The Ballad of Hyata Tadashi
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any other Manga/Anime. This is the story of Hyata Tadashi, a ninja from Kumogakure. As a former Black Ops. team leader, he has given everything to protect his village and has seen many bloody battles. One day he wakes up to an empty town, a peace treaty and betrayal. Rated M for course language and realistic combat violence.
Tadashi's description as follows:
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 160 lbs.
Build: muscular
Skin Color: fair
Hair: light brown, short hair, think Duo Maxwell from Gundam Wing without a ponytail
Eye Color: gray-blue
Handedness: left-handed
Sexual orientation: Heterosexual
Clothing: dark blue light jacket with a large black "X" pattern on the front and back and a black stripe going down the outside of each sleeve, inside is lined black, jacket is left open, Fishnet shirt. Blue stringed necklace with silver beads and tubes (tubes have cut outs to see the string), black cargo pants, black boots.
He wears his forehead protector on its traditional place.
Weaponry: a Katana, Wakizashi and Tanto (Matching set with blue scabbards, black hilt and blue handles with black wrapping.), Black Longbow and leather quiver (Arrows are chakra enhanced), kunai, shurikan, smokebombs, explosive tags and tripwire. He wears his two short swords on his back (Handles opposing) and carries the katana on his right side. The bow is slung over his right shoulder when not in use.
If anyone reads this who is skilled in drawing, I encourage artwork of this character and would be very grateful if sent to me.
Chapter 1Treaties and Betrayals
It was a cloudy day in Kumogakure. It was always cloudy. After staring out of my window, I realized I had wasted half the day away. However, I couldn't help it, due to the fact that I had a strange feeling that today would not end well. I took a look around my apartment; my place was a mess. I've been on many missions lately and it showed, even some blood stains were still in the carpeting. I started to tidy up when I heard a knock at the door. I wish I'd never answered it. It was the Raikage's assistant. I invited her inside, but she refused. "You have a meeting with the Raikage, two p.m.", she stated. She left; no goodbye, no other words exchanged, which cemented my feelings of insecurity. "Was it another mission?" I thought. I looked over to my clock. "One Thirty?! What the hell!"
I busted out the door, slamming it behind me. Running as fast as could down the street, I had realized something unusual. There were absolutely no people on the busiest street in the village! All the shops were closed as well! I went to the nearest guard post to get some information on this incident, but no one was there! I had to get to the Raikage. I ran as fast as I could to the Raikage's headquarters, went strait to his office, sprinted through the door and yelled, "Where the hell is everybody!!?" "In their homes", the Raikage replied.
"Is the village under attack?"
"No."
"Then why the hell is there nobody on guard?!"
"All missions and duties have been canceled."
"Then why am I here?"
" A few years back we signed a treaty with Konoha, stating that we would share information and resources in the name of peace."
"Yeah, everyone knows that. Why are you telling me this?"
"Remember Sai?"
"Didn't he die a few months back? K.I.A., right?"
"He was a traded "resource"."
"So your saying that in order to pay a debt to Konoha, you're giving me to them?
After all I have done for the village; you're sending me away from my home? I refuse!"
"I wouldn't refuse if I were you…if you do, you are to be exiled…"
"At least its better than fighting for a foreign nation", I thought.
"…And your testicles removed…"he added.
"Aww, shit!" I thought.
"…With a chainsaw."
"Okay!!! I get it!" I blurted out.
"I still don't understand why nobody is outside." I said.
"We are marking this day with a holiday" the Raikage stated, " in reverence of what you've done for this village. They are honoring you!"
"Can I ever comeback?"
"No. Now pack your belongings then go to the medical ward."
"Why?"
"Because, we need a full medical report for the Hokage. You will be giving it to her yourself."
"No, no, no… I meant why can't I visit?"
"We don't want you to look like a goddamn spy, that's why!"
I was starting to get under his skin; he was clenching his fists, grinding his teeth. It's bad news if you anger the Raikage, but I didn't care. I was being betrayed by the man I respected most and I had questions.
"But why me? Why not someone else?!" I asked.
"Sai was an elite ninja…"
"Sai died three months ago!" I interrupted him.
Suddenly he stood up, let out a loud yell and punched his desk in two! Breathing heavily, he said, "Nonetheless, you were chosen for your abilities and your intelligence. We won't send sub-standard ninja and your the golden standard. Now go before I do to you what I did to my desk!" I bowed thinking, "This is bullshit", and left the office. "I will see you at the west gate," the Raikage said as I shut the door.
Walking down these empty streets I felt rejected, not honored; my head hung low as I went back to my humble apartment. Opening the door, I found the forms for the medical exam already neatly stacked on the kitchen table. I neatly filled out the required fields, folded them and put them in my pocket. I started packing my things, starting from the back (my room) and working my way forward. As I put things in boxes, I started to remember all the missions; all the times' I've went to protect the people of this village, no country. Afterwards, I put all my things on a horse drawn cart that the Raikage supplied to me. I went back inside to put on my weaponry. I prepared myself as if I was going on a mission; you can never be over-prepared. However I was missing something important. "Where is my bow and quiver?" I asked myself. Thus, I started to unpack, frantically searching for my lost article. I finally found the damn thing hidden away in a box of bathroom supplies. ""How the hell did it get in there?" I wondered. After reloading the cart, I was off to the medical ward.
