7th Punch | Video

[medicalpunch]

[It's one of those things she feels like she ought to say.  Ought to let people know, because it's important.  They're important, even if they're not here anymore.

On the video, her expression is carefully calm, forced into composure -- but for those who know her well or who are very good at reading faces, it's obvious she's not at all calm about this, not really.  They're too important to her for that, and Sasuke in particular... it feels like not enough time.  Not enough to getting to savor having her team together again, whole again.]

For anyone wondering... Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke have both gone home.

[Once again, she's the bearer of bad news for Luceti's Konoha population.  She takes a breath to say more, but then pauses.  What else is there to say, really?  And her throat is so tight with it.  Her teammates, her boys, are gone -- but they're back where they belong.

It's not enough to ease the sense of loss, though.]

Comments

[Video]

[niceguypose]

[Rock Lee had just emerged from an intense session a room of the Battle Doom and was toweling off some sweat when he saw the message in his journal.

His heart shrinks as he hears the message. Naruto and Sasuke... both gone? Could it be? Sure, Sasuke was a figure whom Lee was still uncertain about, and he had to put some effort into trying to trust him again. But he wanted to try to truly understand their former comrade.

And on top of that... Naruto-kun. Could he really have gone home already? Lee and him had made such grand plans together. They were supposed to escape back home with all of their friends who would be saved from death. Neji, Naruto's parents, Sasuke's mother... They would bring all of them back. How could Naruto have gone home ahead by himself? What about his parents? They were united so blissfully in this place...

He waits a moment to try to compose himself before he turns on the video feed. But there still is a faint shimmering in his eyes.]

S- Sakura-san... Is this true? [Of course it's true. Sakura would not announce this unless she was absolutely sure of it. But Lee can't help but ask regardless.]

[Video]

[medicalpunch]

It's true. [She doesn't remonstrate him for asking the redundant question -- yet more evidence of how unsettled she is.]

I checked for both of them. Repeatedly. [Just to be sure. Because she remembers her mad search with Kushina for Naruto when he vanished before. But this time, it looks like it's for real.]

Lee... where are you? [From the background, she's in her apartment, alone. And she could really use a friend right now.]

[Video]

[niceguypose]

[The background of the video is shifting. He has just exited the Dome and is moving quickly while talking into the journal. He closes his eyes for a moment in resignation.]

I - I see.

[And then he opens his eyes, looking back into the journal solemnly. It's all too easy to make out her apartment in the background, so he knows where to go.]

I am on the move. Please... Stay where you are for the moment.

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[fervidity]

[Sasuke too?

Since the two have them had gone out of their mind in their search to find Naruto those months ago, Kushina felt a bit closer to Sakura. They went through similar things. She knows the girl must be hurting too. And to have Sasuke leave, Mikoto must be hurting.

So she's not concerned about herself. He could come back. Minato had said before... so many people had said before. So many people had. It wasn't the end of it. They could both come back.

That doesn't mean she should want them to though. Maybe for Sakura's and Mikoto's sake though. And Minato.]

At least Kakashi is still around, huh?

[Small smile.]

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[medicalpunch]

[Sakura's smile in response is shaky, but at least it's there.]

That's true... my whole team isn't gone. [Yet.]

Umm, Kushina-san... I hope this isn't presumptuous, but at some point, could we get dinner together or something? [She'd like to spend more time with her. Both because she really likes Kushina, and also because it might feel a little less like she's been abandoned.]

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[fervidity]

[In the event that Kakashi does leave though, Sakura isn't completely alone there either. Even so, Kushina senses the need for company for times like this since she had felt it many times too. She always had Minato at her side at those moments.

Sakura doesn't have anyone.]

Sure. [She smiles warmly. Sakura wasn't being rude at all.]

I'll send Minato off to spend time with Kakashi. He should spend more time with his student anyway.

[She's sure he must be feeling guilty too, even if it wasn't his fault. And she can't leave Minato alone either.]

[deathsdoctor]

... thank you for telling everyone.

[Yes, all the family knows. It's just... a relief not to do the announcement this time. Law's personally done too many.]

[medicalpunch]

[She's a little more restrained with Law than with Lee or Kushina, but he's still hardly a stranger, considering Luceti's medical community. She does manage a weak smile for him, at least.]

Someone has to do it, right? I might as well... [Take the burden off the immediate family of either - and Law certainly counts as that, being Sasuke's brother-in-law.

[deathsdoctor]

It's greatly appreciated. [But Sakura is closer than Law... at least he thinks. It's always difficult to tell with Sasuke. Law does hope if Sasuke returns, he returns with memories of this last time. It'd make many things... easier.] But how are you holding up?

{Video}

[strikeoflightning]

{It's hard to avoid that pink hair. For a moment, Lightning hoped…

But no. This girl is different.}

I'm sorry for your loss. Were they good friends to you?

[Video]

[medicalpunch]

They're my teammates. That's... that's a big thing, for us. It was good to be all together again.

[Video]

[strikeoflightning]

Hold them in your heart and recall their accomplishments. They may yet return to you.

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[pokeboy]

[ He wasn't close at all to Naruto, but it's still sad to hear about the departure. More so with the way that it's given. It's straight-forward affair, but considering what he did know of Naruto's personality?

