Soul Mission
folder
Naruto AU/AR › General
Rating:
Adult
Chapters:
5
Views:
1,159
Reviews:
10
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Naruto AU/AR › General
Rating:
Adult
Chapters:
5
Views:
1,159
Reviews:
10
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Chapter Five - Haku
Disclaimer: I don’t own Naruto… and there's a Fruit's Basket reference in there, so I guess I don't own that either. XP
Author’s Note: Well, chapter five! I feel accomplished! Yep, Haku managed to confuse me as to his gender at first glance. Wait a second, that’s a guy! I said. Yepyep. Then there was Kazuki (from Get Backers). My reaction to him was something along the lines of: OMG THAT’S A GUY! O.O;;;
His loose clothing really didn’t help. But of course I’m used to it now and he is one of my favourite characters. xD Though he does come a few lengths behind the god that is Akabane. Mmm… Akabane-san. That name means ‘red corpse’ by the way. Isn’t that just totally awesome?
-gigglesnortfangirlstarryeyelove-
… I scare myself sometimes. Anywho, enjoy. =3
Oh and I know like jack-shit about hospitals, so give me some slack if some things seem a little off. XD
Soul Mission
Serene I fold my hands and wait,
Nor care for wind or tide nor sea;
I rave no more ‘gainst time or fate,
For lo! My own shall come to me.
-John Burroughs, Waiting
Chapter Four: Haku
“Beaten up by an old man, now that’s pretty pathetic.”
Naruto stared moodily up at the big breasted blond doctor as she checked the last of his many bruises. The one she was currently poking (causing him to wince every few seconds) had bloomed upon his skin a lovely deep purple. The last venture, the one that had involved that son of a bitch Sai, had ended with him running, and later crawling after his leg began playing up from a well placed hit with the cane, to the hospital. But his hope of a sympathetic ear was completely dashed when the less than sympathetic doctor had taken one look at him and snorted with derisive laughter.
“It wasn’t my fault Tsunade. That guy was evil I tell ya! Possessed by a demon.” Protesting weakly, his voice a little whine, Naruto attempted the use of puppy dog eyes. It didn’t work. It never did with her. Or with anyone really, but it was worth a try.
“Ha! That excuse isn’t going to work.” She gave him an extra large poke, the grin that had been on her face dropping when she heard his pained yelp. “Will you stop getting yourself hurt? I have actual patients to look after and important matters to focus on without you dragging your half dead carcass in every day.”
“I’d love to.” Too bad his self appointed job seemed synonymous with pain.
Both of them were startled by the door crashing open. A dark haired woman beckoned to Tsunade as words spilled out hurriedly. “There’s been a serious car crash. Injured en-route, arriving in approximately ten minutes.”
Tsunade gave a nod, calmly rising from her chair. “Naruto, I’m going to prescribe you some painkillers. I’ll give you enough so that you’ll be fine if anything else happens, unless it’s really serious of course. Just hang tight for a while, I’ll send a nurse with them as soon as I have a chance. Let’s go Shizune.” With the nurse in tow, she swept out the door.
Naruto slouched back in his chair and sighed. Tsunade had been his doctor for four years now. He knew that he could count on her for any situation. Hell, she had even saved his life once. That seemed like such a long time ago now. Whenever he got hurt, no matter what the time or what else she was doing, Tsunade was there to patch him up. Sure she liked to tease him (didn’t everyone?), but he had actually come to enjoy the playful banter.
Naruto stared up at the ceiling and prepared for a long wait.
---
Naruto had never been a patient person. He liked thing to happen now; yes, please, thankyou! Sitting in a little white hospital room, one which Tsunade had specifically picked because it didn’t have anything sharp or delicate to fiddle with, he quickly grew very bored. It wasn’t long before he peeked out into the hallway and then decided to take a stroll.
During the four years of knowing Tsunade, and the large amount of time he seemed to spend hurt, had taught him the tricks of getting around a hospital largely unnoticed, and thus capable of getting into places you were not supposed to go. First you had to look like you knew exactly where you were going. You had to make everyone believe that this was exactly where you were supposed to be.
