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Part II: 'Man of the World.'
"FATHER!"
I watched him slowly stagger backwards, and then fall like a great tree down to the earth.
Without thinking I ran towards him, completely ignoring the skirmish that was raging around me.
Without thinking I ran towards him, completely ignoring the skirmish that was raging around me.
A blade struck my shoulder causing me to stumble, but I kept running through the battlefield.
I just kept running until I was leaning over top of him, cradling him uncomfortably in my arms.
I could feel his massive chest heave as he began to chuckle softly, choking a bit as he laughed.
I just kept running until I was leaning over top of him, cradling him uncomfortably in my arms.
I could feel his massive chest heave as he began to chuckle softly, choking a bit as he laughed.
"Y'know, I've been waiting 20 years almost to hear that, Aki... hiko."
He coughed loudly, spitting a mouthful of dirt and blood onto his chest before grinning wildly.
"It's got a nice ring to it, almost like I raised ya or something, huh?" He coughed again,
then leaned his head back a bit and laughed heartily, his voice still booming even in this state.
He coughed loudly, spitting a mouthful of dirt and blood onto his chest before grinning wildly.
"It's got a nice ring to it, almost like I raised ya or something, huh?" He coughed again,
then leaned his head back a bit and laughed heartily, his voice still booming even in this state.
"Listen... Akihiko, I know we've not always... seen eye to eye about most things.
And I know that things have been tough for ya, and they're jus' gonna get tougher...
... But I have one last burden to leave ya with... If that's alright with ya, m'boy."
I tried to respond, but the walls of my throat caved in, only opening for each short gasp of air.
And I know that things have been tough for ya, and they're jus' gonna get tougher...
... But I have one last burden to leave ya with... If that's alright with ya, m'boy."
I tried to respond, but the walls of my throat caved in, only opening for each short gasp of air.
I couldn't speak, I couldn't make a sound, I couldn't even flinch. All I could manage to do was stare,
stare wide-eyed as the strongest man in the world lay broken and defeated. I couldn't believe it.
"You've grown so big and strong, and I know all fathers say that but I really mean it,
Ya've grown so much, It's hard to imagine yer the same boy I took home with me that day."
A small tear rolled down his cheek, but it was quickly lost within the blood that stained him.
Regardless, he tried to wipe it away before continuing on, "I'm really proud of ya, son."
Still smiling, he let out a small chuckle, "But at the same time, I need you to ask more of ya."
The masked men began to leave the battlefield. One by one, they faded into dust and wind.
Regardless, he tried to wipe it away before continuing on, "I'm really proud of ya, son."
Still smiling, he let out a small chuckle, "But at the same time, I need you to ask more of ya."
The masked men began to leave the battlefield. One by one, they faded into dust and wind.
The other villagers slowly made their way to our circle, one by one, wondering what was going on.
We had won from the looks of things, but they were not greeted with victory, only sadness and despair.
We had won from the looks of things, but they were not greeted with victory, only sadness and despair.
One by one, they widened their eyes in stark, utter horror at the sight of our fearless leader, Tarou,
who had been reduced to a crippled man as he lay choking through his last breaths, one by one.
who had been reduced to a crippled man as he lay choking through his last breaths, one by one.
I couldn't figure out what he meant, and the silent grin on his face didn't offer too many clues.
He choked once more before lifting a single, bloody hand towards me, gesturing that I lean closer.
He choked once more before lifting a single, bloody hand towards me, gesturing that I lean closer.
Without having to think, my body bent over, bringing me face-to-face with the now crimson giant.
"Ya might not have my blood − but you've sure as hell got my spirit, kid."
"Ya might not have my blood − but you've sure as hell got my spirit, kid."
I started shaking violently and struggling to force my words out and began hyperventilating,
By the time I could finally feel my voice returning, he cut me short with his palm on my forehead.
"Akihiko... Lend me your burning spirit. The Lantern needs light to fend off the darkness."
I could feel it all rush back. My words, my thoughts, my anger. It flowed through me all at once.
"Moron! Don't you say that! I'm the worst person you could pick! Bastard! The WORST!
Mugon! or Rin! Satoshi! Hell! They're all stronger than me, so stop fuckin' 'round old man!"
I clenched the collar of his shirt tightly and screamed at him. "You asshole! Don't you dare!"
I clenched the collar of his shirt tightly and screamed at him. "You asshole! Don't you dare!"
As though that would help; As though violence would make everything better, without thinking
I bashed my forehead against Tarou's, tearing the skin open on the horns of his forehead protector.
I could feel a small trickle of blood begin to run across my forehead and down the middle my face,
but my ferocity was gone. Just as quickly as it flowed through my body, it dissipated in it's entirety.
but my ferocity was gone. Just as quickly as it flowed through my body, it dissipated in it's entirety.
