How long has it been...Three years now? I still remember like it was yesterday.. I still remember the day I lost you, nii-san...

Sarutobi Mitsuo stands outside of the cemetery and lights a smoke, taking a deep drag as painful memories of that day flash through his mind.

You were always the calm and collected one weren't you? Always the one with the level head, the one who could keep me centered. You probably saved me that day, stopping me from running in.. Telling me that Sensei could handle it and not to rush in hastily. You were right of course. Always right...

He takes another drag and exhales a large cloud of smoke, half of the cigarette gone as his soft lips and hands both tremble slightly, a single tear forming at the corner of his deep green eyes, staining them red. He closes his eyes, finishes off his smoke and wipes his glasses which are fogging up before making his way through the cemetery.

You shouldn't be in here, shouldn't have joined our ancestors so early in life. You should be fighting in my place, protecting the Hidden Leaf by my side or in my stead.. I should be the one in the grave..

He looks at the names of those who came before him as he walks through the cemetery. Uzumaki, Nara, Aburami...Sarutobi...He sees the names of his ancestors, the ones who paved the way for him and his brother to become Shinobi. They were the first to carry the Will of fire and they had passed it down through the Sarutobi clan to the present generation. Mitsuo smiles softly as he thinks of the wonderful thing that they had given to him, and to the village; a homage to the Will of Fire located just outside of the cemetery.

You truly had the Will of Fire nii-san, you carried it in everything you said and did. You loved the village and it's people and you helped me along as well. Your goal was always to become a Shinobi capable of protecting the village...

The tear falls down his face, his eyes closing once more as he kneels before the graves of Sarutobi Munoto and Uzumaki Hitaka, his brother and mother. He lays down flowers and lets a few more tears fall down his face, soaking into his beard.

Nii-san, Okasama, I love you both... I promise to carry out your goal Nii-san. I will become ANBU and I will protect the village. I have inherited your Will of Fire and it burns bright inside of me. I just wanted you to know...

He wipes the tears from his face and stands up, cleaning his glasses, bowing, and taking out another smoke. As he lights it he walks back towards the exit of the cemetery.

I will always have you inside of my heart, you will always live on in me.. Thank you, Nii-san, Okasama, for all you taught me. You are my rock and because of you I will always stand strong.

Mitsuo exhales another cloud of smoke and approaches the monument to the Will of Fire, feeling as he often does after he visits his relatives; bursting with new determination and a fiery passion that burns bright.

I will make you proud!

The surface of the water rolled across itself gently, with barely a ripple being created by the countless drops cascading across themselves as they charged south. The naka river itself had no idea that Tatsumaru was walking calmly across the surface of it's water, as his pace was so carefully selected that not a ripple was created by his movements. As Hokage, Tatsumaru had found it was rather difficult to walk through the streets of Konoha without being bothered, as even without his robes, which were admittedly rather fantastically comfortable, his face was rather iconic. As the first Uchiha Hokage, he had a rather massive target painted across his back, as even without his personal conduct, which was less than honorary at times. Granted he didn't care anymore, he would cleave through a thousand more souls without regard if it got him a step closer to finding his wife's murderer.

Taking a sharp right, Tatsumaru marched off the river, resting his feet on the soft green grass of the field he had finally reached. Before him stood one of the oldest monuments in all of Konoha; The Will of Fire Monument. This massive stone monument was without a doubt the most eye catching part of the cemetery, with a large sculpture of a ball of fire standing tall above everything else on top of it. Beneath the sculpture sat a large brass plate with the words "The Will Of Fire" carved into it's surface. This monument marked the graves of every Hokage that had ever lived, as well as their spouses. Only the acting Hokage and the chief advisor of the village are able to enter the catacombs beneath the monument, and that was exactly why Tatsumaru was here. Although Shiho was given a Viking funeral, across from the grave that had been prepared for him sat a small monument to his wife, and today he intended to visit it.

Reaching into the left jacket pocket of his robe, Tatsumaru withdrew a small wooden box, about the size of a deck of playing cards. Inside the box rested a small silver key. Removing the key from the box, Tatsumaru aimed the tip of the key at the centre of the fireball statue above the Catacombs. A sudden burst of light arose from the key as a beam shot from it's tip into the heart of the fireball, causing the large brass plate in-front of it to rise like a trap door, revealing a sharp flight of stairs downward. The door sealed itself behind Tatsumaru as he walked down, and once it was fully shut behind him, the darkness of the tome suddenly flooded with light as the candles on the walls lit themselves. The catacomb itself was a large, linear hallway, with doors on either side every fifteen feet or so. It started, naturally, with the First and Second, then the Third and Fourth and Fifth and Sixth, and before long Tatsumaru had reached his number and that of his sensei; Thirteen and Fourteen. Ignoring the door of his Sensei, Tatsumaru stepped into his own tomb, which had been prepared for he who held the title of Jyuushidaime Hokage.

