A Warrior, An archer and a Fox: Rewritten

"Regular speech"

'Regular thought'

"Demon/ Summons/ Inner Speaking"

'Demon/Summons thinking'

A/N: Wow it certainly has been a while. Well, let's just cut the chatter and get right to the show!

"Congratulations to all of you who passed! Be sure to come back in one week for your team assignments!" Iruka declared to the class of newly appointed genin. He and Mizuki both watched in pride as the children all rushed outside to show their parents their newly awarded headbands.

As the children all beamed with pride over their achievement and at the praise of their parents, one boy stood apart from the rest.

Naruto Uzumaki watched his classmates meet with their parents with a bittersweet smile on his face. 'I guess I can't be completely jealous' he thought as his grin grew slightly 'I did pass after all!' he declared mentally as his hand reached up to adjust the Hitai-ate wrapped securely around his forehead. 'Now if only they had it in orange' he mused as he leaned back against the tree he had been sitting in front of.

"Bah! If anything you should have seen if they had it in crimson! Orange is nice and all, but Yoku has a point when he says it makes you a target," Kyuubi spoke up to his surrogate son.

Naruto merely shrugged, though he did glance at his burnt orange jacket. While it wasn't bright, he wouldn't deny that it did little to hide him. In all honesty, nothing about his garb said he was a ninja. If he took off his kunai pouch and headband, he'd be left in his orange jacket, white shirt, and loose blue jeans, another average teenager.

Except for the fact that he had no shoes.

"So this is where you are," a familiar voice called out. Naruto turned to look and what he saw brought a wide grin to his face as well as made his heart skip a beat.

Hinata Hyuuga approached the seated blond, a warm smile on her face and Naruto could not help but admire her. That bobbed indigo hair with bangs that framed a beautiful porcelain face, those pupil-less lavender tinted eyes all spoke volumes of her still budding beauty. She was not the same shy girl he had first met, even though she still did hide behind that heavy white jacket and baggy blue shorts.

Finally she reached the blond and stood over his seated form a warm smile on her face. Naruto returned the smile.

"Congratulations Naruto-kun," Hinata spoke, "I knew you could do it,"

"Right back at you Nata-chan," Naruto beamed, pointing at the forehead protector that hung from the blushing girl's neck.

"S-So! Where are, um, Yoku and Doku?" Hinata asked curiously, slowly sitting next to her friend, however she immediately grew concerned when Naruto's grinning face immediately frowned.

"Doku… He's probably out venting…" Naruto stated sourly.

"Ah… I-I didn't mean to upset you, I just, um,…" Hinata trailed off, her index fingers poking together nervously.

"It's fine… Yoku went looking for him so I wouldn't worry too much about it," Naruto assured her with a sad sigh, "Still though, to work as hard as he did and just… to be told that…"

"You failed," Hinata finished quietly.

It was a sad and true fact. Doku Tsuuro had failed the genin exams. They had all been surprised to see Doku exit that room and silently leave without a word to anyone, but the way he avoided everyone's gaze and how he nearly ripped the door off it's hinges when he left explained his bad mood perfectly.

"He spent five years training like a madman, can you blame him for being furious?" Kyuubi asked rhetorically.

Naruto chose to remain silent and instead looked at the ground with a scowl. He did not remain that way for long though, as a certain heiress hauled him to his feet and began leading him down the road.

"Whoa! N-Nata-chan! What are you doing?" Naruto asked, a scarlet blush on his face as the girl led him down the streets by his hand.

"We're genin now!" she responded, not looking back because her face was burning crimson as well, "And I say we should go and celebrate with some Ichiraku,"

NAruto stumbled in surprise, but soon his face lit up with a bright smile. Firmly gripping Hinata's hand, the blond dashed in front of her and led the way, "Let's go then!" he shouted joyously.

Training field 13

While Naruto and Hinata had gone to Ichiraku's one red-eyed teenager was taking his frustrations out on various boulders and training posts, and by the look of destroyed rocks and pieces of wood, he had quite a bit of frustration to vent.

Crying out with rage, Doku smashed the wooden post to splinters with a final punch. Ignoring the various splinters that bounced off his tanned and muscled form, the Tsuuro shook his gloved hand, getting rid of the slight stinging sensation in his fingers. Glancing at the debris around him, Doku scowled, "Huh, destroyed a lot less than usual," he muttered.

Five years ago, Doku stepped out of the hospital and dedicated almost every moment of his waking life to training and because of that, he had become the strongest of his class in terms of raw physical power. Yet it seemed all his training was for nothing.

