A young boy sits in a forest clearing. Scrolls and papers surround him like bees to a flower rich in nectar. His red hair sways in a lazy breeze. Sun rays peek through holes in the canopy, as if, hoping to illuminate just a fraction of the boy. His amber eyes have no eyes for his surroundings, though they appear to greet him warmly. They stare, lost, at the single sheet of paper in front of him. His brush is limp in his fingers as he observes the drawing, a kanji; family.
"Very good, Kenji-kun!"
A woman landed softly behind him. A smile as warm as their surroundings displayed on her face. Her red hair appeared to be attempting to contain her smile, the way red locks hung down to frame the sides of her face. They failed, in any case.
"Your calligraphy is getting good, Sochi!" she said as she knelt down behind him. She placed an approving hand on his back. He smiled at the touch, eyes beaming as they gaze up into the sapphire pools of his mother's.
"Are you ready for the next part?" she asks as her hand rubs his back encouragingly
"Hai!" he says; eyes shining with determination.
"Go ahead then. Channel your chakra, like I showed you."
The young boy, named Kenji, makes the single hand sign that his mother showed him. His eyes scrunch closed in concentration. A few seconds pass before a blue film of what can only be chakra envelops his hands. The thin film soon becomes a small, flame-like, beacon of life in his hands. At least, that's how Kenji would describe it. He takes his chakra covered hand and places it directly over the kanji he drew and pressed.
Almost instantly, the kanji came to life. The symbol itself seemed to unravel into a train of ink that surged up Kenji's arm. The mesh shirt he'd been wearing allowed him, and his mother, to watch as the ink ran up over his shoulder and circled around his neck and lined his collarbone, leaving an intricate pattern as it did so. It's progression stopped in the top middle of his chest, its route complete. The remaining ink pooled into this spot until it, at last, formed a symbol, the kanji that the boy had first drawn.
His mother observed the tattooed necklace with a critical eye, searching for any flaw that could possibly spell harm for her son. The kanji was not very big, it wasn't meant to be. If it were a physical object, it would probably be classed as a talisman, which was just fine. Finding no flaw in its design, she nodded and placed two fingers into the kanji.
The ink was glowing on the boy's body. He giggled at the warm tingling sensation it gave him.
"There, all done," she said gently
Kenji traced his new tattoo, turned seal, mesmerized by its intricacy.
"What is it, Kaa-san? He asked.
"A reminder, Sochi. We live in a world where very little is ever certain and even less seems to last. It is a dangerous world, especially for a shinobi. This is a reminder, that no matter where you go, what you do, or how you feel, you have family who loves you and protects you, even if they're not with you."
Kenji's face gave a strange expression as he processed the emotions behind his mother's words.
His mother chuckled lightly.
"Don't think so hard on it Kenji-kun. You'll understand it better when you get older," She said as she stood up, stretching out the kinks in her lean body.
"Now, how about some lunch?"
"Will we make some for Tou-san?"
His mother smiled.
"We can make double for him if you can clean this place up fast enough."
"Hai!" Kenji exclaimed as he hopped to his feet, scrambling to scoop up all his papers and drawings as his mother slowly exited the clearing. He bounded after her with a pep in his step, temporarily forgetting the heaviness of the previous conversation.
Hi no Kuni
Even in a small town as this, life can be found in abundance.
Amber eyes gaze the streets of the small town. The man they belonged to strolled at a leisurely paced. He gripped the straps of the satchel on his back as if only to give his hands something to do. His hair, a unique shade of light blue, danced in a ponytail behind him as he walked. Even though it was unique, the man was glad it wasn't bright or glaring or did anything else to make him stand out. He didn't quite feel like "shinobi-ing" at the moment. In all honesty, he doubted he'd have survived this long with his hair had that actually ever been an issue. His thoughts danced from one thing to another as he made his way toward his destination. He didn't feel like rushing today. In fact, he was early. So he decided to slow his life down for these precious few moments.
It's always good to evaluate where you are from time to time.
"I hope he likes this gift," The man said to no one in particular. As he arrived at a small shop off the main road. Antiques of all types lined its walls. It didn't look like any sort of place where you'd likely find a huge amount of business. Then again, it wasn't supposed to.
