We won...
The tree's blurred passed the small troupe of ninjas as they sped through the thick forest on the borders of Fire Country.
That's right...just two years ago we beat a legendary demon. Well, that's what the world thinks anyway. Yes... we won... and lost.
The leader, a kunoichi dressed in a deep crimson keikogi signaled one of her followers and he darted off to the left, vanishing into the darkness of the forest. They were chasing a rather tricky prey. A spy sent across the border for one reason and one reason only.
Yes... we lost. Our great leader, Yondaime Hokage, had to sacrifice himself in order to stop the great beast. The kunoichi paused, signaling to her right as she came to a stop on a branch. It's really easy to say that we lost our leader. But it's really hard for anyone who didn't know him to truly understand what it meant...to lose the Yondaime. There came a rustling of the bushes a short distance ahead of her, and then a loud grunt, probably of surprise. It was followed shortly by a loud clang of metal striking metal...and a muted thud.
Only a few seconds later, the kunoichi's two companions reappeared beside her, kneeling. One had in his hand the object they were after. A scroll detailing the military procedures they were to use. Something like that would be of great import to their enemies. She nodded slightly, taking the scroll in her hands before turning to move back to their encampment.
He....Yondaime was an inspiration to us. He was charismatic. He was strong. He was kind. He was like the father many ninja of our generation lacked. Green leaves became a mute, jaded, blur as the three ninja moved. He led us through the war with the Iwa-nin... a war that had taken such a toll on the lives of both the Konoha and Iwa nin, that we were forced to send genin into battle. I was there, alongside the likes of the Copy Nin, and the still-Jounin Yondaime.
The kunoichi came to halt, and the two behind her did the same in almost complete syncronicity. They were surrounded by no less than twelve stark white masks painted with various blues and reds....One Anbu stepped forward, "The old oak weathers the coming storm."
The kunoichi smiled underneath her ash black half-mask. "Its leaves fall like a rain of blades." A single nod came from the masked warrior.
She took the chance to glance over her shoulder, the Anbu corps. were gone. When she righted her gaze back in front of her... so was the single Anbu that had spoken.
Don't get me wrong...Sandaime is a great man. It's because of him that we were able to come to terms with the Iwa-nin. It was because of him that we were able to enjoy the sparse peace while it lasted. But he wasn't the Yondaime. He couldn't make us believe in a better life simply by standing among us. Yondaime could. He gave us hope and warmth when the world was dark and cold.
The three moved forward about a hundred yards more...and dropped into a hustling encampment full of Shinobi... all wearing the same spiral-leaf headband. "Welcome back Mitsuki-dono. The mission?" It was an older shinobi, who seemed to be dressed more for diplomacy than war.
"...was a success." She tossed him the small scroll.
"To be expected of Konoha's Seal Mistress..." The old shinobi smiled as he deftly grabbed the scroll...
Mitsuki sighed... "You know I hate that name Soja."
The old man, Soja, chuckled. "But of course... that's why I use it." He quickly tucked the scroll away and, as he did so, four Shinobi in Chuunin jackets appeared beside him. "I'll be taking this back to Hokage-sama then...I'll let him know of your good work, Mitsuki-dono."
And
only two years ago, today, the world seemed to become infinitely
darker and colder, when the Kyuubi-no-Kitsune came rampaging through
Fire Country. No one knew what had angered the Kyuubi so...nor why it
chose Konoha as its target. I remember that day well, as I should,
being on the front-lines fighting the beast. The demon was impossibly
big, his bright red chakra flaring to impossibly high levels. His
tails demolished mountains and men with equal prejudice. I still
carry, to this day, a burn-scar from that fire-storm chakra that the
medic-nins simply couldn't heal. All seemed lost... every jutsu we
threw at it, was either ignored or swatted away entirely. I remember
as well, when Gamabunta's large form appeared, and Yondaime's figure
stood proud atop him. Just his sight gave us hope...gave us the will
to stand and keep fighting.
A
gloved hand reached up, and lowered the half-mask, before it moved to
her left arm, deftly untying the bracer brandishing Konoha's symbol
on it. Moving quietly into a tent, she practically fell into the
chair. She took a moment to relax, running her fingers through her
long ink-black hair that had been tied back for the mission. There
was a stack a paper work on the small folding-desk in front of her
that caused her to groan.
"Ahh such weight the commander of the North-East Defense Line must carry." A brown haired man came slowly into her tent, carrying a couple mugs of tea. "Maybe a little drink will help NED-L's commander?"
Mitsuki turned, watching the squinty-eyed man dressed in an all too typical Jounin uniform, and a bandanna with the Konoha hitae-ate sewn into it. "Such a ridiculous name...what are we? Some kind of pin?"
The man chuckled... "It keeps the politicians happy I suppose...they like those sort of things..." He put the tray holding the two mugs down, and offered Mitsuki the first mug.
"Thanks Hirochi." She leaned back, and took in the wafting smell of the tea. Her eyes, which ranged in color from sea-green to cerulean, closed for a moment as she allowed herself to relax. "How were things while we were gone?"
The fox-eyed man smiled... "Quiet... thankfully. The patrols haven't seen a thing... and the Aburame's sentries say the Kumo-nin are staying on their side of Oka no Kuni. How long that's going to last.... I can't say."
Mitsuki leaned back, taking a sip of the fragrant liquid. "They've been getting more and more aggressive lately. That last spy was more than likely a Kumo-nin himself."
But even our great Yondaime was, slowly but surely, being pushed back. Kyuubi's power was just that immense. To be expected of the greatest Tailed-Beast really. I saw it well, I was one of the last to leave, given an order to retreat by Yondaime himself. But I saw. I saw the Copy nin, Yondaime's own student, bring a small bundle to him. I saw him perform some strange seals.... a jutsu I didn't recognize. And I saw...the very spirit of the Kyuubi ripped from it's body and into the bundle which had been layed at the Yondaime's feet. And even as the great fox's body began to turn to ash...I...saw...the Yondaime fall...lifelessly...on Gamabunta's back. After that, I turned, and ran. I didn't want to look back. We won... but the world still seemed infinitely darker.
Mitsuki sighed, turning to the papers on her desk as Hirochi exited the tent. Today was October 10...the second anniversary of Yondaimes death and the defeat of the Kyuubi. But here she was, trying to prevent yet -another- war from breaking out. Her hero had died to give peace to the people...she could do no less.
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A/N: So what do you think so far? This is the beginning of my fic based on the Leaf-Cloud war that didn't get much backstory in the Naruto series...I've been out of practice and interest lately, in writing, and this is an attempt to help me get back into it. This was just an introduction, so expect the chapters to get longer ^_^ Also, this story hasn't been beta'd... so forgive me for any grammar errors.... I need to find me a beta reader ^_^;
Oka no Kuni : Country of Hills...I've looked at many maps of Naruto's world and the country that separates Fire and Lightning countries never seems to be named... so I gave it one. If someone finds anything at least halfway official let me know and I'll fix it.
Iwa: Stone
Kumo: Cloud