I'd like my audience (however currently limited it is) to know that this entire chapter is a flashback into Karu's past. Yep. Sorry if it's boring, it's basically summary. Also its kind of a different writing style, I'm not sure if its good at all (it might be worse) But please bear with me and review please! Bleh.
The cage was chained to the ceiling, a creaking mass of rust and filth. The figure inside was only a ten year old boy, the term 'only' used as an understatement. He had accomplished more than most pre-Genin ninja-in-training. He had been tutored by elite Kusagakure Jounin from age six; he had already discovered his family's blood line limit, his kekkei genkai. The ever so coveted Hitohougan, the doujutsu that allowed the user to sense the life energy of his opponents instead of the eye's normal functions, was the kekkei genkai he inherited. Merely by chance, he obtained one of the most regal kekkei genkai from the village hidden in the grass.
His grandfather was the first Kusakage, the grass shadow, the ruler of the village hidden in the grass. His esteemed grandsire was the brave ninja who united the land of grass and the lands of claw, fang, bird, tea, and vegetables through outstanding skill and courage alone. The newly established kingdom established a council of daimyo and the Kusagakure, the village hidden in the grass, was founded as its defensive force. After he finished his uniting of nations he became Kusakage, the first, and married inside his clan. As an heir to the clan, he received the strongest version of the Hitohougan yet, that power was again passed down to his approaching son.
The Kusakage's son became a ninja, a mediocre one at that (despite his bloodline power), and when he finally became a Chuunin, he embarked on a mission that took a full year. Upon return he announced his betrothal to a quiet girl from his clan, to the mixed delight of his father. He still remained a ninja after the marriage, he was currently age twenty at his wedding, until one day he went missing. In her grief, the Kusakage's daughter-in-law ran away to find her husband but neither of them were seen again.
Karu was the infant child of that pair of ninja. He was tutored by three different Jounin and by the age of eight he was extremely talented in the areas of weaponry and taijutsu (for a Genin). When he was ready to take the graduation exam, his life was altered forever.
It was a cool night; he was sleeping on the spare bed of his current tutor's treetop house. The standard housing units was a treetop house, carved into the giant trees of Kusagakure. The donut shaped housing units were the marvels of the engineering techniques of the Kusanin, and every time the young Karu escalated the secret stairs carved inside the trunks of the trees, he was amazed. The window was open; the thin glass plate was shifted so that it did not protect the chill from entering. Karu didn't mind, he liked the cool breezes; they gently pushed and pulled upon the wafting drapes in their eternal circulation; they soothed him to sleep. This night was a little different. The silence that choked the trees could have been cut by a sweep of the hand. Absolutely no leaves stirred and no nighttime birds graced the town with their gentle songs. Karu's eyes were wide open; lately his eyes were irritating him: they were constantly twitching and itching. It felt like a persistent bubble had formed behind his eye and wouldn't go away.
His sensei had just chuckled, saying that he would soon realize why his eyes were bothering him. Despite his inheritance of one of the most regal clans in the land of grass, he was uninformed of their signature genetic trait.
He stared across his room at the window, a shadow flicked past, he sat up. His arm started quivering and soon his body was shaking like an earthquake had consumed the village.
He felt his chakra circulation alter a bit, chakra was being forced from other parts of his body to his eyes. It hurt. I hurt like molten glass was flowing from his toes, through every thread that comprised his muscles and tissue to the back of his eyes. It surged and swelled. The itchy bubble was nothing comparably as the molten chakra exploded behind his eyes and his vision went temporarily black.
In a strangely colored flare, everything returned into his sight. The shades of dark green were the shrubs on the ground, he saw through the floor of the tree house like black-tinted glass. A brilliantly white and orange energy was a figure hanging from his feet, attached to the roof of the house. Karu's voice was smothered in a fit of astonishment. No sounds echoed from his throat as he attempted to scream for his sensei. Inwardly he screamed and closed his eyes, when he reopened them his sight was normal. The child Karu was completely aghast; the ghost that would haunt his illegitimate future year began its reign of terror.
"So you are the one."
The voice that tinkled from outside was the musical voice of Lord Orochimaru, presumably defeated by the legendary Uchiha, who was seeking his next "successor."
That graceful declaration sealed Karu's fate and he was captured and brought to the new fortress of Lord Orochimaru.
