"Move it!"
"Come on, faster!"
A boy barely dodged a shuriken just as a jonin charged him and kneed him in the stomach. He had powder blue hair, crystalline blue eyes, and an X-shaped scar on his right eye.
The boy fell on his back but did a quick handspring and landed on his feet.
The jonin in front of him threw several more shuriken which the boy deflected with the steel bracers on his forearm.
"Enough!"
The boy crumpled to his knees as he sucked in a ragged breath. Sweat poured down his face as his body almost gave into exhaustion.
Rising from his chair, Rin Hibiya walked over to the training field and stood in front of the boy. The man sported a robe that said 'First Kaikage'
in Kanji. He had fiery brown hair and a goatee. His golden eyes were set on the battered boy in front of him.
Rin pulled out his pocket watch and flicked it open, "Still on defense?" He asked.
The boy looked up at the man, "I-I...i-it's too much focus...i-it's the best I-I can do."
Rin's face turned into that of a frown, "The best you can do? You possess the Kekkei Genkai to utilize three chakra natures, yet defensive maneuvers are the best you can do?" He asked.
The boy said nothing in response.
Rin raised his foot and brought it down on the boy's head, slamming his face into the ground. "You feel that? That's what I feel like when you embarrass me and the Hibiya name, Kenji!" Rin said.
Ken did not answer as he strained to lift the foot off of his head, but his father was much more powerful than him. Plus, he was just...tired.
But his father carried on with his rant, "You can barely form a clone, your Taijutsu is sloppy and uncoordinated, and you're still a Genin! With your abilities, you should be at an ANBU level!"
Ken was able to lift his face up from the ground just a little bit, "I-I'm...not...like you...!" He shot back.
Rin's scowl deepened. "You're right, you're nothing like me. You're
a failure." He said.
Ken felt relief as the weight left his head. He glanced up to see his father walking back toward the house. He looked at his open palm which was raw and calloused from training.
Why was he like this?
The walk through the village didn't help either. Everyone glared daggers at him as he passed. No one said that the Kaikage did a good job in his duties.
As he past a group of his classmates, he could hear them talking about him.
"Hey isn't that Ken?"
"The Kaikage's son? Yeah, that's him."
"I heard that he can barely fight."
"Geez, I scored higher than him on the Transformation Test."
"I bet that his dad hates him."
"Shh! Here he can probably hear you!"
Ken just grit his teeth as he continued to walk.
He hated this village, he hated the limit of his abilities, he hated himself.
The boy traversed into the forest and down and single path that had been unused for quite some time. Little did he know a red-headed figure watched him from a distance.
Ken kept walking until he came across a single tree. In front of it was a small shrine complete with candles, incense, and a single picture of a woman with dark blue hair and green eyes. Her face was lit up in the kindest smile.
"Hey Mom." Ken said, as he knelt down in front of the shrine. He looked at his ragged clothing and nervously rubbed the back of his neck, "So I got through another training session but...I'm not getting any better."
From the trees, the red-head watched the boy.
"Dad said...that I was an embarrassment to the Hibiya name and..." Ken looked up through the canopy of leaves and to the sky above. He gave a short chuckle, "Heh, I'm starting to think that he's right."
"Kenji..."
The blue haired boy looked over his shoulder to see a young girl with long red hair that dropped to her lower back, and gentle brown eyes, with one covered with an eye patch. She wore a red v-neck shirt showing no cleavage that cuts off right after the elbows with two small black arm bands around her wrists, black mid calf length black pants, and blue sandal while her Flame forehead protector was tied to her upper arm.
"Oh Misaki...w-what are you doing here?" Ken asked.
"I saw you walking and...I heard what the other kids said." Misaki said, rubbing her arm nervously.
Ken blinked before turning back to the shrine, "He hardly noticed that she was gone."
Misaki raised a brow as she opened her mouth to say something but the boy spoke before her.
"Even before my dad became the Kaikage, he's always been distant. Always going on and on about
me growing up to take his
place and...I never wanted to do that. The whole "Kage" thing isn't for me. But...since when did
my dreams matter?" Ken sighed.
Misaki's face fell as she walked over and knelt beside the boy. "Ken I-"
"There's nothing for you to say. You've been a really good friend to me, higher rank or not. You've always seen me as an equal." Ken said, flashing a small smile.
Misaki blushed, "It's not that hard. I mean, we both helped each other, am I right?" She giggled.
Ken smiled back at her, "Yeah...I guess you're right."
Misaki and Ken both looked back at the photo as the wind gently blew against them. The red-head laid her head on the boy's shoulder with her eyes closed.
"Thank you."
"Huh?" Ken asked, "For what?"
