The clouds looked so clustered today. They were all huddled up in a group as if to show their allegiance to one another. He inwardly smiled at that. Grandpa used to say the reason why the village hidden in the clouds was named after clouds was because no matter what the floating cotton balls in the sky never turned their backs on another. He said they lead by a great example, that when the clouds laid high in the sky the people of kumogakure gained true strength, He even compared the relationship between us and the Clouds as our nations version of the Konoha Will of Fire.
Retaining his attention away from the clouds, the boy began to think about the speech that his uncle was to give in a few moments. He let his mind drift on the possible contents of the speech. Obviously it had something to do with his grandpas death but what could it be exactly? Everyone in the village already had a pretty decent amount of time to grieve for their fallen leader, so why would his uncle want to pick at that scab?
He'd like to believe that his uncle wanted to check on the well being of his people but then again his uncle wasn't a big people person. He couldn't believe he'd try to make such announcement after not even 4 days of recuperation in the hospital. It really nagged the question then, what exactly was this speech about?, And why would Civilians, Merchants, Ninja's, retiree's, and academy students all be required to show up?
That demographic basically contained the whole population, not including weird noodle shop owner, ladies...
He'd really have to ask his uncle to do something about that crazy blue eyed wench.
Once again gathering his thoughts from his deep thinking, He focused on the patio that was a considerable distance away. His great uncle would be coming out of there soon with good or bad news, and he knew that what ever the brawny man said was going to be life changing.
Life changing rarely happened around here. Just boring training at the academy, and reading books at home while mom and dad are gone.
He hated the though of it.
From the sounds of the hushed voices a good 10 feet or more below him, he knew the speech was going to start soon. Weirdly enough, he found himself becoming nervous the longer he waited, well maybe not nervous but he did feel a weird sense of trepidation...
Ugh he hated being weak
...Looking at the podium above once more, he felt tranquillity as his great uncle came to a stop at the edge of the patio.
He looked his great uncle in the eye from his position high in the tree and listened intensively. He didn't want to miss a word he said because on the inside he knew that this was going to be big.
...If only he knew how right he was.
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The Raikage Podium.
It was time. He would give the speech of a lifetime here today.
The coming months were going to be tough, he needed to strengthen the civilians, The clans off the village, His family, and even Himself. Because if what he thought was coming, came? He would soon find a very hectic enviroment, and many of his people were gonna find death at their doors...
So he needed to get them prepared, yes there may be drastic and radical changes to everyone's life's here, but it would still be the great kumo nation that they helped create. Dangerous decisions had to be made at this point and sacrifices were a necessity.
Whether it was 50 civilians, 20 ninja, 5 friends or 1 family member. Sacrifices. were. going. to. be. made
With that thought in mind, he decided then and there to begin the revolution of kumo . He would shape it to his vision and make a new and better Kumo the vision that he had planned... The vision that his brother had saw for so long.. It would become a reality... He swore! And it all started with his speech here.
He would make his first try count
"GREAT PEOPLE OF KUMOGAKURE"
the Second Raikage announced to his people below
They roared applause back in return. "Good, he could see they were already filled with excitement... 'Less work for me' The Great Raikage thought with a shadowed grin.
Below he saw his grand nephew sitting in a tree staring at him with an awestruck look on his face.
The speech had started and his changes would soon be known and as the village began to calm down from their high, he couldn't help but think about the first subject to discuss. Inwardly he smirked psychotically at his nephew...
"Zen Ichi! Please step forward!"
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ -1 week later-
It had only been one week since his uncle had announced his radical plans for the village. The biggest plan, a new Jinchuriki to replace the now dead one.
They were called Human sacrifices
The youngest ever made, since the establishment of the hidden villages.
The chosen Jinchurikki had a long path ahead.
He had faith though
Not just anyone becomes the Hachibi Jinchurikki. This person had to be strong.
They would communicate with the beast inside of him, eventually gain access to its Chakra and use it protect Kumogakure Then maybe his grandpa could rest in peace.
Speaking of grandpa, he was on his way to his funeral now. Via Sandal express.
...
Bad joke.
Honestly he couldn't believe this had happened. He could think back A week ago, and recall his grandpa's vibrant smile. Now, looking at his grandpa, he saw no evidence of such emotions ever existing. Dying had stripped him of everything, and that's what he hated the most, he would never see his grandpa ever again.
His grandpa was the biggest influence in his life, Yes he had parents, and he loved them, but it wasn't the same. His grandpa was there when ever he needed him, his parents weren't. It wasn't his parents fault that they had more missions lately, and as a result they couldn't take care of him the way they wanted to, but it sill drove a wedge in their family, even his 7 year old mind could see that. Without his parents there, he felt lonely often but his grandpa was able to fill the loneliness in his heart.