A misplaced nametag was also extremely helpful. Naruto carefully pinned on his new name making sure to grin happily at any passers-by. That little piece of plastic coupled with the throwing around of a prominent doctors name meant everyone eventually left you alone. Mention the name of an important doctor to any suspicious nurses and they would scuttle away. Nobody wanted to be at the end of Tsunade’s sharp tongue.
Of course, it did help that most of the people here knew him to some extent and the corridors he was walking through weren’t exactly filled with top secret material.
He wandered down to the emergency wing, the pace of the people around him growing more hectic. He was challenged twice, but each time managed to walk his way out, claiming quite loudly that he had a ‘right to be here’. Most people were too busy to glance at him twice.
A car crash the nurse had said. Naruto felt a peculiar fascination that attracted him to the room where even now people were fighting for their lives. Even though he met a lot of people who were dead, he wasn’t familiar with the actual dying process.
The door was wide open, as not to obstruct the nurses running back and forth. One of those was the dark haired woman from earlier, Shizune, who ran out with her arms filled with bloody towels. He stared after her as she ran off down the hall, eyes wide, before moving to peek around the doorway.
Naruto saw and instantly there was silence. The world slowed and chilled, sending a quiver up his spine.
The operating table was sideways to his position. On it was a body, limp on the cold, steel table. The face of the body was turned away from him so all the features were hidden from view. Spread around the head was long brown hair. One strand was resting upon a smooth neck, in sharp contrast to the white skin. His gaze moved, and as he watched a pale arm slipped off the table and hung lifelessly, a trickle of blood oozing its way down, leaving a bright trail upon the skin.
Tsunade, who had been pumping down on ‘its’ chest, stopped and after a moment gave a small shake of her head. “It’s no use. He’s gone.” Though her voice was as strong as ever when Naruto finally managed to tear his gaze away from the body he noticed the line of tension in her brow and the weary way her shoulders slumped. “Time of death… four fifty-six pm.” She stared down at the person she had been unable to save and then jumped back in action. All business, she strode towards the door, indicating with a wave of her hand for one of the nurses follow.
“Let’s take a look at the other one. What’s his condition?”
“His life signs are stable but he is still unconscious. There was some bad head trauma. All other wounds are superficial.”
“Right. I’ll go give him a check-up and schedule him for a scan… and Naruto come out from that broom cupboard. You’d been standing in the doorway for five minutes; did you really think I wouldn’t notice you?”
With an embarrassed blush spreading across his face Naruto slid out of the little utility closest he had attempted to hide in once Tsunade got moving. The busty woman looked down at his chest, quirked an eyebrow and then looked up at his face. “Dr. Hatori Sohma, huh? Hand that over please. Now, if you’re in pain then that’s too bad, at least you’re not like that poor kid. Come back tomorrow and I might be in a better mood.” And with that she stalked away.
---
Naruto returned the next day, was given the bottle of pills by a stern-faced Shizune, and then pretended to leave. He had spent most of the night in deep thought. Even though he had watched someone die but it hadn’t been what he had expected. He had thought something dramatic might happen as the soul separated from the body. The spirit would have floated out, there would have been bright lights or holy chorus, but nothing had happened at all. The person had simply died.
It took some asking around but eventually he found the room where the other crash victim was staying. Apparently he was in a coma. Naruto stared at the door to the private room for a few minutes, wondering what the point of his little venture was but not stopping to give it too much thought. As he stepped in the room he was hit by the emotion inside, just like when he had first entered Neji’s room, it nearly dropped him to the floor. But this was different; the serenity and acceptance within made him stop short with the mixed desires of crying and laughing.
Sitting beside the bed was a girl that looked oddly familiar, long brown hair flowing across her shoulders and eyes filled with a calm beautiful light. Naruto stared and stared, and the girl smiled back, until he realized that it wasn’t a girl at all. This was the person he had watched die just yesterday, this was…
“My name is Haku.” His voice was soft and melodious. “It’s nice to see you Naruto. Please thank Tsunade later for doing her best to save me.”
