Title: Chunin Corps
Summary: Kōta is a Shinobi of Konohagakure. Having graduated from the Academy, things don't quite go as plan. This is the story of the true Village Hidden in the Leaves, shown through the eyes of one of its faceless backdrop Chunin.
Author's Note: Thanks to Rabbit Pie, Crackalive, and Tribernator. They helped me with ideas and getting this story off the ground.
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Prologue
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"Life as a way of working itself out".
That's what ol' man Manaka said. I'm tempted to call him a liar, but I have a feeling that wouldn't go over well. You wouldn't think it but his cane has a surprisingly long reach.
Anyway, back to the task at hand. Sitting innocently in front of me was the bane of my existence. It was a rather small object, eight and a half inches by eleven. Plain white in color, the normality of the object stood in sharp contrast to the impact it was having on my life. With a great sigh that had other students looking in my direction, I flipped the sheet of paper with a sharp unnecessary flick of the wrist and looked at the test in front of me.
You're probably confused. Let's back up a little, and go into more detail.
My name is Kōta. I'm training to be a ninja.
I'll wait for you to stop laughing… oh, you're not? Well you probably would if you saw me. It's simple, just picture in your mind anything awe inspiring, and it's the opposite. I was cursed with the good fortune of being completely ordinary in every single way. I apparently shot out of the womb with skin that is neither too light nor too dark, straight dark brown hair that is extremely common, brown eyes and average height. Well, average height for a twelve year old. I'm still hoping to hit my growth spurt soon and shoot up six feet.
I currently live in "Konoha's Shelter for Improvised Youths". I still don't know why they don't just say "home for poor orphans" but it's probably a marketing thing. Now, I've been here as long as I can remember. Don't know who my parents are, and to be honest don't really want to. They have had twelve years to come get me. It's not like I've gone anywhere…
Anyway, enough of that soap opera.
The orphanage isn't so bad. I usually hang out on my own; don't really see the point in being friendly to these kids. Other than a girl and boy that left last year none of them are planning on being ninjas. That one kid, Naruto, he was at the orphanage for a while too. I assume he got adopted since he left and is still in the academy. Not really sure what's up with him though, all the caretakers told us to stay away. I stay away from pretty much everyone anyway, so don't really see a difference. Some of the other kids get adopted now and then, but usually just the really cute ones. I just try and keep my head down, and keep the status quo. It's worked for me so far.
Life in the Orphanage was rather dull and monotonous. So when my sixth birthday came around and I received a visit I was rather surprised. Don't get me wrong, it's not like this was my first visitation before. I had some when I was younger, but the parents always seemed to want something… more, than me. Not that I'm bitter or anything.
Remember me mentioning Ol' man Manaka? He's one of the caretakers of the orphanage. In my humble opinion he isn't so bad. Limp white hair hangs from the sides of his head in a crescent, and the reflection from the top of his bald head can make you blind. He often throws around these proverb sounding sentences that make him seem really smart. Although I just think he makes them all up as he goes. Manaka found me on the grounds outside relaxing in the shade of an old oak tree. He hobbled towards me and calmly said that I had a visitor. After a couple seconds of stunned silence he smacked me in the head with his cane and simply said, "Better not keep her waiting."
The two of us walked inside, and after some turns came to a room I hadn't been in before. The doors opened with squeaky hinges and I saw a person that would change my life forever.
Seated at a low table was a women. Definitely older than a girl, but I truly couldn't say by how much. She had dark green hair tied back into a braid and eyes that seemed perpetually sleepy. Combined with the natural smirk that made its way to her face upon our eyes meeting gave her a sly appearance. One that looking back, I can't say wasn't entirely unpleasant.
Her eyes left mine and met with Manaka's.
The smirk never left her face as she said, "Thank you for bringing him, Hiromu-san. "
Ol' man Manaka simply bowed low and turned to leave. His eyes met mine and he spoke quietly, "Remember Kōta. Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself."
I simply glared as his words faded, and he door closed behind him. I turned to look at the woman again, who was now grinning much more openly than before.
"I always thought he just made those things up on the spot. But that one seemed special I think."
Seeing my questioning look, she said, "I used to attend this orphanage as well. It's been a couple years now, but I definitely remember Manaka Hiromu more than anything else. " She settled back to the table and with a waved to take a seat. With another glance at the closed door I slid into the chair across from her.
"Now Kōta-san, you may call me Yukari. I have come here today to give you an offer…the same that was given to me when I turned six years old. I sure hope you make the same decision that I did, for the entire village's sake."
She proceeded to explain to me the benefits of joining the Shinobi program. I would be fighting for the pride of my village, get three square meals a day, and do something exciting and dangerous. For a kid who had known nothing but these orphanage walls, it was a dream come true.
