Chương 365: They Stood by CschMan20 (Naruto)
Summary: [Post-war AU] Ten years have passed since the end of the war, and the Elemental Nations are plagued by a horrible disease. Millions have died and are continuing to die with only a small remnant of survivors finding themselves somehow immune to the virus. Naruto and the other survivors press on to salvage what they can from the disaster.
Link: https://m.fanfiction.net/s/12416981/1/
Word count:93k
Chapters:16
Chapter 1: Dissolution
"This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper."
-T.S. Eliot
Rock Lee was dying.
There were very few instances in the taijutsu master's life where he had ever considered himself weak. Of course, there were moments filled with drive and steeled resolve over cool nights of tea with his son and wife where he had wanted to excel past his former self. And within that calm state of reflection, he knew he was on the correct path to true strength. Because there were also times where he had trained his body until the bones in his feet shattered, and his hands were reduced to bloody stumps while his entire physical core screamed in agony to remind him he was making progress. During those instances of intense training, no one in their right mind would state he was weak. But it was at that moment where his heart contained poisoned blood, and his mind carried despair that he realized his fate.
He could do nothing.
The virus had spread far too quickly for anyone to do anything. Even if they had time to properly analyze and determine what was happening, the virus would have completed its bleak task. Practically everyone was dying, and there was nothing anyone could do about it.
Rock Lee felt so powerless. He had buried his four-year-old son not even a week ago, and now his wife was wiping his sweaty brow with a soft towel, her bruised eyes staring down at him dimly. She coughed a dab of blood into her hand that was covered in purple bruises and glared at it with contempt. Rock Lee knew exactly how she felt. He had been in her position not more than a few days ago, and he knew his wife would reach his hopeless state soon enough. At this point, she was simply bringing some comfort to him as he advanced towards the abyss where all humans must eventually go.
Rock Lee cursed his fate, regret flooding his sullied pores. He also had to bury his sensei, but there was no one able or willing to do it. There were just too many friends were either dying or already dead. He knew of the few who had been unaffected, but his mind could not linger on them without some jealous needle poking him towards the abyss. He loathed this hopelessness because even his acceptance of the situation could not quell the horrific demise of his loved ones. He had always wanted what was best for his family and friends. Surely, this was nothing of the sort!
The virus ruined everything and now that he was nearing his destruction, he could only look back on his life with some form of relief. They had won the war ten years ago, and Naruto had brought Sasuke back. The Elemental Nations had known peace, and hate was all but obliterated among the population. Rock Lee's friends had grown into fine adults and had started their own families. Kakashi had been the Hokage and had only just recently transferred the title to Naruto.
Rock Lee could only feel empathy for Naruto. He had been Hokage for barely a month and now had to handle the terrible affliction that ravaged the world. It was such a tragedy, and Rock Lee wished he could help his friend. But his life was ending now, and there was little he could do for even himself, let alone his family. His wife had no more tears to spare, and he knew she had accepted it all when their son had died.
He remembered when he had met his beautiful wife. She was the daughter of a shopkeeper and when he had seen her that day in the shop six years ago, he had been smitten by her charm. He had initially been there to buy some training equipment, but ended up also buying some flowers to give to the young girl. It did not take her long to fall in love with his energy and determination. They married not long after that, and Rock Lee had never been happier when they finally had a child. A long tear escaped the man's eye as he ruminated on the beautiful day where he had received the greatest gift he could have ever asked for. He ignored the hollow reality around him for just a moment longer. He had to if he was going to escape peacefully.
As the last few moments drifted through and around him, Rock Lee knew only emotion and thought. The world he had been a part of was one of beauty and tangible essence. He could never forget it and knew knowledge was all he had left now. His memories would not die with him and would venture forth into the unknown world ahead of him. He allowed his wife's tender fingers to caress and bring him some form of solace.
He knew it now, and there was nothing that could ever change that. Rock Lee transcended all of it then. He transcended this reality and moved past the pain and suffering towards the world that held only the eternal. There had to be something past time, something past this cold world filled with mutual peace and sorrow. He wanted to grasp it in his bandaged hands, encased in the ugly, purple bruises, and could feel his limbs reach up trying to clutch at what he could. His knowledge was there. His memories were there and love was known there.
There was something real there.
