Title: At the Beginning
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, Naruto is not mine. Only the humble plot I am trying to build.
Summary: At the beginning, he twisted his nose at her fire red hair, her numerous freckles that adorned her thin nose. At the beginning, she rolled her eyes at his stupid knowing-it-all attitude; she wanted to tell him exactly what she thought of his stupid leaf headband.
Author's Note: Hi there! I am so nervous about how the story will turn out. I never posted anything on the internet before so this is my 'first time' heehaw! I hope it is any good! Thanks for reading. I hope you all enjoy it.
Prologue
I can feel it, I can listen to it and I definitely can feel it… calling for me. In the air, the gentle breeze caresses my sweaty skin, my hair flies around behind me. The sky whispers, I strain my ears to listen… my bloodstream freezes and I almost forget to breath. The whispers are ice-cold warnings.
Something was coming, something bad.
"Kushina?"
His soft voice came from behind me. I turned to look at him, he looked tired, short of breathe. He quickly closed the space between us and looked straight at my eyes. I felt myself drown in his worried blue pools. I opened my mouth ready to ask him what was happening when he silenced me with a long deep, fierce kiss.
His kiss frightened me.
His sad empty blue eyes made my heart stop.
It somehow felt like a silent good-bye.
Chapter One - Flaming Blue Eyes
I tried; I really tried to do something about the hair! I did not know why mother kept glaring at me as if it was my fault that the world was coming to an end. Sure, I graduated from the academy and according to her; it was a big motive to throw a celebration party. Well, according to me, I would be quite happy with a nice dinner and a long night of sleep. Was she not aware that I was going to meet my new sensei tomorrow? Was she not aware that I was actually tired? Was she not aware that I, Kushina Uzumaki, deeply hate the two idiots that got into my team?
I sighed deeply and massaged my temples as I stared into the big oval mirror that hanging on the wall next to my bed. My big green eyes stared back at a complete stranger. I could not believe that I was using a Kimono. I twisted my nose in revulsion as I half turned around. I still did not like the sight one bit. Never in my life, or well, there was not a single time that I could recall to be wearing one of those. Did I even know how to move in a Kimono? Could it be that they required some special trick?
I bit out a frustrated scream as I heard my mother call out for my name once again. The guests were here. I slowly closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. I repeated the process a few times before I walked towards the door. I closed my bedroom door and felt panic rush through me as I moved towards the staircase.
What was she thinking? I had never seen so many people in my entire life. I put on a fierce look as I walked past the guests who took every opportunity to humiliate me.
"Oh Kushina, darling! You actually look like a girl!" my older sister, Sayuri, exclaimed. I glared at her smiling form as she pulled me to a hug. Ugh. Too much affection.
"Kushina!" I watched mother wave at me. I walked towards her, with my shoulders hunched down. I knew what was going to happen next, "Ahh, Hatori, here is my daughter, and she graduated this year, the best of her class,"
I narrowed my eyes at the tall bald man whose dark eyes stared back at me with too much interest. He smiled widely as he stretched his hand to shake mine.
"The best, huh?" he inquired as he shook my hand, "How old are you, my dear?"
"I'm nine and a half!" I exclaimed raising my chin.
The man chuckled as he let go of my hand, "Are you excited to meet your new sensei?"
I nodded shortly as mother placed a gentle hand on my shoulder, "Now, Kushina do you know who Hatori works for?" I shook my head, my eyes never leaving the man's black orbs, "He is the Feudal Lord counselor,"
"Aha," the man's smile disappeared, "Indeed, I was telling your mother how the Feudal lord is hiring capable shinobi to his personal guard,"
My lips parted in surprise. The Feudal Lord was a very important person to our country. I heard that he was to be a generous man that helped the poor villagers, by giving them employment on his lands or even helping by providing some food or even money. However, what really caught my attention was the Feudal Lord personal guard.
Everyone knew the magnificent stories about his personal guard. The rumors say that the Feudal Lord personal guard has the most powerful shinobi working for him, one shinobi from every existing country. Being able to be a part of the Feudal Lord, will bring prestige and honor to a ninja and the ninja's family.
"Really?" I exclaimed in awe, "A whirlpool ninja?" I asked, my eyes beamed intently as I studied Hatori's amused expression. The mean leaned down and smiled a cunning smile that would haunt my dreams for the following months, years.
