NARUTO: Sekai Ni Hi O Tsuketa
A/N: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters. I own the OCs and the plot.
A/N: Let's try this again. This time I have a timeline –posted on my profile for efficiency – and it's up there. This falls fourteen years after the end of the Naruto manga series… sigh it still hurts to talk about. BUT IT WILL BE AMAZING. I'm trying not to make it like the Gaiden because I did not enjoy the Gaiden. This will involve many OCs, but they're not random or annoying, I swear. I hope. Title translation: Set the World on Fire.
There is a timeline posted on my profile for this series. I assume you'll be looking at it as you read; it might make reading a little easier so you can see when exactly this story is taking place.
Summary:
Fourteen years after the end of the Fourth Great war, two rivals from the Land of the Leaf engage in a series of battles of fate and strength to outwit one another, unknowing that the world around them is falling apart. All the while, a mysterious shadow looms, bent on bringing down the Land of the Leaf, once and for all. -POST MANGA, OCs-
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Prologue
"A Tale of Two Rivals (And Two Friends)"
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KONOHAGAKURE, FIRE COUNTRY
FOURTEEN YEARS AFTER THE WAR – PRESENT DAY
UCHIHA HOUSEHOLD
"I'm heading out to go train!"
Uchiha Hikaru is bounding into the kitchen early on a Wednesday morning. His mother, Haruno Sakura, is cooking breakfast, and a piece of toast is snagged before she has any say in the matter. Sakura is a brave, strong woman, but she is also weakened from the young girl she used to be. She is thirty-one years old, hardly in a mid-life crisis, but she is also raising five children. A faint violet diamond is etched into her forehead, years of hard work under a strict teacher having paid off. Her forehead is no longer a large blemish on her complexion like it used to be to her. Now it is holding all of her strength within.
Sakura looks after her oldest child as he tries to break for the door. "Hey! Hold on a second, would you? What's the rush? Come and eat breakfast with your family!"
Hikaru's feet nearly screech against the wooden floors. The toast is hanging out of his mouth as he tries to juggle kunai into his pouch. He manages the task and takes the bread out of his mouth. "I know! But we might not get to train next week since Sensei's baby is coming soon, so we're trying to cram it all in today!"
There are four children sitting at the dining table. At the head of the table sits seven year old Sarada, an intelligent-looking girl who can only resemble her father with that dark stare of hers from behind her thin spectacles. She's reading a book and eating at the same time, ignoring the conversation in front of her. To her left is Akira, who is the only Uchiha child to get her mother's hair. Bright pink falls in tangles around her as she tries to keep her food away from the youngest children of the Uchiha family: Aito and Kaito, twins, both four years old. (Although, if asked, they would argue four and three-quarters.)
Sakura narrows her sharp viridian eyes. "Kai, Ai, stop it. Hikaru, it won't kill you to be a couple minutes late. Isn't Shikamaru late a lot, anyway?"
"Not a lot," Hikaru argues. "Only when he has to take his kids to daycare. Come on, mom, I can't be late."
Sakura stares at her son, the hopeful spark in his black irises, and finally sighs. She wonders if it was her or Sasuke that was able to get their parents to do whatever they wanted by just batting their lashes… probably Sasuke, now that she thinks about it. "Alright, alright, but be home for dinner! Your father is coming home today!"
"Dad's coming home?!" Akira suddenly shouts, bright pink hair swirling around her as she sits up. Her black eyes – all of the children inherited those black eyes that will all become the Sharingan, whether they like it or not – are shimmering.
"Yes, yes," Sakura says, waving her hand at them. "But you have to be good! And you, back home for dinner!"
Hikaru is already by the door, "Got it, mom!"
Sakura smiles and turns back to the pot of oatmeal, and thinks back with a fond smile, of a time when Hikaru was younger, and had no such need for ninja training.
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KONOHAGAKURE, FIRE COUNTRY
EIGHT YEARS AFTER THE WAR
THE ACADEMY
Uchiha Hikaru hated Nabari Takeshi from the start.
Being an Uchiha, from the gecko, he was looked as if he were a demon of sorts. Being a spawn of Uchiha Sasuke, a former traitor of the village and an easily swayed person, didn't grant him many other merits either. Having the Sharingan didn't give him a promising future or tell people he could be an asset to the village. All anyone ever saw was the fact that he would be bad one day, just like his father.
Not that he knew any of that. He knew about the Sharingan and that it was powerful, but that was just about it. He'd never awoken it thus far, only being six years old. It only made it that much harder to explain to him why no one liked him, and why they didn't try to be friends to him. The kids at school seemed nice amongst themselves, but when he stepped into the picture they became hostile.
Not that they knew any of it either. They only knew the propaganda their parents had given them about the Uchiha.
To the young prodigy, being at school was like being alone in a crowded room. The teachers gave him praise – mostly Umino Iruka – for his soaring all A's achievement, but again, that was about it. He never "swapped lunches" or played tag or even any word games. When it came to choosing teams for the Ninja Game at school, he was always picked last.
Nabari Takeshi, however, was always picked first, if he wasn't already a captain. Grade wise and shinobi wise, the two were neck-in-neck in their class. Takeshi never seemed to pick up on it, but Hikaru did. And he absolutely one hundred percent hated Takeshi. Well, hate was a strong word – maybe he was merely jealous of the popular boy? Yes, maybe that was it.
Everyone loved Takeshi. He was one of those magnetic people that could get just about anyone to be his friend. He had a hilarious laugh and a kind smile, even though he was from a civilian family and his father was dead. It just made the boy realize how much more to appreciate the things and people he had. He was outgoing and made everyone feel welcome, even Fukamura Chiharu, a shy girl who didn't like to participate all that much.
It didn't make sense in Hikaru's head. For one, he didn't know why he had to compare himself to the likes of the civilian-born child. He was nothing special. Why did people think he would be the Rokudaime's successor one day? He could be just as great of a Hokage as he could! He was better than him, richer than him, and had an amazing Kekkei Genkai. Who needed people when you had that?
Those were the things he asked himself day after day. He sat in school in the back row, staring enviously where Takeshi sat in the front, grinning at Hagane Kagura like an idiot or writing down his notes and taking everything in just like an achieving student would.
He just didn't understand. Why did everyone avoid him? What made him so dislikeable? He hated sitting alone – he hated it, he hated it!
But his class was blind to his growing hatred and loneliness. They enjoyed their youth outside, while he sat indoors, pondering the ways he could beat Takeshi and show them all who was better once and for all.
At the start of the second semester, Hikaru got his chance.
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It was a sparring day. It was a lesson to show how to fight against those from your village – the customaries and whatnot – and how to engage in a battle against your enemies. They were partnered off based on their skill they had shown in their first year, so that the best student in the class wouldn't be paired with the worst. In other words, they tried to make it as fair as possible.
Hikaru wouldn't have asked for anything else. He was the best in class, rivaled only by Takeshi. This meant they were finally going to face off.
Oh, Hikaru was going to beat Takeshi with his own knee!
They stood across from each other, about a foot apart. Folding their ring fingers and pinkies into their palm, they extended their arms and folded their fingers together. Takeshi smiled at him and gave him a small, polite bow once they pulled apart, but Hikaru gave him nothing in return.
A girl from their class, Hagane Kagura, called out viciously, "You can do it, Takeshi-kun! Beat him up!" There was a chorus of "yeah, get him!".
Takeshi shrugged at Hikaru, as if to say, Eh? What're you gonna do?
Hikaru took a battle position, and Takeshi immediately pulled away from his "fans" (so to say), and got ready to fight.
Iruka swiped his hand down like an axe, "Begin!"
Their movements were swift: Takeshi ran at Hikaru, throwing a punch out forward. Hikaru ducked, dropping down like a crab and slashing his feet out at Takeshi's knees. The boy saw this coming and jumped to avoid it. Hikaru pulled back and did a faltering back-flip (hey, prodigy or not, he was only six), landing shakily on his feet.
Takeshi ran at him, always headstrong as ever. Hikaru dodged from the oncoming blows several times, until finally he grabbed one of Takeshi's fists and swing at him with his free arm. However, Takeshi took Hikaru's idea and trapped his punch into his palm, bringing the two at a staring-contest stand-still.
