A/N: Welcome to my newest creation and baby the story of my newest OC, Yuka Genka. Hope you all eventually adore her as I do. This isn't an SI/OC merely an OC with different Universe circumstances, please be patient as I build a plot, hope you enjoy the ride 3.
The Rise of the Civilian Born
Prologue
Its funny how one small decision one makes can decide the life choices of many who come after that individual. How one's destiny can alter at the flip of a switch simply because someone chooses to walk a different path.
For example, in the aftermath of the first great shinobi war, Tobirama Senju the Nidaime Hokage made a decision that changed the Land of Fire. Due to the cost and casualties of the first shinobi war, it was realized by him and the countries leaders that, that to survive as a major power in a time of great instability, they would need a more stable military force.
Thus due to great consideration of the Nidaime Hokage; the creator of the first Ninja Academy in the Hidden Leaf Village decided that, rather than waiting for village population growth, he would offer a shinobi education to the rest of the countries population. This single decision, as small as it seems changed the direction of the Land of Fire.
The counties small people, its poorest people, it's unfortunate people, suddenly had an opportunity to live more than what the civilian life offered. Of course, there were stipulations from the village, some outright protested the idea, while others greedily tried to think of ways to exploit the newest resource the best they could.
Thus a few years after the creation of the Ninja Academy, a separate class was formed. This class was made completely of outer city civilian children, who all hoped to be shinobi one day.
These children would complete a basic education, after which they would be placed into the Genin CORPS where they would function as 'worker' bees so to speak. While this was an amazing opportunity, it was a dead end one as well. These civilian children would be doomed to be part of a mass platoon, a file number rather than a being of potential, treated as an expendable resource by many. After all, when seen by the village's point of view, these people while seemingly never-ending were nothing but small pieces to a much larger picture. Civilian borns after all always had small chakra reserves, never brought in new powerful bloodlines, thus they would never have the same political clout as someone born within the village. Therefore, it mattered little to anyone where someone came from. If you weren't a village born, then you weren't worth much time. Society rules and inequalities are meant to be ever changing, ever evolving as society does, thus when a certain child was faced with the stigma of her civilian heritage, she stood proud and tall in determination to prove her value. She would stand and fight, changing the view of many, and the lives of plenty.
Chapter One
The Village of Safu
It was a typical quiet morning in the small fishing village of Safu. The rising sun lit the waves on the shore, the seabirds above loudly declared it morning as the cool ocean breeze danced across the clear waters. The Village of Safu was a small village, housing a hundred strong. While it was prosperous with fishing trade, it was hardly map worthy thus when one looked upon the map of the Land of Fire, one would not see the marker for the said village, If one were truly looking for it, then you could look to the village of Kakki which laid near the southern shores. Kakki unlike Safu was well known and seen as a village of trade, opportunity, and budding fortunes as it was filled with merchants selling wares and goods not to mention, Kakki was one of fifteen towns out of three regions where one could become a shinobi for the Hidden Leaf Village.
It was tourist-rich and military-relevant; It had plenty of opportunities to grow, unlike Safu which only had its harbor to offer. While fishing was a great resource, the bigger powers saw little need to make a hub out of one of the hundreds of alike fishing villages, thus when anyone in Safu needed anything they would make the hour trek to the Village of Kakki, it was inconvenient but it was part of the village charm.
A loud slurp interrupted the quiet morning as an elderly man sat on a wooden porch sipping warm tea while he watched the morning rise in his small village. The village elder, Kazuo was a man of great respect as he had run and helped raise the small fishing hub into what it was today. While it isn't a huge village, he had been instrumental to its success as a fishing village. Now, however, he did very little physical work these days, as he was an old man. Alive to see the birth of the Land of Fire, alive to see the formation of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, Konohagakure. Yes, he was indeed an elderly man.
With a withered sigh, he looked up to the blue of the sky, the bright cheerful color reminding him ever so of his dearly departed wife and the wide eyes of his lively grandchildren. He gave a wrinkled grin around his remaining teeth and gave a heavenly toast above before taking another long sip, he after all needed to prepare for another busy day.
