First Blood

Shinju stood behind her mother, watching the wind-user strike down at least 20 enemy ninja. A little in front of her and to her left was her father, in the process of making one scary looking ninja copy his every move, including a stupid looking dance. Shinju didn't know how her parents could remain so calm. Maybe that's what being a high-ranking jounin was all about. Maybe one day she'd be the same.
Looking up into the sky above her, she saw a huge plateau of sand hovering amid the hazy blue. Her uncle, Gaara, the Kazekage stood upon it, his hand raised as he directed the sand towards the attacking ninja. Some of the weaker looking fighters actually turned and fled when they saw the torrent of sand coming down upon them. Most were too late. Her uncle was extremely efficient.
Something whizzed past Shinju's head, and she realised she was being attacked. Grabbing the kunai that had been thrown at her in mid air, she span around and threw it back, hitting a boy not much older than herself in the neck. His eyes widened in surprise, and he staggered backwards a few paces, his arms reaching out for someone, anyone. Shinju looked away. She'd never liked that part. Never.

*

Akane stood in front of the disorderly line of genin she'd been put in charge of. Now was the time to prove herself, and she'd do that by whipping this bunch into shape. Some of them she knew, from helping out at the academy. Others looked awfully young, freshly graduated she guessed. Just like Ichiru.
He was the oldest there, but didn't look fazed. He stood, holding himself well, looking straight ahead, like a soldier standing to attention.
She cleared her throat.
"I know this is a scary prospect. But most of you have been out on missions before, and you've doubtless fought enemy ninja before. I have to warn you though. The people we are up against are not your average bandits, misfits or cronies. The ones who make it this far will most likely be dangerous renegade ninja. They won't think twice before ending your life. Most of you may be young, but they won't see you as children, they see you as another enemy to be killed: just another Konoha ninja. Let's start training right away. Get into pairs."
She caught Ichiru by the arm, "You'll be with me."
He smiled, relieved.

*

Uchiha Sasuke ran beside Uzumaki Sakura. Her pink hair was escaping its hair-band, and was being blown into her face. It was hard to believe that this strong woman was once so weak. Her eyes were dead set ahead, towards Suna. Fixed on her husband's back. Naruto ran ahead of the others, speeding forwards to help his old friend, Gaara. He knew he had left Konoha in capable hands, and trusted everyone to work well in his absence. He had to help the Kazekage. They had always been there for each other.
Sasuke kept close to Sakura. He wanted to watch her in action, watch her move. His heart fluttered slightly in his chest, which he put down to nerves. Going into battle again was a scary concept. Somewhere in the back of his mind, however, he knew it was because of those old feelings. The feelings he had placed in a locked drawer in the depths of his thoughts, the ones he had almost forgotten in the early years with Sumi…
Sumi.
His heart wept for her, hoping that wherever she was now, she could forgive him.

*

Uchiha Kin looked back over his shoulder, his face dark and stormy. Behind him were the gates of Konoha. He'd slipped out with a family, leaving the village due to fears of the imminent fight. The ninja at the gates had tried to convince the family that they'd be safer behind Konoha's walls, but the old man who appeared to be head of the family insisted they left for a nearby village.
Kin went unnoticed for a while, until they'd reached a fork in the road, and a young boy had pointed him out. The Uchiha swiftly apologised, and watched them leave. It was now that he stood, looking back at Konoha angrily, and deciding if he should take the opposite road to the family, or follow them. Finally, he reached the decision to go the other way. The trees seemed thicker that way; more cover for him in case he was missed.
Not that I will be, he thought bitterly.
He had watched his brother gather his ninja weapons, and dress in the new clothes their father had got him. He'd seen the glint of metal as Ichiru tied his hitai ate around his forehead. Kin had bit his lip until it bled, anger welling up inside him. That should have been him. Was he not the one who had studied the art of the ninja, had discovered a world of information on all the clans of Konoha, including his own? He had a bloodline limit, was part of a regal, noble clan, stretching back generations. This was an injustice.
And so he'd decided to leave. It was for the best. Maybe he'd go home to the village he'd grown up in- Kitamori, how far away it seemed now.
Kin trudged onwards, and before he knew it, it was raining and he was very much alone in the forest. He had no idea where he was headed, and all around him he could hear noises. His paranoid mind made them into voices, raised high in mocking laughter; footsteps following his own, echoing throughout the tall trees. He started to think that this wasn't then best idea he'd ever had, but he'd long since left the path and there was no turning back.
Not that there was anything for him in Konoha.
"My brother is a ninja, and my father is meant to be the leader of a noble clan. But he's pathetic, and had ignored me for years. And look at me. Lost in a stupid forest." He said aloud, "Some Uchiha I am."

