Bounding through the trees days after he had gotten his ninja band, the young blond had reached a new energy level. Nothing could touch him at this moment in his life. No harsh whispers or glares reached into his mind, the hard edge of hate could no longer cut the unseen. He was freer then he had every been in his whole life. Standing just on the branch where he could see his village framed by the tree leaves made him smile. Someone else was smiling with the boy.
The blond spirit had been following the young genin out of a worry a bit. When he had saw him with the ninja band, pride had filled his being in a over flowing way. The boy had earned that band more then many before him ever did. What the worry of the ghost was how some of the older villagers were acting to seeing that same thing. Many had worried that if the boy was killed on a mission the fox would let loose, or maybe some how take over the body of the young man in the middle of a battle and use him. Some of the council of the village had been trying for years to conference the 3ed it would be more safer and easy to just lock up the demon vessel. The spirit had wanted to let some heads roll at many of meetings he watched and listen too. How could they even think of doing that to a child of all things.
Leaning just under the branch the young man was sitting on, he smiled wistfully. The boy had taken in for a nap. A lot of ninjas would have known better then to sleep like this. Part of being young he thought. Jumping up and landing in front of the boy, he studied his face. Still holding the childish roundness with whiskers marks. He seemed to smiling at something in his dreams. That smile held something more then his normal grin. Kneeling down, he reached out a hand and touched the boy on the head so gentle. A pain gripping his heart at the feeling of the living energy of the genin now.
"Naruto I am so proud of you. You worked hard to earn to be a ninja. Someday you going to make this village eat its words about you. I know this fact most of all." he whispered to the sleeping child.
His hands traced the m of the band, touching his own at the same time. One thing about being dead, you always thought of past a great deal. Maybe too much for his own taste in the matter. His blue eyes fulled with the image of this boy as a ninja. Having watching him grown up in this harsh world and still putting on smile that could blind out the sun any given day.
Tracing the whisker marks on the boy's cheek, the youth leaned into the source of the warm and gentle touch. Signing in content and knowing he was being protected by someone unseen. The ghost cupped that cheek into his hands, his smile being covered a bit by tears following. How could such a puzzle of a human exist?
"I am sorry Naruto I could not be their when you needed someone all these years. I regret what has happened everyday all these years. Seeing you fight and come out on top on all those odds." he said, sorrow charring in his voice
Feeling the sadness come from the source, he opened his eyes a little. The image of a pair of deep blue eyes holding that sorrow reached his sleepy eyes. Without even thinking about, his own hand reached to grip that bigger one. Those eyes widen in surprise at the touch. " Don't be sad, you've always been watching over me...".
Naruto then feel back into his sleep, dreaming. Standing with
the boy's hand in his, tears feel on the skin of that genin. The
warmth racing into his whole body, one of love. Putting the hand
down, he knew he had been given a gift for just a moment to touch
him. To be seen and touched by this boy he loved.
Moving a stray piece of hair from the band, the ghost smiled at
the boy once more and jumped from the tree. Heading for the village,
smiling and filling the forest with content if anyone passing on
that day in the woods.
As the sun set, the blond boy opened his eyes and yawned. Blinking at the low light in the forest. Standing up and muttering, his mind flashed back to the dream he had. Reaching up and touching his cheek where feeling lingered on his skin. Wonder playing on his face at the feelings he had from that touch. Love and pride for him and him alone. Tears cracked at the ends of his eyes at those feelings, knowing someone was proud of him for all he done. Looking once more at the village, he whispered into the wind smiling.
"Thank you"