4

Mourning and Sorrow

Time was short, and Hinata was falling fast. There was barely time to think, and less to act. Thankfully, Kiba immediately knew what to do. Quickly summoning chakra to his hands, he transferred it to Akamaru, who, the second he was provided the sufficient chakra, transformed into a perfect clone of his master, dashing up the side of the building. "Go, Akamaru!!"

The heroic dog caught Hinata in his arms, but was only able to hold on long enough to slow her fall, before the transformation jutsu wore off. Because there was not enough time to give Akamaru an ample amount of chakra, Kiba instead gave him just enough to be able to slow her fall before he could catch her.

Hinata, who had been trembling from the moment she heard Kiba's voice, was still persuaded that this was the best thing to do. She beat on her teammate's chest, furious tears streaming from her eyes. "N-no!! Let me go, I-I have to go to him!!" she cried, shaking her head.

"Hinata-chan, get a hold of yourself! You're being irrational!" Kiba yelled, wincing every time she hit him. She was stronger now, since her training, and he was still a little sore from his injuries. He could understand that she missed Naruto, as he was an idol to her. And death was hard on everyone. But suicide was not the answer.

After a few moments, she eventually calmed down, but she was still overwrought with her own sorrow. "No... N-Naruto-kun... " No matter what she did, she couldn't get her mind off him. All she kept seeing was his smile, his kind blue eyes, and finally his bloody, lifeless corpse, lying there in the rain, completely helpless and... dead.

Suddenly, someone slid the door open, stepping outside hastily. It was Hiashi Hyuga, Hinata's father, who had come out to see what all the screaming was about. He saw his daughter there, in the Inuzuka boy's arms, and was going to say what he thought this was when he was cut off.

"She was about to jump, Hyuuga-sama," said Kiba, carrying Hinata towards her father. "I did what I had to."

The Head of the Hyuga house took his daughter into his arms, looking down at her cowering form a moment before nodding a thanks to her savior and bringing her inside, so he could put her back to bed.

Kiba, meanwhile, gently picked Akamaru up and kept him inside his parka jacket, with his head and paws hanging out. Tomorrow, he would have to try and talk to her. She had always gone to him before to help her with her nervousness around Naruto. Now, he would help her get over her loss.

********************************

The following morning, Kakashi, Guy and Tsunade were gathered around the Memorial Stone, where a new name had been engraved. Tsunade held back tears, refusing to show herself weak. Kakashi stood in silent grieving, while Guy let tears flow freely.

Tsunade soon reminisced over the time she had given her necklace away as a gift to Naruto, though she knew that it had caused the death of both her brother and her lover. Now, it had taken the life of yet another soul. Idiot... Tsunade thought to herself. I got someone else killed...

Kakashi himself began to recall the day he had first met the boy, during his survival test. He had come upon this very stone on that day...

"Did you look at this stone?" Kakashi had asked as he approached the Hero Memorial Stone. "The names engraved on it? They are all ninja who are honored as he heroes in our village."

"That's it, that's it, that's it!" said Naruto enthusiastically, still tied to the log. "I've decided I'm gonna have my name engraved on that stone! I'm not gonna live and die for nothing like a dog! I'm gonna be a hero! A HERO!!"

"They are... a special kind of hero..."

"Huh? Well, what kind of heroes are they?" asked Naruto eagerly. "Come on, tell us!"

Kakashi remained silent, old wounds opening slightly.

"Well, well?" Naruto persevered.

"They're all... KIA." Kakashi managed to say.

Naruto's face lost its glow a moment, but it soon returned. "Oooh. That sounds real cool!"

Kakashi sighed, closing his eye momentarily, then opened it once more to look from Obito's name to the newest one.

Uzumaki Naruto

"He was the bravest Genin I've ever known..." uttered Guy, sniffling as tears flowed out of his eyes. "He... truly deserves this..."

Kakashi nodded wordlessly, bowing his head. Tsunade placed her hand upon his shoulder, giving him a sympathetic look. "There's a matter of the will... get Sakura, he's included her in it." She then walked guy back with a half-smile, his childish weeping actually a little bit refreshing after all this mourning.

"As you wish, Hokage-sama…" replied Kakashi, walking away after a moment to fetch Sakura.

********************************

Back in the Hokage's office, all was silent. Tsunade herself was present, and was going to read out the will to Sakura, Konohamaru, Lee, Hinata and Iruka. All four were seated around the Hokage's desk, Tsunade took scroll in hand, unfurling it across her desk and reading from it out loud.

"Dear friends and loved ones, if you're reading this, I'm gone. To each of you, I will leave some of my possessions."

She moved along down the scroll, reading out the first column.

