Word count: 4,411
\( - _ -)/
Thursday came and I was discharged with Hideo and Arashi but before meeting with them I decided to look for Jiraiya. On my way I passed the K.I.A. Stone so I decided to stop by for a while. I kneeled in front of it and searched for my father's name. Kinju Yukimaru. Is that even his real name?
Looking at the stone, I groaned. Why couldn't I have been born during the same year as Konoha rookies or even Team Gai? The universe really wants me to see the flip side of this 'inspirational' world, doesn't it?
Why does everything need to be complicated? Right now things aren't canon and I even have to clear out this Kinju and Hokage thing... Iwa wants me for a reason, could it be that they know something about my clan?
"Sometimes lies lead you closer to the truth than the truth itself. What a messed up concept. Dad, are you hearing this? It's pretty dumb." I said to the stone as if someone were really there. Yukimaru or not, it doesn't change anything, he's still my father.
"I see we meet again. You seem to like this spot." Someone behind me said. Is this a meeting place or what?
I turned and gave the speaker a smile. "Hello Orochimaru-san, nice to meet you again... Although, I'm pretty sure this is only the third time we've met."
"A meeting is a meeting it is always counted no matter how short or long it is." He replied. I have no time for Orochimaru I have bigger things to worry about. "Why are you here, Takeshi-kun?" He asked.
"I'm visiting my dad. Apparently having your name on this makes you a hero... You can't live through the glory though because, well you're dead. This makes me wonder the purpose of this stone. No one would even remember every single person here, not everybody cares, you can visit their grave at the cemetery every day, and if you care a lot about the person you wouldn't need a stone to remind you that you really do care."
Orochimaru smirked. "You say a lot during our meetings."
"I don't talk much but when I do it would either be long and informative or long and indistinguishable. Sorry if it bothers you... Wait... You have a choice to whether listen to what I'm saying or not, right?" I didn't give him time to answer I just continued and went with the most possible answer. "If so then why exactly do you listen, Orochimaru-san?"
"I am interested in knowing what goes on in children's mind, so I tend to listen as long as I find their verbally proclaimed thoughts worth listening to."
"Like a survey of personal childish reflections? That sounds cool. Am I part of it?" I asked. They all had to start with children didn't they...? Wait, did Orochimaru already start his experiments?
"You could say that." Well damn, just my 'luck'.
"Hey Orochimaru-san, you know what would help with that?" He shot me with an amused look, which made the hairs at the back of my neck jump straight up. "You could have a genin team then you could record their daily thoughts and complaints. But watch out because I'm pretty sure it would be mostly complaints about D-rank missions."
He chuckled. "I do, in fact, have a genin team."
My eyes widened. "Really?" A genin team... I don't know who they are but I do know Orochimaru's not lying. "Can I meet them?" Who are the unlucky squirts who get to spend every single day of their genin lives with the creepy snake dude?
"Isn't that a bit too much to ask, Takeshi-kun?" He asked slyly.
I shrugged. "Not really, it's just curiosity at its best and or worst. Curious minds often don't have happy endings but without them we also wouldn't have 'chakra' or a village, much less a simple community. Simple is never the goal of the human mind. Oh hey, 'curiosity' that should be the main topic for children."
As he tilted his head to the side, his smirk widened. "I might consider another meeting, Kinju-kun."
I gave him a confused look but before I could ask Hideo flickered beside me. "There you are Takeshi. I thought you said we would train after we get discharged from the hospital?"
"Sorry I was just looking for Jiraiya-san I wanted to return this." I said as I fished out Jiraiya's book from my pouch. "I don't know what's in it because Genma-san told me not to open it until I'm 19."
"Really let me see that." I handed it to Hideo. As he flipped through the pages he made 'u-huh' and hissing sounds, before slamming it shut. "Good that you listened to him. It has bad grammar, someone should proof read it. Also, this inappropriate for children, how did you get this?" He asked. It is a draft! But how could Jiraiya mistake it for his 'Gutsy Ninja' book.
"Gai gave it to me. He said Jiraiya-san asked him to give it to me so I would have something to read while I was in the hospital. But I guess there was a mix up." I said scratching the back of my neck.
