I Promise I'll Come Back: The Abyss

In the sky, above the clouds, a dark abyss swirls madly; holding an unseen enemy wait for a final bout. Ten shinobi have fought there way to this moment. Here; where the world stands on the edge of destruction. On the edge of a final battle lost to history, two shinobi finally voice the love in there hearts.

"Well, this is it guys! It's time to end this!"

"Don't worry Naruto. We'll all be cheering for you."

"Thanks Sakura."

The ten shinobi stood on the open deck of a large airship. Hovering above a swirling vortex of darkness that plagued the world, a blond haired young man stands close to the edge of the ship. Naruto took a deep breath and walked forward.

One of Naruto's companions, Hinata Hyuuga, was distraught to see the man she loved put himself in such great and mortal danger. "…No…don't go…I…I don't want this…" Hinata said softly. Sakura, standing beside Hinata, heard her and smiled. "You can do it…Hinata…" thought Sakura to herself. The violet haired girl's legs started to move forward but were hesitant. Remembering all the years that Hinata spent waiting for her opportune moment, her time had finally come.

"Stop…please don't go…!" said Hinata in a louder voice. Her legs guiding her away from her comrades, Hinata made her way slowly toward her beloved. Hinata stopped only about nine feet behind Naruto as he kept walking forward. Hinata took a deep breath and yelled. "I SAID STOP!" Hinata yelled at the top of her lungs. Stopping close to the airships front edge, Naruto was silent and did not turn to meet Hinata's gaze. "There has to be another way…another way to win this battle. Please Naruto…don't go…!" said Hinata. "I have to Hinata. I have to do this for everyone…for my dream to come true." said Naruto with his eyes to the floor. "No! You don't have to do it this way…not like this…" Hinata said as tears fell from her face.

Naruto was silent. Hinata inched closer to Naruto, noticing that he was trembling. "You can still make your dream come true. You can still become Hokage and not have to fight this battle." said Hinata. "But…if I don't…" Naruto started. "I don't care! What if you get injured? What if something goes wrong? What if…what if you…what if you don't come back…?" Hinata said, dropping to her knees. "I can't bear to lose you. You don't have to be the hero all the time. I don't want to let you go…so please…just stay here with me Naruto!" said Hinata.

"Stop it Hinata!" said Naruto still not looking at her. Hinata's eyes widened. Never had she heard Naruto raise his voice to her. "I have to do this for my dream. Not my dream to be a great ninja or to become Hokage someday." Naruto stated. "Then why? Why do you have to be the one to do this?" asked Hinata. "Because…" said Naruto as he lifted his head. "Because I…I want to see all of you!" Naruto said as he spun around to meet Hinata's tear filled gaze. "Happiness, sadness, anger, determination, your fear and your joy. All these things and more are the things that makes a person how they are and I want the chance to see all the things that make you who you are, Hinata." Naruto said stretching his hand to Hinata.

Hinata took Naruto's hand slowly and, with his assistance, stood up. "I'm not the smartest person in the world. I'm not the strongest or the bravest or the most cunning to boot but I know that I have to do this for you, Hinata. I have to because I wanna to see that delicate smile of yours that light's up the room whenever I see it. I wanna see how happy you look every time you look at me. I wanna see the Joy in your eyes when the time comes for me to stop fooling around and get serious about how I really feel about you". Naruto said with tears in his eyes as he turned to face the edge of the ship. As Naruto began to walk forward, Hinata stops him by hugging Naruto tightly from behind. Naruto smiled and touched Hinata's hands.

As Hinata loosened her grip, Naruto turned to face Hinata and returned her loving embrace. "I love you…I all ways have…" said Hinata looking up into Naruto's teary eyes with her own tear filled ones. "Me to. I love you, Hinata. There's no way I'm gonna die. Not with someone like you waiting for me." said Naruto as he gave Hinata the shining smile that she fell in love with. Smiling back at Naruto, Hinata could not hold back her tears as they fell like the leave of the village she called home.

Turning his back to Hinata and giving her his signature "thumbs up", Naruto said one last good bye. "I'm coming back, you here me? I Promise!" Naruto shouted as he ran to the very edge of the front of the airship and leapt into the sky. As Naruto's comrades watched him fall into the dark abyss for the final battle, Hinata held her head up high and smiled into the endless azure sky.

"…Alright…I'll hold you to that…Naruto…"