Team Zero (A Naruto fic)
By
Stray Cat Blues
I do not own Naruto or any of the characters other then those of my own design.
-And welcome once again (to what is perhaps my most ambitious undertaking to date) to another fic by me the man formally known as Cappy, though known now as Stray Cat Blues. In any case I'm doing now what I once swore I'd never do, and that's an OC type fic… As you will guess by the names these OCs are in fact my somewhat often confused friends, one is just as much an anime fan as I, the other not so much. However both have inspired me to do this fic, as well as provided encouragement. Now this won't be your typical "drop the modern man and his X amount of friends into this world" type fic so don't worry. Now my friends who don't write by the way, have expressed a desire to not add commentary as of yet. So I, dear readers hope to encourage them to add their own comments along the way.
And now for what you really came here to see!-
P.S.- :Jan-27-07-1:30.am: As I was finishing up chapter three and starting on four, I remembered theres a foul word in here or two, now by foul word I mean my personal favorite the "F word" with runner up "Son of a ..." along with your standard course of hells, dammits and the like, I guess i should warn those out there who might take offense and all that jazz, now I'm not going to throw them around all that much but they are here and there in some chaps while in others maybe not appearing at all (and by them I mean my favorites, you can expect damn and hell pretty much every chapter ). Just thought I'd give you guys a heads up and all.
Team Zero
Newborn Ninjas or Three babies and a nutcase
Current OC cast.
Chris-Male, Light Brown Hair, Hazel Eyes, 5 months old
Davis- Male- Blonde Hair- Hazel Eyes- 4 months old
Reese-Male, Dark Brown Hair, Green Eyes- 5 Months old
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(During the great ninja war in which many ninjas and their clans were decimated in the fighting, several young ones became orphans, drifters whose fate was tied inexorably to the course and outcome of the war. At a time when many ninja villages were barring outsiders and those misplaced by the war. One village, the true victor of the war, allowed some of those who were orphaned by its actions to be raised and taught the ninja way within its own walls. Perhaps in a way for penance for the sins committed during war, perhaps a way to gain even more recruits...or simply the actions of a man who had a kind heart and the power to back his choices...This is a not so simple tale of three friends from three villages all touched by the war in the same way... Chris, the confident young one from the village of Rock, Davis the quiet boy from the village of Grass, and Reese the... second most unpredictable kid in the world from the village of Rain. Their clans destroyed, their parents and family gone from this earth, nothing left not even their names but the ones given to them by the victors of the war. This is their story of how three orphans who became friends who became brothers who became ninjas...for the hidden village of the Leaf …Konoha.)
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A week after the Kyuubi Attack on Konoha
City still in mourning over the loss of the Fourth Hokage
"Why the hell did we get stuck with this duty again?" whined nameless Chunin number one. "We should be out helping clean up the mess that fox made instead of baby sitting a bunch of foreign orphan brats..." He was silenced by an angry wave of the hand by, his also nameless Chunin companion. "You fool these kids are all that's left of the late Hokage's wishes, he wanted us to take in the clanless from the war and raise them as our own, you think to challenge his wisdom?"
Nameless Chunin number one simply shook his head and quieted his protests; it wasn't smart to badmouth ANY idea that the late village savior had, even the one to not outright kill the demon fox carrier. "I just...we don't even know if they have the ability to be ninjas, much less any bloodlines or clan names or anything, these kids don't even have a first name..." A smirk appeared on the second chunin's face. "That's why we have all those office ninja, they said they gave them names, but no last names, the Fourth wanted them to grow up and find some pretty village girls to marry so that the clan names are strictly Konoha made..."
"Sounds like a damn good idea to me, so lets get too this then...how bout the little hazel eyed one who seems so sure of himself?"
His name never known to time, forever lost in the rigors of battle, the one that became known as Chris... Confident in himself even at an early age, a natural leader from day one...
"Hmm I see... And what about the quiet one, he's been studying us since we brought him here..."
The name his mother gave him, never to be spoken by a living being again, Davis...Quiet and fearless in everything he did, forever reliable by those few he trusts...
"Heh and what about this rough brat who seems intent on biting me?"
His name, chosen by his father to honor his ancestors, a name never to be known by those around him, Reese... As fierce as a dragon and just as predictable, protective of his friends and the innocent... and future purveyor of female bathhouses and hot springs!
Chunin number 2 couldn't help but grin "Kinda' weird names but whatever...you know what man I really wonder what will happen to these three..." Nameless Chunin One simply shook his head "Who knows, all we can hope is that they don't bring shame to whoever gets unlucky enough to be their caretaker and sensei..."
