Chapter 20: Waves of Memories

Tazuko walked along scarred roads, twisting and turning around the whimpering of a town that was his home. The further away from the bridge the buildings were, the less damaged they'd bee though there wasn't a point in the village where you could turn and see a still standing or unmarked building. People huddled up inside the ruined remains of what buildings had adequate enough cover.

A clatter drew Tazuko's attention to his feet. Peaking out below his foot was the metal plate of a wave ninja's headband. Tazuko knelt down and picked up the piece. Engraved on it was their symbol. A snowflake. It was an odd symbol to be sure. Snow was a foreign concept to the village, only read about in books. Until the day that she returned to the village.

"Tazuko?"

Tazuko looked up as Hanafuda walked up to him carrying a few bags of her own.

"Hello there." Tazuko grinned, "Where did you disappear to after our party?"

"To report in." Hanafuda scowled, "Thanks to you, I got a scolding."

"Now now, you did your best, there's not shame in that."

"Disgusting." Hanafuda grimaced.

"Oh. My heart." Tazuko chuckled, "...Mind if I ask you a few questions, Hanafuda?"

"What about?" Hanafuda's eyes narrowed.

"...Have the Konoha ninjas left?"

"...As far as I and every ninja in our village can tell...yes. There have been no signs of them in the town."

"What about mercenaries?" Tazuko asked, "If the bridge is destroyed, it would only doom us if they were already inside our village."

"Don't you think we know that?" Hanafuda snapped, "Not that it's our responsibility to recon for you but we have no signs that any mercenaries have passed through the Naruto Bridge. Heck it's our job to keep them out of the village. Don't make light of the lives we laid down to keep those bastards out of the village!"

"That was not my intent." Tazuko chuckled as he raised his hands in defense.

Hanafuda noticed the plate in his hands, "That's..."

Tazuko looked at the plate, "I found it. Don't suppose you know who this belongs to?"

"...Belonged to most likely."

"...Hey."

"Hm?"

"Do you remember how we decided on this as our symbol?"

"The snowflake?" Hanafuda blinked, "It's not an uncommon story. When the Hyogun returned to the village she told us all about her travels and when it came down to deciding a symbol for our village, she suggested the snowflake."

"She wasn't the Hyogun back then."

"Well she is now so there's no point in splitting hairs." Hanafuda frowned.

"...What do you suppose she saw out there?"

"The Hyogun?" Hanafuda blinked, "She traveled to a ton of different lands after the Great Ninja War. Konoha, Kiriga, Sunaga, Iwaga. Yukigakure must have been one of her stops too."

"That's not what I meant."

"Hm?"

…

"I'm back!"

"Welcome back!"

"Lady Rei has returned!"

"This place hasn't changed a bit has it?"

"Lady Rei, if you wouldn't mind, let us talk in private for a moment."

"...I understand."

"What was it that you saw out there?"

"...It's not good out there Elder. So many people have been devastated by the war."

"I am well aware, Rei."

"..."

"If it truly has come to the fact that other villages have suffered to such an extent that we cannot ask them to help us...I can only see an era of great depression."

"They will return in time, Elder. All the lands, villages and people I've met are strong. Not just the ninjas but the people. They have a will to survive and rebuild."

"Hmm...our little village may not have been part of the war but we were not spared from the damages."

"Of course. The war was against the entire world."

"Indeed. Nonetheless, I worry about the future of our country."

"...If I may, Elder, we only worry because the future of our country has always been reliant on the aid of other countries."

"Of course. That is how the Land of Waves has survived for years."

"But at this moment, we are in the best situation."

"Excuse me?"

"So many countries have been wrought with trauma, deaths and damage so great that there is no future for them until they can recover. In comparison, our land has taken very little damage in such regards precisely because we never went to war."

"...Lady Rei, you aren't possibly suggesting that we invade other countries."

"I wouldn't dream of it."

"Then what is it that you're proposing?"

"...We have very little but I've gone to so many places that have little of what we have now. If at all possible...I'd like to help them."

"Who?"

"Everyone. The entire world."

