Shadow of the Day – Story Concept
As the tag line may suggest, the story is a take on Perfect Lionheart's "Missing Hokage" challenge (for those unfamiliar with the challenge, read up on it here: .net/u/1318171/Perfect_Lionheart) combined with the idea behind the music video for Linkin Park's song, "Shadow of the Day". The idea behind the song was that the video starts out at 11:55pm (in reference to the Doomsday Clock. Read here: .org/wiki/Doomsday_Clock) and as the song (and the clock) progress towards midnight, the chaos occurring outside the singer witnesses while on his walk down the street grows worse and worse until it reaches midnight (after the song ends), at which time presumably all hell would break out, destroying society as it was known. I have chosen to translate this story into the Naruto world and the Missing Hokage challenge in the following way:
1.) The Doomsday Clock, created in the time of the Shodaime, is nominally in control of the Hokage, with input from his/her Village Council available to assist in basing his judgement on the placement of the time on the clock. The clock largely comes under the full control of the Council upon the sudden death of the Yondaime Hokage, and has largely become corrupt, as the clock is changed in the negative with each step of progress Naruto Uzumaki makes, and changes for the positive every time he is held up, beaten, or almost killed. This corruption will become apparent to the characters at a later point in the story.
2.) The following events are placed at the following times on the Clock:
Date........................................................................................................Time on Clock.......................................Event........................................................................................................................................................
14 years before Valley of the End...........................................................11:50pm (10 min.)................................Konoha lives in relative peace
Oct 10, 13 yrs before VotE......................................................................11:58pm (2 min.)..................................Kyuubi attacks. Many shinobi dead. Yondaime Hokage lost. Large parts of village destroyed. Kyuubi .............................................................................................................................................................................sealed into Naruto Uzumaki. Council claims control over the Clock. Sandaime Hokage called back into .............................................................................................................................................................................service until a Godaime Hokage can be chosen.
11 yrs. before VotE.................................................................................11:54pm (6 min.)..................................Council deems village fully recovered from Kyuubi attack, despite their contempt for the continued .............................................................................................................................................................................survival of Naruto Uzumaki.
Dec. 28, 10 yrs. before VotE...................................................................11:55pm (5 min.)..................................Attempted kidnapping of Hinata Hyuuga, heiress of the Hyuuga Clan, by a peace representative from ............................................................................................................................................................................Kumo. Led to escalated tensions between Kumo and the Hyuuga Clan.
Oct. 10, 8 yrs. before VotE......................................................................11:51pm (9 min.)..................................5 yr. old Naruto is severely beaten and admitted to ICU unit at hospital. Council preemptively changes ............................................................................................................................................................................Clock in anticipation of the boy's death.
Oct 11, 8 yrs. before VotE.......................................................................11:53pm (7 min.)..................................Clock changed backwards after it becomes apparent that Naruto survives his beating.
7 yrs. before VotE...................................................................................11:54pm (6 min.)..................................Naruto, with Sandaime's approval, enters Konoha Ninja Academy a year early, despite Council protests.
4 yrs. before VotE...................................................................................11:57pm (3 min.)..................................Uchiha Massacre. Sasuke Uchiha is left as the sole 'loyal' member of the Uchiha Clan.
2 yrs. before VotE...................................................................................11:56pm (4 min.)..................................Naruto fails the Genin Exam the first of three times. Naruto is held back a year. Council rejoices (Man .............................................................................................................................................................................they're a bunch of assholes!).
9 months before VotE.............................................................................11:52pm (8 min.)..................................Sasuke (as well as the other clan heirs) pass the Genin Exam. Naruto does not (at first).
3 months before VotE.............................................................................11:57pm (3 min.)..................................Chunin Exams interrupted by Suna/Oto Invasion. Sandaime Hokage killed in combat, among others. ............................................................................................................................................................................Consierable damage to village.
1 month before VotE...............................................................................11:55pm (5 min.)..................................Tsunade Senju returns to the village and is installed as the Godaime Hokage.
1 day before VotE...................................................................................11:57pm (3 min.)..................................Sasuke Uchiha defects from Konoha in favor of Oto.
The story is going to be written mainly focusing on two characters. Obviously, Naruto is the first one, and his part will detail his exile and his further character development as per Challenge rules. The second character I haven't decided on yet, but this character will be remaining in the village and filling the role Chester from Linkin Park plays in the "Shadow of the Day" music video, observing as each successive major event drives Konoha further into discontent and chaos.
This is where you, the reader, come into play. I would like you to select the character who experiences the changes in everyday life. Naruto, Tsunade, Shizune, Hinata, Jiraiya and Kakashi cannot be this second character due to Challenge guidelines. Kiba and the Inuzuka Clan are also out of consideration as I already have future plans for them (I'm not telling!). Here is a quick list of the more known characters that are left:
Sakura Haruno
Ino Yamanaka
Chogi Akimichi
Skiamaru Nara
Shino Aburame
Rock Lee
Tenten (last name will be Higurashi)
Neji Hyuuga
Asuma Sarutobi
Kurenai Yuuhi
Might Guy
Anko Mitarashi
Yuugao Uzuki
Konohamaru Sarutobi
Moegi (Utatane; Councilwoman Koharu's granddaughter)
Udon (Mitokado; Councilman Homura's grandson)
Hanabi Hyuuga
Teuchi Ichiraku
Ayame Ichiraku
any clan heads or civilian members of the Konoha Council (except for Koharu, Homura and Danzo)
OC (if you vote for OC, you have to leave a comment providing a suggested name and background story for the character. the OC story I like best will be used and it's creator will be credited.)
Well, that's it for the concept for now. I would have a chapter for you by now, but I'm in the process of moving, and won't be able to devote time to writing the first chapter until the move is completed. Until then, please feel free to comment on the idea as it currently exist, offer other ideas if you have any. Fair warning though, NO YAOI under any circumstances. That's just sick. Other than that, enjoy!
EDIT: Poll has been posted on my profile to decide the second character of focus. Please vote!