Roku Seda.
That is not my name.
And yet, it is.
This body I possess, with obsidian eyes and white streaked hair on black.
It is not my own.
And yet, it is.
How is this possible, then? How is it that I can both be and not be someone at the same time?
The answer, is reincarnation.
Apparently, after passing away in my old world, I was reborn into another. A new world fresh for me to explore. For a while, I was simply content to be alive, and accepted my new life relatively easily. I was a relatively good child; never crying and always making sure to not disturb my new parents' precious sleep. God knows how much of a mercy I spared them.
However, my worldview was flipped around upon my first outing from my home. As my mother carried me in both arms while my father merrily explained whatever we came across in that ever-so weird baby talk, my eyes settled on a rock formation.
This wasn't just any rock formation, oh no. For erected on that gigantic precipice were four faces.
Four faces that I was intimately familiar with.
Noticing my gaze, my father spoke on without a care in the world. "And that, little Seda, is Hokage Rock! It's meant to express our gratitude and respect to the Hokage that have helped our village!"
My father babbled on while my mother hummed in agreement to whatever he said, both unaware of the cold feeling of dread coiling around my stomach.
It was on this day that I cried for the very first time.
Roku Seda.
That was the name I received upon my reincarnation into the world of shinobi. Born to my chunin father Roku Kidan and ex-interrogator of a mother Roku Sezuri, it was without a doubt that I would be fated to become a shinobi of Konoha.
Thankfully for me, that was my plan anyways.
Although the anime/manga was one I greatly enjoyed, I was painfully aware that the world itself was a dark and cruel place. Children being trained since young to kill, villages being on the brink of war, and a place where dying of old age is considered a miracle, this universe is undeniably messed up.
With that being said, I have no intention whatsoever of dying at a young age once again. Considering that God had been so kind as to drop me in the middle of a world filled to the brim with murderers, psychopaths, and megalomaniacs, I'll be damned if I don't at least try to make it out of this alive, no matter how slim the chances are. There is absolutely no way in hell I'd let my life slip by a second time. So as of now, my top priority is to survive the oncoming years that are going to be chock full of chaos.
Heh, I guess you could call this,
My ninja way.
Academy, 1st Year
It's been a few months since I started the Academy, and I must say that it isn't quite as bad as I had expected. Sure, the physical training that we were forced to undergo was absolutely torturous, but aside from that everything is rather alright. Thanks to being a post-mortem high school kid, maths and science were pretty much a breeze. Japanese was a little tough to pick up at first due to my predicament, but my parents were able to drive the characters into my brain.
Speaking of my parents, let it also be said that my mother is one scary woman.
My dad is a relatively jovial person, with a megawatt smile and cheerful disposition. He's also kind of a dork, but I love him anyways.
Mom is stricter than Dad, but she knows exactly when to be firm and when to be kind.
That is, until you piss her off.
The tongue-lashing she could dish out could be a weapon on its own, and I learnt from a very young age that while she was patient, trying it was a very bad idea.
I honestly have no idea how Dad managed to win her heart.
But I digress. Thanks to Mom and Dad's teachings (really it was just Mom teaching me while Dad messed around), learning Japanese became relatively manageable, and I managed to snugly fit myself somewhere in the higher tier of my class.
That's saying something, too, considering my class is the class.
AKA, the one with the main cast.
Calling my average day chaotic is a vulgar understatement.
What is wrong with these kids?!
Academy, Examination Day
"Yo Seda! You ready for the exams?" Kiba slapped my back in greeting, Akamaru barking out his own.
I don't know how or why, but one day Inuzuka Kiba struck up conversation with me during class. Too startled to ignore him, I had opted to talk to him cordially, hoping that he would eventually be bored of me and leave me alone.
As you can evidently tell, that did not happen. Kiba and his canine companion eventually wormed their ways into my non-existent social circle, and soon became one of my closest (only) friends.
"Hello Kiba, Akamaru. I am indeed well prepared. You?" I answered back.
The Inuzuka flexed his biceps in reply. "I got this in the bag, baby! I'm gonna get whatever jutsu they want us to do down perfectly!"
My mouth curved upwards ever so slightly. "You do realise we also have a written exam, right?"
"A-ah, don't worry 'bout that, I'll be fine!" He replied, though Akamaru raised a furry eyebrow.
As brash as he can be, I found Kiba to be a rather good guy to hang around. Granted, whenever he, Naruto, Shikamaru and Chouji went off playing hooky I'd wash my hands clear, but he and his ninken were good company.
We also came to have a mutually beneficial partnership. Seeing his rather terrible skill in written work, I had offered to help him pull his grades up.
FLASHBACK
"Ah, man! Another C?! Come on!" Kiba whined pathetically.
