Chapter 3: The Ninja Part 2

Summary: Xehanort tries to get his Apprentice to use Darkness. Ventus tries his best. Unknown to both, Ven has done this before... and it didn't turn out well.

Hitomi Uchiha raised him.

She was his Sensei. Who took over teaching him how to throw a kunai and katras.

Taught him to use a sword. To use Chakra: how to throw the Uchiha Fire Release, and his Father's shushin.

She had raised him. The only person he saw, for all those years.

He hated. Wanted to hurt her, kill her. Wanted to try out Fire Release on her skin, and practice his T&I on her flesh.

He loved her. Cared for her. Wanted her to hold him close, and whisper her affection. Wanted her to be proud, to look at him with that soft, proud smirk, and say "Well done."

His parents had tried to keep his childhood, his innocent. It was just they didn't know how- Kushina and Minato were never childishly innocent-not by any measure.

The Uchiha believed in letting children raise themselves. And start their Ninja career as early as possible. Hiitomi was a good parent by Uchiha standards.

They met in the Genin's training room.

"So your my teammates?" Ven asked, rhetorically. As soon as he saw them. Voice so thick, it was almost growling.

Hitomi was his Sensei. There was no love. He had seen her murder his Father. Had stolen him, from the Uzumaki Clan. Even if he grew to care for her, he couldn't help but hate her, for that.

Shinji Matou-Uchiha was a coward. Ven didn't mind.

Ruri was his other teammate.

Ninja scared everyone. Terrified stiff.

There were a few exceptions, but most Keyberrier weren't one. Surprising? Not really, they were really creeped out by chakra. Most people were shocked.

Everyone who lived in the Elemental Countries understood. Ninja were terrifying, yeah... Not for the same reason. Keyberriers were never afraid to fight, for what they thought of as right. Chakra was, after all, a new power, that most keyberriers avoided almost as much as Darkness. It was weird, to them, creepy. Niether dark or light.

The Age of Light was coming to an end. Most of the world wasn't affected that much. Not until the Keyblade War started full-swing. But in some places...

"Please! Please! Don't!" The food merchant pleaded, on his knees. "Please! I have a family, and this is our only livelihood! We can't afford to lose a shipment!"

"Hn." Hitomi Sensei muttered, looking down at the merchant distastefully. "Kill him."

"M-Must we?" Ruri stuttered, nervously.

Yes, ninja were supposed to be ruthless. But there was a difference between taking down an enemy, and burglarizing a random civilian so they could steal the food.

Ven didn't much care, though. This wasn't the worst thing Sensei asked to do. Inconsiderate to civies, yes... But lets face it, civilians in the Elemental Nations were a damaged breed. That would spend the rest of their lived in fear and/or agony.

"Yes. Are you a traitor, Ruri?"

"N-No, S-Sensei. I just don't see why we can't go to a more popular stall?" Ruri looked around, and then pointed at a stall with a richer carts.

Sensei snorted. "Yes, and those vendors are always the first targets. Next time you see him, he will be in rags because all his food was poisoned.

"How do you poison vegstables?"

"Very carefully."

Luxu called it the Wild West... and he was absolutely right.

Mediation

"Just as Medaition can be used to strengthen ones connection to the Light. It may also be used to allow one to connect to the Darkness, in a controlled setting."

Long lectures about the usefulness of Darkness/consuling sessions about 'getting over your fears'.

Physically drawing the Darkness out, via that one spell of Malificents (that Xehanort gave her, and thought Ven didn't know about. Why the Master thought Ven would care?).

Dark Infusions (which always left him angry, but not DARK.

Fighting strong (but allied) opponents.

Getting to know various Villains.

Emersion in the Realm of Darkness. Or in the lanes between Worlds.

Deliberating acting in anger.

Nothing they did seemed to work.

Which was hard, at this point.

Xehanort didn't know why Ventus couldn't use Darkness.

It should have been easy. Lot's of people fell, stronger and weaker than Ventus was. Some were heros, others villains. It didn't take that much effort.

He would know, he'd fallen before.

