A/N: Welcome to my very first Naruto Fic.
First and foremost: Many elements in this story have been inspired and influenced by VixenTail's Deja vu no jutsu and Hermionechan90's Inoue Shiori. I have asked both authors for permission.
This is my attempt at flushing out my own character and doing world building. Any and all constructive criticism/reviews are welcomed and very my desired. Also this is not (by any means) the final draft of this story. I have 90% of this written out...in literally six notebooks. So this is me compiling it, getting feed back, and planning on make an awesome book.
Um, not sure what else to say. I'm not one for author notes. Any suggestions what I should put in them? Or if I need them at all?
P.S. I am not male, am not Japanese, and do not own Naruto.
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Aioka
Human nature is an unusual thing. It leans equally toward good and evil and is capable of twisting either to be seen in the opposite light. Human nature says to protect and comfort children but human nature also says to place blame on anyone or anything else accept oneself.
During the Clan Wars, clans blame other clans for the faults of the world, ignoring the fact that they themselves contributed to said faults. Villages in times of peace blamed each other and their ruling lord/kage/daimyo for their lack of security and comfort. So, in a similar line of thought, villages blamed children for the faults of their parents. Such children either died quickly, fell into hatred, or left.
Shojikina Aioka chose to leave.
She was born and grew up in a small village in Tsuchi no Kuni (Land of Earth) called Gankona hokori (stubborn pride). Pride and arrogance was almost a natural trait citizens of Tsuchi no Kuni and that led to embitterment when the people felt dishonored. Shojikina Choi had been the pride of Gankon hokori, as one of the few villagers to ever become a Jonin for Iwagakure; but soon after became the villages shame, when the man became a missing nin for attempting to assassinate the Tsuchikage's son. When news reached the village the citizens took their disgrace and anger out on Choi's wife and five year old daughter. Aioka's kaa-san died in the initial attack but the young child, who had been subject to her father's abuse when he visited, survived. For five years she stayed in the village, struggling to survive the hate and abuse. Three times her father returned, three times he taught her something, and three times he almost killed her. She learned her lessons well. 1). Never reveal your chakra signature, 2). always strive to increase your chakra reserves, and 3). knowledge is power.
The decision to leave was not a sudden one for the ten year old. It was a calculated choice. To the best of her ability she had gone over her options of surviving pass her eleventh birthday. If she stayed she knew she would continue to be exposed to physical and mental abuse and would most definitely die. If she left she could die but had a higher chance of finding a safer place to live.
Most ten year old girls were learning skills potential husbands would expect of them, Aioka knew none and also knew no one here would willingly marry her. Who would marry the child of one who brought them dishonor?
A soft snort was lost in desolate maze of boulders that backed the village. It's not my fault tou-san chose his path, the girl thought sourly. Besides, lips curled in distaste, I don't want to marry anyone here anyways. With a rough shake that tossed tangle black locks into the air, the child carefully finished packing her stolen goods. There was food enough to last her a few days, a few rusted kunai, and a pair of boys trousers and a shirt. The clothing would be loose on her due to her emaciated state but they would cover her. She had a long journey ahead of her.
Slinging the bundle onto her back the child left the village for the first time in her young life. The road before her would be a long and tiring one.
In her time on her own she learned several things about herself. She could feel/see/sense people, animals, and plants. That skill was a double edge blade for her. At times the amount of information she picked up was overwhelming and caused her nose and ears to bleed. Other times, when she managed to figure out a way to dampen the incoming information, it was very useful by allowing her to move in darkness and avoid people/animals on the road.
Another thing Aioka learned about herself, was her compassion. She could not bear to see a person treated as she had and did what she could to help them. Most of the time there was nothing she could do but give them a kind smile and a bit of food but one a few occasions she was able to teach them so survival skills she had picked up.
By the time she reached Konohagakure, the girl knew she wanted to do something to protect people. She just didn't know what.
