I'll call this plot, Just a Hero.
Got this idea from a game, kudos for the game.
I don't own Naruto. Straight and to the point, now let's start.
"The biggest communication problem is that we do not listen to understand,
we listen to reply."
"You don't get it, Sakura-san! The world needs you again!"
Hashirama can't believe this! He can't believe that this... this woman was the woman he believed in when he was a kid! The woman, no, the Hero he believed in will never be like this. His Hero would never be a person that stops believing, a person that stopped hoping. He just couldn't believe it, but it seems this is cold reality and the woman sitting in front of him so casually, so indifferently is the person he has been searching for.
"Don't worry child, the cavalry's here."
"Oh?"
The woman in question just looks uninterested and continues to sort through the many and various weapons she had crafted from the rarest and sturdiest material with her bare hands.
"Are you sure about that, boy?"
The woman continues her pessimistic comments. He just couldn't understand on how could she not get it? Him and his brother have searched by tooth and nail around the countries for this woman, and here she just sat; somewhere in a quiet town that is not so quiet during this time of hour in the dark and shadowy time of the night.
His brother and him gathered facts about this old yet mysterious town, it wasn't really well known throughout the world and Hashirama guessed that's why Sakura-san chose a place like this. Him and Tobirama found a lot of facts about the town they were currently staying in, while gathering information, they found out that this town was also nicknamed "The Ghost Town" with it being old and frequently filled with people that come and go. By come and go, they mean some people just mysteriously show up, stay for awhile and then leave just as they came; mysteriously. During the day, the people looks like any other town in the countryside, all fresh and quiet with a few young kids running about while old women gossip about their younger days and old men talk to younger men in how to do their job like they used to.
By the time when night comes, you could have never guessed that things are so nice and peaceful during daylight. At night it seems that the ghouls of the town show up and play to deal with the people and travelers passing by with their ancient artifacts and convincing words of wisdom. Some warriors come here for weapon and battle equipment like healing pills and other stuff. Some come here to trade gold, treasures or even their souls for something greater but old folks know that some ghouls trade with curses not miracles.
You can imagine Hashirama's surprise and look of obsolute horror when the maiden he was looking for did not, in fact, appeared during daytime and actually showed up when it was his younger brother's turn to investigate which was the time when the diamonds that the gods threw on a dark navy blue blanket up in the heavens for us humans to see, is visible.
"Yes, I'm sure! The world is currently in havoc! It needs the heroes again!"
Hashirama can't it anymore, he's gonna make this woman see what she's doing wrong.
"We need the Heroes again."
Hashirama's absolute and determined face did not change, his belief did not change, his will did not change, his dreams did not change, he did not change, and he's sure as hell he would not change now, not when he's so close in achieving his dream.
His dream to protect the world. His dream to keep his precious people safe. And for him to achieve it he needs help, not just from his family, but also from his idols, from his heroes.
"Keep telling yourself that, kid. Why don't you go back and play in the modern city, hmm?"
The woman in front of him changed, her eyes no longer contain hollow merit, her voice no longer contain fake amusement. She was showing her true feeling now and the was irritation and boredom. Hashirama already knows that right now this woman is not interested in anything he has to say but his eyes still widens when she spoke her opinion.
"Demo!-"
"Don't you get it?"
She interrupted him while turning to look him in the eye, stopping her hands from moving and assorting her tools and merchandise.
"Why, no more like, how do you think we ended up like this, hmm? How did you think us "Heroes" ended up like criminals, pests and trash around the street or in the big cities? Why do you think we're scattered around the world right now, looking for a lifestyle that can suit our needs and not get killed or caught?"
She laughed, the sound seems fake to everyone and they knew it.
""Needs us"? Don't kid me, and more importantly, don't be kidding with yourself. We failed, okay?"
Her eyes looked more hollow with its bright blue pupils in a black background. Even though her eyes shines so bright like the stars they look so empty.
"We failed in keeping the world safe, we failed our objective so we were thrown away. Like the tools we were. They said we walked around giants. They said we were sent by the gods. They said we fought demons. Really, all of those were lies."
She starts moving and assorting things again, not looking them in the eye while telling her story. She chuckles and the sound was so unpleasant to Hashirama's ears, because he knew they were fake and broken.
