Pulling of Puppets Strings

[Itachi Uchiha]

The night was perfect in the centre of the wood. A dull full moon hung overhead yet it illuminated the entire area of which Kiyoshi was situated in. Lying on his back, as if resting or possibly sleeping in the middle of his mission, he gazed up at the midnight sky with such awe and wonder that it made his existence feel so small, so unimportant that he asked himself why was he here? Such a question he could not answer yet it pondered in his mind for a few moments. The starry night was such a rare sight to him. The clouds of Kumo were so dense in the mountains that this picture of beauty could not be seen. How it stirred his soul. Yet the peace was not long lived as he had planned. Kiyoshi’s attention now returned to those around him. Those foolish ninja’s that had tried to stop his mission and now awaited there deaths.

Coming back onto his feet, he looked at those three people now at his mercy. Their lives soon to be ended at his whim. But before he granted them their slow, torturous deaths he took time to inspect them; to know more of his immobilised enemies. Firstly, he checked their forehead protectors. All of which showed the sign of Otoga. But now knowing them as sound ninjas, he wondered once more why would the sound come after me? Yet again, he could not find the answer. Now checking the states of them all from their ever so brief battle a few moments again, he wanted to know how badly they were hurt. The first one now lying before him had had his legs broke. The immense pain had probably stopped this one from moving. Such pity he felt for the man but that would not spare him from his horrible fate. Extending the end bone in his right index finger, a huge spike protruded out with a sharp tip. Lunging forward with it, he impaled the man, through the heart, to the tree. The bone detached from Kiyoshi as first blood now flowed freely onto the undergrowth of the wood. A sadistic smile now crossed his face and a seemingly psychotic laughter followed. The other two ninja’s could not believe what had just befallen their comrade.

Kiyoshi revelled in the gore, which was unlike his normal self. But he didn’t stop there. Now he turned to the second one. She bore fair brown hair and had beautiful looks. So young. Yet there was no such thing as dying too young now was there. She was already impaled to another tree through her arms and legs. Her screaming had stopped some time ago which he would make her cry more. She would beg for her life as he strolled over to her. Now extending all five end pieces of bone on his right hand, he plunged them into her chest. However, it wasn’t through her heart. This time he punctured five areas in her lungs. Two on the right, two of the left and one carefully placed in the wind pipe. She gasped for breath as Kiyoshi looked on with an impassive expression on his face. He enjoyed her death less as it seemed to be quite boring. So, with a taste for more blood, he slit her throat to end it once and for all. As the crimson gore splattered Kiyoshi for that small moment, he felt so alive. Almost as if killing was a purpose in his life. But with the woman’s death, there was only one left. The last one of the three remaining.

He stared at the man with empty eyes, not showing any emotion within them. No mercy. No remorse. Not a care in the world. Using the same five spikes as before, he began to torture the man slowly. Little did he care of what he looked, his soul cried out for more blood of which he would satisfy it. With the tip of each one, he started to cut the main arteries and veins on the ninja. An artist at work painting his gory picture. The scarlet liquid that stained the grass and bushes was such a wondrous sight like the stars themselves. Kiyoshi was enjoying himself to an endless extent. Such was what his mind called out for. More blood. More death. Genocide of all who stood in his path.

His eyes snapped open. He awoke in his bed. Such a dream that haunted Kiyoshi. That night were the blood shed ended. The night were that imbalanced seemed to leave him. Shaking his head trying to rid the thoughts and sleep from his body and mind, he sat up in his bed and looked out his window. The sun was making its slow ascent into the mountain sky and a huge shadow of the rocks hung over the village. A typical morning to behold. Getting out of bed, he proceeded to get dressed into his uniform. The Black pants, green jounin jacket and all his equipment pouches. He pulled down his face mask to itch his face when a knock came at the door. So early? Kiyoshi thought to himself as he walked over to see who his uninvited guest was.

[Darkwolf]

"ugh, who's there?" Lance said as he opened his door. The man, only a chunnin of his village, more of a messanger. "there has been a joint mission, with some other vilages. It is to keep peace in our lands, you know of the recent threats from the sound village, they need to be stopped. You are one of our top jounin" Lance just looked away for a second as the man's mindless babbeling continued. "I get it! I go, help assasinate a few trouble makers, problem solved! just tell whoever that I accept! now get out of my face!"

As Lance slammed his door shut, he whispered to himself. "damn messangers, they don't deserve the title of shinobi." Lance pulled his long, flowing jet black cloak over his clothing, put his headband over his neck on his cusom chain neckelace setup, and swung his giant shuriken and latched it to the back of his cloak. He had just trained a squad of genin to the chunin exams, what a pain. Lance stormed out of his small apartment and thrust his arm at the door to open it violently, so violently that it hit the wall, and slammed again as it closed. Lance calmed himself down, looking at the pathetic excuses for ninjas peeking their stupid, curious heads out of their doors. "it's nothing, now leave me alone" Lance nearly whispered as he exited the building.

[Xeim]

It had been a long, rainy night in Rice Country. Water still protectively clung to every surface imaginable, giving off a dazzling array of colors. I admire the natural beauty as I make my way to the training grounds. I dare not touch the crystalline sculptures, for fear that they would shatter. But, I knew, that by noon that very same day, there would be no evidence of the wonder I was now observing.

Drowsiness prevails as I step into “Training Ground A.” I had had a restless night, despite the fact that the calming rhythm of rain threatened sleep at every drop. My father had made a visit to the village two days before. He had stayed until that rainy night, and had never once looked my way. Oh, we had seen each other, and I knew that he knew I was there, but he simply didn’t care. All I was was the beginning of the revival of the clan. It hurt, and it made me unable to sleep, unable to let go of consciousness from the pain searing through every cell of my being. But, I tried to be strong, I tried to hold on, I just couldn’t sleep.

I remember the good times, just a few years back, when he’d smile at me, or at least wave. A few times, he even taught me a few “Katon” jutsu. It had all stopped that last year. Even though I saw him, there was no indication that I had been seen as well. I tell myself that I have no right to be pampered, that my suffering will make me stronger, but it doesn’t help. It doesn’t erase the loneliness I feel.

No one in Otogakure cares for me. I am completely and utterly alone. I feel as if I am the only one in the entire world to suffer this way. Even the rain has friends. Even rain, the symbol of despair, has companions as it falls to the earth. I have nothing.

I step into the middle of the circular, enclosed area. “Training Ground A” was a fenced in area that consisted of targets and obstacles. I know training will do me no good. I’m as good as I can get for the time being. I should be at the village leader, begging for an S-rank mission to take my mind off things. As I begin to hit the targets, an unbearable beeping percolates into my ears, and I find myself unable to concentrate.

Suddenly, I’m lying on hard ground, tightly wrapped in a sleeping bag, with that annoying beeping still resonating around the clearing. It seems that I am in the middle of a forest clearing, but it is still so dark that it is hard to tell where I am.

“GOOOOOD MOOORNING KUSINADA-CHAN!!!!!!!” yelled an enthusiastic man with badly cut hair and humongous eye-brows.

Rock Lee.

Ah, that’s right; he and his team rescued me yesterday. They said they were taking me to a place called Konohagakure. Evidently, it’s where my father had been born.

Lee was now yelling animatedly at his teammates and Kusinada got a little feeling in her gut that if they didn’t get to this Konoha place soon, she would probably hang herself. She stood, and her legs wobbled beneath her slightly.
“Kusinada-san, you shouldn’t try to get up too fast. You must still be weak from your journey,” said one of Lee’s subordinates, Kara, a chuunin, worriedly.

“I’m alright!” Kusinada said cheerfully, and with that she began to pack up her things. She hadn’t brought much, just the necessities: a sleeping bag, a flask of water that had long since run out, and some money. So really, the only thing to pack up was the sleeping bag. She stood, strapped her Ontei onto her lower back, and slung her pack over her shoulders.

Lee was now running around doing the so-called “Dance of Youth” that was said to be “very good on the muscles in the early morning.” His team was...well, it can best be described as “sweat dropping”. Kusinada took the distraction to get a feel for where she was. Dawn hadn’t broken yet, and so not much could be made out with the naked eye. She sighed. The sharingan wasn’t going to be much help here either.

However, from what she could see, she was in a very small clearing in the middle of a dense forest. Most likely the forest surrounding Konohagakure, as Lee said they were nearing their destination.

Finally, Lee, realizing no one was going to join the “Dance of Youth”, decided it would be a good idea to get on the road. So, off they went from treetop to treetop. All the trees were firm and dry, and as the dying leaves rushed past her face, Kusinada got the impression that this area didn’t get very much rain. They had been traveling for approximately a half-an-hour when the sun finally began to rise. As she looked, mid-jump, into the greatness of the majestic pool of golden light, Kusinada began to wonder if the sun could see them, flying through the trees like this.

And, if it can see me now, can it see me every other moment of the day? Does it watch me get beaten and ignored?

She began to remember her last encounter with her mother. It had been one of the most painful, and she knew it would haunt her for the rest of her life.

I had been walking down the hall of the main base of Otogakure, where we lived. She had passed me in the hall, giving me a withering look in the process. I stopped and turned to face her. She had her back to me, but she stopped as well.

“Mom...” I began, but she cut me off.

‘Don’t you dare call me that you, you wretch! Just because I gave birth to you does not mean I am your mother. You make me sick!”

With that, she slapped me, hard. I still feel the mark stinging my cheek, as this wonderful cool, Fire Country air caresses me.

It’s hard to be away from home. Otogakure’s the only place I’ve ever known. Being in this strange, new country, with this strange old guy is terrifying. But, no one in Oto is going to care. I won’t be missed. So, there’s no point in going back. It would only dash my mother’s hopes for a peaceful life. I’ll never forget that training ground though. It was my favorite, modeled after one in my father’s home village. It was fitting that it was the last one I ever trained in there, I suppose.

“How long did you say you had been wandering around?” asked another member of Lee’s team. His name was Ray.

“Four days, before you guys found me. This is the beginning of my fifth.”

“Yeah, except you’re not wandering around right now. You’re being escorted.”

“I suppose that’s true.”

It had been quite a weird scene when they found me. They all agreed taking me to Konoha would be a good idea, but they all argued with each other anyway. It took them ten minutes to finally reach the conclusion that had been sitting in front of them from moment one. I don’t understand why they were so trusting, but it’s nice. I hope everyone in Konoha is as sweet as them.

“Kusinada, you said you were an Uchiha, right?” asked Lee strangely. It wasn’t quite like him to be serious like this.

“Umm, yessir.”

“How exactly...are you an Uchiha?

“Excuse me?”

“Like...who gave you the blood?”

“Oh, um, my father. Uchiha Sasuke.”

“SASUKE!?!?!?!?!” All traces of strangeness gone from his voice. “That little devil! I always knew he’d come around one day! I must run 100 laps around Konoha with him when he returns!” Fire now burned in Lee’s eyes. “But, Kusinada, why isn’t he with you?”

“My father...oh let’s not talk about him alright?” she said cheerfully, “he’s completely irrelevant! What we should be commenting on is that absolutely GORGEOUS sun!”

“Aye! You are absolutely correct my dear Kusinada-chan!” Lee yelled joyously.

So, they ran through the morning in good spirits, and in good company, commenting on the weather or the sun, and never letting the laughter die down.

It was mid-afternoon when they reached a large, and beautiful set of gates.
“WE’RE HERE!!!!!!!!!!” screamed Lee. “Dash of Youth towards the gates! FULL SPEED!!!!!!!” And, with that, he left Kusinada and his team walking leisurely towards Konohagakure.

“C’mon, we’ll take you to the Hokage mansion,” laughed Kara, “You can never quite count on him.”

And with that, Kusinada started her life in Konoha.

<><><><><>

Kusinada was overwhelmed by the bright bustling, and beautiful city of Konoha. It was so unlike the dark, underground base of Oto. She had thought until today that all hidden villages were dreary, damp places, but she now realized just how wrong she was.

They were walking down what appeared to be a main street, passing shops of all kinds. Kusinada was very tempted to stop in each shop and look around for a while, and Ray actually had to drag her out of the candy shop so that she wouldn’t worry the villagers. “We have to tell Hokage-sama about you before you go and make yourself at home! We don’t want people to worry!” said the third member of Lee’s tem- Soren.

“AWW!!! It looks SO good though!” complained Kusinada.

“Pfft”

“Errrggg.....fine you win,” Kusinada glared.

So, the four continued their stroll down the colorful busy street, attracting many odd looks in the process. Kusinada attempted to keep her gaze in front of her, and not on the tempting shops lining the sides of the street.

“Hey, Kara,” she said at one point, “who are the faces carved into the mountain?”

“Oh, they’re the faces of all our Hokages, starting with the first on the left, and ending with the sixth on the right.”

“So, the one on the far right is the current one?”

“Yep. His name’s Uzumaki Naruto. I hear he used to be friends with your father, that Sasuke fellow.”

“My...father...?” Kusinada mumbled.

“Is something wrong?” Kara asked worriedly.

“No...it’s nothing.”

Kusinada found the street was becoming quite annoying. It felt as if no matter how long they walked, the mansion did not get any closer. Lee’s team assured her it was, but she simply didn’t believe them. They had been walking forever! Finally, Kusinada realized that they WERE getting closer. In fact, they were two feet from the gates, when she saw him. He ran out of the Hokage mansion straight towards them.

