Chapter 20: Loss of Another
The attack sent Pain flying through several rocks while Naruto collapsed on the ground, breathing heavily. He slowly forced himself up and walked towards Pain, he pulled out the piercings all over his arms and frowned.
Now I just gotta find the real him. Naruto thought and closed his eyes. He formed several clones which scattered in several directions, each stationed themselves at a radium of six kilometres away from each other and concentrated.
Not long after they clones scattered a clone found a disturbance in an area and all the clones, except for that clone disappeared. Wow that worked? Kurama asked. Yep and I don't even know how, even though they're my clones... Naruto said and took off to where the clone was.
He soon arrived at a giant tree that perfectly fit in the environment, but even Naruto could tell it did not belong there. He touched the tree and pulled it aside, revealing Konan and a man he assumed was Pain.
"Hello... Naruto.." Pain coughed.
"Naruto..." Konan muttered.
The blonde looked at the both of them, his eyes only showing pain. "Big brother Pain... big sister Konan..." Naruto said. "I came here to talk and to see how I would feel seeing you, the person who took me in..."
Pain stayed quiet for a moment and finally spoke, "and? How do you feel?" He asked.
Naruto clutched his chest, "I don't know..." Naruto answered. "I don't know, I feel sad yet angry... I just feel all these emotions it hurts..."
Konan frowned, "we are truly sorry... Naruto..." Konan said.
It was the first time Naruto had ever heard Konan speak in such a formal way, his expression saddened and so did theirs. Both Pain and Konan knew that the boy that they once knew was no longer there, but even so, they felt happy and proud.
"I guess forgiveness can't come easy to me..." Naruto said as he clenched his fists, tears blurred his vision and he bit his lip trying to hold in his sobs.
"Naruto..." Pain began and Naruto hummed in response, "have you made friends?"
"Yeah..." The blonde trembled as he bowed his head.
"Do you have a home?"
"Yeah..."
"Do you love that girl?"
"Yeah..."
Pain sighed, relieved and smiled. "I'm glad then..." He said and Naruto raised his head.
"Continue to be happy Naruto, be happy to the very end." Konan said.
Naruto was ready, ready to attack; to end it all. He was ready to kill the person who had taken him in and gave him a real family, a real home. He raised his head and tried to move but found himself unable.
He let out a laugh and tears streamed down his cheeks, "I knew it..." He said and sobbed, "I can't..."
Pain frowned and motioned for Naruto to come to him, Naruto did so while whipping away his tears that wouldn't stop. Pain lifted his arms and patted him on the head, "you've always been a kind hearted boy..." Pain said and smiled, "even if you turn to the right path, even if you keep killing us, even if you despise us... we will always be your family." Pain said.
He formed a hand sign, "Heretical Rebirth Cycle!" Pain said.
Konan's eye widened, "Nagato no-!"
"It's alright Konan..." Nagato smiled warmly at her. "Heretic's Path..."
"W-What's happening? Pain what are you doing-?"
Nagato smiled warmly at Naruto, "with the last of my strength I am going to bring back everyone I have killed here..." Nagato coughed.
Even from afar Naruto could tell, his strength was fading, his life was fading.
"Pain-"
"Nagato... that is my name..." Nagato said and Naruto walked towards him.
"Please... no!!" Naruto yelled ad could no longer stop the tears. Konan watched as Nagato's eyes slowly closed. There Naruto mourned for another loss of another family.
~
Konan frowned and looked up at the clear blue sky. Slowly, Pain's body and Nagato's body were wrapped in Konan's paper. "Big sister Konan... what will you do now?" Naruto asked.
"I will stop being in the Akatsuki..." Konan said and looked at Naruto, "as Nagato had said, we will always be your family."
With the swirl of her hand a bouquet of paper flowers formed, she handed it to Naruto who gladly took them. "This will be the last time I see you Naruto." She said and smiled. "Thank you... for everything."
"Be strong, and I wish you luck." She said before disappearing with the bodies of Yahiko and Nagato.
~
Naruto slowly walked in the woods, exhausted, physically and emotionally. His breaths were heavy and his entire body ached, if he should stop he knew he'd collapse from exhaustion.
HIs legs suddenly gave out and just when he was about to hit the floor a soft, warm hand grabbed him and slung his arm around their neck. The blonde turned his head and saw Sakura.
"S-Sakura-chan... y-you're... alive?" He asked.
The pinkette smiled, "of course! Who else would take care of you, hm?" She asked and Naruto chuckled.
The two slowly made their way to the village where they were greeted by the entire village. "Naruto! You're alive!!" His friends exclaimed. The villagers cheers were silenced by the sudden mention of his name.
"What did you say?" A villager asked Sasuke.
"Naruto...?" Sasuke answered, a little confused.
"WHAT!?" Another villager yelled.
All the villagers turned to Naruto and immediately it hit them, the whisker marks, the blue eyes and yellow hair.
"Monster!"
"Killer!"
"Murderer!!"
"Leave!"
"No one wants you here!!"
"Demon!!!"
Naruto's eyes widened at the names that were being thrown at him.
All his friends were confused as to what was even going on, they didn't know why they were calling their friend that but what they did know that it was wrong. They shouted at the villagers to stop but to no avail.
Minato pushed through the crowd with her wife and kids.
He heard it all and suddenly a memory struck his mind.
'The villagers! They beat me-!'
'Stop lying you little brat!'
"My god..." He mumbled.
Mito and Menma looked at one another.
The villagers and Uzumaki-Namikaze's all remembered, who that boy was and what they had done. Guilt struck Minato and Kushina.
"N-Naruto..." Kushina said, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Mito and Menma looked at their mother then at Naruto, remembering what they had done and immediately regretting it. "W-We're... we're so sorry..."
The blonde motioned for Sakura let him go which she did, he listened to them. Their insults and their apologies. Nothing but painful memories his Naruto.
He felt numb.
He clenched his fists tightly, trying to stop the tears from coming.
"You killed my fucking wife!!"
"Go and fucking die god damn it!!"
Sakura looked at Naruto but couldn't see his expression. His head was down and his hair shadowed his eyes. Finally Naruto raised his head, "SHUT UP!!!" He yelled getting everyone's attention.
It was quiet.
Sobs could be heard from the blonde.
"IF THIS IS THE THANKS I GET FOR SAVING YOUR SORRY ASSES THEN FINE!!! I DON'T CARE!!!!" Naruto cried. "I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY I LET YOU ALL LIVE!!! IF YOU CAN'T TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A KUNAI AND A SCROLL THEN GO BACK TO FUCKING SCHOOL YOU SHITS!!!!"
The people murmured to each other and some scoffed at the blonde. "I HAVE DONE NOTHING!!! NOTHING!! YOU ALL BEAT ME SENSELESSLY, A LITTLE BOY!!! A LITTLE BOY WHO DID NOT KNOW!!!" Naruto paused as his body trembled. "I was just a boy... and yet... I was beaten, shunned and abused without even knowing why..."
"To this day I still don't know..."
"Naruto..." Sakura began but then Naruto shook his head and turned around.
Everyone watched as Naruto slowly walked back into the woods. His friends were still in a slight daze and confused.
His so called 'family' felt guilt and regret.
The villagers were stung by his words.
Before they knew it, Naruto was gone from their sight.