"What a chore."
"You haven't moved for the past 45 minutes. Stop complaining before I grab your mother."
Shikamaru let out an almost silent grunt but didn't proceed any further. Standing at the opposite end of their expansive training ground, Shikaku Nara, smiled at his son's silence. The boy's lack of words may not have meant much to other people but to Shikaku, silence was a victory.
No more words were exchanged. Instead, a steady wave of kunai flowed from father to son. The glistening daggers would careen through the air at an almost imperceptible speed at the still child. Any bystander, ninja or not, would have screamed at both participants. For the father to either stop his assault or for his son to move out of the way. If that same bystander could allow themselves to continue watching, they would have seen an even more fascinating scene. Just before the daggers slammed into the boy, a wave of sand rose from the ground and blocked the weapons' path. The sand acted like a steel wave, halting the blades in their track. The sand moved like a sentient creature, whipping and slapping away at any weapon that came even remotely close to Shikamaru.
"How much longer do I have to do this?"
"Until you get hit by one of these."
"This sucks."
"Our clan has always been known for our unique connection to our bijuu. Our naturally introspective nature has allowed us to communicate and strike bargains with the beast a lot more naturally than the other eight. Today, you'll begin your own process of doing the same."
"Can't this wait? Our team assignments are soon and I wanted to get new clothes and equipment?"
"No Ino! This is important. The mastery of the beast's chakra will serve you well during your time in the field."
"But daddy … I need new stuff. The Bijuu isn't going anywhere."
"…"
"Please?"
"…Fine. You can go." The man hadn't been more than halfway through his statement before his daughter bolted from out the room. He listened to her distancing footsteps disappear from out his clan's complex before letting a sigh slip from his lips.
"I'm a weak man."
Four Hyuuga stood in one of the more hidden room in the clan's complex. The room they stood in was dimly-lit, a single candle barely lighting the small room. The faces of the four occupants would have been hard to view if each of their eyes weren't currently activated, providing them with the necessary vision to see what was happening in the room.
"Your mother was my light. Along with that, she was this clan's light." The tallest male spoke. His voice sat at the usual, toneless baritone that most Hyuuga men held but if one were perceptive enough, they could sense the tiniest quiver of emotion.
"Her death at the extraction process is no sign of weakness. She fought from the very day she was born. She fought to change this clan. She fought for you three." The man turned to face the three smaller figures.
"Neji." The only other male in the group turned. If one looked close enough, they could spot the faintest trace of tears on his cheeks."
"Hitomi … Hitomi and I looked at you as a son. Her passing has changed nothing about that." The boy gave the smallest of nods as the tears that had been building in his eyes spilled down his cheeks. His chest seemed to shudder as the older male looked at the remaining two figures.
"Hanabi, you were our final flower. You healed this family at a time that we needed it the most. Unfortunately, my child, I think you will have to continue this role." The smallest figure stood motionless for a moment before shooting at the male's legs. Whimpering could be heard from the girl as the tall figure turned to address the last figure.
"Hinata." With this name, a shockwave of emotion slammed through the man's voice. One could almost hear the ball of grief sitting in his throat before he forcibly choked it down and away.
"You remind me so much of her." Tears were now spilling down his cheeks. All four of the figures were now shedding tears.
"This clan tried to bury her. When she was originally chosen for the three-tails, they wanted nothing to do with her. The insults, the persecution … she weathered it all. Like water, she flowed through every obstacle set in her way. And I have nothing but absolute faith that you will do the same with whatever this world throws at you."
And with those words, the four figures wept in the room containing the ashes of one Hitomi Hyuuga. The seals in the room kept the family's grief secret but the whole complex knew their pain.
"Up!"
"Father … my arms!" A young child, a lot portlier than any of his age, grunted as his face kissed the ground. Sitting on his back was a set of circular, stone weights that were no doubt adding to his current burden.
"No excuses, boy! We've allowed you to build up some baby fat but things are changing now. The beast has no respect for the lazy. Let's get some muscle on those bones!" A large man, one large enough to make one question the limit of the human physique, guffawed at his son's plight before tossing another weight onto the child's back. The boy collapsed fully on the ground once more as his dad's laughter rang through the backyard.
"Lee!"
"Yes, sensei."
"200 more laps around the compound. You must tame your body before you tame the beast within!"
"Of course, sensei! I will make this clan proud!"
"I know you will, Lee!"
Business as usual in the Might household.