It was only for a moment, but it was a moment she would remember for the rest of her life. He was tall. Much taller than herself, and he was beautiful. He had spiky blonde hair, a pale complexion and bluish eyes. She didn’t get a very good look, but it seemed like they were different shades. As he ran past, she got a tantalizing whiff of roses. The lingering musk yet delicious sweetness was almost overpowering. Then, it was over. He was gone, and Kusinada had arrived.

Still in a daze she asked her companions who the young man had been.

“Uzumaki Raiden, the elder sibling of the Hokage’s children,” replied Kara.

“Oh, I see...”

“Heh, wow, you must have weird taste. Anyway, I wonder what happened to make him storm by like that.”

“Huh?”

“Oh, never mind. Let’s just get you inside.”

[Lady Rika]

Hate, like the boiling of water over an open stove began to drown his mind, as his stomach churned at her calm words the thought that she finally knew nearly stopped his heart.
“Raiden…why-why didn’t you t-tell me?” she stuttered, “I would have understood, we all would.”
Her pale lavender eyes filled with sadness for her first born only made him feel as if she, his mother, were mocking him. Mocking him for what he was, what he wasn’t and all that he never had. In truth he had planned to hide this arcane secret that had plagued him for so many years. They were never to know of his indifference, of this curse that made him pitiful. That made him something other than what he was destined to be. Hokage. But now, as he stood in his kitchen, his eyes down at his sides along with his hands. He watched as her quiet words made his fingers curl in towards his palms. Forming a tightly griped fist, his nails burying into the soft flesh of his palm. The tender meat that held no scar, the perfect caress of soft untouched skin soon to be sliced up by his own nails.

“What do you know?” He barked, looking up. He stared fiercely at her with his deep blue eye. His other, his ghost eye as he called it remained full of another color. Full of frozen tundra ice straight from the land of snow, all of it collected and waiting in that one left eye. That one pupil-less eye watched without watching, and it waited for the chance to be able to one day gets its chance to live and breath like it should.
But no. He Uzumaki Raiden, the official next leader of the hidden leaf village was blind in his left eye. And that eye would never give him anything but darkness and one more chance for people to judge him. Though he knew many people lived with this in their lives, he knew this all too well but for his future, his destiny he had to be perfect. All his life he pushed and pushed himself to become better and better but he never could satisfy himself with his power or chakra level and so he trained harder and harder. But that day, when he realized he couldn’t see out of that eye, when he realized that he was to be blind in that same eye that was suppose to hold the Byakugan. He snapped, and all those days and nights training and pushing became a waste. He knew that if he spoke this to anyone, even his own father that everyone’s expectations of him would disintegrate.
“WHAT THE HELL DO YOU KNOW?” he snapped, “YOU DON’T CARE!”
Hinata Hyuga, with her sweet shy exterior was actually made of glass on the inside and the exploding harsh words that erupted from his mouth made her gasp in alarm.
“Please Raiden…. Listen to me–

Hinata didn’t get to finish her sentence, in fact she didn’t want to finish it anymore. The truth was she longed to run away, leave this conflict that she knew she had brought upon herself. She loved her son dearly and would do anything for him but his actions now were so frightening even she felt afraid to be around him. She watched the old wooden table that stood elegantly in the middle of the go soaring into the air and crash into the door leading to the family room. Raiden stood there his breaths heavy, his right eye went huge, his fingers were free from their constriction against his soft palm. A long crimson trail of blood slithered like a serpent from the middle of his palm to the tips of his fingers. When he pulled them apart to throw the table he must have ripped open his hand, Hinata thought a little worried. Though he towered over her, his eyes full of hate and his heart full of malice it didn’t matter to her, she still cared about him. No matter what it was.
“Raiden….I do care. And if only you had told us sooner then maybe we could have helped keep you from losing all your sight completely.” She forced out the words, without one stutter she held her ground.
Raiden gritted his teeth, “So it’s my fault then.”
“No Raiden…it’s not.” She moved from the sink to where he son stood, the strong scent of his favorite incense perfumed his body. She wanted to hug him, wrap her arms around him like she did when he was so much younger. But no, that was something she just couldn’t do anymore. He would not allow her.
“Its…no ones fault, not you, not me. No one…so just calm down and we’ll get threw this.”

“No.” he whispered, “Its your fault.”
Hinata took a step back from her son, “What?”
“I said….” He spoke up, his deep voice echoing in throughout the kitchen. “IT’S YOUR FAULT!”
Without warning, Raiden reached his cerise stained hands up from his sides and gripped them onto his mothers tiny shoulders.
“Rai-Raiden?”
“Shut up!”
With a forceful step forward he slammed her into the wall, a light cry crawled out of her mouth as she looked up at him with pure terror in her eyes. His face was so twisted, his eyes were so large she feared they would take control of his entire face. That face though he was so pale it went so dark.
It was taking Raiden all that he had not to strangle his mother with his own blood soaked hands. He blamed her for everything, it was her fault and she knew it!
“Your nothing but a stupid mumbling wretch! I hate you, I hate you, I HATE YOU!”
Raiden never took his hands off his mothers shoulders, but he did watch her, watch her eyes grow shiny and slick, the lavender tint went more of a translucent rose madder as he watched tears fall down her face.
“Don’t cry! Own up to yourself, you know what you did! You did it! You did it all!”
“No..N-N-No I didn’t do–
“SHUT UP!” he roared, shaking the house, “IT’S ALL YOUR FAULT! Why didn’t you give me the Byakugan? Why did you have to give it to my little bitch of a sister mother? Why? WHY? Do you hate me that much, do you enjoy mocking me like the sick cretin you are?”
Hinata reached up to cover her ears, “ No, no, no! Please…stop it Raiden! Please stop!”
“No! You listen to me! LISTEN TO ME!” He screamed pulling her back and smashing her into the wall once more making her cry out in pain. Tears swelled up in her eyes, her face was red and puffy from crying tears of fear and confusion.

“Don’t look at me like that! You know what you did! You know that you ruined my life forever and you love it don’t you! You laugh at night because you blinded me! You miserable fool I hope you DIE!”
And with those last words he released her from his grip.
Hinata couldn’t feel her legs, in fact her entire body went numb from the horror that was her child. She felt herself falling, but not forward…falling down. She was sliding down the wall, her long blue hair fought with the wall but in the end lost and growing tangled by the rubbing. As soon as she felt her bottom touched the floor she felt her face fall into her hands. The sobbing wouldn’t end, she could barely catch her breath. Her chest was ablaze, the heaving and the crying almost made her vomit. She could feel it in the back of her throat, the burning acidly taste that was the bile from her belly.
“Oh…Raiden…” she mumbled the broken words as she continued to weep even after he stepped out the door. Leaving her alone in the kitchen.

Raiden stormed out, his feet couldn’t move as fast as his mind wanted him too. His fingers went cold, even as the warm air around him made the hair on the back of his head tingle with a small bead of sweat.
‘Stupid woman…I can’t believe she gave birth to me!’ thoughts rushed threw his head as he pasted Lee Sensei and a few of his pupils.
‘What the hell are they doing here?’
Though Raiden knew nearly everyone in the village, as this was a required skill of the Hokage, Raiden took an extra look as one girl in particular caught his sight for a split second.
Though she looked just like any regular girl he just knew for a fact that she wasn’t from here. For he did know most of the people who lived in Konoha.
‘No matter, I will learn of her soon enough.’ And with that last thought put her whole existence out of his mind. Now all his thoughts told him to run away from here, run away from everything that he knew and yet cared nothing for. Everything he did was for one thing, to one day be Hokage. Since he was born that was his destiny…ever since he almost killed his sensei in a mock battle at the age of six everybody knew what he would become. Either the greatest Hokage ever…or an unstoppable rogue that killed all in his sight and left no survivors. But Raiden knew what people thought he could be, but he knew that he would never betray his village. Nor his fellow Ninja for that matter.

Soon Raiden reached his destination, the top of the Hokage Mountain, up at the top he would sit for hours looking down at his village and thinking about whatever it was that crossed his mind so deeply.
He pressed his hands against the firm elderly stone of the mountain. He planned to have his face branded on there along with the other great heroes of the hidden leaf.
Raiden watched the hustle and bustle of the people below him, he found it rather humorous that they would waste their days lounging around or for some committing adultery. He found that many people in this village were foolish at times, but they were his soon to be fools and until his dying breath he would protect them.
“Time…it all seems to pass….so slowly. All these people who I have sworn to protect, I also hate for never seeing me as good enough. One day, one day I will prove my worth and they’ll all understand my pain.”

[Evangel]

One week prior...

The sands of the desert blew strong, the winds were strong enough to peel flesh from bone. The only thing keeping Mugen safe was the tattered cloak he wore. He had been traveling forever since the burning of his village. He had learned the secrets of the demon inside of him.

"If I go like this through the night, I'll make it there tomorrow..." He thought. He suddenly stops and turns around, the winds blowing against his back. "I know you are there..." He said to what appeared to be nothing. The winds died down and revealed a group of a dozen or so rogue shinobi.

"Heh, heh, heh..." Cackled the leader. "Your better than you look." The group laughed too. "Shut up! Heh, now, hand over all you got!"

"You got some guts demanding anything from me, thief." Out from under his hood, blood red eyes gleamed. The shinobi flinch.

"What ARE you!"

"The last thing you'll ever see! Raa!" A roar echoes through the area, followed by blood curdling screams.

Present day...

Mugen enters the village of Konoha, the capital of his home nation. He gains unwanted attention from the villagers. Apparently they had never seen a man wearing a cloak caked in blood. He ignores the staring eyes and makes his way to a nearby ramen shop. He sits down next to a guy with spikey grey har and a mask reading a "love" book.

"One order of beef ramen please." Mugen orders and pays.

"Coming right up, kid." The chef wips up a bowl and places it in front of him, taking the money in exchange.

"You gonna eat your ramen or you gonna keep staring at me?" The guy with the mask had his left eye covered. "How could he have ever seen me?" Mugen thought.

"You a jounin?" Mugen asks.

"What's it to ya?"

"Nothin." He says, munching down on some ramen. "Have you seen a few shinobi around the past couple of days, they travel with a woman who likes to play with fire." Mugen says.

"Nope, can't say I have." The guy says. "You got a problem with these guys?"

"Yeah, you could say that..."

"What they do, rob ya?"

"They robbed me alright, but not of money. Cause I know that's what your thinkin."

"So, what'd thay do?"

"They killed my entire village!"

The jounin sitting next to Mugen seemed to have been startled. "I had an apprentice once that craved revenge. It caused him to do some terrible things. Don't let revenge get to ya kid, it'll turn you into a blood thirsty demon."

"I already AM a demon." Mugen said sourly. He finished his ramen and walked out. The jounin followed him.

"Hey kid! What's your name?" The Jounin asked.

"Ikazuchi Mugen. How about yours?"

"They call me Kakashi."

"Kakashi huh? I've heard of you. The Copy Ninja, right?"

"Something like that. And you, Ikazuchi, I've heard of your clan, too."

"Is that so? I thought the outside world never knew of us. Hmph. Hey, who was that apprentice of yours?"

Kakashi hesitated. "Uchiha Sasuke."

Mugen grunts and then walks off. "I'll have to keep an eye or two on that one." Kakashi thought.

[Mr. Sandman]

It was very silent in the Hokage’s in the Konohagakure. The lights hanging from the ceiling slightly anchoring back and forth made it all the more dreadful. Hanako was walking down father’s halls whilst carefully drawing a picture of a bundle of roses to give to my mother seeing as everything she’s done for me. The light protruding from the bulbs occasionally gave me terrible headaches making it hard to concentrate. The wooden floors shined as brightly as the sunlit sky as we hear shriveling squeaks with each step taken.

She had recently been taught how to use the Wind Release: Spiraling Shuriken and what father had restricted the technique as a last resort. Remembering about the past was exhilarating, allowing your mind to freely traverse around searching for answers. One of the most memorable was being taught the Protection of the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms by the age of 10. The fresh air breeze danced about in the hallways as they came zipping through the opened gates forcing Hanako to open her eyes.

After reminiscing the past, she nearly tripped over myself as a poor excuse accidentally drawing a big dark line across the roses. Quickly recovering, Hanako erased the line, having to redraw etched off parts of the roses. Making the way across the halls to where mother is I saw a figure in the room. It was her mother, Hinata and brother Raiden.. Of course, Hanako loved her very much, even in a non-daughter relationship; she wouldn’t be able to bear seeing her mother cry. She also cared for Raiden though it seemed thay were far from related.

Trying to hide herself, Hanako carefully watched through a corner of a wall seeing Raiden sulk. It was quite unlike him to do such an action. Beside Raiden was my mother, Hyuuga Hinata. Seeing mother, Hanako nearly stepped out of the corner eagerly readying to hand the picture, but tempered herself not to. Her heart was steadily beating as Hanako saw mother’s facial expression in a worried yet fretful way. The corner cutting off part of my vision was slowly getting darker. Mother was trying to talk to Raiden in a calm manner.

