REALLY OLD DRABBLE #1
It was a night of chaos. The mighty Kyubbi of the Nine Tails had been plaguing the countries for years. Now it seemed as though it was the Konohagakure, the Village of the Hidden Leaf’s, turn. The alarms were raised and every one with ninja training gathered their weapons for battle. Grimly, they suited themselves and prepared for death for it would either be them or the Kyubbi that would be left at the end of this.
A ninja is not without its humanities. Many that had made their home in this village had families and though the wives would (and could) fight as bravely as any man beside their husbands, the children would be expected to stay behind- the treasures that they would fight tooth and nail to protect. There was no time for goodbyes.
Kanashii hodo hikari dashita
Shiroi yami kirisaku tsubasa ni nare
Some children, however, dared to disobey. Those that had too much of the training and too much of the blood within them to be left behind. The sight of the monster, though, the sight of that giant fox demon, its silver fur gleaming with streaks of gold in moonlight, a black mask concealing its demon eyes, its fangs- as tall as any man- bared in an almost smirk, and jaws gleaming white from its dripping saliva stopped them in their tracks. They stood, almost bewitched, on the outskirts of the city. Only one dared to go any further. Shy, stubborn Umino Iruka. As deftly as he could, he raced through the forest. The sounds of the battle played out around him, urging him on.
Tsumetai taiyou ni terasareteta
Kai nara sareta jiyuu ga atta
Kagami ni utsutta kiseki no yoru
Masuku o hazushi hajimeta my soul
“Hold on!”
The pounding of innumerous pairs of feet.
“More are on the way!”
Cries, screams, yelps of pain.
“Cover that side!”
The howling victory of that smirking monster.
“The Hokage will come!”
“Hold on so the Hokage will come!”
‘Where is the Hokage?’ Iruka thought. ‘Where can he be? We need him!’ Suddenly, he came into the newly developed clearing and halted. Countless of the village ninja lay dead in twisted, morphed lumps. Instantly, Iruka pushed the images to the back of his mind. Instead, he concentrated on finding his parents. A wild, cold fear rushed through him though his ten-year-old mind was determined not to interpret it. There! He was able to catch a glimpse of them both. Suddenly there was a cry of surprise and a body smacked the ground near his feet.
Shiroku somaru yami tsuki nukete
Atarashii jidai o kizami tsukero
Toki hanashita kokoro no mamani
Hateskinaku tsuzuiteku byakuya o tobe
Iruka felt terror nearly choke him. The body, however, was very much alive. Iruka watched as boy, that could not have been much older than seventeen, flailed at his feet, trying to get his bearing back. “Damn!” the teen cursed as he stumbled to his feet. An arm was wrapped around his middle. His form revealed his strength and amount of training and his wild, silver hair gleamed. Almost stupidly, Iruka stood there. The teen looked up and two pairs of eyes met, both wide with surprise.
“You!” the teen cried with surprise, though neither of them knew each other. “What are you doing here?”
Iruka said nothing.
“Hey!” a voice called. Both boys turned to look. One of the adults had seen them. “What are you two doing loitering?” His voice was hoarse from all the night’s yelling and trailed off after he saw Iruka. “What’s a kid doing here?” It was obvious that he was torn between being surprised and angry.
Again, answers were prevented as another roar came from the beast. The ninjas kept flying at him, their hands nothing but blurs as they rushed to perform their jutsu. Still, it seemed as though the beast beheld nothing more than scratches. Two ninja in particular stood out to Iruka. “Mom! Dad!” he screamed and started to dart forward. The teenage boy quickly held him back. The teen may have had an injured middle, but he still had strength enough to hold back Iruka. “Let me go!”
The man let loose several curses. “Hatake!” he cried and the silver-haired teen glanced at him. “Watch the boy!” The teen’s eyes looked furious for a moment. “You’re no use to us now. He’s your responsibility now!” Then, he disappeared and joined his comrades in the attack.
To say that Hatake Kakashi was less than pleased was putting it lightly. He looked down at the black-haired kid that was staring avidly at the ongoing battle. How exactly was he supposed to go about doing this? Using his anger, he fueled it into making his voice sound stern and firm. “Listen,” he said, trying to be heard over the ruckus in front of him. “I need to get you out of here!”
Iruka turned to him, his eyes wild and desperate. “You have to let me go!” he cried. “Mom and Dad are still fighting!”
Just then, one of the Kyubbi’s nine tails smashed in the ground next to them. It swept away, clearing away more trees. The two boys were barely able to remain standing. Kakashi quickly gathered his wits. “It’s not safe here!” he insisted, trying to drag the boy. “We have to get away!” Then, with a strength that could only have come from a ninja, he gathered Iruka up and started to run. More screams. More terror. More death. “There’s nothing you can do!” Another tail- or perhaps it was the same one- slammed down, again too close to the two for comfort.
This time it knocked Kakashi off balance and the two crashed onto the ground. There they lay as the earth trembled and the whole air was filled with dying screams. They clasped onto each other- a human need to reach out and find something there. A horror filled both their hearts. More impacts and more close calls.