Sliding the key into the hole in the heart of the solid granite door briefly, it slid itself to the right, vanishing perfectly into the wall as it revealed the entrance to the tomb. Each Hokage's burial room was far larger than one would expect, with a good eight feet of free space either side of the massive stone coffin, which sat at six feet wide by ten feet long. As Tatsumaru was still alive, there was no lid present, and he could see the inside clearly. The walls were covered in countless overlapping seals, designed to ensure nobody breached the coffin and obtained part of the former leader's DNA. To the right side of the coffin sat an indentation in the wall. Inside it sat a small shrine to Shiho. It wasn't anything particularly fancy, simply a photo of her with a small black candle on either side. The candles were smoking, as though they had recently gone out. This was exactly why Tatsumaru was here. Once a year, the candles on Shiho's shrine would go out and he would have to relight them.

Withdrawing two small glass vials, Tatsumaru held them up to inspect them. Inside each vial sat a single drop of Amaterasu, which crawled along the surface of the inside of the tube angrily, as though it were trying to break free. Thankfully, the vials themselves acted as a seal, and as such there was no risk of the flames getting free. Removing the lid carefully, Tatsumaru picked up the first candle and lowered it into it's tube. The flame leapt happily to the candle, dancing merrily upon it's surface as it was placed next to the picture. Tatsumaru's family had mastered the art of containing and preserving small amounts of Amaterasu for shrines by the use of special containers and candles that the flames couldn't devour. He repeated the process for the other candle before sliding the vials back into his Jacket. Taking a moment to stare at the picture of Shiho, he allowed himself to release a single tear before he turned away from her photo, refusing to allow himself to break down.

"I'll find whoever did this to you, Shiho. I'll find them if I have to burn down the world itself."

The door to his tomb slammed shut behind him as it detected Tatsumaru leave, and in the distance he could see the light of day as the brass plate rose again. Stepping out into the sunlight once more, it took Tatsumaru's eyes a moment to adjust. By the time they finally did, he could see a figure walking towards him, though his eyes had not adjusted enough to identify who this individual was, probably just another mourner. Turning back to the monument, Tatsumaru pointed the key at the fireball again, sealing the door behind him before returning the key back to it's small wooden box. He kept his back turned to the approacher, taking a moment to absorb the majesty of the view in-front of him. It really was a beautiful place, and although Tatsumaru was an Uchiha, one of the clans that didn't adhere to the "Will Of Fire" philosophy, he couldn't help but find himself appreciating the concept.

The grass around him sways gently in the breeze, the sun in the sky powerful but not hot enough to cause issues on this beautiful day as Mitsuo approaches the Will of Fire Monument. He can't help but swell with pride and admiration as he approaches, fixing his glasses briefly. He had pulled a black cloak on over himself and was wearing the blue jacket of the Hidden Leaf, the cloak sways in the breeze along with the grass and the leaves. His hand instantly moves towards the pouch which hold his half empty pack of smokes and he pulls another one and places it between his lips, stroking his beard gently and lighting it as he takes a deep drag, feeling the warmth inside of his body.

Damn, I really need to work on my fire style more. I'm a Sarutobi and I can't even perform a Fireball or Burning Ash Pile Jutsu...Just something more to work on I guess, eh Nii-san?

He smiles as he thinks of his brother, though they were twins they were always so different. His brother had always been more motivated, he preferred to spend his days training. With his spectacular sealing abilities as well as his Taijutsu he was a shoe in to become a Chuunin at the exams. Mitsuo had been much more laid back, someone who preferred to relax and take his time with things. He was still string and a quick learner, and extremely fast, but he wouldn't do more than he needed and never felt it was his responsibility to be his best..

Funny how things change, nii-san...You really showed me how to be a fine shinobi. I'm glad you were my rival. I wouldn't be the man I am today if it wasn't for you. I'm sure that one day I will protect the village and the Hokage, and it's all thanks to you.

He looks forward and as he approaches the monument he thinks he sees movement at it. It's clearly a trick of the eye, he thinks, as there is no way the statue would be moving. He takes a second to think of the Hokage in the village, a young and very strong man, the first of the Uchiha clan to ever become Hokage, which was a feat in itself. He smiled as he thought of protecting him one day.

What do you think, Nii-san? One day I'll protect Jyuushidaime-dono, one day may I even die for him. He seems like a good man, though I haven't really met him yet. I remember there was a lot of stir when he was made Hokage, people who didn't think someone like him should take a position of such power. But he really changed didn't he? He has become a fine leader. He is fairly new yet as well, he will have pleanty of time to grow into the position and gain the respect of all

As he continues forward he sees the statue open up quickly, sure of it this time, and figure very close to his own height and build walks out. The figure keeps his back to him, wearing the typical flack jacket of his village, though something is different about his. Mitsuo can see on the back in the place of the Uzumaki swirl there is another symbol, one that is unmistakably the Uchiha crest. The Uchiha are a well known and respected/feared clan, older than the Sarutobi clan, and Mitsuo decided to approach the stranger on the fairer side of caution in case his intentions turn out to be malicious, although he doesn't believe this will happen.

"Good day to you friend, a fine day to pay our respects to the dead, don't you think? And to the Will of Fire, which has protected our beautiful village for generations." He moves until he is standing a few feet from the stranger and smiles genuinely, realizing he may sound a bit corny but not caring that much.