A:CG
The day was a miserable one for anyone who had the misfortune of leaving the shade. It was hot, humid, and very still. The guards of the western gate of Konohagakure grumbled at the weather and the utter boredom they shared. Both tossed kunai idly at a target not far from them, occasionally scanning the road and forest before them.
"We probably won't see anyone until the sun starts going down, kami it's going to be a long day."
Suboru Bokka 'hmmed' an acknowledgement to his fellow chunin as he scanned the forest.
"Hyuuga Kyosu was released from the hospital yesterday. Are there any still physically recovering in the hospital from the Kyuubi attack?"
Bokka stretched his senses toward a patch of trees. Was the heat playing tricks on him or was that someone in the shadows? "Not sure," he caught his partners' eye and signed, Possible danger. Tree Line.
Beside him the other chunin tensed slightly. What is it?
Not sure.
The two fell silent as they covertly searched for threats, continuing their banter and gossip that hide a secondary form of communication between them. They were just about to relax when movement in the shadows caught their eyes. Brown and grey eyes blinked a few times to make sure they really were seeing what was walking toward them, with the caution of a cat approaching a sleeping dog. It was a child. One that seemed to have never had a proper bath or apparel. Rags hung loosely on bony but proud shoulder, and had gaping tears did nothing to camouflage the protruding ribs that gave the child a very appalling appearance.
It took both a moment to realize that they could not sense a chakra signature from the kid.
"I don't like this," Bokka murmured. As shinobi, they relied on signatures to identify people and gauge their moods. Signatures were also another form of communication in the shinobi world. The invisible energy flickered in its own way that shinobi could read just like body language. Not being able to sense a signature made the men vastly uneasy.
When the child was within easy hearing distance but far enough away to prevent an attack Bokka called for the kid to stop and show her signature before coming any closer.
The child paused, a look of unease flitting over the dirty face. "Will you let me speak if I do?"
The question held real concern and suspicion in it, causing the chunin to wonder what made her assume showing her signature would end in them preventing her from speaking. Though if that was her thought pattern it would explain why a child of less than twelve could hide their signature to the point of utter invisibility. A feat that only a few shinobi accomplished.
It was common knowledge that Konoha gate guards will always hear someone out before turning them away. Even after the recent kyubi attack two years ago. However, they were far more cautious than before due to their weakened state.
"Easy kid, we just want to sense your intentions. Hiding your signature like you are is very impolite when talking to shinobi," Bokka explained gently. He would treat the kid as if he was one but would watch him as if he were a threat. Because with the skill at hiding he was displaying, it wasn't too far fetched to assume he was a ninja or had extensive ninja training.
The kid seemed puzzled by that but nodded and seemed to concentrate. Bokka relaxed slightly when he felt a new signature blossom into existence. From what he felt the kid was calm but uncomfortable, and tired.
"Thank you, now what can we do for you?"
"Can I live here?" The kid asked hopefully.
Bokka blinked, glanced at his partner, then looked back at the kid. "Um, where are your parents' kid?"
"Kaa-san died when I was five. I don't know where my," an expression of distaste flickered over dirty features, "tou-san is. I haven't seen him in almost three years."
"Come into the shade kid, I can't promise you'll be granted citizenship but we'll let you at least get cleaned up and have something to eat."
Bokka nodded at his teammates words and smiled slightly as the skeletal child approached while mentally he was cursing up a storm at the utter malnutrition the kid had suffered.
"What's your name gaki?"
The kid sank to the ground next to them, a heavy and weary sigh leaving him. "Shojikina Aioka, Shinobi-san."
The chunin started and reevaluated the child. They had assumed she was a boy but in the state she was in it wasn't surprising that they mistook her gender.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Suboru Bokka-chunin and this is my teammate, Dyokii Zusa-chunin."
The girl gave them a small smile. "I've heard a lot about Konohagakure. Is it as good to it's citizens as people say?"
Bokka and Zusa smiled at the hopeful inquiry though both were a little nonplussed that the girl would come here without confirming rumors, but they supposed they couldn't expect a child to be so cautious.
