A/N: Hi! So here's an edited version of chpt 1. My reason of doing revisions for the story is explained in my profile, if you're curious.
Anyway please correct me (nicely) through review if you caught any of my grammatical or factual mistakes.
Anyhow, italics means thoughts or flashbacks.
Disclaimer: If you think I own Naruto, you really need some sleep.
The Perfect Soldier
"Position A, secured!" a blonde young man with his rocket launcher shouted on his walkie-talkie with triumph and looking out discreetly from the corner of a dark intersection. The hallway was littered with rubble and Chimera limbs. Not a single enemy alive, not even a tiny scorpion-like Leaper. "What about your position, Sai?"
"Position B is cleared, Dickless." Sai replied, only to receive a huge outburst of anger and obscenities from the other end of his walkie-talkie. Yet Sai remained unmoved as if the reaction never happened.
"Argh! Will you stop saying that? For the nth time I have one!"
"Dobe will you shut up? So annoying," another voice interrupted along with repeated gunshots in the background. "Kakashi, is position C secured?"
Meanwhile, the squad leader known as Kakashi rubbed his temples and heavily sighed. "Position C, secured. Now shut down the computer, Sasuke."
"Roger."
Sasuke finished off a cavalry of Hybrids, the Chimeran class used as the standard fighting force. Once they were eliminated, Sasuke sped off to the hallway on his left. At the end of the hallway Sasuke threw a standard grenade at the door, allowing him access to the laboratory's central operating room.
This is one of many laboratories that prevent the Kamikaze Army from accomplishing its goal. This, and many others out there, is where humans are terrifyingly mutated into Chimeras against their will; in other words, the very beings the resistance group had sworn to kill. This is also the place where Chimeras replenish their numbers. To destroy the Chimeras, the humans must destroy the Chimeras' source. Hence this was the mission.
Heading towards the main database computer, Sasuke fired his guns at maximum power at the machine. Once the computer was destroyed, Sasuke reported on his walkie-talkie, "The main computer is destroyed, Kakashi. We can detonate the cocoons now."
Within seconds, three gigantic explosions came from different parts of the large laboratory. And within minutes, the building was nothing but rubble. The four soldiers continued to watch the flames from afar.
"Well Team Kakashi, another mission accomplished!"
The New Team Member
Seven days after the mission of infiltrate-and-destroy, Team Kakashi was summoned by the leader of their squad, Commander Jiraiya. Team Kakashi had returned to Konoha four days ago and Kakashi had filed the report on the same day. For some reason, Jiraiya summoned them the day after. Commander Jiraiya looked at Team Kakashi for a moment and then their filed mission report.
"Your team has been doing so well for the past 8 months or so, especially when these missions were sometimes turned into A-ranked." Jiraiya looked at the three subordinates and then handed them a star. "On this day, you three are promoted from Rank B Star 3 to Rank B Star 4. Is that clear?"
"Yes sir!" They answered in a salute.
As the three subordinates accepted their stars, Jiraiya's grin was growing. It was a mischevious grin, the type he uses when he's out "researching." A look of disgust was forming on the three subordinates' faces. Their Commander was thinking dirty thoughts again.
"Now file the forms and go meet your new team member."
The three subordinates looked at each other as if one of the three might know something. But each other showed nothing but bewilderment.
"Make sure you tell me all about the nurses at the hospital so I could get some inspiration for my new book!"
"Pervert!" the now-promoted B4s thought simultaneously and looked at their Commander in disgust.
But their team captain showed otherwise with his right eye creasing a bit. Knowing Kakashi for 8 years taught these three how to read Kakashi's emotions just by looking at his right eye. Kakashi was a mysterious man and that was apparent to these three since they first met him.
The captain of their team always wore a mask that covered half of his lower face and an eyepatch that covers his left eye. It was strange why Kakashi wore an eyepatch. With advanced medical technology, Kakashi had an artificial eye and could function like a normal eye with the exception of the Iris being red and above-average vision. With his left eye functioning perfectly well, it was perplexing why Kakashi covered it up unless it was for a mission. Why he wore the patch and mask or how he injured his left eye, they would never know. Kakashi to this day has remained deathly silent about his life.
Maybe there were just too many demons in his past….
If they guessed correctly, Kakashi had a smile on his face. "Well I can't tell you much…I'll be lost on the road of life."
The only other thing that was obvious to them was the fact that Kakashi and Jiraiya had one thing in common: perversion. Thought Jiraiya is a "full-blown" pervert, Kakashi was the "closet" type, reading Jiraiya's perverted novels and silently giggling while doing so.