"The Haruno clan has held the six-tailed beast for generations. The beast may lack some of the offensive capabilities of the others but through each generation, we have proven our worth. It is now up to you to do the same."
Sakura Haruno gave a sharp nod as her father lectured her. The two pink-haired clansmen sat in their complex's training ground.
"Now stand." Sakura shot to her feet at her father's words. Nervousness rang through her body as the man began reaching for one of the many scrolls that littered his waist. The nervousness faded into pure horror as the man's legendary weapon, a massive double-sided polearm, popped into view.
"And fight!"
There was never a moment of silence within the Aburame clan. The ever-so subtle buzzing that emitted from each of the clansmen made sure of that. Things were no different for the two Aburame sat in the private room in the clan's complex.
Other than the buzzing, no noises were exchanged between the two males. They sat in silence for nearly half an hour, motionless in the seiza position.
"You're annoyed." The older male spoke, breaking the silence. For the first time in nearly an hour, the two moved to meet eyes.
"Why?"
"…The beast keeps using the term 'lucky'. I find it's disposition … annoying."
"Your predecessor warned you of this."
"..."
"Itachi!" The small boy's voice rang out in enjoy as he approached his older brother. The dark-haired child almost came crashing into the legs of the older male, stopping only half a foot in front of Itachi.
"Are you jealous that they chose me for the bijuu? I bet you are! Guess being the oldest isn't the best." The young child proclaimed his statement with childish pride. His ego was on full display to the older boy.
Itachi looked down at his younger brother with a soft smile. The teen bent down to the boy's level and jabbed two fingers in the direct center of his forehead, sending him reeling backwards.
"Foolish little brother." Sasuke's frown fell for the briefest of moment, almost as if his body could sense what was going to happen to him before his mind could. Even if he did know, there was nothing he could do to stop it.
Sasuke's body was sent limply flying across the training ground, a trail of blood following after him. The boy landed nearly fifty feet away, rolling nearly a dozen more feet before finally coming to a stop. The teen scrambled up to his feet, his eyes opened wide in shock while blood flowed freely from his nose and lip.
"You are still a thousand years away from being able to best me." Sasuke locked eyes with his brother. A set of red, pinwheel eyes swirled lazily back him, seemingly taunting him with their motion.
"Let's see what we can do about that gap."
"The nine-tailed fox."
A single red eye stared back at Naruto. His sandal-covered feet were soaked in the almost two feet tall murky water that he stood in. A gate, so massive in size that the small boy couldn't even begin to hope to see it's top, separated him from the eye.
"It seems my siblings and I have been passed to yet another generation. How pathetic. I can only hope you're more silent than your mother." The eye closed as a small laugh left the boy's mouth, his arm raising to scratch at the back of his neck.
"Yeah, my mom can be a lot." The boy shuddered at the thought of one of his mom's many 'tantrums'. The woman could be an absolute menace when she was angered … which happened quite often.
"But she told me some things about you." The beast's eye opened once again at the boy's voice. "She told me you were a smart-ass! And then she hit me for saying ass." The beast let out a huff at the statement.
"She told me that you hated humans. How you would take every single chance you had to break out of this seal."
"Your predecessors have made sure that won't happen." The fox spoke. A moment of silence passed between the two before the beast lunged at the gates before it. It managed to get all of a millimeter past the bars before an unseen force repelled it back into its cage.
"Hundreds of years of sealing mastery. This is an inescapable prison." The fox huffed out as it sat back down on its haunches.
"Yeah, she told me that to." The joyful expression faded from the boy's face. He tilted his head upwards to meet the beast's eyes.
"She also told me that you respect power. And honesty. So!" The water outside the cage began to rise at an almost impossible rate. The liquid carried the boy with it, bringing the child eye to eye with the fox.
"No fingers crossed and no take backs." The young boy's eyes seemed alit as he spoke. "I will show you with my own strength that not all humans are bad. And with that strength, I will free you and your siblings. You better believe it." In the cheesiest way possible, the boy flashed a thumbs-up and a wide smile to go along with his words. Silence followed his statement as the beast stood still, meeting the eyes of the container. Twenty seconds passed before Naruto broke, being the impatient and hyperactive child that he was.
"Uh, just don't tell my mom or my dad because I don't think they would be happy about me freeing you guys. I don't know if you can still talk to her but y'know. I know it's just all talk right now but-"
"Begone, child." With those words, the control that Naruto seemed to have slipped as he went plunging straight down into the water, disappearing from the fox's sight.
