(Hi, well this is the first chapter of the series. I hope you give it a chance and read a few chapters before deciding to drop it. I do warn that the series is planned to be very long and probably won't be completed for at least 3 years. I love feedback and constructive criticism, so please leave a review so I can improve my writing and storytelling skills. Enjoy!)
History:
After the last Ninja World War and the conclusion of the Tailed Beast Era the world settled into a state of relative peace. This peace lasted for a long time, but eventually cracks started to form. Mistrust between rival nations and ninja villages started to re-emerge. Fears of another Ninja World War began to form and the Hidden Villages secretly began to prepare. Recently tension has been growing between the Hidden Leaf Village and the Hidden Rock Village. This is due to an incident where Leaf shinobi accidentally attacked Rock shinobi on a bridge that was supposed to be neutral grounds. Now the 7th Hokage Konahamaru Sarutobi has made a deal with the Tsuchikage to prevent a war. As a part of the agreement, he has to sacrifice his life in order to form an alliance with the Hidden Rock Village. But before this, the 7th must reveal this awful truth to a certain academy student.
Introduction:
Kuroda Taishi and Ichimaru Nara are academy students in the Village Hidden in the Leaves. They have been best friends since early childhood and are almost always together. They are both extremely intelligent but do not like to show it. They even have the same style of hair, black and about shoulder length but tied up a knot, like a spiked pony tail. Yet Kuroda has bangs which drape over the right side of his face and cover his brilliant light blue eyes. They enjoy goofing off and messing around with everyone and don't really have any plans for the future. Like most kids, they are just living in the moment.
The duo bursts out of the doors the Ninja Academy after class and falls to the ground overcome by laughter. "Awe man that was great," says Ichimaru, "Did you see Sensei's face?"
"I know it was classic," Kuroda agrees, "The fish was a great idea."
"Yeah, lucky my mom was going to throw them out," chortles Ichimaru. The other students start to file out of the building, announcing the end of the school day. Most head off in whatever direction their homes lie, but a few stick around to hang out and talk. Most of them split off into their own separate cliques to chat, but a larger group starts to form around Kuroda and Ichimaru as they recount their prank.
"And then Sensei slipped on one of the loose fish and ended up with his face in the whole bucket of them," Kuroda sniggers completing the tale and causing most of the group to laugh. Two people who aren't laughing are Naoko Fei and Rame Tsu. By most accounts they are the best female shinobi in the class and they clearly didn't appreciate the prank. Naoko's frown does not detract from her beauty one bit, in fact some might say it makes her cuter, but no boy in the class is brave enough to even try to compliment her. Her blue-green eyes are full of disapproval and she shakes her head in disappointment. Like usual her dark brown hair is pinned up in a ponytail and she is wearing a long-sleeved dark blue shirt and black slacks. Next to her Rame Tsu is mirroring her expressions. Her appearance is more tom-boyish with her light-brown hair being cut to ear length. She is also wearing a long-sleeved shirt, only hers is black and her slacks are brown.
"You two are horrible," Naoko comments, "You know some of us are actually trying to learn in class, and when you disrupt things it is our advancement that suffers."
"What do you expect from a couple of boys?" Rame Tsu says, "They are completely incompetent."
"Hey we're not incompetent!" Ichimaru argues, "It took careful planning and execution to pull off that prank." This causes an uproar among the surrounding children.
"Uggh you are so useless," Naoko responds, "This is why males are inferior to us females. You don't see any of us girls goofing off in class do you?"
"If you are offering we would love to have you join!" Kuroda jokes. Another fit of laughing surges through the crowd and upsets the girls even more.
"They are hopeless," says Rame Tsu, "Come on let's go Naoko."
"Right behind you," her friend says as they stalk off.
"That was a terrible prank they pulled today," says a young girl with long flowing pink hair and blue-green eyes as she looks over at the group from afar.
"Just ignore them Sakura," her friend advises, "You know those two are just troublemaking pests."
"Yeah you are right Yui," says Sakura.
"Hey wait," says Yui as she brushes her hands through her golden blonde hair, "What is Shun doing over there?"
"Shun? No way," gasps Sakura in disbelief, "He is way too cool to be hanging out with them. Hey, where are you going?"
"Come on," says Yui as she moves towards the larger group, "Let's get closer to Shun."
