Naruto My Puppet

Tick, tock
Tick, tock
Tick, tock

“Sasuke!!! Come on Sasuke! Let’s go outside and play!”

He was my best friend. He meant everything in the world to me. I cherished him for he was my precious person.

“C-can I sleep over at your house then? You owe me, after all.”

We were only ten years old at that time.

“Ah! It’s raining! Hurry, let’s go home so I can steal your bed! [Laughter]”

He always had a fascination with beautiful things, yet, he was never fascinated by himself.

“[Gasp.] Look Sasuke, that is the most beautiful butterfly I have ever seen.”

“Watch where you’re going, do you want to get run over?”

We were only ten years old when that accident happened.

“Then hold my hand Sasuke!”

“No, dobe, you should be old enough to walk across the street on your own.”

“[Frown] I can do it! I was just...uh, I thought you were scared!”

I should have held his hand.

“NARUTO! MOVE!”

Everything became a blur.

My eyes burned and I was crying, clutching to my friend as I felt him go cold, cold in my arms, whimpering and shivering. And then….still.

“This kid is okay, but the other…there’s no pulse. Call an ambulance! Hurry!”

I opened my eyes….and widened them at the sight of his blood on me. The medics came to take him away, but I wouldn’t let him, cause I knew…they knew that I knew that…

He was already dead.

“Look how that butterfly flies, Sasuke. It’s so pretty. It’s like someone is controlling its wings up in the air like that, so quickly. It must be fun to be a puppet, there is always someone watching over you and taking care of you, even though you are controlled, you are loved by everyone.”

I woke up in the hospital with my grandfather beside my bed, crying while he shakes his head.

My precious person, my everything, who I thought would always be by my side, was gone.

So now, I have nothing.

Tick, tock
Tick, tock
Tick, tock

Why did time stop for him?

Tick…tock…

****[Episode 1, The dead ventriloquist]****

“Ah, hello Sasuke-kun! I’m very sorry to hear about your grandfather’s departure. I heard he used to be a famous ventriloquist in the old times.” A middle aged man greeted, pulling his hand out for the teen to shake.

The teen, Sasuke Uchiha, age 15, occupation, high school student at Leaf Kon High, just stared at the hand and walked right past the man and sat on his comfortable black couch.

The man put his hand down embarrassed, and followed Sasuke to sit in front of the teen on the couch.

Hatake Kakashi, age 32, occupation, assistant, guardian, butler, for Sasuke, just shook his head and stood by to watch.

“Please, Mr. Tomoki just show us what you got and be on your way.” Kakashi said, looking at the man with cold eyes. I mean, really. Sasuke’s grandfather, Sarutobi was his last family, and this guy had the nerve to bring up his death when he doesn’t even know Sasuke? People these days…

“Ah, o-okay. Well…I have a variety of different tombstone for your grandfather. Let me show you a couple.”

*

“It was very nice meeting you Sasuke-kun. I’ll have your tombstone ready in a week. Good-..”

Sasuke shut the door on the man’s face and turned to walk to the living room to rest. Kakashi chuckled at the behavior and followed Sasuke. “I’ll get your dinner. We need to go over things as well.”

Sasuke only grunted.

‘Hm, he still won’t speak, huh? Not even a yes or no?’ Kakashi turned to the kitchen to get the dinner the chef’s made and picked up the delicious meal. He proceeded to the dining room where, as he expected, Sasuke was and put the food down. “Here, it’s your favorite tonight, fried rice and Chinese.” Kakashi smiled.

He knew this wasn’t his favorite meal, but Kakashi wanted to test if Sasuke would point that out.

No, nothing. Sasuke ignored him and just picked up the fork to poke his food. Kakashi took out the document he was carrying in his formal black coat and put it on the table.

“I believe this is your Grandfather’s will.” Kakashi said. He watched with one eye [The other eye is covered with an eye patch.] as Sasuke took the document and opened it up to read his beloved grandfather’s will.

Blah blah blah, money, super rich, typical.
Blah blah, inheritance to summer house and everything in it, already has a super mansion, typical.
Blah blah, ventriloquist puppets…blah, super…what?

Sasuke stared at the words there with careful eyes and read it.

You are also inherited the famous Ventriloquist’s puppets and items related. He believed that you would be fit to keep these in a safe place once he’s gone?

All thoughts went away as he began to remember his friend and him. How he and Naruto would go down to his Grandfather’s workshop and watch his Grandfather work on his puppets or give them a show. He remembered how Naruto would stare in awe and squeal in delight, “WHOA! The dollies are alive!” While Sasuke would stare suspiciously, mumbling to himself, “How is he doing that? Is there a trick? A tape recorder maybe?” The young boy, Sasuke, looked at how Naruto stared at his grandfather, as if he was the most greatest man in the world. He was the greatest, best, ventriloquist who ever lived. Sasuke was jealous.

Sasuke smiled and chuckled at the memory. That was when he decided to take up ventriloquism, so Naruto could stare at him like that too. But he grew attached to ventriloquism when he noticed how he was very good at it.

“Make me proud, Sasuke. And make him proud too.”

Sasuke shook his thoughts when he noticed that he was spacing out again. He went back to his usual self and closed the document to continue his meal.

Kakashi had watched Sasuke, and well…he was shocked to see Sasuke smile and laugh too! ‘I wonder what’s going on in his mind.’ Kakashi thought, watching Sasuke eat solemnly. He must be tired from school today.

“Well, if you want, we can go to your Grandfather’s house to collect some things, how does tomorrow sound?” Kakashi asked, picking up the document.

Sasuke stared at him and got up.

“Sasuke?”

Sasuke ignored him and walked down the hall. Question marks appeared on Kakashi’s head, but nonetheless, he followed the master down the hall to the front door, outside in the dark cloudy night, and to the door of the limo.

“N-now? What time is it?” Kakashi sighed, looking at his watch.

Sasuke grunted and got in, slamming the door. With another sigh, Kakashi got in the driver’s seat and put the keys in the ignition.

“Well, Sarutobi Residence here we come.” He said in a false happy tone.

Pulling out of the drive way and out of the mansion’s gates, they began to drive to the ventriloquist’s home, where he created, performed, and cherished puppets all his life. Now that he was dead, all of it belonged to Sasuke. Sasuke closed his eyes and blocked everything in the outside world from him.

He wondered….is grandfather with Naruto now?

[Curtains close.]
[Audience applause.]
[Episode 2, The Early Birthday Present.]