Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Momentos en la Oscuridad ❯ One-Shot

"We all have to die sometime...today just happens to be your turn"
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The slender figure appeared before the gates of the village, towering over her four feet, nine inch frame. A hand would move to scratch the back of her head as she gazed up in what should have been awe, but lacked the spark that should have been in her eyes. For so long, those gray eyes had been dull and lifeless. The symbol of a leaf was seen on top of the gates and there was a guard nearby. Most likely they were changing shifts. Moving a hand against her small, effeminate mouth, she yawned before the ebony cloak that was around her faded away.

She was wearing a black long sleeve shirt with a red symbol on the back like a whirlwind and a white handkerchief wrapped around her right arm where the elbow bent. Also, she wore black slacks as well with a holster at her right thigh and one at her left side, and blue sandals. If any saw her, she would appear to be of this village, there was even a Konoha hitai-ate wrapped around her forehead. Entering, she seemed to avoid the people at the gate. They were not normal guards, but shinobi. Her onyx hair flowed around her shoulders and her bangs spilled over the headband and half of her face as her gaze shifted from side to side, observing the people that walked along.

The sun had just set and that meant that many of the shops would soon close, and since she knew that her work would not happen for a while, she decided to get something to eat. Being who she was, there was no need for food but she couldn't help but be in love with ramen. It seemed she was in luck, since there was a shop not even ten feet in front of her. The sign read 'Ichiraku'. Moving, she entered it and slipped into one of the stools as an older man and young woman welcomed her. There was already someone there, a blonde kid that looked to be slightly older than the age that she looked.

Bowing her head with a slight smile, she ordered pork roast ramen as she sighed. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on the name of the person that she was supposed to take. Then she noticed that the blonde boy was wearing bandages and while he ate with gusto, his eyes were hallow and sad. Narrowing her own eyes, she read his name as it floated over his head and his life span. 'Uzumaki Naruto...' She blinked when she saw the lifespan and chuckled quietly to herself. That was a strange thing for a human but she supposed that she had seen too much to be surprised now.

When her bowl arrived, she ate her ramen and knew this to be part of her youth and a smile crossed her lips. However, that had been long ago and there was no use thinking of it now. Besides, even if she tried there was no way that she would even be able to remember the time from which she came from or who she had even been. That had been sealed away when she had become what she was. After a few minutes, she finished and drank her tea before standing.

Reaching into her pocket, she smiled in apology to the man. "Gomen, this is the only thing I can pay you with," she muttered quietly so that man almost didn't hear her. Pulling her hand in front of her, he took what she offered and saw a small lump of gold there. His eyes widened since it was clearly too much for what she had eaten, however, when he looked up she was already gone.

The boy didn't seem to be paying attention but he had seen how she had seemed to vanish. Was she perhaps a shinobi? He had noticed the hitai-ate, but he had never seen her before. Besides, he had never seen anyone disappear like that besides Gai-sensei, and she seemed to be too young to be able to move at that speed. Frowning, he stood, paid for his meal and ran back toward the hospital. They had just arrived from a failed mission in which two of his teammates had been gravely injured. He clenched his hands and gritted his teeth, hoping that Neji and Chouji would be okay.

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A figure stood before the doors of the Konoha hospital, gaze lifting up to observe the structure. There was something almost familiar about this place, but after a moment she cleared her mind of such thoughts. She was here for one purpose and could not be deterred from it. Moving forward, she pushed open the doors and entered into the hospital. The scents of herbs and disinfectants caught her attention as she frowned, but then she shook her head and continued forward.

She paid no attention to the women behind the desk and they were too busy to notice her for the moment. Her feet led her down the dimly lit hall, the sound of her own footsteps seeming to echo back to her. The person she searched for was near and she knew that soon it would be time, time for him to go home.

Stopping, she frowned as she felt something and she would quickly pull a scroll from her sleeve. There was a list of names on it, names appearing and then fading away almost seconds after they appeared. A new name seemed to cut in front of the person that she was here for. The young girl frowned at this and with a flick of her wrist the scroll rolled up on its own and disappeared. Next, she moved on down the hall and away from the door she had already arrived at. The other one was close as well, in this same building. The way it had cut into her list meant that it was not his time, and it had also blazed red. His life was not supposed to end, not yet. She didn't understand what was wrong but knew she had to hurry!

Her figure turned the corner and she was able to see the hall that led to where she needed to go. There was a young boy sitting in what she could only guess was a waiting room. Across from him, a girl that was about his age was sitting with her legs crossed, and with slightly long blond hair done up in four ponytails. As she walked past them, she had noticed another man in a hall that she had just passed and he looked a lot like the younger boy. His father perhaps?