A man can from the back of the small building. He was a stout man well into his life if the gray hair was anything to go by. However, mistaking him as a man of feebleness or frailty could likely cost you your life.
"Ah Kenshin Kazama, you've returned."
The man, now, named Kenshin bowed in response.
"Good to see you again, Daisuke."
"As promised, your order came in today. From the finest smith in Tetsu no Kuni; she's quite the looker too…"
Kenshin chuckled lightly
"Oh, you trying to set me up, old man?" he said laughingly
"And risk the wrath of that infernal red-head you call a wife? No, I like my head and neck right where they are, thank you."
Kenshin laughed out right at the serious tone of his friend.
Sora is a calm and patient woman. Her temper is anything but.
"I think I'd be the one in mortal danger here, but that's neither here nor there," Kenshin said, shrugging.
"Too right," Daisuke said as he hoisted a sheathed blade from under his counter. The black sheath was capped off by the red hilt. Kenshin pulled the blade out, revealing chakra-conducting ninja-to. The chakra metal was carbon-gray in color and seemed to repel all light. The sharpness of the blade itself spoke of its craftsmanship. It was a well smithed blade.
"Thank you, Daisuke," Kenshin said finally, sheathing the blade and attaching it to his back. He reaches into his satchel and pulls out a small package and hands it to Daisuke
"Your payment, also as promised."
Daisuke nodded curtly as he stashed his earnings away. Daisuke's face clearly portrayed his age now, as the lines in his face deepened, emphasizing a more serious tone.
"Kenshin." The way he said his name, coupled with his expression, changed Kenshin's entire demeanor. Gone was the aloof posture with which he held himself. Gone was the smile that never seemed to leave his face. His eyes hardened to a form he's long since been used to.
"I have heard rumors of people looking for you."
This set Kenshin on edge.
"Why would anyone be looking for me?"
"That I do not know, but it's WHO is looking for you that is concerning. The people I've spotted have been passing as curious civilians. They don't mention you by name, but the descriptions they give almost certainly speak of you. What's more, their chakra is far too large and refined for them to actually be civilians. It could be Anbu, but I'm almost certain it's Root"
Kenshin's eyes narrowed.
"I see, and when was the last time they came through here?"
"It's been a few weeks since they've come here, but my informants across Hi no Kuni have all reported in similar happenstances more recently."
Meaning they're likely to return here soon. Hi no Kuni is not that big.
"Very well, thank you for this info, my friend," Kenshin said with a smile.
"I owe you much more," Daisuke responded tiredly.
"I'm not my clan, Daisuke," Kenshin said has he vanished, all leisure dissipating as he did so.
"At the moment, you are," Daisuke muttered to the empty store.
"Be vigilant, Kenshin Senju."
"You're late, Tou-san."
Kenshin arrived home to the chubby face of his pouting, red-headed son.
"Oh, you were waiting for me, Kenji?" He asked mirthfully.
Kenji's cheeks inflated enhancing the cute pout.
"We were supposed to train!" he exclaimed.
Kenshin chuckled.
"Calm down, calm down. I'm sorry Kenji-kun. I was busy getting your gift."
The boy's eyes immediately brighten.
"You got me a gift?! What is it, what is it?" He asked, jumping up and down in front of his father.
He can act so mature at times, it's good to be reminded that he's only five. I wish we didn't have to train him so early.
Kenshin smiled at his antics as he pulled the sword from its sheath in dramatic fashion, even going so far as to pose into a faux-kata for dramatic effect.
"Sugoi! What a beautiful ninja-to!" came the voice of Kenji's mother as she entered the front of the house from the kitchen.
"You never get me any gifts like this Kenshi-kun," his wife said, pouting. Her face was almost identical to that of her son's, minus the baby fat.
"I'm immune to your persuasion tactics, Sora-kun." he said, laughing.
"Oh, are you?" Sora said challengingly. "Well, I'll just have to pull out my old tricks. I'm sure they'll have some effect on you, won't they?" A confident smirk adorned her face as her child turned to her with stars in his eyOooh
", what kind of tricks Kaa-chan?!" Kenji chimed in, thinking he could learn a cool shinobi tactic from one of his cool shinobi parents.
