The Right Way Around: Book One

Chapter Thirty-nine

A/N: First, and foremost, I am so sorry this chapter took so long. I finished it a bit ago...ngl. And I spent literal months rereading it. I finally reached the point, with the help of a friend, that it's never going to reach MY standards. I am my own worst editor and critic. So... HERE IT IS!

Also, I hope you guys like the new cover. Oh, and if you did not notice... I entered this story in the Watty's! Though I accidentally fucked up the tags, so the Watty's2019 tag disappeared. Cause I'm a dumbass sometimes. >-<; Oh well.

ON WITH THE SHOW!!!

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Ah, the familiar sight of the Konoha Hospital ceiling. Naruto sighed as he opened his right eye and found an odd comfort, knowing he was in the hospital once again. His left hand lifted to his bandaged left eye and frowned some. Well, he'd lost an entire arm in his original timeline. What was an eye?

"How're you feeling?" Kakashi came into view.

Naruto's blue eye locked onto Kakashi and he smiled weakly. "Relieved...?"

"Understandable." He nodded and sat on the edge of the bed. He pressed the button to bring Naruto into a sitting position.

"We're twins now." Naruto pointed to his bandaged eye. "Course, I don't get a replacement. But it's whatever."

Kakashi chuckled quietly. "About that..."

"How long have I been out this time?" Naruto glossed over what Kakashi might have said. He didn't want to hear about the loss of his eyes and any resulting damage about it.

A brow lifted as Kakashi shook his head some. "Only a week, actually."

"Huh, that's lucky. Usually, I end up out for weeks at a time." He shrugged and sighed. "Welp.. let's get this over with... What's the damage?" He had to face the music eventually.

"I feel you're a bit too cavalier about all this, Naruto." Kakashi watched the blond. Was Naruto dissociating again? It would be understandable, all things considered. The boy deadpanned at Kakashi. He chuckled. "Alright, alright. I'll leave it to Inoichi to tackle that." He sighed. He rubbed the back of his head. "There's no permanent damage to your body. Kurama forced your chakra to put you in your hanyō form, your tail grew back, as did your teeth and claws." He pointed to Naruto's thigh. "Your thigh healed in record time. In fact... Tsunade said you had started healing the moment you were released from Danzō's lab."

"WAIT WAIT!" Naruto sat forward; excitement lit up his features. "Granny Tsunade is here!?"

Kakashi chuckled and nodded. But Naruto's excitement died fast as he sat there on his hospital bed. His face was slowly smoothing out into a stoic expression.

"What is it, Naruto?" Kakashi tilted his head. He wondered if Naruto had figured it out before Kakashi could have hinted at it or began to tell him.

Clenching his jaw minutely, Naruto glanced at Kakashi. "Hiruzen's dead, isn't he? The only reason she'd be here... is if he was dead."

"Shit..." Kakashi sighed, closing his eye. "Kurama warned me that you would figure it out quickly." He rubbed the back of his neck.

"It happened during the fight with Danzō, didn't it?" Naruto swallowed and sank down. "It was Madara..." He stared at the ceiling. "That's who he used to sacrifice to get his body revived."

There was no way to lessen Naruto's pain. Kakashi found it a hard fact to settle within himself. In this situation, he was useless. All he could do was be there for his little brother, and hope that would be enough.

"Has Tsunade been made Hokage yet?" Murmured Naruto, the almost monotone.

Kakashi grimaced some. "Mm... She has. It was rushed, what with the loss of both Hiruzen and Danzō."