Hop: Hello, this is Hop and I'm the one writing this story, with help and characters by Valiant. Idea for this story is ours, Naruto world does not. Now enjoy the story!
Two lives… Two souls…
Amazing how even with the world going to hell in a hand basket, you can still find yourself being bored.
As the nonstop crashing rain poured down with its merciless lightning and deafening thunder, one could see when the light would flash two young woman with only a tarp for cover were slowly making their way to one of the few still standing ruins that even now refused to submit and fall. One of the woman, a chubby if slightly unhealthy raven was supporting the other, a skin and bones brunette who would cough raggedly here and there, blood gone as it was quickly washed away by the rain.
"H-hang in there Eliza, I see a place we can stay, at least until the sun comes out again!" Was yelled, the raven sounding slightly hysterical as they did. It was unknown if Eliza could hear her, as the other could only give off some weak coughs in reply.
As soon as her tired feet could get her there, the slightly stronger of the woman managed to get them into the building, an old movie theater by the looks of the old movie posters and show times worn away by the harsh weather and neglect. Going over to what seemed to be some of the audience seating, the raven sat her companion on one of the few seats still in one piece, and only the slightest bit damp as one of the walls leaned over enough to make another ceiling supported by some stray railing. While not a place that would be safe to stay for long, would make an okay temporary dwelling for the now.
"Not… not the best, but we've made better with worst, eh bestie?" the very tired and weary young woman, aged by both the world and heartache, said half-halfheartedly, looking over to said bestie, only to see them so pale and quiet, the shivers and heated skin the only indication of life.
Looking shaken, the raven went to lightly slap the other awake, obviously hoping for some sort of response
"Damn it Eliza! Say something, anything! Please…" was said in such a broken way, the voice only a moment away from breaking into a full blown sob.
"...So-sorry.. Nic...d-ddidn't meeeean to…" was the slurred, shivering reply that Eliza gave, making the other give out a choked cry of relief.
She wasn't alone, her friend was still here… (Though just for how long?)
"You-you know I hate being called that! It's Nicole silly." was all the Nicole could manage at the moment, so overcome with relief as she was.
"...sorry...bout'at." was mumbled, the hazy hazel eyes slowly shutting, the fever finally forcing the other to rest, worried honey brown eyes watching closely for any signs of change.
They really couldn't catch a break, could they?
At least, not since the world had ended.
At first, things had been worrying, with how nature seemed to be rapidly changing all around them. Earthquakes cracking the earth, floods dragging land into the deep, the wind crashing and forcing it's way through any obstacle, even the sun heating up the land to the point fires could overcome even skyscrapers.
That wasn't even mentioning how their fellow humans contributed to the chaos.
Shivering, Nicole couldn't help but recall that one nice guy who had traveled with them for a few days, wearing their guards down, even as he planned to.. planned to take advantage of the situation. When Eliza had still been healthy enough to push him off the building they had been resting on before he could.
Taking a deep breath and choking on it slightly, the raven haired 21 year old cried, sobs breaking through as she wailed along with the storm.
She really hated crying, all it did was make her tired and her eyes hurt, but at least it made her feel a bit better emotionally afterwards… or at least numb her.
Sighing when she finally finished, Nicole looked over to her best friend, making sure that the brunette was still breathing before she went to check the surroundings.
Maybe they would be able to find something edible? It was an old movie theatre after all.
Old candy bars, unpopped popcorn, questionable meat, and some bottles of alcohol were the spoils she had managed to return with.
(No one could be choosers now a days.)
Looking over at her friend, Nicole couldn't help but feel relief when she saw that the other was sitting up, even if she was still feverish and shaking on the tarp covering.
It looked to be one of the better days at least.
The raven was about to say something, though what she was unsure of before she saw the look on her friends face.
"...Liza?" was the unspoken question.
"...I think… this will be my last night." the older woman by two years said, sounding weary to the bones as she did, light hazel eyes near lifeless.
That..was not something that Nicole needed to hear.