Maybe his message wouldn't be appreciated, but-

When Red's message come on, he's got the book propped up and with a smile on his face. ]

Hey! I didn't know the other person, and I didn't really know Naruto that well either -- he showed me he some cool ninja moves, and he helped me out with training my pokémon, a pikachu, a few times -- but he told me he was going to be the best where he's from, so he better be going back to do just that!

[ He nods, confident. ]

And -- I know he's got family here too - and friends, obviously. And yeah! I don't really know him at all, so you can think I'm just some dumb kid, but -- I bet he'd want you all to be smiling and feeling good again soon! So I hope you do, and the same with his parents too!

[ He pauses, feeling like he's being more daring than he should be right now, but then bows his head to the screen. ]

My name's Red if you want to call me a moron! But noisy and fun is the way a friend of mine described Naruto... [ He raises his head now ] And I agree! So that's the send off I want to give him!

Thank you for telling us, miss! [ Another nod. ] I hope they'll both be okay!

[ And then finally the message is done. ]

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[medicalpunch]

[Well, it was a bit of a speech, but Sakura's okay with that. Right now, having people willing to talk about either of her boys helps.]

Noisy and fun is pretty much on spot. Annoying too, sometimes. But he's one of the best people I know even with that. And Sasuke... well. He's pretty different, but they're really important to each other. So maybe it's good that they've left at the same time, I guess.

[She's rambling a bit, but it feels good to just talk about them.]

video; threadjacks? :>

[derpivity]

[Upon seeing this (long) message from Red whom he saved during the draft, Minato can't help but smile wide in gratitude. To know his son has this impact to someone who they met in this place and to know this someone is telling them what Naruto would have also wanted for all of them fills him with warmth.

Red's right. Naruto would have felt the same in a way.

So, as he turns on his journal, Minato gives Red this grateful smile.]

Thank you for your kind words, Red. I really hope so, too.

[dangerouswind]

[Well. Damn it.]

Sorry to hear it, Sakura.

[medicalpunch]

[That's really all there is to it in the end, isn't there? It is.]

Thanks. I'll be all right. Losing them both at once is just a little... [She trails off, then shrugs halfheartedly.] It is what it is.

[video] (sorry, things got crazy T.T)

[windandrain]

[Naruto is gone? Well, that certainly is troubling. He'd been an interesting boy, to be sure...and what she'd said to Red was very true. Noisy and fun.

Honestly, she's never spoken to Sakura (and is more concerned for Kushina), but she remembers Kakashi mentioning that this particular ninja had helped her recover while she'd slept off her battle with Zompano. So, swallowing her awkward feelings about meeting someone this way, she'll add her voice to the others.]

Naruto is definitely someone I'm going to miss. He's sweet, and so earnest, and I feel glad to have had the chance to meet him.

[video]

[medicalpunch]

[He's come so far... Sakura can't help but smile wistfully at that. His desire to gain recognition and affection from others... he's certainly attained that.]

He's a lot of wonderful things. I'm glad you were able to make friends with him... Miss...? [Wondering the name of his friend of Naruto's. Sharing memories with others who knew him seems like a good way to keep the thought of him close.]

[Video]

[fashionably_strong]

Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.

[She'd befriended Naruto more easily, but she eventually befriended Sasuke as well.]

Do you need some company?

[Video]

[medicalpunch]

That would be nice. Spend some time with the people who are still here...

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[derpivity]

[Going back home made Minato accept the fact that at any given time, anyone he knows, anyone he holds dear, will leave this place. Of course, he had accepted this fact before, upon arrival and upon knowing more about this place, but experiencing things firsthand made him accept this wholeheartedly.

Surely, Minato felt a pang of loss that only his son will be able to fulfill when he realized he had went home but this pain doesn't stay for long. It hurts, yes, but he knows Naruto's better off at home where he belongs, where he's needed. None of them belongs here, anyway. Leaving taught him this firmly.

This miracle they've been given is nice and he'll forever be grateful for this chance and even if he feels guilty for also leaving so soon that he didn't get a chance to be with his son longer, Minato knows this day will come. And he should be prepared for it.

So, with a small smile, he nods at the pink-haired girl.]

Thank you for telling everyone, Sakura.

[He takes a mental note to himself that he and Kushina should visit Mikoto one of these days to check up on her. This should be painful for her, too.]

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[medicalpunch]

Someone had to do it, right? It might as well be me...

[After all, she's the bad news girl. And she's pretty sure that taking it on herself eases the burden on Naruto's parents. They seem like they'd be the natural other choice for announcing Naruto's departure, and she wouldn't want to put them through that.]

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[supportively]

[Mikoto was already aware that Sasuke was gone but not that Naruto was as well, which she can imagine is affecting both Minato and Kushina too. She doesn't really know Sakura all that well other than that she was teammates with both Sasuke and Naruto but she can tell this is difficult for her too even with announcing it so if anything Mikoto is more concerned about her right now instead]

Thank you letting us know, Sakura. How are you holding up?

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[medicalpunch]

I'm all right, Mikoto-san. [She's sad, and it shows clearly, and also suddenly feeling very lonely -- but she knows she'll persevere. And in a way, it helps to know that there are others who miss them too; it's a bond of commonality.] Is there anything I can do to help you out?