"Are you sure this is from Jiraiya-san?"
"That's what Gai said."
"I could give back to him, if you want." Orochimaru offered.
I was surprised but happy. "Really? Thanks Orochimaru-san, you're the best." I said with a smile. I can't believe I just said that. I took the book from Hideo and gave it to him but hesitated. "You don't mind?"
He chuckled. "I offered help, didn't I?"
"I guess... Thanks again, though. I'll make it up somehow."
"Wonderful." He said as he accepted the book. Conjuring the ram hand seal, he was gone in a second. Damn... I just screwed my life even more, didn't I?
"Takeshi, aren't you forgetting something?" Hideo's voice cut through my thoughts.
"Oh right, let's go to training ground 4!"
"No we're going to the dango shop first." He said running as fast as he can towards the shop.
Most of the time I would argue but I can't say no to dango... Unless, it's poisoned, of course.
The jutsu whirled around as the chakra took the shape of the ball. Kakashi just showed me his incomplete Rasengan. It took him exactly 6 months, to successfully create the A-rank technique, with personal tutoring from Minato and a bit from Jiraiya.
At first when he showed me the jutsu I was tempted to say, Took you long enough, but decided against it when he said, "Wind is one of your elements... do you want me to teach you?" Now, who could say no to that?
I started learning the Rasengan while Kakashi started to modify the technique. I suggested the idea and he became fully engrossed with it.
Before we started training I made him promise to keep our 'operations' a secret just until he becomes a jonin. My reasoning, It would attract to much unwanted attention. Imagine what people would say, Two, 11-year-old chunins practising and modifying an A-rank technique, unsupervised? Well damn, let's send them to T&I!
People often call us 'prodigies' but I would say something like this is crossing the line, maybe were not allowed to modify dangerous, high-level techniques, like the Rasengan. Maybe the technique was exclusive to the Hokage, Anbu, Jiraiya and Team Minato, meaning I'm not supposed to know about it, yet.
In other words, I might get caught and there is no way I am going to T&I, Madara will kill me if they see my memories and I can't let them know about the future or my old life.
Kakashi told me to recreate the Rasengan first before trying 'lightning ball' because it would make learning it easier, not that he already figured out how to make the thing he calls 'lightning ball'.
Channelling the chakra needed was a piece of cake, shaping the technique however is taking a while. I was trying to shape chakra, which was a lot harder than turning your hand to an alternative Taser.
Thankfully, Kakashi was nice enough to act as a sensei and is teaching me how to make the Rasengan.
Although, truth be told, babies can't teach babies and Kakashi's not exactly teacher material, and he never will be.
So far, all I can do is stare intensely at my palm like an idiot waiting for something to happen.
I did my best and followed all the steps, but Kakashi and I watched as my hand was engulfed with visible chakra, once again.
We sighed in frustration. "Maybe I need something to help me practice shaping the technique." I suggested.
"Why not try spinning it?" I made a face. How is that helpful? Two seconds later Kakashi gave up in explaining. "Wait here, I'm going to get something that might help." He said going towards his house.
I again concentrated my chakra and made it visible. It danced around my hands I glared at it as my finger twitched, looking as if it wanted to shape it like clay.
Kakashi came back with a balloon. "Here try moving the air inside it would help memorize the way you manipulate your chakra." I accepted it and examined the object. "Well...? Aren't you going to try it?" Kakashi asked.
"Yes I will, but before that tell me how you managed to make the Rasengan?" I asked.
"Like this-" He held up his hand and in a few seconds a sphere made of chakra glowed. "-see?"
"You are not a very good teacher." I dropped bluntly.
"Say all you want, I'm not planning on becoming a sensei." He countered.
"Ah yes, when you do become a sensei I will remind you of this day, okay?" Look at little Kakashi, he never fails to jinx his future.
He tilted his head then sighed. "Just try this it will help, though it might still take you six months or maybe a whole year." He clearly has too much faith in me... whatever, I'll take it.
I only nodded in reply and started to shape the balloon to a circle.
It took a while to get the air to spin the way I wanted it to, but later on it worked out just fine.
"Hey Kakashi," I called not daring to look away from the elastic. "How long am I supposed to do this?"
