I once read that springtime was a time of celebration because the arrival of new life. Things as miniscule as a cherry blossom would be venerated and all people from all walks of life would gather together to appreciate spring and rebirth.
That was a long time ago.
It's a new day in a new age. It's the Mangekyo Festival; today marks 60 years under Lord Madara's rule, where he succeeded in striking down the corruptive shinobi government our forefathers had created centuries before his intervention. Or at least that's what they teach us in school. It's the only thing we learn in school, and anybody who tries to teach or learn anything else...
...well, the Kage's guard don't take very nicely to different. My mother always warns me to watch what I say, but I really can't help myself sometimes. I haven't gotten into too much trouble, but since I turned 16 last week, Mother is terrified. Of what, I don't quite know, but the village's adults always get nervous around the time of the festival. I suspect it has something to do with my year in general.
People don't think I don't see them staring at us all. A passing glance is all I really need to see the pity in their eyes. It's always the sixth years at the academy who are always treated most carefully and are given these looks too. But none us (or the young ones, for that matter) know why. I suppose we'll find out at the festival later on today. But for now, I'll just have to find something to pass the time until we are all summoned into the square by Lord Madara.
I don't say anything to Mother on my way out. She's been ill the past few days and has taken refuge inside her room with my father. Sometimes, I can hear their muffled voices from my bedroom and sometimes, I can hear my mother crying. Sometimes, I pretend that I cannot hear them because if I don't pretend, I'll begin to get nervous myself. I shouldn't get nervous within the walls.
Here we are safe.
The walls surrounding the village protect us from invaders on the outside, assuming that there are any still living, since Lord Madara annihilated them all during his quest to liberate us all. The schools tell us that nobody is on the outside, but if that is the case, then why are the walls here in the first place?
My name is Sakura Haruno. I am 16, I live inside the walls of the village, and I want to know why everybody is so afraid.
Notes: This is my first story for this pen name coz I'm way too lazy to delete all of my previous stories and previous alerts/favorited stories/authors. Anyway, I wanted to take a stab at this Dystopian/Sci-fi/Romance YA scene.
Tell me what ya'll think.
- Jaz (: