Kitsune and Neko

Chapter-24

The weather had been sunny and warm all week but as the news of Asuma's death was received, the sun refused to show its face. It started to become cloudy and before long, the rain came down, straight and silvery, like a punishment of steel rods. It clattered onto the houses and onto buildings and onto the rocks and pitted the sea. The rain barely stopped and when it did, the clouds made sure that the Hidden Leaf did not receive any sunlight. Just as there was no ray of sunshine, it seemed as if the ray of hope among most people had disappeared.

The whole village was sombre, gloomy and sad. It was just a few years ago when the Third Hokage had passed away at the hands of his former student. Now his son had been killed by the organization that the former student was once part of, the Akatsuki. Asuma was a well known ninja and praised for the right reasons. He was the youngest person ever to join the Guardian Shinobi Twelve. And apart from that he always had a kind heart. Even though he had issues with Hiruzen, he loved the village as much as if not more than his father. He was the pride of the Sarutobi clan and the village. A ninja so powerful that some villages refused to go against. His loss affected the whole village, especially the ones closest to him.

Even Anko, one of the most emotionless Kunoichi, shed tears after hearing of his death. She mourned the loss of a close friend and betting partner whom she used to tease endlessly about Kurenai.

Tsunade, being a student of the Third Hokage, spent a lot of time at his house and had watched Asuma grow from an irritating kid into a respectful man. She was drowning in guilt and sorrow. Guilt as she sent him on a dangerous mission even when she knew that he had a baby on the way and sorrow as she couldn't save her sensei or his son.

Gai was not actually that close with Asuma but still cried uncontrollably because of the loss of a youthful comrade whom he had respected since his childhood. Deep in his heart, he knew that he would miss Asuma more than he thought he would.

Sasuke and Naruto had been absent from the village for around three years but they still knew and respected the Sarutobi a lot. Even after being that far away from the leaf, the two were still affected a lot by this. 'You don't realise the worth of someone until they are gone'. Naruto wrote a letter to Jiraiya, asking about his wellbeing and sharing the awful news with him, even though the blonde knew that the Sannin had already received the news days ago. He wanted to make sure that he cherished his Sensei while he was still alive.

Kakashi, being a close friend of the Sarutobi lay lifeless in his bed for a day. He had lost another person who was precious to him. His body was used to the pain now. Life had been very cruel to him, he had lost his father when he was very young, his rival and close friend shortly after. A couple of years later, he lost another close friend who loved him dearly and whom he promised to protect at all cost. Then while he was in the Anbu, he lost his sensei, Minato and his sensei's wife, Kushina who had been his father and mother figure after his father's death. A while later, he lost the only girl who he had feelings for, Hanare, while helping her escape. Then there was the loss of the Third Hokage who he had respected a lot. And now he had lost Asuma. His eyes just lay lifeless as his eyes refused to shed any tears.

Ino, Shikamaru and Choji were affected a lot by the loss of their sensei. Ino blamed herself for leaving Asuma and distracting the enemy. She believed that her plan of divide and conquer did not work and her sensei was the price that she had to pay for it. Meanwhile, Choji and Shikamaru blamed themselves for not being strong enough to defend their sensei and made him do majority of the fighting instead of working as a team. Not a single one of them had spoken much after his death and it was as if their personalities had been taken away from them. They remained lifeless and were always lost in their own thoughts.

Kurenai was devastated at the loss of her lover. As soon as she heard the news, she collapsed and lost consciousness. She had been Asuma's girlfriend for many years and had already imagined a future with him in it. His death had broken her completely but a part of him was still with her. She touched her stomach when she remembered that she was carrying his child. She had to be strong for the kid but it was so difficult when the main pillar supporting her had fallen.