Growling, Doku stamped his brown booted foot in fury, causing the ground to crater slightly. He couldn't believe it! He'd trained till he dropped for the past FIVE YEARS and he was denied genin rank because of ONE messed up jutsu! He didn't even know why the clone had come out as badly as it did, or why there was only one! Just yesterday he had been able to make two of them perfectly, but today, some sick looking… thing had appeared!

Roaring in frustration, Doku grabbed a nearby bouder and chucked the thing high into the air, despite it being twice his weight. Waiting in a squatted position, Doku waited for it to come back, then, when it was within reach, the angry child swung his head forward and shattered the large stone with a mighty headbutt.

Releasing a content sigh, Doku closed his eyes and ignored the small stream of blood that poured down his face.

"I'm glad to see you're dealing with this well," a voice stated behind him.

Doku merely grunted and wiped the blood away before turning around. He soon wished he hadn't though.

"Yo," Mizuki greeted his former student, a casual smile on his face. The smile vanished however when his student merely grunted in response and began tearing the landscape apart again. "Oi! I can understand you're mad but why the cold shoulder treatment?" Mizuki asked as he watched Doku break a post in half with a single kick.

"What do you want?" Doku growled as he spun around and glared at his teacher.

"To check on you," Mizuki responded calmly.

"Well I'm fine!" Doku snapped, "Perfectly fine! It's not like I wasn't just humiliated in front of everyone!" Doku began walking towards another boulder, "Not like I just had my entire future shut down before it even began!" he picked up his pace and zeroed in on the boulder, his fist clenched tightly, "It's not like I didn't waste five years of my life, only to fail, because of some stupid fluke!" Doku roared before smashing the rock with a wild swing.

The rock shattered into thousands of pebbles, leaving a panting Doku glaring angrily into the rubble. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he turned to see Mizuki giving him a warm smile, "That training wasn't for nothing Doku-kun, just look at yourself," he said soothingly, "You're not the same little brat that threw Naruto through the door you know,"

It was true; Doku had grown considerably from when he was a child. He was the tallest in his class, only half a head shorter than Mizuki himself. His training had also made him very muscular, but not overly so and left him with a deep tan. He had log since grown out of all his old clothes, even the old leather boots he had found, and now wore a white shirt, fingerless black gloves, a pair of brown baggy shorts and some black boots. The only notable thing about his clothes was the kanji for Strength written in black on his back.

"Then why?! Why the hell did I fail?!" Doku roared in frustration, "I worked so hard!" Yanking off his right glove Doku presented his fist to his teacher, and what the chuunin saw surprised him.

Doku's hand was covered in scars, calluses and bruises. Those kinds of marks did not belong on an academy student. "I've worked my fingers to the bone!" Doku declared.

Mizuki nodded in acknowledgment of the boy's hard work, "True, you are the best in the class when it came to pure physical ability, you only come behind in regards of speed and weaponry," he praised, "However," here Mizukie leveled a serious stare at Doku. "There is more to a shinobi than physical prowess," Doku frowned as his teacher continued, "A shinobi must be adept in his use of ninjutsu and knowledge, which you, Doku, are lacking in,"

"But I-" the boy tried to protest.

"No buts! Your ninjutsu needs work, you have poor chakra control, and your grades are the poorest in the class!" Mizuki interrupted harshly "We cannot let a potential genin take on vital missions with that kind of record,"

Doku wanted to scream at that, but he decided to hold his tongue. He'd vent his frustrations later. He'd probably be visiting the hospital about his hands… again…

"However"

Doku was pulled from his thoughts as Mizuki started to speak again.

"There is still a way for you to become a genin,"

Surprise opely made itself known on Doku's face as he heard those words.

"There is a way for failed students to become genin, a make up exam if you will," Mizuki spoke, lazily watching as Doku hung on every word, "It's a bit old and out of date, but there are instances where it's used,"

"What is it?!" Doku demanded.

"I don't know if I should even be telling you this," Mizuki admitted, "I don't even think you'd be able to do it,"

Doku's eyes narrowed as he took an aggressive step forward, "Try me," he growled.

'Hook, line and sinker' Mizuki thought smugly, outwardly though, he appeared to resign to the Tsuuro, "Ok, ok, the exam goes something like this,"

As Mizuki explained the "exam" to Doku, neither male noticed the figure watching them in the trees. When Mizuki had finished, the figure vanished.