“… Sure.” This was a spirit who could move on at any time. Never before had Naruto come across someone so devoid of regret and sorrow, so content in just the here and now that nothing else mattered. Then why on earth was he still here? Naruto glanced at the person in the bed. That could be the only answer. “Um…”
Haku chuckled. “My death at this time was unfortunate, but I am not sad. I will now wait for Zabuza to join me. But he is trapped in his body and cannot hear me.” For once he seemed vaguely troubled.
“How can I help?” Naruto quickly asked.
“Well…”
“Oh, but I uh… can’t kill anyone. I won’t smother him with the pillow or nothing.”
“I wouldn’t ask you to do that.”
“Oh, good.” Naruto wandered closer and sat at the end of the bed. ‘Zabuza’ lay in the bed, chest rising and falling at irregular intervals; his face was pale and covered with angry, red scars. It was impossible to tell his age.
“Is it selfish, that I wish him to join me?” Haku was staring the hurt man with so much love. It almost broke Naruto’s heart to see it.
“No.” He said, though he doubted Haku was listening.
“He cannot hear me… but maybe he can hear you. Even if he can’t join me now, I just want to say goodbye.”
Naruto smiled softly, stood up and moved in front of Haku. Without a word he bent down and embraced the young man, who gave a soft sound of surprise. “I’ll try get him back to you.” He moved to lean over Zabuza, listened to the beep of the machines, and then whispered in his ear.
Patting Haku’s shoulder once he left the room without another word.
--
Naruto found Tsunade in his office. “Hey Tsunade! Haku says thankyou for trying your best.”
“Huh?” Tsunade stared at him in confusion from behind her desk.
Whistling Naruto strolled away down the hall.
--
Tsunade stared down at the man who had been condemned to a coma that he would probably never wake from, now peaceful in death.
“Doctor?”
“Yes…?”
“Time of death?”
“Oh…” She looked at her watch.
--
As he walked home Naruto wondered if he would ever find somebody that he could love enough to wait for them, even after death. Would he be able to accept his death with such tranquillity? He liked to think so. He was not afraid of dying, because he knew that wasn’t the end of things.
Naruto dearly hoped that Haku wouldn’t have to wait too long. He had spoken simple words into Zabuza’s ear. If the man loved Haku and much as Haku loved him, then he would wish to follow his lover to wherever he was. Even though Zabuza had made no sign, Naruto was sure he had heard those words.
Haku is waiting for you.
Author’s Note: Well, chapter five! I feel accomplished! Yep, Haku managed to confuse me as to his gender at first glance. Wait a second, that’s a guy! I said. Yepyep. Then there was Kazuki (from Get Backers). My reaction to him was something along the lines of: OMG THAT’S A GUY! O.O;;;
His loose clothing really didn’t help. But of course I’m used to it now and he is one of my favourite characters. xD Though he does come a few lengths behind the god that is Akabane. Mmm… Akabane-san. That name means ‘red corpse’ by the way. Isn’t that just totally awesome?
-gigglesnortfangirlstarryeyelove-
… I scare myself sometimes. Anywho, enjoy. =3
Oh and I know like jack-shit about hospitals, so give me some slack if some things seem a little off. XD
Serene I fold my hands and wait,
Nor care for wind or tide nor sea;
I rave no more ‘gainst time or fate,
For lo! My own shall come to me.
-John Burroughs, Waiting
Chapter Four: Haku
“Beaten up by an old man, now that’s pretty pathetic.”
Naruto stared moodily up at the big breasted blond doctor as she checked the last of his many bruises. The one she was currently poking (causing him to wince every few seconds) had bloomed upon his skin a lovely deep purple. The last venture, the one that had involved that son of a bitch Sai, had ended with him running, and later crawling after his leg began playing up from a well placed hit with the cane, to the hospital. But his hope of a sympathetic ear was completely dashed when the less than sympathetic doctor had taken one look at him and snorted with derisive laughter.
“It wasn’t my fault Tsunade. That guy was evil I tell ya! Possessed by a demon.” Protesting weakly, his voice a little whine, Naruto attempted the use of puppy dog eyes. It didn’t work. It never did with her. Or with anyone really, but it was worth a try.
