The End of a Tale [PLOT, FUNERAL]

The Fire Temple was bustling with activity today. It was the first time their doors had been opened in such a manner in centuries, though it was for such a somber occasion that their courtyard stood full of people. At the far end, just in front of the steps leading up to the temple, there laid a dark red casket with the leaf insignia engraved on the top. On its lid, rested the hat traditionally worn by the Hokage. Though, the casket was empty, it held the weight of years of service and sacrifice to the village. Yes, this was the funeral for none other than Kosuke Uchiha, the Shodai Hokage. The courtyard was full of civilians and shinobi alike, all come to pay their respects and mourn the loss of their beloved leader. There were two slated to speak today, the first would be getting up to speak any time now. Kyo Hyuuga, who had been asked to speak by the Hokage himself before his passing. He was their first speaker, to say a few words and relay the story of their Kage. The second speaker had a bit more gravity in their speech, it was Rei Hyuuga, who was slated to give her ceremonial speech accepting the role of Nidaime Hokage. When her speech was complete, she would take the hat from his casket and place it on her head. This would signify him officially handing the role down to her. It was both a solemn, sad occasion, but also an occasion to look forward, to the future of the village. Rebuilding had already started after the attack, they had worked tirelessly, with their best earth nature users, and had managed to rebuild most of the Hokage Mountain, and the Senju were a great help in repairing the broken down buildings.

With Kosuke now officially regarded as 'gone' the passing of the Hokage title was not the only thing of significance. Until recently, the nearly former Hokage had also taken role as the head of the Uchiha Clan now someone else also had to fill that role, far as little Akira knew that strictly fell to the elderly man's only surviving child, Kazue. With being in the Uchiha there was no way the small teenager couldn't know that Kazue was now alone with the 'passing' of her father. Thus when the Clan had headed out to join all the funeral related things? Akira had raced away from her direct family, leaving her parents and two older siblings confused when the girl normally stuck to them had fled on a day hard as this one. That confusion? Had lasted for her family, until they would notice she had gone to the front in order to wrap her tiny hand around Kazue's larger limb. Everyone in the village was hurting from this, but Akira knew none of them could even start to comprehend the pain of the new clan head, the little girl herself could never imagine being the last of her direct family, the pain that must come with that had to be immense! Nothing she could say would ever be able to ease the hurt Kazue had to be feeling, thus Akira simply set herself on holding the woman's hand for the entire event; Even if she had to cry, felt like she wanted to leave, Akira would hold Kazue's hand the entire time, to remind the other dark haired girl that she wasn't alone, she still had an entire Clan even if her father was now gone.

Though even as she held Kazue's hand and focused on her kin, she couldn't help briefly scanning the crowd to see if someone they both knew well had arrived. Rei, one of her kin's close friends, her captain and the woman who would become Hokage by the end of this ceremony. Yet, Akira couldn't spot the older woman yet. She really hoped that Rei would swing by to at least give Kazue a hug sometime during this.

Bet and his father, Goken, slowly made their way to their seats. It was definitely a solemn day for everyone in the village. Apparently, his father had known the Hokage personally and they had been good friends. As they made it to their spots, at the front row, he noticed his teammate, Pigtail-chan, holding an older woman's hand. Maybe that was her sister or something, but even Bet new that now was not the time to ask. He just stood silently with his father, who was a towering man, standing at nearly 6'6" with his tail wrapped around his waist but hidden under the black trench coat he wore. He had also managed to pick up that his sensei was to be instated as the Nidaime Hokage. He didn't know what this would mean for his team or anything, but he was sure that Rei-sensei would take care of them. Maybe he would give it a week or so and then seek out Pigtail-chan for some training. It might make her feel better. He and the rest of those gathered waited in silence for the first speaker to arrive. Looking up, he supposed it was a day befitting a funeral, it looked like it would rain at any moment.

Kyo had returned from his promotion mission feeling very proud of himself. He was going to go in front of the Shodai Hokage and officially become a shinobi of Chuunin rank. He could see it in his mind's eye. The old man smiling while he made it official. He remembered coming home to the village and there were two jounin who came to meet him. The looks on their faces told him immediately that something isn't right. He glanced behind their backs that fateful day and saw part of the Hokage mountain was missing. He saw a gigantic wood formation over the village. It was then that they carried him to a room and told him everything. It was then that Kyo cried. The old geezer was like an uncle to him now he was gone? Who in their right mind would even be able to slay such a Hokage? Who in their right mind would dare? Kyo made an oath that day, Kyo had no real ambition other than getting stronger and protecting the village. Now from this day forth, he would do anything in his power to make sure the ones responsible for this die.

For the past few days he grieved for the old geezer, for their talks on Hokage mountain to their walks around the village where he taught him shinobi history and to improve his way of thinking. Kyo matured under the tutelage of the Shodai.

Now that he stood in a corner out of the sight of everyone, he remembered Kosuke's words he last spoke to him. He had asked Kyo to say a few words in his honor. The more the Hyuga thought about it, even the tone the Hokage said it and his facial expression, it was like the old man knee he was going to die somehow.

