DISCLAIMER: I don't own the trademarked stuff from Naruto, I own the characters I made up, which are most of them This is a fanfiction sixty years after Naruto became a genin. If you can guess who the hokage is… yay for you. This is my first fanfic on FFN in awhile and I promise I'll finish it. Please R&R I put a lot of effort into it and I'd hate to see nobody reading it. Without further ado, the Weasel presents…
NARUTO- THE HYUUGA INTRIGUE
Chapter 1- Prologue
Few clouds floated across the vast blue canopy that stretched across the sky. Occasionally, the rustling of a few birds broke the calm that prevailed in the atmosphere, but not often. The sun was free to cast its golden rays onto the vibrant green trees. Slowly the trees began to bend and sway back and forth, almost appearing to dance, innocent in their ignorance of the events of the day.
A warm breeze rushed through the streets of Konoha, the now-empty streets. Everyone was at the meeting-place, where the Hokage stood old and firm as a redwood tree. He was a man of seventy two years, but he somehow still managed to look far younger; stocky, energetic, and well built. He had been a peaceful Hokage for more than a generation, but now he was getting ready to give a speech about why the village of the leaf was sending its sons to die. The Hokage cleared his throat:
"Citizens of Konoha! Listen to me, your Hokage, as I tell you of a great battle that occurred in our village 60 years ago last month. The invaders, underhanded and cunning, attacked during the Chuunin Exam and took even our vigilant guards by surprise. The whole city fought tooth and nail to repel those who would destroy our town. Even I, in my first large battle, vanquished one of our most powerful foes.
"That day, we showed the true power of the Konoha people, that fire that burns in us even while we're in our darkest times, because on that day our beloved third Hokage was killed. He was someone whom I connected to closely, because he believed in me. He believed in us all, and even now he's looking down on us from heaven. He's still proud, even as we send our sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, siblings and friends into another dangerous battle. He's still proud, because he knows that this is no petty Daimyo's dispute that we sacrifice our lives for. There is a major battle about to take place that may decide the future of the world."
The crowd was now absolutely silent, even the birdsongs had stopped. For a moment, one could have heard a pin drop anywhere in the meeting place, one could have heard the beating of a butterfly's wings in the brush. The Hokage's decision to help defend the Country of the Wind against the incursion of the Shan barbarians from the west without a confirmed pay contract won the support of the populace by a margin of only 5%. The stubborn Hokage decided to send 7/8 of the battle-ready ninja anyway, saying, "I'm the Hokage, and what I say goes!"
The main argument was that the sand had been fending off the Shan for as long as anyone could remember, that there was no need for charity when the Wind had fended for themselves for so long. The counter-argument was the rumored size of this incursion. Some estimates had reached that an army of 500,000 had almost reached the gates of the Kazekage's city. There were rumors that the sand country's regulars had been all but exterminated, and that after hundreds of years, the Kaze had finally run out of tricks. What ever they believed, Konoha's citizens now had to say goodbye to their brightest brethren.
"Nobody is saying, 'You must support this war.'" The Hokage continued. "Nobody loves fighting. Not even a shinobi. There's not much real glory in battle. The glory is in knowing that a sacrifice will be made to show that Konoha is willing to help defend the borders of civilization. This is what those Hokages are proud of. That no matter the outcome, the fire of this city will continue to burn. And to those about to leave, our hearts go with you, and we pray for your safe return." A cheer rose from the crowd. An hour later, the last of the Shinobi of Konoha walked through the gate, two by two, and the gates of the hidden city of the leaf were shut.
Two by two, the shinobi trudged had only gone a few kilometers down the path leading to the faraway Country of Sand before they were being watched. Along the edge of the road, hidden in trees and shrubs, four sets of eyes peered out at the columns of warriors marching past.
"182,184,186,188…" whispered a voice behind a clot of bushes, counting as they passed, "194, 196, 198, 200… What are all of these shinobi doing coming out of Konoha at once?"