Silence and relief pierced me in moments, until all of a sudden, an ear-shattered voice tore across the halls striking fear and worry into my heart. I heard roars of words that just made me want to cry, but I didn’t let myself. I heard my mother’s soft and tender voice trying to calm Raiden down whilst trying to understand what brother is going through. The storm of rage was not over as I was in disbelief of what brother had done. With his rage, he tore through his bonds and pushed mother against a wall with words of threat, yelling even louder than last time.

Darkness was welling up around me as the lights swayed, dangling, and heating my head. What had felt like hours were only minutes as I backed up slowly behind the corners only to see brother storming out of the room making his way through the hallway left me breathless. As the calm after the storm has come to pass, I slowly approached near the corner to peek in the room to see that mother was sitting down with her arm covering her face, crying. The one thing Hanako couldn’t bear just happened.

Tears welled up slowly in her eyes as she dropped the picture and pencil and ran through the mansion leaving drops of clear sparkling tears drop and splat on the floor. Nearing the counter of the mansion, running as fast as Hanako could with her eyes closed; her journey had stopped as she felt a huge pain all around her body, hitting the floor.

All she could do was cry. Covering her face with her hands… she sat there silently weeping trying to mend back her heart. All she could thing about was what had happened. Finally, she settled down, sitting with her knees up, head down, while her arms covered her face. A few minutes later, she looked at her bare hands and decided to avoid Raiden at all costs.

Muttering quietly to herself, she quietly got up and started to run outside. The sunny day was blistering, but all in all, quickly went back inside her father's mansion to take a peek at the ceiling. Shiny panels they were. Suddenly, she got an idea... Hanako walked atop the ceilings in a very stealthy manner trying her best to not attract attention to herself. She took out a small notebook and extra pencil.

[Itachi Uchiha]

The person that was outside Kiyoshi’s door was none other than a messenger from the Raikage. He had summoned Kiyoshi for an important meeting immediately. Being summoned was a rare thing to happen to someone in the village, even for Kiyoshi himself. It must have been urgent. So with already being dressed, he was now strolling down the streets on Kumo towards the Raikage’s mansion. As he did, he caught the eyes of a number of villagers of whom he knew. A gentle smile to each of them which in return was received back. He was so nice in his nature but had few friends yet he couldn’t understand why. If people like him so much, why did they not befriend him? Such a question like others couldn’t be answered but they lingered on within his mind which caused him to wander off every now and then.

Now coming to the end of the main street, Kiyoshi stood before the towering gates of the mansion. The place was well guarded with a number of shinobi on the walls and in the courtyard. All of which could barely be seen in the shadow of the morning yet he knew all their positions. So till in his morning stroll, he went on through the gates and entered the door way. The interior of the place was an impressive one with fine furniture, paintings and again a number of guards that stood out the way. The place was peaceful except from those men who had to guard it. Such an unsettled atmosphere they added to the place. Caring not in the end though, Kiyoshi followed through the seemingly endless corridors and flights of stairs all the way to the top level of where the Raikage was situated. Coming to the sliding door, he moved it and a wave of incense filled his nostrils. Examining the room to see where the fragrance was coming from he saw that there were a number of burning sticks around the room giving off the gentle aroma.

What caught his attention the most though was the five people sitting behide a desk before him. Four of them being high ranked Jounin from this very village. The fifth one situated in the centre was the Raikage himself. Kiyoshi stepped into the room slowly before getting down onto his knees and bowing towards the Kage himself. With his calm, quiet voice he asked,

“You have summoned me Raikage-sama?”

“Ah yes, Kiyoshi my boy. You can stand up now,” The Kages voice was so calm yet loud, similar to Kiyoshi’s in a way. So obeying the order, he rose onto his feet and listened attentively. “I have an S-rank mission for you here by personal request of our lands feudal lord.” There was a brief pause of which he wanted to question but Kiyoshi knew his place and the reflection in the Kages eyes told him it was not the time to reply. “As of now you are the temporary ambassador of Kumo. You are to leave for Konoha at once. However this is not all our lord has asked.” The aging man gave out a loud sigh as he read the next part of the scroll. “You are also while you are there to spy on the military might of Konoha as well as its formations, tactics and other things that would concern an invasion. You may now as questions.”

Kiyoshi didn’t know what to say. The confusion in his mind was so immense. He could understand why he would be asked to do this. So swallowing what nerves he had, he proceeded to ask. “I have a few questions. Firstly, why was I picked for this? Secondly, why should we spy on Konoha like this? We are all allies are we not? And thirdly, I thought I was on a break from my last mission!”

The look in the Raikage’s eyes changed. There was a hint on anger within them as well as an understanding and worry. He spoke calmly though in contradiction to what his eyes were showing. “We aren’t quite sure why the Lord picked you but we assume it’s because of the danger of the mission and your ‘abilities’ would help with it. For your second question, we are again unsure why the Lord would do something like this. However it is our duty to obey and so we must. And for your third question, I think you’ve had enough of a rest already.” The Kage grinned slightly but it was soon taken away by Kiyoshi’s reaction.

“The last time you said I had had enough rest I got this!” Kiyoshi pulled down his face mask showing the full range of scars on the left side of his face. “Or have you forgotten that I’m only human, no matter what abilities you may have cursed me with at birth!”

The kage smacked his fist down on the table and got to his feet. Lightning surged down through the wood down onto the floor. The Raikage roared “You’ll listen to me now you foolish boy. You will do as I say or otherwise died for disobedience.” Now composing himself, the kage took his seat once more but his eyes now filled with rage had not changed. “Now go to the scroll library as we have arranged transport for you to get there by the afternoon. You can leave now.” Kiyoshi did as the kage said and headed back to the sliding door. As he opened it, the old man spoke once more. “Oh and Kiyoshi, good luck son.”

Kiyoshi took those words with no kindness; they only fuelled that long hating feeling towards the old man. He stopped and hit his fist against the wall before turning round and facing the kage once more. With malice in his voice, he spoke. “I told you never to call me that again. I have no father, not anymore.” With his last words spoke, he left the mansion, heading straight for the training grounds of where the library was.

[Xeim]

The mansion, like everything else in Konoha, seemed to be endless. Kara, Soren and Ray led Kusinada through a maze of corridors, snaking every which way, and soon, she had no idea where they were.

The green carpets and dark ebony walls were beginning to make Kusinada sick. She felt like she was walking through a giant pool table, like a little mouse who was supposed to show his deductive skills by finding the cheese. Well, she doubted there to be any cheese at the end of this rainbow. Suddenly they stopped in front of, yes; you guessed it, a large ebony door. Kara knocked.

“Hokage-sama! We have brought someone here to see you!”

“Neh? Who’d that be? It’s a Sunday, I was just about to take my break.”

“Forgive us, Hokage-sama! We will be sure to make this quick.”

“Fine, fine, bring them in.”

“Thank you, Hokage-sama!”

Hokage-sama, Hokage-sama, Hokage-sama. Geez. What is it with these people and honorifics? Well, it’s kind of cute, so I guess I shouldn’t get annoyed, Kusinada chuckled to herself.

The door opened to reveal a dashing older man, who greatly resembled the young man she had seen earlier. The differences-- he had a goofy grin plastered on his face and his eyes were both the deepest most complete blue you would ever see.

He held out his hand. “Uzumaki Naruto, Rokudaime Hokage of Konoha. And you?”

Kusinada took the outstretched hand. “Kusinada, sir. Uchiha Kusinada.”

“Uchiha...? You’ve got to kidding me, dattebayo...” he breathed.

“N-no sir”

Well, it looks like I’m going to need to discuss this over a bowl of ramen.”

The two were soon settled down at the counter of Ichiraku Ramen. Naruto had placed his usual order, and Kusinada had decided to have the same.

“Neh, you’re a ramen lover as well?” he asked cheerfully.

“Um, actually, I’ve never had it in my life!”

“Ah, well there’s a first time for everything I suppose!”

She couldn’t help but smile back at him as his grin penetrated her being again. It was sincere. He was actually happy. “So, Kusinada, who are your parents? You’re a bit too young to be Itachi’s so...”

“Yeah, my dad’s Uchiha Sasuke.” She found herself opening up to the man.

“He was never really around much, you know. He didn’t really care about me or my mom, Karin. Whenever he was in Oto, I felt really guarded. I mean, if I got on his bad side, I knew he wouldn’t hesitate to kill me,” she was nearly in tears at this point, “and so I would put on a show for him,” her voice cracked, “but, deep down, I only wanted him to accept me for who I truly was. But, I know he wouldn’t. I’m not who he wants me to be. I don’t have the heart to obtain the Mangekyou Sharingan, and I don’t have the strength to become like him.” She was crying now, unable to control the emotions running through her.

She was about to continue, but decided to look up into Naruto’s understanding blue eyes. The breath left her body, and she lost the strength to keep talking.

“You have to be pretty heartless to become like Sasuke, so I’m glad you didn’t.” He took a deep breath before continuing.

“Once upon a time, he was everyone’s dream. But then, something happened. Something...changed. It was my fault. The whole thing was all my fault. I beat myself up over it every day, trying to understand where I went wrong, what I did to push him away...”

“It wasn’t your fault!” chimed in Teuchi, the owner of Ichiraku. “The fool left on his own accord, how could you have stopped him!?”

“It was my fault old man, and don’t deny it,” Naruto’s voice had suddenly gone cold. “I’m sorry Kusinada. But, I know that Sasuke has a heart left in him somewhere, no matter how small it is. He cares...you have to believe it.”

Kusinada sighed. “Yeah, whatever. Anyways, I’ve come to get away from Otogakure. Any chance I could stick around here?”

He smiled, but didn’t grin. It was a smile full of sadness and wisdom far beyond his age. “Of course. You can stay with my family and me in the mansion if you’d like.”

“That’d be sweet!”

“Ok then,” he sad, cheerful once more, “it’s settled! Go on back and tell my wife Hinata about your situation, and she’ll give you a room.”

“Ok!” Kusinada said brightly. She inhaled the rest of the ramen, commented on how good it tasted, and then sped out of the booth. Halfway to the mansion, she realized she forgot to ask him where in the giant pool table Hinata was located.

“Oh joy...” She was about to turn around and ask him when she realized she should try and find her way for herself. She was going to live there after all.

It was, once again, a long walk down the main street to the mansion. When she arrived, she was met with a rather...interesting sight. A young man much taller than her, with longish black hair was trying to get the guards to let him in. They were trying to calm him, but he seemed hell bent on seeing the Hokage.

As she approached, she heard what he was saying to them. He was muttering it, seeming to talk more to himself than to them, but she knew that wasn’t the case.

“Pathetic little maggots. You stand here all day thinking you’re just the greatest, but you’ve really just become weak,” he pushed them aside, “haven’t you?”

With that, he disappeared within the mansion, ignoring the guards’ shouts that the Hokage was out.

“Damn that Lance,” one of them muttered as Kusinada made her way innocently by.

There’s one mystery of the world that no one has ever paid any mind to solve. Perhaps it’s thought to be unimportant or perhaps there’s no explanation within human comprehension, but the fact was-- everything looks different when you’re alone. Even the sunniest, most innocent meadow can look sinister when you’re standing in it alone. The Hokage Mansion was scary enough WITH people standing by you, so being alone in it made Kusinada...very on edge. Every little bump made her jump.

Every little bump also made her remember things that had happened to her recently. Little images flew through her head, unwelcome, but she found focusing on them was easier then trying to focus on staying alive in this creepy building. There were the unimportant things- training, walking through the forest- there were the depressing things- her parents, just about any holiday, trying to sleep- and then, there were the good things. The moments Kusinada lived for.

She saw that young man over and over again. Raiden. What was his secret? He seemed so upset when she saw him. She wished she could help him, but she knew that’d be strange for him. They didn’t know each other at all anyway.

Then there was Naruto. Even the memory of his blue eyes penetrated her soul. They were amazing eyes. Kusinada knew from that moment on that she wanted to be like him. Not Hokage no, but kind, generous and happy like him. A person who knows what it means to live.

Who was she? She didn’t know herself. But she’d strive to be like the Hokage. She wanted to live like him. She didn’t know who she was anymore, but she knew she could be whoever she wanted. So, here she was, walking through the halls of the Hokage mansion, ready to start a new life.

[Evangel]

Mugen had found a place to stay in a hotel nearby a ramen shop. He settled in and cleaned up. He left the cloak he wore in the room on a hook. He felt the softness of the chair he had near his bed.

"I've haven't been in a room like this in ages." He began to flashback. "I must have spent months in that desert." Mugen moved the chair towards the window and sat in it, staring out at the Hokage Mountain. "So much has changed." He said sadly. He looked at his hand then clenched it after he said. "So have I..." He flashbacked once again. "I trained night and day until my life was almost gone. Shirogane led my way." A knock came to the door.

"Sir, I have requested your meeting with the Hokage-sama like you asked. He'll be waiting at the ramen shop next door. Please hurry, he has other matters to attend to."

"Thank you. I'll be right down."

Mugen replaces the chair were it was and puts on the last piece of clothing that had remained, his headband. He left the room and went downstairs to the street. It was already dusk when he met the 6th Hokage. Mugen moved the cloth that separated th ramen shop from the outside. What he saw was quite unusual. He pictured the Hokage to be an old man, but this man was relatively young. He had blonde hair, and clear blue eyes.

"Lord Hokage." Mugen bowed.

