The ceremony ended hours ago. The crowd was gone. The stage was empty.
I sat on the Hokage mountain. Legs dangling over the edge. The village spread below me. Small lights. Small lives.
CRICKETS
Singing in the dark.
Footsteps behind me. Slow. Limping.
Kakashi sat down next to me. His one eye looked at the village.
Can't sleep?
No.
Me neither.
We sat in silence. The wind blew. Cold.
Kakashi spoke. His voice was quiet.
You said something today. About heroes. About the dead.
I nodded.
What did you mean?
I looked at my hands. The black cloak was folded beside me. I had taken it off. Could not stand the red clouds.
The dead died so we could live. We should remember them. Not worship the ones who survived.
Hmm. Kakashi made a sound. Thinking.
My father. He killed himself. To protect his friends' names.
I knew. The White Fang.
Kakashi looked at me. His eye was sad.
For years, I hated him. Thought he was weak. Then I understood.
He paused.
He was the bravest man I ever knew.
CRACK
A twig broke behind us.
Naruto climbed up. His face was red. Out of breath.
There you are! I've been looking everywhere!
Sasuke followed. Silent. His footsteps made no sound.
Tch. You picked the highest spot.
Naruto sat on my left. Sasuke stood behind us. Arms crossed.
Naruto looked at the village. His blue eyes were soft.
You know what I want?
What?
To end all the wars. All the fighting. All the kids becoming orphans.
I looked at him.
That's a big dream.
HAH. He laughed. Small.
I know. But I'm not alone anymore.
He looked at Sasuke. Looked at Kakashi. Looked at me.
We have you now.
Sasuke spoke. His voice was cold. But his eyes were not.
The villages will never unite. Too much history. Too much blood.
Naruto turned to him.
Then we make them.
Hn. How?
Naruto pointed at me.
Shin killed a goddess. The world saw it. They fear him. They respect him.
I blinked.
You want me to be a symbol?
Yes.
HAHAHAHA
I laughed. Loud. Bitter. The sound bounced off the mountain.
I'm a ghost. A thief. I steal power from dead people.
Sasuke stepped closer. His black eyes locked on mine.
And yet. Madara ran from you. Kaguya died by your hand.
He paused.
The Collector fears you. I saw it in his eyes.
Silence.
The wind stopped. The crickets stopped.
Kakashi spoke.
Shin. What is your dream?
I looked at the village. The lights. The lives.
I never had a dream. I was a nobody. Waiting to die.
Naruto punched my arm. Soft.
You're not a nobody anymore.
I know.
Sigh.
I breathed out. Long. Slow.
But maybe... maybe I want what you want. Naruto.
What's that?
A world where kids don't have to fight. Where soldiers can go home.
Naruto grinned. His whiskers moved.
See? You have a dream.
Sasuke looked at the moon. His voice was quiet.
My brother wanted peace. He killed our clan to stop a war.
CRACK
His fist hit the rock beside him.
I hated him for it. Then I understood.
He looked at me.
If uniting the ninja world honors his memory. I will help.
Kakashi stood. His one eye looked at the stars.
The Five Kage will never agree. Too much pride. Too much fear.
Naruto stood too.
Then we make them agree. Believe it.
I stood last. My legs were steady.
The system hummed inside me. Quiet. Waiting.
The Collector is still out there. The dead are still coming.
I looked at my team. My friends. My... family?
First we survive. Then we unite.
Naruto nodded. Sasuke said nothing. Kakashi's eye smiled.
We stood on the mountain. Four broken people. Four different paths.
But one dream.
HAHAHA
Naruto's laugh. Loud. Warm.
This is going to be fun.
Tch. You have a strange idea of fun.
Hah. Kakashi's soft laugh.
I said nothing.
But inside my chest. Something small. Something warm.
Hope.
The crickets started singing again.
The village slept below us.
And for the first time since I died.
I dreamed of tomorrow.