Lao Beifong gripped the armrests of his chair so tightly that his knuckles turned white, feeling a trace amount of fear twisting knots into his stomach. All of his guards lay groaning on the floor.
"Well? Have I made my point? Do I get the job?" The voice of the young man in front of him asked congenially.
The knots untwisted a little bit, but he remained wary. He'd just watched the blonde-haired boy in front of him dispatch every guard he had on duty, but now he was simply smiling calmly, making no further threatening movements. If the occasional pained groan was any indication, all the men were alive too. Now that he thought about it, the boy had never even drawn the sword on his back.
Six days ago, Toph had briefly gone missing before one of the guards found her wandering in the woods. Things like this were beginning to happen more and more frequently, and Lao knew he had to do something about it. Five days ago, he'd decided that he would start looking to hire a full time bodyguard – someone who could be watching her constantly. Four days ago, he'd come up with a suitable ad and sent it out to be posted in Biei Town, which was frequented by mercenaries.
Just today, this boy had shown up. He couldn't be older than 12, and he was probably even younger than that. Lao hadn't been sure why the guards let him in in the first place. When Lao asked him what the hell he has doing here (in politer language), and the boy told him he was here about the bodyguard position, Lao had laughed in the boy's face and asked him to leave. The boy then asked for a chance to demonstrate his qualifications for the job, and Lao ordered his guards to remove him from the premises.
Now he was staring at the beaten and bruised bodies of all 32 men he currently had in his employ as guards. Grown men. Professionally trained men. And the boy was completely unscathed. He looked like he hadn't even been trying as he gracefully flowed around the guards attacks, only to deliver powerful blows in return that were belied by his age and size.
Lao's mind finally rebooted and acknowledged the question the boy had asked. He still wasn't quite ready to process it though.
"The... job?"
"Yes. The bodyguard position." The boy reiterated, maintaining his friendly tone. "Has this properly demonstrated that I posses an adequate skill set?" He gestured to the mess of unconscious men on the floor.
Lao's brain finally caught up with reality.
"You mean, this was your idea of a demonstration?"
"Yes. I believe the fact that I could easily disable your entire platoon of guards without drawing my weapon – or even seriously harming any of them – should tell you all you need to know about my ability to handle a real threat." The boy hadn't dropped his light, friendly smile the entire time he'd been in Lao's prescence.
Lao narrowed his eyes, the insane part of him already beginning to subconsciously consider it. The boys skills had been truly impressive.
"What guarantee of your loyalty can you give me?"
"Nothing but my word." The boy replied easily. "I will prove myself trustworthy in time, should you hire me. If it helps, I have deeply-rooted, personal enmity for anyone who would bring harm to an innocent child."
Lao nodded slowly, considering the words. If the boy was this dangerous at his age, it was likely he'd grown up in less than happy circumstances. Hardship made it necessary to harden oneself, and also ingrained a strong distaste for the instigators of said hardship. It was highly probable that the boy would empathize with his daughter enough to guarantee his loyalty. Still, he was curious.
"How does one as young as yourself possess such skills?"
"I come from the far off lands across the Eastern sea. The culture there is very different, and warriors often begin their training very young. I began when I was only five years old."
Lao's eyes widened a bit. Both the Elemental Nations and the Bending Countries had been so consumed with their internal affairs for so long that neither really had any idea what the other was like, but he had still heard the stories of the powerful shinobi and the fantastical deeds they were capable of, rivaling even powerful benders.
He paused for another moment to think.
"Why are you here, and why do you want this job?"
"I'm here because there are some things in my past that I just needed to leave behind. All I want is a simple, peaceful life – and that would have been impossible had I remained in my old home. I applied for this job in particular for several reasons. You have a reputation for fair treatment of your employees, rewarding loyalty with loyalty. It's also a long term position, and offers me a good opportunity to settle down. Finally, I'd like to spend my life protecting for a change, rather than destroying."
Lao frowned. "What do you mean 'rather than destroying'?"
For the first time, the boys friendly smile left his face, to be replaced by a grimace.
"The Bending Countries are not the only land caught up in war."
Lao felt a pang of sympathy. One so young should not be caught up fighting in a war. He was surprised to find himself seriously considering hiring the boy. He definitely had the skills, and he'd seemed both earnest and sincere for the whole conversation. He was probably a better fit than most mercenaries – who would only be motivated by money – despite his age. He nodded his head and looked up at the boy again, noticing his smile was already back.
"What's your name?"
"Uzumaki Naruto sir."
"Well, Uzumaki Naruto, you're hired."
A/N: A short and introductory preface to the first story I've written that I believe is worth posting. Expect longer chapters in the future, and reviews will always be appreciated.
