By: aquawatergirl

Just Keep Moving Forward

Chapter 4: Change is Not Sweet

Ginta San-Ryu was running through the marketplace in his human form pushing and shoving past people.

Someone behind him shouted, "THIEF!"

Ginta smirked and whispered to himself, "Can you prove it?" He bit into the apple he was holding, enjoying the delicious juices that ran down his cheeks, chin, and throat. He did not enjoy stealing – except when people made a big deal about it and chased him – but he was starving and he did not know how else to survive. He had already tried hunting today, but he missed his shot – twice. He was not very good with his bow yet, and his dagger was dull. What else was he supposed to do? Beg? He was not humble enough for that. He would rather everyone scold him rather than feel sorry for him. Suddenly, he saw the Jonin up ahead and the Anbu Black Ops.

"Holy Sh**!" O_O Ginta's yellow slit eyes – they had changed over the years – widened as he saw the cops up ahead. Ginta smirked to himself. "Now for the fun part." He quickly grabbed someone's arm and made them look like him and then Ginta transformed into a rabbit.

Whenever the Jonin and Anbu Black Ops came running up, the store keeper pointed at the fake Ginta and said, "That is him, that is the thief!" Of course, the fake Ginta did not know what was going on. Therefore, said he did not steal anything, but he was also not looking at himself so he did not know he was transformed – he was too preoccupied talking to the po po. So the Jonin and the Anbu believed the storekeeper over the fake Ginta and brought the fake Ginta to jail. As the store keeper walked away with his reward money of "capturing a thief" and recompense money of "here is your money to pay for the food he stole", the real Ginta changed back and bursted out laughing, ignoring the stares and strange looks he received. He stole a lot of food this time, but he had not eaten in three days either. Besides, he knew that guy was a criminal. So he did a good deed… right?

Ginta stopped, and looked at the half-eaten apple. His thoughts went back to that dreadful afternoon 2 years ago when he and his brother went their separate ways. He never did figure out why his beloved brother saved his a**, then just… left him: all alone, with no food, no water, no shelter or family, or any way of protecting himself except to shape shift. He had to walk all the way back to the Laru Village to get his supply pack but that did not last him long. Ginta always loved his brother the most out of all his family. He always looked up to him, for even though Xavior's gifts developed at a snail's pace, they were much more potent. Xavior and he wrestled and competed on a regular basis and they both did well. Xavior often praised Ginta on his abilities and was willing to help train him. So why did he just ditch him? But even after all of that, one thing rang out clearer than the rest: their last words as they departed.

"You cannot save them all, Ginta," Xavior said. "That is just the cold, hard truth."

"You have changed, nii-san." (Traslation: brother) Ginta whispered in reply.

Ginta was not sure Xavior meant just the people of the village. Maybe he meant a deeper meaning. –You cannot save everyone in the world. You cannot save everyone in your own village, your friend's village… Kana…- Ginta closed his eyes. Then, he thought about what he said to his own brother. "You have changed, nii-san." Ginta looked down at the half-bitten apple again. –He has changed? Ha! I AM the one stealing!- Ginta started to throw down the apple, but stopped. He knew that if he did not eat, he would die. That was "just the cold, hard truth." –Yah, I get it bro.- Ginta sighed and bit vigorously into the apple again, although he had lost his appetite. –Well, guess I will just do my best to survive and… get vengeance. I swear I SHALL get vengeance.- Ginta nodded, determined. –And maybe I will one day find Xavior.- Ginta absent mindedly found himself playing with the silver chain around his neck. When he realized what he was doing, he gripped it tightly and kissed the claw softly. "Oh, Kana Laru. I swear, there shall never be another for me…" Blinking away tears, Ginta walked forward into the crowd to go to his den for the night. –She is never coming back… None of them are…- "Just the cold, hard truth."