Untitled Chapter 1
By Imafish
A Naruto fanfiction
A/N: Hey everyone!! I'm back! First of all, thank you so much to everyone who reviewed!!!! To the people who added me to favorites, or story alert, I love you guys too, but I'd love you even more if you reviewed… hint hint, nudge nudge… Anyway! I've gotten some great name suggestions, and I'm really grateful. Not gonna name the story until I have more suggestions, but thank you all so much, 'cause I have no clue what to name it. Anyway, same as always. Review, tell me you love my story, and ENJOY!
Btw, special thanks to RayneXHatake for the first review and a lot of helpful feedback!! This chapter's for you!!
Chapter 1: New Acquaintances
They're really jumpy.
It's one of the first things that Sakumo notes about his new companions. They've got the same hunted expression in their eyes, which flicker nervously at every small sound. But being the leaders of a rebellion against Hanzo himself, he supposes they've got very good reason to be so nervous.
Leaders of the rebellion. It really surprises him that children so young-"seventeen"- he is told haughtily when he asks, are already leading a rebellion. And it annoys him when he realizes that he's already feeling protective of them.
Finally they tell him their names. Yahiko is the leader, and although he puts on a very detached front, his natural good humor shows through. Konan is the girl, and she's incredibly sweet, an usual trait among war-orphans such as them. She's the one Sakumo talks to most, while Yahiko leads them to some destination that only he knows. Nagato is the last boy. Quiet and subdued, he mutters his name only when Sakumo asks and moves a little closer to Konan.
Apparently his old friend Jiraiya of the Sannin trained them. There's a little confusion when this comes up, and they ask after Jiraiya with surprisingly frosty demeanors. The three don't seem all that disappointed when he says that he hasn't seen the sannin since he was exiled. Sakumo guesses that Jiraiya hasn't been forgiven for leaving them yet.
"So how many rebels do you have assembled?" Sakumo asks Yahiko, long legs keeping up easily with the boy's shorter stride.
The kid mumbles something, and Sakumo realizes that they don't have anyone else in on this. The jounin raised his eyes to the cloud-covered sky and wonders silently what he'd gotten himself into.
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It's to a surprisingly comfortable little cabin that Yahiko leads them. The little house is just on the outskirts of the village, and Sakumo wonders aloud why they spent the night in Ame yesterday.
"We were looking for others," Konan tells him plainly. Then she smiles and he likes the little girl already because she can still smile. "I guess we got really lucky, running into you."
"How long did Jiraiya train you?" Sakumo asks casually as they sit down on neat wooden chairs and a slightly faded sofa. There's a picture over the fire of the three children with Jiraiya, and he wonders if he's being insensitive, bringing up what might still be a raw wound to them. "From what I saw, you three are pretty capable."
He means it kindly, but Yahiko looks slightly affronted. "Three years."
The boy pauses for a moment, and Sakumo sees that there's something he wants to say. Finally, he talks in a strained voice. "Sakumo-san, I think that you need to realize what you're getting into with this. Not that I don't want you in our group. But it could take years, and maybe this is suicidal." At this, he gets to his feet, and makes his way to the window. "Maybe we're idiots, rushing to our well-deserved deaths. But we have no life anyway, and I really think we can do this. I think that this is meant to be part of our contribution to this corrupt world."
"Only part of your contribution? Isn't liberating the people enough?"
"It's only the beginning." Yahiko lifts his handsome face and stares vacantly out the window. "I have a dream. I envision a world without war, without suffering, orphans or pain. And I believe that the three of us have the means to make my vision a reality. We have power. We have motives. We have the most important quality of all; we have empathy. We know what it means to hurt, to fall asleep curled behind trashcans afraid that the next day may be our last. We understand the pain of watching our loved ones cut down before our eyes, and being unable to save them because we aren't strong enough. Now that we're strong enough, we can't just stand by and watch others go through our pain. Sakumo-san, one day my life will flash before my eyes. I want it to be worth watching. This is what we were brought into this world to do."
