Naruto: A New Perspective

Chapter 27

It rained the day they buried the third Hokage. It seemed fitting, for such a somber day.

Sasuke and Aiko had gotten up early that day, and without speaking they had gone through their daily routines. Then, dressed in all black, they headed down to the burial site. It had been packed to capacity, all the ninja that weren't in the hospital were in attendance, along with anyone else who could get in. Feudal lords, merchants, foreign nobles, academy students, villagers... everyone seemed to be there.

Not Naruto, Sasuke corrected himself absentmindedly. It seemed so wrong that he wasn't there. Sasuke knew how passionate his friend was about becoming Hokage, and how close he had been to the elderly Hokage. The blond was unconscious and in the hospital, resting from his fight with Gaara. Sasuke still had no idea how his best friend wasn't dead, but was only thankful that he wasn't... life would just be wrong without Naruto.

That red chakra... Sasuke didn't know what it was, but that was what had saved Naruto. Was it a bloodline? That sort of made sense... Naruto definitely looked animalistic when using it, sort of like Kiba when he was using his clan's techniques... but that power he had, that was far beyond anything Kiba or his clanmates could do. So what did that leave? Nothing that Sasuke knew about for sure, and only a few things he could guess about. Sasuke didn't like to guess, for now, he would watch and wait. Eventually he'd learn the source of Naruto's power, and maybe his friend could fulfill that promise to help him kill Itachi.

Sasuke frowned as the Hokage's old teammates delivered the Hokage's eulogy. Sasuke wondered if his own team would deliver his eulogy... or would one of them die first? This war... Sasuke thought he had come to terms with death, after the destruction of his clan, but now the bonds he had thought were gone were beginning to reform. Different bonds, friends and not family.

Aiko's face was distraught, a stark contrast to Sasuke's own stony reserve. The Sandaime had been very kind to them, he had often visited them, and made sure they were doing okay after the terrible ordeal... Sasuke frowned, Naruto... them... that was only to name a few, more than some of the ninja couldn't seem to watch impassively... many were crying.

Konohamaru was sobbing openly as their old instructor Iruka held him, although the scarred teacher's face was dry, it was pained and distressed. Sasuke idly wondered if Iruka gone to see Naruto... probably. Naruto spoke of Iruka with great affection, especially talking about their long hours spent at Ichiraku's, usually Naruto bragged about how much ramen he had eaten, and how much he had dented Iruka's savings that week.

Sasuke had seen Naruto, but only once through the window. He was in ICU, and apparently not to be disturbed. It had been a few days, but all of their friends had been to see him at least once, glancing worriedly through the window, waiting for him to wake up.

Naruto... the boy never stayed down for long, to see him bedridden and hooked up to all sorts of machines... it had never happened before. Every one of their friends seemed to get sick sometime, exhausted their reserves, broke limbs... but not Naruto. Naruto seemed to weather it all. But now the blond seemed fragile, the ever present playful grin was gone, and Naruto didn't move... Naruto was always moving, always.

Sasuke couldn't help it, he was worried.

The genin stepped forward to place their white flowers on the grave of the third. Kiba was there, arm wrapped in white bandages. Hinata placed her own flower with shaking hands, and tears streaming down her face, as did Shino. Sakura quietly put her own flower down, lightly touching the coffin before walking away, Ino followed suit. Shikamaru whispered something that no one could hear, and Chouji rubbed away his tears before putting his own flower. Aiko stepped up to place her own flower, and Sasuke followed behind.