Written: November 29th, 2024
Publish: December 1, 2024
Words: 1437

"Myougan" Uzumaki Shizuki is Uzumaki Naruto from the future where Madara almost won, he is currently mute due to the inflicted wound that is quite literally a stab and a cut across his throat.

I almost forgot to put the ages of the characters.. 

Shizuki is 25 (making him close to Kakashi's age)

Kakashi is 26

Sasuke: 12

Naruto: 12 

Sakura: 12 

Deidara: 16 

Sasori: physically 30's but, I'm going to make him 19 because why not. I kinda want SasoDei to happen. 

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Konoha was in plain view, although it was about a forest away, Shizuki couldn't help but stop entirely causing Deidara to almost crash into him, and  Sasori, who was behind Deidara, was close enough to nearly crash into him as well, both of them stumbling to a halt. Deidara's irritated glare met Shizuki's silent figure, but there was no response—only the cold, calculated gaze of someone who had seen too much.

Sasori sighed, his voice laced with impatience. "What is it now...?" he muttered under his breath.

Shizuki didn't dare to say a word.
The very village in front of him was.. alive. It was filled with life.

The children running around the village, the sounds of laughter in the air, the bustle of people going about their daily tasks—it all seemed so vibrant, so normal. So.. peaceful..
It hurts so much.. so fucking painful..

He couldn't find strength to take another step forward, and run to the village straight to Sasuke and cry into his arms. He so desperately wanted to do that. To scream, to cry, to tell him how much he missed him.

But it wasn't the Sasuke he knew and loved deeply.

It wasn't his Sasuke, it wasn't him, and his mind knew that, he knows that this isn't his reality, he knows it is not his Sasuke.. it..just isn't.
Sakura.. Kakashi, Iruka, Gai, Lee, TenTen, Hinata, oh god.. Neji— they're all alive in this timeline. Alive and breathing, living in this godforsaken world.

Shikamaru... his advisor, best friend, the second person that didn't treat him like he was Kurama. He accepted him, helped him during the times he needed a place to hide during the villager's wrath on the day he was born- the day that Kurama was sealed within him. 

He made him feel like he was like everyone else. Normal, and not a monster. 

But he knew they aren't ... the friends he once knew. They weren't his friends... They weren't the trauma bonded group that was forced to face a decade long war. 

This wasn't his Konoha that he once knew. It was a mockery. A twisted, painful illusion of what could have been, but never was.

His village was reduced to nothing but ashes, no bodies left to bury, no signs of life...just nothing.

But yet, Konoha is standing before him, buildings intact, homes weren't destroyed, kids.. running around, and still had that innocence in them.

It wasn't the war-torn village he had fought so hard for. It wasn't reduced to flames to ashes to nothingness.

Shizuki kept his face hidden beneath the shadows of his hood, his movements deliberate and measured as he made his way toward the village. His mind was a blur, but the single thought that rang in his head was clear—he had to keep moving. There was no room for hesitation, no space for doubt. 

Deidara's impatient grumbling broke the heavy silence. "What's with him? He's not saying a word. What are we supposed to do with a silent ghost?" He shot a glance at Sasori, waiting for some form of explanation.

Sasori stared back and gave a shrug, not knowing how to answer it. 

His eyes narrowed slightly as he watched Shizuki, the silent figure ahead of them. There was something unsettling about him, something that didn't quite fit. He could sense the weight in the air around him, the invisible struggle that made every step heavier than the last. This wasn't the first time he had encountered someone like Shizuki—someone who carried an unbearable burden—but the emptiness in his eyes was different. Deidara's words about "a silent ghost" had some truth to them.

Despite their earlier frustration, Sasori couldn't ignore the tension in the air. Shizuki's presence felt like a distant storm, ready to break, but it was hard to gauge the cause. He could only assume that it was the village—the sight of Konoha, whole and untouched, was undoubtedly triggering something deep within him.

Shizuki didn't even know if he wanted to scream or cry or do both. 

He stared at the village before him before slowly continuing their slow march toward Konoha's gates, Shizuki's silence as heavy as the looming shadows surrounding them. Sasori and Deidara exchanged occasional glances, neither fully understanding what to make of their companion. But the path forward was clear: shelter, safety, protection—those were the only things that seemed to matter right now other than 

Deidara's impatience flared once more as he kept his eyes on Shizuki, who hadn't even flinched at the sound of his voice, nor did he acknowledge their presence in any way. "So, he's just gonna lead us there without a word, huh?" he muttered, his voice laced with frustration. "No explanation, no nothing?" He glanced at Sasori, expecting some sort of answer, but the redhead merely raised an eyebrow.

Sasori, though usually more perceptive than Deidara, couldn't fully understand what was happening either. He knew Shizuki's silence was not just a quirk—it was deliberate. There was something about this quiet, solemn figure that didn't fit with their expectations. He was clearly intent on leading them to Konoha, but the reason behind it remained a mystery. Still, Sasori didn't press. There were times when silence spoke volumes, and something about Shizuki's demeanor suggested that any inquiry would only push the boy deeper into his shell.

The closer they got to the gates, the more visible Konoha's life became. The sounds of the bustling village—laughter, chatter, the distant hum of everyday activity—felt almost alien to Shizuki, a cruel reminder of a reality that had been stolen from him. His chest tightened with every step, but he pressed on, determined to reach the gates.

Deidara continued to grumble under his breath, still unnerved by the figure walking ahead of them. "What's the deal, anyway? Why Konoha? You'd think he'd lead us somewhere a little less... emotional for him." He shot a look at Sasori, who remained deep in thought, his expression unreadable.

Sasori didn't answer immediately, but he understood Deidara's concerns. Konoha, for all its vibrant life, was clearly something more to Shizuki. A place of refuge? A destination with meaning beyond the surface? Maybe it was a place of peace—what Shizuki needed to find, perhaps, after carrying the burden of whatever past weighed so heavily on him.

Shizuki stopped just before the gates, his hand resting briefly on the hilt of his sword, his shoulders stiff. He didn't look back at Sasori and Deidara, but it was clear that the time had come for them to make their own decision. His gaze lingered on the gates, his eyes unreadable beneath the shadows of his hood. He would protect them. That was why he had led them here. It wasn't a decision born out of kindness, nor pity—it was the sense of duty that he still carried, even in his broken state. He had been trained to protect his own, no matter the world or time they came from.

Sasori's eyes narrowed slightly, considering their next move. "You want us to go in," he said finally, speaking directly to Shizuki, who didn't respond. "Very well."

Deidara, though still skeptical, followed suit. "Guess we're going in, then. But if this is some kind of trap, you better start talking."

Shizuki didn't flinch. He simply stepped forward, his pace deliberate as he crossed the threshold of the gates, heading into the heart of Konoha. For him, there was no other choice. This was the only place that might offer what they needed: time, shelter, safety. For the moment, at least, it was enough.

As they entered the village, the atmosphere shifted. The warmth of the bustling village, the sounds of children running through the streets, the smells of food wafting from stalls, all wrapped around them like a cocoon. Shizuki's steps never faltered, even as his mind struggled to comprehend the reality before him.

He had brought them here for a reason, and perhaps, in time, that reason would become clear. But for now, they were safe.

And that was all that mattered.

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That is it for this chapter, next chapter coming soon. 

Let me know what you guys want for the next chapter to have! 

Till next time! 

- Midnight