Disclaimer: Naruto is property of Masashi Kishimoto, not me. However, Kosu and Hiro are mine. Warning, possible themes of a dark, violent or suggestive nature and use of mature language as the story progresses… They're ninja after all.
Chapter 3
Lesson No.1 No sharps
Kosu was the first to arrive at the academy. Months of rising with the sun was hard to fight and when the first beams of light had shone over the horizon Kosu's eyes had snapped open. Outside of the academy was a large grassy area much like the courtyard at the orphanage. By the main entrance was a white wooden board with:
'Welcoming the class of'
written in stylised font followed by a list of names. To the side of that a small list titled:
'Alternative entries'
was pinned to the board with three names written underneath it. A few feet away was a lone tree with swing attached to one of the larger branches. It was there that Kosu stood and waited for the sun to creep higher on the horizon. Her small hands ran over the hem of her new dark brown T-shirt before finding the pockets of her black shorts, both curtesy of Hiriko.
Hiriko had been delighted the previous evening when Kosu and Hiro had arrived down for dinner clean and freshly clothed. With all the dirt and grime removed the differences between Kosu and Hiro were more striking. Whilst the pair were obviously siblings, it was clear that they only had one parent in common – their mother.
Hiro's hair was even softer with all the dirt removed. And with all of the dried blood out of hers, Kosu revealed that her hair was closer to cigarette ash grey than the dirty brown the mud and blood had coloured it.
Kosu closed her eyes. She shared a couple of similarities with her mother, but her hair colouring was the most obvious of them. Seeing herself clean again had brought back uncomfortable memories of the deceased woman. At the threat of remembering the kind faced woman Kosu did was she always did with unwanted feelings and squashed them deep down, far away from the focus of her mind.
The arriving students proved to be a welcome distraction for Kosu's thoughts. Some of the older students glanced her way as they entered the grounds but for the most part they were oblivious to the fact she was even there. Her pale white skin was the perfect canvas for the dapple shade of the tree to project onto. That plus the dark browns and blacks of her clothes made it easy for her still form to blend in. Hiding was essential to survival and surviving was the one thing Kosu knew she could do. The one thing she had to do.
"Go and use the power of your youth my boy!" A loud voice bellowed. Kosu's eyes snapped to the black haired man dressed in green spandex and clashing yellow leg warmers as he and his miniature arrived at the gates of the academy.
"I will Papa!" The miniature yelled in reply, shooting his father an enthusiastic 'thumbs up'. Kosu blinked in bewilderment as she watched the miniature version sprint into the academy, shouting good morning to a small silvery-grey haired child as she did. Looking back to his father she was even further confused to see tears streaming down his face as he looked on with a proud smile. Deciding that that particular public display was not something she was going to be able to figure out any time soon Kosu shifted from her position. The moment she made a large movement the last child besides herself in the yard snapped his head up.
Kakashi's head jerked up as he caught a sudden movement under the lone tree in the yard in his periphery. How long had that kid been there? He tried to place the face of the boy beneath the tree and decided that the stranger was not only be new to the academy but also the village.
Kosu could feel the boys eyes on her as she walked the short distance from the tree to the doors, hands still in her pockets. She passed within a metre of him and dared to raise her gaze to meet his: rain clouds clashing with a rich metallic grey. The lower part of his face obscured by navy mask. Kosu inclined her head slightly and continued past her peer disappearing down the corridor towards her classroom.
Kakashi's brow furrowed slightly in he watched the new child enter the academy. Their silent steps were a pleasant change to the noisy stomps of his classmates. He had no doubt that the boy had been under the tree for a while. How did I not see him?
The classroom was bursting with chatter. Chatter that significantly dropped when she entered the room. Kosu spared the large tiered class only a glance as she made her way to the brown haired chunin sat at the desk. Kakashi entered a few seconds after her and made his way up the steps to his seat on the third row.
"You must be the new kid, Kosuke right?" His voice was deep and seemed to rumble from within his throat. He stood from his desk and Kosu tried not to shy away from the hulk of a man's presence. So much muscle.
"Yes sensei," She nodded. His dark eyes took their time looking her up and down. He didn't seem too impressed with what he saw. But then again one good meal and a wash doesn't hide the hard evidence of malnutrition and outdoor living.
"My name is Daiki Kimura." He introduced. "You're late starting so you'll need to catch up in your own time." He stated hands on his hips. "Class!" he called gaining the attention of everyone in the room and the final few whispered conversations stopped. "This is Kosuke he's new to the village and will be joining our class." Que the excited whispers of intrigue from the class. Daiki-sensei resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Go and take a seat." He motioned with is head for her to go and take a seat with the rest of the class. Kosu made her way up the first few steps and slid into the first available seat.
