Third Rock
Leaves fall from the trees on either side of the path, crunching under foot. It's been a long time since that sound's met my ears.
'Been a long time since anything's met my ears, matter o' fact. Guess I just don't listen much anymore. Those big old gates
are coming into view now…closed. 'Used to stand open all hours of the day, 'till that year…but ah well, nobody trusts
nobody anymore, and I 'spose they're all better off for it.
I can see their eyes peeking out at me as I come up the path. No hatred, no cold, distant enmity. Just a mild curious glance
here and there before they go back to their Go boards. I don't blame 'em, nothing remarkable 'bout this traveler, no sir. No
visible weapons, no obvious village affiliation, just another nobody coming to spend some time in the land of fire and leaf.
They're too far off to make out the Genjutsu masking the scarred headband of the leaf, the very village I'm moseying into at
this very moment. God, if only they knew, there'd be a real shitstorm.
A little guess-who and I'm in, and for some unknown reason I find myself retracing those steps I took so long ago. It was
winter then. Cold. Yeah, it was friggin' freezing. Didn't help my cheeks were so wet…but that was a long time ago. The long
leather coat I wear now is faded, years of endless travel leaving it's distinguished mark. I haver to check myself as I recognize
faces. That blonde girl from the chuunin trial. Yama…na…Yamanaka, that's it, boy she grew up, wow. Still as energetic as
the first time I saw her, too, that's good. Would you look at, the bastard returns. Seems he's not as high and mighty as before,
I wonder—Ah, that explains it. Speaking of growing up, there she is. Green eyes, cherry-blossom hair, they never cease to
lose their appeal. No wonder shithead's looking so whipped these days.
Did she just check herself as I walked by? Gods, I hope not. If she recognizes me…nah. She couldn't, not even if she
believed I was still alive. Time changes people, and I'm no exception. She'd remember the laughing, jumping, dumbass kid,
and I ain't him anymore. I see Lord Lazy's still sleepin' on the job, that fox bastard's hearing picks up her snorin' ass from
here. I'll have to drop in and say hello before I get on my way.
Oh Christ.
It's that guy.
He'll know me in a heartbeat, he's too sharp to miss—Oh, whew, he's preoccupied. Well if it isn't the Green Dork of
Konoha distracting my only worry, god bless you, you moron. Always flailing about, causing a scene, when's that kid gonna
grow up. Where did she go? Ah, there she is, playing all sneaky-like, she thinks I can't see her, and that's well enough. That
mask doesn't hide those eyes from me. I feel those hard pearl orbs burning a hole in the back of my neck, feel the chill in my
spine as they grace the Kanji on my back. "Alone." I am, and she is, and we'll keep playing this game each time I make my
little visits. She watches me as she's always watched me. He jumps about all silly-like, she's still happy to live, he's still
content to watch the sky, he's still Mr. Sullen, and she's still a lovestruck fool.
Some things never change.
Once more around the Sun.