"Another one…"
The gruff bartender eyes me suspiciously before refilling my drink. Over the past many nights he learned of my drinking habits. I wasn't into my buzzed content stage, yet I wasn't far off from my rowdy reckless phase. My limits with alcohol weren't very far apart. One drink too many would tip me from one emotional scale to the other. For a second, I almost miss the Kyuubi and his booze hindering abilities. Almost. The drinks haven't worked their magic yet as I can still recall all the people that I can no longer be with. The sad part being that for a second that damned fur ball was the first one to enter my mind. I quickly snatch up the glass and let the warm sake slide past my tongue and down my throat. It burns like always, but the burn soon turns into a warmth within me and I can feel my mind finally slipping into a simpler place. Where I can't recall what ails me, or why my life is in shambles. I love it here, but sadly I can't stay. You can never stay in a place too good to be true.
Near the end of the war, Akatsuki was sighted heading in mass in a straight line to Konoha. Most of the coalition was currently passing through Konoha, so they moved to intercept. As fate would have it, they met in that damn valley. The place where it all started, and was destined to end, The valley of the end. God did I hate that place. A long time ago, Madara lost and obviously couldn't come to terms with that. So here we are, giving a senile old bastard a second chance to try and right supposed wrong in those decrepit eyes. Killer Bee was captured a little over a week ago, or so we believed. He pulled the wool over Akatsuki's eyes once before and took a vacation. Everyone hoped that was the case this time as he had grown close with many people amongst the coalition shinobi forces.
There those arrogant Uchiha bastards stood, upon the monument erected of their leader. The base of the statue was covered in the Zetsu army, and behind the Uchiha's stood all of the Akatsuki, dead and alive. Kabuto proudly standing atop the highest point of the rock, to remind everyone that he had seemingly undone everyone's hard work by bringing back their fallen foes. But what stood out the most to everyone was the item Sasuke was holding out for all to see, the severed head of Killer Bee. Marred with dirt and blood, the eyes had a state of permanent agony forever set in by death. The cut that removed his head from his shoulders had signs of electrical burn marks, almost as if from a lighting covered sword. Sasuke gave the heads a few waves about before kicking it down to the troops. This should have been the part where one would rant or peace or world domination. Then someone would plead or denounce the other's ideas. No, the entire vain attempt of last minute peace was destroyed by the Raikage's frothing rage of a yell and blitzing forward. Thus starting the final battle and the ensuing bloodshed that followed with it.
Brightness, a lot of brightness is all I can see. The sun's rays combined with the drinks from the night before are causing my head absolute hell. I roll to my stomach trying to avoid the morning beams only to rake my head on the gravel. Taking this into account, I slowly put last night's events into focus. The only place near the bar that has gravel is the roof, which means I probably crawled atop of it after they closed. It was better than passing out in an alley. The alley had shade, but after accidentally getting thrown in with the trash and waking up in the dump, the shade didn't quite seem worth it. Slowly getting to my feet, I dust off my red cloak and orange jump suit beneath before I look to the sky trying to determine what time it is. Judging from the sun, its roughly past 8 or 9, meaning that Ichiraku's would be opening any time now. My wallet feels to have just enough for a few bowls. After that I'm going to be broke again. Which means I would need to take up a few new missions. Joy.
Ducking into the stand, I'm greeted with the usual greeting and such from the owner. I respond back with my fake smile and tone of voice. He knows its fake, even more so all the pain behind the mask. But over all he doesn't want to scare away his best costumer with ghosts of the past and gets to work on the order. It was awkwardly quiet in the stand. People rarely came in here for breakfast, seeing ramen as only being worthy of a lunch food. Oh well, their lost. Then again, everyone else had been raised with tons of loving food prepared for them. When not a single person has ever placed a warm meal of love before you, you come to find a meal such as this to be heavenly. But I was never afforded those warm meals filled with affection, the only warm meal's I've ever eaten involved paying for ramen or the food after a funeral. I'll stick to the meal that doesn't come with any form of mourning involved.
I solemnly break the chopsticks and mutter out my praise before digging in slowly. I like ramen because it's quick, easy and it's a warm meal that gives you the feeling like it was made in a home where someone cared for you. If I eat quick enough, I can get lost in the illusion that I actually have a home where love and food are provided. One bowl down, I'm still stuck in this hell. I've somehow managed to get most of the noodles from the second bowl into my mouth and yet I can't believe the sweet lies that I want to ensnare me. I'm chugging the broth as quickly as I can and I swear I can almost feel a type of warmth inside me that isn't provided by an old man's noodle shop. An explosion of pain erupts in my shoulder and I don't need to turn around to know what just happened. By all means a Hyuga did just touch my shoulder, only not just any Hyuga. This touch belonged to a very enraged and shackled Neji Hyuga and by all means it wasn't going to be the last.