Night, a clearing in a forest

Doku panted slightly as he landed in the clearing, a very large scroll tucked under his left arm. Grinning to himself, Doku smirked in triumph over his accomplishment, "That was way too easy," he chuckled as he shifted the gigantic scroll in his grasp. "Now… let's take a look and see what there is to learn," Doku muttered to himself as he sat down and opened the scroll.

Inside the scroll hundreds, upon hundreds of jutsu, all with descriptions and how to perform them, but what Doku did not realize, is that these were forbidden techniques, Doku also did not realize just what he had done in stealing what he thought to be a simple scroll.

Doku had stolen it from the Hokage's residence, but that paled in comparison to what he stole.

He had stolen the Scroll of Seals, the forbidden scroll.

It had actually been quite easy for Doku. He'd waited till night, then, when he was positive the cost was clear, he had dashed to the nearest door, intent on breaking it down, but to his great surprise, the door had been unlocked. Then, Doku had crept through the mansion until he came upon a room that, again to his surprise and good luck, was labeled scroll library. Finding the door once again unlocked, Doku had gone in and found a room stacked from floor to ceiling with shelves stuffed with scrolls. He had thought it would take him forever to find the scroll. Imagine his surprise when he saw it sitting on a pedestal, clearly labeled and ready for the taking.

Doku couldn't believe how easy it had been!

The only hard part about the entire thing had been when he accidently ran into the hokage.

"And he's supposed to be the strongest?" Doku snorted as he remembered how he had taken down the old shinobi. "Never underestimate the power of the sucker punch," Doku muttered as he continued looking through the jutsu.

'Come on there has to be at least one good jutsu here' Doku thought as he kept skipping over technique after technique. 'Shadow clones? Boring. Resurrection? Too creepy. Self destruct? That's just stupid!' growing frustrated, the teen was about to just give up when a particular jutsu caught his eye.

"Tamamono no Asura (Asura's Gift)" Doku murmured. His eyes widened as he read the description. Smiling to himself, Doku set the scroll down and began practicing the newly found technique.

Hours later

"Damn it Doku! Of all the stupid things in the world to do, this has got to be the stupidest!" Naruto growled as he dashed through the trees.

"How in the name of the gods did he even break into the old man's home?" Kyuubi wondered aloud.

"Who cares?! That moron cut into my Hinata and ramen time!" Naruto shouted angrily.

The fox merely sweatdropped at his adopted son's comment. 'Leave it to him to be more furious about that then this' thought the demon.

"What I'm even more pissed about is that Yoku tells us Doku is up to no good then he just vanishes!" Naruto ranted, "He cut into my Hinata-ramen-time too!"

Earlier that day, one Yoku Tsuuro had interrupted Naruto and Hinata in their celebration.

-Flasback, Ichiraku Ramen-

Naruto and Hinata were having a grand time, the both of them happily conversing and eating ramen. They were having a grand old time, and were currently discussing team placements.

"So who's team do you think you'll end up on?" Hinata asked politely, daintily eating her noodles in an elegant and refined manner.

Slurping up his noodles loudly, Naruto devoured the food before answering his friend, "Hopefully I'll end up on yours!" Naruto said cheerily, causing the Hyuuga to blush. "But if I had to guess? I'll probably end up on a team with the Uchiha," Naruto stated nonchalantly.

"O-Oh, um, what makes you say that?" a slightly flustered Hinata asked. 'He wants to be on the same team as me? Does this mean that he might l-lo-like me more than as a friend?' she thought.

"Mmhmm," the boy hummed, "Guy is one of the best, and since I'm the worst, they'll probably put us together to "even out" the teams or something," he shrugged, "Though I have no idea who my third teammate will be. Maybe it'll be Ino or Chouji or something," he mused.

"Ah, I-I'm pretty sure that neither Chouji or Ino will be on your team, in fact, I believe those two plus Shikamaru will be put on a team,"

Naruto turned to Hinata at that, "Really? What makes you say so?" Naruto asked.

"Because they are to be the new generation of Ino-Shika-Cho," a calm voice answered, startling both genin. They whirled around and to their surprise, there stood Yoku Tsuuro.

The years had done little to change Yoku, if only mentally. Rather, it was more like his body was catching up to his mind. For example, his body had a lean frame, his figure standing straight and tall. He still had the same piercing gray eyes and still had the same short brown hair, which was kept from obscuring his vision by a black Konoha headband. He had pale skin, but not in a way that was unhealthy. If it were not for what he wore, Yoku would look like royalty.