Nagato and Konan watch their friend in silence. Sakumo thinks that this speech is inspiring, but idealistic, and he doesn't hesitate to tell the boy.
Yahiko shrugs, turning back towards his companions. "Call it what you will. This is my dream, and maybe you'll believe differently in the new era that will accompany its completion."
Sakumo laughed. It was the first time he had in years, and it felt good to know that he still remembered how. "I like you, kid. But I doubt I'll live long enough to see your new era."
Yahiko shrugs again, and surprisingly enough, it is Nagato who speaks.
"Don't die anytime soon, Sakumo-san. I don't think he intends for it to take a long time."
Sakumo laughs again, and this time Konan joins in.
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He is politely offered the living room to spend the night when they're done talking. The three of them show him briefly around the small house and settle into their own, shared bedroom. It feels good to sleep under a roof again and Sakumo lies awake thinking for a little while.
It's been years since he's had anyone to talk with besides brief conversations with shop venders, and temporary employers. It pains Sakumo to admit it to himself but he already knows that he likes these kids, and they're just what he needs to break him out of his shell. It's the father in him that tells him that he needs naïve children such as these to take care of, and whether he believes in Yahiko's dream or not, would it really hurt to be a part of this new era that they seem so determined to bring about?
I'll protect them, he vows to himself silently. This time, I won't lose the ones I care about.
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Every day is the same. Go out; ask around while trying not to attract attention. Find the ones who are unsure, or avert their eyes when asked if they really believe in Hanzo's ideals. It disgusts Sakumo that no one will just say that yes, they hate Hanzo, yes they'd love to kill him, and no, they're not afraid to fail.
But he looks at his companions' determined faces and knows that they're not planning on failure. What else could one expect from Jiraiya's students?
They spend a lot of time together, recruiting (or trying to), as well as training. Gradually they come to trust him, and without a word their little group expands to four.
Soon, they've got several more people who are at least willing to admit that they don't agree with Hanzo. It's a novel experience for the three teens to have people following their orders and they don't disappoint. More people are coming forward, and before long they have a group of about twenty assembled. It's better than nothing, and Yahiko, Konan and Nagato are thrilled. Sakumo cautions them however; word travels in such an enclosed village, and there's little doubt in their minds about how Hanzo deals with threats to his rule.
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Ironically, it's during training that they all relax the most with each other. Several months after Sakumo first joins their group, he and Yahiko have established a daily training schedule while Konan and Nagato search for willing rebels.
One such evening found the two of them in a small clearing nearby the house.
"Did you find anyone today?" Yahiko asks casually, launching a quick clump of shuriken to Sakumo's left, forcing him to dodge.
"Not today," the jounin answers, spinning away from the boy's follow-up strike and throwing a quick punch. "I've been thinking about trying to find help from out of town."
"But anyone we recruit from other villages will have no reason to fight," Yahiko returns, catching his fist and kicking out hard.
"I did," Sakumo replies wryly. "Traveling mercenaries, that's what we need. Scrap together some funds and we at least stand a stronger chance. We're doing well now, but we need some ninja with more battle experience then the renegades of the village." He ducked the kick and rolled away, neither of them bothering with ninjutsu.
"Maybe," Yahiko responds thoughtfully, his face creased with concerns that no child of his age should have to deal with. He quickly tries to dodge as the jounin attacked with a quick flurry of punches. "What the hell am I even considering for? If they can help us, great. We need all the help we can get. I mean, you're strong, and the three of us are fairly capable," Sakumo snorted at the vast understatement, "but the ninja we have now don't stand much of a chance against Hanzo's men."