Rock Lee's hand reached up to his wife's cheek and stroked it softly. The worn, bandaged hand scratched against her ruddy face, and she smiled softly down at his pitiful state. The man who had surpassed Might Guy long ago was now nothing more than a lifeless shell of a man, but she still loved him and would be there for him in his final moments. The quiet, still room of their apartment was a haven for him, and there was no other place he would wish to be.
His wife breathed in his final words, and Rock Lee made sure they contained all of his lingering energy. His chapped lips slowly dusted the air when he spoke.
"You're real," he uttered with his last breath.
His fingers skirted across her cheeks and then fell. She cried then and wanted to give so much more to him because he deserved it. She could only allow her final days to wane along through the dim. He was at the abyss now, waiting for her.
Rock Lee was dead.
Sakura knew what was at the top of the stairs, and she dreaded every step she took to reach it. She climbed the wooden staircase slowly, her long medical coat brushing against the steps. The front door had been unlocked and she had let herself in, her current mission hanging over her. She reached the top of the stairs and stared into the dark room in front of her. The door leading into the room was wide open, and Sakura could see a small sliver of light poking through a curtain into the room.
She supposed that was the only light left in there.
She walked into the bedroom and saw a pitiful sight. It was what she was expecting, but it dug into her with all its depressing oiliness. The Hokage was sitting on his bed, caressing the pallid face of his recently-deceased wife. She knew he was as healthy as he had ever been right now. She had checked him earlier that morning.
She wanted to say something to him, something to mitigate the misery he was experiencing. He was usually such a bright light for everybody, someone who instilled hope and cheerfulness in the hearts of those he loved. His inauguration ceremony had only been a month ago, and his first decree as Hokage was to declare his birthday a village holiday. He called it: Konoha's Ramen Day, and everyone in the village would be served ramen the whole day. He was such a silly and undisciplined fellow, but Sakura loved him dearly and considered him to be her best friend.
And now, he was diminished to a man mourning the death of his heart.
The world was cruel, Sakura thought.
Naruto spoke evenly, his tone carrying no hint of emotion when he saw her walk in. "She died a few minutes ago. Sorry that you missed her."
Sakura couldn't raise her voice above a whisper. "It's…alright. What did she say?"
"She told me she wanted to dance with me one last time." She could tell he was going to break in front of her any second. "Do you know when the last time we danced was?"
Sakura couldn't give an answer. "It was during our wedding," he said. "I can't believe she wanted to do something like that. If I had known, maybe I could have given her that yesterday or the day before. A week ago, perhaps, when she was healthy." On that last word, his visage changed and the tears fell upon the bedsheet.
Sakura moved instinctively and held him from her standing position. He buried his face into her torso and wept. After everything they had been through, this was where they had ended up. They had gone through a myriad of adventures involving perilous events and tragic circumstances, but so many people were dying. So many were already dead. Friends and family were all gone, as if they were a crop of wheat that had been completely obliterated by some storm or plague of locusts. Except this was not a plague of locusts, but some kind of vile disease that showed no mercy. As one of the only healthy and able medical staff members at the hospital, Sakura had almost no sleep the last two weeks. She could tell by the strain in Naruto's face she wasn't the only one.
"Rock Lee died this morning," she stated softly. She wanted to say something positive, but bad news was so common now that it didn't even seem bad anymore. It was normal.
Somehow, Naruto's tears lessened after hearing that. "I see," he said, his tone sounding distant. "What about his wife?"
"She's still alive, but she's past the third stage. I give her another two days or so."
Naruto released his embrace of her and stood up from the bed. His face had hardened, as if the moment had changed and he could be allowed to be stoic again. Hinata had recently dubbed that expression his 'Hokage Look,' and he displayed it whenever it was necessary. "How are the labs going?"
Sakura shrugged, her face appearing to be bored. She had lost most of her emotion a week ago after her parents had died. "Considering it's only me, Ino, Shizune, and some part-time assistants, not far." She barely had time or people to man the hospital, so research for a cure had to be put on the back burner. By the time she could find something useful, it would be too late.
He already knew all that, but she felt some emphasis would help him right now. Hopefully, it could give him some stability to center his thoughts. If there was anything she could give to him to help, she would do it.
