Author: Lilas
Titled: Carved Faces
Summary: Set in the future. Someone contemplates the Hokage memorial.
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Warning: Hints of SasuNaru (only if you wanna see it)
Author's Note: This fic is fucked up. Personally I think it's loaded with spelling mistakes and grammatical errors and pure randomness. I also made up a Hokage. *shrugs* And the ending sux. But that's just me. You guys tend to like my stuff more than I do. *snkrs* Well, let me know what you think! Comments are always greatly appreciated!
***
He watched the cliff side with an air of concentration and sadness. He remembered his father telling him how his grandfather had talked about the time when there had only been four faces carved onto the rocks. He remembered his old man had told him how the black eyes had shone with a longing he had never seen before.
There were six faces on the rocks now. Four were men's faces, hard and steady, bearing the weight of fights and battles. One was cracked. It had been cracked since the time of his grandfather. It had cracked, but it had never been repaired. It had been left as a memorial to those who had lost their lives during that fight; it had been left as a remembrance to the events which had taken place after that battle.
Blue eyes moved across the carved faces on the rocks. He had known two of the Hokages whose faces were on the wall. He stared at the first woman's face. He stared at the symbol on her forehead. He had learned about her reluctance to become Hokage. He had learned about her involvement in the War. He had been born when things had become slightly peaceful in the village. He had been born after the Uchiha had returned.
He was learning about that time period.
He blinked and looked at the face of the woman next to the Fifth Hokage. She hadn't lasted long. She had died a few years ago when Akatsuki had attacked the village in the hopes of robbing it of its trump card. She had died protecting the village. It had been an unfair fight. She had stood her ground grandiosely as she had fought off the shinobis, but reinforcement had been late, and there was only so much injury a person could sustain, even if they were the Hokage.
He had read ahead in the history textbook.
Since her death, a new Hokage had been selected. A male. The counsel had taken forever to agree on the decision. He had been old enough by then to remember the events without having to read the textbooks. He remembered people parading in the streets, some protesting the fact the counsel was even considering him, while others claimed there was no better candidate.
But what did he know? He was still young. He didn't understand anything. All he knew was that the man was strong –stronger than any other Hokage. And he had the respect of the generation that mattered. He was loved and respected by all those ninjas who were in their prime and who were in charge of protecting the village. There really was no choice, now that he thought about it. He remembered the man's comrades threatening to leave the village if he was not given his proper chance.
He could still recall the new Hokage's inauguration ceremony. It was a difficult time for the village. Many people were divided, and many more wanted the Hokage dead. But even on that day he had never seen any bodyguards, he had never heard the Hokage accuse anyone. Things had changed though. A new war, a new sacrifice, and the village was no longer divided.
He watched as the constructors worked on the mountain side. They were adding a new face to the monument. Not because its bearer was dead. They were finally beginning construction because its bearer had finally been recognized. It had taken the villagers a sacrifice for them to understand they were the Hokage's first and foremost priority, and that even though they might despise him, he loved them all. He remembered his father being outraged at the villagers. He remembered as he cursed and spit them out in the privacy of their home, rambling on and on about how the Hokage had taken on their burden since he was born, and had still to gain their respect.
He watched silently as whiskers were slowly carved onto the rock. The Hokage was alive, but now he was heavily surrounded by bodyguards. No one would leave him alone. He was still recovering. He remembered his father commenting how the Uchiha would never leave him alone. How the Uchiha was his new shadow, always around but never seen, always watching, always guarding. He remembered when he visited the Hokage himself and he could feel the Uchiha's eyes boring into his back even though he could not see him.
He eyed the half finished head for a few more moments before turning away. It was time for him to return to his duties. It was his turn to watch over the Hokage and to feel those cold eyes on him again.
Blinking one last time he moved his gazed from one head to the other, smiling. Only those truly worthy were given the title Hokage. Only those who truly deserved it were given an immortal place in the rocks. He smiled as he turned away. This Hokage was as worthy as any other. He had proven his love to the village. He had proven it just like the others had proven it.
***
Is it just me or was that ending too abrupt? Should I change it? *contemplates*