In some part of my mind I'm grateful he doesn't go in for the kill shot right away, he wants me to suffer. Yet to be honest, there are many times where I'd wish he would just go for my heart and end it, save us both the trouble of these little meetings. Another strike to the same shoulder telegraphs his entire plan. He just sealed off two of the 11 chakra points in one's shoulder to completely seal off the flow of chakra to the arm. He isn't sticking to his usual "disable the biggest non lethal points" this time. His hands withdraw with a twist this time; he's aiming for the three hardest ones to get them out of the way. He's so focused on his attacks that it's easy to pull off the substitution with the chair I was upon. It's just a sign of how bad this situation is when the all seeing eye of the emotionally calm Hyuga's have tunnel vision from rage. His hits connect, only for my image to go up in smoke, leaving the stool with three dents in it. Neji didn't even see my fist careening through the smoke and nail him right between the eyes. Out of the stand he flew and into the fence across the street. He was dazed nonetheless, but not any less blood thirsty in his gaze. Stumbling to his feet, his eyes never once left mine. He was nothing but a shell of the man he used to be. All he lived for now was revenge. Charging forward again, I raise my fist back to knock him down again. He gets within five feet of me when he pulls a trick straight out of my playbook. Not even having to make a sign for the jutsu, he suddenly changed into the spitting image of Hinata.
My cocked back fist freezes and I can't make it soar forward even if I wanted to. I know it's not real. I don't just know, every sense I have along with my memory and recent events is screaming to me to block from this fake Hinata. But in spite of the fact that I hardly stand for a single thing I once did, I can't bring myself to hurt the image of someone that I failed, even if the fake casualty is closing in for the kill. Neji/Hinata goes into a frenzy sealing away my chakra points. I can tell it's not a usual technique I've seen before, but it doesn't matter. I'm paralyzed by her image. Every detail was spot on, from the gloss of her hair down to the shine of her skin. I'm too ensnared to try and defend myself as I feel that most of my chakra points have been sealed and Neji/Hinata's fist is reeled back with a chakra covered palm for the final blow. It doesn't seem like a bad way to die, seeing the image of the woman that I couldn't protect. I actually smile as the palm flies forward and let my eyes soak in all I can as the last sight I'll ever see. Sadly this doesn't come to be as a tonfa comes out of nowhere and slams into Neji/Hinata's throat. Thrown back towards the fence, the illusion fades and Neji is left holding his throat while coughing up blood. A swarm of chains erupts behind Neji and engulfs his arms to his torso effectively binding him. He jerks a few times realizing how well he's shackled. Glowing softly, he starts to glow as he prepares to start his kaiten. Behind him, a wave of several hands occurs and his body is assaulted by tons of tiny slaps. Left behind at each hit was a tiny paper scrap with the word "Seal" on it. The glow fades and Neji nearly loses consciousness as he falls forward to his knees, revealing a cold faced Ten ten behind him holding the chains.
Ten ten and I haven't spoken a real conversation since the final battle at the valley of the end. Our worlds were both so irreversibly destroyed that day that there isn't much that can be or needs to be said. We both understand each other's pain. It's like two people in two boats sinking side by side at the same time. What more can really be said besides "Gee your screwed" and "So are you". Regardless of our situation, we both spoke without paying much attention. She mentioned something of an apology; I shrugged it off and made some comment about her general well being. Her response was something like she was fine or doing well, which was outright laughable if you got a good look at her. Physically she hadn't changed too much since I first got back from his training with Jiraya. Since then her bust and hips had gotten slightly wider and her face a little more slender. I was sure her hair had grown out, but she always kept it up in those buns so no one could be sure. But it was her eyes that really showed the change. Gone were the joyful eyes of hope, determination and glint for a certain stoic Hyuga. Replaced with the eyes of someone with no goal, hope or any other positive driving force. Her existence now was up to guarding Neji, which contrary to popular belief at first, was one hell of a task.