But it was something she knew, in her heart of hearts, that was true.
Biting her lip to force the tears back, she went to sit by her best friend, handing her one of the alcohol bottles she had found.
"Well… let's at least make this a night to remember."
And so they got marvelously smashed, filling the night with laughter, tears, screams, and soft talking with the storm sounding out in the background.
"Nic… Nic…."
"Hmmmm?"
"...I don't want to die…"
"...Me either…"
And when the burning sun rose once more, it shown showing two young woman leaning against the other, not a breath shared from either.
Bound through the death and friendship they shared…. soon to be bound once more...
Mismatched light green and light brown eyes stared out of a young face, a look of total disinterest on the young boy's face as he stared around, his short and messy green hair being blown about in the slight wind as he stared around. The playground the boy was to be found in had been empty due to the promise of rain that threatened to pour, making most parents forbid their children to go outside, lest they catch a cold.
Not like he had parents to keep in anymore, just like before…
Tears falling from sharp eyes, the lids closed as the remembered pain, one from this and another one all together.
To bad he didn't have a true friend to help him like in the other.
"-Shortcake with a strawberry on top, premium creamy egg pudding~" was sung, making the youth open his eyes, surprised by the sound of another young voice at the playground and the song he heard.
(He's sure he's heard it somewhere, but where…?)
"Okay, okay I'll try and contain myself, don't write me off as selfish because hey, I can make it on my own! You're going to regret it later no doubt! Cause you know I'm…~" the voice continued, memories running through the young mind as it did.
It couldn't possibly…
"The number one princess in the world! You better keep your eyes on me or I might not be here one day~" the young boy sung along, not caring that he called himself a princess as he found the mysterious singer, who looked as surprised to see him as he her.
Auburn red hair which started to turn more and more orange the closer it came to the tips of short wavy hair framed a young face with surprised bright purple eyes.
"Nikky…" She had loved that song and had always wanted either purple or silver eyes…
"Wha- How do you know that name!" was yelled at him, the girl looking both wary and hopeful, making the young boy before her hope rise too.
Maybe, just maybe?
"...Hello, my name was Elizabeth Adams, what was yours?" the young boys said with a heavy accent, as speaking in a language he hasn't even thought in for nine years made it to where speaking it slightly difficult.
The girl stilled, eyes going wide before tears appeared in them, a little hiccup happening.
"Mine was -hic- Nicole Holmes!" the girl finally managed before running to the other, arms engulfing the boy naturally, as if there wasn't anything weird about doing so.
Which there wasn't, as the youth merely hugged her back, tears in his eyes as he did, a strong, nearly heartbreaking relief breaking through to him.
He wasn't alone in this world anymore….
Once again, though in another world altogether...
BeepBeepBeepBe-Thunk went the alarm clock.
Mismatched green and brown eyes took it in, seeing that the time read around seven. Sighing, the young 12 year old went to get ready for the day.
'Let's see… it should be the Genin Test today, I think? Maybe I'll be on a team with Yumi-chan, hopefully.' the young man thought as he began to get ready for the day, putting on his sleeveless black turtleneck and grass green bandana. Finishing his look off was his simple black goggles and the typical dark blue pants most Konohagakure ninja wore, making it to where he was now ready to face the day.
Yeah, that was still a shock even now to his system.
"Ah, heading out young Hiro-kun? Good luck with your testing, you hear!" was wished at him by his neighbor as he started to leave his apartment.
"Thank you Obaa-san, I'll do my best." was said by Hiro, who nodded as he did in respect to the old woman who has looked out for him since his parents had past. As the youth left his apartment building and had come to the road, he couldn't help but think of just how he had gotten to this point.
Before he had been Kei Hiroyuki, the boy who had lost his parents to a deranged murderer at nine, he had once been an adult woman known as Eliza who had died in her world's apocalypse.
