An old man coughed roughly, as he tumbled down the main street. In his mind, there was no home to go to. The old man, whose silver hair no longer recognizable by lump of gray hairs scattered all over, struggled with his cane against the vicious wind, he staggered through his way. His missing leg gave him quite the trouble, but he kept going and going, after all a mere wind couldnt slow down the pride of a shinobi.
As the evening descending, the sun had gone below the mountains on the horizon; the city began to lighten up. The light gave off from the fallen snows absorbed into the muti-color neon lights of vast skyscrapers. The people began to clear off from the street as the wind chill down to ten degree Fahrenheit. Light fluffy snowflake fell down from the sky, into the stained snow of previous day. The old man was so hungry that he could eat a horse or so he thought. But horses are too ancient in such a city as this. If that not bad enough, he didnt even have a nixu (nickel= 5 cents) in his pocket. He could beg for some money. It is after all in the middle of New Year Eve celebration, and people are especially giving during these time. But he had too much pride for his own good. And so he couldnt help but stumbled on.
The farther he went down the street, the stronger the wind thrashed into the rags on his body which he considered his clothes. His eyes were weary, and for a moment he shut his left eyes, revealing a scar of long forgotten battle. Too hungry, too tired, too cold, and too lonely, the poor old man stopped and gave a long good gaze at the big sign Ichiraku Ramen and then the big cardboard bill below that At our restaurant, we treat paying customer as God with the word Paying emphasized greatly. He sighed.
A tug to his pants, the old man turned around.
"Happy New Year to you sir
In the goodness in your heart
can you please spare some bucks with this unfortunate young soul."
The old man looked down at a young lad, no older than ten. The lad had on a blue large baggy hat with stitches of pink cloth. The hat couldnt fit nicely on his head; it slid down a bit revealing some black pointy hair sticking out. The old man eyes glance down from his head to his left pink shoe and his right blue shoe which had a big hole for the naked toe, struggling against the winter chill. The eyes scan back up to the boys fading blue sweatshirt which had one long sleeve and the other short sleeve probably resulted in a couple of dogs bites. At the end of the sleeves, two tiny hands held forward together making a sort of bowl-shaped. With a big smile, and two shiny black pupils, the lad pleaded once more, "Please
sir."
The old man stood there for a few seconds. A few seconds of awkward silence, and then his stomach rumbled and made quite a sound. The smile faded from the boys face "Oh, you just a fellow hobo, aint ya? I cant believe my luck today."
The old man spoke for the first time in the evening "I am no hobo
and what happen to the word sir a moment ago."
The boy quickly replied, "I am sorry sir for mistaking you as a hobo, but you cant blame me. If you must blame, you should blame those clothes of yours. Anyway, as I was saying", he smiled again with big shiny eyes, "can you please search in your heart, for a little kindness and share couple of bucks with this poor young soul."
The man waited for a few seconds, held his hand up, one rested on the cane and then said "got no money." His pride completely crushed.
"You waste my time long enough, old hobo."
"I told you already I am no hobo."
"Then what are you."
"You couldnt believe, if I told you."
"Try me."
"I am the legendary copy ninja of the Hidden Leaves village."
"Blah blah blah
what so good about a one legged ninja with no money"
The boy turned to leave. By this time, only a few people left on the sidewalk of the street. The old mans stomach rumbled and his tired body gave out as he fell down.
"My luck," the boy said. He turned around and lifted the old man up with his tiny body. He dragged the old man into an alley and sat him down.
"Wait right here," the boy said and he rushed off.
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A moment later, or as the old man thought, hours and hours of waiting, and the old man soon drown into thoughts. He thought about his pathetic self and pathetic pride, since when an elite shinobi like him ended up like this. And then he thought about Konoha, the village which where he came from. Konoha, which was the joy of his sensei. A place where his sensei died to protect, and so was his senseis teachers sensei. And so were the teachers of that person. They all died to protected their pride and joy. And so is Obito, he said out loud.
All this thinking depressed him, for he failed to the duty that those before him had sacrifices themselves to do. After that day, the day that he lost his leg, the day that Konoha was ceased from existence. The day of separation from his students. The day that is so long ago.
His thoughts were interrupted. The boy rushing back as yelling followed behind him. Then there was a voice Where did that brat go?
Then there was another voice, "He probably went this way." And the footsteps farther and farther away.
The boy panted heavily. He let down two bowls on the cold ground.
"Old man
I brought you some foods."
The smell was tempting, and the old man forgot all about his dignity. The boy handed over one bowl. And the old man took it and gave a loud slurp.
"Ramen?" he said in astonishing.
"Yeah, the leftover that is." The boy said as he helped himself with the other bowl.
"You stole them?"
"Steal is such a strong word. I just borrowed them."
"No matter what you did I am grateful. The old man slurped some more."
"Whats better than hot ramen in a cold winter night, the boy let out a loud burp of satisfaction."
The old man nodded agreeing.
"Oh they forgot to eat all their porks," said the old man as he picked out the tiny bit of meat and put it into the boys bowl.
"Arigato !!!" (thanks)
The old man looked at the boy then stopped slurping. All a sudden, he felt depress.
"Old man, are you alright?"
"Im all right. All this ramen reminded me of someone"
"Someone. Oh and by the way, whats your name old man?"
"Kakashi, and you boy?"
"Mine??" he paused, not that he didnt know his name but he didnt use it too often, hardly anyone asked his name anyhow. His name didnt get him any food or money so he put it in the back of his head and sometime forgot all about it. After searching all over in his tiny brain even back to those memories of long ago, he replied, "Naruto" in silence.
The old man was back in his slurping ramen soup business. The boy pointed out his finger toward an enormous skyscraper that well towering over the walls of the alley. The skyscraper filled with neon signs, The Silph Company. Then he continued. "Old man, someday, I will be the owner of that company. And when that day comes, everybody will know my name, they will pay me respect, and kiss my ass," he finished with the words, "Believe it!"
FIVE!! a sound from somewhere.
The old man pondered, and said "Your attitude remind me of someone. What your name again boy?"
"Didnt you hear it. NARUTO!!!"
FOUR!!!!!
The old man stopped slurping. He choked and cough out the soup, a naruto (rice cake) felt out by the spat and into the fallen snow.
"NARUTO?"
THREE!!!!!!!!!!
"Old man, I know it a funny name. At least, pay some respect to your savior."
"NA---RU---TO?"
"Yes, I know my name Naruto
.. Naruto Uchiha"
TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The old man dropped the bowl of ramen. He knew those names, Naruto, Uchiha
Sasuke, Sakura
He knew those names. He could never forget them as he could never forget the day his village was lost. The day that the Akatsuki declared they rule the world. He could never forget those memories. He squeezed the boys in by his two skinny arm, and tears rolled down his bony cheek, wet the scar on his left eye.
"Whats wrong with you, old man," the boy struggled to get free of the grip.
ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Say your name once more time.."
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
"I told you already, NARUTO UCHIHA
.." the boys voices suddenly drown in by the sound of New Year Eve firework.
The night winter sky lighted with twilight. As the hope in the old man's eyes flare up for the first time in a while. The mist in their breath flew up and joined the light, the light of promises, the light of the next generation.
To be continued
Movingstone
3/08/2007
7:27PM
Next chapter- An Inherited Will
A piece of paper, on it scribbled.
12 years later
1/23
Bridge of Hero
United
Remember the bridge
The Naruto Bridge
Waves
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That was a very surprising ending there, Movingstone. I'll be interested to read more if you continue.
Originally Posted by Adam_xx
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