Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
Chapter 2: Of Two Worlds
Rei liked The Hokage tower it was like being in a museum devoted to nothing but Konoha. Rei did, however, find all the stairs he had to climb to get to the Third's office a bit annoying. The tower was the tallest man made structure in the village, second only to the cliff that bore the faces of the few called Hokage. The Hokage's office smelled of wood and paper. It was soothing to someone who had been traveling as much as Rei. It reminded him of his father's grand library, a place where knowledge flowed like water. Over powering these smells, however, was the smell of tobacco just like the Third himself. The Third took a seat at his large oak desk, "please, sit," he said motioning to the chair across form him.
Rei sat and was presented with a cup of tea, "Adigato," he muttered. Rei sipped the tea and breathed more easily, the warm liquid seemed to spread throughout his entire body. The Third cleared his throat and emptied his pipe.
"What should I be calling my esteemed guest?" The Third asked.
Rei set his tea down, "Fushicho Rei, sir," he said bowing his head.
"First of all may I see your blades?" Rei hesitated for a second; to a samurai his swords are part of him, his very soul, needless to say they do not part with them easily. He honors you with this audience now honor him with his request. The shadow lifted from his mind, Rei removed his Di-sho and passed it to The Third. He drew the katana and looked closely at the blade. "This is a very fine edge," he said.
"It was my father's finest sword," said Rei. He made a feeble attempt to hold back his pride. "That sounds like the perfect place to start our discussion," said The Third, "tell me about your father." He placed the sword on his desk next to Rei's head protector. Rei's mind stumbled over grief but shortly he began.
"My father's name was Kenji Maruku. He was in charge of border defenses for northern Fire Country. He died seven years ago at the close of the Demon War. My father and his army defeated many demons, but none quite as powerful as The Nine-Tails of Konoha." The Third nodded accepting the truth of Rei's story. The Great Nine-Tails was not the only demon to ever terrorize Fire Country. The Demon War was the country's open conflict against the Genma Army. The samurai of Fire Country fought the vast army allowing the ninja to keep to the shadows, were they belonged keeping the hidden might of Fire Country strong. The War had gone on for years, even after the Nine-Tails had been sealed, but suddenly ended about seven years ago. The Third seemed to remember a story of samurai who left the main army on a dangerous mission to find the source of the demons.
"Your mother was dispatched to that area about twenty years ago," said the Third. "She was the only aid the samurai would allow, their pride prohibited all other help. She was charged with the duty of finding the source of the demons. Though shortly after she left we lost contact with her. She was presumed dead." His voice was informative with just a hint of remorse. "Can you tell me what happened to her?" he asked.
"She was attacked by a group of unknown ninjas, they almost killed her. My father stepped in and saved her. They did, however, succeed in sealing her memories."
"Your father saved her? He must have been a fine samurai to best a group of ninjas single handedly."
Rei flashed a small smile, "My father was the greatest swordsman in the world. He saved my mother and took her in. They lived together despite the argument of the locals, they clamed a ninja would only bring trouble. Over the course of the years her memory came back but by the time she could come back to Konoha she wouldn't."
"Because she had fallen in love with your father," said The Third. Rei nodded, "Then they had you."
"They raised me together, taught me all they could till one day." Rei let a small sniffle escape. Samurai don't cry. "On that day seven years ago, they left; they said they had to put a stop the death." Rei bowed his head using his shoulder length raven hair to hide his eyes. "Those were the last gifts they gave me," he said motioning towards the items on the desk. Ninjas don't cry. "My mother told me to come here if they didn't return," The Third showed no reaction to Rei's tears. He opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out a satchel to refill his pipe.
"What slowed you down?" he asked lighting his pipe, "seven years is a bit long if you knew the location of the village." Rei wiped his eyes and collected himself.
"I was being chased by something I've been on the run for the last seven years. Worst part is I don't even know why." The Third knew the reason; he picked up Rei's head protector from its place by his swords.