Who apparently was now a man…
At this point, he really couldn't give two fucks to be honest; he was stuck in an anime world where the strong thrived and the weak could only hope that they could cling on to the strength of others. Naruto universe with all the talks of 'Will of Fire', 'Peace', and comedy stripped off it. At least he was here during peace times and not when there was war… Yeah, no thank you, at all.
Sighing, Hiro took a look around the bustling village, his face pretty much neutral as he took in the running children and the loud shopkeepers hoping to grab attention.
Really, it was strange seeing something so nice after coming from such a starkly different world, like everything was so much more brighter here, with things being so much more different.
...Which was probably a good thing probably, even if it was a bit overwhelming at times.
"Yo, Hiro-kun~!" blinking, the dark leaf green haired pre-teen with a light green and brown eye looked over to see a young girl running to him.
The girl had auburn hair that turned more and more orange as you got closer to the tips of her hair, her purple eyes bright as she smiled enough to light up a room.
Smiling ever so slightly, Hiro couldn't help but be grateful that at least he wasn't here alone as the girl approached him
"You excited about the test? We'll probably pass the written easily with all the studying we've done, though I admit I'm a bit nervous about the weapons aspect." One Kokoro Yumi admitted. For all her nervousness, she still looked like a proper ninja with how even now she made sure to survey her surroundings ever so closely. She even looked the part wearing her dark blue combat china dress along with a collared white zip up shirt and a black sash across her stomach to provide better covering for her.
She looked pretty cool, so it was no wonder why most of the girls in class were jealous.
"I'm pretty sure you'll do fine, we've been practicing hard these last few months, so I'm sure you'll at least do fine." Hiro consoled, getting a pout from his friend.
"But I don't want to do 'just fine', I want to do awesome!" She exclaimed, a fire of emotion seeming to surround her as she did, making her best friend sweat drop.
At least some things never change.
Looking up to the Hokage Mountain and seeing one very different face, the green haired boy could only hope that it never would.
Bound for a much more different journey than before...
"-Now Team Six will be Ito Sukenobu, Kokoro Yumi, and Kei Hiroyuki-" the teacher, Goro-sensei, started, only to be interrupted by both screams of happiness and despair from his students. (Despair because they weren't on the team of their crush, happiness because their crush wasn't on the team with the rival of their affections.)
Glaring, the chunin teacher was easily able to get his class's attention while his student teacher, one Umino Iruka, took notes on what and what not to do, even as he helped cow the children into submission.
Truly the young man was Kami-sent, Goro would have no worries in letting him start teaching once he stepped down.
Looking back to the students, the chunin took them in carefully even as he thought about just how much they have grown in the time under his care.
Ito-kun, a young boy with short straight black hair, light brown skin, and dusty yellow eyes was a rather open, yet calm student who always heeded the class rules to a tee. He had average grades, though his weapons skills were rather strong which was great to balance out the other two in the group.
(Hopefully they would provide a good balance for him as well.)
Looking over to the only kunoichi in the group, a girl with interesting red-to-orange hair and purple eyes seemed to be the newest up and coming Fuinjutsu Master. From what he's seen from doodles he's had to confiscate in class, they've had a lot of talent and future promise. Promise that Namikaze-sama, leader of the Sealing Corps, would truly try to swipe up when he found it. Then as if to round out the whole bundle of talent the girl had, Kokoro-chan was a kind soul, with a honest heart to lead her, even after witnessing the horrific death of her father and living on the pour side from it.
(Here's hoping that their world won't break it, at least not too bad after all that.)
Finally turning his eyes to the last member, the teacher found himself staring into one light green eye (the right) and one light brown eye (the left).
Kei-kun was a rather interesting case; at first, it seemed he would probably go with the civilian classes instead of the ninja ones, as the other has shown no interest in going into such a dangerous field. That had changed once the boy had turned nine, as that was the year that the youth's parents had been murdered, their son the only one to inherit their rather large wealth. This had made many people come and try their hand at raising the young Hiroyuki, along with running it through his inheritance.