All of the rage pent up over the last couple of months was driving him insane. He pushed harder onto Takeshi, never letting his eyes leave Takeshi's, but the boy responded with the same amount of strength.
Iruka began to advance towards them, "Alright, you two! Show's over." But no one was paying attention.
"Come on, Nabari!"
"You can do it!"
"G-G-Go Takeshi-kun!"
"TA-KE-SHI! TA-KE-SHI!"
The boy they were calling out to grit his teeth in frustration – although he bore no enmity to Hikaru, he still wanted to win, and they were knocking off his concentration.
Hikaru smirked – this was his chance to prove himself to them! This was it! He wouldn't be alone anymore! Not anymore! God, he hated Takeshi! Hated him! Hated him!
"Okay, okay, you two, I think you've proved your point," Iruka started again, reaching for them, but Hikaru was too quick.
He pulled back just ever so slightly, dropping down again and sending his feet into Takeshi's gut. The child cried out, gasping and falling back. There were gasps in the audience, and Hikaru sprung forward, tackling the boy down.
Iruka shouted something, but Hikaru wasn't listening. The mantra of hatred and loneliness was still echoing in his skull. He slammed his knuckles into Takeshi's jaw, and again in his eye, then once more, and again, and at his nose.
And just as he was about to slam his elbow into the boy's neck, a pair of strong arms pulled Hikaru away from the bloody boy, and he snapped out of whatever angry trance he was in. Takeshi was on the ground, eyes wide and staring at Hikaru as if he were a beast.
As for the other kids, they were just like Takeshi: speechless. The sparring sessions weren't supposed to go that far. You were only supposed to pin them down for three seconds or more.
Iruka glared down at Hikaru, "You're done for today. I'm having a parent-teacher conference after school."
He set the boy down, who nodded with small tears in his eyes and ran off without an apology.
A knot formed in his gut.
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KONOHAGAKURE, FIRE COUNTRY
WEST FOREST
He didn't go back to class. He couldn't. He hadn't meant to really hurt Takeshi; he just meant to show him up. Did his pride get to him? Or was it just his neglected feelings? There was no reason for Takeshi to be the embodiment of his hatred – he was just a good person and trying to be nice.
How could he face Takeshi knowing what he'd done? There was blood running down his face from his nose and over his lips. What if he broke his nose? He would probably have a black eye too.
The young Uchiha growled in frustration. Now he was going to be in trouble, too. His dad wasn't lenient on punishments. He never enforced any physical or verbal damage, but still, he was in deep kimshee.
So he ran off without any indication of where he was going – even he didn't know – and just let himself carry off to who knows where. He ran down streets and alleys he wasn't familiar with, until he was lost altogether in a forest area that was probably a training ground. He stopped at the edge of a black-water lake and sat on one of the many white rocks at its rim, sinking his feet into the cold water (after taking off his shoes first and setting them neatly at his side).
For hours he just let his feet prune as he kicked unenthusiastically at the water, staring at nothing. Even as the sun began to dip in the horizon, he couldn't believe what he'd done or why he'd done it. It's not like Takeshi was ever mean to him. A little rude unintentionally sometimes, but what kid knew any better?
He sighed. He should have just given up when Iruka told him to.
"So you punch me and then run off? For shame, Hikaru, for shame."
Hikaru jumped at the sound of the voice, whirling his head around. His black hair flew around him, his matching eyes meeting with Takeshi's rain-blue eyes.
Although expecting a scowl on the bruised boy's face – yeah, he definitely broke the boy's nose – he found a lazy smile. Hikaru's eyes widened, "Uh-ah, Take… what are you, why are you?" Nothing coherent could really come out.
Takeshi rolled his eyes, standing behind him and leaning over him so that when Hikaru looked up, Takeshi's face was there. "Uh, duh, I couldn't just let you show me up like that!"
The young Uchiha's face flushed, "I, umm, sorry, I just-"
"Nah, it's okay. I probably deserved it. You looked like you really hated me. …You punched at me like you really hated me." He easily said this with a simple shrug and a pained smile.
A pang of guilt hit Hikaru, and the coil in his stomach tightened. "No, that's not… I didn't mean it like- it's just that no one likes me and everyone likes you."
"Have you tried to not punch people?"
Hikaru glared.
"Right, right. Sorry."
Takeshi sighed, moving over to Hikaru's left and taking a seat next to him. He didn't dip his feet in the water like Hikaru did (on account he still had his shoes on). He looked to him, "Well, if you weren't so quiet, maybe we'd be friends."
Hikaru scoffed, "No one likes me."
"They don't know that until they meet you."
Grabbing a stone in his hand, he threw it angrily at the water. "But they won't! They won't because I'm an Uchiha!"
There was a brief silence between them. Hikaru figured it was because Takeshi hadn't known about his being an elite, and that he was probably just telling himself to go home now, that he wasn't worth his time, that-
"Um, so?"
Hikaru blinked. He looked up at Takeshi, who more or less looked like he had no clue what a fricking Uchiha even was.
"…It's because of my dad. No one likes him. So they don't like me."
"….No, I mean, I have no idea. Who's your dad? Is he a big deal, or something?"
"His name is Sasuke Uchiha?"
Takeshi didn't seem impressed or fearful. He just started like, Okay? And?
Hikaru sighed, "It figures that you wouldn't know any elite shinobi families since you're from a civilian one."
The blond boy raised an eyebrow, "Huh? Who said that? My dad was a shinobi. He fought in the Fourth War – and lived!"
Hikaru stared at him in surprise. Not many people can back from that war. Well, his dad did, but not many others. His dad's student, Fujioka Jin's dad, never came back. Besides, if he hadn't died in the war, then how did Takeshi's dad die?
"But, then how-"
"Dunno. My mom said there was an accident, but she never told me exactly what happened. In any case, why don't people like the Uchiha? I've ne'er heard of 'em."
It took him a moment to answer – he was still on the subject of Takeshi's dad when the question came out. When he did, he just shrugged, "I-unno."
"You don't? Then how do you even know if they're right about you?"
"I…" Hikaru was at a loss for words. Takeshi was absolutely right! Who was to say that just because his clan "did" something "bad", then that meant he was bad? No! It wasn't right at all!
Takeshi smiled, his black eye slightly cringing as he did, "See? Now that we've covered that…" His voice trailed off, but before Hikaru could ask, he felt a hand on his back, shoving him to the water. He slid, becoming enveloped in the black water.
He pushed his way up to the surface, gasping and sputtering. He glared up at Takeshi, "What was that for?"
Takeshi grinned cheekily, "That was for this." He gestured to his beaten face.
His ears went pink, and then he smiled, "Oh, right! Then I guess I should pay you back for this!" He grabbed Takeshi's ankle and pulled.
Splash.
Mimicking Hikaru's resurface and sputtering technique, Takeshi wiped the water off his eyelids (cringing when he put too much pressure on the black eye) and looked at Hikaru, who sniggered.
He shoved his hands forward, splashing him.
"Hey!"
"Well, you pulled me in!"
"You did it first!"
The two children laughed, trying to duck each other under and splashing one other. Takeshi pulled himself out of the water, Hikaru short behind. The former tapped the black-haired one, and shouted, "Tag! You're it!"
"Come back here, evil doer!"
"I shall never surrender, Uzumaki Naruto!"
"Oh yeah? Taste this, Madara! RASENGAN!"
They then ran at each other, Hikaru pretending to be wielding a Rasengan and Takeshi "powerless" to stop it. He screamed, "Oh, no! YOU GOT ME! Bleh!" Then he fell over, dramatically dying.
Hikaru laughed, dropping at his side. As their giggles died down, they stared up at the last rays of sunlight that flew through the trees overhead.
The young Uchiha closed his eyes, breathless, "Takeshi?"
"Yeah?"
Something in his heart suddenly wasn't heavy anymore – like a burden had been lifted.
"Thanks."