"Double pervert!"
As soon as they left the commander's office Naruto finally let go of his suppressed happiness and danced in merriment. "Yatta! We're now B4 rank! We gotta go to the Old City Sector and have a ramen party at Ichiraku's!"
Naruto received nothing but grumbles from his teammates. But the hyperactive soldier cared less! It's not like they're complaining. So off Team Kakashi went into the Old City, the largest district in Konoha that was once the former city of Kyoto, hence the name Old City. As the team arrived at the ramen bar, Naruto happily ordered his usual: BBQ pork ramen. Sasuke and Sai ordered a bowl of soup. Kakashi ordered a cup of green tea. Unlike Naruto, these three weren't the festive type of people.
"Two more to go and we could be in Rank A like Kakashi-sensei! We could stay together in the same team!"
The only reaction Naruto received was a scoff from Sasuke, "Dobe, stop talking while you're eating that stuff. It's disgusting." It's Sasuke's way of agreeing with the dead last.
"What Emo was saying was that you should shove those filthy noodles into where your dick should be, Dickless." This was supposedly Sai's way.
Though Sasuke and Sai aren't the talkative or the expressive type they were proud of their promotion and content they could stay together. The three 23 year olds have known each other ever since they'd entered Konoha Military Academy at the age of 15 and have been students under their current team captain Hatake Kakashi. After two years they're still together in Kakashi's team when they graduated at 21. The young men are very close friends and are like family to each other, though their manly selves wouldn't admit it out loud.
"You fucking asshole! I'm gonna kill you!" Ah yes, manly love. Need I say more?
"Naruto calm down…your ramen is getting cold." Kakashi answered as he was reading his porn while feebly attempting to restore the peace.
These three young men couldn't stand each other when they first met in the Academy. Sai gave the most insulting nicknames to people, calling Sasuke "Emo pansy" and Naruto "Dickless." Who wouldn't be steamed when your manhood is being questioned? Naruto immediately hated Sai and attempted to beat him up several times. Sasuke and Sai didn't get along quite well either because of each other's cold demeanor and Sai was the type of guy who pushes other people's buttons very hard. Sasuke isn't a guy who liked being mentally pricked. As for Naruto, his hyperactivity and sometimes-stupidity was a bad mix with the two emotionless guys, and was a center of ridicule for the two raven-haired men. As for Sasuke, his ways of a loner and his multi-talented skills gives the other two to stereotype him as a showoff.
But as time went on, it turns out they "complemented" each other. Naruto's hyperactive persona is beneficial for distracting the enemy in offense missions, Sasuke's analytical ability helped the team form escape routes and his talented combat skills served well in any combat, and Sai's extremely emotionless and quiet demeanor is beneficial for stealth reconnaissance. In due time, the three learned the importance of teamwork, all thanks to Kakashi's emphasis on teamwork. And as the three men became close friends (as I've said their manly selves won't admit it out loud), they realized how they were so similar despite their differences. All three of them went through pain and loss of someone close to them.
"So Kakashi," Sasuke spoke up and put aside his soup. "What did Jiraiya meant when he mentioned about a new team member at the hospital?"
Kakashi, who was reading Icha Icha Paradise Volume 137, stopped reading and looked at the ceiling. At that moment everyone trained their eyes on him. Sasuke and his teammates knew Kakashi well enough to know his personal quirks. When Kakashi is in a very serious mood, he puts his favorite book away when talking.
"As you all already know, you three are now in a higher rank in the military. It would make sense that the higher your rank, the higher the ranking your missions will be. And higher the rank of your missions, the higher the level of danger is. The three of you will have face the fact that the battlefield is far more gruesome than you've seen as of yet. Warfare is a synonym of cruelty. Remember that."
"Yeah, yeah we know, Kakashi-sensei! But what does that have anything to do with our new team member?" Naruto asked as he slurped his ramen.
Kakashi didn't look at the hyperactive soldier but looked towards the ceiling, as if he was reminiscing about a distant and painful memory, "These are the missions where your percentage of survival dwindles significantly; 40 percent at best. Death is almost absolute in these missions."
At that moment, the three members became morbidly quiet. Naruto suddenly stopped eating his ramen while Sai and Sasuke looked down, thinking about their possible way of death. It wasn't pretty. There was a long period of silence where neither of them spoke a word.
When it seems like forever, Sai spoke. "Then our newest team member will be a medic, so our survival rate would not be as grim?" Kakashi nodded slowly and at last proceed to his leisure of reading his favorite book.
