Fallen (ItachixOC)

Chapter Seventeen

第十七章

Miyako's eyes were filled with tears as she stood in line with the rest of the village at the funeral of the Third Hokage. The sky was grey, raindrops falling from the dark clouds. In front stood the crying grandson of the Third – Sarutobi Konohamaru – along with the Thirds son Sarutobi Asuma. Sasuke stood next to Naruto who was next to Konohamaru, who was next to Umino Iruka – one of the teachers at the Academy.

"This is horrible," Takeo stated from next to Miyako as people placed a white flower near the picture of the Third Hokage. "He didn't have an heir planned."

"I'm sure the council has an idea on who will be the Fifth Hokage," Tsuneo stated from the other side of Miyako. Next to him was his fiancé – and one of Miyako's teachers – Higa Aya, who wasn't even trying to hide her tears.

"Who do you think they'll choose?" Takeo questioned as the row in front of them went up to the stand.

"Probably either Shimura Danzo or one of the sannin," Miyako stated as her row moved forward and placed the flowers on the stand. She overheard Naruto asking why this had to happen and Iruka answering. "Hopefully its either Lady Tsunade or Lord Jiraiya," Miyako added as they went back to their row.

"You don't like Lord Danzo?" Takeo questioned and Miyako frowned, lowering her voice even more as she answered.

"I don't trust him. I overheard his thoughts once, and I know he was the cause for my families murder," she explained, making Tsuneo, Takeo, and Aya stare at her in surprise. "This village would fall apart if he were to ever become Hokage."

目

Later that day – now dressed in her ninja attire – Miyako was helping with the clean-up of the village. Her job? Dealing with the carcasses of the three snakes she helped kill during the battle. It was easy enough to dispose of them. they had to cut them up into little pieces and then take the pieces to the surrounding forest so nature could do its thing. The problem? The task as a whole was just plain gross.

"This is so gross," Takeo stated with a groan as he slit the snakes' brain into two. "Seriously, did you have to kill them?"

"It was either that or they do more damage to the village than we can handle," Miyako replied as she threw the brain pieces onto the cart, which was then hauled off by a group of genin and two oxen. "Besides, we're lucky this is all we have to clean up. Imagine if more than three had been summoned?"

Takeo shuddered at the thought. "You know, they're still locating missing people. Gina's still missing."

"I'm sure she's fine. She's strong willed," Miyako replied with a frown, worry building up at though of her friend.

"Haruno Miyako and Fuchigami Takeo?" a chunin questioned as he walked up to the two Jōnin.

"That's us," Takeo stated and the ninja gave them a sad smile.

"Ejiri Gina has been found. She was beheaded in battle, but she took down three Oto and Suna shinobi in the process. I was asked by her family to come and get you for her funeral," the ninja explained and Miyako froze in place, tears welling up in her blue eyes.

"Of course. Thank you for informing us," Takeo replied with a blank face, grabbing Miyako's hand and leading her away to the cemetery, where whole families and friends were grieving their lost loved ones.

They soon found the Ejiri family, which consisted of chūnins Ejiri Masa and Rika – Gina's parents –, Jōnin Takumi – Gina's older brother – and genin Yutaka – Gina's younger brother. All had tears in their eyes. When they saw Takeo and mIyako they pulled them into a hug as their fazes fell to the brown coffin in the hole in front of a newly erect tombstone.

"Gina.." Miyako whimpered as she walked up to the hole. "I failed another friend."

"Miyako-chan, this wasn't your fault," Masa stated, looking at the teenage girl in pity. He remembered when the four friends used to come over for sleepovers back in the Academy days, and it saddened his heart to know that only two of those bright-eyed Academy Students were left..

"He's right, Miyako. You did your part in the battle, dealing with one of the largest threats to the village. There was no way you could be in two places at once," Rika stated as she pulled the girl into a hug.

"B-but first Hi-Hi-kun, and G-Gina. Who's next? My aunt and uncle? Sasuke-chan? You guys? You are like an extended family to me. I can't bare the thought of losing any of you," Miyako cried into Rika's shoulder as Takeo let a tear slip. "Look at me, crying when I wasn't as close to her as you were, Takeo." Miyako let out a dry laugh, looking up to her best friend.

"Close?" Takumi questioned.

"We had just started dating last week," Takeo explained as another tear fell. "I thought that maybe it would be forever with her... but now..." Takeo turned his back on everyone and started to walk away. He couldn't face the family of the girl he loved when he should've been there to protect her, and not healing fallen comrades.

"I-I didn't know big sister had a boyfriend," Yutaka stuttered out in surprise and Miyako gave a small smile.

"They were so good together. They could spend house upon hours talking about the latest in medical-ninjutsu. I was shipping them together since childhood, if I'm going to be honest. I had hoped that when they got older they would marry and have beautiful children," Miyako explained.

"I had the same thoughts with you and Hisoka-kun," Rika stated with a wistful smile, making the girl look at her in surprise.

"Hi-kun? Why would you think that, Rika-san?"

"He was in love with you. Anyone could see it. If the massacre hadn't happened, I think you would have become a close couple," masa stated with a grin, his wife nodding in agreement. "Gina thought so too. She was, as you said, shipping you and Hisoka-kun."

Miyako looked at the couple in surprise, having never realised that Hisoka had any form of affection for her outside of their close friendship. "Well, it's too late now." Miyako gave a wistful smile as she turned back to the body, kneeling down. "Don't worry Gina, I promise to look after Takeo. I'd rather die than let him die. You won't be forgotten, my sister."