"Hi. Genma Shiranui." The brown haired boy next to her introduced, the senbon in his mouth barely moving as he spoke. Kosu nodded to return the greeting before turning and giving Daiki-sensei her full attention.
The morning topic was a subtopic of ninjutsu. He began by briefly recapping the topics they'd already covered, whether that was for Kosu's benefit or not she wasn't sure. But she appreciated the fact she now had a list of subjects she needed to cover out of hours. The list wasn't too long but all of this was new to her, even the vocabulary surrounding ninjutsu was foreign. Kosu frowned at the diagrams drawn on the blackboard – she needed to study.
The class broke for a short break and Daiki wasn't surprised when he looked up and saw Kosuke stood in front of his desk. Resting his elbows on his desk he leant forwards slightly.
"You have some questions?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Just two." Kosu replied. "Is there a library I can access?" She asked, surprising Daiki. He blinked at her and nodded.
"And the second question?"
"Where is it?" Kosu asked, shoving her hands in her pockets. Daiki observed the child in front of him. The runt isn't expecting to be spoon fed. Of course, this kid is used to standing alone.
"Go out of the academy and turn right, walk about 100 metres and it's the building with the blue roof. You can't miss it." He replied.
"Thank you, sensei." She said and left the classroom.
She closed the sliding door behind her and was met by the bright faces of most of her class. Part of her wished that she'd remained in the peace of the classroom.
"Kosuke right?" An energetic black haired boy with goggles pounced on her first. "I'm Obito Uchiha." Thumb pressed to the fan emblem on the chest of his shirt. "And as the best student in our class I want to welcome you!"
"Best? Best at being late maybe." Genma laughed, elbowing Obito in the side jokingly. Obito huffed, cheeks pinking slightly and shoved Genma back.
"Kakashi is the most skilled in our class." A short brown haired girl with lilac stripes on her cheeks piped up earning a whine from Obito. "I'm Rin Nohara." She introduced. "And this is Kurenai Yuhi." She pointed to the black haired girl beside her with wide red eyes. Kurnenai waved shyly.
"Hello," Kosu managed, slightly overwhelmed by the amount of eyes staring at her.
"Are you really from outside of the village?" Rin asked with wide brown eyes. Kosu nodded. "Wow, that's so cool." She grinned.
"It's not that impressive," Obito huffed, crossing his arms over his chest, pouting.
"No one else in our class has ever been out of the village." Rin argued. Kosu raised an eyebrow, really?
"Daiki-sensei has!" Obito argued
"He doesn't count." Rin protested. "He's our sensei."
"And old." Genma added.
"Hay!" Daiki's shout could be heard through the door. Several sets of wide eyes snapped to the door in fright, Kosu's included.
"Perhaps we should insult sensei somewhere he can't hear us." Genma suggested with a smirk. They all heard the scraping of Daiki's chair and that was enough to scatter the shinobi in training. The group didn't stop until they were out in the yard. Most of them were sniggering, with the exception Rin who was scolding Genma, albeit light heartedly.
At the sound of someone panting quite heavily Kosu turned and was intrigued to see the loud, black haired and bushy-browed boy from earlier doing laps around the track – on his hands. Kosu glanced to the side as Genma stopped next to her hand in the pockets of his black hoody.
"Who is that?" She asked.
"That would be Might Gai." Genma answered. "He does that." He motioned vaguely with his hand as if to explain Gai's eccentricities.
"He has no ninjutsu or genjutsu to speak of." A new voice added to their side. Turning, Kosu met a boy with black hair styled into a messy quiff and wearing a pair of black tinted glasses.
"Kosuke, this is Ebisu." Genma introduced. The pair nodded to each other. Ebisu then motioned with his head back to Gai.
"He trains his taijutsu with this 'self-rule' of his." Ebisu continued. "He sets an impossible task and says that if he fails it he'll do some other ridiculous task." Kosu watched as Gai fell over onto his back. He was barely down for a second before he flipped over and began doing push ups.
She could hear the despair in the voices of Ebisu and Genma. She could tell by their expressions the two boys couldn't see Gai ever amounting to much. Looking back to the determined young shinobi Kosu felt a deep stirring of understanding in her chest.
Gai reminded her of the first wild boar she'd tried to kill. Kami only knows how many times she'd stabbed at the bloody pig. It just kept getting up. It refused to stop fighting for itself. Kosu would always be thankful to that pig. It had value beyond the meat on its bones. Which when realised by a starving child is something remarkable indeed. The boar had taught her that living wasn't her Kami given right, it was something to be fought for. You don't just exist, that's what objects do. No, she had to survive. She had to survive for herself and for Hiro.
"Okay Ladies!" A blonde haired kunoichi called as she stepped out into the yard.
"See you later!" Rin called happily as she linked arms with Kurenai and skipped happily towards the chunin instructor.
