Left Behind - Root Chronicles
Salvation, Mercy, Hope
Words told as fairy tales to the weak and stupid.
There is no mercy, there is no salvation, and hope is a lie to oneself.
Never believe in anything, but your own abilities.
It is the only thing that will keep your alive.
~An excerpt from the Roots Manuel page# 1
It was over, roots were disbanded, but this time for good. Danzo-sama was dead, and that was a crushing blow that the organization couldn't recover from, or at least, that is what it seemed like to everyone else. Though Sai knew the truth, a man that could put together something like this within the very heart of a shinobi village and it goes un-noticed for years would have more things in places than his and his top two commander's death could bring to its end.
He would have a another plan in place.
Sai sat in the trees as he let the wind whip past him.
It had been so many years since he had first entered, and he had found his way out. He knew his brother would have been proud of that ...as he ran a hand through his hair. A reflex to comfort himself when he was alone, but he wouldn't be alone for long so he needed to stop that. He would press his back against the bulk of the tree's bark.
This tree ...it was marked with his first fight here in Konoha.
He remembered, it was the first time he had used his blood line technique, and one of the few times it had come out ...in the open. It had been before he knew better, as he closed his eyes, and then open them again to feel a presences that told him he wasn't alone. He would see her glaring at him, the familiar hatred was hollow now ..., but it still could be felt ...now that he knew what he was looking at. She would smile at him, the girl with the tiger color hair, ...the only other survival other than himself from the original roots.
"Tiger."
She had claim that name for herself at the end of everything.
"Dog."
That wasn't his name though, but, he knew better than to rise to the taunt. He would have never given it a second thought before he joined Team Seven.
"You came, I was sure, you had found your new home at the feet of that Tsunada-bitch too appealing to ever answer our call again. Or, that you would be too scared to face us."
The words were cold, and what could he expect. No one liked her, not a single one of the roots members ...for Danzo-sama hadn't like her either. So, it was nothing to be surprised about as he shook his head.
"I do ...follow the will of Konoha. I just choose not to be it's roots anymore ...feeling the sun is nice."
The girl ...no woman would have one eye twitch in her annoyance. She had never been good at masking her emotions, it was why she seldomn did anything that require her to be in the limelight of the organization. It was why, she was still underground to this day. She just didn't have the will to be emotionless, and even when her eyes were hollow and dead ...you could see the pit there. The void, and it wasn't simply an absences like what he had been able to create. It was obvious, that something was missing, and that it would eventually be fill with something.
"Traitor."
She spat.
"Never."
He would answer back before he thought of what she had just said.
"Really, still loyal? Good, we need you to kill some people in the leaf."
"Never."
The words cut off any more of her nonsense, as she went almost livid at the words.
"Then you aren't loyal to us then."
Sai sat back for a moment and shook his head.
"I have learned, loyalty doesn't mean blind. I will do anything for Roots, but, I will not do everything for Roots."
He would tell her as Tiger's eyes blaze.
"There is no difference."
Sai shook his head slowly.
"There is a big differences."
Tiger would smile lightly.
"No, there isn't ...not in Roots, and you know the price for abandoning us."
Sai knew. There was no mercy in roots, there was no abandonment, there was only one course, and the boy would go still. He had been aware this might be why he was called out. He had no fear of it ... he just hated he would leave so many behind. They would not be happy, and he thought to make some sort of request that wouldn't leave them feeling so hollow afterwards. But, this was roots, they will do things as ...they had decided. No request of his would be answered if it wasn't already in the plans, and thus, he knew he simply needed to accept everything.
He had done so many good things ...he would focus on them. Though he would still ask ...as he took a deep breathe.
"Will my death be that of a hero or that of a dog?"
It shouldn't be important, but he thought of his friends. He wanted them to mourn him ...not grieve for him. There was a time, he wouldn't have known the differences. He did now, and he was asking ...for them...as her eyes would pierce him.
"If I had my say, you would die like a dog. They would find your body in these woods ...your own kunai in your throat, and your glassy eyes staring at nothing. The mark of roots on your forehead."
Sai would look at her stupidly then. For roots left no marks, only death in their wakes, but, he wouldn't voice that. It would seem he had been deem worthy of the second option. He would die ...with dignity, and he really couldn't ask for more than that. Afterall, he had given so many a dog's death...he was getting better than them in this service.
"Straighten you affairs, you have been given two days ... do not make us regret this choice."
The boy would put one close fist into his palm. He would bow his head to her then as he replies back sternly.
"Hai."
Roots never left anyone behind ...while they breathed. Sai knew this, and did not regret.
(Chapter 1 - complete)