It was explained that I would get a monthly stipend to spend on whatever I want, something that was a new concept to me. When we graduated the academy at the age of twelve we would be emancipated as well. We, the academy students from the orphanage, would work for the benefit of the village and protect our homes. To a no-name orphan, the thought of actually Being someone. Well, it changed my life. She had me sold, as I'm sure she had done many times before. Soon I was enrolled in the Ninja Academy and started my six year education to better my life.
It went alright to be honest. I quickly established myself cleanly in the middle of the pack. The clan kids for some reason always seemed to be ahead. Whether we were doing shuriken practice, stealth training, kunai throwing, or even just basic stamina training they always seemed to be just a little bit better. After a year or so it was clear who the leaders of the pack were, and right in the middle was me.
Even in the academy for some reason I am average. The class has thirty people in it, and we have all been training together more or less since we were six. Out of thirty people you would think it would be impossible to be that average in everything.
Alas… it's as if someone with a sense of humor is ruling my life. My current ranking is fifteenth. You couldn't get more in the exact middle of the ranking system if you purposefully tried. What sucks is that I tried for where I am.
Five days a week, four hours a day I am at the training field busting my ass. My small stipend each month quickly disappears into the Armor Shop's coffers as I replace my ninja wire and kunai. I suppose there was only so much I could do on my own. After a while I had to break my own rule and go looking for help.
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"Excuse me; are you going to be at this training field long?"
The boy in front of me quickly turned from his training post and lashed out with a kick to my face. I suppose it wasn't my best plan to walk up to a person engrossed in their training, but I was desperate.
With a sweep of my arm to the right I countered, and lashed out with a jab of my own. A jab that he deftly caught and out of nowhere reared back and threw his head into my nose.
Stupefied, I could do nothing as my nose erupted in pain and blood. At my exclamation he released my hand and I fell to the ground. Both my hands flew to my face to try and stem the blood.
On my back in the middle of a field, I got a good look at the kid for the first time. He had dark black hair that was short in the back and top. He had these long bangs that framed his face on either side. Dark grey eyes stood out from his thin face, with dark eyebrows above them. He wore a light tan shirt with fishnet underneath that peaked out of the collar. Green cargo shorts completed his outfit, and he seemed like just another kid. One that just beat my ass anyway.
"What the hell was that for? I just wanted to ask a question." I mumble out through red stained hands.
Rubbing his head in embarrassment, the kid in front of me chuckled nervously. "Sorry about that. I was in the zone. When you surprised me I just kept going I suppose."
"Yea? Well you're an idiot." I tried to say. When I looked at him he didn't seem insulted though, maybe he couldn't understand me.
"Look, let's go get that looked at. I'll walk with you. I'm Tsuchino Shin by the way." He said. Without a look back he started walking towards the edge of the clearing.
Cursing slightly I picked myself up and jogged to catch up." Name's Kōta. And you're gonna have to make this up to me. It's not often that I let someone break my nose."
"Let me? Please, you couldn't have stopped me if you tried!"
And with that a friendship was made. Shin and I did pretty much everything together from that point on. We sat together in the academy, hung out after school, trained together. He wants to be a close combat specialist, or so he says. I think it's a little silly to specialize so young, but he seems set on it. Who am I to talk about dreams.
I turned my head to the left and looked at Shin next to me taking our final exam. I don't think we've really changed that much to be honest. Shin still has those long black bangs and aspirations to be a close combat specialist. I still look average in every word. But every day we get a little taller, a little wiser, and a little closer to becoming true Shinobi.
I glance around the room quickly. Iruka-sensei stands at the front watching us, the ever present minder. Uchiha Sasuke sits towards the front, already done with his exam. The twin harpies Yamanaka Ino and Haruno Sakura sit nearby, seemingly forgetting about the exam as they glare at each other. Nara Shikamaru sleeps on his desk, sitting next to the ever present Akimichi Choji. Aburame Shino sits silently in the back, next toa blushing Hyuuga Hinata. Uzumaki Naruto and Inuzuka Kiba furiously race to finish their exam before the other. The inseparable trio Ami, Fuki, and Kasumi all sit near each other and steal glances at the Uchiha. Not very subtle that group. Other students are spaced evenly throughout the room, but they don't warrant more than a glance in turn.
'These people. They will be ninjas' with me. We shall protect the village when no one else can.' This thought is what gets me through as I finally finish my test. I turn it back over with another sigh, and wait for the rest of the class to finish.
'I'm almost there. I'm almost a Shinobi." I think quietly to myself.
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Author's Notes: Well here ya go. My newest story. Kōta is actually a real character. He is in Manga episode 221, just before the Uchiha Massacre. He and the kid that I have made into Shin are behind him talking about Sasuke. Anyway, leave a review about what you thought, can't wait for some feedback.