Konoha Legends 2

"What story are you going to tell me tonight, Papa?" As he did almost every night, the small child bounded into bed. It was amazing to his father how someone with that much energy could ever fall asleep. Then again there was a young, blond haired, student that he remembered, that he used to think the same thing about.

Iruka sat down on the bed as he did almost every night. "Do you know of the Nara clan?" he asked his son.

"Yeah, Nara Kyo is in my class. They say his father is a genius, and his mother is a psycho."

Iruka chuckled as he remembered Shikamaru and his lack of drive to do . . . much of anything. He also remembered Ino and her, yes, for lack of a better term, rather psychotic behavior. "You know I used to teach both of them. And I don't want to hear you calling anyone a psycho." 'Even if it is true,' he thought. "But yes Shikamaru has an IQ of over 200."

"Wow, I bet he's even smarter than you." Iruka blinked a few times, rather annoyed.

"Do you want to hear the story or not?"

"Yes."

"Alright. The Nara clan was around long before Konoha was formed. They were very powerful shadow masters, but they also had another powerful weapon that allowed them to survive so long."

"What was it?"

"The Nara clan was usually peaceful, and when they fought they used their brains, but the clan leaders also had the power to summon Dragons."

"Wow," the child gasped.

"Nara Ryu was one of the best, and last of his clan. He was such a skilled shinobi that he gained a reputation for always getting his man. They called him 'Kage Ryu,' the Shadow Dragon. Kage Ryu was a good man, too good for some. Because of his reputation, he was always called on to do assignations.

"One mission, he was sent out to kill a target, nothing that he hadn't done before, but this time was different. He found his target, a young woman, picking herbs. She wasn't hurting anyone, she didn't look dangerous, so Ryu did something he rarely did. He walked out of the shadows.

"When she noticed him, she asked him, 'What do you want?' to which he said, 'I've been sent here to kill you.' The woman tried to run but found herself in what we now call the kage mane no jutsu. Before she could scream he said 'But I won't.'

"Ryu went looking for information before he went after the target again. He was doing something that is frowned upon by all shinobi. He was questioning his mission. Ryu spent three days trying to find out why this woman was to be killed. The client manufactured medicine, but this woman was creating a medicine that could put him nearly out of business.

"Ryu went back to the man, bringing the woman with him. She was not his prisoner, and she was alive. When he confronted the client the man snapped his fingers and thirty shinobi surrounded him. Seeing no other option, he summoned the mightiest of dragons.

"The dragon king was not happy about being called out to fight. Especially when he found out that Ryu had broken the unwritten shinobi law of not questioning the client. None the less they fought. Human and dragon. Shadow jutsu and dragon strength. The fight lasted a full day and the client escaped, but his shinobi did not.

"Ryu had won the day and saved the girl, but for his disgrace the great dragon told him that he was never again allowed to summon the dragons, and since he was the last dragon summoner, the torch could not pass to another.

"Ryu looked at the woman he had saved and said, 'That's okay,' . . ." Naruto shifted under his covers. "And they lived happily ever after."

Iruka stood up, gave his son a kiss on the head, then walked toward the door.

"I don't remember them living happily ever after," whispered his wife as he came out of the room. "If I remember the way the Nara men tell it she made Ryu's life a living hell."

Iruka scratched the back of his head. "Well I don't want our son to get the wrong ideas about girls." Both gave a soft laugh as a light knock came from the door.

An anbu dressed in a cape, with a bear mask on, stood before Iruka. "Iruka-sensei. Hokage-sama has requested your presence for mission that he wishes you to take.

"Hai." He turns back to his wife. "I'll be back soon." And with a smile he walks out the door.

Author's notes: Thank you to you who have stayed with this fic. As I said before, more info will come with this chapter. My part in this challenge will be explained here. I will read any and all stories written in response to this as well as leave feedback. The feedback will be honest (and constructive). If you cannot handle honest feedback, do not participate. To throw your hat into the ring, just have "TIB" somewhere in the summary. Part of the criteria will come after the next chapter. Everything will be given by the 4th chapter.