"The citizens here are well protected here. Our Kage allows them to live as they wish so long as it isn't harming the village as a whole," Zusa answered offering the girl some water.
The child took it gratefully but tested its' scent before drinking. The action was noted by both men, it spoke of caution that a civilian child shouldn't know.
Aioka passed the bottle back with a murmured thanks. It had been a while since she had clean water.
"Where you from, Shojikina-san?" Zusa inquired curiously. Her features were not native to Hi no Kuni. Even with starvation masking her structure he could see that.
The girl grimaced. "Tsuchi no Kuni. I lived north west of Iwagakure in a village called Gankona Hokori."
"That,"Bokka said slowly and with a little disbelief, "is a long way from here."
Aioka gave a look that showed deep weariness, hunger, and struggle. "Hai, I left there a little more than two years ago."
While they waited for someone from the immigration's office to come to them (ANBU were stationed at every gate) the trio talked. Aioka learning about Konoha and the chunin learning the surface of how difficult the girl's life had been so far.
Soon the two men were watching the emaciated girl follow another Chunin with mixed impressions. "Either she is going to be an asset to Konoha, or dead as a spy," Bokka commented.
Dyokii Zusa slouched against the wall carelessly. "Wouldn't be the first, but likely the youngest. She couldn't have been more than ten."
Both chunin cast the disappearing form a curious glance before returning their attention to the world outside the gate.
A:CG
Aioka couldn't help but stare at everything she passed. While she had been in many villages between here and her birth village, she had never seen one where the citizens were so utterly content. Even though she knew Konohagakure had endured the loss of their Yondaime and a large portion of its populace to the Kyubi attack, the air of peace was foreign and strange to her.
"Where are you from Shojikina-san?"
Aioka twitched at the unexpected inquiry from her escort/observer and gave him a sheepish look when her signature faltered. After so long of suppressing it, it was extremely uncomfortable and difficult to project. "Tsuchi no Kuni. I lived north west of Iwagakure in a village called Gankona Hokori. I'm an orphan as far as they and myself care."
The konoha chunin glanced down at the dirty child. "Oh? A parent lives but you do not wish to claim?"
A flicker of a smile tilted her cracked lips. "Yes, shinobi-san, he is a nuke-nin now."
The chunin 'hmmed' at her words, tucking that information away. "What do you plan on doing after your acceptance?"
"Take a bath."
The chunin gave a startled laugh at the determined tone the girl took. "Ah, will you look for work?"
Aioka shrugged. "I will have to if I cannot join the genin corp."
Again the chunin was surprised by her answer. That was probably a first. The genin corp was the lowest ranked division of shinobi. They did the D-ranks, which varied from fetching groceries for citizens to collecting weapons off training grounds or running missives in village for chunin and above. It wasn't a position anyone wanted.
The duo chatted about various things as they walked. Their topics ranging from Aioka's life to what foods were that Aioka had never seen before. The conversation allowed the chunin to evaluate the girl's personality and threat level. Much to the chunin's frustration he got conflicting views. On one hand the girl had an unnerving tendency of vanishing from his chakra senses, suggesting she had ANBU level stealth skills, but on the other she had such honest bewilderment about common foods or practices that it almost negated his impressions. Deciding it would be best to let the immigration officers judge her he explained the situation to the Immigration's Officer on duty after the girl was taken for an examination by the medic-nin.
The Officer observed the child when the medic-nin showed her into his office. The description the Chunnin had given him did little to dampen the shock of the girl's physical state, and judging by the tight smile the medic-nin gave him when handing the hasty file she made the child was worse than she looked.
"Can you read or write Aioka-san?" The officer asked, making note of the unease the girl had sitting across from him and how her chakra signature flickered in and out of existence like the Chunnin mentioned.
"No, shinobi-san, I can count and put numbers together and take numbers apart though," she answered, eyes skittering around the office warily.
"Then I will read the forms out loud and write your answers for you. Is this acceptable?"
