Reanimation

Chapter Twelve

          

"How? I don't know how they did it either, Sarada," the Seventh Hokage answered, although the dark-haired kunoichi could not hear a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

He just seemed to be very... delighted, and it felt very welcoming.

Without thinking, Sarada took a few steps forward to where he was, stopping midway after realizing what she was doing.

She gasped before looking at him. "I'm sorry -- can I?"

Naruto nodded. "Yes, come here."

She proceeded and carefully noted that his arms and shanks were bound, with seals covering his limbs almost entirely. She observed him as she knelt.

"It really is you, Lord Se -- " she began before Naruto cut her off.

"Uncle Naruto. You used to call me that before, back when you were still tiny and mischievous," he said, grinning.

"But you weren't Hokage yet back then," she said, half smiling and half laughing. "This is embarrassing, Uncle Naruto. You remember those things better than I ever will."

Naruto nodded, thinking. "Do you remember when you used to tell everyone I was your -- "

"That you were my papa?"

"Yes," Naruto answered, and chuckled as she watched Sarada blush in embarrassment.

"Mama told me, yeah. That I used to believe you were my papa, and begged for you to carry both me and Himawari together instead of Boruto," Sarada said, sighing. "And that Hima told everyone in her first weeks in the academy that I was her older sister, even though I lacked the whiskers, yeah."

"Sakura told you all of that?" Naruto asked, relieved that the young girl didn't show any fear as she sat near the reanimated Hokage.

"Yes, to help me be more forgiving of Bolt every time he obsessed about our 'rivalry'," Sarada giggled. "Mama said I kind of stole some father-and-child moments with you from him."

Naruto laughed because it was true. "Only for you to find out that your real Papa was way cooler than me, huh?"

Sarada smiled. "He's cool too, but you're nothing like each other at all."

Naruto's gaze shifted to the ground but his smile did not leave his face. "How's everyone?" he asked.

Sarada considered the question for a moment, before answering. "Um, good, I guess," she said, her voice somehow trailing off. "Coping," she added.

Naruto winced. The word pierced she used right through him, and he knew what it meant. It must have been difficult, and it was sudden.

"If only I can tell everyone how sorry I am for what I did," Naruto muttered. Sarada looked at him, surprised. "I didn't have enough time to think about how it would affect everyone -- "

"We all know you only did what you could," Sarada retorted in a whisper. "There's nothing you have to be sorry for. And if there's anything... on behalf of the entire village -- thank you for everything you've done." She bowed her head.

The gesture surprised Naruto but it also brought him warmth. This was the first time he felt genuinely glad to be back -- having previously felt only overwhelming disgust at his own reanimation.

The figure before him sat back, facing him once more.

"Do you know why, Uncle Naruto? Did they tell you why they're doing this?" she asked.