"Being my friend you doofus!" Misaki giggled.
"Heh...I guess you're welcome."
"But...Ken...can you...can you promise me something?" Misaki asked.
"Sure!"
"When we're older and when we become stronger...can we...do this? Come to the shrine and just...enjoy each other's company like this?" Misaki asked, as an obvious blush spread across her face.
Ken felt his face heat up when he realized that his hand was on top of Misaki's this whole time.
"Yeah...yeah, we can do that."
Ken was shoved into the Kage's office by two ANBU, one with a pig mask and the other with a sheep mask.
"Y-you called for me Kaikage-sama?" Ken asked.
The man looking out the window sighed. "Tell me something Ken, do I enjoy failure?" Rin asked.
Ken swallowed, "N-no sir."
Rin turned just as the ANBU started to draw their weapons. "You see, I don't think you get it. You as a human being, you're a flaw in my grand plans."
The ANBU grabbed either of Ken's arms and held kunai knives to his throat.
"W-what are you doing?" Ken asked.
"You were supposed to be my own harbinger of destruction. A tool used for my own personal agenda. But you see...I didn't do a well enough job with the village and they hate the both of us." Rin said, as he stood in front the boy.
"What are you talking about Dad?" Ken asked, only to be quickly met with a swift punch across his face.
"That is a term reserved for my son." Rin said.
Ken looked back up at the man with a now bruised cheek and bloody nose. Why was he doing this?
"But what I'm saying is if I deemed you a threat to the village, everyone would jump at the chance to put your head on a pike." Rin chuckled darkly as angry shouts of villagers could be heard from outside.
Ken look that his father in horror as the ANBU dragged him out of the office. It was at this moment that the boy thrashed and struggled.
"W-wait! Stop! I can do better! Dad, please, just give me another chance!" Ken shouted.
The next thing he knew, he was being tossed outside in front of a crowd of angry, pitchfork-wielding, torch toting villagers.
"That's him!"
Ken was barely able to defend himself from the onslaught of attacks. He was sure he was going to die, until...
"Wind Style: Wind Restraint Jutsu!"
Suddenly the villagers were frozen in place as transparent chains wrapped around them. Misaki dropped down in front of the now battered Ken. She weaved more signs before calling out her next move, "Water Style: Backlash Wave Jutsu!"
Misaki created a ball of water in her hands before it exploded in a shockwave in front of her. Several of the villagers were knocked back due to the force.
The red-head turned to the boy and grabbed his wrist, "Come on!" She said, pulling him along.
Ken stumbled for a second but he did follow the girl.
"Go after them. And kill on sight." Rin said, before his ANBU squad took off after them.
Ken and Misaki ran as gas as they could from the village.
"Why did you save me?" Ken asked.
"Why not? We made a promise and we can't keep it if you're dead." Misaki said.
"But where are we gonna go? Ken asked.
"The Hidden Leaf Village is nearby, the Hokage can help us!" Misaki said.
"You sound really sure about this." Ken commented.
But before Misaki could answer, a fireball impacted the ground in front of them effectively stopping the two.
Misaki growled as he pulled a kunai from the pouch at her side to face the ANBU guards.
"You're not really gonna fight them, are you?" Ken asked.
"If you're going to get out of here, I've gotta." Misaki said.
"Heh, good luck kid..." said one of the ANBU.
Misaki formed the sign of the Snake with her hands and took in a huge breath so her cheeks bulged, 'Wind Style: Mist Conceal Jutsu!' The released a stream of thick fog from her mouth blinding everyone.
"Misaki, come on!" Ken said, as he grabbed her wrist and tried to pull her along, only to feel resistance. "Come on!"
"No..." Misaki said, "I'm staying."
"But you'll die if you stay! Let's go to-" Ken was interrupted when to girl grabbed his collar and smashed her lips against his.
Ken's eyes widened as tears started to spill from them. He threw his arms around her and held her tight. This embrace lasted only a while.
"...Here...this is something valuable to my family, I hope you can use it better than I can." Misaki said, as she gave the boy a small scroll and her backpack, "You'll need this."
"T-thank you. Misaki, you've been a great friend to me." Ken said gratefully.
Misaki smile and gave him on last peck on the cheek. "Go."
Ken turned around just and leapt into the air.
Misaki watched the boy leave until she turned back and got into a fighting stance. 'I love you, Ken. I hope you'll make a great Ninja one day.'
The girl charged into the fog and the sounds of metal hitting metal and flesh could be heard.
Ken bounced from branch to branch until he was able to jump above the tree line. If seen from below, you'd see a shadow against to moon. 'I won't let this me for nothing Misaki. Thank you.'