guardian of the storm | ✓

Chapter Fifty-Six ~ This Worn Down Path

~Chapter Fifty-Six~

Her mind had always wandered whenever she walked, a terrible habit to have when you were a ninja. But as Winter walked through Heaven by her brother's side, she found it hard to ignore the thoughts racing through her head.

"Winter?"

The black haired girl paused in the doorway, glancing over her shoulder at Kushina, "Yes?"

"Would you mind doing me a favor?" the red haired woman smiled, her eyes closed and a mixture of happiness and sadness enveloping her.

"What is it?"

"When you see Naruto again, please tell him how proud we are of him," she paused for a second, her hands clasped together, "and that we couldn't have asked for a more wonderful son."

Winter smiled slightly, "Of course. Thank you for your hospitality."

Sighing, Winter linked her hands behind her neck, turning her face up towards the never ending sky. She'd calculated the time she'd been in Heaven and had discovered that she'd been 'dead' for five months, and she could only imagine what the world was like now. Did Naruto finally manage to become Hokage? Was Sasuke still an asshole? How was Eien faring? And Ja'far... what was he up to?

She let out another weighted sigh, drawing the attention of her brother. "If you keep frowning you're going to get some serious lines."

Winter rolled her eyes, letting her hands fall down to her sides, "I'll take that chance."

"Listen, there's something I need to tell you before we go to your final destination." Winter slowly focuses her gaze on her brother, noting that they'd moved away from civilization and had entered a forest of sorts. "It's about mom and dad."

All of her wandering thoughts vanish and she straightens up, her eyes narrowing at Aiden. A wind runs its long fingers through her hair and a few leaves twirl throughout the air, her mind going blank as her brother starts to talk once more. "Even when you come to Heaven, there's a chance you won't stay for long. Sometimes souls fade, whether it's from stress or sorrow or they simply just wish to not exist any more. Some others apply to get reborn or are chosen to have a shot at life again. I don't know which one happened to our parents, but by the time I came here they were gone."

Silence. Her mind didn't even attempt to process the information, just tasted the information and tucked if far away. Was she supposed to feel this... empty? Wasn't she supposed to feel a flood of emotions? Perhaps all of her emotions had been drained out of her the instance she'd been pierced by those spikes.

Her eyebrows furrowed and she just stood there, letting the words bounce within her skull until they meant nothing, sounded like nothing, became nothing.

"Okay."

Even to her own ears that single word sounded hollow, but she pushed everything away and looked at Aiden.

He smiled at her— not a cheerful smile but rather a melancholic and understanding one. "Let's continue on then." The two continued to walk and Winter started to feel a sense of familiarity creeping up on her. Her eyes caught on certain branches and scuffs on trees, on the single vine curving around and around and around a giant boulder.

She glanced down at the worn, small path that had been walked again and again by the same people, never by strangers and only by family. It became hard to breathe, her lungs shrinking and her chest constricting, the world grow ten times bigger whilst she became a thousand times smaller.

It took all of her strength to remain standing upright as she reached the end of the dense forest and arrived at the edge of a clearing.

Soft, spring green grass grew merrily while patches of wildflowers sprung up in random places. The worn path became covered in neat stones, fitting haphazardly together to create a well-put together pathway up to the chipped door. Vines crawled up the side of the cabin, well kept enough to know that someone lived there and that it wasn't abandoned.

Her gaze slowly made its way to the left, where a giant window rested, letting her peer into a messy kitchen where someone was cooking. Almost out of sight was a table that was being set by another person, while the third person sat in one of the four chairs.

"Every day they've set a place for you at the table, just in case." Aiden murmurs, his hand gently pressing against her back so she'd take a step forward. "They both dreaded and looked forward to the day they'd see you again. It's been six long years... don't make them wait any longer."

She was scared, no, she was terrified. Her heart pounded against her ribcage, each beat resonating throughout her entire body, a miniature earthquake wreaking havoc within her. Still, she moved forward, that small cabin getting closer and closer with each shaky step. What should she say? How would they react? Were they still the same age when they'd died or had they slowly grown up?

Winter took a deep breath, her hand hovering over the faded doorknob, her heart in her throat and her most precious memories in mind. She opened the door and stepped inside, sliding off her sandals and quietly walking into the kitchen.

Inazuma noticed her first, the wooden spoon in her hand clattering to the floor, catching the attention of the twins sitting at the table. Their red hair caught the sunlight and wove it into the curled strands, and as Ryu and Riku stood up, just as in sync as they were before they died, their eyes widened with disbelief and hope. Winter tilted her head to the left, a small smile on her lips to mask the tears threatening to show, and said the only thing she could think of to say.

"I'm home."

wow, two updates in about two weeks? i'm kinda surprised haha (and a bit sad, i wish i could write faster so you guys could have more updates.) i hope you guys enjoyed this short but sweet update :) i'm having a bittersweet moment right now tbh, for this story has only a few chapters left. it's crazy to think about. anyways, let me know what you think!

QotC: What do you think is going to happen? Any ideas/theories about how this is all going to go down or even end? I'm curious to see your thoughts!