When she headed toward the door, the boy and girl stood and he asked her what she was doing. She would stop before him, not bothering to look his way. Lifting a hand, she flicked his forehead easily and he fell, falling into the seat he had been in and slumping against the wall. "Shh, it is not you I am here for," she muttered. The girl extracted her weapon, a huge fan that had been at her back.

Moving, her hand lifted with her open palm toward her and then the girl was falling as well. The man had moved forward and she saw his shadow shifting toward her. A scythe appeared in her hand as she twisted around, cutting the floor before her. However, there was no damage but his shadow retreated. Her movements had been quick and precise as her bangs hid most of her face and now she was facing forward once again. "Do not interfere." She moved forward and pushed open the doors.

There was a young boy lying on a table just within her sight and there were scrolls wrapped around his entire body. Walking more into the room, she saw several medical personnel coming toward her. When they tried to grab her, they were pushed back with an unseen force. A woman was leaning over him, and it looked like she was trying to save him.

As she approached, she saw it. There was a shadow that was hovering over the boy and was taking his life force away. Her eyes narrowed as she lifted her scythe at the same time that the woman turned to look at her. She didn't see her eyes as they widened in shock and then she sent a slash forward. It cut through the shadow so it disappeared with a shriek and the boy, who had just stopped breathing, regained his life.

Satsuki didn't know what that had been but it was gone now. Now she turned and walked out of the room as the medical ninjas rushed forward and found that the boy, Akimichi Chouji, was out of danger now. When she exited the room, the boy and girl seemed to be coming to and the man was checking on them. Her eyes shifted toward him as he did the same and it seemed that he saw her face as his own eyes widened.

She paid it no mind and continued on down the hall. Now that this one's death had been avoided, it was time to go collect whom she had come for. He was in this same building, the one named Hyuuga Neji.

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After a minute, she found herself before the door once again and she lifted her hand to open it. The scythe had disappeared again but would come when she needed it. However, before she could, the presence of a person came behind her. "Satsuki!" a voice called and when she turned to look at them, she saw that it was the woman that had been trying to save the boy.

Her eyes narrowed. How had she known her name? Letting her gaze move over her, the light blond hair flowing around her shoulders, and some of her bangs rested against her forehead, where a small purple gem was visible. Satsuki saw the name that floated over her head and the lifespan. 'Tsunade.' Of course, she was the leader of this village, the Godaime Hokage. Yet what interested her was the look in her cinnamon eyes and on her face; it was pained.

Tsunade took a step toward her, not able to believe the sight before her eyes. "You...you're alive," she whispered and felt tears starting to sting her eyes. It wasn't possible yet here she was, but...she still looked the same age. "How can you be here?" Her voice cracked but she managed to regain some control.

She frowned as she heard her words, tilting her head slightly to the side. "You must have me confused," she replied quietly but she could not deny that there was something familiar about her and this village. Moving, she went to push open the door. "I am here for his life. It is his time." As she pushed open the door, she stepped inside and saw a woman. She was generating a huge amount of energy, chakra, into a boy. He was surrounded by symbols that were also familiar. His long black hair was loose and spread out around him and his eyes were closed but there was an expression of pain on his features. Over his body there appeared to be two holes that looked severe.

"Matte, Satsuki," the woman called and came up behind her. She was taller than her and that was because her appearance was merely that of a 12 year old child. "What do you mean you are here for his life? Are you here to kill Neji?" A hand moved toward her but the younger girl pulled away. "Don't you remember me?"

Her face remained expressionless as she saw the wounds that he had and seeing that they didn't seem to want to heal. His time was near. "I remember nothing." She stepped forward as her scythe appeared along with her cloak, the flesh started to melt off her hands, along her arms and the rest of her. The only indication that it pained her was the slight tightening of her grip on the scythe; she was fairly use to the pain. Tucked away from sight, the scroll disappeared and was in front of her, unraveling on its own. The name, Hyuuga Neji, disappeared.

Stepping forward, she lifted the scythe and brought it down on the boy’s chest, the nexus of his soul. It seemed that the woman, Shizune, and the other medical nin did not see her. The only reason that Tsunade could see her was because she had to reveal herself to save the other boys’ life. She’d step back as she saw Neji’s lips part with a gasp and then his chest would stop lifting as his breath ceased.

