Please note that I am NOT abandoning any of my old fics by starting new ones. A lengthier explanation can be found in the end notes. I just want readers to know that I'll never give up on one of my fics unless I haven't updated in 2 or more years. Then you can consider it abandoned. But I can almost guarantee that will never happen. I'm just having a hard time right now, and new fics help. The old ones need a break for a while : )
"Ninja are tools," a man once told me. "We exist only to serve. Perfect, emotionless, machines. We are shinobi." At the time I recall feeling lost, and I vowed to myself that I would never't allow myself to become a tool. Never would I take a path I might regret, never would I look back. 'Just keep walking forwards,' I said to myself, 'towards the sun!' Haku had a second chance. Zabuza didn't. Somehow, I got the feeling that I wouldn't either. "Ninja are tools, "The Demon of the Mist had said. Well, tools can be sued to protect as well, I thought. "We may be tools… shinobi, but we're still human!"
Naruto Uzumaki walked silently through the city of Konoha, his dirty face barely recognizable under the bruises and dried blood. His trademark orange suit had long since been reduced to rags, and he stood shivering in the chill October air, clad only in a thin white male under-kimono(1). Gleeful eyes watched as the stoic boy was led through the streets.
The enormous ceremonial doors of Konoha were wide open, for once. Lines of shinobi in Jounin uniforms stood ready to close them once more, when the ritual was complete.
Naruto was released from his bonds, and he looked back at the crows once, taking in the cheers and malicious smiles.
Here and there were a few frowns, even some tears. Two people were actually being physically held back from charging after him or beating sense into the Councilmen, smirking in all their rotten glory, high above the rest of the crowd.
But there was more laughter than tears, more joy then grief.
He turned away and walked out the doors, never looking back.
As the twin doors slammed shut two heartbroken howl rose into the air, echoing through the streets. But the sudden roar of cheers that rose from the population swallowed them.
Outside the doors the boy heard the cheers as he walked steadily down the road, and a single tear dripped down his nose, landing on the ground to be absorbed by the parched earth. He never heard the anguished cries.
Uzumaki Naruto was no longer a Konoha ninja.
When the crowds left, two figures still slumped dejectedly in the dirt before the gate. A few put sympathetic hands on their shoulders, before they, too, left; perhaps not to join the revelers, but certainly not the stop them, either.
The parties lasted long throughout the night. The two figures knelt there all the while.
Finally, one figure stood up. She staggered wearily to the other, and placed a hand on their shoulder.
Tsunade looked up, eyes blank and lost.
"We have to stay strong," the girl said, a strange fierceness in her tone, "That's what Naruto-kun would have wanted."
The Godaime blinked away her tears, and nodded, her eyes regaining their inner flame.
Even though she was still kneeling, her posture grew straighter, and the proud, stubborn air that drew people to her once more returned.
"Come," she said, climbing to her feet and taking the other's hand, "We shall grieve together."
"Not for Naruto-kun," said he girl, surprising Tsunade, "For Konoha. Our once-great village is dieing. Naruto-kun should have been the one to make it live."
Tsunade smiled sadly. It was true. So the poor, timid, abused girl, so looked down upon and ridiculed, the Heir to the Hyuugas, Hyuuga Hinata and the Godaime Hokage looked out over the village below. The village they knew would one day fall to ruin.
And they mourned.
Meanwhile, the boy that had held the highest place in each of their hearts, who should have been the one to save their home, walked on, unknowing of the duo's grief.
As a little brother, or maybe a son. As a secret crush, or a possibly a forbidden love. Naruto was a very important person to these two. And even though they felt like they would die without him, that they couldn't live on, they would. Because that's what Naruto would have wanted them to do.
And even though they wanted more than anything to break down right then and there, they stood tall. Even though they wanted to race out of the village after their precious person, they stayed in place. Naruto was strong. He didn't need them, right now.
The village did, before it destroyed itself.
That's what Naruto would have wanted.
Okay! I'm not going to be posting the next chapter of this anytime soon. I just needed something to work on to get rid of my writer's block, and this happened! I've actually planned this entire story out, for the most part. The entire outline isn't quite completed, but I've got the basic plot sorted out. Which is more than I can say for most of my other stories. I'm in the middle of picking apart the previous outlines and putting them back together again, I've completely trashed my original plans for half of them, and the others… well, my writing style has gone through some major changes. I have about three other fics including this that I may put up to help get rid of my writer's block. I never have a problem with new ideas, just with continuing old ones! Not to mention that this school year has been really rough so far, and I've been having trouble with relationships (friends and otherwise)... I'm really stressed, and plot bunnies keep popping up in my mind. I'm having trouble keeping to the plot of old stories. So they're taking a short break. I'll update once I get my mind under control. I'm sorry everyone!
Okay, for the inserts:
thin white male under-kimono(1): Well, I hope everyone knows what I'm talking about, here! The white collar-type thing you see peaking out of the top of regular kimonos? That's a whole different kimono underneath, generally white. If anyone knows what they're called, please tell me! Also, if the male's have a separate name, I'd like to know. I know Hakama are the ones with the samurai-pants, but I'm not talking about those.