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It was a strange feeling for Naruto to finally see an end to conflict and pain. No more would he have to tick off comrades from a mental checklist every time another wave was launched; the ten tails husk laid lifeless and inert in front of him with Madara crushed beneath it. This had been a victory for all shinobi, for the entire world, yet Naruto couldn't feel the same elation or joy as his comrades did. Where they saw the end of conflict, all he could see was a long road ahead of all of them, a road lined with the fallen, their gazes dead and empty for the rest of eternity. Naruto felt hollow inside, empty, starved of all his joy. The battle with Madara had come at too high a cost for all shinobi. Everyone knew it but couldn't accept the fact right now.
Tired of his pondering Naruto closed his eyes and allowed himself to drift, if only for a little while, into nothingness.
25 years later...
Shikarmaru's day had been a tiring one. Aside from liaising with all of the separate Kage and only just catching his daughter's Genin graduation, he now had to report back to the Hokage and relay his day's findings. Walking along the curved corridor he noticed a familiar Jonin slumped up against the Hokage's door, napping. Smiling to himself Shikamaru couldn't help giving him a rude awakening. Crouching down Shikamaru pressed his fingers together and concentrated on his chakra as black tendrils erupted from below his feet. They seemed to hiss as if they could taste their target's helplessness. Slowly creeping their way across the floor the shadow made its way up the Jonin's leg ever so carefully, before arcing beneath its targets armpit and slithering its way up his arm.
With a twitch of his eyebrow the shadow grabbed hold of its target's arm in a death lock before causing it to repeatedly slap its owner in the face, much to his chagrin.
"Sleeping on the job again, Naruto. I'm glad this is peace time and no one is actively trying to kill our Kage," jested Shikamaru while continuing to beat Naruto with his own arm before releasing the jutsu's hold.
"Whatever happened to, 'Hey, Naruto. How's your day been?' First Asura now you," replied Naruto, rubbing his reddened face.
"Asura? Why would he be here? It's never good for any side when the ANBU have to be called," said Shikamaru worriedly.
Asura Sarutobi was the child of Kurenai and Asuna. After Asuna's death Shikamaru kept his promise to his old teacher and continued to watch over his wife and child. Eventually, when the time came, Asura followed the path of his parents and became a trainee ninja at the academy. Shikamaru still kept watch in these years, eager to see if he was truly his teacher's child. Even though he came across as underwhelming in exams and bored by the very thought of hard work, Asura still managed to graduate and ended up on Shikamaru's Genin team. From their time together Shikamaru managed to come to an understanding with his pupil, but was still displeased that Asura never opened up to him. He seemed to shut himself away completely on his graduation to Chunin and thereafter his ANBU appointment, the latter being the focal point of a long running argument with the former Hokage Tsunade.
"You know Kakashi doesn't tell me anything. Seems like being his former pupil doesn't count for anything when you're Kage," pouted Naruto.
Knocking on the great wooden door Shikamaru gave Naruto a weak smile as he was beckoned to enter. Huddled over a mountain of paperwork Kakashi looked close to his boiling point, his temple twitching at every stroke of ink on paper. Aside from a few wrinkles here and there, some from stress, others from age, Kakashi hadn't changed in a quarter of a century. The only difference being that he now wore the title of sixth Hokage after Tsunade's retirement. Adding to the mountain of papers with his own Shikamaru seated himself in front of Kakashi.
"Anything new to report?," asked Kakashi monotonously, not bothering to look up from his papers.
"Lord Raikage still thinks he should be allowed to expand outwards from the village, the Tsuchikage thinks we aren't doing enough to help his people, the Kazekage is content as always, and the Mizukage is still asking if you're single. So no, nothing new. What did Asura want?" quizzed Shikamaru.
Kakashi stopped his writing and eyed his advisor carefully. Of all the Konoha 11 Shikamaru had always been the sharpest, always wanting for any information that could help the Leaf. For him to ask a pointless question off the cuff peaked Kakashi's curiosity.
"I gave him a new mission is all. You have never delved into village matters that are none important. Don't tell me you're worried about your pupil," replied Kakashi.
"The ANBU are what they are for a reason. They don't go on fact finding missions or peace talks. Stop toying, Kakashi, what's the truth?" asked Shikamaru.
"It's because of the ANBU's history that I have given him this new mission. I have reassigned him to something a little less self-destructive. I shared your sentiments when Tsunade made him an ANBU, and now that I am Kage I am making amends for her decision. Asura should have never been an ANBU," said Kakashi monotonously.
"You don't just reassign the Leaf's Black Lion to the regular ranks. It would be too much of an alien experience after being detached from the village for so long."
"My thoughts exactly. If he is left to his own devices he will just shut himself away again. No, I have given him new purpose. I made him a Jonin teacher as of yesterday." Kakashi smiled.
Shikamaru was conflicted, he was proud of his student and knew that, as a teacher, he could finally leave a positive imprint. On the flip side, however, Shikamaru was terrified for the genin. Asura had inherited his father's casual attitude, but it had been five years since Shikamaru had last seen him, and the rumours about him were both sickening and terrifying.