Naruto's head swerved to stare down at his wife's corpse. "I suppose you couldn't save the baby?"
"Even if I could—"
"Shizune had said it was a boy. Did she tell you that?"
Please, she thought, don't lose it, Naruto. I need you, of all the people still left; I need you to be stable. Please, keep it together. "Yes, she mentioned it."
"Do you think he would have had my eyes or Hinata's?" He looked at her. There was sanity there. He would be fine as long as someone was there for him. If he could connect to just a few people, he could move forward. He had done it way back in the beginning, and he could do it again. This time he would have her, and she would make up for how mean she had been to him back when they were kids.
"I don't know, Naruto. Considering how recessive your genes probably are, I would guess hers."
He nodded his head thoughtfully, as if the idea had never really crossed his mind. "Has anybody else passed away today?"
She frowned in thought. That used to be a question that should never have been asked so casually between them, (or anybody for that matter) but the world was different now. They had to act this way in order to maintain their sanity. "No. You heard about Chōji and Karui last night, though?"
His nod was slow, but obvious. "Yes." He paused. "Should you check Hinata's pulse?" He was digressing again, she thought. It must be a coping mechanism. She wondered if it actually helped. "Just to check?"
Sakura glanced at the beautiful body on the bed. The body of Hinata was wrapped snugly in the blankets and appeared as if she was merely sleeping. Sakura surmised it was sleeping in a certain way. Somehow, that made the whole ordeal a little peaceful, almost inviting. "You're able to sense chakra, Naruto. I'm sure your diagnosis will be as good as—" She paused. The look he was giving her was filled with true agony. He was pleading with her, and she was being insensitive.
"I'll check," she offered and stepped over to the bed. She did a medical check of the body, something she had to do countless times in the last two weeks. This time, however, was different. She had laughed and cried with this girl for many years of her life. Hinata was her friend— not as close to her as Ino but a friend still— and to see her in such a state really made the whole matter existential.
After a long pause, Sakura turned her attention to the living. "She's gone," she whispered for fear of her voice sounding shaky. This one hurt, she concluded.
Naruto nodded grimly and cried again into his hands.
It really fucking hurt.
The rusty haze of the early sunset cloaked the bubble of smoke over Konoha. Scattered fires were aflame across the plethora of fields surrounding the village, burning the dead.
The area around the biggest training ground (turned graveyard recently like the other half of the village) was not far away enough from the outskirts of Konoha to not allow the stench of the death to reach it. There were fresh mounds of dirt dispersed across the humongous field and small groups of the healthy were swiftly trying to bury the dead. The last two weeks had consisted of a form of bewilderment for the parties of survivors and a great time of mourning for the lost. They hastily had realized there was no time for funerals with all the bodies and had begun performing mass burials.
Of course, some of them took the time to individually perform the proper rites for their loved ones.
Shikamaru buried his best friend's corpse into the freshly-dug ground. He was usually thankful for his Earth affinity, but right now it felt like a burden, like most things had lately. The spot he had picked out for Chōji and his wife of five years, Karui, was located right next to Temari's grave, which he had dug not a few days before.
He lowered the bandaged body into the six-foot-deep hole right next to Karui's also bandaged figure. For a bloated moment, Shikamaru stood there above the grave and gazed down at the two bodies of those he had cared so much for in his life. He had known Chōji for most of his life and their lives had certainly been brimming with interesting developments since Day #1. Growing up in the same generation as Naruto was a feat in itself and had caused everyone to stare in wonder at the events that had unfolded before the world. A handful of powerful individuals had saved everybody, and he had tried to help them as best he could.
So had Chōji, Shikamaru recalled dimly.
The cheery life of his best friend was gone now, and there was an odd cognizance that emerged from that insight. Shikamaru could feel the beginning of a divine understanding locked somewhere deep in the grief he was experiencing so strongly. His wife and his best friend had been snatched from him, so he was feeling pain, a lot of pain, but his brilliant mind just wouldn't let it end there. There was a hopeful bit of reality lying underneath the grimy sensations, and he knew he couldn't see it clearly now; he probably wouldn't be able to for a while still. But he knew there was something to look forward to and as time would pass and the future settled down to a calm level, Shikamaru could learn some significant lesson.
He just hoped it was worth it.