Karu had cried his eyes dry huddled in the fetal position inside that cage. He had desperately tried to form the proper hand signs for a replacement jutsu but his hands were bound. It had been twenty four hours since he was allowed out of the cage; the last time he was out was just another "training" session. Those miserable hours usually were comprised of Orochimaru mocking the child while the fluid that had been injected into him earlier kept him in a state of delirium. He heard the faint tapping of footsteps approaching. He had been kept in that stench and dark long enough to perfect his senses. As the staccato notes of the heels clinked against the stone floor drew near he knew that it was Kusuriya, one of Orochimaru's favorite pupils.
Her hair appeared first to Karu, the yellow candle light illuminating it. The smoke from the tallow candle was intoxicating and disgusting, but it came as a welcome source of light to Karu. The purple cascade of shimmering hair that flowed from the crest of her forehead crowned the beautiful, yet sinister, face of the girl.
Her features were all slanted downwards, giving her a sharp unapproachable look. Her eyes were a perpetual mirror of the anger and grime around her, however, on occasion her eyes transformed into liquid pools of her obvious sadistic amusement. Had she not looked like she would rip you apart for touching her (or rip you apart anyway), any man would have been immediately enamored.
He shining syringe in her hand came into view and Karu sunk, defeated. With a few more rhythmic steps she reached the chain that controlled the height of the dangling cage. Suddenly it dropped to a height that met his eyes to hers.
"I'm sorry that Orochimaru-sama isn't here to treat you today, honey."
He groaned, his eyes rolled back into his head as cold sweat formed on his brow.
"Would it be okay if I gave you your medicine today? I promise Lord Orochimaru will be here tomorrow for you, okay?
"A silent scream reverberated against his petite rib cage. The needle was plunged recklessly into his side and the burning liquid burst into his veins. The tip of the needle was extracted; Kusuriya had intentionally stuck him in an existing bruise to cause more pain. With a malicious grin she turned and stepped away.
Karu felt the viscous liquid oozing through all of his veins, the cage door was left open for him and he stumbled out. His vision seemed to catch less frames per second and his muscles didn't respond immediately. He felt two sinewy arms wrap around his chest and drag him into the adjacent room: the arena.
"Hello young Karu, my name is Shouheki Toku; I will be training with you today."
Karu turned his face in terror as the sickly sweet voice of an adolescent male drifting into his ears. The young man had a weak frame but his face was the essence of strength, confidence, and a disturbing kindness. Karu's breathing grew rapid as the boy smiled at him.
"Is it nice to meet me? Karu? Can I be your friend?"
Karu's eyes dilated, he knew that this would end in a painful session. Orochimaru could be so cruel when it came to designating his opponents.
Karu was kneeling on the hard packed dirt floor of the arena, surrounded by mysterious ninja; all of which bore strange smiles.
Toku raised a hand and in a whoosh of wind they all disappeared through various hallways. The sandy haired teen stepped another meter closer; all that stood between them was ten meters of packed dust. Karu was quivering in utter fear, however, his emotions differed this time. He felt traces of anger and pride flowing through him as well.
I won't be treated like a baby, not by this ass. He clenched his fists against the dirt and grimaced. An intangible force pushed him from his knees to his buttocks. His hands were then fastened together by invisible hands.
This is different, he thought, usually he had an impossible task designated for him before anything happened.
"Now, Karu, I want you to try to do something, Orochimaru told me. He wants you to kill me."
The effect of the last two words of that sentence fell on Karu like a hammer.
"Do you think you can, Karu?" The saccharine voice of the black clad teenager drifted through the air, his violent eyes glimmering.
"Get up." Karu heard the voice of the boy in front of him in his head.
"Kill me." It came again and Karu rose to his feet, the unseen glue that held his body to the ground was absent and he readied himself.
There was absolutely nothing around him that could help him, no weapons, nothing. This battle would rely completely on his techniques when he was better with objects.
"Okay, are you ready, Toku? Friend?" sneered Karu, "Are you ready to die?"
"Oh, but of course Karu, friend, I'd be happy to fight you."
Karu shuddered as his sarcastic tone had just encouraged the syrupy tone of his enemy.
Taijutsu is my second best trait, I hope it works. If it doesn't, my gen and nin skills aren't good enough and that eye thing won't really help since he's not trying to hide.
"Well," stated the wide-eyed creep, "Let's begin!"