His eyes squeezed tight, Iruka heard someone screaming, “Don’t leave me! Don’t leave me!” It stunned him to realize that that voice was his. It stunned him even more to hear someone yell back, “Don’t worry! I won’t let go!” And that voice most definitely wasn’t his.
Suddenly, the roaring stopped and the world lay still, like the calm before a storm. Their senses whirling and hearts beating into their ears, they sat up gingerly to see what had happened. One hand still clutched tightly to the other though neither of them seemed to notice except that it seemed to act as anchor of reality. The Kyubbi still stood there, its back raised and pitched like a hissing cats. Though the air now filled with its deep thunder growling and its teeth were bared, there was still wild sense of triumph that whirled in those dark eyes. But now another prominent figure had appeared on the scene. A giant frog sat upon its haunches in a confrontational mode that, at any other time, would have made people cover their mouths and giggle, but now contained all the serious airs of a seasoned warrior. Upon its head, miniscule in comparison, stood a person.
The Hokage had come at last.
The white darkness started shining intensely
Become the wings that cut through the white darkness
“Kyubbi,” the Hokage spoke imperiously. There seemed to be no awareness that all eyes were upon him. His own focus was fixedly on the Kyubbi. “Though your crimes be innumerable and the blood stains upon your soul be too thick to bear, we are not without mercy here. There is a chance for pardon if you so choose to take it.” A part of Iruka and Kakashi, the far reaches of their minds, recognized the bewildering sensation of this statement. The Kyubbi’s growls- no, they were more like purring- became deeper but resounded in a rhythm that sounded like a chuckle. The Hokage was not a man to be daunted. “Well? What say you, beast?”
No audible answer was heard.
So you have it, my friend, the frog said quietly to the Hokage. He will not repent. Will you give out judgment now?
“No,” the Hokage replied quietly so that none other than the frog could hear him. “I cannot explain it, but I know that this creature still has a role to play. A sentence shall be delivered, but one that may still give him the chance to repent if he so chooses it. Indeed, I hope that that may be the case.”
Does this, the frog asked, not sounding at all angry or surprised, have anything to do with the “business” that required you to be so late?
A smile crept its way onto the Hokage’s face. “Indeed, it does,” he said, sadness edging his voice. “More than you will ever know.” He felt surprise ripple through the frog.
The frog continued on, There seems to be much that I do not understand of this. Yet there is one thing that I know and that is what you plan to do. You do know that I am here only to be witness to the Kyubbi’s fate? I may not assist in any way.
The Hokage started to prepare his chakara. He knew this would be the last spell he ever cast. “I do know that and know that it will be not be necessary. Plans are already in motion that cannot be stopped. What starts as a trickle may become an overpowering wave. I, simply, am one that will not overcome it.” He paused. “But I do ask a favor you as you have proven to be a worthy friend. The time will come when there will be ones that seek the truth and they shall come to you. I ask only that you tell them what you can.”
And how should I know the ones? the frog huffed.
“You will know,” the Hokage said simply. He prepared to release the jutsu.
Farewell, the frog sounded almost sad. My friend.
And the Hokage released the spell.
Illuminated by the cold sun
I was given a tame freedom
In the miraculous night reflected in the mirror
My soul began to remove its mask
A blinding light engulfed the Kyubbi. It was cold like a driving rain and the fox-demon felt it engulf him. His very body went numb until he could feel nothing but cold. Never one to give into fear, even at the moment of apparent death, he let his anger override his thoughts. So! his mind howled to the one that had cast this upon him. You mean to kill me! A thought flashed of an image of someone smiling sadly. A small trickle of warmth, like arms, wrapped around him. No, a voice said. It is not yet your time. Search for the truth, Kyubbi. Find your heart. There was a high-pitched wail, like that of a baby cry, and the Kyubbi knew nothing more.
Break through the darkness that is painted white
Keep engraving a new era
As the heart you released desires
Fly in the white night that continues endlessly
“Hokage! Hokage!” were the cries that reached Iruka and Kakashi after the light faded. Blinking back the haze from their eyes, they were surprised to see that the frog and more importantly, the Kyubbi, were nowhere to be found. “Hokage! Hokage!” Looking down toward to the forest ground, they saw that there was a small gathering of the remaining ninja. They seemed to be circled around something. There was no need for words or glances. The two boys let go of each other and ran forward, stopping among the outer edge of circled ninja.
There, as their hearts had feared, lay the Hokage. His breathing was shallow. His eyes seemed to failing. His mouth opened to speak and instantly everyone fell silent, somehow knowing that these were to be his last words.
“Listen to me,” he gasped. “The Kyubbi is not gone. He remains among you still.” There was a swift collective gasp. “All I have managed to do is to seal him away… for a time.” He closed his eyes swiftly as a shudder of pain ran through him and then opened them again. “He lays within the newborn babe that the Journeyman Shinji will present to you upon your return. If not for that babe, the spell would not have been possible. He should be regarded as a hero.” The last part seemed to be said a bit softly as he saw the horrified looks passed between warriors. “His name… his name shall be… Naruto.” He closed his eyes serenely and smiled. “Yes. That is… a good.. name.”
And so the Great Hokage the Fourth passed.
*End