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KONOHAGAKURE, FIRE COUNTRY
PRESENT DAY
TRAINING GROUNDS
A single girl and her dog stood at the training fields. They were always the first to arrive and the last to leave. Her uncle, Inuzuka Kiba, was a firm believer in 'early starts,' and since she had been practically raised by the man, she always woke early, no matter the time she fell asleep. It was natural for her, and her pup. She had the unruly hair of the Inuzuka, brown and shaggy, wearing a coat with fur lining the hood. The jacket drowned her thin frame, and she wore thin leggings to cover her bone legs and standard shinobi blue shoes for her feet. Two triangles were on her face, one for each cheek (although her hair fell over the right side of her face, hiding one of the tattoos), and her eyes were a piercing black. She could be pretty, if given the effort. She was too much a tomboy for that, though, and she was only thirteen. She didn't care for makeup or cute clothes. To most it didn't seem like she cared for anything at all.
"Good morning, Hikaru," she said in a slow, calculating voice, as she heard the labored breaths of her teammate behind her. She could smell her teammate's sweat; he must have ran the whole way here from his house.
He groaned once he came into sight. "Geez! How are you always here so early? I thought I would beat you today." He smirked, his teeth radiantly shining, and she gave him a smile back, humoring him.
"You would have to wake up early to beat me, Hikaru," she mocked, pushing herself up from where she leaned on one of the many trees the grounds had to offer. "Also, good morning again."
He blinked, "Oh, morning, Hanako. And good morning Kiiromaru!" He knelt down to greet the small pup that was jumping up at his legs, yipping softly. He pet the dog behind the ears and smiled up at Hanako. "So how's your morning?"
"Fair. Kiiro and I stopped for some breakfast during our walk and then paid a visit to my uncle's house. Chatted with him for a bit and then came here."
"…How early do you even get up?"
"Early," she replied with a smirk, leaning down and petting along Kiiromaru's back. She glanced up at the sky. "Might rain today. The air smells more humid than usual. At least, it feels that way… How's your morning?"
Hikaru shrugged, looking up at the sky. He knew about the rain the moment he'd stepped outside today. "Alright. Dad's coming home today." Silence reigned between the two of them. Hanako gave him a knowing look and then focused back on her pup, knowing the topic was sensitive. If Hikaru wanted to talk, he would. When he didn't, she only nodded.
"I see. Well, tell him I said hello."
"Have you met him before?" Hikaru wondered.
"No," she replied simply. "But I am your teammate. I'm sure he and I will cross paths one day."
"Do you have to practice to talk like that, or is it natural?"
Hanako sniggered and punched Hikaru in the arm. He laughed, too.
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KONOHAGAKURE, FIRE COUNTRY
EIGHT YEARS AFTER THE WAR
"What do we write this paper for?" Hikaru wondered to Takeshi – the former had been in the bathroom when Iruka had explained the assignment.
Takeshi got out a piece of paper and readied his pencil between his fingers. "We're supposed to write about what we want to do once we're ninja."
The Uchiha nodded once, "Oh… cool!"
"Tell me about it," Kagura said dreamily. "I already know what I'm going to do. I'm going to be a Hyuuga!"
Hikaru stared at her, "You realize you have to be born a Hyuuga to be one of them, right?"
"Really? Aw, that sucks."
Takeshi laughed, "But good try anyway, Kagu-rawr."
Kagura giggled, blushing. Hikaru stared at his paper, then to Takeshi. "What do you want to do?"
Takeshi didn't even stammer, his confidence infinite, "I'm going to be Hokage, duh."
"You-you'll make a great Hokage, Nabari-san!" Koushiro cheered.
"Thanks, Koushiro. I'll make you my second right-hand man."
"Second?"
"Course. Hikaru is the first."
Hikaru beamed in pride – Takeshi actually picked him first? An Uchiha? He smiled at him, positively embarrassed, "Thanks."
"No problem – so, what do you want to do, Hikaru?"
All eyes were on him. Hikaru thought about it for a moment. While Hokage sounded cool, it wasn't something he was after. He grinned, "I want people to like my clan, is all. I guess I just want to make people see we aren't bad."
There was a moment of silence as they all stared at him.
"That's better than seeking title of Hokage, I'd say," was all Takeshi ever said on the matter.
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After school, every day, Hikaru and Takeshi had played in the park until after sunset. They played games like Ninja and Assassin, or even tag and hopscotch. (Who said it was a girly game? It was still fun.) The two had chased around a raccoon until it disappeared into the thicket of a forest, and tried to build a fort out of large branches. It was just as they'd finished the third wall that they had realized the sunlight was almost gone.
"I should probably go home," Takeshi figured. "My momma's gonna kill me when she finds out how late it is."
Hikaru nodded, "Yeah, okay. Meet you up at the usual meeting spot tomorrow morning?"
Takeshi laughed, "Duh. Where else?"
"I-unno. In any case, bring your paints tomorrow. We have to color in our camouflage blanket."
"Paints. Got it." The blonde boy mentally made a note to himself.
The two reached the stairs that led out of the park.
Hikaru waved his friend off, running off to the left, "Just don't forget!"
"I won't!"
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He forgot, I bet that's why he's late, Hikaru grumbled to himself, sitting down in his usual seat. The seat next to him – Takeshi's – was empty, which was strange that in itself. As Iruka called roll, he said,
"Nabari Takeshi."
There was no response. Hikaru glanced worriedly at his seat. Takeshi was never late or absent. He was going for perfect attendance. So where was he?
"Huh? Is he not here? Oh, I guess I have to mark him absent…" Iruka seemed distracted. He was probably on the same mindset as Hikaru.
Twenty-three pairs of eyes, sensei and students alike, stared at the empty seat.
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On the third day of his absence, Hikaru decided he would go to Takeshi's house. He went there often, so it wouldn't be weird if he just suddenly showed up. Minami liked him, and Takeshi was probably just sick, so there would be no harm so long as he got home on time.
But as he headed toward the front gates of the Academy, his eyes fell on a familiar, lean figure. His hair was black and fell around the sides of his face. He blinked. His dad never ever came to pick him up. He was always gone from the village, or working with the Hokage. He came to a stop at his dad, who flashed him a warm smile.
"Dad? What're you doing here?"
Sasuke held out his hand, "I got out of work early. Come on, let's head home."
His after-school plans suddenly flashed in his head. "Uh, can we stop at Takeshi's house? I haven't seen him in a while. He's been absent."
Sasuke didn't say anything at first, hesitating. But instead of telling his son what he needed to, he just merely held out his hand further, "He's in the hospital. He'll be out in no time."
Hikaru gasped, "The hospital? But why is he in the hospital?"
"He's just sick. It's a little contagious, so we won't be able to visit him until he's cleared. Okay?"
A pang of disappointment and worrisome thoughts hit him.
Nonetheless, he took his dad's hand.
"Okay."
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A week passed, then two. Still, there was no sight of his best friend. He had been begging his dad to just go to the hospital and see him through a window or something, but every answer was the same. Honestly, Hikaru wondered if parents had the ability to say "yes".
He told everyone in class of the problem, so they all constructed a "Get Well" card for him. Even Iruka signed, albeit reluctantly. Hikaru kept it in his possession in case he was ever granted access to the hospital. But as the days grew longer, Hikaru realized that without Takeshi, he was almost nothing. He didn't feel all that happy at school, for he was plagued with worry and fear. What had become of his friend? Was he so sick that he couldn't get up? He seemed fine the last time Hikaru saw him.
But then something entered his mind the nth time he asked his dad to see him. He realized that his dad would never look him in the eyes when he said no, that he was sick and he would make Hikaru sick too. Why wouldn't he ever look his first-born in the eye? He always busied himself with papers or meals or even on objects that were nearby like a vase of flowers. And then there were the times Sasuke would just say no and walk away, trying to get the attention of their gardener, Juugo, or Sakura. He would even use Naruto – his uncle and the Rokudaime Hokage – as an excuse to be pulled away from his son.
It hit him later why he wouldn't look him in the eye – he was lying to him.
But why would his dad lie? Was Takeshi not in the hospital? If so, then where was he? Was he in trouble? Did he leave the village? (Well, he was probably too young for that alone.)
He finally just sucked in his gut and decided he would go to Takeshi's tomorrow. Even if he had to cut school, he had to go to Takeshi's house. If he wasn't at there, then he would check the hospital. Surely someone would let him in, right? Especially since his best friend in the whole world was in there.
They would, right?
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KONOHAGAKURE, FIRE COUNTRY
PRESENT DAY
TRAINING GROUNDS
Hikaru and Hanako had been on a team for over a year, maybe. Hikaru graduated a year early from the Academy. His peers from back then, the ones he had trained with and tested with, they had just graduated a little over two months ago. Hikaru didn't seem them much, anymore. The only ones he cared to see were Hagane Kagura and Yamanaka Koushiro. They, along with… other people, had been among his best friends.