The girl nodded then hesitated, her eyes flickering toward the open door just out of her line of sight nervously. "M-may I have something to drink? I haven't had clean water since the last village. Other than the sip Suboru-chunin-san gave me at the gate."
The office smiled kindly, though his eyes were sharp, suspicious of her fidgiting. "I'll send someone to get you some, Aioka-san. Now what is your full name, place and date of birth?" As he spoke he flared his signature in a pattern to summon a career genin. Immediately the child's signature disappeared and she stilled, coiled to move, as she stared at him warily. "Is something wrong?"
Sunken eyes watched him balefully. "Please don't threaten me shinobi-san, I don't want to fight."
Startled the man blinked, utterly confused. What had he said or done that translated into a threat?
A gentle flare of chakra, from the career genin he summoned, had the child out of the chair and standing defensively where she could see both of them. Understanding quickly dawned on the officer and he dampened his signature significantly, causing the girl to focus on him. Wariness and complete confusion on her face but oddly there was no fear.
"You are extremely sensitive to chakra."
The girl remained still. "Chakra?"
Sighing softly the man nodded. "The energy you felt that made you jump. That's chakra. Does it hurt you?"
The girl flickered her gaze to the career genin who stood awkwardly in the door way and back to him, seemingly unwilling to speak and let her guard down.
"Get Aioka-san some water and something to eat, Juhi-san. Don't use chakra codes when you come back, just knock," the office finally directed to the genin.
The young man bowed slightly and left with a bemused look at the little girl standing warily in the middle of the office. Once there was one less person to worry about the girl relaxed her physical guard a little.
"My...tou-san, attacked me every time his...chakra flared," the hesitation over her words made him think she was unused to them, and was tasting something foreign.
The man mulled over that as he coaxed the girl back into the chair. If the severe response was anything to go by, it would take the child a long time to break the habit of flinching and probably even longer to stop reflexively hiding her own signature.
"In the shinobi world chakra signatures, the energy in people, is used to identify people. Flaring chakra signatures in certain patters, like I did to summon that Career Genin, can mean different things."
The child was skeptical. "I was beat every time I let mine loose in my village and chased when I was on the road."
So the suppression of her signature was a survival instinct. Interesting.
"Hiding your signature is very dangerous in-village, Aioka-san. When people do that they usually mean harm to someone in their near vicinity. And Shinobi will attack and ask questions later. So try to keep you signature out, it will cause a lot less headaches for everyone involved."
There was doubt on the girls face but she did finally unveil her signature only for it flicker out as her eyes darted to the door. The genin knocked and came in with the food and water. When he was gone again the girl pushed her signature out. Clearly that was going to be a rough habit for her to break.
"Shojikina Aioka, Gankona Hokori in Tsuchi no kuni, and sometime early May twelve years ago."
The officer added a note about a good memory. "Family?"
"Shojikina Meiko, deceased and Shojikina Choi nuke-nin of Iwagakure."
That explained the hesitation over her fathers' title. The Immigration's Officer wrote that down. "Skills?"
"What kind?"
"Civilian or shinobi."
"I can count like I said and..." here she began listing random skills that fell more in line with survival skills than anything else. The girl knew a lot about living on the streets and nothing of living in a home. For the next couple hours he began the standard questioning.
For Aioka the meeting was long and tiring as the man questioned her about several things, often asking the same question with different words or having her repeatedly explain something. She eventually snapped after he asked for the tenth time what her purpose for coming to Konoha was.
The Immigration's Officer inwardly sighed in relief when the girl finally showed her temper. It was standard practice to see where a new civilians tolerance level was. The fact that he couldn't use genjutsu due to her sensitivity to chakra, made the interrogation that much longer. The sharp blast of KI that followed her snap of temper was surprisingly potent. Children rarely learned how to use Killing Intent until after the Academy.
"Peace, Aioka-san; you have good tolerance for your age and fatigue."
Copper eyes closed as the girl took a calming breath. "May we finish soon, Shinobi-san? I would like to find a place to sleep before night falls."
The man nodded. "After the medic checks you again, I will send a for a chunnin to take you to a temporary apartment."
