I am trying to find out whether to do my fan fiction in text based form or comic form. I will post both a link to the comic bit and also the text version. If you have some time to check it out, you should give it a shot. its worth it, trust me. Been thouroghly working on it for 3 years now. Please let me know your opinions on which form you like best. Please let me know! Thank you so much!
The Link for the comic version is right here.
and now the text form. (there is more written because its easier than drawing. lol)
Not Naruto: Chapter 1 - Sarutobi Katsumi
Scene 1- Katsumi, Top 3
Katsumi sits alone up stairs on her bed. Her bedroom is still quite a mess, regardless of the fact that her big sister has been telling her to clean it all week. It is not that she is lazy per say, just strives to work at her own pace. She knows that when her room is too dirty for herself, then she will clean it. For now, at least, her mind is elsewhere. Staring at a grade card in her hand. You see, today Katsumi graduated the ninja academy of the hidden leaf. She is now officially a Genin. She has a title, not just a simple academy student.
Yet, there was more to the story here than just a grade card. The Academy teacher, Oda-Sensei, was an interesting Chunin to be the teacher, Katsumi had always thought. For he encouraged students to not only make friends, but gain rivals and compete ferociously as well. He was a good natured fellow at heart, with a burning desire to inspire a tough composure in all of his students. So, what Katsumi was really looking for was the Rankings that were on the Shinobi Grade Card. These rankings have always been available to the knowledge of the Academy teachers and the Hokage, but it was Oda-sensei who first made such a big deal over the rankings.
" 3rd place, out of 31 students" she said to herself out loud, reading over the grade card. "What went wrong? How did this happen to me?" she kept wondering to herself. She thought she had done better. Both her father and her older sister graduated the academy in 1st place as #1 Rookie of that semester. In fact, it seemed like most Sarutobi graduated first in their class.. She had already been feeling a bit down because she was already 12, and her sister and father were #1 at a younger age than herself. (her sister at 10, and her father at 8 years old) But her Mother had always reassured her that it was ok to go at her own pace. Yet now that she was a ninja, she found no comfort in this.
She felt she had large shoes to fill, as her father, Koto Sarutobi, was the 10th Hokage. And her sister, Kitsune was the vessel for Kurama, the Demon Fox, and she was quite skilled in controlling its chakra. She sat there for a long while, staring intently at the brand new Konoha Ninja Forehead Protector that was given to her from Oda-Sensei. It was too large for her forehead. She was very small for her age, she was feeling like perhaps this was not meant for her...
"Kat-chan! Dinner is Ready!!" Katsumi heard her sister yell from downstairs. She quickly crumbles up the grade card and tosses it under the bed. Stuffing her fore head protector into her pocket, she heads down the stairs to her living room. It is smokey in the room, as her father had a nervous habit of smoking a lot when their mother was off on missions to foreign places. Which was actually quite frequently. As sad as it seemed, Katsumi and Kitsune's mother, Fauna Kyohaku was a very talented member of her father's ANBU. She was extremely skilled as one of the best Leaf Village spies there was.
"Ugh! Do you have to smoke that in here?!" Kitsune raged while placing plates at the table where Koto was already sitting. "I will do what I please in my own home, Kitsune." he replied, although once seeming Katsumi enter the room he puts it out in the ash tray. He smiles at her and says "Congratulations my little Genin!" He pats her hair as she hops on one of the chairs too large for her, and scoots into the table. She nods her head quietly and there is an awkward silence.
"Well, Eat Up!" shouts Kitsune as the plates have been set with a meal. Although, part way through dinner, Koto realizes that his youngest daughter has not touched her food once. He inquires as to what is bothering her. Katsumi explains about how down she is feeling about not receiving the #1 Rookie title. "I am scared that I am not fit to be a Kunoichi of the Leaf" she says with sad eyes, slumping herself into the chairs huge arms. Kitsune looks a bit irritated that Katsumi is not just happy with 3rd place, but before she can speak up to say something, the 10th chimes in.
"Katsumi, the 2 who placed higher than you in the rankings truly deserved their spots. They worked viciously for those spots. Your own cousin, Kaze Yuhi, received the title of #1 rookie this year." Katsumi looks up to her fathers face with a melancholy look. "You should be proud of him for how hard he fought. Learn from him perhaps even, that if you want to be stronger, you must train harder little Kat-chan. You will find your nindo eventually, and it will guide you."
"What is a nindo?" Katsumi asks solemnly.
"Its your Ninja Way! It is a Code to Live by." Koto explains, and she looks a bit puzzled still. He knows that she will understand it eventually. He looks sternly at her for a moment, and then adds "Also, I am very proud of you for how well you did. It was brilliant work, never doubt yourself. Your mother would be proud as well." Katsumi lets a small half smile creep onto her lips.
"I am proud of you too." Kitsune says smiling. "And to make you feel better, you have this weekend off before you get assigned a Jonin sensei on Monday. I also happen to have the weekend off before I leave to take the Jonin exam at the end of the weekend." A bigger grin reaches Katsumi's face as she gets a bit more excited with each of her sister's words. "So I will be training you a bit this weekend, starting tomorrow morning at 8 AM" Kitsune smiles across the table.
