A Tale Of Zetsu...
A Naruto fanfic
Prologue
AN:Facts about Zetsu that are real... I got them off of the true pages for his biography, so you may know these facts, telling more about his past if you wanted to know.
* According to Pain, Zetsu's reason for fighting is "land".
* Zetsu's card in the Naruto Shippūden card game shows that he is from Konoha.
* In the manga, Karin and Zetsu first meet right before the meeting of the five Kages. In the anime, they meet after the fight between Itachi and Sasuke. In addition, she seems much less disgusted by his appearance in the anime.
* Kishimoto first intended to make Akatsuki's members monsters with almost no human traits. Zetsu is a prime example of this.
* Zetsu is the only Akatsuki member not playable in a Naruto-related video game.
* According to the Third Databook:
1 Zetsu's hobby is observing unique shinobi.
2 Zetsu wishes to fight people who are likely to leave behind a corpse that will make a good meal.
1. Zetsu's favorite food is chewy people, while his least favorites are konnyaku and jelly.
2. Zetsu's favorite phrase is "Independence unbending" (Dokuritsu Futō), which roughly means "The only person one can rely on is oneself".
3. Wherever Madara is, Zetsu is never far behind.
Zetsu still refers to Madara Uchiha as Tobi even when he doesn't have to.
Chapter 1: Life in Konoha – Zetsu's Background Part I
Zetsu panted heavily as a kunai flew past his head. He let a bead of sweat roll down his face. He was a normal boy, trying to train to become a shinobi. But then ; He got swept up by someone. It was Orochimaru! He was currently fighting one of the ninja that he sent after him, but to no avail, he got captured in the end. He struggled as he tried to fight the ropes upon his hands. But it was no use. The small boy didn't know what was to of come of him. He lived in the land of Konoha, where he stayed in a small apartment. But before he knew it, he was in an underground facility. He had heard of this evil man that did experiments. But he never thought he'd be one.
"Yes... It's almost ready!" Orochimaru said with a smirk. Orochimaru started preparing serums and putting them into syringes as he turned to the small boy behind him. His men held him down as Orochimaru injected the serum into his arm as he smiled. It was the 1st Hokage's DNA. He wanted to reinvent the 1st Hokage so he had many subjects. Zetsu screamed in pain as the serum started mixing with his blood. Right then they all heard a bang, as the base was infiltrated. "Leave the subjects!" Orochimaru shouted running out the door with his men. Zetsu was left in the dim room with many other children and ninja screaming. He turned his attention to the children beside him. One was from the leaf, and one was from the sand. He held his hands together as the pain subsided. But as fate was cruel, he was one of the only ones left. Him and the children next to him. His eyes opened as things started to poke from his neck, but that wasn't his main object of focus as of now. He screamed and broke free of the rope that tied his hands together, and motioned to the two beside him. They all wearily stood up, as he untied them and escaped.
As Zetsu looked back, he could see hundreds of Ninja from the Konoha starting to raid the entire base, as moments later ; it began to crumble. Zetsu looked back ahead as he ran with the two people, the nubs in his neck still hurting.
Zetsu panted heavily as they soon came to a dusty clearing, filled with gray soil and many trees shielding them from the raid. He panted heavily and looked at the two he saved. "Hi... I-I'm Zetsu..." He said, breathing heavily as he held his hand out.
"Z-Z-Zetsu..." You're neck!" The man said. Zetsu, panicking, went to the stream and saw his disfigured collarbone. On either side of him, was two poking nubs that infiltrated his neck space. He screamed in terror as he fell to the ground, shedding tears and sniffling. "Why..." He kept muttering, as the nubs shook with violent protrusion. He wiped away a tear as the two came near him.
"I'm... Tenzo..." the man whispered with a weary grin.
"And I'm Yoroichi..." the girl said with a fake smile.
"You... Don't care I have these things...?" Zetsu whispered looking to the ground.
"No.. Of course not.. You saved us.. Zetsu-san..." the boy whispered hugging him slightly. Zetsu couldn't believe it. It was the first time anyone ever hugged him. He smiled, slowly standing up. "Well... Let's go shall we?" Zetsu asked with a smile. They both nodded as they started walking around
It had been several hours until they all stopped near a stream. "Dammit. Where are we?" Yoroichi muttered. They were in the land of Sound, far away from the Konoha lands.
"I think we need to set camp for the night..." Tenzo said wearily. Zetsu nodded, and slowly rubbed the nubs on his neck.
"Tenzo.. How about you go and find some firewood and whatnot... How about Yoroichi.. you go and find some food.. I'll make the shelter.." He said, looking around. They both nodded, heading off into the forest. Zetsu smiled, turning back to the small landscape. It was a small forest, with a large grassy area before him. Zetsu slowly took some vines from the trees, using rocks to cut them, and put them in a pile. He peeled off bark from the trees and looked at it all. Once Yoroichi came back, he smiled, as he took the hides from her. He used the branches from nearby trees to make the tents frame, with hides as shelter. Then he took the bark and cleaned them in the stream, using the rock and scraping off all the bugs. He smiled to himself, as he brought them back for suitable plates. As soon as Tenzo started the fire, they roasted their meals. Yoroichi caught a rabbit, and they had caught several fish in the stream. Zetsu went to a nearby plain to get a collection of herbs and spices for tea. They all shared stories of interest while they ate their meals.