"Hmm?" The Hokage turned around with a mouthful of ramen. Mugen thought he looked ridiculous and forced himself not to laugh. The Hokage slurpped up the noodles. "Please, there's no need of that."

Mugen sat down next to the Hokage, nervous by his presence. He, like himself, was a vessel for a demon spirit. Or so Mugen thought.

"So kid, tell me who you are." The Hokage said as he finished one bowl of ramen and went on to another.

"I am Ikazuchi Mugen. I came from the Village Hidden in the Dragon's Belly."

"Ikazuchi? Now, where have I heard of that before." Ironically, Kakashi had came to him earlier and told him about their meeting earlier. "Never heard of that village though."

"That's probably because it was destroyed not too long ago. That is my business with he here. I have come to see if you have had any reports of a band of shinobi passing through here."

"We don't get shinobi traveling much through here."

"I see. Say, you wouldn't happen to be Uzumaki Naruto, THAT Hokage, would you?"

"Ah, so you've heard of me."

"Yeah, but only pits and pieces. Like the Nine-Tails being sealed inside of you."

The Hokage started. "How- how do you know that?!"

"Were much alike, you and I." Mugen looked directly at him for the first time and his eyes change for a secend. He then got up, bowed and walked off. "Thank you for your audience, Lord Hokage."

Out of the shadows, Kakashi appeard. "I told you we'd have to keep an eye on that one."

"I guess you were right, Kakashi-sensei." The Hokage said after slurpping down another mouthful of noodles.

[Darkwolf]

Lance walked along. Why has the hokage been making me sit here and rot? does he think I'm not good enough to go on a good mission? He came up to the entrance of the hokage's mansion. The gaurds moved in his way. "Let...me...through...NOW" Lance was pissed, he wanted to see the hokage and nobody was going to stand in his way. "S..Sir, the hokage is.." "BUSY? PLEASE, he's probably BUSY making ramen or something stupid, let me through NOW!" "but...s..sir, he's not" "I DON'T CARE IF HE'S NOT SEEING ANYONE, MOVE!" “Pathetic little maggots! You stand here all day thinking you’re just the greatest, but you’ve really just become weak!” he pushed them aside, he had had enough of them “haven’t you?” As he opened the door, he saw a someone wandering the mansion. He passed her without showing any change in emotion, but inside he felt a little happier for some reason. That soon changed when he entered the hokage's room to see it empty. He won't even talk to me... he hates me. Lance drew his giant shuriken, he noticed the empty chair. Lance said "let's see how he likes it when he sees his 'throne'" He took one swing and cut it, destroying it. He stormed out of the place and started up hokage mountain when he saw Naruto's face. "damn freak, the village's biggest mistake" He started to walk up it, as soon as he was below the head of the current Hokage, he jumped as high as he can and slashed at the neck. The damage was hardly noticable, but he took pride in it. He walked to the top. There he saw another man, the future hokage. He tried to calm down, he didnt want to cause too much trouble.

"Hey, Raiden, is it? you mind if I hang out here too?"

[cetra_aeris]

Shira awoke early that morning, her eyes opening as she glared at the light shining through her window. She put an arm over her face, hiding her dark eyes from the sun. She didn't want to get up, but she knew she had already slept in more than she'd intended to today.
With a sigh she began to sit up in her bed, keeping one hand up to shield her from the sun's peeking rays. Her long blue/black hair trailed after her as she let out a yawn, letting one hand close that curtains that had been open, most likely from where she'd been looking outside the night before.

With the bright rays gone, Shira shook her head and threw her legs over onto the floor. Her lithe body stretched and stood, going straight for her closet. She already knew that her mother was up, but she didn't care. She didn't plan on staying home today, and as she dressed in her normal attire, letting her clothes she'd been wearing crumple to the floor, she wondered what she would do with her day.
She zipped up her top and grabbed her headband from the dresser next to her. She tied it around her neck, her usual way of wearing it, and walked out of her room, brushing her hair as she went. She passed her mothers room and noticed that despite her earlier prediction, her mother was still in bed. Shira shook her head and continued through the house to the small living room.

Shira dropped her brush onto the couch as she passed it, glancing at some of the pictures that decorated the room. Some were of her mother and Shira, but many were of Shira as a little girl. One showed Shira spinning a leaf with her chakra; she’d done that when she was seven. That was back when she was still in Kumo, before her mother moved them to Konoha.
Shira wasn’t really sure if she cared which village she was in, but she knew that her loyalties lied with the one she lived in now. She walked down the hall and went to a little closet next to the kitchen; it was where she’d left her weapons the night before. She rummaged around among the different objects that were in there until she found what she was looking for. She let a small smirk come to her lips as she attached her favorite weapons to her upper thigh and slipped on her weapon pouch containing her kunai and other such things.

Closing the closet quietly she went back through the house, heading towards the door this time. She slipped on her ninja sandals and left the house, not bothering to leave a note for her mother; she would know where she’d gone anyway.
She made her way down the street; her house wasn’t very far from the gate since her mother didn’t have very much money. She was just about to head towards the center of the village for something to eat when she caught sight of Lee Sensei’s team. She watched with curiosity as his three students led another girl through the gate. Shira looked closely, making sure of what she suspected. She continued walking just behind the group, knowing now for sure as they headed towards the Hokage’s that this girl was not from Konoha.

Shira was curious, wondering just what it was the girl was doing here, but she decided it was none of her business. Besides, she had a habit of minding her own before getting into other’s problems. Instead she opted to head to a close by ramen shop for something to eat.

After her… brunch, Shira began wondering around the village. She didn’t really have anything planned for her day, but she knew that if she stayed at home she’d go crazy. She found herself moving closer toward the Hokage Mountain. She glanced up at the heads of the leaders of Konoha, but stopped as she noticed figures atop one. She squinted and raised her hand to her face to try and get a better look, her curiosity once again making her actions.
She couldn’t tell exactly who the figures were, but in truth she didn’t really car, or at least that’s what she told her self as she brushed her hair behind her shoulder and continued on her walk. Of course, Shira never really cared about anything really…. Except for the frustration she found from pretending to be something she wasn’t.

[Mr. Sandman]

A quiet creek in the white wooden boards of the ceiling was heard much to Hanako’s dismay. A little cry was heard coming from her mouth. She hung on carefully spying on people to get ideas for the next drawing she was to make.

The incident of what happened earlier was screaming through her head as Hanako struggled to remove that bad memory that still haunts her. Loosening up a bit from those memories trying to forget about them, a brief part of her past flashed through her head. It was the day she learned a new Taijutsu technique. She could see it now.

“Alright Hanako, you can learn this, all you need to do is focus and let yourself move,” Naruto exclaiming in a friendly voice.

Sweat drops were dripping from her face to her kimono as Hanako placed her right arm across her chest. Breaths of exhaustion and pain crept out from her blood-dotted lips. The strain and work to learn the techniques was so painful that you could even sweat blood.

Naruto sighed for a moment, closed his eyes, opened them at looked up at the sunny sky. His dirt covered clothes were being worn out from training his daughter. “Do you want me to show you how to do it again?” Her father’s words remained in a situated manner. Hanako nodded in eagerness. Naruto took a deep breath.

Naruto tossed a thick, “Y” shaped log into the air reaching the sky, a few hundred feet. Using a Body Flicker Technique, from the seal attached to the log, Naruto instantaneously appeared parallel to the log. Grabbing the log by its “legs” and wrapping his ankles around its “waist.”

A sharp plummet from the air to ground was the intention of the technique. The drop was going so fast that a sharp point of air was surrounding Hanako’s father and the log.

The speed and power was so immense that the impact caused a crater about the size of a meteorite. “This technique I got off an old friend,” grinned Naruto, “now I shall pass it on to you. This technique is known as the Peregrine Falcon Drop.”

Hanako’s flashback ended with her drawing a picture of that very moment. While haning upside-down she noticed an unfamiliar face in the Hokage mansion. A girl walking through the halls seeming obviously lost. Hanako chuckled to herself.

“Hmmmmm…” Hanako thought to herself, “She is definitely not from around these parts.” A slight breeze filled the room where Hanako closed her eyes to feel the light breeze pass through her long black hair. The girl stopped for a moment.

Hanako, being exstremely curious to find out the identity of her quietly took a step back. Much to her surprise, as soon as she stepped back, Hanako lost her footing. She was oblivious to the wet part of the wooden board as it was clearly slippery from the other Shinobi’s clean up duty.

Falling in a steep drop, all that could go through Hanako’s thoughts were, “I’m going to die, I’m going to die, I’m going to die!” Her hair rapidly and violently waving as the rush of what felt like a waterfall and with her heart beating in a fast pace as the adrenaline increased. Hanako closed her eyes to, not wanting to know what fate will become of her.

[Lady Rika]

Raiden didn’t even look up at the man, his gaze remained still as the statues he sat upon. His twin colored eyes remained open and alert as he watched his soon-to-be village. The hazy sun hung fatigued in the sky above him, he knew soon it would get dark. With the changing of the season’s the night seemed to come faster and the sun would disappear from the memories of the Konoha Shinobi. But as it caught light in his headband that perfect sun smiled and glinted in the metal mirror of his Ninja band.
This man, this man was the same age as him but to Raiden he was nothing but a waste of his valuable time and energy. Raiden sometimes thought talking wasted Chakra and tried to do it as less as possible. But when people spoke to him then he had no choice than to respond back, even though he despised it so.

“Yes, in fact I do mind. I was rather enjoying the silence until you came along making such a ruckus! And I would greatly appreciate it if you would just piss off.”
Raiden’s voice was rough but not one drop of emotion clung to the words; he blinked once. His ice blue ghost eye blinked as well. It tried to live just as much as the other alert, alive one did but it could never be what the right eye was. Living. Yes he came to terms that his left eye would forever be half-alive. Neither dead nor living, it would always be the burden of his pain and his troubles. Feeding his cold heart and reminding him why he hated all those around him with such a passion.

“Oh yes.” He stated rising up from the hard ground, his slender figure looking like nothing but as shadow as the sun blared in front of him.
“If you have a problem with my father then why not be a man and actually settle them with something real. Or are you such a weak coward that you only attack stone?”
Raiden smirked on the inside, his relationship with his father was that of opinion but he wouldn’t have anyone disrespect his father or everything he had done for this village.
‘Though he may act like a fool at time.’ Raiden though staring off at the man buildings that decorated the busy Konoha streets.
‘He is an amazing leader and has helped this village out of many hard times.’
Raiden knew that he could probably destroy this imbecile in a matter of minutes but he had to keep himself from grabbing his ever so eager blade Sudoku. He wouldn’t kill anyone with weapons, but he would kill them words. Or at least a crashing fist to the face; he wouldn’t let his fathers honor be hauled threw the mud like that as if mere garbage. No, that was just another thing for him to grow angry about. And that was just another thing he would have to fix, but maybe not today, but someday, in good time.

[Itachi Uchiha]

The sun now hung directly overhead with little room for shadow to foam in the village of Kumo. Such was the time of day with being so high in the mountains that escaping the suns rays was impossible. Yet with being too high up, it was easy for the villagers to keep track of time depending of the position of the sun and length of shadows. So from Kiyoshi’s judge of time, it was roughly midday. Now strolling out of the Raikage’s mansion and back into the streets, he saw that the town was filled with live once more. Everyone was awake and doing something being it there work or simply doing it for the sake of it. No one was standing still. However with all the fuss going on around him, Kiyoshi was last within his thoughts. So many questions that were left unanswered by the brief meeting with his father. He knew that he had to obey or hand his neck over as price to pay. Now brimming with thoughts and questions, his mind ached as he walked a long the streets still towards the training grounds.

The walk took no longer than five minutes and he was granted access to the compound with no questions asked. They knew him too well not to let him in yet as he walked through the training fields that were filled with shinobi practising techniques, he couldn’t help notice that a number of unwavering eyes followed him through. He counted ten people at least staring at him with eyes filled with something he couldn’t quite recognize. Was it fear? Love? Care? Hatred? He knew not. Yet for the first time ever he had noticed this or was it the first time it had happened. The thought that people found out about his past secret came to mind yet he dismissed the thought quickly. How could people find out about that? But still the idea lingered on within the crypt that was his mind and if he was right, how could he explain that brutality he had showed towards those ninjas when he himself couldn’t find an answer.

Now at the doors of the library of scrolls, he opened the doors to find a small group of shinobi discussing a subject that echoed through Kiyoshi. The only words he heard were ‘Did that freak really do that? And to think we trusted him’. If what he heard was true, then he was no longer welcome in his village. But he loved his village. He’d die for it. Now paranoia ran rampart through Kiyoshi as nervously walked up to the counter. Such pressurizing thoughts that would cause a normal man to break down into insanity yet Kiyoshi held his calm face in midst of things. So now facing one of those shinobi who were talking, he asked.

“I was instructed to come here by order of the Raikage. I believe you have something I must use for my mission.”

The man behide the desk looked at Kiyoshi carefully before he spoke, “Ah yes, your Kiyoshi Mayto if am I correct,” He reached under the table and pulled out a cross-section of scrolls. The man handed them over and said “All information regarding the scrolls you have been given and tasks you should do while on your mission are all here. Good luck.” With that, the man rather rudely walked off back to the other that were again busy gossiping about stuff. Such an insult that Kiyoshi should have repaid yet the mission came first. So now back outside in an open area, he unrolled the first scroll labelled tasks. These were again labelled in number order with dates of what they needed to be done by. Meet the Hokage and other top ninjas in Konoha. Explore landscape and town. Visit clan compounds. The list went on. Yet he knew encoded within this were his other tasks which he would not yet decipher until the time to do so was right.