"Oh! Do You Really Mean It?!" Katsumi exclaims with joy, jumping up and standing in her chair. Kitsune nods her head in compliance and Katsumi dashes away from the dinner table, taking her plate with her. She yells back down the stairs while running, "I'm going to get my things ready for tomorrow!!" The 10th and Kitsune chuckle and stay up talking for a little bit. After Kitsune goes up stairs to get some sleep, Koto clears off the table and sets up his Hookah and smokes to calm his nerves. He writes a poem long into the night.
He writes : Sleep well, children of the leaves. You will fall someday. After Autumn, when the cold takes it's toll.
When Winter calls out to you. But now you grow. Water and Sun light. Oxygen and grace. Oh such grace
guides me across the field. As my kinsmen and I tumbled in the wind... - Koto Sarutobi, the 10th
Scene 2- The apple and the tree.
Koto, the 10th, woke up that morning with his face on the table by his poem book and hookah. He had stayed up all night hoping to hear something from his beloved wife, who was still on a top secret mission. A mission that he himself put her on. "Damn that woman's talents." he grumbles as he splashes his face with cold water. A few months ago, he had turned 38, and he felt he was beginning to look it as well. With a receding hair line, and a few gray deserters on his chin's goatee. He never grew very tall, perhaps it was stress, but perhaps it was genetics (as Katsumi was short like he was) he only stood around 5'7" but as aching as his bones felt, he knew that he was the best suited for this job. He had only been Hokage for 6 years. Yet he still felt as though he was running out of time for whatever reason.
Perhaps it was the fact that his sensei Ohayame, the 9th Hokage, had been slain in such an odd incident that Koto felt anxious. Koto wondered if THAT virus would ever make its way back to the hidden leaf. Hopefully it will never rear its ugly face again, to any nation. "I wouldn't even wish that upon my own enemies.." grumbles Koto out loud, seemingly to himself. Deep in thought.
"Wish what now?" Kitsune had appeared in the doorway of the kitchen, getting herself ready for the training session with Katsumi. Koto hadn't even noticed her standing there.
She truly is ready to become a Jonin now, thought Koto to himself. Then smiling at her he responded " Oh nothing, just the ramblings of an old man."
She smiled back, her two toned short cut hair seemed to still be in her face a bit from the morning. "You are not that old Daddy." They chuckle a bit. She fixes up her hair, and begins to double check all of her equipment. They are silent for a while minding their own business, till Katsumi runs down stairs.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM.
Flinging herself out the front door, making a tremendous amount of noise. Katsumi then pivots and looks back in the house whilst standing in the doorway. " Kitsuneeeeee!!!!" She calls out loudly to her sister who is only but a few feet from her. "I'm ready! Come on lets goooo!" She cries with glee and a determined look on her face.
Kitsune of course looks irritated at her 12 year old sister. Koto notices and speaks up quietly enough for only her to hear. " Be patient with her now. You're seventeen years old and ready to be a jonin, so prove it. " He smiles a challenging look to her. "Go on then, you're her sensei for the day."
She composes herself and says back to her father. "Thanks Dad, We will be back pretty late. Don't worry too much." She winks at him, and for a split second he could have sworn he saw the eye of that old Fox, he always thought he could see it. Ever since she was a baby, when he had been asked by his sensei to seal that monster inside of her. But he looked back with a kind and loving smile, "Train hard my darlings." Kitsune rushes out the door after her sister Katsumi, almost knocking over the academy teacher, Oda-sensei, who was apparently just outside the door.
"OOOFF!!"
"SORRY ODA-SAN!" she yells back, continuing to run after her little sister.
Oda waved while holding a large scroll he was carrying. Almost as big as he was. Oda was a tall man, built quite large boned as well. He was a chunin, and also the academy teacher. He had messy unkempt red hair, with bright blue tips, that dangled in front of his large thick goggles he wore. Usually wearing a large grin, his presence seemed to liven most moods.
"You're early Oda-kun. That's peculiar.." Koto Sarutobi says, sticking his head out of the door way to see the academy teacher standing there. Oda looks over at the 10th with a grin on his face. His only reply is...
"We need to talk."
"Come on then, get inside." Koto says as he takes the extraordinarily large scroll from the academy sensei. So Oda makes his way into the house, closing the door behind him. The 10th rests the scroll up against the Kitchen counter and takes a seat in front of his hookah. Motioning to a chair beside him for Oda to sit down. He takes his seat and looks over to the Hokage's dark sunken eyes and palid face. He was not looking well, but Oda didnt seem to notice much.
Pushing the blue tipped red hair out from in front of his goggles, he looks to the scroll and says "I still don't understand the fuss. Just because the Academy was broken into, nothing was stolen." He chuckles a bit, "Probably some genin who wanted to see if it was even possible. Nobody has interest in this scroll, Hokage-sama." Koto shoots a stern look at him while taking a drag on the hookah to light the coal and get the flavored tobacco burning. (Pineapple Rasengan Flavoring* his favorite)
While letting some frothy smoke bellow from his lips, he breaks the silence. "You're from a younger generation, this wouldn't make sense to you." Oda looks confused for a moment, thinking about speaking up, but he lets the 10th finish. "This scroll is actually quite valuable. The 8th hokage, Jichi Aburame, hid this scroll in the academy before I was born. It has been hidden in plain site, right above your head Oda-kun. Since even before you started teaching." Koto offers the hookah hose to Oda, and he joins in.
