There are good days, and then there are bad days.
Some good days are simply indescribable, it seems like everything's falling into place. Everything that can go your way is, your luck is at an all time high and you can't wipe that shit eating grin off your face.
Some bad days are simply indescribable, it seems like everything's falling apart. Nothing goes your way, every single choice you make seems to be the wrong one and no matter what you do that scowl won't leave your face.
I've been having one of those bad days. I could go on in detail about what made it so terrible. I could take up page after page of text explaining all of my woes, but that's not why I'm here.
Nor is it why you're here.
You see, when people have bad days we look for an escape. Some people turn to family or friends to vent to them, shout in rage or angry text messages to blow off steam. Others turn to the less approved methods: drinking and drugs. While effective for a short duration, they both do little to actually turn your day around. Then there's people like me, people that like to get lost in a story. Of course there's other ways to deal with those really bad days, and I know that I'm glossing over many of them.
So what story did I choose to deal with my terrible day?
Did I peruse my collection of novels and find a title that I've read before? Revisit one of the stories that I can recount near perfectly from memory?
Perhaps I made a trip to a library or a bookstore and wandered the aisles, stopping only when a title or artwork catches my eye. I know it's petty, to judge a book by it's cover, but some of the best novels I've read are only because I saw the cover.
Maybe I watched a tv show, anime or even a movie. After all, storytelling isn't limited to paper. Some of the greatest stories of our days are told on a giant screen in a near black room with dozens of other people there to enjoy the same story.
Or one of my personal favorites, assuming the role of the hero in a videogame. Wading into the deep end while facing impossible odds. Despite having the deck stacked against us, we still win. In a world where you're constantly told "you can't do that" or "you're not good enough" or "your idea/thought/way of thinking is wrong" or my ever favorite "you're just a failure" it's so very gratifying to see three simple words pop up on a screen: Congratulations, you win.
So what did I choose? Favorite book, a new adventure in text, an artfully told story on a screen, or taking up the mantle of a hero?
In the end, I chose neither of them. I didn't feel like curling up with a book, at home or at a library or store. Watching a show just didn't feel like it would be enough for today. Even my ever faithful video games seemed… dull.
That's how I found myself sitting on the edge of a bridge, overlooking a large stream running beneath it. Forest surrounds both sides of this rickety old bridge and runs along the stream as far as the eye can see. The gentle sounds of nature - the trickling water splashing below me, the subtle gusts of wind rippling through the trees, the ever present sounds of insects humming in the background - is music to my ears.
This is what I wanted, to simply get away from it all. From people. From family. From friends. From my obligations and responsibilities. From society as a whole. I just wanted a few hours to myself and to just exist for a while.
That is where I found myself one autumn afternoon, my feet dangling over the edge of a bridge and swinging to the music of nature. My eyes roaming over the intricate beauty of the trees, the stream, of nature. My hands, palm down, slowly toying with the loose dirt on the concrete of the bridge. The wind gently blowing my hair into my face, but for the life of me I can't seem to care.
It's a rare moment for me, to get away from everything. It's moments like these that I treasure. Just me, alone. No cell phone buzzing with countless mostly stupid texts. No phone calls from my boss asking me to work overtime again. I don't know why, but I find a strange sense of serenity when I can just sit alone.
"You don't plan on jumping do you?" A smooth and well cultured voice asks me out of the blue.
I can't stop my reflexive flinch. I didn't even hear him approach because I was so lost in the moment. This man is wearing a tailored suit. It's black and very clean, not a speck of dust on it. He's holding a briefcase in his left hand. His shoes gleam in the sunlight, they're polished to a pretty shine. But his face, where I expected worry or even concern, it seems indifferent.
"I'm… sorry?" I ask in confusion from my spot on the edge of the bridge. I'm awkwardly twisted in the midsection to look behind me.
"Are you going to jump?" He asks again in the smooth voice. In that well spoken and refined voice. In that uncaring and indifferent voice.
"Jump? Why the hell would you think - oh." I'm sitting on the edge of a bridge with my feet dangling over the edge. I'm alone and have an air of sadness about me. No doubt I look like I'm contemplating jumping. "Nah, I'm not going to jump. I just like to come here sometimes to escape everything."