The next scroll he read was labelled instructions. It covered all the necessary information on how he was getting to Konoha. Kiyoshi was pretty surprised when he read that he was going to fly there. Apparently one of the scrolls he had been given was a summoning one for the prince of eagles. So pulling out that scroll from his pouch, he bit his thumb, put his blood across the writing that was inscribed a long it and cast the scroll into the air. In a puff of smoke the huge eagle swoop down and bowed before its master. He was impressed that the bird treated him with a form of respect since this was the first time he had ever used a summoned creature. Still, he stroked it gently and climbed onto its back. With no need to kick its side or tell it what to do, it took off back into the skies where it flew at an amazing speed. The eagle dived down the mountain side like a falling comet while Kiyoshi clung on for dear life. Yet this was still the start of his four hour flight to the village of Konoha.

[Darkwolf]

"Why shouldnt I just fix the problems? feh, you know NOTHING."
Lance shifted his feet into a more defensive pose and said. "first he leaves me in this village for months to ROT and now that he has sent me on a mission, knowing I have questions, he AVOIDS me! Your father hates me! Has he forgotten how my family has helped this village? Has he FORGOTTEN how my father DIED for this village? He's treating me like a small pawn, when I am one of his elite assasains!" Lance turned away for a second. He had forgotten how this was the hokage's own son. Then again he really didnt care, future hokage or not, this man would learn not to fool around with Lance. This man would learn some respect.

Lance dashed twords the man at full speed. He stopped right in front of the man. "If you want to fight, then throw the first punch"
He used Body Ficker technique "and I really don't care if you lost your precious silence" Again, he appeared on Raiden's Right side. "The only reason why I'm not attacking first is because you're the hokage's son, and we all know if you attack first I can take you down without having any blame on me."
Lance appeared the last time about 4 feet in front of Raiden. "So come on then, attack"

[Lady Rika]

A strangely cold wind swept across Raiden Uzumaki’s face, lightly whipping his blonde hair.
The deep sea blue of his didn’t even blink as the raven-haired man darted back and forth around him.
He saw the abnormally large shuriken resting on his back, ‘Does he plan to use that? How pitiful.’
Raiden could smell the warmth of Lance’s breath as he abruptly stopped in front of him, the angered eyes held dark tales of loathing and rancor.
“Did you ever consider that my father keeps you here for a reason?” Raiden asked, his voice brutish and heavy. His hands firmly at his side, the tip of his fingers grazed the side of his delicate sword. The soft turquoise was gentle and smooth giving off the impression of submissive piece of art. But no, in truth Sudoku hungered for blood on a daily basis, crying out with every whistling swing it made.
But Raiden felt no need to attack Lance with his bloodthirsty blade, that would make it over too quickly and besides, why dirty his weapon with the blood of a worthless man?
Obviously his father kept him in the village because he didn’t want him to risk a mission, or other shinobi’s lives.
“ Did you ever think that maybe you’re just not good enough anymore?” He responded mockingly, closing his eyes he just shook his head out of humor.
“Honestly though…you really shouldn’t blame my father for your weakness.”

Raiden’s closed eyes might have made him open for an attack but he felt sure that anything that this man threw at him he could repay it to him with even more force and damage. Though the son of Naruto didn’t look like a fighter, with his slender body and seemingly perfect painted features. He could do more than just hold his own. He had been an ANBU black-op at one point but retired that because he found it dull.
He was never really sent on missions, at least not the ones he found to be important. He had mainly been in there because of his father’s wishes. But even Raiden found himself surpassing even the most skilled and powerful ANBU leaders. So he decided to leave, just like snakes, they were the legs he didn’t need.
Leaving the black-ops he found himself with more time to train and take on missions. Though he enjoyed his missions, Raiden found it almost unbearable to have comrades on his team. They just got in his way.
Like this man here; it seemed he couldn’t do anything anymore. At home it was either his stupid worthless mother babbling on about pointless crap or that wretch of a sister who was such a goodie-goodie to his parents it almost made him sick. But it wasn’t just at home when he was bother, oh no, all the strongest teachers who were sent to make him stronger all got on his nerves. So he would either ignore them completely, or use one of his signature moves. And teach them for once.
To him, everybody was just a bother and had no right to be around him. Why couldn’t they just leave me be and let me enjoy my silence? He would ask himself at times.
‘Just like this man here…oh well, no matter in the end he too will pay for disrespecting me and my father.’

“You ask me to attack you as if you wish for death? Though I may seem…arrogant I assure you I am not. And I also assure you that I would never attack anyone…so pitiful as yourself.”
Finally he opened his eyes, the ice colored left eye watched Lance with a blind demeanor, if only it could mock the other man like his deep blue eye was.
“Take my words and listen well…just leave!” he warned, a deep growl forming in the back of his throat. But his face remained as emotionless as it had been before, when he was alone on the mountaintop.
It seemed that his serious face never seemed to change, it was always like that, he never seemed to care enough to show a particular emotion unless it was important. And as of now, this petty argument against such a fool didn’t require emotion. And it certainly didn’t require him to care enough to actually come at him, but if he did charge at him. Then he would, without a doubt, snap every working bone in his body.

[Darkwolf]

"you expect me to leave?" Lance drew a kunai and readied himself. "I may not know how strong you are...but I will take you down and wipe that additude right off you!"
Lance threw one foot foreward, and another. He was charging at the man with all of the strength in his legs. He put his hands together, and made a couple handsigns. "This will take care of you"
On the ground, a silverish lightning scattered directly to the side of Lance, and it followed him... Lance threw the kunai, and then stopped right at the edge, the lightning disappeared as he failed to concentrate enough chakra to summon the Chronowolf. Lance began to lose his balance as he stopped at the end, he focused some energy into his feet, and began to regain balance, but just as he did, he felt a something forcefully pushing on his back. Lance struggled to stop himself, but he couldnt. His body pushed foreward. He turned his head to see Raiden.
"Shi..."
Lance began to fall, he had foolishly rushed into battle just like his father did, he closed his eyes, and awaited the impact as there was nothing he could do.

[Xeim]

There’s not a lot to elaborate on when your only surroundings are green carpeting and mahogany walls. If Kusinada were to describe her surroundings, she could probably detail all of it in one sentence, and leave you with a sense of awe of the visual.

But, when you’re lost in a repetitive hallway such as the one Kusinada found herself in, you don’t think about how you’ll describe it to people once you get out. No, the only thing Kusinada was worrying herself with, were the names and labels on the various mahogany doors. She thought that perhaps one would say “Hinata” or “Hokage’s Living Quarters,” but the only things she had seen were conference rooms one through five, bathrooms one through three, and various broom closets that made perfect hideouts. Kusinada was losing hope.

Kusinada hoped an angel would fall from the sky—well, roof—and rescue her from a damned life of eternal wandering. In reality all she needed was to find a maid to help her, but she thought that some sort of “divine intervention” might get her to her destination quicker. But you know what they say, be careful what you wish for...

“AYEEEEE!” screamed a black haired girl as she fell from the roof right in front of Kusinada. Well, technically she was about to fall ON Kusinada, but the latter moved out of the way just in time. She examined the crumpled figure that now lay sprawled on the floor. The girl wore a reddish kimono with an intricate floral pattern, and a long pink skirt.

Wow, it must be hard to walk on the roof with that on, Kusinada thought to herself.

She then noticed a small pad of paper lying beneath the girl. She wondered what it could be. A drawing pad? A notebook? She reached out to grab it and find out for herself, but the girl’s eyes immediately snapped open.

“W-who are you?” she squeaked. She sounded winded, and slightly frightened, but then again, who wouldn’t be after they fell head first from a roof, only to be approached by a complete stranger?

Kusinada responded cheerily, “I’m Uchiha Kusinada, new resident of Konoha.” She stopped and grinned slightly, apparently realizing she could use this meeting to her advantage. “Hey, I’m looking for someone named Hinata. Have any idea where I could find her?”
“H-Hinata...?” the girl said, and her eyes widened slightly as if she was reliving some horrible tragedy.

“Whoah, hey, if there’s something between you two you don’t have to help me!” Kusinada said, worried for the girl. “But if there’s anything I can do just tell me, I mean not that I can do much, I really don’t know anything about this place, and-”

“N-no, it’s not that...I just...never mind. I’ll help you Uchiha-san, and I thank you for your kind offer.” The girl replied.

“Hey, hey!” Kusinada laughed, “I don’t think I ever caught your name!”

“H-Hanako. Hyuuga Hanako.”

“Alright then Hanako! Lead the way!”

“W-well, you see, just a little bit ago, something kind of bad happened. Well, not even kind of, it was actually really bad. And, well, mother usually likes going out to the garden after something bad happens so she’s probably there,” Hanako said in a small voice.

“Mother? You mean you’re Naruto-san’s daughter?”

“Um, well yes, that would be correct,” she said.

“Cool!” Kusinada cheered. “So, where is this garden?”

“Out back.” Hanako replied. She wouldn’t give any more information than that, but started walking briskly down the hall—back the way Kusinada had come.

“You don’t mean....oh man! I’ve been wandering around here for nothing?!”

Kusinada would never be able to describe the route they took. Let’s just say there were a lot of twisting hallways, and yes, they were in the colors of mahogany and green. Finally, they reached the entrance; the same entrance that that man they called Lance had been pushing through only about a half an hour before. Kusinada was still upset that she had wasted so many minutes wandering aimlessly through the mansion, but what can you do. Naruto was vaguer then anyone she could ever remember meeting, except perhaps this Hanako person.

<><><><>

As it turned out, the garden was exactly where Hanako said it was. Behind the circular Hokage mansion was a beautiful garden filled with various types of flora, the like of which Kusinada had never seen before. She had grown up with ivy and pine trees, and perhaps the occasional rose bush, but there was definitely not the amazing array of color she saw before her now. The garden itself wasn’t very big, but it had so many plants packed into it, that it almost made you think it needed its own dimension entirely.

In the center of this garden was an intricately carved bench. It was a rusty red color, and had a calming vine pattern. It wasn’t your average bench to be sure. The legs were molded into the shape of leaves, and the seat appeared to take the shape of four or five vines running parallel to each other. Kusinada wondered why anyone would spend so much time on a mere bench, but then again what would she know? She wasn’t exactly raised to be the “flowery” type. Sure she was artsy, but her art was more of...different ways to slice your opponent. Seriously, you can come up with some pretty-sweet patterns. Kusinada didn’t seem like one who could easily kill a living being, but people can surprise you after all. She was a trained killer, with a soft side. She tended to play to that soft side more than the other, which led many to wonder how she ever became a jounin.

“Um, Uchiha-san, that’s my mother on the bench there,” Hanako whispered.

Kusinada looked back at the bench to see that there was in fact a woman sitting on it. She greatly resembled Hanako, but she was much older.

“Um, excuse me, Hinata-sama...” Kusinada began. She felt it was only right to use such an honorific on the woman. “I was sent here by Naruto-san to request a room and board.”

Hinata turned to look at her with incredulous eyes. “R-room and board? I see. So you’ll be living with us then? If it’s my husband’s decision then I can’t go against it.”

Kusinada didn’t like the way Hinata said that. It was almost as if she didn’t trust her, or simply didn’t care to have her around. She got the feeling that this woman was the polar opposite of Naruto. Sure people could say that Kusinada’s father was Naruto’s opposite, and that was why they were rivals, but in reality, it was simply because they were alike that they came to hate each other. This woman on the other hand was nothing like Naruto. She appeared shy and guarded, almost to the point of coldness.

“She’s not always like this you know,” Hanako whispered. “It’s just...because of what happened earlier. She always puts her guard up after something like that happens.”

Kusinada flashed on that young man, Raiden, and how upset he had looked. He was Hinata’s son, so...could he have something to do with this “incident” from earlier? Whatever the case, Kusinada got the signal that it wasn’t any of her business. Besides, Hinata was halfway out of the garden by now. Kusinada had some intense following to do.

[Lady Rika]

Raiden watched Lance rush at him, almost immediately he felt his muscles tighten and constrict with the longing to grab him and sink his blade into the foolish mans belly. Cutting threw his stomach and puncturing his intestines with Sudoku’s bloodthirsty steel body.
He ran so carelessly and slow, he most certainly didn’t study his terrain and when he ran Raiden watched him stumble and lose his balance, and also lose whatever chances he had at attacking successfully.
Lance nearly fell from the mountain’s edge but he was able to focus enough Chakra to the soles of his feet so he didn’t end up tumbling from the old, honoring mountain.