"Not so fast, Sochi, these are tricks only a woman can use. No boys!"
"No fair!"
Kenshin chuckled lightly, glad that his son was still a child, and too naive to know what his mother meant, and why he was blushing. He was so lost in his adult rated thoughts that he didn't notice his son swiping the sword from his hands.
"So cool!" he exclaimed as he held his gift like it was a precious newborn.
"Thanks, Tou-chan!"
"Tou-chan?"
Sora gazed at her husband curiously, as he appeared to be in his own little world. In reality, his sensory abilities picked up on a chakra signature; One that he recognized and knew shouldn't be here.
"Something wrong, Kenshin?" Sora asked. Her expression changed as she grew worried.
"Give us a moment Kenji, I need to speak with your mother."
His tone left no room for argument.
"Hai, Tou-san," He said with a maturity well beyond him. He ran into the back of the house with his sheathed sword in tow.
Sora turned to her husband. She knew this tone.
"What's wrong?" she asked with worry in her voice.
"Danzo."
Sora's face immediately shifted to anger.
"What of that bastard?" she seethed.
Kenshin didn't speak, he just looked into her eyes, communicating a fear they'd discussed long ago.
"He knows about us?"
"No, just me, I think."
Kenshin let the information sink in, for both Sora and himself. Kenshin had been a shinobi of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Technically, he still was. An S-ranked shinobi, he had been granted leave from the Shinobi Corp. Essentially, granted him the same freedom of the Sannin; to leave Konoha and travel as he saw fit. It was likely his friendship with the Hokage and his contribution to the village both during the war and the Kyuubi attack that played a hand in this. Not everybody agreed with his leaving, Danzo being the leader of that faction. Still, he left seven years ago and he came back five years ago to help deal with the Kyuubi. Why would they come for him now?
It was in this line of thinking Kenshin realized that this wasn't an order from Minato. The Hokage likely has no knowledge of this. Something has spurred Danzo to act on his own, as he's done many times. And there's only one thing, that Kenshin can think of, that would be a big enough reason to incite his actions against him.
"So, what do you intend to do?" Sora asked
"Find out what he knows, gather info." He said as he made his way toward the door.
"Until I learn otherwise, act as if you're in danger. If he knows about you…then Kenji…"
"I know, Kenshin, I know" Sora was disheartened. She didn't like to think that this could tear her happy family apart. After being without family for so long, she'd gotten used to this.
"I'll do all I can -"
"NO!"
Kenshin was stopped mid-sentence by a firm finger against his lips. He gazed into her blue eyes, which were imitating raging whirlpools at the moment.
"WE. We will do all WE can...to protect this family, our son." Kenshin smiled and nodded, embracing his wife in a short, but passionate kiss.
"I'll be back soon, I love you." He said as he headed for the door.
"It's getting late, where are you going?"
"To say hi to sensei."
A man sat high in a canopy of trees meditating. Keeping his chakra well below civilian level, he was sure he couldn't be sensed by any he didn't want to find him. Still, He set a few privacy seals around the area so no one below heard or saw him. His white hair hung down in a massive, spiky mane down his back. A metal head plate, with the kanji for oil, kept it from obstructing his vision. Not that that would matter now with his eyes being closed. He focused on keeping himself hidden, positive that he sent that signal out at precisely the right time. Sure enough, his target entered, bypassing all the security seals he had placed. Only his instincts, honed from two shinobi wars alerted him to the new presence.
"You found me...Sensei."
Jiraiya opened his eyes to see his former student leaning against a tree, looking as young as the day he met him. While not entirely true, considering Jiraiya held him the day he was born, he still didn't look anywhere near his age. The only thing that did, was his eyes; amber, like his mother's but, they lacked the 'almond-honey' color to them, so they were a bit yellower, piercing the night like a sword in the stomach.
Jiraiya took in the rest of his attire. Black, anbu pants followed by ankle tapings and black shinobi sandals. His mesh shirt was exposed by the low-cut shirt he wore. If he remembered right, his student liked to keep his leaf headband on his waist. The headband was there, but instead of the symbol for the leaf, there was the kanji for dragon.