His grandpa basically took care of him when he was alone. They had always had a connection, so it made it easy to be with someone almost all day. He even had hair like his grandpa's, which only showed his adoration of the elderly man.
Even though he was so young, the Great Raikage bestowed him with a lot of useful wisdom and knowledge, and he took all of it to heart.
At the feeling of someone's touch, The young man cringed, Dragging himself out of his musings the boy with the kinky curly hair took a look around himself, from his position in front of his grandpas coffin, he could see many of his grandpa's subordinates, his shared family, and his friends surrounding the coffin. Looking up to his left, the boy could see the obscured visage of his older cousin.
His older cousin smiled at him, and calmly said 'its ok' in a voice that only allowed the intended listeners to hear him. He knew that from the sad look on his cousins face, that he felt as bad as he did. His cousin probably blamed the death on himself, he blamed himself as well. A part of him kind of knew he wasn't to blame too, but his 7 year old mind couldn't help but think 'what if? Again, he came back to reality from his heavy thoughts and he did something that he wouldn't do in any other circumstances, he shrugged his shoulder away from the behemoths large hands. "What's wrong ichi?" The man asked "Yo its Z, see?" The boy replied
"My bad, my bad... So whats eating you sport?" He said with a smirk betraying the sentimental tone.
"High class Shinobi from Kirigakure killed grandpa during a peace meeting in the west... And you, one of Kumo's strongest ninjas have done nothing but sit on your ass and weep, why haven't you done something" He whispered at his fellow brown haired relative in such an intense everyone around heard.
His cousin just looked down at him in worry, before patting him on the head and instructing him to think about what their grandpa would say about his behavior.
Leaving him to mull over what he said.
Maneuvering his body to a spot farther away from the young genius, he closed his eyes and imagined what his grandpa would say if he could talk. he'd probably start in about his rapping career in heaven. Tell him about all the 'down mc's' above, whatever that meant. He let a light childish chuckle slip at that thought, His grandpa would always say things like that. Even at his old age, he still attempted to be the best rapper ever. Maybe because he thought he was cool, at least that's what his Tou-san said. Honestly he never gave it any thought, he just enjoyed the fun that the man provided with his songs alone.
Even though it was probably the most annoying thing ever made in the village, the rap songs his grandpa produced were sold out everywhere. A lot of people had picked up on the rap game, mostly civilians though. He knew that even though his grandpa lay dead forever resting, his work of 'art' impacted the village in a large way. Ensuring, that the Raikages memory would never leave the hearts of the people in the Village Hidden in the Clouds. Even though he wouldn't get to see his grandpa anymore, he would still have his music. Thinking on it now the boy could honestly say he was 'ok' with that.
After admitting that to himself it felt like a weight was lifted of his shoulders, he no longer felt like he needed to seek revenge on the people of the water country.
Yeah, maybe he was still angry but he no longer seeked to spill the blood of any person there, at least unprovoked. No
Opening his eyes that he hadn't noticed were closed, the boy forced his eyes to shift left, and look at the object of his musings 'grandpa' he wailed in his mind. He forced his eyes closed while tears spilled out. 'I'll make sure you're memory lives on forever' he thought. Opening his eyes the boy looked toward the sky, He imagined his grandpa looking down and watching him. 'I'll get stronger for you grandpa, ill be the best ninja-MC ever' the boy declared in his head, before looking down at his grandpa one more time, and walking away.
Soon you could see a boy walking through a crowd of people that were attending the once great raikages funeral, before finally reaching the end of the raikage mountain where The mountain that met at a point with the clouds above laid.
He thought about the future and how much work he was gonna have to do to become strong enough to protect his village.
Taijutsu
Ninjutsu
Genjutsu
Kenjutsu
Kekkei Genkai Jutsu
These skills were writen on the Strength Training regiment card he was given the day following his uncles announcements. He was given one just like every other clan ninja or ninja to be.
Finally leaving the resting place of his grandpa
He couldn't help but think that this was a perfect place for a man nicknamed Hāmonī to rest.
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The boy rolled over in his twin sized bed, before looking at the clock positioned in front of him.
'10:00' he thought, after examining his normal mechanical clock. He had over slept again, he was up late last night practicing some of his clan jutsu. His grandpa had taught some of it to him before he had passed on.
It had been a month since his grandpa's surprise death, and a lot had happened.