Raiden’s eyes widened, Lance was open, too open making him dead meat in that stance. Raiden quickly looked down at his blade, he could easily plunge the sword into his back and let him die slowly but that would be cowardly in Raiden’s eyes and that was something he wouldn’t do. At least not yet.
He brought his attention off his sword, and in that split second that he longed to murder the man he quickly switched it from murder to immense pain. Like wind, Raiden whipped around taking his clutched fist and slammed it into Lance’s back. Though it was quick, but not his strongest punch he felt confident enough and happily watched the man lean forward in pain and bewilderment.
‘Hmm…what’s the rush?’ he asked leaning forward, his lips near the falling mans ear.
It was then that Raiden whispered his threat, though he made the often it was usually to those he knew personally and close to home. Though he wasn’t sure if Lance could hear him or not, his voice sort of fused with the wind and became much softer and silent.
“The next time you cross me…I will kill you…”
And with those words he let Lance fall, though he didn’t watch him. In fact he turned around, his eyes once more closed. The dead ghost eye that lay dead in its natural habitat of darkness while his deep one rested in the darkness of his closed eyes.

He was rather pleased that the man was gone, he didn’t like people interrupting him and his silence.
Once or twice he remembered smacking his younger sister for being a loud, foolish whelp and he quickly fixed her noise making. Though it was a minor problem, to him it bothered him so deeply. Like when she would draw those heavy-scratching sounds of the lead pencil clawing at the paper.
Raiden reached up and smoothed his ruffling hair, the wind liked to tease it till it soon became like his fathers. Spiky and wild; yet Raiden’s hair was a bit flatter when compared to Naruto’s own blonde hair.
‘Hmm, should I leave here? People most definitely saw that bastard fall.’
Raiden didn’t want to leave, he certainly didn’t want to go home and see the fool and the brat. But he couldn’t stay here either.
The young man opened his right eye, he figured he would leave the Hokage Mountain, maybe walk around town. Talk a mission or at least browse and see if there were any worth going on.
Usually they weren’t, he thought making his way down the mountain. His careful feet crumbled the uneasy earth and made small pebbles fall from the ground under him; he glanced at the pair of tiny rocks fall from where they clutched.
‘Heh…they fell…just like that fool did…in the end we all fall…either to others or…even to ourselves.’

[Evangel]

Mugen had retired to his room for the night but couldn't sleep. He had too much on his mind and decided to take a walk. Just before he left, he grabbed his tattered cloak and put it on.

The streets were lit up by the night shift run shops and some homes. The moon was at its fullest which gave out even more light. Mugen was deep in thought. During his training in the desert, he came across a man he had seemingly met before. The man told him of the Nine Tailed Demons.

"There are things in this world, young man, that many will fight for. No, kill for." The man's voice was full of age won wisdom. "I'm sure you heard of the Kyuubi, or the Nine Tailed Fox, of your village?"

"Yes, it is taught to every shinobi at genin level."

"The Kyuubi is one of the Tailed Demons, number nine to be exact. The demons are named for how many tails they have."

"I know, why are you telling me this?"

"Ah, patience, young shinobi, my story is not yet finished. There is a great dragon demon, with three tails."

"Shirogane has three tails..." Mugen said under his breath.

"Your Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto, has the Kyuubi sealed within him. The Kazekage Gaara has the Shukaku sand spirit sealed within him. They are called Jinchuuriki."

Back to the present, Mugen notices flashes of light coming from the top of the Great Hokage Mountain. "Hmmm, a fight?" He heads up to the mountain top. Befor he made it a quarter of the way, he saw someone fall. "I can't do anything from here..." He continues onward and aboput half way, he hears rocks crumbling and footsteps. He hides in the shadows and waits for the person to pass.

[cetra_aeris]

(Ignore/delete please!! And thank you! ^-^)

Shira admitted to herself that she was much more curious than she first thought as she walked back to the Hokage Mountain. She didn't know why she felt so curious, perhaps it was boredom? Or maybe she just felt that she might know who was up there? Whatever the reason, Shira continued forward, towards the faces in the mountain side.

She didn't know if it was fate, or just sheer coincidance, but when she paused to look up instead of keeping her gaze at the ground to watch her nearly silent steps lead her to her destination, she noticed something falling from the mountain. It didn't take her but a second to realize that it was not a something, but a someone that was now falling to their death.

Shira began running with out hesitation, using the body flicker technique to help her move faster while letting thoughts of how she might save the person from hitting the ground and succumbing to death. Now Shira was known for her cruel and mean ways, but even still she would not let someone who was seemingly helpless fall to their doom without trying to help. She was a trained Jonuin ninja after all.

Shira, now underneath the falling "thing", she could only think of one idea that might work. Of course, Shira had not yet tested the new jutsu but now was as an appropriate time if any. Closing her eyes and letting her chakra flow she did three hand signs, making her chakra from into a large net. The only part that she had had problems with before was keeping it steady and not letting any holes appear. She just hoped that the net would hold.... or at least make the drop less painful.

[Xeim]

As it turns out, there was a door marked “Hokage’s Living Quarters”, the door was just behind the door that said “Janitor’s Closet 3” and down another hall. Very, very strange safety measure, but so like Naruto that Kusinada wondered if he was the one to put the sign there.

“Ne, Hinata-sama, who put up the “Janitor’s Closet” sign up in front of the "Hokage's Living Quarters" door?”

“O-oh, that was done by th-the fourth Hokage,” Hinata said shyly, finally calming down from whatever scare she had had earlier.

“The fourth?”

“Y-yes. He looks a little like N-Naruto-san.”

“Naruto-san? Aren’t you two married?”

Hinata looked at the floor and responded with a small “Um, yes.”

“Then why...” Kusinada stopped when she saw Hinata’s frightened eyes and decided not to pursue it any further.

They had now stepped into the Hokage’s Living quarters- Kusinada’s new home. It was absolutely beautiful. The walls were still mahogany, but the floor was tiled a pale white. Chandeliers hung from the ceilings, and there was an elegant stairway directly across from the door. It was the kind of staircase that had two ways up, but both lead to the same hall, only at opposite ends.

“This is the Grand Foyer,” Hinata said, sounding confident for the first time since Kusinada had met her.

“It’s breathtaking Hinata-sama!” Kusinada said, awed. “Thank you very much for allowing me to stay here!” Her eyes were sparkling with glee.

“It was my husband’s wish. Y-you have no need to thank m-me.” Hinata said quietly, trying to be polite.

But, Kusinada saw it as being rude again, and responded with a strained “I see.”

“A-anyways, your room is r-right up these stairs. I-I h-hope you don’t mind sharing?”

“Whatever suits you, Hinata-sama,” Kusinada replied through clenched teeth before remembering that she didn’t say things like that anymore. She was going to be a happy, kind person from now on.

Kusinada followed Hinata up the left set of the delicate stairs, and down a hall that was heavily windowed on the right side. The left was lined with what the mansion loved best-- mahogany doors.

Hinata opened a door about halfway down the hall. “Here you are,” she said kindly.

Kusinada peeked into the room. The floor was littered with an assortment of sketches and paintings, and the walls were covered with even more. There were two beds. One bed was free from sketches, but it was littered with an assortment of art books. Whoever she shared this room with as very artsy (and messy) indeed. Hinata crossed the room to the other bed, one that was free from anything but normal bed stuff, and said “Please forgive my daughter’s mess. This will be your bed.” With that, she bowed her head and left the room. Kusinada thought back to the strange girl she had met earlier that day.

“Hanako, huh?” she said, and grinned, allowing herself to fall onto her tidy bed. This was going to be interesting.

<><>

She was contemplating taking a nap when the man from earlier found his way back into her head. Raiden . She was going to live with him now. The thought sent her heart pounding out of her chest. He’s so beautiful...and he smells so...divine...

Kusinada closed her eyes and allowed her mind to wander where it pleased, even if her thoughts went against what she now stood for.

[Lady Rika]

Raiden walked past the mansions security shinobi without so much as a word. How easy it was for him to ignore the world around him, pushing out the stupid and boring. Even those on the streets who stood and greeted him, the stupid excuse for ninja who paraded around the streets as if they were the coolest thing since cooked ramen.
The stupid guards, mumbling and acting like fools as he walked by.
‘They act as if they’ve never seen me before…Feh, stupid imbeciles!’
Raiden wondered if his father would notice the scratch in the mountain? Though it wasn’t very noticeable, it still angered Raiden a great deal. He hated the thought of someone despising such a great leader as the Hokage, even if Naruto acted like a complete idiot at times it mattered not, he led Konoha’s ninja perfectly. That loyalty, that leadership, was something Lance would never understand.
“Little bastard!” he spat, referring to Lance, “I hope his body was mangled during that fall!”
He pushed the large mahogany colored doors open just enough for him to get in. The coolness of the mansion eased his hot, burning temper slightly, which relieved him a bit.
It was hotter outside than it normally was, though he didn’t dislike the heat for some reason it made his temper flare even more than normal which bothered most people.
“RAIDEN!!!!” a voice boomed from the stairs, making him open his eyes in annoyance.

“I was wondering when you’d get home! Where’d you go?”
Raiden stopped walking and turned around, there in the doorway was his father. The same man who’s own DNA contributed to Raiden’s existence, though that thought sometimes made Raiden sick at his stomach. To think that he was the spawn of his goof of a father made him shudder; “Out.” Raiden responded.
Naruto hurried over to his son, the long robes he wore trailed along the flooring making not a sound. His bright blonde hair matching Raiden’s own, along with the same deep blue eye; Naruto wasn’t satisfied with the answer. Though he rarely was when it came to his son, it seemed he could rarely get him to talk. Much less show emotion, unless it was anger. In which he showed that fury quite well.
“Come on now son! You can tell me, what…did you go see some girl? Huh, huh?” he smiled, poking Raiden in the ribs, hinting at him having a girlfriend much less a friend at all made Naruto feel a little guilty. Nearly everybody in Konoha knew him or knew of him, he was known for four things. One: being the Hokage’s son, two: his attractive appearance, three: the ability to do the Flying Thunder God Technique, and lastly…because of his cruelty.
Naruto watched his sons deep blue eye glare at him, the other one that looked as if it were holding the powers of the Byakugan remained still and unmoving.
“I was out…just me…no one else!” he uttered the words silently.
Naruto stopped smiling, “Yeah, okay Raiden, whatever you say.” He replied, taking a step back from him.
Only then did he realize that he forgot to mention that Kusinada would be staying with them, but he knew his son wasn’t in the mood for chitchat so he figured he could find out himself.
Raiden closed his eyes once more and started walking once more, just as he was about to turn the corner he stopped and lightly yelled back to his father.
“If you’re bored…you might wanna have a look at your office. One of your friends stopped by and left you a surprise.”
When Raiden reached his room, all silence overtook him. His deep blue bed sheets were perfectly made and ready to be slept in once more. All of his thoughts seemed to revolve around what had happened earlier today with Hinata.
‘She got what she deserved!’ his mind harrumphed. But in one corner of his mind he still felt as if he had went a little too far. Though everything he said was true, at least in his mind they were. Reaching under his bed, Raiden pulled out his large sketchpad. He had to be discreet about it though; he didn’t want people to know that he enjoyed drawing quite a lot and had many full sketchpads. Their were only two people who Raiden knew for sure knew his secret. One was a foolish maid who walked into his room without knocking one day, and found him drawing. He quickly took care of her possible wagging tongue by a heavy threat of cutting her throat and just to be positive Raiden threw in a broken wrist. That was two years ago, and to his knowledge she never spoke a word.
The second was his brat of a sister, Hanako. He actually had no idea how she knew but he too threatened her but gave her no broken bones if his memory served him correctly. Maybe a bruise or four but nothing that would draw up too much attention like a snapped bone would.

Flipping threw the heavy book, staring at all of his past creations Raiden felt a little remorseful. He hadn’t looked in the book for some time now being he had been to busy. All the mystical dragons, and mermaids he had that decorated so many pages left him with a tinge of warmth. Or maybe it was just the heat, Raiden wasn’t sure.
‘What’s this?’ he exclaimed, turning the last page in his book.
“Dammit! I want to draw!” He growled in annoyance, slamming his sketchbook shut.
Though his anger didn’t settle, he knew where he could get another one and quickly.
Rising from the bed Raiden rushed out of his room and ventured far down the hall where his sisters room was. Out of the many doors and rooms that covered this entire mansion Raiden swore he’d only been in half of them. And used only a few. Though he knew where everything was and what was behind nearly every door the thought of having more than necessary in his opinion was stupid.
As soon as he reached his sisters door he waited before entering, he waited to see if he could hear her in they’re, scratching around or doing something pointless. He heard breathing and the bed shifting slightly and that was all he needed.
He didn’t even knock, just grabbed the doorknob and yanked it open.

“Hanako!” he barked, entering the room and slamming the door behind him. “I filled my sketchbook and I need a new one. Give me one of yours–now!”
When he finally bothered to look around the room to see where she was he was surprised at what he saw. It wasn’t Hanako at all; in fact his sister wasn’t even there. But lying on the bed was the girl from this morning, after he left the house. The one he didn’t recall, the one walking with Lee-sensei.
Raiden stared at her with owl like eyes, “What are you doing here?” he demanded before quickly appearing in front of her, standing near the bed eyeing her carefully.
“Who are you?”

[Victoria]

He had just turned his back to his village. A single jounin jinchuuriki walked away from the village he called home for his whole life, all because of one single mission failure. The mission itself was a success, but something he hadn't counted on cost him the discreet stealth of his mission. This something was the demon inside of him. If it had been any ordinary demon, things would have been fine, but this was something out of the ordinary.

This man's demon was not a demon at all, but an angel. An angel that had fallen from heaven for her lewd and seductive ways. She discovered Manami during the night of his thirteenth birthday.