As it was, Yoku was garbed in very simple clothing. He wore a dark brown jacket with a loose hood over a dark red shirt along with black pants and matching black shinobi sandals. The only other things he wore were pieces of tape around the ends of his index and middle fingers and thumbs on both hands.

Finishing his look was a bow and quiver full of arrows all slung securely over his back.

"Gah! Don't sneak up on people like that!" Naruto shouted, "You'll give them a heart attack," he finished in an annoyed mutter as he took his seat gain.

"Ah, h-hello Yoku-kun," Hinata greeted warmly, still slightly startled by the teenager's entrance.

"Good afternoon to you, Hinata-san," Yoku greeted kindly.

"So! What brings you here Yoku? Did you find Doku?" Naruto asked, slurping up some noodles.

"In a sense I have," Yoku answered, "Hinata, I'm sorry but I need to borrow Naruto for a minute,"

"Eh? What for?" Naruto asked.

"A private matter," was the sharp answer. Naruto wanted to protest, but he saw the look in his friend's eyes. Grumbling to himself, the blond stood up and followed Yoku outside.

The two ducked into an alley, and when it was deemed safe to speak, Naruto asked, "So what the hell has that moron done this time?"

"It's not what he's done, it's what he's about to do," Yoku answered. Naruto raised a brow but kept silent. Yoku rarely wasted time.

"I saw him talking with Mizuki,"

Naruto tensed slightly at that. While he couldn't prove it, the guy set the blond on edge. He didn't trust him, and neither did his demonic tenant. "What did you hear?"

Yoku frowned as he leaned against the alley wall, "Mizuki said it was a make up exam, a way for Doku to make up for his failure,"

"I don't like the sound of that," Kyuubi growled.

'Neither do I' thought the Uzumaki with a scowl, "What does Doku have to do?"

Yoku looked Naruto in the eye and stated simply, "Steal the forbidden scroll from the Hokage's mansion,"

-End Flashback-

"I still don't understand how we couldn't find him until now!" Naruto growled in frustration.

"Calm yourself my son," Kyuubi soothed, "You have come far in my teachings, but even a veteran tracker would have trouble following that scent,"

"Why the hell was he even doing at the hot springs? Peeping again!? Gah! Then he goes across town to that… that… nightmare forest! Then the Hyuuga compound, then the Uchiha and why did he go all the way to the top of the Monument?!" Naruto nearly howled. Inhaling sharply, Naruto's eyes nerely burst into flames as he caught the scent of his quarry, "Oh, your MINE Doku!"

The target in question was panting heavily, but the grin on his face could not be removed. He'd done it. He'd learned the jutsu. 'And just in time' he thought as he heard the crashing of leaves. 'Man I can't wait to see the look on Mizuki-sensei's face when I show him my awes-' Doku was cut off from thinking anymore when he was spear tackled by a blond and orange blur.

"OW! What the hell?! Naruto what the hell are you doing?" Doku demanded as he slowly got up and glared at the jinchuuriki.

"What am I doing?!" Naruto exclaimed, "I'm not the moron who went and stole from the hokage!"

"It's part of my make up exam you idiot!" Doku stated as he got up.

"What make up exam involves stealing from the most powerful ninja in the village?!" Naruto demanded.

"A tough one! Now if you'll kindly get lost so I don't fail, I'll see you-" However the boy tensed as his heightened combat senses went off. Grabbing the scroll, Doku dodged to the side while Naruto jumped back, a giant shuriken burying itself where he once stood.

"Jeez! What the hell?" Doku shouted looking around wildly for the attacker.

"Sorry Doku, but there was no way I was going to let HIM get his hands on the scroll," a voice said as it dropped in front of the Tsuuro and glared at the crouched Uzumaki, "Now, hand me the scroll and I'll give you your headband,"

Before Doku could act Naruto interrupted, "Don't even think about it Doku! You know Miuki is up to something, the guy has always been up to something,"

"Doku don't listen to him," Mizuki snapped, scowling at the blond, "That demon has never been any good and tonight…" he grinned wickedly, "Tonight I kill the Kyuubi!" he exclaimed.

Doku gawked at the back of the man as he unstrapped another giant shuriken from his back, "What?" he shouted dumbly, the scroll tucked under his arm.

"It's a secret, but I don't see why I shouldn't explain," Mizuki stated as he stared Naruto down, a sick grin on his face as he watched Naruto's anger slowly begin to rise, "Ya see, almost fifteen years ago today, the Kyuubi attacked, course you know how we say it was defeated by the Yondaime?"

