Alright, hope you guys enjoy my newest story. It will be heavily OC based, but will still feature plenty of characters we all know and love (or hate) from the original series. This first chapter was originally going to be split into two, but I decided against it. Now, this is a remake of one of my previous stories so certain parts may have a different style of writing to them due to that being about a year ago. This first chapter should be the only one to do that however.
Regardless, I hope that you will read, enjoy, and tell me what you think in the reviews. Also, below you'll see something called "cover art" it's really nothing more than an added extra for fun, sort of like in a manga when there's an illustration before the chapter starts.
Blue Guardian
Chapter 1: The Outcast and the Stargazer
Cover Art: A boy with messy blue hair is resting on top of a hill. His fingers are interlocked behind his head as he peacefully stares at the stars in the night sky above him. The clearing is empty and he seems to be drifting to sleep while doing so.
It has been 12 years since the end of the Fourth Great Shinobi War. Although the casualties were high, the Allied Shinobi Forces managed to put an end to Akatsuki's Eye of the Moon Plan and restore order to the world. The captured Biju managed to escape and began to cause destruction across the lands, but the Allied Forces put an end to this and resealed them. Even after the defeat of the Biju however there was a trace of their return left in the land.
This scar left upon the land is now a pitch black wasteland that remains an enigma to the Five Nations to this day. Fearing the worst, each nation took part in sealing away the land dubbed as Yomi to a hidden location leaving nothing but a massive chasm where it once resided. Since the Allied Forces split life has gone back to how it once was with disputes, small scale wars, and the like.
A man in a chunin vest entered a rather noisy classroom. His stroll inside was rather nonchalant as he shuffled through a stack of papers at the main desk before finding what he had been searching for. His dark hair was beginning to show thin lines of gray, but the most noticeable feature about this shinobi was the scar going across the bridge of his nose. Clearing his throat a few times he prompted them to quiet down a bit, but received no response from the children.
Growing rather fed up by this point he took matters into his own hands. By means of an unknown jutsu, his voice was suddenly projected everywhere in the classroom and yelling in a vicious tone, "Everyone shut your mouths!" It seemed almost instantly that the preteens got quiet and attentive in their seats.
"I'm proud to announce that everyone has passed the academy's genin examination and will now become shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village." The class erupted into cheers until the man shut them down again. "For new genin it's important for you to work on teamwork and other basic skills so you'll each be assigned squads of three." He turned to the blackboard and began to write the names and squad assignments.
"Now, are there any que…" Before the scarred man could even get the entire sentence out he got complaints across the room on the team assignments. He sighed and loudly ignored the bombardment of questions with one of his own. "And does anyone know where Hideo is?"
Everyone in the class couldn't do much, but respond with a 'no'. "Afraid not Iruka-Sensei." A girl spoke up. The chuunin sighed and wrote something down. "Well then, due to urgent matters you will not be assigned Jounin sensei for another week due to urgent matters. You can basically call this a free week." Iruka said and smiled at the children, but soon found himself in an empty classroom. A visible vein of anger bulged from the chunin's head.
In the office of the Hokage a man sat behind a large wooden desk covered in stacks of paperwork. His head was leaning back in the chair with a red and white hat covering his face. The hat had the insignia for fire, one that marked this individual as Hokage. A few moments of peaceful sleep passed until he was awakened by a knock at the door. "Hokage-sama, the shinobi you requested have arrived."
"Yes, yes, let them in." Responded the Fire Shadow as he sat up in his seat. After a moment the door opened and three shinobi entered. The first was a male in typical Jonin attire of a flak jacket and a dark blue jumpsuit underneath. On his left arm was both his village headband as well as a symbol of a black circle with a line going through its center on the sleeve of his clothing. His hair was black and in a spike ponytail at the top. As he entered a lit cigarette was held in his lips.
The next was a female with dark blue hair stopping just past her shoulders and wearing an open flak jacket. Underneath this she wore a flowing lavender robe that stopped just past waistline she also wore black pants and sandals. Besides all of this however, the most interesting feature about here were her pure white eyes however.
