Artes animi.
An :so this idea came to me as I was working on a new chapter for my storys... And it really bugged me how the Yamanaka are downplayed... So this idea came to mind, it will replace the brink of reality story for now.
Disclaimer :I don't own Naruto.
Prolog.
The dark skys were litted with the high flames, the silence disturbed by the screams of the injured, the birds weren't singing, the earth was scorched, the trees and grass burnt, and even the steady rain couldn't extinguish the flames, and the wind couldn't get rid of the stench of the dead.
On a scorched area, where the landscape itself made little sense, as just as part of the earth was scorched and burnt, there was a great lake moving through it, with a high mountain sprouting out of nowhere, and through the entire place, corpses were scattered, some burnt, some ripped to pieces, and through all the cries of the injured mixed with the ritmic sound of the falling rain.
And in the middle of this chaos, a group of people were standing, confronting one man.
The leader of the group was an averagely built man, with long brown hair, styled into a cylinder, his eyebrows were cut short, and he was wearing a light gray and blue kimono on top of which a full body armor was placed with a magatama displayed on it , a sword was strapped to his abdomen, and his eyes which were glowing red with black marking within them were looking intensively at the man in front of him.
The people behind him, had nothing in common each wearing their own clothing and had every possible future, the only thing which was the same was the magatama sign on their clothes.
The man in front of them was younger, his hair was brown just like the other man in front of him, but unlike him his hair was spiky and his forehead was covered with bandages, he wore a grey kimono with a full armor of the same color, his brown eyes were full of fury as he looked at all his friends and allies which were lying injured or dead behind him.
"give up brother" the older man said with cold tone "I won... I am the true successor of father... And ninjutsu will spread... You lost ototo.." a small smirk appeared on his face.
The other man's face fury dippened "you! And your pathetic group of students who have no loyalty to each other... You who attacked us and killed hundreds for no other reason than your ambition... You can never call yourself fathers successor!" the man spoke in defiance, but eveneven he knew there was nothing he could do... Without his allies he was much weaker then his brother.
"it is time to end this brother.." the older man started approaching his younger brother, with his blade drown.
From the shadows, a set of gray eyes were watching the entire process with interest, the eyes narrowed with anger, and a smile appeared in them after a second.
As the older man came closer, from the group behind a man walked forward, he was well muscled with tan skin and black hair, he moved toward the leader, the man's face was determined, and his hands clanched moving behind the brown haired commander.
At this the other man stopped, and turned "what is it Fujimura?" he asked impatiently.
The other man came right behind him "I want to see from close up" he said darkly.
The leader turned back and approached his fallen brother, his blade posed to strike "sayonara ototo" he said.
The man in the shadows smirked "sayo nara Indra".
Before the blade could come down, Fujimura moved forward with surprising agility, and drawed his own blade, and before the otsutski could understand what was going on, the blade of his subordinate caught his head clean.
The younger man looked surprised, even more so when the man who just killed his brother impaled himself, and so did near everyone from Indras group.
Those who didn't, scattered in fear as the younger Otsutski stood up, he was maybe not much for the leader but they all knew there was no way for them to defeat him themselves.
The silence was more loud then the battle which had just ended here.
The birds were silent as the life of the older otsutski has finished.
As the last remnant of the enemy scattered, a man appeared from the shadows, his most prominent future, his deep gray eyes bore into the young Otsutski deep.
"well hello there Ashura" the man smiled lightly, his hand moved to scratch his deep blonde hair, but as much as his smile was light his eyes were cold, none of the warmth of his smile had touched his face.
Ashura looked dumbfounded, and then a hearty laugh escaped his lungs "Shun!" the man said chuckling "I should have known it will be you who did this...".
The man smiled again "now Ashura we both knew I would be here ... After all how could I miss an opportunity to repay my debt and now I have finally repaid my debt" he said.
"yes... I know... But heck you know how to make a flashy entrance" the younger person's face changed drastically from smiling to cold "but tell me Shun why did you interfere only now... After all my allies were defeated!" his voice suddenly became cold "you could have saved hundreds of lives!".
The smile vanished from the man's face "I am not your allie Ashura, and you know it.. You know I am all for ninjutsu instead of ninshou ... I did it only to repay you... And your brother was a danger to the stability of my clan, but now without your brother my clan can thrive " his voice became cold.
"but why Shun? Why ninjutsu..? It will bring nothing but destruction and pain and you know it!" his voice, even though harsh was broken as real pain could be heard from the young Otsutski.
"because Ashura... Ninjutsu will give me the power to defend my clan.. And this is the only thing that matters to me, and I will do anything neccecary to ensure their safety if that means your allies will suffer so be it... And now that my debt is repayed.. I will be going"
"I know... Your debt is now repayed... What will you do now?" he asked sighing.
"each of us has our own destiny to see my friend... I have a clan to return to, goodbye Ashura.. I hope we will meat again one day.. This time in a more pleasant conditions, " he said turning around to leave, when suddenly he turned back icy glare in his eyes" and Ashura as much as I will welcome you to my home remember should you try to force us into ninshou.. We will retaliate "he finished as he walked briskly away .. Not noticing the sadness in the other man's eyes.
Chapter 1.
The light of the sun was cheerfully reflecting from the multitude of windows of the houses in the village, the streets were filled with people who were rushing toward their businesses, and children who were running around the streets playing ninja or other games.
In a circular building, surrounded by a high metal fance, in a classroom filled with tables chairs and other necessary elements of a school - even if it was a school for killers - a large group of children were talking between themselves.
Most of the children - who looked no older than six - were gathered around one table were a young boy was sitting near a girl the same age.