After Hinata's death, much to everyone's surprise, Hiashi killed himself the day after hearing the news. Apparently that hardened expression that everyone presumed was clan leader induced and maintained, it was more of a deep remorse for the loss of his wife. He treasured his daughters, despite how poorly he showed it. After losing one of his precious mementos of his wife, he quietly locked himself in his office and drove a ceremonial dagger deep into his gut and up into his heart. From there the Hyuga clan might as well of went the way of the Uchiha's. Hanabi had the title of Clan leader thrown upon her far before she was ready for It. From there the story varies a bit from who you hear it. But whoever tells you it can at least agree on one thing, the elders got greedy and tried to break the young leader through dastardly means. From that point the stories all merge upon the agreement that Neji showed up at the hospital covered in blood and screaming with Hanabi in his arms. Hanabi's been in the psychiatric ward ever since, she isn't expected to make a full recovery with the trauma she was put through. There was a battle that night on the Hyuga estate. Many died and soon many followed as that was the great break that finally destroyed the Hyuga's. Sides were drawn, everyone feared everyone and death occurred around every corner. By the time the fighting was broken up, more than two thirds of the clan had died, the remaining refused to talk through bitter stubbornness and damn clan pride of all things. The Hyuga clan now stands broken, held mainly together by their memory and the wealthy state of affairs left behind by the once noble clan. The council is disbanded, more of a flimsy democracy with every single member terrified of trying to change or do something for in fear of restarting the civil war that they endured on that fateful night.
Neji had snapped from all of it. Somehow no one had triggered his cursed seal like almost all of the branch family had endured. Despite not being in the main family and that rather large stick he had up his ass, he did deeply care for his uncle and his two cousins. With two of them dead and the last locked in a padded room to protect herself, Neji lost almost all that he held dear. With his team almost all dead from the events of the final battle, not even Ten ten, the girl who had been warming his heart all these years could keep him from setting his cold eyes on the one man he deemed responsible for the onslaught of his clan. Me. The first assassination attempt was waved off as a mixture of grief and too much drinking. It was dismissed with a warning and everyone reached out to Neji in sympathy. The next one wasn't met with such kindness. He was found literally red handed as he had poisoned my drink and ambushed me outside the bar and was pummeling me with a closed fist for what seems like an eternity. Luckily someone found me, and to this day I can't remember who. I spent a night in Intensive care and a few days in recovery. They somehow found out he had been beating on me for well over half an hour and that the poison he used was slow working, but extremely painful. The kind of stuff you feed your worst enemy and throw him in a cellar to die days later in horrendous agony. Ever since he was under heavy guard and a lot of chakra seals to keep him in check. But the funny thing about those damn prodigies, they adapt. Somehow he keeps building up a small amount of chakra to break his bonds, free himself and finally escape to enact his revenge. He does this nearly once or twice a month. Ten ten got the permanent job of watching him as he had killed his first few guards. Even with all of his blood rage and one tracked mind, he can't bring himself to kill his former teammate and his could have been mate. It broke her heart to have to take the job, but she took it to give herself meaning and to keep her fellow ninja safe. If she didn't, she would have gone the way of her teacher and killed herself years ago.
Years, it's really been years. As Ten ten finishes up chaining Neji, I let my mind wonder to figure out just how long ago it was. I was sixteen when I got back with Jiraya. My eighteenth birthday was a month or two before the final battle, and I'm now twenty seven. Over nine years ago. Has it really been that long? With her job finished, Ten ten waves goodbye and heads back to his holding cell. I'm tempted to goude Neji that I'll see him soon, but I know it's wrong. He's been through enough, hell we all have. Besides, it's true that we will, and if I egg him on it will only be sooner. With my stomach full for the time being and my wallet being far from it, I begrudgingly set on to my next goal, a mission. Kicking a random rock along the road, it doesn't take me long until I'm in front of the Hokage building in the shadow of all six faces of the Hokage. Through the front door, up the stairs down the hall and finally to the double mahogany doors. I knock once hard, and then a quieter second knock, pausing briefly before heading in. I never used to knock, far from it as I would kick the door in and scream about a mission or how awesome I was. And the reason I kept doing it was because the only punishment I would receive would be a scolding. Well that all changed the day I strutted in on the current Hokage giving some women an anal pounding like nothing I've ever seen before. I figured from all of those pervy books that he read that he knew of quite a few interesting things and probably had a few kinks, but nothing could of prepared me for the site of Kakashi giving hell to that girl that he had literally chained to his desk with additional chains around his forearms to better keep the girl and everything else in line. Since that day I have my own custom knock and give him enough time to set up a genjutsu, throw a sheet over the whole thing or jump across the room to deadbolt the door and scream for me to come back.
