Anthem of Our Dying Days
Author's Note
- Sasuke finally know about Naruto real identity... one step further!!!
- Thanks everybody for keep on supporting me!!!!
- Not to forget, thanks Rise Against and Billy Talent for their songs... full of deep meanings and mysteries... Love it very much!!!
- Back to our stories...
Episode 10 - Sweet Dreams
It was a fine night. Winds kept on apprearing, slowly blowing the old leaves and dusts away, a new sign for the upcoming winter. Naruto kept on chopping the dry woods, before arranging them besides his small hut... a cheap preparation to survive during winter. He looked up into the sky and felt a little sad feeling of living his life alone as a former Hitokiri without friends and lover at all, yet he ignored the feelings and continued chopping those woods.
Yeah, the hitokiri will be abandoned wherever they go or live, as they are the cause of sadness among wives whom their husband were killed, mothers whom their sons were slaughtered mercilessly... but nobody will cry in sadness for an orphan just like Naruto. For Naruto, an orphan just like him will never cherish the true feelings of being loved from the day he was born until the day he dies.
"Uh, here comes the season that I hate most...", Naruto growled, unhappy as he noticed the snowflakes began to fall from the sky.
He quickly brought some firewoods to the kiln and slowly put the firewoods one by one into the kiln. Then, he calmly lit his cigarette while watching the snows falling down.
"This winter is just like 3 years ago, the damn season where I lost everything... my Hitokiri movement was disbanded by the new Meiji government, the vicious war has ended, no samurai allowed to bring swords while walking among public, Takatsugi-sama and Katsura-sama died, Saigo-sama rebelled against the new government...", Naruto drowned in his deep thought while sitting in front of the kiln, sipping his sake.
Winter was a season that Naruto hated most, which dragged him into his painful and sad memories of living a life as one of Ishin Shishi no Hitokiri. After finished fighting in Kyoto during winter, Naruto used to colour the white snow along his way back to Ishin Shishi Headquarters with the colour of bloods dripping from his sword... red in colour.
Kenshin's story of the winternight tragedies also made Naruto in a very deep thought, remembering about the famous Battousai cried loudly in sadness to watch his wife, Tomoe Himura died in front of him.
The story of Saitou's most hohourable Shinsen Gumi being swapped-off from Edo to Central Kyoto and the story of Yoshinobu Tokugawa watching his Tokugawa family being exiled from Edo Castle in front of him almost made Naruto finally concluded that winter is the season of sadness and despair, besides the white colour of the snow which showed that the innnocents always live in sadness and despair, while the evils roam along the streets, searching for power, rank, fame and wealth.
Slowly Naruto grabbed his new acoustic guitar and played a song, a song which grasped his memories on his days as a former Hitokiri, and now... as a humble but professional potter.
Am I loud and clear, or am I breaking up?
Am I still your charm, or am I just bad luck?
Are we getting closer, or are we just getting more lost?
I'll show you mine if you show me yours first
Let's compare scars, I'll tell you whose is worse
Let's unwrite these pages and replace them with our own words
We live on front porches and swing life away,
We get by just fine here on minimum wage
If love is a labor I'll slave till the end,
I won't cross these streets until you hold my hand
I've been here so long, I think that it's time to move
The winter's so cold, summer's over too soon
Let's pack our bags and settle down where palm trees grow
I've got some friends, some that I hardly know
But we've had some times, I wouldn't trade for the world
We chase these days down with talks of the places that we will go
We live on front porches and swing life away,
We get by just fine here on minimum wage
If love is a labor I'll slave till the end,
I won't cross these streets until you hold my hand
...until you hold my hand...
I'll show you mine if you show me yours first
Let's compare scars, I'll tell you whose is worse
Let's unwrite these pages and replace them with our own words
We live on front porches and swing life away,
We get by just fine here on minimum wage
If love is a labor I'll slave till the end,
I won't cross these streets until you hold my hand
Swing life away,
Swing life away,
Swing life away,
Swing life away...
(Swing Life Away by Rise Against)
"Wow, that's a best song I ever heard!!! Naruto, why don't you start your day with some busker's activities?? Bring your guitar along the streets of Konoha, put down your cap and start singing... maybe you'll earn some cash there...".
Naruto saw three figures in front of him, that seems to be just like the trio of Suna kagure ninja. Kankuro, Temari and an old best-friend of Naruto... Gaara.
"Wow, snow!!! That's cool", Temari spoke in happy voice.
"Yoo, friends... Sorry, I'm too 'emo' on singing this song just now... couldn't noticed your presence earlier...", Naruto spoke calmly, while Gaara grabbed the guitar from his hand... one another song.
I tripped, fell down naked
I scratched my knees they bled
Sew up my eyes, need no more
In our game, there is no score!