Koto continues "I received this information from my sensei, the 9th. It was only shortly before THAT Virus hit the village and he lost his life. Therefore, this scroll is quite valuable in my eyes.. and I am sure there are others who know about it in this world." There is another silence again, only broken by the sounds of the hookah bubbling. After what seemed to be a while Oda puts the hose down on the table, and looks up at Koto.
"So what is this scroll exactly then?" Oda asks.
"I could explain it to you... but, I am sorry Oda. I cannot trust you with this information until you are a more skillful shinobi." The 10th states, and Oda looks a tad disheartened but still wearing his usual grin. "I am sorry Oda-kun, I am, but you are only of chunin level when it comes to combat expertise. Even though your mind and heart are stronger than most of my anbu, the contents of this scroll must remain well guarded. And besides, I need you teaching in the academy. You are a brilliant teacher, and I have never seen such talented groups of genin graduating from the Leaf."
Oda's genuine smile had come back at this point. Koto went on to even mention to him about how the people around the leaf are starting to call the young academy sensei "Professor" as a fond nickname beginning to stick. "Professor Oda, yeah, I like the sound of that." He says whipping the red/blue messy hair from his face again. Then he remembers something, as if a light bulb had appeared over his head. "Oh, I almost forgot!" Oda pulls out a pouch filled with a light goldenrod colored pills. About 9 of them.
"Ah, the new batch is done. Wonderful, I have run out." The 10th grabs the pouch from Oda, giving him some money in exchange. "You are a great botanist and pharmaceutical engineer as well, Oda-kun. I do appreciate this." Koto places the pouch inside of his front coat pocket, right next to the large scar that runs from the Hokages cheek, neck, chest and to his lower abdomen.
"Of course Hokage-sama, and I will keep quiet about it as always. I hope your health impro.." Oda stops himself. "I have something else I wanted to talk to you about actually.." Koto looks up at him surprised, and grabs the hookah hose, motioning Oda Sensei to continue. "It is about Katsumi, sir. May I be honest?"
"You are her teacher until the weekend is over, I will hear anything you have to say. Please." Koto says while blowing out thick white smoke into the room.
"Well, I am worried about her. She did do amazing in the final exam, placing 3rd and all. But it was as if it had come out of no where. She spent most of this last year day dreaming. She works at her own pace, which is fine.. " Oda pauses for a moment and then goes on "However, when she is assigned a jonin sensei on Monday, it may not be so easy for her to work at her own pace. Things could get ugly." the academy teacher spoke, still smiling, but clearly concerned. "She acts so different from other Sarutobi, I just think that her apple fell a little far from the tree.. and she is starting to notice it." Oda finishes, grabbing the hookah hose off the table where the 10th had placed it.
Koto looks hard at his subordinate, and then smiles and looks to the window outside. "Well you must realize Oda-kun," the Hokage speaks up "that even though I am a Sarutobi, her mother is not. Katsumi's resemblance to her mother is uncanny. She has the Kyohaku blood running through her veins." Koto then steps back and looks to Oda sensei once again. "You say the apple has fallen too far from the tree? hmmm, I'd say you are looking at the wrong trunk. Someday, it is likely, that Katsumi will have no competition when it comes to ability and strength.."
They spent the rest of the morning and afternoon talking about things and having tea. It was a good day it seemed, and all the while Katsumi was training diligently with her sister. Harder than she had possibly ever trained before. Her sister, Kitsune, was the current jinchuriki of the 9 tails. She also had a bit of a temper usually. It wasn't easy...
Scene 3 - Sisters
Kitsune watched as her younger sister Katsumi collapsed to the ground. The training was tough, but to be fair, she was showing more resilience than most genin could. Katsumi's red outfit had been dirtied up and torn in a few places. Her dark messy hair, somehow still in place. She was wearing her Konoha forehead protector that was too big for her on her head still. She looked sort of goofy, but that really didn't matter. Kitsune was proud of her sister for making it this far.
"We're heading home now sis." Kitsune says with a smile as she walks over to her little sister. Katsumi lets out a small groan of protest, but can't even move. So she hoists the little 12 year old onto her back, like a piggy back ride. "Hang on, let's get you home and in bed." She whispers as she strolls off into the night. It was a little after midnight when they stopped training and decided to head home. Kitsune looked around at the quiet streets of Konoha, gazing through her 2 toned hair at the empty alley ways, and nodding her head at the occasional Chunin guard.
"Kitsune.." Katsumi's small voice breaks the street lamps buzzing white noise. "Why are you a ninja?"
"What?" Kitsune asks earnestly.
"I mean, why did you become a shinobi? Is it only because Mom and Dad did?" Katsumi pokes her head over one of her old sisters shoulders. Waiting intently on a response.
"Honestly?" She blows the hair from out of her face. Thinking for a moment. "I suppose a little bit at first, maybe so. But, it became more than that. When I learned to become strong, and trained myself to become stronger than what I had become, I realized ; That with this power I can protect the people I love." Kitsune states with a smile, and then tilts her head back. "That means you, Kat-chan."