“He's just young enough to manipulate with ease.” she thought to herself as she drew closer to him. She placed her hand on his cheek and kissed his forehead. The kiss immediately woke him from his slumber. His blurred vision took a moment to focus, and when it finally did, he saw nothing. There was no one in his room, but yet he sensed a peculiar presence.

He rubbed his forehead because he was sure he felt a kiss. He blushed lightly, but shrugged it off and went back to sleep. She giggled and smiled as she licked her lips. She straddled across him and wrapped her arms around him, softly whispering an incantation. A few moments later, her spirit and body began to merge with his own.

The next thing she saw was inside of his mind. Many memories of him being mistaken for a woman. All these memories and thoughts amused her and caused her to like him. Eventually she would slowly call out to him and bring his attention to her.



He sighed and looked back one last time to his home village and traveled his way through the misty forest. When he finally came out of the misty forest, he took out a map he placed in his kimono and looked at it to check the location of the village of Konoha. He memorized a path to get there and traveled day and night, and only rested when he could not travel any longer. It took him a good day or three to arrive at Konoha's gates.

It was nightfall when he arrived, however. So he decided to lean against the wooden wall and rest until the morning.

When morning came, however, he awoke with a large thud. The gate had opened and his resting place had vanished. He fell back and hit his head on the ground. He sat back up quickly and rubbed the back of his head.

“Ow ow ow... that hurt.” he said as he took a moment to stand up and turn around toward the gate.

“Who might you be?” a man queried as he glared at Manami with suspicion. His eyes were white and his hair was brown.

“Someone from the Hyuuga clan...” he thought to himself as he shook the cobwebs from his head and cleared his throat.

“My name is Haku,” he responded in kind. He smiled and inquired. “I suppose you are a Hyuuga. Though, I must inquire as to which Hyuuga you are.” he bent down and picked up his pack and swung it around his shoulder.

“Neji. Hyuuga Neji.” he said full of slight irritability. Although his suspicion wasn't what Manami originally thought.

“Unfortunately I have a mission to get to, so if you would head for the check-in desk right by the gate there, that would be sufficient.” With the last words, Neji was gone.

Manami still rubbed the back of his head and walked over to the desk. He put his back down by him and leaned in.

“Neji-san instructed me to stop by here, but he wasn't clear as to why.”

“Ah. Well, we need to ask you what business you have here in Konoha, and other such security questions, miss.”

“Oh. Well, if that is all. Then I must say that I was exiled from my village due to the demon inside me.”

“Bah.. you're the second Jinchuuriki this week that came to Konoha. What'd you do? Nearly descimate the village?”

“No, not exactly... It was more that my demon nearly screwed up a vitally important S-rank mission that I was assigned, and apparently my village elders did not like the true form of my demon.”

“So they kicked you out because you're eccentric?”

“...Yes, you could say that.”

“Pfft. Listen girlie, that's not something we worry about here in Konoha, so I think you would fit right in. Besides, the world is full of eccentrics. I mean look at the Rokudaime Hokage. He's the most eccentric guy in the village. He's a Jinchuuriki like yourself, you know.”

That was when Manami realized the man he was speaking to mistook him for a girl.

“...Um, excuse me, but before this goes too far, I'm actually a guy...”

The man leaned in and took a closer look up and down his body. “...Oh yeah.. sorry about that. Your face and the kimono threw me off. Although, I have to say you look somewhat familiar... What's your name, kid?”

“Haku. My name is Haku M--” he was cut off as the man dashed away.

He rushed to the Hokage mansion and left Manami alone with the other shinobi at the check-in desk.

“Um... what was that all about?”

“Your name... You could say the Hokage had a friendship with a relative of yours over ten years ago.”

“...A relative? But, I wasn't aware I had any relatives...”

“Your relative said the same thing, according to the Hokage. It seems you both didn't know of each other's existence. Kind of sad, isn't it?”

“Yes... very.”

Moments later, he had returned with what appeared to be the Hokage close behind him.

Manami turned to face them and the Hokage stopped in his tracks. Manami smiled and waved and caused the Hokage's eyes to widen and sweat fall from his brow.

“Guh...Guh....GHOST! It's a GHOST! AHHHH!!!” he ran in circles before the other man she spoke with walked up to the Hokage and bopped him on the head.

“It's not a ghost, you fool.”

“Ow! ...Are you sure? He... looks an awful lot like Haku... I'm not so sure...”

Manami scratched the back of his head and bowed. “Haku Manami, at your service, Hokage-san.”

“..Manami, you say?”

“Yes. Haku Manami is my full name. As this man over here had just informed me, it seems this Haku that you knew was a relative of mine. I'm sorry to have caused any unnecessary drama.”

“It's fine, it's fine. Although, I didn't think I'd get to see another Haku. That's what mainly surprised me. You really look dead on to him, though. Except.. you're a bit taller.”

“I see.. Well, thank you, I suppose. Although, I'm not sure if you were informed, but I was kicked out of my village, so I thought I would come here and look for work and perhaps a place of residence.”

“That's right, Naruto-sama. It appears he is a Jinchuuriki like yourself and they banished him because of such a fact.”

“Grr, I hate when that happens. You can stay here if you'd like. And since you're looking for work, what rank are you and what kind of jutsu do you have?”

“I'm a Jounin, Naruto-san. And my jut--” he was cut off again when Naruto realized what he asked and who he was talking to.

“Wait a sec. Since you're a relative of Haku, you have the Hyoton Kekkai Genkai, don't you? I bet you can probably do that same troublesome attack as him too. The one with the mirrors.. what was it called...” he scratched his forehead.

“Ah. You mean this one?” He opened his pack for a gourd of water and opened the lid. He did a few one hand jutsu signs and manipulated the water to rise out of the gourd and transform into several mirrors to which he stepped into one as if it were a door. All the mirrors reflected images of him in them. All of his reflections smiled and waved to Naruto.”

“....Yeah... that one.” he glared when he saw it because he wasn't all too fond of it.

Manami stepped out of the mirror and the water traveled back into the gourd and he closed the lid and placed it back into his pack.

“Well. Just as I thought. Consider yourself a resident and shinobi of Konoha. Although, make sure you have your demon in check though, like I do.”

“Yes, Naruto-san. Although, I wouldn't really call her a demon...” he cleared his throat and picked up his pack.

“Not a demon? Then what is she, an angel or something?” Naruto joked and stuck out his tongue.

“...Actually, yes. A fallen angel, to be exact. You might see her form soon enough. I keep hearing rumors that when she takes over, my body changes somehow, but I never remember. So let me know if you ever see it.”

“... Yeah.. sure thing.” Naruto glared and shrugged. He went back to the mansion to resume his duties before he was interrupted.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” Naruto said before he was out of earshot. “Since I live in the mansion now, you can live at my old place. Nobody lives there now, so it's empty. Nearly everyone in the village knows where it is, so just ask someone.”

“Thank you, Naruto-san!”

Naruto was gone. Manami sighed and rolled his neck around. He turned to the two men and bowed.

“Glad that got taken care of, eh?” he smiled and walked deeper into Konoha.

[FF Ace Cid]

"Ahhh.....Konaha, I love this place, it's nice to come back here." Serge said.
Serge thought of how long it had been since he came to Konaha. The last time was probably when he became a jounin. He walked to the entrance to the village. There were two shinobi sitting in a booth.

"Hey, it's me Serge. I wanted to make a visit to the village."

"Nice to see you agian." one of the shinobi said.

"What brings you back to Konaha?" the other shinobi asked.

"I was hoping to get to talk to the Hokage about doing some missions and what not." Serge scratched the back of his head and looked towards the Hokage mansion.

"Well, go on then."

"Thank you." With that Serge was off to meet with Naruto, so he could find himself a mission to do.

Serge entered the Hokage mansion, and walked in to meet with Naruto. "Hey, Naruto how has it been?"

Naruto looked puzzled for a moment. "Serge, is that you? I've been fine, but how are you, I haven't seen you in three years!"

"It's been fine, listen, I was hoping to be able to maybe...." Serge scratched his head, "Maybe I could have a mission or two while I'm here?"

"Oh, sure it's not a problem we'll see if we can get you some soon. As long as you're here would you like to go out for some ramen, and reminisce?"

"Yeah, you know I'm always up for a good bowl of ramen, but what about your paper work?" Serge looked over to a pile of folders and other papers.

"It'll be here when we're back." Naruto sighed.

[Darkwolf]

"ugh"
Lance opened his eyes, He was surrounded by people...he got up. "Sir...a..are you alright?" Lance knew the fall had hurt him, and his right arm seemed to be sprained. "Yes, now get the hell away from me..." he said as he once again headed for the Hokage's mansion. People started to follow him, asking worthless and stupid questions. Their voices were only irritating Lance even more... then one kid dared to speak to him. "S..Sir... can I be of any help?" The child's innocence was the thing that Lance hated most out of all the people who were annoying him. "I SAID I'M FINE!" Lance yelled as he spun around, his chakra bursting from his body with anger, so much that the stupid child lost balance and hurt himself. The adults looked at Lance with disgust as the child sat there crying from minor cuts. "how could you do this to an innocent chi.." "INNOCENT???" Lance bursted. "Children are little immature brats which try to be nice, they should be taught early that there is no innocence, that their belifs of a perfect world are just a bunch of bull S***!" Lance turned around, ignoring the scared and disgusted looks from the people, as he walked on to the Hokage's mansion to FINALLY get some info on why he was forced to rot in this boring hellhole of a village. As he approached the gate, a man yelled at him. "How could you feel such anger twords innocent little children?" Lance turned around, he had tried to calm himself during his walk, but not his eyes showed extreme rage twords this...no, it wasnt a man, just a minor annoyance. Lance pulled out a kunai. "Get away from me now before I lose control... The man, with his dull and blank eyes that only showed fear, stepped backwards, then seemed to show a sign of foolish "bravery" and stood his ground. "I SAID LEAVE!" lance yelled as he threw the kunai in the ground just in front of the man, leaving a hole in the earth and dust in the air as the man fled for his life.

Lance pushed the gate open, and seeing as the gaurds didn't even try to speak to him, or even look at him. He pushed open the door to see if the hokage would finally speak to him about his mission, why he was picked, why that old fool let Lance sit and rot in this pathetic place. He pushed the doors to Hokage Uzumaki's room, seeing him eat ramen with another worthless annoyance. "Naruto!" he yelled, purposely leaving out any title of respect. "I want to know about my mission, and why I've been forced to stay in this village so long!" Lance sighed, as the hokage seemed to be choking on his mouthfull of ramen, shocked to see Lance so angry.

[Xeim]

Kusinada’s eyes snapped open when she heard the door slam against the wall.

“Hanako!” a man’s voice yelled. She didn’t catch the rest of what he said, as she realized who it was. Blonde hair, blue eyes...Uzumaki Raiden had just stormed into the room. Her eyes widened, and her heart started pounding wildly.

Oh my god! It’s him! What’s he doing here?!

Oh please...this is his house! I knew that a minute ago...

But this is Hanako’s room! Wait...what if the three of us share a room!

Don’t be a fool Kusinada...

His cold eyes rested on Kusinada, and an unbelievably sinister expression crossed his face. “What are you doing here?” he asked threateningly. His eyes narrowed as he flicked himself in front of the bed Kusinada was now able to call her own. “Who are you?”

If it was possible, Kusinada’s eyes became bigger. Oh my god! He’s right here in front of me!

“Kusinada” she said timidly.

“Kusinada....” he said impatiently, waiting for her family name.

“Uchiha. Uchiha Kusinada.”

“Uchiha?!” he spat disgustedly. “What the hell are you doing in my fathers house?! In my sister's room?!”

“Um...I was sleeping. What did it look like?” she said groggily, offended by his tone.

“You fool! I’m reporting you to my father right now!”

“I don’t think you’d get anywhere...he invited me here.” Kusinada’s voice had become cold.

Evidently looks aren’t everything, she thought miserably.

“Oh yeah?!” Raiden screamed, "Then I'd like to see you prove it!"

"Erm...well, he was friends with my father..."

"Friends?!? You have no idea of their relationship! Your father is a miserable scumbag!"

As much as Kusinada hated the way her father treated her, she still loved him deep down. He was her father afterall. So, when Raiden said this, it stung her harder than any of his other cold comments. She had no smart retort for it, so all she could do was stare at him shocked for a moment.

Raiden opened his mouth again, but upon seeing her expression, closed it.

"I-I...." she cut off, and began to fiddle with her skirt as tears made their way down her cheeks. "I know."

Raiden looked at her with pure ice emitting from the depths of his eyes. He showed no sympathy for the girl sitting miserably on the bed. All he saw was the spawn of the worst Uchiha that had ever lived. Worse than even Itachi.

"Then get the hell out of my house," he said softly, coldy, but unbelievably firmly. Kusinada just stared at him.

That was the moment Hanako chose to appear.

“Kusinada-chan!” she said, sounding nervously gleeful. “I drew you...” Her voice trailed off when she laid eyes on Raiden. “Oh...” she whispered, dropping the drawing pad she was carrying.

“I’ll deal with you later,” Raiden threatened Kusinada, his voice beginning to shake with anger.
With that, he snatched up one of the drawing pads littering the floor and stormed out of the room.

