Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Wind is Whistling ❯ The Clock That Went Backward ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

This is the downright remake of Spiral and The Woodland Ground. My Beta said to me that my writing are sometimes too vague (more bad vague than the good, downright to more confusion). She said that I have a plot clear in my mind with analytical approach (skill, whatever, do not really understand that last one). So I bring it here one more time with clarity. Originality of plot seems to be the best (for me who can be considered as new in making multi-chaptered story). My grammar is not something that I'm proud of, and I still learning it even until today. Yeah beta, you want me to work on it (All right, I understand).
It's 1:16 am in the morning and I am babbling (surely middle exam stress have catched up with me).
I do not own Naruto, no relation with Masashi Kishimoto or whatsoever. However the altered plot and lines are mine.
Do send me feedbacks; review, mail, pm. Constructive critism (within my reach to fix) is deeply appreciated.
Best viewed in ¾ length, top right button.


Enjoy,
-Ein

Human have choices in their life. So many choices that it lead to so many consequences. Sometimes the lucky one (or the rightful one, not so many, sometimes) will choose the straight-accurate way. For more than once they make mistakes. More than often they regret, mourn, for the mistakes that they made. That is, for them that are not able to amend it. Amendment it seems, so similar to redemption. Humans hopes and prays, wishing that someday the world will get better for them. For the next generation, for their grandchildren, for the next grandchildren after that.

It a never-ending circle.

Life, like that have never been easy. Some prefer a long age, dying in bed, or maybe fall ill, getting old. Some others simply enjoyed whay they have, neither young neither old. Life is short. Shorter for human to hold grudges for so long without redemption. It have never been easy, seeking forgiveness that is.

The same could be said to her, to them, to this place.

For a long time (she thought) that she would be here forever, endless. Hollow, empty (just like her). She had never contemplated things like that several years ago. Oh so carefree, so bright........., so foolish. She should have known the day will turn for the different sun. Perhaps tomorrow would be shinier, brighter, and perhaps, darker. The stars could gather in the sky, praying for the living. At least if they are some kind of kindred spirits, those ancestors, families, whose soul decided to stay and watch the living.

She wondered sometimes, that many prophesy were made according to their words, the stars alignment. Then maybe her parents would be up there too, watching her, laughing and making small jokes about her incessant habits. She wondered if their placid comment would include her (indirect) inherited nasty habit of daily consumption of ramen (highly unhealthy fat intake). She wondered if Yamato-taichou would tease her mercilessly about her stuck upbringing in mokuton. And she wondered, if that woman was there too, playfully teasing her mud-covered forehead to no end.

The thought made her smile, she had been here for kami knew how long.

She was a simple girl, and she still was as she grew years later. Choices, so many choice made her who she was as she grown older. If asked years back that if she wished to become what she is right now, she would downright refuse. She was a simple girl, she did not have so many wish. Sometimes, wishing are futile (you have to work for it).

She knew what she wished for, her wants, the desire so deep in her very essence.

She was a leader, first and foremost, looking upon her people. Leaders protect their family, leader love their family, and their family protect them back, loving them, protecting them from harm. Looking back now, she should have known that she was finished. She had done with it. Walking down the memory lane, glancing towards this village, she knew. She was done, there was nothing to protect anymore. She would have nothing in mind, as long as the will of fire kept going in their hearts. Konoha is safe. At least she had taken down most of the threats, the giant threat looming over Konoha, Suna (she smiled), Nami no Kuni. She was finished with them.

She should not have any regret. She should not. And yet, she felt the pang in the centre of her body, feeling of loss. Greater than when Sasuke was killed in the hand of Madara, when he took the killing blow that was aimed for her. Greater than when Yamato-taichou perished into ash as she and he attempted to reseal Kyuubi inside that Shinigami gate. Greater than when Naruto left her in one night, trusting Konoha in her hand. Greater than when Kakashi gone rampaging that night, screaming Rin, Obito, and Minato as his white fang shone brightly than ever; taking enemies-nin down with him.

When his last line and his chakra had mostly depleted, he made it stumbling to the three stump in our clearing out of sheer will. His battered body and messy hair oddly matched with half smile on his lips. He left his mask out in the last moment, looking strangely in peace. Kakashi-sensei crawled to her in the middle of that clearing, where team seven took their bell test. He rested his head on her lap, as she sung a song he requested that night. She watched as he slowly drifted to sleep, the one she knew he would never be awoke to for the next day, and the day after that.

Black and white images of the aloof and foul-mouthed member of her team entered her mind. Sai sat on their training ground, his lips smiled a genuine smile, he held a sketchbook with colourful pastel. On the front page was pink, decorated with blue and yellow, a hint of silver and green, and a cherry blossom signature on the side. His body had grown cold, large gash in his stomach ruined his intestine, and they both knew. He would not, could not be saved. So she sat with him, joking and laughing like they used to be, noticing that not once he called her ugly that night. They sat as he told her his dreams and future plans, leaning his head on the side, to her shoulder. For once she did not hit him, merely smiling as he hinted his last masterpiece, a map of direction to his home-studio, along with a black folder with his bloody handprint over it. So they talked until a hint of red showed in the sky, and he went silent.

No more words, and so his stilled heart (stop beating). They sat like that a little longer, as it was her turn to speak. She spoke about her training lately, of how she struggled with mokuton, and how she loved and hated her genin team at the same time. She spoke about the weekends they all spent in her apartments for nabe and cooking lesson. She spoke about the next upcoming festival they should come together sometimes. She spoke until her voice hoarse, and she had difficulty to say anymore words (she spoke to the thin air). That noon Ino found her in that hidden clearing, still leaning to Sai's cold body. She barely remembered Ino's words, or maybe Ino did not say anything after all. She remembered setting fire in that place, burning his body.