The final member to enter the room was a blonde with hair reaching to his chin in a rather messy fashion. His eyes were a light blue in color and on his face one could see marking that resembled whiskers. Unlike most other Jonin, his flak jacket was bright orange and underneath it he wore a short sleeved white top that ended in black flame like patterns on the sleeves.
"Good to see the three of you. Shikamaru, Hinata, Naruto." The Hokage said in a rather nonchalant fashion as he removed his hat and pushed away some of the paperwork. This man had tall gray hair and was dressed in nothing more than the usual Hokage robes. The only other distinguishable features about him was the mask covering the lower portion of his face and a leaf headband resting across his left eye.
Shikamaru was the first to speak up. "This is such a drag, being dragged into Kakashi's office to handle some apparently urgent business." He finished the last bit of his cigarette and tossed it into a nearby trash can.
"Do you have a job for us?" Hinata questioned. The gray haired ninja simply shook his head and pulled out three glass orbs, placing one on his desk in front of each shinobi.
"Somewhat a job." A mist formed at the center of the orbs that soon split into three different images in each one. "These will be your genin teams. I want you to observe them for the next week. Although a large number of students recently passed the exams, I'm fairly certain these nine will be this year's rookies." The discussion continued and as Hinata and Shikamaru departed the room with their respective viewing orbs the blonde was the only one still in the room.
"I designed your team specifically for you to be their Jonin, Naruto" Kakashi spoke, reclining in his seat a bit, "Though you're probably wondering why."
Naruto nodded his head in response. "Can you make it quick, Ichiraku is having a special today and I can't miss out on it." The Fire Shadow sighed and pointed to each individual in the viewing orb. "I'm sure I don't need to tell you who the first two are. Hideo Tekkou and Kiyomi Shoda." Naruto's eyes widened at the sound of these names, but he soon settled himself again. "The last is a bit of an enigma, but not as well known as the first two, Shiden Katsutoshi."
"This was unexpected, Kakashi-sensei." Said the jonin, finally picking up the orb and looking at each individual student. Kakashi remained silent and pulled out a red book and began to glance over it.
"Well, if anyone can handle it, I'm sure it's you, Naruto. Well, that's all." The blonde jonin laughed a bit on his way to the door. "It's been so long since the last issue of that perverted series and you're still rereading them?"
Kakashi simply chuckled without moving his eye from the page in front of him. "Nothing beats the classics."
Back in town a young girl was walking through the streets of town. Her hair was dark black in color and reaching straight down to her shoulder. She wore a sleeveless red top and black skirt with long black stocking reaching up to her thighs. On her forehead was a leaf forehead protector. As the girl quietly made her way down the city streets men and women looked at her with disgust. Some even threw rotten fruit and the more extreme went on to throw glass bottles that she narrowly avoided.
Speaking to herself quietly, she said, "It's okay Kiyomi, this street is always like this." Her words were mumbled and said in a panicked tone, regardless of what words left her mouth though it seemed it wasn't changing the situation. Body shaking, she suddenly burst out into a full on run down the street.
"I hate this place, I hate it, I hate it." She wiped her tears away and kept running. "Why can't it all just go away?" She came to a stop and looked up at the Hokage monument, now complete with a sixth head of the Copy Ninja. The sight seemed to cause a change within her, as she came to a stop and began to walk towards the landform.
Hours had passed, and that same night Kiyomi stood on top of the Hokage monument and was looking down at the village. Though she hated the place with such intensity the child couldn't help but feel so attached to it at the same time. She shook those thought from her head and looked down upon the rest of the city. This was the final goodbye; she had had enough from this world. "Maybe the next world will be better." She smiled while saying this, but the smile was only to help fight back tears. The young girl raised one foot over the edge then leaped off with the other going for a dive to the town below her.
"What the hell are you doing!" An invisible voice screamed out from the darkness as she was grabbed by the back of her shirt and pulled up. As the genin turned around she seemed to be disgusted by who it was. "Oh, it's you, Hideo." She spoke in a cold manner. The one known as Hideo was a boy around her age with tall, dark blue and messy hair. He wore a white top and blue trousers and on his hands were black fingerless gloves. On the top of each glove was a steel plate with the Leaf insignia on it.