He can feel a strong presence about this man and he knows he isn't facing an ordinary shinobi. This man feels strong even for the powerful Uchiha clan and he senses a heavy weight around him, as though the gravity of the entire world rests on his shoulders, a feeling he could relate to.

Who is this man Nii-san? He who holds the weight of the world on his shoulders and emanates such sorrow, eh? How does he seem so familiar to me?

"Good day to you friend, a fine day to pay our respects to the dead, don't you think? And to the Will of Fire, which has protected our beautiful village for generations." Tatsumaru didn't acknowledge the greeting of the young man at first, instead he simply took a moment to stare into the sky. The cloud cover was rather thick and streaky, resulting in the sky forming a beautiful canvas of muddy greys and blues. After absorbing the scene for a few moments, Tatsumaru turned to face the young Shinobi, plastering on a warm smile before replying to the greeting. "Indeed it is, though I'm afraid I'm here solely for the former at present." As he spoke, Tatsumaru sat down on the grass, resting his back gently against the brass plate of the monument. Reaching into his right jacket pocket, he pulled out a small silver attaché case. Flipping it open, Tatsumaru withdrew a small silver lighter. On the face of the lighter sat the Uchiha clan logo with the kanji "十四" above it, spelling out fourteen, as Tatsumaru is the fourteenth Hokage. Shutting the case, Tatsumaru dropped it back into his pocket, keeping ahold of the lighter as he looked up to the young shinobi.

"You got a spare smoke? I'm out."

"Indeed it is, though I'm afraid I'm here solely for the former at present." The shinobi in front of Mitsuo turns towards him and he can't help but be a little shocked at who it is. He tries not to stare in awe as he comes face to face with the Hokage, Uchiha Tatsumaru. He takes a second to compose himself and hears, "You got a spare smoke? I'm out."

The Hokage sits, resting against the monument and Mitsuo follows suit, taking a seat by the Hokage, smiling slightly as he pulls out his pack of smokes and pulls one out for himself, handing the pack over afterwards and lighting his. "Of course, Jyuushidaime-dono, please take one." Mitsuo fumbles around and keeps his eyes away from the Hokage's, choosing instead to look ahead into the cemetery. "Apologies Hokage-dono, I didn't know you were here to mourn, or that you were here to be honest. I've only ever really seen you briefly in passing."

This is the one nii-san, the one who holds the weight of the world, the fourteenth Hokage. I can't believe I'm talking to him right now, it's surreal, eh?

"Have...have you been busy recently?" Mitsuo shakes his head, not knowing what else to say to the Hokage, the man he has made it his life goal to protect, and a man he was meeting for the first time. He takes a deep drag on his smoke and holds it before exhaling, fiddling with his glasses and deciding their near pristine shine isn't shiny enough as he takes out a cloth and begins to wipe them once more.

"Thanks" Tatsumaru replied casually, taking the cigarette and placing it between his lips. Bringing up the lighter, Tatsumaru flicked it open, a small black flame spitting out in response and lighting the end of the cigarette. Admittedly, the flame wasn't amaterasu, it was simply an illusion, but it did tend to add to the motif a bit. He took a deep drag before dropping the lighter back into his pocket, leaning back and shutting his eyes. "Apologies Hokage-dono, I didn't know you were here to mourn, or that you were here to be honest. I've only ever really seen you briefly in passing." Mitsuo was stammering and falling over himself with nerves at the realization of who Tatsumaru was, it seemed. Admittedly he didn't get reactions like this often, so it was flattering to see someone so shocked. "Calm down, kid. I don't bite." he said dismissively, his attention focused on the sound of the wind whistling through the trees around the cemetery.

"Have...have you been busy recently?" "Somewhat. Delegation is a wonderful thing, however. I take it you're a genin? Are you taking part in the upcoming examinations? It should be an interesting show. I myself never did get a chance to take part in the chuunin exams, I simply got promoted by Kenta." Tatsumaru casually spoke of the twelfth hokage, referring to him by his first name. Still, Mitsuo would probably know who he was, people still hadn't got close to forgetting the night Uchiha Hao broke into the Administrative Building and butchered him with ease. Such a small act on the global scale, just one life taken, yet it lead to such a massive chain of events. It was perplexing how things ever came to this...

"Somewhat. Delegation is a wonderful thing, however. I take it you're a genin? Are you taking part in the upcoming examinations? It should be an interesting show. I myself never did get a chance to take part in the chuunin exams, I simply got promoted by Kenta." Mitsuo winces slightly at the mention of the twelfth Hokage, who had been brutally murdered in his offices. He takes another drag and calms down a little bit, smiling again as he pus his glasses back on and chuckls softly.

"Yeah I plan on participating in the Chunnin Exams. It's the next step on my path to my goal of..." He trails off, not knowing what exactly how to explain his goal of protecting the the man in front of him. He fiddles with his own lighter and shakes his head once more, his black hair falling in front of his eyes. "Well to realize my goals anyway, everyone knows we Sarutobi work hard to achieve our goals."

I guess I don't have to be so nervous around him, he is the guardian of the village after all, eh nii-san? But the way he so casually mentioned the twelfth after what happened...its a little unsettling...