I sat on the Hokage monument, looking out at the scene in front of me, which was a world that seemed at peace. It was four years after the fourth great ninja war and the five nations were in order. I sighed and looked down at the town, it was so peaceful and friendly, and I couldn't help but smile. There were so many happy people walking around that there was no way for you not to smile, kids laughing together with their brothers and sisters and most importantly their parents.
It was four years ago that my parents died and on that same day was when my life was changed drastically.
In a village classroom, sat a crying child. All around them were the unmoving bodies of their friends. Even their teachers laid their dead to the world.
Crying, to the kid's credit was not the first option the child had tried. They had run to get help, they lived in a village of warriors after all, and they knew that support was only a short run away. They were wrong. Even in their village, heralded as one of the strongest, their mightiest warriors were laid low. Sleeping unable to wake. They tried shaking them yelling spilling water on them, but it was no use.
Finally, they cried. It was all I had left. In the terror of that day they were shown their place a child no match for the monsters, they were left too.
A few years later that same child sat on the great stone heads of the past leaders. I wasn't alone, in fact, many children came here. Some young and full of hope for their future. Some older and merely looking for a suitably romantic place to let their hormones run wild though they were somewhat subtle about the PDA. All making promises, declaring their dreams or merely stating their emotions. It was comfortable to be with all these people, all shrouded in the illusion of peace their village fostered.
A sigh escaped the child though I quickly looked around. Self-conscious of being overdramatic. Seeing no one had seen me and was about to mock me for my sentimentality, I leaned back and idly wondered what I wanted out of life. A weighty subject to be sure. Perhaps not one suitable for one so young. But that was the problem; I wasn't so young. I had been forced to grow unnaturally and felt that the simple childish wish for adventure was beyond me even though going on adventures wouldnʻt hurt.
They also wondered if they were acting too edgy about this. Sure my parents were dead but so were other people's. Do I have a right to feel this way? And for that matter what did it matter if I did? Not like anyone would know. Stopping myself before I got stuck in a never-ending loop of an existential crisis...
again.
They went back to what they wanted. Best to just figure this out now. Given the lessons, they had received from their self-proclaimed sensei. They decided power was what they wanted. Since they didn't have anything else power would make a good goal for now. After all, it was a commodity that could be exchanged for just about anything.
They nodded yes power would do fine. Suddenly looking around to see if anyone else was watching me, I saw that there was no one around, I was alone.
Wait
They bolted upright.
"Oh god, everyone's gonna think I'm some weirdo who stays up late at night to pose on the Hokage's monument." I started running for the path back to the village then froze, "Wait I can't run back to the village then people will think I'm running from some powerful ninja and they'll go into a panic." I walked again "But won't I look weird if I'm not running back?" I began to run again. Then I froze once more.
Then I sat down to think about it.
'Okay, so running makes me look weird. And walking makes me look weird...' I punched my palm "jogging" I said standing up a look of determination on my face quickly replaced by an easy smile. Things were looking up after all they had a goal. They had a few friends left, and they figured out a way to get back to the village without looking weird.
This adult stuff was easy.