"As much as you skip classes it's a surprise you managed to pass the genin test." She said coyly though the fellow shinobi seemed to just stare in a displeased manner. "Thanks for trying to play the whole noble act and saving me and all, but I don't need it. I jumped off on purpose."
"Why would you do that?" He asked in a puzzled tone.
The girl was prepared with a response however, one rather cold and lifeless, "Why wouldn't I…This village doesn't need me and I definitely don't need it."
Hideo scratched his head for a moment, seemingly searching for the words before starting. "Don't take your life so lightly. I'm sure there's somebody in this village that you mean the world to."
This time, not even bothering to respond she simply leaned backwards and attempted to fall from the edge again, but Hideo was quick and managed to pull her up again. This time however he made sure to stand in her path to be sure she wouldn't attempt another suicide. "Damnit, Kiyomi, give me a straight up response."
"Move, this has nothing to do with you!" She screamed back as her eyes began to tear up and she was on the floor. Hideo sighed lightly and took a seat next to the weeping preteen.
"Since I'm to stubborn to stand aside and let you do this and you're too stubborn to let me help you. I'll make a deal with you. If I can show you a reason why to live before the end of this week you have to stop doing this nonsense. I'll get you to admit your will to live.!"
"What if you can't give me a reason to live by then?"
"Then I'll jump off with you." Hideo smiled and gave a thumbs up, but Kiyomi didn't really know what to think of this situation.
"Fine." She finally gave in.
"Good first is tonight's session." Hideo leaned back until he was lying across the ground and stared at the moonlit sky.
"Why would laying on the ground make me want to stay here?" Even though she asked she still lied down next to the blue haired genin before getting a response.
"The reason I was up here to begin with was because I love to come up here some days and just stare at the stars. It really makes you think about things."
Kiyomi didn't understand a word of it but spent that whole night with Hideo staring at the moon and stars. It was a rather silent night at that, with Hideo saying several things and getting little to no response from her.
At the end of the fifth day Hideo and Kiyomi were back on the monument, in the same spot gazing at the stars just as they had done all of the previous nights as well. "The week is nearly up and I still don't feel any better than I did then. I still don't get this stupid star watching thing either."
Hideo ignored her and continued speaking, "Man, doesn't that one look like that one guy's huge eyebrows?" He pointed to a cluster of stars and didn't stop speaking. "She's right though, I've made no progress in all of this time. Plays, the forests outside of the village, the movie, the festival in the next village over. All of it, no effect. Guess tomorrow is my last shot."
Seeing his talking having no effect Hideo kept his mouth shut for the moment and remained fixated on the constellations above him. Well, that was until he heard a small chuckle coming from his side.
"It kind of does look like them now that I think about it." The blue haired genin's lips began to curl into a smile. "It's not much, but it's progress."
It was the next night and Hideo had the fellow genin blindfolded as they approached a certain area in the forest. "You know tonight is the final night right. Whatever you have planned better be better than some stupid stars."
"If this one doesn't work then nothing will." After several minutes more of walking Hideo removed the cloth from her eyes. The young kunoichi's eyes sparkled with a glow Hideo had never seen before as she set her eyes on a large house made completely out of fine wood and astoundingly detailed. Surrounding the house would have to be the largest assortment of plant flowers, fruits and vegetables Kiyomi had ever seen. To put it simply the place was beautiful, almost like magic. "Come on in."
Hideo lead the way and opened the door. The inside was even more beautiful than out as finely crafter furniture of different kinds was spread around the first floor of the home, everything completely made of wood. "Where did you get this from?"
The boy opened his mouth to say something but paused for a moment. "A friend. And because of that, this place is now my treasure." Deciding it was time to get to the center of this problem Hideo turned to Kiyomi and asked the question straight forward. "Now answer my question, why do you want to die?"
Kiyomi's smile quickly faded as she began to turn away from Hideo like the many other times when he had asked over the week. "What's the point of staying in a place you're not wanted? A place where people hate you for things not under you control?"
"Jumping off of a mountain isn't going to solve your problems Kiyomi; you have to face them head on!" Hideo retorted showing almost know sympathy."
