moonlight

Chapter 17 - Goodbye

My whole body couldn't move but I heard voices around me.

Where am I? I can't remember.

I couldn't make out who it was but it didn't sound happy at all. They cried.

Is Atsuko crying again? Why is she crying?

No, there is more than one person there. It couldn't be my family.

If I could open my eyes and see!

The sorrowful cries didn't make me happy at all and I tried to remember who it was.

Ah, it feels so good to sleep, but I shouldn't sleep anymore.

I opened my eyes slowly, the light blinding me. I stirred a little, trying my best to move as I couldn't breathe because something heavy was on me.

"Ugh..." I mumbled almost inaudible.

The person gripped my arms very tight and made it even more difficult to move.

"Hey, I can't... breathe." I mumbled again and this time the grip released itself a little.

"TSUKI!" someone yelled and hugged me tightly.

My eyes adjusted and I saw Sasuke close to my face and Sakura hugging my arm.

"You are alive!!" they yelled together and I tried to sit up, only for my wounds to sting like hell.

"What happened?" I asked, but they didn't listen to me at all as they both hugged me so tight, I think I turned blue.

I looked around and saw Naruto and stretched my arm to him. "Naruto, help meee."

He rubbed his eyes in disbelief as if he saw a ghost and then brightened. He ran to us and jumped on all of us, hugging us with a large grin on his face.

"N-not you too!" I forced out of myself. Kakashi-sensei walked to us, and sat down himself, his large arms around all of us and hugged us in a huge bear hug.

They let me go and told me how Gato deceived Zabuza and tried to attack him but the village stopped him from going any further, sadly Zabuza died just shortly after, I asked about Haku and they told me he wasn't bad at all and died protecting Zabuza, so I only nodded, understanding.

I stretched myself and tried to walk, only for my body to sway a little and then almost fall back down, not before Sakura caught me.

Naruto took it as his priority to carry me and I couldn't fight him off, having a great headache after he told me all the reasons why he should carry me.

--- evening---

After we made a grave for Haku and Zabuza, Sakura and I knotted flowers together and hung them over the wooden grave.

Sakura kneeled before it and said. "But you know, Kakashi-sensei." our sensei hummed in response. "I wonder if the way a ninja should be is really as these two were saying."

"Shinobi should not seek the reason for their own existence. What's important is to exist merely as tools. That's the same in the Land of Leaves." he said quietly.

"I wonder if that's what it really means to become a real ninja. I don't like that!" Naruto stated with a pout.

"Do you think so too?" Sasuke asked our sensei.

Kakashi-sensei hummed again. "Well... that's why all ninjas live... trying to figure that out without realizing, like Zabuza and that kid."

The silence was broken when Naruto suddenly shouted. "Okay! I've just decided! I'm going to pursue my own ninja way! Believe it! I'm gonna sprint straight ahead and pursue a way that I absolutely won't regret!"

I smiled at his honesty. He really is... cool.

---time skip brought to you by Tsuki's fried chicken---

The ninjas were ready to go back home and the village wanted to thank them for helping them.

"Thanks to you, the bridge was safely completed, but we will miss you very much." Tazuna said in a sad voice.

His daughter added with a kind smile. "Take care."

Tsuki smiled happily and Kakashi thanked them for everything.

Naruto beamed. "Now, now. We'll come back for a visit again, Tazuna!"

"For sure?" a sad Inari asked. Naruto only huh'ed.

Both Naruto and Inari got tears in their eyes and gulped. "Inari, you are gonna miss us, aren't you? It's alright to cry. Go ahead and cry!"

"I won't cry!" the little boy yelled. "It's alright if you cry, Naruto!"

They held back their tears and snot and the team around them only sweatdropped.

"Oh, is that so?" Naruto asked. "See ya!" Naruto yelled and turned around.

Now both of them cried heavily.

'I'm surrounded by dimwits...' Tsuki thought with a sigh.

---

The team walked off, ignoring Naruto's shouting about how he will force Iruka to treat him to some ramen.

Sakura started to get all cutely with Tsuki and asked if she wanted to go on a date, but the other girl declined by stating she had to train.

Kakashi read his 'Icha Icha Paradise' and ignored Sakura's whining about how mean Tsuki was and only chuckled at his students.

With a smooth move, Sasuke walked next to the Takeshi and came closer. The girl only stared at him curiously as he put a hand next to his mouth and whispered. "Y-you know... what's your answer?"

"Answer to what?" she asked confused.

"You know that!" he almost yelled.

Thinking about what he meant Tsuki answered him. "I don't know what you mean, Sasuke..."

"What?! You couldn't hear me at all?!" he slumped his head down.

"Eh? What do you mean? I don't understand what you want right now."

"Forget it, I'll tell you next time. And you better listen to me, got that?!" he aggressively demanded and smacked her forehead with two fingers.

Tsuki touched the place on her forehead and stared at the ground, her pale cheeks feeling hot.

Either way, she nodded confused but smiled awkwardly. "O-okay then, Sasuke?"

The boy then turned his head and Tsuki could see how his ears were as red as a tomato. Was he okay? No.

"Youth, hehehe..." Kakashi whispered and the bluenette turned to him angrily and pouted. 'What is the meaning with all of this? I don't understand at all!'

Then they walked faster, hoping to be home fast.

----

Side information: Tsuki appreciates Naruto's enthusiasm and happiness, even though he is sometimes annoying to her because of his loudness. She prefers Naruto's personality more than Sakura's or Sasuke's.

~~~ ^-^ ~~~
I don't own Naruto and none of the pictures or videos that I'm using (sadly), only my OC.

I hope you enjoyed! ^----^

Farewell for now, my lovelies.~