There was a decently long silence after this. Kitsune was almost sure her little sister had fallen asleep on her back. Yet Katsumi spoke up, seeming lost in thought. "But Kitsu-chan, you are the Jinchuriki of Kurama, the Demon Fox right? Because of that people in this village have treated you poorly over the years..." Katsumi looks a little angry "Why even bother protecting them at all?" She looks at her sister with furrowed brows.
"Sometimes people are afraid. That's normal. I don't blame them for fearing me, they just need an eye opener here and there.." She stops walking and looks up to the sky. "Besides, just because some people may not seem deserving of it, it doesn't mean we shouldn't protect them. My nindo has allowed me to come to peace with protecting those are afraid of me." She sets off again, smiling back at her sister. They walk off into the night, back home to the Hokage mansion where they both sleep easy that night...
Mean while on the other side of town, a bar that is open late has many patrons inside. It would seem to be a celebration of some sort. Perhaps just celebrating life in general. One conversation holds the loudest in the pub. An old man with squinty eyes and many wrinkles raises his glass that is filled with Saki, his cheeks rose shaded with inebriation. "No! No! Seriously! If the tenth hadn't come around, we wouldn't be here at all! Drink in the name of Koto Sarutobi, the 10th Hokage!!"
All mugs but 2 raise up after the toast. Though the two mugs went unnoticed. Another man speaks up after they all sip their Saki "Losing Ohayame, Lord the Ninth, was a terrible tragedy. Yet regardless of that Freak Accident, Koto really stepped up to the plate. I really don't know where we would be.." He looks into his glass that has been refilled with alcohol. "Drink Once more in Honor of the 10th!" The room cheers as they ready them selves.
All but 2, once again raise to be emptied into the mouths of drunken citizens. Still nobody notices the Men who have not raised their drinks once. One of them seemingly a Leaf Shinobi, Jonin by the looks, had long dark navy blue hair. He was wearing white robes, a katana at his side, two blood red diamond earrings, a smug look and a cup of tea. The other was massive in size. Standing roughly 6'4" (though you couldn't tell while he was sitting) and a thick burly body concealed by so many fur armors, you couldn't tell if it was Muscle or Fat. He also wore a black bandana and had a large scar draped across his nose and eyes.
"Hear! Hear!" Cries out a woman after draining her saki glass "Who'da thought that a guy so short could be so strong!" She and a few others let out a laugh. The old man with the squinting eyes came quickly to his defense, yelling out.
"Ah, come on! Don't rag on the man for something soo trivial!" He stumbles a little over his words and stands up at his table, knocking a water glass onto the floor. "Can you even imagine how our city would be without him?!" He speaks up loud, many people look in his direction. It is at that point there is a large CRASH! The Large man with the furs has stood up knocking his seat back several feet and demolishing his mug onto the table. He eyes the old man with a hateful look.
"Probably A Lot better off! I say we don't need him!" The scarred man walks over menacingly to the old man. The whole time, the bar has become silent other than his apparent partner who is still drinking his tea.
"Well Nobody Asked You! You ungrateful cur!" The old man states, looking rather tipsy and upset.
"You think that I, Totoro, Need to be asked of my opinion?! I say what I want, when I WANT!" He screams loudly barking back at the old squinting eyed drunk. Getting right in his face. An ominous mood shift happens in the bar. A Fearful feeling, but no one could move other than the man drinking tea. He just continued sipping gently.
"T-t-to-totoro?!" said the old man, shaking and starting to sweat. Panic was setting in. "The Rogue King! I am s-s-so sor-rr-rry." He spoke putting his hands up in praying motion and shutting his eyes tightly. "P-Pllease Forgive mee!"
"Too Late you Worm." He speaks opening his large mouth to reveal many large broken teeth, that form a frightening smile on his ever grimacing face. He quickly grabs the old man up by his neck with his Plate sized hands and snaps it like a twig. Killing him instantly. Many people scream and the fear really sets in. At this point a heroic Chunin exits from a bathroom door near the entrance of the bar. He pulls out a Kunai and shouts.
" Halt! You There! You are under Arres.."
In an instant he is trapped to the wall by 6 shuriken! Flickering in front of him is the long navy blue hair. The White robes still settling from moving so fast, as he draws his katana from his side. The Chunnin looks at him in surprise, shock and awe. He says in a growling whisper, "Bichi, You Devilish traitor..."
Bichi quickly slashes upwards at the chunin, splitting him in half at just the abdomen, rib cage. and to the collar bone. Blood sprays out, the whole bar screams and panics. The Bar Tender goes running for the Bars Phone, but Bichi uses some jutsu that shoots the chunins blood from the floor to his target. Piercing him through the neck with a blood kunai, he barricades the front door. He looks to Totoro the Rogue king. His Giant broken teeth, in that giant broken smile, holding a dead man up in the air as if he were a golden globe award. Bichi says to him. "Come, Rogue King, let's do what we do best." He smiles, revealing crocodile like teeth.
Bichi and Totoro continue to slaughter the entirety of the Bar. All of the patrons, all of the employees, even the damn cat. All dead. None left breathing other than the odd duo of murderers. At the end of it, They sneak out the back and into the night. Bichi is cleaning his katana off while the Rogue King sits there cracking his oversized knuckles. Totoro speaks up in his gruff ugly voice "Tomorrow, when you get your scroll. I am going to massacre this entire village."
"I know you will, Sir Rogue King." Bichi says smiling that awful reptilian grin. "I know you will."