“Please forgive my brother...oh...no...well...don’t...but...he’s not usually...well...he is...but...” Hanako stuttered.

“Hanako.” Kusinada said coldly.

Hanako looked up at her in fear.

“Your brother is a supreme idiot, borderline asshole.” She paused and thoughtfully examined drawings covering the walls. “Well, not even borderline.”

It felt so good to say that, Kusinada thought geefully.

“I see.”

Kusinada’s cheery attitude returned once more after that little outburst, and she smiled at Hanako. “You know, I’ve always wanted to learn to draw.”

“Oh yes...well...”

“Will you teach me?” she asked, saving the girl from stuttering to her death.

“Oh, well...I...Kusinada?”

“Mm?”

“I’d like that very much.” She said confidently.

Kusinada smiled at her, and sat up on the bed in a cross-legged position. “So...what’s first...Hanako-sensei?”

[Victoria]

Manami explored Konoha before he decided to ask a passerby about the directions to Naruto's old residence. He explained that the Hokage had given him permission to use his old residence as his own. They pointed in a general direction until he managed to find a dusty old house. The door was full of dust as well. He ran a finger across the door's surface and picked up a lot of dust. He let out a sigh and rubbed the back of his neck as he estimated how much work he would have to put in to clean his new home.

He took the key from his pocket and unlocked the door to his new home. Dust filled the air as he spotted several cobwebs. Manami coughed as dust flew into his nose. Dust made its way into his eyes and changed them from clear to red. He sighed and left the house and locked up. He compiled a mental list that consisted of cleaning supplies and plenty of water.

The door to the convenience store opened by an exhausted Manami. The owner caught his eye and immediately went to him to see of he needed any help. He sniffled and covered his mouth to cough.

“Are you alright, sir?” she asked him sincerely.

“I'm okay... I just have dust in my eyes. I recently moved into Hokage-sama's old residence, and quite frankly, it's full of dust.” he sniffled.

“Oh, you poor thing. Is there anything I can do to help?”

“As a matter of fact, there is,” he looked around the store. “I need cleaning supplies and plenty of water. And some cold medicine wouldn't hurt either. Thank you.” He turned his face to the side and sneezed.

“No problem, Manami-san.” she smiled and went behind the counter and handed him some cold medicine. He took it right away and helped her gather his supplies.

“How did you figure out my name?” he raised a brow.

“Easy. You told me where you lived. Hokage-sama released a small announcement that you would be moving in. It was an announcement mostly to quell any hidden suspicions anyone had.”

“That makes sense. It would be awkward for someone to suddenly live in his old place, I suppose.”

He smiled and bowed to her and handed her the money for his supplies and medicine.

A half hour later, he came back with a few bottles of water, a medicinal mask, a mop, a bucket, several rags, and a broom with a dust pan. Along with several garbage bags. He sighed and cleared his throat. He slipped on his mask and unlocked the door and left it open for air to get in and out of the place until he opened the windows. Once the windows were opened, he closed the door.

The first thing he did that started the cleansing process of his residence was the task of dusting the walls, ceiling and furniture.

[Lady Rika]

Raiden’s eyes tightened as he glared at his sister just before leaving the room with her sketchbook in hand. He slammed the door, hard; hard enough to shake the walls near Hanako’s room shake, hard enough to make the antique oriental maroon colored vase that rested on an equally old marble pillar tilt back and forth until finally smashing to the floor. But Raiden didn’t even twitch an eye in the direction of the now shattered vase; the marble column that had once supported the costly vase seemed to continue to tumble around even after the vase broke. It seemed almost sad now that its companion the vase had now died, and seemed to continue its little tilt a whirl until its non-living mind finally grasped the horrific picture below and then ended it all by letting itself fall slowly to the floor.

“What the hell is father thinking? Letting in this Uchiha filth! He must have finally lost what was left of his mind!” Raiden screamed, his feet stomping past room after room.
His deep blue eye seethed with anger; he was a strong hater of the Uchiha clan. Even though the other clan members who were lost to Sasuke’s older brother Itachi never bared any ill will towards anyone, he still hated Sasuke and for good reason he thought to himself. The fool had left the village, betrayed it and his best friend Naruto but to Raiden Sasuke didn’t seem to be much of a friend. After trying to kill Naruto on many occasions, and almost succeeding once if it hadn’t been for the fox demon inside him.

With a long, but silent sigh the blonde haired boy began to think deeply about the girl who had looked at him with such cold eyes, yet who seemed so hurt by his words towards her. He found it strange that he would even care but if she were to be living in his house than he would have to set some ground rules for her and fast.
It was true that she had obviously befriended his foolish little sister but something else about her almost made him mad. For there was something about her that he just couldn’t quite put his finger on.
“Ah!” he said, halting before he walked any further, “I remember.” He whispered, his voice becoming soother and softer as his temper died down for a time.
When he left the house after his little…talk with Hinata, Raiden remembered that he saw Lee-Sensei walking with his students and someone else. Although he hadn’t paid much attention to her, he knew that she was someone he did not know. Just another pretty face with no brain he thought at first glance, although he felt the same way still for any female, even his own mother and sister.
‘No matter what…she is still an Uchiha, and she is still a bother to me. She won’t be staying here for long!’ He thought to himself with a sinister smirk, he completely forgot about the house rules he was going to make her obey; now he was ready to throw her out completely. No, she wouldn’t be staying for long, he would make sure of that. Yes, he would take care of her, just like he took care of that Lance guy or whatever his name was.

Leaning against the wall, the hallway empty of any life, Raiden began to flip threw the sketchbook he swiped from Hanako. To his annoyance there were at least ten picture’s still left in the book. Even though he only looked at a few he noticed many of them to be scenery drawings, a couple of a waterfall and one of a large tree with thick, streaming vines that fell into the lake below it.
Raiden, disgusted, began to rip out the pictures one by one and as he ripped them he made sure to crumble them into little half balls and drop them on the floor. Some he didn’t bother to crumble because he had already ripped them down the middle when he pulled them poorly from their binds.
“There.” He said nearly above a whisper when he finished the last page, now he had at least forty new creamy pages for him to drawing pleasures, the perfect pages were smooth and soft as they seemed to move threw his fingers when he double checked for anymore pictures left by his sister. When he was done searching threw it he pushed up off the wall and started his pace once more. He knew exactly where he was going but wasn’t exactly sure what to expect when he got there. Was Naruto already informed about what happened on the Hokage Mountain? They wouldn’t think of him as the one who killed the weakling Shinobi and even if they did his father would hush it all up and give him a ‘stern talking to’ and then it would be the end of it.
Raiden really didn’t understand sometimes, Ninja killed other Ninja everyday as it was a necessary for their job, so what would one death of one Shinobi life mean to the elders of Konoha? So one was lost, who cares, Shinobi died everyday and more are born all the time.
‘Just think of it as…it was his time to go.’ Raiden thought to himself as he turned the corner towards the Hokage’s room. He heard loud shouts and random noises coming from the room but for some reason he found that normal. There was always something going on with that quirky father of his, but as he had said before he was an amazing leader and everything he did was for the good of the leaf village and for the protection of all others.

Raiden pushed open the door of the Hokage’s room, to his surprise it was already slightly ajar but he paid no attention to it. Especially because his eyes were closed now, as they usually were when he walked or did anything. He knew were everything was and what it was doing, he didn’t need eyes to see. Though a small voice in his head squeaked up that it was all because he didn’t want anyone knowing of his secret. He didn’t want anyone seeing his blind eye, which was hidden so well as the Byakugan. Not that they would ever think of him as blind, they had no reason too. He had been on far too many S and A ranked missions and passed them all with flying colors, hence his conscience was lying to him once again as he proclaimed it did.
“Father!” Raiden barked, “I didn’t know you were giving out home to street rats, even though it is quite kind of you don’t you think your being a bit to…generous with this one?” he asked, his voice very cold and thick with cruelty towards the Uchiha girl.
Even though most would be pleased to see the so-called great clan being brought back to life Raiden felt her to be nothing more than, as he said before, a street rat.
If she was from such a great ninja as one would think, why isn’t she there with him?
Why is she here munching on the crumbs of Sasuke’s old friend Naruto, the one he betrayed and left to die when they were younger Genin!

Raiden smirked and opened his one deep blue eye to see his father’s expression towards his statement but as soon as his vision caught who was in the room his smirk disappeared.
It was Lance.
“YOU!” he barked deeply, eyes burning with hatred, “I thought I killed your dim-witted ass!”
Raiden saw that there was another man sitting near Naruto’s desk, obviously his father and the other man were eating noodles when this fool came in because they stared at Lance as if he were screaming birdsongs and they looked at him as if he were a damned demon from hell.

Lance looked half dead, at least that was Raiden’s opinion being that to him Lance always looked sloppy. But he was covered in many cuts and bruises, though Raiden figured that the mans ego and pride was probably stinging with pain being the stupid man thought he could put Uzumaki Raiden in his place.
“Oh well!” Raiden smiled, malice seething from his curved lips, “I guess I’ll just have to finish you off.”

[Xeim]

“No no no! You're doing it all wrong Kusi-chan!” Hanako laughed. “You're supposed to be drawing a triangle! One straight horizontal line, and two diagonal lines that come off of it to meet each other!” She grabbed the notebook from Kusinada. “Like this.” Hanako quickly drew a triangle on the paper. It was almost perfect; one would think that she had used a ruler on it.

Hanako looked over to the right of the page where Kusinada had been trying to draw her own version of the triangle. Instead, she had ended up with a square-like shape. Even then, it was too round to be a square, making it more of a circle. But, circles didn't have corners. In fact, Hanako wasn't quite sure what it was, but she did know that she had a lot of work to do with this Kusinada.

Hanako took a deep breath. Something about Kusinada really made her want to open up. She was always shy and introverted, but inside she was a spunky young girl always ready for fun. She suppressed the girl within her, however; as she felt that she always had to remain in control. Her shyness was genuine, and it annoyed her to an unreal extent. It was the one emotion she just couldn't control. It kept her from saying the things she truly wanted to; it kept her from really living. But, like her mother, it was probably something she would never get over. At least she could be herself around Kusinada.

Kusinada had the notebook back now and was attempting to draw a triangle again.

“So, your brother draws?” she asked.

“Um, yes. But he really doesn't like people to know…”

“Oh really?” she asked deviously, and her lips curled into a small smirk- the Uchiha smirk.

“Kusi? I don't think you should try to provoke him.” She remembered earlier that morning, and what Raiden had done to her mother. It scared her. She didn't want to see Kusinada break the same way. “Please,” she added in desperation.

“I am so…out of the loop!” Kusinada laughed. “But alright. If it worries you that much, I won't say anything.”

Hanako smiled. “Th-thanks,” she said relieved.

“Hey look! I did it!” Kusinada held up the notebook and pointed to a triangle in the top left corner. It was small, and rather lopsided, but a triangle nonetheless.

“It's progress,” Hanako giggled.

“Hey! What's that supposed to mean?!” Kusinada yelled playfully as she threw her pencil towards the girl she now called sensei. Hanako quickly ducked, and the pencil embedded itself in the wall behind them. Hanako tensed up. Her pictures! Her precious pictures! She turned slowly afraid of what she might soon see.

Please don't let it be one of my good ones!

Her eyes landed on a picture of her father's old apartment. It was one she had drawn a couple years back, so the shading on it was a bit off. Well not even a bit. The shadows were all in spots where there should be sun, and the sunlight rested upon places that should definitely be obscured by shadow. So, it wasn't her best. But, it was still on of her favorite pictures. Hanako loved drawing her father's old apartment. It was complicated, but it wasn't as hard as drawing a forest. It provided enough challenge to stimulate her, but it wasn't challenging enough to be painful.

“Oh my god I'm so sorry!” Kusinada gasped. “It's so…beautiful.”

It was a loss Hanako would have to deal with. It was just a sketch. She could always go back to her father's apartment and draw a new one, a better one.

“No, please, don't worry about it. It was…old. It was time to take it down anyway.” She stood and walked over to the place where the pencil had hit. It was embedded pretty deep into the wall.

Kusi-chan's very strong… Hanako thought as she yanked the pencil out. Her sketch fell softly to the floor.

Time to say good-bye. And, with that, Hanako walked over to the door and threw the ruined picture into an overflowing wastepaper basket standing close by.

“I-I think that's...enough for today, Kusi-chan,” Hanako whispered as she fingered her floral kimono nervously. She needed to think...no, she just need to rest. “Sleep,” she whispered.

“Um, well, I'll leave you to your nap then,” Kusinada said sheepishly. “I wanted to explore a little more anyway.”

She wanted to explore? But, she'd get lost again! Hanako didn't want Kusinada to get lost again. Kusinada must get so scared…. “Map!” she realized suddenly. Her face brightened, and all thoughts of sleep left her mind.

“M-map?” Kusinada asked. She looked rather taken aback. Hanako's mood swing must have been rather strange to her.

“Y-yeah! I drew you a map! Oh…where'd I put it?” She bent over, and began to crawl around on the floor. I dropped it over here somewhere…Aha! “Map!” she said again.

“Uh, thanks,” Kusinada said, and walked over to where Hanako had planted herself. “Map, right. Yeah. Well, I'll be seeing you!” With that, she exited the room.

“How peculiar,” Hanako said as she lay down on her bed to sleep.