Shikamaru suddenly heard footsteps behind him and saw a flash of platinum blonde before he saw her face. Ino stood behind him, and she was looking at him with a wistful expression. He wondered if his own face looked like that. She was still wearing the same medical outfit he had seen her wearing a few days ago; he couldn't blame her.
"Sorry I'm late," she stated softly. Shikamaru didn't like seeing her like this and wanted desperately for her to berate his actions like she usually did.
Anything, he thought, say anything that would make this feel like our normal interactions. Anything to make this all look less hopeless. "It's fine," he said. "I'm surprised you were even able to get away from the hospital." He gave her a weak smile.
Ino didn't smile back. Her almost-ornate blue eyes were opaque, like a heavily clouded sky where the blue is still seen but not known, not fully there. "Rock Lee died this morning, Shikamaru. His body was brought to us an hour or so ago."
Shit, Shikamaru thought. His chest heaved, and he clutched it forcefully. How could he still have so much room for agony? Lee had been diagnosed with the virus less than a week ago, so it had come as no surprise for any of them. The 100% mortality rate left no room for miracles, but Rock Lee deserved more than that. He deserved more than a quiet and slow departure by his friends where the surprise faded and the acceptance came before the death had even happened. He deserved this pain from his friends and this affirming action by those he had loved dearly.
So, Shikamaru suffered. He suffered for his friends.
After a moment of grief, Shikamaru choked out a response: "Should we have a little ceremony like this for him too?" He knew such a pathetic act like this shouldn't have been deemed a 'ceremony,' but that notion wouldn't have helped. And they needed all the help they could get.
Ino shook her head. "No, I don't think so. It would just slow us down even more."
The thoughts of Rock Lee's interests jumped through. "That's not fair!" Shikamaru said louder than he had intended. There was no need for shouting, but again, Rock Lee deserved this. "That's like saying Chōji and the others were worth the time, but he's not!"
Ino's eyes were like stone. She had lost Sai last week, and it was amazing she still had the emotion to look the way she did. "He doesn't need it, Shikamaru. Funerals aren't for the dead because they can't feel or know anything anymore."
"Of course," he conveyed with a lower tone now. "But that just shows how little he is compared to the others. We loved him, Ino! We cared so much for him and experienced so much with him and now you want me to just comply with this terrible decision for convenience?"
It was Ino's turn to shout. "It's all we have left, Shikamaru! Do you see anything else we can fight for? The living? How do we know that we will still be alive in a month? What if the virus is just slow to us? We only have time now, and we must utilize as much as we can. It's that we know— knew Rock Lee so well that we should be able to do this. He would hate this. He would hate the fact that we're here arguing about what to do with his body, that we're wasting our time just fighting because of him. He was so selfless and if he was here, he would beg us to keep moving and do something. Do what is best for us, not for him. We have to, Shikamaru. We have to."
Shikamaru's hands were coiled into fists, and his teeth strained against each other in frustration. Ino's reasoning was solid, more than his and that in itself was hard to swallow. He still had some pride left, he thought sternly, and that was something.
"All right," he complied. "What can I do then?"
Ino stepped past him and dropped her head with eyes closed. Shikamaru realized what she was doing over the grave and silently joined her.
After a welcomed second, they both opened their eyes and looked at each other. "Did I just contradict myself?" she asked, a tiny smile forming along her lips.
Shikamaru placed his muddied hand on her shoulder. Normally, she would have yelled something about hygiene and how her clothes shouldn't be tarnished, but grief made them different people. Besides, her clothes were already a mess. "It's OK. I think we can afford to be hypocritical right now. We've got to embrace whatever we can."
Ino actually giggled at that. It sounded so foreign to the area around them, like a silver bell chiming in some dark, perilous cave. "Shikamaru, that sounds terrible. With that logic, we could do whatever we wanted and somehow justify it."
He shrugged. "That sounds better than coping with all this."
"So you want to find a form of escape? Isn't that a little irresponsible for someone with your credentials?"
At a time like this, the Nara wanted desperately to forget about his titles. However, he supposed that would mean also forgetting himself entirely while he was at it, and that sounded troublesome. "Probably," he confessed. "Can't I be a little irresponsible right now?"