This had all changed once the boy signed the 10-Year Shinobi Contract, basically giving up ten years of his life in service for the village. It was a very strict one, much stricter than the Five-Year Contract that was usually given to jounin approved genin, but it was the only one that academy students could sign freely. Though usually it was only to be used during war times by orphan students, so that they could have the money to go to school as most parents wouldn't agree with it, as if the contracted died before the years ended, everything they owed would go to the village.
Other things that could be found in the contract went from being payed to go to school, to what would be their field specialty (FS). That basically said that once a student has shown promise in any field, they are to specialize in such, training it to mastery. And while it was encouraged to learn of other things, it was obvious that the main skill would be more of the focus, sometimes even tapping them straight into parts of the Shinobi Corps after graduation. Goro-sensei could definitely see Kei in either the Trapping/Stealth or the Genjutsu Corps with his talent in either field. Maybe even R and D with just how sharp his mind was.
(It was lucky they weren't in war times now, otherwise the young green haired youth would probably never have a genin team like so.)
The teacher couldn't help but take a good look at the three, even though to others his whole observation of the three didn't take more than a few seconds, he couldn't help but wonder how they would turn out in the future, especially with the Jounin-sensei they got.
"Your sensei will be Kotoku Mitsuharu; please leave with him when he comes." 'Wonder how these kids do with Konoha's most unlucky man in all of Fire' was the last thought the Chunin-sensei gave them before he went on to the next group, one that seemed much more lacking in comparison.
One of happiness, heartbreak, both happiness and misery…
"So, since we know each other's names, what are your likes and dislikes?" Kotoku-sensei, or Mitsuharu-sensei as he had asked them to call the man, had asked with a smile on his face even as the chair he had borrowed fell apart the moment he sat in it.
"Are you okay Sensei?" was asked worriedly by Yumi, making as if to go and help him even as the dark brown haired, pink eyed, and tanned skinned man waved her off. They were in a nice, if empty classroom in the academy, the floor wasn't to bad.
"It's fine, I've had much worst than this. I don't have all these bandages just for show after all." Their sensei joked even as he used some green healing chakra to fix up the slight gash he go on his right arm.
"Anyways, to get this show on the road, I'll go first; I like medical jutsus, pork buns, and light colors. I don't like leeks, bullies, or people who would try and kill you when you're eating." The man said, smiling even as his students looked at each other in slight bewilderment.
Sounds like Sensei has had an interesting life.
"Well, I like puzzles, weapons, sushi. I dislike annoying people, others who try and touch my stuff, and strawberries." the next boy, the raven haired Ito Sukenobu, said as he started to finger his kunai in his hip holster, his dusty yellow eyes considering. He had dressed in simple clothes, from regular ninja shorts to a simple black combat t-shirt with a long sleeved fishnet shirt underneath, headband around his right arm.
"Oh, I guess I'm next. Well I like sweets, my friends and family, and the sealing arts; I don't like total jerks, fangirls, or anchovies." the young girl said, a menacing gleam entering her eye as she said fangirls. She had placed her headband around her neck, unlike other girls who usually just use theirs to hold back their hair or as an accessory.
"... I like most foods, reading, and making traps. I hate greedy assholes, backstabbers, and raw onions." was said by the last member, the green haired Kei Hiroyuki said after letting out a slight sigh. His headband had been place on his forehead, his green bangs slightly obscuring it while his goggles were now resting around his neck.
Taking the three in, the jounin smiled from his place on the ground as he did.
It was sure to be a treat watching these three grow up.
But one they will weather together...
Hop: Hi, so here it is. Me and Valiant got to talking about SI, which led to what if we were in the same world, which led to this. Yumi is their character, so all rights to them while Hiroyuki is my character. The sensei for the team is one of my old characters I took of the shelf and dusted off a bit while Ito is a character made by both me and V. While I wrote this, this is both our baby that we have cared for.
Hopefully you all like this story and leave a review. Have a good day now and know that flamers will end up being the ones burned in the end!