"Uchiiiiihaaaa…?" a voice hissed from the darkness.

*

Ichiru stopped to catch his breath while Akane instructed another genin. He sipped a little water from his gourd, wiping the sweat that had formed on his brow. Akane may have been his friend, but that certainly didn't mean she was going easy on him at all. He closed his eyes briefly, breathing in through his nose sharply, and out through his mouth slowly. Eyes still closed, he cocked his head slightly, and put his arm out in front of him.
"Well blocked, Uchiha." Came Akane's voice.
There were a few gasps behind her, coming from the genin.
'Uchiha? Did she say Uchiha?'
'As in…the Uchiha clan?'
Akane held up a hand to silence them.
"Yes, this is Uchiha Ichiru."
The other genin stared at him, wide eyed, as he looked back at them.
"What's with his eyes?" asked one of the younger ones.
Ichiru blinked, wondering what she meant. Then he saw Akane's expression. He grabbed a kunai from his pouch, looking into the reflective metal surface.
His eyes were red.

*

Temari grunted as she strained to push a boulder onto another pile of similar rocks. Her brother, Kankuro, stood by her watching her struggle.
"You are such a lazy lump!" she shouted, "This is part if Suna's defence and you're just standing there watching me!"
Shikamaru shouted down from atop the pile of rocks.
"Yeah, Kankuro-san! Start putting a bit more effort in!"
He grinned at his brother-in-law.
It had been 2 hours since the enemy troops had retreated, but the Nara's felt this lull wouldn't last very long. So, they had commissioned many ninja to start building up Suna's natural rock defences, by moving any boulders or rock. It was clear that the first wave of ninja had not been very talented at all, with most probably not ranking jounin. However, they'd fought with anger and violence, and Suna had lost some people. Shikamaru was worried that the next wave of attackers would be more ferocious than the last. He just hoped Naruto would get here soon with some backup.
What was also clearer now, was that Akatsuki were definitely involved, if they still wore the usual garb. Black robes, red clouds: he'd seen a few ninja hovering at the back wearing this. He clicked his tongue between his teeth, thinking of his son out there, and not for the first time since the fighting began. He hoped to god that he was doing well.

*

Inuzuka Hinata cried out fiercely, dashing forwards with her team. She'd met with her husband, son and his teammates a few hours before, and they had carried on together, towards the mid-way point between Suna and Konoha. It was not long before they encountered enemy ninja, 3 of them, heading in the direction of their home. Now, it was time to fight. Now Hinata knew this war was real. Now she knew whom they were dealing with too, she thought, taking in the attire of the ninja.