The boy was normally built, his young body still not developed enough but from the looks of it he was on his way, he had a long silver hair in a ponytail and two deep misty gray eyes.
The girl was of the short stature, her bright blonde ponytail was a bit more messy and less pristine, her tanned skin full of small freckles, her green eyes were full of light.
The boy was smiling as he spoke animatedly to one of his friends, a boy with brown hair and a pair of blue eyes.
"so yeah.. When my parents will return we will go together to the capital with uncle and his family" the silver haired boy said smiling.
"that is so cool Rai! We are going to visit my aunt in a village not very far away" the other boy answered.
"Souta how many times have I told you to call me by my name! It's Sakurai nor Rai" the silver haired boy ranted.
"really Saku, you should chill out a bit... He's just teasing you" the girl near him said.
The boy grumbled in response,"we should really get ready for next class.. It starts in three..." but before the boy finished the door opened and a man with dark brown hair, brown eyes clothed in the regular Konoha attire entered the room.
"eh? Rokuro sensei? Isn't it too early?" the boy known as Souta turned to his always smiling teacher, but to his surprise the man wasn't smiling at all.
"Yamanaka Sakurai, Yamanaka Miyuki, Nara Satoshi of class 1A... You are to head immediately to the hokage tower with no further delay... You are excused from classes until the end of the day" the man said, his usually cheerful voice had an icy tone to it.
The three mentioned teens looked at each other in confusion "Hai sensei" the three responded as they walked out of the classroom, to the great confusion and curiosity of their pears.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Walking toward the tower the three teens saw they were not the only once, from every other class Yamanakas and Naras were walking toward the tower.
"I am really curious now" the Nara said "what could be the reason for such an event" Satoshis eyes were full of curiosity.
But Miyuki saw the other Yamanaka's face growing uneasy as he muttered to himself "no... That's impossible... It can't be..".
"Sakurai? Sakurai are you alright?" she stressed.
The boys face was dark "no... No I am not alright... Think Miyuki... You too Satoshi... There is only two things which could bring on something like this... Either our clans are banished... Which is really unlikely.. Or..." his voice was dark.
Satoshis eyes grew dark "you mean..."
The girl caught fast enough as she hastily approached her friend "it will be ok Sakurai... I am sure it will be ok" she tried to shooth him.
But as they continued to walk in silence all three knew that something bad happened.. Something that will change life to at least one person from the clans.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
As they entered the tower, they were met with tens of people standing, all belonging to either the Nara clan or the Yamanaka.
Sakurai entered hesitantly, his eyes darting around, uncertainty visible in his eyes.
From within the room a man approached him, the man was fairly built, with ashen blonde ponytail, and looked to be in his mid life, his clothes were the standard konoha outfit with red haori on top of it, his blue green eyes were full of sadness as he approached the boy and his freinds.
The Yamanaka girl and Nara boy bowed to him "Inoichi sama" they said.
The man nodded in acknowledgement, but he quickly went and engulfed the other boy in a hug.
"uncle..." was the only thing that Sakurai said, his voice wavered.
"I am sorry Sakurai... I am so sorry.." the older Yamanaka said as he hugged his nephew.
The boy stiffened suddenly "so... I was correct..." he said slowly, his body stayed neutral "can I... Can I see them?" he asked.
The man stiffened "of.. Of course... Come Sakurai..." he turned to the other two "please go find your parents... They will tell you what will happen next".
The two nodded as they didn't know how to approach their freind.
As the uncle and nephew approached the middle of the room were an old man was standing, his eyes hidden by a large hat, and a long pipe held in his leathery hand.
"hokage sama" the older Yamanaka addressed the leader.
"ah Inoichi... And young Sakurai... I am sorry for your loss... I guess you will want to see the bodies" he stated more than asked.
As the man nodded, the elderly shinobi sighed deeply as he took them into the area designed for this.
There on two white stretchers two people were lying perfectly still, their eyes closed and their bodies mostly covered by a large shroud to hide the injuries which cost them their lives.
One was a man with tanned skin, his silvery long hair was in a ponytail in a typical Yamanaka fashion, on his chest two items were lying, one was his forehead protector, the second being a black face mask. The other was a woman with raven black hair, spiky even now like a true Nara.
From behind another man entered, the man had spiky black hair which remained some of a finely groomed pineapple, a small goaty was adoring his face, his dark eyes were looking at the two dead.
Approaching the other shinobi he smiled sadly which just pronounced his two scars "hard to believe they are no longer with us huh Inoichi?" the man's voice was calm but with a hint of pain.
The other man nodded grimly, his hand not leaving the young boys shoulder.
Suddenly the boy moved forward, his hands clasped as he bowed, "father... Mother.. You have both died in the service of the village... Your life had protected others... I swear.. I will defend the village.. I will not let your sacrifice be in vain... On my life as a Yamanaka... I will defend the village.. I will make the two of you proud "the boy moved toward each of his parents as he kissed each one of them on their forehead, after which he took the mask from his father's chest" I.. Will take this "he said with small tears forming on his face.
The two older men were shocked.. That was definitely not the sort of speech they expected from a six years old.
Iniochi hugged him again" it's ok to cry Sakurai... We are still humans... The only thing we should remember is that the village still needs us... But it's alright to feel sad... When one stops feeling.. He knows he should stop being a shinobi "the man said quietly letting the words sink into the young boy who was silently sobbing into his chest" shh Sakurai... You are not alone.. I am here for you and the clan is here for you.. ".
It took the boy a while to stop crying, but when he did he looked up at his uncle" please uncle... Please train me ".
End of chapter 1