"Where are they going?" Kosu asked as she watched all of the other girls in her class disappear into a separate classroom.
"The girls go to special kunoichi lessons." Genma shrugged. "They play with dresses and flowers or something."
"Ergh!" Ebisu sighed, "their lessons are more important than that!" He huffed. He turned to Kosu, "They learn how to act as ladies of any status in any culture – makes them perfect infiltrators." Kosu felt her teeth clench and her gaze looked up over the academy roof to the Hokage's office that was attached to the building. Something twisted uncomfortably in her stomach at the description of the kunoichi training and she was even more thankful that she hadn't corrected anyone's assumption that she was male.
"Like I said, dresses and flowers." Genma grinned, knowing he'd get a reaction from Ebisu – he wasn't disappointed. "Anyway!" Genma said loudly before Ebisu could start lecturing him again. Kosu was pulled from her dark thoughts by his voice and turned her attention to the boy. "Whilst they're doing that, we have some time." Brown eyes narrowed slyly. "Want to show us what you've got Kosu?" His question seemed to gain the attention of all the boys in the yard. Even Kakashi who had been minding his own business, sat reading on a bench, looked up from his book.
"What do you mean?" Kosu asked, head tilting to the side.
"Sparring!" He grinned. "I mean; Daiki-sensei says we can only spar with taijutsu for now. Some stupid rule of his."
"He has a 'no sharps' rule until we've figured out why there's a 'no-sharps' rule." Ebisu added. "It was very cryptic and no one's figured it out yet. Not even Kakashi" He huffed.
"But we still have taijutsu," Genman shrugged. Kosu blinked at him before slowly coming around to the idea that sparring was the physical equivalent of studying.
"Any other rules?" She asked.
"Just say 'give' or tap if you want them to break a hold and end the lock up." He shrugs. Kosu nodded and the other boys formed a very loose, large circle around herself and Genma.
Her classmates weren't their only observers either. Daiki had been joined by the Third Hokage in his classroom, curious as to how Kosu was doing. The pair were stood, hidden from view at the window watching the scene unfold.
"How has he settled in?" Hiruzen asked, hands clasped behind his back.
"Pretty well all things considered." Daiki rested his hands on his hips. The Hokage had briefed him before Kosuke's arrival. He had feared it was going to be a hard adjustment for the refugee being in a class of other's his age. Not only was Kosuke unused to anyone but his brother for company he had also essentially had a year of the most intense, borderline barbaric, survival training. There wasn't any way someone could think like a child after something like that.
"But something troubles you." Hiruzen sighed. Daiki nodded, making an affirmative sound in his throat.
"Physically he's the runt of the class." Daiki said bluntly. "A stiff breeze would blow him over. But he doesn't think like a child, he doesn't even think like an adult. He thinks like a shinobi." He turned to the Hokage. "And because of that the academy environment won't suit him for very long."
Hiruzen frowned. So often was the problem the other way around: Genin brimming with shinobi prowess held back by childish thoughts. Now that the problem was finally reversed - A mentally sharp shinobi trapped in the body of a civilian - did he know which was worse. The Third Hokage watched as the two children met in combat.
The grin never left Genma's face as he shrugged the hoody off of his shoulders and tossed it to the side, spitting the senbon from his mouth so that it landed on his jacket. They stood 5 metres part, a distance that was quickly reduced the moment Ebisu said 'Go'.
Genma was on her in a moment forcing her to dart to the side to dodge the punch. Grey eyes widened at the boy's speed. The boy's leg came at her next, swinging high, and she raised her right arm to block.
It was a move she regretted immediately though. Even against her guard the kick was strong enough send her to the ground. Kami, that was going to leave an ugly bruise along the length of her right forearm. Kosu took the momentum into a roll and up in a low crouch a metre from Genma. Shit.
He was as quick, if not quicker than her.
He was stronger than her.
He actually knew taijutsu combinations.
He had her out in the open.
He had her without weapons.
Shit.
His leg swiped at her again and she didn't make the mistake of trying to block. Dodge and dodge was her main goal. Dancing, flipping and twisting out of his way as she desperately tried to think of a way out. The few openings she took to jab a punch or kick at him it was like she had no effect. To him she was just a fly he could bat away. This way not a fight she could win on brute strength. Then again, when has there ever been a fight I've been able to muscle my way through?
It was when she rolled out of the way of a kick, her nose having to graze the ground to get low enough that a plan formulated in her mind.
"Ah!" Genma cried in surprise as his eyes were suddenly filled with a handful of dry, dusty earth. He faltered.
She wasn't foolish enough to believe she had the strength to punch and kick Genma. He outclassed her in that department. So when he faltered she darted around him soundlessly and pounced on his taller frame. Her legs wrapped around his middle at the same times her arms trapped his neck in a chokehold. All four limbs locked in place and Genma gripped her arms, his eyes were wide, reddened and streaming.