"The best Whirlpool ninja," he said, winking at me.
"Oh, I'll be right back," mother said as she hurried past me.
"Mrs. Uzumaki?" a cold deep voice spoke from behind me. I turned around as I heard my mother gasp. Her hands covered her mouth; her big green eyes were wide in shock.
"N-No…" she whispered as she stumbled backwards trying desperately to hold on to something.
I remained at the very same place as I watched everyone shift uncomfortably, their eyes filled with sympathy as they stared at my mother's crying figure.
"I'm very sorry," Hatori said as he kneeled next to me and placed his arm around my shoulder.
"Father…" I whispered softly as I watched my older sister hug mother.
I did not cry, not even when they brought his body back. I saw his scarred face, filled with dirt and blood. I saw the piercing shuriken's across his chest. I saw his torn burnt clothes. I noticed the simple tattered necklace, the one I had made him before he left for his mission.
They whispered soft comforting words to my mother. I watched as my uncle, our clan new leader approached me and stood by my side.
"Your father would have been proud of you," he said in his usual, indifferent tone.
"Hai," I said, my voice faltered slightly. Still I did not cry.
"Kisho," a voice called out for my uncle's name. I did not turn around to see who it was. I carried on staring at my father's distorted figure, "we have the confirmation," my ears perked up.
"Well? Out with it!" my uncle snapped.
"I…" the other man's voice hesitated, "It came from an unexpected source, I… can't still believe t-that-"
"Kenji," my uncle muttered darkly.
"The attack came from a leaf team," the other man, Kenji said.
I slowly turned around and my eyes met my uncle's shocked ones, "Why did they kill father?" I asked. My throat seemed to burn at each word I pronounced.
No one answered.
It was rather annoying. Everyone treated me and looked at me differently. Seriously, all I ever wanted was to be alone. I didn't need their pity looks, or their kind yet meaningless words. I was not a child anymore. I had graduated from the Academy and I was one-step closer to become a real ninja!
I saw the look mother gave me that following morning, as I headed downstairs, my headband securely tight around my head. I saw regret in her eyes, as if she was losing a daughter too. She did not say anything as I left the house. Actually, she hadn't said much after father's death.
I finally arrived to the meeting point. The two idiots were already there. I walked towards them and acknowledged them with a short nod. Yamazaki Natsu and Kimura Taisuke interrupted their heated conversation and an awkward silence took over the air above us. Natsu and Taisuke eyed each other as if they were trading an accomplice look. I sighed. They knew.
"Yo Uzumaki," said Natsu, his small dark eyes stared straight at my green ones, "I'm sorry for your father," he added a small nervous smile and elbowed Taisuke's side.
"Ow!" Taisuke exclaimed as he massaged his left side, "Yeah…"
I glared at both of them before I turned my head away.
"Sheez what is the matter with her?" I heard Taisuke whisper.
I quickly jerked my head towards him, "I don't need your stupid pity!" I shrieked impatiently, feeling my face grow redder.
Taisuke blinked in surprise. I saw Natsu cross his arms around his chest, "Chill," he said raising an eyebrow.
"Chill?" I muttered feeling completely taken back, "You have no idea! You're sorry for my father? Did you even know him?"
"Hey!" a loud cheerful voice echoed from behind me. I slowly turned around and heard Natsu and Taisuke sigh in relief.
Right in front of us, a young tall dark-haired woman stood with a relaxed pose. Her odd purple eyes stared back at us in delight; a wide smile decorated her light-brown skin, "You must be my rookies! I'm Hanaki, your sensei," she said as she approached me, "You must be Uzumaki Kushina,"
I found myself smiling as I stared at her contagious smile. It was a true smile, one free of pity, of awkwardness, "H-hai!" I said as she messed my ponytail.
"Alright," Hanaki-sensei said excitedly as she gently pushed me towards Natsu and Taisuke, "We will make a promise right here, before we get started," my teammates and I stared at our sensei wonderingly. Hanaki-sensei smiled tenderly at us as she kneeled down, "this is a promise that you will have to fulfill while you are under my supervision. This is the only rule I ask from the three of you,"
I never felt as nervous before as I did that day when I looked into her purple orbs. I never had seen so fascinating eyes, so filled with life. I hesitantly nodded my head and so did the other two.
"H-hai," we whispered in unison.
