We Were Just Kids
Naruto Fanfiction by Kitsunedajfox, Naruto © Shounen Jump
Kitzu © Kitsunedajfox - Hitomi © Wingheart - Tsume © Chibichibi-chan - Ame-sensei © Jenhime
(all of us can be found on DA under those names)
I can still taste the fresh air in my mouth. Those days were something special. The hidden sand village was not like the home I had known. The trees were green here, life thriving with every step. I remember looking down at my feet, gazing at the shoots of grass emerging from the cracks in the stone street. A hand was placed on my shoulder. It was the wrinkled hand of an old man whom I didn't know. His garments were very white. Yes, I remember how white his robes were. There he stood behind me; a smile stretched upon what I thought must have been an ancient face. A charcoal colored pipe stuck like glue at the corner of his mouth. Little puffs of smoke dancing above him as he spoke. His voice was calm, warming, and a refreshing sound.
The 3rd, as they called him, was speaking to my guardian, although I prefer to call him, Mr. Crab, even to this day. Funny, now that I reflect, I don't think I ever had seen an actual crab before. My guardian spoke quickly while the Hokage took paced breaths. My future sensei would later tell me, it was because he was so wise. He felt there was no need to hurry through with anything. Why waste perfectly good words?
"Thank you Sandaime, may our relations between our villages be secured," the younger man said. I can't say I liked my guardian, but I couldn't help but pity him. He wore so much clothing; you would have thought him to be a fat man. Heaven only knows how he ever kept cool. In our journey together from my home, I never once saw him sweat, all though his skin was of a reddish tint. To be truthful I didn't see much of him at all. A turban made home on his head, so I never found out what color his hair was and his eyes hid behind dark tinted glasses.
"Now, what did you say your name was child?" the 3rd finally asked me.
"Kanhagi-crab did not tell you? Or were you not listening?" I said, irritated with the old man. He only smiled at my annoyance and asked me again,
"My memory is going, help me would you?" I could feel Kanhagi, my guardian, breathing fire upon me.
"Kitzu," I bluntly stated. Kanhagi grunted, Kitzu wasn't really my name, it was a nickname I got from my home village's hokage after ignorantly trying to steal his hat. I think I remember Kanhagi, bowing and thanking the Hokage but for some reason I can't remember him leaving. I've always rationalized this to be because he never held any importance to me. Besides, the Hokage kept my attention more than anything.
"Okay, Kitzu. You are officially a genin of the Hidden Leaf Village, I hope someday you will become one of our finest ninjas," his words inviting. I shrugged. "It would be impertinent for you to keep your Hidden Sand Hea..." He said, his old crimpled hands reaching for the crimson fabric. My fingers slipped through the ring of a kunai and I slashed at him with all my strength. It would not do, to strip me of everything that I had held dear. Not after the hells I had visited in the last months. However the 3rd being much older and experienced; my wrist became in strangled with his hand. His smile faded and he spoke to me gravely, "You would do best to report to the academy by noon to be assigned to your team. I was going to see to it myself, but as you seen so desperate to do things the hard way… you'll manage without me." If I had been the woman I am now, then, I would have graveled at his feet and begged for forgiveness- I would never be in such intimate quarters with him ever again.
The academy wasn't much of anything. I must have been the first since the only sounds were of the wind blowing through the leaves outside. Soon, youngsters about my age began to filter in. All of them were proudly showing off their shiny new head protectors all with a uniform leaf symbol in the center. A couple young boys stopped to stare at me, but of course they were all scared to speak to me. Later in my genin years I would come to realize that they thought I was rather 'pretty' than 'scary' all to my dismay. Finally an adult came into view. He was much younger than the Hokage for sure, but wore a green vest with pockets in the front, very much unlike the Hokage. A gash tarnished his rather handsome face running horizontally over his nose. I immediately made the connection that this man was my superior. Soon I would have my mission and life would go on, just as it always had back home. I soon learned this was Iruka-sensei, one of the academy's instructors, not my superior at all. (Or in my mind anyways) He ordered us to sit, and I found my self in the very back corner. I had hoped for a clear view of all the students; however fate does funny things with people's lives. Exactly five young ninjas draped themselves around a particular boy ninja. He had gorgeous dark hair and eyes and I could clearly tell he'd rather be somewhere else.
I made note of another loud genin. Although I thought him an idiot at the time, he would later become one of the greatest young ninjas of his time. Naruto. Oh how I envied him. Ironic that I would envy someone so obnoxious and forward. I suppose that's why I was jealous. He seemed to fit in with everyone else. Soon the commotion ended with Iruka-sensei announcing who would be assigned with whom. I couldn't recall all the names of the many students nor did I much care. I only waited for my name and the sensei of whom I was assigned. Finally my ears perked up as my name was called. Unfortunately I had been so concerned with my own name; I missed who my team mates would be and the name of my sensei as well. Two students jumped from their seats and headed out the door. In a panic I put two and two together and prayed they were my team. Fate was merciful to me this day.
"What's with your head protector!" a voice came at me, and I finger in my face. I backed into the wall behind me and hit my head hard. "Are you really from the Sand?" the voice belonged to a most odd looking girl. She had bright cyan hair with cherry markings on her cheeks. First note I made about her was that she talked too much. "So can you talk or are you mute like that Hyuuga girl?" I had the overwhelming desire to smack her, but upon seeing another green vest just like Iruka's I decided otherwise. Our sensei introduced herself,
"I am… well… you can call me Ame-sensei. Or just Sensei. I'm your lifeline for the next portion of your small lives." I think she may have been joking at this, but at the time I felt excitement bubbling through my veins. Finally a superior with intellect,
"Introduce yourselves please."
"Hyuuga Hitomi"
"TSUME! Inuzuka Tsume!"
"whatever," I said bluntly. I wanted to test how my sensei would react to those who disobeyed orders. She didn't do anything.
"Okay, Hitomi, whatever, and Tsume meet back here in 2 hours. You may go wherever you please, but you must be within 20 meters of each other at all times," she politely said. I had to blink a couple of times. Adults back home would have smacked me for my behavior.
"Okay guys, I say NOODLESSS!" Tsume screamed as Ame-sensei strolled away. I noticed Hitomi rolled her eyes at this.
"Just ignore her, she'll settle down eventually," Hitomi said to me in a matter of fact way. I nodded and turned to walk away. Hitomi spun on her heels as well and matched her steps to mine. Even though something about Hitomi's eyes freaked me out, I couldn't help but feel friendly toward her,
"Please call me Kitzu."
"Sure, and we can both call her idiot," she replied.
"I prefer wild. Thank. You," Tsume barked back. Somehow although I had decided to close myself off from others before I had arrived in the village a smile cracked at my mouth and all three of us shared a good laugh. And that was how my team was first formed. Just a couple of kids, with no idea what the future held for them. Tsume was the oldest and strongest, yet untamable and loud; Hitomi the youngest and most talented of us three, and then finally me. I still today feel like I never contributed much to our team. I like the Uchiha boy was only concerned with my own personal strength and whatever mission came my way. I would learn to hate him. I would learn to hate everyone. But then, I was just a kid- A lost kid in a hidden village with new friends to lean on.