Ino's lips folded thinly. Her eyes darted between him and the grave. The small remnants of mirth they had gratefully collected melted away in her still-opaque eyes. "No, you can't. You should probably go try to communicate with the rest of the Union."
He knew that. He knew it was his most important duty right now, but with the lack of manpower all over the Elemental Nations, there was barely more than one word messages sent back and forth between everyone. Still, it was better than nothing. "You're right, and you should head back to the hospital."
There was a hint of a sly smile underneath Ino's features. It would have been there fully under different circumstances. "Actually, I'm on break. I'm going back to my place for a nap."
"OK," he said. He turned his body away from her as if done with the conversation, but retreated back. "Ino?"
Ino's head tilted gently. "Hmm?"
"Do you think I could stay at your place tonight? I—I don't want to be alone."
For the first time in a couple days, Ino was able to summon up a few tears. Her friend was suffering so greatly, and he was holding it in for her. She had just been gifted the moment to see a crack in him, and she was thankful for his friendship. Truth be told, she needed him too. "Absolutely," she said.
The crackle of distant fires and the plumes of smoke rose past them and carried the scent of death and sickness into the twilight.
Naruto opened the door for Sakura, and she entered the white room that served as the main lab. He admired how clean the lab was considering the amount of hands that were able to do anything in it.
He had wanted to go to the hospital with Sakura for two reasons: he didn't want to be alone any longer than he had to, and he wanted to see any progress with his own eyes. Sakura had mentioned to him on the way over, as the sun had set and the night had brought some cold comfort to the village, she could only be in there for an hour until she had to return to her other duties. He understood and they made a beeline for the hospital.
Shizune and a young male assistant were the only other people in the room and turned from their work to see them enter. Shizune's eyes were wide as she saw the towering frame of the Hokage. "Naruto-sama, what are you doing here?"
Naruto smiled when he saw her. Shizune had always been a welcoming sight to him. She reminded him of Tsunade. With that thought, he quickly wondered where the retired Godaime's current whereabouts were. He was pretty sure she was still alive, (if anybody else could survive a deadly global disease besides him and the other jinchūriki, it was her) but it would help the situation a lot if she was there to help.
"I've told you a thousand times to drop the whole 'sama' thing, Shizune," Naruto stated, amused.
The older woman flushed. "Sorry, Naruto-s…er…yes— why are you here, though?"
"Shizune, he's the Hokage," Sakura said with no annoyance laced into her voice. "He can do as he pleases. He just came along to see what we've accomplished so far."
Shizune deflated at hearing her words. The male assistant looked down at his shoes, appearing to be sick with something that was not the disease. Being overworked tended to do that, Naruto surmised.
"Well, that's not much," the assistant said.
Sakura folded her arms. She was the Head of the Medical Corps and Head Physician in Konoha, and she carried the titles well. Kakashi had given her both titles early in his office, and no one ever doubted she had earned them. "Have you made any progress since your report last night?"
Shizune shook her head grimly. "No, our goals haven't changed and we're still trying to isolate the DNA. It's hard when you don't know what to look for."
Naruto illustrated his confusion by rubbing the back of his neck. Sakura saved him from his ignorance. "We're trying to figure out how the virus works. If we can isolate the DNA of the blood of an infected individual and compare it with the sample of someone who is not infected, then maybe we can find a vaccine."
"So, it's a virus?" Naruto asked with a line of clarity.
"Yes," Shizune said with confidence. "We're certain of that. There's not much else we know about it other than the symptoms."
"The purple bruises?" Naruto inquired.
"Exactly," Sakura said. "That's the first stage, anyways. I don't think I need to inform you of the other three."
She didn't. Naruto had witnessed it all himself the past several days. He had nursed and watched over his dying wife every second of it. He hadn't slept one wink in the last week, and he thanked Kurama every morning for the energy they shared. The old fox grieved with him, of course. He had grown to be really fond of Hinata over the last few years.
"Have you found any differences between the blood samples at all?" asked Naruto.
Shizune shook her head somberly. "Not yet. At first, we thought it was some kind of enzyme that certain people carried, but there's not a consistent one held between the survivors. We have no idea what allows the virus to enter and activate in specific individuals, but we know it's a lot."
That much was clear to see, Naruto thought. Approximately 80% of the entire population of Konoha was dead or dying, and thanks to the short messages he had received from the other Nations, that statistic was pretty consistent across the board. "What else could it be?"