The scroll had rolled up and faded away and now she let the scythe go as it also disappeared. A soft sigh left her lips as the flesh started to reform on her, starting with the bony hand that had held the scythe. Turning, she saw the woman, Tsunade, gazing at her with a horrified expression. While this might have once been her time, she knew that it would have probably been best to have never been remembered. They didn’t understand when a person they knew returned as a Shinigami, a reaper of souls.

“It is done,” she muttered and moved toward the older woman, who stepped back instinctively. A cold smile lifted the corners of her mouth. “Gomen nasai, but this is what I am. The Satsuki you knew, I do not remember her...she is dead.” Giving a slight bow, she’d turn toward the door and walk out as it closed behind her.

Tsunade rushed toward it and pulled it open but when she did, it was only to see that she was already gone. “Sats-chan,” she sobbed, falling to her knees in the middle of the doorway, her figure casting a shadow in front of her. The light from the hallway spilled through, over her kneeling form and the darkened room. “I’m sorry...so sorry I could not understand you.” Her hand clutched at a pendant around her neck, a crescent moon engraved into the front and the words, ‘Satsuki, free at last’ engraved on the back of it. “I’m sorry I didn’t see it in time to stop you.” Tears spilled past her lids, slipped down her cheeks only to disappear into the darkness of her shadow.

----

Neji stood in darkness. Where was he? He’d glance around but he could not see anything, and the last thing he remembered was leaving Konoha in search of Uchiha Sasuke. He didn’t even remembered if they had succeeded, but that suddenly didn’t matter anymore. ‘What is this place?’

“Do not fret,” a voice cut through the silence, nearly startling him. Turning, he saw a girl standing before him and he wondered how she had managed to escape the sight of his Byakugan. “Take my hand.” She appeared no older than he was, maybe a bit younger, but who was she? He studied her, the long ebony hair that fell in silky waves around her shoulders and down her back. She was wearing clothes that resembled those of a shinobi, a Konoha hitai-ate around her forehead, and her bangs fell over it, sending slight shadows over her gray eyes.

“Who are you?” he asked her, refusing to take the hand that she offered him. Her pale, lovely features were set in an expressionless mask. His hand moved over his chest area, feeling against his right shoulder and then his abdomen as if looking for something, but he didn’t know what that was.

“It is alright, you do not have to suffer those wounds any more,” she spoke again, stepping toward him. If it had been anyone else, he might have been tempted to step back or slip into a defensive stance. However, not only did she look as dangerous as a puppy, but he felt a comfortable feeling settle over his chest, his entire body when looking into her eyes. Again she lifted her hand toward him and after hesitating but a moment, took the offered limb, slipping his own into hers.

“Where am I? What happened?” he asked her, feeling a warmth start from his palm, travel up his arm and then engulf him so that he was momentarily distracted from his questioning. He didn’t understand what had happened, but it hadn’t been painful or uncomfortable.

“You have passed on,” she responded, turning in what seemed a random direction and started to walk, pulling him along. “You are leaving your mortal life behind.” The darkness was absolute so he could not even see what they were walking on, but he could see her as clear as day.

Neji was stunned by her words and he pulled away from the hold, causing the younger, shorter girl to stop and turn to look at him in confusion. “Are you saying I’m dead?” he asked her almost indignantly, not believing it for an instant. This had to be a dream. “What happened, how did I die?”

She’d tilt her head to the side at his question and he saw as the clothes she had been wearing faded, only to be replaced by a long black cloak. Reaching into her sleeve, she extracted a scroll and unraveled it, peering at the information there. “Let me see, Hyuuga Neji,” she muttered, scanning the names before coming to the one she sought. “Ah, here you are. It says you were on a mission to recover an Uchiha Sasuke.” Her eyes moved over the words before her. “You fought against Toumon no Kidoumaru and defeated him, but the wounds you sustained were too great.” The scroll rolled up on its own and disappeared with an audible pop and then she lifted her hand toward him, thinking he’d be satisfied with this explanation.

However, Neji was far from satisfied with this and plopped down on what he took to be the floor, though he could not see anything. He’d lift his hand to run it through his long black hair, and he remembered a bit of the battle, remembering that at the end his hair had come loose from its ponytail. His fingers moved over his right temple, feeling for the wound he knew he had sustained, which had caused his headband to fall, being splattered in his blood. There was nothing there and he’d only feel the material of the cloth of his headband.

