This was just something that popped into my head when I was thinking about where the logs come from for the substitution jutsus. xD Enjoy!
From Whence the Logs Come
Ever wonder where all the logs come from?
Well, the trees sure don't.
For example, the poor oak sapling that was the victim of Kakashi's substitution jutsus during Team Seven's bell test….
"Wow! I'm so tall!! Someday I'll be as tall as the geezers that have been around for 200 years!"
The young oak sapling was 10 feet tall. He was an optimistic little tree, and he had been growing for 20 years in Fire Country near the Leaf Village's training grounds. He was the equivalent of a tree still a few years from the teenage stage. Surrounded by such strong people, he felt invincible himself. Nothing could take him down! He was invincible! He was strong! He was-
Now 2 feet shorter.
Then another foot.
And another.
Soon, the poor little oak was 4 feet tall. Anguish enveloped his roots. He let his acorns slowly fall to the ground to symbolize the tears he couldn't but was internally crying.
Trees have no tear ducts. This is why you never learn their sorrow.
And what's the cause of all the little oak's sorrow?
Substitution Justus!!
The little oak lost 6 feet to help Kakashi's substitution jutsus when he was administering Team 7 their bell test.
However, shorter thereafter….
He had thought all hope was lost. But he regrew! Some kind ninja regrew him using an earth jutsu, and he was now 20 feet tall- twice as tall as he once was! He felt like the luckiest tree alive. He was tall! He was sturdy! He was strong! He was-
Now cut in half, bleeding his tears on the ground.
Trees have no tear ducts. This is why you never learn their sorrow.
They can only bleed their tears, but no tree likes to portray their sadness in visible wounds. They show it in the way they grow instead. However, this little oak had no other choice but to bleed his anguish.
And what's this cause of the little oak's sorrow?
Ninja battles!!!
The little oak was cut in half when the Shukaku swung his tail during Naruto's fight with Gaara in the chunin exams.
And then, 3 years later….
The little oak couldn't take it anymore. Please take me now, Lord! He just wanted to die and become a part of the earth to end his agony. And then- another earth jutsu user returned to heal his wounds! He was saved, and even taller than before!!! He was now over 40 feet tall!!!!
He lived happily for 3 years, watching the ninjas like he always had. He had finally forgiven them, too.
He enjoyed the sun warming his trunk and the feeling of the cool rain moistening his roots within the rich soil. He loved to spread his branches and feel the wind tickle his leaves as it passed and whisper of what it had seen in other places. He was beginning to heal. He began to regain his old optimism and vigor.
He was strong! He was healthy! He was enormous! He towered over everything! He-
Just lost 5 feet.
And other 2 feet.
And another foot.
He wanted to scream and weep for his sorrow as his height was magically reduced. But he couldn't.
Trees have no tear ducts. This is why you never learn their sorrow.
But he wept internally anyway, as he felt his world rising up around him….
The young oak was now reduced to 7 feet tall during Team Seven's second bell test. He had never felt so short. Unfortunately, neither did the rest of the forest….
-In the Fifth Hokage's office
"Um, excuse me, Hokage-sama?"
"Yes?"
"We have been informed that we seem to be experiencing a mysterious deforestation for reasons unknown. Um, all the trees are becoming mysteriously shorter…?"
"Oh, that's just the substitution jutsus. They'll grow back."
"Oh! Wait, um, but apparently the trees are refusing to grow back…?"
"What?!"
XxX
Later, a sign was placed in front of the forest:
"Use leaves for your substitution jutsus!! Do not deforest the land!! Under pain of slow and painful death!!!! –Fifth Hokage"
rofl. This was something I had running in my mind for a while. It might not be my best, but I was trying for something lighter and wasn't really focusing on making it perfect. Oh yeah, and the trees went on strike at the end and refused to grow back, knowing they would become shorter again. xD R&R please!