Luckily for me that wasn't going to be the case today as Kakashi was sitting behind his desk handling a mountain of paperwork. Dropping into a chair before his desk, I look about the room just to see if I can see any cracks or shimmers, an obvious sign of an illusion.
"What? No chains, whips and horse bridal ropes today?" I say with a slight sneer. In spite of all that has happened, what I'm feeling or just how dark I'm feeling, being in Kakashi's presence sparks a small flicker from my old self. Hell, he even got me to say "Dattebayo" three months ago. He still won't let me live that one down after I swore off the word years ago.
"Hmm? Oh that. For the last time, she was applying for ANBU and part of her form stated that one of her masteries was of seduction. And that she prided herself mastering counter interrogation techniques. She stated it in a form of a challenge and declared that not even I in all of my mightiness could break her." He stated matter of factly at the end.
"Is that what you tell yourself and everyone else to hide the fact that you gave hell to one of your fan girls?" I say with as much of a straight face as I can manage.
"She wasn't the first… won't be the last. But I don't care what you say, did you get a good look at that body? I swear Jiraya must have spied on her in the springs. She was word for word the spitting image of a female character in the third book." Kakashi knew full well that saying Jiraya's name was sometimes taboo around Naruto. But at the same time he felt that this may be an exception.
"He would have been proud. That's for sure. I guess that does make you his biggest fan. I guess the next time I'm really strapped for money I can sell you the location of the girl from his last book. Even I peeped on her when Jiraya found her." Naruto all but said with a chuckle. It was hard to mourn for his own master when such a story came with it.
"I see…" Stuck between an interest in tracking down Jiraya's last muse and something else, Kakashi's eyes darted to a small calendar on the side of his desk. Deciding to turn the conversation towards the second opinion, he let his face get serious before he continued. "Speaking of that money, I estimated your funds lasting you another four days. I'm guessing you've been hitting the bottle extra hard."
"Something like that… Got anything up my alley? Hopefully a couple of C or B assassination missions."
"Any chance you'll be coming back to active ninja status? I'm still hoping you'll be the one to take this seat from me, and hopefully soon. The village loves you and the minute you declare you want it, it's all yours. Your old dream is just a few words away Naruto." Kakashi put on his best face and hoped he could reach his old student. Ever since the final battle, he was no longer the bright energetic knucklehead he used to watch over. He lost his spark, his hopes and all love for his dream. He still supported the ninja economy by taking the occasional job and rushed to the town's defense when they were under attack. But he had declined the Hokage title when Tsunade retired and Kakashi was left to take it. He hoped it would only be a temporary thing, a few months until Naruto accepted his true calling and went to claim the title. 6 years later and one new giant face on the mountain and here he was, hoping that this blond savior would relinquish him from his seat.
"You know I can't do that Kakashi. You may not like it, but you're ten times the better Hokage then I would be. I would only do my father and village wrong by taking that title. I said it as a kid for recognition and acceptance. I got that when it was all said and done, but look at me. I'm found passed out drunk sometimes, delusional or just flat out disheveled. Yet people won't say a thing to me. I got a title as a hero and people are blinded by that. If I take the title of Hokage, that will just make me even further from judgment or whatnot by the people. I wanted that title to mean I earned and keep their respect, not to have it given to me to live in a false state of respect despite any actions I might take. There is almost nothing I could do to change people's opinions of me, to keep me in check. They respect you enough to tell you if they think you did something wrong. With me they would just tolerate me and be afraid out of being disrespectful of my past actions. A leader needs to know if what he did is the right thing for the people. I'm not going to endanger this village, the people and myself over a dream I can't support." I didn't mean to say all of that, but Kakashi has been laying it on thick for the past few years. I tried to shrug it off at first, but lately I've just been throwing a mini speech at him. He's desperate to get rid of it, and I'm his number one replacement seat. Yet everyone else below me either isn't ready or doesn't want it.
Accepting the defeat for now, Kakashi juggles a few scrolls on a massive rack and slides two across the table. "Two assassination missions, In and out. One C and one B rank. The C rank is a leader of a band of thieves. He's a bit of a planner and thinker in charge of a bunch of small time crooks. Take him out and that should alleviate the increasing bandit problem plaguing the roads between here and Suna. The B rank is an odd request from Kumo, apparently they have a rather elusive missing nin who escaped recently. He's only a chunnin, but they are having a hard time capturing him. They are afraid he is going to defect to another city and are requesting a tracking ninja from here to try and intercept him. With your sage mode you should be able to find him just as quickly as a Inuzuka. They last saw him heading in this general direction two days ago. They want his body destroyed as to remove any chance of their secrets being stolen. Here are the maps for your missions. This map has the most anticipated areas to find the Kumo nin. I'm guessing that you plan on having these handled like all the previous missions?"
