Loyalty,
Hope,
Security,
Honor,
Protection,
Wisdom,
Love.
Amber Blade
The night was dark, harsh, chilling…unforgiving. The freezing rain that cascaded down from the black sky above pelted the slowly traveling body of a small blonde haired girl of about ten years, every drop burning like the licks of flames on skin. She carried a small bundle underneath her shirt trying to keep it dry, despite the fact that she was drenched to the bone by the rain. The girl paused and coughed violently over and over into her jacket's sleeve, sickened by lack of food and the harsh weather, but she had to keep going. To her, anywhere would be better than the home she had left.
Her father had an affair with her mother, her parents constantly fought, and she was tired of the pain that violently pierced her heart every time a conflict was started. So, two nights before, the girl grabbed her jacket and her most prized possession off her nightstand, sneaked out her window, and left the Land of Wind. On the road, she traveled day and night heading towards the border, seeking Konohagakure Village. Sometimes the girl got rides from pitying merchants who were heading in similar directions, looking to sell their wares. Now she was in the Land of Fire, walking along a ledge of a slightly forested mountain with the wind robustly whipping her hair in many directions.
The young lass made her way forward a few more steps, had another coughing fit, and then collapsed from her exhausted state. Thunder clashed, and there was an awful crumbling sound from below. She felt movement beneath her, and with a sickening realization she noticed the bit of rock she had walked on was breaking away from the rest of the landmass. Descending with the rest of the stone underneath her, the girl tried to grab the edge of the sturdy land above- but she couldn't grasp it. She was too late.
She was going to die.
Screaming, the girl closed her eyes and still held out her arm, seemingly hoping that by some miracle she would be able to latch onto something and save herself. Just then, a strong hand gripped hers, and for a moment she was hanging in midair with one hand around her stomach still protecting the hidden item underneath, and the other held on to by an unknown aid. As she was quickly pulled back up to the ground above, there was another horrible crumbling sound as the falling rock hit and shattered on Mother Nature's floor. Thankfully now on solid ground, the blond haired youth looked up, anxious to see her rescuer.
She saw a young boy around the age of thirteen with his leaf headband slanted across his left eye, a shock of silver hair, and a mask that covered his nose and mouth. Her gaze met his, and she blushed slightly. The boy seemed a little surprised as well. There was something about this girl's eyes…something he liked. They were so pensive and innocent- but now in such pain. The girl gave a bowel movement and started coughing roughly again. This time though, she noticed some blotches of blood mixed with the wet dirt on the stony foundation. Her body swayed and she fell forward, but the boy caught her. He looked at her worriedly, and picked her up tenderly.
"I need to get you to a hospital- quick," he muttered.
Then, with a flash of lightning, the boy sped off, leaving the rumbling voice of the thunder behind him.
Jumping off the mountain ledge and landing surprisingly soft on his feet, he rushed quickly through the trees and other vegetation at the foot of the large formation. Even in the poor state she was in, the girl looked up into the sliver-haired savior's face once more. The rain fell harshly against her face as she smiled weakly.
"Thank you," she whispered softly, and then the girl closed her eyes and buried her face into his navy-blue shirt.
"Shhhh," the boy soothed. "Don't mention it."
He could see the lights from the village nearby, and in no time he was running along the roads and into the infirmary. The boy ran up to the front desk and told the young girl's symptoms. The medical konoichi looked slightly shocked at first sight of the pair, but then she called for other medics and helped the boy take her to one of the medical wards. He laid her softly on the bed and she looked up again. The girl took the bundle that she hid under her clothing and gave it to the boy- it was a small wrapping of scarlet cloth concealing something firm, also dampened by the rain. He held it loosely in his hands.
"Please… accept this," she told him. She coughed badly again and continued. "And please …treat it well." Then she fell back on the pillows as the other medic ninja began to treat her.
The boy left the room with the konoichi that was at the front desk, mysterious item in hand. Back in the foyer, the nurse took her usual seat at the front desk and he took a place in one of the benches along the wall, curious to what was in the warm colored cloth. The inquisitive silver-haired youth took one end of the fabric, slowly undid the thin piece from its bindings, and out fell a book- a simple black hardback book.
He flipped open the lightly moist cover and looked at the first page. There was a small amount of words in the center of the paper written in delicate red inked calligraphy. Looking a little closer, he read what they said:
My Journal
Kohaku Hiita
"Hiita? Hmmm…"
The boy tapped the page and assumed that was the girl's name.
He turned another page and continued one after another, somewhat surprised at what he saw. In the journal, he found, on every left page would be an amazing drawing done beyond that girl's ten years and on the right would be an incredible piece of writing to complement it in the same red script as on the title page. Clearly, this Hiita girl had talent.