“Ha! That excuse isn’t going to work.” She gave him an extra large poke, the grin that had been on her face dropping when she heard his pained yelp. “Will you stop getting yourself hurt? I have actual patients to look after and important matters to focus on without you dragging your half dead carcass in every day.”
“I’d love to.” Too bad his self appointed job seemed synonymous with pain.
Both of them were startled by the door crashing open. A dark haired woman beckoned to Tsunade as words spilled out hurriedly. “There’s been a serious car crash. Injured en-route, arriving in approximately ten minutes.”
Tsunade gave a nod, calmly rising from her chair. “Naruto, I’m going to prescribe you some painkillers. I’ll give you enough so that you’ll be fine if anything else happens, unless it’s really serious of course. Just hang tight for a while, I’ll send a nurse with them as soon as I have a chance. Let’s go Shizune.” With the nurse in tow, she swept out the door.
Naruto slouched back in his chair and sighed. Tsunade had been his doctor for four years now. He knew that he could count on her for any situation. Hell, she had even saved his life once. That seemed like such a long time ago now. Whenever he got hurt, no matter what the time or what else she was doing, Tsunade was there to patch him up. Sure she liked to tease him (didn’t everyone?), but he had actually come to enjoy the playful banter.
Naruto stared up at the ceiling and prepared for a long wait.
---
Naruto had never been a patient person. He liked thing to happen now; yes, please, thankyou! Sitting in a little white hospital room, one which Tsunade had specifically picked because it didn’t have anything sharp or delicate to fiddle with, he quickly grew very bored. It wasn’t long before he peeked out into the hallway and then decided to take a stroll.
During the four years of knowing Tsunade, and the large amount of time he seemed to spend hurt, had taught him the tricks of getting around a hospital largely unnoticed, and thus capable of getting into places you were not supposed to go. First you had to look like you knew exactly where you were going. You had to make everyone believe that this was exactly where you were supposed to be.
A misplaced nametag was also extremely helpful. Naruto carefully pinned on his new name making sure to grin happily at any passers-by. That little piece of plastic coupled with the throwing around of a prominent doctors name meant everyone eventually left you alone. Mention the name of an important doctor to any suspicious nurses and they would scuttle away. Nobody wanted to be at the end of Tsunade’s sharp tongue.
Of course, it did help that most of the people here knew him to some extent and the corridors he was walking through weren’t exactly filled with top secret material.
He wandered down to the emergency wing, the pace of the people around him growing more hectic. He was challenged twice, but each time managed to walk his way out, claiming quite loudly that he had a ‘right to be here’. Most people were too busy to glance at him twice.
A car crash the nurse had said. Naruto felt a peculiar fascination that attracted him to the room where even now people were fighting for their lives. Even though he met a lot of people who were dead, he wasn’t familiar with the actual dying process.
The door was wide open, as not to obstruct the nurses running back and forth. One of those was the dark haired woman from earlier, Shizune, who ran out with her arms filled with bloody towels. He stared after her as she ran off down the hall, eyes wide, before moving to peek around the doorway.
Naruto saw and instantly there was silence. The world slowed and chilled, sending a quiver up his spine.
The operating table was sideways to his position. On it was a body, limp on the cold, steel table. The face of the body was turned away from him so all the features were hidden from view. Spread around the head was long brown hair. One strand was resting upon a smooth neck, in sharp contrast to the white skin. His gaze moved, and as he watched a pale arm slipped off the table and hung lifelessly, a trickle of blood oozing its way down, leaving a bright trail upon the skin.
Tsunade, who had been pumping down on ‘its’ chest, stopped and after a moment gave a small shake of her head. “It’s no use. He’s gone.” Though her voice was as strong as ever when Naruto finally managed to tear his gaze away from the body he noticed the line of tension in her brow and the weary way her shoulders slumped. “Time of death… four fifty-six pm.” She stared down at the person she had been unable to save and then jumped back in action. All business, she strode towards the door, indicating with a wave of her hand for one of the nurses follow.
“Let’s take a look at the other one. What’s his condition?”
“His life signs are stable but he is still unconscious. There was some bad head trauma. All other wounds are superficial.”