"As long as you need to memorize the flow and shape," He answered.
"Thanks," I said, concentrating my chakra.
The balloon occasionally turned into an oblong and I tried my best to keep it shaped like a perfect circle. I imagined circular motions and the balloon slowly spun and hovered over my palm.
"Damn it, stop spinning," I complained. "Only the air inside is supposed to spin."
*pop*
The anger got a hold of my concentration, resulting in the popping of the balloon.
I flinched. "It's been a while since I last heard a balloon pop," I rubbed my ears. "It didn't sound as loud, the last time."
Kakashi laughed at me. "You should have been more careful... maybe we need an adult."
"Says the guy who electrocuted himself," I said in a low voice. "Kakashi, you are unknowingly insulting me whenever you bluntly flaunt the words 'we need an adult'." I said, trying to make him laugh.
I always insisted that I was mentally an adult, but when I claimed it he took it as a joke. We can go by the 'saying', it's funny because it's true.
It still works, he laughed, and it sounded real. "I wish I can go back to the time when we were still toddlers."
I made a face. "You want to do potty training all over again?"
He smiled. "I want to repeat everything, when we were kids fooling around was normal, but now it's not an option." His features, though hidden under a mask, visibly saddened. "Don't you want to repeat everything?"
No, I'm not going back to being a weak and vulnerable child. I'm getting closer my original age, I can almost feel 'normal'. I'm physically becoming an adult, I'm about to join Anbu, I'm about to start my plans, people will start taking me seriously-
"Takeshi," The name pulled me out of my thoughts.
"What?" I asked, looking at the bird that flew by.
"You seem uncomfortable with the idea. What were you thinking of?"
It took me a few seconds to think of the right words to say. "Why do you want to do a repeat?" Kakashi blinked in surprise at my dead tone. "Is it because of Sakumo-san and dad?"
I am a cruel person, bringing up a sensitive topic in the middle of a happy conversation. But if I don't then who else will 'Kashi-nii' turn to?
He doesn't want help from the Hokage nor does he consider talking to Minato. So, what better way to make him start talking than his 'childhood friend' asking him about the matter? Not a good plan but really, what else can I do? Hug him or something?
He lowered his gaze. "I might have been."
"Do you want them back?" I asked.
His fist clenched, causing his knuckles to crack. "Yes," He forced himself to say, "I want them back." When he said them I got the feeling he was only talking about Sakumo. "If-" He stopped.
I turned to see him glaring at a floating leaf. "Don't worry, Kakashi, everything will turn out fine."
He turned to me, his glare still in place. "I'll be right back."
I watched him walk back into his house. Regret, he feels regret for abandoning Sakumo... Kakashi, you can be a bit of a pain sometimes, but you're the only one who actually cares about me. I promise to make sure that you and Sakumo will have a mini-reunion. I thought with determination clear on my face.
After the talk about Sakumo and Yukimaru both Kakashi and I acted as if it never happened. We both agreed that for our own good, it's best to stay away from conflict. Keep moving backwards, away from sensitive topics.
Practising the Rasengan took most of my time and became a slight interruption to my schedule, but it was worth it.
"Yes, success!" I cheered while trying to keep the spinning ball of chakra on my hand.
"I'm surprised you actually managed to get it in eight months," Kakashi said, then shrugged. "But, now you have to learn the Chidori." He bluntly reminded me.
I pouted. "Oh, come on, let me experience the feeling of success a little longer."
"Nope," He said, shaking his head. "You have 8 months and 3 days."
I groaned. "Fine, I'll try." This will take me a year.
A week ago Kakashi showed me his Rasengan inspired ninjutsu, the Chidori. It buzzed and crackled, lightning formed to shape like a ball. Kakashi said it sounded like birds, hence its name Chidori, but we all know it's called 'lightning ball'.
In English when someone says 'Chidori' and 'Rasengan' my brain somehow automatically classifies it as cool but now that I learned Japanese, the cool sounding 'Chidori' and 'Rasengan' sounds like someone who has successfully counted all the birds in the air and someone who really, really likes spinning things.
I wonder how it would have been for me 13 years ago if they translated Chidori and Rasengan to English, I'd be constantly reading someone screaming One Thousand Birds! and Spiralling Sphere!, kind of dumb.
