Full Moon

Disclaimer: I don’t own any of the Naruto characters. I do own the moon, though. (I’m joking. Really.)

Warning: Implied character deaths. OOC-ness.

Dedicated to my friend, Jessica who goes with the penname Erugenel. Happy Birthday, Jessica!

The crimson-stained grounds of the hidden village, earsplitting wails that filled the thick, choking atmosphere and the callous, cruel flames that licked the many buildings and houses left the people of Konoha with only something that the enemies wanted them to feel- dread.

Ino felt a tingle went up her spine, as fear was the only emotion that she felt at that very moment. Many people were scurrying around like marauding rodents; not searching for food, yet trying to dispel their own terrors and anxiety like an illusion.

The blond girl, now seventeen years old, merely stared at the whole scene set in front of her. The gory sight of injured shinobi and citizens were enough to make her feel nauseous, and the sightings of many motionless corpses, the stench of the bloodied masses of dark, burning flesh only made her turn her head away in disgust and masked grief, sorrow and pain as she thought about how her beloved village had landed into the sinister, power-hungry opponents within minutes.

Naruto. Her mind was trying to call out to her most important person in her life. She knew she could carry on with her life no matter what tough obstacles she had been through, yet, she knew with her heart that she will never be able to face reality again if she loses Naruto.

Where are you? Ino knew her attempts were futile as she collided with many wounded people, trying to search for Naruto. It’s war. The Akatsuki organization and the hidden Sound village had joined forces to invade within the peaceful environment of the hidden Leaf. The defenses and barriers were penetrated in a few seconds, considering that their enemies hadn’t pull out their trump cards yet. They were already this strong… How strong would the leaders be?

“Naruto had went to find… him,” Sakura had informed Ino earlier on. Ino knew it would happen sooner or later before Naruto will find some time to settle everything between him and… the traitor.

Ino looked at the round, gorgeous, breathtaking yellow orb hanging high up in the sky. Ino clenched her fists, drawing blood with her long fingernails. You promised me, Naruto… Please… Don’t leave me…

“That’s all you have?” Sasuke breathed down Naruto’s neck. Naruto glanced back to see the traitor, the one who betrayed the village and him, his… friend. Beads of perspiration lined on his creased forehead as he tightened his fists as an act of exasperation. Naruto knew this battle is going to end soon, yet, deep inside his heart, he could feel himself recoiling with panic as he knew the winner wouldn’t be him.

His chakra was severely depleted to the point that he would collapse out of exhaustion. Yet, his determination drove him on, his rage and anger directed at the avenger, his friend who is now fighting against him, not as a friend, a comrade, but as an enemy and perhaps, the one who will finally end his life.

Naruto refused to believe in that. He refused to believe that he would die in the hands of that… traitor… That person he once called a friend… What foolishness. No wonder he was called the dead last. For calling someone like this a friend… A friend who wouldn’t care about the lives of his comrades… Just to accomplish his goal.

A single tear made its way down Naruto’s pale cheek as Sasuke ended the battle hastily.

“Chidori!” Sasuke yelled, collecting power within his right hand, scraping the ground with cackling, bright blue energy before crashing the sapphire orb into Naruto’s heart. The demon vessel knew he didn’t have the time to dodge. He couldn’t call upon his demon tenant’s chakra as he had heavily relied on it earlier on. Seeing the white, ice-cold fury in Sasuke’s activated Sharingan disappearing from view, Naruto realized with a mounting terror that it was replaced with a look of utter madness. Happiness. Happy because he finally achieved the thing that he yearned for so long.

The Mangekyou Sharingan.

Naruto fell to the ground, seemingly in slow motion, only finding himself staring into the endless, dark night sky that was covered in a blanket of dazzling stars. He lifted his head in a better position so that he could have a clear vision of the moon, that moon ever so brilliant, ever so beautiful…

Sasuke gave a sudden bark, then laughed like a mad man, like a scientist who found a chemical formula that can help him in his quest of destroying or taking over the world.

His cackles echoes through the forest, the forest that was filled with a deep, dreaded enmity. And death. The smell of death remained lingering in the air.

o-o-o

“Naruto!” Ino found her fiancé lying within the forest, with the defector standing over him, his lips twisted into a triumphant smile and a glint of pure insanity reflected in his spinning pair of his newly attained Sharingan.