"To Konohamaru, I leave my head protector, to be worn when you graduate." She reached down into a drawer, pulling out the very headband that Iruka had tied around Naruto's forehead when he mastered the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. She laid it down in the boy's hands, causing him to tear up. Tsunade then went on to the next object.

"Bushy-brow, you're a great ninja, almost as great as I arm. But you've got to learn to rest sometimes, so, I leave you my sleeping cap, to keep your weird hair warm while you sleep."

She now took a grey nightcap from the drawer, with red eyes on them mimicking a face. She laid it in Lee's lap, who nodded and accepting the cap with honor.

"Iruka-sensei, you're like a father to me. Please accept my life savings, to thank you for all those times you treated me to ramen." Now, she pulled out an especially large frog purse, containing the money Naruto had put aside. She handed it to Iruka, who blinked as he held it. He smiled softly, his eyes closing. Naruto... he thought. ... you were like a son to me, too...

Tsunade read the next column. "Hinata-san." The girl managed to pick her head up. "I never got the chance to take you out to ramen as friends, so I'm leaving you my free ramen bowl coupons."

She handed the girl the booklet of coupons, and Hinata merely stared. She had watched him, loved him, admired him all these years… and this was all he could come up with? Ramen coupons? She felt extremely hurt, crushing them in her hand.

Finally, she read the last column. "Sakura-chan. I've always really liked you. I think I may even love you... but you love Sasuke, and I won't be there to come between you two anymore. Take his headband, and go looking for him without me."

Sakura, touched by all of what was said, barely noticed the scarred headband being put into her hands. She could feel tears crawling into her eyes once more. As she sat there, Hinata stood up briskly and left, coupons in her hand.

Kiba, who stood outside with Akamaru, waited in the afternoon sun. He had walked Hinata to the reading of the will, and wondered if she would be all right. When she finally emerged, he rushed over to her, immediately seeing that she was not well.

"Uh... Hinata-chan–" He began only to be cut off by her yelling.

"BASTARD! How dare he... after ALL this time..." she mumbled tears flowing down her eyes.

"Hinata…" Kiba whispered, slowly sliding his arms around her as he held her close. She was probably confused in her feelings over him... anger, hate and love...

She cried softly into his shoulder, hugging him tightly. "All this time, Kiba-kun... he never even realized..."

"He's not worth your tears if he treated you like that," Kiba comforted, his hand pulling her chin up to look into her eyes, wiping away the tears. "So... what did he leave you with, Hinata-chan?"

Hinata averted his gaze, looking to the crumpled pieces of paper in her hand. "Coupons for Ichiraku Ramen…"

Kiba smiled softly. "Forget that… let's go get some dumplings."

Hinata returned the smile weakly, letting the coupons fall from her hand as she took hold of his. "S-sure, Kiba-kun…"

********************************

Later that day, at the Ichiraku Ramen Shop, Iruka sat alone, slurping up a bowl of ramen noodles. The old man who ran the shop was silent, he had not felt up to working since Naruto's demise. Ayame was the same, no longer greeting the guests as enthusiastically as before.

"Could I get another?" asked Iruka as he finished drinking the broth.

"Sure," replied the old man, cooking another bowl. "...It's been a lot quieter without the kid around..."

Iruka nodded, staring into the emptied bowl. "Yeah... too quiet..."

Jiraiya pushed the flaps away as he entered, seating himself next to Iruka. "Miso ramen… barbecue pork."

Iruka smiled slightly as he heard that, looking to Jiraiya. "The same thing he used to order."

As both were given their bowls, the old man poured four cups of sake, inviting Ayame over. Each raised their cup in silence. "To Uzumaki Naruto."

"To Uzumaki Naruto," repeated the other three, pouring the sake down their throats.

"A round of Ramen, on me!" called out Iruka.

********************************

That evening at the Haruno household, the pink-haired kunoichi lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling while her mind went a mile a minute. Naruto had loved her all this time... and Sasuke wouldn't even notice her. How could she have been such an idiot? She sat up in bed, looking towards her vanity desk. There, next to her brush, lay Sasuke's scratched headband. She stood, rising from her bed as she went to examine it.

Why did she ever think she loved him? Was it his good looks, his fearlessness, or his rebellious attitude, perhaps? None of these things attracted her anymore... Naruto was sweet, considerate and never went back on his word... that was his ninja way.

She smiled as she remembered him saying so, then realized that it had been Sasuke who had killed him... she grabbed the headband, tears coming to her eyes as she glared at it. "I never really loved you... and now, I realize how much I really hate you!" She threw it into her bin, returning to her bed, hoping that tomorrow would come soon.