---
I just wanted to thank everyone who has made this story such a success and fun to write! Without all of you I probably wouldn't have continued to wrote this story, let alone finish it! I love you all!! I plan to start writing the sequel in a few months, so please don't hate me too much for the wait! And for anyone who has been waiting to know, the sequel shall be called Endless Forgotten Melody, a combination of two the other titles that were selected.
* In the anime there is a whole bunch of filler episodes before Naruto and Jiraiya leave the village for training, and to make everything work out, I have to use that, so Harmony will be gone while Naruto is still in the village, instead of the two leaving right after Naruto is recovered.
I hit an unexpected block when I was writing this. Originally I had Sakura in here too, but who knew she would be so hard to write and be the cause of most if the blocks?! So ya, because of that I got rid of Sakura in this chapter, and it seemed to go pretty good after that... And then I hit the point where Rin and Kurenai had to leave *sigh*, yet again, another block -_-'
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Sensei out (for now!)
Bye-bye!!