After some time, sakura stopped laughing and looked at her partner who was still on his thinking mode. She was still wondering how and why she was here but now it didn't mattered that much that he's here. He was one of the few people that showed her the world in another, a better light. And she has always thought of following their footsteps, even if they were fictions. But to see one of them in front of her in the flesh was.... unexpected.
Yet, when she looked at him now, she didn't see that bright light that still shown even at the deepest, darkest abyss, rather a young, innocent child who don't know the darkness of the part he's being placed upon.
She remembered all that he went through. The pains, deaths, loss, betrayals and more more all while he was kept in the dark, something no one should experience no matter the reason. But now that I think about it, now that i'm here, I can change his fate right? Not just him but the others right? Beside, she may not know why she's here nor if she'll remain here for long but that doesn't mean she should stay here and do nothing right?
With that in mind, she decided to ask him "Naruto, why do you want to be hokage?". That sudden question caught him off guard. "Huh? What do you mean Sakura-chan?". "What I mean is, what's the real reason you choose that dream?". As expected, he was still confused, but he still answered anyway "Well, to be honest, it's to be at least known as somebody. And not just anybody, but somebody important."
"I see, so it's the result of others opinions." her response just confused him more. "Uh, Sakura-chan, what do you mean?" Instead of answering she asked something else "Tell me something, did anything changed when you started wearing that headband?"
"Oh!" was the only thing he said when he understood what she meant. Of course people will still hate him so he wasn't surprised.
"Gotta admit, for a guy who's hated by everyone for who knows how long, you either have to be stubborn, or stupid, or both."
"What do you mean Sakura chan?"
"Naruto, I know you aren't that dumb. Do you really think things were going to change just like that? And think deeply before answering this time."
"She's right brat." The fox voice echo in his head.
Naruto heard them and understood. Still, he couldn't help but feel betrayed by the only people he truly felt close to family. That revelation was so painful, his anger was starting to unleash a powerful yet dangerous energy from him. Sakura felt but didn't panic, but just sighed. For she has a good guess about the energy.
"But I gotta also admit, you got to be the nicest kid I ever met." Sakura next words caught him by surprise.
"Me, nicest kid?" He asked, wondering if this was another joke.
But then, he saw Sakura giving a smile.
Not a teasing nor angry smile,
But a pure genuine one.
Granted it was just a smile, but that smile alone gave Naruto so much warmth that the energy in him surprisingly dispersed from him.
"You care about others so much, you're willing to do anything to help them." Sakura started explaining. Naruto thought about what she said, and had to admit she was right. He has always been like that as child. Always doing everything just to see others smile.
It all started when he saw a young girl alone on the street looking sad.
Realizing she was lost, he decided to help her find her way home.
When they arrived to her home, he complimented how great her home was and how lucky the people living there must be of having her.
Though it wasn't his original intention, his words brought some sense of clarity and warmth in her, which made her extremely happy.
And so her response?
A thank you with a pure, simple smile.
It wasn't much, but for Naruto, it was one of the most beautiful thing he's ever seen.
So beautiful that, while leaving, he decided that everyone will have that expression on their faces.
Unfortunately, for some unknown reason, he never got his wish.
For instead of smiles, all he got was scowls and insults.
Heck even the smile they gave him were fake.
And the girl, her smile was soon replaced by fear everytime she met him.
Over the years, he thought he'll never see that face again.
Until today, in which the person right in front of him gave that exact same smile.
Not waiting for a reply, she continued "But I think your problem is that, you're too desperate you're willing to do anything to get people attentions. And I doubt it ever ended up well."
Well, she's not wrong. He was tricked into stealing the forbidden scroll all because someone agreed to make him a ninja. Imagine his situation when someone promise him the hokage post.
For the first time of his life, Naruto couldn't help but facepalm at his own stupidity.
Sakura, on the other hand, couldn't help but chuckle at the scene, as she found it cute.
"Though you have to know, not every legends we know ended up as a hokage. Take Tsunade and Jyraira for example. They helped so many people during carriers, that they didn't care if none of them became hokage. Because to everyone else, they were something more." Sakura explained.
"And what could be more better than a hokage?" Naruto asked.
"A hero Naruto. A kage only protect his village. But people like you, you help everyone. And that responsibility and it's reward is greater than any tittle, rank or achievment you can imagine. So all that i'm asking you is that no matter what happens, you'll try to be not a great ninja," she pointed at his chest where his heart was covered "but a good person."
Naruto thought about it and frowned.
It's not that he hated the idea, hell, he'll even give up being a ninja just so that he can help everyone else for free. All just to see everyone else not suffering, but content and happy.
But the hatred he constantly received was too much for him. He's being considering of just giving up completely more than once.
"How ?" Was all he asked as tears ran down his cheeks.
Seeing him like that, Sakura couldn't help help but feel sad.
"Hey it's ok. Just be yourself and I promise you, the right people who accept you for who you truly are. Trust me, you won't even need a damn title for that." She assured him but it still wasn't enough.
"But, I'm scared Sakura chan. I don't know if I can keep on living like this." Naruto couldn't handle it anymore as tears flowed more freely than before.
Seeing his current state, Sakura couldn't take it anymore. She rushed towards him......., and gave him a hug.
A warm, gentle, loving hug.
She didn't care about why she's here, nor how she got here, nor if this is the supposed to be part of the plot or not. Hell, she doesn't even give a shit wether this is real or not. She just wanted to protect that child from anything evil no matter what. Like a big sister protecting her little, innocent brother. Or a mother shielding her precious child.
Screw fate, screw destiny, if anyone wants him, they'll have to get through her first.
But this time, she won't hesitate to unleash the beast.
"It's alright Naruto. You're not alone. Not anymore. I'll always be with you." She trusted those words with everything because those directly originated from her own will and desire. And when those two join together, even entities such as gods and demons have a hard time keeping her in place. "And I'm NEVER, leaving your side for as long as a stand."
Naruto, meanwhile, was frozen as for the first time, both he and the Ninetails felt a new aura from her.
An aura of guardianship, healing, understanding, watchfulness, support, and most of all, pure unconditional love.
The aura, of a mother.
(An: Hello everyone! Sorry for the pause. But I can't promise you that I'm fully back so be expecting some slow updates.)