In any case, Hanako had been a drastic change from the friends he had grown up with. She was honest, almost frighteningly so, and much like a mother, how she knew what you were thinking before you even did it. She had a knack for taking care of Hikaru and their other teammate, Yasashi. She wasn't like the girls in his class who would vie for his attention or scream when caterpillars crawled closer; she was confident and cool, and did not give much of a damn of what others thought.
Hikaru liked those things about her. They bumped heads at first when Hanako may have been a little more than truthful when she'd first met him (and hurtful), but over time and missions, they came to understand that they were very different people. But they were okay with that. Nowadays they still bumped heads, but that was a good thing, sometimes.
They waited for their sensei and other teammate at the bank of a small creek that flowed through their training spot. Kiiromaru was more than happy to take a dip, and Hanako didn't get mad when the pup splashed her. She embraced nature in all its forms, something Hikaru didn't quite get. Wasn't she cold? ("It's just water," he knew she would argue, so he didn't ask. "It's not hurting me.")
"So," Hikaru started. "The Chuunin Exams are coming up… Do you think Sensei will let us take the exam this year?"
Hanako kicked her feet lazily in the water, shoes discarded against her hip. Her head fell back so her nose was pointed up towards the canopy of the trees. "I don't know," she simply replied. "Honestly, I don't think we're ready. I don't think we should try out this year."
Hikaru pursed his lips, staring at the water. His hair was long, his bangs framing his face and the rest chin-length. "I think we're ready. We've taken four C-Rank so far. I know that's not a lot, but for Genin like us… Especially since we only have a year of experience under our belts, I think that's good enough."
"I don't," Hanako said, her brows knit together. "People with seven years of experience under their belt fail that exam. It's hard, Hikaru. It's not like the written tests we took in the Academy. People go into therapy after taking that test."
Hikaru bit at his thumb. "Yeah, but we have each other with us. I mean, you keep a good head on the group, and Yasashi is a goofball sometimes, but he knows what to do in a pinch. And I think I'm strong enough-"
"Strong enough won't do you any good. Almost no one succeeds at that test on their first try."
"Sensei did."
"Because he has an IQ over 200," Hanako pointed out, eyes still not parting with the sky. "We don't have that."
"We were trained by him," Hikaru countered.
"So that means if I was trained by you, that means I get the Sharingan?! No, no it doesn't, Hikaru. You can't just… inherit talent. It doesn't work like that." She laid back, closing her eyes, hands folded over her stomach.
Hikaru glared down at her and turned away. "I'll still think we're ready," he muttered, bitterly.
OoOoOoOoO
KONOHAGAKURE, FIRE COUNTRY
EIGHT YEARS AFTER THE WAR
He hated them – all of them. How could they be so happy, so innocent? Couldn't they see that there was a problem with the picture? Did they not see the empty chair that had been collecting dust for weeks?
Takeshi struggled to open the door, his chest still pained. His hair was no longer blonde – it was an ashy gray color. His wrists were bandaged as well as his forehead, and his skin was red on his ankles. He pushed into the classroom with difficulty, having to limp due to his right leg.
No one really looked at him when he first entered. Figures. The lot of them were all oblivious. Did they know where he had been? Or did they just make up lies?
"Nabari? Is that you?" Umino Iruka's voice was in disbelief, risen so the whole class would hear. Shocked – he was back! – they turned to him, but their smiles fell short when they saw him.
Why wouldn't they stare? He was disgusting now. He was probably a good ten pounds (give or take) lighter than the last time they saw him, and his skin was pale and gray now. And if it wasn't, then there were purple, yellow and green bruises on him. The only things that hadn't changed about him were his light, crystal-blue eyes.
"T-Takeshi-kun?" Kagura stammered, her dark eyes wide.
"Takeshi!" Hikaru cheered, as if he hadn't seen the bruises or the hair or anything. He ran up to his friend, lunging at him and pulling him in a tight hug. Takeshi gasped and stumbled, a small cry of pain escaping his lips. Sheesh, those doctors weren't kidding when they told him his ribs were bruised severely.
Hikaru didn't notice, though. He just pulled back with a stupid grin on his face, "Takeshi! You're okay! I was so worried about you! What happened to your hair? Are you still conta-conta- contagious?" He struggled with the word.
Although he expected to be lighter in mood when he would see Hikaru, his chest grew heavier. His eyes grew darker, deadlier. "Get away from me."
The young Uchiha boy finally sensed the mood in the classroom, his utmost joy disintegrating. "H…huh? What do you-"
Takeshi, just wanting to avoid them all, pushed past him, limping, "Just what it sounds like. Go away."
The room grew quiet. Deciding it best to leave him be for a while, Hikaru let him go.
It was the last chance he ever had.
OoOoOoOoO
The changed Takeshi was strange to the way he had been before. Instead of laughing, he moped around on the swing that hung under a large oak tree. Instead of making more friends, he detached himself from not only the class, but the teachers too.
Also, Takeshi was absent a lot now. It happened every other week on Thursdays. On the Wednesdays before he would leave, he would ask for all of the work for the next day and turn it in on Friday. He kept up his grades, and they were actually probably better due to his lack of distractions.
He used to suck up to the old Takeshi, but nowadays bullies like Juruko made it his priority to bother the distant child. He was worse to Takeshi than he had been to Hikaru – spitting spitballs at him during class, tripping him in the hallways, taking his backpack and having a girl put it in the girl's bathroom until a teacher would find it and return it.
And Juruko was a major factor to the way kids saw things. He was the biggest reason it took so long for kids to like Hikaru. They all saw his behavior to Takeshi, so they backed off from the sullen child. He was different. He wasn't the same Takeshi. He didn't laugh or play or joke around. The light in his eyes just vanished.
The numbers of people who wanted Takeshi back dwindled. They began to hate him just like Juruko did; and being children they didn't really have a reason. It's easier for a child to let go of friends.
Before long, Koushiro, Kagura, and Hikaru were the only ones left.
They hung to his memory by a shoestring.
OoOoOoOoO
He had been quietly sullen for weeks, hardly saying a word to any of the other children. The other children questioned him, wondered where he had been, why he had changed. Why wouldn't he smile anymore? They all wondered.
But most of all, even over Hikaru, was the young girl, Hagane Kagura. She used to be nobody like Hikaru once, until Takeshi… well, the old Takeshi… stood up for her. Everyone called her ugly because of her stupid dark eyes and her straw-like black hair. She didn't come from an esteemed family, so she didn't have any pretty dresses. They all called her "Ugly Betty" and "Kagu-baka" and "Rag Doll".
But while all of the kids made of her, she began to cry, and Takeshi suddenly pushed Ryosuke, and said,
"Hey, stop that, I think she's the most beautiful girl in the world."
They laughed it off at first, but Takeshi had been serious. He did think that way of her, and it meant so much to her that she declared her love for him privately and dreamed that one day they would be married.
Sure, there had been… distractions. But who wouldn't find Uchiha Hikaru positively adorable? He was sweet but with a soft manly side to him. His Uchiha genes made him irresistible too. So she fawned after him for a while, but the biggest reason was to make Takeshi jealous. She wanted to remind him that she could find boys just as quickly as girls caught his eye, so that she would be more desirable. And it worked, for a time, until he suddenly stopped showing up to school.
He hadn't spoken a word to her since he came back. She was going to find out if it killed her, too.
"Takeshi-kun?" She said one day on the playground, while he silently sat on his swing. He merely looked at her, not moving his head or showing any condition that her presence disrupted him.
"Um, well," she began, since it didn't seem like he was going to reply any time soon. "I, I was just wondering if we could eat lunch together – like we used to?"
He looked away.
She puffed her cheeks with air, anger twitching in her eyebrow. Why did boys have to be so stupid?
"Don't you care that no one likes you anymore? I thought you were going to be Hokage!"
He didn't move.
She grabbed both of the ropes on the swing, making him look her in the eyes, "TA-KE-SHI! Why are you being so mean? I thought you were nice! But I guess you're just a big IDIOT!"
His icy eyes glared at her.