Shun Kashi, one of the rare darker-skinned people in the village, is standing among the circle of students. His black hair springs out of his head and forms into an afro and his eyes are a solid black color. His muscles are well-toned, he is tall, and his facial features are strong and sharp. Not only is he *Hot* in the opinion of most girls, but he is by far the top-ranked student in the academy. As evidence of his popularity he is surrounded by a gaggle of girls, just dying to get his attention. He of course has no real interest in any of them and at the moment is chuckling about another joke of Kuroda's.
"That was a good one. I think I've officially filled my laugh quota for the day," announces Shun.
"So soon?" asks Ichimaru, "We have plenty more."
"Yeah we know, and plenty more pranks planned too I'll bet," Shun replies.
"You'd win that bet," Kuroda says.
"You know if you guys put half as much effort into school as you did into your pranks then you'd probably be near the top of the class," Shun says.
"Who needs school anyways?" Kuroda responds, "We're going to open up our own joke shop."
"Good luck with that," says Shun heading off, "I'll see you guys tomorrow. That is if you decide to show up." The rest of the group starts to disperse and everyone begins to head home. None of them know what the future holds, and who one day will become important figures in the village.
On a seemingly normal day in the confines of his private chamber the 7th Hokage uses his Telescope Technique to observe Kuroda and Ichimaru pulling a prank in class. He laughs, being reminded of the antics of his own youth and that of his master. "If only you were still around 6th," he thinks as he looks at the mountain that has the faces of the previous Hokages' watching over the village, "I know you would have been able to work things out differently." He has come to terms with his decision and his fate and now all that is left is to make preparations for the future of the village.
After school Kuroda and Ichimaru are walking home, joking around like they normally do.
"No, no, no you can't use a turtle for that," Kuroda declares.
"You don't use an actual turtle," Ichimaru explains, "You just use the shell and stuff it with whipped cream."
"Where are we supposed to get an empty turtle shell?" Kuroda questions.
"How should I know," Ichimaru responds, "You're the smart one."
"I thought you were the brains and I was the brawn," Kuroda retorts.
"I was the brains yesterday," Ichimaru says, "You're the brains today."
"Yes that's right, how could I forget?" says Kuroda.
"The better question is how did I remember?" Ichimaru responds. Both of them clutch their bellies in a fit of laughter from their game of mindless banter.
They start to round the corner when the 7th suddenly appears in front of them and asks, "May I speak to Kuroda alone Ichimaru?"
"Of course Lord Hokage," replies Ichimaru after recovering from the startling appearance, "See you later Kuroda."
"So what's up Gramps?" asks Kuroda curiously. Normally the Hokage didn't like to make such an extravagant show of going about things. Usually he had a little more sedate way of doing things, like waiting at a corner up ahead or casually walking up from behind.
"Come walk with me," replies the 7th putting his arm around the boy and guiding him forward. They walk to the Stone of the Lost Shinobi and the 7th tells Kuroda about the situation the village is in. "So you see I have no other choice than to give in to the demands of the Hidden Rock Village and sacrifice my life for the safety of the village," finishes the 7th as they stop in front of the stone that contains the names of all the brave ninja that died in the Nine Tails attack all those years ago. A black slab of stone shaped like a kunai, it stands as a landmark to recognize those who sacrificed themselves for the village.
Kuroda's face goes white and his eyes widened, staring at the old man with a mixture of shock, disbelief, and hurt. He opens his mouth a few times, trying to find words, but each time, they became stuck in his throat. Finally, he painfully yells, "No, you can't do this Gramps! You can't do this to me! Other than Ichimaru you're the only friend I have. You are the only family I have!"
Konohamaru stares at Kuroda, taking in the pain reflected on the boy's face; Kuroda deserves better than abandonment by another person and, for a moment, The 7th allows a few memories to flash before his eyes.
*Many years ago*
Kuroda's mother and father appeared in the village with serious injuries. Not being of the type to turn away people in need the 7th allowed them into the village and put the highest ninja of the Leaf Medical Corps on the job. Kuroda was born a healthy baby; however both his parents died almost immediately after. Many people objected to the 7th letting the boy stay in the village when they learned his father was from an enemy village. However Kuroda was an innocent child and the 7th to let him grow up in the village, forbidding anyone from telling him the truth about his origins. Yet still to this day many are resentful and treat him badly and his constant pranks only make the issue worse. But the Hokage watched over him as he grew, guiding him towards becoming a strong man. Eventually Kuroda met Ichimaru and they instantly became the best of friends, and all the sadness drained out and was replaced by laughter and a nearly unbreakable bond.