"Well, you're a sight for sore eyes, Kenshin."
Though the words themselves sounded jovial, Jiraiya's expression was anything but.
The two stared at each other in silence. Jiraiya, hoping to for Kenshin to realize the seriousness of his situation. Seeing that he hadn't, or didn't care, he sighed.
"Alright, I guess I'll get to it." He said, his arms folded.
"Minato asked me to find you, and to tell you he needs you back in the village."
Jiraiya paused, waiting for a reaction from Kenshin. Finding none, he continued.
"He also said, that if you wouldn't answer a friend's request, you'd be made to answer the Hokage's order," Jiraiya said more strongly.
Kenshin just stared at Jiraiya. He showed no outward evidence that he'd even heard Jiraiya, which ticked Jiraiya off more than the possible refusal would.
I really need him to fucking say something. I don't want another Orochimaru.
Kenshin sighed loudly, as if, to break whatever tension he'd been holding.
"I figured Minato would say something like that." He said casually.
"The only reason he granted you leave in the first place was at my request," Jiraiya said.
"I told you him you had something important out here to find a closure you needed. As a fellow orphan, he understood that and so, he let you leave. I came to understand that you have long since stopped seeking out your mother. So I'll ask this, and I better get an honest answer, Kenshin,"
Jiraiya was doing his best to reign in his anger as he spoke. He hated being in this position. He hated when his bonds with people he considered family pitted his loyalty and love for the village against that of his family. He had to do it once already, he didn't want to have to do it again, especially if it ended out it did the last time.
"What's keeping you from returning to the village?"
Kenshin could see, plain as day, the emotions raging inside of his sensei. It pained him to cause such strife especially considering this was the man who gave him the path of life he's walked. Jiraiya was the one who took him to the orphanage, practically raised him as the sensei to his genin team, and even, out here, was his one true confidant. He knew everything about him, his heritage included. He knew he could confide in him. And now, he might have to.
"Sensei, I'm sorry. But, I can't return to the village, not now."
"Why?!" Jiraiya said thru clenched teeth.
"Because, of the one thing that trumps any loyalty to a village."
Jiraiya's heart broke at that.
Is he saying what I think he is? Is he abandoning the village?!
"No sensei, I am still loyal to the leaf. But... my family, needs me more than my village."
"Kenshin, she's a SANNIN, and she's stuck in her way at this point. You're better off just forgetting about her!"
Kenshin raised an eyebrow.
"You know, that's funny, coming from you."
Jiraiya didn't get a chance to retort as smoke started rising from Kenshin's hand. Kenshin hissed and turned it over, eyes widening as writing began to burn in his hand. Jiraiya grew silent as he observed it.
A seal? It looks like the kanji for family…
Horror grip Kenshin's soul as the seal went off, reddening in his hand.
"I'm sorry, Sensei, but I must go," Kenshin said, taking off at kage level speed.
"Wait!" Jiraiya yelled.
Cursing, he flew through the hand-signs, summoning a messenger toad.
"I need you to take a message to Minato," he says, handing the toad a scroll.
"I'm going after Kenshin," He says, taking off into the darkness.
Kenji sat in the small field leading up to his home with a scroll unraveled in front of him. His eyes roamed the parchment excitedly, absorbing every little detail. The scroll was one of the secret Uzumaki scrolls. Unlike most of its kind, instead of holding secrets, it was written to the give an Uzumaki a better understanding of chakra itself.
"If an Uzumaki must know any one thing, it's their chakra," he said aloud in a lecturing tone, mimicking the words his mother gave him when she ended him the scroll. In his recent readings of the scroll, Kenji learned of the importance of meditation, an activity that was vital to discovering and studying one's chakra. At least, that's what his mother taught him.
Kenji sat up from the scroll and assumed the lotus position, going over steps that were ingrained in him in place of a typical bedtime story.
Breathe in.
Take in every thought, every memory.
Take in every sense. The sounds you hear, the taste on your tongue.
Hold it in front of you so that you're aware of it. Recognize And accept it.