"At least I'm not a skinny twig with straw hair! What are you, a rag doll?"
Kagura's eyes widened, and she let go of the ropes. Out of all people, she had never expected him, Nabari Takeshi, the love of her life, to call her those mean names.
Her lips trembled, tears in her eyes. She suddenly shouted, "Oh, yeah? WELL AT LEAST I'M NOT A BIG JERK!" She turned on her heel and ran off the playground, to find a silent place to cry on her own.
Takeshi rolled his eyes, and began to murmur to himself like he always did now.
Over in the sandbox, Koushiro and Hikaru exchanged glances.
OoOoOoOoO
The two boys, deciding to take on the man-only man mission, decided to approach him after school. It was probably just some of the kids that made him edgy. The real Takeshi they knew would never ever say mean things to Kagura that she repeated through a tirade of tears. He was probably just upset over being sick for so long? Yes, that had to be it.
"Takeshi!" Hikaru shouted down the road, making the boy stop. Takeshi turned with his ashen hair falling over his eyes, the life that had been in him once almost gone.
"N-Nabari-san!" Koushiro shouted in tune with Hikaru, and they came to a breathless stop in front of the detached boy.
His voice came out soft, "What?"
Koushiro was the first to speak, "Don't- Don't you think you were being a little mean to Kagura-san? I mean, all she wanted to do was help."
Takeshi narrowed his eyes, but said nothing.
Hikaru took over, "Ta-Takeshi" – he was still breathless from running – "I don't know why you're suddenly mean now, but it's no reason to call Kagura ugly! I thought you liked her?"
The Nabari said nothing, again, but his fists were clenched when he had said "suddenly".
The young Uchiha huffed, and tried a different approach, "Come on, Takeshi, don't you want to go play or something? We can play Naruto versus Madara again if you want."
Takeshi scoffed, "I don't have time for childish games. Leave me alone."
Koushiro grabbed the hem of Takeshi's shirt, "But- Nabari-sa-"
"But nothing!" Takeshi suddenly shouted. He shoved Koushiro off, "I don't want to play your stupid games. I have bigger and better things to- SHUT UP!" He shrieked at nothing, glaring at the sky, for nothing was talking other than him.
Hikaru flinched back, then narrowed his eyes, "Takeshi, you're being weird! Just calm down and-"
Takeshi grabbed a fistful of his hair, "Just shut up, Mr. "I have to be perfect all the time". Just shut up and leave me alone!"
Koushiro tried again to grab him, but this time he sent his fist flying at Koushiro, nailing him in the jaw. The blonde boy cried out and toppled over, leaving Hikaru to gasp.
He raised his fists at Takeshi, and without thinking, charged at him. They met each other with fierce grips, wrestling each other to the ground. They rolled around in the dirt, punching and kicking and scratching at whatever they could.
Koushiro cried out, pulling at their shoulders to separate them, but they bat him away, and kicked at him, causing him to fall back. With nothing else to do, he ran off in search of an adult before they killed each other.
Yet somehow, he knew it wouldn't be the last fight.
OoOoOoOoO
KONOHAGAKURE, FIRE COUNTRY
PRESENT DAY
TRAINING GROUNDS
"Good morning, Yasashi," Hanako suddenly said, amid their silence. Hikaru blinked and looked over his shoulder. His teammate, fourteen-year old Yasashi (who should have graduated a year before Hanako and Hikaru did, but failed the test that year) looked poised to attack, as if he were about to roar in Hikaru's ear. Hikaru smirked.
"Morning, Yasashi," he mimed, grinning.
Yasashi exhaled deeply and smiled, sitting down between Hanako and Hikaru. "Dang, Hanako, I almost had him that time!"
"Keyword, almost," Hikaru mocked. He wasn't about to let off that he really had no idea his older teammate was behind him. He was so caught up in his thoughts of the Chuunin Exams. Speaking of… "So, hey, Yasashi, if we were asked by Sensei about the Chuunin Exams, would you take them?"
Yasashi lifted up his blood red eyes that he inherited from his mother. When Hikaru had first met Yasashi, he mistook his red eyes for the Sharingan, but Yasashi quickly explained he was a member of the Yuhi family, and that while they were masters of Genjutsu in all its forms, they were not superior to the Uchiha. He had dark, curly brown hair that fell over his brows, his headband showing from underneath the messy curls. His skin was darker, a memento of his father, who had died in the line of service before he was born. Hikaru never asked about it, not really, but he knew that their Sensei had taken the place of Yasashi's father, long ago. Yasashi almost seemed embarrassed of his father's side of the family, not calling himself the Sarutobi surname. He stuck to Yuhi most of the time, and when he introduced himself to people, he would use that name.
"I mean, I'd be game for it," Yasashi answered, having taken so long that Hikaru had almost forgot the question. "But like, wouldn't I get killed? I have a track record of like… almost dying. On every mission. Like."
Hikaru snickered, "Shut up. You wouldn't die. Hanako and I would be there."
"Okay, sure, but you and Hanako are usually there and I die a lot anyway."
Hanako snorted, "I told you, Hikaru, we're not ready."
"We could do it," Hikaru protested, and looked back at the water with determination. "Could you… could you guys at least consider it?"
Yasashi laughed, "Alright, alright, I'll think about it. I was joking. I think I could at least try. But why the interest? I've never heard of you talk about this before?" He began to pull at grass between his fingers. Kiiromaru barked at something and jumped into the water, splashing the three of them. Hikaru and Yasashi recoiled; Hanako smiled.
Hikaru sighed and pulled at his shirt, which was covered in water now. "Ugh, I just… I don't know, I was interested in taking it this year. I mean, it can't hurt to at least try, right? And if things look rough, we can always give up and try again next year. I just think it's worth trying."
"You don't give up," Hanako droned. "Never have, never will. And… Good morning, Sensei."
"Good morning," a voice groaned back, and the three immediately sat up, turning around and standing to see their Sensei.
Nara Shikamaru was a simple man who preferred a simple life (although, more often than not, his life was anything but). He was not remarkable in appearance, his black hair tied back into a ponytail, a stud in either ear. He wore the standard green flak jacket, his headband tied over his forearm. He always had a bored, dull look in his eye, but he looked tired today, especially.
"Sensei!" Yasashi cried, running up to the man who had helped raise him, running to greet him in a hug. Shikamaru returned the hug with a lazy smile. "How's Momma Number 2?"
"Temari's fine. She nearly killed me last night saying she had aches, but we're pretty sure it's pre-labor pains. I think we're all just about ready to get that child out of her… Troublesome…" He sighed. He lifted his eyes. "But she'll be alright. It's her third kid, she's knows what she's doing."
Yasashi nodded and pulled away from the hug, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Cool! I can't wait! What are you going to name the baby?"
"If it's a girl, Karura. If it's a boy, Shikatani." Shikamaru leaned against the very tree Hanako had been leaning on when Hikaru had first arrived. "But we're pretty sure this is going to be the last kid. Temari wants to get back into International Affairs, so she's going to need to travel more. Which means she'll need to start training again because the roads are dangerous…" he scratched the back of his neck. "But, whatever. Let's start training for the day. Today, I think, we're gonna-"
"Wait," Hikaru said, as Kiiromaru jumped out of the creek, padding over to Hanako's side. "Before we start… Can I ask about the Chuunin Exams?"
Their Sensei paused. He raised a brow, looking positively exhausted. "Hn?"
Hanako trained her eyes on her pup, probably seeing how dirty he was now, "He wants to know if we can take them. I don't think we're ready."
"I think we are!" Hikaru argued. "I just… we could, right? You said it yourself, Sensei. You said that we were getting smarter, and more applicable to tougher missions. You said that we were stronger!"
Nara Shikamaru glanced among his students. This was trouble. An Uchiha, and a young one at that, wanted to take the exam, which could likely kill or at least horribly scar him and his team. Shikamaru had gotten through that exam – he shouldn't have, thinking back. He hadn't cheated on the test, was ready to run out, he was a coward during the second test and hardly did anything to earn a scroll, goofed around during the preliminaries, and gave up in the final round. He had no idea how he passed that...
An Uchiha child, and a stubborn Inuzuka, and the child of his teacher… Fate wouldn't let him have a normal life, would it? He wasn't sure about putting them up against those horrible odds. But they had grown. They had shown impeccable skill, especially recently. Even Yasashi, who was considerably the weakest of their group, had shown improvement.
