Title: My Name is Tenzo
Author: Rachel Racelis
Sakura was due to arrive anytime now. He rubbed his cheek and frowned. Twenty-two year old Tenzo, also known as Yamato to some of his teammates is one of ANBU's fast rising star. He efficient and skilled. He had limited skills of the first Hokage. He sighed. But because of those circumstances, he did not have a family or a normal life. Being a shinobi is all he have. Dammit he did not even know when his real birthday is. So he celebrates his birthday on the day they found him in Orochimaru's deserted laboratory. It is not as if he dislikes the hospital. But sometimes after a mission such as his last one, he prefers silence and peace. Something that is definitely found in Konoha's hospital. He really thanked the stars that the medic-nin of his team is Sakura who is skilled in her field. Using the remote, he changed the channel into a nature show.
He could sense Sakura about to knock on his front door so he got up and opened the door just as when she started knocking. He led Sakura in the house.
Sakura had always known that Yamato-taishou is a man of good taste, judging from the way his garden looked outside and how his house looked inside. She surmised that he built this house using his Four Pillars House technique. The furnishings inside were minimal and utilitarian however the house is of a good earthy theme. She sighed. "Yamato-taishou, why didn't you go to the hospital?"
Tenzo just smiled. "Well... I didn't quite feel like going to the hospital and being fussed over by nurses and doctors so I thought I'd ask for your help. Do you mind, Sakura?" He asked. Sakura shook her head. "No I don't mind at all..." "Sorry for the bother. I mean it's nighttime and all and here I go asking you to come over and heal me..." He replied as he removed his shirt to show Sakura his wounds. Sakura shook her head and said. "It's okay Taishou. That's what friends are for..." Tenzo merely nodded as he sat down on the couch with Sakura behind her.
"Friends..." He mused. "That's all I have... Friends who might be sad if I die in one of my missions. Konohagakure will be paying for my funeral and my burial and my name will be added in the stone monument. Some people will be sad but they would go on... My name will be forgotten among men, no parents to remember my childhood, or siblings to remember my pranks. No wife to grieve or mourn for me, whose love for me to carry on even after I pass away. Or children to carry my blood and flesh and remember how daddy used to tell them things..." He sighed thinking these depressing thoughts to himself. A ninja does not always have the time to think about these things but killing a worthless daimyo who begged for his family's sake to be spared makes one think.
The daimyo was corrupted. He stole from the populace of the Snow Country and even sold vital information of the said ally country to those who would pay the price for it. Because of this he needs to be killed. But from what Tenzo surmised from reading the daimyo's file folder, the fat heavily guarded daimyo whom he had just successfully assassinated is indeed a family man. There had been no rumors of extra-marital affairs, or bastard children. In fact it shows that the daimyo loved his family and they loved him back. He might have done the things he did for his family to be able to live affluently. But being an ANBU, he knew that he needed to kill the daimyo and so no matter what bribes or begging the daimyo did after Tenzo had just single handedly eliminated the latter's body guards, Tenzo had to kill him. Leaving the daimyo's family mourning in his absence.
Tenzo sighed again. Sakura nudged him and told him to stop moving so much. He obeyed and went back to his thoughts. He does not even have a girlfriend. Flings he have had, but they were not the type one takes seriously. There was a girl he particularly like, someone he'd grown to love through the years who would not even notice him other than just be his "friend". The girl in question then tapped his shoulder. "Yamato-taishou? I'm done now... You may need to apply ice to the heavily bruised area on your arm so it won't ache too much but there would be not much of a problem otherwise, the wounds won't leave a scar at all."
Tenzo scoffed at the comment. "Come on Sakura you think I'm concerned about scarring?" He asked grinning. Sakura grinned back. "I don't know Taishou, you can be pretty vain..." She said jokingly. She stood up and started to pack her things. "Sakura would you mind keeping me company for a while?" He asked. The pink haired girl shook her head and said. "Sure Yamato-taishou..." She said. "Just as long as you feed me some dinner soon..." She said giggling. Tenzo nodded his head. "Sure I will... Would you settle for a Chinese food?" He replied. Sakura nodded.
After eating Tenzo asked Sakura if they can go to the park. Currently they were seated on a bench facing a duck pond. "Two days ago I've just killed a man. He was corrupted and he would sell his own country if he can. But he has a family who loves him. A family who are mourning for him this very instance." Tenzo said as casually as he could. Sakura looked at him in the eye. "Taishou, you know that we are shinobis. Killing and maybe being killed is a part of our duty, for our country, for our village. But I can understand you. It is not so much as the killing as to leaving behind people who will be sad for being left behind" She said remembering a pain from sometime ago. Tenzo shook his head. "It's not only that Sakura. Definitely not only that... Something more selfish." He replied. Sakura looked at him quizzically. Tenzo continued. "I have given my life to Konoha. Even when I seem to have no choice because I was just someone's experiment. I willingly gave my life to my village. Killing is a part of what we shinobis do. I am an honorable shinobi. I protect my country, my village and my people. But if I die Sakura, there would be no one to mourn for me."
"You have us, your teammates and your other friends." Sakura replied silently. Tenzo shook his head. "I know but it's not that. If I die Sakura. There would be no parents to remember me as an infant, or brothers who remembers how we played together. I would have no lover or wife whose future plans were entwined with mine and no son or daughter who will miss their father. Do you understand now?" He almost growled. Sakura nodded her head and proceeded to hug Tenzo. "If I die in one of the missions I have. I'd have died without telling the woman I've loved that I love her... I had not even told her my name..." He said. "Yamato-taishou..." Sakura rubbed his back trying to comfort him. Tenzo drew away and looked at Sakura's enlarged eyes as he cupped her face. "My name is Tenzo..."