"Don't you fucking dare..." I whimpered like a child, "...I said, Don't you fucking dare..."
Tarou's smile softened a bit, but still lingered. He let out an exhausted sigh before responding.
"Sorry, sorry. It's selfish of me to leave ya with such a big burden... But you'll have help."
"Forget it! So don't you die on me, you bastard! I swear, I'll kick your ass if you die on me!"
I shook him violently, but he just rested one of his giant hands on the back of my head and continued,
Tarou's smile softened a bit, but still lingered. He let out an exhausted sigh before responding.
"Sorry, sorry. It's selfish of me to leave ya with such a big burden... But you'll have help."
"Forget it! So don't you die on me, you bastard! I swear, I'll kick your ass if you die on me!"
I shook him violently, but he just rested one of his giant hands on the back of my head and continued,
"Mugon, I want ya to advise Akihiko. Brainy guys like you are good for brawny guys like us."
"Y-yes, Akarikage-Sama." Mugon's voice shook as he spoke. It was odd for him to be nervous,
I'd never heard him sound nervous before, ever. Not like this, anyway. Next, he then turned to Miki.
"Miki, keep Akihiko in line... Promise ya won't let him make any bad choices! Okay?!"
Miki tried to speak, but between the sniffling and the sobbing she couldn't get a single word out.
Instead, she nodded quickly before succumbing to her tears and leaning against Mugon's shoulder.
By now, everyone had gathered into a circle around the giant of a man, our fallen Akarikage.
Some cried, some simply watched on horrified, and others were just unsure of how to react to it.
Tarou looked around, making sure to get a good look at everyone's faces before speaking again,
"Everyone, the village... Your village will need you more than ever in times to come."
He turned his head as he spoke, making sure to face everyone who gathered in his final moments.
"I'm going to rely on ya'll just as much as Akihiko to take care of... to protect ev'rybody...
to defend the hopes.. the dreams... and the future... of every last person in the village!"
He took a few weary breaths before continuing, it was getting harder to watch him.
"I've known all of ya since ya were just little kids back at the academy... coached ya all...
scolded ya when ya broke rules... congratulated ya... when ya succeeded... But most of all..."
Tarou trailed off as his fingers began to grasp at the sky, it was pouring rain, Tarou loved the rain.
He smiled a gentle smile, the smile of a man who lived in a time before the gods gave greed to man,
and left them to figure out what hate was. The once clear and blue skies became dark and gloomy,
and the clouds turned an ominous gray. But he just kept smiling, a gentle smile. Tarou's famous smile.
"I always believed in every one of ya... that someday, you would all be incredible shinobi...
Shinobi who would bring an end to this age of... war my selfish... naive generation created...
Lead the young ones down the right path... Look after them well, It'll be their turn someday."
His eye lids began to droop drowsily, and his speech started to trail off with a few final words...
"I always believed in every one of ya... that someday, you would all be incredible shinobi...
Shinobi who would bring an end to this age of... war my selfish... naive generation created...
Lead the young ones down the right path... Look after them well, It'll be their turn someday."
His eye lids began to droop drowsily, and his speech started to trail off with a few final words...
"Create... a New World... of Peace..."
Tarou's golden eyes slowly shut as the last of his life slipped between his lips with those words,
his hand became limp and slid from the side of my head, landing softly on the mucky ground.
Panicking, I did what anyone would do in that circumstance, I tried to wake him up.
"Tarou... Tarou!" I shook him violently, as though the shaking was enough to bring him back,
"Tarou... Tarou!" I shook him violently, as though the shaking was enough to bring him back,
enough to close the gaping wound in his chest. "Tarou! open your damn eyes! Open your eyes!"
After a long pause, I felt a firm grip land and tighten on my shoulder, prompting me to get up.
I waited a moment before turning and meeting Mugon's melancholic, and for once, empathetic stare.
He had no words for me, only shook his head, and gestured for me to stand. It was time for us to go.
I took one last look at the man, a long look before I wrapped my bloody arms around his cold body.
Staggering as I rose to my feet, I lifted the nearly two-hundred pound man. I took a few deep breaths,
then straightened my back and initiated a 'Hero's March,' the traditional marching style of Tōrōgakure.
It was one of the few things I remembered from my Academy years, how to honor a fallen Hero.
A sort of straight legged, slow stepped march − right, together, stamp, left, together, and repeating.
I probably looked like an idiot, but It wouldn't stop me. I closed my eyes bitterly as I marched alone,
but I felt a hand grip tightly on my shoulder before hearing an eerie yet familiar tune from behind me,
a nearly forgotten hymn from Tōrōgakure's founding days. The Song of Last Prayer, the final send off.