She travelled to Nami in less than one day, rented a wooden boat, and went into the middle of the ocean. She spread Sai's ash into the water, as he told her his dream to see the world the night before (and maybe he had travelled everywhere by the time she was finished). The journey home was in complete silence, as to her, as to female companion who insisted to come with her.

She barely remembered how she arrived at the gate, or how she get into her apartment, or how Ino sat with her for the entire day. The black folder laid before her, still marking the red handprint as she unsealed it. She read the entire document, every last bit of pieces in it, not missing a single word or number. Ino was sleeping on her lap, with hairs dangling at the front of her shirt. Tenths of pages later, she put it all back into the black folder. More than two hours later she sat in Hokage office as their newest mission briefing came into an end. And in less than fourteen hours the Anbu Black Ops was obliterated. Danzo had met his own demise in her hand, and his dogs was down under Ibiki's interview.

So she continued to live, as the role of Hokage was bestowed upon her. Shichidaime Hokage they said, Sakura-kun he said, as Shikamaru desk was placed beside her in that office. For once he did not complain toward paperwork. Konoha forces were slowly adapting four man cells system thus involved a combat medic as a fourth member in each cell. The new cell formation reached it maximum survival rate in no more than six months. Her role was short, as they flung into another Shinobi great war once again.

Dai-taichou Nara Shikamaru had stood beside her the entire time, leading the path of battle for years to come. Joined forces between Sound, Iwa, Grass and Akatsuki causing power imbalance in the five countries. Breach of territory and economy embargo scattered sporadically. Third Great Shinobi War had started. First Kages alliance ever made in the Shinobi world was formed between the remaining country with Konoha and Suna as its pioneer. Peace treaty and military union within the alliance were established in seventy two hours Konoha conference. Konoha elite eleven and Suna kage-nin spread out within the five shinobi nation in two man team, each carried and connected the power of alliance as advocat, market connector and military adviser. The war lasted for almost four years.

A last large-scale battle took place in the valley of the end between two forces. Akatsuki joined forces reached an impasse on the near end of the war. All sides fought ferociously, man to man, bijuu statue to Oyadama summon. Konoha elite eleven turned down to six. Tsunade and Jiraiya almost reached their limit. Not long later, one of Konoha elite was neutralized.

In that battle she remembered vividly almost everything (and nothing) as Ino fell in front of her.

It was beautiful, she thought. It was quick, one clean shot to the heart, just barely along the borderline of Ino's lung. She didn’t need byakugan to confirm that, the pattern stuck on her mind already from numerous times She assisted Ino in her personal medical check-up. So she made it sure herself that it was quick and painless. That’s what she wanted to believe when she was there.

Her hearing was blocked, she saw nothing, and she heard nothing. Her surrounding didn't matter anymore, and she found that she had knelt with Ino's body in front of her. She didn't see the battle had brought into halt due to tremendous amount of condensed chakra in the air, and all eyes turned into the unlikely source. Then there was flashlight, and she saw nothing.

And then she felt herself floating in the middle of nowhere. And then she realized that this was the end. And then she knew she was finished.

Death is such a morbid thing. Embrace it, and it will look into you with gentle face. She did not really know how to respond to that, as the hollow in her soul felt horrible. Greater, more terrible than every single loss in her life. And she found this time she was truly alone, completely and utterly alone.

There was nothing else, and she closed her eyes, not caring if she could saw nothing in this darkness. It was just a bad dream.

Yeah, just a bad dream.

There was screaming as her eyes opened, adjusting to the bright light. And she found herself standing on the dusty ground, watching the worst possible and logical thing. She only stood frozen, staring disbelieve to the sight in front of her.

Her Ino was dead, she saw her herself, she saw Ino dying. She watched as Ino whispered those last words to her ears.

And Ino was standing in front of her right now. That old purple suit clung into that body like a porcelain doll. She was younger, shorter, but that blond hair, that intense eyes, that determined look; it was unmistakably matched. This was Ino, her Ino. It was not possible. It was downright horrid. Was this her punishment? Was this her afterlife? Because no way this woman was standing in front of her, albeit younger than she remembered.

This was Ino, and standing in front of her in that stance; a stance that deeply ingrained in her mind in their first chuunin exam (it supposed to be that way).

This was Ino, and she was here.

She only stood frozen, staring disbelieve to the sight in front of her.

She barely made out screaming in the background. She couldn't believe it.

Her body didn't budge, couldn't...

...wouldn't.

She embraced it, the pain. And somehow, she didn't mind. She had the choice to run, but she knew she wouldn't. If this was what she had to take to see her again, then...

...it didn't matter. Her opponent stared shock, at her, at her face; looking down to her bloody abdomen.

She slowly brought her hand up, touching her opponent soft cheek. She knew she was quivering, and Ino was too. As long as she could see her face...

...that she saw her again, if she could feel her...

...even covered in dust and weary to the bone, it was all her. She slowly slipped into the other embrace. She held her tight.

Ino was here, and somehow the hollow in her heart didn't matter anymore.

The battle was brought to halt due to tremendous amount of condensed chakra in the air. All eyes turned into the unlikely source. Shichidaime of Konoha was holding the deceased Yamanaka Ino with her second in command close to her. The Shichidaime emitted humongous white-red heavy chakra which expanded further, destroying the bijuu statue and the rest of Akatsuki main members. When all red and white chakra dissipated, Shichidaime of Konoha and her second in command had vanished in the middle of the process. Within one battle, Konoha elite eleven reduced into three.