"Yosh, listen up," Hanaki said as she flashed us a wide smile, her eyes beamed, "the only one rule I ask from you…" she paused to stare at each one of us, "from now on, we'll stay together, always!"
I blinked at her words. I narrowed my suspicious eyes as I stared at the other two, only they looked as perplexed as I did.
"From now on, we are a family. There will be no secrets among us, we can only trust each other, and we'll stand by each other, for the good times and the bad," her eyes fell on mine as she finished, "What do you say? Can you follow that one rule, Kushina?"
A strange feeling traveled down my spine. It was a cold feeling, I felt as if I was standing naked in the middle of the coldest winter.
"Family…" I whispered, looking at the other two boys from the corner of my eyes, "Family," I repeated more convincingly, realizing that the awkward word came out effortlessly than I had expected.
"Taisuke? What about you?"
"H-hai!" he nodded quickly, a lock of his long dark-blue hair covered his right eye.
"Natsu?"
"Hai!" Natsu nodded promptly. His dark-eyes locked with mines.
"It's c-c-cold!" Taisuke whined for the one hundredth time that night.
It was winter; the white snow had claimed everything as its own and I was cold, tired and above all hungry. Oh what I wouldn't give for one large bowl of ramen. Okay, maybe two… all right, all right! Three bowls of ramen!
I was sincerely starting to hate these kinds of trainings! Just for how long would we carry on with survival training? I glanced sideways to a hunched Natsu that was tiptoeing through the snow; his dark-eyes were open wide as he stared at the green thick bushes.
"What the hell are you doing?" I snapped as I clenched my jaw. Talking with such freezing weather hurt.
Natsu jerked his head abruptly towards me and shot me a condemned look. He waved his right hand where he had a couple of shuriken intertwined between his fingers, and then he rolled his eyes as if I was supposed to get the answer from such gesture.
I narrowed my eyes at his stupidity and stared at Taisuke in search for a sane answer. The blue-haired boy simply shrugged his shoulders as he gritted his teeth together. I actually felt sorry for him. He was, without any doubt, the one who was suffering the most with the horrible climate. His nose was absolutely red and he could barely keep his eyes open.
"There!" Natsu exclaimed, his dark-eyes beaming in victory. I heard the numerous shuriken cut through the gelid wind. I rose a quizzically eyebrow as he jumped at the green bushes, disappearing completely.
Taisuke and I seemed to have recovered instantly from all the miles we had walked, without any provisions.
"Natsu!" Taisuke hissed. His eyes wandered around nervously.
"Natsu!" I exclaimed angrily as I moved forwards in the bushes direction. I pushed the green wet leaves away from my face as I walked. I came to a sudden stop when I spotted Natsu crouching on the floor; a complete look of disappointment adorned his features, "Natsu?" I asked quietly, stopping behind him.
"Why couldn't it be a deer!" he whispered, in a sad tone.
I leaned forward and stared at the dead rabbit that was lying on the floor immersed on its own blood. Four shuriken pierced its flesh.
"Baka!" I said, trying to suppress a laugher.
"Hey guys…" Taisuke hesitant voice made both Natsu and I shiver, "G-guys…"
Natsu quickly jumped to its feet, his dark-eyes scanned the area around us. He placed a finger on his lips and I nodded. Someone else was here.
"Are you alone?" the strange, deep voice spoke softly. Yet, I noticed the demanding tone underneath his fake gentleness.
I hurried towards the bushes, concealing my chakra as I did so. Natsu had already done the same, he was leaning forward and peeking between the bushes, a drop of sweat fell down his face. I stared at the tall man, who had his face concealed with an ANBU mask.
Taisuke fidgeted his right foot in the thick snow as he stared at the ANBU, "I… I got lost," I found myself smiling as Taisuke words escaped his lips. He did not give us away. Even though, I knew that he would never give us away, my heart could not stop to waver at the thought. Hanaki-sensei words echoed inside my head. If months ago, anyone asked me if I thought of those two as my own kin I would have laughed head on, but now, I would raise my head and proudly assume it. Those two were my family.
I leaned forward and blamed the stupid bushes for the limited sight it was providing me. The man was clearly not a Whirlpool shinobi. I wanted to see his headband and I wanted to ask him what the hell was he doing inside Whirlpool boundaries.