I wearily looked back to see Mugon's hand shaking a bit as he begun the hymn in the ancient tongue,
Singing, it was his clan's talent, but I never thought I'd see the day that Mugon sung in respect of a Kitsune.
Thank you, Mugon. You're full of surprises. My admiration was cut short by an abrupt tugging on my sash,
Thank you, Mugon. You're full of surprises. My admiration was cut short by an abrupt tugging on my sash,
Miki joined in next. She didn't know any the words, but she was trying really hard to sing along with him.
She was too short to put her palm on my shoulder, but she followed as best as her short legs would allow.
One by one, Roku, then Yasuko, Kintaru, Himawari and Shinju, shoichi, and the rest of the shinobi joined,
some singing, others not. But together, we waded slowly through the mucky fields surrounding Tōrōgakure,
and made our way home. Marching like the soldiers we like to pretend we are, we brought our king home.
"Oi Bakahiko! All these cowards just started running away! What happened!?" Inari Growled.
But the second the great white fox saw who lay in my arms, the boisterous, ill-tempered shouts stopped.
He knew what had happened; he knew why they had left. They'd likely gotten what they had come for.
One by one, the citizens of Tōrōgakure stared in horror as I made my way from the village gates,
through the dreary, damaged city streets, up the path of the lost, and finally, to the village graveyard.
The rest of the teams eventually made their way to the center of town, meeting our march head on.
Some chose to follow, grabbing lanterns, torches, anything that could be used as a light to guide him.
Others were confused, some in denial. But I couldn't blame them being unable to believe what they saw.
If I wasn't holding the man in my arms at that very moment, I wouldn't have believed it either.
I had gotten to the graveyard's gates when Satoshi and a few medical-nin flickered before me.
Concerned looks painted their faces as well, no matter how hard they were trying to disguise it.
Concerned looks painted their faces as well, no matter how hard they were trying to disguise it.
"Akihiko, we need to prepare him for burial... I know it's hard, but please, try to understand."
I stayed silent for a moment, avoiding the eye contact my Sensei was trying to establish.
"Akihiko!" He grabbed my shoulder firmly, "We're all upset, but you need to listen to me..."
"Okay!"
There was a long and uneasy tension as silence fell upon the group. It was cold outside, or at least,
that's what they said. I can't remember. I reluctantly placed Tarou on the stretcher they had prepared.
I took one last look at the man, who was still smiling widely even in death. That's right, smiling.
How can you be so happy, Tarou? What could have made you smile so strongly that it never faded?
Satoshi removed his forehead protector and handed it to me before awkwardly averting his gaze.
He was fumbling over his words and played with his hands a bit before trying to speak again,
"He can't have any metal on him for the medical procedures. Maybe give this to Hikari, Aki-"
"Yeah."
"... Akihiko?"
"Yeah."
He tried to put his hand on my shoulder, but I side-stepped around him and ran in the other direction.
He tried to put his hand on my shoulder, but I side-stepped around him and ran in the other direction.
Where was I running? Why was I running? I guess it doesn't matter, I was just running as fast as I could.
Running as far away as I could, running away from this village, running away from this day, as if I could.
Running as far away as I could, running away from this village, running away from this day, as if I could.
It washed the blood from the numerous bodies of the fallen, dying the mucky terrain an eerie shade of Red.
Somehow, I was reminded of the Crimson Snow. I wasn't there, but somehow, I knew it looked like this.
It was as though each drop of rain threw itself from the cheeks of crying giants sitting atop the heavens.
Even the the gods themselves wept at the death of a single man. The death of Tarou, the Fourth Akarikage.
Even the the gods themselves wept at the death of a single man. The death of Tarou, the Fourth Akarikage.
Suggested Collections
So I felt like rewriting this piece before I went to all the arcs, mostly because it just deserves it.
The original is so full of grammatical errors and typoes, and was rushed like all of my work was.
Everyone's gonna look at the pictures first and say that's what makes it better, which is true,
but the original was written atrociously and this part of the story really just deserved better.
This is the one moment of any Arc that everyone remembers, that everyone in the village remembers.
This is the death of Tarou Kitsune, the man of the world. It's not fully illustrated,
but I'm working on it. It just made sense to release this with the brand new arc.
Image Credits: First (TraceofHatred), Second TBA
The original is so full of grammatical errors and typoes, and was rushed like all of my work was.
Everyone's gonna look at the pictures first and say that's what makes it better, which is true,
but the original was written atrociously and this part of the story really just deserved better.
This is the one moment of any Arc that everyone remembers, that everyone in the village remembers.
This is the death of Tarou Kitsune, the man of the world. It's not fully illustrated,
but I'm working on it. It just made sense to release this with the brand new arc.
Image Credits: First (TraceofHatred), Second TBA
© 2015 - 2024 TraceofHatred
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