"Lady Rei, that is impossible. We have so little already and we've already put forth our utmost in helping our neighboring countries recover. We have nothing let to give."

"It is not our country that faces a depression, Elder. It is every other country. It is the people's grief and wounds. People of every land regardless of alliance are in a solemn and unpredictable state after the war. It is they who are in a depression. They are truly worrying about their present where we have such a luxury to worry about the future."

"It is not a luxury that we have not paid for."

"I am not saying that we are not allowed this luxury but look around you Elder! The people are smiling and the children are laughing!"

"What of it?"

"This is what every country seems to be lacking! Spirit! True life in the people! After suffering such losses how could they be so spirituous but we have such energy buzzing down every street and within the hearts of every person!"

"..."

"I want to help the world with this energy, Elder! I want to help in their recovery."

"We don't have enough to give to the world."

"That is fine. They are strong enough to recover on their own. I know we cannot directly aid anybody but with just a little discipline I want to bring our forces and energy together to protect the world. Everyone else is vulnerable right now. At any moment, somebody may come and attack our neighbor before they can fully recover and when that happens, that is when our future is truly bleak."

"..."

"I want to protect the world, Elder. Only so long enough that the world has recovered. Not a second longer than that, I promise you."

"Tazuko?"

"Hm?" Tazuko jolted as his mind came back to him, "What is it?"

"...I'm heading back to the base at Naruto Bridge." Hanafuda frowned, "If you're going to try and blow it up...I won't stop you."

"You won't?" Tazuko raised an eyebrow.

"...We ninjas have the duty of protecting the people." Hanafuda nodded, "To raise our weapons against our own people would only inflict the greatest wound in the history of our country. Greater than any one bridge."

"...Is that the Hyogun's words?" Tazuko smiled.

"No." Hanafuda sighed, "Now if you'll excuse me."

"Hanafuda." Tazuko stopped her and held out the headband plate, "I am no ninja. Take this back to its proper owner for me."

"...No. I think it suits you." Hanafuda said bitterly, "Ninjas are no more than soldiers. And what you carry on your back is something that only a soldier would carry."

"..."

And with that, she walked away.

Tazuko walked down a more abandoned section of the village. During the war, the world was warped and the seas shifted, causing a few of their homes to be waterlogged and abandoned. Tazuko made his way into the shallower parts of this waterlogged section, making as little sound as he could through the water filled streets. He silently carried his explosives on his back and a wide brimmed hat over his head, concealing his identity as well as he could before he ducked into a certain building.

"Took you long enough, didn't ya Tazuko?"

"It takes time to move in secrecy." Tazuko sighed, "I figured you'd know all about that already, Akuha."

"What part of secrecy involved you killing my little brother's favorite pet?" Akuha sneered as he played with the kote on his hand.

"It's called a facade. Besides, Akuka has plenty others. Stronger ones."

"Feh. Tell that to Akuka himself. Took a few down men to finally get him to calm down."

"And I suppose I should feel sympathy?" Tazuko said coldly.

"Ha! I can't imagine a traitor to their own village like you having any sympathy!" Akuha laughed.

The mercenaries around him all joined in the laughter as they clanged glasses of beer together uproariously. On each of their arms was a kote.

"Regardless." Akuha sighed, "You have the explosive don't you?"

"Of course I do." Tazuko said setting down his backpack.

"You know...you could set it all off right now." Akuha sneered, "Just one match and boom. We will be gone and you'll be hailed as the hero that sacrificed himself to save his country. Rather than a filthy traitor."

"..."

"What's wrong? Too afraid?" Akuha grinned as he drank his beer.

"...I made a deal." Tazuko stated, "And our deal is not over yet."

"A deal!" Akuha laughed, "You traded away your country for power! And how'd it taste?! Using that kote!"

Tazuko hid the arm that concealed his kote behind his back.

"Well, you're right." Akuha said, "Our deal isn't over. You set up the explosives and tomorrow we'll have a huge fireshow. When everyone else thinks they're safe, we'll swoop in and-"

"..."

"Well...you'll see."