•Chapter 7•

"Glory to the Imperial Family!" the man who wore a fancy purple royal robe bellowed. His face, a chubby one with greasy layers of fats covering his neck made him look funny as it seemed like he had no neck. Added with the portruding belly and receding golden hair, anyone could assume he was born with a golden spoon. 

In short, the man looked like a pig in human's clothing though comparing this man to pigs is an insult to the poor creature(the pigs, obviously).

The soldiers chanted the phrase like a mantra that would empower them, similar to how one would imagine from an army of brainless monkeys or apes.

"Foolish aren't they?" a young black haired teen watch from the left side of the crowd, far away yet close enough to focus on the ugly faces of the cheering crowd, his blood scarlet eyes gaze at the crowd of energetically  people.

"Humans are foolish creatures." the toddler with blonde hair and blue azure eyes said in a satirical manner, her lips soon twisting into a sadistic grin, "Ignorance and stupidity are contagious and sadly incurable."

The teen continue to stare at the crowd, he let off a titter, using his gloved hand to cover his mouth before finally using his other free hand to straighten his black uniform.

"I wonder. . ." he answered and curled his lips sadistically to match the toddler beside him. 

Then, the man with receding hairline held his hand up and the whole crowd calmed down. Silence and tension engulfed the atmosphere, the pig in charge smiled with content.

"We will win, for we are the Imperial army and God has blessed us. Praise be to God, our father who protects us from above!" the man continued, his voice booming with confidence.

The crowd roared again.

"God is a petty bitch." the blonde toddler muttered under her breath but was heared by the teen standing beside her.

"Perhaps." said the teen dryly, a concealed resentment in his voice.

"What would you say, Riku? " he casually said and turn to where no one was.

The Uchiha woke up, startled from the haunting blood red eyes that seemed to see through him like a transparent sheet of glass.

His back was drench from cold sweat from the soul-stirring eyes. He tried to remember why the teen was so familiar, only to wince in pain at doing so though he remembered a word, monarkhia.

Quickly shoving the thought aside, the little Uchiha got ready for the first day of school. Though he was not excited, it was an obligatory to attend the Academy and he knew he had to endure it for several years before he would finally be a free man, well- as free as can be.

Still, he was sure his days would soon be filled with grim when he attends the Academy.

* * *

The Uchiha walk to the Academy alone because the Hokage was busy and so was Kakashi-san. Riku didn't mind, he didn't want to bother the two man who had practically raised him for the past 2-3 years though he admits that a part of him was envious of the jolly children who came hand in hand with their parents.

"Do you really think fondly of these?" the same teen from Riku's dream appeared beside the loving family of three who were walking; on their way to orientation. His voice held no malice, it was neutral, like he had no care in the world but found it rather amusing at the small flame of envy in the little Uchiha.

Before the Uchiha could notice other details outside his haunting crimson eyes and onyx hair, the teen vanished.

He squinted his eyes, trying to look to see if the teen would appear again, but to no avail no one appears to be there nor did anyone notice the disappearance of someone.

Though he did notice that he couldn't see any clear figure the further he gaze. The further he gazed,  the blurrier things got and he had to squint to make out several of the things that were metres across.

'Weird', thought the Uchiha as he dash off so that he would not make an embarrassment of himself for being tardy in the first day of school.

* * *

When he had arrive in the empty space outside the Academy, the teachers already started calling out the names of the kids in their respective classes.

"Riku?" a male teacher with a bandana covering his hair called out and the little Uchiha lined up.

"Present."

The children lining up were as tall as him, which hindered his field of vision as he tried to get on his tippy toe to explore the visual aesthetic of the Academy.

Before he could see more, a familiar old man in white robe and red hat with the fire kanji got up the makeshift wooden stage.

He started his speech, igniting the flames of patriotism from the surrounding people— something Riku found similar to the dream he had this morning.

Soon after the Hokage got down after he had finished the patriotic speech, the teacher took the attendance of all his class again and finally guided them away from the blazing sun to the classroom on the first floor, where they would start by introductions alphabetically.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Aiko! My dream is to be a beautiful kunoichi!" a girl with plump rosy cheeks and dull brown hair and eyes announced.

. . .

"My name is Azusagawa Aren. Pleased to meet your acquintance!" another boy with glasses and a face that could easily blend in with the crowd said.

"Shinomiya Ichigo! Let's be friends!"

Riku no longer paid attention to the children, they weren't eye catching and were generally dull like many of the people in the streets of Konoha. When he looked at the cheery and optimistic attitude of the children, he couldn't help but snort. This negative feeling, he didn't like it but he can't help but he can't help but feel the feeling of ridicule inside.

"I'm Riku. Nice to meet you." he said, just like many other introductions; dull, short and unoriginal.

. . . .

"Okay class, since this is the first day of school there are a few things we need to do. I look forward to being your homerome teacher! My name is Hoshimiya Natsu, you can call me Hoshimiya-sensei. " the teacher announced after everyone was done with introducing themselves.

Riku couldn't help but daydream as the teacher explained the will of fire and other propaganda of the village.

'A propaganda?' thought the Uchiha as he zoned back in.

"Aren't you familiar with these?" the blood crimson eyed teen said appearing on the other end of the class. He gave Riku a sly smile before he disappeared again.

The Uchiha rubbed his eyes and blinked rapidly, making sure what he saw was real but the result was an even blurrier scene.

He could no longer clearly see the writings on the chalkboard, sure he may have sat on the last row by the door, but he swore he could still see clearly just a few seconds back.

Riku stared dumbfoundedly at the spot where the teen once stood for the rest of the class.

* * *