"Z... Zetsu..." The boy whispered in a frightened tone. Zetsu turned to look at him. He was staring in shock ; but not at Zetsu.. Or himself... He was staring at Yoroichi. Yoroichi was gasping and barely able to breathe. She screamed. Zetsu finally saw what upset her. She had sand creeping from her body, falling in clumps. Her hands were turning into the brownish color of sand as her body cracked with dust. She let out a whimper as she teared up, but they turned into pale figments in the brown face she now had. Zetsu was at a loss for words. She tried to walk, but her leg collapsed and turned to sand. Zetsu tried to look away.. to look at Tenzo.. But he was suffering as well. His eyes were peeling away, with wood splinters from his body, as it surfaced among his skin. They were both screaming in pain, as Zetsu now was too. His body ached as the nubs shot up, and expanded into a Venus Flytrap collar. And then they all fainted. The pain was too extreme.
"Damn Orochimaru..." Zetsu muttered as he fell to the ground.
If anyone was there.. All they would see was a Venus Flytrap, a pile of sand, and a wooden puppet.
Zetsu woke up early. His vision was fuzzy. He moaned in agony as he saw the dried blood around his neck, remembering what happened instantly. He growled, and saw a butterfly coming near. He smiled lightly, but then it landed on his head. Suddenly the Venus Flytrap collar around him snapped shut and he screamed. But then it soon opened as he spat out the butterfly. Somehow this thing had a mind of its own – and it liked to eat. He coughed the butterfly up. He didn't even remember eating it! But.. It oddly felt good. He looked at the helpless thing, slowly eying it. He saw it was dead, so thought why not? "Ugh.." He muttered as he picked it back up and ate it. Not bad... Not bad at all! He thought as he gulped it down. He choked as he remembered the others.
"Yoroichi? Tenzo?" He shouted turning the other way. As he looked, the pile of sand started whirring up, and returned Yoroichi to normal. He coughed and looked at Tenzo. The wood was peeling from his skin as he was normal again.
"Wow..." Tenzo said as he bent his fingers. "Maybe... Orochimaru gave us some great powers!" He exclaimed with a smile. "Try punching me Zetsu!" He exclaimed. Zetsu didn't feel like gettign up, so he just threw a rock. As soon as it came near, a wall of wood burst forth from the ground and repelled it – but it headed straight for Yoroichi. She screamed and flinched... But the rock went right through her! She opened her eyes and turned around. There was the rock on the ground, and only a small hole in her body. She smiled, as sand rose from the ground and started patching her up. She decided to test Zetsu, so she grabbed the rock and threw it at him. He flinched. How can my collar deflect it? He thought. But it proved him wrong – Suddenly a vine extended from his finger and wrapped around it, throwing it away. He opened his eyes with a smile.
"We're amazing! But I think we need to learn to control them..." He said, nodding. Tenzo was still lightly faded – like chipped wood, and Yoroichi was like a pale brown ghost. Her eyes couldn't even be seen. She would blend right in with the sand.
"What now?" Yoroichi exclaimed, getting up slowly.
"We'll live.. on our own.. We'll become ninja.. And we'll prove that we can do right..." Zetsu exclaimed with a smile, as he stood up as well. "We'll use these powers. We'll turn them from a curse, to a gift! Are you in.. Tenzo?" Zetsu said, turning to Tenzo.
"You bet your ass I am..." Tenzo said, jumping up. They all smiled, putting their hands in the middle, and rose them into the air shouting words of victory.
The three young shinobi walked down the path, winding down the Country of Rice A.K.A. The Hidden Village of Sound. Zetsu looked overhead, where the pale blue sky had drifting clouds. "We're almost to the land of Konoha..." Tenzo said.
"How do you know?" Zetsu asked curiously.
"Because. My map says so..." He said, turning to him. Zetsu smiled, chuckling lightly, as he patted the back of his own head.
"I see... So.. shall we hold position to regather our equipment?" Zetsu asked, crossing his arms. Yoroichi and Tenzo both nodded, as they kneed down, emptying their packs. All in all, they had around twenty shuriken, and thirty kunai as far as projectile weapons go. As far as food goes, all they had were a couple packs of dried food, and some packaging of fish. Then they had three waster bottles and a box of herbs/spices. Then a bamboo piece, that they used for tea. "Well.. We will need to eat soon, so it'd be best to stop nearby at a town and restock?" Zetsu suggested.
"But... We can't go into town!" Yoroichi exclaimed.
"Don't worry. I can make us coats and clothes from the hides we had!" Zetsu exclaimed. They all smiled, as they helped him. Zetsu soon finished as he held three make-shift coats. It would make them look poor, homeless and ratty... But it was better than nothing.