And there you have it! Will add rep to anyone who has an actual opinion and read through them. thanks guys! Take it easy. -Hazard
The Link for the comic version is right here.
You must be registered for see links
and now the text form. (there is more written because its easier than drawing. lol)
Not Naruto: Chapter 1 - Sarutobi Katsumi
Scene 1- Katsumi, Top 3
Katsumi sits alone up stairs on her bed. Her bedroom is still quite a mess, regardless of the fact that her big sister has been telling her to clean it all week. It is not that she is lazy per say, just strives to work at her own pace. She knows that when her room is too dirty for herself, then she will clean it. For now, at least, her mind is elsewhere. Staring at a grade card in her hand. You see, today Katsumi graduated the ninja academy of the hidden leaf. She is now officially a Genin. She has a title, not just a simple academy student.
Yet, there was more to the story here than just a grade card. The Academy teacher, Oda-Sensei, was an interesting Chunin to be the teacher, Katsumi had always thought. For he encouraged students to not only make friends, but gain rivals and compete ferociously as well. He was a good natured fellow at heart, with a burning desire to inspire a tough composure in all of his students. So, what Katsumi was really looking for was the Rankings that were on the Shinobi Grade Card. These rankings have always been available to the knowledge of the Academy teachers and the Hokage, but it was Oda-sensei who first made such a big deal over the rankings.
" 3rd place, out of 31 students" she said to herself out loud, reading over the grade card. "What went wrong? How did this happen to me?" she kept wondering to herself. She thought she had done better. Both her father and her older sister graduated the academy in 1st place as #1 Rookie of that semester. In fact, it seemed like most Sarutobi graduated first in their class.. She had already been feeling a bit down because she was already 12, and her sister and father were #1 at a younger age than herself. (her sister at 10, and her father at 8 years old) But her Mother had always reassured her that it was ok to go at her own pace. Yet now that she was a ninja, she found no comfort in this.
She felt she had large shoes to fill, as her father, Koto Sarutobi, was the 10th Hokage. And her sister, Kitsune was the vessel for Kurama, the Demon Fox, and she was quite skilled in controlling its chakra. She sat there for a long while, staring intently at the brand new Konoha Ninja Forehead Protector that was given to her from Oda-Sensei. It was too large for her forehead. She was very small for her age, she was feeling like perhaps this was not meant for her...
"Kat-chan! Dinner is Ready!!" Katsumi heard her sister yell from downstairs. She quickly crumbles up the grade card and tosses it under the bed. Stuffing her fore head protector into her pocket, she heads down the stairs to her living room. It is smokey in the room, as her father had a nervous habit of smoking a lot when their mother was off on missions to foreign places. Which was actually quite frequently. As sad as it seemed, Katsumi and Kitsune's mother, Fauna Kyohaku was a very talented member of her father's ANBU. She was extremely skilled as one of the best Leaf Village spies there was.
"Ugh! Do you have to smoke that in here?!" Kitsune raged while placing plates at the table where Koto was already sitting. "I will do what I please in my own home, Kitsune." he replied, although once seeming Katsumi enter the room he puts it out in the ash tray. He smiles at her and says "Congratulations my little Genin!" He pats her hair as she hops on one of the chairs too large for her, and scoots into the table. She nods her head quietly and there is an awkward silence.
"Well, Eat Up!" shouts Kitsune as the plates have been set with a meal. Although, part way through dinner, Koto realizes that his youngest daughter has not touched her food once. He inquires as to what is bothering her. Katsumi explains about how down she is feeling about not receiving the #1 Rookie title. "I am scared that I am not fit to be a Kunoichi of the Leaf" she says with sad eyes, slumping herself into the chairs huge arms. Kitsune looks a bit irritated that Katsumi is not just happy with 3rd place, but before she can speak up to say something, the 10th chimes in.
"Katsumi, the 2 who placed higher than you in the rankings truly deserved their spots. They worked viciously for those spots. Your own cousin, Kaze Yuhi, received the title of #1 rookie this year." Katsumi looks up to her fathers face with a melancholy look. "You should be proud of him for how hard he fought. Learn from him perhaps even, that if you want to be stronger, you must train harder little Kat-chan. You will find your nindo eventually, and it will guide you."
"What is a nindo?" Katsumi asks solemnly.
"Its your Ninja Way! It is a Code to Live by." Koto explains, and she looks a bit puzzled still. He knows that she will understand it eventually. He looks sternly at her for a moment, and then adds "Also, I am very proud of you for how well you did. It was brilliant work, never doubt yourself. Your mother would be proud as well." Katsumi lets a small half smile creep onto her lips.
"I am proud of you too." Kitsune says smiling. "And to make you feel better, you have this weekend off before you get assigned a Jonin sensei on Monday. I also happen to have the weekend off before I leave to take the Jonin exam at the end of the weekend." A bigger grin reaches Katsumi's face as she gets a bit more excited with each of her sister's words. "So I will be training you a bit this weekend, starting tomorrow morning at 8 AM" Kitsune smiles across the table.