The medical exam was simple. A blood and urine test, a full physical, the whole "turn your head and cough" thing; it was obvious I passed. They gave me a six by nine-inch card with all of my medical information along with another card detailing my history of past injuries. I took them and went on my way. As I headed to the west gate, I passed the graveyard where my black ops squad was buried. Both of them died when we took on a force of seventy rouge ninja that were planning a raid on Kumogakure. I decided to visit their graves. I never knew their actual names, to the effect that we were black ops. For their families' protection, I only knew them by call sign, and the headstones were marked, as I knew them. I missed Raven and Shadow terribly, so I said a quick prayer and I was off; I was depressed enough today.
As I continued to the west gate I came across my favorite weapons dealer, Kazumi's. She was a goddamned bitch, but she made the best chakra assisted weapons in Thunder Country. She has fashioned all of my current weaponry, even down to the arrows I shoot. One of her arrows, chakra enhanced, can go through ten men, most other arrows would be lucky to go through three. She was closed in observance of the order that the Raikage gave. She had a new item displayed in her window, a blade of foreign design that folds into the handle for easy concealment. I would have bought the knife as a momento of Kazumi's fine craftsmanship (or craftswomanship). As I walked away I felt a callused hand on my shoulder. It was Kazumi with the discrete weapon in her hand.
She handed me the intricate knife and said, " a farewell present for my most distinguished and faithful patron." "You know you're not supposed to be outside?" I asked.
"Who gives a shit, you ungrateful bastard!"
Even though completely tactless, Kazumi was beautiful. With dark-brown hair that was cut shoulder length and worn in a ponytail and with dark red eyes like the setting sun, the only way to miss her in a crowd was to be blind. "I never said I was ungrateful." I interjected. "Well guess what dickhead," she said sharply, "a quarter of my business is flyin' out the window because of the Raikage. So, he can go suck a prick."
"Well, I didn't have a say in the whole damn matter."
"Really…"
"Yeah, really! He said he would castrate me if I didn't go!"
"Oh, c'mon… that's nothin'!"
"Your only saying that cause you're a chick!"
We did date for a short time, way back when I first became a Jounin. It's pretty obvious that the relationship didn't end well. "What's so great about peace anyway?" she fumed, "All it means is lost revenue…"
"Business always first, right?" I replied.
"Hell yes! Now I better get the hell outta here before I make a goddamn scene and get into trouble."
"Well you've already made a scene… Let's try to prevent the trouble part."
I started to walk away. She went to her door, opened it and said, "You better not die like that bastard Sai!" As she went in, I yelled back, " Yeah, cause Sai was way better than me!" She laughed as she closed the door.
As I approached the western gate, I found something completely irresponsible. Nobody was guarding the gate! The Raikage wasn't kidding about all the missions being cancelled, even the protection of the village was no longer a priority due to this "special day of gratitude". "If you wish to honor me," I thought, "protect the village with everything you have and respect me by respecting each other." Getting closer, I saw the Raikage; he had come to say his final farewells. I really didn't want to talk to him. He called out, "Tadashi! Go forth on your glorious mission of peace! Show Konoha that Kumogakure is a faithful ally!" He finished his over enthused greeting just when I got to him. In his hand he held a Konoha forehead protector. "Here, put this on!" he said enthusiastically as he shoved the article into my face. "Thanks…" I replied half-heartedly while I stuffed the item into my pocket.
"Are you ready to embark on your most important mission, yet?"
"Well it was either this or leave everything behind including my balls…"
"Cheer up boy! You're onto pastures anew!"
"The grass isn't always greener on the other side, you know?"
I didn't think he heard me.
"Once you walk out this gate," he exclaimed, "you are an official Kohonagakure ninja and therefore no longer a citizen of this village." I really had to curb my enthusiasm. "We will remember you and what you have done for the citizens of this great hidden village!"
"If you want to remember anything," I thought, "remember the ones who gave their lives for their home, not the ones who were skilled and/or lucky enough to come back, just to be betrayed."
"Goodbye, our eternal friend!" the Raikage shouted out with ecstasy. "Bye." I replied flatly.
As I stepped out of the village, leading my horse as he pulled my belongings, remorse filled my heart. I felt betrayed, embarrassed, confused. I left the village with many questions. "Why me? Why not someone else? Were there volunteers? Who ultimately decided that I was the one to go? Did I have any enemies that I was unaware of? Why the hell did I pack my quiver and bow into the damned bathroom supplies?" I kept thinking as I went further and further away from my former home. Eventually, these questions changed subject from my departure to my destination. "What is Konoha like? Where will I get my equipment? What is the weather like there? Where will I be living? Will I actually get good missions?"
As the sun set, I started to set up camp. It was too dangerous to travel at night with a fully loaded cart, and it was a very long day. I tied up my horse, and fashioned a tent out of canvas and rope. I lit myself a small fire using Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique then made myself something to eat. I've always been a damn good cook, so I ate well. After eating I went inside my tent and went to bed, questions still popping into my head. "Are there any good looking ladies in Konoha? Are there any good bars? Is the Hokage a babe?" And that's when I grabbed the whiskey bottle…
END CHAPTER 1