Doku narrowed his eyes at this. He knew the story.

"Well the question of how was never answered! The Kyuubi was sealed!" Mizuki crowed, a maniacal light entering his eye, "Where?! Inside one Naruto Uzum-" he didn't finish because he was immediately eating dirt.

Reaching a hand to the back of his head, the silver haired man looked up to see Doku and Naruto glaring at him.

"I know," Doku stated as he tossed the scroll over to Naruto, "Naruto told me the day after I got back from the hospital,"

Mizuki looked surprised but then scowled "And you're still helping him?!" he snarled.

"What do you think dumbass?" Doku asked as he smirked at Naruto, "Well bud, how you want to do this?"

Naruto grinned, "I say we run,"

Laughing the two leapt off, leaving a furious Mizuki, who immediately took chase, "YOU BRATS THINK YOU CAN ESCAPE ME?! TONIGHT, I KILL A DEMON AND A TRAITOR!" he screamed as he tore after them.

"The only traitor here is you, scumbag!" Naruto called back as he hurled a smoke bomb at the man. Mizuki merely charged through, his eyes still locked onto the two boys.

"Enough of this!" barked the chuunin. Reaching behind him, he grabbed another giant shuriken. Locking onto his target, the silver haired man let it fly. The giant metal weapon, sliced through the air and made a beeline straight for Doku. His grin at nailing one of the brats turned to surprise when it just passed straight through him.

'What?! A clone? Then where-' the traitor's thoughts were cut short when his vision exploded into black spots and pain. The man went sailing for several meters before slamming harshly into the ground and sliding for another few feet. Mizuku tried to moan in pain, but it came out as a gurgle since his mouth had filled with blood and it seemed his jaw was broken. Looking through bleary eyes, he could just make out a figure with a massive upper body. 'The hell hit?' he thought, his ears were wringing but he could tell Naruto had appeared as well, standing next to the hulking mass that soon diminished in size.

"Wow," Naruto whistled as he saw the broken form of Mizuki, "What the hell kind of jutsu was that?" he asked as he turned around to look at Doku, whose entire physique seemed to have doubled in size with pure muscle.

"Tamamono no Asura (Asura's Gift)" , Doku replied as his muscles seemed to deflate back to their normal size, "Learned it from the scroll before you guys arrived,"

"You learned a whole jutsu in that short of time?" Naruto asked, slightly disbelieving.

Doku shrugged a bit and then rolled his shoulders, getting rid of the odd sensation in his arms, "It really wasn't that hard," he stated, "You just make some handsigns then flood your muscles with chakra… least that's what I got from the scroll,"

"There is no way that jutsu is that simple," Kyuubi muttered from within his cage as he watched the events. However through his tenant's shared hearing, the fox heard a strange sound. Something… disturbing, "Naruto! Behind you!"

Whirling around, Naruto looked on in astonishment as the broken form of Mizuki was now standing… and changing.

The chuunin became larger, his clothes ripping apart as he grew larger and larger. Orange fur sprouted over him along with black stripes while his wounds healed almost instantly. Standing on two fee, the half tiger Mizuki roared at the two teenagers, but what scared the two more was that they had seen this thing before.

"Holy shit," Doku breathed, taking an involuntary step back.

"Doku," Naruto whispered.

"Yeah?"

"RUN!" screamed the blond, the beast man roaring in response as the boys fled from it. Mizuki snarled and took off after them, crashing through the forest and gaining on his prey.

"Naruto! Got any ideas?" Doku asked his friend as they ran.

"Not really! Give me a bit!" Naruto replied.

Doku glanced back behind them and saw Mizuki slowly but surely gaining on them, "Well think quickly!"

They ran a bit more before Naruto finally said, "Ok! On my mark, we turn around and rush him!"

"That's your brilliant idea?" Doku shouted.

"Just do it! He won't see it coming!"

"Fine!"

"Ok… One, two, three!" the boys whirled around, but as soon as they did, two slender arrows appeared in Mizuki's throat, stopping him dead in his tracks. The hybrid fell to the side, body limp and eyes showing shock and pain.

"Sorry I'm late," a voice called from the trees.

Surprised the two looked up and saw none other than their friend and brother Yoku Tsuuro, bow in hand and a neutral look on his face. Hopping from his perch, the grey eyed boy landed silently on the ground and walked over to his friends.

"oh what the hell?" Doku asked with a grin, "Why you gotta act like the big hero, jumping in and acting like that huh? We could have needed you earlier you know!"