"I knew you wouldn't understand. You're just like the rest of this hellhole. I don't blame them for hating me though. I hate myself as well. I killed many important to them and I killed people close to me as well. At least this way I won't hurt anyone else."
"Hm, she isn't taking the easy way out of life's obstacles. She hopes for the safety of other as well. But does she realize it yet?" "Kiyomi-"
Hideo was cut off as the door to his humble home went crashing down and a man entered with a katana and flailed it around the room wildly. "This village has had enough of a demon bitch like you! Luckily I managed to track you and your buddy there to this little shack" By his appearance and voice it was obvious the man was drunk. His random and uncoordinated attacks were directed mostly at Kiyomi, and though it would be rather easy to move, she remained in place.
"Sorry Hideo, I know the week isn't up yet, but I'm tired of it. Nice try though." She smiled at him and waited for death's blade.
"Don't be an idiot!" Hideo stood in front of her with a rage burning in his eyes. He raised a wooden chair in front of his body to block the attack but was surprised at how easily the guy managed to slice through it and leave deep gash across his chest. Blood splattered on to the floor and walls as the genin fell to his knees.
The black haired genin slowly blacked away from the bloody scene. "Why did you jump in the way l-l-like that? Maybe you're the r-real idiot here." She stammered nervously. Hideo only chuckled a bit.
"Heh, this can't be too bad. I told you I'd die with you if I failed on my promise. Think of this as just me going out first." The drunken assailant merely pushed the bleeding boy over and stabbed towards Kiyomi again. "Damn kids, always getting in my way." This time was different however as the girl suddenly swayed to the left to avoid the attack and punched the man in the gut.
Although not very noticeable, one could see her eyes turning a blood red color. "I guess if one person is willing to die for me and would go as far doing all of this to convince me to stay here, then I have some worth. That said, I'm tired of running from these problems, I'll try my best to face them head on like he suggested." The attacker gathered himself again; due to his unbalanced state the punch had knocked him on to the ground.
As he prepared for another attack however a bloody Hideo was standing on his feet and in front of Kiyomi. "Guess I just won the deal."
The girl crossed her arms and looked to the side. "I don't know what you're talking about. I could still kill myself not if I want to." Hideo laughed aloud and patted her on the back. "The deal was that I'd show you a good reason to live before the end of the week. And I'm sure you just admitted to the witnessing of that event."
The genin didn't respond, but Hideo only continued to smile as he turned to face the approaching sword carrier. "Now, there was one more part to that deal. You know what it is, now say it"
Kiyomi looked away and frowned. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Yes you do, now say it!"
"Fine, I want to live." She spoke in a mouse like manner. Hideo frowned and poked her in the head a few times. "You know that wasn't good enough," the genin said mockingly. As the two of them had their back and forth, the sword carrier was drawing near, ready to end this.
"Fine…I want to live!" She shouted, prompting Hideo to smile triumphantly.
"Now that's what I wanted to hear." As the blade drew near Hideo ducked down and struck the weapon upwards with the plates on his gloves. With this move the man had left his body completely open to attack. "Go to hell." Pulling his fist back, Hideo seemed to be preparing something before finally snapping it forward again and hitting the drunk in the gut. The impact of the blow was enough to send the guy off of his feet and soaring back and through the wall of the house.
He now lied on the ground outside, completely unconscious and blood running from his mouth. Kiyomi was shocked that the genin could have that much force in a single blow. Looking at him though, there were tears streaming down his face. "Wait, why are you crying now?"
"I wanted to knock him out, but I didn't want to bust a hole in my wall!"
At the same time all of this was going on, a certain blonde Jonin was watching the events unfold in a crystal ball like object. "Haha, this team should be more fun than I thought."
Alright, that concludes the first chapter, hope you guys enjoyed. Second chapter will be up next week hopefully. Now all I can really ask is that you click the little review box below. :^D
Anybody who's a fan of One Piece may have also noticed a slight similarity in the ending portion of the story. Oddly enough, it wasn't planned; I just got to that part and decided to go for it.
Last but not least, have a great Thanksgiving, eat until you puke!