Forgive me father why should ya bother
Try honesty, try honesty
Hop in your dump truck, reverse for good luck
Ride over me, ride over me
Insane assault, so sly
Your well of lies ran dry
I pulled the cord, free fall
so high I seem so small!
Forgive me father why should ya bother
Try honesty, try honesty
Hop in your dump truck, reverse for good luck
Ride over me, ride over me
I Took On The Whole World, fight with the young girls
Die tragedy, die tragedy
Call me a cheapskate, come on for pete's sake
Cry agony, cry agony
I'm Insane, Its your fault... Sly!
I'm Insane, Its your fault... Sly!
Forgive me father, why should ya bother now?
Forgive me father, why should ya bother now?
Forgive me father why should ya bother
Try honesty, try honesty
Hop in your dump truck, reverse for good luck
Ride over me, ride over me
I Took on the whole world, fight with the young girls
Die tragedy, die tragedy
Call me a cheapskate, come on for pete's sake
Cry agony, cry agony
Cry agony, cry agony
Cry agony, cry agony
Cry agony, cry agony
(Try Honesty by Billy Talent)
"Wow, Gaara... you make me feel amazing... Punk Never Die!!!!", Naruto sipped his sake and lit a cigarette.
"Yup, that sure does... Punk Never Die... Anyway, we have new genre... Emo... Hmm, such as Silverstein, Underoath, The Used, Love Me Butch... It all about scream, emo, angst... sure it's the best!!!", Gaara spoke in a slow tone before he added.
"Naruto, would you give me at least a cigarette of yours?? Now I'm run out of cigarette stock... thank to my sister who likes to dump my cigarette into the rubbish bin..", Gaara quickly took Naruto's cigarette before lit it immediately.
"Gaara!!! Smoking again, huh??! I've told you so many times, it's not so good to smoke!!!", Temari scolded Gaara in front of Naruto, just before both Gaara and Naruto exhaled the smoke in satisfying ways of smoking.
"Naruto, I heard that 3 years ago you ran away to Japan... is that true??", Temari asked, showing her curious face.
"Yup, 3 years... then I made my way back here, rebuild my own life... as a potter...", Naruto got up and slowly walked to the main road.
"Hmm, What about your ninjutsu? Do you get rid of them outta your mind completely?", Kankurou asked Naruto.
"Yup, now I'm a mere citizen with no ninjutsu skills at all..", Naruto spoke as Gaara glared towards him.
"Your face is totally sucks when it comes to lying... What about your Nagasone Kotetsu and Shinuchi?? What Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu is all about??", Gaara smirked while looked straight towards Naruto's eyes.
"I wanna go to the sake shop. It seems that I've run out of sake... Wanna follow me?", Naruto smiled and quickly changed the topic of the conversation, before made his way to the sake shop.
"Yup, wait for us!!!", Temari shouted happily while Kankurou looked wierdly towards his sister.
"Gaara-kun... trouble...", Kankurou whispered into Gaara's ear.
"What??".
"It seems that Temari-neechan has a crush on Naruto... see for yourself... she always speak in admiration about Naruto...", Kankurou continued speaking.
"That's a bad signal...", Gaara spoke, while inhaling the smoke from his cigarette.
While walking to the sake shop, Naruto along with Gaara, Temari and Kankurou met with his former comrades on their way to the sake shop, too.
"Yoo, Naruto... Hei, The Suna ninjas are here too!!! Your destination??", Kiba said in a harsh tone.
"Yoo, doggie... to the sake shop..", Naruto replied, lighting his cigarette.
"Hmm... Doggie, Pink Sluttie, Piggie, Lovely Smokin' Shika, a Hyuuga, Tenten, Shino, Fattie, oh Hinata-chan... to the sake shop, eh?", Temari smiled and spoke, while hugging Shikamaru.
"Hei, of course yes... tonight we gonna celebrate Sakura's 18th years-old birthday, besides that tomorrow is the registration day for Konoha International Taijutsu Tournament... sake will be our main course tonight!!! Naruto, have you taste Sake sooo far??" Ino spoke, understimating Naruto.
But slowly naruto replied her with a cool but shocking answer.
"Sake is my favourite drink... it sure tastes extremely delicious if I add a little human blood from the enemies that I've killed before... wanna try?".
"Euwwww!!! That's so horrorful!!!", Tenten shouted while the other ninjas stared wierdly towards Naruto.
"The true life of a Hitokiri... you'll never understand them...", Naruto spoke as he exhaled the smoke.
"Hei, Naruto... one cigarette, please??", Shikamaru asked Naruto for a cigarette.
"Shikamaru, why don't you buy it for yourself? For a poor teenager who wanna smoke, that's too pity...", Gaara spoke, not realising the cigarette that he used to light just now is Naruto's cigarette.