"Don't look so concerned, Shikamaru. Even though people say he has turned into a ruthless machine, I assure you the Asura you knew is still the same as he was. As pleasant and distant as ever," said Kakashi, returning to his writings. "Oh, and on the way out, can you tell Naruto to stop eavesdropping? I'm sure captain Yamato has improved his scary face since last time."
Shikamaru still couldn't help feeling slightly uneasy.
Training field 4
It was the middle of summer in Konoha, a gentle heat boring down onto the dying grass of the training field. Tucked away in the shade of a tree, Asura lazed contently while listening to the gentle roll of the air along the grass, thankful for the refreshing breeze. It had been a long time since Asura had worn the uniform of the regular forces, and he was finding it a pain to adjust to. No longer were his olive arms bare to the sun. He now had to make do with rolling his jumpsuit sleeves up to his elbows. Asura was thankful that he no longer had to wear his ANBU mask, though, which in today's weather would have been stiflingly hot, causing his long black locks to stick and cling to the back of his neck.
Asura was still figuring out what sort of test to run with the three young strangers he was about to meet for the first time. When he was a Genin, Shikamaru made Asura and his two teammates survive out in the wild for a week, armed with a single kunai and a couple of shuriken. He explained to them after they had passed that he wanted to test their determination and will to survive. Asura contemplated using this test himself, yet he couldn't help but remember the animosity he and his teammates had felt towards Shikamaru for a long time after the test. They had been thrown in the deep end without so much as being introduced.
No, I don't want them to hate me just yet. Maybe the bell test... No, that's Kakashi's way. Gah, this is too much to think about. He had never been fond of pass or fail tests. Asura believed more in gauging someone's skill and working to improve it, rather than giving an arbitrary mark of one's performance. Wait, that's it! It's perfect, thought Asura, rolling from his branch up high and landing with a thud on the flats of his feet.
Seating himself on a grass mound, Asura couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement as he spied what looked like his young charges a few hundred yards away. Narrowing his eyes Asura tried to see what they looked like in the distance. He could see a young Leaf kunoichi, her blue ribboned forehead protector gleaming against her short dark locks and porcelain skin in the midsummer sun. Like most young girls from the Leaf she wore a short pale green dress with a pair of dark shorts underneath. Asura guessed that she must have been about level height with his elbow, which made her tall for a Genin, as Asura himself was a few inches taller than Guy.
Walking next to the Leaf kunoichi was a boy from the Hidden Sand. The Sand's insignia gleamed off of his forehead protector, he was dressed in the traditional Sand outfit, a long loose robe with a pair of shorts underneath, his legs bandaged from his knees to his sandals. The light robe was in stark comparison to his dark brown complexion. He seemed to be a head shorter than the Leaf kunoichi yet walked more determinedly.
Lastly, walking just behind the other two Genin was a boy from the Hidden Mist, who in comparison to the others, stood out a mile with his all-black sleeveless jumpsuit and pale skin. The Genin had his hands firmly wedged in his pockets as he dawdled behind his two future companions.
Asura couldn't help but smile and think back to his first time meeting Shikamaru. All of that pent up anticipation, the butterflies that careened inside his stomach just waiting to burst forth, and then the disappointment he felt when he had been told his test. That isn't going to happen today. I ain't letting these kids down. Reaching into his jacket's breast pocket, Asura plucked out a toothpick and placed it lazily in between his front teeth. Seeing that the Genin were but yards away, Asura stood to the attention of his students. He was just as giddy to meet them as they were to meet him.
"My name is Asura Sarutobi, and I will be your Jonin teacher until you all become Chunin. As you can tell I am a Leaf shinobi," said Asura gesturing towards his forehead.
Asura saw a faint sigh of ease from the Leaf kunoichi.
"But don't let that fool you into thinking I have preferences. You are all equally mouldable lumps of clay right now. Your academy ranks mean nothing to me. This will be the last test you ever have. After this you're either useful or not," finished Asura, twirling the toothpick amongst his teeth.
The three Genin in front of Asura seemed stunned at what he had just said. They had all assumed that once they passed their graduation they would automatically be put onto a team. They had never even considered being sent back to the academy to retrain.
"Now that I have introduced myself, who might you be?" Questioned Asura
The trio nervously squirmed on their feet, none of them eager to bite the bullet and introduce themselves, until finally the leaf girl seemed to swallow her nerves and pluck up her courage.
"My name is Shikara Nara. I'm ten years-old and finished fifteenth in my class. My teachers say that I am very adept in Genjutsu, but I'm let down by my Ninjutsu and Taijutsu. I am pleased to meet you, teacher!" Said the young Nara girl breathlessly.
So Shikamaru and Temari, the wily dog. Asura smiled to himself. Next was the boy from the Sand whose jangling nerves seemed to have been calmed by Shikara's boldness.
"The names Bee, you see. I'm ten years-old and came eighth in my class. The teachers at the academy said I was a good all-rounder but couldn't concentrate worth a squat. Nice to meet you, teach," said the young Sand Genin as he extended his fist to Asura.