"Interesting." He pulls back the sleeve on his wrist to check his watch. "I could have sworn it was today. Am I early?"
"You alright there buddy?" I ask in bewilderment. Who is this guy? What's a suit wearing business type man doing way the hell out here on this run down bridge?
"Forgive me, usually I'm quite punctual. It's something I pride myself on to be honest." He pulls his sleeve back down - brushing out a nonexistent wrinkle - and shrugs. "Though it's even rarer that I'm early. Since you're not going to jump and I have an appointment here soon regardless, would you like some company?"
"Uh…" No I don't want company! That's the entire point of coming out here! But, regrettably, I was raised to be polite. With a heavy sigh I pat the spot next to me. "Sure. Why not."
The man sets his briefcase down and joins me on the edge of the bridge. I'm surprised he did to be honest, that suit looks expensive and well maintained. He just sat in dirt.
"May I ask you a question?" He starts up conversation once his legs start swinging in time with mine.
"Go ahead." I nod my consent. Maybe he's out here for the same reason I am. Maybe he just wants an escape too. Or maybe… he's here to do what he thought I was going to do.
"What is your take on the afterlife?" He asks barely a moment after my consent. He doesn't look at me as he asks this, nor does he seem attentive to me. Almost as if he's going through the motions he's done a hundred times before.
Could this man, this obviously successful man, be suicidal? No, he can't be. Can he? Shit. On the off chance he is could I live with myself if I did nothing? Could I continue to have a clear conscience if I leave him here and go home only to see his face on the news later? No, I can't.
"That is a loaded question." I've got to at least try to save him. No, not try. I will save him. "There seems to be many versions of the afterlife, as you called it. There's pretty much one for every religion. Frankly, I have absolutely no idea what to think. Perhaps, instead of simply one version, it's up to the individual? Maybe they have some role to play in deciding what happens."
"Curious." The suit wearing man turns to me, pinning me in an inquisitive stare. "You're right, as ludicrous as that sounds. I find that the best way to think of it is as another universe where you belong. A dreamworld made just for you and filled with whatever it is you want."
"That sounds asinine." I snort out. Keep him talking. The more he talks the less he jumps. "A dreamworld made just for you? So like giant mountains of ice cream and oceans filled with your favorite drink?"
"Not quite." The hints of a smile dance across his face as he turns towards the stream. "For instance, let's say you're a world renown hunter. Your own version of this 'dreamworld' could be you hunting big game, the biggest you've ever seen. Or perhaps you're a mountain climber and you wish to climb Mt. Everest. Or perhaps you want to be a gold medal winning Olympian. This dreamworld wouldn't just hand it all to you on a silver platter. It would give you exactly what you want, the good and the bad. The hunter could get mauled, where is the risk and thrill of hunting if the creature simply gives up? The climber could get hypothermia, what's the point of doing something that risks your life if there is no risk at all?. The Olympian might not win, there's no sport if there's not dozens of people vying for that golden medal. Because this dreamworld is still a world. Just one built with you in mind. One of your choosing, if you will."
"You know, I kind of like that version." I'm not even saying that to make him feel better. "Who wants everything handed to them? Where's the spark of life if everything is easy? Food always taste better when you cook it yourself."
"Apt comparison." The man nods sharply once. "So what would yours be like? Which dreamworld would you choose? What universe would you be thrown into? Draw from stories you've heard or read if you need inspiration."
"Honestly?" I rack my brain for options. "I'm pretty nerdy, so prepare yourself and don't feel bad if you don't know what I'm talking about. Harry Potter would be cool. For a while. Magic is so enticing, being able to do anything with it. Lord of the Rings, that universe would be damn cool too. Elves, dwarves, hobbits, dragons, wizards. Great battles between huge clashing armies. It's almost romantic. One Piece? Life on a pirate ship could be interesting. Hunter X Hunter might be a good one. Then there's Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. That's a few that might have potential. But it's none of those. I know exactly what it would be. A place of violence, yet beauty. A place of secrets, yet ideals. A place of assassins, yet heros. The Naruto Universe. I'd love to go there."
"A world full of killers?" The man's brow furrows in confusion. "You'd elect to go to a place where people are paid to lie, steal, cheat and kill on command? You'd chose a place where life for many is a struggle, a place where tyrants decide the fate of entire countries on a whim? You'd pick a world that demands you to abandon some part of your morals?"