Now, Exhale!
Kenji let out a long, even breath as his senses drowned out his surroundings and everything lay in dark silence. Even now, Kenji could feel the itch, the. Hold like instinct to fidget and his thoughts began to seep back into the conscious. He could almost feel his mother whacking him on the head, as she often did when he became distracted in meditation. His conditioning kicked in, and he refocused his mind on the task at hand. Kenji called on his chakra. His mother said that as an Uzumaki, he would have larger than normal chakra reserves and that he would have a hard time trying to draw and control it at his age. Kenji never understood it, however. He's never experienced the struggle she described. His chakra just seemed to respond to him. Drawing on his chakra didn't seem like the proper way to explain this feeling, though. It was more like... swimming in the bottom of the sea and breathing in the water, but, instead of drowning, it gives you life. You feel full, and Strong, like you can swallow up the whole world.
Inside, Sora was washing a few dishes in the sink when her sensor abilities picked up a huge burst of chakra surged from a point immediately outside her front door. Kenji! Alarmed, she dropped the plate she was holding and dashed thru the front door before the plate had time to shatter on the floor. As she crossed the threshold of her home, she touched a seal on her left arm, releasing a kodachi. The blade of the sword was black and was attached to a violet hilt. The swirl of the Uzumaki was etched into the base of the blade, just above the hilt. It glowed brilliantly as Sora's hand firmly grasped it, pushing her chakra into the blade.
Sora stopped as she came upon the source of the, admittedly, enormous amount of chakra. What she saw, surprised her. Sitting in the field in front of their house was her son, enveloped in a large cloud of chakra. It poured off of him in waves, saturating the ground around him and carrying on further into the area around him. Sora felt an ocean of warmth cover her as her son's chakra reached her.
Is this…his chakra? It's, it's huge!
Sora was frozen in shock that she didn't notice the cloud of chakra begins to thin. Kenji opened his eyes and they met his mother's. His amber eyes looked more like orange embers, ablaze with chakra.
"Kaa-chan, are you okay?" Kenji said worried as he ran to his mother, who still hadn't moved.
He rapped on her thigh with his hand, finally getting her to jolt out of her shock. Shaking her head, she turned to her son.
"Sochi, your chakra...," she said, still not fully done processing what she saw.
"Ha….Hai," he responded sheepishly. That quickly turned to excitement as he began raving about the experience
"Your meditation exercises really helped, it was sooooo easy! And this feeling is awesome, I can see everything!"
"Huh, what do you mean 'everything,' Kenji?
"I can see the birds in that tree over there, that spot at the river you're always taking me to, I can feel a deer drinking there. Oh and I can feel you too, you're glowing. Is that happiness? Cuz, it feels like happiness!"
He's a sensor and a damn strong one! It seems he can decipher emotions as well.
Sora's smile was impossibly big as she picked her son up into a large hug.
"My sochi, that's incredible! You're such a genius! Your mother couldn't be any more proud!" She exclaimed, swinging Kenji around as he laughed in glee.
"Come on, now that you got all that chakra unlocked, it's time to train it!"
"Wha, train? You mean I can be a shinobi, now, like you and Tou-san?!" Sora paused at the thought of her son being a shinobi. She flushed slightly at letting the excitement of the moment cloud her thought process. No parent should ever want their child to be a shinobi, and she knew she didn't. She also knew, however, that Kenji likely wouldn't have a choice. He didn't have a village to protect him, which automatically made him vulnerable. Plus, he was an Uzumaki, he anybody knew what that name meant anymore, he'd already have a price on his head. And, she didn't even want to think of how people would react if they knew his other last name. So, against her motherly instincts, she would have to throw him into the path of the Shinobi. It was the only life that he could ever live out.
"Hai, Sochi, you can become a shinobi." Her emotions opposed the joy raging inside of Kenji right now as he restrained the urge to hop up and down in excitement. The only reason he didn't was because of the sharp change in his mother's attitude.
"You're sad, Kaa-san." He said, matter-of-factly, concerned laced in his voice.
Sora did not believe in lying to her children. Nor could she, her son was mature, unbelievably so, for a five-year-old. She decided to tell him the truth.