He sighed. "If you guys are serious about it… I'll consider it."
Three shocked pairs of eyes snapped up to him. Black, red, and black. Shikamaru continued, "But if you're not… then taking the first exam, in the very least, won't kill you. I won't force you to do anything, but you can always quit if you're not sure. But all three of you need to say yes if I'm going to let you guys do this."
Hikaru's eyes darted to Hanako. "Han-"
"I'll think about it," Hanako interjected, cutting him off. "That's not a yes, and that is not a no."
Hikaru grinned. That was the best he would get out of her, for now. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder, "Thank you, thank you, Hanako! You're the best teammate ever!"
"Shove off," Hanako smiled, trying to push the Uchiha off of her.
Yasashi smiled, too, as Shikamaru began their training for the day. He really did have the best team. He hugged Hanako from the other side, "Aw, I love you too, Hanako!"
Hanako rolled her eyes, "Okay, guys, we're done. Sensei, please tell them to let go."
Shikamaru watched the three of them for a second, shrugged, and joined in on the hug.
"Sensei. Seriously."
"Shut up and enjoy the hug, Hanako."
OoOoOoOoO
KONOHAGAKURE, FIRE COUNTRY
PRESENT
VILLAGE GATES
The village was booming considerably today. He could hear the voices of the children shrieking through the streets as they played, mothers scolding, salesmen shouting out their crazy prices and deals. He could hear the joyful mayhem from outside the colorful village. He had seen the world, but no place seemed as loud and bright as Konoha. Every village was bustling with life, but Konoha seemed even more so, and Uchiha Sasuke couldn't explain that. Maybe it was because, even with all of the troubles he experienced growing up, Konohagakure was his home, and he had planted his roots here, along with his family. He drifted often, but he could never call any other place home.
He hadn't been home in over a year, now, not counting that quick visit when he heard his son – Hikaru – was in the hospital about six months ago. Apparently he'd taken a blow for a teammate and ended up in the ICU, so Sasuke rushed to the village for a quick check-up on his first-born child. Hikaru had been passed out when he'd arrived, and still passed out when he left. The doctors assured Sasuke that yes, Hikaru would be fine within the week. He left after that. He tried to be home for birthdays, but it never happened. Time wouldn't allow it.
"Welcome home, Sasuke!"
Sasuke smirked. "Right on time, per usual."
A figure jumped down from on top the gates, landing with a dull thud to the ground, only feet away from Sasuke. The figure's cape flowed gently around him as he landed, the words 'SEVENTH HOKAGE' written in bright red kanji, flames adorning the hem of his cape. He grinned and stood up, his bright yellow hair practically glowing on top of his head. Whisker-like birthmarks moved with his grin and dimples. "Yo!"
"Do you always wait for me to come home like a dog?" Sasuke wondered, trying to not smirk.
Uzumaki Naruto pouted, glaring. "Do you always act like an ass, Teme?"
"Most of the time, yes. How's the village?" He really already knew the answer, and kept walking, Naruto keeping his pace as they entered the village. The people standing in at the check-in didn't bother to check for Sasuke's passport; he was with the Hokage, and that was better than any passport. Naruto had probably already checked him in, anyway.
"Hear it for yourself, dattebayo!" Naruto boasted, gesturing to the village. "Everything's been fine since you were last here. And I heard that your daughter got all A's on the last report card?"
"Which one?"
"Uh, Sarada. Sorry. You keep popping out kids, it's hard to keep track of them."
Sasuke scoffed. "Well, I expected that. Sarada's an over-achiever."
"Like her Uncle Naruto!"
"Like her father," Sasuke corrected, rolling his eyes. "How's your shrimps?"
Naruto waved at a couple working inside what looked to be a new bread shop. "Ah, they're good. Boruto's having some trouble in school, Himawari is my perfect angel, and Reiko will never date boys. So it's all good, dattebayo!"
"Trouble in school?" Sasuke asked, ignoring the last two statements. He shifted the bag on his back, the dead weight not a problem for him. He was tired, though.
Naruto nodded, in pride, "Just like his old man! Keeps playing pranks on his teacher. And he and his best friend, kid named Mitsuki, keep getting in trouble together. It's probably just a phase. I'm trying to you know, level with him? It's not really working though. I don't think he and Sarada are friends."
"Probably not. You and I weren't."
"Well, yeah, but we stopped all of that feuding stuff."
Sasuke didn't say anything for a moment. He did smile though, suddenly, and crouched on his knees. Naruto blinked, "What are you-"
"Daddy!" A shrill voice piped, and a head of pink hair bounded towards them. Naruto smiled and stepped to the side, letting Sasuke collect the little six-year old girl into his arms. She latched her arms around his neck, "Daddy's home!"
"Dad's home," Sasuke agreed, kissing the top of her head softly. He looked down at her, though, confused. "Shouldn't you be in school?"
"DAAAAD."
"FATHER!"
Two more small figures jumped through the crowd and up to Sasuke, this time followed by Haruno Sakura. She and Sasuke were married, yes, but she decided to keep her name. She was one of the Sanin, after all, and the best medic the village had to offer. She had a reputation to uphold.
Sasuke let the other two boys into his arms – Aito and Kaito. They'd grown so big since the last he'd seen them. He was surprised they even remembered him. The last he had seen of them was when they were three years old. They were so small, and hardly able to form sentences. He gave them hugs and set the three down, standing up.
Sakura smiled warmly, "Welcome home. Sorry, I let her skip today. They knew you were coming home… Hikaru is at training, and Sarada had a test today. But Akira didn't need to go, and these two don't get admitted for another year…" She moved forward and hugged Sasuke, and he returned it. They held together for a moment, and then another pair of arms wrapped around both of them…
"Naruto. What are you doing."
"Getting in on the hug," Naruto smiled.
"YOU IDIOT, NARUTO! GET OFF!" WHAM!
Naruto fell back, smacking into the pavement. "Ow! I just wanted to get part of the hug! I'm a part of this team, too!"
"You're not a part of our marriage, dumbass!"
"Sakura, it's fine," Sasuke spoke steadily, and Sakura smiled up at him. "I missed both of you. All of you," he corrected, his children still pawing at him. He leaned down and picked up Akira, setting her on his back, and then lifted one twin in each arm. Sakura kissed Sasuke's cheek as Naruto worked to stand up. Sakura may have aged, but her punches still felt like a thousand bricks….
Naruto rubbed the back of his head, "Well, you get on home, Sasuke. You can give me your mission report later."
"Hn," Sasuke merely replied, busy with becoming a human jungle gym.
Sakura turned to Naruto, "Are you and Hinata and the kids coming to our place for dinner?"
Naruto grinned, "Oh, yeah, totally, dattebayo! Hinata already said she'd make some food to bring!"
The pink-haired woman nodded, "Alright. See you then."
OoOoOoOoO
KONOHAGAKURE, FIRE COUNTRY
PRESENT DAY
TRAINING GROUNDS
"Good work today, you three," Shikamaru droned, having not moved from his spot leaning against the tree. In front of him stood three Genin, panting, sweating, dirt-covered, and scratched up. Today had, for the most part, had been sparring and training the new moves they had been working on, individually. Hikaru had still yet to perfect his newest jutsu he was trying out – the Chidori. His father had learned it from his teacher, and Hikaru himself was trying to tackle the job… the results, were, however, very upsetting. He could hardly create a spark. Shikamaru noted that he may not even have a lightning nature chakra. Just because Sasuke had it didn't necessarily mean he did. Hikaru, however, would not listen to reason. His chakra paper had crinkled, and that meant lightning nature… right? It only happened once in nine tries, but he had to have lightning chakra in him! Shikamaru had called it a fluke…
"Thaaaank you, Sensei!" Yasashi chimed. His jutsu was working perfectly fine. (According to the squirrel he had tested out on, which had suffered of a heart attack – or maybe a panic attack? In any case, Hanako beat the shit out of Yasashi after it happened for hurting the poor squirrel. It was still shivering in the corner of some roots, spooked.)
"Yes, Sensei, thank you," Hanako agreed, Kiiromaru perched on her shoulder as if he were a parrot. "I think I still need to work out some bugs, but that tip helped."