Xehanort had explained the process fully. Ventus was well aware of how to use the new power in theory, could almost feel the way the Darkness' moved just out of reach (so close, and inviting, but far enough away that he had the illusion of space). His Master had fully outlined the advantages, and the risks. The Darkness could overwelm him, and warp his heart. Ventus knew that, and he WANTED to give in.

He couldn't stand the thought of touching the Darkness again. Never.

Ven had fully agreed to this. Even the heartless.

This wasn't the first method they had used. There was no way a Keyblade Master would use such a venture on the first try.

Ven wanted to use Darkness. He wanted to please Master Xehanort. Wanted the power, the control that it offered. He wasn't afraid, he knew the risks, knew the theory by heart.

Ventus tried. He really did. But whenever he summoned enough pain, or fear- whenever he felt that oily, tendrils of Darkness, brushing against his heart. The instant he tried to grab it-he hesitated (he couldn't stand it. Never again). Could never take that final step, reaching out.

Ven always ended up confused. Afraid, yes- of what? Self-hatred, regret, why? Xehanort had assured him this was the right path. Ven hadn't felt ANY of those emotions, before he chaught sight of the Darkness. So many emotions, that he didn't understand, and some he couldn't name. The first few times, it had froze him, shocked. Why it made him feel so sick, and... cold, that he always stopped.

He never understood, why apart of him felt so relieved. That he hadn't touched the Darkness, that he wasn't changed.

The reason why, had everything to do with a certain Keyblade Master turned Foreteller, eons before. And said Masters tragic past, and life choices.

They were losing. Badly.

Sensei died first, when the ambush started.

Ruri gained a dull look in her eyes. She knew this was the end, they probably weren't going to survive the battle. Still, she fought.

Every throw of her kunai, the aura of her jutsu, had the raw feelings of grief, and helplessness. Her chakra, normally steady, and controlled had taken on a wild, almost frantic taint as it was molded into Jutsu.

Shinji tried to run (Despite the fact that if it was posssible, all four of them would be fleeing, not in an obviously losing battle. Well, Shinji wasn't the best at strategy). It didn't work.

Still, Ven almost smiled. It was just like Shinji to overcome years of indoctrination, in order to save his own hide. And utterly fail, because of the rule of containment

Any Nin worth his salt knew how to block a retreat. Granted, it didn't always work, but a veteran against three greenhorns, it was a definite thing.

Ven felt sorry for both his friends, they didn't deserve to die. Even if Ven was still conflicted about their Sensei, Ruri had loved her. Even Shinji, despite being a terrible person, had apart of him that cared. That looked at Ven with kindness, while being broken inside.

Still, all Ven could feel was a terrifying emptyness. That was that. This was the way they would die. Ven would do his best, to make the Ninja pay, but he wasn't expecting much.

Ruri was dead. Shinji wasn't long for this world, and he loved them.

Ven felt his chakra turn dark. (Darkness called in his rage.)

And he was a child, again. A ninja, far too young to kill, but was expected to, anyway. Who used Darkness, for the first time. To slaughter an enemy that he hated, for the dead comrades that he loved.

And why wouldn't he HATE this ninja. Madara Uchiha, he had introduced himself as. This man was the reason Ruri, and Shinji were dead. His teammates. The first people that he cared for, since forever, and they were GONE. What did it matter, if a Nin sought spilled blood for venegance, rather than the good of the clan. It wasn't like known assasins were honorable people.

So his shurkin went through the neck, just where Sensei had said it should.

And Ven was suddenly both sick, and satisfied. The Darkness turning, gladly in his heart. While Ven, himself felt sick. Because he had used Darkness, and it was corruptive, and not for uniformed ten-year-olds. It felt like that first kill, all over again, though something more celestial, otherworldly. That he both loved and hated.

And Ven was afraid, again. With no idea why, other than that Darkness was SCARY. Even though it shouldn't be.

So, perhapse it was to be expected, that he would try the Masters patience.

The plan was risky. Heartless would attack. And keep on attacking, until they stole his Heart. And Xehanort wouldn't intervene-not until either he gave in, or became a Heartless.