"Do you know what this means?" he was indicating to the symbol on the metal plate. It was a unique picture of a burning leaf. Rei did not know the significance of the symbol; his mother gave the head protector to him with the instructions that the Hokage would help any one who held it. "Rei, this is a head protector worn only by the Phoenix Clan, the oldest and most formidable bloodline in all of Fire Country. Long ago before The First Hokage created Konoha the Phoenix Clan kept watch over Fire Country. The clan greatly supported the creation of Konoha and the foundation of its ninja academy, as they valued knowledge almost as much as The Code of the Ninja. They ran the academy for many years teaching many of today's clans their 'corner stone' techniques. Their burning for knowledge and the protection of the Ninja Academy reflected the very soul of Fire Country." Rei happily absorbed the new knowledge; he loved learning new things, he did not thinking of the connection the Third was hinting at. "Rei, you are all that is left of that clan, the rest were wiped out fighting the Nine-Tails." Rei was struck dumb. Then his mind burst forth with a hurricane of questions. Why had mom never told me? I'm the last? Rei couldn't stop his mind for flipping through the questions. The Third cleared his throat calming the storm in Rei's mind. "To tell you the truth I don't know what to do with you. Being of the Phoenix Clan, you have a right to be a ninja of the Leaf, you should be a ninja of the Leaf, but it is taboo for samurai to be inside the city walls."
"Hokage, sir, I would do anything to stay here in Konoha. This is the first place that I have felt comfortable in since before my parents left. Orphaned, pursued, and apparently last of my clan, please sir I feel like I finally found my home." Rei's words touched the Third and that would have been enough, but Rei's actions truly set the choice firm in to The Hokage's mind. Rei stood and tied the head protector of his fallen mother around the hilt of his fallen father's sword and knelt before The Third. "I will defend Konoha till my last breath."
"Your words would have been enough to convince me to let you stay, but if you want to be a Genin you'll have to pass a test. I will arrange it, three days form now you must prove yourself." He paused thinking, "Till then you'll room with one of our newest Genin." The Third smiled at a joke only he got, "follow me." The Hokage and Rei made their way down to the streets. Rei was so excited and overjoyed he did not notice the orange blur heading his way. The Third let out a chuckle as the two figures collided. The yellow haired boy in orange was quick to recover because he was always having spills like this.
"Oh! Sorry I didn't see you their," he said. His voice was loud but Rei could tell he wasn't yelling. The boy held out his hand to help Rei up.
"Ah, Naruto we were just going to find you, this is Fushicho Rei, he is going to be your new roommate for a few days." There was a thud and Rei hit the ground again, Naruto had dropped him upon hearing the Third's words. Rei pulled himself to his feet this time only to find Naruto's face inches away form his own. Naruto surveyed him taking in the swords, the cloths, the backpack, and the eyes. Rei did the same; he saw the surprising number of similarities between this boy and the fourth face he saw carved in to the cliff. The thing that surprised Rei the most, though, was that when this boy looked Rei in the eyes he didn't flinch, he didn't even seem to notice the difference between the two eyes.
A sudden loud noise broke the silence, "He can't room with me. He is a samurai he shouldn't even be inside the city walls!" Naruto yelled.
"Actually I have a test in three days after that I will be a ninja too," Rei said. Naruto once again looked very confused.
"It is true," said The Third, "he has a chance to be both samurai and ninja, part of both worlds." Naruto started to say something else but The Third cut him off, "I want you to consider this arrangement an A-rank mission. Now, hurry along Naruto, Sakura and Susuke are waiting and you don't want Kakashi to beat you there."
"But, I-"
"I will show Rei to your apartment, he will not disturb your serine insanity, now go." Naruto nodded; he knew that if the Hokage felt that this was an A-rank mission it was important. Rei watch him take off again towards the forest he could still is a great deal of confusion in his face. I have to talk to him; he needs to be ok with this arrangement. The Third however felt that that could wait as he led Rei towards his new temporary home.