The curious gaze of both Chunin focused on the now three sleeping babies, just what was their future, great ninjas, washouts, saviors or villains; one could never truly tell with the young. One thing was certain; whoever got the job of future sensei for those three was sure to have his or her hands full.
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Office of the newly reinstated Third Hokage
Four days after the ceremony
Three weeks since Kyuubi attack
"Hokage-sama, the jounin you requested is here" Informed Saturobi's new secretary; the third Hokage simply sighed as he moved aside the mess of paperwork that had been perched on his desk for the past day. He wasn't looking forward to this, considering she truly was the only one he could turn to in this chaotic period of time. "Please send her in right away" The Third simply sighed once again and mentally prepared himself once again for the battle he was about to face.
"The perfect one for this mission, though she herself won't know it till far later in the game" Thought the Third. A quick knock at his door informed him that he had no more time to prepare. "Please enter" Without further delay the person in question entered, The Third still had to repress a shudder at seeing her, not at how she looked or anything of that sort, but of what she had been put through and the things she had been misled to do, In strode perhaps the most tortured soul he had yet to meet in his long life, Her grin was false as was the cheerful nonchalance she gave off in order to fool those around her. It worked on normal people and even on most ninjas, but those who knew her also knew the terrible hells she had endured. Truly a tough woman in need of healing.
She was only 17, so young in the eyes outside the village, but in the shinobi world most women her age had already married and perhaps already carried their first borne. This was true in the more powerful clans who couldn't afford to wait to have heirs to their bloodline secure, with all the insecurities and dangers that came with the title ninja it was never safe to bet if the mother or father would life to see the morning sun.
Yes their were older and more experienced woman in the village for this certain type of mission, however the Hokage truly felt that the only way to truly heal this woman of her burning guilt and rage was for her to undertake this task, inexperienced both in its technique as well as emotionally.
It was the only way he could think of to save a woman who was more danger to herself then almost any enemy Konoha had.
It wasn't easy to tell at first glance her mental state with her false carefree grin and easy going nature for those she deemed a non threat or amusing, for those she decided were annoying or a possible threat she became one of the most bloodthirsty and disturbed kounichi that Saturobi ever had the displeasure of meeting. Two sides of different coins that had made him wonder if his decision was truly in the best interests of all, what if she turned the three young ones into a bunch of mentally disturbed terrorists, or what if taking care of three children would turn one of his best jounin's into a housewife? The Third shook his head one more time to clear these thoughts, too many what ifs and such, if it worked it would perform wonders on a woman that Ibiki had declared unsaveable...
"I'm sure you wish to know why you were called in to my office without any prior notice Mitarashi Anko."
Mitarashi Anko, Jounin of Konoha all her life but for what some would consider a brief stint outside its walls and last living apprentice of the Snake Saninn approached the Hokage with the same guarded expression that she always did, living under Orocchimaru had made her jumpy of sudden summons to her boss...that and the terrible guilt she held in herself for betraying Konoha in the way she did. "Hokage-sama, how may this one serve you?" Standard question to which he expected, she had only recently rejoined Konoha only a few months before the Fourths death, ever since then she had volunteered for only the most dangerous missions. Her guilt with herself and something to do with the Fourths death had made her almost suicidal in her choice of missions.
She stood still expecting her standard answer of said suicide mission, knowing that whatever it was she would do, she had much penance to do for her sins; her actions had paved the way for the Fourth to be killed, for the village to be harmed in the way it did. Anko owed it to the village and then some. Yes no matter the mission she would perform it or die trying. Of course if she had known ahead of time what was expected of her, she might just have decided to commit seppuku and be done with it.
"Yes Anko, in fact the village of Konoha does have a use for your service, though I fear it will be of a different nature then you are used too." Saturobi was extra careful to keep his face and tone natural and business like; he preferred those around him to see the reason as to why his orders should be carried out instead of just having to force his authority as the head ninja. "Indeed, one could say that this mission though seemingly of little use now will have far reaching consequences for the very future of the village". Anko couldn't help but stand just a little bit taller though she too kept her face as neutral as she could as well. Major S class missions as this one was hinting to be only come along once in a great blue moon during the few times that the ninja villages of the world weren't at war.