"Gaara... your words just now was too nice, wasn't it??", Naruto spoke slowly, causing Gaara to grin widely in embarrassement.
"Sorry, Naruto... My mom aren't giving me some extra pocket money this month, because she wanted me to stop smoking..", Shikamaru added.
"Oh, that's cruel... sorry, it can't be helped...", both Gaara and Naruto spoke, while inhaling the smoke from their cigarette.
"Yeah, smoke is full of cruelty... you'll never know when you'll need it, and you can even stop in the middle of having sex with your girl just to have a smoke when you need it...", Shikamaru spoke in sad tone.
"The same goes to us... Temari kicked my ass as soon as she noticed me peeping her naked in the bathroom, thanks to the aroma of my Lucky Strike cigarette...", Gaara added, while looking at Temari.
"The girls in Ishin Shishi Headquarters chased me after noticed me peeping them taking bath in Kyoto public hot spring... but how did they noticed me? Maybe because of the strong aroma of Dunhill...", Naruto spoke calmly before he inhaled the smokes of Dunhill cigarette.
Yeah, smoke is a mistery which is full of cruelty, Shikamaru thought alone.
The next day, the registration day for Konoha Intenational Taijutsu Tournament.
Naruto took a bath before he wore his hakama, gi and finally his Tokugawa long coat. He slipped his Nagasone Kotetsu and Shinuchi on the right of his waist. He brushed his teeth and lit a cigarette while drinking a big cup of sake before he walked slowly to the registration site.
There he watched many of his former comrades queued up in a line, waiting impatiently to register themselves as he heard all of his former comrades shouted their war-cry before they register.
"Our mission, defeat Naruto!!! Show him the true power of Konoha Ninjas!! YEAH!!!".
"Hmm, you'll never defeat me as long as you don't have the strong desire to kill me...", Naruto muttered alone.
Naruto's calm mood had been disturbed by Sasuke's voice behind him.
"Hei, Hitokiri!! Wanna join this tournament too?? We'll meet in the final soon, so don't insult yourself by losing to other ordinary ninja...", Sasuke whispered to Naruto, while being watched by Karin, Juugo and Shigetsu.
"Don't worry, traitor-teme... I'll surely make your life suffer in the final of this tournament, just wait patiently for the time to arrive...", Naruto replied in a monotone voice, making Sasuke very upset and felt mocked.
"Hei, Naruto!!!! Come on!!!! The registration time will end soon!!!", Sakura shouted, causing Sasuke to be totally shocked, numb for a minute.
"You... Naruto?? I... don't... believe it!!!! Naruto???", Sasuke spoke, trembling in shock.
"Yes, Sasuke... Why? Cannot accept the truth??", Naruto spoke calmly, walking slowly to the registration booth.
"Sasuke-kun... I can't believe we'll meet again... but not in this condition...", Sakura spoke as tears running wild over her cheek.
Kiba, Rock Lee, Neji, Tenten, Shikamaru, Chouji, Ino, Hinata and Sai watched Sasuke in disbelief, to know that the last Uchiha who ran away to Otokagure was finally came back to Konoha while Naruto didn't show any reaction at all, ignored the incident and registered for tomorrow's tournament.
"Sasuke..."
"Sakura... This is my way...", Sasuke couldn't end his words when Sakura suddenly intercepted his words with her half-histerical yell.
"Don't speak to me about your way as a ninja!!! 5 years ago you leave us, running away to our worst enemy Orochimaru!!! Then after that Naruto leave us, too... making his way to Japan to practise the stupid way of the cruel samurai, thanks to the teachings of the Three Demons of Tokugawa!!! At least you don't end up being just like Naruto... Now, Naruto is totally heartless, cruel, inhuman, insane and demonic... thanks to you, sasuke-kun!!! Naruto had once told me about his way of the samurai, and that's totally different from he was before!!! I loved you with all my heart, Naruto took care of you just like you're his brother!!! Isn't it too far enough for you?? Now look what's happening here!!!".
"Sakura, after I've done with the registration, would you tell me on how Naruto can be just like that?? I need to know!!", Sasuke spoke in a quite different tone.
"Okay, Sasuke-kun...", Sakura replied and showing her happy face.
"Naruto!!! Sasuke's here!!!", Sakura shouted towards Naruto, but it seems that Naruto didn't give any responce towards her.
"Naruto, Sa...", Sakura began to shout again as Naruto intercepted her words.
"I'm sorry, Sakura... I have no friend at all... These swords are my trully friend right now... Please don't disturb me anymore...", Naruto slowly put his cigarette on his lips before lit the cigarette. Naruto continued walking slowly along the street.