Yoku merely rolled his eyes, smiling slighty as he replied, "I needed to see the hokage first, someone had to explain you were being set up," walking over to the limp form of Mizuki Yoku frowned as he inspected the body, "I had my suspicions about Mizuki and this…,"

"Surprised the hell out of us too," Naruto stated, "So how much trouble are we in?"

Yoku actually smiled widely as he turned back to his friends, "I actually have good news, and, a gift," reaching into his pocket, Yoku withdrew a length of cloth and threw it at Doku, as his brother caught it, Yoku began speaking, "For your services in protecting the village and in showing your prowess as a shinobi, the hokage would like to congratulate you,"

Looking at the gift in reverence, Doku barely heard his brother's next words.

"Doku Tsuuro, genin of Konohagakure,"

Doku clutched the headband in his hands tightly, his head bowed. Then, with a shout of triumph, he swung his fists into the air, "YES!" he shouted in triumph. The man then began to celebrate, boasting his accomplishment and tying the headband securely around his head, his messy hair being forced up in the process.

Yoku chuckled, "Alright, alright, but you two better get that scroll back to the hokage," he stated.

"Right! See you at home for celebrations?" Naruto asked.

Yoku merely chuckled and nodded. He watched as the two left the forest and when he was sure they were gone, he turned back to Mizuki. Scowling darkly, the genin ripped the arrows out of his target's neck and watched as he gasped for air.

"Argh! Ah… you… bastard," Mizuki wheezed, glaring up at Yoku from the side of his eyes. He had landed face down, but that didn't stop him from glaring at the genin "When… I get… up… you're-"

"Shut up," Yoku snapped coldly as he kicked the chunin over, "You won't be doing anything Mizuki," Yoku stated coldly as he stood over the man's prone form, "Five years… I've waited five years for this day…"

"What?" Mizuki panted,, "What…. Are you… talking…"

"Don't play stupid," Yoku warned, his voice deadly calm "Five years ago Doku, Naruto and I were attacked by a hybrid creature, one that was a mixture of man and tiger, Doku was nearly murdered that day," Yoku stepped over the man and promptly sat on the still transformed Mizuki's large chest, causing Mizuki to let out a wheeze of pain, "That night… I vowed to get revenge on the creature that nearly took my family away,"

Mizuki's eyes widened fractionally. There was no way this kid could have known it was him! Not back then.

"You know it's funny," Yoku stated as he casually pulled a kunai out from inside his sleeve, "You're the entire reason I'm the shinobi I am today," inspecting the blade, "See, I knew I could never take you on in a straight fight, not with this little transforming act of yours, so I took other routes," he continued talking, "I grabbed whatever I could get my hands on in regards to the human anatomy, because I wanted to make sure that you died when I found you," Mizuki's eyes took on an uncomfortable feel as he heard that, "Then I started studying tactics, ways that I could defeat you, capture you," Yoku dragged a nail against the blade slowly, "Then I started learning about tells, learning to read what's underneath the surface, so I could find you among the regular people," he spun the knife around in his hand, the handle now facing him and the point now facing Mizuki, "Then I took up the bow and spent a lot of time shooting those mannequins," he paused, "Every arrow I shot, every kunai launched, every shuriken thrown, every time I heard that soft thud of my projectile piercing that practice dummy… I imagined it was you," he slowly stood up, "I imagined that it wasn't wicker being pierced, but flesh," he "I imagined that it was your heart being pierced," the boy walked away and towards Mizuki's head, the chuunin following his movement fearfully, "I imagined that instead of the wooden post, it was your spine,"

"Wait… please… I…" Mizuki wheezed as Yoku slowly kneeled down towards his face, those cold grey eyes boring into Mizuki's own fearful black.

"I always replaced the dummy's eyes with yours, but it never satisfied me," Yoku continued, not caring for the man's pleas, "All those targets, those supposed instant kills… I didn't feel they were… personal enough,"

"You can't do this," Mizuki whispered.

"Then I realized something," Yoku stated, staring at Mizuki the knife above his head ready to strike. A slow and sinister smile worked it's way onto his face.

"They were too far away,"

With that, Yoku brought the kunai down, and thus ended the life of Mizuki, traitor to the village hidden in the leaves.

A/N: And finished! Hope you guys enjoyed this and yes, I realize it may not be as long as you wanted, but I felt that it's been FAR too long since I updated… and it has. Anyway, be sure to leave me a review and if you like this feel free to check out my other work.

Ja ne.