The girl moved to crouch beside him, peering at the older boy patiently as if she had either expected this or had gone through it too many times that it had become routine. He started to remove his headband and then stopped as he remembered the curse seal that had been placed on his forehead when he had been four years old. Letting the hitai-ate be gripped in one of his hands, the other moved toward his forehead, fingers brushing over his skin. Looking at her, he frowned and leaned toward her, the girl didn’t move back and merely tilted her head to the side.

By the reflection of her gray eyes, Neji was able to see that there was no more curse seal on his forehead. Even if he knew that he was most likely dead, he felt a grand relief fill his being at being free from the seal at last. Slouching forward, his hair fell around him and shielded his face like a curtain to hide the trail of tears that slid down his cheeks. ‘I’m finally free.’

A gentle smile spread over her features as she moved to sit besides him, turning her face away to gaze out into the darkness. When a few moments passed, a light started to build to her left, Neji blocking some of it with his figure. From where they sat, they’d be able to see the lush green fields that spread out, many Sakura trees dotting the expanse of land, their blossoms falling and being caught in a breeze so they faded into the star filled sky. The girl, Satsuki, did not turn to look in that direction as she stood.

Neji had risen as well and turned to look, and his eyes were wide as he gazed at the sight, the blossoms consisting of many different colors. He stepped in that direction, seeing that it was only a few yards away from where he now stood. However, he’d stop and turn back to look at the girl, seeing that she had turned her back on him and the Eden that seemed to be waiting only for him. “You are not coming with me?” he asked her suddenly.

He would not see the sad smile that spread over her face as she lifted her hands to the hood at her back, lifting it so that he was no longer able to see the ebony, silky strands. It was almost like she was protecting herself from the light that emanated from the garden. She did not know what to answer, never having come across a person that had not simply walked toward Eden, never even glancing back at her. It seemed that he was different. “No, I belong in the darkness,” she answered him at last, starting to walk back into that cold oblivion. This is where she belonged.

His voice caused her to pause, hearing as he stepped away from the light. “Don’t,” she whispered fiercely, noticing as the light dimmed when he neared her. If he followed her, he would be trapped here as well, as she was destined to be till the end of time. “If you follow, there will be no salvation, no peace for you. Just walk away.” His figure cast a shadow over her, so that she was protected from the light.

“What about you?” he asked her quietly. She had to laugh, since he was one of the first people that had asked her that. The sound lacked humor and thus was hallow and dead. She had made a mistake, committed the gravest of sins, and so she would pay for it eternally.

“Do not worry about me, just hurry and go,” she chastised, seeing that the light was starting to fade. If he didn’t enter into the garden soon, it would shut him out, forever. Turning, she gazed up at his taller frame. The hood cast a shadow over the top part of her face, so only her nose, mouth and chin were seen. “You must go now, or it will be too late.”

Neji would turn around and he noticed then that the light had started to weaken, yet something was holding him back. Returning his gaze on her, he stepped toward her and reached out. The light dimmed considerably, but did not completely extinguish. His hand grasped the hood and pushed it down so her features were revealed to him, a startled look on them. “What is your name?” he asked her quietly.

He had stunned her when he had moved forward and pushed her hood back to expose her face, lips parted in surprise. When his low voice came again, this time requesting her name, she could only stare up at him in silence for several seconds. However, realizing that he would be stuck here if he continued to stand there, she snapped out of it. “Satsuki,” she said, pushing him toward the light. “Please, go.” While she would have another in the darkness with her, she did not wish for him to be in this oblivion with her when Eden awaited him.

A smile passed over his features as she pushed him forward and he’d lift a hand and run it across her pale cheek. ‘She’s so cold.’ Out of instinct, he reached out and pulled her into an embrace, almost like he could warm her up. He heard her gasp but then he was pulling away and stepping more toward the light. “Smile for me, Satsuki,” he said before he turned and started to walk toward the light.

Just as he stepped into the field, she turned completely to face his figure and saw as he also turned back one last time. The petals of the Sakura trees floated around him, the light catching in his black hair, a smile lifting the corners of his mouth. Before the light faded, his figure surrounded in the lush scenery, a smile softened her lips and then the darkness came again as the pathway to Eden was extinguished.

Lifting a hand to the hood, she’d replace it on her head, sending her face into shadow once again. As she started to walk away, she knew it was time to return to the land of the living to resume her duties, now that Hyuuga Neji had gotten to where he needed to go. While the darkness was bitterly cold, she remembered the warmth of the boy’s arms so the smile returned to her features. Perhaps one day she’d cross paths with him again, but until that time came she’d continue to remember his embrace. 'Hyuuga Neji...'

.Fin.
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