"Don't know." Whispered another, on the other side of a tree-trunk, "But at least half of Konoha's ninja have gone by already. They're really emptying out."
"The city's going to be nearly undefended." whispered the first. Then a short pause, and more counting. "Two hundred fifty, sir… Hey, do you think it might be reinforcements headed for the Wind? I hear the Shan incursions have gotten really bad."
The second grunted. "It's possible. Now shut up until they've all passed."
After ten minutes, the column had finally passed out of sight. "Alright, guys, the coast is clear," said the second out loud, emerging from the bushes. He was a medium-height, lanky boy of about twenty. His black hair was spiked up, with just a few strands hanging over his forehead, touching his thick eyebrows. He wore a white tank top and black jeans, and on his back was a giant pack, out of the top of which bristled the hilts of at least thirty swords, and slung between his pack and his back was a giant Dai-Katana. His nickname was Toil.
"Come on guys," he called, "The coast is clear now."
The second whisperer emerged from the bushes. He wore his red hair in a short, knobby Mohawk. Not a particularly ugly guy, definitely a bit strange. He wore torn-up blue jeans and a leather jacket, studded in some places, with the character "Oni" scrawled in white-out in the back. He was well-built but not muscular, a little taller than the other but several years younger. He carried a beat-up suitcase. His nickname was Blood.
Two more young people jumped down from trees on opposite sides of a path. One was a petite girl of about 15 years, dressed in a black T-shirt and tight flannel pants with zippers all over and carried a black backpack on one shoulder, from which hung several throwing knives. She had short, chin length brown hair, an innocent face, and dazzling light blue eyes. Her nickname was Tears.
The other was a tall, muscular, very handsome guy about twenty years old. He wore his dirty blond hair short except for the bangs which almost reached his eyes, but hid it under a black fedora. He was dressed as if he were about to go to a fancy dinner, wearing black slacks, and a button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He carried a sport-jacket in his right hand and a neat, business-style suitcase. He had hazel eyes and an ever-present smile. His name was Ken. His nickname was Sweat.
"Did you count all of those guys leaving Konoha?" Sweat asked Blood.
"Yeah," Blood responded, "there were 356."
"Never seen that many in one place in my life."
"Konoha's the biggest of the hidden villages." interjected Toil. "I was born there."
"You told us that." Blood responded, "So how long has it been since you left?"
"Since I left?" Toil asked thoughtfully. "Around six years. Since I last visited? Two years. Sweat was there."
"That I was." Ken confirmed. "It's a nice place. You'll like it. I heard the scene's gotten pretty good in the past year or so."
"Cool." Blood grinned.
The four turned and began a march of their own toward Konoha. There were no words exchanged between them for awhile, because they were all thinking the same thing. The fewer ninja there were, the more work there was for the four of them: Assassin Squad Oni.
Some time passed, and as the sun came close to setting, the walls of Konoha came closer and closer. Blood became bored, and decided to pick on Tears. "So what about you, Tears? Don't you have anything to say? Anything?"
Tears shook her head.
"Nothing, eh?"
"Nothing." She said.
Tears wasn't much of a talker. She had told the other three almost nothing about herself since she had joined up with them three months ago. Blood was the one who wanted to know her the most. He had a big crush on her. She was a weird girl, though. Unlike most girls she didn't appear to have any interest in boys, not even Ken, who was irresistible to normal girls. This made Blood even more interested in her.
More time passed, but Blood didn't really seem to realize. He had been "deep in thought".
"Hey, Blood, snap out of it," Toil elbowed him in the ribs. "We're here."
The gates of Konoha loomed overhead. Blood was impressed. One guard stood on each side of the gate. "Who are you guys?" One asked.
"Just a few kids, traveling around." They showed him identification.
"Alright," he said, motioning to open the gate, "Enjoy your stay here in Konoha."
Slowly the gates swung open, and the four youth walked in, not knowing that those walls would wrap them in trouble soon enough.