Pocketing the two scrolls and the maps, I form the Ram sign and five clones pop into existence. Carefully scanning the contents of the C mission, I point to the two clones on my right and order them to head out to find the gang leader. After reviewing the B mission, I give the same orders to the other three clones. Popping the window open, all the clones rush out to carry out their mission. "I'll let you know when it's done." Without another word, I disappear from sight and head out to the only spot in the village where I can be found sober. Of all the traits I could have picked up from Kakashi, never in a million years did I think it would be spending all of my time at the memorial stone. But with his pressing matters as the Hokage and all the death I've seen, it just seemed to somehow click that I take up his job of mourning over the true heroes of this village. And just as I arrive at the memorial stone, I'm hit by my strongest memory of the final battle, almost like it was waiting for me at the stone like a loyal dog.
The fight was over. There was no more us and them, just us, or what was left of us. Virtually no one walked away from that battle without some damage. The remaining medic nins had set up a triage tent and everyone capable of walking was called out to make their way over. That was how they were going to see who got first treatment. Those capable of walking were obviously not as bad as the people who couldn't. And for those who couldn't, they were either dead or soon to be. With my condition and location, I was furthest from the triage center and wasn't able to move to fast, so I got to bring up the rear of the "I'm still walking" parade. Of all the pain I suffered during the fight, this was by far the worst. The journey was nothing short of a horrific reunion, with only the worst answers to any question I might have had. "How is he/she?" and "And of their family?" was answered by "Died horribly", "Fatally wounded", "Shame he was the last of his clan" and "Never be the same".
Honorable fighters bled out slowly, hoping that the comrades around them would be die sooner so their pain might be relieved by the few passing medics. Some people had their clan members by their side, to mourn their passing or be with them as it happened. Many of the deaths I had seen previously were rediscovered. It's one thing to see someone die when you're in the fray of battle, casually walking by is a hell on its own level. I didn't cry for the first people I passed, so it seemed like an insult to start crying at any point in this walk. How would mourning one but not another be fair. I kept my solemn resolve and kept marching, my grief stricken face being the only thing I could offer the dead and dying. That theory when straight to hell when I had to make my way past ground zero of the battle, rightfully named as the biggest jutsu's and most deaths happened in this spot. By that right, chances were that if anyone you knew died at that battle, they died here. I managed to pass the first of the rookie 12 without shedding a tear, having traded part of my soul for my eyes to remain dry. The next few absolutely broke my vow to be tearless, yet I didn't break down and weep. I kept walking on with my tears being the sign of my pain. Kiba, Hinata, Sai, Lee and Shikamaru were beyond a doubt gone, filling my heart with untold sorrow. Chouji, Shino and Sakura were grievously wounded, and I could only let out more tears to show my pain over their condition. And then I passed Sasuke, and dispite all the pain and hell he caused everyone, I even shed a few tears for him.
((Well everyone, what did you think? Now I've got a few quick things I need to put out, so please bare with me. First, this is my first story on this site. Could any of you tell? I've been writing stories and stuff for years, but this is my first on this site and not using 100 percent of my own content. I've had this story on my mind for a while now, but never had the time to write it out. I'm planning on making maybe 3-4 more chapters of this, and then moving onto another story I thought up recently. I also decided not to use a beta (Also I didn't have one) to see how well I could do without it. I've seen plenty of stories on here post that this was their first, and a lot of them don't seem to do so well. So I put in some extra effort here on this to see how well mine would work in spite of those setbacks. Second off, I will never beg any one who reads this to post reviews to make myself feel better or whatnot. However, I have no clue if anyone actually found this enjoyable or has any tips. So, review if you want, no pressure by any means, but reviews could lead to improvement to the story or possible shout out's in the next chapter. Third, I will try my hardest to get you a new chapter out within the next week. (Hey, if Kishimoto needs a week to pump out a new chapter, then what makes me any better then him?) My life has a lot of things going on right now, so I'll push myself to try and keep up with this deadline, which I am usually able to keep. Oh, and for the record, I do not own Naruto. Well, that's all I got for now. I hoped you enjoyed this. Until next time.))