"I won't sugarcoat this Anko Mitarashi, this mission will call on skills you may think you don't have, and test the very limits of both your patience and your mental strength." Pausing to take a long puff on his pipe he let that sentence hang in the air as long as the smoke ring he made. "I'm afraid to say that this job requires the talents of not only a skilled jounin such as yourself but a woman who has no ties to anything at the moment. It's a little unfortunate for you that you're the only one currently in Konoha who exhibits both these qualities." Another pause and another puff, the Thirds face remained devoid of emotion and stayed in the same calm mask. Anko couldn't help but feel like she was getting into something incredibly serious and deadly, the criteria made the mission sound as though one shouldn't expect to live through the mission to completion.
"The chance that I've waited for to repent for my mistakes and the harm I've caused the village, no matter what I'll take this mission and complete it regardless of the cost" Anko's eyes narrowed and her face became one of serious intent, now was the time to accept the responsibility of her actions.
"Hokage-sama, as a kounichi of the leaf I'm always ready to give my life to any cause that may benefit the village without question or fail"
"Be warned once more Anko, this is no normal mission, once you accept you must on your honor swear to see it through to the end, in the long run I feel as though you'll see my wisdom as well as HIS wisdom on the matter." Saturobi closed his eyes and gave a slight sigh. "It was his wish that this take place, I needn't remind you that you owe your life to him and that I think you should take all that into account"
Anko stiffened immediately, it was true that the only the Fourths infinite mercy had spared her the shame of being slain as a traitor to the leaf and had lead to her reinstatement as a jounin of the leaf. If this was a mission and request from him from beyond the grave then she had no choice. "No matter the mission or the risk, I Anko Mitarashi swear on my life to make true the wishes of the Fourth Hokage by completing this mission"
"Alright then, you have been duly warned..." The Third leaned forward and hit the button on his intercom. "You may send them in now". Anko prepared herself for anything to walk through that door, it was sure to be someone extremely important or powerful and she wished to look the part of a professional Ninja and not be surprised by anything that might step through that office door. Yes, the Kyuubi itself could enter and Anko wouldn't bat an eye...
When three strollers containing three sleeping babies but months old were carted in, Anko didn't know whether to be outraged at what seemed a bad joke or simply confused.
She chose the latter.
The Hokage had to resist letting a small smile through, one did not often see Anko speechless, much less with that innocent look of confusion that she mustn't have worn since she was a small child. Still, her temper legendary enough to rival that of his best female student wasn't something that he wished to deal with...that and it would wake up the children.
"Let me explain clearly, THESE three will be your mission starting today from the time they graduate as genin from the Konoha ninja academy or the age of responsibility. In essence, it is your duty to care for them, raise them, and begin their training in the ninja arts." a quick shuffle of papers broke the dead quiet in the room after the Hokage's opening shot. "Ah it says here that the one on the left is called Chris, the one in the middle is named Davis and the one on the right is named Reese...Odd names to be sure but ones that I think will suit them giving their circumstances."
Nothing save the quiet breathing of the babes and the two ninjas in the room prevailed as the Hokage meet the open gaze of Anko, Her eyes still showing signs of the confusion that had dominated her thinking since the door opened and even the beginning signs of her fearsome temper showing.
"From this point on, You, Anko Mitarashi, are to become their mother in all but blood. As I said you will care for them as if they were your own and teach them all that you know of the ninja arts as you can save those of the snakes. And..." The Third Hokage got no further as a small chuckle emerged from Anko,
"Ah so you're saying that this S classed mission you all but promised turns out to be nothing but a simple babysitting gig huh, a regular genin type blue milk run..."
The Hokage simply waited, he knew her temper and pride, injured though it may be, would enter into this at some point it was all a matter of time.
"Hokage-sama with all due respect, you cannot expect me to believe that the last wish from the Fourth was to have someone simply...baby-sit these brats until they were old enough to enter the academy" Anko's face became more forceful as she spoke, "And you would honestly sit there and tell me that I'M the only one for this mission?" she quickly and savagely gestured toward the still sleeping babes "I know NOTHING about babies and even less about being a mother, much less a decent human being...Hokage-sama you cannot..."
Turnabout was fair play in this little game as the Third also cut Anko's tirade off. "Mitarashi Anko, You have formally agreed to accept this mission, albeit without complete details but with full knowledge that it would be both difficult and vital to Konoha, your eyes and training seem to fail you if you do not notice that these three come not from the leaf, but from the rock, rain and grass villages!"
Anko turned quickly and studying the infinites more closely, it was true that their features resembled those from said villages, her face brightened a little at the prospect that these three held rare bloodline limits or perhaps the noble blood of premiere ninjas from those villages. "So they are?"
