Ren
13 Years Earlier
Orochimaru walked through the hallway of his hideout, curious as to how his latest student/test subject was fairing since his isolation test started. Orochimaru opened the door and there stood his student, five Chuunin's bodies around him and one he still held by the neck.
"Impressive, Ren-kun." Orochimaru applauded as he entered the room.
"Is that all?" Ren asked then snapped the chuunin's neck.
"Truly impressive."
"The body can go two months without food or water. You've kept me here for two weeks and attempted to make me waste energy on these six… it was a good plan."
"It is time for you to see the world for what it is… walk with me, Ren-kun."
Orochimaru and Ren walked to a village that was in the middle of being burned to the ground, this rocked the young Ren to the core.
"Why are they doing this, Orochimaru-sama?"
"For power, my young Ren… no matter what happens or what changes, Ren, power will always find a place to rest it's head."
"But then... it's just an endless cycle of war and death and for what? A chance to have the most power until another struggle begins?"
"This is the world we live in, Ren-kun, where shinobi die for the will of others… I prefer to live for myself and gain power for myself."
"What of me and Kabuto-senpai?"
"I give you both your choice to serve whoever you wish. Something the Leaf, Sand, Mist, Cloud and Stone will not."
"Thank you, Orochimaru-sama."
"It is time for us to complete your training, Ren-kun."
"Yes, Orochimaru-sama."
'That storm was bad… would be quite funny if it killed anyone.' Ren thought as he walked through the forest.
"I know you're there." Ren said.
"So you're the infamous Ren… you don't look so dangerous." The ninja said as he dropped from one of the trees.
"What are you? Bounty Hunter? Seeking revenge? Or do you just want suicide by murder?"
"You're a smart ass… I don't like smart asses." Ren smirked and turned around.
"Do something about it then."
"I think I will." The ninja walked towards Ren but before he knew it Ren was behind him "How did you-"
"You already missed it." Before the ninja could respond his throat was already slit and he was bleeding out on the floor. "How boring." Ren said and walked away until he reached a clearing with a cabin in the middle. "It's time to pay a certain someone a little visit."
6 Years Earlier
Ren stood by the railing and overlooked the candidates for Orochimaru's elite Sound Ninja team.
"What do you think, Ren-kun?" Orochimaru asked.
"About what?" Ren replied.
"The candidates?"
"They're all going to die either way. I don't care."
"Aren't you the cynical one today?"
"I'm here for what we agreed on, Orochimaru."
"Ah yes… here you go." Orochimaru gave Ren a file. "Use it well."
"Yeah sure." Ren took the file and made his way outside the hideout before reading the file. "Senju Tsunade…" Ren said to himself.
Ren found Tsunade in some lowly village in a bar, and what he saw disgusted him. To be a princess, medical legend, a more than capable fighter and a sanin. 'To have all those titles and be here in some back water village getting drunk in some bar… it's pathetic.' Ren thought as he walked away before Tsunade saw him. As Ren walked away, a girl bumped into him.
"Hey God Damn it watch where you're going!" Ren exclaimed.
"I'm so sorry." The girl said then continued on her way and Ren did the same until he realised she had picked his pocket. He turned back to look at her and she winked at him before running off- Ren gave chase.
"Come back here!"
"You'll have to catch me!" she screamed back as she leapt to a rooftop in one jump.
"Give up now and I won't break your kneecaps, I promise!" Ren was beginning to catch up to her.
"Don't you ever give up, you dogged bastard!" the thief ran into a nearby forest.
"Let's sit and talk this out like civilised people!" Ren jumped over a small hill and on the opposite side, the thief performed an earth jutsu that caused a rock to hit Ren square in the chest. "That's it now you're dead, bitch!" Ren got up and took off after her again, eventually the thief just stopped in a clearing. "Finally ready to give up?"
"Not quite, Ren."
"How do you know my name?"
"Take a guess." She said and threw Ren's money in between them.
"Bounty hunter?"
"Yup… and I'd like to take you alive but I'm willing to settle this once."
