Naruto: Tails of the Four
Written by DivineGuidanceAlpha
Requests and private comments may be sent to HitoSorrelius
Synopsis: A re-writing of Naruto, beginning just before the Chunin Exams. Four shinobi trained to be assassins find themselves without a home. A kind offer from the Third Hokage aligns them to the Hidden Leaf Village, where they try to make a new life for themselves...but old ghosts and new enemies threaten their new home already, and it may take losing each other to gain the strength to save it.
Arc 1: Arrival; Chapter 04: "Is this home?"
Once Shiden made it back into the Village proper, he sent out the signal. It was a measure their parents had taught them to keep in contact over distances, a surge of chakra combined with a whistle. As far as he had found, no one outside of their Village could even hear it. He gathered the chakra into his throat, like he had been taught, and let it disperse with the exhale of the whistle. Those around him would hear the vocal version, but the simplicity of the jutsu was its trump. The sound traveled far, and as long as he continued whistling, the signal would keep going out.
Within five minutes, the other three were at his side, all three looking worn out; in the case of his brother and best friend, they looked physically worn out. Tenso...no, it was Ren in control at the moment...he looked satisfied, but emotionally drained. It was easier to tell with the calmer persona; Tenso hid his emotions too well, and he didn't often let people see the story his eyes told.
However, he was the first to notice Shiden's new addition. "Hey, that's a Hidden Leaf band. I take it that means we can stay?"
Shiden nodded, holding out the other three bands. "We are, from now on, shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village. All who would threaten it, beware." Ren chuckled, taking the blue band. Raizen took the black, to counterbalance his brother's new white one, and Koen took the red because he liked the fire symbolism behind it. "However...There is a small kink. You three...are still Genin."
Rai could have punched or hugged his brother, whichever, but he held his peace. "So? We'll just take Aina's and Kuro's spots in the exam. Tenso can't compete otherwise, right Ren?" The shortest of the four nodded, smiling faintly.
"And you were already our Jonin leader, so this just makes it easier," Koen added, cracking his knuckles. "I've met some people here that I would like to fight in this tournament."
"Me too," Rai said, his hands sparking a bit. Now Shiden knew why they both looked so tired; they had been playing.
"Judging from the look of that storm, you had someone to fight with, too," Ren observed, that light smile still in place. "Who was it, how did it go?"
"I'd...rather not talk about it. Did anyone find us a place to stay?" Raizen nodded.
"I met this kid, Naruto. He lives in this apartment complex. Says none of the other ones are taken, and the landlady charges cheap. He's a goofy kid, but I like anyone who has enough spunk to challenge me to a fight over their simple beliefs."
Shiden nodded, a bit impressed; Rai didn't compliment anyone unless they were willing to take a few blows and earn it. "Anything is better than being homeless. Let's go take a look."
"Still think anything is better than being homeless?" Rai asked his brother in a quiet tone, the eldest ninja sighing as he looked the place over. The walls were thin, holes punched in some of them; there was hardly enough space for two people, let alone four, but their money was tight until they could get some jobs under the belt; and there was only a mini-fridge and a microwave.
"It is," he answered, tossing his pack into a corner as a claim. "A bit of fumigation, buying a new fridge and stove, and it'll be just like that one summer house we all got forced to stay in for 'team building'."
"I hated that house," Koen said with a sigh, throwing his bag on the table and beginning to unpack. Out came two full weapon kits, a first-aid pack, and the last of his emergency rations. Tenso unpacked next, more medicine and more rations being his major items. He also had several sets of senbon, lethal needles that could be coated with poison, acid, even chakra.
"We all did," he said, grinning a bit as Koen started sharpening his kunai. "But we made the best of it. Until we can get something better, we will make the best of this, too."
Shiden finished unrolling his sleeping bag, and turned to the rest. "So, tell me about your days, and I'll tell you about mine."
"I met a girl," Tenso said. "I got through half a date with her before she slapped me in the face and started yelling. Then she kissed me and stormed off."
Rai raised an eyebrow. "That...is an odd way of winning a girl's heart, man. Worse than Koen making that one girl cry."
Koen was across the small room and punching his cousin square in the jaw before much else could happen. "Don't you dare talk about Sala! You were the one who pointed her to me when I was in a bad mood!"
"Now, come on, don't fight-" Shiden had stepped between his brother and cousin, only to get a roundhouse kick to the face that had definitely been meant for Koen. Falling on his ass, he glared up at Rai. A small stream of blood began flowing from his nose, and the glare turned hateful. "...Of course, you realize what happens now." He spun to his feet, knocking them off of theirs in the process. A small jolt of lightning leapt from his hands and into each boy, causing spasms to course through them both. "Next time, I drown one of you in the bath and the other in the sink."
Tenso wasn't laughing, mainly because he knew that Shiden wasn't joking. He was a master of Water Style and genjutsu that were water-based. The only one, as far as Tenso knew.
"Now, we're going to be in closer quarters than ever until we get missions done. So, you three are going to practice and train for the Chuunin Exams."
"What about you?" Tenso asked, tossing together some of their supplies and popping the resulting mess in the microwave.
"Not sure yet. As a Jonin, what exactly am I supposed to do? Just sit and twiddle my thumbs until a mission comes to me?"
"I guess, brother. That's what mom did, after all."
"Mom had two kids to look after." Shiden's eyes widened suddenly. "Oh my god, it's worse for me. I have three kids to look after."
Shiden had expected it, but he was jumped upon by all three of his laughing kin; the family wasn't known for fighting fair.
The fight was short-lived, and over quickly; Shiden didn't take dissidence with any kind of leniency, no matter how minor. Three out of four went to bed bruised up, but all four would be fine in the morning.