"No, as far as we know they are simply orphans from the war, their clans were destroyed in the aftermath and we have no clue other then that their clans had to have been ninja's..." The Hokage shuffled the papers once more looking for a few bits of information concerning the children "Nothing is confirmed other then the Fourths word that these three would be an asset to the village"
"But Hokage-sama...you know I can't care for children...what if they are tainted..." Anko hand reached up and touched her cursed seal. Ever since the snake had given it to her, promising her power, she had never truly been the same. She could even now feel the evil chakra pulse through her lightly, almost as if it sensed the innocent life just waiting to be tainted. "Hokage-sama, why me, why do you ask one as fallen and bloodthirsty as myself to care for...no be a mother to these three"
"It would be that simple to let your past allow you to slip out of this, to acknowledge that the risk outweighs the gains and simply deem you a lost cause" A slight smile crossed his face "Too bad it won't be that simple" Saturobi stood from behind his desk and crossed over in front of her, his hands folded behind his back. "Here it is... they need you as much as you need them, Anko; you will learn much from them. You will find that this is most likely what the Fourth would have wanted in any case, care you to defy two Hokage's wisdom and orders and your own swear to complete this mission?"
There was no masking the tension that had filled the air, The Hokage had apparently tired of playing this game. She had to decide whether to forgo her own swear and debt to Konoha and once again be seen as unreliable and untrustworthy or become something she had never thought possible.
A mother
The very thought sent a shiver through her, little brats crawling around messing themselves and raising a racket, then later when they learn to talk, never shutting up and asking her to buy them things, and even later when they grow to teenagers, always borrowing her kunai and losing them and STILL asking her to buy them everything...
But...
A brief flash of all three of them smiling and calling her mommy...of all of them playing in the park...of warm hugs on cold days when the world and the seal seemed too harsh to handle.
Mommy...Mom...Mother...Mum
"I love you mom!"
The crying of little Reese broke her from her trance, woken by his cries both Davis and Chris woke as well and began to wail about their interrupted sleep. The Hokage merely watched as Anko slowly walked over to the strollers as if drawn by something she couldn't quite explain, those last words and thoughts ringing through her mind as she stood over all three of the crying babes. "What are they crying for?" she spoke more to herself then to the other occupant in the room. She was at a complete loss at what to do; kounichi training much less general ninja training hardly taught one how to handle children.
On an impulse she picked one up, Davis she believed and held him to her face to get a good look at him. Young Davis stopped crying almost immediate upon meeting her violet eyes with his own. The two stared at each other for a short while, before long Davis reached out with his small hands in an attempt to hold on to her. Taking the cue, Anko awkwardly held him to her body as tenderly as she could; it was enough to pacify the young one completely. During all this, the other two had stopped crying not soon after Anko had drawn near and also seemed interested in the woman who stood before them.
"Truly the kami meant for this to happen, the Fourth was correct in putting her at the top of the list for this little project of his." Saturobi marveled at how the children reacted to a prefect stranger so, a woman with such sorrow in her aura would normally send those that small into even harder crying fits. These children however seemed to be more intrigued with it, amazing at such an early age as they were. "How had he known...that these children carried the potential to be such great ninjas?"
Quiet reigned in the office as Anko stared at each small child before her, etching their faces into her memory as she saw slight glimpses of her future with them, each moment bringing equal parts joy and sadness. "Why should I feel this...this connection with these three?" The brief flashes, taunting her with their second long revelations of the possible future that offered much but promised perhaps only one thing for sure.
She would never be alone again.
It hit her then, what it was that she could sense from these three, orphans with no clan from a foreign village, they would have no hope to reach their true strength as ninjas, they would grow up alone much like herself, they would find themselves easy prey to those like...him. They were so much like her that their fates would almost certainly be the same as hers... "NO, I won't allow another innocent soul to be perverted and twisted by the likes of Orocchimaru ever again!" A sudden fierce instinct of protectiveness rose from deep within her heart, parts of her she thought long since ripped out by the Snake Saninn.
Parts of her that wanted her to take these children as her own.
Anko's hand went towards her cursed seal once more, she wasn't a mother, hell she wasn't even a decent human being. What made both the Third and Fourth Hokages so sure that she was the one to do this? For one thing she didn't know thing one about taking care of another, Second what if the evil chakra from her cursed seal infected them and twisted them like Orocchimaru or herself, she knew she couldn't live with herself if she turned these children into monsters.