“Right. I’ll go give him a check-up and schedule him for a scan… and Naruto come out from that broom cupboard. You’d been standing in the doorway for five minutes; did you really think I wouldn’t notice you?”
With an embarrassed blush spreading across his face Naruto slid out of the little utility closest he had attempted to hide in once Tsunade got moving. The busty woman looked down at his chest, quirked an eyebrow and then looked up at his face. “Dr. Hatori Sohma, huh? Hand that over please. Now, if you’re in pain then that’s too bad, at least you’re not like that poor kid. Come back tomorrow and I might be in a better mood.” And with that she stalked away.
---
Naruto returned the next day, was given the bottle of pills by a stern-faced Shizune, and then pretended to leave. He had spent most of the night in deep thought. Even though he had watched someone die but it hadn’t been what he had expected. He had thought something dramatic might happen as the soul separated from the body. The spirit would have floated out, there would have been bright lights or holy chorus, but nothing had happened at all. The person had simply died.
It took some asking around but eventually he found the room where the other crash victim was staying. Apparently he was in a coma. Naruto stared at the door to the private room for a few minutes, wondering what the point of his little venture was but not stopping to give it too much thought. As he stepped in the room he was hit by the emotion inside, just like when he had first entered Neji’s room, it nearly dropped him to the floor. But this was different; the serenity and acceptance within made him stop short with the mixed desires of crying and laughing.
Sitting beside the bed was a girl that looked oddly familiar, long brown hair flowing across her shoulders and eyes filled with a calm beautiful light. Naruto stared and stared, and the girl smiled back, until he realized that it wasn’t a girl at all. This was the person he had watched die just yesterday, this was…
“My name is Haku.” His voice was soft and melodious. “It’s nice to see you Naruto. Please thank Tsunade later for doing her best to save me.”
“… Sure.” This was a spirit who could move on at any time. Never before had Naruto come across someone so devoid of regret and sorrow, so content in just the here and now that nothing else mattered. Then why on earth was he still here? Naruto glanced at the person in the bed. That could be the only answer. “Um…”
Haku chuckled. “My death at this time was unfortunate, but I am not sad. I will now wait for Zabuza to join me. But he is trapped in his body and cannot hear me.” For once he seemed vaguely troubled.
“How can I help?” Naruto quickly asked.
“Well…”
“Oh, but I uh… can’t kill anyone. I won’t smother him with the pillow or nothing.”
“I wouldn’t ask you to do that.”
“Oh, good.” Naruto wandered closer and sat at the end of the bed. ‘Zabuza’ lay in the bed, chest rising and falling at irregular intervals; his face was pale and covered with angry, red scars. It was impossible to tell his age.
“Is it selfish, that I wish him to join me?” Haku was staring the hurt man with so much love. It almost broke Naruto’s heart to see it.
“No.” He said, though he doubted Haku was listening.
“He cannot hear me… but maybe he can hear you. Even if he can’t join me now, I just want to say goodbye.”
Naruto smiled softly, stood up and moved in front of Haku. Without a word he bent down and embraced the young man, who gave a soft sound of surprise. “I’ll try get him back to you.” He moved to lean over Zabuza, listened to the beep of the machines, and then whispered in his ear.
Patting Haku’s shoulder once he left the room without another word.
--
Naruto found Tsunade in his office. “Hey Tsunade! Haku says thankyou for trying your best.”
“Huh?” Tsunade stared at him in confusion from behind her desk.
Whistling Naruto strolled away down the hall.
--
Tsunade stared down at the man who had been condemned to a coma that he would probably never wake from, now peaceful in death.
“Doctor?”
“Yes…?”
“Time of death?”
“Oh…” She looked at her watch.
--
As he walked home Naruto wondered if he would ever find somebody that he could love enough to wait for them, even after death. Would he be able to accept his death with such tranquillity? He liked to think so. He was not afraid of dying, because he knew that wasn’t the end of things.
Naruto dearly hoped that Haku wouldn’t have to wait too long. He had spoken simple words into Zabuza’s ear. If the man loved Haku and much as Haku loved him, then he would wish to follow his lover to wherever he was. Even though Zabuza had made no sign, Naruto was sure he had heard those words.
Haku is waiting for you.