"You're quite arrogant, for a dead woman."
"I'm a girl."
"I don't care if you're a trap, you'll still die the same way." The two of them fought to a stalemate, resulting in both of them being unable to move. "Those were lucky shots… bitch."
"I bet you say that to all the girls."
"Tche." The two of them lay on the floor for a few moments before the bounty hunter broke the silence.
"What's a trap?"
Ren remained silent.
"Come on it's not like we got anything better to do… besides, I'm curious."
"I don't even know why I'm entertaining you… a trap is a person that is one gender but looks like another."
"Oh I get it."
"Maybe you're not as stupid as I thought."
"You are soooo charming, you know that?" There was more silence until Ren broke it.
"What's your name?"
"What's it to you?"
"I like to know the names of the people I kill."
"Like you could kill me."
"Give me another chance and I won't waste it."
"Oh, I'm so scared."
Silence.
"You still didn't tell me your name."
"Really? You still want to know my name?"
"Yes."
"I don't have a name. Happy?"
"No."
"What more do you want from me?"
"Everyone deserves a name…"
"Well I don't have one so drop-"
"Luna."
"What?"
"Your name is Luna."
"No it's not."
"Unless you have a better one that is what I will come to know you as," Ren stood over Luna "understand?"
"Yes." Luna stood up as well "So how long have you been able to stand?"
"Since you opened your mouth to start this conversation."
"Why didn't you kill me?"
"You're the only one who can keep up with me and you're… interesting."
"Thanks… I guess." Ren lay down on the ground again.
"Care to join me?"
"I don't see why not." Luna stretched out next to Ren.
"Why don't you have a name?"
"The village I come from didn't give us names, they just took us and trained us. Once we were battle ready they sent us on missions to aid them while they were at war. Eventually I saw an opportunity to escape that life and I took it."
"And you became a bounty hunter to feed yourself."
"Yeah… I wish I didn't have to live this life." Luna turned to face Ren. "Tell me, how did a thirteen year old get such a high bounty on his head."
"Because I know a very bad man that a lot of people want dead."
"Why are you with that man?"
"He showed me the truth of the world."
"Which is?"
"Power is the only thing that matters."
"I understand that actually."
"Yes… the only thing that beats power is more power."
"And the cycle is never ending."
"Exactly." Ren turned and looked at Luna then after a moment of silence they kissed each other. Ren broke away first. "Luna… I've done some bad things, really bad things."
"Because you had to… Ren, we are one and the same I understand you more than you-" Ren cut her off by kissing her again.
"Luna, I want you to be free as I am… I want you to live for yourself, fuck these villages and their wars."
"I can't do that, Ren."
"Why not?"
"This world isn't perfect but unless people like us -who see how troubled it is- do nothing it'll never be better."
"You want to fight in the next war for someone else's motives then?"
"I want to prevent the next war… so, Ren, will you help me achieve this goal?"
"…I give you my word peace will reign forever."
"Thank you, Ren."
Ren walked into the cabin with some flowers and was greeted by a woman with onyx black hair.
"Hey, Ren." She said.
"Hello, Luna, I brought you flowers." Ren gave her the flowers.
"You're so sweet sometimes."
"I'm always sweet, you're just not around when I am." Ren said and Luna laughed.
"Whenever you try to be snappy I can't help but laugh."
"Yeah whatever… I'm just here to see if you're taking your meds."
"I am, don't worry so much… you're starting to sound like a prude."
"I'm just looking out for you, Luna."
"I know, Ren-kun and that's why I love you." Luna gave Ren a quick kiss.
"I know."
"Why don't you stay for some food?"
"I'd like that." Ren gave Luna a smile.
"I knew you would, now sit down and tell me what you've been up to." Ren sat down and waited for the food before talking to Luna.
"I had an immediate family reunion."
"So your mother knows you exist?"
"Yes."
"Your father?"
"Doubt he even knows… Tsunade is secretive."
"Wow and your brother?"