"It's not the men I'm worried about," Sakumo answers, catching the younger man in the chin with a quick punch that knocked him backwards. He pauses in concern but Yahiko rolls with the blow and lands on his feet, retaliating immediately. "It's the old man himself. We're good, but he's better." He fell silent, mind quickly assessing the possible ways to take Hanzo down. "Poison wouldn't be honorable but it would get the job done, and that's all we need at this point. But getting it past all of the security and ninja, that's the issue."
"I agree," Yahiko replies, "the way I see it, the only way we can get Hanzo out of his hidey-hole is to either pick a fight straight out and hope that he comes to face us personally, or lay siege to the city, get his men occupied and break into his quarters."
"Hanzo is vain," Sakumo is quick to reply, "his arrogance could be the necessary weapon to use against him in order to lure him out. If we challenge his rule, he's going to eliminate us personally in order to get the point across that no one can defeat him. And at this point, no one can. Better shinobi have tried and failed, Jiraiya, Tsunade and Orochimaru being classic examples."
"So what do you suggest we do?"
"I say we send out a challenge. Tell him that his days are numbered, something cliché like that. Just give the impression that you want him dead, that'll be easy enough. Leave him wondering who we are and growing uncertain about our abilities. Then, strike when he's at his most uncertain and take him down. I suggest we lay siege to the village, like you said. But we need a lot of help and we aren't nearly strong enough yet to take down Hanzo. It'll take time, but that's all I've got to suggest right now."
They both stepped back, minds evaluating the possible outcomes of such actions. Suddenly, Nagato bursts into the clearing. His face is flushed and sweat rolls down his pale skin. He bends over, placing both hands on his knees, trying to speak.
"Nagato?" Sakumo and Yahiko both run to his side. "What's wrong?" Yahiko demands, because something is clearly very wrong. Tears rest on the lids of Nagato's rinnegan eyes and as they watch, one rolls down his pale cheek.
"K-Konan," he manages, trying frantically to gulp down mouthfuls of air. "They took Konan!"
"What?!" Yahiko yells, at the same time that Sakumo demands "Who?!"
"Hanzo's men! They took her!"
Sakumo darts across the clearing, and snatches up his tanto from its place under a tree. He quickly slides on the sheath and all three of them race from the clearing, praying that everything will be all right, that they get there in time.
I promised to protect them, Sakumo thinks fiercely to himself, sprinting after the children, his children. We're coming, Konan.
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Years later
Hatake Sakumo stands at the edge of a cliff overlooking Amegakure. Alongside him stands Uchiha Madara and as Sakumo glances to the side he feels like he is looking at sin itself.
"Here they come now," Madara announces, a pleased smirk curling his aristocratic lips.
Sakumo forces himself to look away and focus on the path in front of them. Two figures make their way towards them and even from the distance Pain's spiky hair is unmistakable. As the Leader of Akatsuki and his partner come into view, Sakumo looks at Yahiko's pierced face and emotionless expression and knows him well enough to know that Nagato is utterly spent, but unwilling to show any emotions in front of the demon before them. Konan's blue eyes are underlined with dark circles from lack of sleep but as always, her face is entirely devoid of emotion. Sakumo wonders when he last saw her smile, and realizes with a jolt that he's forgotten what it looks like.
Madara steps forward to greet his subordinates and Sakumo remembers a distant promise to protect them. He spits on the rocky ground in disgust.
Once a failure, always a failure.
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A/N: It's kinda fillerish, I know. Sorry!!
Btw, just to make this clear, I'm not making some epic time-skip. The above section was just a prelude to later chapters in the story. I'll try to update soon. PLEASE REVIEW!! Also, maybe it was too early to have Sakumo start thinking about the three as his children, but they've known each other for the couple of months that I was too lazy to write. Besides, he misses his own son, and Yahiko, Nagato and Konan are the first real attachments he's had in years. Poor guy. If only he knew what was coming, sniff.
Btw, Kakashi is on his way, for all of you who want me to hurry up and get to him. Not that anyone's said that. But I want myself to hurry up and get to Kakashi. Of course, I haven't had all that many reviews… So hurry up! : )