"Maybe fighting demons weren't far from the truth but we absolutely weren't sent by the gods, we were created her in Earth like everything else. Just, in a more different way."
'Created?' Hashirama thinks in horror as he looks at her questioningly but alas, she wasn't looking at him.
"We were created for a purpose. As children we were born from a tube of glass with liquid that we do not know. As we grew old, the other geezers kept training us, kept observing us, kept us alive for their experiments."
This time, Hashirama's face did transform into a look of horror.
"I'm so sorry!" What else can he say? He's speechless. And there are very few moments in his life when he's like this. How can he say anything right now? He doesn't know what to say to what she just revealed. Hashirama's clueless and so he just stayed quiet after that. Sitting quietly and waiting for her to continue.
"You need not to be sorry. Besides... we were kinda happy. Back during the good old days. There were different labs across the world and from time to time during the year, the labs would meet to share their findings about us. I met a lot of good people during those years. Hell, even some of the scientist were nice. We..."
She looks unsure for a moment.
"We were happy."
She smiled, and for the first time since the start of their fateful meeting Hashirama believes that this, at least, is genuin.
"We were called Marionettes, or Puppets for easy terms. We were a new version from the old one. Every marionettes are formed in groups, in my legion we were called in teams. I was in Team 7."
She looks in the blue fire she created with interest, recalling old memories.
"Long story short, it seems for awhile, we were a success. So we were revealed to the world as Heroes, as Demigods. For a short time, we enjoyed it. After all, not everyone of us passed the test to be a hero."
She paused and looked at her visitors from the corner of her eyes.
"There a few of us with... defects but to us there was no problem with that but it seems the sentiment did not go well for our caretakers."
She looks down at her hands with a sigh.
"Those with defects were thrown away. They were replaced with other Marionettes. Like in my Team, actually, I was a defect but it seems they never knew that. I used to have a teammate named Sasuke but then people started to notice his defects, the way he pauses for short periods of time, the way he questions everything we do, the way he can think openly. When he was discovered, we never saw him again. He was replaced later by a Marionette called Sai. The Team got along well without anyone mentioning Sasuke."
"Even for a little while, we thought... we thought we could just pretend. Even for a little while we just pretended, that our family didn't break apart for other people's interest. We laughed and had fun, basking in people's praises and gratitude in saving them again with the cost of one of our own."
"Ah! Look! It's one of those heroes! She looks amazing!"
"Thank You for saving my son!"
"Hey look! A hero!"
"Don't worry! Heroes are coming!"
"They're here, see!"
"Look a hero!"
"Arigatou!"
"Thank you so much!"
"Even then, we still had each other's back. And when people started forgetting us, forgetting that we can be human too... we..."
She hadn't move a bit after getting the part to her defective teammate. She just stared generally at their direction through the fire with her head down, her hair shadowing her eyes, while telling her story.
"We broke apart. The labs were shut down. Our headquarter became a danger zone and were quarantined. We lost. We weren't good enough. And that led to where we are, right now."
Silence settled between them. What could they say? She just told them in front of their faces that she wasn't a human being. At the very least not a normal human being. And that they were abandoned by the very people they died protecting.
"Don't you think you kids should go home? It's not safe for you to be here. Evil things move in the night."
Even so, even if she told everything to him. Even if she already told it in front of his face that she already gave up hope. Hashirama isn't gonna stop. He's not gonna give up.
"Why do you say that! I am not a teenager anymore much less a kid!"
No. He doesn't want to go back home empty handed. He doesn't want to back out just yet.
"I'm not giving up! I'll never give up! I will help you gather your teammates back! Surely they are strong enough to survive this long, right? We can do this. We can find them! And stop the war before it even begins!"
After his speech, he looked her at the eye. Hashirama doesn't know, maybe he's just kidding himself like she says but Hashirama thinks he just saw a glimmer of respect and interest in those dark yet bright eyes.
"For a boy, you sure are so sure for yourself. And don't get me wrong, boy." Hashirama's right eyebrow twitched and he was sure she didn't missed it and was doing this on purpose.
"I may look younger than you but I am more than a century old. All of us Marionettes are. We were revealed long after we were created, maybe more than a century or so... many scientists died while observing and researching on us. And each scientist passed their research on to their own legacies. But most of all of the scientists' clans already died out, except a few that I know of."