His house was the largest in the village, standing at two floors with two attachments which housed his children and their families. While he no longer worked the boats and nets, he had just as hectic life watching his grandchildren runabout. Speaking of which… The creeks of awakening children and adults began to break through the morning silence throughout his home. It was another typical morning, and he wouldn't ask for anything else.
He and his wife had built this home from nothing and had three precious children; a beautiful daughter and two strong sons whom they raised to adulthood successfully together until a summer ago. While it doesn't seem like much of an accomplishment, the lands around them during his lifetime were full of turbulence and war, it wasn't easily done in his day and age. He missed his wife greatly but the aching loss was dulled by the busy life his grandchildren offered.
The door slid open behind him and his eldest child and only daughter, Jun stepped out into the morning cool air, "Dad, did you start the wood stove again? You know you can wait for us to do it yah?" she asked with an exasperated sigh, the lifelines creased around her mouth as she dropped his fallen blanket back around his shoulders.
He gave a wrinkled smile, "Now, now I am hardly dead yet June Bug, let an old man help."
His daughter gave a wrinkled nose at the childhood nickname before rolling her eyes and backing out of the situation due to the sound of a louder crash from up above. He simply smiled and sipped more of his green tea as his daughter gave a scowl and turned around to belt up the stairs, "WHAT WAS THAT? YOU BETTER NOT BE MESSING AROUND, YOU KIDS BETTER BE DRESSED AND DONE YOUR ABSOLUTIONS BY THE TIME I GET UP THERE!"
He chuckled at the startled thumps before obedient calls of "Yes Mum" and "Yes Aunty" that followed his daughters morning holler. As he had thought before, he still had a loud life despite the lack of labor.
"Those kids…." Jun muttered absently before she turned to tie her apron strings as she walked; leaving him to his morning musings so she could begin the making of the family's morning meal.
Emptying his chipped ceramic teacup with one last sip he stood up slowly, placing the simple teacup down near his seating cushion like usual as his daughter would fill it by the time he came back. Walking indoors off the porch he traveled up the stairs, his face matching his elderly age. With a groan, he stepped up each wooden step despite his aching back. Once he reached the top he traveled down the hallway to stop at the children's doorway. Usually, his granddaughters shared this room, however, due to a late night for his sons who were busy with the market stall in nearby Kakki, his grandsons joined his granddaughters in the main house; Thus all four of his lively grandchildren slept together the previous night. He slid the wooden door open to come upon what had been making all the noise, or rather on whom had been making all the noise.
"NO!" a petulant and determined child scowled out, cherubic cheeks puffing out cutely as she sulked. He smiled at the sight of his eldest granddaughter Aoi attempting to dress his ever willful little Yuka. Yuka was his youngest grandchild, thus had been spoiled just a tad.
Kazuo stepped into the room where his granddaughters stood as his grandsons seemed to be already dressed and were finishing up in the nearby bathroom.
"What seems to be the problem here hmm?" he questioned with his elderly withered voice.
"Good morning Grandfather." Aoi greeted with slight aspiration but with a respectful nod. The twelve-year-old looked down to her little cousin with a frown, "She won't dress…" she sighed tiredly, it was just past dawn and Yuka was already starting up trouble.
"Hmm," he mused as he crouched down to gaze at the sulking four-year-old. "And why are you giving poor Aoi so much trouble this morning hmm?" he questioned. Yuka had the brief consideration to look guilty before reaffirming herself and looked up with confidence, "NO! I DON'T WANNA WEAR A DRESS!" she belted out her cheeks flushing in slight embarrassment as she registered her tone and words.
He chuckled at her declaration, now that he looked at it, Aoi was holding a light summer dress that had been hers when she had been younger. Yuka is many things, but ladylike and girly was not one of them. He eyed the stitching and odd marks around the straps and bandage that laid innocently upon Aoi's pinkie finger. Aoi must have fixed it up with her smallest cousin in mind.
