The Siblings

Chapter 13

Second update in the interval of two days? o.o I'm imressed with myself. Also important is that this is the last chapter of this story, followed by an epilogue, which I'll write soon.

So, enjoy! ^.^

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It was like floating. Sure, it was dark and I was numb, but I felt peace. Was I dead? Probably. Was I ever going to see my loved ones again? Probably not. But I was at peace. I did the right thing, reducing the evil of the wretched world we lived in, saving thousands of shinobi and millions of civilians.

I tried to move. I couldn’t. My body refused to listen to me, my muscles set on ignoring me completely. Where did I wrong you, sternocleidomastoid? Oh, right. I fell on you.

My thoughts were the only entertainment I had out there. It felt like days before something different happened. I felt the water – or whatever I was floating in – move ever so slightly. It felt like weeks before it happened again. This time, the movement lasted a bit longer. A few days later, it happened again, and not only did it last longer, but it moved with much more intensity.

The fourth time it happened, it became a whirlpool, as if someone pulled the plug out of a drain. But even though I was getting sucked into the whirlpool, I couldn’t move and I couldn’t drown. So I relaxed and waited for it to be over. All of a sudden, I landed on something hard and cold, but there was no pain and no thud. Then there was another period of time in which nothing happened. So I waited and waited…and waited.

It seemed as if a month had gone by when I felt my finger twitch. I was gaining control over my muscles again. So I tried to move again and again until I balled my palm into a fist. As time flew by I managed to lift up my arm, then turn my head from side to side, then lift up my other arm. Slowly, I started trying to sit up, but at first, my waist felt stuck. With time, I was able to do even that. I lost track of time trying to get my legs to work, but after many failed attempts, I managed to stand up and walk around. Though my moves were robotic at first, as if my joints needed some oil, they became fluid over time. I started wandering around in the darkness, looking for something. I didn’t know what I was searching for. Probably just anything.

My long journey stopped when I came across a white door. It was visible despite the lack of a light source. I opened it, walking into a room with a brown tile floor. I knew this room. The door behind me disappeared as I looked around the room of my subconscious. Facing me, the great black dragon snored slightly with his head on his front paws the ten long tails circling behind him in what looked like a extremely comfy cocoon. Levitating in the air, the familiar giant ball of black chakra gave out a white – how ironic – light, illuminating the room.

“Kuronuma” I whispered, trailing my palm over the magnificent creature’s snout.

He opened his big golden eyes. “Naoto, you’re finally awake” he said, his voice raspy from his sleep.

“How long has it been?” I asked, caressing his snout. “It felt like ages out there”

He got up in sitting position and slightly shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know. I don’t have an hourglass in here” he chuckled. “You can go outside now, ask them” he urged me.

I nodded and tried hard enough to wake up.

My eyes opened slowly, taking in a bright white light. A machine beeped slightly next to me. A woman’s voice and a door swooshing open were heard.

“She’s awake! She’s awake! Tsunade-sama, Gaara-sama, she’s awake. Naruto! Get over here” the woman happily squealed.

I propped myself on my elbows, which felt numb since I haven’t used them in what seemed a very long time. My eyes fixed the door, through which four people came in: the pink-haired Sakura, my airheaded brother Naruto, the blonde, busty Tsunade and the redheaded Gaara.