During the crazy month he began training in his clans techniques. Ninja tactics and chakra theory where his main focus, and while he was busy with his training, people in his village had gone rigid often times rushing, and flinching at the appearance of ninja.
Something big was about to happen, but his 7 year old mind wasn't mature enough to solve this puzzle, and it frustrated him. He had so many clues, but he couldnt figure it out.
Ninja were training hard, harder then usual, and the retired ninja seemed to be preparing for something big.
Once while shopping for his favorite candy at a convenience store, he saw an old shinobi couple. He could tell they were shinobi, because they had ninja headbands on their heads. From his vantage point he could see food water, and toiletries in bulk. At the time he was curious as to why they had so much of everyday items. Letting his child like curiosity get the better of him, he walked down the aisles towards the couple.
Reaching the couple with a large amount of supplies roughly stashed inside their cart, he asked a simple question. "Excuse me mam I don't mean to be rude but I'd like to ask.
"Why do you have such a large number of randomized items tucked away?"
Flinching in response the obviously surprised couple turned toward the voice behind them. They where once again surpised to see the presence of a dark skinned little boy to be the source of the voice they just heard. The older man got over his shock first, looking down at the boy, the man responded.
"Im sure a smart boy like you can feel the tension in the air around here, there was a time before this village had been started and there was the same kind of tension in the air. Maybe not as intense but it was there." The woman next to the man had just momentarily gotten over her shock, and continued for the man. "Just like you, us young people thought nothing about it..." The woman said with a dazed look In her eyes, her companion sharing the same look himself.
The man seemingly appearing out of his musings by magic, looked back at the kid in all black in and said "We were fools".
He looked at the man then, what did he mean we where fools? The man must have understood the look on his face, because he looked at the boy with a comforting smile before saying. "But who knows maybe we're wrong, beside who are you to question us about buying large amount of food when you have that much candy? And sorry candy 'uckk' " The man said with a knowing smile.
before the boy could respond the man had rested his hand on his companions waist, and maneuvered her while pushing her towards the counter. Paying for the copious amount of items and leaving as quickly as possible.
Leaving the boy there to ponder what they said, about the candy, and about their large amount of items in their cart. It was obvious to him that whatever happened wasn't good.
He then walked to the register with his favorite candy, before pulling out money from his frog wallet and paying for said treat. Grabbing his sour seals by uzu, the boy gratefully said thanks before leaving the store acutely.
On his trek home he couldn't help but think about what that couple had said.
That was two weeks ago, he still had some candy left and he still was unable to believe that old man would diss his favorite candy.
Getting serious, he also remembered how frightened the man, and his wife looked. The look guaranteed one thing. Something bad was going to happen soon.
Sitting up in bed, and throwing his huge comforter off of his child like form. The boy stretched all the kinks in his back and neck. Standing up on the floor, the boy took a deep breath. 'Ahhhhhhhh' he continued 'the sweet, musty smell of his room' he finished in his head. Continuing his morning routine, he walked over to his closet, and fished out his favorite outfit. Their was a high-collared dark kimono-shirt, dark pants that he bound by a sash, a necklace connected by Magatama, with a kanji for Hāa0monī attached to it. Sometimes he also liked to wrap a hairband around his forehead and afro. After pulling his outfit out, and grabbing a towel off his top shelf in his closet, the boy closed his closet.
Finishing step two of his morning routine, the boy started walking towards his door. Coordinating his way through the mess that is his room, the boy opened the door that connected his room and the hallway together. Looking both ways before he crossed, He made his way to the bathroom across the hall from his room. Being the polite person that he was, he knocked before entering.
Entering the bathroom, having not heard anything in reply to his knock. He quickly began stripping himself of just his underwear, it being the only thing that he wore to sleep, the boy neatly put his daily outfit down on the toilet that was in between his sink and showe and he dropped his dirty underwear carelessly to the side of him. Turning the shower on, and making sure the temperature was a perfect mixture between hot and cold, the boy stepped into the shower.
Resting the top of his head on the wall, the boy let the relaxing jet of water comfort his sore neck and shoulder muscles. Allowing his mind to wonder. The boy thought about recent events in life. A lot of shit had happened. His grandpa had died.
The first raikage passed away at the age of 52, which was old in a ninjas life span.
Also, a selected someone was going to be made a jinchurikki in weeks time.
Forcing his mind to occupy himself with something else, he began cleaning his body with a wash cloth soaked in soap, before shampooing and conditioning his hair.