Finally, the boy arrived to the most current page and saw at the corner that it was dated for that morning before the storm. The picture on the left was of an old oak with the sun peeping through its many leaves. Entranced by the picture, he started to read the written part of the entry.
Even with the sun's first breath, the shadow of night remains overflowing with regret and pain.
The tree stands tall trying to stay firm, but its rings are filled with memory. Distinct from a
Short time, like the prick of a needle on flesh, the age feels like forever. Every winter the tree's
Blossoms die, promised with renewal in the spring. Even though new life is given, the hurting
Still remains.
The boy blinked. He continuously looked at the paper. The entry was so simple, but it gently tugged at his soul.
Why did it mean so much to him? Emotion written as clear as an angle's voice was printed on that paper… it breached his mind ever so. The boy blinked with sudden realization as he looked down and memories of his past rushed into his head. Sighing, he closed the cover, got up, and headed towards the door. His hand grasped the doorknob, but then the konoichi at the front desk called for him.
The boy looked over his shoulder and walked over to her.
"Sorry to bother you," she began. "I was just wondering if you knew that girl's name you rescued. You know, for her medical record?"
The boy nodded his head slightly and obliged.
"Kohaku…Hiita," he said. The name flowed smoothly on his tongue.
"Thank you"
The nurse shuffled some papers in front of her and wrote the name in a few of them.
"You know…"she started again, smiling."You can come see her tomorrow if you like."
The boy looked hopeful for a moment- almost happy. But then he regained his solemn status as he remembered something.
"Oh cripes, I can't. With the war going on, I have so many missions I have to do for the village, and I won't be here for a long time…"
The konoichi's expression faltered as well. Suddenly, the boy got an idea. He took out a piece of paper and a pencil from his white pouch he had, and began scribbling something down. When he finished, he folded it a couple of times and handed it to the nurse.
"Could you please give her this? It would mean a lot."
She smiled again and took the paper. "Sure."
Then, with book in hand, the boy smiled slightly and exited the hospital, protecting it from the rain as he ran home.
Rain beat against the window like a snare drum as the boy walked into his bedroom. He lived alone- his parents were already dead. He slipped off his zori and sat on the edge of his shuriken-clad bed sheets with Hiita's journal still in his hands. The boy took a picture frame off of his desk, and looked at the picture inside sadly.
"Obito…"he mourned sadly.
With one last sigh, the picture was placed back where it belonged, and the boy fell back onto the mattress. Holding the book a little tighter, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.
The next morning, the girl, Hiita, woke up to golden sunlight streaming out the window in the ward she was in. Almost like on cue, the nurse from the front desk walked inside.
"How are you?" she asked.
"Fine, thanks," Hiita replied. She pushed herself up in a sitting position as she looked at the medical nin.
Turning her head a little to the right for a moment, she saw that there was some breakfast on a tray for her on the table next to her bed. Suddenly realizing how hungry she was, Hiita took the tray and began to eat. The nurse was about to chuckle, but she just smiled instead. She took the piece of paper the silver-haired boy gave her the night before out of her uniform's pocket and handed it to Hiita. Swallowing the food she had in her mouth, she took it curiously.
"What is this?" Hiita asked as she swallowed some toast.
"I'm not really sure," the konoichi confessed. "The boy who brought you here told me to give you that."
Hiita nodded and started to unfold the bit of paper as she said goodbye to the nurse, seeing as she was leaving. Once it was fully undone, she saw that there was some writing on the inside of the piece and she read what was written, nibbling at her toast.
Although the shadow of night still may linger, there is always a source of light-
The moon and stars still provide a silent sense of hope for the one willing to find
It. The tree will still stand proud and tall against time, and will learn from the
Pains caused in the past. Yes, the moment may seem like forever, but the people
Most precious to us will help us go on. The spring will always come, but it will
Not just breathe life into the monotony of winter. It also gives everything a
New start. The love of the cherry blossoms and the gale of the silver storm are all
A part of life and we all will cross paths with those trials someday.
I hope we meet again…
Hiita blushed as she finished the letter. She looked all over the page to find a name, and she saw a small bit of kanji on the bottom left corner of the page. Rattling her brain, she tried to decipher it, and she translated it to be 'Hatake Kakashi'.
"Hatake Kakashi?" she asked herself. Then she smiled slightly, with a little tinge of pink still across her face. "I hope we meet again, as well."
Folding the paper up again along its original creases, Hiita put it in her pocket and started to finish eating, thinking about her letter she received.
Back at his home, the young Hatake looked up from what he was doing, just for a moment, feeling as though somebody had just said his name.