"Oh! Do You Really Mean It?!" Katsumi exclaims with joy, jumping up and standing in her chair. Kitsune nods her head in compliance and Katsumi dashes away from the dinner table, taking her plate with her. She yells back down the stairs while running, "I'm going to get my things ready for tomorrow!!" The 10th and Kitsune chuckle and stay up talking for a little bit. After Kitsune goes up stairs to get some sleep, Koto clears off the table and sets up his Hookah and smokes to calm his nerves. He writes a poem long into the night.
He writes : Sleep well, children of the leaves. You will fall someday. After Autumn, when the cold takes it's toll.
When Winter calls out to you. But now you grow. Water and Sun light. Oxygen and grace. Oh such grace
guides me across the field. As my kinsmen and I tumbled in the wind... - Koto Sarutobi, the 10th
Scene 2- The apple and the tree.
Koto, the 10th, woke up that morning with his face on the table by his poem book and hookah. He had stayed up all night hoping to hear something from his beloved wife, who was still on a top secret mission. A mission that he himself put her on. "Damn that woman's talents." he grumbles as he splashes his face with cold water. A few months ago, he had turned 38, and he felt he was beginning to look it as well. With a receding hair line, and a few gray deserters on his chin's goatee. He never grew very tall, perhaps it was stress, but perhaps it was genetics (as Katsumi was short like he was) he only stood around 5'7" but as aching as his bones felt, he knew that he was the best suited for this job. He had only been Hokage for 6 years. Yet he still felt as though he was running out of time for whatever reason.
Perhaps it was the fact that his sensei Ohayame, the 9th Hokage, had been slain in such an odd incident that Koto felt anxious. Koto wondered if THAT virus would ever make its way back to the hidden leaf. Hopefully it will never rear its ugly face again, to any nation. "I wouldn't even wish that upon my own enemies.." grumbles Koto out loud, seemingly to himself. Deep in thought.
"Wish what now?" Kitsune had appeared in the doorway of the kitchen, getting herself ready for the training session with Katsumi. Koto hadn't even noticed her standing there.
She truly is ready to become a Jonin now, thought Koto to himself. Then smiling at her he responded " Oh nothing, just the ramblings of an old man."
She smiled back, her two toned short cut hair seemed to still be in her face a bit from the morning. "You are not that old Daddy." They chuckle a bit. She fixes up her hair, and begins to double check all of her equipment. They are silent for a while minding their own business, till Katsumi runs down stairs.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM.
Flinging herself out the front door, making a tremendous amount of noise. Katsumi then pivots and looks back in the house whilst standing in the doorway. " Kitsuneeeeee!!!!" She calls out loudly to her sister who is only but a few feet from her. "I'm ready! Come on lets goooo!" She cries with glee and a determined look on her face.
Kitsune of course looks irritated at her 12 year old sister. Koto notices and speaks up quietly enough for only her to hear. " Be patient with her now. You're seventeen years old and ready to be a jonin, so prove it. " He smiles a challenging look to her. "Go on then, you're her sensei for the day."
She composes herself and says back to her father. "Thanks Dad, We will be back pretty late. Don't worry too much." She winks at him, and for a split second he could have sworn he saw the eye of that old Fox, he always thought he could see it. Ever since she was a baby, when he had been asked by his sensei to seal that monster inside of her. But he looked back with a kind and loving smile, "Train hard my darlings." Kitsune rushes out the door after her sister Katsumi, almost knocking over the academy teacher, Oda-sensei, who was apparently just outside the door.
"OOOFF!!"
"SORRY ODA-SAN!" she yells back, continuing to run after her little sister.
Oda waved while holding a large scroll he was carrying. Almost as big as he was. Oda was a tall man, built quite large boned as well. He was a chunin, and also the academy teacher. He had messy unkempt red hair, with bright blue tips, that dangled in front of his large thick goggles he wore. Usually wearing a large grin, his presence seemed to liven most moods.
"You're early Oda-kun. That's peculiar.." Koto Sarutobi says, sticking his head out of the door way to see the academy teacher standing there. Oda looks over at the 10th with a grin on his face. His only reply is...
"We need to talk."
"Come on then, get inside." Koto says as he takes the extraordinarily large scroll from the academy sensei. So Oda makes his way into the house, closing the door behind him. The 10th rests the scroll up against the Kitchen counter and takes a seat in front of his hookah. Motioning to a chair beside him for Oda to sit down. He takes his seat and looks over to the Hokage's dark sunken eyes and palid face. He was not looking well, but Oda didnt seem to notice much.
Pushing the blue tipped red hair out from in front of his goggles, he looks to the scroll and says "I still don't understand the fuss. Just because the Academy was broken into, nothing was stolen." He chuckles a bit, "Probably some genin who wanted to see if it was even possible. Nobody has interest in this scroll, Hokage-sama." Koto shoots a stern look at him while taking a drag on the hookah to light the coal and get the flavored tobacco burning. (Pineapple Rasengan Flavoring* his favorite)
While letting some frothy smoke bellow from his lips, he breaks the silence. "You're from a younger generation, this wouldn't make sense to you." Oda looks confused for a moment, thinking about speaking up, but he lets the 10th finish. "This scroll is actually quite valuable. The 8th hokage, Jichi Aburame, hid this scroll in the academy before I was born. It has been hidden in plain site, right above your head Oda-kun. Since even before you started teaching." Koto offers the hookah hose to Oda, and he joins in.
