Hey, everybody... I'm sorry I haven't been updating very quickly, but there are some ideas that just have to come first, ya know?

Naruto belongs to Kishimoto Masashi.

Naruto had always wanted to protect the village.

It was his dream. He would always tell himself, "One day, the villagers of Konoha will thank me, for I shall be their savior." He never told anyone about this dream. He told them of his dream of being Hokage.

But being Hokage was not as important to him. Yes, as Hokage, he would be the leader; the best; the one everyone counted on. All reasons to become Hokage.

But that was just a title. Just a desk. Just an office. Besides, looking at Tsunade, Hokages pretty much only fought when no one else was willing to fight. Was that a savior? Naruto wasn't sure.

But one day, he told a single person about his true dream. To be the savior of the village. To be the savior of someone, anyone.

He told me.

My name is Sasuke Uchiha.

The stone sat there, never moving, never speaking, yet constantly taunting me. The truth danced in front of my eyes, flickering in and out of my senses; it was there and yet not; I knew it was the truth, and nothing but the truth, and yet I felt it must be false.

I felt my former sensei's presence when he appeared next to me, but I did not move or speak; like the stone, I was inanimate.

He remained silent for a moment, as if the stone taunted him as well; I could almost see his eyes fade as he contemplated the possibility that it was lying. But he knew it was not, and he spoke.

"He wouldn't want you to be so sad, you know," said the masked man softly.

I was snapped out of my daze as if surprised, although I had been expecting it. "I don't think he'd want any of us to be sad," I said, moving only my eyes to the right of me to see the man known as Kakashi. Although his uncovered eye wasn't facing me, I could tell he had an expression on his face that was the expression of a broken man.

Kakashi went silent once more. We both stared at the stone, the name carved into it finally coming into focus. It had been placed in front of the memorial stone, and it seemed to have an unnatural shine to it. I gazed at the single name and the short writing underneath it as the truth finally began to settle in my mind:

Uzumaki Naruto

The love we now feel

Is not enough

To replace the years of hate;

We feel deep sorrow,

But come tomorrow,

We'll realize it is too late.

Forgive us now,

The pain we've caused,

For we are in you dept;

In deep despair

We learned to care

And in your name, we wept.

"Are you going to come inside?" asked Kakashi, turning to me at last.

"No, I'll stay out here a while longer," I replied, not taking my eyes off the stone.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kakashi nod and disappear. I was alone with your memorial. I felt a small drop of rain fall onto my nose; the heavens were crying.

A tear slid down my cheek as I cried along with the skies.

"Congratulations, Dobe; it's your dream come true."

- Owari -