Shikamaru nodded. "Work on your direction. Your strength and stamina are well enough, but you won't do anyone any good if you miss your intended target."
"Right," Hanako nodded.
"And Hikaru," Shikamaru started. "Try and work on something else – a fire technique, yeah? It's too damn troublesome teaching you a technique you might not even be cut out for you yet. If you do have lightning based chakra, then it's dormant for the time being. Most ninja don't develop their second nature until later on… just wait it out."
Hikaru pursed his lips, not pleased with his answer. He crossed his arms stubbornly. Shikamaru sighed and scratched the back of his head. It always seemed like he never had the right answer for that kid. Hikaru seemed to go left, so Shikamaru gave him nice directions for the left path… then Hikaru would decide to take three rights in order to take that left. "Whatever," he sighed, and pushed off his tree. "That concludes training for today. You're free to gallivant in the village however you please."
Yasashi chuckled at that, and grinned at Shikamaru, "Can I come home with you today, Sensei? Mom's working late; and I wanna see how Momma Number 2 is doing!"
Shikamaru chuckled, "Sure, Yasashi. I'm sure Temari and the kids'd like to see you. You guys coming too?"
Hanako shook her head, "No. Dinner is on me tonight. I'm at my uncle's tonight."
"Ah. Tell Kiba I said hey."
"I will."
Shikamaru's eyes landed on Hikaru. Hikaru shrugged, "Nah, I've got… stuff."
His sensei nodded once. "Alright. I'll see you two here tomorrow, then."
"Right," they chorused.
OoOoOoOoO
"Stuff?" Hanako wondered, once Shikamaru and Yasashi had left to go back to the Nara household. Hikaru offered to walk the Inuzuka girl home – well, not home, but her uncle's house. Her uncle was always a loud man, but a man that kept many secrets. Apparently after the war he had enlisted into the ANBU black ops, and was an active member for eleven years. He held a record for that. Most ANBU ended up… dead or incapacitated or scarred after five years. He was still very much an active shinobi, though, that much Hikaru knew. He was strong, and had many women from what he knew, but Hanako never seemed to detest him for it.
"My uncle is an honest man from what he is able to tell me. Obviously he keeps secrets because of his service to the Ops, but he doesn't lie to me with whatever else he has. He tells me that he sleeps with women because he can't fall in love. He is honest with the women, too. He doesn't take them to bed when they're drunk or unable to give consent. He is kind to them. He doesn't date, that much I know. And while I don't agree with it, I appreciate his honesty. He's never once treated me as a child. He tells me things like it is… and I like him for that. My parents always lied to me when I was younger, from white lies to big lies, but my uncle didn't like that. He told me – in an age-friendly way, of course – what was going on, and that it wasn't my fault, like I had been led to believe. He's a very strong person in my life. I love him. He makes mistakes, like sleeping with too many women, but… I think I can understand that he's been through a lot, and that it's not easy for him to do things like fall in love."
It was the longest speech Hikaru had heard from the girl. Hanako was a kunoichi of few words, in fact, if she could, she would speak with facial expressions. She was passionate about her uncle; he was a huge role in the person she became, a girl devoted to honesty and loyalty, like the very dogs the Inuzuka were. Her uncle helped her become strong. She was an honest girl with little to no secrets, pride, and confidence.
She lived with him when she could, away from her chaotic parents. When her uncle wasn't on missions or when he wasn't busy or this or that, she would stay with him. He lived in an apartment on the wrong side of the tracks, so usually someone would walk the Inuzuka and her pup home. She was strong enough to handle herself, but a young girl like herself shouldn't have to walk alone in a dangerous area.
Hikaru shrugged, "Yeah. I mean… I don't think I'm going to go home tonight…"
Hanako raised a brow, pulling off her bandanna-headband and ruffling her hair. Kiiromaru patted happily by her side. "Is it because your father is coming home?" Hikaru shrugged, kicking at the ground as they walked. "I see. How long is he staying?"
"From what I know? No idea. He always kind of just… comes and goes."
"You'll have to face him one day, you know."
"I know," he pouted. "I just… I don't know. It's hard sometimes with him because I don't know what he's thinking. I know he loves us… it just doesn't feel like it sometimes. He didn't even come to my Graduation Ceremony. He came the day or two after, yeah, but… I don't know. It just sucks."
Hanako nodded in understanding, snapping her fingers at Kiiromaru, who was sniffing at a discarded trash wrapper. Hanako picked up said wrapper and threw it in the nearby trashcan. "I get it. And I agree with you – you're his child. He should be there for you when you need him. However, I also know he can't just ignore his duties to the village."
"And I know that," Hikaru supplied helplessly, but his tone of voice gave it away that he didn't care what Sasuke was doing. "I just miss him. I feel like if I talk with him he'll just leave again. It pisses me off?"
"Does it piss you off?" She wondered.
"Yes?" He wondered back. "I don't know. I'm still not sure how to feel about it. Let's… talk about something else. Please."
Hanako nodded. "Okay. That's fine." She hummed, and asked, "So why the sudden interest in the Chuunin Exams?"
Hikaru didn't answer, a faraway look in his eye. He busied himself by looking across the street at a billboard that advertised a new computer system software. Hanako sighed inaudibly and kept his pace.
OoOoOoOoO
KONOHAGAKURE, FIRE COUNTRY
TEN YEARS AFTER THE END OF THE WAR
JIRAIYA'S BRIDGE
It wasn't their last fight. In the next upcoming months of Hikaru and Takeshi's fight, they couldn't go near each other without battling it out. Most of the class were what you would call "buffer states", and made sure they didn't go near each other. They had never seen them fight, except for Koushiro who would rather forget, but they didn't want to.
That is, until rumors began to spread. Children went behind both Hikaru and Takeshi's backs, saying to Takeshi what horrible things Hikaru "said" about him, and vice versa to Hikaru. The two got so mad that they just randomly tackled each other at recess, resulting in a fight.
They were progressively worse after that. Kids got excited about the rivalry, and took sides (Hikaru had the majority). Bets were made on which one would get better grades, and which one would win their fights that were hosted every Friday at Jiraiya's Bridge. It became like a ritual of sorts, and they all enjoyed it.
Takeshi and Hikaru didn't try to stop any of the propaganda either. In fact, they encouraged it. For one reason or another, their bitterness toward one another grew. Hikaru's reason was fairly obvious, although no one really knew why Takeshi was spurring it on. Although considering the time since his change, no one really knew anything about him anymore.
In any case, every Friday afternoon at four o'clock, the two of them would meet at Jiraiya's Bridge. Today, on their fourth year, the two of them faced across each other, standing on a bridge that stretched over the Karakuri River – Takeshi to the South, and Hikaru to the North. The class sat on whatever side they were on, which meant that twenty-one kids were to the North, and Fukamura Chiharu sat to the South.
She was the only girl in the class who still didn't take to his new personality. She was too kind of a person to go along with everyone else, although no one thought she was socially bad. They understood she was far too accepting and fair to just take Hikaru's side, no matter what she thought of either one. Most believed that she felt bad for Takeshi's lack of fans.
Hikaru took a ready stance, while Takeshi stood with a kunai in his hand (they were now allowed these in their fourth year) rather unenthusiastically. He had a small black stud on his lower lip now, as well has two spider-bite studs on his left eyebrow. One of them was white, the other gray. Also he wore a hoop on the curve of his right ear, and on the other ear he had a rod sticking out, across to the hoop.
His newest edition to his little pierced collection, however, was a yellow star just below the rod. Now, he had six.
A boy on Hikaru's side smirked, "I see you have a new addition to your juvenile look, Nabari. What's the star for?"
Takeshi didn't seem fazed to the untrained eye, but if you knew him well enough like this you could tell there was twinge of anger in his eyebrow. "It's for someone."
Kagura rolled her eyes on the sidelines, jabbing her elbow into Koushiro lightly and gesturing to the other side where Chiharu sat. Koushiro shrugged.
The Uchiha didn't care – what Takeshi did to his face was his business. He got himself ready.
A boy by the name of Satoshi stood on the rim of the bridge at its midpoint. He held up a black and white flag – which is really the only reason he was referee was because he had a flag – and shouted, "ARE YOU READY!"