Koto continues "I received this information from my sensei, the 9th. It was only shortly before THAT Virus hit the village and he lost his life. Therefore, this scroll is quite valuable in my eyes.. and I am sure there are others who know about it in this world." There is another silence again, only broken by the sounds of the hookah bubbling. After what seemed to be a while Oda puts the hose down on the table, and looks up at Koto.
"So what is this scroll exactly then?" Oda asks.
"I could explain it to you... but, I am sorry Oda. I cannot trust you with this information until you are a more skillful shinobi." The 10th states, and Oda looks a tad disheartened but still wearing his usual grin. "I am sorry Oda-kun, I am, but you are only of chunin level when it comes to combat expertise. Even though your mind and heart are stronger than most of my anbu, the contents of this scroll must remain well guarded. And besides, I need you teaching in the academy. You are a brilliant teacher, and I have never seen such talented groups of genin graduating from the Leaf."
Oda's genuine smile had come back at this point. Koto went on to even mention to him about how the people around the leaf are starting to call the young academy sensei "Professor" as a fond nickname beginning to stick. "Professor Oda, yeah, I like the sound of that." He says whipping the red/blue messy hair from his face again. Then he remembers something, as if a light bulb had appeared over his head. "Oh, I almost forgot!" Oda pulls out a pouch filled with a light goldenrod colored pills. About 9 of them.
"Ah, the new batch is done. Wonderful, I have run out." The 10th grabs the pouch from Oda, giving him some money in exchange. "You are a great botanist and pharmaceutical engineer as well, Oda-kun. I do appreciate this." Koto places the pouch inside of his front coat pocket, right next to the large scar that runs from the Hokages cheek, neck, chest and to his lower abdomen.
"Of course Hokage-sama, and I will keep quiet about it as always. I hope your health impro.." Oda stops himself. "I have something else I wanted to talk to you about actually.." Koto looks up at him surprised, and grabs the hookah hose, motioning Oda Sensei to continue. "It is about Katsumi, sir. May I be honest?"
"You are her teacher until the weekend is over, I will hear anything you have to say. Please." Koto says while blowing out thick white smoke into the room.
"Well, I am worried about her. She did do amazing in the final exam, placing 3rd and all. But it was as if it had come out of no where. She spent most of this last year day dreaming. She works at her own pace, which is fine.. " Oda pauses for a moment and then goes on "However, when she is assigned a jonin sensei on Monday, it may not be so easy for her to work at her own pace. Things could get ugly." the academy teacher spoke, still smiling, but clearly concerned. "She acts so different from other Sarutobi, I just think that her apple fell a little far from the tree.. and she is starting to notice it." Oda finishes, grabbing the hookah hose off the table where the 10th had placed it.
Koto looks hard at his subordinate, and then smiles and looks to the window outside. "Well you must realize Oda-kun," the Hokage speaks up "that even though I am a Sarutobi, her mother is not. Katsumi's resemblance to her mother is uncanny. She has the Kyohaku blood running through her veins." Koto then steps back and looks to Oda sensei once again. "You say the apple has fallen too far from the tree? hmmm, I'd say you are looking at the wrong trunk. Someday, it is likely, that Katsumi will have no competition when it comes to ability and strength.."
They spent the rest of the morning and afternoon talking about things and having tea. It was a good day it seemed, and all the while Katsumi was training diligently with her sister. Harder than she had possibly ever trained before. Her sister, Kitsune, was the current jinchuriki of the 9 tails. She also had a bit of a temper usually. It wasn't easy...
Scene 3 - Sisters
Kitsune watched as her younger sister Katsumi collapsed to the ground. The training was tough, but to be fair, she was showing more resilience than most genin could. Katsumi's red outfit had been dirtied up and torn in a few places. Her dark messy hair, somehow still in place. She was wearing her Konoha forehead protector that was too big for her on her head still. She looked sort of goofy, but that really didn't matter. Kitsune was proud of her sister for making it this far.
"We're heading home now sis." Kitsune says with a smile as she walks over to her little sister. Katsumi lets out a small groan of protest, but can't even move. So she hoists the little 12 year old onto her back, like a piggy back ride. "Hang on, let's get you home and in bed." She whispers as she strolls off into the night. It was a little after midnight when they stopped training and decided to head home. Kitsune looked around at the quiet streets of Konoha, gazing through her 2 toned hair at the empty alley ways, and nodding her head at the occasional Chunin guard.
"Kitsune.." Katsumi's small voice breaks the street lamps buzzing white noise. "Why are you a ninja?"
"What?" Kitsune asks earnestly.
"I mean, why did you become a shinobi? Is it only because Mom and Dad did?" Katsumi pokes her head over one of her old sisters shoulders. Waiting intently on a response.
"Honestly?" She blows the hair from out of her face. Thinking for a moment. "I suppose a little bit at first, maybe so. But, it became more than that. When I learned to become strong, and trained myself to become stronger than what I had become, I realized ; That with this power I can protect the people I love." Kitsune states with a smile, and then tilts her head back. "That means you, Kat-chan."
There was a decently long silence after this. Kitsune was almost sure her little sister had fallen asleep on her back. Yet Katsumi spoke up, seeming lost in thought. "But Kitsu-chan, you are the Jinchuriki of Kurama, the Demon Fox right? Because of that people in this village have treated you poorly over the years..." Katsumi looks a little angry "Why even bother protecting them at all?" She looks at her sister with furrowed brows.