A heavy sigh escaped the Hokage, they had gone over THAT little subject over and over again yet she still never seemed to believe the simple truth. "Anko, I truly tire of this, you know that cursed seal won't affect anyone but you" The Third set behind his desk and steeples his hands, looking over them severely at her. "Make your choice Anko, do you accept and bring honor back to yourself or prove that perhaps the Fourth misplaced his faith in you, these children WILL be an asset to the village and more so under your tutelage"
Still holding the once more napping Davis to her she turned to the old ninja. "I will accept this mission under one condition, I … don't want anyone to know that I'm their babysi...I mean mother, at least not until they have become genin and proven that they can handle themselves"
"Acceptable, and very wise" His growing grin was hidden just like the rest of his face behind his hands. "Anko you will, of course, not teach them anything you may have learned from him; instead, you will focus on what their latent abilities will be, as well as teach them the basics of the leaf. You will of course be allotted a fairly decent salary, in order to raise them properly"
Anko simply nodded as she turned back to what had suddenly become her future, exactly what those three held for her was unknown to her. All that truly mattered now was that she live up to the trust and expectations of both Hokages and train them to be the best ninjas they could be.
After all, that's all she really knew anyway.
Saturobi's voice cut into her thoughts abruptly " Let me give you some simple advice I learned when I raised my daughter, when the time comes that you learn to love them and you will by the way" His ever present pipe once again in his mouth he took another deep breath. "Know that love will give all of you great strength, that what would seem foolish or impossible no longer matters to you" His eyes turned down to bore into her own, to lend strength to his last statement. " Mark my words Anko Mitarashi, they will become so precious to you that even the revenge you thirst for daily will pale in comparison to protecting them and watching them grow"
Once more a pause
"You are dismissed Anko, your mission's will reflect your involvement in this project which from henceforth will be named "Team Zero" Your pay will also reflect this as well as the allotment to the children... good luck and do your best to bring about the dreams of a great man and of those children who's future you now hold in your hand"
"Yes Hokage-sama"
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Apartment of Anko Mitarashi
One hour after project "Team Zero" begins
"Team Zero huh...a future team of ninjas with no number, no background and a possibility of no future...all of these things placed solely in my hands..."
She truly thanked the kami that the children were still asleep, she needed a lot of time to think about all that she had just gotten into. After all, she hadn't exactly started the day imagining that she'd be a mother of three before the day was out.
Mother...
That term stuck in her head as she watched over the children, she was their mother now, or at lest that's what her official orders told her that's what she was, what she was to act like and be to these children who had lost their own mothers long before they could even know...
"Good luck huh...I'll need a hell of a lot more then luck to raise these three...more like a goddamn miracle" Anko couldn't help but keep her thoughts from turning bitter, for Kami's sakes what the hell did she know about children!
A soft sigh issued from the darkness that was her home
"Doesn't matter...if the Fourth wanted this then there is no way I can do anything but try my best..."
A soft hiccup issued from little Chris as he turned over on his side breaking only briefly the silence she had wrapped herself in.
A soft small smile graced her lips at the sight of all three children sleeping contently as though they had no idea what they had just gotten themselves into.
"Ok boys, welcome home and say hello to momma Anko, I hope you like it here because we'll be stuck together for a long while"
Lonely souls with no future, learn to make your own...together.
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-Well there you go, another look into the world of Naruto…I sincerely hope that you have enjoyed my story somewhat and provide me with lots of reviews that point out what I'm doing wrong or what I'm doing right. In that sense, I'm hoping someone likes this concept enough to beta read for me and help me with my grammar and spelling editing because both my friends are lazy and pretty much useless in that regard
Also, I'll be adding the Team Zero Status thing as a way to help keep track of any changes in me and my friends OC's, as well as a Current OC Cast to keep track of any other (though I hope to keep somewhat rare) OC's that might appear.
Please do review, and let me know exactly your compliments and complaints and I'll try to take them all into account, till next time
Stray Cat Blues signing off-
Character Info
Anko Mitarashi-Age 17-Special Jounin of the leaf- last known living appertince to the snake Saninn- Known for mad rages and intense desire to see blood spilled- new foster mother of three new infants
Team Zero Status
Chris Mitarashi- Formally newborn of the hidden village of Rock, Now of the hidden village of Leaf, Foster son of Anko Mitarashi
(Classified to general public and low level/mid level/ high level ninja)
Davis Mitarashi- Formally newborn of the hidden village of Grass, Now of the hidden village of Leaf, Foster son of Anko Mitarashi
(Classified to general public and low level/mid level/ high level ninja)
Reese Mitarashi- Formally newborn of the hidden village of Rain, Now of the hidden village of Leaf, Foster son of Anko Mitarashi
(Classified to general public and low level/mid level/ high level ninja)