The woman hums in thought, this made Hashirama's heartbeat quicken and made hi nervous.
"That's enough storytelling for one night, don't you think kiddos? Let's us head back to our own respectful places."
Hashirama heart sank and his face looks matches those of loss.
'I see. So this is what it's like to feel defeat.' Hashirama thinks as he moves to stand up and apologize for wasting her precious time and in the same time, the woman all along was packing her equipment and was ready to go with her tiny backpack that can carry all the stuff he had just witnessed.
Just as Hashirama was about to talk, he paused when he saw the most genuine grin on this beautiful woman's face.
"Meet me in front of the old chapel up north in this town. I will see and think about your offer. Till then,"
She opened her eyes but still managed to keep a small smile on her face as she saluted him then winked.
"See ya."
And then unexpectedly, she disappeared in a swirl of the blue fire she lit. Hashirama blinks.
His brother moves quickly beside him, alarmed that the woman may cast some kind of sorcery on his brother.
"Was that some kind of spell? Hey, Hashirama-nii. Are you listening?"
Hashirama was suddenly reminded as to where they were.
"Did you see that Tobi! She might accept! I'm sure she'll join us!"
And maybe... he's younger brother is right. Maybe that woman did cast a spell on him.
A spell that women all around the world for the past centuries used on men in making them do stupid things and yet, be happy all the same.
"Tell me, are you even Alive?
Or are you just breathing?"
"Where is she... why do you think she's so late, ne otouto?"
Tobirama takes away his eyes from the scenery that is the green yet cold lands bordered by tall and sturdy trees with a large holy building tucked in a part of the wild forest. The atmosphere is cold and Tobirama thinks that that's normal since its nearing winter in these parts.
"I told you already, brother, to not trust her so easily. This might as well be a trap or distraction for her to leave the vicinity immediately."
'But no, you wouldn't listen to me...'
Tobirama blinks slowly, just realizing something.
'And I guess... I wouldn't listen to myself either.'
Tobirama bit back to his brother questioning comment. Tobirama doesn't like this one bit. The woman... changed when they last saw her. And that was a long time ago. He is still surprised that even after all these years she hasn't aged one bit.
'But I guess... that's one of the perks of being a doll... or puppet.'
Tobirama was there when the woman was relaying her story. He didn't say anything nor did he comment anything. He was here to help his older brother fulfill his dream and protect his family. He couldn't say that he didn't respect the woman... but he certainly did not respect the woman now. Tobirama respected the woman back then, being a strong and caring individual.
That was until she revealed that, that was their purpose after all. That they were made to be string enough to protect the people and have emotions enough to care for them. Tobirama was having conflicted feelings for the woman, and no, not romantic feelings... just confusing feelings in which what he thinks and he used to think as a kid.
Let's say he did used to respect the woman, ever since that day.
Tobirama looks down at the soft grass of the lands, thinking back on what happened that day.
"Alright, kiddies, I think it's best for you children to oughta stay low for awhile. 'Kay?"
But unfortunately for Tobirama, Hashirama was there to disturb his thoughts with a ooke to his shoulder, causing him to sigh tiredly and turned to look at his oh so dear older brother.
"What is it, Hashirama-nii?"
Hashirama was already suspecting this outcome from Tobirama. Ever since their meeting with one of their heroes, Tobirama became unsure and confused. Like every little brother would when seeing something going wrong with their older brother's plans.
"I just wanna ask you something, Tobi."
Hashirama smiled at Tobirama with brotherly love. Tobirama supressed the urge to roll his eyes desperately at his older brother's show of affection, but still can't help but feel the warmth seeping through him.
"Do you trust me?"
Tobirama was taken back at his older brother's question. Tobirama narrowed his eyes with a cold calculative gleam in his blood red orbs. Tobirama deduced that Hashirama must be concerned with him again with all that is happening.
Tobirama sighs exasperatedly at his brother.
Inside his head of course. There was no way he was gonna do that in front of his older brother.
'Stupid fucking idiot...'
"Why do you ask?"
Outside, Tobirama answered indifferently at first then he smiled a little for his brother's concern.
"Of course I do."
Hashirama, glad that his younger brother still trusts him, grins widely.
A clap was heard from above them, with the following words soon heard after.
"Good, good... Even after all these years you two still hold a strong bond."