Finishing step three of his morning routines he hopped out of the shower and grabbed his towel, Gently to ensure the safety of his clothes from the puddle of water that he had made as he was stepping out of the shower. Rapping the towel around his form, he stood in front of the mirror in his bathroom. Grabbing his toothpaste, and toothbrush, he began the tedious task of brushing his teeth. Smiling in the mirror, to show his teeth, the boy was happy with his flawlessly white teeth.
Unraveling him self from his towel, he began drying himself off, from the bottom to the top.
Grabbing his clothes off of the toilet, he began getting him self dressed. Starting with his mesh shirt, ending with his grandpa's old necklace.
His grandpa use to tell him that it was special, after receiving the necklace from his grandpas will, and further investigating which involved 'bothering' his parents. he came up with the conclusion that it did nothing. He felt in his heart that it had to do something. Why else would his grandpa keep it? The ninja in him caused him to see reason, and logically the odds of the necklace being anything but a necklace were slim.
Finishing the fourth step of his morning routine, which was dressing in the bathroom. He began his decent down the stairs, which was down the hallway that his bedroom and bathroom resided in. Reaching the last step on his decent, the boy began walking on even ground toward his kitchen, glancing, for his parents as he walked. Reaching the kitchen and still finding no one, he gave up on his search. Opening the fridge which was to the left, as you walked through the large doors, the boy began a new search for breakfast. Finding nothing that looked appetizing, the boy gave up on his search once more, and started his trek to his long overdue attendance at the academy.
Walking in a leisurely pace the boy began to wonder about his grandpa, 'he really would have loved this beautiful day' he thought grimly. The boy began pondering a touchy subject, how his grandpa died. No one knew anything about his death, maybe the higher ups he thought.
He began making a hypothesis on how his grandpa died.
He didn't know much about the great man's death. He knew that he was involved in a fight between two other strong opponents, he didn't know how it started and not a lot of people did, but he knew that the advisories had to be strong because of their own opponents, his grandpa, his grand uncle the Nidaime Raikage and the village hidden in the clouds jinchuuriki. He also knew that in the external struggle, his grandpa gave his life so they could live. That's the only way he could have died, he refused to believe anything else.
He knew that the Nidaime raikage barely escaped with his life. That's why he was at the hospital being treated for his wounds Instead of attending his older brother's funeral.
He didn't know what happened during the fight, no one did, only The two fighters, the Nidaime Raikage, and The Hachibi Jichuriki.
He knew that they were supposed to be traveling to a peaceful routine summit between all the Kage in the Elemental Nations, and it was being held in the iron country.
His grandpa having told him before he left, during there last conversation, a day before his departure.
That day he had want on to explain that he had been asked on a mission from his brother, to act as his guard on his trip to the Kage summit, that was being held in the iron country. As far as he knew, everyone else hadn't known a thing about it.
The boys 7 year old mind couldn't comprehend it, Why would anyone want to kill his grandpa? He was the nicest, wisest, not to mention the coolest person he had ever met! It made him sad, and mad at the same time, he couldn't explain the feeling he was feeling. There was just so much enduring hate in his being.
He stopped his dark thoughts when he noticed he was in front of the school, he could see his class training in the back. There were some practicing taijutsu, and kids practicing Shuriken no justu farther away. Walking into the school at a leisurel pace, he signed himself in at the counter. Before nodding to the receptionist and continuing his leisural pace to the back of the school, where the fields were at.
Arriving to the training field he got many odd looks from his peers, 'they probably wanna crucify me' He thought radically. He could see some of the girls snickering, and glancing curiously. The were some boys laughing uncontrollably, but most of the boys just had 'shit eating grins' and where whispering silently. One boy had his hands in his pockets, and was shaking his head side to side, as if he was chastising him.
Landing in front of his sensei, from his time spent with the clouds. The young man smiled up at his teacher.
"Zen Ichi" The man loudly proclaimed, with his assertive monotone voice.
The young man now known as 'Zen Ichi' looked a at his sensei and said a simple "Yo" in response. The teacher flinched at that, and he looked like he was struggling to think of a witty response to give back. Not being able to think of anything in reply the man grew sad, and depressed, and as a result a cloud grew above him. Downtrodden, and lonely the man said "Just go join your friends" back to the young youth.
Smiling, the young man mentally crossed of the last thing on his Mourning Routine List.
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OMG where do I start.. I've finally finished a rewrite for this... I'm actually a lot better at writing now and I'm going to continue this and another fic soon to be posted. Anyways I hope this is a lot more popular then last time aha.. Yeah anyways tell next time.
BytheWay: Personally I think this fics gonna change they way people think about naruto fics.
Please read and review Senpei!