Chapter Twenty Two- The Memorial Stone
["It's not good to hide your wounds, you know. I'm looking after you." - Nohara Rin]
The week after the great battle by the Midori fields was hard for Naruto think about. The whole village was in a collected mourning. So many had died in one day it was absurd.
Iwa had lost over one thousand six hundred of their ninjas, Kumo had lost around eight hundred, and Konoha had lost six hundred and eighty five. All in one day... In the same place. Not counting Obito or people fighting in other places.
The number was surreal to others, but not to Naruto. She had been there. She'd seen it. She'd contributed to the tally.
The memories were constantly in the back of her mind, making Naruto have long and restless nightmares and waking up sweaty and clammy in the early morning hours. The dreams didn't contain any people, and it was all the more horrid for it. It was just her alone in vast, green fields while she walked down a river filled with scarlet blood. Alone. She was so alone that the absence of people felt claustrophobic.
It took time getting the funerals arranged. With so many killed, the rescheduling of their military forces and the autopsies took up all the time of both the Hospital and the Hokage office.
It was two weeks later the memorial services started. About seventy five were remembered each day over nine days. Naruto had managed to show at five of the funerals in between her duties. Obito's memorial service being on the very last day.
It was a typical autumn day. The sky comfortably overcast but not too cold as they came to pay their respect to those who'd given their life for Konoha.
Anko and Naruto stood with Orochimaru in the middle of the large crowd as the funeral ceremony came to an end. Shisui was standing with his clan today, next to his father at the front of the crowd.
Anko was drying her eyes while Naruto stared at the photograph at the front. Obito was smiling widely, all his teeth showing and his googles pushed up. So full of life it was sickeningly ironic to use it for his funeral. Especially when Naruto knew that from now he'd be no more than a name inscribed in the marble of the memorial stone.
Akiko came up behind them, and squeezed Naruto's shoulder in comfort. She had come here to pay respect to Obito, standing alone all the way in the back. She was still nervous being around ninjas, but she had still showed up to honor the fallen protectors of Konoha. "I'm so sorry." She said quietly.
"Thanks, Akiko. I'm glad you came." Naruto mumbled back.
"Me too. Obito-kun was great and I'll really miss him. Dinners at your apartment won't be the same without him." Akiko replied sadly.
"Heh... You're right."
"How are his teammates doing? Rin-chan and Kakashi-kun?"
Anko turned towards them, slipping on her "tough girl" mask despite having red, puffy eyes to give her away. "As well as you can expect." Anko answered casually, and fidgeted with the sleeve of her black shirt.
"I'm glad you're okay though. All three of you." Akiko said carefully and looked at Anko. "I heard you took part in that battle."
"Thanks..." Anko mumbled and studied her feet.
"Is there anything I can do?"
Naruto smiled thankfully, but shook her head. "Not really, the fact that you care is enough."
"I feel bad for Kakashi-kun though. Doesn't he live alone?" Akiko replied and looked in his direction. He was talking with Kushina, Minato and Rin by the picture of Obito, all of them looking down at him while they murmured quietly to one another.
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Fanfiction(Time-Travel fic) Naruto had never thought she would end up in the past. Not even the one who caused her to go back had anticipated she'd be dragged along for the ride. The Kyūbi had been trying to save himself - not her. She'd once said that the he...