"You know that's not true, young one," says the Hokage finally after his brief venture into the past.
"She doesn't count!" yells Kuroda as he tries not to think about her. The woman that he hated and loved at the same time. The woman that rejected him and treated him like he barely existed. He tries to shut out her warm face, her thick hair, her ghostly eyes. None of it gets through, not even her smile.
The 7th sighs regretful about the way things turned out, "I am not going to discuss that with you now; I have something more important to tell you. You must be careful, because when I am gone people will not be as forgiving towards your jokes and pranks as they are now. They will use any reason they can to kick you out of the village."
"Then don't do it," pleads Kuroda desperately not wanting to lose the man he thought of as a father, "Don't leave!" The seventh Hokage stops dead in the middle of his stride, his eyes bore into Kuroda's with intensity, he leans over slowly and his whisper is a low susurration as he tells him something that completely shocks and awes him, something that will change his life forever. Then he steps back smiling proudly at the boy, pats him on the shoulder, and then teleports away before Kuroda can respond.
A woman with long blonde hair knocks on the door to the Hokage's office. "Come in Michiyo," says Konohamaru looking tired.
She walks inside commenting, "You know I hate when you call me that. You should call me by my family name of Katonae like everyone else."
This restores his energy and he chuckles, "Yes I am well aware, but an old dog doesn't like to learn new tricks, especially when he is about to be put down."
"You're being foolish!" says Michiyo brusquely, "There is no guarantee that they won't attack right after you die."
"I must do what I can in order to protect this village and save lives," he replies confident with his decision.
"You will save more lives by being alive!" argues Michiyo defiantly, not wanting to lose the strongest ninja in the village; its protector since she was just a child, a mentor to her, and a father figure.
"I am well past my prime Michiyo," the Hokage says with a heavy sigh, "There are younger, faster, stronger, and smarter ninja that are more useful in battle than me. So I will do what I can to prevent them from going into battle."
"But the Tsuchikage is…" she starts.
"That's enough," he says sternly, "The decision is made. You cannot change my mind."
Feeling defeated without even getting to fight, she quietly asks, "Then why did you summon me here?"
"You are like a daughter to me. Would you deny me the chance to see you one last time before I go to my final resting place?" he asks.
"Of course I wouldn't," replies Michiyo comforted that he considers her family, "But isn't there someone you should be seeing instead of me?"
"My son made it very clear that he wants no part of this village, and I will respect his wishes," says the Hokage heavily, remorseful about his estranged child. Michiyo clutches her chest deeply as a deep pain from long ago resurfaces. She tries to be strong like a shinobi should, but her distress and hurt is clearly evident to the old man. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" starts the 7th apologetically. He instantly regrets saying the words and forgetting what meaning they would have to her.
"Its fine," she says quickly regaining composure and putting up the strong emotional wall she had built over the years.
"I must confess however that just seeing you is not the only reason I called you here," he says.
"It isn't?" she inquires wondering what else he could possibly want to talk to her about.
"No, I have made a decision," he confesses with a hint of regret in his eyes.
"A decision, on what?" she asks.
"Michiyo Katonae, from here on forward you shall be known as the 8th Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves!" he announces. She is utterly speechless at this declaration, not at all expecting him to choose her as the successor to protector of the village.
Later in the week the 7th Hokage officially announces to the village that Michiyo Katonae will become the 8th Hokage. Then the next day the Tsuchikage and a delegation from the Stone Country come to sign the treaty. The 7th Hokage is executed with a peaceful smile on his face and buried near the previous Hokages' remains lie. Pain wells up inside and tears flow from Kuroda's eyes as he watches his mentor's body being carried to its final resting place. He stares at the 7th's peaceful smile until the pain building up in his heart is too much and he has to get away. He pushes his way back through the crowd and runs into the forest.
The young boy wanders in the forest for days, trying to deal with the devastating loss. Surprisingly not many people in the village notice that he is missing and no one is sent out to look for him. When he returns he goes back to school like normal. Ichimaru questions where he was, but he acts like nothing happened and he was never gone. Soon the final academy exams come and Kuroda and Ichimaru both pass with ease taking their first steps into the Genin world.
(I forgot to mention, if you want more information on my characters you can see their bios on my profile page. Be warned, there may be some spoilers. Also I'm in the process of getting pictures drawn for the characters, but I have no idea how long that will take. If you're interested in drawing and have a DA account then send me a Message. Enjoy the next chapter, and please review.)