He smiled and ruffled Yukas morning wild hair, "You must really hate the dress to ignore all of Aoi's hard work…" he mused towards his granddaughter.
Yuka paused and tilted her head to the side with a confused frown before looking between an embarrassed Aoi and a smiling old man.
"Hard work?" Yuka asked unsurely, eyeing the simple yellow dress in a considering gaze wondering what could possibly be worth so much work.
"Oh yes, Aoi stayed up really late, and took so much time so she could fix it up just for you, she thought you would like a dress for when you went to market with Aunty…" Kazuo said with mock seriousness, his voice threatening to spill with slight humor as he spotted Aoi fighting off a smile as she caught on to his play.
"Oh yes, it took so so long to finish.." Aoi played along, fighting her smile down to a sigh and frown.
Yuka frowned looking between the two feeling like she was clearly missing something until she gave in, unable to spot the humor and slight over exaggeration of how long fixing a strap on a simple dress took.
"Fine… but I'm wearing my shorts too!"
Kazuo huffed out in slight humor as Aoi placed her hands on her hips and scowled out her displeasure, "No, it'll look silly!.."
"Hmmm WILL NOT!" Yuka called out mimicking her elder cousins stance looking just as determined.
"Yes you will, besides Mum won't let you, She said ladies wear dresses properly, so no shorts," Aoi said with finality.
"Now, now." Kazuo broke in before Yuka could reply. "Surely Yuka can wear one of her neater shorts, one should make compromises when they can, yes?" He asked Aoi.
"Grandfather, you are spoiling her," she called out before sighing; leaving the room and the yellow summer dress behind. She was obviously done with the conversation; knowing she lost the battle but won the war.
He chuckled and ruffled Yukas seaweed colored locks knowing full well Aoi was indeed correct. He couldn't seem to help himself, his Yuka was so spirited and besides he was their grandfather surely he was entitled to a spoil them a little.
"Now Yuka, was this really worth the trouble?" he questioned as he gazed at her curiously.
Yuka sighed and shook her head with a slight frown, "No… But I don't like dresses..they always tear and twist..then Aunty Jun yells at me."
"Be as it may Yuka, we can't always do as we like… your getting older so you will have to learn when you should agree and make compromises and when its okay to demand something." He told her sagely.
He could see the difficulty of understanding on her young face as she scrunched up her freckled nose in thought.
"But Grandfather, aren't they the same?" she asked curiously eyes wide and eager for whatever he had to say. That was one thing he loved about her, she was ever so curious, so eager for knowledge and understanding. It was a deep hunger she possessed that not even his children had.
"They are not. If everybody only did what they wanted Yuka, no one would ever work together. We wouldn't have this home or our family work. I wouldn't have made this village or married my wife if that was all I did. Compromising and agreeing with others shows them you that you value them and their opinions, That you hold there happiness close."
Yuka tilted her head to the side with a slight frown as she climbed into his embrace, "But then when can I make demands?" she asked confusedly.
He huffed out in amusement as he answered her silent demand for a hug. "Well, I suppose when it is important."
"What's important?" Yuka asked in more confusion.
"Well…" he mused as he sat fully down, Yuka in arms. He was getting too old to crouch like that. "Important means, something you value closely, like yourself and our family or your friends or even where we live. If it's something that affects that in a bad or good way, then it's important."
"So.." she then muttered slightly, a habit that showed that she was processing her thoughts. "So if something was gonna hurt or make better what's important I can make a demand?" she asked in slight uncertainty.
"Hmm yes, I suppose that is one way to put it." he agreed. "So do you think the dress is important enough to make demands?" he questioned calmly as he watched the light switch flick in her dark sea blue eyes.
"No grandfather, it wasn't really important so we shouldn't argue on it," Yuka stated with such finality and self-logic he couldn't help but chortle and mess her fluffy hair. "Hey!" she whined playfully batting his wrinkled hand away before escaping his hold.
"So will you wear the dress?" He questioned as he stood slowly with the help of the wooden wall.
He watched his granddaughter nod enthusiastically and hold up the dress in question after picking it up. "Yes Grandfather, I will wear it because it's not important enough to make demands."
