Bonus chapter. Thank you for the 200 PS.
Here you go, a new chapter. I hope you all enjoy it.
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A few minutes later;
"Deliver this to Hokage-dono and pass my greeting and thanks to him," Rasa said as he gave Naruto a scroll that contained a reply to Hiruzen.
"Will do. Excuse me," Naruto said with a blank tone, intending to exit the office.
"Have safe travels," Rasa replied in a blank tone.
Naruto just nodded before turning around and leaving the office, leaving the Kazekage and the honorable siblings sitting together in silence.
After a minute or two, Chiyo stood up and silently walked towards the door.
Ebizo just sighed seeing his sister like that, but didn't comment as he also stood up and looked at Rasa.
"Excuse us, we will be leaving now, Kazekage-sama," Ebizo said, to which Rasa nodded slightly.
Ebizo turned and walked out behind Chiyo without saying anything to her. He had long known that since the end of the third shinobi war, Chiyo seemed not to care about Suna anymore.
At the same time;
Naruto walked out of the Kazekage's building before looking up at the sky and at the sun's position.
"I can comfortably reach the land of fire before sunset. Let's go see Gaara before leaving." Naruto muttered to himself before starting to make his way to the abandoned park.
In the abandoned park, Gaara sat down on the same bench he had sat on with Naruto yesterday.
He has been sitting there for some time now while clutching his teddy bear. He doesn't have anything else to do, and he doesn't like staying at home, as he is treated with fear or as if he doesn't exist.
Yesterday, after his father returned home, his father asked him about what he had done with Naruto yesterday, and when he told him, his father seemed to be unamused and disappointed, muttering something about not gaining anything useful before just leaving to sleep and leaving Gaara confused.
'He isn't coming. He will leave you, just like everyone else.' The voice in his head said.
That voice did not seem to like Naruto at all. Saying that he is dangerous or the same as everyone else. Gaara had ignored it as Naruto had treated him differently from everyone else. He talked with him, fed him, treated him kindly, and patted his head as the other adults do to children.
Gaara put his hand on his head while the other hugged the teddy bear to his chest. He had a soft smile on his face, remembering the feeling from yesterday.
Naruto will come. He is sure of it.
"Hey there, Gaara." A familiar voice said, making Gaara blink as he looked up at Naruto, who stood in front of the bench.
"Have you been sitting here for long?" Naruto asked with a soft, warm smile as he sat down beside Gaara.
He sat with an angle that wouldn't let those watching Gaara see what he was about to give him.
"You came," Gaara said as his face brightened and a happy smile bloomed on his face.
"Of course I will come, Gaara. Didn't I tell you that I would come to see you before I leave?" Naruto said with a warm smile, but Gaara's mood dampened a little, hearing the second part. Seeing that, Naruto's smile held a sad edge to it.
"Don't be like that, Gaara. It is bound to happen. We are from different villages after all." Naruto said with a comforting tone, which seemed to do little to lift Gaara's mood.
"Hey Gaara. Didn't I tell you that I would bring you something to remember me by?" Naruto said, making Gaara look at him.
Naruto smiled warmly before pulling out the new teddy bear he had prepared and gave it to Gaara.
"A bear?" Gaara looked happily at the bear he was given. It was new and looked infinitely better than the one he had.
"Yeah, it is. But it is also a very special bear. You can sleep with it and not fear losing control over yourself." Naruto said with a warm smile, making Gaara look at him with surprise.
Gaara looked at the new bear he was given, trying to figure out how a stuffed toy would do that, before his eyes widened.
"I…it is gone," Gaara said with a trembling voice
"What is gone?" Naruto said with slight confusion
"The voice is gone," Gaara said, looking at Naruto
"There is that voice in my head that was there from ever since I can remember. It also takes control if I sleep. Now it is gone." Gaara said as he looked back at the new teddy bear with a look of surprise, confusion, and relief.
'Oh, that poor child. To think that Shukaku is talking to him all this time. I wonder how the boy handled that psychotic Tanuki.' Kurumi said. Even she could hardly tolerate Shukaku's behaviour and annoying high-pitched voice when they were young. And to think the boy had that Tanuki talking in his head all this time. Poor child.
'At this point, I think Gaara has no seal on his body, and he is just hosting Shukaku without anything holding the Ichibi back.' Naruto thought as he fumed internally, wishing whoever did this a slow, painful end.
Rasa and Chiyo felt a sudden chill crawl up their spines.
"I hope you like it, Gaara. You see how good the bear is. It will guard you from what stopped you from sleeping, so you can finally have some sweet dreams." Naruto said softly, patting Gaara's head, who hugged the new bear deep into his chest.
"Thank you," Gaara said as he gave Naruto a bright, wide smile.
"No problem, Gaara. Take care of it and don't tell anyone about the bear's special power. It is our secret." Naruto said with a smile, to which Gaara nodded before looking at the two stuffed bears in his hand.
"Can you take this to remember me, too?" Gaara said as he presented his old teddy bear to Naruto.
Even though the teddy bear was old and worn out, it meant a lot to Gaara as it was the closest thing to him.
"You sure?" Naruto asked
"Yeah, I want my first friend to remember me," Gaara said, smiling, before his expression turned hesitant
"You are my friend, right?" Gaara asked with uncertainty
"Of course, Gaara," Naruto said with a warm smile before taking the worn-out bear and putting it in his vest as he stood up.
"Friends don't say goodbye. They say See you later." Naruto said as he patted Gaara's head, who just nodded with sadness filling his eyes.
"See you later, Gaara. Take care of yourself. We might meet again someday." Naruto said warmly
"See you later," Gaara said, looking up at Naruto, who ruffled his hair for the last time before walking away and towards the gate of Suna.
After a while and as Naruto reached the main gate, He looked back at Suna for a final time before looking back in front of him and disappearing away from Suna in a burst of speed.
As Suna disappeared in the distance, Naruto hoped that things would get better for the young boy.
But Reality doesn't give a damn about hopes, as it is a cruel mistress in the Shinobi world.
To be continued.
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I hope you all enjoyed the chapter.
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