Summary: Enough is enough, and I've had it.
"I quit."
"Excuse me, what?" The Hokage almost choked. He couldn't believe what he just heard. The wrinkles in the aged man's face danced, crackles spreading along his dry skin like the dying embers of my will. The dimly lit lamps in his office are clouded by the shadows, the windows sourcing light from the distant, setting sun.
Kakashia's eyes widened. Sakura and Sasuke's eyes widened too, but I doubt they understood like the old man and the older man did. Iruka's breath sharply cut into itself, his breathing damaged with the taste of hyperventilation.
"Naruto," my 'teacher,' began slowly, "you shouldn't be making jokes like that. Some statements are too bold, you know?"
I turned and looked him dead in the eye. "Hatake. I. Quit."
He swallowed. He looked like he wanted to put a hand on my shoulder; but I supposed he understood that you didn't prod beasts when they backed themselves into a corner. "Naruto. You don't understand."
My eyes flickered to the confused expressions of my agemates. "On the contrary. I, unlike them," I spat, "have always known what my fate was to be. Have accepted myself for who I am and am not. And I understand the Konoha shinobi conducts to a T."
Even though his face was hidden behind the mask, I could tell. The horror spread across his expression, and my gaze could not help but trace the lump in his throat as he swallowed. His hands were shaking. Really. For such an accomplished ninja, you'd think that wearing his emotions right under his sleeve was an impossibility.
I turned and smiled at my nation's leader. "Thank you for what you've done for me in this life." I bowed as best as I could.
"Hold it, idiot; why are you talking like you're…" Sasuke's voice cut off.
My smile widened into a grin that couldn't contain itself. The laughter that accompanied it was also too vibrant; even to my own ears, it was far too pleasant. "You don't know, Sasuke? Well, I guess coming from a ninja family doesn't mean much then."
Kakashi's, and Sarutobi's, eyebrows rose at my slight and Sasuke's expression morphed into a snarl even as he flinched. Before anyone else can say another word, I get out my next sentence. "In most ninja villages, there are no retired shinobi. Can you tell me why?"
His mouth shot off before his brain. "That's easy; missions get dangerous as you get better. And if you don't die on them, you die from the wounds or you get discharged and die from disease or wounds not long after. Sometimes you go mad, and you get locked up."
I chuckled. "Nice try, Sasuke. You're halfway there, but not at all near the marks I'm looking for. That covers what we want people to see."
His brows furrowed, and I saw Sakura pouting. The others seemed frozen. Sarutobi wore a visage of resignation; what I was doing was by no means illegal, just not well-advertised. Kakashi's head bowed low, and Iruka was paling by the second.
"There are no such thing as retired shinobi because retired shinobi are dead shinobi. Inactive shinobi; you ever meet one?" Sasuke nodded, slowly. The Uchiha were a large clan; he had to have seen some. At least, that's what he thought. "Wrong. Inactive shinobi are a myth. They are simply our better used shinobi, and the ones who defend the roots of the tree - they are the true kingsguard."
At that, Sarutobi Hiruzen was visibly startled. His jolted; just a tad, so much so that there was almost no sound from his chair, but I heard it.
"Just get on with it, Naruto," Sakura spouted impatiently.
"Well, there's no time like the present," I said cheerfully. "So I might as well give all of Konoha one last present! You see, when ninja choose to retire, they're usually read their rights and asked if they want to change their minds. I'd say about two thirds of them, maybe three out of four, hesitate and choke on their decision, instead choosing to become 'inactive' or to go back to the force."
The cogs were turning in Sasuke's head, and I could tell he understood, even if his was fighting his brain's acceptance. Sakura, however, was still too ignorant.
"Retired shinobi don't exist," Sasuke began, "because shinobi who give up are already dead. But then… why? Why, with your nindou?"
"All lies have some grain of truth; but if you wash away the fields, those grains will be lost forever."
"Will you someone just tell me what's going on?!"
"Sakura, you may be book-smart, and you may be nerdy, but I really doubt you understand what you signed up for. Did you or your parents read the contract you signed after passing our exam? And if you did, did you read any of the footnotes and their sources?" She shook her head.
"Ah. What a shame, then. You see, after passing your genin exam, you've effectively signed away your life. You don't really understand what that means, so I'll spell it out for you. You've probably been told that you can drink, gamble, and even go to brothels after you've earned a headband! All perks of being all grown-up, right at the ripe age of twelve." My sarcasm hopefully wasn't missed by the young kunoichi. Regardless, I plunged onward.
"You're not an adult when you're a shinobi. You're a tool. A knife, a dagger, a vial of poison; a smile, words, or even a kiss. But you're just a thing. And what do you do with something when it's broken..?"
Her eyes stared in the distance as it began to sink in, and she raised her hands to her mouth in horror. Sakura's next retort turned into a frog that sat itself in her throat and her eyes widened as she stared at me. My eyes flickered back to the old man. "Sometimes, though, if you're… special enough, you're a unique tool that has parts good enough to be recycled." Sasuke turned a bit green at that.
"Why would you choose that?" Her voice hoarse, she fell to the ground as she looked at me. I was already a ghost in her eyes.
Absently, I ran a hand through my locks. Every eye was watching. Waiting. I smiled again.
"Because, Sakura. This is a choice that is my own."