Naruto: The Scarlet Ronin

Chapter 6: A child who wants love

Shinji's feet felt weightless as he stood in the glowing expanse of his inner world. The blue-white light swirled faintly, like ripples across water, and in the stillness stood three figures. He blinked, his breath hitching. His mind refused to process the sight before him.

"Mother... Father... Grandpa?"

The words barely escaped his trembling lips as his vision blurred with tears. His mother, Rai Uzumaki, stepped forward with a radiant smile, her arms outstretched. She looked just as he remembered—a gentle yet strong woman, her presence exuding warmth that enveloped him like a long-lost embrace.

"My sweet Shinji," she said, her voice soft and filled with emotion.

Shinji staggered forward, his legs nearly giving out beneath him as he collapsed into her arms.

"Mother!" he sobbed, clutching her tightly. The dam of emotions he had held back for so many years burst. Tears streamed down his face as he buried his head into her shoulder. "I missed you... I missed you so much... I thought—I thought I'd never see you again!"

Rai held him close, her own tears falling silently as she stroked his hair. "Oh, my precious child. I've missed you, too. You've suffered so much… far more than you ever should have."

Her words only made Shinji cry harder. His body trembled as he clung to her, the pain of years of loneliness, trauma, and longing spilling out in broken sobs.

"I was so scared!" he choked. "I didn't know what to do… I didn't know how to live without you! Every day, I thought about you—about all of you!" His voice cracked, and his hands tightened around her. "I just wanted to be with you. I didn't want to be alone anymore."

His father, Riku Uzumaki, joined them, wrapping his arms around both Rai and Shinji. His voice was deep and soothing, but tinged with sorrow.

"Shinji, my boy... I'm so sorry we weren't there for you," he said, his voice trembling. "If I could have done anything—anything at all—I would have given my life ten times over to spare you this pain."

"You did give your lives," Shinji whispered, his voice muffled against Rai's shoulder. "You died protecting me... You died, and I survived. But it hurt so much. I didn't want to keep going without you."

Rai pulled back slightly, cupping Shinji's face in her hands. Her eyes, identical to his, shone with love and pain. "Shinji, you're stronger than you think. You've endured so much, and yet you've kept moving forward. We're so proud of you. So proud."

Riku nodded, placing a hand on Shinji's shoulder. "You're our son, Shinji. We knew you would face unimaginable challenges, but we also knew you would overcome them. That's why we did this—why we left a part of ourselves behind."

Shinji looked up at them, his tear-streaked face filled with confusion. "What do you mean? How are you here? How is this possible?"

"This," Rai said, gesturing to the glowing expanse around them, "is your inner world. And we... we're fragments of chakra and soul that we sealed into the mask you found. It was a last resort—our way of ensuring that we could be here for you, even if only for a short time."

Shinji's knees buckled, and he fell to the ground. His hands trembled as he clutched the hem of his mother's robe. "You knew you were going to die..."

Riku crouched beside him, his expression somber. "We knew there was a chance we wouldn't survive the attack on Uzuhiko. So we made this decision, painful as it was, to give you whatever guidance we could. We didn't want to leave you completely alone."

"How long...?" Shinji asked, his voice barely a whisper.

"Three years," Riku replied. "The chakra and soul fragments we sealed into the mask can last for three years, but only if we limit how long we speak to you each day. Twenty minutes at most."

Shinji's heart sank. Three years. Three years to have his parents back, even in this fragmented form, and then they would be gone again. The thought was unbearable.

Rai knelt beside him, taking his hands in hers. "But we're here now, Shinji. We're here to help you, to guide you. That's all we ever wanted—to see you grow, to see you safe."

Shinji looked at her, his chest heaving with emotion. "I'm not safe. I don't feel safe anywhere. I've been running and hiding for so long. I'm so tired."

His grandfather, Taiga Uzumaki, finally spoke, his voice deep and resonant. "And yet you've survived, Shinji. That speaks to your strength and resilience. You carry the blood of the Uzumaki and the Senju—two of the strongest clans in history. But more than that, you carry the will of those who love you."

Taiga stepped closer, his presence imposing yet comforting. "I trained Daijiro to be a protector, and he passed that knowledge on to you. He prepared you well, Shinji. You've become a warrior in your own right."

Shinji shook his head, his tears falling anew. "But I don't want to be a warrior. I didn't ask for this. I just wanted to be with you, to live a normal life."

Rai's heart broke at his words, and she embraced him again. "Oh, my darling boy... I know. I know this isn't what you wanted. But life is cruel, and it doesn't always give us a choice. What matters is that you've survived, and that you've held on to the goodness in your heart. That's what makes you strong."

Riku placed a hand on Shinji's back. "We've seen your journey, Shinji. We've felt your pain and your anger. But we've also seen your kindness, your determination, and your compassion. Those are the qualities that will carry you forward."

Shinji looked up at them, his voice trembling. "But what do I do now? I don't know where to go or what to do."

Taiga stepped forward, placing a firm hand on Shinji's shoulder. "You honor us by living, Shinji. By carrying on the legacy of the Uzumaki. You don't need to have all the answers right now. Just keep moving forward, one step at a time."

Shinji nodded, his tears slowing as a sense of calm washed over him. "I'll try. I'll keep going. But... I don't want to lose you again."

Rai smiled gently, her own tears glistening. "We'll always be with you, Shinji. Even when our time here runs out, our love will remain in your heart. You are never truly alone."

The light around them began to dim, signaling the end of their time together for the day. Rai kissed Shinji's forehead, and Riku clasped his shoulder with a proud smile. Taiga nodded, his gaze filled with unspoken wisdom.

"We'll see you again soon, my boy," Riku said as their figures began to fade. "Stay strong."

As the light faded completely, Shinji found himself back in the forest, the mask still in his hand. His chest ached with a bittersweet mixture of grief and hope. He held the mask close, his resolve hardening.

"I'll honor your legacy," he whispered. "I'll make you proud."

The forest seemed to echo with their love, and for the first time in years, Shinji felt a glimmer of peace.