I shrugged my shoulders. "Maybe if you studied harder you would have done better." In my hand I held a paper of my own, with a bright red 'A' on it.
"Hey! Not all of us can be supposed geniuses at Maths and Science you know!" He growled at me.
My eyes flashed with mirth. "It's called hard work."
This only seemed to aggravate Kiba further, causing him to toss his papers up into the air. "Ahh! This is stupid! Who needs this stuff to be a shinobi anyway!"
"Well then, I have a proposition." I stated.
Kiba seemed confused. "A propo-whatsit?"
"Proposition." I repeated. "How about I help you with your written work, and you assist me with my Taijutsu?"
This got Kiba and Akamaru's attention. "Eh? Isn't your Taijutsu alright? I mean ya ain't good but ya ain't bad either."
I nodded in agreement. "That's true, but I would like to improve my skills further. Besides, the Inuzuka are rather famed for their physical prowess. I'd be a fool not to ask for your help."
"Uh, I didn't really catch any of that. But basically you want me to help your Taijutsu in exchange for helping me with my studies right?" At my nod, he continued. "Alright! You got yourselves a deal! We're gonna be the best ninja of our generation!"
END FLASHBACK
Thanks to his help, my skills in unarmed combat steadily rose, while his grades in written tests also improved.
Soon enough, Iruka-sensei walked into the classroom.
"Alright class, I hope you are all prepared for today. You've all worked hard over the past few years, and I've seen all of you grow. So please, do me proud, graduate and turn into fine shinobi!" He said, before beginning to explain the examination procedures.
Hours later, I walked out of the Academy, clutching a brand new Forehead Protector in my hand and with a contented smile on my face.
Academy, Team Selection Day
Up until Iruka-sensei entered the classroom, everything went more or less identical to canon: Sasuke broods in the corner, the fangirls fight over sitting next to him, Naruto and Sasuke kiss, Naruto gets subsequently beat up by said crazy fangirls, the usual.
Noting Iruka-sensei growing more agitated by the second, I quickly covered my ears in anticipation, signing for Kiba and Akamaru to do the same.
"KEEP QUIET!" and like a switch was flipped, Iruka-sensei's shout silenced everyone in the room.
The Chunin audibly sighed. "You guys are all genin now, so please start acting like it."
"Anyway, I will now announce the teams you have been assigned to. Team 1 will include..."
I tuned out my teacher's words, instead deciding to ponder on my situation.
There were exactly 28 students in my class. Following the village's standard four man cell arrangement, there would have to be one person without a team.
This could mean one of two things: that person is shipped off to the Genin Corps for a life of mediocrity, or if said student is lucky enough, undergoes an apprenticeship.
Although I'm one of the better students in my class, I know I don't really have the political clout needed for a well-known Jonin to take notice and ask to personally train me.
So that means that if I'm the odd one out, I would most likely be sent to the Genin Corps, which is quite frankly pretty good.
I mean, being able to stay within the Village and almost never running the risk of danger? Sure sounds like the high life to me.
"...and Team 7 will consist of Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke,"
Everything seems to be in order.
"and Roku Seda."
...what?
No! I don't want to be on the team where danger is around almost every single corner! Is the universe trying to kill me?!
"Iruka-sensei, why does Team 7 have four members? Isn't the Leaf's standard arrangement the usage of four man cells?" I asked, mind going into overdrive.
Iruka-sensei turned to face me. "Well normally that is correct, but this year's class has one extra student, which would be you."
"Then wouldn't I be sent off to the Genin Corps? That is the regular procedure when there are extra students according to the Shinobi Rulebook, right?"
The scarred shinobi coughed into his hand. "Ah, yes, you would be right. But your Jonin-sensei, Hatake Kakashi, has specifically requested for you to be on his team."
That statement sent my mind reeling. Kakashi wanted me on Team 7? Why? I've never even spoken to him before! And I'm just an ordinary 3rd generation shinobi! Why on earth would the Hatake Kakashi want me?! In the midst of my panic, I failed to notice one Uchiha Sasuke staring at me appraisingly.
My little internal meltdown lasted until Iruka-sensei dismissed us, upon which Kiba and his partner came up to me, fangs bared in a grin.
"Dude! Nice going! You managed to get a Jonin's attention! Shame that he didn't pick me though, I would die to train under Kakashi!"
That snapped me out of my stupor. "You would want to train under Hatake Kakashi?"
Both shinobi and ninken nodded vigorously. "Yeah, dude! His tracking skills are unparalleled! Even better than most of the ninja in my clan!". Akamaru yipped in agreement.
"Ah, I see."
"Well anyway, I gotta go meet my teammates. See you Seda!" and with that, the duo ran off.
Well then, this is going to be one hell of a ride.