"I'm sad because you have to become a shinobi."
Kenji became confused at her words.
"The life of a shinobi is not one any parent would wish for their child. It is a hard life, sochi. You'll be faced with dangerous situations and unsavory people. You may be required to do heinous things, kill people, even, just to protect those you love. And, your life will always be in danger. This, especially, applies to you, Kenji."
Kenji became alarmed.
"Why is that, Kaa-san?"
"You are an Uzumaki, do you remember me telling you about our clan, and what happened to them?" Kenji nodded. That story hadn't been very long ago.
"There are still those out there who remember the Uzumaki. They'll fear you, or try to abuse you for their own gains because they no longer have a clan to worry about."
"Are there more survivors? Shouldn't we stick together, then?" Kenji asked innocently.
"There was a handful of us that escaped, but where they are now? I couldn't tell you. I've yet to come across another Uzumaki since the fall."
Kenji's face fell as he began to understand how alone they were in the world. He found solace in that he had his parents. If he were ever to lose them… Kenji shuddered at the thought.
"Wait, what about tou-san, doesn't he have family somewhere? Where did he come from?"
"Kenshin?" Sora said, wondering where her son's thoughts were going as well as what to tell him.
"Well, your father is from Konoha. He grew up an orphan, meaning he didn't have any parents, but his mother is still alive."
"Wait, if she's alive, then how was he without parents."
"She gave him up, Kenji."
"But, why would she do something like that?"
"Because of Shinobi."
Her last response stumped Kenji as he tried to process it. Coming up with nothing to show for his inner analysis he gave his mother a confused expression.
"His mother was a Shinobi, the life of a shinobi is not for the faint of heart. It can break people if you let it. The shinobi life is one driven by two things: Love & Hatred." Sora's words were impressing on her son, as his eyes gleamed in wonder and his brow furrowed as he absorbed everything she was saying.
"The line between the two," she continued.
"Is as thin and fragile as the surface of the water; It's easy to be consumed by it. And once you're consumed, you're broken. It claims so many people. Kenshin's mother is one of them."
A silence fell over the two as Sora observed Kenji as he pondered what he just heard. Kenji found his way into his mother's lap at some point in the conversation, as they were seated in the grass for awhile, now. He burrowed himself in her warmth.
"Kaa-san, does my obaa-san, not want me?" he asked innocently.
"Why on earth would you think that?"
"Well, she's not here, and she gave Tou-san up…" He muttered. The sun was beginning to fall beneath the treeline as the silence continued. Sora stood with her son in her arms and marched towards the house.
"I doubt she even knows what he looks like, sochi. And she certainly doesn't know about you or me, and that's a good thing."
Kenji craned his head up, the unasked question on his lips. Beating him to it, Sora answered.
"Nobody knows that your father descends from the woman who is his mother. If they did, you wouldn't be safe anywhere."
Kenji grew silent at that, the desire for training left his mind completely as Sora had successfully burdened his active mind down with much to think about. The thoughts were put on hold, however, as Kenji's head shot up, just as Sora was making their way up the steps.
"What's wrong, sochi?"
"I feel people," he said.
"People?"
Kenji nodded slowly.
"They feel dead inside." he said in wonderment.
"How do you mean, Kenji," Sora asked, her heart quickening in pace.
"Where I think the emotions should be...they just feel empty."
Empty…Root. Oh no.
KENSHIN!
This is Part 1 of a two-part prologue. I was originally going to put it all as one chapter, but I wanted to spend more time on the second half as there's one small part that I keep rewriting cuz I'm not sure how I want it to go just yet. If I haven't said it already, this story is slightly AU with Kenji being the main character with Naruto coming second to him. That being said, a lot of people will be getting developed out. This is probably going to be an epic length story. (I'mma go to it's done or I get tired and pass it off) Forewarning, this is going to be a much more...brutal Naruto. I lack the proper word there, but just know that this story is rated M for more than just sexy stuff.
Review please! This is a fresh idea so I want to know what you think. If you have suggestions, questions...anything, just shoot me a review or PM!
Ja Ne