"Ready?" Zetsu asked, fitting a straw hat on. But then he realized he couldn't go... They all would see his Venus flytrap collar!
"If only you could teleport through the ground or something?" Tenzo said wearily. Zetsu smiled, jumping up and down.
"Maybe I can!" He exclaimed as he looked around himself. "Maybe I can... I just need to know how..." He said, crossing his arms. He nodded, as he concentrated. Suddenly, his feet sank into the ground. Zetsu could hear Yoroichi and Tenzo shout words of surprise, but he tuned them out. Zetsu smiled as he sank all the way into the ground, only his Venus flytrap collar protruding through the soil.
"We're ready!" Zetsu exclaimed as he threw off the peasant clothes, handing them to Yoroichi and Tenzo. "Here. You can use those... I won''t be needing them!" Zetsu said with a smirk. Zetsu turned around and sank into the ground, waiting for them. "Let's go you guys!" Zetsu said with a chuckle, as he zoomed through the ground instantly.
Yoroichi smiled as Tenzo walked beside her into the town. "Mono Village..." Tenzo whispered as they passed the gates. Zetsu stood below them, enshrouded by their hides. The hides actually extended so far off their bodies that he was hidden. He smiled, slowly passing through the ground under Tenzo.
"Wow..." He whispered as they kept going.
After a few minutes, they reached a small shop. Zetsu turned to watch the village life as they bought what they needed, all from the man. Zetsu heard the sound of the cash register and turned back around to meet their teammates smiles. They walked away from the stand and into the alley, counting what they had gotten. They all shared a small meal of rice and fish, not too bad, but fish had gotten weary in their stomachs.
"Hey. Kid. This is my alley!" A rough man exclaimed as he stood in the entrance. "Now. You gotta pay, kid." He said with a smile. Two men stood behind him with menacing smirks. "Ya kid! Cough it up!" He said with a laugh.
"W-we're..sorry... We'll go ahead and leave.." Yoroichi said blushing and reddening.
"Now, doll-face.. That's not what I asked... I asked you to pay..." He said, crossing his arms. The three men stepped closer with a smile.
"But... We don't have any money!" Tenzo exclaimed with a frightened expression.
"Then.. I guess doll-face has to pay.. with her virginity!" The man shouted, as they all swooped in. Zetsu growled at this, but he was stunned.
"Don't you dare!" Tenzo shouted as he stood up angrily. "Don't you come any closer!" He shouted. The three men laughed and the leader walked closer.
"Oh yeah? What's stopping us?" He said with a smile.
"Me..." Zetsu said as he rose from the ground. His face was twisted with anger, his eyes distorted with tears. "Don't you come any closer! … Or... Or... I'll eat you!" He shouted, as they all stood together.
"Oh, yeah? How ya gonna do that plant kid?" The man said drawing a kunai from his pocket.
"I'm gonna do it like this!" Zetsu shouted rushing at him. All Zetsu and the others heard were the screaming of the man. Zetsu looked around, but all he saw was darkness. Soon he felt meat and blood engulf his mouth as he closed his eyes. It.. Tastes good! Zetsu thought as he licked the sweet liquid off his lips. Suddenly a bright light hit him, as his eyes readjusted. Standing before him, was the leader. His entire hand... And arm! Was chopped off. All that remained was a bloody, mangled nub that spilled blood and guts onto the ground. Zetsu shook in fear as his eyes twitched. The man screamed in fear, as he fell to the ground dead.
"Hey! W-what the hell are you, kid?" The scrawny rogue said standing far away. The look on the man's face was priceless. He was shaking in his boots, and wanted to run... But his legs just wouldn't move. He let out a squeak of fear as it was cut short... By an explosion of splinters. His head rolled onto the ground, as wood shards embedded his skin.
"Take that!" Tenzo shouted with a tear in his eye. Yoroichi seeing this, wiped her tears away. Suddenly a giant hand of sand extended from the ground and smashed the other. His blood and guts splattered over the wall as his body was recognizable no more. Zetsu started crying as he looked at the dead bodies. He wanted to eat them, but didn't know what his new 'friends' would think of him.
"Go ahead... Zetsu..." Yoroichi said, patting his shoulder. Zetsu slowly nodded, as he walked to the bodies.
"Close your eyes.." Zetsu murmured as he bent down. Yoroichi and Tenzo both nodded as they turned away closing their eyes and ears. Before they knew it, Zetsu tapped their shoulders. "Can we go clean up?" He asked. His face was coated in blood and lumps of meat, while his body was drenched in blood.
"Sure..." Tenzo said with a weak smile.
Though suddenly, a dark figure protruded from the alleyways. It was a ninja, screaming with anger. "Hey! You! Monsters! Get out of our village!" He shouted. Yoroichi, Tenzo, and Zetsu took his advice. They ran faster then the wind out of the village as they were drove out of the village. Their next goal?
To the land of Konoha.