Tobirama stiffened when he heard the noise then tried to relax his muscles but it seemed he was having a hard time doing that. Meanwhile, Hashirama relaxed after confirming on who it was above them hiding in the trees' branches.
Tobirama and Hashirama were alone, a while ago at least, in the designated clearing with the chapel up north of the town; where it seems to be mostly abandoned, seeing that no one is currently present in the fields. They have been here for quite awhile and decided to stay under the nice and comforting shades of the trees. Tobirama agreed with his brother for once, seeing that the place was a good source for cover, ever if anything bad will happen, and it also has a good view at the entirety of the lands. A few minutes later and here they are.
The woman they have been waiting for have finally appeared.
Tobirama questions, in the privacy of his own mind, in how long have they been waiting? Did the months of gathering information count? Or did only the few minutes they sat here under the nice shades of the tree did? He didn't know but he didn't ask, keeping the question for himself to ponder in his own mind.
The woman, that was previously lounging somewhat comfortably looking at the branches of the trees, suddenly, as if by teleportation although that wouldn't surprise them, appeared in front of them.
"I'm glad."
Sakura smiled brightly, she hasn't felt anything like this in years! For the first time, and because of these tow little boys no less, she has a bit of hope in her heart. And she knows, by experience, that any piece of hope can grow and grow larger until you can fully believe in what you are doing; in what you are fighting for.
Tobirama can't fight the blush that appeared in his face when the woman became visible to their eyes, especially when she grinned in front of them while commenting about him and his brother's bond.
Tobirama's widened eyes didn't have to look beside him to see Hashirama's face to know that his older brother's face is ten times worse. Tobirama grunted while managing to remove the blush on his cheeks. Both of the brothers quickly stood up, with Hashirama still slightly blushing while nervously rubbing the back of his head meanwhile Tobirama successfully removed his blush although his ears are still somewhat tinted red, but not as red as Hashirama and he's the paler one here.
"I knew it!"
His brother exclaimed in an excited way he always does in his foolish endeavors, the only thing weird here to Tobirama is that he is actually participating in his older brother's idiotic ways.
And just like Tobirama, Sakura-san seemed to be confused to. Yet Sakura, at least, shows her real amusement with her smile because of what Hashirama did. This, somehow, ticked something inside Tobirama.
"Knew what boy?" Sakura doesn't know why. Why she decided to humor this boy. This man.
She doesn't know why she decided to stay.
Why she didn't take the chance to leave the area.
Why she didn't pack her bags and left during the night after their meeting.
Why she decided to believe these two boys that maybe, she once met during the better days of her life.
She tries to answer herself that, maybe it was because she was reminded so much of her old friends because of these two.
Maybe it was because she was tired of waiting at the streets and alleys for someone to find her.
Maybe it was because she wanted to see the world change for the better.
Maybe because she wanted to fight again.
Or maybe, she just wants to feel what its like to hope again.
Sakura doesn't know but as she stands in front of these two young men, she removes those bitter thoughts for later.
Hashirama grins even wider, if it were even possible.
"I always knew you weren't one to back down easily!"
Tobirama already knew that his brother was crazy long ago and this was just his attitude. Tobirama moves his eyes away from his brother's face to look at the woman in front of him. He took note of her slightly wide eyes at his brother's words, Tobirama deduced that it must've met something to her. Now Tobirama's confuse.
Words about not giving up?
Did others say that to her?
So they weren't the first ones to go to her for help?
Or maybe someone important to her praised her like that.
Tobirama isn't sure but he keeps these facts in mind for later.
"I knew you weren't one to give up, Sakura-chan!"
Sakura blinks away the painful memories of a blonde haired idiot with bright and deep blue eyes that almost resembled her own.
She smiled bitterly, why do they always keep doing this to themselves?
Sakura thinks why do people like her kept hurting themselves for others?
Who knows. It was in there blood anyway, to spill the same blood that was artificially made for others.
"What a nice thing for you to say, Hashiraa-kun~"
Hashirama's blush intensified and Tobirama couldn't believe his ears. Wide red orbs stared at the pink haired woman in disbelief.
Tobirama doesn't know why but he has an inkling feeling that the woman in front of him will cost him a lot of problems in the nearby future.
The End~
Maybe not...
Who knows?
Leave a review!
- Torikki J. ~