He nodded in agreement, "Very well then, I hope to see what it look like downstairs, due hurry up though, I think Aunty was serious on her threat." he whispered in a consperiastic way.
Yuka nodded seriously and gave a salute, "I'll be ready!"
He nodded and gave her one last head pat before exiting the room, his grandsons and Aoi long gone, downstairs. Smiling in slight affection, he made his descent down the steps to the dining room where he would sit with the rest of his family for the morning meal. As his family was always busy, the only real time they had together was the one meal at the beginning of the day.
Stepping inside the dining room he moved towards the head of the table and sat down on the floor on a comfortable seat cushion. Like every morning, his daughter Jun made a simple but decent meal, composing of rice, omelet, fish and miso soup.
"Hmm this all looks lovely June Bug" he complimented his daughter, enjoying the slight tsk that he got from the childish name.
"Thank you father, Is Yuka going to be joining us anytime soon?" she questioned with dull amusement most likely already filled in with her daughter, Aoi's point of view.
"Ah yes, she should be down soon." He stated in calm humor as he took a bite of his fish.
"I am sure she will be," Jun sighed out, most likely already too into her nonwhimsical mood to really care, to well known of her father's obvious favor of his youngest grandchild.
He looked at his large family as he ate deciding to let his daughter be and have some sense of peace as she ate her own meal, it was supposed to be her day off after all.
As usual, as he ate he studied his family, content to bask in their presence while he had it.
His daughter sat tiredly to his left, her daughter Aoi beside her. Aoi was eating politely and as refined as a twelve-year-old could. She was growing up so fast it seemed.
Beside Aoi sat his only living daughter in law, Shizuka; who was married to his youngest son Tadashi.
Shizuka was a quiet woman who reminded him of dandelion cotton as her character was light and calming to the soul. She was a gentle character who complimented his son well.
He gazed passed his daughter in law to the end of the table where his youngest grandson Jirou sat. Jirou was at the proud age of six and sat eating messily, most likely in a hurry to eat his meal so he could go to the morning market in Kakki. The children were going there for lessons for the day with Shizuka and Tadashi, giving Jun the break she very much needed, as she was the primary child care of the family.
He took a bite of omelet before turning his gaze the right side of the table, immediately to his right was his eldest son and middle child, Taro. Taro sat silently like he did every morning eating just as quiet. He was a stoic man who showed little emotion and care for anything, including his one and only child, Yuka. His son seemingly never recovered from the loss of his young wife on the birthing bed. Overworking himself and undersleeping was how he spent his days these days, escaping his only child for a rundown fishing boat and even rattier looking crew. Taro was one of his greatest shames, a bitter love he held for his eldest son. While he understood the great loss of losing a wife; he could not understand the emotional abandonment he had for his daughter. She was so much like her mother Eiko it wasn't funny, but then again that could make her his greatest ache. He was human and he was his son, he loved him despite his faults.
Sitting beside Taro, was where Yuka sat. She was much quieter during meals but only so when Taro was in her presence. He would look down with a quieting gaze that kept her subdued. He greatly disliked his sons' disposition when concerning his granddaughter, but out of respect remained silent, making sure to comfort his granddaughter on the sidelines when needed.
Sitting beside Yuka's other side was his youngest child and son, Tadashi. Tadashi, like his brother, was a fisherman, however, he made a point to enjoy his family life by spending time and helping his wife at the occasional market. Like his wife, Tadashi was a quiet person. He enjoyed simple books and quiet leisure time activities.
Lastly at the end of the table, across from his younger brother sat Yoshio who was nine years old, his eldest grandson sat respectfully, doing his best to mimic his father. He was becoming a bright young man, determined to grow up quickly so he could work beside his father on the boats.
Loud steps running down the stairs broke the families silence, Jirou laughing out at the disturbance, it was a very typical sound. Yuka brought so much noise to their lives.
"Rino" Jirou called out childishly as Yuka entered the dining room in a rush.
