Song of The Lotus Flute - A Naruto Fanfic

Song of the Lotus Flute (Epilogue)

Epilogue

Naruto woke to a bright white ceiling and turned his head.

‘The hospital?’

“He’s awake!” Soriu and Sakura jumped to their feet and were by him in an instant. They had bandages on the wounds from the Kyuubi’s chakra, though it was nothing serious.

“Sakura-chan, Sori-chan,” Naruto blinked a few times then brought his hand up to his face. With a start he sat up in bed and staring at his arm and hand then upward. He could see his reflection in the glass set in the door. “I’m back to normal!”

“It’s about time. You’ve been asleep for almost a week.” Sasuke said from his seat at the wall. He was in rougher shape then the two girls but had ignored protest to stay in his bed, and instead waited for Naruto to wake up.

“Well you know me…” Naruto grinnedrubbing his messy blond hair; then his face fell. “Where’s Hikari and Yume-sensei?”

This question made the room still, and he felt a chill run down his back, just then the door opened.

“Well, I see I seem to have been forgotten.” Kakashi stepped in clicking the door shut.

“Hee, sorry Kakashi sensei.”

“Well if you hadn’t gone off on that secret mission for Lady Tsunade for months on end, maybe he wouldn’t have replaced you.” Sakura tried to joke and then the conversation came back around to Naruto’s question.

“Nerofumi Hikari is traveling back from Tsubasagakure. He had to deliver information to the Tsukage.” Kakashi though not in the room at the time had been listening. He was a Jonin after all.

“You had Hikari go?” Naruto looked over at Soriu a bit surprised.

“He was the one in well enough condition. Both you and him tend to heal faster then the rest of us.” She said unsmiling. “He’s also capable of traveling much faster then any one else thanks to his, ‘Sora Tsubasa no Jutsu.’”

“And what about Yume sensei?”

Again there was that silence and finely Kakashi spoke for them. “Soredeno Yume… passed away five days ago.”

Naruto’s eyes widened and for a moment he just stared into space. That was right; she’d been stabbed through the chest.

“The blade Danzo used was cursed; there was no way to save her.”

“Naruto…” Soriu put a hand on his shoulder and he snapped out of it. Some tears fell from his eye.

“I’m sorry Soriu-san.” He said feeling the guilt. He hadn’t been able to protect her-hadn’t been able to save her.

Soriu, who had been quite, just raised a hand and he wondered if she would push him away. Instead she grabbed his ear and gave a small tug. “You think sensei didn’t know what she was doing. Her death was honorable-and if you grieve over not being able to stop it, then you’re only desecrating her memory!” she was trying smirk at the beginning but then her eyes filled with tears and she sobbed. The truth was she had the very same thoughts and was trying to convince herself of this as well. Naruto hugged her.

“You’re right… Then we should smile for her sake, since she would have wanted that.” He said as he pulled away and forced a grin. Though his eyes were still sad, Naruto had a life time of putting on a happy face when there was nothing but tears. Soriu did the same.

“It was because of her wasn’t it… that I changed back.” Naruto said softly. “I heard the most… beautiful and sad music…”

“Yes, having the flute played by one with a direct bloodline to the Fist, truly creates a powerful jutsu.” Tsunade entered, she’d heard that Naruto had woken up.