The 'Chidori' was perfected with the help of the sharingan. By personally witnessing Kakashi 'kill' Soku, the very first dummy to get attacked by the infamous technique, I concluded that without the sharingan the technique could still be used.
The downside is a certain amount of chakra is needed, due to that and the limited amount of chakra I have to cast the jutsu, speed is essential. The faster the kill the more opponents you can smother.
The key is high speed, high chakra control, high chakra reserves, a large amount of concentration, and extremely good vision.
Rasengan required no hand seal while Chidori required monkey, dragon, rat, bird, ox, snake, dog, tiger, and monkey. That's too many so, naturally, I suggested fewer hand seals, which we are still working on.
Although, I must admit I'm getting ahead of myself again. I'm back to step 1, which is staring at my palm like an idiot.
\(- _ - )/|oo0oo|\( - _ -)/
I woke up one morning to see myself holding three scrolls. Where did this come from?
I opened it without thinking and saw basic genjutsu. "I can't do genjutsu!" I screamed.
I was thankful that I don't live with Kakashi anymore. I now live at my old house, meaning Zetsu can drop by- or pop out of the floor, any time.
The house still looked the same wooden walls, wooden floor, sliding doors, two rooms, a dining area, and a storage area- for weapons and scrolls.
I slept at my old room which I fixed and placed a bed in. I made sure my parent's room stayed clean. That's where mother took her last breath... that's where I was born.
I sighed and I examined the scrolls. In the middle of a roll, I saw a torn piece of paper stuck inside. I pulled it out and saw a note that said,
[Madara-sama wanted you to learn genjutsu we talked to your clone, Harumi-chan or Fuyuki-chan, yesterday as well.]
[Your inability to use Fuinjutsu runs in the blood, but your tenuous genjutsu skills are a result of your possible resistance to seeing something fake. That's what Madara-sama told you yesterday.]
[That made me wonder why you're helping us since you know what are plans are. But, anyway I hope you remember the rest of the night.]
[This is Guruguru by the way!]
Last night...? I threw the covers off and fixed the bed. Inability to use Fuinjutsu runs in the blood? It makes sense... the Uzumaki specialises in seals, the Kinju wouldn't waste the opportunity to team up with a clan that could give them knowledge on their weakness.
I walked out of the room and headed straight for the kitchen. Genjutsu, resistance to seeing something fake? That seems a bit farfetched, I'm not sensitive to lies... I coughed and cursed myself for foolishly denying an obvious fact.
Before I opened the refrigerator my hand froze remembering the events.
Hideo is a Kinju... Kinju Akumu. He's family... that wasn't a dream.
Yesterday evening, I woke up at Madara's cave. He made me release my clone so everything they talked about and the rest of Harumi's- or Fuyuki's, charged straight at me.
Before I fainted, Madara ordered me to make another clone. I made Fuyuki an inch taller again and fainted right after I transferred half of my chakra to the clone.
Now I'm sitting at the table with a bowl of ramen, barely touched and going cold.
It's possible. I nervously drummed my fingers on the wooden surface as I thought.
Danzo only recruits people with special abilities, a plus if he or she is a Uchiha, and if not from a clan then a rare ability. For example, the socially awkward, painter from Shippuden, or a Hokage 'link'... like Orochimaru.
He or she also needs to have this thing Danzo refers to as 'darkness'. From the years I have been with Danzo I've learned that 'darkness' equals to 'horrible childhood' or 'accidental amnesia'.
I poked the noodles with my chopsticks and sighed. Hideo definitely falls on the kekkei genkai and rare category... but did he lose his memories or did he have a horrible childhood?
I made a 'Tsk' sound. Danzo needs to be killed. Madara ordered his death after I told him what exactly Danzo does. My hands started to sweat and the speed of my fingers drumming the table increased.
I flinched remembering what was under the cloth that hid Danzo's arm. Madara said, Danzo has no right to steal the Sharingan. I guess eye-theft is only somewhat 'legal' for the Uchiha's to do, other people will immediately be in death roll.
I decided to start eating before the food becomes cold. I was hoping that the delicious meal would take some of my anxiety away but it didn't seem to help. It only made me look like a robot trying hard to eat like a regular human.