Takeshi gave him an icy glare, "This isn't a stupid game. Just say "go" and be done with it."
Satoshi sighed, muttering something about a lack of respect. He waved the flag lamely and said, "Okay, okay, first one to hit the water loses, go."
Without hesitation, the two ran at each other, kunai raised. With a quick drop and slide, Hikaru went for Takeshi's knees, who jumped to avoid him. He tucked his head into his body and preformed a front-flip, bringing down his ankle on Hikaru.
The crowd cringed when it hit Hikaru on the shoulder. He cried out but didn't let it slow him down, so he grabbed Takeshi's ankle and tossed him over the rim of the bridge. He fell over but caught himself, flipping under the bridge and catching himself on the other side, thus pulling himself up by Satoshi.
Takeshi gave a triumphant grin, "Gonna have'ta work harder than that, Wonder Boy."
The Uchiha clicked his tongue, "Call me that again and I won't have a problem kicking your ass."
There was murmur of "oooo's" among the crowd – they were only in the fourth grade and "ass" was a word their mommies didn't want them to say.
"Ha!" The Nabari laughed. "I don't think you could if you had help, Wonder Boy."
Hikaru charged to the side of the bridge (Satoshi "eeped" and got out of the way) and threw a punch, but Takeshi jumped over him and landing on the platform.
"Is that all you can do, Nabari? Jump out of my way?"
Takeshi ran at him without another word, and they began close combat. Punches were thrown as they tried to knock one another off their feet by attempting to trip them out of their stances. They jumped and flipped and twirled out of harm's way, and in a certain angle it seemed like they were just preforming a dance.
Then, Hikaru swung his kunai forward, and there was a gasp in the crowd as Takeshi fell back, blood on his shoulder. Hikaru's eyes widened – he had gone too far.
The tip of the kunai extended out of Takeshi's shoulder blade – it had gone straight through his heart.
Takeshi fell back, blood falling out of his lips, and collapsing with a thud.
"Ta….Takeshi?!" Hikaru shouted, alarmed, and knelt at his side. He hated him, but that didn't mean he wanted to kill him! The children stood, all placing their hands over their mouths. (Did Hikaru do what they just think he did?) Hikaru took the body into his arms, shaking the boy. "O-Oh god, what have I…"
Poof.
A cloud of white smoke enveloped Takeshi, and like that, he disappeared without any trace except for a log in his place. Hikaru stared down at the wood, completely baffled. What just…
"HYAA!"
Hikaru had no time to react when Takeshi suddenly came from under the bridge with a battle cry, shoving Hikaru off of the bridge. He fell into the water with a SPLASH.
"Takeshi is the winner!" Satoshi announced, earning a loud eruption from the crowd – some cheering and some merely baffled, while some (namely Kagura) shouted about how unfair it had been.
Hikaru surfaced, coughing and sputtering. "Takeshi? But, what did you-"
"It's called Substitution no Jutsu, id~i~ot~." The boy sang, looking down at Hikaru from the bridge. "But still, nice to know you care so much!" Sarcasm was dripping feverishly in his undertone.
The Uchiha's face flushed red. How did he expect Takeshi to have already mastered it? They hadn't gone over it in class yet!
"You- that's cheating!"
Takeshi shrugged, jumping away from the edge and heading south.
"All's fair in love and war!"
OoOoOoOoO
KONOHAGAKURE, FIRE COUNTRY
PRESENT DAY
INUZUKA KIBA'S APARTMENT COMPLEX
"Thank you for walking me home, Hikaru," Hanako said, cracking a small smile, holding up her fist.
Hikaru was still pouting from their conversation earlier, having never answered Hanako's question. He lifted his eyes at her, and finally cracked a smile.
He lifted his fist and bumped it against hers, the bones of their knuckles making a dull sound, the sound of skin slapping against skin. They both smirked, chuckling.
"Hey, Hanako," Hikaru started. "I know that you don't think we're ready for the Chuunin Exams. And I can get that, but… can we at least try? I can protect you and Yasashi, if worse comes to worse, and you two can always back out if you don't think you can continue in the exam. It's just… there's something I need to prove, and I need you to tell Sensei that you're willing to try." His eyes were hard, determined, glowing like black fire.
Hanako crossed her arms, thinking for a moment. She closed her eyes.
"I know you have nothing to go on. I know we're not strong… but I need this, Hanako."
"I heard you the first time," she said softly, not snapping at him. She opened her eyes, looking at him. "On one condition."
Hope brimmed in his face. "Yeah?"
"If you have the slightest idea that you could get killed, you will walk away from a fight. You're my best friend, and I know you, Hikaru. You never give up during fights. But I need you to, if you're going to attempt this test. I don't want you – or Yasashi – to get hurt."
Her voice was resolute. Hikaru didn't even need to think it over. He nodded once, seriously. "I promise. If I don't think I can take an opponent, or that my opponent will kill me I… I'll walk away. Or I'll find a way to get out of the fight. I promise."
Hanako cracked a smile that finally reached her eyes. She nodded and held up her hand. He slapped it into a firm handshake.
"Thanks, Hanako. You're a lifesaver."
She shrugged, "I know. I try."
"Cocky bitch."
"Cocky bastard."
The two friends laughed, slapping their hands together again, and Hikaru watched Hanako and Kiiromaru walk into the apartment complex. His smile, bright and cheerful a moment ago, turned sour, and he looked to the ground in shame. He kicked at a rock and swore under his breath, and began to walk back the way he came. It was time to face the music.
OoOoOoOoO
KONOHAGAKURE, FIRE COUNTRY
TEN YEARS AFTER THE END OF THE WAR
UCHIHA HOUSEHOLD
Hikaru had been holding back during the last fight on Jiraiya's Bridge.
It wasn't on purpose, obviously, but he went home that day, and felt guilty for some reason. But what should he feel guilty about? Takeshi had shoved him in the river, Takeshi had been a jerk, he had… well, he didn't cheat, but still. Takeshi had been to blame for his bad day, so why did he feel bad?
He didn't sleep, he paced; but the more he walked, the worse he felt. Why in Shodai's sake did he feel so- so!
"Ugh!" He suddenly cried out, not really caring if his little siblings were asleep or not. He jumped back down onto his bed, growling and throwing a pillow over his face.
How could his best friend, his leader – how could he turn into a jerk? "All's fair in love and war!" Hikaru suddenly shouted. "All's fair in love and war my BUTT! Who does he think he is that- that- that UGH!" He picked up something – a cup or something glass on his nightstand; he wouldn't know, he wasn't looking – and chucked it at the mirror.
The glass shattered and screamed – its bloody cry rang through his room, shrieking in Hikaru's ear. Its body fell to the floor with a sickening silence that Hikaru didn't want to listen to. His breaths were raspy as he stared into what was left of the mirror, hanging onto its wooden frame for life. His own reflection was distorted and broken, but a flash of red caught his eyes.
There was voice in the hallway – most likely his mother – but he wouldn't listen to it. He traced one of his fingers on his bottom eye lid, wondering if his eye had bled from the broken looking glass. When he felt hot liquid, he was alarmed, but when he pulled his hand away, it wasn't red. They were tears.
The old Takeshi Hikaru once knew washed down the river, the shoestring snapped, and suddenly, the new Takeshi was the only one Hikaru knew. There was no "friendship" or "past" with Takeshi, and now, there was only a future between them.
A smile crept up to Hikaru's lips – Takeshi would regret those words.
"All's fair in love and war, huh?"
OoOoOoOoO
A/N: AND THAT'S THE END TO THE PROLOGUE FOLKS! Hah! (A lot better than the Gaiden, right? Hah.) There are a lot of changes here, obviously. It only took what, 26 pages to get all of this down? Oh, geez. Still, I am liking this a lot more. I feel like there's more depth to the characters this time around. I like how I'm not introducing, like, ten characters per chapter. OKAY! Also, there is a timeline on my profile for this story – in the very least, it will be posted within the next couple of days. It will show the years in which children of the original cast were born, and their names, and parents… Also, does having the time before the scene help you all? Like how I put the village, time, and specific location in bold before I begin a section? I'm not sure if that makes it easier or harder… Perhaps with the timeline it will make more sense… In any case! Was it good? Bad? Leave it in a review, and thank you for reading! I hope you all enjoyed!