"Absolutely." I say with true conviction. "I know that if it was a real world it wouldn't be anywhere near as pretty as the manga or anime. I know that it's a really fucked up place where your life can be forfeit simply because you're from the wrong Village or someone has enough money to pay for your head. It's harsh, it's cruel, it's unforgiving, it's biased."
"Then why that one?" The man asks as he checks his watch once more. "A world where you're not measured in who you are, but how useful you are or will become?"
"Because I'd have so much fun there." The words flow smoothly out of my mouth. "The thrill of planning a heist and watching as it succeeds. The rush of a true life or death battle between shinobi where one wrong step is game over. The burst of energy as you discover talent at something, like jutsu, that has never been within your grasp before. The look of relief on a person's face as you save their life. It's a dark world, it's a gritty one, it's full of blood and sweat and tears. I know that. But I think I'd thrive in it."
"Could you kill?" The man fully turns to me for the first time since he sat down. "Could you watch the life leave someone's eyes because you snuffed it out?"
"Probably." I shrug, it's a natural and fluid gesture. One that doesn't convey the seriousness of the question. "I've never done it before so I have no idea. I've already come to terms with it under certain circumstances. For instance, if someone was threatening to kill me or one of my loved ones and I had a chance to stop it. I'd take that chance."
"Interesting." The man weighs something in his mind. A single moment of hesitation happens as he opens his mouth to speak once more, as if he's not sure he wants to say the next words. "Hypothetically, if you could control some aspects of this new universe you're going to, what would they be? Let's say for every detail you pick, I pick one to keep things interesting."
"Oh. Uh." I didn't expect that question. "I mean a bloodline - Kekkei genkai - would be pretty sweet. I don't really know which one I'd want though. Contrary to the masses, I wouldn't want instant power. So not the Rinnegan. Though it's damn cool. But which one?"
"No matter." He waves his hand in a dismissive gesture. "I'll decide which one for you, it'll save time. Which we're running out of. Anything else?"
"I suppose it would be nice to definitely be in the time near the start of the plot." I look off to the leafs of the trees rustling in the gentle breeze. "I've read a few - remember I'm a nerd so if you don't get this don't worry - awesome fanfictions that have their original character be involved in the plot. It also shows how their presence changes it and stuff, some get so crazy! There's this one where a kid with a frankly poorly chosen name - Alvarcus if you can believe it. How's that Japanese at all? It's almost like the name means something to the author so he picked it - goes through so much shit. There's this thing with Orochimaru in the forest, and then a thing with Sakura in the Tournament, and oh man you wouldn't believe where he goes to next! I'm off topic. Oh gosh I'm so sorry! I just get passionate sometimes. But yeah, close to plot. Or near the same age as Naruto."
"Easy enough." The man checks his watch for the final time. "Though I get to tweak something else. You picked when, I'll pick where. Last chance to declare anything else."
"I want a good teacher. I don't know why that matters, I'm sure I'd get one anyways since it's my dreamworld and it's tweaked to favor me." I think that's how he described it. Meh, even if he didn't this is just two people talking about fantasies. "One who will recognize talent and help me. I don't want one who would spoon feed me the solution to every problem or hand me jutsu because I demanded it, but one who will point me in the right direction and be there when I ask for advice. I want one who would make me earn my place as a shinobi and be proud of me and my accomplishments."
"Almost like a Master and Apprentice relationship, if you will. A good teacher, yet I'll make them not necessarily a good person." The man softly speaks to himself. "You'll get a bloodline that I pick, born near the same time as Naruto in a location of my choosing, and a good teacher yet not a good person. Easy enough to work with."
The man stands up, dusts off his pants and picks up his briefcase. He looks both ways across the bridge, looks up at the sun and speaks one last time.
"I suppose I should introduce myself." A full smile, one that has a spark of emotion though I'm not sure which, blooms to life. "I'm Death, it's a pleasure to meet you."
The breeze blowing through the trees falls silent. The sloshing of the stream below us fades into nothing. The ever present sound of insects humming ceases. The sunlight on my face feels less warm.
It's at that moment that the bridge breaks.