"Sometimes people are afraid. That's normal. I don't blame them for fearing me, they just need an eye opener here and there.." She stops walking and looks up to the sky. "Besides, just because some people may not seem deserving of it, it doesn't mean we shouldn't protect them. My nindo has allowed me to come to peace with protecting those are afraid of me." She sets off again, smiling back at her sister. They walk off into the night, back home to the Hokage mansion where they both sleep easy that night...
Mean while on the other side of town, a bar that is open late has many patrons inside. It would seem to be a celebration of some sort. Perhaps just celebrating life in general. One conversation holds the loudest in the pub. An old man with squinty eyes and many wrinkles raises his glass that is filled with Saki, his cheeks rose shaded with inebriation. "No! No! Seriously! If the tenth hadn't come around, we wouldn't be here at all! Drink in the name of Koto Sarutobi, the 10th Hokage!!"
All mugs but 2 raise up after the toast. Though the two mugs went unnoticed. Another man speaks up after they all sip their Saki "Losing Ohayame, Lord the Ninth, was a terrible tragedy. Yet regardless of that Freak Accident, Koto really stepped up to the plate. I really don't know where we would be.." He looks into his glass that has been refilled with alcohol. "Drink Once more in Honor of the 10th!" The room cheers as they ready them selves.
All but 2, once again raise to be emptied into the mouths of drunken citizens. Still nobody notices the Men who have not raised their drinks once. One of them seemingly a Leaf Shinobi, Jonin by the looks, had long dark navy blue hair. He was wearing white robes, a katana at his side, two blood red diamond earrings, a smug look and a cup of tea. The other was massive in size. Standing roughly 6'4" (though you couldn't tell while he was sitting) and a thick burly body concealed by so many fur armors, you couldn't tell if it was Muscle or Fat. He also wore a black bandana and had a large scar draped across his nose and eyes.
"Hear! Hear!" Cries out a woman after draining her saki glass "Who'da thought that a guy so short could be so strong!" She and a few others let out a laugh. The old man with the squinting eyes came quickly to his defense, yelling out.
"Ah, come on! Don't rag on the man for something soo trivial!" He stumbles a little over his words and stands up at his table, knocking a water glass onto the floor. "Can you even imagine how our city would be without him?!" He speaks up loud, many people look in his direction. It is at that point there is a large CRASH! The Large man with the furs has stood up knocking his seat back several feet and demolishing his mug onto the table. He eyes the old man with a hateful look.
"Probably A Lot better off! I say we don't need him!" The scarred man walks over menacingly to the old man. The whole time, the bar has become silent other than his apparent partner who is still drinking his tea.
"Well Nobody Asked You! You ungrateful cur!" The old man states, looking rather tipsy and upset.
"You think that I, Totoro, Need to be asked of my opinion?! I say what I want, when I WANT!" He screams loudly barking back at the old squinting eyed drunk. Getting right in his face. An ominous mood shift happens in the bar. A Fearful feeling, but no one could move other than the man drinking tea. He just continued sipping gently.
"T-t-to-totoro?!" said the old man, shaking and starting to sweat. Panic was setting in. "The Rogue King! I am s-s-so sor-rr-rry." He spoke putting his hands up in praying motion and shutting his eyes tightly. "P-Pllease Forgive mee!"
"Too Late you Worm." He speaks opening his large mouth to reveal many large broken teeth, that form a frightening smile on his ever grimacing face. He quickly grabs the old man up by his neck with his Plate sized hands and snaps it like a twig. Killing him instantly. Many people scream and the fear really sets in. At this point a heroic Chunin exits from a bathroom door near the entrance of the bar. He pulls out a Kunai and shouts.
" Halt! You There! You are under Arres.."
In an instant he is trapped to the wall by 6 shuriken! Flickering in front of him is the long navy blue hair. The White robes still settling from moving so fast, as he draws his katana from his side. The Chunnin looks at him in surprise, shock and awe. He says in a growling whisper, "Bichi, You Devilish traitor..."
Bichi quickly slashes upwards at the chunin, splitting him in half at just the abdomen, rib cage. and to the collar bone. Blood sprays out, the whole bar screams and panics. The Bar Tender goes running for the Bars Phone, but Bichi uses some jutsu that shoots the chunins blood from the floor to his target. Piercing him through the neck with a blood kunai, he barricades the front door. He looks to Totoro the Rogue king. His Giant broken teeth, in that giant broken smile, holding a dead man up in the air as if he were a golden globe award. Bichi says to him. "Come, Rogue King, let's do what we do best." He smiles, revealing crocodile like teeth.
Bichi and Totoro continue to slaughter the entirety of the Bar. All of the patrons, all of the employees, even the damn cat. All dead. None left breathing other than the odd duo of murderers. At the end of it, They sneak out the back and into the night. Bichi is cleaning his katana off while the Rogue King sits there cracking his oversized knuckles. Totoro speaks up in his gruff ugly voice "Tomorrow, when you get your scroll. I am going to massacre this entire village."
"I know you will, Sir Rogue King." Bichi says smiling that awful reptilian grin. "I know you will."
And there you have it! Will add rep to anyone who has an actual opinion and read through them. thanks guys! Take it easy. -Hazard