Sasuke raised an eyebrow, "A medic? Wouldn't it be risky since we need to protect him in order for us to survive rather than completing the mission? He could be burden to us."
Kakashi didn't look at his student and continue to read his book. "Ah as always you brought up a good point, Sasuke. But as to your question, you don't have to worry. The government saw through this problem. This new member is not just a medic. But rather, he's a combat medic. Combat medics would only be a burden because their stamina and psychological state is weaker than ours, though this statement doesn't apply to all combat medics. But as the title suggests, they are specialized medics that are taught the way of the soldier as well. It's no easy feat on learning both.
"And even if you don't like the idea, there's an amendment that every higher ranking team is mandated to have a combat medic. The percentage of survival, if there's a combat medic standing by, will increase from 40 to 85 percent. In my opinion, having a combat medic could make a very big difference on the outcome of a mission or a battle. The benefits outweigh the drawbacks."
Kakashi got up and placed his money on the table, "I'll be heading to Headquarters to sign the forms. Hopefully, we can gain access to his background info by next week. In the meantime, you guys have the week off."
When Kakashi is completely out of their sights, Naruto spoke up, "Do you think he really went where he said he went?"
Sasuke scoffed. Sai blankly stared at his teammate, "What kind of question is that, Dickless? You know he's just going some place where he could read his book."
The B4s sighed, "What a pervert."
Just when Sasuke and Sai were about to persuade Naruto to stop eating, three men casually entered Ichiraku and approached the Team Kakashi B4s.
"Hey guys, what's up?"
Team Kakashi turned around and saw Choji, Shikamaru, and Shino. Choji was obviously hungry since he was salivating; Shikamaru looked bored as usual, while Shino remained "mysteriously" quiet as usual.
"Hey Team Asuma, what brings you here?" Naruto asked as he paid for his 9th serving.
"To eat, what do you think, Naruto?" Choji happily sat on one of the stools and order the deluxe ramen . Choji is like the god of foods, but when it comes to ramen, he and Naruto could have a ramen party. Shikamaru and Shino quietly sat with Choji and Team Kakashi.
"So how was your mission?" Sasuke mumbled as he stopped watching Choji and Naruto endlessly eating ramen and listening to that irritating sound of slurping.
Shikamaru just shrugged, "We did some information gathering. Troublesome work. At least it was smooth sailing."
"We heard about your promotion. Congratulations." Sai and Sasuke nodded to Shino as thanks.
"Asuma and Commander Jiraiya said since we have such a good record, we're getting a promotion like you guys. This is so troublesome; we need to exert ourselves more now. And we're getting a combat medic in a week. You're getting one too then, right? This is so troublesome."
"So you don't like the idea of having a combat medic either."
Shikamaru shrugged, "At least chances are, this combat medic might be a worthy opponent for a shogi match, unlike some other troublesome people I ran into. I heard that these combat medics are highly intelligent."
Sai was staring into space and thought out loud, "Didn't Team Gai just got a combat medic?"
Shino tilted up his shades, "They got one about two weeks ago or so. But their team went out on mission so we haven't seen their combat medic either."
Naruto looked as if a light bulb went on as he finished his bowl, "Oh I think I got a glimpse of the girl. I think her name was Hoku…or maybe it was Haiku…. Yeah that's it! Her name is Haiku!"
Naruto earned a knock in the head by Sasuke. "What was that for, teme!"
"Haiku is a type of poem, dobe. Besides, women aren't allowed to be in the military, so that person you saw can't be a woman."
"What! No way! I could've sworn that person was a girl! She was so pretty…but of course not as pretty as Hinata-chan! But why can't women join the Kamikaze Army?"
Sai decided to answer Naruto bluntly, "I was told that women are naturally very emotional people. In battle soldiers cannot show fear and stress, so obviously women can't handle the battlefields. Besides, women are obviously physically weaker than men are. There are other weaknesses women have as well that this book in the library mentioned. Don't tell me you don't have a brain either, Dickless."
"Shut the fuck up, Sai!! Stop saying to the rest of the world what I don't have, when I do have it!!"
While Choji restrained the angry blonde, Shino silently noticed how Sasuke's head suddenly lowered and his expression darkened.