Genma probably had the strength to break her hold but it was too late. She tightened her legs first, winding him and forcing the air from his lungs. Then, in perfect synchronisation, she pulled hard on her arms cutting off his wind pipe. Genma threw himself onto his back to try and get her to loosen the hold but her limbs remained vice like. When that failed he quickly tapped her arm. She released and immediately Genma was coughing and gasping.
She wasn't sure what she expected when the spar was over, but glares from the observing boys was not it. Confused, she pulled herself to her feet and turned. They were all glaring at her. Genma stumbled to his feet behind her.
A bruising-ly hard hand gripped her shoulder, growling her name. She turned to see a seething Genma. Kosu didn't have time to ponder his reaction as his fist quickly snapped back and punched her face. She staggered to the side, face erupting in pain and immediately felt her mouth fill with a warm metallic liquid. She spat to the floor – blood.
Inside Daiki tensed and made a move to leave. He needed to break the boys up. It was the Hokage that stopped him.
"He can't graduate until he's physically ready." Hiruzen frowned. The boy was basically a walking skeleton, his body needed developing. "Make him ready." Daiki nodded before using the body flicker to get to his students.
"That was a dirty shot Kosuke." Genma growled. His eyes had stopped streaming, but being as red as they were he looked half demonic.
"What?" She glowered.
"We're training to be ninja Kosu!" He yelled. "And you go and do something as cheap as throw dirt in my eyes? You don't deserve to be here if that's how you plan to fight." He glowered. Kosu narrowed her eyes and her teeth snapped together.
"There is no such thing as cheap shots Genma." She said lowly. She never got to finish however as Daiki-sensei appeared in a small puff of white cloud in between them. Kosuke quickly shut her mouth and stared up at Daiki.
"Kosuke. Let's go and have a chat." He said in a low, rumbling voice. Kosu lowered her head slightly and made her way back towards the academy. As she passed through the circle she could hear her classmates whispering.
"He shouldn't be here."
"Outsider."
"He'll get kicked out for this."
She ignored it all and made her way into the academy. These kids have no idea.
Daiki kept the stern look on his features until he slid the classroom door closed behind him. He then relaxed immediately and threw a damp cloth to Kosu. She caught it and looked confused at his sudden change in persona.
"Clean your face, you're bleeding everywhere." He gestured the wooden panels that had droplets of blood on them. Kosu continued to watch him as she brought the damp cloth across her face, wiping the blood away. He watched her, catching sight of the bruises already blooming all across her pale skin. "Are you okay?" He asked.
"Yes sensei." She replied, brow furrowing slightly. The concern in his eyes had caught her off guard.
"Good." He nodded. "As you realised during your fight you can't keep up with the rest of them. You're weak and your technique is sloppy." Kosu only nodded in agreement. "Despite all that you beat one of the top students in the class because you actually think like a shinobi. You managed to work out and apply the lesson I've been trying to teach them for over a week."
"Your 'no sharps' rule." Kosu clarified. Daiki nodded.
Contrary to popular belief the younger children weren't prevented from using kunai and shuriken in sparring to only protect them from injury. That was only a small part of it. The much larger emphasis was to try to encourage them to realise that 'no weapons' wasn't the same as 'taijutsu only' – they had their environment and their opponent to manipulate.
"So here's how this is going to go." Daiki crossed his arms over his chest. "You need to be as strong in body as you are mind and I'm going to make sure that you are. It's going to be hell for you." It should have been fear that filled her. But instead her chest warmed in such a way she wasn't entirely sure what to do with the emotion. She swallowed thickly.
"Yes sensei." Kosu nodded.
Daiki reached into one of the scroll pockets of his flak jacket and handed it to her.
"Know the content of that scroll before you meet me after your classes today." He ordered. Kosu nodded her head and took that as her dismissal. She hesitated a few metres from the door and looked over her shoulder at Daiki.
"Sensei, why are you doing this for me?" she asked. Daiki's face softened. Because you're too far gone to go back on the shinobi path. But the young refugee in front of him was in no state to even begin to process that concept so instead he said:
"Don't you have a scroll to learn?"
Kosu nodded, lips quirking ever so slightly and she left the classroom.
Daiki sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He had taught at the academy for years and whilst a small part of him knew that he was teaching children to fight and kill. He sought solace in the fact that they were learning to do so in order to protect and serve their home, their friends, everything they loved. Yet for the first time his gut churned uncomfortably at the thought of training a child. What is it about this runt?
To SultanaV: My first reviewer! And on both chapters as well. Thank you so much. This character and plot have been swimming around my head for a while and I finally gathered the courage to post it on here. I hope you continue to enjoy it
To DollXparts: Thank you so much for your review. Reviews really do make all the difference especially this early on! I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
XScouselondonerX