A:CG
Aioka blinked blearily in the faint light. Confusion fogged her mind as she registered the bare room she was in. Where-? Oh, the orphan yawned and relaxed into the futon she had slept on. Yesterday had been exhausting. After seeing the medic-nin a second time-she shuddered at the memory of the med-nin lecturing on the amount of food she need to eat-she had been given enough ryo to get through a month. Even though it was more than she had ever seen at one time in her life. A kind kunoichi had helped her find an apartment she could rent and helped her get a few necessities. Shampoo, clothes, and food. The apartment was small. Nothing more than one room and a bathroom, but it was more than she had had since her kaa-san was killed.
Stretching, the small twelve year old sighed in bliss. That had been the best sleep she could ever recall having. Smiling in contentment she rolled out of her bed and straightened her tunic and her sheet.
My bed, she thought with wonder, my apartment, my clothes! A small giggle of excitement slipped pass her lips. Clamping a hand over her mouth, wide eyes darted around for someone to find her and punish her. Like they had in her village any time someone heard her or saw her. When nothing happened a soft and happy smile settled on her lips.
Going to her pantry, she grabbed an apple and slipped out into the grey light of early dawn. Pausing outside her apartment building, Aioka took a moment to study her surroundings so she would be able to find her way back. She was going to explore and observe her new village today.
Spying a mountain with four faces in it, the child thought that that would be a good place to start. Tossing the stem of her apple away, the child walked off; looking at everything she passed with wonder and curiosity. This village was much cleaner and bigger than previous places she had been. No drunks or pleasure women littered the side streets, no trash cluttered the roads. It was very different and very nice.
Not a block from her building, the girl became aware of someone following her. The person had actually been on the roof of her apartment building when she woke. Frowning she wondered why. Grimacing she recalled the Officer's statement about all immigrants being shadowed for a year and not to hide her signature. With a little concentration, the malnourished girl pushed her energy/chakra so other people could sense it. "Sorry Shinobi-san, bad habit," she called, cringing slightly at how loud her voice was in the early morning stillness.
A faint spike of surprise in the ninja's chakra made her flinch, her signature flicker out and back. She really needed to get used to how these ninja used their signatures for communications.
By the time she reached the top of the Mountain-with-faces, Aioka was somewhat shaken and unnerved by the amount of people around. Not only was it an assault on her chakra sense but also on her visual and auditory senses. The vastness of everything was intimidating. During the walk from the gate to the immigration's office yesterday she had dampened her ability as much as she could so she could focus on the threats that were in arms reach.
Taking a deep breath she released the dampening affect she had on her chakra senses. There were two signatures within half a mile of her. One was the ninja that was following her and the other was motionless in what seemed to be a clearing. Satisfied that she was mostly alone she sat down and closed her eyes. And completely released her dampeners. For one agonizing minute she saw every single life form in her line of sight. Everything glowed varying shades of blue red and orange, attempting to tell Aioka the danger level of each thing. Once the minute was up she slowly dampened her senses until she could process what she was seeing and studied that for a while. Dampening filtered out the 'weaker' chakra signatures. The weaker the signature the harder it was for her to see/sense. Currently she was able to use about a quarter of her sensing range for any long period of time. Comfortably, and without being overwhelmed, she could sense up to a radius of one hundred feet. Each week she would increase the distance by a foot.
Inhaling, Aioka dampened her senses to her new radius range of one hundred and one feet and rubbed her eyes tiredly as a dulled head ache pulsed. It was draining to use her full range but it got easier every time. Plus is gave her the general layout of the village. If she did that every week she would have the village memorized inside and out within six months.
Sighing, she got up and headed for the market district, absently aware that the signature in the clearing was gone. She wanted to compare prices and listen to gossip. When she returned to her apartment late that afternoon she was exhausted and in considerable pain. Apparently her range shrank to a third of its usual comfort level when human population density increased. It was going to suck doing all that work again but it would be so worth it.
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A/N: hopefully formatting issue is now fixed.