He smiled at the child puffing her cheeks in retaliation just seeming to bight back a retort, she was dressed in the simple yellow sundress with no shorts seemingly beneath.
He took a sip of tea as Yuka bit back a retaliation as she sat beside her father to eat her morning meal, yes this was quite a typical morning he mused peacefully, his hands full of green tea.
Breakfast seemed to end quickly, His son Tadashi and his wife Shizuka lined the four energetic children up as they prepared to go to the nearby village Kakki. He stood beside the ever-energetic Jirou as his children put the days work into the cart. It would be pulled by Tadashi today it seemed, good Shizuka could use a break lugging that wooden monstrosity they called a cart for a change.
"You all set for the big town?" he questioned his grandson patiently. Jirou was quick to look up and nod to only rapidly chatter his excitement, Yuka quickly joining him. He nodded obligingly at their nattered words, Aoi and Yoshio were both waiting much more quietly to leave, they took their position as eldest very seriously.
"Okay, I think we got everything." Tadashi interrupted his son as he wiped his damp brow. He must have loaded the cart on his own today, which meant Taro had left immediately to the sea. He forced a smile, "You all enjoy yourselves today, make sure you learn lots so you can tell me everything you did and learned."
The children all agreed as Shizuka quietly made sure everyone had what they needed before leaving.
"We will be fine Dad, We will see you tonight," Tadashi stated reassuringly before waving him off as he turned to duck under the bar of the cart before pulling it down to an appropriate level so he could pull it down the dirt path towards Kakki. Hopefully, they got there quickly so he wouldn't suffer under the summer sun anymore then he had to.
"Have a good day" Kazuo called out as his family left to the village, taking care to watch them until they disappeared into the distance. With a sigh he turned around, returning to the house where his daughter Jun was most likely getting the rest she deserved. It would be an unusually quiet day. He hoped his family returned soon, as he looked forward to his grandchildren's tales of their days' adventures.
It wasn't until late in the evening, long passed when the sunset till he heard the yammering of young voices. Yawning with fatigue he sat up from his position, having fallen asleep in the middle of his evening meditation. Good, they made it home. Stretching before he stood he made his way towards the front of the house where his daughter Jun was already waiting. The front door slid open, Aoi was holding a very much asleep Jirou on her back as Yoshio held a very exhausted looking Yuka by the hand. The adults were likely still putting the supplies away for the evening.
Jun took one look at all of the children, "Right, Yuka bed, Aoi you can place Jirou with Yuka for tonight." Aoi nodded tiredly and slipped her sandals off as her mother carefully removed Jirou's footwear as he continued to sleep. Yuka sat on her rear, flopping down carelessly before flipping her own shoes to the floor, his eyes catching the sight of rolled up shorts beneath the now dirty sundress, obvious the wearer had a full day of play. Yawning wide Yuka rubbed her eyes, leaving her shoes in the middle of the entryway as she followed a near stumbling Aoi up the stairs. Yuka really must be tired if she's going to bed without a fuss.
Jun gently took the shoes from Yoshio's hands before shooing him towards the bath. "Aoi, make sure you have a bath before you go to bed." She called up the stairs quietly, taking care not to wake her nephew.
"Dad, you should go to bed too, you look as tired as the kids." Jun yawned out before turning to retire for the night most likely.
"Hmm yes, perhaps you're right." he allowed having no real intention of listening as he was much too curious about the day to sleep now. Leaving the entrance area, he tottered off to the kitchen to make a fresh pot of tea, knowing well that his son and his wife would enjoy a fresh cup.
Hearing the two enter the house he placed the tea and the simple ceramic cups on a tray before he delivered them to the dining table where his son and Shizuka were waiting, both looking very much as exhausted as the kids did.
"Full-day hmm?" he asked as Shizuka sat up straighter before preparing to serve the tea for them.
His son sighed before smiling in slight humor, "You could say that. Quiet eventful anyways. You know how the children can be." Shizuka ended his sentence with her own amused laugh, "You mean how Jirou and Yuka can be, those two are thick as thieves when they want to be." She placed the cups before he then his son before taking her own.