He stood there and realized that there were rainclouds gathering as if even the sky shared in Konoha's sorrow. Kyo was dressed in a black kimono and bamboo sandals; traditional wear for Hyuga at a funeral. He had steeled himself for this speech because he was not one that was big on words. He walked towards the empty casket of the slain Uchiha and positioned himself behind it. His eyes searched for familiar faces and he nodded at them in acknowledgement then he began.

"My fellow people of Konoha..." Began Kyo; his voice deep and soothing but solemn. His face was impassive as his gaze continuously scanned the crowd. "This life has a way of showing us all how short life is, and how fragile we humans are. Uchiha Kosuke was the epitome of the will of fire. That fire belongs within us all. Konoha is a body and each of us are part of that body. Working together as he would have wanted." Said Kyo as he gestured to the casket before him. "Each of us; from man to child has an integral part to pay. Let us remember our fallen father and the sacrifices he has made for all of us. As he once told me during one of our many meetings ' The village isn't in the buildings, it isn't in this mountain, it isn't in the great forest... No, the village resides in the fire that burns within the heart of each and every villager down there from the children in the academy, to the ramen cooks, all the way to the Hyuuga child who was kind enough to keep an old man company for an afternoon.' Kosuke wasn't Hokage for his power or political prowess..." Continued Kyo as he started to feel emotional and his voice started cracking. "He was strong because he would have given his life for any one of us gladly. Let us continue his legacy...as people of Konoha! Great is the Hidden leaf!"

Kyo stepped aside awaiting who else had to come up here.

It was strange being inside of the Fire Temple, it was something she had not yet gotten to do in her lifetime. Sadly, it came with a downside that came in the form of their Hokage having died for such a thing to happen. From what she had heard, if rumors were true, the temple had not been open like this for centuries. While she had not known the man too well, only getting the odd requests indirectly from him, it was still a sad day when the leader of the village died. Zaida had arrived shortly after a larger crowd had entered, leaving room for others to still be able to get in if they so wished, and she had still made it in time to hear the first speech made by Kyo. He was one she had had no contact with thus far, not a really surprising thing with how populous their village currently was, and even so she still felt the feelings behind the speech he gave.

Looking through the crowd as she waited for the next speaker to walk up and begin, the teenager would look around and try to find Miko. She had not arrived, but she very well could be busy doing something for her family. Looking around would allow her to see the rude Uchiha girl, the legend of the one-word answers, but that girl was someone she would just avoid unless absolutely necessary. How many more people that she knew would come to pay their respects and come to the call of the village higher-ups? Or would this be all that showed their face?

The fall of the Hokage ripped ripples through the land of fire, the leaf lost a great leader in Kosuke. Unfortunate considering his lack of connection to his leader, perhaps the Ayano could have done a better job at caring for his leader. But here he was at the funeral regardless, so perhaps he could do better with the next one to step up. Who WAS the next one to step up? Rei. A simple three letter name will be the one to take control of the lands and perhaps allow more influence over the other villages should a different approach to them be taken. Placing his hands in his pockets, the blonde would watch from a distance as the funeral went on.

Long live Kosuke, Hokage of the leaf. Now they need to recover from the blow of having a secure leader die and replace him with his successor. Not to say Hibiya doubted Rei in any way, quite the opposite actually. But one must consider that they do not always have to see eye to eye with each other, so there were bound to be changes. As for what they were, all the Ayano could hope for was that it would help benefit the village to become one unified and stronger than the previous. A generic wish for the village, but it was wholesome and had the best intention behind it. So there he stood, hands folded in front of his waist and his head held lower than usual, his lips neutral.

Death. The most natural of forces, one no one and no thing could avoid in the end. The Nishizaka would prefer that the natural balance of things wasn't tampered with, which made the topic a bit of a gray area. Everything had its time, but it was hard to tell if anything less than dying of old age was against the natural order. Perhaps even if the death was caused by an outside force, it was still natural and meant to be? If was a philosophical debate for sure, one no Nishizaka had the answer to.

Yori sat with her clan within the sea of black. As per clan customs, even everyone's hair was the darkest ebony, a rare sight to behold since they could change it at will. It may have been luck that their clan estate was so close to Konoha when it formed, but the Nishizaka were always on good terms with the village. Soon it was time to join the like, laying items in an empty casket to honor the first leader of the village hidden in the leaves. Her mind wandered as she slowly advanced in the line, clutching a special batch of oil blessed by Mikami. Many other Nishizaka had similar handmade things held in high regard by the clan, but others brought flowers and charms as well.

The jounin hadn't had too much contact with the previous Hokage passed the chuunin exams, her promotion to jounin, and short instructions if the mission warranted it. She was left uncertain of how she felt beyond the general anger most people from the village felt, shinobi and citizen alike. It was a hollow ache, a violation of comfort and safety that itched with vulnerability change. The will of fire would not let this go unanswered. And though she had only the vaguest inkling of seeing the new Hokage before, she did recognize the determination to carry this village as well as avenge her 'uncle Ko' as something she felt on lesser scale, more in the name of her home than the man himself. The sage was certain her mission load would increase, and though the stress that brought wound in her gut, she actually looked forward to it a little.

Yori placed her gift atop the mound of others, smiling just a little. From death springs life anew. Natures enduring gift.