guardian of the storm | ✓

Chapter Thirteen ~ Connection.

Surprise! I updated :) Honestly this story is like my baby (horrible analogy but whatever) so I couldn't not update! Listen to song, it fits this chapter pretty well (or at least I think so)

~Chapter Thirteen~

"Jiraiya-boy has died."

The broken words swim relentlessly around the blonde haired boy's head as he sits in the middle of the woods, a tree broken courtesy of his emotional turmoil. His throat clenches shut, hot tears making their path down his cheeks. His blue eyes swim with enough sadness to create an entire ocean, his shoulders slumped forward.

Why? Out of all the shinobi in the world, why was it his sensei that had to die?

Another shuddery breath. Eyelashes damp with tears. Heart throbbing, pounding, slowing. He fingers curled over the fabric of his shirt in front of his heart, his lips dry as he let himself finally drop to his knees.

Why was it always the people closest to him?

"WHY?" His voice cracks as he screams up at the obsidian colored sky, "WHY IS EVERYTHING I CARE ABOUT TAKEN AWAY FROM ME?!" His lungs shrink and gasps escape from his mouths. "Why?" He whimpers quietly, his eyes downcast.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

One by one the blades of grass grew covered in tears, the dark green shining in the sparse moonlight. He could feel hopelessness sinking its claws into him, feel as one by one his friends- his lights- flickered out. "Please." He croaks out, "Don't take anymore."

In response to his plea thunder booms overhead, offering to make the heavens cry for Naruto Uzumaki, to help share his pain. His palms press against the cool earth, nails digging into and scarring the ground for a short period of time. He bites down hard on his lower lip; feeling his sadness, his anger and his frustration slowly harden into fury. Pure, undulated fury that rolled off of him in thick waves that were tinted orange.

"Naruto." The soft voice chimes out, intermingling with the cool wind and striking harmony in the air. "Don't become angry, don't head down the path the Uchiha and I did." The wind sends a great gust over the Village of the Hidden Leaf and brushes over the forest. "Don't let yourself fall. You have a bright future ahead. Live it, make the most of it, for those of us who couldn't even begin to hope for what you're going to be capable of doing. For those of us who are slowly losing our sense of self."

His head snaps up, wide eyes searching for the black haired owner of the voice. He strained to see anything: a glimpse of red, a flash of black or a glimmer of turquoise. He was met with pure darkness instead as he search turns futile.

"I'm sorry blondie, that I couldn't be there for you. That I abandoned you. That I couldn't be the person you believed I could be. And I just want to tell you one thing..." Lighting races overhead, a brief flash of a smiling girl standing in front of him making his heart race. "No matter who I turn out to be, where I am or what I have done: I will always be rooting for you, Naruto."

A genuine smile appears on her lips, her hand reaching out to him. He lunges forward, and just seconds before he can grab her hand he touches something hard, like glass... and she disappears.

"WINTER!"

***

The crushing sound of roars of approval reached Winter's ears as she struggled to breath, a huge beast lying motionless on the sand next to her. Sweat poured down her face in rivulets and harsh coughs threatened to break out of her throat at any moment. Her already tattered clothes were in ruins and her legs shook with exhaustion.

One month. Two weeks. Six days. Nineteen hours. Forty-five seconds.

That was how long she'd been in this place. And it was slowly killing her, mentally and physically. She wiped the sweat off of her forehead, turning around to head back to her gate when the crowd grew eerily calm making her look around. Judal grins as he stands up from his box, high up in the stadium where he can view everything.