Looking at the child Asura couldn't help but smile. A miniature killer bee, huh? Well, at least he isn't rapping all the time, thought Asura as he bumped the young Genin's fist. Lastly was the boy from the Mist who hadn't so much as made a peep so far. His eyes didn't seem to give anything away to his demeanour. After a rigid moment of silence, he finally spoke up.
"My name is Geki Ryu. I'm eleven years-old and came third in my class. The instructors said I had a natural talent for Ninjutsu and Taijutsu, but a lost cause when it came to Genjutsu. I'm a year older than my counterparts because I failed last year's test and was sent back to the academy. It's a pleasure to meet you, sensei."
Looking upon his young charges, Asura couldn't believe his luck. Each of them were their own person, they had their own individuality, their own strengths and weaknesses that they would have to work on. "Well," pondered Asura, "seems as each of you has been so upfront and honest with me, why don't you let me treat you all? I'm sure you all skipped breakfast this morning. So let's make it my treat." He finished with a smile.
As if on cue each of the Genin's stomachs groaned at the very mention of some form of sustenance. Shikara looked as if she was about to pass out from shock, and Bee could've cleared the Hokage's mansion with his leap for joy. Geki merely nodded in agreement with Asura. Smiling to himself Asura stretched his limbs out thoroughly, making sure to crack his joints a few times before re addressing the trio.
"It might be my treat, but it won't be my money, last one to Yakiniku Q pays the bill!" shouted Asura before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.
"You stingy asshole," shouted the Genin in unison
Bolting through the forest Asura lost sight of his students in an instant. Leaping from branch to branch Asura cleared the woods in no time. Emerging just behind the Kage monument Asura slowed his pace down and landed on the third Hokage's likeness. Hey, gramps, it's been a while since I've came up here. Sorry about that, but Tsunade has been running me ragged these last couple years. Wow, I forgot what the view was like up here. You can see the entire village can't you? You can see it re-growing little by little. Just a shame that you weren't around to see us properly united in peace time. Anyway, I've got to go. See ya around, grandpa.
And with that Asura leapt off of the third's effigy and hopped from rooftop to rooftop at break-neck speed, the wind slashing at his face as he made his way across numerous houses. Before he knew it he had arrived at Yakiniku Q with no signs of his students. Leaping off of the restaurant's roof Asura spotted a flower cart in the street. I got time for another stop, thought Asura as he bought a bunch of flowers and took off running across the rooftops again. It didn't take long before he arrived at his destination.
Taking one of the baskets at the entrance Asura made his way amongst the row of marked graves until he came to the one that was of interest to him. Kneeling down Asura ladled some water onto the stone and began scrubbing the rough granite. So they've put me in charge of my own team. Crazy, huh? I couldn't tell who was more nervous, me or them. The way Shikamaru talked about you, he makes you sound like a super-sensei. Always giving each of them the time of day and always being totally honest with them. What if I'm not up to it, Dad? what if something goes wrong and I'm out here cleaning another tombstone? What would you have done? Did you ever have these thoughts? I guess it's hopeless asking a hunk of rock for advice, but it's all I've got left, really. Mum doesn't know I'm back yet, and neither does Shikamaru. I don't think they are going to be so eager to talk to me.
Asura spent what felt like an eternity just staring at the gravestone, he had never met his father,never spoke to him man to man or asked him for advice. Everyone remarked that Asura was his fathers double, albeit for the long curling locks and red eyes of his mother. Even though he had been shown pictures of his father,Asura could never really connect the images to the word. His father to him had always been this stone in the grass.
Realising the amount of time he had spent knelt Infront of the grave, Asura replaced the dry dead flowers with the fresh ones he had bought,taking just another moment to look back upon the grave. Good talk, Pop, thought Asura as he turned to walk back to the graveyard's entrance. Looking at the height of the sun in the sky Asura guessed it was around midday as he leisurely strolled from the graveyard back to Yakiniku Q.
Making his way through the entrance of the restaurant, Asura could see each of his students fidgeting in a corner booth by the entrance. Walking over Asura casually sat himself down next to Shikara, as each of the Genin slowly realised that their teacher had arrived.
"We've been here for an hour, teach, and were starving. What's the deal, you fall asleep?" said Bee pointing an accusing finger at his teacher.
"No, I was getting some advice from some old friends. Anyway you all pass. Let's eat," replied Asura, flipping through the menu casually.
"You mean to tell me we have all trained rigorously to be elite shinobi for the past six years, and all we had to do was win a race to a restaurant?" shouted Geki, his temple threatening to burst.
"Well, I did have a friendly spar lined up for after our lunch. But if you insist,that can be your test instead," smiled Asura.
Bee's look of pure joy turned to elation at the thought of having to spar Geki, while Shikara looked terrified and began to fidget even worse in her seat than before.
"Now don't get too excited. The three of you will be facing me, and be warned, I don't plan on going easy," said Asura with a devilish look.
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Kindly beta'd by JoannaBoboletta