“I-Ino…” Naruto gasped, his right hand firmly pressing against the bleeding, gaping hole that was through his heart. She wouldn’t understand… He knew about the promise… But…

“Naruto… Y-you…” Ino halted in her slurred speech as her emotions were getting ahead of her. Her tears were now flowing in rivulets, making it more difficult for her to speak. To speak to her lover, one who is going to die soon. Don’t leave me.

“P-Promise me,” Naruto started, pausing now and then to take a shuddering, painful breath. “T-that you… Will…” His body was numb by now. Naruto couldn’t feel any pain from his wound. His hand that was pressing against his injury was feeling oddly warm from the wet feeling of the blood.

“No, stop saying such things! Naruto, I will get you a medic! Na-” Naruto, I love you! Ino couldn’t continue on as she stared into Naruto’s pained eyes. Those taunting eyes, those eyes of one who was determined to save the village… Yet was defeated in the hands of a… friend.

“Y-you will live… on… Pro-promise… me… Don’t d-die… Pro-protect the… village…” Ino was hovering the dying man, cold, rubbery-like hands clasped tight onto his left hand. He could hear his own erratic breathing; something like a cross between hyperventilating and sobbing. Naruto began to cough violently, dislodging blood from his mouth, trickles of the scarlet liquid dribbling down the edge of his lips which slowly drew into a thin, wane smile.

“I w-want y-you… to live… Protect… Konoha…” I love you, Ino. He wanted to fight against the darkness that was slowly claiming him; yet, he couldn’t help the fact that everything was getting dark… He couldn’t see Ino anymore… Ino…Naruto’s rasped breathing stopped. His vibrant blue orbs were now replaced with cold, glassy and unfocused ones. His frosty hand fell.

Naruto… NARUTO! “Naruto!” Ino shrieked. Sasuke smirked, finding the whole scene before him humorous. Ino’s such a great entertainment. So was Naruto.

“Ino-chan, you love him, don’t you?” Sasuke mocked, his voice, however was lined with honey and dripped with sweet venom. Ino merely glared. He killed Naruto… He killed Naruto!

“DIE!” Ino let out a cry to signal the start of a battle.

Sasuke sneered.

Ino froze.

“Pfft. Alright, since you love him so much, I will send you to him this instance,” Sasuke responded nonchalantly.

A blur sped past Ino like a light that flickered and disappeared.

Two kunai was lodged deep within her chest and blood spurted out from the deadly, fatal wounds.

“What-” Flecks of blood escaped through Ino’s parted lips as she fell beside Naruto’s immobile form. Naruto…

o-o-o

“Ne, Naruto! Look! The full moon! Isn’t it pretty?” Ino squealed in ecstasy as her eyes looked above the sky, gazing at the moon like a new dress.

“Yeah…” Naruto smiled and closed his eyes. At times like this, he simply couldn’t help but feel happy. The wonderful times that Ino had brought him were priceless.

After he had returned back to Konoha after the fight with Sasuke and failing to bring him back, Ino was there for him. Always.

“Ne, Naruto, do you know that a full moon signifies completeness, happiness and reunion? Ha! Bet you don’t know that!” Ino punched Naruto’s shoulder lightly and playfully, smiling as her eyes sparkled mischievously.

Naruto smiled. Of course he knew. He felt like the happiest man ever alive today.

“I wish time would stop, Ino-chan…”

o-o-o

“A full moon signifies completeness, happiness and reunion…” Ino muttered under her breath as her life was slipping away from her. She smiled; tired as she reminisced the blissful moments she had with Naruto.

“What bullshit…” Ino declared softly as she gazed at the full moon above her. The stars that were twinkling ever so brightly, seemingly beckoning her to go to them…

“Naruto…” Ino groped about the ground desperately for Naruto’s hand. Finding it, she sighed. “I’m s-sorry… I-I w-want… to be with you for a-an eternity…” Her breathing was ragged. She then smiled, one filled with pain, sadness and fatigue.

Tears slid down Ino’s tear-streaked face, forming long, salty tracks on her pale features. Naruto… Sorry I can’t keep your promise…

The rain then fell, as if crying for the couple; dark, sinuous clouds drifted slowly to the moon, veiling it from view. The rain soaked both of the bloodied bodies, washing away the large amount of scarlet away from them, seemingly cleansing them because they had not died because they only fight and battled for the sake of battling, but to protect a village they called home.

Sasuke walked on, trampling over the two bodies and then turning his head to catch a final glimpse of his so-called ‘friends’.

“Foolish.”

The war raged on.

Full Moon
-end.

Feedbacks and constructive criticism are welcomed. It’s just a random one-shot that I cooked up. Just to get my brain working so that I can continue Carnage.