I read the whole trilogy and I thought: OMG, THIS IS EFFING AMAZING. I nearly cried with the end.

Then, she made a random post about the real Salvation ending and I added my cracky two cents over there... but then, Mighty Plot!Bunny appeared to bite me in the ass.

So... mitsukishiroi, this is for you, precious. Keep bringing love, humor and romance to our lives with your amazing stories. ♥

Beyond

My eyes are closing. My body is heavy...

Is this death? Is this how someone feels when dying?

No pain, no sound, no feeling. Darkness embraces me, and I feel as if I’m flying.

When I open my eyes again, I see myself lying under a tree, a Sakura tree, blossoming gloriously. I sit up and a landscape blooms before my eyes.

Such a beautiful landscape, filled with flowers and butterflies and gentle winds.

Two people are coming closer; I can’t make out their clothes because of the intensity of the sunlight. I rub my eyes a little and then...

I smile.

I stand up and realize I’m still wearing the Hokage robes; the hat is lying next to me but I really don’t want to pick it up.

“It took you too damn long, dobe.”

“Don’t tease him,” Sakura chides, matching my smile with one of her own. “He had things to do first, didn’t you, Naruto?”

I realize that Sasuke is wearing his old outfit again, while Sakura wears a cute little white dress. A crimson ring surrounds her finger, and she thumbs it absently as she gazes up towards the sky.

“We’ve been waiting for you, Naruto” she says, shaking her head a little. “It’s time for Team Seven to cross.”

I look behind them and see a pair of gates, huge gates like the ones Konoha has on her front side. Later on, people asked me why I referred to my country as if it were a woman, and my answer was rather simple: Because I loved her more than anything in the world.

“Let’s go, Naruto” Sasuke says, stuffing his hands in his pockets, as usual. Sakura giggles and takes me by the arm, pulling me along with them.

“We have to hurry, Kakashi-sensei went ahead already. He’s probably reading that book next to his friends.”

“Wait, Sakura-chan” I say, staring at the gates. “Where are we going?”

“Beyond,” Sasuke answers for her. She smiles again, wider this time.

“We are going to where all of us can rest forever, where we can look back and feel happy about our lives and just... be together.”

“He’s expecting you there,” Sasuke says all of a sudden, looking at Sakura. She slowly nods.

“I know, but he will wait for me... and for you.”

I don’t know what happens, but it feels so right being between them that I don’t realize the gates are approaching. Sakura laughs at my baffled expression while Sasuke smiles.

“Come on, Naruto! Hurry up!” she yells as she starts to run.

Sasuke follows and I run next to them...

Together.



~ Tenna' ento lye omenta ~

♥