Chapter 1

The paths we all must walk

Standing on the outskirts of the village gates before him Ban was battered and bleeding, clutching his right arm as the blood still flowed from the wound. His vision was now getting blurry and he could barely stand, let alone call out to anyone for help. He trudged along stumbling every few feet his head hung down. What else could a 10 year old boy do but try and find some sort of help, He had barely escaped the ruins of his family home with his life. Finally falling to his knees he looked up at the sky, the clouds seemingly laughing at his misfortune. Angry and half insane from blood loss he shouted up at the sky, "You! You think this is funny!!!??? I swear I'll kill you!!!"

"Who's there?" a voice shouted back at him.

Looking towards the source of the sound ban barely made out the silhouette of a man walking towards him, just before losing consciousness Ban threw a kunai at the figure yelling, "stay back!" The man dodged it as Ban fell to the ground.

"What is this kid doing out here?" The man said, and then he shouted back at the gates, "Medic! We need some help here!"

Hours later Ban woke up in the hospital his arm gone and bandaged. Looking around he was a little more level headed. He stayed silent as a nurse turned to look at him.

"Well, well, look whose up finally." She said with a smile, "how are you feeling today?"

"Where am I?" Ban said ignoring her question. "What's going on?"

The nurse just smiled again and politely answered his question, "You're in the hospital, you can't tell?"

Ban looked at the nurse giving her a face saying, you can't be serious. "I mean what town I'm in."

The nurse stopped smiling, "I…" she hesitated, "I don't think I can tell you."

Ban was now furious, "Tell me!" ripping off the IV's in his arm and standing up his eyes began to glow blood red. The nurse screamed and ran out of the door and Ban began to calm down, shaking lightly.

"Well you aren't the most subtle kid are you?" A familiar voice said. Ban recognizing it as the man from the gate he reached for his belt only to find his kunai's gone. "Sorry kid..." the man said twirling Ban's kunai around his finger. "Not until the doctor says you can have these back." Ban looked at the man trying to judge his power. "My name's Zabu kid, and yours?" He looked at Ban expecting an answer.

Ban was still judging him, "what do you want?"

"Well at this point your name." Zabu said sarcastically.

Carefully Ban answered, "Its Ban, Ban Amino."

"Well seeing as you're not dead let me tell you where you are."

"Why couldn't the nurse tell me?" Ban interrupted.

"Well, well, we have a kid with a brain." Zabu let out a small smile, "You're in the village of silence, a hidden ninja village unknown to the outside world. That is why the nurse couldn't tell you kid, she doesn't have the information I do."

"Information?"

"Yeah, Information as in how our kage is allowing you to stay. For what reason I have no idea, but it seems he sees something special in you." Ban remained silent hesitating to say anything. "In fact he's actually requested to see you once you woke up, so come on now and get dressed." Ban did as he was told driven by curiosity of who the kage was and why he had chosen to let him, a stranger, to stay in the village. Zabu and Ban walked out of the hospital and down the road. Ban could feel staring gazes at him as he walked down the street, looking down at his now non-existent arm, he knew that's what was drawing their un-wanted attention. "Hey," Zabu said as if knowing Ban's thoughts, "don't worry about them kid. They're just surprised to see you awake, after the way I found you I mean." Ban nodded slightly and followed Zabu to a large building separated from the rest of the village by large gates. Looking back at Zabu ban saw his nod and proceeded in the front gates. Walking inside of the building he noticed the peculiar tapestries on the wall.

"Those tell the entire story of our village young man." An older sounding gentleman said from behind. He walked up and placed a hand on Ban's shoulder. "This place is a place of peace. Not in thousands of years has anyone successfully entered the inner city. I would like you to stay here where you can be protected from those who did that to you."

"I don't want protection," Ban interrupted, "I don't want to burden others with my own problems."

"That's awfully mature of you at such a young age."

"Well let's just say I had to do a lot of growing up very fast in the past few weeks."

"Now then, that's the question I've been wondering. How did you end up at our gates your arm almost tore off and you half-dead?"

Ban shook his head, "Although I am grateful for what you have done. That is something I'm not yet ready to discuss."

The kage nodded in understanding, "You take your time, well now the only question is what to do from here."

"I was told this was a secret ninja village, if it is ok with you," Ban turned towards the kage, "I'd like to train and become a ninja of this village."

"Are you certain? The life of a shinobi is hard and full of peril. There is no turning back once you choose your path young man, so choose carefully."

"You know something? My father used to tell me this, I didn't understand it's meaning until now though. He used to say, There's always a path you must walk down son, Some paths are paved and full of people, easy going and delightful, but then other paths are barren, and down-trotted, but, Sometimes those paths are the one's you'll never regret taking."

The kage nodded, "your father sounds like he's a wise man."

"He was," Ban corrected, "So if you approve."

The kage smiled, "I have no objections, Of course with a resolve like that I doubt you would have taken no for an answer anyway. You'll be enrolled in the academy as of tomorrow morning, But for now, Go take rest, for tomorrow you start down your own path."

Ban nodded and walked out of the doors following the kage's assistant to an un-occupied room. Lying on the bed Ban thought about the future, how just a few days ago he was inches from death, and how the kindness of this man had given him a second chance. Eventually he drifted off to sleep, his thoughts remaining his guide for his dreams.