Never Again: Sequel to The Different One (Naruto Fanfiction)

Chapter 7: Warmth

I stepped into the small house. It looked much bigger on the inside then it did on the outside and as I reached the living room I realized that it really needed to be that big.

There were several other people in the room and as they turned, I realized who they were.

"Girl! What are you doing here?" I watched with shocked silence as Sancha came over and punched me in the arm.

I rubbed it with a small frown. "I don't know... I guess I'm really dead."

Ma came over and wrapped me up in her arms. "Hibiki! It feels like forever since I last saw you! Wow, look at how tall you've gotten." She held me at arm's length with a warm smile that I had missed all these years.

"I missed you too, Ma." I hugged her back with a small smile. Yes, I really must be dead. Either that or all of this is just a wonderful dream...

"Ma?" My breath hitched in my throat when I heard her voice. I turned slowly to meet her sparkling eyes. "Man, you totally stopped calling her Hiroko while I was gone, didn't you?"

She laughed and spread out her arms for me. I ran into them, refusing to let go even as we had been holding onto each other for a good few minutes. I couldn't feel her warmth or smell the rain in her hair, but the memory was so distinct I could almost swear the warmth and smell was there.

"Mom..." I whispered in her ear.

"Yes, Hibiki. I'm here."

*FLASHBACK*

I ran up to my mom and hugged her from behind. Her warmth spread through me and I got a huge whiff of the damp wetness in the cave. My mom always smelled like rain.

She pat my head and lightly unwrapped me from her waist. "Man, you scared me, silly!" I laughed and watched as her skilled hands cooked the egg on the pan in front of her and lean into her shoulder.

"Aren't you a little old to be scaring your mom like that?" she asked.

I laughed again. "I'm only 11, Mom!"

"What? But you are so mature," she said with mock surprise. An evil look crossed her face. "Man, guess that means that you're totally young enough for me to-" she paused and moved quickly to start tickling my stomach. I recoiled and shielded my stomach from her prying hands, but she had already got to me. "Tickle you!"

We both busted out laughing. We began to roll on the floor as she tickled me and I tried to fight off her advances.

"Stop!" I yelled between fitful laughs. She didn't listen, continuing to tickle me even as I tried to wriggle out of her grasp.

Eventually, she got tired and set me free. I rolled as far away from her as possible. I turned and smiled at her, still laughing even though she had stopped her antics. She wriggled on the floor, trying to get closer to me, this only made me laugh more.

She smiled and pat my head. "Promise me something, okay Hibiki?"

I nodded and she brought her hand down to my cheek. Her eyes still had a light glint in them as she told me the promise.

"Don't let me see you in the afterlife for a long while, okay?"

I was about to ask her what she meant when my eyes widened and hers closed. Her hand went limp against my face.

"M-Mom?" I picked up a shaky hand and rested it on hers. Where had the warmth gone?

"Mom!" My screams echoed through the house.

*FLASHBACK END*

"The people in the village were totally stupid to let you use medical ninjutsu at such a young age. Besides, it was my time anyways. No medical ninjutsu could have kept me alive."