Shizune's jaw hardened, and Sakura jumped in to take over. She was better at explaining this stuff, anyways. "DNA is a really complex thing, Naruto," said the pink-haired doctor. "It could be something as simple as one covalent bond in one specific place that helps or a whole sequence of bonds. It might not even be the DNA, but that's unlikely because a virus like this almost always interferes with the cell's DNA."
Naruto wasn't even going to pretend he knew what a 'covalent bond' was, but he was able to understand the gist. "So, how long do you think it'll be until you guys figure it out?"
Sakura closed her eyes and sighed. "No idea. There's only a handful of us working on this, and Shizune's the only one who is solely on top of it." Shizune's aid would certainly be useful with the rest of the multiple medical requirements being highly prevalent at the hospital, but her expertise settled in research, and Sakura knew it was best to fit people in with their strengths.
Sakura took a quick survey of the room and picked up on an early observation. "Where did Ino go, by the way? Is she helping out in the medical ward?"
"No, I gave her a break. She's been working for the last seventy-six hours, and I was afraid she was going to collapse."
Sakura grimaced. She had forgotten not everyone had the same energy reserves she did. She was working everyone to the bone, and her expectations had been far too high for each of them. The fact that Naruto never did this to his subordinates perplexed her immensely. The man just cared so much. Despite that, though, she was still rather upset with the blond. But she could handle that later. "Alright." She took a deep breath and kept her voice level and neat. "Then the two of you should also take a break."
Shizune felt a surge of rebellion flood her veins. "No, Sakura-san. We're both fine. We have plenty of energy le—"
"These are my orders, Shizune. You won't be able to help anybody if you die from exhaustion. Considering the circumstances, something like that would be tragic and ironic. Now, go get some food and rest." She smirked. "Doctor's orders."
Shizune still carried a cloud of stubbornness in her eyes, but she acquiesced. "Very well, Sakura-san." She nodded to the assistant, and they packed up their belongings and left.
After their departure, Sakura and Naruto were left alone. She turned to the tall blond with that same look of sternness he had seen her direct towards him many times in the past. It made him feel safe. "You need to get some rest too, Naruto. As the Head Physician and your personal one, I order it."
Naruto couldn't help but chuckle. The sensation felt so alien-like to him. The last time he had laughed had been so long ago that it all felt rusted. "I think as the Hokage, my title trumps yours."
She smiled softly, and he thought she looked beautiful, like the only flower still alive in a dead field. "Then I'm asking as your friend. Please, go home and get some sleep."
His hand grabbed hers and she gasped, startled by the touch. "Will you join me?" He didn't intend for such a question to carry any innuendo to it. He knew she was smart and wouldn't think that either.
She didn't.
"I don't know, Naruto. I have a lot of work to do here. I can't afford the time to rest."
"Well then, you're not a doctor. Just a hypocrite."
His wan smile brought her some comfort, so she gave in to the request. "Alright. But just until morning." She was not aware of the many other widows, widowers, and lonely individuals throughout the village who would all be doing the same thing that night; she was still unmarried so it didn't really reach far into her level of knowledge. "I've got to get back to work soon, after all."
"That'll be long enough. Can we go to your place, mine is a little—" All of a sudden, he choked on more tears that dripped down his cheeks and jawline to pool upon his tattered shirt.
The noise sounded like music to her tired ears. It meant he was grieving properly. She had known too many people lately that hadn't cried yet, and it showed how honest the blond was with himself that he was able to display some emotion. Still, the anger was there. She had needed him for so long now and so did everyone else. But she forgot her indignation for now, for the sake of his tears.
After all, he was a good man and the best leader for Konoha.
"You bet," she said. "My bed's big enough, I believe."
They carried each other from that point and gave one another the amount of care they managed to share. Sakura knew Naruto was the strongest out of the two of them, physically and mentally. He would be the cornerstone and inspiration for everyone to push forward towards the future that appeared dark and bleak. He could handle a ton of weight, as evidenced by his past achievements, and he would clear the path for the survivors to walk. He would stand tall with them and rescue them from their abundance of despair.
This was their new beginning, and they knew there was an end to it.
Link: https://m.fanfiction.net/s/12416981/1/
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