*

Ichiru watched in the kunai as the red in his eyes slowly faded back to his usual black. What exactly was this? His father had never openly talked of their bloodline limit, and no one had ever explained it to him. Why had his eyes turned red so suddenly, for no reason at all? One of the younger genin ran back from the direction of the academy, clutching a scroll. She'd run off as soon as everyone had seen the confusion on Ichiru's face.
Akane grabbed the scroll from the girl, scanning it quickly with her eyes.
'The Noble Clans of Konoha.' Was its title.
Akane read on further until she reached the familiar name of Uchiha.
"Sharingan." She read aloud.
"Sha-rin-gan…" Ichiru whispered, lightly touching his face. "What else does it say?"
Akane shook her head. "Nothing. Sorry, Ichiru. Most of the Uchiha history was lost when… when the tragedy happened."
Ichiru looked up.
"What happened to my family?" he said, his eyes suddenly full of sadness.
"You don't know?"
The genin around them whispered furtively, staring at this strange, beautiful, fragile boy.
"Everyone, separate into pairs and practice some more please. I'll meet you up at the training ground in an hours time." Akane said, taking hold of Ichiru's arm and leading him away from the academy grounds.

*

"This is the Uchiha compound. No one goes here, really. When your father left it behind, well… Everyone said it was haunted." Akane looked ashamed as she said this.
Ichiru stood in front of the entrance, staring wide-eyed at the clan symbol emblazoned on the walls and window shutters. He reached up to his neck, and fingered the necklace around it. This symbol, he'd known it his whole life. He knew it was his clan symbol, he knew there had been many others and that everyone had died. Including his grandparents. But a shadow always passed across his father's face when his sons asked him what happened. All he said was 'a tragedy'. A tragedy had befallen the Uchiha clan.
Akane held onto his hand, and they stepped into the compound, immediately sheltered from the mild wind by the tall buildings, all deserted.
"When your father was a boy, his brother – your uncle – Itachi, murdered the entire Uchiha clan."
Ichiru closed his eyes as a wave of nausea overcame him. His knees shook, and he sat quickly down onto a nearby doorstep.
"I'm so sorry you never knew, Ichiru-kun. I'm sorry I had to be the one to tell you." Akane said, sitting beside him.
He looked up, smiling weakly, "I'm glad it was you, Akane-chan."
He squeezed his eyes shut, and opened them again, looking straight at Akane.
"You know, Inuzuka. You've been a good friend to me. I'm glad, I really am. I don't think I could have achieved this," he touched his headband, "without you."
The girl smiled, looking away.
"I'm pleased you see me as a friend." She said, trying to sound happy.
But Ichiru heard her voice catch slightly in her throat as she said it.
"Akane, I…"
She turned back to face him, a few tears falling from her pale eyes, a smile upon her pink lips.
She placed a finger on his lips, shaking her head.
"It's okay, Uchiha. You don't have to say anything to make me feel better."
Ichiru looked at her, his black eyes reflected in her lilac ones. Suddenly he knew, he knew why Akane was upset; he knew why she spent so much time with him. A bit slow on the uptake, maybe, but he now realised how she felt about him. He touched her cheek lightly, pulling her face slowly to his own, until they were nose-to-nose. She smiled weakly.
"Don't tease me so much, Ichiru-kun."
"I'm not." He said, so quietly he was surprised she heard it.
His lips slowly parted, moving closer to hers. Her breath was hot, mingling with his. Her lips were so close now, he could barely breathe at all.
A shout from far off made Akane pull away quickly.
"They're here! They're here!" came the scream.
Both jumped up, leaving the silent Uchiha compound behind, heading in the direction of the shouting.
As Ichiru drew closer, he could hear the clash of metal upon metal, then the thunk of metal upon…something else. A groan confirmed his fears. Rounding a corner, he raised his arms in a stance Shikamaru-sensei had taught him. A Konoha ninja turned to see him.
"It's okay, I got him. They went that way, kiddo!"
And with that, the ninja jumped up, and ran in the opposite direction.
Akane grabbed Ichiru's hand and they ran as fast as they could towards the training grounds.
Stopping, Akane shrieked, her hands shooting up to her mouth. The field was awash with blood. Her genin troop were nowhere to be seen. She swayed, and Ichiru steadied her with his hands on her shoulders.
"Where are they?" she managed to say.

*