Meanwhile Shikamaru took no notice of this and mumbled to himself, "That team is so troublesome, arguing like a married couple. Ino is so troublesome; women are troublesome-"
Then the group was interrupted by a violent bang on the table. Even Shikamaru was startled by it. The men turned to the source of the ruckus. It was Sasuke, with his tightly closed fist meeting the surface of the wooden table and his other hand clenched the ceramic cup so tightly a crack was slowly forming. If it weren't for his black fingerless gloves, his palm would be bleeding by now. His eyes weren't visible because of his bangs but the way his teeth pressed together in a vice-like grip was a sign of his unprecedented anger and frustration. There was a long period of uncomfortable silence. Finally Sasuke abruptly got up and stormed out without a word; he didn't even bother paying. The silence lingered for another few minutes.
"Don't worry, I'm sure Sasuke-teme will be ok. He gets a little moody like that sometimes." When Naruto noticed the group is still a bit uncomfortable, he changed topic. "I'm sure the new members will be cool. We'll make those two guys a part of our family soon enough!" Naruto replied as he slurped his ramen.
"C'mon you guys! You're here in Ichiraku to celebrate, not talking about military stuff! Relax and eat more ramen!" Teuchi the shop owner laughed as he served Choji another bowl.
"Alright!" Naruto and Choji happily dug into their nth bowl of ramen. Sai and Shikamaru gave out an exasperated sighed for the umpteenth time. Shino gave no reaction as usual.
The room was white, just like all of the other residence rooms in this dormitory for nurses working in Konoha Military Hospital. All of them lacked color but were compromised with female knick-knacks and colorful decorations. But there's a slight difference in one room. In a small bedroom in one dorm there was only a small picture frame on the desk face down next to the hospital bunk bed. The resident of that one room belongs to a 23-year old young woman, who is currently absorbed with a 2000 page medical textbook.
A hard knock came from her door. "Haruno Sakura!" The resident, now known as Haruno Sakura, of the stale room closed her rock-sized textbook and opened the door. It was her personal instructor, Yuuhi Kurenai.
Since she was not in military uniform, Sakura gave a deep bow. "Good evening, Yuuhi-sensei!"
"At ease, Haruno."
Sakura stood firm and alert.
"I'm here because General Danzo of ROOT had requested you through me at Konoha Military Hospital. As you can tell by the time on your clock, General Danzo would never summon anyone at this hour unless it is a matter of great importance." After tying her mid-ponytail and dressed into her military uniform, Sakura and her instructor headed towards the General's office.
As the two women entered the cold office, a stiff-looking man stood in front of them by the desk. The lines on his face showed of his hard life and his present demeanor. General Danzo's military dress is disheveled and has an eye patch on his left eye. A bionic arm was hidden under his sleeve. His expression didn't change by even a wrinkle as his two female subordinates came in, or had spoken a word. It was like these two women had never stepped into the room in the first place.
After the two women got down on their knee to bow to their superior, Danzo gestured them to rise as tradition dictates.
Kurenai then saluted, "General Danzo-sama, I have brought you my student, Haruno Sakura, as you commanded."
Sakura saluted to her highest superior. Kurenai knew all along why her student was summoned. It was time.
Danzo stoically nodded and gestured Sakura to lower her salute and face him. Danzo slowly looked at Sakura from head to toe. Danzo coldly nodded in approval and spoke, "I have been contacted by the Konoha Kamikaze General, Tsunade-hime, that you'll be an official Combat Medic in 7 days. You have been assigned to a team with three B4s and an A4 captain. You will be meeting them then. Any questions?"
"No, General Danzo-sama!" Sakura saluted.
Danzo rubbed his chin quietly and observing her meticulously. "You've met every single expectation I have designed as a perfect soldier, a true combat medic. You show great promise for the military and our country, but most importantly, this branch agency that I've created after many years of hard work and campaigning. Do not fail me."
The pink-haired combat medic saluted, "I thank you for giving such compliment." She replied somewhat robotically despite the expressive words; like a well-disciplined Combat Medic as she should be. Danzo nodded in approval and dismissed the two women.
As the two women left the office, Kurenai sighed and placed her hands on the young combat medic's shoulders. Sakura tilted her head in confusion. Trained to analyze what's underneath the underneath, Sakura knew that her superior is concerned. That side of her instructor is never seen when in uniform.
"Sakura, you are aware that you're the only female in your military squad, do you?" Kurenai asked quietly.
"Yes madam and I am honored, Yuuhi-sensei." The older woman shook her head.
"Sakura, what I meant is that it could be unsafe for you as a woman. And then the front lines, you haven't seen how horrific it is. I'm just saying that you don't have to do this, there are plenty of ways you can contribute for the good of your country."
