Vengeance in Seven Days
By: Crystal Avatar
Disclaimer: Character names belong to Kishimoto Masahi! (Grr…)
Author's Note: Day Six-Resenment! Now, keep in mind it is not terribly necessary to finish this story all the way by reading the weekend chapters (Day 6 and Day 7), but read on if you want to learn something a bit dark… and a little provocative…
C.A
Punctuation Notes
"Talking" 'Thinking' SFX (Author comments)
Day Six – 'Resentment'
The burial was carried out the next day.
The tears had flown and all had wept a great deal for the passing of their beloved Princess Hinata Tokugawa. Although many of the citizens in appearance knew little of the circumstances behind their lady's death, Naruto and his three masters, Lord Tokugawa, Kamakura and Yukimura, knew all too clearly of the cost of one, seemingly simple mission.
Many had died unnecessarily.
The congregation was dressed in black and white, the plainness and uniform of their emotion directly reflected into their clothing. All faces carried the same expression- grief. Initially, there was anger at not knowing exactly what circumstances had robbed them of their boisterous and unforgettable princess, but that was quickly replaced by mourning and sorrow.
Tokugawa, although it brought great pains to his heart, was forced to and eventually developed fabrications to deny he was involved in the affair at all.
All witnesses of his ninja, Naruto, had either conveniently disappeared or were silenced.
The Mayor of Leaf, Hatake, remained loyal to his lord and swore to his request that he would remain quiet about who he had met and seen that night to have dinner with the murdered couple. A few days later, he would abdicate his title to one of his nephews; traumatized forever by his suspicions of what chaos Naruto had reeked right under his nose, depriving him of his all time favorite student, the Princess.
Hiroko, keeper of the Leaf inn, had been found hanging from a ceiling post in the guest room at the highest floor of her inn. She had committed suicide, the victim of a terrible wound that she knew she would never be able to recover from. Her trust in men had been forsaken.
Misa-chan, daughter of Hiroko and co-keeper of the Leaf Inn, disappeared after her mother attempted to murder her, sources revealed. People's hopes of finding the sweet little girl had been dashed when they realized that she had left the village completely. People guessed as to whether or not she would survive outside the village as an orphan, but they kept looking anyway. Always searching for the young girl who had two, long knife scars on her arms.
Guards who had worked at the manor that disastrous night did little to comment. They had either been threatened by Kakashi-sensei, greatly embarrassed, or extremely afraid by what fearsome ninja might do, if sent against them in retribution.
No one in the entire temple could hope to see what was on Naruto's mind. The priests continued to light candles and incense by the great stone block that had been built to hold her body, praying that she would do well in the world beyond.
Then, suddenly, Naruto arose.
Startled. Surprised. Shocked.
He saw something that made his eyes twinge, his heart jump up into his throat, choking him for a second. He saw a familiar face in the crowd.
Staring at him from beyond death, haunting him.
She was dressed all in white, a simple and plain robe, this time.
Her hair was pink.
Her eyes were green.
Her expression was silent. So quiet that she seemed to seethe with rage.
She stared at him, a face that stood out from within the crowd. Although she was slightly at the back, her brilliant beauty shined out from within.
Naruto rose up in surprise upon recognizing who it was. His hand came up.
No words came out. He wouldn't dare shout that name.
And so he sat back down, without a doubt that it was she, his eyes forever focused on her and hers on his own. They stared each other down, as the funeral proceeded, neither daring to make a movie. His expression was of surprise and doubt.
Hers was undoubtedly of rage.
And as the priests finished the ceremony by chanting the last poetic lines of their mantra, he watched as she turned and left, pushing her way eagerly through the crowds. The audience in her path expressed some annoyance at the restless girl, but otherwise no one else recognized how important she was except him. And he had to find her.
"Illuminates us/It does not forget, always/The Moon watches us," The priests recited.
He rose from his seat and ran after her, rudely pushing his way towards the side exits of the temples, drawn to find her by a voice in his head that kept saying, "But she's dead!"
And yet there she was. The Geisha of Leaf.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH READERS!
THE LAST CHAPTER IS "Day Seven-Vengeance"!
A/N: People may choose to stop reading here as the plot has now actually finished running it's course. However, if some of you dare, please read on to Day Seven- Vengeance to learn just how much deeper the story can go. Thanks for the reviews!
- C.A