"Ah!" Naruto exclaimed as he shot out of his meditative state. The three adults in the room perked up at the boy's movement.
"How'd it go, brat?" A tall man with flowing white hair spoke as he approached the seated child. The young boy let out a small groan as he climbed up to his feet, holding his hand to his head.
"My head hurts. The asshole didn't need to kick me out like that." The boy muttered as he gathered himself. He gave a wide stretch, throwing his arms into the air before turning to address the adults in the room.
"I think it went well!" The boy exclaimed. "Just like you said mom, he was very grumpy. A lot of 'humans are bad' and 'I'm going to get out of here!'" The boy mimed the beast's words with his hands, drawing laughs from the adults in the room.
"But I showed it! The ol' Uzumaki strength. He couldn't beat me so he sort of just kicked me out." The boy's bravado came to a meek close as he retold his 'edited' version of his time in his mindscape. His words drew another round of chuckling from the adults in the room.
"With proper training, you'll be able to fight the fo-"
"You tell that piece of shit fox that I want a rematch. It may have beat me once, but I've been training. I'm going to kick it's ass!" The blond man's words were cut off as a red-headed woman screamed into Naruto's face. The boy cringed at the sheer volume of the woman's voice. When his mom wanted to be heard, she was going to be heard.
"Calm down, Kushina." The white-haired man spoke up to try to save his blond's eardrums. The man received a massive right hook that knocked him clear across the room for his efforts.
"You don't tell me what to do in my own house, Jiraiya." Kushina screamed at the downed man while stalking towards his prone form. The taller blond paled at the sight of his rampaging wife before sprinting after her, leaving Naruto alone.
"You guys are so weird." The boy muttered as he watched his father attempted to hold back his mom from beating up his crying grandfather. The boy gave one last look at the odd scene before shaking his head and taking off towards the Uzumaki clan's training ground.
"The new nine have been chosen. It is time to strike while they are young!"
"Don't be foolish! Konoha's security will be at an all-time high with the passing of the bijuu. We wouldn't even make it through the Land of Rain with their wardens there."
"And in five more years we won't even make it to Wind's border!"
"We must be sma-"
"Silence." The single word sliced through the verbal discourse. The room, seemingly built out of the mouth of a decent sized cave, came to a still silence. All of the occupants in the room turned their attention to the very end of the cave where one man stood.
"Konoha has placed wardens in each major country in the ninja world. It's eyes and ears are everywhere." Despite the man's older appearance, his words carried a heavy weight with them. His long, grey-haired poke out beneath an abundance of wrappings that covered his head. A single blade sat at on his waist.
"I wouldn't be surprised if they had a spy within this very room." The statement sent the room into a minor frenzy. Murmurings erupted from the crowd as they glanced at each other, accusations sitting on the tips of their tongues.
"My bro sent me here because we want our country back. I'm no spy!" A muscular dark-skinned man shouted, drawing some irritated looks from the people around him.
"I've given up my very body to ensure I would live to see that damned village fall." The subtle clinking of metallic joints could be heard as a purple-haired woman spoke from the crowd.
"My village has been rotting from the inside out for decades. I came to put an end to it." His red hair and mustache seemed to match the almost lava-like quality his words contained.
Several more voices rang out as the individuals in the room gave their reasoning for attending the meeting. The older man observed it all, his eyes sweeping across the cave for several long moments before settling on a single person.
"What of you?" The room went silent once more as the man spoke. All eyes flew to the person that the man had his eyes locked on. Several in the room were surprised by appearance of the individual. Golden blonde hair fell into twin bangs that framed her face. Held between the woman's brown eyes, directly in the middle of her forehead, sat a single diamond-shaped symbol. A larger-than-average chest was thrust into the air as she held her chin high, staring directly at the older man at the end of the cave.
"Konoha has moved against the wishes of my grandfather since it's very beginning." Whispers began to echo through the crowd as a few people recognized the woman. "This village trashed his wishes, his legacy and everything that made him great."
The people immediately surrounding the woman took several steps backwards as several large roots began to grow from her feet.
"His brother was a coward that allowed that village to become what it is. And because of that, my husband and brother are dead!" Her statement ended in a shout. The tenseness in the room before couldn't have compared to the feeling permeating through the cave now. The blonde and the older man remained eye locked as she opened her mouth to speak again.
"I am Hashirama Senju's granddaughter. And I plan on finally freeing my grandfather's legacy from the ugly grasp of Konoha by destroying it!"
AN: Do you know every person that I described in the cave? Let me know if you can.