"He almost killed me… but Tsunade called him off."
"What about your sister?"
"I don't have a sister."
"I have to make sure, your family is… pretty messed up."
"I wouldn't argue with you even if I could."
"Well yeah, arguing is turn off for me."
"That is true."
4 Years Earlier
Ren and Luna remained in hiding, only emerging from obscurity for supplies and to kill those who were trying to track them down, until Danzou recruited the two for a special operation.
"You sure about this, Ren?" Luna asked as the two laid in wait.
"We need money and our identities are hidden." Ren said as he put his mask on.
"I don't like it." Luna said as she put on her mask. "This is a whole clan, Ren… there are children, do all of them need to die?"
"Luna, the Uchiha grow stronger with hatred, killing only a few will let those who survive grow more powerful… we are preventing a civil war here."
"I guess you're right…"
"It'll be over soon." Ren and Luna leapt from their hiding spot and cut down an unsuspecting couple before moving from house to house with other ANBU members until eventually just the stragglers remained.
Ren was about to land a finishing blow on a dying woman when a fireball came hurlting towards him, so he grabbed the woman and used her as a shield then discarded her. When he looked again, a family of Uchiha were running to an exit and Ren gave chase but before he could catch up, the male Uchiha stopped.
"Fugaku…" the female said.
"Go, Mikoto!" Fugaku ordered.
"That was quite noble, I'll give you that much, but I have to kill you now." Ren said.
"I will not let you hurt my family as long as I draw breath!"
"Well you really are in no position to stop me when your own family wants you dead."
"What are-"
"Dead Soul Jutsu!" Ren clapped his hands together and two Uchiha corpses got up and attacked Fugaku while Ren watched. "They may not have your eyes but they do have chakra."
While Fugaku fought off the first two corpses, Ren awoke another two behind him for a sneak attack which was successful. They used chakra blades to slash Fugaku's legs while the other two got his arms and Ren walked towards Fugaku and, with a chakra blade, he slit Fugaku's throat and let an evil smile cross his face before chasing after Mikoto and her son. Ren cornered the two run-aways before they could escape.
"You really shouldn't have turned when you did." Ren said as he slowly walked closer to Mikoto.
"Do what you want." Mikoto said as she carried her son.
"Okay." Ren said and in an instant his fist went through both Mikoto and her son who puffed into smoke. "What the-"
"RUN, SASUKE, RUN!" Mikoto screamed as she grabbed hold of Ren and Ren saw this boy was already a good distance ahead of him so Ren quickly broke free of Mikoto's grip then grabbed her face and smashed it into a nearby wall before following after Sasuke. Luna saw the chase, she was much closer to Sasuke than Ren was.
"Luna, kill him!" Ren exclaimed and Luna began to perform hand seals she suddenly stopped and clutched at her chest, causing Ren to give up the chase and check up on her. "Luna, are you okay?" she just coughed and Ren took off her mask and saw blood coming out her mask. He left Sasuke, assuming he'd be eaten by some wild animal or die from starvation.
'It's no longer our problem.' Ren thought to himself.
Ren stood by the window looking at the moon when Luna walked from her bed to Ren and rested her chin on his shoulder.
"Is something troubling you, Ren?" Luna asked.
"No." Ren answered.
"You're good at lying, Ren, but you can't lie to me." Ren sighed.
"I just have a lot on my mind."
"I can see that… c'mon, Ren, talk to me."
"Experiment failed."
"Oh…" Ren moved Luna off his shoulder and looked at her.
"I came so close this time, Luna… I almost had it, there's just something I'm missing but I don't know what it is."
"Ren, you shouldn't torment yourself over this, everyone dies eventually."
"Yeah but I don't want you to die!" Ren exclaimed.
"Ren, I'm going to die one day and on that day you won't be able to stop it, so please just spend what time I have left with me."
"I… " Ren's eyes widened suddenly "my God I know what I need." Ren gave her a kiss and got dressed. "I'll be back in two months the latest." he called over his shoulder as he walked out the door and left.