"Did you now?" the man asked, amusement evident in his tone of voice, "Perhaps we both can help each other?"
Taisuke eyes widened as he stared at the stranger. He did not say anything. Natsu took a deep breathe as he stared at his best friend. It was hard for him to stay concealed like this, but it was as Hanaki-sensei taught us. Surprise element worked best against stronger opponents. This was no normal opponent. It was an unknown fully experienced shinobi.
"You see, I am quite lost as well. I can't seem to find the village," the ANBU ninja said as he stared down at Taisuke's headband, "Maybe we can help each other, ne?"
I gulped and Natsu fidgeted uncomfortably by my side. We could not allow the stranger to get inside our village. Everything sounded rather fishy to me. Did not ANBU shinobi worked in a group? Why was this man all by himself? In addition, why was he interested in our village? Would he not know the way if he were summoned somehow?
I jerked my head towards Natsu. I could no longer hold it. I could feel the blood inside me boil; my muscles seemed to have gained life of their own as I quickly pushed myself forward. I saw both Taisuke and the ANBU shinobi move their heads towards me. I didn't look behind. Natsu was still hiding and he could be our surprise element.
I knew that he was probably calling me every existing name inside his head. But, I also knew that Taisuke wouldn't handle much longer on his own.
I could hear our sensei voice again and cringed. If she were here with us, she would have told me to have a little bit more confidence in our teammates. I did have confidence in Taisuke. It just aggravated me to see him this way.
"Yo!" I exclaimed as natural as possible.
The ANBU tilted his head to look at me. I ignored him and stared at the trembling Taisuke, and then I ignored my own frantic heartbeat. So far, the only person we have battled was Hanaki-sensei.
"Oh," the ANBU said feigning surprise, "Are you this boy teammate?" he questioned. All the fake gentleness gone.
"And who the hell are you?" I questioned raising my chin; my green eyes stared at the symbol on his forehead. Earth country.
Okay, perhaps I should not have been so brusque. For, somehow the ANBU realized that I had overheard the whole conversation. He quickly moved his head towards the place where Natsu was hiding. My lips parted in surprise as he disappeared from my sight and returned with Natsu.
"Natsu!" Taisuke exclaimed, fear invaded us both at the same time as we stared at the shiny kunai on the shinobi's hand, so close to Natsu's throat.
"Hah! You almost got me fooled," the man said in a cheerful tone, "better luck next time,"
"There is not going to be a next time!" I bit out as I pressed my shaking hands together.
"What are you going to do, kid?" the ANBU questioned mockingly as he pressed the kunai closer to Natsu's throat.
The following moments looked like a staring competition. I stood still, my hands ready in place for the seal. Taisuke remained motionless by my side as if time had stopped only for him. My eyes roamed between the ANBU and Natsu. I could read the fear in Natsu's eyes, but I also could read the evident order in them. He wanted me to go for it.
He was the one in charge of our team. I should obey to him right? I just didn't have it in me. I dropped my arms to the side and Natsu's voice startled me, his dark pools made me shiver and coil.
"KUSHINA! DO IT! THE VILLAGE COMES FIRST!" he screamed as he squirmed, trying to break free.
The ANBU laughed. It was the coldest laugh I ever heard in my entire life.
"You bastard,"
My eyes widened as I stared at Taisuke. He placed himself in front of me, two kunai knives ready in his hands. I was completely thunderstruck as I stared at the boy in front of me. His eyes possessed a strange and unfamiliar glow of determination. Natsu stopped moving, he too seemed surprised at the sudden Taisuke's courage.
"Hehe, this ought to be fun," the ANBU snorted.
I watched impotently as Taisuke ran forward, Natsu scream echoed through the cold night air. Blood passed through my eyes, a scary contrast against the pure white snow.
"T-T-Taisuke," I stuttered, feeling my body grow numb as I stared at the numerous shuriken stuck to his leg. Taisuke stumbled backwards and fell on his back; he coiled up in a ball and held onto his leg.
"Are you coming at me next?" the man asked, cutting through the cold silence.
"No, but we are!"
My green eyes met deep blue ones.
A blur of blond hair passed by me and I could only watch, agape as a tall white-haired man jumped down from the closest tree and landed silently on the white snow. Two other emerged from the bushes and my heart started to race again, slowly I could feel the numbness fade away, as if those flaming blue eyes melted the ice that got my body immovable.