Authors Note
So im not going to lie im... nervous. This will be the first story ive ever written that will be seen by people lol. Im positive I have something many people will enjoy. At the same time im sure many people will hate it but you cant please everyone can you? Before we start something to note about me is I struggle with starting a story. From my own personal experience the first few paragraphs can capture or lose a reader in its contents. So I really hope if I lose you, youll give it at least a few chapters before deciding its not worth your time. Well enough rambling on to the first chapter!
Chapter 1
Three cloaked figures stood in front of the Hokage, the shadows of their hoods covering their faces.
Two of the figures stood at a height of approximately six feet. The third, most curious member, stood quite shorter than their two companions at a mere three and a half feet. Another difference was, where as the other two had no visible weapons on them, this one held a sword strapped to its back, it's length a few inches shorter than its owner.
Sarutobi's stern gaze looked each one over, his gaze lingering on the shortest member a moment longer before he spoke.
"I assume the mission was a success?"
One of the taller ones answered. "Yes Lord Hokage. Gato's son, Yasutora, has been eliminated."
"Casualties?"
"Five sir. Yasutora's personal guards."
"Anything else to report?"
This question met some hesitation before it was answered. "No sir. Nothing of interest." He lied. In fact if anything he was disturbed. Yasutora's death was anything but clean. There had been blood everywhere, staining the walls and carpet. It hasn't been an assassination, it had been a slaughter. He wouldn't forget Yasutora's horrified face as he begged for mercy, drenched in the blood of his guards as he stood on his knees, only for the cold steel to pierce his heart. The memory had his eyes shifting to his shorter team mate under the hood. She had been ruthless.
Sarutobi could only slightly raise an eyebrow at the obvious lie, though chose not to question it. The loyalty of any of these three was unquestioned, especially the short one.
"Very well. Kaiden, Kora, you are dismissed. Fox, you stay."
The two tallest members shifted out of the room, the door closing with a click, leaving the shortest member of the group.
"Remove your hood please." Sarutobi asked, the authority from his voice gone.
Without hesitation the figure removed the hood revealing long golden locks of hair that went down to their mid back, and a white fox mask adorning their face.
"And the mask."
This request met a slight hesitation, earning a small grin on Sarutobi's face before he quickly steeled the emotion.
With the mask gone Sarutobi could see her face. Cold blue eyes, three whisker marks on either cheek. She couldn't have been older than six.
He almost sighed at those eyes. They almost always looked like that. Almost. Few things could bring any emotion to them. She had been trained to lack any emotion from birth. But there was only so much that could be taken from a child.
She had been placed in the ghost division at four. It was the perfect place for her. As the Leafs secret 'weapon' no one would ever know she existed. The ghost division required no use of jutsu, only the basics of chakra control. Their primary missions were in spying, and assassinating civilian level targets. Targets like Gato's son.
This meant she would never have to use her 'other' power where everyone would know she existed. Of course she still recieved training from top ANBU and had even gone a few emotional conditioning courses through Danzo's ROOT program to make up for the lack of power the missions required.
All and all he had the perfect shinobi in the palm of his hand. And it sickened him. Shinobi were more than just tools and weapons. They were people too. And he'd be damned if be allowed the Fourths legacy to turn out to be nothing more than a living weapon.
"How are you feeling Naruto? Do you feel anything unusual? Anything abnormal?"
The question went unanswered for a time before it was answered.
"Pain. I know I haven't been injured, but I feel it." Her hollow voice rang out, a tint of curiosity could be detected however.
"It's remorse Naruto. For taking lives. Cherish the emotion Naruto. It hurts, but you'll grow from it."
"Remorse..." She repeated to herself, her eyes lit up slightly, something they tended to do when she was deep in thought about something she had an interest in. It lasted only a few seconds before it was gone again.
"You are now dismissed Naruto."
She returned the mask to her face, giving him a low bow before she left, her footsteps leaving not a sound.
At the sound of the door clicking Sarutobi let out a small sigh. He failed Minato allowing his daughter to lose almost all sense of her humanity. He failed Kushina for being able to protect her daughter from the harshness of reality. And he failed Naruto, for allowing the council to throw her life away.
He shifted the turning chair to look out of the window behind him. Some of the damage from the Nine Tails attack had yet to be repaired. Even some rubble remained at some of the buildings that had been wrecked. After a moment of gazing hd turned back to his desk to continue with his paperwork.
Out of the many papers that littered his desk, one caught his eye.
And that's when it hit him.
It would be risky. And it might not work. And the council would NOT be happy with this decision. But the risk was worth it.
He held the paper in his hand and gave it a look reading the list of names. Yes this would do. Maybe it wasn't too late to save her after all.
Authors Notes
Well thats the first chapter. I really hope ive intrigued some of you. I spent a long time typing this out and a lot of back spacing trying to make this perfect. Im sure there are some things I could have done better but it cant be helped I suppose. Anyways if you liked it be sure to tell me what i did right and if not tell me what I could have done better! Either way, thanks for reading! _