Sakura didn't flinch. "Yuuhi-sensei, I am aware of the dangers against me as a woman and as a soldier. I have placed my whole life for the past 5 years for this position and I will not put those efforts to waste. I have followed the Conduct Book inside out: love is unacceptable and must be non-existent unless following orders of satisfying the needs of my superiors. I am ready to be deployed."
Kurenai recognized that spark of determination in her student's eyes. Sakura will not yield, that is to be expected in her. Though Kurenai felt a surge of pride in her heart by Sakura's die-hard determination, she also felt a sense of concern. Kurenai knew this day would come sooner or later, that she would let her student go out into that treacherous world where this once-innocent young girl will become nothing but a ghost.
"Sakura, you have no idea of what's in store for you. Believe me, I've been there before and it's no playground."
Kurenai thought painfully as she reminiscences the past when she herself was a combat medic. Kurenai vividly remembered how she almost lost her life on her first mission because she was choked by fear. She was thankful that he saved her. That man had no idea how much he'd changed her life….
Knowing that Sakura's words are final, Kurenai sighed in defeat and forced a smile, "Congratulations, Haruno Sakura. Good luck and be safe."
"Yes Yuuhi-sensei!" Sakura saluted with pride.
As Kurenai watched Sakura walk back to her room, Kurenai turned around and returned to Danzo's office. Her white knuckles knocked the door precisely three times. As Danzo granted her entrance, Kurenai got down kneeling to her superior. But this time, Kurenai didn't get up and salute. Composing herself, Kurenai spoke to her cold-hearted superior, while finding the tiles on the floor more appealing to look at instead of the man she's fearfully confronting.
"I know I am in no position to make requests, but I would like my student to be assigned to a certain team. I want my student to do well, but if the team does not accept her, there might be conflict and the team would be a disaster."
While Kurenai was cautiously making the request, Danzo's arms were clasped behind his back as he looked out of the window. He looked disinterested in Kurenai's words. As Kurenai finished talking, it took Danzo a few minutes before he answered.
"I'm rather disappointed that you're coming in here just for that reason. The assigned posts are selected randomly by the hands of fate. You should know as well as I that you and I cannot control fate. I made it that way. I have been the General of this branch agency since its very existence and I know your past, Yuuhi. I know just which team you want your student to be assigned to; it's his team, isn't it? I knew you were always the black sheep since the day you entered this agency as a rookie. Even now you still are, unlike your obedient student. I must say it's quite ironic that an ex-Combat Medic of such blasphemous attitude could raise such an excellent combat medic."
When Kurenai heard this, she closed her eyes tightly in shame. Then again, shame was nothing new to her. She knew her actions were futile, but at least she tried for Sakura's sake. Danzo strides around her with an air of authority.
"A true combat medic should know that their very existence is just to serve the team, no matter what the opinion or attitude that team has about him or her. The perfect medic, along with the perfect soldier must not have any feelings in order to function orderly in times of stress and peril in the battlefields. Love, fear, longing, anger, compassion, and guilt are only impeding the true strength of the perfect combat medic. They are nothing but fancy things for normal civilians to achieve normalcy. Soldiers, medics, and combat medics don't need these wasteful things. Yet here you are, breaking almost every expectation that I designed. What a disappointment."
Kurenai remained still on the floor, kneeling lowly to her superior which seems like hours.
"Why are you still kneeling before me, Yuuhi? You are no longer needed in this room."
Salvaging what's left of her self-worth, Kurenai got up with a straight face and quickly saluted so she could escape from this horrid place. Once she was far away from Danzo, Kurenai crutched down and wept for her student, finally breaking down her composure. The dark lonely corner of the hallway was perfect for the occasion, as Kurenai could cry without restraint. Kurenai could cry in self loathing and regret...and would not be punished for doing so.
End of Chapter One
A/N: If you feminists read Sai's comment about women, DON'T FLAME ME!!! DON'T KILL ME!!! CrAzY-SiLLy-Me is a female and so am I so I would never insult my own gender. If you're gravely offended by it, GOMEN! There's actually a deeper importance behind the women thing...but you'll have to stay tuned to the next chapter to find out!
Sorry if this chpt was a bit boring but I have to introduce our main characters and the setting a bit more. The next chpt will be much more interesting, I can assure you. As you can tell by this chpt, you've noticed how there are so many mysteries surrounding a few characters. My best advice to readers is to read the chapters carefully.
Last but certainly not the least important is that you guys should check out some of CrAzY-SiLLy-Me's work. They're pretty good and her idea was the inspiration for this so please send your gift of happiness to her while reviewing this.
