Minato's Daughter

Chapter 37 - Loss

Miyuki

Once Choji and I had reached the area where the battle had taken place, I couldn't help but feel horrified as I saw the destruction to the area. Everyone who I had seen with Choza earlier appeared to be unconscious or dead. 

"This way," Choji called.

I followed him, unable to form any words. What the hell was this? Choji stopped in front of his father. Katsuyu, Lady Tsunade's summon, appeared to be healing him.

"How is he?" Choji asked her.

"He's alright," She replied as Choji began to cry in relief.

I looked around the area until my eyes landed on Kakashi. Without saying anything, I ran over to him but slowed when I saw the state he was in. The lower half of his body was buried under chunks of stone and pieces from nearby buildings. His head was pointed upwards towards the sky and his eyes were closed. There was blood running down his face from the top of his head. 

"Miyuki..." a second mini Katsuyu began as she saw me. 

I dropped to my knees in front of him. This couldn't be happening... This wasn't real. I reached out to him, my hand trembling.

"Kakashi..." I said, my voice wavering.

My hand landed on his shoulder. "Kakashi, come on, say something."

I felt numb as I felt his cold, limp body underneath my hand.

"Please, Kakashi, open your eyes."

I crawled closer to him, tears pouring down my face. I held his face in my hands as I stared at the injuries I could see. What had happened to him? Without saying anything, I felt myself pushing and digging at the debris around him. After a few minutes, I had managed to free his lower body out from under the rubble. I pulled him out and saw the injury to his shoulder. I held him up, clutching his body close to mine.

"Please, please..." I begged as I held him tightly. "Please don't leave me."

I held him in my arms as tears fell onto his clothes. My only remaining teammate from Team Minato, the man I loved, was dead. My throat burned as the tears flowed down my face. I couldn't breathe. 

"Miyuki..." Katsuyu started again. "I'm sorry."

I ignored her as I sat still, holding him. I felt that if I let go, he would slip through my grasp. I grit my teeth as I choked back a scream. I didn't want to break down, not in front of Choji who was relieved that his father would be ok.

"Kakashi, don't go," I whispered as I continued to cry on him. "Please, Kakashi, please. Don't leave me like everyone else."

I saw Choji's head begin to turn towards me but before he could fully look at my direction, there was a sudden bright light. My body ran cold with fear. What was this sensation? Before I could process what I was doing, I acted. I felt myself stand up and let go of Kakashi, hearing his body thud on the ground.

"Shoton, Kurenai no Kajitsu!"

A large crystal dome appeared around us, protecting those who were unconscious or dead along with Choji and Choza. Katsuyu acted as well, immediately increasing in size. Before I could say anything, she shoved me to the ground and acted like a shield, covering my entire body with her own. I heard the ground shake, feeling it move underneath me. What was happening?

After what felt like eternity, I felt Katsuyu move off of me. I coughed at the dust and pushed myself up. I couldn't speak as I took in the destruction. There was a giant crater near us, the buildings that had once been there were leveled to the ground. I glanced over to where I had let go of Kakashi and saw another Katsuyu moving off of him. So she had still protected his body.

"Thank you," I said to her.

I went over to him, my eyes stinging from the tears. I kneeled in front of him, picking up the top half of his body, almost cradling his head against myself. I couldn't cry anymore, maybe it was the adrenaline from the unexpected attack. Maybe I had simply run out of tears. I heard Choji coughing as he got up. He immediately focused on Choza.

"Pa!" He exclaimed as he rushed over to check on him.

"He is alright," Katsuyu said. "Miyuki's crystal dome was resistant enough to take the majority of the blow for us."

I watched as Choji let out a sigh of relief before he focused his attention to me and Kakashi. He immediately rushed over.

"Kakashi... Kakashi sensei..." Choji said quietly before he looked at me. "Is Kakashi sensei...?"

I nodded as I held him tighter. Choji's eyes filled with tears again as he realized Kakashi's fate.

"I'm so sorry, Miyuki sensei. If I had only stayed with them..." Choji began before I cut him off.

"No Choji, you did the right thing. If you hadn't reported your intel, more people would have died. I'm proud of you for picking the right option between the two," I told him, trying to reassure the boy.

Choji tried to get composed but failed as he began to sob. Kneeling in front of me and in front of Kakashi's body, he managed to speak through his tears.

"I comple-... I completed your fin-... your final mission orders... Kakashi sensei!" He yelled as the tears continued to roll down his cheeks. 

I looked down at Kakashi, holding his face with one hand while the other continued to hold his body close. I felt numb as I continued to hold the body of the man I loved. I knew I had to move, to do what I could to protect those who were still alive. He wouldn't have wanted me to stay here, not when there were so many in danger. I gave Kakashi's body one final squeeze before I placed a kiss on his forehead.

"I love you," I whispered to him, as if he could hear me.

I gently placed him onto the ground before I stood up.

"Stay here, Choji," I ordered the younger boy.

"Where... Where are you going, Miyuki sensei?" He asked me his face stained with tears and his eyes puffy.

"To protect my home."