"Reach out to the Darkness! Use your Anger!" Xehanort enthused, trying to encourage his Apprentice's decent into Darkness.

(check later, to see if it matches cannon)

"Please, don't do this, Master" Ven pleaded, trying to back out of the plan. "I'm not strong enough."

No good, as Xehanort was determined.

"No. It is because your trying to hold it in." Xehanort decided. That was, after all, a reasonable explanation for why Ven wasn't accepting the Darkness.

The wrong explanation, but Xehanort didn't have the information.

"Let the Dark impulses awaken in the pit of your heart. Release them, here and now! Sharpen your fear into rage." Xehanort ordered, rewording previous lectures into this one, that he thought would benefit Ven the most from. Or, not benefit, but willingly manipulated.

For a second, Ven saw Hitomi, at her coldest. The indifference, in her expressions, with a slight distaste. The cold glacier blue, with a hint of steel. The way her mouth curled, in a way that was almost a frown, but Uchiha were never so emotional as to show it.

The comparison...

"You must! If you do not let the storm within you take its course, it will wipe you out from the face of the world, make no mistake. Do it. Embrace the Darkness. Produce for your Master the X-blade!"

Neo-shadows overwhelm him.

"Really?" Xehanort asked, disguisted with his Apprentice. "You would rather die than use the power?"

Ven had been expecting this. He had been testing the Masters patience for so long. Trying to reach out to tthe Darkness, but always stoping short. Maybe, he deserved this for being such a terrible Apprentice.

"Feckless neophyte." Xehanort said, beofre summoning his Keyblade. "If I must... I will extract the Darkness from within you myself."

Xehanort placed his keyblade over Ven's heart, shooting an orb of Darkness into his chest.

The Master had been there.

Ven, still hurting, and enraged, had attacked the Master. Screaming, ANGRY at anything to do with the man.

"I thought Keyberriers avoided the Elemental Countries."

"What can I say?" The man said, teasingly. "I'm not scared of a little Darkness."

The Darkness still pulsed in his chest. Sending shockwaves of power,, and weakness throughout his body. The feeling of power so heavy, and exhilarating. It hurt. It felt good. He could do anything. He was probably going to die, not matter what he did.

Of course, the Keyblade Master immediately subdued him. The fight ended embarrassing easy.

"Who are you?" Ven had growled. The Darkness making his voice seem more deep, and yet high.

"You can call me, Master." The Master had said, lowering his hood, to reveal bright red hair, and green eyes. A mischievous smirk, as he added. "Got it memorized?"

"And why should I?!"

"Because it comes with this." Master explained, summoning his keyblade. A bright red sword, with the design of a chuckram. "And a ticket out of here."

Ven thought about it. There wasn't much information about keyberrier, but it would mean leaving this place. Seeing the rest of the world, even though Ven could hardly comprehend a life outside Shinobi territory. It would, technically be betraying the Clan, he certainly wouldn't be able to return, without reistance.

On the other hand, it was not like he cared about what the Clan thought, but that was definitely burning bridges. Missing nins died quick.

This man had proved strong. Besides, if he returned, the Clan would just give him another team.

No. Just no. The idea of replacing Ruri and Shinji was painful.

"Okay." Ven decided. It wasn't like Ven had much to live for. His team had been keeping him alive, giving him HOPE for so long... "Don't expect me to call you Master."

"If you say so." Master said with a chuckle. Handing Ven the keyblade. "Take it."

Ven nodded, taking the sword, and giving a few experimental swings. It felt so much lighter than a katana, and swiped through the air more effortlessly than a shrunken. It felt off, like how samarai described a non-fitting katana. Still, the blade stayed in his hand.

"From now on, your my student. Keyblade Apprentice." Master added, teasingly. "You will be Gula."

"Gula?" Ven asked, tasting the name, on his tongue.

"All Apprentices get new names." Master explained.

"Whatever." The newly named Gula decided, in disinterest. He didn't care.

Those years, that time, however temporary, had scared him, deeply. To the point even his reincarnation felt the affects.

Notes: Any advice for making the Warring Clans Era or Ventus/Xehanort Aprenticeship more realistic would be appreciated.