The suroundings became silent for several minutes, before Sakura cried loudly.
"Naruto!!! Hold on!!! Where are your promise to be the Hokage??1 Where is your cute grin, your previous attitude, your loud boast-off talking, your harsh and foolish action??! At least you still remember about us in Kakashi-sensei's Team 7, aren't you??".
"The memories... I've lost them during my past days fighting during Bakumatsu era in Kyoto... Team 7? Sasuke? Me? You, Sakura? I have no team at all, since I prefer fighting alone than fighting with anybody as apart of the team, such a disgusting ways of a Hitokiri...", Naruto spoke while looking towards Sasuke.
"At least I still remember about Kakashi-sensei's Team 7, even though I ran away to Otokagure on my search for power... but you, Naruto... your search for power had totally blinded your eyes, extremely turned you into a ghost who thinks that he will live alone without friends and comrades... What about your promise to be Konohakagure's Hokage??", Sasuke spoke in anger.
But still Naruto answered Sasuke's question with a simple answer, yet showing his calm face of the famous Hitokiri.
"No promise at all... sorry, fellas... My Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu had given me the power I needed to protect the innocents and the weaks... the Hokage title now has no meaning for me...", Naruto turnedback and continued walking while smoking.
"Who are you without your caring friends, huh??? Naruto??!!", Sasuke shouted towards Naruto, while hugging Sakura.
Naruto gave Sasuke an evil smirk, and answered, "Uzumaki Naruto, Hitokiri no Kage, Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu... he believe that he can stand alone, wielding his swords against the enemies in the battlefield without any friends at all!!!!".
Sasuke was shocked to see Naruto had changed in drastic ways after killing so many enemies during the last years of Bakumatsu Era in Kyoto and Hokkaido. He was still hugged Sakura who is still crying tightly while being drowned in a deep thought about Naruto.
"He's a total cold-hearted ghost... It's a sad way to know that the person who had once taught me about friendship and family bonds now turned into a cold-blooded killing machine who doesn't even know how to compare between his enemies and friends...", Sasuke thought.
Sakura's other comrades only shook their heads in disbelief as they watched the appearance of Naruto's dark personality again. The life of a cruel Hitokiri cannot be changed easily, even though with the deep presence of love... because the Hitokiri's heart had been tainted with blood and cruelty besides their cold-hearted personality. Even Sasuke himself was not this type of cruel and cold-hearted, even though Sasuke always acted cool and angsty.
"Naruto, I know you have devoted all of your life into your world of Hitokiri, by killing and slaughtering your enemies without mercy and compassion at all... but why don't you forget those craps and join us?", Sasuke shouted loudly towards Naruto.
"Once the dragon entered the world of darkness, nobody can't stop it...".
"Nobody...".
Naruto gripped his sword as the ninjas watched him in despair, slowly made his way back to his cottage.
"Say, I must buy an i-pod to avoid them from lecturing me about the importance of friendship again... Okay, I'll buy an i-pod and fill it with disco and techno songs...that's a brilliant idea...", Naruto thought before he walked into an electrical shop and finally bought an i-pod nano.
Naruto felt his Sony Erricson W810i mobile phone vibrating, and quickly checked it.
A message from Saitou Hajime, that will surely important.
An SMS... which stated :-
Naruto, it's me Saitou. da akatsuki is searching for u now, da same goes 4 the black hats of Kuragasa. b'careful and plz avoid communicating with other people to avoid them being involved in2 ur fight. plz sharpen ur sword skills and technique coz' from now on, the government gives u the total license to kill. gtg!!!
"Well, well, well... Thanks Saitou, this will totally bring me back into the bloody cruel memories of Bakumatsu era...", Naruto smirked showing his devilish face of the famous Shadow Manslayer while continuing his walking alone in the dark.
Being alone...
Fighting and killing...
The evil world of Hitokiri...
His life will be completely ruined...
As he will continue his fight against the evils and corruptions...
No friends and families...
Just a samurai and his swords alone, walking through the dark night...
Roaming the dark streets of Kyoto, wielding his swords to uphold the true justice...
Protect the weaks as well as the innocents, let no love enters the true cruel heart of a Manslayer forever as it will cause destruction...
Let the dragon chooses its way of life, let no question asked about how and why do it chooses the way...
- End of Episode 10 -
Author's note
- I'm trully apologize for my not-so frequently update these days.. some big problems keep on haunting me...
- Stay tune for Episode 11 : The Fight Starts
- In chapter 11, Naruto will face Kisame from Akatsuki (midnight), but their fight has interrupted Sasuke having sex with Sakura (when Naruto was kicked into the room where Sasuke and Sakura are having "ah... ah... oh yeah...")
- The tournament finally started!!! first, Naruto vs Sakura... STAY TUNE!!!!