"Oh and what happened today?" he asked in good humor, happy to hear of the day, the other two happy to tell the tale.
"You know what today in Kakki was right, it was Selection Day. So the town was full of people, a full market, full of examinees and of tourists, it was a wonder we didn't lose the kids in the crowd." Tadashi stated tiredly before sipping his tea with great appreciation.
Ah yes, Selection Day, the days when Konohagakure, the Village Hidden in the Leaves sent out shinobi to one of fifteen designated villages and set up a building for 'selection'. They would test and examine children between the ages of 5 and 8 for their shinobi academy, a program for out of village born children made by the Nidaime Hokage himself, Tobirama Senju. These kids if selected would then learn in the hidden village how to be a ninja and serve in the countries most secretive military. Of course, the chances of being chosen were slim, not just anyone could enter the notorious hidden shinobi village after all. That and Konohagakure only sent examiners to towns and places like Kakki every three years, and only a handful was ever chosen. Not only that, he had heard that only a hundred children were chosen a year countrywide and out of those one hundred, only half actually make it to graduation.
Kakki was one of fifteen towns around the Land of Fire that had what was known as Selection Day. Thus every three years, Kakki was a hub for merchants and wannabe ninjas. People came from far and wide with their children. Many wanted the pride of having someone as important as a ninja in the family, others wanting to rid of spare children, or for the 'free' basic medical examination they had for their kids. As for the orphaned population, it was an opportunity for stable living. The selection always brought the poor classed and the orphaned as well as the merchant class and lower nobles together for one peaceful and like-minded reason, the hope of being 'selected'.
Of course, Kazuo knew the reality of the selection process. It was an easy way to keep their numbers up, as well as keep a steady source for CORPS members, worker bees, or pawns so to speak. The ones selected never became one of the greats, that kind of specialized education was for the village born after all. It was a cruel reality for those chosen and who made it. They would be shoved off into a dead end job, serving a village who viewed you as an expendable resource. He was quite glad his children never asked to compete for a selection spot.
"Ah yes, and how did the children like Selection day?" he asked as he sipped his tea.
"Well.. the boys were fascinated as per usual on the ninja present, Aoi was calm as usual and helped out with the stall," Shizuka explained calmly as she too drank her hot tea.
"As discussed the other night, we signed the boys up for the small school in Kakki, they are quiet excited to go.."
"And Yuka?" He questioned, noticing the obvious avoidant of his youngest grandchild.
The couple looked at each other, both seemingly trying to decide what to say. Tadashi cleared his throat and fiddled with his robe. "Yuka has decided she wants to be a super ninja… and had mentioned nothing but her future career the entire trip."
Shizuka nodded in agreement as Kazuo placed his teacup down in thought.
"So she wants to be a shinobi?" he questioned.
"Yah, and is determined to be selected when she is five, despite us explaining they won't select again until she is seven years old.
Kazuo nodded in deep thought, not really noticing as his son and his wife finished their tea before dismissing themselves to go get themselves much needed rest. The days were long and the nights seemingly short.
Yuka was his precious grandchild, the life of a shinobi was full of violence and death. Sighing he placed his cup down, how could he bless the path the child unknowingly choose? He couldn't let her, she was too innocent and wild, she wouldn't survive in that world. The ninja path was bathed in blood and demons that destroyed anyone that took its path.
Yes, he best nip this 'dream' in the bud, show her that there are more enjoying ways to spend one's life. If Yuka wanted a position to feel important, then he would raise her up to be someone this village could use when he passed on. Yes, that would do, he mused to himself as he stood to walk his way to his own bed. He would start in the morning.
A/N: Well here is the first chapter for my newest story, despite not really even updating my other two as of yet, though I am currently rewriting chapter two of the Song of a Red Fan, and the newer chapter of Empathy of a Hatake... This story currently has three chapters written, the other two are unedited and will be done soon hopefully ... due to a car accident, I've been on rest, doing better but still tired most of the time so please be patient. Please R&R, curious what you think.