Like Obito, Madara wants me to repay him too, not for saving my life but for telling me the half-truth about my clan. Though he lied to me plenty of times the Leaf didn't exactly do any better.
Dad is a Yuki, that's what Madara said... but it doesn't fit right. Sure Hideo's a Kinju, believable, but dad as a Yuki... now that I think about it...
~If you behave, when I get back I'll teach you something about our clan!~
After a long moment of silence, I sighed in exasperation and decided to think about something else.
The jinjuriki wouldn't be much of a problem as long as the Akatsuki will be born... I need to help form the Akatsuki to ensure the destruction of the Leaf.
Although, it might not be completely destroyed... but if I can convince the Akatsuki to attack earlier then there might be a chance to completely obliterate the village.
I pushed the chair away and ran in my small room. Taking a piece of paper and a pencil out I made a line in the middle. We start at 'KA' which is the birth of our main enemy, his name is Uzumaki Naruto.
I drew thirteen small lines along the right side. 12 or 13 years after, a big event happens that will involve Orochimaru, one of the Sannin. Uchiha Sasuke, the younger brother of Itachi, will defect from the village.
I quickly wrote the events and eyed the big gap. I'm guessing that's when the Akatsuki will start recruiting its members. The Uchiha massacre will and should definitely happen... the results of the future of my plans are hanging on Itachi's shoulder.
"Not good... not good," I said. My memory isn't that good and I'm not a super fan who knows what happens every year, I didn't write stuff down until now. I won't even know where I am in the timeline if I didn't hear rumors about Kakashi getting promoted to jonin.
Actually, I'm not even sure where I really am in the timeline. Who knows how many years it will 'take for the 'KA' to happen? I need to write more notes to keep track of things.
"No," I stopped myself. "Main adversary first, timeline place later."
Sasuke and Naruto is our main target, it will be really hard to deal with Naruto so we obviously need Madara to lend a hand. Sasuke, however...
I chuckled and whistled. Uchiha Sasuke, the little brat who gets regular 'power-ups' from certain people like Orochimaru, Itachi and Obito.
"Maybe I can convince Obito to ignore him," I thought out loud. If none of them helped him he'll stay as an obnoxious, arrogant little brattling and wouldn't be much of a problem.
At least, that's as far as my wonky brain could calculate for now.
I cheerfully dropped my fist on my palm. "Yes, it's a full proof-no, wait," I grabbed a new sheet and wrote more notes.
"No," I insisted to the voice saying, 'but it's full proof'. "If Sasuke doesn't go to Orochimaru then Danzo... no one will kill him! That old geezer has to die," I said with venom dripping from my words.
"He's stealing Sharingan eyes and he used a clan member. It's bad enough that he used me, brainwashing Akumu crossed the line. No one uses my family-MY clan, to protect this village." I spat out angrily. "Madara, wants him dead as well."
I brought the Kinju to this world, nobody, especially Konoha, are allowed to rule them. They should be independent, they should be at home... I need to rebuild Uzushiogakure. I need to find the others... I wonder if the Uzumaki would agree to this.
"What do I-?" I blinked, all the anger slowly turning to a feeling of confusion, then realization... and eventually, stupidity. "Oh... yes, that could work too."
\(- _ - )/
When you look in the mirror, what do you see? Do you see the real you, or what you have been conditioned to believe is you? The two are so, so different. One is an infinite consciousness capable of being and creating whatever it chooses, the other is an illusion imprisoned by its own perceived and programmed limitations.
~David Icke
A/N: Thanks so much for 50 follows, I never thought it would reach that many (sorry for making you wait for 2 weeks, I've been busy). Big thanks to setsunaxx for being the 50th person to push the follow button. Don't worry favorites I didn't forget you, meslens, 43rd to favorite thanks a lot. Special thanks to Golum936 for sticking with me, up until now. There might be others but I don't have very good memory, so if you were one of the people who remembers "Colour-filled dead leaves" or "Interesting?", kudos to you too! More than half of you might not be able to relate to that. Sorry. The next chapter will have the jonin exams. (I'll try my best to update weekly from now on.)